michael jackson latest news: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

This week in college basketball

This week's schedule and results in college basketball for USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll ranked teams:

Published: Jan. 30, 2013 at 5:55 AM

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- This week's schedule and results in college basketball for USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll ranked teams:

(Games Jan. 28-Feb. 3)

(All times EST)

By day

Monday

No. 1 Kansas 61, West Virginia 56

No. 13 Louisville 64, Pittsburgh 61

No. 25 Marquette 63, South Florida 50

Tuesday

No. 11 Ohio State 58, Wisconsin 49

Virginia 58, No. 19 North Carolina State 55

Indiana State 68, No. 14 Wichita State 55

Kentucky 87, No. 16 Mississippi 74

No. 24 Minnesota 84, Nebraska 65

Wednesday

Northwestern at No. 2 Michigan, 6:30 p.m.

No. 3 Indiana at Purdue, 8:30 p.m.

South Carolina at No. 4 Florida, 8 p.m.

No. 5 Duke at Wake Forest, 8 p.m.

No. 12 Oregon at Stanford, 11 p.m.

No. 15 Miami (Fla.) at Virginia Tech, 9 p.m.

Missouri State at No. 17 Creighton, 8 p.m.

No. 18 Missouri at Louisiana State, 8 p.m.

Texas at No. 21 Kansas State, 8 p.m.

No. 22 New Mexico at Wyoming, 9 p.m.

Rutgers at No. 23 Cincinnati, 7 p.m.

Thursday

No. 7 Gonzaga at Loyola Marymount, 11 p.m.

No. 8 Arizona at Washington, 9 p.m.

Illinois at No. 9 Michigan State, 7 p.m.

No. 10 Butler at St. Louis, 9 p.m.

Friday

No ranked teams scheduled.

Saturday

Oklahoma State at No. 1 Kansas, 4 p.m.

No. 2 Michigan at No. 3 Indiana, 9 p.m.

No. 16 Mississippi at No. 4 Florida, 7 p.m.

No. 5 Duke at Florida State, 2 p.m.

No. 6 Syracuse at Pittsburgh, noon

No. 7 Gonzaga at San Diego, 11 p.m.

No. 8 Arizona at Washington State, 10 p.m.

Rhode Island at No. 10 Butler, 4 p.m.

No. 11 Ohio State at Nebraska, 7 p.m.

No. 12 Oregon at California, 4:30 p.m.

No. 14 Wichita State at Northern Iowa, 4 p.m.

No. 15 Miami (Fla.) at No. 19 North Carolina State, 4 p.m.

Bradley at No. 17 Creighton, 3:05 p.m.

Auburn at No. 18 Missouri, 1:30 p.m.

No. 20 San Diego State at Air Force, 3 p.m.

No. 21 Kansas State at Oklahoma, 6 p.m.

No. 23 Cincinnati at Seton Hall, 11 a.m.

Sunday

No. 25 Marquette at No. 13 Louisville, 2 p.m.

Iowa at No. 24 Minnesota, 1 p.m.

By team

No. 1 Kansas (19-1)

Won at West Virginia 61-56, Monday

Vs. Oklahoma State, 4 p.m., Saturday

No. 2 Michigan (19-1)

Vs. Northwestern, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday

At No. 3 Indiana, 9 p.m., Saturday

No. 3 Indiana (18-2)

At Purdue, 8:30 p.m., Wednesday

Vs. No. 2 Michigan, 9 p.m., Saturday

No. 4 Florida (16-2)

Vs. South Carolina, 8 p.m., Wednesday

Vs. No. 16 Mississippi, 7 p.m., Saturday

No. 5 Duke (17-2)

At Wake Forest, 8 p.m., Wednesday

At Florida State, 2 p.m., Saturday

No. 6 Syracuse (18-2)

At Pittsburgh, noon, Saturday

No. 7 Gonzaga (19-2)

At Loyola Marymount, 11 p.m., Thursday

At San Diego, 11 p.m., Saturday

No. 8 Arizona (17-2)

At Washington, 9 p.m., Thursday

At Washington State, 10 p.m., Saturday

No. 9 Michigan State (17-4)

Vs. Illinois, 7 p.m., Thursday

No. 10 Butler (17-3)

At St. Louis, 9 p.m., Thursday

Vs. Rhode Island, 4 p.m., Saturday

No. 11 Ohio State (16-4)

Defeated Wisconsin 58-49, Tuesday

At Nebraska, 7 p.m., Saturday

No. 12 Oregon (18-2)

At Stanford, 11 p.m., Wednesday

At California, 4:30 p.m., Saturday

No. 13 Louisville (17-4)

Defeated Pittsburgh 64-61, Monday

Vs. No. 25 Marquette, 2 p.m., Sunday

No. 14 Wichita State (19-3)

Lost to Indiana State 68-55, Tuesday

At Northern Iowa, 4 p.m., Saturday

No. 15 Miami (Fla.) (15-3)

At Virginia Tech, 9 p.m., Wednesday

At No. 19 North Carolina State, 4 p.m., Saturday

No. 16 Mississippi (17-3)

Lost to Kentucky 87074, Tuesday

At No. 4 Florida, 7 p.m., Saturday

No. 17 Creighton (18-3)

Vs. Missouri State, 8 p.m., Wednesday

Vs. Bradley, 3:05 p.m., Saturday

No. 18 Missouri (15-4)

At Louisiana State, 8 p.m., Wednesday

Vs. Auburn, 1:30 p.m., Saturday

No. 19 North Carolina State (16-5)

Lost at Virginia 58-55, Tuesday

Vs. No. 15 Miami (Fla.), 4 p.m., Saturday

No. 20 San Diego State (16-4)

At Air Force, 3 p.m., Saturday

No. 21 Kansas State (15-4)

Vs. Texas, 8 p.m., Wednesday

At Oklahoma, 6 p.m., Saturday

No. 22 New Mexico (17-3)

At Wyoming, 9 p.m., Wednesday

No. 23 Cincinnati (16-4)

Vs. Rutgers, 7 p.m., Wednesday

At Seton Hall., 11 a.m., Saturday

No. 24 Minnesota (16-5)

Defeated Nebraska 84-55, Tuesday

Vs. Iowa, 1 p.m., Sunday

No. 25 Marquette (15-4)

Defeated South Florida 63-50, Monday

At No. 13 Louisville, noon, Sunday

Source: http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/College-Basketball/2013/01/30/This-week-in-college-basketball/UPI-59171359543318/

bus driver uppercut Argo Alex Karras BCS Rankings 2012 the walking dead the walking dead Walking Dead Season 3

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Super Bowl Fun – NFL Fan Map (FandomMap) created from Facebook data

Super Bowl week is here so that means more cool data visualizations.. best BBQ, tail gate hot spots, and those awesome NFL fan maps! Here?s details of a cool fan map ? I?m not sure I can agree that its the best fan map ?ever?, however, given that its been created by mashing up data scraped from facebook it is pretty cool! So how was this one done? Well, they used data? LOTS of it! Details? Facebook?s Data Science team has combed the more than 35 million users who have ?liked? a team?s fan page, and put it into graphic form, down to the county level.

