How Much Time Do You Spend Online Each Day?

Walter Glenn

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Some of us work online, some of us play there, and some of us do both. Whether you're working, playing, or just soaking up all the things your friends have to share, we'd like to know how much of your day you dedicate to being online. We won't judge.

If you're worried you are spending too much time online, we've shown you how to fight your online addiction. If you're just worried about being distracted from what you really need to be doing online, we've shown you how spending a week with RescueTime can help tame those distractions. If you love your time online and just want more quality time with it, we've also shown you how to overcome the web's most annoying problems.

Whatever your situation, spend just a few more minutes online to let us know:

Photos by (Shutterstock).

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Ge9MaEyje64/how-much-time-do-you-spend-online-each-day

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How deadly would chemical weapons in Syria be?

Concerns that the Syrian regime would use chemical weapons are putting the spotlight on these weapons of mass destruction.

By Tom A. Peter,?Correspondent / December 6, 2012

A view of damages on an empty street in the Aleppo district of Salaheddine, Syria, Dec. 5. Serious concerns have been raised about the Syrian regime using chemical weapons.

Aref Hretani/Reuters

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Serious concerns have been raised about chemical weapons in Syria as unnamed US officials on Wednesday told NBC News that Syrian forces have loaded sarin, a deadly nerve gas, into bombs that can be dropped by planes.

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The officials said the bombs had not been loaded onto planes and there was not yet a decision from Syria's leader to use them.

President Obama has said the use of chemical weapons in Syria is a ?red line? that would draw the US into the war. Embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has denied that he?s planning to use them, unless international forces intervene. And Syrian officials have called recent accusations a ?pretext for intervention.?

The international community is now debating if and how to respond to this latest development.

As the situation unfolds, for many unfamiliar with sarin gas there may be some question as to what it is and just how deadly it can be. Though it?s classified as a weapon of mass destruction and is extremely lethal, it is not in the same league as nuclear weapons.

?Chemical weapons are not nuclear weapons. In order to produce a lot of damage they have to be distributed very efficiently. The problem with them is that they can be very deadly and efficient if used in population centers and their effects are indiscriminate,? says Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association.

?The explosion of a single chemical shell would not necessarily be a catastrophe if it went off accidentally at one of these storage sites, but the deliberate use of one chemical shell in a population center could be very deadly,? adds Mr. Kimball.

Sarin is a colorless and odorless nerve agent that can be attached to missiles and artillery rounds and is primarily lethal when inhaled but can also penetrate skin and clothing.

It evaporates quickly, though under the right conditions it can linger for up to five days. As a result, a sarin attack requires little clean up and areas affected by sarin can be quickly reoccupied, making it a desirable weapon for military units looking to advance without destroying infrastructure and equipment.

It was first developed in Germany in 1938, but there was no known use of it as a weapon, until 1988 when Iraq used it against the Kurdish town of Halabja. The Iraqi military is also believed to have used sarin against Iran during the war between the two countries that spanned from 1980 to 1988.

Most recently, it was used by the Japanese group Aum Shinrikyo which manufactured their own form of impure sarin gas and released it on the Tokyo subway in 1995. The attack killed 12 and injured at least 5,500 people.

It?s unclear exactly how much damage would be caused were Syrian jets to drop bombs filled with sarin gas on an apartment block or populated area, but experts say the attack would likely be lethal and devastating, creating a major impact.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/ou5UFQmwEXQ/How-deadly-would-chemical-weapons-in-Syria-be

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The Only Way To Get Rid Of Belly Fat Is By Eating Fat Burning ...

Home | Health & fitness | Weight loss

What does it mean to plateau out? When you have been struggling with belly fat your whole life and the diets and exercises are not helping. Maybe it is time to find a better way of losing that belly fat and a better way to keep it off. Studies are showing that there are fat burning foods that will awaken hormones in your bodies that will eliminate belly fat for good. There are four hormones that affect our weight. One of these hormones has earned the name "fatburner" in the research field. This "fatburner" hormone, is in the cells, directs fat cells to shrink, releasing energy. But at low levels of "fatburner" hormone fat cells will get bigger. And being overweight causes a decrease in this "fatburner" hormone. Eating fat burning food will stop this vicious cycle and these foods that will give your body much-needed energy and strength. So you can see how eating the right foods becomes crucial in losing belly fat naturally. Some healthy fats are nuts, fish, omega 3 & 6, and olive oil. Drinking 64 ounces of water daily is also important to lose belly fat naturally.

According to Rob Poulos, a fitness author, he states that one of the worst ways to lose belly fat is by doing aerobic exercises from quick weight loss programs. And that sit ups and using "abs" infomercial products will not help you to lose any real belly fat. There are several reason why "moderately paced aerobic exercises" are harmful and ineffective to lose belly fat successfully. "Moderately paced aerobic exercises" conditions your body to go to a certain point. This will eventually weaken your body.You will burn a certain amount of calories when exercising the "moderately paced aerobic exercises" but when the music stops so does the weight loss. To get rid of belly fat you need to work your body, by working your body you will strengthen it. Another reason why "moderately paced aerobic exercises" is ineffective is because of the repetitive daily motions for long periods of time causing damage. Recent studies are showing that repetitive training will eventually damage muscles and ligaments, causing muscle imbalance and overuse injuries.

Studies are showing that when a person plateaus out after years, weeks or months on a diet plan and exercising routine that it may not be the person but the plan and routine. Fat burning foods and an exercise that will work your body will begin to get rid of that belly fat successfully and naturally.

http://ritajohnston.com/fat-burning-furnace-review/ ?

About the Author

Article written by Rita Johnston. For Rob and Kalen Poulos whose passion is to help others lose weight. They have been in the same situation, fat and frustrated, until Rob discovered his "Fat Burning Furnace" technique. Robs' technique will not only help you to burn fat but his technique will also give you a healthy body full of energy and strength all in an e-book Rob Poulos has written. Click on the link provided to learn more. http://ritajohnston.com/fat-burning-furnace-review/

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Rita-Johnston/330384

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Source: http://www.articlerich.com/Article/The-Only-Way-To-Get-Rid-Of-Belly-Fat-Is-By-Eating-Fat-Burning-Foods-and-Working-Your-Body/2478425

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Voter disdain spreads as 'fiscal cliff' looms

President Barack Obama speaks to workers about the economy during a visit to Daimler Detroit Diesel in Redford, Mich., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. The scene playing out on Capitol Hill is a familiar one as lawmakers with competing ideologies wage an 11th-hour battle to avert a predictable crisis. This one comes just a year after an equally divided Washington nearly let the country default on its loan obligations, a debt-ceiling debate that contributed to the electorate's deep lack of faith in their elected leaders and a drop in the nation?s credit rating. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

President Barack Obama speaks to workers about the economy during a visit to Daimler Detroit Diesel in Redford, Mich., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. The scene playing out on Capitol Hill is a familiar one as lawmakers with competing ideologies wage an 11th-hour battle to avert a predictable crisis. This one comes just a year after an equally divided Washington nearly let the country default on its loan obligations, a debt-ceiling debate that contributed to the electorate's deep lack of faith in their elected leaders and a drop in the nation?s credit rating. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

FILE - In this Sept 18, 2012, file photo, New Hampshire Republican Congressman Charles Bass speaks during a debate in Manchester, N.H. The scene playing out on Capitol Hill is a familiar one as lawmakers with competing ideologies wage an 11th-hour battle to avert a predictable crisis. Rep. Charlie Bass, a New Hampshire Republican who lost his re-election bid last month, says it?s unclear whether his GOP colleagues will ?face the reality that the president, at least at this point, is not going to accept anything other than a tax rate increase.? (AP Photo/The Union Leader, David Lane, Pool, File)

HOOKSET, N.H. (AP) ? Fear and frustration course through the lunch crowd at Robie's Country Store and Deli, a popular outpost 500 miles from where Washington is again locked in tense negotiations over taxes and spending as a critical deadline looms.

