49ers Win NFC West Title With 27-13 Victory Over Cardinals

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano acknowledges the fans after walking onto the field before an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. Pagano is back as coach after nearly three months of treatments for leukemia. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Chuck Pagano

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is greeted by family members after walking onto the field before an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. Pagano is back as coach after nearly three months of treatments for leukemia. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Chuck Pagano

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, right, is hugged by general manager Ryan Grigson after walking onto the field before an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Chuck Pagano

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano signs autographs for fans before an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Chuck Pagano

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano watches as the Colts prepare for an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Chuck Pagano, Bruce Arians

Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano, right, watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. Offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, left, looks on. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Chan Gailey

Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey, second from left, and Bills players stand on the sidelines during a remembrance for the West Webster Fire Department firefighters who were ambushed while responding to a house fire on Dec. 24th before an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)

Domenik Hixon

New York Giants wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan (12), Spencer Paysinger (52) and Domenik Hixon (87) greet a contingent of teachers, parents, and students from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., before an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. The school was the site of a mass shooting on Dec. 14. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan)

Rueben Randle, Nnamdi Asomugha

New York Giants wide receiver Rueben Randle (82) catches a pass as Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (24) defends during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Matt Schaub

Houston Texans' Matt Schaub (8) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Mike Williams

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams (19) makes a touch-down catch during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Andy Dalton

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) passes against the Baltimore Ravens in the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)

Justin Blackmon, Tommie Campbell

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon (14) beats Tennessee Titans defensive back Tommie Campbell (37) to the end zone to score a touchdown on a 30-yard pass play in the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Joe Howell)

Mike Smith

Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith speaks with Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Harry Douglas (83) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

DeAngelo Williams

Carolina Panthers' DeAngelo Williams (34) breaks away for a 65-heard run during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

LaRon Landry, C.J. Spiller

New York Jets free safety LaRon Landry (30) moves in for a tackle on Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller (28) during the first half an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Reggie Wayne, Glover Quin

Indianapolis Colts' Reggie Wayne (87) is tackled by Houston Texans' Glover Quin (29) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Kyle Wilson, C.J. Spiller

New York Jets cornerback Kyle Wilson (20) tries to run down Buffalo Bills running back C.J. Spiller (28) during the first half an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Chris Crocker, Jacoby Jones

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals strong safety Chris Crocker (33) after a short gain in the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Jason Snelling,Mark Barron

Atlanta Falcons fullback Jason Snelling (44) runs as Tampa Bay Buccaneers strong safety Mark Barron (24) makes the tackle during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Danieal Manning, Dwayne Allen

Indianapolis Colts' Dwayne Allen (83) is tackled by Houston Texans' Danieal Manning (38) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Mark Sanchez, Kyle Williams

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez (6) is pressured by Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams (95) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Bill Wippert)

Andrew Luck, Whitney Mercilus

Indianapolis Colts' Andrew Luck (12) throws while pressured by Houston Texans' Whitney Mercilus (59) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Chris Johnson

Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson (28) celebrates after scoring a touchdown on a 2-yard run against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Lawrence Timmons, Thad Lewis

Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons (94) hits Cleveland Browns quarterback Thad Lewis as Lewis passes in the first quarter an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

Joe Flacco

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) passes against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Ben Roethlisberger, Jabaal Sheard

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) passes over Cleveland Browns defensive end Jabaal Sheard (97) in the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

Jordan Shipley

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jordan Shipley runs untouched into the end zone as he scores a touchdown on a 5-yard pass play against the Tennessee Titans in the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

LeSean McCoy

Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (25) stiff-arms New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (90) during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Coby Fleener

Indianapolis Colts' Coby Fleener reacts after scoring on a 1-yard touchdown reception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Matthew Stafford, Julius Peppers

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) looks downfield while chased by Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers (90) during the first quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

T.Y. Hilton, Quintin Demps

Indianapolis Colts' T.Y. Hilton (13) makes a 70-yard touchdown reception against Houston Texans' Quintin Demps (27) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Henry Hynoski

New York Giants fullback Henry Hynoski (45) catches a pass for a touchdown as Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (23) defends him during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Russell Wilson

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson passes during warm-ups before an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Tom Brady

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shouts as he takes the field before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Louis Murphy, Johnny Patrick

New Orleans Saints' Johnny Patrick (32) breaks up a pass intended for Carolina Panthers' Louis Murphy (83) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Muhammad Wilkerson

Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) throws a pass under as New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson (96) tries to make a tackle during the second half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert)

Deji Karim

Indianapolis Colts' Deji Karim, left, runs back a kickoff 101-yards for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Antonio Brown

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) makes a catch for a touchdown in the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Antonio Brown, Leonard Pope

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) and tight end Leonard Pope (45) celebrate after Brown made a touchdown catch in the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Andy Dalton, Dannell Ellerbe

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) avoids a sack by Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)

Zach Brown, Tommie Campbell, Toney Clemons

Tennessee Titans linebacker Zach Brown (55) intercepts a pass intended for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Toney Clemons (17) in the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Nashville, Tenn. Brown ran the interception back 30 yards for a touchdown. Also defending is Titans' Tommie Campbell (37). (AP Photo/Joe Howell)

Ryan Tannehill

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill warms up before an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Doug Martin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin (22) runs the ball alone on his way for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Will Heller, Major Wright

Detroit Lions tight end Will Heller (89), defended by Chicago Bears strong safety Major Wright (21), falls into the end zone for a touchdown during the third quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Asante Samuel

