Friday, November 30, 2012

Nissan shows 'The Dark Knight Rises' Juke Nismo

When he isn?t blasting down the highway in the Tumbler or the Lambo, even Bruce Wayne may desire something a little more practical and a little less extravagant to drive on his day off.

This may be right up his alley ? Nissan has released a special one-off Juke Nismo to celebrate its partnership with Warner Bros as well as the DVD and Blu-Ray release of Christopher Nolan?s third Batman film.

Developed by London-based Nissan Design Europe, the car cannot be bought or bid for; Nissan is giving only one lucky UK resident the chance to drive it home, through its Thrill Test online competition at www.builttothrill.co.uk.

Its official name is?The Dark Knight Rises?Juke Nismo, and it features matt black paintwork, a shark?s fin antenna and Bat insignia on the front grille, tailgate, kickplates and suede-trimmed Nismo sports seat headrests.

Downlighters mounted under the door mirrors project the famous Bat signal on to the floor, while an uplighter projects the same on to the black headlining inside.?There?s also black 18-inch Nismo alloy wheels with red detailing.

Otherwise the car is essentially a Juke Nismo, featuring the same?200 PS turbocharged 1.6 litre engine driven through a six-speed manual, the same uprated suspension setup and the same bodykit. 0-100 km/h is dealt with in under eight seconds.

UK order taking for the Juke Nismo starts in January, with first deliveries set for March. Two transmissions will be available ? a 2WD manual and 4WD CVT.?Prices?and specs will be released closer to launch.

Kia did something similar recently with its Optima K5, in collaboration with?DC and RIDES magazine. If you were the Dark Knight, which of the two would you prefer?

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Source: http://paultan.org/2012/11/30/nissan-shows-the-dark-knight-rises-juke-nismo/

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AP source: Strauss-Kahn, NY hotel maid to settle

NEW YORK (AP) ? Word of a settlement agreement between former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and a hotel maid who accused him of trying to rape her could bring an end to a saga that has tarnished Strauss-Kahn's reputation, ended his hopes for the French presidency and renewed a debate about the credibility of sexual assault accusers.

But it might not mean the end of legal troubles for Strauss-Kahn. He is awaiting a ruling on whether he is linked to "pimping" in connection with a French prostitution ring.

A person familiar with the New York case said Thursday that lawyers for Strauss-Kahn and the housekeeper, Nafissatou Diallo, made the as-yet-unsigned agreement within recent days, with Bronx Supreme Court Justice Douglas McKeon facilitating that and a separate agreement to end another lawsuit Diallo filed against the New York Post. A court date is expected next week, though the day wasn't set, the person said.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private agreement.

Details of the deal, which comes after prosecutors dropped related criminal charges last year, weren't immediately known and likely will be veiled by a confidentiality agreement. That could prevent Strauss-Kahn and Diallo from speaking publicly about a May 2011 encounter that she called a brutally sudden attack and he termed a consensual "moral failing."

Strauss-Kahn lawyer William W. Taylor III declined to comment. Lawyers for the housekeeper didn't immediately respond to phone and email messages.

Diallo, 33, and Strauss-Kahn, 63, crossed paths when she arrived to clean his luxury Manhattan hotel suite. She told police he chased her down, tried to yank down her pantyhose and forced her to perform oral sex.

The allegation seemed to let loose a spiral of accusations about the sexual conduct of Strauss-Kahn, a married diplomat and economist who had long been dubbed the "great seducer."

With DNA evidence showing a sexual encounter and Diallo providing a gripping description of an attack, the Manhattan district attorney's office initially said it had a strong and compelling case. But within six weeks, prosecutors' confidence began to ebb as they said Diallo had lied about her past ? including a false account of a previous rape ? and her actions after leaving Strauss-Kahn's room.

Diallo, who's from Guinea, said she told the truth about their encounter. But the district attorney's office dropped the charges in August 2011, saying prosecutors could no longer ask a jury to believe her.

Diallo had sued Strauss-Kahn in the meantime, with her lawyers saying she would get her day in a different court. Strauss-Kahn called the lawsuit defamatory and countersued her for $1 million.

Her lawsuit against The Post concerned a series of articles that called her a prostitute and said she sold sex at a hotel where the Manhattan DA's office had housed her during the criminal case. The News Corp. newspaper has said it stands by its reporting; a spokeswoman declined to comment Thursday.

In helping resolve the cases, McKeon averted what could have been an ugly court drama.

Strauss-Kahn initially said he had diplomatic immunity, an argument the judge turned down in May. Strauss-Kahn's lawyers had since asked McKeon to throw out part of her claim for other legal reasons. Court records show the judge had yet to rule on that and several other legal issues, and it appeared that a high-stakes step ? depositions, or pretrial questioning under oath ? had not yet been taken. Depositions can give both sides information and a better picture of how strong the key parties and other witnesses might be in court.

While the vast majority of civil cases end in settlements, some legal observers were surprised that the deal between Strauss-Kahn and Diallo came before the legal arguments were resolved.

"I really expected it to go a little farther," said Matthew Galluzzo, a criminal defense lawyer and civil litigator who has been following the Strauss-Kahn case closely.

Still, the case likely had taken a toll on both Diallo, a single mother of a teenage daughter, and Strauss-Kahn, who has found himself plagued by accusations of sexual misconduct that further sullied his reputation. The Socialist had been seen as a potential leading candidate for the French presidency before his New York arrest.

In France, judges are to decide by Dec. 19 whether to annul charges linking him to a suspected prostitution ring run out of a luxury hotel in Lille. He acknowledges attending "libertine" gatherings but denies knowing that some women present were paid.

In August, a separate case against Strauss-Kahn, centered on allegations of rape in a Washington, D.C., hotel, was dropped after French prosecutors said the accuser, an escort, changed her account to say she wasn't raped.

Soon after Strauss-Kahn's arrest in New York last year, French writer Tristane Banon accused him of attempting to rape her during an interview in 2003, a claim he called imaginary and slanderous. Prosecutors said they believed the encounter qualified as a sexual assault, but the legal timeframe to pursue her complaint had elapsed.

The Associated Press does not name people who report being sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Diallo and Banon have done.

Strauss-Kahn has separated from his wife, journalist and heiress Anne Sinclair, who stood by him through the allegations in New York. The two said they were filing a lawsuit this summer against a French magazine, citing invasion of privacy, for reporting they had split, but Sinclair later acknowledged it was true.

The New York Times first reported the agreement between Strauss-Kahn and Diallo.

___

Associated Press Writer Colleen Long contributed to this report.

___

Follow Jennifer Peltz at http://twitter.com/jennpeltz

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-strauss-kahn-ny-hotel-maid-settle-002203518.html

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Bonds, Clemens, Sosa on Hall ballot for first time

NEW YORK (AP) ? The most polarizing Hall of Fame debate since Pete Rose will now be decided by the baseball shrine's voters: Do Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa belong in Cooperstown despite drug allegations that tainted their huge numbers?

