Author: Serkadis

Men between the ages of 25-54 are frequently described as being “working-age,” because, well, they’re expected to be working.

But as this chart, via Brad Delong, shows, that’s happening less and less.

Nearly 20% of men in this age group are out of the workforce, and none of the overall second-derivative labor market improvements seem to be helping much. How this trend impacts society more broadly should be interesting, to say the least.

---

Get This Delivered To Your Inbox

You can get this dropped in your inbox every afternoon as The Chart Of The Day. It’s simple. It’s convenient. It’s free. All we need is your email address (though we’d love your name and state, too, if you’re willing to share it).  Sign up below!

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• CHART OF THE DAY: It’s Official: Obama Is Creaming Bush When It Comes To Jobs
• CHART OF THE DAY: See The Countries Short-Sellers Are Abusing
• CHART OF THE DAY: Guess What, The US Just Started Creating Jobs Again

 

 

I thought about taking today off from the commentary to celebrate, since yesterday I won all 4 quarters of my office’s Super Bowl pool! And then I remembered that I was the only one in the pool, don’t really have an office, and that the net effect of my $50 a square winnings was about the same as the US Government buying back their own securities. Oh well.

Those dues that you pay to the Mortgage Bankers Association – where does the money go? Education, lobbying, etc., but some probably went into buying the MBAA its $90 million headquarters in downtown Washington which it sold last week for $41 million after 3 years. Ouch! CoStar Group, who is moving its headquarters from Maryland to DC, also received a $6 million property tax break – hats off to them. Not only did the MBAA’s interest rate expense increase, but it had trouble finding tenants for its additional office space. To make matters worse, and this should be of no surprise, according to the MBAA their membership has been noticeably falling off, resulting in less revenue.

Secondary marketing employees, especially those that sell loans, are notorious for splitting off the CRA loans (Community Reinvestment Act, designed to meet local credit needs) and selling them to investors for a point or two more than the broker or agent was paid for them without a rate sheet adjustment. That entirely aside, as it turns out, the FDIC monitors institutions and their compliance with CRA regulations. The FDIC announced that it has come out with a new drug to treat small banker heart palpitations. Okay, I was just kidding to see if anyone reads this stuff. Late last week, however, the FDIC did issue its list of state nonmember banks recently evaluated for compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).

I ain’t no tax expert, so when a broker from Idaho wrote to me and asked, “How long do I have to keep statements from banks that don’t exist anymore?” I was flummoxed.

“Only” one bank was shut down by the FDIC on Friday. It was in Minnesota (1st American State Bank of Minnesota), and Community Development Bank, also in Minnesota, agreed to assume the assets and deposits of the failed bank. The loss of $11.7 million will be shared, with the taxpayer, picking up about $3 million of the expense.

Fannie Mae and Freddie MAC both updated their Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) program, addressing issues that primarily concern servicers of the product. Previously Fannie & Freddie had set forth eligibility, underwriting and servicing requirements for the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), and last week amended key features of the program. For example, starting June 1 (how do you like that for advance notice?) F&F changed the verified income documentation “for all HAMP trial period plans.” F&F’s amendments, which can be viewed on their respective websites, concern the process of modifying a loan, the initial package, income & asset documentation, timelines, making a modification permanent, eliminating the stated income trial plans, etc.

Investors in mortgage securities usually are betting on how long they will hold a particular pool of loans. Some want them to be paid off quickly; others would prefer that the loans stay on their books for a long time. When either group sees unexpected prepayments, for whatever reason, that is cause for concern. Last week prepayment information was released showing that fixed rate prepayments declined 15% in the latest survey, due to a lower day count and weaker housing “seasonals”. Higher coupons saw some buyouts, although the new SFAS 166/167 implementation (where the delinquent loans that are bought out by the GSEs no longer have to be marked at their market values, and possibly requiring the agencies to issue short-term debt in order to accomplish the buyouts) did not appear to be a driving force. Of interest to originators, however, is the expectation that with rates steady, and the percent of refi’s expected to drop, prepayment speeds are also expected to drop.

more news on GMAC correspondent, Franklin American, Bernanke speaking on Wednesday, Fed support of mortgages, soverign debt crisis, markets, treasury auctions, and joke of the day … <<< CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE

Brian Nick of Barclays Wealth thinks it’s time to short gold, according to an interview with Hard Assets Investor (HAI).

