Record 99 federal disasters, big insured losses

Vyto Starinskas / The Rutland Herald via AP

Hurricane Irene was the single costliest natural disaster in the U.S. in 2011. Much of the damage was to infrastructure like this road in in Killington, Vt.

By Miguel Llanos, msnbc.com

This year will go down as the second costliest in the U.S.?in terms of insured losses from natural disasters, the Insurance Information Institute said Friday. And it will set the record for number of federal major?disaster declarations: 99 issued throughout 2011, up from the previous record of 81 in 2010.

"Catastrophes striking the United States in the first nine months of 2011 caused $32.6 billion in direct insured losses, nearly double the $18.6 billion in catastrophe-caused direct insured losses insurers generally incur over the first nine months of any given year,"?III President?Robert Hartwig said in a statement.?

"The $32.6 billion figure doesn?t even include the significant insured losses which arose after the pre-Halloween snowstorm, which caused enormous damage to multiple states along the Atlantic seaboard," he added. "Coupled with other events in 2011?s fourth quarter, direct insured losses could exceed $35 billion this year."

Total losses, including those not insured, are likely far in excess of $75 billion, the institute said.

Insurance Information Institute

The institute said that even with the huge payout by insurers the industry was still healthy, with its net worth of?insurers?falling by only 4 percent to $538.6 billion.

As for disaster declarations, the record 99 is "nearly triple the average of 34 per year dating back to 1953," the insurance group stated.

Federal officials?earlier this?month noted that 2011 saw a record number of billion-dollar disasters. The largest single disaster this year was Hurricane Irene's damage to the East Coast, estimated at $7.3 billion and claiming 45 lives.

The head of the National Weather Service on Friday issued a statement of "Goodbye and good riddance" to 2011.

The number of weather-related disasters, death and injuries this year "have served as a wakeup call, a jolting realization that our society is increasingly vulnerable to the weather as a result of a growing population and sophisticated infrastructure that continues to expand," NWS Director Jack Hayes said. "And while we witnessed an unmatched succession of extremes in nearly every weather category this year, climate scientists have pointed to the likelihood that such extremes are not an anomaly but may be the new normal."

So if 2011 is second, what's first? That title is still held by 2005, the year of Hurricane Katrina. Insured losses were $66 billion, with more than $40 billion from Katrina alone.?

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/30/9835658-record-99-federal-disasters-mean-35-billion-in-insured-losses

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Apple designer Jonathan Ive knighted

Duffy-Marie Arnoult / WireImage file

By Suzanne Choney

Jonathan Ive, the designer who has created Apple's most successful products in the last decade-plus, has been awarded a knighthood in his native Britain.

Ive, who designed the first iMac in 1998 that was "Bondi blue," then later available in a variety of candy colors, went on to design the iPod, iPhone and iPad. He is considered one of Apple's most important assets, a man whose design philosophy meshed pretty much perfectly with that of the company's late co-founder, Steve Jobs, who died in October.

In an interview with the BBC, Ive, 44, said the knighthood is "absolutely thrilling" and that he is "both humbled and sincerely grateful."

"I am keenly aware that I benefit from a wonderful tradition in the UK of designing and making," he said. ""I discovered at an early age that all I've ever wanted to do is design."

Ive was made Knight Commander of the British Empire; the honor is the second one for him by Britain, said the BBC: In 2005, he was made a a Commander of the British Empire.

Ive's title with Apple is senior vice president, industrial design. He has been with the company since 1996. Six of his Apple creations, including the original iPod, are part of the collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

In a recent story about the quite-private Ive, Donald Norman, co-founder of usability consulting firm Nielsen Norman Group said of the designer: "He just has a wonderful eye of making things that are simple and elegant. But he also understands that it has to be usable by people."

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Source: http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/30/9840061-apple-designer-jonathan-ive-knighted

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Romney?s schedule offers clue about his Iowa expectations???they?re high (The Ticket)

Romney in 2008 (LM Otero/AP)

DES MOINES, Iowa--Mitt Romney isn't making any predictions about the outcome of next Tuesday's Republican presidential caucuses in Iowa, but his upcoming schedule suggests his campaign is confident he'll do well.

Romney will stay overnight in Iowa next Tuesday after the caucuses, according to a press release sent out by his campaign on Friday. He won't depart for New Hampshire?the next state up in the 2012 presidential sweepstakes?until Wednesday morning.

The schedule gives him enough time to make the rounds of the morning TV news shows?just in case Romney has occasion to take a victory lap in the aftermath of Tuesday's caucuses.

By comparison, Newt Gingrich's campaign announced he'll head to New Hampshire on Tuesday night, shortly after the caucus results are announced.

You could interpret that as a sign that Gingrich, whose poll numbers are in a free fall in Iowa, doesn't feel great about the upcoming vote and wants to hightail it out of town.

Or not. In 2008, Mike Huckabee flew to New Hampshire in the middle of the night, celebrating his Iowa caucus win by bowling oranges down the plane's aisle and schmoozing with reporters and staff.? He promptly deplaned and sat for a series of TV interviews that morning.

