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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
LG Optimus 4X HD impressions: 4 core, but only 3G (Digital Trends)
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Digital Trends - Mobile World Congress has seen a big coming out for Nvidia???s new Tegra 3 quad-core processor with appearances in a number of phones, including LG???s new powerhouse, the Optimus 4X HD. As you might guess from its name, the Optimus 4X HD has four processor cores and an HD 720p screen. Still, despite packing in more cores, the Optimus 4X won???t have a feature that almost all phone fanatics should be looking for: 4G LTE connectivity.
U.K. Corporate Arts Spending Hits 7-Year Low - Philanthropy Today ...
Financial support for cultural groups by British businesses dropped 7 percent, to $212.5-million, last year, the lowest figure since 2004, the BBC reports.
Overall donations for the arts, including gifts from individuals, foundations, and trusts, rose a little more than 4 percent to just under $1.1-billion in the 2010-11 fiscal year, according to culture philanthropy group Arts and Business.
The British government launched a major push last year to boost business philanthropy and support for the arts, terming 2011 the ?year of corporate giving.? Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt termed the overall increase in giving to the arts a success, telling a BBC radio program, ?I think it would have fallen a lot further if we hadn?t put in the effort that we have.?
Museums and heritage attractions took in more money in 2010-11, while visual-arts, theater, and community arts groups saw donations decline.
Source: http://philanthropy.com/blogs/philanthropytoday/u-k-corporate-arts-spending-hits-7-year-low/45047
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In economic rebound, housing woes remain
Job growth and spending are showing signs of life, but the biggest continuing problem for most Americans is their homes.
Economic cheerleaders on Wall Street and in the White House are taking heart. The US has had three straight months of faster job growth. The number of Americans each week filing new claims for unemployment benefits is down by more than 50,000 since early January. Corporate profits are healthy. The S&P 500 on Friday closed at a post-financial crisis high.
Skip to next paragraph Robert ReichRobert is chancellor's professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He has served in three national administrations, most recently as secretary of labor under President Clinton. He has written 13 books, including 'The Work of Nations,' 'Locked in the Cabinet,' and his most recent book, 'Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future.' His 'Marketplace' commentaries can be found on publicradio.com and iTunes.
Recent posts
Has the American recovery finally entered the sweet virtuous cycle in which more spending generates more jobs, more jobs make consumers more confident, and the confidence creates more spending?
On the surface it would appear so.
American consumers in recent months have let loose their pent-up demand for cars and appliances. Businesses have been replacing low inventories and worn equipment. The richest 10 per cent, owners of approximately 90 per cent of the nation?s financial capital, have felt freer to splurge. Consumer confidence is at a one-year high, according to data released on Friday.
The U.S. government has not succumbed entirely to the lunacy of austerity.?Republicans in Congress have just agreed to extend both a payroll tax cut and extra unemployment benefits, and the US Federal Reserve is resolutely keeping interest rates near zero.
Yet the US economy has been down so long that it needs substantial growth to get back on track ? far faster than the 2.2 - 2.7 per cent projected by the Federal Reserve for this year (a projection which itself is likely to be far too optimistic).
A strong recovery can?t rely on pent-up demand for replacements or on the spending of the richest 10 per cent. Consumer spending is 70 per cent of the US economy, so a buoyant recovery must involve the vast middle class.
But America?s middle class is still hobbled by net job losses and shrinking wages and benefits. Although the US population is much larger than it was 10 years ago, the total number of jobs today is no more than it was then. A significant portion of the working population has been sidelined ? many for good. And the median wage continues to drop, adjusted for inflation. On top of all that, rising gas prices are squeezing home budgets even more.
Yet the biggest continuing problem for most Americans is their homes.
Purchases of new homes are down 77 per cent from their 2005 peak. They dropped another 0.9 per cent in January. Home sales overall are still dropping, and prices are still falling ? despite already being down by a third from their 2006 peak. January?s average sale price was $154,700, down from $162,210 in December.
Houses are the major assets of the American middle class. Most Americans are therefore far poorer than they were six years ago. Almost one out of three homeowners with a mortgage is now ?underwater?, owing more to the banks than their homes are worth on the market.
Optimists point to declining home inventories in relation to sales, but they?re looking at an illusion. Those supposed inventories don?t include about 5 million housing units with delinquent mortgages or those in foreclosure, which will soon be added to the pile. Nor do they include approximately 3 million housing units that stand vacant ? foreclosed upon but not yet listed for sale, or vacant homes that owners have pulled off the market because they can?t get a decent price for them. Vacancies are up 1m from 2006.
