Thursday, January 31, 2013

US January Jobs Report 2012: Unemployment Rate To Hold Steady; Payrolls To Show Steady Growth

?We started the year on a pretty solid footing,? said Steve Blitz, chief economist at ITG Investment Research. ?I think the report is going to be a little bit better than what most people think.?

Economists expect nonfarm payrolls to show a respectable, but hardly spectacular, gain of 160,000, after a 155,000 December increase. Projections provided by 90 economists polled by Thomson Reuters ranged from a gain of 75,000 jobs to a gain of 200,000. Over the past two years, employment growth averaged 153,000 per month.

Hiring in the construction sector, boosted temporarily by the combined effects of the clean-up operation after Superstorm Sandy and the unseasonably warm winter weather, probably slowed this month. The 30,000 construction jobs added in December is unlikely to be repeated in January.

The Labor Department will release the January jobs data on Friday at 8:30 a.m. EST.

A 160,000 increase in payroll employment in January would maintain the pick-up in jobs growth seen in the second half of last year without being strong enough to significantly reduce the unemployment rate from December?s 7.8 percent.

After two months of gains, economists expect a softening in wages with average hourly earnings only increasing 0.2 percent, following a 0.3 percent gain in December. The average workweek is expected to hold at 34.5.

Population And Benchmark Revisions??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

There are a few special factors this month, including the final benchmark revision to payrolls and the population adjustment to the household survey.

Every January the Bureau of Labor Statistics introduces the latest population estimates into the household survey, which can affect the level of the household measure of employment and the size of the labor force. In prior years, the population adjustment has created big swings in the labor force, which biased the unemployment rate.

Since the Labor Department does not revise the historical figures, this generates a discontinuity between December and January. ?January?s monthly changes in household employment and the labor force should be interpreted with care,? Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist at U.K.-based Capital Economics, said in a note to clients.

At the same time, the BLS will incorporate the results of the annual benchmark revision to past payroll figures. The revision is based on a universal count of unemployment insurance records which, as all employers are required by law to file, are more accurate than the normal monthly survey covering roughly a third of all employees. The revision should correct for any deficiencies in the normal monthly survey, such as the failure to accurately pick up the birth and death of firms or any distortions within the sample, according to Dales.

The preliminary estimate issued by the BLS last September, but not yet incorporated into the data, suggested that the level of nonfarm payrolls in the year to March 2012 will be revised up by a fairly hefty 386,000, or around 32,000 per month.

The data between March and December of last year will also be revised, but the BLS has not provided any guidance on this.

Manufacturing Treading Water

Businesses in the manufacturing sector probably added 10,000 new jobs this month, after adding 25,000 jobs in December, economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters predicted.

?For some time, we?ve seen companies with the ability to spend more on capital expenditure and additional hiring, but it seems that the motive to increase either of those activity has been somewhat lacking throughout the recovery,? said Christopher Petrosino, managing director of the quantitative strategies group at Manning & Napier.

For companies that do want to hire, they are having a hard time finding the right employees because of the skills gap. Since the 1990s, overtime hours increased to keep up with the decreasing supply of skilled laborers, but these workers can only be stretched so thin.

According to a survey by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, 83 percent of manufacturing companies indicated a moderate to serious shortage of skilled production workers. Moreover, 69 percent expect the skilled labor shortage to grow over the next three to five years as current skilled workers near retirement.

A median 5 percent of jobs were left unfilled due to lack of qualified candidates, amounting to about 600,000 jobs, according to the survey.

?We are starting to see anecdotal evidence of manufacturing expansion in the U.S., but it takes time for improvements to show up in the jobs number,? said Michael Knolla, a research analyst at Manning & Napier, which oversees about $40 billion in assets.

Companies such as Agrium Inc. (NYSE:AGU), CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF), Rentech, Inc. (NYSEAMEX:RTK) and Potash Corp./Saskatchewan (NYSE:POT) have recently announced brownfield expansion plans.

?When those brownfield operations actually come to life, then the real big hiring comes as we get to the next stage where we see greenfield investments,? Knolla said. ?We?ve seen some greenfield announcements, but those can take two to three years to actually flow through.?

As typically happens at the start of a new year, the Institute of Supply Management on Monday revised the seasonal factors for the data contained in its closely watched manufacturing survey. For December, the revised manufacturing purchasing managers? index now stands at 50.2, lower than the originally reported 50.7.

The ISM is scheduled to release its January factory survey this Friday, which is expected to show a reading of 50.5.

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT), the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, said Monday it expects the first half of 2013 to be weaker than the first half of 2012, with better growth in the second half.

Federal Reserve To Stay Dovish

Having just initiated an expansion of quantitative easing, or QE, in December, it is unlikely that there will be any substantive policy changes at this week's federal open market committee meeting.

Recently, Fed officials have sounded differing opinions on how long it should continue buying bonds, with some leaning toward ending the purchases before the end of the year. Some Fed officials are worried about the potential for "financial instability" if the Fed's balance sheet grows too large.

Since the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, the central bank?s portfolio has more than tripled, and has topped $3 trillion for the first time as the Fed continued with its easy-money policy.

HSBC chief U.S. economist Kevin Logan expects the current open-ended program of $85billion in asset purchases per month to be re-affirmed along with the new thresholds of 6.5 percent unemployment and 2.5 percent inflation for an end to the exceptionally low fed funds rate.

Now the Committee can sit back and wait to see the effects of these policy changes on the economy. ?It will probably take at least six months to see any substantive changes, and so policy is now most likely on hold for the next several months,? Logan said in a note to clients.

The conditionality for a change in the fed funds rate is clear: the thresholds are 6.5 percent unemployment and projected inflation of less than 2.5 percent. The conditions for a change in the QE policy are not so clear. In December the committee said it would continue its purchases of Treasury and agency mortgage-backed securities as long as the outlook for the labor market does not improve "substantially."

Logan believes that "substantially" means, among other things, a gain of at least 200,000 new payroll jobs a month for six months. Payroll employment increased an average 160,000 jobs a month for the past six months.

?I don?t see any dramatic change in policy this year simply because I just don?t see any dramatic shift in the economic data to push them [policy makers] in that direction,? Blitz said.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/us-january-jobs-report-2012-unemployment-rate-hold-steady-payrolls-show-steady-growth-1047812

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Muskens: Clash of aboriginal resource jobs vs. environmental impact

Lately I?ve seen two very significant issues facing Canadian aboriginals in the media.

