Bachmann vows to stay in GOP race despite setbacks (AP)

DES MOINES, Iowa ? Vowing to press ahead through the Iowa caucuses, Republican Michele Bachmann dismissed the notion Thursday that her presidential campaign was in disarray ? even as she lost another staff member.

Her comments came a day after a key supporter fled her campaign and she had to fend off other calls to leave the race for the GOP nomination. On Thursday, Wes Enos said he was leaving his job as Bachmann's political director, saying: "I am no longer serving in an official capacity with the campaign." He said he doesn't plan to work for or support another candidate and still plans to caucus for Bachmann.

Despite all that, the Minnesota congresswoman called her campaign organization "strong" and said her headquarters had received 150 calls of support after her Iowa campaign chairman, state Sen. Kent Sorenson, resigned and switched his allegiance to rival Ron Paul on Wednesday.

Sorenson made the switch a few hours after appearing with Bachmann. She alleges he was offered "a lot of money" to change sides, an inducement she said Sorenson had told her about during a telephone conversation on Tuesday.

"I know what I was told in that conversation," Bachmann said.

The Paul campaign and Sorenson denied that money factored into the decision or that any such offer was made.

Sorenson told CNN on Thursday that he wanted to back a candidate who is in a position to keep Mitt Romney from winning Iowa. "It's unfortunate they're resorting to these type of tactics," Sorenson said. "But the fact of the matter is she wasn't going to win Iowa."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111229/ap_on_el_pr/us_bachmann

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AP-GfK Poll: In 2012, it can only get better

Graphic shows opinion poll of the year

Graphic shows opinion poll of the year

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Americans are hopeful for what 2012 will bring for their families and the country, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, though most say 2011 was a year they would rather forget.

Nearly seven in 10 say the year gone by was a bad one, more than double those who consider it a success, according to the poll. But 62 percent are optimistic about what 2012 will bring for the nation, and more, 78 percent, are hopeful about the year their family will have in 2012.

Jeff Wolfe, 33, of Farmington, W.Va., said 2011 treated him well because he was able to find steady work as a lineman. But for the rest of the nation, things were "pretty rough," with so many Americans looking for jobs, he noted.

"For the first time since 2009, I worked all year," he said. Wolfe said he lost work in 2008 and again in 2010. But in 2011, the father of two school-age children said he was able to catch up on bills, buy his wife a new car and renovate his home.

Overall, the poll found 68 percent of Americans described 2011 as a bad year, compared with 29 percent who felt it was a good one.

A partisan divide, much like the one that ruled Washington this year, seems the only split in public opinion on 2011. Democrats were most likely to view 2011 positively (40 percent called it good), while independents and Republicans were less effusive. Beyond that, the poll found general agreement that 2011 is best left in the past.

Mary Burke, 57, of Ridgeland, S.C., felt economic pain in 2011. She saw prices rise for all of her expenses, from her light bill to groceries. "Paying $5 for a jar of mayonnaise is outrageous," she said.

Food and gas prices surged in 2011, but the most recent Consumer Price Index shows inflation leveling off. November statistics from the government showed a year-over-year inflation rate of 3.4 percent, the smallest such rise since April.

The AP-GfK poll found consumers are sensing the change. Just 18 percent of adults expect consumer prices to rise at a faster pace in the coming year, the lowest share to say so since the poll first asked the question in March. Most (51 percent) expect prices to rise at the same rate or more slowly.

And as the nation's economic fortunes overall appear to be tilting slightly positive, the public's expectations for the economy in the coming year are at their highest point since spring. According to the poll, 37 percent expect economic improvement in the next 12 months, compared with 24 percent who think the economy will slide downhill. That's the first time since May that significantly more people said things will get better than get worse.

On a personal level, 36 percent think their household's financial situation will improve over the next 12 months, while 11 percent think it will worsen. Americans' financial ebbs and flows affect their personal outlook for 2012. Those whose households have faced a job loss in the past six months or who describe their current financial situation as poor are less optimistic about what 2012 holds for them and their families than others, though that does not carry over to their forecast for the nation in 2012.

Optimism about the nation's path varies with views of the economy's direction. Those who say things have looked better in the past month are generally optimistic (79 percent), while just half of those who say things are getting worse feel positive about what 2012 holds for the country. And about 6 in 10 of those who distrust the two major political parties to handle the economy or job creation are pessimistic about how 2012 will turn out for the nation.

Burke said she is angered by politicians in Washington who she believes fail to look out for the interests of the American people.

"They don't care about me and you," she said. "They only care how they are going to line their pockets." As for the economy and nation improving in 2012, she said, "I pray and hope."

The partisan divide in impressions of 2011 persists in the outlook for 2012, with Democrats more optimistic than either Republicans or independents. But expectations for next year's presidential contest appear not to be a factor. Most partisans on both sides foresee victory for their side in the November 2012 presidential election: Three-quarters of Democrats say they think President Barack Obama will win re-election; three-quarters of Republicans say he will not.

The Associated Press-GfK Poll was conducted Dec. 8-12 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

___

Associated Press writer Stacy A. Anderson contributed to this report.

___

Online:

http://www.ap-gfkpoll.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-29-AP%20Poll-Optimistic%20New%20Year/id-10431f398aa0430b949983852caf6e05

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No-man's land attests to Japan's nuclear nightmare (AP)

IWAKI, Japan ? Fukushima was just emerging from the snows of winter when the disaster hit ? a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, the strongest in Japan's recorded history, followed by a tsunami.

The wall of water destroyed much of the northeastern coast on March 11. In the northeast region of Fukushima, a different disaster was brewing: Three reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant were melting down, irreparably damaged by the super tremor.

Now, as the snows are beginning to fall again, the government has announced the plant has attained a level of stability it is calling a "cold shutdown." As many as 3,000 workers ? plumbers, engineers, technicians ? stream into the facility each day.

The tsunami's destruction is still visible. Mangled trucks, flipped over by the wave, sit alongside the roads inside the complex, piles of rubble stand where the walls of the reactor structures crumbled and large pools of water still cover parts of the campus.

In the ghost towns around Fukushima Dai-ichi, vines have overtaken streets, feral cows and owner-less dogs roam the fields. Dead chickens rot in their coops.

The tens of thousands of people who once lived around the plant have fled. They are now huddling in gymnasiums, elementary school classrooms, bunking with friends, sometimes just sleeping in their cars, moving from place to place as they search for alternatives.

For those who lived on the perimeter of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, fliers used to come in the mail every so often explaining that someday this might happen. Most recipients saw them as junk mail, and threw them away without a second glance. For those who did read them, the fliers were always worded to be reassuring ? suggesting that although a catastrophic nuclear accident was extremely unlikely, it could require evacuating the area.

