49ers win NFC West with 27-13 win over Arizona

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Michael Crabtree's career day and dazzling catch-making display sent the San Francisco 49ers to another NFC West crown and into the playoffs with some much-needed momentum.

Crabtree caught touchdown passes of 49 and 7 yards and finished with a career-high 172 yards, leading the 49ers to a 27-13 victory against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday after a slow start. To make things even better, they also get a first-round bye.

Colin Kaepernick threw for a career-best 276 yards and two TDs as the Niners (11-4-1) did their part to control the postseason picture ? then waited all of about 15 minutes to watch Minnesota beat Green Bay and give San Francisco the NFC's No. 2 seed and a week off before hosting a divisional playoff game.

Frank Gore ran for a 2-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter for his franchise-best 51st touchdown rushing, breaking a tie with mentor Roger Craig and the late Hall of Famer Joe Perry.

Brian Hoyer went 19 of 34 for 225 yards and a late TD toss in his first career NFL start as Arizona's fourth quarterback. The Cardinals (5-11) lost for the 11th time in their last 12 games in what might have been Ken Whisenhunt's final game as coach.

Crabtree's outstanding outing was the best by a 49ers receiver since Terrell Owens' 166-yard performance on Nov. 25, 2002, against Philadelphia.

Crabtree caught a 31-yard pass to set up his team-leading eighth TD reception on the next play. The sequence put him over 1,000 yards, giving San Francisco its first 1,000-yard receiver since T.O. in 2003.

The next series, Crabtree made a pretty, one-handed grab with his right hand along the left sideline on third-and-11 for a 19-yard gain and first down.

He made a 14-yard catch on fourth down late in the third, and later converted another fourth down with a reception of 7 yards.

What a boost for an injury-depleted receiving corps missing Mario Manningham for the rest of the season because of a knee injury and had tight end Vernon Davis limited a week after sustaining a concussion.

Struggling San Francisco kicker David Akers missed wide left on a 44-yard field goal attempt midway through the second quarter, then did it again with nearly the same kick ? from 40 yards this time ? 24 seconds before halftime. Akers put his hands on his knees and closed his eyes in frustration as boos rained down from the sellout crowd at Candlestick Park.

He missed for the fourth time in his last eight spanning three games and 13th time in 40 tries after setting an NFL single-season record with 44 in 52 attempts. He had a 21-yard try blocked in the loss at Seattle and returned by Richard Sherman for a 90-yard touchdown.

But Akers bounced back by nailing one from 43 yards early in the second half yet was later clipped in his left, kicking foot by Arizona's Justin Bethel. He stayed in the game, then booted a 26-yard field goal with just more than 9 minutes remaining.

Hoyer exhibited poise in the early moments. He completed 7 of his first 13 passes and three straight ? for 7, 15 and 12 yards ? during one drive as Arizona took a 3-0 lead on Jay Feely's 35-yard field goal late in the first quarter. Feely added a 31-yarder early in the second to make it 6-0.

The Cardinals outgained the 49ers 129-15 in total yards in the opening quarter and held San Francisco without a first down.

But that didn't last long.

The Cardinals ended a six-game stretch without a touchdown passing when Hoyer hit Michael Floyd on a late 37-yard touchdown pass to end a stretch of six games without a TD in the air.

The Cardinals pounded the ball toward the right side of San Francisco's defensive line where Pro Bowler Justin Smith had been stout against the run all season before getting hurt two weeks ago.

But Hoyer, who replaced the benched Ryan Lindley in last week's 28-13 home loss to the Bears, couldn't make enough plays against San Francisco's stingy defense.

Former starting quarterback Alex Smith made what could have been his final appearance in a 49ers uniform when he entered the game with 5:57 to go ? playing to chants of "Let's Go, Alex!" and "Alex! Alex!"

___

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

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/49ers-win-nfc-west-27-13-win-over-002233480--spt.html

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House won't vote before midnight on 'cliff' deal (The Arizona Republic)

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'The Hobbit' stays atop box office for third week

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" continues to rule them all at the box office, staying on top for a third-straight week and capping a record-setting $10.8 billion year in moviegoing.

The Warner Bros. fantasy epic from director Peter Jackson, based on the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien novel, made nearly $33 million this weekend, according to Sunday studio estimates, despite serious competition from some much-anticipated newcomers. It's now made a whopping $686.7 million worldwide and $222.7 million domestically alone.

Two big holiday movies ? and potential Academy Awards contenders ? also had strong openings. Quentin Tarantino's spaghetti Western-blaxploitation mash-up "Django Unchained" came in second place for the weekend with $30.7 million. The Weinstein Co. revenge comedy, starring Jamie Foxx as a slave in the Civil War South and Christoph Waltz as the bounty hunter who frees him and then makes him his partner, has earned $64 million since its Christmas Day opening.

And in third place with $28 million was the sweeping, all-singing "Les Miserables," based on the international musical sensation and the Victor Hugo novel of strife and uprising in 19th century France. The Universal Pictures film, with a cast of A-list actors singing live on camera led by Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe has made $67.5 million domestically and $116.2 worldwide since debuting on Christmas.

Additionally, the smash-hit James Bond adventure "Skyfall" has now made $1 billion internationally to become the most successful film yet in the 50-year franchise, Sony Pictures announced Sunday. The film stars Daniel Craig for the third time as the iconic British superspy.

"This is a great final weekend of the year," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. "How perfect to end this year on such a strong note with the top five films performing incredibly well."

The week's other new wide release, the Billy Crystal-Bette Midler comedy "Parental Guidance" from 20th Century Fox, made $14.8 million over the weekend for fourth place and $29.6 million total since opening on Christmas.

Dergarabedian described the holding power of "The Hobbit" in its third week as "just amazing." Jackson shot the film, the first of three prequels to his massively successful "Lord of the Rings" series, in 48 frames per second ? double the normal frame rate ? for a crisper, more detailed image. It's also available in the usual 24 frames per second and both 2-D and 3-D projections.

"I think people are catching up with the movie. Maybe they're seeing it in multiple formats," he said. "I think it's just a big epic that feels like a great way to end the moviegoing year. There's momentum there with this movie."

"Django Unchained" is just as much of an epic in its own stylishly violent way that's quintessentially Tarantino. Erik Lomis, The Weinstein Co.'s president of theatrical distribution, said the opening exceeded the studio's expectations.

