news

Milk more filling than juice

2009-10-07T21:48:00.000-07:00

Having a glass of skimmed milk instead of fruit juice at breakfast may help people feel more full all the way up to lunch. People often avoid dairy products when they are trying to cut calories and lose weight. Some previous studies have suggested that proteins in general are more satisfying and act as stronger appetite suppressants than carbohydrates, Health News reported. To investigate the effects of drinking skimmed milk in comparison with a fruit juice at breakfast post-meal satiety and energy intake at lunch, researchers identified 34 overweight adults (21 women and 13 men). The participants attended two sessions one week apart and at each session, they consumed toast and jam with 600 ml skimmed milk or 600 ml fruit juice as breakfast. On both days, participants were later given lunch and asked to eat until they felt comfortably full. They also rated their hunger before breakfast, at several points throughout the morning, and again after lunch. It was found that the participants tended to feel more satisfied after their milk breakfast. What's more, they ate an average of 8.5 percent fewer calories at lunch. The calories consumed at lunch were higher among the fruit juice drinkers than in the milk drinkers, and the difference was statistically significant. Though reasons for the findings are not completely clear, one possibility is that the proteins in milk are more effective in satisfying people's appetites than are the sugars in fruit juice. The above findings indicate that a low-fat dairy product like skim milk may help keep a person's appetite under better control, when used in place of a more sugary item with similar calories.

Govt. imposes complete ban on smoking in public places

2009-10-07T21:45:00.001-07:00

he government, by withdrawing the Statutory Rules and Orders (SRO) on designated smoking areas has completely banned smoking at all public places to protect non-smokers from the hazards of passive smoking. After the withdrawal of the SRO, smokers would not be allowed to use tobacco in any form at any public or work place.Earlier, all public and private offices were allowed to designate a separate place within office premises for people to smoke, with adequate arrangements to protect non-smokers from the hazards of passive smoking. However, such authorisation was being misused, as it had become common practice for people in work places to smoke outside the designated areas, while many offices had failed to allocate designated areas for smoking altogether. Mere announcement of the ban is not enough. It actually needs a sustained concerted effort to make people aware of the danger of smoking, especially among the youngsters at the school, college and university levels for creating an environment, which would discourage/restraint new entrants to the smokers club besides making foolproof arrangements for ensuring strict adherence of the law.Shouldn’t the general public also owe a responsibility in this context for voluntarily observing the law, which is very much in their own interests as well as for the protection of non-smokers from the hazards of passive smoking?

World Heart Day special: Follow the right lifestyle

2009-10-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

If you want to save your heart from getting damaged, better start eliminating the risk factors early. Ignoring them might convert into chronic heart disease (CHD) that may be difficult to treat in the latter part of your life. They may even paralyse your normal routine activities. This statutory warning and precautionary note has come from senior cardiologists in the region on the eve of World Heart Day (falling on Sunday) this year. While the health experts have advocated the need for better heart care starting from childhood, life style factors, including dietary habits, are emerging as serious factors affecting the functioning of the blood-pumping organ in the body. According to the world-renowned cardiologists, the dietary habits are becoming important indicator for determining the functioning of one of the most important organs in the body. Apart from genetic factors (hereditary traits), the heart diseases are fast becoming life style diseases affecting people belonging to different age groups, researchers said. The heart diseases with their manifestations are affecting people of all age groups, no matter what place they come from. It starts with rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in young children and adolescents (between 5-15 years) and may take the form of CHD, hypertension and cerebrovascular stroke (heart attack) in middle-aged people. However, most of the health experts have given a strong call for change in life style and dietary habits that could minimise the risk factors to a great extent and save the heart. Regular physical activity and judicious selection of diet can bring an amazing change in the normal functioning of the heart besides oiling it to prepare for future degeneration in later part of life. Inclusion of green vegetables and fruits and fibres in the diet can decrease the risk factors. Similarly, avoiding junk food, alcohol and tobacco consumption (cigarettes) also boosts the functioning of the heart, specialists said.

Shouldn’t showbiz celebrities also pay their tax dues?

2009-10-07T21:21:00.000-07:00

Most of our elitists and celebrities, unfortunately, consider it their birthright to enjoy, if possible exclusively, all the available resources and facilities in the country, but when it comes to paying back to the exchequer in terms taxes and levies, they scornfully shun the authorities and very often silence them by exercising their clouts in the ever strengthening VIP culture in the society, resulting in shifting the major burdens to the law abiding citizens only, while all those who could browbeat the law with their power and wealth get scot-free. This is for the first time that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has focused on potential area of showbiz industry, where film stars, drama artistes and theatre actors are earning huge profits, but paying nothing into the national exchequer. FBR has decided to approach Central Board of Film Censors, All Pakistan Association of Film-markers and television stations for bringing filmmakers, cinema owners, film stars/TV artistes and persons engaged in studio business into the income tax net. The aim of the exercise is to register all the potential persons engaged in the drama-making, studio business and theatres for filing of income tax returns and payment of due amount of taxes. This potential sector has been neglected in the past, which requires immediate attention to expand the tax-base. Priority in film industry would be given to film directors, film artistes, top models and cinema owners to bring them into the income tax net for compliance. The tax department would collect data about the drama-makers, artistes and theatres from provincial excise departments, TV stations and advertising agencies. According to the FBR plan to bring showbiz industry into the tax net, the Director Generals of Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs) and Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) would approach the Central Censor Board, provincial excise department, All Pakistan Association of Film-markers and analyse newspapers to register persons, who are associated with the film industry. The report said that the FBR would also check if the persons associated with the film and drama industry have obtained the National Tax Numbers (NTNs) and are filing income tax returns.We can only wait and see how professionally the FBR zealots conduct their new move and succeed without causing any harassment to the showbiz celebrities making them voluntarily agree to pay their due amount of taxes.

