With too many kids, Chery Auto lives off Beijing benefits

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chery Automobile Co , once China's largest home-grown auto maker, is relying on government subsidies to turn a profit while domestic rivals Great Wall Motor Co and Geely Automobile Holdings pull ahead.

The divide between winners and losers in the world's biggest auto market shows the value in focusing on fewer products and brands to get more bang out of the investment buck - a strategy Ford Motor Co used to avert bankruptcy in 2009.

"All indigenous brands were neck-and-neck in competition 4 to 5 years ago. But those with a focused product strategy and a cautious approach are now ahead," said Sheng Ye, associate research director for Greater China at industry consultancy Ipsos.

Research by state-owned China Lianhe Credit Rating Co shows that Chery would have lost money in each of the past three years were it not for government subsidies. The losses for 2009 and 2010 are noteworthy because auto sales soared then, thanks to Beijing's incentive programs.

The company recorded profit of 66 million yuan ($10.59 million) in 2009 and 240 million yuan in 2010, according to the report from Beijing-based Lianhe. That means it would have been deep in the red if it were not for the 633 million yuan and 1.12 billion yuan in subsidies it received in those two years.

Chery spokesman Huang Huaqiong said the company has made substantial investment in technology and is now adjusting its brand strategy, and he expressed confidence that performance would improve.

Ipsos's Ye said Chery could have remained a front runner if it had focused on building up its low-cost brand QQ, its first hit model, which has been labeled a copy of General Motors Co's Chevy Spark.

Instead, it rolled out dozens of new models with little differentiation and even created two additional brands, Riich and Rely, which never caught on.

"It's easy to win a fight if you have more kids," Chairman Yin Tongyao often used to say about his multiple-brand strategy.

But his numerous offspring are struggling.

Chery's sales are down 13 percent year-to-date, more than double the 6 percent decline it recorded in 2011, when the auto maker sold 641,700 vehicles, according to official data.

A STRETCH

Warren Buffett-backed BYD is also suffering from over-stretching. After entering the auto market in 2003, the former battery maker quickly expanded into other businesses, such as solar panels and most recently solar energy storage facilities. It even makes and sells light bulbs.

This year, BYD's net income is set to plunge as much as 98 percent due to weak car sales as well as sluggish solar panel and cell phone businesses.

A BYD spokeswoman declined to comment on the financial performance but said the company was "very optimistic" about the future of its electric vehicles.

Great Wall Motor, which started off as a tiny workshop making cheap pickup trucks 20 years ago, has become China's top SUV and pickup maker. Its net profit more than doubled to 1.5 billion yuan in the third quarter, three times what Chery made in all of 2009-2011.

A Great Wall spokeswoman credited the company's focused and cautious approach for its success.

Geely, which had a bumpy start with several unpopular models, has emerged as a front runner after fine-tuning its brand strategy five years ago, releasing hit models such as the EC7 sedan and GX7 SUV.

Its acquisition of Australian gearbox maker Drivetrain Systems International in 2009 has also helped lift the quality of its cars. Its year-to-date sales are up 13 percent, nearly twice as much as the overall car market.

A Geely spokesman cited the company's broad supplier base and investment in technology among the reasons for its success.

Chery in September announced a major reshuffle of its business, including folding the unpopular Riich and Rely brands into the group.

BYD has sharpened its focus on green cars, recently rolling out a financing package that allows fleet operators to buy its pricy electric car e6 in installments.

But engineering a turnaround will not be easy, especially in a slowing market.

"BYD and Chery are moving in the right direction. But how things will turn out will depend on how well these measures will be executed," said Zhang Xin, an analyst with Guotai Junan Securities.

($1 = 6.2252 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Fang Yan in BEIJING and Kazunori Takada in SHANGHAI; Editing by Emily Kaiser)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/too-many-kids-chery-auto-lives-off-beijing-210522406--finance.html

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Channing Tatum Named People's Sexiest Man Alive!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/11/channing-tatum-named-peoples-sexiest-man-alive/

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89% Keep the Lights On

All Critics (56) | Top Critics (22) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (6)

The cast, uniformly excellent, draws us into a vibrant, energetic Manhattan where commitments are forged and broken through sheer chance and those seeking permanence must continually resist temptation and ennui.

A complex and mysterious tale of a love affair, one that lacks the tidy story arc of a movie but feels real.

When you summon memories of this film, they are almost always of two men in a room, in a default state of discontent.

A heart-breaking love story and call for emotional transparency in relationships.

The movie over-blurs the line between plain and plaintive. It's not necessarily craziness you crave, it's inflection; it's need, if not from the characters then from the filmmaking.

Observing Erik face the inevitable, that loving a drug addict means always coming second to the substance, is heartbreaking and real.

An intimate, honest and uncompromising study of the need for love and the addictions to drugs, sex and intense emotion that may accompany -- and sabotage -- love's pursuit.

A brutally honest, at times embarrassingly raw, attempt to capture a modern day, urban relationship...bittersweet and filled with memorable details, a huge leap forward for [director] Sachs.

It feels as if we're being given glimpses into real lives unfolding.

There's a lot to like here, and if you're a traditionalist who hungers for a happy ending, you'll find it embedded in the opening credits.

Director-cowriter Sachs takes an unusually intimate look at a 10-year relationship in this beautifully shot and performed New York drama.

A tenderly observed portrait of a man aching for romance even as he resists the idea of full commitment.

Every frame pulses with hard-gained experience: it may be the most lived-in film of 2012, and certainly counts among the most moving.

Monitoring the peaks and troughs of this fractious relationship is more fascinating than enjoyable.

A visually arresting and wholly compelling drama, thanks to its gorgeously warm cinematography, pleasing soundtrack and impressive and convincing performances from its two male leads.

This is a painful drama, but its pain is more studied than emotive, and it demands that we think just as much as it makes us feel.

Feels lopsided in its focus on Erik, with Paul remaining a strangely remote object of the former's romantic devotion.

While not quite on a par with Andrew Haigh's Weekend, this is still an undeniably powerful piece of filmmaking.

It is a film in which we see snapshots of a long-term love affair that seems doomed from the start. The raw truth of much of it is strong enough to make the sometimes frustrating structure forgivable.

It all has the feel of a pretentious film student desperately trying to make a statement with his thesis film. It's extremely overwrought with laughable melodrama.

I suspect it will have particular appeal for those who struggle with addiction.

A gay relationship story told with subtlety and a sense of insight that comes from personal experience.

