Swiss Banks Now Offer Allocated Gold, Silver Accounts | Zero Hedge

From GoldCore

Swiss Banks Offer Allocated Accounts As Move To Allocated Internationally

Today?s AM fix was USD 1,666.25, EUR 1,230.70, and GBP 1,057.20 per ounce.
Yesterday?s AM fix was USD 1,660.50, EUR 1,235.12, and GBP 1,057.17 per ounce.

Silver is trading at $31.36/oz, ?23.25/oz and ?19.25/oz. Platinum is trading at $1,690.00/oz, palladium at $754.00/oz and rhodium at $1,200/oz.

Cross Currency Table ? (Bloomberg)

Gold rose $7.80 or 0.47% in New York yesterday and closed at $1,662.70/oz. Silver surged to a high of $31.47 and finished with a gain of 1.59%.

Gold managed to hold firm after recovering from a 4 day slide on the likelihood that the U.S. Fed will continue with its ultra loose quantitative easing policy.

The U.S. FOMC is expected to confirm in a statement at 1915 GMT that it will continue the $85 billion in monthly bond purchases until unemployment rates drop significantly. Even though some Fed officials and many market participants have expressed concern over the side effects from such measures.?

The U.S. nonfarm payrolls data expected on Friday will give a closer look at the labour market. ?A poll of economists by Reuters shows that they expect U.S. unemployment to be unchanged from last month at 7.8%.

Climbing oil prices continue to stir investor worries about inflation. ?Brent crude hit a 3 month high in the prior session.

Silver jewellery exports from India are projected to rise to 30% this year as world demand grows, noted the India's Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council.?

American Eagle silver coin sales in January surged to an all time monthly high. The U.S. Mint recently resumed sales after huge demand led to a lack of inventory and created a temporary suspension of sales.?

Gold bullion coins also saw their highest sales since July 2010.

As of January 29, Silver Eagle sales for the month were 7.1 million ounces, data from the U.S. Mint's website showed, surpassing its previous record of 6.1 million ounces set in January 2012.

Reuters reports that ?huge quantities? of silver bullion coins were being bought by investors, including entire monster boxes full with 500 1 oz bullion coins sealed by the US Mint.

Swiss banks, UBS and Credit Suisse, have moved to offer allocated gold and silver accounts to their clients ? including high net worth, hedge funds, other banks and institutions.

Gold in U.S. Dollars, Monthly ? (Bloomberg)

The move allows these entities to take direct ownership of their bullion in allocated accounts.

According to the Financial Times, the banks say that they are making the move in order to reduce exposure and risks on balance sheets and in an effort to be more transparent.?

?Under more common "unallocated" gold accounts, depositors' bullion appears on the banks' balance sheets, forcing them to increase their capital reserves. Like their global peers, UBS and Credit Suisse are under pressure from regulators to reduce capital-intensive activities ahead of the introduction of new Basel III global banking rules.?

It is more likely that the banks made the move to allocated storage due to an increased preference from their investors who are weary of continuing systemic risk.

We have spoken and written about this trend for some time.

In recent months there has been a definite change by our clients and by bullion owners internationally from owning gold and silver in unallocated accounts, to owning bullion coins and bars in allocated and segregated accounts.

Investors who were unwilling before to pay annual storage fees on allocated accounts are now willing to pay the extra cost. This is due to increased awareness and concern about systemic risk and a preference for owning gold directly and eliminating counter party risk.

Indeeed, we and other bullion dealers who offer allocated storage outside the banking and financial system have seen flows out of bullion banks unallocated gold account offerings and into allocated accounts such as with?Perth Mint and Via Mat.

XAU/JPY Gold in Japanese Yen, Monthly ? (Bloomberg)

Smart money internationally is moving towards?allocated storage?and away from more risky unallocated storage and this trend is set to continue.?

With unallocated storage one is an unsecured creditor of the provider or bank whereas with allocated storage the client directly owns the gold and the gold cannot become encumbered.?

Allocated and segregated storage costs more money as more space is required in vaults and there is a higher insurance cost. Banks have realised that there is a preference to own allocated gold and are moving to offer that. They may also be able to make a small margin on the annual storage fee, in and above, the cost of storage to them.

The move by the Swiss banks is a reactive one in order to prevent the loss of clients who are concerned about systemic risk and want to own bullion in the safest way possible.

NEWS

U.S. Mint Silver-Coin Sales Surge After Temporary Suspension - Bloomberg

US silver coin sales set record in January after halt - Reuters

Swiss Banks Lose Old Taste for Gold - CNBC

Platinum Poised for Best Month in Year as Gold Drops in January - Bloomberg

Gold futures edge higher ahead of Fed ? Market Watch

COMMENTARY

Silver Eagle Sales Surge To All-Time Record In January ? Zero Hedge

Powerful Entity Now Battling The Silver Manipulators ? King World News

The Fiat Dow ? NY Sun

Video: 1794 Silver Dollar Fetches Record $10M at Auction - Bloomberg

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Source: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-01-30/swiss-banks-now-offer-allocated-gold-silver-accounts

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Coke's new obesity ad raises eyebrows in scientific community ...

? Food & Nutrition ? ? Obesity ? Jan 30, 2013

As a growing epidemic, obesity has attracted the attention of scientists, researchers, government officials and Coca-Cola.

Yes, Coca-Cola. The company?s new ad campaign, ?Coming Together,? released on Jan. 14, addresses the problem of obesity, creating widespread dissent in the scientific community.

?Coke, like other companies, is in the crosshairs,? said Jeff Cronin, director of communications at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

?Sugary drinks are alike in that they have no nutritional value, but promote things like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity,? he said.

"Coming Together? directly confronts questions of Coca-Cola?s role in the obesity epidemic and cites ways the company has improved the health content of its beverages.

?Across our portfolio of more than 650 beverages, we now offer over 180 low- and no-calorie choices,? the ad says, ?Over the last 15 years, this helped reduce the average calories per serving across our industry?s products in the U.S. by 22 percent.?

The ad also cites smaller, portion-controlled, sizes and calorie-content labels on its products as ways the company has responded to obesity.

?No matter how much water, juice or seltzer is in their portfolio,? Cronin said, ?the core of their business is selling full-calorie Coke.?

However, even low-calorie sodas could contribute to weight gain and illness, said Brenda Murray, bariatric dietician at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

?Soda acts the same way as if you ate a lot of white bread or rice,? she said. ?It?s processed right into fat in the body, and all you?re getting is empty calories, no nutrition.?

Murray emphasized the importance of quality over quantity when consuming food and beverages. A healthy diet could include bigger portions of a higher quality food, rather than smaller portions of a lower quality food or beverage.