He points out that inflation remains extremely low and will remain there, given that while interest rates may remain low, massive U.S. unemployment and undercapacity means that the U.S. economy has a large output gap — ie. it is operating well below full potential.

Thus until unemployment falls drastically and capacity utilization tightens, low interest rates won’t trigger inflation since supply of labor and production capacity won’t be tight.

In fact, only the gold market is priced for massive future inflation, which unless all other markets are wrong, is a stark signal to short gold according to Mr. Nick.

HAI:

Look at virtually any other market where you’d see signs that people were worried about inflation, and they don’t exist anywhere except the gold market. Look at TIPS, for example, which should tend to outperform by quite a bit when people are worried about inflation, as breakevens between them and Treasurys rise. But you aren’t really seeing that. Today you’re seeing a sharp contraction in breakevens. They’ve been pretty stable for the past three or four months, and they’re really only at average levels historically. So there’s no inflation premium in that market.

If you look at the U.S. Treasury market, the 10-year rate is now at 3.6 percent, which is extraordinarily low. If there were really concerns about inflation on the horizon, we think the bond market would be reacting. But as it stands, it seems only gold is really pricing in a severe inflation scenario.

Frankly, if you were worried about inflation, there are cheaper ways to express that view, whether by buying TIPS or shorting a Treasury. It’s cheaper than entering the gold market right now.

Read more at Hard Assets Investor >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Citi: Oil And Gold Bullish Speculation Surges, Now At The Highest Level In A Decade
• Actually, Gold Is A Great Inflation Hedge
• BAD TIMING: John Paulson’s Gold Fund Tumbled 14% In January

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Nissan, Scion

Motor Trend hosted a summit of monsters that could be called “Where the Wild Things Are,” gathering a Nissan GT-R and two back-wheel-driven Scion TC drift cars.

The question asked of the GT-R could have come from Autocar magazine’s Ken Sutcliffe: “Will it drift?” After running through some standard MT performance runs, the cars were let loose around El Toro airfield to find the answer. You can click through the jump to see the video and find out…

[Source: Motor Trend]

Continue reading Video: Motor Trend pits the Nissan GT-R against the Scion TC RWD drifters

Video: Motor Trend pits the Nissan GT-R against the Scion TC RWD drifters originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Upon first glance, the Valentine’s Day tradition of gifting chocolates may seem counterintuitive for someone with Hepatitis C. Though, research boasts two reasons why choosing the right kind of chocolate will show you care about your sweetheart’s liver health.

by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.

Simply stepping into any grocery, drug or general retail store will remind you of the national Valentine’s Day tradition of giving your loved one a box of chocolates. An annual holiday on February 14th that celebrates love and affection between intimate companions, Valentine’s Day is usually associated with three things: cards, flowers and chocolates. Due to the liver health concerns of those living with the Hepatitis C virus, individuals with this infection likely assume they are better off without chocolate during this love-filled holiday.

Some Food Worsens Hepatitis C
Managing chronic Hepatitis C must be met with conscious awareness of the healthfulness of every eaten item. This is because the liver of someone with this virus is under enormous stress – and the liver is the organ that must filter out every chemical and toxin ingested. Additionally, foods loaded with fat can fan the flames of liver inflammation. Consequently, processed, fatty foods present an unnecessary challenge to a liver with Hepatitis C. In an effort to preserve the health of their liver, those with Hepatitis C are consistently advised to consume a nutritious, low-fat, whole food diet.

Chocolate
Most people lump chocolate into the candy category, relegating it as a high-sugar, high-fat and high-calorie junk food full of chemicals. This is accurate for some commercially sold chocolate bars. However, not all chocolate bars are created equally. High quality dark chocolate without nougat, caramel or other sugary fillings has the privilege of claiming a variety of health benefits.

