Wednesday 7 December 2011

AP source: Ex-VP Dan Quayle to endorse Romney (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Former Vice President Dan Quayle is endorsing Mitt Romney for president, Republican officials told The Associated Press Monday.

Quayle plans to announce his support for the former Massachusetts governor Tuesday afternoon at an event in Paradise Valley, Ariz., where Quayle has a home.

Quayle served as vice president under President George H.W. Bush. He was a House member from Indiana for two terms and a U.S. senator.

Quayle has largely stayed out of the national political spotlight in recent years, though he did mount an unsuccessful presidential bid in 2000. A series of gaffes during his vice presidency made him the subject of late night comedians' punch lines.

His endorsement helps illustrate establishment GOP backing for Romney, who has been trying to consolidate support among party stalwarts despite repeated challenges from conservative alternatives. The latest, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, has been leading in polls both nationally and in critical early states.

Quayle served under Bush, who met with Romney last week at his Houston home. The elder Bush did not offer his endorsement.

Quayle's son, Rep. Ben Quayle, was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010.

A GOP official familiar with Quayle's thinking says the former vice president is backing Romney because he views Romney as the most credible candidate in the race. The official requested anonymity to discuss Quayle's endorsement ahead of the official announcement.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111206/ap_on_el_pr/us_romney_quayle

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Tuesday 6 December 2011

Verizon officially announces pair of XYBOARD tablets

Verizon Motorola Xyboard

Verizon this morning officially announced it will carry the Motorola Xoom 2 and Xoom 2 Media Edition as the XYBOARD 10.1 and XYBOARD 8.2, respectively. Both tablets will launch with Android 3.2 Honeycomb but will be upgraded to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

The XYBOARD tablets also both feature 1.2 GHz processors, 1GB of RAM and have Gorilla Glass on their displays. They each have 1 5MP rear-facing camera and a 1.3MP shooter up front.

No actual release date was announced, just "this month." As for pricing: The XYBOARD 10.1 will be available in a 16GB version for $529.99, a 32GB version for $629.99, and a 64GB version for $729.99. The XYBOARD 8.2 will cost $429.99 for the 16GB version and $529.99 for the 32GB version. Also,  you'll have to sign a two-year contract with a (minimum) $30-a-month data plan. However, Verizon will take off $100 and throw in $50 worth of accessories if you also buy a new Droid RAZR on contract. 

Full presser's after the break.

read more



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Xv4gNbsHgm4/story01.htm

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Monday 5 December 2011

GAMING GUYZ: ANDY'S SHOW

GAMING GUY: ANDY'S SHOW

Andy's very first solo episode. All Andy and no Paulo! This will be great... or will it?

tags: garfield, earthbound, fat, ghosts, Harry Potter

- ANDY

This Week on Something Awful...


Source: http://www.somethingawful.com/d/flash-tub/gaming-guyz-andy.php

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Video: Missing in Paradise, Part 1

Dateline NBC

'Dateline NBC,' the signature broadcast for NBC News in primetime, premiered in 1992. Since then, it has been pioneering a new approach to primetime news programming. The multi-night franchise, supplemented by frequent specials, allows NBC to consistently and comprehensively present the highest-quality reporting, investigative features, breaking news coverage and newsmaker profiles.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/vp/45531495#45531495

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Sunday 4 December 2011

Romney demands Eric Holder???s resignation (Daily Caller)

After spending months dodging the question, Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney demanded Attorney General Eric Holder?s immediate resignation or failing that for President Barack Obama to fire him because of Operation Fast and Furious.

According to the Associated Press, Romney told reporters in New Hampshire Saturday that Holder has ?brought shame? on the Justice Department through his handling of the Fast and Furious scandal.

Romney and his team have dodged questions from The Daily Caller about the scandal since early October ? when he spent more than half a minute explaining why he wouldn?t answer whether he thought Holder should resign or not. Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom?came out a couple days later and offered a conditional call for Holder?s resignation.

The Romney campaign has refused several requests from TheDC for interviews on Fast and Furious.

Romney joins former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and fifty-two Congressmen, Sens. Johnny Isakson of Georgia and James Inhofe of Oklahoma and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal in calling for Holder?s immediate resignation.

The storyline exploded earlier this week when TheDC asked Holder to respond to the calls for his resignation at a White House event on Tuesday. In response to the question, Holder lost control and verbally attacked TheDC for being one of a handful of mainstream outlets reporting on calls for his resignation.

?You guys need to ? you need to stop this,? Holder said. ?It?s not an organic thing that?s just happening. You guys are behind it.?

Follow Matthew on Twitter

Read more stories from The Daily Caller

Romney demands Eric Holder's resignation

County's protest against federal immigration law turns criminal aliens loose

Haley staffers to testify in probe of controversial decision to deepen Ga. port

Rock band Madison Rising puts conservative thought to music

Wash., RI, Vt. governors petition feds to reclassify marijuana

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/20111203/pl_dailycaller/romneydemandsericholdere28099sresignation

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Mexican army dismantles gang's antennas, radios (AP)

MEXICO CITY ? The Mexican army says its troops have dismantled a telecommunications system set up by organized crime in four northern states.

A Defense Department statement Thursday says soldiers confiscated 167 antennas and 166 power supplies that gang members used to communicate among themselves and to monitor military movements.

The operation also netted more than 1,400 radios and 2,600 cellphones in the border states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila and in the state of San Luis Potosi.

The army hasn't said which cartel was affected.

