Deregulation of Telecommunications in California "No price too high, no lie too big..."

? Telecommunications and information infrastructure rely on the Internet and IP/VoIP platforms.
? The California Public Utilities Commission must exercise regulatory oversight to provide equal access, basic protections and to overcome the Digital Divide.
? SB 1161 (Padilla) is an anti-consumer, anti-labor giveaway to major telecommunications corporations that seek to cut the regulatory powers of the California Public Utilities Commission.
? SB 1161 does nothing to stimulate innovation in Internet services; it claims deregulation will somehow do this, but it is a completely unproven article of faith, and a deceptive pretext for this special-interest legislation.

Stealth Campaign
SB 1161 has moved forward with the transparency of a stealth bomber. Subtitled, ?Communications: Voice over Internet Protocol and Internet Protocol enabled communications service? one must cut through the complex legalistic and technical wording to get to the core thrust of the legislation. Section 1 opens with statements that it is both a job creator and a staunch protector of the ?Open Internet?. These false and misleading claims reveal much about its sponsors and their objectives.

Claim: Section 1. (a)(3) finds and declares, ?California?s innovation economy is leading the state?s economic recovery. Silicon Valley alone added 42,000 jobs in 2011, an increase of 3.8 percent versus a national job growth rate of 1.1 percent. The newly designated ?app,? for application, economy has resulted in 466,000 new jobs nationwide, with 25 percent of that total created in California.?

Fact: Silicon Valley and IT based industries are extremely volatile and unsafe bets:
? In 2011, San Jose based Cisco Systems announced the layoffs of 6500 employees.
? In March of 2012, Sunnyvale-based Yahoo announced layoffs of 1000 or more employees.
? In May of 2012, Palo Alto based HP announced they would lay off 27,000 workers. This follows layoffs in previous years totaling over 20,000 workers.
? In a more recent development that received much attention and undeserved glory, Facebook had a public offering that started with a stock price of $38 dollars and within days dropped to $32. Not only is this a ?black eye? for Silicon Valley; it will have ripple effects throughout the industry, including underwriters in the banking sector, led by Morgan Stanley. To make matters worse, budget projections for the State of California were based on more than a billion dollars in tax revenues, which have disappeared in the devalued stock price.

?Creative Destruction?
In Silicon Valley it is known as ?creative destruction?, a long term pattern of ups and downs. Startups and their CEO?s run the gamut of ?quick launch?, stellar short-term profits, and bust, as a new ?product? hits the market. That phenomenon has been present in California?s past cycles of economic crisis when certain industries, including IT and housing were overvalued and propped up by a market of false expectations, speculation and greed. They gambled with California?s future by placing our hopes and economic prosperity on unsustainable, volatile market schemes. Californians would benefit far more from a stable approach based on solar and other sustainable energy sources, optical fiber broadband, public transportation, infrastructure improvement and other creative and traditional, incremental, value added industries.

Referring again to SB1161?s sponsors and their objectives, these became even more apparent in the key meeting of the Senate Appropriations Committee held on 5/14/2012. The members were addressed by an army of ?suits? representing all the usual suspects. They were executives, lawyers and lobbyists from ATT, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, E-Bay, Qualcomm, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Microsoft (Skype) and Cisco Systems, to name a few.

In his presentation to Appropriations, Alex Padilla had the audacity to state, ?This week?s Facebook IPO, most estimate a $900 billion dollar IPO, would result in a $500 million dollar benefit this year and an additional $500 million next year.? He was referring to the revenue that would accrue to the California state budget; almost $1 billion dollars that disappeared overnight in ?creative destruction?.

Claim: Section 1(b)(2) finds and declares it will ?Ensure a vibrant and competitive open Internet that allows California?s technology businesses to continue to flourish and contribute to economic development throughout the state.?

Fact: Beyond Section 1, there is nothing in this bill that even mentions the ?Internet? open or closed, regulated or not. In fact, the only language that has anything to do with the ?Internet? is ?Voice over Internet Protocol? (VoIP) and ?Internet Protocol? (IP) based platforms for telecommunications services.

Claim: In Section 2 (a)(2), the bill purports to preserve the traditional copper based Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), by excluding any ?service that uses ordinary customer premises equipment with no enhanced functionality that originates and terminates on the public switched telephone network, undergoes no net protocol conversion, and provides no enhanced functionality to end users due to the provider?s use of Internet Protocol technology??

Fact: In the same section, it describes VoIP and IP enabled service as any service that: ?Permits a user generally to receive a call that originates on the public switched telephone network and to terminate a call to the public switched telephone network? and ?any service, capability, functionality, or application using existing Internet Protocol, or any successor Internet Protocol, that enables an end user to send or receive a communication in existing Internet Protocol format, or any successor Internet Protocol format through a broadband connection, regardless of whether the communication is voice, data, or video.?

The legalistic play in the wording makes it difficult for the non-expert reader to see that SB1161 could potentially apply to any call that travels for any portion of its trip over an IP based platform, whether originating, terminating or ?IP in the Middle?. At this time, VoIP phone service makes up over one quarter of California?s 10.4 million residential telephone subscriptions, although the volume of calls is much higher. The goal of the industry is to switch all phone service to this network. Long before that is achieved; no call made in California will fall under regulatory oversight.
.
Claim: In regards to the California Public Utilities Commission the bill, ?...does not affect any existing regulation of or existing commission authority over, non-VoIP and other non-IP enabled wireline or wireless service, including regulations governing universal service and the offering of basic service and lifeline service.?

