Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/30/divorce-research-2011_n_1119562.html
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Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Divorce Research 2011: Top 11 Findings Of The Year
A September 2011 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that affairs do more than break hearts -- they may also break penises. Dr. Andrew Kramer studied 16 cases of penile fracture between 2007 and 2011; half of the patients admitted to fracturing their penises during an extramarital affair. "I think that a guy, when he's with a girlfriend or a coworker and he's in a weird place, I think the sex might be different," Dr. Kramer told the Huffington Post. "He's extra excited and maybe he's doing more forceful or frequent thrusting, and the key is that he has less control over the angle that his penis can penetrate and that's what can predispose the fracture." Kramer noted that the paper was "just observational" and that there is no causal relationship between infidelity and penile fracture. It's no surprise that this buzzed-about piece was one of the most popular features on the Huffington Post.
Central banks act as euro zone crisis rages (Reuters)
BRUSSELS/LONDON (Reuters) ? The world's major central banks acted jointly on Wednesday to provide cheaper dollar funding to European banks facing a credit crunch as the euro zone's debt crisis drove EU ministers to urge more IMF help to avert financial disaster.
The emergency move by the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, and the central banks of Japan, Britain, Canada and Switzerland recalled coordinated action to stabilize global markets in the 2008 financial crisis after the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
In Italy, now the focal point of the euro debt crisis, the Treasury started emergency cash tenders for banks which have been squeezed particularly hard as Rome's borrowing costs have soared towards 8 percent, a level seen as unaffordable in the long term.
The euro and European shares surged on the central bank action, which came after euro zone finance ministers agreed to ramp up the firepower of their bailout fund but acknowledged they may have to turn to the International Monetary Fund for more help.
In a policy shift by Europe's main paymaster, Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Germany was open to increasing the IMF's resources through bilateral loans or more special drawing rights, reversing the stance Berlin took earlier this month at the Cannes G20 summit.
The new openness to a bigger IMF role came as Germany presses its EU partners to agree next week on treaty changes to create coercive powers to make euro zone countries change their budgets if they breach EU deficit and debt rules.
"The economic and monetary union will either have to be completed through much deeper integration or we will have to accept a gradual disintegration of over half a century of European integration," Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn told the European Parliament.
Two years into Europe's debt crisis, investors are fleeing the euro zone bond market, European banks are dumping government debt, south European banks are bleeding deposits and a recession looms, fuelling doubts about the survival of the single currency.
Euro zone leaders have agreed belatedly on one half-measure after another but have failed to restore confidence and some analysts now see a December 9 Brussels summit as a make-or-break moment for the euro.
Finance ministers agreed on Tuesday night on detailed plans to leverage the European Financial Stability Mechanism (EFSF), but could not say by how much because of rapidly worsening market conditions, prompting them to look to the IMF.
"We are now looking at a true financial crisis -- that is a broad-based disruption in financial markets," Christian Noyer, France's central bank governor and a governing council member of the European Central Bank, told a conference in Singapore.
Italian and Spanish bond yields resumed their inexorable climb towards unsustainable levels on Wednesday, as markets assessed the rescue fund boost as inadequate, but fell back on news of the central banks' joint action.
"It must also be remembered that the EFSF is already funding at very wide levels (high borrowing costs) over Germany, struggled in its last auction to raise the required funds and would have its rating put under severe pressure by any rating downgrade of France," Rabobank strategists said in a note.
"This must call into question any plans related to the EFSF. It is yesterday's solution and the market has simply moved on."
IMF TO MATCH?
The 17-nation Eurogroup adopted detailed plans to insure the first 20-30 percent of new bond issues for countries having funding difficulties and to create co-investment funds to attract foreign investors to buy euro zone government bonds.
Both schemes would be operational by January with about 250 billion euros from the euro zone's EFSF bailout fund available to leverage after funding a second rescue program for Greece, Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker said.
The aim was for the IMF to match and support the new firepower of the EFSF, Juncker told a news conference.
But with China and other major sovereign funds cautious about investing more in euro zone debt, EFSF chief Klaus Regling said he did not expect investors to commit major amounts to the leveraging options in the next days or weeks, and he could not put a figure on the final size of the leveraged fund.
"It is really not possible to give one number for leveraging because it is a process. We will not give out 100 billion next month, we will need money as we go along," Regling said.
Most analysts agree that only more radical measures such as massive intervention by the ECB to buy government bonds directly or indirectly can staunch the crisis.
The prospects of drawing the IMF more deeply into supporting the euro zone are uncertain. Several big economies are skeptical of European calls for more resources for the global lender.
The United States, Japan and other Asian states are hesitant to chip in unless Europe commits to first use its own resources to fix the problem and peripheral euro zone states map out more concrete steps on fiscal and economic reforms.
"Nobody wants to spend money on something they doubt would work," a G20 official said.
"That goes not only for Europe but for any other country outside Europe. The threshold for seeking IMF help is quite high. Those seeking help need to be willing to give up some of their jurisdiction on fiscal policy and willing to undergo painful reform. Mere pledges and speeches won't do."
MONTI DENIES IMF BID
New Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said he had received a very positive reaction from the euro zone ministers to his fiscal plans, although he was told to take extra deficit cutting measures beyond an austerity plan already adopted to meet its balanced budget promise in 2013.
