Asia stocks up after S&P hits record; Nikkei slips

BANGKOK (AP) ? Asian stock markets rose Tuesday, brushing off tepid Japanese manufacturing data after the Standard & Poor's 500 index closed at another all-time high.

Better-than-expected pending homes sales for March renewed faith in the U.S. economic recovery. The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes reached the highest level in three years. Wages and spending in the U.S. also rose last month. European shares finished higher Monday after Italy formed a new coalition government.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.9 percent to 22,774.96. South Korea's Kospi advanced 1.3 percent to 1,966.27. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 1.1 percent to 5,183.10. Benchmarks in Taiwan, Singapore, New Zealand and the Philippines also advanced.

"The U.S. is hitting new highs almost every day now and improved sentiment in the eurozone is helping overall markets across the board," said Jackson Wong, vice president of Tanrich Securities in Hong Kong.

However, Japanese data showing only modest improvement in manufacturing dampened sentiment there. Factory output rose 0.2 percent in March, its fourth straight monthly increase. The number fell short of expectations and analysts continue to believe the country's economic recovery remains relatively weak. Japan's Nikkei 225 index was nearly unchanged at 13,887.97.

"While export revenues have been boosted strongly by yen depreciation and consumers' confidence has also jumped, the recovery in export volumes and actual consumer spending remained comparatively slow," analysts at DBS Bank Ltd. in Singapore said in a commentary.

Among individual stocks, Australia's ANZ Banking Group Ltd. rose 5.2 percent after the company announced a rise in half-year profit.

Sentiment has been boosted in recent days by expectations that the European Central Bank will reduce interest rates on Thursday.

The Federal Reserve concludes a policy meeting Wednesday and is not expected to make changes in its super-loose monetary policy. On Friday, U.S. nonfarm payrolls data for April will be published, a key gauge of employment in the world's No. 1 economy.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.7 percent to close at 14,818.75 on Monday. The S&P 500 rose 0.7 percent to 1,593.61, a record high. The Nasdaq composite index rose 0.9 percent to 3,307.02.

Benchmark oil for June delivery was down 9 cents to $94.41 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.50 to finish at $94.50 on the Nymex on Monday.

In currencies, the euro fell slightly to $1.3094 from $1.3097. The dollar fell to 97.92 yen from 98.01 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stocks-p-hits-record-nikkei-slips-030846247.html

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Mac OS X 10.9 Details - Business Insider

Apple is preparing a new version of its operating system for Mac computers called OS X 10.9 that will bring in several features from iOS, the operating system for iPhones and iPads.

Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac, who is consistently accurate with reports on upcoming Apple products, has a few details on what we can expect:

• The Finder, which lets you explore files and folders on your Mac, will have a new tabbed browsing mode, just like on your Web browser.
• Switching between open apps will be a similar to the iPhone and iPad method: you'll be able to select an app from a tray at the bottom of your screen. This will also help improve performance and battery life by "suspending" the apps when you're not using them.
• There might be some other interface changes, but they won't be anything drastic.

Apple will likely unveil OS X 10.9 at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10.

Check out Gurman's report for even more details >

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/mac-os-x-109-details-2013-4

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NYC exhibition depicts ancient Buddhist caves

NEW YORK (AP) ? The China Institute Gallery has been transformed into an ancient cave, taking visitors back more than a millennium to a dazzling world where Buddhist worshippers adorned the walls with colorful frescoes, silk prayer banners and lavishly painted life-size clay sculptures.

"Dunhuang: Buddhist Art at the Gateway of the Silk Road" features a replica of an 8th century cave carved into the limestone cliffs at the edge of the Gobi Desert southeast of the oasis town of Dunhuang from 366 to about 1300.

It is one of 735 Mogao Caves constructed during what is known as the high Tang period (705-781), designed for devout Buddhists to gather and worship. Nearly every inch is covered in art, with a canopy ceiling resplendent in floral and diamond shapes. One end is filled with life-sized sculptures of a Buddha flanked by two monk disciples wearing luxuriously patterned robes, two bare-chested figures and two ferocious-looking guardians in military armor.

While there have been exhibitions that have featured individual pieces from the Mogoa Caves, this is the first exhibition in the United States to put all the elements of the cave shrines into context, said Annette Juliano, a professor of Chinese art history at Rutgers University.

It shows the "relationship between the architecture, the pictures, the subject matter and the (ritual) practices . the actual use of the cave, rather than just an abstraction," added Juliano, who visited the caves for the first time in 1980.

Many of the caves are exquisitely preserved but others are fragile due to neglect over the centuries and the conditions of the surrounding desert and sand dunes. To protect them from further erosion, tourist access is limited to several dozen caves a day that are rotated regularly.

The exhibition also features a 6th-century replica of an elaborate square altar called the Central Stupa Pillar that highlights the religious ritual of circumambulation ? an act of veneration ? in which the faithful walk clockwise around the altar that contains four niches, each holding a Buddha.

"Walking around the stupa pillar helps to empty your mind to allow visualization, to focus on the images of the Buddhas," said Juliano, who contributed an essay to the exhibition catalog.

Exact, hand-painted reproductions of wall motifs and story scenes complete the exhibition space in this gallery. Among the highlights is a Thousand Buddha pattern that covers an entire wall and is symbolic of the deity's omnipresence. Among the narrative paintings is the tale of the Deer King and his journey toward enlightenment.

Authentic silk prayer banners, a handwritten Buddhist scripture in near mint condition, a Yuan dynasty fragment of a mathematical document, small clay figurines, Persian silver coins that bear witness to foreign travelers on the Silk Road, patterned floor tiles and oil lamps used to light the dark caves round out the small two-gallery exhibition.

The Mogao Cave shrines, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, were largely unknown in the West until they were discovered in 1900 by a Hungarian archaeologist, Sir Aurel Stein.

Dunhuang, located at the north and south crossroads of the Silk Road, was a strategic hub of trade and religion. Stein, who made several treks through Central Asia, had heard rumors of a cave room sealed in the 11th century containing tens of thousands of manuscripts, scrolls, silk paintings and textiles dating in Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit and other languages.

A local caretaker had uncovered the treasure trove after discovering a crack in the wall of a corridor leading to a larger cave. It's not clear why the room was sealed, but scholars speculate they were walled up to protect them from the threat of invasion from nomadic people.

Stein was able to persuade the caretaker to sell a portion of the material in exchange for money for the cave's upkeep. In subsequent years, almost 80 percent of the contents were taken out of the country by foreign adventurers. Today, the treasures are found in various museums and libraries around the world.

The exhibition, organized by the Dunhuang Academy, runs through July 21. A second exhibition in the fall will focus on paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists inspired by the caves.

