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Can Therapy Dogs Help Kids With Autism? - Health News and ...

By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) ? For children with autism, trained dogs may offer not only a furry friend, but some therapeutic benefits, too, a new research review finds.

There is a ?substantial body of evidence? that dogs act as ?social catalysts,? even encouraging adults to be a little friendlier to each other, said senior researcher Francesca Cirulli, of the National Institute of Health in Rome, Italy. And the few studies that have focused on kids with autism suggest the same is true for them.

People have long turned to animals as a way to help with health conditions or disabilities ? either as part of formal therapy or to offer everyday assistance (such as guide dogs for the blind).

In some cases, ?therapy? or ?service? dogs are called into action to help children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) ? a group of developmental brain disorders that hinder a child?s ability to communicate and interact socially. ASDs range from the severe cases of ?classic? autism to the relatively mild form called Asperger?s syndrome.

In the United States, it?s estimated that about one in 88 children has some form of autism.

Yet there has been little research into whether trained dogs actually benefit those kids. The good news is, the existing evidence is promising, according to the new review, published in the February issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

However, ?it is early to draw final conclusions,? said Cirulli.

Specifically, Cirulli?s team found six published studies of dogs? effects on children with an autism spectrum disorder. Four of them looked at therapy dogs ? dogs that therapists use during formal sessions to help children settle in, get engaged and be more open to communicating.

Overall, the studies were positive, Cirulli and her colleagues found.

In one study of 22 children, for example, kids were more talkative and socially engaged during therapy sessions where a dog was present. In another study, of 12 boys, the children were less aggressive and smiled more when their therapy session included a canine companion.

Two studies focused on service dogs ? trained dogs that live with the family. The animals serve mainly to keep kids with autism safe; when the family goes out, the child will be literally tethered to the dog to keep from running off or getting hurt.

?That can be a huge relief for families,? said Dr. Melissa Nishawala, medical director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinical and Research Program at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

Parents? anxiety over their child?s safety can lead to social isolation in some cases, noted Nishawala, who was not involved in the study. ?Your world can get very small,? she said, ?because you limit where you go.?

So a service dog can make a big difference to the whole family, Nishawala said.

Cirulli?s team found that service dogs might also benefit children?s behavior. In the two studies they reviewed, parents generally said their children were better behaved and more attentive after the family got a service dog.

There are still plenty of questions, though ? about both therapy dogs and service dogs.

For one, children with an autism spectrum disorder vary widely in the types of issues they have and their severity. No one is sure which kids might benefit most from time with a trained pooch, Nishawala noted.

She said more studies are needed ? not only larger ones, but also ones with better ?definitions.? That means making sure the children involved have been formally diagnosed with a form of autism, defining what the ?therapy? is, and being clear about what outcomes the study is assessing.

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence that a dog could help bring a child with autism out of his shell, said Nishawala, but scientific evidence is just coming in.

Cirulli agreed that better defined studies are key.

It?s possible, Cirulli noted, that a dog could have negative effects on some kids with an autism spectrum disorder. An animal might, for instance, increase ?hyper? behavior.

For parents wondering whether adopting a dog is a good idea, the answer seems to be, ?It depends.?

Cirulli pointed out that these studies focused on dogs trained to be around children with autism. So the findings cannot be assumed to apply to your average Fido.

You might first want to see how your child reacts to a friend?s or neighbor?s dog, Cirulli suggested.

?Getting a dog could be a nice thing for the family,? Nishawala agreed. ?It could be therapeutic for everyone.?

If you are interested in a trained service dog, be prepared for an investment. It costs about $20,000 to train a dog, and the family would have to foot much of that bill.

More information

Autism Service Dogs of America has more on which kids might benefit from a canine companion.

Source: http://news.health.com/2013/02/26/can-therapy-dogs-help-kids-with-autism/

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Some results of first lady's anti-obesity effort

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Steps that retailers, restaurants and others are taking as part of Michelle Obama's campaign to reduce childhood obesity.

WAL-MART

Pledged in January 2011 to reformulate its store-brand, packaged foods by cutting sodium 25 percent and added sugars by 10 percent, and removing all remaining industrially produced trans fats by 2015. Leslie Dach, the company's executive vice president, said sodium in packaged bread has been cut by 13 percent; added sugar in refrigerated flavored milk, popular with children, has been cut by more than 17 percent; and sugar and sodium in bottled spaghetti sauce has been reduced by 15 percent and 4-5 percent, respectively. As promised, Wal-Mart also has begun labeling the fronts of hundreds of its store-brand products with a special "Great for You" seal designed to help shoppers easily identify healthier foods.

CHILD NUTRITION

Michelle Obama actively campaigned behind the scenes in 2010 for a child nutrition law, which passed in the final days of a Democratic-controlled House. The law helped schools pay for healthier lunches and also set new nutrition requirements for all foods in schools. Congressional Republicans fought the bill and later rolled back some of the Agriculture Department's efforts to get rid of junk food in the school lunch line. As directed by the new law, USDA last month proposed new requirements to make school vending machines and "a la carte lines" healthier as well.

AMERICAN BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION

The association, which represents Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, now also puts calorie labels on the front of cans, bottles and packs, fulfilling its pledge to do so.

HEALTHY WEIGHT COMMITMENT FOUNDATION

This coalition of retailers, and food and beverage manufacturers, said in 2010 that it would remove 1.5 trillion calories from their products by 2015 ? about 12.5 calories per person per day. The group said it couldn't comment on its progress, but has a report due out this year. The nonprofit Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is monitoring the overall effort.

DARDEN RESTAURANTS

The chain pledged in September 2011 to cut calories and sodium in all meals by 10 percent by 2016, and by 20 percent by 2021, and to serve all kids' meals with a side of fruit or vegetables and glass of 1 percent milk, unless an adult asks for a substitution. Spokesman Rich Jeffers said the changes to kids' meals are complete at Darden's four restaurant brands that serve children: Olive Garden, Red Lobster, LongHorn Steakhouse and Bahama Breeze. Jeffers said the company, which also has four other restaurant brands, is "on track" to meet its calorie- and sodium-cutting goals.

Other restaurants have pledged to improve their children's menus, too.

