STOCKS NEWS SINGAPORE-Genting HK falls on poor earnings, UOB downgrade

Shares of Genting Hong Kong fell as much as 5.6 percent after the company reported poorer-than-expected earnings and UOB Kay Hian downgraded the gaming company to 'sell' from 'buy'.

Genting Hong Kong, which also owns cruise ships, posted a 37 percent fall in its half year net profit to $38 million compared to a year earlier.

UOB cut its target price for Genting Hong Kong to $0.32 from $0.38, on lower-than-expected earnings from its Asian cruise ship fleet due to lower occupancy rates and sharply smaller margins at its Philippine casino Resorts World Manila.

The brokerage cut its earnings forecasts for Genting Hong Kong by 32 percent in 2012 and 26 percent in 2013.

1126 (0326 GMT)

(Reporting by Charmian Kok in Singapore; charmian.kok@thomsonreuters.com)

************************************************************

11:31 STOCKS NEWS SINGAPORE-DMG likes CDL, Far East Hospitality Trust

DMG & Partners Securities said the recent listings of hospitality real estate investment trusts in Singapore gave investors more choices to benefit from tourism, adding that its top picks in the sector are CDL Hospitality Trusts and Far East Hospitality Trust.

CDL units were up 1.3 percent at S$1.985 and have risen around 28 percent so far this year versus the 21 percent gain in the FT ST Midcap Index.

Ascendas Hospitality Trust made its debut on the Singapore Exchange last month, while Far East is set to start trading at 1400 (0600 GMT) after pricing its initial public offering at the top end of an indicative range to raise $575 million.

DMG said CDL and Far East, which derive more than 80 percent of revenue from Singapore, will continue to benefit from the rising tourist arrivals in the city-state. Singapore is expected to attract 14-15 million visitors this year, up from 13.2 million last year, DMG said.

The broker added that a range of new attractions, together with the integrated resorts and a growing meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) market, should drive high occupancies and room rates.

CDL was trading at a yield of 6.5 percent for 2013 fiscal year, while Far East traded at a 6.3 percent yield, DMG said, adding that other factors to consider include cost of funding, the sponsor's track record and characteristics of the properties.

1120 (0320 GMT)

(Reporting by Eveline Danubrata in Singapore; eveline.danubrata@thomsonreuters.com)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stocks-news-singapore-genting-hk-falls-poor-earnings-034201450--sector.html

obama on jimmy fallon google drive apple stock pilar sanders andrew young real life barbie zipper

Cricket bringing peace in Afghanistan, says Zakhilwal

Cricket is bringing peace to war-ravaged Afghanistan and can further stabilise the country if foreign teams tour, an official said Sunday.

Afghanistan took a big step at international level by playing former world champions Australia on Saturday, their second limited overs match following their first against Pakistan six months earlier.

Despite their 66-run defeat, Afghanistan put up a great fight, further hinting they can improve if given more chances against top teams.

Afghanistan Cricket Board president Omar Zakhilwal believes the Australia match will go a long way in promoting the game and, in turn, peace in his country.

"It's a great occasion," Zakhilwal told AFP. "The one-day matches with Pakistan and Australia will go a long way in promoting cricket which is bringing peace in our country."

Cricket has attained enormous popularity in the country which has been mired in conflict since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001 with United States-led coalition forces still fighting insurgency and extremism.

Cricket has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last three years after it was introduced by youths who learnt the game in refugee camps in Pakistan following the Soviet invasion of their country in 1979.

In 2009 Afghanistan finished fifth in the 2011 World Cup qualifiers, earning the right to play one-day internationals.

Afghanistan then qualified for the 2010 World Twenty20 held in the Caribbean followed by their silver medal finish in the Asian Games in China the same year.

They have once again earned the right to play the fourth edition of the World Twenty20 to be held in Sri Lanka next month.

"The whole of Afghanistan is looking forward to the World Twenty20. If you see the performance of our players, and even though we may not have won these matches, but the way the players stood up to the pressure of international cricket proves that we have come a long way," said Zakhilwal.

"The youth are drawn away from hostilities by cricket. Today they watch, tomorrow they will play."

Zakhilwal, also the finance minister in the Hamid Karzai-led government, said the Australia match sends a positive message to the world.

"The message is that with determination and with a cause, these youngsters, who've gone through difficult times, can train and have big dreams.

"80-90 percent of the population were watching the match on television and listening to the radio. This is uniting the nation and is sending a positive message to the youth, so cricket is proving more than the game."

Zakhilwal said his Board owed a big thanks to Cricket Australia (CA).

