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Here’s a tea leaf, and, I’m afraid, a 2006-vintage joke. As an indication of President Obama’s continuing displeasure with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — displeasure that apparently is compelling some within the administration to advocate proposing a comprehensive U.S. Middle East peace plan — Obama will meet with nine world leaders during next week’s big Washington summit on nuclear security. Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Nazarbayev is one of them. Netanyahu, who will attend the summit, is not.

As a consolation measure, informed sources explain, Nazarbayev plans to explain to Netanyahu about the inferior quality of all other nations’ potassium supplies.

Greenberg pledged to spend $1 million of his own money in his quest to win the 5th District seat.

Greenberg also said he plans to start the process of gathering signatures to force a primary. Two of his GOP rivals, Justin Bernier of Plainville and Sam Caligiuri of Waterbury, have been busy lining up delegates in advance of the party’s May 21 convention. (Just this morning, Caligiuri was trumpeting the endorsement he received from former Newtown state Rep. Julia Wasserman.)

Thus far, the GOP establishment, both locally and nationally, appears to be favoring Bernier and Caligiuri. Both men are on the NRCC’s radar (though Caligiuri is still not listed on the program’s website.) But given the National Republican party’s current fundraising issues, a wealthy candidate who is able to write his own checks might have some appeal. 

Greenberg, a businessman from Litchfield, says he’s “in this race to win.”

“Of all the Republican candidates, I alone have the ability to stand toe-to-toe with Chris Murphy and his PAC and special interest money,” he said in a statement released this morning. “I also bring the perspective of a businessman who did not create our country’s problems, but who knows how to fix them.”

Greenberg announced last week that he has $403,282 in his campaign account. He said he  raising $77,335 during the first quarter of 2010 and lent the campaign an additional $271,500.

  

 

There was much less hoopla, and concern, compared to three years ago after the Canadian dollar surpassed parity with its U.S counterpart on Tuesday. Maybe it was widely expected. Maybe the thrill of parity is gone.

Matthew Strauss, senior fixed-income and currency strategist at RBC Capital Markets, lays out the case as to why people aren’t partying about parity as they did in 2007. The crux of his argument: This has more to do with those pesky, but boring, fundamentals, as opposed to big foreign takeovers of mining companies and speculative bets. Also, enthusiasm might be muted as the global economy is still emerging from a deep recession.

“Putting all this together suggests that Canadian dollar parity might stick around for some time – at least until the Fed starts changing its language in preparation of eventual rate hikes,” Mr. Strauss wrote.

Other differences of note compared to 2007 milestone:

• Comparative differences: Since risk appetite returned to markets in March of 2009, the Canadian dollar has outperformed its G10 peers. However, during that time, it has lost ground with the Australian and New Zealand dollars; equaled the performance of the Swedish krona; and just managed to beat the Norwegian krone. Back in 2007, the loonie was the best-performing commodity-linked currency.

• Capital flows: Much of the 2007 drive was fueled by speculative positions and merger activity, Mr. Strauss writes. This time, record amounts of capital are flocking to Canada to buy up federal and provincial bonds, as Canadian government debt is looking mighty good compared to its major industrialized peers (Greece, anyone?).

• Back in the fall of 2007, the global economy was nearing the end of a massive run, powered by U.S. consumers and emerging markets’ demand for commodities. This time around, the global economy is just beginning to emerge from a deep recession.

Paul Vieira

As expected, the sync features in Chromium are getting more robust. The underlying code and technology to allow users to sync, not just their bookmarks, but their preferences and other data as well, was already there, but Chromium now has a nice configuration menu to access the settings. The latest Chromium builds come with a “Cus… (read more)

State regulators are urging the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to extend its unlimited deposit insurance program for low-interest business accounts. The Transaction Account Guarantee Program was created during the financial crisis as a way to stop a flight of depositors from community banks. The program is set to expire June 30, but the FDIC’s board is meeting on Tuesday to discuss whether to extend it.

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors said in an April 6 letter the program should be extended until Dec. 31, 2012.

“While the worst of the crisis appears to be behind us, this program is still needed to provide assurance to consumers and small businesses and ensure a stable source of funds for community and regional banks,” said the letter. “Any recovery in the economy is occurring slowly and is not being realized in all areas of the country. In addition, the steady pace of bank failures still has many communities on edge.”

If it’s extended, the program could be one of just a few government officials decide to extend and not wind down. The TAGP allows banks to pay the FDIC for unlimited deposit insurance on certain business accounts as opposed to the customary $250,000 limit per account. This was intended to keep businesses from pulling their multi-million dollar accounts at community and regional banks and putting the money into institutions many believed were too big to fail.

