Thursday, August 30, 2012

Video: Matthews asks crowd: Obama or Romney?

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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/48833897#48833897

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6 Questions To Ask When Interviewing a Property Manager | Zillow ...

Being a landlord isn?t easy. On top of property maintenance, collecting rent, marketing vacancies and keeping a good relationship with your renters, there are lots of responsibilities that come along with the job. If your schedule doesn?t allow you to do it all (and do it well), or you keep rental properties as a secondary income, it might be time to hire a professional property manager to take care of your property.

Before you hire a property manager, you want to interview them to make sure they?re a professional in their field and will treat your property like their own. They should be familiar with the compliance laws in your state and know the industry well. To get started, here are a few questions you need to ask a potential property manager during the interview process.

What kind of services do you offer?

Different property management companies offer difference services. How all-encompassing and involved do you need your managers to be? Go into the discussion with a list of services that are necessary for your rental business, and see if the candidate can supply them. The last thing you want is to hire a property manager, only to find out they don?t provide a 24-hour call service.

How long have you been working in property management?

You want a manager who knows what they?re doing, not someone who?s going to figure everything out on the job. An experienced professional will know how to deal with angry tenants and emergency maintenance issues on top of being organized and efficient on the job. Ask for references so you can ensure the candidate is experienced and dependable.

Do you have any certificates or licenses?

Make sure the candidate is qualified and knowledgeable about property management. The job doesn?t only involve collecting rent and filling vacancies: Property managers need to know the ins and outs of discrimination, fair housing and eviction laws. You?re holding the property manager accountable for the bulk of your rental business, so make sure they know how to do it right.

How do you advertise properties?

You don?t want a property manager who will publish a listing in the paper and be done with it. Find out their marketing process, ask for samples of property listings they?ve written, or creative techniques for advertising. Anyone can post a rental listing. The trick knowing how to do it effectively.

How responsive is your customer service?

A property manager who is careless about customer service risks causing damages and lost profit to your property. A professional service will make sure your renters? needs are covered at all times, especially since you won?t be there to take care of it. You don?t want your tenants to be neglected when they request maintenance service. Ask about their procedure and timeline for responding and taking care of repair requests.

How do you screen tenants?

The property manager will be the gatekeeper to your property. You need to make sure they will be fair and non-discriminatory during the tenant selection process so you won?t have a lawsuit on your hands. Ask about their screening process to make sure they will be selecting qualified tenants to live on your property.

Related:


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Source: http://www.zillow.com/blog/2012-08-30/6-questions-to-ask-when-interviewing-a-property-manager/

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Marmoset Bites Battalion Chief in Florida ? Exotic Pets ? About.com ...

REALTOR? Designations & Certifications Many REALTORS?, such as ourselves, have alphabet soup after our names. Just like doctors who have acronyms such as PHDs, our industry also offers continued educations for those who choose to improve themselves. What they means to you is that you are hiring a real estate agent with higher qualifications and [...]

BLODGET: The Japanese stock market peaked in 1989 or 1990 at 40,000, and now, 20+ years later, we?re at less than a quarter of that. What?s the prognosis for the U.S. stock market? ROACH: It?s not as bad as Japan because again the real excesses in Japan were in the companies that really ultimately had [...]

By ROB HARRIS updated 12:40 p.m. ET Feb. 21, 2012 LONDON ? Manchester United?s cash reserves fell by 100 million pounds ($158 million) in six months partially to finance an investment in a roster failing to maintain the English champions? dominance. As a result of spending that also took in stadium improvements and a bond [...]

NICEVILLE, Fla. ? An ex-U.S. Navy officer named in a Chilean extradition request tied to the 1973 execution of two Americans during the Pinochet dictatorship has Alzheimer?s and is living in a U.S. nursing home, his wife said Thursday. Patricia Davis told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from her Florida home that her [...]

NEW DELHI ? India?s Cabinet decided Thursday to allow more direct foreign investment in the nation?s huge retail industry, a move that could strengthen the country?s food supply chain and open India to giant global retailers such as Wal-Mart. The Cabinet approved 51 percent foreign direct investment in multibrand retail and increased the FDI cap [...]

Source: http://lastminutecruisedeals.stoptbpartners.org/2845/marmoset-bites-battalion-chief-in-florida-exotic-pets-about-com/

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FX orders 90 more episodes of 'Anger Management'

FILE - This June 26, 2012 file photo shows actor Charlie Sheen attending the FX Summer Comedies Party at Lure in Los Angeles. The FX channel says on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, it's ordered 90 more episodes of the Charlie Sheen sitcom "Anger Management." (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - This June 26, 2012 file photo shows actor Charlie Sheen attending the FX Summer Comedies Party at Lure in Los Angeles. The FX channel says on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012, it's ordered 90 more episodes of the Charlie Sheen sitcom "Anger Management." (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP, File)

(AP) ? The FX channel says it has ordered 90 more episodes of the Charlie Sheen sitcom "Anger Management."

The unusually large order reflects the original agreement that FX made for the sitcom, which marked Sheen's quick return to TV after he was fired from "Two and a Half Men."

As part of the deal, FX set a ratings target for eight of the first 10 episodes of "Anger Management." The show reached the threshold, earning an automatic 90-episode order.

FX says "Anger Management" is cable's highest-rated new comedy series this year, averaging 4.5 million viewers.

FX Networks executive vice president Chuck Saftler says he's confident the producers and cast will be able to produce another 90 episodes during the next two years after quickly turning out the first 10.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-08-29-TV-Sheen-Anger%20Management/id-1ed7e80b968440a580fb7e711f2e3bcb

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Samsung unveils new Series 7 and Series 5 AIOs: Windows 8 and gesture recognition for $749 and up

Samsung unveils new Series 7 and Series 5 AIOs Windows 8 and gesture recognition for $749 and up

Samsung teased a Series 7 all-in-one running Windows 8 -- on a 10-point touch display -- at Computex in June, and today the machine gets official with pricing and specs. The Series 7 will be available in 23- and 27-inch flavors, both of which run Microsoft's latest OS on a 1080p touchscreen. The setup includes a redesigned keyboard, which is small enough to tuck under the display's metal stand, and the AIOs will support gesture recognition. The 23-inch Series 7 costs $1,099 and runs a Core i5 CPU with 6GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and Intel Graphics 4000. The 27-inch model offers a Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage and discrete AMD Radeon HD 7850M graphics, all for $1,699.

In addition to refreshing its Series 7 machines, Samsung is introducing the 21.5-inch Series 5 all-in-one, which it describes as a "kitchen-style PC." Its legs are on either end of the display, leaving room to stow the keyboard under the screen and freeing up your desk (or counter) space. The Series 5 will go for $749, and it includes a Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and 500GB of storage. All three AIOs have two USB 3.0 ports, three USB 2.0 connections, HDMI and a media card reader, and all will go on sale October 26th. You know the drill -- head past the break for our hands-on photos.

