wyndham paramour: October 2013

Friday, October 25, 2013

Facebook Is Lifting Its Ban on Decapitation Videos (Updated)

Don't even think about posting cartoon nipples on Facebook. Decapitations, however? Go right ahead. Six months after establishing a ban on blatant, gruesome beheadings, Facebook has decided to (once again) keep videos of decapitations available to the masses.

Don't put all your faith in smart cards

Many companies react to APT (advanced persistent threat) attacks by implementing smart cards and/or other two-factor authentication mechanisms. Unfortunately, these schemes do nothing to stop APT. In fact, in my experience as a consultant, every organization that tried closing the barn door in this manner was successfully attacked again, despite putting two-factor authentication in place.

If they'd only talked to me first, I could have saved them a lot of time and money.

[ InfoWorld presents the Bossies 2013, the best open source software for security, data centers, clouds, and more. | Keep up with key security issues with InfoWorld's Security Central newsletter. ]

What makes smart cards so special?
A smart card is a piece of specialized cryptographic hardware that contains its own CPU, memory, and operating system. Smart cards are especially good at protecting cryptographic secrets, like private keys and digital certificates.

Smart cards may look like credit cards without the stripe, but they're far more secure. They store their secrets until the right interfacing software accesses them in a predetermined manner, and the correct second factor PIN is provided. Smart cards often hold users' personal digital certificates, which prove a user's identity to an authentication requestor. Even better, smart cards rarely hand over the user's private key. Instead, they provide the requesting authenticator "proof" that they have the correct private key.

After a company is subjected to a pass-the-hash attack, it often responds by jettisoning weak or easy password hashes. On many occasions, smart cards are the recommended solution, and everyone jumps on board. Because digital certificates aren't hashes, most people think they've found the answer.

Why smart cards aren't infallible
Smart cards may not use hashes as authenticators alone, but behind the scenes, a password hash representation is almost always involved. This is true in most Microsoft Windows systems where smart cards are accepted. That password hash can be stolen -- which means a smart card user's identity can be lifted and reused.

This surprises people. I don't blame them -- much of the world, including self-appointed experts, get it wrong all the time. For example, a few weeks ago a new client (and now friend) of mine texted me that a presenter at a well-known Chicago security conference was telling attendees to use smart cards because they don't need hashes to defeat APT. I wish I could have debated the presenter in person.

It's not that smart cards fail to reduce risk or add security to an environment. They do -- but not as much as most people think. For one thing, a very small percentage of successful attacks care about authentication. If you add up all the attacks that involve bypassing authentication (password guessing, cracking, MitM attacks, replay attacks, and so on) as the initial compromise, they probably amount to less than 1 percent of total breaches.

Most successful attacks happen because of unpatched software or because the user is tricked into running something they shouldn't. Smart cards won't help there at all. In the majority of effective attack scenarios, the bad guy gains access to the user's computer and can then authenticate as the user as if they had the smart card. Smart cards prevent access by fraudsters during the user's legitimate logon session, but after that (when most attacks happen), it's game over. Thanks for playing.

Once the smart card user's computer is compromised, it is highly possible for bad guys to steal the user's credentials and do whatever they want with them. This can be accomplished a number of ways, including by manipulating the card's client software (known as a cryptographic service provider in Windows), copying the digital certificate out of the local cache (if present), and keylogging the user's PIN (if requested).

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/dont-put-all-your-faith-in-smart-cards-229236?source=rss_infoworld_blogs
Category: Healthcare.gov Lucas Cruikshank Amanda Dufner meteor shower tonight david ortiz

Petrochemical plant shutdown averted in Britain

LONDON (AP) — A Scottish petrochemical plant threatened with closure will stay open after unions agreed to a survival plan.

The Grangemouth plant's owners threatened to shut the facility after unions initially balked at the terms.

The plant and adjoining oil refinery have been shut for a week because of the dispute.

With 800 jobs at stake, union leaders changed course Friday, agreeing to a pay freeze and pension changes.

Workers cheered as the announcement was made. Reliability manager John Convery says the last couple of days have been "hellish" for workers and the surrounding community.

He said workers and their families "have been staring into the abyss."

Plant owner Ineos said it was losing 10 million pounds ($16 million) a month. It says it will invest 300 million pounds in the facility.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/petrochemical-plant-shutdown-averted-britain-122416664--finance.html
Related Topics: TLC Movie Maria de Villota dexter CJ Spiller Lincoln Memorial

NIH funds development of novel robots to assist people with disabilities, aid doctors

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

24-Oct-2013

[

| E-mail

]

Contact: Margot Kern
NIBIBPress@mail.nih.gov
301-496-3500
NIH/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging & Bioengineering

Robots enhance mobility for visually and physically impaired, improve treatment for atrial fibrillation

Three projects have been awarded funding by the National Institutes of Health to develop innovative robots that work cooperatively with people and adapt to changing environments to improve human capabilities and enhance medical procedures. Funding for these projects totals approximately $2.4 million over the next five years, subject to the availability of funds.

The awards mark the second year of NIH's participation in the National Robotics Initiative (NRI), a commitment among multiple federal agencies to support the development of a new generation of robots that work cooperatively with people, known as co-robots.

"These projects have the potential to transform common medical aids into sophisticated robotic devices that enhance mobility for individuals with visual and physical impairments in ways only dreamed of before," said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. "In addition, as we continue to rely on robots to carry out complex medical procedures, it will become increasingly important for these robots to be able to sense and react to changing and unpredictable environments within the body. By supporting projects that develop these capabilities, we hope to increase the accuracy and safety of current and future medical robots."

