Thursday, September 30, 2010

FTC suing POM Wonderful for unsubstantiated wellness claims

Marketing doesn’t typically consist of much truth in it which is known by most. Of course, a business has to back up statements made about products or services before having in trouble. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has decided to take a step up and sue, according to the Wall Street Journal, the POM Wonderful LLC that makes a pomegranate juice drink in Los Angeles. The FTC suit is all about what is within the POM Wonderful products. Apparently the juice and POMx supplements have “false and unsubstantiated claims that their products will prevent or treat heart disease, prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction.” Source for this article – FTC suing POM Wonderful for unsubstantiated health claims by Personal Money Store.

FTC is going against POM Wonderful down and dirty

The WSJ argues that POM Wonderful products aren’t that bad. They have been “proven to fight for cardiovascular, prostate and erectile health,” supposedly. The Federal Trade Commission explains that having "17 percent improved blood flow” and a "30 percent decrease in arterial plaque” aren’t enough evidence to advertise that way. POM Wonderful makes statements that aren’t very legitimate. It says that "unprecedented scientific research,” is put into the products before advertising.

“Any consumer who sees POM Wonderful products as a silver bullet against disease has been misled,” David Vladeck of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection said in a media statement.

POM Wonderful had submitted a pre-emptive suit against the Federal Trade Commission

POM Wonderful made complaints about the FTC. Evidently the company thinks it is unreasonable to make such requirements. The Federal Trade Commission hadn’t even filed the lawsuit when POM Wonderful said the needs weren’t fair. POM Wonderful statements its free-speech rights in the First Amendment are being hurt because of the requirements. POM Wonderful should have its wellness statements checked out since they are specific enough to raise some eyebrows. The FTC has not just called the company out for nothing. POM Wonderful even put out some ads once stating that its pomegranate juice will protect in opposition to PSA’s which are prostate-specific antigens. The WSJ claims this has not been proven scientifically at all. Consumers are expected to purchase based on unsubstantiated stat! ements.

More on this topic

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704654004575517871757238034.html?KEYWORDS=POM Wonderful

Protesting POM Wonderful’s animal testing (Warning: Some NSFW language is audible)

youtube.com/watch?v=htxIpHbl4lA



Judge wants Lohan in imprisonment lengthier

Lindsay Lohan is in trouble with the law again. The Los Angeles court called her in because she failed another drug test. Lohan just lately spent 13 days of a 90-day sentence in the LA county jail, before being released for a 23-day stint in rehab at Ronald Reagan Memorial Hospital. The rehab did not take. She failed a drug test during probation which was really routine. The judge will get to choose what happens with her now.

Another Lohan substance test failed

Lindsay Lohan was expected to be put back in jail following the latest drug test. Lindsay Lohan does not seem so shy about her life, The Guardian reports. She tweeted on Twitter to her followers that she failed a drug test. Dina Lohan and Ali Lohan, also as Lindsay Lohan’s attorney, were conspicuously absent. Lindsay’s father, Michael Lohan, said he doesn’t want her going to arrest. He’d rather be going to jail himself. Court Elden Fox decided Lindsay should be in arrest and denied bail. Her next hearing won’t be until October 22.

Issues from before

As a former child star, Lindsay Lohan was shown in 2007 in her first bit of lawful trouble. Lohan crashed an auto twice under the influence of alcohol, and was mandated to get therapy, as outlined by the Los Angeles Times. She got in some extra trouble with the court. She missed some of the meeting on alcohol education. At that very same time she was given substance tests. She was positive for cocaine. After doing just under two weeks in jail, she underwent a three-week rehabilitation. She went on probation after that which required substance screenings. She was found to have ingested amphetamines after her sentence. Until October, she could be stuck in arrest. That will be the longest she’s ever had to serve.

Judges are mean

Her father, and others, have decried the denial of bail until her listening to. This is something that has to be done. Definitely nothing else has worked yet.

Discover more info on this subject

The Guardian

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

Los Angeles Times

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



Chrysler Motors fires 13 workers in following of scandal

A whistleblower news report involved Chrysler in a scandal over the actions of plant workers. Numerous Chrysler plant employees were captured drinking and using illegal drugs during their lunch break close to the plant. The news was broken by a news station in Detroit that was tipped off. Chrysler Motors quickly jumped on the story, and resolved to bring a summary about swiftly. Chrysler acted quickly. Not long right after the report aired, the individuals in question were all put on suspension. Days later, it is apparently resolved. Chrysler dismissed 13, and 2 more remain on suspension.

Not exactly Occupational Safety and Health Administration accepted

A tip about workers from the Jefferson North plant was passed to WJBK, or Fox 2, a Fox affiliate in Detroit according to USA Today. The plant in question assembles the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Workers were seen going to a local recreation area to smoke what appeared to be weed and drink beer on their break. The ritual went on for 5 consecutive days, until an anchor asked them what the heck they were doing. The party broke up. The news crew followed them back to the plant. The sting comes at a pretty inconvenient time. President Obama not too long ago concluded a visit to the exact same plant.

13 canned in this case>

Initially, Chrysler couldn’t fire any person. Nevertheless, 15 individuals were right away placed on suspension. The rules of the United Auto Workers require workers be suspended and investigated before they could be discharged. There were 13 individuals terminated, and two more placed on suspension, according to Automotive News. Quality control and build inspection is done by automation, so the quality of the automobiles isn’t affected according to Chrysler. The UAW insists that those which were let go are not indicative in any way of the quality of the bulk of their members.

Do not consume on the job

The “Three Martini Lunch” went the way of the Dodo. Working with industrial equipment calls for safety be paramount. Drinking and taking other illegal intoxicants is certainly contrary to safe practices.

Articles cited

Auto News.com

autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100928/OEM/100929862/1252

USA Today

content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/09/detroit-tv-station-catches-chrysler-workers-drinking-drugging-during-lunch/1?csp=obinsite



Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Pre-release orders already full for Nissan Leaf

Nissan Leaf nearly sold before it's launched

The two huge green car releases for this year are the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt. The Leaf is the more exciting of the two, as it is an all electric car. By December of 2010, both automobiles can be at a dealership perhaps near you. The business began taking advance orders, but instead of only moving a fraction from the inventory, all advance order slots for a Nissan Leaf have filled up. That all being said, the Leaf is only being launched in five states initially. Source of article – Nissan Leaf almost sold out it debuts by Car Deal Expert.

Very first run of Nissan Leaf sold out

The Nissan Leaf is kind of a large deal. It is the first completely electric automobile from a major automaker. Each other green vehicle offered by a major vehicle maker is a hybrid. Toyota Motors, Honda, etc., are all devoid of all electric models. According to the NY Times, Nissan offered consumers the chance to reserve an auto in advance. That was in April. Nissan has put out a demonstration test fleet. The goal was to spread word of mouth, and get the reservations full by December. That will apparently not be necessary. The goal was for 20,000 reservations by December, which has presently happened. The goal was met a full three months ahead of schedule.

Leaf no stone unturned

It isn’t rocket science to boost demand ahead of release. Nissan is presently touring with a demonstration Leaf or two around the country, but at this point it seems almost unnecessary. There are already 20,000 reservations, and the vehicle comes available in December. Initially, the Leaf will be available only in Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, and Tennessee. The very next month, two more states get them. The cars go to Texas and Hawaii after the initial launch. By the end of 2011, the Leaf could be accessible everywhere.

