essre801: April 2013

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Safeway names Edwards to succeed Burd as CEO

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Safeway Inc on Monday said Robert Edwards, the supermarket operator's president, will succeed Steven Burd as chief executive when Burd retires from the chairman and CEO posts on May 14.

Edwards, 57, also will join the company's board of directors.

Edwards joined Safeway as executive vice president and chief financial officer in 2004. In April 2012, he was named president in charge of retail operations, marketing, merchandising, corporate brands, manufacturing, distribution and finance functions. He continued as CFO until Peter Bocian succeeded him in that role in February.

T. Gary Rogers, currently Safeway's lead independent director, will become the company's non-executive chairman upon Burd's departure.

Shares in Safeway rose 0.1 percent to $23.54 in after-hours trading following the news.

(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Leslie Adler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/safeway-names-edwards-succeed-burd-ceo-213707842.html

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Beckett News ? New Jersey family spends the day with a New York ...

04.29

By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Football Editor

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Michael Rosato played football on his front lawn with a few of his friends. They ran routes to get to the end zone disguised as a driveway. They handed off the ball to their secret weapon, a little girl who giggled the whole time.

But one of the players stood out above the group of 7-year-olds.

New York Giants second-year player Prince Amukamara was the quarterback.

?It was priceless seeing him out there playing football,? Michael?s mother Anne Rosato said.

The Rosato family won Panini America?s NFL Player of the Day promotion where they got to meet an NFL player. Initially, it was announced they would get to hang out with wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, but the New York Giant canceled that morning. After calling around and scrambling to find a new player, Amukamara was happy to come to the family?s house, play football, sign a few autographs and check out Michael?s extensive card collection.

?It was pretty wild,? Frank Rosato said. ?We couldn?t ask for a better person than Prince. He was absolutely tremendous. Panini did a really great job.?

Frank Rosato, 43, was the winner of the grand prize, but shared the day with his family and friends. About 100 people greeted Amukamara when he pulled up to the Rosato home in a stretch limousine that the family got to ride in afterward.

Amukamara bought jerseys and even brought his Super Bowl championship ring, which a number of the family members tried on and took pictures with it.

Even though the family was prepared for Nicks with banners and posters bearing his name, they quickly removed them and found new photos of Amukamara. There were New York Giants balloons in front of the two-story home. Inside, the family decorated with blue and white ribbons and Giants napkins.

At the end of the day, disappointment was not a feeling any of them would use to describe it.

?It was really fun,? said Michael, who wouldn?t leave Prince?s side. ?My favorite part was playing football with my friend and Prince.?
Frank Rosato, an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, seemed surprised it was announced in March he won the contest. It didn?t hit him even a couple of weeks after the fact. Instead, it seemed his co-workers were more excited for him.

?When the numbers came out and told us how many people entered and won, I was shocked,? Rosato said. ?In some respects, I?m still in shock. You never get over it. It?s a huge deal.?

After an hour at the family?s house in New Providence, N.J., Amukamara signed for another hour at Attack of the Baseball Cards in Union, N.J., where Rosato was entered to win the contest. The promotion gave publicity to the card shop owned by Steve Mandy tucked away next to batting cages.

Mandy, who has been in business for 31 years, was happy his loyal customers got to take part of the festivities.

?We had about 150 people here,? Mandy said. ?We take part in all the contests the card companies do. We?re constantly doing stuff. Prince is a good player too, a first-round draft pick.?

Amukamara, who was drafted in 2011, seemed bewildered by all the children running. However, he quickly got into the action and enjoyed his time with the Rosato family asking questions throw at him by Michael and his sister Emily.

He got to see Michael?s room, which was decorated with football posters and McFarlane figures, and saw his football card collection. Amukamara even saw the ?Steelers room? as the family calls it with Frank Rosato?s Steeler memorabilia draped around.

Amukamara gets the collecting aspect. The 22-year-old said he collected cards are as a child, but they were Pokemon cards.

?It was almost overwhelming, but definitely worth it,? Amukamara said. ?I?m glad I my calendar was free and I was able to come down and celebrate with them.?

Susan Lulgjuraj is an editor of Beckett Football. You can email her here with questions, comments or ideas. Follow her on Twitter here. Follow Beckett Media on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: http://www.beckett.com/news/2013/04/new-jersey-family-spends-the-day-with-a-new-york-giant/

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LG Optimus GK brings things back down to a more manageable 5 inches

LG Optimus GK

Think Optimus G Pro, only smaller, and only in South Korea for now

LG tonight has announced the Optimus GK, basically taking the better parts of the LG Optimus G Pro and scaling things down into a slightly more manageable 5-inch form factor in line with its recently release national cousin, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

The Optimus GK is a tad taller and thicker than the Galaxy S4 -- and as of this announcement it's only destined for South Korea. But we've been pleasantly surprised by the larger Optimus G Pro, and chances are its little brother will be equally well-designed. It's got a 5-inch IPS display at 1,080 by 1,920 resolution, a 3,100 mAh battery and is running Android 4.1.2 on a Snapdragon 600 platform.

Plus, this one's got the same Photosphere feature -- called VR Panorama here -- as the Optimus G Pro (thanks, LG, but license that thing out already!) as well as the dual video recording that was first made available in an update for the Optimus G Pro and is also a feature on on the Galaxy S4. Yes, the back-and-forth feature battle is alive and well in the southern part of the Korean peninsula.

So if you're looking forward to AT&T's upcoming Optimus G Pro this week (we'll be at Wednesday's launch event in New York City, by the way) but don't want that oversized form factor, this might be the phone for you. Just hang tight and hope we get it here in the states.

Hit the link below for the full translation, and keep on keepin' on for the full specs.

LG Korea

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/E0WAlu-vPCU/story01.htm

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Magic Video Editing App Magisto Adds Drawing Feature For Android Users

Video editing app Magisto is picking up users, especially in the Android ecosystem, and it's giving those users a new way to add a creative touch to the videos they produce. Launching today at TechCrunch Disrupt NY, the new Magisto Android app offers a way for users to doodle on their videos, create new borders, and generally add a bit of flair to their videos.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/6KCQAWpgwLg/

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Perdido Street School: Wealth Gap - Not The Fault Of Teachers

An Urban Institute study found the following:

The Urban Institute study found that the racial wealth gap yawned during the recession, even as the income gap between white Americans and nonwhite Americans remained stable. As of 2010, white families, on average, earned about $2 for every $1 that black and Hispanic families earned, a ratio that has remained roughly constant for the last 30 years. But when it comes to wealth ? as measured by assets, like cash savings, homes and retirement accounts, minus debts, like mortgages and credit card balances ? white families have far outpaced black and Hispanic ones. Before the recession, non-Hispanic white families, on average, were about four times as wealthy as nonwhite families, according to the Urban Institute?s analysis of Federal Reserve data. By 2010, whites were about six times as wealthy.?
The dollar value of that gap has grown, as well. By the most recent data, the average white family had about $632,000 in wealth, versus $98,000 for black families and $110,000 for Hispanic families.