Fact: In the May meeting of the CPUC in Fresno, the majority of the commissioners were very clear in their opposition to SB 1161 because they understood that it would remove oversight. However in a slick maneuver, Alex Padilla launched a last minute protest of a staff report that placed the cost of implementation at $1 billion dollars. He said the data had not been ?vetted? and caused the CPUC to postpone their vote.

f SB 1161 prevails, it will definitely have a negative impact on the CPUC?s oversight of the landline quality of service and consumer protections. Also, in regards to VoIP/IP communications services, in 2011, the Consumer Protection and Safety Division of the CPUC submitted a motion for modification of the scope of rulemaking to extend consumer protection. According to this motion, VoIP and IP based services fall within the definition of telecommunications and as such, are subject to the Service Quality Measurements and other reporting procedures designed to protect consumers.

It has long been the position of consumer groups that not only telecommunications but access to broadband and other internet-based information services should be regulated to assure equitable treatment of poor, rural and inner-city communities. SB 1161 would be another blow to the regulatory framework for oversight of access to broadband and internet-based information services, potentially increasing the digital divide.

Despite the statement to the contrary, it is the regulatory authority of the CPUC that is the actual target of SB1161 as is revealed in the following paragraph:

?No department, agency, commission, or political subdivision of the state shall enact, adopt, or enforce any law, rule, regulation, ordinance, standard, order, or other provision having the force or effect of law, that regulates VoIP or other IP enabled service, unless required or expressly delegated by federal law or expressly authorized by statute or pursuant to subdivision??

Note: In order to cut through the misleading language, one must understand the difference between ?Internet? and VoIP/IP. They both require broadband access and use a unique set of numbers and sub-nets i.e. ?75.23.145.75? that comprise the IP ?address? of the end user. However, ?nomadic? services such as Skype, route calls over the Internet, while VoIP/IP calls travel a separate path. VoIP/IP calls begin and/or end at a phone set with a fixed location and use the provider?s network as the bridge to the Public Switched Telephone Network and the world. ?Nomadic? services connect the user via the Internet, wherever they are. Recently, Skype can connect to the Public Switched Telephone Network at a cost per minute or month, but with spotty results and quality. This is not to be confused with cell phone service.

Who are Alex Padilla and Steven Bradford?
Alex Padilla is the State Senator for the 20th Senate District, Los Angeles area and Chair of the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee. He wrote SB 1161 on the behalf of ATT, Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner and other companies that as and industry have contributed over $57,000 to his re-election campaigns.* Unfortunately he has also received huge sums of money from the labor movement in California. He was known as a friend to Labor, and particularly CWA, but now should be considered ?the Senator from ATT?.

Steven Bradford is the California Assembly Representative from the 51st Assembly District, Gardena, and the Chair of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee which has to clear the bill before it goes to the full Assembly. He is also the principal co-author of the bill. In this case he could be considered the ?Assembly Representative from ATT? who has received ample support both from the industry and from labor.

*MapLight?s Money & Politics

The American Legislative Exchange Commission (ALEC) and Deregulation
One important discovery in the investigation of deregulation across the United States is the deep collaboration between ALEC and ATT. ALEC is the largest membership association of state legislators in the United States, with over 98% of its revenue coming from corporations and corporate foundations. In the 2010 congressional elections, ALEC boasted 3 of 4 new Senators were ALEC alumni, and 27 of 42 newly elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 2010 ATT gave $3.7 million to federal candidate Political Action Committees; of that, $1,612,582 to Democrats and $2,035,949 to Republicans. The ties between ALEC and ATT go beyond campaign donations. ATT is on the corporate Private Enterprise Board and Pete Hernandez, California Executive Director of Legislative Affairs for ATT is the Private Sector Chair.

Model telecommunications bills have been an important part of ALEC operations in several states including efforts to block utilities from placing optical fiber to a ?hands-off approach? to telecom regulation. Legislation to block VoIP regulation was first launched as far back as 2008. Could it be the California legislators leading this effort are trying to curry favor with ALEC in anticipation of future runs for federal office?

What is the Labor Movement?s position?
The powerful California Labor Federation is unable to take a position due to an archaic protocol triggered when a Local of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers chose to side with the industry. This was communicated in a letter from high power California lobbyist Scott Wetch to Alex Padilla which mimics the misleading claims found in the text of the Bill, including, ?California is a global leader in internet technologies because it has not attempted to place unnecessary and duplicative restrictions on the internet.? It concludes with, ?It is an investment in infrastructure deployment that is creating jobs for our members.?

A staff member in the IBEW Washington D.C. Political Legislative Department responded to an email inquiry regarding this letter and stated in part:
?We supported the bill for several important reasons:
1) The chair and sponsor of the bill asked us to
2) AT&T who was extremely helpful to us on past legislation (and an Employer of IBEW members) asked for our help on it
3) Frontier communications (employer of 1245 in California) asked us to
Having said that it wasn't priority for IBEW we only wrote a letter of support. We never did lobby or do and sort of mobilization effort.?
As a result of this ?favor? to the industry, any intervention on this bill would be considered meddling in a dispute between two affiliates of the Labor Fed, which under those circumstances, must remain neutral. (*Note: 1245 identifies the Local of IBEW; the number of members is unknown.)

Can SB 1161 be stopped?
Wherever deregulation of telecommunications has raised its ugly head, it was soon followed by greater concentration of communication and information network ownership, reduced competition, higher prices and fewer choices for consumers. Labor, particularly the men and women of the Communications Workers of America have suffered the biggest hit in jobs and working conditions.

Where there is oversight by the PUC, Quality Service Measurements pressure the Telcos to perform repairs and restore service within reasonable time frames and mitigate customer abuse. Where there is no oversight, there are no standards for consumer protection, and Telcos can allow outages to last to the point where customers might abandon landlines for wireless. The wireless divisions compete with the wireline side, eventually causing a loss of customers and reductions in the workforce.