In a monthlong election sure to become a referendum on the Steroids Era, the Hall ballot was released Wednesday, and Bonds, Clemens and Sosa are on it for the first time.

Bonds is the all-time home run champion with 762 and won a record seven MVP awards. Clemens took home a record seven Cy Young trophies and is ninth with 354 victories. Sosa ranks eighth on the homer chart with 609.

Yet for all their HRs, RBIs and Ws, the shadow of PEDs looms large.

"You could see for years that this particular ballot was going to be controversial and divisive to an unprecedented extent," Larry Stone of The Seattle Times wrote in an email. "My hope is that some clarity begins to emerge over the Hall of Fame status of those linked to performance-enhancing drugs. But I doubt it."

More than 600 longtime members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America will vote on the 37-player ballot. Candidates require 75 percent for induction, and the results will be announced Jan. 9.

Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza and Curt Schilling also are among the 24 first-time eligibles. Jack Morris, Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines are the top holdover candidates.

If recent history is any indication, the odds are solidly stacked against Bonds, Clemens and Sosa. Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro both posted Cooperstown-caliber stats, too, but drug clouds doomed them in Hall voting.

Some who favor Bonds and Clemens claim the bulk of their accomplishments came before baseball got wrapped up in drug scandals. They add that PED use was so prevalent in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s that it's unfair to exclude anyone because so many who-did-and-who-didn't questions remain.

Many fans on the other side say drug cheats ? suspected or otherwise ? should never be afforded the game's highest individual honor.

Either way, this election is baseball's newest hot button, generating the most fervent Hall arguments since Rose. The discussion about Rose was moot, however ? the game's career hits leader agreed to a lifetime ban in 1989 after an investigation concluded he bet on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds, and that barred him from the BBWAA ballot.

The BBWAA election rules allow voters to pick up to 10 candidates. As for criteria, this is the only instruction: "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."

That leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

Bonds, Clemens and Sosa won't get a vote from Mike Klis of The Denver Post.

"Nay on all three. I think in all three cases, their performances were artificially enhanced. Especially in the cases of Bonds and Clemens, their production went up abnormally late in their careers," he wrote in an email.

They'll do better with Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star.

"I plan to vote for all three. I understand the steroid/PED questions surrounding each one, and I've wrestled with the implications," he wrote in an email.

"My view is these guys played and posted Hall of Fame-type numbers against the competition of their time. That will be my sole yardstick. If Major League Baseball took no action against a player during his career for alleged or suspected steroid/PED use, I'm not going to do so in assessing their career for the Hall of Fame," he said.

San Jose Mercury News columnist Mark Purdy will reserve judgment.

"At the beginning of all this, I made up my mind I had to adopt a consistent policy on the steroid social club. So, my policy has been, with the brilliance in the way they set up the Hall of Fame vote where these guys have a 15-year window, I'm not going to vote for any of those guys until I get the best picture possible of what was happening then," he wrote in an email.

"We learn a little bit more each year. We learned a lot during the Bonds trial. We learned a lot during the Clemens trial. I don't want to say I'm never going to vote for any of them. I want to wait until the end of their eligibility window and have my best idea of what was really going on," he said.

Clemens was acquitted this summer in federal court on six counts that he lied and obstructed Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonds was found guilty in 2011 by a federal court jury on one count of obstruction of justice, ruling he gave an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury looking into the distribution of illegal steroids. Bonds is appealing the verdict.

McGwire is 10th on the career home run list with 583, but has never received even 24 percent in his six Hall tries. Big Mac has admitted to using steroids and human growth hormone.

Palmeiro is among only four players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits, yet has gotten a high of just 12.6 percent in his two years on the ballot. He drew a 10-day suspension in 2005 after a positive test for PEDs, and said the result was due to a vitamin vial given to him by teammate Miguel Tejada.

Biggio topped the 3,000-hit mark ? which always has been considered an automatic credential for Cooperstown ? and spent his entire career with the Houston Astros.

"Hopefully, the writers feel strongly that they liked what they saw, and we'll see what happens," Biggio said last week.

Schilling was 216-146 and won three World Series championships, including his "bloody sock" performance for the Boston Red Sox in 2004.

___

AP Baseball Writer Janie McCauley and AP Sports Writers Arnie Stapleton and Dave Skretta contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bonds-clemens-sosa-hall-ballot-first-time-170332842--mlb.html

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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Trash Talkin? Tuesday

Trash Talkin’ Tuesday

Russell Brand is a Vision in White?[The Frisky] Nicki Minaj Disrespects Steven Tyler?[HollyWire] Britney Spears’ Scream and Shout Music Video Leaked?[Right Celebrity] Brad Pitt Talks Chanel Ad?[The Celebrity Cafe] Amanda Bynes Dons a Turban?[The Blemish] Sinner Of The Year: Pippa Middleton?[The Huffington Post] Oprah Had a Breast Cancer Scare?[Pop Crunch] Halle Berry Quitting Acting??[CeleBitchy] Jessica ...

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Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/11/trash-talkin-tuesday-73/

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Astronomers measure most massive, most unusual black hole

ScienceDaily (Nov. 28, 2012) ? Astronomers have used the Hobby-Eberly Telescope at The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory to measure the mass of what may be the most massive black hole yet -- 17 billion Suns -- in galaxy NGC 1277. The unusual black hole makes up 14 percent of its galaxy's mass, rather than the usual 0.1 percent. This galaxy and several more in the same study could change theories of how black holes and galaxies form and evolve.

The work will appear in the journal Nature on Nov. 29.

NGC 1277 lies 220 million light-years away in the constellation Perseus. The galaxy is only ten percent the size and mass of our own Milky Way. Despite NGC 1277's diminutive size, the black hole its heart is more than 11 times as wide as Neptune's orbit around the Sun.

"This is a really oddball galaxy," said team member Karl Gebhardt of The University of Texas at Austin. "It's almost all black hole. This could be the first object in a new class of galaxy-black hole systems." Furthermore, the most massive black holes have been seen in giant blobby galaxies called "ellipticals," but this one is seen in a relatively small lens-shaped galaxy (in astronomical jargon, a "lenticular galaxy").

The find comes out of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope Massive Galaxy Survey (MGS). The study's endgame is to better understand how black holes and galaxies form and grow together, a process that isn't well understood.

"At the moment there are three completely different mechanisms that all claim to explain the link between black hole mass and host galaxies' properties. We do not understand yet which of these theories is best," said Nature lead author Remco van den Bosch, who began this work while holding the W.J. McDonald postdoctoral fellowship at The University of Texas at Austin. He is now at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany.

