Disarmed crowds of protesters fired on by Bahraini authorities

Disarmed crowds of political protesters in Bahrain are being fired upon by Bahraini security forces. Protesters calling for democratic reform are turning the Middle East upside down, as several nations are seeing widespread protests against authoritarian rule comparable to recent events in Egypt. Lethal force has been used by Bahraini and Libyan forces in response to the peaceful demonstrations by disarmed civilians. Source of article – Bahrain protests turn deadly as army fires on unarmed crowds by Newsytype.com.

Protesters flood streets of Bahrain demanding reforms

Nations in the Middle East are increasingly more volatile currently. The demonstrations for democratic reforms have yet to cease. On February 14, just days after the resignation of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, protesters began taking to the streets of Manama, according to The Telegraph, and have been protesting for several days. Bahraini security forces have dealt with protesters harshly, using force to dispel demonstrators, and have opened fire on several occasions. Tear gas and live rounds were used Friday February 18 on protesters. This ended up killing two while the day before, five were killed with open fire. Bahraini protesters have been engaging in peaceful protests and have not been openly carrying weapons or firing on police.

Those in Bahrain simply want democracy and civil liberties

Civil rights for the Shi'ite group in the Middle East are what demonstrators are asking for in Bahrain. King Hamad bin-Isa al-Khalifa and the royal family of Bahrain are Sunni, and Shi'ites isn’t legally treated as fully equal to Sunnis, according to the New York Times. They also think that a democracy be the change where the country go. Demonstrators had been warned to stay out of Pearl Square, in the heart of Manama, however Bahrainis were emboldened after funerals of people slain by police during Thursday's demonstrations, proclaiming it as a "Day of Rage.".

More protests than in just Tunisia and Egypt

Both Tunisia and Egypt's rulers left after uprisings. This brought on protests in Yemen, Libya and Bahrain to start. Libyans have taken to the streets, calling for the ouster of the long time ruler of Libya, Muammar al-Gaddafi. Since 24 demonstrators from cities have been killed by Libyan security in the last few days, it is clear that the forces have had a bad response, USA Today reports.

Articles cited

The Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/bahrain/8334771/Bahrain-royal-family-orders-army-to-turn-on-the-people.html

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/02/19/world/middleeast/19bahrain.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&src=me

USA Today

usatoday.com/news/world/2011-02-18-libya-protests_N.htm

GOP utilizes spending budget bill in attempt to kill net neutrality

Net neutrality rules created by the Federal Communications Commission are the next target for House Republicans. The FCC seeks to put into action rules preventing Internet service providers from discriminating against content providers and customers via diverse fees and connection speeds. The House passed an amendment to a spending bill that would cut off money the FCC would spend to enforce net neutrality rules. This could help the millions of people who take out payday advance loans every month just to pay their internet bill.

What net neutrality would do for the spending budget on a federal level

In an attempt to keep the FCC from implementing new net neutrality rules, the Republican-controlled House approved an amendment to a budget bill needed to fund the government to the end of the 2011 fiscal year in June. Net neutrality was stopped at the FCC with this bill. It was a way of helping out corporations that control U.S. Internet access for instance Verizon, AT&T and Comcast. The legislation process might not go so well though for the net neutrality amendment. It will be really hard for Obama to veto the amendment if it’s part of the spending budget bill the government needs for funds.

Politics and net neutrality

Senate Democrats and Obama strongly support the FCC net neutrality rules. In Dec., the Democratic House passed the rules. Then, in hopes that the GOP would change to Republican in the new year, U.S. Senate Republicans stalled the measure. Senate Democrats, who still hold the majority, are adamant that they won’t address the Republican net neutrality defunding amendment. On March 4, the government funding bill that is currently there will disappear. It’s vital that a new spending bill be created. Otherwise, the government will have to stop every little thing.