Even with those Service Quality Measurements, ATT and Verizon performed miserably. Nonetheless, millions of California households still desire wireline phone service, especially with the glitches in wireless service due to insufficient capacity, or spectrum, and choke points caused by the data-consuming ?apps? boasted by the IT firms.

Several years of regulatory analysis and data from various states where the regulatory framework has been attacked and weakened show a steady, building momentum that will be difficult to stop. But it can be defeated, as was the case in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and several other states. The astonishing phenomenon is that this bill is being lauded as a major piece of bi-partisan cooperation as indicated by the votes at various stages:
? 4/25/12 - Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications: 12-0
? 5/29/12 - Senate Appropriations: 7-0
? 5/30/12 - Senate Floor: 30-6
? 6/18/12 - Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee: 13-1
? To be voted out of the full Assembly by July 1

Conclusion: Stop SB 1161 Deregulation of Telecommunications
Communications Workers of America and the communities served by the multi-billion dollar telecommunications industry in California will be the biggest losers in this fight. Despite this, CWA has only begun to mobilize its membership of over 60,000 in California. This is due in part to the intense contract bargaining which is currently taking place with ATT which has become an existential struggle. CWA District 9 members have been working without a contract for over two months. However, deregulation of telecommunications did not begin overnight; it has been on the march, state by state, for over a dozen years. Informed observers admit that inertia and the lack of pro-active analysis and organizing against deregulation have allowed the Telcos and their minions to gain precious ground.

One positive development has been a coalition that has formed between CWA, the Utility Reform Network, AARP, Division of Ratepayer Advocates and over fifty community and consumer groups. It was this type of coalition that beat back deregulation in other states. However, much energy has been lost trying to tweak the language of a bill that in its essence has no redeeming qualities.

You would think that California would be the last bastion to fall to deregulation. But being the biggest state in the union with over 34 million residents, over one-tenth of the population of the U.S., it is also the biggest prize. As such, no price was too high, no lie too big, and no betrayal too great. The Democratic leadership in the legislature, due to ignorance of the technology or other agendas and trade-offs, have turned their backs on labor and California consumers.

Concerned residents of California should contact their State Assembly Representative and urge them to vote against SB 1161. However, based on its history and ?bipartisan? support, it would appear that the only hope may be a veto by Governor Jerry Brown which can only come as a result of intense pressure from a wide coalition of consumer groups with hobbled support from labor. Would he be willing to do so in the face of huge Republican and Democratic votes? On the other hand, can California afford to gamble with our information infrastructure and economic future?

(For information sources used in this document contact comworkerdvocate [at] gmail.com)

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Pawlenty says to look elsewhere for potential VP

(AP) ? Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (puh-LEN'-tee) says he's told Mitt Romney's presidential campaign to look elsewhere for a running mate.

Pawlenty, who competed briefly last year for the GOP nomination before dropping out and endorsing Romney, says he thinks he could serve the Republican ticket better in other ways.

Pawlenty says being asked to run as vice president with Romney would be an honor.

But Pawlenty tells CBS' "Face the Nation" that he's "encouraged people who asked this question in the campaign to look at other prospects."

Associated Press

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Heyward hits 2 HRs as Braves outslug Yankees

By HOWIE RUMBERG

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 5:08 p.m. ET June 20, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) - Jason Heyward and the Atlanta Braves never intended to challenge the powerful New York Yankees to a game of home run derby in the Bronx. Still, they came out ahead.

Heyward hit two of a record nine homers at the new Yankee Stadium and the Braves outslugged the Yankees for a 10-5 victory in the sweltering heat Wednesday.

"We survived," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Freddie Freeman, Martin Prado, Heyward and David Ross all connected off Phil Hughes (7-6) to build a 6-1 lead on a sticky, 94-degree afternoon. Michael Bourn stole what might've been another home run from Jayson Nix after missing an earlier opportunity for a try at a leaping grab.

Alex Rodriguez hit his 640th career homer, and Robinson Cano, Derek Jeter and Eric Chavez all hit long balls against Tommy Hanson (8-4).

"It's just that kind of ballpark," Heyward said, "but at the same time we got two teams that are capable of hitting some home runs."

The Yankees, who have a major league-leading 105 homers, managed just four other hits in their second straight loss after a 10-game winning streak. They pulled to 6-5 on Curtis Granderson's RBI single in the seventh but Rodriguez ended the inning with a double-play grounder.

"It's been up and down, like a lot of our other hitters," manager Joe Girardi said of Rodriguez's season.

In the eighth, Freeman hit an RBI single and Heyward a two-run shot off Boone Logan to help Atlanta pull away for its third win in 10 games and second straight against New York. The Yankees swept the Braves in Atlanta last week.

Heyward had the go-ahead hit Tuesday night and added a triple.

"We're really, really good when Jason's swinging the bat well."

Even though he didn't start in a day game after playing Tuesday night, Chipper Jones still was a factor early. In the final year of a Hall of Fame-worthy career, Jones was honored before his last regular-season game against the Yankees. On behalf of the Yankees, Jeter and former Braves teammate Andruw Jones gave Chipper third base from Tuesday's game. In 19 years with Atlanta, Chipper Jones faced the Yankees in two World Series.

With the sun beating down on the crowd of 45,094, the public address announcer urged fans visit the cooling stations set up in the concourses.

Girardi emphasized how important it was to be aggressive early on a day that felt as if it were over 100 degrees with the oppressive humidity. The Braves were.

Bourn singled leading off and, with two outs, stole second without a throw. He scored on Dan Uggla's single to left. Freeman wasted no time, connecting on the first pitch he saw for a two-run drive into the New York bullpen in right-center to make it 3-0.

Jeter got one back with his fourth leadoff homer of the season, hitting Hanson's first pitch into the stands in right-center.

"When Jeter caught that one in the first, I was like `here we go,"' Ross said.

