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As odd as it sounds, travel delays may be lessening the damage done to my waistline this Christmas season. First, there was the Eurostar dilemma. My boyfriend was due home from university in London on December 19.

In preparation for his arrival, I bought nice French cheese and sausage and a bottle of Vouvray (a white bubbly that does not happen to come from the Champagne region). That afternoon, I got a call from a friend alerting me that all Eurostar trains had been canceled due to weather-related technical problems in the chunnel. Needless to say, the Vouvray, cheese, and sausage are all still sitting in my fridge. That night I sullenly ate a bowl of soup, easily saving myself 800 calories.

Waiting makes for less merry holiday

You may have already heard about the colossal Eurostar delays to which I’m referring. If so you already know that he did not arrive in Paris the next day, or the next day for that matter. We waited through Sunday and Monday, glued to the Eurostar site, our hope waning with each passing hour. Tuesday he decided to take action, in the form of four buses, three trains and one ferry that amounted to a 17-hour journey that got him to Paris roughly nine hours after I left to visit my family in Germany.

I had anticipated that those two days would be full of eating, drinking and general merry-making to kick off the holiday festivities. Instead, I moped around refusing to do anything fun until Eurostar got its act together. I didn’t drink any mulled wine, eat foie gras or any other holiday delicacy.

Instead, I finished off the contents of my pantry: a half dozen eggs, pasta, two clementines, a blueberry yogurt and a couple beers. While my sulking diet was far from nutritionally sound, I was not yet stuffing myself as we have wont to do at this time of year.

On Tuesday I tried to shake myself out of my frustrated stupor and get in the holiday spirit for my family’s sake. But when I arrived in Düsseldorf, everyone was still in preparation mode. Since Paris is only a 3.5 hour train ride from my Dad’s house I’m there frequently enough that I tend to be regarded as a regular member of the family more than a special guest, especially compared to my brother, who was coming all the way from St. Louis, Missouri. So, the 22nd was filled with last-minute trips to the store and a quick pasta dinner — no festive eating.

My brother was scheduled to get in the next evening after a stopover in Chicago and another in London — two of the worst spots for holiday delays this Christmas. His flight to Chicago was delayed. He missed his trans-Atlantic flight. Since these flights only leave the states in the evening, he spent just under 24 hours in the Chicago airport before leaving the next night for London.

I woke up the morning of the 23rd to my father’s voice on the phone with United Airlines trying to see if there was any combination of flights that would get Tyler to Düsseldorf before the 5 p.m. on the 24th, his new estimated time of arrival.

German traditions get tossed

In Germany, we eat Christmas dinner and open presents on Christmas Eve. But it felt wrong to start the celebration before my brother got in. Our meals seemed to reflect our worry for Tyler, all alone in Chicago, symbolically marking the fact that our family was not yet complete.

On weekends and holidays in Germany breakfast tends to be a huge meal: everyone picks and chooses from big baskets of rolls and croissants, platters of cheese and sausage, hard-boiled eggs and herbed cream cheeses. But this Christmas Eve, we ate cereal.

The night of the 23rd we didn’t eat a special meal to welcome Tyler to Europe. We went to the movies, filled up on snacks there and didn’t feel like eating a real meal once we got home.

On Christmas Eve we usually would have eaten the Christmas feast in early- to mid-afternoon, snacking on Christmas sausages and cookies in the evening, but since we wouldn’t be back from the airport with Tyler until 6ish, the meal got pushed back.

Finally at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve the feasting began. Since Tyler’s arrival, in typical Christmas fashion, plates of Christmas cookies and other snacks have been circulating pretty much constantly. Meals have been taking place at random times because no one’s hungry at normal meal times because of all the cookies and snacks.

We’ve been glued to the couch, watching Christmas movies, drinking wine and reminiscing. Basically, the 25th and 26th have been filled with all the typical Christmas activities that make us gain weight and resolve to be healthier in the New Year. But, it’s only been a couple of days and tomorrow I’m heading back to Paris. Once the Vouvray etc., has been eaten my eating habits will probably be pretty reasonable.

