Top Mid-Cap Growth Funds: Consensus Stock Picks

Investing Daily Article of the Week

by Ari Charney, Featured Expert, Investing Daily

A couple of weeks ago, I examined the consensus holdings among nine top-performing, small-cap mutual funds. My goal was to find those stealth stocks that enjoy the rare concurrence of at least several of the very best small-cap fund managers.

This time around, I was inspired to focus on mid-cap stocks because of an interview I conducted with Madison Mosaic Mid-Cap (GSTGX) fund manger Rich Eisinger late last year. Eisinger said he favors mid-caps because their underlying companies tend to have established competitive advantages, such as a strong brand, but aren?t yet so large that their size inhibits future growth.

In other words, these stocks boast many of the same growth characteristics as small caps, but their businesses have matured to the point where they have at least some economic moat protecting them from encroachment by competitors.

Follow up:

Beyond that, mid-cap stocks have had quite a run over the past decade, beating both small caps and the broad market by meaningful margins. Over the trailing 10-year period, the S&P MidCap 400 gained 9.8 percent annualized versus 8.7 percent for the small-cap Russell 2000 and 6.4 percent for the S&P 500.

So let?s identify the funds whose portfolios we?d like to mine for ideas. With Morningstar?s Premium Fund Screener, I can set seemingly impossible standards for performance and see what results. First, I looked for funds that beat the market over the one-year, three-year, five-year, and 10-year trailing time periods.

Additionally, I wanted funds whose managers are focused on risk reduction, but I didn?t want to rely upon obscure metrics such as standard deviation or beta. Instead, I decided to see which funds managed to lose less than the market during both the bear market year of 2008, as well as in the difficult conditions posed by the market in 2011.

Because Morningstar?s equity style categories aren?t always a full reflection of a fund?s underlying portfolio, I specified that portfolios must have at least a 30 percent allocation to mid-cap growth stocks.

Finally, I didn?t want a new management team getting credit for a prior management team?s performance. As such, at least one member of each fund had to have at least five years at the helm of their current fund. That means they had to navigate one of the most treacherous bear markets in recent history, while still posting outstanding short- and long-term returns.

Here is the list of the nine funds that made the cut:

• Dreyfus/The Boston Co Small/Mid-Cap Growth (SDSCX)
• HighMark Geneva Mid-Cap Growth (PNMAX)
• Madison Mosaic Mid-Cap (GTSGX)
• Meridian Growth (MERDX)
• Neuberger Berman Genesis (NBGNX)
• Nicholas (NICSX)
• Pioneer Oak Ridge Small-Cap Growth (ORIGX)
• Prudential Jennison Mid-Cap Growth (PEEAX)
• T. Rowe Price Diversified Small-Cap Growth (PRDSX)

Though all of these funds produced enviable returns, not all are suitable for the average investor?s portfolio. For instance, some of these funds have sales loads of as much as 5.75 percent, which would be deleterious to long-term returns. Other funds have limited availability due to only being offered in certain plans or brokerages.

Two of these funds are explicitly small-cap funds, but as noted earlier, their portfolios have sizable allocations to mid-cap names. That could mean they have a different definition of the uppermost capitalization threshold for the small-cap universe. Or it could mean that they selected stocks that have since grown into mid-caps and are riding out their gains. Another possibility is that the fund?s success has attracted so many assets, that its large size necessitates moving up the capitalization ladder for at least some of its picks.

Interestingly, five of the nine funds have relatively concentrated portfolios of 60 or fewer names, while six of the funds have annual turnover ratios of 32 percent or less. That means the stocks in a majority of these funds? portfolios tend to be high-conviction names that management intends to hold for the long term.

With this list of top funds in hand, I then used Morningstar?s Portfolio X-Ray tool to see which stocks were most commonly held among these nine mutual funds. I looked for names that were held by at least four funds. Here?s the list, with the number of funds that hold each stock listed in parentheses:

• Affiliated Managers Group (NYSE: AMG) (4)
• Ametek (NYSE: AME) (4)
• Copart (NSDQ: CPRT) (4)
• Idex Corp (NYSE: IEX) (4)
• IDEXX Laboratories (NSDQ: IDXX) (5)
• LKQ Corp (NSDQ: LKQ) (4)
• MICROS Systems (NSDQ: MCRS) (6)
• Polaris Industries (NYSE: PII) (4)
• Sirona Dental Systems (NSDQ: SIRO) (4)
• Solera (NYSE: SLH) (4)

The next step was to examine each fund?s portfolio to determine whether management increased the size of its holding in the stock during the most recent quarter, or even better, if the stock was a new addition to the portfolio.

Because some stocks were held by more funds than others, I used a point system based on whether the size of a particular holding remained the same from the prior quarter, increased modestly in the most recent quarter, was boosted significantly from the previous quarter or was an entirely new addition to the portfolio. Since the goal is to find those names that might still qualify as current buys in the eyes of management, the latter two criteria received the greatest weightings.

Of these 10 names, LKQ Corp narrowly edged out IDEXX Laboratories. Meridian Growth initiated a new position in the stock during the second quarter (the most recent quarter for which we have such data for this particular fund), while in the third quarter, Pioneer Oak Ridge Small-Cap Growth more than doubled its position to 2.4 percent of assets, making LQK its fifth-largest holding.

LKQ holds the leading share in the highly fragmented market for aftermarket and recycled auto parts. The company has grown via acquisition, and now its relative scale means it?s well positioned to steal market share from its far smaller competitors.

However, the stock trades near its 52-week high, so it?s not exactly in the bargain bin. By contrast, IDEXX, a developer and manufacturer of diagnostic veterinary equipment, is down about 7.2 percent from its 52-week high. Still, both stocks trade roughly 13 percent over Morningstar?s estimate of their intrinsic value. But that?s not uncommon for growth stocks.

Of course, now that we?ve identified some promising candidates, it?s time to undertake additional fundamental research.

Read More by This Author

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About the Author

Ari Charney is the managing editor of Benjamin Shepherd?s Wall Street and Jim Fink?s Options for Income. He is also an associate editor of Personal Finance.

Prior to joining Investing Daily, Ari took an unlikely path toward dispensing investment advice. Shortly after graduating with a bachelor?s degree in political science from New York University, Ari sampled some of Wall Street?s best-known brokerages and investment banks for several months as a temporary associate. His favorite memory was being paid an absurdly high hourly wage to point and yell at the bond salesmen on the legendary Bear Stearns trading floor when they had incoming phone calls.

Thereafter, Ari spent a substantial portion of his career at financial industry rating services. First, he pored over spreadsheets for the corporate accounting department at Moody?s Investors Service. Later, he analyzed investment newsletters for nearly eight years at The Hulbert Financial Digest (HFD).