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20111230/el_yblog_theticket/romneys-schedule-offers-clue-about-his-iowa-expectations

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Best big US companies for LGBT employees

Chevron, Bank of America and AT&T all got top marks as the best workplaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees, according to a recent survey by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation in Washington, D.C., the nation?s biggest advocacy and lobbying group that backs civil rights for LGBT people. (Candace Gingrich-Jones, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich?s half-sister, is an active member.)

Of the 20 largest American companies by revenues, 10 got scores of 100, meaning they met all of the Human Rights Campaign?s criteria for providing an inclusive, discrimination-free work environment. (The group calls its survey the Corporate Equality Index.) The top-rated big companies cover a range of industries, from finance to automobiles to technology and health care. Ford Motor, Cardinal Health and IBM also got top ratings.

Forbes.com slideshow: See the best big American companies for LGBT employees

The index looks at discrimination policies that protect employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity, at insurance and other benefits for same sex partners and at companies? ability to recruit and retain LGBT workers.

This is the tenth year the Human Rights Campaign has done the survey, which has expanded from rating the 500 biggest U.S. companies to evaluating a total of 850 businesses, including more than 200 law firms. A decade ago, just 13 businesses got a top score. This year, 190 did.

Unlike discrimination based on race, gender, religion, national origin or disability, there is no federal law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. Twenty-one states, including Texas, have no law against it. The lack of legal protections for LGBT workers is a chief motivation behind the index. ?Corporate America is leading the charge for equality in the workplace,? said Human Rights Campaign Foundation president Joe Solmonese in a statement.

This year, the campaign made its evaluation more stringent than in years past, rating companies on 40 different policies and practices, 32 of which were new or stricter. For instance, this year for the first time, companies had to include insurance coverage for gender reassignment surgery in order to get a top rating. Among the big companies that earned a score of 100, a spokeswoman at Citigroup says that its coverage of transgender insurance benefits is new this year. JP Morgan Chase has offered the coverage since 2009. A total of 207 companies surveyed are offering the gender reassignment coverage or will do so as of next year.

Of the big companies that did not get a top score, ExxonMobil had the poorest showing, with a rating of negative 25. Explains Human Rights Campaign Foundation workplace project deputy director Deena Fidas, that?s because of a decision about company policy that occurred in 1999, when Exxon acquired Mobil. At the time, says Fidas, Mobil had a strong non-discrimination policy that included sexual orientation and it also offered domestic partner benefits. After the acquisition, Exxon did away with the policy and the benefits. Since then, according to Fidas, Exxon has opposed shareholder resolutions to restore the old policy and benefits.

Exxon Mobil sent Forbes a copy of its ?Corporate Citizenship Report? that says the company has a ?zero-tolerance? policy against ?discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.? But Fidas says the language in the report doesn?t have the legal force of the anti-discrimination standards used by the companies that get the top rating.

Berkshire Hathaway also got a low score of just 25, in part because it didn?t provide any data. In the 10 years of the index, the company has never voluntarily participated. A spokeswoman at the company says it is Berkshire Hathaway?s policy not to participate in surveys.

Among the big companies that didn?t make a top score, Fidas says that there is a piece of good news at Wal-Mart, the nation?s biggest company by revenues. Even with the stronger criteria this year, Wal-Mart?s score moved up from 40 last year to 60. That?s because this fall, the company introduced a fully inclusive non-discrimination policy that added gender identity and expression, says Fidas. The company already had a policy against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Wal-Mart does not cover gender reassignment surgery and does not offer equivalent medical benefits to same-sex partners, keeping it from scoring 100. But Fidas says Wal-Mart has made ?significant strides.?

Overall, Fidas says her group is heartened by this year?s index results. ?They demonstrate a huge step forward both for LGBT workplace fairness and also for companies and their leadership on true best practices,? she says.

More from Forbes.com

? 2011 Forbes.com

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45699076/ns/business-forbes_com/

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How Will William & Kate Celebrate New Year?s Eve?

There will be no raucous New Year's Eve for the royal newlyweds this year. As they celebrate the close of a huge year, Prince William and Kate Middleton will be ringing in 2012 surrounded by family, reports Us Weekly. Only days after their 8-month anniversary, the happy couple will reunite with the rest of the royals in Aberdeen, Scotland, at Birkhall, a 53,000-acre estate belonging to William's father, Prince Charles.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/how-will-william-kate-celebrate-new-year-s-eve/1-a-413923?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ahow-will-william-kate-celebrate-new-year-s-eve-413923

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Perry mixes campaigning with jogging in Iowa (CNN)

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Stamford mayor: No foul play in fire that killed 5

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<a href="http://www.thehour.com/story/516904/">Stamford mayor: No foul play in fire that killed 5 </a>

JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press

STAMFORD (AP) - A Christmas Day fire that killed three children and their grandparents was a tragic accident related to a fireplace in the home, not the result of foul play, the mayor said Tuesday.

Investigators were expected to reveal the cause of the fire later Tuesday, but Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia told The Associated Press described the cause as "fireplace-related." He could not provide more details.

"The preliminary information is it was just a tragic accident," he said, adding that foul play had been ruled out.

Neighbors said they were awakened by screams shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday and rushed outside to help but could do nothing as flames devoured the large Victorian home.

