Thursday, July 26, 2012

Pot Legalization Is Coming (Rolling Stone)

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US eases sanctions on Myanmar in rare difference with Aung San Suu Kyi

Last month, Aung San Suu Kyi?advised foreign companies not to invest in the state-run Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise until it became more accountable and open.

By Simon Roughneen,?Correspondent / July 12, 2012

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (l.) arrives to attend a regular session of parliament at Myanmar Lower House on Thursday, July 12, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar.

Khin Maung Win/AP

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In what appeared to be a rare snub by American lawmakers for Myanmar parliamentarian and long-time detainee Aung San Suu Kyi, the United States on Wednesday gave a go-ahead for American businesses to invest in Myanmar's oil and gas sectors ? the largest easing of sanctions in the past 15 years.

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?The United States is easing restrictions to allow US companies to responsibly do business in Burma," said President Obama, using the old name for Myanmar as Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi does.

Aung San Suu Kyi does support sanctions-lifting by Western countries and investment by Western business in keeping with the reforms undertaken by Myanmar's nominally-civilian government in office since March 2011. But she has expressed caution regarding the Myanmar state-run energy company, long regarded as a cesspit of corruption with tight links to the country's abusive military. Last month the National League for Democracy (NLD) parliamentarian warned that ?the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) ? with which all foreign participation in the energy sector takes place through joint venture arrangements, lacks both transparency and accountability at present.?

The US and some other Western governments have long taken their cue on Myanmar policy from Aung San Suu Kyi, but the Obama administration's decision on investment runs against that well-worn grain.

The US has likely taken what it sees as a pragmatic pro-business policy decision based on what it views as a combination meeting of strategic interests (countering China) and rewards as promised for the Myanmar government undertaking reforms.

The new US policy also allows American companies to bed down with MOGE, though they will be required to report annually to the State Department with evidence that their investments factor in workers' rights and the environment.

Reacting to the US announcement today, Aung San Suu Kyi told AFP that the move was ?nothing significant,? and wondered whether the US had sought some form of improved transparency from MOGE prior to the announcement.

Aung San Suu Kyi was recently-chided by the Myanmar government for continuing to call the country ?Burma,? the name of choice for opponents of Myanmar's military dictatorship, which issued a decree in 1989 changing the country's name from Burma to Myanmar in a move still controversial due to its arbitrary genesis.

The announcement came just hours after Ambassador Derek Mitchell took up post in Myanmar, the first American emissary to hold that position since 1990, when the NLD famously won a national election but was denied office by the military junta.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/7gpGhITusi8/US-eases-sanctions-on-Myanmar-in-rare-difference-with-Aung-San-Suu-Kyi

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Structured Settlement Sales In A Down Economy - CBC Settlement ...

When an economy makes a sharp downward turn, some things change quickly, while others tend to stay the same. For example, the news media usually notices the differences between necessities, which people keep buying, and ?luxury items,? where merchants tend to see sales plummet as consumers scrimp and save. The same is often true in the world of financial products: where the volume of certain types of loans have dropped off while ?structured settlement sales are still popular.

Debt and Structured Settlement Sales

One reason why loans are down in some parts of the lending industry is that it?s harder for the average consumer or family to get credit. This is true for car loans, small business loans and other kinds of loans. But a structured settlement sale is not a loan, and structured settlement holders have the option of selling all or part of a structured settlement regardless of what the economy is like at any given time. That?s why selling a structured settlement continues to be a key way to handle financial emergencies for those who hold these flexible assets.

Basically, a structured settlement sale is often an alternative to debt. Structured settlement holders can use the settlement lump sum payout to pay off debts and avoid heavy interest and penalties. Some of the most common ways that structured settlement holders use a structured settlement sale include:

  • Financing home improvements or real estate purchases
  • Paying medical bills, health care premiums or other health care related costs
  • Paying for further education
  • Buying necessary transportation or other large assets that are critical for financial well-being
  • Funding a small business

A structured settlement sale plan must go before a judge. A structured settlement holder should consult a qualified structured settlement buyer to see whether a particular plan is likely to get approved. Structured settlement buyers can also help with all of the other details of this sort of transaction, to make sure that your lump sum gets to you when you need it.

Selling a Structured Settlement with CBC

At CBC, we have the experience to help you design a successful structured settlement sale and follow it through to completion. We have helped many clients get lump sum payouts through structured settlement sales. Let us guide you through the process of learning how to get the most out of a structured settlement. We will keep you informed every step of the way and listen to your needs to customize your sale the way you want it, and to optimize your profit from this financial strategy.

