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Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Rebecca Tushnet's 43(B)log: Attempt to stop reality show with TM ...
Arenas v. Shed Media U.S. Inc., 2011 WL 8427612 (C.D. Cal.) Gilbert Arenas plays basketball for the Orlando Magic.? He was previously in a relationship with a woman named Govan, with whom he has four children.? Basketball Wives, a Shed Media production on VH1, is about the lives and relationships of a group of women, ?most of whom have or have had a romantic relationship with a professional basketball player.?? Basketball Wives: Los Angeles (BWLA), a spinoff, included Govan in the cast.? The promotional materials describe her as the sister of Gloria Govan, the fianc?e of Los Angeles Lakers player Matt Barnes, and mention her children, but don?t mention Arenas.? Arenas sued for trademark infringement, trademark dilution, false advertising, and false endorsement under federal law, as well as violations of California?s common law and statutory right of publicity and violation of the UCL.? He sought a preliminary injunction against the use of any of his alleged trademarks in the show; if he appears in the show, the use of ?Basketball Wives? or any other term that would suggest affiliation with basketball players; or the use of ?any other means to suggest affiliation with basketball players, such as including more than two participants who are known to be affiliated with basketball players.?? (Comment: wow.? Basically, Arenas sounds like he?s taken instruction from the Olympics in asking that his delicate commercial sensibilities be protected from any unapproved hint that he exists!) Defendants moved to dismiss and brought a special motion to strike under the anti-SLAPP statute. Such motions are to be granted if (1) the cause of action arises from any act by the defendants in furtherance of their free speech rights under the federal or state constitution; (2) the act is ?in connection with a public issue?; and (3) the plaintiff fails to establish a probability that he will prevail on the claim. The court began with the common-law commercial misappropriation claim.? The court first asked whether the show would appropriate Arenas?s identity.? Without episodes on hand, the court could only speculate based on Shed Media?s declarations and promotional materials, which didn?t explicitly refer to Arenas.? Shed Media, however, recognizing its long-term interest in freedom to operate (that is, to speak), took the position that ?future promotional materials could certainly refer to Govan?s prior relationship with Plaintiff.?? The court found that it was likely that Govan would discuss Arenas on the show.? The court then turned to the question of whether such on-air discussions would constitute ?use? of Arenas?s identity as a celebrity, and answered in the affirmative.? The old Here?s Johnny case said that there wouldn?t be any violation of the right of publicity if a defendant?s use didn?t appropriate the celebrity?s ?identity as a celebrity,? for example the ?John William Carson Portable Toilet.?? Here, by contrast, Arenas?s name would be used in the context of a show about ?Basketball Wives,? and would refer to his status as a famous basketball player.? However, the court conceded that Govan?s inclusion on the show alone wouldn?t invoke Arenas?s identity, since she was the sister of one of the other ?wives,? and her appearance on the show was therefore ?explicable? without reference to Arenas.? (I take it then that Kato Kaelin violates OJ Simpson?s right of publicity by existing, under this analysis.)? True, the court continued, other media outlets made the connection with Arenas, but that?s only to be expected from ?an age of tabloid journalism and celebrity obsession,? when ?news outlets frequently uncover and publicize connections between celebrities.? As was widely reported in 2008, President Obama was distantly related to former V.P. Cheney.? But the court wasn?t willing to make the ?improbable? assumption that Govan would refrain from discussing her relationship with Arenas onscreen.? This would constitute appropriation of Arenas?s identity for commercial gain.? That he wasn?t the focus of the show, but rather the women were, was immaterial.? (Citing, inappositely, White, which held that it didn?t matter what aspect of the plaintiff?s identity?image, voice, etc.?the defendant appropriated; in White the song was a central element of the ad, not an incidental part, so the court is making new law?though that will soon be mostly eaten by the rest of the analysis; still, clever plaintiffs will like this statement for incidental uses.) Fortunately for Shed Media, the court found this commercial appropriation to be protected by the First Amendment both under the transformative use test and the public interest test.? Transformativeness: when the value of the work comes principally from the defendant, the First Amendment protects against liability.? But ?when an artist?s skill and talent is manifestly subordinated to the overall goal of creating a conventional portrait of a celebrity so as to commercially exploit his or her fame, then the artist?s right of free expression is outweighed by the right of publicity.? ?Saderup.? (Consider, in this regard, why a ?conventional? biography?say, an hour of television in a series of celebrity profiles, following a standardized format?wouldn?t flunk this test.? Saderup relies on dishonesty about art.? But that doesn?t matter here.)? On the current record, the court found that references to Arenas would be incidental to the show?s plot.? ?At its core, the show is about the women who have or have had relationships with basketball players rather than the players themselves. Thus, the show appears to be transformative.? Arenas argued that BWLA used his identity solely to attract attention to the show because the show wasn?t related to him.? ?This is simply untrue. Unlike Vanna White and Samsung videocassette recorders or Bette Midler and Ford cars, there is an obvious connection between Arenas and BWLA.? Shed Media's show is about women who have dated or married basketball players. Arenas is a basketball player who dated one of BWLA?s cast members. While the show is not predominantly about Arenas, it is not so unconnected to him as to vitiate Shed Media's First Amendment defense.?? In a footnote, the court pointed out that, even if the show were predominantly about Arenas, it would still be protected by the First Amendment, as unauthorized biographies are.? Importantly, the court?s reasoning was not that this hypothetical show would be transformative?see the Saderup quote above?but rather that a contrary result would chill lots of expression.? But of course this is why Saderup is (at least on its own) a terrible rule.? It sets up inherent conflicts with the other popular First Amendment test, Rogers v. Grimaldi: a Saderup-transformative use of a celebrity may seem to lack artistic relevance (Rosa Parks), while an accurate portrayal, which is artistically relevant by definition once you?ve chosen to depict a particular celebrity, seems nontransformative (Saderup).? But we?re ok with chilling the expression of visual artists. On to the public interest defense: the public has a right to know things!? This includes reporting on recent events, even ones in the entertainment field, and people legitimately in the public eye.? Arenas argued that discussion of his family life wasn?t sufficiently related to his celebrity to render BWLA?s use of his identity a matter of public concern.? Best use of Twitter I?ve seen in a legal opinion yet: ?This contention is belied by the tens of thousands of Twitter users who follow Arenas as he tweets about a variety of mundane occurrences. (See, e.g., ?dont u