?The racial wealth gap is deeply rooted in our society,? said Caroline Ratcliffe, one of the authors of the Urban Institute study. ?It?s here, it?s not going away, and we need to care about it.??

Many experts consider the wealth gap to be more pernicious than the income gap, as it perpetuates from generation to generation and has a powerful effect on economic security and mobility. Young black people are much less likely than young white people to receive a large sum from their parents or other relatives to pay for college, start a business or make a down payment on a home, for instance. That, in turn, makes their wealth-building prospects shakier as they move into adulthood.?

Two major factors helped to widen this wealth gap in recent years. The first is that the housing downturn hit black and Hispanic households harder than it hit white households, in aggregate. Many young Hispanic families, for instance, bought homes as the housing bubble was inflating and reaching its peak, leaving them saddled with heavy debt burdens as house prices plunged in places like suburban Phoenix and inland California.?

Black families also were hit disproportionately by the housing collapse, because heading into the recession housing constituted a higher proportion of their wealth than for white families, leaving them more exposed when the market crashed. Higher unemployment rates and lower incomes among blacks left them less able to keep paying their mortgages and more likely to lose their homes, experts said.?

Discriminatory lending practices were also a factor. ?We know that communities of color, their rate of subprime or predatory loans was twice what it is in the overall population,? said Tom Shapiro, the director of the Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University.?

Black families also suffered bigger hits to their retirement savings, the Urban Institute found. On aggregate, the value of black families? retirement accounts shrank 35 percent between 2007 and 2010, while white families? accounts actually gained 9 percent over the same period. With lower earnings and higher unemployment rates leaving them with a thinner safety net to begin with, black families were more likely to take funds out of the market when it was depressed, leaving them out in the cold as the market recovered.?
?That reservoir of what you can dig into for emergencies and contingencies is a lot shallower in communities of color,? Professor Shapiro said. ?That pushes black families to sling off assets, like I.R.A.?s or stocks, that you might have had another goal in mind for.??
Something similar may be happening as the housing recovery takes hold. ?Some people talk about it in terms of a land grab,? said Professor Hamilton of the New School, as mainly white investors are buying foreclosed homes from disproportionately minority owners. ?As the housing market starts to appreciate, some of those minority buyers might not be back.??

All in all, Hispanic families lost 44 percent of their wealth between 2007 and 2010, the Urban Institute estimates, and black families lost 31 percent. White families, by comparison, lost 11 percent of their wealth. The economic turbulence worsened a gap that has persisted for as long as social scientists have measured it, and has its roots in institutional racism, they said, which, for instance, prevented black Americans from benefiting fully from the G.I. Bill back in the 1940s and 1950s.?

Usually in these kinds of stories, you see a statement from some education reformer claiming bad teachers and failing school are at fault for the wealth gap and if we just address address the problems with public schools, much of the wealth gap will magically disappear.

But as this Urban Institute study shows, the problem is so complex, it builds upon generations of institutionalized racism, predatory lending, and economic turbulence that keeps people from ever getting ahead.

Here were the solutions proposed:

Even if blacks and Hispanics make progress in the years ahead as the economy improves, the persistence of the wealth gap has pushed many public policy scholars to recommend the adoption of more ambitious programs to help reduce worsening inequality.?

The Urban Institute suggests reforming government policies that encourage savings but disproportionately benefit the already wealthy and families with high incomes, like the home mortgage interest deduction. Automatic savings vehicles also might help lower-income and lower-wealth families start saving, it said.?

Professor Hamilton has proposed ?baby bonds,? granting savings accounts to infants, seeded with funds that allocate greater sums to families with less wealth. (Such accounts would be race-blind, Professor Hamilton emphasized.) Accountholders could tap that money as young adults, to pay for college or start a business. ?That?s really going to break the link of intergenerational poverty, and the intergenerational wealth gap,? Professor Hamilton argued.?

But in the absence of such far-reaching measures, scholars and advocates remain generally pessimistic that the wealth gap will narrow even as members of minority groups increase their share of the American work force.?

?The growth in the wealth divide is going to be very hard to close,? said Dedrick Muhammad, the senior director of the economic department at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the civil rights organization. ?I don?t have a positive feeling about racial wealth inequality resolving itself with the recovery.?

Don't worry - charterizing the entire public school system and handing the reins over to for-profit and "non-profit" charter management organizations will solve everything!

Source: http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2013/04/wealth-gap-not-fault-of-teachers.html

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Opening statements begin in Jackson death trial

FILE - In this April 27, 2011 file photo, Katherine Jackson poses for a portrait in Calabasas, Calif. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday April 29, 2013, in Jackson?s lawsuit against concert giant AEG Live over her son Michael?s 2009 death. Katherine Jackson claims the company failed to properly investigate the doctor who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for the singer?s death, but the company denies all wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

FILE - In this Monday, Feb. 28, 2005 file photo, Michael Jackson follows his mother, Katherine Jackson, as they arrive for court on the opening day of his child molestation trial at Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, Calif. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday April 29, 2013, in Katherine Jackson?s lawsuit against concert giant AEG Live over Michael?s 2009 death. Katherine Jackson claims the company failed to properly investigate the doctor who was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter for the singer?s death, but the company denies all wrongdoing. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? An attorney for Michael Jackson's mother says AEG Live owed it to the pop superstar to properly investigate the doctor held criminally responsible for his death.

The comments by Brian Panish came Monday during opening statements in Katherine Jackson's lawsuit against concert giant AEG Live, which she says should be held civilly liable for her son's 2009 death.

Panish says AEG is the only entity that claims it didn't know about Jackson's addiction to prescription drugs.

AEG officials have denied any wrongdoing, and its lawyers have said company executives could not have foreseen the circumstances that led to a physician giving Jackson doses of the anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid.

A jury of six men and six women will determine whether AEG is liable and any damages award.

PRINT W/T

Concert giant AEG Live owed a duty to properly investigate the doctor who treated Michael Jackson, an attorney for the singer's mother told a jury Monday morning.

