Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Google maps out North Korea with crowd-sourced data

11 hrs.

While Google Maps feels like a solid mapping solution, it has some blank spots?? ?particularly when it comes to regions such as?North Korea. But that's all changing thanks to a group of "citizen cartographers" and a tool which allows Google to incorporate crowd-sourced map data into its product.

As?Jayanth Mysore, a senior product manager working on the Google Map Maker project,?explains in a post on the official Google Maps blog, the Map Maker tool?has been around since 2008 and allowed users to "update the maps of the areas they know, and improve their level of detail and accuracy." Crowdsourced data like this is how Google "will build the modern map," Mysore adds, reiterating that without these details, map data is currently "very limited" in some parts of the world.

Efforts to map out North Korea have been made over the last few years, but on Monday, Google was finally ready to officially update the region on Google Maps. "We know this map is not perfect," Mysore acknowledges. "We encourage people from around the world to continue helping us improve the quality of these maps for everyone with Google Map Maker." He adds that, from now on, any further "approved" updates to the North Korean maps will also appear on Google Maps.

The Wall Street Journal's Evan Ramstad points out?that the update of North Korea on Google Maps comes about three weeks after Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt visited the area (though a Google spokesperson tells NBC News that the visit was unrelated to the timing of the Google Maps update).?During his time in the country, "Schmidt encouraged officials he met in North Korea to make the Internet available to its citizens and end its attempts to restrict information," Ramstad writes.?The Verge's Sam Byford reminds?that Internet access in North Korea remains quite restricted nonetheless, and that odds are that the "vast majority of North Korean citizens" won't be able to access Google's freshly updated maps.

The crowd-sourced cartography includes mass transit, monuments and parks, as well as North Korea's massive gulags, which are signified on Google Maps with a slightly different shading. ?As?the Atlantic notes, "Naturally, the Hwasong Gulag, like any place on Google, already has some jokesters reviewing its?accommodations."?

Mysore dances around these detail in his blog post, and instead focuses on who will be able to take advantage of the information. "While many people around the globe are fascinated with North Korea," he writes, "these maps are especially important for the citizens of South Korea who have ancestral connections or still have family living there."

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/google-maps-out-north-korea-crowd-sourced-data-1C8157346

april fools global payments eli young band wrestlemania country music awards 2012 wrestlemania 28 results earl scruggs

WATCH: 'Portlandia' Shuts Down Gay Wedding

Even in the beacon of progressivism that is Portland, gay marriage is regrettably not legal. Or, as this "Portlandia" clip proves, even weddings that might look like they're gay. Like, super, super gay. Even though the bride and groom are technically straight.

Now, a ban on cutesy wedding stunts based on a viral video from three years ago? That's something we're willing to support.

Also on HuffPost:

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/portlandia-gay-wedding-gets-shut-down_n_2581570.html?utm_hp_ref=comedy

livan hernandez soledad o brien mega ball lottery winner lottery numbers mega millions lottery jackpot

No alarm, only 1 exit in Brazil nightclub fire

A youth holds a photograph of his sister Pamella Lopes, who died in a nightclub fire, in a public square near the club in Santa Maria, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless Kiss nightclub in this southern Brazilian city early Sunday, killing more than 230 people. Many of the victims were under 20 years old, including some minors. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A youth holds a photograph of his sister Pamella Lopes, who died in a nightclub fire, in a public square near the club in Santa Maria, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless Kiss nightclub in this southern Brazilian city early Sunday, killing more than 230 people. Many of the victims were under 20 years old, including some minors. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

A police officer places flowers outside the Kiss nightclub that were brought by mourners in memory of those who died due to a fire at the club in Santa Maria, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless Kiss nightclub in this southern Brazilian city early Sunday, killing more than 230 people. Many of the victims were under 20 years old, including some minors. (AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

A man cries during the burial of Vinicius Rosado, who died in a nightclub fire, at a cemetery in Santa Maria, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless Kiss nightclub in this southern Brazilian city early Sunday, killing more than 230 people. Many of the victims were under 20 years old, including some minors. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Gladimir Callegaro, second from right, father of fire victim Marina Callegaro and other relatives mourn during her funeral at a cemetery in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. A fast-moving fire roared through the crowded, windowless Kiss nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, within seconds filling the space with flames and a thick, toxic smoke that killed more than 230 panicked partygoers who gasped for breath and fought in a stampede to escape. An early investigation into the tragedy revealed that security guards briefly prevented partygoers from leaving through the sole exit and the bodies later heaped inside that doorway slowed firefighters trying to get in.(AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

A girl cries during a march in a plaza near the Kiss nightclub honoring the victims of early Sunday's fatal fire inside the club in Santa Maria, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. All the elements were in place for the tragedy at the Kiss nightclub early Sunday. The result was the world's worst fire of its kind in more than a decade, with 231 people dead and this southern Brazilian college town in shock and mourning.(AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

(AP) ? The nightclub Kiss was hot, steamy from the press of beer-fueled bodies dancing close. The Brazilian country band on stage was whipping the young crowd into a frenzy, launching into another fast-paced, accordion-driven tune and lighting flares that spewed silver sparks into the air.

It was another Saturday night in Santa Maria, a university town of about 260,000 on Brazil's southernmost tip.

Then, in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, it turned into a scene of indescribable horror as sparks lit a fire in the soundproofing material above the stage, churning out black, toxic smoke as flames raced through the former beer warehouse, killing 231 people.

"I was right there, so even though I was far from the door, at least I realized something was wrong," said Rodrigo Rizzi, a first-year nursing student who was next to the stage when the fire broke out and watched the tragedy unfold, horror-stricken and helpless.

"Others, who couldn't see the stage, never had a chance. They never saw it coming."

There was no fire alarm, no sprinklers, no fire escape. In violation of state safety codes, fire extinguishers were not spaced every 1,500 square feet, and there was only one exit. As the city buried its young Monday, questions were raised about whether Brazil is up to the task of ensuring the safety in venues for the World Cup next year, and the Olympics in 2016. Four people were detained for questioning, including two band members and the nightclub's two co-owners.

Rizzi hadn't even planned on going out that night. He was talked into it by friends and knew dozens at the club, which was packed with an estimated 1,200 to 1,300 people. He said the first sign of a problem was insulation dripping above the stage.