In March, FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair said the program was used by more than 6,900 of the roughly 8,000 U.S. banks. “It has been highly effective in offering an extra margin of protection to small businesses and other holders of payment-processing accounts at small and mid-sized institutions,” she said in a Florida speech to community bankers.

Ms. Bair has not said what the FDIC might do, but many observers have interpreted her recent comments to suggest she could support temporarily extending the program.

“There is still a threat that the credit challenges facing community banks could lead to renewed liquidity problems if uninsured deposits once again flow to the largest banking organizations,” she said in March. “This in turn could trigger liquidity failures, imposing additional costs on the deposit insurance fund. As part of our analysis, we’ll consider whether an extension of the TAG program may be needed to maintain stability in the industry’s funding base given the ongoing credit challenges brought on by the financial crisis, as well as protect us against unnecessary losses.”

Michael Giberson

Oncor has been testing smart meters in part by monitoring several several homes with side-by-side smart meter/standard meter pairs.  (See week four results from Killeen, Texas; week four results from Temple, Texas; week four results from the DFW area will be posted tomorrow, April 7, assuming Oncor sticks with their schedule.)  So far it looks like the smart meters and standard meters are keeping it close, with most of the meters no more than 4 or 5 kwh’s apart after four weeks.

One pair of meters in the Temple test is reported at 12 kwh’s apart, a difference of about $1.60 on a monthly bill, but the older meter is the one with the higher reading.

What? You don’t trust Oncor? Well they are posting photos online each week from the side-by-side meters. (Which won’t convince any skeptics, but will serve to document the historical moment.  Years from now some digital artist will be inspired to remix these images into a work of art.)

From Nickelodeon, to the big screen, to the Nintendo platforms. Ang and his fight against the Fire Nation will be hitting cinemas July 2nd (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0938283/), but the accompanying video game will be hitting this June.
 
 
 

WASHINGTON–GOP Illinois Senate nominee Rep. Mark Steven Kirk (R-Ill.) is reporting $2.2 million in first quarter 2010 fund-raising.

from the campaign…

* $6.6 million for the 2010 cycle with over $3 million in the bank at the close of the first quarter.

*As of April 1st, the Kirk campaign received contributions from more than 9,000 individual contributors (80% from Illinois). More than 4,200 people (85% of all contributions) donated to the campaign in the last three months alone.

Below, Kirk release…..

Kirk: “Illinois voters have a clear choice in this election to change direction, create jobs and restore integrity to the State of Illinois.”

Northbrook, Ill. – Five-term Congressman and Navy veteran Mark Kirk today reported his Illinois Senate campaign raised more than $2.2 million since January 1st and more than $6.6 million for the 2010 cycle with over $3 million in the bank at the close of the first quarter.

As of April 1st, the Kirk campaign received contributions from more than 9,000 individual contributors (80% from Illinois). More than 4,200 people (85% of all contributions) donated to the campaign in the last three months alone.

“The coming election offers the people of Illinois a clear choice to change direction,” campaign spokesman Eric Elk said. “Congressman Kirk wore the uniform of our country, fought for stem cell research and defended Lake Michigan from polluters while Alexi Giannoulias pushed risky ‘hot money’ lending schemes, authorized loans to organized crime figures like Michael ‘Jaws’ Giorango and wiped out $70 million in Bright Start college savings funds for Illinois families. After Rod Blagojevich and Roland Burris, we won’t get fooled again.”

Last month, the Kirk campaign launched the first TV ad of the general election. The 30-second spot, entitled “Independent,” highlights Congressman Kirk’s independent and effective record including his support for stem cell research, strong defense of Lake Michigan, leading opposition to the “Bridge to Nowhere,” votes for lower taxes and 20-year service as a Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer.

On Friday, the Chicago Tribune reported that the Broadway Bank of Chicago loaned more than $20 million to known organized crime figures Michael “Jaws” Giorango and Demitri Stavropoulos when Alexi Giannoulias served as the bank’s Vice President and Senior Loan Officer. According to Giannoulias’ brother, the family learned of the pair’s criminal background in 2004 but continued to loan them millions of dollars anyway. The report contradicted previous statements by Giannoulias that he and his family were never aware of Giorango and Stavropoulos’ mob ties when loans were approved.

While Giannoulias made Political Action Committee (PAC) funding an issue, federal records show Alexi Giannoulias’ Campaign Chairman, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, accepted more than $6.5 million from PACs – $4.41 million from corporate PACs alone – over his career along with $663,000 from lobbyists, $1.46 million from Big Banks and Securities, and $1.45 million from the health care sector. State records show Giannoulias accepted more than $1.98 million from businesses and unions in his State Treasurer race while federal records show he already accepted $93,500 from federal PACs for his Senate campaign. Giannoulias also ignored calls to refuse contributions from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Democratic National Committee, which can funnel millions of dollars in corporate PAC contributions to his campaign.

