New York Still Investigating Trading on Early Access

By WILLIAM ALDEN

Mike Groll/Associated Press
“A new generation of market manipulators has emerged,” said Eric T. Schneiderman, New York’s attorney general.

The top law enforcer in New York State is not done scrutinizing high-speed trading based on early looks at sensitive data.

Eric T. Schneiderman, New York State’s attorney general, said on Tuesday that such trading – which he called “insider trading 2.0” – was still a focus of his office, which reached a settlement with Thomson Reuters over the issue in July.

In that case, Thomson Reuters had allowed a select group of high-frequency trading firms to see a closely watched index of consumer confidence two seconds before it was released to other clients. But the company agreed to end the practice after pressure from the attorney general.

That settlement covers only part of a continuing problem in the markets, Mr. Schneiderman said on Tuesday at the Bloomberg Markets 50 Summit in New York, calling the issue “far more insidious than traditional insider trading.”

 

“A new generation of market manipulators has emerged,” he said.

“Small but powerful groups within the market are able to use soon-to-be-public information combined with high-frequency trading to distort the markets in ways far worse than Ivan Boesky or Gordon Gekko could have imagined,” he said, referring to a convicted insider trader from the 1980s and a fictional character from the movie “Wall Street.”

It is debatable whether buying early access to market-moving information can be considered fraudulent, Peter J. Henning wrote in the White Collar Watch column in July. “Although it is natural to think that having access to information that influences the markets before others is always wrong, the laws on fraud do not go that far,” he wrote.

Still, Mr. Schneiderman used his broad powers under New York’s Martin Act to put pressure on Thomson Reuters. That antifraud law does not require proof of intentional misconduct.

At Tuesday’s conference – which was sponsored by a main rival of Thomson Reuters – Mr. Schneiderman emphasized that his inquiry into this matter was continuing. He cited concerns about the practice by investment banks of releasing analyst research to select clients.

The point of this inquiry, Mr. Schneiderman said, was to create a level playing field and restore public trust in the markets. “When blinding speed is coupled with early access to data, it gives people the power to suck value out of the markets before it even hits the Street,” he said.

Speaking to an audience of financial professionals, Mr. Schneiderman encouraged Wall Street to call his office hot line with any leads.

“I see little being done from the industry to address this clear and present danger,” he said. “I would urge you to get this on the agenda of any trade association group or at your own firm.”

OZ The Great and Powerful

This would have been a great movie if they have extended it to 3 hours. I feel like rushed the whole entire time, its like they are moving the movie along too fast. From the very beginning, OZ made a show, tornado came, he find himself in Oz, he went to castle, didn't even have a time to eat or go to restroom, he went on to find the witch, night time came, daytime came, he went to refuge camp, plan a attack, this is when it was really rushed, shot a few scene, gadget is made, traveled to emerald castle, night time again, then the finale, fireworks then end. Are you guys rush, ya that's pretty much what happen, I would say go watch Monster Inc.

Diablo

One of my great screenshot at the time. I love the cinematics.

TSA drops plan to allow small knives on planes

The Transportation Security Administration has abandoned a plan to let passengers carry small knives on planes, following a steady outcry from lawmakers and industry advocates.
The TSA announced on Wednesday that it would stick with its current policy on carry-on baggage. The agency said it "appreciates the varying points of view shared throughout the review process."
Those points of view were largely negative.
Skeptical lawmakers, airlines, labor unions and some law enforcement groups complained that the knives and other items in the hands of the wrong passengers could be used to injure or even kill passengers and crew.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., praised the decision to back off the policy change.
"It seemed obvious to most travelers and airline employees that the decision to allow knives on planes was wrong, and we're glad the TSA, after further review and input, has seen it our way," Schumer said.
The original proposal would have also allowed travelers to bring souvenir bats, golf clubs and other sports equipment onto planes.

Read More 



What were TSA thinking in the first place? As per many reports all over the web, TSA seems to be all over the place and trying to find ways for it to stay budgeted. Why don't they just cut the abusive program and stick to what works, trust the passengers to report all unusual behaviors, make the response time faster on all incident, put a Marshal on every flight and give the pilots their own door into the cockpit, rather than going through the fuselage. Once every country know that Americans watch each others back, they would think twice on messing with us again, rather than depending on a unreliable company, like TSA, that haven't prevented any incident since their inception.