While working for the HFD, Ari discovered his passion for helping self-directed investors select the right investment newsletter. Since joining Investing Daily, he?s extended that passion further by guiding investors toward the right securities for their portfolios.

In addition to writing about investment newsletters for the HFD and MarketWatch, Ari has also written about food, music, comics and culture for publications ranging from Mass Appeal to Punk Planet. In his free time, he and his wife tote their son along on their ethnic dining adventures in pursuit of the fabled Bosnian burger and the Thai restaurant with the secret Laotian menu.

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Source: http://econintersect.com/b2evolution/blog3.php/2012/11/29/top-mid-cap-growth-funds-consensus-stock-picks

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Leveson report on Murdoch: Evidence of cover-up

In its report on Britain's phone-hacking scandal, the Leveson Inquiry described a failure of management systems at newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch and others.

By Keir Simmons, NBC News

LONDON -- The phone hacking scandal at Rupert Murdoch?s News of the World involved more than just allegations that journalists on the paper illegally listened to people?s cell phone messages. As is often the case with major scandals, there were also allegations of a cover-up. It is these claims that have caused the biggest headache for senior people at News Corporation.

Dig down into Thursday?s inquiry report and it is the possibility of a cover-up that is the focus. From page 348, the report, overseen by Lord Justice Brian Leveson, accuses Rupert Murdoch, his son James and News Corporation of either failing to address allegations of "widespread criminality within the organization? or ? if they didn?t know about it ? being guilty of a "significant failure in corporate governance."

These are words that will concern lawmakers in the United States, where News Corporation has many media arms, including Fox News and 20th Century Fox, and recently announced that it is buying a 49 percent stake in the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network.

The Leveson report refers to a series of e-mails and meetings in 2008 when James Murdoch signed off on a substantial payment to a phone hacking victim. He was then head of News Corporation's UK arm, News International. The question during the inquiry was this: How much was James Murdoch told about phone hacking at the News of the World when he signed that check. Those involved said they couldn?t remember.

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"If the explanation of James and Rupert Murdoch is correct," the report concludes, then "One or more parts of the management? was engaged in a determined cover-up to keep relevant information about potential criminality within the organization from senior management."

Rupert Murdoch's papers, UK media condemned in phone-hacking report

The official inquiry into the practices and standards British newspapers, prompted by the phone hacking scandal is out. NBC's Keir Simmons reports.

Leveson does not appear convinced that this was the way events actually unfolded, writing that managers had "no reason or motive to conceal relevant facts" from James Murdoch. He goes no further ? acknowledging there is an ongoing criminal investigation of what happened at News of the World. But he says again and again, if people at News Corporation didn't know what was going on, that itself is a significant failure.

"In truth, at no stage, did anybody drill down into the facts to answer the myriad of questions that could have been asked and which could be encompassed by the all embracing question 'what the hell was going on'?" Leveson says. "On any showing, these questions were there to be asked and simple denials should not have been considered sufficient. This suggests a cover up by somebody and at more than one level."

Earlier in the report, on page 305, Leveson considers the integrity of Rupert Murdoch?s company. "An organizational culture that is founded on integrity and honesty would require not only full co-operation with law enforcement, but also a determination to expose behavior that failed to comply with the law," Leveson says.

"What happened at the (News of the World) in relation to voicemail interception in this context is particularly informative about the culture that pertained both within the corporate and editorial operation," he concludes.

News Corporation has cooperated closely with British police in the last two years, authorities have said.

None of this reveals any new information, but it does tell us what an independent and experienced British judge makes of it. The British criminal investigation is still underway and the potential trials of former senior Murdoch executives, Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, may bring new details of what went on inside of Murdoch?s businesses. When those trials are over, likely sometime next year, Leveson will write another report that should provide more conclusive analysis.

Olivia Harris / Reuters

Chris Bryant, a member of the British parliament, leaves Queen Elizabeth hall carrying copies of a report by Lord Justice Brian Leveson's on media practices, in London on Thursday. The far-reaching inquiry into British newspapers called for a new independent watchdog enshrined in law to regulate the press and prevent the type of excesses which led to a phone hacking scandal within Rupert Murdoch's News of the World tabloid.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/29/15542045-leveson-report-on-rupert-murdoch-son-evidence-suggests-a-cover-up-by-somebody?lite

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For some feathered dinosaurs, bigger not always better

ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2012) ? Every kid knows that giant carnivores like Tyrannosaurus rex dominated the Cretaceous period, but they weren't the only big guys in town. Giant plant-eating theropods -- close relatives of both T. rex and today's birds -- also lived and thrived alongside their meat-eating cousins. Now researchers have started looking at why dinosaurs that abandoned meat in favor of vegetarian diets got so big, and their results may call conventional wisdom about plant-eaters and body size into question.

Scientists have theorized that bigger was better when it came to plant eaters, because larger digestive tracts would allow dinosaurs to maximize the nutrition they could extract from high-fiber, low-calorie food. Therefore, natural selection may have favored increasing body sizes in groups of animals that went meatless.

Three groups of giant feathered theropods from the Cretaceous period seemed to follow that rule of thumb -- the biggest specimens were also the plant-eaters. Lindsay Zanno, research assistant professor of biology at North Carolina State University and director of the Paleontology & Geology Research Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and Peter Makovicky, associate curator of paleontology at the Field Museum in Chicago, decided to see if diet was the determining factor when it came to size. Makovicky notes that "Having three closely related lineages of dinosaurs adapting to herbivory over the same geological time span and showing evidence of increasing size provided a near perfect test case."

Zanno and Makovicky estimated body mass for 47 extinct species of feathered dinosaur, representing three major groups that abandoned a strictly meat-eating diet -- ornithomimosaurs ("bird-mimics"), oviraptorosaurs ("egg-thieves"), and the bizarre therizinosaurs ("scythe-lizards"). Most species in these lineages also possessed a toothless beak, three-toed feet, and shorter tails than your average dinosaur, making them look a lot like modern birds.

All three groups evolved gigantic proportions: the largest oviraptorosaur weighed over 7,000 pounds, and the biggest ornithomimosaurs and therizinosaurs topped out at over 13,000 pounds. "The largest feathered dinosaurs were more than 100 times more massive than your average person," says Zanno. "The reality is that for most of us, it is downright difficult to imagine a feathered animal of gigantic proportions."

The researchers also found that average body mass did increase in these groups over time (on average, the earliest members were smallest and the last species to evolve were among the largest). But this simple correlation didn't indicate whether large size was an evolutionary advantage.

To test whether these groups were being driven to get bigger by natural selection, Zanno and Makovicky fitted different evolutionary models to the data, looking to see which model best described the patterns of body mass from ancestor species to descendant species. They found that these theropod groups were experimenting with different body masses as they evolved, with some getting bigger, while others were getting smaller. In short, there was no clear-cut drive to get big -- size seemed to provide no overwhelming advantage during the evolution of these animals.