Hanson only gave up one hit after Jeter's homer until Chavez led off the fifth with a drive to straightaway center field. Bourn watched the homer clear the fence and land in the netting over Monument Park then jumped and smacked his hand to glove.

Bourn made the play he wanted after a walk to Russell Martin, ranging far to his right to snare Nix's fly above the wall to protect a 6-2 lead.

Heyward stood at the fence in right field and watched Rodriguez's high fly leading off the sixth carry into the stands. The RBI was A-Rod's 1,925th, breaking a tie with Jimmie Foxx for sole possession of sixth on the career list.

Cano followed with a smash deep into the stands in right-center to end Hanson's day for the Yankees' third back-to-back homers of the season - one was three in a row.

Hanson matched a career high with the four homers allowed. He came in 6-0 with a 1.22 ERA against AL East teams, but gave up four runs in five-plus innings this time.

All season Hughes has been hurt by the homer, giving up at least one in each of his first 12 starts before keeping the ball in the park in his previous outing. The career-most four allowed Wednesday boosted his total to a majors-leading 19 this year.

"He just didn't have great location today," Girardi said.

NOTES: Teams have combined to hit eight homers at the ballpark that opened in 2009 three times. ... Mark Teixeira was out of the Yankees lineup Wednesday. He was hit on the left foot by Heyward's hard grounder Tuesday night and Girardi said the first baseman was still sore. He doubled as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. ... Former Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams was chosen as manager of the World Team in the All-Star weekend Futures Game for minor leaguers on Sunday, July 8 in Kansas City. ... The 94 degrees at game time was not the hottest start for Atlanta. It was 97 degrees in Arizona when they faced the Diamondbacks on April 21 with the roof open. ... The Yankees are the last team to allow 10 runs in a game. ... Heyward has three multihomer games.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Charli Penn: 11 Things Women Really Want From Wedding Night Sex

This post originally appeared on ManWifeandDog.com

Now, let's be honest here: The majority of married couples don't actually get around to having sex on their wedding night. You might as well scrap what all those rom-coms taught you -- after all the craziness that is surviving your wedding day intact, you're usually drunk, exhausted, or both. That said, who wants to be a statistic? (Especially on their wedding night.) We didn't!

I say, add "getting laid" to your wedding day to-do list -- and make it a priority. Men, here's a handy little guide to what your wife-to-be really wants to get out of the evening.

Laughter
Undressing is sexy; slipping out of a 20-pound gown is not. It will be funny, and you should laugh long and hard about it. The same goes for all the other "bloopers" you're bound to experience that night.

Naughty Vows
You've already vowed to cherish and protect each other at all costs. Now it's time to make the juicier promises you fully intend to keep. You get where I'm going with this, right? Let's keep this post safe for work and let you fill in the blanks.

Background Music
This is the part where the movies got it right. Nothing sets the mood quite like a naughty playlist. (Insert her favorite slow jams here.)

Compliments
Every woman wants to be told they're the most beautiful bride in the world on the Big Day. If your betrothed doesn't want the same shameless flattery between the sheets on the big night, she's lying. Case closed.

Liquid Confidence
Nerves and weddings go hand-in-hand -- even when you've known each other forever. Bring your bubbly of choice to the bedroom and pour as you play.

Having All Her Senses Engaged
You've got the touching covered, but what about her other senses? Be sure the room is scented, styled, and soundproofed to perfection. And, don't forget the sweets.

An Orgasm
Memo to all men: Your wedding night is not the time to go all selfish on your fianc?e -- save that for marriage. (I kid!)

Foreplay
Slow things down -- what's the rush? The rest of the day will already feel like a blur by the time you enter your suite, so the after party is your chance to take your time and make more lasting memories.

Romance (Obviously!)
If your wife-to-be actually walked across the threshold and there are no lit candles in sight and no flowers to be found, men, you have already failed her -- try not to make it a habit when you get home.

Feeling Comfortable
I have nothing against bathroom sex, floor sex, or even patio sex -- they're a real rush! But no woman wants to wake up the morning after her wedding with weird bruises in unwanted places and zero recollection of how they got there. That's the complete opposite of romantic.

Passion
Skip the clich?s and tell her what it really feels like to be laying next to the woman of your dreams on the most magical night of your life.

Related Links:

A Homemade Recipe for A Happy Wife

5 Things No One Tells You About Marriage, But Should

5 Types of Men Who Make Great Husbands

An Open Letter to Homewreckers

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Activities To Build Self Esteem You Can Do Now | Article Search ...

?

You can find many activities to build self esteem that can help you to find a more positive way to life.?

Many people move through life feeling badly and this is not how life was meant to be lived. While everyone has bad days, a plaguing sadness or anger is something that needs to be addressed. There are some great activities that you can participate in to help you to begin to build good self esteem and this can help you in many aspects of your life.

Affirmations can be very helpful in building self esteem and this is something that you can easily do from home. You will often write your own affirmations and this can be very personal to your situation. You can also find affirmations online that can help you to get started and learn very quickly the most effective way to write your own affirmations.

You will use affirmations when you wake up and before you go to bed. This can help you to feel better each day and affirmations will become an integral part of your life. It will only take minutes each day to complete your affirmations.

You should also look at the people you are surrounding yourself with. If you find that people around you are often critical or negative, you will want to make sure that you are finding people to surround yourself with that are more positive. People with high self esteem naturally rub off on others just like people with low self esteem often rub off on others. You want to make a choice which type of people that you want in your life.

A support group can also be very helpful for people that are suffering with low self esteem. This is where you can find people that are learning to overcome negative feelings and you will find people that are in all stages of finding a more positive life. This can be a great place to find people that are suffering with the same problems that you are facing and a great place to find ideas to overcome this type of problem.