"His stirring voice, his musical genius, his creativity and his generosity and his huge heart was extinguished forever," attorney Brian Panish said in opening statements of a civil lawsuit filed over Jackson's June 2009 death. Katherine Jackson is suing AEG claiming it failed to properly investigate the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter over Jackson's death.

"You're going to hear the whole story about what happened in the death of Michael Jackson," Panish said.

Panish made his remarks in an opening presentation filled with slides detailing the case against AEG, which was promoting Jackson's planned comeback concerts, "This Is It."

Jackson's mother, brother Randy and sister Rebbie sat in the front row of the courtroom as Panish detailed aspects of Jackson's life.

An attorney for AEG is expected to begin addressing the panel later Monday.

Millions, and possibly billions, of dollars are at stake. A jury of six men and six women will determine any damage award.

Katherine Jackson sued the company in September 2010, claiming it failed to properly investigate former physician Conrad Murray before allowing him to serve as Jackson's tour doctor. She is also suing on behalf of her son's three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket.

AEG denies it hired Murray and its attorneys have said they could not have foreseen the circumstances that led to Jackson's death at age 50. A jury convicted Murray of giving Jackson a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol in 2011. The hospital-grade anesthetic was being administered as a sleep aid.

Panish told jurors they would be putting together a puzzle, with three pieces being Jackson, Murray and AEG Live.

He told the panel that Jackson suffered from addiction to prescription medications and Demerol at times during his life, and the problem increased when he was keeping up a rigorous schedule. Panish cited a 1984 accident that injured Jackson during a Pepsi commercial suit as causing the singer tremendous physical pain throughout his life.

"Over the years Michael family's and people who knew him believed he had a problem with prescription medication," Panish told jurors. He said the only group that would claim they didn't know about Jackson's addiction issues were AEG and its executives.

The lawyer showed a brief clip of Jackson rehearing for the "This Is It" shows and a clip of the singer dancing in the early stages of his presentation. He also showed footage of 1999 show in Munich in which Jackson was performing when a bridge dropped 50 feet with the singer on it. Despite pain, Jackson continued performing, Panish said.

Panish said Jackson turned to Demerol to relieve his pain.

Katherine Jackson and her two oldest grandchildren, Prince and Paris, are listed as possible witnesses. An AEG attorney said Monday that the company intends to call Murray as a witness in the case as well.

Murray did not testify at his criminal trial.

Panish told jurors they would have to determine who was responsible for Jackson's death.

"Michael paid the ultimate price. He died," Panish said. "Michael has taken responsibility."

___

AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report.

Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-04-29-Jackson-AEG%20Suit/id-969b64423bd5423e8ce12e8505d0e254

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Rendezvous Connects You With Nearby Folks Who Share Your Interests, Keeps Track Of Who You've Met

Rendezvous is an upcoming mobile application built at the TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2013 hackathon by San Francisco developer Taran Gill and designer Mehtab Bajawa. The app intends to connect you with others nearby who share your interests, as based on Facebook profile data. But while other mobile apps, including those in the recently trendy “ambient location” space often do the same, the difference with Rendezvous is that it keeps track of your location history, too. That way, you can scroll back to see who you met and when, as well as perhaps discover other missed connections. The mobile app was built using the Facebook API alongside the NewAer API for location data. And also unlike other location apps,?Rendezvous doesn’t use GPS data – which means it won’t kill your smartphone’s battery. (Hooray!) Instead, Rendezvous will be able to tell if users are connected to the same Wi-Fi router or cell tower in order to determine their proximity to each other. Though the build created this weekend focused on using Facebook data, Gill explains that the app will be developed further after the event wraps to include other APIs and data sources, in order to do things like connecting users’ Pandora’s playlists, for example. Users may be able to manually enter in data, too. (E.g. “what’s on my mind right now”). Friending functionality is also on the way, and that could be really interesting, since it could tell you others places you and your new friend had both visited together in the past, unknowingly. “It’s a lot of data that nobody has ever collected before,” says Gill. He adds that?didn’t know that he would be working on when he arrived at Disrupt this weekend, but wanted to start a new project. In San Francisco, he had been working on a cloud storage startup for many months, but acknowledges that space is now dominated by major players like Google.?Meanwhile, co-creator Bajawa recently left his job in the finance industry to begin working on startups and tech. For those who attend a lot of hackathons like this one and other networking events, an app like this could come in handy to help you not only find people you would want to know, but also help you remember who you met at a later date.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/aevIsh6xS8A/

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Stonehenge archaeologists reveal new theory of why monument was built

Stonehenge may have been built on a site occupied by hunters for?roughly?5,000 prior to its construction.

By Tia Ghose,?LiveScience Staff Writer / April 24, 2013

Visitors are dwarfed by the Stonehenge monument in southern England.

Max Nash/AP/File

Enlarge

A site near Stonehenge has revealed archaeological evidence that hunters lived just a mile from Stonehenge roughly 5,000 years prior to the construction of the first stones, new research suggests.

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What's more, the site, which was occupied continuously for 3,000 years, had evidence of burning, thousands of flint tool fragments and bones of?wild aurochs?, a type of extinct giant cow. That suggests the area near Stonehenge may have been an auroch migration route that became an ancient feasting site, drawing people together from across different cultures in the region, wrote lead researcher David Jacques of the Open University in the United Kingdeom, in an email.

"We may have found the cradle of?Stonehenge, the reason why it is where it is," Jacques wrote. [In Photos: A Walk Through Stonehenge]

The new discovery may also identify the people who first erected structures at Stonehenge. A few gigantic pine posts, possibly totem poles, were raised at Stonehenge between 8,500 and 10,000 years ago, but until now there was scant evidence of occupation in the area that long ago. The new research suggests those ancient structures may perhaps have been raised to honor a sacred hunting ground.

Mysterious monument

For decades, people have wondered at the enigmatic stone structures erected roughly 5,000 years ago in the plains of Wiltshire, England. No one knows why ancient people built the structure: some believe it was a place of ancient worship or a sun calendar, whereas still others think it was a symbol of unity or even that?Stonehenge was inspired by a sound illusion.

The large megaliths, known as sarsens, are up to 30 feet tall and weigh up to 25 tons, while the smaller bluestones weigh up to 4 tons. Researchers think the?giant boulders?came from a quarry near Marlborough Downs, just 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the iconic site, while the bluestones likely came from Preseli Hills in Wales, nearly 156 miles (250 km) away from Stonehenge.

Old photographs

Jacques was looking through archival photographs of the region surrounding Stonehenge when he spotted a site known as Vespasian's Camp, just a mile from Stonehenge in nearby Amesbury.