Atlanta Falcons cornerback Asante Samuel (22) reacts to an interception he made against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Will Heller, Calvin Johnson

Detroit Lions tight end Will Heller (89) is congratulated by teammate wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) after his touchdown during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

Arian Foster

Houston Texans' Arian Foster (23) celebrates with his teammates following a 13-yard touchdown run during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Eli Manning

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) reacts after throwing a toucdown pass to Rueben Randle during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Greg Little

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Greg Little (15) makes a catch in the back of the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Thad Lewis, James Harrison

Cleveland Browns quarterback Thad Lewis (9) throws for a touchdown pass as Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison (92) applies pressure in the third quarter of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. Harrison was penalized for roughing the passer on the play. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/30/49ers-nfc-west-title-cardinals_n_2386333.html

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2012 predictions in technology ? psychic or science? | Skeptoid

At year?s end it is kind of skeptical tradition to go over various psychic predictions for that year. Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast does it, and invariably these predictions are either super-wrong or the prediction was so vague to begin with that one can always count a ?hit?. Furthermore, when psychics invent a lot of predictions over multiple years, then by chance one will be correct eventually. Helped by confirmation bias?(1), this ensures their ?success? and popularity.

But psychics are not the only ones making predictions. There are tons of so-called and self-proclaimed ?trend watchers?, ?marketing experts? and other ?technical guru?s? who also do their best to ?predict? the coming year. Sometimes their predictions are based on the best of available knowledge, but in my opinion their predictions are still mostly guesses.

I don?t really know if Mark Anderson from Strategic News Service is one of them. An old school friend, now Professor at Vlerick Business School, brought him to my attention. My skeptical senses started to tingle at the description on their website of ?most accurate predictive letter in computing?, with claims of interaction with global thought leaders like Bill Gates. That smells a little fishy to me.

But at least he is honest enough to leave his past predictions online (and for free, not behind a pay wall), so let?s judge on merits. I will score his Top 10 predictions for 2012, as published in December of 2011. I will judge ?specifics? of predictions (how vague), with each time a small comment to see if it?s a hit or a miss.

Theme for the Year [2012]: ?Integrating Everything?

No problem here. Vague enough that one can claim to be correct, but also not very difficult to predict.

I. TV Becomes the New Center of Gravity in the tech universe, as all?other devices find their niches in the TV galaxy.

Specific: low. Although the accompanying text mentions Microsoft and Apple, it remains very generic. Small risk taken by mentioning TV devices, but sufficiently padded by referring to other devices who will stream TV content.

Miss. Apple didn?t bring out their Apple TV version hinted at in the biography of the late Steve Jobs. Microsoft?s Kinect is a moderate success (but not completely), but that was already the case in 2011. Not very good as a prediction then. 0 %.

II. 2012 Will See Tectonic Shifts in Phone Markets.

This one was split up in three different predictions: Nokia failing and the role of Asian manufacturers, unlicensed Android versions, domination of cellphone market by smartphones.

Specific: overall rather specific predictions, mentioning several companies by name. Furthermore, in comparison with the previous prediction, no weasel words like ?if? and ?qualified? success.

Partial hit, but not very impressive. Nokia did indeed continue to lose market share, and Android gained. But as clear from this graph?from 2011, that was already the case before, so not impressive as a prediction. The reference to unlicensed Android versions seems in my opinion a miss (although they exist), and the smartphone dominating the cellphone market is a hit, although 46% is not really ?dominating?. 50% but points lost on added value of prediction.

?III. Clouds Are for Consumers (and Startups).

Specific: rather low, as there are no specific companies mentioned. Extra points however for mentioning that (bigger) enterprises will stay away from clouds.

Although it is not really my area of expertise, I consider this a hit. After some research and anecdotical evidence, it seems indeed that smaller companies (but not only startups) are considering or actually moving into the cloud, but bigger companies not yet, for the reasons mentioned by Anderson. 100 %.

IV. Security Splits the Tech World in Two, finally getting Front of Mind?(and wallet) attention from CEOs

Specific: vague and not really understandable paragraph about companies owning intellectual property rights going after patent infringers. No actual companies or technology areas mentioned.

Somewhat a hit, as 2012 saw a continuation of various court battles between for instance the different mobile tech firms. Some concluded with some hefty verdicts (fines and interdictions), but no prediction of that, only of increasing spending on those patent defenses. 75% with points lost on failing to see the (intermediate) conclusion of several court battles.

?V. SIRI [Apple iOS virtual assistant] Stuns the World.

Specific: rather vague. Although the title suggests a success for Siri, the actual explanation shows a horde of copycats arriving, with reference to ?niches?, whatever that means.

I chalk this one up as a fail. Siri is impressive and indeed a number of copies have appeared that seem to perform ok. I do not get the impression this is a big game changer that got a lot of media attention. They are still in the phase of ?gimmick? that is nice to show off, but nothing more. 0%

?VI. We Enter the Amazing World of Dave and HAL, as Voice Recognition?comes of age.

Specific: a bit vague by referring to several companies and applications. However, rather specific on the part of technology, so overall ok.

Miss. Although more and more available, the ending statement ?By the end of this year, talking to machines in a normal voice will not seem?unusual, nor be the cause of unending frustration? is simply wrong. Anyone who disagrees may come to my house and test it on our new car. 0%.

VII. E-Readers Prosper, but Pads Continue to Dominate the CarryAlongMarket.

Specific: ok, mentioning specific technologies, products and companies.