The flames at that point were barely noticeable, just tiny tongues lapping at the flammable material. The band's singer, Marcelo dos Santos, noticed it and tried to put out the smoldering embers by squirting water from a bottle.

The show kept going. Then, as the ceiling continued to ooze hot molten foam, dos Santos grabbed the drummer's water bottle and aimed it at the fire. That didn't work either, Rizzi said. A security guard handed the band leader a fire extinguisher. He aimed, but nothing came out; the extinguisher didn't work.

At that point, Rizzi said, the singer motioned to the band to get out. Rizzi calmly made his way to the door ? the club's only exit ? still thinking it was a small fire that would quickly be controlled.

The cavernous building was divided into several sections, including a pub and a VIP lounge ? and hundreds of the college students and teenagers crammed in couldn't see the stage. They continued to drink and dance, unaware of the danger spreading above them.

Then, the place became an inferno.

The band members who headed straight for the door lived. One, Danilo Brauner, went back to get his accordion, and never made it out.

The air turned dense and dark with smoke; there was no light, nothing pointing to the single exit. Rizzi found himself clawing through a panicked crowd that surged blindly toward the door.

"I was halfway across the floor, I could see the door, but the air turned black with this thick smoke," he said. "I couldn't breathe. People started to panic and run toward the door. They were falling, screaming, pulling at each other."

The manager, meanwhile, was outside dealing with a drunk and belligerent young man. No one there had any inkling of the desperate scene unfolding just beyond Kiss' black, sound-proof double doors, said taxi driver Edson Schifelbain, who was in his car, waiting for passengers.

A security guard poked his head out and said there was a fight. A fraction of a second later, someone inside yelled "Fire!" The manager opened the doors and it was like opening the gates of hell, Schifelbain said.

Young men and women, mouths and eyes blackened with soot, clothes tattered, tumbled out screaming and crying. Some ran right over his taxi and two other cabs parked nearby, breaking mirrors, windshields, bashing in the doors. Horrified, he realized his cab was in their way, but couldn't move it because there were bodies hunched over it, collapsed in front of the tires, everywhere.

"The horror I saw in their faces, the terror, I'll never forget," he said. Two girls gasping for air climbed into his car, and as soon as he was able, he sped the six miles (10 kilometers) to the university hospital.

"One of them was crying all the way, screaming, 'My friend is dying,'" he said. "I did what I could. I don't know what happened to those girls."

Inside the club, metal barriers meant to organize the lines of people entering and leaving became traps, corralling desperate patrons within yards of the exit. Bodies piled up against the grates, smothered and broken by the crushing mob.

Rizzi was stuck, unable to move, taking in gulps of smoke, feeling the gaseous mix burn his lungs.

He was within seconds of passing out, he said, when the whole frenzied mass suddenly lurched forward. The gates gave way, and everyone toppled over. Rizzi was lying on top of two or three people, several more heaped on top of him. He stuck out his hands, smacking them against the sidewalk and door. Someone pulled him to safety.

"To get out, I climbed, I pulled people's hair. I felt other people grabbing me, hitting me in the face," he said. "It's hard to describe the horror. But once I was outside, I recovered, and started pulling out the others."

Soon, he said, the street was a sea of bodies.

This was the scene 24-year-old Gabriel Barcellos Disconzi found when he arrived about 3:30 a.m., an hour after fire broke out. Wakened by a phone call from friends, the club regular immediately started pulling out bodies as smoke spewed so thick that entering the building was unthinkable.

Using sledgehammers and picks and their bare hands, he and other young men broke down the walls. Born and bred in Santa Maria, the outgoing young lawyer had dozens of friends and acquaintances inside.

"It was all so fast, there was no time for anything, no time for crying over a friend," he said. "It was dead people over here, living over there. Body after body after body."

Both Rizzi and Disconzi were there when they broke into one of the bathrooms and found a tableau of nearly indescribable desperation: It was crammed with bodies, tangled and tossed like dolls, piled as high as Rizzi's chest. In the darkness and confusion, concert-goers had rushed into the bathroom thinking it was an exit. They died, crushed and airless in the dark.

"I'll never forget the wall of people," Rizzi said.

Disconzi helped load them into a truck. Just the dead jammed into that bathroom filled an entire truck, he said.

By this time, the city was waking up to the dimension of the tragedy unfolding at its heart. Doctors, nurses and psychologists began arriving, giving immediate assistance ? checking eyes and respiratory passages, stabilizing the burned, resuscitating those whose hearts had stopped or lungs had failed because of the smoke. The living they loaded into ambulances. The mounting number of dead went into trucks.

At Charity Hospital, the region's largest, "it was a war scene," said Dr. Ronald Bossemeyer, the technical director.

"Trying to give care, comfort the living, and keep family members who started to arrive from overwhelming everything ? it was madness," he said, choking back tears. "The wounded, the doctors, people running with saline, with oxygen. We've never seen so many patients."

As families waited, nurses and technicians ran back and forth, bringing an earring, a shoe, a wallet, anything that could help identify those still living, Bossemeyer said.

As doctors were at work saving those who could be saved, a group of mothers was calling around to check on one another. Elaine Marques Goncalves woke up to that terrible question: Do you know where your child is?

With a jolt, she realized two of her sons, Gustavo and Deivis, had not come home the night before.

"I knew they'd gone to a club, but I didn't know which one," she said. Trying to keep calm, she joined the multitude pressing for news outside the hospital.

Hours later, she got some good news: Gustavo had burns on 20 percent of his body and had suffered two heart attacks as his lungs failed to draw oxygen, but he was alive and being flown to the state capital, Porto Alegre, for treatment.

"I had time to put my hands on him and say, 'My dear, your mother is here with you,'" she said. "He was sedated, but I know he could hear. Then I had to tear myself away and go find my other son."

Hours passed as the dead piled up in the city gym. It took an entire day of anguish before she learned what she'd dreaded most: Deivis was dead.

As he lay there among basketball hoops and water coolers, one body among so many, she asked the questions on everyone's mind.

"How can a club just burn like that? People have to know what happened here," she said. "It won't bring back my son, but I have to ask. This nightclub was beyond capacity. The whole world has to know. Why couldn't they get out?"