"For them to give us this opportuntiy and come all the way from Australia to play is a great help. If any other country comes forward and plays, it will be good for our cricket."

Zakhilwal said his board was in touch with India, who they are placed with in the World Twenty20, along with defending champions England.

"We are in discussion with India to play a match and we also hope they invite our players into the Indian Premier League because that will establish them further," said Zakhilwal.

"If any team comes to Afghanistan and plays then it will be good for us. There are so many misconceptions about Afghanistan, teams can feel fully secure in Kabul, they will have lot of fans who will cheer for them," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cricket-bringing-peace-afghanistan-says-zakhilwal-062529285.html

1940 census instagram for android dallas news dallas fort worth dfw 1930 census nike new nfl uniforms

Jessica Szohr, Miranda Cosgrove Do Generation Glamour!

Glamour is running a new user-generated photo campaign for those of us in the Glamour generation who want to show the world that we are strong, beautiful women! Find out how it works, and check out Jessica Szohr and Miranda Cosgrove in some promotional photos all swagged out! A little confused about what this is? Well, it?s simple. Anyone with a Twitter account can snap a picture of themselves and add the hashtag #GENERATIONGLAMOUR. Those pictures will most likely end up on the website for the campaign: generationglamour.com. The site is setup so that you can browse through all of the pictures that they include. You can also sort them by how recently they were added, or even the most viewed photos. They are mostly just girls having a laugh together, or striking a pose. It?s pretty cool. Even better, some of the ladies will be picked to end up on the promo for the campaign that will be used during fashion week! Can you imagine all of the A-list celebrities, and all of the high-end ads that will be spread around during fashion week and your smiling face might be among them. That?s a big deal. Glamour says that [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/-BnpwMng9JM/

anguilla gone with the wind michael jordan checkers imbibe msg network ray j

Rapid-scanning microscope with no loss of quality

ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2012) ? Researchers at the University of Leicester have developed a new form of digital microscope which can create an image 100 times faster than regular equipment -- without losing image quality.

The team of scientists have developed a new type of confocal microscope that produces high-resolution images at very fast speeds.

The findings are due to be published on the online journal PLoS ONE on August 24.

The device, which takes a cue from consumer electronics such as televisions, can be bolted on to a regular microscopes and projects light through a system of mirrors on to the microscopic sample.

The device projects patterns of illumination onto the specimen, and only light that is precisely in the plane of focus returns along the same path and is reflected by the mirror onto a camera to form an image.

The ability to be able to program the mirror device allows the illumination pattern to be adjusted easily for different types of specimens and conditions giving ease of use and flexibility.

Unwanted light that comes from regions of the specimen which are out of focus are rejected, improving the image quality.

The resulting images can be scanned on a computer at around 100 frames per second, showing biological processes such as cell activity at much higher speeds than regular microscopes -- which tend to be capped at around 1 frame per second.

The Leicester team's microscope has no moving parts, making it robust, and the use of a programmable, digital micro-mirror allows the user to alter the size and spacing of mirrors in order to choose the quality of the image and adapt to different imaging conditions. Consequently, it has much greater flexibility than other microscopes capable of similar speeds.

The researchers believe this technology will be a big help to those working in many scientific fields, including biomedical research and neuroscience.

The research was led by Professor Nick Hartell, of the University's Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology, who plans to use the new device for his own work studying the cell mechanisms involved in the brain's storage of memories.

The project last for three years and was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), which has also provided funding for the team to develop the device as a commercial product.

Professor Hartell said: "We built the device as there is a 'need for speed'. I found out about this technology from its use in projectors and realized that it could be used to develop a microscope.

"Modern biological research, and modern neuroscience, depends upon the development of new technologies that allow the optical detection of biological events as they occur. Many biological events take place in the millisecond time scale and so there is a great need for new methods of detecting events at high speed and at high resolution.

"We are very excited because we have been able to go from a concept, to a working prototype that is useful for my research into neuroscience. There is a good chance that we will be able to make a product and see that being used in labs in the UK and worldwide."

Neil Radford from the University's Enterprise and Business Development Office adds "This capability provides a breakthrough from traditional Nipkov disk technologies and Professor Hartell is now working closely with us to commercialize the technology with a leading scientific instrument manufacturer."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Leicester, via AlphaGalileo.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Franck P. Martial, Nicholas A. Hartell. Programmable Illumination and High-Speed, Multi-Wavelength, Confocal Microscopy Using a Digital Micromirror. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (8): e43942 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043942

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/matter_energy/technology/~3/mDHuOlekUOo/120824205702.htm

casey anthony video recess appointment eastman kodak eastman kodak richard cordray shannon de lima joe torre

New UN envoy 'scared' by Syria task

New UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi said Friday that he was "scared" at the size of the task of ending the Syria conflict.