A self improvement class can be very helpful and a lot of fun. There are often free classes where you live and this is something you will have to find out more about locally. If you cannot find a class online, you may need to take one online and this can be a very helpful platform.

When you find activities to build self esteem you can begin improving your life. Living a positive life can help you to find more enjoyment and this can change the way you feel about this life you were given.

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Liberals urge Obama to go after Wall Street harder

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Message from liberals to President Barack Obama: Your economic message is muddled, go after Wall Street harder.

With the November election looming, some of the president's most ardent backers are fretting that the incumbent Democrat isn't successfully making the case for a second term at a time of economic turmoil. And they argue that he should sharpen his message by taking a firm stand against the financial sector's excesses.

"If he really took on Wall Street big time, if he told the story of how Wall Street are villains, made them the enemy, we could take them down," Paul Sasso, a 47-year-old liberal from San Diego, said this week. "To me, that could win him the election, I'm sure."

It was a sentiment similarly expressed by more than a dozen other self-described progressive activists attending this week's Take Back the American Dream conference in Washington.

Some said that the rhetoric of the Occupy Wall Street movement had been disappointingly absent from Obama's message. Others implored the president to pressure Republican challenger Mitt Romney to reveal the big-dollar donors who are fueling his campaign by "bundling" contributions from smaller donors. Activists also said they were put off by what they called Obama's lack of exasperation when efforts to regulate Wall Street post-recession fell short of what many had demanded.

"Obama's catering too much to Wall Street," said Mark McDermott, a retiree from Seattle. "We gave those banks billions of dollars, and we didn't break them up. They're sitting on the money and their profits are sky-high again, and we're supposed to be happy about this?"

He pointed to Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co., who faced a less-than-bruising round of questions from Congress over $2 billion in trading losses.

Less than five months before the election, the economy and related issues such as income disparity are shaping a presidential campaign that polls show is competitive.

Romney argues that his decades of experience in the business world make him qualified to turn around the economy, and that his Democratic opponent is out of touch with the challenges facing companies that want to expand their payrolls.

Obama, in turn, contends that he needs more time to continue promoting economic growth, and that Romney would return to failed Bush-era policies.

His message seemed lost on at least some of the progressives here this week.

Karen Joseph closed her eyes and paused for 20 seconds when asked to describe Obama's economic pitch.

"Oh, gosh, I don't know," said Joseph, a homemaker and Obama supporter from Youngstown, Ohio. "That we have a right to a middle class?"

McDermott, for his part, said: "I don't think his own plan is particularly clear."

An Obama spokesman declined to comment on the liberals' assertion that Obama has largely given Wall Street a free pass.

Liberals have groused about Obama since he was elected, lamenting a lack of progress on issues they hold dear. Even so, most liberal voters are expected to vote for Obama in November over Romney. But there's no guarantee that liberals ? if they continue to be dissatisfied ? will turn out to staff phone banks and canvass neighborhoods this fall. The president's fundraising efforts also could take a hit.

The liberals' latest beef is that the president needs to take the fight to Wall Street, in the style of Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic Senate nominee in liberal-leaning Massachusetts. She has built a national brand around the us-versus-them rhetoric that took root over the past year in the encampments of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

For Obama, taking up the Occupy cause as overtly as that would be risky in the dozen or so competitive states that will determine who wins the White House. Turn up the heat on Wall Street too far and he may give ammunition to Romney and Republicans, who are eager to paint the president as anti-business and hostile to those who create jobs.

Such was the case in May, when Obama attempted to tie Romney's record at private-equity firm Bain Capital to an obsession with profits, and added that "a lot of business people" were similarly focused.

Prominent Democrats criticized the tactic, giving Romney and Republicans fodder to argue that Obama was demeaning the very people who create American jobs.

"Class warfare does not work in this country. We've seen it tried time and time again. And when it does work, it doesn't sustain itself," said John Weaver, a top strategist for Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign.

Being more combative against Wall Street also could backfire on the fundraising front, drying up crucial cash sources.

"New York banks are the ATM of American politics. It's just that simple," said Hank Sheinkopf, a Democratic strategist in New York. "You alienate them, you don't get the kind of campaign contributions you think you should."

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Human factors researcher pushes for safer gas fireplaces

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 20-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Lois Smith
lois@hfes.org
310-394-1811
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

With the increase in popularity of glass-fronted or "direct vent" gas fireplaces has come an alarming increase in the number of small children who have been seriously burned by touching the hot glass. Until very recently, U.S. law allowed the glass to reach the scorching temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260? C). Human factors/ergonomics researcher Carol Pollack-Nelson, in her upcoming Ergonomics in Design article, "The Burn Hazard Presented by Gas Fireplace Glass," describes how she called on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to require manufacturers to make glass-fronted gas fireplaces safer.

In the article, Pollack-Nelson documents a number of factors that, in combination, have likely contributed to an estimated 1,754 burns among small children between 1999 and 2009: (a) They are attracted by fire; (b) direct vent fireplaces are in easy reach of toddlers, who are unsteady on their feet; (c) few units come with a barrier to prevent touching the glass; and (d) consumers have not been sufficiently warned that the glass can reach such high heat or that it retains heat long after the unit has been turned off.

"The glass front of a gas fireplace may seem like a barrier to parents but in fact the glass is hot enough to cause severe burns with only momentary contact," said Pollack-Nelson. "With a log fireplace, there is no glass front, so parents may be more vigilant when a fire is going."

A number of voluntary standards address the burn risk, but manufacturers of gas fireplaces have never been required to incorporate safety features into their designs to protect children and other consumers from the excessively hot glass fronts. Although a few safety-conscious manufacturers already include an integrated mesh screen that prevents access to the glass, most do not.