Realizing that it hadn't been fully surveyed, Jacques began to investigate the area, which harbored a freshwater spring.

Because animals like to stop and drink at such watering holes, Jacques wondered whether ancient man may have settled nearby as well.

The team uncovered roughly 350 animal bones and 12,500 flint tools or fragments, as well as lots of evidence of burning. Carbon dating suggested the area was occupied by humans from 7500 B.C. to 4700 B.C. ? roughly 5,000 years prior to the erection of the?first stones at Stonehenge. [See Photos of the Stonehenge Hunting Ground?]

"The spring may have originally attracted large animals to it, which would have aided hunting and may have led to associations that the area was a sacred hunting ground," Jacques wrote.

In addition, the researchers found tools made from stone from one region of England, but fashioned in the style of another region (for instance, a?stone tool?made from Welsh or Cornwall slate, but made in a style typical of Sussex). That suggests the people from different regions were coming together at the site, Jacques wrote.

Ancient builders?

The findings could help researchers pinpoint why the ancient builders of Stonehenge chose the place they did, Jacques said.?

"We have found a bridge from which transmission of cultural memory about the 'specialness' of the place where the stones were later being put up was possible," Jacques wrote. "We are getting closer to understanding their reasons for putting it up ? it is all to do with ancestors, but those ancestors go much further back than has previously been realised."

The findings show "there was a substantial interest in the Stonehenge landscape well before the stones were hauled there and erected," said Timothy Darvill, an archaeologist at Bournemouth University in the U.K., who was not involved in the study.

Excavations dating to 2008 at Stonehenge also confirm earlier use at the?megalithic site, Darvill wrote. However, what makes the Amesbury discovery special is the large trove of auroch bones found in the area, which suggests the spring was on a natural migration route for the wild aurochs, he said.

A program about the Amesbury site will air on BBC 4 on April 29.

Follow Tia Ghose on Twitter?@tiaghose.?Follow?LiveScience?@livescience,?Facebook?&?Google+. Original article on?LiveScience.com.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/2mNG23YqGQI/Stonehenge-archaeologists-reveal-new-theory-of-why-monument-was-built

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James Bond studio to open 1st US facility in Ga.

In this image provided by Pinewood Shepperton PLC, an artist's rendering of Pinewood Atlanta is shown. Pinewood Shepperton PLC and River?s Rock LLC together announced a joint venture to be named Pinewood Atlanta, a full service film and entertainment studio complex comprised of five sound stages on 288 acres in Fayetteville, Ga., south of Atlanta. (AP Photo/Pinewood Shepperton PLC)

ATLANTA (AP) ? The British film studio that's home to the James Bond movie franchise announced plans Monday for its first U.S. film production facility, at a site near Atlanta.

The large-scale film complex will be called Pinewood Atlanta, and Pinewood will manage the facility under an agreement with a group of private investors. Plans call for the studio to be developed on 288 acres south of Atlanta in Fayette County and initially include at least five soundstages as well as production offices.

"Today's agreement is another step forward for the Pinewood brand internationally," said Ivan Dunleavy, CEO of Pinewood Shepperton PLC, which has studios in the United Kingdom, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Germany and Malaysia. Recent films shot at Pinewood Studios, based outside of London, include the coming Angelina Jolie film, "Maleficent," and "Jack Ryan," directed by Kenneth Branagh.

"This new studio will target US productions. Georgia has excellent fiscal and tax credit incentives as well as a great crew base," Dunleavy added.

It's the fifth major studio development or expansion announced in Georgia in recent months. Last week, Atlanta-based developer Jacoby Development said it would build an estimated $1 billion multi-use project north of Atlanta that will include 12 soundstages as well as production offices and an arts and media school aimed at training the next generation of film industry employees.

The Pinewood project is a coup for Georgia and opens the state to major, big-budget films that need large studio space. While Pinewood Studios has an office in Los Angeles, it chose the Southeast for its first U.S. production facility.

Although California has numerous soundstages, not many have been built in recent years as the state has grappled with the effects of runaway production and the lagging economy. A survey last year found California lost $3 billion in wages from 2004 to 2011 because of film and TV production moving to other states and countries, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times.

Half the wages went to states, including Georgia, that offer tax incentives and rebates to the industry. Other states included New York, Louisiana and North Carolina.

"Pinewood Atlanta's location will contribute significantly to Georgia's growing reputation as a top draw for movie and television productions," Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said. "We welcome the business this world-renowned company will bring to the state and the jobs it will create for our crew base and supporting companies."

Last year, productions filmed in Georgia generated an estimated $3.1 billion in economic activity, a 29 percent increase from the year before. TV shows such as AMC's "The Walking Dead" film in Georgia, and recently "The Hunger Games" sequel wrapped up in locations around Atlanta.

While studio developers building soundstages are not eligible for the state's generous tax credit program, the production companies making films are. Georgia currently provides a 20 percent tax credit for companies that spend $500,000 or more on production and post-production in the state, either in a single production or on multiple projects. Georgia also grants an additional 10 percent tax credit if the finished project includes a state promotional logo.

The Pinewood project is a joint venture with River's Rock LLC, which is an independently managed trust of the Cathy family, according to the studio. The Cathy family is known for establishing the Chick-fil-A fast-food restaurant empire based in Atlanta. The chain last year generated both criticism and support when company president Dan Cathy made comments against same-sex marriage. The company later said it would stop funding anti-gay marriage groups.

Pinewood's director of strategy and communications, Andrew Smith, noted that the remarks were made in a personal capacity.

"Pinewood will be operating and running the facility, and we will operate them to the same and usual standards that we operate all of our studios around the world," Smith said.

Construction of the studio is already underway, with the first production set to begin at the new site in January, Smith said.

Pinewood will maintain a 40 percent interest in the venture and will provide sales and marketing services under the agreement. Plans call for additional construction phases that could add several more soundstages. The project also includes a vocational job skills training program to help build up the state's workforce. Georgia already has an estimated 5,000 union and non-union professionals associated with the film industry along with more than 1,000 production suppliers and support companies.

County officials say 75 companies have been in contact saying they want to locate to the site and provide industry-related services.

"We are tremendously excited to be creating a world-class studio in the state of Georgia and are looking forward to working with Pinewood in the many years to come," said Jim Pace, managing partner of the investment group, River's Rock LLC. "The Pinewood brand is so well recognized in the global film industry and together there is a great opportunity to build an excellent facility that will attract the very best producers."

The project in Georgia has the potential to be a major economic driver, allowing big-budget films to come to the Peach State.