hate waking up doing the same thing..wash face.. brush teeth..pee..take shower(well sum of us) ... put on clothes ... eat ... etc?).?? He?s a celebrity and thus the public has an interest in him. Arenas then argued that there could be no First Amendment defense because Shed Media acted with actual malice.? This picks up on a problem I had with Stewart v. Rolling Stone, which was that the case imported the concept of actual malice into the right of publicity context with no coherent explanation of what exactly had to be malicious?the best candidate seemed to be the commercial use.? But if that?s so, Shed Media would almost certainly have acted with malice according to what the court said above, since it obviously knew it was going to evoke Arenas?s identity and wanted to make money, which apparently counts as ?commercial.?? But since the public interest defense contemplates that for-profit publishers can report on celebrities because of the beneficial effects for public discourse, it can?t be ?malicious? to do so deliberately.? In the absence of any coherent explanation of what one must be actually malicious about, the court here closed the circle: delightfully, it applied the actual malice standard from NYT v. Sullivan.? Because Arenas alleged neither defamation nor even falsehood, there was no way that defendants could have acted with knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard for the truth. Arenas?s counsel said he?d be satisfied with an injunction against using his name in promotional materials, but the court was having none of that.? If you can constitutionally make a show about someone, you can tell your potential audience what it?s about.? As long as it doesn?t falsely claim that Arenas endorses BWLA, the advertising is also safe. Notice that all this pain could have been avoided by a simple, and I believe constitutionally compelled, rule: the right of publicity can only be violated by commercial speech.? ?Commercial? in California?s ?commercial appropriation? tort should mean the same thing it does in First Amendment law.? BWLA is not an ad and could not constitute commercial appropriation.? There, I fixed it. Turning to trademark, the court described Arenas?s infringement claim as ?muddled,? lacking a theory of infringement.? He claimed trademarks in his name and variants thereof, and then added that the very presence of Govan and the show?s title was an obvious reference to him and a use of his likeness.? He further alleged that defendants were going to use his marks in commerce in connection with advertising BWLA.? But ?Basketball Wives? and ?Gilbert Arenas? (etc.) are not likely to be confused under the standard multifactor test.? Arenas argued that the court should instead use the variant multifactor test of Downing for his false endorsement claim, but the court declined because defendants weren?t using Arenas?s ?likeness,? in the sense of his ?image?either actual or suggested.?? I have no idea what this means.? Is ?image? metaphorical?? I would have thought that Downing applies to the use of a name without a picture. And would this argument disappear if BWLA shows him in a picture taken by Govan and displayed by her? This strange statement is just another manifestation of the fact that trademark law has metastized without figuring out how to make sense of its defenses: Arenas shouldn?t have a false endorsement claim based on a TV show whose characters talk about him, but somehow the case law doesn?t make clear why that is so. Arenas also argued infringement based on use of his name.? That?s nominative fair use.? Defendants have to use his name to talk about him.? Given the prospective nature of the claims, the court couldn?t predict whether they?d eventually ?use more of his marks than necessary,? whatever that could possibly mean (after Mattel v. MCA, I would suggest it places no particular limit on what an expressive production like a song or TV show can do).? ?[M]ost importantly, allowing Govan to talk about her relationship with Arenas on BWLA and permitting Shed Media to advertise that its show will feature such discussions in no way suggests that Arenas endorses the show. To the contrary, common sense suggests that a celebrity may not agree with his ex-girlfriend's opinion of him.? Arenas argued that he?d suffer irreparable harm without an injunction because of harm to his reputation, given that the Basketball Wives franchise ?prides itself on its coarse brand of drama,? featuring ?cat fights? and ?infidelity issues.? ?Though there are obvious First Amendment problems with counting this as harm, the court instead hit Arenas in the ego: ?Shed Media provides a treasure trove of newspaper articles about and tweets by Arenas that, taken as a whole, convince the Court that Plaintiff's reputation will suffer no serious blow if BWLA airs as scheduled.? [I]t is difficult to see how an association with ?cat fights? will tarnish Arenas' reputation when he has been publicly associated with potential gunfights?. Arenas has publicized on Twitter his views of women and other groups?opinions that would be characterized by many, if not most, people as crude and offensive.?? (So if he?d been known as a model citizen without a Twitter account, would the court have accepted that he could suffer irreparable harm from a show that, on this record, was neither defamatory nor even wrong about him? ?The next Tiger Woods might like an answer.)? Further, Arenas already associated himself with the show ?by tweeting directly or indirectly about Govan?s appearance on it?. Arenas? own tweets calling attention to Govan's upcoming appearance on BWLA undermine his claim that he will be injured by an association with the show.?? True, even a man with a bad reputation may be libeled, but that doesn?t go to irreparable injury. The balance of equities also tipped sharply in Shed Media?s favor, given the potential harm to timely broadcast.? And there was a significant public interest in protecting First Amendment rights. All this meant that Shed Media prevailed on its anti-SLAPP motion, since its conduct was in furtherance of its free speech rights in connection with a matter of public concern. Arenas v. Shed Media U.S. Inc., No. 2:11-cv-05279-DMG -PJW (C.D. Cal. June 6, 2012) Shed Media moved for the attorneys? fees to which it was entitled based on its successful anti-SLAPP motion.? Arenas argued that Shed Media wasn?t a prevailing defendant because the court dismissed the complaint with leave to amend.? The potential for amendment wasn?t enough to take Shed Media out of ?prevailing defendant? status.? Its victory was on the merits, even though the court was not completely certain that Arenas couldn?t state a claim with additional allegations; the court?s ruling ?greatly reduced the potential scope of any amended claim,? and indeed Arenas ultimately chose not to file an amended complaint.? Shed Media was awarded a bit over $32,000 in attorneys? fees.? Arenas was, however, allowed to dismiss his claims without prejudice.
Source: http://tushnet.blogspot.com/2012/07/attempt-to-stop-reality-show-with.html
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Stock Market Advice That Can Benefit You | One Wealthy Team
Although many different people would like to make some extra money or start a business from home, considering investments in the stock market can often, be overlooked! Investing can be one of the best ways to increase your income. Read this article for some tips on how to play the stock market.
When you are investing in the stock market, try to ignore all the day to day noise and chatter that goes on in the business press. Much of this daily reporting is simply noise that will not give you any useful information. If you learn to tune it out, you will enjoy greater success.
