DOE Defends $529M Loan That Fueled Finland Jobs

Published October 21, 2011

| FoxNews.com

The Department of Energy is standing by a $529 million loan guarantee to a company building an electric car line in Finland. 

A department official, in a lengthy response posted on a government blog Thursday night, confirmed that the company Fisker is assembling its Karma electric car at its "overseas facility." 

The response comes after ABC News reported that the Obama administration gave the green light for the company to move the manufacturing to Finland two years after announcing the loan.

But Energy Department spokesman Dan Leistikow said none of the U.S. loan money contributed to the production work in Finland. 

"The Department's funding was only used for the U.S. operations," Energy Department spokesman Dan Leistikow wrote. "The money could not be, and was not, spent on overseas operations. The Karma also relies on an extensive network of hundreds of suppliers in more than a dozen U.S. states." 

He said the first part of the loan, $169 million, supported engineering work at Fisker's U.S. facilities as the company "developed the tools, equipment and manufacturing processes for Fisker's first vehicle" -- though that work so far has not contributed to a production line in the U.S.

But Leistikow said the rest of the loan is still supporting U.S. production of another vehicle line called the Nina.

"Fisker is using this funding to bring a shuttered General Motors plant in Delaware back to life and employing more than 2,500 workers. Fisker was attracted to this site in part by the opportunity to rehire some of the trained, dedicated workers who lost their jobs when that plant closed," Leistikow said. The department later clarified that 120 workers have been hired at the site to date, with the rest set to be hired by early 2013. 

For the Karma line, founder Henrik Fisker reportedly claimed the company could not find a manufacturer in the U.S. for the job. So the production went to Finnish company Valmet Automotive, along with 500 manufacturing jobs. 

A company spokesman told FoxNews.com that Fisker had "explored the possibility of producing the Karma in the U.S."

"However, there are no contract manufacturers like Valmet in the U.S., and none of the established domestic automakers were willing to partner with Fisker to provide an manufacturing option in the U.S. that would work for the Karma program," the spokesman said. 

The development comes amid widespread scrutiny of the Obama administration's loan programs for alternative energy companies and projects. The bankruptcy of government-backed solar panel firm Solyndra in September touched off a frenzy of questions on Capitol Hill over whether U.S. taxpayer money is being used wisely to prop up the industry. 

The ABC News report noted the political connections enjoyed by Fisker and another company, Tesla Motors, which together received about $1 billion in loans. Fisker reportedly is backed by a firm that counts ex-Vice President Al Gore among its partners. The article said just 40 of Fisker's Karma cars have been produced so far, and that Tesla is consistently losing money. 

But Leistikow said Tesla has added 1,000 new jobs since receiving the government support. He said both companies' loans were approved "on the merits after extensive review." 

"They represent exactly the type of cutting edge, innovative manufacturing this program was intended to support, and are part of a large, robust portfolio of investments that are helping America become more globally competitive," he said.

View the original article here

Peliculas Online

READ MORE - DOE Defends $529M Loan That Fueled Finland Jobs

You're Not on Facebook? Experts Say Think Again

Eight hundred million users are not enough. Facebook, the world's biggest social network, is now building profiles of non-users who haven't even signed up, an international privacy watchdog charges.

The sensational claim is made in a complaint filed in August by Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner. It alleges that users are encouraged to hand over the personal data of other people -- including names, phone numbers, email addresses and more -- which Facebook is using to create "extensive profiles" of non-users.

Facebook categorically denies the allegation, but experts tell FoxNews.com that it could well be true.

“There can be little doubt that Facebook collects from its current users information about individuals who are not currently Facebook users, and collects from its current users information about other Facebook users,” said Kelly Kubasta, who heads the Dallas law firm Klemchuk Kubasta’s social media division.

Ciara O'Sullivan, a spokeswoman for Ireland's Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, told FoxNews.com that its audit of Facebook Ireland's privacy policies was part of a "statutory investigation" that the office anticipates will lead to immediate changes.

"The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner will be commencing a comprehensive audit of Facebook Ireland before the end of the month," O’Sullivan said.

But Facebook flat-out denies that it is creating "shadow profiles" and tracking users and non-users alike.

