Europe uncertainty saps market strength

LONDON (AP) ? Uncertainty over Europe's debt problems and global growth kept a lid on financial markets on Tuesday.

Spain is due to unveil this week a new series of cost-cutting measures and structural reforms that could pave the way for a demand for financial aid from its fellow eurozone countries.

But hopes that Madrid will apply for the aid were overcome by concern that it was delaying the move. Spain has been reluctant to ask since such assistance comes with strings attached.

"We still have a big overhang from Europe. The big question is whether Spain will ask for a bailout," said Andrew Sullivan, principal sales trader at Piper Jaffray in Hong Kong.

Another key issue is whether eurozone countries will grant Greece more time to reach its deficit reduction targets. The country also needs to finalize a package of austerity measures but political leaders are struggling to compromise as popular anger increases.

By late morning in Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.1 percent to 5,835.15 while Germany's DAX fell 0.4 percent to 7,383.62 and France's CAC-40 dropped 0.5 percent to 3,480.28.

Wall Street appeared headed for a flat opening, with Dow Jones industrial futures narrowly lower at 13,486. S&P 500 futures were down almost 0.1 percent at 1,450.80.

Also weighing on financial markets this week has been evidence of a broad-based slowdown in the world economy. While Europe is sliding toward recession, the U.S. and Chinese economies ? the world's two largest ? are struggling.

Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's on Tuesday lowered its growth forecasts for the eurozone. It expects a 0.8 percent contraction this year and no growth in 2013. The biggest source of concern, it said, was Spain and Italy. It forecasts a 1.4 percent contraction in Spain next year, more than twice the 0.6 percent drop it earlier estimated.

"Recent economic indicators continue to paint a bleak picture for Europe," said Jean-Michel Six, S&P chief economist for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The concerns over growth have offset the optimism markets enjoyed in recent weeks, when central banks in the U.S., Japan, Britain and Europe provided new measures to boost the economy or steady markets.

Markets may get some respite later in the day when the S&P/Case-Shiller index of U.S. home prices is released. Recent reports on U.S. home sales have shown a recovery in the sector, which is crucial to a sustainable recovery in the economy.

Earlier, in Asia, trading was uneven. Japan's Nikkei 225 index zigzagged throughout the day until closing 0.3 percent higher at 9,091.54.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng was marginally higher at 20,698.68. South Korea's Kospi lost 0.6 percent to 1,991.41. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.3 percent to 4,372.90.

Mainland China's Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.2 percent to 2,029.29. The Shenzhen Composite Index fell 0.6 percent at 835.51. But benchmarks in Singapore, Indonesia, India, New Zealand and Thailand rose.

Among individual stocks, Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Co. fell 2.9 percent. The company, which manufactures Apple's iPhones, resumed production at a factory in northern China that employs 79,000 people after unrest on Sunday.

In currency markets, the euro fell to $1.2914 from $1.2935 in late trading Monday while the dollar was down at 77.70 yen from 77.86 yen.

Benchmark crude for November delivery was up 50 cents to $92.43 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 96 cents to settle at $91.93 on Monday.

___

Pamela Sampson in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/europe-uncertainty-saps-market-strength-104836180--finance.html

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Horticultural hijacking

Monday, September 24, 2012

It's a battleground down there ? in the soil where plants and bacteria dwell.

Even though beneficial root bacteria come to the rescue when a plant is being attacked by pathogens, there's a dark side to the relationship between the plant and its white knight.

According to research reported by a University of Delaware scientific team in the September online edition of Plant Physiology, the most highly cited plant journal, a power struggle ensues as the plant and the "good" bacteria vie over who will control the plant's immune system.

"For the brief period when the beneficial soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis is associated with the plant, the bacterium hijacks the plant's immune system," says Harsh Bais, assistant professor of plant and soil sciences, whose laboratory group led the research at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute.

In studies of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), a hot area of plant research, the UD team found that B. subtilis produces a small antimicrobial protein that suppresses the root defense response momentarily in the lab plant Arabidopsis.

"It's the first time we've shown classically how suppression by a benign bacteria works," Bais says. "There are shades of gray ? the bacteria that we view as beneficial don't always work toward helping plants."

In the past, Bais' lab has shown that plants under aerial attack send an SOS message, through secretions of the chemical compound malate, to recruit the beneficial B. subtilis to come help.