LET'S MOVE SALAD BARS TO SCHOOLS

Partners in the initiative ? the National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, the United Fresh Produce Association Foundation, the Food Family Farming Foundation and the Whole Kids Foundation ? set a goal in November 2010 of putting 6,000 salad bars in school lunchrooms by the end of 2013. More than 2,100 salad bars have been funded, and more than 2,500 are expected to be in schools by May, said Lorelei DiSogra, vice president for nutrition and health at United Fresh Produce Association.

FRONT-OF-PACK CALORIE LABELS

Food and Drug Administration officials said at the beginning of Obama's first term that they were working on standards for front-of-package calorie labels, and Michelle Obama encouraged the industry to be more upfront with nutritional information to make it easier for shoppers to know what they are buying. A food industry coalition later developed its own voluntary front-of-package labels, saying Mrs. Obama's encouragement inspired the effort. FDA officials have since backed off their attempt to mandate the nutrition labels for the fronts of packages.

UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION

Last year the association created 4,647 tennis courts sized for children ages 10 and under after committing to creating just 3,200, said spokesman Barry Ford. It also donated $285,000 worth of tennis equipment to schools and youth facilities nationwide; the association had pledged to donate $150,000 worth of equipment, Ford said.

FOOD DESERTS

Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Supervalu and several smaller grocers committed to build or expand 1,500 stores in areas with limited or no access to healthy food, areas the Agriculture Department calls "food deserts." Wal-Mart, which announced it would open 275-300 such stores by the end of 2016, had opened 86 by the end of last year, said Dach, the executive vice president. Supervalu has opened 69 of the 250 Save-A-Lot stores it pledged to build by 2016, said spokesman Mike Siemienas. Walgreens declined to say how many of the 1,000 stores it promised by 2016 have been built.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/results-first-ladys-anti-obesity-082709457.html

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Someone Is Selling Google Glass On eBay - Business Insider

Google Glass, the search giant's Internet-connected headset which lets you take photos and videos and access information, is hard to get.

If you want one, you either have to be a developer who's creating special apps for the devices, or you have to enter a contest Google is holding for creative types who describe what they plan to do with Glass and tag the post on Google or Twitter with "#ifihadglass."

Maybe there's a third way: Spend thousands of dollars on eBay.

A eBay seller claims to have a pair, and is?auctioning off a Google Glass headset on the site right now.

Bids are up to?$6,300. So far there have been 26 bids. The auction ends Thursday afternoon.

The auction seems fake.?Google has said it won't be contacting winners of its contest until mid-to-late March.

Plus, the only images the seller has are of their set of Google Glass are official publicity stills from Google.

Still, the seller claims he's been selected as an "early adapter" [sic] and estimates delivery on or before March 5.

We've asked Google and eBay what's up with this listing.

Here's a screenshot:

eBay

Google Glass eBay listing screenshot

?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-glass-ebay-2013-2

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Amazon's latest employee patent won't pay you for unsatisfactory work

Jeff Bezos seems like a nice guy with big dreams (and a bigger wallet), but some Amazon patents make us worry that there's a sour cherry at the heart of all that whipped cream. The retailer has been awarded a patent entitled "Facilitating improvement in the results of human performance of tasks," but is actually concerned with not paying digital employees if their services are deemed to be unsatisfactory. Those whose efforts are judged and found wanting have the option of taking a reduced cut of the original fee, or getting computer-aided feedback on how to improve and snag the rest. While we hope this one remains locked inside a Seattle filing cabinet, we can just see how Judge Judy's going to react when people take Mechanical Turk disputes public.

Filed under: Internet, Amazon

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Source: USPTO

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/26/amazon-employee-tracking-performance-patent/

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High-stakes trial begins over 2010 Gulf oil spill

Protestors from the National Audubon Institute, the Gulf Restoration Network and other organizations stand outside Federal Court on the first day of the Gulf oil spill settlement trial in New Orleans, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is scheduled to hear several hours of opening statements Monday by lawyers for the companies, federal and state governments and others who sued over the disaster. Barbier is hearing the case without a jury. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Protestors from the National Audubon Institute, the Gulf Restoration Network and other organizations stand outside Federal Court on the first day of the Gulf oil spill settlement trial in New Orleans, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is scheduled to hear several hours of opening statements Monday by lawyers for the companies, federal and state governments and others who sued over the disaster. Barbier is hearing the case without a jury. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

FILE - In this aerial file photo madeWednesday, April 21, 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, more than 50 miles southeast of Venice on Louisiana's tip, an oil slick is seen as the Deepwater Horizon oil rig burns. Nearly three years after the deadly rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico triggered the nation's worst offshore oil spill, a federal judge in New Orleans is set to preside over a high-stakes trial for the raft of litigation spawned by the disaster on Monday Feb. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, file)

Protestors from the National Audubon Institute, the Gulf Restoration Network and other organizations stand outside Federal Court on the first day of the Gulf oil spill settlement trial in New Orleans, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is scheduled to hear several hours of opening statements Monday by lawyers for the companies, federal and state governments and others who sued over the disaster. Barbier is hearing the case without a jury. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Protestors from the National Audubon Institute, the Gulf Restoration Network and other organizations stand outside Federal court on the first day of the Gulf oil spill settlement trial in New Orleans, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier is scheduled to hear several hours of opening statements Monday by lawyers for the companies, federal and state governments and others who sued over the disaster. Barbier is hearing the case without a jury. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? BP put profits ahead of safety and bears most of the blame for the disastrous 2010 spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a U.S. Justice Department attorney charged Monday at the opening of a trial that could result in the oil company and its partners being forced to pay tens of billions of dollars more in damages.

The London-based oil giant acknowledged it made "errors in judgment" before the deadly blowout, but it also cast blame on the owner of the drilling rig and the contractor involved in cementing the well. It denied it was grossly negligent, as the government contended.

The high-stakes civil case went to trial after attempts to reach an 11th-hour settlement failed.

Eleven workers were killed when the Deepwater Horizon rig leased by the BP exploded on April 20, 2010. An estimated 172 millions of gallons of crude gushed into the Gulf over the three months that followed in the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

Justice Department attorney Mike Underhill said the catastrophe resulted from BP's "culture of corporate recklessness."

"The evidence will show that BP put profits before people, profits before safety and profits before the environment," Underhill said in opening statements. He added: "Despite BP's attempts to shift the blame to other parties, by far the primary fault for this disaster belongs to BP."

BP attorney Mike Brock acknowledged that the oil company made mistakes. But he accused rig owner Transocean Ltd. of failing to properly maintain the rig's blowout preventer, which had a dead battery, and he claimed cement contractor Halliburton used a "bad slurry" that failed to prevent oil and gas from traveling up the well.