Disney is not the happiest place on earth

The day is June 1st 2013, it's a beautiful day, I was up at 4 am to get my family ready for a big day. My daughter is heading to L.A. with her orchestra to compete. We are all packed and head out to the competition. After we arrived, we scope up the competition to see how good they are and they are very good. My daughters group have their work cut out for them. Now is their turn, entrance was perfect, positioning are on the spot, the music is excellent, no mistake, no inconsistency, and flawless performance.

Onto Disneyland for the ceremony, this is where bad things began. The notion or the promotion of Disney that they are the happiest place on earth are exaggerated. Although the characters that put on the show are friendly and sweet, the staff, on the other hand, are quiet the opposite. The STAFF, let's talk about them, are the most power tripping, inconsiderate, self centered, annoying, humiliating bunch of people I met.

Let me tell you about the power tripping first, so there we are at Big Thunder Ranch at around 6 pm, getting ready to go in for the ceremony, a couple of staff was pulling and pushing students to get them in line to go in, I ask the staff why is he doing that, and he said, to get them in quicker, we all know they shouldn't be doing that. Now we are heading in to the stage area and they have these green tape lined up and different area, there are no chairs for student to sit and they are expected to sit on the ground ( a multi billion dollar company that can't even provide seats to students to have a proper ceremony ), many of the parent are there for their student, and many of the student are there for the first time, and almost all of those students and family only going to have this celebration once in their lifetime. Now with that in mind, lets dive in the problem. There I was taking video of one of the most important event in my daughters life, if you have children, you know what this means to you and your family, and I was beside the authoritative green line, not in it but beside it, the only spot where I can get a proper video without heads on them. First a staff approach me telling me to get in to the green line, I did not respond, she left, then another came, a different staff, telling me to get in to the green line, I did not respond, then a lady in a tacky clothes, trying to look professional approach me and tell me a whole spill that we have to be inside the green line for protection and safety ( protection for what? and safety for what? ), I ignored her. Then there is guy that approach me telling me to get into the green line, I ask him, why do I have to be in the green line? Here is his answer " we need you in the green line because for safety issue, in case of emergency and its for fire safety" , in my mind I said , emergency crew are about 5-10 minutes away and in case for fire, those tape on the floor won't stop 300 + student from rampaging out the gate, is this guy's delusional?.

There again in the ceremony, I was trying to get as much video as I can to keep some memories for my daughters achievements, and I was standing just a step away from the green line, there a lady approach me again and told me to step in the green line, then I ask her " how many times in a persons life are they going to have this kind of event?" then I told here " this is a once in a lifetime event for my daughter and she's ruining it by interrupting my video, and the video is all over the place because of her", then she left, again this trying to look professional lady comes explaining all the stuff about me standing one inches away from their green line, I ignored her. I am about to the end of my temper after she approach so I stop video taping and went with my wife outside to cool off. Outside, I encounter this guy staff member, with his heavy chubby build, white shirt, black pants, spike hair, wired up self, kept asking me if I was staring at him. First time he ask, I said no, then he ask again, a bit more aggressive, I said no, then he ask for the third time, with a full notion of " I see that no one is here and your staring at me, do you have a problem with me?", then I said, "I'm not staring at you, and why would I stare at you?" , if my son hadn't come and made me smile, I would have express all my steam out of him in a very uncomfortable way, he is a very lucky person at that time. When I looked back at his direction, he had left. That conclude that first problem.

Inconsideration is very bad for your business especially if your in a customer service business. The staff saw me as an adult and yet treat me like a little kid. Get in that green line, get in that green line, you must be in the green line, we need you to be in that green line, what is with this green line that would protect everyone in that place? The answer is, NOTHING. Just the feeling for the staff to tell other people what to do and making them obey it or else, you know, that feeling of supremacy. As the supervisor of that event, he/she should have consider not only the safety but also the feelings of these family that travelled a long distance just to be in their kids performance and ceremony. Most of these parents and students came all the way from Oregon and Texas, most of these families have these event once in their life, most of these families can only record these events once and would like it to be memorable and most of these families would like a little consideration. NONE was given at that time, NONE, the staff at Big Thunder Ranch are cold and bitter, no compassion, no consideration, no empathy. They should all be replace or retrained or reprimand.

Self centered, annoying, and humiliating is the best way to describe all the person I encounter at that event. They enjoy interrupting people and making a scene which make them the so called hero. Hero of what? Hero of their self indulgence, hero of their pride or hero of nothing?