"It takes the state to a whole new level," said Matt Forshee, president of the Fayette County Development Authority, who has been closely involved in the project. "When you look at the films that have filmed in Georgia, for the most part, they have been smaller budget films, in the range of $20-25 million. This allows us to open up to larger budget productions, which means more expenditures occurring within the state, which becomes a bigger return on the investment on the state level for the tax credits."

___

Follow Christina Almeida Cassidy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Christina .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-29-James%20Bond%20Studio-US/id-d387e76809e249fc8b2e3026648d63b2

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Monday, April 29, 2013

Boston bombings: Death-penalty expert appointed for Tsarnaev (CNN)

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Senate foes of gun bill suffer in polls

By Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Five senators - four Republicans and one Democrat - could face voter backlash for opposing President Barack Obama's bid to expand background checks for gun buyers, opinion polls released on Monday showed.

According to the surveys conducted by Public Policy Polling, a private firm based in Raleigh, N.C., respondents said they are more apt to oppose than support these lawmakers for re-election for joining other senators in rejecting a bipartisan background check measure on April 17.

The results were publicized in a conference call organized by Americans United For Change, a liberal organization. Public Policy Polling is considered a Democratic-leaning company.

Political analysts say it's unclear if this sentiment will persist or subside by Election Day. The next time any of the five senators face voters will be November 2014.

The gun legislation was defeated in the Senate, 54-46, six short of the 60 needed to clear a procedural hurdle. All but four members of the 55-member Senate Democrat Caucus voted yes; all but four of the 45 Senate Republicans voted no.

Public Policy Polling surveyed constituents of five senators who opposed the measure: Republicans Jeff Flake of Arizona, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, and Dean Heller of Nevada, and Democrat Mark Begich of Alaska.

The surveys found 60 to 72 percent public support in each state for expanding background checks to require them in sales at gun shows and on the Internet. The measure was opposed by the National Rifle Association, a powerful gun-rights group.

In Arizona, 52 percent of respondents said they are now "less likely" to support Flake for re-election. The poll gave him a disapproval rating of 51 percent.

In Alaska, the poll found Begich and Murkowski with approval ratings of 41 percent and 46 percent, respectively. Thirty-nine percent said they are now "less likely" to vote for Begich for reelection, and the same number said they are "less likely" to vote for Murkowski. Twenty-two percent said they are "more likely" to back Begich; 26 percent said they are "more likely" to back Murkowski.

In Ohio, the poll found Portman with an approval rating of 26 percent. Thirty-six percent said they are "less likely" to support him for a second term; 19 percent said they were "more likely."

In Nevada, Heller has an approval rating of 44 percent. Forty-six percent said they were "less likely" to back him for reelection; 25 percent said "more likely."

"It's very clear that these senators are paying a political price for this vote," said Tom Jensen, director of Public Policy Polling. "Public opinion remains strongly against them."

'STICKINESS TO THE ISSUE'

Geoffrey Garin, president of Hart Research Associates, said many senators had figured that the issue would fade away after the vote, with the public quickly turning to other matters.

"Those assumptions have been proven wrong," Garin said. "There is a stickiness to this issue."

Garin and Jensen spoke in the conference call organized by Americans United For Change.

Public Policy Polling released a survey last week that found another senator who opposed the background check measure also in possible trouble with voters.

The poll found the approval rating of Republican Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire at 44 percent, down 15 points since the last poll conducted of her by the firm in October.

For years, many members of Congress have feared voting to toughen gun laws, knowing that the gun-rights lobby would and could target them for defeat.

But in wake of the school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, in December, gun-control groups have been energized to go after lawmakers who oppose their cause.

Sixty-five percent of Americans - 85 percent of Democrats and 45 percent of Republicans - believe the Senate should have passed the bill, according to a Gallup poll also released on Monday. The Gallup survey, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, sampled 2049 adults across the country.

Republican Senator Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania wrote the bipartisan background check measure with Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

A survey released last week by Quinnipiac University found that voters may be pleased with Toomey's action. The poll gave him an approval rating of 48 percent, up 5 points from the previous month, and the highest ever found by Quinnipiac for the senator. He was elected in 2010 with 51 percent of the vote.

Manchin, appearing on Fox News on Sunday, said he and Toomey may take another crack at trying to win passage of their background check measure.

Toomey may not be interested, however, figuring that at this point it would again be rejected, an aide said.

"There would have to be a change in the atmosphere to yield a different outcome. That seems unlikely in the near future," the aide said.

In Alaska, 1,166 voters were surveyed with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percent; 600 Arizona voters with a margin of error of 4 percent; 500 Nevada voters with a margin of error of 4.4 percent; and 601 Ohio voters with a margin of error of 4 percent.

(Reporting By Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Fred Barbash and Cynthia Osterman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-foes-gun-bill-suffer-polls-224158675.html

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Obama Mixes Serious Tone with Humor at WH Correspondents' Dinner (ABC News)

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Immigration reform: While Congress debates, Supreme Court stays clear

The US Supreme Court turned aside an appeal on Monday from the state of Alabama asking the high court to examine whether state governments can pass laws making it illegal to harbor or smuggle illegal immigrants within a state?s borders.

The court action came without comment from the justices. The order noted that Justice Antonin Scalia dissented from the court?s decision not to hear the case.

The denial comes as Congress and the White House are working toward an immigration reform package.

RECOMMENDED: Could you pass a US citizenship test?

At issue in Alabama v. US (12-884), was an Alabama statute that sought to echo the requirements of federal immigration laws that outlaw similar activities.

It was patterned on a controversial immigration law passed in Arizona in 2010 aimed at discouraging illegal immigrants from coming to or remaining in Arizona.

While Alabama argued that its statute was substantively different from those portions of Arizona?s law previously struck down by the Supreme Court, the justices? refusal to take the case lets stand an appellate court ruling that the Alabama law was preempted by federal immigration law.

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Eight other states have similar laws that seek to regulate activities related to the presence of illegal immigrants within state borders. They were adopted in an attempt to compensate for what state officials viewed as lax or ineffective enforcement of US immigration laws by the federal government.

Like it did regarding Arizona?s SB 1070, the Obama administration opposed the Alabama law and successfully sued the state in federal court to prevent it from enforcing any statute that might touch on issues involving illegal immigrants.

That posture toward the states set the stage for a constitutional confrontation pitting the authority of the national government to set immigration enforcement priorities against the power of the states to protect state residents within their own borders.

The Obama administration?s crackdown against aggressive state immigration laws also dove-tailed with a political strategy in the president?s reelection campaign. Candidate Obama used the state-federal disputes and the promise of a kinder, gentler immigration posture by his administration to appeal to Latino voters.

