Thursday, May 31, 2012

Movie Awards Nominee Oliver Cooper Insists He's 'America's Dirtbag'

Few people out there would actively go out of their way to declare themselves the greatest dirtbag of the year. Then again, few people are Oliver Cooper. The "Project X" breakout star is one of five nominees for the inaugural Best On-Screen Dirtbag award at the MTV Movie Awards this year. He's also the only [...]

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PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video)

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PayPal's mobile payments have been on a whirlwind American tour this year, but they haven't had a chance to cross the border so far. Someone must have finally stamped the company's passport, since it's now an option for UK residents to pay using the InStore app for Android or iOS. A trio of fashion outlets -- Coast, Oasis and Warehouse -- can soon scan an on-screen barcode to take payment for that posh new shirt instead of requiring ye olde wallet. As it is in the US, there's no need for any NFC magic or even an Internet connection to clinch the deal, and there's still the same access to discounts and refunds as for paper- and plastic-wielding buyers. A total of 230 shops will take your PayPal credit starting May 31st, although they won't stop your potential fashion mistakes.

Continue reading PayPal mobile payments hit the UK, filling your closet just went wireless (video)

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Naturopathic acne treatment - Health and Fitness

naturopathic acne treatmentThe reasons why your organism becomes prone to acne are numerous and include your lifestyle, diet and even genetic heritage. It is not surprising that dermatologists and researchers have developed numerous medications and skincare products to curtail, prevent, and treat acne. When your body is able to fight off the toxins that are causing acne and the first acne treatment products that work acne place, there will be fewer blemishes on the skin. INTERLUDE? Are you finding this piece related to acne laser so far helpful? Once cooled slightly, put your face naturopathic acne treatment over the bowl and a towel over your head and let the steam work its magic. Finding all natural remedies may take some trial and error, but they can bring relief until your hormones calm down again. Properly cleansing your face at least twice a day is a good method to prevent the apparition of acne. Another treatment is to provide an anti- inflammatory medication on the entire treatment skin area in order to reduce inflammation and redness. Hydrating your self with clean and potable water is also good in maintaining the health of your skin. These acids are extracted from fruits, milks, or sugars. When the more severe irritation subsides, start using just the cleanser and the toner just once a day and see how that goes. There are a lot of treatments for back acne available on the market, and you should definitely make sure you know how to look for one correctly and smartly. You will find that there are many dermatologists who specialize in working with adult patients and not with teenagers. You will need to weigh that these up before making a final decision. Strictly applied acne preventing routine will resolve the problem anyway. Youll find a lot naturopathic of emotional impacts that may very well be brought about by having acne. 2. The holistic approach targets this relationship and will provide you with strategies to eliminate acne. This too must be work face masked overnight and can be washed off with cool water the next morning. If this is the naturopathic acne treatment case, consult your doctor immediately. While you do need sebum to help get dead skin cells to the surface so they can be removed, too much of it isn? t good for your body. You could also use toners. 2. It is time consuming as well as leaves a hole in the pocket treatment of the patient to some extent. So, are you destined to become a ` victim` of acne? Rubbing ice cubes on the skin will shrink the size of pores, and also it will increase the blood flow towards face due to which the face skin can regain vitality rapidly. It can affect many areas of the skin that may range from the face, back, and neck. Here are 3 acne ways in which you products can avoid making your acne worse, so you can learn how to get rid of acne. The most common products are in the form of creams, pads and lotions.

Related Post Naturopathic acne treatment

Any physical routine that you like to do, such as yoga, running, biking, ipl spinning, pilates, boxing, and such, will help to lessen the It is believed that approximately 25% of adults can experience some form of adult acne at some stage and this doesnt mean that it This is the first acne most aloe vera gel for acne common myth about acne. One of the things that you can do is By doing this, they are able to achieve results in a matter of days and wipe out hormonal cystic acne treatment acne on a This will help keep your body hydrated to get rid of toxins that can aggravate the acne and cause breakouts. Dairy products also include

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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Dewey files for chapter 11 in record law firm collapse

NEW YORK/BANGALORE (Reuters) - The crippled law firm Dewey & Leboeuf LLP filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday night and will seek approval to liquidate its business after failing to find a merger partner, marking the biggest collapse of a law firm in U.S. history.

Once one of the largest law firms in the U.S., Dewey has been hit by the loss of the vast majority of its roughly 300 partners to other firms amid concerns about compensation and a heavy debt load.

Dewey had warned employees earlier this month of the possibility the firm may shut down, and a person familiar with the matter had told Reuters that the firm was considering a bankruptcy filing.

"Dewey's failure is rocking the industry in the sense that most firms are saying to themselves, if Dewey could go down, could we?" Kent Zimmermann, a legal consultant at the Zeughauser Group, said in an email Monday night.

Dewey said in a filing it had decided to wind down its business following unsuccessful negotiations with other law firms to strike a deal. It said it would ask about 90 employees to remain on staff to assist in the liquidation, which it expects to be completed in the next few months.

Negative economic conditions, along with the firm's partnership compensation arrangements, created a situation where its cash flow was insufficient to cover capital expenses and full compensation expectations, Dewey said.

"During the first quarter of 2012, the firm was confronted with liquidity constraints that led to the precipitous resignation of over 160 of the firm's 300 partners by May 11," the New-York based firm said.

Dewey listed liabilities in the range of $100 million to $500 million, according to the filing. It had already terminated 433 of its 533 New York employees earlier this month, according to the state's labor department.

MONTHS OF TURBULENCE

The firm's collapse is expected to be the subject of years of court proceedings, and a number of former partners have already retained lawyers to represent them.

Monday's filing follows months of turbulence, as wave after wave of partner defections shattered the high-profile firm from within. In April, the Manhattan District Attorney's office launched a criminal probe of former firm chairman Steven Davis. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The result of a 2007 merger between Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Green & MacRae, Dewey & LeBoeuf had about 1,450 attorneys at its peak, according to The National Law Journal.

But the firm was eventually undone by a combination of the economic downturn, excessive compensation and governance problems, according to former partners and others in the industry. In particular, Dewey's management promised millions in packages to about 100 partners, according to the court filing, leaving it strapped for cash when revenues fell during the recession.

Dewey has retained Joff Mitchell of Zolfo Cooper LLC as Chief Restructuring Officer and Albert Togut of Togut Segal & Segal LLP as bankruptcy counsel.

"The full extent of the partner compensation arrangements is subject of continuing investigation," Mitchell said in the filing.

Dewey is one of a handful of major law firms to declare bankruptcy since the recession that began in 2007. They include Coudert Brothers, Heller Ehrman and Howrey.

PENSION PLANS

As of the petition date, Dewey's assets consisted of about $13 million in cash, accounts receivable of about $255 million, various pieces of artwork, and about $11 million invested in an insurance consortium, among other potential claims, according to the filing.

In the interim, Dewey said the firm will be operating on a budget to be determined by the court. The firm has petitioned the court for permission to continue to pay salaries, benefits and paid time-off for current employees.