Continue reading Samsung unveils new Series 7 and Series 5 AIOs: Windows 8 and gesture recognition for $749 and up

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/28/samsung-unveils-new-series-7-and-series-5-aios/

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insurance-Listowel | INTL Links

insurance Listowel ONLet?s get your life protected. Call a State Farm? agent and we?ll help you compare your options. More people buy homeowners insurance from State Farm? than any other insurer. Our claims network is one of the largest in the world, and it?s accessible 24/7, online or by phone. We provide assistance to ensure we are helping you save on home insurance by offering many discounts for everything from multiple-line policies to everyday safety items like deadbolts and fire extinguishers. Our clients select our insurance options for many reasons. In addition to having over 17,000 well educated agents nationwide, State Farm? has 24-hour customer service, a powerful customer management system, innovative tools like the State Farm? app, and a superb reputation for customer care. It is difficult to keep more than 40 million clients happy unless you have maintained a high level of service. We have built consumer trust in the State Farm? brand, assuring drivers to feel secure about their insurance provider when they file a claim.

Source: http://www.internationalcrimesblog.com/?p=18086

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Op-Ed Contributor: The Man in the Moon

We?re sorry, we seem to have lost this page, but we don?t want to lose you.

  • Check the Archives. Most articles remain online for seven days after publication. Articles back to 1851 are available through The New York Times Article Archive. 1851 ? present.
  • Report the broken link. If you clicked on a headline or other link on NYTimes.com, you can report the missing page.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=4e6e167d3de4cbb4ef141c3eac992c43

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In Lake Tahoe a cry for regulatory relief

STATELINE, NEV.? The blue waters of Lake Tahoe framed the stunning backdrop as the politicians orated. There were some droning Nevadans and three always-interesting Californians: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock and Gov. Jerry Brown.

This was a "save the lake" crowd, heavy on environmental concerns, attending the 16th Annual Lake Tahoe Summit inaugurated in 1997 by President Clinton.

The recent event was basically designed as a pep rally for continued slow growth and environmental regulation.

And you wouldn't guess who drew the most enthusiastic response from these lake lovers: It was that right-wing, regulation-hating McClintock, whose sprawling district includes the California side of the lake.

"Today's theme is private-public partnerships for environmental improvement, but there's not going to be a private sector left unless we get serious about economic improvement," the Republican warned, drawing loud applause from the mostly local crowd of roughly 200.

"Tourists don't go where they're not welcomed, or where facilities are left to decay because simple repairs can't be made, or where prices are inflated to pay for exorbitant [permit] fees...."

"People are fleeing Lake Tahoe," continued the former Southern California state legislator and one-time gubernatorial candidate. "And a lot of them are heading to the Nevada desert.

"With all due respect, no conceivable act of God could turn Lake Tahoe into a less-desirable place for people to live and work and raise a family than the Nevada desert. Only acts of government could do that. And they have."

Again, loud applause and laughter.

The congressman lamented Tahoe's "stagnating economy and a staggering unemployment rate that's hovering around 16%" ? roughly twice the national average and much higher than California's overall rate, 10.7%, or Nevada's, 12%.

For Democrats on the dais, McClintock must have been a skunk at the picnic. But for the picnickers, he seemed to be a welcome songbird ? and the only pol interrupted by applause.

A little background: Lake Tahoe straddles the California-Nevada border, and its planning and development are controlled principally by a bi-state agency created decades ago by then-Govs. Ronald Reagan and Paul Laxalt, casting aside their antagonism toward centralized, coercive government.

"The environmentalists were giving us all these reports that on our watch, any day, Tahoe could turn gray," Laxalt told me several years ago. "Rather grimly, we came to the conclusion that a super government agency was the only solution."

But gradually the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency became overly bureaucratic, inflexible and snail-paced in its one-sided zeal to protect the lake's environment, especially the famed water clarity.

Only recently, after the Nevada Legislature and Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval threatened to withdraw from the bi-state deal, did the regional agency begin to loosen up and speed up.

Sacramento should learn a lesson and follow suit for the entire state of California. There's a cry for reform ? not unlike McClintock's ? that has been reverberating throughout California's private sector in a state infamous nationally for its anti-business climate.

"I'm tired of all the talk about stimulating jobs; it's just empty rhetoric," says Jim Earp, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs, a coalition of construction unions and building contractors.

"You can't talk about improving the economy of the state without doing something about CEQA"? the California Environmental Quality Act, also signed by Reagan ? "and other regulations that are just stifling business. And I'm a Democrat."

"The idea," Earp adds, only half jokingly, "that McClintock has to be the messenger for this just drives me nuts."

I interviewed Earp last week on the day that state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) shelved the latest attempt to make sweeping changes in CEQA, a quicksand pit for many frustrated developers and other entrepreneurs.

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/tFPYRX24PnU/la-me-cap-environment-20120827,0,893476.column

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what is the best website for the health or fitness ? ? Im Mr Fitness

Q???t??n b? abdul_d7: wh?t ?? th? best website f?r th? health ?r fitness ?
i h??? presentation today ?n? i h??? t? take ?b??t useful website th?t h?? related t? th? health ?r fitness. ?? ??n ??? please give m? ??m? tips ?

Best ?n?w?r:

An?w?r b? Johnny
Webmd, ?? b? far th? best site out th?r?. It gives ??? a full explanation ?f th? topic ??? ?r? interested ?n along w?th sign ?n? symptom check, treatment ?n? ?r??t advice. G??? luck, I work ?n th? medical field ?n? Ive used th?? site ?n th? past ?? first ?h???? f?r health q???t??n? ?n? ?n?w?r?! Browse through, ?n? G??? luck, Im sure ??? w??? find ?t VERY helpful!! ;)

Know better? Leave ???r ?wn ?n?w?r ?n th? comments!

Source: http://fitness.infodron.com/2012/08/26/what-is-the-best-website-for-the-health-or-fitness/

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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Find Better Health Via Natural Healing : : Critical Care 2011

We know perfectly how hard it can be to find reliable information about Obat Herbal Kanker, and this can help you get started in the right direction. There are few things more infuriating than needing direction and not knowing where to find it. There is so much information online, and honestly it can be very difficult finding and knowing what you can rely on. We have been in that exact spot very many times and about many things. The balance of this report will examine Obat Tradisional Kanker in more detail.

The amazing thing about our bodies is that it has the power to cure itself naturally if we give it the proper treatment. You have many choices when it comes to natural healing, from herbs and vitamins to holistic preparations. Standard medicine might be taken concurrently as alternative methods for healing. In most cases, however, you can treat symptoms and conditions solely with natural healing approaches. Contemporary medicine is fairly recent, and things like herbalism are several thousands of years older. Meditation, homeopathic treatments, spiritual healing and holistic remedies are all part of natural healing.

Nowadays there are many opportunities to become certified in numerous types of natural healing. Many people are investigating this as an alternative profession. Getting certified as a healer gives you credibility and assures peopleyou?ve got a good background. Since traditional medicine keeps rising in cost, natural healing is becoming much more popular. Even though alternative healing has taken a while to become mainstream, it?s finally being accepted by a big segment of the population. You can study the various herbal traditions from all over the world, massage therapy, aromatherapy and holistic medicine, to name a few. Having acupuncture done, and going to a chiropractor are two areas that have become accepted. We are also seeing the medical establishment at last acknowledging various types of alternative treatments as you can tell by numerous recent books, articles and websites.