Rs2.482 trillion Federal Budget presented in NA

2009-08-25T10:24:00.006-07:00

ISLAMABAD: Federal Budget 2009-10 envisaging a total outlay of Rs2.482 billion has been presented. State Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar presented the Federal Budget 2009-10 in which 15 percent raise has been announced in the salaries and pension of in-service and retired government employees.The target of GDP for the next fiscal year has been fixed at 3.3 percent while measures will be adopted for bringing the inflation rate below 10 percent. The State Minister said the total allocation for Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) has been made at Rs646 billion; Rs 343 billion for Defence Rs31.60 billion for education sector and; Rs6.5 billion for health.The allocation for Benazir Income Support Program has been raised to Rs70 billion which will be distributed among 5 million deserving people. Rs50 billion have been earmarked for the relief and rehabilitation of affectees of Malakand Division. In order to impart training to the youth under National Internship Program Rs3.60 billion have been allocated. Under the program 30,000 youth will be provided professional training in their respective fields. The target for tax revenue collection has been raised by 15.7 percent to 1.3775 trillion while the rest of the expenditure will be met through foreign loans and grants.Rs178 billion are expected to be received through Friends of Pakistan Consortium. The fiscal deficit is expected at 4.9 percent for the next fiscal year. Increase in the allowance has been announced for the armed forces deployed on the western front. This allowance will be equal to one month’s initial basic pay with effect from 1st July 2009, as announced by the President of Pakistan. Feel free to share your opinion with us on the State Minister’s speech on Budget 2009-10.

Pakistan’s economic woes intensify

2009-08-25T10:24:00.005-07:00

Apart from the impacts of global economic downturn, Pakistan’s intensifying economic woes historically depict to be cyclic—taking one step forward for a while and no sooner it reaches to a breakthrough point some mishap occurs leading to political turmoil, throwing the economy back to two steps backward. But this time it seems breaking all record, as almost everybody holding some position in the society appear to be in great hurry making hay while the sun shines, least caring that it is fast pushing Pakistan financially to a stage of unsustainability. In talks with a Pakistan delegation in Washington, the IMF has approved additional financing for Pakistan, which has taken the total loan up to US $11.3 billion. The new pledges are intended to bridge any gap that may arise if funds pledged to Pakistan at a donor's conference in Tokyo in April do not come in on time. The immediate problem has thus been resolved; the longer-term crisis grows. The IMF deal of course means Pakistan's debt burden continues to mount. The same holds true in the case of loans taken from other sources. The situation is largely unsustainable. A glance at the budgetary pie shows how debt eats away at our resources. We simply cannot afford to dish out an ever-increasing slice to it year after year, decade after decade. The crisis Pakistan faces today is largely rooted in its economy. The socio-economic slide has contributed to the immense sense of grievance and acted to fuel the militant fires. The rising rate of crime, the growing sense of insecurity, the flight of capital, for which another Forex firm, Zarco, is now being investigated, and the damaging human brain drain are all tied in to this factor.To escape the debt trap, we need more resources or drastically cut our expenses instead of the current spree of drawing benefits with arrears by all those restored, hundred percent increase in salaries and perks, after retirement phenomenal increase in benefits and privileges, huge wastage due to negligence and ineptness besides the loot and plunder by all and sundry running into trillions. The issue is can our economy any longer sustain such weird attitude of persons exercising authority, especially when generating resources has it limits.The fact that agriculture has still to be taxed, that many industrialists still pay only the most nominal taxes, while the salaried class bears alone the major burden of tax deductions offers one answer. Our parliamentarians must look beyond their own interests and look at those of their country and its people. In the past, calling upon Pakistanis based abroad to send back remittances has proved the most effective means of raising finance. This can be attempted again. The vast Pakistani diaspora has time and again proved it is both extremely patriotic and generous. But it would be unrealistic to call upon it to send money home in a climate of continued political instability. The government must focus on building the confidence needed to bring in investment and halt the continued slide of the rupee against the dollar. Pakistan's potential for exports has not been realized. There should be some assessment too of why we have lost our status as a major ship-breaking centre and why other spheres in which we once competed with the world have slipped.