He also said he had met the head of the IMF's European department on Wednesday but Italy had not considered taking help from the Fund.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that Italian and IMF officials have held preliminary discussions on some form of financial support for Rome, although no decision has been taken, according to sources familiar with the talks.
Italian bond yields are now above the levels at which Greece, Ireland and Portugal were forced to apply for EU/IMF bailouts, and Rome has a wall of issuance due from late January to roll over maturing debt.
The Eurogroup ministers agreed to release their portion of an 8 billion euro aid payment to Greece, the sixth installment of 110 billion euros of EU/IMF loans agreed last year and necessary to help Athens stave off the immediate threat of default.
Juncker said the money would be released by mid-December, once the IMF signs off on its portion early next month.
G20 leaders promised this month to boost the global lender's warchest. However, another G20 source said policymakers had made no progress since then in efforts to boost IMF resources, which at current levels may not be sufficient to overcome the crisis.
EU sources said one option being explored is for euro system central banks to lend to the IMF so it can in turn lend to Italy and Spain while applying IMF borrowing conditions.
With Germany opposed to the idea of the ECB providing liquidity to the EFSF or acting as a lender of last resort, the euro zone needs a way of calming markets and fast.
The ECB shows no sign yet of responding to widespread calls to massively increase its bond-buying although EU officials said it may have to shift, even if the EFSF gained IMF help.
A Reuters poll of economists showed a 40 percent chance of the ECB stepping up purchases with freshly printed money within six months, something it has opposed so far.
The poll forecast a 60 percent chance of an ECB rate cut to 1.0 percent next week and a big majority of economists said they expect the central bank to announce new long-term liquidity tenders to help keep banks afloat at its next meeting on Dec 8.
(Additional reporting by Marius Zaharia in London, Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin, Robin Emmott and John O'Donnell in Brussels, Saeed Azhar and Kevin Lim in Singapore; Writing by Paul Taylor/Mike Peacock; Editing by Janet McBride/Ruth Pitchford)
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Why It's More Than Okay to Skip Black Friday and Cyber Monday [Shopping]
An expert data-cruncher analyzed a huge block of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales prices and found that, for the goods you actually want, you should wait, even if just a few days. Here's how to score better deals on good products in time for the holidays.
For one thing, wait until early December, after the retailers have cleared out the stuff they know they can move out at a discount. Retailers have come to rely on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to purge their inventories, according to Oren Etzioni, founder of previously mentioned Decide.com and Farecast.com (before it was swallowed into Bing Travel. Etzioni told the New York Times:
It is not until early December, Professor Etzioni's research shows, that prices are likely to be the lowest for electronics, products that are among the biggest sellers on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
"The bottom line is, Black Friday is for the retailers to go from the red into the black," he said. "It's not really for people to get great deals on the most popular products."
Next, avoid clothing shopping during the holidays, if you can, because apparel is a higher-margin item that stores often use to supplement the items they're giving away. Bigger appliances? Wait until the end of a fiscal quarter for a retailer you trust.
Finally, look to retailers' own sites for decent discounts on higher-quality items. The seemingly rock-bottom prices can be very tempting, and online deal timers add pressure, but think about how a business can offer a good for that little, Dan DeGrandpre of DealNews.com tells the Times.
"Black Friday is about cheap stuff at cheap prices, and I mean cheap in every connotation of the word," Mr. de Grandpre said. Manufacturers like Dell or HP will allow their cheap laptops to be discounted via retailers on that Friday, but they will reserve markdowns through their own sites for later.
When have you found the sweet spot for buying items you or your gift recipients actually want? Consult our Best Times to Buy Anything guide, then share some of your own price timing in the comments. Photo by Justin Marty.
Friday's Deals May Not Be the Best | New York Times via Consumerist
You can reach Kevin Purdy, the author of this post, on Twitter at @kevinpurdy or Google+.
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Police Around US Encrypting Radio Communications to Prevent ...
Baby steps are getting bigger now.
via Public Intelligence
Police departments around the country are moving to shield their radio communications from the public as cheap, user-friendly technology has made it easy for anyone to use handheld devices to keep tabs on officers responding to crimes.The Orange County, Fla., sheriff?s office expects to be encrypted within months. Several police departments in the county are already encrypted, and more will follow suit to keep officers safe, said Bryan Rintoul, director of emergency communications for the sheriff?s office.
In California, the Santa Monica police department has been fully encrypted for the past two years, enabling police to communicate more freely during high-risk calls, said spokesman Sgt. Richard Lewis.
Smaller communities like Garden City, Kan. ? with a population of roughly 27,000 ? are also converting.
?It was an unknown. There was no criminal act, but it concerns the officers when you see the same vehicle keep showing up at your scenes,? said spokesman Sgt. Michael Reagle. ?What is their intent when they keep showing up??
Source: http://thedorkfishexpress.blogspot.com/2011/11/police-around-us-encrypting-radio.html
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Astros fire GM Wade and president Smith (AP)
HOUSTON ? The Houston Astros fired general manager Ed Wade and team president Tal Smith on Sunday night in the first of the changes promised by new owner Jim Crane.
The moves come less than a week after the sale of the team from Drayton McLane to Crane was officially completed last Tuesday, a transaction that requires the franchise to move from the NL Central to the AL West in 2013.
In a news conference on the day owners approved the sale on Nov. 17, Crane vowed to meet with all the executives and "make some very, very quick adjustments."
And he did, with the Astros announcing the moves late Sunday night in a statement from new team president and chief executive officer George Postolos.