When the stock market takes a dip, do not distress. Instead, look at the fall as an opportunity to purchase stocks at bargain prices. Many smart investors have made fortunes this way, because the market will inevitably rise again. Being able to see past the doom and gloom can be very profitable.
Remember that time is money. Not only will the stock markets reward you with massive returns if allowed to reinvest and compound over the years, but keep financial advisors in mind. They charge for their services, but unless you intend to invest massive numbers of hours in learning what they already know, seeking their assistance and advice is an investment itself more than an expense.
Consider taking some business or accounting classes. These classes will help teach you some basic principles that you should be familiar with as an investor. You should have some kind of a basic understanding of the stock market history as well as as be familiar with some accounting fundamentals.
Learn how to balance risks and rewards. The more successful investors spend a bunch of time studying market trends and current news about the economy. They don?t gamble and they put their money into an ETF, stock, or mutual fund following some careful analysis. This helps keep their balance on an upswing, even when they take a hit.
When you invest in a stock, you should establish clear goals for yourself. Establish a stopping point where you can sell the stock without losing any money as well as a goal. You could for instance set a certain price for the stock or decide you will keep it for only three weeks.
Adjust your margin of safety based on the reputation, profitability, and size of a particular company. While businesses like Google or Johnson & Johnson are hardy and tend to stick around, there are certain companies that may do very well for a while before crashing. Keep this in mind when selecting stocks.
When investing in stocks you may want to consider dividend earnings over the increase of the companies stocks. Dividends are given quarterly, and can be a great source of income, or can be put directly back into the stock market. This is a great option if you are looking for residual income during retirement.
Try to contribute to your investments on a regular basis. Even if you can only put a few more dollars at a time into the market, doing so will pay off over time. If you are able to have a certain amount deducted from each paycheck, this will make it easier to maintain a regular contribution.
Cultivating the discipline and focus to invest money regularly is a lot easier if you have defined your investment goals. Establish separate accounts for specific goals like college savings and retirement so you can tailor your choice of investment vehicles accordingly. Your state?s 529 Plan might be a great option for educational investments. An aggressive stock portfolio could be advantageous for a young person with retirement decades away; but a middle-aged person would want to consider less volatile options like bonds or certificates of deposit for at least a portion of retirement savings.
Having a good education is important when it comes to the stock market. Investors who understand basic accounting principles are much more likely to have success with trading. This does not mean you have to get an accounting degree. You just need to know the basic scoring system of how the stock market works, such as annual reports and stock history.
Choose an industry you are familiar with. Knowledge is power in all aspects of life, and investing is no exception. If you are someone who is always up-to-date on the latest gadgets, the tech industry would be a smart place to invest. If, however, you are more interested in farming than server farms, then the agriculture sector is a better choice.
Do as much research as possible into any company you decide you want to invest in. You want to see if the company you?re feeding with your money is stable or if it sporadically finds itself all over the place the past year or so in profits and success, this should give you a good indicator of whether or not you should invest.
Investing is best done with an eye to the long term. There are very few people who will succeed at moving money in and out of investment vehicles, if they try to catch day to day trends. Most people just end up losing their money and getting frustrated. Look for solid companies or funds with a long history of good returns and stay the course.
Although most people have heard the old tip to buy low and sell high, there is much more to the stock market than this! Staying patient, determined and informed will help you immensely. Remember the tips in this article and you can start making great profits from your investments today!
Source: http://onewealthyteam.com/stock-market-advice-that-can-benefit-you
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Monday, July 30, 2012
GOP Senators Celebrate 'Meat Monday' After USDA's 'Meatless Monday' Mishap
The hubbub over the U.S. Department of Agriculture's retracted tweet supporting "Meatless Mondays" continues.
Last week, Republican Iowa senator Chuck Grassley's made a tongue-in-cheek promise to compensate for the recommendation by eating an extra helping of meat. PETA responded with a death pool, taking bets on how long it would take for Grassley to "succumb to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or some other meat-related disease."
On Monday, the Iowa lawmaker continued to show his defiance -- this time, with his lunch order. Texas' junior senator John Cornyn posted the below image to his office's Facebook page. The accompanying text reads: "PHOTO: Cornyn, Grassley Celebrate 'Meat Monday:'"
In a press release issued the same day, the senators spoke about the interests of the American agricultural community:
?In some of the toughest times they?ve seen in recent memory, Texas cattle ranchers and farmers deserve an Administration who works with them, not one who undermines them with boneheaded decisions from bureaucrats in Washington,? said Sen. Cornyn.?This is a reminder to USDA that it?s supposed to advocate for American agriculture, not against it,? Sen. Grassley said.
The piles of wrapped meat were ordered from Hill Country, a New York-based barbecue outfit located in D.C.'s Penn Quarter neighborhood not far from the senators' Capitol Hill office.
If you're in the neighborhood -- and you have a the proper clearance -- you might stand a chance at some leftovers. According to The Hill:
A staffer said that there was "plenty to go around" for the two senators' employees. The lunch included a total of 52 orders of barbecue beef sandwiches, brisket, sausage and ribs, as well as sides of cornbread and macaroni and cheese.
Also on HuffPost:
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/30/meatless-monday-chuck-grassley_n_1720505.html
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Sunday, July 29, 2012
Isochronic Tones | Binaural Beat Frequency | Self Hypnosis | How ...
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binauralbeatmp3.binaturalbit.info Do you ever feel lacking in confidence and uncomfortable in social situations? Most people will answer ?yes? to this question if they?re being honest. Fortunately you don?t have to live with these feelings of self-doubt, because it?s relatively easy to boost your self-confidence ? read on for more information. Do you ever feel lacking in confidence and uncomfortable in social situations? Most people will answer ?yes? to this question if they?re being honest. Some lack confidence in a general way, and it affects most of their lives. Others feel ok in most situations, but experience feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt in particular areas of their lives. Either way, a lack of self-confidence is no fun, and can even be crippling to many people. Fortunately there are many ways of overcoming it ? keep reading to learn about three of these. 1. Develop Solid Self-Esteem Confidence basically depends on how you feel about yourself. If you have poor self-esteem, you?re unlikely to feel truly confident, even if you can put on a convincing act. So the first step towards real self-confidence is building your self-esteem, if it?s a little shaky. This isn?t something that happens overnight, but with a bit of practice you?ll soon start to feel better about yourself. Two things can make a big difference here Firstly, make a list of all your strengths and good points, and read over that list regularly. It?s easy to focus on our? negative? aspects and ?