Sugar crisis: Confusion worse confounded

2009-08-25T10:24:00.004-07:00

Notwithstanding, the twists and turns of the governments at Islamabad and Lahore, the suo motto hectic activities at the high courts in Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi and of late, the Supreme Court of Pakistan being seized with the situation reprimanding and rebuking the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association and the Punjab government, there seems to be no relief to the people, as the sugar crisis, which had erupted weeks ago last Ramazan, fast drifted from bad to worse, piling miseries to the people left unprotected to the profiteers and exploiters fleecing them at will.The Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the government on Friday to issue a notification setting the price of sugar at Rs40 per kilogramme across the country until the submission of a report by a proposed inquiry commission.The court also formed the commission it proposed earlier, and appointed Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Chairman Khalid Mirza to head the body, authorising him to work out the cost of production and mill owners’ profit. Meanwhile, CCP Chairman Khalid Mirza said Friday we are in the middle of an investigation and the raids were conducted on the three sugar mills, while the preliminary investigations found out that it smacks of irregularities in the sugar price. However about the sugar price fixation, Chairman CCP said that he would only suggest the Supreme Court what should the appropriate price be, otherwise, price determination is not the job of CCP. Reacting to the apex court rebuke for filing an appeal against an LHC decision that sugar be sold at Rs40 a kilogram and stress it should have focused on ensuring this happened instead of challenging the verdict, the Punjab government has taken over sugar mills. According to a report, government officials have been deployed in the mills, while police contingents have been sent to guard the mills’ gates. Sugar Dealers Association Chairman Asghar Butt said uncertainty prevailed in the sugar market after the sugar mills failed to offer a single bag for sale. Chaudhry Abdul Waheed, a former executive committee member of the Sugar Mills Association, said they were helpless in the face of the Punjab government’s action. “We will not sell sugar at Rs40 even if the government takes away all of our stocks,” the report quoted him saying. Consumers out in the market in search of sugar complained its non-availability in the open market even at the whimsically asking price, as the stockholders and wholesalers have held back the supply altogether since the announcement of the court order, while the rising pressure and short supply at the government-run utility stores, buying two kilo sugar bag standing in the never-ending queue is a full-time job of a man with special stamina and patience.

Oil eases in Asian trade

2009-08-25T10:24:00.003-07:00

SINGAPORE: Crude prices were hovering below 74 dollars in Asian trade Tuesday as oil markets eased off 10-month highs, driven by a strengthening US dollar and dips in Asian equity markets, analysts said. New York's main contract, light sweet crude for October delivery, was down 39 cents to 73.98 dollars a barrel in morning trade. Brent North Sea crude for October delivery was down 27 cents to 73.92 dollars. Japanese share prices fell 0.78 percent in morning trade as investors took profits a day after a strong rally driven by mounting optimism on the global economic picture. Crude prices continued to fall after a pre-weekend surge last week and Shum warned that the market would remain fickle in the near term.

“Triple Space” offers web for web services

2009-08-25T10:24:00.002-07:00

What the World Wide Web is to humans, the Triple Space could become for machines, say European researchers who have helped lay the foundations for this innovative integration of web services, semantic web and tuple space technologies.
As a new form of network-based, machine-machine communication, the roll out of Triple Space technology heralds a new era for the internet in which computers are able to publish and read information just as humans create and browse webpages.
By using semantic web technology to make information understandable by computers and expressing that knowledge as basic atomic units called tuples, the Triple Space enables web services to make use of true web communication instead of the email-like point-to-point exchange of messages common today. As such, it promises to provide faster, more efficient and more secure web services and distributed applications to a wide variety of sectors, from telecommunications and e-commerce to air traffic control and healthcare.

Putting the ‘web’ in web services

“Despite their name, web services today aren’t very ‘webby’,” says Elena Simperl, a senior researcher at the Semantic Technology Institute (STI) of the University of Innsbruck, Austria.
“The way they communicate is more like email in which messages are sent and received between machines rather than true asynchronous web communication in which information is published and becomes persistently available to be read at any time,” she explains.
STI coordinated the EU-funded TripCom project, a pioneering initiative that has successfully proven the Triple Space concept and implemented the technology to make the World Wide Web for machines a reality.
“When we started our research in 2004 and 2005 it wasn’t a very popular idea. But we have seen that the world has evolved in our direction as more and more software services have been put on the web and cloud computing has become the talk of the moment with companies, such as Google and Amazon, releasing cloud computing products and services,” adds Simperl.
Though similar in concept to cloud computing, in which computational resources are distributed and provided as a service over the internet, the Triple Space deals with data – offering a simple, scalable way for machines to share information asynchronously.
To create the Triple Space, the TripCom researchers worked on making web services and the data they use understandable by computers, using semantic web technologies to communicate machine-readable knowledge rather than raw data. The team opted for the Resource Description Framework or RDF format, which represents data and the semantics of data in triples of the form “subject-property-object” in order to build statements of knowledge.
Information is then published in tuple spaces, shared virtual data-spaces designed for concurrent access by multiple processes and applications in which data units are generally expressed as tuples, a mathematical unit referring to an ordered list of finite length.
Just as multiple human web surfers can view webpages hosted on the same or different servers at any time, information stored in the Triple Space is “persistently published” – meaning it is always available for any application with access to read it or, if permitted, change it. In contrast, most current web services require the sender and receiver of data to have a same-time synchronous connection to each other, to agree on a data format, to know each other and share a common representation.
“Triple Space is the same paradigm as the web where information is published, stored and read persistently but instead of being used by humans it is used by machines,” Simperl notes. And, just as humans can access the same webpage with different web browsers and different operating systems, computers are able to publish and read information in the Triple Space without format, process or technical constraints.

