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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Apple?s $160K Copyright Fine In China Is A Pittance, But Could It Open The Door For Further Claims?

China is not exactly known for having a watertight regime when it comes to piracy and copyright violations, but it’s trying to change that perception, and here’s a case in point: a group of eight authors, calling themselves the China Written Works Copyright Society,?has won a case against Apple in Beijing for hosting apps that were in themselves violating the copyright on their works. Apple has in turn been ordered to pay 1 million yuan ($160,000) in compensation?– pennies to the iPhone giant and?only about 10 percent of how much the authors were trying to get out of Apple when they originally brought the case against it earlier in the year. The news comes at an interesting time for Apple in China. The region — the world’s biggest smartphone market at the moment — is a significant one for Apple, accounting for 15 percent of all of its revenues. But it’s also facing huge competition, primarily from low-priced Android device makers. In?Q4, Apple reported sales of $5.7 billion?in Greater China,?which was flat compared to Q3, but up 26 percent compared to a year ago. Apple has had also to grapple with contrasting (and not always positive) perceptions on?how well its newest handset, the iPhone 5,?has been selling in China since launching this month. It also comes as China is making ever more moves to improve the connection between Internet users and real-world identities. However, it’s very much a double-edged sword. A?law passed today requiring real-name identities for online users is one more way for China to track illicit content posters, but it could also be seen as a way for the country to further control how people use the Internet to express themselves, sometimes in acts of dissent against the country’s official lines of thought. For their part, the?China Written Works Copyright Society is unhappy with the amount of compensation ordered by the court. “We are disappointed at the judgment. Some of our best-selling authors only got 7,000 yuan. The judgment is a signal of encouraging piracy,” a representative of the group told Reuters. Still, the sum could be seen as?significant winnings in a country where the average monthly wage for a working class person is $190. And it opens the door further for Apple to face yet more such claims from other rights holders in the country. To date, this is the second time that Apple has lost a

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/5yBIZkgxN34/

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Friday, December 28, 2012

China seizes TVs, satellite equipment in Tibetan area

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities have confiscated televisions from 300 monasteries in a heavily Tibetan part of the west of the country and dismantled satellite equipment that broadcast "anti-China" programs, prompted by Tibetan self-immolations in the region.

Some 94 Tibetans, including 81 this year, have set themselves on fire in protest against Chinese rule. Five self-immolations occurred in Tibetan-dominated Huangnan prefecture in Qinghai province, the state-run Qinghai news agency said on Thursday.

The government in Huangnan said its approach in tackling self-immolations comprised of "guiding public opinion on the Dalai issue", increasing patrols and "blocking outside harmful information", according to the news agency, which is managed by the Qinghai government.

"At this critical moment for maintaining social stability in Huangnan prefecture ... (we must) strengthen measures and fully fight the special battle against self-immolations," the article said.

"We do not know anything about it," an official from the Huangnan prefecture government told Reuters by telephone, when asked to confirm the report, before hanging up.

Beijing considers Nobel peace laureate the Dalai Lama, who fled China in 1959 after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule, a separatist. The Dalai Lama says he is merely seeking greater autonomy for his Himalayan homeland.

The article said the prefecture's agricultural and pastoral areas had relied on certain satellite equipment "to watch and listen to overseas, anti-China programs".

The local government would invest 8.64 million yuan ($1.39 million) to install 50 transmitters that would broadcast 70 percent of the prefecture's television channels, the report said.

China has repeatedly denounced the Dalai Lama and exiled Tibetan groups for fomenting the self-immolations.

The United States and several other countries have called on China to end repressive policies and to negotiate with the Dalai Lama.

Beijing has defended its iron-fisted rule in Tibet, saying the remote region suffered from dire poverty, brutal exploitation of serfs and economic stagnation until 1950 when Communist troops "peacefully liberated" it.

($1 = 6.2353 yuan)

(Reporting by Sui-Lee Wee, Additional reporting by Huang Yan; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-seizes-tvs-satellite-equipment-tibetan-area-084634431.html

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HYPNOTISTS ? TAKE A TRANCE ON SUCCESS FOR 2013 ...

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Source: http://klearthoughtsmentalismhypnosis.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/hypnotists-take-a-trance-on-success-for-2013/

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Tribune editorial: Time for compromise on fiscal cliff talks (tbo)

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Tourists Visiting Tikal During Maya Celebrations Damage Ruins

View 'Gran Jaguar' Mayan temple at the Tikal archaeological site in Peten departament, 560 kms north of Guatemala City, on December 20, 2012. Ceremonies will be held here to celebrate the end of the Mayan cycle known as Bak'tun 13 and the start of the new Maya Era on December 21.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/27/tourists-visiting-tikal-d_n_2369674.html

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Nubia Z5 unveiled in China with quad-core chip, 5-inch 1080p display and 7.6mm thickness

Much like many Chinese smartphone brands these days, ZTE sub-brand Nubia had prematurely given away the main selling points of its Z5 ahead of its Beijing launch today, but there were still some surprises. As you probably already know, here's yet another five-inch 1080p Android phone featuring Qualcomm's 1.5GHz quad-core APQ8064, 2GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage, along with a 13-megapixel F2.2 main camera (with five-element optics by Konica Minolta, plus separate touch focus and touch exposure in the app) and a two-megapixel front-facing camera. For multimedia consumption, the Z5 supports WiFi Display and MHL output should you wish to beam content to a larger screen; whereas on the audio side you are spoiled with either Yamaha or Dolby Digital Plus. But wait, there's more!