Source: http://www.cbcsettlementfunding.com/structured-settlement-buyers-in-down-economy

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The Federal Reserve Bank and Apple Stock Price Today ? Apple hit as

The Federal Reserve Bank and Apple Stock Price TodayGlobal stocks continued their losing streak last night as fears concerning Europe and the continuing global slowdown weighed heavily on investor sentiment. It looks like the Federal Reserve Bank in the U.S. is starting to scramble and we will touch on that a little later. The Dow Jones, the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ all closed down between .80 percent and .95 percent while in Europe the hits were larger. The Spanish stock market has been absolutely slammed recently and last night was no exception with it falling 3.58 percent.

It seems clear now that Greece cannot repay what is owed at the moment and that means that either there will need to be more debt restructuring, meaning more loss for the creditors or potentially no more money for Greece and a shove out of the European Union. We will have to wait and see how things play out over the next few days.

The Federal Reserve Bank, as part of its operation twist scheme, purchased $1.81 billion dollars? worth of treasuries that have due dates ranging from February 2036 to May 2042. The aim is to swap short term treasuries they own for long, in an effort to being borrowing costs lower to therefore in turn, stimulate the economy ? As people or companies will find it easier to handle borrowing at lower interest rates.? Apparently there will also be meetings next week to determine whether the Fed will begin another round of stimulus?

The sale of treasuries has also been rising of late with yields falling to record lows for two consecutive days. ?In the U.S. $35 billion worth of two-year bond notes were at yields of record low prices and they are scheduled to sell the same amount again tomorrow. The yield for 10 year notes declined to 1.3875 percent and the thirty year bond fell to 2.4530 percent. Investors are still flooding in to pick up these investments. At such a low rate of return many are left wondering why investors would be convinced these bonds are a good investment, particularly with the huge debt load the U.S. already has and is unlikely to be able to pay back.

Over to earnings season now and Apple was butchered and if we look at the Apple Stock Price Today we saw it lost 5 percent in after-hours trading. This is apparently the first time in 39 quarters that Apple has reported results that missed analyst predictions. Apple have partly blamed expectations of their upcoming IPhone 5 release for the loss, ?claiming that anticipation of their new model stopped consumers purchasing current phones on offer. They of course also pointed to the economic slowdown. Either way, it does highlight that the Apple Brand is losing some of its resistance to global economic pressures as the financial crisis continues. It will be interesting to see whether or not Apple can bounce back after the release of their new phone.

Big Picture

As the crisis winds on, the effects are being felt by companies once considered to be insulated from global slowdown. We spoke about the McDonald Stock Price yesterday and now the Apple Stock Price today. As things continue to fall apart in Europe, it may be that these effects will be more pronounced in the coming quarters.

It is also interesting to note that investors are still flocking to bonds as a safe haven investment, particularly when the fulfillment of these investments relies on the ability of governments already too heavily indebted, to pay the bond debts back. ?We will need to pay close attention to what the Federal Reserve Bank does next week.

Check out our you tube video on The Federal Reserve Bank and Appple Stock Price Today

Tags: Apple stock price today, The Federal Reserve Bank

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Trading and Investing 4U, in preparing this post, did not take into account the investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs of the investor. Before making any decision about the information provided, you must consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation, and needs, and always consult your advisor. Securities and Derivatives have inherent risks and any comments appearing here are general advice only and can involve high risk investment. Trading and Investing 4U has made every effort to ensure the information is accurate, however its accuracy, reliability or completeness is not guaranteed.

Any advice in this post is General Advice only

Source: http://www.tradingandinvesting4u.com/the-federal-reserve-bank-and-apple-stock-price-today-apple-hit-as-well/

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Groupon fires back at shuttered waffle business

Jul 25, 2012 1:44pm

ht craig nelsen jp 120725 wblog Groupon Fires Back at Shuttered Waffle Business

(Image credit: Craig Nelsen)

?

Groupon is once again defending its business model after a shuttered waffle vendor blasted the deals service online as ?money-hungry? and bad for small businesses.

Three months ago, Craig Nelsen, 52, erstwhile owner of Back Alley Waffles on Blagden Alley in Washington, D.C., opened the business to draw attention to his three-year old art gallery which sells his mosaic artwork.

?We opened [Back Alley Waffles] with no money because the art gallery was struggling financially,? Nelsen said.

He said offering a two-for-one waffle deal through Groupon ?broke our back,? causing the waffle business to close two weeks ago. ?In particular, Nelsen takes issue with Groupon?s practice of distributing revenue to vendors in three payments over a 60-day period.

?It?s a bad model. I blame myself for getting into it. It?s a warning to any other small business that is trying to start up to stay clear of these guys,? he said.

Groupon spokeswoman Julie Mossler?said a partnership with Groupon is not intended to give businesses a quick infusion of cash and that Nelsen was made aware that he would receive an initial payment through postal mail, then two payments after 30 and 60 days.

However, Nelsen, who received his second payment after the business closed, claimed the amount of money that would be distributed was not ?clear? when he agreed to the contract.

