So Stadium Status Blog

Burger King Announces Home Delivery (BLOG)

2012-01-19T11:31:00.000-05:00

Are you craving a Whopper but just don't want to get off of your favorite chair to run out to get it? Now you can have it your way with just a jog to your front door. Burger King, who is now No. 2 infast food burger chains behind McDonald's, has been doing a test run in the delivery service in the Washington, D.C., area. USA Today reported that the famous burger chain is expanding its horizons with 12 more locations added in Virginia and Maryland so they will be able to enjoy delivery as well.

With Wendy's moving up in the chain of fast food, the home of the Whopper is thinking up new ways to hold on to its No. 2 spot. The delivery service is a major business strategy to keep their fast food junkies happy and to keep them coming back. Now the customer can keep coming back by having the food coming directly to them.

The question remains as to how burgers and fries will stay fresh and edible when they arrive at your doorstep. Burger King says that they have an answer to that question. They have developed a way oftransporting their burgers. They have developed a "proprietary thermal packaging technology," saysJonathan Fitzpatrick, chief brand and operations officer for Burger King, "which ensures the Whopper is delivered hot and fresh, and the french fries are delivered hot and crispy." Fresh hot food, quick delivery and you don't even have to leave the house. What more could you ask for in a burger joint?

The trick to keeping the burger from getting soggy is by separating some of the condiments from the patty and lettuce, which Burger King does according to an actual consumer reporting from the Washington Post site. They seem to have found the answer to burger sogginess so far.

Customers will need to live within 10 minutes of those particular locations and a $2 delivery fee will be added for their service. Some locations will require a minimum purchase of $8 to $10. The items excluded from the delivery service are fountain drinks (drinks will come in bottles), shakes, coffee and all breakfast items. Delivery is available from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and they are aiming to bring your hot food to you within 30 minutes. You can either order by phone or online for your convenience.

If all goes well, Burger King may be expanding into other areas soon. Look out pizza delivery, this could be the start of something new as this could start a pizza versus burger delivery war. It could get quite interesting.

Mark Wahlberg apologizes for 9/11 comments (BLOG)

2012-01-19T10:27:00.000-05:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Mark Wahlberg apologized on Wednesday for saying events may have turned out differently had he been on one of the planes that crashed on 9/11, after incurring the wrath of critics and one victim's widow.

"If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did. There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying, 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry,'" the actor said in an interview with Men's Journal magazine that was released one day earlier.

"The Fighter" star, 44, was scheduled to be on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center on September 11, 2011 and made the comments in that context, but after media outlets reported that a widow of one 9/11 victim called his comments "disrespectful," the actor issued a formal apology.

"To speculate about such a situation is ridiculous to begin with, and to suggest I would have done anything differently than the passengers on that plane was irresponsible. I deeply apologize to the families of the victims that my answer came off as insensitive, it was certainly not my intention," Wahlberg said in a statement.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who started his career in music as rapper Marky Mark, transitioned into film and is currently promoting "Contraband," a high-octane action movie in which he plays a former smuggler forced to protect his brother-in-law.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Photography pioneer Kodak files for bankruptcy (BLOG)

2012-01-19T09:27:00.000-05:00

(Reuters) - Eastman Kodak Co, the photography icon that invented the hand-held camera and helped bring the world the first pictures from the moon, has filed for bankruptcy protection, capping a prolonged plunge for one of America's best-known companies.

The Chapter 11 filing may give Kodak, which traces its roots to 1880, the ability to find buyers for some of its 1,100 digital patents, a major portion of its value.

It may also help Kodak continue to shrink a business that still employs 17,000 people, down from 63,900 just nine years ago.

Kodak also obtained a $950 million, 18-month credit line from Citigroup so it can keep operating during the bankruptcy process, which it expects to complete in 2013.

"This is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak," Chairman and Chief Executive Antonio Perez said in a statement on Thursday.

According to papers filed with the U.S. bankruptcy court in Manhattan, Kodak had about $5.1 billion of assets and $6.75 billion of liabilities at the end of September.

In court documents, Chief Financial Officer Antoinette McCorvey said, without elaborating, that Kodak plans to sell "significant assets" during the bankruptcy. Non-U.S. units are not part of the Chapter 11 case.

A FALLEN ICON

Kodak once dominated its industry and its film was the subject of a popular Paul Simon song, but it failed to embrace more modern technologies quickly enough, such as the digital camera -- ironically, a product it even invented.

Its downfall hit its Rust Belt hometown of Rochester, New York, with employment there falling to about 7,000 from more than 60,000 in Kodak's heyday.

Kodak's market value, meanwhile, has sunk to less than $150 million from $31 billion 15 years ago.

In recent years, Perez has steered Kodak's focus more toward consumer and commercial printers.

But that failed to restore annual profitability, something Kodak has not seen since 2007, or arrest a cash drain that has made it difficult for the company to meet its substantial pension and other benefits obligations to its workers and retirees.

McCorvey said Kodak ultimately suffered from a "liquidity shortfall" as some vendors stopped shipping and providing services, and demanded shorter payment terms.

Kodak named Dominic DiNapoli, a vice chairman at business turnaround specialist FTI Consulting Inc, as its chief restructuring officer.

The investment bank Lazard is also providing advice and has been helping Kodak look for a buyer for its digital patents. Kodak's law firm is Sullivan & Cromwell.

Perez said the bankruptcy would help Kodak maximize the value of its technology assets, including patents related to digital imaging that it said are used in virtually every modern digital camera, smartphone and tablet.

In the last few years, Kodak has used extensive litigation with rivals such as Apple Inc, BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd, South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co and Taiwan's HTC Corp over those patents as a means to try to generate revenue.

Among Kodak's many creditors are retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Target Corp, and movie companies Sony Corp and Walt Disney Co.

WALKING ON THE MOON

George Eastman, a high-school dropout from upstate New York, founded Kodak in 1880, and began to make photographic plates. To get his business going, he splurged on a second-hand engine for $125.

Within eight years, the Kodak name had been trademarked, and the company had introduced the hand-held camera as well as roll-up film, where it became the dominant producer.

Eastman also introduced the "Wage Dividend" in which the company would pay bonuses to employees based on results.

Nearly a century after Kodak's founding, the astronaut Neil Armstrong used a Kodak camera the size of a shoebox to take pictures as he became in 1969 the first man to walk on the moon.

Those pictures arguably had more viewers than the 80 films that have won Best Picture Oscars and were shot on Kodak film.

Six years after Armstrong's walk, and not long after songwriter Simon told his mama not to take his Kodachrome away, Kodak invented the digital camera.

The size of a toaster, it was too big for the pockets of amateur photographers, whose pockets now are stuffed with digital offerings from the likes of Canon, Casio and Nikon.

But rather than develop the digital camera, Kodak put it on the back-burner and spent years watching rivals take market share that it would never reclaim.

In 1994, Kodak spun off a chemicals business, Eastman Chemical Co, which proved to be more successful.

Kodak's final downfall in the eyes of investors began in September when it unexpectedly withdrew $160 million from a credit line, raising worries of a cash shortage. It ended September with $862 million of cash.

PENSIONS IN FOCUS

It remained unclear how Kodak will address its pension obligations, many of which were built up decades ago when U.S. manufacturers offered more generous retirement and medical benefits. Many retirees hail from Britain where Kodak has been manufacturing since 1891.

The company had promised to inject $800 million over the next decade into its British pension plan. It remains unclear how that country's pension regulator might seek to preserve some or all of the company's obligations to British pensioners.

McCorvey, the chief financial officer, said in court papers on Thursday that she expects the trustee for the British pension plan to have a "significant" general unsecured claim against the company.

The case is In re: Eastman Kodak Co et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, No. 12-10202.

(Reporting by Liana B. Baker, Nick Brown, Caroline Humer and Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Mark Bendeich and Maureen Bavdek)

'Mission Impossible 4' tops weekend box receipts (BLOG)

2011-12-27T15:00:00.009-05:00

WASHINGTON, December 26, 2011 — For many department stores, today marks a kind of “Black Monday” as staffers gear up for the inevitable onslaught of Christmas gift returns. But for Hollywood, the entire month of December 2011 has been a kind of black hole into which year-end releases fall while rapidly losing escape velocity.

Aside from the Tom Cruise thriller, “Mission Impossible—Ghost Protocol,” which topped this weekend’s box office numbers at the number 1 spot with $26.5M in domestic receipts (first-weekend full release), most of the remaining holiday-release films on the docket failed to win much traction. (UPDATE: Today, Reuters updated figures for the four-day weekend MI take to an even more impressive $46.2M.)

The Cruise action flick gained a near-perfect score from the online reviewers at Rotten Tomatoes where it's described as “Stylish, fast-paced, and loaded with gripping set pieces,” further noting that it is “big-budget popcorn entertainment that really works.”