__

Online: www.chinainstitute.org

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nyc-exhibition-depicts-ancient-buddhist-caves-063312779.html

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Paidpiper Launches At Disrupt NY, Letting You Pay For Others' Purchases In Stores

Paidpiper launched at Disrupt NY today, aiming to make your physical wallet, and presence, less necessary -- in a good way. Paidpiper aims to solve that problem with its consumer-facing app, Ok?d. Using Ok?d, you can walk into a store, snap a picture of a product, and send it to a friend, parent, employer, etc. and ask them to pay for it.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/jj6oTWTw7ik/

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PFT: Ivory plans to put up crazy numbers with Jets

Getty Images

Here are the terms of trades completed on Saturday, April 27, the third and final day of the 2013 NFL Draft. All draft choices are 2013 selections unless otherwise noted:

The Jaguars traded a fourth-round pick (No. 98) to the Eagles. In exchange, the Eagles sent fourth- and seventh-round picks (Nos. 101, 210) to Jacksonville. With pick No. 98, the Eagles selected Southern California quarterback Matt Barkley. Three picks later, the Jaguars selected South Carolina wide receiver Ace Sanders at No. 101. With pick No. 210, the Jaguars took Appalachian State cornerback Demetrius McCray.

The Buccaneers acquired a fourth-round pick (No. 100) from Oakland. The Raiders, in turn, received fourth- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 112, 181) from Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers took Illinois defensive tackle Akeem Spence at No. 100. The Raiders selected Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson at No. 112 and UCF running back Latavius Murray at No. 181.

The Giants traded for a fourth-round pick (No. 110) belonging to Arizona. In exchange, New York sent fourth- and sixth-round selections (Nos. 116, 187) to the Cardinals. The Giants took Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib at No. 110. With No. 116, the Cardinals took James Madison offensive guard Earl Watford, and with No. 187, they selected Clemson running back Andre Ellington.

The Steelers acquired a fourth-round pick from Cleveland (No. 111). In return, the Browns will get the Steelers? third-round pick in 2014. The Steelers selected Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas at No. 111.

The Packers traded for Denver?s fourth-round pick (No. 125), giving the Broncos fifth- and sixth-round picks (Nos. 146, 173) in return. The Packers selected UCLA running back Jonathan Franklin at No. 125. At No. 146, the Broncos selected Western Kentucky defensive end Quanterus Smith. At No. 173, the Broncos took Virginia Tech offensive tackle Vinston Painter.

The Seahawks acquired the Lions? fifth-round selection (No. 137). In return, the Lions received fifth- and sixth-round choices (Nos. 165, 199) from Seattle. At No. 137, the Seahawks took Alabama defensive tackle Jesse Williams. The Lions took Appalachian State punter Sam Martin at No. 165 and Notre Dame running back Theo Riddick at No. 199.

The Colts acquired the Browns? fifth-round pick (No. 139) in exchange for Indianapolis? 2014 fourth-round pick. At No. 139, the Colts selected Tennessee-Martin defensive tackle Montori Hughes.

The Falcons acquired the Bears? fifth-round selection (No. 153), sending fifth- and seventh-round picks (Nos. 163, 236) to Chicago. The Falcons selected Texas Christian defensive end / outside linebacker Stansly Maponga. The Bears took Louisiana Tech tackle Jordan Mills at No. 163 and Washington State wide receiver Marquess Wilson at No. 236.

The Rams traded back into Round Five, sending sixth- and seventh-round picks (Nos. 184, 198) to the Texans for Houston?s fifth-round pick (No. 160). The Rams took Vanderbilt running back Zac Stacy at No. 160. The Texans exercised pick No. 198 on Bowling Green defensive tackle Chris Jones. The Texans dealt selection No. 184 to Oakland (see next entry).

The Texans acquired a sixth-round pick from Oakland (No. 176). In return, Houston sent sixth- and seventh-round selections to Oakland (Nos. 184, 233). The Texans selected San Jose State offensive tackle David Quessenberry at No. 176. The Raiders used selection No. 184 on Tennessee tight end Mychal Rivera and selection No. 233 on Missouri Western State defensive end David Bass.

The Buccaneers traded running back LeGarrette Blount to the Patriots for running back / kick returner Will Demps and a seventh-round pick (No. 229). The Buccaneers traded the No. 229 pick to Minnesota (see next entry).

The Buccaneers acquired a sixth-round pick from Minnesota (No. 189). In return, the Vikings received sixth- and seventh-round picks (Nos. 196, 229). The Buccaneers took Miami (Fla.) running back Mike James at No. 189. The Vikings selected UCLA offensive guard Jeff Baca at No. 196 and Florida State defensive tackle Everett Dawkins with pick No. 229.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/27/chris-ivory-plans-to-put-up-crazy-numbers-in-jets-offense/related/

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Some say immigration bill is bad deal for the GOP

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Some feisty Republicans are challenging a claim widely held among GOP leaders that the party must support more liberal immigration laws if it's to be more competitive in presidential elections.

These doubters say the Republican establishment has the political calculation backward. Immigration "reform," they say, will mean millions of new Democratic-leaning voters by granting citizenship to large numbers of Hispanic immigrants now living illegally in the United States.

The argument is dividing the party as it tries to reposition itself after losing the popular vote in five of the past six presidential elections. It also could endanger President Barack Obama's bid for a legacy-building rewrite of the nation's problematic immigration laws.

Many conservatives "are scared to death" that the Republican Party "is committing suicide, that we're going to end up legalizing 9 million automatic Democrat voters," radio host Rush Limbaugh recently told Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a leader of the bipartisan team pushing an immigration overhaul.

Strategists in both parties say several factors, including income levels, would make many, and probably most, newly enfranchised immigrants pro-Democratic, at least for a time.

Rubio says the risk is worth taking.

"Every political movement, conservatism included, depends on the ability to convince people that do not agree with you now to agree with you in the future," he told Limbaugh.

Politically, Republicans face two bad options.

They can try to improve relations with existing Latino voters by backing a plan that seems likely to add many Democratic-leaning voters in the years ahead. Or they can stick with a status quo in which their presidential nominees are losing badly among the electorate's fastest-growing segment.

In 2012, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who suggested that vanishing job opportunities would prompt immigrants to "self deport," carried only 27 percent of the Hispanic vote. A Republican Party study of that election concluded, among other things, that the GOP must appeal to more Hispanics, and to do so it must "embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform."

Party leaders say the harsh language that some Republicans use when discussing illegal immigration has angered many Americans with Hispanic heritages.

Rubio's bipartisan group has proposed legislation to strengthen border security, allow tens of thousands of new high- and low-skilled workers into the country, require all employers to check their workers' legal status, and provide an eventual path to citizenship for some 11 million immigrants now in the country illegally.

Even if the bill survives the Democratic-controlled Senate, stiff resistance is expected in the GOP-dominated House. Many House Republicans dislike the idea of "amnesty" for those who crossed the border illegally, and some say it's foolish to enfranchise likely Democratic voters.

Obama embraces the Rubio plan, and it won crucial praise from House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., last year's vice presidential nominee.

Rubio and his allies challenge the notion that creating a way to citizenship for millions of people here illegally will dramatically increase Democratic turnout in future elections.