Here's a thought, the facade is awesome and people dig it, the place look happy and entertaining, but the place would be loosing hell of allot of money because the inside workers are rotten to the core. Disney need to take a retraining, anger management and customer service pill to these bunch or people moving forward. The rides are awesome and place are awesome, but the experience is disappointing. Spending a lot of money to have this once in a lifetime experience is very disheartening because it was not worth it. I could have bought a whole year pass on Sea World, Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo, Science Museum and Birch Aquarium for a family of FIVE on the money I spent just to be in Disney Park. With that I could have enjoyed with my family and help the charity at the same time, not only that, Sea World, Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo, Science Museum and Birch Aquarium have outstanding customer service and helpful staff.

How to integrate Java ME SDK 3.2 with NetBeans

How to integrate Java ME SDK 3.2 with NetBeans

By SungmoonCho on Sep 25, 2012

Many people like to use Java ME SDK with IDEs. We provided instructions on how to integrate the SDK with NetBeans through the download page, and also through the release note, however, let me explain it here once again with some screen shots.
1. Download Java ME SDK and NetBeans plugin from here.
2. Install Java ME SDK first. You will have the emulator and the runtime on your machine. Also please unarchive the NetBeans plugin somewhere.
3. Launch NetBeans.
4. Go to "Tools" - "Plugins".
5. Check out the "Installed" tab. Check "Show details". If you see the previous version of Java ME SDK Tools installed already. Check those to uninstall them.

6. Go to "Settings" tab.
7. Click "Add", and provide the location of NetBeans plugin. In my case, it is "file:/C:/Users/sungcho/Downloads/nb-me-sdk-plugins-uc/updates.xml". Don't forget to add "updates.xml" at the end.

8. Click "Okay"
9. Click "Available Plugins" tab.
10. If you scroll down, you will see three Java ME SDK Tools. Check "Java ME SDK Tools" plugin. Also check others as you desire.

11. Follow the instruction and install them.
12. Restart NetBeans
13. That is it. Done. Now you will see Oracle Java ME SDK 3.2 in your Java Platform list.

Its 2 Diva Judges Gone, ‘American Idol’ Continues to Revamp

Fox’s grand — and expensive — experiment in using music superstars to revive its flagging “American Idol” franchise was officially shut down Thursday night when the two contemporary divas brought in this season, Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, both confirmed recent rumors that they would be leaving the show.

That brings to three the total of departing judges, with Randy Jackson, who has been with the show since its first season, already declaring that he would not return; a fourth judge, Keith Urban, who had a mostly quiet first season, is the only potential holdover on “Idol” (other than the host, Ryan Seacrest, who is definitely expected back next season). Read More

China’s Pork Deal May Hinge on the Risk for an Uproar

Who knew that pork could be a national security problem?
That may be the case with the $4.7 billion offer from Shuanghui International of China for Smithfield Foods. The deal will be subject to a national security review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or Cfius. There are important implications not just for pork but for how Washington looks at Chinese investment.

Shuanghui’s proposed purchase would be the largest Chinese acquisition of an American company, so it is bound to receive intense scrutiny. Shuanghui was not required to submit to a review, but that would have been foolhardy given the size of the deal and the money at stake. The decision also means that the United States government cannot come back later and undo the transaction once the committee approves it.

To understand what will happen next, it is important to understand the sometimes dry history of the national security review. Read More

Feeling the Awesome

It was a long day yesterday and there are alot of things going on and were running late on my daughters assembly. It was set at 6pm and were barely heading there. So during the way there we were talking about awesomeness of different things, then my daughter said " we are late", then I said " you know what would be awesome? If you get there and they call your name as you are walking into the door".
Finally we arrive, picked up the camera, and head on to the stadium. We can hear a teacher speaking of someone in particular and explaining how great this kid is, then as we enter the door, the teacher called on her.
 Daze and confuse on where you to go and what to do my daughter ran to the stage to accept the award, and there I am staggering to turn on the camera to video the event, I caught some of what happen but not all, so I ask the videographer to send me a copy.
After the event ended and were on our way home, my daughter told me that that was awesome, and I told her to remember that feeling and that moment, because that's how it fill being in an awesome place at an awesome time.

Anonymous Hacktivist Jeremy Hammond Pleads Guilty to Stratfor Attack

At a time when the word “hacktivist” is routinely used to describe random brigands and petty vandals, Jeremy Hammond stands out as the real deal. In 2004 he urged DefCon attendees to target Republican National Convention delegates for “electronic civil disobedience.” In 2006 he was sentenced to two years federal for hacking the website of a right-wing group. In between he reportedly picked up a handful of minor arrests for real-world civil disobedience, including at least one drum-banging protest.