Never was it even hinted that the evacuation could last years, or decades.

At most of the shelters, food is doled out military-style, at set times. Personal space is extremely limited, often just big enough to fit a futon and the collective snoring at night makes sleep fitful, at best. Baths are public, cramped, dark.

The total amount of radiation released from the plant is still unknown, and the impact of chronic low-dose radiation exposures in and around Fukushima is a matter of scientific debate.

Recent studies also suggest Japan continues to significantly underestimate the scale of the disaster ? which could have health and safety implications far into the future.

According to a study led by Andreas Stohl the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, twice as much radioactive cesium-137 ? a cancer-causing agent ? was pumped into the atmosphere than Japan had announced, reaching 40 percent of the total from Chernobyl. The French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety found 30 times more cesium-137 was released into the Pacific than the plant's owner has acknowledged.

Under a detailed roadmap, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. will remove the melted nuclear fuel, most of which is believed to have fallen to the bottom of the core or even down to the bottom of the larger, beaker-shaped containment vessel, a process that is expected to begin in 10 years.

All told, decommissioning the plant will likely take 40 years.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/weather/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111227/ap_on_re_as/as_japan_inside_the_zone

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U.S. says China not currency manipulator; chides Japan (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The U.S. Treasury again shied away from labeling China a currency manipulator on Tuesday, but it rapped the country for not moving quickly enough on exchange rate reforms.

The United States also chided Japan for stepping into the currency market to stem the yen's rise, and urged South Korea to use such interventions sparingly.

Some U.S. politicians have argued that China has gained an unfair competitive edge in global markets by keeping the yuan artificially low to boost exports, and pressure has mounted in Congress for President Barack Obama to punish China.

But the administration prefers to tread softly and use diplomacy. The U.S. Treasury, in a semi-annual report, as usual said that statutes covering a designation of currency manipulator "have not been met with respect to China."

It repeated its standard line that appreciation in the yuan has been too slow, calling it "insufficient."

"Treasury will closely monitor the pace of appreciation and press for policy changes that yield greater exchange rate flexibility, a level playing field, and a sustained shift to domestic demand-led growth," it said in the report to Congress on international economic and exchange rate policies.

The value of the yuan, which Beijing manages closely, has risen 4 percent against the dollar this year and 7.7 percent since China dropped a firm peg against the greenback in June 2010. The Peterson Institute for International Economics recently estimated the yuan was undervalued by 24 percent against the dollar, down from 28 percent earlier in the year. It attributed the change to both Beijing's policy of gradual currency appreciation and higher Chinese inflation.

At the heart of the friction between the two countries is a U.S. trade deficit with China that swelled in 2010 to a record $273.1 billion from about $226.9 billion in 2009. The cumulative Jan-Oct deficit with China is on track to top that this year, running at around $245.5 billion.

The U.S. Senate this year for the first time passed a bill that would require the administration to slap penalties on Chinese imports if it fails to adopt market-based exchange rates. While the measure has made no progress in the lower chamber and is unlikely to become law, it shows the mounting U.S. frustration with its vital trade partner.

President Obama at the November APEC meetings, in his toughest words yet, told President Hu Jintao that China must play by global trade rules and act like "a grown-up."

The Treasury's decision not to label China a currency manipulator sent a "clear and positive signal" that would soothe the market and benefit trade, according to a commentary in Xinhua, the Chinese state news agency, on Wednesday.

Beijing has warned the United States not to "politicize" the currency issue, and some economists have pointed out that nations such as Japan and Switzerland have intervened in currency markets without drawing Washington's ire.

TARGETING TOKYO

The report did point the finger at Japan this time, criticizing Tokyo for its solo yen-selling interventions in August and October that followed a joint Group of 7 action in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake.

"The unilateral Japanese interventions were undertaken when exchange market conditions appeared to be operating in an orderly manner and volatility in the yen-dollar exchange rate was lower than, for example, the euro-dollar market," the report said.

"In contrast to the post-earthquake joint G7 intervention in March, the United States did not support these interventions," the Treasury said, adding that Tokyo should pursue reforms to revive its domestic economy rather than try to influence the exchange rate.

A senior Japanese government official said the report did not change Tokyo's position that its currency policy was in line with G7 agreements.

"This report does not make it more difficult for Japan to intervene," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic. "We are committed to doing whatever is necessary."

Japanese exporters have complained that the ultra-strong yen puts them at a competitive disadvantage. The yen was trading at just under 78 to the U.S. dollar on Wednesday morning, about 3 percent weaker than it was on October 31, when Tokyo aggressively intervened to cap the rise.

The report also noted that South Korean authorities "should limit their FX interventions to exceptional circumstances of disorderly market conditions and adopt a greater degree of exchange rate flexibility."

MORE OF THE SAME

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said the law on the FX report, which requires the administration to determine whether U.S. trade partners are deliberately undervaluing their currencies, is a poor tool to push Beijing on the yuan.

Instead, the United States prefers to argue for change at regular closed-door meetings with Chinese officials. It also uses international economic forums, such as the Group of 20 leading nations and the International Monetary Fund, to ramp up public pressure on Beijing to move more quickly to a more-flexible currency.

China is the biggest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries, with about $1.1 trillion, a position that gives it leverage in international economic negotiations. Foreign exchange traders had not expected a change of U.S. tactics.

"It's not very surprising. It's sort of sliding it in under the radar. They're (Treasury) really not in a position to make any major moves at this point," said Sean Incremona, an economist at 4Cast in New York.

The Treasury Department has not labeled a country a currency manipulator since July 1994, when it cited China. A designation would require the United States to step up negotiations with Beijing on the yuan's value.

The yuan slipped on Tuesday as strong dollar demand from corporations offset a record high mid-point fixed by the People's Bank of China. The central bank set an all-time high dollar/yuan mid-point in an apparent move to let the yuan rise a little more at the end of 2011 so as to make the yuan's full-year nominal appreciation look bigger, traders said.

Some U.S. manufacturers, which have been hit hardest by competition from China and other emerging economies, would still prefer the U.S. government to take a harder line.

"China's currency is still enormously undervalued," said Scott Paul, executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, an industry lobby for hard-hit textile, steel and labor groups.

"I'm disappointed that President Obama has now formally refused six times to cite China for its currency manipulation, a practice which has contributed to the loss of hundreds of thousands of American manufacturing jobs."