Here’s how the remaining flicks fared, according to early (Sunday) film industry weekend estimates:

In second place was the Robert Downey, Jr.-paced detective sequel, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows." In its second week of release, it hit $17.8 million in domestic receipts.

Rounding out the top three, "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," grabbed $13.3 million, here, a disappointment. International receipts, however, totaled some $20.1 million, which must be some consolation.

Coming in at a disappointing number four was the much-touted ultra-dark thriller, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," which pulled in a paltry $13 million, even after a saturation promo campaign on U.S. TV over the past week. A surprisingly clean remake of a Swedish original which took Europe by storm, “Girl’s” box office opening weekend here would seem to confirm, right or wrong, this country’s continuing disdain for any film with a foreign stamp on it.

At number five, Stephen Spielberg’s "The Adventures of Tintin"—which chronicles the adventures of a young, globetrotting reporter—totaled about $9.1M this weekend, genuinely disappointing if you consider its take during its initial European release: approximately $250M. Again, though, Tintin is a beloved European comic book figure whose not-so-secret origins don’t involve either Metropolis or Gotham City.

Nonetheless, in 3-D stop-action animation, the filmic “Tintin” is not necessarily worth the thumbs-down it got at the domestic box this weekend. Local Tintin fan and online film critic “Cinema Siren” (aka, Leslie Combermale), gives this flick a nice thumbs up, along with a bit of French language instruction.

“All in all,” she writes in Woodbridge Patch, “after a few dodgy minutes at the beginning, Cinema Siren, a true fan of the world of Tintin (the ‘I’ is pronounced like 'ham' not 'pin,' second 'n' is silent) settled in to find it a very exciting and fun ride. It is highly recommended and absolutely great for kids, since the character is so engaged with life and has such a strong moral compass.”

Weighing in at number six was the Matt Damon vehicle, "We Bought a Zoo," coming in at $7.8 million domestically while grabbing $1.1M in international release. You’d think the film would have pulled in a larger audience, given the-always welcome presence of Scarlett Johanssen as Damon’s co-star as well as its eco-friendly (and true life) plot in which Damon’s character purchases and saves a struggling zoo. Maybe “heartwarming” was just not a popular theme after the miserable 2011 we’ve just endured.

Rounding out the bottom four: “New Year’s Eve,” taking in an estimated $3M in spite of being headlined by the irresistible Halle Berry, whose career appears to be tanking with inexplicable speed; “Arthur Christmas,” a well-rated holiday flick, only took in $2.7M on U.S. screens; Martin Scorsese’s visually spectacular yet dark family flick “Hugo,” fading fast after a good open last month and taking in $2.3M this weekend; and “The Muppets” movie, whose puppets are starring in their own film for the first time in many years, took in just $2M, although their box office receipts over the last few weeks have remained respectable.

In an AP report (latest version here) commenting on this year’s disappointing holiday release period, Hollywood.com’s Paul Dergarabedian is inclined to write this year off. "Thank God 2011 is almost over, because we've had a real rough run here at the end of the year," he’s quoted as saying. "We always count on the holiday season to give us a big boost at the end of the year, and it just didn't happen. "These admission numbers this year just tell me that we maybe have to set our sights a little lower in terms of attendance every year."

A better idea: slicing ticket prices, now so sky high—particularly for 3-D releases—that more and more film fans are doing what this reviewer does: wait for FiOS to run the films or rent them when they go DVD. In this kind of economy, frills like films are getting cut first, and Hollywood needs to recognize that the gravy train they’ve grown used to may no longer be on schedule.

(Note: All figures will be revised later today, taking into account estimates for today’s receipts, part of the 4-day holiday weekend total. Rankings could change when the Christmas Day debuts of the much touted film “The War Horse” and the Sandra Bullock 9/11 thriller “The Darkest Hour.” For details, check out Hollywood.com.)

Hidden costs of dental neglect (BLOG)

2011-12-27T14:00:00.014-05:00

Four years ago, 12-year old Deamonte Driver died of a toothache. Extreme neglect had led to an abscess that spread to his brain and killed him. The Drivers were a desperately poor family in Maryland that had trouble locating an oral surgeon who would work for Medicaid rates.

But whether rich, poor or in between, regular dental care has declined as out-of-pocket costs have risen during the Great Recession. Few people know that good dental care can be the key to good overall health. According to the Mayo Clinic, a full menu of diseases can result from poor dental care, including endocarditis (an infection of the inner lining of the heart), cardiovascular disease (clogged arteries and stroke may be linked to oral bacteria) and premature birth and low birth weight babies, to name a few.

In the months after the Wall Street crash of 2008, Dr. Aziza Askari faced her own financial crisis. Patients in her Farmington Hills, Mich., dental practice began asking for refunds on prepayments for planned dental work. Askari honored their requests but wondered what was going to happen to her practice. "It was hitting us from everywhere," she said.

To save the practice, she focused on holistic treatments and expanded into sedation dentistry, in which anxious patients are relaxed before the drill begins to whir. Along with a hefty investment in laser technology and digital X-rays, this appealing change broadened her client base. She advertised her new services, which grew to 10% of her practice's costs. Despite the expense, offering this mix of services without raising prices for customers was necessary to survive, she said. "It kept us afloat. If not, we could be down 50% or close to it."

In a recent poll of 1,000 Americans conducted by Empirica Research for Brighter.com, a dental discounter, 74% of respondents said they go to the dentist only when there is a problem; nearly one-third who did not have dental coverage said they'd been to the dentist "only once" or "not at all" in the previous 10 years; 73% without coverage said they had delayed care because they feared the costs.

For those who skip regular dental visits, like Deamonte, the long-term costs can be alarming. In his case, after two operations and six weeks in the hospital, the bill was more than $250,000. But even less dramatic dental neglect can cost a bundle: A $125 cavity filling can prevent the need for a root canal or crown down the road, or even a dental implant, which can costs thousands.

Americans spent a total of $102.2 billion on dental care in 2009, down slightly from 2008 as patients pulled back. For those who do visit the dentist, costs are continuing to rise. Annual spending for dental care is expected to increase 58% in the next seven years, according to a 2010 Pew Center on the States report. While dental care is only 4.3% of total health costs, consumers are paying more dental bills themselves.

A 2009 report in the New York State Dental Journal showed that while 10.3% of physician costs, 3.3% of hospital care and 26.8% of nursing care expenses were paid out of pocket in 2007, 44.2% of dental bills were paid out of pocket.

In addition, the cost of dental insurance has risen over the past decade at an annual rate of 4% to 7%, depending on the level of coverage, according to consultancy Aon Hewitt. Yet the average annual dental benefit has remained capped at around $1,000 to $1,500 for the past four decades. This is also causing fewer Americans to buy dental insurance. The most recent report by the National Association of Dental Plans reveals that 166 million Americans were covered by some sort of dental plan at the end of 2009, down 10 million from the year before.

Even for Americans who are covered, many dentists have stopped taking state-provided insurance like Medicaid, and some have stopped accepting insurance altogether. Dr. Robert Minch, a dentist in Lutherville, Md., said he does not take dental insurance to avoid dealing with low reimbursements. Instead, he said, he's offering elective procedures such as Invisalign braces and veneers because they are not covered by insurance and are therefore more profitable.

An American Dental Association survey released in August reveals a struggling industry: Nearly 39% of dentists saw their patient billings decrease in the first quarter of 2011. In addition, only 16% of dentists added to their patient base, while the rest stayed the same or had a decline.

There is also a huge variation in dental costs and access in the country. People in rural areas, the poor and minority communities are suffering from a severe lack of dentists, said Cathy Dunham, the executive director of the Children's Dental Health Project, an advocacy organization. Also, costs for many procedures vary greatly. The cost of a dental crown can be anywhere from $600 to $1,800, depending on the type of material, where it's made and the dentist's experience.

"We're talking apples and oranges," says Dan King, the marketing director of the Atlanta Center for Cosmetic Dentistry. "A lot of people think 'a crown is a crown is a crown,' but they're not. . . . It's like comparing the Ritz-Carlton or the Hilton to the Motel 6."

To cope with the changing industry, many dentists are offering cosmetic procedures, but in the past few years, cosmetic dentists have been some of the hardest hit. "A few years ago, you had people taking second mortgages or using their credit cards to pay for procedures. That easy credit has dried up," said Dr. John Sullivan, the president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. King said the flow of customers to his Atlanta practice had gone from a "fire hose" to a "garden hose," but the practice held up its bottom line by halving its staff.

Askari faced the choice that confronts dentists around the country: either invest in expensive new equipment to expand the procedures offered or risk a "race to the bottom" on prices for basic services such as teeth cleaning and cavity filling, which could lower the quality of service.