What you should learn about net neutrality

New net neutrality rules are being considered because a few major companies control Internet access for most Americans. In order to keep the quality of service low and the rates high, many suspect the businesses are working together. The FCC hopes to encourage more competition in the Internet service provider sector by preventing major Internet service providers from charging web sites for faster access and throttling Internet connections for content providers and customers who don’t pay additional.

Citations

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110217-718244.html

Politico

politico.com/news/stories/0211/49754.html

Daily Tech

dailytech.com/US+House+Votes+to+Allow+Cable+Providers+to+Throttle+Internet/article20947.htm

Banks upset with new laws on credit cards

New regulations for charge cards on how interest rates and fees could be assessed are working. Lenders and card companies are not terribly happy, as new mandates force them to be more forthright with their fees and charges to consumers. The laws are working, and charge card units at major loan businesses for instance Bank of America are losing money as sly interest hikes and fees are not allowed anymore.

Noticing Bank of America credit card losses

The bank's charge card unit for B of A had a financial statement come out over it. Bloomberg reports that this can be changed now. Bank of America announced that it was adjusting a write down of FIA Card services, its charge card unit, for late 2009 from $10.4 billion to $20.3 billion, meaning the credit card unit is worth $20.3 billion less than it was in 2008. The filings were adjusted by the company. This shows the loss was actually much larger than initially reported. Due to the prestige of the holder of the asset, the "goodwill" value was lost instead of true cash. The "goodwill" is the value of an asset above industry value. The financial institution cited regulatory conditions and “deteriorating credit quality” for FIA Card Services being worth $10 billion less than estimated in 2009.

Losses were because of CARD Act

Several loan providers for charge cards are having problems like Bank of America. The new regulations are to blame including the Credit card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act, or the CARD Act. It is posited the act means less access to advance money for further lending, though this means the law is working. There have been fewer cases of changes in interest rates and late fees added on to people. CNN reports that this is because of the CARD Act.

New card law a smashing success

The CARD Act has yielded some great outcomes. Since the law was passed, studies show that about 2 percent of card holders had rates of interest elevated, compared to 15 percent before the CARD Act was passed. Late fees, which accounted for $901 million in instant cash for card issuers in January 2010 — before the Act took impact in Feb. 2010 — had dropped to $427 million by Nov 2010. That means corporations from Scottsdale to Birmingham and all over the U.S. that look to seemingly surreptitious practices for revenue are having a harder time, which is what the CARD Act is intended to do.

Information from

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-21/bofa-almost-doubles-credit-card-unit-writedown-to-20-3-billion.html

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/02/22/news/economy/credit_card_act/?cnn=yes

Payday loan liberation: Kentucky House Bill 182 fails to pass

Kentucky lawmakers who stood behind House Bill 182 are now wallowing in the agony of defeat, reports the Louisville Courier-Journal. The suggested legislation that could have cut the Annual Percentage Rate personal loan companies might charge to 36 percent was voted down 13-10 in the Kentucky House Banking and Insurance Committee. Army loans in the state will remain at a federally mandated thirty-six %.

Keeping payday advance businesses open

House Bill 182 was sponsored by Louisville Democrat Rep. Darryl Owens. He compared meat with the payday loans bill.

"It’s done. You can stick a fork in it," he said.

Rep. Owens think the pay day loan interest rates are "obscene" like several others even though there have been numerous extant studies that show that payday lending is much less expensive than alternatives. When it comes to financial issues, only a few who get payday advances actually have a hard time. It was shown that defaults and rollovers are rare since most users have enough income to repay the loan.

Certainly Kentucky doesn't think the very same way Rep. Owens and company do

John Rabenold said House Bill 182 would have been "a job killer." Rabenold is in the payday lending industry group Kentucky Deferred Deposit Association. For every $100 loaned, only $1 in profit would be made with an APR of thirty-six percent. The "profit" is taken away totally after a cash advance business pays for operational and salary expenses. Kentucky would lose around 2,000 jobs because of 650 payday lending outlets closing down in the state. That is something politicians might never be able to admit to having done.

