Feds open formal probe into Tesla electric car fires

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>The electric car maker has sent through a software change to make its cars ride higher</p><br /><p>After three highly publicized recent fires, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk announced Tuesday that the company's electric cars are being given higher ground clearance to make them less likely to strike road debris that can potentially penetrate the battery pack and ignite a blaze.</p><br /><p>He also said Tesla is asking federal safety regulators to 'conduct a full investigation as soon as possible into the fires.' The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already said it is reviewing the latest incident near Smyrna, Tenn., and is contact with Tesla.</p><br /><p>In addition, Musk says he is amending the cars' warranty to cover damage due to fire.</p><br /><p>Musk announced the steps in a lengthy post on Tesla's blog. In it, he offers yet another strong defense of the car's safety, especially as it relates to protection from fire. 'We believe the evidence is clear that there is no safer car on the road than the Model S,' he writes. His company expects to produce more than 20,000 of the electric cars this year, which sell for about $70,000 and up.</p><br /><p>He calls media reaction to the three fires as a gross overreaction, especially given how thousands of conventional cars have been consumed by gasoline fires from ruptured tanks over the years.</p><br /><p><img src="http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/7b4ec66d1e179bfd266b1a538b2274693a475655/c=7-0-3264-2448&r=x383&c=540x380/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/11/07/1383850689000-AP-TESLA-FIRE-59680540.JPG" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>In this Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013 photo provided by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, emergency workers respond to a fire on a Tesla Model S electric car in Smyrna, Tenn.(Photo: AP)</p><br /><p>The column is one of the outspoken Musk's most brash yet, and is likely to attract a cadre of fact checkers. Tesla stock has nosedived over the incidents. From about $180 a month ago, Tesla closed Monday at $121.58 a share. It was down another $13.87, or 10.2%, for the day.</p><br /><p>He says his battery-powered car is actually safer than just about any gas-powered car on the road.</p><br /><p>'Since the Model S went into production mid last year, there have been over 400 deaths and 1,200 serious injuries in the United States alone due to gasoline car fires, compared to zero deaths and zero injuries due to Tesla fires anywhere in the world.'</p><br /><p>Two of the Tesla fires were caused when the vehicle struck road desbris that pierced the battery compartment. The third happend in Mexico when a Model S crashed. In each case, the occupants escaped unharmed. Musk says it's proof of the car's safety.</p><br /><p>But given the media outcry, Musk indicates he decided to act even though he already stands by the car. He says the plan to create more ground clearance under the cars has already been implemented.</p><br /><p>Tesla has already sent a signal to the computers in all Model S cars to tell them to increase the vehicle's ground clearance at highway speeds. he says the goal is to reduce the chance of hitting objects on the road. Another software update in January is aimed at letting drivers set their preferred road height for themselves and passengers.</p><br /><p>As for the NHTSA involvement in probing the three accidents that led to fires, Musk says that if regulators offers suggestions on how to improve fire safety in the Model S, he will immediately implement them. he has previously said he does not expect that the Model S will need to be recalled over the fires.</p><br /><p>When it comes to extending the warranty on the sedan, Musk says his decision will apply to Tesla models and be applicable even if the driver is held to be a fault for the fire.</p><br /></div>

Business Feds open formal probe into Tesla electric car fires

The electric car maker has sent through a software change to make its cars ride higher After three highly publicized recent fires, Tesla Mot...

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Do More Stuff with Windows Phone 8 Battery Options: Battery App Update

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;">Battery app of Window Phone 8 will gets new update that are now available for download. The unofficial battery app is free and collects good reviews from the user. On the basis of 16000 reviews, app have got a majority of five-stars. New app include a lot of fresh and cool statistics.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hOx137_lC0I/UosWjvgEmtI/AAAAAAAAAi0/U8MeTvDL7m0/s1600/a113dd2d-8c9e-474b-a780-cbc7d7b89efa_r1_c1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Windows Phone 8 Get New Update for Battery App: Get Good Review" border="0" height="221" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hOx137_lC0I/UosWjvgEmtI/AAAAAAAAAi0/U8MeTvDL7m0/s1600/a113dd2d-8c9e-474b-a780-cbc7d7b89efa_r1_c1.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The previous version of app have simple battery management options. It displayed current status of phones battery, how much time user have before the phone turns off and other features like current battery charge percent, remaining time until battery is fully charged, shows phone connectivity status. The app have also an option to show the notification related to battery like, low battery, fully charged. Some live tile features like background color based current charge percent, was available in previous version.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now this app comes with the following changes in feature, notifications and live tiles.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Features:</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li>Details of battery status on lock screen</li><li>Detailed statistics of battery usage</li><li>Rate chart of battery usage and rich battery usage</li><li>Time since last charge</li><li>Remaining time to full charge</li></ul><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Notifications:</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li>low battery notification</li><li>fully charged notification</li><li>notify when battery is discharging rapidly</li></ul><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Live tile features:</span></h3><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><ul><li>Customizable theme color</li><li>Shortcuts of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode settings, location</li><li>Restore, back-up and save the history of Sky Drive</li><li>Save chart as picture</li></ul><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/100638775997274345522" rel="author">Anil Swami</a></div></div>

battery app statistics Windows Phone Do More Stuff with Windows Phone 8 Battery Options: Battery App Update

Battery app of Window Phone 8 will gets new update that are now available for download. The unofficial battery app is free and collects good...

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Dropbox seeks funding, values firm at $8 billion