?They?re saying a calorie is just a calorie. But it?s not the amount of calories you take in, it?s the kind of calories, too,? Murray said.

In response to the statements made in Coca-Cola?s ad, the Center for Science in the Public Interest released a video, ?Coming Together: Translated.? The video includes excerpts from Coca-Cola?s original ad, with ?translations? exposing the ad?s underlying messages.

?We thought the ad was laughable on its face,? Cronin said. ?What we wanted to do was to translate what Coke was saying into plain English.?

The ?translations? are written as if spoken by Coca-Cola executives, and respond directly to statements in the original ad. For example, the original ad tells consumers, ?If you eat and drink more calories than you burn off, you?ll gain weight,? which the Center for Science in the Public Interest translates into, ?If you gain weight, remember it?s your fault and not ours.?

Cronin compared Coca-Cola?s influence on the American public to that of the tobacco industry in the past two decades. He specifically cited statements made by Coca-Cola President Katie Bayne in 2012 that claim no evidence connects sugary drinks to obesity.

?Katie Bayne?s comments are like a tobacco executive swearing under oath that nicotine is not addictive,? Cronin said. ?It?s like Coke is in denial.?

Professor Tim Calkins at Northwestern University?s Kellogg School of Management also compared Coca-Cola?s behavior to that of tobacco companies, but in a different sense.

?The executives at Coke have to be very concerned about the focus of soda on the risk of obesity,? Calkins said. ?Like the tobacco industry and other industries that have been scrutinized, they could be stigmatized as a bad product.?

Especially in light of stricter regulations on soda imposed by some government officials, soda companies feel obligated to engage in the discussion about obesity, Calkins said.

?Coke doesn?t want to be identified as the main problem,? Calkins said. ?It?s tempting to sit back and be quiet and think that it will all work out, but that?s not the best approach.

Mary Pearlman, another professor at Kellogg, agreed with Calkins that Coca-Cola needs to address the issue rather than ignoring it.

?If you?re going to toot your horn about how you?ve increased the number of options available with fewer calories, you?re opening the door for either questions or comments about the product in general,? Pearlman said.

Coca-Cola did not respond to requests for comment.

Calkins said this is not the last time the soda industry will respond to obesity.

?I think we?re going to see more of this. As obesity comes to the fore, more and more companies will take action,? Calkins said.

More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, and in 2008 alone, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

###

by Emily Wasserman
Chicago, Northwestern University

Provided by ArmMed Media

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Source: http://www.health.am/ab/more/cokes-new-obesity-ad-raises/

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Germany needs skilled workers from India: German Ambassador

Lucknow: Inviting skilled workers from India, German Ambassador Michael Steiner today said over the years Germany has opened up for outsiders making it easier for Indians to work in the country.

"We need Indian students, we need skilled workers, we need Indian specialists to come to Germany to learn and also to work. It is much easier now," Steiner told while addressing students at a function at Kendriya Vidhyalaya here.

The German Ambassador to India said ten-twelve years ago it was difficult for outsiders to work in the country, but the situation has changed over the years as people in Germany have realised the need to open up the country.

"In the past it was pretty difficult, because we were the society when you wanted to come in as tourist. As someone who wants to work or someone wants to study, it was pretty difficult to do that," he said.

Steiner also exhorted students to learn languages, especially German, as it opened several avenues for them and increased their chances for future jobs.

"We are talking different languages. It of course makes sense to learn German. Why does it makes sense to learn German. First thing it is obvious it enriches you, it calls you to have you much broader horizon. Secondly, it increases enormously your chances when it comes to your future job."

Steiner also said that learning the language would bring the two countries closer.

"It brings countries together. It is good for our country because we would like to have as many people as possible

... contd.

Source: http://financialexpress.com/news/germany-needs-skilled-workers-from-india-german-ambassador/1066865/

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Confirming NKorean N-test almost impossible

In this Jan. 28, 2013 photo released by Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, delivers opening remarks at the Fourth Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, fueling speculation that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations.(AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION

In this Jan. 28, 2013 photo released by Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, delivers opening remarks at the Fourth Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, fueling speculation that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations.(AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION

In this Jan. 28, 2013 image made from video, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers opening remarks at the Fourth Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, fueling speculation that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations. (AP Photo/KRT via AP Video) NORTH KOREA OUT, TV OUT

A girl looks at a display on assessment about impact of supposed nuclear attack on Seoul at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. North Korea appears all set to detonate an atomic device, but confirming the explosion when it takes place will be virtually impossible for outsiders, specialists said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A boy attaches a message wishing unification and peace of the two Koreas to a tree at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. North Korea appears all set to detonate an atomic device, but confirming the explosion when it takes place will be virtually impossible for outsiders, specialists said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Visitors watch a giant screen showing a South Korean national flag at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. North Korea appears all set to detonate an atomic device, but confirming the explosion when it takes place will be virtually impossible for outsiders, specialists said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? North Korea appears all set to detonate an atomic device, but confirming the explosion when it takes place will be virtually impossible for outsiders, specialists said Tuesday.

The best indication of a test will be seismic tremors and abnormal radiation in the air, but even that can be masked if North Korea wants to. In all likelihood the first word of the test will come from Pyongyang itself, just as it happened when the country conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

Last week, North Korea warned a third nuclear test is planned to protest toughened international sanctions meant to punish it for firing a long-range rocket in December. The world sees the launch a ballistic missile test banned by the U.N. while Pyongyang says it only shot a satellite aboard the rocket into orbit as part of a peaceful space development program.

The U.S., South Korea and their allies pressed the North to scrap its nuclear test plans, saying that will only worsen the country's decades-old international isolation.

The threats have placed scientists and experts in South Korea on high alert as any test is likely to aggravate the already high tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said Tuesday it believes North Korea has nearly completed nuclear test plans, confirming satellite analysis last week by the U.S.-Korea Institute, a research group at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Its satellite images of the Punggye-ri site ? where the previous two nuclear tests were conducted ? reveal that the North Koreans may have been sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated.

In the event of such an underground nuclear test, earthquake monitoring stations in South Korea can detect seismic tremors accompanied by low-frequency sound waves. While earthquakes trigger seismic waves they don't produce sound waves.

But this is at best a strong indication of the test and not an absolute confirmation.

An earthquake expert at the state-run Korea Meteorological Administration said his office aims to find out the magnitude of the tremor, the time it started and the exact location on the map within 10 minutes of the explosion. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to media.

Experts also note that an artificial earthquake, such as created by a nuclear explosion, rarely triggers the same wave patterns as natural quakes.

North Korea can also try to deceive and give the impression that it exploded a nuclear device by simply exploding sophisticated conventional weapons that would trigger the same seismic waves as ones produced by a nuclear test, said Chi Heoncheol, an earthquake specialist at the government-funded Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources.