BP has already pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other criminal charges and has racked up more than $24 billion in spill-related expenses, including cleanup costs, compensation for businesses and individuals, and $4 billion in criminal penalties.

But the federal government, Gulf Coast states and individuals and businesses hope to convince a federal judge that the company and its partners in the ill-fated drilling project are liable for much more in civil damages under the Clean Water Act and other environmental regulations.

One of the biggest questions facing U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier, who is hearing the case without a jury, is whether BP acted with gross negligence.

Under the Clean Water Act, a polluter can be forced to pay a minimum of $1,100 per barrel of spilled oil; the fines nearly quadruple to about $4,300 a barrel for companies found grossly negligent, meaning BP could be on the hook for nearly $18 billion.

The judge plans to hold the trial in at least two phases. The first phase, which could last three months, is designed to determine what caused the blowout and assign percentages of blame to the companies involved. The second phase will determine how much crude spilled into the Gulf.

During opening arguments, BP and its partners pointed the finger at each other in a tangle of accusations and counter-accusations. But BP got the worst of it, from its partners and the plaintiffs in the case.

Jim Roy, who represents individuals and businesses hurt by the spill, said BP executives applied "huge financial pressure" to "cut costs and rush the job." The project was more than $50 million over budget and behind schedule at the time of the blowout, Roy said.

"BP repeatedly chose speed over safety," Roy said, quoting from a report by an expert who may testify.

Roy said the spill also resulted from Transocean's "woeful" safety culture and failure to properly train its crew. And Roy said Halliburton provided BP with a product that was "poorly designed, not properly tested and was unstable."

Brad Brian, a lawyer for Transocean, said the company had an experienced, well-trained crew on the rig. He said the Transocean workers' worst mistake may have been placing too much trust in the BP supervisors on the rig.

"And they paid for that trust with their lives," Brian said. "They died not because they weren't trained properly. They died because critical information was withheld from them."

A lawyer for Halliburton defended the company's work and tried to pin the blame on BP and Transocean.

"If BP had shut in the well, we would not be here today," Halliburton's Donald Godwin said.

Underhill, the Justice Department attorney, heaped blame on BP for cost-cutting decisions made in the months and weeks leading up the disaster. He said two BP rig supervisors, Robert Kaluza and Donald Vidrine, disregarded abnormally high pressure readings that should have been glaring indications of trouble.

Kaluza and Vidrine have been indicted on federal manslaughter charges.

Brock, the BP lawyer, said Transocean employees on the rig also played roles in misinterpreting the "negative pressure test."

"It was a mistake made by several men from two different companies," Brock said. "They were trying to get it right. They were trying to do the right thing."

Hundreds of attorneys have worked on the case, generating roughly 90 million pages of documents, logging nearly 9,000 docket entries and taking more than 300 depositions from witnesses who could testify at trial.

"In terms of sheer dollar amounts and public attention, this is one of the most complex and massive disputes ever faced by the courts," said Fordham University law professor Howard Erichson, an expert in complex litigation.

The spill fouled marshes, killed wildlife and closed fishing grounds. Scientists warn that the disaster's full effect may not be known for years. But they have reported dying coral reefs and fish afflicted with lesions and illnesses that might be oil-related.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-25-Gulf%20Oil%20Spill-Trial/id-5ae366e35fbe4af288a8994b94f7c188

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Video: John Kerry makes first trip as Secretary of State

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The Simple Secret to Time Management: Jedi Time Tricks

Imagine you were a Jedi master called Bob (your parents, whilst skilled in the ways of the force weren't the best at choosing names). The love of your life?Princess Lucia?is trapped in a burning building as you hurry to save her.

You might think of Lucia as the embodiment of your dreams, your aspirations?she is your most important thing.

Unfortunately, before you can reach her an army of stormtroopers open fire. The incoming stream of lasers demand your attention?if you fail to dodge them, you're dead. You might think of them as an urgent distraction from saving your princess.

We all know how a hero resolves this dilemma. If he takes his eye off the ultimate goal?his princess?then all his other efforts are for nought. He can engage an army of stormtroopers, cutting them down with graceful ease, but their numbers are limitless, and whilst momentarily satisfying they only distract him. Delayed too long, his princess will die.

And so it is with your life. You have things that are most important and things that are most urgent in permanent competition:

The secret to mastering your time is to systematically focus on importance and suppress urgency. Humans are pre-wired to focus on things which demand an immediate response, like alerts on their phones?and to postpone things which are most important, like going to the gym. You need to reverse that, which goes against your brain and most of human society.

Look at what you spend your day doing. Most of it, I'll warrant, is not anything you chose?it's what is being asked of you. Here's how we fix that, young padawan:

Say no. Most of us follow an implicit social contract: when someone asks you to do something you almost always say yes. It may feel very noble, but don't forget there's a dying princess you need to save, and you just agreed to slow yourself down because you were asked nicely. You may need to sacrifice some social comfort to save a life (as a bonus, people tend to instinctively respect those who can say no).

Unplug the TV. I haven't had a TV signal for 7 years, which has given me about 12,376 hours more than the average American who indulges in 34 hours a week. I do watch some shows?usually one hour a day whilst eating dinner?but only ones I've chosen and bought. You can do a lot with 12,000 hours, and still keep up with Mad Men.

Kill notifications. Modern technology has evolved to exploit our urgency addiction: email, Facebook, Twitter, Quora and more will fight to distract you constantly. Fortunately, this is easily fixed: turn off all your notifications. Choose to check these things when you have time to be distracted?say, during a lunch break?and work through them together, saving time.

Schedule your priorities. Humans are such funny critters. If you have a friend to meet, you'll arrange to see them at a set time. But if you have something that matters to you more than anything?say writing a book, or going to the gym?you won't schedule it. You'll just ?get round to it'. Treat your highest priorities like flights you have to catch: give them a set time in advance and say no to anything that would stop you making your flight.

First things first. What is the single most important (not urgent) thing you could possibly be doing? Do some of that today. Remember there's a limitless number of distracting stormtroopers?don't fool yourself by thinking "if I just do this thing first then I can." Jedi don't live by excuses.

Less volume, more time. There's always millions of things you could be doing. The trick is to pick no more than 1-3 a day, and relentlessly pursue those. Your brain won't like this limit. Other people won't like this limit. Do it anyway. Focusing your all on one task at a time is infinitely more efficient than multi-tasking and gives you time to excel at your work.

