Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Where Hollywood And Tech Collide: Disney To Buy ?Star Wars? Maker Lucasfilm For $4.05 Billion

yodalucasfilmThe worlds of Hollywood, tech, and gaming are getting cozier than ever. The latest evidence of this came this afternoon, with the announcement that entertainment juggernaut Walt Disney Company will buy Lucasfilm, the film production company best known for making the Star Wars series, in a cash-and-stock deal worth $4.05 billion.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/kPzx6gGRmb8/

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Club Paranormal

Club Paranormal

Recently, you've been seeing unnatural things...like ghosts. So, you join a recent club at school; to the normal eye called Club P, but you see it as Club Paranormal.

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This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Club Paranormal?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Club Paranormal"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

RUMBLEROAR'S ARMY!

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Jadebud98
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InterContinental Hong Kong | Overseas Travel and Leisure - OTAL ...

InterContinental Hotel?s ideal location allows travellers to enjoy concerts, dance and dramas at Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Located in the Tsim Sha Tsui area, the hotel is convenient to Kowloon?s business . A wide range of excursions and activities are within a short distance and getting around every part of the city is easy.

  • 18 SALISBURY RD TSIMSHATSUI KOWLOON ? HONG KONG ? CHINA.
  • Front Desk: +852-27211211 ? Fax: +852-27394546.

InterContinental Hong Kong Exterior 300x237 InterContinental Hong Kong

InterContinental Hong Kong Hotel offers an unparalleled service and accommodation along with views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island, recognised as one of the world?s top hotels. The hotel is also renowned for its luxurious accommodation, impeccable service and dramatic dining venues which include two celebrity chef restaurants ? SPOON by Alain Ducasse and NOBU. It is also home to Hong Kong?s largest and most spectacular Presidential Suite, which is 7,000 sq ft inclusive of 2,500 sq, ft rooftop terrace with an infinity swimming pool.

Rooms: (Number of rooms: 495 ).

Rooms are elegantly decorated and feature floor-to-ceiling windows. They are equipped with a 37-inch flat-screen TV, Bose DVD/CD home entertainment system and iPod docking stations. The rooms, dressed in rich silks, art work, and a most comfortable bed have views of Victoria Harbor. The bathrooms have a sunken tub and finished in Italian marble. The business center is high-tech. Three signature suites (Terrace Suite, CEO Suite and the spectacular 7000 sq.ft. Presidential Suite), each features a private terrace and Jacuzzi overlooking the harbour.

InterContinental Hong Kong Bedroom InterContinental Hong Kong

  • Business Center.
  • Butler Service.
  • Free Morning Newspaper.
  • Valet Service.
  • Cable / Satellite TV.
  • CD Player.
  • Color TV.
  • DVD Player.
  • In Room Movies ? Pay Per View.
  • In Room Movies ? Premium Cable.
  • Sound System.
  • Stereo.
  • Video Rental.
  • High-speed Internet Access.
  • Wireless Data Connection.

InterContinental Hong Kong Room InterContinental Hong Kong

Restaurant:

The hotel has an innovative seafood restaurant featuring both Asian and Western style cuisines to liberate the most delicate flavours. You can choose to have your formal dinner party in the Suite?s harbourview private dining room which accommodates up to 12 persons, or on the 2,500 square foot wraparound private terrace with its ?IMAX? views.

SPOON by Alain Ducasse ? Serves dishes with French undertones and an extensive wine list in a chic, modern environment.

  • Location:? In Hotel ? Lobby Level.
  • Services:? Lunch ?|? Dinner.

NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong- Features contemporary Japanese fare on the second floor. Open for lunch and dinner.

  • Location:? In Hotel ? Second Floor.
  • Services:? Lunch ?|? Dinner.

Yan Toh Heen -Offers traditional Cantonese cuisine and dim sum. Open on the arcade level for lunch and dinner.

  • Location:? In Hotel ? Lower Level.
  • Services:? Lunch ?|? Dinner.

The SteakHouse ? Steakhouse style fare with a wine list of over 300 vintages. Open daily for dinner, and for lunch on Sundays.

  • Location:? In Hotel ? Groud Level.
  • Services:? Lunch ?|? Dinner.

Harbourside ? Buffet dining with Asian and Western dishes served overlooking the harbor. Open from early morning and offers late night dining.

  • Location:? In Hotel ? Ground Level.
  • Services:? Breakfast ?|? Lunch ?|? Dinner.

Lobby Lounge ? Serves cocktails, tea, and snacks with views of the Honk Kong Skyline.

Spa:

The ?Fung-Shui Friendly? iSpa offers massage and body treatments using traditional Asian oils and practices. The facility also has a spa tub, steam room, and sauna.

FENG SHUI SERENITY IN THE HEART OF HONG KONG:?Professional therapists specializing in Oriental healing offer signature treatments such as Ancient Rituals of the Orient and Five Elements to relax, rejuvenate and rebalance the entire being.? The spa has five granite-clad, private spa suites, each with its own sauna, Jacuzzi and steam shower. Other notable features include:

  • Three-temperature infinity spa pool.
  • Asian-inspired pool terrace.