Kentucky wants to keep payday advances available

Customers whose access to traditional credit has been restricted due to credit history will inevitably experience financial shocks from time to time, particularly when emergency expenditures arise. Payday advances are needed whether it’s for medical bills or automobile repairs. The Courier-Journal reports that Democratic Rep. Jim Gooch thinks that families in Kentucky need access to the payday lending industry. He is worried that families would have nothing to do when an emergency arises.

Articles cited

Louisville Courier Journal

courier-journal.com/article/20110216/NEWS01/302160106/1010/FEATURES/House-panel-rejects-payday-loan-bill?odyssey=nav%7Chead

How you can pick the right wine for optimum tasting dinner

The proper bottle of wine is hard to find. It could be a difficult choice. When organizing a social supper function, having the "right" bottle of wine is essential. Not only does a personal preference play a role in wine selection, the food itself should be looked at. It is a good idea to compliment the taste of the meals with the flavor of the wine, which is sometimes called wine partnering. To make the wine and meals "go well" with one another, it can be good to have the very same attributes between them. Another prospect is to balance the food with a wine that contradicts the profile. There are many things to note when choosing the best wine even though there is not a perfect way to do wine pairing.

The far better selection among red and white

As a general rule, white wines tend to pair better with lighter food, while red wines are typically matched with heavier, entrée type courses. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Chardonnay are all exceptional choices. They would all pair really well with a light meal including something such as salad and salmon. There are several heavy red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot and Zinfandel. If you are having a BBQ, veal, lamb or beef, these might be better choices.

All in the details

Within these basic "rules" you will find other considerations that should be made such as the spices used in food preparation. Pasta with a red marinara sauce pairs well with a Zinfandel or a Chianti, while a Pasta that is made with an alfredo or parmesan sauce may be better suited to a Merlot, or even a Chardonnay. A Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio are both better off with something like lemon chicken while a Pinot Noir or Merlot would go well with a chicken marsala.

The sweeter side

Some wines also go well with dessert. Any fruit or citrus desserts would go well with ice wine and late harvest Riesling. Cabernet Sauvignon is a good choice with chocolate desserts that are darker without red meat. Port wines also go well with chocolate, as well as champagne.

Many like to do wine partnering. It keeps the meal exciting and fun. The thing to consider is that there is no right or wrong mixture. Making up different combinations of flavor profiles is part of the fine with it. Wine is the optimum when friends and family are there while it adds a nice touch to every meal. It will always be fun. Is there a reason why you haven't started? Get ready to drink!

Shark assaults last year rose, however Florida bucked trend

Shark attacks increased worldwide, in accordance with an annual shark attack report released Monday. FL saw fewer shark attacks last year, however the state still led the U.S. in that statistic. Shark attack prevention may have gotten a boost from a recent study that shows sharks are colorblind. Article source – Shark attacks worldwide in 2010 rose to highest level since 1980 by MoneyBlogNewz.

Information on shark assaults

In 1980, there were 80 shark assaults documented by the University of FL which compiles the Worldwide Shark Attack file. Now, the 2010 report comes close to that with 79 documented attacks. When it comes to the shark attacks, six were fatal. They all died. A 25 percent increase was shown from 2009. This was when there were only 63 attacks. The normal 36 attacks occurred in the U.S. It nevertheless made the country a leader though. There were 14 in Australia which is famous for sharks. Eight happened in South Africa. Six were reported in both Vietnam and Egypt. Four of five Egyptian attacks happened within five days. Egypt saw this happen. There were recreational divers feeding reef fishes and sharks during the very hot summer in Egypt while a passing cargo ship put dead sheep overboard.

Shark attacks in FL become less common

Most shark attacks typically come from Florida. However, for the fourth straight year a decline in attacks was reported. The 10 year average for shark attacks in Florida is at 23 while 13 were reported this year. Then, SC, HI and California all reported 4 attacks. Georgia, Maine, OR, TX, Virginia and WA had one shark attack. Because there were less tourists in FL in 2010, it is likely there was this change in shark attack numbers to go down. The recession and BP oil leak made this happen.