The problem is lack of data. Astronomers know the mass of fewer than 100 black holes in galaxies. But measuring black hole masses is difficult and time-consuming. So the team developed the HET Massive Galaxy Survey to winnow down the number of galaxies that would be interesting to follow up on.

"When trying to understand anything, you always look at the extremes: the most massive and the least massive," Gebhardt said. "We chose a very large sample of the most massive galaxies in the nearby universe," to learn more about the relationship between black holes and their host galaxies.

Though still ongoing, the team has studied 700 of their 800 galaxies with HET. "This study is only possible with HET," Gebhardt said. "The telescope works best when the galaxies are spread all across the sky. This is exactly what HET was designed for."

In the current paper, the team zeroes in on the top six most massive galaxies. They found that one of those, NGC 1277, had already been photographed by Hubble Space Telescope. This provided measurements of the galaxy's brightness at different distances from its center. When combined with HET data and various models run via supercomputer, the result was a mass for the black hole of 17 billion Suns (give or take 3 billion).

"The mass of this black hole is much higher than expected," Gebhardt said, "it leads us to think that very massive galaxies have a different physical process in how their black holes grow."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas at Austin.

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Journal Reference:

  1. Remco C. E. van den Bosch, Karl Gebhardt, Kayhan G?ltekin, Glenn van de Ven, Arjen van der Wel, Jonelle L. Walsh. An over-massive black hole in the compact lenticular galaxy NGC?1277. Nature, 2012; 491 (7426): 729 DOI: 10.1038/nature11592

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/astronomy/~3/F149y-o3Jp8/121128132305.htm

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Will Psy's 'Gangnam Style' Be First To 1 Billion On YouTube?

'This is so unlike anything we've seen before,' says YouTube's Kevin Allocca of the numbers being put up by Korean pop sensation.
By Gil Kaufman


Psy in the "Gangnam Style" music video
Photo: YG Entertainment

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1697918/psy-gangnam-style-youtube-one-billion.jhtml

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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

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Monday, November 26, 2012

Lists Of Home Foreclosures For Sale : Inspecting Homes ? Real Estate

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Inspecting homes for physical defects and damages is important if you plan to buy from the lists of home foreclosures for sale. This will allow you to post a reasonable offer for the property a seller would find hard to reject.What and how to inspect distressed homes:Before purchasing a distressed home, make sure to visit it several times to check on its condition. Make a list of all the obvious damages you can see in every nook and cranny of the property. Be sure to list even the faded paint on the walls, cracked tiles and chipped roofing. Keep a sharp eye on any superficial damages whether it came from wear and tear or not.You should also hire an expert adept at inspecting homes like handymen, architects or professional inspectors. They will help you identify unforeseen damages that can crop up anytime and give you valuable insight as to how much you would have to spend to prevent these damages from occurring. They can also assess the condition of parts of the property t hat would normally be beyond a home buyer?s capacity to inspect, such as the electrical wirings, plumbing, and insulation, among others.Aside from these inspections, you should also talk to the sellers or previous owners of properties in the lists of home foreclosures for sale. Inquire how certain damages came about and who would be shouldering the expenses for repair works. You should also ask if there are any reoccurring problems with the property like persistent water leakage and grounded wirings.Research if a home you intend to buy follows safety, sanitation and building codes perfectly to ensure your familys well being once you move in. Find out also if there were any prior alterations or improvements on the property. Look over the building plans to see if local codes were followed. You can also employ the aid of building professionals to look at these plans as they could be beyond your expertise.Anyway, visit online listings providers to get more tips on how to inspect properties in the lists of home foreclosures for sale.

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Source: http://rawbusinesslaw.com/2012/11/25/lists-of-home-foreclosures-for-sale-inspecting-homes-real-estate/

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Friday, November 23, 2012

I Am Thankful For?.. | Single Mothers by Choice

This is a compilation of posts by some of our SMC members. They were posted on?our SMC discussion Forum this week,?inspired by the Thanksgiving holiday. Good Thanksgiving wishes to you all!

I am thankful for:
My two beautiful, healthy, smart, funny girls.
My amazing family, who are supportive, though many miles away.
My job, which was at risk for many months, but is once again mostly stable and secure.
My friends, without whose help some weekends would last months, and who have provided a local family for my family.
The internet, without which I never would have found SMC and the incredible community of women you are.

?

For parents who, after struggling to accept me, are excited and supportive of my journey.
For friends, past, present and future, some of whom are other SMCs I?ve met through this wonderful community.
I am finally on my way to building the family I?ve wanted for so long. ?I?m 6 weeks pregnant today.

?

I?m thankful for God?s perfect timing ? I was blessed with a family-perfect job and a larger apartment right on time for my journey into motherhood.
I am thankful for unexpected kindness and favor, which seems to be showing up more and more in my life.
I am thankful for having found a nurturing, spiritual home where I am challenged to do better, to be better, to raise my consciousness.
I am thankful for this beautiful baby boy growing inside of me; thankful for my big belly, swollen feet, unnumerable trips to the bathroom ? all of it is good because all of it is part of growing and nurturing my son.

?

I am thankful for my loving, generous, gracious, reliable mom. Whatever may have come before, she is here, fully, now.
I am thankful for having true friends; people who love and support and cheer for me and who have my best interest at heart.
I am thankful for so many things that are easy to take for granted ? food, shelter, clean water, a peaceful city, fall folliage, a crisp, clear day.

?

I am thankful that I had options on my path to motherhood.
I am thankful for the great job I have that made it possible for me to afford my IVF.
I am thankful for the SMC forum, ?and the local SMCs that I have become close to.
I am thankful for my supportive friends who have been sending me lots of positive light.

?

I am thankful for the advances in medicine that allow premature infants, including my son, to survive and thrive.

?

I am thankful for my beautiful, precious, wonderful, amazing, sweet baby boy. Every single day.
I?m thankful for my job, and my lifestyle that allow me to spoil him, and myself, occasionally.
I am thankful for all my friends and family. I?m thankful for my life, and everything in it.

?

I?m so thankful for all the wonderful ways my life has changed in precisely one year.
Last year at this time, I was in the thick of battling my fears and undergoing my first round of medications after many unsuccessful attempts to conceive. This year I am 25 weeks pregnant.
It may have taken a lot longer than I thought it would, and a lot more tears and frustration, but I learned that I am a lot stronger than I ever believed I was ? for that, I?m grateful. And I?m grateful for every little kick I feel in my belly right now!

My precious, sweet, cuddly, funny, and wonderful daughter.
That we have family close by, so my daughter gets to spend time with her grandparents who love and spoil her.
For the advances in asthma medication that make it possible for my daughter to live.
That my mom loves to cook so I don?t have to cook on Thanksgiving at all!
And, of course, for this wonderful group of women who provide daily humor, insight and encouragement!