In a statement, Groupon said: ??Mr.?Nelsen?initially approached Groupon and our merchant advisors structured a deal to best encourage?overspend?and help his business grow. We also required Back Alley to cap the number of Groupons sold to ensure the feature was in the best interest of both consumers and the merchant. We scheduled his feature on his terms, on a date he selected, under a contract he reviewed and signed. According to our records, only 132 Groupons, or 18 percent sold, have been redeemed since Back Alley ran two months ago, and Mr.?Nelsen has received 2/3 of his share of the revenue to date.

?We always hate to hear that a local business has decided to close, but the math does not point to Groupon as the cause.?

Mossler also pointed out that Nelsen made multiple agreements with LivingSocial and Scoutmob while offering the Groupon deal, which Groupon does not recommend.

?The 18 percent represents $2,600 worth of waffles is not much to $1.6 billion corporation like Groupon, but for someone trying to open a restaurant with no money is a huge overhang up front,? Nelsen said.

Nelsen?s art gallery is still operating because it does not require additional staff, he said. Though the waffle business failed, it seemed to reach his initial goal of drawing attention to his art.

?I got my first commission in the last week,? Nelsen said. ?That was really encouraging.?

Groupon, for its part, has struggled since going public , with its shares falling 72 percent since its Nov. 7 debut to $7.31 each.

?

?

SHOWS: World News

Source: http://feeds.abcnews.com/click.phdo?i=ead42b49352ad33320c50af1b8ae72ba

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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

BMO: Hey,@duanebrown @nickwmay. Just wanted to let you know that we're listening to feedback. An Android app is coming from BMO. Stay tuned.^CS

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Colo. gun sales spike after shooting

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/gun-sales-aurora-colorado-shooting-spike-tuscon-161409369--finance.html

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Solar power deal means 800 jobs in San Antonio

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/solar-power-deal-means-800-jobs-san-antonio-120905194--finance.html

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Monday, July 23, 2012

Facebook investors eager to check advertising status

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Wiggins targets Olympic gold after Tour triumph

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wiggins-targets-olympic-gold-tour-triumph-095043241--oly.html

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Kate Middleton as cover girl in South Africa?

JOHANNESBURG?The August edition of Marie Claire South Africa featuring an illustration of Kate Middleton has raised eyebrows with some saying the magazine bypassed traditional routes of securing a cover girl.

The magazine cover appears to show the Duchess of Cambridge wearing African-style designer clothes but a closer look reveals that an illustrator and a real-life model were used to create a likeness of Prince William's wife.

The cover claims Middleton wears South Africa's "best local designs" only to acknowledge in a well-hidden small print that "of course she doesn't. But she should."

Some readers on the magazine's website described the cover as "misleading" but others thought it was "pure genius."

Editor Aspasia Karras says the cover was meant to be a playful tribute harking back to the covers of the 1940s and 50s.

? Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://feeds.boston.com/click.phdo?i=5e9b4f1a0c070c9e553f26d853353173

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Sunday, July 22, 2012

John W. Whitehead: Violence Begets Violence: Making Sense of the Dark Knight Massacre

"In a world gushing blood day and night, you never stop mopping up pain." -- Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams
"Violence is as American as cherry pie" -- H.R. Schiffman

The fact that 24-year-old neuroscience student James Holmes had the wherewithal to turn himself into a lethal killing machine is tragic but far from surprising. Frankly, I'm almost surprised it doesn't happen more often, given that we're not only raising young people on a diet of violence but indoctrinating them into a worldview that sees violence as a means to an end, whether it's a SWAT team crashing through a door or the Avengers taking on invading alien armies. By the time a child reaches 18, it is estimated that he or she will have witnessed 200,000 acts of violence, including 40,000 murders on television.

Violence begets violence. Not only is violence contagious, however, but it's imploding on America, a nation plagued by violence -- in our homes, in our schools, on our streets and in our affairs of state, both foreign and domestic. Violence permeates our entertainment culture with its glamorization of death and destruction in reality TV shows such as Cops and Dog the Bounty Hunter, movies such as The Dark Knight Rises and the upcoming Gangster Squad (in which a gangster opens fire in a movie theater), and video games such as Soldier of Fortune.

Violence has become our government's calling card, starting at the top and trickling down, from President Obama's "kill list" to the more than 80,000 SWAT team raids carried out every year on unsuspecting Americans by heavily armed, black-garbed commandos. Our nation has one of the highest murder rates and levels of incarceration of all industrialized nations in the world. We even export violence, with one of this country's most profitable exports being weapons. All too often, these same weapons fall into the hands of our enemies.

America is now seen as a violent empire with continual wars that stretch back to at least the beginning of the twentieth century. We send our young men and women off to fight these questionable wars in far-flung places, only to have them return broken, shell-shocked and battling bouts of violence, depression and suicide.