Ignore. It's rude, unprofessional, and often utterly necessary. There are people you won't find time to reply to. There are requests you will allow yourself to forget. You can be slow to do things like tidy up, pay bills, or open mail. The world won't fall apart. The payoff is you get done what matters.

One final lesson from the Jedi: they're heroes.

Heroes inspire us for many reasons: they make tough decisions, they keep going and they get done what matters. But there's another reason we love our heroes. Inside us all, we know we have the power to become one ourselves.

How to master your time | Oliver Emberton

---

Oliver Emberton is an entrepreneur, author-in-training, challenge addict, dancer, pianist, programmer, artist, and general busy bee.

Image remixed from Shutterstock.

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.

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Samsung announces Android-powered HomeSync with 1TB HDTV box

 

Up to 8 devices can sync to Jelly Bean-enabled set

The Galaxy Note 8.0 isn't the only new fare Samsung's dropping at Mobile World Congress. Samsung today also unleashed its HomeSync media box. It's a 1-terabyte drive that allows up to eight devices to sync files for playback over an HDTV. It's encrypted and sports user-specific IDs and passwords, so Mom and Dad can keep their mom-and-dad stuff separate from Timmy and Jenny's.

And as this is a full-on Jelly Bean device (powered by a dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM), you'll get a bit of a traditional Android experience with it as well, including games and apps, Samsung says.

HomeSync will be available in April in select countries, with a global rollout to follow.

Full presser is after the break.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/eHTr-Tvq678/story01.htm

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Libor scandal no threat to Deutsche Bank co-chief Jain: sources

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank co-chief executive Anshu Jain will likely not be sacked as a result of the investigations into the bank for manipulating Libor interbank rates, three people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The current findings of financial services watchdog BaFin would not lead to Jain's dismissal, said the three people, who declined to be identified, confirming a story in German weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

"One needs to find more to justify using this heavy weapon," said one of the people.

The traders investigated for rigging Libor (the London interbank offered rate) worked several levels below Jain so he could not be made responsible for any wrongdoing by them, Welt am Sonntag reported.

The BaFin probe will likely not lead to an investigation from state prosecutors either, the sources told Reuters.

BaFin and Deutsche Bank declined to comment.

BaFin only began an in-depth Libor probe into Deutsche Bank last year - around four years after the Washington-based Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) initiated an industry-wide investigation.

Deutsche Bank, which has set aside nearly 2 billion euros ($2.6 billion) to cover legal liabilities including possible Libor-related costs, suspended two traders last year for Libor-related misconduct.

(Reporting by Alexander H?bner, Philipp Halstrick and Peter Dinkloh; Editing by Mark Potter)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/libor-scandal-no-threat-deutsche-bank-co-chief-143416113--finance.html

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How to live Islam within a Muslim family (home)? : Wisdom from ...

Strong family ties built on the teachings of Quran and Sunnah provide the necessary foundation for a happy and joyous household and in turn contribute to the overall health of a society. On the other hand, members of troubled families struggle to maintain calm within and watch helplessly as day to day troubles tarnish and strain their relationships, and as a result grapple with daily stress in their lives. In extreme cases, this might result in corrupting the very foundations of societies at large. As family members, therefore, everyone has the obligation to take the necessary measures to strengthen these foundations.

Having a family is a blessing and its members must work to make family life at home peaceful and joyful. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

?And Allah has made for you in your homes an abode ?? [Surah al-Nahl:80]

A home is also a place of protection from the fitnah (corruption) of the outside world. The Prophet (S) said: ?The safety of a man at times of fitnah is in his staying home.?

Islamic teachings based on the foundation of the Quran and the teachings of the prophet (s) provide us with those guidelines. To benefit from those guidelines, we ought to ?live? Islam within our families. We do not become Muslims simply by being born into a Muslim family. Rather, Islamic character is formed from a combination of parental efforts, personal struggle, prayers and supplications.

The necessity to bring Islam within our families is underscored by Allah telling us in the Quran to protect ourselves and our family members from the fire. He says in the Quran,:

?O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not the commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.? (Surah Tahrim:6)

Protecting one?s family from the fire refers to fostering a guiding environment for our families. The Prophet (S), too, stressed that we all actively help lead our families in the right direction. He (s) said: ?Allah will ask every shepherd (or responsible person) about his flock (those for whom he was responsible), whether he took care of it or neglected it, until He asks a man about his household.?

We know that the walls of a home have little to do with the building of healthy dynamics within family members. That usually comes from living our lives according to the principles of Islam. So, how do we live Islam within our families and nurture a good home? This post reviews six principles that families can use to live Islam within their families. This in turn can help in building the foundations of a joyous family.

Make home a place for the family to worship Allah

Let us start with the basics. Allah clearly tells that He created us to worship Him. That involves following His commands in our daily lives as well as remembering Him through various Ibadat such as prayers, Quran recitation and so on. Within a family, we need to ensure following all that is needed to fulfill our minimum responsibilities of worshiping Him along with helping others to perform theirs. For example, Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (S) used to pray qiyaam at night, and at the time of witr he would wake her up to pray witr. (Reported by Muslim, Sharh al-Nawawi, 6/23).

The importance of family members frequently engaging in Allah?s worship at home is evident through other ahadith as well as the Quran. Allah says in the Quran (interpretation of the meaning): ?And We inspired Moosa and his brother (saying): ?Take dwellings for your people in Egypt, and make your dwellings as places for your worship, and perform al-salaah, and give glad tidings to the believers.?? [Surah Yoonus:87]. In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (S) said: ?Do not turn your houses into graves ?? (Reported by Muslim, 1/539).

One of the signs of a home that is filled with Allah?s remembrance is for it to become lively at Tahajjud, Fajar, and other prayers. This habit alone can bring tremendous peace to one?s household. The importance of this habit is obvious from a hadith where the Prophet (S) said: ?The likeness of a house in which Allah is remembered and the house in which Allah is not remembered is that of the living and the dead, respectively.? With regard to men, the Prophet (S) said: ?The best prayer is a man?s prayer in his house ? apart from the prescribed prayers (which should be in a masjid).? (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 731). With regard to women, the prophet (S) said: ?The best prayer for women is [that offered] in the furthest (innermost) part of their houses.? (Reported by al-Tabaraani. Saheeh al-Jaami?, 3311).