(It worked. In November, the president received 71 percent of the Latino vote.)

Last June, the Supreme Court invalidated three sections of Arizona?s SB 1070, saying they were preempted by federal immigration law. But the justices also upheld the law?s controversial centerpiece ? the ?show-me-your-papers? provision that ordered police to check the immigration status of anyone they had reason to suspect were in the US without authorization.

The question in the Alabama case was whether Alabama?s anti-harboring statute is preempted by federal immigration laws and the more forgiving immigration enforcement priorities of the Obama administration.

In general, laws passed by Congress are the supreme law of the land and thus preempt state laws that either intrude into an area of federal power or conflict with an existing federal statute.

The portion of the Alabama law that was being appealed involved state prohibitions on harboring, inducing the arrival, or transporting illegal immigrants in Alabama.

?These provisions are markedly different from the ones this court invalidated in [the Arizona case],? Alabama Solicitor General John Neiman wrote in his brief to the court.

Mr. Neiman said that rather than attempting to regulate the actions of the illegal immigrants themselves (an area of federal authority), the Alabama statute sought to regulate state residents engaged in unlawful activity that was related to illegal immigrants.

That distinction, Neiman said, differentiated the anti-harboring law from the portions of the Arizona statute struck down last year by the Supreme Court.

?The United States makes no attempt to justify equating laws that operate directly on aliens with those that operate on citizens,? the Alabama solicitor general wrote.

US Solicitor General Donald Verrilli urged the court to not take up the Alabama case. He said the Eleventh US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled correctly when it decided that the Alabama law was preempted by federal immigration law.

Mr. Verrilli quoted the Supreme Court?s decision in the Arizona case. ?The Government of the United States has broad, undoubted power over the subject of immigration and the status of aliens,? he wrote. ?Whatever power a state may have [related to immigration] is subordinate to supreme national law.?

Washington has wide discretion in every area touching on immigration and immigration enforcement, he said.

?The federal government?s exclusive authority to regulate the terms and conditions of an alien?s entry, movement, and residence in the United States includes the authority to establish criminal sanctions against third parties who facilitate an alien?s violation of those terms and conditions and the authority to decide whether and how such criminal sanctions may be imposed,? the solicitor general said.

?Because Congress has occupied this entire field, even complimentary state regulation is impermissible,? Verrilli wrote. He said the Alabama statute ?stands as an obstacle to the operation of federal law.?

Congress provided that state and local law enforcement officials have the authority to arrest individuals for violations of federal immigration law, but it is up to federal officials to decide when ? or whether ? to prosecute those who are arrested, according to the government?s brief.

Arizona and eight other states had asked the high court to take up Alabama?s appeal. They are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.

The states? friend of the court brief said the Eleventh Circuit went too far when it ruled that a state law with any connection to immigration is preempted unless specifically authorized by Congress.

?No interest is more fundamental or substantial than the States? interests in protecting their residents from harm,? the friend of the court brief said.

?Some criminal organizations profit by providing the means for illegal entry or transport, or a safe harbor within the United States for unauthorized aliens,? the brief said. ?Other organized crime groups and terrorists exploit immigrants who seek to come to or remain in the United States by forcing the immigrants to commit other crimes, such as drug running or prostitution.?

RECOMMENDED: Could you pass a US citizenship test?

Gunmen surround Libyan foreign ministry to push demands

PARIS, April 26 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain midfielder Thiago Motta has been banned for three games after his dismissal for violent conduct in a French Cup quarter-final at Evian Thonon Gaillard, the national federation (FFF) said on Friday. The Italy international was shown a straight red card for kicking playmaker Cedric Barbosa in PSG's penalty shootout defeat last week. Thiago Motta, who has had a series of injuries this season, has already served one game of his ban and will also miss Sunday's Ligue 1 trip to 16th-placed Evian and next weekend's home match with mid-table Valenciennes. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gunmen-surround-libyan-foreign-ministry-push-demands-100133466.html

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Mother's Day meal at Y2C2 (and other food/drink events): Shanghaiist

Mother's Day at Y2C2: Though she won't admit it, your mom doesn't really want another mother-son/daughter photo framed with popsicle sticks and beach glass for Mother's Day. What she'd really enjoy is some juicy goose liver with marbled beef, stir-fried scallops, tiger grouper, and other delicious fare at Y2C2 on May 11.
1280rmb for four, 1880rmb for six // all day // Y2C2 // Fifth Floor, 579 Waima Lu, near Xinmatou Jie, Huangpu district (??????579?5?, ?????).

Mother's Day at House of Roosevelt: What's that you say, American expats? Goose liver at Y2C2 doesn't remind you enough of home? Never fear, because on May 12, House of Roosevelt puts on a four-course dinner featuring an appetizer trio followed by Boston clam chowder, beef or halibut for the main course, and New York-style cheesecake for dessert.
468RMB (kids eat free) // 6-11pm // House of Roosevelt // 8/F, 27 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Beijing Dong Lu (?????27?8?, ?????).

Suckling pig at Paulaner Brauhaus: On May 18, Paulaner Brauhaus (expo) holds Spanferkelessen, German-style suckling pig barbecue. So get ready to ravage this crackling, fat-oozing beast along with all-you-can-eat salad, and country-style sausages. There's a nearby playground for kids too!
198RMB // 6-9:30pm // Paulaner Brauhaus (Expo) // 555 Shibo Dadao,
near Nanmatou Lu (????555?, ?????).

Head to our calendar for more.

Benjamin Cost is Shanghaiist's Food Editor. Email tips, recommendations, and news updates on Shanghai's dining scene to food@shanghaiist.com.

Source: http://shanghaiist.com/2013/04/28/mothers_day_at_y2c2_and_other_foodd.php

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How does pregnancy reduce breast cancer risk?

Apr. 28, 2013 ? Being pregnant while young is known to protect a women against breast cancer. But why? Research in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research finds that Wnt/Notch signalling ratio is decreased in the breast tissue of mice which have given birth, compared to virgin mice of the same age.

Early pregnancy is protective against breast cancer in humans and in rodents. In humans having a child before the age of 20 decreases risk of breast cancer by half. Using microarray analysis researchers from Basel discovered that genes involved in the immune system and differentiation were up-regulated after pregnancy while the activity of genes coding for growth factors was reduced.

The activity of one particular gene Wnt4 was also down-regulated after pregnancy. The protein from this gene (Wnt4) is a feminising protein -- absence of this protein propels a fetus towards developing as a boy. Wnt and Notch are opposing components of a system which controls cellular fate within an organism and when the team looked at Notch they found that genes regulated by notch were up-regulated, Notch-stimulating proteins up-regulated and Notch-inhibiting proteins down-regulated.