Because chocolate is made from plants, it contains many of the same characteristics of darkly colored vegetables. Dark chocolate contains a high amount of flavonoids, antioxidant-rich compounds that have a collection of health benefits. Experts believe that dark chocolate contains a very large number of antioxidants – nearly eight times the number found in strawberries.

However, these flavonoids are specific to dark chocolate, as milk chocolate does not contain nearly the same levels of antioxidants – and white chocolate has none at all. According to Mauro Serafini, Ph.D., of Italy’s National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research, the reason dark chocolate has proven to be healthier than milk chocolate, is because the milk in milk chocolate may actually interfere with the absorption of antioxidants, canceling out its positive benefits.

There are two primary reasons that dark chocolate can actually be helpful for those with Hepatitis C: stress relief and blood pressure reduction.

Stress Relief
As a potentially life-threatening disease that has just a 50 percent cure rate, living with chronic Hepatitis C is often associated with stress. Unfortunately, stress increases congestion in the liver and can thus encourage Hepatitis C-inflicted liver damage.

Researchers have found that dark chocolate is a reasonable approach for relieving stress. As published in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research, investigators found that eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling highly stressed.

Blood Pressure Reduction
Individuals who have more advanced cases of Hepatitis C may suffer from portal hypertension. When Hepatitis C has caused significant scarring of the liver, the blood pressure in the portal vein (the vein that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver) rises. People with portal hypertension who also have high blood pressure are more susceptible to catastrophic health events.

Based on research published in the January 2010 edition of the American Journal of Hypertension, dark chocolate has the ability to lower blood pressure. While the ideal formulation and dosage has yet to be identified, experts believe that small amounts of dark chocolate are beneficial to people with hypertension or portal hypertension.

High-quality dark chocolate’s liver benefits are not a prescription to overindulge. Chocolate is still high in calories and fat and, as with most sweets, should be consumed in moderation. A small piece of dark chocolate each day seems appropriate.

By reducing stress and blood pressure, a little bit of dark chocolate can be beneficial to someone with Hepatitis C. Thus, whether you, your valentine or both of you has this virus, February 14th can be celebrated by keeping the chocolate gifting tradition alive.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day, Valentine’s Day, Retrieved February 3, 2010, Wikimedia Foundation Inc., 2010.

http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/chocolate.htm, Health Benefits of Chocolate, Mark Stibich, PhD, Retrieved February 4, 2010, About.com, 2010.

http://www.integrative-healthcare.org/mt/archives/2006/02/dark_chocolate.html, Dark Chocolate for the Love of Life, Nicole Cutler, L.Ac., Retrieved February 4, 2010, Natural Wellness, 2010.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170829.php, Dark Chocolate May Improve Metabolic Stress Response Say Nestlé Researchers, Retrieved February 2, 2010, MediLexicon International Ltd, 2010.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19910929?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=5, Effect of cocoa products on blood pressure: systematic review and meta-analysis, Desch S, et al, Retrieved February 2, 2010, American Journal of Hypertension, January 2010.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20034049?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=1, Increased caffeine consumption is associated with reduced hepatic fibrosis, Modi AA, et al, Retrieved February 2, 2010, Hepatology, January 2010.

http://www.rxpgnews.com/hepatitis-c-virus/Caffeine_intake_found_to_cause_less_liver_fibrosis_230400.shtml, Caffeine intake in chronic hepatitis C patients associated with less liver fibrosis, Retrieved February 2, 2010, RxPG, January 2010.

http://www.topnews.in/health/it-s-official-dark-chocolate-helps-beat-blues-25854, It’s official: Dark chocolate helps beat the blues, Mohit Joshi, Retrieved February 2, 2010, TopNews.in, January 2010.

by Ron Paul

Last week, the House approved another increase in the national debt ceiling. This means the government can borrow $1.9 trillion more to stay afloat and avoid default. It has been little more than a year since the last debt limit increase, and graphs showing the debt limit over time show a steep, almost vertical trend. It is not likely to be very long before this new ceiling is met and the government is back on the brink between default and borrowing us further into oblivion. Congressional leaders and the administration acknowledge that the debt limit will need to be increased again next year. They are crossing their fingers that the forecasts are correct and they will not need another increase sooner, even before the 2010 midterm elections.