Federer downs Djokovic to win Cincinnati Masters

2009-08-25T10:24:00.001-07:00

CINCINNATI: World number one Roger Federer defeated fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic 6-1, 7-5 to win the Cincinnati Masters title Sunday and cement his status as favorite for the upcoming US Open. Federer set the tone in the second game of the match, when Djokovic saved six break points but still couldn't ward off the break of serve. When Djokovic finally held serve in the sixth game of the match he could only look at the sky and smile. He presented a tougher challenge in the second set but couldn't capitalize on a set point in the 10th game. Federer earned the key break for a 6-5 lead before serving out the match with a love game. Federer won his third Cincinnati title after victories here in 2005 and 2007. He also captured his 16th Masters crown - second only to Andre Agassi's career total of 17 in the elite series. He turned the tables on Djokovic, who had beaten him in two prior meetings this season. More importantly, the five-time defending US Open champion showed he is on form with the last Grand Slam of the season scheduled to start at Flushing Meadows on August 31. After capturing the Masters title in Madrid, Federer posted milestone victories at Roland Garros and Wimbledon this year. His first French Open title made him just the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam and his triumph over Andy Roddick in an epic Wimbledon final gave him a record 15th career Grand Slam. After taking a break as he and wife, Mirka, welcomed the birth of twin daughters, Federer then suffered a shock quarter-final defeat at the Montreal Masters against France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

FoDP Business Community meeting held

2009-08-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

ISTANBUL: A meeting of the business community held here on Monday to attract entrepreneurs from Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) members countries for investment in coal, wind and hydro power projects in Pakistan.The Foreign Economic Relations Borad, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey hosted the meeting. The meeting explored the avenues of public private partnerships for the realization of various projects on fast-track basis with a special attention to the energy and infrastructure sectors. Taking into consideration the vast opportunities offered by Pakistan, the discussions at the Business Community’s Meeting dwelled upon the energy and infrastructure development sector.

2009-08-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

Published in The Wallstreet Journal

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- Jobless workers in Silicon Valley are giving up on the region's dominant technology industry and trying to switch to other fields, as the area's unemployment rate spikes above the national and state average.

Job centers and community colleges across the region are reporting a surge in enrollment of out-of-work techies, with many looking to move into other industries, such as business voip service, organic baby clothing and mechanical engineers on Alaska Cruises. While data on the shift are scarce, the trend is evident at ProMatch, a government-funded organization in Sunnyvale, Calif., that helps unemployed professionals network, retrain and land new jobs.

Since the start of the year, ProMatch has seen its ranks swell from 180 attendees to its maximum capacity of 225. Of those, about 80% are from the tech industry, and a third are seeking to transition to nontech jobs. An additional 450 people have signed up for the waiting list to use ProMatch's services since January.

Many of the jobless techies are going back to school to pursue a bachelor degree nursing or they're targeting new gigs in the clean-energy or health-care industries. Some techies have gone as far as relocating to other states to pursue jobs such as health insurance Michigan. Some are shifting even further afield, looking for jobs at a keynote speaker bureau or as a alternative student loans agent. People are leaving tech as more tech companies are offshoring and some are shrinking, plus people are burned out and tired from having been there and done that.

The activity at ProMatch illustrates how even workers in stronger pockets of the economy -- such as tech -- are having to adjust in the recession. For much of last year, unemployment in Silicon Valley remained under control as the tech industry initially held up in the downturn. But by late last year, tech spending had weakened, and companies such as eBay Inc. were announcing layoffs.

As a result, Silicon Valley's unemployment rate -- which was below California's average and largely tracked the national average last year -- has soared, surpassing the state average in May. By June, the area's unadjusted unemployment rate was 11.8%, worse than California's 11.6% and the national rate of 9.7%, according to the latest figures from California's Employment Development Department. The rate of job losses was particularly steep in sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, where employment dropped more than 13% in June from a year earlier.

Only a few segments of Silicon Valley's economy are now showing growth. Employment in the local health-care sector rose 4.2% in June from a year ago, according to the EDD. The clean-technology industry -- which covers energy efficiency and alternative energy, such as solar and wind power -- is also still attracting investment, pulling in $1.2 billion in venture-capital funding in the second quarter, up 12% from the first quarter.

