Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Judge makes it obvious Lindsay Lohan could be in imprisonment lengthier

Lindsay Lohan is in trouble with the law again. She failed a drug test causing the actress to be called into court in Los Angeles. Lohan just lately spent 13 days of a 90-day sentence within the Los Angeles county jail, before being released for a 23-day stint in rehab at Ronald Reagan Memorial Hospital. The rehab didn’t quite work out for her. She was getting routine substance tests as part of her probation. She failed this specific one. The judge will get to decide what happens with her now.

Lohan substance test failed again

For the latest failed drug test, a Lindsay Lohan jail stay was inevitable. Lindsay Lohan does not seem so shy about her life, The Guardian reports. She tweeted on Twitter to her followers that she failed a drug test. Lindsay Lohan’s attorney was not anywhere to be seen. Neither was Dina Lohan or Ali Lohan. However, Michael Lohan told reporters that he would rather he were going to jail instead of Lindsay. Judge Elden Fox decided Lindsay should be in arrest and denied bail. Her next listening to will not be until October 22.

Problems from just before

The first round of lawful trouble for the previous child star began in 2007. Lohan was drunk and crashed an auto twice during that time, claims the Los Angeles Times. This is why she had to start going to therapy. She missed a number of alcohol education meetings which the court did not like that much. She also got in some trouble with cocaine after testing optimistic. She went to a three week rehabilitation program after being in jail two weeks. She was found to have ingested amphetamines during her mandatory drug screenings on her probation. Her July jail sentence will not have compared to how long she could be in arrest until October now.

Really mean judges

Most are mad that she is not being given bail until her listening to. Her dad is one of these people. This is something that has to be done. Clearly nothing else has worked yet.

Further reading

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/film/2010/sep/24/lindsay-lohan-jail-us-california

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/09/actress-lindsday-lohan-ordered-to-jail-for-violating-probation.html



Hype around brand new Wall Street movie equally large as the first

The brand new “Wall Street” movie has been drooled over for months. Lots of individuals are waiting for “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps”. The very first film was released, and partly inspired by, the stock market crash within the 1980s. The real estate crash of 2008 is the inspiration for the brand new film, as Michael Douglas returns to his Oscar winning role as Gekko. Both movies address unchecked greed and immoral trading within the realm of investment and high finance after scandal.

The brand new ‘Wall Street’

The more things change, the more they stay the exact same. The second film, equally the first, takes place in the midst of a financial crisis, and within the sequel, it is the real estate crisis of 2008. What is assumed is that notorious corporate raider Gordon Gekko is just being released from prison, as a result of events from the first film. Gekko is an iconic character, as it garnered generations of enthusiasts and an Oscar for Michael Douglas. Gekko, earning a living by giving lectures to students, is enlisted by his estranged daughters’ fiancĂ©, played by Shia LaBeouf, to bring about a corrupt hedge fund managers’ ruin. The movie, erroneously referred to as “Wall Street 2,” is supposed to be a story of redemption.

Actual Wall Street

The movie is just a movie. Most individuals on Wall Street really get that. A recent op-ed within the Wall Street Journal by Martin Fridson says that the film is great for conveying the outrage, the real causes of the crash are more complex. On the ABC site, a corporate lawyer who works on Wall Street also opined the film is good entertainment, but little more than that. Hollywood fudging the historical record for dramatic purposes isn’t exactly new. Stone is no stranger to this kind of criticism, and Wall Street heavyweights which were technical advisors lamented his liberal use of license over portraying the complexities of actual life.

Barrel ruined

The adage about bad apples spoiling the bunch is true. Many on Wall Street work incredibly ethically and unbelievably hard. If “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps” was about those sort of people, it wouldn’t sell numerous tickets.

Discover more information on this subject

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Business/films-taking-wall-street/story?id=11712654 and page=3

Wall Street Journal

blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2010/09/24/a-wall-street-veteran-on-wall-street-2/



Tuesday, September 28, 2010

iPhone rivals battle over leftovers as Apple gorges on earnings

Apple rules cellular industry with a percentage of a share of the market

Apple’s iPhone is causing outrage within the cellular market with its outrageous performance. Apple’s focus on an exclusive product and prestigious brand has allowed the company to claim more earnings than all its major rivals combined, with a mere fraction of a share of the market. Even “Antennagate,” which could have killed many handsets, couldn’t stop Apple from setting sales records with the iPhone 4. Even with Android on the rise, cellular industry analysts say Apple’s iPhone is so lucrative it’s unlikely the business feels threatened. Resource for this article – Apple dominates mobile industry with a fraction of market share by Newystype.com.

Apple has got the golden affect

The iPhone has always attracted a great deal of media attention. But the true nature of Apple’s money-making machine was detailed by Fortune on CNN.com. Apple stock was given a “buy” rating and a $ 356 per share price target by Canaccord Genuity, a fund market analysis firm. The experts used data about Apple’s performance to back up its advice to buy the company’s stock. The company sold 17 million iPhones within the first half of 2010–a 3 percent a share of the market. The three biggest cell phone makers within the world, Samsung, Nokia and LG, dominated with a combined 400 million units sold. Apple, however, won the game by collecting 39 percent of total market profits. Apple left its heavyweight rivals competing among themselves for 32 percent. The significance of Apple’s performance was put in context by Canaccord Genuity. As a rule, cell phone manufacturers are lucky to make 10 percent operating margins, or any profit at all.! It’s estimated that Apple makes about 50 percent gross margin and more than 30 percent operating margin for its iPhone.

What’s powering Apple’s business design?

Producing 3 percent of an industry’s products for making almost 40 percent of the industry’s profit was unheard of until Apple came along with the iPhone. Apple has far outgained its rivals with more than slick marketing campaigns, according to Jason Mick at Daily Tech. A big factor is the carrier iPhone owners love to hate. Apple has wrought an exceedingly rich contract from AT and T, who’s using the iPhone to gain customers. Apple also leverages the operating system to gain cost efficiencies from a lesser grade of hardware. Apple also drives a hard bargain with its manufacturers. This strategy gives Apple plenty of money to innovate within the battle against Android. Beating Android, Mick said, probably isn’t at the top of Apple’s list. Continuing to impress loyal iPhone users is enough to keep Apple where it wants to be.

The iPhone’s momentum increases

Apple has been able to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction despite Antennagate. The media’s flogging of “Death Grip” reception interference failed to choke off sales of the iPhone 4G. When Consumer reports tested the iPhone reception problem and said it could not recommend the iPhone, Apple bashers reacted with glee. Recently, the magazine reiterated its position on the product. However the iPhone marches on. According to Computerworld, the J.D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction rankings for smartphones lists the iPhone at the top of the list—its fourth consecutive first place finish.

More on this topic

CNN

CNN.com

Daily Tech

dailytech.com

Computerworld

computerworld.com



Miami hostage scenario at Coral Gables Bank - Explosive device remains

There were hostages taken near Miami today. The situation was in the Coral Gables, Florida Bank of America. It is possible that there was a kidnapping linked to this Miami hostage situation. Investigations into the connection could be ongoing. All hostages had left the building less than four hours following the scenario started. Post resource – Miami hostage situation at Coral Gables Bank – Bomb remains by Personal Money Store.

Hostages kept at Coral Gables
Thursday night, there was a kidnapping associated with the Coral Gables Bank of America heist. An explosive device was strapped to the person who was kidnapped. That person entered the Coral Gables bank. At 8 a.m., officials were notified of the Miami-area hostage situation and began their response. U.S. 1 in both directions, Metrorail, the nearby University of Miami, and two elementary schools were all locked down during the response.

Coral Gables Bank robbery linked to home attack the night before

The bank robbery in Miami has been connected to a home invasion on Thursday — an attack that might have also been a kidnapping. Police are on the lookout for two individuals driving a red Mustang. It was a Coral Gables Bank of America employee that was strapped to the bomb. Nobody is certain yet if those responsible for this crime actually entered the bank. There is no word yet if the crime at the Coral Gables Bank of America was a financial institution robbery. It is possible the bomb and Miami hostage situation were intended to create a distraction.

Bomb diffused following the Miami hostage situation ended

The Miami-area Coral Gables Bank of America has confirmed that several individuals were held hostage during the situation. The last hostage left Coral Gables Bank relatively easily. By 11:20 a.m., every person had exited the structure. However, FBI and police confirm the bomb squad is still on the scene. The bomb, which was originally reported as strapped to the kidnapped employee, may still be inside the Coral Gables bank. Until everything was declared safe, the highways, public transportation, and schools were all kept closed.