I am thankful that I discovered the concept of a Single Mother by Choice and had the emotional, financial and physical ability to become one.?
I am thankful for my amazing family and friends that really have gone above and beyond to help me.
And most of all, I am thankful for everything that God has given me this Thanksgiving. I am so totally in love with my baby and cannot believe he?s mine. Being a mom is the most amazing thing I?ve ever done.

I?m so thankful for this wonderful community, with whom I?ve shared almost every step of this journey.
I?m thankful for my donor, who may or may not have realized what a gift he was giving, but it was an amazing gift all the same.
I?m thankful for my REs, thankful for all the other medical professionals I?ve interacted with, thankful for my wonderfully supportive family.
And I?m thankful to be starting off a new life with this new little person!

For more discussion on this and other subjects, join SMC and take part in our discussions on our lively 24/7 Forum and at local chapter meetings.

Source: http://www.singlemothersbychoice.org/2012/11/22/i-am-thankful-for/

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Monday, November 19, 2012

The 5 High Things To Know Earlier Than Buying Internet Hosting ...

Web hosting Not the only real Sector Planning Green

The Surge in Thoroughly clean, Green Power
The renewable energy sector is often a progressive local community, and it happens to be development amongst forward-thinking industries and nations is admirable. The world wide web internet hosting market, as an example, has the distinctive honor of using a powerful purpose while in the reduction of Co2 emissions by placing considerable pressure on knowledge facilities being considerably more electrical power successful. Although many internet hosts have not yet recognised this product, website owners and online business owners worldwide have. Internet business owners are moving their web-sites to green hosting providers in substantial quantities.

Knowledge centers second only into the airline market in Carbon dioxide emissions.
A research by Mckinsey & Co. predicted that knowledge centers all surpass the airline marketplace as the largest source of Co2 emissions by 2020 and called for information centers to double their electricity efficiency by 2012. Although many facts centers have not nevertheless gone green, there are a few progressive, forward-thinking facts facilities that already have green woven into their corporate culture.

Data center sector likely green and shifting toward strength efficiency.
Although many green data center projects are still on the drawing board, the plans are with the works for further and extra info facilities being built that utilize electrical power efficiency and renewable vitality. A number of green information center projects have however to break ground, but there are a few progressive pondering companies that already have green web hosting information centers in operation.

Airline field recognizes the importance of a lot more efficiency.
Amid rising concern about aviation pollution, British Airways introduced a ?CO2 emission calculator? on its website, letting passengers pay to offset the carbon dioxide generated by their flights. Continental Airlines has gone furthest among the major airline carries to green their operations. Besides spending a great deal more than $16 billion over the past ten years to replace its fleet with additional effective aircraft, it installed fuel-saving winglets that reduce emissions by up to 5% on most of its Boeing 737s and 757s, and reduced the nitrogen oxide output from ground equipment at its Houston hub by over 75% since 2000.

Banking business and climate-change investments.
In 2005 when Goldman Sachs became a pioneer between companies adopting environmental policies, critics said chief executive Hank Paulson was imposing his green ethos. Wrong. The bank has become even far more planet-friendly since Paulson left. Why? Because it is doing lots of green internet marketing business.

Goldman?s investment of $1.5 billion in cellulosic ethanol, wind and solar have paid off. Texas Pacific and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts turned to Goldman, which had built bridges to environmental groups, as they prepared a bid for Texas electrical power company TXU.

Nations are going green and increase renewable electricity use.
After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan opted to shut down all of its nuclear power stations and Germany followed suit after substantial public pressure. This seems to have paved the way for greater investment in solar and wind electricity projects across the globe.

Germany emerging as a leader in renewable strength.
Germany has always been a leader in renewable vitality, but if they want to replace nuclear power with something less damaging, then they will have to embrace wind power. A research from industry group Bundesverband WindEnergie suggests that the country will have to give 2% of the its land mass to wind farms in order to substitute nuclear power. By using 2% of Germany?s landmass, the country would be able to provide as much as 65% of the demand for electricity in the country. If they wanted to increase this, they could always construct additional offshore wind farms, which are proven for being a little more reliable than land-based ones.

High tech is falling all over itself to go green.
To meet the demands of business proprietors and corporations that seek green IT partners, nearly all vendors have promised to move their top suppliers to eco-friendly firms. Hewlett-Packard, one example is, has done the most to mitigate the wave of companies going toward green IT firms. HP owns massive e-waste recycling plants and has promised to cut vitality consumption by 20 percent.

Companies are battling for competitive advantage by likely green.
So how did green hosting become so influential for companies looking for a distinct advantage? In competitive industries, companies are trying to set the standard for detailed environmental accountability and one way to do this is to choose a green web hosting provider.

Traditional website internet hosting becoming obsolete.
Businesses can make a profit without losing their soul and customers are looking for progressive companies that demonstrate their environmental conscience by choosing a green hosting provider for their website. The Internet group is impressed to see how involved in sustainability their internet hosting partners are. Website owners are tremendously knowledgeable and want to do the right thing.

Green internet hosting is inside the movement that is bringing common sense back with the web hosting sector.

The Need For Proper Internet Hosting Companies gives excellent answers in regard to Find A Good Web Hosting Firm. Visit the backlink for additional information!

Related posts:

  1. The 5 Prime Things To Know Earlier Than Shopping For Internet Hosting Space
  2. The 5 Prime Things To Know Earlier Than Shopping For Web Hosting Space
  3. Internet Hosting Necessities
  4. How Am I Able To Install WordPress On My Internet Hosting Site
  5. Benefits Of Semi Devoted Internet Hosting

Source: http://mysixstringsblog.com/the-5-high-things-to-know-earlier-than-buying-internet-hosting-space/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-5-high-things-to-know-earlier-than-buying-internet-hosting-space

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

iPad Mini: All big tablets, please go home (review)

The iPad Mini is proof positive why technical specs don?t matter anymore. It?s slower than both the third and fourth-generation iPads, and it features a significantly lower resolution screen that doesn?t even meet HD video standards.

And yet, its miniscule size and overall convenience makes it the best iPad I?ve ever used and the best tablet on the market.

The original 9.7-inch iPad basically created the modern tablet market, and Apple?s iPad line still accounts for more than 50 percent of new tablets sold (according to IDC). But I?ve never felt truly comfortable using any iPad for prolonged periods of time ? and the same goes for every other tablet I?ve used that?s around 10 inches. They?re tough to hold with one hand, and even with two hands, it?s not exactly effortless to hold large tablets for hours on end.

Smaller tablets don?t have any of those issues. You can throw a small tablet in a bag and forget it?s even there, and they?re generally light enough to hold with little effort, like a paperback book. Given their size and flexibility, they?re naturally more focused on content consumption.

With its 7.9-inch screen, the iPad Mini is slightly larger than its 7-inch Android counterparts. But it still has all the makings of a small tablet, and that extra screen real estate actually makes it far better for reading.

