From The Lone Ranger to Iron Man 3, check out our picks for the season's biggest films.
Facebook Home Ncaa Basketball Tournament 2013 Robert Ebert chelsea handler hannibal Lena Headey roger ebert
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Mendes stages Chocolate Factory show in London
LONDON (AP) ? Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes' reinterpretation of "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory" has opened in London's West End.
Mendes' musical, based on the much-loved children's book by Roald Dahl, features new songs along with sets and costumes designed to recreate the world of the factory run by the flamboyant yet secretive Willy Wonka.
Appearing as the eccentric factory boss Willy Wonka is Douglas Hodge, while former "Young Ones" star Nigel Planer plays Grandpa Joe.
The story follows a young boy who finds a golden ticket that allows him a tour of a top-secret candy factory.
Tuesday's premiere at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane was attended by actresses Uma Thurman and Sarah Jessica Parker, who turned up with her husband Matthew Broderick and their son, James.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mendes-stages-chocolate-factory-show-london-212053721.html
seahawks new uniforms 2012 tornadoes in dallas kentucky basketball oaksterdam the fray national anthem dallas tornado oikos
Monday, June 24, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Patient battling cancer and insurance | wavy.com | chesapeake
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) - A Chesapeake man is fighting two battles. One with cancer and the other with his insurance company over treatment coverage.
Jonathan Derrick of Chesapeake said he has always had health insurance, never missed a payment and never had to use it. Now, when he needs insurance coverage the most, he said he feels as if the insurance company could cost him his life.
"When you picture this, this is how we are supposed to be," said Kelli Derrick as she flipped through a photo album.
A wedding in Vegas, followed by two young boys and a business of their own -- for Kelli and Jonathan, life couldn't get better.
"We were so happy," Kelli added.
But it's amazing how fast things can change.
"There were little signs here or there," Kelli said.? "He would say he had abdominal pain, and of course as a wife I would be like 'suck it up or call the doctor.'"
That was only six months ago, six months they'll never forget.
"It's a terrible word, especially for a 35-year-old with no history of it," Jonathan added.? "I never had a clue it would happen to me."
A trip to the doctor revealed Jonathan was suffering from rectal cancer. It also moved into his liver.
"I don't want to give up," Jonathan said. "There's too much to live for."
Optima Health, the couple's insurance provider, sent Jonathan to several doctors around the area. He went through radiation and chemo, but nothing worked.
"Now he's on no treatment because his body's not responding to treatment," Kelli added.
But then a breakthrough: one of the doctors they were seeing through Optima suggested an innovative procedure called "hepatic arterial infusion," a process that could directly fight his cancer.
The doctor sent Optima a letter saying Jonathan's prognosis is grim and he should go to New York's Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center that specializes in the procedure. The letter said Sloan-Kettering has recourses that aren't available anywhere in Virginia. Optima approved Derrick to go to New York for a second opinion.
"I feel like New York is our chance for me to live," Jonathan said.
During the trip, doctor's at Sloan-Kettering set up surgery for July 2.
"Then, four days later, we get a call from Optima saying 'sorry we denied Sloan-Kettering, because we've found a doctor at the University of Virginia that performs the exact same procedure'," Kelli said.
WAVY.com made several calls to the UVA Medical Center and was told "hepatic arterial infusion" wasn't offered there, but an Optima spokesperson said it is. The Derricks said even if that's the case, they want it done by the best.
"I don't even think that there are words that can explain the anger that I feel for the insurance company," Jonathan said. "I don't know how somebody can sit behind a desk and snap their finger and say 'his life is not worth it'."
"This is just prolonging my sons having to see their father the way he was," Kelli added. "We had the hopes of having this [tumor] removed July 2. Even if UVA or any other hospital offers this, it's still not going to be within the time. We don't have time. He doesn't have time."
WAVY.com did get a statement from Optima that reads, "Optima Health works hard every day to improve the health of our members and provide them with appropriate options of care within the scope of their benefit plans. We respect the privacy of our members and will not discuss the specific medical care for any of our members."
The Derricks told WAVY.com they plan to go to New York, even if Optima doesn't pay for it. They said there are people all over Hampton Roads who are holding fundraisers to help them out. You can find more information about how to help by clicking this link .
Source: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/local_news/chesapeake/patient-battling-cancer-and-insurance
andrew lloyd webber obscura grok cirque du freak paul pierce pope joan pope joan
Monday, June 17, 2013
Small Business Marketing Online ? Internet Marketing Tools, Ideas ...
Hey there! Have you ever heard related to the Rapid Cash Fortune? I learned it on Google Search and read a lot of remarkable stuff about it. Some of my good friend also strongly recommend me to? get it
Hello there, have you heard of ?HugeShortcuts?? Simply visit their website on ????://?????????????.??? There you will discover a helpful free video by a well established online millionaire talking about how you can build an income online. This helped Mike as well? as other regular people to earn money straight from their home and enjoy financial flexibility very fast. I hope it works for you too.
It would be a shame for you not to get more money when other average people do it? so easily using Caul Cash Code (search for it on google).
I checked out this movie because I was looking for online earning ways. Than I got GenPayOne. Cash money do not issue to me I am having more than 3200$ in a 30 days By using? GenPayOne. You have to spend 1 hour in a day with them. GenPayOne one and only best technique to earn online. I should recomend you GenPayOne just google GenPayOne.
Love this footage. There?s so? many of ways to make cash online. Easy Income Monster has been making my dad over $2,520 every 7 days for the past year. Discover exactly how you can too. Search Google for the words Easy Income Monster 
freebies is good and we are spreading the wings here with info on allkick start your online business, free internet marketing library, seo tactics,? plr profits, affiliate income, viral traffic , web 2.0 blueprint, joint venture secrets, blogging cash , marketing librarry.
@ sunambaw.com
Yo, have you wondered this method called the Intellitus Cash System? (look for it on google). My brother says? it earns people lots of profits.
If you want to earn income quicker, you should do a google? search Smarter Money Maker. They can help you get the cash you deserve.
Hello there, have you considered ?Thousands for Surveys? (just do a Google search for it?)? There you can get beneficial advice about how you can build an income on the internet by filling out easy lists of questions. This made it possible? for regular people to work from the comfort of home and then experience monetary liberty very fast. I hope it helps you also.
Absolutely brilliant video, I?m loving the information that you?re giving within it! It?s very strongly related my unique conditions right now.? Continue the solid effort, many of us are in the small business fight together!
You can beat Google updates with these tools? ? Crackit.info
Thank you for sharing your ideas and techniques! Keep it Up?
?
This still surprises me, how many people don?t know about Monezilax System (google it), even though a lot of people make huge amounts? of money online with this system. Thanks to my work buddy who told me about Monezilax System, I have start making some BIG Cash from the internet.
Anyone tried the Monezilax System (do a google search)? I?ve heard some amazing things about it and my cooworker earn a? lot of money with it.
Keep on spreading? the knowledge on Online business. Cheers.
Clint Eastwood speech Maria Montessori clint eastwood Julian Castro Blue Moon August 2012 Eddie Murphy Dead Democratic National Convention 2012
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Morris the cat runs for mayor of Mexican city
Morris sit on the lap of Diego Cruz, left, as Sergio Chamorro pets Morris, at their home in Xalapa, Mexico, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Put forth as candidate by Camacho and a group of friends after they became disillusioned with the empty promises of politicians, Morris, a black-and-white cat with orange eyes, is running for mayor of Xalapa in eastern Mexico with the campaign slogan "Tired of Voting for Rats? Vote for a Cat." And he is attracting tens of thousands of politician-weary, two-legged supporters on social media. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
Morris sit on the lap of Diego Cruz, left, as Sergio Chamorro pets Morris, at their home in Xalapa, Mexico, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Put forth as candidate by Camacho and a group of friends after they became disillusioned with the empty promises of politicians, Morris, a black-and-white cat with orange eyes, is running for mayor of Xalapa in eastern Mexico with the campaign slogan "Tired of Voting for Rats? Vote for a Cat." And he is attracting tens of thousands of politician-weary, two-legged supporters on social media. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
Diego Cruz, left, and Sergio Chamorro pose with their cat Morris, in their home in Xalapa, Mexico, Saturday, June 15, 2013. Put forth as candidate by Camacho and a group of friends after they became disillusioned with the empty promises of politicians, Morris, a black-and-white cat with orange eyes, is running for mayor of Xalapa in eastern Mexico with the campaign slogan "Tired of Voting for Rats? Vote for a Cat." And he is attracting tens of thousands of politician-weary, two-legged supporters on social media. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
MEXICO CITY (AP) ? This mayoral hopeful in Mexico promises to eat, sleep most of the day and donate his leftover litter to fill potholes.
Morris, a black-and-white kitten with orange eyes, is running for mayor of Xalapa in eastern Mexico with the campaign slogan "Tired of Voting for Rats? Vote for a Cat." And he is attracting tens of thousands of politician-weary, two-legged supporters on social media.
"He sleeps almost all day and does nothing, and that fits the profile of a politician," said 35-year-old office worker Sergio Chamorro, who adopted the 10-month-old feline last year.
Put forth as a candidate by Chamorro and a group of friends after they became disillusioned with the empty promises of politicians, Morris' candidacy has resonated across Mexico, where citizens frustrated with human candidates are nominating their pets and farm animals to run in July 7 elections being held in 14 states.
Also running for mayor are "Chon the Donkey" in the border city of Ciudad Juarez, "Tina the Chicken" in Tepic, the capital of the Pacific coast state of Nayarit, "Maya the Cat" in the city of Puebla and "Tintan the Dog" in Oaxaca City, though their campaigns are not as well organized as that of Morris.
Politicians repeatedly rank at the bottom of polls about citizens' trust in institutions. A survey last year by Mitofsky polling agency ranking Mexicans' trust in 15 institutions put politicians and government officials among the bottom five. Universities and the Catholic Church were the top two, respectively.
Morris' cuteness, the clever campaign and promises to donate money collected from the sales of campaign stickers and T-shirts to an animal shelter has attracted cat lovers, but Chamorro said most of his supporters are citizens tired of corrupt politicians and fraudulent elections.
"Morris has been a catalyst to show the discontent that exists in our society," Chamorro said. "Our message from the beginning has been 'if none of the candidates represent you, vote for the cat' and it seems people are responding to that."
Xalapa, a university city of 450,000 people, is the capital of the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, where residents have in last two years been beleaguered by drug violence, corruption scandals and the killings of at least nine reporters and photojournalists.
During last year's presidential election, a video posted on social networks showed a massive warehouse in Veracruz stuffed with election give-away groceries. Authorities also seized $1.9 million in wads of cash found when police decided to search passengers of a private plane arriving from Veracruz to Toluca, the capital of the home state of now-President Enrique Pena Nieto. Officials later said they had found no wrongdoing and the money was returned.
Giovanna Mazzotti, a 48-year-old university professor from the city of bright colonial buildings and steep streets, said she supports Morris' campaign and plans to go to a party for him being held Friday. The candidate is not expected to attend.
"In this state there is no rule of law, there is no respect for human rights, there are no institutions," Mazzotti said. "It's great that this campaign is showing the fiction in our elections. Every three years politicians laugh at us, it's good to laugh at them a bit, too."
Morris has a website, a Twitter account and a Facebook page with more than 115,000 'likes,' that makes him more popular in social networks than the five human mayoral contenders. Americo Zuniga, the candidate for the ruling party who is leading in election polls, had 33,000 Facebook 'likes' as of Friday.
His website has a collection of memes that picture Morris yawning while describing his "ample legislative experience," an image that mirrors photographs of lawmakers sleeping during congressional sessions.
Morris' campaign managers are asking supporters to write-in 'Morris' or draw a cat's face on the ballot to send a message to authorities, who are not taking the cat's growing popularity lightly.
Members of the Electoral Institute of Veracruz this week called on voters not to waste their vote on a cat.
"We are asking for people to participate by voting for those citizens registered on the ballots," electoral institute president Carolina Viveros told local media this week. "Everything else is part of expressions happening in social media and I respect that, but you have to vote for the registered candidates, please."
Morris also has international supporters.
On Friday, the animal-welfare group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wrote Morris congratulating him for his campaign.
Stubbs, a cat that has been the honorary mayor for more than 15 years of the sleepy Alaska town of Talkeetna, has shown support for Morris by posting his fellow feline candidate's spot campaign on its Facebook page.
____
Online: https://www.facebook.com/elcandigatomorris
Associated Pressallen iverson jr smith chris anderson rondo suspended bay bridge band of brothers presidents
Uh. Hi.
Hi.
I'm a socially awkward dork, who had to have a single-worded username because I'm hip like that. I really don't know what to say, because I lack the skills to make my posts sound entertaining and I'm also tired from stressing over things that are pretty much un-important to you guys. My ankle hurts, too, but I should stop complaining due to the fact that you're probably bored right now and I'm just talking
[typing].Okay, so like, I'm Atom, to get to the main topic of this introduction of my boring self. I'm obsessed with idiocy, where I ace at it. I tend to be irritating, so call me out if I happen to be acting like an awkward idiot when talking
[typing] to you people.So, yeah, that's about it, repetitive things, like, my personality and other things.
I like music, even though it hurts my old lady ears. That's all I'm saiyan.
I'm only seventeen if I just made you panic thinking I was some seventy year old.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/6h1L4ymBhWk/viewtopic.php
quentin tarantino jessica chastain jessica chastain oscars jane fonda abc bradley cooper
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Obama to step up military support of Syrian rebels
WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama has authorized sending weapons to Syrian rebels for the first time, U.S. officials said Thursday, after the White House disclosed that the United States has conclusive evidence President Bashar Assad's government used chemical weapons against opposition forces trying to overthrow him.
Obama has repeatedly said the use of chemical weapons would cross a "red line" triggering greater American intervention in the two-year crisis.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., one of the strongest proponents of U.S. military action in Syria, said he was told Thursday that Obama had decided to "provide arms to the rebels," a decision confirmed by three U.S. officials. The officials cautioned that no decisions had been made on the specific type of weaponry or when it would reach the Syrian rebels, who are under increasing assault from Assad's forces.
Still, the White House signaled that Obama did plan to step up U.S. involvement in the Syrian crisis in response to the chemical weapons disclosure.
"This is going to be different in both scope and scale in terms of what we are providing," said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser.
The U.S. has so far provided the Syrian rebel army with rations and medical supplies.
Thursday's announcement followed a series of urgent meetings at the White House this week that revealed deep divisions within the administration over U.S. involvement in Syria's civil war. The proponents of more aggressive action ? including Secretary of State John Kerry ? appeared to have won out over those wary of sending weapons and ammunition into a war zone where Hezbollah and Iranian fighters are backing Assad's armed forces, and al-Qaida-linked extremists back the rebellion.
Obama still opposes putting American troops on the ground in Syria and the U.S. has made no decision on operating a no-fly zone over Syria, Rhodes said.
U.S. officials said the administration could provide the rebels with a range of weapons, including small arms, ammunition, assault rifles and a variety of anti-tank weaponry such as shoulder-fired remote-propelled grenades and other missiles. However, a final decision on the inventory has not been made, the officials said.
Most of those would be weapons the opposition forces could easily use and not require much additional training to operate. Obama's opposition to deploying American troops to Syria makes it difficult to provide much large-scale training. Other smaller- scale training can be done outside Syria's borders.
All of the officials insisted on anonymity in order to discuss internal administration discussions.
Word of the stepped up assistance followed new U.S. intelligence assessments showing that Assad has used chemical weapons, including sarin, on a small scale multiple times in the last year. Up to 150 people have been killed in those attacks, the White House said, constituting a small percentage of the 93,000 people killed in Syria over the last two years.
The White House said it believes Assad's regime still maintains control of Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles and does not see any evidence that rebel forces have launched attacks using the deadly agents.
The Obama administration announced in April that it had "varying degrees of confidence" that sarin had been used in Syria. But they said at the time that they had not been able to determine who was responsible for deploying the gas.
The more conclusive findings announced Thursday were aided by evidence sent to the United States by France, which, along with Britain, has announced it had determined that Assad's government had used chemical weapons.
Obama has said repeatedly that the use of chemical weapons would cross a "red line" and constitute a "game changer" for U.S. policy on Syria, which until now has focused entirely on providing the opposition with nonlethal assistance and humanitarian aid.
The White House said it had notified Congress, the United Nations and key international allies about the new U.S. chemical weapons determination. Obama will discuss the assessments, along with broader problems in Syria, next week during the G-8 summit in Northern Ireland.
Among those in attendance will be Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of Assad's most powerful backers. Obama and Putin will hold a one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of the summit, where the U.S. leader is expected to press his Russian counterpart to drop his political and military support for the Syrian government.
"We believe that Russia and all members of the international community should be concerned about the use of chemical weapons," Rhodes said.
Britain's U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant said his country was "not surprised by the determination made by the U.S. government," given its own assessments, and was in consultation with the Americans about next steps.
The U.S. has so far provided the Syrian rebel army with rations and medical supplies. In April, Kerry announced that the administration had agreed in principle to expand its military support to the opposition to include defensive items like night vision goggles, body armor and armored vehicles.
The Syrian fighters have been clamoring for bolder Western intervention, particularly given the estimated 5,000 Hezbollah guerrillas propping up Assad's forces. Assad's stunning military success last week at Qusair, near the Lebanese border, and preparations for offensives against Homs and Aleppo have made the matter more urgent.
While McCain has pressed for a greater role for the U.S. military, other lawmakers have expressed reservations about American involvement in another conflict and fears that weapons sent to the rebels could fall into the hands of al-Qaida-linked groups.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, condemned the Assad regime but expressed serious concerns about the United States being pulled into a proxy war.
"There are many actions that the United States can take to increase our humanitarian assistance to refugee populations and opposition groups short of injecting more weapons into the conflict," Murphy said. "I urge the president to exercise restraint and to consult closely with Congress before undertaking any course of action to commit American military resources to Syrian opposition forces."
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, also urged the White House to consult with Congress.
"It is long past time to bring the Assad regime's bloodshed in Syria to an end," he said through a spokesman, Brendan Buck. "As President Obama examines his options, it is our hope he will properly consult with Congress before taking any action."
___
Associated Press writers Lolita C. Baldor, Donna Cassata, Andrew Taylor in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-step-military-support-syrian-rebels-233546868.html
basketball wives manny ramirez easter 2012 jeremy lin espn sassafras mardi gras 2012 the secret world of arrietty
Friday, June 14, 2013
Maine GOP Leader Makes Sexist Remarks, Implying A ?Man?s Brain? Makes Him A More Rational Being (VIDEO)
The Republican ?war on women? appears now to extend to their brains, which one congressman asserts are not as equipped as a man?s brain to reject free stuff.; image @TheSmokingJacket
Maine?s top Republican State Representative, Ken Fredette, thinks his male brain makes him a more rational being.
How?s that? Well, this week, the Maine House of Representatives debates whether or not to accept federal funds to expand Medicaid in the state. Offended by this free federal money, Fredette took the the floor and made clear his thoughts on the matter:
?As I listen to the debate today and earlier debate on this bill,?I can?t help but think of a title of a book, ?Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.??And it?s a book about the fact that men sort of think one way in their own brain, in their own world. And women think another way in their own brain and in their own world. And it really talks about the way that men and women can do a better job at communicating. Because if you listen to the debate today, in my mind ? a man?s mind ? I hear two fundamental issues. From the other side of the aisle, I hear the conversation being about free. ?This is free, we need to take it, and it?s free.?And we need to do it now.? And that?s the fundamental message that my brain receives.?Now, my brain, being a man?s brain, sort of thinks differently, because I say, well, it?s not ? if it?s free, is it really free? Because I say, in my brain, there?s a cost to this.?
Here?s the video:
Thank goodness there was a man around to use his obviously more rational and reasonable brain to come to the decision that accepting funds that will save money and expand healthcare is a bad idea! But his remarks go further than sexism. According to the Maine People?s Alliance?Health Care Organizer, Jennie Pirkl:
?This isn?t about women and men; it?s about life and death. Fredette would probably say that I only think this way because of my ?woman?s brain,? but I find it incredibly distasteful for him to use offensive, gender-based stereotypes to advance his anti-health care agenda. What?s more, he?s lying about the bill. Even the conservative Heritage Foundation admits that accepting federal health care funding will save the state $690 million over the next decade while providing health care coverage for 70,000 more Maine people.?
Looks like that ?man?s brain? wasn?t so rational and reasonable after all. While the majority of his fellow representatives think differently regarding the merits of the bill, it seems that without reaching a magic majority, the bill is doomed to be vetoed by the Republican governor of Maine, and fellow owner of a ?man?s brain,? Paul LePage.
Related posts:
If you liked this article, share it:
Author: Abby Miller Abby Miller is a proud Hispanic-American, Army wife and mother of five with a degree in anthropology. She has studied everything from the bones of Homo erectus to the sociology of serial murder. Abby enjoys yelling at the television while watching Ancient Aliens, reading post-apocalyptic fiction, and dreaming of the day she can once again stab dirt with her archaeologist's trowel. Abby loves interacting with her readers. Like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/anthroabby.Michael Clark Duncan michael jackson courtney stodden Ncaa Football Scores Plaquemines Parish michigan football michigan football
Japan fashion etailer Locondo raises $6.2M Series B
Japanese ecommerce retailer?Locondo?has?raised $6.2 million in a?Series B round led by Excite Japan, with participation from existing investors?Lead Capital Management and?Itochu Technology Ventures. The company reportedly has 300,000 active members and generates $31 million in revenue. [Source: TechInAsia]
Source: http://pandodaily.com/news/japan-fashion-etailer-locondo-raises-6-2m-series-b/
French Open 2013 dunkin donuts NBA 2K14 Roland Garros bay news 9 today show George Karl
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Apple looking at bigger iPhone screens, multiple colors - sources
By Clare Jim, Reiji Murai and Poornima Gupta
(Reuters) - Apple Inc is exploring launching iPhones with bigger screens, as well as cheaper models in a range of colors, over the next year, said four people with knowledge of the matter, as it takes a cue from rival Samsung Electronics.
The moves, which are still under discussion, underscore how the California-based firm that once ruled the smartphone market is increasingly under threat from its aggressive South Korean competitor. Samsung has overtaken Apple in market share through the popularity of its bigger-screen Galaxy "phablets" and by flooding the market with a range of products at different prices.
Apple is looking at introducing at least two bigger iPhones next year - one with a 4.7-inch screen and one with a 5.7-inch screen - said the sources, including those in the supply chain in Asia. They said suppliers have been approached with plans for the larger screens, but noted it is still unclear whether Apple will actually launch its flagship product in the larger sizes.
"They constantly change product specifications almost to the final moment, so you're not really sure whether this is the final prototype," said one person with direct knowledge of the matter.
Apple declined to comment.
UNDER PRESSURE
Apple's possible shift to offer what is often referred to as "phablets" - chunkier smartphones not quite big enough to qualify as tablets - comes as the long-time consumer and investor darling faces pressure to deliver more than one new handset model a year. Critics say its pace of innovation has slowed since the death of legendary co-founder Steve Jobs.
The iPhone 5 launched last September was the first to veer away from the Apple phone's 3.5-inch screen, which Jobs famously deemed "the perfect size for consumers" and had been used in every iPhone since the iconic device was unveiled in 2007.
The current iPhone 5 has one of the smaller screens among the best-selling smartphones in the mobile market, where consumers spend more time browsing the web and streaming content. Samsung's Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2 have 5-inch and 5.5-inch screens, respectively.
For this year, Apple is expected to launch two new models, widely referred to as the iPhone 5S, with new fingerprint technology, and a cheaper version in plastic casing, supply chain sources have said. Apple plans to dress up the cheaper phone in a range of 5-6 colors to differentiate it from the more expensive model that has traditionally come only in black and white.
The U.S. firm has discussed a price of $99 for the cheaper phone, the timing of which could slip to next year, one of the people said. It's not yet clear what the final price would be.
Apple - whose revenue growth has decelerated from the heady days of 2010 when it introduced the iPad and when the iPhone was the world's top selling smartphone - has sought ways to re-energize its flagship line.
BROADER PRODUCT RANGE
Analysts say the company needs a cheaper gadget to push on in growth markets in China and India, and to counter Samsung's edge in having phones priced up and down the spectrum. China, the world's biggest smartphone market, is set to grow 48 percent this year, outpacing the global increase of 31 percent, according to industry forecasts.
While Apple only offers a single phone model across all markets, it has successfully marketed the iPod music player and its iPad in different sizes and at varying prices. Asked at last month's AllThingsD industry conference why Apple hasn't launched different sized iPhones, CEO Tim Cook said: "We haven't so far. That doesn't shut off the future."
He explained that the range of iPods serve different audiences and needs. "On the phone, that's the question. Are we now at a point to serve enough people that we need to do that?"
Cook noted a larger screen comes with trade-offs on features such as battery life, resolution and brightness.
Test production for both the standard and cheaper iPhone models aims to start next month, with mass production ramping up in August to meet a September launch target, two people said.
"Trial production was originally planned to start in June, but the mixing of colors is taking longer than expected as Apple has very high and idealistic standards," said one source in Asia, adding 20 million plastic iPhones are expected to ship in the October-December quarter.
Japan's Sharp Corp and Japan Display and South Korea's LG Display will supply the panels for the aluminum iPhone 5S and the plastic iPhone, while Hon Hai Precision Industry will assemble the higher-end phone and Pegatron will put together the cheaper model.
(Additional reporting by Mari Saito and Miyoung Kim; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apple-looking-bigger-iphone-screens-multiple-colors-sources-054125280.html
grapes of wrath silent house nfl mock draft project m colts colts big ten tournament 2012
Yahoo to release IDs of inactive email accounts
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Yahoo is trying to breathe new life into inactive email accounts by giving away the identifications beginning next month.
The program announced Wednesday will give Web surfers an opportunity to claim a new handle that had previously been unavailable. It also represents a last chance for Yahoo users who haven't logged in for at least a year to keep the address.
Yahoo Inc. plans to release the inactive accounts unless the current owner logs in again before July 15. After that, the identifications will be available to all comers and will be ready to use again in mid-August.
The Sunnyvale, Calif., company isn't specifying how many emails are in the dead pool. A Yahoo spokeswoman predicted a substantial number of IDs will be freed up.
The attempted revival of the dormant accounts coincides with Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's nearly yearlong effort to create a bigger buzz around an Internet pioneer that had fallen out of fashion. Yahoo's headaches included the declining usage of its email service as more people embraced Google Inc.'s alternative, Gmail.
Mayer, a longtime Google executive, has redesigned Yahoo's email service, home page and Flickr photo service since her arrival in July 2012. She also made a major splash last month by striking a deal to buy the trendy blogging service, Tumblr, for $1.1 billion. Yahoo announced its plans to court new email users on Tumbler, which is particularly popular among teenagers and young adults.
Yahoo is hoping that people who chose a new handle next month will frequent other online services run by the company and discover compelling features that keep them coming back. If that happens, Yahoo would have more opportunities to show them the advertising that brings in most of its revenue.
Besides email, the account names can be used to log into other Yahoo services such as sports, weather and news.
Associated PressRehtaeh Parsons National Sibling Day march madness Masters Leaderboard 2013 How Animals Eat Their Food Aereo Masters 2013
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Five Robotic Bike Parking Systems That Solve an Urban Dilemma
The uproar over New York?s new bike share system is mostly due to very human shortcomings (one crotchety human in particular, actually). But it can also be blamed on the shortcomings of city infrastructure, which doesn't provide very efficient options for storing velocipedes.
     |
fireworks fireworks 4th of July Andy Griffith joe johnson scientology Wimbledon 2012 TV Schedule
Tiger Woods? Former Mistress Rachel Uchitel & Matt Hahn Divorcing
Tiger Woods’ Former Mistress Rachel Uchitel & Matt Hahn Divorcing
Rachel Uchitel, the woman that was at the center of the Tiger Woods cheating scandal, has split from her husband of less than two years. Matt Hahn has cited “cruel and inhumane treatment” in the divorce papers he filed yesterday. Hahn also wants custody of their 1-year-old daughter along with child support and spousal support. ...
Tiger Woods’ Former Mistress Rachel Uchitel & Matt Hahn Divorcing Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News
Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/06/tiger-woods-former-mistress-rachel-uchitel-matt-hahn-divorcing/
Cabin Fever 2 Alexis Wright Zumba binder full of women Microsoft Surface Candy Crowley binders of women presidential debates
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
PFT: Ravens owner wants Flacco to lead team
Getty ImagesBengals cornerback Adam Jones had an eventful day.? After multiple years of staying out of trouble, trouble found Jones in the form of an assault charge against a woman outside a Cincinnati bar.
Jones joined ESPN 1530 by phone after being released from custody to tell his side of the story.
But Jones, based on the interview, apparently wanted to explain himself without being questioned.? He called the surveillance video ?self-explanatory,? and Jones said he was struck with a bottle and was merely ?defending? himself.
?I didn?t draw back and swing and hit her with my right hand,? Jones said.? ?It was just a quick reaction.?
Once the questioning began from host Mo Egger, Jones became reluctant and careful.? Jones didn?t want to talk, for example, about what the woman said before she (based on the video) stuck something in his face.
?I?m not gonna get into each piece by piece,? Jones said.? ?My point was coming on here just to let people know, like, I?m not out acting a fool.? I?m not out drinking, getting drunk.? All I was doing was protecting myself, man.? I wouldn?t like to harm no woman, period.? I have two beautiful little girls and a wife at home [and] my mother.? Most of my family are all women, I don?t even had a dad.? That?s not Adam.? That?s no part.? I?m not into that, and I don?t condone that.? So I don?t want you to try to tweak it and make it sound any other way.? All I was doing was protecting myself and trying to clear my space.?
Eventually, the call dropped after Egger asked if Jones suffered any cuts or marks from being struck ? with the signal failing because of a bad cell or a dead battery or Jones hitting the ?end? button.
Egger then opined that Jones? actions based on the video don?t seem to be justified by the circumstances.? It?s hard to disagree, given that Jones merely needed to step back from a barrier outside the bar, which would have prevented the woman from continuing to do whatever she was doing.? There was no need to strike the woman; at most, Jones should have knocked her arm away while also stepping away.
Moving forward, Jones? best move could be to say nothing more to anyone until the matter is resolved.? Apart from the pending criminal charges, his NFL career could soon be encountering another rough patch, given his history of off-field issues.
And while we truly believe Jones has turned his life around, the best way to avoid problems is to avoid situations in which problems could arise.? Hanging out at bars inevitably puts you in the presence of people who are drunk and who may be inclined to instigate an incident.? Players with an extensive history of charges and suspension aren?t likely to get the benefit of the doubt ? especially when the video evidence isn?t as helpful as the player thinks it is.
nfl playoff picture nfl playoff picture Larry King Suzy Favor Hamilton mayan calendar end of the world end of the world
Monday, June 10, 2013
OS X Mavericks to feature new Finder Tabs
Finder will be receiving some nice updates in the next iteration of OS X, Mavericks. One of the biggies will be Finder Tabs. Instead of opening several Finder windows, you'll be able to use Tabs instead.
Tabs will function much like we're already used to in Safari. If you want to drag a document from one place to another, you'll no longer need to open multiple Finder windows in order to do so. Simply open a new tab and drag the document or file to the new tab.
| |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/KXzXEjyFWYA/story01.htm
where have you been rihanna world trade center kirk cousins ovechkin bks new dark knight rises trailer khloe and lamar
Angry Pakistan summons envoy after U.S. drone strike kills nine
By Saud Mehsud
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - A U.S. drone strike killed nine people in northwest Pakistan, security officials said, prompting newly sworn-in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to summon America's envoy on Saturday to protest against such attacks.
The missile strike, on a compound near the Afghan border in the North Waziristan region late on Friday, was the first U.S. drone attack in Pakistan since Sharif was sworn in on Wednesday. There was no information about the victims.
In his inaugural address, Sharif called for an immediate end to the U.S. drone strikes.
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the demand for an immediate halt to the attacks was repeated on Saturday.
"It was conveyed to the U.S. charge d' affaires that the government of Pakistan strongly condemns the drone strikes, which are a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the ministry said in a statement.
"The importance of bringing an immediate end to drone strikes was emphasized."
The attack came 10 days after a similar U.S. strike killed the Pakistani Taliban's second-in-command, Wali-ur-Rehman, and six others in a major blow to the militant group.
President Barack Obama said last month the United States would scale back drone strikes, only using them when a threat was "continuing and imminent".
Drone casualties are difficult to verify. Foreign journalists must have permission from the military to visit the Pashtun tribal areas along the Afghan border. Taliban fighters often seal off the sites of drone strikes immediately.
(Additional reporting by Jibran Ahmed in Peshawar; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Andrew Roche and Robert Birsel)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/angry-pakistan-summons-envoy-u-drone-strike-kills-105716511.html
dennis rodman rand paul Lauren Silberman Sim City Manchester United Alvin Lee mila kunis
Sunday, June 9, 2013
How to Keep Your Communications Private - Le?gal In?sur?rec?tion
Guest Post by Kit Lange ?? Sunday, June 9, 2013 at 10:05am
?
In light of the recent hubbub about the NSA having access to pretty much all your communications, the first question seems to be not ?How can they do that?? because let?s face it?they aren?t supposed to.? You know it and I know it.? The question is not even ?Do they CARE that they aren?t supposed to be doing this?? because they don?t.? The only real question is ?How can I stop them from doing it to me??
That is what this post is all about?making your communications secure from prying eyes.
We get it, Joe Citizen.? You want your privacy.? You want to be able?to talk on the internet without everyone and their mother at the?InsertAlphabetAgencyHere looking at it.
You?re mad about the NSA?snooping.? You aren?t advocating a violent overthrow of the government.
You?re not running a domestic terrorism group (well, there are?those new DHS criteria?).? You?re not even sending around emails
about what a dismal failure President Obama?s administration is (THIS?hour, anyway).? You just want to be able to chat with friends, conduct?your financial business, and argue with your spouse without Big Daddy?Gummint all up in your biz.? Believe it or not, that?s your right.
Harry ?Who Cares? Reid may blow it off and say the government?s been ?doing that stuff for years,?but we?ve got a news flash for Harry: just because you?ve been doing it?a while doesn?t make it any more okay.? Ask Ted Bundy ? oh, wait.
The bottom line is,
We get it?partly because we value our privacy too.?? So, because?we are all about free speech here?and private speech, too, now that I?think about it?here?s a list of ways you can circumvent the government?privacy leeches.? Granted, this list isn?t all-inclusive, and let?s?face it, I?m not an uber-geek.? I do, however, read a lot of uber-geek?stuff, and so I?m pretty confident with the list I?m about to show you.
Keep in mind that you will need to change some of your habits if you?decide you really want to keep your personal stuff private.? Most people?are too lazy?but if you?re not, here?s the list from the guys over at?Wired, as well as a few other nooks and crannies I find things in:
For internet browsing, use Tor.? It comes with a full bundle that you can use on any kind of Windows?from XP to 8, Mac, or Linux if that?s your flavor.? I won?t bore my?political readers with the long explanation of why Tor keeps your?internet browsing private, but if you want to read all about it you can?check out the Wikipedia entry, or just go to the website.
For email, use Hushmail.? It?s free, it?s secure, and if you?re done using that email, no?worries.? You can either delete it, or stop signing into it.? It?ll be?gone in 2 weeks, along with all those fan emails you sent to Justin?Bieber.? See?? You do want privacy.
For phone service, use Silent Circle.? Their Silent Suite has 3G, 4G, and WiFi encrypted mobile video &?voice, plus email, plus browsing, plus texts.? It?s $49/month but worth?it if you?re willing to pay it.
For voice service and texting, use Seecrypt.? World Net Daily explains how it works.
Use Throw Away Phones ? If you really don?t want to use a paid service, you could always buy a burner phone (or ten).
For?instant messaging?use?OTR (off the record), found here.? Otherwise,?your stuff is wide open. (One important note: Gmail?s ?off the record? setting does NOT mean?it?s not being logged?it?s just not retrievable by the user.? The data?miners can find it just fine.)
Obviously, we aren?t saying it?s?okay to hide any illegal and/or nefarious activities.? If you?re using this article for that, then I hope you do get busted.
That being said,?the average citizen simply wants to be able to have a conversation?without worrying about how many other people have seen it, and whether?that conversation is being used against them somehow.? We have the right?to free and unfettered speech.
We have the right to privacy, and quite?frankly, it?s a load of BS that political blogs even have to?post a list of ways that law-abiding, regular citizens can keep their?overreaching government?s nasty little hands off our private?communications, yet here we are.? It?s not about being able to do illegal things, it?s about being able to exist without Big Brother breaking half the Bill of Rights to watch you do it.
If you?re just a regular person?who wants some privacy, check out the links above, and?hopefully you find a solution that works for you.? Feel free to suggest?other tools in the comments; after I?ve checked them out to make sure?you?re not trying to send my readers to an Asian porn site for circus?midgets, I?ll be glad to post them with credit to you.
?????????
Kit Lange is the managing editor of Victory Girls, a conservative female blog about politics?and apparently now security, too.
?
?0?
??9
How to Keep Your Communications Private8 votes, 5.00 avg. rating (99% score)
?
?
?
Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2013/06/how-to-keep-your-communications-private/
marquette city creek center hilary duff michigan state michigan state andrew luck pro day josh johnson
Video: President Obama: No One's Listening To Your Phone Calls
Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/cnbc/52134411/
north korea news giuliana and bill giuliana and bill bill rancic nflx giuliana rancic giuliana rancic
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Despite Naming Coincidence, Palantir Says It's Not Part Of PRISM Program
It’s dumb to postulate that, because big data and security startup Palantir has a similarly named product to PRISM, that it’s somehow culpable. And, in an emailed statement to the Financial Times’ Tim Bradshaw, Palantir has now refuted that exact claim. “Palantir’s Prism platform is completely unrelated to any US government program of the same name. Prism is Palantir’s name for a data integration technology used in the Palantir Metropolis platform (formerly branded as Palantir Finance).? This software has been licensed to banks and hedge funds for quantitative analysis and research.” The startup explains that the Prism software in question is for banks, not for government — though it does count the NSA as a client for other products. Here is Palantir’s own?description of the product: “Prism is a software component that lets you quickly integrate external databases into Palantir. Specifically, it lets you build high-performance?Data Engine?based providers without writing any code. Instead, you define simple configuration files and then Palantir automatically constructs the data provider and database code for you. This ensures that all data access goes through well tested, high-performance code paths. Also, you can iterate more quickly because you can modify and reload Prism-based data providers without restarting the server.” The Gawker story is unfortunate, because it is apparently already causing the startup recruitment damage?on Hacker News, as mysterious as Palantir likes to play it, sometimes transparency assuages people’s greatest fear.? Even if the startup were somehow involved in the government’s controversial data-collection program, it’s sort of a paradox: Let’s say someone was using Facebook to send nasty messages to random girls …?Facebook’s fault, or that person’s??You’re using the Internet to download kiddie porn,?the Internet’s fault, or yours? Software products are tools — Bludgeoned someone with a hammer, should ACE Hardware stop selling them? It’s the startup equivalent of the “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” argument. ?It’s a hard one. Check out Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale’s explanation of what the company actually does, at TechCrunch Disrupt New York, below:Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/gMZJxNSOL5Y/
NBA 2K14 Roland Garros bay news 9 today show George Karl Shannon Rogers Guess Richardson Cricinfo
Friday, June 7, 2013
Washington ? TSA Drops Plan To Allow Small Knives On Planes
Washington - The head of the Transportation Security Administration says he?s dropping a proposal that would have let airline passengers carry small knives, souvenir bats, golf clubs and other sports equipment onto planes.
The proposal had drawn fierce opposition from lawmakers, airlines and others who said it would place passengers and crews at risk.
John Pistole (PIH?-stohl) tells The Associated Press that dropping the proposal allows his agency to focus on other programs.
Last month 145 House members signed a letter asking Pistole to keep the current policy that bars passengers from carrying aboard knives and other items.
When Pistole released the proposal in March, he said the knives couldn?t enable terrorists to cause a plane to crash.
TSA screeners confiscate over 2,000 of the small folding knives a day from passengers.
New York - Dow Drops 217 Points To Lowest Level In A Month ?
meniscus robyn the colony ncaa final four 2012 uk vs louisville university of kansas buckeye
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Medicaid drew massive rallies, little action at Texas Capitol this session
AUSTIN -- Of all the issues on the march at the Texas Capitol this session, few matched the numbers and volume of demonstrations demanding Texas expand Medicaid. Groups representing business interests, the medical profession and religious branches, as well as activist organizations and unions, all took turns demonstrating both together and separately.
?
"I have sickle cell, and last year I almost died of my sickle cell crisis, "Houston mother Latoya White told KVUE at a March 5 rally which saw hundreds marching down Austin's Congress Avenue. "I have three children. If I die, where are my kids going to be?"?
?
At a cost to the state of roughly $15 billion over the next 10 years, expanding Medicaid as outlined under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would secure an estimated $100 million in federal funds for Texas. The expansion would cover more than a million low-income Texans who can't afford private coverage by raising the current cutoff for Medicaid, a system Gov. Rick Perry has argued is broken.?
?
"We would be foolish to continue onto a path that will bankrupt this country and that will bankrupt our states," Perry told reporters during an April 1 media conference inside his Texas Capitol office which was nearly drowned out by angry protesters just outside the door.
?
"The problem is that the federal government, either they don't think we're smart enough or they don't trust us," said Perry, who has consistently advocated instead for a block grant from the federal government which would enable Texas to craft its own strategy for addressing the highest rate of uninsured citizens in all 50 states.
?
"My plan increases the pool, it gives flexibility and it gives health care access to those folks," physician and state Sen. Bob Deuell (R-Greenville) told KVUE in March. One of a handful of Republican lawmakers who attempted to find a solution to lower the state's uninsured rate without alienating conservatives concerned with the appearance of aiding the ACA's implementation, his plan aimed to incorporate the state health care exchange and non-insurance options such as health savings accounts.
?
Despite the efforts of Deuell and others, the 83rd Texas Legislature ultimately decided to do nothing on the issue of expanding health care access. As state lawmakers returned to the Capitol last week in a special session called by the governor to address redistricting maps, eleven Texas Democrats in the U.S. Congress signed a letter asking Perry to add expanding Medicaid to the call.
?
"Among those Texans who are most affected by the failure to expand Medicaid insurance coverage are almost 50,000 Texas veterans," Doggett told KVUE Monday. "Our letter was timed with Memorial Day and our honoring our veterans to say let's honor them also by providing them access to health insurance."?
?
"Texas will lose out on billions of dollars that it should be getting, that its taxpayers have contributed to finance," said Doggett. "Texas will be one of the few states that does not get the federal money that was appropriated to try to eliminate our distinction in Texas of having a greater proportion who are uninsured than most any other state."
?
In response to the letter, a spokesperson from the governor's office issued the statement, "Gov. Perry and a majority of the Texas Legislature have sent the very clear message that they do not support expanding Medicaid under Obamacare."?
?
So what does it all mean for patients and providers?
?
"I think it is a huge missed opportunity, and certainly it's a fiscal impact for providers because we're already taking payment cuts under the Affordable Care Act. The coverage expansion was meant to help offset those payment cuts," said John Hawkins with the Texas Hospital Association. "It's a clinical impact as well. Folks won't have access to health care, that creates a cost shift to the private market and to local taxpayers in the county."
?
"I think the hope is as we continue to visit this issue more, as we see other states look for innovative models to do alternatives to Medicaid expansion, that Texas will somehow administratively look at following suit," explained Hawkins. "I think it's still too early. The session's just been over for a week. I think it's going to be important to see what other states do, how far their conversations go with the federal government."