"Not all 11 million illegal immigrants here today will qualify to become citizens, and not all of the 11 million illegal immigrants are Hispanic," according to Rubio's "Myth vs. Fact" website. The site says many immigrants will not choose to become citizens, and many new citizens, like many current ones, will not bother to vote.

Some Republican campaign strategists, however, say the political damage would be worse than party leaders acknowledge.

Republican consultant and pollster Mike McKenna said one of his surveys shows that most Americans favor "immigration reform" and they believe it will benefit Democrats more than Republicans.

In an interview, McKenna said Republican leaders are embracing Rubio's plan without sufficient data on where it might lead. "I think about two months from now, the folks in the establishment are going to wish they hadn't started this conversation," McKenna said.

Party leaders erred, he said, by couching the immigration debate in political rather than moral terms. "The argument that it's going to be politically advantageous is not going to be sustainable over time," McKenna said.

Political activists have swapped estimates of how many people now living here illegally might choose to become citizens, register to vote and turn out for Democratic candidates if a path to citizenship is opened. Even the most conservative guesses assume that Democrats would benefit more than Republicans, initially, at least.

Rubio's allies play it down.

"The status quo is not acceptable to Republican voters," said GOP consultant Kevin Madden, who has worked for Romney and others. Republican leaders, he said, must push for the best rewrite of immigration laws they can achieve.

Texas-based GOP consultant Matt Mackowiak noted that evangelical leaders, major business groups and others that opposed immigration changes in 2007 are now on board. He said the Republican Party should focus on attracting Hispanic voters with its standard message of small government and free enterprise, and not worry too much if a new law produces more Democratic-leaning voters for a while.

"If we don't win 40 to 45 percent of Hispanics," Mackowiak said, "we're not going to win elections regardless of whether this happens."

Limbaugh is among those who don't buy it.

"I see polling data again that suggests that 70 percent of the Hispanic population in the country believes that government is the primary source of prosperity," he told Rubio in their recent exchange. "I don't, therefore, understand this contention that Hispanics are conservatives-in-waiting."

___

Follow Charles Babington on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cbabington

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/immigration-bill-bad-deal-gop-132850249.html

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Weekend legislative threefer (Offthekuff)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/301961457?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Nicki Minaj 'Killed' Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Tonight I'm Getting Over You' Remix

'When Carly Rae and Nicki get together, they make songs about getting over guys,' manager Scooter Braun tells MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena

Carly Rae Jepsen
Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1706408/nicki-minaj-carly-rae-jepsen-tonight-getting-over-you-remix.jhtml

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Fuel barge explosions underscore risks of fuel transportation

Alabama's fuel barge explosions were nothing more than an unfortunate accident, reports suggest. But the fuel barge explosions serve as a reminder that the distribution of often volatile energy resources comes with certain risks.

By David J. Unger,?Correspondent / April 26, 2013

A massive explosion on one of the two barges on the Mobile River in Mobile, Ala., early Thursday morning. The fuel barge explosions come in the wake of a major oil pipeline spill in Arkansas and a longstanding debate over whether to transport heavy crude oil from Canadian tar sands.

John David Mercer/AP

Enlarge

Early reports suggest Wednesday's fuel barge explosions on the Mobile River in Alabama were an unfortunate accident, probably the result of a spark?igniting?a buildup of unrefined gasoline vapors.

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Why It Matters

Energy: Fossil-fuel energy requires the transportation of large amounts of volatile fuels through a distribution network.

Environment: Although rare, fuel transportation spills have significant impacts on local water and air supplies.

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But the incident, which injured three people, refocuses attention on America's aging ? and sometimes fragile ? energy infrastructure. Coming on the heels of an oil pipeline spill in Arkansas and in the middle of a vociferous debate over whether to build a US pipeline for heavy crude oil from Canadian tar sands (also known as oil sands), it brings into question whether the system is up to the task of transporting the nation's newly growing energy wealth.

What are the safest means for transporting the large quantities of oil, natural gas, and gasoline we consume everyday? Do new forms of "unconventional" fuels require a new way of thinking about how we distribute those fuels??Is our energy distribution network capable of meeting today's demand?

"If we're going to integrate new sources of energy into our grid, and move towards energy purity where we?re not beholden to foreign sources, we?re going to have to invest in infrastructure," said John Pappas, interim director of?Texas A&M University's Energy Institute in College Station. "I think everyone realizes that."?

AP PHOTOS: Survivors found in Bangladesh collapse

Working round-the-clock, rescuers have pulled more than two dozen survivors from the rubble of a Bangladesh garment factory that collapsed 4 days ago, killing some 350 people.

From within the wreckage, "We are still getting response from survivors though they are becoming weaker slowly," said Brig. Gen. Ali Ahmed Khan, the head of the fire services.

"The building is very vulnerable. Any time the floors could collapse. We are performing an impossible task, but we are glad that we are able to rescue so many survivors," he said.

The disaster is the worst ever for the country's booming and powerful garment industry, surpassing a fire five months ago that killed 112 and brought widespread pledges to improve worker-safety standards.

Here are some images from the recovery scene.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-photos-survivors-found-bangladesh-collapse-163536116.html

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4 girls who play 'Matilda' snubbed by Tonys

NEW YORK (AP) ? The members of the Tony Award nominations committee better look out: They've snubbed four girls who play a tough little telekinetic heroine on Broadway.

Administrators for the awards met Friday for the fourth and final time to determine the eligibility of certain shows and ruled that the quartet of actresses who rotate as the lead in "Matilda" are not eligible in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical category.

The group did rule that the four ? Sophia Gennusa, 9; Oona Laurence, Bailey Ryon and Milly Shapiro, all 10 ? will receive Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre, a non-competitive commendation. "The Tony Awards Administration Committee wishes to recognize their outstanding performances this season," the committee said in a statement.

A publicist for the Tonys did not immediately return a request for clarification. It remains to be seen if the girls will perform on the June 9 telecast.

The use of four rotating Matildas in New York echoes the way it was done in Britain, to huge success. All four actresses in London were jointly declared best actress at the Olivier Awards, the most prestigious honor in British theater.

The move by the Tonys seems strange since the three boys rotating the lead of "Billy Elliot the Musical" ? David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish ? all took home a joint best actor Tony in 2006.

The producers of the show were diplomatic in their response: "The 'Matilda' producers appreciate the decision of the Tony Administration committee and The Tony Honors."

The four girls ? one from New York City, two from the surrounding region and one from Pennsylvania ? are each making their Broadway debuts. Reviews for the show have been excellent, with raves for each of the Matildas.

The show "Matilda," which opened April 11 at Shubert Theatre, is a witty musical adaptation of the beloved novel by Roald Dahl and is true to his bleak vision of childhood as a savage battleground.

The 2 1/2-hour musical tells the story of a precocious and slightly telekinetic Matilda Wormwood, an English girl who loves to read despite the disdain of her sleazy parents. She is befriended by a kindly teacher but opposed by the fearsome school headmistress.