"We're thrilled with it, clearly. We knew it was extremely competitive at Christmas, particularly when you look at the start 'Les Miz' got. We were sort of resigned to being behind them. The fact that we were able to overtake them over the weekend was just great," Lomis said. "Taking nothing away from their number, it's a tribute to the playability of 'Django.'"

"Les Miserables" went into its opening weekend with nearly $40 million in North American grosses, including $18.2 on Christmas Day. That's the second-best opening ever on the holiday following "Sherlock Holmes," which made $24.9 million on Christmas 2009. Tom Hooper, in a follow-up to his Oscar-winner "The King's Speech," directs an enormous, ambitious take on the beloved musical which has earned a CinemaScore of "A'' from audiences and "A-plus" from women.

Nikki Rocco, Universal's head of distribution, said the debut for "Les Miserables" also beat the studio's expectations.

"That $18.2 million Christmas Day opening ? people were shocked ... This is a musical!" she said. "Once people see it, they talk about how fabulous it is."

It all adds up to a record-setting year at the movies, beating the previous annual record of $10.6 billion set in 2009. Dergarabedian pointed out that the hits came scattered throughout the year, not just during the summer blockbuster season or prestige-picture time at the end. "Contraband," ''Safe House" and "The Vow" all performed well early on, but then when the big movies came, they were huge. "The Avengers" had the biggest opening ever with $207.4 million in May. The raunchy comedy "Ted" and comic-book behemoth "The Dark Knight Rises" both found enormous audiences. And Paul Thomas Anderson's challenging drama "The Master" shattered records in September when it opened on five screens in New York and Los Angeles with $736,311, for a staggering per-screen average of $147,262.

"We were able to get this record without scratching and clawing to a record," he said.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," $32.9 million ($106.5 million international).

2."Django Unchained," $30.7 million.

3."Les Miserables," $28 million ($38.3 million international).

4."Parental Guidance," $14.8 million ($7 million international).

5."Jack Reacher," $14 million ($18.1 million).

6."This Is 40," $13.2 million.

7."Lincoln," $7.5 million.

8."The Guilt Trip," $6.7 million.

9."Monsters, Inc. 3-D," $6.4 million.

10."Rise of the Guardians," $4.9 million ($11.6 million).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1."The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," $106.5 million.

2."Life of Pi," $39.2 million.

3."Les Miserables," $38.3 million.

4."Wreck-It Ralph," $20.4 million.

5."Jack Reacher," $18.1 million.

6."Rise of the Guardians," $11.6 million.

7."Parental Guidance," $7 million.

8."The Tower," $6.6 million.

9."Pitch Perfect," $6.2 million.

10."De L'autre Cote Du Periph," $4 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hobbit-stays-atop-box-office-third-week-165618270.html

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Tools & Home Improvement Equipment: Sammy 8812 Elelove Table ...

Sammy 8812 Elelove Table Lamp (Tools & Home Improvement)
By Sammy

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Review & Description

This Elelove Table Lamp is the perfect lamp for your child's room! The lamp's base showcases a beautifully hand-painted elephant and her baby engaging in a loving embrace. Requires a 60 watt Type A medium base bulb (not included). Read more

Find out More for the best price at Amazon

Source: http://tools-home-improvement-equipment.blogspot.com/2012/12/sammy-8812-elelove-table-lamp-tools.html

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Samsung faces some tough remedies in its ITC patent battle with Apple

On October 24th, ITC Judge Thomas Pender ruled that Samsung infringed on several Apple patents. But it wasn't until the release of? the full-length version of Pender's ruling on Friday, that it became apparent how damaging the decision could be to Samsung's U.S. business. If the ITC goes along and affirms Judge Pender's ruling, which the staff agrees with, Samsung could find some of its devices banned during a 60 day Presidential review period that would follow a final ITC decision. Pender's decision must be voted on by the six-member commission.

Samsung also could face at the same time, a cease and desist order that would prevent the company from selling large quantities of infringing products in the U.S. At the same time, Samsung could be required to post a bond equal to 88% of? the value of all mobile phones, 32.5% of the value of mobile players and 37.6% of the value of all tablets that were ruled to have infringed on Apple's patents, during the Presidential review period. Samsung argued that a royalty rate of 4.9% was more appropriate.

Thankfully for Samsung, Judge Pender did approve design changes made by the Korean manufacturer that worksaround the claims made by Apple. These designarounds allow Samsung to continue to sell certain products in the U.S. even in the face of the October decision. And one of the patents involved in this case, the so-called "Steve Jobs" patent, has been ruled invalid by the USPTO. Despite the designarounds, Samsung could still be required to post a bond on the devices that no longer infringe on Apple's patents. Even worse, customs could still hold up shipments of these products until the agency is 100% sure that an exclusion order doesn't apply to the re-designed devices.

These are just some of the remedies that could be used against Samsung. The commission still needs to vote on Pender's ruling, and the designarounds seem to mean that it is still business as usual in the states for Samsung, at least for now.

source: FOSSPatents

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PhoneArena-LatestNews/~3/Am-yZuT_9gw/Samsung-faces-some-tough-remedies-in-its-ITC-patent-battle-with-Apple_id38151

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Facebook shuts down news site over Gandhi quote

(NaturalNews) The reports are absolutely true. Facebook suspended the Natural News account earlier today after we posted an historical quote from Mohandas Gandhi. The quote reads:

?Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.? ? Mohandas Gandhi, an Autobiography, page 446.

This historical quote was apparently too much for Facebook?s censors to bear. They suspended our account and gave us a ?final warning? that one more violation of their so-called ?community guidelines? would result in our account being permanently deactivated.

They then demanded we send them a color copy of a ?government issued identification? in order to reactivate our account.

Source: http://www.wnd.com/2012/12/facebook-shuts-down-news-site-over-gandhi-quote/

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Soccer-Vilanova will be back in 15 to 20 days, say Barca

Dec 28 (Reuters) - Barcelona president Sandro Rosell says coach Tito Vilanova, who suffered a recurrence of cancer in his saliva glands earlier this month, will be back at work midway through January.

Vilanova underwent surgery on Dec. 20, a day after the club announced that the 44-year-old's condition had returned. He first had treatment in 2011.

"He'll be back within 15 or 20 days, but he must spend some days at the hospital and rest," Rosell told reporters in Dubai on Friday.