Dewey said that the 401(k) plans and qualified pension plans of its current and former employees and partners are held in trust and cannot be accessed by the firm's creditors.

The U.S. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation filed suit this month to take control of three of the firm's pension plans, which the agency said were underfunded by $80 million.

The London and Paris offices of the firm are operated through a separately incorporated UK entity, which was placed into administration on Monday.

Administration is a UK legal process under court supervision, broadly similar to chapter 11. The UK partnership is following broadly the same approach as that of Dewey in the United States, the firm said.

The firm had two dozen offices worldwide, including in Washington, Los Angeles and London. Some of the firm's biggest clients included General Motors Corp, eBay, Novartis, Ambac and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Division.

The case is Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, Case No. 12-12321, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

(Reporting by Sakthi Prasad in Bangalore and by Joseph Ax and Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Chris Gallagher)

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Video: Romney and Obama battle for vets? votes

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No-Fuss Payday Loan Finance Resources Plans ? The Best Routes ...

Have you been thinking of getting a payday loan? Join the crowd. Many of those who are working have been getting these loans nowadays, in order to get by until their next paycheck. But do you really know what payday loans are all about? In this article, you will learn about payday loans. You may even learn things you never knew!

When trying to plan out your post-emergency budget, your top priority should be avoiding the next emergency and getting things flowing again. Do not assume that everything will work itself out, and you are going to be just fine, simply because you are this very moment. You have to pay the money back.

An important tip to anyone looking to take out a payday loan is to make sure that whichever lender you are applying to get the loan from is licensed in your state. Each state has different lending laws and in order to get a legit and legal loan, your lender must be licensed to operate in your state.

When you go in to meet with a payday lender, save yourself some trouble and take along the documents you need, including identification, proof of age, and evidence of employment. You must demonstrate to the lender that you have stable income, and that you are 18 years of age or older.

Make sure to stay updated with any rule changes with regards to your payday loan lender. Legislation is always being passed that changes how lenders are allowed to operate so make sure you understand any rule changes and how they affect you and your loan before signing a contract.

Payday loans usually carry very high interest rates, and should only be used for emergencies. Although the interest rates are high, these loans can be a lifesaver, if you find yourself in a bind. These loans are especially beneficial when a car breaks down, or an appliance tears up.

Make sure that you read all of the fine print, before applying for a payday loan. Many people get burned by payday loan companies, because they did not read all of the details before signing. If you do not understand all of the terms, ask a loved one who understands the material to help you.

If you have to pay for something right now and you have no other way of borrowing money, a short term loan from a company like Western Union can be utilized. As long as you do not make a habit of it, payday loans can be an option for you!

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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Renesas outsources top-end chips to TSMC as shake-out looms

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Renesas Electronics will outsource its top-end chips to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co to survive cut-throat global competition after falling behind in investment and as it grapples with a costly restructuring.

Renesas, the world's fifth-largest chipmaker, and the rest of Japan's semiconductor industry face their biggest shake-out in a decade as more nimble rivals such as Samsung Electronics force them to tap the technical prowess of contract manufacturers such as TSMC, the world leader.

"By outsourcing to TSMC, it's sending its customers a message that it will continue to push forward its technology," said Fred Yu, an analyst at IBTS Investment Consultation.

Renesas' shares fell more than 11 percent on Monday to a record low after news over the weekend that it planned to sell loss-making operations and cut at least 12,000 jobs - more than a quarter of its workforce - as part of a sweeping restructuring.

The company's escalating troubles follow the February bankruptcy filing of Elpida Memory Inc, Japan's last producer of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips used in personal computers. Elpida is in talks with U.S. firm Micron Technology about a buyout plan.

Renesas' restructuring plan, presented to its banks, would be funded by raising more than 100 billion yen ($1.26 billion) in fresh capital, a source familiar with the situation said at the weekend.

The Japanese firm, struggling with high costs and mounting losses, said it expects to produce about 30 percent of its chips overseas by 2016/17, double the 15 percent in the year ended in March.

Renesas said on Monday it would outsource all its output of microcontroller chips with circuitry widths of only 40 nanometers or less, taking advantage of TSMC's more advanced production technology. Renesas is the world's largest producer of microcontroller chips for automobiles.

The Nikkei business daily reported at the weekend that Renesas' restructuring, which it aims to finalize by July, would also include selling TSMC a chip plant in northern Japan.

"If the business model is correct I don't think our company would rule out any possibility," said Cheng-Ming Lin, director of specialty technology at TSMC, when asked about TSMC carrying out production in Japan. "Japan has a lot of great engineering resources. I think this is a place that we can seriously consider but this is really my personal view."

Before finalizing the plan, Renesas must get approval from its main shareholders, electronics conglomerates Hitachi Ltd, Mitsubishi Electric Corp and NEC Corp, whose chip divisions were spun off and merged to form the company over the past decade. Combined, they hold more than 90 percent of Renesas shares.

Mitsubishi Electric, whose earnings along with Hitachi have been bolstered by strong results in the infrastructure business and by limited exposure to consumer electronics, said last week that Renesas' shareholders were prepared to offer support.

"If it can go through with the restructuring and raise funds, it will not be a repeat of Elpida," said Hideyuki Ishiguro, assistant manager of investment strategy at Okasan Securities.

"JAPAN INC" ENTERPRISE

But NEC, whose chip division was merged into Renesas just two years ago, has been hit with steep losses in recent years as its mobile handset and IT hardware businesses struggle.

Shares of NEC, which along with its employee pension trust owns 35 percent of Renesas, tumbled 9.2 percent on Monday and were the biggest drag on Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei average, while Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric were both little changed, in line with the Nikkei.

Renesas ended down 10.6 percent at 244 yen after falling to an all-time low of 238 yen. It was the busiest day's trading for the stock in almost 9 years. The stock has dropped nearly 60 percent over the past two months as worries mounted about its business, compared with a 15 percent fall in the Nikkei.

"I think it's very likely Hitachi and the major shareholders will give support, so I do think the reaction today is a little excessive," said Okasan Securities' Ishiguro.

Renesas' loss-making system LSI unit, which makes system-on-chip products combining processing and other functions used in a range of digital electronics, has been a major drag on the company as Japanese consumer electronics makers cut production of televisions and other goods.

Sales in the system LSI division fell 35.5 percent in the year to end-March, the worst performance among its major divisions. Media reports have said Japan's government is pushing a plan to combine troubled system LSI businesses from Renesas, Panasonic Corp and Fujitsu Ltd into a government-backed company that would focus on chip design, while selling off factories and outsourcing manufacturing to contract chip makers.

Analysts note that Japanese system-on-chip makers have suffered from their willingness to over-customize chips to suit the needs of customers in Japan's consumer electronics sector, undermining efficiency and sacrificing profit margins.

While analysts have long urged Japanese chipmakers to take advantage of the so-called fabless model that focuses on chip design operations while outsourcing chip fabrication, Renesas' experience as a receptacle for other companies' unwanted chip operations bodes ill for such "Japan Inc" enterprises.

