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moonraker is highly recommended.

Raymond James strategist Jeff Saut, generally a bullish analyst, continues to sound concerns over a correction in his latest note:

The call for this week: The solar eclipse came and went in “Neverland” between 11:06 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. last Friday with an attendant stock slide that should have stopped participants out of our remaining index recommendations. And, despite all the “Tinkerbell clapping,” the SPX is virtually no higher now than it was after the “opening day” rally on January 4th. Moreover, the number of stocks above their 10-day moving averages (DMAs) continues to shrink, which is the type of action typically seen preceding a stock market correction. Also, the 25-day put/call ratios are at levels consistent with short-term negative conditions, while Friday’s close left the SPX below its recent reaction lows, not to mention below its 10-DMA. Then there is “Dr. Copper,” the metal with a Ph.D. in economics, which recently recorded a 12-month rolling rate of return in excess of 150%. Historically such a “copper cropper” has marked a “trading top” in copper and telegraphed caution for the equity markets. All of this raises the question, “Is this the week participants quit clapping their hands and Tinkerbell falls back to earth?”

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See Also:

• Jeff Saut: Stay Long, But That Jobs Number Was Really Horrible, And We’re Starting To Near Our Longtime Targets
• Saut: Bank Your Trading Profits And Watch Out For Classic January Head Fakes
• Jeff Saut: Bond Market Starting To Break Down, Turn Cautious On Stocks

Originally posted on Washington Wire

Sen. George Voinovich, the retiring Ohio Republican, will be meeting with President Barack Obama this morning with a single mission: To talk the president out of an executive order creating a commission to tackle the budget deficit.

The commission is expected to be the centerpiece of a fiscal 2011 budget blueprint, out Feb. 1, that will be swimming in red ink. Voinovich, along with more than a dozen other senators, wants to create the commission with legislation, not the stroke of a presidential pen. That way, the commission’s mandate would have the force of law, and that mandate can force an up-or-down vote on the commission’s recommendations in Congress. An executive order cannot force a vote, and therefore, the senator believes, will be toothless.

“He’s going to drive home the need to do this legislatively,” according to a source close to Voinovich.

It will be a tough sell. The White House is convinced such a commission cannot get through Congress. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, Calif.), House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D, Wis.) and House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D, N.Y.) have adamantly opposed what they see as yielding congressional authority to an appointed body. And Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R, Ky.) has begun expressing qualms about the commission legislation that Voinovich backs, written by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D, N.D.) and Sen. Judd Gregg (R, N.H.).

Sony still hasn’t said anything final regarding the name of their upcoming motion controller.According to a VG247 report, however, it’s allegedly going to be called “Arc.”

Wouldn’t it be spectacular if we promoted nonproliferation talks the way we promote Monster Truck Rallies, Metal concerts and the other staples of my Midwestern upbringing?

WEDNESDAY! WEDNESDAY! WEDNESDAY!

ONE DAY ONLY.

HOUSTON WOOD. DAVID ALBRIGHT. JEFFREY LEWIS.

YOU’LL PAY FOR THE WHOLE SEAT, BUT YOU WILL ONLY USE THE EDGE.

Yeah, well.

Houston Wood is giving a talk at the Woodrow Wilson Center tomorrow on the role of gas centrifuges in nonproliferation. Which, to my mind, is even more exciting than when Metallica opened for Ozzy Osbourne at the Peoria Civic Center. (YouTube is really letting me down, here.)

And, the event is free, so you won’t feel bad about only using the edge of your seat.

The History of the Gas Centrifuge and Its Role in Nuclear Proliferation

January 20 2010, 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Uranium enrichment capability and its proliferation are among the most important issues for arms control specialists today. Thanks in part to the network of Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan, the gas centrifuge has become one of the most widely used uranium enrichment tools in the world. University of Virginia Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Houston G. Wood will discuss his ongoing research on the history of the gas centrifuge and its role in nuclear proliferation. Joining him will be David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, and *Jeffrey Lewi director of the Nuclear Strategy and Nonproliferation Initiative at the New America Foundation.