"I'm worried," Lorraine Cadren of nearby Manchester says between bites of her chicken sandwich. Her doubt in the nation's elected leaders is palpable: "I'm not sure what's going to come out of Washington next." Not that she has the time to pay much attention; the 64-year-old is unemployed and preoccupied with finding a new job as Christmas approaches.

A few tables away, John Pfeifle shares Cadren's angst while trying to enjoy his $6.99 chicken parmesan special.

"Somebody's gotta have some smarts," says the 63-year-old business owner, complaining that both President Barack Obama and House Republicans seem willing to allow the nation to go over the "fiscal cliff," triggering broad tax increases and massive spending cuts that economists warn could lead to another recession.

"I have no faith at all they'll do the right thing," Pfeifle said of Congress.

And why would these voters have confidence in Washington?

The scene playing out on Capitol Hill is a familiar one as lawmakers with competing ideologies wage an 11th-hour battle to avert a predictable crisis. This one comes just a year after an equally divided Washington nearly let the country default on its loan obligations ? a debt-ceiling debate that contributed to the electorate's deep lack of faith in their elected leaders and a drop in the nation's credit rating.

Evidence of Congress' plummeting popularity is everywhere.

From New Hampshire diners to Colorado coffee shops, weary residents report widespread concern. They relate the debate in Washington over their tax dollars with their own lives: average Americans who are struggling every day to make ends meet. And already distracted by the holidays and tired of politics after a bitter presidential campaign, they are calling on Washington to get its act together.

"It's pathetic. Nobody's doing their job," said Laura Hager, a retiree from Lancaster, Pa. "The rest of the country is being held hostage to this entire situation."

She said the uncertainty makes it difficult to shape a personal financial plan; she can't imagine what business leaders must be going through. "Nobody can plan. Nobody knows what they'll do," she said.

Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., warned that the public's disgust with Congress would reach new heights if lawmakers and the White House fail to reach an accord before the year-end deadline.

"Ninety percent disapproval rating is going to go up to 99 percent disapproval," the senator said at a panel discussion last week in Washington on the fiscal cliff's impact on businesses.

Warner overstated Congress' unpopularity, although not by much.

A recent Associated Press-GfK poll found that 74 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job; just 23 percent approve. The figures are virtually unchanged from June and slightly above Congress' recent low point of 12 percent approval during the debt ceiling debate in August 2011.

Some voters are trying to ignore the debate altogether, although near-constant news coverage is making that difficult, especially as Obama and his Republican opponents work to rally their supporters.

In a campaign-style event Monday in Michigan, the heart of industrial America, Obama warned that he "won't compromise" on his demand that the wealthiest Americans pay more in taxes. Polls find that most voters agree with the president's deficit-cutting plan to raise tax rates on income over $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples, although House Republicans are reluctant to agree.

The conservative group Crossroads GPS is running television ads across the country describing Obama's solution as "a huge tax increase" with "no real spending reforms." ''Call President Obama and tell him it's time to show us a balanced plan," the ad says.

Most voters interviewed in recent days are calling for an immediate compromise and seem willing to raise taxes on the wealthy so long as the middle class is protected.

There is a vague sense that the "fiscal cliff" is more serious than other recent Capitol Hill clashes. But barely a month after the presidential contest ended, most people say they're not following the daily developments that consume Washington.

In a Denver coffee shop, interior designer Roxann Lloyd, 42, is mystified by the sound and fury out of Washington over the cliff.

"I don't think they have any idea what a big deal is to an average person," she said. "I'm just ignoring it."

Lloyd said she isn't surprised by the partisan bickering over the issue. "I don't feel like they are really looking out for us," she said of Congress.

John Baker, 65, a Denver psychologist, said he had little faith in Congress' ability to fix the problem: "I don't think Congress can fix a flat tire."

"It's a typical Washington, 'Let's hit the panic button and keep people scared so they will let us do what we want to do,'" Baker said in a downtown Denver Starbucks. "Ultimately, it will be fixed but not until a lot of pockets are lined."

It's unclear whether members of Congress are hearing the message.

Rep. Charlie Bass, a New Hampshire Republican who lost his re-election bid last month, says it's unclear whether his GOP colleagues will "face the reality that the president, at least at this point, is not going to accept anything other than a tax rate increase."

A stalemate would result in "painful uncertainty," Bass said, offering his caucus a bit of advice: "We best get on with it ? get it done."

Back at Robie's, store owner Debbie Chouinard says she's burned out from election season and "tired of all the bull."

"I honestly haven't been paying attention," she said while feeding her 2-year-old granddaughter lunch during a brief lull. "People should be working together to get this country going."

___

Associated Press writers Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-11-Fiscal%20Cliff-Disconnect/id-677bf57468904239af22e6fd2ed9fede

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Proposed U.S. Tax Increase Will Hurt Some Small Businesses ...

A proposed U.S. tax increase for individuals making over $200,000 will definitely hurt some small businesses, taking away extra cash that might otherwise be used for growth, despite attempts by supporters of the increase to downplay that impact. With financial uncertainty facing many in 2013, businesses of all sizes must find ways to cut costs and do more with less. Here are some concerns facing businesses in the U.S. and abroad, and some suggestions to prepare for financial challenges.

Tax Time

How much is too much? A bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation found only three percent of the 3o million Americans who report business income on their personal returns will be taxed at the top marginal rate. But that could include almost 940,000 business owners who might otherwise have reinvested in their businesses, the same study says. ABC News

Another look at the impact. A release from a national organization representing small businesses gives another view of the impact the proposed tax increase may have upon small businesses. The report says 72 percent of all S corporation income, 61 percent of all partnership income, and 13 percent of all sole proprietorship income will be affected. National Federation of Independent Businesses

Other Issues

Borrowing trouble with loan expenses. In the U.K., small businesses face another challenge. While interest rates on loans under ?1 million increased over the past quarter, interest rates for loans over ?2 million fell over the same period, meaning costs for small business borrowing are going up while costs for big business borrowing have decreased, writes Kasey Cassells. bOnline Blog

Getting more mileage from expenses. Back here in the U.S., small businesses will catch an ever-so-slight break in standard mileage rates for travel expenses in 2013. Business owners will be able to deduct 56.5 cents per mile on business expenses in 2013 versus 55.5 cents per mile in 2012. (Hey, it adds up!) The new rate goes into effect January 1. Small Business Trends

Cut Those Costs

Low to no overhead. One solution for cutting costs in your business, no matter where you operate it, is to get rid of your brick and mortar location completely. Here Adam Gottlieb explains some of the things you may want to consider when creating a virtual business for yourself. Many services already exist to help you cut costs and leave a physical office behind. The Frugal Entrepreneur

Shape up to ship out. Another great place to shave off expenses for your business is in the area of shipping costs. As it turns out, you don?t need to look too far when seeking these savings. In a guest post on Ashley Neal?s blog, Kelli Cooper shares four simple ways to save on your expenses today. Small Biz Diamonds

Hit those sales objectives. Cutting spending isn?t the only way to combat rising costs in your business. Finding simple, inexpensive ways to boost your sales is another. And nothing could be simpler than reevaluating your marketing plan to see that it meets your sales and marketing objectives. Susan Oakes gives some tips on a marketing plan review that will make you the money your business needs. M4B Marketing

Source: http://smallbiztrends.com/2012/12/proposed-u-s-tax-increase-will-hurt-some-small-businesses.html

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Michigan Democrats make final right-to-work push

LANSING, Mich. (AP) ? Democrats in Michigan's Legislature and congressional delegation made a final push Monday to stall Republican-led right-to-work proposals that would limit the power of unions in the major Midwest industrial state.

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and Michigan Democrats in the U.S. House met with Gov. Rick Snyder Monday morning in Detroit and urged him to veto the legislation, which could get final passage as early as Tuesday when the Legislature reconvenes. Levin said Snyder pledged to "seriously consider" the group's requests, including their demand for a statewide referendum on the issue.