During the summer, Mexico's navy dismantled a communication system used by the Zetas cartel in the Gulf state of Veracruz. The Zetas have a strong presence in all four of the states involved in the army's operation.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111201/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_drug_war_mexico

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Saturday 3 December 2011

[OOC] Plotting Thread

Forum rules
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.

Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?As the Pendulum Swings?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is where you can post your characters, and their knowledge of other characters. As well as figure out any plots in the near future! Whee!

For example:

Officer Mark Santos:
- Knows Geoff from being the local Hobo on his town corners. General dislike for one another.
- Devon is familiar to him because of the boy's angry outbursts in school settings. He is a stern figure in the boy's life.
- Followed David Ramirez's football career, having played in River's Glen himself when he was in highschool.

And so forth!

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Member for 2 years



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TVs are hot sellers this holiday season

Target customer Nancy, last name not given, waits with televisions purchased at aTarget Store in Colma, Calif., Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. The American holiday shopping season began in earnest Friday as stores opened their doors at midnight _ a few hours earlier than they normally do on the most anticipated shopping day of the year. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Target customer Nancy, last name not given, waits with televisions purchased at aTarget Store in Colma, Calif., Friday, Nov. 25, 2011. The American holiday shopping season began in earnest Friday as stores opened their doors at midnight _ a few hours earlier than they normally do on the most anticipated shopping day of the year. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

(AP) ? In an unexpected twist, TVs are topping many Christmas shopping lists this year.

Wal-Mart says TVs are among the top gifts people are putting on layaway at its 3,000-plus U.S. stores during the holiday season. The Westinghouse 46-inch LCD HDTV that was on sale for half off at Target for $298 was a top seller during the start to the season last weekend. And Abt Electronics already has sold out of 55-inch Samsung LED TVs that were marked down by half to $1,099.

"You've got people clamoring to spend $1,000 on a large-screen TV," says Jon Abt, owner of Glenview, Ill.-based Abt, where sales of TVs are up 15 percent over a year ago.

Heading into the holiday shopping season, TVs seemed so two Christmases ago. Sales had slowed as consumers tightened their budgets in the weak economy and technologies like 3D failed to spark their interest the way tablet computers and smartphones have. But now shoppers are responding to discounts of up to 50 percent.

Most chains don't break out TV revenue, but overall unit sales are up 15 percent this year through October, according to the latest data available from research firm NPD Group Inc. That compares with a 2 percent rise during the same period in 2010. Meanwhile, prices have dropped 7 percent to an average of $597, compared with $647 last year and $734 in 2009.

Best Buy has slashed a 55-inch Samsung LED TV by $400 to $1,099.99. A Sony 40-inch Internet-enabled LCD HDTV at Target is marked down by $200 to $599. And J&R Electronics in New York has a 42-inch LG LCD HDTV for $30 off the original price at $549.99.

"Great prices on TVs are a proven method of getting people into stores," says Stephen Baker, an NPD analyst.

That TVs are turning out to be a hot item gives retailers some unexpected good news during the holiday shopping season. It's a time when they can make up to 40 percent of their annual revenue.

Retailers long have depended on electronics to build buzz over the holidays. (Think: smartphones last year.) And consumer electronics are expected to account for a third of all purchases over the holidays, according to the Consumer Electronics Association trade group.

But merchants weren't expecting TVs to be hot this season because Americans rushed out to buy flat-screen TVs two years ago. Indeed, tablets like the iPad are expected to be the second most wanted gift this year behind clothes, while TVs didn't even make it in the top five most-desired products this holiday season, according to the electronics trade group.

Dan de Grandpre, editor-in-chief of deal aggregator Dealnews.com, says TV sales are unexpectedly strong because consumers who'd put off buying them before the holidays suddenly are attracted to the deals. According to Dealnews.com, there were 77 major deals on TVs during the Black Friday weekend, and consumer interest in those deals rose 28 percent.

"There's pent-up demand for consumers to upgrade or buy second or third TVs," Dan de Grandpre says.

R.J. Hottovy, a Morningstar analyst, says shoppers mostly are attracted to the big discounts on larger, more expensive 50-inch and 60-inch models. Those TVs are usually not discounted heavily, he says, especially early in the holiday shopping season.

"The 50-inch flat-screen in a $400-to-$500 price range really resonated well with consumers," Hottovoy says. "It's an attainable price point for many consumers, even in a difficult macroeconomic environment."

That's why even though Marc Siciliano didn't need a TV, he decided to buy a 42-inch LG Smart TV on Amazon.com that was marked down to $650 from $1,100. The 23-year-old from Stamford, Conn., says the deep discounts "were the icing on the cake."

Juan Ibanez, 24, an information technology consultant in San Jose, Calif., picked up a 47-inch LED TV from Best Buy that was marked down to $630 from $999. He and his wife wanted a new TV, but hadn't expected to buy one so soon.

"The deals were definitely what made us decide to buy it now," Ibanez says.

_____

Follow AP retail coverage at http://www.twitter.com/AP_Retail and Mae Anderson at http://www.twitter.com/Maetron.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-12-01-TVs%20Are%20Hot/id-a6e7199da65b41ae8e691fe81bbd8856

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Thursday 17 November 2011

Video: The one you need to know on Block Island

We'll focus on?efforts to help veterans find?jobs and deal with health and family problems. "One of the great blessings in my life has been the exposure I've received to the military?active duty, in the field and veterans,"?says Brian Williams. "They are America?s genuine heroes, and it's a privilege to use our platforms at NBC News to honor all that they have done."