"He will mix work with his treatment. The most important thing is his health. Right now football comes second," added Rosell.

Barcelona have made a record-breaking start to their first season under Vilanova, who replaced friend Pep Guardiola at the helm at the end of the last term, by dropping only two points in 17 matches to lead La Liga by nine points.

Assistant Jordi Roura is taking charge in his absence. Barca's next league match is at home to city rivals Espanyol on Jan. 6. (Writing by Tom Pilcher, Editing by Mark Meadows)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/soccer-vilanova-back-15-20-days-barca-215750209--sow.html

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Google+ Pages gain interaction with those beyond their circles, will get analytics soon

Many running Google+ Pages for their companies have likely been frustrated by the lack of interaction with some of their fans -- if visitors haven't already put the brand in a circle, they've been off-limits regardless of their interest. A quiet change may have just opened the floodgates. Pages can now share, comment on and +1 posts from those who weren't already followers. Google hasn't made the change official, but it is promising a feature that's ultimately complementary: Pages should get their own analytics for demographics and social activity in the "coming weeks," giving owners an idea as to who they're attracting. While we hope that the loosened restrictions don't lead to unwanted conversations in our feeds, they're undoubtedly valuable to companies that just want to share good news or offer a helping hand.

Filed under: Internet, Google

Comments

Via: The Next Web

Source: Talking Moose Media (Google+), Google+ for Business

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/28/google-plus-pages-gain-interaction-with-those-beyond-their-circles/

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NY's top court to hear challenge to Bloomberg taxi plan

ALBANY, New York (Reuters) - The New York Court of Appeals has agreed to review a decision that blocked New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to raise over $1.4 billion by selling 2,000 new taxi medallions.

Three taxi groups in May sued to overturn the plan, saying it would destroy the livelihoods of thousands of drivers.

In August, the State Supreme Court's Acting Justice Arthur Engoron found that the Bloomberg administration violated the state constitution's "home rule" provisions by asking state lawmakers, instead of the City Council, to pass the taxi plan.

The Court of Appeals on Thursday released a letter dated December 14 in which Deputy Clerk Richard Reed said the court would hear the appeal in late April or early May.

In a rare move, the state's top court will hear the appeal directly, which means it will bypass the mid-level Appellate Division.

Bloomberg, a political independent, is relying on the sale of the new medallions to raise $635 million in 2013 - his last year in office - and more than $800 million in 2014 and 2015.

The attorneys involved were not immediately available for comment. A Bloomberg spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Dan Wiessner, desking by G Crosse)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nys-top-court-hear-challenge-bloomberg-taxi-plan-234204567.html

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Jackson to step down as EPA head

?

By NBC staff and wire reports

Lisa Jackson is stepping down from her post as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency after a four-year term.

"I will leave the EPA confident the ship is sailing in the right direction, and ready in my own life for new challenges, time with my family and new opportunities to make a difference," she said in a statement announcing her departure.

Kevin Wolf / AP

This file photo shows Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson during an interview with The Associated Press at EPA Headquarters in Washington. Jackson, The Obama administration's chief environmental watchdog, is stepping down after a nearly four-year tenure marked by high-profile brawls over global warming pollution, the Keystone XL oil pipeline, new controls on coal-fired plants and several other hot-button issues that affect the nation's economy and people's health.

Jackson, 50, is expected to depart the E.P.A. early next year. She is the first African-American to head the agency.

Her tenure at the helm of the E.P.A. was marked by clashes with some in the GOP and the energy industry who said environmental regulations limited job creation and hurt new innovation. The administration abandoned an attempt early in President Barack Obama's first term to pass cap-and-trade legislation to address global climate change. That legislation failed to pass the Senate, and the E.P.A. moved instead on a series of regulatory efforts including successful implementation of emissions standards for new cars and small trucks.

"I want to thank President Obama for the honor he bestowed on me and the confidence he placed in me four years ago this month when he announced my nomination as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency," she said in her statement, which indicated she will leave the cabinet after the State of the Union address. "At the time I spoke about the need to address climate change, but also said: 'There is much more on the agenda: air pollution, toxic chemicals and children?s health issues, redevelopment and waste-site cleanup issues, and justice for the communities who bear disproportionate risk.'"

Saying that Jackson has been "an important part of my team," Obama praised those efforts in a statement.

"Under her leadership, the EPA has taken sensible and important steps to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink, including implementing the first national standard for harmful mercury pollution, taking important action to combat climate change under the Clean Air Act and playing a key role in establishing historic fuel economy standards that will save the average American family thousands of dollars at the pump, while also slashing carbon pollution."

In an interview with the New York Times, Jackson said she intends to "decompress" and do public speaking engagements but does not yet have plans for a new job.

Source: http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/27/16190213-jackson-to-step-down-as-epa-head?lite

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Photos: Central Indiana Blizzard Keeps Family at Home

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A homeless woman was in critical condition in a Los Angeles hospital after a man doused her with liquid accelerant and set her on fire as she slept on a bus bench, police said on Thursday. Officers arrested Dennis Petillo, 24, in connection with the early morning attack, and he has been booked in jail on suspicion of attempted murder, police said. The woman, whose name has not been released, was being treated at a local hospital with burns all over her body, said Los Angeles police Lieutenant Damian Gutierrez. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/photos-central-indiana-blizzard-keeps-family-home-194300771.html

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Contract Negotiation: Case Study in Contingent Thinking ...

Whether in sales or strategic partnerships, a deal closes once a contract has been agreed upon. As expected, both sides are going to haggle over the nuances surrounding some of the greater business terms. At this point in time, negotiators are brought in to hammer out the final terms. Many would argue that agreeing on the final decisions is an art itself?this is indeed the opinion of many a ?closer,? those always-in-high-demand negotiators who are able to harangue the best terms all while tying off the sales cycle quickly. Just as it is very difficult to quantify the distinction between mediocre and great salespeople, it is very difficult to pinpoint a great closer. Most people will say the distinction is intuitive?you just know when you see one.