"With the change in ownership, we would like a fresh start in baseball operations," Postolos said. "We have told Ed Wade and Tal Smith that we are making a change."
The search for a new general manager will begin immediately. Assistant general manager Dave Gottfried will serve as interim GM, but will not be considered for the permanent job.
Postolos said the Astros want a candidate who has a strong commitment to player development necessary for long-term success.
"Our goal is to consistently compete for a championship, and we know the first step towards that goal is to develop one of the top farm systems in baseball," Postolos said. "We will hire the best candidate available to achieve our goal."
Wade was hired in September 2007 after spending the previous two years as a professional scout for the San Diego Padres. He was the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1998 until he was fired after the 2005 season.
The Astros made a 13-game improvement in Wade's first season as general manager and finished 86-75. But that would be their only winning season under Wade as they won 74 games in 2009 and 76 in 2010 before posting this year's franchise-worst mark of 56-106.
In the last two years Wade traded away stars such Lance Berkman, Michael Bourn, Roy Oswalt and Hunter Pence for mostly young prospects, saying he had "inherited a pretty barren farm system" that he had to replenish.
Smith, who has been team president since 1994, has spent more than 50 years as a baseball executive and more than 30 of those years have been with the Astros. He worked for the franchise in its first season in 1962 when the team was known as the Houston Colt .45s and remained in Houston until 1972.
He spent some time working for the Yankees before returning as general manager of the Astros from 1975-80.
Smith's input was key in the development of both the Astrodome and Minute Maid Park. A small hill in center field at Minute Maid Park is known as Tal's Hill as a nod to his work on the project.
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Pakistan says NATO ignored its pleas during attack
People offer funeral prayers of Saturday's NATO attack victims in Peshawar, Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
People offer funeral prayers of Saturday's NATO attack victims in Peshawar, Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
A Pakistani boy, bottom, shouts slogans along with other protestors during a rally to condemn NATO helicopter attacks on Pakistani troops, on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
Pakistani soldiers pay tribute to their colleagues who lost their lives in Saturday's NATO attack, during their funeral in Peshawar, Pakistan on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
A Pakistani boy holds a dagger before a placard reading "who is terrorist, America", during a rally to condemn NATO helicopter attacks on Pakistani troops, in Lahore, Pakistan, on Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. (AP Photo/K.M.Chaudary)
Pakistani protesters rally to condemn a NATO airstrike on Pakistani troops, in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Nov 27, 2011. Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Placard on left reads "do not use Pakistan army as a fuel of American war." (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
ISLAMABAD (AP) ? The NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers went on for almost two hours and continued even after Pakistani commanders had pleaded with coalition forces to stop, the army claimed Monday in charges that could further inflame anger in Pakistan.
NATO has described the incident as "tragic and unintended" and has promised a full investigation. Unnamed Afghan officials have said that a joint Afghan-NATO force on the Afghan side of the border received incoming fire from the direction of the Pakistani posts, and called in airstrikes.
Ties between Pakistan and the United States were already deteriorating before the deadly attack and have sunk to new lows since, delivering a major setback to American hopes of enlisting Islamabad's help in negotiating an end to the 10-year-old Afghan war.
Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said the Pakistani troops at two border posts were the victims of an unprovoked aggression. He said the attack lasted almost two hours and that commanders had contacted NATO counterparts while it was going on, asking "they get this fire to cease, but somehow it continued."
The Pakistan army has previously said its soldiers retaliated "with all weapons available" to the attack.
The poorly defined, mountainous border has been a constant source of tension between Pakistan and the United States. NATO officials have complained that insurgents fire from across the frontier, often from positions close to Pakistani soldiers who have been accused of tolerating or supporting the militants. NATO and Afghan forces are not allowed to cross over into Pakistan in pursuit of militants.
Saturday's strikes have added to popular anger in Pakistan against the U.S.-led coalition presence in Afghanistan. Many in the army, parliament, general population and media already believed that the U.S. and NATO are hostile to Pakistan and that the Afghan Taliban are not the enemy.
By claiming it was the victim of unprovoked aggression, the Pakistan army is strengthening this narrative.
While the United States is widely disliked in Pakistan, the army has accepted billions in American aid over the last 10 years in return for its cooperation in fighting al-Qaida. It has been accused of fomenting anti-American sentiment in the country to extract better terms in what is essentially a transactional and deeply troubled relationship with Washington.
Saturday's deadly incident also serves to shift attention away from the dominant perception of the Pakistani army in the West over the last five years ? that of an unreliable ally that supports militancy. That image was cemented after al-Qaida's chief Osama bin Laden was found to have been hiding in an army town close to the Pakistani capital when he was killed.
For Pakistan's weak and much criticized elected government, Saturday's airstrikes provide a rare opportunity to unite the country and a momentary relief from attack by rivals eyeing elections in 2013 or sooner.
By contrast, deaths of soldiers and civilians in attacks by militants, some with alleged links to the country's spy agencies, are often greeted with official silence.
Abbas dismissed Afghanistan's claims that the joint Afghan-NATO troops were fired upon first.
"At this point, NATO and Afghanistan are trying to wriggle out of the situation by offering excuses," he said. "Where are their casualties?"
Abbas said the two military posts, named "Volcano" and "Golden," were located on a ridge in Mohmand region around 300 yards (meters) from the border with Afghanistan. He said their exact location had been provided to NATO and that the area had recently been cleared of militants.