"It really is a tale of two cities," said Bassim Michael, a CPA who works with more than 30 dental practices across the country. "The practices that are doing well are the ones that are very growth-oriented," Michael said. "They've put more money in marketing, and they're investing in new technology."

The low end of the dental market is served by discounters such as Brighter.com, a website that includes 25,000 dentists who offer reduced-price services, such as crown work that would normally cost $1,340 for $595. Askari, the dentist from Michigan, said such "rock bottom" prices make it extremely hard to remain profitable and require a practice to have very little overhead.

Minch, the dentist in Maryland, said that while discounter services fill a niche, it's important to keep in mind that dentists are running businesses and have fixed costs they need to meet. The cheaper the care, the more likely some corners will be cut.

"Dentistry is a labor-intensive operation," he said. "It's hard to do it on a heavily discounted basis. You'll likely get heavily discounted work."

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25 Ways to Cut Wedding Costs (BLOG, LINK)

2011-12-27T13:00:00.062-05:00

It’s all about the bottom line. Whether your wedding budget is $5.00 or $50.000, these savvy strategies will save you serious change. by Francesca Castagnoli/BRIDES

1-Eat dessert first.
Want a big bash, but don’t have the cash? Do a cocktails-and-dessert reception instead of springing for din-din

2-Off-peak is on the money.
With the exception of the holidays, dates from November through April are less coveted—so less pricey—than other times. Set on June vows? Book ‘em on an off-night, like Friday or Sunday.

3-Know who your friends are.
Nipping the guest list can shrink costs big-time. To avoid offending non-invitees, pepper wedding convos with words like small and intimate.

4-Say okay to day.
Throw your party before 5 p.m: Brunches and lunches mean a lower tab for the location, meal, and bar.

5-Find a furnished space.
Reduce rental costs by picking a site that’s already outfitted with tables, linens and chairs.

6-Stamp out overspending.
Instead of shelling out a ton on custom favor bags and stationery, personalize plain paper goods with a rubber stamp of your monogram or wedding motif.

7-Negotiate nicely.
It’s your wedding but their business, so be polite. If your vendors won’t budge on their rates, see if you can strike a deal by eliminating extra services or booking them for their minimum time period.

8-Take it home.
If you live in a city or on the coasts but grew up in Small Town, USA, consider throwing a wedding back home. Your family will appreciate it, urban guests will be grateful for the chance to get away, and the prices will be much, much friendlier.

9-Streamline the bar.
Spare yourself some major moolah by nixing a full bar and serving only wine, beer and soft drinks. Want a hit of hard liquor? Have the bartender concoct one delish mixed drink, and offer it as your signature cocktail.

10-Bare your budget.
Be clear about what you can spend when you meet with vendors. It saves time and will spare you from browsing fancier options that may tempt you to spend above your means.

11-Skip a dish.
Cut down on the number of courses you serve. (No one’s going to miss that frisée-endive salad, trust us.) Bonus: Everyone will get way more time on the dance floor!

12-Shave off a tier.
Little-known fact: Wedding cake slices are often left untouched. Ask your caterer to cut thin portions, which will allow you to reduce the size of your order by 10 to 15 percent. Another option: Order a small display cake to cut, and have the caterer serve guests from a sheet cake in the back.

13-Navigate your nuptials.
Instead of printing up maps to enclose with your invitations, send guests to your wedding website for directions to your I DOs.

14-Do the math.
Many caterers offer to add flourishes to basic packages for a surcharge. Resist the urge to opt for those scallop appetizers that cost an additional eight dollars per person—for 125 guests, that comes to $1,000.

15-Go meatless.
You’ll be amazed at how much cheaper veggie hors d’oeuvres are than beef, chicken, or fish apps, so fill those trays with hearty options like vegetable dumplings, bruschetta, and mini spinach pies.

16-Serve a smarter cut.
Attention, steak lovers: Sirloin is about half the price of filet mignon—and, some carnivores say, tastier, too.

17-Challenge pals to a bake-off.
Having a casual wedding? Instead of ordering a designer cake, ask some ambitious friends to make their best homemade pies, brownies or cheesecake.

18-Pour judiciously.
If you are paying for liquor by consumption, instruct the waitstaff to ask whether guests would like more wine before refilling glasses. Also, tell them not to clear half-full glasses—otherwise, still-thirsty guests will end up heading back to the bar for replacement rounds.

19-Control your hires.
Book a venue that doesn’t restrict your choice of vendors to an approved list. The wider the net you can cast for hires, the more wiggle room you’ll have to negotiate prices.

20-Dance on a dime.
Big bands cost big bucks, so consider a small (say, four-piece) band, or go even more cost-conscious with a DJ. The least pricey pick: blasting your own playlist via iPod.

21-Seek in-season blooms.
If you’ve always dreamed of anemones, plan on a winter wedding. Flowers, even pricey ones, are cheapest during their growing season

22-Cut back on snaps.
Photog won’t budge on his price? Ask him about working fewer hours for a reduced rate. Your friends will be happy to share any cool candids they snap during the dance party.

23-Have a plus-none policy.
Kindly nix plus-ones for all your single pals, with the exception of friends in committed relationships. (In their cases, you should include the name of their significant other on the invitation.)

24-Make a date with a bargain.
Who’s going to score metallic-hued candles at half-price? You are! Shop post-holiday sales for color- or season-specific decor, like pastel napkins after Easter or red vases after Valentine’s Day.

25-Decorate strategically.
Add blooms in high-traffic areas (entryways, patios). Don’t worry about barely visited spots like staircases and hallways.

Read the other 25 HERE

Why Jennifer Hudson turned down 'Precious' Role (BLOG)

2011-12-27T12:00:00.005-05:00

Jennifer Hudson has revealed she turned down the title role in "Precious" because she didn't want to pack on weight to play the abused single mom.

Fresh off her Oscars victory in "Dreamgirls," director Lee Daniels approached the singer/actress and asked her to consider playing Precious -- but she wasn't interested.

In her new memoir "I Got This: How I Changed My Ways and Lost What Weighed Me Down," Hudson writes, "As much as I was moved by this film, I wanted to try a role that had nothing whatsoever to do with my weight."

Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe eventually won the role as Precious, while Hudson became a weight loss icon and WeightWatchers spokesperson.

Sears to close 100 to 120 Kmart, Sears stores (BLOG)

2011-12-27T11:00:00.007-05:00

NEW YORK — Between 100 and 120 Sears and Kmart stores will be closed, the retailer said Tuesday, after terrible holiday sales during what is the most crucial time of the year for retailers.

Sears has yet to determine which stores will be closed, but there has been a clear shift in where the retailer will devote its resources.

The company is moving away from its practice of propping up "marginally performing" stores in hopes of improving their performance. Sears said it will now concentrate on cash-generating stores.

"Given our performance and the difficult economic environment, especially for big-ticket items, we intend to implement a series of actions to reduce ongoing expenses, adjust our asset base, and accelerate the transformation of our business model," said CEO Louis D'Ambrosio. "These actions will better enable us to focus our investments on serving our customers."

Sears would not discuss how many, if any, jobs would be cut.

Sears Holdings Corp., based in Hoffman Estates, Ill., said that the store closings will generate $140 to $170 million in cash from inventory sales. The retailer anticipates additional proceeds from the sale or sublease of real estate holdings.

The company, which operates Kmart stores, Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Land's End, has seen rival department stores like Macy's Inc. and discounters like Target Corp. steal customers away. But the economy is put a sustained financial squeeze on its most loyal customers, those in the middle-income bracket.

The retailer had announced numerous closings this year, but this is the largest group of closings to date by far. Hoped for holiday sales to not materialize.

Same-store revenue fell 5.2 percent to date for the quarter at both Sears and Kmart, the company said Tuesday. That includes the critical holiday shopping period, a time that most retailers depend on for a sales surge that will put them in the black.

Kmart's 6 percent decline in revenue at stores open at least a year was blamed on diminished layaways and a drop in clothing and consumer electronics sales. Sears' cited lackluster consumer electronics and home appliance sales for its 4.4 percent drop off. Sears' clothing sales were flat, while sales of Lands' End products at Sears stores rose mid-single digits.

Sears Holdings said that the declining sales, ongoing margin pressure and rising expenses pulled its adjusted earnings lower. The company predicts fourth-quarter consolidated adjusted earnings will be less than half the prior-year period's $933 million. It also anticipates a non-cash charge of $1.6 billion to $1.8 billion in the quarter for a valuation allowance on some deferred tax assets.

This figure is a key gauge of a retailer's health because it excludes results from stores recently opened or closed.

Sears Holdings said it also plans to lower its fixed costs by $100 million to $200 million and trim its 2012 peak domestic inventory by $300 million from 2011's $10.2 billion at the third quarter's end.

Sears Holdings has more than 4,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada.