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>Summary: According to reports, the file-sharing service is seeking an additional round of investor funding.</p><br /><p><img src="http://cdn-static.zdnet.com/i/r/story/70/00/023367/dropboxlogo-v1-200x126.jpg?hash=MzZ5Z2R3Mw&upscale=1" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>Dropbox is attempting to raise $250 million in funding this year, which would value the firm at $8 billion.</p><br /><p>The file-sharing service, used to transfer files across the Web through virtual folders, is looking to raise the funds within the next few weeks, according to Bloomberg. Citing people with knowledge of the matter, the publication says that while Dropbox is yet to use up $250 million generated from its previous funding round in Oct 2011, the firm wants additional capital to expand the corporate side of the business.</p><br /><p>In the consumer realm, Dropbox is a popular method for transferring and sharing files for free. The service is available for free, and there is an option to open a premium account -- depending on how much space you require and what additional features you need. To date, over 200 million accounts have been opened.</p><br /><p>However, the company wants to gain traction in the business realm. Besieged by rival services including Box and Google Drive, despite Dropbox's rapid growth, consumers may not cut it alone if the firm is going to establish itself and survive long in to the future.</p><br /><p>Dropbox spokesperson Ana Andreescu told the publication that the firm currently caters for four million businesses. Earlier this month, the company launched a service aimed directly at corporate users, offering features including unlimited space, sync and file sharing, 256-bit AES and SSL encryption, two-step verification, central control and file recovery for $795 a year for 5 users, and $125 per additional user.</p><br /><p>In a blog post announcing the service, founders Drew Houston and Arash Ferdowsi said:</p><br /><p>'On one hand, people wanted to access their personal stuff at work; meanwhile, IT admins wanted to keep company data separate and free of personal files. Both needs were real, but people had to choose between two Dropboxes. It'll be like having your house keys and your work keycard on the same keychain.'</p><br /><p>While much of this will be useful for businesses to keep their data safe and control what users have access to information, obviously the features and pricing are overboard for the consumer space -- and while that side of the business maintains steady growth, the corporate side will need additional technology to cope with demand, as well as a dedicated sales desk and development team. According to the publication's sources, sales have also slowed as Amazon and Google entered the market with their cloud-storage services.</p><br /><p>Dropbox is not the only Silicon Valley startup hustling for attention and funds. Twitter, even though the microblogging platform is making a loss, was valued at more than $20 billion after its debut, while photo-sharer Pinterest has managed to raise additional funds in an investment round that valued the company at $3.8 billion. According to Reuters, Box is set to go public next year.</p><br /></div>

Technology Dropbox seeks funding, values firm at $8 billion

Summary: According to reports, the file-sharing service is seeking an additional round of investor funding. Dropbox is attempting to raise ...

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Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>Peter's Free NBA Basketball Pick Against the Spread</p><br /><img src="http://cdn.usatodaysportsimages.com/image/thumb/650-550nw/7734382.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>Photo by: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports</p><br /><i>The Atlanta Hawks look for a big win tonight when they travel to Miami to take on the Heat.</i><br /><p>The Atlanta Hawks look for a big win tonight when they travel to Miami to take on the Heat.</p><br /><p>The Hawks have won four of their last five and are coming off a second straight loss after blowing past the Knicks by 110-90 on Saturday. Jeff Teague led the team with 16 points while Paul Millsap added 14 points and 13 rebounds, but the key to the victory came from the bench where the Hawks' reserves outscored the Knicks' reserves by 43-26 led by Shelvin Mack who had 12 points and 12 assists. On the offensive end, the Hawks shot 56.4 percent from the field and had eight players finish in double digits, and on the defensive end they held the Knicks to 37.8 shooting, including JR Smith who shot three for 18.</p><br /><p>Meanwhile, the Heat have won six of their last seven and will be looking for a fourth straight win after cruising past the Bobcats by 97-81 on Saturday. Dwyane Wade made just one of his seven shots to finish with four points and Chris Bosh added just seven points, but you would have hardly noticed because LeBron James was simply putting on a show, scoring 30 points on 13 of 18 shooting. On the defensive end, the Heat were way too good for the Bobcats who scored just 16 points in the first quarter and shot just 34.9 percent from the field for the game.</p><br /><p>In ATS trends, the Hawks are 4-0 ATS in their last four road games and 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall, while the Heat are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games and 0-8 ATS in their last eight games following a win of more than 10 points.</p><br /><p>Head to head, the Hawks are 16-36 ATS in the last 52 meetings and 7-19 ATS in the last 26 meetings in Miami.</p><br /><p>The Heat have certainly dominated the Hawks in the past, but things are a little different this time around. The Hawks have made some key roster changes which suits their game better and gives them a decent shot at upsetting the Heat in their own building. I'm not picking Atlanta to win this game outright, but I'm definitely liking them with the hefty points start in this one.</p><br /></div>

SPORTS Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks

Peter's Free NBA Basketball Pick Against the Spread Photo by: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports The Atlanta Hawks look for a big win tonight...

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19-Nov-2013 12:13

Wife of Greenpeace activist among 30 arrested in Russia urges more Australian ... - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/wife-of-greenpeace-activist-among-30-arrested-in-russia-urges-more-australian-government-help/2013/11/18/fd09f09e-50c0-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/wife-of-greenpeace-activist-among-30-arrested-in-russia-urges-more-australian-government-help/2013/11/18/fd09f09e-50c0-11e3-9ee6-2580086d8254_story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>NSA vowed repeatedly to fix its collection errors - U.S. News & World Report :: <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2013/11/19/nsa-vowed-repeatedly-to-fix-its-collection-errors">http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2013/11/19/nsa-vowed-repeatedly-to-fix-its-collection-errors</a><br /><br><br /><br>DIGITS: Cheney family divide mirrors GOP split - Houston Chronicle :: <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/DIGITS-Cheney-family-divide-mirrors-GOP-split-4992677.php">http://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/DIGITS-Cheney-family-divide-mirrors-GOP-split-4992677.php</a><br /><br><br /><br>Survivors shaken by deadly Midwest tornado outbreak - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/11/19/survivors-shaken-by-deadly-midwest-tornado-outbreak/">http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/11/19/survivors-shaken-by-deadly-midwest-tornado-outbreak/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Search for Paris gunman continues - Independent Online :: <a href="http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/search-for-paris-gunman-continues-1.1609135">http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/search-for-paris-gunman-continues-1.1609135</a><br /><br><br /><br>George Zimmerman arrested on domestic violence charges in Florida: report - New York Daily News :: <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/george-zimmerman-arrested-florida-report-article-1.1520840">http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/george-zimmerman-arrested-florida-report-article-1.1520840</a><br /><br><br /><br>Obamacare: So, what could go wrong next? - Politico :: <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/obamacare-so-what-could-go-wrong-next-99957.html">http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/obamacare-so-what-could-go-wrong-next-99957.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Toronto mayor Rob Ford loses more powers - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24990650">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24990650</a><br /><br><br /><br>Blasts at Iranian Embassy in Beirut Kill at Least 23 - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/20/world/middleeast/blast-hits-shiite-area-of-beirut.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/20/world/middleeast/blast-hits-shiite-area-of-beirut.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Sardinia hit by deadly cyclone and flooding - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24996292">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24996292</a>

19-Nov-2013 12:13

Wife of Greenpeace activist among 30 arrested in Russia urges more Australian ... - Washington Post :: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...