Today, the 28-year-old Chicagoan pleaded guilty to conspiring in the keystone attack of the short-lived Lulzsec/AntiSec era, a damaging December 2011 intrusion into the servers of the private intelligence firm Strategic Forecasting, Inc. The Stratfor hack compromised 60,000 credit card numbers, some of which were promptly loaded up with $700,000 in fraudulent charges. Also stolen were 5 million email messages, which have been trickling out of WikiLeaks ever since.

As with his previous adventures, Hammond’s motives in the Stratfor attack were purely non-profit.
“Now that I have pleaded guilty it is a relief to be able to say that I did work with Anonymous to hack Stratfor, among other websites,” Hammond writes in an unrepentant press release. “Those others included military and police equipment suppliers, private intelligence and information security firms, and law enforcement agencies.
“I did this because I believe people have a right to know what governments and corporations are doing behind closed doors. I did what I believe is right.”

Hammond says he pleaded guilty to forestall further indictments and avoid the risk of a 30-year sentence if he lost at trial: In the federal system, hacking sentences are determined mostly by prior convictions and financial losses. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he now faces up to 10 years in prison and restitution of up to $2.5 million. He’s been held without bail at a federal detention center in New York since his arrest in March of last year.

Hammond and other hackers were betrayed by Hector Xavier Monsegur, aka “Sabu,” a former computer security consultant and the ersatz leader of the Lulzsec hacking team. Monsegur secretly turned informant after the FBI easily tracked him down in May 2011, and he became an agent provocateur, publicly cheerleading for hack attacks against private security contractors and law enforcement agencies. In this way he ensnared the Stratfor hackers, and even got them to transfer their stolen material to an FBI-controlled server. Read More

Online Currency Exchange Accused of Laundering $6 Billion

The operators of a global currency exchange ran a $6 billion money-laundering operation online, a central hub for criminals trafficking in everything from stolen identities to child pornography, federal prosecutors in New York said on Tuesday.

The currency exchange, Liberty Reserve, operated beyond the traditional confines of United States and international banking regulations in what prosecutors called a shadowy netherworld of cyberfinance. It traded in virtual currency and provided the kind of anonymous and easily accessible banking infrastructure increasingly sought by criminal networks, law enforcement officials said.
      

The charges announced at a news conference by Preet Bharara, the United States attorney in Manhattan, and other law enforcement officials, mark what officials said was believed to be the largest online money-laundering case in history. Over seven years, Liberty Reserve was responsible for laundering billions of dollars, conducting 55 million transactions that involved millions of customers around the world, including about 200,000 in the United States, according to prosecutors.

       

Richard Weber, who heads the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal investigation division in Washington, said at the news conference that the case heralds the arrival of “the cyber age of money laundering,” in which criminals “are gravitating toward digital currency alternatives as a means to move, conceal and enjoy their ill-gotten gains.”

      

“If Al Capone were alive today, this is how he would be hiding his money,” Mr. Weber said. “Our efforts today shatter the belief among high-tech money launderers that what happens in cyberspace stays in cyberspace.”  Read More

Admit It

Yes , yes, I did all of them, do I get a cookie?

Obama Speaks to Naval Graduates About Sexual Assault Issue

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — President Obama used a commencement speech before Naval Academy graduates on Friday to urge them to follow an “inner compass” and to warn that rising numbers of sexual assaults in the military threatened to erode America’s faith in the armed forces.

 

The president praised the military as the nation’s “most trusted institution,” but took note of the recent cases in which service members have been charged with sexual assault. He said those people “threaten the trust and discipline which makes our military strong.”

 

“We need your honor, that inner compass that guides you,” the president said, essentially using the platform at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to scold those who have strayed from that direction recently. “Even more than physical courage, we need your moral courage — the strength to do what’s right, even when it’s unpopular.”

      

Mr. Obama delivered his remarks under cloudy, drizzly skies to 1,047 graduates, most of whom will receive commissions as officers in the Navy, the Marine Corps or the Air Force. Before the president spoke, Ray Mabus, the secretary of the Navy, said jokingly that the graduates had completed a journey “you began once you turned down your acceptance to West Point.”