A home filled with the remembrance of the Lord will no doubt find an aura of peace and tranquility in its midst that it may not otherwise find possible.

Keep Satan out of the house

Allah has told us in the Quran that Satan is our enemy and we should do everything to keep Satan out of our lives. Satan hurts us by misguiding us toward evil deeds, making the bad look acceptable, bringing misfortune in our lives and families, and so on. The more we succeed in keeping Satan?s tactics and curses away from our lives and our homes, the fewer will be the fights, arguments, misunderstandings, etc., and the more will we enjoy Allah?s peace and blessings.

Both Allah and the prophet (s) have told us how to ward off Satan?s whispers and other evil tactics. For example, when entering a house, we should ensure that everyone welcomes the others at home by saying the Islamic greeting of ?Assalamualaikum?. Muslim reported in his Saheeh that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: ?When any one of you enters his home and mentions the Name of Allah when he enters and when he eats, the Shaytaan says (about himself): ?You have no place to stay and nothing to eat here.? If he enters and does not mention the name of Allah when he enters, [the Shaytaan] says (to himself), ?You have a place to stay.? If he does not mention the name of Allah when he eats, [the Shaytaan says], ?You have a place to stay and something to eat.?? (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, al-Musnad, 3/346; Muslim, 3/1599).

Abu Dawood reported in his Sunan that the Messenger of Allah (S) said: ?If a man goes out of his house and says, ?Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ?ala Allah, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah (In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah, there is no help and no strength except in Allah),? it will be said to him, ?This will take care of you, you are guided, you have what you need and you are protected.? The Shaytaan will stay away from him, and another shaytaan will say to him, ?What can you do with a man who is guided, provided for and protected??? (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi. Saheeh al-Jaami?, no. 499)

Another tactic to keep Satan away from the house is for family members to recite Surah Al-Baqarah regularly. As this surah is long, family members can alternate in the recitation of the Surah. The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ?Do not make your houses into graves. The Shaytaan flees from a house in which Soorat al-Baqarah is recited.? (Reported by Muslim, 1/539). He (S) also said: ?Allah wrote a document two thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, which is kept near the Throne, and He revealed two aayaat of it with which He concluded Soorat al-Baqarah. If they are recited in a house for three consecutive nights, the Shaytaan will not approach it.? (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 4/274, and others. Saheeh al-Jaami?, 1799).

Let respect, kindness and trust rule the affairs of the family

Aa?ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: ?The Messenger of Allah (S) said: ?When Allah ? may He be glorified ? wills some good towards the people of a household, He introduces kindness among them.?? (Reported by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, 6/71; Saheeh al-Jaami?, 303).

Each individual has a unique identity and individuality that deserves to be respected. Giving time to listen to each other and helping solve problems in the light of Islam will make a household more conducive for productive problem solving. On the contrary, a home filled with frequent argumentation, disputes, and quarrels will only foster bad feelings and is something that stands counter to the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah.

Let?s remember that the prophet (S) associated an argumentative and disputing attitude with misguidance. He said, ?A nation never went astray after being guided except by means of disputation (Tirmidhi #3253 and ibn Majah #48 on the authority of Abu Umamah).? In this context, we should also exercise the use of our tongues with great care. The Prophet (S) said: ?Blessed is the one who controls his tongue??

Family members should also uphold each other?s trust and ensure that family matters stay private unless there is a specific need to share it with others. This especially pertains to spousal issues and matters. The prophet (S) said, ?One of the most evil of people in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who went in unto his wife and she went in unto him, then he (she) disclosed her (or his) secret.? (Reported by Muslim, 4/157). There are other ahadith that clearly and strictly warn the spouses (likening them to devils) when they let others in their very private matters.

Foster a culture of Islamic learning and knowledge

Fostering and nurturing a learning environment at home where family members share Islamic teachings regularly can help all members to become more knowledgeable about Islam, improving one?s life in turn. Let?s remind ourselves that the prophet (S) used to teach his wives / family and even servants quite regularly. Al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: ?We must teach our children and wives the religion and goodness, and whatever they need of good manners. If the Messenger of Allah (S) used to urge the teaching of female servants, who were slaves, what do you think about your children and wives, who are free??

Discussing Islamic wisdom regularly can help us to stay informed and involved in ongoing self assessment. Most of us are usually preoccupied with issues related to our responsibilities, work, relationships and disappointments in life. While discussing these matters with our family members, we can relate them to how the prophet (S) and his companions resolved such matters. We should find opportunities to discuss such issues when everyone comes together as for instance during meal times.

Family members should also use the learning opportunities at home to learn and advise each other on matters of halal and haram. This can help us ward off Satanic whispers related to making haram appear as acceptable. Let?s remind ourselves that once we cross those lines and start characterizing the bad as acceptable, Satan further raises those limits and does not stop until he completely pushes us into the darkness of evil and shirk (polytheism).

Another way to foster a learning environment at home is for each family to instill the love of Islamic literature and books. So, beyond keeping a Quran and a book on hadith, the family should look to maintain literature on Quran interpretation and books of renowned Islamic scholars that can help family members get a deeper insight into the wisdom of the Quran and the Sunnah.

Make family decisions through mutual consultation

Involving the family in important matters before making a decision ensures closeness among the members. Allah says in the Quran,

?? and who (conduct) their affairs by mutual consultation?? [Surah al-Shoora:38].

Mutual consultation allows for each member to have a sense of importance and responsibility. Besides, when trying to solve a problem, the more brains that are involved, the better the chances for a solution. Problems can be resolved with one-on-one conversations between parents and children, and other family members. Rather than venting frustrations and focusing on the problems, family members should find ways to engage in conversations where solutions are sought in an amicable manner. Venting frustrations, blaming each other, harsh tones, and demeaning each other not only does not solve problems but also sours relationships and closes all doors for future consultations and trust. Let?s remember the hadith of the prophet where he compared harshness with good behavior. He (s) said, ?Allah loves kindness and rewards it in such a way that He does not reward for harshness or for anything else.? (Reported by Muslim, Kitaab al-Birr wa?l-Sillah wa?l-Aadaab, no. 2592).?

Understand and fulfill responsibilities toward other family members

Living with other family members also necessitates that each of us learns the rights of others. As Muslims, we should know the rights of our parents, children, spouses, siblings, and others. For example, Allah provides us clear instructions about kindness to parents. He (Subhanahu wa Ta?ala) Has instructed us:

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor reprimand them but address them in terms of honor.