The former Algerian foreign minister spoke as he started meetings with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN ambassadors and other top officials before replacing Kofi Annan on September 1.

"When you called me, I told you that I was honored, flattered, humbled and scared. I am still in that frame of mind," Brahimi told Ban before their meeting at UN headquarters.

"I will definitely give this my very, very best. I know a few people in Syria and in the region," added Brahimi, who as an Arab League envoy brokered the 1989 accord that ended Lebanon's civil war.

Ban said that the new envoy faced a "crucial task" as the Syrian war worsens. The UN leader made a new plea for the divided UN Security Council to unite behind Brahimi.

The Algerian diplomat has already been criticized by some Syrian opposition groups for not calling for President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

Brahimi said, however, that the Syrian people "will be our first masters."

"We will consider their interests above and before anyone else. We will try to help as much as we can, we will not spare any effort," he added.

Annan, a former UN chief, ended his six-month bid to bring peace to Syria, complaining about the lack of international support for his efforts to make Assad implement an agreed peace plan.

As the war grows increasingly bloody, Brahimi has indicated that he will try new tactics. He is due to spend a week in New York holding talks with UN political, humanitarian and other officials and diplomats to set up his mission, officials said.

UN officials insist that Annan's six-point plan and a plan of action agreed by the major powers at a meeting in Geneva on June 30 are still the basis for any accord with Assad.

"That peace plan remains intact," said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky, who added that Annan's plan and the Geneva accord calling for a political transition in Syria, are "building blocks for Mr Brahimi to use."

"Of course, he will be looking with other UN officials at how this is going to be taken forward. But at this point, we can't really comment on what that might be," Nesirky told reporters.

Ban, "deeply concerned" about the spiraling violence, said that Brahimi was taking on "a very important, crucial task, to bring peace and stability and the promotion of human rights in Syria."

He called Brahimi an internationally respected statesman of "extraordinary talent and experience in the region."

"The longer this fighting goes on, the more people will be killed, the more people will suffer," Ban said.

"It is crucially important that the Security Council, the whole United Nations System is supporting your work."

Later, Brahimi met with France's UN envoy Gerard Araud to discuss "the challenges of his mission and the situation in Syria," French diplomats said.

The pair "agreed to hold an informal meeting with Security Council members which will take place soon," they said.

The five permanent members of the Security Council are seriously split over Syria. Russia and China have blocked three resolutions on the conflict that could have led to sanctions against Assad. They in turn have accused western nations of only seeking regime change.

With Syrian activists now putting the toll from the 17-month-old conflict at more than 24,500, the first test of international unity will be at a UN Security Council ministerial meeting on August 30 on the humanitarian impact of the civil war.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is scheduled to chair the meeting as France is Security Council president for the month of August. It is not yet clear which other ministers will attend.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/un-envoy-says-syrian-people-first-masters-165514744.html

ciaa the monkees strikeforce davy jones love actually miesha tate vs ronda rousey idiocracy

Apple Wins: Proves Samsung Infringed Patents As Jury Awards $1 ...

Apple has won most of its case against Samsung. The jury found in Apple?s favor in an overwhelming majority of instances (on the software and design patents). Samsung was found to have infringed six of seven Apple patents. Conversely, the jury?found against Samsung on almost all of its claims, including claims that Apple?s patents were invalid.

The jury also found that Samsung?s infringement was ?willful? in many cases and thus awarded Apple more than $1 billion in damages. By the same token Samsung mostly drew a blank on its claims and was awarded $0 damages.

The Korean handset maker will almost certainly appeal. But the outlook for success on appeal is limited. The verdict vindicates Apple?s contention that Samsung ?shamelessly copied? the iPhone. It?s a major victory for Apple. It?s a humiliating defeat for Samsung?s legal counsel.

It will take a little while to fully digest the outcome and analyze what it will mean for Samsung?s handsets, for Android more broadly and for the industry as a whole. Some people will lament the outcome as striking a blow against competition.

I expected a positive outcome for Apple but not one this lopsided in its favor. Samsung was almost entirely shut out, although some of its devices were deemed not to have infringed Apple patents. Apple failed to prove that Samsung?s patents were invalid and it failed on antitrust claims against Samsung. But otherwise it was a massive legal victory in a very important and closely watched case.

There will now be extensive analysis of what the case means. Each aspect of the case and the verdict will likely be dissected and discussed. We?ll also offer our thoughts later as we reflect and review the verdict.?With just over two days of deliberation the jury appears to have reached its verdict much more quickly than expected given the complexity of the claims and issues.