Part of this growth could be attributed to the Internet, and how much information that could be found. If you are searching for a local practitioner or want to learn more about a specific technique, it?s simple to do research. A lot of hospitals are now including holistic methods for patients who wish to pursue this sort of treatment. Healing the body requires you to remove harmful toxins, and there are a lot of ways to do this. Though detoxing is something that happens on its own, in some cases you have to give your body some extra help. Your lifestyle can determine the amount of toxins that will damage your body.

For your body to cure itself, it is necessary for the immune system to be improved. Because things like pollutants, junk food and pesticides damage your immune system you should attempt to keep away from these for better health. If you give your body natural substances, energy and extra nutrients, you can rectify any imbalance that is within your body. Heart problems, cancer, diabetes, joint disease and obesity are some of the conditions that can be averted by letting your body do its job of natural healing.

There are a lot of ways to purify your body and treat yourself naturally, and it?s great to do plenty of research on this. There is a good alternative for each and every type of condition, and natural healing deals with the cause of the problem. In some cases, however, it?s advisable to use conventional treatments as well -you don?t really have to pick one and get rid of the other. So if you?re interested in the many ways natural healing can improve the quality of your life, why not get started exploring it now?

Related Links

  1. David Bruce
  2. Charles R. Drew
  3. Andreas Vesalius
  4. Charles Mantoux
  5. Henry Gray

Source: http://www.criticalcare2011.org/find-better-health-via-natural-healing

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OUABe Fit: Cardio Dance - Calendar : Student Life

Time: Sunday, August 26, 2012 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Location: Ohio Union - Dance Room 1

Join fellow students for a free fitness class -- cardio dance! Cardio dance is offered every Sunday during the semester. This class is led by a registered instructor from the Department of Recreational Sports within the Office of Student Life at The Ohio State University. Please note that space is limited, and all classes are first-come, first-served.

Class description - Instead of running on the treadmill, try boosting your heartrate with Cardio Dance! With this class, you'll get 60 minutes of easy-to-learn choreographed dances and lots of variety. With a combination of fun music and energetic beats, these dances are sure to make you forget about the workout!

For more information on group fitness courses held at the Recreation and Physical Activity Center (RPAC), visit: http://recsports.osu.edu/fitness-wellness/group-fitness.

All Ohio Union Activities Board (OUAB) events are for OSU Columbus students with a valid BuckID only. This event is presented by the Ohio Union Activities Board (OUAB) and is brought to you by your Student Activity Fee.

?

Add to your calendar

Source: http://studentlife.osu.edu/calendar.aspx/2012/8/26/20216/ouabe-fit-cardio-dance

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What Do You Think About the Apple vs. Samsung Verdict? [Chatroom]

After hearing trade secrets from both Apple and Samsung throughout the court hearings and waiting forever for the jury to make a decision, the verdict finally came in today. Shockingly swift, the jury leveled Samsung and rewarded Apple with a huge victory: Samsung now owes Apple $1.05 billion in damages. Was it unexpected? What do you think happens next? More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/-61piUAaOoY/what-do-you-think-about-the-apple-vs-samsung-verdict

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Newly discovered genetic markers could signal colon cancer development

ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2012) ? University of Minnesota Medical School and Masonic Cancer Center researchers have partnered with geneticists from Genentech, Inc., to discover how some proteins may cause the development of some forms of colon cancers.

The proteins -- part of R-spondin family -- normally help activate cell proliferation during embryonic development. Now, University of Minnesota researchers have discovered that when two types of R-spondins -- RSPO2 and RSPO 3 -- are reactivated in adults through certain gene mutations, they can signal cells to restart the cell proliferation process, which can lead to tumor growth in the colon.

The discovery, which involved multiple researchers from the University's Masonic Cancer Center, could lead the way to more personalized colon cancer therapy designed around the genetics of a patient's specific cancer. The results are available online now, in the journal Nature.

"These results suggest there is a potential for personalized therapies based on knowing a tumor's specific genetics," said David Largaespada, Ph.D., associate director of Basic Sciences and professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development. "And because these R-spondins are related to embryonic growth, and seem to not have major roles in the adult, targeting them would likely be low in side effects."

To arrive at the results, researchers analyzed more than 70 pairs of human colon tumors and a mouse model engineered using the Sleeping Beauty transposon by Largaespada. Through a series of investigations, researchers identified 36 rearrangements that result in gene fusions, including two recurrent ones involving R-spondin family members RSPO2 and RSPO3.

While the results could generate more personalized approaches to the treatment of colon cancer, researchers stress more research is needed before these results can be applied to actual patient care.

Caitlin Conboy, an M.D./Ph.D. student studying at the University of Minnesota, worked closely on this project and is nowworking to advance the science of this paper to the next stage.

"What we're finding is that tumors may look the same, but they're fundamentally different," said Conboy. "Diagnosis may be less about the tissue where the tumor is found, like the breast or colon, but the drivers of the tumor's growth."

Conboy is beginning work on a study that will help determine if a blocking agent could be useful in treating tumors driven by R-spondin production. If this project is successful, it could help create new therapeutic approaches useful in certain patients after a tumor genetic test is done.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Somasekar Seshagiri, Eric W. Stawiski, Steffen Durinck, Zora Modrusan, Elaine E. Storm, Caitlin B. Conboy, Subhra Chaudhuri, Yinghui Guan, Vasantharajan Janakiraman, Bijay S. Jaiswal, Joseph Guillory, Connie Ha, Gerrit J. P. Dijkgraaf, Jeremy Stinson, Florian Gnad, Melanie A. Huntley, Jeremiah D. Degenhardt, Peter M. Haverty, Richard Bourgon, Weiru Wang, Hartmut Koeppen, Robert Gentleman, Timothy K. Starr, Zemin Zhang, David A. Largaespada, Thomas D. Wu, Frederic J. de Sauvage. Recurrent R-spondin fusions in colon cancer. Nature, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nature11282

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/health_medicine/genes/~3/zupl9SdFnmA/120824093515.htm

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Friday, August 24, 2012

Microsoft revamps logo for 1st time in 25 years

Product Advisor Alex Kennedy, of Boston, center right, assists a costumer at the opening of a new Microsoft store inside the Prudential Center mall, in Boston, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012. Microsoft unveiled a new logo Thursday at three stores in Boston and the Seattle area. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Product Advisor Alex Kennedy, of Boston, center right, assists a costumer at the opening of a new Microsoft store inside the Prudential Center mall, in Boston, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012. Microsoft unveiled a new logo Thursday at three stores in Boston and the Seattle area. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

This undated image provided by Microsoft shows a graphic of the evolution of the company's logo from 1975 to 1987. Microsoft revealed a new corporate logo, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, the first revamp since February 1987. (AP Photo/Microsoft)

A new Microsoft Corp. logo, left, is seen on an exterior wall of a new Microsoft store inside the Prudential Center mall, in Boston, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012. The introduction of the new logo marks the first time that Microsoft Corp has revamped its logo in 25 years. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

A new Microsoft logo is seen on a wall of a newly opened Microsoft store in Boston, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012. The new logo marks the first time that Microsoft Corp. has revamped its logo in 25 years. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Microsoft store employee Mykal Carlton picks up his laptop sporting the new company logo, while also wearing a shirtt matching one of the four featured colors, and heads over to assist a customer Thursday, Aug. 23, 2012, in Seattle. Microsoft's new corporate logo sets the stage for a wave of products designed to cast the world's largest software maker in a new light. The makeover unveiled Thursday marks the first time that Microsoft Corp. has revamped its logo since February 1987. The Internet was barely around then, and cellphones were considered a luxury. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

(AP) ? Microsoft's corporate logo has a new look, setting the stage for a wave of products designed to cast the world's largest software maker in a new light.