In more recent work, Bais and his collaborators showed that MAMP perception of pathogens at the leaf level could trigger a similar response in plants. Through an intraplant, long-distance signaling, from root to shoot, beneficial bacteria are recruited to forge a system-wide defense, boosting the plant's immune system, the team demonstrated. In that study, the Bais team also questioned the overall tradeoffs involved in plants that are associated with so-called beneficial microbes.

In the latest work, involving the testing of more than 1,000 plants, the researchers shed more light on the relationship. They show that B. subtilis uses a secreted peptide to suppress the immune response in plants. It is known that plants synthesize several antimicrobial compounds to ward off bacteria, Bais says.

The team also shows that when plant leaves were treated with a foliar MAMP ? flagellin, a structural protein in the flagellum, the tail-like appendage that bacteria use like a propeller ? it triggered the recruitment of beneficial bacteria to the plant roots.

"The ability of beneficial bacteria to suppress plant immunity may facilitate efficient colonization of rhizobacteria on the roots," Bais says. Rhizobacteria form an important symbiotic relationship with the plant, fostering its growth by converting nitrogen in the air into a nutrient form the plant can use.

"We don't know how long beneficial bacteria could suppress the plant immune response, but we do know there is a very strong warfare under way underground," Bais says, noting that his lab is continuing to explore these interesting questions. "We are just beginning to understand this interaction between plants and beneficial soil bacteria."

###

University of Delaware: http://www.udel.edu

Thanks to University of Delaware for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/123739/Horticultural_hijacking

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Madonna calls Obama a 'Black Muslim'

By Rolling Stone.com

Maybe it was a slip of the tongue or maybe it was misguided sarcasm, but?Madonna?called President Obama a "black Muslim" Monday night at a tour stop in Washington D.C. in what otherwise resembled a message of support.

After praising Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., Madonna turned her attention to Obama, saying, "It is so amazing and incredible to think that we have an African-American in the White House!" But the pop star didn't stop there. "So y'all better vote for (expletive) Obama, OK? For better or for worse, all right, we have a black Muslim in the White House, OK?" she said. "It means there is hope in this country. And Obama is fighting for gay rights, OK? So support the man, (dammit)!"

You can watch her speech below. Warning -- she does use some adult language.

More from Rolling Stone:

Source: http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/25/14098317-madonna-calls-obama-a-black-muslim-at-washington-dc-tour-stop?lite

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Prostate Cancer Support Group

Date

Monday, Sept. 24, 2012
Click here for a list of other dates

Time

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Organization

Duke Cancer Patient Support Program

Description

This support group is for prostate cancer patients and their family members. Meetings are held on the fourth Monday of every month.

Parking vouchers will be available to group participants.

Contact

For more information, please call 919-684-4497 or e-mail cancersupport@duke.edu

Registration status

No registration required

Location

Duke Cancer Center

Location Specifics

Room 0N01,
0-Level Conference Room by Cancer Center Cafe

Address

20 Duke Medicine Circle
Durham, NC 27710

Toll-Free: 888-ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853)
If you are having a medical emergency, please dial 911 immediately.

Source: http://www.dukehealth.mobi/events/prostate_cancer_support_group/20120924?utm_source=dukehealth.org&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=RSS_events

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HP Envy 23-1050t

The HP Envy 23-1050t ($1,269.99 direct) is the first HP all-in-one desktop under the Envy brand name. The new Envy PCs are in fact the re-branded version of the HP Omni line of all-in-one desktops, and the Envy 23 accordingly retains many of the same features and design elements seen in previous models, like the HP Omni 27-1015t and the Blu-ray equipped HP Omni 27 and adds a few of its own, like BeatsAudio for a better listening experience.

Design and Features
The Envy 23-1050t retains the distinctive look seen on the HP Omni, with two arms lifting the monitor chassis up from a wide flat base. This design makes for an all-in-one desktop that is stable and also allows the angle of the monitor to be adjusted, or even lay flat if needed. Included with the desktop are two peripheral devices: a wired keyboard, and wired mouse. The keyboard and mouse are basic USB-connected devices, which means that they occupy two of the four USB 2.0 ports found on the back of the system. The basic devices will be serviceable for most, but those who spend a lot of time working on the PC will probably want to upgrade to better alternatives.

The 23-inch widescreen display has 1,920-by-1,080 resolution, similar in size and resolution to the Editors' Choice Asus ET2410IUTS-B018C . Below the display is a built-in soundbar with Beats Audio for improved sound. Taking advantage of this excellent display and sound is a built-in optical drive that plays Blu-rays and reads and burns DVDs. The presence of even a DVD optical drive is no longer something that desktop buyers can take for granted?the recent Vizio 27-inch All-in-One PC (CA27-A1) , for example, has no optical drive.