Pollack-Nelson reached out to the industry's voluntary standards organization and requested that action be taken to revise the standard to require protection against the hazard. When no action was taken one year later, she petitioned the CPSC for a mandatory rule. After the Commission docketed the petition, industry began to take action. As of January 2012, the industry began to revise the voluntary standard, laying out a plan that requires a physical barrier for all gas fireplaces that are installed less than 4 feet above the floor, as well as plans to undertake a consumer awareness campaign.

###

Contact HFES Communications Director Lois Smith (lois@hfes.org, 310/394-1811) to obtain a prepublication draft of the Ergonomics in Design article.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society is the world's largest nonprofit individual-member, multidisciplinary scientific association for human factors/ergonomics professionals, with more than 4,600 members globally. HFES members include psychologists and other scientists, designers, and engineers, all of whom have a common interest in designing systems and equipment to be safe and effective for the people who operate and maintain them. Watch science news stories about other HF/E topics at the HFES Web site. "Human Factors and Ergonomics: People-Friendly Design Through Science and Engineering"

Plan to attend the HFES 56th Annual Meeting, October 22-26: https://www.hfes.org//Web/HFESMeetings/2012annualmeeting.html


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Contact: Lois Smith
lois@hfes.org
310-394-1811
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

With the increase in popularity of glass-fronted or "direct vent" gas fireplaces has come an alarming increase in the number of small children who have been seriously burned by touching the hot glass. Until very recently, U.S. law allowed the glass to reach the scorching temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260? C). Human factors/ergonomics researcher Carol Pollack-Nelson, in her upcoming Ergonomics in Design article, "The Burn Hazard Presented by Gas Fireplace Glass," describes how she called on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to require manufacturers to make glass-fronted gas fireplaces safer.

In the article, Pollack-Nelson documents a number of factors that, in combination, have likely contributed to an estimated 1,754 burns among small children between 1999 and 2009: (a) They are attracted by fire; (b) direct vent fireplaces are in easy reach of toddlers, who are unsteady on their feet; (c) few units come with a barrier to prevent touching the glass; and (d) consumers have not been sufficiently warned that the glass can reach such high heat or that it retains heat long after the unit has been turned off.

"The glass front of a gas fireplace may seem like a barrier to parents but in fact the glass is hot enough to cause severe burns with only momentary contact," said Pollack-Nelson. "With a log fireplace, there is no glass front, so parents may be more vigilant when a fire is going."

A number of voluntary standards address the burn risk, but manufacturers of gas fireplaces have never been required to incorporate safety features into their designs to protect children and other consumers from the excessively hot glass fronts. Although a few safety-conscious manufacturers already include an integrated mesh screen that prevents access to the glass, most do not.

Pollack-Nelson reached out to the industry's voluntary standards organization and requested that action be taken to revise the standard to require protection against the hazard. When no action was taken one year later, she petitioned the CPSC for a mandatory rule. After the Commission docketed the petition, industry began to take action. As of January 2012, the industry began to revise the voluntary standard, laying out a plan that requires a physical barrier for all gas fireplaces that are installed less than 4 feet above the floor, as well as plans to undertake a consumer awareness campaign.

###

Contact HFES Communications Director Lois Smith (lois@hfes.org, 310/394-1811) to obtain a prepublication draft of the Ergonomics in Design article.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society is the world's largest nonprofit individual-member, multidisciplinary scientific association for human factors/ergonomics professionals, with more than 4,600 members globally. HFES members include psychologists and other scientists, designers, and engineers, all of whom have a common interest in designing systems and equipment to be safe and effective for the people who operate and maintain them. Watch science news stories about other HF/E topics at the HFES Web site. "Human Factors and Ergonomics: People-Friendly Design Through Science and Engineering"

Plan to attend the HFES 56th Annual Meeting, October 22-26: https://www.hfes.org//Web/HFESMeetings/2012annualmeeting.html


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


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Create A Real Estate Niche Market And Double ... - Green Real Estate

For the longest time now Real Estate Agents have come into the industry and tried to eke out a living by chasing every opportunity that presents itself. They are willing to drive long distances and work crazy hours just for a chance to earn a commission.

They will try to make themselves available to anyone and everyone. Which in turn spreads them quite thin.

What if there was a way to have people come to you? To close the door on all types of Real Estate and concentrate on one particular type. To have them call you because you are considered an authority in one type of Real Estate? To create a Niche Market!

Well this is what some savvy Real Estate Pro?s have done and their real estate careers have taken off.

But Marty, wouldn?t that Pigeon Hole me to one particular aspect of Real Estate Sales? Well let?s look at an example in the real world of this happening.

If we look at the Hollywood Actor Danny Trejo, he is likely the most Pigeon holed actor I can think of in movies. He consistently shows up as the bad guy. He has a rough and tough look about him and usually plays the villain in a lot of movies.

He is not often considered for a leading man role in Hollywood but rather he is relegated to villain roles. Oh and by the way, he starred in 27 television and movies in 2010! Not bad for someone who is Pigeon Holed.

Not to mention his net worth is now more than 8 million dollars!

You see, he created a Niche Market for himself.

Anytime a producer needs someone for a villain role, he gets the call. Wouldn?t it be great if every time someone needed to buy or sell a particular type of Real Estate, we got the call?

What I?m talking about is becoming a Real Estate Specialist in a particular sector of Real Estate. Creating a Niche market.

By becoming the ?go to? person, you set yourself up as one of very few who are able to provide outstanding service and information that another REALTOR would not be able to provide.

Some examples of Realtors becoming authorities in their fields would be:

First time Buyer Specialist
A local Heritage home Agent
A Real Estate Pro who works only with Investment Properties
The Condo King!
A Relocation Specialist
You get the picture.

By setting yourself up as a specialist in one aspect of Real Estate, you are no longer competing with the masses. You are telling the public that this is what I do and I do it better than anyone else!