And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: ?My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.? (Surah Bani Israeel: 23,24)

As we can see, the Quran is clear with regard to our duties to our parents. By fulfilling our responsibilities towards them we can also serve as a good example to our children in the practice of patience and kindness. Similarly, we should learn our responsibilities in dealing with our children. When parents recognize the child as an individual, address him and include him / her in discussions on general topics, a proper rapport is formed and the child finds it easier to obey them. Reminders could be given and situations that parents themselves were in could be discussed to help each other get and stay on the track of Islam. When parents make the mistake of considering themselves perfect (and their imperfections are quite obvious!) they lose their own credibility and the respect of their children as well.

This applies to other family members as well. Knowing the rights of other individual within the family can help us fulfill our responsibilities as prescribed to us by Islam and can help us live Islam within our families.

Conclusion

The Quran and Sunnah provide us ample guidelines on various aspects of living Islam within a family and one article is not enough to cover the above topics in detail. Examples include verses of Surah Al Muminun (23: 1-11), Surah Luqmaan (31:13-19) and others. When the elders and responsible parties of a household highlight the importance to live Islam within a family, and practice these virtues and manners, this inspires the children to learn as well.

Finally, let?s remind ourselves that to simply becoming knowledgeable about these issues doesn?t help unless we live by these practices. One of the Islamic scholars stated that if faith (eemaan) was simply knowing the facts in one?s heart, then that is similar to Satan?s situation because he was very knowledgeable about his Lord (rabb), yet his arrogance and pride led him to become argumentative and disobedient to Allah, and in the process became the worst of creatures.

? End

See and share the below infographic with others too.

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Tagged as: muslim family, muslim home

Source: http://www.iqrasense.com/muslim-marriage/how-to-live-islam-within-a-family-home.html

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Hotel Del Coronado: A Look Back At The Iconic California Hotel On Its 125th Anniversary

The Hotel Del Coronado, a travel industry icon, is celebrating the big 1-2-5.

Completed in 1888, the Del (as its affectionately known) is an example of the wooden Victorian beach resort architectural style. Back in the day, it took seven days to reach the hotel from the east, which is where most of its wealthy clientele originated. (It even had its own rail spur to accommodate the private coaches of the wealthy.)

The hotel was originally billed as a fishing and hunting resort, though it also included all the amenities that gentlemen and ladies of leisure would expect: men and women's billiards facilities, bowling, croquet, swimming, boating, bicycling, archery, golf, and fine dining. Special rooms were also set aside for smoking, reading, writing, cards, chess, and music -- you know, in case that chess game got really rowdy. Of course, it was also a remarkably modern retreat, featuring electric lights, shared telephones and elevators. Oh, and a newfangled fire alarm and state-of-the-art fire fighting equipment.

Particularly interesting are the additions of a school for the children of wealthy patrons (who would stay for months at at time) in 1913, and a tent city in the early 1900s to accommodate clientele from the new, emerging middle class. (It lasted until 1939.)

The hotel achieved icon status not only for its longevity, but thanks to appearances in productions like "Some Like It Hot" and "I Love Lucy," as well as hosting a rotating roster of celebrities and presidents.

Check out some vintage photos of the Del below.

• Hotel Del Coronado

• Hotel Del Bar

• Bedroom

• Canoeing in the Pool

• FDR Arriving at the Del

• Hotel Del Coronado

• Lobby circa 1940

• Hotel room circa 1955

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/19/hotel-del-coronado-125-anniversary_n_2680172.html

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Obama Plays Round of Golf #115 As President

With Tiger Woods.

.

Reuters ?- reported

President Barack Obama saw firsthand how golf is played at the highest level on Sunday, teeing off with Tiger Woods, the world?s No. 2 golfer who is rebuilding a once-squeaky clean image tarnished by a messy 2010 divorce.

Obama, an avid weekend golfer, and Woods, who won his 75th title last month, played together for the first time at the exclusive Floridian Yacht and Golf Club, which was surrounded by a cordon of security.

?It?s good to see you play well again,? Obama told Woods, according to GolfDigest.com.

Less than a month after starting his second term, Obama is on a three-day golf getaway in Florida, while his wife, Michelle, and their daughters, Malia and Sasha, are skiing in Colorado. On Saturday he received instructional tips from Woods? former swing coach, Butch Harmon.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama and Woods were joined on the course by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Jim Crane, the resort owner who also owns the Houston Astros baseball team

.

Category: Uncategorized

Source: http://therightnewz.com/?p=20028

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Parker Golf Coaches Earn Grants

JANESVILLE (WIFR) -- Parker High School boys? and girls? golf coaches have won a grant from the Wisconsin State Golf Association Boys? golf coach John Zimmerman and girls? golf coach Mary Ross wrote the grant application wrote the grant to support the Parker golf programs.

The two checks, delivered by Executive Director of the Wisconsin State Golf Association Rob Jansen totaled $2,800. According to their Web site, the Wisconsin State Golf Association Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the WSGA. Over the past two years, the Foundation has awarded over twenty-two thousand dollars to High School Golf Programs deemed ?at risk.??

The grant received at Parker High School will be used to reduce the personal cost incurred by student athletes to participate in golf which will hopefully help to grow/retain the school?s participation numbers for the golf teams

Source: http://www.wifr.com/sports/headlines/Parker-Golf-Coaches-Earn-Grants-191253981.html

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LinkedIn CEO Pulls An Oprah, Gives All His Employees iPad Minis

Normally we?d make fun of the guy for buying his employees an iPad 2 with a smaller screen, but, hey, he came across with $330 a head for over 3,000 people, so we?re cutting him a break.

Anyway, Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, decided to give everybody working full-time at the company an Apple product because LinkedIn has been doing terribly well, lately:

Jeff ?Winfrey? Weiner decided to give every LI employee an iPad mini today as a special reward for our recent results. Great ?Oprah? style moment at the All-Hands meeting!

Those ?recent results? involve the social network crossing 200 million users, and also the fact that the stock is valued at a total that Facebook can only dream about: LinkedIn is currently worth $157 a share.

Yeah, we?re a little surprised a site for storing your resume is worth so much, ourselves. Then again, it?s a concept Wall Street can easily understand, so that probably helps.