Along with the optical drive, the sides of the Envy 23-1050t offer two USB 3.0 ports, mic and headphone jacks, and a multiformat card reader (SD, MS, xD). An HDMI output lets you connect another monitor or HDTV as a second display, but you won't find an HDMI input, so there's no using the Envy 23 with your gaming console or cable box. On the back of the Envy 23, you'll find audio and subwoofer outputs, a power connection, and four USB 2.0 ports, though two of those ports will be occupied by the bundled keyboard and mouse. You'll also find the Ethernet port, which is a necessity on the Envy 23 since it has no built-in Wi-Fi.

HP has outfitted the Envy 23-1050t with a 1TB 7,200rpm hard drive, which offers plenty of storage capacity. Unfortunately, you will find that a good portion of it is already occupied by preinstalled software. Some of these programs are useful, such as Microsoft Office Starter 2010 and a 60-day trial of Norton Internet Security, and HP includes a number of tools and services, like HP LinkUp, which lets your desktop and laptop communicate and share files over your home network. But there are several programs you may not want or need, like branded toolbars from Ask.com and Bing. Blio and PDF Complete are there for reading ebooks and PDF documents, respectively, and you'll find a handful of game demos from WildTangent rebranded as HP Games. You'll also encounter a number of games and utilities that are part of HP's MagicCanvas program, which, though designed to take advantage of a touchscreen, has been included on all of HP's current all-in-one PCs. Without a touch screen, games like Bubblewrap, TapTap Bear, and Spot are pretty pointless. The HP Envy 23-1050t is covered by a two-year warranty.

Performance
The Envy 23-1050t offers quad-core processing, thanks to its 2.8GHz third-generation Core i5-3450S processor?similar to that seen in the HP 27-1015t, but with a slightly slower clock speed?and pairs it with 8GB of RAM. In CineBench R11.5, which serves as our processor speed benchmark, the Envy 23 scored 5.15, ahead of the Asus ET2410IUTS-B018C (4.70), but behind the HP 27-1015t (5.42). In our PCMark 7 general-use test, the Envy 23-1050t scored 2,943 points, comparing well with the 2,718 scored by the Dell Inspiron One 2320 or the 2,857 points of the Sony VAIO L24 (SVL24114FXB) but again falling behind the Core i7-equipped Asus ET2701INKI-B046C , which led the category with 3,512 points.

The Envy 23-1050t performed well in multimedia tests, completing Handbrake in 59 seconds, beating out even the Asus ET2701INKI-B046C (1:07). We saw similarly good results in Photoshop CS5, which the Envy 23-1050t finished in 3:12, ahead of the Dell 2320 (3:38) and Sony VAIO L24 (4:03), but it once again lagged behind the Asus ET2701INKI-B046C (2:51) and the HP 27-1015t (3:03). But its scores indicate that the Envy 23-1050t is still a decent tool for editing photos and video for digital scrapbooks or home movie collections.

The Envy 23-1050t is equipped with an Nvidia GeForce GT 540M graphics processor with 2GB of dedicated memory, which provides some gaming capability to the all-in-one. In 3DMark 11, the Envy 23-1050t scored 1,838 points at Entry level and 313 points at Extreme settings. The category-leading Asus ET2701INKI-B046C had a considerable lead (3,150 points at Entry settings, 591 points at Extreme), but most competing systems had scores similar to that of the Envy 23-1050t. The discrete graphics processor also opens up the possibility of gaming, producing a playable 47 frames per second (fps) in Crysis and a respectable 24 fps in Lost Planet 2 at low resolution and detail settings.

The HP Envy 23-1050t is the first all-in-one to bear the Envy name, and it's an overall solid system. But even though it carries over everything we liked about the Omni line, like a stable design and slot-loading Blu-ray drive, while throwing in Beats Audio, it's not perfect. Simple features like Wi-Fi connectivity or HDMI input?as seen on the Editors' Choice Dell Inspiron One 2320? would greatly expand the flexibility and usable life of the sytem, but are nowhere to be found. Despite these omissions, the HP Envy 23-1050t is still a decent all-in-one PC for a reasonable price.

BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the HP Envy 23-1050t with several other laptops side by side.