?
At the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, ongoing efforts to secure outcome-based federal Medicaid Transformation Waivers have begun to pay off. Twenty regional health partnerships have submitted project proposals aimed to reduce local providers' reliance on Medicaid reimbursements through proactive measures such as open more minor emergency clinics. So far, about $3.2 billion has been awarded to participants.
?
Meanwhile state officials negotiating a compromise with the Obama Administration must still answer to the governor, and a rider attached to a key piece of legislation in the waning days of the regular session requires any plan to be approved by the Texas Legislature as well. Meanwhile, hospitals and patients continue to hope a political cure can be found.?
completely wrong stacey dash christopher columbus columbus day columbus day Stacy Dash Amber Tamblyn
NFL Agent Drew Rosenhaus Says DeSean Jackson Owes Him $400,000
When DeSean Jackson parted ways with his former agent Drew Rosenhaus recently, it was widely reported that he did it because he wanted to sign with Jay-Z's sports representation agency Roc Nation Sports. But as it turns out, there may be another reason D-Jax decided to make a break from Rosenhaus. According to a grievance that Rosenhaus reportedly just filed with the NFL Players Association, Jackson owes him $400,000 in unpaid loans. He claims Jackson took out the loans at various times between November 2009 and March 2012 when he served as Jackson's agent.
Fortunately, Jackson should be good for it. He signed a five-year contract with the Eagles in 2012 and will receive a bunch of guaranteed money after next season. But this is not a good sign for the talented wideout. He's at the peak of his career and he's already?not doing well when it comes to money. So that doesn't bode very well for his future.
We hope that Jackson signs both a new agent and a new accountant sometime very soon.
RELATED: Money to Blow: A Recent History of NFL Players Going Broke
[via Yahoo! Sports]
LIKE COMPLEX SPORTS ON FACEBOOK?
Source: http://www.complex.com/sports/2013/06/drew-rosenhaus-says-desean-jackson-owes-400000
rondo suspended bay bridge band of brothers presidents george washington horsetail falls ice t
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Analysis: Glimmer of hope for cash-starved Pakistan economy as Sharif takes over
By Tomasz Janowski
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's economy is in its worst shape in nearly a decade and yet there is a sense of hope that the incoming government not only seems to know what is needed to fix it but, for once, may also have enough determination and clout to do it.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif swept back to power in last month's election, riding a wave of public anger at rival Pakistan People's Party's failure to tackle endemic corruption, power cuts and militant violence.
Voters hope that armed with a solid parliamentary majority Sharif, who takes office on Wednesday, has a better shot at fixing the economy than his predecessors, beset by internal strife and strained relations with the powerful military.
Stakes are high not just for Sharif, 63, who won his third chance to lead the 180-million nation largely by making economic revival and fixing government finances the centerpiece of his policy platform.
Economic turnaround is also essential to ensure greater political stability in the nuclear-armed nation, which is a key ally in the U.S. fight against Islamist militancy.
Economists say it will take years to fully revive a long-neglected economy starved of power and investment that has seen it slip behind its neighbors including arch rival India.
"This is not a country which lives beyond its means. It doesn't have the means," says Werner Liepach, country director at Asian Development Bank.
The government must start collecting taxes it is owed and overhaul power companies so they can produce enough electricity and stop draining public funds that have kept them afloat.
Less than a million Pakistanis pay income taxes, fiscal deficits run at close to 8 percent of gross domestic product and a big chunk of government revenue is used up subsidizing a power sector that covers just over half the country's needs.
Pakistan's economy will expand 3.5 percent in fiscal 2012/13, the International Monetary Fund says, from a peak of 9 percent in 2004. The rupee, meanwhile, has lost almost 40 percent of its value against the dollar since the last election in 2008.
Sagging exports and debt repayments have nearly halved official currency reserves over the past year to $6.5 billion in late May. That is just enough to cover five weeks of imports.
The ADB estimates that about $500 million flows out of Pakistan every month, meaning that it may not have enough to meet about $5 billion in loan repayments due this year and next.
Economists say Pakistan has vast potential for growth with a location at the crossroads between the Gulf nations, Central Asia, China and India and a young and growing population.
But Sharif is also inheriting a country barely in control of its northeastern areas, plagued by militant and sectarian violence.
A U.S. drone strike that killed a top militant commander last week further complicates Sharif's efforts to hold peace talks with the militants.
STRONG MANDATE
Yet lenders, economists and ordinary Pakistanis are willing to give the new administration the benefit of the doubt.
"The economy was just not on the previous government's radar," said Ashfaque Khan, dean of NUST Business School in Islamabad. "But the new government appears very serious about it."
ADB's Liepach agrees.
"If we are talking about whether there is a momentum for reform, I do think there is," he says.
Lenders, rating agencies and commentators also say that Sharif's economic policy ticks a lot of the right boxes.
There is a promise to revive growth by boosting investment funded by improved tax revenues and subsidy cuts. There is a plan to turn around loss-making state-owned firms including Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Steel Mills and the National Shipping Corporation.
There is also a plan to diversify Pakistan's energy mix to help end 20-hour power cuts and a promise to bolster business ties with India.
Sharif's team plans to make an emergency cash injection of $5 billion to break a chain of payment arrears that has paralyzed the power sector. The money would be raised through the sale of treasury bills.
The administration is also considering taxing heavy electricity users, plugging tax loopholes, cutting the number of ministries and slashing by a third the non-development federal budget.
Sartaj Aziz, set to serve as Sharif's chief policy adviser, says once reforms are under way the government will discuss a possible loan from the IMF to meet its international obligations.
"We've encouraged them to develop their own (economic) program and when they feel ready, we are very eager to work with them," IMF Deputy Managing Director Nemat Shafik said.
Economists warn that time is short, but Aziz says three months should be enough to see the effects of the new policies.
Sharif, who was toppled by the military 14 years ago, will be hard pressed for excuses if he fails to deliver.
"This is not Japan where we are at the frontiers of economic science," one international financial analyst said. "The problems that Pakistan is facing are well known and have been already successfully tackled before."
(Additional reporting by Mehreen Zahra-Malik in Islamabad and Martin Dokoupil in Dubai; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-glimmer-hope-cash-starved-pakistan-economy-sharif-211419893.html
alec time 100 bob beckel anna paquin warren buffett 2012 nfl schedule dishonored
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)