"The allegations are false," Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes told FoxNews.com. "We enable you to send emails to your friends, inviting them to join Facebook. We keep the invitee's email address and name to let you know when they join the service. This practice is common among almost all services that involve invitations -- from document sharing to event planning."

"The assertion that Facebook is doing some sort of nefarious profiling is simply wrong," Noyes added.

Furthermore, Facebook says that no information it receives from users is employed to target ads, and that it does not resell information from users to third parties. The company prominently posts its established privacy policy on its Web site.

But that isn’t what they’re thinking in Ireland. The complaint makes clear that it believes Facebook is doing just that -- and enumerates several scenarios that would give any social-networker shivers.

“Facebook Ireland is gathering excessive amounts of information about data subjects without notice or consent by the data subject," the complaint states, adding that in many cases the information "might be embarrassing or intimidating for the data subject. This information might also constitute sensitive data such as political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation and so forth."

European law carries heavy penalties for companies that violate "information privacy" laws -- in contrast to the relatively lax U.S. laws. But the U.S. has issues with Facebook as well: Privacy rights litigation is proceeding in Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas and Kentucky. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also probing complaints about Palo Alto-based Facebook, while Congress is calling for an inquiry.

Kubasta noted that -- for better or for worse -- Facebook's best defense may be a good offense. After all, it's not alone: Several other websites are undertaking this kind of tracking as well.

“Regardless of what Facebook is doing, many websites collect and propagate personally identifiable information about individuals who have not entered into any agreement with the website. Just a few examples include Spokeo, iSearch, WhitePages.com,” Kubasta told FoxNews.com.

"In other words, ‘the horse may be out of the barn,’” he said.

Noyes told FoxNews.com Facebook's features are "consistent with people's expectations. We look forward to making these and other clarifications to the Irish DPA."

Other experts say these lawsuits may be at the forefront of a new trend -- increased consumer demand for data privacy online, and improved corporate response to those demands.

Marilyn Prosch, co-founder of the Privacy by Design Research Lab at Arizona State University, has conducted extensive research on online privacy, electronic commerce and other IT subjects.

She is working with social media and other online industry leaders to create guidelines for businesses worldwide to effectively protect personal data.

“Privacy assurance must ideally become an organization’s default mode of operation,” Prosch told FoxNews.com.

View the original article here

Peliculas Online

READ MORE - You're Not on Facebook? Experts Say Think Again

Cain Revamps Tax Plan, Says It's '9-0-9' for Poor - Bachmann Campaign Reacts to Reports of N.H. Staff

Stung by criticism that his signature "9-9-9" economic plan would saddle America's poorest citizens with a disproportionate share of the country's tax burden, GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain announced some new features to the plan, even as he insisted they have been included in his campaign literature all along.

Speaking at a sparsely attended outdoor event, Cain stood before the stately Michigan Central Station in downtown Detroit, where the unemployment levels are among the highest in the country, to announce his proposal to create "opportunity zones" in America's inner cities. His announcement came just days after the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington released a study of the "9-9-9" plan that concluded the plan would increase taxes by more than 900 percent on U.S. households earning between $10,000 and $20,000 annually.

Accusing his rivals and critics of having never read his plan all the way through, Cain then used language about the plan never heard before - and sure to raise questions about whether his economic proposals now lack the simplicity that once appeared their central virtue.

"If you're at or below the poverty level, your plan isn't ‘9-9-9,'" Cain said, with economic adviser Rich Lowrie and other supporters flanking him. "It's ‘9-zero-9.' Say ‘Amen,' y'all! In other words, if you are at or below the poverty level based upon family size, because there's a different number for each one, then you don't pay that middle ‘9' tax on your income. This is how we help the poor."

A day earlier, Fox News had exclusively reported that Cain's opportunity zone proposal is stirring displeasure among leaders of organized labor. Although he did not dwell on this during his appearance in Detroit, Cain insists that those areas that wish to qualify as an opportunity zone must eliminate what the campaign calls "barriers" to economic growth.

Examples of how to do that, as provided by campaign sources, include a number of steps considered anathema to Big Labor. They include the abolition of the minimum wage; the institution of school choice for parents; and the establishment of "right to work" conditions, which allow workers to refuse to join unions in unionized workplaces.