Apple has struck a balance between size and performance with the iPad Mini ? and it?s one that will resonate in the tablet market for years to come.

Our look at Apple?s smaller iPad.

Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat

Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat

Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat

Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat

Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat

Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat

Devindra Hardawar/VentureBeat

The good: Smaller really is better

I can go on and on about the iPad Mini?s thinness and lightness ? but really, you have to hold this thing to understand why it?s so special. At just .68 pounds and 7.2 millimeters thick, it weighs about the same as a typical paperback book, and it?s thinner than the already ridiculously thin iPhone 5.

Holding the iPad Mini makes it clear that the sheer size of standard iPads are an issue, even though that didn?t stop more than 85 million consumers from making that tablet a huge success for Apple.

For a device that we?re holding in our hands most of the time, it makes sense that being more comfortable trounces having the better hardware. Together with the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire, the iPad Mini shows that smaller tablets are the ideal tablets.

The obvious benefit of going small is cost: The iPad Mini starts at $329, making it the cheapest iPad option yet. It?s still significantly above its $200 Android competitors, but the higher price is well worth the bigger and better iPad app ecosystem. Apple?s decision to go with a 7.9-inch screen also makes the iPad Mini more versatile than 7-inch tablets ? you can see more content from web pages, and games feel as if they have more room to breathe.

It?s almost as if the bigger iPads are just a beta test. It was likely too difficult for Apple to successfully build something like the iPad Mini back in 2009 ? for one thing, hardware components probably weren?t small enough (just look at how thick the first iPad was). And while the bigger iPad isn?t going anywhere any time soon, the unceremonious way Apple revealed the fourth-gen iPad alongside the iPad Mini is telling.

Over the next few years, expect far more innovation from the iPad Mini than the standard iPad.

For me, great technology should be both uncompromising (which Microsoft?s Surface, sadly, wasn?t) and effortless. The iPad Mini hasn?t cracked the uncompromising nut just yet (more on that below), but it?s by far the most effortless tablet I?ve ever used.

Even though it has a bigger screen, the iPad Mini is 32 grams lighter (for the Wi-Fi model) and noticeably thinner than the Nexus 7, which has been my favorite small tablet so far. Ultimately, this means that everything ? reading, watching a movie, or playing a game ? simply feels better on the iPad Mini because it?s not a chore to hold. It also helps that the tablet feels so solid ? you can feel all of Apple?s experience with building the iPad and iPhone in the iPad Mini?s strong body.

Movies and games don?t look as sharp as they do on Retina Display-equipped iPads, but it?s a more than worthy tradeoff. It takes a discerning eye to notice the benefits of Apple?s Retina Display, but anyone can immediately recognize how much more convenient the iPad mini is. (And naturally, that?s a problem that will be fixed in future models when Apple brings Retina Display quality to the iPad Mini.)

With the iPad Mini, you?ll never think twice about taking it along when you leave the house or grabbing it to peruse Twitter while watching TV. And the device itself becomes practically invisible as you use it.

In the end, isn?t that exactly what a tablet should be?

The bad: Yes, we?re evolving backward (for now)

The iPad Mini is basically running the same hardware that powers the iPad 2. It has the same dual-core A5 processer and 512MB of RAM. And for the screen, instead of the lush Retina Display resolutions of 2048 by 1536, we get the same 1024 by 768 resolution we were so happy to run away from two years ago. (Since the iPad Mini?s screen is smaller, its resolution still looks sharper than on previous iPads.)

It?s difficult to recommend the iPad Mini to someone who?s already shelled out for a third-gen iPad. But in my experience, I still end up reaching for the Mini more than the sharper-screened iPad.

For most of the apps I?ve used ? including Twitter, news readers apps like Pulse, and Instagram ? the iPad Mini performed admirably. Games suffered the most with the older hardware, but most consumers won?t notice the slightly lower-res and less-detailed graphics, even with graphics-heavy titles like Infinity Blade 2.

It?s a shame that Apple couldn?t at least deliver a Retina resolution, but this makes sense. It would have required a more powerful processor and graphics capabilities, which probably would have made the price of the iPad Mini even higher. For now, it?s a tablet that?s ideal for most consumers ? but those looking for Retina sharpness should wait for the inevitable upgrade in next year?s model.

The verdict: The best iPad experience yet

The iPad Mini is all about tradeoffs. Instead of a sharp Retina screen and powerful hardware, you?re getting a slimmer device that?s far more convenient. For me, the tradeoffs are worth it.

Big tablets certainly have their place, but I think we?ll see those becoming increasingly specialized. Most consumers would be better off with the size and price of the iPad Mini than splurging for the iPad fourth-gen. And as for big Android tablets, the Nexus 10 is really the only one worth considering.

I?ve been recommending the iPad Mini without hesitation over the past week. If you?ve been holding out on getting a tablet, it?s almost a no-brainer. You can save a bit by going for the $200 Nexus 7, but you?ll be giving up a far better tablet app ecosystem.

If you can?t swallow the compromise with the iPad Mini, then hold off until next year?s update. And if you already own one of the Retina Display iPads, then you?re probably better off waiting as well (or just starting pricing your iPad on a gadget reseller service like Gazelle).

If anything, I feel vindicated by the iPad Mini. Here?s a device that proves, once and for all, that smaller slates are far better at fulfilling the promise of tablets.

Source: http://feeds.venturebeat.com/~r/Venturebeat/~3/eHusnfABdAc/story01.htm

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GOP Moves Toward Obama on Taxes in Fiscal Cliff Talks

Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images

Obama and congressional leaders of both parties met Friday to discuss deficit reduction before tax increases and automatic spending cuts go into effect next year.

The four top leaders in Congress all expressed confidence that they could avert the fiscal cliff after Speaker John A. Boehner offered up revenue and Democrats agreed to pursue spending cuts during an hourlong meeting Friday at the White House.

The Ohio Republican told reporters that he proposed a framework for dealing with the cliff that would tie revenue to spending cuts ?consistent with the president?s call for a balanced approach.?

?I believe that we can do this and avert this fiscal cliff,? Boehner told reporters outside the White House. He was flanked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

All of the leaders made similar comments.

?We?re prepared to put revenue on the table as long as we solve the real problem,? McConnell said, pointing to growing entitlement spending.

?I feel confident that a solution may be in sight,? Pelosi said. She added that they hope to reach a deal before Christmas and suggested during the meeting that they lay out benchmarks for the size of the deal and deadlines before then to build public confidence that the cliff would be averted.

According to a Boehner aide, the speaker suggested that the leaders agree on long-term revenue targets for tax reform and spending targets for entitlement reform as well as enforcement mechanisms that would kick in if Congress fails to act on either next year.

?They would be in place unless or until more thoughtful policies replace them,? the aide said.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney also issued a statement calling the meeting ?constructive.?

The leaders ?agreed to do everything possible to find a solution? and find a ?balanced approach? including revenue and cuts while encouraging growth.