Analysts and industry executives have said a major factor behind Renesas' problems was a reluctance by executives from its various parent companies to relinquish control, hobbling an ability to make bold restructuring decisions such as closing down plants or discontinuing product lines.

"The major problem that Renesas faces is its own management, which is comprised of executives from its major shareholding companies," said a Japanese chip sector executive, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

"The problem with these firms that are the product of mergers of 'big name' companies is that they are not prepared to take on restructuring that is required and to do whatever necessary to survive."

($1 = 79.6000 yen)

(Additional reporting by Maki Shiraki and Dominic Lau; Editing by Edmund Klamann and Ian Geoghegan)

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Infosys BPO Wins Outsourcing Award in Process and Application ...

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Home / Press Releases / Infosys BPO Wins Outsourcing Award in Process and Application

Infosys BPO won the Outsourcing Excellence Award 2012 in the ?Best New Process/Application? category, recognizing the company?s strong relationship with its client Rio Tinto. The Outsourcing Excellence Awards are presented by the Outsourcing Center, the premier online community specializing in thought leadership, best practices, and innovation in outsourcing.

Speaking about the award, Swami Swaminathan, CEO and MD, Infosys BPO, said, ?Winning an award from a globally recognized platform such as the Outsourcing Center is a validation of our continued focus on delivering business value for our clients. This corroborates our ability to impact our clients? business metrics through transformational initiatives. The award is truly a testimony to our focus on thought leadership and driving innovation through collaboration for our clients.?

This is the 16th year the Outsourcing Excellence Awards have annually recognized the world?s best outsourcing arrangements. Judged by an independent panel of industry experts who evaluated numerous worldwide outsourcing relationships, winners from both the buyer and service provider presented learnings at the Best Practice Seminar and were recognized at the ?Oscars-reminiscent? black tie event at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas.

The global winning outsourcing partnerships represent a variety of business solutions that enable the buyers to support their strategic growth initiatives. Basis in-depth review of nominations, the judges select relationships that tangibly demonstrate best practices, create and sustain a competitive advantage, provide business transformation, achieve compelling value, and significantly benefit both buyer and service provider over time.


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Healthy Cooking Tips For Quick | Orange County Boot Camp




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Reasons Why You Need a Personal Trainer

When it comes to achieving a specific goal, one is advised to get prepared both physically and mentally. The same applies when it comes to boot camp training. Some people want to achieve great goals but end up dropping out along the way. Weight loss is not instant and will take time for an individual to achieve the goals. Patience is therefore the key to achieving the desired goals. However, if looking for personal training, it is important that you get a personal trainer. Guidebooks are incomprehensive as compared to the trainer. He will guide you through the process and play a huge role in helping you achieve your goals. There are a number of benefits that one reaps from hiring a personal trainer.

To start with, the personal trainer will play a huge role when it comes to motivation. Weight loss or gain is not easy. A person requires commitment to achieve the desired goals. This is what calls for motivation. In most cases, some people do their workouts and give up the ghost after only a few weeks. This is basically because the results are not as instant as they expected. Motivation is therefore demanding to help encourage one to work harder in achieving the desired goals. A personal trainer will point the trainee to the positive sides thereby enabling him to achieve his desired goals in a more reliable way. This is important for any trainee either in a boot camp or in a gym.?

Second, the personal trainer will give guidance on how to achieve the desired goals. The main reason why some people achieve results within a short period of time than others is simply because some people use the wrong tactics. The body type matters but tactic used in training plays the biggest part. It is therefore important that one knows how to do certain workouts so as to achieve the desired goals more reliably. The personal trainer will help achieve those goals more effectively. They have profound skills in training and will definitely help achieve the desired goals more reliably.

The provision of all the requirements in training is what makes a personal trainer important. Some people give up the ghost because they lack all the tools that they require to achieve their preset goals. This is, however, not the case when one has an orange county personal trainer holding their back. The trainer has been rendering the service for many years and has garnered reliable skills that will help achieve the desired goals in a more reliable way. They will provide the tools that one needs to achieve the desired goals effectively.

Lastly, the personal trainer will help one remain accountable for all the activities that he engages in. This is very important especially when looking for reliance in a workout. The personal trainer will help the trainee know the progress that he is making. This will help achieve the goals more reliably by looking at the positive side of the workout. All that it takes for to achieve a specific goal is a complement and the personal trainer will do exactly that.?


Aliso Viejo boot camp training to last a lifetime


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?A rapidly growing fat loss and workout choice is becoming very popular to health-conscious individuals. Sick and tired of the typical weight loss diet fads as well as wellbeing programs, people who find themselves extraordinarily serious in slimming down and not regaining it presently like fitness personal training rather than the regular visits to the gym. This abrupt change to boot camps in Aliso Viejo is brought on by real outcomes for instance generating virtually six pounds of weight reduction in just a thirty day period. The results from this workout method is so awesome that it really is no wonder that serious dieters are commonly taking these kinds of boot camps.?

?The idea of fitness personal training is of course, automatically linked by individuals to military-style training. In all honesty, this is not even close to what one can anticipate in a wellness and fitness fitness boot camp. The physical exercises involved within the personal training program are not made for extreme and rigorously self-disciplined health and fitness programs. Campers get personal training in numerous degrees of accelerating activity drills which have been tailor-made for starters, intermediate, as well as expert individuals. Once they gain increased conditioning along with power, they will move on to workouts having elevated effort, pushing these people to achieve more substantial ambitions and motivating them to complete all the intense levels. Motivating instructors are also there to help and inspire campers to concentrate on their personal training in Aliso Viejo.

?Regardless of the exciting and motivating fitness-driven atmosphere, these kinds of fitness boot camps are still executed in a laidback environment where the exercising is applicable to different degrees and done in classes. Health-conscious persons get the chance to meet and create all new friends with comparable motivations and passion in their courses. A few Aliso Viejo boot camps give a one-week personal training, where individuals are advised to eat sensibly and exercise frequently. Group games, workout routines, circuit as well as abs exercising, and exciting obstacle courses are waiting for these people. Aside from these, you can also find plenty of opportunity just for fun, and team bonding. The ultimate objective would be to make new habits which will keep working for a life time for long-term fitness. Many people get to drop some fat and bond with fellow people while they?re taught life lessons over these camp sessions.?

?It is no wonder that boot camps have grabbed the health-conscious community by storm. Avoid putting things off with all of the diets and gymnasium classes and enroll in a boot camp program now.

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Monday, May 28, 2012

Next-gen iPhone expected to sport 16:9 display aspect ratio

The next-generation iPhone?supposedly packing a 4-inch screen, up from 3.5 inches?is now expected to sport a resolution of 640x1136, according to 9to5Mac. In fact, the site claims to have information on multiple next-gen iPhones, though not all of them may see the light of day.

The two prototypes in question are reportedly codenamed N41AP (iPhone 5,1) and N42AP (iPhone 5,2), and both phones have a display that measures 3.95 inches diagonally. (This seems to once again corroborate previous rumors about a 4-inch iPhone?one that Steve Jobs supposedly "worked closely" on before his death in October of 2011.) As some have suspected, 9to5Mac claims the larger-sized screen won't make the device any wider than it already is. Instead, the display will grow in length, from the current resolution of 640x960 to 640x1136. That would leave the display 1.94 inches wide while lengthening it to 3.45 inches, shifting the aspect ratio from the old 3:2 to 16:9.