InterContinental Hong Kong SPA InterContinental Hong Kong

InterContinental Hong Kong Pool Terrace InterContinental Hong Kong InterContinental Hong Kong Swimming Pool1 300x224 InterContinental Hong Kong

InterContinental Hong Kong Swimming Pool InterContinental Hong Kong

Treatments:

Body

  • LPG Integral Endermologie.
  • SPA Scrub of the season.
  • Reflex Foot Massage.
  • Tension Release Massage.
  • Oriental Head Massage.
  • Private I-SPA Suite with Thermal Mineral Bat.

Fitness

  • Personal gym training.
  • Yoga personal training.
  • Yoga classes.
  • Taiji classes.

Meeting Room:InterContinental Hong Kong is acclaimed as the one of the city?s most prestigious venues for high-end meetings & conferences, gala balls and glamorous weddings. The hotel has the largest ballroom in Hong Kong and eleven harbour view meeting rooms.

  • 12 Meeting Rooms.
  • 1,608.2m? / 17,310.52ft? of Meeting Space.
  • 18 Sales & Meeting Professionals On Site.

What You Need To Know:

  • Hong Kong International Airport?(HKG): Distance 36 KM / 22.37 MI NORTH EAST to Hotel .
  • Train: Station Name: MTR TSIM SHA TSUI EAST STATION? ? Distance 0.1 KM / 0.06 MI NORTH to Hotel.
  • Pets: Pets not allowed.
  • Check-in time starts at: 2 PM.
  • Check-out time is: noon.
  • Charges: Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
  • Special Requests: Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
  • Languages Spoken by Staff :?German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch , Portuguese, Russian, Chinese.
  • Parking: Parking Area Equipped with Lights.
  • Currency: Hong Kong Dollar HK$.

Source: http://www.otal.com/asia-travel-and-leisure/intercontinental-hong-kong

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Tips To Select Right Pair Of Boxing Gloves

Boxing gloves is one of the most important equipments in boxing. Care should be taken before buying a boxing glove, especially if you are a beginner in the field of boxing.

Beginners are likely get confused by the wide variety of choices which are present in the current market, and also because of the terminology they use for different equipments.

This article will help you through the process of selecting the right kind of boxing gloves for you. Considering the brand, material, weight, fit and also the color, this article will help you to go for the right one. Being confident while entering inside the boxing ring is very important, so having proper and comfortable protective gears will help you boost your confidence and enhance your performance.

Now, getting into business, how to select proper boxing gloves? While shopping for boxing gloves, you are faced with a choice between economical entry level brands or higher priced top quality brands. If you"re planning to box, very often that is twice a week or more than twice a week, and then it would be sensible to invest on a high quality branded boxing gloves.

When it comes to material of the glove, leather is best suited for heavy use, as it is much more durable than inexpensive synthetic materials. On the other hand, if you are a casual boxer, and is only interested in boxing as a hobby or something of that sort, going in for a cheaper pair of gloves will be sufficient.

Next important aspect is the weight of the boxing glove which you"re going to wear, because it influences your performance a great deal. Though it is a very confusing aspect as well, you need not worry on it, because all you have to do is get one which is appropriate for your body type and the level of protection you require. You need to keep in mind that heavier gloves will also provide harder work out.

Last but not the least, the "fit" of your gloves is another vital factor which has to be considered. Guess everyone would have heard this expression "fits like a glove". No one will want a loose fit, especially when it comes to gloves that too boxing glove. This boxing equipment needs to be fit, otherwise it is not possible to box efficiently and give a blow. Boxing gloves always tend to stretch with use, so it advisable to get a tight fitting snug one. If you are a person who will use, hand wraps while boxing, make sure you take them along with you when you head out to purchase your gloves.

Choice of Colors:

The color of your glove depends on your boxing style. If you are a flamboyant "attractive Boy" then goes in for a bright white, or if you are a raw fighter, then go for a mean black. Apparently this part has no consequence on effectiveness of your glove; though it could play a psychological role in your fights and potentially work in your favor.Boxing gloves is one of the most important equipments in boxing. Care should be taken before buying a boxing glove, especially if you are a beginner in the field of boxing.

Beginners are likely get confused by the wide variety of choices which are present in the current market, and also because of the terminology they use for different equipments.

This article will help you through the process of selecting the right kind of boxing gloves for you. Considering the brand, material, weight, fit and also the color, this article will help you to go for the right one. Being confident while entering inside the boxing ring is very important, so having proper and comfortable protective gears will help you boost your confidence and enhance your performance.

Now, getting into business, how to select proper boxing gloves? While shopping for boxing gloves, you are faced with a choice between economical entry level brands or higher priced top quality brands. If you"re planning to box, very often that is twice a week or more than twice a week, and then it would be sensible to invest on a high quality branded boxing gloves.

When it comes to material of the glove, leather is best suited for heavy use, as it is much more durable than inexpensive synthetic materials. On the other hand, if you are a casual boxer, and is only interested in boxing as a hobby or something of that sort, going in for a cheaper pair of gloves will be sufficient.

Next important aspect is the weight of the boxing glove which you"re going to wear, because it influences your performance a great deal. Though it is a very confusing aspect as well, you need not worry on it, because all you have to do is get one which is appropriate for your body type and the level of protection you require. You need to keep in mind that heavier gloves will also provide harder work out.

Last but not the least, the "fit" of your gloves is another vital factor which has to be considered. Guess everyone would have heard this expression "fits like a glove". No one will want a loose fit, especially when it comes to gloves that too boxing glove. This boxing equipment needs to be fit, otherwise it is not possible to box efficiently and give a blow. Boxing gloves always tend to stretch with use, so it advisable to get a tight fitting snug one. If you are a person who will use, hand wraps while boxing, make sure you take them along with you when you head out to purchase your gloves.