      

It was the second time Mr. Obama had addressed the graduates of the academy, and he was welcomed with enthusiastic cheers as he congratulated them on becoming the military’s latest officers. He echoed his remarks from a day earlier, telling the graduates that they enter the services at a time of transition in the war against terrorism.

      

“We still need to conduct precise, targeted strikes against terrorists before they kill our citizens,” he said, noting the end of the Iraq war and next year’s expected end of the American role in Afghanistan. But he said, “we need to stay ready for the whole range of threats.” 

 

Watch Video

 

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Owned by a Panda

NEVER SAY NO TO THE PANDA or else......

From McRibs to Maseratis: The Power of Scarcity Marketing

In the new book Happy Money: the Science of Smarter Spending, behavioral economists Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton describe how money can buy happiness—but only if we spend it the right way.

Editor's note: Think money can't buy happiness? Behavioral economists Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton beg to differ. It actually can, they say—but only if we spend it the right way.

In their book released this week, Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending, Dunn and Norton draw on years of quantitative and qualitative research to explain how we can turn cash into contentment. The key lies in changing our spending habits and adhering to five key principles: Buy Experiences (research shows that material purchases are less satisfying than vacations or concerts); Make it a Treat (limiting access to our favorite things will make us keep appreciating them); Buy Time (focusing on time over money yields wiser purchases); Pay Now, Consume Later (delayed consumption leads to increased enjoyment); and Invest in Others (spending money on other people makes us happier than spending it on ourselves).

Happy Money provides valuable information not only for pleasure-seeking consumers, but also for companies looking to increase the happiness of both employees and customers. The following excerpt describes how the power of limited access led to fanatical demand of such products as McDonald's "McRib" sandwich and KFC's "Double Down." Read More

Steve Jobs’s Widow Debuts on Philanthropic Stage

Marlene Castro knew the tall blonde woman only as Laurene, her mentor. They met every few weeks in a rough Silicon Valley neighborhood the year that Ms. Castro was applying to college, and they e-mailed often, bonding over conversations about Ms. Castro’s difficult childhood. Without Laurene’s help, Ms. Castro said, she might not have become the first person in her family to graduate from college.

It was only later, when she was a freshman at University of California, Berkeley, that Ms. Castro read a news article and realized that Laurene was Silicon Valley royalty, the wife of Apple’s co-founder, Steven P. Jobs.

“I just became 10 times more appreciative of her humility and how humble she was in working with us in East Palo Alto,” Ms. Castro said.

The story, friends and colleagues say, is classic Laurene Powell Jobs. Famous because of her last name and fortune, she has always been private and publicity-averse. Her philanthropic work, especially on education causes like College Track, the college prep organization she helped found and through which she was Ms. Castro’s mentor, has been her priority and focus.

Now, less than two years after Mr. Jobs’s death, Ms. Powell Jobs is becoming somewhat less private. She has tiptoed into the public sphere, pushing her agenda in education as well as global conservation, nutrition and immigration policy. Just last month, for example, she sat down for a rare television interview, discussing the immigration bill before Congress. She has also taken on new issues, like gun control.

“She’s been mourning for a year and was grieving for five years before that,” said Larry Brilliant, president of the Skoll Global Threats Fund who is an old friend of Mr. Jobs. “Her life was about her family and Steve, but she is now emerging as a potent force on the world stage, and this is only the beginning.”

But she is doing it her way.

“It’s not about getting any public recognition for her giving, it’s to help touch and transform individual lives,” said Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, a philanthropist and lecturer on philanthropy at Stanford who has been close friends with Ms. Powell Jobs for two decades. She is also the daughter of a wealthy real estate developer in Silicon Valley and the wife of Marc Andreessen, the venture capitalist. Read More

IRS scandal needs more than a scapegoat

(CNN) -- The Internal Revenue Service has admitted that it targeted groups with "tea party" or "patriot" in their names. We've since learned that a wider array of groups concerned about spending, debt, high taxes, government growth, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights -- basically any conservative or libertarian issue you can name -- was targeted.

President Obama said Monday that he was "outraged" over the IRS' behavior. He said that those responsible should be held "fully accountable." I wonder when that will happen?

On Wednesday, the president requested and received the resignation of Acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller -- but that is not enough. The executive branch has been aware of this scandal for nearly two years and now, only as a result of massive public pressure, the administration has found a scapegoat.

The president did not announce that Miller was responsible, and we still don't know who came up with the idea to target the tea party. We have not been told whether Obama administration officials knew about the discrimination and if they allowed it to continue when they found out. Forcing out Miller is not the end of this scandal.