From experience, I can say that the secret to negotiations is simple (but difficult to practice). The secret sauce of successful contract negotiation lies in understanding your opposing negotiator?s opposing point of view. In other words, the person who most completely understands their equivalent?s point of view?or to paraphrase Jerry Weissman, their WIIFY (what?s in it for you) ? will best be able to broker acceptable compromise. Understanding one?s opponents? WIIFY is difficult to do, but not impossible. What ?closers? call intuitive is simply an organized plan of attack in haggling over terms.? In fact, a systematic framework for contract negotiation can be established by understanding the opposite negotiator?s key business goals; once one has understood the other side?s best alternative to a negotiated agreement, one can be in a better position to ink favorable business terms that seems acceptable to the other side.

The framework one applies in optimizing the best terms resulting from contract negotiation can be exemplified in a light case study of behavioral game theory, especially one that draws from the realm of contingent thinking. According to the main tenets of behavioral economics, people?s actions under certain time constrains can be categorized. Behavioral game theory details what people do when playing games (i.e. puzzles, prisoner?s dilemma scenarios, etc.). Normative analysis postulates what people should do (i.e. what people should do to maximize positive externalities). In contrast, positive analysis predicts what people actually do. So in scenarios where two parties are faced with two alternative decisions (in the trite prisoner?s dilemma scenario, ?rat on partner? or ?stay silent?), the best decision to take can usually be summed up by the Nash Equilibrium. In this situation, the negotiator, having fully understood his choices and those of his opposing party, has no incentive to deviate from the decision he ultimately chooses. ?Nash Equilibriums are possible in certain situations, but they are rare, especially if the game is not zero-sum.? For instance, it may be difficult to pinpoint Nash Equilibrium if one plays the game over multiple rounds; in this new case, one?s choice can instead turn into a strategy.? As a matter of fact, a dominant strategy is dominant if it is the best response to any feasible strategy that others might play. In mathematical terms, displaying the utility function of dominant strategy is as follows:

If si = dominant strategy, then Ui(si*, s-i) > ui(si?, s-i) for all s-i, si??si*

In a game where you can do multiple iterations, your choice of action providing the best result can be difficult to pinpoint unless one keeps in mind what one?s opponent decides. This is contingent thinking in its full form: one has to make a decision based on what one thinks one?s opponent will do. This is exactly what contract negotiation is: one has to hedge one?s bets by understanding what is valuable to the person one is in negotiation with, consequently choosing what to give in to and what to fight over.

The p-beauty game repeatedly tried in behavioral economic case studies best exemplifies the applications of contingent thinking to contract negotiation. ?In the p-beauty game (Moulin 1986), all participants are asked to simultaneously pick a number between 0 and 100. The winner of the contest is the person(s) whose number is closest to 2/3 (an arbitrary p value usually picked by the mediator that falls between 0 and 1*) times the average of all numbers submitted. How do you win this game? By choosing a number contingent of what one thinks other people will choose. In this case, one knows that the highest possible mean is 100, so choosing below (2/3)* 100 is a dominated strategy (best strategy one can take considering what you think other people will do). One can do better by choosing as low as (2/3)* (2/3)* 100?in this case one assumes that everybody else had the same reasoning as you and picked (2/3)*100 as the average, so one has to pick (2/3) * (2/3) * 100 to win the game. The same logic applies when one considers if other people think of the aforementioned strategy a step further (as you just did), so one decides to take one?s iterated decision a step further and choose between (2/3)*(2/3)*(2/3)*100 and (2/3)*(2/3)*100. Extending this process N steps results in the following conclusion: the highest possible valuation of the mean is 100*(2/3)^N, so one can do better by choosing at least as low as 100*(2/3)^(N+1). If everyone practices this sort of contingent thinking, then the best possible number to choose is 0. However, we know in the real world, not everybody will be practicing this sort of contingent thinking (I sure didn?t when I played this game for the first time). So one has to take that in consideration, and hedge one?s bets by choosing a number a little more than 0 rather than exactly 0. That gives one the highest realistic probability that one?s chosen number will win.

In the p-beauty game, one has to make a realistic decision by contingently thinking of what one?s opponent(s) may decide to do. ?This happens every day when one negotiates contracts. As Roger Fisher and William Ury explain in their book Getting to Yes, arriving at the best business terms comes from negotiating on merits rather than on positions. They argued that negotiators need to focus on the issues and not the people, generate a variety of creative possibilities that can be mutually agreed to, and insist that final decisions be made on a rational basis rather than arbitrary or emotional ones. Ultimately, when one understands your opposing team?s best alternative to a negotiated agreement?BATNA as Fisher and Ury write?then one can avoid negotiating from a bottom line, allowing for flexibility in negotiated terms that are favorable to both sides. Just as in the p-beauty game where one has to make decisions based on what other people will decide, the contract negotiator has to ask for terms that they think can be agreed to by both sides.

Ultimately a contract is a formal approval for a relationship to progress between two opposing sides. The one lesson that I?ve taken away from my own experiences is the following: sometimes it?s worth losing some battles for the sake of preserving the relationship with your business partner. Especially if you are inking the beginning of a partnership, whether distribution or channel, the potential upsell will be more expedient if the relationship begins on good terms. One must acknowledge what one?s BATNA is and understand what your partner?s BATNA is as well for the contract negotiation to be succinct and fruitful.

Sadly, sometimes each side?s BATNAs are more attractive than any compromise, and one side walks. Sometimes preserving the relationships means discounting the potential utility from future endeavors hope that the future discounted utility is greater than the present BATNA. The relationship is probably the highest utility factor when contracts are being negotiation, and not having that relationship in place is an unacceptable BATNA?this is a card that needs to be played close to the chest when dealing in hostile conversations.

Ultimately, the truly skillful negotiator will prepare for his s?ances with the other side by meticulously researching what the partner?s BATNA is, and strategize his thinking so that the resulting compromises is better than his own BATNA. Indeed, planning one step ahead?or multiple steps, as exemplified by the p-beauty game?separates the best ?closers? from the mediocre.

[*if p=1 then there are many possible Nash equilibria, as there are multiple dominant strategies. ]

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Source: http://monsieurpopp.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/contract-negotiation-case-study-in-contingent-thinking-behavioral-economics/

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Fireworks warehouse in Nigeria explodes, killing 1

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) ? A massive explosion ripped through a warehouse full of fireworks in Nigeria's largest city on Wednesday, sparking a fire that threatened surrounding city blocks and sending a plume of thick smoke high into the sky. At least one person died and 15 others were wounded, emergency officials said.

