Tag-Archive for » technology «
Nervous traders wiped £28.5billion from the value of London’s leading shares index today as fears intensified that Greece will crash out of the euro.
Another day of turmoil on world markets saw the FTSE 100 Index close 2 per cent, or 110 points, lower at 5465.5 as attempts to form a coalition government in Greece continued to stutter.
The country is facing the prospect of another election next month after resistance from anti-bailout opponents left president Karolos Papoulias unable to broker a power sharing deal.
Uncertainty over Greece’s future in the eurozone hit financial stocks today as banks and insurers dragged London’s leading shares index to a fresh low for 2012.
Barclays was the biggest faller, down 6 per cent or 13p at 189.8p, while Royal Bank of Scotland dropped 1.1p to 21.9p, and Lloyds Banking Group shed 1.7p at 29.4p.
Predictions that I see for the next 12 months or after.
1. This year there will be a big explosion at the corner of a building, seem like a financial institution. This will be in-house our people will do this. Not terrorist from the outside. Death toll 9-11 people. This takes place in New York or someplace very close by.
WEATHER –
1. Somewhere on this planet a “Volcano” will explode and be heard around the world. Yes it will be so intense, it will speed up the axes once again. It will remind scientist of the volcano “Krakatoa” from the past.
2. There will be flooding in 2012, in lots of areas across the nation, more than usual predictions. There is one that stands out and the catalyst will be the Mississippi River. We have never experience anything like this as a nation.
3. Alaska will experience a very strong 7.5 to 8 earthquake. The funny thing is, it will be man-made by Black Ops, not from the earth naturally. Also a lot of UFO testing go on in this same area or location of earthquakes. Earthquakes this year to be remembered and discussed, talked about are: Japan, Chile, Singapore (could be catastrophic).
TECHNOLOGY -
1. Good news! I believe this year you will be able to communicate with your 5×7 tablet as a phone communicator, and webcam. In other words the new phone with it all in one.
2. Strides in the field of Cancer (skin), Bionic (parts more mobile, bendable, breathable), Stem Cell (regenerating organs), Brain Modification (healing mental disease with electrode nanos, in the sleeping state).
POLITICS –
1. President Barack Obama will get a 2nd term.
2. Pharmaceutical companies will finally get their dues. They have been ripping the American consumer off for years, even with Generic brands. Under the table, bribes, donations to charities all in the name of some good or bad doctor to make money. Well this year a whistle-blower with defining proof what is really going, will have their story finally told, even to the expense of death. There is also a few Congressmen employed in this.
3. In less than 10 years the Federal Reserve will no longer exist, which is a good thing. Run by the rich and famous. Was set up by millionaires.
4. Look for U.S. Senators to come up missing in 2012, or to come up dead. Either through assassination, poisoning, vehicle accident, drowning, it going to happen.
ENTERTAINMENT –
Look for actors/actresses to get paid less for their jobs. WHY? you say, lol because of Comcast, Infinity, Dish, Direct etc. i.e. By the time you go to the theatre and spend about $80.00. You can sit at home in the comfort of your Media Room, Living Room, Family Room. Food is right there and drinks. Doesn’t matter how small or large the crowd, you only pay once price for the movie and that’s it! There is already a program of $60 in place to watch (opening day, block busters, first run) movies in the comfort of your home then to go to the theatre. Most cable or dish companies charge $4.99 to $9.99 for first time release. Which states movie theaters will become a thing of the past very soon. Remember the old “drive in theaters”.
by Lennis
1/7/12
OL777O
This is a show you don’t want to miss. We will be discussing this years, Weather, Economics, Finance, Medical Fields, Technology, Movie Theaters, Entertainment.
4pm PST or 7pm EST, 646-727-2814 Call in and join the discussions.
Two bills are snaking their way through congress at the moment in an attempt by the entertainment industry to clamp down on online file-sharing and piracy.
The Stop Online Piracy Act (or SOPA) in the House is the more famous of the two. Its counterpart in the Senate is PIPA (or the Protect IP Act.) Both bills are controversial, and with good reason.