Ways you can cease shark attacks too

More than half of 2010 cases were of surfers. A recent study showing that sharks are colorblind suggests ways to protect them. Shades of gray are all that sharks can see. Less of a contrast in wet suits and surfboards can help a lot. When attacking, sharks are generally just curious. They are not trying to get a meal. You will find black wetsuits that are worn by surfers a lot. Generally this is high contrast and is noticed. "Yum, yum yellow" is what the U.S. Navy uses to refer to the attraction sharks have to colors. Yellow is more attractive. Wetsuits that are blue or green tend to have a lower contrast. That means shark attacks are less likely.

Information from

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/41458324/ns/world_news-world_environment/?GT1=43001

Gainesville Sune

gainesville.com/article/20110207/ARTICLES/110209535/1109/sports?Title=Economy-to-blame-for-drop-in-Florida-shark-attacks-expert-says&tc=ar

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2011/01/sharks-are-color-blind-shark-attacks.html

Carmelo Anthony to Lakers: A magical combo

The Denver Nuggets haven’t been anything to write home about this season, however the potential of an Anthony trade has created a stir. Most rumors have pointed to the New York Knicks as a Carmelo trade destination, although ESPN reports a newcomer to the party. Carmeloa Anthony might be on his way to the Lakers. Resource for this article – Carmelo Anthony to the Lakers trade talk shifts to high gear by Newsytype.com.

Carmelo Anthony to Lakers: A Miraculous fit

The groundwork for a Carmelo to the Lakers trade is there. Lakers legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson said that something had to be changed by the Lakers if they were going to win. Just days after this, the LA Media spoke with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak who said a trade is an option. In LA, MTV personality La La Vazquez as wife of Carmelo purchased a home with her husband. Lakers representatives have coyly denied interest.

Details on the Lakers

The Lakers currently sit at 36-16, which is first in the Pacific Division, however numerous high-profile losses have sent the team scrambling for answers. Considering that a strong scorer is what the Lakers need, Anthony would be ideal. Since Melo is 6 foot 8 and 230 pounds, he can do so many things while being an excellent scorer. It would be extremely hard to guard the Lakers with Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom.

Who the Lakers will give up in trade

If the Carmelo Anthony to the Lakers deal goes through, ESPN reports the Lakers would likely move oft-injured center Andrew Bynum. Many are concerned about Bynum's durability although he can stop interior scorers effortlessly. The current National Basketball Association bargaining agreement would work with a trade of Anthony for Andrew Bynum even though Nuggets want to shed salary meaning more players may be offered, reports ESPN.

Other Carmelo Anthony trade possibilities

In addition to the LA Lakers, the Denver Nuggets have engaged in intense Carmelo Anthony trade talk with the NY Knicks. A three team deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves was one of the deals that have not occurred yet. None of the speculated deals have been happening. There were calf and ankle injuries that Kicks forward Wilson Chandler sustained. That means the trade has not happened yet.

Citations

ESPN

sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6101304

ESPN Los Angeles

espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/15841/the-philosophy-of-trading-andrew-bynum

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/02/dont-count-on-carmelo-anthony-coming-to-lakers.html

Lakers’ Ron Artest on how to guard Carmelo Anthony

youtube.com/watch?v=a-QTcU9YEi8

Super Bowl betting cleans out Las Vegas bookies

The Super Bowl ended up being a losing bet for Las Vegas. Green Bay’s decisive victory wasn’t what the Las Vegas sports book had been hoping to see. The final tally is anticipated to add up to the greatest Super Bowl losses for Las Vegas casinos since 1993. People lost and won money from the short term cash they got for their gambling needs.