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U.N. disaster chief stresses long-term needs for Philippines [ BeritaTerkini ]

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> <p><br></p> <p>By Stuart McDill</p> <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> <p>GUIUAN, Philippines (Reuters) – The head of U.N. disaster relief visited the heart of the Philippine disaster zone on Tuesday and stressed the need for long-term planning as well as emergency relief to ensure farmers and fishermen can resume their livelihoods.</p> <p>Valerie Amos toured the devastated coastal town of Guiuan in Eastern Samar, where Super Typhoon Haiyan made landfall on November 8 wiping out just about everything in its path, as a government official estimated the reconstruction bill would reach $ 5.8 billion.</p> <p>“We’ve had people here for a couple of days and I hope that by tomorrow we will be reaching a number of those coastal communities where they still have their boats but we haven’t been able to get to them with food so we urgently want to get to them with food,” Amos told Reuters.</p> <p>“But, in addition to that, we have to link it up to our colleagues who are going to help people to plant so that they don’t go hungry next year, help to make sure that people have fishing nets so that they can continue with their fishing and of course, immediately, we have to start to do the assessment so that we know what the longer-term damage is and the cost and how that money will be raised.”</p> <p>The Philippines and international armed forces and aid agencies are struggling to get help to devastated areas due to the extent of the destruction, which has left four million people displaced, threatening Aquino’s reforms that have helped transform the country into one of Asia’s fastest-growing emerging economies.</p> <p>In another blow, the Supreme Court ruled that a widely misused fund for legislators’ pet projects was unconstitutional and ordered the money be returned to the Treasury.</p> <p>The scandal over lawmakers’ misuse of “pork barrel” funds has become the biggest crisis of Aquino’s three-year rule, tainting his image as a corruption fighter and undermining his ability to push economic reforms.</p> <p>Congressman Ben Evardone, who is from Eastern Samar, said the ruling would make it difficult to raise funds for post-typhoon reconstruction.</p> <p>“While all sectors of society in the national and international community are in a frenzied mood to look for resources to support the typhoon victims, the Supreme Court appears to be insensitive to our situation,” he told reporters.</p> <p>The cost of rebuilding houses, schools, roads and bridges could reach 250 billion pesos ($ 5.8 billion), making it likely that the government will seek cheap loans from development agencies, a senior official said.</p> <p>SYMBOLIC SIGN</p> <p>If the government is successful in deploying resources for reconstruction, the economy may even grow faster, said Arsenio Balisacan, economic planning secretary, adding the country’s strong economic fundamentals remained intact.</p> <p>Most analysts don’t see the economy taking a long-term hit. The central bank raised its inflation forecasts for this year and next, but said the faster pace of price increases was not expected to force a rise in interest rates just yet.</p> <p>Aquino is personally overseeing relief operations in the worst-hit city of Tacloban in one of Asia’s biggest humanitarian efforts which could last months, if not years. An ATM opened under tight security in the city on Tuesday in a symbolic sign of progress.</p> <p>Authorities estimate more than 3,900 people were killed when Haiyan made landfall. Estimates of the death toll have varied widely, and the governor of worst-hit Leyte province said more than 4,000 people could have been killed on the island of Leyte alone.</p> <p>The relief effort is key to the fortunes of Aquino, 53, who got off to a bad start when the disaster struck, playing down the extent of the crisis and appearing aloof.</p> <p>Last week, his popularity was under threat, but – until the Supreme Court ruling anyway – he appeared more confident, rationalizing the extent of the damage.</p> <p>“There’s been some improvement in the government’s relief efforts,” said Peter Wallace, president of the Manila-based Wallace Business Forum consultancy. “Being able to move to Manila a number of displaced people, provide them with sustenance, we see that happening now. Clearing of the roads have been done, which is also extremely important.”</p> <p>Tecson John Lim, city administrator of Tacloban, said the central government was trying its best.</p> <p>“The president has been through a lot. Perhaps some of the things he mentioned might not have been exactly prudent,” he said. “I think he has seen and is learning to put this aside, whatever biases he might have had.”</p> <p>(Additional reporting by Rosemarie Francisco, Eric dela Cruz, Manuel Mogato and Karen Lema in Manila and Nathan Layfne in Tacloban; Writing by Nick Macfie)</p> <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Politics & Government</li> <li>Society & Culture</li> </ul><p></p> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

U.N. disaster chief stresses long-term needs for Philippines [ BeritaTerkini ]

By Stuart McDill GUIUAN, Philippines (Reuters) – The head of U.N. disaster relief visited the heart of the Philippin...

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Children In Need Auction Off Pudsey Bear Signed By David Tennant

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSSizVbeix77acloa_ejgkD0gM3ZOCkyruZPeHioUnbhbn2cFtUX2CdegpNV3DiBo0ZiyNB5zQbqdvDJFEUgGNafF7NoKSvuDcNDRX42ee0DcbscbspVu9Nry7yY8kyGgPSxjezqpuH_D/s1600/Pudsey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSSizVbeix77acloa_ejgkD0gM3ZOCkyruZPeHioUnbhbn2cFtUX2CdegpNV3DiBo0ZiyNB5zQbqdvDJFEUgGNafF7NoKSvuDcNDRX42ee0DcbscbspVu9Nry7yY8kyGgPSxjezqpuH_D/s1600/Pudsey.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David Tennant has autographed a giant Pudsey Bear toy to be auctioned off in support of the BBC's charity Children In Need.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pudsey Bear signed by David Tennant</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pudsey Bear is the official mascot of BBC Children in Need and is also a registered trade mark. He is loved by many across the <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region> and has been around since 1985. This 'Giant' Pudsey Bear has been signed by David Tennant, best known as the Tenth Doctor Who, and as Barty Crouch Jr in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. David has also hosted parts of BBC Children in Need, notably BBC Children in Need Rocks in <st1:city w:st="on">Manchester</st1:city>in 2011!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All BBC Children in Need auction items will be sent to the winning bidder with a certificate of authenticity. Every single penny raised by the auction will go towards making a positive difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and young people right here in the <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-Pudsey-Bear-signed-by-David-Tennant-/331064582394?pt=UK_Dolls_Bears_RL&hash=item4d14fca0fa"><span style="color: blue;">Click here to view and bid for David's bear</span></a></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The auction ends on Friday 22nd November</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The annual TV fundraiser which supports projects for disabled and disadvantaged children around the UK took place on Friday 15th November. <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/bbc_children_in_need/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from="><span style="color: blue;">Other items up for auction</span></a> include bears designed by Gary Barlow, Coldplay and One Direction, while the site also includes a range of Children In Need merchandise.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So far the 2013 Children In Need appeal has raised over £31 million</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>

Auction Charity Children In Need David Tennant Children In Need Auction Off Pudsey Bear Signed By David Tennant

David Tennant has autographed a giant Pudsey Bear toy to be auctioned off in support of the BBC's charity Children In Need. Pudsey Bear ...