Anyway, the site is doing well enough and it has fairly ambitious plans for the future: It wants to become a digital Forbes of sorts, offering all sorts of business publishing to draw eyeballs. Whether or not it pulls that off will be interesting to see, but, until then, hey, free iPads!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/uproxx/features/~3/6H1w0Zo1_-k/

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Google Countersues UK Telco BT Over Patent Infringement In Its Conferencing and IP Quality Of Service Products

Google today stepped up its battle to protect its patents, with the latest target a countersuit against BT, the UK incumbent telecoms carrier, along with Ipanema Technologies, which resells some of BT?s services. The suit relates to four patents that Google says are being infringed by enterprise services that BT runs over its IP network, specifically relating to its conferencing services and quality of service assurance products.

Google today filed a suit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which we have embedded below. TechCrunch understands that BT will be served with papers tomorrow (Thursday) in the UK, at which point that suit will become available as well.

The lawsuit in the U.S. was first noticed by Reuters earlier today. The patents in question are U.S. Patent numbers 5,581,703; 5,701,465; 6,807,166; and 7,460,558. And specifically, Google is suing BT Conferencing, BT Americas, BT INS and Ipanema Technologies.

Google?s suit filed today is in response to BT?s original patent claims against the search giant, which it made in December 2011. Those were not related to the same services that Google is claiming against BT. Rather, BT is suing Google over patent infringement related to its Android mobile operating system.

We have reached out to BT regarding today?s suit and are awaiting a reply. We?ll update this post as we learn more. For now, a Google spokesperson tells us that litigation is a ?last resort? for the company:

?We have always seen litigation as a last resort, and we work hard to avoid lawsuits. But BT has brought several meritless patent claims against Google and our customers?and they?ve also been arming patent trolls. When faced with these kind of actions, we will defend ourselves.?

It also sounds like negotiations have grown acrimonious between the two companies in the 13 months since BT first filed its patent claims against Google: TechCrunch also understands that BT is engaging in a practice called ?patent privateering,? in which it sells its patents on to a third party for that third party to then file suits against Google or another defendant.

BT subsequently gets a cut of any of the proceeds of any patent suits or licensees signed related to those patents. This is a pretty common practice in the world of patents; Ericsson reached a similar arrangement for proceeds from patents in its recent 2,400 patent transfer to Unwired Planet. Google says it has already been sued by one such company related to BT patents, Suffolk Technologies.

This week is shaping up to be a legal blitz for Google in Europe. Earlier today, we wrote about another suit that Google filed, in Russia, on February 11, which was an appeal on a decision made by the Russian consumer regulator to blacklist content on YouTube as part of the country?s new firewall.

Image: Flickr

September 7, 1998

NASDAQ:GOOG

Google provides search and advertising services, which together aim to organize and monetize the world?s information. In addition to its dominant search engine, it offers a plethora of online tools and platforms including: Gmail, Maps, YouTube, and Google+, the company?s extension into the social space. Most of its Web-based products are free, funded by Google?s highly integrated online advertising platforms AdWords and AdSense. Google promotes the idea that advertising should be highly targeted and relevant to users thus providing...

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BT Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides communications and IT services to consumer and business sectors in the UK, enterprise sectors globally and wholesale services to other UK service providers. The Group operates through 4 main customer facing divisions: BT Global Services (Global operation) BT Retail (UK only operation) BT Wholesale (UK only operation) BT Openreach (UK only operation) The BT Global Services division provides managed networked IT services, applications management, professional services, and outsourcing solutions to corporate, carrier, and government organizations globally. The...

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/6e_39ajLQDY/

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Nevada earthquake followed by three aftershocks

Today's Nevada earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1, reports the US Geological Survey, and was followed by three aftershocks over the next 40 minutes.

By Associated Press / February 12, 2013

A Nevada earthquake struck a rural area about 120 miles each from Custer City and South Lake Tahoe at 4:10 p.m. today, says the USGS. This region of Nevada gets dozens of tiny earthquakes each week, but quakes of this scale are rare.

United States Geological Survey

Enlarge

A moderate?earthquake?and a trio of smaller aftershocks have struck rural Nevada, near the California state line.

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The U.S. Geological Survey says the 5.1-magnitude?earthquake?hit at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday.

It was centered 45 miles west of Tonopah, about 200 miles south of Reno and 17 miles south of Mina.

The Nevada Seismological Lab at the University of Nevada, Reno says three aftershocks followed of magnitudes 3.1, 3.3 and 3.7. The last came at 4:49 p.m. 25 miles south of Mina.

Ellen Hall-Patton, a student seismological analyst at the Reno lab, said all were centered near the same area.

A Nye County sheriff's dispatcher said she felt the?earthquake?in Tonopah but there were no damage reports.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ZGgp9ooKHtc/Nevada-earthquake-followed-by-three-aftershocks

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Chick magnet? Nest diet has big impact on attractiveness of hihi birds

Feb. 12, 2013 ? Published February 12 by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and University of Cambridge, the study reveals that male hihi birds develop more colourful and attractive breeding feathers if they receive a nest diet rich in carotenoids -- natural pigments found mainly in fruit and vegetables.

Scientists looked at the effects of newborn nutrition on male plumage in the rare New Zealand hihi (Notiomystis concta) over the course of a year. The paper was published in Proceedings of The Royal Society B.

ZSL and University of Cambridge PhD student Leila Walker says: "We first hand-fed baby hihi birds either a carotenoid supplement -- natural pigments used to colour yellow, orange and red -- or a more complete dietary supplement. Then we looked at the effect this had on male breeding feather colour once those chicks had grown and moulted into their adult plumage."

All nestlings initially develop female-like plumage and fledge at around one month old. Youngsters then moult their body feathers at about four months old, during which time the males obtain their breeding features. Colourful plumage is an important factor in a bird's breeding success as it demonstrates the strong health of a bird to females.

ZSL Research Fellow Dr. John Ewen says: "We saw that nestlings receiving more carotenoids were brighter as adults. This was a combined result of the carotenoid-rich dietary supplement they received, and the carotenoids they obtained as part of a natural diet fed to them by their parents."

Research on hihi has highlighted how sensitive an individual's life is to experiences faced as a nestling. Scientists are now gaining an idea of the information content of different plumage ornaments used in breeding. The next steps will be to manipulate these signals in adult birds to further test the effects on mating success.

