Electronic Pick Pocketing ?

Government's 110 billion dollar printing mistake.

Originally posted on Yahoo News
By Zachary Roth zachary Roth – Mon Dec 6, 9:36 am ET

As a metaphor for our troubled economic and financial era -- and the government's stumbling response -- this one's hard to beat. You can't stimulate the economy via the money supply, after all, if you can't print the money correctly.

Because of a problem with the presses, the federal government has shut down production of its flashy new $100 bills, and has quarantined more than 1 billion of them -- more than 10 percent of all existing U.S. cash -- in a vault in Fort Worth, Texas, reports CNBC.

"There is something drastically wrong here," one source told CNBC. "The frustration level is off the charts."

[Related: Money fair showcases $100,000 bill]

Officials with the Treasury and the Federal Reserve had touted the new bills' sophisticated security features that were 10 years in the making, including a 3-D security strip and a color-shifting image of a bell, designed to foil counterfeiters. But it turns out the bills are so high-tech that the presses can't handle the printing job.

More than 1 billion unusable bills have been printed. Some of the bills creased during production, creating a blank space on the paper, one official told CNBC. Because correctly printed bills are mixed in with the flawed ones, even the ones printed to the correct design specs can't be used until they 're sorted. It would take an estimated 20 to 30 years to weed out the defective bills by hand, but a mechanized system is expected to get the job done in about a year.

[Related: Design firm seeks to rebrand dollar with Obama's image]

Combined, the quarantined bills add up to $110 billion -- more than 10 percent of the entire U.S. cash supply, which now stands at around $930 billion.

The flawed bills, which cost around $120 million to print, will have to burned.

The new bills are the first to include Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner's signature. In order to prevent a shortfall,the government has ordered production of the old design, which includes the signature of Bush administration Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. That, surely, is not the only respect in which the nation's lead economic officials would like to turn back the clock to sometime before the 2008 financial crisis.

Clear 4G Rip-off ?

Has Clearwire/Clear ripped you off? Here are some people that has and bone to pick with Clear's supposed 4g internet service.

THEY MAKE IT SIMPLE MY ASS…. – User Submission by Bob F.
December 1st, 2010

I am not the most experienced computer person…I’m a bit older and bought a MacBook because it is a much easier computer…however…Clearwire or Clear…whatever…has made it difficult to maintain a connection…and when I call customer service they are less than helpful…one even offered to talk slower because I was older…if he had been right in front of me I would have hit him…

I still can’t maintain a good connection and the damn thing is aimed right at the tower…I asked if technician could come out to look at my set-up and help…their response was no…

Now how could we be in a bad economy if these fools don’t value their customers? Once again they will take money out of my account and I don’t have service…very nice…

Bob F

And there is alot more check here at

Please send us an E-mail with your experience, and have it featured on the main page!
Help us educate others on the true side of Clearwire!

Visit the User Forums and join in a discussion! / Follow us on Twitter! / Contact Legal Representative

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Here

4G Myth

chart_is_it_4g_v2.top.gif By David Goldman, staff writerDecember 1, 2010: 9:14 AM ET


NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- You've seen the 4G advertisements from T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon, bragging about a much-better wireless network with blazing fast speeds.

Here's the secret the carriers don't advertise: 4G is a myth. Like the unicorn, it hasn't been spotted anywhere in the wild just yet -- and won't be any time in the near future.


The International Telecommunication Union, the global wireless standards-setting organization, determined last month that 4G is defined as a network capable of download speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps). That's fast enough to download an average high-definition movie in about three minutes.

None of the new networks the carriers are rolling out meet that standard.

Sprint (S, Fortune 500) was the first to launch a network called 4G, going live with it earlier this year. Then, T-Mobile launched its 4G network, claiming to be "America's largest 4G network." Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500) plans to launch its 4G network by the end of the year, which it claims will be the nation's largest and the fastest. AT&T (T, Fortune 500) is expected to unveil its 4G network next year.

Those networks have theoretical speeds of a fifth to a half that of the official 4G standard. The actual speeds the carriers say they'll achieve are just a tenth of "real" 4G.

So why are the carriers calling these networks 4G?

It's mostly a matter of PR, industry experts say. Explaining what the wireless carriers' new networks should be called, and what they'll be capable of, is a confusing mess.

To illustrate: Sprint bought a majority stake in Clearwire (CLWR), which uses a new network technology called WiMAX that's capable of speeds ranging from 3 Mbps to 10 Mbps. That's a different technology from Verizon's new network, based on a standard called Long Term Evolution (LTE), which will average 5 Mbps to 12 Mbps.

Seeing what its competitors were up to, T-Mobile opted to increase the speed capabilities of its existing 3G-HSPA+ network instead of pursuing a new technology. Its expanded network -- now called 4G -- will reach speeds of 5 Mbps to 12 Mbps.

No matter what they're called, all of these upgrades are clear improvements -- and the carriers shelled out billions to make them. Current "3G" networks offer actual speeds that range from between 500 kilobits per second to 1.5 Mbps.

So Sprint and Verizon have new, faster networks that are still technically not 4G, while T-Mobile has an old, though still faster network that is actually based on 3G technology.

Confused yet? That's why they all just opted to call themselves "4G."

The carriers get defensive about the topic.

"It's very misleading to make a decision about what's 4G based on speed alone," said Stephanie Vinge-Walsh, spokeswoman for Sprint Nextel. "It is a challenge we face in an extremely competitive industry."

T-Mobile did not respond to a request for comment.
0:00 /0:55Sprint's 4G challenges iPhone

One network representative, who asked not to be identified, claimed that ITU's 4G line-in-the-sand is being misconstrued. The organization previously approved the use of the term "4G" for Sprint's WiMAX and Verizon's LTE networks, he said -- though not for T-Mobile's HSPA+ network.

ITU's PR department ignored that approval in its recent statement about how future wireless technologies would be measured, the representative said. ITU representatives were not immediately available for comment.

"I'm not getting into a technical debate," said Jeffrey Nelson, spokesman for Verizon Wireless. "Consumers will quickly realize that there's really a difference between the capabilities of various wireless data networks. All '4G' is not the same."

And that's what's so difficult. The term 4G has become meaningless and confusing as hell for wireless customers.

For instance, T-Mobile's 4G network, which is technically 3G, will have speeds that are at least equal to -- and possibly faster -- than Verizon's 4G-LTE network at launch. At the same time, AT&T's 3G network, which is also being scaled up like T-Mobile's, is not being labeled "4G."