NIH is participating in the NRI with the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. NIH has funded three projects to help develop co-robots that can assist researchers, patients, and clinicians.

A Co-Robotic Navigation Aid for the Visually Impaired: The goal is to develop a co-robotic cane for the visually impaired that has enhanced navigation capabilities and that can relay critical information about the environment to its user. Using computer vision, the proposed cane will be able to recognize indoor structures such as stairways and doors, as well as detect potential obstacles. Using an intuitive human-device interaction mechanism, the cane will then convey the appropriate travel direction to the user. In addition to increasing mobility for the visually impaired and thus quality of life, methods developed in the creation of this technology could lead to general improvements in the autonomy of small robots and portable robotics that have many applications in military surveillance, law enforcement, and search and rescue efforts. Cang Ye, Ph.D., University of Arkansas at Little Rock (co-funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering and the National Eye Institute)

MRI-Guided Co-Robotic Active Catheter: Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat that can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. By purposefully ablating (destroying) specific areas of the heart in a controlled fashion, the propagation of irregular heart activity can be prevented. This is generally achieved by threading a catheter with an electrode at its tip through a vein in the groin until it reaches the patient's heart. However, the constant movement of the heart as well as unpredictable changes in blood flow can make it difficult to maintain consistent contact with the heart during the ablation procedure, occasionally resulting in too large or too small of a lesion. The aim is to develop a co-robotic catheter that uses novel robotic planning strategies to compensate for physiological movements of the heart and blood and that can be used while a patient undergoes MRIan imaging method used to take pictures of soft tissues in the body such as the heart. By combining state-of-the art robotics with high-resolution, real-time imaging, the co-robotic catheter could significantly increase the accuracy and repeatability of atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. M. Cenk Cavusoglu, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland (funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering)

Novel Platform for Rapid Exploration of Robotic Ankle Exoskeleton Control: Wearable robots, such as powered braces for the lower extremities, can improve mobility for individuals with impaired strength and coordination due to aging, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, or stroke. However, methods for determining the optimal design of an assistive device for use within a specific patient population are lacking. This project proposes to create an experimental platform for an assistive ankle robot to be used in patients recovering from stroke. The platform will allow investigators to systematically test various robotic control methods and to compare them based on measurable physiological outcomes. Results from these tests will provide evidence for making more effective, less expensive, and more manageable assistive technologies. Stephen G. Sawicki, Ph.D., North Carolina State University, Raleigh; Steven Collins, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh (co-funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research and the National Science Foundation)

These projects are supported by the grants EB018117-01; EB018108-01; NR014756-01; from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), the National Eye Institute (NEI), and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and by award #1355716 from the National Science Foundation.

For details about projects funded by NSF, please see the announcement, National Robotics Initiative invests $38 million in next-generation robotics.

A program announcement, soliciting for NRI applications for fiscal year 2014, has recently been published: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2014/nsf14500/nsf14500.htm. In 2014, the participating NIH institutes are interested in targeting this solicitation to support the development of assistive robotic technology to achieve functional independence in humans; improve quality of life; assist with behavioral therapy and personalized care; and promote wellness/health.

###

About the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB): NIBIB's mission is to support multidisciplinary research and research training at the crossroads of engineering and the biological and physical sciences. NIBIB supports emerging technology research and development within its internal laboratories and through grants, collaborations, and training. More information is available at the NIBIB website: http://www.nibib.nih.gov.

About the National Eye Institute (NEI): NEI leads the federal government's research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs that result in the development of sight-saving treatments. For more information, visit http://www.nei.nih.gov

About the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR): NINR supports basic and clinical research that develops the knowledge to build the scientific foundation for clinical practice, prevent disease and disability, manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness, and enhance end-of-life and palliative care. For more information about NINR, visit the website at http://www.ninr.nih.gov

About the National Science Foundation (NSF): The NSF is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, its budget was $7.0 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly. http://www.nsf.gov

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): The NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

[

| E-mail

Share

]

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

NIH funds development of novel robots to assist people with disabilities, aid doctors

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

24-Oct-2013

[

| E-mail

]

Contact: Margot Kern
NIBIBPress@mail.nih.gov
301-496-3500
NIH/National Institute of Biomedical Imaging & Bioengineering

Robots enhance mobility for visually and physically impaired, improve treatment for atrial fibrillation

For details about projects funded by NSF, please see the announcement, National Robotics Initiative invests $38 million in next-generation robotics.

###

[

| E-mail

Share

]

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/niob-nfd102413.php
Related Topics: Jacoby Jones alexander skarsgard megyn kelly bachelorette the bachelorette

Obamacare Contractors Head To Capitol Hill For House Hearing

House lawmakers got their first chance to grill government contractors Thursday about the botched rollout of the health insurance website under the Affordable Care Act. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle wanted to know what went wrong and why. For the most part, the contractors pointed fingers back at the federal government.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block.

On Capitol Hill, it was a day of tough questions and finger-pointing. Lawmakers got their first chance to grill government contractors over the botched rollout of the new government health insurance website. It was the first in a series of hearings. And as NPR's Ailsa Chang reports, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle directed their anger at the contractors and at each other.

AILSA CHANG, BYLINE: If you took each of the contractors' word for it, what doomed the launch of the federal health care exchanges wasn't any of them individually. Each was feverishly prepping and testing its own portion of the project, but in near isolation until the last moment. And that was the problem. After more than three weeks of watching delays and crashes on the website, Republican Mike Burgess of Texas asked if there might be someone higher up to blame.

REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL BURGESS: It seems like we've got several fingers but no palm here. Was there anyone involved in sort of overseeing the entire - the entirety of this to make sure it worked from A to Z?

CHANG: The answer he got over and over? The federal government - or to be exact, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, otherwise known as CMS. On the hot seat today were four companies that contracted with CMS. CGI Federal was the main contractor. And Democrat Anna Eshoo told its representative, Cheryl Campbell, don't even try to escape blame for the website's logjams. Eshoo said, in Silicon Valley where she's from, that's usually not a problem.

REPRESENTATIVE ANNA ESHOO: There are thousands of websites that carry far more traffic, so I think that's really kind of a lame excuse. Amazon and eBay don't crash the week before Christmas, and ProFlowers doesn't crash on Valentines Day.

CHANG: But lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee weren't singularly focused on the quality of the technology. At one point, Republican Joe Barton of Texas wanted to talk about privacy. He interrogated Campbell about a warning on the website that visitors might have to disclose more information than they were used to on other medical forms. At that moment, Democrat Frank Pallone of New Jersey jumped in.

So once again, here we have my Republican colleagues trying to scare everybody, hoping...

REPRESENTATIVE JOE BARTON: Will the gentleman yield...

REPRESENTATIVE: No, I will not yield to this monkey court or whatever this thing is.

BARTON: This is not a monkey court.

, DEMOCRAT, NEW JERSEY: Do whatever you want. I'm not yielding.

CHANG: Monkey court or not, this panel wanted to get to the bottom of why a massive government project spread out over 55 contractors and five government agencies didn't start testing the fully integrated product until two weeks before the October 1st launch date, even though the companies said they should have gotten months.

REPRESENTATIVE FRED UPTON: Did any of you come forth to the administration and said, this thing may not be ready on October 1st, we might want a delay until we can get it right? Any hands up? No.

CHANG: Republican Fred Upton, who chairs the committee, asked CGI's Campbell, did you know about any problems and just decided not to tell the government?

CHERYL CAMPBELL: It was not our decision to go live.

UPTON: It was not your decision to go live?

CAMPBELL: It was not our - it was CMS' decision. It was not our decision one way or the other.

UPTON: Did you ever recommend to CMS that perhaps they weren't ready and they might want to delay the date?

CAMPBELL: It was not our position to do so.

CHANG: Other contractors, like Optum, said they did try to say something to the government about needing more time to test the product. Committee members asked Optum's Andrew Slavitt if administration officials responded with any concern.

ANDREW SLAVITT: We never - I never got a depiction from them. But we did fully talk about the risks that we saw and we passed those along, all along the way.

CHANG: And Slavitt noted another reason the website jammed up in the beginning was because the government made too many last-minute changes.

Ailsa Chang, NPR News, the Capitol.

Copyright © 2013 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=240559699&ft=1&f=1014
Category: Robocop Whitey Bulger raven symone

With Red Sox in World Series, TV ratings rebound

IN this image taken with a fisheye lens, Boston Red Sox players take batting practice as a rainbow appears in the sky above Fenway Park Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2013, in Boston. The Red Sox are scheduled to host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of baseball's World Series on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Players line up for the national anthem before Game 1 of baseball's World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, at Fenway Park in Boston. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

BOSTON (AP) — With the Boston Red Sox back in the World Series, television ratings jumped for the opener.

Boston's 8-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals drew an 8.6 national rating, a 14 share and 14.4 million viewers, Nielsen Media Research said Thursday.

The rating was up 13 percent from the 7.6/12 for San Francisco's 8-3 victory over Detroit last year, which was a record low for a World Series opener. Wednesday night's game was seen by 14.4 million viewers, an 18 percent increase from 12.2 million last year and the most-watched Series opener since the Giants' 11-7 win over Texas in 2010 was seen by 15 million.

Wednesday's game peaked with 16.9 million viewers during the second inning, when the Red Sox scored twice and took a 5-0 lead.

The rating is the percentage of television households tuned to a program, and the share is the percentage tuned to a broadcast among the TV households with sets on at the time.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-10-24-World%20Series%20Ratings/id-e25148f047da40729bf65be626c5bc7a
Category: pittsburgh pirates atlanta falcons Miriam Carey Dancing With the Stars 2013 wes welker

Thursday, October 24, 2013

More victims of online abuse reach out to parents

Sarah Ball, a victim of cyber bullying during her high school years, sits for a portrait at her home on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, in Spring Hill, Fla. Ball, now a student at a nearby community college, maintains a Facebook site called "Hernando Unbreakable", an anti-bullying page and mentors local kids identified by the schools as victims of cyberbullying. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

Sarah Ball, a victim of cyber bullying during her high school years, poses for a portrait at her home on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013, in Spring Hill, Fla. Ball, now a student at a nearby community college, maintains a Facebook site called "Hernando Unbreakable", an anti-bullying page and mentors local kids identified by the schools as victims of cyberbullying. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sarah Ball was a 15-year-old high school sophomore at Hernando High School in Brooksville, Fla., when a friend posted on Facebook: "I hate Sarah Ball, and I don't care who knows."

Then there was the Facebook group "Hernando Haters" asking to rate her attractiveness, plus an anonymous email calling her a "waste of space." And this text arrived on her 16th birthday: "Wow, you're still alive? Impressive. Well happy birthday anyway."

It wasn't until Sarah's mom, who had access to her daughter's online passwords, saw the messages that the girl told her everything.

More young people are reaching out to family members after being harassed or taunted online, and it's helping. A poll released Thursday by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and MTV found incidents of "digital abuse" are still prevalent but declining somewhat. It found a growing awareness among teenagers and young adults about harm from online meanness and cyberbullying, as well as a slight increase among those willing to tell a parent or sibling.