Cannot leaf this opportunity alone

There is no use in denying it. Hybrids and electric cars are what can be the way from the future. The supply of oil on the Earth will eventually run out. Eventually, cars like the Leaf will be the rule, and not the exception.

Additional reading

NY Times

wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/thinking-of-buying-a-nissan-leaf-get-in-line/



Fiction news of Othman becoming a U.S. outer space alien ambassador

News that the U.N. is poised to appoint an alien ambassador spread like wildfire on the internet Sunday. The U.N. Office for Outer space affairs, and also a Malaysian astrophysicist, Mazlan Othman, was expected to be the one to take the job. It would only really happen in response to extraterrestrial visitors, say Othman. The idea of alien contact isn’t that absurd thinking about all of the planets outside of the solar system being found more most recently. Stephen Hawking has told Earth to be cautious as there might be extraterrestrial life. But the alien ambassador story turned out to be nothing however the latest Web-spawned wildfire, when Othman doused the flames with a denial via e-mail to a British newspaper.

Humanity might respond from the U.N. to extraterrestrial life?

The United Nations alien ambassador rumor “broke” in the Sunday Times. It right away begun flying all around the world. The search for alien transmission was something Othman spoke about in a recent seminar. It was quoted in the Sunday Times. Othman said Earth should have a coordinated response and that the United Nations will be the best organization for the job. The Australian was just one of the newspapers that said Othman would be in Britain in the coming week for the Royal Society sponsored conference talking more about extraterrestrial contact.

Looking for aliens

An extra-solar planet is also called an exoplanet. In 1992, this was first discovered to really exist. Hundreds of exoplanets were found within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration outer space observatory launched in 2009 called the Kepler Mission. There will probably be hardly any alien existence to exist. Of course, that did not stop Stephen Hawking from giving his own personal warning. Hawking interviewed with the Sunday Times saying humanity should try getting noticed before it tries to watch for more alien existence. Aliens would probably be looking for planets to exploit for their resources. He knows that this is something all of us can imagine. Just looking in the mirror can show us the consequences. “We only have to look at ourselves to determine how intelligent life might develop into something we would not want to meet.”

Are there aliens on earth?

The story about the U.N. alien ambassador didn’t just come out of the blue. Othman began the rumor. Rather than jump on the bandwagon, the Guardian decided to actually check the facts. The Royal Society got a call from the British newspaper that asked about the speech on alien contact made by Othman. It was news to them. Nobody knew about it. The U.N. referred all inquiries about the Office for Outer Space Affairs to an unresponsive switchboard in Vienna. A Guardian e-mail is what got Othman’s reaction where she said there was no U.N. alien ambassador story. She explained, “It sounds really cool, but, I have to deny it.” The Royal Society speech is going to be about how earth may be colliding with objects in its path in the near future which is a real problem.

More on this topic

The Australian

theaustralian.com.au/news/world/the-un-is-to-appoint-an-astrophysicist-to-be-the-first-contact-for-any-aliens/story-e6frg6so-1225929540635

Sunday Times

timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/space/article7107207.ece

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2010/sep/27/un-alien-ambassador-mazlan-othman



Tuesday, September 28, 2010

iPad rival within the Blackberry Blackpad by RIM

The Blackpad is the newest rumor about Research in Motion. The Blackberry DevCon keynote speech will most likely be used to broadcast this new product. Some news online websites are reporting that a fully functioning machine can be previewed. Others say the Blackpad is still in initial development and won’t even be discussed. With or without an announcement, the Blackpad will be the stuff of rumors.

Why Blackberry requires the Blackpad

RIM is a company with various major challenges in front of it. Governments, companies, and others with high security concerns were the original target of RIM’s Blackberry. Though that niche is relatively small, Blackberry and RIM did really well serving it. Somewhere along the way, though, regular consumers started using the handsets. Balancing these two customer groups has proven difficult. RIM tries to maintain high-performance features and consumer friendliness. With more customers defecting to Android or Apple devices, RIM and Blackberry need a big seller to keep their stockholders happy.

Digesting the Blackpad

The operating system for Blackpad might well be the selling point. The interface of the Blackpad will be depending on touch. DevCon 2010 may see the Blackpad discussed. A real Blackpad to play with, though, probably definitely won’t be ready. RIM almost certainly plans to discuss the main points of the Blackpad, though. The screen will be on-level using the iPad, at 7 inches. There will even be either one or two cameras for videoconferencing. The operating system of the Blackpad will not be Blackberry OS3, however a specially-developed system. RIM has not yet declared the price of the Blackpad, leaving some to wonder if it will require a no-fax payday loan.

The industry space for Blackpad

Research in Motion has stated that they wish to remain a business-based business. This doesn’t mean they will shun everyday consumers. Amazon could be creating a music application for the Blackpad. Blackberry said they will be targeting this machine to all customers. The biggest benefit is that the Blackpad might be released as a stand-alone device or on one of the four cellular networks that Blackberry already uses. In other words, no need to be tied to just one cell carrier for electronic tablet compatibility. An Android device called WePad, could be released soon. The Samsung Galaxy will even be a competitor released soon.



Thursday, September 23, 2010

Unionizing occurring under Teamsters banner for growers of cannabis

The recession did quite the number on organized labor. Now it sincerely needs to bolster its membership ranks somehow. America’s leading growth industry is being observed by numerous. Even the Teamster Union, also injured within the economic downturn, is looking there. There is one place Teamster is most looking, says the Associated Press. It’s looking at the cannabis business. Source for this article – Marijuana growers unionizing under Teamsters banner by Personal Money Store.

Creating a union for marijuana growers

In September, Teamsters picked up 40 new members, all of them marijuana growers. The majority of the members are expected to be from California as it has the most permissive medical weed laws out of every state when that isn’t certain. Lots of individuals do not know how Teamsters plans to work anything out. The biggest concern is how it will protect members that are committing crimes by growing.

Working with cannabis workers was not what Lou Marchetti thought he’d be doing when he joined Teamsters 34 years ago. Marchetti works with newly signed growers in California and Teamsters local 70.

He said, “This is a whole new ballgame”.

When speaking on Teamsters getting involved with marijuana growers in California, Marchetti explained that the company would not be working with any business it thought was breaking the law in its proceedings.

Marjyn Investments LLC provides the Teamsters with work

Marjyn Investments LCC works with medical marijuana patients to help them grow their own weed plants with gardening, trimming and cloning jobs. The Teamsters Union works with contracts. They started the two year contract. Now they all have paid trip, medical insurance and even pensions. In turn, wages will rise from $18 per hour to $25.75 per hour over the next 15 months, as outlined by Teamsters Local 70.

Trying to figure out all the difficulties with growing pot

Growing marijuana plants is against federal law, although states like California do allow the enterprise for controlled medicinal purposes. However, if the federal government decided to crack down on Marjyn Investments, Marchetti is uncertain exactly how Teamsters would respond. For that matter, the AP states that marijuana trimmers have an arduous job, and federal law would not step in on their behalf if trimmers happened to be subjected to abusive labor practices. Michael Leong, assistant regional director for National Labor Relations Board within the Oakland area, isn’t even sure if the Teamster weed farmers can be classified as farm workers. The NLRB wouldn’t be in control at all if that is the case.

Ever harvesting dispensaries for cannabis with ‘in the shadows’ cultivation

California law has allowed marijuana dispensaries to grow into a booming new business, but existing laws have not fully defined just how cultivation operations like Marjyn Investments LLC should be regulated. There is definite interest from applicants wanting to break into the field, however how applicable labor standards should be applied is a work in progress. At this point, one of the only things that is clear as applicants await their permits to open shop is that membership within the Teamsters Union isn’t required in order to operate.