That's why some industry experts predict that the term "4G" will soon vanish.

"The labeling of wireless broadband based on technical jargon is likely to fade away in 2011," said Dan Hays, partner at industry consultancy PRTM. "That will be good news for the consumer. Comparing carriers based on their network coverage and speed will give them more facts to make more informed decisions."

Hays expects that independent researchers -- or the Federal Communications Commission -- will step in next year to perform speed and coverage tests.

Meanwhile, don't expect anyone to hold the carriers' feet to the fire.

"Historically, ITU's classification system has not held a great degree of water and has not been used to enforce branding," Hays said. "Everyone started off declaring themselves to be 4G long before the official decision on labeling was made. The ITU was three to four years too late to make an meaningful impact on the industry's use of the term." To top of page

Google gives Groupon a $6 Billion offer

Originally posted on Forbes.com
Everybody in the tech business has a friend or a friend of a friend who sold out for several million. Yapping about the prolific growth of startups gone by makes for easy–but banal–cocktail banter. Then there’s Groupon, a company that’s been around for two years and could reportedly fetch $6 billion from Google. Now that’s a story worth dissecting over a single malt.

There’s no need to rehash Groupon’s business model here, but for those who are curious, we dubbed Groupon the fastest growing company ever in an August cover story.

Prescient Cover

The company’s profile has exploded since then, but Groupon hardly needed help from us. An April capital raise had valued the company at $1.35 billion when it was a mere 17 months old.

If Google indeed pays $5-$6 billion for Groupon, it will likely be shelling out at least six times revenues for the company. That’s not a zany valuation for a two-year-old startup. Happens all the time. But for a company that’s already at $1 billion in revenue? That does not happen all of time. In fact, it just doesn’t happen. Ever.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Groupon’s board is discussing Google’s offer right now. What’s to discuss? Apparently there are parties inside Groupon who think an IPO may be a wiser play. And we know investment banks–including Morgan Stanley–have been jockeying for underwriting opportunities with Groupon for at least a year.

The fact that Groupon has options–good ones–explains the size of Google’s bid.

Groupon has fashioned a nifty borehole straight into the marketing budgets of small businesses all over the country (and planet). Google has had difficulty cracking exactly these prospects. Same with everybody else out there. Groupon’s name carries weight with these merchants and its sales force, while certainly something Google could build on its own, can’t be put together overnight.

Groupon realizes its opportunity. The board will take its time. Andrew Mason and Eric Lefkofsky are two men who have never been aiming small. That’s been clear since the first time I met Andrew three years ago, pre-Groupon. It’s a fact that was reinforced when Groupon brushed off Yahoo’s earlier offer to buy it for a reported $3 billion. That sale would have launched Lefkofsky, the largest Groupon equity holder, to billionaire status.

Now, both Lefkofsky and Mason stand to become billionaires.

No matter what happens, the other clear winner here, beyond Groupon, is the tech community of Chicago. The city is a magnet for graduates of nearby top-notch computer science programs, but has never gained a shadow of the traction enjoyed by Silicon Valley or Boston. Lots of good ideas spring from Chicago and the area (Netscape, one of the first dominoes of this Web saga, was kindled at the University of Illinois), but those companies usually bee-line to California.

A $6 billion infusion from Google would enrich lots of Groupon Chicagoans. The best thing for Chicago, of course, would be a kind of Groupon mafia who could spawn new area tech companies and investments the way progeny from Google, Facebook, PayPal and others have done in the Valley.

The term mafia has been used to describe exactly this effect before, especially when it comes to PayPal and now Y Combinator, but nowhere will it be as ironic–or as important to its city–as a new mafia would be in Chicago.

Must-see Google TV !!!

5 Ways to Cash In on Cyber Monday

You don't need to get crushed by the crowds on Black Friday to find the best deals before the holiday season. Shopping for a better deal is just a click away on Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving, which is one of the biggest online shopping days of the year.



According to comScore, online spending on Cyber Monday reached $887 million in 2009, an increase of 5 percent from the previous shopping season. To help you navigate these online deals and steals, here are five ways to beat the crowds and cash in on Cyber Monday:

1. Join the Retailer's E-mail List

The stores you love to visit often have a website for surfing too. If you shop at a store frequently, go to the retailer's website and join their e-mail list for special online deals, coupons, and fliers. Most stores will send out Cyber Monday deals before the big day to give loyal customers and savvy shoppers a glimpse of what's on sale. But before you give your e-mail address to a dozen stores, I highly recommend creating a separate e-mail account specifically for online shopping so your inbox won't be filled with clutter.

2. Search for Secret Coupons

Online shoppers can save even more on Cyber Monday by searching the Internet for secret coupons and promotional codes. To do this, launch your favorite search engine and enter the retailer's name and the words 'coupon code' into the search. Depending on the size of the retailer, you may find many discount codes to enter into your online shopping cart. If you're lucky, you may also find a code for free shipping.

[See Top Cyber Monday Holiday Shopping Deals]

3. Make a Gift List

Be like Santa by making a list (and checking it twice) before shopping for sales. Shopping without a holiday gift plan is not only a danger to your budget, but your sanity. So give yourself some cheer and start a list--with anticipated costs--so you can target your shopping on Cyber Monday.

4. Track Your Holiday Spending

Snagging a deal on your daughter's present or finding something affordable for that special someone can be a rush, but don't forget to keep track of how much you spend this holiday season. There is no sense in celebrating a great deal today if you're going into debt with big bills to pay off in January.

Tracking all your holiday spending, not just your gift-giving costs, can show how the small expenses add up to big dollars. Things like wrapping paper, baking supplies, decorations, drinks, and flowers may seem insignificant on their own, but once added up can total hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars a year for one single holiday.

[See Black Friday Sales are Early and Online]

5. Check the Return Policy

Filling your online shopping cart and clicking "buy" at checkout doesn't give you the opportunity to ask a human about an exchange or return policy. So if you buy a few gifts on Cyber Monday, make sure you find out each store's holiday return policy--just in case you need to ship something back.

Kerry K. Taylor writes at Squawkfox.com, a blog where personal finance and frugal living are sexy, delicious, and fun. Kerry is the author of 397 Ways To Save Money: Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less.

Facebook closer to winning 'face' trademark

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Facebook will be awarded a trademark for the word "face," pending some action from the social network, according to court documents filed Tuesday.