"It was actually quite embarrassing, to be honest," remembers Ball, now an 18-year-old college freshman. But "really, truly, if it wasn't for my parents, I don't think I'd be where I'm at today."

The survey's findings come a week after two Florida girls, ages 12 and 14, were arrested on felony charges for allegedly bullying online a 12-year-old girl who later killed herself by jumping off a tower at an abandoned concrete plant.

The AP-NORC/MTV poll found that some 49 percent of young people ages 14 through 24 in the U.S. said they have had at least one brush with some kind of electronic harassment, down from about 56 percent in 2011. Of those who have encountered an incident, 34 percent went to a parent, compared with 27 percent just two years ago. And 18 percent — up from 12 percent in 2011 — asked a brother or sister for help.

"I feel like we're making progress," said Sameer Hinduja, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center and professor at Florida Atlantic University. "People should be encouraged."

When asked what helped, 72 percent of those encountering digital abuse responded that they changed their email address, screen name or cell number and it helped, while 66 percent who talked to a parent said it helped too. Less than one-third of respondents who retaliated found that helpful, while just as many said it had no effect, and 20 percent said getting revenge actually made the problem worse.

Girls were more likely than boys to be the targets of online meanness — but they also were more likely to talk to reach out for help.

The poll also indicated that young people are becoming more aware of the impact of cyberbullying. Some 72 percent, up from 65 percent in 2011, said online abuse was a problem that society should address. Those who think it should be accepted as a part of life declined from 33 percent to 24 percent.

Hinduja credits school programs that are making it "cool to care" about others and increased awareness among adults who can help teens talk through their options, such as deactivating an account or going to school administrators for help in removing hurtful postings.

That was the case for Ball, whose parents encouraged her to fight back by speaking up. "They said this is my ticket to helping other people," she said.

With their help, Ball sent copies of the abusive emails, texts and Facebook pages to school authorities, news outlets and politicians, and organized an anti-bullying rally. She still maintains a Facebook site called "Hernando Unbreakable," and she mentors local kids identified by the schools as victims of cyberbullying.

She said she thinks if other teens are reaching out more for help, it's as a last resort because so many kids fear making it worse. That was one reason Jennifer Tinsley, 20, said she didn't tell her parents in the eighth grade when another student used Facebook to threaten to stab and beat her.

"I didn't want them to worry about me," Tinsley, now a college student in Fort Wayne, Ind., said of her family. "There was a lot of stress at that time. ... And I just didn't want the extra attention."

According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, every state but Montana has enacted anti-bullying laws, many of which address cyberbullying specifically. Most state laws are focused on allowing school districts to punish offenders. In Florida, for example, the state Legislature this year passed a provision allowing schools to discipline students harassing others off campus.

In Florida's recent cyberbullying case, the police took the unusual step of charging the two teen girls with third-degree felony aggravated stalking. Even if convicted, however, the girls were not expected to spend time in juvenile detention because they didn't have criminal histories.

The AP-NORC Center/MTV poll was conducted online Sept. 27 through Oct. 7 among a random national sample of 1,297 people between the ages of 14 and 24. Results for the full sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. Funding for the study was provided by MTV as part of its campaign to stop digital abuse, "A Thin Line."

The survey was conducted by the GfK Group using KnowledgePanel, a probability-based online panel. Respondents were recruited randomly using traditional telephone and mail sampling methods. People selected who had no Internet access were given it for free.

___

AP Director of Polling Jennifer Agiesta and AP News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.

___

Follow Anne Flaherty on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AnneKFlaherty

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-10-24-Poll-Online%20Bullying/id-4127f7d92633479790f6a36174bca0ef
Tags: miguel cotto chrissy teigen Whodunnit phoebe cates

Higher profits from Ford, others drive stocks up

NEW YORK (AP) — Another dose of strong corporate earnings, this time from Ford, Southwest Airlines and others, helped push the stock market higher on Thursday.

It's one of the busiest weeks on Wall Street for companies posting their quarterly results. Roughly a third of the Standard & Poor's 500 index will report earnings, including some of the world's best-known companies.

For investors, this week has also been a welcome return to business as usual. Wall Street has been focused for weeks on what's going on in Washington, with the government shutdown, the near-breach of the nation's borrowing limit and questions about what's next for the Federal Reserve's massive bond-buying program.

So far, corporate earnings have come in pretty much as most money managers expected. Companies are reporting bigger profits, but most of the growth has come from cost-cutting, a trend that hasn't changed very much since the financial crisis.

"We're in a slow-growth economy and companies need to do everything to boost earnings," said Brian Reynolds, chief market strategist at Rosenblatt Securities.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 95.88 points, or 0.6 percent, to 15,509.21. The S&P 500 index added 5.69 points, or 0.3 percent, to 1,752.07, about two points below the record high of 1,754.67 it reached on Tuesday.

The Nasdaq composite was up 21.89 points, or 0.6 percent, to 3,928.96.

Among companies reporting earnings, Ford earned an adjusted profit of 45 cents per share — a record for the third quarter — as sales rose 12 percent to $36 billion. The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker sold 1.5 million cars and trucks in the period, up 16 percent. Wall Street analysts had expected Ford to earn 37 cents per share, according to FactSet. Ford rose 24 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $17.76.

Southwest Airlines, the nation's largest domestic air carrier, reported sharply higher earnings. Southwest said it had an adjusted profit of 34 cents per share, up from 13 cents a year ago. Southwest rose 61 cents, or 4 percent, to $17.02.