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40153870/vp/45314873#45314873

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Wednesday 16 November 2011

Sandusky will declare innocence on network, NBC reporter says (Reuters)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa (Reuters) ? The Penn State coach charged with child sex abuse will appear on NBC-TV on Monday night to declare his innocence, according to a Tweet from a reporter with the television network.

Chuck Todd, a political reporter with NBC, said Jerry Sandusky, the former defensive coordinator for the Penn State football team, will tell the sportscaster Bob Costas tonight: "I'm innocent of these charges."

Sandusky, the former defensive coordinator for the Penn State Nittany Lions, was arrested more than a week ago on charges he sexually abused eight young boys over a 15-year period.

In the intervening days, the widening scandal has brought down some of Penn State's biggest names, including the school's president, its athletic director and -- hardest of all for many Penn State fans -- its legendary football coach, Joe Paterno.

(Reporting by James B. Kelleher and Ernest Scheyder; Editing by Cynthia Johnston)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111115/ts_nm/us_usa_crime_coach_sandusky

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Quickoffice Pro HD (for iPad)


Quickoffice Pro HD for iPad, like iWork for iPad ($9.99 each for Keynote, Numbers, and Pages, 4 stars) and Smart Office for iPad ($9.99, 2.5 stars), aims to bring a well-rounded mobile office suite to Apple's slate. This $19.99 iPad app ?performs many of the basic document, presentation, and slideshow functions that you'd expect from a mobile office suite (file editing, sharing), but crowns it with compatibility with a wide array of cloud-based services and the ability to wireless transfer files to a computer. The affordably priced apps is nearly $10 less than Apple's iWork for iPad, but that doesn't mean it's a no-brainer purchase; it lacks the rich templates Cupertino's suite, and the file sharing method may irk some users.

Getting Started With Quickoffice Pro HD
Launching Quickoffice Pro HD opened a three-column screen that's bordered by menu bars on its top and bottom. The left column contained a hard disk icon that when tapped displayed folders and files in the middle column; the right showcased file information or the files within folders. You aren't limited to what's on the disk; Quickoffice Pro HD has more flexibility than iWork and Smart Office when it comes to pulling files from the cloud. Taping the "+" icon in the lower left corner of the screen opened the Connected File Manager, which lets users remotely access, transfer, save, and manage files saved in several cloud-based services such as Google Docs, Dropbox, Evernote, SugarSync, MobileMe, and more. These are more options than are integrated with iWork or Smart Office (I'll delve further into this below). The lower-right corner contained icons that let you create a new folder and file (documents, spreadsheets, or presentation) when touched. Between the two corners are delete, email, and sharing icons. The upper-right corner has help and settings icons.? Overall, I found the layout intuitive and simple to navigate.

Getting Things Done
I decided to begin by opening a blank document, so I tapped the documents icon. A window opened which offered "Presentation 2003 Format," "Spreadsheet 2003 Format," "Spreadsheet 2007 Format," "Document 2003 Format," Document 2007 Format," and "Text File." These six options are far less than Smart Office's twelve, and iWork's sixteen. iWork for iPad offers not only more templates, but they're also given specific names and designs that let you specifically know what they're about. Would you rather create a resume from Quickofice Pro HD's "Document 2007 Format" or Page's properly-formatted and easily identifiable "Classic Resume" or "Modern Photo Resume"?

Regardless, I opened a blank document and immediately began typing a few sentences Quickoffice Pro HD doesn't auto-save files, so you have to tap Close> Save (or Save As) in essential to preserving data. You can save files to PDF, which is a nice touch. Like iWork (and unlike Smart Office) there are formatting icons in the documents/presentations/spreadsheets menu bar, which makes adding bold and italics a breeze (you can also tweak the font, font color, and paragraph alignment by bringing a finger to the large "A" in the upper-right corner). Also, when you tap a spreadsheet cell, you can key in data using the virtual keyboard?Smart Office required that I add formatting, alignment, and other options from a pop-up menu, which was frustrating. Quickoffice Pro HD has a rudimentary slideshow creator that let me add photos, shapes, and text to slides.

You can log into as many cloud-based services as you wish from the home screen, and when you do, service icons appear in the left column. I logged into my Dropbox and Google Docs accounts and opened files with ease, which was welcomed as Smart Office had problems launching Google Docs files. If you have the SharePlus Pro app installed, you can open, edit, and save SharePoint files.

Sharing Files and File Sharing
You can e-mail files to friends and colleagues, and share files via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yammer, Slideshare, Docstac, and Scribd, but the method of doing so isn't obvious. You have to drag a file to the email or sharing icons located at the bottom of the screen, which is awkward (file deletion works in a similar manner). I would've much preferred if the app gave me the option to press and hold a file to open a sharing window, or tap a "delete" button. Still, it offered far more flexibility in working with cloud services than either iWork or Smart Office.

Quickoffice Pro HD also lets you transfer files between a computer and iPad (that are connected to the same Wi-Fi signal) by keying in the supplied IP address into a browser and upload and downloading files using the Web interface. I found it simple to use, and the documents appeared moved between platforms swiftly. You can also do it the old fashioned way by connecting the iPad to computer. It's also compatible with iOS's AirPrint functionality.

Should You Purchase Quickoffice Pro HD for iPad?
Yes. Quickoffice is light years ahead of Smart Office in terms of usability, and even boasts features that the Editors' Choice Award-winning iWork doesn't possess. It can use some improvements?such as more templates and better file sharing?but it's a competent mobile office suite that's both easy to use and easy on the wallet.