Keep the Lights On is an intense, haunting and gut-wrenchingly honest character drama about how addiction can tear love apart.

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Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/keep_the_lights_on/

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The aftermath of calculator use in college classrooms

ScienceDaily (Nov. 12, 2012) ? Math instructors promoting calculator usage in college classrooms may want to rethink their teaching strategies, says Samuel King, postdoctoral student in the University of Pittsburgh's Learning Research & Development Center. King has proposed the need for further research regarding calculators' role in the classroom after conducting a limited study with undergraduate engineering students published in the British Journal of Educational Technology.

"We really can't assume that calculators are helping students," said King. "The goal is to understand the core concepts during the lecture. What we found is that use of calculators isn't necessarily helping in that regard."

Together with Carol Robinson, coauthor and director of the Mathematics Education Centre at Loughborough University in England, King examined whether the inherent characteristics of the mathematics questions presented to students facilitated a deep or surface approach to learning. Using a limited sample size, they interviewed 10 second-year undergraduate students enrolled in a competitive engineering program. The students were given a number of mathematical questions related to sine waves -- a mathematical function that describes a smooth repetitive oscillation -- and were allowed to use calculators to answer them. More than half of the students adopted the option of using the calculators to solve the problem.

"Instead of being able to accurately represent or visualize a sine wave, these students adopted a trial-and-error method by entering values into a calculator to determine which of the four answers provided was correct," said King. "It was apparent that the students who adopted this approach had limited understanding of the concept, as none of them attempted to sketch the sine wave after they worked out one or two values."

After completing the problems, the students were interviewed about their process. A student who had used a calculator noted that she struggled with the answer because she couldn't remember the "rules" regarding sine and it was "easier" to use a calculator. In contrast, a student who did not use a calculator was asked why someone might have a problem answering this question. The student said he didn't see a reason for a problem. However, he noted that one may have trouble visualizing a sine wave if he/she is told not to use a calculator.

"The limited evidence we collected about the largely procedural use of calculators as a substitute for the mathematical thinking presented indicates that there might be a need to rethink how and when calculators may be used in classes -- especially at the undergraduate level," said King. "Are these tools really helping to prepare students or are the students using the tools as a way to bypass information that is difficult to understand? Our evidence suggests the latter, and we encourage more research be done in this area."

King also suggests that relevant research should be done investigating the correlation between how and why students use calculators to evaluate the types of learning approaches that students adopt toward problem solving in mathematics.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Pittsburgh.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Samuel King, Carol Robinson. Do undergraduate students view calculator usage as a proxy for learning with understanding? British Journal of Educational Technology, 2012; 43 (3): E90 DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01289.x

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/TzjVs0wLwbY/121112171430.htm

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Tenders called for military satellite - Stuff

New Zealand's Defence Ministry has begun calling for tenders for a sophisticated wideband military satellite system that will guarantee "a seat at the top table" with any US led military activity.

The ministry launched a request for tender asking for companies to bid on the provision of certified Wideband Global Satellite Communications (WGS) equipment, necessary training, and associated support to the New Zealand Defence Force.

It will also include ground stations in the North Island and on ships.

New Zealand has already committed to spending $82 million for a ninth satellite in a Washington-controlled satellite constellation system that gives highly secure global coverage for data transmission and reception.

Earlier this year the Asia Pacific Defence Reporter magazine reported that Australia joined the system in 2007 for $1.22 billion. Canada, Denmark, the Netherland, Luxembourg and New Zealand clubbed together to fund the ninth satellite.

The system uses Boeing satellites that are regarded as robust and have a greater level of manoeuvrability.

Asia Pacific said the satellites were ''important features in the event of major hostilities because communications satellites could become targets during a serious conflict with, for example, China".

The magazine said that mattered because military organisations needed to be able to move massive amounts of data, especially visual imagery collected from sensors as diverse as cameras on UAVs and satellites, radar imagery from a variety of aircraft and even from hand-held devices in the field.

The magazine said the WGS was a relatively cost-effective option for smaller nations.

"For countries that do not have dedicated military satellites, the use of commercial vehicles can prove to be an expensive way to acquire a global capability," Asia Pacific Defence Reporter said.

"Little New Zealand, for example, is paying around US$3.4 million per year for commercial services and these are rising at 10 per cent per annum."

In time of high demand the spot price can double.

"Compare that with US$67 million for 20 years of guaranteed highly secure global coverage via WGS.

"In addition, New Zealand receives the intangible benefit of being part of a hi-tech US-led military activity - giving them (and the other participants such as Australia) a seat at the top table," the magazine said.

- ? Fairfax NZ News

Comments

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/7942193/Tenders-called-for-military-satellite

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Degrees For Dollars: Students Petition Uncle Sam To Refund ...

Zero Hedge

Student debt has seemingly been the transmission channel of choice for pumping credit into the US economy for the last few years as the government addition of $1 trillion has done nothing but leave those under-55 with fewer and fewer jobs (especially above-minimum-wage jobs) while saddled with non-extinguishable debt. Of course, this ?pump? of credit has had the usual unintended ?inflationary? consequence of raising tuition prices (which as we noted this morning was the main driver of inflation in the UK overnight). So what would be fair? Cue: A Petition to ?Provide University graduates the ability to trade their Diplomas back for 100% tuition refunds? The hope-driven (or hopelessness) push into higher education (and implicitly higher debt), in a nation where the marginal benefit of Calculus 101 over a strong right ?burger-flipping / coffee-machine-pressing? wrist is falling by the day, seems to warrant further societal protection. All that?s needed is 25,000 signatures to move this forward.

We petition the obama administration to:

Provide University graduates ability to trade their diplomas back for 100% tuition refunds.

?

Because of the inability of recent college graduates to find gainful employment in order to repay their college debt, and since this college debt cannot be eliminated in bankruptcy, and most of the recent additions to the job market have been in service related industries, the Obama administration should take up the cause of reducing college debt and hold those accountable responsible.

?

In the name of Consumer Protection, recent college graduates should have the ability to return the diploma and not make any reference to receiving education from the college in exchange for a 100% refund of college tuition. This may be extended with a graduated (ha, get it?) reduction for the last four years, with a red line at January 20, 2008.

?

Click image for a link to the White House petition site?

More articles from Zero Hedge?.

Source: http://www.bearmarketinvestments.com/degrees-for-dollars-students-petition-uncle-sam-to-refund-student-loans-for-worthless-diplomas

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British medical journal slams Roche on Tamiflu

LONDON (AP) ? A leading British medical journal is asking the drug maker Roche to release all its data on Tamiflu, claiming there is no evidence the drug can actually stop the flu.