As first reported by TechCrunch, The U.S. Patent And Trademark Office has sent Facebook a Notice of Allowance, which means the government will award the social networking site the trademark under certain conditions.


The type of application Facebook filed requires the company to provide a sworn statement that it intends to use the trademark on products. The company will have to file that "Statement of Use," and then it will have to use the "in commerce" before it has actual legal claim to the word "face."

Patent lawyers had been skeptical that Facebook would be granted the trademark to such a generic word.

But once Facebook completes the paperwork and uses "face" in commerce, the USPTO will grant the trademark for: "Telecommunication services, namely, providing online chat rooms and electronic bulletin boards for transmission of messages among computer users in the field of general interest and concerning social and entertainment subject matter."

In August, Aaron Greenspan received an extension of time to file an opposition to Facebook's "Face" trademark attempt. Greenspan is the president and CEO of Think Computer, the developer of a mobile payments app called FaceCash. He would not comment on whether he did file an opposition to the "face" trademark."

Greenspan, a former Harvard classmate of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, claimed he had a hand in developing the social networking giant. The case was settled last year.

Facebook has also waged wars against sites using the word "book." In August, Facebook sued start-up site Teachbook.com -- which claims it is merely a teacher's community. The social networking giant also forced the travel site PlaceBook to change its name to TripTrace this past summer.

North, South Korea exchange fire; 2 marines killed

INCHEON, South Korea – North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire Tuesday after the North shelled an island near their disputed sea border, killing at least two South Korean marines, setting dozens of buildings ablaze and sending civilians fleeing for shelter.

The clash, which put South Korea's military on high alert, was one of the rivals' most dramatic confrontations since the Korean War ended, and one of the few to put civilians at risk, though no nonmilitary deaths were immediately reported. Fifteen South Korean soldiers and three civilians were injured and the extent of casualties on the northern side was unknown.

The skirmish began when Pyongyang warned the South to halt military drills in the area, according to South Korean officials. When Seoul refused and began firing artillery into disputed waters, albeit away from the North Korean shore, the North retaliated by bombarding the small island of Yeonpyeong, which houses South Korean military installations and a small civilian population.

"I thought I would die," said Lee Chun-ok, 54, an islander who said she was watching TV in her home when the shelling began. Suddenly, a wall and door collapsed.

"I was really, really terrified," she told The Associated Press after being evacuated to the port city of Incheon, west of Seoul, "and I'm still terrified."

South Korea responded by firing K-9 155mm self-propelled howitzers and dispatching fighter jets. Officials in Seoul said there could be considerable North Korean casualties. The entire skirmish lasted about an hour.

Each side has threatened the other against another attack.

The escalating tensions focused global attention on the tiny island and sent stock prices down sharply worldwide. The dollar, U.S. Treasury prices and gold all rose as investors sought safe places to park money. Hong Kong's main stock index sank 2.7 percent, while European and U.S. stock indexes fell between 1 and 2 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 165 points in afternoon trading, or 1.5 percent.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who convened an emergency security meeting shortly after the initial bombardment, said that an "indiscriminate attack on civilians can never be tolerated."

"Enormous retaliation should be made to the extent that (North Korea) cannot make provocations again," he said.

The United States, which has more than 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea, condemned the attack. In Washington, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs called on North Korea to "halt its belligerent action," and said the U.S. is committed to South Korea's defense.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned North Korea's artillery attack, calling it "one of the gravest incidents since the end of the Korean War," his spokesman Martin Nesirky said. Ban called for "immediate restraint" and insisted "any differences should be resolved by peaceful means and dialogue," the spokesman said.

The supreme military command in Pyongyang threatened more strikes if the South crossed their maritime border by "even 0.001 millimeter," according to the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

South Korea holds military exercises like Tuesday's off the west coast about every three months.

A statement from the North said it was merely "reacting to the military provocation of the puppet group with a prompt powerful physical strike," and accused Seoul of starting the skirmish with its "reckless military provocation as firing dozens of shells inside the territorial waters of the" North.

Government officials in Seoul called North Korea's bombardments "inhumane atrocities" that violated the 1953 armistice halting the Korean War. The two sides technically remain at war because a peace treaty was never signed, and nearly 2 million troops — including tens of thousands from the U.S. — are positioned on both sides of the world's most heavily militarized border.

The exchange represents a sharp escalation of the skirmishes that flare up along the disputed border from time to time. It also comes amid high tensions over the North's apparent progress in its quest for nuclear weapons — Pyongyang claims it has a new uranium enrichment facility — and six weeks after North Korean leader Kim Jong Il anointed his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, as the heir apparent.

"It brings us one step closer to the brink of war," said Peter Beck, a research fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, "because I don't think the North would seek war by intention, but war by accident, something spiraling out of control has always been my fear."

Columns of thick black smoke rose from homes on the island, video from YTN cable TV showed. Screams and shouts filled the air as shells rained down on the island just south of the disputed sea border.

Yeonpyeong lies a mere seven miles (11 kilometers) from — and within sight of — the North Korean mainland.

China, the North's economic and political benefactor, which also maintains close commercial ties to the South, appealed to both sides to remain calm and "to do more to contribute to peace and stability on the peninsula," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.

Stephen Bosworth, the Obama administration's special envoy to North Korea, said he discussed the clash with the Chinese foreign minister and that they agreed both sides should show restraint. He reiterated that the U.S. stands firmly with its ally, South Korea.

Gen. Walter Sharp, commander of U.S. forces in South Korea and the U.S.-led U.N. Command, said in a Facebook posting that the U.S. military is "closely monitoring the situation and exchanging information with our (South Korean) allies as we always do."

Yeonpyeong, famous for its crabbing industry and home to about 1,700 civilians as well as South Korean military installations. There are about 30 other small islands nearby.

North Korea fired dozens of rounds of artillery in three separate barrages that began in midafternoon, while South Korea returned fire with about 80 rounds, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Naval operations had been reinforced in the area, the JCS said early Wednesday, declining to elaborate.

Two South Korean marines were killed and 15 injured, it said. Island residents fled to some 20 shelters on the island and sporadic shelling ended after about an hour, according to the military.

The Koreas' 1950s war ended in a truce, but North Korea does not recognize the western maritime border drawn unilaterally by the United Nations at the close of the conflict, and the Koreas have fought three bloody skirmishes there in recent years.




South Korea holds military exercises like Tuesday's off the west coast about every three months.