AT&T fell 65 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $34.63. The telecommunications company said late Wednesday it had an adjusted profit of 66 cents in the third quarter, a penny above analysts' forecasts, however revenue fell slightly short of what analysts expected.

Two technology giants, Microsoft and Amazon, reported results after the stock market closed Thursday. Both beat analysts' expectations. Amazon rose 5 percent and Microsoft jumped 6.5 percent in after-market trading.

Wall Street also had some positive news out of China. A Chinese manufacturing index rose to a seven-month high in October, suggesting continued momentum for the rebound in the world's second-biggest economy.

With the S&P 500 trading near a record high and corporations finding it difficult to increase their sales, several market watchers have said they aren't sure how much further stocks can go from here.

There are signs that stocks are getting expensive. Investors are currently paying more than $16 for every $1 of earnings in the S&P 500, up from $14 at the beginning of the year.

"We're at this stage where we need to start to see the fundamentals improve," said Quincy Krosby, a market strategist with Prudential Financial.

In other corporate news:

— Visa rose $4.02, or 2 percent, to $202.91. The payment processing company raised its quarterly dividend by 21 percent to 40 cents per share.

— Xerox plunged $1.12, or 10 percent, to $9.61 after the company cut its full-year outlook and missed analysts' estimates.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/higher-profits-ford-others-drive-stocks-192757054--finance.html
Tags: Presidents Cup Streaker Dumb and Dumber 2 iTunes Sloane Stephens olinguito

Democrats want 'Obamacare' deadlines moved back

WASHINGTON (AP) — After uniting against Republican efforts earlier this month to delay President Barack Obama's health care law, a growing number Democrats in Congress now want to extend the enrollment deadline, and one senator wants to delay the penalty for not complying.

Six Senate Democrats up for re-election next year have proposed delaying the new March 31 deadline for applying for coverage while the program's problems are ironed out. A seventh, West Virginia's Joe Manchin, is co-authoring a bill to postpone the $95 penalty for people who fail to meet the deadline for acquiring insurance.

While their proposals are short on details, all argue that it's not fair to hold millions of Americans accountable for buying insurance when the primary instrument for enrollment — the HealthCare.gov website — has prevented many people from doing it.

Even the law's biggest boosters are aggravated that enrollment process for the national health care law they had hoped to tout on the 2014 campaign trail has gotten off to such a bad start.

"If we want this law to work, we've got to make it right, we've got to fix it," Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., one of the law's leading authors, said at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing Thursday on the sign-up problems.

Contractors for the health insurance website told the committee the government failed to thoroughly test the complex enrollment system before its Oct. 1 launch. The system crashed as soon as consumers tried to use it. A web of confusing deadlines and penalties for not obtaining health insurance persists.

As Democrats began to fret about the political consequences ahead of the 2014 midterm elections, the administration late Wednesday said it was granting what amounts to a six-week filing extension. The March 31 deadline for having insurance became the new deadline for applying for it.

But that's not enough for a growing number of Senate Democrats.

Manchin is teaming with Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., on a bill that would waive for one year the $95 penalty for not enrolling in the program.

"It should be a transition year. For one year, there should be no fines," Manchin said Wednesday on Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor."

The six Senate Democrats seeking re-election next year urged the Obama administration to postpone the March 31 deadline.

"As you continue to fix problems with the website and the enrollment process, it is critical that the administration be open to modifications that provide greater flexibility for the American people seeking to access health insurance," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., wrote to Obama on Tuesday. Extending the open enrollment period and clarifying other parts of the law, she added, "would be a great start."

Also supporting Shaheen's effort are Democratic Sens. Tom Udall of New Mexico, Mark Begich of Alaska, Mark Udall of Colorado, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Kay Hagan of North Carolina, aides to the lawmakers said.

"I am asking the administration to extend the open enrollment period by two months, and waive the penalty for the individual mandate for the same period of time, to make up for time that is being lost while the website for the federal exchange is not functioning," Hagan said Thursday.

All of the Senate Democrats earlier this month joined in rejecting legislation passed by the House to delay for a year the law's requirement that people buy health insurance as well as the tax subsidies for helping them do it, as a condition for ending the partial government shutdown.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-10-24-US-Health-Overhaul-Democrats/id-8b3143cc38d24529badadd2c23c5ac0b
Similar Articles: nfl scores the league elvis presley brian wilson Tim Hudson

Study: High-dose flu shot better protects seniors

ATLANTA (AP) — A new high-dose flu vaccine for seniors works better than the standard shot in that age group, according to a long-awaited study by the vaccine's manufacturer.

Experts say regular flu shots tend to be only about 30 to 40 percent effective in people 65 and older, who generally have weaker immune systems. Sanofi Pasteur's Fluzone High-Dose vaccine boosted that to 50 percent.

"I wouldn't call it great" said Dr. Edward Belongia of the Wisconsin-based Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, a flu vaccine researcher who was not involved in the Sanofi study.

But any improvement is welcome, and the results could mean fewer illnesses — and, hopefully, hospitalizations and deaths — in seniors, he said.

For other ages, effectiveness can run 60 percent or higher for the regular vaccine.

The Food and Drug Administration licensed the higher-dose Sanofi vaccine in late 2009, based on a study that showed it led to higher levels of flu-fighting antibodies in seniors a month after vaccination. The new study is the first to measure how much protection it actually provides against the flu.

The study involved 32,000 seniors in the U.S. and Canada during the last two flu seasons. Half got a regular flu shot and half got the high-dose version. Researchers called the participants to see if they had flu symptoms or were hospitalized; tests to confirm the flu were done in more than half of the people reporting symptoms.