The measures have sailed through the legislative process since Thursday, when the state House and Senate introduced and swiftly approved plans to prohibit requiring non-union employees to financially support unions at their workplace. Snyder has previously said he would sign the legislation, which still needs additional votes because the versions approved last week by the two chambers were slightly different.

Supporters say right to work would bring more jobs to Michigan and give workers freedom, but opponents say it's intended to weaken unions and drive down wages and benefits in the state.

Lansing authorities were bracing for an onslaught of protesters Tuesday. They increased police presence and planned road closings and parking restrictions around the Capitol.

President Barack Obama, who has stated his opposition to right-to-work legislation in Michigan and elsewhere, arrived at a suburban Detroit auto plant Monday afternoon. He was greeted by Snyder as well as Democratic members of Michigan's congressional delegation.

Meanwhile, Michigan House Democratic leaders gathered at the Capitol and called for more debate on the committee level before final passage. Democrats acknowledged there was little they could do to stop the fast-moving legislation in the waning days of the session but vowed to vote down other legislation as a form of protest, including one that helps to finance a downtown Detroit project featuring a new home for the NHL's Detroit Red Wings.

"For them to try to rush (the Detroit project) through in lame-duck (session) is every bit as unacceptable as any other policy initiatives they are trying to rush through," said state Rep. Tim Greimel, an Auburn Hills Democrat who is the incoming minority leader. "We've got to take a stand and say, 'Look, we need to have a deliberative process.'"

Ari Adler, spokesman for Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger, issued statements dismissing the comments of both congressional and state Democratic leaders. He chided those in Washington for "trying to tell Republicans in Michigan to slow down and not do our job in Lansing while they fail to resolve the nation's fiscal cliff crisis or even approve a budget." Adler also said right-to-work policies have "been debated for decades, and we've been talking about it in the state House for the past two years."

"I find it laughable that House Democrats are suggesting the process is the problem and not the policy," he said. "We will have two suns rise over the state Capitol before House Democrats would consider supporting labor reforms that put the rights of Michigan workers ahead of the demands of powerful union bosses."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/michigan-democrats-final-push-183927481--politics.html

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STOCKS NEWS SINGAPORE-Hutchison falls after earnings disappoint

Units of Hutchison Port Holdings Trust fell as

much as 3.7 percent after it posted lower-than-expected

quarterly earnings, but analysts remain optimistic about its

prospects.

Hutchison said its net profit for July-September fell 15.1

percent to HK$601.7 million, which Deutsche Bank said was below

its expectations due mainly to non-operating items.

The trust's operating profit was also hit by exchange

losses, and higher expenses, Deutsche said in a note,

maintaining its 'buy' rating and target price of $0.86.

Despite volume growth at Hutchison's ports, DBS Vickers

said, a higher proportion of transhipment volumes and empty

containers has led to lower selling prices and subdued revenue

growth.

However, the brokerage noted that better-than-expected

economic data from the U.S. bodes well for Hutchison, and

advised investors to buy its units on any near-term weakness.

DBS raised its target price for Hutchison to $0.88 from

$0.85 to reflect lower market risk premium, and maintained its

'buy' rating.

1045 (0245 GMT)

(Reporting by Charmian Kok in Singapore; Editing by Anupama

Dwivedi; charmian.kok@thomsonreuters.com)

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

09:48 STOCKS NEWS SINGAPORE-Sheng Siong rises as brokers up

target price

Sheng Siong Group Ltd rose as much as 2 percent

after it posted stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings,

prompting several brokerages to raise their target prices for

the supermarket chain operator.

By 0115 GMT, Sheng Siong shares were up 1 percent at S$0.48,

with nearly 4 million shares traded, 3.5 times its average daily

volume over the last five sessions.

Sheng Siong said its net profit for the third quarter rose

48.1 percent to S$9.8 million from a year earlier, helped by

higher same-store sales and new store openings.

CIMB Research raised its target price for Sheng Siong to

S$0.58 from S$0.49, and kept its 'outperform' rating, citing new

store openings and strong execution by the management.

Sheng Siong is expected to open two new stores in the next

quarter, CIMB said, noting that most of Sheng Siong's new stores

should deliver strong earnings in 2013.

However, CIMB said gross margins are expected to fall in the

fourth quarter due to likely discounting on goods during the

festive period.

DMG & Partners also raised its target price for Sheng Siong

to S$0.53 from S$0.51, and kept its 'buy' rating, citing the

company's faster rate of expansion.

(Reporting by Charmian Kok in Singapore; Editing by Anand Basu;

charmian.kok@thomsonreuters.com)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stocks-news-singapore-hutchison-falls-earnings-disappoint-025851799--sector.html

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Tim Cook On Steve Jobs? Tablet Rant: We Will Never Make A 7-Inch Tablet, We Don?t Think They?re Good Products

During the Q4 Apple earnings call, Cook addressed words spoken by Steve Jobs in the past regarding a 7-inch tablet

On comments that Steve made before about 7 inch tablets, let me be clear, we would not make one of the 7 inch tablets, we don't think they're good products, we'd never make one.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/9MfIvVfD-FA/

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Emotional Intelligence Bridges Intergenerational Conflict

Intergenerational conflict is a term probably many small business owners as well as those in sales management have never considered within their organizations.? Employees sometimes don?t get along and that is part of the workplace and has been for decades. Yet, today with four unique generations in the workforce and a fifth one just looming on the horizon, intergenerational conflict will become more and more evident.

Yesterday I attended a Lunch and Learn sponsored by Express Pros of Northwest Indiana entitled the Faces of Change in the workplace. This learning experience centered around a video produced by Express Pros.

One key point within this learning event was a recent survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) where 72% of those who responded indicated intergenerational conflict was an issue within their organization.

Since human beings still are not telepathic, most conflict be it in the workplace, the family or just in society happens because of communication.? ?Someone communicates either verbally or non-verbally her or his dislike of a situation to a person. The by product of this expressed dislike is conflict.

Conflict can be very damaging to any organizational in that it impedes performance and may even lead to a negative work environment.? This type of workplace is very costly as it usually has higher than average employee turnover to even law suits.

Emotional intelligence bridges conflict and especially intergenerational conflict. Individuals who recognize, understand and the manage the emotions of others while also recognizing, understanding and managing their own emotions have a greater opportunity to avoid conflict in most situations.

Emotional intelligence is viewed as a positive leadership skill.? When this intelligence works with the different communication styles (DISC) as suggested by the work of William Marston, then intergenerational conflict is dramatically reduced. Small Business Coaching Tip: Daniel Goleman?s book Working with Emotional Intelligence is a must read for small business owners, those in sales management and any professional in today?s workplace.

With the workplace changing and good help being hard to find and keep, possibly now is the time to look at developing the emotional intelligence of your employees and even yourself. This may be one of the best investments you ever made.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith is a certified DISC, Emotional Intelligence, Attribute Index consultant and can support you in your efforts to assess and then develop your employees to be better. She can be reached at 219.759.5601 Chicago, CST.

P.S. The DISC tool is also great to better understand the buying behaviors of your prospects and then from that information match those buying behaviors to your selling style.? Join others on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012 from 12-12:30pm Chicago CST for a FREE webinar ?If you are telling, you ain?t selling.? Learn more about this webinar series of ?60 Minutes of Good Content into 30 Minutes of Great Content ??

?

Dhar Law, LLP: Engaging with the Community | BostInno

Welcome to the new Dhar Law Channel!

Dhar Law, LLP is a premier business law and litigation firm with core practice areas in business law, civil litigation, criminal and government investigations, domestic relations, immigration, real estate, and nonprofit law. Our firm is built on the drive to provide exemplary legal services in sophisticated litigation and corporate transactions and to engage and support our community on a daily basis. Our client base includes entrepreneurs and nonprofits; global health organizations and governments; and multinational corporations. We are committed providing the same high quality service to every client that walks into our office.