More iPad Apps Reviews:
??? Quickoffice Pro HD (for iPad)
??? Smart Office (for iPad)
??? Livestand from Yahoo! (for iPad)
??? StumbleUpon (for iPad)
??? Dropbox (for iPad)
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/LgRxXJVp25E/0,2817,2396440,00.asp

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Monday 14 November 2011

Trailer loaded with seafood stolen in central Pa.

(AP) ? Some people are just shellfish.

State police say a trailer holding more than 16 tons of seafood was stolen over the weekend from a central Pennsylvania truck stop.

The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reports the refrigerated trailer filled with 33,000 pounds of food was taken late Friday or sometime Saturday.

State police at Newport are investigation.

The Patriot-News report (http://bit.ly/voeTM0 ) says the trailer is owned by California-based Western Star Transport.

___

Information from: The Patriot-News, http://www.pennlive.com/patriotnews

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2011-11-14-Seafood%20Trailer%20Taken/id-e79ab526d1174b619f2b29f1da5b9aed

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Utah mayor used alias to write upbeat news stories

FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2010 photo, West Valley City mayor Mike Winder is shown during swearing in ceremony at the West Valley, Utah City Hall. Winder admitted recently to creating a false persona, Richard Burwash, and wrote more than a dozen stories for area publications promoting his city. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Steve Griffin)

FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2010 photo, West Valley City mayor Mike Winder is shown during swearing in ceremony at the West Valley, Utah City Hall. Winder admitted recently to creating a false persona, Richard Burwash, and wrote more than a dozen stories for area publications promoting his city. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Steve Griffin)

FILE - In this June 1, 2011 photo, West Valley, Utah City Mayor Mike Winder speaks during an awards ceremony hosted by the Latino Community Center at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. Winder admitted recently to creating a false persona, Richard Burwash, and wrote more than a dozen stories for area publications promoting his city. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Chris Detrick)

FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2011 photo, West Valley City, Utah. Mayor Mike Winder introduces an initiative to encourage city residents to learn English. Winder admitted recently to creating a false persona, Richard Burwash, and wrote more than a dozen stories for area publications promoting his city. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Paul Fraughton)

This image provided by the West Valley City, Utah website shows Mayor Mike Winder Aug. 26, 2010 in Utah. West Valley City mayor Winder admitted recently to creating a false persona, Richard Burwash, and wrote more than a dozen stories for area publications promoting his city. (AP Photo/West Valley City)

(AP) ? Like his counterparts across the country, Mayor Mike Winder unabashedly promotes his community. But the style is unorthodox: He uses an alias and freelances upbeat articles about West Valley City, Utah.

Winder, mayor of the state's second-largest city, said he took the approach because the media spent too much time on crime coverage.

He unapologetically revealed himself this week, insisting the balance was needed.

"I thought about all the people just reading about crime in our city and nothing better," Winder said Friday. "I'm trying to stand up for us because we do get the short end of the stick ? negative stories."

Winder had been writing under the name Richard Burwash, an alias he actually swiped from a real man ? a one-time professional tennis player from California ? that he found on the Internet.

He said getting stories published by the Deseret News, KSL-TV's website and a community weekly was as easy as setting up a Gmail account and Facebook page. He communicated with editors by email and phone, never showing his face.

As an unpaid writer for several months earlier this year, the so-called Burwash even quoted himself as mayor in some stories. In one published piece, he wrote about the opening of a Buddhist Temple in his Salt Lake City suburb, quoting himself as saying, "We applaud any time a group builds a place to celebrate peace and to encourage people to live better lives."

"I was an easy source," he quipped Friday.

He even let his sister write one story under his alias. But he maintains all the stories were "100 percent factually correct" ? except for the byline, of course.

Executives at the Deseret News, one of Salt Lake City's two daily newspapers, were not amused.

"While we appreciate that Mayor Winder would, of his own accord, quit writing under the assumed name and then detail the error to us, we remain highly concerned that someone would purposely misrepresent himself," Clark Gilbert, president and CEO of the Deseret News and Deseret Digital Media, told the newspaper. "We deeply regret that Mayor Winder would do this."

Gilbert didn't return messages left Friday by The Associated Press.

The Deseret News said it has published about 5,500 articles by 2,000 contributors in the past year. The paper began accepting contributions after cutting its newsroom staff and consolidating operations with affiliated television and radio stations.

That's when Winder saw an opportunity and hatched the idea of writing his own news stories. He complained crime stories made up 56 percent of the coverage of West Valley City by the Desert News over three months earlier this year.

Now eyeing a run for mayor of Salt Lake County, Winder decided it was time to come clean.

"I'd rather disclose it on my own terms than by a political enemy," he said.

Winder walked into the publisher's office at the Deseret News this week and asked about the paper's policy on pen names. He was told they aren't allowed.

"I said, 'Well, we have a situation,'" Winder said.

Reaction from residents in West Valley City was mixed. Some compared their mayor to historic figures who wrote under pen names during the American revolution. Others questioned whether the politician might have other secrets.

"He's the mayor, but I don't see him doing anything," said Pat Gonzales, a dry-cleaning assistant at Century Laundry and 30-year West Valley resident. "Maybe he's too busy being a news reporter."

Winder, who said he just likes to write, is now giving up his side job.

"It was interesting to be a journalist for a few months," he said. "The only crime was my name."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-11-12-Mayor's%20Fake%20Persona/id-987c17368b95495daa6844b4193c7cca

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Sunday 13 November 2011

Calle 13 wins Latin Grammy album of the year (AP)

LAS VEGAS ? Hip-hop duo Calle 13 won album of the year at the Latin Grammy Awards Thursday in Las Vegas, earning the top prize after a record-breaking ceremony that saw the Puerto Rican stepbrothers receive the 19th award of their career and the most awards ever in a single night.