Continually increasing the debt is one of the logical outcomes of Keynesianism, since more government spending is always their answer. It is claimed that government must not stop spending when the economy is so fragile. Government must act. Yet, when times are good, government also increases in size and scope, because we can afford it, it is claimed. There is never a good time to rein in government spending according to Keynesian economists and the proponents of big government.

Free market Austrian economists on the other hand know that times are bad because of the size and scope of government. The economy is fragile because of the overwhelming stranglehold of bureaucracy and taxation of Washington. Any jobs Washington might create through these endless spending programs are paid for through more taxation and debt put on the productive sectors of the economy. Just as insidious is the hidden tax of inflation caused by the Fed and its ever-expanding credit bubble. When the Fed steps in with its solutions, it only devalues the dollars in everyone’s pocket while encouraging more reckless waste on Wall Street. All of this leads to a worsening economy, not an improved one.

And so the downward spiral continues. The worse things get, the more politicians want to spend. The more they spend, the heavier the debt load becomes and the more we have to spend just to maintain our interest payments. As our debt load becomes unsustainable, the alarm of our creditors increases. It is becoming so serious that our credit rating, as a nation, could be downgraded. If this happens, interest on the national debt will increase even more, leading to even higher taxes on Americans and inevitably, price inflation.

Still, Washington is full of talk of more regulation, more taxation and more spending. The Senate is still struggling to pass a massive regulatory increase on the financial sector, even as the stock market suffers more shockwaves. Pay-as-you-go rules give the appearance of fiscal responsibility, but in truth these rules are only used as a justification to raise taxes. Spending programs like healthcare reform, increased military spending, and a recent doubling of destructive foreign aid are viewed by Washington as necessary and reasonable, instead of foolishness we absolutely cannot afford.

The people understand this, which is why there is so much anger directed at politicians. Washington needs to change its thinking and adopt some common sense priorities. The Constitution gives some excellent limitations that would get us back on the right path if we would simply abide by them. The framers of the Constitution understood that only the ingenuity of the American people, free from government interference, could get us through hard times, yet Washington seems bent only on prolonging the agony.

Related posts:

1. Obama Administration’s Meddling Increases Uncertainty In his latest column Ron Paul points out that the…
2. Government Statistics and Lies by Ron Paul There has been a lot of…
3. Ron Paul: Cut Government Spending Now! Spending Freeze Not Likely by Ron Paul Last week…

We’ve pointed out in the past that, eventually, the judicial system is going to have to come to terms with the fact that people use technology to research and communicate, rather than trying to pretend it can be stopped. But, it sounds like that’s going to take a while. Courts are increasingly looking to ban jurors from using any kind of technology. And yes, before we go through this again, we understand the arguments why courts do this (so no need to keep repeating it in the comments like last time). The question is does this really make sense? The idea that you have no outside influences in making a decision as a jury is an idealistic fantasy anyway. Jurors always make decisions based on their own history and experiences. It’s part of what makes a jury a jury. Otherwise, you’d just have one guy who would weigh all the facts in a case and who would always pop out a perfect decision. So, if we can admit that jurors are always bringing outside information (in the form of their own life history and knowledge) into the court room, can’t we at least begin to understand why there’s an argument for letting smart jurors make use of technology to better understand the issues at play?

Permalink | Comments | Email This Story

from libcom, 6 February 2010: “The fascist anti-immigration demo called for Saturday noon at Propylea in Athens was thwarted by a massive counter-demo of anarchists and antifascists. The racist demo against immigration had been called by the Secret Services controlled pro-junta weekly paper Stohos, various ultra-Orthodox christian groups as well as a melange of other fascist groups and parties.