Further reading

Miami Herald

miamiherald.com/2010/09/24/1840420/police-hostage-situation-at-coral.html

CBS

cbs4.com/local/bank.robbery.coral.2.1929612.html



Monday, September 27, 2010

Is the Sugarhouse Casino going to be a negative friend?

The casino that has been in the works for the Delaware River, the Sugarhouse Gambling establishment, opened its doors. This mega-casino received one of the five licenses awarded in December of 2006. While the Sugarhouse Casino is expected to bring in billions of dollars of gaming taxes, there is still debate. Some groups who have been speaking against the casino are now planning on ways to lower business at the new facility.

The Sugarhouse Casino faces strong opposition

Residents have expressed concern about the possibility of a casino ever since the license was granted. Groups ranging from the Philadelphia Neighborhood Alliance, the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association and Casino Free Philadelphia argued the Sugarhouse Gambling establishment would create crime, noise, pollution and companies that offer payday loans no faxing and other forms of credit. Casino Free Philadelphia organized a candlelight vigil at the opening of the Sugarhouse Casino to “voice sadness for individuals who organizers say are sure to gamble away their savings”.

Helping the economic climate with Sugarhouse Casino

Most residents who live near the new casino have said they are happy to have it open. Schools, veterans’ services, sports programs, and arts programs have all already benefitted from the cash the gambling establishment has paid out. Over 900 individuals have been hired by the Sugarhouse Casino, including 800 full-time employees.

What’s next for the Sugarhouse Gambling establishment

The casino is smaller than the original strategies integrated, however that doesn’t mean there aren’t big strategies. Future plans for the Sugarhouse Casino contain a parking garage, luxury hotel and spa. Opponents of the casino vow to start campaigns aimed at reducing the number of customers and revenue coming in to the new area business. Though the majority are concerned about this new “dangerous friend,” the industrial-area casino may very well prove to be a severely necessary financial stimulus.

Discover more information on this subject

My Fox Philly

myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/sugar-hpuse’s-pledge-to-keep-area-safe

Philly.com

philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20100921_SugarHouse_Casino_opens_this_week_in_Philly_to_hoopla_and_harrumphs.html?page=2 and c=y



The debate to keep the V8

When getting a car, you will find a lot of things you should always think about. One of them is fuel productivity. You need to always be mindful of what you’ll save at the pump when selecting a new car. The car industry definitely knows that. The bestselling cars in the world are small sedans with 4 cylinder or small 6 cylinder engines. Believe it or not, some autos can actually get good gas mileage with an 8 cylinder.

Easy science

Fuel efficiency, or gas mileage, is related to a simple principle of physics. It is called mechanical efficiency. Simply put, mechanical efficiency is the ratio of the energy used to achieve a task. The result tells you something. More energy used, equals less efficiency. The equation is easy:

Efficiency = Input/Output

In other words, a small engine that has to do more work than a larger engine for the same task could be a lesser amount of mechanically efficient. Thus, it will not perform as well. Performance affects other things. One of the large ones is gas mileage.

Larger is far better

The reason for a V8 is simple, in that they produce more horsepower. That said, motors that large aren’t used as widely too much anymore. Most applications for V8 engines are in already large cars. The Chevy Silverado 1500 has a V8 and gets 15 mpg. Nevertheless, here comes the twist. The Corvette has the same 6.2 L V8. Nevertheless, this is where the difference comes in. The Corvette gets 26 mpg. There is a good reason for it. The Corvette has a lesser amount of weight to pull.

{A lesser amount of work is also less strain|Efforts additionally is strain|Less effort means simpler efforts|Simpler signifies less stressful work|A lesser amount of strain equals more productivity

In a larger car, say a minivan or mid size SUV, if the car is pulling the driver and a full passenger and gear load, the gas mileage will actually drop drastically with the smaller, less-powerful engine. This benefit is realized by vehicles smaller than a full size, as the engine will not have to work as hard to pull the load and therefore be more efficient. The work and tension also signifies greater damage, so a more efficient engine also means a longer lifetime.

Additional reading

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_advantage



Sunday, September 26, 2010

Automakers urge EPA to wait on ethanol research

Dependence on foreign oil is a hot topic, however it’s not a new one. Each president since Jimmy Carter has said something about yet. Ethanol is one of the many substitute fuels that have been suggested. Most gas stations use E10, or a 10 percent ethanol mixture, within the gas they sell already. The decision of whether to approve E15, or a 15 percent ethanol gas solution, is being weighed by the EPA. There isn’t really a good deal of science out on it yet. That is why auto makers are urging the EPA to hold off on deciding.

EPA and E15

Currently, the EPA is finding out what it can concerning the launch of E15. E15 is an ethanol-gas solution, contained 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gas. The Department of Energy is testing the effects of E15 on cars that are no older than 10 years, according to Popular Mechanics. However, with 88 percent of all cars on the road being 10 years old or older, this is not probably the most realistic testing group. The Auto Alliance, a consortium of car manufacturers, has advised the Environmental Protection Agency not for making any ruling on E15 until Auto Alliance studies have been completed. At least one study, by engineering group Ricardo, Inc., found that E15 has no harmful effects on autos older than 10 years.

From tippling to the track

Ethanol is a portmanteau of the name of the compound ethyl alcohol. In other words, ethanol is booze. It is a flammable and combustible chemical. According to Wikipedia, the drawback to using ethanol is that it has about 34 percent less energy per unit of volume than gasoline. This has a noticeable impact. An ethanol only engine will use about 50 percent more fuel than a gasoline engine. However, parity with gas power could be achieved by increasing the compression, and making the engine more powerful. However, ethanol as a fuel has not been proven to achieve greater fuel efficiency, or miles per gallon, than gasoline has.

Unintended consequences

Use of ethanol is not likely to be totally curtailed. Grain has been a gasoline crop for a while, and will continue. However, ethanol will never be able to supplant gasoline as a fuel. Grain will become more scarce, and therefore increase in price should much more of the grain harvest be converted to fuel. Cheap grain is more essential in the long run. Civilization itself is only made possible with cheap and abundant grain.

More on this topic

Popular Mechanics

popularmechanics.com/cars/alternative-fuel/biofuels/renewable-fuels-association-urges-epa-to-approve-e15-for-older-vehicles?click=pm_news

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel



Friday, September 24, 2010

The federal government definitely won't be fully compensated with General Motors Initial Public Offering

From riches to rags to riches again is the story that appears to be about General Motors. Two different governments had to loan GM billions, and now the business is posting profits again. GM did just a little retooling while in bankruptcy, divesting the brands that weren’t performing as well as expected. There is also a change being made in leadership. Despite the company having started a return to health, it still owes a hefty sum to the federal government. Time is going to tell if General Motors can pay off the loans following the Initial Public Offering, though General Motors leadership doesn’t think so.

GM will owe after IPO

General Motors has had a busy summer. The business got a new CEO, and announced it would file for an initial public offering. The company ended up filing for one, proving it was not just a boast. The taxpayers are nevertheless technically majority owners, as 61 percent of GM stock is held by the Treasury. In order to pay off the government, those shares have to be sold on the market to investors. However, according to the New York Times, GM is not all that sure it will completely repay the loans. There is a slight catch.

General Motors requires a track record first

GM has to prove that two quarters of optimistic numbers is not a fluke. The company needs more of a reputation. The new CEO of General Motors, Daniel Akerson, thinks it can be a couple of years before GM can repay the Treasury safely. He told a group of reporters at a recent press briefing that the auto conglomerate needs to build a history of solid performance again until the federal government shares can be fully divested.

A long road ahead

General Motors has pared itself down to four core brands, being Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC. The change in leadership though, was precisely what Ed Whitacre had said all along.

More on this topic

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/17/business/17auto.html?ref=automobiles



Thursday, September 23, 2010

September 17 is Citizenship Day and Constitution Day

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day Sept 17

Schools across the United States today are devoting at least a portion of the day to teach pupils about the Constitution of the U.S. on this, the 223rd anniversary of the document getting signed. Reported by Fox News, public educational facilities are all getting funding from the government to do these courses this year. The law made from the late West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd has been in effect since 2004 making it so September 17 will always be recognized as “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day”.

Constitution Day and its roots

In 1940, Congress worked with President Franklin Roosevelt to start “I Am an American Day.” This day was meant to celebrate those who had received United States of America citizenship and was celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of May. The date was moved to September 17 and renamed “Citizenship Day” by Congress in 1952. Employees of the government had to learn of the Constitution and educational institutions had to have Constitution depending education if receiving funds on Sept 17 as a result of the law Byrd passed in 2004.