The high-dose shot was 24 percent more effective than the regular shot at preventing flu, against all strains, the company said.

Sanofi has the only high-dose flu shot for seniors on the market. It was used last year in 1 in 5 seniors who got vaccinated, according to Sanofi. The $27 per dose cost is more than twice the $12 for the company's older version. But Medicare pays for both, and Sanofi executives say they don't think cost is a significant deterrent.

Instead, they believe doctors have been holding off until they saw real-world effectiveness studies.

Dr. David Greenberg, a Sanofi vice president, is scheduled to present preliminary study results on Thursday at a meeting of vaccination experts in Atlanta. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices advises federal health officials, who then make vaccination recommendations to doctors.

The government already recommends flu vaccines for everyone, except babies under 6 months. The panel is expected to discuss whether to one day voice a preference for Fluzone High-Dose for seniors.

Among infectious diseases, flu is considered one of the nation's leading killers. On average, about 24,000 Americans die each flu season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

___

Online:

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-10-23-Flu%20Vaccine-Elderly/id-dd034f12c845434d8d8111420d9cc279
Category: Dario Franchitti Joseph Gordon-Levitt Iggy Azalea Breaking Bad Season 5 Episode 10 Eminem Survival

Messaging App Line To Go Public In 2014 On The Tokyo Exchange, Report Says

According to Nikkei, Line, a popular messaging and call service, intends to go public in 2014 on the Tokyo stock exchange. The company is expected to go public at a valuation between $800 million USD and $1 billion.

According to Serkan Toto, Line has 270 million registered users. It isn’t clear what percentage of that user base is active on a monthly basis. Twitter, a company that is also set to go public shortly, has around 230 million monthly active users. The comparison matters are both mobile-focused communications applications.

And Twitter could go public at an IPO valuation of as high as $20 billion, if scuttlebutt is to be believed. We can’t be too perfectly sure, but it would seem that Twitter is being valued much higher on a per-user basis.

Line as a company has been at the forefront of the rising profile of so-called ‘over-the-top’ (OTT) messaging services that have quickly grown in recent years. Others include Viber and KakaoTalk. Essentially, they replace the native SMS and call capabilities that come in smartphones.

It has become a massive market. Line’s 270 million users are only a fraction of the larger OTT communications market. When Line goes public, it could clear the way for other OTT applications to follow suit.

Top Image Credit: Joi Ito

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/VXu9NrV2GRo/
Category: How To Close Apps On Ios7 nadal jets amber heard Michael Girgenti

Duke of Windsor's Cadillac coming to NYC auction

In this photo provided by Sotheby's, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 in New York, the royal crest for the Duke of Windsor is on the steering wheel of a 1941 Cadillac. Dubbed "The Duchess," the limousine was custom designed by General Motors for the former king of England and his American wife. (AP Photo/Sotheby's)

This photo provided by Sotheby's, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 in New York, shows the steering wheel of a 1941 Cadillac. Dubbed "The Duchess," the limousine was custom designed by General Motors for the former king of England and his American wife. (AP Photo/Sotheby's)

In this photo provided by Sotheby's, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013 in New York, is a 1941 Cadillac owned by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Dubbed "The Duchess," the limousine was custom designed by General Motors for the former king of England and his American wife. (AP Photo/Sotheby's)

NEW YORK (AP) — A 1941 Cadillac custom-built for the Duke and Duchess of Windsor is heading for a New York City auction.

Dubbed "The Duchess," the limousine features rose-colored broadcloth upholstery, four jewelry cases and three cigar lighters.

It's estimated to fetch between $500,000 to $800,000. It is being sold Nov. 21 by Sotheby's and RM Auctions.

General Motors delivered the limo to the Windsors at the Waldorf Astoria, where they had a suite. The duke paid $14,000 for it.

One of the first Cadillacs to have power windows, it's fitted with satin privacy curtains.

It's being sold with the car title bearing the duke's signature.

The current owner is a Birmingham, Ala., food critic and Cadillac collector. Morgan Murphy found it in a barn next to a tractor in Texas in 2005.

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-10-24-Duke%20of%20Windsor-Cadillac/id-6a296c7cae3149fb8a097b8ea82a06cd
Category: walking dead kris jenner Lane Kiffin futurama Jake Peavy

Boston Marathon suspect may pin blame on brother

BOSTON (AP) — Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's lawyers may try to save him from the death penalty in the Boston Marathon bombing by arguing he fell under the murderous influence of his older brother, legal experts say.

The outlines of a possible defense came into focus this week when it was learned that Tsarnaev's attorneys are trying to get access to investigative records implicating the now-dead brother in a grisly triple slaying committed in 2011.

In court papers Monday, federal prosecutors acknowledged publicly for the first time that a friend of Tamerlan Tsarnaev told investigators that Tamerlan participated in the unsolved killings of three men who were found in a Waltham apartment with their throats slit, marijuana sprinkled over their bodies.

The younger Tsarnaev's lawyers argued in court papers that any evidence of Tamerlan's involvement is "mitigating information" that is critical as they prepare Dzhokhar's defense. They asked a judge to force prosecutors to turn over the records.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 20, faces 30 federal charges, including using a weapon of mass destruction, in the twin bombings April 15 that killed three people and injured more than 260. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died in a gunbattle with police days later.

The government is still deciding whether to pursue the death penalty for the attack, which investigators say was retaliation for the U.S. wars in Muslim lands.

Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said the defense may be trying to show that the older brother was the guiding force.