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Simple Garage Door Opener Troubleshooting Tips | Home ...
If you have a house with a garage, you?re probably still a garage. If you have a garage, from time to time there will be errors. If your car is if these problems occur, you may not be able to go out to the car to work on time. If you do not go to work, you lose your job. If you lose your job, you could lose your home. If you lose your house, you will not have to worry about forgetting garage door questions. But if you prefer another way to go, it?s a good idea for you a few simple garage door repairs, help you out and go to learn.
Once or twice a year, you need preventive maintenance on your door and opens that will help prevent unexpected failure to act in the service. One of the biggest culprits that are easy to solve, are dirty and dry door tracks. Tracks can be cleaned to ensure that the building free from dirt, to a point where it will be your door to keep from operation as it is to hold. This can be achieved by means of a type of household solvent. You should also lubricate all moving parts and the title of the door. Make sure the nuts and bolts are tight. If you have parts such as chains, belts and pulleys that wear or corrosion rate, you should replace them.
Some questions can not be avoided, but they can be scheduled. For example, what to do during a power outage? When you use an electric can opener, this problem can also be given to you at some point. Therefore, you have an emergency release kit that gives you access to your car and garage to put in the other points in the event that there is no power to install. These kits are designed to be easily installed.
A number of garages in trouble because of the wrong limit switches close. You can find this switch on or about the opening of Pandora. If you?re lucky, the manufacturer has labeled it for you to find. If it fails, you will find that your door is not completely closed, never turn off the ignition or door in the other direction until it is completely closed. Unplug the power cord before working on the boundary.
If there comes a time (eg a power failure or other emergency) if you need emergency lever to use, you may discover that the key does not work so well after the incident. This condition is probably because the emergency lever was released by the breakage of the chain and must be reinstalled.
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Source: http://www.magellanmmgeo.com/1179/simple-garage-door-opener-troubleshooting-tips
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Use Home owner Individual Loans to Finance Your Demands the ...
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Source: http://www.drbeninger.com/?p=239
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Saturday, July 28, 2012
Dow blows past 13,000 on hope for action in Europe
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, July 26, 2012. The Dow Jones industrial average on Thursday jumped 212 points following big gains in European markets. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, July 26, 2012. The Dow Jones industrial average on Thursday jumped 212 points following big gains in European markets. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Specialist Robert Nelson works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Thursday, July 26, 2012. The Dow Jones industrial average on Thursday jumped 212 points following big gains in European markets. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Faced with Facebook, Starbucks and Angela Merkel, the market chose to focus on Merkel.
For a second day, the U.S. stock market powered higher after European leaders, including German chancellor Merkel, pledged to protect the union of 17 countries that use the euro. The Dow Jones industrial average blew past 13,000, a key psychological marker that it hadn't hit since early May.
It wasn't that there weren't any troubling signs about the economy. In fact, they abounded: U.S. economic growth was anemic in the second quarter. A measure of consumer sentiment fell in July as people worried about their job prospects. And Facebook and Starbucks dropped sharply after reporting disappointing quarterly results.
But on this day, investors homed in on a couple of remarks coming from Europe.
Most notably, Merkel and French president Francois Hollande released a joint statement saying they were "determined to do everything to protect the eurozone." That followed a similar pledge the day before from Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank.
Merkel's statement was closely watched because Germany will have to sign on if any plan to keep the euro countries together is to succeed. As one of the stronger countries, Germany usually foots the bill for bailing out the weaker ones.
For all the rejoicing, a longstanding roadblock remains: Strong countries like Germany want other European nations to agree to cut spending. Weaker countries like Greece are resisting. The statement from Merkel and Hollande made clear that individual countries aren't off the hook, but "must comply with their obligations" ? meaning a showdown over spending cuts is still possible.
"Talk is cheap," said Michael Strauss, chief investment strategist and chief economist at the Commonfund investment firm in Connecticut. "While there's some euphoria over this, at the end of the day, is Spain going to still be in a recession? Yes. Is Greece still going to be in a recession? Yes. So I wouldn't get too carried away."
Others said they were heartened that Europe appeared to be fleshing out more of the details of its plans. Leaders recently agreed that Europe's bailout fund could give money directly to banks, rather than slowing down the process by going through a country's government. Investors also hope that Draghi's remarks mean that Europe's powerful central bank will buy the bonds of distressed countries like Spain and Italy, lowering their borrowing costs.
"In our estimate, this is the first real step in the right direction that Europe has taken in terms of concrete plans," said Mitch Schlesinger, chief investment officer of FBB Capital Partners in Maryland. "Everything to date has been very politically motivated and kicking the can down the road. These are things that actually make a difference."
Jim Millstein, CEO of the Washington, D.C., financial advisory firm Millstein & Co., said investors shouldn't be surprised if any rescue plan takes a long time. The eurozone countries currently function with no real unity on their fiscal policies, even though they use the same currency.
"They are engaged in a very difficult project, which is to transform a monetary union into a fiscal union, and that is a cumbersome process," Millstein said. "It takes longer than the markets might otherwise like."
But the markets liked what they heard Friday. The Dow obliterated the 13,000 mark, climbing 187.73 points to 13,075.66. In two days, it's climbed 400 points.
The Standard & Poor's 500 jumped 25.95 to 1,385.97. The Nasdaq composite index rose 64.84 to 2,958.09.
Bond trading was also a study in optimism. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note jumped to 1.54 percent from 1.44 percent the day before. That means investors are feeling more confident about the economy and more willing to put their money in the stock market instead of low-risk government bonds.
In other positive signs, the euro rose against the dollar, stock indexes moved higher in Europe ? including a 4 percent leap in Spain's benchmark index ? and borrowing costs fell for Italy and Spain.
But there were plenty of red flags for anyone looking for them. The government reported that the U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of just 1.5 percent in the second quarter, a paltry number that likely isn't enough to bring down the unemployment rate. The government also said consumers pulled back on their spending. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment fell in July as people worried about job prospects.
Among other stocks making big moves:
? Expedia, the online travel company, jumped 20 percent after blowing past analysts' earnings estimates. A jump in hotel bookings offset a decline in airline ticket revenue. The stock surged $9.19 to $54.90.