Treats delayed mean less destructive eating

Though the delayed feasting was all an accident, and I don’t recommend eating only eggs and pasta or movie theater nachos, this has made me think that there’s definitely something to be said about delaying fattening pleasures.

Waiting a little bit longer for a dessert is far easier to psychologically handle than telling yourself that you will stop eating desserts completely, and thus more realistic. Holidays could easily work the same way. If we reserved the cookies etc., for one or two days and filled the surrounding days with a few more vegetables, we could potentially avoid the bulk of the catastrophic holiday calories.

(By Chelsie Yount for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News)

From the RSS feed of CalorieLab News (REF3076322B7)

Winter weather delays Christmas calories

MI rescission issues plaguing your company? MGIC, and their shareholders, received coal in its stocking after the news came out that it was being sued by Bank of America’s mortgage unit in a dispute over claims. The suit alleges that MGIC “denied and continues to deny” valid mortgage insurance claims submitted by Bank of America’s Countrywide unit. Bank of America says MGIC denied claims based on “unreasonable interpretations” of its policies. The suit seeks “declaratory relief” for interpretation of the policies.

Regardless of whether or not it is good or bad for our industry, or the debate about the timing of the announcement, on Christmas Eve the U.S. Treasury agreed to provide Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with as much capital as they need over the next three years. It is an effort to reassure the investors who bought their debt – not the securities backed by mortgages. But the Treasury also said that it would stop buying the F&F’s mortgage-backed securities and end a short-term-liquidity facility set up for both companies and for the Federal Home Loan Banks. (This does not impact the ongoing Fed purchase program.) The government took over both companies 15 months ago, and has put $60 billion into Fannie and $51 billion into Freddie versus the “old” caps of $200 billion each. Opponents say it gives F&F a blank check with no real end, but supporters say it gives mortgage investors assurance and stability.

In a story making the rounds over the weekend, Warren Buffett and his staff, along with other holders of Res Cap debt, are rumored to be in talks to buy Residential Capital, the mortgage business owned by GMAC, General Motor’s finance division. Res Cap does have quite a servicing portfolio, but still has lost $9.2 billion over the past eight quarters. Res Cap’s losses were one of the main drivers behind GMAC’s $12.5 billion government bailout.

Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. said that they repaid $45 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. …

more news on ING RESPA policy, Union Bank, Wells wholesale, Wells correspondent, Chase, Bank of America’s correspondent group ,  rates, and joke of the day … <<< CLICK HERE

PIMCO co-chief doesn’t usually get pinned down with specific predictions, but in an interview with the AP he comes close.

—-

Homes are selling at their fastest clip in nearly three years, the unemployment rate is falling and stocks are up 66 percent since their March lows – the best performance since the 1930s.

What’s not to like?

Plenty, according to Mohamed El-Erian, chief executive of giant bond manager Pimco. The investor says the recovery may be gaining steam but is no different than a kid who eats too much candy at one of the birthday parties his 6-year-old daughter attends.

“We’re on a sugar high,” El-Erian says. “It feels good for a while but is unsustainable.”

His point: This burst of economic activity fed by government spending and near-zero interest rates will soon peter out.

As CEO at Newport Beach, Calif.-based Pimco, El-Erian, 51, oversees nearly $1 trillion in assets, more than the gross domestic product of most countries. So when he talks, people listen.

What he’s saying now:

_Stocks will drop 10 percent in the space of three or four weeks, bringing the Standard & Poor’s 500 index below 1,000 – though he’s not predicting when.

_The unemployment rate will be hovering above 8 percent a year from now.

_U.S. gross domestic product will grow at an average 2 percent or so for years to come – a third slower than we’re used to.

El-Erian and his famous partner, Pimco founder Bill Gross, are watched closely because they’ve made investors a lot of money over the years. The Pimco Total Return Fund, which at $203 billion is the world’s largest mutual fund, has returned an average 7.6 percent annually over 10 years, after fees, versus 6.3 percent for Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate fixed income index fund.