Gallery: Nubia Z5 hands-on

Gallery: Nubia Z5 press event

Continue reading Nubia Z5 unveiled in China with quad-core chip, 5-inch 1080p display and 7.6mm thickness

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Source: Nubia

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/lC3qYMGwdE8/

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Farm Real Estate in Edina MN

For those who may have the entrepreneurial spirit, discovering farm and ranch in Edina MN could be the perfect scenario. Exactly what you might or could not recognize is that this kind of life is basically a means to combine both family members and work. Make no doubt about it, life on the farm and ranch in Edina MN is a real business. It is difficult work, either, but many people would not return to living any other way.

Sorts of Farm and Ranch in Edina MN

For beginners, there are numerous different kinds of farm and ranch in Edina MN. These could include dairy farms, cattle ranches, expanding crops (of many different ranges), orchards and even a poultry farm or ranch. Which type you choose is right for you will certainly depend upon how much land is readily available, its place and a number of other aspects.

There are a number of other types of land which are closely associated with farm and ranch in Edina MN. For example, you might be considering searching land or wood land or even land for grazing a herd of livestock. There are even real estate agents that concentrate on some of these kinds of farm and ranch in Edina MN.

The Family Farm and Ranch in Edina MN

While many of the trends are against the small family farm and ranch in Edina MN, there are still many people participated in this type of lifestyle. There is something about having the ability to live off the land, consuming just what you expand and / or raise, plus having the ability to sell enough of this to support your family at the same time.

The family farm and ranch in Edina MN is also a business enterprise. Before determining to enter this sort of lifestyle it is best to understand exactly what to expect. There will certainly be prices as you start to farm or raise pets. It is also vital to understand exactly what your crops or items will be sold for. Of course there are always changes in any market, featuring crops and cattle and anything else which can be produced on a farm and ranch in Edina MN.

Advantages of Life on the Farm and Ranch in Edina MN

There are a number of superb perks to life on the farm and ranch in Edina MN. For starters, you must be anticipating consuming most of just what you expand and raise. This must usually convert into a much healthier diet and style of life. Picture having the ability to consume your very own fresh grown fruits and vegetables, consume milk from your very own cows, fresh eggs and meat from your very own livestock. Compared to the hormone feed beef and antibiotic and pesticide loaded vegetables and fruit, you are likely to lose a great deal of weight and feel a lot more energetic and healthy.

Yet another benefit of life on the farm and ranch in Edina MN is that you (and your household) will be closer to nature. You will likely see much more selection of plant and animal life than it would be possible to note while in the city. It is also much simpler to cherish nature by much more closely noting her cycles and weather patterns.

All of your household will be instilled with the ideals of hard work and taught excellent healthy American values. Hard work is definitely not the enemy of those living on the farm and ranch in Edina MN. On top of this, you will find out how to operate all different kinds of machinery and equipment. Plus, there will not be any sort of need to go to the gym for a good workout, since farm life is enough of a workout!

For many people, being away from the hustle and bustle of the city is an additional fantastic advantage of being on the farm and ranch in Edina MN. There will certainly not be any sort of traffic, no more 9 to 5, no more day-to-day commute and being hurried, having to rush all over. You will be independent and pretty much able to do things precisely the way you want; no boss is examining your shoulder.

Drawbacks of Life on the Farm and Ranch in Edina MN

Perhaps many of the benefits do not apply or not have you too excited about life on the farm and ranch in Edina MN? Definitely there are additionally some negatives to think about before jumping into this sort of lifestyle.

For lots of people, not being in the urban area might be thought about a drawback of life on the farm and ranch in Edina MN. Some individuals truly delight in being in the city and the busyness of everything going on. If this is you, than it might be tough to live on the farm and ranch in Edina MN.

An additional possible downside is needing to rely on your own efforts. Some people just were not created to be business owners. If the concept of not having an income hanging around each week appears just frightening, life on the farm and ranch in Edina MN could be hard.

Some individuals are merely unable to deal with the daily grind of farm work. It requires waking early, doing duties every day and seeing to it that all of the work gets done when it should. It is challenging being on the farm and ranch in Edina MN, knowing that it all depends on your efforts. In this sort of life it is important to make your own security.

Finding Your Farm and Ranch in Edina MN

Finding land to use for your farm and ranch in Edina MN can be as straightforward as calling a reputable real estate company. There are even particular companies which focus on this type of land. Of course, the cost selection you are looking at will also have a bearing on just what type of land might be readily available.

Many individuals have the dream of getting closer to nature and leaving the urban area to offer their families a much more wholesome life. Discovering your very own farm and ranch in Edina MN could be simply exactly what you have actually been looking for. There are many benefits of this kind of way of life, however it is definitely not for everyone and must only be done after really cautious consideration and research.

Source: http://find-your-perfect-home.com/farms/minneapolis-mn/farm-real-estate-in-edina-mn/

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Sunday, December 23, 2012

Police: Idaho senator arrested, charged with DUI

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) ? U.S. Sen. Michael Crapo was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with driving under the influence in a Washington, D.C., suburb, authorities said.

Police in Alexandria, Va., said Sunday that the Idaho Republican was pulled over after his vehicle ran a red light. Police spokesman Jody Donaldson said Crapo failed field sobriety tests and was arrested at about 12:45 a.m. He was transported to the Alexandria jail and released on an unsecured $1,000 bond at about 5 a.m..