A week after another fascist march, that time in commemoration of some greek soldiers killed during a short-lived melee between greek and turkish naval forces in 1996, this time the fascist scum had decided to desecrate the most central academic asylum grounds of Athens: Propylea, the place where all protest marches start, a high symbol of left-wing and anarchist struggles…”  more

Para todos es bien sabido que la escudería Campos Meta tiene un futuro que pinta más bien negro después de los últimos rumores que han surgido sobre una posible falta de financiación. Tras esto, el propio Adrián Campos ha llamado a la calma y ha comunicado que es muy posible que el próximo Lunes todo quede arreglado.

La BBC inglesa ha publicado dichas declaraciones en las que se afirma que los pagos a Dallara no han estado siempre al día, por lo que podemos dar por confirmado que reconoce él mismo los problemas económicos de la escudería.

Por le momento, Campos no afirmó si se ha llegado a algún acuerdo con Tony Teixeira, pero sí que explicó que no pueden hablar de dicho tema debido a una cláusula de confidencialidad con quien están negociando. También ha negado que Dallara haya podido vender el coche a Stefan GP.

Related posts:

1. Campos Meta resuelve sus problemas pero no como se esperaba
2. Pedro de La Rosa y Bruno Senna ya podrían haber confirmado su fichaje por Campos Meta
3. Bruno Senna no cobrará nada por correr en Campos Meta

A new era for the Cuneo Museum and Gardens will start with a $5 million upgrade that includes a permanent banquet facility.

Other work recently outlined for the Vernon Hills village board includes replacing the windows, heating and electrical systems and roof, renovating the original skylight and removing an indoor pool.

The work outlined by Loyola University Chicago represents the first stage of what eventually will include a master plan for the 97-acre property along Milwaukee Avenue.

“We’re not a 10- or 20-year developer, we’re a 50- to 100-year developer,” architect Nevin Hedlund, told village trustees during an outline of the initial work.

The massive, 31,000-square-foot Venetian-style home was built for utilities magnate Samuel Insull in 1914. John Cuneo, a prominent philanthropist whose fortune was made in printing, bought the home and grounds in 1937.

His son, John Cuneo Jr. opened the family home as a public museum in 1991 and the grounds have become the annual location of Vernon Hills’ holiday light show.

In early December, the Cuneo Foundation announced the museum and its extensive collections of tapestries, paintings, rugs, sculptures and other items were being donated to Loyola as part of a gift estimated at $50 million.

Loyola is expected to assume control of the property on or around March 1, and is required to continue to operate the museum for 20 years.

Weddings, tours and other activities will be continued and expanded. Initial work will provide handicapped accessibility with a new elevator and restroom facilities, and transform the 1963 pool house into a commercial kitchen.

A tent used for activities will be replaced with a permanent 5,500-square-foot structure designed as a seamless addition on the north and west sides of the main home.

Construction is expected to begin in early fall and last six months.

“When they’re done, it’s going to look spectacular,” Mayor Roger Byrne said.

An environmentally controlled room within the home also is being designed to stabilize and restore several pieces of art in the Cuneo collection.

Repair work on the interior systems, windows and other work will begin as soon as the necessary plans are filed and permits issued.

As several amendments to the zoning ordinance will be required, the village’s planning and zoning commission will review the banquet addition and make a recommendation to the village board.

“We want to stay in business during this renovation and restoration process,” Hedlund said.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

CHICAGO  — A convicted felon was ordered held on $500,000 bond Friday after being charged with shooting an off-duty south suburban police officer inside a grocery Wednesday night on the Southwest Side.

Edward Williams, 39, of the 6300 block of South Maplewood Avenue, is charged with one count of aggravated battery with a firearm to a peace officer, according to Wentworth Area police Sgt. James Lamperis.

Judge Peggy Chiampas set bond at $500,000 Friday, according to Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokesman Andy Conklin. Williams will appear for a preliminary hearing Feb. 10 in South Felony Court (Br. 48).

The incident occurred about 7:50 p.m. Wednesday at the Sav-A-Lot grocery at 4439 W. 63rd St. Williams allegedly walked past the last point of purchase with several items from the grocery when the off-duty Robbins police officer who was working security stopped him, Lamperis said.