The home's owner, New York advertising executive Madonna Badger, and a male acquaintance escaped the Christmas morning fire. Her parents, who were visiting for the holidays, and her three daughters -- 7-year-old twins and a 10-year-old - were killed.

Badger's father, Lomer Johnson, had a long career as a safety chief at Louisville, Ky.-based liquor maker Brown-Forman Corp., where he retired from his job as safety and security director several years ago. He worked as a department store Santa Claus this season.

"He spent his career trying to keep others safe," retired Brown-Forman executive Robert Holmes Jr. said Monday in a telephone interview. "And the irony is that he dies in a fire."

The other victims were Badger's mother, Pauline Johnson, and daughters, 10-year-old Lily and twins Grace and Sarah. The Johnsons lived in Southbury, about 45 miles northeast of Stamford.

The acquaintance was a contractor working on the home, police said. He was identified by the Stamford Advocate newspaper as Michael Borcina.

The severely damaged $1.7 million Victorian house situated along the Connecticut shoreline was torn down Monday after the buildings department determined it was unsafe and ordered it razed, Stamford fire Chief Antonio Conte said.

He told WFSB-TV that bodies were found on the second and third floors and on the stairway between the floors.

Firefighters knew there were people trapped in the home but could not get to them because the flames were too large and the heat too intense, officials have said.

Bill Avalos, a retired captain at the Stamford Fire Department, said the department is now arranging crisis intervention for the firefighters who battled the blaze.

"We have a younger department. We want them to stay healthy," he said. "They did everything they could do to have a better outcome."

Lomer Johnson most recently worked as a Santa this year at the flagship store of Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, a store spokeswoman said.

"Mr. Johnson was Saks Fifth Avenue's beloved Santa, and we are heartbroken about this terrible tragedy," spokeswoman Julia Bently said in a statement.

Holmes, who worked with Johnson for more than a decade at Brown-Forman, remembered his co-worker as a big man with white hair and a commanding presence.

"He was a man of not a lot of words, but when Lomer spoke or gave his opinion, it was always well thought out," Holmes said.

He said he was a bit surprised that the longtime security chief had become a department store Santa but added, "I could see Lomer doing something like that because Lomer had a passion for people."

During Johnson's long career with Brown-Forman, whose many brands include Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey and Southern Comfort, he was responsible for security and safety at the company's headquarters and production plants. His responsibilities included helping plan fire drills, Holmes said.

"He spent his life as a safety professional making sure our facilities were safe from fire," Holmes said. "And in the event there was a fire, that people knew what to do in terms of getting out of the buildings."

Badger, an ad executive in the fashion industry, is the founder of New York-based Badger & Winters Group. She was treated at a hospital and was discharge d by Sunday evening, a hospital supervisor said. Her whereabouts Monday were unknown.

Borcina was hospitalized Tuesday in stable condition, a nursing supervisor said.

Property records show Badger bought the five-bedroom, waterfront home for $1.7 million last year. The house was situated in Shippan Point, a wealthy neighborhood that juts into Long Island Sound.

The lot where the house stood was covered with charred debris and cordoned off by police with tape on Monday. Passers-by left floral bouquets, stuffed animals and candles.

___

Associated Press writers Bruce Schreiner in Louisville, Ky., and Tom Hays in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/516904

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In swing Ohio, Gingrich gaining the "not-Romneys" (The Arizona Republic)

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London subway strike delays Boxing Day shoppers

(AP)? LONDON ? London's subway drivers have walked out over a pay dispute, causing trouble for thousands of shoppers out to take advantage of the traditional Boxing Day sales.

Transport for London has warned that shoppers seeking out bargains at the capital's shopping centers face "severe disruption." Several Underground lines have been suspended, and limited services are operating on the rest of the subway network.

The ASLEF union is staging the one-day strike to demand for extra pay for members working on the public holiday.

Despite the disruptions, large crowds of shoppers started flooding department stores in London and other British cities as soon as doors opened early Monday.

The union plans to stage three more strikes in January and February if the dispute is not resolved.

Source: http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~r/CBSNewsTheEarlyShowBoxOffice/~3/txnJOksIw70/

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Bulls rally to stun Lakers on Rose's winner (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Derrick Rose scored 22 points and hit a short go-ahead jumper with 4.8 seconds to play, and the Chicago Bulls rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final four minutes for an 88-87 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Luol Deng scored 21 points and blocked Kobe Bryant's short shot right before the buzzer as the Bulls hung on for a thrilling finish to both clubs' first Christmas meeting.

Bryant scored 28 points and committed eight turnovers while playing with a torn wrist ligament for the Lakers, who nearly shook off their tumultuous preseason for a surprising win. Instead, Los Angeles was outscored 17-5 in the final 3:36.

Deng scored nine points in the fourth quarter for the Bulls, including a three-point play and two free throws in the final 45 seconds as Chicago snapped a five-game road losing streak against the Lakers.

Carlos Boozer had 15 points for the Bulls, who have designs on a championship run after leading the NBA with 62 regular-season victories last season. Chicago struggled mightily against Brown's new defensive schemes for the Lakers in the second half, managing just 25 percent shooting (12 for 48) ? but Rose and Deng bailed out the Bulls.