Many big tech companies oppose the bills. And many more will soon if Reddit has anything to do with it. Major online web hosting giant GoDaddy.com recently learned its own lesson in the power of a boycott after they announced their support for SOPA, a bill that critics say would effectively censor the internet.
Soon after GoDaddy announced its support for the bill, Reddit users went into action, threatening to pull domains from the web host. Others joined in the fun, including Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.
The power of the grassroots online can’t be underestimated. Whether we’re talking about hacker ingenuity or simple boycotts, things happen in real time and as I’ve noted before, even censorship bills like SOPA won’t be able to stop it.
GoDaddy backed off after this barrage of protest and customers threatening to take their money elsewhere. And good for them, I suppose, though there are plenty of other good reasons not to give them your money.
But if hackers and internet junkies can find ways to stop corporations from supporting noxious bills and maybe even put pressure on a few elected officials, that still leaves countless Americans with very little knowledge of these bills. Most Americans aren’t great with computers and don’t know much about the internet or belong to activist communities online.
All the more important for us to work together to stop the state from clamping down on free speech and free commerce. Reddit is a great example of a site that has become far more than simply a social-networking or link-sharing utility and has grown into a real online community that can get things done.
Time Warner Inc. is making an unsolicited bid to acquire Endemol, the Dutch entertainment giant behind hit reality TV shows like “Big Brother” and “Deal or No Deal.”
Endemol spokesman Charlie Gardner confirmed the bid on Friday following earlier reports of the deal.
Gardner said the company had not been seeking a buyer and is focused on restructuring debt that was incurred when it was bought for around $3.6 billion in 2007 by Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi‘s Mediaset, Goldman Sachs and Dutch private equity firm Cyrte.
Gardner said that a non-binding bid submitted by Time Warner this week would be passed on to Endemol’s lenders.
A Time Warner spokesman was not immediately available for comment.
Apple Upgrades MacBook Pro with Faster Processors, More Storage
Apple has quietly upgraded its entire MacBook Pro lineup with faster processors and better internal storage without changing prices. The upgrades come just in time to capitalize on the holiday buying season.
The entry-level 13-inch MacBookPro comes in two versions, a $1,199 version that comes with a 2.4 Intel Core i5 processor, 500 Gb of storage space and 4Gb of RAM. The early 2011 versions that are being sold in stores right now only have a 2.3Ghz dual-core Intel Core i5, 4Gb of RAM, and 320 Gb of hard drive.
The faster 13-inch MacBook Pro will still sell for $1,499 but instead will come with a newer 2.8Ghz dual core i7 processor up from the early 2011 version with 2.7 Ghz processor. It will also have a bigger hard drive capacity of 750Gb up from its previous 500Gb version.
The Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch also has two versions available. The $1,799 version will have an increase in speed in its quad-core Intel Core i7 processor from 2.0 Ghz to 2.2 Ghz. The faster $2,199 version will have a speed bump on its processor from 2.2Ghz to 2.5 Ghz. Both models will also have better graphics card from AMD. The $1,799 model will get an AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 512Mb of graphics memory. The $2,199 model will get a Radeon HD 6770M.
The high-end 17-inch MacBook Pro line also received an upgrade with a faster processor, 2.4Ghz from the previous 2.2Ghz version. It will also receive an upgraded graphics card, an AMD Radeon HD 6770M with 1Gb of memory. The 17-inch MacBook Pro will still have the same price, $2,499 despite the upgrades.
The upgraded MacBook Pro line is listed as being in stock on the Apple store but check your local Apple stores for updates. While the upgrades aren’t flashy it is still a significant bump in performance and at no extra cost. Buyers who are thinking of purchasing a MacBook Pro should opt to go for these newer models instead. Buyers who already bought their MacBook Pro earlier in the year shouldn’t feel so bad, there’s always next year.
Seven U.S. states have joined the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit to block AT&T’s $39 billion proposed merger with T-Mobile.
The states are California, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Washington.
At the heart of the matter is anti-competition; in an already concentrated industry, the AT&T T-Mobile deal would shrink the field from four national players to three.
Moreover, the combined AT&T T-Mobile entity would hold a whopping 43 percent of the market share, giving it a commanding lead over its three smaller competitors.