(Additional reporting by Luciana Lopez and Doug Palmer, and Stanley White in Tokyo; Editing by Leslie Adler and Dan Grebler)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111228/bs_nm/us_usa_china_currency

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Meet Your Merchant: Tahoe Mountain Sports - small business, big virtual vision

KINGS BEACH, Calif. ? It's no secret the seasonality of Tahoe presents multiple challenges for small business owners who are constantly adapting to the unpredictable flow of visitors and second homeowners.

Creative marketing is invaluable, finding a niche is necessary and a good reputation will go a long way in a small town. It's not easy; many small businesses in Tahoe will fall by the wayside if they lack proper nourishment and constant innovation.

One outdoor retail store in Kings Beach ? Tahoe Mountain Sports ? has mastered the art of success in Tahoe, and owner Dave Polivy plans to keep his doors open no matter what Mother Nature brings, when the sidewalks form or how the recession unfolds.

As an outdoor enthusiast growing up in Connecticut, Polivy migrated to Tahoe in 2000 to nurture his passion for mountain life. He immediately became involved with the Sierra Business Council where he campaigned for responsible development and sustainable land use in small communities throughout the Sierra.

Polivy's work with the council honed his public leadership skills and cultivated a passion for contentious environmental issues ? an undertaking that would prove valuable in opening an outdoor retail store in North Lake Tahoe.

The stint with Sierra Business Council also connected Polivy with his wife, Pam, whom he met during a leadership development program while she was working as executive director of the North Tahoe Business Association.

?Pam and I are both very civically minded and we've both been involved in local boards and organizations, but we thought we could make the most difference in our community by opening a small business operation,? Polivy said.

After running a successful online store for year-round outdoor goods, the Polivys decided to buy out the shares of their business partners in October 2006 and open the doors of Tahoe Mountain Sports off Highway 28 in downtown Kings Beach.

Since opening, the online market is what Polivy attributes to keeping his business thriving in a tourist-driven, weather-dependent environment. As many local businesses wait with bated breath for the first snowstorm to blanket the Sierra Nevada, Tahoe Mountain Sports has reached an all-time high in sales due an abundance of Internet customers.

?We've been experiencing record sales and record shipping over the past couple of weeks,? Polivy said. ?There's not a lot of retail business occurring up here, so that's really helped us through even though the weather is not cooperating.?

However, it takes more than solid web traffic to keep the family run business profitable. Offering year-round, full-time employment has given the Polivys an edge over their competitors, as well as providing regional customers the same products in store as are online.

?We've enabled our local customers to be able to shop online before coming into the store so they know they're getting the best deal,? Polivy said. ?Our online operation makes us transparent so when we change our prices, the whole world knows in addition to our local customers.?

As a result, Tahoe Mountain Sports does not inflate prices ? they must stay within the competitive price range of online outdoor sports retailers nationwide.

?We don't believe in gouging anybody for the sake of gouging,? he said. ?We're trying to run our operation the same way everybody else is and our prices are extremely competitive, if not lower than national or regional competitors.?

In an area teeming with alpine retailers, the specialty shop separates itself from the competition by offering a variety of products and global name brands such as Mammut gear, Kavu clothing and Deuter backpacks to name a few. They also supply the largest selection of backpacks within a 100-mile-radius, and their outdoor shoe collection is unparalleled, Polivy said.

To take full advantage of the digital age and maximize profits, they recently launched a mobile version of the website where customers can buy on the go through their smart phones ? an expansion that is already proving beneficial.

?In my opinion, Dave and Pam run the ideal Tahoe business,? said Greyson Howard, web editor for Tahoe Mountain Sports.

?Normally Internet shopping takes money away from a small community like ours, but Tahoe Mountain Sports brings some of it back. And at the same time, with a store front, it serves locals, too.?

Bringing the money back to the community and lending a helping hand to nonprofits is a substantial part of the business model for the Polivy clan.

The husband and wife duo find time to participate in local organizations like Keep the Sierra Green, Sierra Business Council, and the Main Street program through the North Tahoe Business Association.

Polivy will soon serve on the board of directors for NTBA, where he hopes to continue his involvement with the planned redevelopment of Kings Beach.

In addition, Tahoe Mountain Sports recently partnered with the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the ecosystem and natural history of Tahoe through education, science and outreach. The event ? dubbed ?Drink to That? ? raised more than $1,500 and was the first of many charitable events the company would like to host.

?If our local community is willing to shop with us, we can turn around and support other local entities within the community as well and we hope that resonates with the local population before they think about driving down to Reno,? Polivy said.

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5665437152

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I recently bought an iPhone 4S in black for my son about a week ago and I

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

Source: http://www.macforum.biz/apple-rumors-reports/284560-i-recently-bought-iphone-4s-black-my-son-about-week-ago-i.html

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InstaPad: The Instagram Browser For iPad ? Download Now!

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With the rising popularity of social media platforms, it should come as no surprise that some of the most downloaded applications on handheld devices are both the official and unofficial mobile versions of the social networking sites. Popular services such as Facebook and Twitter have countless third party applications in the App Store, and when it comes to Twitter; the third party iterations are generally favored over the official offering due to their more intuitive interfaces and extended functionality.

If you are a regular user of the Twitter social network, you will notice that people in your timeline generally make use Instagram as a photograph sharing service, especially if the people you follow are iPhone users as Instagram is still an iOS exclusive service. One of the reasons Instagram has been so widely adopted and highly thought of is due to the emotional response that the sharing of precious moments invokes within people.

Red Foundry Inc. have realized the popularity of the Instagram network and have developed an unofficial application designed to allow users to browse through uploaded photographs in a beautiful interface. The application is called InstaPad and offers a multitude of features which are sure to please even the hardcore Instagram fans.

So what exactly can you expect from the InstaPad iPad application? The user interface is definitely the first part of the app that the user will notice. It is evident that a lot of design work has been put into InstaPad and this shows in a well crafted, intuitive application front end.

Upon launch of InstaPad you are prompted to log in using a valid Instagram account which then gives allows full access to the application. After a successful log in, users can browser through popular photographs which are presented in a beautiful grid like interface which displays the posting user name and the expected like and comment boxes.

As expected, familiar features exist within InstaPad including the ability to browse through galleries posted by users that you follow on the network along with being able to like, comment on, and mark photographs as favorite for later viewing. When viewing the application, your logged in username appears in the top right hand corner of the display. Tapping this username allows users to view the entire photo stream of images that they have uploaded, viewing comments and all associated information.

After using InstaPad you get the feeling that the developers have placed a large amount of work on implementing an eye catching, beautiful design. One of the negatives is the immediate laggy feeling surround the interface of InstaPad. Scrolling through photographs seems to be a labored affair, and saying as that is the apps primary function it is definitely something that will need to be addressed by Red Foundry.