Wnt/Notch signalling ratio was permanently altered in the basal stem/progenitor cells of mammary tissue of mice by pregnancy. Mohamed Bentires-Alj from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, who led this study explained, "The down-regulation of Wnt is the opposite of that seen in many cancers, and this tightened control of Wnt/Notch after pregnancy may be preventing the runaway growth present in cancer."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BioMed Central.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Fabienne Meier-Abt, Emanuela Milani, Tim Roloff, Heike Brinkhaus, Stephan Duss, Dominique S Meyer, Ina Klebba, Piotr J Balwierz, Erik van Nimwegen and Mohamed Bentires-Alj. Parity induces differentiation and reduces Wnt/Notch signaling ratio and proliferation potential of basal stem/progenitor cells isolated from mouse mammary epithelium. Breast Cancer Research, 2013 (in press) [link]

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/M01wkIKwjeM/130428230427.htm

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Drug maker Valeant in talks on $13 billion Actavis buy: source

(Reuters) - Canada's largest listed drug maker, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, is in talks to buy generic drugmaker Actavis Inc for more than $13 billion, a person familiar with the situation told Reuters on Friday night.

It is not clear how advanced the discussions are and a deal could still fall through, said the source, who declined to be identified because they are not allowed to speak to the media.

A Valeant spokeswoman declined to comment and an Actavis spokesman could not be reached for comment outside of business hours.

Valeant said in February it was in talks to make more acquisitions, and it remains open to discuss a potential "merger of equals."

Shares of Actavis, which has a market capitalization of $12.9 billion, have risen about 12 percent in the past three months.

Actavis, the third-largest global generic drugmaker, changed its name in January from Watson after buying Actavis as part of its strategy to expand in international markets and offer more specialty drugs.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the talks between the two companies on Friday.

(Reporting by Soyoung Kim, writing by Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/drug-maker-valeant-talks-13-billion-actavis-buy-131359421.html

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3 Easy, Small Herb Garden Ideas | Care2 Healthy Living

Building a small herb garden is a great way to get started with gardening. Vertical herb gardens don?t take up much space, and they are fairly low-maintenance. If you start early enough, you can start your herb garden from seeds. Don?t worry if you get a later start on your vertical herb garden. You can still transplant starter plants, which you can buy at a nursery. I recently saw herb starter plants at my local farmer?s market for about $3/plant. That?s more than the cost of seeds, but reasonable for a few plants. Remember that small containers need to be watered often. Since there is so little soil and water inside the containers, the sun can quickly dry out the plants. Be sure to water your small vertical herb garden daily. Ready to get started? Here are three ideas for vertical herb gardens that DIY-ers of any level can make.

Photo and project by Home Repair Tutor via Hometalk.com.

Mason jar vertical herb garden: Stain and finish a board. Mount mason jars on the board vertically with hose clamps and wood screws. Fill jars with a layer of activated charcoal, then potting soil. Plant small herb plants in the soil. With containers that do not drain, like Mason jars, you need the layer of activated charcoal to prevent the roots from rotting. Be careful not to overwater. If possible, drill holes in the bottoms of the jars. The author of the post that I link to here doesn?t mention the activated charcoal, but my experience with planting terrariums tells me that it is important to water moderately and to put a layer of false drainage, like activated charcoal, underneath the soil. Photo by Home Repair Tutor, a Pittsburgh handyman.

Creative Cain Cabin via Hometalk.com.

Mini kitchen herb garden with bunting: The lovely Dawn from Creative Cain Cabin posted this project, which is an attractive kitchen herb garden in an enameled metal tub. To make an herb garden like hers, thickly plant herbs in a rectangular trough, place the trough on a small plastic container in a large metal tub. That?s it! Make sure that your garden gets plenty of sun. Rotate to expose all sides of the plants to equal amounts of sun.

Crafts a la Mode via Hometalk.com

Shoe bag vertical garden: An over-door shoe rack or magazine holder makes a perfect ?frame? for a vertical garden. Fill the pockets with potting soil, and tuck plants into the soil. This is a very space-efficient way to grow a garden, and the idea for using an over-door magazine holder comes from Two Succulent Sisters via Crafts a la Mode.

Whether you are remodeling your deck and want to create an herb garden on it, or if you are starting a garden on your kitchen windowsill, you can use these three ideas for small herb gardens to maximize your space while growing delicious herbs.

Related:
Offbeat Gardening: 10 Creative Container Ideas

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/three-easy-small-herb-garden-ideas.html

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Kim Kardashian and Family in Greece: They're on a Boat!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/kim-kardashian-and-family-in-greece-theyre-on-a-boat/

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

CA-BUSINESS Summary

Still stuck on central-bank life support

LONDON (Reuters) - Five years after the onset of the global financial crisis, the world economy is in such a chronic condition that the European Central Bank might cut interest rates this week and the Federal Reserve is likely to indicate no let-up in the stimulus it is providing the U.S. economy. With the euro zone economy in recession, momentum is building for the ECB to lower interest rates for the first time since July 2012, according to senior sources involved in the deliberations.

Deutsche Bank has "zero tolerance" for tax evaders: CEO

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank has "zero tolerance" for customers seeking to evade taxes by holding assets in foreign accounts managed by the lender, Co-Chief Executive Juergen Fitschen told German radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk. "Tax evasion is a crime," Fitschen said in an interview. "It's unacceptable."

Japan's ANA takes its first 787 back into the air since grounding

TOKYO (Reuters) - All Nippon Airways , the Japanese launch customer for Boeing Co's 787, flew its first Dreamliner in more than three months on Sunday to test reinforced batteries installed by the U.S. aircraft maker. The ANA flight was the second by an airline since aviation regulators on Friday gave permission for 787 operations to restart after batteries on two of them overheated in mid January. One was on an ANA plane in Japan and another on a Japan Airlines jet parked at Boston's Logan airport.

U.S. Steel locks out workers at Lake Erie in Canada: union

TORONTO (Reuters) - United States Steel Corp has locked out all unionized employees at its Lake Erie works in Canada, the United Steelworkers union said on Sunday. The move, part of a contract dispute, affects nearly 1,000 workers at the Nanticoke, Ontario plant, which produced about 10 percent of U.S. Steel's raw steel output in 2012.