Brees Breaks Marinos Record (BLOG)

2011-12-27T10:00:00.011-05:00

NEW ORLEANS

Once he watches the game replay, Drew Brees will be hard on himself.

The New Orleans Saints quarterback will bemoan throwing two uncharacteristic passes into double coverage that were intercepted. He will feel just as badly about trying to call consecutive timeouts late in the second quarter, which is a Football 101 rules violation. There were 16 incompletions and three second-half drives that ended without a first down or points to prolong what had the early makings of a blowout.

But immediately after this magical Monday night in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome came to an end, Brees had every right to proclaim a 45-16 victory over Atlanta as “perfect,” even though he wasn’t.

New Orleans (12-3) defeated its archrival to clinch the NFC South title and notch a seventh consecutive win. The Saints were outstanding on the ground with 164 yards against the NFL’s fourth-ranked run defense. They also stymied a Falcons offense that simply couldn’t keep pace.

And in the process, Brees set the NFL’s single-season passing record — an accomplishment that far overshadowed any of his deficiencies.

Brees wasn’t terrible by any stretch of the imagination. He passed for more than 300 yards (307, to be exact) for the 12th time this season. Brees extended another NFL record he holds for consecutive regular-season games with at least 20 completions to 35. He also threw four touchdown passes to ensure New Orleans led by double-digits for the entire second half.

Brees, though, made enough mistakes in a 23-of-39 outing to cement the front-runner standing of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award. The manner in which Dan Marino’s mark of 5,084 yards also fell was not without controversy. It happened when the game’s outcome already was decided as the Saints displayed none of the “respect” for the Falcons that Saints head coach Sean Payton referred to four times during his postgame news conference.

Yet outside of providing motivational material for Atlanta in case there is a playoff rematch, none of this really matters in the grand scheme of things.

What will be remembered in NFL annals: the 9-yard touchdown pass to running back Darren Sproles that allowed Brees to reach 5,087 yards in one less game than it took Marino to make his mark with Miami in 1984. That play and subsequent revelry is something Brees will cherish almost as much as winning Super Bowl XLIV MVP honors two seasons ago.

“It was special,” said Brees, who had tried downplaying the pursuit of Marino’s record when previously asked. “I’m not thinking that we are 9 yards from the record. I was just focused on execution. I guess it all registered when the guys picked me up (in celebration).”

When the Saints stopped Atlanta on a fourth down at the Falcons’ 33-yard line with 5:08 remaining, Payton decided to have Brees attempt to break Marino’s record because it was the “right thing to do.”

While it won’t sit well with the Falcons and their fans, Payton’s logic is justifiable. After a sluggish second-half stretch, Payton wanted his starting offense to get some momentum headed into a Week 17 contest against Carolina that he likely will treat like an exhibition game. That’s because San Francisco (12-3) is considered a lock to secure the NFC’s No. 2 postseason seed when it plays Sunday at St. Louis (2-13). Under that circumstance, Payton is expected to use his backups extensively — Chase Daniels, come on down! — and focus on a first-round playoff game the following weekend.

Giving Brees the chance to set the record at home in prime time and remove the lingering distraction that the chase for the record was becoming also makes sense. Plus, Payton doesn’t owe it to Atlanta to call off the dogs. If the Falcons felt disrespected about pass plays being called so late rather than New Orleans trying to run out the clock, they should have played better defense and forced a field goal or punt.

That didn’t happen. Brees moved the Saints to the Atlanta 9 as a crowd of 70,086 fans — almost none of whom left early despite the lopsided score — buzzed in anticipation. That made it even more difficult for Brees to concentrate on the task at hand.

“It’s like a pitcher with a no-hitter,” Brees said. “Don’t talk to him. Leave him alone. All I wanted to do was just play. The last thing you want is to know you’re a certain amount of yardage away and have that influence your decision-making.”

Sproles was the one who made the decision that helped the record fall. A close friend of Brees from their days together with the San Diego Chargers, Sproles correctly read the coverage on an option route. He broke away from Falcons middle linebacker Sean Weatherspoon and into the end zone.

The aftermath was so frenzied that Brees didn’t know tight end Jimmy Graham frantically went to fetch the football after it was spiked by Sproles. Right guard Carl Nicks lifted Brees into the air as other Saints teammates joined in on the festivities. Once back on the ground and with football in hand, Brees pointed into the air and continued hugging Saints players and coaches on the sideline. That included Payton, who still had a smudge from Brees’ eye black on his right cheek long after the game ended.

As excited as Brees was, his teammates were beaming just as brightly at being part of NFL history and helping such a well-respected leader make it. Brees even took on-field pictures with Saints players to commemorate the occasion.

“If they made a movie — Tom Cruise, I don’t know if he could play him,” Nicks said. “He’s out of this world. Probably one of the best guys I know — period. If I could have put him on my shoulders and paraded around the whole stadium, I would have done it. He deserves that.”

In a classy gesture, Brees and Payton made sure to salute Marino in comments made both to the media and privately in the postgame speech. Brees himself noted several comparisons to Marino. Both weren’t taken high in their respective draft classes, which became motivation for Marino and Brees to exceed expectations.

Ironically, Miami had the chance to sign Brees in 2006 but passed because of concerns about his surgically repaired right shoulder. Nearly six years later, the Dolphins still don’t have an answer at quarterback, while Brees is thriving on a team that shows earmarks of once again doing what Marino never could in 17 seasons in Miami — winning a Super Bowl.

“I couldn’t have imagined it would happen the way it did,” a beaming Brees said. “I guess it was all meant to be.”

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And the Golden Globe Nominees Are... (BLOG)

2011-12-15T15:00:00.013-05:00

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) -- Silent film is taking over Hollywood's awards scene. The silent-era tale "The Artist" heads the Golden Globes with six nominations, among them Best Comedy or Musical and acting honors for its French stars, Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo.

Tied for second-place in Thursday's nominations are the 1960s racial tale "The Help" and George Clooney's Hawaiian family story "The Descendants." Both films are up for Best Drama, while Clooney was nominated for Best Dramatic Actor and "The Help" earned acting slots for Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain.

Also competing for Best Drama: Martin Scorsese's Paris adventure "Hugo"; Clooney's political thriller "The Ides of March"; Brad Pitt's baseball chronicle "Moneyball"; and Steven Spielberg's World War I epic "War Horse."

Joining "The Artist" in the Best Musical or Comedy Category are: the cancer story "50/50"; Kristen Wiig's wedding romp "Bridesmaids"; Woody Allen's romantic fantasy "Midnight in Paris"; and Michelle Williams' Marilyn Monroe tale "My Week With Marilyn."

Clooney has three nominations. Besides Best Dramatic Actor for "The Descendants," he's up for directing and screenplay for "The Ides of March." For the acting prize, Clooney will compete against his "Ides" star Ryan Gosling, who had a second nomination for Best Musical or Comedy actor for the romance "Crazy, Stupid, Love."

Glenn Close also is a dual contender, as Best Dramatic Actress for the Irish drama "Albert Nobbs," and for Best Song for writing the lyrics to "Lay Your Head Down," the film's theme tune.
Along with the Screen Actors Guild Award nominations a day earlier, the Globes field helps narrow down prospects for the Academy Awards, whose nominations come out Jan. 24.

With drinks and dinner, the Globes are a laid-back affair for Hollywood's elite compared to the Oscars. The show turned a bit touchy last year as host Ricky Gervais repeatedly made sharp wisecracks about stars and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a group of about 85 entertainment reporters for overseas outlets that presents the Globes.

But Gervais helped give the show a TV ratings boost, and he's been invited back as host for a third straight year.

Five-time Academy Award and Globe nominee Morgan Freeman — who won the supporting-actor Oscar for "Million Dollar Baby" and a Best Actor Globe for "Driving Miss Daisy" — will receive the group's Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at the Jan. 15 ceremony.

On the TV side of the Globes, the nominees for Best Drama Series were HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," FX's "American Horror Story," HBO's "Game of Thrones," Starz's "Boss" and Showtime's "Homeland." In the comedy category, the nominated series were NBC's "30 Rock," HBO's "Enlightened," Showtime's "Episodes," Fox's "New Girl" and Fox's "Glee."

Thesps Gerard Butler, Woody Harrelson, Rashida Jones and Sofia Vergara joined Takla-O'Reilly in announcing nominations in 25 categories at the Beverly Hilton. A dozen categories mixing film and TV were unveiled before a short break; then the remaining 13 were announced with live TV coverage.
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See the complete list HERE

Smile! Obamas release new family portrait (BLOG, VIDEO)

2011-12-15T14:00:00.011-05:00

For the Obamas, an awkward family holiday photo just isn’t an option.

The first family released a new official portrait Thursday morning, showing them dressed in their holiday best. Taken by White House photographer Pete Souza in the Oval Office, the photo captures the Obamas smiling and clasping hands with daughters Malia, 13, and Sasha, 10.