Download InstaPad for iPad [iTunes link]

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Check out our iPhone Apps Gallery and iPad Apps Gallery to explore more apps for your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RedmondPie/~3/ypveWSolsLo/

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Biz Brain: saving for your grandchildren's college tuition

Q. I have been saving for college for my three grandchildren. The oldest is now a high school senior in Virginia. She is an honor student, and lives with her mother ? a single parent with no help. The mother lost her job two years ago and is unable to find a decent job. I have about $20,000 for this child. Should I withdraw it and send to her future college?
? Grandma

A. It?s great that you want to help out with education costs for your grandchildren.

Before deciding exactly what you should do with the $20,000, you need to get some additional information.

First, understand the annual projected costs for the school she will attend, from tuition to grocery money and everything in between, said Jim Marchesi, a certified financial planner with Mill Ridge Wealth Management in Chester. Next, determine what financial aid, loans and grants would be available to your granddaughter.

?You want to make sure you assist in such a way that doesn?t diminish her ability to get financial aid from other sources,? Marchesi said. ?While you?re right in thinking to pay the college directly to avoid potential gifting issues if the money went to your granddaughter, you would need to know if such a contribution would affect your grandchild?s eligibility for other college financial aid.?
Marchesi said while $20,000 is a large sum of money, today?s college costs could eat that up in a hurry. A game plan to meet the entire cost of the education experience needs to be developed, and from there, the best use of your generosity can be determined.

When you have that information, Marchesi said you might want to put the money in a 529 Savings Plan for flexibility. You?d maintain control of the funds and contributions would grow tax-free.

?There are no federal income taxes on the earnings if the money is used to pay for education expenses,? he said. ?If the grandchild does not attend college, the account?s beneficiary can be easily changed.?

From a financial aid standpoint, Marchesi said a 529 account owned by a grandparent would most likely not be included when determining a student?s financial aid eligibility unless the grandparent claims the child as a dependent on their tax return.

Another option is a pre-paid 529 Plan, said Alan Meckler, a certified financial planner with Cornerstone Financial Group in Succasunna. These state-sponsored programs allow you to pay today?s prices for future tuition.

?Although some plans require students to attend a state university, most states let you use the money at any accredited higher-ed institution,? Meckler said. ?You generally have to live in a state to join its pre-paid plan.?

To learn more about how these plans work, and what the rules are for the Virginia plan, check savingforcollege.com.

?Karin Price Mueller

E-mail your questions to askbiz@starledger.com.

Source: http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2011/12/biz_brain_saving_for_your_gran.html

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Video: First family arrives in Hawaii

President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and their two daughters arrived in Honolulu for the holidays. As NBC?s Kristen Welker reports, the president already got what he wanted for Christmas ? a victory on Capitol Hill.

Related Links:

TODAY.com home page

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/45783276/

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Chinese hackers target U.S. Chamber of Commerce, sensitive data stolen

According to sources close to The Wall Street Journal, Chinese hackers are at it again, this time hitting the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and capturing information from three million members. Those familiar with the matter told the WSJ that hackers stole around six weeks worth of emails regarding Asian policy, but may have had access to sensitive correspondences for as long as a year. The Chamber only learned it was under attack when the FBI sent an alert that servers in China were stealing information, although the exact amount of data stolen is unknown. After confirming the breach, the Chamber shut down and destroyed parts of its computer network, proceeding to revamp its security system over a 36-hour period. Unfortunately, this isn?t the first time the U.S. of A has fallen victim to Chinese hackers, as both Google and NASA have experienced breaches over the past few years. The Chamber is currently investigating the attack, hoping to find some digital clues that might reveal the details of who done it and why.

Source: http://bestsmartphonetoday.com/smartphone-pda/chinese-hackers-target-u-s-chamber-of-commerce-sensitive-data-stolen/

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Japan en China willen vrije handel

Ook zouden er afspraken gemaakt kunnen worden over meer investeringen over en weer. Japans zou overwegen om Chinese staatsobligaties te kopen. De twee landen zijn belangrijke handelspartners van elkaar. De handel tussen de twee is vorig jaar met bijna 23 procent gegroeid.

Source: http://www.powned.tv/nieuws/buitenland/2011/12/japan_en_china_willen_vrije_ha.html

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Continuing education program at Pierce College makes a move

After 21 years of serving students at a satellite campus, the Pierce College Continuing Education Program will move back to the main campus.

Yet Lisa Reeves, director of Continuing Education, said it?s bittersweet.

?We like being located out in the community away from the campus,? she said, ?but, due to budget cutbacks, it is in the best interest that we move back to campus to save college money.?

Reeves said Continuing Education moved to the 112th Street location in 1990, then to the South Hill Park location in 2004.

?This has been a great location for us,? she said, noting easy access to parking and the building suited their needs at the time.

At the same time, Reeves and the other instructors are excited about the move. More campus resources will be available to support students, including campus safety, staff members to take care of classrooms and updated computer classrooms.

Project Management instructor Betty Boushey said she?s looking forward to moving back to Pierce College Puyallup?s main campus. Although the South Hill campus provided easy access to the freeway, Boushey said the classrooms were old.

?The Pierce College campus has rooms with bright walls and wonderful equipment,? she said.

There was such a wide selection of classes offered at the South Hill campus that Boushey said it sometimes made teaching a bit of a challenge. Right across the hall from her class was a men?s choral group, and the Celtic fiddlers were down the hall.

?You could really get into the fun of it all,? she said. ?But we had to close doors and ears because there was so much going on.?

Suzanne Fletcher-Petrich, who teaches medical coding classes, said the move will be positive.

?It will be good for the new students to connect with people in the field, and it will be good for the more experienced students to connect with the college,? Fletcher-Petrich said. ?Several of the ?smart? classrooms have document cameras, which will be great to show students with code books exactly what I am looking at without having to go to each student in turn.?

To celebrate the move and to help continuing-education students get into the groove at the main campus, Pierce College will offer a series of free classes.

?We thought it would give our students and potential students a taste of what we offer,? Reeves said.

The free classes will run from Jan. 12-14. They will include a painting session on how to choose the right medium, one on making the right choice between Yoga and Piyo, an introduction to Tai Chi, and one on buying a new computer.

?I?m ready for the move,? Reeves said. ?It is time to be engaged and reconnect with the staff on campus.?

Free Classes offered at Pierce College

For more information or how to register for continuing education classes at Pierce College, call 253-840-8452 or visit www.pierce.ctc.edu.

Joan Cronk is a freelance reporter for The Herald.

Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/12/16/1947880/continuing-education-program-at.html?storylink=rss

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Sony'nin Tablet S ve Tablet P modelleri de Android 4.0 g?ncellemesi alacak

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Source: www.donanimhaber.com --- Saturday, December 24, 2011
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Lies Entrepreneurs Tell

Entrepreneurs are always in ?sell mode?, but that doesn?t mean they need to be BS-artists.? Most entrepreneurs aren?t born liars, but we?re brought up in a system that rewards bad behavior and taking the easy way out by lying instead of being truthful, something that eventually catches up with you. If you?re an entrepreneur, here are 5 common lies you?ve probably told.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/pDn0dy_fwbg/

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Beyonce Pantsless For Jones Magazine (PHOTO)

We've grown accustomed to seeing her shine while sporting her growing bump of love like the ultimate maternal bling, but this new photo shoot reminds us that not too long ago, Beyonce was the queen of the pantsless divas.

Bey features on the cover of the Winter Arts & Entertainment issue of Jones Magazine, wearing a bit of fur and little else as she reclines against the terrace of the Maurice in Paris. It recalls her November noir video for "Dance For You," in which she was half Grammy-winner, half Philip Marlowe; as well as her October video for "Love on Top," which recalled New Edition's early dancing days in the 80s.

These days, as we said, the star actress and singer is rocking a more maternity-wear style, though she's still unafraid to go untraditional when it comes to bottoms.

PHOTO:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/22/beyonce-pantsless-for-jon_n_1164443.html

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[OOC] War for the Golden Lands

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No Xmas at home for detained ex-Philippine leader (AP)

MANILA, Philippines ? A Philippine court rejected on Wednesday requests by arrested ex-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to celebrate Christmas at home and use her cellphone and computer in detention, underscoring recent stunning reversals for a woman once considered among the world's most powerful.

Judge Jesus Mupas of the Pasay Regional Trial Court cited security reasons for denying Arroyo's request to leave a military hospital where she is detained on electoral fraud charges. She wanted to celebrate Christmas and New Year at her upscale home in the capital.

But she obtained small concessions. Mupas allowed her family, children and grandchildren to celebrate the holidays with her in her heavily guarded hospital suite from Dec. 24 to 26 and Dec. 31 to Jan. 2. She will also be allowed to watch TV and listen to the radio.

"The court is not inclined to grant (Arroyo) a Christmas furlough," Mupas said in his order. He said he was allowing her family to visit because "the court is fully aware of the fact that everybody wants to be with his loved ones during Christmas."

Arroyo's Nov. 18 arrest curtailed her rights even though she remains a member of the House of Representatives, Mupas said.

Mupas had ordered Arroyo's arrest on Nov. 18 in her hospital room, where she had sought treatment for a bone ailment, on suspicion of ordering the rigging of 2007 senatorial elections to favor her candidates. She has denied any wrongdoing and has hired a battery of lawyers.

Last month, the Supreme Court lifted a travel ban on her, and she attempted to leave the country with her husband. President Benigno Aquino III's justice secretary, however, defied the Supreme Court order and directed airport authorities to stop her from leaving, fearing she might try to escape from prosecution.

Aquino, who won election on a promise to uproot corruption, blames Arroyo for a decade of graft and corruption scandals that eroded public trust in government and held back foreign investment.

Arroyo, however, accused her successor of resorting to "demagoguery to completely destroy my reputation."

Aquino has accused Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, a former Arroyo chief of staff whom she appointed shortly before her term ended last year, of obstructing Arroyo's prosecution. Although Corona has denied favoring Arroyo in his rulings, Aquino's allies in the House of Representatives impeached the chief justice last week.

Arroyo, a 64-year-old former economics professor and daughter of an ex-president, survived four opposition impeachment bids and four attempted coups during her nine stormy years in power.

Arroyo once landed near the top of a Forbes magazine list of the 100 most powerful women in the world.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111221/ap_on_re_as/as_philippines_arroyo

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A '12 monthly guide to maximizing your money

NEW YORK?? It's time to pencil some savings into your 2012 calendar.

1. 1. Family credits miracles for injured model's recovery

      Just 2 ? weeks after a potentially fatal plane propeller accident, Lauren Scruggs is watching television, opening an avala...

   2. Van der Sloot?s ?angel? pays his bills, made CD for him
   3. Girl, 2, helps save great-grandmother's life
   4. The Year in Pictures: 2011
   5. FedEx guy tosses computer monitor over fence

Throughout the year, there are a variety of steps you can take to pocket some extra cash, whether it's booking airline tickets a month in advance or setting aside tax-free wages to pay for health care costs. In many cases, these are actions that can result in ongoing savings that add up over time.

The problem is that these moves typically require a degree of planning, even if only a minimal amount. And when you're juggling work and the daily tasks of life, such opportunities have a way of sitting on the backburner until it's too late to act.

To ward off another year of missed chances, below is a guide of simple money-saving moves you can make each month in the year ahead. Scan through it now to see whether there are any particular dates or actions you want to flag, and keep the list handy as a reference.

You may discover you've been leaving free money on the table for years.

January
DEBT: It's a perennial New Year's resolution, but there's extra incentive to pay down your debt right now. Cash still isn't earning much interest sitting in deposit accounts, with the average rate for a one-year CD clocking in at just 0.35 percent, according to Bankrate.com. So if you're sitting on any extra savings, consider using it to knock off any accumulating credit card debt.

TAXES: To make the most of your taxes, designate an office folder or kitchen drawer where you can keep receipts and other necessary paperwork. A common roadblock when filing returns is a lack of documents to claim deductions.

COLLEGE: Families with college-bound kids will want to get their taxes squared away early. The income and asset figures from the returns will be needed to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which should be completed as soon as possible after Jan. 1. An early application improves the chances of receiving aid from multiple sources. To fill out the form, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov .

February
SPENDING: Flowers can become a big part of your Valentine's Day spending, especially if you procrastinate. If you plan on sending a bouquet, start browsing websites early to avoid inflated delivery charges on last-minute orders.

CREDIT CARDS: Sweeping credit card reforms have banned a number of misleading billing practices. But the new rules don't set guidelines on rewards programs, which cardholders often fail to use to their full potential. Take a few minutes to understand the caps, expiration dates and redemption process of your program; a few tweaks to your spending habits could boost the cash back rewards or points that you earn.

ENTERTAINMENT: If you realize you haven't seen any of the Oscar nominated films even though you've been paying for premium channels, it might be time to trim your cable package. The trial offers you were given when first signing up may also have expired.