"There was no refusal (to take blood alcohol tests), no accident, no injuries," Donaldson said. "Just a traffic stop that resulted in a DUI."

Police said Crapo, who was alone in his vehicle, registered a blood alcohol content of .110. The legal limit in Virginia, which has strict drunken driving laws, is .08.

The 61-year-old Crapo (KRAY'-poh) has a Jan. 4 court date.

"I am deeply sorry for the actions that resulted in this circumstance," Crapo said in a statement Sunday night. "I made a mistake for which I apologize to my family, my Idaho constituents and any others who have put their trust in me. I accept total responsibility and will deal with whatever penalty comes my way in this matter. I will also undertake measures to ensure that this circumstance is never repeated."

A Crapo spokesman declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding his arrest.

Currently in his third term, Crapo has been in the Senate since 1998, and served for six years in the U.S. House of Representatives before that. He was easily re-elected in 2010, and won't have to run again until 2016.

In Congress, Crapo has built a reputation as a staunch social and fiscal conservative. It was expected he would take over the top Republican spot next year on the Senate Banking Committee. He also serves on the Senate's budget and finance panels. Crapo was a member of the so-called "Gang of Six" senators that worked in 2011 toward a deficit-reduction deal that was never adopted by Congress.

A Mormon who grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Crapo was named a bishop in the church at age 31. He is an attorney who graduated from Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School. He has five children with his wife, Susan, and three grandchildren.

The Mormon Church prohibits the use of alcohol, as well as caffeine and other mind-altering substances. The state has a significant Mormon population.

Crapo has told the Associated Press in past interviews that he abstains from drinking alcohol.

___

Associated Press writers Norman Gomlak in Atlanta and Josh Lederman in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-us-sen-crapo-arrested-charged-dui-022309038.html

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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Grinch takes holiday care packages for overseas troops

A Sacramento group that sends out hundreds of Christmas care packages to America's troops serving abroad has fallen victim to a Grinch.

Dec. 17 was the cut-off day for Move America Forward to get 350 care packages to the post office with the guarantee they'd be there by Christmas. As the boxes sat in a trailer Dec. 16, waiting to be shipped the next day, some Christmas ne'er do well broke the trailer's lock and stole 25 of the packages, all of them intended for soldiers in Afghanistan.

Scott Raab, outreach coordinator for Move America Forward, said the contents of the boxes were probably worth around $5,000, but the cost isn't the issue. The care packages were intended to give soldiers a reminder of the comforts of home, he said. And, since the boxes were all individually addressed, there will be 25 soldiers going without this year.

"We pack pretty much everything in there," Raab told ABCnews.com, "deodorant, coffee, candy. But also notes from school kids here at home thanking them for their service, Christmas cards, everything we can."

Raab, who is himself a veteran of the U.S. Navy, said the packages really mean a lot to soldiers serving overseas who miss the creature comforts we take for granted at home.

"This can mean the whole world to these troops. We send packages year-round, but during the holidays it's even more special. And we get some of the packages out to specific soldiers whose family is not able, for whatever reason, to send them anything."

The packages were all clearly marked for military personnel and contain literature about Move America Forward, Raab said, so whoever the culprit is knows precisely who they've stolen from.

Raab is working with various organizations and accepting donations through MoveAmericaForward.org to replace the stolen items and help ensure the soldiers whose packages were stolen get their Christmas gifts, even if they are a few days late.

Though disappointed, Raab said he remains confident his organization will get all the losses covered.

"These people are the definition of a Grinch," he said, "it is disheartening for those of us who worked so hard to get all these Christmas packages together. But we've had an overwhelming response from people wanting to help out and it just shows how much support there is out there for our troops."

Richard Engel, NBC News team freed from captors in Syria

NBC News file

Richard Engel at the end of a reporting trip in Syria in July of this year.

By Mike Brunker, NBC News

NBC News? Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and members of his network production team were freed from captors in Syria after a firefight at a checkpoint on Monday, five days after they were taken prisoner, NBC News said early Tuesday.

?After being kidnapped and held for five days inside Syria by an unknown group, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and his production crew members have been freed unharmed. We are pleased to report they are safely out of the country,? the network said in a statement.

The captors were unidentified and were not believed to be loyal to the Assad regime.

Engel, 39, along with other employees the network did not identify, disappeared shortly after crossing into northwest Syria from Turkey on Thursday. The network had not been able to contact them until learning that they had been freed on Monday.

The network said there was no claim of responsibility, no contact with the captors and no request for ransom during the time the crew was missing.

After entering Syria, Engel and his team were abducted, tossed into the back of a truck and blindfolded before being transported to an unknown location believed to be near the small town of Ma?arrat Misrin. During their captivity, they were blindfolded and bound, but otherwise not physically harmed, the network said.

Early Monday evening local time, the prisoners were being moved to a new location in a vehicle when their captors ran into a checkpoint manned by members of the Ahrar al-Sham brigade, a Syrian rebel group. There was a confrontation and a firefight ensued.? Two of the captors were killed, while an unknown number of others escaped, the network said.

The NBC News crew was unharmed in the incident. They remained in Syria until Tuesday morning when they made their way to the border and re-entered Turkey, the network said. They were to be evaluated and debriefed, but had communicated that everyone was in good health.

NBC News said it ?expressed its gratitude to those who worked to gather information and secure the release of our colleagues.?