Choice of Colors:

The color of your glove depends on your boxing style. If you are a flamboyant "attractive Boy" then goes in for a bright white, or if you are a raw fighter, then go for a mean black. Apparently this part has no consequence on effectiveness of your glove; though it could play a psychological role in your fights and potentially work in your favor.

About the Author:
Proboxinggear.com which is one of the best online stores for all types of Boxing Equipments like boxing shoes,gauze, punch mitts, abdominal guards, chest guards, boxing gloves, Punching Bags,groin protector,knuckle protectors, boxing shoes, apparels, mouthpieces etc.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Tips-To-Select-Right-Pair-Of-Boxing-Gloves/4240794

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CAR Agent Mentoring Course : Tahoe Sierra Board of Realtors

You are here: Home ? C.A.R. ? CAR Agent Mentoring Course

To succeed in your real estate career you need to make sure you understand every inch of your business ensuring you give your best to every client that comes your way.

This intensive and interactive, six-hour mentoring training will help boost, improve, protect, and make your real estate business more profitable. You?ll learn how to work with sellers to price their listing effectively and how to navigate through the real estate transaction from start to finish, including a detailed step-by-step instruction about how to complete the C.A.R. Form Residential Listing Agreement (RLA) and Seller?s Advisory (SA). Learn from a top producing REALTOR? with over 38 years of experience in the real estate business.

If you are struggling in your real estate career this is the training you need to kick-start your business and watch your profits soar!

During this training you will cover:

  • Characteristics of a successful REALTOR?
  • Planning and prioritizing the day-to-day activities for better management
  • Setting and managing financial and performance goals
  • Establishing and tracking a realistic budget
  • Making direct response calls
  • Generating transactions
  • Converting calls to appointments
  • Establishing trust and credibility for stronger client relationships
  • Applying a basic process to the transaction
  • Knowing how to present the offers
  • Understanding the impact of disclosures on the transaction
  • Defining the natural hazard rights and responsibilities of the parties involved
  • Avoiding lawsuits through risk management
  • Using the Agency Disclosure form and how it affects everything

To register, visit CAR Learn-My-Way courses

Source: http://www.tahoemls.com/car-agent-mentoring-course/

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Monday, October 29, 2012

larafawcatt: Utility Variable-Generation Integration Group ... | elmork00

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://elmork00.blogspot.com/2012/10/larafawcatt-utility-variable-generation.html

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Special Olympics founded, grows in Chicago - The Columbia ...

Chicago is known for Al Capone and the devastating fire of 1871, but it is also the birthplace?of a positive historic movement that began more than four?decades ago.

The first International Special Olympics Summer Games were held at Soldier Field in July 1968. Today, the program, originally intended as a citywide track meet for children with mental disabilities, features many competitions and is recognized in 170 countries. Photo courtesy Barbara DiGuido

The city hosted the first International Special Olympics Summer Games at Soldier Field in July 1968, at which more than 1,000 athletes with mental disabilities from the United States and Canada gathered to compete in swimming and track and
field events.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel voiced his support of the program on Oct. 23 at the third annual Special Olympic mayoral breakfast hosted at the University Club. He said he was honored to be there as the brother of a woman with special needs. He added that strength can be found in every individual by expanding opportunities for everyone
to compete.

?Chicago is the Second City, but we are also known as the city of many firsts,? Emanuel said. ?[We built the] first skyscraper, we split the first atom, we sent the firstAfrican-American to the White House. And what Chicago should be most proud of is hosting the first Special Olympics in 1968. It?s a special part of Chicago?s character.?

Special Olympics Illinois continues to thrive, said Barbara DiGuido, director of communications for Special Olympics Illinois. The fall games took place Oct. 27 in Rockford, Ill., and for the first time featured equestrian sports, volleyball and unified volleyball, which combines athletes
with and without disabilities.

It all started with the late Dr. William Freeberg, former chairman of the Recreation and Outdoor Education Department at Southern Illinois University, who ran a day camp for people with intellectual disabilities in the early 1950s. He was approached by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who was continuing her family?s work with the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation by financing research and supporting programs for the disabled.

During his partnership with the foundation, Freeberg conducted seminars across the country and worked with recreational directors to develop special needs programs. Although the Chicago Park District already offered recreational programs for those with mental disabilities, Freeberg held a seminar for 10 physical education teachers working with the district, according to DiGuido. Among them was PE teacher Anne Burke, who currently serves as Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court?s First
Judicial District.

?I didn?t know I wanted to start the Special Olympics,? Burke said. ?What I was doing at the time was teaching children with disabilities physical education.?

Burke said the Special Olympics started with the idea for a citywide track meet. William McFetridge, former vice president of the district, met with Burke?s students and
wanted to reach out to even more children. Burke proposed hosting a track meet and worked with Freeberg to help secure funding for the event from Shriver and
the foundation.

According to DiGuido, Shriver loved the idea but had bigger plans.
?Shriver said, ?Instead of making this an event for the city, let?s open it up to the entire country and Canada,?? DiGuido said. ?So the first games had 1,000 athletes from the U.S. and Canada.?

The first International Special Olympics Summer Games included a 50-yard dash, a 1K run, relay races and ball throwing, and more activities were added each year.? Today, the program is recognized in
170 countries.