The socially charged rap group made history before the show was over, winning its 18th award for song of the year for "Latinoamerica." That broke the record for most awards previously held by 17-time-winner Juanes.

"Today, the music triumphed," frontman Rene Perez Joglar said in Spanish.

In all, Calle 13 was up for 10 awards Thursday and took home all but one because they were nominated twice for album of the year for their work on Shakira's "Sale el Sol." The Caribbean group's anti-establishment album "Entren Los Que Quieran" lent a political overtone to the annual awards show, with its lyrics that slam the White House and the Vatican while celebrating the joys of being poor and Latin American.

One of the most controversial songs, "Calma Pueblo," won best alternative song, with its lyrics that call the Vatican the largest mafia in the world. The group also won producer of the year, best short-form music video and best tropical song for its ode to behaving badly, "Vamo' A Portarnos Mal." Those awards all came before the show started, during a pre-telecast ceremony.

Calle 13 later opened the show with an emotional rendition of its anthem "Latinoamerica" before going on to win best urban music album, best urban song, song of the year and record of the year.

"May this transport you to your roots, your streets ... and may you feel it here in your heart," Joglar said in Spanish before the rousing performance, dedicating the song to Latin Americans.

The group easily hogged the spotlight from the other nominees. Even Shakira, the Latin Recording Academy's Person of the Year, came home with only one award for best female pop vocal album after Calle 13 swept the show.

"We know that we aren't the ones who get played on the radio ... but the people who don't sell themselves for money and make real music," said Joglar, who goes by the stage name Residente, speaking in Spanish after accepting the award for best urban song.

The other half of the duo, Eduardo Jose Cabra Martinez, noted that the internet 0has helped Calle 13 expand their audience, but lamented that many people in poor nations do not have computer access.

Joglar said he didn't care about radio play, and recounted advice a famous musician once told him: "The day you are on the radio a lot, worry, because you are doing something wrong, and so we have listened to him," Joglar said in Spanish.

Calle 13 has a long history of lacing social messages over bass-thumping beats and its latest album continued that tradition, riffing on the exploitation of dark-skinned workers and corrupt governments. Joglar said he hoped Thursday's recognition would encourage other musicians to fight "the easy and what sells."

Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy and the Grammy Foundation, said Calle 13's political leanings had done little to hurt their standing among the academy members, and mused that the group could soon add to its two Grammy awards.

"Musicians are creative people who are not afraid of controversy and they speak their minds, they speak from the heart," Portnow said backstage.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rican newcomer Sie7e took home a Grammy for best new artist. He performed his Spanglish love song "Tengo Tu Love" with Mexican-American rapper Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas and cited Calle 13 as an influence.

"Another one for Puerto Rico," Sie7e cried in Spanish after accepting his gramophone trophy.

The awards show was a blend of genres and talents, as performers from nearly 100 countries gathered at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on the Las Vegas Strip for a night of Spanish pop, rock, salsa, rap and country. Crossover stars Sean Kingston, Usher and Demi Lovato were among the dozens of pop stars who shared the stage, along with Mexican rocker Alejandra Guzman, Puerto Rican rappers Wisin and Yandel and New York crooner Prince Royce. Award presenters included Erik Estrada, Zoe Saldana and Sofia Vergara.

The international lineup made for a Spanglish flair, with Vergara, whose Colombian accent is a staple joke on the hit TV series "Modern Family," welcoming English viewers in her adopted tongue. Kermit the Frog also spoke in both Spanish and English, introducing Mexican band Intocable.

"Many frogs love Latino music because we get to hop around," Kermit said.

Shakira, the youngest person to receive the academy's prestigious Person of the Year recognition, dedicated the honor to her fellow stars. "With their voices and their music, they cure all our pains and make us forget our sorrows," she said in Spanish.

Dressed in a sweeping pink gown topped with a sparkling corset, Shakira belted out the ballad "Antes de las Seis" on a fog-drenched stage decorated with flowering trees. She later returned with her quaking hips for a feisty performance of her reggeaton hit "Loca."

Mexican rock legend Mana gave the first duet of the show, performing with Royce "Lluvia al Corazon" and "El Verdadero Amor Perdona" as the image of a beating heart adorned with thorns graced the stage.

"In my opinion, Mana is one of the most important groups in Latin music," Royce later said backstage.

Mana went on to win best rock album, with frontman Fher Olvera proclaiming that rock lives on.

Pitbull and Marc Anthony also shared the stage, pumping out their bilingual club banger "Rain Over Me" as dozens of Las Vegas burlesque dancers shimmied under an indoor rain shower.

Wisin and Yandel were joined by Kingston on stage. They spit out three hits: "Estoy Enamorado," "Fire Burning" and "Fever."

Kingston said backstage that he didn't understand what was being said at the show, but called himself a "huge fan of reggaeton," or Spanish hip hop.

"I've dated a few Latin ladies so I understand a little bit, un poquito," he said during the show. When it came to Calle 13, he said, "I don't know his name, but he was real good."

___

Associated Press writer Michelle Rindels contributed to this report.

__

Cristina Silva can be reached at http://twitter.com/cristymsilva.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111111/ap_on_en_mu/us_latin_grammys

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Parents Outraged That Porn Star Sasha Grey Visited Elementary School

Parents Outraged That Porn Star Sasha Grey Visited Elementary School

Would you be cool with a former porn star reading books to your elementary kiddos? Well, parents at a California elementary school are livid to [...]