The two began fighting and Williams allegedly disarmed the officer and shot him in the upper right arm, then fled with the gun. The officer was taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment of a graze wound.

Williams was taken into custody shortly after the incident and no one else was hurt.

Williams was also wanted on a warrant for a parole violation on a prior conviction for retail theft, according to the sergeant. He has been arrested 54 times with multiple convictions.

Wentworth Area detectives are investigating.

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

A speeding Amtrak train struck two people, killing one and seriously injuring the second, Friday night as they walked north along a remote stretch of tracks in Lake Forest, Lake Forest Deputy Police Chief Dave Field said.

The northbound train was using a section track owned by the Metra commuter rail system when it struck a man and woman near Conway Road, about a quarter-mile north of the Telegraph Road Metra station.

The location is not near any designated pedestrian crossing, and the individuals were trespassing on the tracks, a Metra spokeswoman said.

The Lake Forest police dispatch center received the accident call at approximately 5:48 p.m. The man was found dead at the scene.

The 19-year-old woman was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with undisclosed injuries. She was in critical but stable condition, a spokeswoman for the hospital said.

Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole would not speculate on why they were on the tracks or how the accident happened.

Lake County Coroner Dr. Richard Keller he did not have any information to identify the dead man, but said he was probably in his late teens was “likely local.”

Amtrak officials said the Hiawatha 339 from Chicago to Milwaukee was traveling at 69 mph. No injuries were reported to any of the 138 passengers.

North and southbound trains on Metra’s Milwaukee District North Line were delayed because of the accident, officials said.

Investigators were at the accident scene past 9 p.m. The accident happened along a stretch of tracks bound on both sides by trees and shrubs bordering a residential neighborhood.

It is the second train fatality in Lake Forest in recent months.

A Grayslake woman was killed Dec. 10, 2009 at Lake Forest’s Telegraph Road Metra station when she was hit by an Amtrak train as she ran across the crosswalk. Tracy Spradlin, 43, thought the Amtrak was a Metra train that would stop at the station.

The fatal accident prompted officials to close a crosswalk at the station, forcing pedestrians to reach the east platform from a path further north.

In February 2008, Jean McNeill, 51, of Round Lake, was killed by a speeding Amtrak while crossing in front of what she thought was a slowing Metra train.

Read the original article on DailyHerald.com.

The time for Macworld Expo 2010 is upon us and the handiest tool you’ll bring to San Francisco with you is, of course, your iPhone. What apps should you install on your phone to enhance your Macworld experience?

iMacworld (Free)

The iMacworld is a handy guide for navigating the show floor and planning your day. iMacworld, featuring maps and a show directory, was just recently updated for 2010, so jump onboard.

Traveling to San Francisco

Gate Guru (99 cents)

For those who don’t travel often, favorite airport amenities frequently change and may be difficult to find. You’ve got 30 minutes between flights and can’t play “Where’s Waldo” to find your favorite coffee dispensary. Did Peet’s moved to gate 12 from gate 18? Gate Guru can help. Additionally, the app has a review function so if you aren’t sure where to eat, let the wisdom of crowds guide you. The interface is a bit clunky as you can’t search by airport, only by terminal within the airport, but otherwise it is handy and accurate.

TripIt (Free)

Traveling requires corralling an endless stream of alpha-numeric confirmation codes and repeating the same information over and over again to family and friends. Setup a TripIt account and email TripIt your confirmations, and they’ll automatically put it all into an itinerary complete with additional hotel information and links that you can share with others. When the front desks says they have no record of your reservation, pull up your TripIt app and you’ll have all the data handy.

FlightTrack Pro ($9.99)

Flight delays are a fact of life and getting accurate information is sometimes a challenge. Like many other apps, FlightTrack Pro will track flights for you. What’s special about this app is that it will also give you handy access to the airline’s phone number and provide push notifications. An indispensable feature is its ability to find alternate flights that match your planned itinerary should your flight be cancelled, as well as integrated access with TripIt.