This brings us to the events of July 20, 2012, when a 24-year-old gunman, dressed as the Joker and wearing a gas mask and black SWAT gear, walked into a crowded Denver movie theater, set off two gas canisters and opened fire on the crowd assembled for the midnight showing of The Dark Night Rises, leaving 12 dead and over 60 injured.

The media, true to form, is subjecting us to every grisly detail of the shootings. You can't turn on the television without seeing this tragedy used as grist for prime-time ratings. In its feeding frenzy, the media has succeeded in glamorizing death and destruction to such an extent that shooting sprees have gained a notorious appeal -- a way for people who, in life, may never have rated a second glance to attain celebrity status in death.

Yet even with the 24-hour coverage, we have more questions than answers, and speculation is rife. And the biggest question of all looms large: Who or what is to blame?

Politicians want to blame the tragedy on easy access to guns. Their solution? Gun control and zero-tolerance policies. But these are just cosmetic Band-aids, doomed to failure, because if someone really wants to wreak havoc, they'll find a way to obtain a weapon.

Sociologists want to blame it on the steady diet of violence that permeates everything in our culture. We have been caught in the grip of a cycle of violence that started with the government's televised attack on a Waco compound in April 1993, in which 79 adults and children were killed. Two years later, to the day, the Oklahoma City bombing left 168 people dead. Four years after that, on April 20, 1999, two teenagers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, opened fire on classmates and teachers at Columbine High School, killing 12 students and one teacher and leaving 24 others wounded.

Then, on April 16, 2007, we had the Virginia Tech massacre, in which 23-year-old Seung-Hui Cho walked into a university building on the Virginia Tech campus, chained the doors shut and opened fire on students and teachers alike, leaving 32 dead and many more injured before turning the gun on himself. Most recently, in February 2012, teenager T. J. Lane -- reportedly a victim of bullying and something of a social outcast -- walked into a Cleveland high school and opened fire in the cafeteria, killing two students and wounding three others.

The instinctive response to this latest Denver shooting spree will be to appease the public by adopting measures that provide the appearance of increased security. However, enacting tighter gun policies and increasing police surveillance and patrols will accomplish little more than propelling us the final step of the way into a police state.

It may be that Denver gunman James Holmes was simply a deeply disturbed individual, but we cannot ignore the fact that he was also a product of American culture. Thus, the question is not so much "Why is there a Holmes?" but "Why aren't there more Holmeses, Chos, McVeighs and Klebolds?"

To borrow from Shakespeare, the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves. We are a society that is armed to the teeth. Our culture glorifies violence. Even security guards at shopping malls carry weapons. Our government is especially guilty of using violence as a quick fix. How can we teach nonviolence if our government leaders subscribe to violence?

In one of his classic essays, C.S. Lewis aptly described the absurdity of the mixed messages being sent to our young people. More than 60 years later, his words continue to resonate:

All the time -- such is the tragi-comedy of our situation -- we continue to clamour for those very qualities we are rendering impossible. You can hardly open a periodical without coming across the statement that what our civilization needs is more "drive", or dynamism, or self-sacrifice, or "creativity". In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.

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Follow John W. Whitehead on Twitter: www.twitter.com/rutherford_inst

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-w-whitehead/violence-begets-violence-_b_1693435.html

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Find a Real Estate Agent | Earl for Mayor

Houses for Sale West Jordan Finding a respected realtor can make buying or selling a house easier, less stressful, and more economical. Qualified realtors are trained to predict the housing market and the buying/selling process to help their clients get the best deal at the best time. But selecting the right realtor can be incredibly hard, as there are many realtors who might not be the right for you. When selecting an agent, make sure you ask questions to find out what credentials they have and what processes they can utilize. Also, pay close attention to the way they speak and listen to you, the cleanliness of their office, and how their payment preference. By taking some time, you can find the right agent that will keep you at the top of the real estate game. Expert Property Salesmen

Source: http://www.earlformayor.com/?p=9560

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cobas b 123 POC system, In critical-care testing every minute counts :

Roche Launches Cobas B 123 Mobile Blood Gas Analyzer in U.S. .In critical-care testing every minute counts.The?cobas b?123 POC system is a fast, multi-parameter analyzer, delivering many of the vital results that physicians need in order to make decisions in time critical situations. From one drop of blood the system can assess a patient?s oxygenation and acid/base status as well as deliver important information on electrolytes and the metabolites glucose and lactate within 2 minutes.

The portable analyzer is designed for use in intensive care units for monitoring of blood gases mainly to determine whether a patient is receiving sufficient respiratory support, in emergency departments for patients suffering from heavy trauma or acute heart and lung diseases, operating rooms during surgery and other clinical areas including neonatal and dialysis units.?The system can analyze pO2, pCO2, pH, Hct, Na+, K+, Ca++, Cl?, glucose, lactate, tHb, SO2, O2Hb, HHb, COHb, MetHb, neonatal bilirubin and calculate more than 30 other clinically useful parameters.?Results can be automatically printed or transmitted to the laboratory information system.