One of the biggest challenges for organizers was getting parents to agree to let their children
participate.

?The families had to be convinced,? DiGuido said. ?They were extremely protective of their children and had to know this was a good thing.?

Alas, there was? a problem with the word ?Olympics? being used. Avery Brundage, who oversaw the International Olympic Committee, wanted to sue the Park District in the early 1970s for using the word Olympics,?which was copyrighted. The issue was resolved when former Mayor Richard J. Daley urged Brundage
to reconsider.

Despite her hard work, Burke never anticipated that the Special Olympics would become what it
is today.

?[While] teaching anybody, you want them to succeed, so it really never occurred to me these kids were any different than the kids I taught as a PE teacher,? Burke said. ?I didn?t have any grand ideas to change the world or anything
like that.?

Source: http://columbiachronicle.com/special-olympics-founded-grows-in-chicago/

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Video: Big impact from a close Senate race in Montana (cbsnews)

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Sunday, October 28, 2012

Manager, Nexus Retail Partnerships, Android Global Business ...

This position is based in London, UK.

The area: New Business Development

At Google, we set ourselves goals we know we can't reach yet. Our New Business Development team works on game-changing ideas, from technological experiments to the expansion of existing businesses into new territories. We're a team of technologists, entrepreneurs and leaders with an eye for what's next, working across Google to develop products and ideas that revolutionize the way people connect with information.

The role: Manager, Nexus Retail Partnerships, Android Global Business Development

Calling all entrepreneurs--Google's New Business Development team needs deal-makers to drive our next big move. As a New Business Development team member, you're takin' care of business...everyday. You work closely with Google Product, Engineering, Marketing and Partnerships teams on new product initiatives and key strategic relationships. You don't just execute; you're a true thought leader who can clue us into industry trends and key influencers. As our scout out in the field, you run the new deal process from start to finish. You open doors with potential partners, lead exploratory talks with them and then shrewdly weigh your options. After presenting to senior Googler leaders with your convincing recommendations, you also harness your inner negotiator to bring deals to close. Be a part of discovering and shaping Google's boldest ventures.

You will be globally responsible for the retail relationships for Google's Nexus program. You will coordinate the roll-out of nexus products with retailers leveraging the resources of the global Android business development team. This role includes coordinating strategic sales efforts with retailers as well as in unison with the Google Play store team. You will be responsible for maximizing the volume sell-through of the product through retail partnerships as well as securing excellent launch execution including coordination with the Android marketing team.

Responsibilities:

  • Engage with key-retailers globally to build strategic partnerships for Nexus product launches and maximized sell-through.
  • Coordinate with the BD OEM/ODM relationship BD person, product-teams, marketing-teams and including the PlayStore team for successful launches.
  • Support strategic planning of price and supply allocation for strategic retail-partners globally.
  • Maintain executive relationships with key-retail partners.

Minimum qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree. In lieu of degree, relevant skills or equivalent experience.

Preferred qualifications:

  • Experience in sales or partnering with major retailers.
  • Experienced deal-closer with good understanding of hands-on sales, business negotiation as well as product and technology know-how.
  • Experience in consumer electronics or mobile industry.
  • Global retail-sales experience.
  • Willing to travel globally to engage with key-retailers.
  • Multi-lingual.

Source: http://www.jobs.ie/ApplyForJob.aspx?Id=1212112

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Letter: Ball Fights for Women's Issues - Peekskill-Cortlandt, NY Patch

To the editor:

It must be election time, since I have received three anonymous mailers in the past week attacking Sen. Greg Ball as somehow being ?anti-women." As a senior citizen, a former chief financial officer and the mother of a young, professional, woman, I find the nature of these attacks and the demeaning??"1950s style" of the mailers to be disgraceful.

Sen. Ball has a well established?record of fighting for issues important to women, most notably for equal pay, combating domestic violence and supporting children and families through initiatives that extend health coverage for out-of-network costs.? And he?has been a key leader in ending the dysfunction in State government.

These anonymous attacks confirm for me that the reforms he has helped accomplish working with Gov. Cuomo are a threat to the many entrenched interests in Albany.

The Senator?s opponent, Manhattan lawyer Justin Wagner, whose photo and information appears in one of the mailers, should disavow them.?But that's unlikely, as Mr. Wagner has remained silent throughout the recent scandal which saw Albany Democratic leader Sheldon Silver pay over $100,000 of taxpayer funds as "hush money" to cover up sexual-harassment claims against one of his fellow Democratic legislators.

Unemployment and property taxes are still unacceptably high, and our housing prices are still declining as overburdened taxpayers continue to flee our state. With so many important issues affecting our families, I find this anonymous, underhanded form of attack to be both shameful and counterproductive.?Voters deserve better!

Sincerely,

Grea J. Kulhanek

Source: http://peekskill.patch.com/articles/letter-ball-fights-for-women-s-issues

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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Lessons for Data Driven Businesses

Robert J. Moore is the co-founder of?RJMetrics, a company whose software helps online businesses make smarter decisions using their own data. He also previously served on the Investment Team of Insight Venture Partners.? One of the fun things that happens when you start a company is that you get opportunities to share what you?ve learned with other technology leaders. In past year, I?ve been fortunate to present ?best practices? sessions to a number of groups, including the portfolios of?First Round Capital,?Insight Venture Partners?and?FirstMark Capital.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ISUzJXDDfj0/

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CIA Repeatedly Denied Requests for Benghazi Relief (Powerlineblog)

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Death toll from meningitis outbreak reaches 25

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Friday, October 26, 2012

'A 16GB GALAXY F---ING NOTE' - the best Craigslist ad ever

Galaxy Fucking Note

From Craigslist Toronto. (via Chris Pirillo)

I didn't even know they talked like that in Canada.