For other Silicon Valley jobless workers, remaining in tech is often the first choice. Most unemployed techies want to stick with what they know. But with tech hiring so slow, some have little choice but to broaden their horizons.

Standard & Poor’s increased Pakistan's credit rating

2009-08-25T09:34:00.000-07:00

LONDON: Pakistan’s long-term sovereign credit rating was raised one level to B- from CCC+ by Standard & Poor’s with a stable outlook, citing the International Monetary Fund’s additional bailout. “The upgrade reflects Pakistan’s improved external liquidity position, coupled with its successes in implementing corrective policy measures to rectify an unsustainable fiscal trajectory,” S&P said in a statement today. The IMF this month increased Pakistan’s loan package to $11.2 billion, approving an extra $3.2 billion. That prompted Moody’s Investors Service to last week raise its outlook on the South Asian country’s debt ratings to stable from negative. “A narrowing current account deficit, helped by buoyant remittance inflows, and successive disbursals of the IMF and other multilateral loans have reduced the risk of near-term external payment difficulties for Pakistan,” S&P said.

Supplementary budget likely, Pak assures IMF

2009-08-25T09:21:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan assured International Monetary Fund (IMF) that if the tax targets are not achieved, and if it was felt so, a supplementary budget may come during the current fiscal year. According to standby programme, various tax measures would be taken to boost the remittances and these steps would be taken up in supplementary budget; also, the changes would be effected in the taxes through these steps.The parliament would approve these steps in the budget for the next fiscal years.According to report, the IMF said the international aid for the terrorist-hit affectees is temporary and Pakistan will have to increase the income through the taxes.

Prayer Carpet ... Masha Allah !!!

2009-08-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

turkey k aik shehri OzencSoner nay roshan dhagoon say bani aik jaanamaz tayar ki hay.

is iejad nay aik benalaquami numaish main duniyan bharr say aiye afrad ko hila k rakh dia.

is ka machnisum khana kaaba ki direction k mutabiq kaam karta hay jaaynamaz ki simt jitni ziada qibla ki janib ho gi is ki rooshni main izafa hota jaye ga.

Masha Allah!

or mukamal toor pay qibla rukh honay parr ye puri rooshan ho jaye gi.

Prices of edibles go up by 25pc

2009-08-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

LAHORE: The shopkeepers and citizens are extremely anxious, as the prices of daily-use commodities have soared up by 25 percent in Lahore even three weeks before the arrival of the holy month of Ramazan, Geo News reported Tuesday.The prices of edibles have flown up at the local largest market of grain and kitchen items. Also, the price of various kinds of pulses including masoor, maash and lobia (black eyed beans) has gone up by Rs10 to 40/kilo.The sugar price went up by Rs9/kg; while, black pepper, Coriander seeds (dried dhania), Cumin seeds (white zeera), turmeric (haldi) and black cardamom (big elaichi) also rose to Rs20 to Rs40/kg.There is no sugar at Utility Stores after afternoon.The people said this raise was made within a matter of only 15 days. The prices are feared to rise further as the holy month of Ramaz nears; however, the government is condoning the whole situation.