Partial hit. E-readers have become more popular (and in my opinion rightly so), and Amazon indeed made it difficult for Apple (though not only with their Fire line). However, Apple did not make its iPads cheaper, it produced a smaller one to compete with other companies (like Samsung) on the smaller tablet market. Failing to see this specific evolution, and the rise of smaller Android tables, is responsible for only a final score of 50%. And even that is?probably too generous.

VIII. The Consumption World Explodes.

Specific: very low. A lot of potential evolution gets thrown out, ?new devices, new?content, new bundles, new connection techniques, new distribution channels,?new aggregators, new pads, new phones, ?? and on and on.

I count this as a miss. Yes, some new (and impressive) smartphones appeared, and the internet continued to evolve. But given the failure of Facebook?s IPO (in contrast to ?new consumption models riding on social networks?) we are not (yet?) in an exploding consumption world. The mentioned technologies are so vague, and really carpet bomb the entire technology spectrum, that I fail to be impressed. 0%.

IX. Governments and Corporations Focus on IP as though it were their?most prized asset. It is.

Specific: rather specific, mentioning that nations would get involved defending copyright infringement.

This is a partial hit. Although indeed governments have pushed for more strict rules, both in the US and in Europe, it is not considered ?act of military aggression?. Also, several efforts were stricken down by amazing citizen efforts (mailing parliaments and congress etc), so failing to foresee that specific evolution. 40%, as there are some correct references to being unable to track actual infringements (true but nothing new).

X. Amazon Gets It All.

Specific: very specific, mentioning Amazon and different products / content that it will deliver. ?Amazon will have a terrific year?.

I?m a bit torn to give this a full hit. Yes, Amazon did not do bad, given the correct economic situation. Especially on cloud services (not explicitly mentioned by Anderson), e-books and content did Amazon do quite well. On the other hand, Q3 sales were down, and there was less profit. Anderson references ?long-lived, profitable business lines?, but seems to be overshooting it. Nevertheless 70% for making specific predictions, which were true in several cases.

Conclusion: Overall there is a 38,5% hit rate. That is not bad, but some of these predictions were not hard to foresee. Moreover, given a lot of vague or carpet-bombing approaches (for which I subtracted points), I?m really not convinced by their motto ?most accurate predictive? newsletter. I do appreciate some very specific predictions (where it is a lot easier to be wrong), and of course keeping these predictions available for free, and not behind the very expensive pay wall.

Anderson does not seem to be in the same range as the psychics, but my first reaction seems justified nevertheless. There are some parallels with psychic predictions. On the other hand, he is considered a sort of ?technology guru?. As my friend pointed out in a discussion over Twitter, he?s more of a ?market maker?. There is a chance that certain evolutions will happen because he mentions them (assuming he really has the high-profile audience he claims). But I found him lacking on several critical points, or being too optimistic (e.g. on voice recognition). All in all, in my opinion, not worth the full subscription price of $ 200 per quarter.

Since the predictions of 2013 are still behind the pay wall, we?ll have to wait and see next year what he predicted. In any case, dear reader, my wishes are certain and not open to interpretation: I wish you all the best, and hope you have a good one.

?

Note (1): This is a reference to one of the skeptical lemma?s on Wikipedia. Are you interested in improving the content and quality of Wikipedia on skeptical and fringe topics? Then check out Susan Gerbic?s ?Guerilla Skepticism on Wikipedia?, and lend these fine volunteers a helping hand.

Source: http://skeptoid.com/blog/2012/12/30/2012-predictions-in-technology-psychic-or-science/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2012-predictions-in-technology-psychic-or-science

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The 10 Most Important Gadgets of 2012

OK, 2012 wasn't the greatest year for tech, but it wasn't a total bust either. Wade through the glut of comically oversized phones, tiny tablets and fruit company refreshes, and you're bound to come across a few shiny needles in that crummy haystack. Here, in no particular order, are the 10 most important gadgets of the year. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/3ow1CkVZIRk/

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Bolivia expropriates Spanish energy subsidiaries

Marked with signs reading: "Nationalized," soldiers stand guard outside the offices of Electropaz, an electricity distribution subsidiary of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola, in La Paz, Bolivia, Saturday, Dec. 29. 2012. Bolivia's President Evo Morales issued a decree Saturday allowing the takeover of shares in Electropaz and Empresa de Luz y Fuerza de Oruro (Elfeo), which supply energy in the Andean nation. The decree read by Morales also calls for Iberdrola to receive indemnification after an independent firm is hired within 180 days to determine the value of the nationalized shares. (AP Photo)

Marked with signs reading: "Nationalized," soldiers stand guard outside the offices of Electropaz, an electricity distribution subsidiary of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola, in La Paz, Bolivia, Saturday, Dec. 29. 2012. Bolivia's President Evo Morales issued a decree Saturday allowing the takeover of shares in Electropaz and Empresa de Luz y Fuerza de Oruro (Elfeo), which supply energy in the Andean nation. The decree read by Morales also calls for Iberdrola to receive indemnification after an independent firm is hired within 180 days to determine the value of the nationalized shares. (AP Photo)

The exterior of Spanish energy company Iberdrola is seen, in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. President Evo Morales has nationalized electricity distribution subsidiaries of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola. Morales issued a decree Saturday allowing the takeover of shares in Empresa de Electricidad de La Paz (Electropaz) and Empresa de Luz y Fuerza de Oruro (Elfeo), which supply energy in the Andean nation. Soldiers guarded the installations of the electricity distribution companies, marked with signs reading: "Nationalized". (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