The drug has been stockpiled by dozens of governments worldwide in case of a global flu outbreak and was widely used during the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

On Monday, one of the researchers linked to the BMJ journal called for European governments to sue Roche.

"I suggest we boycott Roche's products until they publish missing Tamiflu data," wrote Peter Gotzsche, leader of the Nordic Cochrane Centre in Copenhagen. He said governments should take legal action against Roche to get the money back that was "needlessly" spent on stockpiling Tamiflu.

Last year, Tamiflu was included in a list of "essential medicines" by the World Health Organization, a list that often prompts governments or donor agencies to buy the drug.

Tamiflu is used to treat both seasonal flu and new flu viruses like bird flu or swine flu. WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said the agency had enough proof to warrant its use for unusual influenza viruses, like bird flu.

"We do have substantive evidence it can stop or hinder progression to severe disease like pneumonia," he said.

In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends Tamiflu as one of two medications for treating regular flu. The other is GlaxoSmithKline's Relenza. The CDC says such antivirals can shorten the duration of symptoms and reduce the risk of complications and hospitalization.

In 2009, the BMJ and researchers at the Nordic Cochrane Centre asked Roche to make all its Tamiflu data available. At the time, Cochrane Centre scientists were commissioned by Britain to evaluate flu drugs. They found no proof that Tamiflu reduced the number of complications in people with influenza.

"Despite a public promise to release (internal company reports) for each (Tamiflu) trial...Roche has stonewalled," BMJ editor Fiona Godlee wrote in an editorial last month.

In a statement, Roche said it had complied with all legal requirements on publishing data and provided Gotzsche and his colleagues with 3,200 pages of information to answer their questions.

"Roche has made full clinical study data ... available to national health authorities according to their various requirements, so they can conduct their own analyses," the company said.

Roche says it doesn't usually release patient-level data available due to legal or confidentiality constraints. It said it did not provide the requested data to the scientists because they refused to sign a confidentiality agreement.

Roche is also being investigated by the European Medicines Agency for not properly reporting side effects, including possible deaths, for 19 drugs including Tamiflu that were used in about 80,000 patients in the U.S.

____

Online:

www.bmj.com.tamiflu/

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/british-medical-journal-slams-roche-tamiflu-105747624--finance.html

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S. America maritime security business up | Maritime Security Review

Published on November 12, 2012 by jo.chuter ????? No Comments

Maritime security concerns are fueling a rise in the marketing and sales of equipment and services that feed into the growing procurement business with Central and South American navies and commercial shipping.

The security concerns, often expressed at regional defense and security conferences, drove new maritime business at recent arms fairs in Central and South America.

Businesses and government decision-makers will gather Dec. 4-7 at Valparaiso, Chile, for a review of the latest in defense and security innovations for seaborne armed forces, maritime business and maritime security industry.

Brazil?s multibillion-dollar development of offshore oil and gas resources has triggered a boom in copycat exploration and development along the Atlantic, Pacific and Caribbean coastlines shared by many countries.

The International Maritime Exhibition and Conference for Latin America at the Chilean port follows similar events in Brazil and numerous other locations in Central and South America through the 2011-12 period.

The event, also called Expo Naval, is a meeting point for procurement heads, directors of military organizations, public and government civil servants and defense contracting companies.

However, analysts said financial cutbacks would likely affect attendance this year. U.S. firms in particular have clamped down on foreign marketing campaigns requiring human presence from their headquarters and U.S. government agencies have also cut back on junkets.

Faced with stringent expenditure cuts, international companies have embarked on recruiting local staff and setting up regional representative offices with modest outlays, in contrast to previous tendency to splash on foreign marketing.

Industry analysts said Expo Naval expects a larger input from defense and security manufacturers in Asia, particularly China and South Korea, and a moderate presence from Europe including Russia.

Click here to continue reading.

Article courtesy of UPI.

Tags:? commercial shipping, maritime news, Maritime Security, Navies, Private Security, South America

Source: http://www.marsecreview.com/2012/11/s-america-maritime-security-business-up/

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Petraeus shocked at girlfriend's emails to friend

FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2009 file photo, Gen. David Petraeus, commander U.S. Central Command, left, stands with his wife Holly before the NFL Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Fla. Gen. Petraeus, the retired four-star general who led the U.S. military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, resigned Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 as director of the CIA after admitting he had an extramarital affair. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2009 file photo, Gen. David Petraeus, commander U.S. Central Command, left, stands with his wife Holly before the NFL Super Bowl XLIII football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, Fla. Gen. Petraeus, the retired four-star general who led the U.S. military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, resigned Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 as director of the CIA after admitting he had an extramarital affair. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

In this Jan. 30, 2010 photo, Natalie Khawam, left, Gen. David Petraeus, Scott and Jill Kelley, and Holly Petraeus watch the Gasparilla parade from the comfort of a tent on the Kelley's front lawn in Tampa, Fla. Jill Kelley is identified as the woman who received threatening emails from Gen. David Petraeus' paramour, Paula Broadwell. Jill Kelley serves as the State Department's liaison to the military's Joint Special Operations Command. (AP Photo/The Tampa Bay Times, Amu Scherzer) TAMPA OUT; CITRUS COUNTY OUT; PORT CHARLOTTE OUT; BROOKSVILLE HERNANDO TODAY OUT; USA TODAY OUT; TV OUT; NO WEB USE; MAGS OUT

FILE - In this June 23, 2011, file photo, Gen. David Petraeus, center, walks with his wife Holly, left, past a seated Paula Broadwell, rear right, as he arrives to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee during a hearing on his nomination to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency on Capitol Hill in Washington. Petraeus quit Nov. 9, 2012, after acknowledging an extramarital relationship. As questions arise about the extramarital affair between Petraeus and his biographer, Paula Broadwell, she has remained quiet about details of their relationship. However, information has emerged about Jill Kelley, the woman who received the emails from Broadwell that led to the FBI?s discovery of Petraeus? indiscretion. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File)

This July 13, 2011, photo made available on the International Security Assistance Force's Flickr website shows the former Commander of International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan Gen. Davis Petraeus, left, shaking hands with Paula Broadwell, co-author of "All In: The Education of General David Petraeus."As details emerge about Petraeus' extramarital affair with his biographer, Broadwell, including a second woman who allegedly received threatening emails from the author, members of Congress say they want to know exactly when the now ex-CIA director and retired general popped up in the FBI inquiry, whether national security was compromised and why they weren't told sooner. (AP Photo/ISAF)

FILE - In this Aug. 31, 2011 file photo, former Commander of International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan Gen. Davis Petraeus kisses his wife Holly during an armed forces farewell tribute and retirement ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va. Gen. Petraeus, the retired four-star general who led the U.S. military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, resigned Friday, Nov. 9, 2012 as director of the CIA after admitting he had an extramarital affair. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Ex-CIA director David Petraeus has told friends he was shocked to find that his biographer and girlfriend, Paula Broadwell, was suspected of sending anonymous, threatening emails to a Petraeus friend she saw as a romantic rival.