Hit the link above, then scroll down. It gets better.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/mzpFFFdvlvQ/story01.htm

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Nikkei, Reuters claim Panasonic may quit European cellphones after its second bruising

Panasonic Eluga underwater

Once bitten, twice shy. Panasonic backed out of the European cellphone market in 2005 and gave it a second chance with its Eluga smartphone this spring, but both Nikkei and Reuters hear that the company is already considering its second withdrawal. A tough economy and a presently successful cost-cutting initiative (not to mention an uninspiring product, if we're honest) could have Panasonic exiting Europe before its fiscal year winds down at the end of March. Of the two as yet unconfirmed sources, Nikkei is going even further -- it believes that Panasonic is considering either a partnership to justify its Japanese business or else waving goodbye to cellphones altogether. Nothing's certain until Panasonic says so. If there's any truth to the story, though, we could see one more casualty in a rapidly thinning smartphone market.

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Nikkei, Reuters claim Panasonic may quit European cellphones after its second bruising originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |  sourceNikkei (sub. required), Reuters  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/9Ad6iyR9o2Q/

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Israeli media: Hard-line parties to join forces

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israeli media are reporting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reached a deal to join forces with the hard-line party of his foreign minister in upcoming parliamentary elections.

Channel 2 TV reported Thursday that Netanyahu's Likud Party will merge with the ultranationalist Yisrael Beitenu to form a broad, hawkish bloc.

The station speculated that the merger was meant to pre-empt the threat of an emerging centrist bloc led by the resurgent Labor party.

Polls have predicted that Likud will win the most seats in the January election, with Labor finishing a close second.

Party spokesmen would not comment. Netanyahu and Yisrael Beitenu's leader, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, were set to appear at a news conference later in the evening.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israeli-media-hard-line-parties-join-forces-170934376.html

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Big changes at the Wellcome Collection, London ? Leeds Centre for ...

An expansion and redesign is planned for the Wellcome Collection building on Euston Road.

Here?s the story on the BBC site.

As a regular at the library, I?m a little nervous about the reading room being ?transformed into a public space.?? It felt rather like hearing on the news that people are going to be redecorating your living room.? Also, in what way is a library reading room not a public space?

Also of interest, the BBC have filed the story under ?Arts & Culture? within the ?Entertainment & Arts? section of the site, and not under either ?Health? or ?Sci/Environment?.? A sure sign of the cultural rise of medical humanities ?

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Source: http://lcmh.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/big-changes-at-the-wellcome-collection-london/

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The Macroeconomics of Connection and Social: 6 Industries and 34 ...

Here?s the big lie, social media is a?really really small thing. There, I said it. As much?as some of my peers believe it is the ?air we breathe? and ranks up there with the invention of the wheel and the printing press, it really isn?t.

As I will show, there is a much more interesting bigger world out there ? a $70 trillion globe that will be affected by the advancement of connected and emerging technology. I would argue, at most, $7-8 trillion or the world?s economic engine is currently directly affected, but perhaps not wholly influenced, by our peer-to-peer habits. For most other industries, it remains a non-core object of interest.?This will change.

Below we have summarized the world?s 25 biggest industry sectors, estimated how big they currently are and looked at the likelihoood and size of wealth risks to each, bucketing them into four categories:

  • Sprinters ? those industries already being affected by the tumult of swift technology/new media change
  • Targets ? those industries about to be affected by sweeping, large scale technology/new media change
  • Cows ? those industries that will likely see sizeable but slow affects of technology/new media change
  • Turtles ? those industries fairly insulated and defended from connected technology/new media change

Let?s deal with the 6 biggest risk industries in this post ? a group that may have $10-11 trillion in value shift to others or bleed away in value over the next 10 years based on the development and adoption of connected technologies.

The Targets

Our picks for the most vulnerable industry sectors to advancing technology/emerging media were:

  • education
  • retail
  • public service
  • health care
  • insurance and
  • banking

These currently represent almost half of the full global economic pie ? $34 Trillion. I believe that a third of their value is at risk due to fast moving technology change. Here?s why:

I -Education ? $3 trillion sector, $2T technology risk

Biggest Risks:

- a middle class that cannot afford education

- currently available technology that is enabling education digitally seamlessly

- developing countries needing to access leading education affordably

- economies requiring high skilled workers more quickly and competitively

- deficit-ridden government unable to finance education sustainably

Expansion over the next decade:

- The mainstreaming of online universities and highly reputable universities getting in the game

- All-star, A-list professors teaching at multiple universities through video enablement

- Peer-to-peer education exchanges and reskilling old economy sector workers

- Student-owned co-ops that share revenues from ventures launched during educational years

- Education becomes staggered over life ? less about 4-8 years when young, more about ?certification of skills over a full career though a continuing education digital course series

Ways to insulate blow:

- Launch innovative global online brand universities ? become well-differentiated in the online space

- Become much more bespoke and customer-oriented in terms of student needs and expectations

- Establish agencies for your best performing professors ? increase online teaching, speaking and content revenues