Hours after the attack on Saturday, Pakistan closed its western border to trucks delivering supplies to NATO troops in Afghanistan, demanded that the U.S. abandon an air base inside Pakistan used to operate drone strikes, and said it will review its cooperation with the U.S. and NATO.
However, a complete breakdown in the relationship between the United States and Pakistan is considered unlikely. Pakistan relies on billions of dollars in American aid, and the U.S. needs Pakistan to push Afghan insurgents to participate in peace talks.
After the bin Laden raid, ties almost collapsed but slowly resumed, albeit at a lower level and with lower expectations on the American side.
A year ago, a U.S. helicopter attack killed two Pakistani soldiers posted on the Afghan-Pakistani border, prompting the army to close one of the border crossings. A joint investigation by the two nations found that Pakistani troops had fired first at the U.S. helicopters. The investigation found that the shots were probably meant as warnings after the choppers passed into Pakistani airspace. The U.S. apologized, and the border was reopened.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
California Crossings, a Historical Exhibit on California Immigration at UC Berkeley
California Crossings art exhibitNeighborhood: UC Berkeley campus
Berkeley, CA?94720
United States of America
Berkeley, CA?94720
United States of America
California continues to temp newcomers. Its yearly percentage of new immigrants churns out a whopping total of over 200,000 per year according to California Watch. But does history repeat itself through immigration?
In hindsight, an interesting art exhibit on the history of California immigration is taking place at the UC Berkeley Bancroft Library archives until March 30, 2012. Walking through the history of newcomers to the Wild West depicts the trials and tribulations of new immigrants: Russian, Chinese, Japanese, French, Mexican, American-Indian, and African-American.
Everyone comes to the Golden State to seek fortune and happiness.
Jazz-era African Americans work in Oakland factories. Chinese work in laundry shops. American Indians establish root in camps in Richmond. Russian trappers settle in San Francisco. All is documented here which a rich detailed chronology of photos, letters, manuscripts.
But a new life does not happen without a price to pay. Racism and isolationism can occur. Japanese Americans were unjustly evacuated to internment camps during the Pearl Harbor attack. One thinks: did Afghan or Iraqi Americans in California suffer too from isolation during the War against Iraq?
The exhibit is small but holds a lot of emotions and treasures to be seen. The Dorothea Lange photos themselves are worth the visit. Plus, it is free and is located in the heart of one of the most dynamic US university campuses: UC Berkeley.
Funny enough some of the most famous California residents are immigrants: Russian-born Sergey Brin (Google), British native and Apple lead designer, Jony Ive. It shows how immigration is essential to the health of a state to bring in new blood, new fresh ideas, and a generated work labor.
Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/9150577/california_crossings_a_historical_exhibit.html
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Euro area crisis threatens EU sovereign ratings: Moody's (Reuters)
(Reuters) ? Moody's Investors Service warned on Monday the rapid escalation of the euro zone sovereign and banking crisis threatens the credit standing of all European government bond ratings.
"While Moody's central scenario remains that the euro area will be preserved without further widespread defaults, even this 'positive' scenario carries very negative rating implications in the interim period," the agency said in a report.
Moody's also noted the political impetus to implement an effective resolution plan may only emerge after a series of shocks, which may lead to more countries losing access to market funding and requiring a support program.
"This would very likely cause those countries' ratings to be moved into speculative grade in view of the solvency tests that would likely be required and the burden-sharing that might be imposed if (as is likely) support were to be needed for a sustained period."
Financial markets have put Italy, Spain and now France under increasing pressure on skepticism of the ability of European leaders to resolve the debt crisis, that has already sparked financial bailouts for Greece, Portugal and Ireland.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti aims to shore up the country's strained public finances this week by unveiling measures that could include a revamped housing tax.
Contacts between the International Monetary Fund and Rome have intensified as concern has grown about a financial backstop for Italy, should the country need it.
Euro zone finance ministers are due on Tuesday to consider detailed operation rules for the area's bailout fund. Approvals will clear the way for the 440 billion euro ($583.83 billion)fund to attract cash aimed at boosting the fund's resources.
Moody's said the euro area is approaching a junction, leading to either closer integration or greater fragmentation.
The likelihood of even more negative scenarios has arisen in recent weeks, Moody's noted, reflecting political uncertainties in Greece and Italy and a worsening of the region's economic outlook, among other factors.
"The probability of multiple defaults by euro area countries is no longer negligible. In Moody's view, the longer the liquidity crisis continues, the more rapidly the probability of defaults will continue to rise," it said.
Such defaults would increase the chances that one or more members of the bloc would leave the euro area.
"Moody's believes that any multiple-exit scenario -- in other words, a fragmentation of the euro -- would have negative repercussions for the credit standing of all euro area and EU sovereigns."
In the absence of major policy initiatives in the near future that stabilize credit market conditions, or markets stabilizing for any other reason, "the point is likely to be reached where the overall architecture of Moody's ratings within the euro area, and possibly elsewhere, within the EU, will need to be revisited." ($1 = 0.7536 euros)
(Reporting by Ian Chua,; Writing by Neil Fullick, Editing by Ian Geoghegan)
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China eyes European assets -minister (Reuters)
BEIJING (Reuters) ? China's Commerce Minister plans to lead an investment delegation to Europe next year, in hopes that the crisis roiling the continent will open up some plum assets for acquisition.