The blast occurred around 9 a.m. in the Jankara area of Lagos Island, a neighborhood of narrow streets and tall cement buildings holding shops and housing people sometimes a dozen to a room in the megacity of Lagos. The force of the explosion echoed miles away and shook windows.

An Associated Press journalist saw members of the Nigerian Red Cross treating people with minor cuts and bruises a few blocks from the site. Later, rescuers pulled out a badly charred corpse from the still-smoldering structure.

Many people were injured when they stampeded through the area's narrow alleyways, said Yushau Shuaib, a spokesman for Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency.

"The explosion was not suspected to be a deliberate attack to cause confusion as security agencies have commenced their investigations," Shuaib said in a statement later Wednesday.

Casualties, however, could rise as rescuers continue to clear debris from the fire. Smoke still rose over the neighborhood as the sun started to set Wednesday over Lagos.

Rubble-strewn streets surrounding the burning buildings were covered in the spent shells of fireworks. Several police officers and security officials found large, mortar-like fireworks in the building, the kind wired to explode as part of a large arrangement put on by professionals.

Nigerians commonly shoot off fireworks and firecrackers to mark Christmas and the New Year, with hawkers roaming in traffic with fistfuls of the small explosives to sell to passing drivers.

Local government officials have tried to ban fireworks this year, in part due to safety and in part due to the fear they can cause in a nation where a radical Islamist sect is carrying out shootings and car bombings. Nevertheless fireworks have exploded across the country in recent days to mark the holiday season.

Immediately after the blast Wednesday, thousands quickly filled the streets surrounding the burning buildings. Others ran away as fireworks continued to explode inside. A half-dozen firefighters arrived at the scene with two trucks and locals also ran fire hoses from the trucks to nearby buildings to try to beat back the flames.

The trucks quickly ran out of water. One man even scooped up water from a puddle with a bowl in an attempt to fight the blaze. One firefighter briefly fought with a young man who took his firefighting helmet off his head and ran away into the swarming crowd. The firefighter shrugged and went back to his truck as the building continued to burn.

___

Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fireworks-warehouse-nigeria-explodes-killing-1-175242093.html

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Direct Sales Business - 5 Reasons Why It Might Be Perfect For You

What is direct sales business? Wikipedia defines it as ?marketing and selling of products directly to consumers away from a fixed retail location?. It also often, but not always, uses multi level marketing or network marketing as a business model.

Direct sales business is not everyone?s cup of tea, that?s for sure. Some people just don?t have the necessary drive to succeed. Like any business, it requires self discipline, belief and hard work to succeed.

1. Be your own boss.

You?ve worked for others long enough. You?re ready to strike out on your own and start your own direct sales or network marketing business. Be sure you have done some research about what owning your own business entails before charging forward with your plan. Know how much your initial fees will be, how many other associates are in your area, and what kind of compensation plan is available with the company you choose.

2. Success breeds success.

Someone you know may be working in a direct sales company in a different town from where you live. She?s very successful at what she does and her enthusiasm is contagious. She invites you to be part of her team, but take your time making a decision.

Before you sign that contract and pay for your start-up kit, do some research to see how successful she really is, as well as doing some checking on her upline. If you find that they have a successful upline that is supportive of her, as well as a satisfied downline, perhaps now is the time to sign on.

3. Belief is important.

You have found a product that you feel is perfect. It does exactly what it was advertised to do, and it is something you can?t see yourself doing without. In fact, you?ve told all of your friends about it because it?s so good. If this describes you, you may have found the perfect direct sales company to work with.

You must love the product your company offers in order to be successful at selling it. This is the first, and most important, decision to make before choosing a direct sales company. If you don?t love, use, and believe in the products you sell, it will be evident to those you approach.

4. Do you love it?

If the direct sales company you are considering is associated with an activity, is that activity something you?re passionate about? Having a passion about scrapbooking, cooking, or whatever the activity, will help your customers see that you?re trying to share something with them rather than trying to ?sell them something?.

5. How flexible are you?

Are your children at an age where they don?t need you quite as much as they used to? If you have some flexibility in your schedule, direct sales might be a viable option. Not only can you choose the days and times that you work, you also have some degree of control over what you earn. If you are serious about growing a business, you are only limited by the amount of time and effort you use to do so.

If you think you have found the direct sales company that you can get behind 100%, congratulations! Take your time learning all you can learn and then step out into your new life. You may find, after doing your research, that you and direct sales are perfect together ? a match made in heaven.

However, in addition to the 5 points made before you should also check whether your company or upline provides training so you can build your business using modern, Internet based strategies. Building your direct sales business online is the most effective way to reach a massive amounts of interested people. It has to be done correctly though and that?s why we provide you training and tools that work with any network marketing and direct sales business. Click here to learn more.

Source: http://karilappi.com/direct-sales-business-5-reasons-why-it-might-be-perfect-for-you/

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Paul Daley out of Bellator tournament after problems with visa arise

Paul Daley's next shot in MMA has hit a roadbump. The British fighter, who was cut from the UFC after he threw a cheap shot after the bell at Josh Koscheck in 2010, is out of Bellator's welterweight tournament. He can't enter the United States because of issues getting a work visa.

ESPN reports Daley was involved in a bar brawl and was charged with assault, which is the problem with the visa. Daley denies the brawl, and says via his Facebook page it was just a problem with his visa.

It seems as though (sp) a mass press release has gone out to the MMA media stating I was involved (in a) bar brawl, arrested, and cannot obtain a P-1 visa to compete in the USA. I am currently awaiting a decision on my visa, which is not expected until late April. Which means I am unable to compete in the season 8 Bellator tournament, as it starts in January. I will be fighting in Europe in the coming months, so I am able to stay active while awaiting a decision on my visa status. I was not involved in a bar brawl. This is 100-percent a false statement.

Previously, Daley has fought in the United States for Bellator, Strikeforce and the UFC without any visa issues.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/paul-daley-bellator-tournament-problems-visa-arise-133424597--mma.html

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Andruw Jones Arrested for Battery

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/andruw-jones-arrested-for-battery/

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Where to Find Interior Design Ideas | Home Design Ideas

Interior design ideas are easy to obtain in our world today. The internet, magazines, how-to books and stores are excellent sources for design ideas. Finding the interior design that is right for you is the first step in decorating. Magazines are a perfect choice to look for interior design ideas. There are so many wonderful home and garden magazines on the market that are full of beautiful photos and articles. The internet is a vast source for finding decorating ideas and photos that showcase all different decors. Simply search for interior design, design basics, color in design or design styles to name a few. One of the best sources are your local furniture stores. These stores often have furniture groupings that showcase their different furniture styles. It is easy to see which style of furniture appeals to you when there are several groupings of different styles.