Brothers Vilas and Vikas Dhar started Dhar Law with an emphasis on what we refer to as ?community lawyering?.? This is a firm that values community engagement and pro bono work not just as a foot note, but as a fundamental part of the firm?s purpose ? and in abiding by this philosophy, we have seen immense growth over the last few years.? What?s even more exciting is that our commitment to community-based lawyering is a mission that extends to each of our team members at Dhar Law, LLP.

As a part of our community lawyering initiatives, we are very excited to have the opportunity to share valuable resources with another part of Boston?s vibrant ecosystem. We?ve been a keen supporter of BostInno?s work over the last few years, and we feel lucky to have a pathway through which we can become more involved. Our mission is to do well by doing good (#dowellbydoinggood), and we plan to share this mission with you by keeping the BostInno community informed and connected, as we discuss the latest ?need-to-know? information in the legal, business, and social innovation sectors.

So as you visit our channel (and we hope you do often), please feel free to participate in the conversation. Do not hesitate to post a comment or send any questions you might have our way to info@dharlawllp.com, and for more information, please visit our website at www.dharlawllp.com, or give us a call at (617) 880-6155. Here?s to a more connected and informed Boston community.

Best Wishes,

The Dhar Law Team

Follow us: @DharLaw or www.Facebook.com/DharLaw

This post is published by a Channel partner:

Source: http://bostinno.com/channels/dhar-law-llp-engaging-with-the-community/

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DeMaio, Filner oppose broad education powers for mayor

While mayors of other major cities are assuming a more active role in schools, the two men running for San Diego mayor said Tuesday they have no desire to take control of city schools but plan to use their bully pulpit to lobby for education initiatives.

Republican City Councilman Carl DeMaio and Democratic Rep. Bob Filner tangled in an education-focused debate at the University of San Diego that highlighted their differing views on how to best improve local schools. DeMaio favors performance-based pay and opposes the standard seniority-based hiring and firing practices while Filner defended teachers and supports increased school funding.

Filner criticized DeMaio for failing to take a stance on Proposition Z, a $2.8 billion bond measure for San Diego schools that would repair and renovate buildings and pay for classroom technology.

?You got to provide the leadership as I said. You?ve got to support Prop. Z.,? Filner said. ?You just can?t say silent on it. You?ve got to say ?We have to have adequate funding at the state level.? You?ve got to be part of a coalition, a statewide coalition for adequate funding.?

While he hasn?t taken an official position on Proposition Z, DeMaio likened the school district?s financial woes to the city?s and said changes need to be made before raising taxes.

?We cannot tinker around the edges,? DeMaio said. ?You can?t throw money at the problem. You got to reform the system itself. That?s why choice, competition, performance accountability for teacher evaluations and partnerships all have to be infused in this broken system.?

After the debate, the DeMaio was asked why he hasn?t taken a side on Proposition Z.

?The mayor (Jerry Sander) and I are taking the same approach which is we?re respecting the school board?s prerogative to lay out their case and we?ll let the voters decide,? DeMaio said.

Filner replied, ?This is the most important thing on the ballot besides our election, you?ve got to take a stand. He?s against it and he doesn?t want to say he?s against it because he alienates everybody on the school board and all the parents and all the kids. Come on, if you?re not for it, you?re against it. And I don?t think that?s leadership.?

Each of the candidates said they would be the best mayor on education based on their personal experiences.

DeMaio described how his life was changed for the better when he received a free education at a prep school run by Jesuits following his mother?s death.

?For me this is not just a policy area, this is a personal issue,? he said during the event hosted by the Center for Education Policy and Law at USD. ?My life was saved by a quality education. When orphaned as a youth, the Jesuits took me and gave me a great education, clean and safe environment, to grow and learn. That?s why ... I will implement a comprehensive plan to reform our education system and improve our schools.?

Filner repeatedly referenced his experience as a history professor at San Diego State University and president of the San Diego school board.

Source: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/oct/23/demaio-filner-oppose-broad-education-powers-for/

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Sean Foley Q&A: Interview with Tiger's coach, part 2

Oct. 23, 2012
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM Staff

Tiger Woods is back in action this week at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia. PGATOUR.COM's Brian Wacker recently sat down with Tiger's swing coach, Sean Foley, for an exclusive two-part interview.

Part II

PART I OF THE SEAN FOLEY Q&A Foley discusses Tiger's progress since 2010, problems with short irons, and how he thinks Tiger will play in the next 10 years. Click here to read Part I

ORLANDO, Fla. -- What do Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy see in each other? Plenty. So does Sean Foley, who has coached Woods for the past two years.

After opening up about what that process has been like, Foley discussed the friendship that has developed between Woods and McIlroy. He also shared insight on his other players, which includes Hunter Mahan, Justin Rose and Seung-Yul Noh, and in the past, also Sean O'Hair and Stephen Ames.

In the second of a two-part exclusive interview, Foley talks about life in a vacuum, why he doesn't sign autographs and where he draws his own inspiration from.

Q: You were out here with Stephen Ames and Sean O'Hair and Justin Rose and Hunter Mahan before you even became Tiger's coach. But there are a lot more eyeballs on you now. How do you deal with all the attention and criticism?

SEAN FOLEY: I recognize that it's part of the job. You deal with all the speculation and insinuation and realize the path you need to take as a coach has to be based in evidence so you always know you're on the right path. Whether it is numbers from TrackMan or statistics, they show you that you're moving in the right direction. We're dealing with neuroplasticity, we're dealing with insulating neural circuits and getting them to fire according to certain signals. That's exactly what it is.

This takes time. Why do they have it sometimes and other times they don't? I take solace in the idea I shouldn't guess what I can measure. I realize what [a critic's] job is, and I get it. It may not be what they want to do; it could be what they're asked to do. But when you see agendas, there's nothing you can do.

Q: Has all the attention or criticism been hard on your family, specifically the last two years? You're very private when it comes to them.

SEAN FOLEY: You'd probably have to ask them. My wife (Kate) is pretty honest with me, but I wouldn't say so. It's probably been hard on my mom and dad who actually pay attention to all the nonsense they read about. But I'm doing what I always dreamed of doing, so it hasn't been tough. If anything, it's been invigorating and exciting.

Q: When it comes to responding to critics, or talking about Tiger do you bite your tongue a little more now than maybe early on?

SEAN FOLEY: Of course, but when it comes to situations dealing with ethics of what I'm doing I have no problem responding. You have to stand for something and you have to confront things that bother you. That's important. The only reason I talked a lot early on was because I thought I had to. I thought it was part of my job. But so often I would read a quote with words I never said. And then it's just not buying into the nonsense of how we communicate today and the business aspect of dot com.

For example, some of the guys who wrote that we're now in the Rory McIlroy era are the same guys a few months ago who said Rory needs to get rid of [girlfriend] Caroline Wozniacki because his relationship was the cause of a slump. First of all, if you think that, then you know nothing about golf because you don't realize the ebbs and flows of this game. And second, are you seriously watching this kid and pointing out on TV all the flaws that he has in his golf swing? Whoever's saying that must be told to say that or must have an agenda. I think sometimes criticism is confused admiration.

Q: I have a feeling you read more about yourself or your players than you're letting on, though.

SEAN FOLEY: That's probably true, but I feel like I need to know what I'm going to get asked about. That said, I enjoy reading about golf in general. It's like a businessman reading the Wall Street Journal. It just makes sense.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have played a lot of golf together in the last few months.

Q: Let's talk about Rory. He and Tiger have struck up a friendship. What's your viewpoint on their relationship, and is Tiger motivated by Rory?

SEAN FOLEY: That's a question for Tiger, but Tiger is the ultimate competitor. I think it's like Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy reading each other's work. In Tiger's case, he's watching this young kid who hits it really far with a little draw and does everything well. It's like the saying that game recognizes game. Look, Rory is a wonderful kid. I met him when he was 17 years old and he's not changed one bit as a person. He's great for golf. I think you have to be careful when comparing players from different decades and eras, though. Comparing players in the '50s to the '80s to the '90s to the 2000s is really useless because the game is different from one era to the next. There's a mutual admiration between Tiger and Rory and they're both likeable people and that's why they get along.