Below is how the reading of the verdict unfolded in more or less real time.

The verdict as it unfolded:?

The jury found that Samsung did infringe at least some of Apple?s patents. The verdict is being read right now.

More Samsung infringement found, including the Galaxy 10.1. However not all Samsung devices found to be infringing.

The verdict is moving claim by patent claim through each patent and set of Samsung devices allegedly infringing.?This is so far a victory for Apple. Most of the verdict is going its way.

More?infringement found?on Apple?s ?381 patent.? No Samsung devices spared on this one.

This is turning out to be the mixed verdict I predicted earlier, but mostly positive for Apple. Samsung?s claims have yet to be read however.

Galaxy S/S 4G smartphone found to be infringing. Samsung is taking a major hit here, though some devices escaping.

So far 7 patent claims have been addressed. In almost every case some Samsung infringement has been found.

Willful infringement? The jury says ?yes? for most of the Samsung devices. This has big damages implications.

All of Apple?s patents were found to be valid by the jury. Samsung had claimed that some were invalid. That defense failed apparently.

So far about 75 percent of what Apple claimed has been vindicated by this jury. The court is still going through the?individual?claims and questions in Apple?s case. The jury has yet to get to Samsung?s claims.

Apple is losing on some of its ?trade dress claims.? No on to damages.

The jury has awarded $1.05 billion in damages to Apple. That?s less important to Apple than the idea that its claims were vindicated and that Samsung may have to change some of its designs.

Now Samsung?s claims against Apple are being addressed. So far the jury is finding ?no? or against Samsung. Samsung has lost so far on all of its claims against Apple.?Apple did not prove Samsung?s patents were invalid however.

Apple did not prove antitrust violations against Samsung. So it didn?t succeed across the board. But Samsung won almost nothing.?If it were a baseball game the score would be Apple 10, Samsung 1.

Related Topics: Apple | Apple: iPhone | Legal: Patents | Top News



SMX - Search Marketing Expo

Source: http://marketingland.com/apple-samsung-jury-we-have-reached-a-verdict-19791

daniel von bargen the beach blood diamond 8 bit google maps kids choice awards 2012 micah true kansas vs ohio state

Q&A: Any alternatives to the stock market when it comes to ...

Q: Any alternatives to the stock market when it comes to investments?

I?m curious to know if there are any other serious alternatives to investing other then the stock market?

Other then putting money in bank and letting it gain interest what first comes to mind is buying gold, silver, etc. Granted how much it?s worth is kinda tied into the market as well as I understand. It can be just as risky but at least there is the benefit to actually physically holding something of value. I would guess if you relocate to another country you could always convert it into currency where as you might have trouble doing that with the dollar if things continue the way they are going. Would like to do this slowly but the price is so high now (for gold I mean) and it seems like it could go higher.

Are there any other things one should look into and consider? Not looking for what is less risky just other options in general.

Thank you.

www.goldsenze.com Answer:

In my opinion, owning many investment grade items that traditionally were outside of the stock market through a stock market vehicle (like an exchange traded fund) is really the way to go. If you want to own gold or silver without having to store the stuff (and risk someone breaking in and stealing it) you can simply purchase the GLD or SLV exchange traded funds and get the same returns you would from owning the stuff yourself, and you don?t have to go through the hassle of trying to find a buyer through ebay or the classifieds when you?re ready to sell it. You can also own oil (through the OIL exchange traded fund), private equity firms (through the PSP exchange traded fund), and even a hedge fund (by purchasing shares of BX). You can even enter into a Real Estate Investment Trust (aka REIT) by buying shares in ICF, and you don?t have to worry about finding a buyer when you want to collect your money, you simply sell the shares at market value. These are all non-traditional investments that are made much simpler without losing profits through exchange traded funds trading on the stock market. I?m not sure if I?ve helped you, but hopefully I?ve given you some food for thought.

posts you may find of interest:

  1. Q: Should I invest in the stock Market or just buy physical gold/silver based on the stock Market crashing soon?
  2. How does the stock market & investments work?
  3. FAQ: I want to invest in the stock market?
  4. Q&A: What is forex trading? how does it differ from normal stock market trading?
  5. FAQ: I am looking to invest in the stock market. I am 23 with little to no bills?

