Marshall Hanwell Speaker

To celebrate 50 years of producing quality listening gear, Marshall lends you the opportunity to experience front row concert seating in the comfort of your own home with the Hanwell Speaker. It delivers a powerful, crisp, and resonating, trademarked sound via its dual long-throw woofers and hi-fi tweeters, while keeping the iconic nostalgic design familiar to Marshall products.
Marshall Hanwell Speaker $800

source: gearmoose.com

Ten Practical Moves to Avoid Problem Debt in 2013

To avoid your own "fiscal cliff" in 2013, I suggest you stop arguing with yourself and take 10 -- and by that, I mean 10 positive steps for a better, more prosperous new year.

Tip 1: Develop a spending plan
If you don't have a plan for your money, you will end up following someone else's plan. That's no fun! A plan puts you in control of how much you spend and on what. Trust me, plan for spending, and you will have a much richer financial life.

Tip 2: Save for emergencies
If you don't have savings, you will fail. End of story. Life can't be totally predicted, so to avoid being in a hole every time a surprise happens, you must have savings. Your goal is to save six to 12 months' worth of living expenses. Not what you earn each month, but what you spend each month. They should be different, and what you earn should be more.

Tip 3: Study up before taking on student loan debt
Starting a working career with six figures of student loan debt drastically reduces your spending options once you graduate -- that is, if you graduate and if you get a job. Be smart. Limit your student debt to what your take-home pay in your chosen career can afford. Crunch the numbers before you sign on the dotted line. Remember, it is a bill you will have to pay no matter what. If you don't have a career field in mind, don't take on any debt until you do.

Tip 4: Don't try to borrow your way out of debt
Consolidating debts into one lower payment sounds like a perfect financial move. It may not be, however. The main reason is because many people continue to add to their debt burden after the consolidation and end up with more debt than they can manage. Restructure your spending instead of your debt, and make a concerted effort to pay down what you owe as quickly as possible.

Tip 5: Never co-sign on a loan -- never, ever
You have ample opportunity to mess up your finances. Never share that opportunity with someone else. There is a reason why a professional lender won't approve this loan. So, why should you? Lend your support and encouragement, but not access to your credit.

Tip 6: Payday loans: No, no and no
You need money that you don't have, so you borrow what you need for a very large fee and a promise to pay when you are next paid. The problem, and it's a big one, is you won't have the extra money to pay back the loan when you get paid next time, either. This begins a vicious cycle of ever-increasing fees. Do without, pay something late, borrow from a friend, work part time, but don't take out a payday loan.

Tip 7: Avoid an upside-down car loan
If you need to sell your car, you need to make enough from the sale to pay off your car loan. Because vehicles depreciate so much, a large down payment will give you the freedom to sell when you want or need to sell.

Tip 8: Pay off no-interest offers as soon as you can
Having 48 months to pay means having 48 chances to let a mistake happen. One late payment, and the retroactive interest payment will make your head spin!

Tip 9: Never turn your back on a debt
As much as we would like to believe an ignored problem will go away, it doesn't. Ignoring a debt means high interest rates, large fees, a summons to appear in court, years of bad credit and a possible wage garnishment. Look that debt in the eye, and get help if you don't know what to do now, not later.

Tip 10: File bankruptcy only as a last resort
Bankruptcy is a viable choice only after all other reasonable options have been exhausted. It may not get rid of all your debts, but it will ruin your credit and job prospects, and you'll have to wait from three to seven years before you are eligible to file again. Think of bankruptcy like a financial nuclear weapon. You may be worse off from the fallout than you were before.

Copyright 2012, Bankrate Inc.

source: foxbusiness.com

Steven Tyler Slams 'Spinal Tap' in Rare Library of Congress Interviews

A few years before he retired, record industry executive Joe Smith began recording interviews with the biggest pop, rock and jazz stars of his lifetime, many of whom he signed as the head of several labels, including Warner Bros., Elektra/Asylum and Capitol. He published a book in 1988 called Off the Record, featuring more than 200 interview excerpts with Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Little Richard, Elton John and many more. The unedited tapes themselves, however, sat in his garage for 25 years until earlier this year, when he donated them to the Library of Congress, which recently uploaded an initial round of 25 digitized interviews to its website. The library will make the next 25 tapes available in February.

Gene DeAnna, head of the library's Recorded Sound Section, tells Rolling Stone that the interviews have driven far more traffic than he could have imagined. "In all honesty, I love the stuff, but I didn't think it was going to resonate that much," he says. "I think it shows how important these people are to so many people. It shows them off the stage, as they are as people, their human side."

Smith, now in his eighties, says he was planning to leave the tapes to either the Yale School of Music or CalArts, both of which he has served as a trustee. But Mickey Hart, whose band the Grateful Dead was one of Smith's more notable signings, suggested the Library of Congress. "He was very involved with the library, good friends with Mr. [James H.] Billington, the chief librarian," Smith tells Rolling Stone. "They jumped on these tapes as soon as I made them available."

Here are revealing excerpts from four of the interviews, all conducted in the mid-Eighties.

Graham Nash on David Crosby hitting rock bottom:
"I was well-grounded in knowing what the negative side of [stardom] was. I kind of like myself. I have my weaknesses and faults, the same as everyone else. But I think basically I'm a decent human being that wants the best out of life, that wants the best out of himself and his friends and his music. I think that keeps me in a really positive frame of mind so that I don't seek gratification in other areas. And I think basically the opposite of that is the problem with David right now. He does not have a good self-image. He looks in the mirror and he doesn't like himself.

Right now he's in the Huntsville jail in Texas. He's been in seven months. The first five were in the Dallas County jail, where he could phone out. He'd call me every three or four days – collect, of course. He traded prisons because, although he couldn't use the phone in Hunstville, he could use his guitar, and I took that as a very encouraging sign that he's about to turn his life around. I've been to see him, I write every week and he writes to me. He keeps sending poetry out, so I know his brain is working . . . I think it would be very hard to freebase cocaine in prison, because of all the paraphernalia that goes along with it. I think he's finished with that part of his life, I really do. [He went] right to the bottom. He lost his music, his friends and his money. And what people thought of him. He always considered himself to be a leader, someone to look up to, and he's lost that, and I think he's kind of ashamed of that. He always thought he would die in jail, if he was ever imprisoned, but that's not happened."

Yoko Ono on the pressure of taking the Beatles' place in John Lennon's life:
"For John it was like a divorce. I think he was feeling very good about it, as if a big weight was off him. At the same time, he was very proud of the group. He had an extremely high opinion about each one, which might be surprising. He used to say, "Well, they're very intelligent kids, you know. The fact that they came from Liverpool, you'd think they wouldn't understand these things – they do." That sort of attitude. He was always very protective of them in that sense. I don't really think he voiced anything he missed about the Beatles, maybe because I was the other party, that he got the divorce for. Oh, that's a very bad thing I said, that he got a divorce for marrying me. I fell into the trap right away – "Does that mean you broke up the Beatles?" I didn't break up the Beatles. The Beatles were getting very independent. Each one of them [was] getting independent. John, in fact, was not the first who wanted to leave the Beatles. [We saw] Ringo one night with Maureen, and he came to John and me and said he wanted to leave. George was next, and then John. Paul was the only one trying to hold the Beatles together. But the other three thought Paul would hold the Beatles together as his band. They were getting to be like Paul's band, which they didn't like.