”T-Mobile has been an important source of competition among the national carriers…Unless this merger is blocked, competition and innovation will be reduced, and consumers will suffer,” said Sharis A. Pozen, Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division.
Many of the seven states that have joined the DOJ lawsuit also cited anti-competition as their concern.
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Below is what their attorney generals have said:
New York: This proposed merger would stifle competition in markets that are crucial to New York’s consumers and businesses, while reducing access to low-cost options and the newest broadband-based technologies.
Ohio: The proposed transaction threatens to substantially lessen competition for mobile wireless providers across the United States, resulting in poorer quality services, fewer consumer choices and ultimately, higher prices.
California: Our review of the proposed merger between AT&T and T-Mobile has led me to conclude that it would hinder competition and reduce consumer choice.
Illinois: Blocking this acquisition protects consumers and businesses against fewer choices, higher prices, less innovation, and lower quality service.
Washington: This merger will result in less competition, fewer choices and higher prices for Washington state consumers. If the deal goes through, two companies will control roughly three quarters of mobile subscribers in the U.S. Antitrust laws exist to prevent such strangleholds over products and services.
Massachusetts: The proposed merger would create highly concentrated markets in Massachusetts and could lead to higher prices and poorer service. Competition will best serve consumers and businesses in Massachusetts who rely on mobile wireless services in their everyday lives.
The FBI conducted a dramatic raid today on a California solar company, Solyndra, that received a loan of $527 million from the Federal Financing Bank (FFB), a subsidiary of the U.S. Treasury. The FBI raid followed the filing of Solyndra’s bankruptcy yesterday
There are numerous parts of this story that don’t fit together well and suggest favoritism and political influence. Two executive branch agencies and a congressional committee are looking into the activities of the firm and their connection to the White House. The FBI raid was jointly conducted by the Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s investigative panel will hold a hearing on September 14.
Like many political scandals this one involves influence and money. There is a lot to sort out here.
The first question for investigators and Congress is why Solyndra received a $537 million loan from the U.S. Treasury. Were those responsible in the DOE aware that Solyndra couldn’t find private-sector financing? The FFB is a government corporation, created by Congress in 1973 under the general supervision of the Secretary of the Treasury. It can fund loans that are guaranteed by agencies of the U.S. government. As of 2010 it had made loans on behalf of the DOE for $2.9 billion. Solyndra made up about 20% of that amount. Prior to the Treasury’s loan, the firm had done nine rounds of private financing and filed for an IPO which was subsequently withdrawn.
Two of Solyndra’s largest investors are Argonaut Ventures I, L.L.C. and the GKFF Investment Company, LLC. Both firms are represented on the Solyndra board of directors by Steven R. Mitchell (see Solyndra S-1 page 119). Both are investment vehicles of the George Kaiser Family Foundation of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
George Kaiser was a bundler for President Barack Obama in 2008 election. The Daily Caller has done an excellent job of establishing that Mr. Kaiser visited the White House 16 of the 20 times that Solyndra investors or management visited there. From the Daily Caller (emphasis mine):
According to White House visitor logs, between March 12, 2009, and April 14, 2011, Solyndra officials and investors made no fewer than 20 trips to the West Wing. In the week before the administration awarded Solyndra with the first-ever alternative energy loan guarantee on March 20, four separate visits were logged.
George Kaiser, who has in the past been labeled a major Solyndra investor as well as a Obama donor, made three visits to the White House on March 12, 2009, and one on March 13. Kaiser has denied any direct involvement in the Solyndra deal and through a statement from his foundation said he “did not participate in any discussions with the U.S. government regarding the loan.”
George Kaiser alleges that he didn’t discuss Solyndra with any White House officials but his investment vehicles were very hot for Solyndra. I went back into Solyndra’s IPO filing and totaled up the amount of funding Kaiser’s investment businesses gave Solyndra. Over 9 rounds of financing it invested approximately $337 million, or 48% of all equity raised for the business. Although Kaiser, through Argonaut and GKFF Investment Company, LLC, did not participate in the initial two private financing rounds, they dominated the following funding rounds and were the major venture capital investors in the firm.