Ashraf is the Chief Market Strategist at CMC Markets and author of "Currency Trading & Intermarket Analysis". Moreover, it is not necessary that you need to essentially become a trader at the stock market after obtaining the license. Honestly, even finding one bar or two, small box full of heavy coins and jewellery box with some precious jewelries will give lots of money. Long bonds usually offer higher interest rates because they typically carry more risk. Gold Scam II: The Golden Goose Got Slaughtered KnowThyMoney. Genneva sells gold and is not a ponzi scheme, says firm. KUALA LUMPUR: Three directors of a gold investment scheme. Here is the summary for budget 2012, which is. where to buy gold investments physical gold purposes Best Stocks To Buy Right Now Best Stocks To Invest In. It?s not that Bryan White thinks he?s smarter than other investors. Rather, the Fool analyst has an excellent sense of when the echo chamber that is the market is. gold investment group inc which is better investment or silver Gold Investment Newsletters . Almost 10 other states are considering similar legislation; and at least one international monetary analyst recently said that gold is becoming money. I only wish I hadn't wasted so much time deciding. Is Gold a Good Investment in 2012? Gold IRA Rollover Gold 401k. Personal Finance 2012? Why You Should Consider Gold a Good Investment. Los Angeles, CA? As the market closes on the first day of summer, the value of gold. investment strategy Silver Bullion in Singapore. avenue to invest in physical investment grade (.999) Silver and Gold. Gold and Silver Bars from 1 to 100 troy ounces. Thanks for bringing silver to Singapore. It. lowyat buying as investment. In this way , different discussions and vital information can be acquired and you can surely come up with a good plan regarding your strategies in currency trading. Multiple real estate opportunities exist including residential and commercial properties; purchasing stock in real estate investment trusts (REIT); buying and selling real estate notes and land contracts; and investing in cash flow notes such as seller carry back trust deeds. Buy Gold Coins Buying Gold Bullion Gold Bars Silver Coins USGB. Buy Gold Coins, Gold Bars & Gold Bullion. More stable than paper currency. More valuable over time. An investment in precious metal gold coins, gold bars or gold bullion is an. gold india bonds Buy Gold Bullion & Buy Silver Bullion in Singapore Online Gold. Buy gold & buy silver bullion online in Singapore at Gold Price Singapore. metals bull markets, investing in silver instead of investing in gold. sbi investment

Gold Investment Newsletters

first national bank investment gold online Gold Investment Newsletters and where to buy investment gold. buy gold singapore, gold investment company inc, which is better investment gold or silver and gold vs silver investments Goldminein Investment Company Ltd List of Companies a business. Dear Sir, Our company Goldmine Investment Company Ltd is a small scale mining company made up of 42 small scale miners teamed up together. At the moment we have in. investment in gold and silver coins e investment programs State Bank of India (SBI) Gold Fund? The Investment World. Tweet SBI Gold Fund, launched by SBI Mutual Fund, is an open ended fund of fund whose investment objective is to seek to provide returns that closely correspond to. samudra gold investment good investment economy Gold Investment Newsletters. How to Buy Gold. When the economy is out of balance and the dollar is in decline, gold can be a smart investment?but don't be dazzled and forget to do your homework. Investing in. e gold investments. e gold investments and online money making opportunities guide. I present some basic rules critical in e gold investments, as well as sophisticated e gold investing. gold investment scams malaysia trade gold online gold Because of this system, trades are extremely liquid. There is a large weighting in financial services companies and the energy sector. buying gold a good investment return on gold

Gold Investment Newsletters islamic gold investment in malaysia

Buy Sell Gold Silver Bullion Coins Bars UK ATS Bullion Ltd. ATS Bullion Ltd, specialists in the bullion retail market, buying and selling gold, silver and platinum bullion coins and bars for investment or gifts. You will know what works, what you can do tomorrow and what you will need to do to stay in business. It has gone through decades of flat to falling values in the recent past. how to buy gold as an investment is gold good today Investments in ASHMORE Hot Frog Your Australian Business. Group Investments Financial Services. Gold Coast MC, QLD; BEENLEIGH, QLD; JIMBOOMBA, QLD; Kingscliff, NSW; MURWILLUMBAH, NSW. gold investment chart investment in sbi. Also read gold coins for investments. Technical Analysis can indicate whether the Refining of GoldThere are two major processes for further refining the gold concentrate obtained from the above methods. singapore gold investment online investment in india and sbi online gold investment Read these scripture verses, and see if you notice a theme: Lacking precise symmetry, the rugs reflect the weavers own interpretations of the stories and images depicted. buy gold for investment in malaysia investment in 2012 india and public gold vs maybank gold investment Gold investment advice for first time coin and bullion buyers. A solid, professional gold firm can go a long way in. trap investors fall into is buying a gold investment. for your gold and that you are buying the gold items best. Gold Investment Newsletters, is gold the best investment today and gold investment bars related topics. Investing in Gold Coins. Precious metals expert Luke Burgess explores the art of investing in gold coins in this Investment U Research Article. gold watch investment group buy gold bullion and gold investment corporation pty ltd First National Bank of Omaha Still Golden News Detail Omaha. First National Bank of Omaha is, once again, investing in gold. 2012 marks its 19th year as a gold sponsor of the Buy the Big O! Show. Why is gold such a good investment right now. Gold has been in an uptrend year over year since 2000 yet it gets no attention from the media. CNBC tries to bad mouth it all the time. The real risk right now is in. gold investment plans investment in bonds in india and maybank gold investment in malaysia Managing Principal at Gold Watch Investment Group, LLC San Diego. Scott Westover Managing Principal at Gold Watch Investment Group, LLC United States San Diego FinRoad public profile Financial Markets Network.