?Both sides agreed that while there may be differences in our preferred approaches, we will continue a constructive process to find a solution and come to a conclusion as soon as possible,? Carney said.

Talks will continue among staff and lawmakers over the Thanksgiving break. Leaders are expected to reconvene the following week.

After returning to the Capitol, Reid said he planned to have more talks with key players in coming days. ?It was a good meeting. There was no harsh words. There was a general feeling that we need to get something done, and both sides are going to have to give,? Reid said.

President Barack Obama at the start of the meeting called on the group to come together to avert the cliff.

Source: http://www.rollcall.com/news/gop_moves_toward_obama_on_taxes_in_fiscal_cliff_talks-219271-1.html

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Video: Boehner, Reid & Pelosi on Fiscal Cliff

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/49857251/

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China has risen upto financial crisis challenges: Wen Jiabao

TOKYO, July 16 (Reuters): Pressure mounted on Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso? Thursday after ruling party lawmakers called for a meeting to debate the party's ailing fortunes at which his harshest critics are expected to seek his resignation.
Aso's plan for an election on August 30 -- announced just a day after the opposition Democrats trounced the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a Tokyo metropolitan vote-has sparked chaos in the ruling party.
Surveys show the opposition Democratic Party will win the national election, which must be held by October.
Only 16.3 per cent of respondents to a poll published by Jiji news agency Thursday said they supported Aso and his cabinet, down 7.8 percentage points from a similar poll a month ago.
Asked which party they would vote for in the election, 37.4 per cent opted for the Democrats and 19.5 per cent for the LDP.
A Democrat victory would end more than 50 years of almost unbroken rule by the business-friendly LDP and improve chances of resolving a policy deadlock caused by a divided parliament, where the opposition controls the upper house and can delay bills.
A petition demanding the meeting of LDP lawmakers was handed to LDP Secretary-General Hiroyuki Hosoda, top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura told reporters.
Under party rules, the meeting must be held within seven days, although Aso could dissolve the lower house first.
Kawamura said Aso was ready to respond if the meeting was held, but would likely stick to his election plan.
"Our term of office is fixed and the prime minister's choice of August 30 is close to the deadline," he added. "I don't think the prime minister will change his mind."
Aso has come under fire for a series of policy flip-flops and gaffes at a time when Japan is suffering its worst recession in 60 years.
In a further sign of disarray, Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano-widely seen as the architect of the Aso administration's economic policies-and Agriculture Minister Shigeru Ishiba are among those who signed the petition.
The two met the premier Wednesday to press home their views on the party's difficulties following the loss in the Tokyo assembly election.
It was not clear, however, how many of those who signed the petition want to ditch Aso.
Aso has made it clear he has no intention of resigning and a majority of lawmakers at the meeting would be needed to bring forward a vote for the party leadership set for September. Only a handful of lawmakers have openly called for Aso to resign.
Although there are potential alternatives within the party, including Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe, analysts say a last-minute change of leadership ahead of the election would do little to boost the party's fortunes.
"Among those who signed the petition, there are some who want to change the party leader, while there are also opinions that we need to review the outcome of the Tokyo election," former prime minister Yoshiro Mori told a television programme Thursday. "Some also want to have a place to discuss the manifesto."

TOKYO, July 16 (Reuters): Pressure mounted on Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso? Thursday after ruling party lawmakers called for a meeting to debate the party's ailing fortunes at which his harshest critics are expected to seek his resignation.
Aso's plan for an election on August 30 -- announced just a day after the opposition Democrats trounced the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in a Tokyo metropolitan vote-has sparked chaos in the ruling party.
Surveys show the opposition Democratic Party will win the national election, which must be held by October.
Only 16.3 per cent of respondents to a poll published by Jiji news agency Thursday said they supported Aso and his cabinet, down 7.8 percentage points from a similar poll a month ago.
Asked which party they would vote for in the election, 37.4 per cent opted for the Democrats and 19.5 per cent for the LDP.
A Democrat victory would end more than 50 years of almost unbroken rule by the business-friendly LDP and improve chances of resolving a policy deadlock caused by a divided parliament, where the opposition controls the upper house and can delay bills.
A petition demanding the meeting of LDP lawmakers was handed to LDP Secretary-General Hiroyuki Hosoda, top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura told reporters.