Paul McCartney: Yoko Ono Didn't Break Up the Beatles

In a funny sort of way, I felt the weight of the breakup. Because he was communicating, having an extremely intense, stimulating exchange with three very intelligent, quick guys. And now he expected all that to be replaced by me. So our communication was very heavy. It went very well, but at the same time, initially when we got together, he would go to the studio and be playing with the other three, and I had a little time off, in a way. That was gone. It was a very heavy load, yes."

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler on the excesses of the Seventies:
"I was surprised – when we got into the thick of stardom in the Seventies, I found the most outrageous things I asked for, would've thought of asking for, had already taken place the week before with some other group. It was harder to do something that hadn't happened . . . I can remember the height of my oblivion, I was into doing things just because I could. I would think nothing of tipping a whole long spread, and I'd be so livid – explicit – no turkey roll! Give us a turkey – no gravy, no stuffing, just real meat. No hockey pucks, no mystery meat, just a turkey. And I would come in after coming offstage, and I'd have 12 ounces of Jack in me, and half a gram, sweating profusely, and I would see that tray, and I would go "Yeeow!" and just turn the thing right over. And that would feel good to me. That felt real good . . . That movie [This Is Spinal Tap!] bummed me out, because I thought, 'How dare they? That's all real, and they're mocking it.'"

Dave Brubeck on whether he "intellectualized" jazz:
"I always learned by osmosis, being around good people. Usually the creative people were interested in me, and the type of teachers that didn't have much imagination were not interested in me [laughs] . . . Most of what's been said about me are that person's idea of what I've been thinking, and they haven't a clue. I did what everybody else does – you reflect your background, and then you try to do other things within that background that make you an individual . . . My mother was a classical pianist. She had a great drive to be a concert pianist. She studied with two of the top teachers in the world. My father was a cattleman, a champion rodeo roper, which means you're quick with your hands. He played harmonica and was always whistling. And he always was whistling classical piano themes, but he wouldn't know what he was whistling. One of the first tunes I wrote for Milhaud's class was called 'Dad Plays Harmonica.'"

source: rollingstone.com

Soundgarden Offering Free Download

Grunge Legends sharing two songs as a "thank you" to their fans for their support in 2012.

The band are giving fans the opportunity to download "Thousand Days Before" and "Rowing" from their recent performance on "Late Show With David Letterman".

The band took to the stage at the Ed Sullivan Theater hours before the release of their new album "King Animal" at the beginning of November. The new release is the Seattle band's sixth album and their first in 16 years.

To download your copies head to here and enter the code B33CMZ. Both songs feature on the new album.

(BLABBERMOUTH.NET)

 

source: planetrock.com

Ronnie Wood Weds In Secret Ceremony

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood has reportedly married his 34-year-old fiancee in a low-key civil ceremony.

The 65-year-old rocker tied the knot with theatre producer Sally Humphreys at London's Dorchester Hotel on Friday, according to reports.

The couple are said to have known each other for nine years and have been dating for around six months.

Earlier this year, Ms Humphreys said Wood proposed after asking her father's permission at the premiere of the Rolling Stones documentary Crossfire Hurricane.

She said: "There's no problem with the age difference. I can understand why people would have a problem with it but it doesn't seem to cause any problems. We get on very well."

She added: "He's very funny and very talented. There's the Ronnie that everyone thinks that they know and the very talented artist and musician."

Wood, who has battled addiction to drink and drugs, split up with second wife Jo in 2008, after he left his wife of more than 20 years for 21-year-old former cocktail waitress Ekaterina Ivanova.

His divorce from Jo was finalised last year.

His first marriage, from 1971 to 1978, was to Krissy Findlay, the mother of Jesse, one of his four children.

Second wife Jo recently auctioned off items from their marriage, sparking a dispute with the guitarist who said his Rolling Stones tour outfits were not hers to sell.

The band recently played a string of concerts marking 50 years since their first gig.

source: planetrock.com

How to Use Your Credit Cards Wisely for Holiday Shopping

The year is winding down, and we are now in the midst of this year’s holiday shopping season. While we are still in the throes of the global economic recession, you and millions of other people will venture out to crowded department stores, malls, and boutiques in search of the perfect gifts for their friends and family.

Since most people know they will be spending money on gifts, the holiday season is one of the best times to take advantage of benefits offered by credit card issuers such as cash back, rewards points, and no interest on purchases. Keep in mind, if you were to make these purchases using cash, you would be squandering the potential benefits gained by using a credit card.

However, the holiday spirit and temptation to buy expensive gifts for friends and family members can end up causing shoppers to rack up significant amounts of credit card debt, simply due to failure to take adequate precautions when using their credit card.

Here is a list of simple questions that you should ask yourself when using a credit card this holiday season to minimize problems and maximize benefits:

 

 

    Am I already carrying credit card debt? If the answer to this question is yes, then you should probably stay away from using your credit card to make holiday purchases this year. While it’s easy to get carried away with wanting to make your friends and family happy with nice gifts, your financial security is more important, so scale down those gift purchases to something more affordable.

    Do I know my credit limit?  Knowing your credit limit is of utmost importance. This is because if you exceed your credit limit without knowing, you run a good chance of the credit card company charging you penalty fees, and harming your credit score. Do not spend more than your credit limit allows for.

    Do I know my interest rate on purchases? If you plan on carrying a balance whatsoever, you’d better know your interest rate, or you risk digging yourself into debt. If you have a high interest rate and you’re planning to use your credit card for holiday purchases, you should make sure to pay the balance off in full at the end of the month.

    Do I have a budget in mind? The easiest way to stay within your means this holiday shopping season is to create a list of gifts that you plan on buying for your friends and family including dollar amounts, and then adhere to that budget by all means.

    Can I use my existing credit card points to buy gifts? One of the main draws of a credit card is getting rewards points from your purchases that you can redeem later for items such as electronics, flights, hotel stays, and more. If you have a lot of points saved up from using your credit card throughout the year, you can use these points to buy gifts instead of having to use actual money. This can save you a lot. If you do not yet have a credit card that offers rewards points, you can compare credit cards  to find one that will benefit you the most.

    What do I say when a store offers me a store-branded credit card? No. That’s a simple answer. You want to make sure you stay away from retailer credit cards at all times. This is because their interest rates are extremely high, and they offer poor long-term benefits. In addition, applying up for too many credit cards in a short period of time has the potential to harm your credit score.

With the above questions (and answers) in mind, you are now ready to get out there and shop for your loved ones, while at the same time ensuring your financial security.

 

source: streetsmartfinance.org

Effect of Taxes on the Economy

I stumbled upon an interesting tidbit today; 103 US companies have announced special dividend to their shareholders. Obviously these companies are paying out this dividend to their shareholders to avoid imminent tax increase in the capital gains from 15% to 30%.

This news is a precursor to what may happen to the state of our economy if both personal and capital gains taxes go up. This news also reveals the unintended consequences of raising capital gains taxes. Most seniors will end up paying more taxes as a result of the increase in the capital gains tax rate on their dividend income.

The political gridlock in Washington has made it clear that the battle between raising taxes on the upper income families vs spending cut has taken the center stage.

Choice is clear and distinct for those of us who believe that living within your means is far more important than to increase income as no income is suffice for those who live beyond their means.

While political parties are fighting their holy war to avoid the looming fiscal cliff, I decided to explore history to find the effect of taxes on our economy and federal revenue.

It’s apparent that federal revenue has gone up for the past four years despite the great recession of 2008. On the same token, federal budget deficit has gone up from $9 trillion to $16 trillion in the past four years. No one denies that our federal government is in dire need of raising its revenue.