Super Bowl was bad news for gambling establishments in Vegas

The books for Las Vegas ended up losing with the Super Bowl gambling. As 2 1/2-point favorites, the Packers delivered for the gambling public in its 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nevada gaming officials won’t release the official numbers until Tuesday, however several factors converged that are anticipated to result in large net loss for casinos. The Packers were favored and they covered the 3-point spread. There were reports of at least two $1 million bets on the Packers. The Super Bowl over/under was set at 45.5 points and much of the public bet Packers/over in a game that totaled 56 points. The Steelers were preferred by 2 ½ points by Las Vegas even though they were down by 11 at halftime but coming back.

Even more bad news for Las Vegas

There was a huge loss in Las Vegas with the Super Bowl. This is since the over/under is anticipated to be too low by most that also will bet on the favorite. The favorite will hopefully win, if the sports books get what they want. They just want a low-scoring game to happen instead. There can be a lost bet on them if the favorites do not cover in the win. The Packers won by six although they were preferred by 2 ½. That means that a huge payday came in to those who bet on the Green Bay Packers. There was an even worse part so this. In the second half, the Steelers were favored by Vegas by 2 ½. When the second half started, the Steelers were down by 11. This wasn't a good start. A wave of gamblers realized they could bet on the Steelers, 2 1/2-point underdogs before the game started, as 8 1/2-point underdogs in the second half. The Steelers lost by six. That means those betters also made some money.

The house can lose also

Super Bowl Sunday is the busiest betting day in the year in Las Vegas and typically a large harvest for the gambling establishments. Both teams in the Super Bowl XLV got a lot of bets put in to the Las Vegas sports book. In 2010, $82.7 million was bet on the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. About $6.8 million was made by casinos. Estimates for Super Bowl wagering in 2011 at Las Vegas are as high as $95-$100 million. In 2008, the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots. This caused a $2.6 million loss in Las Vegas. In the other nine Super Bowls since 2000, the gambling establishments have averaged a stake of $9.07 million.

Information from

Los Angeles Times

latimes.com/sports/la-sp-super-bowl-vegas-20110207,0,2227070.story

Business Insider

businessinsider.com/super-bowl-vegas-sports-books-lost-money-2011-2

Las Vegas Review Journal

lvrj.com/sports/packers-and-over-makes-it-big-day-for-betting-public-115485929.html

Employees of Louisiana might be missing out on salary increases

Louisiana state employees could possibly be dealing with a pay cut. This could be the second year of salary halts in the state. Many employee supporters are calling this “balancing the budget on the backs of employees”. Once more this is another measure that is going to keep people looking to payday advances for survival. Source of article – Louisiana state employees likely forgoing pay raises by MoneyBlogNewz.

Higher wages in Louisiana

There’s a huge budget deficit in Louisiana right now. It is currently at $1.6 million. Pay raises up to 4% are typically given to employees annually with annual reviews. Last year, the state froze Louisiana state employee salary increases and saved about $55 million. In the 2011-2012 year, the pay freezes may continue to help even more, which is a suggestion from Gov. Bobby Jindal. This would freeze only yearly pay raises, not increases associated with promotions.

Spending budget problems in Louisiana

When it comes to fixing the Louisiana spending budget problem, pay freezes seem like the best option. Many are not happy about the idea though. The state is “attempting to balance the budget on the back of workers," in accordance with state commission members. Employee supporters try to get a cost-of-living adjustment at the very least for employees while saying the salary freeze is an emergency loan the state is going to have to salary more for later. Pay freezes, furlough days and layoffs are all being done in states to get the spending budget balanced again. In Louisiana, cutting out pay raises is a relatively low-impact measure to balance the budget.

Where Louisiana stands

Though the state is attempting to cut almost $2 billion out of the spending budget, Louisiana is in a better position than most states, economically. The average unemployment rate in Louisiana is 7.7 percent, while the average national rate is about 9 percent. Louisiana state colleges also have one of the lowest in-state tuition rates in the nation. Right now, proposals are being drawn up by state commissions. March 11 could be when the final decisions could be made.