Additional reading

Associated Press

newser.com/article/d9ibmhtg0/us-teamsters-boost-membership-by-adding-medical-pot-growers-to-the-union-rolls.html



Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Refunds for Fannie and Freddie aren't being given for bad bank lending options

The near collapse of real estate has been partially attributed to poor mortgage assets. As an investment and dividend bearing instrument, a loan lender or financial institution can sell a mortgage they originated to another institution. Some financial institution lending options went to people that wouldn’t have qualified with basic scrutiny, and some people’s mortgages went sour because of circumstances. Some of these lending options went down the drain for whatever reason, and since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bought a lot of them, so did Fannie and Freddie. Few of these bad loans are being bought back by the banks that sold them.

If requested the poor lending options must be bought back

It seems fair that if bad mortgages were sold on the market and seriously damaging the companies that bought the bad finance lending options, those loans should be bought back. If loans sold as securities become toxic and are foreclosed on, there is legislation that was passed that guaranteed lending options must be purchased back on request. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae purchased a lot of these mortgages. However, the repurchases that are owed by law aren’t taking place.

There has not been redress of those sales

There have been a fair amount of the poor mortgage properties that are not getting repurchased. Fannie and Freddie have been asking for a refund from the corporations that sold the mortgages to them, according to USA Today, and about $11 billion worth is being sold back. Of the refunds requested for, a third of them are delinquent by about 90 days. Those aren’t the only businesses that purchased those securities. Other loans were backed by the Federal Housing Administration and the Veterans Administration.

That is really disadvantageous

The idea is that if the pay-backs are granted, the financial institution or loan company that sold the security will lose cash. However, that is really counterintuitive. Fannie and Freddie are being propped up with taxpayer dollars, and businesses as well as individuals pay taxes. The executives and employees of the financial institutions and other corporations that won’t buy back the properties can have to pay taxes until the debt for Fannie and Freddie is paid off.

Further reading

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2010-09-15-fannie-freddie_N.htm



Sunday, September 19, 2010

Federal Communications Commission opening white space range to create Wi-Fi on steroids

Unused pieces of the television broadcast range are called “white space.” Because these frequencies have yet to be licensed, they are presently not in use. For the purpose of advancing wireless system technology, the Federal Communications Commission plans to make white space available for public consumption. The release of white space unlocks huge prospect of wireless networks. Some are calling the emerging technology “Wi-Fi on steroids. When white space enters the mobile realm, searching for Wi-Fi hot spots can be a thing of the past. Advanced devices and applications heretofore unimagined are believed to be feasible with the advent of Wi-Fi on steroids. The economic potential of having the white space range available without a license for smaller businesses is projected to be in the billions.

The white space wireless revolution

“The FCC is likely to announce that white space will be made publicly accessible for use in mobile systems on Sept. 23. A New York Times article regarding Wi-Fi on steroids said that white space became available when the conversion from analog to digital broadcast created a greater unused portion of the television broadcast range. Digital broadcasts take up less space on the TV spectrum than analog, leaving more white space to go around. The potential of Wi-Fi is greatly enhanced by white space because by using the lower-frequency waves of the Television range, networks will cover broader areas, pass via walls and buildings better and rarely drop connections . Free of charge use of the unused television broadcast spectrum is expected to start a new round of innovation like that of a quarter-century ago, when a comparable move by the FCC eventually allowed people to open garage doors and change TV channels with the touch of a button.

A few concerns about white space

Some industries see feasible issues with Wi-Fi on steroids. A recent PC World article mentions that businesses such as TV broadcasters and concert halls that use wireless microphones see feasible issues with white space networks. The concern is that wireless networks with a range of various miles, instead of a number of yards, will interfere with their signal. However the Federal Communications Commission has prepared ahead by documenting the broadcast channels and wireless microphone use on the Television spectrum. Future mobile devices could be set up to evade occupied frequencies on a local basis.

White space networks tested

Wi-Fi on steroids using the white-space spectrum is being tested in several locations. As reported within the Register, Microsoft is taking advantage of the white space range on its corporate campus near Seattle. Transmitting from just a pair of locations, the “white-fi” network, as Microsoft calls it, connects users on shuttle buses and in buildings anywhere on its 500-acre campus. The Times article mentions a trial white space network in New Hanover County, N.C.. To track traffic bottlenecks, its transportation department connects with remote cameras via white space. The parks department monitors wetland areas and transmits environmental data required by federal regulators – saving the cost of sending employees to remote locations . Other breakthroughs to expect within the future could be remote medical systems, more efficient power distribution and new industries valued within the billions.

Additional reading

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/13/technology/13wifi.html?pagewanted=1 and _r=1 and src=busln

PC World

pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/205332/fcc_paving_the_way_to_wifi_on_steroids.html?tk=hp_new

The Register

theregister.co.uk/2010/09/13/white_space/



Saturday, September 18, 2010

Tourism in space race including Boeing

Boeing is hoping to be able to get ahead soon. It wants to do this, says the Houston Chronicle, by getting into the space tourism mega-business. Despite just lately receiving $20 billion in government subsidies for transatlantic aerospace travel endeavors – a move labeled a violation of international trade law by World Trade Organization judges – Boeing is now knocking on President Obama’s door again. Even with that money, it nevertheless is talking to Obama once more. A rise in commercial spaceflight funding is what the company wants.

Space tourism can be loved by many in 2015, Boeing plans

Boeing’s expectation is that by 2015, space tourism could be possible via a NASA contract that will enable the manufacturer to send astronauts to the International Space Station via a new type of space capsule, the CST-100. The Chronicle explains that tourists could come along through the ride since the capsule has plenty of seats. The current vice president and general manager of Boeing’s space Exploration division is Brewster Shaw. He discussed that human space commerce may very well happen with Boeing and the CST-100. Right now, Boeing and Space Adventures are working together on the project. Space Adventures is the business that used Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft to send private flights to the International Space Station.

Even with all the resources it has, Boeing hasn’t won

Boeing is the largest aircraft manufacturer within the whole world, says the Chronicle. Of course, this is in terms of orders, revenue and product. The prime contractor of the space station is Boeing. This adds to its credit. You will find a lot of things Boeing has on its list of things to do. It needs to get a lot done before space tourism can really set off. It required $18 million to start development of rockets and capsules to carry NASA astronauts to low-Earth orbit following the space shuttle program retires in 2011. However, plans for space tourism are estimated to be considerably more expensive. Other corporations are working at getting into the business as well. This means Boeing will certainly be trying hard to be first.

Obama wants cash for commercial spacecraft from Congress

The numbers are flying fast and furious when it comes to just how much cash the U.S. government is willing to funnel into commercial space flight. In five years, President Obama expects Congress to get enough cash. Congress is supposed to be raising $6 billion. The Senate’s latest offer is $1.3 billion over three years, while the House penned a $150 million, three-year version. Of course, priorities seem to be different with the financial disconnect. Boeing has declared it really needs what the President has asked for. Without that cash, there will be very slow progress getting towards space tourism. If it cost Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté $40 million last year to fly to and from the International Space Station via Soyuz, imagine what propping up and entire industry would cost.