The last official portrait was taken in 2009 in the Green Room by Annie Leibovitz , and since the first daughters have grown up so much since then, the Obamas wanted an updated photo together.

More recently, the White House also released a photo of Bo. The Obamas’ pet is absent from the official family portrait.

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Walters' names 'Most Fascinating' person (BLOG)

2011-12-15T13:00:00.006-05:00

Barbara Walters made an unprecedented choice for her No. 1 Most Fascinating Person of 2011.

Walters' coveted title went to Steve Jobs. This was the first time that the honor was given to someone no longer living.

The Apple co-founder passed away in October after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56.

Walters explained that the choice to honor Jobs was made before his death when he announced his retirement as CEO of the company he helped build.

After his death, the choice remained because, as Walters simply stated, "Rules were meant to be broken."

Other notable names to make the annual list include the Kardashians, Herman Cain, Donald Trump and Pippa Middleton. ET

FDA cracks down on DIY sperm donor in Calif. (BLOG, VIDEO)

2011-12-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

By JoNel Aleccia

A California man is vowing to continue his do-it-yourself sperm donor operation, despite efforts of federal health officials to crack down on the free service.

Trent C. Arsenault, 36, of Fremont, Calif., told msnbc.com that he has fathered 14 children -- with four more on the way -- and donated sperm to between 60 and 75 families since he started the online operation in 2006.

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“Every time I log into Facebook, I’m overwhelmed with all the pictures from the families,” said Arsenault, who regards his donations as a way to help low-income people struggling with infertility.

Last year, federal Food and Drug Administration officials delivered a letter ordering Arsenault to “cease manufacturing,” or halt his service, because the computer security expert had not followed regulations governing safety precautions for transmission of human cells or tissues through donor clinics.

“We have legitimate concerns,” said Shelly Burgess, a spokeswoman for the FDA.

But Arsenault was allowed to continue the operation while the agency decided whether to grant him a hearing on the matter, according to his lawyers.

The lawyers, who work for the nonprofit legal firm Cause of Action in Washington, D.C., argue that Arsenault shouldn’t be held to clinic sperm donor standards because his contracts with recipients are individual intimate partner arrangements allowed under the law.

No hearing has yet been scheduled, Burgess said. Arsenault could face penalties including court action if the agency concludes that his acts were a violation of federal regulations.

It's Official: US Ends Iraq War (BLOG, VIDEO)

2011-12-15T11:00:00.010-05:00

By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services

Updated at 8:23 a.m. ET

BAGHDAD -- Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta marked the end of the U.S. war in Iraq at a highly symbolic ceremony Thursday.

U.S. soldiers rolled up the flag for American forces in Iraq and slipped it into a camouflage-colored sleeve, formally "casing" it, according to Army tradition.

Panetta said veterans of the nearly nine-year conflict can be "secure in knowing that your sacrifice has helped the Iraqi people to cast tyranny aside."

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani were invited to the ceremony but did not attend.

Nearly 4,500 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis lost their lives in a war that began with a "Shock and Awe" campaign of missiles pounding Baghdad, but later descended into a bloody sectarian struggle between long-oppressed majority Shiites and their former Sunni masters.

"After a lot of blood spilled by Iraqis and Americans, the mission of an Iraq that could govern and secure itself has become real," Panetta added.

Some Iraqi citizens offered a more pessimistic assessment. "The Americans are leaving behind them a destroyed country," said Mariam Khazim of Sadr City. "The Americans did not leave modern schools or big factories behind them. Instead, they left thousands of widows and orphans."

Gen. Lloyd Austin, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also spoke during the ceremony at Baghdad International Airport.

Updated at 5:46 a.m. ET: Austin says Iraqis now have "unprecedented opportunities."

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Updated at 5:42 a.m ET: "Since 2003, we have helped the Iraqi security forces grow from zero to 650,000-strong," Austin says.

Updated at 5:40 a.m. ET: Austin recalls how he was present when American forces secured the airfield where the ceremony is being held. "After 21 days of tough fighting, we ended Saddam Hussein's reign of terror," he adds.

Updated at 5:37 a.m. ET: Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, points out that the next time he visits Baghdad it will have to be at the invitation of the Iraqi government. "I kinda like that," he adds.

Updated at 5:32 a.m. ET: "This is not the end, this is the beginning," Panetta says. "May God bless Iraq, its people and its future."

Updated at 5:29 a.m. ET: "Let me be clear, Iraq will be tested in the days ahead -- by terrorism, by those who would seek to divide," Panetta says. "Challenges remain but the United States will be there to stand with the Iraqi people. We are not about to turn our backs on all that has been sacrificed and accomplished."

Updated at 5:26 a.m. ET: "Your sacrifice has helped the Iraqi people begin a new chapter in history, free from tyranny," Panetta says. "This outcome was never certain, particularly during the war's darkest days."

Updated at 5:23 a.m. ET: Panetta highlights the "heartbreak" of military families who watched their loved ones go off to war.

Updated at 5:18 a.m. ET: "It is a profound honor to be here in Baghdad," Panetta says at ceremony."No words, no ceremony can provide full tribute to the sacrifices that have brought this day to pass."

Updated at 5:16 a.m. ET: "We look forward to an Iraq that is sovereign, secure and self-reliant," US Ambassador to Iraq James Jeffrey says.

Published at 4:45 a.m. ET: After nearly nine years, 4,500 American dead, 32,000 wounded and more than $800 billion, U.S. officials prepared Thursday to formally shut down the war in Iraq — a conflict that U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said was worth the price in blood and money, as it set Iraq on a path to democracy.

Panetta stepped off his military plane in Baghdad Thursday as the leader of America's war in Iraq, but will leave as one of many top U.S. and global officials who hope to work with the struggling nation as it tries to find its new place in the Middle East and the broader world.

He and several other U.S. diplomatic, military and defense leaders will participate in a highly symbolic ceremony during which the flag of U.S. Forces-Iraq will officially be retired, or "cased," according to Army tradition.

During several stops in Afghanistan this week, Panetta made it clear that the U.S. can be proud of its accomplishments in Iraq, and that the cost of the bitterly divisive war was worth it.

"We spilled a lot of blood there," Panetta said. "But all of that has not been in vain. It's been to achieve a mission making that country sovereign and independent and able to govern and secure itself."

That, he said, is "a tribute to everybody — everybody who fought in that war, everybody who spilled blood in that war, everybody who was dedicated to making sure we could achieve that mission."

Panetta has echoed President Barack Obama's promise that the U.S. plans to keep a robust diplomatic presence in Iraq, foster a deep and lasting relationship with the nation and maintain a strong military force in the region.

As of Thursday, there were two U.S. bases and about 4,000 U.S. troops in Iraq — a dramatic drop from the roughly 500 military installations and as many as 170,000 troops during the surge ordered by President George W. Bush in 2007, when violence and raging sectarianism gripped the country. All U.S. troops are slated to be out of Iraq by the end of the year, but officials are likely to meet that goal a bit before then.

The total U.S. departure is a bit earlier than initially planned, and military leaders worry that it is premature for the still maturing Iraqi security forces, who face continuing struggles to develop the logistics, air operations, surveillance and intelligence sharing capabilities they will need in what has long been a difficult neighborhood.
U.S. officials were unable to reach an agreement with the Iraqis on legal issues and troop immunity that would have allowed a small training and counterterrorism force to remain. U.S. defense officials said they expect there will be no movement on that issue until sometime next year.

Still, despite Obama's earlier contention that all American troops would be home for Christmas, at least 4,000 forces will remain in Kuwait for some months. The troops will be able to help finalize the move out of Iraq, but could also be used as a quick reaction force if needed.

Bombings and attacks have eased since American and Iraqi security forces weakened insurgents. But roadside bombs, car bombs and assassinations still kill and maim almost every day.
A frail economy, constant power shortages, scarce jobs and discontent with political leaders all fuel uncertainty among Iraqis.

"Thanks to the Americans. They took us away from Saddam Hussein, I have to say that. But I think now we are going to be in trouble," said Malik Abed, 44, a vendor at a Baghdad fish market. "Maybe the terrorists will start attacking us again."

Where Have All the Married People Gone? (BLOG)

2011-12-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

Marriage rates are at an all-time low. Are people overthinking it?

Posted by Holly-TheNest.com

I'll admit it: I always wanted to be married. I happened to find "the one" and tie the knot for love. But I'm not one of those married women. I know that a good man (or woman) is hard to find. In fact, a new study reveals that only 51 percent of adults in the US are married. That's just half of the population, people! And it represents an all-time low: The marriage rate has dropped from 59 percent in 1960 to a mere 20 percent in the present day. And this cooling trend isn't expected to end anytime soon. I'm not sure why, but that scares me a little.