____

Associated Press video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M6x0u0Mmtk&list=UU52X5wxOL_s5yw0dQk7NtgA&index=18

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-28-LT-Brazil-Nightclub-Fire/id-ef097be8c0844e2f85b1909b948a34e4

gladys knight private practice deion sanders creutzfeldt jakob disease the lone ranger yu darvish mad cow

Monday, January 28, 2013

Money Problems? Learn More About Personal Bankruptcy | Finance ...

It can be hard to file bankruptcy. It can seem like your financial options are limited. Your future lending requirements will not be permanently hindered by bankruptcy, read on to find out why.

If you are facing a looming tax debt, don?t think that bankruptcy can be your savior. Some filers pay their taxes due with a credit card and then file for bankruptcy. These filers think they?ll never have to actually pay that money back as it is now part of the credit card debt. Remember that even if you use a credit card to pay for your taxes while you file for bankruptcy, you are still going to owe the amount due.

A great tip to implement before filing a bankruptcy claim is to seriously take some personal inventory. What you?re looking for are the bad decisions that led to this particular point in time. Unexpected medical bills is one thing, but blowing money on shopping is another. By understanding the moves you made that brought you to this point, you can begin to correct them. You can begin to implement austerity measures in your life so that you can ultimately being living a more frugal, fiscally-responsible lifestyle.

Write down every debt you have. The list will be a fundamental element of your bankruptcy petition, and therefore it is important not to omit anything. Double check all of your records so that you do not overlook anything. Take your time during this process; don?t rush and make sure all of your figures are correct.

Do what you can to keep your home. Bankruptcy doesn?t always mean you?ll lose your home. Depending on certain conditions, you may very well end up being able to keep your home. Otherwise, look into the homestead exemption which may allow you to stay in your home if you meet financial threshold requirements.

Bankruptcy Process

Joining an online community with people who are also going through the bankruptcy process can be a great way to feel better. The bankruptcy process can be stressful; it can often leave you feeling out of place in the company of your friends. You may share your struggle online and even others who?ve already been through it for advice on coping with the challenges.

It is essential when going through bankruptcy that all of your income and assets are reported openly and honestly. Not hiding any assets or income is essential for avoiding possible penalties and your ability to re-file at some point in the future.

Prior to choosing a bankruptcy attorney, seek a free consultation with at least three attorneys. Always ensure that the person you meet with is a real lawyer, not a legal assistant or paralegal. These people can?t give legal advice. Look for a lawyer who you can relate to.

You should never feel shame for needing to file for bankruptcy. Feelings of low self-worth, shame and guilt are common for those who have come to the point where bankruptcy is their only option. These feelings can cause you to make rash decisions and cause psychological problems. Keep a positive state of mind to deal with your tough financial situation.

When people owe more than what can pay, they have the option of filing for bankruptcy. If this is the case for you, you should begin to investigate the legislation in your state. Each state has their own bankruptcy laws. Your house is safe in certain states; however, in other states, it isn?t. Know what the laws are in your state before filing.

Filing for personal bankruptcy is nothing to be ashamed of. It is common for people to suffer from depression and feelings of failure if they end up needing to file for bankruptcy. It is best to view bankruptcy as a new beginning to your financial life, rather than a failure.

Don?t just let your lawyer do everything. Your lawyer is an expert on bankruptcy, but remember that you are making a decision that could impact the rest of your life. It could be tempting just to entrust everything to your lawyer. But remember, your financial life is at stake here.

Reducing Interest Rates

Look at all of your options prior to deciding to file for bankruptcy. A lawyer that specializes in bankruptcy law can help advise you of other options, such as repayment plans and reducing interest rates to relieve some of the burden. If a foreclosure is on your horizon, look into loan modification plans. The lender is able to help you in a number of ways, such as reducing interest rates, eliminating late charges, and even lengthening the loan, giving you more time to pay. Ultimately, creditors want their money, and many times repayment plans are preferable to a debtor that is bankrupt.

Filing for personal bankruptcy does not mean you are limited in you daily life. Through the saving of money and striving to reestablish your credit, creditors will take this to heart. All you need to do really is start saving your money and rebuild your credit so that you have a chance to get that next loan.

Are you confused by stock exchange? You are not the only one having this problem. The above information should eliminate any questions you have on the subject. This guide should be used as a reference and kept close by, this way you will always have the right knowledge about the subject.

Source: http://thefinancenewstoday.com/2013/01/27/money-problems-learn-more-about-personal-bankruptcy/

miley cyrus amazing race Cam Cameron Ada Lovelace 12/12/12 manny pacquiao Chopper Live

UFC on Fox 6 results: Demetrious Johnson retains title, ?Rampage? loses in Octagon finale

CHICAGO -- The UFC's stop in the Windy City had two great knockouts, a champion holding onto his belt, and the last fight of a one-time champ.

Despite a strong start by John Dodson, Demetrious Johnson held onto his championship belt with a unanimous decision. The judges saw it 48-47, 49-46, 48-47 for Johnson.

Unsurprisingly, Johnson and Dodson fought a fast-paced first two rounds. Johnson tried to slow things down in the first round with a takedown. While he did get Dodson to to the ground, the challenger popped back to his feet quickly.

Dodson dropped Johnson twice in the second round, and shook off Johnson's take down attempts with a great sprawl. Johnson seemed to have a hard time even getting close to Dodson to land a punch.

[Related: T.J. Grant and Ryan Bader shine at UFC on Fox 6]

A Johnson knee in the fourth round caused a small fight stoppage. Dodson's hand was on the ground as Johnson threw a knee to Dodson's head, which is an illegal strike. The bout was stopped as doctors checked Dodson's eye and Johnson was warned. The fight went on, but not without plenty of boos from the crowd in Chicago.

When the fight restarted, it was all Johnson. He controlled Dodson against the cage, and threw knees that busted up Dodson's face. Johnson was able to get a takedown at the beginning of the fifth round, too. Though boos rained down, Johnson kept the fight against the cage.

Later, the crowd got behind him as Johnson elevated, tightened his legs around Dodson's torso and threw elbows. It was a creative move that likely could only happen in the flyweight division. Johnson finished the round with Dodson against the cage, and knee after knee after knee to the body and face.

Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson vs. Glover Teixeira

If this really was Quinton "Rampage" Jackson's last fight in the UFC, it wasn't one to remember. He was outstruck and outwrestled by Glover Teixeira throughout their bout. Teixeira took the fight 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 on the judges' cards.

Teixeira's first round was his best, as he was able to take Jackson down early and mount him and take his back. Late in the round, Teixeira knocked Jackson down with a punch and looked close to finishing, but wasn't able to end the fight.

The rest of the fight featured a worn out Jackson trying to avoid Teixeira's takedown attempts unsuccessfully. Jackson threw some big punches, and even jawed at Teixeira during the bout, but he wasn't able to score any big offense.

While this fight will be remembered for being Jackson's last UFC bout, Teixeira scored his third straight UFC win on Saturday night. He looked impressive against the former champ.

Anthony Pettis vs. Donald Cerrone

Anthony Pettis won his much anticipated bout with Donald Cerrone by landing big, memorable strikes. Pettis was getting the better of their striking exchanges early, which set him up for a big finish. Pettis threw a kick that landed hard on Cerrone's body, then finished with a punch. Cerrone fell to the ground in a heap, and the fight was stopped at 2:35 in the first round.

Pettis lost his first fight in the UFC after coming from the WEC as the champ, but he's been winning ever since. He has wins over Joe Lauzon, Jeremy Stephens and now Cerrone. After the fight, he made a pitch to UFC president Dana White.

"I want my title shot. I should have had it years ago. People say I can?t wrestle because of the Guida fight, but I had a serious shoulder injury. Now I am 100 percent. No one can do in the Octagon what I can do."

While lightweight champion Benson Henderson has a fight set up with Gilbert Melendez, a shot for Pettis isn't unwarranted. It would be a rematch of their WEC title fight, which Pettis won in the promotion's final fight.

Ricardo Lamas vs. Erik Koch

Lamas won the first round by constantly pressuring Koch against the cage. It wasn't exactly the most thrilling round to have start a card on network television, but it led to a thrilling second round. Lamas took advantage of Koch's slip, and then finished the fight with nasty, nasty ground and pound. Lamas started with elbows, then started with strikes that cut open Koch's face. Koch had no answer for Lamas' relentless strikes, and the bout was stopped at 2:32 in the second round.

Lamas thought his performance warranted a title shot.

"I?ve beat Cub Swanson, I?ve beat Hioki and now I?ve beat Koch. All those guys were supposed to be fighting for the title at one point. I beat them all. We?re all here to be world champ and I am no different. I want the winner of Aldo vs Edgar next week. I don?t care who wins, I want the winner."

Related UFC video from Yahoo! Sports:

Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
? Saints? bounty scandal mastermind closes in on another NFL job
? Ray Allen braces for return to Boston
? Bob Costas eulogizes Stan Musial (video)
? N.C. State ends 13-game slide vs. UNC

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-fox-6-results-demetrious-johnson-retains-title-032827859--mma.html

mega ball winning numbers baltimore county current tv megamillions ncaa basketball tournament 2012 megamillions winning numbers lotto winner

alponas: lexie logician: glenkurma: Love Notes Improv ? Ezines ...

OKAY, there, Ive said it. If you are an Internet manager you want visitors to arrive at your site to see what you?ve or even to fund the method at companies. You want to produce a comprehensive opt-in ezine that provides persuasive information that subsequently results in income from the best customer base if you are a web business. When an ezine founder pushes? The principal reason for an electric newspaper (ezine) is always to market a product or service. OKAY, there, Ive said it. You want visitors to come to your website to see what you have or even to account the method at advertisers if you are an Internet publisher. If you?re an online business you desire to produce a comprehensive opt-in ezine that gift suggestions convincing data that in turn results in revenue from an educated client base. When an ezine manager presses too hard or explores procedures that are significantly less than dependable the result is a standing of being fully a spammer. One of the first questions any web business should ask themselves is Why should I develop a business ezine? You may want to rethink your answer you want to provide it a whirl and if the answer is merely because its a tool. Building an ezine can be labor-intensive correlate with a distinct purpose. You need to know what the intent of the ezine is likely to be before you can definitely get things rolling. You?ll probably find it better acquired among your opt-in number if you can form a plan for your ezine. Business owners could mistakenly believe that they ought to create an ezine for marketing purposes and only send whatever data moves them at any given moment. You?ll likely find consumers that opt-in will opt-out in short order if that is your method. It is equally important to respect the value of the time your client-base might spend with your ezine since you comprehend the value of time. The more planning and point to the ezine the higher it?ll be obtained. Look at it in this manner, if you have 1,000 motivated customers on a list that has 5,000 and each individual spends 5 minutes reading the material you send, the accumulated time your customers spend with your ezine is simply over 83 hours or around 3 (24 hour) times. If you send a regular ezine your customers will be likely found by you spending almost half of the season reading your material. To put that in perspective your young ones won?t take school as long as it requires determined clients to collectively read your material. You can do at least ensure it is worth reading if your customers will spend that much time reading your ezine. Develop your own personal material, but dont hesitate to utilize material from other professionals. These details can be obtained through your suppliers and can also be obtained through the use of free-to-use articles available on multiple sites. advanced web ranking review

Source: http://lovenotesimprov.com/2013/01/24/ezines-along-with-client-regard/

born this way foundation lytro camera lytro camera andrew brietbart branson mo monkees songs rail gun

Source: http://glenkurma.blogspot.com/2013/01/love-notes-improv-ezines-along-with.html

lamar d antoni fashion star andrew bird lizzie borden lizzie borden iona

Source: http://lexie-logician.blogspot.com/2013/01/glenkurma-love-notes-improv-ezines.html

macaulay culkin Larry Hagman macys apple apple jcpenney toys r us

Source: http://alponas89.blogspot.com/2013/01/lexie-logician-glenkurma-love-notes.html

match play championship the national enquirer marie colvin cm punk cm punk lint buenos aires train crash

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Harbaugh Parents Could Become Super Bowl TV Stars

NEW YORK ? Jack and Jackie Harbaugh would do well to practice their impassive faces in front of a mirror before the Super Bowl.