Holding the guilty parties accountable is just the first step. But if the handling of the attack in Benghazi, Libya, is any indication, there are no guarantees this will happen.

The IRS is under the president's jurisdiction. He needs to fully recognize the gravity of these charges.

The IRS targeting citizens for political reasons is not simply another Washington scandal. At issue is something that strikes at the very heart of who we are as a people, what we believe as Americans and what this country has always stood for. Full Story Here

Obama Tries to Put Benghazi Back on the Fringe

President Barack Obama angrily batted away questions on Monday about his Administration’s response to the Benghazi attack, calling the recent furor over edited talking points a “sideshow.”
Less than a week after emotional testimony in the House of Representatives brought the conservative obsession with Benghazi into the mainstream, Obama tried to contain the damage by framing the GOP focus on the attack as politically driven. “We dishonor [the victims] when we turn things like this into a political circus,” Obama said during a peevish joint press conference at the White House with British Prime Minister David Cameron.
A week after the U.S. deputy chief of mission in Libya questioned the Administration’s official account of efforts to help the victims of the Sept. 11, 2012 assault, Obama tried to use his frustration to deflect new revelations that State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland edited intelligence-community talking points in the days after the attack to downplay potential security failures. “Suddenly, three days ago, this gets spun up as if there’s something new to the story,” the President added, saying the talking points reflected what he was being told by intelligence officials. “There’s no ‘there’ there.”
“The whole issue of talking points, frankly, throughout this process has been a sideshow,” Obama said, noting that the Administration called it an act of terrorism almost from the start. “Who executes some sort of cover-up or effort to tamp things down for three days? So the whole thing defies logic.”
In November, White House press secretary Jay Carney said only a small, semantic change had been made to the talking points. With his Administration’s credibility under assault, Obama spent 918 words arguing that the allegations were not to be believed, and accused Republicans of playing politics. “They’ve used it for fundraising,” he said.


Read more: http://swampland.time.com/2013/05/13/angry-obama-tries-to-put-benghazi-back-on-the-fringe/#ixzz2TJJ2cMIz

CAN YOU SOLVE THIS?

This maze is serious business, took me 15 mins to figure it out.

Precious Moments LOL

Hilarious ! ! !

IRS targeted more than tea party groups, document shows

Washington (CNN) -- The Internal Revenue Service targeted other groups focused on government spending and the federal debt that were seeking tax-exempt status, in addition to tea party organizations, documents set to be released this week by the agency's watchdog show.

The IRS also applied extra scrutiny to applicants with statements that "criticize how the country is run" or that sought to educate the public on how to "make America a better place to live" -- designations that would have included conservative political groups looking to apply for 501(c)(4) status.

Those disclosures are included in the appendix of an inspector general's report obtained by CNN that is set to be released publicly this week, and that has caused widespread anger among Republican lawmakers and activists who have portrayed the federal government as unfairly targeting political rivals.

On Sunday, lawmakers blasted the IRS for its scheme, which was described by Sen. Susan Collins as a "truly outrageous" breach of public trust.

"It contributes to the profound distrust that the American people have in government," the Maine Republican said on CNN's "State of the Union," adding that President Barack Obama should offer a public condemnation of the IRS' practices.

Obama spokesman Jay Carney said Saturday the president believes that the government should be staffed with "the very best public servants with the highest levels of integrity" and that "based on recent media reports, (the president) is concerned that the conduct of a small number of Internal Revenue Service employees may have fallen short of that standard."

That doesn't go far enough for Collins, who said "the president needs to make crystal clear that this is totally unacceptable in America."

Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, called for a full investigation of the IRS' practices, something Republicans and Democrats have said is necessary after learning of the conservative targeting.

"I don't care if you're a conservative, a liberal, a Democrat or a Republican, this should send a chill up your spine," the Michigan Republican said on "Fox News Sunday."

A congressional investigation would probe who knew what and when, Rep. Darrell Issa told CNN on Sunday. Issa chairs the House Committee on Oversight. Full Story Here

CNN Exclusive: Hunted and haunted, Castro's brothers say they didn't know

(CNN) -- When Ariel Castro was arrested last week on charges of kidnapping and raping three women for more than a decade in his Cleveland home, police also detained his two brothers, showing their mugshots to the world.

Police released Pedro and Onil Castro a few days later, saying neither man had anything to do with the alleged abductions and torture of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight.