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Why You Should Never Eat High Fructose Corn Syrup

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><img alt="http://vivienveil.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/corn-homer-donut.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="640" src="http://vivienveil.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/corn-homer-donut.jpg" width="383" /></div><br /><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br /><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div>Photo Credit:vivienveil.com <br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> 'Renaissance physician Paracelsus famously said, “The dose makes the poison,” meaning that even harmless substances can become toxic if you eat enough of them. Many people ask me, “is high fructose syrup really that bad for you?” And my answer to this question is “yes,” mainly for this very reason.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">In America today, we are eating huge doses of sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup.  It is sweeter and cheaper than regular sugar and is in every processed food and sugar-sweetened drink. Purging it from your diet is the single best thing you can do for your health!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">In recent history, we’ve gone from 20 teaspoons of sugar per person per year to about 150 pounds of sugar per person per year. That’s a half pound a day for every man, woman, and child in America. The average 20-ounce soda contains 15 teaspoons of sugar, all of it high fructose corn syrup. And when you eat sugar in those doses, it becomes a toxin.'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://drhyman.com/blog/2013/11/11/never-eat-high-fructose-corn-syrup/">more... </a></span>

Why You Should Never Eat High Fructose Corn Syrup

  Photo Credit:vivienveil.com  'Renaissance physician Paracelsus famously said, “The dose makes the poison,” meaning that even harmless...

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Home Remedies for the Flu

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="spotlight" height="293" src="https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1461347_10152129077088646_219609295_n.png" width="400" /></div><br /><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'As we enter into the flu season, chances are that many people will experience the effects of a cold or flu. Highly contagious, colds are the name we give for over 100 mild viral influenza forms. Luckily, there are many natural home remedies for the flu that can prevent and reduce the symptoms of the common cold and raise your immunity during this vulnerable season. if you follow these recommendations, chances are your flu-catching ability will be lessened.'</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Here's 10 Natural Flu Remedies You Can Try at Home:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/natural-home-remedies-for-flu/">more... </a></span>

Home Remedies for the Flu

'As we enter into the flu season, chances are that many people will experience the effects of a cold or flu. Highly contagious, colds ar...

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The Eczema Cure: Discover the Root Cause And Heal Yourself

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="spotlight" height="298" src="https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1460233_625126584197595_995687492_n.jpg" style="height: 400px; width: 400px;" width="300" /></div><br /><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'Even if you don’t need an eczema cure, I’d be willing to bet you know someone who does. That’s because more than 15 million people in the U.S. are suffering from eczema at this very moment.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Eczema is an itchy, often painful rash. The typical treatment of steroid creams? Doesn’t really work.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">Why’s that? It’s a short-term solution that doesn’t treat the real cause.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: large;">In her ground breaking e-book, The Eczema Cure, acupuncturist and holistic health practitioner Emily Bartlett writes about standard eczema treatments:'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/eczema-cure-discover-root-cause-heal-yourself/">more... </a></span>

The Eczema Cure: Discover the Root Cause And Heal Yourself

'Even if you don’t need an eczema cure, I’d be willing to bet you know someone who does. That’s because more than 15 million people in t...

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The Benefits of Aloe Vera and How To Make Your Own Moisturizing Spray

<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="http://humannhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Aloe-Vera.jpg" class="decoded" src="http://humannhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Aloe-Vera.jpg" /> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Credit:</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a class="irc_hol irc_hl" data-ved="0CAQQjB0" href="http://humannhealth.com/benefits-of-aloe-vera-juice/"><span class="irc_ho" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">humannhealth.com</span></a><span class="irc_dim"></span></span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'Mineral-rich aloe vera juice is nutrient-packed, and known to aid in weight loss, digestion, immune function and ease general discomfort. Learn how to make aloe vera juice as an anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal moisturizing spray.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Aloe vera contains a multitude of vitamins including A, C, E, folic acid, B1, B2, B3, B6 and is one of the few plants that contains vitamin B12, which helps with brain and nervous system function. </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"> <br /> It is also mineral-rich, containing calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, iron, and potassium, as well as being packed with amino and fatty acids. You can purchase the leaf of aloe vera at many many grocery retailers and health food stores. For those who want to make their own aloe vera juice at home, all you need is to harvest the leaf and then immediately remove the rind and the yellow layer just under the rind (aloin).'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read <a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/13/111813_Benefits-of-Aloe-Vera-How-To-Make-Your-Own-Moisturizing-Spray.shtml">more... </a></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>

The Benefits of Aloe Vera and How To Make Your Own Moisturizing Spray

Photo Credit: humannhealth.com 'Mineral-rich aloe vera juice is nutrient-packed, and known to aid in weight loss, digestion, immune fun...

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Chicago area economy seen growing at 1.3% this year

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p><img src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-528aa9ae/turbine/chi-metro-economic-growth-20131118-001/580" width="600"/> </p><br /><p>One third of all U.S. metro areas will see flat or negative economic growth this year, a steep increase from 2012, according to a study released Monday by IHS Global for the U.S. Conference of Mayors.</p><br /><p>The study projects that 119 metro areas won't see an economic improvement this year, up from 73 last year.</p><br /><p>The figure highlights the fact that the U.S. economy is still growing in fits and starts in the four years since the end of the Great Recession.</p><br /><p>Of the 244 metro areas projected to see growth, 93 are forecast to grow by 1 percent or less.</p><br /><p>The Chicago area's economy is expected to expand by 1.3 percent. But the two larger U.S. metro areas -- Los Angeles and New York -- are both projected to grow more than 2 percent.</p><br /><p>The national economy is projected to expand by about 1.7 percent.</p><br /><p>The Conference of Mayors is a non-partisan organization of cities with populations of more than 30,000.</p><br /><p>sbomkamp@tribune.com | Twitter: @SamWillTravel</p><br /></div>

Business Chicago area economy seen growing at 1.3% this year

One third of all U.S. metro areas will see flat or negative economic growth this year, a steep increase from 2012, according to a study rel...