ENTERTAINMENT: While you're at it, commit to a cap on how much you'll spend on online entertainment each month. It's easy to lose sight of how much you're spending when all you have to do is click "buy."

March
TRAVEL: If you're planning a spring break, remember that the best time to book a flight is four to six weeks before traveling; prices for any given flight are generally highest in the few weeks just before and after that time frame. Airlines also offer the most sales on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

SPENDING: As you store away your cold-weather gear, make a list of any items that need to be replaced for next winter. Then hit the clearance sales ? and avoid impulse buys by shopping only for items on your list.

April
TAXES: Don't panic if you haven't filed your taxes yet. You have until October if you file for an extension, but you'll need to pay any taxes that are due.

BANKING: In honor of Earth Day, check to see if you can save a few bucks by opting for e-statements. The monthly service fee for a basic checking account at U.S. Bank, for example, is $6.95 when customers opt for e-statements. If customers opt for paper statements, however, their monthly fee is $8.95. And while you're making tweaks to your bank account, consider setting up automatic bill pay to guard against late fees.

May
SPENDING: If you're dining out on Mother's Day, go online to see if there are any deals available at your mom's favorite restaurants. Start with sites such as BiteHunter.com and Restaurant.com; if your mom is a fast food junkie, try EatDrinkDeals.com.

HOME: Before the weather gets too hot, consider investing in a more efficient air conditioner to save on energy costs. Keep in mind that getting a unit that's too powerful for the space you're cooling can be just as wasteful as getting one that's too weak. The recommended capacities for various room sizes can be found at www.energystar.gov.

COLLEGE: If you're the parent of a high school sophomore or junior, start planning a tour of college campuses this fall. Think about coordinating the visits with another trip and try to get in as many nearby campuses as possible to minimize travel costs.

June
SPENDING: If you have multiple wedding ceremonies to attend this summer, think about where you can cut corners. This could be as simple as limiting how much you spend on new clothes or teaming up with others to buy group presents.

HOME: It's National Homeownership Month and interest rates on mortgages should still be near record lows. If you're still not sure whether you're ready to become a homeowner, check out the renting versus buying calculator on the website of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

HOME: Homeowners should check whether it's worth refinancing. The general rule of thumb is that the new rate should be at least about 1.5 percentage points below your current rate. Otherwise the closing costs may not make the savings worthwhile.

July
INVESTING: The mid-year checkup on your investment portfolio is even more critical in times of market volatility. You want to be sure that market gains and losses haven't knocked your mix of stocks, bonds and cash out of balance. If you don't have a financial planner, consider rebalancing with the help of an online portfolio tool such as Morningstar.com's Portfolio Manager or one offered by Quicken.com

HEALTHCARE: If you're inspired by the Olympics set to take place in London, check whether your employer offers any discounts for health club memberships or programs.

COLLEGE: This is the time of year that families apply for private student loans to bridge funding gaps for college. When evaluating the options, be sure you understand whether the loan has a variable interest rate and what the options would be if payments can't be honored. The rates and terms on private student loans are far less forgiving than on federal student loans.

August
SPENDING: Several states offer tax holidays for back-to-school items on a designated weekend. The timing varies by state, but tax holidays usually start early in the month. If your state had a tax holiday last year, it may run again this year. The Federation for Tax Administrators offers a list of this year's dates and qualifying purchases here.

TRAVEL: It's time for a little number crunching. Set aside an hour or two to review your summer travel and recreation expenses. See how much your vacation ended up costing, compared with how much you intended to spend. Make a note of unexpected expenses you could have avoided and file it away for next summer.

September
COLLEGE: The rise in college costs has far outpaced the rate of inflation; tuition and fees alone are an average of $17,000 a year at public universities. In honor of National College Savings Month, consider setting up a 529 college savings plan for your child. These work like 401(k) accounts and let families invest in the market and withdraw money tax-free to pay for education. Each state offers its own plan; families can invest in plan from any state they like, but there are often tax benefits to picking one from home.

SPENDING: The holiday shopping season is rapidly approaching. Keep spending in check by starting to pay down debt and mapping out a budget.

October
HEALTHCARE: Open-enrollment season arrives in workplaces across the country. Many companies have been tweaking their benefits to keep pace with rising health care costs, so make sure you're still signed up for the plan that best fits your needs. Also consider opening a flexible spending account for health care costs. These accounts let workers set aside tax-free wages for items such as copays and medications.

HEALTHCARE: Don't forget to evaluate how much you spend on medications. Over-the-counter drugs are as much as 50 percent cheaper at Target and Wal-Mart than at local supermarkets, according to Consumer Reports. The big box retailers also charge $4 for a 30-day supply of many generic prescriptions, or $10 for a 90-day supply. Other chains, such as CVS and Rite Aid, offer similar programs.

November
INSURANCE: As you start to review your expenses for the past year, check whether you can cut your auto insurance payment. You may not need as much coverage if your car has aged and depreciated in value since you first signed up for coverage. A clean driving record since then may also qualify you for a lower rate.

TAXES: Start thinking about the year-end moves to lower your tax bill for 2011. For example, consider maxing out contributions to your retirement accounts.

COLLEGE: It's time to have a money talk with new college graduates. The six-month grace period on student loans for May graduates is coming to an end. To make sure your child's credit record remains clean, help work out a budget to juggle payments, rent and living expenses. Graduates who are still looking for employment should investigate their deferment options.

December
SPENDING: You don't have to brave the crowds even if you haven't gotten around to your holiday shopping. Check out the hundreds of retailers that participate in Free Shipping Day in the middle of the month at www.freeshippingday.com. Don't forget to tap into social media sites of retailers to stay on top of special sales.

GIVING: If you plan to give to a charity during the holidays, be sure the group you're donating to is appropriately qualified before making a donation. Remember that charitable contributions can only be deducted if you have receipts to back them up. Further guidance is available on the IRS website.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45756604/ns/today-money/

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Speaker: Will keep pipeline language in tax bill (AP)

WASHINGTON ? House Republicans will stick to their insistence that a bill extending a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits include language speeding work on a controversial oil pipeline, Speaker John Boehner said Friday.

The remarks by Boehner added a contentious backdrop to negotiations over a compromise payroll tax cut measure. With President Barack Obama and many congressional Democrats opposed to accelerating work on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which would run for 1,700 miles from western Canada to Texas, that conflict has been one of the major hurdles to a bipartisan deal on the payroll tax package.

Meanwhile, the House began debating a $1 trillion spending bill that would avert a partial federal shutdown beginning Saturday. That measure, which would finance dozens of federal agencies through next September, would replace a stopgap spending bill that expires at midnight Friday and is sure to pass.