Bryant couldn't finish strong in his NBA-record 14th Christmas Day appearance for the Lakers, who had an 11-point lead with 3:45 to play before Chicago pulled within 87-86 on Deng's free throws with 20.4 seconds left.

Bryant wore a compression sleeve on his right arm while playing without a brace on his right wrist after getting hurt last week. He appeared to have trouble handling the ball, but displayed a fairly smooth jump shot and his usual superb footwork.

Pau Gasol added 14 points for the Lakers, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter while committing four fouls. Los Angeles also played without suspended center Andrew Bynum and departed sixth man Lamar Odom in the debut of coach Mike Brown, who replaced 11-time champion Phil Jackson.

Chicago finally awoke after Los Angeles pushed its fourth-quarter lead to 82-71 with 3:45 to play. The Bulls' 10-3 run was abetted by four straight missed free throws by the Lakers before Bryant hit a short fadeaway with 54 seconds left. Deng's three-point play trimmed the lead to 87-84, and Bryant fouled Deng after missing his own shot on the Lakers' possession.

Rose opened his first season as the reigning MVP by taking just five shots in the first half before taking charge late. The youngest MVP in league history also got a five-year, $94 million contract extension four days ago.

The Lakers' 13th straight Christmas appearance was the second straight for the Bulls, who returned to the holiday slate last season for the first time since the last of Michael Jordan's six championship campaigns in 1997.

While the Bulls remained cohesive and consistent in the offseason, nobody knows what to expect from the 16-time champion Lakers after their tumultuous offseason.

Brown said he only installed about a third of his defense-based system during the truncated training camp, and he had to make further changes when the club abruptly traded Odom to Dallas no players in return after failing to acquire Chris Paul from New Orleans.

The Staples Center crowd murmured quizzically when Los Angeles announced a starting lineup including second-year pro Devin Ebanks and newcomer Josh McRoberts, who's filling in while Bynum sits out four games for bad behavior in the Mavericks' Game 4 sweep of the Lakers in the second round last spring.

Both teams gave away small leads in the first half, but Rose's 3-pointer kick-started a 9-2 run in the final 1:07, and he put the Bulls up 56-47 at halftime with assists on Deng's 3-pointer and three-point play in the final seconds.

Los Angeles began the second half with an 18-7 run, clicking on both ends while claiming a one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

NOTES: Bryant's 14th Christmas game in his 16 NBA seasons surpassed the record jointly held by Earl Monroe, Dolph Schayes and Shaquille O'Neal. ... Richard Hamilton scored six points in his first start for the Bulls, who signed the veteran shooter 11 days earlier. ... Veteran Lakers Matt Barnes, Luke Walton and Jason Kapono didn't get into the game. ... Fans near courtside included Kanye West, Adam Levine, Terrell Owens, Frank Robinson and Maria Shriver.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111226/ap_on_sp_bk_ga_su/bkn_bulls_lakers

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Supporters Match Donations to Washington National Cathedral After ...

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Washington National Cathedral says two longtime supporters have each offered to match donations made to the earthquake-damaged edifice.

According to The Washington Post, cathedral officials say the supporters will match all new gifts or pledges to the cathedral up to $500,000 through the end of the year. That means there is a potential for $2 million in donations.

The cathedral was damaged by a 5.8-magnitude earthquake in August that caused stonework to fall off its towers and cracks to form in parts of the building.

Source: http://www.aarp.org/giving-back/charitable-giving/news-12-2012/national-cathedral-donations.html

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Christmas gift to America 20 years ago ? a Russia to be thankful for

When the Soviet Union collapsed 20 years ago on Christmas, doomsayers had a field day. But seen strictly from the perspective of what matters most to Americans, the good news is that the nightmares that experts realistically expected about Russia have not happened.

In a Christmas gift on Dec. 25, 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. The ?evil empire,? as Ronald Reagan rightly called it, was erased from the map. On its territory, Russia and 14 newly independent states emerged.?

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In the rush of the past two decades, ?things have changed so fast we have not yet taken time to be astonished,? the late Czech President Vaclav Havel once observed. The tendency of bad news to drive out the good is well known. How often does a story about positive developments lead television coverage or make the front page? Vladimir Putin?s recent announcement that he will run again for the presidency (and undoubtedly win) casts a cloud that accentuates the negative.?

Nonetheless, as Americans pause during this holiday season to give thanks and reflect, it is appropriate to review what has happened in the new Russia?s first 20 years.?Assessed strictly from the perspective of what matters most to Americans, the good news is that the nightmares that experts realistically expected at the time have not happened.?

Who imagined the Evil Empire disappearing ? without war?

Who imagined US victory over its cold war rival ? with a whimper rather than a bang?

Who imagined a revolution that buried communism ? without blood?

Who imagined that 20 years on, not one single nuclear bomb from the entire Soviet arsenal would have been found loose outside Russia? (Recall that in December 1991, on ?Meet the Press,? then Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney forecast: ?If the Soviets do an excellent job at retaining control over their stockpile of nuclear weapons ? and they are 99 percent successful, that would mean you could still have as many as 250 [warheads] they were not able to control.?)