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Icahn warns stock market could face 'big drop'

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20131118&t=2&i=812958194&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CBRE9AH1KT800" width="600"/><br /><p>Credit: Reuters/Chip East/Files</p><br /><p>Investor Carl Icahn speaks at the Wall Street Journal Deals & Deal Makers conference at the New York Stock Exchange in this June 27, 2007 file photograph.</p><br /><p>Unnerved by Icahn's prognosis, investors pushed stocks lower. The S&P 500, which was trading near unchanged before Icahn spoke, closed down 0.4 percent.</p><br /><p>'I am very cautious on equities today. This market could easily have a big drop,' Icahn said.</p><br /><p>He said share buybacks are driving results, not profitability.</p><br /><p>'Very simplistically put, a lot of the earnings are a mirage,' Icahn told the Reuters Global Investment Outlook Summit. 'They are not coming because the companies are well run but because of low interest rates.'</p><br /><p>He also hinted at his ongoing plan for Apple Inc, the most valuable U.S. company by market value, saying he does not want to fight with management at the iPhone giant but has no plans to walk away from his investment.</p><br /><p>Shares of Apple closed down 1.2 percent at $518.92; they were trading at $523.11 before Icahn's remarks. Icahn said he still thinks Apple's stock price is undervalued and said the company's CEO, Tim Cook, feels the same way.</p><br /><p>Icahn, who runs Icahn Enterprises, a diversified holding company, is urging Apple to buy back $150 billion worth of shares. The company has not committed to that. Icahn owns approximately 0.4 percent of Apple's outstanding shares, according to Thomson Reuters data.</p><br /><p>Icahn said that he and Cook are friendly, but he still spoke critically. 'Apple is not a bank and it should not be run like a bank because investors did not invest in a bank,' he said. 'Apple has all this money, they should be using it.'</p><br /><p>Known for decades of strong-arm tactics, including proxy fights, Icahn was diplomatically vague about exactly how he planned to proceed in his efforts with Apple. He did joke that if Reuters reporters had joined him for a cocktail, he might have said more.</p><br /><p>The 77-year-old investor's views on markets and individual companies are widely followed in light of the strong returns he has generated.</p><br /><p>Icahn said that in the last five years, investors who bought shares of companies in which his firm took seats on the board of directors and held the shares as long as an Icahn representative stayed on those boards would have earned 28 percent on an annualized basis.</p><br /><p>Icahn is known as one of the market's most powerful activist investors. But he said he and his colleagues do not want to micro-manage corporations. He prefers to speak with top management and 'set up parameters' for performance, such as return on equity or performance against competitors.</p><br /><p>'Boards should be keeping the CEO accountable,' Icahn said, adding, 'that's what a board should do.'</p><br /><p>Activism has become a hot-button topic in the hedge fund industry this year, in part because returns at activist funds are roughly 14 percent, nearly twice as strong as gains at the average hedge fund.</p><br /><p>While he pointed to a handful of managers who practice activism well, Icahn took a swipe against William Ackman, whose Pershing Square Capital Management is one of the industry's biggest activist managers, with average annual returns of 20 percent over the last decade.</p><br /><p>'What we don't do is exactly what Ackman does do. We may have an idea, but we never push it,' Icahn said.</p><br /><p>Ackman and Icahn have engaged in a very public battle on their opposing views of Herbalife, the nutrition and supplements company. Ackman took a large short position in Herbalife, while Icahn bet the company's share price will rise, which in fact it has.</p><br /><p>Ackman also made waves in his aggressive push to overhaul retailer J.C. Penney, but finally sold his 18 percent stake in the company earlier this year, losing hundreds of millions of dollars, after his campaign failed.</p><br /><p>But Icahn sang the praises of other activists, including Keith Meister, his one-time lieutenant who now manages Corvex Capital. Jeff Ubben's ValueAct, which was instrumental in forcing change at Microsoft, also got high marks, as did Daniel Loeb, whose Third Point, won big at Yahoo where he helped install Marissa Mayer as CEO last year.</p><br /><p>Icahn said he had looked at investing in Microsoft but did not, declining to give a reason.</p><br /><p>(Additional reporting by David Gaffen; Editing by Dan Grebler and Leslie Adler)</p><br /></div>

Business Icahn warns stock market could face 'big drop'

Credit: Reuters/Chip East/Files Investor Carl Icahn speaks at the Wall Street Journal Deals & Deal Makers conference at the New York Sto...

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Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal with Fruit and Vanilla

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Overnight crockpot oatmeal gluten free" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-5749" height="300" src="http://www.healthhomehappy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Overnight-crockpot-oatmeal-gluten-free-1024x768.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">'Overnight soaked oatmeal is one of our favorite breakfasts. It’s inexpensive, my kids can put it together the afternoon before, and it requires no effort in the morning. We soak the oats for a few hours so the anti-nutrients found in them are broken down and the oats are more digestible. Butter or coconut oil is added to give some slow-to-digest fats to the oatmeal, this keeps everyone full all the way until lunch.</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Recipe serves 4-6'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Read<a href="http://www.healthhomehappy.com/2013/08/overnight-crockpot-oatmeal-with-fruit-and-vanilla.html"> more... </a></span>

Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal with Fruit and Vanilla

'Overnight soaked oatmeal is one of our favorite breakfasts. It’s inexpensive, my kids can put it together the afternoon before, and it ...

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OECD sees emerging markets holding back global recovery

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20131119&t=2&i=813127781&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CBRE9AI0SCX00" width="600"/><br /><p>Credit: Reuters/Fred Dufour/Pool</p><br /><p>France's President Francois Hollande (2ndL) and Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) General Secretary Angel Gurria (L) arrive to attend the opening meeting of the New World Forum of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris April 17, 2013.</p><br /><p>In its latest snapshot of economic activity, the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecast the world economy would grow 3.6 percent next year.</p><br /><p>Though an improvement from the 2.7 percent expected for 2013, that was not as fast as the 4.0 percent estimated for 2014 in its last twice-yearly Economic Outlook dating from May.</p><br /><p>'We've lowered our forecasts for many reasons, but the most important one is the downgrade in growth in the emerging countries,' OECD chief economist Pier Carlo Padoan told Reuters, also citing slower trade and subdued investment.</p><br /><p>Padoan said advanced economies would not be able to make up for the momentum lost by many major emerging economies, hit by capital outflows triggered by the U.S. Federal Reserve's plans to rein in its exceptional monetary stimulus.</p><br /><p>'The U.S, is growing but they have to get their fiscal act together,' Padoan said. 'The euro area is becoming a positive growth region again but at very weak rates, and Japan is growing more but the question is whether this will be sustainable.'</p><br /><p>The OECD said the Fed should scale down its bond purchases as activity strengthens next year, forecasting that growth in the world's biggest economy would reach 2.9 percent in 2014, its strongest performance since 2005, after an estimated 1.7 percent this year.</p><br /><p>Despite the improving U.S. outlook, the OECD saw a major threat to the global recovery if the United States hit its debt ceiling, adding there was a 'strong case' to scrap it all together.</p><br /><p>UNEVEN RECOVERY IN EUROPE</p><br /><p>Having been a drag on global growth in recent years, the euro area was finally seen emerging from two years of recession to post growth next year of 1.0 percent, down marginally from an estimate of 1.1 percent in May.</p><br /><p>Still at risk of flare-ups in the euro zone's debt crisis, the recovery would be uneven among the bloc's members, marked by high youth unemployment and weak inflation, the OECD said.</p><br /><p>That was ample reason in the OECD's eyes for the European Central Bank, which cut its main rates to record lows this month, to keep monetary policy at current levels at least until the end of 2015, and possibly use more unconventional measures if deflation emerges.</p><br /><p>Growth in regional powerhouse Germany was expected to speed up from an estimated 0.5 percent this year to 1.7 percent next year, down slightly from 1.9 percent in the OECD's May forecasts. France, the euro zone's second largest economy, was seen growing 1.0 percent next year, in line with government estimates and up from an earlier OECD forecast of 0.8 percent.</p><br /><p>Outside the euro area, the OECD sharply revised up its growth forecasts for Britain and predicted the Bank of England would start to raise interest rates in late 2015, when unemployment is expected to fall to 7 percent.</p><br /><p>The OECD now expects growth of 2.4 percent next year, compared to its earlier forecast of 1.5 percent.</p><br /><p>'Given these projections, slack in labor and product markets will narrow and the stance of monetary policy should start to normalize in the last quarter of 2015,' the OECD said.</p><br /><p>New BoE forecasts last week suggested unemployment would hit 7 percent in the second half of 2015, based on current market interest rates, but Governor Mark Carney stressed that this would not automatically trigger a rate rise.</p><br /><p>Propelled by exceptional monetary surplus this year, Japan was on course for growth of 1.5 percent next year, up from a May forecast of 1.4 percent, but down from 1.8 percent in 2013.</p><br /><p>Meanwhile, the OECD trimmed its growth forecast for China next year to 8.2 percent, from 8.4 percent previously, but up nonetheless from an estimated 7.7 percent this year.</p><br /><p>(Reporting by Leigh Thomas; editing by Mark John Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)</p><br /></div>