Houston Wood is professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Virginia. His areas of expertise include centrifugation, nuclear non-proliferation and heart pumps. He has published more than 100 articles in books, journals, conference proceedings and reports. Before joining the UVA faculty, he worked as a development engineer (1967-1973) at Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (ORGDP) in the area of uranium enrichment, and then as the manager of the centrifuge physics department (1977-1981). Wood earned his B.A. and M.S. degrees in mathematics from Mississippi State University, and his Ph.D. in applied mathematics from the University of Virginia.

David Albright is president of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) in Washington, D.C. Prior to founding ISIS, he worked as a senior staff scientist at the Federation of American Scientists and as a member of the research staff of Princeton University’s Center for Energy and Environmental Studies. Albright has many publications, and received a 1992 Olive Branch Award for a series of articles he wrote, along with Mark Hibbs, on the Iraqi nuclear weapons program for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Albright cooperated actively with the IAEA Action Team from 1992 until 1997, focusing on analyses of Iraqi documents and past procurement activities, and was the first non-governmental inspector of the Iraqi nuclear program in June 1996. Albright holds a Masters of Science in physics from Indiana University and a Masters of Science in mathematics from Wright State University.

Jeffrey Lewis is director of the Nuclear Strategy and Nonproliferation Initiative at the New America Foundation as well as a research scholar at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy (CSSIM). He is the author of Minimum Means of Reprisal: China’s Search for Security in the Nuclear Age, and founded and maintains the leading blog on nuclear arms control and nonproliferation, ArmsControlWonk.com. Before joining the New America Foundation, Lewis was executive director of the Managing the Atom Project at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Lewis earned his Ph.D. in Policy Studies (International Security and Economic Policy) from the University of Maryland and his B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.

I will be making comments along the lines of those in my Bulletin article, A Crisis of Confidence, in which I argued the rapid diffusion of gas centrifuge technology has resulted in a self defeating panic about the future of the nonproliferation regime.

Microsoft has long claimed that its mobile strategy is to provide a software solution, not devices. As Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told attendees of a McGraw-Hill (MHP) media conference last spring,

With Windows Mobile, we want to permit a range of hardware innovation, and yet, still have a pretty good experience end-to-end, with good applications, and we want the ability for software developers to target both a very high-end and a lower range or mid-range phone. And the ability to scale up and down, to work with multiple hardware vendors, to get a range of competition and innovation and price competition amongst the hardware guys is a big asset. It is certainly what our strategy is.

That being the case, it’s intriguing to see that talk of Microsoft’s (MSFT) long-rumored ‘Pink’ phone project has started up again. In a note to clients today, Jefferies analyst Katherine Egbert claims that Redmond is gearing up to launch a phone based on WindowsMobile7.

“Our recent industry checks indicate Microsoft will be debuting its own phone sometime in the next two months,” Egbert writes. “We expect the new phone to debut soon, at either the Feb 15-18 Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona Spain, or possibly at CTIA in Las Vegas one month later.”

The device — “a Zune-like phone” according to Egbert –is likely result of an OEM partnership similar to the Google (GOOG) -HTC alliance that produced the Nexus One. She believes it will boast a 5 megapixel camera and support 720p HD video and some music subscription/purchasing scheme. Beyond that, Egbert is at a loss. “We don’t have any information about the cost of the Pink phone, nor do we know what service providers might be partnered with Microsoft,” she explains. “Revenue from the phone is also very unlikely to be meaningful for many years. However, the new phone might explain why Microsoft has allowed WinMo to dwindle to <10% mobile OS market share. Pink would be the 'third screen' (after Windows and Xbox) and final component in Microsoft's "3 screens and a cloud" strategy.”

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Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM, Earnings/Financials, Electric

$40,000. That’s the potential price we’ve heard for the first-gen Chevrolet Volt for ages, and it’s the number we get again, now that the recent “low 30s” price rumor has been put to rest. Again.