There has been some debate as to whether iOS developers would welcome 16:9 displays. Reports circulated Monday claiming that some devs were excited about the change, but the ones we spoke to expressed caution about screen ratios changing. Would Apple want every single app in the App Store updated for a 16:9 screen, and would developers have to continue supporting 3:2 apps for older iPhones? Several developers pointed out that apps are already supposed to be able to handle display resolution changes, but some have issues dealing with things at the top of the screen (such as the Personal Hotspot bar), so there is potential for complications. How do you think Apple will handle it, assuming the rumor is true?

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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Patents: Action hints of more curbs on tech infringement lawsuit ...

The U.S. Supreme Court told a lower court to reconsider whether some types of ideas can be patented, in a sign that further limits may be set on infringement lawsuits against technology companies.

The court?s action Monday marks the second time this year it ordered the federal appeals court that specializes in patent cases to revisit a decision under the Supreme Court?s March 20 decision limiting the ability to obtain legal protection for some diagnostic medical tests.

In Monday?s case, the justices set aside a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit that allowed a patent for a way to make consumers watch advertisements before they can view copyrighted material on the Web. The appeals court had said patent owner Ultramercial LLC, which offers online advertising services, could pursue a lawsuit against WildTangent Inc., which lets consumers play online games after first watching a commercial.

?It?s kind of a bad omen for these business-method patents,? said Brad Wright, a patent lawyer with Banner & Witcoff in Washington, who isn?t involved in the cases.

The Supreme Court ruled March 20 that a medical diagnostic test owned by Nestl? SA?s Prometheus unit covered little more than an abstract idea and law of nature. Six days later, the justices ordered the Federal Circuit to revisit a decision allowing human genes to be patented.

WildTangent?s appeal to the Supreme Court was supported by Google Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc.

The appeals court ruling exposes ?high-tech companies to increased litigation risk by sanctioning sketchy, high-level claims that lack the specifics that transform abstract ideas into patentable processes,? Google and Verizon said in their filing with the court.

Ultramercial, based Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., had sued Google?s YouTube unit in the same case. That claim was settled in 2010.

A trial judge ruled that Ultramercial?s concept was an abstract idea and not entitled to patent protection. The Federal Circuit revived the case after deciding the patent covered a practical application of an old idea.

A trial is scheduled for October to determine whether the Ultramercial patent is invalid based on earlier inventions, and if not, whether WildTangent infringed the patent.

WildTangent, which filed its appeal before the Prometheus decision was issued, said the Federal Circuit misinterpreted a 2010 Supreme Court decision, named after patent owner Bernard L. Bilski, that limits what types of business methods can receive patents.

Ultramercial?s lawyers said the appeals court properly ruled that the patent covers specific steps that can be implemented only through complex computer programming. They said the court fell in line with the Bilski and Prometheus decisions.

The case is WildTangent Inc. v. Ultramercial LLC, 11962.

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5 Things to Think About Before Investing in Art | Madame Noire ...

Born to Austrian and Ugandan parents in Seattle, Isolde Brielmaier always had a strong understanding of various cultures. First falling in love with dance and attending a public school where the arts were heavily integrated into the everyday curriculum, she got the artistic bug early. ?I danced very seriously through my early 20s,? Brielmaier says, ?and always tried to balance that with being a good student.? But while attending high school in Germany, the long-term performer decided she no longer had an interest in pursuing dance full-time. Instead, she chose to become a full-time student of history and sociology at New York?s Columbia University and spent her spare time at the Dance Theater of Harlem and Alvin Ailey?s dance studio. However, it was her courses in art history that would become a major component in her life and career.

Curating small exhibitions in the SoHo section of New York, Brielmaier was eventually asked to teach at Vassar University. What was supposed to be a one-time thing turned into a five-year career as a visiting professor. In the past, Brielmaier advised athletes and entertainers in purchasing contemporary art, but she now operates as the as the chief curator of SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). Today she also curates international art exhibitions in the SCAD community and beyond. BlackEnterprise.com sat down with the art guru who broke down the top five things to consider when looking to break into the world of art.

Read the rest at Black Enterprise

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Comments that contain profane or derogatory language, video links or exceed 200 words will require approval by a moderator before appearing in the comment section. XOXO-MN

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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Syria assails rebel town, admits sanctions hurting

Syrian forces tried to storm the rebel bastion of Rastan on Wednesday under cover of heavy gunfire, shelling and rocket bombardment, reports said, as Damascus admitted sanctions were biting hard.

Meanwhile, the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) denied it was behind the abduction of Lebanese Shiite pilgrims, an incident stoking tensions in neighbouring Lebanon, divided between pro- and anti-Damascus camps.

There was no word on any Rastan casualties, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 15 people were killed nationwide, including seven troops shot dead at Qalamun in Damascus province as they tried to defect.

As the violence continued to rage, Russia, one of Syria's rare allies, offered to host direct talks between the Damascus regime and rebel representatives, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said.

Soldiers were trying to overrun Rastan for the second time in 10 days, with shells crashing into the town at the rate of "one a minute" at one stage, according to the Britain-based Observatory.

An activist said FSA fighters were defending Rastan's entrances but that "regime forces are being strengthened with new deployments," including from the elite Republican Guard.

"Electricity has been cut off in Rastan, and water tanks have been shelled," Abu Rawan told AFP. "There is also a severe lack of food because the market is closed and we can't bring food in from nearby villages."

Hours later, the activist said the army assault eased when a team of UN observers entered Rastan.

"The situation is calm now because the UN monitors have arrived," having heard the shelling, Abu Rawan told AFP. "God protect us when they leave."

On May 14, 23 soldiers were killed in a failed assault on Rastan, a town straddling the main highway linking Damascus to the north and where rebels regrouped from the battered city of Homs.

Elsewhere, troops fired on protesters in second city Aleppo in the north as about 1,500 people rallied against the regime, triggering armed clashes, said the Observatory.

Activists said lawyers and sympathisers with the revolt staged a sit-in at Aleppo's judicial complex to demand the release of political prisoners, and to pay tribute to four students killed at a May 3 rally in the city.

The uprising against President Bashar al-Assad broke out with peaceful democracy protests in March 2011, prompting a fierce crackdown that spawned an increasingly militant response.

More than 12,600 people have been killed, nearly 1,500 of them since a UN-backed truce took effect April 12, according to the Observatory.

The bloodshed has persisted despite a ceasefire brokered by UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, as well as previous diplomatic measures, including several rounds of sanctions against Assad's regime.

Oil Minister Sufian Allaw admitted on Wednesday that punitive measures imposed by the West have cost Syria almost $4 billion (3.2 billion euros) and caused shortages in fuel products.

"The oil sector has lost almost $4 billion because of the unjust European and US sanctions, blocking exports and imports of oil and oil derivatives," he told a news conference.