___

Online:

http://www.matildathemusical.com

___

Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/4-girls-play-matilda-snubbed-tonys-192016224.html

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First-quarter growth quickens, but misses forecasts

By Lucia Mutikani

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Economic growth regained speed in the first quarter, but not as much as expected, which could heighten fears the already weakening economy could struggle to handle deep government spending cuts and higher taxes.

Gross domestic product expanded at 2.5 percent annual rate, the Commerce Department said on Friday, after growth nearly stalled at 0.4 percent in the fourth quarter. The increase, however, missed economists' expectations for a 3.0 percent growth pace.

Part of the acceleration in activity reflected farmers' filling up silos after a drought last summer decimated crop output. Removing inventories, the growth rate was a tepid 1.5 percent.

Given the smaller-than-expected increase and signs the economy has weakened in recent weeks, the GDP data will probably weigh on U.S. stocks. It could also give ammunition for the Federal Reserve to maintain its monetary stimulus.

The U.S. central bank, which meets next week, is widely expected to keep purchasing bonds at a pace of $85 billion a month.

Data ranging from employment to retail sales and manufacturing weakened substantially in March after robust gains in the first two months of the year. There are indications the weakness persisted into April.

BROAD-BASED GAINS

The GDP showed contributions to growth from all areas of the economy, with the exception of government, trade and investment by businesses in offices and other commercial buildings.

Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, increased at 3.2 percent pace - the fastest since the fourth quarter of 2010. It grew at a 1.8 percent rate in the fourth quarter of last year.

However, households cut back on saving to fund their purchases after incomes dropped at a 5.3 percent rate in the first quarter - a bad sign for future spending growth. The drop in income was the largest since the third quarter of 2009.

The saving rate - the percentage of disposable income households are socking away - fell to 2.6 percent, the lowest since the fourth quarter of 2007, from 4.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Much of the gains in first-quarter spending came from automobile purchases and outlays for utilities, which were boosted by unusually cold temperatures. Consumers managed to step up their spending despite the return of a 2 percent payroll tax and higher gasoline prices.

Despite the spike in gasoline prices, inflation pressures were benign in the first three months of the year.

An inflation gauge in the government's GDP report rose at a 0.9 percent rate, the smallest increase since the second quarter of 2012. The personal consumption expenditure index had increased at a 1.6 percent pace the fourth quarter.

A core measure that strips out food and energy costs rose at a 1.2 percent rate, still well below the Fed's 2 percent target. Core PCE had increased at a 1.0 percent rate in the fourth quarter.

The lack of inflation should come as welcome relief for American households, but it could cause some nervousness at the U.S. central bank, which may see it as a symptom of the economy's weakness.

Another big contributor to growth in the fourth quarter was inventory accumulation, which added a full percentage point to GDP growth after chopping off 1.5 points from output in the final three months of last year.

Business spending on equipment and software slowed sharply, growing at an only 3.0 percent rate after a brisk 11.8 percent pace in the fourth quarter.

Economists caution that it is too early to blame the cooling in business investment and other more recent signs of economic softness on the $85 billion in mandatory government spending cuts, known as the sequester, that began on March 1.

Homebuilding marked an eighth straight quarter of growth, though the pace moderated from the fourth quarter. Housing added to growth last year for the first time since 2005 and its recovery should help ensure the economy does not contract.

While export growth rebounded, it was outpaced by imports, resulting in a trade deficit that cut off half a percentage point from output.

(Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-quarter-gdp-seen-3-percent-momentum-ebbs-051102013--sector.html

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Family Tree: New HBO Show Debuts May 12th - Eastman's Online ...

NEW HBO COMEDY SERIES ?FAMILY TREE,? CREATED BY CHRISTOPHER GUEST & JIM PIDDOCK, STARRING CHRIS O?DOWD, DEBUTS MAY 12

Down on his luck in love and life, having recently lost his job and girlfriend, 30-year-old Tom Chadwick has an unsure sense of his own identity. But when he inherits a mysterious box, Tom starts investigating his lineage and uncovers a world of unusual stories and characters, acquiring a growing sense of who he and his entire family are. FAMILY TREE kicks off its eight-episode season SUNDAY, MAY 12 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, followed by other episodes subsequent Sundays at the same time.

Written and created by Christopher Guest & Jim Piddock, the new comedy series is a single-camera, documentary-style show in the manner of Guest?s acclaimed feature films (such as ?Best in Show,? ?Waiting for Guffman? and ?A Mighty Wind?). Chris O?Dowd (?Bridesmaids?) stars as Tom Chadwick in the HBO presentation, along with Tom Bennett and Nina Conti. The series also features appearances by Carrie Aizley, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley, Jr., Maria Blasucci, Matt Griesser, Christopher Guest, Don Lake, Michael McKean, Lisa Palfrey, Jim Piddock, Kevin Pollak, Amy Seimetz, Meera Syal, Ashley Walters and Fred Willard.

Tom Chadwick (O?Dowd) has been bequeathed an old chest of curios by his great aunt Victoria. With the help of his sister, Bea (Conti), best friend Pete (Bennett) and friendly neighbor Mr. Pfister (Piddock), as well as many other well-meaning but unconventional characters, Tom embarks on his quest to learn more, following leads and clues in London that eventually bring him to the United States.

Upcoming episodes:

Episode #1: ?The Box?

Debut: SUNDAY, MAY 12 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)

Other HBO playdates: May 12 (12:30 a.m.), 14 (10:30 p.m.), 15 (midnight), 16 (12:30 a.m.), 18 (11:30 p.m.) and 21 (9:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: May 13 (8:00 p.m.), 14 (11:30 p.m.), 15 (10:00 p.m.) and 19 (12:30 p.m.)

Unemployed and unattached, Tom Chadwick (Chris O?Dowd) is surprised when he?s bequeathed an old chest of curios by his great-aunt Victoria, although he and his sister Bea (Nina Conti) can?t remember ever meeting her. He finds an old black-and-white photo in the chest that his father, Keith (Michael McKean), believes is Tom?s great-grandfather, Harry. With the help of Mr. Pfister (Jim Piddock), his avuncular neighbor, and Pete (Tom Bennett), an old school friend, Tom tracks down Neville St. Aubrey (Christopher Fairbank), a strange expert in the field of antique photos, who discovers intriguing and revealing information about Tom?s ancestor. Meanwhile, Pete tries to get Tom?s love life back on track by setting him up with a ?model pretty? date. He?s just not sure what kind of model.

Episode #2: ?Treading the Boards?

Debut: SUNDAY, MAY 19 (10:30-11:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: May 19 (12:30 a.m.), 21 (9:30 p.m.), 22 (midnight) and 23 (12:30 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: May 20 (8:00 p.m.), 21 (11:30 p.m.), 22 (9:30 p.m.) and 26 (1:05 p.m.)