Table 1: Savings, Investment, Current Account Balance 2006-09 (%GDP)
Gross Domestic InvestmentGross National SavingsSavingsSurplusCurrent Account Balance
Bangladesh24.229.25.01.0
India35.937.11.2-2.89
Pakistan23241.0-8.37
Sri Lanka27.222.7-4.5-7.32
Nepal2828.50.52.62
China42.948.75.810.00
Vietnam38.732.8-5.9-9.38
Source: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
First and foremost, it signifies our inability to invest all our available resources. Second, it could be that our financial intermediation is not efficient. Savers and investors are two divergent groups. It is the financial system ? banks and non-bank financial institutions ? that bring savers and investors together. In a smoothly functioning financial system, such an excess of savings (investible capital) would have reduced interest rates, increased the demand for investment and restored savings-investment equilibrium. That none of this is happening tells us that there is some stickiness or major inefficiency in the financial intermediation process. Third, we have been made aware of the poor performance of ADP implementation in recent years, which has had the effect of reducing the share of public investment in total investment. Problems with power and infrastructure have pulled back potential private investment as well. Lately, the global economic slowdown has compounded the problem. So the overall investment climate has not been conducive to result in an improvement in the investment-GDP ratio, which has remained stagnant for nearly five years and shows no sign of improvement.
????????? There is one more dimension to the paradox not to be ignored. There is a one-to-one relationship between current account of the balance of payments and national accounts. For several years running, our current account has been posting a modest surplus, which was close to one percent of GDP in the last fiscal year. A current account surplus implies that the economy generated more income from domestic production and foreign earnings (remittances) than it spent on goods and services ? domestic and foreign. In national accounting terms, this corresponds to the excess of savings over investment. That is to say, the savings-investment surplus should equal ? or approach equality with -- current account surplus, which should then be also 5 percent of GDP rather than only one percent. How do we explain the incongruence of the two figures?
????????? The aggregate economic relationship point to the fact that some of our national savings is not invested in the domestic economy but abroad. In the absence of capital account convertibility, this would not be permissible, though India has allowed Indians to invest abroad under limited convertibility of the capital account. It is common knowledge that a significant part of worker remittances might not be coming through official channels. That creates one scope, among others, for investment of national savings abroad. In addition, both exporters and importers have multiple conduits ? well known to those who mange the country?s financial system -- for parking resources abroad outside the purview of the non-convertible capital account regime.
????????? All this points to the fact that capital in the present day and age could be quite mobile. It would be na?ve to think that all savings of Bangladeshis are in the domestic economic system. Although our current account is convertible (done in 1994), non-convertibility of capital account puts numerous bounds on current account transactions. So the incentive for parking domestic capital outside is not eliminated. These days, with interest rates in developed financial markets being at near zero, the relatively high returns in domestic banks and financial institutions should attract resources parked outside the country to be ploughed back in though other uncertainties of life and limb in Bangladesh might still prompt the flight of capital. I reckon it is only a matter of time when restrictions on outward and inward movement of capital will have to be relaxed, even under the regime of non-convertibility.? This is more so because of the new initiative of government to encourage public-private partnership (PPP), particularly in mega-projects. Unless the restrictive rules of capital mobility are relaxed, it will remain a battle for private capital to move in or out; and an uphill task for those in the private sector trying to mobilize funds from international capital markets.
????????? Dr. Sattar is Chairman, Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh.
?Research support was provided by PRI?s Rubayat Chowdhury
zaidisattar@gmail.com
Table 1: Savings, Investment, Current Account Balance 2006-09 (%GDP)
Gross Domestic InvestmentGross National SavingsSavingsSurplusCurrent Account Balance
Bangladesh24.229.25.01.0
India35.937.11.2-2.89
Pakistan23241.0-8.37
Sri Lanka27.222.7-4.5-7.32
Nepal2828.50.52.62
China42.948.75.810.00
Vietnam38.732.8-5.9-9.38
Source: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
First and foremost, it signifies our inability to invest all our available resources. Second, it could be that our financial intermediation is not efficient. Savers and investors are two divergent groups. It is the financial system ? banks and non-bank financial institutions ? that bring savers and investors together. In a smoothly functioning financial system, such an excess of savings (investible capital) would have reduced interest rates, increased the demand for investment and restored savings-investment equilibrium. That none of this is happening tells us that there is some stickiness or major inefficiency in the financial intermediation process. Third, we have been made aware of the poor performance of ADP implementation in recent years, which has had the effect of reducing the share of public investment in total investment. Problems with power and infrastructure have pulled back potential private investment as well. Lately, the global economic slowdown has compounded the problem. So the overall investment climate has not been conducive to result in an improvement in the investment-GDP ratio, which has remained stagnant for nearly five years and shows no sign of improvement.
????????? There is one more dimension to the paradox not to be ignored. There is a one-to-one relationship between current account of the balance of payments and national accounts. For several years running, our current account has been posting a modest surplus, which was close to one percent of GDP in the last fiscal year. A current account surplus implies that the economy generated more income from domestic production and foreign earnings (remittances) than it spent on goods and services ? domestic and foreign. In national accounting terms, this corresponds to the excess of savings over investment. That is to say, the savings-investment surplus should equal ? or approach equality with -- current account surplus, which should then be also 5 percent of GDP rather than only one percent. How do we explain the incongruence of the two figures?
????????? The aggregate economic relationship point to the fact that some of our national savings is not invested in the domestic economy but abroad. In the absence of capital account convertibility, this would not be permissible, though India has allowed Indians to invest abroad under limited convertibility of the capital account. It is common knowledge that a significant part of worker remittances might not be coming through official channels. That creates one scope, among others, for investment of national savings abroad. In addition, both exporters and importers have multiple conduits ? well known to those who mange the country?s financial system -- for parking resources abroad outside the purview of the non-convertible capital account regime.
????????? All this points to the fact that capital in the present day and age could be quite mobile. It would be na?ve to think that all savings of Bangladeshis are in the domestic economic system. Although our current account is convertible (done in 1994), non-convertibility of capital account puts numerous bounds on current account transactions. So the incentive for parking domestic capital outside is not eliminated. These days, with interest rates in developed financial markets being at near zero, the relatively high returns in domestic banks and financial institutions should attract resources parked outside the country to be ploughed back in though other uncertainties of life and limb in Bangladesh might still prompt the flight of capital. I reckon it is only a matter of time when restrictions on outward and inward movement of capital will have to be relaxed, even under the regime of non-convertibility.? This is more so because of the new initiative of government to encourage public-private partnership (PPP), particularly in mega-projects. Unless the restrictive rules of capital mobility are relaxed, it will remain a battle for private capital to move in or out; and an uphill task for those in the private sector trying to mobilize funds from international capital markets.
????????? Dr. Sattar is Chairman, Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh.
?Research support was provided by PRI?s Rubayat Chowdhury
zaidisattar@gmail.com
Inter-city High Speed Train Image
Tejgaon Railway Station as a transport hub with Long-term Vision:? This is an excellent and convenient location for linking existing railway, future light train, city bus transport or future subway and other transport network. Provision for subway, mass rail transit stations in at least 3 grade separation must be arranged.? Even if it is not possible to develop it fully immediately, no short-sighted hasty plan should be allowed to destroy its long-term potentiality.? No land should be allowed to be grabbed or wasted for other purpose. Any unplanned development in and around it must be stopped immediately until long-term comprehensive plan is ready and approved by all concerned.

Elevated Light train passing through population centers:? In addition to a light train line planned (as per RAJUK map) from Kaliganj to Gazipur via north of Uttara, Savar and other places there, a light train or elevated light train service may start from Tongi to touch Pallabi, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Dhanmodi, New market, Azimpur, and proceed further to Saidabad, Jatrabari and Demra.

Circular railway, elevated light train: ?As in most of the big cities with land constraint, a circular railway touching all population centers of the city, from where long distance railway and roads move out tangentially or radially to link satellite cities, may be built in Dhaka and Chittagong..? Many new roads or railway lines may have to be elevated to save wetland, canals and rivers.

Train Stations:? The train stations may not initially be costly structures. Most of the railway stations must be easy to access, have entrance level platforms, have sufficient parking space, and have provisions for bus stops to pick up and unload passengers, have places for taxis to wait in line to pick up passengers, and other facilities.??????