Engel is widely regarded as one of America?s leading foreign correspondents for his coverage of wars, revolutions and political transitions around the world over the last 15 years. Most recently, he was recognized for his outstanding reporting on the 2011 revolution in Egypt, the conflict in Libya and unrest throughout the Arab world.?

One of the only Western journalists to cover the entire war in Iraq , Engel was named chief foreign correspondent of NBC News in April 2008. He joined the network in May 2003.

The Syrian civil war began in March 2011, when demonstrators took to the streets to show support for the so-called Arab Spring uprisings sweeping across the Middle East and north Africa and to demand the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad of the ruling Ba?ath Party. The following month, Assad deployed the Syrian army to quell the uprising, ordering troops to open fire on demonstrators. But despite the harsh crackdown, Assad?s troops and militias loyal to the government were unable to quell what soon became an armed uprising.

In the intervening months, the security situation in the country has continued to deteriorate amid increasingly fierce fighting between Syrian troops and a loose confederation of outgunned but increasingly emboldened rebel forces. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated in November that more than 40,000 people had died in the fighting.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/18/15985279-richard-engel-and-nbc-news-team-freed-from-captors-in-syria?lite

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Charity warns of ?1,500 bill for day care for cancer patients

Charity warns of ?1,500 bill for day care for cancer patients

By Evelyn Ring

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Cancer patients will be hit with a ?1,500 bill as public hospitals are now demanding daycare fees, it has emerged.

There is a charge of ?75 a night for in-patient services in public hospitals, capped at ?750.

Hospitals are also entitled to impose the ?75 charge on day services but, until recently, most exempted cancer patients.

The Irish Cancer Society is concerned that cancer patients whose treatment phase spans two calendar years will have to pay ?1,500.

About 30,000 people in Ireland are diagnosed with cancer every year and the number is expected to rise to over 40,000 per year by 2020.

The society?s spokeswoman, Kathleen O?Meara, said it is possible that a cancer patient could reach the ?750 ceiling in one year as an in-patient and be charged again the next year for day services.

"Anybody who would be diagnosed with cancer in the middle of the year would certainly be in that situation," she said.

Nursing services manager with the society Joan Kelly said most chemotherapy regimes would be at least six months and some would be up to one year.

Ms Kelly said a patient diagnosed with cancer sometime after the middle of a year would cross over into the next, where they could be charged ?750 a second time if the hospital demanded it.

The charge does not apply to medical card holders and those with private medical insurance.

The society said many people undergoing standard treatment for cancer would not have a card or insurance. "A lot of people have given up private medical insurance but may be still over the income limit for the medical card," said Ms O?Meara.

The medical card is means tested and is usually only given to cancer patients with an immediate need because of seriously ill health.

The HSE sometimes reduces or waives the charge in cases of hardship.

The society said some cancer patients waiting for medical cards were receiving letters from debt collection agencies demanding payment of the charges.

Ms O?Meara said the HSE?s use of debt collection agencies to chase the non-payment of bills could be having additional psycho-social effects on patients.

The society provides over ?1m a year to cancer patients needing financial help ? about 5% of its total annual spend and most of which is directed at patient services.

Ms O?Meara said applications to the charity?s financial aid scheme had increased by 36% in the last three years. She pointed out that 1,700 people applied for a payment under the scheme because they were struggling to cope financially.

Queries about cancer costs, such as heating and travel, are now the third most frequent type of call to the National Cancer Helpline (1800 200 700).

"If someone is self-employed, young, without private health insurance, not eligible for a medical card, or doesn?t have savings, they are left in a very vulnerable position of being unable to manage basic expenses, such as heating and travel to hospital for treatment," said Ms O?Meara. "We are hearing from an increasing number of these people."

The top three reasons for needing financial help are heating and fuel (50%), travel expenses (25%), and childcare (7%).

The Irish Cancer Society said the financial supports for patients were a last resort ? it tried to help people explore the other options available to them.

? This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, December 18, 2012

back ?? home

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/ieireland/~3/1d_KzUUYQBw/

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Thursday, November 1, 2012

CONTROVERSIAL GM BOBBY TOTSCH OUT AT KCTV | Bottom ...

Vice President and General Manager Robert G. (Bobby) Totsch is longer with KCTV/KCMO TV in Kansas City, sources have told Bottom Line exclusively.

?Bobby is no longer with the station,? wrote Art Slusark, Vice President and Chief Communications Officer with Meredith Corporation in a memo.

?We did not renew his contract. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.?

The fact?Totsch was let go in the middle of the all-important November sweeps period at the Meredith-owned station is stunning news.? This is the all-important time when ratings will determine advertising rates the station will charge going forward.

KCTV joins NBC affiliate KSHB as not having a GM (or news director)?during this critical time.? FOX 4 News Director Bryan McGruder departed his station last week.

Totsch had succeeded Kirk Black in October 2009, who was named to head Meredith?s CBS Atlanta affiliate in August of that year. Black has since left Meredith and last month joined Time Warner in Kansas City.

Totsch, 49, who joined the CBS affiliate in 2009 after spending 21 years at St. Louis?s KMOV-TV, made a number of changes at KCTV during in his short tenure.

Probably the?most dramatic?change was not renewing the contract of KCTV?s veteran meteorologist Katie Horner after 23 years (LINK). She is now in real estate.

Under Totsch?s direction, the station?s morning team was repeatedly shaken up starting with Chris Pisano and Dana Wright (now an afternoon radio host on KMBZ-980 AM). They were replaced by Kelly Jones and Greg Adaline, and then Adaline was let go after about a year and replaced by Matt Stewart. Earlier this year the station brought in an entirely new duo to handle the show.