- Create place-based ecosystems of value that demand a critical mass of location-based infrastructures, investment, expertise and people

II ? Retail ? $9 trillion sector, $2T technology risk

Biggest Risks:

- increased adoption of ecommerce globally with better, more efficient logistics to service orders

- algorithms that automatically understand better price and value options eliminating high-low/deal pricing tactics

- individualized shopping services that use the smarter semantic tools to scour the web for the best offers and customized satisfaction

- the cost of urban real estate ballooning with city population development, retail spaces crunched and thus the pursuit of better sales, less cost and more impact per square foot

- real time peer-to-peer word of mouth and location-based mobile ? continued biggest influences on purchase preference vs. historical advertising and flyer formats

- declining real incomes, making dollar stores and second-hand stores chic

Expansion over the next decade:

- Flagship, showcase stores to try things out and subsequent buy them online

- Offering mini-retail and online banner line extensions to satisfy different psychographic customer needs

- Low cost online Asian retail brands and expansion of high-end brands, the middle getting squeezed

- Online brand showrooms ? e.g. Facebook clubs, Amazon cafes, Google bars

- ?Minority Report? like, augmented reality, shopping experiences enabled by your smartphone

- Expansion of second hand stores and tracking customers online over the course of their lfietime value

Ways To Insulate Blow:

- Offer leading and immersive customer experiences and attached online and offlike brand communities that demand live interaction

- Expand service offerings to bring retailers closer to the home and post-purchase service of needs e.g. Best Buy?s Geek Squad

- Exclusive merchandise and partnerships only available through your stores

- Mini-stores, pop-up stores and mobile enabled retail walls to sell more stuff, with more impact in less space

- Smart and connected digital signage concierging shoppers through their retail experience

- Shops buy their used branded merchandise back and house second hand online and real life stores in young, depressed neighbourhoods

III. Public Service ? $7 trillion sector, $3 trillion technology risk

Biggest risks:

- Unsustainable deficits, inability to justify civil servant salaries

- Aging population requiring support but also an underutilized part of sector

- Municipal services getting more costly, technology needs to provide efficiency

- Arab Spring-like social media enabled revolts happen in more countries and as reaction to a wider array of issues

- Feeling of voter and citizen disenfranchisement from decisions ? digital electorate influence gains foothold e.g. Iceland?s crowdsourced constitution

Expansion over the next decade:

- More participatory government and cheaper operations through online election balloting and plebiscites

- Citizen activism rises ? government provides stimulus, activities are performed by population

- Technology-enabled service delivery and social innovation of ?crime, roadwork, public transit, emergency, health and administration

- Crowdsourcing, crowdvoting and crowdfunding government-led projects

Ways to insulate blow:

- Build youth council or parliament wings that inform established government expectations of young voters

- Integrate all key frontline services into web and social-enabled platforms

- Consider new forms of taxation or incentives to support citizen-led crowdfunded or social innovation projects

IV. Health Care ? $4 trillion sector, $1.5 trillion technology risk

Biggest risks:

- A hyper-inflated health care budget that is unsustainable given additional issues of population aging and increases in longevity

- Peer-to-peer health care through platforms like Patients Like Me and simply through social interaction , increasing the expectations placed on doctors and the medical community

- Front line primary care doctors are time-stressed and not the most amenable to change

- Continued disintermediation of middleman, patients pursue direct access to health care providers and policy makers

Expansion over the next decade:

- Nanotechnology and sensors better able to monitor and prevent sickness and disease

- Remote sensory and video access to doctors will eliminate need for costly long term stays or visits

- Customer records and experience will be driven instantaenously by technology interfaces ? tablets/wearable monitors/electronic health passports

- Doctors and medical staff increasingly compensated on customer satisfaction ratings

- Health insurance premiums tied to testable lifestyle risk factors

- Patients matched with doctors and other like-minded and like-conditioned people through crowdsourcing sites and peer evaluations

Ways to insulate blow:

- Embrace technology as a way to improve the customer experience

- Add preventative treatment elements, smart incentives and partners into the health care regime

- Adopt standardized electronic health care passports that support preventative and reactive health care functionality

V. Insurance ? $4 trillion sector, ?$1 trillion technology risk

Biggest risks:

- Commodification of sector in a dynamic and free-flowing information world

- Technology lowers insurance barriers to entry for new players

- Self-forming groups of customers negotiate purchase en masse for members

- Regulatory harmonization limits amount of ?wiggle room? in products globally

- Aging population and economic crisis puts pressure on profits

Expansion over the next decade:

- Smarter insurance packages that match customer values or real experience (e.g. car insurance based on better more informed driver records)

- Environmental risk management becomes a bigger need for enterprises

- Big data acquisition, filtering and insight ?to help insurance companies deliver?better pricing, underwriting and loss control

- Incentives for preventative vs. reactive insurance planning and assessment

Ways to insulate blow:

- Better understanding of customer needs and online purchase paths

- Greater variety and simpler more transparent customization of insurance options

- Team up with and co-incent not-for-profits with consistent values as your organization

- Start leveraging information tapped in legacy systems and other currently tough-to-access databases to anticipate risks better

- Insurance companies move from policy sellers to risk management and governance through better understanding of big data and smarter tech-enabled foresight

VI. Banking ? $7 trillion sector, $1-2 trillion risk

Biggest risks:

- Online and mobile banking expansion and adoption, rendering the retail bank delivery model obsolete