More on this topic

Houston Chronicle

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

Google Tech Talk on space tourism

youtube.com/watch?v=yJDKzodiDjE



Friday, September 17, 2010

Last United States marks in metric scale are on Interstate 19

Bring up the metric system in The United States, and also you may get stared at like a leper. It is practically an alien language, as the odd lack of fractions is cause of consternation among the populace. Nevertheless, some individuals have tried to convert the United States to the orthodoxy of the metric system. It has never been successful. There is a solitary Interstate highway that uses metric units to this day, Interstate 19 in Arizona. It’s a small stretch by numerous standards, connecting the Mexican border to Tuscon. The signs may become standard units instead of metric though.

I nineteen

Interstate 19 in Arizona is an oddity. It is the sole American highway to use metric measurements. The highway is not a terribly long stretch though. It’s solely a four hour drive in total, running from Tuscon to Nogales. The formula for exit numbers are bit different as well. Typically, exit numbers correlate with distance in miles. The signs are confusing individuals and as a result, according to the New York Times, the state wants to replace or modify the marks at a cost of over $1 million. If it should happen, all road marks will need brand new exit numbers, and all companies along the way will need brand new brochures, so those are who’ll actually pay the price. Mexican citizens may be especially confused, as Mexico uses metric units.

Why kilo off a great tradition?

Among the many cultural traits America got from the English was our measurement system. Changes were made, naturally. That said, English methods are where the root lies. Miles and pints and pounds all originated from the English system. According to Wikipedia, there are solely three nations that don’t use metric units as the official standard. The other two are Burma and Liberia. However, there are a number of attempts to view about converting the United States of America to the metric scale method. The last one was a pilot study begun by the Ford administration.

Transformation not likely

The signs on Interstate 19 will probably get modified in some way at some time, and it is not likely the United States will adopt the metric scale system any time soon. It is, nevertheless, nevertheless mandatory that students learn it though. Scientists all use the metric scale method above all others.

More on this topic

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/15/us/15highway.html?_r=1 and ref=automobilesvv

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrication_in_the_United_States



Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Senate confirms Austan Goolsbee as chair for economic council

There has been no development in the economic system with President Obama. This is why he is getting a whipping from all sides. In a speech he made in Cleveland, he was, when it comes to understanding “the plight of the middle class,” really disconnected, says Arianna Huffington. ”Not anything we’ve done during the last couple of years has worked as quickly as we had hoped, and I’m keenly aware that not all our policies are popular,” was what Obama said. The Wall Street Journal explains that longtime adviser Austan Goolsbee likely got nominated for chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors because of this. The Senate already cleared Goolsbee’s nomination.

Austan Goolsbee – University economist and advisory board member

Goolsbee works at the University of Chicago business school where he is an economist while also working on Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board as the executive director. The WSJ says popular speculation is the president elevated Goolsbee to the White House Council of Economic Advisers chairmanship due to their personal friendship and association within the administration’s inner circle. Goolsbee will replace previous Economic Advisers chairwoman Christina Romer.

Goolsbee is rumored by the WSJ to have helped with the health care bill, higher education aid and the energy push to create jobs by drafting policies with Obama. These areas are part of the president’s “New Foundation” for middle-class economic security – at least in theory, says the Huffington Post.

We may not want the change Austan Goolsbee will bring

Joblessness numbers in America have continued to go up. At the exact same time, the recession is not recovering as we’d hope also. Every person seems angry about this, including Democrats, and firings are being discussed. These would consist of firing Treasure Secretary Tim Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers. Goolsbee in charge of the White House Council of Economic Advisors might not really help the country at all. The WSJ thinks it will mean every little thing will stay the same.

Further reading

Sun Times

blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/09/obama_cleveland_jobs_speech_tr.html”>Chicago Sun-Times

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/obama-insists-he-made-the_b_711515.html?utm_source=DailyBrief and utm_campaign=091010 and utm_medium=email and utm_content=FeatureTitle

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704644404575482661827896950.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLETopStories

Austan Goolsbee on CNN’s “Late Edition,” Sept. 21, 2008

youtube.com/watch?v=TKvMfVntY2g



Ford Motors and General Motors want greater portion of subcompact market

Domestic auto firms are trying to get a greater share of the subcompact market ever since that style of vehicle has become more popular in the 1970s. Honda and Toyota have long dominated the industry for automobiles that sell low and sip gas. The domestic auto firms aren’t happy about it. That’s why Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford Motors, are trying for decades to rain on the parade. A new Ford Focus in the works. GM is set to start selling the Chevy Cruze really soon. Both auto makers seem to be poised for aggressive marketing of those models. Source of article – GM and Ford looking to cut in on subcompact market by Car Deal Expert.

Not long until the Chevy Cruze

Though the marketing for Chevrolet in past years may give the impression the business only wants to sell trucks and SUVs, nothing could possibly be further from the truth. You will find really two Chevy cars that list for under $ 15,000 and get 25 mpg or better. Those are the Cobalt, and the Aveo. Both models have sedan editions. Toyota and Honda have a fair bit to be worried about, as the Chevy Volt is for the hybrid crowd and the Cruze is aimed right at the heart of the subcompacts. The Cruze, as outlined by the NY Times, will get 26 mpg City and 36 mpg highway. At only $ 16,995, it isn’t as well hard on the pocket book either.

Oh, Ford Motors is still here as well

The Ford Fiesta, a subcompact, gets 29 and 40 mpg, city and highway, and has been selling incredibly well. The Focus, already a bargain vehicle that gets 25 mpg, can have a new look in 2012. A Focus is only $ 16,640 and the Fiesta lists at $ 13,320. That’s not much more than a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla. Since Chrysler and Fiat are now one, expect a Fiat via Chrysler sometime soon.

Big Three switching things around

Chrysler, Ford and GM, “The Big Three,” want to change the public’s perception. It isn’t that none of those corporations have ever tried to sell a subcompact – far from it. Getting American is something all three car makers want people doing, and all 3 will get aggressive in becoming the name out there again.

Additional reading

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/09/business/09auto.html?_r=1 and ref=automobiles



Monday, September 13, 2010

Do not market bargains, merely model states Joel Ewanick of General Motors

Automakers are having difficulty recovering right now. That’s what GM Vice President of Marketing Ewanick recently told Automotive News in an interview. GM has waded via bankruptcy and tremendous turnover, which might seem for making any deals designed simply to move product fast attractive. Ewanick hopes to change things to GM is more focused on making quality cars instead of cutting offers.

Brand recognition is essential

Focus on design and quality is slowly beginning to re-emerge out of the dust of the auto bailout, says Ewanick. For instance, brands such as Cadillac have had a unique sense of style for years, and customers appreciate this. Automotive brands that have been merely trying to sale need to start working on product recognition instead. Brands really need to try and become public and significant again. Ewanick feels like “people buy brands, not necessarily products”. Chevrolet has the idea with advertising under Americana always, says Ewanick. He thinks that a company needs to have a soul that drives sells.

Still seeing the factory incentives

Factory and dealer incentives are far from dead, Ewanick says. Really he expects them to be unimportant compared to brand story. Discounts simply garnish the sales although sales really depend on style, quality, efficiency, dependability and other things that is a reminder of a vehicle type. Focusing on brand strength will require that automakers rekindle a dialogue with customers. In the past, automotive marketing dealt from a position of strength, using stories to create a bond with customers. Many of the very same elements of classic brands like Chevrolet’s Corvette SS and Stingray are waiting to be introduced to younger generations of auto buyers. Targeting with brands nevertheless works. It shouldn’t be stopped.