Parents Outraged That Porn Star Sasha Grey Visited Elementary School Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/3XA8NO1ZVpk/

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Saturday 12 November 2011

New target identified to stop the spread of breast cancer

ScienceDaily (Nov. 10, 2011) ? A new potential target to slow breast cancer tumor progression and metastasis has been identified by a team of researchers led by Dr. Richard Kremer from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC). Complications in breast cancer patients are commonly caused by the spread of the disease through metastasis to other parts of the body, most often to the bones and lungs.

These findings, published this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI), suggest that a specific protein plays a key role in the progression of the disease outside of the initial tumor area.

Researchers showed that this particular target called parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), present at high levels in cancers, is involved in key stages of breast cancer initiation, progression and metastatic spread. "We are hoping for a significant effect on the prevention of breast cancer recurrence, growth and development by using a strategy to decrease the production of that particular protein," says Dr. Richard Kremer, co-director of the Musculoskeletal Axis of the RI-MUHC and a professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University.

To better understand the role of PTHrP in cancer development, researchers eliminated the production of the hormone from breast cells using a strategy called "conditional knockout" and then studied the progression of the tumor. "The results showed that without the presence of PTHrP in the breast, even before the tumor developed, a reduction of 80 to 90 per cent in the growth of the tumor was observed," explains Dr. Kremer. "The removal of this hormone in the breast and breast tumors block not only the growth of the tumors but also its spread to different organs."

In order to bring this strategy one step closer to the patient, Dr. Kremer and his team developed a monoclonal antibody against PTHrP -- a molecule that mimics the antibodies produced as part of the immune system's response to invaders, which is widely used in cancer treatment. Researchers were able to stop the growth of human breast tumors implanted in animal models and their metastatic spread, paving the way for clinical trials in the near future.

"This opens the door to treatment of patients with a more aggressive type of breast cancer who are not responsive to standard treatment," says Dr. Kremer. "I see a potential for better treatment of the disease and improvement in quality of life for a very significant number of patients."

Study Details

This study was made possible by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and from the US Department of Defense.

This paper was co-authored by Jiarong Li, Dao C. Huang, Xian Fang Yang (Department of Medicine, McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)/McGill University), Richard Kremer (Department of Medicine, McGill University/MUHC and Research Institute of the MUHC); Andrew C. Karaplis (Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital); Anne Camirand (Department of Medicine, McGill University/MUHC and Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital); William J. Muller, Peter M. Siegel (Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University).

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by McGill University Health Centre.

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Journal Reference:

  1. Jiarong Li, Andrew C. Karaplis, Dao C. Huang, Peter M. Siegel, Anne Camirand, Xian Fang Yang, William J. Muller, Richard Kremer. PTHrP drives breast tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis in mice and is a potential therapy target. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2011; DOI: 10.1172/JCI46134

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111110125959.htm

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Friday 11 November 2011

You can't spell 'alpine' without the Alps

Few places in the world are so uniquely symbolic that their name evolves into an adjective.

Yet, the Alps dominate our concept of mountain ranges and mountain culture to the point that the adjective ?Alpine? ? meaning Alps-like ? is used to describe mountain scenery, sports and experiences the world over.

Story: Where in the World is Matt? It's a 'cool' location ...

The Alps earned its reputation as the great mountain range of Western Europe, stretching through France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Slovenia. The name alone conjures thoughts of the Von Trapps, Heidi and Hannibal with his elephants. But more than these characters, it brings to mind scenery: immaculate mountain villages, clean air, azure lakes, dazzling snow-capped peaks and neon green pastures.

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Fortunately, all of these stereotypes hold true.

Tens of millions of visitors come to the Alps throughout the summer and winter to enjoy world-class skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking and mountaineering. But you need not be in search of outdoor adrenaline to visit the Alps. Many millions more come for the views, leisurely strolls, impeccable hospitality and to marvel at the engineering feats of high-altitude tunnels, railways and cable cars.

"Everyone can find their own sense of recreation in the Alps by practicing any sort of sports or just relaxing in a great atmosphere," said Josef Gruber, owner of Style and Sport, an events agency in Oberstdorf (on the border of the Austrian and German Alps). "The power of the surrounding mountains, in combination with breathtaking scenery and the provebial Gem?tlichkeit [roughly meaning "coziness" or "welcoming"], make the Alps a unique place ? and not just for mountaineers."

Video: Take a treacherous trek above the clouds (on this page)

Perhaps the most famous site in the Alps is the Jungfraujoch in Switzerland. This "saddle" between the M?nch and the Jungfrau peaks is known as the "Top of Europe" for its status as one of the continent?s most stunning viewpoints.

The Jungfraujoch can only be reached by the Jungfraubahn (train). Almost the entire 5.8 miles of this cog railway ascends a steep tunnel bored through the Eiger and M?nch mountains. Passengers are able to disembark at two points along the tunnel to admire the mountain scenery through huge panoramic windows carved into the mountainside.

Video: Take a ride on ?railway to heaven? (on this page)

At over 11,000 feet, the Jungfraubahn?s terminus at the Jungfraujoch is the highest rail station in Europe. A final elevator carries visitors up to the viewing platform. Beyond the bird's-eye view of the Alps, there are other activities, including gigantic ice caves, skiing and dogsledding.

Video: How to survive in a?snow cave (on this page)

"From the top, I've actually waved to people flying by in private planes ? below me," said Dave Fox, frequent Alps guide for Globejotting.com. "And when you gulp in the chilly air, it's like deep-cleaning your lungs."