Information from

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-02/no-decision-made-on-louisiana-pay-raise-suspension.html

Vacate Egypt immediately, United States citizens and tourists

The evacuation of Egypt is underway, states the U.S. State Department, and any U.S. expatriates or tourists within the country should secure means of escape immediately. The Associated Press reports the State Department has secured chartered planes to get U.S. individuals out, however attempts to notify everyone of the Egypt evacuation have been only semi-successful as a result of Egyptian government’s Internet lock down. American’s will not have to take out a pay day loan to leave, the cost is being covered.

Why evacuating Egypt is not that easy

Assistant Secretary of State Janice Jacobs told the AP that the first flights out of Egypt for United States expatriates and others are expected to arrive in Cyprus Monday. You will find expected to be more demonstrations against the regime of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that are getting worse meaning each and every moment that evacuation has not occurred, it’s getting worse. Most of the Internet has been blocked including Facebook and Twitter online websites. That means it has been difficult to spread the word about the evacuation.

The Egyptian government’s freeze of online communications has sent ripples felt as far away as China, where censors have disabled searches including the word "Egypt," in fear the Egyptian civilian insurrection will inspire Chinese civilians to rebel against the Communist Party.

Cairo airport a headache

With all of the foreigners trying to escape Egypt, the Cairo international airport has had a ton of airport terminal. In the overcrowded terminals, there is a ton of shouting, confusion and even fist fights occurring. Delayed or canceled flights are common, and staffing is woefully inadequate because 3 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfews make staffing almost impossible. For 14 hrs, EgyptAir had to shut down. At the same time, only 26 of the 126 scheduled flights for EgyptAir were actually operational Monday, accounts AP.

“It’s an absolute zoo; what a mess,” said Justine Khanzadian, a 23-year-old graduate student hoping for a flight out of Egypt.

You are able to look up flight information

Hosni Mubarak's administration was spoken to by Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. She wants a lasting democracy to happen. The U.S. does reject the Egyptian dictatorship. This was explained by Clinton.

"(We don’t) want a democracy for six months or a year that evolves into a military dictatorship or a so-called democracy that then leads to what we saw in Iran,” said Clinton.

You can either go to egyptemergencyusc (at)state.gov, call 888-407-4747 while in the U.S. and Canada or out of these nations at 202-501-4444 if you would like information on the flights out of Egypt from the State Department and embassy websites.

Details from

Newser

newser.com/article/d9l39j1g0/us-bracing-to-evacuate-thousands-of-americans-from-egypt-on-government-charters-to-europe.html

Newser

newser.com/article/d9l3b3j00/cairo-airport-a-scene-of-chaos-confusion-as-tourists-seek-flights-out-countries-send-planes.html

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/01/china-blocks-internet-searches-for-egypt.html

U.S. protesters back those oppressed by Hosni Mubarak regime

youtube.com/watch?v=Y4tWwY02dj8

Stress reduction found to connection clowns to IVF success in research

A connection between clowns and IVF success, or a pregnancy being successfully induced by In Vitro Fertilization, has been found by an investigation done in Israel. Laughter is known to naturally reduce stress, and the study found that women who were frequented by a "medical clown" after going through an In Vitro Fertilization implantation procedure were more likely to become pregnant. Several individuals have taken out such huge unsecured loans to go through IVF, they will probably be much happier to find out the process worked. Resource for this article – Israeli study links clowns and IVF success by reducing stress by MoneyBlogNewz.

Clowns and IVF success connection

Reuters reports that a connection among IVF treatment success and clowns were found at a research hospital in Israel. During recovery from an implantation procedure, it was found that women who were frequented by "medical clowns" ended up with a higher rate of success with becoming pregnant during in-vitro fertilization. The head of the investigation, Dr. Shevach Friedler, got the idea after reading about the positive effects of laughter as a natural tension reducer. In order to see if the reduced tension helped an embryo implant, Dr. Friedler's team at Harofeh Medical Center had patients get frequented by a clown. They wanted to see if the chances of getting pregnant went up with less stress.