"It's tough to take anything like that seriously," AFL-CIO President richard Trumka told Fox News. "Look, workers are working hard and their wages have stagnated. To have Herman Cain, a serious contender on the Republican side, make a statement like that - that he wants to further lower wages, he wants to do away with the minimum wage - it's almost laughable."

"Herman Cain's 'opportunity zones' appear to be an opportunity for corporate America to exploit workers and turn the United States into a third-world country," said Teamsters President James Hoffa, in an email to Fox News.

View the original article here

Peliculas Online

READ MORE - Cain Revamps Tax Plan, Says It's '9-0-9' for Poor - Bachmann Campaign Reacts to Reports of N.H. Staff

Business Apps Help to Boost the Bottom Line

By Meg Baker

Published October 21, 2011

| FoxNews.com

No matter how productive you are, work can follow you out of the office. Save yourself time and energy by downloading a few apps to help you organize your business expenses, be prepared for any meeting, and answer emails by simply speaking into your phone.

jot

A pile of receipts for business expenses can feel awfully overwhelming. Instead of going back in time to remember who, what, where, and when you had a lunch or needed transportation, you can file the information in just a click, thanks to JPMorgan Chase's Jot app. 

If your company uses the Chase Ink business card for its employees, download jot to make finalizing the company’s books that much simpler. Jot will alert you when a transaction has gone through and prompt you to fill in the expense information on the go. Just tag your purchases or other bills with a customer’s name, job number, or whatever makes sense for your business.

If you're a manager, you can access employee reports by tag, change employee credit limits, and access info on outstanding balances and payment due dates.

Download jot: Apple. Google Android.
Mobilewalla app score: 75 out of 100.

Here's how it works:

MightyMeeting

You can be prepared for any meeting, anytime with MightyMeeting. The app uses a cloud-based server so that you can access uploaded presentations, product videos, slideshows documents and more -- from anywhere. 

If a client calls you up unexpectedly looking for information, or you get pulled into an impromptu meeting, you won’t have to enter the room empty-handed. You can showcase content on your iPad or iPhone or connect through a PC.

If you need to include people outside of the office in the meeting, the ToMeeting function allows you to tap right into an off-site location and share presentation material with your team. Meetings can be run over Wi-Fi or a 3G or 4G wireless connection.

Download MightyMeeting: Apple iTunes.
Mobilewalla app score: 79 out of 100.

Here's how it works:

Dragon Dictation

Need to respond to an urgent email or text but your hands are busy driving or cooking in the kitchen? No need to stop, just tap into Dragon Dictation and speak your response into the phone.

The app is even faster than typing and will convert your words into type before sending your message. Dragon Dictation supports multiple languages as well. The voice-recognition technology also works for updating your social networking status, writing blog posts, and taking notes or recording your thoughts.

Download Dragon Dictation: Apple iTunes.
Mobilewalla app score: 98 out of 100.

Here's how it works:

View the original article here

Peliculas Online

READ MORE - Business Apps Help to Boost the Bottom Line

Defense Challenges Expert Who Says Murray at Fault

Published October 21, 2011

| Associated Press

The lead attorney for the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death challenged a key prosecution expert Friday about his contention that the physician was responsible for the death of the singer.

Attorney Ed Chernoff cross-examined Dr. Steven Shafer, who previously testified that the only plausible explanation for the death was that Jackson had been hooked up to an IV drip of the anesthetic propofol then left alone by Dr. Conrad Murray.

"That's a bold claim, isn't it," Chernoff asked.

"It's an honest statement," Shafer replied.

Chernoff also questioned the Columbia University researcher and professor about his IV demonstration for jurors on Thursday.

The defense attorney suggested Shafer had drawn conclusions that weren't necessarily supported by the evidence. Chernoff said the type of IV line that Shafer used in the demonstration was never found at Jackson's house.

Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He could face up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted.

Shafer was expected to be the last witness called by the prosecution. After Shafer's testimony ends, defense attorneys will begin presenting their case.

Shafer, an expert on propofol, told jurors Thursday that his explanation was supported by items found in Jackson's bedroom, the singer's autopsy results and Murray's lengthy statement to police.

Using charts and his own experience, Shafer said Jackson likely stopped breathing because of the propofol and without someone to clear his airway. The propofol would have kept dripping into the IV tube, with gravity carrying it into the singer's body, he said.

Shafer said Murray committed 17 violations of the standard of care that could have led to Jackson's serious injury or death.