In this photo released by Bolivia's Presidency Press Office, Bolivia's President Evo Morales signs a decree allowing the takeover of shares in Empresa de Electricidad de La Paz (Electropaz) and Empresa de Luz y Fuerza de Oruro (Elfeo), Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera at the government palace in La Paz, Bolivia, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. The decree read by Morales also calls for Iberdrola to receive indemnification after an independent firm is hired within 180 days to determine the value of the nationalized shares. Bolivia's Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera is pictured at left. (AP Photo/Presidency Press Office, Jose Lirauze)

Military police stand guard outside Transportadora de Electricidad belonging to Spanish company Red Electrica in La Paz, Bolivia, Saturday, Dec. 29. 2012. Bolivia's President Evo Morales nationalized the company in May, which controlled 74 percent of energy transmission in Bolivia. Morales nationalized electricity distribution subsidiaries of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola, Saturday, and issued a decree allowing the takeover of shares in Empresa de Electricidad de La Paz (Electropaz) and Empresa de Luz y Fuerza de Oruro (Elfeo), which supply energy in the Andean nation. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

The exterior of Spanish energy company Iberdrola is seen, in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. President Evo Morales has nationalized electricity distribution subsidiaries of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola. Morales issued a decree Saturday allowing the takeover of shares in Empresa de Electricidad de La Paz (Electropaz) and Empresa de Luz y Fuerza de Oruro (Elfeo), which supply energy in the Andean nation. Soldiers guarded the installations of the electricity distribution companies, marked with signs reading: "Nationalized". (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) ? President Evo Morales nationalized the Bolivian electricity distribution subsidiaries of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola in a public ceremony Saturday.

Morales issued a decree allowing the takeover of shares in Empresa de Electricidad de La Paz (Electropaz) and Empresa de Luz y Fuerza de Oruro (Elfeo), which supply energy in this Andean nation.

Soldiers guarded the installations of the electricity distribution companies, marked with signs reading: "Nationalized."

In the ceremony at Bolivia's government palace, Morales also announced the expropriation of an investment management company and a service provider belonging to the Spanish energy giant.

Morales said he had "been forced to take this step" to ensure that electric service rates remain "equitable" in the regions of La Paz and Oruro.

The Spanish government said in a statement that it regretted Bolivia's decision to nationalize companies that included "Spanish, Argentine and American companies among its shareholders."

Spain said it hoped "the process of assessing the value of the nationalized company is done with high standards of objectivity that would establish the just compensation to which shareholders are entitled."

Telephone calls and emails seeking comment from Iberdrola in Spain were not immediately answered.

The decree read by Morales calls for Iberdrola to receive indemnification after an independent firm is hired within 180 days to determine the value of the nationalized shares.

Morales in May also nationalized Transportadora de Electricidad belonging to Spanish company Red Electrica, which controlled 74 percent of energy transmission in Bolivia.

In his first year in office in 2006, the Bolivian president nationalized the oil industry through a renegotiation of contracts with a dozen oil companies, including Repsol, Petrobras, BG and Total.

In 2009 Morales transferred to state control the country's largest telephone operator, which had been controlled by Italy's ETI, and in 2010 he did the same with the four largest power generators, which had belonged to French-owned Suez, Rurelec of Britain and Bolivian shareholders.

___

Associated Press writer Harold Heckle in Madrid contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-29-Bolivia-Spain-Expropriations/id-b7cf688ec38e432aab9596e8d2c0ba5a

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Former National Security Advisers Defend Chuck Hagel (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273179842?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Twitter users flaunt guns brought by Santa: 'I'll shoot more than my eye out'

3 hrs.

Rosa Golijan , NBC News

Last year, much of the Web's post-Christmas ire was directed at Twitter users who, like ungrateful brats, complained that Santa brought the wrong color iPhone?or failed to deliver a car. This year, Internet denizens are upset that some people?are?bragging about their new guns???on Twitter and Instagram.

In the wake of?the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.,??gun control has once again?become a topic of national debate. Yet?the?controversy?isn't preventing those who are excited about the?firearms Santa brought from joyfully posting about them on social media.

No matter which side of the gun control debate you're on, these images ??first noticed by?the Verge's T.C. Sottek?and?the Atlantic Wire's Rebecca Greenfield?? could?make you uncomfortable.?There are plenty of men and women ? some who appear to be teenagers???who appear to be disregarding the NRA's three fundamental?rules of gun safety, particularly keeping fingers away from triggers, and pointing the guns only in safe directions. It's especially problematic?since these posts are often accompanied by the #NRA hashtag.

Not that the recipients seem to care.?"I got just what I wanted," one Twitter user wrote. "An Armalite semi-automatic AR-15 rifle. It's like the Christmas Story, but I'll shoot more than my eye out."

"Aw what a nice #assultRifle #santa left me haha (plus a box of 1200 bullets)," the caption on a young woman's Instagram photo said,?next to the image of a rifle resting on the hearth?next to a pile of wrapped Christmas gifts. (The girl later claimed, in a comment under her own post, that the gun was her dad's.)

Another Instagram user proudly posed in what appear to be fur-lined boots and a fur vest while holding her prized present. "Furs & Guns," she writes, "yes, it was a red-neck Christmas."

Searches for hashtags such as #AR15, #NRA, #Bushmaster, #gun and #SecondAmendment reveal plenty of photos of folks posing with their new firearms in front of Christmas trees and declaring how much they love their gifts.