Yes, many people have perfectly good reasons for staying single. Women can support themselves, so they can be pickier about whose socks they choose to pick up off the floor for as long as they both shall live. And, as the article states, women are no longer shunned by society for raising children alone. But, if given the choice, would most women choose to be single moms? I don't think so. So that theory doesn't hold water for me.

And let's not forget about cohabitation: According to the Census Bureau, twice as many couples are living together now than they were 20 years ago. Both men and women -- but mostly men -- are putting off getting hitched until they feel they're economically stable. And with the recent recession, there aren't a whole lot of moneybags out there looking to put a ring on it. It's a bummer, but it brings up a valid question: At the end of the day, is marriage really just a business agreement? With singlehood an increasingly viable option, people are free to think long and hard about whether this whole marriage business is right for them.

But are they overthinking it?

To me, getting married is sort of like watching a science fiction movie or even a romantic comedy. There has to be some suspension of disbelief, or you're not going to buy it. Marriage is not a romantic comedy. It's hard -- and sometimes it can flat-out suck. It's messy but enormously rewarding. It's not a Hallmark card; it's the foundation that family is built on -- and whose family is 100 percent functional? Our grandparents seemed to grasp this concept better than we do -- and look how happy they always were.

I can't help but wonder what this steady decline in marriage means for society at large -- and the future of the family unit. Are technology, equal rights, education -- all the amazing things we're so privileged to enjoy in the modern world -- changing the face of relationships and family? What will society look like 50 years from now?

TIME Person of the Year, Revealed (BLOG, VIDEO)

2011-12-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

TIME magazine revealed the 2011 choice for its iconic Person of the Year cover live on TODAY Wednesday. The Protester is this year’s choice, managing editor Rick Stengel told Matt Lauer and Ann Curry.

“There was a lot of consensus among our people,” Stengel told the TODAY anchors as he revealed the magazine’s cover. “It felt right.”

As it has for the past 84 years, the weekly newsmagazine selected the person (or sometimes group, or thing) that its editors deemed had the single greatest impact during the past year, for better or for worse.

TIME’s Person of the Year has been a perennial topic of year-end debate ever since aviator Charles Lindbergh was chosen the first Man of the Year back in 1927 (the title was amended to Person of the Year in 1999). But the title is not necessarily an accolade; while many presidents, political leaders, innovators and captains of industry have been cited, some of the more notorious Persons of the Year include Adolf Hitler in 1938, Joseph Stalin in 1943 and Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979. There have also been more conceptual choices, such as “the American Fighting-Man” (1950), “Middle Americans” (1969), and this year’s choice, The Protester.

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Other candidates
Polled online earlier this week, hundreds of TODAY.com readers came up with many other nominees for 2011, including late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, and SEAL Team 6, who killed Osama bin Laden.

“Gabrielle Giffords is in the magazine,” Stengel pointed out when Lauer mentioned the support for her and Jobs. "Steve Jobs is in the beginning of our Farewell section.” (The Farewell section spotlights the most noteworthy deaths of the year.)

Via Facebook, TODAY.com reader April Merenda said Jobs should be the choice “to make up for (TIME) not getting it right in 1984 as well as acknowledging his contribution to our global society and generations to come.” Reader ririjam suggested “the three women who just won the Nobel Peace Prize” or first lady Michelle Obama, who “has maintained grace and dignity.”

And TIME conducted its own poll last month, offering a list of 34 candidates that ranged from prominent political leaders to pop culture icons. TIME’s list included Casey Anthony, Herman Cain, Kim Kardashian, Steve Jobs, and such movements and groups as “The 99%” (and “The 1%”), and the international hacking collective Anonymous.

TIME also revealed the runners-up for 2011 Person of the Year on its website, TIME.com. Coming in No. 2 on the list is Admiral William H. McRaven, who organized the raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden in May (a choice similar to the popular TODAY.com nominee SEAL Team 6).

The No. 3 choice is Ai Wei Wei, the Chinese conceptual artist and activist who helped design Beijing National Stadium for the 2009 Olympics — and was held incommunicado for 81 days and interrogated some 50 times by Chinese authorities last spring and summer while supporters around the world petitioned for his release.

No. 4 on TIME’s list is Rep. Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin Republican whom the magazine credits with bringing to the front of the national consciousness an issue that Washington was loath to confront: America’s ballooning national debt.

And coming in No. 5: Duchess Kate. Having captured the attention and affection of millions, the magazine says, the former Kate Middleton is now “poised to reinvent celebrity with restraint.”

“Admiral McRaven captured bin Laden, and the Duchess of Windsor captured our hearts,” Stengel commented on TODAY. Still, he added, “It’s not a lifetime achievement award.”

So in the end, it was the image of The Protester — summarizing mass actions against dictators in the Middle East, anti-drug cartel sentiment in Mexico, marches against unaccountable leaders in Greece, the America-spawned Occupy movement, and dissent from the Putin regime in Russia — that appeared on TIME’s 2011 Person of the Year cover.

“There’s this contagion of protest,” Stengel said on TODAY Wednesday. “These people who risked their lives... I think it is changing the world for the better.”

Read more about the TIME Person of the Year at TIME.com

Psychedelic gecko one of 200 new species discovered in South East Asia (BLOG)

2011-12-13T16:00:00.011-05:00

AP reports:

HANOI, Vietnam — A psychedelic gecko and a monkey with an "Elvis" hairdo are among 208 new species described last year by scientists in the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia, a conservation group announced Monday.

The animals were discovered in a biodiverse region that is threatened by habitat loss, deforestation, climate change and overdevelopment, the WWF said in a report.

The newly described species include a "psychedelic gecko" in southern Vietnam and a nose-less monkey in a remote province of Myanmar that looks like it wears a pompadour.

"While this species, sporting an Elvis-like hairstyle, is new to science, the local people of Myanmar know it well," the Switzerland-based group said in its report.

The region is home to some of the world's most endangered species, including tigers, Asian elephants, Mekong dolphins and Mekong giant catfish, the group said.

"This is a region of extraordinary richness in terms of biodiversity but also one that is extremely fragile," said Sarah Bladen, communications director for WWF Greater Mekong. "It's losing biodiversity at a tragic rate."

The Mekong flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

In October, WWF announced Vietnam has lost its last Javan rhinoceros, making the 40 to 60 Javan rhinos living in Indonesia the last remaining members of their species.

See Pictures HERE

A Workout for Every Time Crunch (BLOG)

2011-12-13T15:00:00.015-05:00

These days it feels like everyone’s always in a hurry—and it’s not just our imagination. Americans’ leisure time has decreased in the past few decades, dropping from 26 to 16 hours per week between 1973 and 2008. With fewer minutes to spare, skipping your workout might seem like a quick fix. But it doesn’t have to come to that! If you pick the right routine you can squeeze a meaningful workout into even your busiest days. Whether you’ve got a 30-minute lunch break or can spare only 5 minutes in the morning, there’s a quick and effective, expert-recommended workout for you.

30 Minutes

For most of the following moves you’ll need a 6- to 8-pound medicine ball. You’ll do each exercise 5 times, doing 2 fewer reps each round. So in your first round you’ll complete 10 reps, in your second round you’ll complete 8, in the third you’ll do 6, and so forth. “The volume for these exercises is pretty low, so your goal is to complete each rep with maximum intensity,” Baptiste says. “Think quick, precise, and powerful. Go as fast as possible with perfect form.”
60-second treadmill sprint

10 Medicine Ball Front Squats: Hold a medicine ball while performing front squats.

10 Medicine Ball Overhead Presses: Hold a medicine ball with both hands at about shoulder height, then press it above your head.

10 Medicine Ball Squats To Overhead Press: Combine the two moves above. While holding a medicine ball in front of you at chest level, dip into a squat. Rise to a standing position and do an overhead press with the medicine ball.

10 Medicine Ball Jacks: Hold a medicine ball in front, arms down, and prepare to perform a jumping jack, except instead of bringing your arms out to your sides, you’ll lift the medicine ball above your head. When you bring your legs together, lower the medicine ball back in front of you.

10 Shuffle Splits With Medicine Ball Rotation: Stand with your legs staggered, your right foot in front of your left, and hold the medicine ball at your right hip. As you switch feet and bring your left foot forward, move the medicine ball from your right hip to your left hip.

10 Soccer Taps With Medicine Ball: Put the medicine ball on the floor. Rest one foot on top of the ball and plant one on the floor. Then alternate each foot to the top of the ball.

10 Seated Medicine Ball Bicycle Passes: Sit on the floor and lean back at a 45-degree angle, lifting your feet off the ground. Imagine a bicycle crunch, bringing one leg to your chest while the other is extended. You’ll pass the medicine ball from one hand to the other under the knee that is bent. Switch legs and pass the ball under the opposite knee.