While the Jungfraujoch may be known as the Top of Europe, the actual highest point in the Alps is Mont Blanc at 15,782 feet on the French and Italian border. The closest towns to Mont Blanc are Courmayeur on the Italian side and Chamonix in France. Chamonix also happens to be the birthplace of Alpine (downhill) skiing.

"Anyone who considers themselves to be a serious skier or snowboarder should check out Chamonix, at least once in their lives, because its combination of vertical drop and insanely beautiful scenery delivers a heady mix," said Dan Milner, a mountain and skiing photographer based out of Chamonix.

Unlike regular ski resorts with ski patrol, roped-off boundaries and a skiers? code of conduct, Chamonix?s cable car simply drops skiers off at the 12,605-foot peak of Aiguille du Midi from where they are on their own to pick their way down ? however they like.

"The emphasis on self-reliance and responsibility means free access to some of the world's most majestic glacial terrain and is guaranteed to bring even the most jaded black-diamond skier to a halt, just to stand and gawp," Milner added.

Video: From Switzerland with love! You can be Bond (on this page)

In the summer months, it is possible to cross Mont Blanc by cable car into Italy or start from Entr?ves in Italy?s Aosta Valley and arrive in Chamonix.You get all of the high-Alpine views and can experience it in your street shoes.

One of Europe?s most popular hiking trails, the Tour du Mont Blanc (known as the TMB), is right down the road. The trail circles Mont Blanc and covers a distance of roughly 105 miles through France, Italy and Switzerland.

You can break it up into smaller pieces or do the full seven to 10 days from numerous starting points in any of the three countries. There are quality accommodations and restaurants along the entire route, and there are trails to suit any level of hiker (or day hiker).

No matter your taste for outdoor adventure, the picture-perfect villages and distinctive mountain culture of the Alps are sure to impress. Even tiny hamlets, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, have hundreds of years of history and boast local charms such as traditional village liquors brewed by monks and unique seasonal festivals. And, of course, every village seems to have better fondue and more Gem?tlichkeit than the next.

If you go: When visiting the Jungfraujoch

The town of Interlaken, which is the rail departure point to the Jungfraujoch, has the greatest variety of quality accommodations. The regal Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa is a worthwhile splurge.
H?heweg 41, CH-3800 Interlaken, Switzerland, +41 (0)33 828 28 28, reservation@victoria-jungfrau.ch

The Schiltorn? is another spectacular peak with a viewpoint near the Jungfraujoch. It is accessed by cable car and has the revolving Piz Gloria restaurant at the top providing lunch, great views and a dose of kitsch as it was the bad guy?s hideout in the 1969 James Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service."
Schilthorn Cableway, H?heweg 2, CH-3800 Interlaken, Switzerland, +41 33 82 60 007, info@schilthorn.ch

A Eurail Pass will let you explore a number of countries that are home to the Alps and get you to Interlaken from Zurich or Geneva (make sure to buy a pass that is valid in Switzerland, as special rules apply).

A Eurail pass will also get discounts for both adults and children for roundtrip tickets from Interlaken to Kleine Scheidegg and on to Jungfraujoch. Check with Eurail for current rates.

Thomas Kohnstamm is author of "Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?" Learn more about him on his website.

? 2011 MSNBC Interactive.? Reprints

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45195126/ns/today-travel/

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Thursday 27 October 2011

Twelve South BassJump 2 USB Subwoofer now available, further bumps your Mac's thump (update)

At a glance, one could confuse Twelve South's BassJump 2 for a 2011 Mac Mini -- don't be fooled though, this USB subwoofer aims for sound that's anything but. Much like the original BassJump, this guy's aimed at aiding MacBook speakers by adding extra low end boost, and employing proprietary software to keep it in all in check. Improving on the original, however, the BassJump 2 pumps out eight extra decibels of volume and comes with "remastered software," notably featuring iMac and Thunderbolt Display support. If it piques your fancy, the BassJump 2 is now available for about $70 -- much like a pair of utilitarian Grado headphones (or similar), but we digress. Full press release past the break.

Update: For clarification, the BassJump 2 is physically identical the first. According to Twelve South, its updated software is the key new feature and can be downloaded for free if you already own a BassJump.

[Thanks, Brendan]

Continue reading Twelve South BassJump 2 USB Subwoofer now available, further bumps your Mac's thump (update)

Twelve South BassJump 2 USB Subwoofer now available, further bumps your Mac's thump (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/26/twelve-south-bassjump-2-usb-subwoofer-now-available-further-bum/

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Monday 24 October 2011

Newton ties rookie QB mark with 7th rushing TD

updated 3:36 p.m. ET Oct. 23, 2011

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton ran for his seventh touchdown Sunday, tying a record for most rushing scores by a rookie quarterback since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.

Newton blew past two Redskins defenders on a 16-yard keeper on the Panthers' first drive of the second half. That tied him with Vince Young, who set the mark with Tennessee in 2006.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45007532/ns/sports/

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Sunday 23 October 2011

Bachmann brushes off idea she's given up on NH (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann is brushing off the idea that her campaign is all but giving up on winning the New Hampshire primary.

The Associated Press reported last week that an exodus in New Hampshire cost Bachmann her staff in the first-in-the-nation primary state.

The Minnesota congresswoman tells "Fox News Sunday" that she's replacing the New Hampshire staff and is focused on Iowa because its caucuses are scheduled Jan. 3, before the New Hampshire primary.