Who imagined that the nation that would do more than any other over these two decades to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons to additional states would be Russia? (Russia took the lead, with a significant American assist, in preventing Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus from inheriting major strategic nuclear arsenals.)

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/lJiuPuaNZZE/Christmas-gift-to-America-20-years-ago-a-Russia-to-be-thankful-for

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Just How Important Is Value Investing? - Finance

Posted by publisher on December 26th, 2011

A price-driven discipline that seeks companies whose shares are selling at a discount to their true or intrinsic value is value investing and its roots date back to the 1930s.

Value investors seek companies that are temporarily out of favor while growth-oriented investors focus on firms whose earnings are growing at a rapid pace, a quality that makes them highly sought after. Due to factors ranging from company-specific issues to shifting investor sentiment, cyclical trends, poor economic conditions, or an overall market decline, their shares may be depressed. For no good reason, they are sometimes being ignored by the market.

There are three factors that have amply made the case for the value style of investing over the past 25 years and these are performance, diversification and risk control.

When it comes to performance. Value investing is first and foremost a strategy that has done well over time and it rewards investors with strong risk-adjusted performance. This has actually been true over the past quarter-century.

Another important thing you need to remember is that dividends, particularly those of value stocks, have and continued to be a significant component of the stock market?s total returns.

Diversification. Over time, value and growth stocks have tended to move in different cycles. When growth stocks are in favor, they tend to outperform value shares, and vice versa. Encouraging many investors to construct portfolios employing both value and growth strategies and helping to ensure that they have equity investment with the potential to perform in changing market environments is that kind of knowledge.

The value strategy has more than held its own against its growth counterpart and this is something you should keep in mind. Value?s outperformance has been particularly pronounced in recent years.

Risk control. By their nature, generally tending to be less volatile than their growth counterparts are value stocks. Their shares are typically selling at depressed prices which is why value firms are better positioned to withstand market declines. But normally having higher earning expectations that are built into their prices are shares of growth companies which means that they are subject to wider price swings as those expectations change.

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Source: http://www.thefinanceanalysis.com/2011/12/26/just-how-important-is-value-investing/

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U.S. regrets Cuba failure to free American citizen (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? The State Department said on Saturday it deplored Cuba's failure to free Alan Gross - a U.S. citizen serving a 15-year prison term in a case that has stalled progress in U.S.-Cuba relations - as part of an announced humanitarian release of some 2,900 prisoners.

"If this is correct, we are deeply disappointed and deplore the fact that the Cuban government has decided not to take this opportunity to extend this humanitarian release to Mr. Gross this holiday season, especially in light of his deteriorating health, and to put an end to the Gross family's long plight," Mark Toner, a State Department spokesman, said Saturday.

The Cuban government said on Friday it would free 2,900 prisoners in coming days for humanitarian reasons ahead of a visit next spring by Pope Benedict XVI.

Those to be pardoned do not include Gross, a government spokesman said in Havana. He was imprisoned after setting up Internet equipment as a subcontractor in a U.S.-funded program promoting political change in Cuba.

The Cuban government considered his work subversive. His arrest halted a brief warming in U.S.-Cuba relations that have been hostile since Fidel Castro embraced Soviet Communism after his 1959 revolution.

In a statement, Toner reiterated a U.S. call on Cuban authorities to release Gross "and return him to his family, where he belongs." The State Department has said in the past that Gross was merely providing Internet access for Jewish groups in Cuba and should be released immediately.

(Reporting by Jim Wolf; additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111224/ts_nm/us_cuba_usa_gross

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Giant Oil Drum Music Box

Artist Adel Abdessemed?s Music Box was featured in his 2009 Rio exhibition at New York?s David Zwimer gallery. You can see it moving, and hear it playing in the background, of the embedded video interview with Abdessemed. Clicking above should take you right to the relevant section.

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WanderingEarl: I miss Mexican food oh so much! RT @JohnnyVagabond: Reading: Food Photo Friday: Mexican food in London http://t.co/cCqKJbUe via @Ayngelina

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Video: Will & Kate carry on Diana?s legacy of charity

>> overseas, prince william and his bride are getting into the spirit of the season with a visit to a charity dear to the heart of his mother, princess diana . the duke of cambridge showed off some pretty smooth dance moves on the dance floor . nbc's stephanie gosk is at buckingham palace . stephanie, good morning.

>> reporter: good morning, carl. this was really the perfect event for william and kate . it was laid back. they didn't have to get dressed up. they were comfortable around the cameras and the kids. prince william at one point even said to one of them, i look forward to bringing my own children here one day. just days before christmas the duke and duchess of cambridge had one official visit of the year left, to center point, a homeless shelter for young people . casually dressed, william and kate mingled easily, chatting with kids, baking cookies.

>> kate made me this for my 18th birthday. it's really beautiful and i'm going to cherish it.

>> reporter: there was even a little dancing. the prince showed off hip hop moves no one knew he had, impressing the kids and, clearly, amusing his wife.

>> they seemed like they were quite comfortable and so that was a nice thing to see.