Celebrating the time of the Constitution

University and federal locaters have many seminars from coast to coast. Speeches, panel discussions, interactive presentations, films and patriot parties are just a sampling of what curious Americans can enjoy on Constitution Day. “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart is publicizing his rally – which really doesn’t occur until October – but its focus on reason seems appropriate on Constitution Day. Expect 9/11 to be brought up frequently.

President Obama has the right to celebrate Constitution Week

For the second time in his presidency, Barack Obama has kicked off Constitution Week (Sept. 17 through Sept. 23) with a call to recognize the rights we hold as citizens. ”I encourage federal, state, and local officials, also as leaders of civic, social, and educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies and courses that acknowledge our Constitution and reaffirm our rights and obligations as citizens of this great Nation,” is what President Obama said through the conference.

Discover more details on this subject

Bryd’s Law

frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&docid=Cite: 36USC106

Fox News

foxnews.com/politics/2010/09/17/federal-schools-universities-celebrate-constitution-day/

U.S. Department of Education Constitution Day

ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/constitutionday.html

Indoctrinate your kids well… and know they love you

youtube.com/watch?v=JNvYIT-GtM0



There might be man powered cars on the roads soon

In the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon “The Flintstones,” automobiles were all powered by foot. The first car driven by man power on a large scale was the bicycle. There hasn’t been a titanic amount of improvement on that basic mechanism. Some slight changes have been made. There is a fairly large break through that’s about to be hitting town roads. A design firm out of Oregon has come up with a car that can sustain speeds of about 30 mph, with electric assistance. The vehicle can give you a workout and get you around without needing to fill it up. Source of article – Human- powered cars aren’t just for the Flintstones by Car Deal Expert.

The HumanCar

Charles Greenwood saw the opportunity for a human powered car for urban applications within the late ’60s. Since then, he has worked with a team of designers and other engineers coming up with car that can operate at motor car speeds without a gas engine. The automobile also provides a great workout, and produces zero emissions. You will find already 100 orders in. According to the Daily Mail, once orders hit 800 full production will start. The business has already done the math. Once full capacity production begins, it will already be profitable.

Rowing a customer base

The driving action is more rowing than pedaling. The HumanCar Imagine PS will very easily hold at 25 to 30 mph, however experimental models have been clocked at 60 mph. It seats four, however if fewer than three individuals are aboard, the motor could be used as a boost. Turning is done by leaning. Greenwood is older than 60 and routinely drives one, and part of the testing was using senior citizens to drive it, according to the HumanCar website, so it is not solely for the uber-fit.

Old ideas still work

The HumanCar is a good concept for neighborhood range trips. The DOT has already given it the seal of approval for exactly those purposes. This is not in any way the first foray into advanced human powered vehicles. Other things like man run airplanes like the Gossamer Condor and Gossamer Albatross are cool, however have no consumer purpose. Interestingly, “The Flintstones” may have inspired a vehicle for the future.

Further reading

Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/motoring/article-1304120/The-human-powered-car-reach-speeds-60mph.html

Human Car

humancar.com/index.htm



Sunday, September 19, 2010

Bundy alleges assault, gets order barring Sharpe

First accounts from sources like Sports by Brooks indicate that former NFL good Shannon Sharpe has stepped down from his co-host position on the Columbia Broadcasting System sports program “NFL Today”. Bundy, who’s evidently Sharpe’s girlfriend, was given a protective order in Fulton County Superior Court based upon what court documents indicate was “family violence” between the two. No crime has been filed against Sharpe at the present time. Sharpe has stepped away from television work in order to deal with the accusation.

Michele Bundy states Sharpe sexually assaulted her

In Sharpe’s 10th case against him in Fulton County Superior Court records since 1994 (all involving previous partners), Michele Bundy claims the previous Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens star confronted her life and forced her to submit to sexual intercourse. Columbia Broadcasting System has remained silent in regards to Bundy’s states, and all Shannon Sharpe has said around the matter publicly is that he will clear up lawful matters before returning to “NFL Today”. In the meantime, he can also spend more time dealing with his ongoing child support struggle with a woman by the name of Melinda Wilson. In 2004, Erika Evans – the mother of one of Sharpe’s children – filed a misdemeanor battery charge towards him, but the court charge was dropped in favor of dispute mediation.

Sharpe could play football, at the very least

Shannon Sharpe’s chances for election to the National Football Hall of Fame could possibly be harmed, but not postponed indefinitely, suggests Bleacher Report. His achievements as a player are unquestioned, and he has come close to being elected in each of his first two years of eligibility. Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs may have amassed stats more gaudy than Shannon Sharpe’s, however that shouldn’t keep him out of the Hall.

Rejecting a morals clause

What should the NFL do – if anything – regarding a morals clause within the HOF selection process? Current bylaws specifically state that only a player’s on-field accomplishments should be considered when the question of enshrinement is on the table. Lawrence Taylor made it in 1999, and he certainly hasn’t led a clean life away from the field. He isn’t the kind of person you’d hang out with, particularly if you were are underage female, but he absolutely nailed ball carriers and quarterbacks with his bone-rattling tackles.

When National Football Hall of Fame election time comes around again on Feb. 5, 2011, Sharpe will once more be a serious candidate for election. Will he take it to the house, or nevertheless be within the doghouse for off-field choices?

Further reading

Bleacher Report

bleacherreport.com/articles/463238-shannon-sharpe-leaves-cbs-where-now

Sports by Brooks

sportsbybrooks.com/restraining-order-issued-against-shannon-sharpe-28968



Nursing: Too expensive to be without, say experts

The not-so hidden cost of evading breastfeeding

Conventional logic suggests that if there were an easy, all-natural way to reduce health care expenses, such a restoration method should right away be utilized. However, as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when three-quarters of infants born within the United States take their first meals via nursing, the rate plummets after 6 months, which runs contrary to CDC Healthy People standards. Medical experts believe that this breastfeeding reduction increases pediatric costs dramatically, as children who do not breastfeed have been proven to be more susceptible in general to a variety of diseases that have contributed to increased rates of infant mortality.

Nutritious People are a product of nursing

”Meeting the national breastfeeding initiation goal is a good accomplishment in women’s and children’s overall health, however we have more work ahead,” said Dr. William Dietz of the CDC to Medpage Today. That work is made clear by CDC study findings: 57 percent of U.S. babies are no longer nursing at six months, and 78 percent are done by one year.

Nursing in troubled waters

State-to-state nursing rates were tracked by a 2007 CDC Nutritious People study. To give an idea of the degree of variance, 90 percent of infants in Utah were found to breastfed regularly, when only 53 percent liked such bonding time with mom in Mississippi. State support for breastfeeding policies are a substantial part of the study. A total of 21 states had no breastfeeding-friendly amenities for mothers and kids, and numerous others had hospitals that scored low in maternity care and nursing instruction. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there has been improvement on the legislative level since the 2007 CDC study, but there remain states that do not have specific laws guarding the right to breastfeed outside the home in an area other than a cramped restroom. Speaking of disdain, so long as a popular site like Facebook takes a stance against breastfeeding photos on decency grounds, The United States is in puritanical trouble. Infant formula mak! ers certainly do not object, although people who care might protest as they are with the international Nestlé boycott.

No nursing is a costly choice

According to Dr. Melissa Bartick of Harvard Medical School and Arnold Reinhold of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, the growing absence of colostrum-rich breast milk in children’s diets has caused pediatric costs to skyrocket. Their report in the journal Pediatrics states that “$3.6 billion could possibly be saved if breastfeeding rates were increased to levels of the Healthy People objectives”. That was depending on 2001 details. The authors update the study, with startling results. For kids six months and younger who are fed exclusively via nursing, Bartick and Reinhold found that if there was at least 90 percent compliance (the Healthy Individuals recommended minimum), the United States of America could now save “$13 billion per year and prevent an excess of 911 deaths, nearly all of which would be in infants”.

What about infant formula? While inferior to breast milk in terms of disease prevention and growth promotion, it is also costly. There might be medical reasons why a mother cannot breastfeed, in which case formula is OK, even if it is too costly for Americans who need money. Needing pay day loans for infant formula powder isn’t a good place to be, financially.

Further reading

Pediatrics

pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-1616v1

CDC Breast Feeding Report Card

cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/BreastfeedingReportCard2010.pdf

Medpage Today

medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/22162

National Conference of State Legislatures

ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14389

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_milk



Saturday, September 18, 2010

Government brass burns over book by ex-DIA

”Operation Dark Heart” is a publication that joins a growing list of titles that have benefitted from attempted censorship. This time it comes courtesy of the Pentagon. Pentagon reviewers contend that “Operation Dark Heart” is far too candid a documentary in areas deemed vital to the defense of the nation. To prevent its release, the DOD would like to dip into its bottomless well of taxpayer dollars, purchase every existing copy and subsequently burn them.