By raising tensions this way, North Korea may hope to wrest concessions or aid in return for promises to scale back its unproven nuclear capability.

"Even if they bring truckloads of high-powered conventional explosives, put them (into an underground tunnel) and explode them, they will generate the same seismic wave and sound wave," Chi said. Only difference is no radioactivity would be detected from the explosion of conventional weapons, he said.

The best course for scientists would be to collect air samples to look for increased radioactive activities but the process could take days. Even if the wind is favorable ? and assuming North conducts the test at Punggye-ri in the country's northeastern corner ? it will take more than one day for airborne radioactive isotopes like xenon to reach South Korea, according to an official at the government-run Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.

The official, who requested anonymity citing the sensitive nature of the subject, acknowledged it may be impossible to confirm a test if the wind doesn't blow southward or if North Korea plugs the underground tunnel so tightly that no radioactive gas escapes.

South Korea confirmed increased radiation levels following the North's 2006 nuclear test but didn't find anything in 2009.

And if North Korea decides to conduct a so-called subcritical test, there would be no release of radioactivity at all.

A sub-critical test only works on the properties of plutonium but stop short of creating a critical mass, the point at which a self-sustaining nuclear reaction occurs. Such an experiment requires a "very difficult technology" that only a few countries like the U.S., Russia and England have acquired, said nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University.

"I believe North Korea's technology has not reached to that level," Whang said.

North Korea said its upcoming atomic explosion will be a "high-level" test and many analysts said that refers to a device made from highly enriched uranium, which gives the country a second source to manufacture bombs in addition to plutonium.

Whether North Korea detonates a uranium- or plutonium-based device, there won't be much difference in how easily scientists can detect tests. The only difference is they produce different radioactive gases, Whang said.

He also said a uranium-based test explosion means North Korea's nuclear stockpile can continue to be enlarged at a time when there is no evidence of continued production of plutonium at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex.

North Korea watchers in South Korea are speculating diverse dates for a possible nuclear test, with some predicting that could happen as early as this week and others choosing the days just before the Feb. 16 birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

There is no way to find out when North Korea would conduct a nuclear test, said analyst Shim BeomChul at the state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul. U.S. spy satellites "can detect objects 15 centimeters (5.91 inches) in size on the ground but they cannot detect what's happening in underground."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-29-NKorea-Nuclear/id-f5064713f6b244d98ee6929543a2cddd

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LaHood Leaves, another vacancy in Obama Cabinet

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)

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, who lifted the profile of distracted driving as a national safety concern, is stepping down, presenting President Barack Obama with another Cabinet vacancy at the start of his second term.

The former congressman from Illinois and one of only two Republicans who served in Obama's Cabinet, LaHood worked for more safety in the air and on the ground and pushed for improvements of roads and bridges. Under his watch, the department demanded tougher fuel efficiency requirements for automakers and took steps to address airline pilot fatigue.

Obama, who at one point served with LaHood in the Illinois congressional delegation, said they were "drawn together by a shared belief that those of us in public service owe an allegiance not to party or faction, but to the people we were elected to represent. And Ray has never wavered in that belief."

LaHood, 67, 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 he also said he was still "conflicted" by his decision because he liked working for the president 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 expects 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, who once considered likely to run for governor in his home state, said he would not seek public office and indicated he didn't 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.

His move continues an exodus that will give Obama's team a new look in his second term. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Panetta and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner are departing and in addition to LaHood, the heads of the Interior and Labor departments also have announced their resignations. 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 served seven terms in Congress representing a central Illinois district that includes his hometown of Peoria, Ill., before he was chosen by Obama for the post. He traveled widely, visiting 49 states, 210 cities and 18 countries promoting Obama's agenda. He made trips that allowed him to ride some of the world's fastest trains and inspect the latest vehicles at auto shows.

In Washington, he would occasionally don a bicycle helmet and pedal around the District to promote bike lanes.

At the start of the new administration, LaHood spearheaded efforts to stimulate the economy through transportation construction projects and promoted the administration's vision of a nation connected by high-speed trains. But the high-speed rail program, which was supposed to be one of the president's signature projects, has been on life-support since Republicans regained control of the House in the 2010 election.

The department struggled with how to pay for the repair and improvement of the nation's aging transportation network and eventually reached a compromise with Congress last year on a more limited, scaled-back 2-year plan that gives states more flexibility in how they spend federal money.

Perhaps LaHood's most passionate work involved distracted driving, which he called a "national epidemic." He launched a national media campaign to end texting and cellphone use by drivers, an awareness campaign that drew comparisons to efforts to promote seat belt use more than a generation ago. He buttonholed auto executives to help reduce driver distraction and would even yell at other drivers on occasion to put down their cellphones.

"Every time someone takes their focus off the road ? even if it's just for a moment ? they put their lives and the lives of others in danger," he said in 2010.

During his tenure he slapped Toyota Motor Co. with record fines for delaying safety recalls and failing to promptly report problems to federal regulators. And he recently ordered United Airlines to ground its Boeing 787 Dreamliner following mishaps with the aircraft's batteries.

___

Associated Press writer Joan Lowy contributed to this report.

___

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

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-29-Obama-Transportation%20Secretary/id-9efbb5798e2b4339b7c4c37c5e95e801

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5 Ways to Get a Better, Faster, Stronger Website - Website Magazine

By Kristin Tarr, CloudFlare Communications Manager

Website visitors are demanding a lot from online businesses, but none more important than speed, security and fresh content. In an era of increasingly fast access and low tolerance for waiting, customers have little to no patience for a slow website. In addition to website speed, security is a main concern, as we continue to see significant increases in site hackings and identity theft. When it comes to keeping your website fresh, fast and safe, you might find that there are many tips and services out there that can help you. How do you know what works? How do you know what services are best for site speed and security? To help you weed through some of the online options, here are five best practices for keeping your customers engaged and your online business fast and safe.

Go Faster: Hands down, site speed matters. There have been many studies and research done on page load times and how long website visitors are willing to wait for a website to load. The results are all conclusive: when a website is sluggish and can?t keep up with demand, customers won?t wait around. Online businesses need their websites to run smoothly and deliver results quickly 24/7, even when demand is high.?

Services like Pingdom, Page Speed Online and Webpagetest.org help you identify bottlenecks on your site and give you insight on your site?s load time, page size and requests. There are many options out there to help increase the speed of your site. If you?re using WordPress, W3TotalCache and SuperCache are simple, easy to use plugins that help increase site speed. At the end of the day though, make sure you choose a good host. A reliable, stable hosting provider will ensure your website will perform as fast as possible and scale to meet the demands of increased traffic.