Almost all wild hihi populations require conservation support in terms of food supplementation. ZSL will continue to work on narrowing down on a diet that produces the most, and best quality, offspring to help rebuild high numbers of this most brightly coloured of New Zealand birds.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/muVuew-Oi-Y/130212210118.htm

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Blunt: GOP may delay Hagel vote

Sen. Roy Blunt signaled Wednesday that there may be enough votes in the Senate to delay debate on the nomination of Chuck Hagel to lead the Pentagon.

Blunt (R-Mo.) said he believed there were 40 votes in the Senate that indicated ?it?s too quick to end the debate on this nomination.?

Continue Reading

Smith: Hagel's hearing performance hurt

The GOP, which controls 45 votes in the Senate, would need 41 votes to block former Sen. Hagel from hitting the 60-vote threshold that some Republicans have threatened.

?I don?t think we?ll move forward for a few days on that,? Blunt said at POLITICO?s post-State of the Union event. ?And there?s been requests for more information. I think ultimately Senator Hagel will provide that information.?

In particular, Republicans on the Armed Services Committee have asked for more detailed financial disclosures from Hagel ? a demand dismissed by Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), the committee?s chairman.

?We?re not going to accept a change in the rules that applies to one nominee,? Levin said earlier this week as he defended Hagel. ?We are not going to accept your suggestion and innuendo that there?s some sort of conflict of interest.?

The nomination of Hagel, who has drawn extensive criticism from Senate Republicans, cleared the Armed Services Committee on a party-line vote on Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said earlier this week that the chamber would move on the Hagel nomination later Wednesday or Thursday.

Even Hagel?s supporters suggested that the former Nebraska senator has major hurdles ahead if he is confirmed as Defense secretary. Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said at POLITICO?s event that Hagel has a ?significant challenge? ahead to build his credibility both at the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill, particularly following Hagel?s rocky confirmation hearing last month.

?It hurt,? Smith said of Hagel?s performance. ?I can?t lie about that. it was not generally a very good performance. I don?t think it?s totally reflective of the man; [he] obviously, has a very distinguished career both in the military and the government.?

Source: http://feeds.politico.com/click.phdo?i=177427eb2ec7d51553e99227c0c1bd24

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T. Rowe Price says will not support Dell buyout

(Reuters) - Money manager T. Rowe Price Group on Tuesday became the latest major shareholder of computer maker Dell to oppose Dell's leveraged buyout offer.

"We believe the proposed buyout does not reflect the value of Dell, and we do not intend to support the offer as put forward," T. Rowe Chief Investment Officer Brian Rogers said in a statement.

T. Rowe's decision to oppose the $13.65 per share offer from Dell founder Michael Dell and private equity shop Silver Lake Partners could add significant pressure for a higher offer. T. Rowe controlled 4.4 percent of Dell shares as of September 30, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Other shareholders with an estimated total stake of 14 percent are also opposing or leaning against the deal.

Shares of Dell traded above the offer price to $13.80, up 0.76 percent on the day, after the T. Rowe Price announcement.

On Friday, Southeastern Asset Management, with an 8.5 percent stake, said in a securities filing that it would vote against the deal. Three other major shareholders are also expected to oppose the offer, sources have told Reuters.

(Reporting by Aaron Pressman and Tim McLaughlin; editing by Lisa Von Ahn, G Crosse)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/t-rowe-price-says-not-support-dell-buyout-172516707--sector.html

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Apple CEO: Shareholder lawsuit is 'silly sideshow'

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 7, 2012 photo, Apple CEO Tim Cook announces the new iPad in San Francisco. Apple CEO Tim Cook is calling a shareholder lawsuit against the company a "silly sideshow,"on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, even as he said he is open to looking at the shareholder's proposals for sharing more cash with investors. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 7, 2012 photo, Apple CEO Tim Cook announces the new iPad in San Francisco. Apple CEO Tim Cook is calling a shareholder lawsuit against the company a "silly sideshow,"on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, even as he said he is open to looking at the shareholder's proposals for sharing more cash with investors. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

Apple CEO Tim Cook is calling a shareholder lawsuit against the company a "silly sideshow," even as he said he is open to looking at the shareholder's proposals for sharing more cash with investors.

Investor David Einhorn sued Apple Inc. last week, saying a proposal slated for a vote at the company's annual meeting in two weeks would make it more difficult to enact his plan to reward shareholders by distributing a new class of shares.

Cook said Apple's proposal puts more power in the hands of shareholders, making it difficult to understand why a shareholder would fight it. Calling the fight a waste of time, Cook said Apple won't squander money by mailing letters to shareholders to persuade them to vote for the proposal.

"My preference is that everyone on both sides of this issue would take the money they're spending on this and donating it to a worthy cause," Cook said.

Apple's proposal asks shareholders to vote on a few governance issues in one go. Einhorn's company, Greenlight Capital, said in a statement that if Apple thinks the suit is waste of resources, "it could simply end the matter by complying with existing law" and let shareholders vote on the contested proposal separately from the other issues.

Cook spoke Tuesday morning at a Goldman Sachs investor conference in San Francisco. Repeating previous statements, he said Apple is "seriously" looking at ways to hand out more cash to shareholders.

Investors appeared to be listening for something more substantive out the CEO on the cash issue. Apple's stock fell $12.03, or 2.5 percent, to close at $467.90.

The stock market has hammered Apple's stock since the September launch of the iPhone 5. The company's growth, which has been rapid for nearly a decade, is slowing drastically in the absence of a new groundbreaking product. Wall Street is clamoring for Apple to share more of its cash, which amounted to $137 billion at the end of last year and is still growing fast because of the company's massive profits.

Companies normally don't sit on that much cash, as it's not very productive. They prefer to invest it in their business or give it to shareholders. Einhorn said Apple's cash hoard is a symptom of a defensive, "Depression-era mentality."

Cook rebutted that assertion Tuesday, saying the company invested $10 billion in its business last year, through spending on research and design, equipment and an expansion of its chain of stores. It has also committed to handing out $45 billion to shareholders over three years, through dividends and share buybacks.

Analysts, however, point out that Apple seems to have run out of things to invest in, and the $45 billion commitment is small compared with the company's profits.

Goldman analyst Bill Shope asked Cook about two other hot-button issues: whether Apple would make a cheaper phone and one with a larger screen, both of which rivals have been doing using Google's Android operating system. Cook was as usual evasive about Apple's product plans, preferring to point out that it sells older iPhone models at a reduced price and that there's more to the experience of a screen than its size.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-02-12-Apple-CEO/id-6356aa66c4d8446c9098b6c251679db3

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