>> reporter: of all the charities william supports, center point is probably the most important here. it was his mother's favorite. the prince famously spent the night sleeping outside with the homeless two years ago. now kate is by his side and looking very much at ease.

>> she seems to be genuinely interested in what she's doing with regard to the charity work that she's become involved insofar.

>> reporter: the young royals get a break now after a whirlwind week of holiday events and they will need the rest. 2012 is going to be a very busy year for the royal family . william and kate will play a high profile role in the year's two most important events, the olympics, and the queen's diamond jubilee , a celebration of her 60-year reign.

>> they'll play a focal role in all the celebrations in london, including being by the queen's side when she sails down the thames at the head of a flotilla of a thousand ships.

>> reporter: the royal family will also visit dozens of the uk commonwealth countries as part of the jubilee. the duke and duchess will be traveling the furthest, to the tiny tuvalu islands in the south pacific . the queen and prince philip were last there in 1982 . for now, william and kate will gather at the queen's estate and it will be her first christmas as a royal. but after a year of firsts, the duchess has proven she fits right in. now, speculation is swirling over what william is going to get kate for christmas . the general consensus at this point is that the duchess of cambridge is getting a puppy. i hope i haven't ruined any surprises. carl?

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/45763407/

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What A Good (If Slightly Weird) Boy Wants For Christmas

Homer Simpson knows the problem. What do you give to someone who lives abnormally? Outside ordinary categories?

Well, English muffins are always welcome, but since we're about to hit the weekend (and I'm permitted to play) I've come up with a short list of gifts that would satisfy somebody like...oh...me.

1. A Paleolithic Telephone

It doesn't ring, doesn't answer, and never needs recharging. Of course, it doesn't do anything, either, but it's oh so elegant. Created by graphic designer Jennifer Daniel and her mom.

Jennifer Daniel, Sandi Daniel/Flickr

2. A Perfect Hideaway

Who wouldn't want to live in a cozy, teeny weeny, grass-roofed Hobbit Home? This one (which we've gift wrapped so you can open it yourself), was built by Simon Dale in Wales for about $5,200 (he did it himself). It would be like living in a dream.

3. Wheeeee! Without Worries

Speaking of staircases, here's an attachment for people have always wanted to slide down banisters, but worry about ... umm ... collateral damage. This is the perfect gift for a wuss.

4. A Hang Drum

I don't know how they work, but musician Daniel Waples, plopped on a sidewalk in Oslo, Norway, makes it look so easy I want to try. Wikipedia says there's nothing inside a "hang" (they don't call it a drum,) but air; those knobs and bumps give it resonance, and all you have to do is remember to play the right side, as Daniel will demonstrate. ...

5. Bacon Aroma In The Morning

There's something about the sizzle and smell of bacon in the morning that makes some people instantly happy. (I'm not a bacon eater, but I know people who wiggle with pleasure when they catch a whiff from the kitchen.) Well, here's an alarm clock that wakes you up, not with a buzz, but with the wafting smell of bacon. It's the Wake N' Bacon, from designer Matty Sallin and friends.

So, if any of you out there have a hobbit-house loving, banister sliding, bacon-sniffing, telephone using, bowl-tapping friend on your shopping list ... you're all set.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/12/22/144140817/what-a-good-if-slightly-weird-boy-wants-for-christmas?ft=1&f=1007

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Apple reportedly swapping recalled iPod nanos for 6G counterparts; you have yours?

It's been a few weeks since Apple's issued a worldwide recall on a number of its first-gen iPod nanos at risk for becoming uncomfortably hot under the collar. Evidently, many folks who've sent their devices into AppleCare to get swapped are finding that they've being treated with an upgrade to the current sixth-gen variant. Lovers of click wheels may view its square, touchscreen shell as folly, but hey, its hard to fuss over owning latest there is, right? The replacement program is still ongoing, so if you haven't checked to see if your nano qualifies, hit up the "more coverage" link below to find out. Already got yours back? Let us know your mileage in comments!

[Thanks, Scott]

Apple reportedly swapping recalled iPod nanos for 6G counterparts; you have yours? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lesnar interview: Former champ says no one can avoid his takedowns

The clash of the titans is just over a week away. When Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem lock horns at UFC 141 you'll be seeing 521 pounds of beef in the Octagon.

Overeem is huge, but Lesnar still questions whether anyone can avoid his takedown game.

"Honestly I feel comfortable on my feet and I don't feel threatened in any area by this guy at all," Lesnar told ESPN1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas. "There hasn't been anybody in the UFC that I haven't been able to take down. The issue is we just have to be able to keep them there."

On Overeem's troubles with the Nevada State Athletic Commission and his tardy prefight drug test, Lesnar said he barely kept up with the story. He was ready to face Overeem, Frank Mir or anyone else the UFC put in front of him. He was determined to fight on Dec. 30 come hell or high water.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewriter/post/Lesnar-interview-Former-champ-says-no-one-can-a?urn=mma-wp11060

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New owner wants Jags to become international

/

By MARK LONG

updated 6:44 p.m. ET Dec. 16, 2011

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The NFL's newest owner has a long-term vision for the small-market Jacksonville Jaguars.

And it includes a broad-based audience.