Home improvement stores are a wonderful place to get ideas. They also offer a lot of how-to ideas for the home decorator. Paint swatches and samples are available at these stores. Fabric stores and craft stores are a good source also. Their displays can show some wonderful ideas that we can incorporate in our design. Department stores are a great place to look for coordinating accessories and accents. Book stores in the mall are a wonderful source. Flip through some interior decorating books for ideas. You can get ideas just by looking around. Friends homes may have some things that you absolutely love. And we must not forget our public library. A wonderful source with books, magazines and videos available.

What you enjoy and like to have around you is a wonderful start for your interior design. We can often take those things that we love and use them in our design. Wallpaper stores and paint stores are another source for ideas. Paint is often the most effective and dramatic change we can make to our decor. Wallpapers offer an endless variety for decorating. Wallpaper sample books are wonderful sources for ideas. Television is also a great source. With the many home and garden shows available, you are bound to see some interior design ideas that you like.

Interior designers are the experts. So, if we are stumped and need help, they are there to help. You can find Interior Designers on the internet, in the phone book, from recommendations from friends and recommendations from stores. Using these resources can help us choose the right color, style and design for us. The effort made in searching these sources can really pay off and give you the decor that you are proud of.

Source: http://www.brain-concepts.com/396-where-to-find-interior-design-ideas.html

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Asian shares inch higher on "fiscal cliff" hopes

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares crept higher on Tuesday, tracking the overnight gains in U.S. stocks on optimism for progress in resolving the U.S. budget crisis before the year-end deadline.

Expectations of more monetary easing kept the yen soft.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.2 percent, after ending an eight-day winning streak on Monday as investors took profits from last week's rally.

Australian shares rose 0.6 percent, lifted by a rise in iron ore prices to a five-month high and by gains on Wall Street. South Korean shares opened up 0.4 percent.

Global shares advanced on Monday, supported by signs of tentative progress on negotiations to avert the U.S. "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts due to set in at the start of next year.

While the fiscal cliff remains a major focus for markets, prices may become unlikely to rise with players taking profits to close their books before leaving for the holidays, traders said.

U.S. President Barack Obama and top Republican John Boehner met at the White House on Monday, with simple evidence of ongoing communication keeping alive hopes that Washington will be able to resolve the budget crisis.

"There was no meaningful breakthrough in the negotiations, but the high-level meetings do improve investor sentiment," said Kim Soon-young, an analyst at IBK Securities.

The dollar steadied around 83.91 yen, off a 20-month high of 84.48 yen hit on Monday but well above its late New York levels on Friday.

The yen slumped broadly on Monday after the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan's election triumph opened the way for a cabinet headed by LDP leader Shinzo Abe, who is calling for far more aggressive monetary stimulus and huge public works spending to rescue Japan out of decades-long deflation.

Abe, who is due to be confirmed as Japan's next premier on December 26, applied fresh pressure on the Bank of Japan on Monday, saying that the election result reflected strong public support for his views, which he hoped the BOJ would take into account at its two-day policy meeting starting on Wednesday.

"The dollar has more upside against the yen ahead of the BOJ's meeting, with expectations for some additional easing steps being strengthened after Abe's comments yesterday," said Yuji Saito, director of foreign exchange at Credit Agricole in Tokyo.

"The corrective fall in the dollar/yen after the election was small and it's crawling up because the yen weakening trend is still intact. But after the BOJ meeting, there will likely be pre-holiday profit-taking, pushing the dollar/yen down by 1-2 yen," he said.

By putting pressure on the yen, Abe's election win was also seen as supportive for Japanese stocks as a weak yen improves prospects for Japanese corporate export earnings.

After closing Monday at a 8-1/2-month peak on the yen's slide, Japan's Nikkei stock average <.n225> was likely to pause for now. The Nikkei opened 0.2 percent higher. <.t/>

"The so-called Abe trade is likely to be over. I think the market will see some sell-off but will be supported by dip buying," said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at Monex Inc.

Asset returns in 2012: http://link.reuters.com/nyw85s

Japan economic snapshot: http://link.reuters.com/jyc64t

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U.S. crude rose 0.3 percent to $87.44 a barrel.

(Additional reporting by Dominic Lau in Tokyo and Somang Yang in Seoul; Editing by Eric Meijer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-inch-higher-fiscal-cliff-hopes-005448351--finance.html

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Silver Standard Files NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Pitarrilla Project, Durango State, Mexico

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA?(Marketwire ? Dec. 17, 2012) - Silver Standard Resources Inc. (TSX:SSO)(NASDAQ:SSRI) (?Silver Standard? or the ?Company?) announced today that it has filed a technical report titled ?NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Pitarrilla Project, Durango State, Mexico? (the ?2012 Pitarrilla Technical Report?) in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 (?NI 43-101?) requirements and in support of the Company?s December 4, 2012 news release announcing the results of the Feasibility Study for its 100% owned Pitarrilla Project. The 2012 Pitarrilla Technical Report is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company?s website at www.silverstandard.com.

SOURCE: Silver Standard Resources Inc.

To receive Silver Standard?s news releases by e-mail, please register using the Silver Standard website at www.silverstandard.com.

The TSX has neither approved nor disapproved of the information contained herein.

Source: http://thestockvine.com/silver-standard-files-ni-43-101-technical-report-on-the-pitarrilla-project-durango-state-mexico/

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Holiday Chocolate Peppermint Martini ? Vegan Food Addict

As we wrap up our holiday shopping (pun intended) and finalize our travel plans this holiday season, many of us can?t help but to think of what delicious food and drink we will be enjoying before the New Year. One particular ingredient that comes to mind when I think of the holidays is peppermint. This cool and refreshing herb is the star of many beverages and desserts during this time.

Fresh peppermint is a very good source of Calcium, Copper, Dietary Fiber, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Riboflavin, and Vitamins A and C. It is also a good source of Niacin, Phosphorus and Zinc (source). In addition, peppermint boasts various health benefits. Check them out in a previous post, here.