It’s worth knowing that federal revenue went up by 86% between 1964 and 1970 after Congress passed the Kennedy tax cuts. Revenue went up by 57% between 1982 and 1990 after President Reagan slashed the top marginal rate from 70% to 28%, and the history repeated again when President Bush cut taxes in 2001.

Government spending is at 24% of GDP. This shows that while it is important to raise federal revenue, it’s even more important to limit the runaway spending in the midst of the slow economic growth of our economy. That shifts focus back to spur job growth in the private sector.

Time and again, it has been proven that when taxpayers get more tax savings, they make prudent decision about the best way to invest and/or spend their own income.

The biggest folly is to believe and buy into notion that government knows how to spend our money better than we do ourselves.

If you are not convinced that raising revenue(AKA taxes) can do more harm to our economy, I have narrated some interesting thoughts for you to ponder about.

1.  Imagine that you are in debt up to your eyeballs. It’s time for your family to make some tough decisions about your personal finances. You have lot to pay in credit card debt. The good news is that you have some equity in your home. Is it a good idea to pay credit card debt by raiding equity in your home? I don’t think so. Most people who borrow money from their equity line to pay for their credit card debt end up revisiting same painful dilemma by raking up their credit card debt again. Why? They don’t address their Achilles hill — their hedonic spending problem.

In every second of 2011, for example, the government spent $114,253—even though it was only taking in $73,043 in revenue. According to Face the Facts, that means the federal government spent $41,210 every second that it didn’t actually have. – US News

Unless our government can address runaway spending spree, taxing every rich person won’t reduce our national fiscal woes; on the contrary, effect of taxes may cripple our economic growth.

2.  Imagine that you own a small business. You are selling widgets to your local customers. All of sudden, you have a conundrum to solve — your are only 30 days away from losing your business as your business is burning cash at a faster rate than your annual revenue. What would you do as a CEO? I don’t think you would contemplate charging more to your most profitable customers in order to raise your revenue. You would instead take some painful steps to cut spending drastically all the while focusing more on superior service to all of your customers.

Our federal government is one of the largest enterprises on the planet with revenue of $2.2 trillion in 2010. Since President Woodraw Wilson used 16th amendment to enact income taxes in 1913, personal income tax has become major source of government revenue. No private business can survive hundred years with growing revenue without controlling its costs.

3.  Imagine that you are a salesman for a major corporation. You also have a friend who is a stellar salesman in your organization. Obviously, he makes lot more than you with his hard work and skills. Will you gain anything if your boss informs you that your friend has been forced to let go some of his bonus to raise revenue for the corporation? Absolutely not. If anything, it will stop you from working hard to become a stellar salesman.

While our nation is at the brink of facing a daunting task of reducing national deficit, common sense approach would be to foster economic growth by helping small businesses grow — as they are the engine of growth and prosperity for this nation — to create more jobs and thus more revenue for our federal government.

Those of us who have replaced ‘more’ with ‘enough’ in our lexicon, it is time to let our leaders know that — sometimes — even our government has to learn some painful lessons of personal finance. Do you agree?

source: streetsmartfinance.org

Rock icon Pepe Smith performs in London

LONDON - Legendary Pinoy rocker Joey ‘Pepe’ Smith conquered the stage in the British capital as special guest on the first ever Pambansang Musiklaban in the UK.


The rock star from iconic 70's Filipino band Juan De La Cruz brought classic rock anthems to The Harrow Club near Notting Hill in West London.

“I really enjoyed it with the back up band I had. We’re really rocking and cool,” he told ABS-CBN News after his first ever stage performance in London.

Dubbed as “Mick Jagger of the Philippines,” the mixed Filipino-American rock icon was mobbed by excited fans in London, most of whom screamed and jumped onto the stage at the first sight of their idol.

“Wow, ang saya. Nakakadala. I never thought I’d really enjoy it. Thank you,” said Smith, who flew all the way from the Philippines for the special appearance.

He was guest of honor at the inaugural Pambansang Musiklaban UK, a competition for Filipino rock bands based in Britain.



Five bands battled it out for this year’s title, performing live in front of a panel of judges with experience in the music industry, as well as dozens of loud rock fans.

“The bands are top class,” said Ron Albano, organizer of the event.

He added: “They are musicians from the Philippines who happen to move abroad for work, but they never lost their passion for music.”

Heavy metal band Doppelganger clinched 3rd place, while veteran pop rock act Ekiz Band placed in 2nd.

But the night belonged to young indie band Firebox, whose mixture of contemporary tracks and modern renditions of classic tunes won the hearts of both the judges and audiences, ultimately bagging the top spot in the competition.


“We’re happy but we didn’t expect it because everyone was good,” the band said.

They added: “Usually Pinoys abroad are only seen as workers, nurses, or housekeepers. At least now we have proven that we’re not only good at boxing and cleaning, but with singing and music as well.”

As this year’s winner, Firebox received the £1,000 cash prize, along with a music video deal and a UK tour performing in various 2013 Barrio Fiesta events across the country. They will also get a chance to participate in Musiklaban 2013 in Manila, a national music competition in the Philippines supported by Pepe Smith.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao also slips down Yahoo! Sports P4P

MANILA, Philippines – As expected, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao dropped down the Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound list following his devastating loss to Juan Manuel Marquez two weeks ago.

From his previous ranking at No. 3, the Filipino superstar slid down to No. 6 behind fellow Filipino, Nonito Donaire Jr., who went up to No. 5.

Pacquiao also fell several notches in the pound-for-pound lists of The RING Magazine and ESPN earlier this week.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. remained on top of Yahoo! Sports' list, followed by Andre Ward (No. 2).

Pacquiao’s conqueror, Marquez, zoomed up to No. 3 from his previous ranking at No. 5.

Sergio Martinez is ranked No. 4.

Ukraine’s Wladimir Klitschko is ranked No. 7, followed by Timothy Bradley (No. 8), Vitali Klitschko (No. 9) and Carl Froch (No. 10).

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Some believe Friday is doomsday on the Mayan calendar; the Mayans don't

Merida, Mexico (CNN) -- There may be no one left on Earth to say TGIF this week.

Some believe the world is coming to an end Friday -- on 12/21/12 -- which is when an important phase on the ancient calendar of the Mayan people terminates.

Mayans don't buy it.

At least the ones living in the city of Merida, Mexico, don't. Neither does anyone in the Mayan village of Yaxuna. They know the calendar their ancestors left them is about to absolve a key phase -- the end of an era and the heralding of a new one -- but they don't think we're all gonna die.

"It's an era. We are lucky to see how it ends," said wood carver Santos Esteban in Yaxuna, a sleepy village of fewer than 700 Mayans, located in a territory that once belonged to the ancient kingdom founded around 2000 B.C.

He feels it is a momentous occasion and is looking forward to the start of the new age. He is not afraid.

"Lots of people say it's the end of the world, but we don't believe that," he said.

People in his village will keep living much as they have, preferring hand-built, palm-thatch huts to concrete buildings and baking tortillas on an open flame.

For those less optimistic than the Mayans, an "official" website in the United States has collected links to all the doomsday articles and videos Internet users can consume.

December212012.com also offers tips on survival and advertisements for the needed gear -- from gas masks to first aid kits and hand-crank radios. Comments are welcome on its Facebook page, which has more than 14,000 likes, and website owner "John" from near Louisville, Kentucky, sends out tweets under the handle @December212012.