The hotshots at Pimco have made money by anticipating big moves in the economy and interest rates way before other investors. In the depths of the financial crisis last year, for instance, Pimco sold some of its Treasury bonds to panicked investors looking for a safe haven and put the proceeds into government-backed mortgages and bank debt – in time to catch the big upswing in prices of those and other riskier securities this year.

Now Pimco is once again changing tack. El-Erian says people are fooling themselves if they think all the bullish data of late means a strong recovery is in the offing. So he’s buying Treasurys and selling riskier stuff.

His bet: Investors will get scared again and want U.S.-guaranteed debt so they know they’ll get repaid.

At Total Return, government-related securities, including Treasurys and corporate debt backed by Washington, comprised 48 percent of the fund’s holdings in September. That was up from 9 percent at the beginning of the year. One of Pimco’s newest funds, the Global Multi-Asset Fund, a hybrid stock-bond offering, is 35 percent in equities now, down from 60 percent earlier this year.

Investors betting on stocks or high-yield bonds are likely to be disappointed, El-Erian says.

Markets for those securities are rallying not because people like them but because they hate the puny yields of safer investments like money markets and feel they have no choice but to buy, he says. He quips that that makes the bull market as likely to last as a forced marriage.

The danger: If stock and junk bond prices start falling, lots of investors are likely to bail, feeding the drop.

Of course, there are plenty of true believers in the bull who are not buying the El-Erian line.

James Paulsen, chief strategist at Wells Capital Management in Minneapolis, with $355 billion under management, has been pounding the table for months to buy stocks. Just like in the early 1980s, the recovery will take the form of a “V,” he says. The reason: Companies have cut inventories and payrolls to the bone, so just a little revenue growth could translate into a bumper crop of profits.

El-Erian says many of the bulls don’t appreciate just how much the government props still under the economy are masking its weakness. Instead of focusing on the fundamentals today, he says, they’re looking to the past, expecting a quick economic rebound because that’s what’s happened before.

We’re trained to think the “farther you fall, the higher you’ll bounce back,” El-Erian says. “We’re hostage to the V.”

El-Erian says he learned to be open to many different views on the world (and markets) from his father, an Egyptian diplomat who insisted on reading several newspapers everyday, both on the right and the left. El-Erian had hoped to become a college professor. But when his father died, he took a job at the International Monetary Fund to support the family. He rose through the ranks, eventually becoming deputy director.

In 1999 he joined Pimco, where he quickly made a name for himself with some prescient bets on emerging markets.

One of his biggest wins: selling Argentine bonds in 2000 while they were still popular with investors. When the country defaulted the next year, the emerging markets fund that El-Erian managed returned 28 percent versus negative 1 percent for the Emerging Market Bond Index. He eventually left to head the group that manages Harvard University’s massive endowment, returning to Pimco in January 2008 in time catch the depths of the financial crisis.

El-Erian says we’ve probably seen the worst of the crisis but consumers, and not just Washington, need to start spending again for the recovery to really take hold.

He doesn’t expect that to happen soon. Like in the Great Depression, Americans are saving more and borrowing less – a shift in attitudes toward family finances that Pimco thinks will last a generation.

That, plus the impact of more regulation and higher taxes, El-Erian says, will crimp growth for years to come.

Whatever the merits of that view, Pimco is not exactly knocking the lights out right now. So far this year, the Total Return Fund has returned 14 percent, impressive in normal times but no better than average for similar funds during the rally, according to Morningstar. The 19.1 percent return for Global Multi-Asset, which El-Erian co-manages, lags two-thirds of its peers. El-Erian says he sold equities “too early” but is convinced his view on the market will prove correct – even if it strikes many as a tad too pessimistic.

“I’m calling it as I see it,” he says. “I’m not optimistic or pessimistic – I’m realistic.”