The makeover unveiled Thursday marks the first time that Microsoft Corp. has revamped its logo since February 1987. The Internet was barely around then, and cellphones were considered a luxury.

At the time, Microsoft was putting the finishing touches on the second version of its Windows operating system. Two of Microsoft's biggest nemeses ? Google Inc. co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin ? were just 13 years old. And Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs was just in the second year of an 11-year exile from the company that went on to invent the iPod, iPhone and iPad after he returned.

By revamping its logo, Microsoft is trying to signal that it has changed its thinking and its products to cater to people who are interacting with technology much differently than just a decade ago, let alone a quarter century.

Now, more computing tasks are being done on touch-based devices such as smartphones and tablets instead of personal computers tethered to keyboards and mice. Many software applications are now supplied over high-speed Internet connections for a monthly fee instead of being installed on individual computers.

Microsoft believes a radical change to Windows will ensure that the company survives the technological upheaval. Windows 8, due to hit the market Oct. 26, displays software applications in a mosaic of tiles and has been engineered so it works on both touch-based tablets and traditional PCs. The company also is releasing its own Windows 8-powered tablet to compete against the iPad, accompanied by a new version of Office applications tailored for such devices. There also will be a Windows 8 operating system for smartphones.

The new logo ushers in "one of the most significant waves of product launches in Microsoft's history," Jeff Hansen, the company's general manager of brand strategy, wrote in a blog post Thursday.

The redesign features the Microsoft name in a lighter, straight font called Segoe to replace the italic bold type used in the old standby. The new logo also includes the familiar red, blue, yellow and green colors used in the flag on Microsoft's Windows operating system, but the colors will be in a square box instead of the curvy template that has been in place for years. Those color boxes evoke the tiles that will be central to Windows 8.

"The ways people experience our products are our most important 'brand impressions,'" Hansen wrote. "That's why the new Microsoft logo takes its inspiration from our product design principles while drawing upon the heritage of our brand values, fonts and colors."

The new logo made its debut Thursday on Microsoft's websites, as well as three of its stores in Boston, Bellevue, Wash. and Seattle, which is located near the company's Redmond, Wash., headquarters.

This is Microsoft's fifth logo since Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded the company 37 years ago. When it last changed its logo in 1987, Microsoft had been a publicly traded company for less than a year and boasted a market value of about $2 billion. It peaked at more than $600 million in 1999. Now, Microsoft's market value stands at $254 billion ? less than half of Apple's market value of $623 billion.

___

Online:

http://bit.ly/PIR90G

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-08-23-Microsoft-New%20Logo/id-9e6ceee31af24c348c8469027ba4cb0a

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Samsung Galaxy S III 4G Android Phone, Blue 16GB (Sprint) Visual ...

Optimized for peak performance, the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy S III from Sprint offers one of the most sophisticated interactive mobile experiences to date. You?ll be able to send photos, videos, and information easier and faster than ever while staying in close connection to friends and family members from wherever you are.

cellphone

Intuitive, stylish, and simple to use (see larger image).

cellphone

8-megapixel camera with burst mode and Full HD 1080p video capture (see larger image).

cellphone
Samsung Galaxy S III 4G
At a Glance:
cellphone

Delivering impressive processing power to allow more applications to be accessible simultaneously, the Galaxy S III also features a brilliant 4.8-inch display that extends to an ultra-thin bezel to maximize the viewing area. The expansive display is also protected by Gorilla Glass 2.0 to guard against cracks and scratches and provide enhanced touchscreen responsiveness.

The Galaxy S III runs the Android 4.0 operating system (a.k.a., Ice Cream Sandwich), bringing a redesigned user interface with enhanced multitasking, notifications, full Web browsing experience, and more. You?ll also enjoy innovative, next-gen features such as Face Unlock, which uses facial recognition to unlock the Galaxy S III, and Near Field Communications (NFC) capabilities.

Going beyond simple point-and-shoot photography, the 8-megapixel rear camera offers a Burst Shot mode that captures still pictures at a rapid-fire pace at three images per second with zero shutter lag, and its Best Shot feature recommends the best picture to keep based on colors, lighting, and clarity. It also records Full HD 1080p video with a backside illuminated sensor that improves performance in low light environments?and you can even capture a photo while shooting video.

Other features include Wireless-N Wi-Fi connectivity with mobile hotspot capabilities (enabling you to connect up to 10 devices to your Sprint 3G/4G mobile broadband), Bluetooth 4.0 with stereo audio streaming, 16 GB internal storage, memory expansion via optional microSD cards, and up to 9.2 hours of talk time.

Note: The Galaxy S III is able to access the Sprint 4G LTE network, available in limited markets. This phone is also compatible with Sprint?s nationwide 3G network.

Pay with Google Wallet

With Google Wallet, you can transform the Galaxy S III smartphone into a smart wallet using Near Field Communication (NFC) to make safe purchases at more than 100,000 participating retailers?including Bloomingdales, Toys ?R? Us, CVS, Gap and Macy?s.

Simple, Instant Sharing

The Galaxy S III has enhanced features that both you and your contacts will enjoy. It?s designed to make sharing easy and more direct so your friends and family can experience every moment with you, regardless of your location.

Connect Through Touch: With S Beam, just place two Galaxy S III phones back-to-back and you can transfer photos, videos, documents, and more. In just three minutes you can successfully share a 1 GB video file?it?s fast, easy, and you don?t even need a Wi-Fi or cellular signal.

Send Pictures in a Flash: Thanks to Buddy Photo Share, the Galaxy S III recognizes the faces of your friends, so it can share photos with them right away. And with Share Shot, you can send photos to all your party guests so everyone leaves with snapshots of the event.

Access Content on Multiple Devices: Through AllShare Play, you can share files with other devices and access those files on various devices, such as documents or multimedia files between your Galaxy S III phone and a tablet, PC, or television. With AllShare Group Cast on the Galaxy S III and a Wi-Fi network, you can share and collaborate on documents, presentations or images in real-time with multiple friends or co-workers without loading the file separately.

Intelligent and Intuitive Interaction

Smart enough to detect your face, voice and motions, the Galaxy S III provides a more convenient and natural way for you to interact so it fits seamlessly into your daily routine.

Let Your Eyes Control the Display: Thanks to the Smart Stay feature, the screen display will remain bright as long as you?re looking at the phone. Set it down, and it dims instantly. Because the front-facing camera can identify your eyes?while reading an e-book or browsing the web, for instance?it recognizes how you are using your phone and provides a bright display accordingly.