Q: Take Tiger out of the equation because you're his coach; will Rory be the best player in the world for the next 10 years? Is there that much separation between him and everybody else?

SEAN FOLEY: We're way too early into his career to make those claims. I see all the signs of unbelievable golf, and all he's going to do is grow and become more mature. But let's say within the next five years he gets married, has kids and his priorities change. If I look at myself 15 years ago, I went from being broke and struggling to having some money to being heartbroken to being in love.

A lot can change in 10 years. I just don't think it's a good idea to look into the future for what's next for Rory, or what's next for Tiger. But if everything that needs to go Rory's way continues the way it has, then he's going to be one of the great players for the next decade. There are a lot of variables that go into that we don't have control of, though. That's the thing about Tiger that's crazy, is that he has kept up that level of play for as long as he has.

Q: Is the talent pool is deeper now than it was when Tiger was winning everything?

SEAN FOLEY: Yeah, but Tiger changed the paradigm. The reason that there are Rorys and Dustins and players of that ability is because they grew up watching this guy in a red shirt on Sunday. A lot of those kids didn't know it was possible, that golf could be that cool until they saw him do it. It brought athletes to the game. [Before Tiger] golf wasn't cool to a lot of people. Then they saw Tiger, and they thought, that's amazing, that's what I want to do. I think that's what Jack Nicklaus was for Tiger.

Q: You grew up idolizing guys like David Leadbetter and Butch Harmon and other instructors. What are your relationships like with other coaches; do you have relationships with other coaches?

SEAN FOLEY: Yeah, 100 percent. I treat people as I want to be treated. I want to be treated with respect and dignity, so I'm going to give that to everybody. The fact is we're all in it for the same reason -- we love golf. And we're in it because we enjoy helping people. That is the catalyst to all of it. I like to hang out with Dale Lynch and Steve Bann. Another good buddy is Mark Blackburn; Mark McCann; I like Claude Harmon; I like Butch (Harmon). Pete Cowan I'm close with. I feel like I see Pete and he sees me. I feel the same way about Chuck Cook.

There's a lot in common there. But it's not competitive. I know if I do the best job I can, and I read and I work and I experience and I keep trying to learn, that if my guys move on, then it's not going to create any angst. The only person I'm going to be upset at is myself. To me, all the turf wars and this teacher said this and this teacher said that, that stuff died in the high school cafeteria. I basically like everybody. It's interesting, if you think about your friends is there anything about your friends that you don't like? Sure, but you just focus on what you like. And then with the people that aren't your friends is there anything about them that you do like? Of course there is but you don't focus on that. When I realized that, I thought, what if I just focus on what I like about people but also realize life is not a popularity contest? Life is all about self determination.

Q: Do you share ideas with guys?

SEAN FOLEY: 100 percent. Why not? Where do you think I learned what I learned? Very little of what I know at all is original.

Stephen Ames and Sean Foley at the 2010 PGA Championship

Q: You're recognized all the time at tournaments but don't sign autographs. Why?

SEAN FOLEY: I was at the 2007 Masters with Stephen Ames. Remember how cold it was? Freezing, right? I was with Stephen's caddie, Dean Elliott, and we were walking toward what's now the old driving range and I saw a couple of people signing autographs who I didn't recognize until I got closer.

It was people who were in the support role, a couple coaches. I turned around and said to Dean, "If you ever see me do that, I want you to hit me over the head with a golf club." At the end of the day, it's nice to be recognized and it's nice to be cared about. But you can have PGA TOUR players without having PGA TOUR coaches and PGA TOUR sport psychologists and PGA TOUR trainers.

But you can't have us without any of them. I'm the help and I'm OK with that. If I ever took a kid who was 8 years old and they went all the way to where they won the U.S. Open, I would sign an autograph -- like Jim Furyk's dad should sign autographs. The rest of us have been basically allowed to help out people who were already 95 percent developed.

Q: You have a handful of tattoos -- not something you see every day in golf. What do they all mean?

SEAN FOLEY: (Pointing to wrists) Compassion, gratitude, empathy, love.

Q: What prompted them?

SEAN FOLEY: I just kept thinking about what do I want to teach my kids more than anything? Compassion for themselves and others. Empathy, people say, 'What's the difference between compassion and empathy?' Compassion is care; empathy is just realizing that a homeless guy maybe isn't lazy or doesn't try, that he may have mental issues or went to Vietnam or Iraq and got messed up watching his friends get blown up. So, not condemning and judging people. And then gratitude and then love. I think love ties them all together. Those are the four tenets of the Foley household, and I put them all there because I see it every day. They're a reminder of the four values I'm trying to accomplish in my own life.

Q: You have three more on your shoulder with the letters K, Q and K. What about those?

SEAN FOLEY: (Pointing to left shoulder) Kate, always, if she keeps me (laughing). So far I've totally outkicked my coverage. Quinn, with perspective, and Kieran, with courage. Quinn, perspective, just because it's my first child. I remember the first day I held him, it all just shifted. And then Kieran with courage because going through what we went through with him, I found the strength in myself I didn't even know was possible. (Editor's note: Kieran was born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a condition in which an abnormal opening in the diaphragm can lead to parts of the stomach or other abdominal organs moving into the chest cavity. He has since been deemed 100 percent healthy.)

Q: And then you have another one on the other shoulder, a Jamaican colored star.

SEAN FOLEY: It's just kind of my ode to Bob Marley, who in pretty much one way or another, his songs raised me since I was 12 years old. I had great parents and everything, but at some point, kids 13, 14, they stop listening to their parents. I think with Bob, he just spoke to me in such a wise way.

You think about the lyrics to War. I was 13 years of age the first time I heard them: Until the philosophy which hold one race superior / And another / Inferior / Is finally / And permanently / Discredited / And abandoned / -Everywhere is war - / Me say war. That until there no longer / First class and second class citizens of any nation / Until the color of a man's skin / Is of no more significance / than the color of his eyes / - Me say war. That until the basic human rights / Are equally guaranteed to all, / Without regard to race / - Dis a war. That until that day / The dream of lasting peace / World citizenship / Rule of international morality / Will remain in but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, / But never attained / - Now everywhere is war - / War. I'm 13 and thinking, what is that? So I start thinking why do people have friends who are all white and they have different color eyes? It's not like you have green eyes I can't talk to you. I remember being a certain age watching Mississippi Burning, and thinking people lived like this? I was in a family where if you came home as a kid and made a racial or a sexist joke, my parents would have been infuriated with me, as they should be. I'm pretty happy-go-lucky, but when it comes down to certain things I'm extremely serious. That's especially true when it comes down to human rights and treating everyone with dignity.

Q: You ever wonder how the hell you got here?

SEAN FOLEY: Every day. If I can get out of my own way of self judgment and thinking about useless stuff that I have no control over, like we all deal with, then it always hits me with total gratitude. It reminds me how fortunate I've been.

Source: http://www.pgatour.com/2012/tournaments/r494/10/23/wacker-sean-foley-interview-2/index.html

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How Internet Marketing Business Website Hosting Will Help You ...

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Microsoft updates Office Web Apps on SkyDrive

|industry = Computer softwareOnline servicesVideo games |foundation = Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States () |founder = Bill Gates, Paul Allen |location_city = Microsoft Redmond Campus, Redmond, Washington |location_country = U.S. |area_served = Worldwide |key_people = |products = See listing |services = See listing |revenue = US$ 73.72?billion (2012) |operating_income = US$ 21.76?billion (2012) |net_income = US$ 16.97?billion (2012) |assets = US$ 121.2?billion (2012) |equity = US$ 66.36?billion (2012) |num_employees = 94,000 (2012) |subsid = List of Microsoft subsidiaries |homepage = |footnotes = }} Microsoft Corporation () is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington that develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a wide range of products and services related to computing. The company was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975. Microsoft is the world's largest software maker measured by revenues. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies.