A close Petraeus associate said Monday that FBI investigators told Petraeus that Broadwell sent anonymous emails to Jill Kelley, a Petraeus family friend from his time at Central Command in Tampa, warning her to stay away from him. The Petraeus associate spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential conversations with Petraeus. The CIA director resigned last week after confessing to the affair.

Petraeus was not shown the emails, but was told the tone and content seemed threatening to Kelley, prompting her to report them, the close Petraeus associate said. That triggered the investigation that led the FBI to Broadwell and evidence of her affair with Petraeus.

The affair began in 2011, two months after he became CIA director, a friend and former top aide said Monday. The case has sparked an uproar in Congress over FBI investigative tactics and complaints by lawmakers they weren't told soon enough about the probe rocking the intelligence and law enforcement establishment.

Petraeus, who resigned last week as the nation's head spy, and his family are said to be devastated over the affair, especially his wife Holly, who "is not exactly pleased right now," said Steve Boylan, a friend and former Petraeus spokesman who spoke to Petraeus over the weekend.

"Furious would be an understatement," Boylan told ABC's "Good Morning America." He said Petraeus ended the affair four months ago.

Members of Congress said they want to know more details about the FBI investigation that revealed the extramarital affair between Petraeus and Broadwell. They questioned when the retired general popped up in the FBI inquiry, whether national security was compromised and why they weren't told sooner.

Petraeus, 60, quit Friday after acknowledging the affair. He has been married 38 years to Holly Petraeus, with whom he has two adult children, including a son who led an infantry platoon in Afghanistan as an Army lieutenant.

Broadwell, a 40-year-old graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and an Army Reserve officer, is married with two young sons.

According to a senior U.S. military official, Kelley, 37, who lives in Tampa, Fla., and serves as an unpaid social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, where the military's Central Command and Special Operations Command are located. Staffers for Petraeus said Kelley and her husband were regular guests at events he held at Central Command headquarters.

A U.S. official said the coalition countries represented at Central Command gave Kelley an appreciation certificate on which she was referred to as an "honorary ambassador" to the coalition, but she has no official status and is not employed by the U.S. government.

In a statement Sunday, Kelley and her husband, Scott, said: "We and our family have been friends with Gen. Petraeus and his family for over five years. We respect his and his family's privacy and want the same for us and our three children."

The military official who identified Kelley spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation. He said Kelley had received harassing emails from Broadwell, which led the FBI to examine her email account and eventually discover her relationship with Petraeus. It was not clear what led Broadwell to send the emails to Kelley.

The FBI contacted Petraeus and other intelligence officials, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper asked Petraeus to resign.

A former associate of Petraeus confirmed the target of the emails was Kelley, but said there was no affair between the two, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the retired general's private life. The associate said Kelley and her husband were longtime friends of Petraeus and his wife.

Boylan said Monday that Petraeus is keenly aware that he has injured his family while losing "one of the best jobs he ever had. He's devastated." The affair with Broadwell started about two months after Petraeus took the CIA post, Boylan said. Petraeus became CIA director in September 2011.

Petraeus' affair with Broadwell will be the subject of meetings Wednesday involving congressional intelligence committee leaders, FBI deputy director Sean Joyce and CIA deputy director Michael Morell.

Petraeus had been scheduled to appear before congressional committees on Thursday to testify about the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens. Morell was expected to testify in place of Petraeus, and lawmakers said he should have the answers to their questions.

Clapper was told by the Justice Department of the Petraeus investigation last week at about 5 p.m. on Election Day, and then called Petraeus and urged him to resign, according to a senior U.S. intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.

FBI officials said the congressional committees weren't informed until Friday, one official said, because the matter started as a criminal investigation into harassing emails allegedly sent by Broadwell to Kelley.

Concerned that emails Petraeus exchanged with Broadwell raised the possibility of a security breach, the FBI brought the matter up with him directly, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.

Petraeus decided to quit, though he was breaking no laws by having an affair, officials said.

___

Associated Press writers Michele Salcedo, Pete Yost and Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-11-12-Petraeus%20Resigns/id-17f84c01d3504fcc8ff952720edde117

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Frustrated residents protest outside New York utility

NEW YORK (AP) -- Even as the lights came for many who lost power in New York and New Jersey during the superstorm and a later nor'easter, hundreds of residents protested Saturday outside a Long Island utility, frustrated by its slow response to outages.

Power restoration has been slower there than in other areas hit by Superstorm Sandy, sparking criticism of the Long Island Power Authority. Some of the 130,000 blacked out homes and businesses the utility serves may not have power restored until the end of Tuesday, LIPA said.

In the rest of the region hardest hit by the storm, most service was expected to be restored by the end of the weekend, though that doesn't include tens of thousands of homes too damaged to juice up.

"We are sitting in a cold house. No one comes by," said John Mangin of Levittown, N.Y. "There should be criminal charges against the CEO and the executive board of LIPA for failure to do their jobs."

He was among about 300 people staging a rally in front of LIPA's office in Hicksville, N.Y. Not all were without power, but some who have power said they were there to protest LIPA's lack of communication.

LIPA chief operating officer Michael Hervey said they were aware customers haven't gotten the information they've needed from the utility, partly because of an outdated information technology system they're in the process of updating.

"I certainly feel the frustration of customers whose power remains out. Our hearts go out to them," Hervey said.

But he said workers are repairing unprecedented storm damage as fast as they can. About 6,400 linemen and 3,700 tree trimmers are at work, compared with 200 linemen on a normal day.

In Suffolk County, where about 28,000 remain without power, County Executive Steven Bellone announced he was cutting ties with LIPA and would deal directly with substation coordinators.

Hervey said he would not comment on that directly, but added that an ad hoc takeover of the system would lead to anarchy.

"The utility is the best suited to restore power and manage that," he said. "We can't have people step in and take over."