The parents of Baltimore Ravens coach John and the San Francisco 49ers' Jim Harbaugh will be watched closely during Sunday's Super Bowl ? if anybody finds them ? for any visual evidence that mommy and daddy really do love one boy or the other best.

It promises to be a fascinating sidebar to CBS' coverage of the game because, as Lynn and Rick Raisman can attest, parent cams are valuable in sports coverage. NBC's clip of the Raismans watching daughter Aly perform on the uneven bars during last summer's Olympics in London went viral, with stage parents everywhere relating to their murmurs and facial contortions.

"I had no idea it was going to be so great," said David Michaels, senior producer at NBC Sports, who often produces and directs coverage of gymnastics and figure skating, events where parental involvement can be particularly intense.

Michaels makes it a point to know where parents are sitting during competitions, tracking them through spotters or sometimes sports governing bodies that know where parent seats have been assigned. Or where they are not sitting: Sometimes a dad who retreats to a concession stand because he can't bear to watch an offspring compete is a good story, too.

Michaels said he tries not to overdo it, sticking with parents who he knows are interesting and very involved in their children's competitive undertakings.

"It has certainly gotten more ubiquitous," he said. "Sometimes it's fantastic and sometimes it's just too gratuitous."

Jack, a former college and high school football coach, and his wife will be attending the Super Bowl. On a conference call last week, the parents said they did not know where they would be sitting. Even if they did, they'd be unlikely to inform a horde of reporters about their seat locations.

The senior Harbaugh was a college head coach at Western Michigan and Western Kentucky and an assistant at several places, including Michigan, Pittsburgh and Stanford. His son-in-law, Tom Crean, is the Indiana University men's basketball coach. It doesn't seem like a family that would want to watch a game casually while piling their plates with nachos.

The couple had a practice run to see what it would be like to watch their sons coach against each other on Thanksgiving 2011, when older brother John's Ravens beat the 49ers 16-6.

During that game, the couple watched in an office. Jack said his wife's face looked "nearly comatose" throughout the contest.

"She just stared at the screen," he said. "Not a word was spoken. And at the end of the game, it was just over."

They'll experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat ? all at once. A 75-yard touchdown pass that would be reason to stand up and cheer for one son is another son's horrible defensive lapse.

"I am going to be neutral in the game," Jackie Harbaugh said. "I know one is going to win and one is going to lose, but I would really like to end in a tie. Can the NFL do that?"

CBS Sports President Sean McManus said there will be a pregame feature about the familial battle. It would be hard to argue otherwise; no matter how much the brothers want to downplay it, it's a unique situation. But McManus said CBS would try not to let it dominate its coverage of the game.

Given the need for the coaches' parents to stay neutral, longtime TV critic David Bianculli said he wondered how much of a story it will be visually for CBS. If they really maintain impassive faces, how much will viewers want to see them on the screen?

"I would advise them to pay attention to the field, more than anything else," said Bianculli, who teaches about television for Rowan University.

A stone face is a story, too, Michaels said. The only question is how much a producer should go back to the shot.

He said he can't imagine CBS not knowing where the couple is. If they're out in public, the network will likely keep a close eye on their reactions.

"As a producer or a director in this kind of a situation, it's incumbent upon you to know where every element of the story is because you never know how it's going to evolve," Michaels said.

Finding the right approach ultimately shouldn't be much of a problem for CBS, he said.

"It's a little bit of a distraction at times," he said. "But they'll figure out the best way to deal with it. The pictures won't lie."

___

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Related on HuffPost:

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/27/harbaugh-parents-super-bowl-stars-tv_n_2562004.html

kashi neil diamond orange crush harden nor easter nor easter ted nugent

How Do Airline CEOs Get Around For Business? ? Civil Aviation ...

I know their time is very valuable, and they need to be available, do they fly on their airlines and get delayed like the rest of us or do they charter business-jets?

I'm sure for personal reasons they can probably afford to go private

58 replies: All unread, showing first 25:
Our CEO (Parker) is frequently seen flying around for both business and leisure. He has been on a couple of my flights. Both times he was in Y, and once with his family. I am sure he gets upgraded more than the average passenger- but in both cases I have seen him just a regular Y seat.
I remember people posting about seeing Richard Anderson on DL flights. My dad saw Bill Ayer (then the CEO of AS) on an AS flight several years ago, flying coach. My dad only realized who it was after the FAs started chatting with him.
Can they fly priority on other airlines? I'm sure there's some gentleman's agreement.
The management team at an airline will be treated like the management team at any other business.

Their time is valuable, and they will take whatever airline gets them to their destination the fastest. I believe Gary Kelly from WN has been seen flying AA out of DFW many time. Business is business.

I'm sure the McDonald's CEO eats at Burger King from time to time. On this website there is this huge fascination with brands and companies, that fascination and insane fanboyism just doesn't exist in the real world, because business is business.

If a CEO can?t fly on the airline they run, they have no business running the airline! They need to be a passenger and see what it?s like. If they don?t like it, why would anyone else?

Rumor has it the reason why O?Hare is getting jetways to remove all hardstands on the F Concourse is because Smisek got stuck out on the ramp in the middle of winter and disliked it so much there are now jetways there.

In the 70s Eddie Carlson at UA would work the flight once on board to talk to employees!

Quoting C767P (Reply 5):
If a CEO can?t fly on the airline they run, they have no business running the airline! They need to be a passenger and see what it?s like. If they don?t like it, why would anyone else?

Because I work for a specific airline, that means I can't buy a ticket on a competitor, to save myself time and add convenience?

I also wait tables on the side for spending cash, does that mean I cannot eat at any other restaurant that competes with the restaurant I work at?

Quoting g500 (Thread starter):
do they fly on their airlines and get delayed like the rest of us

Back in the late 1980s I was on a Hawaiian Air DC-8 flight from Honolulu to Apia, Western Samoa with a stop in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The president of Hawaiian happened to be on the flight in First Class. The plane suffered mechanical problems for several hours in Pago Pago and the president of Hawaiian was delayed along with the rest of us. He stayed on board in First while the rest of the passengers were ushered into the terminal to wait for the plane to be fixed. When we re-boarded quite a few hours later the Hawaiian president, still sitting on board, looked none too pleased. By the way, any passenger who happened to read the in-flight magazine would have noticed the company president was on board as his face was included in the president's message at the front of the magazine.
Quoting jetmatt777 (Reply 4):
I'm sure the McDonald's CEO eats at Burger King from time to time. On this website there is this huge fascination with brands and companies, that ... just doesn't exist in the real world, because business is business.