Jokes were not being made with the study

Laughter seemed to work really well. The study looked at the women who got the "clown treatment" versus the women who didn't. The females who got the treatment ended up being pregnant more often than those who didn't. About 209 females were used in the investigation that was doing in-vitro fertilization. Of those 209 females, the clown group had in-vitro fertilization success rates of 36 percent. Then there was the group that did not get the clown treatment. They had a victory rate of 20 percent. "Fertility and Sterility" is a reproduction science medical journal that could be publishing the study. Since clowns reduce stress in patients, there are medical clown college degrees that the University of Haifa offers in Israel.

Adding a clown to that cost

For something that is dangerous and doesn't work the majority of the time, in-vitro fertilization is very costly. WebMD accounts that only 25.6 percent of treatments end up with a live birth that happens. About 32 percent do end in pregnancy though. Your age will greatly affect victory rates. You will find other things as well. After artificial insemination and natural possibilities, this therapy is generally chosen as it costs $12,400.

Articles cited

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/01/12/us-send-clowns-idUSTRE70B64P20110112

WebMD

webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/artificial-insemination

Google executes plan that captures Bing copying searches

Suspicious that Microsoft’s Bing may be replicating Google results, the search engine giant concocted a sting. Google manufactured results which were used as bait to prove their assumptions and Bing fell for the scheme hook, line and sinker. Bing could not refute Google’s assertions, however it dismissed the matter as a trivial concern. Bing would rather copy Google than take out a unsecured loan to create their individual search results.

Something Google is aware

Google started suspecting that Bing was copying its internet search engine results last spring. Users would enter into Bing unique misspellings of words. This would then bring up the exact same list of websites that Google had. The correct spelling would be searched for by Google, although Bing would correct the spelling and instead would list the exact same results. Google decided to arrange a lure. "Honeypot" pages were put at the top of results that would show up on Google with a copied page by Bing on 100 synthetic searches. The Bing Toolbar was used at home by Google Engineers. They used Internet Explorer to do the queries.

Google springs the trap

Before Google presented the Bing sting on Dec. 17, the synthetic queries came up nil or with a smattering of junk pages. A manual change was made by Google. This was done in order to make sure a specific page came up at the top of these searches. Google inserted honeypot pages so they would rank first in the synthetic queries, even though they weren’t relevant. By December 31 the honeypot pages started showing up as top ranked pages on Bing.

Sting called stunt by Bing

Google’s Bing sting firmly implies that Bing was copying Google's outcomes by monitoring how Internet Explorer users use Google. The sting Google did was called a "spy-novelesque stunt." This is what Bing corporate vice president Harry Shum had to say. He said it misconstrues how Microsoft uses consumer data to “improve our user experience.”. Amit Singhal, who oversees Google’s search ranking algorithm, told Search engine Land that Bing’s blatant copying was “plain and simple cheating,” and equated it to “running a marathon and carrying someone else on your back, which jumps off just before the finish line.”

Citations

Search Engine Land

searchengineland.com/google-bing-is-cheating-copying-our-search-results-62914

Fox News

foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/01/microsofts-bing-caught-copying-google-search-results/

CNET

news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-20030265-265.html

Anti-abortion team stages Planned Parenthood hoax on video

Planned Parenthood, a source for medical care, contraceptives and abortion services for the poor, is within the political cross hairs of right wing conservatives. Government financing for Planned Parenthood is the target that anti-abortion radicals and House Republicans are shooting for. Using a concealed video camera, members of an anti-abortion team pretended they were pimp and prostitute in order to get staff people at Planned Parenthood centers to say something that might be used against the organization. Individuals already take out short term cash loans to use Planned Parenthood’s services, what will occur if they lose their funding?

A fake pimp is the reason why Planned Parenthood made the Federal Bureau of Investigation call

Last week a Planned Parenthood clinic in Perth Amboy, N.J., was visited by 2 people of the anti-abortion team Live Action who were carrying concealed film cameras and posing as a pimp and a prostitute. Teenage girls being brought in for medical exams and abortions is what the pimp asked about. The video was released Tues by Live Action. In order to make sure girls are being cared for, the clinic manager suggests Planned Parenthood rules should be changed. She suggested that they lie about their age to stay away from red tape and recommended seeking abortions elsewhere. Planned Parenthood made a call to the FBI about what occurred. This was after those from Live Action left.