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for investigation of the region's utilities, criticizing them as unprepared and badly managed. On Friday, two congressmen from Long Island called for the federal government to help LIPA restore electricity.

"It's a totally disorganized effort, and LIPA unfortunately seems to have lost control of the situation and that's why you see so many people becoming so angry," Rep. Peter King said Saturday.

In New York City and neighboring suburban Westchester County, utility Con Edison said it has restored electricity to 98 percent of homes and businesses. About 20,000 of the utility's customers remained powerless, down from a peak of more than 1 million.

In New Jersey, less than 85,000 customers were without power Saturday, most along the coast, utilities said. That was down from 2.7 million at the height of the storm. Most were expected to have power by the end of the weekend.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/frustrated-residents-protest-outside-ny-202316998.html

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#9: Infinity Kappa 682.11cf 6?8 Inch 2-Way Car Audio Speaker Pair ...

• Written by admin
• Posted November 10, 2012 at 7:42 am

Infinity Kappa 682.11cf 6?8 Inch 2-Way Car Audio Speaker Pair by Infinity Date first available at Amazon.com: September 18, 2012 Buy new: $209.99 $179.99 (Visit the Hot New Releases in Car Audio list for authoritative information on this product?s current rank.)

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Obama: Compromise_ but not on tax cuts for rich

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks about the economy and the deficit, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks about the economy and the deficit, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio gestures as he speaks to reporters during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. Boehner said any deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff should include lower tax rates, eliminating special interest loopholes and revising the tax code. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Barack Obama holds up a pen as he speaks about the economy and the deficit, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio calls on a reporter during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012. Boehner said any deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff should include lower tax rates, eliminating special interest loopholes and revising the tax code. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Barack Obama passes Vice President Joe Biden after speaking on the economy and the deficit, Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? An economic calamity looming, President Barack Obama on Friday signaled willingness to compromise with Republicans, declaring he was not "wedded to every detail" of his tax-and-spending approach to prevent deep and widespread pain in the new year. But he insisted his re-election gave him a mandate to raise taxes on wealthier Americans.

"The majority of Americans agree with my approach," said Obama, brimming with apparent confidence in his first White House statement since securing a second term.

Trouble is, the Republicans who run the House plainly do not agree with his plans. Speaker John Boehner insisted that raising tax rates as Obama wants "will destroy jobs in America."

So began the "fiscal cliff" political maneuvering that will determine which elected power center ? the White House or the House ? bends more on its promises to voters. The outcome will affect tens of millions of Americans, given that the tax hikes and budgets cuts set to kick in Jan. 1 could spike unemployment and bring on a new recession.

An exhausting presidential race barely history, Washington was back quickly to governing on deadline, with agreement on a crucial goal but divisions on how to get there. The campaign is over, but another has just begun.

The White House quickly turned Obama's comments into an appeal for public support, shipping around a video by email and telling Americans that "this debate can either stay trapped in Washington or you can make sure your friends and neighbors participate."

Obama invited the top four leaders of Congress to the White House next week for talks, right before he departs on a trip to Asia.

In laying their negotiating markers, all sides sought to leave themselves wiggle room.

"I don't want to box myself in. I don't want to box anybody else in," Boehner said at the Capitol.

Outside all the new the talk of openness, the same hard lines seemed in place.

Obama never expressly said that tax rates on top earners must return to the higher levels of the Bill Clinton era, leading to speculation that he was willing to soften the core position of his re-election campaign to get a grand debt deal with Republicans. "I'm not wedded to every detail of my plan. I'm open to compromise," he said.

But his spokesman, Jay Carney, seemed to slam that door. He said Obama would veto any extension Congress might approve of tax cuts on incomes above $250,000.

Obama's remarks were choreographed so that a diverse-looking group of Americans stood behind him and dozens more were invited to pack the East Room. In the weeks ahead, he plans to pull in the public as a way to pressure Congress.

"I am not going to ask students and seniors and middle class families to pay down the entire deficit while people like me, making over $250,000, aren't asked to pay a dime more in taxes. I'm not going to do that," said Obama.

He said voters plainly agreed with his approach that both tax hikes and spending cuts are needed to cut the debt.

"Our job now is to get a majority in Congress to reflect the will of the American people," Obama said.

About 60 percent of voters said in exit polls Tuesday that taxes should increase, either for everyone or those making over $250,000. Left unsaid by Obama was that even more voters opposed raising taxes to help cut the deficit.

The scheduled year-end changes, widely characterized as a dangerous "fiscal cliff," include a series of expiring tax cuts that were approved in the George W. Bush administration. The other half of the problem is a set of punitive across-the-board spending cuts, looming only because partisan panel of lawmakers failed to reach a debt deal.

Put together, they could mean the loss of roughly 3 million jobs.

Since the election, Boehner and Obama have both responded to the reality that they need each other.

Compromise has become mandatory if the two leaders are to avoid economic harm and the wrath of a public sick of government dysfunction.

Obama says he is willing to talk about changes to Medicare and Medicaid, earning him the ire of the left. Boehner says he will accept raising tax revenue and not just slashing spending, although he insists it must be done by reworking the tax code, not raising rates. The framework, at least, is there for a broad deal on taxes.

Yet the top Democrat and Republican in the nation are trying to put the squeeze on each other as the public waits for answers.

"This is his opportunity to lead," Boehner said of Obama, not long before the president said: "All we need is action from the House."

Obama said the uncertainty now spooking investors and employers will be shrunk if Congress extends ? quickly ? the tax cuts for all those except the most-well off.

The Senate has passed such a bill. The House showed no interest on Friday in Obama's idea.

Obama and Republicans have tangled over the Bush tax cuts for years. The president gave in to Republican demands to extend the cuts across the board in 2010, but he ran for re-election on a pledge to allow the rates to increase on families making more than $250,000 a year.

Also lurking is the expiration of the nation's debt limit in the coming weeks. The last fight on that nearly led the United States to default on its bills.

When asked if he would try to use that issue as leverage, Boehner said it must be addressed "sooner rather than later."

The national debt now stands above $16 trillion. The government borrowed about 31 cents of every dollar it spent in 2012.

___

Associated Press writers Andrew Taylor, Donna Cassata, Julie Pace, Matthew Daly, Jim Kuhnhenn and Ken Thomas contributed to this report.