Get Healthy & Stay Safe: As an online business, you should secure your site with Secure Sockets Layer. SSL is a protocol used to provide security over the Internet and keeps your customers information safe. Be sure to keep your Content Management System platforms up to date and use strong passwords.?

Cyber crime continues to be an issue for websites big and small, with DDoS attacks as the most common attacks against a website for small-to-medium sized businesses. Don?t let an attack shut down your website and cost you customers! There are many security services out there, like CloudFlare, that offer free or inexpensive security options to help protect your website from online attacks and keep your business up and running.

KISS Often (Keep it Simple Stupid): Simple is better. Optimize content on websites to be the most easily accessible for customers. Customers appreciate content that is to the point, easy to consume and loads quickly. Remember, less is often more, and while things like social media buttons are important tools for driving traffic to your site, too many buttons (and ads for that matter) will slow your website down and make it confusing. Try to minimize the amount of widgets you install on each page to create a faster, better experience for your visitors.

Reinvent Your Content: Content is king, the more relevant content is to customers the more likely they?ll keep coming back. SMB?s need to understand their target audience and make content relevant to the customer first, search engine crawlers second.

Keep it secret, keep it safe: Passwords should be unique and never used twice. Strong passwords have upper and lowercase letters, numbers and punctuation marks, and don?t use common names or dictionary words. Many services today now offer two-step authentication to increase the security of their websites. The optional feature will turn users' mobiles into a security token, making their passwords (and websites) even safer than before.

About the Author:

Kristin Tarr is CloudFlare's communications manager and oversees the company's marketing and thought leadership initiatives. Kristin hails from California's Central Coast is also a running fanatic, having run numerous half and full marathons. She graduated from CSU, Chico with a degree in Public Relations and Political Science.

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Source: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2013/01/28/5-ways-to-get-a-better-faster-stronger-website.aspx

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Nokia invests $250 million in venture funding

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia said on Tuesday it would invest $250 million in a new venture fund for mobile technology startups.

It would be the third fund for Nokia Growth Partners, Nokia's global venture firm which invests in mobile hardware and component companies as well as digital advertising startups.

Nokia Growth Partners had $600 million under management, according to its website.

(Reporting by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Mark Potter)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nokia-invests-250-million-venture-funding-082313917--finance.html

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Israel angered over Argentina-Iran bombing probe

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel summoned the Argentinian ambassador on Tuesday in protest over an agreement between Iran and Argentina to jointly investigate the terror bombing 19 years ago of a Jewish center that killed 85 people in Buenos Aires and that was widely blamed on Tehran.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said the agreement, which was struck on Sunday, "is like inviting a murderer to investigate the killings he committed."

Argentine prosecutors have formally accused six Iranians of coordinating ? under orders from their government ? the July 18, 1994, bombing that demolished the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association building.

The center, a symbol for Argentina's Jewish community, was destroyed and 85 people were killed and hundreds more wounded. The attack came two years after a bomb flattened the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people.

Among those accused of involvement in the community center bombing is Iran's current defense minister, Ahmad Vahidi. The Argentines have spent years seeking to interrogate the six with the help of Interpol, but Iran's government has refused to make them available until now.

On Sunday, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez announced via Twitter that her country and Iran agreed to establish an independent international "truth commission" to investigate the bombing.

The commissioners will examine the evidence and recommend how to proceed, "based on the laws and regulations of both countries," Fernandez said. Then, commissioners and Argentine investigators will travel to Teheran to question the suspects.

The agreement was signed in Africa by Argentinian foreign minister Hector Timerman and his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi.

Previous Argentine probes resulted "only in failures and scandal, with a trial that ended up being a farce" after high-level officials were accused of covering up evidence and deliberately misdirecting investigators, Fernandez said in a series of tweets.

Israel's foreign ministry said Tuesday that it is "deeply disappointed" and is summoning Argentina's ambassador to demand an explanation over the joint probe and that Israel's ambassador in Buenos Aires will request a meeting with Argentines foreign minister for clarifications.

"Though the (Jewish community center) attack took place on Argentinean soil and was aimed at Argentinean citizens, the findings of the ensuing investigation by Argentinean authorities has brought up a clear resemblance with the bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, which occurred two years earlier," the ministry said in a statement.

"The proven relation between the two attacks grants us the natural right to follow the investigations and to expect the perpetrators and their sponsors to be brought to justice, particularly in times when to suffer from the Iranian terror plague around the world," it said.

Israel and Iran are bitter enemies and tensions are high over Tehran's nuclear program.

Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran to be an existential threat, citing Iranian denials of the Holocaust, its calls for Israel's destruction, its development of missiles capable of striking the Jewish state and its support for violent Middle Eastern militant groups. Tehran says its nuclear program is peaceful, a claim that Israel and many Western countries reject.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-angered-over-argentina-iran-bombing-probe-064049151.html

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Painful memories for survivors of Rhode Island club fire

One of the worst nightclub fires in history has claimed a terrible toll in the southern Brazil city of Santa Maria, with at least 233 dead by the most recent count.

By Stephen Singer, The Associated Press

Argentina, a year later. Thailand in 2008. Russia in 2009.

For survivors of a 2003 Rhode Island nightclub fire that was one of the deadliest in U.S. history, the fire in Brazil that killed hundreds Sunday is the latest in a series of reminders that no matter how far away, those who ignore the lessons of their tragedy can pay a horrible cost.

On a cold night in February 2003, the rock band Great White took the stage at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I. During the show, pyrotechnics set fire to flammable soundproofing foam that lined the walls and ceiling, killing 100 and injuring 200.

Over the decade since, survivors have come together time and again over news of similar disastrous fires overseas.

"We're very tight," said Todd King, one of the survivors. "You can't put into words what we saw."

He said he was woken up Sunday morning by a storm of text messages from others who survived the Rhode Island fire, asking, "Can you believe this is happening again?"

"I'm surprised nobody has learned," he said.

Another Rhode Island survivor, Victoria Eagan, said she and others noted that each of three earlier fires was caused by indoor pyrotechnics igniting with material in the building. Investigators have just begun their work in Brazil, but witnesses said a flare or firework lit by band members may have started the fire.

"I had the same reaction as the other three times," Eagan said Sunday. "We're doomed to repeat history and I wish they could learn."

In the year after the Rhode Island fire, a flare ignited ceiling foam at an overcrowded nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 194 people.

Indoor fireworks were blamed for a fire at a club in Bangkok on New Year's Eve 2008 in which 66 partygoers were killed.

And another indoor fireworks display at a nightclub in Perm, Russia, ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches, killing 152 people in December 2009.