It was Totsch?s decision to bring in Michael Coleman as the station?s sports director, and he disbanded the station?s award-winning Investigative team.
Totsch also created local shows, including ?The Kansas City Zoo Show,? and one aimed at the Hispanic market called ?Que Pasa, KC??

A few weeks ago he introduced a new ?Better Kansas City? daily morning talk show featuring Kelly Jones and Lisa Holbrook.

Totsch had served as the Director of Sales, Marketing, Promotions, Internet and Local Entertainment Programming for KMOV-TV, a Belo-owned station in St. Louis, MO. During his tenure at KMOV-TV he worked in progressively senior positions including Local Sales Manager and National Sales Manager.

He also helped create the sales and marketing strategy for all Belo stations, and served as the Executive Producer of three local programs at KMOV-TV.

Totsch is a 1986 graduate of the University of Missouri.

Source: http://www.bottomlinecom.com/controversial-gm-bobby-totsch-out-at-kctv/

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IBM may buy back additional $5B in stock

ARMONK, N.Y. (AP) ? IBM says its board had added $5 billion to its stock buyback program, bringing the total buyback authorization to $11.7 billion.

The computer and consulting company last added to it buyback program in April, in the amount of $7 billion. IBM Corp. said Tuesday that it expects to add more funding to the buyback program next April.

The total buyback authorization is equivalent to 5 percent of the Armonk, N.Y., company's outstanding shares.

Buying back shares increases the value of shareholders' existing stakes and can help support a company's per-share earnings.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-10-30-US-IBM-Buyback/id-9ffe59a946954b378dcf25a7028794ac

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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Apple Store Now Selling Nike?s Fitness Tracking FuelBand In The U.S., Canada And The U.K.

Apple added the Nike+ FuelBand to its online store this morning, with two new colors and availability not only in the U.S., but in the U.K. and Canada, too. In addition to Apple Store shelves, the FuelBand will also be available via Nike's online and physical retail stores in those countries in the new colors. That's a first for Canadians.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/5N4wjZL-wgs/

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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Though market shows steady increase, investors down in Tri-Cities

Stewart Beach hasn?t fielded any calls from people demanding he steer their money onto Wall Street.

On one hand, Beach, a financial adviser with Clear Perspective Advisors, of St. Charles and Aurora, acknowledges such an admission may seem incongruous.

Since early summer, the stock market has risen steadily, with Dow Jones Industrial Averages hitting levels not seen since before the market crash at the beginning of the Great Recession in 2007.

But while the market appears to have resumed its historical upward march, Beach and others who help Tri-Cities residents manage their money said their clients are responding to the seeming market rally with a bit of incredulity.

?I?m not getting any calls from clients yelling at me because we?re ?missing the market,? ? Beach said. ?They?re not saying, ?Put more money in!?

?Instead, what we?re hearing is a lot of people being really, really cautious.?

After the 2008 stock market crash, even otherwise optimistic investors opted for caution, pulling money out of the stock market and seeking safer investment vehicles in which to place their funds.

Based on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the stock market has nearly erased all losses associated with the crash, hovering above 13,000 recently, just shy of the all-time high of about 14,000 in 2007.

?For the people that held the course, they?re almost back to where they were [in their portfolio value] to before the crash,? Beach said.

Dave Brady, a finance adviser and owner of Brady Investment Counsel of Geneva, said the generally steady nature of the stock market in recent months has prompted him and others to move clients back to what he called a ?fully allocated? position.

For most investors, that means putting about 60 percent of their portfolio in stocks.

?If our guidelines say a particular investor should be at a 60-40 stock allocation, then we are very comfortable right now getting them back to 60-40,? Brady said.

For many investors, the stock market represents the best choice for clients? long-term investing plans, Brady said. While the market will always present some risk, stocks have ?far outdone? other investment vehicles in returning gains.

Beach agreed investors have few realistic alternatives, with traditional savings vehicles returning virtually nothing.

?We know that, unless they just want to make sure they can?t lose anything, they?re not really excited at putting their money in the bank,? Stewart said. ?They?re not even keeping up with inflation.?

Reports filed with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation reveal in the first half of this year, just before the months-long stock market rally began, most local banks reported declines of 3 to 27 percent in the amount of money invested in ?time deposits,? such as CDs.

While stocks have represented a better investment option, advisers cautioned against too much optimism.

Brady said he believes the market increases don?t necessarily represent economic growth. Rather, Brady said, it is merely the market returning to ?fair value.?

And Brian Green, a financial adviser at Capital Management Group in St. Charles, said the lack of healthy economic growth also has led him to counsel against investing too heavily in stocks.

?It?s really tough right now as a financial adviser for me to say, ?Everything?s going to work out as it always does,? ? Green said.

Recently, investors appear to be acting on their wariness.

A recent survey reported by the financial trends tracking organization, the Investment Company Institute, revealed investors continued in October to pull more money out of mutual funds than they put in, a trend that began in September.

During the seven-day period from Oct. 3 to 10, investors pulled $2.3 billion from mutual funds. That comes on top of more than $23 billion that flowed out of mutual funds from Sept. 12 to Oct. 3, the ICI report said.

Green said his clients are growing increasingly pessimistic about the market?s and economy?s future.