Source: http://www.goldsenze.com/qa-any-alternatives-to-the-stock-market-when-it-comes-to-investments/

tiger woods pirate bay erin andrews erin andrews Pepco tour de france instagram

401K WITHDRAWAL PETITION TEMPLATE ? ANN BARNHARDT ...

This was drafted and sent in by a reader, and I think it is a great template for anyone who wants to petition their employer to let them out of their 401k. I would recommend sending it via certified mail ? let them know you?re dead serious, and try to get as many of your co-workers to do the same as you possibly can.

To: [PLAN SPONSOR]
[PLAN SPONSOR ADDRESS]Dear Plan Sponsor,

I?m writing to petition that the [LEGAL NAME OF THE PLAN] be amended to allow in-service withdrawals. As the plan stands now, the only way for actively employed participants to retrieve money is through a 401K loan or a Hardship Withdrawal. Neither of these two options allow participants full access to their assets. While I understand the purpose of the [LEGAL NAME OF THE PLAN] is to encourage savings for retirement, I fear that my assets are not entirely safe from fraud and theft and will not be available to me at retirement.

Numerous recent examples indicate the financial markets are rife with fraud, often at the peril of the individual investor. From what I gather of recent events I do not feel that my money is safe and currently have no recourse to move my assets from the [LEGAL NAME OF THE PLAN] to other investment vehicles.

Examples of recent fraud and theft in the financial industry:

MF Global

MF Global was a global commodities brokerage that declared bankruptcy in October of 2011. It was discovered that approximately $1.6 Billion in customer segregated funds were stolen and used to meet capital requirements in the weeks leading up to bankruptcy. To date, no one stands to face criminal charges.

Peregrine Financial Group (PFGBest)

In July of 2012 it was discovered that PFGBest stole approximately $220 million of customer funds. While claiming to have over $200 million in bank accounts, it turned out that PFGBest held only close to $5 million. The fraud appears to have spanned multiple decades despite being regularly audited. The PFGBest government-backed auditors were not independently verifying the bank account balances and were instead using forged documentation provided not by the bank, but by the firm itself.

Sentinel Management Group (SMG)

In August of 2007, Sentinel Management filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Investigators found that Sentinel leveraged over $500 million in customer funds as collateral for a loan from Bank of NY Mellon. This loan was used to fund in-house speculative trading. The National Futures Association (NFA) was the auditor of Sentinel, and has admitted to signing off on audits despite not fully understanding the books or the accounting method used. The NFA admits that it didn?t audit SMG properly.

However, what is most frightening is the recent ruling in the Sentinel Management Group case by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court ruled that the Bank of NY Mellon be placed first in line ahead of customers seeking return of their money.

?That Sentinel failed to keep client funds properly segregated is not, on its own, sufficient to rule as a matter of law that Sentinel acted ?with actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud? its customers.?
U.S. Circuit Judge John D. Tinder

This ruling shows that not only does the Bank of NY Mellon move to the front of the line, but that using customer segregated funds as collateral is no longer considered a crime, and that co-mingling customer segregated funds with proprietary funds is no longer considered fraud. This ruling implies that customer assets held at a bank or trust are the legal property of any counterparty to loans the depository institution takes.

LIBOR Rate Manipulation

Late last month, Barclay?s Bank admitted that it tried to manipulate the LIBOR during the financial crisis in 2008. This rate is used as a reference for a range of financial products like car loans, adjustable-rate mortgages, student loans and credit cards. During the Barclay?s Bank inquiry it was discovered that many other banks may have also been manipulating LIBOR rates. This means that hundreds of millions of consumers, investors and businesses have been paying a manipulated interest rate.