? Starbucks fell 9 percent, losing $4.94 to $47.47. Investors were disappointed that the company cut its outlook for the current quarter, and is considering closing unprofitable stores in Europe.
? Facebook fell 12 percent, giving up $3.14 to $23.70. Investors were disappointed that the company, in its first quarterly report since going public, reported a slowdown in revenue growth. It has now lost nearly 38 percent of its value since its initial pricing at $38.
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Patent smackdown: Apple teams up with Microsoft to bid against ...
The patent arms race is reaching a feeding-frenzy stage. Over the past months, we?ve witnessed a series of high profile legal spats between the technology companies that make our beloved gadgets. A quick recap of the most visible battles includes the Oracle vs Google trial, the Samsung vs Apple global conflagration, the Microsoft vs Motorola case that caused the ban of all Motorola devices in Germany, and the Apple vs HTC debacle, which affected the availability of the One X and the EVO 4G LTE in the USA.
Tech corporations are suing each other like madmen, but unfortunately, their actions mostly affect consumers. We get fewer products on the market, and the products that are available are made dumber. The war is likely to continue for the foreseeable future and the players are accruing weapons at a staggering rate.
A new stash of patents is about to be sold to the highest bidder. On Monday, the patent portfolio of Eastman Kodak, the legendary photography company, will be sold in an auction. Two major forces emerge as potential winners ? on one side, Apple allied with Microsoft and patent troll aggregation firm Intellectual Ventures. On the other side, Google got together with the biggest Android OEMs ? Samsung, HTC, and LG ? along with a patent troll of its own, the RPX Corporation.
The two consortiums will try to win the battle over Eastman Kodak?s 1100 patents, most related to photographic technology. Kodak has a great deal of intellectual property that could prove essential for anyone manufacturing a product that incorporates a digital camera. According to WSJ, alliances are still made and broken, and the situation is still in flux.
As a reminder, it wouldn?t be the first time Google would square off with the Apple-Microsoft team ? last year, Google lost the auction for Nortel?s patent trove, which eventually went to the Apple-Microsoft consortium for $4.5 billion. It?s unclear how valuable Kodak?s portfolio is, but experts seem to agree that it is far less valuable than Nortel?s stash.
We?ll keep you posted on any new developments next week.
Bogdan Petrovan
I'm here to report on the latest, most breaking developments in mobile technology, all the latest and greatest Android news, and to dig deeper on where Android is headed. I'll tell you one thing - we're in for a wild ride!
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Capital rules may hinder Nigerian banks' Africa growth
LAGOS (Reuters) - New capital rules may hinder Nigerian banks' expansion plans, as the central bank limits how financial institutions use local funds abroad and other African countries tighten requirements for foreign lenders.
Zambia became the latest African country to hike capital requirements for foreign banks to $100 million from $2 million this year, after Ghana and Kenya, as it tries to insulate its banking sector from the effects of a weak global economy.
With the capital hikes, Nigeria followed with a directive restricting its lenders from recapitalising offshore units from funds sourced at home, in order to avoid capital flight and save a weak naira which has lost 3 percent since April.
Nigeria's UBA on Friday said it will turn its Zambian unit into a local bank and consider a public issue of shares to meet new capital rules in Africa's top copper producer.
"We are already evaluating a number of possible options that will see UBA Zambia become a local bank in that country," said Kayode Fadahunsi, investor relations director, adding that UBA will require participation from Zambian investors.
Analysts said the measures meant that lenders in Africa's second-biggest economy may have to forgo their ambitions of establishing Nigeria as a pan-African banking hub on the continent, or look for capital elsewhere but not at home.
EXPANSION DREAM
"If all else fails, then UBA or whoever it is, will have to give up the African expansion dream in that specific country," said Bunmi Asaolu, head of research at FBN Capital, adding that UBA had operations in 18 African nations, including Zambia.
The move could affect almost all 21 lenders in Nigeria but those with the highest number of offshore units - UBA and Access Bank with a presence in nine African countries - will feel the pressure most, analysts say.
Adesoji Solanke, banking analyst at Renaissance Capital, said the new rules could also affect First Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, given their ambition to expand offshore.
"It poses a clear risk to future external growth prospects for Nigerian banks offshore," Rencap's Solanke said, adding that Access Bank was working on selling some of its offshore units.
UBA's Fadahunsi said the bank already had the required $20 million necessary to become a local bank and that it had submitted a proposal to Zambia's central bank on how it intended to recapitalise the unit before a December deadline.
It may have to sell up to 50 percent of its shares in UBA Zambia to become a local bank, analysts say.
Nigeria's central bank has said it wants to enforce better supervision of banks and their subsidiaries in order to avoid a repeat of the events that led to a $4 billion bailout of nine undercapitalised lenders in 2009.
It has scrapped the universal banking model and asked local lenders to sell off speculative capital market businesses and focus on core lending or form a holding company, if they wish to carry on with asset management, including owning offshore units.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nigeria-uba-turn-zambian-unit-local-bank-125033009--finance.html
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Friday, July 27, 2012
London shares rise on Europe, company earnings
London shares rose on Thursday following strong earnings figures by several UK companies and a more positive mood on eurozone markets, traders said.
The benchmark FTSE 100 index gained 78.84 points or 1.36 percent to 5,573.16.
Royal Dutch Shell, BSkyB, Rolls-Royce and BG Group were among the London-listed companies to announce profit figures as the second quarter results season got into full swing.
David Jones, chief market strategist at IG Index, said investors' nerves were soothed by a pledge from European Central Bank presdent Mario Draghi to do whatever is necessary to support the euro.
"Markets seem to have taken this as a sign that the ECB could end up implementing QE (quantative easing) in a bid to keep government bond yields at more reasonable levels," he said.
"Cynics may see this as yet more talk around the euro crisis, rather than much-needed action ? the last couple of years are peppered with strong rallies inspired by great speeches which have soon after given up the ghost," Jones said.
"But markets have slid quite heavily over the past week and did feel like they were looking for an excuse to rally."
Rolls-Royce shares surged 6.69 percent to 885 pence on news that the aero engine maker's first-half net profits soared on rising revenues, a bumper order book and the sale of its stake in US-based International Aero Engines.
Earnings after tax jumped 24 percent to ?1.19 billion in the six months to the end of June, compared with ?842 million in the same part of last year.