The researchers' results appear in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

"Results of our study don't rule out diet as affecting body mass, but do seem to indicate that fluctuating environmental conditions over time were trumping the benefit of becoming a giant," Zanno says. "The long and short of it is that for plant-eating theropods, bigger wasn't always better."

"Where resources permitted, these animals could get as big as elephants, but that clearly was not the case in all environments and time periods," says Makovicky. "Factors such as resource abundance and competition with other herbivores likely played a more significant role." He added that uneven sampling in the fossil record, such as preferential preservation of smaller species in earlier time periods and larger species in later ones, could also impact the results.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by North Carolina State University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. L. E. Zanno, P. J. Makovicky. No evidence for directional evolution of body mass in herbivorous theropod dinosaurs. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 2012; 280 (1751): 20122526 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2526

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/Hr6I2O3rKvk/121128093254.htm

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Palestinians say UN bid is last-ditch peace effort

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) ? A Palestinian spokeswoman says a bid to seek U.N. recognition of a state of Palestine in Israeli-occupied lands is a last-ditch attempt to rescue the troubled Mideast peace efforts.

Hanan Ashrawi, a senior official with the Palestinian Liberation Organization, urged the U.S. on Wednesday to drop its opposition to the bid, calling Washington's stance "pathetic" and harmful to American interests in the Arab world.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is to ask the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday to recognize Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967. Overwhelming approval is likely, while the U.S., Israel and a few others are opposed.

Ashrawi says the Palestinians withstood intense U.S. pressure to drop the bid.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/palestinians-un-bid-last-ditch-peace-effort-122127535.html

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Moody's eyeing progress of sin tax bill in PHL Congress | Economy ...

Global debt watcher Moody?s Investors Service is keeping an eye on the sin tax measure now pending in the Philippine Congress where it is up for discussions at the bicameral conference committee level.
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Moving forward, what Moody?s wants to see ? in particular ? is how the legislated sin tax measure would impact on and sustain the government?s fiscal needs, said Christian de Guzman, Moody?s lead analyst for the Philippines, in response to an e-mailed query by reporters in Manila. ?
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The measure seeks to increase taxes on tobacco products and alcoholic beverages over five years.
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?We would see the actual passage of the bill as positive as it would help to increase the government?s revenues,? Singapore-based De Guzman noted.
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?Relative to other countries with similar ratings, the Philippine government?s revenues are far lower and thus have an adverse impact on key ratios of fiscal sustainability that we monitor,? he added.
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Last month, Moody?s upgraded its ratings on Philippine foreign and local currency long-term bonds to a notch below investment grade (Ba1 from Ba2), which confirmed the earlier ratings given by Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor?s.
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?I think it?s also important to note that the dimensions of the sin tax bill post-bicameral conference are as yet unclear,? said De Guzman.
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Because the additional revenues will fund healthcare spending, the actual passage of the bill would have neutral impact on the deficit, according to Moody?s.
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Still, the measure?s actual passage into law bodes well for the government?s efforts to improve revenues, according to the analyst.
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Such development reflects a concrete example of the 15th Congress actually enacting a new legislation in aid of government?s finances, De Guzman added.
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?The 15th Congress had not achieved any significant developments with regards to revenue previously, while the 14th Congress was characterized by the passage of several revenue eroding measures,? he noted.
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The bicameral conference committee will reconcile both versions of the Sin Tax Reform Bill approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Houser version seeks additional revenues of P31.5 billion in the first year of implementation and the Senate version is eyeing to raise P40 billion more in the same period. ? VS, GMA News

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/284114/economy/finance/moodys-eyeing-progress-of-sin-tax-bill-in-phl-congress

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[Bug - Resolved] 5.1: can't post battle pets anymore?

Greetings, guest! Welcome to Stormspire.net, your #1 resource for WoW and Diablo 3 Gold, Professions, and everything in between!

Enjoy what the site offers? Consider Premium Membership if you wish to get the most out of the site. Premium Membership benefits include the acclaimed Goblineer's World of Warcraft Gold Guide, private forum access, a complimentary high-quality avatar, and much more!

If this is your first visit, make sure to check out the Stormspire.net Survival Guide for a quick site orientation. You may also register to unlock all standard forum features, and to get rid of these lovely ads!

We proudly host the Official forums for TradeSkillMaster, The Undermine Journal, and WoWuction.

Source: http://stormspire.net/official-tradeskillmaster-development-forum/8983-5-1-cant-post-battle-pets-anymore.html

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Punnett's Square ? Deadly Skin Cancer Metastasis May Be Halted ...

Home
> General, Genetics > Deadly Skin Cancer Metastasis May Be Halted Following Research Breakthrough

More than 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the U.S. and melanoma is the deadliest form. Recently scientists have?eliminated metastasis, the spread of cancer?from the original tumor to other parts of the body, in melanoma by inhibiting a protein known as melanoma differentiation associated gene-9 (mda-9)/syntenin. Paul B Fisher, M.Ph., Ph.D., Thelma Newmeyer Corman Endowed Chair in Cancer Research and his colleagues have found that Raf kinase inhibitor protein interacted with and suppressed mda-9/syntenin. Before now, Fisher had originally cloned mda-9/syntenin in his laboratory, and in previous studies it interacted with another protein, c-Src, that lead to increased metastasis.??In addition to providing a new target for future therapies, there is potential for using these two genes as biomarkers for monitoring melanoma development and progression,? says Fisher.?Now that the researchers have demonstrated the ability of RKIP to inhibit mda-9/syntenin-mediated metastasis, they are focusing their attention on developing small molecules imitating RKIP that could be used as new treatments for melanoma.

Source: http://wp.stockton.edu/gfb1/2012/11/28/deadly-skin-cancer-metastasis-may-be-halted-following-research-breakthrough/

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AP Exclusive: Diagram suggests Iran working on nuclear bomb much more powerful than Hiroshima

VIENNA - A diagram obtained by The Associated Press shows that Iranian scientists have run computer simulations for a nuclear weapon that would produce more than triple the explosive force of the World War II bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.

The diagram was leaked by officials of a country critical of Iran's atomic program to bolster their arguments that Iran's nuclear program must be halted before it produces a weapon. They provided the diagram only on condition that they and their country were not named.

The International Atomic Energy Agency ? the Vienna-based U.N. nuclear watchdog ? reported last year that it had obtained diagrams indicating Iran was calculating the "nuclear explosive yield" of potential weapons.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-exclusive-diagram-suggests-iran-working-nuclear-bomb-161333980.html

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Microsoft Agency Bite Communications' Alleged Fraud - Business ...

A senior member of Bite Communications' finance team is suspected of embezzling nearly $3 million from the company, its corporate parent disclosed today in a delayed annual report.

San Francisco-based Bite's clients include Microsoft, Nokia, Sony and Mozilla

The executive was not named.