In Rhode Island, the Station fire brought about sweeping changes to the state's fire code with one intent: Never again.

Sprinklers are now required in nightclubs and bars with occupancy limits of 100 or more, nightclub workers must be trained in fire safety and more money was set aside for fire safety classes in schools.

Rhode Island also banned pyrotechnics in all but its largest public venues and local fire marshals were enabled to order immediate repairs and write tickets for violations.

Eagan said the changes were necessary in Rhode Island.

"I wish it would spread to other countries," she said.

A deadly blaze overseas does not seem so distant because of the Rhode Island tragedy, Eagan said.

"It's a tragedy that hits close to home," she said. "It's maddening to see it happen again."

In an emailed statement, the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, which is building a memorial to those affected by the 2003 fire, compared the two fires.

"One cannot help but notice the similarities between this tragedy and the Station nightclub fire that occurred nearly 10 years ago," the group said.

RELATED: Brazil nightclub inferno: Locked door trapped patrons?

? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/28/16736673-doomed-to-repeat-history-painful-memories-for-survivors-of-03-rhode-island-nightclub-fire?lite

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Data Privacy Day 2013

Did you know today is Data Privacy Day?

By no means a national holiday, it is a rather underrated initiative by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).

A public-private partnership involving the government, NGOs and academia, it aims to "educate and empower a digital citizenry to use Internet securely and safely". The illustrious board members include ADP, AT&T, Bank Of America, Facebook, Google, Intel, McAfee, PayPal, Microsft, Symnatec and others.

This year, the NCSA is collaborating with Facebook for a live showcase of the Data Privacy Day Kick-off Event on January 28th, 2013 from 8.30-11.30 a.m ET.

A special forum to discuss "data stewardship, privacy innovation and implications for the personal information in an on-demand mobile environment", it has also released a digital book "Lol...OMG"?(available on Amazon.com) for high school kids with the specific aim of better online reputation management.

The Data Privacy Day is celebrated on 28th January every year accross the United States, Canada and 27 Council of Europe member countries. However, the US House of Representatives officially declared January 28th as the Data Privacy Day in 2009 only. The mission statement of DPD is to organize events that "stimulate the development of technology tools that promote individual control over personally identifiable information; encourage compliance of cyber laws and create a dialogue among the stakeholders".?The theme this year is "Respecting Privacy, Safeguarding Data and Enabling Trust".

To trace back its inception to Europe, in 1981 the Convention for the Protection of Individuals signed the Convention 108 - a first of its kind international treaty for privacy and data protection. Added to this Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights also extends privacy safeguards to web users.

Besides being an educative initiative, it is celebrated with much gusto in the cyber circles with top firms bringing out latest privacy and security options for its users this day. In fact, Microsoft has conducted an interesting study among 1000 Americans to arrive at some startling results.

Microsoft's Chief Privacy Officer Brendon Lynch, has shared interesting finds of the survey here:

1."Forty-five percent said they feel they have little or no control over the personal information companies gather about them while they are browsing the Web or using online services, such as photo-sharing, travel or gaming."

2."Four in 10 said they feel they totally or mostly understand how to protect their online privacy."

3."An equal number of people (39 percent) said they are turning to friends and family, as well as company privacy statements, as their top source for privacy information."

4."A third of those surveyed (32 percent) said they are paying attention to companies' privacy reputations, track records and policies when choosing which websites to visit or services to use."

Interestingly, since DPD is a non profit initiative, it is actively sponsered by its member corporations. While Intel is the Platinum sponsor, others like Facebook, AT&T, Microsoft and Google have extended their hand too. Added to this small businesses are also entering the fray with Reputation.com being a prime contributor this year. We acknowledge this enlightening initiative to make the cyber space a better platform to help our e-commerce entrepreneurs to act and interact safely.

You can share with us your opinions in this regard by leaving a comment in the section below.

Subscribe to our RSS feeds to know what's hot-n-happening in the cyber circle.?

Source: http://www.e-junkie.info/2013/01/data-privacy-day-2013.html

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Goatse.cx Is Reborn? As An Email Address Provider

It was nigh on half a decade ago that I first met the fell demon they call Goatse.cx. It haunted my dreams - the ring, the red, the evident pleasure - and even today I am loath to type in those five consonants and three vowels without a shudder.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/WLqlz14SIR0/

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App Smart Extra: On the Slopes - NYTimes.com

Recent Posts

January 28

Q&A: Fixing Flash Player Settings

If a Facebook game will not work properly in the Firefox browser, check the settings for the Adobe Flash Player software that works with the browser.

January 28

App Smart Extra: More Ways to Record With Your Smartphone

You can turn your smartphone or tablet into a digital voice recorder with a variety of apps.

January 27

App Smart Extra: On the Slopes

It's cold outside. Here are more apps for skiers and snowboarders.

January 26

Is January the Time to Buy Electronics?

At the International Consumer Electronics Show, manufacturers tantalized consumers with new electronics soon to hit the shelves, which may offer a savings opportunity for TVs but not as much for laptops.

January 25

Q&A: Upgrading to Microsoft Office 2013

Microsoft Office 2013 is due soon but if you cannot wait for it, you can buy the current edition now and get a free upgrade to Office 2013 when it arrives.

Archive

About Gadgetwise

Gadgetwise is a blog about everything related to buying and using tech products. From figuring out which gadget to buy and how to get the best deal on it to configuring it once it?s out of the box, Gadgetwise offers a mix of information, analysis and opinion to help you get the most out of your personal tech.

Contributors

J.D. Biersdorfer answers reader questions about computer-based technology.

Warren Buckleitner reviews children?s technology ? gadgets, apps, toys and software.

Damon Darlin is The Times's Technology Editor.

Roy Furchgott covers cellphones, smartphones, mobile applications and accessories.

Gregory Schmidt writes about consumer gadgets, apps and accessories.

Source: http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/27/app-smart-extra-on-the-slopes/

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Casey Anthony files for bankruptcy in Florida

Casey Anthony filed for bankruptcy in Florida on Friday, claiming about $1,100 in assets and $792,000 in liabilities.

Court records show that Anthony, who was acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2011, sought Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in federal court in Tampa.

Her listed debts include $500,000 for attorney fees and costs for her criminal defense lawyer during the trial, Jose Baez; $145,660 for the Orange County Sheriff's office for a judgment covering investigative fees and costs related to the case; $68,540 for the Internal Revenue Service for taxes, interest and penalties; and $61,505 for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for court costs.

The filling also states that she is a defendant in several civil suits, including one brought by Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez for defamation in Orange County Circuit Court.

Fernandez-Gonzalez claims she was damaged by Anthony telling detectives that a baby sitter by the same name kidnapped Caylee. The detectives were investigating the 2008 disappearance of the girl, who later was found dead. Anthony's attorney said details offered by Anthony did not match Fernandez-Gonzalez and clearly showed Anthony wasn't talking about her.

AP

FILE - In this July 7, 2011 file photo, Casey Anthony smiles before the start of her sentencing hearing in Orlando, Fla. Casey Anthony has filed for bankruptcy in Florida, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, claiming about $1,100 in assets and $792,000 in liabilities. (AP Photo/Joe Burbank, File) Close

Court papers list Anthony as unemployed, with no recent income.

An attorney for Anthony, David Schrader, did not immediately respond to messages from the Associated Press.

Anthony lists about 80 creditors in the 60-page court filing. The claims largely cover fees for legal, medical, psychiatric and forensics consulting or services. But one claim covers a debt for scuba diving services.

According to the courts, the aim of seeking Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection is to be discharged of existing debts ? essentially to get a fresh financial start. A trustee may have the right to take possession of and sell non-exempt property and use the sale proceeds to pay creditors, but Anthony lists little in the way of assets. A debtor may still be held responsible for some obligations, such as taxes and student loans. Persons found to have committed "certain kinds of improper conduct" can also be denied bankruptcy protection.

The filing came on the same day that a Florida appellate court set aside two of the four convictions she faced for lying to detectives during the investigation into her missing daughter.

Though Anthony was acquitted of killing Caylee, jurors convicted her of four counts of lying to detectives, and her attorneys appealed those convictions. Anthony was sentenced to time served for the misdemeanors.

She was sentenced to a year of probation after her release from jail for an unrelated case. For her protection, her whereabouts have been kept secret since she was released from state supervision last year.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/casey-anthony-files-bankruptcy-fla-18326070

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The Enterprise Cool Kids

No, this isn’t a guest column by Aaron Levie. Though he and his startup Box, the poster child of the “sexy enterprise,” are definitely included in the bunch. “You should definitely kick Aaron off the list. Just to mess with him,” Zendesk founder Mikkel Svane commented when he heard what we were writing. With VCs voting with their feet and eschewing consumer startups this play period, we’re seeing a major shift of sentiment and momentum to enterprise startups. Perhaps the most major in a while, definitely as far as we can remember. Venture money that a year ago was going into consumer deals is now flowing into enterprise, as the Series A crunch and reticence about Facebook’s lackluster IPO has dampened investor enthusiasm?for photosharing apps and their ilk. In contrast to Facebook, a series of stellar enterprise IPOs like?Palo Alto Networks, Splunk and (perhaps the original enterprise cool kid) Workday have fired the collective entrepreneurial?imagination. “We see entrepreneurs come in every other day telling us how they’re going to reinvent Splunk,” Sequoia’s Aaref Hilaly tells me. “The successful enterprise IPOs serve as beacons for the companies that come after them.” Although the VC profits baseline has traditionally come from enterprise deals, they certainly weren’t media darlings. Consumer startups, despite their high beta and tendency to be outliers, were the bell of the mainstream tech blog ball. “Consumer technology tends to create fewer winners. Its easier to keep track of what a Facebook or a Twitter may be doing than myriad enterprise software vendors,” NetSuite CEO Zach Nelson notes. “[There it] may take decades to decide the actual winners.” But the hype is changing. Conversations about “the next Instagram” at Coupa, The Creamery or on Caltrain have been replaced with staid assessments about the future of Big Data, storage and the cloud. The mobile, social, local gold rush of 2011 has been put on pause, at least as far as consumer Internet is concerned. VCs are?staffing up with enterprise experts to handle the sharp shift in focus. We’ve even heard someone was working on something described only as, “a Path for enterprise.” While the phenomenon is recent enough that the exact flow of investment dollars from consumer to enterprise has yet to be captured in a study, the data points are beginning to pop up. For example 2012 was the?first year in First Round Capital’s history in which consumer companies were

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/cKwHfHFw1yc/

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Cerebral Diva: Bullying, Transgender Women & Domestic Violence ...

I think it's common knowledge that most trans-people have/will be the victims of abuse at some point in their life. The perpetual abuse and lack of empathy or often the motivation for many in the gender variant community to end their own lives in the quest for eternal peace.

For those who choose to stay and fight the world can be a very cruel place, one filled with ostracism, prejudice, homelessness, excommunication and unemployment.

In order to survive in an unforgiving world you need more than a thick skin, you need a suit or armor and arsenal of weaponry (figuratively speaking).

After being beaten up in school on a daily basis, misunderstood at home and feeling an extraterrestrial of sorts, at some point trans-people grow tired of being the one on the receiving end of ass-whoopin's and you learn to fight back (verbally and physically). But through it all...what transgender people really want is love. They desire love and companionship just as most humans desire.

Its the quest for love, combined with a history of violence that can create a dangerous cocktail for many emotionally maladjusted trans-people and their prospective lovers.

Imagined feeling unloved and unwanted for most of your life and then finally finding that special someone that makes you feel complete. Compound that with years of beatings, ridicule, abuse and psychological trauma. You are in for a serious roller coaster ride. Especially if the gender variant person chooses a person who is not comfortable in their own skin or a person who lacks fidelity and sensitivity required to nurture a relationship with a transgender person.

I believe this is why transgender women (especially those of color) often find themselves in relationships where domestic violence is the norm. When you've been abused it creates so many layers of insecurity and unworthiness. It will allow you to make the illogical sound sane for the purpose of maintaining an unhealthy relationship.

If you've been beat up, called "faggot" and "he-she" for the bulk of your life you've essentially been conditioned for an abusive relationship. Violence isn't out of the ordinary, its the standard.

Violence is not atypical in the romantic relationships of many trans-people neither is the escalation and frequency of the violence. The problem is when the trans-person comes out on the winning end of a life or death domestic violence altercation.

There are many transgender women who are now imprisoned or on trial for the death of their lovers. Lovers who were in many cases equally culpable. Yet its the transgender person who is in jail for simply employing one of the most primitive laws known to man: "Kill or be killed".

Don't get me wrong...I am in no way endorsing violence in any capacity. If you do the crime....you do the time. Trans-people have to follow the laws of our society just like anyone else.

It's my hope that trans-people will learn to identify what a healthy relationship looks like and what true love feel like. It is not a fist to the eye or a glass being hurled in your direction form the other side of the room. Love is internal. It lives inward and emanates outward.

Source: http://cerebraldiva.blogspot.com/2013/01/bullying-transgender-women-domestic.html

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The Frantz Fanon Blog: Philosophical Anthropology, Race, and the ...