From product page:

Graphically guided user interactions

  • All major user workflows are supported by graphics
  • Step through guide to performing a measurement
  • Step through guides to exchanging consumables

Easy handling steps

  • On-board training for all handling steps within minutes
  • Accepts all common types of sample containers with-out adaptor
  • Smart chips on the instrument consumables eliminate the need for scanning barcodes

Shubhro

Source: http://www.jamesbom.com/cobas-123-poc-system-criticalcare-testing-minute-counts.html

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Saturday, July 21, 2012

Parallels between Batman film and the shooting

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/parallels-between-batman-film-shooting-001544149.html

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Ouya $99 video game console: It's the size of a Rubik's Cube ...

The Ouya is an upcoming video game console designed around an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor and Android 4.0 operating system. The developers hope to use Android as a platform for playing video games on a TV, which will make it easier for game developers to create titles for the big screen without jumping through the hoops necessary to get a game on the Xbox, Wii or PlayStation.

Whether you believe the Ouya will revolutionize the gaming console market or not, the ?project has generated a lot of interest. More than 40,000 people have pledged over $5 million to the project, and many of those people will be among the first to get developer kits when they?re available in December or Ouya gaming consoles when they launch in March, 2013.

But here?s something you might not have known: The box is going to be small. Like, about the size of a Rubik?s Cube small.

Ouya

Up until now we?ve only seen rendered pictures showing what the Ouya will actually look like when it ships ? and I?always?figured the game console looked smaller than the controller because it was in the distance. But designer Yves Behar says it will be ?quite small, around the size of a Rubik?s cube.?

That will make the little console small enough to place almost anywhere in your living room, or to throw in a bag and carry with you.

Behar?s comments came during a Q&A with readers at video game blog Kotaku.

The small size makes sense. After all, the video game console has the same guts as a smartphone, which is designed to fit in your pocket. But somehow I kind of thought it?d be bigger.

In addition to the Tegra 3 processor, the box will have 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, an HDMI port, USB 2.0 port, and Ethernet port. It will features 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, and a wireless game controller that can be used over a Bluetooth or USB connection.

via Droid Gamers

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed, follow us on Twitter, or "like" us on Facebook. Thanks for visiting!

  • Game formatDownloadable
  • Drive capacity8 GB
  • Controller typeWireless
  • Video outputsHDMI
  • Announced07/10/2012
see all specs ?

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write a review Posted on Friday, July 20th, 2012, 6:49 pm by Brad Linder

Source: http://liliputing.com/2012/07/ouya-99-video-game-console-its-the-size-of-a-rubiks-cube.html

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Former Twitter Chief Scientist Abdur Chowdhoury Raises $1.35M For Super-Stealthy Startup Pushd

abdur-chowdhuryFormer Twitter Chief Scientist Abdur Chowdhoury is working on a new, super-stealthy project called Pushd. Details are scarce, but here's what we do know: According to an SEC filing, he's teamed back up with Summize co-founder Eric Jensen and the two have raised $1.35 million for the venture, which is based in New York City. Chowdhoury joined Twitter with the company's 2008 acquisition of search engine Summize. He became Chief Scientist at Twitter, while Jensen became Twitter's Tech Lead for Search and Relevance.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/jToVVRbj1Cc/

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ProducersWeb - My Practice - Direct mail vs. email marketing ...

Whether you?re approaching potential clients with snail mail or email campaigns, it's important to remember that no matter the approach, you have a relatively engaged audience on the other end.

In my blog about a direct mail postcard I received recently from an insurance company, I argued that direct mail marketing is a dying trend. On the same day I posted it, a company called Mail Revolution launched its brand new website. I guess they beg to differ.

Mail Revolution, based in Amarillo, Texas, is a marketing company that specializes in direct mail. Their goal, says a PRWire press release, is to give business owners the ability to do entire mailings from their homes or offices. ?Mail Revolution?s target audience is small businesses that want to advertise with marketing materials, but do not have the budget to successfully do so,? says the press release.

I visited mailrevolution.com, where the company offers instant quotes for its brochure, postcard and other collateral services. I found that 1,000 5x7 full-color, double-sided postcards with glossy coating costs about $530.

That number is comparable to the approximately $556 per 1,000 letter-sized mailings that the Direct Marketing Association found to be the amount spent on direct marketing last year. An article on ChiefMarketer.com cites this report, which also concludes that while direct mail still generates the highest response rate of all other kinds of direct marketing, it falls short when it comes to return on investment.

Response rates, says the report, for letter-sized direct mail were just over three percent, as compared to the response rate for email marketing at 0.12 percent. The email?s ROI, though, was more than 28 percent, while the ROI for the direct mail was only 7 percent.

Why could that be?