Customers nevertheless respond to understanding, so don’t use discounts

Everyone enjoys a good sale, but regularly rolling out the shiny banner does not build strong relationships with customers. Too numerous automakers which were “too big to fail” took advantage of the auto bailout. The reputations of these corporations were hurt when feeding off taxpayer’s dollars. The price has now become too low to ignore on many different vehicles. Sadly this ends up hurting America’s automotive industry that used to have lifetime buyers. The focus of each automaker should be simple. Focus on what Americans want in their vehicles.

Additional reading

Auto News

autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100906/RETAIL03/309069996/1018

Linkedin

linkedin.com/pub/joel-ewanick/5/42b/30a

Even dealers suffer from a mysterious lack of marketing

youtube.com/watch?v=EALK_LZ_Zgo



Sunday, September 12, 2010

The Apple-Flash player feuds ends with an app approval method that's wide open as the final result

There is an end to the Apple/Flash fight. This is the fight that began last spring. Restrictions on tools programmers use for iPhone and iPad apps are becoming more relaxed, Apple announced Thursday shocking many app developers. App acceptance regulations could be released to the public also. Apple announced this as well. Adobe’s popular app toolkit is now part of Steve Job’s app approval process even though Apple didn’t actually announce Flash was the reason for the change. Adobe stock went up a ton following the Apple announcement hit news.

Feud Apple/Flash had

Apple made a list of approved languages that iPhone and iPad apps could be made on, which is why last April, the Apple-Flash player feud started. As outlined by PC World, the iPhone and iPad couldn’t have Adobe Flash CS5 Flash Packager with Apple’s policy. Flash Packager for iPhone was the anchor feature of Adobe CS5. It was intended for making Adobe’s Flash a cross-platform toolkit for the iPhone’s other successful platforms. Steve Jobs didn’t like that idea. That has changed. It was different before. All was better Thursday. Developers have it easy with Flash now. They can make apps to run on Apple’s iOS while publishing it once and also run it on Google’s Android.

Public viewing Apple’s app approval process

The Apple app approval process has been changed a bit. It also is accessible to the public now. The Apple App Store Review Guidelines used to be secret rules that decided on whether or not the iPhone or iPad would allow the developer’s app to be used. iPhone and iPad apps used to have lots of “fart apps,” or junk applications. This was because the Apple App store approval was not letting in lots of top flight development talent. Thursday excited numerous developers. This was because developers could not know if they had done something wrong in the app until it came back from Apple rejected. Months of toil and thousands of dollars could be flushed down the drain. Programmers just want to know what the rules are, although what they are does not really matter, says Wired.

The reason Apple decided something else

There was no explanation from Apple as to why it is changing its mind about Adobe Flash and other third-party tools. It also didn’t say why it is releasing Store Review Guidelines. This lack of detail has led to speculation by bloggers like Philip Elmer-DeWitt at Fortune. Developer feedback, regulation and competition are all possible opportunities. DeWitt says these are probably the most popular. Since Apple usually makes programmers do no matter what it wants, he didn’t think it’d be the option of feedback. Apple is probably confronted by new Android tablets and all the Android-powered smartphones. And finally, the Apple/Flash feud attracted the attention of the Federal Trade Commission, which has been investigating Apple’s ban on cross-development platforms. Apple isn’t as lucky as Adobe. Adobe got what it wanted.

Additional reading

PC World

pcworld.com/article/205114/apple_lifts_app_store_approval_shroud_for_developers.html?tk=hp_new

Wired

wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/09/apple-lifts-app-store-flash-ban-publishes-app-review-rules/

Fortune

tech.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09/09/why-did-apple-lift-its-ban-on-flash/



Church warned against prepared Koran burning

The Dove World Outreach Center Church, of Gainesville, Fla., made news by stating the intention of the members and Pastor Terry Jones, to set copies of the Koran alight in a protest over many issues, including Muslim extremism. It has been subject of lots of coverage. There has been response from the U.S. government, and warned the church never to do this. The prepared demonstration has led to protests worldwide and strong warnings. The church has been requested to stop the planned burning of the Koran by General David Petraeus, who said it will only put Americans in greater danger. Article source – U.S. officials warn of danger in Koran burning by Personal Money Store.

Dove World Outreach Center asked to stop

The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, according to the Christian Science Monitor, has requested the church to never partake in any Koran burning. The Taliban and Al Qaeda will be the sole beneficiaries, according to General Petraeus, as burning the Koran will only be a propaganda victory for the,. He also cautioned that as a result, it would make winning over Afghans and others worldwide that much more difficult and put American soldiers in greater danger. The Ground Zero Mosque controversy has currently been enough of a strain, and American-Islamic tensions are currently high as it is.

Church to think about the repercussions

The Dove World Outreach Center Church has decided to temporarily weigh the decision to burn copies of the Koran. According to CNN, Pastor Terry Jones and the members are thinking it over for now. The church and its members are concerned about potential ramifications. Some pause was given to the members by the warning from Gen. David Petraeus, as the members intended to hold an “International Burn the Koran Day” on Sept. 11 of this year. The church has maintained all along that the protest was aimed more at the more radical segments of Islam.

What benefit will come out of this?

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

Discover more data on this subject

CS Monitor

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

CNN

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



Saturday, September 11, 2010

Higher emergency personal loan charges with two Federal Reserve financial institutions

The Federal Reserve decided the best way to stop deflation or inflation during an economic downturn is to keep interest rates near zero. The discount cost on emergency loans was discussed in a meeting lately held with 12 regional Federal Reserve Financial institution directors. The low rate of interest being given to banks on loans is the exact same thing the Federal Reserve are charging as a discounted rate. Two Federal Reserve branches wanted rates raised, as recovery is too slow to justify the low rate.

Rates will continue low with the Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve has a policy right now that will be kept. That means all charges, including financial institution loans, will stay really low. The strained banking and finance industry can be just fine with this. It is intended to make sure that any person needing to borrow money will have access to liquid capital to help them. However, signs of recovery are beginning to show, although there is each indication that growth within the economy is going to be more modest than hoped, but that a return to more normal conditions seems to be under way.

Asking for higher rates for two Fed banks

As outlined by Bloomberg, directors of two of the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks hope an increase in charges can apply. Of course the increase would be less than 1 percentage point and would only apply to emergency loans. The rationale is that recovery is slow, but is occurring, and therefore it is best to raise the charges quicker instead of later. If you were to get a fast cash loans from the Fed, it would have a .75 percent rate of interest. Not only that, but fewer banks are really borrowing these days.

No way

The raise was really small and only asked for by Kansas City and Dallas Federal Reserve Banks. Also, there was no adoption of it. Nobody else agreed. Financial institution rates are expected to stay low for a long time.

Additional reading

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-07/fed-directors-last-month-saw-only-modest-near-term-expansion.html



Infamous lawman Arpaio on trial by the Justice Department

The state, The Grand Canyon State continues to be the center of lots of debate through recent years. Governor Jan Brewer decried SB1070, the law allowing officials to verify immigration status of everybody they come into contact with, which the Obama administration has questioned with constitutional grounds, although it is nevertheless unsettled. The Justice Department decided to such Joe Arpaio, Sheriff of Maricopa County. This just heats up the battle between Arizona and also the federal government. Joe Arpaio allegedly didn’t cooperate in a civil rights abuse investigation, says the Department of Justice.

Sheriff Joe supposedly discriminated

The initial investigation was launched on suspicion that the tactics employed by Sheriff Arpaio deliberately target Hispanics, irrespective of lawful status, in order to “sweep” illegal immigrants. The Maricopa County Sheriff sends deputies into intensely Hispanic areas, where they’ll stop anyone for minor reasons, as outlined by the Los Angeles Times. When there with the people, deputies had one job to complete. They were expected to verify immigration status. Doing this was expected by everybody. It was even expected before The Grand Canyon State immigration law was in place. The Justice Department requested documentation on these sweeps from Sheriff Arpaio, which he was loathe to comply with. Federal investigators weren’t given the material requested. There weren’t even allowed to the building.