Tell Your Phone What to Do: The S Voice feature enables the Galaxy S III to actually listen and respond to your words: tell it to wake up, snooze, take a photo, answer a call, send a text message, or play a favorite song.

Don?t Miss a Message: If you?ve been away from your phone, the Smart Alert feature will give you a vibrating nudge to let you know about missed calls and messages.

Vital Statistics

The Samsung Galaxy S III weighs 4.7 ounces and measures 5.4 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches. Its 2100 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 9.2 hours of talk time. It runs on Sprint?s 3G (800/1900 CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A frequencies). Sprint?s 4G LTE network is available in limited markets.

What?s in the Box

Samsung Galaxy S III handset, rechargeable battery, charger, USB cable, quick start guide



Android Ice Cream Sandwich Operating System

The Galaxy S III runs the Android 4.0 operating system (dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich), which adds powerful new ways of communicating and sharing while improving on the best Android features: easy multitasking, rich notifications, customizable home screens, resizable widgets, and more.

cellphone

Compatible with Google Wallet (view larger).

The new Ice Cream Sandwich interface features an onscreen navigation bar that replaces the hardware buttons for Back, Home, and Menu found with older Android-powered phones. And with Google+ integration, you can video chat with groups of up to 9 friends as well as easily upload and share photos and videos. Other features include:

Face Unlock

You can now unlock your phone with just your face using the Face Unlock option. It takes advantage of the front-facing camera and state-of-the-art facial recognition technology to register a face during setup and then to recognize it again when unlocking the device. Just hold your phone in front of your face to unlock (or use a backup PIN).

And the lock screen now lets you do more without unlocking. From the slide lock screen, you can jump directly to the camera for a picture or pull down the notifications window to check for messages. When listening to music, you can even manage music tracks and see album art.

Home Screen Folders

Quickly access related apps right from the home screen by organizing apps and shortcuts into folders?just drag one app onto another to create a folder.

Multitasking

Multitasking is even easier and more visual in Android 4.0. The Recent Apps button lets you jump instantly from one task to another using the list in the System Bar. The list pops up to show thumbnail images of apps used recently?tapping a thumbnail switches to the app.

Voice Input

The new voice engine in Android 4.0 lets you dictate the text you want, for as long as you want, using the language you want. You can speak continuously for a prolonged time, even pausing for intervals if needed, and dictate punctuation to create correct sentences. As the voice input engine enters text, it underlines possible dictation errors in gray. After dictating, you can tap the underlined words to quickly replace them from a list of suggestions.

Near Field Communications

A short-range wireless technology similar to Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (or NFC) allows enabled devices to share information in close proximity. For example, you can ?touch? or ?swipe? an NFC tag that might be embedded in a poster, sticker, or advertisement, then act on the data read from the tag.

You can also utilize NFC for contactless payment via Google Wallet. Instead of using cash or swiping a credit card, just touch your phone to an NFC payment reader and have your purchase deducted automatically. Store virtual versions of credit, loyalty and gift cards securely in Google Wallet, as well as coupons and offers that can be redeemed when you make a payment. You can make payments at hundreds thousands of locations nationwide where MasterCard PayPass is accepted.



Connectivity

  • Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go.
  • Built-in mobile hotspot functionality allows up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices to share the 3G or 4G experience on the go with a laptop, camera, music player, Game unit, video player, or any other Wi-Fi enabled device.
  • Next-generation Bluetooth 4.0 backward compatible with older Bluetooth-enabled peripherals and includes stereo audio streaming.
  • Near Field Communication (NFC) for sharing contacts, web pages, directions, and more to compatible phones as well as payments via Google Wallet.
  • GPS for navigation and location services
  • Integrated Google Maps with turn-by-turn navigation, street and satellite views.

Communications & Internet

  • Full messaging capabilities including SMS text, MMS picture/video and IM instant messaging
  • Full HTML browser with Adobe Flash Support
  • Personal and corporate e-mail access with support for Exchange ActiveSync as well as mobile e-mail accounts (Google push, Yahoo!, POP3, IMAP).
cellphone

Hardware

  • Dual-core 1.5 GHz processor capable of opening web pages twice as fast as most other smartphones.
  • 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED multi-touch screen (1280 x 720 pixels)
  • MicroUSB port
  • 3.5mm headphone jack

Memory

  • 16 GB internal memory (non-expandable)
  • microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 64 GB.
  • 2 GB RAM for improved multitasking.

Camera

  • 8-megapixel camera with continuous auto focus, zero shutter lag, face detection, high dynamic range mode, burst mode, and more.
  • Full HD 1080p video capture (30 fps)
  • Front-facing 1.9-megapixel camera for HD video chats and self portraits.

Multimedia

  • Music player compatible with MP3, WMA, and AAC/AAC+
  • Video player compatible with MPEG4, H.264, H.263, WMV

?

Also Available for This Android Device

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Amazon Appstore for Android
Get a great paid app for free every day.

cellphone

Kindle
Buy a book once and read it everywhere with our free Kindle Reading App for Android.

cellphone

Amazon MP3
Shop 15 million songs and stream your Cloud Drive music directly from your Android device.

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IMDB
Find local movie showtimes and TV listings, watch trailers, and search the world?s largest source of entertainment information.

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Audible
Download audiobooks directly to your Android device, then listen wherever you go, get audiobook news, earn badges, and more.

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Amazon Mobile
Shop for millions of products, get product details, and read reviews?right from your mobile device.

Source: http://visualimagesolutions.com/cellphone/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-4g-android-phone-blue-16gb-sprint

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Actress Melissa Joan Hart Throws ?Baby Shower? For Military Moms At Barclays

Actress Melissa Joan Hart (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Actress Melissa Joan Hart (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) ? Now expecting her third child, actress Melissa Joan Hart knows about the joys and challenges of being a mother.

Hart, a Long Island native, teamed up with Barclays in Bethpage to throw a baby shower for some very deserving military wives ? moms and mothers-to-be, who are separated from their husbands who are serving overseas.

More: The 6 Best NYC Cafes, Salons And Shops Offering Military Discounts

TV 10-55?s Ann Mercogliano was invited to the celebration.

As the former Sabrina The Teenage Witch star explained, the day of golfing and ladies lunching was to show appreciation for the sacrifices these women make.

More: N.J.?s 5 Best Golf Courses

?They don?t have [their husbands] to help them off the couch, or run and get them a glass of water ? or even possibly take them to the hospital,? Hart said.

As event coordinator Jonathan Hartley explained, it?s about the little things.

?Giving them a day, a very special day?to take their minds off their spouse being deployed, shower them with as many gifts as we can, and just make them happy,? said event coordinator Jonathan Hartley.

One of the military wives at the event was Rose Cykewick. Her daughter, Grace Ann, is just five weeks old. Cykewick and her child are getting ready to say goodbye to dad Daniel ? again. He?s being deployed this fall.

?He?s going to miss our anniversary,? Cykewick said. ?But thankfully he?ll be back for the baby?s first Christmas.?