___

Follow Ben Feller on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BenFellerDC

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-11-09-Fiscal%20Cliff/id-05b3c085286c4e9b845c93f62a571f7d

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Winter Sucks Less With Marshmallow Snowmen Chillin' In Your Cocoa

For the longest time Just Born, the maker of Peeps, has been on the forefront of novelty seasonal marshmallow technology. But the company's monopoly ends now, here, with a mug-friendly Frosty marshmallow. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/LwIsd7rnKE0/winter-sucks-less-with-marshmallow-snowmen-chillin-in-your-cocoa

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Car buyers influenced by friends and family, car finance car loan ...

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(PRWEB UK) 31 October 2012

New data from British Car Auctions (BCA) shows that friends and family are the most trusted advisers to anyone considering buying a used car. *

Motorists

confidence in the attitudes and opinions of their friends and family so much more from my own experience, despite expert advice and even test drive!

study showed that a massive 28% of women will turn to friends and family for advice on buying cars, but 21% of men will rely on their own personal experience of the brand and model.

Leading experts

car finance can 4U car loan help drivers find a new car with a few tips and advice on what to look for when buying a used car.

Car Loan 4U Co-Director James Wilkinson said:

buy a new or used car can be an exciting experience, but you can find yourself an expensive mistake if you get it wrong and cost you more in the long run.

There is no way of knowing how long a used car will run for or how damaged until too late, as this is one of the biggest risks of buying a used car. But there are several steps that individuals can take to avoid buying a car potentially damaged.

4U car loan not only offers Car Buying Guide, but also offer cheap auto loans to help you get on the road.

What to look for when buying a used car:

Book a test drive

Book a test drive is highly recommended because it allows drivers to get a feel for how well the car is started. Test drives can be a major factor influencing the purchase of used cars.

Inspection

used car will need a thorough inspection includes checking tires and spare rips and tears the body for any signs of breakdown lifetime and mileage of the vehicle.

Additional costs

While relatively inexpensive car may seem to be a good deal, it will be worth the additional costs that will contribute to the general budget of the car. This includes insurance, breakdown cover, servicing and repayment drivers have car loans.

4U offer car loans loans starting from just 7.9% APR.

need for your vehicle finance visit: http://www.carloan4u.co.uk

Twitter: @ carloan4u

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carloan4u

Notes to editors

* Source:? Agency ?Customs used car buyers TRUST 24/10/12

Tags: buyers, comments, Experts', family, Finance, friends, influenced, loan

This entry was posted on Friday, November 9th, 2012 at 8:54 am and is filed under Cheap Used Books. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://abcd-usa.com/car-buyers-influenced-by-friends-and-family-car-finance-car-loan-experts-4u-comments/

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How to build your self esteem

Building your self-esteem is not just the usual self-improvement pep-talk ? it can go a long way in improving quality of your life. You can actually make a big difference in your life by training your mind into thinking how capable you are, according to this Pick the Brain blog post. What exactly does it mean?

What is self-esteem? It is your ability to feel confident in yourself, in your true self, and believing in your potential. There are two types of people who really look good: people who are actually good looking, and those who have lots of self-confidence and who are at peace with themselves.

The problem with the brain is it thinks too much and most of the times it doesn?t make sense. At one moment you feel highly motivated, and just the next moment you are bombarded with a slew of doubts. You must have experience this when a spark of a new idea hits you and you are all charged up. And then, suddenly something negative happens and all the energies are gone and all the doubts are in. At these moments your brain can come up with 1000 reasons to not to continue. This is how the brain is wired.

So your self-esteem, your state of mind, depends on how your brain thinks. Since you thinking controls your personality and outlook, wouldn?t it be nice if you can make the brain think the way you want it to think?

For that you have to understand how your brain functions and how you react to its various whims. Try to think of those moments when you think that you can win the world (we all have these feelings). Everything suddenly is within reach. There is goodness everywhere. And then something bad happens and the entire world crumbles around you. Nothing much has changed. What has changed is the way your brain is thinking.

So you have to figure out how to bring your brain in a state of goodness and positivity. The author of the above-mentioned blog post suggests that if you want to improve your self-esteem start thinking in terms of what you want to be rather than what you cannot be. For instance, if you want to improve your lifestyle and adopt a healthier routine, constantly start telling yourself that you already have a healthier lifestyle. Then you become conscious of what you should eat, what physical activities you should do and what positive thoughts you should nurture. Go to the blog to read more.

Tagged as: Self Improvement, self-esteem

Source: http://www.howtoplaza.com/how-to-build-your-self-esteem

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Samsung Galaxy S III dethrones iPhone 4S as smartphone sales champ for Q3 2012

The Galaxy S III has overtaken Apple's iPhone 4S for the first time ever to become the top selling smartphone for Q3 2012, according to Strategy Analytics. Samsung claimed the pole position by shipping 18 million copies of its flagship handset during the quarter, compared to Cupertino's 16.2 million iPhone 4S units. Of course, serendipity is also likely at play, as the iPhone 5 hit shelves towards the end of that period, likely cannibalizing 4S sales -- in fact, the market research firm thinks Apple's new top handset will likely trump Samsung in Q4. That means the Korean giant may have to step up its game, or it'll just be keeping the top spot warm for its arch-competitor. Check the PR after fold for more info.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III dethrones iPhone 4S as smartphone sales champ for Q3 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Apple, Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S III dethrones iPhone 4S as smartphone sales champ for Q3 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Nov 2012 06:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Self Improvement Times: Time Management Tips - UseA Quick Quiz ...

Time management tips can help you race around countless roadblocks that pop up. One of the trickiest obstacles you will encounter is Time Gremlins. They're very hard to see, so you may collide with them at full speed! They're particularly difficult to sidestep when you question whether they even exist.

In my experience, Time Gremlins are real. What is more, they hide out inside you at all times. You might envision them as voices of your time issues. You know you've encountered one when inner messages tangle your plans, sabotage your priorities, and ruin your pleasure in your time choices. Because they're not visible to you, their voices can often run riot, just below your consciousness. Unless, of course, you intercept them.

To neutralize each one, plan to take many small steps over time. As you become skilled in battling Time Gremlins, you'll be very pleased with the results! So let's begin:

Getting to Know Your Time Gremlins:

Your Time Gremlins occupy your blind spots. Any unexamined idea about time that you've believed since childhood provides a fertile breeding ground. So does wishful thinking. And their effect is universal. They steal your power from you! Worst of all, they feel like they're outside your control (although or course they are not.)

Here's a simple quiz to recognize these enemies of your time:

Quiz: How Do Gremlins Steal Your Time?

Pick the question that resonates most, and fill in the blank:

Question #1: What's blocking your path?