"If I was a defense attorney and was seeking perhaps to draw attention to the influence the older brother had in planning the bombing, I would use his involvement in other crimes to show that he was likely the main perpetrator in the Boston bombing," Dieter said.

"I would take the position that my client, the younger brother, was strongly influenced by his older brother, and even if he is culpable, the death penalty is too extreme in this case."

Similarly, Aitan D. Goelman, who was part of the legal team that prosecuted Oklahoma City bombing figures Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, said the defense may be looking to minimize the younger brother's role in the bombing.

"I think the most likely reason is that if they are arguing some kind of mitigation theory, that the older brother was a monster and the younger brother was under his sway or intimidated or dominated by him," he said.

Miriam Conrad, Tsarnaev's public defender, had no comment.

Investigators have given no motive for the 2011 slayings. One victim was a boxer and friend of Tamerlan Tsarnaev's.

Friends of those killed have said they gave Tsarnaev's name to investigators at the time. That has raised questions of whether authorities missed an opportunity to prevent a bigger tragedy.

Federal prosecutors said in court papers that Ibragim Todashev, another friend of Tamerlan's, told authorities that Tamerlan took part in the killings. Todashev was shot to death in Florida in May by authorities while being questioned.

Prosecutors argued that turning over the records would damage the investigation into the killings.

___

Smith reported from Providence, R.I. Associated Press writer Pete Yost in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boston-marathon-suspect-may-pin-blame-brother-185847738.html
Related Topics: Kendrick Johnson Tony Hale nbc news ny times Riley Cooper

Ranchers Wonder If U.S. Sheep Industry Has Bottomed Out

Ranches like Double J Feeders in Ault, Colo., are feeling the industry contraction, whether it's caused by epic drought, scarce feed supplies, harsh winters or wild price volatility.

Luke Runyon/Harvest Public Media/KUNC

Ranches like Double J Feeders in Ault, Colo., are feeling the industry contraction, whether it's caused by epic drought, scarce feed supplies, harsh winters or wild price volatility.

Luke Runyon/Harvest Public Media/KUNC

Over the last 20 years, the number of sheep in this country has plummeted by one half. The sheep industry has actually been declining since the late 1940s, when it hit its peak.

The sharp drop in production has left ranchers to wonder, "When are we going to hit the bottom?"

Some sheep are raised for their wool, others primarily for food. Both products – lamb meat and wool – have seen declining consumption in the U.S.

If you look at the tags on clothes in your closet, chances are quite a few pieces will be blended with synthetic fibers: nylon, rayon and polyester. As these human-made fibers have become more prevalent and inexpensive, people are wearing less and less wool.

The same goes for lamb. In the early 1960s, the average person in the U.S. ate about 4.5 pounds of lamb in a year. That has dropped to less than a pound in 2011.

At the same time as the American sheep industry's decline, Australian and New Zealand wool and lamb imports are way up, squeezing into niche markets that America's sheep producers are having a hard time filling.

Ranchers are feeling the industry contraction, whether it's caused by epic drought, scarce feed supplies, harsh winters or wild price volatility.

Congress ending subsidies, wolves, frost, droughts and other hazards have all played a role in the decline in demand for sheep. But farmers markets and demand for locally-sourced food is helping sheep farmers find a niche.

Luke Runtyon/Harvest Public Media/KUNC

"The numbers are just way down – and less sheep ranchers, just in general," says Albert Villard, a sheep rancher in Craig, Colo.

Blizzard and drought the past three years have culled Villard's herd to its lowest point in a long time. Building it back up hasn't been easy.

"The industry as a whole, I think, is trying to get the numbers up, but there's so many factors as to why," Villard says. "I don't think you can blame any one thing."

Double J Feeders outside Ault, Colo., which is one of just a handful of lamb feeding operations in the country, feels the decline too. The feedlot can hold up to 50,000 sheep at any given time and fattens them up before slaughter.

One part of the decline could be the changing agricultural landscape across the country. Farms have grown larger and more technologically advanced, and there are fewer small family farms today than ever before.

"Thirty or 40 years ago, every farmer in the winter time would buy 1,000 lambs, run them out on the beet tops, corn – whatever – and then they'd market those lambs in the spring. Well, all that has changed," says Jeff Hasbrouck, the owner of Double J Feeders.

Most farms aren't fenced in any more, Hasbrouck says, and have grown so large that maintaining a sheep herd makes no economic sense. It's more trouble than it's worth for a large crop grower.

Another problem that has plagued the industry is lamb's perception by the average consumer. Longtime sheep producers put the blame on the meat fed to soldiers all the way back in World War II.

"Those troops were fed canned mutton and when they came home they said, 'No more lamb, no more sheep. Don't eat any of it.' And that's where we saw the steady decline," says Brad Anderson, livestock supply manager for Mountain States Rosen, a large co-op that markets lamb to meatpacking companies and locks in prices.

Sheep numbers tanked even faster 20 years ago when Congress ended subsidies for sheep ranchers with the repeal of the National Wool Act in 1993. The removal of those subsidies sent the sheep industry into wild market swings and stayed volatile for years. The increased risk, Anderson says, pushed many ranchers out of business.

Today, ranchers who are left face new problems like wolf attacks. Peter Orwick, director of the American Sheep Industry Association, says an attack this year in Idaho left more than a hundred sheep dead.

"In spite of having herders out there, the wolves still come right in, the horses scream, the dogs lay down and whine and they ran sheep over a cliff," Orwick says.

But there is hope for sheep producers. Because many sheep and lamb operations tend to be small, the growth in farmers markets and local food has benefited sheep ranchers. One-third of all lamb sold in the U.S. now is direct sale from producer to consumer, according to the American Sheep Industry Association. There's plenty of room for growth in big cities, too.