Which brings us to the bankruptcy Solyndra filed yesterday in Delaware federal bankruptcy court. Like many bankruptcies there are a lot of creditors in line to be repaid by disposing of Solyndra’s assets. What is unusual is the order of precedence of creditors. When the Solyndra loan was guaranteed by the Department of Energy and paid out by the U.S. Treasury according to US law 10 C.F.R. §609.10(d)(13), the government should have become first in line for repayment (page 2):
Any Guaranteed Obligation may not be subordinate to any other debt and must have a first lien position on all assets of the project and all additional collateral pledged as security for any project debt.
But when I read the bankrutpcy filing it turns out George Kaiser’s investment firm is actually first in line, ahead of the U.S. government, for $69 million. Here is the ordering:
Tranche A: $69,302,901 – Argonaut Ventures I, L.L.C
Tranche B/D Term Loan Facility: $527,808,544 – U.S. Department of Energy
Tranche E Credit Documents: $186,481,645 – Argonaut Ventures I, L.L.C.
The financing documents were rewritten in February 2011 and gave priority to Argonaut for Tranche A. Several commentators have raised the question of why the Department of Energy would have allowed the government to become subordinate to Argonaut given the law.
It turns out that Argonaut was a person who participated in the California Gold Rush. George Kaiser seems to be a man who has participated in many gold rushes and was making a very large bet on solar energy through Solyndra. There are a lot of loose threads here that need to be tied together. Taxpayers money must be recovered first. I hope everything was on the up-and-up and Solyndra was funded entirely on its potential merits rather than political influence. Alleged political favoritism will kill public enthusiasm for reorienting policy towards renewable energy. Solyndra seems to be a tale of dirty solar. Hopefully it won’t block out the sun.
Brown’s tax hike would hit anyone earning more than $250,000 a year. Brown, a liberal Democrat, has borrowed the “tax-the-rich” theme from Barack Obamato make up for overspending during a poor economy.
California Governor Jerry Brown believes he can solve the state’s spending crisis that includes a $16 billion deficit by going after high earners. However, analysts say significant tax hikesduring a period of stagnant jobs growth could do more damage to the state than good.
The governor proposed his new budget plan that includes more spending Monday and in a YouTube video. Brown proposed an increase in funding for K-12 education provided voters approve his proposal to increase the state’s sales tax on everyone along with hiking income taxes on “the rich.As Governor, Jerry Brown is blaming the state’s economic woes on poor revenues and over-spending by others while proposing new spending, massive cuts and a two-pronged tax hike for the future.
Brown’s tax hike would hit anyone earning more than $250,000 a year. Brown, a liberal Democrat, has borrowed the “tax-the-rich” theme from Barack Obamato make up for overspending during a poor economy.
California Governor Jerry Brown believes he can solve the state’s spending crisis that includes a $16 billion deficit by going after high earners. However, analysts say significant tax hikesduring a period of stagnant jobs growth could do more damage to the state than good.
The governor proposed his new budget plan that includes more spending Monday and in a YouTube video. Brown proposed an increase in funding for K-12 education provided voters approve his proposal to increase the state’s sales tax on everyone along with hiking income taxes on “the rich.”
Brown has championed tax hikes since he took office in January 2011; Republican legislators blocked his efforts last year. Democrats have controlled the California House and Senate for many years.
Brown would levy a 3 percent tax increase on those earning more than $250,000 which affects about 1% of taxpayers. Analystswarn that tax hikes will put a damper on economic growth and small business owners may need to cut back on employees to cough up more cash for state.
Brown also wants to raise California’s sales tax by a quarter of a point starting in January and lasting through 2016, however most analysts agree that once the state approves a sales tax increase it never goes away.
That would bump up the average state sales tax rate to 8.4%. Brown claims his proposal would bring in $8.5 billion. Brown warned voters that an additional $6 billion would be slashed on January 1, 2013 if they don’t approve his proposal.
California’s current budget took into account a $4 billion increase in state tax revenues that never occurred. The state is $3.5 billion below estimates; the bulk of the shortage was in personal income taxes, according to the controller’s office.
Asked at a press conference whether this week’s Facebook’s IPO would brighten the state’s fiscal outlook, Brown responded: “Who knows? That’s Wall Street.”