The men, both in their 50s, are now in hiding in an undisclosed location, as are other family members, including their 71-year-old mother. The brothers say their homes have had rocks thrown through the windows -- one of them was broken into -- and they have been receiving death threats online.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, which took place outside Cleveland, the Castro brothers say they are grateful the three girls are finally free and safe, but they are haunted by missing clues and hunted by the media. Click for Full Story

Happy Mothers Day ! ! !

Although searching for this photo is a little uncomfortable, may you enjoy them as a gift for mothers day. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY ! ! !

Stop Using These 16 Terms to Describe Yourself by Jeff Haden

Picture this. You meet someone new. "What do you do?" she asks.
"I'm an architect," you say.

"Oh, really?" she answers. "Have you designed any buildings I've seen?"

"Possibly," you reply. "We did the new student center at the university..."

"Oh wow," she says. "That's a beautiful building..."

Without trying -- without blowing your own horn -- you've made a great impression.

Now picture this. You meet someone new. "What do you do?" he asks.

"I'm a passionate, innovative, dynamic provider of architectural services with a collaborative approach to creating and delivering outstanding world-class client and user experiences."

All righty then.

Do you describe yourself differently – on your website, promotional materials, or especially on social media – than you do in person? Do you use cheesy clichés and overblown superlatives and breathless adjectives?

Do you write things about yourself you would never have the nerve to actually say?

Here are some words that are great when other people use them to describe you – but you should never use to describe yourself:

1. "Innovative." Most companies claim to be innovative. Most people claim to be innovative. Most are, however, not. (I'm definitely not.) That's okay, because innovation isn't a requirement for success.

If you are innovative, don't say it. Prove it. Describe the products you've developed. Describe the processes you've modified.

Give us something real so your innovation is unspoken but evident... which is always the best kind of innovative to be.

2. "World-class." Usain Bolt: world-class sprinter, Olympic medals to prove it. Lionel Messi: world-class soccer (I know, football) player, four Ballon d'Or trophies to prove it.

But what is a world-class professional or company? Who defines world-class? In your case, probably just you.

3. "Authority." Like Margaret Thatcher said, "Power is like being a lady; if you have to say you are, you aren't." Show your expertise instead.

"Presented at TEDxEast " or "Predicted 50 out of 50 states in 2012 election" (Hi Nate!) indicates a level of authority. Unless you can prove it, "social media marketing authority" might simply mean you spend way too much time worrying about your Klout score.

4. "Results oriented." Really? Some people actually focus on doing what they are paid to do? We had no idea.

5. "Global provider." The majority of businesses can sell goods or services worldwide; the ones that can't are fairly obvious.

Only use "global provider" if that capability is not assumed or obvious; otherwise you just sound like a small company trying to appear big.

6. "Motivated." Check out Chris Rock's response (not safe for work or the politically correct) to people who say they take care of their kids. Then substitute words like "motivated."

Never take credit for things you are supposed to do – or supposed to be.

7. "Creative." See particular words often enough and they no longer make an impact. "Creative" is one of them. (Use finding "creative" references in random LinkedIn profiles as a drinking game and everyone will lose -- or win, depending on your perspective.)

"Creative" is just one example. Others include extensive, effective, proven, influential, team player... some of those terms may truly describe you, but since they are also being used to describe everyone they've lost their impact.

8. "Dynamic." If you are "vigorously active and forceful," um, stay away.

9. "Guru." People who try to be clever for the sake of being clever are anything but. (Like in #8.) Don't be a self-proclaimed ninja, sage, connoisseur, guerilla, wonk, egghead... it's awesome when your customers affectionately describe you that way.

Refer to yourself that way and it's obvious you're trying way too hard to impress other people – or yourself.

10. "Curator." Museums have curators. Libraries have curators. Tweeting links to stuff you find interesting doesn't make you a curator... or an authority or a guru.

11. "Passionate." I know many people disagree, but if you say you're incredibly passionate about, oh, incorporating elegant design aesthetics into everyday objects, to me you sound over the top.

The same is true if you're passionate about developing long-term customer solutions. Try the words focus, concentration, or specialization instead.

Or try "love," as in, "I love incorporating an elegant design aesthetic in everyday objects." For whatever reason, that works for me. Passion doesn't. (But maybe that's just me.)

12. "Unique." Fingerprints are unique. Snowflakes are unique. You are unique – but your business probably isn't. That’s fine, because customers don't care about unique; they care about "better."