The first is the Idle No More movement which is pressing the federal government to make some decisions and move forward on a number of issues such as the environment. The main issues seem to stem from Bill C-38 which redefines how we protect our environment and gives the government more power over resource development.

The other is Bill C-45 which takes into account our waterways including the Fisheries Act and once again gives the government more power to implement change.

Running parallel to this movement is such economic activity as mining exploration, future mines, and other resource sensitive issues such as Enbridge. A good example of this kind of economic activity is an area which is about 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, Ont., just below James Bay called the Ring of Fire.

This area is rich in chromium and nickel. Chromium is used to make stainless steel which is in high demand in growth sector economies such as China and India.

What?s happening in these First Nation communities is a desire by many to work for the mines, but they lack the education and skills to qualify for these jobs.

This is what happened in Attawapiskat and the De Beers diamond mine. Support to the First Nations community for education and training to meet the needs of the diamond mining economy just didn?t happen as quickly as it could have. The aboriginal labour pool couldn?t meet the needs of the employer thereby not providing the Attawapiskat community with greater economic returns.

Now Noront, a mining company out of Toronto, is keen in ensuring its mining operations can employ as many local aboriginal workers as possible. They are aiming for a 25 per cent aboriginal workforce.

The company is looking at training options instead of asking workers to have the required Grade 12 graduation.

The company would take into account previous work experience and have workers complete local training programs.

Other initiatives include summer camps that were held last year. Aboriginal youth age eight to 19 spent time learning such things as prospecting, claim staking, mapping, GPS technology and the application of environmental geochemistry.

Mining and other resource-based economies have the opportunity to bring employment into the hinterland of Canada and at the same time provide Aboriginal communities with jobs.

How the Idle No More movement will reconcile this with its environmental concerns and Bill C-38 and Bill C-45 will be interesting.

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Source: http://www.bclocalnews.com/opinion/188886411.html

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

So Cute! SJP Steps Out with Her Twin Girls

Sarah Jessica Parker takes a walk with Marion and Tabitha! Plus, see more photos of celebs spending time with their loved ones!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/star-snapshots-celebrity-kids-and-family-photos-2012/1-b-462723?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Astar-snapshots-celebrity-kids-and-family-photos-2012-462723

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BlackBerry Z10 vs. the competition: fight!

BlackBerry has finally, officially unveiled its maiden BB10 flagship, all-touch device, the Z10, and you can read all about RIM BlackBerry's new handset in our review. But, if you're looking to see how it and BB10 stack up against the competition running Android, iOS and Windows Phone, you've come to the right place. Check out our chart below for all the specs you can handle.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Y2To_hbsO-I/

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Tips To Lead You To The Best Payday Loan | Free Finance Articles

Tips To Lead You To The Best Payday Loan

Getting a payday loan is not something anyone usually looks forward to doing.Sometimes it is a necessary part of reality. If you are in this boat, then read on into the following paragraphs for advice, and wisdom. Use this knowledge to go into the best deal, and find the best possible exit from your emergency.

Payday loans usually carry very high interest rates, and should only be used for emergencies. Although the interest rates are high, these loans can be a lifesaver, if you find yourself in a bind. These loans are especially beneficial when a car breaks down, or an appliance tears up.

When looking for a payday loan, do not settle on the first company you find. Instead, compare as many rates as you can. While some companies will only charge you about 10 or 15 percent, others may charge you 20 or even 25 percent. Do your homework and find the cheapest company.

Because payday loans are usually approved within one day, you should not jump on the first online payday loan company you stumble across. Different companies have different interest rates, fees, and terms and conditions. Make sure you do research, and surf the Internet to find the best possible company for you.

Be aware of the deceiving rates you are presented. It may seem to be affordable and acceptable to be charged fifteen dollars for each one-hundred you borrow, but it will quickly add up. The rates will translate to be about 390 percent of the amount borrowed. Know exactly how much you will be required to pay in fees and interest up front.

If possible, find out what percentage of a payday lender?s customers are repeat business. Specific establishments with high patterns of cyclical customers should be watched out for, but for two reasons. It could indicate that they are predatory and trapping some folks. On the other hand, it could also mean that they have good rates and great service.

You should find out how much time you have to pay your loan back. In some cases, you will be charged an additional fee if you do not make your payments in time. Some lending institutions will charge you ridiculously high hidden fees if you cannot pay your loan back on time.

At their best, payday loans are a two step process. The first part is usually easy. Getting a loan initially to take care of your needs, and emergency. The trickier part is exiting the situation in such a way as to not create a debt cycle, or the next emergency. Keep the advice and ideas in this article in mind, to minimize the hassle, and burden of your payday loan experience.

Source: http://freefinancearticles.info/tips-to-lead-you-to-the-best-payday-loan

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The dead aren't always excused from trial

MOSCOW (AP) ? Sergei Magnitsky died more than three years ago in a Russian jail but authorities are moving to put him on trial in a Russian court. The whistle-blowing lawyer died in 2009 after being arrested on charges of tax fraud ? the same fraud in which he alleged that Interior Ministry officials had a hand.

The Russian government has faced harsh international criticism over its treatment of Magnitsky, and its plan to bring a dead man to trial beginning Feb. 18 can only increase that chorus.

Here's a look at other posthumous trials and actions.

POPE FORMOSUS

This was a grisly case in which the accused pope's corpse was put on the stand in the so-called Cadaver Synod of 897.

The Catholic cleric had long been involved in internecine church disputes and jockeying for power. One of his predecessors, John VII, accused him of conspiring with others to take the papacy and of trying to become bishop of Bulgaria even though he already held another bishopric. Formosus eventually was elected pope in 891 and served until his death in 896, but the previous quarrels had festered. His successor revived the charges and ordered that Formosus' corpse be exhumed and brought to the papal court for judgment.

Formosus was found guilty of perjury and violating canon law; some accounts say three fingers of his right hand, which were used in consecration, were cut off. Two subsequent popes annulled the Cadaver Synod, but Pope Sergius III reaffirmed the conviction.

JOAN OF ARC

The teenage French peasant girl who claimed divine guidance and led the French army to victories in Hundred Years War was tried for heresy and burned at the stake in 1431. But a quarter-century later, Pope Callixtus III ordered a new trial after requests by Joan's mother and a French official. The proceedings described her as a martyr and said she was falsely convicted. She was canonized as a saint in 1920.

OLIVER CROMWELL

As a towering figure in 17th century England, Cromwell attracted wide enmity -- signing the death warrant for King Charles I, taking harsh measures against Catholics and demonstrating brutal military brilliance. The resentment was such that although he never faced trial dead or alive, he did suffer a posthumous "execution." In 1661, after royalists returned to power, Cromwell's corpse was exhumed and decapitated, and his head was displayed on a pole for years.