Answer: ________ keeps me from doing what I need to do.

Question #2: What never gets done?

Answer: I never get around to _________________________.

Question #3: What time traits do you judge in yourself?

Answer: I judge myself as being ______________________.

Question #4: What excuses do you fall back on when plans fall apart?

Answer: I would get everything taken care of, if only _______________.

Write down the statement you completed that affects you the most strongly. Then ask yourself the following question:

What can you do to stand in your power and change this statement?

Relax, close your eyes, and envision yourself living a dynamic new life script. Feel it down to your toes. Describe it in one or two sentences. Identify one gain!

Remember, with every loss there is a gain. And with every gain there is a loss. Weigh the price for more power over your time. Accepting this is the key to your freedom!

You are standing at an important crossroads.

Are you willing to weather the losses that come with important gains? By consciously committing to go the distance, you gain enormous strength to keep setbacks in perspective with what you will be giving yourself.

Now, how will you set limits on your Time Gremlins today?

----------------------------------------------------
Download our free Finding Time Success Kit, with "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Steps to Find More Time & Recharge Your Energy!" at http://thetimeschool.com/template

This time template plus workbook will help you move beyond overwhelm, disappointment, and frustration. You'll find 24 hours really are enough!

Offered to you by Paula Eder, the Time Finder Expert.

EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=301965

Source: http://selfimprovementtimes.blogspot.com/2012/11/time-management-tips-usea-quick-quiz-to.html

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Akamai Technologies Targeted By Put Buyers | Options - Minyanville

Bearish bets have emerged as the options of choice lately on Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM). During the past five sessions and as of the time of this writing (Nov. 8, 2:15 p.m.), options players on the International Securities Exchange (ISE) and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) have bought to open 1,454 puts on the tech stock, comfortably outstripping the 372 calls purchased during this time frame. The resulting five-day put/call volume ratio of 3.91 indicates that puts have nearly quadrupled calls over the past week.

From a slightly longer-term view, AKAM sports a cumulative 10-day put/call volume ratio of 1.29 on the ISE, CBOE, and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). This ratio ranks above 90% of other such readings taken during the previous 52 weeks, indicating that speculative investors have purchased puts over calls at a faster pace just 10% of the time.

In fact, the security's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.03 registers in the 100th annual percentile, as short-term options traders are more put-heavy now than at any other time in the last year.

This negative attitude is also on display among short sellers, as the number of AKAM shares sold short surged by more than 28% over the past two reporting periods. These pessimistic plays now account for 4.5% of the equity's float.

On the charts, AKAM gapped higher on the heels of its late-October earnings report, but the stock's positive momentum fizzled near the troublesome $40 level. Despite the recent pullback from this round-number area, the shares are still sitting on a respectable year-over-year gain of 29.5%.

This article by Elizabeth Harrow was originally published on Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Below, find some more great content from Schaeffer's Investment Research:

Daily Game Plan ? More Selling

Chart of the Day: Tempur-Pedic International Inc. (TPX)

Intel's New Low Doesn't Faze Bullish Traders

Twitter: @schaeffers

No positions in stocks mentioned.

Source: http://www.minyanville.com/trading-and-investing/options/articles/akam-chart-akam-stock-akam-shares/11/9/2012/id/45716

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Website Seo Service ? The Ways To Improve Your Company SEO

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In this case comes the majority of important part, that this cost. Many of us all know which will developing and creating a website service fees a pretty bulky amount of money. And Web site plays an significant role in world-wide-web site publishing and marketing promotions. So, one is quite obvious that it may also cost a major huge amount. But, thanks returning to those SEO specialist, who have prepared it affordable as they often hire writers for those people works, and some of these writers are express students, teachers quite possibly any other wide-spread person with one good English back ground and some past experiences about internet marketing and pr. Moreover, link buildings in India are generally much less as compared with that of various other countries due as a way to which foreign domains hire Indian Seos for their internet to be improved.

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Usually the business will doubtlessly obtain lots related to help by enjoyable the services amongst an efficient Seo support group. There is none of simpler way to get what the person require for your actual business than just by having an far better SEO support that may is willing on provide the perfectly changes on your business site.

To assist you to remain in small business and grow, Web search Engine Optimization plus SEO must turn into a common item of the net marketing strategy linked almost all kinds of businesses performing on the earth. SEO could the most sizeable strategy one has the ability to employ for our own promotion of online business. Specific payoff materializes back the form about increased business when your website stakes higher than exactly who of your compete with.

Nature of player ? If your entire competitors get their unique websites optimized pretty frequently to try to get the better rank; you will mandate consistent SEO services. This is likely to boost up the net marketing cost considering that in this suit SEO pricing will be too wonderful.

Within the your service is great, your website page should already have a high search engine ranking. With good qualities of service off a good service provider, your commission rates and sales is going to surely increase. You would stay able to enhance and offer personal products or services to a much wider range of clients. The sufficient amounts of leads would get your very own brand name popular, and many will surely want the things that you are which offer.

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Source: http://www.articulosi.com/website-seo-service-the-ways-to-improve-your-company-seo

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Boehner Suggests Tax Negotiation Compromise | Video - The Blaze

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Wednesday said House Republicans would be willing to agree to new revenues to help deal with the nation?s financial woes ? but only ?under the right conditions?

?A balanced approach isn?t balanced if it means higher taxes on small businesses that are the key to getting our economy moving again,? Boehner said. ?A balanced approach isn?t balanced if it?s done in the old Washington way of raising taxes now and ultimately failing to cut spending in the future.?

He cited the 1986 tax reform as an exemplary model, stressing that cuts need to be made before new revenues can be accepted.

Boehner said that House Republicans want President Obama ?to make good on a balanced approach? that would address both spending cuts and government social benefit programs.

?For purposes of forging a bipartisan agreement that begins to solve the problem, we?re willing to accept new revenue, under the right conditions,?? he said. ?What matters is where the increased revenue comes from and what type of reform comes from it.?

Later in his speech, the Majority House leader said conditions on higher taxes would include a revamped tax code to make it cleaner and fairer, fewer loopholes and lower rates for all.

The speaker noted that during one-on-one budget talks with the president in the summer of 2011, Obama had ?endorsed the idea of tax reform and lower rates, including a top rate of lower than 35 percent,? the present top rate.

?We?re closer than we think to the critical mass needed legislatively to get tax reform done,? he said.

The speaker also suggested Congress could use its upcoming lame-duck session to get the ball moving on such a compromise.

?We can?t solve the problem of our fiscal imbalance overnight ? This is going to take time,? he said.