On the doomsday Facebook page -- in between gloomy superstitious links and user comments -- John has confessed that he does not really believe the world will end on Friday but thinks that a new era could dawn that may include some improvements for the world. That new era, however, might require a good bit of destruction as well.

John asked posters not to take the whole thing too seriously.

"PLEASE PEOPLE. . . I'm begging you. Do not overreact or make any rash decisions regarding Dec 21st. Anyone who knows anything about the 2012 prophecies, including myself, does not believes that the world is going to end," the Facebook page says.

Gunmaker Ryan Croft in Asheville, North Carolina, does take the prediction seriously. He is building a special assault rifle to deal with any signs of doom lurking around the corner.

He doesn't think life on Earth will come to a complete end Friday. "I'm not planning for the world to go away," Croft told CNN affiliate WHNS.

However, he thinks the day could mark the beginning of cataclysmic times introduced by a disaster. That may call for drastic measures, Croft said.

His new rifle, a hybrid of an AR-15 and an AK-47, is designed to be easy to use, the Gulf War veteran said. Trouble in the United States could ensue in the wake of an economic catastrophe, he thinks.

"I taught about economic collapse and how it actually looks on the ground," he said. "People want to act like it can't happen or doesn't happen, and it happens around the world. There are places on fire right now."

In true survivalist manner, Croft also teaches his family how to subsist on alternative sources of nourishment, such as algae, roasted mice and live earthworms.

Though 12/21/12 is a somewhat congruent date on the western calendar, the Mayan version enumerates the event in a different way.

The ancient people measured time in cycles called "baktuns" of 394 years each, and the winter solstice coming Friday marks the end of the 13th baktun. Some who study the calendar say the date for the end of the period is not Friday, but Sunday.

The Mayan calendar is based on the position of the heavenly bodies -- the sun, the moon and the stars -- and was meant to tell the Mayan people about agricultural and economic trends, said archeologist Alfredo Barrera.

NASA is also weighing in on the matter, with a post on its website declaring that the world will not end on Friday.

"It will be another winter solstice," NASA said. "The claims behind the end of the world quickly unravel when pinned down to the 2012 timeline."

As of Thursday afternoon in the eastern United States -- already Friday across Asia -- the space agency said it had detected "nothing unusual" and that it anticipated a normal couple of days ahead.

The hubbub about a calamity occurring comes from a Mayan stone carving called monument 6, made in 700 A.D., which predicts a major event at the end of this baktun, Barrera said. But half of the broken tablet is missing, so one may only speculate on what the complete message may be.

Whatever it is, it's not about the end of the world, he said.

"We don't have a prophecy or inscription related to the finish of the world. It just mentioned a deity."

Barrera said he believes the hullabaloo about the end of the world has been whipped up by online speculation -- and he finds it a bit ignorant.

In Merida, Mayan priest Valerio Canche conducts an ancient ritual to honor the dead in light of the upcoming end of the 13th baktun.

"It is considered the closure of the great cycle of Mayan time," he said. "But, of course, the cycle (14th baktun) begins the following day. For the Mayans, it's not the end of the world."

If you're reading this on Thursday, keep in mind that it's already Friday in New Zealand, and it's still on the map. If it's Friday, a look out the window may be reassuring.

If it's Saturday, and no major calamity has occurred, then relax and go celebrate the beginning of the 14th baktun with the Mayans.

source: CNN

Dee Snider to Be Honored at Revolver/Guitar World Rock & Roll Roast

Get ready for a raucous night of comedy, charity and chaos!

Revolver and Guitar World are proud to announce the 2nd annual Rock & Roll Roast comedy series with honoree Dee Snider. The event, sponsored by Epiphone and Monster Energy Drink, will take place at The Grove in Anaheim, California, on Thursday, January 24, 2013, and will air live on AXS TV at midnight ET / 9 p.m. PT.

A portion of all proceeds will benefit MusiCares, a nonprofit organization of The Recording Academy that provides emergency financial assistance and addiction recovery resources to music people in need. Snider was recently named one of the 100 greatest living rock stars by Revolver.

Roastmaster Penn Jillette and other metal-loving luminaries such as last year’s honoree Zakk Wylde, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Lita Ford, WWE legend Mick Foley and That Metal Show host Eddie Trunk, as well as comedy and roast veterans Jim Norton, Craig Gass, Jim Florentine and more will all take aim at the Twisted Sister frontman and reality TV icon, best known for his outspoken personality, his golden locks and his appearances on The Celebrity Apprentice.

Jose Mangin (of Sirius/XM and Headbanger’s Ball fame) will also be on hand to serve as the evening’s official DJ.

Roastee Snider commented, “Roasters, remember: P.A.M.F. Payback’s A Mutha F**ker!” Rock & Roll Roast Executive Producer Josh Bernstein added, “They say you only roast the ones you love, but with Dee Snider, we’ll be making an exception.”



Beyond being the iconic lead singer of ’80s sensation Twisted Sister, Snider has starred in several reality TV shows (The Celebrity Apprentice, Gone Country, MTV’s Rock the Cradle, A&E’s Growing Up Twisted) and frequently hosts programs on MTV Networks along with his own long-running nationally syndicated radio show House of Hair.

Never setting his limits, Dee has taken on the role of film producer, actor, voiceover artist, political advocate and, most recently, Broadway star with his run in the hit musical Rock of Ages. His autobiography, Shut Up and Give Me the Mic, was released in the summer of 2012, and Dee returns to the small screen in March 2013 as part of the cast of All-Star Celebrity Apprentice.

This show will kick off on the opening night of the 2013 NAMM Show in Anaheim. This live charity event is not open to the public, but if you want to attend and learn more about being a sponsor for this once-in-a-lifetime event benefiting a great charity and cause, visit rockandrollroast.com for more information and sponsorship opportunities.

AXS TV Concerts can be found online at www.axs.tv, on Facebook at facebook.com/axstvconcerts and on Twitter at twitter.com/axstv.

For more information, visit rockandrollroast.com.

source: revolvermag.com

Megadeth Commence Work on Fourteenth Studio Album

After some speculation from fans that 2011′s Thirteen might have been the band’s last record, Megadeth mainman Dave Mustaine made it official last night via Twitter that the band had started work on their fourteenth studio album.

“Johnny made it in,” wrote Mustaine. “Record 14 is officially underway. Clips to upload tomorrow. Thrashin’ time!”

Based on that, it would appear that producer Johnny K is once again manning the boards for Megadeth after working with the band on Thirteen. It’s unclear at this time how the album be released, as Megadeth recently ended a lengthy, if a bit rocky, relationship with Roadrunner Records.

“Today marks the end of an era with Roadrunner,” Mustaine announced earlier this month. “Hopefully we can finish strong with a Grammy.”

Megadeth are nominated alongside Lamb of God, Anthrax, Marilyn Manson, Iron Maiden and Halestorm for the Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance award.

source: revolvermag.com

52 Years Ago: Chas Newby Plays with The Beatles in Liverpool

Throughout the Beatles‘ history, many fans and critics have noted the existence of a ‘Fifth Beatle’ — folks like keyboardist Billy Preston (who helped perk up the ‘Let it Be’ sessions) or producer George Martin, who contributed the occasional keyboard overdub, wrote orchestral arrangements and helped the band achieve their most groundbreaking sonic tricks in the recording studio. But not all of these arguable ‘Fifth Beatles’ were destined for rock greatness. Most fans are aware of drummer Pete Best and bassist Stuart Sutcliffe, both of whom helped flesh out the line-up during the band’s formative stage in the early 1960s. But few give historical credit to bassist Chas Newby, who, on Dec. 17, 1960, began his two-week run in the Slightly-Less-Than-Fab Five.