Abu Dhabi plans financial free zone, may resemble Dubai

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - The oil-rich emirate of Abu Dhabi is putting finishing touches to plans to establish a financial free zone that could resemble, and therefore compete with, the Dubai International Financial Centre, sources familiar with the matter said. A federal decree was passed by the United Arab Emirates' President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan in February to create the area, known as the Abu Dhabi World Financial Market, on Al Maryah island, the sources told Reuters.

Dell investors may still gain after Blackstone pullout: Barron's

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dell shareholders could still stand to profit even after Blackstone Group LP withdrew its bid to buy the world's No. 3 personal computer maker more than a week ago, Barron's said on Sunday. On April 19, Blackstone's move knocked Dell shares to a two-month low and narrowed the fight for Dell between activist investor Carl Icahn and the company's founder Michael Dell and Silver Lake Partners, the newspaper said.

Analysis: China's 4G bonanza to shake up mobile gear vendor market

STOCKHOLM/PARIS (Reuters) - Chinese telecom operators will start awarding contracts for super-fast mobile networks this year, kicking off the third wave of a global investment cycle that is reshaping the competitive landscape among telecom equipment makers. China, the world's biggest mobile market with 1.1 billion subscribers, is likely to further alter the picture at the expense of European suppliers by giving a huge boost to Huawei and its smaller Chinese rival ZTE .

Italian court rejects Nomura seizure order: sources

SIENA, Italy (Reuters) - An Italian judge has rejected an order to seize around 1.8 billion euros ($2.3 billion) of assets from Nomura as part of a probe into suspected fraud involving troubled lender Monte dei Paschi di Siena , legal sources said on Saturday. Assets worth 140 million euros that were already seized from the Japanese bank have been released under the judge's ruling, which was made on Friday, the judicial source said.

Vodafone investors want bigger bid or full takeover by Verizon

LONDON (Reuters) - Six major Vodafone investors said $100 billion was not enough for the British company's stake in its U.S. joint venture with Verizon Communications , and urged the latter to come up with an offer of at least $120 billion. Their comments followed a Reuters report on Wednesday that Verizon had hired advisers to prepare a possible $100 billion bid to buy Vodafone's 45 percent stake in their Verizon Wireless joint venture, likely to be structured as a roughly 50:50 cash and stock bid.

Renault hopes to have approval for Chinese plant by summer: CEO

PARIS (Reuters) - Renault-Nissan hopes to receive final approval from Beijing by the summer to build its first Renault plant in China, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said on Saturday. Ghosn had said last month he expected final government approval for the plant by the end of the year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-business-summary-012012257.html

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Talking Personal Finance with Helaine Olen: Parts 1 and 2 ? The ...

April 27th, 2013

Here are the first two segments of my interview with Helaine Olen regarding her book, Pound Foolish. You can see a more extensive interview with Olen, with arguably better production values, on Frontline?s the retirement gamble this week. RBC readers are familiar with my obsessions with personal finance, e.g. with this post.

In Part 1, we discuss how she got into this game, what it was like to do the Money Makeover feature for the Los Angeles Times. As I nod to project the wisdom of a sage and swig some diet soda, we discuss what I regard as the financial industry?s most basic dilemma: The best advice fits on a 3?5 index card and is available for free at the library.

We also discuss why divorce is bad for your financial health, and why trusting financial advisors is generally a bad idea, even if one assumes that this person is above ethical reproach. We note the false hopes placed in personal financial skills to offset stagnant wages for millions of Americans. Finally, we observe that Suze Orman isn?t one of the world?s greatest financial advisors, but she has found one of the world?s greatest sales gigs. At least Orman is less predatory than many of the other finance gurus.

In Part II, we start to get into the meat of things. We start by discussing the dinners for senior citizens, at which entrepreneurs sell rip-off variable annuities to seniors desperately (often fairly realistically) afraid that they will outlive their savings. As a warm-up, these salespeople predictably trash Social Security?the one solid source of annuitized wealth Americans can turn to in their retirement years.

I?m cross-posting this with the Incidental Economist. I?m doing so to compare the comment threads on the two sites.

Tags: personal finance, personal moment

Posted: Saturday, April 27th, 2013 at 6:00 am
Tags: personal finance, personal moment
11 Comments ?

Source: http://www.samefacts.com/2013/04/uncategorized/talking-personal-finance-with-helaine-olen-parts-1-and-2/

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Obesity may influence heart function through sex hormones

Apr. 27, 2013 ? New research suggests that changes in sex hormones as seen in obesity may have possible effects on the heart. The study by researchers from Belgium, presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Copenhagen, Denmark, suggests effects on heart function in healthy men with artificially raised estrogen levels and artificially lowered testosterone levels to mimic an obese state.

Estradiol, an estrogen, is primarily known as a female hormone but it also circulates at very low levels in men. Testosterone is converted to estradiol by the enzyme aromatase, the activity of which might be increased in obesity leading to raised estradiol and reduced testosterone.

To determine whether obesity might alter heart function via changes in sex hormones, Drs Maarten De Smet and colleagues at Ghent University in Belgium recruited 20 healthy men aged 20-40 and used an aromatase inhibitor and an estrogen patch to artificially alter the hormone levels to mimic sex hormone concentrations in obesity (high estradiol and low testosterone) vs contrast by an aromatase inhibitor (low estradiol, high testosterone). Prof Dr T De Backer, Cardiologist, assessed the heart function before and seven days after the intervention using ultrasonographic imaging with strain analysis, which measures the deformation of the heart between the resting and contracted states.

The men with obesity-related changes in sex hormones exhibited altered heart function. At baseline the global circumferential strain was -17.1% +/-3.9, which decreased significantly to -14% +/-2.5 (p=0.01). The contrasting group did not show any difference.

By artificially altering sex hormones in a small number of healthy men, Drs De Smet and colleagues have shown that an altered sex hormone profile as seen in obesity might be relevant for heart function. Adequately powered clinical trials with sufficient duration may establish the role of sex hormones in the heart function of obese men.

Maarten De Smet, Masters student in Medicine at Ghent University, Belgium, and first author said:

"Obesity is a major contributor to heart disease. By giving an aromatase inhibitor and estrogen to healthy men we mimicked the effect of sex hormones in obesity alone, in isolation from the rest of the obese metabolic state.

"In order to pump blood around the body the heart must fill with blood and then contract, pushing the blood out. We found that after increasing the estrogen levels and decreasing the testosterone levels in men for one week the deformation of the left heart chamber was significantly altered.

"Because the contributing factors to obesity, as well as the underlying biology, are so complicated it's a real challenge to tease apart one single aspect, so we think this study is of particular interest. As these results are from a small number of healthy men over one week, we hope to investigate sex hormone changes and the heart in the obese in the long term."