Shahid Khan wants the team to expand its fan base, even if it means playing overseas.

Khan, born in Pakistan, visited Jacksonville on Friday for the time since buying the franchise for $760 million. He spoke to coaches, front-office personnel and just about everyone else in the football facility, and got a big kick out of the team mascot donning an oversized mustache in honor of the new owner.

Khan said all the right things: He reaffirmed his commitment to keeping the team in Jacksonville; talked about bringing a championship to the city; and even asked employees for input on how to improve the long-term viability of the franchise.

But the most interesting aspect of his introductory news conference was his desire to create an international fan base.

"The NFL is going to be developing an international fan base. Why shouldn't it be the Jaguars?" Khan said. "In all honesty, internationally, they don't know the difference between the Jaguars and the Steelers."

Khan said the reason outgoing owner Wayne Weaver had been reluctant to play in London was because of "moveophobia," the fear that fans would take it as a sign the franchise was in jeopardy of relocating. Khan is so confident things will work in Jacksonville that he has no concerns about playing overseas.

"I'm very open," he said. "I think it would serve Jacksonville well to play a game or two overseas, to get the name Jacksonville out. If you look at some of the international premier league teams, they have a huge fan following overseas in the Middle East, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, etc.

"I think the NFL, in the long run, will probably be doing something like that. Why shouldn't we be one of the flag carriers?"

Although the Jaguars haven't blacked out a game since 2009, they have struggled to fill EverBank Field the last two seasons, often needing to find creative ways to sell tickets to keep games on local television.

Playing in London or elsewhere would lower season-ticket prices and possibly improve the chances of enticing new fans in a tough economy.

Nonetheless, Khan reiterated what NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said two years ago: Jacksonville can't be a viable franchise with 40,000 or 50,000 fans in the stadium.

"They can't support an NFL team with 40, 50,000," Khan said. "We're gonna do everything to get them. You gotta fill the stands. A football team doesn't work. It's not just the money. You need the enthusiasm, the fan support, you need the energy. You need the energy for the players."

It could help that there's a buzz around the franchise for the first time in years. With Khan's deep pockets and general manager Gene Smith searching for a new coach, the Jaguars feel they're poised to end the staleness that set in with longtime coach Jack Del Rio, who was fired last month.

Khan said money is not a factor when it comes to replacing Del Rio.

"Cheapness and the NFL don't go together," he said. "This is not a cheap league. Our goal is not to get the expensive wrong coach or try to find a cheap good coach. We want the right guy that's going to win for us. Frankly, some guy that I like and trust and you pay them whatever it takes.

"That doesn't mean you overpay or underpay them. You have to pay them a fare wage. But we're not looking for a bargain person. We're looking for the right person and paying them whatever's appropriate."

Interim coach Mel Tucker remains a candidate, though the Jaguars (4-10) have been blown out twice in three games, Khan said. He added that he doesn't want an "egomaniac" coaching the team and indicated he might not hire a team president.

"This is a huge commitment for me time-wise, emotionally, money, whatever," Khan said. "I'm going to do whatever it takes. ... The worst thing for me is to have too many layers; you don't get the true picture. I don't need somebody banging heads for me. I can do that. I want to get it unvarnished, simple as that.

"One thing I'm certain of is we're not going to have a structure of some superpower egomaniac. That doesn't work for me. That's not going to work here. If somebody thought that is a solution for here, they're gonna be disappointed."

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

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Can Tebow beat Patriots?

PFT Picks: Mike Florio says Tim Tebow and the Broncos will beat the Patriots, and that the Colts will finally win.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45703605/ns/sports-nfl/

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AT&T, T-Mobile asset sales talks go cold: report (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Talks over potential asset sales as part of AT&T Inc's efforts to get approval of its $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA have gone cold, according to The Wall Street Journal on Sunday.

Although AT&T could still try to fight the Department of Justice in court, alternatives to a full-blown merger are looking more likely, the WSJ said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Those options could include AT&T taking a stake in the smaller carrier or a joint venture to share network technology, the report said.

The Justice Department said on December 9 that it would seek to stay or dismiss its lawsuit to stop the deal, saying it was effectively dead without approval from telecommunications regulators.

AT&T and Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile moved in November to withdraw their filing with the Federal Communications Commission to focus on the antitrust battle.

Both regulators have to given their blessing to the deal.

(Reporting by NY Equities Desk, Editing by Gary Crosse)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111219/bs_nm/us_att_t_mobile

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RIM reports Q3 2011 earnings: $5.2b revenue, $265m net income and 14.1 million handsets shipped

News out of Waterloo isn't all bad today, as Research in Motion has revealed its financial results for the third quarter of 2011. While the company previously had to scale back its earlier earnings projections of $5.6 billion in the quarter, it's apparent the firm came close to meeting that mark. After close of the markets today, RIM reported $5.2 billion in revenue with $265 million in net income and 14.1 million handsets shipped. The company was only able to eke out 150,000 PlayBook tablets during this time frame, however, which no doubt contributed to these reduced numbers. Unfortunately, the market hasn't taken so kindly to the revelation, as RIM's stock has fallen seven-percent in after hours trading. In a small bit of positive news, the firm reports that its subscriber count is up 35-percent year-over-year, which now totals 75 million subscribers.