He rejected any theory that Jackson could have given himself the fatal dose of the anesthetic or sedatives.

View the original article here

Peliculas Online

READ MORE - Defense Challenges Expert Who Says Murray at Fault

NPR Drops Show Over Host's Protest Involvement

Published October 21, 2011

| FoxNews.com

WASHINGTON –  NPR will no longer distribute the member station-produced program "World of Opera" to about 60 stations across the country because the show host helped organize an ongoing Washington protest, a network official said Friday evening.

Instead, North Carolina-based classical music station WDAV, which produces the show, said it will distribute the nationally syndicated program on its own beginning Nov. 11. The station said it plans to keep Lisa Simeone as host and has said her involvement in a political protest does not affect her job as a music program host.

NPR spokeswoman Dana Davis Rehm said the network disagrees with the station on the role of program hosts but respects its position.

"Our view is it's a potential conflict of interest for any journalist or any individual who plays a public role on behalf of NPR to take an active part in a political movement or advocacy campaign," she told The Associated Press. "Doing so has the potential to compromise our reputation as an organization that strives to be impartial and unbiased."

Rehm said any host with NPR attached to their title is a public figure representing the network as a whole. But she said "reasonable people can have different views about this." She said the negotiations with WDAV were civil and amicable.

NPR's ethics code states that "NPR journalists may not participate in marches and rallies" involving issues NPR covers. The code notes that some provisions may not apply to outside contributors. It uses a freelancer who primarily contributes arts coverage as an example.

Rehm said the network didn't need to cite the code in its decision to drop the show because its position on hosts' political activities was "even more fundamental."

Simeone, who lives in Baltimore, is a freelancer who has worked in radio and television for 25 years. She has hosted music shows and documentaries. She was fired Wednesday as the host of a radio documentary program, "Soundprint," because she helped organize an anti-war demonstration that also protested Wall Street and what participants call corporate greed.

"Soundprint" is heard on about 35 NPR affiliates and is produced by Maryland-based Soundprint Media Center Inc. Its president said the company had adopted NPR's code of ethics as its own.

"World of Opera" is the only radio show in the nation devoted to broadcasting full-length operas from around the world, according to WDAV.

The Davidson, N.C.-based station will use the same distribution process as NPR and hopes to retain all the stations that have aired the program, spokeswoman Lisa Gray said. The network is assisting with the change in distribution, and it won't affect the listener's experience.

"We think it's really important to classical music that we continue to produce the show and make it available," Gray told the AP. "That's our primary concern, that we continue to be able to provide this programming to listeners and stations across the country."

WDAV had previously said it has a different mission than NPR and seeks to provide arts and cultural programming nationally and internationally, rather than news.

NPR had previously produced and distributed "World of Opera" in house until January 2010 when production was shifted to WDAV. The show has been in production for more than 20 years. It has featured performances from U.S. opera companies including Washington National Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Glimmerglass and New York City Opera, as well as operas from Paris, Vienna and elsewhere.

View the original article here

Peliculas Online

READ MORE - NPR Drops Show Over Host's Protest Involvement

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Sultan Dies

NEW YORK –  The heir to the Saudi throne, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud, died abroad Saturday after an illness, state TV said. The death of the 85-year-old prince opens questions about the succession in the critical, oil-rich U.S. ally.

Sultan was the half-brother of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, who is two years older than him and has also been ailing and underwent back surgery last week.

The most likely candidate to replace Sultan as Abdullah's successor is Prince Nayef, the powerful interior minister in charge of internal security forces. After Sultan fell ill, the king gave Nayef -- also his half-brother -- an implicit nod in 2009 by naming him second deputy prime minister, traditionally the post of the second in line to the throne.

The announcement did not say where outside the kingdom he died or elaborate on Sultan's illness but Saudi official circles in Riyadh said he passed away at a hospital in New York. Saudi royal family members typically received medical treatment in New York.

Sultan, who was the kingdom's deputy prime minister and the minister of defense and aviation, has had a string of health issues. He underwent surgery in New York in February 2009 for an undisclosed illness and spent nearly a year abroad recuperating in the United States and at a palace in Agadir, Morocco.