One does have to wonder whether we'd pay as much attention to these images if it weren't for the recent national?focus on firearms and the anticipation of tighter gun control measures. It's also worth asking if this apparent?surge in gun pride isn't a side effect?of the Newtown?tragedy as well.?As a prior report points out, while "a spike in gun?sales is common after a mass shooting," and "the latest rampage has generated record sales in some states."

Between those sales statistics and social media's never-ending?craving for drama, perhaps it was inevitable that last year's whiny gift?recipients?surrendered the spotlight to this year's gift-wrapped rifles.

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/twitter-users-flaunt-guns-brought-santa-ill-shoot-more-my-1C7659316

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Hawaii lieutenant governor picked to fill Inouye's Senate seat

HONOLULU (AP) ? Hawaii's lieutenant governor and former head of President Obama's 2008 election effort there has been named the state's newest U.S. senator, a choice that went against the dying wish of revered longtime Sen. Daniel Inouye.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie appointed Brian Schatz to the post Wednesday, instead of Inouye choice U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa.

The 40-year-old Schatz, a former state representative and onetime chairman of the state Democratic party, said his top priorities would be addressing global climate change, preserving federal funds used in Hawaii for things like defense spending and transportation, and getting federal recognition for Native Hawaiians for forming their own government, similar to many Indian tribes.

Schatz, who ran with Abercrombie for the state's top two offices in 2010, beat out Hanabusa and Esther Kiaaina, a deputy director in the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.

The three candidates were selected by state Democrats Wednesday morning from a field of 14. The candidates briefly made their cases before the state party's central committee.

"No one can fill Sen. Daniel K. Inouye's shoes, but what we want to do today is find the right person to walk in his footsteps," Schatz told the committee.

"I want to be your senator because I believe Hawaii needs seniority, and we need someone who can build it up over decades and decades. And I pledge to you, if I'm given this opportunity and obligation to serve, I will try to make this my life's work and rebuild the tenure that Hawaii so desperately needs," he said.

The White House said Schatz would fly to Washington Wednesday night with Obama, who was returning from his Hawaii Christmas vacation early as Congress considers what to do about the so-called fiscal cliff.

Schatz could be sworn in as early as Thursday, which would make him Hawaii's senior senator. Hawaii's other senator, Daniel Akaka, is retiring at the end of this Congress after 22 years.

Even before winning the 2010 general election, Abercrombie expressed faith in Schatz, saying he would put him in charge of attracting more private and federal investment in Hawaii. Other responsibilities included leading the state's clean energy efforts and Asia-Pacific relations.

"To the people of Hawaii, I can assure you this: I will give every fiber of my being to doing a good job for the state of Hawaii," Schatz told a news conference in Honolulu. "We have a long and perhaps difficult road ahead of us, but we can succeed if we work together. I understand the magnitude of this obligation and this honor, and I won't let you down."

Inouye, by far Hawaii's most influential politician and one of the most respected lawmakers in Washington after serving five decades in the Senate, died last week of respiratory complications at the age of 88. He sent Abercrombie a hand-signed letter dated the day he died, saying he would like Hanabusa to succeed him, calling it his "last wish."

Four days after eulogizing Inouye in the courtyard of the Hawaii Capitol, Abercrombie said he had to consider more than just Inouye's wishes in filling his seat.

"Of course Sen. Inouye's views and his wishes were taken into account fully, but the charge of the central committee, and by extension then myself as governor, was to act in the best interests of the party ... the state and the nation," Abercrombie said.

"The law makes explicitly clear, as do the rules of the Democratic Party, that while everyone's voice is heard and everyone's view is taken into account, nonetheless, no one and nothing is preordained."

Under state law, the successor had to come from the same party as the prior incumbent. An Abercrombie spokeswoman said the governor did not feel any political pressure from within his party to make the choice he made.

"While we are very disappointed that it was not honored, it was the governor's decision to make," Jennifer Sabas, Inouye's chief of staff, said in a statement. "We wish Brian Schatz the best of luck."

Selecting Hanabusa, 61, would have required a special election in Hawaii's 1st Congressional District. Last time that happened, Hanabusa lost to Republican Charles Djou because of a winner-take-all format that split votes between Democrats.

Abercrombie said the possibility of a special election was a factor, as well as Hanabusa's "key position" on the House Armed Services Committee. The governor said she was on her way toward establishing a senior position on that panel, and it's important for Hawaii ? with its four-member delegation ? to establish seniority in both chambers.

Schatz will serve until an election is held in 2014. He said he will run for re-election to try to keep the Senate seat until 2016 ? the end of Inouye's original term ? and would run again for Senate in 2016 if given the chance.

Hanabusa congratulated Schatz in a statement.

"Having served as chair of the Hawaii Senate Judiciary Committee when the succession law was passed, I fully respect the process and the governor's right to appoint a successor," she said.

Last week, when Abercrombie announced he would not seek the seat himself, his spokeswoman Louise Kim McCoy said Abercrombie intends to make his current post as Hawaii governor the last office of his political career.

Inouye would be "very happy" with the choice, Hawaii Democratic Party chairman Dante Carpenter said. Schatz has less experience than some older politicians in the Senate but he will be building seniority, which is "critical" to the state of Hawaii, he said.

"In the words of Sen. Dan Inouye ? invoked more than once ? seniority in the United States Congress is everything," Carpenter said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had urged Abercrombie to name Inouye's successor before the end of the year. The next Congress begins Jan. 3.

Democratic Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, was elected in November to succeed Akaka.

First in line to replace Schatz as lieutenant governor is Senate President Shan Tsutsui, who said he planned to discuss the prospect with his family before deciding.

___

Becky Bohrer can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bbohrerap.