Negotiations on the payroll tax cut legislation between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., were continuing Friday. Leaders are hoping that Congress will finish that bill and others and end its work for the year in the next few days.

Reid said Friday that bargainers were making good progress in those talks, a sentiment echoed by McConnell.

"The majority leader and I are making significant progress on reaching agreement on a package that will have bipartisan support, I hope," McConnell said. "I think we're going to get to that place."

With those talks under way, House leaders planned to send their members home after finishing their work Friday, with plans to return when the Senate produces a payroll tax cut measure for the House to vote on.

But Boehner, R-Ohio, struck a combative tone following a closed-door meeting Friday morning of House Republicans.

"I guarantee that the Keystone pipeline will be in there when it goes back to the United States Senate," Boehner said.

This year's 4.2 percent payroll tax rate will jump back to its normal 6.2 percent on Jan. 1 unless action is taken by Congress. Few lawmakers want to be blamed for a tax increase that would affect 160 million people.

Extended benefits for long-term jobless people will also expire Jan. 1 without congressional action.

That same day, a 27 percent cut in Medicare reimbursements to doctors would take effect unless lawmakers act, a reduction that could convince some doctors to stop treating Medicare patients.

Even without the Keystone dispute, bargainers had still not reached agreement on how to extend a payroll tax cut through 2012, with major disputes remaining over how to finance the package.

Because of their ongoing disagreements, Senate leaders have prepared a shorter, two-month extension of the payroll tax cut and jobless benefits to give themselves more time to reach an agreement.

The two-month payroll tax cut bill would also delay the Medicare cuts for two months.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/uscongress/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111216/ap_on_go_co/us_congress_rdp

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Venezuela honors Simon Bolivar with new coffin (AP)

CARACAS, Venezuela ? Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez paid tribute to 19th century independence leader Simon Bolivar on Saturday by unveiling a new coffin containing Bolivar's remains and adorned with gold, pearls and diamonds.

Soldiers lifted a flag from the mahogany coffin during a ceremony marking the anniversary of Bolivar's death in 1830. Bolivar is both a national hero in Venezuela and the namesake of Chavez's Bolivarian Revolution political movement.

"You live on in us," Chavez said in a speech, standing next to the coffin. "As the years pass, you will be more alive, father Bolivar."

Officials have said Chavez's government is spending 119 million bolivars ($27.7 million) to build a new mausoleum to house Bolivar's remains. The mausoleum is to have a soaring roof, and a metal framework has been partly erected behind the National Pantheon, where Bolivar's remains have long been entombed.

Chavez oversaw the exhumation of Bolivar's remains last year, seeking to confirm his idol's identity and investigate a theory that Bolivar could have been killed. Researchers confirmed Bolivar's identity through DNA tests but were unable to pin down the cause of his death.

The new coffin bears golden stars and the national seal, as well as Bolivar's initials and golden laurels. An announcer said the decorations on the coffin include diamonds and pearls from Venezuela.

Chavez has made Bolivar a central symbol throughout his nearly 13-year-old presidency. He often speaks below a portrait of Bolivar. In 1999, Chavez promoted the approval of a new constitution that changed the country's name to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111217/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_chavez

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RIM delays QNX phones, offers dismal outlook (Reuters)

TORONTO (Reuters) ? Research In Motion posted a sharp drop in profit on Thursday, offered a dismal outlook for BlackBerry shipments around Christmas and delayed the likely arrival of a make-or-break overhaul of its smartphones, sending its shares tumbling.

RIM's shares shed more than 7 percent after the company said it did not expect to release a line of BlackBerrys equipped with the new QNX operating system until late next year, long after its initial promise of a first-quarter delivery.

It was the latest in a long series of setbacks for a company that once dominated the smartphone market but, to the chagrin of investors, is now struggling to keep pace with the innovations of Apple Inc and other rivals.

To make matters worse, RIM said it would ship just 11 million to 12 million smartphones in the weeks around Christmas, a range that lines RIM up for the first quarter-to-quarter decline in six years during the crucial sales season.

The likely drop bodes poorly for RIM as it was banking on an improved BlackBerry 7 line, equipped with the legacy operating system, to stem defections until it could release the QNX line.

"The matter that they turned in a bad quarter shouldn't come as a shock to anybody," said John Jackson, an analyst at CCS Insight in Boston. "I think the more important issue for RIM is that it is highly unclear exactly when they're going to be able turn things around."

The Waterloo, Ontario-based company has been counting on the new operating system to make up ground lost to Apple's iPhone and iPad and the slew of devices that make use of Google's Android software.

RIM's market share, particularly in the United States, has steadily eroded and its share price, down about 73 percent this year, has followed suit.

During a conference call with analysts, RIM explained that the QNX delay was necessary so it could make use of more powerful and energy-efficient chipsets expected to arrive in mid-2012.

"By then the ecosystem runs the risk of being abandoned," said Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Partners in New York.

"They've already got tepid developer support and then they're going to be rolling out these phones right smack in the (midst) of an iPhone 5 (launch) most likely," he said, referring to the next iteration of Apple's smartphone.

The dismal holiday outlook for between 11 million and 12 million smartphones compares with 14.1 million in the previous quarter and 14.8 million in the Christmas quarter last year.

"If consumer demand slows for their product the stuff is going to sit there and we could start seeing the ratcheting-down of units shipped and that's the big concern," Gillis said.

Even if RIM hits the high end of its Christmas quarter shipment target it will ship fewer BlackBerrys in this fiscal year than the previous one, the first ever such decline.

RIM's co-chief executives Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, in an apparent bid to cool investor anger at their leadership, said they agreed to take an immediate pay cut to $1. The pair are also RIM's two largest shareholders and share the chairmanship of the board.

BY THE NUMBERS

Most of the numbers posted by RIM on Thursday were in line with a warning made by the company on December 2, including a huge writedown on unsold inventory of its unloved PlayBook tablet or a charge for an embarrassing global service outage in October.

RIM turned in an adjusted profit at $667 million, or $1.27 a share, in its third quarter ended on November 26.

The Canadian company generated revenue of $5.17 billion, sliding from $5.5 billion a year earlier.

Analysts on average had expected RIM to earn $1.19 a share on sales of $5.27 billion after the company's warning.

In the third quarter a year earlier, RIM made $911.1 million, or $1.74 a share.

The intervening year has been mostly downhill for RIM, which made its name with secure, reliable communications for the world's business and government elites before branching out into a now-crowded consumer market.

For the current quarter, RIM expects to turn a profit of between 80 and 95 cents a share on revenue of between $4.6 billion and $4.9 billion.