In late 1960, The Beatles returned to Liverpool after a legendary stint in decadent West Germany, but they were one man down. Sutcliffe, who was known more for his mod haircut than his bass skills, had chosen to stay in Hamburg to focus on his art career. Then-drummer Pete Best recommended 19-year-old Chas Newby, an on-holiday college student who’d formerly played with Best in The Blackjacks. This quintet (which, of course, also featured the guitar/vocal trio of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison) went on to play four gigs in December of 1960, the first of which happened on the 17th at Liverpool’s Casbah Club. As legend has it, Lennon invited Newby to continue with the band on their second voyage to West Germany; Newby, unimpressed with the measly wages, declined the offer, choosing to pursue his academic career instead.

Unlike his former bandmates, Newby has largely lived life out of the rock spotlight. After studying chemistry at the college level and eventually obtaining a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering, he settled down into a simple, fulfilling life. He started a family with his late wife, Margaret, and eventually accepted a job as a math teacher at Drotwich High School in Worcestershire.

“Music was never going to be a living for me,” Newby told ‘Sunday Mercury’ this year. “I wanted to do chemistry. John, Paul and George, they just wanted to be musicians.” Though Newby never kept up with his old lads over the years, he fondly recalls his brief stint in The Beatles, particularly his friendship with Harrison. “George was the one I got on the best with,” Newby says. “He knew Pete already. He was always telling funny stories about getting deported from Germany whenever we sat around chatting.”

Newby, who spends his free time golfing and singing in the Alcester Male Voice Choir, has managed to reunite with his old pal Pete Best for the occasional live gig. Overall, though, he’s been perfectly satisfied with his career choices, and he’s never regretted turning down Lennon’s offer, nearly 52 years ago. “People sometimes don’t believe me when I say I’ve no regrets,” Newby says. “But I really haven’t. I have enjoyed my life immensely.” For more on the Beatles recordings, both before and after Newby’s brief stint, check out Beatlesource.com.

source: ultimateclassicrock.com

Red Hot Chili Peppers Play 'Meet Me at the Corner' on 'From the Basement'

Inspired by the intimacy and high fidelity of The Old Grey Whistle Test on the BBC, Nigel Godrich created his in-the-studio concert series From the Basement based on a simple premise: "It's just about having friends and close associates you know and just creating a relaxed atmosphere conducive to making something cool," Godrich tells Rolling Stone. "Just showing what it can be." And when the Red Hot Chili Peppers (including Godrich's Atoms for Peace bandmate, Flea) dropped by for a recent Basement session, the vibe was especially warm and communal.

"Flea's a really good friend of mine," Godrich says, "and Josh (Klinghoffer) is a really good friend of mine as well, and obviously I know the other guys in the band just because I've hung out with them socially. But the whole thing was really so much fun. I've wanted to record Chad (Smith) for years, and just being able to do that was a massive treat for me."

In fact, the whole session was a treat, the producer says.

"Everybody sort of came to the party," Godrich says, "and I really appreciate them putting their faith in us. Anthony (Kiedis) was great – it was really a nice day. A lot of laughter, a lot of great vibes, and I really hope that comes across. We ended up doing the whole record, so it was kind of a cool little project. I think it sheds light on (I'm With You) in a different way."

source: rollingstone.com

Video captures rapid gunfire at Fashion Island mall

Video captured the sounds of gunfire Saturday in the parking lot of Fashion Island in Newport Beach, where police say a man fired at least 50 rounds.

Marcos Gurrola, 42, of Garden Grove, was arrested in the parking lot near the Macy’s department store shortly after allegedly firing the shots about 4:30 p.m., said Kathy Lowe, a spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Police Department. Officers on bike patrol apprehended the man.

Police searched the mall but did not find anyone who had been struck by the gunfire. The shots were apparently fired either into the air or at the ground.

More than 50 rounds were recovered at the scene, said Deputy Chief David McGill. A handgun was recovered at the scene, but police did not reveal any more details about the weapon.

The mall was crowded with holiday shoppers at the time of the shooting.

Shopper Dena Nassef said she and another person were walking toward Macy’s when people started yelling and running.

“With what happened in Connecticut, we were freaking out,” she said. “It was like crazy, people leaving stores.”

Ann Butcher, an employee at Macy’s, said she was on the patio at Whole Foods when people started running and screaming. She said some women left their purses and fled.

“That was very scary,” she said.

Shopper Eric Widmer said he was at the Barnes & Noble bookstore when he saw a mother and daughter rush in crying. He said he heard someone scream, “Shooter!”

He said he managed to exit the bookstore and head to Macy’s, which he could not leave.

“I thought, ‘Great, I get to be scared twice,’” he said. “Lightning strikes twice.”

Someone at the shopping mall parking lot recorded the video and posted it on YouTube. He said in the description that he was not sure at first whether the shots were real.

"Before I left, I saw the him on the ground and surrounded by police, but my daughter was very upset so I left to pick them up and get out of the area," the man wrote. "My wife and daughter were at an ice cream shop in the mall when the shooting happened. They ended up running and screaming with everyone toward the opposite side of the mall."

source: latimes.com

Nirvana-Paul McCartney Song Stems From Dave Grohl's 'Sound City' Documentary

Fans expecting Paul McCartney and the surviving members of Nirvana to bust into "Smells Like Teen Spirit" or "Come as You Are" at last night's "12-12-12" Sandy benefit concert were a little surprised when the unlikely supergroup played a new song called "Cut Me Some Slack." It turns out the tune is from the forthcoming album Sound City – Real to Reel, which is essentially the soundtrack to the Grohl's Sound City documentary.

Grohl has been quietly working on the film, which is slated to premiere at Sundance in January, over the past year. It traces the history of Sound City, a Los Angeles studio where countless famous albums were recorded, including Nirvana's Nevermind, Neil Young's After the Goldrush, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours and Tom Petty's Damn the Torpedoes.

"The place is a time warp," Grohl recently told Rolling Stone. "A tape-based analog studio. Nirvana did what everyone else had done there: You plugged in, hit 'record' and that room brought out the sound of your band."

'12-12-12': The Nirvana-McCartney Megajam, Plus 10 Other Great Moments

Grohl directed the film, which features interviews with Young, Petty, Rick Rubin, Fleetwood Mac and many others. For the soundtrack, Grohl jammed with many of the legends that worked in the studio. "I can't give too much away," says Grohl. "Because it gets really good there. You're talking about some of the most legendary musicians of all time, doing their thing. And you're seeing it in a way you've never seen before."

Most of Grohl's collaborators have been kept under wraps, but word has leaked out that they include Rick Springfield, Josh Homme and Slipknot's Corey Taylor. "For me to sit down and jam with someone like Rick Springfield was really exciting," says Grohl. "When he sits down with a guitar it's like he's 14 yearsold. He rips. We basically wrote and arranged a song in a day. It's fucking great."

Grohl was excited to work with such a wide array of artists. "Why shouldn't Rick Springfield be on the same record as Lee Ving [of Fear]," he says. "When I was a kid, I'd listen to Steel Pulse as well as Slayer. When you think about all of the people who recorded at Sound City,  it's like a virtual jukebox. To put all of these people together in different configurations and make music all together, it's pretty cool."