This easy and festive martini features?chocolate and peppermint to satisfy your sweet tooth, with a candy cane dusted rim. Should you prefer, a virgin beverage can be made by either adding ? to 1 teaspoon candy cane dust or ? to ? teaspoon peppermint extract (depending on how flavorful you want your drink).?Add an extra shot of almond milk in place of the peppermint schnapps.

Happy Holidays, my friends!

Holiday Chocolate Peppermint Martini

1 regular-size peppermint candy cane
2? shots regular unsweetened almond milk*
??shot peppermint schnapps
1 tablespoon non-dairy chocolate syrup
1 ice cube

Using a food processor or mortar and pestle, process/crush candy cane until it reaches a consistency similar to that of dust. Dip rim of martini glass into water and then dip into candy cane dust; set aside.

Combine almond milk, peppermint schnapps, chocolate syrup and ice cube in a martini shaker. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds and pour into martini glass. If desired, garnish with non-dairy whipped cream and a sprinkle of candy cane dust.

*Should you prefer an even creamier beverage, you can easily substitute your choice of non-dairy creamer in place of the almond milk.

Tags: vegan, martini, vegetarian, chocolate, peppermint, recipe, sweet, drink, beverage, alcohol, holiday, christmas, non-alcoholic, schnapps, extract, candy cane, dust

Source: http://veganfoodaddict.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/holiday-chocolate-peppermint-martini/

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Low turnout in Egypt's vote raises questions

CAIRO (AP) ? Just under a third of voters turned out for the first stage of the referendum on a constitution meant to be a historic milestone in setting Egypt's future ? a showing critics say deepens doubts over the legitimacy of a charter that has already polarized the country.

The dismal showing also raises the question whether Egyptians have been turned off by the turmoil that has characterized the country's politics throughout the nearly two years since the ouster of Hosni Mubarak's autocratic regime.

Last Saturday's voting took place in 10 of Egypt's 27 provinces, including Cairo and the nation's second largest city Alexandria. Some 26 million voters were eligible to vote, but only 32 percent of them did. Voting in the remainder 17 provinces will take place the coming Saturday.

The turnout was the second lowest of the relentless series of five nationwide elections that Egyptians have been called to in the 22 months since Mubarak's fall in last year's popular uprising. The highest was nearly 60 percent in the election of parliament's lawmaking lower chamber. The lowest was an embarrassing 8 percent for the vote for the upper chamber, a largely toothless body that the public cares little about.

Besides the low turnout, preliminary results show that the "yes" vote carried the first round only by a slim margin of 56 percent ? hardly the resounding endorsement the Islamists were looking for to silence the increasingly vocal and united opposition that called on supporters to vote "no."

For weeks, legal experts in Egypt have said if turnout is low and the final majority in favor of the constitution is lower than 70 percent, it would raise damaging questions about how representative the document is of the nation.

But a spokesman for Islamist President Mohammed Morsi dismissed any talk of thresholds.

"The new constitution will be adopted and go into effect if the result of the referendum is 50 plus 1 percent of votes," said Yasser Ali. "This is what is in the election law and it has not been changed."

The charter has raised furious emotion in Egypt the past three weeks, sparking violence between the Islamist camp and their opponents that left at least 10 dead and 1,000 wounded. The 63-page, 236-clause document would increase the implementation of Islamic law in Egypt, raising critics' fears of sharp limitations on many civil rights.

Opponents were outraged that Morsi's Islamist allies pushed the draft to approval in hasty, dead-of-night session of the Constituent Assembly that wrote the document, despite a boycott by the assembly's liberal and Christian members. A significant sector of the public saw it as the latest of a series of moves by the Muslim Brotherhood, from which Morsi hails, to monopolize power.

Hundreds of thousands of people held street protests across the country demanding Morsi call off the referendum. When he refused, the opposition turned to trying to rally the public to a "no" vote.

Morsi's Islamist supporters brought out their own mass rallies, accusing the opposition of tying to thwart the democratic process. They claim they have a mandate to bring greater Islamic rule because of their victories in last winter's parliamentary elections.

Proponents have campaigned furiously for a "yes" vote ? some pushing the idea it would bring stability after months of turmoil, and many others taking a religious tack, equating support for the charter with support for Islam.

Bassem Sabry, a prominent blogger who does extensive vote analysis, said Saturday's low turnout suggested a "growing frustration with the entire political process."

"For all the polarization and amassing of supporters over the past few weeks, most of the country appears unaligned politically in any staunch manner and remains composed primarily of swing and/or disinterested voters," he wrote in a blog posted Monday.

The 17 provinces voting in the second round are largely conservative, raising expectations turnout could be somewhat higher ? though likely not enough to make up for the low first round numbers. If the second round mirrors the first it would mean around 16 million of Egypt's 51 million voters participated ? a small fraction of the country's population is 85 million.

The low participation could reflect voter fatigue. Since Mubarak's fall, Egypt has held a referendum on initial, transitional constitutional amendments and votes for the two houses of parliament and for the president, which each had run-off rounds ? and now the current referendum.

But pollster Magued Osman, head of the independent Egyptian Center for Public Opinion Research, said that shouldn't have been the case in Cairo and Alexandria ? the country's two biggest cities ? since they "have been key in the debate over the constitution."

Of Cairo's 6 million registered voters, only 2.1 million voted, down from 3.6 in the presidential runoff in June, he said.

He and other experts said one factor could have been skepticism about the integrity of the vote after most judges, in a protest against Morsi, refused to oversee the referendum, as is customary in Egypt.

Along with the shortage of monitoring judges, the short time to prepare for the vote ? Morsi announced the referendum's date on Dec. 1 ? led to chaos in most polling centers.

Many of the judges who agreed to oversee the vote were loyal to the president and his Brotherhood. Activists have accused them of looking the other way while violations marred the vote.

Some accused pro-Brotherhood authorities of trying to suppress the "no" vote. In some opposition districts of Cairo and Alexandria, voters had to wait in line for up to 10 hours, with some leaving in frustration before casting their ballots.

"It is not so far-fetched to believe that stalling was responsible in part for the low turnout as part of a tactic adopted by the Islamist supporters of the constitution," Sabry told The Associated Press.

Judges in charge of polling centers, voters said, took long breaks to eat or pray. Some picked fights with voters who demanded they show documents proving they are indeed judges. Many polling centers closed at 7 p.m., ignoring the election commission's decision to extend voting until 11 p.m.