Lawsuits are the norm

Lawsuits have been seen by the Maricopa Sheriff already. It has happened numerous times. His jail is called Tent City and has tents in the desert with high fences with barbed wire around it, and several have sued him for family dying in this jail. ABC explains that an investigation because of corruption is being done by the grand jury for Sheriff Arpaio and also the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department made the original request for documents and other materials more than a year ago. All the documents about these sweeps were found by a federal judge to be ruined. The attorneys suing the Sheriff’s Office had every right to determine the documents.

Further reading

ABC News

blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/09/justice-department-sues-arizona-sheriff-joe-arpaio.html

LA Times

latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-lawsuit-arpaio-20100903,,2874529.story



SEO Tips - Keyword Density

Keyword density refers to the ratio of the number of times a keyword is used in the text of your webpage to the total number of words on the page. It has a powerful role in articles because keywords decide the quality of articles and how well they’ll rank in search engine results. Article source – SEO Keyword Density – occasionally less is more by FranroseLive.com.

What to avoid when it comes to using keywords

It is believed by many SEO copywriters that using a keyword or phrase multiple times throughout an article will increase their chances of getting a better positioning on the Web. However, this practice has proven false, as it can seriously work against your greatest efforts. For example, Google has a keyword density requirement. If you are looking to take over the first page of search results for targeted keyword, you’ll need to abide by its conditions in order to rank well.

How keyword stuffing affects you

Many SEO newbie’s may be tempted to use the same keyword or phrase over and over — and over and over again — to facilitate their try to rank number one for their target keyword. This method is known as “keyword flooding,” where the writer overloads the content, including the Meta tags of the web page, with each possible keyword or phrase related to the site in multiple ways. It is clearly evident that the keyword density in this process is far from balanced. Content produced using this practice will probably be classified as spam by readers and all the search engine algorithms altogether. If and when the search engine crawler visits to examine your site, its algorithm can very easily discover out if a keyword or phrase is getting used an unusual amount of time, which raises red flags. The results of keyword flooding could involve a severe drop in web ranking and a complete removal of your site from the search engine index.

Get the right keyword density

Say you wrote a 400-word article. Your target keyword should appear in the text no more than eight times in order to get the right keyword density. Do not use the keyword in each and every other sentence or within the very same paragraph. Almighty Google permits no more than two percent of the entire text to contain targeted keywords or phrases. So if you write a 500-word article, your targeted keyword should appear no more than 10 times. The permitted percentage of keyword density varies with different search engines. Yahoo and MSN, for instance, may allow up to five percent. Go online and search for free tools for determining keyword density of web pages.



Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Machete slices through the illegally immigrating troubles

Political rhetoric frequently doesn’t fill the requirement like a weapon that satire frequently will. Sharp satire is even a strong weapon against subjects for instance immigration. ”Machete” got some video reviews that show the Robert Rodriguez “Mexploitation” gore fest showing that although satire isn’t that good, it certainly did a lot with immigrating. Political ideas are shot via the movie “Machete” from start to end of the movie.

“Machete” reviews claim the film walks the edge

”Machete” uses a ton of satire in it. That is why Rodriguez can get so close to the cliff without falling off. Intended to be a send-up of 1970s midnight movie genres in much the very same way that the Quentin Tarantino-Robert Rodriguez co-production “Grindhouse” did in 2007, “Machete” tells the story of a Mexican federale (Danny Trejo) in search of revenge. Agents of drug lord Torrez kill Machete’s family. Torrez is played by Steven Seagal like a form of parody to be himself. A drug mule network that is similar to the United States of America Mexico drug trade in existence is part of what Machete destroys. He also kills numerous authorities also as Robert De Niro playing a politician. Cheech Marin, Lindsay Lohan, Michelle Rodriguez, Don Johnson and Jessica Alba all come along for the ride. The Denver Post points out other things. There are really good parts to the satire in “Machete”. The jokes are interesting. S! ome are “too cool for school” more than anything else. But perhaps Rodriguez could have time to sharpen things up for the prepared sequels.

Screenrant finds the immigration satire to be disturbing

Screenrant thinks the scene in “Machete” with an illegal border crossing is too much. A man and his really pregnant wife are stopped during their attempted crossing by a group of uniformed vigilantes (with Don Johnson and Robert De Niro at the head of the column). De Niro plays a cruel United States of America Senator. He actually shoots the pregnant woman before saying the man, “Welcome to The United States,” and then shoots before shooting him. Rodriguez was just having some fun with the clear satire, although some weren’t so excited.

Fun with blood

“Machete” isn’t about acting or story, however the blood fever of intense carnage. Screenrant explains that connecting segments of the story will really just leave you bored. As outlined by Entertainment Weekly, the film does quite well with all the blood. Without it, the video would be a schlock really.

Find more information on this subject

Denver Post

denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_15966734

Entertainment Weekly

ew.com/ew/article/,,20417721,00.html

Screenrant

screenrant.com/machete-movie-reviews-vic-76754/



Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Negatively affecting toddlers are antipsychotics

Antipsychotics are shown to harm toddlers

Kyle Warren of Opelousas, La., was presented with antipsychotic drugs at 18 months old to mollify temper tantrums. By the time he was 3, reports the newest York Times, Kyle had been diagnosed with autism, BPD, hyperactivity, sleeping disorders and oppositional defiant disorder. His mom explains the medicine transformed him into “a drooling, sedated, overweight zombie”. This has been happening often which explains why experts have gotten involved. The question is whether or not small children should be receiving antipsychotics at all. Source of article – Antipsychotics for toddlers pose severe risks by Personal Money Store.

Antipsychotic prescriptions often double

A study was done by the FDA in 2009. This study showed that antipsychotic drugs are being prescribed to more than 500,000 adolescents and children. Many assume that the greatest growth is among teenagers dealing with schizophrenia (as that is the age when the disease is believed to manifest), but the study suggests that “tens of thousands” of preschoolers are becoming customers of large pharmaceutical businesses.

From 2000 to 2007, kids that are privately insured and ages 2 to 5 have doubled the amount of antipsychotics being used by then, reports the Times citing a Columbia University study. Of those children included within the survey, only 40 percent actually received what is considered a correct mental health assessment as defined by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Antipsychotic medication stopped from being given to toddlers

There is a major concern that kids are getting antipsychotics too early in their lives. A professor of clinical psychology consulted for a Lane University program aimed at assisting low-income families with children who have mental health issues, Dr. Mark Olfson, is horrified by the practice.

“There are too many children getting on too many of these drugs too soon,” he told the Times.

Olfson is just one of numerous doctors that suggest these heavy medications shouldn’t be written for children or infants as often as they are. Diagnosis of mental conditions in young children is a highly inexact science, to put it mildly. Since there is such a debate to whether children’s brains are even developed enough to get these drugs, the FDA’s acceptance of AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb-branded antipsychotics for use on toddlers is surprising to many.

Thus, doctors can legally prescribe antipsychotics for toddlers for off-label use, despite a lack of safety research. And of course, the profit is all being made by the pharmaceutical companies.

No longer can it be said that

My peers and I care about this earth

It will be evident that

My generation is apathetic and lethargic

It is foolish to presume that

There is hope.