More laptop reviews:
??? HP Envy 23-1050t
??? Dell Inspiron 15R Special Edition (7520)
??? Dell Inspiron 17R Special Edition (7720)
??? Dell Inspiron 13z
??? HP EliteBook 8470p
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/2Q5M4ul-s78/0,2817,2409991,00.asp

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Study: Richmond will see more jobs over holidays

HENRICO, VA (WWBT)- A new study by Snagajob shows holiday hiring has hit a five-year high. Companies are expected to?hire approximately fifty-percent more employees for the upcoming?holiday season. In?the Richmond-area that means more employment opportunities for those out of work.

The Henrico-based company Snagajob?conducts a yearly study asking more than 1,000 companies, "who's hiring?" What it found is, there are more companies hiring and more hiring managers to do the hiring this year compared to the last five years.

"In particular for Richmond, there will be a number of opportunities at local companies," said Jason Hamilton, Snagajob's?Vice President of Marketing.

That's especially good news for folks like Aleshia Harris, who has?been unemployed for a year and a half.

"Even if it's part-time jobs, part-time jobs add up," said Harris. "The money adds up really quickly."

The jobs available are hourly and are geared toward people who may not have a higher education or the skills that some salaried jobs may require.

That in particular is good news for Tia Wyche.

"It's really discouraging when you look for a job,"?said Wyche.?"Everywhere you go it's a closed door."

To help open that door, Hamilton gives the following tips:

• Apply early. Most companies are looking to do their holiday hiring by the end of October.

• Keep a flexible schedule. Not all holiday jobs are nine to five.

• Have a positive attitude.

"If you have that positive attitude and you have a flexible schedule, there's a good chance you'll get that job even if you haven't done it before," said Hamilton.

Hamilton also says?some of the companies looking to hire are retailers like Kohls and?Macy's, companies like Fed-Ex and UPS, and even Liberty Tax.

Hamilton says, to search openings or apply, look on snagajob.com?or on the individual company's website. Look below for study details.

Copyright 2012 WWBT NBC12.? All rights reserved.

?

Annual Snagajob seasonal hiring survey shows the best holiday job
market in five years
Increased hiring driven by strong sales forecast

It's already shaping up to be a happy holiday for job seekers looking for a seasonal job,? according to the fifth-annual survey commissioned by Snagajob, America's largest hourly employment network. The 2012 forecast indicates that more seasonal jobs will be available this year than have been expected in any previous season in the study's five-year history.?

There are multiple data points of good news from the survey of more than 1,000 hourly hiring managers with responsibility for seasonal hiring, which was conducted by IPSOS Public Affairs for Snagajob:

• More hiring managers hiring: Among hiring managers with responsibility to hire year-end, seasonal workers for the holiday period, 63 percent will make hires this year, the highest percentage in the Snagajob five-year survey and up 12 percentage points from last year (51 percent).?
  ?
• Significantly more workers will be hired: Hiring managers, including those not planning to make any hires, expect to hire 6.1 seasonal workers, on average. Comparing similar data from previous years, this is a nearly 50 percent increase over last year's 4.1 workers and an almost 100 percent improvement from a low point in 2009 (3.1).?
  ?
• Strength in hiring backed by strong sales expectations: When comparing the hiring managers who expect their fourth-quarter sales to be better than last year with those who expect sales to be worse, the survey shows a net score of +20, indicating an expected sales increase. Last year, positive sales were expected, but only by a +7 margin.??

And, as a further indication of how this holiday season should be a return to pre-recessionary levels, hiring managers are expecting to do more temporary hiring than they did in 2007 ? a season during which they each recalled hiring 5.6 hourly, seasonal workers (including those who didn't hire any). [Snagajob does not have any earlier data.]? By contrast, this year's number is 6.1 hourly, seasonal workers.?

"For the past few seasons, we've had to talk about ?incremental improvements' being expected in holiday hiring," said Jason Hamilton, vice president of marketing for Snagajob. "But this year, there are strong indications that there should be substantial movement in getting us back to the kinds of holiday hiring levels we were accustomed to prior to the recession. Doing the math, our survey shows that 24 percent more hiring managers are hiring this season, and hiring managers, on average, are planning to hire about 50 percent more people. Those indicators taken together point to a vastly improved seasonal job market.? "

Prospective applicants will want to begin their job hunt sooner rather than later because holiday hiring is expected to be completed earlier this season. Among those who will be hiring, 57 percent expect to complete their hiring by the end of October ? if not sooner ? compared to 46 percent last year, an increase of 11 percentage points.?

And for job seekers looking for full-time work, odds are better that they will be able to find it this season. Nearly half of seasonal workers (49 percent) are expected to be full-time hires, the highest level recorded in the five-year survey. Added to that, hiring managers who will be making hires expect that 50 percent of their seasonal hires will be able to stay on after the holidays and take a permanent job.