Microsoft was established to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800. It rose to dominate the personal computer operating system market with MS-DOS in the mid-1980s, followed by the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems. The company's 1986 initial public offering, and subsequent rise in its share price, created an estimated three billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. Since the 1990s, it has increasingly diversified from the operating system market and has made a number of corporate acquisitions. In May 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype Technologies for $8.5 billion in its largest acquisition to date.

As of 2012, Microsoft is market dominant in both the PC operating system and office suite markets (the latter with Microsoft Office). The company also produces a wide range of other software for desktops and servers, and is active in areas including internet search (with Bing), the video game industry (with the Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles), the digital services market (through MSN), and mobile phones (via the Windows Phone OS). In June 2012, Microsoft announced that it would be entering the PC vendor market for the first time, with the launch of the Microsoft Surface tablet computer.

In the 1990s, critics began to contend that Microsoft used monopolistic business practices and anti-competitive strategies including refusal to deal and tying, put unreasonable restrictions in the use of its software, and used misrepresentative marketing tactics; both the U.S. Department of Justice and European Commission found the company in violation of antitrust laws.

History

Early history

Paul Allen and Bill Gates, childhood friends with a passion in computer programming, were seeking to make a successful business utilizing their shared skills. The January 1975 issue of Popular Electronics featured Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems's (MITS) Altair 8800 microcomputer. Allen noticed that they could program a BASIC interpreter for the device; after a call from Gates claiming to have a working interpreter, MITS requested a demonstration. Since they didn't actually have one, Allen worked on a simulator for the Altair while Gates developed the interpreter. Although they developed the interpreter on a simulator and not the actual device, the interpreter worked flawlessly when they demonstrated the interpreter to MITS in Albuquerque, New Mexico in March 1975; MITS agreed to distribute it, marketing it as Altair BASIC. They officially established Microsoft on April 4, 1975, with Gates as the CEO. Allen came up with the original name of "Micro-Soft," as recounted in a 1995 Fortune magazine article. In August 1977 the company formed an agreement with ASCII Magazine in Japan, resulting in its first international office, "ASCII Microsoft". The company moved to a new home in Bellevue, Washington in January 1979.

Microsoft entered the OS business in 1980 with its own version of Unix, called Xenix. However, it was MS-DOS that solidified the company's dominance. After negotiations with Digital Research failed, IBM awarded a contract to Microsoft in November 1980 to provide a version of the CP/M OS, which was set to be used in the upcoming IBM Personal Computer (IBM PC). For this deal, Microsoft purchased a CP/M clone called 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products, branding it as MS-DOS, which IBM rebranded to PC-DOS. Following the release of the IBM PC in August 1981, Microsoft retained ownership of MS-DOS. Since IBM copyrighted the IBM PC BIOS, other companies had to reverse engineer it in order for non-IBM hardware to run as IBM PC compatibles, but no such restriction applied to the operating systems. Due to various factors, such as MS-DOS's available software selection, Microsoft eventually became the leading PC operating systems vendor. The company expanded into new markets with the release of the Microsoft Mouse in 1983, as well as a publishing division named Microsoft Press. Paul Allen resigned from Microsoft in February after developing Hodgkin's disease.

1984?1994: Windows and Office

While jointly developing a new OS with IBM in 1984, OS/2, Microsoft released Microsoft Windows, a graphical extension for MS-DOS, on November 20. Microsoft moved its headquarters to Redmond on February 26, 1986, and on March 13 the company went public; the ensuing rise in the stock would make an estimated four billionaires and 12,000 millionaires from Microsoft employees. Due to the partnership with IBM, in 1990 the Federal Trade Commission set its eye on Microsoft for possible collusion; it marked the beginning of over a decade of legal clashes with the U.S. Government. Microsoft announced the release of its version of OS/2 to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) on April 2, 1987; meanwhile, the company was at work on a 32-bit OS, Microsoft Windows NT, using ideas from OS/2; it shipped on July 21, 1993 with a new modular kernel and the Win32 application programming interface (API), making porting from 16-bit (MS-DOS-based) Windows easier. Once Microsoft informed IBM of NT, the OS/2 partnership deteriorated.

Microsoft introduced its office suite, Microsoft Office, in 1990. The software bundled separate office productivity applications, such as Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. On May 22 Microsoft launched Windows 3.0 with a streamlined user interface graphics and improved protected mode capability for the Intel 386 processor. Both Office and Windows became dominant in their respective areas. Novell, a Word competitor from 1984?1986, filed a lawsuit years later claiming that Microsoft left part of its APIs undocumented in order to gain a competitive advantage.

On July 27, 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division filed a Competitive Impact Statement that said, in part: "Beginning in 1988, and continuing until July 15, 1994, Microsoft induced many OEMs to execute anti-competitive "per processor" licenses. Under a per processor license, an OEM pays Microsoft a royalty for each computer it sells containing a particular microprocessor, whether the OEM sells the computer with a Microsoft operating system or a non-Microsoft operating system. In effect, the royalty payment to Microsoft when no Microsoft product is being used acts as a penalty, or tax, on the OEM's use of a competing PC operating system. Since 1988, Microsoft's use of per processor licenses has increased."

1995?2005: Internet and the 32-bit era

1993 took over from the Federal Trade Commission, a protracted legal wrangling between Microsoft and the department ensued, resulting in various settlements and possible blocked mergers. Microsoft would point to companies such as AOL-Time Warner in its defense.]]

Following Bill Gates's internal "Internet Tidal Wave memo" on May 26, 1995 Microsoft began to redefine its offerings and expand its product line into computer networking and the World Wide Web. The company released Windows 95 on August 24, 1995, featuring pre-emptive multitasking, a completely new user interface with a novel start button, and 32-bit compatibility; similar to NT, it provided the Win32 API. Windows 95 came bundled with the online service MSN, and for OEMs Internet Explorer, a web browser. Internet Explorer was not bundled with the retail Windows 95 boxes because the boxes were printed before the team finished the web browser, and instead was included in the Windows 95 Plus! pack. Branching out into new markets in 1996, Microsoft and NBC Universal created a new 24/7 cable news station, MSNBC. Microsoft created Windows CE 1.0, a new OS designed for devices with low memory and other constraints, such as personal digital assistants. In October 1997, the Justice Department filed a motion in the Federal District Court, stating that Microsoft violated an agreement signed in 1994 and asked the court to stop the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows.

Bill Gates handed over the CEO position on January 13, 2000 to Steve Ballmer, an old college friend of Gates and employee of the company since 1980, creating a new position for himself as Chief Software Architect. Various companies including Microsoft formed the Trusted Computing Platform Alliance in October 1999 to, among other things, increase security and protect intellectual property through identifying changes in hardware and software. Critics decry the alliance as a way to enforce indiscriminate restrictions over how consumers use software, and over how computers behave, a form of digital rights management; for example the scenario where a computer is not only secured for its owner, but also secured against its owner as well. On April 3, 2000, a judgment was handed down in the case of United States v. Microsoft, calling the company an "abusive monopoly"; it settled with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2004. On October 25, 2001 Microsoft released Windows XP, unifying the mainstream and NT lines under the NT codebase. The company released the Xbox later that year, entering the game console market dominated by Sony and Nintendo. In March 2004 the European Union brought antitrust legal action against the company, citing it abused its dominance with the Windows OS, resulting in a judgment of ?497million ($613million) and to produce new versions of Windows XP without Windows Media Player, Windows XP Home Edition N and Windows XP Professional N.