###

The Bentley Continental Supersports Coupe is the fastest Bentley ever produced. But to make it one of the fastest Bentley vehicles ever, the uber-luxury brand had to drop things like rear-seats.

Nonetheless, those still looking for some practicality, Bentley has decided to offer two rear seats as an option with the Continental Supersports Coupe.

The addition of the two rear-seats will add an extra $5,000 to your already steep price tag of $272,000.

Refresher: Power for the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible comes from a 6.0L W12 twin-turbocharged engine producing 621-hp with a maximum torque of 590 lb-ft. Mated to ZF 6-speed Quickshift automatic gearbox, the Continental Supersports Convertible goes from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of 202 mph. The Continental Supersports Convertible is flex-fuel capable, meaning it can run on either gasoline or E85 ethanol.

Bentley Continental Supersports Coupe:

– By: Kap Shah

Source: CARandDRIVER

This time, Solar Impulse has really taken to the skies.

When we last left Swiss adventurer and around-the-world ballooning enthusiast Bertrand Piccard, he and his team were celebrating their first test flight of their solar-powered plane in December. However, those tests were really just “flea hop” tests to get the plane a couple feet off the ground. This time, though, Solar Impulse has completed a two-hour true test flight, a big step toward Piccard’s goal of flying the solar plane around the world.

At a military airport in the Swiss countryside, the “Solar Impulse” plane lifted off after only a short acceleration on the runway, reaching a speed no faster than 45 kph (28 mph). It slowly gained altitude above the green and beige fields, and disappeared eventually into the horizon as villagers watched from the nearest hills [AP]. Piccard says the test proved his plane—which weighs about as much as a car and runs on 12,000 solar cells with lithium batteries and electric engines as emergency backup—can not only fly, but fly straight. Since the plane will be flying without a drop of liquid fuel, he says, it must stay on its planned trajectory and conserve energy.

A night flight is planned later this year, and then a new plane will be built based on the results of those tests. The big take-off is planned for 2012 [BBC News]. Piccard and his piloting partner, Andre Borschberg, will trade off piloting the solar plane on what will be an extended journey. Their average flight speed should be around 45 miles per hour, meaning long hours stuffed in the tiny cockpit. Thus, their round-the-world flight includes several stops in which to show off their creation, and stretch their legs.

Previous missions have attempted large-scale solar flight, but leave it to Piccard to push the envelope. He comes from a long line of adventurers. His late father Jacques plunged deeper beneath the ocean than any other man, and grandfather Auguste was the first man to take a balloon into the stratosphere [AP].

Related Content:
Discoblog: Solar Planes That Aren’t Solar; Nano-Snowmen That Aren’t Snow
80beats: Solar-Powered Spy Plane Stays Aloft for Over Three Days
80beats: Meet the “Puffin,” NASA’s One-Man Electric Plane
DISCOVER: Who’s Flying This Thing?

Image: Solar Impulse

So says MSNBC, which reports this morning that the anti-abortion Michigan Democrat is simply worn out from all the attention (i.e., criticism) he and his family took during the marathon debate over health care reform.

The Democrat best known this year as the Democrat who delivered the winning margin of votes for the president’s health-care reform bill is said to be simply exhausted. The criticism he received — first from the left, and then from the right — has worn him and his family out. And if he had to make the decision now, he’d probably NOT run. As of this writing, a bunch of senior Democrats (many of the same ones who twisted his arm on the health care vote) are trying to talk him into running. The filing deadline in Michigan is still a month away, but veterans of that state’s politics are skeptical anyone other than Stupak can hold that district in this political climate.

We haven’t seen much in the way of Android-based phones from LG.  However, that could be changing as LG has been associated with two expected high-end Android phones within the past week.  A few days ago rumors of the LG C710 “Aloha” surfaced, and yesterday rumored pictures and specs for the LG LU2300–the LG Eclipse, according to AndroidandMe–have also begun to appear.

The rumored specs are as follows:

• Android 2.1
• 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
• 3.5-inch AMOLED 800×480 touch display
• Sliding 4-row QWERTY keyboard
• 5 megapixel camera
• 720p HD DivX compatible playback
• WiFi, GPS, DMB tuner

Before you get too excited, you should know that the Eclipse is supposedly scheduled to arrive at SK (South Korea) Telekom sometime between now and May of this year.  No plans of the Eclipse coming to the US are currently known.  But what about speculation that this phone will be released as the “Aloha” in the US?  Probably not, according to Engadget, but we can be hopeful (after all, the specs seem to be similar to what we know about the Aloha).

Who’s looking forward to some full QWERTY LG Android love?  Sound off in the comments!