General Motors spokesman Dave Darovitz confirmed to Green Car Reports that GM CEO Ed Whitacre’s recent statement that the Volt would be priced “in the low 30s” and be profitable was misleading/inaccurate. The reality is that the car will cost around $40,000, and a possible $7,500 tax credit from the federal government would move the price into the low 30s. Specifically, Darovitz confirmed to GCR that, GM “has not officially announced final Volt pricing, a price in the low 30’s after a $7,500 tax credit is in the range of possibilities.” We knew that. Why would we think it was anything else?

[Source: Green Car Reports]

GM clarifies Volt’s “low 30s” price is only possible after tax credit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Crossover, Mitsubishi

Last month we told you a new compact crossover is on its way from Mitsubishi that will be called the RVR when it goes on sale in Japan. Today the Tri-Star automaker announced that the little CUV will wear the ASX badge in Europe and make its official debut at the upcoming 2010 Geneva Motor Show in early March. We’ve been told the RVR/ASX will eventually make it to American shores, but whether or not it gets yet another name is up to Mitsubishi.

In Europe, the ASX will be offered with a wide array of engines including a 1.8-liter diesel that can be combined with a six-speed manual transmission and what Mitsubishi is calling “Automatic Stop & Go,” which we assume is their label for stop/start technology. Considering the CUV’s small size and presumably light weight, that combo should yield impressive results at European pumps.

[Source: Mitsubishi]

Continue reading Mitsubishi ASX compact CUV set for Geneva premiere

Mitsubishi ASX compact CUV set for Geneva premiere originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dark Void seemed to be the cure for what ailed us. A new intellectual property featuring jet packs, Nikola Tesla, flying saucers, and a void… that’s dark. This is the sort of story that plays well in trailers and in a demo, but when you’re playing the actual game you’ll be forgiven if it all jumbles together. The girl has a past with your character? You’re a lovable rogue played by Nolan North? You don’t say!

Slap a jet pack on Nathan Drake, and let’s get started with this review business.

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Los Angeles:  The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has arrested the suspect in the murder of 29-year-old Lupe Fernandez, a resident of San Fernando.

On Wednesday, January 13, 2010, at around 9:30 p.m., a citizen walked in to the Mission Area Community Police Station and reported the body of a possible murder victim who was found inside a Sylmar residence.  Officers were directed to a residence in the 14800 block of Cobalt Street.  During a welfare check of the residence, officers discovered the body of a dead female that was stuffed into a large plastic trash container located inside the garage of the residence.  During the investigation, officer’s learned of a possible second crime scene located inside a Tattoo Parlor in the 8900 block of Woodman Avenue in the city of Arleta.

Mission Homicide Detectives responded and conducted the investigation. Detectives identified the murder victim found at the Cobalt address as 29-year-old Lupe Fernandez, a resident of San Fernando.  Detectives are investigating Lupe Fernandez’ death as a murder.  Further investigation at the Tattoo Parlor revealed an assault had taken place inside the business sometime between 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 and 7:30 a.m. the following day.  Detectives are investigating the possibility of both crime scenes to be connected in the murder of Lupe Fernandez.  The victim’s cause of death is believed to be blunt force trauma. 

Mission Homicide detectives identified the victim’s current boyfriend, 33-year old Louie Mendoza, as the suspect in the murder.  Mendoza was employed by the tattoo parlor as a tattoo artist.  Mendoza was arrested inside the Cobalt address by SWAT officers after a long stand-off.  Detectives booked Louie Mendoza for the murder of girlfriend, Lupe Fernandez.  Mendoza is being held in lieu of 1 million dollar bail.

Anyone with information about this crime is urged to call Mission Homicide detectives at 818-838-9810 or 818-838-9800.  During non-business hours or on weekends calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone. All text messages should begin with the letters "LAPD." Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.

Newsflash: birds see a LOT of stuff thanks to the fact that they can fly. Garmin wants to give you the same sensation (minus the flying part) with its new “BirdsEye Satellite and Aerial Imagery” feature, “an annual subscription service that gives users the option of loading highly-detailed photo-based maps to select Garmin handheld navigators,” according to a recent press release.