MARTIN BORMANN

Bormann, the personal secretary to Adolf Hitler, was tried in absentia at the Nuremberg tribunal and sentenced to death ? which in the end proved to be superfluous. At the time of the 1946 trial, the whereabouts of the powerful Nazi official were unknown ? and for decades after the war he was considered one of the most-wanted Nazi war criminals.

In 1972, during construction work in downtown Berlin, bones were unearthed that were identified as having belonged to Bormann through dental records. The location fit with an account that Bormann had committed suicide to avoid falling into enemy hands as he attempted to flee Berlin in the final days of the war in May 1945.

But rumors persisted that Bormann had found his way to South America until DNA tests done in 1998 conclusively proved that the remains in Berlin were those of Bormann.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dead-arent-always-excused-trial-152356308--finance.html

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5 Ways to Enhance Your Relationship Every Day | World of ...

5 Ways to Enhance Your Relationship Every DayThe everyday ? filled with its supposedly inconsequential interactions and circumstances ? is actually quite consequential when it comes to romantic relationships.

That?s because relationships are cumulative, said Nikki Massey-Hastings, Psy.D, a psychotherapist who specializes in couples. ?Each seemingly insignificant daily interaction with one?s partner builds upon the interactions from yesterday, last week, and last year? for better or worse.?

A couple with a history of loving interactions and success solving daily problems is more likely to have a securely attached relationship, Massey-Hastings said.

And that?s a great thing. Couples with a secure attachment are able to rely on each other, turn to each other for comfort and traverse potentially tough times, she noted.

In other words, positive daily interactions create buffers against future challenges.

Take parenting, for instance. One of Massey-Hastings?s clients told her: ?We finally had dinner and watched a movie last night for the first time since we brought the baby home. At the end of our night, we smiled at each other and said ?see you in 3 months! Miss you.??

This couple was able to joke about their situation because they had years of wonderful interactions and success dealing with mundane problems like decorating their bedroom and deeply emotional ones like figuring out treatments for their autistic son, she said.

Silvina Irwin, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist who also works with couples, described relationships as ?living bonds.? According to Irwin, ?without regular tending and attention, [the relationship] will wither and suffer.?

But you might be worried that working on your relationship is another time-consuming task to heap on an already overflowing pile of responsibilities. However, as Irwin said, ?tending to your relationship can be woven into the fabric of your everyday life with a little extra thought and intention.?

Below, she and Massey-Hastings share five suggestions for enhancing your relationship every day.

1. Create connection-boosting rituals.

?Create a meaningful way to connect that meets both partners? needs for connection that you can count on each day,? Massey-Hastings said. For instance, when she was just beginning her career, she and her husband would eat dinner together almost every night.

But then her schedule changed, and that was no longer possible. ?One week of this shift and we were both in tears ? we didn?t realize how much that ritual structured our time to connect,? she said. So they revised their routine. Today, they have a snack when she gets home.

?Eating together and talking about the day, for couples and for families, is a very powerful ritual of connection,? she said.

Rituals don?t need to be elaborate, either. It could be something as simple as rubbing each other?s feet every night, which Massey-Hastings and her husband also do. It?s a minute but meaningful ritual they look forward to, she said.

If you have kids, you can create rituals after they?re in bed. For instance, Massey-Hastings works with a couple who cuddles in bed for 30 minutes after putting their child to bed.

2. Be affectionate when you say hello or goodbye.

?A time that lends itself naturally to acknowledging your bond is around moments of separation and reunions,? said Irwin, who also leads workshops for couples. She suggested asking yourself: ?Do I hug and kiss my partner when we greet each other or say goodbye??How about in the evening when we say goodnight??

If you?ve been together for a long time, you might not. But this can contribute to ?couples feeling more like roommates than lovers,? she said. Whether it?s a hug, kiss or touch, daily physical attention can greatly enhance your relationship.

3. Let your partner know they?re on your mind.

Send your partner a text, leave a loving note or give them a quick call during the day, Irwin said. As she noted, these seemingly small gestures communicate an important message: ?You matter to me.? ?This can be especially meaningful when folks work long hours or experience prolonged periods of separation,? she said.

4. Acknowledge how much your partner means to you.

Let your partner know the things they do or say that are meaningful to you, Irwin said. Maybe your partner gives you a massage every night or cracks a joke after you?ve had a tough day at work. Maybe they make you coffee every morning or always wash the dishes after you cook dinner.

?[This] shows that you aren?t taking your partner for granted, and lets them know that they make a difference in your life,? she said. ?A wonderful positive spiral that can ensue when we take a moment to point out the way we appreciate our partner,? she added.

5. Check in with each other.

?Make it an intention to slow down, make eye contact, sit near each other, touch one another and check in,? Irwin said. Even just asking your partner ?How are you?? is a beautiful way to bond.

?These conversations bring a significant point of connection in couples? sometimes-busy, seemingly parallel lives.?It?s saying to each other ?In our crazy lives, the person I want to talk with at the end of the day is you!?? she said.

Relationships certainly take work. But nourishing your partnership every day isn?t painstaking. Instead, it gives you the opportunity to build your bond. Plus, helping your relationship blossom on a daily basis helps you cope better as a couple with the inevitable challenges of life.

Margarita TartakovskyMargarita Tartakovsky, M.S. is an Associate Editor at Psych Central and blogs regularly about eating and self-image issues on her own blog, Weightless.

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APA Reference
Tartakovsky, M. (2013). 5 Ways to Enhance Your Relationship Every Day. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 29, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/01/28/5-ways-to-enhance-your-relationship-every-day/

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/01/28/5-ways-to-enhance-your-relationship-every-day/

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when a relationship becomes a friendship | Ashalah

posted by Ashalah on Life

5 comments

I was 21 when I got into my first real relationship. His name was Brian and while the details of our beginnings are hazy since I have a shotty memory, I remember him bringing me wine, chocolates?truly courting me in a way that I?d always imagined a guy would. We spent weekends together, went on vacations together, confessed our feelings during a sunset at my parents lakehouse in New Hampshire and fought loudly while cooking meals at his condo I moved into. When we ended three years later in a surprisingly mutual understanding, he was still my best friend. We had been through a lot, he knew me better than almost anyone ever had and it was hard to disconnect from that (had the breakup been another round of screaming, it might have been a different story). When we broke up we continued the friendship and while we?ve drifted apart?him living with his new girlfriend in Connecticut, and me in Boulder making bad decisions with my love life, we still email every couple months, acquaintances ?now but no hard feelings.