In March, a South Korean warship went down in the waters while on a routine patrolling mission. Forty-six sailors were killed in what South Korea calls the worst military attack on the country since the war.

Seoul blamed a North Korean torpedo, but Pyongyang denied responsibility.

___

Kwang-Tae Kim reported from Seoul. AP writers Seulki Kim, Kelly Olsen and Foster Klug in Seoul and Anita Snow at the United Nations contributed to this report.

Secret U.S. Spy Satellite Named "The largest satellite in the world"

This story was updated Nov. 22 at 1:28 p.m. ET.

A huge unmanned rocket carrying a secret new spy satellite for the United States roared into space Sunday (Nov. 21) to deliver what one reconnaissance official has touted as "the largest satellite in the world" into orbit. ?

The giant booster ? a Delta 4 Heavy rocket ? blasted off at 5:58 p.m. EST (2258 GMT) from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida carrying a classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office. [Photo of the spy satellite's dazzling night launch]

"This mission helps to ensure that vital NRO resources will continue to bolster our national defense," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Ed Wilson, commander 45th Space Wing, after the successful launch.

The satellite, called NROL-32, launched after a series of delays from technical glitches. The most recent glitch, a pair of faulty temperature sensors, thwarted a Nov. 19 launch attempt.

The exact purpose of the new spy satellite NROL-32 is secret, but one NRO official has hinted at the huge size of the reconnaissance spacecraft.

[Related: First ‘alien’ planet from another galaxy discovered]

In a Sept. 13 address at the Air Force Association's Air and Space Conference, NRO director Bruce Carlson, a retired Air Force general, told an audience that this Delta 4 Heavy rocket would launch "with the largest satellite in the world on it."

For comparison, in July 2009 a satellite called TerreStar-1 ? touted as the world's largest commercial satellite ever built ? launched into space atop an Ariane 5 rocket. TerreStar-1 is 15,233 pounds (6,910 kg) satellite equipped with a huge 60-foot (18-meter) antenna. Last week, the SkyTerra-1 mobile communications satellite launched with its own giant antenna, one that is about 72 feet (nearly 22 meters) across.

The Delta 4 Heavy rocket is the United States' biggest unmanned rocket currently in service and has 2 millions pounds of thrust, making it the most powerful liquid fueled booster available today. A Delta 4 Heavy rocket stands 235 feet (72 meters) tall and is actually made up of three boosters, each called a Common Booster Core, arranged in a line to give it a three-column appearance.

[Related: Mysterious missile trail stumps Pentagon]

The rocket is built and launched by the United Launch Alliance, a partnership between Lockheed Martin and Boeing. It made its first flight in 2004 and is capable of launching payloads of up to 24 tons into low-Earth orbit and 11 tons toward the geosynchronous orbits used by communications satellites.

Tonight's launch marked the fourth launch of a Delta 4 Heavy rocket and the second satellite launch in three months for the NRO. An Atlas 5 rocket launched the NROL-41 reconnaissance satellite on Sept. 20.

In his address last month, Carlson said that the current plan for NRO satellite missions ?"is the most aggressive launch campaign that the National Reconnaissance Office has had in 20 years, almost a quarter of a century."

Carlson went on to say that new satellites are vital for the NRO's mission, and are needed to replace older satellites before they fail.

"The other thing I can tell you is these are very important, because they all go to update a constellation which is aging rapidly," Carlson said last month according to an NRO transcript. "We bought most of our satellites for three, five, or eight years, and we're keeping them on orbit for ten, twelve, and up to twenty years."

"Now when I buy something people complain about how expensive it is, but nobody ever complains when it's time to die and it keeps right on ticking," Carlson added. "Some of these guys are like the Energizer bunny and they have really done marvelous work."

OnLive introduces gaming console for high-def TV

(CNN) -- OnLive, the gaming-on-demand company, introduced a new game console on Thursday it says will offer "awesome quality and state-of-the-art specs" for high-definition televisions.

The console, which is available now for pre-order and ships in early December, sells for $99.

OnLive CEO Steve Perlman says one of the "micro-console" setup's big selling points is how easy it is to install.

"Beta testers have reported going from opening the box to playing a game in under 3 minutes. I kid you not," Perlman said in a blog post Thursday. "And after that first installation, from power-on to game start is as little as 15 seconds."

Launched in the United States in June, OnLive uses acloud-computing system, meaning games are stored on remote servers and delivered online when players call them up.

Until now, players used personal computers to play the games.

The new product comes as gaming companies continue moving toward cloud computing instead of selling hard copies of individual games.

At the E3 gaming expo in June, OnLive announced it was making 23 popular console games, including "Assassin's Creed II," "Batman: Arkham Asylum" and "Mass Effect 2," available through its subscription service.

Gaikai, another cloud-based gaming service, rolled out this year and Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Gaming made a splash by entering the space as well.

Perlman also announced OnLive will be offering a flat subscription rate for users to play all the games in its library.

"This is a big day for OnLive," he said in the blog post. "It's the culmination of more than 8 years of hard work by many people, both at OnLive and at our partners, to realize a dream that so many people said was impossible."

LinkedIn CEO: We're adding a new user every second

SAN FRANCISCO (CNNMoney.com) -- LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner spilled some new statistics Wednesday highlighting the business networking site's rapid global growth.

LinkedIn is adding one new user per second, Weiner said, and about half of all new accounts are created overseas. China and Brazil are the fastest growing regions. The site now has 85 million users -- and the latest 1 million signed up within the last nine days.



"On our site it's not about passing the time, it's about saving time," Weiner said at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco. "So we're not looking at the time spent on the site. We have a pretty traditional way of measuring [user engagement]."

That approach to building and serving a member base is very different from Facebook's, conference moderator John Battelle pointed out. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg boasted Tuesday that half of all Facebook users visit the site every day.

"People tend to lump us in with Facebook and Twitter," Weiner replied. "But we're three very different things. Facebook is massive in scale and scope. Twitter is a public communication forum, but if I'm following you, you're not necessarily following me. LinkedIn is, simply, a professional network."

While Facebook users may "friend" people they barely know, and Twitter users can follow celebrities they've never met, LinkedIn pushes people to connect only with people they know well. Those social connections typically track one of three close relationships, Weiner said: personal, family and professional.

"The difference between social sites and business networking can be said in two words: keg stands," Weiner said.

"Or it could be bong hits!" Battelle replied. "Look at Michael Phelps."