But Marty, why would I want to Pigeon Hole myself into one box? Why would I want to shy away from other sales? Wouldn?t that work against me?

A great point for sure. But think about it this way.

Let?s say you have to get an operation, worse still let?s say you need brain surgery. Would you let your family doctor perform the surgery or would you look for a specialist like a Neural Surgeon?

I think you can see the value in seeking out the Neural Surgeon. They are going to know how to do one thing, and that?s brain surgery. They do it day in and day out. That?s what they do. They are seen as the experts.

They make a great living at what they do by providing outstanding service that could not be provided by most doctors.

The same could be said about car mechanics. If you have an European car like a Mercedes, will you be taking it to a local garage or would you seek out a Mercedes specialist that works on their cars night and day?

I think you see where I?m going with this. If it?s feasible in your area, then consider becoming a specialist in one type of real estate. Create a Niche market for yourself and excel at that Niche.

Now remember in order to be a specialist or to be perceived as the expert, you will need to back it up. Just telling people you are the expert doesn?t make you one. You will need to provide outstanding service and information about your chosen niche of choice.

If we use the Condo King example above, you will need to set yourself apart from other Real Estate Agents by learning everything you can about your local Condo market. Things like pricing and sales are obvious. But what about learning all the condo fees for each building? What and when a new special assessment may be levied against the condo owners. You would need to learn which building are designated for seniors, which buildings allow pets, and so on.

You would need to figure out which buildings have better and more parking or which buildings have local transit to their doorsteps. Which buildings have the better amenities and which buildings have better views.

Any information you can provide to your clients above and beyond what other real estate agents are providing will set you apart. Over time, you will find that people will be seeking you out to represent them in Buying or Selling.

You will also notice other real estate agents will be referring you to their clients knowing that you know more than they do. They should know that you provide outstanding service and more importantly, will keep their clients happy and make them look good as well.

This is a strategy that you may want to think about as an option for your Real Estate Career.

Please do me a favor, if you are already doing this in your Real Estate Career then let us know in the comments below so we can share this with other Real Estate Agents who may be thinking about trying this strategy in their market place.

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Microsoft Surface Tablet: What Would Steve Jobs Think?

Microsoft has always been known as a software company, but that perception changed on Monday when the company unveiled its first-ever tablet in Los Angeles. Even though Apple popularized the tablet genre with the iPad, Microsoft's "Surface" tablet will directly compete with the bestselling tablet, as it is slightly thinner, features a bigger screen, and it can also do several things the iPad can't do, such as type well or sit up straight.

"From touch to type, office to living room, from your screen to the big screen, you can see more, share more, and do more with Surface," Microsoft proclaims?on its website. "Create, collaborate and get stuff done with Office. Explore your world with fast, fluid Windows 8 apps. Discover new music, movies, and games in the Windows Store."

Many of the Surface's specs are still largely unknown, but based off first impressions, analysts and experts say Microsoft's first tablet could give the iPad a run for its money. After all, the Surface has many things the iPad doesn't -- a full physical keyboard, a thinner form factor, a kickstand for better viewing and typing angles and interplay with the Xbox 360 ecosystem, to name a few. But while most have had a positive reaction to Surface, it would have been interesting to hear what Apple's late founder Steve Jobs had to say.

For years, Jobs fought an ideological battle with Microsoft's co-founder Bill Gates over which system was better: Open, or closed. Gates believed an open platform was better for the masses and for the pocketbook; Jobs believed in creating great ecosystems around "the entire solution," so his team would not only build the software, but the hardware in which it was housed. Jobs believed that form and function should be closely tied together, and that could only be accomplished by with a closed system that's been designed from end-to-end by one team.

"Each one thought he was smarter than the other one, but Steve generally treated Bill as someone who was slightly inferior, especially in matters of taste and style," said former Apple engineer Andy Hertzfeld, now a Google employee, in an interview with Walter Isaacson. "Bill looked down on Steve because he couldn't actually program."

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In the mid-1980s, Jobs' Macintosh was handily beating Microsoft in computers, Gates badly wanted to put his software on the Mac, but Jobs refused to license the computer. Years later, the tables would turn once Jobs was ousted and Apple continued to release shoddy computers at high prices. Windows became the dominant platform, since PCs made by third-parties were considerably cheaper than Apple's products.

Roles were again reversed in the late 90s and early 2000s, when Jobs brought Apple back to prominence with the introduction of the iMac and the iPod. Then, of course, came the iPhone, and now the iPad. Microsoft has seen its grip on the operating system market loosen as Apple continues releasing one insanely great product after another, and that's why Microsoft decided to do something unorthodox to get itself back in the game. It would build the software and hardware for a tablet.

If Steve Jobs were alive today to enjoy Microsoft's announcement, he would definitely experience some mixed feelings. On one hand, his major rival had decided to adopt his values of a "closed system" over an open one. On the other hand, Jobs would be slightly perturbed by Microsoft's entrance into the tablet race, mainly because the iPad idea was so close to his heart.

Others have attempted to make their own tablets, such as Google, Samsung, Barnes & Noble and Amazon, but Microsoft is a completely different animal altogether. Microsoft has never been about copying Apple -- save for the graphical user interface used for Windows -- but it certainly has been about taking what Apple has built and improving upon it. Most other companies don't think this way -- they see Apple as a guiding light, not a foundation to improve upon -- but Microsoft does.

Jobs would have a conniption if he saw Microsoft Surface, mainly because it does the things the iPad can't do, and it does them very well. For starters, the viewing and typing angles on the Surface are significantly better compared to the iPad, thanks to the integrated kickstand that disappears into the device when you don't need it. The full keyboard and trackpad is extremely helpful for those situations where you have a lot to type but you only brought your tablet with you. It works with Xbox "SmartGlass." It actually looks different. The list goes on.