Getting Around in San Francisco

iCommuteSF ($3.99)

iCommute is similar to MuniApp and iBART, except that it also covers the AC Transit system which serves the East Bay. Utilizing Nextbus information, it offers real time and predictive information as to when the bus or train will arrive. It might be the best “jack of all trades” for general getting around, but the interface was a bit more cluttered the MuniApp’s UI. Still, with the more complete data, if you had to pick a single app, iCommute is probably the one.

MuniApp ($2.99)

MuniApp focuses on San Francisco’s citywide bus and light rail network. It also includes BART info for the stations in SF, making it a good all-around solution if you plan to do heavy traveling within the city limits of San Francisco. The app will predict when the next bus will arrive, and has a good interface for sorting out the sometime confusing amount of bus routes in the city.

HopStop (Free)

HopStop allows you to enter a start and end location (or it will use your GPS as the starting point) and will build a route, mixing rail, bus and walking, taking into account the time of day. It is free and accurate, although the quality of the maps is poor. Similar to a GPS, it gets you from point A to B, though locals might disagree on the route it picks.

Exploring San Francisco

Yelp (Free)

Yelp is not San Francisco-specific, but of all the apps for finding what is cool in the neighborhood from where you are standing, Yelp stands above. There’s no better app for finding hidden restaurant gems and seeing what the locals think, and with the “VR camera mode” you can hold the phone in front of you and actually see places to eat and shop in real time as you move around. Don’t leave home without this app!

NFT San Francisco ($4.99)

“Not For Tourists” promises to show you the cool local places that tourists like you would never stumble upon on your own. That’s their line, but in reality, this is another generic guidebook to San Francisco with a hipster edge, and while not bad, it certainly isn’t that much better than other similar apps. It has a good selection of bars and restaurants, but you need to search specific categories.

Lonely Planet Travel Guide (Free)
This app automatically includes their SF guide and allows in app purchases for other destinations. Unfortunately, the app is slow to load and is a whopping 65MB in size. This is the most comprehensive guide out and contains the entire printed volume in a location-aware e-book format. Lonely Planet includes the depth of detail on the city’s culture and sights that other guides fail to include. Since the SF content is free, it is definitely worth the “price,” just remember to load it in advance due to the size.

And just for the fun of it, two bonus apps.  These aren’t necessary, but sure are fun for people with special interests.

Fido Factor (Free)

FidoFactor helps you find all things dog friendly in SF and includes dog pictures at each location. It’s Yelp for dog lovers. As a dog owner, I appreciate businesses that are dog friendly and like to patronize them. By reviewing or adding locations, money is donated to the SF SPCA. Nice!

SF Beer Week (Free)

Technology is my first passion, but being a beer nerd is a close second. By moving Macworld to February, Macworld coincides with SF Beer Week. This app isn’t location or date aware and is pretty much just an easy way view the static schedule for the Beer Week, but finding what beer related activities are going on while in SF is priceless. Mmm, beer!

Our recent article on the L.A. Noire piece found in Game Informer’s March 2010 issue didn’t mention a release date, but apparently GTTV’s Geoff Keighley has been made privy to that information.

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos

Super Bowl XLIV has come and gone, with the New Orleans Saints pulling out a convincing albeit surprising victory over the Indianapolis Colts (An onside kick to start the third quarter?!?!?!). You’re in the minority if that spoiled a surprise, as the Super Bowl is traditionally the most watched televised event of the year. And because of that, commercials that run during the big game are often the most expensive to produce and fun to watch.

For the most part, this year’s crop of commercials lived up to their expensive price tags. The auto industry was in full effect with eight commercials that aired, six of which were by automakers themselves including Audi, Dodge, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Volkswagen. The other were two were from Bridgestone and Cars.com.

Now that we’re all back at work nursing hangovers and upset stomachs, it’s time to cast judgment and decide which car commercial aired during Super Bowl XLIV was the best. Follow the jump to view them all and cast your vote.