Some interesting spatial patterns emerge once you look at the data.. for example, Patriots fans tend to spread out far and wide, as do fans of the Cowboys and Steelers. Overall the data indicates that geography plays a huge role in defining the fan. Thanks to Deadsping for the map, and to my FB friend Brad Shannon from NOCO for tipping me off!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gisuser/~3/DvaPt1teJfI/

kelis dick clark dies ibogaine jamie moyer bone cancer hossa the cell

Pennsylvania: Governor in the hole at half-time; NCAA Penn State sanctions too harsh, voters say

January 29, 2013 - Pennsylvania Gov In The Hole At Half-Time, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; NCAA Penn State Sanctions Too Harsh, Voters Say
Word format

With a big thumbs down from women and a lackluster rating from Republicans, Pennsylvania voters disapprove 42 - 36 percent of the job Gov. Tom Corbett is doing, putting him in the hole half-way through his first term, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

This is down from a 40 - 38 percent approval rating in a November 15 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University. There is a large gender gap in today's results, as women disapprove 45 - 31 percent while men approve 41 - 37 percent. Republicans approve by a lukewarm 52 - 25 percent. Disapproval is 57 - 24 percent among Democrats and 39 - 36 percent among independent voters. There is no strong base of support for Gov. Corbett among any income or age group or in any region of the state. The governor does not deserve to be reelected, Pennsylvania voters say 51 - 31 percent, including 54 - 24 percent among women and 48 - 38 percent among men. Only 49 percent of Republicans say Corbett deserves to be reelected. "It's halftime in Gov. Tom Corbett's first term and if he were running a football team instead of a state, he'd fire his offensive coordinator," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Gov. Corbett has hit the 50 percent approval rating only once so far, mainly because of his bad grades from women." Pennsylvania voters disapprove 50 - 26 percent of the way Corbett has handled the Penn State situation over the last few years Voters in households where someone attends or has graduated from Penn State disapprove 59 - 23 percent. There is no measurable gender gap on this question as no group approves of Corbett's handling of this issue. Voters do approve 43 - 37 percent of Corbett's lawsuit challenging the NCAA sanctions against Penn State. Men approve 51 - 35 percent while women are divided with 37 percent approving and 39 percent disapproving. By a 43 - 29 percent margin, Pennsylvania voters have a favorable opinion of the late Joe Paterno, with a 47 - 28 percent favorability among men and a 40 - 30 percent favorability among women. Paterno's favorability is 54 - 27 percent among voters in Penn State households. The NCAA sanctions imposed on Penn State for its handling of the Sandusky scandal are too severe, 53 percent of Pennsylvania voters say, while 13 percent say they are not severe enough and 28 percent say they are appropriate. Calling the sanctions too severe are 58 percent of men, 48 percent of women and 64 percent of voters in Penn State households. In an August 2 survey by Quinnipiac University, 46 percent called the sanctions too severe, with 12 percent saying not severe enough and 36 percent saying they are appropriate. "Voters disapprove of the way Gov. Corbett has handled the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State over the last few years, but support Corbett's lawsuit targeting the NCAA for what they believe are too-harsh sanctions of the University," Malloy said. Pennsylvania's U.S. Senators get only modest approval ratings, 44 - 36 percent for Sen. Robert Casey Jr. and 43 - 25 percent for Sen. Pat Toomey. A total of 55 percent of voters are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" with life in the Keystone State, while 45 percent are "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied." From January 22 - 27, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,221 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research. For more information or RSS feed, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201, or follow us on Twitter. 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling his job as Governor?

                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk   Approve              36%    52%    24%    36%    41%    31%    36%    29% Disapprove           42     25     57     39     37     45     40     56 DK/NA                23     23     19     25     22     23     24     15                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Approve              33%    37%    33%    36%    40%    33%    40%    35% Disapprove           48     39     41     47     38     33     40     47 DK/NA                19     24     26     17     22     34     19     18                        Alghny Philly NthEst SthEst NthWst SthWst Cntrl   Approve              27%    37%    36%    40%    34%    36%    36% Disapprove           48     43     45     39     36     47     38 DK/NA                25     20     19     21     30     16     26

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Tom Corbett is handling his job as Governor?

                                                              APPROVE.......                                                              High    Low                      Jan 29  Nov 15  Jun 27  Jun 12  Mar 28  Sep 29  Jun 27                      2013    2012    2012    2012    2012    2011    2012   Approve              36      40      35      36      41      50      35 Disapprove           42      38      50      47      38      32      50 DK/NA                23      23      15      17      22      18      15

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job?

                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk   Approve              33%    46%    27%    30%    37%    30%    33%    42% Disapprove           46     32     55     52     47     46     47     48 DK/NA                20     22     19     18     16     24     21     10                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Approve              31%    35%    33%    34%    37%    34%    39%    31% Disapprove           51     44     46     51     43     40     43     52 DK/NA                19     21     21     15     20     27     18     17                        Alghny Philly NthEst SthEst NthWst SthWst Cntrl   Approve              27%    39%    40%    37%    28%    33%    30% Disapprove           50     47     44     39     47     55     48 DK/NA                23     15     16     24     25     12     21

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling its job? (*Low also 25% Dec 2009)

                                                              APPROVE.......                                                              High    Low                      Jan 29  Nov 15  Jun 12  Mar 15  Sep 29  Apr 10  May 13                      2013    2012    2012    2012    2011    2003    2010*   Approve              33      36      27      29      31      49      25 Disapprove           46      43      51      54      54      24      59 DK/NA                20      21      21      17      16      27      16

3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bob Casey Jr. is handling his job as United States Senator?

                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk   Approve              44%    27%    63%    37%    41%    46%    42%    62% Disapprove           36     52     19     42     41     31     37     26 DK/NA                21     21     19     21     18     23     21     12                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Approve              45%    43%    43%    47%    46%    39%    41%    49% Disapprove           35     36     35     33     39     31     40     35 DK/NA                20     21     23     20     15     30     19     16                        Alghny Philly NthEst SthEst NthWst SthWst Cntrl   Approve              45%    50%    41%    44%    43%    48%    40% Disapprove           30     29     42     37     37     41     36 DK/NA                25     22     17     20     20     11     24

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bob Casey Jr. is handling his job as United States Senator?

                                                              APPROVE.......                                                              High    Low                      Jan 29  Nov 15  Jun 12  Mar 14  Sep 28  May 28  Dec 16                      2013    2012    2012    2012    2011    2009    2010   Approve              44      49      51      46      46      56      39 Disapprove           36      37      29      27      30      21      29 DK/NA                21      14      20      26      24      23      32

4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Pat Toomey is handling his job as United States Senator?