Documentary said to be safety threat

“Operation Dark Heart” is by Anthony A. Shaffer, a previous Defense Intelligence Agency officer and at the moment a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve. It is pages bear his personal recollections from five months in 2003 when he served as a DIA officer billeted at Bagram Air base in Kabul, Afghanistan. ”Operation Dark Heart was initial reviewed by the Army in January. The New York Times reports that the publication was given a clean bill of health at the time. St. Martin’s Press, Shaffer’s publisher, went ahead with an Aug. 31 release date. However not until July did the DIA peruse the manuscript and announce that classified information was revealed. By then, a number of dozen copies of the book had already been sent out to reviewers and online booksellers.

9/11 content brings censorship

Material in “Operation Dark Heart” deemed classified included passages about an operation Shaffer was involved in called “Able Danger” that he claims ferreted out hijacker Mohammed Atta long before the September 11 attacks. Fox News reports that an account by Shaffer where he said he informed the 9/11 Commission that Able Danger had fingered Atta in 2000, was one of the targets for Pentagon censors. Atta flew one of the planes into the twin towers and is known as the leader of the hijackers. The Defense Department said Shaffer had no proof for his claims in a subsequent report.

censors get burnt by bestselling publication

The Pentagon and St. Martin’s press are working things out. Censors plan on paying the publisher for the entire first run of the book. The Washington Post reports that the Pentagon’s plan is to destroy all 10,000 copies. A second printing, without passages disputed by the DIA, is being prepared by St. Martin’s press. Meanwhile, 10,000 copies languish in a warehouse, awaiting their ultimate fate. The Amazon hot seller list has “Operation Dark Heart” at #19. For those who have wondered why it’s listed as “temporarily out of stock,” now you know.

Further reading

New York Times

nytimes.com

Fox News

foxnews.com

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com



Several worried about MERS boosting mortgage procedure

America’s housing problems was caused by numerous factors. MERS is one of the reasons numerous are hiding. According to the Nolan Chart LLC mortgage industry blog, MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration System) is an organization that enables the Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) industry to pass over rules concerning recording and transferring title when a property changes hands. Fannie Mae, within the mid-1990s, created MERS. It was meant to be the middle person, not counting homebuyers, for the party involved in the mortgage. All MERS transactions are online. Thus, as mortgages are bundled, bought and sold at the speed of the MERS electronic network, there is certainly convenience. half of the U.S. home loans are now owned by the United States treasury as it is now owns Fannie Mae. Now, several wonder why MERS, as a business that pays nothing on the home loan, is listed on the mortgage loan or if it is even legal. Resource for this article – MERS speeds up mortgage process, yet raises serious concerns by Personal Money Store.

No paper trail when numerous suspicious of MERS

The most significant question raised by the operation of MERS, particularly as it relates to potential mortgage fraud, is whether the company should be able to listen itself on electronic mortgage documents, as MERS has neither paid for any property nor represented the mortgage holder in any tangible legal way. In history, legal transaction would take place with old methods of mortgage processing documentation while now mortgage loan industry critics don’t like the streamlined method of recordkeeping that MERS does. Nolan Chart reports that critics are legally concerned about MERS’ claim to represent 60 million mortgage cases. That’s over $10 trillion worth of mortgages, and it appears likely that a business like MERS – with little or no free market competition – can be hearing from the Supreme Court before long. Foreclosing on homes is a right many wonder whether or not MERS should really have. The law will choose the final decision.

State intervention creates a great deal of profit

Public funding does a lot to keep MERS where it is. Thus, argues Nolan Chart, the public has a right to be skeptical when little to no free market competition exists to regulate prices. The contract law loopholes that have allowed MERS to operate thus far have expedited the MBS. The industry helped with the U.S. housing crisis. It created the majority of the problems. MERS might need to be reined in by the highest court in the land for the long-term benefit of homebuyers nationwide.

Discover more details on this subject

Nolan Chart

nolanchart.com/article8006.html

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortgage-backed_security

Freddie Mac commercial on mortgage fraud

youtube.com/watch?v=cS2HsaBA5No



Tropical Storm Igor graded up to Hurricane Igor

Tropical storm, now Hurricane Igor headed for Bermuda

Each and every year, islands and North and South American landmass are battered by hurricanes. So far, the 2010 hurricane period has been thankfully mild. The weather systems currently in the Atlantic are beginning to get nastier, though. Several storm systems have been becoming large enough to be very dangerous. There is special concern over tropical storm Igor. Igor has been reclassified as Hurricane Igor. Bermuda is in the projected path of Igor, however Igor is nevertheless within the middle of the ocean. The path of Hurricane Igor isn’t really entirely known yet, however landfall in the United States doesn’t seem likely. Article source – Tropical storm Igor turns into Hurricane Igor by Personal Money Store.

The development of Hurricane Igor

Tropical Storm Igor was recently re-classified as Hurricane Igor. By Sept. 11, it had become large enough for the distinction of hurricane status. It was initially classified a Category Two storm, but easily became a Category Four, according to CNN. It is still a Category Four storm within the middle of the Atlantic. Thus far, it has not hit land anywhere and is over 800 miles away from the Leeward Islands, though it is heading within the direction of Bermuda. Tropical storm Julia is also within the Caribbean. Julia was briefly classified a Category One hurricane, but dropped off right away.

Eye around the storm

The storm is apparently keeping to the middle of the ocean, according to the Los Angeles Times. Hurricane Igor isn’t really heading explicitly for a land mass. It’s not known if the storm will make landfall anywhere. It is, though, moving in the direction of Bermuda. There is a strong chance Igor will become a Category Five storm. So far, no major advisories or warnings have been issued concerning the storm, but that may change soon. Hurricane Earl briefly approached the East coast of the United States and Canada, but headed back out to sea.

A while before 2010 hurricane season is over

Hurricane seasons typically last from June until November. This year has not been the worst, though storms have battered some areas. A number of hurricanes caused some damage and flooding on islands in the Caribbean, and Mexico was slashed by Hurricane Alex. Fatalities this year have been thankfully few. Most individuals who have perished due to hurricanes drowned due to rip currents.

Discover more details on this subject

CNN

cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/13/tropical.weather/index.html?hpt=T2

LA Times

latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sfl-hurricane-igor-path,,818029.story



American International Group makes more advances in paying off taxpayer installment loans

Of course, AIG borrowed cash through the bailout. It borrowed a lot more than many though. It was controversial that a $130 billion installment loans for bad credit from working class individuals was taken out by the insurance business. American International Group has shown advances. This gives hope. The company is meeting the Treasury to work out debt negotiation soon. Also, a number of billion have already been paid back. The business is set to convert the 80 percent in preferred shares the government holds to common shares, which would be sold for fast cash.

Treasury works with AIG for making payment plan

All businesses that got emergency loans from the government hope the balances can get to zero sooner or later. The government took 80 percent of preferred shares from AIG. This was in exchange for the $132 billion loan that came from taxpayers. American International Group has been selling sub-companies and creating capital. This is all being done with the hope the government can be repaid soon. USA Today explains that the Treasury office and AIG recently met to talk about payment plans. The company hopes that in two years, it could be debt free. That is the plan it has made.

Selling off stock

The company’s current plan is to sell stock. This should raise a lot of money. The government petty much owns American International Group right now. It has about 80 percent of the company’s preferred shares. There is less security in preferred shares than there is in security bonds although there are more dividends. The preferred shares the government holds would be converted to almost a 90 percent share of common stock, which would be offered by the government to investors. Should the stock price rise accordingly, the government will really turn a profit.

AIG keeps on fighting

More than $100 billion is still owed by AIG to the government. That is a lot of money to rise in two years, for any corporation. The company has been doing well in settling accounts, as non-essential divisions are sold off to other corporations.

Further reading

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/industries/insurance/2010-09-14-wsj-AIG_N.htm



Boeing racing with space tourism

There were plans announced to be within the mega-business of tourism in space, accounts Houston Chronicle, by Boeing. Boeing hopes to get some approval from Obama although it already got $20 billion in government subsidies for transatlantic aerospace travels, which the World Trade Organization judges said was a violation of international trade law. All the money was not enough as President Obama is getting new individuals to talk to. Now, the business wants the administration to increase funding for commercial spaceflight.

Boeing hopes that by 2015, numerous will enjoy space tourism

Boeing has large hopes for what it designs to do with the capsule CST-100 by 2015. It hopes that by that time, NASA can have a contract enabling astronauts to use the CST-100 to get the International Space Station. The amount of seats would allow tourists to come for the ride. The Chronicle reports the capsule is pretty big. The CST-100 will make it possible for Boeing to send humans to space, says the vice president and general manager of Boeing’s Space Exploration division, Brewster Shaw. Space Adventures, using Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft to book private flights to the International Space Station, is working with Boeing at present.