Via AndroidandMe, Engadget

On the fringe of the pristine and exclusive Augusta National Golf Club, up at the intersection of Washington and Berkmans, the buzz and excitement builds with every one of the eventually exhausting thousands and thousands of footsteps it takes to get down the hill and through the gates.  Walking around the practice rounds of the Augusta National this year requires comfortable shoes, light clothing, a lot of sunblock and plenty of water, as the high is forecast to hit 91.  Today is Wednesday of Masters Week, a day known as “par 3 day,” because at 1pm, many of the professional pitching wedge experts will partake in a festive and loose tradition, the day before this revered tournament begins.  Unknown to everyone right now is whether the big elephant in the room of this year’s Masters, a 4 time champion named Tiger, will join in the fun.  All week long, getting detailed information about Woods’ whereabouts and practice round intentions has been challenging.  He practiced with Mark O’Meara Tuesday, who at the end of the day said Woods’ game was getting sharper as the week progressed;  not surprisingly, with the intimidation factor of his first round of golf in front of hundreds of spectators in nearly 5 months Monday, onlookers said Woods looked rusty.  Woods will tee off Thursday at 1:42 Eastern Time, grouped with 1997 US Amateur Champion Matt Kuchar and South Korean golfor Kyung-Ju Choi, who has 7 PGA wins in his bag.  The group’s tee time Friday is 10:35am Eastern, and after those first 2 rounds, the Augusta National will eliminate those who don’t make the weekend cut and assign Saturday’s tee times and groupings for when the US television audience for this Masters is projected to be record-setting for this tournament (and possibly near “Super Bowl” hights) IF, that is, IF Tiger Woods is in the hunt.  The expected spectacle of his former mistresses showing up in Augusta and regurgitating the sensational sexcapades that have dominated the tabloids and late night monologues since November have yet to arrive, but we’re told, the ladies will be here by the time the really big crowds start arriving.  Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg, who along with about 6 off-duty cops and private security agents, has been walking along with Woods’ enterage this week, finally spoke on the record about what he did or didn’t know about his most famous client’s secretive and adulterous ways on the tour.  Steinberg tells Golf.com that he was unaware of what Woods was doing, adding that he hadn’t said this in nearly 5 months because he believed it would only have perpetuated the story.  This, despite a current Vanity Fair expose, in which 4 women who claim they had intimate relations with Woods in hotel rooms and cars told their stories;  2 of them allege that when they needed help or that they feared the affair was about to be exposed, Woods passed them onto Steinberg, who, according to the women, extinguished the potential explosion of publicity.  Now that Tiger Woods has taken unrestricted questions from the press (primarily the sporting press, as neither this Fox News Correspondent nor anyone else from our “news” team earned a credential) it’s clear that Team Woods hopes the media focus will now streamline to his return to professional competition.  But a lot can happen alongside these immaculately manicured fairways over the next 4 days.  The Masters this year promises to be The Story of the year.  We just don’t yet know the full storyline.  But Mark Matherson, of Lake Wylie, North Carolina, who now has attended 43 straight Masters Tournaments, tells me he has a headline dancing in his head.  “I just hope he wins.”

Want to ridicule the Noise for his Billy Butler(notes) obsession or misguided projections? Humiliate him in 140 characters or less on Twitter.

In the case of Florida’s
Ricky Nolasco(notes), looks are most definitely deceiving.

Over the first several weeks of the ’09 season, the
high-profiled righty tormented his faithful backers. Though he earned the win Opening Day, his five earned runs against the lowly Nationals set the stage for
his next nine appearances. By May 22nd, Nolasco’s ERA, which had pigged out on
Bartolo Burgers, fattened to a ghastly 9.07. His breakthrough campaign the
previous year quickly became a distant memory. For an unlucky pitcher (.336 BABIP in ’09) with excellent
peripherals, his early season demise was perplexing to say the least.

Mentally drained and physically exhausted, the beaten
starter was banished to Triple-A New Orleans in late May. Fredi Gonzalez blamed
the hurler’s horrific start on fastball timidity. Nolasco simply wasn’t
attacking the zone with the same zeal. Fantasy players
who shelled out exorbitant cash for his services wished to get sucked under by
a riptide.

Instead of festering on Bourbon Street, Nolasco emerged from his
minor league exile smelling fresher. Apparently, he finally realized he
was an ex-Cub.

Despite the occasional relapse, he was
arguably one of the most dominant pitchers in the National League from June 7th on compiling 11
wins, a 3.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and insane 10.08 K/9. His 16-strikeout fan-fest
against Atlanta
to end the season was spectacular. According to Baseball Monster, his sparkling
four-month line was the 14th-best among starters, ranking ahead of position
goliaths Justin Verlander(notes), Josh Beckett(notes) and Cliff Lee(notes).