                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk   Approve              43%    61%    31%    39%    49%    36%    43%    44% Disapprove           25     11     35     28     26     25     24     27 DK/NA                32     28     34     33     24     39     33     29                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Approve              39%    44%    40%    47%    46%    39%    45%    44% Disapprove           30     23     24     24     30     26     23     27 DK/NA                30     33     36     29     24     35     32     29                        Alghny Philly NthEst SthEst NthWst SthWst Cntrl   Approve              32%    35%    48%    44%    52%    45%    43% Disapprove           28     38     20     30     18     29     19 DK/NA                40     28     32     27     30     26     37

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Pat Toomey is handling his job as United States Senator?

                                                              APPROVE.......                                                              High    Low                      Jan 29  Nov 15  Jun 12  Mar 14  Sep 28  Jun 15  Jun 12                      2013    2012    2012    2012    2011    2011    2012   Approve              43      43      40      42      43      45      40 Disapprove           25      28      27      28      32      28      27 DK/NA                32      29      32      31      26      27      32

6. Do you feel that Tom Corbett deserves to be reelected, or do you feel that he does not deserve to be reelected?

                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk   Yes/Deserves         31%    49%    17%    31%    38%    24%    30%    28% No/Does not          51     29     68     51     48     54     50     57 DK/NA                18     21     15     18     14     22     20     14                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Yes/Deserves         28%    32%    29%    33%    36%    34%    32%    30% No/Does not          55     49     53     54     45     47     49     55 DK/NA                18     18     18     14     18     19     20     15                        Alghny Philly NthEst SthEst NthWst SthWst Cntrl   Yes/Deserves         21%    37%    29%    38%    30%    25%    30% No/Does not          59     53     53     46     45     58     49 DK/NA                20     10     18     17     26     16     21

7. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Pennsylvania today; are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    Wht    Blk   Very satisfied        3%     3%     2%     5%     2%     3%     2%     4% Smwht satisfied      42     51     36     40     47     36     44     34 Smwht dissatisfied   37     33     41     36     34     40     37     43 Very dissatisfied    18     13     20     19     16     19     17     15 DK/NA                 1      -      1      -      1      1      -      3                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Very satisfied        2%     3%     3%     3%     3%     1%     2%     5% Smwht satisfied      43     41     40     43     49     53     45     35 Smwht dissatisfied   40     36     36     37     39     30     38     40 Very dissatisfied    14     19     20     17      9     16     14     19 DK/NA                 1      1      1      1      -      -      1      1                        Alghny Philly NthEst SthEst NthWst SthWst Cntrl   Very satisfied        -      7%     1%     4%     1%     2%     3% Smwht satisfied      49     33     36     47     43     39     41 Smwht dissatisfied   37     31     39     37     39     40     37 Very dissatisfied    13     25     22     10     17     18     19 DK/NA                 1      3      1      1      -      1      -

TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Pennsylvania today; are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

                                                              VERY+SMWHT SAT                                                              High    Low                      Jan 29  Nov 15  Jun 12  Mar 15  Sep 29  Jun 05  Dec 15                      2013    2012    2012    2012    2011    2002    2010   Very satisfied        3       5       3       3       2       8       2 Smwht satisfied      42      46      40      40      41      60      35 Smwht dissatisfied   37      31      39      38      37      22      37 Very dissatisfied    18      17      17      19      19       8      25 DK/NA                 1       2       2       -       1       3       1

25. Is your opinion of Joe Paterno favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?

                                                                PennState                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    HsHolds Q29/Q30   Favorable            43%    48%    39%    44%    47%    40%    54% Unfavorable          29     26     32     32     28     30     27 Hvn't hrd enough     21     19     24     17     19     23     14 REFUSED               6      7      4      8      6      7      5                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Favorable            47%    42%    40%    48%    50%    42%    41%    46% Unfavorable          32     28     26     32     37     34     29     27 Hvn't hrd enough     14     24     29     13      8     21     23     20 REFUSED               6      6      6      6      5      3      6      7

TREND: Is your opinion of Joe Paterno favorable, unfavorable or haven't you heard enough about him?

                      Jan 29  Dec 09                      2013    2011   Favorable            43      44 Unfavorable          29      36 Hvn't hrd enough     21      17 REFUSED               6       4

26. Do you think the penalties imposed by the NCAA on Penn State for its handling of the Sandusky scandal were appropriate, too severe, or not severe enough?

                                                                PennState                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    HsHolds Q29/Q30   Appropriate          28%    20%    38%    21%    26%    30%    22% Too severe           53     61     45     58     58     48     64 Not severe enough    13     13     12     15     10     15     11 DK/NA                 6      6      5      7      6      7      3                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Appropriate          32%    27%    26%    31%    35%    35%    27%    26% Too severe           57     51     51     55     54     49     53     55 Not severe enough     6     16     15     10      8     11     14     12 DK/NA                 5      7      7      3      3      5      6      7

TREND: Do you think the penalties imposed by the NCAA on Penn State for its handling of the Sandusky scandal were appropriate, too severe, or not severe enough?

                      Jan 29  Aug 02                      2013    2012   Appropriate          28      36 Too severe           53      46 Not severe enough    13      12 DK/NA                 6       6

27. In general, do you approve or disapprove of how Tom Corbett has handled the Penn State situation over the last few years?

                                                                PennState                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    HsHolds Q29/Q30   Approve              26%    36%    19%    27%    29%    24%    23% Disapprove           50     39     61     50     51     49     59 DK/NA                24     26     20     23     21     27     19                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Approve              27%    26%    25%    31%    28%    30%    29%    23% Disapprove           49     50     52     50     46     40     48     56 DK/NA                25     24     23     18     26     30     23     20

28. Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Corbett's lawsuit against the NCAA over its sanctions against Penn State?

                                                                PennState                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom    HsHolds Q29/Q30   Approve              43%    51%    33%    49%    51%    37%    48% Disapprove           37     28     49     33     35     39     35 DK/NA                19     20     18     17     14     24     17                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Approve              42%    44%    46%    44%    44%    44%    45%    43% Disapprove           40     36     34     42     36     38     37     38 DK/NA                18     20     20     14     20     18     19     19

29. Have you or has anyone in your family graduated from Penn State?

                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom   Yes                  29%    34%    28%    27%    26%    32% No                   71     66     72     73     73     68 DK/NA                 -      -      -      -      -      -                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Yes                  35%    27%    26%    29%    35%    22%    30%    32% No                   64     73     74     71     65     78     70     68 DK/NA                 -      -      -      -      -      -      -      -

TREND: Have you or has anyone in your family graduated from Penn State?

                      Jan 29  Aug 02                      2013    2012   Yes                  29      27 No                   71      73 DK/NA                 -       -

30. Are you or is anyone in your family currently attending Penn State?

                      Tot    Rep    Dem    Ind    Men    Wom   Yes                   7%     6%     7%     8%     7%     8% No                   92     93     92     92     93     92 DK/NA                 -      -      -      -      -      1                        COLLEGE DEG   ANNUAL HSHOLD INC    AGE IN YRS.......                      Yes    No     100K  18-34  35-54  55+   Yes                   8%     6%     8%     6%     7%    13%     6%     5% No                   92     93     91     94     93     87     93     94 DK/NA                 -      -      1      -      -      -      1      -

TREND: Are you or is anyone in your family currently attending Penn State?

                      Jan 29  Aug 02                      2013    2012   Yes                   7       7 No                   92      93 DK/NA                 -       -

Demographic Summary

Source: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/institutes-centers/polling-institute/pennsylvania/release-detail?ReleaseID=1835

oklahoma news nascar news doppler radar colorado rockies moonshine news channel 4 radar weather

Transportation secretary to leave administration

In this Jan. 11, 2013 photo, Transportation Secretary Raymond LaHood speaks during a news conference at the Transportation Department in Washington, discussing a comprehensive review of Boeing 787 critical systems, including the design, manufacture and assembly. LaHood, the only Republican member of President Barack Obama's first-term Cabinet, says he plans to leave the Obama administration. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the only Republican still in President Barack Obama's first-term Cabinet, said Tuesday he plans to leave the Obama administration.

LaHood, a former congressman from Illinois, pushed for greater safety on the highways and in the air. He led the Transportation Department throughout Obama's first term and helped steer a number of safety measures and highway projects, including steps to curb distracted driving, promote high-speed rail and repair roads and bridges. Under his watch, the department demanded tougher fuel efficiency requirements for automakers and took steps to address airline pilot fatigue.

LaHood said in an interview with The Associated Press that he told Obama a week after the November election that he needed to move on but said he was still "conflicted" by his decision because he liked working for Obama and considered it the "best job I've ever had in public service."

He said he plans to remain at the department until his successor is confirmed by the Senate, which he expected in about two months. The only other Republican who was in Obama's first-term Cabinet was Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who stepped aside and was replaced by Democrat Leon Panetta earlier.

LaHood said he would not run for public office in his home state of Illinois and said he did not have any specific plans.

"I have had a good run. I'm one of these people who believe that you should go out while they're applauding," he said. LaHood said he was content to watch from the sidelines as his oldest son, Darin, serves in the Illinois state senate.

Obama is remaking his Cabinet at the beginning of his second term with the departures of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Panetta and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. In addition to LaHood, the heads of the Interior and Labor departments also have announced their resignations in recent weeks.

The Transportation Department has carried a bipartisan imprint in recent years and been the place for a president to ask a member of the opposing party to serve. Former Rep. Norman Mineta, a California Democrat, served as Transportation secretary during the administration of President George W. Bush. Obama has nominated former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, a Republican, to serve as defense secretary to succeed Panetta.

Possible replacements for LaHood include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who has pushed for increased rail service in Los Angeles and served as chairman of last year's Democratic National Convention, and Debbie Hersman, the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. The name of former Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, who led the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has also been mentioned.

LaHood, 67, served seven terms in Congress representing a central Illinois district that includes his hometown of Peoria, Ill., and overlapped with Obama in the state's delegation during the last four years of his career.

At the department, LaHood provided a bipartisan voice during the first term, helping implement billions of dollars in transportation projects from the 2009 economic stimulus bill and promoting the plan to wary Republicans. The department pushed forward thousands of infrastructure projects to improve roads and bridges and LaHood worked with Congress last year to pass an overhaul of highway and transit programs that gives states more flexibility in how they spend federal money.

He tackled a number of regulations that had been mired in gridlock. LaHood worked with auto makers and environmentalists to develop tougher fuel efficiency standards for new cars, with the goal of providing environmental benefits and reducing fuel consumption.

Guarding against airline pilot fatigue, the Federal Aviation Administration set new rules under LaHood's watch that would limit the maximum time a pilot can be scheduled on duty and place limits on scheduled flying time and hours for pilots flying overnight. The action was prompted by a deadly plane crash near Buffalo, N.Y., that raised concerns about pilot fatigue.

LaHood also has taken on major transportation companies during his tenure, slapping Toyota Motor Co. with record fines for delaying safety recalls and failing to promptly report problems to federal regulators.

He recently ordered United Airlines to ground its Boeing 787 Dreamliner following mishaps with the aircraft's batteries. The FAA is investigating the cause of the problems to the Dreamliner, which uses lithium ion batteries and is the world's first airliner whose structure is made mostly from lightweight composite materials.

Perhaps LaHood's most passionate work has involved distracted driving, which he has called a "national epidemic." He has launched a national media campaign to end texting and cellphone use by drivers, an awareness campaign that has drawn comparisons to efforts to promote seat belt use more than a generation ago.

The grandfather of 10, LaHood has often emphasized the toll that deaths and injuries from distracted driving can inflict on families.

"Safety will be something that people will remember us for in all modes of transportation," LaHood said.

___

Follow Ken Thomas at: http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-29-Obama-Transportation%20Secretary/id-58cbf39f85a34a9ba35604d8c10fae14

Julian Castro Blue Moon August 2012 Eddie Murphy Dead Democratic National Convention 2012 robin roberts myocardial infarction What Is Labor Day

Social Security commissioner to leave in February

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue says he will step down in February after completing his six-year term. Astrue's departure gives President Barack Obama the opportunity to name a new head to the federal government's largest program.

Astrue's term was marked by increasingly dire warnings about the long-term financial health of the massive retirement and disability program. Astrue worked to reduce backlogs of people applying for disability claims, despite a big surge in applications since the recession.

The trustees who oversee Social Security project that the program's trust funds will run dry in 2033. At that point, Social Security will collect only enough in taxes to pay 75 percent of benefits. As commissioner, Astrue is also a trustee.

Astrue has urged Congress to shore up the program's finances but has not publicly endorsed any solutions.

Astrue, 56, said he plans to return to his home state of Massachusetts. He did not elaborate on future plans.

"I consider it a great privilege to have led this remarkable agency for six years," Astrue said in a statement.

Social Security commissioners serve six-year terms. Astrue was nominated in 2007 by former President George W. Bush. The term of Obama's nominee would last beyond his presidency, if the person serves a full term. There was no word Monday on Obama's choice.

Astrue has a long history of public service. He previously worked as counselor to the Social Security commissioner and general counsel for the agency. He was also an acting deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/social-security-commissioner-leave-february-214710096--finance.html

orange crush harden nor easter nor easter ted nugent veep los angeles kings

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Greg Smith's career advice - FierceFinance

You might have thought Greg Smith, the former executive director and vice president of Goldman Sachs, was a 15-minutes-of-fame phenomenon. He is someone who makes a media splash as a complete unknown, gains notoriety, gets a book deal, generates modest reviews and then slinks back into obscurity. The Greg Smith story will indeed strike some as tired.

But he's still an object of interest for many, including young people who are pondering careers on Wall Street.

He recently did an interview with The Stanford Daily, saying,?"I'm not certainly going to be the person to tell students to go or not to go into finance. There are certainly a lot of positive aspects to finance. Unfortunately, actual finance on Wall Street is only 20 percent of the pie.

"So, what I would say to people is that if you are going into finance, go into it for the right reasons. Don't go into it because you think that it's the easiest career or because you think that it's the path you should take."

Smith adds it's important for would-be Wall Streeters to follow their instincts.

"The longer I've been in business and the longer I've been away from Stanford is that it's more important to follow your interests and your heart than what you think you should be going. I would encourage them to not lose track of their own ethical framework and to stay true to themselves no matter how long they stay in business. I would not encourage someone to go into something because it looks flashy, or that they're supposed to do it, or that society thinks it's the right thing to do."

That sounds reasonable enough.

For more:
- here's the article

Related articles:
Lloyd Blankfein on the Greg Smith book
The real impact of the Greg Smith memo
?

Source: http://www.fiercefinance.com/story/greg-smiths-career-advice/2013-01-28?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

kate walsh cnn debate equatorial guinea marine helicopter crash chicago weather star jones wheres my refund

Report: Pentagon to boost cybersecurity force fivefold

18 hrs.

Reuters

The Pentagon has approved a major expansion of its cybersecurity force to counter a growing threat of hacking and to conduct offensive operations against foreign foes, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing U.S. officials.

The officials, who were not named because the plan is not yet public, said the move would increase the cybersecurity force fivefold, from 900 personnel to a total of 4,900 troops and civilians.

It said senior Pentagon officials made the decision late last year amid a string of attacks, including one that wiped out more than 30,000 computers at a Saudi Arabian state oil company.

The increase in personnel was requested by the head of the Defense Department's Cyber Command.

A Pentagon spokesman had no immediate comment, but said he was aware of the report in the Washington Post.

The plan, the paper said, calls for creating three types of force under the Cyber Command.

"National mission forces," would protect computer systems that undergird electrical grids and other kinds of infrastructure. "Combat mission forces," would help commanders abroad execute attacks or other offensive operations, while "cyber protection forces," would focus on protecting the Defense Department's own systems.

(Reporting by Sarah Lynch; Editing by David Brunnstrom)

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/report-pentagon-boost-cybersecurity-force-fivefold-1C8135108

john scott jimmie johnson juan pablo montoya crash chardon high school shooting mark martin cleveland news daytona race

Japan and Kuwait Struck Black Gold In Vietnam - Business Insider

Vietnam on Sunday inked a deal with firms from Japan and Kuwait to build an oil refinery complex worth nearly $9 billion as part of efforts to meet its growing energy needs.

The Nghi Son refinery, which is due to start operating by 2017 in Thanh Hoa province, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of Hanoi, will turn Kuwaiti oil into petrol and other petroleum products.

It will be able to process 10 million tonnes of crude oil a year, the government said.

State-owned PetroVietnam will own a 25.1-percent stake in the joint venture while Japan's Idemitsu Kosan and Kuwait Petroleum International will each hold 35.1 percent. Mitsui Chemicals of Japan will own the remaining 4.7 percent.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung hailed the project as "very important" for the communist country's economic and social development, according to a government statement.

Vietnam has offshore oil reserves but still spends several billion dollars each year to import petroleum products to feed its growing economy.

A ground-breaking ceremony for the Nghi Son refinery was held in May 2008 but the project has suffered a number of delays.

It is still unclear when construction will start, an official from PetroVietnam told AFP, asking not to be named.

The country's first refinery Dung Quat -- which cost around $2.5 billion and has a capacity of 6.5 million tonnes of crude a year -- opened in central Vietnam in 2009 after lengthy delays.

PetroVietnam has said that it hopes the two refineries would satisfy 65 percent of the nation's oil and gas needs. It is also preparing for a third refinery project in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-and-kuwait-struck-black-gold-in-vietnam-2013-1

australia Brothers Grimm Tate Stevens Miss Universe 2012 x factor x factor john kerry

AP PHOTOS: Scenes of grief at Brazil club fire

AAA??Jan. 27, 2013?8:47 PM ET
AP PHOTOS: Scenes of grief at Brazil club fire
By The Associated Press?

?By The Associated Press

Family members and friends stand around coffins containing the remains of victims after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. Officials counted more than 230 bodies that were brought for identification to the gymnasium in Santa Maria,(AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

A woman cries over the coffin of a victim at a gymnasium where bodies were brought for identification in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. (AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

Police investigators inspect the entrance of the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. (AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

Family members and friends mourn as they stand around a coffin containing the remains of a victim after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. Officials counted more than 230 bodies that were brought for identification to the gymnasium in Santa Maria,(AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

Here are images depicting the aftermath of a fatal nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil. The club was hosting a party for university students when the fast-moving fire caused hundreds of partygoers to stampede toward the exit. Firefighters and police say more than 200 are dead, and at least 200 are injured.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-27-Brazil-Nightclub%20Fire-Photo%20Gallery/id-b3afc40632ab42c0bf16d5de1bb51a98

joan crawford joan crawford john goodman kendall marshall whitney houston news sylvia plath whitney houston

Monday, January 28, 2013

Twitter's Vine features porn video as 'Editor's Pick' thanks to 'human error'

9 hrs.

Rosa Golijan , NBC News

Since Vine, Twitter's video-sharing service, launched on Thursday, it's been plagued by all sorts of woes. We noticed that it lacks privacy settings and?abuse prevention measures, Facebook prevented it from finding any friends through the social network, and now ... well, now pornographic?content has slipped?into Vine's?"Editor's Picks" section.

Vine's a rather neat service, in theory. If you've got an iOS device, you can create and share Vine videos. All you have to do is point your iPhone (or iPod Touch) at something and press your finger to the screen to record a clip up to six seconds in length (both sound and motion are captured, of course). Once done, you can share it to Vine, Twitter and Facebook. You can also use the app to browse through popular videos and those featured as "Editor's Picks."

And that's where Vine's latest troubles appear. On Monday morning, a video shared by "nsfwvine" ??an account created for the sole purpose of posting pornographic videos to Vine (hence the "Not Safe For Work" part of the name)???received the service's "Editor's Pick" badge of honor.

While the video did lose the "Editor's Pick" badge later in the morning, it was not removed from the service. Instead, it now carries a warning message declaring that the video?"may contain sensitive content" and requires a tap to be viewed. (From what we can tell, this warning message is automatically added to videos which are reported as inappropriate by Vine users.)

We have reached out to Twitter for more information regarding how the video in question?? which shows a young woman and a?sex toy?? was chosen as an "Editor's Pick." We wondered if some sort of automated process may be involved in the selection. A Twitter spokesperson explained that an actual person was actually to blame. "A human error resulted in a video with adult content becoming one of the videos in Editor's Picks," she wrote in an email to NBC News. "[U]pon realizing this mistake we removed the video immediately. We apologize to our users for the error."

We have also contacted Apple, as we suspect the Cupertino-based company is probably not all too happy about pornographic content being?prominently?featured in an iOS app. (It has banned apps for far less racy issues in the past.)

In the meantime, obscene material continues to flood into Vine. Several accounts ? including "nsfwvine" ? have been posting pornographic clips since Vine launched last week. Not all of porn clips?carry the "sensitive content" warning yet and it's not clear if any have been removed so far.

"Wow. How did this happen, Vine?" a user asked?on one of the videos, while another wondered "[c]an I flag this as inappropriate more than once?"

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both 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.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/twitters-vine-features-porn-video-editors-pick-1C8137828

myocardial infarction What Is Labor Day jersey shore Pasquale Rotella Michael Clark Duncan michael jackson courtney stodden

Reports: Exit locked at burned Bangladesh factory

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) ? An official says Bangladesh's government has ordered an investigation into allegations that the sole emergency exit was locked at a garment factory where a weekend fire killed seven female workers.

The fire Saturday at the Smart Export Garment Ltd. factory occurred just two months after a blaze killed 112 workers in another factory near the capital, raising questions about safety in Bangladesh's garment industry, which exports clothes to leading Western retailers. The gates of that factory were locked.

Government official Jahangir Kabir Nanak says an investigation has been ordered into the cause of Saturday's fire and allegations that the emergency exit was locked.

Doctors say most of the victims died from asphyxiation.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reports-exit-locked-burned-bangladesh-factory-074125331.html

ashley judd second degree murders bobby petrino brian dunn vin scully petrino fired george zimmerman charged

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Vonn beats Maze to win World Cup giant slalom

MARIBOR, Slovenia (AP) ? Lindsey Vonn beat rival Tina Maze on the Slovenian's home snow and in her best discipline Saturday, earning a surprising victory in a giant slalom.

Maze had a chance to secure her third giant slalom discipline title with a victory and led after a near-perfect first run, but a poor start to the second cost her valuable time and she finished 0.08 seconds behind Vonn.

Vonn proved again that she is back to her best after an illness by putting down two good runs in what is traditionally her weakest event to win in 2 minutes, 22.2 seconds.

Vonn was third after the first run but overcame several errors to have the fastest time in the second and create a margin that Maze couldn't bridge.

"In the second run I decided, OK, it's all or nothing, I had to go for it," Vonn said. "It's been a rough year for me in GS, so it's just perfect."

Vonn earned her first GS victory since March of last year, and her second win in a week after taking the downhill at Cortina D'Ampezzo.

With her 59th World Cup win overall, she's just three away from equaling Annemarie Moser Proell's record on the women's side.

Austria's Anna Fenninger was third, 0.57 seconds behind Vonn.

Maze extended her lead in the overall standing to 748 points against her closest challenger, Germany's Maria Hoefl-Riesch, who finished fourth. Vonn stands another 66 points back in third, having missed several races while recovering from an intestinal illness that landed her in hospital in November.

The 29-year-old Maze was expected to clinch the GS title in front of a passionate home crowd and was 0.48 seconds ahead of Vonn after dominating the first run.

However, she ran wide at the start of the second, leaving her 0.13 seconds behind her rival at the first checkpoint. Despite the cheers of the fans urging her on, Maze couldn't make up the time and finished with tears in her eyes.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/vonn-beats-maze-win-world-cup-giant-slalom-135010317--spt.html

george strait how i met your mother Jordan Pruitt real housewives of new jersey Kanye West sex tape emmys emmys

James William Golbeck - Estes-Leadley Funeral Home

Jim Golbeck, 82, was born in Chicago, IL, to Elizabeth and George Golbeck, and passed away Saturday, January 26, 2013.? He is survived by:? his loving wife, Mary; son, Mark; daughters, Kim (Stephen) Allie, Stacie (Joe) Niedzwiecki and Kerry (Mark) Kowalczyk; grandchildren, Steve, Nicole, Cameron, Mark, Brock, Nick and Conor; great grandchild, Evelyn; 3 sisters and 2 brothers.?

Jim served as a medic in the U.S. Army, graduated from M.S.U. and was a true Spartan fan.? He served on the Delhi Township Planning Commission, was a scout leader, a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and worked for Pageant Homes for over 40 years.? Jim loved his family and friends, golf, woodworking, books, travel and fishing at Higgins Lake.?

The Funeral Mass will be held at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 29, 2013, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 3815 S. Cedar St., Lansing, with The Rev. Fr. John A. Byers as celebrant.? The family will receive friends at the church from 11:00 a.m. until service time on Tuesday.? Interment will take place in Ft. Custer National Cemetery, Augusta, at a later date.? In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Holt Food Bank, or St. Vincent de Paul Society at his church.? Arrangements by the Estes-Leadley Holt/Delhi Chapel.??

Source: http://estesleadley.com/?p=9878

Leryn Franco The Campaign Kinesio tape randy travis Allyson Felix Kourtney Kardashian Baby Girl Ashton Eaton

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Anonymous Attacks Department Of Justice Website and Threatens Worse Over Aaron Swartz's Suicide

Since Aaron Swartz's suicide two weeks ago—an incident largely blamed on the charges being levied against him—the 'net has been grieving. And Anonymous has been doing that in its own special way: tearing shit up. In the latest of several attacks, they took down the U.S. Justice Department's Sentencing Commission site and left behind a video threatening more cyber-carnage. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/szesD9AJttk/anonymous-attacks-department-of-justice-website-over-aaron-swartzs-suicide

sacramento kings Pretty Little Liars Rob Parker Comcast Pokemon X and Y Rob Ryan Silver Linings Playbook

Private investors are more than capable of funding a workable ...

Private investors are more than capable of funding a workable broadband initiative

Regulators should beware of gifts brought by academics. Susan Crawford?s op-ed in The New York Times earlier this week still left me perplexed as to why she believes that increasing the level of regulation on broadband providers will some how create a more competitive environment while increasing the level of broadband adoption to the remaining one-third of American households who do not have high-speed broadband access. Let?s take a closer look at her arguments as presented in the piece.

First, Professor Crawford argues that broadband prices are too high and speeds too low because access to high-speed Internet is hampered by the concentration of providers in the broadband access industry.

In actuality prices are high because of the overall growth in demand for broadband access, both wired and wireless. Where cable companies are providing broadband, bundled packages may be increasing in price because of the pressures cable operators get from programmers who seek to increase their prices every year. Just look at the demands of an ESPN.

In fairness to Professor Crawford, she has a point on how wired access increases productivity especially in the area of home businesses. My son is more productive with broadband coming into the home, and I sure can?t blog on a smartphone.

Second, Professor Crawford argues that regulation unleashes competition and innovation. It never has. Where she is wrong is in her assumption that regulation will create a globally competitive, ubiquitous communications infrastructure. On the contrary, the opposite may happen due in part to actions of local and state governments.

If state and local governments continue to push the enevelope on gross tax receipts, franchise fees, and public, governmental, and educational access channel requirements, investors will have less incentive to finance the entry of a competitive broadband provider. These requirements bite into the bottomline of these firms which means less shareholder wealth to pass on. In addition to less shareholder wealth there are less residuals with which to reinvest into innovative products and services.