The goal was to cut a song in a single day. "It was a challenge and an experiment," Grohl says. "We had a few test jams and then we started going for it. It's tricky. It's like herding cats, trying to get them in the same room at the same time. I don't know how they did 'We Are The World.'"

It's unclear what role (if any) McCartney plays in the movie, but a new website for "Cut Me Some Slack" shows a "Final Master" reel-to-reel tape with the names McCartney, Novoselic, Smear and Grohl written on it. The song clearly stems from the movie project.

Plans are somewhat in flux at the moment, but Grohl would love to stage screenings of the movie around the globe. "After each premiere we could have a show with musicians," he says. "They'd not only play music from the film, but from their catalogs as well. We could do it in a Hammerstein or Roseland and pack the bill with the coolest bands in the world . . . We aren't far away from this. Pretty soon, everyone will hear what our big plan is. We've been planning it for a long fucking time."

source: rollingstone.com

Good Choice For Office And Home Application

It is well known that Desktop computer is good for gaming and laptop computer is easy for carrying, but of course it is a best choice to have one standard system in the living room. However, it is a pity that most of people have no idea how to assemble a computer with ITX which is expensive and not easy to get one with satisfaction. But now don’t worry, Giada i35GB would like to help you out, small in size but complete in functions for your needs.

Powered by Intel Atom D2550 processor (1.86GHz), Giada i35GB is working coolly in low energy consumption and supports memory in DDR3 for you to select the one you need by yourself and also supports 2.5?HDD. Moreover, equipped with NVIDIA GT610 graphics, i35GB is able to display movie in full HD 1080P.

It is not so simple to purchase a suitable computer just by checking its specifications but also something else to be concerned. Giada i35GB is well-designed with high quality and will be your best choice if you are not a game enthusiast and also know how to install OS. Its built-in card reader can support almost all the cards you probably use. It must be weird to have too many cables messed together in your living room, while we believe i35GB will help to ease your worry by providing with wireless connections: WiFi and Bluetooth and all have just necessary HDMI and adaptor cables if you choose to use wireless mouse and keyboard. Actually it will be so nice that you will not notice its existence just by tidying these only two cables up. It is pleasingly featured with quite low energy consumption and even if working for a whole afternoon, its temperature just changes a little but not much.

source: mb.com.ph

Be Math-smart!

Do you want your child to be good in Math, and for the subject to be easier and more enjoyable for him? Then you have to work on his number sense, advised educator Hysper Lapid during a recent talk sponsored by Scholastic at Holy Spirit School in Quezon City.

Number sense is defined by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) as “a person’s general understanding of number and operations along with the ability to use this understanding in flexible ways to make mathematical judgments and to develop useful strategies for solving complex problems.” We see number sense in action, for instance, when a student converts the mathematical problem 53,505 minus (-) 52,997 to 53,508 minus (-) 53,000 to be able to compute fast and mentally for the difference.

The components of number sense are:

o   Quantity or Magnitude

o   Numeration

o   Equality

o   Base Ten

o   Forms of a Number

o   Proportional Reasoning

o   Algebraic and Geometric Thinking

Unlike our five senses that are naturally functional, number sense develops gradually over time, which is why children need frequent and varied experiences with numbers to appreciate Math, and to really learn and improve.

Teacher Hysper, who is a Senior Program Consultant in Math for Scholastic, also said that good number sense is important because a great deal of our everyday activities involves arithmetic.  Tasks such as cooking, traveling, decorating, budgeting, shopping, and helping kids with their homework, to name a few, call for Math skills in varying degrees, so it would be highly advantageous if a child gains the familiarity and facility to deal with mathematics-related undertakings at an early age.

She mentioned that the characteristics of good number sense include:

§  fluency in estimating and judging magnitude

§  ability to recognize unreasonable results

§  flexibility when mentally computing, and

§  ability to move among different representations and to use the most appropriate representations.

To develop a child’s number sense and enhance his mathematical skills, Teacher Hysper recommended the following activities (which she also practices with her kids):

 · Estimate.  Ask your child questions like, “About how many jars or books would take up the entire shelf?” “How many times can you sing the Happy Birthday song in one minute?” “How many steps to the gate?” “How many Hershey’s Kisses are in the pack?”  You can also scatter some things such as paper clips, pens or crayons, and then ask your child to guess how many.  Count the items after both of you “guesstimate.”  When making an estimate, you have the opportunity to teach your youngster different ways to count the lot – make 10s, skip count by 2, or count by 5 – and show him that the way the objects are counted doesn’t change the total or how many in all.

· Arrange.  Let your son or daughter position or organize a specific number of objects in a variety of ways like the ones you see on dominoes.  The 3 there is arranged diagonally but 3 can also be arranged like a triangle.  When you arrange objects in a set, it shows you concretely that a number has many different parts or can be made or expressed in many different ways.  You see arrangements anywhere you go – in department stores, supermarkets, bookstores, etc. – and how many [items] in a stack is almost always the same number.

· Incorporate quantities in conversations.  Examples are, “It is your cousin’s birthday tomorrow.  She’ll be twice your age.” “If we watch the Disney Princesses show this December, the tickets just for the two of us would cost the same as buying 3 Pinypon vans because each ticket costs more than P2000.”  “This pizza costs as much as your Halloween costume.”

· Play card and board games rather than watch TV.  Some examples of fun games that promote counting and addition, understanding of patterns, numerical recognition, and appreciation of Math are 41, Uno, Dominoes, Monopoly Junior, and Chutes and Ladders (or Snakes and Ladders).

· Bake together.  This is a practical way to teach your child about fractions and portions.  You can ask him to measure and prepare simple ingredients like 3/4 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter.  Talk about the sweet treats you make, like how many chocolate chip cookies are in 1 ½ dozen, or how many brownie squares are left after you have eaten or given away some.

source: mb.com.ph

The Gift Of Worry-Free Cleaning

Those who air out and expose their mattresses and pillows to direct sunlight in order to disinfect them have it right. The sun’s ultraviolet rays, it turns out, have the capacity to destroy certain organisms and pathogens, a discovery made by the Dutch scientist who, in 1903, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his “contribution to the treatment of diseases, especially lupus vulgaris, with ‘concentrated light radiation.’”

This process, however, has its limitations and drawbacks. Some disease-causing germs that thrive in our beddings are more resilient than others. Many of those who develop rashes and allergies from dirty linens may be reacting not to dust mites specifically but to their waste products. Hence, they have to be vacuumed out since no amount of sterilization can remove them.

And there is the issue of convenience. Taking out the mattress, invariably bulky in size, is every bit of a hassle; more so finding a clean place to prop it against. To do this in a high-rise condominium is virtually impossible unless you have floor-to-ceiling windows or have the patience to negotiate through halls and elevators just to bring your possibly sorry-looking mattress to the deck.

Fortunately, a company has found a way to convert this natural process of sterilization into technology. Bukang Sems Co., a South Korean company, has created the Raycop UVC Anti-Allergy vacuum cleaners. These compact, user-friendly, ergonomic machines can zap 99 percent of bacteria 94 percent of dust mites. They can even kill fungus, molds, mildew, salmonella and the dreaded E. Coli and N1 Influenza A virus.