This spring Nolasco carried momentum over. Underneath the
opaque shades, puffy jacket and dark cap (see above) was an intelligent machine
programmed to kill. Quite possibly the sharpest pitcher in Grapefruit action,
he mowed down hitters, totaling a ridiculous 21:1 K:BB split and 1.78 ERA in
25.1 innings. He was Velveeta cheese fudge nasty. The rising star credited pounding
the zone for his brilliant performance. From MLB.com:

"The biggest thing I learned as far as pitching
is to throw strikes, not walk guys. It just makes your job a million times
easier. It’s something I’ve learned and thought about since maybe I was
12…"

"As far as the innings go and the stats, I’m feeling good. They’re
playing good defense behind me. We are swinging the bats. All I can do is let
that carry over into the year and try to help this team win ballgames. It’s
been good. I’m just trying to keep the ball down and let the defense work for
me."

The control freak is so supremely confident he’s set a goal of 25 walks this
season, a feat only six pitchers with 200-plus innings have achieved since
1980. Jonathan Sanchez(notes) issues that many free passes over five starts. 

But despite his sensational ’09 finish and otherworldly spring, many owners – presumably
frightened by his misleading 5.06 ERA – avoided Nolasco this past drafting
season. His resulting 97.67 ADP (SP22) tabbed him a friggin’ steal.

With his command refined, slider biting and low-90s fastball
again popping the mitt, Nolasco is on the precipice of an historic season.
Given the plentiful run support he should receive and the pitcher-friendly
specs of Sun Life Stadium, he could vie for the NL Cy Young. And fantasy
greatness.

Nolasco will be an indestructible mound "Terminator."

Fearless Forecast: 209.1 IP, 15 W, 3.69 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 193 K 

—

DISCOUNT DEN
Quality commodity owned
in fewer than 20 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Juan Uribe(notes), SF,
2B/SS/3B (18 percent-owned): With Freddy Sanchez(notes) sidelined for the next
several weeks, the Giants’ super-utilityman is employable in deeper formats. Already
3-for-7 with a run and two RBI, Uribe possesses plus power and useful flexibility.
Coming off a career best HR/AB campaign (24.8, 16 HR in 398 at-bats), he will
be a cheap pop source at middle infield in April. Uribe sears, and he may
force his way into the lineup permanently.

OOH STREAM WEAVER…
Widely available plug
n’ play starter for dilligent daily leaguers.

Ian Kennedy(notes), Ari (4/7
vs. SD, seven percent-owned): Buried in the Yankees’ minor league system
after several miserable auditions, the former top prospect was provided a new
lease on life in Arizona
via the Granderson trade. After an eye-opening spring (25 IP, 2.88 ERA, 17:5 K:BB split), he’s a prime breakthrough candidate. The Padres are improved offensively, but will likely again
be bottom feeders in runs. San Diego’s
blank book on Kennedy certainly gives the hurler the advantage.

MIDDLE RELIEF MAGIC
ERA/WHIP savior, potential
saves/wins vulture.

Neftali Feliz(notes), Tex (80 percent owned): After a dismal Opening
Day effort – Mariah Carey may have better command – many have already bailed on
the hard-throwing reliever. But Texas’
primary setup man certainly has the stuff – he routinely flirts with triple digits – to develop into a reliable K-source,
and potential closer. Ignore the glitch. If Frank Francisco(notes) fails or falls – he
missed significant time last year – Neftali will log 12-15 saves. Feast on the
meek.

—

Image courtesy of US Presswire

From Green Right Now Reports

There’s good news for consumers when it comes to clean drinking water.  Consumer Reports says water filter manufacturers are producing products that effectively remove impurities, not just improve taste and appearance. Filters costing as little as $30 can provide cleaner, better-tasting water, according to the consumer magazine’s latest water filter tests.

Consumer Reports tested 38 carafe, faucet, countertop, reverse osmosis, and undersink water filters. The results appear in the May issue and online.

In 2008, eight percent of public of water systems received health violations that affected more than 23 million people, according to Consumer Reports. The magazine notes that a violation doesn’t necessarily mean immediate health risk, since regulations are often based on long-term health effects. However, last October, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that “many of the nation’s waters are not meeting water quality standards, and the threat to drinking water sources is growing.”

For its tests, Consumer Reports said it spiked water with lead and chloroform (a surrogate for organic compounds like atrazine, and benzene and for bad taste) to test 38 models. The magazine found that while many filters did the job, some removed less of each contaminant than promised, and even the best can be overwhelmed by surges in contaminants.