I?ve dated a lot of boys in the past six years since I?ve been single and I?ve walked away from a lot of them with barely a word said afterwards but there are a few that I?ve stayed friends with, that I thought were worth keeping in my life. After all, I had dated them for a reason and while it didn?t work out and I felt wronged at the time, it didn?t make them a bad person. There was something I liked about them as a person that made me pursue them (and allow them to pursue me) and I?ve always believed that relationships are built on strong friendships. And sometimes, the relationship part just doesn?t work but the friendship still does. Case in point: one of my very good friends Chad happens to be a guy I dated briefly when I first moved here. I was sad when it ended, I probably cried a lot since crying apparently is my thing, but we?ve stayed friends and now we go see movies, play puzzles, drink beer and bitch about our dating lives. I?m even trying to set up with another of my good friends, that?s how platonic this friendship is.

I even stayed friends with Daniel, an ex I wrote about on another blog, whom I had quite the tumultuous relationship with?a constant back and forth and with, I?m sure, both of us feeling like the other was treating us badly. The fact of the matter is that, despite all the sadness and anger and toxicity that was our relationship, we still had a mutual respect of the other and when I took off for Europe, he was my biggest supporter and cheerleader that what I was doing was something great. After two years, we were in a good place to become friends. He remains one of the most inspirational and motivated human beings that I have ever met and I?m proud to call him a friend. I?m pretty sure none of my friends who witnessed that drawn out relationship would have guessed that we?d be on good terms today and that I?d be genuinely happy that he is in a relationship that seems to make him really happy. Some people are just meant to be in your life, and sometimes that purpose isn?t always clear in the beginning.

This weekend, in two separate scenarios, I was basically told I was not normal because I was friends with my exes. One person was a friend, the other a complete stranger. They could not fathom why I would ever stay friends with an ex.?Totally understandable but it still struck me: I had never been considered not normal because of this before. If people commented on it, it was usually how admirable it was to foster these friendships, but they couldn?t do it themselves. It?s not like I?m friends with all my exes; certain ones I can?t be friends with and lately, to be honest, I find it harder and harder to maintain a friendship or even want to.

But not normal?

Am I really that big of an?anomaly? Is it really that weird that I stay friends with some of my exes??Where do you fall on this spectrum? Do you stay friends with someone you?ve dated or do you sever all ties, what?s done is done?

Source: http://ashalah.com/2013/01/when-a-relationship-becomes-a-friendship/

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Monday, January 28, 2013

Facebook Attacks Google With Conversions - Business Insider

Getty Images / Justin Sullivan

?

The cash register rings. Who gets the credit?

That's the crucial question in advertising these days?particularly in Internet advertising, where it's easy to track clicks and links but often hard to pin down exactly which view of an ad drove a sale.

Now Facebook is making it easier to show that an ad displayed on the social network led to a sale?even an ad seen days or weeks ago.

The technology is called conversion tracking, and after years of testing the idea, Facebook quietly rolled it out to all advertisers in a little-noted move last week.

The idea is pretty simple: Facebook creates a customized conversion pixel that advertisers place on a page?like a checkout page on an e-commerce site, or a signup page for a subscription, or an app-download page?where a consumer's taking the action they hoped their ads would prompt.

That lets Facebook link sales to ad campaigns, showing in aggregate which ads generated the most response.

Google has long had similar features, along with Google Analytics, a dashboard for doing deep analysis of users' actions on a website.

But Facebook has rolled out something far more powerful that can consistently track users across mobile devices and desktop websites.?

It can do this because it has a single, unified identity for each of its users, who tend to stay logged in to Facebook far more than any other website.

Google has responded by rolling out Google+. Often misunderstood as a social network, Google+ has been described by executive chairman Eric Schmidt and other executives as an "identity layer" across Google products. Its social features provide an incentive for users to log in with Google accounts. But they have yet to do so with anything like the consistency and frequency that Facebook users do.?

Facebook experimented with conversion tracking in 2010, abandoning it and then rolling it back as a service restricted to its biggest advertisers. More recently, it has been combining a limited test of?conversion tracking with a feature called Optimized CPM, which automatically tunes campaigns to specific marketing goals like product sales or app downloads, rather than crude link-clicking metrics.

Those tests seem to be successful: On Tuesday, Facebook quietly announced that the feature was available to all advertisers around the world.

Why does this matter? Google has dominated online advertising for a host of reasons, but the chief one is the measurability of its ads. When a user clicks on a link, that sparks a storm of data used by Google and its advertisers alike to tweak their next campaign. Search-engine marketing is now a science rather than an art.

And because it is so easy for Google to show a direct link between a click and a sale, it has commanded the lion's share of online-marketing budgets, especially in direct-response categories.

But any student of marketing knows that the demand funnel is long and complex, with multiple exposures to a message required to prompt a sale.

Google dominates the end of the funnel, catching consumers when they are in a mood to buy (as they typically are when they type product-related keywords into a search box).

Facebook, because of its ubiquity in people's daily habits, can play in the middle of the funnel, offering the kind of frequency marketers need to break through to ad-inundated consumers.

And now Facebook can show how those ads lead to purchases?even if they don't happen in the moment a consumer clicks.

Facebook still can't compete with Google at the end of the demand funnel. Its recently announced Graph Search is unsuitable for almost all product queries in its present form, save maybe for categories like movies and music.

But if conversion data can shift some spending away from Google?or, more likely, from the billions of dollars of offline, unmeasured advertising spending that both Facebook and Google hope to capture?then Facebook stands to gain.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-google-conversion-tracking-2013-1

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Westinghouse Lighting 6482900 Energy Star Dusk-to-Dawn 1-Light ...