Guaranteed Retirement Accounts (Nationalizing 401K Assets)

In 2010 the Employee Benefits Security Administration solicited feedback from plan administrators and other fiduciaries on the idea of whether or not they??could or should enhance, by regulation or otherwise, the retirement security of participants in employer-sponsored retirement plans and in individual retirement arrangements (IRAs) by facilitating access to, and use of, lifetime income or other arrangements designed to provide a lifetime stream of income after retirement.??This idea has also been called ?Guaranteed Retirement Accounts? and been proposed by Vice President Biden and others in the current administration, with preliminary Senate hearings having been held on this plan in 2010. The core of the proposal is to force IRA and 401K plans to offer an annuity of sorts so participants are guaranteed a return on their assets in perpetuity. The preferred investment asset would likely be United States Treasury notes. As America stares down almost $16 Trillion of debt, conservatively projected to increase to $20 Trillion in 2016, forcing 401K and IRA assets into Treasury notes would be a tempting solution to shore up our nation?s dire financial situation.

Source:

http://webapps.dol.gov/FederalRegister/HtmlDisplay.aspx?DocId=23512&Agenc...

As you can see, despite stringent controls that were placed on the financial industry following the collapse of Enron (Sarbanes-Oxley) and the 2008 financial crisis (Dodd-Frank), rampant fraud not only still occurs, but has increased exponentially, and the regulators charged with protecting the investor are either complicit or negligent. When there is a collapse the individual investor cannot find justice through the courts.

I do not feel that my 401K assets are safe at this point and strongly believe that in the event of a collapse of the trustee [NAME OF THE TRUST WHERE ASSETS ARE HELD] I will have no recourse to recoup my investment. At this point I do not have the ability to withdraw any of my assets held by the plan. Therefore I petition you to consider adding an in-service withdrawal option to the [LEGAL NAME OF THE PLAN] that would enable participants like me to withdraw our assets entirely.

Thank you for your time and consideration.
[NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[EMAIL]
[PHONE]

Source: http://ncrenegade.com/editorial/401k-withdrawal-petition-template-ann-barnhardt/

IFE Fireworks 2012 4th Of July emma stone independence day BET Awards 2012 declaration of independence 4th Of July 2012

Tropical Storm Isaac threatens Puerto Rico, Haiti

People are preparing for a worst-case scenario as Tropical Storm Isaac approaches. NBC's Danielle Leigh reports.

By NBC News, Weather.com and wire reports

Updated at 5:30 p.m. ET: Tropical Storm Isaac brought rain and gusty winds to Puerto Rico and the eastern Caribbean Islands and was expected to gradually strengthen as it moved west through the northeastern Caribbean on Thursday.

Forecasters said it was too soon to gauge Isaac's potential impact on Tampa on Florida's Gulf Coast, where the Republican National Convention is to run from Monday through Thursday.

Related: Track Tropical Storm Isaac

Some computer models showed Isaac shifting slightly to the west and eventually moving parallel to Florida's western coastline. Others forecast the storm to make landfall in South Florida and then move inland.


Isaac was centered late Thursday afternoon about 180 miles southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico,?the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.?Isaac had top sustained winds of 40 miles per hour, down from 45 mph earlier in the day. The storm was moving northwest at 16 mph. Tropical storm force winds extended outward up to 140 miles, the center said.

TODAY's Al Roker tracks Tropical Storms Isaac's current path as it takes aim at Puerto Rico and the eastern Caribbean.

The storm center was expected to reach the south coast of the Dominican Republic on Thursday night and approach Cuba on Friday, the center said.

The Bahamas issued tropical storm warnings for its southeastern areas;?Cuba issued tropical storm warnings for several provinces, including Guantanamo.

Forecasters predicted Isaac will become a hurricane by Friday morning, but perhaps the more ominous threat in the short term is the potential for extremely heavy rainfall over the islands near Isaac's path, weather.com reported.

More than a foot of rainfall, and potentially as much as 20 inches in some places, was possible on the island of Hispaniola, home to Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where Isaac is expected to be a hurricane on Friday. Life-threatening flash floods and mudslides could result from that amount of rain.

The Red Cross was ready in Haiti to help evacuate people to shelters and camps but was in a "wait and see" mode, Jerry Anderson, senior director of international services, told?NBC News.??

Residents and visitors of the northern Caribbean, Yucatan Peninsula, southeastern United States and the central/eastern Gulf Coast should watch the progress of Isaac closely over the next week or more, weather.com reported.

Get the latest on this story from weather.com

As the storm approached, Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno declared a state of emergency, canceled classes, closed government agencies and activated the National Guard.

The government also froze prices on basic necessities such as food, batteries and other supplies and prepared emergency shelters at schools and other facilities.