Among its findings:

• New filters catch more and clog less. In Consumer Reports‘ last round of tests, carafes that filtered best also clogged most quickly, but this time around, top-rated models removed contaminants effectively without sacrificing cartridge life or flow rate.
• Pricier doesn’t mean better. Consumer Reports found that the $415 Everpure undersink filter was outperformed by models that cost half as much, because of its clogging and inferior flow rate. Plus, the cost of replacement filters must be factored in to purchasing decision. For example, the Zero Water Z-Pitcher ($35) is the priciest carafe to maintain, despite its low initial cost.
• Refrigerators with water dispensers with built-in filtration are fine at improving taste, but past tests have shown some systems are so-so at removing impurities. Plus, replacement cartridges are costly. Consumer Reports suggests bypassing the appliance’s filter by installing an undersink filter to the refrigerator’s water supply line.

Consumer Reports recommends matching the filter to the problem. Some improve only taste and clarity; others also reduce impurities. The magazine recommends first checking your water. Consumers who pay a water bill should be mailed an annual water quality report, stating where the water comes from and what contaminants were found in it during the last year.

To find out exactly what’s coming out of the tap, or if dealing with private well water, it’s best to have the water tested. State-certified testing labs can be found through the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or online.

A complete screening could cost as much as $4,000, so use the water quality report as a guide. However a reputable lab will help narrow the list, depending on where the water source is located. The EPA recommends annual testing for well water by a state-certified lab. Re-test after a filter has been installed to confirm that the water is safe. Lead tests should always be done. Test for coliform for private wells near septic systems.

Based on the water quality report or water test, Consumer Reports recommends choosing a filter that is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation to reduce the contaminants found. Some filters remove just two or three contaminants; some target a dozen or more. But sporadic spikes in contaminants can exceed NSF thresholds, so don’t assume a filter will make water safe from every threat.

Consumer Reports says all water filters are better for the environment than bottled water because they reduce shipping and packaging. Brita and Zero Water have launched take-back recycling programs for used cartridges.

Consumers should weigh the various features of the filters. Models with a filter-life indicator warn when it’s time to change cartridges, a benefit since overloaded filters can dump contaminants into filtered water. Consumer Reports has outlined the five main types of filters:

Carafe: Carafes tend to be inexpensive and don’t require installation; however they are not suited for households requiring more than a couple of gallons of water a day. Filter life is relatively short. Carafe models cost $20 to $40 plus $40 to $100 per year for additional filters.

The Clear2 0 CWS100A ($30) carafe filter was rated as a “CR Best Buy” — the magazine says it is excellent at removing lead and chloroform, while the Brita Smart Pitcher 0B39/42632 ($32) offers superior clog resistance but isn’t claimed to remove organics.

Faucet-mounted: These filters can be easily installed and make it easy to switch between filtered and unfiltered water. But they can’t be used with most pull-down or spray faucets and they tend to have a slow flow rate. Cost ranges from $15 to $35, plus $30 to $100 per year in replacement filters.

Consumer Reports recommends the Culligan FM-15A ($15) and the Pur Vertical FM-3700 ($25), which has a filter-life indicator.

Countertop: Countertop models are good at filtering large volumes of water without any plumbing work, however they can add to countertop clutter and can’t be used with most spray or pull-down faucets. Prices vary from $50 up to $300, plus $50 to $100 per year in replacement filters.

CR says the Crystal Quest CQE-CT-00109 ($140) has fast flow but doesn’t catch impurities as well as other countertop models. The Aquasana AQ-4000 ($100) is excellent at removing lead and chloroform.

Undersink: Undersink models require plumbing, sink, or countertop changes but can filter large volumes of water without cluttering the countertop. Price ranges from $100 to $550, plus $50 to $150 per year in replacement filters.

Consumer Reports recommends the Omni CBF-3 ($115), an inexpensive model that is fast-flowing, but replacement filters are pricey. The Culligan Preferred Series 350 ($145) has one of the longest-lasting filters, and the Whirlpool Gold WHED20 (Lowe’s, $130), a CR Best Buy, offers top value and very good clog resistance.

Reverse-osmosis: These filters remove the widest range of contaminants, including arsenic, but they require plumbing modifications and periodic sanitizing with bleach. These models also waste 3 to 5 gallons of water for every gallon filtered and some are slow. Consumer should expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $900, plus $100 to $200 per year in filters or professional servicing.

The Kenmore Elite 38556 ($300) costs more than other models Consumer Reports tested, but has a 4-gallon storage tank – more than double the size of the Whirlpool Gold WHER25 (Lowe’s, $150), a CR Best Buy.

KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will host the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Southeast Regional Student Conference and the “Jeopardy”-style Human Resources Games on Friday and Saturday.

The two-day event begins at 2 p.m. on Friday, April 9, in the James A. Haslam II Business Building. The games begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday. All are invited to watch students from more than 25 colleges and universities face off to answer “Jeopardy”-style questions about human resources.

This conference includes speakers, competition and awards, but the event also serves as a review for those attempting the professional human resources (PHR) exam that most students take upon graduation.