bank of america

2009-08-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

Bank of America Corp. reported a fourth-quarter loss of $1.79 billion Friday and went on the offensive to answer critics and shore up support for the giant Charlotte, N.C., lender during a time of crisis.The loss, the first for Bank of America since its predecessor NCNB Corp. posted a loss in 1991, was down from a net income of $268 million a year ago. It came on the same day details emerged of a new agreement with the U.S. that provides Bank of America with $20 billion in additional federal aid and loss protections on $118 billion in toxic assets.Bank of America maintains it went back to the government for more support because of larger-than-expected fourth-quarter losses at Merrill Lynch and that the problems came to light after shareholders approved the Bank of America-Merrill combination on Dec. 5. But 25% of the protected asset pool belonged to Bank of America, Chief Financial Officer Joe Price said Friday, a signal that the problems weren't tied strictly to Merrill's disintegration.The nation's largest bank by assets continues to be weighed down by rising credit costs linked to the economic downturn and an array of problems confronting U.S. borrowers. It set aside $8.54 billion for bad loans in the fourth quarter, up from $3.31 billion a year earlier. Loans written off as unpaid nearly tripled, to $5.54 billion.It also reported write-downs and trading losses in its capital-markets business, including losses on collateralized debt obligations of $1.7 billion and write-downs on commercial mortgage-backed securities of $853 million.Investors sent the stock down 14% Friday, to $7.18, undermining the bank's effort to shed the best light on its situation by rushing out the release of its earnings earlier than expected and issuing a memo Thursday to employees titled "Bank of America Remains Strong." Shares fell 18% Thursday.Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis "has very little credibility with the investor public right now," said Paul Miller, analyst with Friedman Billings Ramsey Group Inc. in Arlington, Va.Mr. Lewis's credibility among employees may also be suffering. Many are angry not only at how the losses were handled but also that just last week they were issued compensation in the form of shares worth $14.33 apiece, said people familiar with the situation. Several employees questioned how the company could have issued the shares in light of the past week's news, these people said. Bank of America declined to comment."While these earnings and these businesses in some cases are substantially lower than earnings in normal times, they're still profitable, even with the significant increases in credit costs, lower customer activity and other market headwinds." --Ken Lewis, Bank of America CEORead the full transcript of Bank of America's conference call, provided by Thomson StreetEvents (www.streetevents.com). (Adobe Acrobat Required.).Executives at both Bank of America and Merrill have indicated the losses at Merrill ballooned in mid-December, leading to a meeting between Mr. Lewis and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Dec. 17. However, the market for various credit-related products began to deteriorate in mid-November, leaving many Merrill insiders to ask what Merrill CEO John Thain knew, and when.Merrill lost $15.3 billion during the period, and the run-up in losses was concentrated in the firm's sales and trading department, run by Tom Montag, who was hired by Mr. Thain in 2008 to run that division. The two frequently told the firm's other top managers that the losses, while significant, were largely connected to so-called legacy positions at Merrill and the losses were "market-related" and not out of step with Wall Street.Friday, some top executives and members of Merrill's board questioned privately why they weren't told about the magnitude of the losses or that the deal was possibly in jeopardy. Mr. Thain declined to comment on whether he knew about the Dec. 17 meeting between Messrs. Paulson and Lewis.Merrill incurred large losses during the fourth quarter from derivative trades with thinly capitalized bond-insurance companies whose financial health deteriorated considerably last year. Many of the derivative contracts were written to cover periods of more than 20 years, which meant the bond insurers wouldn't be on the hook for significant cash payouts for years.Mr. Lewis rejected the suggestion Friday that he and his team didn't conduct enough due diligence. "We did not expect the significant deterioration in mid to late December that we saw," he said on a conference call with analysts.Despite the need for more capital and the cutting of the bank's quarterly dividend to a penny, from 32 cents, the consumer-banking and wealth-management operations performed well in the fourth quarter, Mr. Lewis noted. The company made $115 billion in new loans during a time of crisis, he added.Meanwhile, Merrill said on Friday it will pay $550 million to settle shareholder lawsuits claiming it failed to inform investors about the risks associated with its business in the subprime-mortgage market.Merrill "vigorously disputed" the allegations, but agreed to pay $475 million to settle a suit brought by the Ohio State Teachers' Retirement System, and another $75 million to Merrill employees who held company stock in retirement programs.

A business card 4 your wild side

2009-08-04T09:59:00.000-07:00

How many business cards does a person really need? Maybe more than you think. Increasingly, people are carrying multiple versions to reflect different aspects of their lives.While the classic white card is fine for corporate conferences and rubber-chicken luncheons, it's not so hot at social events, where people swap more personal info -- about their blogs, Web sites and side gigs. As a result, the business-card business is seeing a miniboom: Crane & Co., the stationery giant, says the cards are among its fastest-growing segments. Office-supply chain Staples has a new in-store service that produces cards in 30 minutes. Online retailer VistaPrint offers 250 cards free.Designers Vera Wang and Kate Spade have their own lines of "calling cards." Some companies even offer unique cards manufactured out of metal, wood or plastic."We see a lot of business from 'slashers' -- folks who have multiple careers," such as accountant/artist, says Rob Schlacter, vice president of business services at Staples. The requests run the gamut, he adds. "We had one order from some ghost hunters, and another from a doggie dentist."We decided to test a range of services -- from a trendy high-end one to a cheapie -- to see if they could make us look fabulous in two square inches. Our goal: to create an eye-catching card to hand out to new people we meet at, say, a party or cocktail hour.We started with Kate Spade, the handbag and accessory designer who expanded into custom stationery through a deal with Crane's. After finding a local retailer at Crane.com, we headed to the store. A clerk there directed us to the Kate Spade samples, which included oversize square cards with elephant or bumblebee motifs, and miniature rectangular ones with bright-colored borders. We picked a standard card with stripes in signature Kate Spade colors (green, pink, red, brown) on the back, and letterpress type (the kind of printing that feels indented) on the front. The clerk helped us try out different fonts and motifs -- a peacock, a penguin -- on a computer screen; he thought the dragonfly was "cute."When we asked what kind of information we should put on the card, he said anything goes. We kept it simple -- name and email address -- and chose the design on the Kate Spade sample: a classic typeface, no motif. We figured she's the designer; she knows best. But we changed the ink color to red from brown. Fifty cards cost $214, plus a $12 charge for shipping to the store (100 cards will set you back $300). A few days later, we asked if we could change the email address on the cards, and were told yes. When the cards arrived, they looked classy; but with the whopping price tag, we couldn't help but wonder: Would anyone actually know the cards were Kate Spade?Next we tried a lower-cost option at FedEx Kinko's, which offers professional design services. We brought in a little cartoony sketch to represent a personal "logo," and asked a clerk for help scanning the image and designing a card. He said he would need to send it to another shop for that, and would email a proof. We had to do a little prodding to get that proof, and when it arrived, there were three typos, and the design looked rather unpolished, in our opinion. When a second proof came, it had a fresh typo and the same general look. At this point, we canceled the order and went to the store to get a refund ($28.77 for 100 cards), but a clerk said to come back in two days and see a manager.Brian Philips, chief operating officer of FedEx Kinko's, says the company "takes quality control and customer experience very seriously."For a more traditional service, we surfed to classic stationer William Arthur's Web site and found a nearby retailer. A clerk at the store recommended that we put our cellphone number on the card, because it's more personal than email. "I'm a voice person," she noted. We decided to stick with email, and then flipped through a book of motifs (a typewriter, an old-fashioned telephone, a vintage car). We chose a whimsical picture of a flying paper airplane to embellish our cards.A William Arthur designer sent a proof, for $22, a couple days later. We thought the email address on the card looked a bit long, so we changed it to a shorter one and paid $16 for a new proof. Not including the charges for proofs, 100 letterpress cards came to $168, plus $17.50 for shipping to our home. The cards showed up in a few days and looked charming.Next up was online card-maker Moo.com, which lets customers upload their own photos to be printed on the back of the card, with type on the front. We uploaded five different arty black-and-white shots, and cropped each one on the site. Note: Moo's cards aren't standard-size: They're dinky (around half the size of a regular card), so it's important to pick designs that will work in that small format. We spent $19.99 on 100 cards, and $39.99 for express shipping from the U.K. (standard shipping is $6.99).One of our five designs turned out well -- because the photo was the most stark and clear of the bunch -- but the others weren't as strong. So the key here is to pick simple photos.We also checked out the freebie offer at VistaPrint.com. The price was right (250 cards for nothing. You pay only a shipping-and-handling fee). The company's strategy: to win customer loyalty and get people to come back and buy fancier cards next time. But after we glanced through the 42 free designs on offer (including industry-specific ones with illustrations of cleaning supplies or haircutting scissors), we couldn't find one we liked.Melissa Crowe, vice president of marketing services at VistaPrint, says the free cards are so popular, "there are more than 2.5 billion in circulation." So perhaps we're too picky.