Business OECD sees emerging markets holding back global recovery

Credit: Reuters/Fred Dufour/Pool France's President Francois Hollande (2ndL) and Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) General Se...

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'Legitimate' Bitcoin's value soars after Senate hearing

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/71177000/jpg/_71177738_71177737.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>The value of virtual currency Bitcoin surged to over $600 (£372), ahead of a US Senate committee hearing on Monday.</p><br /><p>The committee will hear that virtual currencies are a 'legitimate financial service' with the same benefits and risks as other online payment systems.</p><br /><p>The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee wants to explore the 'promises and risks' of Bitcoin for 'government and society at large'.</p><br /><p>The currency has trebled in value since October.</p><br /><p>The US Senate hearing was prompted by the closure of the Silk Road website in October. The site, which sold drugs and other illegal goods, was shut down by the FBI.</p><br /><p>Users of the site were required to pay for their transactions using Bitcoins.</p><br /><p>Representatives from the Department of Justice and financial regulator the Securities and Exchange Commission have been asked to provide their views about virtual currencies to the committee and submissions have been received from the FBI and the US Federal Reserve.</p><br /><p>The FBI, in a letter to the committee released yesterday, said that it recognised virtual currencies offered 'legitimate financial services' but they could be 'exploited by malicious actors'.</p><br /><img src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/71177000/jpg/_71177740_71177739.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>Mainstream acceptance</p><br /><p>''Two years ago it was alarm when Silk Road first came on the scene,'' Jerry Brito, senior research fellow at George Mason University told Bloomberg.</p><br /><p>''Since then, Congress has been educating itself and understands that there are great potential benefits, and like any new technology there are going to be some challenges. But they see there is a balance to be struck here and they are generally positive on the technology,' he said.</p><br />HOW BITCOINS WORK<br /><p>Bitcoin is often referred to as a new kind of currency.</p><br /><p>But it may be better to think of its units as being virtual tokens that have value because enough people believe they do and there is a finite number of them.</p><br /><p>Each Bitcoin is represented by a unique online registration number.</p><br /><p>These numbers are created through a process called 'mining', which involves a computer solving a difficult mathematical problem with a 64-digit solution.</p><br /><p>Each time a problem is solved the computer's owner is rewarded with Bitcoins.</p><br /><p>To receive a bitcoin, a user must also have a Bitcoin address - a randomly generated string of 27 to 34 letters and numbers - which acts as a kind of virtual postbox to and from which the bitcoins are sent.</p><br /><p>But it may be better to think of its units as being virtual tokens that have value because enough people believe they do and there is a finite number tcoin address - a randomly generated string of 27 to 34 letters and numbers - which acts as a kind of virtual postbox to and from which the bitcoins are sent.</p><br /><p>Since there is no registry of these addresses, people can use them to protect their anonymity when making a transaction.</p><br /><p>These addresses are in turn stored in Bitcoin wallets, which are used to manage savings. They operate like privately run bank accounts - with the proviso that if the data is lost, so are the bitcoins contained.</p><br /><p>Trade in Bitcoin is small compared with that in countries' official currencies. But since its creation in 2008, Bitcoin has become a popular way to pay for things online. There are currently more than 12 million bitcoins in existence according to Bitcoincharts, a website that provides financial information about the currency.</p><br /><p>On one exchange site, Mt. Gox, the value of the currency rose to $619 (£384) on Monday. This compares with a price of $200 (£124) in late October.</p><br /><p>The closing down of Silk Road and hearings in front of US government committees have led some to believe that prices are increasing as investors think Bitcoin will gain more mainstream acceptance.</p><br /><p>'Lots of factors are driving the price action in Bitcoin, including pure speculation,' said Garrick Hileman, an economic historian at the London School of Economics.</p><br /><p>'Regulatory interest in Bitcoin also traditionally has a positive effect on the price of Bitcoin,' he added.</p><br /><p>Jan Lambregts, head of financial market research at Rabobank, which does not trade in Bitcoin, said regulators were right to get involved.</p><br /><p>'Looking at it from a distance, it very much looks like it could be a speculative bubble. It's a small market, with a lot of interest in it, which is inflating and distorting the price,' he said.</p><br /><p>'But you can see the concerns for governments - this is a currency outside their normal domain and which is not influenced by central banks.</p><br /><p>'It may all be relatively small-scale now, but decisions taken now could have wider repercussions were such virtual currency experiments to be expanded in the future,' he added.</p><br /><p>Some have questioned whether trading in Bitcoin is insufficiently transparent and therefore easier to use for illegitimate means. Patrick Murck, from the Bitcoin Foundation, which promotes the use of the currency, told the BBC that the network was very open and everybody could see every transaction that happened.</p><br /><p>'I would challenge that it's for illegitimate use or bad actions. What we're finding is not that it's a haven for illegitimate activities but that there are many legitimate uses,' he said.</p><br /><p>Whatever people are using Bitcoin for, Mr Brito thinks its here to stay.</p><br /><p>'These hearings mean Bitcoin is finally coming into its own,' he said.</p><br /><p>'It's a real thing and it's not going anywhere and these hearings highlight that.'</p><br /></div>

Technology 'Legitimate' Bitcoin's value soars after Senate hearing

The value of virtual currency Bitcoin surged to over $600 (£372), ahead of a US Senate committee hearing on Monday. The committee will hear ...