The minister acknowledged "new difficulties" in meeting Syria's energy needs, especially for domestic gas, blaming measures taken by the United States and the European Union.

Allaw said negotiations were under way with Russia for a long-term energy deal, while a Venezuelan vessel loaded with 35,000 tonnes of fuel oil docked in Syria this week and another expected soon.

Also on Wednesday speculation was rife among anti-regime activists over the alleged "killing" of Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat, who is also Syria's deputy defence minister.

Shawkat, former head of military intelligence, was poisoned, according to anti-regime activists. The authorities in Damascus could not be reached for comment and have not responded publicly to the claim.

The raging violence took a broader turn in the region after Lebanon's state news agency said Syrian rebels kidnapped 13 Shiites as they were headed home to Lebanon by bus from a pilgrimage in Iran.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansur said the pilgrims were abducted by "a splinter group of the armed Syrian opposition", but added he expected their release "within hours."

The FSA denied involvement.

"The FSA is not at all responsible for the operation," Mustafa al-Sheikh, a high-ranking member of the rebel force, told AFP by telephone from Istanbul, blaming the regime for the abduction.

The opposition Syrian National Council also issued a call for the prompt release of the pilgrims, adding it too believed the regime could be involved in the kidnapping.

But Lebanese women pilgrims who arrived in Beirut on Wednesday said the kidnappers presented themselves as FSA fighters. "They terrorised us," one said.

The case has triggered fears of sectarian tensions in Lebanon over the Syrian conflict and on Wednesday hundreds of people staged a sit-in in support of the pilgrims in Beirut's mostly-Shiite southern suburbs.

Meanwhile, Russia and Saudi Arabia cautioned against an escalation of tensions.

And Google announced that its mapping software and other products would be available in Syria after getting export approval by the US government, citing the right to "free expression."

Over the past 14 months of unrest, pro-democracy protesters have used social networking sites to whip up support and the government has also resorted to the Internet to strike back.

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Diverted plane lands, no explosives found

A flight from Paris bound for Charlotte, N.C., was diverted to Maine on Tuesday after a passenger claimed to have a device surgically implanted inside her, sparking security concerns.

The woman, a French citizen whose name has not been released, was arrested after the plane landed in Bangor, Maine. Law enforcement officials conducted a search of the plane, concluding there were no explosives on board. According to US Airways, the flight left Bangor and arrived in Charlotte at 5:37 p.m. ET.

US Airways flight 787?which left Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport shortly after 11 a.m. local time en route to Charlotte Douglas International?was rerouted to Bangor. The Boeing 767 was carrying 179 passengers and a crew of nine, a spokesman for the airline said, confirming that there had been an unspecified "security issue."

A Homeland Security official told NBC News that the flight was diverted because a "passenger was acting suspiciously."

According to CNN, a French woman on the flight handed a note to a flight attendant, claiming that she had a surgically implanted device inside her.

Two F-15 fighter jets were scrambled from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass., to intercept the flight over Canada, NORAD said. The plane landed safely in Bangor.

Doctors aboard the flight examined the woman and "saw no sign of recent scars," according to House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King's office.

The woman, a French citizen from Cameroon, had planned a 10-day visit to the United States, King's office added. She was traveling alone and had no checked baggage.

"[We are] aware of reports of a passenger who exhibited suspicious behavior during flight," the TSA said in a statement. "Out of an abundance of caution the flight was diverted to BGR where it was met by law enforcement."

According to one of the passengers, the flight crew announced that they needed to land in Bangor because "uncharacteristically strong headwinds" required the plane to refuel. Once the plane landed there, the pilot apologized to passengers, saying the TSA ordered him to lie to them.

Passengers were also told to keep their window shades down during a movie, so they did not see that fighter jets has been sent to escort the flight,? Stuart Frankel from Baltimore told the Associated Press. He also said there were a few calls for doctors on the flight, but that did not alarm anyone.

"We saw lots of police and federal customs people take a woman off the plane in handcuffs," Frankel said. "People were amazed at what was going on. We didn't know what was happening until we landed."

Several passengers said they did notice the woman because she kept walking up and down the aisle during the flight. They said she also stood out because of her slight stature and big eyelashes, according to the AP.

The FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting with the investigation, but officials told the network they did not believe it was a terrorist threat.

Airlines have been on heightened alert since last fall, when the Dept. of Homeland Security and FBI warned of new terrorist plots involving surgically implanted bombs.

It's not the first time a flight from Paris has been diverted to Bangor. In 2010, a Delta flight from Paris to Atlanta was diverted to Bangor after a man claimed to be carrying dynamite in his luggage. The man, Derek Stansberry, a 26-year-old Air Force veteran from Florida, was later found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Just last week, a US Airways flight from Maine to Philadelphia was interrupted when a man allegedly tried to enter the cockpit. That flight was diverted to Boston, and the man was arrested.

More popular Yahoo! News stories:

? High school yearbooks that labeled special needs students 'mentally retarded' recalled

? Tanning mom: 'I'm sorry, I'm tan. I like to be tan. It just feels good'

? University of Texas apologizes for 'pubic affairs' commencement typo

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Something Wise Regarding Retirement Plan

Sitting home and the idea of doing nothing is horrible but there are a number of other awful decisions that one has to make at the time of his retirement. Those decisions will have an important impact on your life ahead, and you need to ensure that the decision that you make is the best for your present and your future as well.

Post retirement is the phase when you have to decide that what would be the wisest way to spend your assets that you have accumulated all your life through your hard work. You have to understand the fact that after retirement, you will not be having any incoming source of money, but you will have to spend all you have. You must ensure that you use your saved money in a wise way so that you do not end up in a situation where you have to ask others for help.

Invest your savings wisely.

Foresee the future and make sure that you always keep the inflation factor in your mind because prices are no way coming down from this day forwards; they have been rising and they will continue to rise.? The best thing to be done to make sure that you live a merry and serene life after retirement is to read and talk to people. Look what other people did at the time of their retirement and learn from their mistakes and accomplishments. Learning from the experiences of others does not mean that you have to do what they did; in fact, you need to modify their experiences according to your own situation. Research around and make your retirement an awesome experience for yourself and your family.

In generally, the post retirement is considered as the phase for which you have to take certain decisions in regards to your total hard earned income or assets. One must consider the fact that after retirement, he or she won?t have any sort of income. So, in order to overcome this problem, you should plan well for your post retirement income source. You need to explore the incoming source for income, or otherwise you will spend all of your hard earned income and assets which you build up during the phase of your jobs. So, you must adopt the saving habit. It is good for you because it will help you at that time when you have no other source of income.

So, you won?t require asking others to help you incase of any financial assistance. Always try to make good investments considering future point of view. One must ensure to have good investment considering inflation and other important factors as well. This would not only beneficial for you but also for your family as well. So, it is up to you to have good investment considering your future aspects or post retirement factor.

?

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Monday, May 21, 2012

Welcome to Community Church Scouts Group ? Hemorrhoid flare ...