5 Alternating Medicine Ball Pushups: Complete five pushups with your hands on a medicine ball. (In each subsequent set you’ll complete one less pushup, so in the next round you’ll complete 4, then 3, and so forth)

10 Russian Twists With The Medicine Ball: Sit on the floor and lean back at a 45-degree angle, lifting your feet off the ground. Holding the medicine ball with both hands, twist your torso to each side and touch the ball to the ground.

60 seconds on the elliptical machine (or another cardio machine of your choice)

30 Minutes

You don’t need any equipment for this 30-minute superset workout suggested by Paris. Perform each pair of exercises three times before moving on to the next two moves.

15 Lunges
30 seconds Side Planks
Repeat 3 times

15 to 20 Pushups
20 Squats
Repeat 3 times

15 Lateral Lunges
20 Chair Dips
Repeat 3 times

20 Wide-Leg Squats
1-minute Regular Plank
Repeat 3 times

10 to 12 Incline or Decline Pushups
10 Burpees
Repeat 3 times

15 Raised-Leg Crunches
30 seconds High Knees
Repeat 3 times

20 Minutes

When you want a full-body workout and don’t have time to isolate each body part, do this strength workout from Rigsby. The resistance bands allow exercisers to adjust the intensity according to their strength levels. You’ll perform each of the following moves for 50 seconds, with 10 seconds of rest after each exercise. Repeat the entire cycle four times.

Band Front Squat: Stand on the center of the band with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold one end of the band in each hand with your wrists bent, palms up and elbows pointed forward. Maintain a flat back as you lower yourself into a squat and come back up.

Single-Arm Press: Hold the band in same position as you did for your squat. While standing push but push one arm up over your head at a time.

Romanian Deadlift: Double up the band to make it shorter and stand in the center of it while holding an end in each hand, hands at your sides. Hinge at your hips and slightly bend your knees while keeping your chest and shoulders back. Your butt should be toward the wall, not toward the floor like it would in a squat. For each rep you’ll lift back up to a standing position while holding onto the ends of the band.

Bent-Over Row: Assume the same starting position as the Romanian deadlift. Maintaining that bent-over position, bring your arms to the sides of your chest in a rowing motion.

Band Cross-body Mountain Climber: Holding an end of the band in each hand, wrap the band around your back and assume pushup position. Draw your right knee to your left elbow and return to pushup position. Repeat on the opposite side. Be sure to hold your shoulders steady. Because the band is across your back, as you do this exercise you’ll work your core as you keep your hips up.

15 to 20 Minutes

On the rowing machine, row as fast as possible for 200 meters, then rest for 2 minutes. Go for 5 to 7 rounds, shooting for the best 200-meter time and consistency from round to round, Baptiste advises. Depending on how fast you are, this workout should last about 15 to 20 minutes.

9 to 15 Minutes

This quick workout is designed to be done on an upright exercise bike. Perform 6 rounds of intervals for a 9-minute workout, or do 10 rounds for a 15-minute routine.

30 seconds of standing cycling at level 10

60 seconds of seated cycling at level 7

“This works best when you’re keeping your revolutions per minute (rpm) above 80,” Baptiste says. “What you might need to adjust is the level. Some people can stand out of the saddle at 10, but others might need to drop it to 5 or less when sitting to maintain the rpm.”

10 Minutes

“Combination moves are exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time. They’re the greatest way to get maximum calorie burn in a short amount of time,” Crome says. Plus, the following workout is set up in a circuit, which is designed to get your heart rate up as well as build strength.

For a 5-minute workout do each of the following exercises for 1 minute. For a 10-minute workout, do the circuit twice.

Lunge with Deltoid Lift: Stand with your arms by your sides, holding a dumbbell in each hand. As you step forward with your right leg and lower into a lunge, raise your extended arms out to each side to shoulder level. Lower your arms and return to the starting position. Repeat with your opposite leg.

Bridge Fly with Stability Ball: Lie on your back with your ankles resting on a stability ball (if you don’t have a ball, modify the move by assuming bridge position). Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms up. Lift your butt so that the back of your head is the only thing touching the floor. While holding bridge position lift the dumbbells over your chest. Lower the weights back to your sides.

5 Minutes

Even if you have only enough time for a quickie, a few minutes can do your body good. “Five minutes is plenty of time to increase blood flow, elevate body temperature, move through a full range of motion, increase flexibility, activate dormant muscles, engage your core, prime your body for movement, and elevate your heart rate,” Baptiste says. Complete the following 5 sets as quickly as possible for best results.

Jumping Jacks Three Ways
30 Jumping Jacks
30 Clapping Jumping Jacks
30 Crisscross Jumping Jacks: Instead of bringing your legs together, cross your legs and arms in front of you.

The “Big Three”
8 Inchworms
8 Spiderman Climbers
8 Pigeons

Glute Bridge
5 static glute bridges, each held for 10 seconds

Quadruped Hip Extension and Circles
Start on your hands and knees. Extend one foot behind you as far as you can like you’re reaching for a wall with your heel. Then open your hip outward and bend your knee (picture a dog lifting his leg on a fire hydrant) as you return to start position. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Plank ‘Plex: Complete 3 or 4 reps on each side of the entire series below.

Climbing Plank: Start in a low plank. From your forearms climb into pushup position with your right arm, then your left arm.
Holster Plank: From pushup position, reach your right arm to your right hip pocket and then reach your left arm to your left hip pocket. Return to pushup position.
Knee-to-Elbow Plank : From pushup position bring your right knee forward to your right elbow, then switch and bring your left knee to your left elbow. Return to pushup position, then climb back into low plank with your right arm, then your left arm. Repeat the entire sequence.

(NOTE: One rep on each side looks like: Start in low plank. Climb to high plank, with your right hand, then left hand. Holster: right hip, left hip. Knee-to-Elbow: right knee, left knee, climb down right arm, left arm. Start over. This time you’ll lead each move with your left side.)

5 Minutes

The key to this workout is to move fast and get your heart rate up, Paris says. However, she notes that this is not a beginner’s workout, so if you need to modify it you can cut the number of reps in half and give yourself time after each move to rest.

30 Jump Squats

10 to 15 Pushups

30 Jumping Lunges

10 to 15 Chair Dips

30 Jumping Jacks

20 Bicycle Crunches

30 Mountain Climbers

1 Minute Plank

fitbie

Lessons from jobs held in your 30s (BLOG)

2011-12-13T14:00:00.010-05:00

Ask 50 people about jobs they held during their 30s and you'll likely get 50 unique stories. While some workers spend that decade progressing in a field they entered in their 20s, others change career paths altogether or modify their employment to better align with their personal life. Here, individuals reflect on how their jobs during that stage differed from jobs they held when they were younger and how these jobs influenced the rest of their lives.

Balancing career and family
During her 20s, Margaret Miller of El Paso, Texas taught English at private high schools in New England. But when she became a mom at 30, she decided to pursue a different path.

"In my 30s, I was a stay-at-home mom and wrote articles about parenting and education to help pay the bills," Miller says. "This was ideal since I could work from my house and be there with my kids when they were young."

Now that her kids have grown up and are out of the house, Miller has opted to blend her previous experiences. "I have gone back to teaching at a local community college. I still freelance and find that I like the flexibility of being able to write from home at night and on the weekends to make deadlines, and having part of my day free when I'm not teaching. If you don't like sitting at a desk from 9 to 5, this is a great way to make a living."

Discovering new talents
As a computer specialist back in his 20s, Dan Nainan would never have envisioned himself performing at the Democratic National Convention. All of that changed when a job in his 30s led him to take a comedy class.

"I was a senior engineer with Intel Corp.," Nainan says. "My job was to travel the world with the chairman doing technical demonstrations onstage at events. I was incredibly nervous about speaking onstage, so I took a comedy class to get over the fear . . . It changed my life. My third show ever, I was asked to perform for 2,500 people at an Intel sales convention. Many employees who didn't know me thought I had been hired as a professional comedian for the event."

Nainan decided at age 40 to leave the company he loved to make comedy a career. A decade later, he says he doesn't regret the decision and continues to perform at events all over the world.

Finding your passion
After dropping out of medical school in her 20s, Lisa Niver Rajna of Los Angeles traveled for almost seven years on the high seas. "In my 30s, I worked on a cruise ship like Julie McCoy [on the TV series "The Love Boat"] and also worked for two seasons at Club Med. My family said I ran away and joined the circus."

While some people worried that she might be "wasting her potential," Niver Rajna discovered that she really enjoyed both traveling and working with the kids' programs on the cruises. These experiences, plus her educational background, led her to become a science teacher and travel blogger in her 40s.

"I have no regrets about taking this other path," Niver Rajna says. "Once I decided that leaving medicine was the right choice for me, everything else fell into place. When I am teaching or traveling, I know I am in the right place doing what I am meant to be doing."