___

Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hawaii-lieutenant-gov-picked-fill-senate-seat-000914007--election.html

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(Un) Perfect Holiday Cards

We didn?t send out holiday cards this year. I really, really wanted to, but I just never ended up with that perfect shot that said ?my family might be slightly dysfunctional, but just look how adorable they are!!?

Looking back at my pictures, however, I did end up with quite a few that pretty accurately illustrate my family from this past year?

?

Kind of wishing we?d captured that perfect family shot instead.

Source: http://www.scarymommy.com/un-perfect-holiday-cards/

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Pro-gun rights petition U.S. to deport CNN's Piers Morgan

LONDON (AP) ? Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for British CNN host Piers Morgan to be deported from the U.S. over his gun control views.

Morgan has taken an aggressive stand for tighter U.S. gun laws in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting. Last week, he called a gun advocate appearing on his "Piers Morgan Tonight" show an "unbelievably stupid man."

Now, gun rights activists are fighting back. A petition created Dec. 21 on the White House e-petition website by a user in Texas accuses Morgan of engaging in a "hostile attack against the U.S. Constitution" by targeting the Second Amendment. It demands he be deported immediately for "exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens."

The petition has already hit the 25,000 signature threshold to get a White House response. By Monday, it had 31,813 signatures.

Morgan seemed unfazed ? and even amused ? by the movement.

In a series of Twitter messages, he alternately urged his followers to sign the petition and in response to one article about the petition said "bring it on" as he appeared to track the petition's progress.

"If I do get deported from America for wanting fewer gun murders, are there any other countries that will have me?" he wrote.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pro-gun-rights-us-petition-deport-piers-morgan-130319681.html

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Kazakhstan military plane crashes, killing 27

MOSCOW (AP) ? Kazakhstan's acting border service chief was among 27 people killed in a military plane crash Tuesday near a southern city, another blow to the agency after he was appointed in June to deal with the aftermath of a mass killing involving a conscript.

The Russian-made An-72 crashed at 1255 GMT (7:55 a.m. EST) about 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from the city of Shymkent near the border with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan's Committee for National Security said in a statement.

The fatalities included a crew of seven and 20 border guards, including the acting head of the ex-Soviet nation's border protection service, Col. Turganbek Stambekov, the statement said.

Without specifying further details, authorities said an investigation was opened into the crash. No cause was given, but southern Kazakhstan over recent weeks has been buffeted by winds, heavy snows and low temperatures, causing widespread flight delays.

Stambekov was appointed acting head of the border service in June, after a mass killing of 14 frontier troops in a remote Kazakh outpost near China the month before. Vladislav Chelakh, a 20-year-old conscript, was sentenced earlier this month to life in prison after being found solely responsible for the killings.

The border service has come under close scrutiny in Kazakhstan since the killings, which many argued showed the lack of readiness and professionalism among serving troops. Legislation approved Thursday by the upper house of parliament and supported by Stambekov was designed to improve the process for selecting conscripts for the service.

The Kazakh-Uzbek border stretches 2,200 kilometers (1,350 miles) of Central Asian steppes and deserts.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-25-AS-Kazakhstan-Plane-Crash/id-c260ca56c87b4a71b6e8ed7e2d74a13f

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Observatory: Ramses III Had His Throat Slashed, New Study Suggests

[unable to retrieve full-text content]New CT scans of the pharaoh Ramses III, who ruled Egypt in the 12th century B.C., reveal that his throat was slit, probably in a coup attempt.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/science/ramses-iii-had-his-throat-slashed-new-study-suggests.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Stocks open lower as lawmakers doubt budget deal

Stocks are opening lower on Wall Street amid concern that lawmakers will fail to reach a deal to stop the U.S. going over the so-called fiscal cliff.

The Dow Jones industrial average is down 39 points at 13,151. The Standard & Poor's 500 index is off four points at 1,426. The Nasdaq composite is down six points at 3,013.

Sen. Joe Lieberman said Sunday that it is now "more likely we'll go over the cliff than not," following the collapse late Thursday of House Speaker John Boehner's plan to allow tax rates to rise on million-dollar-plus incomes.

Failure to agree on a plan to cut the budget deficit by Jan. 1 would lead to simultaneous government spending cuts and tax hikes that could push the economy back into recession.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stocks-open-lower-lawmakers-doubt-budget-deal-144147710--finance.html

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Saints hold off Cowboys rally for 34-31 OT win

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) ? This miserable season without their suspended coach won't end in a playoff appearance for Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

So they helped damage Dallas' chances of making the postseason.

Playing near Sean Payton's home in a Dallas suburb, Brees threw for 446 yards and three touchdowns and led a drive to Garrett Hartley's winning 20-yard field goal in overtime for a 34-31 overtime victory Sunday.

But the Cowboys (8-7) regained control of their postseason hopes when the New York Giants lost at Baltimore later Sunday. Dallas will make the playoffs as the NFC East champion with a victory at Washington next weekend. A wild-card spot is no longer a possibility for the Cowboys.

The Saints, who started 0-4 after being stunned by the yearlong ban for Payton in the team's bounty scandal, lost their faint playoff hopes when Minnesota beat Houston, and had to hold off a two-touchdown rally in the final 3:35 from the Cowboys.

Tony Romo had 416 yards passing and four touchdowns, including a 19-yarder to Miles Austin with 15 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime.

"We're never going to let anyone tell us we're not playing for something," Brees said. "We knew there were a lot of things that had to happen. We wanted to worry about the things we could control. What would have been worse is if Minnesota had lost and we had lost."