What we?re witnessing is a fundamental change in the consciousness of Americans about their homes. Starting at the end of the second world war, houses were seen as good and safe investments because home values continuously rose. In the late 1960s and 1970s, early baby boomers got the largest mortgages they could afford, and watched their nest eggs grow into ostrich eggs.
Trading up became the norm. Homes morphed into automatic teller machines, as baby boomers used them as collateral for additional loans. By the rip-roaring 2000s, it was not unusual for the middle class to buy second and third homes on speculation. Most assumed their homes would become their retirement savings. When the time came, they?d trade them in for a smaller unit, and live off the capital gains.
The plunge in home values has changed all this. Young couples are no longer buying homes; they?re renting because they?re not confident they can get or hold jobs that will reliably allow them to pay a mortgage. Middle-aged couples are underwater or unable to sell their homes at prices that allow them to recover their initial investments. They can?t relocate to find employment. They can?t retire.
The negative wealth effect of home values, combined with declining wages, makes it highly unlikely the US will enjoy a robust recovery any time soon.
Under these circumstances it?s not enough to rely on low interest rates and make it easier for homeowners who have kept up with their mortgage payments to refinance their underwater homes. The Administration should also push to alter the federal bankruptcy law, so homeowners can use the protection of bankruptcy to reorganize their mortgage loans. (Few will actually do so, but the change would give homeowners more bargaining power to get lenders to voluntarily alter the terms.) A second possibility if for the Federal Housing Administration to offer to take on a portion of a household?s mortgage debt in exchange for an equitable interest in the home, of the same proportion, when it is sold. Such debt-for-equity swaps could help homeowners now struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments, while not adding to the federal budget in future years when housing prices are expected to rise.
But whatever is done will not affect the fundamental change that?s come over Americans with regard to their homes. It?s not clear what will take the place of houses as the major investments of the American middle class.?
[I wrote this for the Financial Times, where it appeared yesterday]?
The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best economy-related bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here. This post originally ran on www.robertreich.org.
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/HDaPo0ZRSiE/In-economic-rebound-housing-woes-remain
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Want to hear Obama sing the blues? Best chance is tonight on PBS.
At a recent White House blues concert, which airs on PBS Monday night, President Obama joined the guest artists for a few bars. When did the White House first become a musical venue?
Will President Obama sing Monday night on national television? We think there?s a pretty good chance the answer to that is yes. Mr. Obama crooned a few bars of ?Sweet Home Chicago? during the taping of ?In Performance at the White House: Red, White, and Blues,? which will be broadcast on PBS the evening of Feb. 27. We?d lead the show with that, if we were the producers.
Skip to next paragraphAfter all, few presidents have had a chance to sing along with both B.B. King and Mick Jagger, on the same song.
But many presidents have enjoyed White House musical events. In fact, the White House is perhaps the nation?s oldest showcase for the performing arts.
?It?s a stage like no other,? writes musicologist Elise Kirk in her book ?Music at the White House: a history of the American spirit?.
When Mr. Obama hosted blues singers for a concert held in conjunction with Black History Month he was continuing a long history of such musicales. The US Marine Band performed at the first White House public reception, held on New Year?s Day 1801, during the John Adams administration.
The golden age of White House music was the early 20th century, writes Ms. Kirk. Steinway & Sons donated a magnificent concert grand piano to the White House in 1903, and great pianists such as Josef Hofmann and Ignacy Paderewski played it for President Theodore Roosevelt and his family.?
As the decades rolled on, the diversity of American popular music became more prominent. Dwight Eisenhower?s after-dinner entertainment for Chief Justice Earl Warren in 1958 featured then-current Broadway tunes, according to the White House Historical Association.
President Kennedy and his wife were intensely interested in the arts ? and the media were intensely interested in them. The result: White House concerts for the first time received television exposure, setting a pattern that continues to this day.
The current PBS series of hour-long programs broadcast from the East Room began in the Carter administration. The first was a 1978 performance by pianist Vladimir Horowitz. Since then the series has featured artists from Linda Ronstadt to Lou Rawls, Leontyne Price, and Larry Gatlin.
Which presidency produced the most PBS performance shows? That?s easy ? Ronald Reagan?s. As the only professional performer to win the Oval Office, he hosted 17. The last was a salute to Broadway recorded Aug. 6, 1988, directed by the great Marvin Hamlisch.?
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Cooking Tip of the Day: Demerara Sugar
Ever notice that professional baked goods sometimes have a large granular sugar on top... it adds a sweet crunch to the crust of breads, muffins and pastries?
Many home bakers sprinkle their baked goods with sugar? I am no exception?. but I wanted to get that crunch? so I did some research and found that Demerara sugar is used. It?s popular in the UK and is also available here in the states.
So just what is Demerara sugar?
As described on the Florida Crystals website? it?s a large amber colored granule with a hint of molasses inside each crystal. It is crystallized from the initial pressing of 100% pure cane sugar. It is not the same as brown sugar.
Demerara Sugar is readily available in supermarkets in the sugar section. The brand I purchased was Florida Crystal, to locate a retailer that carries their brand go to their website. There are other brands also available.
I hope you found this helpful.
Source: http://cookingtipoftheday.blogspot.com/2012/02/demerara-sugar.html
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Monday, February 27, 2012
Homeowners' emphasis on energy efficiency grows | Pro Hands at ...
(ARA) ? Even in a volatile economy, homeowners are making home upkeep a priority. While the number of projects annually had been on the decline in recent years, a study from BuildFax, a resource for building, remodeling and repair information, found remodeling activity was up in 2011 over 2010. Additional data shows homeowners are opting to invest in what matters most with projects that benefit their wallets, personal comfort and the environment.
Know the facts
Before buying anything, shoppers are taking time to learn more about the products they put in their homes. For one in four consumers, knowing and understanding what makes up general household products is important. As options continue to increase, this attention to research is key to finding efficient products that offer maximum value. For instance, homeowners will find that a few newer home insulation products that help provide greater energy efficiency also boast new sustainable formulations. Owens Corning EcoTouch insulation is made from 99 percent natural materials, contains a minimum of 58 percent recycled content and is verified formaldehyde free.
Energy-efficient essentials
According to the 2010 Home Improvement Research Institute Trends Program Report, reducing household energy usage and bills through energy-efficient improvements continues to be the No. 1 reason homeowners make home improvements. That same report also indicated six out of 10 consumers need help identifying what they can do to be more environmentally conscious.
?Now is the right time to make efficiency improvements around the home because homeowners will see an immediate impact on their monthly utility bills, and will reap even greater benefits in the long term,? says Frank O?Brien-Bernini, chief sustainability officer at Owens Corning. ?According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings use more energy in the United States than either transportation or industry, accounting for the consumption of 40 percent of our nation?s energy resources. On a more granular level, the primary use of energy in a home is for heating and cooling. In many homes, excessive energy is wasted through poorly sealed and insulated attics, walls and ductwork ? all problems that can be solved by handy do-it-yourselfers or through experienced contractors.?
The Home Improvement Research Institute reports roughly one in three homeowners plans to purchase more energy-efficient doors, windows or HVAC systems in the coming year. Sealing all openings around doors and windows can help homeowners make the most of their investment. Air ducts should also be inspected to ensure they are clean, are free of leaks and holes and direct air to the right spaces.
Recycling 101
While recycled content is commonly focused on, recyclable materials are also important. Often with home improvement projects, old materials are thrown out and replaced with the new. What many homeowners may not know is that many building materials and appliances are recyclable. Recycling is a better solution for the environment, and may be less costly than taking material to a landfill.
?There are more recyclable materials on and in a home than you might first assume. Millions of tons of shingles torn off from roofs end up in our country?s landfills each year. Fortunately, the technology now exists for all those shingles to be recycled instead,? says O?Brien-Bernini. ?In 2009, Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt, LLC formed an alliance with Heritage Environmental Services to create a Shingle Recycling Program with roofing contractors to make recycling convenient, cost-competitive and differentiating and have since recycled more than 90,000 tons of asphalt shingles.?
Homeowners looking for more information about shingle recycling and other types of recycling can turn to Earth911.com, with whom Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt, LLC recently also formed an alliance. The site hosts the largest and most accurate recycling directory in North America and provides information about what materials can be recycled as well as lists of recyclers in local markets.
For more tips on efficient home improvements, visit www.OwensCorning.com.
Source: http://prohandsatwork.com/?p=59288
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
Samsung announces Ice Cream Sandwich powered Galaxy Tab 2 in a 10.1 version
Gearing up for Mobile World Congress, Samsung has announced the Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) this evening, to go along with it's 7-inch sibling. The Tab 2 (10.1) has a 1280x800 display, a dual-core 1GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and runs Ice Cream Sandwich. Unlike it's predecessor, it also comes with a slot for an external SDcard. Coming in both 16GB and 32GB versions, in both a wifi and HSPA+ 21 configuration. TouchWiz is also on board, as is a healthy 7,000mAh battery. No word on pricing, but Samsung says this one will go on sale this March in the UK. We'll find out any further details direct from Samsung when we meet with them this week. The full press release is after the break.
Source: Samsung
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/0OOjpgF62XA/story01.htm
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