?I feel like we had a relative of Bernie Madoff working for us without us knowing,? CEO Tim Dyson told PRWeek. ?We expect the case will take many months to work its way through the legal systems due in part to its complexity.?

Next Fifteen, the British PR agency holding company, disclosed in its annual report that the fraud was "an act of personal embezzlement by a long-serving employee in a trusted position heading up the finance team in the Bite office in San Francisco. This entailed a cheque fraud over a number of years, involving forging signatures and producing forged documentation. The weaknesses of controls that allowed this to happen were a lack of segregation of duties, management override of controls and inadequate review."

The FBI and SFPD are investigating. The Guardian previously noted:

Next Fifteen said that it has informed the FBI and is working with BDO, its external auditors, as well as hiring investigations firm Kroll to carry out a full forensic investigation of all the activities within this part of the business.

There has been a recent management shuffle at the company, but none of the executives named publicly to new positions are believed to be involved, according to PRWeek. Bite also lost its HP account, according to O'Dwyer's.

Here are all the details known publicly about the fraud, condensed and compiled from Next Fifteen's annual report. (Readers: if you know something about what happened at Bite, we'd love to hear from you.)

On 31 October 2012 we informed shareholders that, in the latter stages of finalising the audit, a fraud was discovered in the San Francisco office of Bite Communications. This has now been thoroughly investigated with the conclusion that this was an act of personal embezzlement by a long-standing member of the finance team in a trusted position. The required accounting adjustment has been to write off as an exceptional item $2.8m (?1.8m) (see note 4) relating to unrecoverable assets and unrecorded liabilities, reflecting cash stolen from the business. The fraud continued into the early part of the current financial year, which will require a further write-off of $0.2m (?0.1m). This crime is now being investigated by the FBI and the SFPD. All steps will be taken to recoup lost assets but it is too soon to estimate the likely scale of any recovery.

The Board is undertaking a comprehensive review of the internal financial controls environment, the details of which you can find in the Financial Review. Meanwhile, as indicated in the statement of 31 October, this regrettable event will not impact the operational performance of the Group or affect its ability to make the investments it has planned for the coming year.

As described in the Chairman?s Statement, the Group has suffered from an act of personal embezzlement by a long-serving employee in a trusted position heading up the finance team in the Bite office in San Francisco. This entailed a cheque fraud over a number of years, involving forging signatures and producing forged documentation. The weaknesses of controls that allowed this to happen were a lack of segregation of duties, management override of controls and inadequate review. Prior to 1 August 2010 the amounts were small and were expensed through the income statement, amounting to an identified total of $300k (?190k). As the amounts increased they were accumulated in the balance sheet, spread over two statutory entities. The total amount of cash taken is around $3m (?1.9m). We have identified that $200k (?127k) was taken after 31 July 2012 and will therefore be expensed in the current year. For the remaining $2.8m (?1.8m), the ongoing investigation has so far identified that around $1.4m (?0.9m) cash was extracted in 2012, and $1.4m (?0.9m) prior to 2012 ($0.7m (?0.4m) in 2011 and $0.7m (?0.4m) prior to 2011).

As at 31 July 2012, a total of $2.5m (?1.6m) was held on the balance sheet and represented by fictitious assets. Of that $2.5m (?1.6m), an amount of $1.1m (?0.7m) had existed at 31 July 2011. The Board have concluded that allocating the impact of the write off across each respective prior year would not make a material difference to an understanding of the accounts.

A further $0.3m (?190k) was identified relating to unrecorded tax liabilities and associated penalties and interest which have now been accrued. The write off and recognition of liabilities has resulted in a total charge associated with the fraud of $2.8m (?1.8m) being recognised in the 2012 income statement (see note 4).

In response to this fraud, the Board is undertaking a comprehensive review of the internal financial controls environment, including cash management involving both payments and receipts. A decision has been taken to create a dedicated Internal Audit function, with resources to be recruited in the US and UK.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-agency-bite-communications-alleged-fraud-2012-11

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Nintendo Unveils Wii Mini for the Canucks

Nintendo's pushing the new $299 Wii U console hard (and has already sold 400K units in the process), but in at least one region, the gaming company has a new back-up plan: The $99 Nintendo Wii Mini.

[More from Mashable: Wii U Sells 400,000 Units in First Week]

The new smaller, black box with red trim is a simpler game console. It offers no Internet access and cannot play older GameCube console games. What it does do is play virtually all Wii games (Nintendo says there are around 1,300 of them). The other major caveat is that the console is only available in Canada. According to a Nintendo press release on the new system, "Wii Mini is available exclusively in Canada during the holiday season. No information is available about its potential availability in other territories in the future."

Nintendo also left out some details on the console itself. We do not know the exact size or weight of the box, though judging from the above image, it's not much wider than a Wii Remote.

[More from Mashable: Meet the Super Fan Who Waited in Line for a Month for a Wii U [VIDEO]]

As Nintendo describes it, the Wii Mini is "all about games," and without the Internet, it has to be. No Web browsing, cavorting with other Mii's or multi-player gaming. It's also worth noting that while the Wii Mini ships with a single Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk (both red), a brand new Black Wii with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort (including Remote and Nunchuk) is currently $119 at Best Buy.

What do you think of the Wii Mini? Would you game without the Internet? Is this the perfect gift for young, Canadian children? Let us know in the comments.

GamePad

The Wii U GamePad has a 6.2-inch touchscreen.

Click here to view this gallery.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nintendo-unveils-wii-mini-canucks-092458605.html

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GOP opposition to Rice over Libya attack begins to crack; McCain says he could be persuaded (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/266198415?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Longoria agrees to deal adding $100 million

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria smiles as he answers questions during a news conference after signing a six-year, $100 million, contract extension Monday, Nov. 26, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Longoria is signed with the Rays through the 2022 season. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria smiles as he answers questions during a news conference after signing a six-year, $100 million, contract extension Monday, Nov. 26, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Longoria is signed with the Rays through the 2022 season. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria smiles as he answers questions during a news conference after signing a six-year, $100 million, contract extension Monday, Nov. 26, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Longoria is signed with the Rays through the 2022 season. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, right, smiles as he answers questions with Rays' principal owner Stuart Sternberg during a news conference after Longoria signed a six-year, $100 million, contract extension Monday, Nov. 26, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Longoria is signed with the Rays through the 2022 season. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) ? Evan Longoria wants to be with the Tampa Bay Rays for his entire big league career.

The slugging third baseman got his wish Monday when they Rays agreed to a $136.6 million, 10-year contract that adds six guaranteed seasons and $100 million.

"I always wanted to be kind of a benchmark player ... the guy that you could think about or associate with the organization," Longoria said. "My goal from Day One was to be the first player that played their whole career here, to be the first guy that came into the organization and went out in the organization, and played all the years in between. There's no better place for me."