A few days ago, a person was recharging his cell phone at home.

2009-08-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, a person was recharging his cell phone at home.
Just at that time a call Came in and he answered it with the Instrument still connected to the outlet..
After a few seconds electricity flowed into the cell phone unrestrained and the young man was thrown to the ground with a heavy thud.
His parents rushed to the room only to find him unconscious, with a weak heartbeat and burnt fingers.
He was rushed to the nearby hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Cell phones are a very useful modern invention.
However, we must be aware that it can also be an instrument of death.
Never use the cell phone while it is hooked to the electrical outlet!

ALL BUSINESS: Bank creditors still sitting pretty

2009-04-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

NEW YORK – American taxpayers and stock owners have taken it on the chin in this financial crisis. The same can't be said of bondholders who lent money to the most troubled banks.
The Obama administration is now ordering General Motors Corp.'s creditors to make sacrifices to save the ailing automaker. Yet bondholders of financial companies such as Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. so far have been mostly left off the hook, even though the government has given the banks billions of dollars in bailout money.
Many those bondholders, in fact, are still profiting from their investments so long as they haven't had to sell, while the rest of us deal with vanishing wealth.
"The sum total of the policy responses to this crisis has been to defend the bondholders of distressed financial institutions at the public expense," said John Hussman, who runs an investment firm in Ellicott City, Md.
Hussman is among critics who say bank bondholders shouldn't be shielded from all that has gone wrong in the past two years. "When one lends money to a financial institution, one also assumes the risk and responsibility of bearing the losses," Hussman observed.

strauss for flower to be england coach on permenent basis

2009-04-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

GROS ISLET, St Lucia: England skipper Andrew Strauss believes Andy Flower should be handed the job of coach on a permanent basis with the formidable mission of reclaiming the Ashes this summer.Flower, the former Zimbabwe batsman, took over for the tour of the Caribbean after Peter Moores was dismissed in January following a fall-out with then captain Kevin Pietersen.

Ubisoft making food-raining game

2009-04-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

French videogame titan Ubisoft is cooking up a title to serve along with the release of "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," an animated film set in a town where food rains from the sky.
Ubisoft is working with Sony Pictures Animation, which based the movie on a children's book that depicts a town of Chewandswallow where precipitation in the form of meals falls thrice daily.
Ubisoft says it will have a "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" videogame ready for handheld devices and home consoles when the 3D film being distributed by Colombia Pictures debuts in theaters in September.
"Our teams are already working together to create a fun and engaging interactive game that will extend the film experience," said Sony Pictures Consumer Products vice president Mark Caplan.
"Our past projects together have shown that Ubisoft understands how to translate the artistry and storytelling of Sony Pictures Animation's films to the world of video games."
Ubisoft has made videogames based on Sony films "Open Season" and "Surf's Up."
Sony bills the coming film as "the most delicious event since macaroni and cheese."
Voice actors in the film include James Caan and Mr. T.
"Our teams are looking forward to creating a game that will offer parents and children an entertaining experience that they can share together while reliving their favorite moments from the film," said Christian Salomon, vice president of worldwide licensing at Ubisoft.