Green, Brady and Beach noted their clients have expressed worries over the upcoming presidential election, government debt, global political issues and the so-called ?fiscal cliff? ? a shorthand term that describes the mix of tax rule changes, regulatory changes, government spending cuts and higher tax rates for workers, businesses and investors that will take effect Jan. 1 unless Congress and President Barack Obama act to avert them.

Green said if investors are particularly worried, he ?doesn?t spend any time trying to talk them out? of increasing their cash holdings.

?If you are generally concerned, then earning 0.5 percent with no risk may not be such a bad thing, if it brings you some peace of mind,? Green said.

For now, advisers said they are counseling most clients to stay defensive and stand pat.

?The market right now is kind of like a traffic jam on a freeway,? Beach said. ?We?re jammed up, can?t see too far ahead, but generally moving slowly in a positive direction. And, just like in a traffic jam, now?s not the time to be trying to constantly switch lanes.?

There are 38 hours, 58 minutes remaining to comment on this story.

Source: http://www.kcchronicle.com/2012/10/24/though-market-shows-steady-increase-investors-down-in-tri-cities/ae82oan/

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Friday, October 26, 2012

Utah GOP activist facing rape charges found dead

SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - A Utah Tea Party activist and Republican fundraiser charged with more than two dozen felony counts of rape and sexual assault has died from an apparent suicide just four days after he was freed from jail on bail, his attorney said on Wednesday.

Greg N. Peterson, 37, was found dead in his remote Heber City-area cabin, in the mountains about 50 miles east of Salt Lake City, by two bail bondsmen late on Tuesday, defense lawyer Cara Tangaro said.

An initial investigation indicates Peterson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Wasatch County Sheriff Todd Bonner said at a news conference Tuesday night. The death remained under investigation.

The cabin was the site of Peterson's annual Rocky Mountain Conservative BBQ - an annual summer fundraiser initiated in 2010 for Republican Party luminaries, including presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch and the state's governor, Gary Herbert.

Peterson was arrested in July and charged by Salt Lake County prosecutors with 25 counts sexual abuse, assault, rape, sodomy and kidnapping. The charges stem from allegations that Peterson had attacked four women he met through an online dating site for Mormons or at church-related events.

Wasatch County prosecutors filed a similar sex abuse case against Peterson in August after a fifth woman came forward.

Peterson, a financial planner, had denied the allegations, although he had not yet entered a plea in either case. On Friday, Peterson had posted bail of $2 million and was released from jail.

The bail bondsmen went looking for Peterson on Tuesday after something went awry with the signal from his ankle monitor and no one was able to reach him by phone, Tangaro said.

"We were worried that something was wrong," Tangaro told Reuters on Wednesday. "We had been having contact with Greg daily since his release."

Peterson had no known medical history that put him at risk for suicide and had not displayed any signs that he was in distress, Tangaro said. Peterson had felt, however, tremendous pressure from media coverage of the case, which he believed had unfairly demonized him, she said.

"I think the thought that he may not overcome that image, no matter the outcome of his case, was very difficult," Tangaro said. "We were absolutely shocked by (his death)."

Tangaro said she does not believe Peterson's apparent suicide should be interpreted as an admission of guilt.

(Reporting by Jennifer Dobner; Editing by Steve Gorman and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/utah-republican-activist-facing-rape-charges-found-dead-022738677.html

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Hybrid of Sandy, winter storm eyes East Coast

HAVANA?? Hurricane Sandy, strengthening rapidly after crossing the warm Caribbean Sea, slammed into southeastern Cuba early on Thursday with 110 mph winds that cut power and blew over trees across the city of Santiago de Cuba.

The storm has a 70 percent chance of smacking the Northeast and mid-Atlantic next week, with gale-force winds, flooding, heavy rain and maybe even snow, government scientists said Wednesday.

Forecasters said the storm slated to hit the country's most populous corridor will be an unusual hybrid of hurricane and winter storm ? an early winter storm in the West and a blast of arctic air from the North are predicted to collide.

The eye of the Category 2 storm came ashore just west of Santiago de Cuba, 470 miles southeast of the capital Havana, with waves up to 29 feet and a six-foot storm surge that caused extensive coastal flooding, Jose Rubiera of the Cuban weather service said in a television report.

Story: Hurricane Sandy lashes Cuba; Northeast next week?

Rubiera held the phone up to a window so viewers could hear Sandy's roaring winds that he said had left the city "completely dark" and created a "very tense" situation.

Heavy rains were falling throughout the storm-stricken region, with forecasters predicting six to 12 inches for most areas and as much as 20 inches in isolated places.

Rubiera said Sandy had intensified rapidly as it neared land fueled by 88-degree waters on its way from Jamaica, struck earlier in the day by the storm when it was still at Category 1 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson hurricane intensity scale.

A Category 2 storm has winds between 96 and 110 mph, leaving Sandy within a whisker of becoming a Category 3 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami reported gusts up to 114 mph, but Rubiera said a weather station on the Gran Piedra, a mountainous outcropping near Santiago de Cuba, had a gusts up to 152 mph.

At least 55,000 people had been evacuated ahead of Sandy, Cuban officials said, principally because of expected flooding.

Billion-dollar storm?
"It'll be a rough couple days from Hatteras up to Cape Cod," said forecaster Jim Cisco of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration prediction center in College Park, Md. "We don't have many modern precedents for what the models are suggesting."

It is likely to hit during a full moon when tides are near their highest, increasing coastal flooding potential, NOAA forecasts warn. And with some trees still leafy and the potential for snow, power outages could last to Election Day, some meteorologists fear. They say it has all the earmarks of a billion-dollar storm.