The agreement with the three-time All-Star incorporates the remainder of the 27-year-old's existing contract, which called for him to earn $36.6 million over the next four seasons. The new deal includes a team option for 2023 that could make the deal worth $144.6 million over 11 years.

"It's a very exciting day for us," Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said. "For Evan to have the confidence in us, and I know the confidence that we have in him, to re-up so to speak for the long haul. This is just an enormous commitment for us."

Longoria said a no-trade provision is not included in the deal, although after the second day of the 2018 season he would have a right to block trades as a 10-year veteran who spent his last five years with the same team.

Just six games into his major league career, Longoria agreed in April 2008 to a $17.5 million, six-year contract that included club options potentially making the deal worth $44 million over nine seasons.

"The significance of this is not lost on anybody," Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "We're extending that commitment now."

His new deal calls for a $5,000,180 signing bonus ? the $180 is for good luck. Of the signing bonus, $1,000,180 is new money payable Dec. 15 and the rest is pair of $2 million payments on Feb. 15 and June 14. His 2013 salary is reduced from $6 million to $2 million.

Longoria's salaries remain $7.5 million for 2014, $11 million for 2015 and $12.1 million for 2016. The new deal adds salaries of $13 million for 2017, $13.5 million for 2018, $14.5 million for 2019, $15 million for 2020, $18.5 million for 2021 and $19.5 million for 2022.

Tampa Bay holds a $13 million option for 2023 with a $5 million buyout, and escalators could raise the option price to $18 million.

Longoria became just the seventh player with a contract guaranteed through 2020. Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun, Detroit first baseman Prince Fielder, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler and Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki have deals covering the next eight years, with Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols' contract running through 2021 and Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto's through 2023.

Tampa Bay selected Longoria as the third overall pick in the 2006 amateur draft, making him the first player drafted under Sternberg and Friedman.

Longoria played in just 74 games in 2012 because of a partially torn left hamstring. He underwent a minor surgical cleanup procedure on the hamstring Nov. 20 and is expected to be ready for spring training.

"With the time that we had now, there's no doubt that I'd be able to recover and be at 100 percent or close to it by (the start of) spring training," Longoria said.

Longoria will rehab the leg during the winter and will not participate in next year's World Baseball Classic.

Tampa Bay was 41-44 during Longoria's absence, and 47-27 with him in the starting lineup.

The two-time AL Gold Glove winner and 2008 AL Rookie of the Year ranks second on the Rays career list with 130 home runs, third with 456 RBIs and fourth with 161 doubles. Longoria is one of 11 active players to average at least 25 homers and 90 RBIs during his first five seasons.

Longoria will donate more than $1 million during the contract to the Rays Baseball Foundation, the team's charitable foundation.

Sternberg said this deal does not rule out the possibility of signing other Tampa Bay players to mulityear contracts, such as AL Cy Young Award winner David Price. The Rays were at the bottom of the big leagues in home attendance this year.

"One of the challenges we'll have is figuring out how to take the next step for our organization," Sternberg said.

Tampa Bay and Longoria had brief, preliminary contract talks before the season began and resumed discussions after the season ended.

"We kind of tried to find a middle ground to where we would able to do some things to be able to afford some players to put ourselves in a position to win every year," Longoria said. "And I told them from the beginning that I didn't want to be the one sucking up all the payroll so we can't afford anybody else."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-11-27-Rays-Longoria/id-a1a4d79628d24edeb8e714d5e7ab86bd

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WH Faces Huge Challenges Imposing ... - Vision to America

The Obama administration faces major logistical and financial challenges in creating health insurance exchanges for states that have declined to set up their own systems.

The exchanges were designed as the centerpiece of President Obama?s signature law, and are intended to make buying health insurance comparable to booking a flight or finding a compatible partner on Match.com.

Sixteen states ? most of them governed by Republicans ? have said they will not set up their own systems, forcing the federal government to come up with one instead.
Another five states said they want a federal-state partnership, while four others are considering partnerships.

It?s a situation no one anticipated when the Affordable Care Act was written. The law assumed states would create and operate their own exchanges, and set aside billions in grants for that purpose.

?There?s no way around it ? this is a big job,? said Sabrina Corlette, a health policy expert at Georgetown University.

---

Post Continues on thehill.com

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Source: http://visiontoamerica.com/13043/wh-faces-huge-challenges-imposing-obamacare-on-red-states-that-refuse-to-cooperate-with-mandates/

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Arkansas AD: John L. Smith won't return as coach

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) ? Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long wasted little time in bringing the John L. Smith era to a close.

Long said in a statement released by the university Saturday that Smith will not return next season as the Razorbacks' coach. Long met with the interim coach a day after the Razorbacks' season-ending 20-13 loss to LSU and told him the school "would be making a change in leadership within our program."

The former Michigan State and Louisville coach was hired away from Weber State in April to replace the fired Bobby Petrino and signed to a 10-month contract. Long says that once a new coach is hired Smith will be reassigned as a consultant through the end of his deal on Feb. 23, 2013.

"I have great respect for coach Smith, and I thank him for the sincere commitment he has shown our program," Long said. "He made a difficult decision in uncertain times to return from his alma mater to guide the young men in our football program, and I will always be grateful for his efforts."

Arkansas (4-8, 2-6 Southeastern Conference) began the season ranked in the top 10, openly discussing the possibility of winning an SEC and national championship, but quickly fell out of the polls after a stunning loss to Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 8. The Razorbacks were 21-5 the last two seasons under Petrino, but their injury-depleted roster was unable to recapture that magic under Smith.

Last week's loss at Mississippi State ensured Arkansas would not return to a bowl game this season for the first time since 2008, Petrino's first season as coach. The Razorbacks stayed close with the No. 8 Tigers in their season finale on Friday before losing ? finishing with the school's lowest win total since 2005.

"It's very difficult for me to believe that is not a bowl-eligible football team," LSU coach Les Miles said following the win over Arkansas. "Watching the talent there, (it's) very capable."

Long said last month that Smith was still a candidate to remain with the Razorbacks, even after an early four-game losing streak crushed the Razorbacks' preseason championship hopes. Long added that it would be apparent at the end of the season whether Smith was his choice, a question he answered Saturday.

In likely anticipation of his ouster, Smith spent much of his time following the LSU loss handing out hugs to players and reporters.

"I have enjoyed guiding this group, and I am extremely proud of how everyone in our program stuck together and showed tremendous character by competing throughout the season," Smith said in a statement. "Everyone on our staff has my appreciation as they all believed in our goals and stayed committed to the development of these young men."

Smith said prior to the Mississippi State loss that he was optimistic of returning to Arkansas, where he was hired in April ? just weeks after the scandal that erupted following Petrino's motorcycle accident that involved his mistress.