But, she says, she?s always proud of her husband.

?It?s gonna be tough,? she said. ?But I know it?s good that he can do what he does.?

Added Hart: ?These women, they have husbands, they?re just not there. So hopefully theyr?e getting support from family and friends nearby.?

As for the former Clarissa Explains It All star, she?s about to tell her own story soon. Along with currently starring in Melissa & Joey, she?s also writing a book called Melissa Explains It All. It will be out next September.

Source: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/08/23/actress-melissa-joan-hart-throws-baby-shower-for-military-moms-at-barclays/

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A real estate investor's guide to buying a home ? ? Rankin ...

Most people only buy a couple homes in their lifetime. This lack of experience leads many home buyers to feel woefully unprepared ? increasing their stress level which affects their decision-making at the worst possible time.? The process doesn?t have to be so complicated if you keep things in perspective.?

?Keep in mind that you?re not getting married.? You don?t have to make a lifelong commitment to a home.?So relax, a little, you only need commit to a home for a few years.?You can always move later if you fall out of love with your home, as long as you buy right.

View Photo Gallery:?Northern Virginia real estate investor Justin Pierce transforms neglected houses into remarkable homes.

?I buy a home almost every month.?And even with my experience it?s hard to know whether to pounce on a deal or to walk away.? I rely on a set of rules that can be used by anyone buying a house:

??Determine your needs for the next five years: Affordability is number one.?Make sure you consider all the costs of principal and interest payments, taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities.? Your family size, lifestyle and profession are also important factors.? But, remember those big beautiful homes take a lot to heat, cool and keep beautiful ? i.e. maintenance.?

I?m struck by all the people who buy half million dollar McMansions and then fail to maintain them.? Do you really want to vacuum, dust and heat two or three rooms that you?ll never use.? I urge you to buy the right size home; bigger is not always better.

??Get the facts:When I have a tough decision, I am comforted by facts.? The number one rule is do not overpay for a home.?Try to determine what the home is worth based on comparable sales. Be very careful trying to project future value.?The very best real estate professionals are shaky at best when it comes to predicting appreciation.? I never buy on future value and I believe that illusion is what got many of us in trouble during the last bubble.?

?If the home needs repairs, be very realistic when you estimate costs.? Too many people think they can paint and carpet a home for a couple thousand dollars.?Hiring reputable professionals can be much more costly and many would-be do it yourselfers have been overwhelmed with the time, effort and disruptions required by such projects.?And, on the flip side, don?t let a home inspection scare you away from a good deal. Every problem is fixable as long as the home price is low enough.? Get a couple bids for any needed repairs even if you think you can do it yourself and make sure the home price reflects the appropriate discount for the needed work.

?I recently had a friend who sought my advice.?He was trying to buy a short sale.?I warned him about how slow and murky the short sale process could be, but he loved the home and moved forward anyway.? To my surprise, the bank accepted his price of $520,000 on a home that was probably worth $650,000.? But the home inspector found a laundry list of items that needed repairs.? The list looked scary but it was probably only about $20,000 worth of work.? My friend walked away from the deal despite the fact that he would have had over a $100,000 in equity at closing.

??Don?t fall completely in love: Lacking experience, people rely on their emotions.?Real estate agents know this.?They try to decorate and stage a home so that people fall in love and forget the facts.?When you get too determined to get a specific home, you get into bidding wars and overlook discrepancies that need more attention.?Remember a house is just sticks and stones and there are plenty of them out there.?You make it a home.

?I really wish people were more realistic about houses.? When I?m remodeling a home for resale and I?m faced with a decision to either improve the home?s insulation or make the home more beautiful, I?m almost always forced to beautify.? Remember: It?s much easier to replace kitchen cabinets some time down the road than it is to reinsulate a home.? But people aren?t concerned or willing to pay for what?s behind the walls.? They should be.

??Get professional help: Professionals will help you with all the above items.? The key is to trust but verify.? Not all real estate agents are created equal so interview several and ask for references.? Educate yourself as much as possible so that you can better utilize your agent.? Real estate agents have many tools to help determine value.?

Ask your agent to go over comparable sales with you ? not just spit out a value.? This will help you feel confident about your offer and reduce the risk of complications from a low appraisal.? Appraisers are right 90 percent of the time, but they?re not perfect.? I had a home recently appraise for $236,000 by one appraiser and $170,000 by another.? After disputing the low appraisal, he came up $40,000.? This is a perfect example of trust but verify.? Real estate agents, home inspectors, appraisers, lawyers, surveyors and contractors are all valuable resources but they?re no good if you disregard their advice.

??Don?t be afraid to pull the trigger or walk away: Once you compile all the facts concerning a house you love, it becomes a much easier decision.? If you love a house, the price is fair and affordable then don?t be afraid to seal the deal.?

On the other hand, if the home price is above market value or not appropriately discounted for the amount of work it needs, then remind yourself that there are plenty of other houses to choose from.


Read more on Justin Pierce?s experiences as a real estate investor

Justin Pierce is a real estate investor in Northern Virginia. In his occasional column, he will write about investing in real estate.

Article source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/where-we-live/post/a-real-estate-investors-guide-to-buying-a-home/2012/08/21/b3db4936-ebcc-11e1-aca7-272630dfd152_blog.html

Source: http://www.rankinrealty.net/2012/08/a-real-estate-investors-guide-to-buying-a-home/

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Brits shrug off nude photos of UK's Prince Harry

(AP) ? Britain's Prince Harry has been caught on camera doing something embarrassing ? again.

Celebrity gossip website TMZ on Tuesday posted photos of the 27-year-old royal cavorting nude with an unidentified woman in a VIP suite in Las Vegas. It's hardly the first time the prince ? who allegedly disrobed as part of a game of strip pool ? has been filmed misbehaving. The third-in-line to the throne was famously photographed wearing a Nazi uniform for a costume party, and in another photo-gaffe he was seen cupping the breast of a female TV presenter. Some would argue footage in which he was heard to utter a racial slur while teasing a fellow army cadet from Pakistan was more serious.

If the reaction of Britons to Harry's Las Vegas adventure was anything to go by, the nude photos will do little to tarnish his generally positive, party-prince image. The Associated Press asked an assortment of royal watchers and British subjects about what they thought about the prince's naked romp.

DID HARRY DO ANYTHING WRONG?

Jim Conlon, a 60-year-old construction worker: "The answer to that is categorically NO." Conlon, who was unloading bags of material from a car, seemed genuinely offended by the very question. "I'd be proud of him if he were my son," he said.

Conlon's opinion was typical of a country where thousands of streets and pubs are named for the royal family. Polls published earlier this year showed support for the monarchy at an all-time high, perhaps buoyed by the celebrations surrounding Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations marking her 60 years on the throne.

Interviews with Londoners up and down the capital's Prince of Wales Road yielded few critics of Harry's antics.

Craig Martin, 38, another construction worker: "He's the prince. He can have any bird he wants!"

Down the road, caregiver Shirley Ashard laughed at the news of Harry's naked adventure, dismissing questions about the propriety of running around a plush hotel room in the buff with a boys-will-be-boys shrug.