SUBCRIPTIONS RISE

Including the $485 million pre-tax writedown on discounted PlayBook inventory and a $54 million charge related to the outage, RIM made a third-quarter profit of $265 million, or 51 cents a share.

It said it now has almost 75 million subscribers, up from the more than 70 million it reported at the end of its second quarter.

"They're still adding a lot of subscribers, but they're not selling enough phones," said Tavis McCourt, an analyst at Morgan Keegan. "Are customers just going to upgrade to the iPhone and Android or are they really that loyal where they're going to wait for a better BlackBerry?"

The stock fell to $14 in after-hours Nasdaq trade, after closing at $15.13. In February, just ahead of the PlayBook's launch, RIM shares changed hands for as much as $70.

(Additional reporting by Cameron French, Allison Martell, Jon Cook and Claire Sibonney; Editing by Frank McGurty)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111216/bs_nm/us_rim

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Bond set at $100,000 for Bears player Hurd

BC-FBN--Bears-Hurd Arrest, 2nd Ld-Writethru,1201Attorney: Hurd didn't sell drugs to NFL playersEds: Updates with Hurd released on bond, restores first reference to Angelo. Incorporates FBN--Bears-Hurd ReaxBy ANDREW SELIGMAN and DON BABWINAssociated Press

CHICAGO (AP) ? The attorney for Sam Hurd said Friday that his client had never sold drugs to other NFL players, hoping to put any rumors to rest as the wide receiver without a team prepares to fight federal drug charges that could put him in jail for 40 years.

Less than an hour after Hurd was cut by the Chicago Bears, defense attorney Brett Greenfield told reporters that his client planned to fight the charges and wanted one thing made clear.

"Sam has asked me to address one point, with respect to the rumors that Sam has been supplying drugs to other members of the NFL, out of respect to the NFL, out of respect to teammates and out of respect to other players, he 100 percent denies that allegation," Greenfield said. "It is patently and totally false. It just didn't happen."

League spokesman Brian McCarthy said the NFL was closely monitoring the situation. Asked about a report that authorities have a list of NFL players with ties to the drug case, McCarthy said: "We are not aware of such a list."

U.S. Magistrate Young Kim ordered Hurd to surrender his passport and any firearms. Hurd is expected to be tried in Texas, where the criminal complaint was filed this week by the U.S. attorney.

Hurd, who appeared in court in an orange jumpsuit with his feet shackled, waived his right to a preliminary hearing, meaning the next step is for prosecutors to take their case before a grand jury. Several members of Hurd's family, including his wife, mother and brother, attended the hearing but he didn't appear to look at them, even as he was led out of the room. He was later released after posting $100,000 bond.

Hurd was arrested Wednesday night outside a Chicago steakhouse, according to the complaint. He allegedly told an undercover agent he was interested in buying five to 10 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana per week to distribute in the Chicago area.

Hurd told the agent a "co-conspirator is in charge of doing the majority of the deals" while he focused on "higher-end deals," the complaint said. He agreed to pay $25,000 for each kilogram of cocaine and $450 a pound for the marijuana, according to the charges, and then said he could pay for a kilo of cocaine ? about 2.2 pounds ? after "he gets out of practice." He walked out of the restaurant with the package and was arrested.

Hurd faces up to 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine if convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, or half a kilogram.

Teammates said they were stunned by the allegations and general manager Jerry Angelo said he was, too, as he announced the team was cutting Hurd.

"There were no facts, there were no flags, that anybody could present tangibly to say we should have known otherwise, and I want to make that perfectly clear to the public, to our fans," Angelo said Friday. "We do our homework. We do our due diligence. We did everything you could possibly do given the information that we can allocate."

The 26-year-old Hurd was in his first year with the Bears and sixth year overall in the NFL after five years with the Cowboys. Angelo said the Bears performed an extensive background check on Hurd, a San Antonio native who played at Northern Illinois, before signing him in July to a three-year deal reportedly worth up to $5.15 million, including a $1.35 million signing bonus and base pay this season of $685,000.

"We go back, we ask questions," Angelo said. "Is there something we could have done, something we should have done, in the process? Sometimes, there are glitches, but in this case, there are none. I could sit here and tell you with total transparency that we did everything we know to do in terms of our research, and there was nothing that we found that would create a flag or an alert or a real concern in Sam Hurd's case."

Asked how certain he was that other players on the Bears or around the league were not involved, Angelo said, "I can't talk about that."

"I'm certainly not going on any witch hunts about players," he added. "The one thing that we've done when there's been a wrong, we've acted. We don't justify wrongs. We've acted. We have a track record of doing that. Unfortunately, a situation arose that caught us off guard, but not to the point where we aren't going to do the right thing."

The Bears announced their contract agreement with Hurd on July 29, one day after federal authorities say he had agreed to a "consensual interview" with Homeland Security investigators over $88,000 in cash that had been seized in a car he owned in the Dallas area. The money was inside a canvas bag that authorities said was covered in a plant-like material that tested positive for "properties of marijuana."

Hurd said the money was his and that he had given the car to his acquaintance, a car shop employee, for maintenance and detail work, the complaint said.

"From my understanding, he wasn't the one that was pulled over," Angelo said. "His vehicle was pulled over. He was not the driver. That was never made public. So he was never charged with anything. There was never any record to our knowledge. And it was, from my understanding, a citation, but other than that, there was no other information that was presented to us."

Angelo would not say if the Bears would try to recoup some of the signing bonus. He also gave a terse answer when asked whether the case might affect his own future with the Bears, telling a reporter to "whistle Dixie." Angelo is under contract through 2013.

As for Hurd, receiver Earl Bennett described him as a "guy with high character who just loves to play the game of football, loves to have fun." Bennett also said he doesn't think other players are involved.

"I wouldn't think so," he said. "A lot of guys in this locker room are very high-character guys."

Coach Lovie Smith echoed that sentiment.

"We have a great group of guys," he said. "But sometimes when you're dealing with this many, it's hard to have all the players be a certain way. But you can't let that scar what else we're getting done here. It's always about the team. Every once in a while a guy will go outside what's best for the football team and there are consequences that you deal with. That's how life goes. There are life lessons that are being learned here by our football team."

Greenfield said he wasn't sure whether Hurd would try to get picked up by another team as he fights the drug case.

"Sam's a football player and he wants to play," he said. "Hopefully he'll be playing in the near future with another team."

If not, the attorney said, there are other options.

"Sam's a college grad, Sam's a scholar, Sam's a very, very smart individual," Greenfield said.

___

AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-16-Bears-Hurd%20Arrest/id-7917047e1ec240d89634c61498e2248a

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