China has been reluctant to publically commit to buying additional European bonds, despite European pleas for help in shoring up finances there, but could be much more interested in getting hard assets for its cash.
"Next year, we will continue to send a delegation for promoting trade and investment to the European countries," Chen Deming told a gathering of Chinese firms with overseas investments on Monday.
"Some European countries are facing a debt crisis and hope to convert their assets to cash and would like foreign capital to acquire their enterprises. We will be closely watching and pushing forward the progress."
His comments are in keeping with an editorial in the Financial Times this weekend by Lou Jiwei, the head of China Investment Corp (CIC), who wrote that China was keen to make equity investments in Western infrastructure, especially in Britain.
Chen warned that China may fight back if other countries use trade protectionism against it.
Chinese officials repeatedly emphasize the overseas deals that have fallen through because of political opposition; although far more Chinese purchases have cleared with few problems.
China's largest state-owned shipping firm COSCO (1919.HK) has already made a major investment into Greece's historic Piraeus port (OLPr.AT), as part of Greek divestment plans.
Broadly speaking, overseas investment by Chinese state-owned enterprises has so far been primarily geared toward resources purchases, while CIC has been criticised at home for taking equity stakes in Western financial institutions.
CIC was particularly interested in infrastructure projects where governments could offer lower taxes or discounted bank loans in return for investment, Lou wrote in the Financial Times.
China has been colder to pitches to buy more European nations' bonds without getting anything in return. A Spanish delegation was met with polite disinterest from Chinese officials earlier this month, sources said.
The visiting Spanish minister also tried to interest CIC in upcoming divestments of state holdings in savings banks known as cajas, in the national lottery company, airports and other infrastructure.
Commerce Minister Chen cautioned reporters that China itself faces risks of further economic slowdown in 2012.
Annual inflation in 2011 is likely to exceed 5.5 percent -- overshooting the government target of 4 percent -- and inflationary pressures will continue next year, Chen said.
(Reporting by Aileen Wang and Ken Wills; Writing by Lucy Hornby; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
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Britney Spears Video Tournament Down To Elite 8!
'Everytime' falls out of tournament in round two, losing to 'Lucky.'
By Vaughn Trudeau Schoonmaker
Britney Spears in her video for "Lucky"
Photo: Jive
Round three is now open for voting in the Britney Spears Tournament: 30 Videos for 30 Years!
When polls closed Sunday night, we had narrowed the brackets down from the Sweet 16 to the Elite Eight, and some of the results were shocking!
Four of the eight matchups in round two of the tournament remained neck-in-neck until the moments the polls closed. After holding the advantage for most of the second round, "Everytime," which also happens to be Perez Hilton's favorite Britney Spears video, fell out of the tournament, losing to Britney's diva alter ego in "Lucky."
Two of Britney's most dance-heavy videos, "(You Drive Me) Crazy" and "Me Against the Music," were back and forth with each other for most of the round before Madonna and Britney's hit lunged forward and sent green-tube-top Britney out of the tournament with less than 1 percent more of the votes.
Round three will see "Stronger" take on "Criminal" in a pairing that many thought would be "Oops! ... I Did It Again" vs. "... Baby One More Time." Of Britney's three VMA-winning videos that remained in round two, only her most recent win, "Till the World Ends," will move forward to battle it out with "Lucky."
Round three will also see two of Britney's most iconic videos, "Toxic" and "I'm a Slave 4 U," go up against each other; only one of them will make it to the Final Four.
Round three is open for voting until Tuesday, November 29, at 11:59 p.m. The final four will be announced and open for voting on the morning of Wednesday, November 30.
Which video are you rooting for? Are you surprised by any of the results so far? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Related Videos Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1674960/britney-spears-music-video-tournament.jhtml
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Mexico City 'zombies' gather to challenge record (AP)
MEXICO CITY ? Thousands of self-proclaimed "undead" have gathered in the historic center of Mexico's capital for a "Zombie Walk" that organizers hope sets a world record.
The announced 9,860 registered participants are dressed in rags and ghoulish makeup to look bloody and decaying.
Organizer Pablo Guisa says the fifth annual Mexico City event is meant to celebrate diversity and human rights. The participants also collected donations for a local food bank.
Cities around the world hold zombie walks, and Guinness World Records currently recognizes Asbury Park, New Jersey, as the record holder, with 4,093 participants on Oct. 30, 2010.
A group in Brisbane, Australia, has applied for the record, claiming it massed 8,000 "zombies" last month.
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Think-tank proposes short-term euro zone bond fix (Reuters)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) ? Euro zone states should pool their short-term borrowing via a joint fund to enable countries pursuing EU-approved policies, but unable to borrow at normal rates, to access affordable funding, a European think-tank panel proposed on Monday.
A group of bankers, economists and market experts from the European League for Economic Cooperation suggested an EMU Bond Fund as a bridging solution to the euro zone's sovereign debt crisis, aimed at restoring market confidence.
"Our modest proposal is designed to provide a limited degree of mutual support that will be sufficient to allow adequate time to states that are themselves trying to restore their competitiveness," the authors wrote.
"If the euro zone demonstrates that it is on track to meet these initial economic (and political) goals of renewed competitiveness and sound public finance, then its individual members will have a compelling story to tell the investors of the world."
The fund, which would last only four years, would complement moves to instill stricter fiscal discipline and economic reform in the European Union. It would be open to all euro area states whose policies had been approved by the European authorities.