After New Orleans (7-8) forced a punt on the first possession of overtime, Brees moved the Saints to the Cowboys 33. He completed a pass to Marques Colston, who took a couple of steps before Morris Claiborne stripped the ball, sending it rolling about 20 yards to the Dallas 2.

Jimmy Graham, who said he dislocated a finger on a 26-yard catch to start the drive, won a scrum with Dallas' Eric Frampton. The completion that started the bizarre play was held up on review, clearing the way for Hartley's kick.

"I looked at the replay and I knew there was a fumble," Claiborne said. "I was looking at it saying, 'Please, let the pass be incomplete.'"

The Cowboys started the day with their playoff fate in their hands, and ended it the same way thanks to the Ravens, who beat the Giants 33-14. A Dallas win over the Redskins would guarantee a tie atop the NFC East, and the Cowboys hold the tiebreaker edge.

"When you are in this situation, you have to go forth like you are playing for a playoff spot," Dallas defensive end Marcus Spears said. "Trying to determine what will happen, all of that will get in the way of us preparing for the Redskins."

The Cowboys pulled within a touchdown on a 16-yard pass from Romo to Dwayne Harris and got the ball back with 1:29 remaining. Romo led the Cowboys 64 yards in seven plays, capped by the tying toss to Austin, who caught the ball on his knees in the end zone. It was Dallas' third overtime game in the past five at home.

"There was no panic," Brees said. "It was almost like we knew the game would come down to something like this. We just wanted that opportunity and the defense gave it to us."

Romo also had a pair of 58-yard scoring passes to Dez Bryant, who had a career-high 224 yards receiving. Romo was 26 of 43 and broke his own franchise record for passing yards in a season. He has 4,685.

The Saints, coming off a 41-0 blowout of Tampa Bay, took the lead in the third quarter after a 54-yard punt pinned Dallas at its 3. On the first play, Curtis Lofton stripped DeMarco Murray and Lofton recovered at the 5. Brees found Pierre Thomas open at the goal line for a 24-17 lead.

Brees was 37 of 53 in the ninth 400-yard game of his career.

"I don't know how many more accolades I have to say about him," Saints interim coach Joe Vitt said. "You want me to put them on my W2 form or what?"

The Cowboys put the Saints at their 2 with a 63-yard punt on their next possession, but Brees responded with a touchdown drive keyed by a 60-yard completion to Colston, who had 153 yards receiving. Colston broke a tackle by Gerald Sensabaugh before Sterling Moore ran him down at the Dallas 3.

The Saints turned a 14-7 deficit late in the first half into a 17-14 halftime lead in the final 1:11.

Brees led a 90-yard scoring drive that included Vitt changing his mind and going on fourth-and-1 from the Dallas 23. A completion to Colston was overturned on replay, but Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer lined up offside to give the Saints a first down anyway. Brees threw a 6-yard scoring pass to Lance Moore three plays later.

NOTES: Dallas tight end Jason Witten had two catches in OT, breaking Tony Gonzalez's NFL season record of 102 catches for a tight end set in 2004. Witten has 103. ... Cowboys LB Ernie Sims left in the first half with dizziness a week after sustaining a concussion. ... Saints CB Jabari Greer, who had two interceptions last week, left the game with a concussion.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saints-hold-off-cowboys-rally-34-31-ot-214620627--spt.html

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Rihanna Swimsuit Photos: Barely There in Barbados

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/rihanna-swimsuit-photos-barely-there-in-barbados/

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Dropbox beta lets Android photographers share, organize photos in bulk

If you hadn't noticed, Dropbox is on a major photography kick lately, and it's not stopping just because the holidays are nearly in full swing. Its new Android beta helps users deal with their photos by the bushel, either sharing or scrapping multiple photos at once as well as organize them into photos. Anyone less than photographically inclined will still see a few interface tweaks that partly mirror the earlier iOS updates, as well as a new option to receive betas as soon as they're posted. There's inherent risks to using unfinished code, so take that into account before getting involved; it's still hard to resist when Dropbox has been handing out free storage to Android device buyers like candy.

Filed under: Cellphones, Storage, Internet, Mobile

Comments

Via: Android Police

Source: Dropbox Forums

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/tjVBmAlK7FE/

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Google not-so-subtly reveals Nexus 10 dock in holiday video

That "Happy Holidays from Android" video was adorable, wasn't it? Well if you weren't taken back by the Android meeting up with all of his bugdroid friends for a holiday get-together, you may have noticed a Nexus 10 being put in a dock on a desk. Alongside a Nexus 4 and a couple of Nexus 7's, the biggest Nexus was dropped right into this dock you see above to show off a Photo Sphere.

The Nexus 7 dock has come up for pre-order through 3rd party retailers in the last couple days. Your guess is as good as ours when the Nexus 10 dock could make an official retail appearance.

Grab another look at the video after the break. The Nexus 10 fun starts around 1:00 in, and you can see it again at 1:14.

Thanks, rfmike!

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/2Orhh4XuNU8/story01.htm

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Online Tobacco Marketing

Most countries have banned tobacco advertisements, and one way through which tobacco companies manage to reach their clients is through the internet. Tobacco.1.com for instance, is an international website for the tobacco industry. The website is an active website of tobacco organizers, institutions, and publishers, business to the business website of tobacco companies and suppliers of cigarettes. Publishers of books related to tobacco are being encouraged to register and add their books to the company's website, and this is actually done for free.