Jobs would still berate Microsoft for its shortcomings. Even though the Surface is bigger than the iPad, it is a bit heavier at 1.5 pounds. The Surface also boasts a ClearType 1080p "Full HD" display, but from a resolution perspective, we have no idea how it stacks up to the iPad's 2048 x 1536 Retina Display. It might be safe to assume that it simply doesn't. Jobs may have also knocked the Surface for coming in too many options: Microsoft's tablet is available in four colors, two kinds of keyboards (the Touch Cover?and the?Type Cover), and two storage sizes (64 GB or 126 GB). This means that there are about 16 combinations of Microsoft Surface one can buy, which Jobs might argue is too many.

Not only that, the availability of the Microsoft Surface is very fractured. Microsoft said it would make the Windows RT version of the tablet available at the same time as the Windows 8 launch -- expected in October -- while the "Pro" model with Windows 8 would ship about 90 days later. This is a stark contrast from what Apple loves to do: Unveil a great product, and release it soon. Microsoft's move to scatter the release dates will surely hurt sales and hype for the product.

While Jobs would hate -- absolutely hate -- a Microsoft tablet, I'm sure he'd prefer anything coming from Gates over Android any day of the week. There's not much to hate about the Surface, especially since it's not a direct copycat of the iPad, but a true rival in design and architecture. Even though Jobs never wanted Apple to ask itself, "What would Steve do?", Tim Cook and Apple likely already know what they need to do. They will use the Surface to fuel their fire, and they won't stop developing a better tablet until the Microsoft Surface is just a kickstand.

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Egypt Islamists claim victory amid army power grab

The Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Mursi claimed victory on Monday in Egypt's divisive race for the top job, as a military power grab overshadowed the country's first post-Mubarak presidential election.

Two generals from the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), however, reiterated that the ruling body would transfer power to the new president by June 30, and insisted he will enjoy full presidential powers.

A confirmed win for Mursi would mark the first time Islamists have taken the presidency of the Arab world's most populous nation, but military moves that appeared to render the post toothless were slammed by activists as a coup.

Representatives of Mursi's rival Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force chief and ex-prime minister under ousted president Hosni Mubarak, disputed the Brotherhood's victory claim, calling it an "act of piracy."

State media reported that initial counts showed Mursi ahead.

"After the counting was finished in all of Egypt's 27 provinces, indications show that Mohammed Mursi has won 51 percent and Ahmed Shafiq won 49 percent," the state-owned Al-Ahram newspaper said on its website.

There were scenes of jubilation at Mursi's Cairo headquarters, where the candidate thanked voters in brief remarks after the Brotherhood said he had secured 52 percent of the ballots cast.

Mursi pledged to work "hand-in-hand with all Egyptians for a better future, freedom, democracy, development and peace."

"We are not seeking vengeance or to settle accounts," he said, adding that he would build a "modern, democratic state" for all Egyptians, Muslims and Christians alike.

Shafiq campaign officials refused to concede victory, saying their figures showed their man was ahead.

"It's a stolen victory because you can't claim to have won a presidential election while the polling stations are still closing," Shafiq campaign manager Ahmed Sarhan told reporters.

"It's an act of piracy to claim victory using totally false figures," he said, adding that preliminary results obtained by the campaign showed Shafiq "still ahead in the vote, with between 51 and 52 percent."

Official results are not expected until Thursday.

Mursi supporters, many tearful, screamed with excitement as several hundred people staged a victory rally in Cairo's iconic Tahrir Square, the hub of protests that led to Mubarak's departure in February 2011.

But their jubilation was overshadowed by the prospect of a looming showdown between the Brotherhood and the ruling military, which granted itself sweeping powers.

-- 'The military hands power to the miltary' --

The Brotherhood also insisted the Islamist-dominated parliament still had the power to legislate.

Its political arm said the Islamists would take part in "all popular activities against the constitutional coup and the dissolution of parliament, beginning on Tuesday," when activists have called for mass demonstrations.

"The parliament remains valid and holds legislative power and control," the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) said in a statement.

The SCAF has introduced de facto martial law, given itself control of the legislature and state budget and also granted itself veto power on a new constitution to be written by a panel that it will pick.

"The military hands power to the military," read the headline of the independent daily Al-Masry al-Youm.

"A president with no powers," said another independent, Al-Shorouk.

Revolutionary youth movements, which had been split over whether to boycott the election or to vote Shafiq out, denounced the declaration as a "coup."

"The military council, with its unconstitutional coup, gave itself (unprecedented) powers. The military council has never and will never recognise popular legitimacy that contradicts it," the Coalition of Revolution Youth said in a statement.

"The next phase is a very difficult phase," senior Mursi campaign official Khaled al-Qazaz told AFP.

"It already started with the military trying to take all power, which requires all Egyptians to continue the momentum of the revolution to make sure the transition is complete."

The Brotherhood, which was accused of monopolising politics after last year's revolt, now finds itself increasingly marginalised, and even faces a lawsuit challenging its legitimacy and legal status.

But the military insists it will transfer power to the new president.

The election victor will swear his oath before the constitutional court by "June 30, this month," Mamduh Shahin, one of the ruling generals, told a news conference.

Another SCAF general, Mohammed al-Assar, said the vote winner will enjoy full presidential powers.

"The president of the republic will be vested with all the powers of the president of the republic," Assar told reporters.

The US, meanwhile, expressed concern over the latest moves by Egypt's military rulers, according to Pentagon spokesman George Little, adding the SCAF should hand over "full power" to civilian leaders as promised.

"We're deeply concerned about new amendments to the constitution declaration, including the timing of their announcements as polls were closing for the presidential election," Little told reporters.

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