The 64-year-old Smith had left the Razorbacks, where he was an assistant coach under Petrino for three seasons, just months earlier to become the head coach at his alma mater, Weber State. His welcoming and upbeat personality was a stark contrast to the monotone Petrino and was praised by Arkansas players.

They said Smith was the perfect person to replace Petrino, who was fired after it was revealed he had hired his mistress for a position in the athletic department and initially lied about her presence during their motorcycle accident.

However, Smith's tenure got off to a rocky start following his revelation to The Associated Press in July that he would likely have to file for bankruptcy following land deals gone wrong in Kentucky. He filed in September ? eventually revealing $40.7 million in debt ? and came under fire from Arkansas fans for that and the mounting losses.

The Razorbacks, who led the SEC in total and scoring offense last season under Petrino, were 12th out of 14 SEC teams entering this week under Smith ? averaging 24.5 points. The dropoff came despite the return of senior Tyler Wilson, who was the first-team All-SEC quarterback last season.

Wilson watched Smith's eyes fill with tears earlier this week when discussing the likely end to his tenure at Arkansas, and the quarterback admitted the last six months "have been tough" following Petrino's firing. Wilson praised Smith for helping to keep the team together.

"He's always got a smile," Wilson said. "Whether he's feeling it deep down in there or not, it's the way he expresses himself. And, you know, it touches everybody."

Long's next step becomes finding a new head coach to build on the recent success at the school. Long said all assistant coaches have the option to remain a part of the football staff pending the hiring of a new coach.

Whoever takes over will inherit a program that earned its first BCS berth two years ago in the Sugar Bowl. Arkansas also won the Cotton Bowl last season and finished ranked No. 5.

"Our new coach will be an individual who shares the passion for success our fans do, and who is willing to work relentlessly to achieve our goals," Long said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/arkansas-ad-john-l-smith-wont-return-coach-164147271--spt.html

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Russia's Medvedev criticizes France for backing Syrian rebels

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, speaking before a visit to Paris on Monday, criticized France's support for the Syrian opposition and accused European Union leaders of indecisiveness in dealing with the region's economic crisis.

France became the first European power to recognize Syria's new opposition coalition as the sole representative of its people and said on November 13 it would look into arming rebels against President Bashar al-Assad once they formed a government.

Medvedev, who stepped down as president in May to make way for Vladimir Putin, said such a decision was "unacceptable".

"The desire to change a political regime in another state through recognition of some political force as the sole sovereign representative seems to me not entirely civilized," Medvedev told French journalists in an interview cleared for publication on Monday.

Medvedev echoed Putin's statements that Russia takes a neutral stance and is not seeking to prop up Assad, saying that "Russia supports neither Assad's regime nor the opposition."

"But ... the question is how right it is to ... decide to support another political force if that political force is in direct confrontation with the officially recognized government of another country. And from the point of view of international law, it seems to me that is absolutely unacceptable."

Russia and France have been sharply at odds over Syria during a conflict activists say has killed more than 38,000 people since protests began in March 2011. France and other Western states have criticized Russia for vetoing three U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed to pressure Assad.

DEFENDS RUSSIA

Medvedev is to meet French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault during his two-day visit, the first meeting of an intergovernmental commission since Putin and Hollande took office in May and Medvedev and Ayrault took up their posts. Most meetings are expected to occur on Tuesday.

Medvedev said that Russia, which holds 41 percent of its gold and forex reserves in euros, has been closely following the crisis management of the EU, which accounts for half of Russia's foreign trade.

"We are following it with suspense because sometime it seems to us that our European partners lack energy and will in their decision-making," Medvedev said.

Medvedev also accused France of setting up administrative barriers for Russian investors, often viewed in the West with suspicion over the origin of their money made in controversial privatizations of the 1990s.

"It is time to relax and understand that most Russian businessmen are law-abiding people who made their money in an honest way, and this money can be invested in any assets, including French ones," Medvedev said.

He defended new laws Kremlin critics have described as a crackdown on dissent since Putin's election to a six-year third term, and contended Russia has advanced democracy since a wave of opposition protests began last December by allowing more parties to contest elections.

Some analysts believe Medvedev may not hold his job for much longer. But Medvedev said he felt "comfortable" as prime minister under Putin - a reversal of their roles from 2008-2012, though Putin was always seen as calling the shots - and repeated that he did not rule out seeking the presidency again.

(Reporting by Gleb Bryanski; Editing by Douglas Busvine, Steve Gutterman and Paul Simao)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russias-medvedev-criticizes-france-backing-syrian-rebels-054908780.html

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Ashton Kutcher And Mila Kunis Dine In Rome (PHOTO)

People :

The Roman holiday continues!

Sporting hats, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis stepped out on Friday night to enjoy a meal at Checchino in Rome's Testaccio district. Kunis, 29, is bundled up with a scarf, while her beau Kutcher, 34, is sporting a very different accessory ? a plate!

Read the whole story at People

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/25/ashton-kutcher-and-mila-kunis-dine-in-rome_n_2188693.html

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Bullstrips Dog Treat Recall | Steve Dale's Pet World

Carolina Prime Pet Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of dog treats, is voluntarily recalling the following product:

Priority Total Pet Care All Natural Bullstrips in a 5-count package
UPC:?0-21130-42080-3
Lot Code:?20082712 S 3195 and Lot Code: 20090312 S3195

The UPC can be located on the back label of each package. The lot Code is located on a sticker on the back of each bag of the 5 count product.

This lot of product has yielded a positive test for?Salmonella?when tested by the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture. Carolina Prime Pet is not aware of any reported cases of illness related to this product.

Salmonella?can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with?Salmonella?should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely,?Salmonella?can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with?Salmonella?infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Priority Total Pet Care All Natural Bullstrips are sold in Safeway stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington DC and Wyoming as well as Vons, Pavilions and Pak ?N Save stores in California; Randalls and Tom Thumb stores in Texas; Genuardi?s stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and Dominick?s stores in Illinois. This product was distributed from about the first of September until now.

Customers who purchased the recalled dog treats should discontinue use immediately, and return items to the purchase location for replacement, refund, or discard.?No other products are included in this recall.

For further information, please call Carolina Prime Pet Inc. at 1-888-370-2360. (Mon-Fri. 9:00 AM ? 4:00 PM EST)

from the Website of the Food and Drug?Administration?Center for Veterianry Medicine.

Filed under: dogs, pet, pet food, Pet food recall, pets

Tags: Bullstrips, Carolina Prime Pet Inc. Steve Dale archives, CDC, Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine, pet treat recall, salmonella, tainted pet food, tainted pet treat, Total Pet Care All Natural Bullstrips in a 5-count package

Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/steve-dales-pet-world/2012/11/bullstrips-dog-treat-recall/

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You Can Make Your Book an Amazon Bestseller ? Buy Appeal ...