UPDATE: Want to know what the experts have to say about this year’s batch of Super Bowl car commercials? Check out Julie Roehm’s feature on AOL Autos. It’s got charts and everything!

View Poll

Continue reading Poll: What was the best Super Bowl car commercial of 2010?

Poll: What was the best Super Bowl car commercial of 2010? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ferrari acaba de anunciar que va a iniciar en los próximos días un nuevo servicio a disposición del público un servicio de venta de sus coche de segunda mano llamado Ferrari Approved. Cada modelo deberá pasar un test en el que se verifican más de 190 puntos entre los que incluye una prueba de funcionamiento mecánico y eléctrico, comprobación de niveles de líquidos, un examen de la suspensión, los frenos y el sistema de refrigeración entre otros muchos puntos.

También cabe destacar que si durante los tests se detecta alguna pieza defectuosa esta sería cambiada por recambios originales Ferrari. Además, sólo podrán someterse a este servicio aquellos coches que tengan el libro de mantenimiento al día, para de esta manera comprobar la identidad y kilometraje del vehículo.

La preparación final del coche acaba con una reparación de la pintura y de los materiales del interior, además de un repaso general por todo el vehículo, de manera que se entregue en las mejores condiciones al nuevo propietario.

Related posts:

1. Ferrari F70, nuevas recreaciones
2. un Ferrari F430 en llamas
3. El Ferrari Dino 246GT es único por…

A second suspect was charged with murder Friday in the fatal beating of a south suburban VFW commander killed while depositing organization funds at a bank in November.

Steve Smith, 25, of 1728 W. Steuben in Chicago was charged Friday with one count each of first-degree murder and robbery, according to Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton.

He is the second person charged with the November death of Bill Burtner, 65, of the 10500 block of South Harding Avenue.

Jerry Brown, 27, of 1140 W. 104th Pl., is being held without bond on the same charges, Simonton said. He pleaded innocent on Dec. 29.

The pair are accused of robbing Burtner, commander of Midlothian VFW Post 2580, outside the A.J. Smith Federal Bank branch at 14757 S. Cicero Ave. in Midlothian on Nov. 16, 2009.

Burtner was depositing money from the post and proceeds from a fundraiser for World War II veterans when he was attacked from behind, according to a police report.

One suspect knocked Burtner down and took about $1,700 in cash, then got in a black Ford Mustang convertible and sped away, according to police.

Police believe Brown, who was taken into custody the day of the robbery, was the car’s driver.

Burtner, who was undergoing treatment for cancer, was initially treated at a hospital for broken ribs and an injured knee, then released later that night. He died in his sleep two days later and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office ruled the death a homicide.

Smith will appear for a bond hearing at 9 a.m. Saturday in Room 104 of the Markham Courthouse, Simonton said. Brown is scheduled for a status hearing on Feb. 19.

Read the original article from FOX Chicago News.

Mohammad El-Erian, the co-CEO of the world’s largest bond fund PIMCO (which benefited tremendously from taxpayer largess during the crisis), has some unsettling thoughts about the health of the US government market.

Specifically, he tells Reuters, he’d rather own German Bunds (bonds) than their US equivalent, given the amount of debt the US is taken on.

(Remember, Germany sits in the center of a massive Eurozone storm, and arguably the debts of Greece, Portugal, Spain et. al. could soon find their way onto the Deutsch national balance sheet)

El-Erian: “As we stand today, we prefer to take interest rate risk like government bonds in Germany which has much better conditions than in the United States… When it comes to currency risk, we like to take it in places which have the strongest fundamentals. What we are focusing now on is to see where the strongest fundamentals,”

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Pimco: Forget Greece, California Bond Spreads Have Soared Back To Crisis Levels
• Rosenberg: Payback’s A Bitch For Banks Stuck Holding Euro Debt
• Goldman: If Greece Is Handled Wrong, All Of Southern Europe Will Fall Like Dominos And 30% Of Euro GDP Would Be At Risk

The Traveller’s Tales team behind the Lego Star Wars and Lego Indiana Jones games are coming together again for another entry in the popular Lego Star Wars series: Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars.