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Mrs. Obama says veterans' skills can help at home

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:45:06 GMT

Source: www.washingtonexaminer.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Happy Veterans Day

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:21:01 GMT

Source: espn.go.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Posted by ESPN.com's Chris Low With it being Veterans Day, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all the brave men and women out there for their service to this country. Many have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today in this country, and for that, I will forever be indebted. My colleague at ESPN.com, Ivan Maisel, has written a piece on the 15 college football stadiums constructed as living memorials to those who served the country. There's also a then and now photo gallery to go with it.

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Google Testing Skippable Pre-Roll Ads For YouTube

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:46:03 GMT

Source: www.businessinsider.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
In the neverending quest to monetize YouTube, Google is now apparently trying skippable pre-roll ads. Why skippable? Probably because of the same logic that causes people to keep pressing elevator buttons dozens of times even though it doesn't make the elevator come any faster: The sensation of control. Most Internet users will likely be too lazy to skip pre-roll ads (provided they're short). But having the ability to do so will likely stop them from screaming from rooftops about how evil Google is. Here's a quick take from JP Morgan's Imran Khan: According to MediaPost, Google will begin testing skippable pre-roll ads in YouTube videos today. As this test only affects a small sampling of opt-in content partners, we do not think it will have an immediate monetary impact. However, we think that this is another step in Google’s quest to discover the best monetization model for the site. Following are our key thoughts: We think the test will provide useful user behavior data to Google. This new ad format trial will provide Google insights into the type of person who may skip an ad, what type of ad they might skip, and what pieces of content outperform others. MediaPost also reports that Google will look at whether some ads are skipped in a specific portion of the sessions. Results could be useful in launching a cost per action advertising model. In this model, advertisers would only pay for opt-in engaged views of the ads, as is done n

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Read this: Veteran's Day, State College, Pa.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:18:36 GMT

Source: voices.washingtonpost.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
William Collins, seen here in Iraq in August 2005, joined the Wounded Warriors Fellowship Program after being injured during his military service. (Courtesy of William Collins) Good afternoon, everyone, and happy Veteran's Day (even if, unlike us, you got to take the day off). Tuning in from your cubicle? Jump right into today's Reliable Source chat, happening now. Submit questions here. Meanwhile, David Montgomery brings us a story about the Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program, "designed to give injured veterans a chance to work for Congress, and to serve as a reminder to corporate America that veterans can be excellent workers." One participant, 26-year-old Dan Lasko, lost a foot in Iraq. He says young vets -- especially injured ones -- experience culture shock in the job market. Writes Montgomery: Finding work and building résumés remain a challenge for veterans, despite many initiatives across government and the service branches to support

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Fort Hood probe spotlights Web-savvy preacher

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:06:43 GMT

Source: mobile.reuters.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
LONDON (Reuters) - A radical Muslim preacher linked by U.S. intelligence to a gunman who killed 13 people at a U.S. Army base is an influential voice in English-language Internet forums increasingly used by militants unfamiliar with Arabic.

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Fort Hood Shooting Suspect Unlikely to Get Death Penalty

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:41:19 GMT

Source: washingtonindependent.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Crimes that occur on military bases are usually heard in the military justice system. But while that may sound harsher than a civilian court, the sentences usually turn out to be more lenient. The result is that Maj. Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist who allegedly gunned down 13 people at the military base in Texas last week, is unlikely to get the death penalty. Meanwhile, John Muhammad, the sniper who shot dead at least 10 people in Virginia in 2002, was executed for his crimes last night. In fact, there hasn’t been a military execution since 1961, the Associated Press reports today . Although there have been death sentences, an execution order signed by President George W. Bush last year for a former Army cook convicted of multiple rapes and murders in the 1980s has been stayed. And five men sentenced to capital punishment still sit on death row in Fort Leavenworth, Kans. The disparity in penalties between military and civilian courts has a parallel in the military commission system, which likewise has so far meted out shorter sentences to the few convicted terrorists it’s tried than the civilian one has. Whether the perpetrator of last week’s mass murder will be spared execution remains to be seen. But lawmakers clamoring for military trials for the five 9/11 suspects as a way to look extra tough on terrorism ought to be careful what they wish for.

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Nokia intros CDMA trifecta for China

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:38:44 GMT

Source: www.engadgetmobile.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Filed under: Handsets , Nokia , EV-DO , CDMA Nokia's newfound commitment to CDMA isn't just a US effort -- it's a big deal in China, too, where a beefy percentage of the world's CDMA users reside. On that note, the company has introduced the Asian market to three new models today spanning the low end to the midrange, but if you're outside China, we wouldn't get our hopes up for a launch in your neck of the woods. Starting at the bottom we've got the 1506, an ultra-basic candybar with an integrated voice recorder and speakerphone; it's being billed as Nokia's cheapest CDMA device yet. Next is the 3806, which steps up to a QVGA display, Bluetooth 2.1 support, and support for external storage up to 4GB -- but maybe the most notable feature here is the inclusion of a "Health Assistant" app that allows "you to stay healthy, which ultimately, allows you to stay happy." We're all for phones that keep us happy around here. Finally, the 6316s slider is the beast of the bunch with GPS and EV-DO for China Telecom's 3G network plus a 2 megapixel camera, but you'll be waiting a while -- it and the 3806 won't be hitting until the first quarter of next year, while the 1506 comes into play by the end of '09. Nokia intros CDMA trifecta for China originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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'Modern Warfare 2' terrorism hits close to home

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:02:09 GMT

Source: www.cnn.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The early hours of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" take gamers around the world and back again, but the new game's story hits close to home.

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AIG CEO Benmosche tells employees he will remain CEO; is frustrated with government oversight

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:05:05 GMT

Source: www.washingtonexaminer.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

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Iran executes Kurdish activist

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:06:38 GMT

Source: www.ft.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
In a rare application of the death penalty against a political prisoner, Iran has hanged Ehsan Fattahian, a Kurdish activist, on charges of armed struggle against the Islamic regime

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Gonz Circleboard in Paris

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:07:19 GMT

Source: espn.go.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
A couple weeks back, it was Anthony Pappalardo in the Big Apple with the Circle board . Now, with the release of new Krooked product, Gonz skates the circle board in Paris under the Eiffel tower . There's some pretty amazing stuff in here&#151even more proof of Gonz's uncanny ability to make weird awesome&#151like the straight hampster wheel roll down a six stair. Does anyone remember when Gonz disappeared to live in France for a while ? No, well, read about it. Or, just watch the video.

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Research and Markets: Retail Banking in India - The Comprehensive Industry Report Encompasses Extensive Study & Analysis of This Rapidly Growing Sector

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:50:53 GMT

Source: www.businesswire.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/fab5e3/retail_banking_in) has announced the addition of the "Retail Banking in India - The Comprehensive Industry Report" report to their offering. Use this report to Understand how retail industry is growing What are strategies taken by retail bank companies and their comparison thereof? and much more INTRODUCTION Retail banking in India has fast emerged as one of the major drivers of the overall banking i

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Woman mauled by chimp unveils face on Oprah

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:15:00 GMT

Source: www.nydailynews.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Connecticut woman who was mauled by a 200-pound chimpanzee revealed to the world Wednesday what was left of her face.

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Hezbollah leader in scathing attack on Obama, accuses him of absolute bias for Israel

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:50:03 GMT

Source: www.washingtonexaminer.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009

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Obama: 'Never too late' to thank vets

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:23:12 GMT

Source: www.cnn.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
President Obama paid tribute Wednesday to those who have lost their lives in the nation's wars as well as to the men and women who currently serve.

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Ada Nielsen Elected President of Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:21:58 GMT

Source: www.businesswire.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ada Nielsen, Director, Exploration & Production Technology, BP America Inc., was elected president of the Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada) at the LES Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, October 18-21, 2009. She leads a slate of new officers and members of the LES Board of Trustees who were also elected at the meeting. In her acceptance speech, Nielsen declared that the theme for LES for the coming year is “Deals, deals, and more deal

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The sidewalks of New York

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:19:00 GMT

Source: dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor A few minutes after 1pm, I put on my coat and walked to the corner of 5th Avenue and 50th Street. From my office, I could see bits and pieces of the Veteran's Day Parade passing up 5th Avenue, and I wanted to see it up close. I was gratified to find people standing 8 deep along Fifth Avenue. Seniors, parents with children, a smattering of normally-scurrying office workers out for a mid-day errand...all stopping behind the barricades to watch a bit of the parade pass by. What thrilled me was to see and hear spontaneous applause break out. With each passing float, each collection of veterans, I watched as people started to clap...with enthusiasm...up and down the Avenue. The bagpipes, as always (God Bless the FDNY Emerald Society -- you guys sounded great today) put us over the top. It put a lump in my throat. I was fortunate enough to host a big dinner for Veterans here in New York last night, so it’s been a great 24 hours on that front. As I walked back to 30 Rock, I witnessed an incredible moment: As I watched, the tree platform was being lowered into place, directly over the logo on the sidewalk that shows off-season tourists where the legendary tree stands each holiday season. What a great moment to witness -- in all, quite a day here in Midtown Manhattan, considering it was a 20-minute outing from start to finish. I sure hope you can join us for tonight's broadcast. I'm

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Current TV Staff Suffer A “Major Bloodbath” As 80 Employees Lose Their Jobs

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:37:33 GMT

Source: www.techcrunch.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Today is another sobering day for the tech and media world. Current TV has confirmed that 80 people are being let go, leaving the company with 300 employees worldwide. We heard multiple reports of significant layoffs at Current TV earlier in the day. One source, whose spouse works at Current TV, warns of a “major bloodbath today at CurrentTV, across all departments,” with cuts hitting “most of the people in the LA production office, as stuff is being outsourced.” Current Media’s COO, Joanna Drake Earl told me over the phone that the layoffs are due to a shifting of programming strategy and are not a cost-cutting measure. Current is shifting away from in-house production and towards out sourcing segments, which will be done via acquisitions, co-productions, and the use of outside studios. Layoffs took place in Current’s San Francisco, Los Angeles, London and New York offices, but the cuts were mostly made in the production and programming areas. Earl added that this year is set to be Current’s most profitable year since its launch. See the entire statement issued by Current below. A year ago to date, the media company, which was co-founded by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, eliminated 60 positions. The media company also recently canceled its $100 million IPO that was originally announced in January 2008. Current said in a statement that market conditions and the recession forced the company to abandon the IPO. And this summer, Current Media

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A Marred Holiday For One Arab American Vet

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:30:28 GMT

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Rajai Hakki has tried to ignore the Fort Hood massacre. The 28-year-old Iraq War vet quit college to join the U.S. Marines after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 out of a mix of patriotism and shame. "I wanted to show that Arab Americans are patriotic people, that Arab Americans are proud to be members of this country," Hakki said. "I wanted to dispel some of the stereotypes." Hakki was born in Pennsylvania. His parents immigrated from Syria. He was deployed to Iraq twice. At the Fort Hood military base, an Arab American named Nidal Malik Hasan stands accused of killing 13 people and wounding 29 last week, reportedly shouting "Allahu Akbar" in the process. "It's like someone taking everything you've worked for and ruining it," said Hakki, who spent most of Veterans Day in his parents' house in Washington, D.C., sitting around in thermal underwear and a T-shirt, avoiding the news and the rain. "It's just upsetting because as a veteran I should be sitting around feeling good about myself, and yet I feel like a story like this just ruins Veterans Day," he said. "My whole life has been the War on Terror. I tried to be the antithesis of this person." Hakki left the Marine Corps in 2006. He's been outspoken about his service in Iraq in 2003 and 2004. He worked as a linguist for interrogations and counterintelligence operations during the second battle of Fallujah, some of the most intense fighting of the war. The BBC wrote about his

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Congress, Heal Thyself

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:34:32 GMT

Source: washingtonindependent.com - Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Congress this year is on a tear against bad behavior in the corporate world. Lawmakers have passed credit card reforms to protect Americans from the worst abuses of the big banks; they’re moving now on health reforms to protect Americans from the worst practices of the insurance industry; they’re pushing new finance regulations to protect Americans from the worst habits of Wall Street firms; and they’re eying climate change legislation to protect Americans from the worst conduct of the nation’s big polluters. But who’s going to protect Americans from the worst practices of Congress? That’s the question being asked by Steven Pearlstein, the Pulitzer Prize-winning business columnist for The Washington Post, who wonders today whatever happened to the concept of majority rule on Capitol Hill? As an example of how the House has gotten away from its Democratic beginnings, Pearlstein points to the floor debate over the $894 billion health reform bill passed over the weekend, which allowed for votes on just two amendments — precluding even a chance to gauge support for some of the most hot-button health care issues. Almost nobody — including the House members themselves — found it odd that this process offered no chance to vote on what kind of “public option” they wanted, or whether they wanted to add some form of malpractice reform, or whether there should be some limit on the value of tax-free health benefits or any of the other two dozen

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