And while in her third point Professor Crawford argues that municipalities can provide competitive broadband networks, do they really have to be financed by tax-payer funded infrastructure banks? We have a private equity and investment bank structure capable of raising the capital for public and private broadband deployment initiatives. Taxpayers shouldn?t have to fund a communications infrastructure from taxes.

Finally, unless Professor Crawford is a closet supply-sider, with 100 million households allegedly unserved and hungry for broadband why not offer these households vouchers instead of directing universal support funds to new entrants who may have a hard time showing they have the scale to serve 100 million households. After determining the average annual cost to consumers for broadband, a voucher system could be implemented that provides directly to the consumer the difference between what a consumer pays for teleccommunications services and what the consumer would pay for a bundled package of telephone and Internet access. Rather than arguing that the Connect America Fund is flawed for directing money to incumbent providers ( I think it?s flawed because it exists, but that?s another blog piece), the CAF could be redirected to stimulate further demand for broadband by putting the funds in the hands of the consumer.

We can get to what Professor Crawford wants without another piece of regulation

Source: http://lawandpoliticsofbroadband.com/2013/01/private-investors-are-more-than-capable-of-funding-a-workable-broadband-initiative/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=private-investors-are-more-than-capable-of-funding-a-workable-broadband-initiative

Samantha Steele Dec 21 2012 doomsday Is The World Going To End Mayans camilla belle NASA

Wall Street brawl: Billionaires hurl insults on CNBC

15 hrs.

Jeff Cox, Bruno J. Navarro and Patrick Rizzo , CNBC

It was the smackdown heard round the world when billionaires Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman behaved more like bar-room brawlers (complete with expletives like "bull----!") on live television Friday?over their differences about a nutritional-supplements company.

"Our goal here was to shine a light on Herbalife," Pershing Square founder Ackman??said on "Fast Money," referring to the company which he called "a well-managed pyramid scheme."?Ackman has accused Herbalife of luring people, most of them low-income, into a distribution system he calls fraudulent.?

He said Friday on CNBC that the nutritional-supplement company "deserves the highest level of scrutiny." Ackman recently announced that he took a massive short position against Herbalife, essentially betting that the company's stock will tumble.

"Frankly, Carl did me a favor by picking on me,"??he?said?on?CNBC.

"Ackman is a liar," Icahn?said. "He's got one of the worst reputations on Wall Street."?Icahn also accused Ackman of destroying companies by publicly shorting their stocks.

"He's like the crybaby in the schoolyard,"?Icahn?said.

On Friday, Icahn, who has criticized Ackman's much-publicized short in Herbalife, issued a written statement.?"To get the record straight, I never asked Ackman to be my friend," Icahn wrote. "Quite to the contrary, Ackman has stated to me on more than one occasion that it's a shame we are not friends because then he could have invested with me. But, even if we were friends, I would never have invested with him because I believe he takes inordinate risks. HLF I believe proves this point."?

Ackman's?firm?manages?$12 billion in assets.?Carl Icahn, a fellow activist investor and one of the richest men in America,?has?an estimated fortune of nearly $15 billion.

Traders at the New York Stock Exchange punctuated the air with "oohs" and "aahs" during the arguing, while social networks lit up, with financial journalists and market watchers tweeting and posting as fast as their fingers could type.?

The setting was during the final half-hour of CNBC's "Fast Money Halftime Report" with Scott Wapner, who found himself as much of the story as the two participants.

Icahn repeatedly berated Wapner. Icahn insisted he was the one being bullied and on several occasions used the word "bull----" to describe his feelings about the on-air forum.

"I've really sort of had it with this Ackman guy," Icahn said early on.

"Carl, you think I want to you invest with you?" Ackman charged later.

"I wouldn't invest with you if you were the last man on Earth!" Icahn bellowed in an exchange typical of the show's tenor.

At the core of the dispute was Icahn's furor with Ackman over the latter's short position on Herbalife.?In turn, Ackman released a statement Thursday that recalled a legal dispute between the two parties 10 years ago that resulted in Icahn having to pay Ackman's investors $4.5 million plus interest.

While each combatant scored style points during the battle, if the winner was to be declared from the performance of Herbalife, Icahn scored a clear victory.

The company's shares surged as much as $2.15 in the half-hour melee, though gains cooled afterwards.Nearly as importantly, it was great theater.

Twitter lit up, with participants frantically posting updates."Move over Snooki and The Situation.. here comes CNBC's version of "Jerry Springer With Limos" (Hat tip Sir Arthur!!)," investor Doug Kass tweeted.

CNBC's own Jim Cramer, host of "Fast Money," wondered, "Whatever happened to the dignity of wealth!??"And financial news site Business Insider simply labeled it "The Greatest Moment In Financial TV History."

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/wall-street-brawl-investment-titans-hurl-insults-cnbc-1C8119011

denver weather super bowl recipes planned parenthood what time does the superbowl start kobayashi margaret sanger paul george

Friday, January 25, 2013

Q&A: Kaspersky Lab's Director of Global Research and Analysis

With the new year in full swing,?hackers and malware makers will look at new avenues to scam and con people into divulging important information. Other attacks might be a bit more subtle than a brute force attempt, and a comprehensive anti-virus and Internet security suit? is needed to fend them off. IT News Africa spoke to Kaspersky Lab?s Costin G. Raiu, the Director of Global Research and Analysis, about expected new threats and how users can protect themselves.

Kaspersky Lab?s Costin G. Raiu, the Director of Global Research and Analysis (image: Kaspersky)

1. With a New Year comes new threats. What major threats do you predict will top the list of priorities for Kaspersky Lab?

Threats today can never be kept at bay; there are a number of threats which consumers and businesses should look out for in 2013. Below are some of the threats which Kaspersky Lab is actively monitoring for 2013.

????????? The continued rise of targeted attacks and cyber?espionage

Over the last two years targeted attacks have become a huge threat to companies, as hackers try and ?trick? employees into giving information up that can be used to gain access to corporate resources as a means of stealing their most important data for their own gain, which is often financially motivated.

????????? Hacktivism

Hacktivism is the act of hacking or breaking into someone?s computer, to steal personal or business information. As we know, hacktivism has been a huge issue for consumers over the years, however, in 2013 we expect to see a huge increase of hacking into business servers. Certainly, as technology becomes more advanced, companies are allowing their employees to connect to business servers wherever they are. Whether it is at home, a coffee shop or in a meeting room ? this ?always available connectivity? does mean that corporate systems can be very vulnerable to hackers, especially if the systems and these devices are not protected.

????????? Clouds attacks

With the populatiry of cloud based servers, which hold a huge amount of data, the reality is that this data can be stolen in less than a second, if the necessary security precautions are not in place. Cybercriminals will continue to use cloud services to host and spread malware, where data stored in the cloud is accessed from a non-cloud device, giving criminals access to all personal information, bank accounts and even businesses? most important information.