EU paymaster Germany has so far rejected all proposals for joint bond issuance, arguing that it would remove the market incentive on governments to implement painful austerity measures and economic reforms.
Berlin, backed by the Dutch, Finns and Austrians, is also concerned that common euro zone bonds would increase its own cost of borrowing.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has said common bonds could only come at the end of a process of fiscal integration, but the proposal suggests an immediate solution to get over the crisis threatening the survival of the euro zone in its current form.
The proposed fund would borrow in the markets for at most a two-year term to match the borrowing profile of client states.
Its capacity would be large enough to finance for the next two years all the maturing bonds of euro area states that were unable to access capital markets on normal terms.
Italy, whose short-term borrowing rate hit 8 percent on Friday, a cost widely regarded as unsustainable, needs to refinance more than 300 billion euros in maturing debt next year alone.
The panel said borrowings would enjoy a guarantee involving all participating euro area states. The exact nature of the guarantee remains to be determined, subject to a market survey.
Countries that breached the EU's budget deficit ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product would have to pay an interest rate surcharge. States subject to sustained sanctions under the EU's Stability Pact rules would cease to be eligible to borrow from the fund.
"This scheme guarantees access to finance at 'reasonable' cost for all member states, stabilizes the monetary union, shelters countries from strong swings in market sentiment and improves fiscal discipline in the eurozone," the authors said.
"The announcement would be a huge political statement about commitment to resolve the problems of some euro area member states and deepen economic union substantially. It would be the 'big bazooka' that an outsider has called for," they said.
The authors included economists Graham Bishop of Britain and Rene Smits of the Netherlands, Austrian central bank official Franz Nauschnigg, the head of the European Capital Markets Association, Rene Karsenti of France, and bankers Wim Boomstra and Shahin Kamalodin of Rabobank, Niels Gilbert of DNB and Nicol?s Trillo Ezquerra of Spanish bank BBVA.
All participated in a private capacity.
(Writing by Paul Taylor; Editing by David Holmes)
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Monday, November 28, 2011
Best Buy gets it right, joins early holiday winners (Reuters)
NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Having the right products at the right price at the right time helped make Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) one of the early winners in what was a record start for U.S. retailers to the holiday shopping season.
The electronics retailer, which was one of the biggest losers in 2010, drew in shoppers by being one of the companies that opened its stores at midnight Thanksgiving night, and unlike in 2010, it focused more on having lower prices for big TVs and other popular items.
"Last year, they weren't as responsive with their pricing as they needed to be. We are seeing a different set of behaviors from them this time around," Lawrence Creatura, a portfolio manager at Federated Clover Investment Advisors, said.
Overall, shoppers will have spent a record $52.4 billion, up 16.4 percent from 2011, from Thursday through Sunday, according to a survey for the National retail Federation, conducted by online research firm BIGreasearch.
Many retailers opened at midnight or earlier on Thanksgiving, pulling in younger people who were willing to stay up late for deals on electronics and toys instead of getting up before dawn on Friday.
"Consumers have finite cash. If you can be the retailer who gets that cash first, you are likely to be more successful in the holiday selling season," Creatura said.
Aside from Best Buy, analysts and investors also named Macy's Inc (M.N) and Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) among those that were strong starters.
"Best Buy's success is partially due to locking in compelling exclusive deals, better than Amazon's (AMZN.O) and having unique in-store-only offers forcing the visit," Credit Suisse analyst Gary Balter said.
On the flip side, retailers that opened late or held the line on promotions failed to impress.
"Office supply seemed among the least busy as they opened later and had fewer high-profile deals than in years past," Balter said.
Retailers Gap Inc (GPS.N) and Sears (SHLD.O) also "need to step up," Craig Johnson, president of consulting firm Customer Growth Partners said, adding that he worries the two chains may be too late already as the "horse is out of the barn."
"We would be most cautious on Sears due to their cash flow and serious appliance competition," Balter said
The holiday shopping season that traditionally kicks off on Black Friday -- the biggest day of the year for retailers -- is closely watched by investors as consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the U.S. economy.
The National Retail Federation, an industry trade group, forecast a 2.8 percent increase in sales for the November-to-December holiday season, down from the 5.2 percent increase in 2010.
Despite the strong start, many remain skeptical if retailers will be able to maintain the sales momentum seen this weekend.
"One swallow does not a holiday season make. After the deepest recession in decades, the solid Black Friday weekend is welcome news, but we're only in the second quarter of a long playoff game," Johnson said.
(Reporting by Dhanya Skariachan; Editing by Brad Dorfman and Maureen Bavdek)
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Climate talks open on ever-rising emissions
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115470/Climate_talks_open_on_ever_rising_emissions
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Sunday, November 27, 2011
Mexico City 'zombies' gather to challenge record (AP)
MEXICO CITY ? Thousands of self-proclaimed "undead" have gathered in the historic center of Mexico's capital for a "Zombie Walk" that organizers hope sets a world record.
The announced 9,860 registered participants are dressed in rags and ghoulish makeup to look bloody and decaying.
Organizer Pablo Guisa says the fifth annual Mexico City event is meant to celebrate diversity and human rights. The participants also collected donations for a local food bank.
Cities around the world hold zombie walks, and Guinness World Records currently recognizes Asbury Park, New Jersey, as the record holder, with 4,093 participants on Oct. 30, 2010.