You Can Make Your Book a Bestseller ? Even if You?re a First Time Author or a Marketing Novice

It?s true?my friend, Marcia Reece Can Help You Make Your Book A Bestseller!

If your book is not yet finished, Marcia will show you exactly what you need to do while writing and marketing your book to make it a bestseller?and create more business when your book is finished.

If your book has already been published, Marcia will show you how to start a sudden surge of sales carrying your book to bestseller status in your category?even if your book has been out and available for years.

No matter what type of book you have, brand-new or oldie-goldie, Marcia will guide you step-by-step to make your book a bestseller and sell more books in a single day than most authors sell in a year.

Marcia is so confident in her system that, if you fully follow her advice and don?t hit best seller in your category, she will give you a 100% refund on her coaching program.

I met Marcia at a Colorado Independent Publishers Association meeting. She?s the real deal. Just listen to amazing story:

Hi?I?m Marcia Reece.? So much has happened since my book became a #1 Bestseller.? I was a first time self-published author.? I didn?t have publishing experience. I had written a book, Secrets of the Marriage Mouse, and a companion workbook with a message I knew many were waiting to hear.? I wanted to get my book out in a big way and not waste my time with author signings and handling returns from traditional book stores.? I took 3 different best seller courses which cost me well over $5,000 and many, many hours of research and prep time.

I?ve distilled down the best of what I learned from these courses and offer you only the best of the best with my proven system.? In short, my system involves getting people with big email lists to send out an announcement asking people to buy your book on a given day.? This system isn?t ?spamming? because only ?opt-in? email lists are used. Even better, because my system uses email, it costs almost nothing to promote your book!

My system is simple, but to work it has to be implemented very carefully.? I guide you to eliminate mistakes so your bestseller campaign will work and YOU will become a Bestselling Author.

The VALUE of being recognized as a ?Bestselling Author? is worth more than you can imagine.? I have been asked to co-host a weekly radio program and my book is being featured on a weekly television series.? A nationally recognized author has asked me to join her in presenting weekend seminars. My phone now rings with requests for TV interviews, radio shows, newspaper stories, and magazine insertions. When you become a bestseller, you?ll have the ?BESTSELLING AUTHOR? status FOREVER!

In my system, I?m going to guide you through exactly what you need to do to launch your bestseller campaign in a precise and proven way. I will show you how to avoid expensive, embarrassing, time-consuming mistakes and money-losing pitfalls.? Follow my system and get ready to be a Bestselling Author. My greatest concern is witnessing other authors wasting time and money to become a bestseller without having the right expertise. They end up with another enormous, expensive book marketing endeavor gone sour. I don?t want that to happen to you! Let me plug you into my network of resources and save you from tragic mistakes.

I am a #1 Bestselling Author. My latest #1 Bestseller book is Secrets of the Marriage Mouse. I?ve been where you are now, and now help many authors achieve bestseller status. You?re working with an author who ?walks the talk.? I?ve refined all I?ve learned and I?ll show you everything you need to do to create and launch your own bestseller.

You can use my system to make ANY good book a bestseller.? Why does this work for ALL types of books?? Because my system is based on online direct marketing and every type of book buyer can be found online. I?ll teach you to find the buyers who want to buy your genre of book.

My bestselling system will work with:

• Books you are in the process of completing.
  • Use smart marketing strategies to mention specific people or companies in your book so they will be even more likely to help you promote your book once it is published
• Brand new books
• Books that have been out for years and almost forgotten
• Self published books (I?m self published)
• Traditionally printed books and books published with a publisher
• Fiction books with a benefit to the reader
• YA fiction books with a benefit to the reader
• Print on demand books
• E Books
• Non-Fiction
• Business books
• Self help books
• Children?s books
• Religious books
• Cookbooks
• Technical books
• Computer books

As long as you have a good book people want, you can apply my system to any type of book.

So, put me to the test, enroll in my program, and give my system a try?? Remember, I offer a 100% money-back guarantee so you have nothing to lose and lifetime Bestseller Status to gain.

Here are just some of the benefits of being a Bestselling Author

• Fame ? You earn forever the attention and credibility that goes with being a ?Bestselling Author?
• Money ? You attract major publishers and receive higher advances
• Opportunity ? You become valuable to literary agents who want to represent you
• Personal Branding ? Become the next household name and you command higher fees for speaking
• International Sales ? You attract foreign rights buyers
• Higher Future Income ? Grow your database with customers eager to buy your books and products
• Money making friendships ? You establish profitable and lasting joint-venture partner relationships
• Career growth and publicity ? Jump to celebrity status and get more publicity and more business

My own experience was amazing!? On the day of my book launch, my Secrets of the Marriage Mouse sold out all Amazon Fulfillment Centers by 1:09 PM.? By the end of the day, the entire first print run had sold out ? all at full price! I stayed up all night watching my ranking numbers ? it was so exciting! Early the next morning, I was off to the printer to order a second print run ? doubling the number of books printed!? And that print run sold out before the end of the month.? Even more surprising, once buyers were at my website, they bought my companion workbook and the eBook versions of both my book and my workbook ~ even though I did nothing to promote those items. As I write you, Secrets of the Marriage Mouse is being turned into an audio book and I have just finished negotiating foreign rights.

With my first bestseller campaign, my goal was to not only achieve bestseller status, but to maximize my profits and recoup the monies I had spent creating my book and workbook.? I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams?and so can you.

What?s holding you back?

You do NOT need any previous online or marketing experience.

You do NOT need to personally be a web designer, an internet wizard, an internet marketing expert, or programmer.? I?m not, but I will tell you where to get trusted, affordable help for all your needs.

You do NOT need your own huge mailing list or enormous social media platform.

Your do NOT need a fortune in cash to launch your campaign

What you DO need is trusted guidance from someone who truly wants you to succeed and has conducted successful campaigns.

This program is perfect for big publishers, small publishers, published authors and self-published authors who are actively promoting their books.

Enroll now; my next Bestseller Class starts December 8, 2012.

The sooner you know how to follow my system, the sooner you will be able to enjoy the money, fame, and recognition that comes with being a ?bestselling author.? Once you learn my system, you can use it over and over to create one bestseller after another.? That status helps make you the recognized expert in your field.

100% RISK-FREE Guarantee: Follow my system exactly and if it doesn?t get you to bestseller status in your category, I will return to you every cent you paid me.? You have nothing to lose!

Special 2012 Year End Pricing: $850.00 ? paid in advance of class via cash or credit card

Please call Marcia Reece at 303.506.7123 to enroll

When:? December 8, 2012

Where:? Aspen Graphics ??? 4795 Oakland Street??????????? ??????????? Denver, CO ?80239

We will start promptly at 9 AM and will close at 5 PM.? Bring your own lunch, drinks, and your computer.? We will eat at our desks and will have a working lunch (we have lots to cover).? Again, we will start promptly at 9 AM ? it is very important to be on time.? Please Don?t Be Late.