“We know that dust mites, allergens and other types of bacteria are common problems in Filipino homes that affect family members with respiratory ailments,” says Catherine Dy, general manager of Zinven International Corp., the exclusive local distributor of this line of cleaners. “Through the Raycop UVC Anti-Allergy Cleaner, they can now eliminate these bacteria faster, safer and more effectively so they won’t have to take their beddings out into the sun.”

At the heart of the technology Raycop UVC Anti-Allergy cleaner, which has received the seal of approval from the British Allergy Foundation and the Trophée de la Maison from the French Consumers’ Union, is a three-step system (vibrating, sterilizing and double-filtering) that assures that pathogens and their waste are not only neutralized but also eliminated.

The first step is achieved through the vibrating pad, pulsing at 3,600 times per minute, which shakes particles and dust mites away from mattresses, pillows and other fabrics and linens. The second step, on the other hand, is delivered by the UVC sterilization lamp which uses a highly efficient and effective 253.7 nanometer wavelength—enough to kill harmful organisms in your bed.  The third is made possible by a cartridge filter that captures and traps the larger particles so they cannot be released back to the room. Smaller particles are trapped by what is called Micro Allergy Filter.

Raycop “Smart and “Hera” product lines are available in the country.  The first model and with more than one million units sold in 30 countries, the Smart line is the best-selling Raycop product. Hera, on the other hand, is Raycop’s latest, defined by a more ergonomic design and a removable handle. While both feature a transparent window that indicates when to empty the dust bin of particles, Smart has a single-vibrating pad while Hera has two for a more powerful vacuuming power.

“Our goal as a company is to provide homes all over the world with a cleaner and healthier environment with the use of the Raycop vacuum cleaner,” says Sung Jin Lee, president of the health and home appliances division of Bukang Sems Co., Ltd., makers of Raycop. “We believe that Filipino homes deserve the best products they can have to clean their homes, and we know that Raycop is the product they can truly trust.”

The Raycop UVC anti-allergy cleaner is available at Rustan’s Department stores, S& R, Landmark, and soon at Wilcon Builders (Libis, QC) and Abenson’s Department Stores. For details, visit www.raycop.com.

source: mb.com.ph

ASIA Cancels Tour

Dates throughout UK written off due to band member's illness.
 
ASIA, featuring the original line-up of Geoff Downes (keyboards),Steve Howe (guitar), Carl Palmer (drums) and John Wetton(Lead Vocal, bass), has been forced to cancel the 30th Anniversary UK Tour due to drummer Carl Palmer coming down with a severe case of E. coli. 





Tickets are refundable from the point of purchase.


A list of the cancelled dates are as follows:


Tavistock The Wharf (Dec 15)

Holmfirth Picturedrome (Dec 16)


Edinburgh Queen’s Hall (Dec 17)


Salisbury City Hall (Dec 19) 


Birmingham Town Hall (Dec 20) 


Manchester Royal Northern College of Music (Dec 21) 


London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire (Dec 22)

source: planetrock.com

Heart, Rush set for Rock Hall of Fame induction

Heart, Albert King, Randy Newman, Public Enemy, Rush and Donna Summer will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during a Los Angeles ceremony.

The inductees were announced Tuesday.

Also to be honored at the April 18 event at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE are Lou Adler and Quincy Jones.

This marks the first time since 1993 that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on the West Coast. The ceremony will again be open to the public, as it was in 2009 and 2012 in Cleveland, where the hall has been located since it was established in 1983.

"We are thrilled to announce this year's class of inductees, which again represents the broad, compelling and significant definition of rock and roll," Joel Peresman, president and chief executive officer of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement.

The induction ceremony will broadcast on HBO May 18.

source: upi.com

Vision insurance linked to better vision

U.S. researchers suggest vision insurance was associated with eye-care visits, better reported vision and lower healthcare costs.

Yi-Jhen Li of the University of South Carolina in Columbia and colleagues compared the rates of eye care visits and vision impairment among working-age adults with vision insurance and without insurance.

Li said the study involved 27,152 respondents between the ages of 40-64 to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey 2008 and a sub-sample of 3,158 respondents, or 11.6 percent, with glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and/or cataract.

The study, published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, found about 40 percent of the study population and the sub-sample with eye disease had no vision insurance.

"Our study empirically tracks an important consequential, process-outcome link both among the total sample of respondents and within the eye-disease sub-sample," the study authors said in the study. "In both groups, respondents who reported having had an eye examination in the prior year, on average, had better vision. These associations highlight the long-term benefits of vision insurance for preventing eye impairment."

"Our study empirically tracks an important consequential, process-outcome link both among the total sample of respondents and within the eye-disease sub-sample," the study authors said in the study. "In both groups, respondents who reported having had an eye examination in the prior year, on average, had better vision. These associations highlight the long-term benefits of vision insurance for preventing eye impairment."

The study also found those with vision insurance were more likely than those without insurance to report having had eye care visits, had no difficulty recognizing friends across the street and had no difficulty reading printed matter.

source: upi.com

Trent Reznor Planning New Music For Nine Inch Nails Compilation

Trent Reznor is planning new music for a Nine Inch Nails greatest hits compilation set for 2014, according to The New Yorker. Reznor "intends to contribute" two new songs to the collection, and plans to write music for a new album afterwards. Reznor also revealed that his collaboration with Dr. Dre's Beats By Dre is a music streaming project, with a working name of Daisy. Set for an early 2013 release, the project is meant to help users sort through songs in a way that services like Spotify do not.



"Here's 16 million licensed pieces of music,' they've said, but you're not stumbling into anything," said Reznor. "What's missing is a system that adds a layer of intelligent curation . . . As great as it is to have all this information bombarding you, there's a real value in trusted filters. It's like having your own guy when you go into the record store, who knows what you like but can also point you down some paths you wouldn't necessarily have encountered."

Reznor told Rolling Stone in July that he was working on new Nine Inch Nails material. "Yeah, there will be new music. There are some things in the works," he said, also hinting at live NIN shows. "Yeah, if it feels right, it's a possibility. . . . I never said that that wasn't going to happen, just that it couldn't go on as it was." Reznor has stayed busy with his band How to Destroy Angels, composing the soundtrack to the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and contributing to the new Queens of the Stone Age album.

source: rollingstone.com

Wells Fargo not modifying mortgages as required, lawsuit says

Accusing Wells Fargo & Co. of reneging on a sweeping mortgage-modification deal, a lawyer for troubled homeowners is trying to reopen a case involving risky "pick-a-pay" loans written during the housing bubble.

Legal filings last week claimed Wells Fargo failed to provide wide-ranging reductions of loan balances to delinquent borrowers as it had promised two years ago when it settled a combined national class-action suit. A bank spokeswoman strongly disputed the claim, saying it was riddled with errors.

The litigation illustrates how lawsuits continue to dog major home lenders more than five years after the mortgage industry imploded, including recent challenges to certain cases the banks thought had been put to rest.

The original lawsuits over pick-a-pay, or pay-option, mortgages contended that the loans were issued with inadequate notice to borrowers that the amount owed would rise if they chose the lowest payment among four options. The loans were made by banks later acquired by Wells Fargo.

"Hundreds of thousands of homeowners were suffering the effects of undisclosed negative amortization for their Pick-a-Payment loans, while the declining U.S. housing market was sucking the remaining equity out of their homes," plaintiffs attorney Jeffrey K. Berns said in a filing Friday.

The settlement was reached in December 2010 before U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel in San Jose. At the time, the San Francisco-based bank said it would provide at least $50 million and as much as $600 million in modification benefits to troubled borrowers with the pay-option loans, the Reuters news service reported.