Original Price: $ 95.66

Westinghouse Lighting 6482900 Energy Star Dusk-to-Dawn 1-Light Exterior Steel Wall Lantern, Black

FEATURED Westinghouse Lighting 6482900 Energy Star Dusk-to-Dawn 1-Light Exterior Steel Wall Lantern, Black

  • Exterior wall lantern for decks, porches, entryways, patios, and beyond
  • Steel construction with textured black finish; honey art-glass panels
  • Built-in auto on/off dusk-to-dawn sensor; Energy Star certified and UL listed
  • Uses a GU24-base, 13-watt compact fluorescent twist-style bulb (not included)
  • Measures 6-1/4 inches wide by 8-7/8 inches deep by 11 inches high; 5-year limited warranty

Pairing old-fashioned charm with several modern updates, Westinghouse Lighting?s 6482900 exterior wall lantern ushers guests into the home with a warm, stylish welcome. The handsome fixture sports a unique two-piece design: a wall-mounted plate with an extended hook, and a sleek lantern with a hoop-shaped finial for hanging. Both pieces feature sturdy steel construction with richly textured black finishes, while the light fixture?s honey art-glass panels contribute a distinctive contrast and softly diffuse light from a GU24-base, 13-watt compact fluorescent twist-style bulb (not included). Fitted with a built-in dusk-to-dawn sensor, the lantern automatically turns on at night and off in the morning?offering homeowners energy-saving use and a hassle-free way to secure and brighten outdoor spaces. Best of all, its clean lines and versatile profile bring artful ambience to decks, porches, entryways, garages, patios, and beyond. Energy Star certified and UL listed for safe outdoor use, th

Original Price: $ 46.99

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Health insurance exchanges will transform market | National Politics ...

Health insurance exchanges will change the way people buy coverage and will help millions of uninsured people get a private plan. Nearly 49 million people are uninsured in the United States, but the numbers vary dramatically by state.

Exchanges will be the most visible part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law in everyday life. Open enrollment starts Oct. 1, less than 10 months away.

Some questions and answers on how the exchanges will work:

Q: What's a health insurance exchange?

A: "Exchange" is just another word for "marketplace." The plans sold in the new markets will start covering patients on Jan. 1, 2014. Each state will have its own exchange serving people who buy their health insurance directly, as well as a separate one for small businesses. The vast of majority of people now covered by employer plans will not see a change.

There will be three types of exchanges at the beginning: those run by states, those run by the federal government, and partnerships. Most Republican governors opposed to "Obamacare" are letting Washington run the exchanges in their states.

For consumers, the benefits should be the same no matter who runs the exchange.

Q: How will exchanges work?

A: Exchanges are supposed to have the feel of an online travel site - think Orbitz or Expedia.

Middle-class people will be able to pick from a range of private insurance plans, and most people will be eligible for help from the government to pay their premiums.

Low-income people will be steered to safety-net programs for which they might qualify. This could be a problem in states that choose not to expand their Medicaid programs under a separate part of the health care law. In that case, many low-income residents in those states would remain uninsured.

Q: How will I know if I can get help with my health insurance premiums?

A: You'll disclose your income to the exchange at the time you apply for coverage and they'll let you know. Only legal residents of the United States can get financial assistance.

The health care law offers sliding-scale subsidies based on income for individuals and families making up to four times the federal poverty level, about $44,700 for singles, $92,200 for a family of four.

But do yourself a favor and read the fine print because the government's help gets skimpier as household income increases.

For example, a family of four headed by a 40-year-old making $35,000 will get a $10,742 tax credit toward an annual premium of $12,130. They'd have to pay $1,388, about 4 percent of their income, or about $115 a month.

A similar hypothetical family making $90,000 will get a much smaller tax credit, $3,580, meaning they'd have to pay $8,550 of the same $12,130 policy. That works out to more than 9 percent of their income, or about $710 a month.

The estimates were made using the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation's online calculator. Some people will also be eligible for help with their copayments.

Final note: Though it's called a "tax credit" the government assistance goes directly to the insurer. You won't see a check.

Q: What will the benefits look like?

A: The coverage will be more comprehensive than what's now typically available in the individual health insurance market, dominated by bare-bones plans. It will be more like what an established, successful small business offers its employees. Premiums are likely to be higher for some people, but government assistance should mostly compensate for that.

All plans in the exchange will have to cover a standard set of "essential health benefits," including hospitalization, doctor visits, prescriptions, emergency room treatment, maternal and newborn care, and prevention. Insurers cannot turn away the sick or charge them more. Middle-aged and older adults can't be charged more than three times what young people pay. Insurers can impose penalties on smokers.

Because the benefits will be similar, the biggest difference among plans will be something called "actuarial value." A new term for consumers, it's the share of expected health care costs that the plan will cover.

There will be four levels of coverage, from "bronze," which will cover 60 percent of expected costs, to "platinum," which will cover 90 percent. "Silver" and "gold" are in between. Bronze plans will charge the lowest premiums, but they'll have the highest annual deductibles. Platinum plans will have the highest premiums and the lowest out-of-pocket cost sharing.

Here's a wrinkle: The government's subsidy will be tied to the premium for the second-lowest-cost plan at the silver coverage level that's available in your area. You could take it and buy a lower cost bronze plan, saving money on premiums. But you'd have to be prepared for the higher annual deductible and copayments.

---

Online:

Federal government health care site: www.healthcare.gov

Kaiser Health Reform Subsidy Calculator: http://healthreform.kff.org/subsidycalculator.aspx

Source: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/01/27/4572114/health-insurance-exchanges-will.html

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Sunday, January 27, 2013

Obama: Gun-control advocates have to listen more (The Arizona Republic)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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Study: Distant rural areas may feel cities' heat

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, the Empire State, MetLife and Chrysler buildings are seen against a hazy backdrop in New York. Heat rising up from cities such as New York, Paris and Tokyo might be remotely warming up winters far away in some rural parts of Alaska, Canada, and Siberia. At least that?s what a surprising study suggests. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, the Empire State, MetLife and Chrysler buildings are seen against a hazy backdrop in New York. Heat rising up from cities such as New York, Paris and Tokyo might be remotely warming up winters far away in some rural parts of Alaska, Canada, and Siberia. At least that?s what a surprising study suggests. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Heat rising up from cities such as New York, Paris and Tokyo might be remotely warming up winters far away in some rural parts of Alaska, Canada, and Siberia, a surprising study theorizes.

In an unusual twist, that same urban heat from buildings and cars may be slightly cooling the autumns in much of the Western United States, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, according to the study published Sunday in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change.

Meteorologists long have known that cities are warmer than rural areas, with the heat of buildings and cars, along with asphalt and roofs that absorb heat. That's called the urban heat island effect and it's long been thought that the heat stayed close to the cities.

But the study, based on a computer model and the Northern Hemisphere, now suggests the heat does something else, albeit indirectly. It travels about half a mile up into the air and then its energy changes the high-altitude currents in the atmosphere that dictate prevailing weather.

"Basically, it changes the flow." said Guang Zhang of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif. He wrote the paper with Aixue Hu at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.

This doesn't change overall global temperature averages significantly, unlike man-made greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Instead it redistributes some of the heat, the scientists said.