Consider the postcard I wrote about yesterday. It was incredibly misleading. (I pointed out one critical flaw, and I?m hoping you?ll all comment and do the same.) A direct mail recipient might call the number on the postcard looking for more information, only to discover less than desirable numbers, or potentially even a scam.

While it?s less clear why email marketing is more successful in terms of ROI, my hunch is that the companies launching these e-marketing campaigns are social media savvy, and therefore have established, informative websites to which they can link potential customers. These websites likely link to other industry news and blogs, which ultimately give the reader resources to research the products available. An educated customer is much more likely to become a client than a novice answering an ambiguous postcard in his or her mailbox. Not to mention, most Web dealings (online ads, email marketing software, pay-per-click services, etc.) are much less expensive than those in print. Less money spent almost always equals a higher ROI.

My last significant takeaway from the Direct Marketing Association report is that financial emails had open rates of more than 30 percent. Not too shabby for email marketing.

Whether you?re approaching potential clients with snail mail or email campaigns, important to remember is that no matter the approach, you have a relatively engaged audience on the other end. Don?t spam them or send misleading information. Give them the facts- that?s what they?re looking for.

Source: http://www.producersweb.com/r/pwebmc/d/contentFocus/?pcID=cc4fb43aa9e0c0624af39a3acdc05f8a

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Reporter explores dark world of online weapons trade

18 hrs.

"I couldn't believe what I?was looking at," Sam Biddle, a reporter for the?tech blog Gizmodo, exclaimed to me?while describing his exploration of?a "secret online weapons store that'll sell anyone anything."

Biddle?? with whom I briefly?worked during my time at Gizmodo ? just wrapped up a month of research, which led to a detailed, engaging account of his attempts to outfit?"a 20-person paramilitary group to overthrow a West African government in a Internet-armed coup d'?tat."

Of course, Biddle doesn't actually head up?a paramilitary strike force, nor is he attempting to overthrow any regimes. Instead he was trying to see if there really are people out there willing to sell an?anonymous?stranger a pile of weapons without blinking an eye, let alone asking for a background check.

Biddle found his answer in a virtual black market called "The Armory." It's difficult to access and nearly impossible to trace, he says.?Purchases there require Bitcoin, an electronic currency.

What's not required?? or ever, ever discussed?? are?details about buyers and sellers. Biddle entered this underworld under the alias "triadische2." (While that may ring sinister in an old-school Bond?villain fashion, the name was actually?inspired by an antique poster given to Biddle by his mother???promoting?a ballet company.?"I didn't want to be 'gundude2000,'" he told me.)

Choosing a faux identity is much simpler than making a purchase, mind you. Once you wiggle your way through the software hurdles and encryption layers required to even locate the gun mart, find the wares you want, negotiate with a seller, and transfer Bitcoin, you still have to receive an actual shipment of guns ? in real life. As Biddle reveals:

That receiving part is almost as tricky as the labyrinthine purchasing process. How exactly do you illegally ship illegal guns to potential criminals? In pieces. Small pieces. The crafty gun dealers of The Armory aren't going to just stick an assault rifle into a manilla envelope and drop it into a local mailbox. Rather, buyers get each gun component shipped in shielded packages???disguised to look like other products???that then require self-assembly. You get your gun, the dealer gets his money, The Armory retains its secrecy, and the mail carrier doesn't realize it's part of an international weapons smuggling operation.

Slightly scary, no?

Your neighbor?? the one who keeps receiving mail-order shipments?? could easily be putting together a tank in his basement, piece by little piece, thanks to the Internet.

Of course, these activities won't go unnoticed forever. A spokesperson for the?for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) told me, in no uncertain terms, that the law enforcement agency is "aware that there are illegal activities on the Internet" and that it has "people investigating it."

Unfortunately, as Biddle himself found earlier, the ATF was unable to confirm whether the specific online shop visited by Biddle is the subject of an investigation or not, as it could put the investigation?? if there is one?? at risk.

I suspect that might make Biddle frown. His final thought when we spoke, was about how much he'd love to see law enforcement read his report and swing into action.

Read Biddle's full story over?at Gizmodo.

Want more tech news, silly puns, or amusing links? You'll get plenty of all three if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.technolog.msnbc.msn.com/technology/technolog/reporter-explores-dark-world-online-weapons-trade-897041

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User:AlexineMontgomery3304 - TaeskWiki

From TaeskWiki

Recreation area Area Real estate property: A fantastic Location to Live, Perform As well as Perform

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Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Ions, not particles, make silver toxic to bacteria

Ions, not particles, make silver toxic to bacteria [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 11-Jul-2012
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Contact: Mike Williams
mikewilliams@rice.edu
713-348-6728
Rice University

Rice University researchers report too small a dose may enhance microbes' immunity

HOUSTON (July 11, 2012) Rice University researchers have settled a long-standing controversy over the mechanism by which silver nanoparticles, the most widely used nanomaterial in the world, kill bacteria.