When Mr. Pfister discovers an unforeseen aspect of Tom?s great-grandfather Harry?s life, it leads Tom and Pete to the south coast of England, where Harry died many years before. They meet Sybil (Freda Barratt), an impossibly old woman who still lives next door to the house Harry lived in and remembers him from her childhood. Their investigation takes them to a regional theatre, where he and Pete learn more than they ever wanted to know about Harry?s life and loves from Rex (Hugh Sachs) and Mitch (Guy Siner), the two friendly gentlemen who run the theatre. It also inspires Tom and Pete to engage in a unique competition, but not before Pete has set Tom up on another extraordinary date.

Episode #3: ?The Austerity Games?

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 2 (10:30-11:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: June 2 (12:30 a.m.), 4 (10:30 p.m.), 5 (midnight) and 6 (12:30 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: June 3 (8:00 p.m.), 4 (11:30 p.m.), 5 (9:00 p.m.) and 9 (11:50 a.m.)

Bea and Monk audition to perform at a children?s birthday, while Tom starts digging deeper into the life of his grandfather William, who he suspects might have competed in the 1948 London ?Austerity Games,? a far cry from those of 2012. After learning more about the games from Mr. Pfister, Tom visits his great-aunt Victoria?s friend Mildred (Barbara Bolton), who is able to shed some light on William?s former athletic prowess, and on why Victoria left Tom the chest of family curios. With Keith?s help, Tom and Pete visit the gym where Tom?s grandfather William trained for the Games, and meet some old-timers who actually knew him. While at the gym, Pete bravely accepts a challenge from a much younger timer. Bea and Monk perform their first professional gig at a wedding reception.

Episode #4: ?Country Life?

Debut: SUNDAY, JUNE 9 (10:30-11:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates: June 9 (12:30 a.m.), 11 (10:30 p.m.), 12 (midnight) and 13 (12:30 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: June 10 (9:00 p.m.), 11 (11:30 p.m.) and 12 (9:30 p.m.)

Tom finally has an interview for a job. He also discovers he has cousins in both Derbyshire and California, and makes a plan to visit and learn more about the Derbyshire branch of the family tree. Meanwhile, Pete has to perform a delicate ?procedure? on an alpaca at the zoo. Tom, Bea, Keith, Luba (Lisa Palfrey) and Monk drive up to the Derbyshire farm owned by their cousins from the North. Tom is interested to find out if the grass is really greener in the country, and equally determined to get to the bottom of a dark family secret. Culture clashes notwithstanding, Tom gets his answers and some family truths are finally revealed. The family-tree plot thickens as he also hears from his American cousin, Al (Ed Begley, Jr.), on the trip. Pete?s life-affirming mission at the zoo proves to be a no less sticky venture.

For more on the series, visit Facebook.com/HBO and twitter.com @HBO #FamilyTree.

FAMILY TREE is a Lucky Giant/HBO co-production in association with NBCUniversal and the BBC; written and created by Christopher Guest & Jim Piddock; executive produced by Christopher Guest, Jim Piddock, Karen Murphy, Deborah Oppenheimer and Mario Stylianides; directed by Christopher Guest.

Source: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2013/04/family-tree-new-hbo-show-debuts-may-12th.html

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Time to negotiate for a raise? Here's how. - Ask Annie -Fortune ...

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: The article that appeared on your site about Gen Y women closing the pay gap resonated with me, because I am a 26-year-old female e-commerce manager making about 20% less than I'm worth on the open market -- at least, according to all the research I've done (and two recruiters I've spoken with). What happened was, I accepted this job at a low salary in 2009 because I had only about a year of experience at that point and because, in the worst of the recession, I felt lucky to be working at all.

Since then, I've expanded our business significantly, hired and trained some real stars, and made other important contributions, but I've still gotten just the standard 2.5% annual raise everybody here gets, and I think I deserve more. I love working here and would rather not leave, but my negotiation skills are not so great, and budgets are still tight. Can you recommend any specific things to say to my boss, or not say? --?Just Jill

Dear J.J.: You're not the only one who's "not great" at negotiating. Regardless of their position, 36% of men say they "always" ask for more money when they feel they've earned it, says a recent poll by Salary.com -- which is more than the 26% of women who say they do, but still hardly a majority.

Moreover, it seems that tech professionals (including e-commerce managers) leave $4,300 or more per year on the table by accepting the first offer a hiring manager makes, according to a new report from tech job site Dice.com. National average pay for techies is $85,619, and, says this poll of 838 hiring managers, most candidates would get at least 5% ($4,300) more if they just asked for it. Only 18% of the managers surveyed said their initial offer is set in stone.

MORE: Wall Street isn't bowing to caps on pay

"The only explanation for the lack of haggling is fear," observes Tom Silver, a Dice.com senior vice president. He suggests that people calm their nerves by keeping in mind that "a negotiation is simply a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement, which both sides want."

That's especially true since, from your description, you sound like someone your company would prefer to keep around. "But attitude is key," says Stuart Diamond, who teaches a popular course on negotiating at The Wharton School and wrote a book called Getting More: How You Can Negotiate to Succeed in Work and Life. "Going in as the injured party and being negative will not work. You have to be positive and upbeat."

You also have to be "collaborative," he adds. "Be ready to acknowledge, at some point in the conversation, that budgets are tight. Say something like, 'I know it must be tough for you with so many people wanting more money.' The last thing you want is to make your boss uncomfortable." A little empathy can go a long way.

Then, Diamond recommends these four tactics:

1. Ask the right questions. "First, ask your boss to tell you her perception of your work," Diamond says. "Then ask whether she thinks you're worth more than you're making. Explain that you know you're underpaid relative to the market outside the company, but are you also making less than other people of similar rank inside the company?"

You should also ask what the company's criteria are for giving bigger raises than the across-the-board 2.5%. "Seek out the standards they use," says Diamond. If that information isn't forthcoming, "focus on the company's needs in the future. Ask, 'What can I do for you going forward that would be worth the kind of raise I'm requesting?' The answer commits your boss to a standard and gives you something to shoot for." It might also be the basis for a performance bonus down the line.

2. Don't make it personal. "Instead of saying, 'I'm worth more than a 2.5% raise,' talk about what the job is worth" -- for example, how much your department contributes to revenues and profits. Says Diamond, "The conversation should center on the work, not on you. The less personal you make it, the easier it will be for your boss to justify a bigger raise to the people upstairs."

3. Be prepared to think incrementally. It's unlikely you'll get a 20% raise all at once. "So try for a smaller amount now and more later on," Diamond suggests. "The best negotiators don't have a home-run mentality. They go for lots of little wins. Bunts and singles are what win ball games."

4. Consider intangibles. Assuming the pay hike you're offered (for now) is a small one, have a few other possibilities in mind. "Be ready to ask for something else besides money that matters to you," Diamond says. Maybe it's extra vacation time, a window office, a health club membership, or the chance to telecommute a couple of days a week -- whatever would help close the pay gap, in your mind, and that would be a relatively easy "yes" for your boss.