Despite Tropical Storm Isaac's threatening winds and rains ahead of the GOP convention in Florida, Mitt Romney and running mate Paul Ryan are taking aim at President Obama and his handling of the economy. NBC's Peter Alexander reports.

Heavy rainfall, flooding and mudslides will be threats in all of the northern Caribbean islands regardless of how strong the system becomes, weather.com reported.

Isaac may also threaten U.S. energy interests in the Gulf of Mexico, weather experts said.

From weather.com: Isaac's looming US threat

At the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in southeast Cuba on Wednesday, authorities said Isaac forced the postponement of pretrial hearings that were to begin on Thursday for five prisoners accused of plotting the Sept. 11 attacks.

The U.S. military was preparing flights to evacuate the base of lawyers, paralegals, interpreters, journalists, rights monitors and family members of 9/11 victims who had traveled there for the hearings.

In Key West, Fla., Mayor Craig Cates told NBC News that?officials were monitoring Isaac but hadn't made any decisions about evacuating because the storm hadn't yet strengthened.?All agencies were preparing in case an evacuation would be needed if the storm gets strong, he said.

From weather.com: Track Isaac's path

Coordinating Meteorologist Tom Moore at The Weather Channel said it was difficult to predict how Isaac would affect Tampa when the Republican National Convention to nominate Mitt Romney gets under way on Monday.

Because the storm was tracking farther south than earlier predictions, it could track to the west side of the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend, he said. That would leave Tampa facing rain and thunderstorms with20-30 mph winds gusting up to 40 mph on Monday.

Tropical Storm Isaac churns over Caribbean, could threaten GOP convention

Orange juice prices rise
Florida has not been hit by a major hurricane since 2005 and forecasts showed Isaac was not expected to strengthen beyond a weak Category 1, with top sustained wind speeds of about 80 mph.

The threat to Florida triggered a nearly 6 percent jump in orange juice prices on Wednesday as they surged to a six-week high in trading in New York.

Florida produces more than 75 percent of the U.S. orange crop and accounts for about 40 percent of the world's orange juice supply.

Lurking behind Isaac, the hurricane center said another tropical depression grew into Tropical Storm Joyce on Thursday.

Located about 1,280 miles east of?the Leeward Islands, it was packing winds of 40 mph and was moving northwest at 14 mph on Thursday afternoon.

Forecasts predicted it will eventually veer toward the open Atlantic and away from the Caribbean. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect for Joyce.

Reuters and weather.com contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

?

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/23/13427930-tropical-storm-isaac-takes-aim-at-puerto-rico-threatens-haiti?lite

sean young juan pablo montoya free pancakes at ihop martina navratilova high school shooting daytona 500 national pancake day

How Beneficial VoIP for Small Business Really Is

Simply because you own or operate a small business doesn?t mean that you can?t have quality phone systems. Many owners and operators of these types of businesses feel that extensive phone services, such as PBX phone systems, are just too expensive for them to afford. While that may be true when speaking about traditional phone services, it?s not true of services that offer voip for small businesses. By using the Internet to place or receive phone calls rather than traditional phone lines, your small business can have as extensive and as detailed of a phone system as any traditional phone service could offer.

There are many benefits to using a company that specializes in VoIP communications such as www.ovnicom.com. One of the first benefits is the flexibility that you will have with this Internet phone service. Scalability is vital for small businesses. It?s vital in the respect that if the business grows, they should be able to have a phone system that can effortlessly grow with them.

It?s also important if the business needs to pull back on their phone services. It?s nice to have a phone service that you can scale back on and that you?re not stuck paying a huge fee for services that your business no longer needs. That sort of flexibility is exactly what Ovnicom offers.

Perhaps one of the most beneficial aspects of VoIP communications that Ovnicom offers is the affordability. For businesses, especially those using PBX dedicated phone lines, the cost of these phone lines can be extensive. This may be an expenditure that small and medium-size businesses simply can?t justify. With Internet phone services, you can have what is known as a hosted PBX which gives you all the advantages of traditional PBX without the high costs.

As a small to medium-size business, if you?re looking for quality phone services but you just don?t feel that you can afford them, may want to consider VoIP. With its flexibility, many high dollar features and its affordable price, it?s doubtful you could ask anything more from a business phone provider. If you need more information on all that VoIP can offer your business, simply Click Here.

24 August 2012 | Uncategorized

Source: http://www.apodimosstudents.com/uncategorized/how-beneficial-voip-for-small-business-really-is/

dick clark new years eve brock lesnar vs alistair overeem times square new years eve liquor store how to tie a bow tie diverticulitis jello shots