"With grief, King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz mourns the death of Sultan bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud, crown prince and his brother," the palace said. The statement, which was carried on the official Saudi Press Agency, added that Sultan's funeral will be held on Tuesday afternoon in Riyadh at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also expressed condolences Saturday, and said U.S. ties with Saudi Arabia were "strong and enduring."

"The Crown Prince was a strong leader and a good friend to the United States over many years, as well as a tireless champion for his country," Clinton said during a visit to Tajikistan, in the first official U.S. comment on his death.

"He will be missed," she said at a news conference.

"Our relationship with Saudi Arabia is strong and enduring and we will look forward to working with the (Saudi) leadership for many years to come," Clinton said.

For the first time, however, the mechanism of picking the next crown prince is not entirely clear.

It is possible the king will for the first time put the decision of his heir to the Allegiance Council, a body Abdullah created a decade ago as one of his reforms, made up of his brothers and nephews with a mandate to determine the succession.

That would open the choice up to a degree of debate with the top echelons of the royal family. Nayef, however, will still be the front-runner.

Traditionally the king names his successor. But Abdullah formed the council in order to modernize the process and give a wider voice to the choice. When it was created, it was decided that the council would act when Sultan rose to the throne and his crown prince had to be named; however, it was not specified whether it would be used if Sultan died before the king. The choice of whether to evoke the council now will likely be made by Abdullah.

Saudi Arabia has been ruled since 1953 by the sons of its founder, King Abdul-Aziz, who had over 40 sons by multiple wives.

Anyone who rises to the throne is likely to maintain the kingdom's close alliance with the United States. But it would have an internal impact. Abdullah has been seen as a reformer, making cautious changes to improve the position of women -- such as granting them to right to vote in elections scheduled for 2015 -- and seeking modernize the kingdom despite some backlash from the ultraconservative Wahhabi clerics who give the royal family the religious legitimacy needed to rule. Nayef, however, is often seen as closer to the clerics.

Sultan's death comes amid questions about the health of the king. Last week, King Abdullah underwent back surgery in Riyadh. The SPA news agency said the operation was to treat a loose vertebra in his back. Abdullah had two back surgeries late last year, also in New York City.

Sultan was part of the aging second generation of the King Abdul-Aziz's sons.

Sultan was long seen as a powerful aspirant for the throne. When Fahd became king in 1982, Sultan had hoped to be named crown prince. But instead Fahd appointed their half-brother, Abdullah, a decision that Sultan challenged. The sons of Abdul-Aziz closed ranks when the issue was decided, aware that a direct confrontation with Abdullah could tear the family apart. Sultan was named second deputy prime minister, a position that guaranteed him the move to crown prince.

When Fahd died and Abdullah ascended to the throne, Sultan was named crown prince and heir.

Sultan was the kingdom's defense minister in 1990 when U.S. forces deployed in Saudi Arabia to defend it against Iraqi forces that had overrun Kuwait. His son, Prince Khaled, served as the top Arab commander in operation Desert Storm, in which U.S., Saudi and other Arab forces drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait.

In May 2004, the royal court announced that Sultan was discharged from a Jiddah hospital after an operation to remove a cyst from his intestines.

In a rare move, Saudi television showed footage of the prince, dressed in a traditional white robe and sitting in an armchair, receiving greetings from a number of Saudi dignitaries. A few days before that, state-guided media showed photos of the prince in his hospital bed, apparently to counter rumors about his health.

Sultan was born in Riyadh in 1928, according to the defense ministry's web site. In 1947, he was appointed governor of Riyadh. At the same time, he was assisting his father in the setting up of a national administrative system based on the implementation of Islamic Sharia law. In 1953, he became the kingdom's first minister of agriculture.

Two years later, Sultan became minister of transportation, supervising the development of the kingdom's roads and telecommunications network and the construction of the railway system connecting the eastern city of Dammam with Riyadh, the capital.

As defense minister, Sultan closed multibillion deals to establish the modern Saudi armed forces, including land, air, naval and air defense forces.

On more than one occasion, the deals implicated several of his sons in corruption scandals -- charges they have denied.

Sultan is survived by 32 children from multiple wives. They include Bandar, the former ambassador to the United States who now heads the National Security Council, and Khaled, Sultan's assistant in the Defense Ministry.

Reuters contributed to this report.

View the original article here

Peliculas Online

READ MORE - Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Sultan Dies