You’ll be able to access the imagery on Oregon, Dakota, and Colorado series GPS units for $30 per year. It’ll be available starting in March. As for the imagery itself:

The images are among the most highly-detailed available – offering 0.5 meter per pixel resolution in many areas of the United States.  Users can also view imagery at every zoom level – from 12 miles to 20 feet – unlike other offerings that force users to stay at pre-determined zoom levels.  BirdsEye Satellite Imagery also lets users overlay vector maps, to get a better idea of terrain contours and points of interest.

It’s being pitched at hunters, hikers, geocachers, and tourists.

Garmin Launches BirdsEye Satellite and Aerial Imagery [Press Release]

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More white-hot World of Warcraft movie news to share with y’all. Did you know that it’s in production? Of course you did; you have a pulse. But did you know what stage of production it’s in? Hmm, did ya, smart guy?

Eh, you probably knew that, too. For you see, the World of Warcraft movie is in the earliest stage of development, the part where the writers are still coming up with a basic story. (The technical term is “outline/story/script” phase.) Don’t be too quick to assume the movie will take place on Azeroth, for by the time the script is finalized it could well take place in a swanky part of New York City. I’m thinking Jamaica, Queens.

Watch out, a Rogue!

So there: the World of Warcraft movie is so early in development you (yes, you!) could reasonably claim to have already written a more fleshed out story than what’s currently sitting in some dude’s Final Draft folder on his MacBook, aka the official script.

Sam Raimi is a long, long way off, in other words.

Hullo, Mr. Orc. What brings you ’round these parts today?

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That’s right, y’all. We’re back at it, and this time we’ve received some exclusive iPhone OS 4.0 details from one of our trusty Apple connects.

Here are some iPhone OS 4.0 features, according to our guy:

• There will be multi-touch gestures OS-wide. (Would make sense for that as the rumored OS for the iTablet is close if not the same as the iPhone)
• “A few new ways” to run applications in the background – multitasking.
• Many graphical and UI changes to make navigating through the OS easier and more efficient. We haven’t had this broken down, but we can only hope for improved notifications, a refreshed homescreen, etc.
• The update will supposedly be available for only the iPhone 3G and 3GS, but will “put them ahead in the smartphone market because it will make them more like full-fledged computers” more than any other phone to date. Everyone is “really excited.”
• The last piece of information is the most vague, but apparently there will be some brand new syncing ability for the contacts and calendar applications.

That’s all we have for now! Who can’t wait for next Wednesday?

Thanks, Lindsey!

BGR features the latest tech news, mobile-related content and of course, exclusive scoops.

Just last week we saw the 2010 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible live at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Today, Maserati North America finally announced pricing on the new GranTurismo addition… and you may want to sit down for this one.

Pricing for the 2010 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible will start at an eye-watering $135,800 and while that may seem like a significant increase over the $117,500 pricing of the base GranTurismo Coupe, keep in mind that the GranTurismo Convertible is powered by the company’s 433-hp 4.7L V8, which powers the $135,000 GranTurismo S Coupe. So really, you’re only paying $800 more to go topless.

Not to mention you can go from 0 to 62 mph 5.4 seconds with a top speed 176 mph and it comes with a huge list of standard options. Not too shabby.

Hit the jump for the press release and the high-res image gallery.

2010 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible:

Press Release:

Maserati North America Announces US Pricing For GranTurismo Convertible

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ — Maserati North America is pleased to announce a base MSRP of $135,800* in the United States for the highly anticipated 2010 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible.