The changes seem to vary with the seasons and by region because of the way air currents flow at different times of the year. During the winter, the jet stream is altered and weakened, keeping cold air closer to the Arctic Circle and from dipping down as sharply, Hu explained.

The computer model showed that parts of Siberia and northwestern Canada may get, on average, an extra 1.4 degrees to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 to 1 degree Celsius) during the winter, which "may not be a bad thing," Zhang said. The effect isn't quite as much in northern North Dakota and Minnesota, where temperatures might be about half a degree warmer (0.3 degrees Celsius), and even less along the East Coast.

In contrast, Europe and the Pacific Northwest are cooled slightly in the winter from this effect. The jet stream changes prevent weather systems from bringing warmer air from the Atlantic to Europe and from the Pacific to the U.S. Northwest, thus cooling those areas a bit, he said.

The biggest cooling occurs in the fall, but Hu said he's not quite sure why that happens.

Several outside scientists said they were surprised by the study results, calling the work "intriguing" and "clever." But they said it would have to be shown in more than one computer model and in repeated experiments before they could accept this theory.

"It's an interesting and rationally carried out study," said David Parker, climate monitoring chief of the United Kingdom meteorology office. "We must be cautious until other models are used to test their hypothesis."

___

Online:

Nature Climate Change: http://www.nature.com/nclimate

___

Seth Borenstein can be followed at http://twitter.com/borenbears

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-27-US-SCI-City-Heat/id-eeef39f18ef94cf4bcafe10a441c5420

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COLD hands! - Health, Fitness, and Sports

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt222121.html

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Saturday, January 26, 2013

Destiny's Child Super Bowl Reunion? 'We'll See,' Michelle Williams Says

Williams talks to MTV News about the chatter that DC will reunite onstage February 3.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Nadeska Alexis


Michelle Williams
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700798/destinys-child-suber-bowl-reunion.jhtml

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The USO Draws Hundreds of Troops and Their Families to "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" Screening at MCAS Miramar

The critically acclaimed Cartoon Network series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" along with its director Dave Filoni, producer Cary Silver and cast recently descended on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and entertained hundreds of servicemen and women with a special USO screening spectacular. Complete with a base tour, visit to the flight line, debut of a 25-minute exclusive episode and Q&A sessions with audience members followed by autograph signings, the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" USO visit with troops was a big success.

Arlington, VA (PRWEB) January 24, 2013

Among Those to Debut the Episodes Were Supervising Director Dave Filoni, Producer Cary Silver and Five Members of the Show?s Cast ? Including USO Tour Vet/Actor James Arnold Taylor

Twitter Pitch: @the_USO @TheClone Wars Screenings at @MCASMiramarCA a big hit, drawing hundreds of troops and their families!

The USO brought sci-fi, fantasy and animation to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar with its screening of the critically acclaimed Cartoon Network series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Saturdays at 9:30am ET/PT). Joining the show?s supervising director Dave Filoni and producer Cary Silver to extend their gratitude and talk galactic battles were actors Dee Bradley Baker (voice of Captain Rex, ?the clones and Bossk), Catherine Taber (voice of Padm? Amidala), James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi), Matt Lanter (voice of Anakin Skywalker) and Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano).***Link to video and photos below***

DETAILS:

  • ????Attended by hundreds of troops and military families stationed at MCAS Miramar and surrounding bases, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars USO Screening consisted of two 25-minute episodes featuring an exclusive premiere, followed by a Q&A session and an autograph session.

  • ????In the hours leading up to the screening, the group took a tour of MCAS Miramar and learned about military operations. The group also visited the MCAS Miramar flight line, where they spoke to pilots, explored military aircraft and posed for dozens of photos.
  • ????The screening marked the second USO experience for Taylor, who traveled to Japan in 2009 and will be returning to the Pacific with the USO in March 2013, and the first for the remainder of the group.
  • ????A diehard Star Wars fan, Filoni joined Lucasfilm Animation fresh from another touchstone fantasy franchise ? Nickelodeon?s ?Avatar: The Last Airbender,? for which he served as director. Filoni began his animation career working for Film Roman?s ?King of the Hill? as well as ?Mission Hill? and ?Oblongs.? From there, he moved onto Walt Disney Television Animation.
  • ????Baker has built an extraordinary voice-acting career spanning more than two decades. Having worked extensively in television animation, and top videogames, his feature film credits include ?Dawn of the Dead,? ?Space Jam? and ?Happy Feet.? In addition to his work on Stars Wars: The Clone Wars, his voice can be heard on ?American Dad,? ?Ben 10: Alien Force,? "Phineas and Ferb," and ?Avatar: The Legend of Korra,? among others.
  • ????Hailed as a geek goddess among the sci-fi, fantasy and gaming communities, Taber has appeared in numerous games, films and television projects including ?The Girls Room,? ?Just Like Heaven,? and ?Metal Gear Solid.? But her favorite roles have been In a galaxy far far away! In addition to The Clone Wars, she has portrayed memorable characters in ?Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,? ?The Force Unleashed I & II,? and ?The Old Republic.? In addition to her film career, in 2008 the Georgia native (and "Army brat") created Game For Soldiers, which collects donations of videogames and comic books that she sends to deployed soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  • ????Known for his versatile vocal range, Taylor is one of the most sought-after voice-actors working today. Taylor is heard worldwide daily, having voiced promos for the Fox Broadcasting Network, national ad campaigns and some of today?s hottest video games. From Obi-Wan Kenobi to Fred Flintstone, Leonardo the Ninja Turtle to Johnny Test, Taylor is able to sound more than 150 difference voices.
  • ????Slated to become one of the industry?s most desirable leading men, Lanter has appeared in such hit shows as ?Grey?s Anatomy,? ?CSI,? ?Heroes,? and ?Commander and Chief,? among others. In addition to lending his voice to Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lanter currently stars in the popular CW hit ?90210? as Liam Court. Having starred in such major motion pictures as The Roommate and Disaster Movie, his recent film credits include ?A Chance of Rain? and ?Liars All? (both pending release).
  • ????Born in Louisville, KY and raised in Orlando, FL, Eckstein made her television debut on ?JAG.? Since then, she has starred in ?Blue Collar TV,? ?Drake and Josh,? ?That?s So Raven,? ?Alice Upside Down? and ?Sydney White.? In addition to several hosting specials and videogames, Eckstein founded Her Universe, a merchandise line featuring fashionable, feminine apparel and accessories for female fans. Eckstein can currently be heard as the voice of ?Mia? the Bluebird on Disney Junior's new hit show ?Sofia The First.?