Exactly. Businessmen will always patronize other establishments and companies within their industry. Sometimes, it's convenience. Sometimes, it's sizing up the competition.
Quoting threeifbyair (Reply 2):
I remember people posting about seeing Richard Anderson on DL flights

He also uses Delta Private Jets as well.
Quoting C767P (Reply 5):
If a CEO can?t fly on the airline they run, they have no business running the airline!

So the CEO of Southwest is never allowed to go to Asia? No airline serves all routes, let along all routes at the time that the CEO might need to go there. At the end of the day, the mission is to get from A to B. If a CEO's own airline flies A to B and gets to B at the time they need to be there, I'm sure they'd default to using their own airline. But if they don't, which is going to happen pretty often in the real world, you take the flight that makes sense.
Quoting C767P (Reply 5):
They need to be a passenger and see what it?s like. If they don?t like it, why would anyone else?

There's a huge difference between *never* flying your own airline and *always* flying your own airline. Any good CEO will "sample" their own product. That doesn't mean they do it 100% of the time they need to travel.

The Boeing corporate jet fleet contains mostly non-Boeing aircraft...this isn't because the management hates Boeing, it's because most of their flying is economically ill suited to Boeing's products.

Tom.

John Leahy has been know to fly aboard a B-747 on his way to make a sale for the A-380 if it got him there in the time period he needed.
Quoting threeifbyair (Reply 2):
I'm sure the McDonald's CEO eats at Burger King from time to time.

agreed, but I have heard reference to any execuitve at Coke ever being sean with a Pepsi being in the dog house with Coke
Quoting bobnwa (Reply 12):
agreed, but I have heard reference to any execuitve at Coke ever being sean with a Pepsi being in the dog house with Coke

This is correct. A coworker of mine went to play soccer with a bunch of Coke employees and he showed up with Gatorade. They made him go get Powerade before playing. Now he shows up with Gatorade in a Powerade bottle. Coke is one example where you may sample the competition but you better damn well not do it in public!
Executives usually get positive space tickets on any flight. Depending on the airline and executives will fly economy or first class. It has more to do with publicity and union relations to have the executives flying coach. In reality, their time and productivity is extremely important and positive space business class is acceptable. No company outside of aviation that I know of sends executives economy, so to keep the executives happy, you need to treat them well, although sometimes the voracious unions don?t see things the same way.

Most international airlines send management employees in business class for international trips. Some will do whatever class is available, but again when you are sending a manager or engineer to a different country to meet with Boeing or Airbus you want them fresh and alert on arrival, so it is best for the company to send them in business class rather than waste productivity having people adjust to jetlag that you get in economy.

Airlines always have 50% or more discounted travel on other airlines. Again time is often most important. If management at United needs to go somewhere that they don?t serve or the route can be cumbersome, they could end up on any airline that they have a reciprocal agreement with. Southwest has some of the best positive space and non-revenue travel agreements.

In the alliance and marketing world you see United, Delta and American as bitter enemies, but in reality the airlines at the management level work together really well. Flying on the competition is something they are willing to do. When it comes to management, contracts and engineering, the airlines work together a lot. You?ll see their engineers sitting side by side and working together at the various industry conferences. They?ll share maintenance successes and failures and talk about how to improve reliability. The reliability engineers all have each others? phone numbers and they work together. Despite what brand loyalty and marketing people push, the airlines do all work together. They share spare parts to save money and they will all reaccommodate and help each other out when they can. While you?ll rarely see Delta handling United above the wing or vice versa, it is very common to have them sharing maintenance resources and contract to each other.

Quoting nwcoflyer (Reply 1):
I am sure he gets upgraded more than the average passenger- but in both cases I have seen him just a regular Y seat.

DL will upgrade any employee/family member/retiree/buddy pass if there's space available. CEO on down to most recently hired. Although, I've heard that RA regularly gives his F seat to uniformed service people. DL serves CDG-JFK, but I took AF because I wanted to add a 773 to my list of flown types. I also took what seemed to be the oldest 737 still flying (WN), SFO-SAN. The ZED program is a terrific benefit to OAL employees.
I was asking because my United flight got delayed 3 hours yesterday

Now I'm sure United's CEO wants to fly on his own airline and promote his airline. But I just don't see him waiting at some gate for 3 hours..

I'm sure United's employees would rather have him available and pay for a Challenger or Gulfstream to fly him to his destination

[Edited 2013-01-25 10:01:27]

Quoting g500 (Reply 16):
I was asking because my United flight got delayed 3 hours yesterday

Now I'm sure United's CEO wants to fly on his own airline and promote his airline. But I just don't see him waiting at some gate for 3 hours..

I'm sure United's employees would rather have him available and pay for a Challenger or Gulfstream to fly him to his destination


Nope, he waits with everyone. However he'll usually have a better idea of the scope of delay, so his rebooking options are much better.

It's good perspective to have him adequately fund preventative maintenance ?

Airline CEOs often fly on their competitors all the time. In fact, doing so is often PREFERRED by the executives so that they can actually work/sleep on the flight instead of have the entire trip turn into a gripe session from the employees. There are times when it is smart for the airline's CEO ot fly on his/her own airline, but for the most part, their travel is time and mission sensitive, so they fly on their competitors to be as discreet as possible.
Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 14):
In the alliance and marketing world you see United, Delta and American as bitter enemies, but in reality the airlines at the management level work together really well. Flying on the competition is something they are willing to do. When it comes to management, contracts and engineering, the airlines work together a lot. You?ll see their engineers sitting side by side and working together at the various industry conferences. They?ll share maintenance successes and failures and talk about how to improve reliability. The reliability engineers all have each others? phone numbers and they work together. Despite what brand loyalty and marketing people push, the airlines do all work together. They share spare parts to save money and they will all reaccommodate and help each other out when they can. While you?ll rarely see Delta handling United above the wing or vice versa, it is very common to have them sharing maintenance resources and contract to each other.