Public Bus service shall be an essential mode of transport, but it must be systematic and planned. Buses and their operation must be standardized. One route may be licensed to any one city bus operator company. The practical management aspects may be documented for effective, smooth transport suited to all age group of passengers. Ad hoc measures should? be avoided.
Manufacture of Railway coach locally: The railway workshops which already undertook some manufacturing works may be revamped and given technological input for local manufacture of various rail line equipments.
Railway Test Track:? To maintain or improve the quality of the railway service, railway authority shall build and use a 7- to 15- km test track for test, experimentation and improvement.
Development of Water way: ?We may fully develop and utilize our river and waterway transport system by utilizing part of the existing infrastructure, which the government is also considering.
Subway:? Subway may not be our immediate choice, in view of risk of inundation of major areas of the city every year and our lack of technological capability to counter the effects? immediately. In future it may be essential for connecting missing links.
About 15-feet wide footpath may be necessary for subway exit and entrance. Management of traffic and establishment of continuous, safe foot path will ease much of the existing traffic congestion within the city immediately, but it will not solve the problem without mass transit and public transport system.
Railway, neglected since 1880s, is now drawing governmental? attention for its development. If the government can show political will and courage to take initiative, massive work may be started without much or any foreign loan.
?We expect our government will not compromise with long-term national interest. Our economy is already bleeding. Let us start acting wisely, deploying relevant development policy instruments before it is too late.
?
(The writer is Chairman, The Institute of Development Strategy (IDS), Dhaka.
The views expressed here are his own, and not necessarily of the organization he represents. E-mail: idsrahman@msn.com Tel: 02-8855112) Sweden wins Eurovision Song Contest
Favourite Loreen has triumphed for Sweden at the 57th Eurovision Song Contest, with her club track Euphoria. The former Swedish Idol contestant led from early on in the voting at Baku, challenged only by Russia's Buranovo Grannies, Serbia and hosts Azerbaijan.?? BBC. ly uncertain in key trading partner countries, particularly in Europe due to the unfolding sovereign debt crisis. The United States is showing some signs of recovery but overall the growth prospect for 2012 in advanced economies remains bleak while growth has slowed in developing countries (see Box 1).
Commodity prices continue to represent a key country risk. Global food prices remain at elevated levels. However, international rice prices have fallen thereby helping to keep domestic rice prices in check. Oil prices have fluctuated and crude oil prices rose sharply in the months leading to March 2012 due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. The price of a barrel of crude oil averaged USD 117 in March 2012, 13 per cent higher than its average in December 2011, and 8.0 per cent higher than a year earlier. Since then concerns over the global recovery has led to decline in commodity prices generally, with Brent crude oil dropping under USD90 a barrel for the first time since December 2010. However a further round of quantitative easing in advanced countries in light of the current Eurozone crisis could lead to speculative flows into commodity markets. Moreover the uncertainties in the Middle East continue to persist. Hence the current easing of commodity market prices may not sustain itself in 2012/13.
Recent economic developments: In FY10 and FY11 the global economy was reeling from the global financial crisis of 2009 and in order to avert an impact on the Bangladesh economy, broad money growth and specifically private sector credit growth were eased. The Bangladesh economy as a consequence of this stance, and other pro-active measures, emerged largely unscathed from the global crisis, averaging over 6.0 per cent growth between FY09 and FY11. In FY12 the economy faced a different set of challenges related to rising inflation and balance of payments pressures. In order to address these challenges BB's monetary stance was more restrained than earlier years and yet able to accommodate a private sector credit growth rate (18.5 per cent) which was more than sufficient to meet the initial GDP growth target. The monetary growth targets set in January 2012 were met and the outcomes - falling inflation and containment of external sector pressures - were achieved.
Domestic output growth was projected at 7.0 per cent in the FY12 Budget assuming stable domestic and global economic conditions. Provisional figures from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) estimate economic growth of 6.32 per cent in FY12 compared to 6.71 per cent in FY11. The main reason behind the lower number appears to be a slowing of agricultural growth which according to these provisional numbers has slowed from 5.13 per cent in FY11 to 2.53 per cent in FY12. This is largely due to the base effect of two consecutive years of record growth but also they could be revised upwards once the 'Boro' rice crop is accounted for. Yet industrial growth, which is the sector most affected by access to timely credit, is estimated at 9.47 per cent in FY12, higher than the 8.20 per cent in FY11. An important driver of this higher industrial growth is faster growth of small scale industries which increased from 5.84 per cent in FY 11 to an estimated 7.18 per cent in FY12. Service sector growth of 6.06 per cent in FY12 was marginally lower than the 6.22 per cent achieved in FY11 (see Table 1).

economy, broad money growth and specifically private sector credit growth were eased. The Bangladesh economy as a consequence of this stance, and other pro-active measures, emerged largely unscathed from the global crisis, averaging over 6.0 per cent growth between FY09 and FY11. In FY12 the economy faced a different set of challenges related to rising inflation and balance of payments pressures. In order to address these challenges BB's monetary stance was more restrained than earlier years and yet able to accommodate a private sector credit growth rate (18.5 per cent) which was more than sufficient to meet the initial GDP growth target. The monetary growth targets set in January 2012 were met and the outcomes - falling inflation and containment of external sector pressures - were achieved.
Domestic output growth was projected at 7.0 per cent in the FY12 Budget assuming stable domestic and global economic conditions. Provisional figures from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) estimate economic growth of 6.32 per cent in FY12 compared to 6.71 per cent in FY11. The main reason behind the lower number appears to be a slowing of agricultural growth which according to these provisional numbers has slowed from 5.13 per cent in FY11 to 2.53 per cent in FY12. This is largely due to the base effect of two consecutive years of record growth but also they could be revised upwards once the 'Boro' rice crop is accounted for. Yet industrial growth, which is the sector most affected by access to timely credit, is estimated at 9.47 per cent in FY12, higher than the 8.20 per cent in FY11. An important driver of this higher industrial growth is faster growth of small scale industries which increased from 5.84 per cent in FY 11 to an estimated 7.18 per cent in FY12. Service sector growth of 6.06 per cent in FY12 was marginally lower than the 6.22 per cent achieved in FY11 (see Table 1).

Challenges in sourcing cotton: Bangladesh has been facing enormous challenges to sourcing cotton to feed its twenty billion-dollar apparel industry for the last couple of years. For a country considered a rising textile power, the challenges have been the painful reminders of the intractable problems plaguing Bangladesh. India, for example, has been serving as one of the most important sources of cotton for Bangladesh. However, for the last couple of years, it has been proven to be one of the most unreliable and undependable sources.
Several events that marked the 2010-11 cotton-year, have changed the landscape of the Bangladesh cotton industry. It is widely believed that these events will continue to have impact on the cotton industry for a foreseeable period of time. Series of Indian governmental ban on cotton export in 2010 and 2011 triggered a rally in the cotton market that never experienced in the history of cotton. As a result, the New York ICE futures settled at an unprecedented level of 214 cents/lb in March 2011.
The Bangladeshi spinners took a considerable position in Indian cotton before the export ban in April 2010, only to find the Indian merchants default on contracts en masse, citing the governmental export ban. However, the import data suggests that the Indian cotton continued to pour in Bangladesh with a peak volume of 52,000 MT just in April 2010. Unfortunately most of the cotton did not reach to its intended buyers; rather, it was deliberately shipped to other buyers for extra profits, taking the advantage of already soaring market price. Indian merchants circumvent the system to ship cotton elsewhere to take advantage of the higher cotton prices.

(Dr Quamrul Ahsan is the Editor-in-Chief of Cotton Bangladesh, an international cotton and textile magazine and Md Sarwar Jahan is an Assistant Editor of Cotton Bangladesh. They can be reached at e-mail: editorinchief@cottonbangladesh.com)

Source: http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=80345&date=2009-10-01

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