By Lewis Gordon, 2005

It has been the practice in recent, mainstream American political theory to appeal to notions of facts from which to draw on the values of American society and to formulate, from such facts, Americans' unique notions of justice and freedom. This approach rests upon an obvious suspension of notions of value that transcend sociological and psychological factors, the culmination of which is the almost slogan-like formulation by its most eminent proponent, John?Rawls, of his theory of justice being "political, not metaphysical." Yet such theorists are neither anthropologists nor sociologists, nor for that matter, are they critical theorists, so the assessments they make of "our values" are ultimately either pseudo-social scientific or ultimately a priori notions of what, given our considered judgments, we may believe in spite of facts.

Click here to read this essay in pdf.

Source: http://thinkingafricarhodesuniversity.blogspot.com/2013/01/philosophical-anthropology-race-and.html

NBCOlympics

Obama: Gun-control advocates have to listen more

FILE - In this Jan. 16, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, talks about proposals to reduce gun violence at the White House in Washington. Obama has called for a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and is pushing other policies in the wake of the mass shooting last month at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. In response, gun-rights advocates have accused Obama and others of ignoring the Second Amendment rights of Americans. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

FILE - In this Jan. 16, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, talks about proposals to reduce gun violence at the White House in Washington. Obama has called for a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and is pushing other policies in the wake of the mass shooting last month at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. In response, gun-rights advocates have accused Obama and others of ignoring the Second Amendment rights of Americans. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama says gun-control advocates have to do a little more listening than they do sometimes in the debate over firearms in America.

In an interview with The New Republic, Obama says he has "a profound respect" for the tradition of hunting that dates back for generations.

"And I think those who dismiss that out of hand make a big mistake. Part of being able to move this forward is understanding the reality of guns in urban areas are very different from the realities of guns in rural areas," he says.

Obama has called for a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and is pushing other policies following the mass shooting last month at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. In response, gun-rights advocates have accused Obama and others of ignoring the Second Amendment rights of Americans.

The president says it's understandable that people are protective of their family traditions when it comes to hunting.

"So it's trying to bridge those gaps that I think is going to be part of the biggest task over the next several months. And that means that advocates of gun control have to do a little more listening than they do sometimes," he says.

Has Obama himself ever fired a gun?

"Yes," the president says, "in fact, up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time."

His daughters don't shoot skeet at the presidential retreat in Maryland, he adds, "but oftentimes guests of mine go up there."

The interview appears in the Feb. 11 issue of The New Republic.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-27-Obama-Guns/id-9012561d47eb4fea8474211dbacebedc

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Cool socks, Chicago pride and Pop Rocks at the UFC on Fox 6 weigh-ins

CHICAGO -- The UFC on Fox 6 weigh-ins featured a large, raucous, possibly liquored up crowd of Chicago fight fans, plenty of cool socks, and every fighter making weight. The only fighter who came close to not making weight was Clay Guida. He walked to the scale wearing a custom shirt with the Chicago flag on it and a Chicago flag wristband. He jumped on the scale and was 147, too heavy for featherweight in his first fight at that weight class. He then took off his Chicago Bulls socks and jewelry, and made weight. The only other bit of drama was some jawing between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Glover Teixiera.

Read on for a complete list of weights and more pictures from the weigh-in.

MAIN CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)
? Champ Demetrious Johnson (125) vs. John Dodson (124)
? Quinton Jackson (204) vs. Glover Teixeira (206)
? Donald Cerrone (155) vs. Anthony Pettis (155)
? Erik Koch (145) vs. Ricardo Lamas (145)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 5 p.m. ET)
? T.J. Grant (155) vs. Matt Wiman (156)
? Clay Guida (146) vs. Hatsu Hioki (146)
? Pascal Krauss (171) vs. Mike Stumpf (170)
? Ryan Bader (205) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (205)
? Shawn Jordan (251) vs. Mike Russow (256)
? Rafael Natal (185) vs. Sean Spencer (186)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 4:30 p.m. ET)
? David Mitchell (171) vs. Simeon Thoresen (171)

At left, Clay Guida and his Chicago Bulls socks. Donald Cerrone's cowboy boots and Superman socks are at right.

Guida's family had their guy's head on a stick and Guida buttons at weigh-ins. They were loud and supportive of Guida on Thursday, so you can bet they'll be out in numbers at the fights Saturday.

Dodson had Pop Rocks as his post weigh-in snack.

Thanks to Combat Lifestyle for the pictures.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/cool-socks-chicago-pride-pop-rocks-ufc-fox-013831605--mma.html

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Researchers discover new mutations driving malignant melanoma

Friday, January 25, 2013

Two new mutations that collectively occur in 71 percent of malignant melanoma tumors have been discovered in what scientists call the "dark matter" of the cancer genome, where cancer-related mutations haven't been previously found.

Reporting their findings in the Jan. 24 issue of Science Express, the researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute said the highly "recurrent" mutations ? occurring in the tumors of many people ? may be the most common mutations in melanoma cells found to date.

The researchers said these cancer-associated mutations are the first to be discovered in the vast regions of DNA in cancer cells that do not contain genetic instructions for making proteins. The mutations are located in non-protein-coding DNA that regulates the activity of genes.

This non-coding DNA, much of which was previously dismissed as "junk," accounts for 99 percent of a cell's genome. A large number of oncogenic mutations in cancer have been identified in the past several decades, but all have been found within the actual genetic blueprints for proteins.

"This new finding represents an initial foray into the 'dark matter' of the cancer genome," said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber and the Broad and the article's senior author.

"In addition, this represents the discovery of two of the most prevalent melanoma gene mutations. Considered as a whole, these two TERT promoter mutations are even more common than BRAF mutations in melanoma. Altogether, this discovery could cause us to think more creatively about the possible benefits of targeting TERT in cancer treatment or prevention."

The mutations affect a promoter region ? a stretch of DNA code that regulates the expression of a gene ? adjacent to the TERT gene. TERT contains the recipe for making telomerase reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that can make cells virtually immortal, and is often found overexpressed in cancer cells. A promoter region of DNA controls the rate of a gene's transcription ? the copying of its DNA recipe into a message used by the cell to manufacture a protein.

"We think these mutations in the promoter region are potentially one way the TERT gene can be activated," said Franklin Huang, MD, PhD, co-first author of the report along with Harvard MD-PhD student Eran Hodis, of Dana-Farber and the Broad Institute.

To investigate the mutation's effect, the researchers hooked the mutant TERT promoter to a gene that makes luciferase ? a light-emitting protein. They observed that the mutant promoter increased the production of luciferase in laboratory cell lines. In the same way, the scientists presume, the mutant promoter in human pigmented skin cells can send the TERT gene into overdrive, potentially contributing to the development of melanoma.