Despite the fact that Boeing has it all, it nevertheless has not won

In terms of revenue, orders and product, reports the Chronicle, Boeing is actually the largest aircraft manufacturer within the world. The prime contractor of the space station is Boeing. This adds to its credit. Before Boeing can get its greedy hands on space tourism, numerous things have to be figured out first. After 2011 when the space shuttle program ends, at least $18 million can be needed to make rockets and capsules to carry National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts to low-Earth orbit. Tourism in space would cost a lot more than that. We’re looking at high numbers. Other companies are competing for the business also, which should force Boeing to push hard.

Obama wants cash for commercial spacecraft from Congress

When it comes to seeing how much cash the U.S. government is willing to help pay for commercial space flights, numbers go quite fast. In five years, President Obama expects Congress to get enough cash. Congress is designed to be raising $6 billion. Senate most just lately has asked for $1.3 billion in three years when the House nevertheless hopes its three year plan of $150 million will work. We are seeing a huge financial disconnect. Each part of the government has its own priorities to work with. Boeing thinks it will move much slower towards space tourism without the money the President has asked for. We can get a good estimate of what the industry would cost by looking at how much is cost Cirque du Soleil founder, Guy Laliberte, to go to the International Space Station. He used the Soyuz and it cost $40 million.

Further reading

Houston Chronicle

chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7203076.html

Google Tech Talk on space tourism

youtube.com/watch?v=yJDKzodiDjE



Friday, September 17, 2010

Much more skin in the game will be exactly what the housing crisis has to cease

Weak financing standards created the real estate bubble; that resulted in the housing crisis, which in turn resulted in the property foreclosure crisis. The chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) thinks that the federal government has not learned from its mistakes yet. The financial reform debate ended in no requirement of adequate down payments on home loans. Subprime lending will probably happen again, according to federal housing agencies. Numerous think that the Federal Reserve is really hurting the crisis. They think the real solution to the crisis is to let natural consequences and correction takes place. Resource for this article – More skin in the game a key to preventing another housing turmoil by Personal Money Store.

What do we want; skin in the game or loan performance?

Federal regulators should tighten lending rules for home mortgages in the United States, according to Sheila Bair, chairman of the FDIC. ”Common sense” rules were the suggestion Bair maid to CNBC. These rules would contain a larger down payment on homes when also making sure the borrower can prove to be able to pay back the mortgage. She said there was a strong correlation between “skin within the game” and loan performance. The more cash down a borrower is required to pay, the less likely they can be to walk away from the house. Stricter income documentation, criteria to repay higher and more skin in the game will help move forward from the housing situation.

Hoping for subprime lending redux

Weak lending standards brought down the economy, however the government nevertheless doesn’t get it, as outlined by Edward Pinto at Bloomberg. The Obama administration and Congress certainly don’t want to fix the broken underwriting since last July the Dodd-Fran bill was signed into law, writes Pinto. There was no amendment added to the financial reform bill saying that a minimum down-payment would be required with a credit history consideration and a “prudent underwriting” standard added. This made it possible for low income borrowers with low credit scores to have homes accessible to them. Pinto said the brand new policies are riskier than those resulting within the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac taxpayer bailout.

Dealing with the problem

The current government reaction to the housing crisis will extend today’s troubles to the future, as outlined by Bill Bonner at the Christian Science Monitor. Bonner states the government ignores the issue by just giving out money and credit too numerous who don’t deserve it. The United States of America financial system is holding hundreds of billions in mortgage debt that probably will not be repaid. The Federal Reserve is saying the mortgage debt it is holding on to is an “asset..” Bonner thinks that market correction is the real solution. The government is just trying to stay from that. He thinks the government will continue to finance much more mistakes while still paying for old mistakes. It does this when all along pretending nothing is going on. But how long will it be until the cash runs out?

Additional reading

CNBC

cnbc.com/id/39074467

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-08/subprime-2–is-coming-soon-to-suburb-near-you-commentary-by-edward-pinto.html

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Business/The-Daily-Reckoning/2010/0909/Extend-and-pretend



Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Lennon assassin Chapman has parole denied

You will find some people who have committed especially notorious criminal offenses. As a result, they will never again breathe the free air. Chapman is just such an individual, like Manson or Sirhan Sirhan. Chapman was the person who brutally shot John Lennon to death at point blank range on Dec. 7, 1980 outside Lennon’s apartment building, the Dakota. This year, Chapman became eligible for parole again. There was no parole given, as the parole board was not satisfied in his rehabilitation. There will not be a huge protest of his further incarceration in all likelihood. Article source – John Lennon killer Mark David Chapman turned down for parole by Personal Money Store.

Mark David Chapman early release rejected

According to ABC, Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He began his sentence in 1981, after pleading guilty to the second degree murder of Lennon. His first attempt for early release, in 2000, was not successful. He has been able to reapply for early release every second year after that. He applied again for early release this year. The early release board was not satisfied the community would be well served by his release, and rejected his early release for the sixth time. There has always been vociferous opposition to him being of course early release, especially by Yoko Ono, the late John Lennon’s wife.

Catcher within the deranged mind’s eye

One of the disturbing things about Mark David Chapman is his obsession with “The Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger. The book, and the primary character Holden Caulfield, were claimed by Chapman to be the prime motivations for why he murdered one of the Beatles, and one of the greatest popular music figures of all time. The focus point of the book is the angst of Caulfield. He is disillusioned with the phoniness he finds in social institutions and adult life. The novel gained cult status, and it is has been associated with multiple assassinations. For example, John Hinckley Jr. was also a fan of the book. He attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. Chapman is considered to have mental health issues which are significant, so it’s not as if a normal person can be driven to kill by reading this book.

Better if this bird does not fly

The murder of John Lennon by Mark David Chapman was one of one of the most infamous criminal offenses in the last few decades. Chapman was turned down by the parole board, as outlined by CNN, since the board felt he just didn’t get the gravitas of his crime. He is up for parole again in August of 2012.

Additional reading

CNN

cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/07/new.york.chapman.early release.hearing/index.html

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=11580349



Tuesday, September 14, 2010

No Heisman allowed after Scandal with Reggie Bush

Reggie Bush was on top of the college football world at the USC in 2005. Bush’s gridiron excellence – which earned him the Heisman Trophy – was not enough to carry his team past Texas within the title game, but his brilliance was evident. But none of this prepared University of Southern California for what was soon to come. A Reggie Bush scandal involving pro agents sent the NCAA Committee on Infractions into motion. For accepting money and gifts from two professional agents, Bush and his family violated NCAA rules for amateur athletes. The 2005 Heisman Trophy was forfeiture. For USC, the 2005 season is now unofficially memoria non grata – an unwelcome memory.

Scandal with Reggie Bush ensues him to the National football league

Under investigation for the Scandal with Reggie Bush, University of Southern California waited with baited breath for four years for the NCAA Committee on Infractions to rule. USC is now under probation and can’t participate in bowl games for four years. Not only that, however Southern Cal loses 30 athlete scholarships over the next three seasons. The brand new York Daily News reports the NCAA has agreed to allow current and prospective University of Southern California players under letter of intent to renege and transfer without being penalized. Some players have jumped ship and more may follow, leaving new USC head coach Lane Kiffin with his work cut out for him.

'Like free agency without a cap on salary’

Coach Kiffin likened USC’s current situation with players and recruits to free agency in college football, which technically does not exist, as players must not be paid if they’re to maintain their amateur standing (and hence eligibility to play under NCAA rules). ”We’re dealing with free agency with no salary cap on our players,” Kiffin told the media. ”They can leave anytime to go anywhere and they can play right away. There’s no cut-off date until following the final day of add-drop. It makes for a difficult situation”.

USC desires a fast start to this year’s season will erase doubts

Matt Barkley, USC’s promising sophomore quarterback, may be able to help USC overcome adversity in 2010. However, media scrutiny will be intense as the school tries to pick up the pieces following the Scandal with Reggie Bush. But Barkley seems to be free of illusions. ”I signed (at USC) because it was the best chance for me to get to the league,” he told the Daily News. When Kiffin responded to the statement by asking Barkley if he prepared to remain with the team through his senior period, the young quarterback said, “Yeah, hopefully. We’ll see”.

Within the meantime, USC will take the wait-and-see position on their 2010 period. The Scandal with Reggie Bush might be devastating.