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European Car Sales Rise Second Straight Month on Spain Surge (1)

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><p>Bloomberg News</p><br /><img src="http://www.bloomberg.com/image/iq88LE8zopjQ.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>European new car sales rose for two consecutive months for the first time since 2011 as a cash-for-clunkers program in Spain and a regional economic recovery spurred consumers to purchase vehicles.</p><br /><p>Registrations in October advanced 4.6 percent from a year earlier to 1.04 million autos, the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers Association, or ACEA, said today in a statement. Sales in September climbed 5.5 percent.</p><br /><p>A record six-quarter recession in the 17 countries sharing the euro ended in the three months through June, and consumer confidence in the area rose in October. Registrations gained in four of the top five auto markets, including a 34 percent jump in Spain. Sales were propelled by increases of 14 percent at Renault SA (RNO) and 6.2 percent at</p><br /><p>'What we can say with certainty is that we reached the bottom' in European auto sales by early this year, Thomas Besson, a Paris-based analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux, said by phone. 'There's a kind of artificial flavor with Spain, since it's their fourth cash-for-clunkers plan to preserve their industrial base and push internal demand.'</p><br /><p>European car-sales growth in October followed a 5.5 percent increase in September, with demand helped by new models such as Renault's Captur compact crossover and the latest version of GM's mid-size Opel Insignia. The back-to-back gains were the first since August and September 2011, ACEA Economics and Statistics Director Quynh-Nhu Huynh said in an e-mail.</p><br />Full-Year Decline<br /><p>Industrywide European sales are still set for a sixth straight annual contraction, with 10-month demand falling 3.1 percent to 10.4 million cars.</p><br /><p>Spain's government approved the renewal of state car-sales incentives on Oct. 25, offering a 1,000-euro ($1,350) matching subsidy for dealer discounts on trade-ins of seven- to 10-year-old vehicles. The new cars must be more fuel efficient and be priced at 25,000 euros or less. Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said the previous three cash-for-clunkers efforts contributed to 300,000 vehicle purchases.</p><br /><p>In addition to Spain, car sales increased last month in Germany, the U.K. and France. Italy was the only auto market of the five biggest in Europe to post a decline.</p><br /><p>European sales at Wolfsburg, Germany-based Volkswagen AG (VOW), the region's biggest carmaker, rose 5.7 percent in October, propelled by jumps of 24 percent at the Skoda brand and 15 percent at the Seat nameplate, while registrations gained 1.4 percent at the namesake VW marque. The Audi division, the world's second-biggest maker of luxury vehicles, posted a 0.5 percent decline.</p><br />Dacia Jump<br /><p>Renault, based in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt, posted a 16 percent European sales gain at the entry-level Dacia brand, which has revised the Sandero hatchback and Logan sedan. Registrations at the main Renault marque rose 13 percent.</p><br /><p>GM's Chevrolet division sold 6.6 percent more cars, while demand at the European nameplates Opel and Vauxhall rose 6.1 percent. Models that Detroit-based GM has begun selling in Europe in the past year also include the South Korean-made Mokka compact sport-utility vehicle, which Opel will produce in Spain next year, and the Adam city car.</p><br /><p>'Car sales have been falling for so long that the aging fleet in Europe alone could be a reason for a moderate pick up,' Jean-Francois Belorgey, who runs consulting company EY's automotive business in France, said by phone before the ACEA released figures. 'New sport-utility vehicles being introduced by several companies may also be pushing sales.'</p><br />Luxury Producers<br /><p>European sales at Mercedes-Benz, the world's third-biggest maker of luxury vehicles, rose 8.5 percent last month. The gain more than offset a 3.6 percent drop at the Smart city-car unit to boost group registrations at Stuttgart, Germany-based parent company Daimler AG (DAI) by 7 percent.</p><br /><p>Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), the global premium-car market leader, sold 0.3 percent more cars in Europe.</p><br /><p>Mercedes has won customers with a refreshed compact lineup, including the all-new CLA-Class coupe, as well as a revamp of the up-market E-Class sedan. Munich-based BMW began selling the 4-Series coupe, which shares underpinnings with its best-selling 3-Series sedan, in September. A new generation of its X5 SUV is entering dealerships this month.</p><br /><p>October European car sales also rose at Japanese producers Toyota Motor Corp. (7203), which posted a 17 percent jump in registrations, and Nissan Motor Co. (7201), with a 5.1 percent gain.</p><br /><p>European registrations declined 0.7 percent at Paris-based PSA Peugeot Citroen (UG), the region's biggest carmaker; 0.2 percent at Dearborn, Michigan-based ; 7.3 percent at Italian manufacturer Fiat SpA (F); and 2.3 percent at South Korean producer Hyundai Motor Co. (005380)</p><br /><p>To contact the reporter on this story: Mathieu Rosemain in Paris at mrosemain@bloomberg.net</p><br /><p>To contact the editor responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.net</p><br /></div>

Business European Car Sales Rise Second Straight Month on Spain Surge (1)

Bloomberg News European new car sales rose for two consecutive months for the first time since 2011 as a cash-for-clunkers program in Spain ...

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About 70 taken ill after California chemical plant leak [ BeritaTerkini ]

<div id="yom-ad-LREC" class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC"> <center> <div id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" class="yom-ad"></div> </center> </div> <p><br></p> <div class="body-slot-container"> <div class="body-slot-mod"> <div class="yom-remote"> <div class="yom-loading" id="mediacontentrelatedstory_container"></div> </div> </div> </div> <p>(Reuters) – About 70 people were taken ill after a sulphuric acid leak at a chemical company in California late on Monday, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said.</p> <p>People in the Carson area complained of throat and nose irritation and vomiting after being exposed to an “apparent sulphuric acid release in the air from a neighboring business,” Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Robert Diaz said.</p> <p>Thirteen people were treated at local hospitals and later released, Fire Department official Phil Ulloa said. Others were treated at the scene.</p> <p>Ulloa said the leak was caused by a scrubber machine malfunctioning at the Solvay chemical plant.</p> <p>It was not immediately clear if there were any workers at the Solvay plant at the time of the leak.</p> <p>Diaz said any threat to public safety “had been mitigated.” Carson is a city of about 92,000 in Los Angeles County, California.</p> <p>(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson; Editing by Janet Lawrence)</p> <ul id="topics" class="hidden"> <li>Politics & Government</li> </ul><p></p> //<!--[CDATA[ jQuery(".gmframe").load(function (){jQuery(this).remove();}); //]]--> <br><br>

About 70 taken ill after California chemical plant leak [ BeritaTerkini ]

(Reuters) – About 70 people were taken ill after a sulphuric acid leak at a chemical company in California late on...