And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it.

-From “Lost Generation” by Jonathan Reed

Further reading

NCBI

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20215922

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/02/business/02kids.html?_r=1 and partner=rss and emc=rss and pagewanted=all

Bio Med Central

biomedcentral.com/1471-244X/9/80

Actupny

actupny.org/reports/durban-licensing.html

Generations lost

youtube.com/watch?v=MR4EWSbXLWA

Alternatives to toxic psychiatric drugs

youtube.com/watch?v=sBN2Zjz4W-



Monday, September 6, 2010

Rise in Consumer Confidence Index makes the economic perspective just a little better

The Conference Board’s monthly report on its consumer confidence report showed that the metric utilized to gauge monetary view really bumped up a few points in August. This is the reason the stock exchange went up Tuesday.

Consumer confidence index higher than should be

August reports show consumer confidence levels rising. This was not expected. July the consumer confidence was 51 when in August it went up to 53.5 showing the overall economy may be getting much better rather than staying the same, reports Bloomberg. But besides the increase, an economist told Bloomberg that the August consumer confidence figure is at a “stunningly low level.”. Still, there is a higher confidence. This higher confidence may lead to a recovery of consumer spending, 70 percent of the United States economy. Soon, there may be more hiring. Companies have to do this. The Labor Department shows that only 51,000 jobs were created between May and July. This is down 200,000 from the two months before that.

Consumer Confidence report

In addition to the consumer confidence index, the Conference Board report contains other details. Consumers know the economy is bad right now but hope the future is much better, says MarketWatch. The Conference Board’s present-situation index — a measure of attitudes about business climate and job opportunities — dropped to 24.9 in August from 26.4 in July. The report also shows what the expectations for a better business climate and more jobs creation are, which is called the expectation index. It actually went up from July to August from 67.5 to 72.5. 1.9 percent to 2 percent was how the consumers planning to buy a home moved. People planning to buy a vehicle rose to 5 percent from 4.7 percent. And economist talked to MarketWatch. He explained that despite the fact that there may are an increase in the consumer confidence levels, it is nevertheless at “incredibly depressed levels.”.

Bump in index doesn’t guarantee consumer spending

The Associated Press explains that a healthy economy generally runs under a consumer confidence index over 90. Yet the August bump put the brakes on a sliding stock market Tuesday morning. About two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. This isn’t going to happen for too long. It is too good to be true. The economy is growing slowly, shows most economical reports. There may not be consumer spending just because consumer confidence has gone up. Personal finance shows that it is good that joblessness is moving more people to save and reduce debt. But until the job market recovers and individuals open their wallets, the late-summer slump could continue for the rest of the year and drag the United States of America economy into a double-dip recession.

More on this topic

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-31/consumer-confidence-in-u-s-rose-more-than-economists-forecast-in-august.html

MarketWatch

marketwatch.com/story/august-consumer-confidence-rises-to-535-2010-08-31-102600

Associated Press

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jmT59dgLTTziX4p9X9MRBRpWZGdQD9HUH2I80



Sunday, September 5, 2010

Reality TV show DWTS saved the life of Jennifer Grey

The cast list for DWTS was already introduced by American Broadcasting Company. It will begin its 11 season on September 20 for viewers who care. The show is going to star Bristol Palin, “The Situation,” David Hasslhoff, Audrina Patridge and Brandy, as it was announced by media leaks last week. Margaret Cho, Florence Henderson from the “Brady Bunch,” Michael Bolton, and Jennifer Grey who is “Baby” from “Dirty Dancing” are all also going to be on the show, says NJ.com. Dancing With the Stars has one prediction of who’ll win. This is Jennifer Grey. The celebrity dancing extravaganza may have basically saved her life.

An auto incident nearly put Jennifer Grey in a corner

Jennifer Grey thought she’d never get the chance to dance again after a car accident she was in years ago. Zap2It reports that Grey said she was feeling bad neck pain before talking to a neurological spine surgeon. Grey wanted this appointment after hearing the surgeon worked on dancer Karina Smirnoff so she can be able to go on DWTS at some point.

Grey had some torn ligaments in her neck because of the incident. Evidently nobody had treated her correctly. Grey was told by the surgeon that her spinal cord was compressed because of the degenerated condition. Any blow might cause a minor shift. This shift would then lead to her being permanently paralyzed. Grey decided it was time for surgery. She got her neck fused. In the process of that procedure, the doctor convinced her to have a benign nodule removed.

Jennifer Grey has no cancer but a new neck

”Dancing with the Stars” will gladly take her. She will do well. Jennifer Grey only went through treatment for the show. That is how DWTS saved her life.

“I was so frightened of the surgery, I didn’t want to even consider that it would be successful. And it was so successful, I proceeded to do everything else on my ‘to-do’ list that I was afraid of, including doing this show,” Grey told Zap2It. “I figure that if I don’t do it now, I’ll be too old for it. My body is clearly giving out.”

Additional reading

E! Online

eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b197540_dancing_with_stars_sources_confirm.html

NJ

nj.com/entertainment/tv/index.ssf/2010/08/dancing_with_the_stars_season.html

Zap2It

blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2010/08/dancing-with-the-stars-saves-jennifer-greys-life-literally.html

Jennifer Grey, green mom

youtube.com/watch?v=AuNLbplj6ek



Saturday, September 4, 2010

Gaining on your way in the direction of auto loan modification is not a bad idea

You need to look into loan modification on more than just your mortgage. Auto loans could be refinanced too. In fact, fairly much any large loan can be re-loaned. Right now is not a bad time, either. Rates for auto loans are pretty low. You can turn your car loans into low interest loans if you refinance at the right time.

You are able to refinance more than your house

You can refinance a vehicle loan just like you are able to get mortgage loan modification. You will find low rates for car loans right now, so looking into it would be better faster rather than later. Numerous rates of interest on loan products are trending downwards. As outlined by the Washington Post, that consists of auto loans. Lenders want to lend to re-stimulate their business. Dealers want to sell automobiles to re-stimulate their business too. However, bear in mind that there’s a difference between a loan you get from a bank and one from a dealership. Banks offer lower rates than dealerships, as banks don’t get a bonus for loaning to you at higher interest.

There’s a slight catch

There is a catch. Auto loans are tied to your credit rating; the higher your score, the lower the rate. So auto loans for a bad credit score may not be able to be refinanced or even modified. If you have good credit, the market rate is 5.7 percent whereas poor credit loans have a market rate of 18.5 percent, in that very same article on the Washington Post website. If you look into refinancing an auto loan, shop around and figure out the terms and conditions each lender offers.

For those who can, it’s a excellent time to refinance

Unfortunately, credit is only being lent these days to people with great, almost unrealistically good, credit scores. Also, you need to be careful of who advertises loan modification. The fastest growing type of scam around is the loan modification scheme, so make certain you know who you’re doing business with before you commit or hand over any money.

More on this topic

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/28/AR2010082800170.html



Friday, September 3, 2010

No debt consolidation reduction to be had for student education loans

It is a probability that student loan debt will overtake charge card debt as the greatest financial encumbrance on younger people. The old saw about paying for school via working may not be feasible anymore. The cost of attending a four-year university has increased dramatically over the last 20 years, and many have had to turn to getting federal loans, bank loans or education loans from other payday loan company. The amount of money that students have to borrow is also growing, and so is the number of loan defaults. Student loan personal debt is one of the many headaches that have become part of pursuing the American Dream.