Other trends include:

????????? More nation-state sponsored cyber-attacks

????????? Government-backed use of ?legal? surveillance tools in cyberspace

????????? Deterioration of digital privacy

????????? Continued problems with online trust and digital authorities

????????? Continued rise of Mac OS X malware and mobile malware

????????? Vulnerabilities and exploits continue to be key attack methods for cybercriminals

????????? Wide deployment of Ransomware and cryptoextortion malware

2. Do you predict a decline in malware and virus activity for this year?

Unfortunately not ? especially if we consider the fact that mobility will continue to increase. This means that everyday different companies will continue to develop and launch new wireless and mobile technologies. As a result of this influx of new technology, hackers and cybercriminals will remain on the look-out for new ways to attack ? especially vulnerable victims whose devices are not protected. There is no way of predicting how many viruses? we can expect for 2013, however, from past experience, 2013 will no doubt continue to see more viruses being developed and discovered.

3. What are the most important things that users can do to protect themselves?

There are a number of precautionary steps that consumers can put in place to protect themselves from malware and viruses, and falling victims to cybercriminal activity. First and most importantly, consumers must always be aware of the realities of malware and viruses. For example consumers must never click on hyperlinks within emails that look suspicious or that they do not recognise. Additionally, mobile device and Internet users should also take the necessary steps to ensure that the devices they utilise to access the Internet are protected with the right security software, for example, Kaspersky Internet Security 2013 or Kaspersky Mobile Security. Installing an effective security solution can give the user peace of mind and the protection they require.

4. Do you predict that there will be an increase in a specific type of attack this year e.g see an increase in banking attacks or phising scams?

A type of attack which became prevalent in 2010 and is continuing to expand into 2013 is what is being termed ?Cyber War? and includes the likes of Stuxnet, Flame and the more recently discovered ?Red October?. Cyberwar is a tactic used by nation states to target other countries? diplomatic, governmental or scientific research organisations. The main purpose of these attacks is to gather as much important information as they can get from different organisations, which often includes geopolitical intelligence, credentials to access classified computer systems, and data from personal mobile devices and network equipment.? Other cases include sabotage and attacks on critical infrastructure which can severely compromise the economy of the attacked nation. There have been quite a number of these viruses which have come to light in the past year.

5. How do African users rank in terms of online protection compared to the rest of the world?

According to the Serianu Kenya Cyber Security report 2012, over the past couple of years Internet usage in Kenya has increased rapidly due to the increased demand and the uptake of mobile devices. As Internet usage in the country continues to increase, so the Internet security breaches being reported have increased. The reason for this is the fact that as more broadband is made available to the Kenyan market, more consumers and businesses are embracing the digital world ? often making them an ideal target for cybercriminals. The same can be said throughout many African countries, where broadband development is currently happening at a fast pace.

Often our experience, as it is with Kenya, is that growing economies are often tracked by cybercriminals for potential targeting as a result of these countries being ?new? on the Internet scene and therefore the hope of these criminals is that they do not understand the realities of Internet security. Compared to first world countries, Africa is not on par with online security; and, this certainly needs to change, as more broadband is being made available throughout the content. It is for this reason why Kaspersky Lab is so passionate about educating the African market about cyber security, to ensure that such activity can be reduced and that consumers and businesses are equipped with the right tools and know how to protect themselves from falling victims to cybercriminals.

6. What can we expect from Kaspersky Lab in 2013 in terms of new products?

Through our continuous research, Kaspersky Lab has detected an increase in cybercriminal activity towards businesses. In fact, according to the B2B International survey done in conjunction with Kaspersky Lab in 2012, 35% of companies lost data due to malware attacks and 25% of business data due to un-patched software vulnerabilities. In light of this research, Kaspersky Lab is working towards offering more products dedicated to the protection of businesses and corporate networks. In 2013, businesses can expect more security from Kaspersky Lab in this regard, which will help their companies avoid hackers, viruses and malware.

7. According to Kaspersky?s data, which virus or piece of malware was the most infectious for 2012?

We?ve covered the most important infections of 2012 in depth in our report ?Kaspersky Security Bulletin 2012. The overall statistics for 2012? (please see https://www.securelist.com/en/analysis/204792255/Kaspersky_Security_Bulletin_2012_The_overall_statistics_for_2012)

For instance, on MacOS, the most virulent malware in 2012 was Trojan.OSX.FakeCo.a (52%). This malicious programme masquerades as a video codec installation file. After installation, however, no new codecs appear in the system; the installed programme behaves as an adware programme, collecting information about the user that may be of interest for marketing purposes, and then sends it to cybercriminals.

For Windows computers, the most popular malware was Trojan.Win32.AutoRun.gen, which refers to a class of Trojans that infect computers through the user of removable drives and ?autorun.inf? files.

8. With more phones being connected to the Internet, how important is mobile security and antivirus software to a user?

It is critical for users to install mobile security on their devices, because as mobility grows, so too does the concept of BYOD, where employees can have access to their corporate servers. Even though BYOD helps the productivity of a company, as employees are more comfortable using their own devices, it also leaves the company in a very vulnerable position. This is why Kaspersky Lab urges all companies to make sure that all their employees have the right mobile security in place to protect the company?s documents from cyber-criminals, malware and viruses.

9. What mobile solutions does Kaspersky have?

Kaspersky Lab has a product, which helps consumers protect their phone, called: Kaspersky Mobile Security. This product provides world-class protection whenever consumers use their mobile phones to bank, to shop, check out the web or chat with friends. This product also protects users if their phone gets stolen or lost and helps protect their data, even if the sim card has been replaced.

10. What is the biggest threat that users should look for or be made aware of?

At the moment, users are facing several major threats, which if taken one by one, individually, would represent just one drop of water in an ocean of threats.

Several big threats at the moment include:

* The exponential growth of Android malware

* Next threats for Mac users

* Cyberwarfare like Stuxnet, Flame or Gauss

* 0-days and exploits

* Advanced banking Trojans like SpyEye

* Ransomware

In particular, Ransomware is one of the threats which is growing at a fast speed and has the potential to cause massive chaos for computers users. These are a class of Trojans which encrypt the information on your PC and demand a ransom to give you access back to your data. During the last months, we?ve noticed such Trojans specifically designed for almost any country in the world, using rather innovative techniques to scare the user into paying the ransom, which ranges from $50-200.

11. Which African country is the worst protected in terms of threat detection and prevention?

The risk of online infection, which is the main source of malicious objects for users in most countries of the world, is of the greatest interest. This doesn?t mean the country is the worst protected, but it means that it is the most dangerous place for users from this place. In Sudan, 51% of the users have encountered one online attack, which makes the country the 10th most dangerous online place in the world.

Charlie Fripp ? Consumer Tech editor

Source: http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2013/01/qa-kaspersky-labs-director-of-global-research-and-analysis/

Aaron Ross Sikh temple lollapalooza Nastia Liukin Gabby Douglas hair Kayla Harrison Mars landing