A group in Brisbane, Australia, has applied for the record, claiming it massed 8,000 "zombies" last month.
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Saturday, November 26, 2011
Scientists uncover new role for gene in maintaining steady weight
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Against the backdrop of the growing epidemic of obesity in the United States, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have made an important new discovery regarding a specific gene that plays an important role in keeping a steady balance between our food intake and energy expenditure. The study may help scientists better understand the keys to fighting obesity and related disorders such as diabetes.
The study, which was published in the November 25, 2011 print edition of The Journal of Biological Chemistry, focused on the melanocortin-3 receptor (MC3R), which normally responds to signals of nutrient intake.
"What we discovered was quite a surprise," said Scripps Research Associate Professor Andrew Butler, who led the study. "We thought that the actions of the receptor expressed in the brain would be critical for metabolic homeostasis. However, what we found is that actions of the receptor expressed outside the brain appear to be equally important."
The existence of drug targets in areas outside of the central nervous system (the body's "periphery") might help in the effort to develop drugs that influence metabolism without major side effects, Butler said.
The findings were made possible by the team's development of a new transgenic animal model, where expression of the MC3R gene can be selectively "switched on" in different cell types.
In the study, the suppression of MC3R expression in the brain and peripheral tissues had a marked impact on metabolic homeostasis (equilibrium). Interestingly, mice expressing the MC3R gene in the brain only displayed an obese phenotype (physical appearance) similar to those where all types of expression was suppressed, indicating that actions of this receptor in the brain are not sufficient to protect against weight gain. The finding that loss of MC3R activity in the periphery impairs metabolic homeostasis is startling, Butler said, and point to a distinct role for MC3R signaling in the peripheral tissues. However, how the actions of these receptors impacts on obesity remains to be determined.
"It's clear that these peripheral receptors are important and the new mouse model will let us explore that potential," Butler said.
###
The first author of the study, "Genetic dissection of melanocortin-3 receptor function suggests roles for central and peripheral receptors in energy homeostasis," is Karima Begriche of Scripps Research. In addition to Butler and Begriche, other authors include Jari Rossi, Danielle Skorupa, Laura A. Solt, Brandon Young, and Thomas P. Burris from The Scripps Research Institute in Florida; Randall L. Mynatt and Jingying Zhang at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, which is part of the Louisiana State University System; and Peter R. Levasseur and Daniel L. Marks at the Oregon Health & Science University. Seehttp://www.jbc.org/content/early/2011/10/07/jbc.M111.278374.abstract?sid=8a17ce75-de95-45d1-b688-a039da52b5f1
Scripps Research Institute: http://www.scripps.edu
Thanks to Scripps Research Institute for this article.
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115456/Scientists_uncover_new_role_for_gene_in_maintaining_steady_weight
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WMUR/UNH poll: Newt's in second (Politico)
Capping off a couple of conflicting polls on the state of the New Hampshire primary, the WMUR/UNH?survey weighs in to show Newt Gingrich placing a distant second to Mitt Romney:
In the survey of 413 Republicans and independents who will likely vote in next year?s presidential primary, Romney received 42 percent support, his highest number in the survey since February 2010. The real story might be Gingrich, who in a month?s time, went from being tied for sixth place to second place with 15 percent. That?s a gain of 9 points.
In our last poll a month ago, Georgia businessman Herman Cain was in second, but he has fallen to a fifth place tie with Rick Perry.
Continue ReadingWhile Gingrich rose and Cain fell, Ron Paul continues to remain steady, with 12 percent support, in third place. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman also maintained the same 8 percent support that he had a month ago. He is in fourth place.
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Friday, November 25, 2011
Nokia To Delist From Frankfurt Exchange
HELSINKI -- Nokia Corp. has applied to delist from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange because of falling trading volumes of its shares, the world's largest mobile phone maker said Thursday.
The announcement came as the Finnish company's stock continues to tumble as it struggles against stiff competition in the top-end smartphone sector and against rivals making cheaper handsets in Asia.
In August, Standard and Poor's downgraded Nokia's credit rating, saying its outlook for the company remained negative. Moody's also downgraded it by two notches in July from A3 to Baa2 due to a "severe weakening" of Nokia's business position.
Nokia said the application was a pragmatic decision in an increasingly Internet-connected world that allows electronic trading from anywhere.
Besides Helsinki, Nokia shares are still traded in New York, but during the last eight years Nokia has delisted from the London, Paris and Stockholm exchanges.
Last month, Nokia launched its long-awaited first Windows cellphones ? nine months after it teamed up with Microsoft Corp. to make smartphones. Standard and Poor's said the partnership "could help Nokia improve the currently weak competitive position of its smartphone portfolio."
Nokia's share price, which has plunged by 50 percent since the February partnership was announced to below euro4.00, reviving slightly to reach euro5.00 at the end of October.
On Wednesday, Nokia stock was trading up 2 percent at euro4.17 ($5.58) in Helsinki.
Nokia's application to delist from Frankfurt is subject to approval by the management board of the Frankfurt exchange.
The application is not related to Tuesday's announcement that Nokia Siemens Networks will slash 17,000 jobs ? almost one-quarter of its work force ? in a move to cut annual costs by euro1 billion ($1.35 billion) by 2013. The company is a joint venture of Nokia Corp. and Siemens AG of Germany.