MORE: Truck stop royal family falls on hard times

What can you do (besides quit) if you still hear "no"? "Start keeping a list of specific accomplishments -- date, time, and task -- and write down at least two or three items a week," Diamond suggests. "In particular, be sure to include anything that saves the company money." This way, when you ask again in six months or a year, "you'll have a detailed record of your contributions, which is hard for any boss to say 'no' to." He adds: "This is one of the surest ways to hear 'yes,' yet very few people do it."

Good luck.

Talkback: If you've asked for a raise recently and gotten it, what worked for you? Leave a comment below.

Source: http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2013/04/25/time-to-negotiate-for-a-raise-heres-how/

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Asian shares tick higher, weak durable orders stall dollar

By Chikako Mogi

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares edged higher on Thursday, supported by views that a run of weak global economic data will encourage major central banks to keep or deepen their monetary stimulus, though dismal U.S. durable goods orders for March weighed on the dollar.

Oil prices, copper and gold recovered, also helping to improve sentiment towards risk assets.

"Despite the weaker data, equity markets and risk assets look generally well supported, with Q1 earnings releases and ongoing policy stimulus helping to maintain the positive tone," said Mitul Kotecha, strategist at Credit Agricole in a note.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.miapj0000pus> was up 0.3 percent, with South Korean shares <.ks11> gaining 0.5 percent as metals and chemicals rebounded on higher gold and oil prices.

Hong Kong shares <.hsi> added 0.5 percent. A 0.3 percent drop in Shanghai <.ssec> capped the rise in the pan-Asian index.

"Fund managers talk of rebalancing their portfolios away from being too tech-heavy. Oil and chemicals are attractive because shares are very cheap," said Yoo Young-kook of Seoul shares.

Early on Thursday, South Korea said its economy grew a seasonally adjusted 0.9 percent in the January-March period from the previous quarter, the fastest in two years and far above market expectations. The surprising growth dented expectations for a rate cut by the Bank of Korea.

Otherwise recent disappointing data in the United States, Europe and China has fueled expectations for a global slowdown during the spring for a third straight year.

Global equities rose on Wednesday on strong corporate earnings and speculation that the European Central Bank will cut interest rates next week.

The growing expectations of an ECB rate cut helped offset growth concerns highlighted by U.S. durable goods posting their biggest drop in seven months in March and the Ifo survey showing that German business sentiment in April fell further than the most bearish forecasts.

Despite the rate cut speculation and weak euro zone data, the euro was up 0.3 percent to $1.3050 and away from Wednesday's three-week low of $1.2954. The resilience of the single currency partly stemmed from falling yields in highly-indebted Italy and Spain and hopes Italy will break its political deadlock two months after an inconclusive election.

Adrian Foster, head of financial markets research for Asia-Pacific at Rabobank International in Hong Kong, said the main factor behind an improved tone was the recent rally in the peripheral European government bond market which reflected waning fears about an euro zone implosion.

"We've already been seeing the market evolve from the European crisis to focus more on specific issues in a country or events," he said, adding that it was a positive development that investors were reverting to behavior seen before the financial crisis.

Japan's Nikkei stock average <.n225> hit its highest since June 2008 earlier on Wednesday, as a weakening yen bolstered expectations for improved corporate earnings. The index was last up 0.1 percent.

Most observers have welcomed an April 4 decision by the Bank of Japan to embark on a radical monetary expansion campaign That could help the global economy. The BOJ plans to inject about $1.4 trillion into the world's third-largest economy in less than two years in an effort to end two decades of stagnation.

"The weaker yen is having a positive effect on companies' earnings, which in turn is lifting stocks," he said. "For now, we see this trend continuing," said Hiroichi Nishi, an assistant general manager at SMBC Nikko Securities.

Japan's capital flows data showed on Thursday that Japanese investors remained net sellers of foreign bonds, in line with comments from big life insurers that they remain cautious about immediately shifting their money out of Japanese government bonds into foreign bonds.

Japanese investors sold a net 862.6 billion yen of foreign bonds in the week to April 20, while foreign investors turned net sellers of Japanese shares.

The dollar was down 0.1 percent at 99.37 yen, still within sight of testing the symbolic 100 yen level which many traders say is just a matter of time. Against a basket of key currencies, the dollar <.dxy> was down 0.4 percent.

The U.S. government's report on gross domestic product due on Friday is expected to show the economy grew at a 3.0 percent annual rate in the first quarter, rebounding from a 0.4 percent gain in the final three months of 2012.

For the current quarter, economists are looking for expansion of only around 1.5 percent or so.

On the corporate front, of the 174 companies in the S&P 500 index that already have reported results, 68.4 percent have exceeded analysts' expectations, according to Thomson Reuters data through Wednesday morning.

U.S. crude rose 0.5 percent to $91.87. a barrel and Brent was up 0.5 percent at $102.20.

Spot gold jumped 1.1 percent to $1,445.45 an ounce while London copper rose 0.4 percent to $7,060 a metric ton (1.1023 tons).

(Additional reporting by Dominic Lau and Lisa Twaronite in Tokyo, and Somang Yang in Seoul; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-tick-support-seen-global-monetary-stimulus-003433327--finance.html

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Boston suspects' father says he's returning to US

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a question during an annual call-in show on Russian television "Conversation With Vladimir Putin" in Moscow on Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)

Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to a question during an annual call-in show on Russian television "Conversation With Vladimir Putin" in Moscow on Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)

MAKHACHKALA, Russia (AP) ? The father of the two Boston bombing suspects says he is leaving Russia soon for the United States.

Anzor Tsarnaev told journalists in the southern Russian province of Dagestan on Thursday that he is leaving "today or tomorrow."

The suspects' mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, said she was still thinking it over. She was charged with shoplifting in the U.S. last summer and is concerned that she could be arrested.

Tsarnaeva said she had been assured by lawyers, however, that she would not be.

The Tsarnaev family emigrated to the U.S. a decade ago, but both parents returned to Russia last year.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

The Boston bombings should spur stronger security cooperation between Moscow and Washington, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday, adding that they also show that the West was wrong in supporting militants in Chechnya.

Putin said that "this tragedy should push us closer in fending off common threats, including terrorism, which is one of the biggest and most dangerous of them."

The two brothers accused of the Boston bombings are ethnic Chechens who had lived in the U.S. for more than a decade.

Putin warned against trying to find the roots for the Boston tragedy in the suffering endured by the Chechen people, particularly in mass deportations of Chechens to Siberia and Central Asia on Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's orders. "The cause isn't in their ethnicity or religion, it's in their extremist sentiments," he said.

Speaking in an annual call-in show on state television, Putin criticized the West for refusing to declare Chechen militants terrorists and for offering them political and financial assistance in the past.

"I always felt indignation when our Western partners and Western media were referring to terrorists who conducted brutal and bloody crimes on the territory of Russia as rebels," Putin said.

The U.S. has urged the Kremlin to seek a political settlement in Chechnya and criticized rights abuses by Russian troops during the two separatist wars since 1994, which spawned an Islamic insurgency that has engulfed the entire region.