Berns, of Woodland Hills, had calculated the number might reach $2 billion.

Of the 66,000 requests for loan modifications made in the 18 months ending Sept. 30, Wells Fargo granted 1,746, or 2.6%, Berns alleged.

"Thousands of people have been denied loan modifications -- people who, in our opinion, should not have been denied," Berns said in an interview Monday.

His filings included a new lawsuit accusing Wells Fargo of breaching the settlement, acting in bad faith and violating a state unfair competition law. In a separate filing, Berns asked the court to order the bank to stop all foreclosures on the loans to allow him to investigate the situation.

The pay-option loans were made by a large Oakland savings and loan, World Savings, which was acquired in 2006 by Wachovia Corp. of Charlotte, N.C. Wachovia continued to make the mortgages and was near collapse in 2008 when it was acquired by Wells Fargo.

In a statement, Wells Fargo said it would "immediately and forcefully" defend the new lawsuit, which it said "maligns a very effective consumer loan settlement program."

Wells Fargo didn't break out how many borrowers covered by the settlement had received reductions in the principal on their loans.

But it said its overall efforts on behalf of people with the tricky loans had been extensive, including many loan modifications that included principal reduction in the two years leading up to the settlement.

"We have provided modifications for nearly 110,000 borrowers with Pick-a-Pay loans and principal reductions of more than $5 billion for those borrowers," Wells said. "That means that more than a third of all Pick-a-Pay loans --  including those covered by the settlement and those not included -- have been modified since the beginning of 2009."

source: latimes.com

Gwen Stefani Joins Gavin Rossdale for 'Glycerine' Duet

KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas is a sentimental occasion for Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, since it's the show where he met wife Gwen Stefani 17 years ago. And when Rolling Stone spoke with Rossdale backstage at Almost Acoustic Christmas in 2011, he immediately got nostalgic, reminiscing about the dressing room where the two met.

So, last night, at the end of two years of touring, back at Almost Acoustic Christmas, the rock & roll husband and wife celebrated their history at the event by performing together. Rossdale, on stage with just a guitar, started in on "Glycerine," singing the song’s first verse alone. Then an unannounced Stefani walked onstage to join in on the second verse, drawing an insane response from the crowd.

After the show, Rossdale told Rolling Stone that the initial idea for a duet was Stefani's, and it left a stunned Rossdale speechless. "She actually asked me about this and I was so surprised, I didn’t say anything for two days," he said. "She said, ‘Maybe we should do a song together.’ And I couldn’t answer her."

After Rossdale got over his shock, the two worked out the logistics and ultimately settled on "Glycerine" rather than Bush’s "The Afterlife," which Rossdale said is Stefani's favorite song. Performing the song alone together was his idea. "I thought it would be so powerful, the two of us on stage like that, that’s what we went for," he said. Rossdale was very pleased with the result; asked how "Glycerine" sounded with Stefani on the song, he laughed and said "So much better."

For Rossdale, it was the cap to a special evening. "This is the culmination of two years of work, and then to finish it off playing here, in this venue, this full circle thing, it was an incredible night."

source: rollingstone.com

Johnny Depp, Jennifer Love Hewitt Bring New Twists to Classic Films & More Casting News

Johnny Depp and Jennifer Love Hewitt are re-imagining stories, both classic and bizarre, in upcoming movies.

Depp will help give life to Miguel de Cervantes's famed character Don Quixote in a modern-day film for Disney, Deadline.com reports. The actor is set to produce the movie about the hero of La Mancha, but no word yet on whether he'll be acting in the project.








Hewitt will executive produce a Lifetime movie based on a post from Heather Gattuccio's blog Derfwad Manor, Deadline.com reports. In the blog post, the happily married mother dreams of polygamy with A-list stars. The movie tells a new version of the story of a bored homemaker's fictional blog about her own polygamy but when she starts getting noticed for her online presence, she must keep up the charade.

source: people.com

Schumacher wrong to return, says Ecclestone

PARIS — Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone believes Michael Schumacher was wrong to return to the sport, claiming the German had severely damaged his legacy as a seven-time world champion.

The 43-year-old Schumacher quit the sport in 2006 before being tempted into an ill-fated return in 2010 at Mercedes where he spent three seasons being largely outshone by teammate Nico Rosberg.

He brought the curtain down on his second spell at last month’s Brazilian Grand Prix where he finished seventh.

“I would rather he had stopped as a seven-time world champion than stopping now,” Ecclestone told www.formula1.com.

“People new to the sport — people who have joined the F1 fan fraternity just recently — will remember Michael now, not as he was. They don’t see the hero that he was but the human that can fail.”

But Ecclestone had some words of comfort for Schumacher, admitting that three-time champion Sebastian Vettel will find it hard to break his record of seven crowns.

“He is not half way there. It will be a question of how good his team will stay — or how bad the others are,” said Ecclestone.

“When Michael won his five titles with Ferrari it was because Ferrari did a better job than any other team — that is the same with Red Bull at the moment. Whether they can continue, you don’t know. Let’s wait and see.”

source: interaksyon.com

BPO sector identifies 40 more potential host-locations to sustain growth

MANILA - The Philippines has identified another 40 locations that can support the growth momentum of the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

This is on top of the 10 so-called "next-wave cities" (NWC) that the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) identified earlier.

Gillian Virata, BPAP senior executive director, said IT-BPO companies can also explore other potential locations such as Iligan, Zamboanga, General Santos, Leyte, Laoag, Bohol, Legazpi City, and other provinces in Central and Southern Luzon.

“There is so much more untapped potential in areas outside Metro Manila. The Next Wave Cities are part of the solution in terms of providing talent. They are central to expanding economic growth beyond Metro Manila, Metro Cebu and Metro Clark. IT-BPO can make a difference in the lives of the people and these opportunities just need to be made known and available to them,” Virata said.

The 10 next-wave cities are Davao, Sta. Rosa in Laguna, Bacolod, Iloilo, Metro Cavite (Bacoor, Imus, and Dasmariñas), Lipa in Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Malolos in Bulacan, Baguio, and Dumaguete.

The BPAP and Department of Science and Technology-Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO) identified the next wave cities using a scorecard, the data of which is updated every year.

The NWC Scorecard is a tool to measure the suitability of a location to host IT-BPO operations. Locations are assessed on the basis of availability of talent and relevant infrastructure, connectivity through fiber-optic or other telecommunications networks, accessibility, cost of related factor inputs, and the business environment, including vulnerability to natural disturbances and issues related to security and safety.

Included in the NWC Scorecard are 34 cities and municipalities assessed to be collective “metro” areas.

“The aim of the NWC program is to help ease the inflationary pressures brought about by concentration of recruitment and office space for IT-BPOs within Metro Manila,” Virata said.

He said talent is a key indicator for a location’s potential to become a credible IT-BPO hub. While Metro Manila produces the greatest number of university graduates, 75 percent or over 350,000 annual graduates come from schools outside Metro Manila. These numbers prompted industry stakeholders to take a second look at potential locations outside of Metro Manila and enhance their potential in attracting global clients and foreign investment.

 “The IT-BPO industry is aware that the next wave of growth must involve alternative locations,” Virata said.

In 2011, the Philippines’ IT-BPO industry generated more than $11 billion in revenue and employed almost 640,000. Under its roadmap, BPAP projects the industry to grow to $25 billion and employ 1.3 million by 2016.

source: interaksyon.com