Video: Hurricane Sandy could shift into East Coast nor?easter (on this page)

Some have compared it to the so-called Perfect Storm that struck off the coast of New England in 1991, but Cisco said that one didn't hit as populated an area and is not comparable to what the East Coast may be facing. Nor is it like last year's Halloween storm, which was merely an early snowstorm in the Northeast.

This has much more mess potential because it is a combination of different storm types that could produce a real whopper of weather problems, meteorologists say.

"The Perfect Storm only did $200 million of damage and I'm thinking a billion," said Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the private service Weather Underground. "Yeah, it will be worse."

Interactive: Cubans brace for Hurricane Sandy (on this page)

But this is several days in advance, when weather forecasts are far less accurate. The National Hurricane Center only predicts five days in advance, and on Wednesday their forecasts had what's left of Sandy off the North Carolina coast on Monday. But the hurricane center's chief hurricane specialist, James Franklin, said the threat keeps increasing for "a major impact in the Northeast, New York area. In fact it would be such a big storm that it would affect all of the Northeast."

The forecasts keep getting gloomier and more convincing with every day, several experts said.

Cisco said the chance of the storm smacking the East jumped from 60 percent to 70 percent on Wednesday. Masters was somewhat skeptical on Tuesday, giving the storm scenario just a 40 percent likelihood, but on Wednesday he also upped that to 70 percent. The remaining computer models that previously hadn't shown the merger and mega-storm formation now predict a similar scenario.

The biggest question mark is snow, and that depends on where the remnants of Sandy turn inland. The computer model that has been leading the pack in predicting the hybrid storm has it hitting around Delaware. But another model has the storm hitting closer to Maine. If it hits Delaware, the chances of snow increase in that region. If it hits farther north, chances for snow in the mid-Atlantic and even up to New York are lessened, Masters said.

NOAA's Cisco said he could see the equivalent of several inches of snow or rain in the mid-Atlantic, depending on where the storm ends up. In the mountains, snow may be measured in feet instead of inches.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49546844/ns/weather/

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LeftLane Sports: HOT Shoe, Apparel, and Gear Sale! | Utah Sweet ...

down n dirty LeftLane Sports: HOT Shoe, Apparel, and Gear Sale! LeftLaneSports.com?is getting down and dirty, offering up to 90% off shoes, apparel, and gear! ?This sale lasts till November 1, but hot items will sell out quickly. Here?s a sneak peak of what is being offered:

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Saucony Powergrid Guide 5 Shoes for only $54.95! These retail for about $110, and even received an award from Runner?s World, so you know it?s a great shoe.

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This cute TEVA Pasas Mary Jane shoe is just $32.45!

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Men?s Globe Espy Shoes are just $18.95 (regularly $40).

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Isn?t this Gramicci Zenobie Top adorable? It?s less than $20! There are tons of fall and cool weather clothing options available at a great price!

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I just love this Canari Flurry ?Long Sleeved Jersey, and it?s only ?$26.36! That will be perfect for winter running.

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There are a lot of men?s apparel, too, like this Millet Red Rock shirt for only $19.96!

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Source: http://utahsweetsavings.com/2012/10/leftlane-sports-hot-shoe-apparel-and-gear-sale/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=leftlane-sports-hot-shoe-apparel-and-gear-sale

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Dell XPS 12

The Windows 8 hybrid ultrabooks are here, transforming from laptop to tablet, and back again, with ease. The second of these shape-shifting laptops to come into PC Labs is the Dell XPS 12. As a convertible ultrabook, the Dell XPS 12 works as both a laptop and a tablet, utilizing the same flip-and-fold design last seen on the Dell Inspiron Duo (Black) . Dell has dropped the Duo name, which is actually now used by Sony for its own convertible ultrabook, the Sony VAIO Duo 11 (D11213CX) .

The name change is understandable, as the XPS 12 has little in common with the Dell Inspiron Duo, save for the screen which flips around within a securely framed lid. The external styling bears a strong resemblance to the Dell Inspiron 13z , with a soft-touch exterior and metal frame. Looking at the specifications, it's clear that the XPS 12 is in a different category than the Dell Inspiron Duo, with an ultrabook-class Intel Core i7-3517U processor instead of a netbook-class Atom, and a 256GB solid-state drive offering significant performance gains over the slower hard drives used in netbooks.

Design
Weighing 3.3 pounds and measuring 0.95 by 12.5 by 8.6 inches (HWD), the XPS 12 meets Intel's standard for convertible ultrabooks, and it's just a bit on the heavy size among ultrabooks (convertible or otherwise) we've seen, similar to the 3.2-pound Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD-DB71 . It also has a design more in aligned with laptop sensibilities than tablet, with a slightly tapered chassis. This works well on a laptop, as seen on the laptop-only Inspiron 13z, but with a tablet the lack of uniform thickness is a little awkward. Unlike the Sony Duo 11, however, it is comfortable to hold, with rounded edges and soft touch panels across the underside. When using it as a tablet for watching movies or browsing the Web, it's comfortable enough, but you'll probably keep it in landscape mode, as the wedge profile puts the screen at a slant when in portrait mode.

The display also has more to offer than just a nifty backflip. The 12.5 inch display boasts 1920-by-1080 resolution, along with 400-nits of brightness and automatic ambient light sensing?and it's also a touch screen, tracking ten touch points at once. Covered with Gorilla Glass, it should resist scratching even when kept with the screen out. The audio?which gets some software enhancement with Waves Maxx Audio 4.0?is good, but not great, producing slightly muddied sound.