Further reading

Babble

blogs.babble.com/famecrawler/2010/09/07/details-of-the-reggie-bush-scandal/

Los Angeles Times

articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/26/sports/la-sp-crowe-20100827

New York Daily News

nydailynews.com/sports/college/2010/08/21/2010-08-21_usc_looks_to_wipe_away_bush_scandal.html

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggie_Bush



Monday, September 13, 2010

Koran fire Chapel cautioned not to undertake demonstration

The Dove World Outreach Center Church in Gainesville, Fla., is subject of debate. The religious members, along with pastor Terry Jones, strategy to set copies of the Koran on fire to demonstration Muslim extremism. It has been subject of lots of coverage. There has been response from the U.S. government, and cautioned the chapel not to do so. Protests have currently begun within the Muslim world. General David Petraeus has cautioned the church that should the demonstration of burning the Koran take place, it will put servicemen and women in greater danger than ever before.

Dove World Outreach Center asked to halt

Gen. Petraeus, commander of United States forces in Afghanistan, has advised the church that Koran burning would harm troops, as outlined by the Christian Science Monitor. The Taliban and Al Qaeda could be the sole beneficiaries, according to General Petraeus, as fire the Koran will only be a propaganda victory for the,. He cautioned that American soldiers and civilians abroad will be put in greater risk. He also lamented that winning over hearts and minds in Afghanistan can be next to impossible. The Ground Zero Mosque debate has already been enough of a strain, and American-Islamic tensions are currently high as it is.

The church may wait

The Dove World Outreach Center Chapel is weighing the decision to undergo with the burnings. The potential ramifications are on the mind of the members and Pastor Terry Jones, which is why, as outlined by CNN, the members will think it over. Some pause was given to the members by the warning from Gen. David Petraeus, as the members intended to hold an “International Burn the Koran Day” on Sept. 11 of this year. The church has maintained all along the protest was aimed more at the more radical segments of Islam.

Cui bono?

The pastor and his congregation can believe anything they wish, and protest whichever they wish as it is their right. However, Gen. Petraeus is right. If the idea is to demonstration violent extremism, you shouldn’t do anything that will only fuel the fire of extremism, which this demonstration will do.

Further reading

CS Monitor

csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2010/0907/Petraeus-Dove-World-Outreach-Center-s-Burn-a-Koran-Day-endangers-troops

CNN

cnn.com/2010/US/09/07/florida.quran.burning/?hpt=Sbin



Saturday, September 11, 2010

Oracle gets Mark Hurd along with a legal action from Hp

Mark V. Hurd, the previous CEO of Hewlett Packard, resigned amid controversy over sexual harassment allegations concerning a former consultant, Jodie Fisher. Oracle took a chance on Hurd, not long after he left HP. You cannot just switch via one giant tech company to another, like Hurd is trying to. Hurd had to sign confidentiality agreements as part of his employment with HP. As a result, HP is suing Oracle for not legally hiring him. Among tech execs, Hurd is a god among men. Post resource – Oracle picks up Mark Hurd and a lawsuit from Hp by Personal Money Store.

Hurd and Hp didn’t part over the best terms

Mark Hurd was announced, as outlined by Reuters, as the newest addition to the executive team of Oracle Corp. Charlie Phillips resigned as co-president, and Hurd can be taking that spot along with a position on the board of directors. Oracle is a heavyweight within the software and tech world. More software is only sold by Microsoft and IBM. Hp had a high profile bidding war for 3COM with Dell, and Oracle became a direct competitor at the start of the year, when Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems. Jodie Fisher used to be a consultant for Hp, and her allegations of sexual harassment towards Hurd led to his resigning from HP.

Legal action brought by Hp against Oracle

Oracle made a bold move by acquiring Sun Microsystems. It made the company a competitor of Hp. Hurd is contractually bound, according to the New York Times, by discretion contracts, which may make him legally un-hirable by any competitor of Hewlett Packard, including Oracle. During Hurd’s time at Hp, the company did a 180 and became far more profitable. Hurd was directly responsible for aggressive efficiency improvements for his former employer. Even Oracle knows that. The CEO of Oracle, Lawrence Ellison, compared the departure of Hurd from HP to when Steve Jobs was at first fired by Apple.

There may be a conflict of interest

Hp inside information is certainly known to Hurd, as he was an executive. You will find generally discretion clauses in executive contracts. It is unknown how far this lawsuit will go, but it might be worth it as Hurd has a track record of making a lot of cash.

More on this topic

Reuters

reuters.com/article/idUSN0724548420100907

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/08/technology/08hewlett.html?src=busln



Lending market contributed to credit card debt that hurts the economic system

There is one thing Americans are trying to do now. That is, of course, to pay off charge card debt. American families are all following the same trend says the Federal Reserve. That is that for the 23rd month, there are fewer families using credit cards. In the last 18 months, there has been a 17th decline in overall consumer borrowing, including credit cards and auto loans but not home mortgages, by an annual rate of $3.6 billion in July. The market has suffered from large amounts of credit card delinquency. It is doing better with all the people paying down charge card debt though. But a prolonged slide in consumer borrowing is a drag on the U.S. economy as it struggles to recover from the Great Recession.

Credit card debt drops with consumer spending

Consumer borrowing on credit cards fell 6.3 percent in July, following a 7.5 percent drop in June. Charge card debts dropped for 23 months straight. This was shown by the Associated Press. Americans are using fewer charge cards because incomes and employment aren’t at top notch and they are trying to fix their personal finances. Banks are keeping tight financing standards and also losing money. Americans appear to be helping only themselves when saving more and spending less. This is as the economy needs consumer spending in order to expand.

Consumers held in check by banks

Financial institution charge cards are really hard to get. This is because banks to want to lose more with the economic downturn. However, The Street reports that consumer demand for credit cards remains strong. According to a quarterly FICO survey, new credit card accounts dropped by 17.7 percent during the 12 months that ended last April compared with the previous 12 months. Applications for charge cards only dropped 3 percent. The Street said the numbers show customers were not allowed access to all the credit they sought. There was also a drop in consumer credit cards accessible during that time with credit. It dropped by about 12.2 percent.

Credit card businesses want influence with lobbyists

Charge card companies are doing better with less consumer borrowing on charge cards. As outlined by Debtmerica Relief, customers spending less is helping credit card corporations become more stable even though you will find all the newest charge card rules limiting rate of interest hikes and penalty fees. Earnings and losses are stabilizing charge card corporations. Capital One Financial and Discover Financial Services are two of these. Lenders have less delinquent accounts while consumers are paying more charge card debts. They can counterbalance losses with money that was held in reserve. They are spending 25 percent more on increased lobbying efforts to influence future changes in federal laws.

Further reading

Associated Press

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g1RbLCbz_AJrpIhbI4fRRyuNF0EgD9I409OO1

The Street

thestreet.com/story/10855583/1/bankers-pessimistic-about-credit-card-market.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN

Debtmerica Relief

debtmerica.com/industry-news/20-consumer-debt/643-paying-off-credit-card-debt-stabilizes-lending-industry



SEO Keyword Density - occasionally less is more

Keyword density represents the percentage of the number of times a keyword or phrase is used in the text of your webpage compared to the total number of words used on the page. It plays a really significant role in an article because keywords, how and where they’re used, decide the quality of the article and its rank in search engine search results.

An unethical practice of keyword use

Many SEO copywriters believe that including their targeted keyword or keyword phrase a ridiculous number of times will help them gain a better position on the Web. The truth, nevertheless, is that this type of method can seriously work against you. Almighty Google, for example, has a keyword density requirement. And in order to gain better rankings on the site, you should abide by its conditions.

Avoid keyword stuffing

Many new search engine optimizers may feel tempted to use the exact same keyword over and over again in an attempt to rank first place for their target keyword. This is also known as “keyword flooding.” The method involves a writer overloading the content as well as the Meta tags of the web page with every possible keyword related to the site in different ways. Clearly the keyword density in this practice is far from balanced. Content produced using this practice will probably be classified as spam by readers and all the search engine algorithms altogether. Once the search engine crawler comes to examine your site, its algorithm can easily and very easily determine whether a keyword or phrase is being used an unusual amount of time, which is not good news. The results of keyword flooding could involve a severe drop in web ranking and a complete removal of your site from the search engine index.

Know how much is too much

Say you wrote an article that’s about 300 to 400 words long. The primary keyword or phrase should appear no more than six to eight times. Do not use the keyword in every other sentence or in the very same paragraph. Search engine giant Google doesn’t allow more than two percent of a web page’s text to contain keywords or phrases. So if the article is 500 words long, you are able to include the keyword no more than 10 times. The allowed keyword density percentage varies with different search engines. MSN and Yahoo, for example, may accept up to five percent. There are many free online tools that will help you determine the keyword density of your web page.



Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Hurricane Earl track will hit the East Coast

East Cost might get hit by Hurricane Earl

Hurricane Earl began in the Caribbean Islands. It is tropical storm that everybody is keeping their eyes on. Earl has built up to a Category four storm although it started as a stage three. The Hurricane Earl path has been closely viewed to determine how likely it is to hit the United States. The U.S. mainland is likely going to be hit by labor day with the hurricane going toward the East Coast. It appears like the storm is headed a little higher than Virginia. It is supposed to hit Cape Cod and Long Island, NY.

Earl track right along the coast

Hurricane Earl is designed to hit the United States East Coast if it stays on its path. According to the Washington Post the path of Earl will bring it close to the mainland, however will not likely make land fall. The expected effects are that high winds, altered currents off shore, and intense rain will occur in areas near or directly on the coast, but little more than that. However, some areas have already been evacuated. Evacuation continues to be limited to islands off the coast. Most of these are resort towns anyway. The whole East Coast was given an advisory. This is anywhere from Nova Scotia to South Carolina.

FEMA ready

President Obama and also the Federal Emergency Management Agency have already met. FEMA has prepared for this one be making evacuation plans already. It has also made emergency supplies available to states already with a state of alert already there. Only a couple of evacuations have taken place so far, mostly around the Outer Banks off North Carolina. Ocracoke Island and Hatteras Island were both emptied of tourists. Maryland and Virginia are both in states of emergency already.

Where Earl is headed

The path of Earl is expected to follow the United States of America coastline north from its present location off North Carolina. Nobody knows if the storm will hit land yet. The eye of the storm, if it follows the projected path, can be well out to sea. However, cities on the coast could expect to receive some heavy winds and rain, as New York City and Boston are both expected to.

More on this topic

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/01/AR2010090105791.html?hpid=topnews and sub=AR and sid=ST2010090105842



Monday, September 6, 2010

God is not essential for science, states Stephen Hawking

Hawking feels like God is unnecessary when it comes to the understanding of the whole world. Hawking wrote a book with Caltech physicist, Leonard Mlodinow, called “The Grand Design” that suggests God is just a human contrivance. There is a constant debate between science and religion the Grand Design discus. Gravity is what created the galaxy rather than God if you ask Hawking. Science is not the way to check out God and also the galaxy, suggest anyone opposed to Hawking.

Stephen Hawking vs. Sir Isaac Newton

The Guardian reports that Stephen Hawking’s new book, “The Grand Design,” is against Sir Isaac Newton beliefs. Newton believed opposite of Hawking. He believed that God did design the whole universe. The whole world is not something Newton believed could exist on its own. It could not have just randomly come together so well. Hawking says gravity made the spontaneous creation of the universe possible. Hawking believed in God in 1998 when his book became bestseller. This book, reports the Guardian, is called “A Brief History of Time”. In that book Hawking wrote that he accepted the role of God within the creation of the World. “If we discover a complete theory,” he wrote, “it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason – for then we should know the mind of God.”

Hawking bets on science to win

Hawking is considered a successor of Newton. This is because he was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge in London. In “The Grand Design,” he writes that he started to doubt Newton’s belief that the galaxy could not have formed from chaos in 1992, when a planet was discovered orbiting a distant star. During a June interview with ABC News, Hawking said humans created God in their image as a being with whom they can have a personal relationship. That seems extremely hard, he said, given that human life is insignificant and accidental within the vast scale of the universe. Hawking explained his stance to ABC News. He said Science will always win between science and religion.

Hawking has some explaining to do

Hawking’s position that the whole world emerged naturally is dismissed as a “classic agnostic response” by William Crawley at the BBC, and people of faith have a right to disagree. Hawking is the only person who doesn’t need God to comprehend the galaxy. That is the position of Crawley. There is not anything in “The Grand Design” proving there is no religious part within the galaxy. There are no facts proving the theory. Other scientists also disagree with Hawking. Fox News interviewed Professor George Ellis who believes differently than Hawking in that if it did come down to religion or science, which it would not, religion probably would win. Ellis is the president of the International Society for Scientific research and Religion. “A lot of individuals will say, OK, I choose religion then,” he said very evidently. “It is science that will lose out.”

More on this topic

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/02/stephen-hawking-big-bang-creator

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/WN/stephen-hawking-god-create-universe-question-day/story?id=11542128

BBC

bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2010/09/god_hawking_and_the_universe.html



Saturday, September 4, 2010

Paris Hilton now has much more drug busts than Keith Richards

You will find some people that follow Paris Hilton news. Evidently, the socialite and heiress extraordinaire can’t not break the law. It seems that a quiet night at home is impossible for her; she has been arrested yet yet again. The thought of what the word illegal, as in illegal substances, suggests has evidently escaped her. She got busted for possession of cocaine in Las Vegas. You have to be doing something quite clear if that happens. Apparently, her two arrests within the last month for marijuana just were not enough for her.

It rocks to hot box in Paris Hiltons mind

Paris Hilton was rolling down the strip, and as outlined by the New York Post, a motorcycle cop smelled pot coming from the SUV her boyfriend was driving and pulled them over. As she was being searched, she asked the officer if she could retrieve some lip balm from her purse. At that point, a baggie containing a small amount of cocaine allegedly fell out of her handbag. That was not the only thing. There were also wrapping papers in the bag. That’s when she was collared. The Paris Hilton cocaine saga began.

Hilton could do some time

The amount in question was small. The baggie had .8 ounces of cocaine. Possession of cocaine carries felony possession of a controlled substance charges. Cy Waits, her boyfriend and Cheech to her Chong, got off light. He only received a DUI, which is a misdemeanor. The baggie belonged to a friend who had borrowed the purse, according to Hilton. Within hours, her Twitter page was alight with support from her supporters. Hilton is also saying the search was improper, and she is expected to contest it at her trial. She can do real time for this. In Nevada, she could get up to $500,000 in fines and 2 to 15 years in prison.

Unlike it’s her first moment caught

The socialite and heiress is no stranger to being arrested for drugs. It’s her 3rd in as many months. She was arrested for possession of marijuana in July in South Africa, just after the 2010 World Cup. She was arrested again, days later, for the very same crime in Corsica. Nevertheless, she was released both times. However, the fact that she keeps getting busted for substances counts against her. A judge is more likely to throw the book at her if she appears to have a history of narcotic use.

More on this topic

NY Post

nypost.com/p/news/national/paris_hilton_claims_the_coke_belonged_8C2KMg1FXGAyRp2zUQwpcN



Gulf Coast gets another surprise with Vermillion rig surge

A platform on the Gulf Coast had a problem. This originated from an oil rig explosion. One injury was reported with no deaths. There is no reason for blast yet. The blast happened in an oil rig on the coast of Louisiana close to Vermillion Bay. The rig is fairly far from the British Petroleum oil platform that exploded in April as it is owned by Mariner Energy. The Gulf Coast oil leak was a Deepwater rig when the Vermillion oil rig is in shallow waters.

Oil rig explosion only discover ones injured

Only one person was injured in the gas rig surge. 13 people did end up overboard following the drilling platform erupted. The brand new York Times reports that the Coast Guard got more than one report of a gas platform explosion after 9 a.m.. Helicopters and Coast Guard vessels arrived about an hour later. All 13 workers that went into the water after the blast were rescued and accounted for. Only one of the rig workers was injured, which is nothing short of miraculous, considering that the Deepwater oil rig explosion claimed 11 lives.

Shallower waters than British Petroleum oil rig

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig was drilling at a far greater depth than Vermillion Oil Rig 380. About 100 miles off the Louisiana coast was where the Vermillion oil rig sits with only 340 feet of water below. 9.2 million cubic feet of natural gas and 1,400 barrels of oil were coming out of the rig, says CNN. The Coast Guard is working on extinguishing the fire on the deck. As soon as people caught wind of the surge, business shares went down. In fact, Mariner Energy dropped 5 percent.

Concerns over offshore drilling

The subject of offshore drilling has been a hot topic for years. It looks really dangerous and has too numerous risks to the environment each and every time an oil rig explodes. Though British Petroleum has stepped up to the plate to take responsibility for the oil spill, resource extraction companies rarely clean up their own messes, and taxpayers often get stuck with an additional Superfund site.

Further reading

CNN

edition.cnn.com/2010/US/09/02/louisiana.oil.rig.explosion/?hpt=T2#fbid=QdDzKvaTDgY and wom=false

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/03/us/03rig.html?partner=rss and emc=rss



Friday, September 3, 2010

Individuals in the Northwest part of the country looking for a Dodge ought to start with Dave Smith Motors

For dealerships within the Northwest part of the country, there aren’t numerous names bigger for Washington, North Idaho, and Montana than Dave Smith Motors. Dave Smith Motors, in Kellogg, Idaho, is probably the best place to go for a new Chevrolet or new Chrysler, Jeep, and especially for a new Dodge. There aren’t any bigger Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep dealers anywhere than Dave Smith Motors. Used or new Dodge cars and a nice selection of Dodge trucks are accessible. There is not likely to be better selection anywhere than Dave Smith Motors.

More Dodges at Dave smith motors than in Detroit

You cannot find a larger Dodge dealership than Dave Smith Motors. Aside from the abundant Dave Smith Dodge selection, Dave Smith Motors is the top Gm dealer for the Pacific Northwest as well. The lot is fairly large. You will find over 1,000 cars available at any given time. Dodge Smith Motors has its own financing services on site, also as a full service station and more Mopar accessories than you are able to shake a stick at. People in Idaho, Montana, or Washington might do well to look up Dave Smith Motors. The dealership is located in downtown Kellogg. It is at 210 N. Division, Kellogg ID, 83837. It is only 36 miles east of Coeur d’Alene, and 20 miles west of the Montana border.

A Dodge City Bill Hickock would love

Although there is also a nice selection of Gm cars, including Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac automobiles and trucks to select from, Dave Smith Motors does have a long tradition of being the outstanding Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler dealer. The selection of Dodge vehicles is staggering. Whether new or used Dodge cars and new or used Dodge trucks are what you are searching for, Dave Smith has a better chance of having it than any other dealer within the tri-state area. A Dodge Ram pickup, or brand new Dodge Challenger or Dodge Charger, or a new Jeep Rubicon; whatever it is that you’re looking for.

Hard to find a bigger dealer

You would be hard pressed to find that wide a selection anywhere. All the accessories you can need are generally available on site, so why go anywhere else for a new Dodge?

More on this topic

Dave Smith

davesmith.com/



Thursday, September 2, 2010

Look no further than Terry Cullen for Chevy in Atlanta

For individuals within the Area around Atlanta that are looking for a used or new Chevy, Terry Cullen Chevrolet in Jonesboro is the place to look. The dealership has a great array of current Chevy automobiles, including some of probably the most popular models. There are even discounts accessible. If you’re looking for used automobiles, those are well represented also. You may want to have a look at Terry Cullen if you’re looking for a used or new Chevrolet. Terry Cullen also has new car credit available, if you need to look after financing on site.

Look no further than Terry Cullen Chevrolet

Terry Cullen Chevrolet is a good place to go for a new Chevy. For those who live within the Jonesboro area near Atlanta, the dealership is located across the way from Sam’s Club on Battlecreek Road. There is a huge selection of new auto after new auto available. There are also plenty of good used cars there too. There is also new automobile credit if you need help financing a vehicle, if its used or new car financing. Whatever you need to get into a used or new Chevy, Terry Cullen Chevy has it.

Huge level of selection

There is lots of inventory at Terry Cullen Chevy, including new and used autos. You can find anything Chevy makes right now, including a great Chevy truck selection. There are also plenty of units of the Chevy Camaro, Chevy Equinox, Chevy Malibu, Chevy Impala and Chevy Tahoe. If you would rather look at used vehicles, that’s covered too. Terry Cullen has a large selection of great pre-owned autos to choose from. For regular maintenance or Chevy parts, Terry Cullen has it all on site. The dealership is the total package.

This may be a good time to purchase

General Motors wants to sell lots of cars. There are also discounts to be had, for instance for members of the military, members of the Gm Credit Union, or for recent college graduates. If you’re looking for a new or used Chevy within the Area around Atlanta, you need to look up terry Cullen Chevrolet.

Further reading

Terry Cullen

terrycullen.com/HomePage



Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Bloom Box fuel cell uses secret formula to create clean energy

Natural gas and oxygen are utilized by a fuel cell, Bloom Box, to make electricity. Bloom Energy’s Bloom Box was featured on “60 Minutes” Sunday, a couple of days ahead of the company’s formal launch on Sept. 1. The power by Bloom Box is clean, dependable and affordable as it is an “energy server.” This was said by Bloom Energy in advertising. It’s a stand-alone unit that some major corporations are already using it to supplement their energy needs. Bloom Energy assumes that Bloom Box can take over. There can be no need for transmission lines of the energy grid and even power plants. There will be hardly any sales of Bloom Box unless it can get the price dropped quite a bit. Article resource – Bloom Box fuel cell uses secret formula to produce clean energy by Personal Money ! Store.

9 months of utilizing Bloom Box saves eBay $ 100,000

Bloom Box took forever to create. About 10 years were used. In its “60 Minutes” feature on Bloom Energy, CBS News reports that company founder K.R. Stridhar has raised about $ 400 million for the technology. There are secret formulas on ceramic discs that are within the Bloom Box. One side holds natural gas. The other side really has oxygen. The power comes when the two elements react and make an electro-chemical response. There should be more discs stacked in it. With additional discs, power is added. A Bloom Box with 64 disks will power a Starbucks. It costs $ 800,000, although twenty companies in California have found a way to cut the price in half with the 30 percent federal tax break and 20 percent state subsidy. Bloom Boxes running on carbon-neutral bio-gas were sold to eBay’s CEO, John Donahoe. They were installed 9 months ago and, as outlined by CBS News, have saved eBay over $ 100,000 in electricity already.

Is the electrical grid something of the past?

Within the past, personal computers replaced mainframes. Stridhar explained to Newsweek that Bloom box may do this very same thing in replacing power plants and transmission lines on the electrical grid. Huge data centers are made by small servers put in groups together. Google, along with other Bloom Energy customers, do this. Bloom Boxes can be clustered the same way to create energy farms. Stridhar said that Bloom Box may only be sold right now because of subsidies. But economies of scale could bring the price down to about a $ 3,000 investment for a household installation. The cost goes down 10 to 15 percent each and every time volume doubles.

Fuel cell market info

The Bloom Box seems as demand for fuel cells is expected to accelerate. Fuel cell costs goes down with advances in technology, says altenergymag.com that published a global fuel cell market report by GBI Research. 2013 can be when fuel cells could become commercialized. This would be as a result of price drops. Freedonia Group did a report in 2008 showing that through 2012, fuel cell demand will go up six fold to $ 975 million. Using fuel cells for electric power generation was expected to grow 41 percent a year in that time frame.

Additional reading

CBS News

cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/18/60minutes/main6221135_page2.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Newsweek

newsweek.com/2010/04/22/this-is-brand-new.html

Altenenergymag

altenergymag.com/emagazine.php?art_id=1468



FTC cracking down on Astroturfing in Apple App Store

You can get your application for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch at the Apple App Store. The smallest estimate for what Apple makes annually comes out to around $ 400 million. The App store is nevertheless a place where a lot of dishonesty goes down, and Steve Jobs has found no reason to work on that. Astroturf marketing – where makers of applications festoon their own products’ review sections with fake glowing reviews – seems in abundance. Knowing which applications are worth your time is much harder. This means it is even more difficult to pick applications. The Federal Trade Commission has decided, according to the New York Times, to take a stand.

Astroturfing case needs to be settled, says FTC, by Reverb Communications

Any fake apps placed within the store by Tracie Snitker will be removed. She is the California marketing business Reverb Communications key executive. Deceptive advertising is what Reverb is being charged for. This is because from November 2008 to May 2009, Reverb had its employees writing reviews for clients which were positive. In turn, Astroturf reviewers were paid for their reviews. Digital Leisure, Harmonix and MTV Games were a part of the 60 game production clients Reverb had. The FTC made it so the business was forbidden from “making similar endorsements of any product or service without disclosing any relevant connections.” This involves Reverb and even Snitker.

Snitker denies Reverb did anything illegal

Snitker said in a public statement following Reverb’s agreement with the FTC that Reverb admitted no legal wrongdoing, but simply wanted to cap its legal fees from the ongoing battle. However, recent FTC rules which were believed to be targeted specifically at bloggers participating in product endorsement payola evidently also apply things like App Store reviews; the FTC simply hadn’t started to enforce the law in full yet.

Harvard Law Professor Jonathan Zittrain says the FTC’s move will promote truth in advertising online. “This case sort of shows that what they have in mind is not the individual blogger or Twitterer, but rather a professional endorser. When a client says ‘Where are my good reviews?’ you can say, ‘We can’t do it because it is illegal.’”

Further reading

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/27/technology/27ftc.html?_r=5