Advertisement on tobacco was introduced in the 1990s, and this has made tobacco companies to be more and more creative. Majority of cigarette retailers are using facebook pages to recruit people to habits of smoking. It is evident that the tobacco industry is using the internet to circumnavigate the ban on cigarettes. The top five brands of cigarette i.e Marlboro, Winston, L&M, Mild seven and Benson and Hedges use the internet to yield smoking returns. Arguably, "Of 163 YouTube videos viewed, from the first 20 pages of the search, 71 per cent of the content was classified as being 'pro-tobacco', 20 per cent was neutral and four per cent was 'anti-tobacco" (Knowles 2004). 70% of these cases had videos of people smoking products of tobacco and names of manufacturers in their titles.

Researchers argue ""Tobacco companies stand to benefit greatly from the marketing potential of Web 2.0, without themselves being at significant risk of being implicated in violating any laws or advertising codes (Knowles 2004As already noted, tobacco companies use web 2.0 such as You Tube to market tobacco products , especially to the young people . Tobacco companies target the YouTube because it has a large market share on the online market. This makes it easy for companies to reach their potential customers.

Some consumers prefer buying cigarettes through the internet mainly because of the lower prices. The lower prices generally occur because internet vendors sell cigarettes without paying taxes to the destination state. Majority of the internet cigarette buyers get to learn about on-line market sales of cigarettes through interpersonal sources purchasing them on-line. Smokers who purchase cheap cigarettes through the internet increase the consumption of cigarettes over time as opposed to those buying cigarettes on full price at traditional retail stores.

This notwithstanding, however, when cigarettes though the internet, the quality of the product is sometimes compromised. For instance, if you buy a cartoon of cigarettes from an internet vendor, you may not know how old the cigarettes are and whether they are stale or not. Generally, smokers are concerned about the barriers of buying cigarettes on-line. They are particularly concerned about their personal information and credit card on-line. Nonetheless, purchasing cigarettes through the internet has increased the rate of smoking. Interestingly, most of these buyers ware initially concerned about the delivery and legality of buying cigarettes on- line. However, after doing searches across multiple websites, participants get necessary confidence with on-line buying, and even recommend it to family members and friends, who will then buy cigarettes through the internet.

Just recently, the British American Tobacco unveiled a new corporate website. This was the most comprehensive cutting edge for the company's objectives in improving the image of the company and reaching its clients.The website was launched by the British American Tobacco to help it boost its drive for more openness. The site has been praised for its "straight talking" on controversial issues. The Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Fran Morrison alleged "Like many globally spread and culturally diverse Groups, the company has faced huge amount of 're-inventing the wheel' by our companies as they increasingly went online. Our custom-built 'One Web' solution enables a consistent global online identity but local autonomy, allows national webmasters to build high quality local sites quickly, simply and cost-effectively, and will enable consumers to easily surf our world" (Knowles 2004). The website enables consumers to look into the snapshots of the company, history and brands. Moreover, the website offers thoughts and history of the company necessary for marketing and solving key global trade issues such as tracking counterfeits and contrabands.It also provides key information on the risk of smoking, health habits and alternatively safer cigarettes.

The tobacco companies have adapted to advertisement restrictions on television and print. They have achieved this by turning to other methods of marketing such as sending mails through the internet. Direct mailing is aimed at getting into close contact with customers. Tobacco companies heavily rely on direct mailing to advertise its products and provide incentives for its users to continue buying its products. More often than not, young people get on to the company's mailing list after giving out their personal information in the exchange of smokeless samples at a bar promotion or for tobacco the related coupons. Direct mailing is a marketing procedure that uses images and themes, which are appealing to the youth. A good example of this approach is the RJR's "Camel Break Campaign, "This marketing approach was first launched in 2010, and it uses the "names and images of "cool" U.S. cities, including San Francisco, to market Camel cigarettes to appeal to the adventurous and rebellious spirit of young people".

It is evident that Tobacco companies have turned to the internet to market their products. Indeed, this is an effective way of reaching the youths who consume much of their media through the new technology. On-line marketing has added a lot of benefits to tobacco companies, most of which are largely invisible to casual viewers. This is particular true in the interactive forms of the digital media, such as the social network sites and search engines. The tobacco companies have benefited greatly from the marketing potential of web 2.0, without getting implicated or violating any laws or the advertising codes. According to George Thomson "there is no functional difference between exposure to tobacco in movies outside the Internet, and exposure to video and film material on the Internet.

The pro-tobacco content in YouTube and Facebook has glamorized the smoking habits among the young generation. Consequently, the health organizations have sounded an alarm on how the internet is being used to promote smoking. Some of the employees of the British American Tobacco have established fan sites on twitter and facebook for the company's Dunhill and Luck Strike brands. The company, however, claims that this was done without its knowledge. It is therefore, a high time that the company conducted a damage limitation exercise.

The company can also hire an online marketing firm to promote is brands. In conclusion, tobacco companies have opted for the use of internet marketing because it is difficult to market their products using other modes of advertisement. These companies mainly targets the youths, who makes the majority of consumers. Although the top management of the Tobacco companies has in several occasions insisted that it is not their policy to advertise their brands by using social sites, most of them together with their employees have been using the social media to promote their brands.

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Source: http://articles.submityourarticle.com/online-tobacco-marketing-306326

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Investing News: Expert Analysis, Investment Tools, Stock Screeners ...

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

Source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/15839069/Investing_News_Expert_Analysis_Investment_Tools_Stock_Screeners_and_Financial_Strategy_Information__CNBC

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Just say ?don?t? (Unqualified Offerings)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/272592383?client_source=feed&format=rss

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