"It's ethnic communities. Every major metropolitan city in the U.S. has a large immigrant neighborhood," Orwick says. "Where are the people coming from? Where they prefer lamb. It's their meat."

As the face of America changes, ranchers will be watching those new markets to see whether or not they grow fast enough to keep their industry from shrinking even further.

Luke Runyon reports from Colorado for KUNC and Harvest Public Media, a public radio reporting collaboration that focuses on agriculture and food production issues. A version of this story originally appeared on Harvest Public Media's site.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/10/21/238899518/ranchers-worry-as-demand-for-sheep-declines?ft=1&f=1003
Related Topics: ncis Never Forget 9/11 jets Hunter Hayes irina shayk

Reversed call boosts Boston to 8-1 opening win

BOSTON (AP) — Nearly a decade ago, the Boston Red Sox reversed The Curse.

Now they're even getting key calls turned around in the World Series, leaving them on the verge of an opening Fenway Park sweep for the third time in 10 seasons.

And not even a need for instant replay. The umpires overturned this blown call on their own.

After Dustin Pedroia was called out on a phantom force play in the first inning of Wednesday night's World Series opener, second base umpire Dana DeMuth was overruled by the other five members of his crew.

Three pitches later, Mike Napoli lined a cutter to the gap in left-center field for a go-ahead, three-run double, and the Red Sox coasted to an 8-1 rout of the St. Louis Cardinals.

"You rarely see that," Napoli said before adding, "especially on a stage like this."

Jon Lester made the early lead stand up, allowing five hits in 7 2-3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and a walk. David Ortiz hit a two-run homer for the Red Sox after Carlos Beltran robbed him of a grand slam on a second-inning catch that sent the star right fielder to a hospital with bruised ribs.

Boston won its ninth straight Series game, while St. Louis made three errors for just the second time this year, two by shortstop Pete Kozma and one by third baseman David Freese. A pair of Gold Glovers, pitcher Adam Wainwright and catcher Yadier Molina, allowed a popup to drop between them.

"We had a wakeup call. That is not the kind of team that we've been all season," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "And they're frustrated. I'm sure embarrassed to a point."

Game 2 is Thursday night, with 22-year-old rookie sensation Michael Wacha starting for St. Louis against John Lackey. Wacha is 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA this postseason.

Beltran is day to day after X-rays were negative.

As the World Series returned to 101-year-old Fenway Park, the oldest big league stadium, fans still basked in the memory of the 2004 sweep of the Cardinals, which ended an 86-year title drought. After that championship, then Gov. Mitt Romney helped take a blowtorch to the "Reverse the Curse" sign on Storrow Drive — which originally read "Reverse Curve" until it was edited by fans with spray paint.

This time they reversed the out.

Jacoby Ellsbury walked leading off the first, and Pedroia singled with one out. Ortiz followed with a slow bouncer to second baseman Matt Carpenter that had an outside chance of being turned into an inning-ending double play.

Carpenter made a routine 30-foot backhand flip to Kozma in plenty of time for the out. But as the shortstop approached second base, the ball bounced off the edge of his glove's webbing and fell to the ground.

DeMuth called Pedroia out on a force, indicating the ball was dropped by Kozma while making the transfer to his throwing hand.

"It was just one of those plays. He gave me a good feed and I just missed it," Kozma said.

Red Sox manager John Farrell jogged out from the dugout out to argue.

"I think we're fully accepting of the neighborhood play, but my view is that it wasn't even that," he said. "There was really no entry into the glove with the ball."

All six umpires huddled near shortstop for 30 seconds to discuss the play as Farrell looked on from the infield grass.

"Typically they're probably going to stand pat with the decision that's made in the moment," Farrell said.

Kozma believed he established sufficient possession.

"I had enough," he said.

And then crew chief John Hirschbeck then walked toward the Cardinals dugout on the third-base side, motioning with his left hand for Matheny to come out. He told him that Pedroia was being called safe, and Matheny spent 1½ minutes arguing to no avail, repeatedly jabbing his right index finger in the air.

"That's not a play I've ever seen before," Matheny said. "And I'm pretty sure there were six umpires on the field that had never seen that play before either. It's a pretty tough time to debut that overruled call in the World Series. Now, I get that trying to get the right call. I get that. Tough one to swallow."

DeMuth admitted he got it wrong.

"I stayed with the foot too long. That's how I ended up getting in trouble," he said. "And when I was coming up, all I could see was a hand coming out and the ball on the ground. All right? So I was assuming."

When he saw his crewmates converging on him, DeMuth knew he had made a mistake.

"It's an awful feeling, yeah. Especially when I'm sure I have the right call," he said.

Hirschbeck said in the end it wasn't a difficult decision for the crew.

"'When I hear all five of us say we are 100 percent, then I say, 'OK, we need to change this.' It's as simple as that," he said.

Major League Baseball started using video review to assist umpires in 2008, but only to decide whether potential home runs went over fences or were fair balls.

Under rules changes likely to be approved for next season, video will be used for virtually every call other than balls and strikes. Managers would be allowed one challenge over the first six innings and two from the seventh inning on. Officials in New York City would make the final ruling.

Speaking softly in a corner of the cramped visitors' clubhouse, Kozma seemed like a player who felt he had let his team down.

"You saw what happened the rest of the night," he said. "If I catch that ball and turn that double play, it stays nothing-nothing."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reversed-call-boosts-boston-8-1-opening-win-074205675--spt.html
Related Topics: bart julio jones Theresa Vail joe flacco Eminem Survival