The mutations were discovered when the scientists sifted through data from whole-genome sequencing of malignant melanoma tumors. Unlike "whole-exome" searches that examine only the protein-coding DNA of a cell's genome, whole-genome searches scan all of the DNA, including the non-coding regions.

In analyzing whole-genome data, the investigators discovered the two somatic, or not-inherited, mutations in 17 of 19 (89 percent) of the tumors. Next, they sequenced a larger number of melanoma tumors and found that the two mutations were present in 71 percent of tumors in total.

The researchers said the same mutations are present in cell lines from some other malignancies, and that preliminary evidence showed they might be unusually common in bladder and liver cancers. They also noted that the discovery of these important mutations in DNA previously not linked to cancer-causing alterations highlights the value of whole-genome searches of tumor DNA.

###

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: http://www.dfci.harvard.edu

Thanks to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 39 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126468/Researchers_discover_new_mutations_driving_malignant_melanoma_

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Lawyer: No proof to charge Romanians for art theft

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) ? A lawyer for three Romanians accused of stealing valuable paintings from a museum in the Netherlands insisted Friday there was insufficient evidence to charge them.

At a court hearing in Bucharest, the Romanian capital, defense lawyer Doina Lupu urged that the three men not be extradited to the Netherlands for allegedly stealing seven works by Picasso, Monet and Matisse, among others.

"There is no evidence that this was an organized criminal group," she said. "The arrests were based on assumptions and on simple declarations and these are not enough. "

All three men deny any links to the Oct. 16 theft at Rotterdam's Kunsthal gallery.

A prosecutor told the court Friday that suspect Radu Dogaru took two paintings ? one each by Henri Matisse and Paul Gauguin ? to be evaluated by Maria Dragu, the curator for foreign paintings at the Romanian National Art Museum.

Dogaru denied this and Dragu is on leave, the Romanian museum said Friday.

The other two suspects, Alexandru Bitu and Eugen Darie, also denied being involved in the theft. Darie did tell the court he had visited the Kunsthal gallery twice to look at its bronze sculptures.

The Bucharest Court ruled Friday that the men should be kept in custody pending an investigation.

The thieves broke in Oct. 16 through a rear emergency exit at the gallery, grabbed the paintings off the wall and fled, all within two minutes.

The stolen paintings came from the private Triton Foundation, a collection of avant-garde art put together by multimillionaire Willem Cordia, an investor and businessman, and his wife, Marijke Cordia-Van der Laan. Willem Cordia died in 2011.

The stolen paintings were: Pablo Picasso's 1971 "Harlequin Head;" Claude Monet's 1901 "Waterloo Bridge, London" and "Charing Cross Bridge, London;" Matisse's 1919 "Reading Girl in White and Yellow;" Gauguin's 1898 "Girl in Front of Open Window;" Meyer de Haan's "Self-Portrait," around 1890; and Lucian Freud's 2002 work "Woman with Eyes Closed."

The gallery said it had a "state-of-the-art" automated alarm system.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lawyer-no-proof-charge-romanians-art-theft-124141340.html

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Canadian police allege ex-SNC executive paid bribes to Gaddafi son

(Reuters) - A son of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi allegedly received 120 million euros ($162 million) in bribes for giving major contracts in Libya to SNC-Lavalin Inc, Canada's biggest engineering and construction company, a police document said on Friday.

According to an affidavit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police used to obtain a search warrant at SNC's head office last April, the bribes were paid, in a roundabout way, to Saadi Gaddafi by Riadh Ben Aissa, a vice-president at Montreal-based SNC at the time.

"It is alleged that this money (120 million euros) were paid him as a reward for influencing the awarding of major contracts to SNC-Lavalin Intl," RCMP officer Brenda Makad said in the affidavit. The document did not make clear when the alleged bribes occurred.

The 59-page RCMP statement, redacted in part, was released by the courts at the request of three Canadian newspapers, the Globe and Mail, the National Post and La Presse.

In an allegation based on information from Swiss anti-corruption investigators, Makad said SNC-Lavalin paid the money to offshore companies belonging to Ben Aissa, and the money was then transferred to offshore companies controlled by Saadi Gaddafi. Some money was used to buy yachts for the son of the slain dictator, the RCMP statement alleged.

SNC, which has said that any wrongdoing was the work of a small number of former employees, said it was seeing the affidavit for the first time and had not been aware of some of the information it contained.

"We cannot determine the veracity of certain allegations in the affidavit," SNC said in a statement. It said it was eager for the situation to be resolved and would do everything it could to help the authorities rapidly get to the bottom of those issues.

In the affidavit, Makad said an RCMP investigation had shown there was a genuine friendship between Saadi Gaddafi and Ben Aissa "and that over several years SNC-Lavalin, through Ben Aissa, offered bribes to the son of the dictator to secure the awarding of engineering/construction contracts in Libya."

Ben Aissa left SNC in February last year and is now in jail in Switzerland after being arrested on suspicion of money laundering. The Globe said he had not been charged with a crime but was in precautionary detention.

'SCAPEGOAT'

The National Post and the Globe and Mail have reported that Ben Aissa had denied any wrongdoing, while a brother, Rafik Benaissa, said in a statement in November that his brother Riadh had been made a "scapegoat."

The RCMP statement also said former SNC controller Stephane Roy paid money from his personal bank account for condo fees for an apartment belonging to Saadi Gaddafi, and was then reimbursed by his boss, Ben Aissa.

Makad said Roy also helped arrange for an outside consultant - who has denied wrongdoing - to make a fact-finding trip to Libya as the Libyan dictatorship was falling in 2011. She said she had reason to believe the real goal was to help get Saadi Gaddafi and his family out of Libya.

Initial attempts to reach Roy for comment were unsuccessful. The National Post reported in June that lawyers had been unable to locate him and that a judge ruled he might be not cooperating. Saadi Gaddafi is reported to have been granted asylum by Niger. None of the allegations in Makad's affidavit has been proven in court.

SNC, a C$7 billion-a-year company with operations in more than 100 countries, has been at the center of an ethics and corruption scandal for more than a year after it revealed it had uncovered tens of millions of dollars in mysterious payments it had made.

The company's previous chief executive resigned in March, and he was arrested later in the year on fraud charges. The charges have not been proven in court.

The 101-year-old company has installed a new CEO and several new executives and tightened its ethics policies.

The company's stock, which is down 15 percent in the past year, closed 25 Canadian cents lower at C$44.88 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Friday.

($1=$1.01 Canadian)

(Reporting by Randall Palmer in Ottawa and Nicole Mordant in Vancouver; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/canadian-police-allege-ex-snc-executive-paid-bribes-041457480--sector.html

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