Show you're better than the competition and in the minds of your customers you will be unique.

13. "Incredibly..." Check out some random bios and you'll find plenty of further-modified descriptors: "Incredibly passionate," "profoundly insightful," "extremely captivating..." isn't it enough to be insightful or captivating? Do you have to be profoundly insightful?

If you must use over-the-top adjectives, spare us the further modification. Trust that we already get it.

14. "Serial entrepreneur." A few people start multiple, successful, long-term businesses. They are successful serial entrepreneurs.

The rest of us start one business that fails or does okay, try something else, try something else, and keep on rinsing and repeating until we find a formula that works. Those people are entrepreneurs. Be proud if you're "just" an entrepreneur. You should be.

15. "Strategist." I sometimes help manufacturing plants improve productivity and quality. There are strategies I use to identify areas for improvement but I'm in no way a strategist. Strategists look at the present, envision something new, and develop approaches to make their vision a reality.

I don't create something new; I apply my experience and a few proven methodologies to make improvements.

Very few people are strategists. Most "strategists" are actually coaches, specialists, or consultants who use what they know to help others. 99% of the time that's what customers need – they don't need or even want a strategist.

16. "Collaborative." You won't just decide what's right for me and force me to buy it?

If your process is designed to take my input and feedback, tell me how that works. Describe the process. Don't claim we'll work together -- describe how we'll work together.

That’s my list -- clearly subjective and definitely open to criticism.

So, more importantly, what do you think? What would you add or remove from my list?

The way we describe ourselves is critical to making a good first impression, so let others benefit from your perspective in the comments below.

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Variation of Tactics according to Sun Tzu

1. Sun Tzu said: In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign, collects his army and concentrates his forces.

2. When in difficult country, do not encamp. In country where high roads intersects, join hands with your allies. Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions. In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to strategem. In a desperate position, you might fight.

3. There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

4. The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.

5. The general who does not understand these, may be well acquainted with the configuration of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to practical account.

6. So, the student of war who is unversed in the art of varying his plans, even though he be acquainted with the Five Advantages, will fail to make the best use of his men.

7. Hence in the wise leader's plan, considerations of advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together.

8. If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes.

9. If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.

10. Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on them; make trouble for them, and keep them constantly engaged; hold out specious allurements, and make them rush to any given point.

11. The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.

12. There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: 1) Recklessness which leads to destruction, 2) cowardice, which leads to capture, 3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults, 4) a delicacy of honour which is sensitive to shame, 5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.

13. These are the five besetting sins of a general, ruinous to the conduct of war.

14. When an army is overthrown and its leader slain, the cause will sure be found among these five dangerous faults. Let them be a subject of meditation.

LOL

The funny things in life are the unexpected.

Zzzzt.... Zzzzzt.... Zzzzzt...

Stimulating the economy

Lobbyists for the technology industry, having gained much of their wish list in the immigration bill drafted in the Senate, are now pushing to modify language they consider onerous.
The Senate bill, which is scheduled for markup in the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, would allow Silicon Valley companies to bring in many more foreign computer specialists on temporary work visas through a program known as H-1B. The bill also places restrictions on how companies can hire and fire employees, which the industry’s representatives in Washington are trying to massage. Full Story Here

Incoming Technology

3D Printing, Oh Yah ! It's Coming.. there are some available in the market now but they are not ready to be widely distributed in the masses in case of affordability, but it's out there and it's kicking out some great models. Check out this amazing video.

Throw it up and it will go in... Promise....

These balls are the best balls i've seen, they just know where the ring is.

According to CNN about Syria ...

Damascus, Syria (CNN) -- A series of massive explosions illuminated the dark sky over Damascus early Sunday, igniting renewed claims that Israel has launched attacks into the war-torn country.

Syria's government said the explosions were the second Israeli airstrike in three days. The latest target, officials said, was a military research facility outside the Syrian capital. A top Syrian official told CNN in an exclusive interview that the attack was a "declaration of war" by Israel.

 

Click here for full News

Happy Birthday Desirea .....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DESIREA MAY....

Evolution...

What do you give a person that has everything?

Amazing Technology

This would be a great innovation in technology if it comes out in 2019. I would love to beta test this in the future.

Believe

Parenting trial and error...

LOL of the Day

45 ghz super computer...

Adapteva launches its Parallella Open Computing Platform. According to the site, it can deliver up to 90 GFLOPS of performance. For pricing visit the site at Adapteva

Really cool technology