QUOTES:????

Attributed to Dave Filoni:


?To have the opportunity to entertain the families stationed at Miramar for a short while, and take them to our galaxy far, far away, was a real privilege. They do so much for us every day, it was an honor to be asked to do something for them.?

Attributed to Dee Bradley Baker:


"The stories we tell in "The Clone Wars" resonate in a special way with military fans. It's incredible to see! I've had officers serving in the Middle East tell me they love our show and how they've turned their platoon on to our show and the clones in particular. They are as into our show as anyone I've ever met! I've met with dads and their kids who show me the incredibly accurate clone armor they've made. It's such an honor to meet these folks and thank them for their service. The characters we portray in our show are heroic, but these service men and women are real heroes in my eyes and it's truly exciting to meet them and share their enthusiasm for Star Wars: The Clone Wars!"

Attributed to Catherine Taber:


?The USO event was amazing! From seeing the jets fly over, to sitting in the pilot seat of the Osprey, it was a fantastic time. But the best part of day and the heart of it all really, was meeting the servicemen and women, their families and the children and spouses of deployed soldiers. I hope they enjoyed the event as much as we did and know how truly grateful we are for their sacrifices. Thank you USO for making it happen!?

Attributed to James Arnold Taylor:


"As someone who has worked with the USO in the past, I was thrilled to combine forces with our Clone Wars cast and bring an event to our troops that was family-friendly and just plain fun! It's an honor to be a part of anything that supports our men and women of the U.S. Military."

Attributed to Matt Lanter:


I have such a fondness and supreme respect for our troops who protect our freedom and their families who endure. To be able to give back in a small way was such a privilege for me and I would love to continue supporting the USO however I can in the future.

Attributed to Ashley Eckstein:


It was truly an honor to have the opportunity to share Star Wars The Clone Wars with the troops and their families at MCAS Miramar. This was a very small way that we could say Thank You for the service that these amazing men and women provide for us everyday. The Force is Strong with MCAS Miramar!

MULTI-MEDIA:

Tour Photos: http://bit.ly/Y7og4V

Tour Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeYAG8ixNJE&list=UUT7XEsWeo9V8VNblnZfj2Kw&index=1

USO Fact Sheet: http://bit.ly/yaebvo

###

About the USO


The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America?s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, nonprofit organization, not a government agency. All of our programs and services are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President?s Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, Clear Channel, The Coca-Cola Company, jcpenney, Kangaroo Express, Kroger, Lowe?s, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble, and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation and TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.

Oname Thompson
USO
(703) 908-6471
Email Information

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uso-draws-hundreds-troops-families-star-wars-clone-205228230.html

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Obama supports French military operation in Mali : Voice of Russia

Obama had a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Francois Hollande to discuss the setting-up of a military mission in Mali, as well as drawing up a ?road map? that should result in elections and the restoration of democratic rule in the African country, according to a statement by the White House.

Malian troops advance eastwards

The Malian army backed up by the French troops on Friday moved into the town of Hombori, advancing east towards the Islamist stronghold of Gao.

At night the troops patrolled the area to check it for possible Islamist attacks, as earlier Islamist fighters blew up a bridge near the border with Niger.

French and Mali troops on patrol together

On the night of Friday, January 25th, French and Malian servicemen conducted their first patrol of the territory south of the town of Gao in the north-east of the country.

Earlier French military aircraft delivered high-precision strikes on the positions of the militant radical groups, including the region not far from Mali?s border with Niger.

According to information available, preparations are underway for an attack on Gao together with servicemen from Chad and Niger based on in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the member-states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are planning to hold an emergency session of the joint chiefs of staff on the situation in Mali in Abidjan on Saturday, January 26.

The deployment of African forces in Mali will be the subject.

Voice of Russia, TASS, Interfax

Source: http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_01_26/Obama-supports-French-military-operation-in-Mali/

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Friday, January 25, 2013

Asia stock markets mixed, Japan's Nikkei jumps

Pedestrians look at an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. Japan?s benchmark stock index jumped about 2 percent Friday after the country?s currency continued to slide against the dollar. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Pedestrians look at an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. Japan?s benchmark stock index jumped about 2 percent Friday after the country?s currency continued to slide against the dollar. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Pedestrians look at an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. Japan?s benchmark stock index jumped about 2 percent Friday after the country?s currency continued to slide against the dollar. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A woman walks by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. Japan?s benchmark stock index jumped about 2 percent Friday after the country?s currency continued to slide against the dollar. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

(AP) ? Japan's benchmark stock index jumped Friday as the yen continued to retreat against the dollar and investors cheered the new government's plans to boost the economy. Other Asian stock markets were mixed.

Evan Lucas of IG Markets in Melbourne said he expect to see further surges in Japan's Nikkei 225 index after Yasutoshi Nishimura, a senior vice minister of the Japanese government's Cabinet Office, commented that the yen would fall further. The Nikkei rose 2.1 percent to 10,846.73.

A weaker yen helps Japanese exporters by making products sold abroad less expensive and also helps some of the country's trading partners by increasing demand for the raw materials they ship to Japan, Lucas said.

The recent decline in the yen's value against the dollar and drops against other major currencies have been driven by expectations that Japan's central bank will try to engineer inflation by increasing the amount of money in circulation.

The bank has been under pressure from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who took office a month ago, to do more to end Japan's prolonged spell of falling prices known as deflation. The ultimate aim is to create a recovery for Japan's moribund economy.

South Korea's Kospi fell amid fears that the country's exporters could be slammed by Japan's dropping yen, which makes Japanese products less expensive overseas. The benchmark fell 1.1 percent to 1,941.79.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 0.4 percent to 23,506.29. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.4 percent to 4,831.20.

Among individual stocks, Japan's Sony Corp. jumped 8.4 percent and Toshiba Corp. advanced 5.8 percent.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics, which said the strong won will hurt its earnings this year, fell 2.5 percent. South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. shed 3.9 percent.

On Wall Street, a sharp drop in Apple's stock pulled the Nasdaq down after the tech giant warned of weaker sales. Other stock market indexes posted slight gains.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.3 percent to close at 13,825.33. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose less than 0.1 percent to 1,494.82. The Nasdaq composite lost 0.7 percent to 3,130.38.

Benchmark oil for March delivery was down 18 cents to $95.77 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract gained 72 cents to finish at $95.95 a barrel on the Nymex on Thursday.