2006?2010: Windows Vista, mobile, SaaS and Windows 7

Released in January 2007, the next version of Windows, Windows Vista, focused on features, security, and a redesigned user interface dubbed Aero. Microsoft Office 2007, released at the same time, featured a "Ribbon" user interface which was a significant departure from its predecessors. Relatively strong sales of both titles helped to produce a record profit in 2007. The European Union imposed another fine of ?899million ($1.4billion) for Microsoft's lack of compliance with the March 2004 judgment on February 27, 2008, saying that the company charged rivals unreasonable prices for key information about its workgroup and backoffice servers. Microsoft stated that it was in compliance and that "these fines are about the past issues that have been resolved".

Bill Gates retired from his role as Chief Software Architect on June 27, 2008 while retaining other positions related to the company in addition to being an advisor for the company on key projects. Azure Services Platform, the company's entry into the cloud computing market for Windows, launched on October 27, 2008. On February 12, 2009, Microsoft announced its intent to open a chain of Microsoft-branded retail stores, and on October 22, 2009 the first retail Microsoft Store opened in Scottsdale, Arizona; the same day the first store opened Windows 7 was officially released to the public. Windows 7's focus was on refining Vista with ease of use features and performance enhancements, rather than a large reworking of Windows.

As the smartphone industry boomed beginning in 2007, Microsoft struggled to keep up with its rivals Apple and Google in providing a modern smartphone operating system. As a result, in 2010, Microsoft revamped their aging flagship mobile operating system, Windows Mobile, replacing it with the new Windows Phone OS; along with a new strategy in the smartphone industry that has Microsoft working more closely with smartphone manufactures, such as Nokia, and to provide a consistent user experience across all smartphones using Microsoft's Windows Phone OS. It used a new user interface design language, codenamed "Metro", which prominently used simple shapes, typography and iconography, and the concept of minimalism.

Microsoft is a founding member of the Open Networking Foundation started on March 23, 2011. Other founding companies include Google, HP Networking, Yahoo, Verizon, Deutsche Telekom and 17 other companies. The nonprofit organization is focused on providing support for a new cloud computing initiative called Software-Defined Networking. The initiative is meant to speed innovation through simple software changes in telecommunications networks, wireless networks, data centers and other networking areas.

2011-present: Mobile, Metro and Yammer

Following the release of Windows Phone 7, Microsoft gradually began a rebranding of its entire product range between 2011 and 2012. Logos, products, services and websites were updated to use the principles and concepts of the Metro design language.

On 31 May 2012, Microsoft released the release preview version of its next generation Windows 8 software. It is designed to power devices ranging from tablets to desktop computers.

On 25 June 2012, Microsoft announced that it is paying $1.2 billion to buy the social network Yammer.

On October 1, 2012, Microsoft announced it is launching a news operation when Windows 8 launches later in the month. It is part of a new-look MSN.

Product divisions

For the 2010 fiscal year, Microsoft had five product divisions: Windows & Windows Live Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division, Microsoft Business Division, and Entertainment and Devices Division.

Windows & Windows Live Division, Server and Tools, Online Services Division

The company's Client division produces the flagship Windows OS line such as Windows 7; it also produces the Windows Live family of products and services. Server and Tools produces the server versions of Windows, such as Windows Server 2008 R2 as well as a set of development tools called Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft Silverlight, a web application framework, and System Center Configuration Manager, a collection of tools providing remote-control abilities, patch management, software distribution and a hardware/software inventory. Other server products include: Microsoft SQL Server, a relational database management system, Microsoft Exchange Server, for certain business-oriented e-mail and scheduling features, Small Business Server, for messaging and other small business-oriented features; and Microsoft BizTalk Server, for business process management.

Microsoft provides IT consulting ("Microsoft Consulting Services") and produces a set of certification programs handled by the Server and Tools division designed to recognize individuals who have a minimal set of proficiencies in a specific role; this includes developers ("Microsoft Certified Solution Developer"), system/network analysts ("Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer"), trainers ("Microsoft Certified Trainers") and administrators ("Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator" and "Microsoft Certified Database Administrator"). Microsoft Press, which publishes books, is also managed by the division. The Online Services Business division handles the online service MSN and the search engine Bing. As of December 2009, the company also possesses an 18% ownership of the cable news channel MSNBC without any editorial control; however, the division develops the channel's website, msnbc.com, in a joint venture with the channel's co-owner, NBC Universal.

Business Division

The Microsoft Business Division produces Microsoft Office including Microsoft Office 2010, the company's line of office software. The software product includes Word (a word processor), Access (a relational database program), Excel (a spreadsheet program), Outlook (Groupware, frequently used with Exchange Server), PowerPoint (presentation software), Publisher (desktop publishing software) and Sharepoint. A number of other products were added later with the release of Office 2003 including Visio, Project, MapPoint, InfoPath and OneNote. The division also develops enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for companies under the Microsoft Dynamics brand. These include: Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics GP, and Microsoft Dynamics SL. They are targeted at varying company types and countries, and limited to organizations with under 7,500 employees. Also included under the Dynamics brand is the customer relationship management software Microsoft Dynamics CRM, part of the Azure Services Platform.

Entertainment and Devices Division

The Entertainment and Devices Division produces the Windows CE OS for embedded systems and Windows Phone for smartphones. Microsoft initially entered the mobile market through Windows CE for handheld devices, eventually developing into the Windows Mobile OS and now, Windows Phone. Windows CE is designed for devices where the OS may not directly be visible to the end user, in particular, appliances and cars. The division also produces computer games that run on Windows PCs and other systems including titles such as Age of Empires, Halo and the Microsoft Flight Simulator series, and houses the Macintosh Business Unit which produces Mac OS software including Microsoft Office 2011 for Mac. Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division designs, markets, and manufactures consumer electronics including the Xbox 360 game console, the handheld Zune media player, and the television-based Internet appliance MSN TV. Microsoft also markets personal computer hardware including mice, keyboards, and various game controllers such as joysticks and gamepads.

Culture

Technical reference for developers and articles for various Microsoft magazines such as Microsoft Systems Journal (or MSJ) are available through the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN). MSDN also offers subscriptions for companies and individuals, and the more expensive subscriptions usually offer access to pre-release beta versions of Microsoft software. In April 2004 Microsoft launched a community site for developers and users, titled Channel9, that provides a wiki and an Internet forum. Another community site that provides daily videocasts and other services, On10.net, launched on March 3, 2006. Free technical support is traditionally provided through online Usenet newsgroups, and CompuServe in the past, monitored by Microsoft employees; there can be several newsgroups for a single product. Helpful people can be elected by peers or Microsoft employees for Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) status, which entitles them to a sort of special social status and possibilities for awards and other benefits.

Noted for its internal lexicon, the expression "eating our own dog food" is used to describe the policy of using prerelease and beta versions of products inside Microsoft in an effort to test them in "real-world" situations. This is usually shortened to just "dog food" and is used as noun, verb, and adjective. Another bit of jargon, FYIFV or FYIV ("Fuck You, I'm [Fully] Vested"), is used by an employee to indicate they are financially independent and can avoid work anytime they wish. The company is also known for its hiring process, mimicked in other organizations and dubbed the "Microsoft interview", which is notorious for off-the-wall questions such as "Why is a manhole cover round?".

Microsoft is an outspoken opponent of the cap on H1B visas, which allow companies in the U.S. to employ certain foreign workers. Bill Gates claims the cap on H1B visas makes it difficult to hire employees for the company, stating "I'd certainly get rid of the H1B cap" in 2005. Critics of H1B visas argue that relaxing the limits would result in increased unemployment for U.S. citizens due to H1B workers working for lower salaries. The Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, a report of how progressive the organization deems company policies towards LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) employees, rated Microsoft as 87% from 2002 to 2004 and as 100% from 2005 to 2010 after they allowed gender expression.

Criticism

Criticism of Microsoft has followed the company's existence because of various aspects of its products and business practices. Ease of use, stability, and security of the company's software are common targets for critics. More recently, Trojan horses and other exploits have plagued numerous users due to faults in the security of Microsoft Windows and other programs. Microsoft is also accused of locking vendors into their products, and of not following and complying with existing standards in its software. Total cost of ownership comparisons of Linux as well as Mac OS X to Windows are a continuous point of debate.