The physical keyboard is superb. The chiclet keys have the same soft-touch, matte-finish coating used on the rest of the palmrest. There's also more spring to them than are usually found on ultrabooks, and the result is an excellent typing feel. The onscreen keyboard is no better or worse than those on other tablets, but you'll definitely benefit from having the physical keyboard should you want to write anything longer than a tweet. The touchpad also features the soft-touch coating, making the touchpad fairly comfortable. It's a clickpad, with right and left buttons integrated into the surface of the pad.

Features
Despite the limitations imposed by the narrow confines of the convertible ultrabook form-factor, Dell has included a fair selection of ports and connectivity options into the XPS 12. On the right edge of the tablet are two USB 3.0 ports (one with Sleep and Charge), a power connector, and a button that lets you check the battery power level on an adjacent indicator. On the left, you'll find a headset jack, volume up and down buttons, a screen rotation lock button, and a sliding power switch.

Notably absent, however, is an Ethernet port, meaning that the 802.11n WLAN connection is your only option for getting online, and Bluetooth 3.0 adding wireless pairing for peripherals. You'll also be missing any ports for video output. Without any sort of VGA or HDMI output, the only ways to get your content onto a TV is through either a mini DisplayPort (which requires an adapter for HDMI) or via Wi-Di, which will require either a Wi-Di equipped TV or adapter, like the Netgear Push2TV. This model is aimed at consumers, but an enterprise-focused configuration will be available with Windows 8 Professional and will include BitLocker Encryption with Trusted-Platform Module (TPM).

The XPS 12 is also outfitted with a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD). As of now, 256GB is probably the highest capacity SSD you'll see offered in consumer systems, so it's hard to complain. Spinning hard drives offer larger capacity, but are prone to damage when dealing with vibration and movement, both of which are abundant when using a tablet. The XPS 12 has no optical drive, but in this form-factor, it won't be missed.

Along with the inclusion of Windows 8, and the accompanying default tiles found on the Start Screen, Dell has added a few of its own, such as a direct link to the Amazon Store, Amazon's Kindle app, a preview of Microsoft Office 2013, Microsoft Live Essentials 2012 (Photo Gallery & Movie Maker), and the new Windows 8 Skype app. Dell also includes some resources for users, like the "Getting Started with Windows 8" app, Dell Shop, My Dell Support Center, Dell Backup & Recovery. Anti-virus protection comes in two forms: the default, Microsoft's Security Essentials, as well as a 30-day trial of McAfee's Windows 8 security app. Dell covers the XPS 12 with a one-year warranty, which includes parts and labor, accidental damage service, and a year of premium telephone support.

Performance
Unlike the Inspiron Duo, which was an Atom-powered netbook, Dell has outfitted the XPS 12 just as it would any other ultrabook, equipping it with the same Intel Core i5-3517U (1.9GHz) processor found in the Asus Zenbook Prime UX32VD-DB71, and pairing it with 8GB of RAM. It's an ultra-low voltage processor, designed for efficient power-usage, but it still offers more than enough capability for all of your web-surfing and media consumption needs. More importantly, for anyone wanting to get some work done and take advantage of the keyboard and touchpad option, productivity is also alive and well. In PCMark 7, our productivity benchmark, the XPS 12 score 4,638 points, similar to the Sony VAIO Duo 11 (4,648 points) and ahead of the Asus UX32VD-DB71 (2,523 points), largely due to the solid-state drive used in the XPS 12. In our processor speed test, Cinebench R11.5, the XPS 12 scored 2.19 points, a fraction of a point behind the Sony Duo 11 and Dell Inspiron 13z (2.40 and 2.39 points, respectively).

That processing capability also means you can do some multimedia work with the XPS 12, as seen in our Handbrake and Photoshop CS6 benchmark tests, which the XPS 12 completed in 1 minute 26 seconds and 6:31, respectively. It's a bit slow for bigger projects, but it means you can trim your YouTube videos and do some minor photo edits without having to leave the couch. Gaming, however, is a different matter. While the integrated Intel graphics processing provides all of the needed eye candy for video and graphics-heavy Web browsing, it falls short of 3D gaming support, returning unplayable scores in both Heaven and Aliens Vs. Predators. Casual games?including those offered through the Windows Store?will still work just fine, so enjoy your Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja without fear.

The Dell XPS 12 lasted 5 hours 9 minutes in our video battery rundown test, putting it a full two hours ahead of the Sony VAIO Duo 11 (3:09). For a device that's all about portability, that long battery life is essential?you lose a lot of the flexibility and convenience of a tablet when you're tethered to a wall outlet.

Where the Sony VAIO Duo 11 left us nervous about the future of the hybrid ultrabook, the Dell XPS 12 puts us back on solid ground. While the design is a better laptop than a tablet, the XPS 12 is a solid performer, thanks to ultrabook-grade specs, long battery life, and a design than prioritizes comfort and usability. It's a bit early to be picking favorites, but the Dell XPS 12 is a front runner in the nascent hybrid category.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Dell XPS 12 with several other laptops side by side.

More laptop reviews:
??? HP Envy Spectre XT (13-2050nr)
??? AVADirect Clevo W110ER
??? Sony VAIO Duo 11 (D11213CX)
??? Razer Blade (2012)
??? Sony VAIO T13 (SVT13114GXS)
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/jf9iqEDyxoY/0,2817,2411258,00.asp

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