“One of the goals of having the games is to pass the professional human resources exam,” said Debbie Mackey, lecturer and SHRM faculty adviser. “We have a great success rate of students studying for the games and passing the exam. It’s great in this tough economy to give yourself any kind of edge.”

UT has three teams of three students each competing in the games. Mary Rawls, a senior in human resource management with a collateral in marketing, is SHRM president and will compete for her second year.

“Preparing for the games develops more than just knowledge,” Rawls said. “Students develop teamwork skills and have pride in their efforts. Many of our members have developed strong friendships over the years from studying together for the games and meeting weekly. These experiences will carry over into our careers where teamwork is crucial to success.”

UT SHRM has been planning for the event since it was selected as the host in September 2009. Mackey and Rawls have been working hard to plan the entire conference.

“Dr. Mackey is very talented in coordinating events, and because we hosted the games before, she has much experience with it and knows what to expect,” Rawls said. “We must cover all areas in event planning to prepare including coordinating speakers, compiling door prizes, scheduling competitions and much more. We are very proud to be able to show off the innovative and beautiful Haslam Business Building to universities across the Southeast.”

Participants from across the Southeast, including North Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky and Florida, will be attending the games. The judges of the event are human resource professionals working in the community.

“All judges are PHR-certified, and 75 percent of the people in the room are from the community and hire interns from our college,” Mackey said. “Alumni love to come back to see everyone compete and give back to the college. It’s all volunteer time and resources. It’s all focused on the students, which is really special.”

UT has hosted the games three of out of the past six years, and Rawls hopes all their preparation will pay off.

The winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the national SHRM conference with more than 15,000 professionals. The national conference provides students with an opportunity to network and hear world-class speakers like Jack Welch and John Kotter.

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PHOTO CUTLINE: Jeopardy Human Resources Games competing teams. Front row (left to right): ltor Wanda Manning, Stephanie Tarwater, Ashley Cross. Back row (left to right): Jared Haney, Mary Katherine Rawls, Hayden Cook, April Johnson, Nicole Kimble.

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C O N T A C T :

Debbie Mackey (865-974-7014, [email protected])

Bridget Hardy (865-974-2225, [email protected])

The results of a new study add to the evidence that the side effects of Accutane, an acne drug that is also known as generic isotretinoin, may increase the risk of developing bowel problems. 

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, was published March 30 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Researchers say they found that the use of Accutane increased the risk of developing ulcerative colitis by a factor of four.

Researchers looked at data from 87 health insurance plans and found nearly 8,200 people who had been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is a group of digestive disorders that includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

They found that not only were those taking Accutane four times more likely to develop ulcerative colitis, but they also determined that the chance of developing the bowel disorder rose in relation to the size of the Accutane dose, strengthening the evidence of a causal relationship. However, the researchers note that the findings do not prove a causal relationship between Accutane and ulcerative colitis, and said that even if there is a risk, the chance of developing ulcerative colitis is small.

The findings come a little more than a month after a New Jersey jury awarded an Alabama man $25.16 million in an Accutane lawsuit against Roche that claimed the drug caused him to develop IBD.

Roche faces nearly 1,000 lawsuits over Accutane, which has been associated with bowel problems, depression and birth defects. All of the lawsuits include allegations that Roche failed to adequately warn users about potential Accutane side effects. The company has lost all six cases that have gone to trial so far, with jury awards totaling $56 million. One of those verdicts, with a $7.2 million award, has been overturned by a Florida appeals court.

Accutane has been used by more than 16 million people worldwide since it was first introduced in the early 1980s as a treatment for severe acne. An Accutane recall was issued by Roche in June 2009, citing the cost of defending Accutane injury suits as a factor in the decision to discontinue the medication in the United States.

In February, Health Canada issued a warning that it has received numerous reports of severe skin reactions, including sometimes fatal reaction known as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome from Accutane. At least 66 reports of Accutane skin reactions were identified by Health Canada, including adults and children, with two of the cases resulting in death.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a severe skin reaction that occurs as a side effect of several medications. It is highly debilitating and causes the skin to burn from the inside out, producing blisters, severe rashes and the skin may begin to separate from the body. When the skin lesions affect more than 30% of the body, the condition is referred to as Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). Treatment in a hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or Burn Unit is often required, and the conditions can be fatal in many cases.

The latest resource update from Exeter Resource Corp. added more value to the company's already-massive Caspiche project in Chile, and analysts are very encouraged.

In a new resource estimate, Exeter said the copper-gold deposit holds a staggering 24.3 million ounces of gold, 6.4 billion pounds of copper, and 60.3 million ounces of silver. Total gold equivalent ounces increased 29% from the last estimate. Caspiche is a huge low-grade deposit that is similar to the nearby Cerro Casale project, owned by Barrick Gold Corp. and Kinross Gold Corp.