The company's order book increased by 4.0 percent to ?60.1 billion, while underlying revenues swelled five percent to ?5.8 billion in the reporting period.
"Rolls-Royce has delivered solid growth in underlying revenue and underlying profit in the first half of the year," said chief executive John Rishton.
BSkyB shares gained 3.14 percent to 706.50 pence after the pay-TV giant posted rising annual net profits on solid demand for its television, Internet and telephone services.
Earnings after tax jumped to ?906 million in the group's 2011/2012 financial year which ran until the end of June.
"In what remains a tough economic environment, customers are choosing Sky over other providers," said chief executive Jeremy Darroch.
BG Group also rose, adding 2.13 percent to 1,246 pence although the energy producer said its net profits plunged 77 percent in the second quarter compared with a year earlier on a write-down to its US shale gas business.
Revenues rose nine percent to $5.79 billion, though the company lowered its production estimate for 2012 to 720,000 barrels of oil and gas per day from 750,000 barrels.
However, Shell shares dropped 2.26 percent to 2,137.50 pence in the wake of the oil giant's announcement that second-quarter net profits tumbled 53 percent to $4.06 billion on the back of sliding world oil prices and slack demand.
Total oil and gas production rose 1.9 percent to 3.103 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, aided by giant projects in Canada and Qatar. However, analysts had predicted a 4.0-percent increase.
"Our industry continues to see significant energy price volatility as a result of economic and political developments," Shell chief executive Peter Voser said in a statement.
"We are moving forward in volatile times. Our profits have fallen with energy prices."
At 5:25 pm, sterling was trading at $1,5681, up from $1.5480 late on Wednesday.
The British currency was little changed against the single European currency, at 1.2765 euros versus 1.2758 euros a day earlier.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/london-shares-rise-europe-company-earnings-163035967.html
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Rising to the occasion again
CHESTER, Pa. ? It was another chance to grab the headlines. Of course, David Beckham stepped up. His long diagonal for Dwayne De Rosario set up Chris Pontius?s second half equalizer, his teammates finally making good on a ball he?d been providing all night. MLS?s all-stars went on to defeat Chelsea, ending a three-match losing streak, with Beckham playing an integral part.
(MORE: Cleaning out the notebook on MLS All-Star matters)
Just as he seemed to do when Fabio Capello called him into the national team, just like he did when he went on loan with AC Milan, and just like he did in last November?s MLS Cup final, David Beckham rose to the level of his competition. His 55 completed passes were 16 more than any of his teammates. Part of that was due to playing time. Most of it was do to his Pirlo-esque role in Ben Olsen?s team. Starting on the right side of midfield, Beckham would drop into a sitter?s role in MLS?s attacking phase, regularly hitting passes into the spaces around Branislav Ivavonic (Chelsea?s right back) and Gary Cahill (right-center half). With Chelsea rekindling their end-of-season ways, laying back and ceding the battle for the ball, Beckham was able to test Chelsea?s defense whenever he wanted. Marko Marin, Yossi Benayoun and Florent Malouda seemed content to let the legend shine.
That?s why it?s hard to give Beckham too much credit. In MLS, most teams have learned they can?t give him that kind of time on the ball. That?s what made his recent double in Portland was so remarkable. How could the Timbers forget about Beckham? With two long distance first half goals, Beckham reminded them, and while he didn?t quite replicate that performance against Chelsea, the Blues still left PPL Park reminded how good Beckham can still be.
In the days leading up to Wednesday?s game, much of MLS had forgotten about Beckham, if only temporarily. With the Summer Olympics starting in England, Beckham (who served as a spokesperson throughout the nation?s bidding process) had been back in London. Amid speculation about what role Beckham will play in Friday?s opening ceremonies came questions about whether he?d play any role in Chester. When Beckham didn?t make an appearance during Tuesday?s festivities, the speculation became more explicit: Would Beckham just stay in England for Wednesday?s game? Come Tuesday evening, MLS was assuring partners the league?s marquee player would play.
With Beckham rising to the occasion late in Wednesday?s match (remarkably so, given his lack of training), the All-Star Game became a metaphor for league?s entire Beckham experience. For all the worries about his commitment to his North American mission, Beckham was there when it counted, even if it meant dropping in at the last minute (and getting out as soon as possible). Around the world, he was the game?s marquee name, still outshining those from his European title-winning opponents. If the point of signing and re-signing Beckham was an international credibility play, the acquisition?s been an amazing success. Every time Chelsea players were asked about soccer in the States, the first thing they mentioned was David Beckham.
But Beckham?s has always been a complicated picture. In this part of the world there?s the expectation that the person getting the glory should also be willing to do the dirty work. Beckham?s had good reasons for his Galaxy sojourns ? unexpected opportunities in Italy, a second life with England, a once-in-a-lifetime role helping to confirm his country?s Olympic dream ? but they?ll never sit well over here. Our sports culture has never had to reconcile such conflicts, and it was unlikely to grant its first exception to somebody from England coming over to play soccer.
On Wednesday he was one of a number of MLS stars. He?s far more limited than the player that initially came to the United States, but he?s still capable of stealing the spotlight when the curtain goes up. Beckham always turns up for a show.
The problems come off stage: the absenteeism, preferential treatment, and general uncertainty. Where will David be today? On Monday and Tuesday, as the event was building to Wednesday?s climax, Beckham was nowhere to be found. He had a good reason, and he came and performed when it mattered, but his teammates were there all week. He wasn?t. His teammates had to face the media, go to the events ? to be in Philadelphia. Beckham had another reason to temporarily withdraw.
In my ideal world, this would be a non-issue, but attitudes aren?t going to change overnight. Beckham is the first player that?s challenged our notion of where team commitment fits into the bigger picture. After his first loan spell at Milan, attitudes started to change regarding players spending their offseasons playing for other teams.
You don?t have these debates in football, baseball, or basketball. This is an issue the world?s bringing to us.
Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/26/david-beckham-mls-all-star-game/related/
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Next Space Station Crew to Try 'Fishy' Science
When the next Russian-built Soyuz capsule launches to the International Space Station in October, it will deliver three new crewmembers to the orbiting outpost. But the trio of spaceflyers will be sharing their ride with some special cargo: 32 small fish for a science experiment at the space lab.