?Mr. President, this is your moment,? he added. ?We want you to lead, not as a liberal or a conservative, but as President of the United States of America.?

UPDATE: In response to some anger over Mr. Boehner?s ?tax deal? remarks, it?s important to note that he has made the president this offer at least three times since becoming House Majority Leader.

First, right after he became speaker:

If considering revenue increases leads to a big 2012 budget deal for Republicans then so be it, Speaker John Boehner told me.

?I?ll put everything on the table. I think Washington has a spending problem. I don?t think it has a revenue problem. I?m not interested in raising taxes on the American people. But if it takes leaving it on the table to have the conversation, I?ll have the conversation,? he told me.

Second, in Novbember 2011:

?There?s room for revenue but there clearly is a limit to the revenues that may be available? to help reach the congressionally mandated target of cutting government deficits by at least $1.2 trillion, Boehner, an Ohio Republican, told reporters yesterday in Washington?

?Without real reform on the entitlement side, I don?t know how you put any revenue on the table,? Boehner said. The speaker said he ?made this clear? to President Barack Obama during failed negotiations on deficit-reduction bargain in July.

And then in June of this year:

The Speaker replied: ?Well, in negotiations with the president, I had additional revenues on the table. Revenues out of economic growth. Revenues out of a more efficient tax system. Revenues out of what I?ll call opportunity costs from having certainty about what the tax code looks like.?

But Boehner appeared to shut the door on raising taxes.

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

(H/T: HA)

Source: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/boehner-to-obama-sure-well-consider-tax-increases-but-only-under-the-right-conditions/

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Energy Trading and Risk Management Goes Mobile - Energy Digital

Written by?Lauren LaFronz of Triple Point Technology

?

Competitive advantage in the energy sector is increasingly being secured by the quality of the technology deployed. Lauren LaFronz of Triple Point Technology makes the case that ongoing tightening in the markets combined with technological developments will push the next battle for differentiation into the mobile arena.

THE GLOBAL CHALLENGE

The economic roller-coaster ride in the energy market has been well documented. Rapid and large price swings have become commonplace, particularly in the oil industry where it?s become a non-event for prices to swing between 15 and 30 percent. This volatility is caused by multiple factors, including extreme weather phenomena that are changing consumption habits, political instabilities that are disrupting strategically important geographies, and biofuels and other renewables that are complicating financial models.

This price volatility and uncertainty is making it exceptionally difficult for energy companies to make long-range business decisions, and if price fluctuations are not properly managed, profitability suffers.

Additionally, demand from developing countries, notably China and India, is rising, and this trend is expected to continue. According to several sources, including IHS-Cambridge Energy Research Associates, by 2030 energy demand will jump between 30 and 40 percent from 2010 levels primarily due to requirements from emerging economies. While this growth presents big opportunities, it also presents big challenges related to supply, operations, and logistics.

Furthermore, the cost of doing business has risen due to stringent regulations regarding environmental practices, corporate governance, and financial management. And last but certainly not least, the complexity of the energy market has increased exposure to all four key types of risk as identified by the Committee of Chief Risk Officers (CCRO): price risk, operational risk, counterparty credit risk, and regulatory risk.

ENERGY TRADING AND RISK MANAGEMENT

In this challenging environment, energy companies need every possible competitive advantage, and have increasingly turned to specialized systems for energy trading and risk management (ETRM). These systems have such a critical role that they are the subject of an annual ?Magic Quadrant? report from global analyst house Gartner, which examines the offerings of leading ETRM vendors.

Sophisticated ETRM platforms enable energy firms to:

• Optimize trading by fully integrating physical and financial positions for multiple commodities.

• Minimize risk by delivering complete visibility into the four key areas of exposure identified by the CCRO, and providing tools for analyzing positions and exposure in real-time.

• Streamline the supply chain by managing the unique scheduling and logistics requirements of coal, power, natural gas, and liquids.

• Increase productivity and reduce manual errors by providing straight-through processing (STP) from the front- through to the back-office.

FROM COMPUTERS TO SMARTPHONES

These systems have typically been provided through a desktop or laptop interface. However, the current overwhelming trend in enterprise technology is the move to mobile. The wholesale use of Blackberries in the early years of the 21st century, and more recently the advent of iPhones, iPads, and other tablet computing devices has taken enterprise computing to a new level, and created new ways of increasing productivity.

As a result, the workforce as a whole is becoming increasingly mobile. In a survey conducted for IBM, 75 percent of executives stated that the deployment of mobile devices is critical to the long-term successes of their companies. The Fortune 500 has already embraced modern mobility: according to Apple, iPhones and iPads are already being deployed or tested by over 90 percent of the world?s biggest companies. And furthermore, research from Forrester shows that 75 percent of companies report increased worker productivity from deploying mobile applications.

The power and prevalence of today?s mobile devices is transforming the shape of the modern enterprise. Mobile applications empower executives to make informed, rapid decisions by giving them the data and analysis they need, when and where they need it.

APPS CONDUCIVE TO BUSINESS

Mobile business applications were originally limited to delivering news and information, or serving as generic productivity tools. Recently, however, there have been big advances in the development of applications for specific business environments. These applications have the power to revolutionize the way companies in the energy sector do business.

Due to its global nature, the energy market lends itself to the adoption of mobile technology. The energy industry operates across multiple time zones, frequently involves co-ordination of efforts, resources, and information within very short timeframes, and is subject to rapid changes and fluctuations in both price and operating conditions. It depends on informed, time-sensitive decision-making on a continual basis to maintain productivity and secure margins.

When looking for suitable mobile applications, there are a number of points to consider. The most valuable tools are not simply lighter versions of full desktop applications - they are developed precisely for the device concerned. The idea of moving an entire desktop solution to a mobile platform is also sub-optimal: the ideal solution will include only those tasks that are suitable to the mobile environment, and will offer seamless performance of just the key functions that are appropriate and/or necessary for the designated users. The most important point to consider is that mobile applications are a complement to desktop solutions, not a replacement for them.

The new reality of the energy industry means that industry participants must adopt the latest sophisticated technology-based tools, and do so now. Market volatility and complexity are here to stay. Early adopters of desktop and now mobile solutions are already gaining competitive advantage; their competitors risk being permanently left behind.

?

Triple Point Technology provides solutions for commodity trading, energy and oil risk management, and logistics. To find out more visit www.tpt.com

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Source: http://www.energydigital.com/oil_gas/energy-trading-and-risk-management-goes-mobile

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