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Thursday, November 24, 2011
ASUS Transformer Prime gets a stomach full of Ice Cream Sandwich (video)
Sure, the Transformer Prime has been official for a couple of weeks now, but we haven't seen the 10-inch tablet get much action, aside from a few quick hands-ons. ASUS is finally ready to show us the quad-core Tegra 3 tablet -- running Ice Cream Sandwich, no less. The tablet won't actually ship with the brain-freezing mobile OS, but the company has promised a sweet, sweet upgrade. Check out the video, including 1080p video playback and some time with the quad-core-friendly Riptide GP after the break.
Update: We've also gotten a peek at what looks to be the user manual for the new Transformer. Check it out in the second gallery above.
[Thanks, Jeremy]
Update: We've also gotten a peek at what looks to be the user manual for the new Transformer. Check it out in the second gallery above.
[Thanks, Jeremy]
Continue reading ASUS Transformer Prime gets a stomach full of Ice Cream Sandwich (video)
ASUS Transformer Prime gets a stomach full of Ice Cream Sandwich (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Amazon: Clearing up doubts as to the benefits of Ecotourism
ScienceDaily (Nov. 22, 2011) ? Ecological tourism has no effect on the presence of large mammals in the Amazon, according to a study that for the first time compares the biological diversity of ecotourism zones with that of protected areas. Furthermore, it can help to protect the biodiversity of areas that are not officially protected yet are vital in the ecological framework.
Since the UN began to promote ecological tourism at the end of the 1980's as a way of protecting the environment without resorting to its economic exploitation, the debate as to whether ecotourism is really beneficial has remained alive.
Aiming to answer such questions, two Spanish researchers spent four months in the middle of the Amazon to assess the presence of large mammals in Bonanza, a private estate used for ecotourism within the Manu Biosphere Reserve. The results of their study show that not only is ecotourism harmless to the biological richness of the area but it could even have a positive effect on the biodiversity of surrounding areas.
The study by Salvador Salvador (University of Gerona) and Miguel Clavero, (Do?ana Biological Station-CSIC), in collaboration with Renata Leite from Duke University's Center for Tropical Conservation, has been published in the Mammalian Biology journal.
In their analysis of the Bonanza estate, the researchers found 41 species of large mammal out of the 48 species that have been documented in the whole reserve. According to Salvador, "we could not find any way in which the richness of species has been affected. No species sensitive to the presence of humans was lacking and although we were unable to calculate population density, species like the tapir (Tapirus terrestris) or the huangana (a local way of referring to another type of wild boar, the Tayassu peccary) were abundant, even compared to virgin forest areas.
As the study lasted for four months, the researchers were also able to compare the presence of fauna during the dry and wet seasons.
When we talk about ecotourism, Salvador warned that "we have to understand the difference because a [photographic] safari in Kenia is not the same as what we studied in the Amazon rainforest." The importance of the study lies in the fact that never before has the biodiversity of ecotourism zones been contrasted with that of protected areas, at least in the Amazon.
"The size of the ecotourism areas bears little significance in relation to the size of the extensive Amazon's ecosystem and yet some species had been found to be affected," said Salvador. One of them was the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), which is native to the Amazon and considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The expert pointed out that "these were some cases but no real comparison had been made until our study." Inadequate ecotourism practices that negatively affected the otter were mainly linked to river transport. For example, the boats used to transport tourists would come too close to the dens of the otters.
After four months of field work and interviews with the locals, the results show that Bonanza has "at least 85% of species." The expert added that "the species from pristine areas that were not found in Bonanza are likely to appear there, given that despite their rarity they are not considered particularly sensitive to human presence."
An important ecological role
Aside from verifying that the ecotourism areas were home to practically the same large mammal species as the indigenous rainforest, Salvador and his team discovered differences between different types of forest. "The Amazon is not homogenous. The forest around large rivers is very different to that of firm land," stated Salvador. "This type of forest is the most under threat as it is where settlers tend to establish themselves" due to its fertile soil rich in mineral sediments, brought by the rivers from the Andes and the simple fact that rivers are the equivalent of roads in the Amazon.
In their study, the researchers discovered that alluvial (floodable) forests "are very important because many species use them seasonally. There is a time of year with less rainfall in which fruit is mainly found in these forests," explained Salvador. The researcher said that this finding reinforces the theories of other authors and should be borne in mind when creating environment protection measures.
According to the biologist, "whether or not you protect an area of alluvial forest does not only have an impact on the fauna specific to that habitat but on the populations that extend across much greater areas." Currently, conservation policies tend to protect large, non flooded forest areas which are of "little interest to settlers because they are difficult to access and have unfertile soil. This means that conservation policy is of little cost to politicians," stated Salvador.
This is where the importance of ecotourism comes in. It tends to be concentrated around riversides due to ease of access but also because "these areas are home to species that are attractive, spectacular and easily visible such as the alligators, the giant otter and macaw clay licks," emphasised Salvador.
The results of the study suggest that forest around the riversides used for ecotourism can provide an alternative for the conservation of areas that are vital to the ecological framework of the Amazon -- areas that are often excluded from officially protected areas.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Plataforma SINC, via AlphaGalileo.
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Journal Reference:
- Salvador Salvador, Miguel Clavero, Renata Leite Pitman. Large mammal species richness and habitat use in an upper Amazonian forest used for ecotourism. Mammalian Biology - Zeitschrift fur Saugetierkunde, 2010; DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2010.04.007
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122112123.htm
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