It also provided humanitarian aid to the region during the high points of fighting there in the 1990s and the early 2000s.

Russian officials have repeatedly claimed that rebels in Chechnya have close links with al-Qaida. They say dozens of fighters from Arab countries trickled into the region during the fighting there, while some Chechen militants have gone to fight in Afghanistan.

Putin said the West should have cooperated more actively with Russia in combatting terror.

"We always have said that we shouldn't limit ourselves to declarations about terrorism being a common threat and engage in closer cooperation," he said. "Now these two criminals have proven the correctness of our thesis."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-25-EU-Russia-Boston-Suspects/id-dc9cc3e0294a4428bf571aa9931d858f

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House honors ?four little girls? killed in Birmingham church bombing (Washington Post)

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Elan tees up deals as sales of prized drug rise sharply

By Padraic Halpin

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish drugmaker Elan Corp said it is teeing up a number of deals under a plan to reshape the company through acquisitions and stave off a bid from investment firm Royalty Pharma.

Elan, involved in a convoluted takeover saga with Royalty for the past two months, had on Monday rejected a reduced $11.25 per share bid from Royalty, saying it grossly undervalued its prospects.

The Dublin-based company also said on Wednesday that sales of Tysabri, the multiple sclerosis drug whose royalty stream Royalty wants to get its hands on through its bid, rose by 14 percent year-on-year to $456 million in the first quarter.

While shareholders wait to see if Royalty values lucrative revenue tied to the blockbuster drug enough to come back with a higher bid, Elan indicated how it plans to spend the $2 billion it has at its disposal.

Chief Executive Kelly Martin reiterated the company would seek to diversify away from its neurological focus and that some of its initial deals would be immediately accretive to earnings, with others likely to be investments in experimental treatments.

"When the market hears from us about the first phase of re-allocation, it should look for a collection of different things, not just one big transaction," Martin told an analyst call.

"There clearly are some interesting commercial pieces of the equation that we would like to add, one of the things we want to do is make sure the P&L (profit and loss) continues to be robust and grows," Martin added.

"That would imply directly that commercial activities would be part of the equation, but we want to maintain a balance, there are some interesting late-stage clinical assets that from a risk/reward point of view would be interesting investments."

SPENDING PLANS

Martin said he would not put any specific timeline on when phase one of Elan's acquisition plan would be unveiled, but said Royalty's bid would not preclude it from doing so as soon as the package is ready.

Elan's spending plans are a result of it selling its 50 percent interest in Tysabri to U.S. partner Biogen Idec in February for $3.25 billion plus royalty rights.

Under the deal, Elan's royalty payments will be 12 percent of sales in the first year, 18 percent after that and 25 percent when annual sales rise above $2 billion. A fifth of the royalty stream will be paid out to shareholders under a dividend plan outlined shortly after the Royalty approach.

Elan also returned $1 billion to shareholders last week in a share buyback that resulted in U.S. healthcare firm Johnson & Johnson cutting its stake in the company to 4.9 percent from 18 percent.

Sales of Tysabri rose to $1.6 billion last year and Biogen has long aimed to increase patient numbers over time to 100,000 from 72,700 at the end of last year. Analysts at Berenberg Bank see sales hitting $2 billion in the first half of next year.

It said on Wednesday sales of the drug, which competes with oral drugs such as Novartis AG's Gilenya and Biogen's new Tecfidera pill, rose 28 percent in the United States but by just 0.3 percent elsewhere, after a further $13.9 million of revenue was deferred in Italy.

Elan also posted a $72.8 million first-quarter net loss from continuing operations, which did not include any revenue associated with Tysabri.

Its shares were little moved, trading up 0.5 percent at $12.05 by 1430 GMT in New York.

(Editing by Helen Massy-Beresford and David Holmes)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/elan-sees-sales-prized-tysabri-drug-rise-sharply-071434561--finance.html

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What Kobe won't tweet: Los Angeles is becoming a Clippers town

With Kobe Bryant injured (and tweeting) and the Los Angeles Lakers reeling, the Clippers are making the most of a chance to become the city's top basketball attraction.

By Daniel B. Wood,?Staff writer / April 24, 2013

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (2nd r.) scores the game-winning basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during Game 2 of their NBA playoff series in Los Angeles.

Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

Enlarge

?This isn?t supposed to happen, it?s really throwing me off mentally,? says Los Angeles native Peter Vineland, a self-described ?basketball nut? sipping a beverage at Starbucks in Sherman Oaks. ?I?m sorry for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers but surprisingly happy for the Clippers.?

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Vineland is talking about the reversal of fortunes that is playing out here at the start of the National Basketball Association playoffs. For years, it has been the Los Angeles Lakers dominating the postseason ? winning 11 championships since 1972, including a three-peat from 2001-03. And the Los Angeles Clippers have usually been in the cellar, the team that Lakers fans such as Vineland didn?t ever watch on purpose and didn?t even want even to admit was from the same city.

This year, the Lakers barely made it to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and scored a piddling 79 points in losing the first game of their first-round series to the San Antonio Spurs. Meanwhile, the Clippers are leading their playoff series with the Memphis Grizzlies, 2-0, and star guard Chris Paul made the game-winning shot Tuesday night with 0.1 seconds remaining, bringing a bit of Laker "Showtime" to the Clip Joint.

As with the Roman Empire or a Hollywood starlet, sports runs through cycles in which those on the bottom rise to the top and those on the top fall. This is that time for Los Angeles.

?The Lakers have been the shining star for decades, and the Clippers almost the laughing stock of the league,? says Dan Lebowitz, president of the Center for the Study of Sports in Society at Northeastern University. ?Now the Clippers are the darlings of the league, the Cinderella team to watch. This is going to be good.?

Lakers Superstar Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon in a recent game and will be out for the remainder of the season at least ? and the Lakers have yet to figure out how to make up for Bryant?s 27.3-point-per-game average.

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Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Z11EcZo1-2w/What-Kobe-won-t-tweet-Los-Angeles-is-becoming-a-Clippers-town

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RNC Hires Former Real Estate Agent as Director of &#39;African ...

Click if you like this column!

I can?t decide if the Republican National Committee?s (RNC) minority outreach effort is more like watching a sitcom or a soap opera dubbed ?The Young and the Foolish.? In another twist to the organization?s Growth & Opportunity Project, to attract more voters of color to the GOP, the RNC hired former realtor Amani L. Council to the newly appointed position of Director of African American Communications.

No, you didn?t misread anything. I wrote realtor. (I won?t get started on why Republicans have followed Democrats into the hyphen world of calling blacks AAs. Blacks are no more African than whites are Caucasian, German or French Americans.)

As an RNC staffer remarked: ?Makes perfect sense. If she can sell real estate in the DC she should be able to sell the GOP to the black media or sell you a house.?