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19-Nov-2013 11:12

Cheney gay marriage split mirrors GOP's - Politico :: <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/cheney-gay-marriage-republicans-100007.html">http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/cheney-gay-marriage-republicans-100007.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Split on Accord on Iran Strains US-Israel Ties - New York Times :: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/world/middleeast/split-on-accord-on-iran-strains-us-israel-ties.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/world/middleeast/split-on-accord-on-iran-strains-us-israel-ties.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Survivors march through typhoon-wrecked city to raise spirits as UN chief hails ... - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/19/survivors-march-through-typhoon-wrecked-city-to-raise-spirits-as-un-chief-hails/">http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/11/19/survivors-march-through-typhoon-wrecked-city-to-raise-spirits-as-un-chief-hails/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Official releasing what appears to be original court file authorizing NSA to ... - Washington Post :: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-releases-what-appears-to-be-original-court-file-authorizing-nsa-to-conduct-sweeps/2013/11/18/194522b6-50a7-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/official-releases-what-appears-to-be-original-court-file-authorizing-nsa-to-conduct-sweeps/2013/11/18/194522b6-50a7-11e3-9e2c-e1d01116fd98_story.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Sardinia hit by deadly cyclone and flooding - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24996292">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24996292</a><br /><br><br /><br>Survivors shaken by deadly Midwest tornado outbreak - Fox News :: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/11/19/survivors-shaken-by-deadly-midwest-tornado-outbreak/">http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/11/19/survivors-shaken-by-deadly-midwest-tornado-outbreak/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Judge to decide if Zimmerman is released on bail - The Seattle Times :: <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2022285305_apxzimmermanarrested.html">http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2022285305_apxzimmermanarrested.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Panthers win after flag picked up; official explains - Boston.com :: <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2013/11/panthers_win_upheld_after_flag_picked_up_official.html">http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/2013/11/panthers_win_upheld_after_flag_picked_up_official.html</a><br /><br><br /><br>Twin blasts strike near Iran's embassy in Beirut - USA TODAY :: <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/19/iran-embassy-beirut/3637133/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/11/19/iran-embassy-beirut/3637133/</a><br /><br><br /><br>Toronto mayor Rob Ford loses more powers - BBC News :: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24990650">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24990650</a>

19-Nov-2013 11:12

Cheney gay marriage split mirrors GOP's - Politico :: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/cheney-gay-marriage-republicans-100007.html...

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Samsung Said to Plan Galaxy Phone Using Three

<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><img src="http://www.bloomberg.com/image/iMMX5k2pu2RI.jpg" width="600"/><br /><p>Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) plans to release a Galaxy smartphone next year with a three-sided display that wraps around the edges so messages can be read from an angle, two people familiar with the plans said yesterday.</p><br /><p>The phone will use an upgraded version of Samsung's technology called Youm, currently featured in the curved Galaxy Round handset, the people said, asking not to be identified because the plans haven't been released. The display may be used in the S or Note series of premium handsets or may be the first in a new line, the people said. Samsung plans to have each side of the display operate independently.</p><br /><p>The world's largest maker of handsets is fighting with Apple Inc. (AAPL) to introduce innovative devices as they brace for a slowdown in the high-end smartphone segment, where Samsung sells about one of every three devices. Apple is developing new iPhone designs including bigger screens with curved glass and enhanced sensors that can detect different levels of pressure, a person familiar with the plans said Nov. 10.</p><br /><strong>Related News:</strong><br /><p>'We'll see curved displays coming into the market, but it's just a question of whether they will gain any significant traction with customers,' said Van Baker, director of research at Gartner Inc.</p><br /><p>Samsung climbed 2.7 percent, the most in more than two months, to close at 1,462,000 won in Seoul trading today. That pared the stock 's loss this year to 3.9 percent.</p><br />Smartphone Saturation<br /><p>Samsung doesn't have a specific release date for the new device, the people said, with one person saying the handset is more likely to come out during the second half of next year. The Youm technology was shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Chenny Kim, a spokeswoman for Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung, declined to comment yesterday.</p><br /><p>The company is diversifying its product portfolio by expanding its use of flexible displays, unveiling the Galaxy Gear smartwatch and registering a design patent for eyeglasses that can answer phone calls while the user exercises.</p><br /><p>Samsung filed a U.S. trademark application last year for Youm, saying it could be used in televisions, mobile phones, computers, cars and Christmas tree lights.</p><br /><p>'Samsung is the dominant player,' Lee Do Hoon, an analyst at CIMB Group Holdings Bhd (CIMB) in Seoul, said by phone yesterday. 'That gives it a competitive advantage over Apple in the race to make phones with bendable displays.'</p><br /><p>Curved screens may be a technology in search of a problem to solve, said Gartner's Baker. Samsung may provide a test case because they have shown a willingness to release products into the market to see if they gain favor with customers, he said.</p><br />Consumer Tastes<br /><p>'There are enough companies out there that are very fond of throwing whatever hardware they can out into the market, just to see if anybody will bite,' he said.</p><br /><p>Shares of Samsung face their first annual decline in five years as the company becomes more dependent on smartphones amid mounting worries over slower growth and intensifying market competition. The company, which holds $39 billion in net cash, said it will pursue more acquisitions as it seeks to grow amid fears its core businesses are nearing saturation.</p><br /><p>Samsung also is waging a global legal battle with Apple over patents used in mobile devices. The companies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in legal fees on claims of copying each other's features.</p><br /><p>Apple, which initiated the legal fight in 2011, seeks to limit the Galaxy maker's growing share of the U.S. market, where the Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker is No. 1 and Samsung No. 2.</p><br />Battling Apple<br /><p>Even with slowing sales of the Galaxy S4 released in April, Samsung last month posted record third-quarter earnings after extending its lead in the smartphone market and benefiting from a rally in chip prices. The company is the world's largest maker of memory chips.</p><br /><p>The mobile unit, responsible for more than 60 percent of profit, posted record operating profit of 6.7 trillion won in the third quarter as the company tapped demand in emerging markets, including China and India. It sold about 120 million handsets in the third quarter for a 28.7 percent market share, researcher Strategy Analytics said Oct. 29.</p><br /><p>To contact the reporter on this story: Jungah Lee in Seoul at jlee1361@bloomberg.net</p><br /><p>To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Tighe at mtighe4@bloomberg.net</p><br /></div>

Technology Samsung Said to Plan Galaxy Phone Using Three

Samsung Electronics Co. (005930) plans to release a Galaxy smartphone next year with a three-sided display that wraps around the edges so me...

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