"The updated resource represents a significant improvement in the size of the [Caspiche] deposit with comparable grades to the previous estimate released this past September," TD Newcrest analyst Daniel Earle wrote in a note to clients.

He also pointed out that Exeter moved a large portion of the resource from the inferred category to the indicated category, which is obviously good news. As of now, 59% of the contained ounces of gold are in the indicated category.

John Hayes, an analyst at BMO Capital Markets, pointed out that the new resource update was helped by higher commodity price assumptions. However, he noted that Exeter said more than half of the increase in resources came from new drilling.

Mr. Hayes also pointed to a report that Exeter has signed confidentiality agreements (CAs) with potential buyers (including Barrick and Kinross) and could get bought within a year. The company denied the report. However, Mr. Hayes said that if the story were true, it would come as no surprise that the company entered into CAs.

Peter Koven

Attorneys for troubled country star and Celebrity Rehab personality Mindy McCready have managed to temporarily block the release of a sex tape allegedly featuring McCready in bed with a mystery man.

The singer denied filming herself in the bedroom and threatened legal action against Vivid Entertainment (the company behind scandal-stirring sex tapes from Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Jessica Sierra) after they announced plans to release Mindy McCready: Baseball Mistress.

Although no preview video footage has been released, the blonde was also said to have described her bedroom encounters with ex-lovers Dean Cain, Roger Clemens, and Alan Jackson, in the X-rated clip.

After weighing his legal options, Vivid founder Steven Hirsch has decided to postpone Baseball Mistress’ release indefinitely. “We’ve decided to take a little extra time to study all of our documentation and other clearances before we proceed,” Hirsch explained.

Mindy’s attorney Adam Dread tells E! Online he’s confident that Vivid will soon find they do not have the legal right to release the raunchy video — and if they decide to anyway, they’ll find themselves on the receiving end of a hefty lawsuit: “After a telephone discussion with Mr. Hirsch this afternoon, we are pleased to announce that Mr. Hirsch understands that there is merit to our Cease and Desist demand. We stand by our original statement that Ms. McCready has never made any video for Vivid Entertainment, or any entertainment company of that genre, and that there is no proof of authorisation from Vivid to release any likeness of Ms. McCready, in any format. We have formally requested that they provide proof of authorisation, or refrain from using Ms. McCready’s likeness, period.”

Twitter last night offered up the code for Gizzard, an open-source framework for accessing distributed, scalable data stores quickly, which could become an important component of building out a web-based business, much like Facebook’s Cassandra project has swept through the ranks of webscale startups and even big companies.

Gizzard is a middleware networking service that sits between the front end web site client and the database and attempts to divide and replicate data in storage in intelligent ways that allows it to be accessed quickly by the site. From the Twitter blog post:

Twitter has built several custom distributed data-stores. Many of these solutions have a lot in common, prompting us to extract the commonalities so that they would be more easily maintainable and reusable. Thus, we have extracted Gizzard, a Scala framework that makes it easy to create custom fault-tolerant, distributed databases.

Gizzard is a framework in that it offers a basic template for solving a certain class of problem. This template is not perfect for everyone’s needs but is useful for a wide variety of data storage problems. At a high level, Gizzard is a middleware networking service that manages partitioning data across arbitrary backend datastores (e.g., SQL databases, Lucene, etc.).

The goal is to deliver relevant information to users faster across huge data sets that Twitter manages. Twitter said one of  its FlockDB distributed graph database can serve 10,000 queries per second per commodity machine using Gizzard. I heard Twitter’s, Kevin Weil talk about the project a few weeks ago at SXSW, and at the time he said the company was building something to help manage distributed data sets using a Scala framework. This appears to be exactly that.

Whether or not Gizzard turns into another Cassandra or it fizzles, is open for debate, but the act of figuring out how to work with giant data sets and then sharing that information with others is an essential step in creating webscale businesses. Thus, Twitters’s decision to solve its own problem and then share it’s solution is beneficial for the startup community.

I’ve chatted with developers who feel that Google’s development of BigTable and its decision to keep it to themselves stalled the progress of building out webscale infrastructure for a few years until Facebook opened up Cassandra. This may be sour grapes — after all, a company does not have to open up code that gives it a strategic advantage — but it does highlight how difficult it is to build code that can handle and scale for millions of users. Sharing ways to do that lowers the barriers to entry for startups much like compute clouds such as Amazon’s EC2 or Rackspace’s CloudServers can.

So for anyone who wants some Gizzard, Twitter is happy to share.

Related GigaOM Pro Content (sub req’d): What Cloud Computing Can Learn from NoSQL

Image courtesy of Flickr user Sifu Renka