The average hourly pay for a seasonal job is expected to be roughly the same as last year, $10.70 an hour.

Beyond traditional department and retail stores, Snagajob recommends that seasonal job seekers consider shipping companies, craft stores, restaurants, movie theaters, inventory positions, resorts staffing up for winter vacations and tax-preparation companies. Job opportunities can be found at www.snagajob.com.??

?	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007
Hourly hiring managers who WILL hire seasonal workers	63%	51%	50%	47%	43%	51%*
Average number of workers to be hired per hiring manager (includes 0)	6.1	4.1	3.9	3.1	3.7	5.6*
4th quarter sales expectations (net)**	+20	+7	+2	-7	-2	N/A
Full-time/part-time split of seasonal employees	49%/51%	44%/56%	44%/56%	45%/55%	43%/57%	N/A
Average hourly pay for seasonal employees	$10.70	$10.60	$10.60	$10.40	$10.00	N/A

*In the 2008 survey, hiring managers were asked to recall if they hired seasonal workers in 2007 ? and how many ? to create an initial comparison. The 5.6 figure includes hiring managers who hired "0" workers.

**This is a comparison between hiring managers who said 4^th quarter sales will increase vs. decrease. A positive number indicates a sales increase expected.

Survey Methodology: On behalf of Snagajob, Ipsos Public Affairs, a third-party research firm, polled for the fifth-consecutive year a cross-section of 1,099 adult Americans responsible for hiring hourly, seasonal employees.? Sample industries represented included: office/business, customer service, retail, healthcare and restaurants, among others.? The online survey was conducted between Aug. 27 ?Sept. 7, 2012.?Its results are based on a sample where sampling and weighting are used to ensure that the sample reflects that of the actual American population, according to Census data.? The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points. The margin of error would be larger for other sub-groupings of the survey population.

About Snagajob: Snagajob, America's largest hourly employment network for job seekers and employers, is the only company to provide both sourcing and talent management solutions to the hourly industry. With more than 35 million registered job seekers and the leading hourly-focused talent management system, Snagajob has been serving hourly workers and those who employ them since 2000. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., Snagajob has been named the No. 1 Best Small Company to Work for in America by the Great Place to Work Institute. To find out more, visit www.snagajob.com and www.snagajob.com/employer-solutions.

Source: http://westend.nbc12.com/news/news/85376-study-richmond-will-see-more-jobs-over-holidays

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Texas unemployment rate holds steady

September 21, 2012, 6:00 pm by Phil Schoch

AUSTIN ? The Texas economy added 38,000 seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in August, for a total of 259,500 nonfarm jobs added since last year. Texas? seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 7.1 percent in August. The July rate was revised down from 7.2 to 7.1 percent. The state?s unemployment rate is down from 8.1 percent a year ago, and below the national unemployment rate in August of 8.1 percent.

?"A major component to Texas? long-term economic development is consistent job growth, and that is exactly what we are seeing across a number of different industries,? said Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Chairman Andres Alcantar. "The private sector in Texas has grown by 279,800 jobs over the last year, a 3.2 percent increase, while national private sector annual growth has been just 1.8 percent.?

?The annual growth rate for Texas has been positive for 28 consecutive months, and has been at or above 2.0 percent since December 2011.

?"Construction jobs grew by 13,600 in August, more than any other industry in Texas, with a total of nearly 38,000 jobs added in that industry in the past 12 months,? said TWC Commissioner Representing Labor Ronny Congleton. "WorkInTexas.com is a good way to connect to jobs here in Texas across many industries, including Construction.?

?Employers in Professional and Business Services added 6,900 positions in August for its fourth straight month of gains. This industry has expanded by 48,900 jobs since August 2011 for a 3.6 percent growth rate.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 13,100 jobs in August, marking the largest monthly gain since January. Over the month, the Leisure and Hospitality industry expanded by an estimated 4,600 positions. Annual growth in this industry climbed to 4.6 percent in August.

"Texas continues to be the state in which to do business, with seven of the 11 major industries in Texas adding jobs in August,? said TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Tom Pauken. "And with the addition of 3,400 Mining and Logging jobs last month, that industry has grown by 9.0 percent in the last year.?

The Midland Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the lowest August unemployment rate in the state at 3.8 percent. The Odessa MSA came in second at 4.5 percent, and the Amarillo MSA third at 5.0 percent (not seasonally adjusted).

Source: http://www.burnetbulletin.com/news_article.php?article_id=3333

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