An Internet search revealed Council is an agent working for RE/MAX Specialists in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. You just can?t make this stuff up. According to the Branch Avenue in Bloom March/April 2012 newsletter, sponsored by the Maryland Small Business Development Center, Council is described as a ?successful realtor for the past six years,? working for RE/MAX Specialists.

Council said: ?I haven?t done real marketing since I?ve been in the business. My clients are my billboards. I truly do believe customer service is my best tool and I make it a point to treat each client with the same level of attention and care I would expect in any business deal I encounter. Anyone can sell HOMES but not everyone delivers great service!?

It looks like the RNC and its conservative message may be the biggest billboard Amani Council has ever had to ?sell? to one of the most dubious group of buyers ever, blacks. In the RNC press release touting this dynamic new hire, the RNC notes Council will be working with Deputy Press Secretary Raffi Williams, son of political commentator Juan Williams, to ?build relationships with African American media as we work to earn the trust of more African American voters.?

The RNC praised Council?s ?wealth of experience on the Hill and in public relations? but makes no mention of the six years she worked in real estate. Why?

Council's resume indicates since 2008 she has worked at Bass Public Affairs, as Director of New Media and Business Development. Council?s Hill experience includes working as a Legislative Assistant for Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA) from 2001-2002 and as a Legislative Correspondent/Systems Administrator for Rep. Clay Shaw (R-FL) 1998-2001. From 2006-2007, her resume states she was Director of Government Affairs for the Family Research Council.

Source: http://townhall.com/columnists/crystalwright/2013/04/25/rnc-hires-former-real-estate-agent-as-director-of-african-american-communications-n1577499

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Electrolux pins hopes on U.S. as Europe stagnates

By Patrick Lannin and Veronica Ek

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Household appliance maker Electrolux said it hoped a recovering North American market would drive growth this year as Europe is stuck in the doldrums.

Sweden's Electrolux and bigger U.S. rival Whirlpool have cut costs and increased their exposure to faster-growing emerging markets to offset slowing growth in Europe and North America.

But U.S. demand has been picking up and Whirlpool has a relative advantage in being more exposed to the world's biggest economy, which accounts for half of its sales versus 30 percent for Electrolux.

Whirlpool reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday and stood by its earnings guidance for 2013.

For Electrolux Chief Executive Keith McLoughlin, born in New York and a veteran of the U.S. industry, the main headache is Europe, where consumer caution has spread from southern states to hitherto strong markets such as Germany and Sweden.

The company now expects waning demand for appliances in the region this year, but growth of 3 to 5 percent in North America.

"We see improvements in the (U.S.) housing market... people trading up a little bit more," McLoughlin told Reuters.

He saw no improvement in Europe in the first half of 2013.

"We're hopeful that we will start to see something more positive in the second half, but we're not changing our outlook for the year for Europe," he said in a telephone interview.

Electrolux makes machines ranging from espresso coffee makers to cookers and owns brands including Frigidaire, AEG and Zanussi.

It reported core first-quarter operating profit, stripping out one-off items, of 720 million crowns ($108.60 million), down from 907 million in the same period of 2012 and below the mean forecast of 873 million in a Reuters poll.

That included a 96 percent slump in earnings from major appliances in Europe, Middle East and Africa to just 11 million crowns from 271 million, but a rise in North American appliance earnings to 457 million crowns from 131 million.

Investors focussed on Electrolux's North American outlook and its stock was up 3.6 percent by 1008 GMT at 175.6 crowns.

CURRENCY WOES

Electrolux's guidance was similar to Whirlpool's, although Whirlpool expected a flat rather than a declining European market and saw North America up 2 to 3 percent.

Some analysts remained cautious.

"Whilst Electrolux is a well-run company geared into a consumer/housing market recovery, we view the appliance industry as the worst end-market in our coverage and in our view Electrolux's valuation remains prohibitive," said Espirito Santo in a research note.

According to Thomson Starmine data, Electrolux is valued at 12.3 times forward 12-month earnings, higher than Whirlpool's 11.9 times earnings.

Both stocks rose in 2012 on hopes of a market recovery, but Whirlpool's gain was far greater. Since the start of 2012, Whirlpool has now gained 151 percent and Electrolux 60 percent.

Electrolux's first-quarter earnings were also hit by adverse currency movements. It blamed a strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the Brazilian real, a dollar rise versus several European currencies and a weakening of the British pound.

($1 = 6.6300 Swedish crowns)

(Editing by Alistair Scrutton and Tom Pfeiffer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/electrolux-pins-hopes-u-europe-stagnates-103211839--finance.html

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Video: PFT Live: Should Chiefs go Fisher or Joeckel at No. 1?

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Turtle becomes 'biobot' with scheme that controls voluntary behavior

John Roach , NBC News ? ? ? 3 hrs.

Turtles, like most critters, instinctively avoid obstacles. Researchers have tapped into this instinct to steer a turtle without sticking probes into its brain or muscles, an achievement that could lead to a world crawling with animals doing the bidding of humans.

The feat is achieved by attaching a half cylinder to the turtle's shell that is remotely controlled to turn one way or another. Part of the cylinder mimicks an obstacle, compelling the turtle to take what appears to be the obstacle-free path.

Until now, controlling the behavior of critters, such as cockroaches and rats, has largely been achieved by electronically stimulating relevant brain areas or muscles, note the turtle-controlling researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.

Unlike direct stimulation of the brain or muscles, the team calls their scheme "non-invasive" in a paper published April 17 in the journal PLoS One. Rather, they add, it evokes "an appropriate voluntary instinctive behavior." That is, instead of steering turtles with electrical jolts, they slide an obstacle into the turtle's field of vision, knowing that the turtle will instinctively turn to avoid it.

Scientists are increasingly devising ways to manipulate the behavior of living critters to accomplish specialized tasks such as surveillance and reconnaissance as an alternative to robots that "are still far from artificially reproducing a level of intelligence even of insects," the team writes in the paper.

The ingenuity of the approach is questionable, according to Alper Bozkurt, an electrical engineer at North Carolina State University who has worked on remote-control cockroaches.

"What is being done here is a modern version of the carrot-stick strategy to navigate the animal," he told NBC News via email. It relies on observations about a turtle obstacle avoidance behavior, and using that knowledge to devise a strategy to steer them.

For now, the apparatus to achieve navigation is a rather clunky remotely-controlled cylinder that rotates around the turtle to mimic an obstacle in its field of view, as demonstrated in video below.

Now that the concept is proven, refinements could lead to less-clunky obstacles ? think glasses with lenses that duplicate obstacles, suggested IEEE ? and be applied to other critters with good vision.

"Hawks, cats, lizards and carp are good candidates," the researchers write. "They are also big and strong enough to carry larger devices. Through our on-going research, we already found that the same framework can be employed to control fish."

Before the research community races down this path, Bozkurt expressed caution.

"These animals are more complex in their instincts and also feel 'pain,' which is not a concern for invertebrates," he noted.

? via IEEE and Discover

John Roach is a contributing writer for NBC News. To learn more about him, visit his website.

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