Hemroids, inside rear end, arise in the event the blood vessels are generally not going back enough blood back in one?s heart. When this occurs, typically the vein partitions do not get enough breathable oxygen and release a chemical to the blood that creates these swell and grow irritated. That irritation weakens these people and their prone to break up once rubbed, like within a bowel movements.

In case your barstools are tough, you now have a higher potential for busting a puffiness train of thought. This is why having your bar stools softer is one step up eradicating your hemorrhoid distress. You can accomplish this by eating a diet plan and using treatments that assist relieve costiveness.
Hemorrhoid flare-ups, which are enflamed or bloating can really exist,

On the inside simply above the muscle that sales techniques the bag and straight into for the rectum. They are nearby the surface of the butt mucus membrane layer On the outside, these people occur for the body that encompass the and can along with protrude or even hang external.

In ways, hemorrhoid distress can be considered varicose problematic veins of the butt. Just like varicose problematic veins in the lower limbs, the actual rectum problematic veins become enflamed and visit your skin layer surface and stick out there.
Hemroids occur when you find yourself constipated with regard to long periods, take hard, raise heavy things, as well as expecting a baby.

Should you be constipated, you are probably possessing a difficult time possessing an intestinal movement. So when you are doing, your own personal stools are usually small , tough, as well as dried out. If you have to force and stress or lie on stained regarding 10-15 minutes, subsequently have piles sooner or later. Two or three moments is you normally need to have an organic by a bowel movement.

Above 85% with the human population has hemorrhoids. Piles can be an indication that feces is not really entering your current colon love it need to. Very simple hemorrhoids aren?t going to be unsafe to your health and fitness, yet hemorrhoids which are making for a while may cause you some distress, such as,
Mucus produce
Hemorrhage showing up within your stools or still dripping wet in the potty normal water Scratching on the outside of from the butt Problems inside the rectum area and through some sort of bowel activity Soreness inside anal area area, after you be seated Gentle bulging place from the anal area or bag that give which you discomfort that something is there
As always, consult your doctor in case your hemorrhoid distress are unpleasant, get excess blood loss, or perhaps stools include difference in coloring from method brown to help black or even african american.

Just be conscious of any kind of growth inside the butt, hemorrhage during an intestinal motion, and also an enhancements made on your stools colour. Subsequently take action to manage these types of changes.

Click on the link below for more info
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Sun starts 'ring of fire' eclipse

An "annular eclipse" will be visible from a 240 to 300km-wide swathe of Earth stretching from Asia across the Pacific to the western US on Monday.

The eclipse is happening at a time that the Moon is at its farthest from the Earth, and therefore does not block out the Sun completely.

Viewers can see the resulting "ring of fire" in China from sunrise local time on Monday (from 22:06 GMT Sunday).

From most parts of the path, it will last about four-and-a-half minutes.

The eclipse will trace a path over Japan, almost directly over Tokyo (22:32 GMT) before crossing the Pacific, passing just below Alaska's Aleutian islands, and making landfall over the Oregon/California border (01:23 GMT Monday).

The 3.5-hour event will become less visible as it reaches Texas on Sunday evening local time.

It will be possible to see partial views of the eclipse across much of east Asia and North America.

The Slooh series of space telescopes will be covering the event on its website from about 21:30 GMT.

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A Gamer's Dream of New Features of How Video Games be Like in ...

With video game technology advancing so fast and so far from where it started, one can?t help but to entertain the idea of where it?s going to go from here. After all, that is part of a larger creative process and we?d like to think that our writings contribute even in some small way. One of the earliest video games that we can remember is Commodore?s ?Pong.? But never did we think the industry would have reached the point where it is today.??One thing is for sure however, and that?s the gaming is pushing full force ahead.


Shop Amazon - Video Game Deals Page?
Today we did a little fantasizing to see where our imagination and desires would take us.

?

The following offers some suggestions of what could be done short of a little thing called, ?impossible.??

We?re a little intrigued with the ?Sun Game Glasses? idea. Wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and using the technology implemented by Nintendo?s ?Wii? system, we could literally watch a game take place right before our eyes and then interact with it using a device that?s about the size of a pen. Since this isn?t exactly a new idea, we?re curious to watch what develops from University of South Australia?s 'ARQuake' project?- a springboard for this kind of gaming to develop in the near future for sure.Another cool idea we?d like to see erupt within the gaming industry is the ability to talk to the characters inside a game. Some games allow players to textually speak to game characters already, but we?d like to see this pushed a little further. We?d like to be able to orally interact with characters: ask questions, joke around, warn and speak to them as if we were speaking to another human being. And we?d like to hear these characters talk back! It?s the ultimate artificial intelligence opportunity and although it would probably be years before this technology would be available on a wide scale, we?re sure it would be a hit. Will we ever get to the point where we can play inside a simulated environment the way the characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation could play? Virtual reality is getting close, but the reality of the simulation is gone the moment we put on the silly-looking goggles and gloves. In order for simulation of this sort to work, there has to be as little a barrier between gamers and the game as possible. We don?t what to just think we?re inside a game, we want to feel that we?re inside a game and to be honest, we don?t want to have to go somewhere outside our home to do so.

?? ? ??

The television or computer screen will suffice for now, but in the future, we?re going to want to be surrounded with the elements that make gaming the wonder that it is today. We?re going to want to transform our dens or bedrooms into a virtual alien ship or simulated jungle. In short, we want a new world.

One possible obstacle to bringing this fantasy into our living rooms is public acceptance. Would the public be ready for such a high level of entertainment? And could the public handle it? Immediately following Nintendo?s Wii release, customers were ready to complain that they wanted their old controller back! So as with any new development, there will surely be unintended consequences and although we?re gung-ho for these types of advances, we also share concerns about the impact it would have on an audience that isn?t ?virtually ready.?

As a result, we can certainly envision a few laws introduced that restricted the use of our fantasy gaming. We already have some laws that attempt the same now and in our opinion, that?s a good thing. The last thing we want to encounter in gaming is physical harm ? especially when we?re trying to enjoy virtual entertainment!

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Small Business Payroll Processing ? Handle Accounting Task With ...

By Small Business Ideas On May 19, 2012 Under Small Business

These days, business enlargement and correct implementation of enterprise requirements is getting much more crucial than before. The competitors degree among companies is going so high that more numbers of enterprise owners are actually attempting to go for some distinctive providers that can deliver some ease on this regard. Effectively, small business payroll processing companies and few other HR associated outsourcing tasks are actually offered by a few of the skilled agencies referred to as PEOs.

These sorts of outsourcing solutions are precisely useful for enterprise in an effort to help the employer for saving time and money. Small business payroll processing is just not all about coping with the payroll taxes completely; slightly this sort of providers can work as an ideal communication supply between the employer and the employees.

Dealing with paychecks is an actual complicated task and especially when an employer seems to be remaining busy to search out out different enterprise solutions. It is very important find good solutions in order that it turns into easy for the enterprise to run and you do not want to spend a fortune for getting the work carried out and at the present time there are lots of different solutions in the market and you simply must go and decide one as per your needs and necessities and therefore proper analysis is needed.

You can hire efficient virtual assistant at Myoutdesk.com.