"Well, I guess that's the difference between the East and West coasts," Weiner laughed.
0:00 /2:53The brains behind LinkedIn

Battelle continued to press Weiner for his thoughts on other companies, focusing on the Web search field. Weiner, who was once an executive at Yahoo, said simply: "I don't think the game is over, that it's [Bing] or Google and that's it."

Weiner admitted LinkedIn has lagged behind Facebook and Twitter, especially in building connections to external sites. For example, a Facebook user can "recommend" a CNNMoney article, and a Twitter user can tweet the article link to followers. LinkedIn has only recently begun cultivating such connections. (CNNMoney added a LinkedIn button to its stories last month.)

"We want to work wherever our users are, so we need to push out our connectivity," Weiner said. "We're investing in our APIs so we can get that service to our users. They want it."

Weiner also mentioned LinkedIn Signal, a product the company announced in late September that is still in beta but will go public in about a month. Signal adds Twitter-like capabilities to LinkedIn, letting users view and search status updates in real time.

Like most tech CEOs at the conference, Weiner stayed mum about the possibility of an IPO: "You don't necessarily have to go public to get to the next level."

Big brother' is watching you online

CNN's John Roberts talks to a technology editor about privacy concerns on the internet

Full-body scans stored at courthouse

CNN's Jeanne Meserve reports that about 35,000 full-body scan images have been kept despite assurances to the contrary.

Alfa Romeo 8c

Only 500 were made of this Alfa Romeo, constructed on a Maserati chassis with a Ferrari engine.




It is fitted with specially developed 20 inch tyres: 245/35 at the front and 285/35 at the rear, fitted on perforated rims in fluid moulded aluminium. The 8C brakes have been called "phenomenal" by Road & Track magazine, with a stopping distance of 32 metres (105.0 ft), when travelling at an initial speed of 97 kilometres per hour (60 mph).[12] The official top speed is announced to be 292 kilometres per hour (181 mph) but it might be higher, with estimations that it could be around 306 kilometres per hour (190 mph) according to the Road & Track magazine.[15] An Alfa Romeo engineer also stated that it is faster than the announced top speed

New Facebook feature raises more privacy concerns

CNN) -- Based on comments on news sites and Facebook's official blog, many users appear apprehensive about Facebook Places, the social-networking site's new location feature.

It's not clear whether users' unfavorable reactions stem from privacy concerns or just confusion about the site's Places feature, which allows users to "check in" at restaurants, bars and other gathering spots. But it may be a good thing for Facebook that the site has no "dislike" button.

"People, use common sense. Foursquare and geolocation applications only increase the chance of violent crimes and theft," wrote a commenter on CNN.com. "If I announce online that I am on vacation, I'm pretty sure that leaves my house vulnerable."

A user on Facebook's blog wrote, "I'm upset that this was enabled by default -- especially for people who are victims of stalking and harassment, it could be potentially dangerous if their location was broadcast to the world. Please change it so that this feature (especially the ability of your friends to indicate your location) is turned off."

Some comments indicate that users may not understand how the Places feature, which Facebook unveiled Wednesday night, actually works. The feature won't reveal users' locations without their prior approval, for example.

"Do some of you people know how to read? It's not going to automatically tell people where you are UNLESS YOU 'CHECK IN'," wrote a CNN.com commenter.

Facebook Places: Here's how it works

Such confusion is not new to Facebook's community of 500 million members.

It seems every time Facebook adds a new feature, it takes people some time to accept it and feel comfortable with it, said Justin Smith, founder of the blog Inside Facebook.

"It's a cultural thing," he said. "People need to discover what types of things are appropriate to share about their friends. ... Just like other features, I expect there will be a learning process where [users] discover what they're really comfortable with."

Three months after Facebook tightened privacy controls in response to criticism about how users' information was being shared online, the site once again faces uneasiness about privacy.

In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California praised Facebook for taking the privacy of its users into consideration when drafting Places. But the ACLU chapter complained that while Facebook will give users the option to display their "check-ins" to "friends only," it hasn't provided an option for users to opt out of the feature entirely.

Rainey Reitman, a spokeswoman for the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, told CNN that people may not realize "the problems associated with geotagging" -- adding geographical identification data to online messages or photos -- until it affects them personally.

"We recommend that if you're going to use any kind of location identity social network, that you don't tell people where you live. Don't tag your own home," she said. "If you at least keep your home somewhat private, you won't be sending an open invitation to burglars."

The same advice applies to people sharing and tagging pictures on Facebook, she added.

Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said the issue with Facebook Places is not so much with the feature itself as the way it's being introduced -- a sentiment some commenters also have shared.

Facebook should leave it up to users to enable the feature if they want to check in at places instead of making the people who don't want to use it have to adjust their privacy settings, Rotenberg told CNN.

"It's kind of unfair to people," he said. "It's a little bit like saying, 'We're not sure if you're happy, but this is how it is.' "

In its blog post, Facebook claims its Places feature will never tell people where you are if you don't choose to tell them.

One CNN.com user suggested that people could use the Facebook Places feature to keep tabs on the whereabouts of their spouses and partners.

"This will help to keep track of your [significant] other... Babe where are you? I'm at work. Prove it, check in!" the commenter wrote.

At least one commenter on Facebook's blog was tired of people griping about the site and offered a simple solution.

"OMG quit complaining about privacy. If u don't [want] people knowing about you then don't use Facebook," the user wrote.




CNN) -- Based on comments on news sites and Facebook's official blog, many users appear apprehensive about Facebook Places, the social-networking site's new location feature.

It's not clear whether users' unfavorable reactions stem from privacy concerns or just confusion about the site's Places feature, which allows users to "check in" at restaurants, bars and other gathering spots. But it may be a good thing for Facebook that the site has no "dislike" button.

"People, use common sense. Foursquare and geolocation applications only increase the chance of violent crimes and theft," wrote a commenter on CNN.com. "If I announce online that I am on vacation, I'm pretty sure that leaves my house vulnerable."

A user on Facebook's blog wrote, "I'm upset that this was enabled by default -- especially for people who are victims of stalking and harassment, it could be potentially dangerous if their location was broadcast to the world. Please change it so that this feature (especially the ability of your friends to indicate your location) is turned off."

Some comments indicate that users may not understand how the Places feature, which Facebook unveiled Wednesday night, actually works. The feature won't reveal users' locations without their prior approval, for example.

"Do some of you people know how to read? It's not going to automatically tell people where you are UNLESS YOU 'CHECK IN'," wrote a CNN.com commenter.