NASA astronaut Kevin Ford and Russian cosmonauts Evgeny Tarelkin and Oleg Novitskiy are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station on Oct. 15 from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Their Soyuz TMA-06M capsule will also be carrying 32 medaka fish ? a type of fish native to Southeast Asia ? to the orbiting complex.
"They'll be on our Soyuz with us ? 32 fish, plus the three of us," Ford told reporters in a news briefing Thursday (July 26).
The medakas will become part of an experiment carried out on the station to investigate the effects of microgravity on fish. The astronauts aboard the outpost will monitor changes in the fish as they live in orbit. [7 Everyday Things that Happen Strangely In Space]
"When we come onboard, one of the first items will be to get these fish transferred and into their habitat and get the experiment underway," Ford explained.
The fish will stay in a special aquatic habitat that is being delivered to the space station by a robotic Japanese cargo freighter. The Japanese unmanned H-2 Transfer Vehicle-3, or HTV-3, launched into orbit on July 20, and arrived at the space station today (July 27).
Scientists are particularly interested in how the skeletal systems of fish change in the near weightless environment aboard the space station, said Julie Robinson, an International Space Station program scientist.
It has long been known that exposure to microgravity for extended periods of time can carry negative consequences, including loss of muscle and bone density. To prevent lasting harmful effects, space station astronauts adhere to rigorous exercise regimens, and doctors on the ground closely monitor their health.
But experiments such as the one with medaka fish do not hold potential benefits for only spaceflyers. The results of these types of studies can have far-reaching effects on Earth, too.
"It's an experiment, essentially, for osteoporosis," Ford explained.
The lessons learned from studying the skeletal systems of fish in space can inform scientists on the ground about how bones degrade over time here on Earth. This type of scientific research is part of what inspired the motto for this space station-bound crew: From the Earth, for the Earth.
"The idea is that the space station is up there for everybody, and even though it's essentially 15 countries that put [forward] their resources, it's really there for everybody on the planet."
But for Ford, Tarelkin and Novitskiy, the medaka fish will also be their companions for the thrilling journey to the International Space Station.
"I won't have my 'gone fishing' hat, though," Ford joked.
Follow Denise Chow on Twitter @denisechow or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+.
Copyright 2012 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Source: http://news.yahoo.com/next-space-station-crew-try-fishy-science-135309326.html
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Thursday, July 26, 2012
Healthy U Program Aims to Reduce Childhood Obesity | Diet-Fitness ...
Childhood obesity in New Jersey has become a major concern. A Rutgers University study found that nearly one in three children in the state between the ages of 10 and 17 are overweight or obese and that number is even higher in urban areas. YMCAs throughout the state implemented a program called Healthy U in 2008 with the help of a million grant from the Horizon Foundation of New Jersey to help combat the problem. The goal of the program is to reduce childhood obesity by 10 percent in four years by promoting physical activity, good nutrition and family involvement.
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Ford recalls 484,600 Escape SUVs for throttle problem
(Reuters) - Ford Motor Co is recalling 484,600 older model Ford Escape SUVs, most of them in the United States, because their throttles can be stuck open, U.S. safety regulators said.
Ford Escapes from the 2001-2004 model years with three-liter, V6 engines are affected by the recall.
A week ago, Ford recalled about 11,500 new 2013 model year Escape SUVs with 1.6-liter EcoBoost engines due to a fire risk related to fuel lines. Ford asked consumers to keep the Escapes parked rather than drive them to dealerships for repair.
For the 2001-2004 model years recall, 423,634 of the affected vehicles are in the United States, and 35,000 in Canada, 19,000 in Mexico, 4,500 in Europe and 4,300 in other regions, Ford said. In Europe, the model is called the Maverick.
The issue involves the cruise control cable on the Escapes, and safety regulators are investigating whether it was a factor in the death of a teenager in Arizona earlier this year.
The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said there have been 68 reported complaints of stuck throttles including nine injuries and the Arizona fatality.
Last week, NHTSA announced an investigation into Ford Escape and Mazda Motor Corp Tribute SUVs. Ford and Mazda jointly developed the 2001-2004 Escape and Tribute models.
Mazda has been working "hand-in-hand with Ford and NHTSA" on the stuck throttle investigation but by Thursday had not issued a recall of the Tribute SUVs from 2001-2004, said a company spokesman.
Regarding the Ford recall, NHTSA said, "Inadequate clearance between the engine cover and the speed (cruise) control cable connector could result in a stuck throttle when the accelerator pedal is fully or almost-fully depressed."
"NHTSA's investigation into this issue remains open, pending the agency's review of the documents provided by Ford in its recall action," NHTSA said. "Moving forward, NHTSA will continue to monitor any future issues involving a stuck throttle or unintended acceleration in these vehicles to ensure there are no additional safety risks that warrant further action."
The recall came after NHTSA opened an investigation into the matter last week.
(Reporting By Bernie Woodall; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Carol Bishopric and Steve Orlofsky)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ford-recalls-484-600-escape-suvs-throttle-problem-180935735--finance.html
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MassPrivateI: How universities are spying on students.
By Bennett Stein:
On Sunday, the New York Times published an extensive piece surveying the ways American universities are using their access to students? information to tailor their college experiences. Universities collect a huge amount of data on their students?course selection and grades, past educational experience and standardized test scores, and other personal information. Austin Peay University analyzes a student?s data and suggests classes in which the student is likely to ?succeed.? Arizona State University uses its data to identify students who are ?off track? based on course selection and course results. ASU is also experimenting with using information on student swipes of ID cards around campus?at the gym, at the dining hall, at the dorm, at the library, etc.?to understand social ties. (Last week, my colleague Catherine Crump also wrote about universities experimenting with monitoring students? internet usage to assess mental health.)
While universities have an important role in supporting students towards graduation, these data mining methods threaten campus as a place of self-exploration, development, and discovery. A student who knows that a computer is analyzing his course selection and grades may be less likely to choose a course out of the ordinary or take a risk on an assignment for fear of being deemed ?off track.?
During my first year of college at the University of Michigan, I took two Spanish classes, a bible lecture, a philosophy seminar, a course on political advertising, and a survey course on arts and culture in public life that was taught by a professor who primarily studied 20th Century avant-garde Mexican film. Like my academics, my social life was diverse and often disparate as I met kids unlike me and the people I knew growing up. While these courses may not have contributed directly to my eventual degree in public policy this past May nor to my current position with the ACLU?and those freshman year dorm buddies ended up being weirdos?the lessons and experiences from the decisions and mistakes I made as a fresh-out-of-high-school 18 year old still prove invaluable.