Personal debt raising for college kids

It is incredibly likely that college students can have to borrow money to go to a university. Of students graduating with a Bachelor’s from 2007 to 2008, 66.5 percent of them had to borrow cash to get through it, as outlined by FinAid.org. The average amount of debt was $ 22,656. Public university students, of which 61.1 percent had to borrow, graduated with $ 19,839 in debt on average. Private schools, of course, are another matter. Of private university students, 70.6 percent of students at private nonprofit schools and 97 percent at private for-profit schools have to take out loans. Graduates of nonprofit private schools averaged $ 27,439 in debt. Private for profit students averaged $ 24,349 in debt.

Not bankruptcy gets rid of them

Student loan debt is the hardest to discharge. Unlike charge cards or a mortgage, student education loans can’t be discharged in personal bankruptcy. Also, a frustrated borrower cannot get debt negotiation reduction with student loans. The payments have to be made exactly as demanded; there is no loan refinancing for student education loans. There is something else. If you take out student loans, there’s a decent chance you’ll default. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, 20 percent of all loans that had to be repaid since 1995 have been defaulted on. Each year post graduation, the risk goes up. The risk is also greater among two year and private institution graduated pupils.

Education is an costly thing

Graduated pupils have to put off the course of their lives for longer because of these things. When you have a huge college student loan personal debt, it is far tougher to afford things like a home, or kids, or going to graduate school.

Discover more info on this subject

Financial Aid

finaid.org/loans/

Chronicle

chronicle.com/article/Many-More-Students-Are/66223/



Miners in Chili stuck however rescued by National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The world has been patiently watching the unfolding saga of the Chilean miners trapped in a mine. It was realized that Miners in Chili were alive within the mine however may not be able to get rescued for a when. National Aeronautics and Space Administration advisers and officials went to the site to help get miners out with rescue crews. It is envisioned that it might take months to retrieve the men. There is a rescue shaft getting drilled though it is taking a while.

Chile gets NASA in there

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has sent staff to the site of the Chilean mine disaster in an advisory role. The miners are stuck 2,200 feet underground. National Aeronautics and Space Administration engineers and scientists are responsible for getting supplies to the miners. According to the Washington Post, there are three four inch-wide tubes that reach down to the chamber the 33 men are in. There is one tube that oxygen goes down. An additional tube makes sure supplies are getting there. The last tube makes it possible to have video conference with the miners. The problem is how to get every little thing they’ll need down a four inch wide tube.

Words of encouragement and advice

The Washington Post had an interview. This interview was with NASA previous astronaut, Jerry Linenger. Linenger was the sole American trapped aboard the Mir space station in 1997, when a fire trapped him and two cosmonaut colleagues in space for four months. The men need to stay busy, says Linenger. He also explained the men shouldn’t receive their hopes up at all. He stressed that expectations that are too high lead to depression and despair if things don’t go the way they hope. He explained that it is very important work as a team. There shouldn’t be any one person in charge of everything.

Camp Hope is available

There is a camp called Camp Hope near the mine. This is for all of the rescue workers, family members and support staff. The mining company may have to go bankrupt soon as it is hoping for some forgiveness. The wages for the contained miners are no longer being paid.

More on this topic

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/27/AR2010082704867.html?waporef=obinsite

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2010/08/31/ST2010083106253.html?sid=ST2010083106253



Thursday, September 2, 2010

Facebook wants to trademark the word face

{Facebook wants to trademark the phrase face|Facebook trade marking

TechCrunch shows that Facebook is in court yet again. PlaceBook and TeachBook have no part in it this time. The business isn’t really in danger for using the word “book” in its name. Facebook wants “face” to be a trademarked name, where the U.K. business in 2008 called CIS Internet Limited left off. {Facebook has purchased CIS’s trademark application and is moving forward|Facebook wants to move forward with the CIS’s trademark application it bought|Facebook bought an application that was trademarked by CIS and now wants to move on|Facebook hopes to move forward with things. It already bought CIS’s trademark application. Article source – The move Facebook is making with Trademark

Facebook wants to trademark “face.” It is not news to many. Sometimes it is important for corporate branding to make certain you trademark. In this case, it might be a little out of hand. The word “ganja” was once in a court case for trade marking. There was an additional ridiculous one. Fark.com tried trade marking “NSFW”. And then there’s Snooki from “The Jersey Shore,” who tried to trademark her nickname so that nobody else could cash in on that train wreck of a brand. Facebook will lose face just like the rest of them for their waste of the legal system’s time.

Aaron Greenspan doesn’t like this

Aaron Greenspan, who claimed to have made Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg, doesn’t think the business “face” trademark move is a good one. Greenspan would end up having to pay Facebook if Facebook gets its “face” trademark because of the mobile payment app called FaceCash that Greenspan’s company, Think Computer, created. Apple would end up having to pay also. This is because of the iPhone 4 app Facetime video calling. Products use the word “face” in them all the time. Greenberg, and others, hope to be able to use this name still without paying.

Facebook-move on

Facebook is probably not going to pursue “face” too much considering how aggressive Facebook has been previously. Perhaps individuals with no corporate aspirations at all may have to be careful, or the Zuckerberg express will enter their homes like a thief in the night and legally claim their faces. Consider the movie “Face/Off” staring Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, or even consider the novel “Face of Another” by Kobo Abe. See how much trouble they got into over faces? There wouldn’t even be mercy for the Tleilaxu face dancer from the “Dune” books.

Additional reading

FACE

tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial and amp;entry=78980756

TechCrunch

techcrunch.com/2010/08/26/trademark-face/

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark



Wednesday, September 1, 2010

If you need Chevrolet when in Atlanta look up Terry Cullen

For people in the Atlanta area that are looking for a new or used Chevy, Terry Cullen Chevy in Jonesboro is the place to look. There are a lot new Chevy cars. There are especially lots of the most popular models. There are some great discounts for qualified buyers, and a vast selection of quality used automobiles to choose from. You may want to take a look at Terry Cullen if you’re looking for a new or used Chevrolet. Financing is available on site, so there is new automobile credit available as well.

Take a look at Terry Cullen Chevy

In the Area around Atlanta and need a new Chevy? Look no further than Terry Cullen Chevrolet. You can find Terry Cullen Chevrolet on Battlecreek Road, right across from Sam’s Club. It’s in Jonesboro, right in the Atlanta area. There is a huge selection of new vehicle after new automobile to pick from. There are also plenty of great used cars there too. If you need help financing a automobile, be it used or new vehicle financing, they have plenty of new auto credit available. Just about everything you need for getting a new or used Chevrolet is available at Terry Cullen Chevy.

Plenty to pick from

There is lots of inventory at Terry Cullen Chevrolet, including new and used automobiles. There’s a great Chevy truck selection available. You are able to also find just about each and every vehicle that Chevy at the moment makes. There are also plenty of units of the Chevy Camaro, Chevy Equinox, Chevy Malibu, Chevy Impala and Chevy Tahoe. If you would rather check out used cars, that’s covered too. Terry Cullen has a large selection of great pre-owned cars available. For regular maintenance or Chevy parts, Terry Cullen has it all on site. Terry Cullen has quite much all your Chevrolet needs covered right there at the dealership.

There couldn’t be a much better time for you to buy a Chevrolet

GM, and especially Chevy, is looking to move as many automobiles as possible. They want your business. If you qualify, there are discounts like the Gm Credit Union, military, and recent college graduate discounts. If you’re looking for a new or used Chevy in the Atlanta area, you should look up terry Cullen Chevrolet.

Further reading

Terry Cullen

terrycullen.com/HomePage