Facebook Places: Here's how it works

Such confusion is not new to Facebook's community of 500 million members.

It seems every time Facebook adds a new feature, it takes people some time to accept it and feel comfortable with it, said Justin Smith, founder of the blog Inside Facebook.

"It's a cultural thing," he said. "People need to discover what types of things are appropriate to share about their friends. ... Just like other features, I expect there will be a learning process where [users] discover what they're really comfortable with."

Three months after Facebook tightened privacy controls in response to criticism about how users' information was being shared online, the site once again faces uneasiness about privacy.

In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California praised Facebook for taking the privacy of its users into consideration when drafting Places. But the ACLU chapter complained that while Facebook will give users the option to display their "check-ins" to "friends only," it hasn't provided an option for users to opt out of the feature entirely.

Rainey Reitman, a spokeswoman for the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, told CNN that people may not realize "the problems associated with geotagging" -- adding geographical identification data to online messages or photos -- until it affects them personally.

"We recommend that if you're going to use any kind of location identity social network, that you don't tell people where you live. Don't tag your own home," she said. "If you at least keep your home somewhat private, you won't be sending an open invitation to burglars."

The same advice applies to people sharing and tagging pictures on Facebook, she added.

Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said the issue with Facebook Places is not so much with the feature itself as the way it's being introduced -- a sentiment some commenters also have shared.

Facebook should leave it up to users to enable the feature if they want to check in at places instead of making the people who don't want to use it have to adjust their privacy settings, Rotenberg told CNN.

"It's kind of unfair to people," he said. "It's a little bit like saying, 'We're not sure if you're happy, but this is how it is.' "

In its blog post, Facebook claims its Places feature will never tell people where you are if you don't choose to tell them.

One CNN.com user suggested that people could use the Facebook Places feature to keep tabs on the whereabouts of their spouses and partners.

"This will help to keep track of your [significant] other... Babe where are you? I'm at work. Prove it, check in!" the commenter wrote.

At least one commenter on Facebook's blog was tired of people griping about the site and offered a simple solution.

"OMG quit complaining about privacy. If u don't [want] people knowing about you then don't use Facebook," the user wrote.

Southern Sudan unveils plans to build animal-shaped cities

Juba, South Sudan (CNN) -- An amusement park sits in the ear of a rhinoceros; a five-star hotel takes the place of its eye. Another city takes the awkward image of a giraffe, with a golf course on its chest and a sewage treatment plant on its tail.

The government of Southern Sudan this week unveiled urban blueprints to rebuild cities in the shape of animals, raising eyebrows across the globe.

The man behind the plan, Housing and Physical Planning Ministry undersecretary Daniel Wani, says the attention has given his ambitious proposal a boost of new energy.

"The reaction has been very good. We have been getting calls from everywhere," Wani says in the Southern Sudan capital of Juba. "Generally, the feedback we are receiving indicates that we are on a positive track."

The $10.1 billion multi-decade project to re-create Southern Sudan's 10 state capitals into elaborately-shaped dream towns may sound Dubai-esque -- only Southern Sudan is no Dubai.

Actually, it is one of the poorest places on earth.

The undeveloped region -- which lacks any paved roads outside its three main cities -- is part of Africa's largest nation, Sudan, which is ruled by the Khartoum government South Sudanese fought against for most of the past half century in two long civil wars.

But Southern Sudan expects to achieve independence next year through a January secession referendum promised in a 2005 peace deal that granted the war-torn region self-rule until the vote.

Even without the unique city designs, the multi-billion dollar price tag alone was sure to turn heads. Southern Sudan's total budget for 2010 is less than $2 billion, 98 percent of which comes from the oil revenues it hopes will fund its postwar re-construction.

Critics think South Sudan's expected oil bonanza could be getting to its head.

"There are so many priorities they should be focusing on before they should be attempting such a thing. It's not cost effective," says Ben Jerome Gama, 28, a South Sudanese living on a dirt road in Juba where the city's erratic electricity supply has yet to reach. "There is a lot to address -- in health, education, infrastructure."

Others think the idea could help put an aspiring new nation on the map.

"If it happened, everybody would come to see the country. It would mean we are developed," says Ochira Bosco, 27, who works in a Juba restaurant.

But Bosco says his government should budget for more pressing matters first.

"If they build these and we still don't have hospitals or proper schools or good roads, that would not be good," he says.

Wani defends his plan, saying that one must start planning for the future today.

And for those who consider the giraffe or rhino city designs silly or impractical, they should think bigger, says the official, who holds a doctorate in civil engineering from University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.

"The shapes are what is innovative about the whole idea, that is what is attracting all the attention," Wani says.

Eventually, the government hopes to get more than 70 percent of the project financed privately. Businessmen from Japan and Abu Dhabi have already flown in to discuss joining the investor pool since the plans were unveiled.

The proposal has yet to be finally approved by the nation's executive Cabinet, and investors will not begin work until a $500 million guarantee materializes from the Bank of Southern Sudan.

But the man who envisions giving Southern Sudan a unique aerial view is confident his idea will soon turn stones on the ground.

"We are implementing the plan, definitely," he says.
By Alan Boswell, For CNN
August 21, 2010 7:31 a.m. EDT

ATL co. wins $110M Titanic artifacts grant

A federal court in Virginia granted RMS Titanic Inc. the total fair market value of all artifacts it has salvaged from the Titanic over two decades -- a salvage award worth $110 million.

RMS Titanic Inc. is a unit of Atlanta-based Premier Exhibitions Inc. (NASDAQ: PRXI).

The salvage award is based upon the company's work recovering and conserving more than 3,000 artifacts from the wreck of Titanic during expeditions in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia reserved the right to determine the manner in which to pay the $110 million. It will rule by Aug. 15, 2011, whether to pay RMS Titanic Inc. a cash award from proceeds from a judicial sale or issue the company an award of title to the artifacts with certain covenants and conditions that would govern their maintenance and future disposition.

This award is in addition to some 1,800 artifacts RMS Titanic Inc. recovered in its first expedition to the wreck of Titanic in 1987. RMS Titanic Inc. already owns the title to those artifacts, which are worth an estimated $35 million.

“When Sellers Capital won its proxy fight and removed previous management in January 2009, we had two main goals: to stabilize the financial condition of the company, and to convince the court that we are trustworthy stewards of the Titanic shipwreck and artifacts and would follow a sharply different course than prior management,” said Mark Sellers, Premiere Exhibitions chairman, in a statement. “With this ruling, we believe we've now accomplished both of those goals.”