"Many of the judges closed early on the pretext that they had not received written instructions to extend voting," said Negad Borai, a prominent lawyer and rights activist. "All the problems surrounding the referendum could have been solved if Morsi seriously sought consensus on the draft, rather than ram it through."

Others stayed away in a deliberate boycott of what they called a flawed system manipulated by Islamists.

"The lines were very long. The atmosphere was unsafe," said Nayrouz Abouzid, a 32-year-old magazine publisher and head of a PR firm in Cairo. "Additionally, I felt that by voting I would be legitimizing a process that is both absurd and ridiculous."

Tarek Shalaby, a blogger and a veteran of the anti-Mubarak uprising, pointed to the Constituent Assembly that approved the draft, saying it was not representative.

"If the process of drafting the constitution was appropriate, but the outcome was bad, I would have taken part and said 'no'," he said. "I will not allow them to take me to their court to play their game."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/low-turnout-egypts-vote-raises-questions-220316885.html

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Democrats say meaningful action in wake of shooting must include ban on assault weapons (Star Tribune)

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While gun-rights groups lay low, gun-control advocate is inspired (Los Angeles Times)

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Baby Boomer- Brad Pitt? | Living better at 50+| Online Womens ...

By Nancy Padberg -

Brad Pitt: actor, designer, genius. Photograph: Richard Young/Rex Features

There is a lot?discussion these days?in the media?about baby boomers and their economic strength. It?s well known now that baby boomers hold 70 percent of the U.S. wealth and will be inheriting trillions in the next 20 years. However, who are the other marketing groups that make up our 312 million Americans? I believe it helps to have a face with a name. Here are the four main U.S. marketing demographics with famous icon examples for easy identification?with spending statistics:

Dustin Hoffman is 75. Silent Generation: 67 ? 87 Years Old

Born between 1925 and 1945, saw the Great Depression, lower birth rates due to World War II, Korean War, icons such as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, better education, this generation tended not to protest or carry posters.

Don?t underestimate this demographic; they are grandparents spending over $50 billion annually on their grandkids? education, trips, gifts and more. They also purchase the majority of?luxury cruises. Note that Larry King is now the spokesperson for Grandparents.com, a rapidly growing website helping grandparents to find?activities, recipes, travel and games to help keep grandkids entertained.

Brad Pitt is 48. Baby Boomer: 48 ? 66 Years Old

Born between 1946 and 1964 with cultural influences of rock ?n? roll, Woodstock, Beatles, Vietnam War, JFK assassination, ?The Ed Sullivan Show,? ?Happy Days,? women?s rights, civil rights, sexual freedom and new highways that encouraged travel.

This generation holds 70 percent of the U.S. wealth,?a the main purchasers of?most cars; in fact, three out of five new cars purchased were by baby boomers. Baby boomers own the most homes, eight out of 10 own their homes. KB Home recently partnered with AARP to create Simply Living, a collection of home options for aging adults in design, safety and technology from the kitchen to bedroom and bath. Websites featuring homes and boomer-friendly towns such as Best Boomer Towns ?feature the best 21 towns to live in the U.S. This is due to the baby boomer?s? desire to move away from the snow, cold, rain and, now, hurricanes.

Cameron Diaz is 40. Gen X: 32 ? 48 Years Old

Born between 1964 and 1980. Gen X is also called the MTV generation, grew up with AIDS epidemic, 40 percent have divorced parents, dot-com bubble and attaining higher educational levels. A Census Bureau study released a few months ago found that those in the 35-44 bracket experienced the biggest percent decline in median household net worth between 2005 and 2010.

Justin Bieber is 18. Gen Y: 14 ? 32 Years Old

Born between 1980 and 1998. The demographic cohort, also known as the Millennial Generation, Boomerangs, Echo Boomers, Trophy Kids and Eighties Babies. Grew up with computers, environmental awareness, high expectations for employment and tend to marry later.

This generation has been best known over the past year for moving back in with their baby boomer parents. In fact, 30 percen of Gen Y?s moved back in with their parents after college due to the job market.

Clearly, at this time in size and economic strength the baby boomers purchasing power is greater than any other generation. The brands who understand, connect and engage them will earn a share of their wallet and wealth!

Follow Nancy Shonka Padberg on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NancyPadberg

Source: http://www.livingbetterat50.com/baby-boomer-brad-pitt/

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When to Plan a Baby Shower | Simply mother And baby

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Planning a baby shower can be a lot of work if you don?t stay organized. In addition to coming up with a theme, creating a dessert menu, crafting party favors, and deciding on the right invitations and decorations, you also need to pick a date for the baby shower. When you choose to have the baby shower may be affected by several different factors.

Find out the exact due date of the mother-to-be. Check to see if any holiday?s fall near that date. You definitely want to avoid throwing a baby shower three days before Christmas or two days after Easter. You?ll also want to consider birth dates and anniversaries of the mother-to-be and her immediate family.

Next, ask the family if they have any traveling plans. The worst thing you can do is assume a pregnant woman isn?t going to travel. Sometimes pregnant women want to get in one last trip before the baby is born. Its called ?taking a babymoon.? If there are traveling dates, mark those on your calender.

Discuss the family?s wishes. Some women want to be surprised, while others don?t. Some women want to have a baby shower before the baby is born, while others want to wait until after. Remember, the baby shower is about the mother-to-be and you should cater to her wishes.

Generally, it is a good idea to plan a baby shower no later than four weeks before the baby is due. This gives you time in case the baby shows up a few weeks early. When I gave my sister a baby shower I did it the first week of her 8th month. It wasn?t a surprise shower, but she had such a good time that it didn?t matter. It also gave her a few weeks to use the gift cards she received on things that were not presented to her at the baby shower.

If your mother-to-be is considered a high-risk pregnancy, plan to have the shower a little earlier. A shower at the 7 month mark might be safe in case she goes into pre-term labor. Another one of my sister was expecting twins and went into preterm labor at 24 weeks. They were able to stop the labor, but it was uncertain as to how early the twins would make their appearance. An emergency baby shower was planned, and she got to enjoy the time with family before the babies were born.

For information on What Do I Do if My Toddler Gets Scabies click here!

Source: http://simplymotherandbaby.info/blog/when-to-plan-a-baby-shower/

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