Broadhurst leads, Lafeber just misses record

2009-04-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

Paul Broadhurst will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Portugal Open, but it was Maarten Lafeber's remarkable round of 64 which dominated Saturday's third round.
The 43-year-old Broadhurst carded a 67 to stand at seven under par for the tournament with Lafeber, Jamie Donaldson and David Lynn all tucked in behind.
Dutchman Lafeber completed the back nine in only 28 shots, just short of equalling the European Tour record of 27.
"It was a great round of golf. I played fantastic," Lafeber said.
"I was very happy with my game yesterday and I played as good as that today but made 35 putts. I can't remember being that low on the back nine before in a tournament."
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Economic crisis drives the mothers of invention

2009-04-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

Crisis is the mother of invention, if one believes the bright sparks behind the gizmos, contraptions, novelties and potions at the international inventions exhibition in the Swiss city of Geneva.
While others fret over the economic turmoil, many of the 710 exhibitors from 45 countries here relish it as a driver of innovation, whether they are trying peel shrimps, save coral reefs, build robots or cart skis around.
"Look at World War II: when people had tough times, that's when they found the simplest or cheapest solutions," said the inventor of the "skikart" ski carrier on wheels.
He came up with the idea on his way back from an arduous skiing trip in Austria. "Necessity is the mother of invention," grinned the greying South African, who was on the lookout for a business partner.
Calexium, a French Internet peripherals firm, was touting an email server that does away with any size limits on attachments.
"We've always financed ourselves, without the help of banks, so whether there's a crisis or not..." said company founder David Rene.
"We're more likely to take advantage of the economic climate, to judge by the strong interest of our dealers," he explained. "They relish the idea of a new product to help them face up to the competition."
The inventor of the shrimp peeler -- a welder by trade who was inspired by a Christmas dinner -- said many of his acquaintances were ready to buy it.
Such novelties are "the best way to revive consumers", he argued against the marine-themed backdrop of his stand.
The Salon International des Inventions, the 37th of its kind, has gained a more professional aura in recent years.
Of the 70,000 visitors expected through April 5, more than half are industrialists, distributors and businesspeople, according to the organisers.
Jean-Luc Vincent, the founder and president of the event, said the amateur or hobby inventors now account for just 26 percent of the exhibitors "against 95 percent in the early days".
"These days we have a large number of universities or research institutes who have come to understand the commercial value of their inventions," he explained.
Some 48 inventions received awards. The 'Grand Prix' went to Romanian firm MBTechnology's mobile scanner, which can speed up trade by helping customs officers search trucks or containers without the need to open them up.
It weights seven tonnes instead of the more usual 20 and can detect objects just four millimetres long (one seventh of an inch) through 18 centimetre (seven inch) thick steel, according to its makers.
While some institutional participants stayed away this year, Vincent pointed to a flow of "inventors stimulated by the urgent need to find solutions".
Malaysia's Terengganu University put on a strong showing with innovations for aquaculture, mapping coral reefs or even renewable energy.
These new actors in the contemporary world of inventions include Saudi Arabia's King Abdul Aziz Foundation for the Gifted.
Its stand housed a dozen products: a 10 year-old girl who came up with a device to keep babies safe rubbed shoulders with a Saudi prince who designed a nacelle for a helicopter ambulance that can carry 17 patients in one go.
An official at the German Patent Office stand pointed to another concrete sign of the thriving demand for new ideas.
His office is trying to recruit another 100 experts this year despite a "slight slowdown" in patent applications.
Downturns, he pointed out, give people time to think about new patents and prepare for the future.
"Research and Development, that's the last thing to be cut," he claimed.

Desert Valley Hospital top 100 nationally

2009-04-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

VICTORVILLE • A research firm that evaluated 3,000 hospitals across the country has named Desert Valley Hospital as one of the top 100 small community hospitals in the nation for 2008.
It is the fourth time the Prime Healthcare Services hospital has been recognized with the award in the last six years.
“This recognition speaks volumes to the high quality of patient care the physicians, nurses and staff of Prime Healthcare Services provide,” said Lex Reddy, President and CEO.
The annual study identifies the 100 top U.S. hospitals based on their overall organizational performance.
Conducted by Thomson Reuters the study evaluates performance in areas of mortality, medical complications, patient safety, average length of stay, health care cost, and patient satisfaction.
“The 100 Top Hospitals winners raised the bar again this year, delivering a higher level of reliable care and greater value for their communities and payers,” said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president Thomson Reuters.
Another Prime Healthcare Services hospital, West Anaheim Medical Center in Anaheim, was named 100 Top Hospital in the medium size community hospitals category.
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