Read more: ATL co. wins $110M Titanic artifacts grant - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Tyler Perry buyer of Dean Gardens - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Tyler Perry buyer of Dean Gardens - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Atlanta writer, actor and director Tyler Perry is buying Dean Gardens, according to Databank Inc.

Dean Gardens sold Aug. 4 for about $7.6 million with $25,000 in closing costs. It had been on the market for $13.9 million.

The 32,000-square-foot Neo-Classical mansion was built in 1992 and stands at 5100 Old Alabama Road in one of the ritziest parts of the Atlanta suburbs.

The 58-acre estate, with 1,200 feet of Chattahoochee River frontage, is in the Johns Creek area of North Atlanta. The grounds include an 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, grass tennis court, croquet lawn, amphitheater, 3-acre stocked lake and formal gardens in French, Italian and Oriental styles.

Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty sold Dean Gardens. Listing agent Suzanne Close and co-listing agent Jason Dean, of the firm’s North Atlanta office, negotiated the transaction.

Perry was represented by Josh Reeves, of Keller Williams, Peachtree Battle office, according to Databank Inc.

Perry, perhaps best known as his character Medea Simmons, is also the creator of television shows Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Meet the Browns.


Read more: Tyler Perry buyer of Dean Gardens | Atlanta Business Chronicle

Tropical Depression #6 Forms in Atlantic - 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA

Tropical Depression #6 Forms in Atlantic - 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA


Atlanta writer, actor and director Tyler Perry is buying Dean Gardens, according to Databank Inc.

Dean Gardens sold Aug. 4 for about $7.6 million with $25,000 in closing costs. It had been on the market for $13.9 million.

The 32,000-square-foot Neo-Classical mansion was built in 1992 and stands at 5100 Old Alabama Road in one of the ritziest parts of the Atlanta suburbs.

The 58-acre estate, with 1,200 feet of Chattahoochee River frontage, is in the Johns Creek area of North Atlanta. The grounds include an 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, grass tennis court, croquet lawn, amphitheater, 3-acre stocked lake and formal gardens in French, Italian and Oriental styles.

Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty sold Dean Gardens. Listing agent Suzanne Close and co-listing agent Jason Dean, of the firm’s North Atlanta office, negotiated the transaction.

Perry was represented by Josh Reeves, of Keller Williams, Peachtree Battle office, according to Databank Inc.

Perry, perhaps best known as his character Medea Simmons, is also the creator of television shows Tyler Perry’s House of Payne and Meet the Browns.

Read more: Tyler Perry buyer of Dean Gardens - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Ways To Earn Money When You’re Broke

Money doesn’t grow on trees. When you need quick cash here’s 25 unique ways to earn it right now.

Desperate times / Photo Fanboy30

You reach into you wallet to pay for your hostel bed for the night, and come up empty. You dig deeper, finding only receipts and pocket lint.

You realize you’re out of money.

Nervous, you excuse yourself from the hostel clerk and rip open your backpack, in search of a secret stash of cash. Nothing. Not even a few coins.

All you have left are some smelly socks, an overdrawn bank account and an unquenchable thirst for adventure.

What do you do? Pack up your gear, hang your head in shame as you call your friends/parents to send the money for a ticket home? Or do you consider these innovative options for funding a life on the road:

1. Travel Writer

Considered by many as the ultimate travel job, writing for online publications can help you buy your next mug of beer. Work your way to becoming the next Hunter S. Thomson by learning about the craft and querying your next inspired idea.

2. Wield that camera

National Geographic may not be knocking your door down, but that doesn’t mean that your photos don’t deserve an audience. Try selling your landscape and portrait shots to travel publications or submit it to a stock photography company such as Shutterpoint.com, Andes Press Agency and Getty Images.

3. Video journalism

With the advent of Youtube amateur videos are in great demand. Become a backpack film maker, set up your own vblog or simply sell it to tourism sites.
National Geographic may not be knocking your door down, but that doesn’t mean that your photos don’t deserve an audience.

4. Busking

If you’re talented (or even if you aren’t), this is a great way to earn money. Just make sure you’re not taking someone else’s “spot” and check the legalities of performing in a certain area. Or if the police come, you could just run away really fast.

5. Work an a Bookstore

It’s a great way to show-off your “intellectual” side whilst devouring the latest books. Keep in mind that most may require a work permit before they hire you. A great alternative is to bunk in Paris’ famed Shakespeare and Company where the owner offers free beds and work in exchange that you promise to read at least one book a day.

6. Online Poker

This is the perfect money-making means for risk takers. Many travelers who have funded their trips from their winnings on Online Poker. Make sure to weigh the risks of wiping out your bank account and developing a gambling problem.

7. Massage

Have you been known to make your dates swoon with your suave massage moves? Maybe it’s time you put your seduction skills to good use by working as a freelance masseuse. Find willing clients on the beach or a location where people are looking to relaaaaxxxx. Invest in some scented oil, clean nails and your most disarming smile and you’ll have enough funds for your own spa treatment.

WWoofing it for cash / Photo strickeal

8. Farm Work

Fruit picking and farm work is one of the favorite possibilities for hippies, idealists and masochists. Though it is literally hard labor, it’s a paying job with invaluable perks, like meeting new people, enjoying the outdoors and having a unique experience.

One of the best resources is Transitions Abroad, Matador’s Guide to WWOOFING and Finding Paying Work in Europe.

9. Construction

If you’d like to fatten your wallet whilst trimming your waistline, then take on some short-term construction work. Who knows, with your newly sculpted abs and beefy biceps, you may find other uses for that tool belt.

10. Work in a hostel

Many hostels hire part-time workers in exchange for cheaper rates on rooms. Cleaning up after travelers may seem pretty disgusting, but it’s an opportunity for quick cash, a free bed and some new friends.

11. Painting

You don’t have to cut off your ear to get a painting gig, but you can put your artistic abilities to good use by offering your services for home, office or building refurbishments.

12. Dishwasher or Kitchen Staff

Grab some leftovers without having to resort to dumpster diving. Experience the stress, camaraderie and craziness of working in a restaurant’s kitchen. It may even open your eyes to a new career path like it did for bad-ass chef extraordinaire, Anthony Bourdain.
Get prodded and poked by nervous science students in the UK, US and in Europe as a guinea pig.