This blog has frequently described the chilling effects of similar data analysis programs on free speech and social interactions. These effects are particularly relevant on college campuses where malleable young people work towards critical decisions about lifestyle, world view, and career. Students must not feel restrained by the potential judgment of a computer program as they develop themselves as adults and community members. Pressuring students to fit into an algorithm threatens the intellectual and social vibrancy of the campus (and of society, as my colleague Jay Stanley discussed last week). Even if a student does not expect her behavior to be flagged for further scrutiny, we have seen time and again that these complex computer algorithms make mistakes that have very real consequences.
I am sure that I would have questioned my course selection had I thought it might be flagged as wrong. I might have opted out of second (or third) dinner at the dining hall had I expected my ID swipe would lead to someone noticing my eating habits. Instead, I grew a lot and learned a lot in college because I made choices that my academic advisors, my professors, maybe my mother?and even a computer program!?may have considered off track.
http://www.aclu.org/blog/technology-and-liberty-lgbt-rights-religion-belief-reproductive-freedom/big-data-nsa-facebookBig data on campus.
Universities see such technology as one answer to a big challenge. On average, only 31 percent of students at public colleges get their bachelor?s degree within four years, and 56 percent graduate within six years. Such statistics have come under greater scrutiny as parents and politicians demand accountability from colleges. Tennessee, for example, doles out higher education dollars in part by measuring how effective an institution is at graduating students.With 72,000 students, A.S.U. is both the country?s largest public university and a hotbed of data-driven experiments. One core effort is a degree-monitoring system that keeps tabs on how students are doing in their majors. Stray off-course and a student may have to switch fields.?
And while not exactly matchmaking, Arizona State takes an interest in students? social lives, too. Its Facebook app mines profiles to suggest friends. One classmate shares eight things in common with Ms. Allisone, who ?likes? education, photography and tattoos. Researchers are even trying to figure out social ties based on anonymized data culled from swipes of ID cards around the Tempe campus.
This is college life, quantified.?
Data mining hinges on one reality about life on the Web: what you do there leaves behind a trail of digital breadcrumbs. Companies scoop those up to tailor services, like the matchmaking of eHarmony or the book recommendations of Amazon. Now colleges, eager to get students out the door more efficiently, are awakening to the opportunities of so-called Big Data.?
The new breed of software can predict how well students will do before they even set foot in the classroom. It recommends courses, Netflix-style, based on students? academic records.?
?If the university could model, at a high level, the social network of the college, that would be a very useful data layer,? says Matt Pittinsky, who co-founded Blackboard, a company that provides a platform for online classes, and later became an assistant research professor in the sociology program at Arizona State. A university might reach out to a student ?who is not showing evidence of social integration,? Mr. Pittinsky says, pointing out extracurricular activities and communities that might tie them more deeply to the institution.?Working with computer scientists, Mr. Pittinsky started an academic research project that tiptoes toward a better understanding of social connections. The research team?s raw material: anonymous logs from swipes made with Arizona State ID cards. When students use these cards, be it to buy food on campus or access the fitness center, the transaction gets recorded. The question that struck Mr. Pittinsky was whether or not you could infer social ties from those trails.?
The prospect of card-swipe surveillance discomforts Mr. Zimmer. He worries authorities might misuse location data to do things like track foreign students or instigators of a student protest.?
But the broader issue of privacy hangs over even less Orwellian efforts to collect and monitor personal data. In his own courses, Michael Zimmer, assistant professor in the School of Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin includes a disclaimer on his syllabus disclosing what he can see through Milwaukee?s online-learning platform, including ?the dates and times individual students access the system, what pages a student has viewed, the duration of visits, and the IP address of the computer used to access the course Web site.?Source: http://massprivatei.blogspot.com/2012/07/how-universities-are-spying-on-students_26.html
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4 Great Finance and Budget Apps for the busy Mum ? Sponsored ...
As a mum, I?m aware of how difficult it can be to juggle the finances, budget for each week, and look after my family. Thankfully, though, there are a number of different apps for smartphones and tablets that can make money management for the busy mum a little bit easier.
These are my favourites:
My Weekly Budget
My Weekly Budget cost me only $1 to download, and I?m able use it to track how much I?m spending ? making it much easier to save. You set a weekly budget target and enter your spending daily. This app even makes budgeting fun: any money I don?t spend is carried over to next week. That makes my budget for Week 2 just a little higher and means I can maybe splurge on something just for me ? maybe a block of chocolate when I do the groceries, or a new piece of clothing for my wardrobe.
Bills Monitor
Again only $1! I?ll never be late paying bills thanks to Bills Monitor. You log all your bills in the app and then you can track and check on them. It even reminds me when my gas bill is almost due, or if the electricity is already overdue. This means that I can sort through them all on-the-go. Bills are organised into categories, amounts, due dates, pay accounts, and even whether or not they?re recurring.? Easy!
Bloomberg
They say even financial professionals love this Bloomberg app. I?m very new to the stock market and it?s exciting to find an app that can tell me about the state of my investment in words I can understand. I can easily find out my dividend yield, and keep track of all the latest business and financial news. And, because I love social networking, I can share all my findings with my friends on Facebook. And the best thing about Bloomberg? It?s free!
My Tax Return
My Tax Return helps me estimate how much of my tax payments I?ll have refunded to me at the end of the financial year. It follows my income and notes deductions, shows just how much taxable income I?ve earned and how much tax I?ve paid. It displays payment summaries, allowances, interest and dividends, and even knows all about rebates and offsets ? all for just $1. I don?t have an excuse to leave my tax return until the last minute anymore!
The best part about having all these apps to help me keep track is the time it frees up, so I can spend more time with my husband and kids. I can look everything up on my iPhone while on the go. It?s so convenient, and definitely a time and money saver ? a win-win situation in my books!
This blog post was written by Lucy Walker, a full-time mum and freelance writer who downloads a ridiculous number of apps for her iPhone every week.
*Sponsored post
If you like it share it, thanks!
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Protesters urge EPA to reject Arctic waiver
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[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/protesters-urge-epa-reject-arctic-waiver-152738384--finance.html
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