Bachmann has spent little time campaigning in New Hampshire, where her message as a social conservative has less appeal than in Iowa or in South Carolina, another state with an early primary.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111023/ap_on_el_ge/us_bachmann

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Saturday 22 October 2011

Role Of Service Consultant In Automotive Industry | China ...

Role Of Service Consultant In Automotive Industry

The automotive industry has undergone tremendous changes and development in the 20th century and so far there is no stopping to it. Since the rolling out of the first car, the reports a steep rise in sales, as more and more cars are being produced. In recent times, with so much economic liberalization, attractive finance schemes and tax benefit laws and with increase in the income of the local people, car sales have been hitting new highs. However, with changing times, the mentality of people has changed and today services provided by car manufacturers play a crucial role, apart from car designs and models.

As more companies jump into the automotive sector, buyers have more freedom of choice to select the best of the lot. Unlike earlier times, buyers today pay more attention towards the services provided by the car producers. And with a variety of media around, buyers research and gather more information, before they step into any car dealerships. Hence, with so much of emphasis given on service, the role of the is vital to every car company in the market.

Not only does the coordinate and supervise the duties performed by the service staff, he looks after all the operations carried out by the service department. He has to make sure that all the employees working under him are adhering to company policies and other applicable standards and laws. Because the deals with customers and the service department, he has to be calculative about keeping both, the customer and his staff happy. Also, he does need to have a decent knowledge about mechanics of automobiles, and a pleasing personality to maintain customer satisfaction ratio.

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Those employed in the have to ensure customer retention by not only providing repair and maintenance service but also by communicating and understanding customer?s priorities. He has to analyze and identify market reports, and have a good understanding of current trends making waves in the automotive sector. With so many things in one platter, it goes without saying that the requires leadership qualities, management know-how, counseling skills, apart from the customer service parameters.

At times, it becomes an arduous task for the to cope up with so many responsibilities and duties, which is time when he needs a , who will help him to get out of his overloaded work schedule. The main purpose of the is to counsel service managers, who are buried under the work load which comes with their job profile. help on how they can perform their duties in an organized way, which will not only bring down their stress level, but also pump out more productivity.

Service consultants also provide insight to those in the or on how to calculate the productivity of other employees, and educate them with work practices to enhance their customer service skills. Service consultants take as part of themodule and set standards to make sure employees always have a positive approach towards their work and are updated with skills and knowledge so that they can provide a better experience to their customers.

Source: ArticlesBase.com

Source: http://www.nikkeibp-chinese.com/259/role-of-service-consultant-in-automotive-industry

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Nestle cautions on margins as it raises sales goal (Reuters)

PARIS (Reuters) ? The world's biggest food group Nestle said weakening consumer sentiment in developed markets would make it harder to improve margins as it raised its sales growth outlook for 2011 after beating forecasts for the first nine months.

The Swiss company said price hikes and strong demand in emerging markets allowed it, like other big European food groups, to make up for weakening consumer sentiment in the mature markets of Western Europe and the United States.

The maker of KitKat chocolate bars and Nespresso coffee capsules softened its optimism about margins, however, saying it was looking for an increase this year following a more confident tone at its half-year results in August

"For the year as a whole, in spite of input cost pressures, we expect to slightly over-perform against our long-term organic growth range of 5-6 percent and continue to strive for a margin improvement in constant currencies," Chief Executive Paul Bulcke said in a statement on Thursday.

Underlying sales at the owner of brands such as Perrier, Maggi, Carnation and Nescafe rose 7.3 percent, down from 7.5 percent in the first half, but beating forecasts for a 7.1 percent rise in a Reuters poll.

"Very solid set of figures with a clear beat of consensus at the organic growth and raises its guidance," Kepler Capital Markets analyst Jon Cox said. He noted Nestle had tweaked its margin outlook comment to say it is "striving" for an increase in constant currencies. "That may raise some eyebrows."

Asked about this change in wording, Nestle Investor Relations head Roddy Child-Villiers said: "Consumer sentiment has turned down in Europe and the United States. So if we say 'striving', we're just taking into account the tougher environment."

"We're still committed to the Nestle model and working to achieve a margin improvement," he told a conference call.

Nestle shares fell 1 percent to 51.05 francs by 0805 GMT, in line with the STOXX 600 Europe food & beverages index.

GLOOMY CONSUMERS

Nestle achieved volume growth of 4.1 percent and raised prices by 3.2 percent between January and September. It said in a presentation the underlying sales growth contribution was more weighted to pricing as the year progressed.

Child-Villiers confirmed this year's input costs would increase at the upper end of a 2.5-3 billion francs range.

Emerging markets remained the growth driver with 13.1 percent underlying sales growth and Child-Villiers said there was no sign of a slowdown in these markets, including China.

Nestle spoke, however, of a challenging environment in developed markets which only grew 4.0 percent.

Vontobel's Jean-Philippe Bertschy noted a slowdown in Europe in the third quarter to 3.4 percent underlying sales growth from 7.7 percent in the second quarter.

"Water was particularly hit due to unfavorable weather in Europe with a flat volume growth in the third quarter."

Overall sales in Swiss francs fell 15.1 percent, severely impacted by the franc's strength versus other currencies, to 60.9 billion Swiss francs, short of the 61.9 billion franc forecast in the Reuters poll.

Nestle shares, which have lost about 6 percent so far this year, compared with a 3.6 percent drop in the sector index, trade at about 15.9 times estimated 2012 earnings, at a premium to Danone on 14.4 and Unilever on 14.1.

($1 = 0.899 Swiss Francs)

(Editing by David Cowell, Hans-Juergen Peters and David Jones)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111020/bs_nm/us_nestle

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