Gaining experience
"In my 20s, I did the analyst program at a top investment bank on Wall Street, went back for my MBA and then went to corporate America to do brand management at Procter & Gamble," says Paige Arnof-Fenn of Cambridge, Mass. "I see my 20s as my apprenticeship years, working for well-known companies that were known for training and developing their people."

By contrast, she says her 30s were for "getting out of my comfort zone and exploring new opportunities." An interest in dot-com businesses led her to marketing roles at several successful startups. She also took a three-year contract job with the Treasury Department. "I never thought I'd be working for the government, but it was an amazing experience and growth opportunity for me both personally and professionally."

Now in her 40s, Arnof-Fenn is the owner of global marketing company Mavens & Moguls. She says that her life nowadays is "more about balance and personal growth, not just focused on career success."

As these stories show, career paths in one's 30s can be straight, curved, detoured or even rerouted in a direction never considered. And while these roads may change in the years ahead, it's a good bet that the jobs held during this time of life will influence that journey.

Beth Braccio Hering researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues for CareerBuilder.

What You Should Know About Layaway (BLOG)

2011-12-13T13:00:00.003-05:00

It's back! With more and more consumers preferring not to use credit cards, stores have reinstated or begun promoting their long-lost layaway policies as a way for shoppers to spread out payments and stay on budget during the holiday season.

"It's not just for the low-income shoppers. These days, layaway is just another part of a retailer's effort to give the most customer-service value possible to their customers," says Kathy Grannis, Director of Media Relations for the National Retail Federation.

How it works: After selecting your merchandise, a store rings up the total and charges you a percentage of it (usually 10%) as a down payment, plus a nonrefundable fee (usually $5). You then agree to a payment plan (typically a percentage of the total to be paid weekly) with a deadline by which you must pay in full and pick up your stuff.

There may be other rules — for example, individual items must cost a certain amount (Walmart requires a minimum of $15), or your payments may not be refundable and/or there could be restocking fees if you end up defaulting. Read the policy carefully. Also, if you agree to an auto-payment plan (wherein the store debits your checking account), you should be sure you have the funds in your account prior to debit day to avoid overdraft fees, advises Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money-saving expert of Kinoli, Inc. (the company behind freeshipping.org and other savings sites).

A word on value: By the numbers, layaway may not be the most financially savvy option, as New York Times op-ed columnist Louis Hyman points out. His math — based on a $100 layaway purchase and showing how the up-front fee could amount to what would be a very high interest rate on a credit card — is sound, but it's important to consider if that fee is worth any benefits you might gain from using the service. For one, layaway requires you to pay up in a finite amount of time — if you're someone who tends to carry a credit-card balance for a while, you may appreciate that.

And, as Grannis points out, it could have an added bonus for parents. "With the presents at the store until close to Christmas, it's a way to keep the kids from snooping."

Would you consider using layaway? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

yourmoney

Home sales even worse than we thought (BLOG, VIDEO)

2011-12-13T12:00:00.016-05:00

Last year saw the fewest number of homes sold in 13 years. Now we find the number is even smaller than the 4.91 million sales we thought occurred.

The National Association of Realtors, which for decades has published statistics on sales of existing homes, says that its data were wrong and that fewer homes were sold from 2007 to 2010 than it had reported.

<a href='http://video.msn.com?vid=fb01f57e-ea56-42b1-a59a-679bac27ea45&mkt=en-US&from=IV2_en-us_realestate_Listed&src=FLPl:embed::uuids' target='_new' title='Market Forces Woman To Auction 16 Homes At Once' >Video: Market Forces Woman To Auction 16 Homes At Once</a>

Questions about the numbers were first raised earlier this year by CoreLogic, a real-estate analysis firm, which said the NAR's home-sales numbers could be as much as 20% too high.

While the NAR said 4.91 million existing homes were sold in 2010, CoreLogic said its analysis showed that only 3.3 million homes were sold.

The NAR responded by saying it would take another look at the data. In recent months, the group consulted with CoreLogic, as well as the Federal Reserve, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Mortgage Bankers Association, the National Association of Home Builders, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, The AP reported.

The NAR concluded that its numbers were too high and that some sales had been counted twice.

The two groups use different data to come up with their sales statistics.

CoreLogic tracks property records at local courthouses. The company estimates that it covers about 85% of the data covered by NAR.

The NAR uses a sample of sales data reported by local multiple listing services, and makes assumptions about the number of sales by owner. The Wall Street Journal explained more about the data sets last year.

msnrealestate

8 Things Guys Notice About You Instantly (BLOG)

2011-12-13T11:00:00.012-05:00

You know that look where his eyes slide past you...then turn back? Wouldn’t it be great to know what stopped him? You totally can. “There are a few things men instantly observe when they meet a woman,” says Jackie Black, PhD, author of Meeting Your Match. Learn what they are and you can maximize your, um, assets. Then you’ll have your pick.

1. How Thick Your Hair Is
This is all about evolution. Since caveman days, dudes have been drawn to lush locks, which signal that a woman is healthy (translation: shaggable).

2. If Your Smile Is Genuine
Sometimes your eyes crinkle a bit when you grin. Most men are good at distinguishing the vibe of this kind of smile, which says you’re relaxed and fun.

3. The Size of Your Group
You don’t want a big bunch (it’ll be hard for him to approach) or just one friend (he’ll figure you wouldn’t desert her to talk to him). The perfect crew size? Three. Your two buds can keep each other company when you slip away.

4. The Pitch of Your Voice
Studies show that men are drawn to voices in a slightly higher register (think Kristin Bell’s), probably because — yep, evolution — they’re reliable signs of youth and reproductive health.

5. Your Hip-to-Waist Ratio
Yet again, blame eons of human history. Men instinctually look for baby mamas. If your waist is noticeably smaller than your hips, it signifies fertility — a huge point in your favor. A wide belt will emphasize that hourglass shape.

6. Your Glowiness
Guys associate a radiant complexion with good mental health. That’s because stress and anxiety usually cause breakouts and dull skin. So those lotions and bronzers you sweep over your cheeks? Totally worth it.

7. What’s Fake About You
Not personality-fake, but artificial-accoutrement- fake: lashes, hair extensions, etc. To guys, these things shout high-maintenance! Not good.

8. Your Eyes
People focus on eyes more than they do on any other body part. And dramatic eye makeup will have him zeroing in on your peepers even more.

msnlifestyle

Top Baby Names of 2011 (BLOG)

2011-12-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

If you named your new baby Aiden or Sophia this year, you had a lot of company.

Those monikers topped Babycenter.com’s list of the 100 most popular baby names for boys and girlsin 2011. Aiden took the top spot for the seventh consecutive year, followed by Jackson and Mason. For girls, Sophia took the prize, with Emma and Isabella (inspired by ”Twilight,” perhaps?) close behind.

Boys’ Names:

1. Aiden

2. Jackson

3. Mason

4. Liam

5. Jacob

6. Jayden

7. Ethan

8. Noah

9. Lucas

10. Logan

Girls’ Names:

1. Sophia

2. Emma

3. Isabella

4. Olivia

5. Ava

6. Lily

7. Chloe

8. Madison

9. Emily

10. Abigail

Florida man wills $1 million house to Uncle Sam (BLOG)

2011-12-13T09:00:00.004-05:00

A South Florida man willed his historic house worth $1 million to the U.S. government to help eliminate the country's growing debt.

The Miami Herald reports that Uncle Sam put the Coral Gables house up for auction Saturday. The winning bid was $1.175 million.

The house belonged to James H. Davidson Jr. who lived there from his teenage years until he died last December at 87. He also left $1 million to the government.

The Herald reports Davidson had nieces and nephews who live in the area.

Barbara Perez was high bidder on the 1929 Spanish style home. Officials say 700 people toured the home last week and 15 registered to participate in the auction.

The government will auction off the contents on the home in January.

Copyright Associated Press

T-Pain - Let Me Talk (VIDEO)

2011-12-12T20:00:00.005-05:00

T-Pain drives his luxury car to a junkyard in a music video for his track "Let Me Talk". He is joined by a number of chicks who show off their curvy figures in revealing outfits. While he croons his auto-tuned verses, the girls seductively move their bodies to the music.

The auto-tuned king has released a bunch of viral music videos leading to the release of his new album "RevolveR". He additionally preceded the CD with a street album called "PrEVOLVEr" which features Birdman, Lil Wayne and Bow Wow.

T-Pain has just released "RevolveR" across the United States on December 6, and is aiming to enter top 10 on Billboard Hot 200. In the studio effort, he collaborates with Weezy, Pitbull, Lily Allen, Wiz Khalifa, Chris Brown and Ne-Yo.

aceshowbiz