"I've got kids. They do things like that," the 59-year-old said. "He's a lad, for God's sake."

WILL HARRY'S ROMP HARM THE IMAGE OF THE PRINCE, OR THE ROYAL FAMILY?

Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine: Not likely. Seward said Harry's party-boy image was part of his approachable, normal persona.

"Of course it's stupid, but it doesn't make people dislike him ? quite the opposite," she said.

"It shows that he is a guy who gets into trouble and he's the one people love to love. It could only happen to Harry ? but we love him for it."

She did think, though, that Harry might get a talking-to from Prince Charles. "I would think his father would speak to him," she said.

DOESN'T THE ROYAL FAMILY HAVE A HISTORY OF BAD-BOY BEHAVIOR?

Yes, said Anne Sebba, biographer of Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee whose affair with King Edward VIII ? Harry's great-great-uncle ? led to his abdication in 1936.

That king's grandfather, Edward VII ? who reigned from 1901 to 1910 ? had many affairs, parking his carriage outside the houses of his mistresses while he visited.

"The staff would be very discreet," said Sebba. "People knew; they just didn't talk about it."

Edward VIII and Simpson were well known in upper-crust circles for their hedonistic parties ? and some visitors wrote their shocked reactions in diaries.

"It didn't reach the papers," Sebba said. "It is just in the private diaries. Nobody was taking photographs. Nobody was posting it on the Internet.

"The old system depended on incredible discretion, loyalty and deference ? and all that has gone. The royal family has had to make themselves so open and available and this is the downside of the coin."

Prince Harry's office confirmed Wednesday that the photos were of the prince but declined to make any further comment.

WHAT ABOUT THE PRINCE'S PRIVACY?

The blurry, low-resolution photographs appear to have been snapped from inside a hotel suite, and it isn't clear that the prince was aware that they were being taken.

That could be a violation of the royal's privacy. It might also explain why Britain's scandal-hungry tabloids ? normally avid consumers of titillating photos ? were steering clear of the images.

Ashard, the caregiver, said the only outrage she could muster was against the photographer.

"That's out of order," she said. "How would you like it if someone took pictures of you in your hotel room?"

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-08-22-Britain-Naked%20Prince/id-215e020945044e9a8bd6cef4d2ceb0f7

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Thursday, August 23, 2012

'Simpsons' Duff Beer Legal Battle: 20th Century Fox Spars With ...

Anyone who has ever watched -- nay, heard of -- The Simpsons is probably familiar with Duff beer. Homer Simpson's brew of choice has achieved a permanent place in American culture, which explains why so many different companies have tried to create a non-cartoon version of the beer. There's been a long history of legal issues with companies using the name "Duff beer" but not being affiliated with 20th Century Fox, the company that produces The Simpsons. Trade publication The Drinks Business has previously reported on issues with a German company using the name and now it looks like a pair of Colombian brothers are embroiled in a legal battle as well.

Alvaro and Oscar Ballesteros registered a trademark for the beer in 2008 and have been serving it across the country. 20th Century Fox wasn't having it, so the brothers changed the name of the beer to from Duff to DuH (the two "f"s can look like an "H"). The studio still isn't buying it.

Alvaro Ballesteros says that his company is within its rights to produce the beer. ?It appears only in cartoons, in a fictional world," he argues. We'll see if his argument stands. In the meantime, if you get your hands on the beer, it apparently tastes "exactly like Duff should."

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/simpsons-duff-beer-legal-fight_n_1822692.html

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Video: Fantasy fix: Avoid these overrated players

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/48745581#48745581

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Channel MSP ? Overcoming the 'outsourcing stigma' on the road to ...

Article By VAR Staffing

Growing technological advances means new ways of doing nearly every business function. As such, IT Principals find themselves dealing with new challenges, some of which they have never seen before. Having reliable resources is important, but sometimes outsourcing or project-based hiring options can be the best way to clear some of the hurdles.

There is a stigma that outsourcing is unnecessary or a sign of weakness ? if businesses can't do it themselves there is something wrong. But with IT challenges, attempting to handle complex innovations like cloud computing and bring your own device (BYOD) policies can end disastrously if entered with little knowledge.

In a new column for Dynamic Business, Jessica Reid examines her theory of companies being "time poor" and the value of outsourcing to answer these challenges.

"In fact, the only way to succeed in your business is to start outsourcing or delegating the stuff that you are no good at, so you can concentrate on doing what you do best," wrote Reid. "Generally, that's selling yourself and doing the actual work. The more time you have available to sell and do the work, the quicker you are going to grow your business."

Outsourcing also allows enterprises to quickly close the skills gap that technology is creating. It can be difficult for IT Principals to increase knowledge of in-house options, especially as never-before-seen innovations become businesses next game-changer.

IT Principals face a breadth of challenges and there always seems to be a new innovation that is going to change the landscape. VARs and Integrators are becoming valuable resources and those that are partnered with VAR Staffing offer the best solutions to combat any IT obstacle.

Go to Source
Author: VAR_Staffing

Source: http://www.channelmsp.com/2012/08/21/overcoming-the-outsourcing-stigma-on-the-road-to-business-success/

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Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Study: Tattoo infections traced to tainted ink

ATLANTA (AP) ? An outbreak of infected tattoos has led to an unlikely source: the ink.

With the growing popularity of tattoos, health officials say they are seeing more cases of a nasty skin infection caused by a common bacteria traced to the ink. In the largest outbreak, 19 people in Rochester, N.Y., ended up with bubbly rashes on their new tattoos, researchers reported Wednesday.

Infections from tattooing are nothing new. Hepatitis, staph infections and even the superbug known as MRSA have been tied to tattoos. Dirty needles and unsanitary conditions are often to blame.

But all the New York cases were linked to an unidentified artist who wore disposable gloves and sterilized his instruments. The problem, investigators concluded, was in the ink.

"Even if you get a tattoo from a facility that does everything right, it's not risk free," said Dr. Byron Kennedy, deputy director of the health department in New York's Monroe County. He is lead author of a report on last fall's Rochester cases was released by the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday.

In the past year, there have been 22 confirmed cases and more than 30 suspected cases of the skin infection in Colorado, Iowa, New York and Washington state, health officials said. The infections were tied to ink or water used to dilute the ink. Tattoo artists and ink makers should use only sterile water to dilute ink, health officials advise.

Scattered reports of the illness in tattoo customers have been reported over the past 10 years. But they may be growing more common as more people get tattoos, experts said. An estimated 1 in 5 U.S. adults have at least one tattoo, an increase from years past, according to polls.

The illnesses were caused by a bacterial cousin of tuberculosis named Mycobacterium chelonae (pronounced chell-OH-nay). The bacteria can cause itchy and painful pus-filled blisters that can take months to clear up, and involve treatment with harsh antibiotics with unpleasant side effects.

The bacteria are common in tap water, and have been seen in the past when tattoo artists used contaminated water to lighten dark ink. The ink used in New York was "gray wash," used for shaded areas of tattoos. The ink was recalled and has not returned to the market.