Effectively, in this regard the employer can search for the small business payroll processing services that are highly able to handling the payroll responsibility with ease. As an employer all it?s worthwhile to outsource the payroll-processing activity to the PEOs ? Skilled Employment Organizations and these businesses can accomplish the required process in a hassle free manner.

For small businesses payroll processing is also getting vital because of the rising competitors level. These small enterprise payroll-processing services will not be solely going to simplify the entire payroll process for your firm but also these unique companies can ease the burden of an employer to a fantastic extent. By outsourcing the payroll processing job now the employer can provide more consideration for other business sources and standards.

As an employer it?s essential to pay extra consideration for your online business operations and the payroll processing can convey you extra challenge at the finish of the day. Therefore, an employer needs to look for the small enterprise payroll processing providers in order that the functionality of the enterprise can develop into smoother than ever before.

?

This post is written by Samuel Jones 18.

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Saturday, May 19, 2012

Make Additional Revenue With Air Max Pas Cher On the internet ...

Friday, May 18th, 2012 by: raphaelpepe81
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Friday, May 18, 2012

Time Warner Cable confirms HBO Go streaming is now available on Xbox 360, Samsung and Roku

Time Warner Cable confirms HBO Go streaming is now available on Xbox 360, Samsung and Roku

As we revealed yesterday, Time Warner Cable has finally activated HBO Go streaming to TV connected devices. As seen on the new activation pages for Samsung Smart TVs and Blu-ray players, Xbox 360s and Roku boxes, TWC and Bright House Networks are now among the available options (sorry, still no word on ESPN3 for the Xbox 360). The only bad news? DirecTV and Comcast have not (yet) followed suit, so for those customers HBO Go streaming on the TV is still a hit-or-miss affair. We're not sure what is behind the change of heart or policy, but while Comcast reportedly had authentication issues to resolve before switching on the Xbox 360's HBO access, it's worth noting that Time Warner Cable could have its app coming to some or all of these platforms very soon. An official blog post indicates it may take a few hours for things to switch on every where so if you don't see this in your neck of the woods just keep checking back.

Update: Cablevision too, as noted by a post on the Roku blog.

[Thanks, Ben]

Time Warner Cable confirms HBO Go streaming is now available on Xbox 360, Samsung and Roku originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceTW Cable Untangled, Roku blog  | Email this | Comments

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Thursday, May 17, 2012

Suave's lesson in 'soft skills'

The secret of success may be to act more like this Dominican street dog.

By Leah Ward Sears / May 17, 2012

A Dog watches a Palm Sunday procession in the Dominican Republic.

Eduardo Munoz/Reuters/File

Enlarge

The welcome was mixed when my daughter Brennan came home from serving in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. We were thrilled to see our daughter, but what she brought with her carried an odor so toxic we could barely breathe.

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My husband was furious when he saw the source ? a street dog named Suave (SWA-vey), a dirty little puppy full of fleas and ticks that Brennan had found. She'd wrapped him in a newspaper and brought him home to live with us.

Once we got Suave shampooed, we looked around and asked, "What's next?" I was just retiring from the judiciary and beginning a new career as a lawyer, and my husband worked, too.

What did happen next was unexpected. Suave wasn't a little Yorkie waiting to be pampered and welcomed onto your lap. He was a tough survivor. And because of that, Suave soon underscored for me some important lessons about what it takes to be successful.

In the islands, Suave is known as a "potcake," a name that comes from what locals call the combination of beans and rice that is scraped from the bottom of cooking pots and often fed to strays. In the Caribbean, potcakes are very friendly. They have to be, in order to survive.

Whatever you feed potcakes ? from leftover shrimp to leftover oatmeal ? they accept with gusto. I've seen Suave devour both Science Diet dog food and white rice mixed with bacon grease. Either way, he was just a happy puppy.

Suave is the epitome of the truth that you can catch more flies with honey. I know this from observing him with his biggest challenge: my husband, who campaigned for more than a month to get rid of him.

The two were sequestered together most days at home, where my husband's office is. Haskell often called me at work to tell me to "come and get your dog," because he had no time to tend to him. He also texted me pictures of "the pooch's poop," as he called it, on my white carpet. And many days my husband e-mailed both me and the children long lists of duties that must be done by a family with a dog ? as if we didn't already know.

For weeks, I walked on eggshells. I was already in love with Suave, and I did not want to lose him. And Suave never reacted badly to my husband's suspicion or hostility. He seemed to just be thankful for those hours spent sleeping next to the heating grate.

But then one evening I came home late and overheard my husband saying softly, "Come on, Suave, get in your crate. Good night, little fella." Two days later, Haskell took Suave to an expensive pet boutique for a "shopping spree." He also enrolled Suave in "doggie day care" so that he could "make friends."

Suave had turned my husband into jelly.

Suave is Spanish for "soft." With brown spots on his back and middle; almond-shaped eyes; and a soft, silky undercoat; he is a handsome dog. When I pet him, I always whisper to him how much I admire how he rebounded so quickly from all the shocks in his life. He's come a long way ? from the poverty of the streets of the Dominican Republic to our spacious home in Atlanta ? all because of his capacity for unselfish friendship and love, and his positive attitude.

I can't say the same for me in my early career. As an African-American woman in the early 1980s trying to break into a profession famously dominated by white men, I felt fearful, insecure, alone. At times, those emotions sometimes manifested themselves in a sharp tongue and negative criticism of those who annoyed me. Looking back, while my reactions were certainly understandable, they were ineffective.

Sometime in my 30s, I stepped back and took stock of what I was doing and what was and wasn't working for me. Like Suave, I found reserves of resilience, passion, fearlessness, and strength, qualities that moved me forward. Being dismissive of people who didn't see things the way I did had to change. The ability to serve and deal with people effectively are skills that are just as important, if not more so, than technical skills.

I eased up on myself and others, and made some compromises and some friends. It didn't happen overnight, but I stopped feeling that I always had to prove myself. Instead, I started to try to improve the lives of others.

Being friendlier was easier ? and more effective ? than I thought. Bringing in doughnuts or stopping to chat goes a long way to connecting with people. In school, you don't necessarily develop the "soft skills" you will need to succeed.

I was inspired to write this after a comment from my grown son. Addison is not a dog person. But after watching Suave win over my husband, he was impressed. "If we all could be more like that dog, we would all be more successful," he said.

Every day, Suave wakes up excited to be alive and excited to see others. He has succeeded by spreading friendliness, goodwill, and cheer wherever he goes. His attitude has attracted many who eventually became his staunch supporters. He is a "pawsitive" thinker ? something we should all be.

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Analysis: Seaway helps bridge record oil gap, but analysts far apart

HOUSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Just ahead of the Seaway oil pipeline restarting in reverse to clear a bottleneck of crude in the U.S. Midwest, Wall Street analysts have rarely been more divided over the outlook for one of the hottest oil market bets in years triggered by the glut.

For some like Goldman Sachs, the reversal of Seaway's flow set for Thursday is a seminal moment, marking the first major pipeline to ship oil directly from the Midwestern trading and storage hub at Cushing, Oklahoma, to Houston in the country's main refining center on the Gulf Coast.