The company has been in numerous lawsuits by several governments and other companies for unlawful monopolistic practices. In 2004, the European Union found Microsoft guilty in a highly publicized anti-trust case. Additionally, Microsoft's EULA for some of its programs is often criticized as being too restrictive as well as being against open source software.

Microsoft has been criticized (along with Yahoo, AOL, and other companies) for its involvement in censorship in the People's Republic of China. Microsoft has also come under criticism for outsourcing jobs to China and India. There were reports of poor working conditions at a factory in southern China that makes some of Microsoft's products.

Criticism of the company has resulted in it being deemed "the evil empire" by some. In a sci-fi allusion, Microsoft has also been called "The Borg" after the fictional race of aliens in the Star Trek universe. It reflects the perception that Microsoft often acquires technology from other companies rather than developing it in-house, as well as to Microsoft's ability to adapt to and overwhelm its opponents' strategies.

Corporate affairs

The company is run by a board of directors made up of mostly company outsiders, as is customary for publicly traded companies. Members of the board of directors as of June 2010 are: Steve Ballmer, Dina Dublon, Bill Gates (chairman), Raymond Gilmartin, Reed Hastings, Maria Klawe, David Marquardt, Charles Noski, and Helmut Panke. Board members are elected every year at the annual shareholders' meeting using a majority vote system. There are five committees within the board which oversee more specific matters. These committees include the Audit Committee, which handles accounting issues with the company including auditing and reporting; the Compensation Committee, which approves compensation for the CEO and other employees of the company; the Finance Committee, which handles financial matters such as proposing mergers and acquisitions; the Governance and Nominating Committee, which handles various corporate matters including nomination of the board; and the Antitrust Compliance Committee, which attempts to prevent company practices from violating antitrust laws.

When Microsoft went public and launched its initial public offering (IPO) in 1986, the opening stock price was $21; after the trading day, the price closed at $27.75. As of July 2010, with the company's nine stock splits, any IPO shares would be multiplied by 288; if one was to buy the IPO today given the splits and other factors, it would cost about 9cents. The stock price peaked in 1999 at around $119 ($60.928 adjusting for splits). The company began to offer a dividend on January 16, 2003, starting at eight cents per share for the fiscal year followed by a dividend of sixteen cents per share the subsequent year, switching from yearly to quarterly dividends in 2005 with eight cents a share per quarter and a special one-time payout of three dollars per share for the second quarter of the fiscal year. Though the company had subsequent increases in dividend payouts, the price of Microsoft's stock remained steady for years.

One of Microsoft's business tactics, described by an executive as "embrace, extend and extinguish," initially embraces a competing standard or product, then extends it to produce their own version which is then incompatible with the standard, which in time extinguishes competition that does not or cannot use Microsoft's new version. Various companies and governments sue Microsoft over this set of tactics, resulting in billions of dollars in rulings against the company. Microsoft claims that the original strategy is not anti-competitive, but rather an exercise of its discretion to implement features it believes customers want.

Financial

Standard and Poor's and Moody's have both given a AAA rating to Microsoft, whose assets were valued at $41?billion as compared to only $8.5?billion in unsecured debt. Consequently, in February 2011 Microsoft released a corporate bond amounting to $2.25?billion with relatively low borrowing rates compared to government bonds.

For the first time in 20 years Apple Inc. surpassed Microsoft in Q1 2011 quarterly profits and revenues due to a slowdown in PC sales and continuing huge losses in Microsoft's Online Services Division (which contains its search engine Bing). Microsoft profits were $5.2 billion, while Apple Inc. profits were $6 billion, on revenues of $14.5 billion and $24.7 billion respectively.

Microsoft's Online Services Division has been continuously loss-making since 2006 and in Q1 2011 it lost $726 million. This follows a loss of $2.5 billion for the year 2010.

On July 20, 2012, Microsoft posted its first quarterly loss ever, despite earning record revenues for the quarter and fiscal year. Microsoft reported a net loss of $492 million; the 2007 acquisition of advertising company aQuantive for $6.2 billion and problems associated with it have been cited as the cause.

Environment

Microsoft is ranked on the 17th place in Greenpeace?s Guide to Greener Electronics (16th Edition) that ranks 18 electronics manufacturers according to their policies on toxic chemicals, recycling and climate change. Microsoft?s timeline for phasing out BFRs and phthalates in all products is 2012 but its commitment to phasing out PVC is not clear. As yet (January 2011) it has no products that are completely free from PVC and BFRs.

Microsoft's main U.S. campus received a silver certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program in 2008, and it installed over 2,000 solar panels on top of its buildings in its Silicon Valley campus, generating approximately 15 percent of the total energy needed by the facilities in April 2005.

Microsoft makes use of alternative forms of transit. It created one of the worlds largest private bus systems, the "Connector", to transport people from outside the company; for on-campus transportation, the "Shuttle Connect" uses a large fleet of hybrid cars to save fuel. The company also subsidises regional public transport as an incentive. In February 2010 however, Microsoft took a stance against adding additional public transport and high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to a bridge connecting Redmond to Seattle; the company did not want to delay the construction any further.

Microsoft was ranked number 1 in the list of the World's Best Multinational Workplaces by the Great Place to Work Institute in 2011.

Marketing

In 2004, Microsoft commissioned research firms to do independent studies comparing the total cost of ownership (TCO) of Windows Server 2003 to Linux; the firms concluded that companies found Windows easier to administrate than Linux, thus those using Windows would administrate faster resulting in lower costs for their company (i.e. lower TCO). This spurred a wave of related studies; a study by the Yankee Group concluded that upgrading from one version of Windows Server to another costs a fraction of the switching costs from Windows Server to Linux, although companies surveyed noted the increased security and reliability of Linux servers and concern about being locked into using Microsoft products. Another study, released by the Open Source Development Labs, claimed that the Microsoft studies were "simply outdated and one-sided" and their survey concluded that the TCO of Linux was lower due to Linux administrators managing more servers on average and other reasons.

As part of the "Get the Facts" campaign Microsoft highlighted the .NET trading platform that it had developed in partnership with Accenture for the London Stock Exchange, claiming that it provided "five nines" reliability. After suffering extended downtime and unreliability the LSE announced in 2009 that it was planning to drop its Microsoft solution and switch to a Linux based one in 2010.

Logo

Microsoft adopted the so-called "Pac-Man Logo", designed by Scott Baker, in 1987. Baker stated "The new logo, in Helvetica italic typeface, has a slash between the o and s? to emphasize the "soft" part of the name and convey motion and speed." Dave Norris ran an internal joke campaign to save the old logo, which was green, in all uppercase, and featured a fanciful letter O, nicknamed the blibbet, but it was discarded. Microsoft's logo with the "Your potential. Our passion." tagline below the main corporate name, is based on a slogan Microsoft used in 2008. In 2002, the company started using the logo in the United States and eventually started a TV campaign with the slogan, changed from the previous tagline of "Where do you want to go today?". During the private MGX (Microsoft Global Exchange) conference in 2010, Microsoft unveiled the company's next tagline, "Be What's Next.".

On August 23, 2012, Microsoft unveiled a new corporate logo at the opening of its 23rd Microsoft store in Boston indicating the company's shift of focus from the classic style to the tile-centric modern interface which it uses/will use on the Windows Phone platform, Xbox 360 and the upcoming Windows 8 and Office Suites. The new logo also includes four squares with the colors of the then-current Windows logo. This logo is, however, not completely new - it was featured in Windows 95 commercials from the mid-90s. Each color represents a major product of the company: blue for Windows (hence the Windows 8 logo), green for Xbox, red for Office, and yellow currently unknown.

See also

List of Microsoft topics

References

External links

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Source: http://article.wn.com/view/2012/10/23/Microsoft_updates_Office_Web_Apps_on_SkyDrive/

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