Their work comes with a Nietzsche-esque warning: Use enough. If you don't kill them, you make them stronger.

Scientists have long known that silver ions, which flow from nanoparticles when oxidized, are deadly to bacteria. Silver nanoparticles are used just about everywhere, including in cosmetics, socks, food containers, detergents, sprays and a wide range of other products to stop the spread of germs.

But scientists have also suspected silver nanoparticles themselves may be toxic to bacteria, particularly the smallest of them at about 3 nanometers. Not so, according to the Rice team that reported its results this month in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters.

In fact, when the possibility of ionization is taken away from silver, the nanoparticles are practically benign in the presence of microbes, said Pedro Alvarez, George R. Brown Professor and chair of Rice's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.

"You would be surprised how often people market things without a full mechanistic understanding of their function," said Alvarez, who studies the fate of nanoparticles in the environment and their potential toxicity, particularly to humans. "The prefix 'nano' can be a double-edged sword. It can help you sell a product, and in other cases it might elicit concerns about potential unintended consequences."

He said the straightforward answer to the decade-old question is that the insoluble silver nanoparticles do not kill cells by direct contact. But soluble ions, when activated via oxidation in the vicinity of bacteria, do the job nicely.

To figure that out, the researchers had to strip the particles of their powers. "Our original expectation was that the smaller a particle is, the greater the toxicity," said Zongming Xiu, a Rice postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the paper. Xiu set out to test nanoparticles, both commercially available and custom-synthesized from 3 to 11 nanometers, to see whether there was a correlation between size and toxicity.

"We could not get consistent results," he said. "It was very frustrating and really weird."

Xiu decided to test nanoparticle toxicity in an anaerobic environment that is, sealed inside a chamber with no exposure to oxygen -- to control the silver ions' release. He found that the filtered particles were a lot less toxic to microbes than silver ions.

Working with the lab of Rice chemist Vicki Colvin, the team then synthesized silver nanoparticles inside the anaerobic chamber to eliminate any chance of oxidation. "We found the particles, even up to a concentration of 195 parts per million, were still not toxic to bacteria," Xiu said. "But for the ionic silver, a concentration of about 15 parts per billion would kill all the bacteria present. That told us the particle is 7,665 times less toxic than the silver ions, indicating a negligible toxicity."

"The point of that experiment," Alvarez said, "was to show that a lot of people were obtaining data that was confounded by a release of ions, which was occurring during exposure they perhaps weren't aware of."

Alvarez suggested the team's anaerobic method may be used to test many other kinds of metallic nanoparticles for toxicity and could help fine-tune the antibacterial qualities of silver particles. In their tests, the Rice researchers also found evidence of hormesis; E. coli became stimulated by silver ions when they encountered doses too small to kill them.

"Ultimately, we want to control the rate of (ion) release to obtain the desired concentrations that just do the job," Alvarez said. "You don't want to overshoot and overload the environment with toxic ions while depleting silver, which is a noble metal, a valuable resource and a somewhat expensive disinfectant. But you don't want to undershoot, either."

He said the finding should shift the debate over the size, shape and coating of silver nanoparticles. "Of course they matter," Alvarez said, "but only indirectly, as far as these variables affect the dissolution rate of the ions. The key determinant of toxicity is the silver ions. So the focus should be on mass-transfer processes and controlled-release mechanisms."

"These findings suggest that the antibacterial application of silver nanoparticles could be enhanced and environmental impacts could be mitigated by modulating the ion release rate, for example, through responsive polymer coatings," Xiu said.

###

Co-authors of the paper are postdoctoral researcher Qingbo Zhang and graduate student Hema Puppala, both in the lab of Colvin, Rice's Kenneth S. Pitzer-Schlumberger Professor of Chemistry, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and vice provost for research.

The work was supported by a joint U.S.-U.K. research program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.K.'s Natural Environment Research Council.

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2012/07/11/ions-not-particles-make-silver-toxic-to-bacteria-3/

Read the abstract at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl301934w

Related links:

Alvarez Group: http://alvarez.rice.edu/

Colvin Group: http://nanonet.rice.edu/

Image for download:

http://news.rice.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Microbe-graphic.jpg

Silver ions delivered by nanoparticles to bacteria promote lysis, the process by which cells break down and ultimately die, which makes silver nanoparticles a superior and widely used antibacterial agent. New research by Rice University found that silver ions, not the particles themselves, are toxic to bacteria. They also found that ligands in the vicinity of a bacteria can bind silver ions and prevent them from reaching their target. (Credit: Zongming Xiu/Rice University)



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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Ions, not particles, make silver toxic to bacteria [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 11-Jul-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Mike Williams
mikewilliams@rice.edu
713-348-6728
Rice University

Rice University researchers report too small a dose may enhance microbes' immunity

HOUSTON (July 11, 2012) Rice University researchers have settled a long-standing controversy over the mechanism by which silver nanoparticles, the most widely used nanomaterial in the world, kill bacteria.