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• JPMorgan: Short The Dollar, Buy AAA CMBS, And Go Long Emerging Market Credit In 2010
• Morgan Stanley: These 10 Trades Will Make You Rich In 2010
• Goldman Sachs: Low Rates And Hot Commodity Demand Means 2010 Will Be A Monster Year

Last night I had a long ranging conversation with Amy and a pair of close friends about the singularity and the future of human and machine.  The conversation centered around the notion of consciousness and what happens if (or – in my opinion – when) non-biological entities have more reasoning and processing power than biological entities, especially if this is combined with the notion of consciousness.  We didn’t reach any conclusions, but we made an hour disappear really quickly.

I woke up to a fun blog post from one of my favorite biological entities (Fred Wilson) listing his Top Records of the Decade.  I brought up one of my favorite non-biological entities (Pandora) and created a new channel called “Fred Wilson 2000 Decade” that consisted of the artists behind these records (I find it intriguing that Fred calls them “records” instead of “albums” or “CDs” or “disks” – it definitely dates him.)  I then tweeted the Fred Wilson 2000 Decade Pandora Station and shared it with him via email.  Here’s the response I got from the non-biological entity masquerading as Fred.

From: Fred Wilson
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 8:36 AM
To: Brad Feld
Subject: Re: Brad Feld thought you would be interested in this station

Dear Pandora Visitor,

We are deeply, deeply sorry to say that due to licensing constraints, we can no longer allow access to Pandora for listeners located outside of the U.S. We will continue to work diligently to realize the vision of a truly global Pandora, but for the time being we are required to restrict its use. We are very sad to have to do this, but there is no other alternative.

We believe that you are in Argentina (your IP address appears to be 201.234.146.243). If you believe we have made a mistake, we apologize and ask that you please contact us at[email protected]

If you are a paid subscriber, please contact us at [email protected] and we will issue a pro-rated refund to the credit card you used to sign up. If you have been using Pandora, we will keep a record of your existing stations and bookmarked artists and songs, so that when we are able to launch in your country, they will be waiting for you.

We will be notifying listeners as licensing agreements are established in individual countries. If you would like to be notified by email when Pandora is available in your country, please enter your email address below. The pace of global licensing is hard to predict, but we have the ultimate goal of being able to offer our service everywhere.

We share your disappointment and greatly appreciate your understanding.

I know Fred is on vacation in Buenos Aires with his family.  I even know that they got hosed last night at La Cabrera.  Suddenly I was thinking about the mix of human and machine here – Pandora (machine), Geolocation (machine), my knowledge of their vacation (human), their dinner experience (human), the description of their dinner experience (written by a human, coded and transmitted by machine), and Fred’s Records of the Decade List (human, but coded by machine – the post and the music).  The level of interaction of human and machine is high, although the level of sophistication is pretty low.

In an effort to be subversive, I forwarded the email to Fred with a note that said “Wild how the music licensing stuff is stupid.”  He responded immediately with “Yup.  Rights holders fuck everything up.”  I wonder what the machines think of that?

Owing to last week’s “bomb attack bid” on a U.S. airliner, there’s going to be a whole lot more security at airports. You probably already knew this. Expect long lines, confusion, malaise, and weariness. (Good thing that the entire tech world is going to be flying to Las Vegas in a couple days for CES. Leave your gadgets at home unless you want to spend 400 hours on the metal detector line.) The Transportation Security Administration is implementing new procedures to deal with everything. Here they are.

Right, so here’s the latest directive designed to make you think you’re safe. The biggest thing I can see for the tech-minded: international flight passengers bound for the U.S. must put away all their carry-on stuff, presumably including laptops and the like, one hour prior to landing in the U.S. (No getting up to use the bathroom on that last hour, either.)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Transportation Security Administration

Aviation Security Directive

Subject: Security Directive
Number: SD 1544-09-06
Date: December 25, 2009

EXPIRATION: 0200Z on December 30, 2009

This Security Directive (SD) must be implemented immediately. The measures contained in this SD are in addition to all other SDs currently in effect for your operations.