13. For the love of science…or some cash

If you were the type of kid that purposely ignores the expiration date on milk cartons just to “see what would happen,” then this is the job for you. Get prodded and poked by nervous science students in the UK, US and in Europe with Get Paid to Guinea Pig.

14. Donate Blood

So what if you feel a bit woozy? A train to Russia is not cheap. Sissy. Plus, you’re helping save lives.

15. Modeling

Do you enjoy staring at your reflection on train windows and hostel mirrors? Then throw down that backpack for a few hours and head off to the glamorous world of commercial and print modeling. Often found in the gigs section of craigslist ads and city job sites, these opportunities require little more than a few cheesy poses.

16. Movie Extra

Run through the streets of Berlin with Jason Bourne or flee Godzilla’s rampage in Tokyo by working as a movie extra. You can check out casting agencies, local job posts or even the local couchsurfing group where independent film makers often post openings. It’s a great way to rub elbows with international celebrities (or at least tell your friends you did), earn some fast cash and possibly get discovered.

17. Recycle

Yes, saving the environment does pay. In most European cities, you can get cash back for the bottles you collect. Scour the hostel lounge and trash cans for some empty containers which you can take to the local supermarket where you’ll be given enough change to finally buy that banana you’ve been eyeing.

Play the streets as a busker / Photo Kafka4prez

18. Sports events

Run after wayward golf balls or mop up the latest spillage from the Tae Kwon Do championships. For sports enthusiasts, it’s a great way to earn some money whilst gaining insight on the local games.

19. Trim some bushes

No, not those, pervert. Knock on a few doors and ask if they need any cleaning, yard work or repairs done. Though you may be chased off by Rover (or Ganesh if you’re in India), with a rumbling stomach, anything is worth a try.

20. Expositions

If you consider yourself a master of setting up tents, then challenge yourself by working at an exposition. Find these jobs on the city classified pages and help put up the displays, tarps and booths for a quick and easy buck.

21. Write Content

If you’ve been annoying your friends and family back home with your lengthy emails, then maybe its time to get paid by writing about other things than yourself. Work for a site that pays per hits such as blogit.com, helium.com and Associatedcontent.com.

22. Resell stuff

Don’t quite know what to do with that weird doll you got in Romania? Then sell it in your next location. From convincing your bunkmate to buy your lucky charms to auctioning fleamarket finds on ebay, reselling unusual travel goods can turn into quite the lucrative on-the-road business.

23. Handicrafts

If you’ve got a knack for crochet or can weave a basket at hyper speed, then selling some of your crafts can be used towards funding your next bus ticket. At the very least, you could make yourself something warm for those homeless evenings.

24. Festival Stalking

One of the best ways to combine a crazy cultural adventure, lots of drinking and enough dough for your next hangover spot is to work the festival circuit. You could either apply for a gig in one of the stands or push your own agenda by selling homemade space cakes, jell-o shots or setting up a kissing booth.

25. Sail Away

Sail off towards the sunset by working on a yacht or a cruise ship. You can find work by perusing crew job sites or simply asking people by the harbor if they have any leads. It provides a sense of freedom, a means to sustain to yourself and a way to get to your next stop.

Being on the road with very little or no cash may seem daunting at first, but the challenge of using your imagination to provide for yourself will make the experience all the more exciting and valuable.

Face the fear! There are always opportunities for the resourceful and intrepid traveler.

Any money-making ideas we missed? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Energy currency

Energy currency
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A currency backed by energy. This type of currency could be used to create an energy economy - a method for a local currency to be implemented in any community. The problem with many local currencies such as LETS [1] or Ithaca hours is that in businesses that are not a part of the program the currency is useless. However, if the currency can be used by ANY business or community member it can scale. A currency backed by renewable energy achieves this goal. The technology is finally available to make this happen.

Of the many advantages to such a system - adoption of a energy currency could correct the current market failure to address climate change by realigning economics with the reality of net energy.

Forex Markets Pare Gains

Markets Pare Gains- Haven Flows by Michael Boutros

Asia Pacific markets were softer after yesterday's global equity rally saw the Dow, the S&P, and Nasdaq advance by .6%, .5%, and .1% respectively. Risk appetite improved after the Reserve Bank of Australia gave an upbeat economic outlook for the region, providing support for commodity backed currencies. Market sentiment quickly shifted after June ISM non-manufacturing data showed that the US service sector had expanded at a slower pace than expected, falling to a four-month low with a reading of 53.8. More notably, the employment component came in at 49.7, showing a slight contraction in the jobs market. Note, that any reading above 50, signifies expansion, while a reading below would suggest contraction. The data fueled ongoing concerns that the global recovery may be faltering, subduing risk appetite in the Asian session, with the Hang Seng index, the Nekkei 225, and the S&P/ASX 200 index falling by 1.1%, .6%, and .5% respectively.

Commodities were generally softer, with gold easing to $1190, and crude oil dipping back below $72 per barrel, after peaking yesterday at $73.70. The dollar index was firmer after briefly falling below the 84 handle. The greenback was trading at 84.30, early in European trade.

BLACKROOTS SCIENCE

FROM: The Wise Ones of old, the Teachers of True Science. The Originators of True Civilization.
TO: All who desire a new perspective, and are tired of the old lies, and cannot understand what modern scientists are talking about.
Here is an ancient perspective on physics and astronomy, using modern concepts.
What is physics? It is the knowledge of the laws and principles of atoms and electrons.
What is astronomy? It is the knowledge of the laws governing stars and planets.
What is the difference between stars and atoms? Size is the only difference. The laws and principles are the same. Atoms and electrons are miniature stars and planets, and stars and planets are giant atoms and electrons. There is no difference except in size. The movements and revolutions are the same. The orbits are the same. The laws of magnetic attraction and repulsion are the same. Modern scientists want to keep the laws of atomic structure to themselves by cloaking it in a mystery. When I look up in the sky, I see the very same atoms they see in their electron microscopes. God put the stars out there for all to see who cannot afford the million dollar research microscopes, because the stars are what the atoms look like in miniature scale.

Iceland volcano erupts

Lighting seen amid the lava and ash erupting from the vent of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in central Iceland early morning Sunday April 18 2010 as it continues to vent into the skies over Europe. Low-energy lightning is sometimes active during eruptions, arcing between particles as they exit the volcanic vent at around 100 metres per second. The dramatic volcanic eruption which has closed Europe's airspace for days has entered a new phase - producing less smoke but bubbling with lava and throwing up chunks of molten rock.

(AP Photo/ Jon Pall Vilhelmsson)