Their work comes with a Nietzsche-esque warning: Use enough. If you don't kill them, you make them stronger.

Scientists have long known that silver ions, which flow from nanoparticles when oxidized, are deadly to bacteria. Silver nanoparticles are used just about everywhere, including in cosmetics, socks, food containers, detergents, sprays and a wide range of other products to stop the spread of germs.

But scientists have also suspected silver nanoparticles themselves may be toxic to bacteria, particularly the smallest of them at about 3 nanometers. Not so, according to the Rice team that reported its results this month in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters.

In fact, when the possibility of ionization is taken away from silver, the nanoparticles are practically benign in the presence of microbes, said Pedro Alvarez, George R. Brown Professor and chair of Rice's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.

"You would be surprised how often people market things without a full mechanistic understanding of their function," said Alvarez, who studies the fate of nanoparticles in the environment and their potential toxicity, particularly to humans. "The prefix 'nano' can be a double-edged sword. It can help you sell a product, and in other cases it might elicit concerns about potential unintended consequences."

He said the straightforward answer to the decade-old question is that the insoluble silver nanoparticles do not kill cells by direct contact. But soluble ions, when activated via oxidation in the vicinity of bacteria, do the job nicely.

To figure that out, the researchers had to strip the particles of their powers. "Our original expectation was that the smaller a particle is, the greater the toxicity," said Zongming Xiu, a Rice postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the paper. Xiu set out to test nanoparticles, both commercially available and custom-synthesized from 3 to 11 nanometers, to see whether there was a correlation between size and toxicity.

"We could not get consistent results," he said. "It was very frustrating and really weird."

Xiu decided to test nanoparticle toxicity in an anaerobic environment that is, sealed inside a chamber with no exposure to oxygen -- to control the silver ions' release. He found that the filtered particles were a lot less toxic to microbes than silver ions.

Working with the lab of Rice chemist Vicki Colvin, the team then synthesized silver nanoparticles inside the anaerobic chamber to eliminate any chance of oxidation. "We found the particles, even up to a concentration of 195 parts per million, were still not toxic to bacteria," Xiu said. "But for the ionic silver, a concentration of about 15 parts per billion would kill all the bacteria present. That told us the particle is 7,665 times less toxic than the silver ions, indicating a negligible toxicity."

"The point of that experiment," Alvarez said, "was to show that a lot of people were obtaining data that was confounded by a release of ions, which was occurring during exposure they perhaps weren't aware of."

Alvarez suggested the team's anaerobic method may be used to test many other kinds of metallic nanoparticles for toxicity and could help fine-tune the antibacterial qualities of silver particles. In their tests, the Rice researchers also found evidence of hormesis; E. coli became stimulated by silver ions when they encountered doses too small to kill them.

"Ultimately, we want to control the rate of (ion) release to obtain the desired concentrations that just do the job," Alvarez said. "You don't want to overshoot and overload the environment with toxic ions while depleting silver, which is a noble metal, a valuable resource and a somewhat expensive disinfectant. But you don't want to undershoot, either."

He said the finding should shift the debate over the size, shape and coating of silver nanoparticles. "Of course they matter," Alvarez said, "but only indirectly, as far as these variables affect the dissolution rate of the ions. The key determinant of toxicity is the silver ions. So the focus should be on mass-transfer processes and controlled-release mechanisms."

"These findings suggest that the antibacterial application of silver nanoparticles could be enhanced and environmental impacts could be mitigated by modulating the ion release rate, for example, through responsive polymer coatings," Xiu said.

###

Co-authors of the paper are postdoctoral researcher Qingbo Zhang and graduate student Hema Puppala, both in the lab of Colvin, Rice's Kenneth S. Pitzer-Schlumberger Professor of Chemistry, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and vice provost for research.

The work was supported by a joint U.S.-U.K. research program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.K.'s Natural Environment Research Council.

This news release can be found online at http://news.rice.edu/2012/07/11/ions-not-particles-make-silver-toxic-to-bacteria-3/

Read the abstract at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/nl301934w

Related links:

Alvarez Group: http://alvarez.rice.edu/

Colvin Group: http://nanonet.rice.edu/

Image for download:

http://news.rice.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Microbe-graphic.jpg

Silver ions delivered by nanoparticles to bacteria promote lysis, the process by which cells break down and ultimately die, which makes silver nanoparticles a superior and widely used antibacterial agent. New research by Rice University found that silver ions, not the particles themselves, are toxic to bacteria. They also found that ligands in the vicinity of a bacteria can bind silver ions and prevent them from reaching their target. (Credit: Zongming Xiu/Rice University)



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-07/ru-inp071112.php

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