Even ramp agents, moreso at outstations, work with other airlines if they are in a pinch. Towbar gets broken and they need to borrow one, usually more than happy to let them borrow one. Or if we get a charter (or diversion) on an aircraft we are not very familiar with, but another airline is, we'll go ask for some pointers and advice. If their breakroom vending machine has Funyuns and ours doesn't, there's no problem at all to go to their ramp breakroom and buy a bag of Funyuns. People (and really most of it is this website) see this huge rivalry and hate towards other airlines....but on the front line we are all being screwed by the industry, the only difference is the company name. So front line agents usually are also pretty empathetic towards our fellow industry workers, even if they are a "rival" they are by no means an "enemy" at all.

(Unless you cut behind me when I am pushing an airplane back, or push an airplane out to block me in on purpose: you'll be on my hit list for a while)

Quoting seatback (Reply 3):
Can they fly priority on other airlines? I'm sure there's some gentleman's agreement.

Yes, All officers of say AA can fly on any other US carrier. Foreign Im not sure. Herb use to fly AA quite often.

There were stories during the AA labor problems that their top mgmt was flying around on UA, unconfirmed though

Quoting jetmatt777 (Reply 19):
(Unless you cut behind me when I am pushing an airplane back, or push an airplane out to block me in on purpose: you'll be on my hit list for a while)

Or if you work for Virgin America in SFO and want anything from the United guys. Maybe it?s less of a rivalry than it appears, but I?ve heard of UA pilots offloading VX deadheading pilots because they don?t like VX.

Of course I?ve also seen an AA pilot who was deadheading on a VX flight personally help unload all the extra oversized carry on items because the gate staff couldn?t handle them.

Quoting avek00 (Reply 18):
There are times when it is smart for the airline's CEO ot fly on his/her own airline, but for the most part, their travel is time and mission sensitive, so they fly on their competitors to be as discreet as possible.

I?m not sure what airline you are working for, but usually executives that I saw flying were traveling between the hubs for various meetings. On United, you?re going to see Smisek flying between SFO, ORD and IAH a lot. No need to fly the competition. I?m not sure what type of mission sensitive work is being done. Also, Smisek usually tries to relate to the employees and I?ve heard he?s quite gracious when you meet him. You?ll hear about the usual union steward berating, but it?s not that unusual to see the executives talking with the crews while flying.
Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 21):
I?m not sure what airline you are working for, but usually executives that I saw flying were traveling between the hubs for various meetings. On United, you?re going to see Smisek flying between SFO, ORD and IAH a lot. No need to fly the competition. I?m not sure what type of mission sensitive work is being done. Also, Smisek usually tries to relate to the employees and I?ve heard he?s quite gracious when you meet him. You?ll hear about the usual union steward berating, but it?s not that unusual to see the executives talking with the crews while flying.

Smisek himself said he often flies other airlines when traveling for business.
Quoting avek00 (Reply 18):
There are times when it is smart for the airline's CEO ot fly on his/her own airline, but for the most part, their travel is time and mission sensitive, so they fly on their competitors to be as discreet as possible.

Right, because it's better to broadcast those "sensitive missions" to your competitors by flying on their airplanes...

[Edited 2013-01-25 11:46:22]

Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 21):
Or if you work for Virgin America in SFO and want anything from the United guys. Maybe it?s less of a rivalry than it appears, but I?ve heard of UA pilots offloading VX deadheading pilots because they don?t like VX.

A lot of airlines have a way in deciding who gets a free seat and who does not. Own airline captains 1st, then FOs then FAs then managament and other employees then pilots from other airlines. Could have easily been off loaded because a UA pilot needed the ride instead. Even if he got there after the UA pilot gets the seat. Your story can be true. It certainly does happen like pilots from Go Jet or maybe Republic or some of those other regionals some pilots don't like.

As for the "rivarly" between airlines I think that is more of a marketing thing. Sure there are rivals and do business against eachother but at sometimes they do need to work together especially on the front lines at the airport in operations. If they did not help eachother out difficult situations would be even more difficult for everyone.

25 Roseflyer: Smisek says he flies other airlines to get a benchmark on the competition and see what their latest product is like, not to be discreet. I certainly
27 avek00: Broadcasting what, exactly?
28 catiii: I don't know, you said it so you tell us. I read the comment pasted below as you implying these CEO's are on time sensitive and mission sensitive tri
30 EaglePower83: There's been a whole discussion on FlyerTalk about the financial meeting. Apparently SMI/J was asked about how he can be so certain the 787 will draw
31 gigneil: It does not have 10 across seating. NS
33 AADC10: I am sure Smisek also considers UAX and alliance codeshares such as US, LH, and NH as "other airlines." I do not think well known CEOs fly on other c
34 DocLightning: I remember once hearing a CEO of AA (Was it Arpey?) saying that all AA senior management is required to fly a certain number of miles/legs in Y every
35 Roseflyer: True. There have been a lot of Southwest executives flying back and forth to Atlanta from Dallas since the Airtran deal. With no good service on Airt
36 EASTERN747: Top Management usually have agreements with other airlines, and usually it's confirmed F/C, if available. When I was working at DCA in 1970 or so. we
37 gigneil: Its just not true. They do it all the time. Their time is extremely valuable. If I'm the CEO of US Airways, and I need to go to Asia, I'm going to be
38 jet72uk: WW flys BA First. I don't think he eats the food though..........
39 ripcordd: I have seen Richard Branson flying AA ORD-LHR in F. Also the silver can lady(aka male FA) or something close to it was leaking when top managment was
40 incitatus: Not quite sure about this, especially how it works with CEOs. Many companies with revenues in the same league as airlines have travel policies for CE
41 jetmatt777: I'm not referring directly to travel policy, but policy on using a competitor's products.
43 cmf: I know several. IKEA is probably the biggest. For a meeting like that I send them in the day before and they get a nights sleep at a hotel. Not becau
44 displane: Back in the late 90's/early 2000's, UA CEO's would fly company passes, positive space, priority. You can be rest assured that local management were th
45 C767P: When I said a CEO needs to fly on the airline they work for I did not use the words ?exclusive? or ?always.? I personally believe that if the
46 type-rated: I thought all this friendliness went away with deregulation. The way you describe it, that's the way it used to be before deregulation.
47 Flighty: Yes, they do. Okay, but we are talking about what airlines do. You're right -- CEO travel justifies many measures. Yes. Airline CEOs fly positive spa
48 JAAlbert: Anymore, long haul coach is so uncomfortable, I can't imagine an airline seating its management teams in the back of the plane. I am self employed and
50 F9animal: Bill Ayer from Alaska has flown of Frontier a few times. Business is business.
51 jfk777: Herb Kelleher used to fly AA when he had to go from DFW to New York to see his bankers and lawyers.
52 FlyHossD: I've heard from a couple of different and normally reliable sources that some of the senior UCH management sometimes use NetJets. That seems prudent
54 CapEd388: Even then, the rivalry isnt very "bitter". That is something that I have always found kind of cool in the airline industry. You rarely see airlines a
56 avek00: Airline CEOs and senior executives are, as a class, significantly undercompensated relative to executive peers in other industries. This probably inf
57 captainstefan: Heaven forbid you show up to work with any stitch of blue on your clothes.... (speaking from experience). Back on topic, it cracks me up to see every
Top Of Page
Forum Index