Goldman and others say relieving swollen crude inventories at Cushing, the delivery point for the New York Mercantile Exchange's West Texas Intermediate futures contract, should also ease the oil pricing anomaly that has roiled the market for 18 months -- inland U.S. crude trading at an abnormally wide discount to seaborne Brent crude.

For others like Barclays, the reversal of Seaway by Enterprise Products and Enbridge Inc is almost irrelevant. They say the bottleneck will persist at Cushing deep into next year as the rapid growth of oil production in the United States and Canada outstrips pipeline, railway and barge projects to carry it south.

Goldman analysts say the Seaway reversal will help narrow WTI's discount to Brent to $5 a barrel by the year's end, even before the line is expanded from 150,000 barrels per day to 400,000 bpd in early 2013.

The so-called transatlantic arbitrage for June futures, which has bounced between $27 and $7 over the past six months, widened to over $18 a barrel on Tuesday; for December futures, the spread was just over $13 a barrel. Over the previous decade, WTI and Brent have averaged near parity.

Analysts at Barclays disagree. Last month they raised their Brent price forecast and lowered WTI, creating an implied average spread of $15 for 2012, among the widest forecasts. They foresee a persistent WTI-Brent spread averaging $10 in 2013 and not returning to parity until 2020.

"Our view is that Seaway's reversal does not make much of a difference to Midwest balances," said Barclays analyst Amrita Sen. "Domestic production growth and Canadian flows are likely to dwarf (Seaway's) 150,000 barrel per day takeaway capacity."

VIEWS ASKEW

Nearly 18 months after the first appearance of the unprecedented gap between WTI and Brent prices, the spread is proving harder than ever to call. While pipelines like Seaway grab the headlines, a host of harder-to-track railway projects and barge shipments are clouding the view.

On average, expectations for the average Brent-WTI spread for 2013 have widened in the last four months, rising from $5.30 in a Reuters December price poll to $7.20 in late April, according to an analysis of the data.

But those numbers belie the persistent uncertainty. The gap between the highest and lowest forecasts has remained near $20 since last August, well before a host of new projects were meant to bring greater clarity over when the two prices would again converge. The gap was wider twice, in October and November.

Recent adjustments have oscillated, moving the gap both wider and narrower.

At the most bullish end of the spectrum, analysts at Bernstein Research cut their 2013 forecast from $5 to parity, citing extra transport including railways. Barclays went the other direction, forecasting an average of $10 after predicting for months that the gap would disappear next year.

Portugal's Banco BPI has consistently held the most bearish view of the spread at $20 a barrel in April's poll.

A Reuters survey of more than a dozen analysts, consultants and government data sources has suggested that the overall surplus of Midwest crude is unlikely to fall significantly this year -- in fact, it may marginally rise.

"Anyone can take a guess at where the price spread is going to go, but if you add up all the numbers, I don't see Midwest inventories draining this summer," said Michael Hiley, head of OTC Energy at NewEdge USA in New York.

"You're starting to bail out the boat, but there's still water coming in," he said.

TAKEAWAY LAGS NEW SUPPLY

Overall the rise in "takeaway" capacity to the Gulf Coast in the south could total between 630,000 and 760,000 bpd by the end of this year, according to experts surveyed by Reuters.

As northern output continues to boom, however, that may not be enough. Between new shale production and rising imports from Canada, 2012 growth in Midwest supplies were estimated to range from 352,000 to 953,000 bpd, according to the informal Reuters survey.

The huge difference between minimum and maximum forecasts of Midwest output growth is largely due to uncertainties about the speed of development in North Dakota's Bakken region.

North Dakota's oil production has shown few signs of slowing despite soaring costs, with March output rising 19,000 bpd to a new record 575,000 bpd.

Ultimately, even the hallmark pipeline projects are subject to change. Industry intelligence provider Genscape told clients last week that new construction suggested Seaway flows may expand faster than expected. A second major expansion to boost capacity to 850,000 bpd is due to be complete by mid-2014.

'OFF-RADAR' RAIL AND BARGE HOLD KEY

The long lead times, large budgets and public nature of pipeline projects makes it relatively easy to track the dozen or so new conduits that are expected to help ease congestion.

Not so for smaller-scale plans like those of GT OmniPort in Port Arthur, Texas, a rail facility that will soon start unloading as much as 80,000 bpd of crude, carried down from the Bakken region of North Dakota and elsewhere.

"We've largely stayed off the radar," said General Manager Bart Owens. "We expect the first unit train of crude will arrive in the second week of June," he added.

Multiple variables can also make it hard to predict how such projects will translate into flows.

For instance, railway capacity out of the Bakken fields is set to expand by almost 500,000 bpd this year, authorities say, with about a quarter of total shipments moving to coastal markets where refiners can substitute for costly imports.

"By the end of this year, nameplate rail capacity could be as high as 720,000 bpd, though we'd expect overall volumes to be slightly lower," said Justin Kringstad, analyst at the North Dakota Pipeline Authority.

Shipments may still be constrained, however, as operators run short of petroleum rail cars. Transport costs have trebled since 2010, analysts at Eurasia Group said this week.

Total U.S. and Canadian railway shipment of crude and oil products reached a record of more than 15,000 loadings in April, 50 percent higher than a year earlier, data from the American Association of Railways showed -- equivalent to about 1.3 million barrels a day, the oil production of Algeria.

"Rail car availability is an impediment, as is access to loading and unloading facilities," says Jim Siciliano, vice president for business development at Nustar Energy .

NuStar has received railed crude at St. James, Louisiana, since 2010. A recently completed expansion with EOG Resources has bumped up capacity, and the complex is now unloading 140,000 bpd, according to Genscape.

The total volume of crude-by-rail receiving capacity in Texas and Louisiana could exceed 400,000 bpd in the second half of this year, up from about 90,000 bpd at the start of the year, according to a Reuters totaling of old and new projects.

That growth has already outpaced many expectations.

Union Pacific hauled 20,400 carloads of crude oil in the first quarter of this year alone, up from just 3,900 in the whole of 2011, CEO John J. Koraleski said last month.

Warren Buffet's BNSF also shipped 50 percent more crude and petroleum products in the first third of 2012 versus the year before, according to the company's weekly reports.

Barge-hauling of crude down the Mississippi River also has shot up. Government data show it has grown from a trickle in 2010 to a record 56,000 bpd in January. Further gains loom.

"Demand is just higher than we ever anticipated," said Tim Allen, liquid sales director for American Commercial Lines, the second largest U.S. inland barge operator. They're adding 14 newbuild 30,000-barrel tank barges to their fleet this year, and may keep in service some that were scheduled to be retired.

And in the end, one Midwest choke point may clear only to yield to another farther north as oil production and shipping logistics race ahead.

"Seaway will start to drain Cushing, but there will still be a big bottleneck at Chicago," said Adam Bedard, managing director at Bentek Energy. He sees no relief there until mid-2014 or later.

(Reporting By Bruce Nichols and David Sheppard; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

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