This four-seat convertible demonstrates Maserati’s expertise in the production of exclusive hand-built automobiles by providing an unprecedented level of personalization choices as standard equipment including:

– 9 Exterior colors standard with 5 optional hues
– 10 shades of Poltrona Frau leather for the interior
– 6 different soft top colors (Black, Burgundy, Blue, Dark Gray, Beige and Dark Brown)
– 3 wood trim options, Rosewood (standard), Walnut and Wenge (no cost options)
– 20″ Birdcage design wheels
– Skyhook active suspension system
– Rear Park Sensors
– Chromeline exterior trim
– Dual-Twin Sport Exhaust system with chrome outlets
– Bose Surround Sound System
– Red Brake Calipers (5 other colors available as options)

A modern heir to generations of legendary open-air Maseratis, the GranTurismo Convertible breaks ground as the first four-seat convertible from the house of the Trident. The 433 hp, 4.7 liter V8 engine and six-speed adaptive automatic transmission with standard paddle shifters deliver thoroughbred performance, with the unmistakable Maserati exhaust note now unfiltered to the pilot and passengers.

Inside, the Maserati GranTurismo Convertible offers best in class rear seat room, allowing comfort and space for two real adults unmatched by other grand touring convertibles. The triple insulated soft top exactly maintains the coupe’s iconic roofline, and retracts fully in 24 seconds leaving the rear seat and trunk space unchanged with the roof open or closed; its light weight helping to maintain the vehicle’s low center of gravity, optimal weight distribution and precise handling.

Befitting the uniquely Italian coach built tradition defined by its Pininfarina styling, the GranTurismo Convertible further enables the owner to select from a vast array of colors, materials and trim to create a spectacular and unique expression of style including a tailored set of luggage by Ferragamo.

The 56 North American Maserati dealers are accepting preliminary orders now with deliveries anticipated for late spring. Full details are available at www.maserati.us.

*MSRP does not include taxes, title and other fees. Dealer prices may vary.

– By: Omar Rana

Just in time for tax season, online bookkeeping service Outright.com is announcing it will begin providing 1099 tax filing service for entrepreneurs and sole proprietors on top of its current W-9 service. The site is also announcing the launch of what they say is the first community for the self-employed where startups and entrepreneurs can find bookkeepers.

For most of us tax day is April 15th, but for entrepreneurs required to meet the February 1st deadline for providing 1099 forms to contracted employees, the madness starts now.

Sponsor

“Startups working with contractors should have collected form W-9 by now and can automatically do that with Outright.com today,” Outright’s Paul O’Brien told ReadWriteWeb. “Starting Wednesday, we’ll take care of everything else.”

All Outright needs is W-9 forms from the user and their contractors, and they do the rest – automatically filling out 1099’s, e-filing them with the IRS and sending copies directly to the contractors. For an entrepreneur or startup managing a team of contracted employees, the time saved from filling out countless 1099 forms is invaluable.

Starting tomorrow, the new 1099 service will cost users $5 per filing, though for each contractor that joins Outright after their 1099 is filed, the site will refund their $5 fee. What’s more, the fee for the 1099 can be deducted as a business expense on the user’s personal tax return.

The site will also be rolling out a social directory for their site to help connect entrepreneurs and startups with Outright’s expanding community of bookkeepers. O’Brien says that there are a few thousand bookkeeping professionals using Outright, and this new directory will help them find businesses who need help around tax season.

Outright claims they are tracking over $1.2 billion worth of self employed and startup business, an increase of 21% from just three months ago when they announced tracking $1 billion. Self-employed individuals make up 75% of Outright’s users, and the majority of the remainder employ fewer than 10 people, making Outright a popular solution for entrepreneurs and startups.

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Slip-Up? You be the judge: Mike Greenberg, best known to sports fans as host of ESPN’s “Mike & Mike In The Morning,” has come under fire after he referred to late civil rights legend Martin Luther King Jr. as “Martin Luther Coon” during the intro to yesterday’s MLK Day broadcast.

Greenberg issued the following statement of apology.

“I just came home from the Knicks game and found out about the mess that was created by my garbling a sentence on our show this morning; I apologize for not addressing it sooner,” he says. “And I’m sorry that my talking too fast – and slurring my words – might have given people who don’t know our show the wrong impression about us, and about me.”

“I feel horrible about that, because nothing could be further away from who I am and what our show is about,” Greenberg continued. “I would never say anything like that, not in public, or in private, or in the silence of my own mind, and neither would anyone associated with our show, and I’m very sorry that my stumble this morning gave so many people the opposite impression.”