- Precipitous drops in trust for banks and finance community post-2008 will continue

- The beginning and expansion of new types of peer-to-peer funding and lending platforms like Kickstarter, Indie GoGO, Zopa, Funding Circle, Community Lend and others

- The incursion of other more progressive and non-traditional players into the banking sphere ? retailers, telcos, hardware companies, tech companies and ecommerce providers

- 2.5 billion people, mainly in the developing world do not have bank accounts but do have mobile phones

Expansion over the next decade:

- Non-traditional bank entities expand ? online banks, peer lenders, mobile banks, retail and utility-led banks

- The need for transparency and cause-motivated enterprises ? finance adopts triple bottom lines goals, operations and cultures

- Less banking brand loyalty, savvy, informed consumers will now leap for the best offer

- The escalation of new more competitive and sophisticated technologies ? location-specific GPS marketing, facial recognition, smart signage, interactive touch screens?branch wireless, and RFID and NRC e-wallet payments

- Developing world mobile banking and microcredit entities become the norm

Ways to insulate blow:

- Create leading edge, tech-enabled service and experiences and expansion of services (small office services, coffee shop, leading portable offices) at the branch level

- Take the first mover advantage in cashless transactions, peer to peer lending and investing and other radical developments

- Partner and provide back end support for the new incumbent finance players

- Transition quickly from retail branches to mobile leadership

- Use big data intelligence and forecast algorithms to better understand customer buying and banking cycles and reconstitute in the form of bespoke banking packages, advice and partnerships

Over the next few months as we head to 2013, I?ll be looking to profile some of the more insulated or already moving industries and providing tangible examples, big and small, of the real world already adopting these paradigm-changing and connected technologies and new media. let me know if you find any and drop me a line.

Tags: $70 trillion, 2022, 25 industries, 34 trillion, banking, cows, education, health care, insurance, new media, public service, retail, sean moffitt, social media, targets, Technology, trends, turtles and sprinters, wealth, wikibrands

Category: Education, Healthcare, Public Service/Government, Resources, Retail/CPG, Wikibrands Awards, Wikibrands by Industry, Wikibrands Insights

Source: http://wiki-brands.com/the-macroeconomics-of-connection-and-social-6-industries-and-34-trillion-dollars-in-technologys-crosshairs/

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Light Quanta ? Hourly Book

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://javedshaikm.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/light-quanta/

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Windows 8 Bible

Posted on 24 October 2012.

Windows 8 is a new version of Microsoft's flagship operating system and it's packed with exciting new features. From the new Windows lock screen and the new Internet Explorer to a built-in PDF reader and new user interface, Windows 8 is not only a replacement for Windows 7 but a serious OS for today's tablet and touchscreen device users.

What better way to get the very most out of it than with this equally impressive new book from Microsoft experts? Over 900 pages packed with tips, instruction, and techniques help you hit the ground running with Windows 8.
  • Provides complete how-to coverage of Windows 8 in a thoroughly redesigned and revised new Bible from an expert author team
  • Covers all the exciting new Windows 8 features, including the Windows 82032s lock screen, Internet Explorer Immersive, Modern Reader, a new interface, and more
  • Helps new and inexperienced users, as well as those upgrading from Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP
  • Also explores new connections to cloud applications and data, distributed file system replication, and improvements to branch cache.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HelpNetSecurity/~3/Mq8Sf-esllI/secworld.php

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Initial Forex Trading Steps: What Are Forex Pairs?

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Welcome to My Personal Finance Journey! If you are new here, please read the "About" or "First-Time Visitor" pages to find out more about us. If you would like to receive free updates on articles like this by email, then sign up here or you can?subscribe to the RSS feed. Also, check us out on Twitter or Facebook. Thanks for visiting! Keep on learning!
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The following is a guest post. Enjoy!?

Initial Forex Trading Steps: What Are Forex Pairs?


One of the first things to learn about when you?re getting started with forex is the currency pair. When you begin trading foreign currencies, you?ll see these constantly every day, and they?re important, so you have to understand them properly.

In short, the currency pair is a way of showing the prices of one currency against another in the forex market. With live forex trading, these prices are in constant fluctuation.?They are displayed like this: GBP/USD 1.5900, which would mean that 1 GBP is worth 1.5900 USD. GBP refers to the British pound, and the USD is the United States Dollar. The second currency in the pair is called the counter or quote currency; this is the one being referred to. The second one is known as the base currency.

There is an order by which the base currency is usually used; any pair that contains the Euro (EUR) will use it as the base, and then this continues in an order that goes: GBP, AUD, USD, CAD, CHF, JPY and so on. The base currency is usually the domestic currency, for ease of accounting, and the order of precedence is derived from the traditional values of the currencies in respect to one another.

The pairs that are traded most often are known as the majors, and they all include the USD. They are as follows: EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, AUD/USD, USD/CHF, and USD/CAD. 85% of all forex trades involve the major pairs, and 27% alone is accounted for by EUR/USD alone. Other pairs, such as GBP/JPY are known as crosses, and are not traded nearly as frequently. Newer traders are encouraged to begin with the majors, which are far more liquid. There are many other minor currencies that are quite rarely used. If you'd like some more information, a provider called?Alpari have actually covered this topic more in depth in a fairly comprehensive video. You can find out more about the two categories of forex pairs below:

When it comes to looking at forex research and news, professionals will often refer to pairs by nicknames, so it?s always useful to know what these are. There are many different ones, but the main pairs are the Cable (GBP/USD), Fiber (EUR/USD), Chunnel (EUR/GBP), the Funds (USD/CAD), Matie (AUD/USD), Geppie (GBP/JPY) and Kiwi (NZD/USD). If you come across a strange term that sounds like it might be a currency, it probably is.

Once you?re familiar with how pairs work, and understand how they are presented, you can begin to learn about the strategy behind making a profit on the forex market.

How about you all? Have you ever done any forex trading? If so, which currencies did you tend to trade the most?

Share your experiences by commenting below!

***Photo courtesy of?http://www.flickr.com/photos/dichohecho/2545363497/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Source: http://www.mypersonalfinancejourney.com/2012/10/forex-trading-forex-pairs.html

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Mali: any military action should not worsen existing tensions, deputy UN chief tells meeting

The international community must help the Malian authorities put in place a credible political process that addresses the underlying causes of the country?s crisis and helps them with any military operations which may be needed to return parts of the country to Government control ? while also ensuring that military action ?does not exacerbate existing tensions or worsen an already fragile humanitarian situation.?

That was a key message of the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, in his remarks today to an African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and UN Meeting of the Support and Follow-up Group on Mali, held in Bamako, in the West African country?s capital.

?Any military action must also support a coherent political strategy for the country?s reunification. And for the international community to back an international military force, human rights and humanitarian law must be scrupulously respected,? Mr. Eliasson said.

?The aim of the political process should be to build a broad-based national vision for the future of Mali. This will require a roadmap for the Transition so that preparations for elections can begin,? he added.

Currently led by Interim President Dioncounda Traor?, Mali has been dealing with a range of security, political and humanitarian problems since the start of the year. Fighting between Government forces and Tuareg rebels broke out in the country?s north in January. Since then, radical Islamists have seized control of the north, where they have imposed an extremist version of Muslim Sharia law as well as restrictions that target women in particular.

Addressing reporters at UN Headquarters last week after a visit to parts of Mali, a senior UN official, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan ?imonovic, cited, among a litany of human rights abuses committed by the Islamists, ?very drastic punishments,? the recruitment of child soldiers, and enforced marriages that are a smokescreen for enforced prostitution.

The instability and insecurity resulting from the renewed clashes, as well as the proliferation of armed groups in the region, drought and political instability in the wake of a military coup d??tat in March, have led over 250,000 Malians to flee to neighbouring countries, with 174,000 Malians estimated to be internally displaced.

In his speech in Bamako, the Deputy Secretary-General said that any political process in Mali should enable its Transitional Authorities to engage in talks with the rebel groups in the north, which represent the legitimate grievances of communities which have suffered from years of marginalization and neglect.

?It is imperative that these groups cut off all ties to terrorist organizations, as called for in Security Council resolution 2071,? Mr. Eliasson said, adding that ?the military forces are to refrain from interfering in the political arena.?

The Council unanimously adopted resolution 2071 last Friday, citing the threat to regional peace from terrorists and Islamic militants in rebel-held northern Mali. In it, it held out the possibility of endorsing, within 45 days, an international military force to restore the unity of the West African nation.

The 15-member body called on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to support the Malian political process and provide, at once, military and security planners to ECOWAS, the AU and other partners, to help frame a response to a request by Mali?s Transitional Authorities for such a force, and to report back within 45 days.

Upon receipt of the report, and acting under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Council said it was ready ?to respond to the request of the Transitional authorities of Mali regarding an international military force assisting the Malian Armed Forces in recovering the occupied regions in the north of Mali.?

Chapter VII of the Charter allows the Council to use force in the face of a threat to peace or aggression, taking ?such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security,? including blockades and other operations by the forces of Member States.

?The important work already done by the Malian authorities, ECOWAS and the AU will serve as a solid basis for our joint efforts,? Mr. Eliasson said, adding that the world body is ready to provide immediate support to a national dialogue and assistance to strengthen national capacities for political negotiations.

?We are also in the process of deploying military planners and security sector reform advisers to Bamako,? he noted.

The Deputy Secretary-General added that the Malian defence and security forces must be at the forefront of internationals effort to combat terrorism and crime in the country?s north.

?A critical first step in this direction will be to support the re-organization of the defence and security forces, as requested by the Malian authorities,? he said, noting that, as called for by the Security Council, comprehensive reform of the security sector must also be at the core of the international community?s collective efforts to consolidate Malian state institutions.

In his remarks, the deputy UN chief also noted the presence at the meeting, and the role of the recently-appointed Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Sahel, a former Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi.

?The Special Envoy will be working closely with all of you to mobilize international financial support, coordinate the United Nations integrated regional strategy for the Sahel, and help bring about a comprehensive solution to the crisis in Mali,? Mr. Eliasson said.

The Sahel region, which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, and includes Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and parts of Sudan, Cameroon and Nigeria, is currently facing a swathe of problems, which are not only political but also involve security, humanitarian resilience and human rights.

In addition to political instability in Mali, the region suffers from extreme poverty, with human development levels among the lowest in the world, porous borders that present significant security challenges, as well as human rights problems.

Added to that is the humanitarian crisis affecting the region this year, in which over 18 million people are estimated to be at risk of food insecurity and over one million children risk severe acute malnutrition.

Topics: Security situation, Political situation, Peace process,

Source: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/5086821b2.html

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