Source: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/5671802/

whcd 2012 nfl draft kevin durant jazz fest zurich classic selena lamichael james

Saturday, January 26, 2013

The Strokes Strike Back With 'One Way Trigger'

The band premiered the brand-new, synth-heavy song on Friday, to the surprise of pretty much everybody.
By James Montgomery


Julian Casablancas of The Strokes
Photo: Shirlaine Forrest/Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700818/the-strokes-one-way-trigger.jhtml

best picture nominees 2012 academy awards 2012 albert nobbs a star is born oscar nominees oscar nominations 2012 kombucha tea

Photos: Violence marks anniversary of Egypt uprising

An Egyptian protester evacuates an injured boy during clashes near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. Two years after Egypt's revolution began, the country's schism was on display Friday as the mainly liberal and secular opposition held rallies saying the goals of the pro-democracy uprising have not been met and denouncing Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

An Egyptian protester evacuates an injured boy during clashes near Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. Two years after Egypt's revolution began, the country's schism was on display Friday as the mainly liberal and secular opposition held rallies saying the goals of the pro-democracy uprising have not been met and denouncing Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/protests-mark-egypt-uprising-anniversary-slideshow/

shaka smart hungergames bagpipes aspirin aspirin 21 jump street illinois primary results

Samsung 4Q profits top forecasts on Galaxy sales

(AP) ? Samsung Electronics Co. said fourth-quarter profits soared a better-than-expected 76 percent, boosted by the popularity of its Galaxy smartphones.

But the company expects earnings during the current quarter to decline due to seasonally low demand for consumer electronics. It is also leaving its 2013 capital expenditure at the same level as last year, underlining the uncertainty in the demand outlook and concerns about rapidly declining demand for personal computers.

Samsung's shares fell about 1 percent after earnings release.

Net income for the final quarter of 2012 reached 7.04 trillion won ($6.58 billion), a 76 percent surge of 4.01 trillion won a year earlier. Analysts had expected 6.95 trillion won in income, according to FactSet. Sales rose 19 percent over a year earlier to 56.06 trillion won and operating income jumped 89 percent to 8.84 trillion won.

Increased sales of smartphones were the key source of its stellar profit. Samsung, which overtook Apple Inc. as the top smartphone maker last year, said its operating profit from the division that makes and sells smartphones and tablets more than doubled to 5.44 trillion won in the fourth quarter, from 2.56 trillion won a year earlier.

Most analysts believe the Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung shipped more than 60 million smartphones, including the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, during the three months ending in December, which would put the year's smartphone sales at more than 200 million. Apple said it sold 47.8 million iPhones in the quarter.

The company's component divisions that make semiconductor products and display panels also benefited from a rise in demand for smartphones. Sales of mobile processors that power popular devices such as Apple's iPhones and Samsung's own Galaxy smartphones boosted the bottom line.

The recovery in the display panel division was also led by strong sales of advanced mobile-phone screens called OLED, which are mostly found in high-end Samsung smartphones. The display division posted 1.11 trillion won in profit compared with a small loss a year earlier.

Analysts said Samsung will likely see a continued rise in smartphone sales this year, especially in low- and mid-priced models where it sees no competition from Apple. They forecast Apple, which keeps its iPhone price high, will see iPhone sales plateau in coming years as more consumers snap up cheaper phones and more variety in screen sizes.

Bullish analysts, including Young Park at Woori Securities, forecast Samsung smartphone shipments to rise as much as 50 percent this year from 2012 to over 300 million units.

Market researcher ABI Research said last month that Samsung's 2012 smartphone market share topped 30 percent. In comparison, it said Apple's market share will peak at 22 percent in 2013 and remain flat through 2018, seeing a widening gap with Samsung.

Still, Apple's business has been more profitable because of the high price of the iPhone, which generates a larger profit per sales. Samsung, which makes dozens of handset models a year and customizes them for mobile operators, also sells cheaper smartphones and spends about three times more on expenses such as marketing and advertising costs to promote its Galaxy brand televisions.

Even though Samsung's smartphone shipments will likely go up this year, most analysts agree that it will become harder to keep up high profits, as smartphones become more affordable and competition, especially from China, increases.

Samsung, which is expected to introduce a new flagship smartphone in its Galaxy S series as early as April, said consumers seeking to replace its current handset and get a faster wireless connection through LTE network will drive the demand. Part of its strategy to command higher prices from consumers has been adding new hardware features, such as a digital pen in the Galaxy Note series.

Samsung's flexible display technology, which allows tablet computers to fold into mobile phones or bend the edge of the screen, represents an effort to make its products stand out from others. But such technology, which was shown in public earlier this month in Las Vegas, will still need more time for mass production.

Samsung said its profit will be hurt by unfavorable foreign exchange rates this year. Robert Yi, head of Samsung's investor relations, said the negative impact from the foreign exchange rates will exceed 3 trillion won ($2.8 billion), with the loss largely coming from the firm's exposure to the euro.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-24-SKorea-Earns-Samsung%20Electronics/id-ac2e27885a3343eeb60072f2e9d89fde

raiders Demi Lovato iOS 6 Features big brother Shakira iOS 6 bank of america