In currencies, the euro fell to $1.3361 from $1.3371 late Thursday in New York. The dollar rose to 90.47 yen from 89.96 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-25-World%20Markets/id-be93a3024d3e446db220c210f424d701

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Major League Gaming Pro Circuit Details Announced - Game Informer

Major League Gaming announced details today for its 10th annual Pro Circuit Winter Season, revealing the date of the winter championship and what games to expect for competition.

This season, League of Legends and Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360) are the games of choice. A third game will be revealed in the future.

For Black Ops II competitors, tournaments are already posted on the MLG website,?and passes are available on January 29. League of Legends information will trickle out in the coming weeks.?

Those interested in the grand finale should note that the MLG Winter Championship takes place this year in Dallas, Texas at the Dallas Convention Center from March 15-17. Spectator passes go on sale in February, but if you want to get a head start, hotel information is already available.

?The Winter Season includes games built for competitive play, an event format and production level unparalleled in the industry and a passionate global fan base that continues to grow. Combine that with our TV-esque online broadcast, and we have everything needed for MLG and eSports to dominate the entertainment industry and appeal to an even broader audience," says Sundance DiGiovanni, CEO and co-founder.

Source: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/01/24/major-league-gaming-pro-circuit-details-announced.aspx

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Lenovo says company may try to acquire RIM to boost mobile business

Lenovo RIM MergerBlackBerry

Lenovo?(0992) may be the world?s second-largest PC vendor, but it knows that it desperately needs to step up its game in the mobile world to stay relevant. Bloomberg reports that Lenovo CFO?Wong Wai Ming told the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday that his company is looking at a variety of options to boost its mobile game, including buying BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIMM).

[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 said to be overhyped, RIM?s comeback chances remain slim]

?We are looking at all opportunities ? RIM and many others,? he said. ?We?ll have no hesitation if the right opportunity comes along that could benefit us and shareholders.?

[More from BGR: Apple: ?Bent, not broken?]

At first glance this idea seems to have some merit since RIM?s enterprise-centric smartphones would seem to be a good fit with Lenovo?s enterprise laptops and tablets. According to Bloomberg, Ming said that Lenovo already ?has a team working on possible acquisitions? that ?has spoken to RIM and its bankers about various combinations or strategic ventures.?

Ming wouldn?t say if the company planned to make a formal offer to buy RIM anytime soon.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lenovo-says-company-may-try-acquire-rim-boost-174546078.html

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Syrian civil war devastates farming, U.N. says

ROME/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria's 22-month civil war has ravaged vital infrastructure and halved the output of staple crops, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

What began as a peaceful protest movement against President Bashar al-Assad has killed more than 60,000 people, devastated the economy and left 2.5 million people hungry.

Prospects of a negotiated peace have receded as the war becomes more overtly sectarian, making Western powers more wary of supporting the largely Sunni Muslim, and increasingly radicalized, rebellion.

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday pointed to the burning and looting of religious sites of minorities in recent months that suggested an escalation of sectarian strife.

As fighting raged throughout the country on Wednesday, Assad's most powerful foreign backer Russia said the war would not be resolved peacefully as long as rebels insisted on the overthrow of Assad.

Underscoring the damage wrought by the conflict, the longest and deadliest of the Arab Spring uprisings, the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said wheat and barley production in Syria had dropped to 2 million metric tons in 2012 from 4-4.5 million metric tons in normal years.

Agriculture is vital to the economy, accounting for roughly a fifth of gross domestic product before the war.

A U.N. assessment in Syria this month, coordinated with both Syria's government and the opposition, found the conflict was destroying infrastructure and irrigation systems and that insecurity and fuel shortages were making it harder for farmers to harvest crops.

The devastation to farming could push the government to spend more money on food imports, further straining the resources of a country that officials said was self-sufficient in wheat before the conflict.

"The mission was struck by the plight of the Syrian people whose capacity to cope is dramatically eroded by 22 months of crisis," Dominique Burgeon, director of FAO's Emergency and Rehabilitation Division, said in a statement.

"Destruction of infrastructure in all sectors is massive and it is clear that the longer the conflict lasts, the longer it will take to rehabilitate it," he said.

Power cuts and fuel shortages have become part of daily life in the country and residents of central Damascus, which had been spared the worst fallout of the war, say basic services are breaking down.

Drivers in Damascus said there had been no petrol in the capital for two days.

A black market for fuel has developed in which traders charge roughly 20 percent more than government prices, residents said. Some also reported food shortages in the city centre.

Severe shortages have also hit other parts of Syria, especially rebel-held areas subjected to daily bombardment by government artillery and warplanes.

SECTARIAN DIVISIONS

Assad and his family, who have ruled the country for more than four decades, belong to the minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam. Syria is also home to Christians, Ismailis, Druze and other minorities.

New York-based Human Rights Watch pointed to a video published online in December that showed rebels waving assault rifles and cheering as a Shi'ite place of worship in the northern village of Zarzour burned in the background.

In the video, which Reuters cannot independently verify, one man announces the "destruction of the dens of the Shi'ites and Rafida", a derogatory term used to describe Shi'ites.

Rebels also clashed with Kurdish People's Defence Units in the northern border town of Ras al-Ain on Wednesday, a monitoring group said.

Fighting there has killed more than 56 people over the last week as insurgents brought in heavy weapons including tanks and mortars to attack the Kurdish militants, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

RUSSIA STANDS FIRM

Russia, which has a naval base on Syria's Mediterranean coast, said on Wednesday the conflict would not be resolved peacefully as long as Assad's opponents were bent on his exit.

"Everything runs up against the opposition members' obsession with the idea of the overthrow of the Assad regime. As long as this irreconcilable position remains in force, nothing good will happen, armed action will continue, people will die," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference.

Moscow has vetoed three U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at pressuring Assad to step down or seek a negotiated end to the conflict, and divided world powers have been unable to halt the violence.

U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos said their failure had led to a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Syria.

"What we are seeing now are the consequences of the failure of the international community to unite and to resolve the political crisis after nearly two years," she told reporters at the Davos World Economic Forum.

President Vladimir Putin told Lebanon's visiting President Michel Suleiman on Wednesday that Moscow could offer financial and humanitarian aid to help Lebanon cope with 200,000 refugees who have crossed into his country from Syria.

(Additional reporting by Timothy Heritage and Thomas Grove in Moscow and Oliver Holmes in Beirut; Writing by Alexander Dziadosz; Editing by Tom Pfeiffer and Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-civil-war-devastates-farming-u-n-says-153655273.html

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