Companies that make gray wash sometimes use distilled water to lighten the ink, thinking it's clean of infection-causing contaminants. But the bacteria can live in that too, said Tara MacCannell, who led a related investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Her study appears in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released Wednesday.

Some ink manufacturers add witch hazel or an alcohol preservative to lower risk of certain viruses, but those additives don't kill off the hardy chelonae bacteria, she added.

Investigators found the bacteria in opened and unopened bottles of ink at the New York tattoo parlor. They did not find it in water at the shop, MacCannell said.

Health officials say tattoo customers should ask what kind of ink is being used and what measures are in place to prevent infections.

___

Online:

New England Journal: http://www.nejm.org

CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr

FDA: http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048919.htm

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/study-tattoo-infections-traced-tainted-ink-214617008.html

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: CLASS CANCELLATION 8/22

Several events have had an impact on our schedule this week that you should know.

First, our lovely Zumba instructor, Tina, is unable to continue teaching in Framingham. ?Next, our lovely Spirit Groove instructor, Lisa, is away this week and I have several classes that I continue to teach in Boston. ?These events would normally have no impact on you except that this week it means we cannot get coverage for classes tomorrow, Wednesday the 22nd. ?As a result, please be aware that?all classes tomorrow have been cancelled. ?They?will resume next week?as originally scheduled.

I also wanted to let you know that we have set a date for our?Hula Hoop classes to begin next month. ?This is very exciting for me personally and as Diosa?s owner since this class promises to help burn loads of calories while introducing a really fun form of dance fitness! ?So keep your Monday nights open in September as this class is definitely included in your class card package!

Meanwhile, I will be covering the Zumba classes until we find a replacement for Tina, and,?if you know a zumba instructor in the area, please send her my way. ?Also, if there is a class you?d like to see added to our roster, please let me know. ?As a valued customer I want your Diosa experience to be all that it can be and want to hear from you!

Many thanks for your continued patience. ?Please bookmark the online schedule so you can be kept up to date on the latest schedule changes

Source: http://diosadancefitness.com/2012/important-notice-class-cancellation-822/

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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Gu Kailai gets suspended death sentence for murder

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2012 file video image taken from CCTV, Gu Kailai, center, the wife of disgraced politician Bo Xilai, stands during her trial in the Hefei Intermediate People's Court in Hefei in eastern China's Anhui province. The fallen Chinese politician?s wife who confessed to killing a British businessman is due to hear the verdict Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, in her murder trial and Communist Party leaders might have decided against a death penalty for fear it could incite public sympathy for her. (AP Photo/CCTV via APTN, File) CHINA OUT, TV OUT

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2012 file video image taken from CCTV, Gu Kailai, center, the wife of disgraced politician Bo Xilai, stands during her trial in the Hefei Intermediate People's Court in Hefei in eastern China's Anhui province. The fallen Chinese politician?s wife who confessed to killing a British businessman is due to hear the verdict Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, in her murder trial and Communist Party leaders might have decided against a death penalty for fear it could incite public sympathy for her. (AP Photo/CCTV via APTN, File) CHINA OUT, TV OUT

Lawyer He Zhengsheng of British Neil Heywood speaks to the media upon arrival at the Hefei City Intermediate People's Court for the verdict trial of Gu Kailai, wife of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai, Monday, Aug. 20, 2012 in Hefei, Anhui Province, China. The fallen Chinese politician's wife who confessed to killing Heywood is due to hear the verdict Monday in her murder trial, and Communist Party leaders may have decided against a death penalty for fear it could incite public sympathy for her. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

(AP) ? The wife of a disgraced Chinese politician was given a suspended death sentence Monday after confessing to killing a British businessman by poisoning him with cyanide in a case that rocked the country's top political leadership.

A suspended sentence is usually commuted to life in prison after two years.

Sentenced along with Gu Kailai was a family aide who was given nine years' imprisonment for his involvement in the murder of Neil Heywood, a former family associate, said He Zhengsheng, a lawyer for the Heywood family who attended the sentencing in this eastern China city.

The sentencing closes one chapter of China's biggest political crisis in two decades, but also leaves open questions over the fate of Gu's husband, Bo Xilai, who was dismissed in March as the powerful Communist Party boss of the major city of Chongqing.

Bo's dismissal and his wife's murder trial come at a sensitive time in China, with party leaders handing over power soon to a younger generation. At one time Bo was considered a candidate for a top position.

The lawyer He said he had to discuss the verdict with the Heywood family and did not know if they would lodge an appeal.

"We respect the court's ruling today. Thank you all for your concern," He said.

State media say Gu confessed to intentional homicide at a one-day trial held here Aug. 9 under heavy guard. The media reports ? the court has been closed to international media ? say she and Heywood had a dispute over money and Heywood allegedly threatened her son.

Gu was accused of luring the victim to a Chongqing hotel, getting him drunk and then pouring cyanide into his mouth.

The family aide, Zhang Xiaojun, also confessed after being charged as an accessory. He had been expected to get a lighter sentence as state media reported from the trial that Gu planned the murder.

Security was tight outside the court on Monday. Police officers stood guard around the building. At least a half dozen SWAT police vans were parked on each corner, some of them carrying plainclothes security. The main road in front of the entrance was blocked by traffic cones.

Any ruling in the Gu case would have been politically delicate, and Chinese leaders may have decided to impose a lengthy prison term instead of death for fear that a more severe penalty might stir outrage or make Gu look like a scapegoat for her husband's misdeeds, political and legal analysts say. The party says Bo was removed due to unspecified violations.

Cheng Li, an expert in Chinese elite politics at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said the verdict was fair.

"My sense is that the Chinese public, including the legal profession, the majority will think it is well deserved," he said.

Li said the ruling against Gu will set expectations for Bo to be dealt with severely.

"If Bo does not get put through the legal process in the next few months, Gu will be seen as a scapegoat," he said.

The British Embassy, which had consular officials attend the trial, issued a statement Monday saying it welcomed the fact China had tried those it had identified as responsible.

The statement said Britain had told China it "wanted to see the trials in this case conform to international human rights standards and for the death penalty not to be applied."

Gu's arrest and the ouster of her husband sparked the biggest political turbulence in China since the bloody crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests in 1989.

Lawyers and political analysts said politics appeared to weigh heavily on the verdict.

Beijing-based rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang said the outcome ignored legal strictures that would have required the death penalty, given that Gu had admitted to committing premeditated murder.

"Although I welcome this verdict, it doesn't actually stand up from a legal standpoint," Pu said.

Peking University law professor He Weifang said political considerations were clearly behind the relative leniency shown to Gu.

"If the murderer was an ordinary person who killed someone, not to mention killing a foreigner, the criminal would be sentenced to immediate execution," He said.

Bo was not called as a witness in the Gu trial and neither the verdict nor the evidence presented made any mention of him. The charges against Gu and Zhang also scrupulously avoided any mention of corruption or abuse of power to shield to the party's image, said Dali Yang of the University of Chicago Center in Beijing.

"They are eager to close the case and move on," Yang said.

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Follow Gillian Wong on Twitter: http://twitter.com/gillianwong

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-08-19-China-Political%20Scandal/id-c6c1e2525c3a491f8690d4da7a58f677

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