All about the Live Action Planned Parenthood film

Planned Parenthood told the Justice Department that individuals pretending to be sex traffickers visited at least 11 neighborhood clinics. After capturing footage in Perth Amboy that might be edited to support its anti-abortion views, Live Action president Lila Rose said the film is proof that Planned Parenthood willfully breaks the law to cover up the abuse of girls it is intended to protect. Rose conspired with right wing activist James O’Keefe on a 2009 video hoax that ruined the community activist team Acorn. The Planned Parenthood video that Live Action put together got Perth Amboy clinic manager fired. This was important.

One goal for House Republicans is Planned Parenthood

Tues, the website Expose Planned Parenthood went up. This is an anti-abortion website. Jobs aren't really the focus that House Republicans have currently though. In fact, they are instead trying to get the bill HR 3 passed and vote to repeal health care. The purpose of HR 3 is to limit government financing on abortions. This would stop so much spending fixing other peoples' problems. Opponents of HR 3 have said that the bill is an try to end federal funding for abortions that is allowed under current law and a government intrusion on women’s rights.

Information from

New York Times

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Politico

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Salon

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Chrysler gives perks on strength of revised Q4 revenue

Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne informed employees both salaried and by the hour that a performance reward is on the way, writes Automotive News. In a business e-mail, CEO Sergio Marchionne proclaimed that the good work employees on the industrial side have done to make it possible for 16 new or revamped cars to hit the sector in 2010 made the bonuses necessary. Perks can be sent out Feb. 11, said Chrysler spokesman Mike Palese. Resource for this article – Chrysler gives bonuses on strength of modified Q4 profit by Car Deal Expert.

Huge bonuses check for Chrysler employees

There can be $750 perks given to all hourly employees in Canada and the U.S. for Chrysler, reports Palese. There are 22,000 employees within the U.S. and 7,600 in Canada. Salaried staffs, numbering 10,000 in the U.S. and 750 in Canada, will receive an amount that Palese declined to reveal.

Chrysler plans to pay the perks despite having posted a net loss of $652 million this year with modified operating revenue of $198 million for the fourth quarter. In the Chrysler modified operating profit, interest on loans was not included. This included interest the government got on the TARP loans.

May not be the very best idea

The amount that Chrysler has accomplished is something Sergio Marchionne is proud of.

"It is a performance payment in recognition of what I consider to be extraordinary performance. … The way this house has responded to the introduction of 16 automobiles has been extraordinary," Marchionne explained. This was to analysts in a conference call.

All the taxpayers who footed the bill for the auto bailout are upset that Chrysler is sending out perks before doing more work even though Marchionne is bound to score points with the staff by rewarded staff for hard work rather than working on "bottom line profitability".

Earnings forecasted in 2011

Chrysler expects to generate net earnings ranging anywhere from $200 million to $500 million on revenues of $55 billion in 2011. That would be quite an improvement over 2010’s $652 million net loss, caused largely by what the automaker believes are unforgiving interest rates on its TARP loans. Lower volume, increased advertising and higher automobile launch costs were also factors within the net loss for the year.

It’s believed that the financial pie was "modified" a bit with the fourth quarter earnings. This was done specifically for a reason. A recorded "profit" for instance this meant the business could report good news. It was the first quarter since bankruptcy that profit was recorded.

Articles cited

Auto News

autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110131/OEM/110139998/1250

Detroit Free Press

freep.com/article/20110131/BUSINESS0103/110131007/1049/SPORTS01/Chrysler-narrows-4Q-net-loss-posts-operating-profit?odyssey=nav%7Chead

TARP committee warnings to Chrysler about bonuses

youtube.com/watch?v=DM-Zm7YNTvg