This class is limited to 8 people, so please remember it is first paid ~ first enrolled.

I am so excited to be walking down your path to Bestseller Success.? I am here to Guarantee your bestseller dreams come true and your effort and your book reaches the widest audience possible.

My very best wishes to you,

Marcia Reece

#1 Bestselling Author

Secrets of the Marriage Mouse

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<a href="http://www.macgraphics.net/blog/2012/11/24/book-amazon-bestseller/" >You Can Make Your Book a Bestseller</a>

Tags: bestseller, Book Publishing, Marketing, Marketing Strategies

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 24th, 2012 at 8:14 pm and is filed under Book Publishing, Independent Publishing, Marketing, Uncategorized, target market. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.macgraphics.net/blog/2012/11/24/book-amazon-bestseller/

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POP Promo Player HTML Homepage 112312

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Reasons to Hire a Professional Wedding Photographer

Home | Arts & entertainment | Photography

Though wedding is a beautiful and long-awaited event, it is also very busy and stressful. Indeed, there are lots of things to keep in mind and arrange in order to have unforgettable celebration. If you miss even the smallest thing, the whole celebration may be messed up.

One of the main things of wedding planning is the choice of photographer. If you forget to hire a professional photographer, all other preparations will become vain, because you will have no memories. You will have no pictures to show to your friends or relatives that were not present at your wedding. Besides your children will not be able to see how young and beautiful you were. Having wedding pictures is very important, because these are the best memories of your happy day. They will remind you of your special day long after the wedding dress is pushed to the back of your closet.

Though lots of people still ask their relatives or friend to take photos and capture the most remarkable moments of the wedding ceremony, it is always better hiring a professional photographer. The difference between the photos made by photographer and amateurs is huge. Only a professional can make amazing and unique photos that will not let you forget about that special day. Though the services offered by a professional photographer will cost you additional money, these expenditures will allow you to have the best memories that you can share with your friends, children and even grandchildren.

The right choice of a photographer is very important. There are many wedding photographers that claim to be professional, but when you see their pictures you understand that their works do not meet your expectations and requirements. In other words, the right choice of a wedding photographer is as important as the choice of a wedding gown. Thus, if you want to have quality pictures, depicting the true atmosphere of your wedding it is recommended to start looking for a professional photographer well in advance.

Most professional wedding photographers have websites where they describe the services they offer and demonstrate the samples of their works. Thus, start looking for your wedding photographer online. Never be in a hurry, because rush decisions may turn in to a huge disappointment and waste of money.

To make the right choice you will need to invest time in a decent online research. Take time to surf the Internet and to compare services offered by different photographers. While examining their portfolios, pay attention to the creativity and lightning exposure of the offered photos. If you like the pictures you can contact a photographer to get additional information about the services he/she offers and to discuss the details of the upcoming wedding.

About the Author

Before making a final decision you need to make sure you feel comfortable with the photographer and that he/she listens to what you want. To get more information about the photographer you consider hiring you may read customer reviews. It is also recommended visiting forums where people share their opinions and give helpful recommendations.

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Source: http://www.articlerich.com/Article/Reasons-to-Hire-a-Professional-Wedding-Photographer/2452429

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Wall Street ends higher in short session, led by techs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose for a fifth day during a holiday-shortened, thinly traded session on Friday as investors picked up recently beaten-down shares of large technology companies.

Market participants were also encouraged by signs of progress in talks about releasing aid to debt-saddled Greece and piled into U.S. retail shares as Black Friday got the holiday shopping season under way.

U.S. stock market trading ended early and was closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Volume was the lightest of the year, though the session was abbreviated. Shares of big-cap technology companies climbed as investors took advantage of the day's upward momentum to add to positions, helping the S&P 500 rack up its second best week of 2012.

"Anyone that was on the sidelines waiting for a pullback like the one we just had in some of the tech names, they're looking for any glimpse of strong price action for 'permission' to enter into those (stocks)," said Todd Salamone, director of research at Schaeffer's Investment Research in Cincinnati, Ohio

Microsoft helped lift the Nasdaq, gaining 2.8 percent to $27.70, while Apple Inc rose 1.7 percent to $571.50.

From mid-September to mid-November, the S&P tech sector <.gspt> shed about 13 percent as the broader market also dropped.

Research in Motion surged on optimism about its soon-to-be-launched BlackBerry 10 devices that will vie against Apple's iPhone and Android-based smartphones. RIM was up 13.6 percent at $11.66.

Greece said the International Monetary Fund had relaxed its debt-cutting target for the country, suggesting lenders were closer to a deal for a vital aid tranche to be paid. But other sources involved in the talks cautioned the funding gap was far bigger than Greece has suggested.

Euro zone finance ministers, the IMF and European Central Bank (ECB) failed earlier this week to agree on how to shrivel the country's debt to a sustainable level and will have a third attempt at resolving the issue on Monday.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> gained 172.79 points, or 1.35 percent, to 13,009.68. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> rose 18.12 points, or 1.30 percent, to 1,409.15. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> climbed 40.30 points, or 1.38 percent, to 2,966.85.

The S&P 500 broke a two-week losing streak to rise 3.6 percent. Stocks had tumbled earlier in the month on worries about the impact of tax and spending changes set to take effect from January, but hopes that politicians will reach a deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff helped the market recoup some of those declines this week.

The Dow and S&P 500 both closed above key technical levels for the first time since Nov 6, which could provide additional support. The Dow ended above 13,000, while the S&P broke above 1,400.

The Dow rose 3.3 percent for the week, while the Nasdaq jumped 4 percent. The Nasdaq had ended lower for the previous six weeks in a row.

Volume was about 2.8 billion shares on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq and the NYSE MKT, compared with the year-to-date average daily closing volume of over 6 billion.

Advancers outnumbered decliners on the NYSE by 2,407 to 469 on the New York Stock Exchange. On the Nasdaq, advancers had the lead, with 1,775 stocks gaining and 548 shares declining.

The retail sector rose as investors looked for signs of how much consumers are spending as stores lured shoppers with Black Friday deals and discounts.

Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, kicks off the U.S. Christmas shopping season for retailers and is often the busiest shopping day of the year. The National Retail Federation expects sales during the holiday season to grow 4.1 percent this year compared with last year's 5.6 percent increase.

If the traffic and sales numbers look strong early on, "it usually gives a sense that the season will be in line with expectations," said Bucky Hellwig, senior vice president at BB&T Wealth Management in Birmingham, Alabama.

"The way that could work against a stronger retail season is if there's no follow-through, there could be discounting on the part of retailers."

Wal-Mart rose 1.9 percent to $70.20, while Target gained 1.2 percent to $64.48.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-index-futures-signal-flat-higher-open-093430195--finance.html

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