Looking forward, the company expects to bring in between $4.6 and $4.9 billion in revenue for the next quarter, where it hopes to ship between 11 and 12 million units. Co-CEO Jim Balsillie referred to the last few quarters as among the most trying in the company's history, and promised to re-evaluate RIM's product portfolio, R&D strategy and to "leave no stone unturned" as it seeks to regain prominence in the smartphone world. Meanwhile, co-CEO Mike Lazaridis reaffirmed the commitment to the PlayBook OS 2.0, which remains on track for a February launch. As for the QNX-based BlackBerry 10 smartphones that we've been looking forward to, Lazaridis said to not expect anything until late 2012. Apparently, its availability will be hampered by a critical chipset supply that's not expected to become available until mid-next year. In other words, unless consumers develop a love for BlackBerry 7 OS real quick, 2012 may sadly be another ugly year for the folks in Waterloo.

RIM reports Q3 2011 earnings: $5.2b revenue, $265m net income and 14.1 million handsets shipped originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Strong yen batters business confidence in Japan (AP)

TOKYO ? Confidence at major Japanese manufacturers fell over the last quarter, as the export-reliant country battled a strong yen and an increasingly precarious global economy, a key central bank survey showed Thursday.

In the Bank of Japan's "tankan" survey of business sentiment, the main index for big manufacturers fell to minus 4, in the first deterioration in two quarters. Three months ago, it stood at 2, as companies rebounded from the devastating March earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

The figure represents the percentage of companies saying business conditions are good minus those saying conditions are unfavorable, with 100 representing the best mood and minus 100 the worst.

The result is slightly worse than Kyodo News agency's average market forecast for a reading of minus 2.

The tankan "underscored the faltering Japanese economy, which rebounded impressively from the March disaster until early summer but lost its steam from then mainly due to the external factors," said Masamichi Adachi, senior economist at JPMorgan Securities Japan, in a note to clients.

The world's No. 3 economy expanded at an annualized rate of 5.6 percent during the July-September period in a robust recovery from the earthquake and tsunami. But that pace has already slowed considerably in the face of global headwinds, economists say.

Large manufacturers certainly don't expect to feel better anytime soon. The central bank forecasts the index to fall to minus 5 over the next three months.

Japan has been battling a strong yen, which has hit multiple historic highs this year against the dollar. Amid Europe's debt problems and economic uncertainty in the U.S., global investors have looked to the Japanese currency as a relatively safe haven.

But Japan relies on exports to drive growth and offset a rapidly aging and shrinking population at home. The yen's appreciation has hit companies such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp. hard. When the yen climbs, it reduces the value of exporters' overseas profits when repatriated to Japan.

That has pushed companies to shift more production overseas, prompting worries about a hollowing out of Japanese industry.

Toyota, poised to lose its title as the world's biggest automaker this year, last week sharply downgraded its earnings forecast for the fiscal year through March and warned of the long-term impact of the runaway yen.

"Because of the strong yen, the collapse of the foundation of Japanese manufacturing has begun," Executive Vice President Satoshi Ozawa said.

The most pessimistic of the big manufacturing group was the electrical machinery sector ? including audio and video equipment ? which tumbled to minus 21 from minus 5. Companies doing business in nonferrous metals and heavy machinery also recorded big declines.

The auto industry, however, showed surprising resilience. Its index jumped seven points to 20, despite the yen and recent parts supply problems due to the flooding in Thailand.

Big non-manufacturers were feeling more optimistic as well. Their confidence index rose to 4 from 1 three months earlier.

The reading for medium-sized manufacturers was flat at minus 3, while the small manufacturers index improved to minus 8, up from minus 11.

The survey, which helps guide monetary policy, showed that large companies overall plan to boost capital spending by 1.4 percent this fiscal year through March 2012. The figure is down from 3 percent in the September survey.

Large manufacturing companies assume an average exchange rate of 79.02 yen per dollar for this fiscal year, compared with 81.15 yen three months ago.

Big companies expect profits to retreat 9 percent this fiscal year after jumping 46 percent last year.

The Bank of Japan surveyed 10,846 companies nationwide between Nov. 14 and Dec. 14. About 99 percent responded.

The bank's next policy board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. It is expected to keep its key interest rate near zero.

___

Follow Tomoko A. Hosaka at http://twitter.com/tomokohosaka

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/japan/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111215/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_economy

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Motorola Xoom tablet gets an Ice Cream Sandwich makeover with 4.0.3

Only a day after Google released Android version 4.0.3, one XDA developer has already installed it on his Motorola Xoom WiFi tablet -- making it the first slate to run the frosty Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade. Of course, trendsetting is nothing new for the Xoom, which was also the first to ship with Honeycomb's sweetness back in February. Being first does have its disadvantages, though, as some of the features like the camera don't work, and there seems to be a green overlay on the screen from time to time. If you're willing to overlook these early adopter flaws, head on over to the source to satisfy your ICS-inspired sweet tooth and try it for yourself.

Motorola Xoom tablet gets an Ice Cream Sandwich makeover with 4.0.3 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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