INFORMATION: On December 25, 2009, a terrorist attack was attempted against a flight traveling to the United States. TSA has identified security measures to be implemented by airports, aircraft operators, and foreign air carriers to mitigate potential threats to flights.

APPLICABILITY: THIS SD APPLIES TO AIRCRAFT OPERATORS THAT CARRY OUT A SECURITY PROGRAM REGULATED UNDER 49 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR)1544.101(a).

ACTIONS REQUIRED: If you conduct scheduled and/or public charter flight operations under a Full Program under 49 CFR 1544.101(a) departing from any foreign location to the United States (including its territories and possessions), you must immediately implement all measures in this SD for each such flight.

1. BOARDING GATE

1. The aircraft operator or authorized air carrier representative must ensure all passengers are screened at the boarding gate during the boarding process using the following procedures. These procedures are in addition to the screening of all passengers at the screening checkpoint.

1. Perform thorough pat-down of all passengers at boarding gate prior to boarding, concentrating on upper legs and torso.
2. Physically inspect 100 percent of all passenger accessible property at the boarding gate prior to boarding, with focus on syringes being transported along with powders and/or liquids.
3. Ensure the liquids, aerosols, and gels restrictions are strictly adhered to in accordance with SD 1544-06-02E.

2. During the boarding process, the air carrier may exempt passengers who are Heads of State or Heads of Government from the measures outlined in Section I.A. of this SD, including the following who are traveling with the Head of State or Head of Government:

1. Spouse and children, or
2. One other individual (chosen by the Head of State or Head of Government)

3. For the purposes of Section I.B., the following definitions apply:

1. Head of State: An individual serving as the chief public representative of a monarchic or republican nation-state, federation, commonwealth, or any other political state (for example, King, Queen, and President).

2. Head of Government: The chief officer of the executive branch of a government presiding over a cabinet (for example, Prime Minister, Premier, President, and Monarch).

2. IN FLIGHT

1. During flight, the aircraft operator must ensure that the following procedures are followed:

1. Passengers must remain in seats beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
2. Passenger access to carry-on baggage is prohibited beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
3. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight.
4. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks.
5. Passengers may not have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.

AIRCRAFT OPERATOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The aircraft operator must immediately provide written confirmation to its assigned PSI indicating receipt of this SD.

AIRCRAFT OPERATOR dissemination required: The aircraft operator must immediately pass the information and directives set forth in this SD to all stations affected, and provide written confirmation to its PSI, indicating that all stations affected have acknowledged receipt of the information and directives set forth in this SD. The aircraft operator must disseminate this information to its senior management personnel, ground security coordinators, and supervisory security personnel at all affected locations. All aircraft operator personnel implementing this SD must be briefed by the aircraft operator on its content and the restrictions governing dissemination. No other dissemination may be made without prior approval of the Assistant Secretary for the Transportation Security Administration. Unauthorized dissemination of this document or information contained herein is prohibited by 49 CFR Part 1520 (see 69 Fed. Reg. 28066 (May 18, 2004).

APPROVAL OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES: With respect to the provisions of this SD, as stated in 49 CFR 1544.305(d), the aircraft operator may submit in writing to its PSI proposed alternative measures and the basis for submitting the alternative measures for approval by the Assistant Administrator for Transportation Sector Network Management. The aircraft operator must immediately notify its PSI whenever any procedure in this SD cannot be carried out by a government authority charged with performing security procedures.

FOR TSA ACTION ONLY: The TSA must issue this SD immediately to the corporate security element of all affected U.S. aircraft operators.

FOR STATE DEPARTMENT: Retransmittal to appropriate foreign posts is authorized. Post must refer to STATE 162917, 201826Z Sep 01, Subject: FAA Security Directives and Information Circulars: Definitions and Handling, for specific guidance and dissemination.

Gale Rossides
Acting Administrator

Again, if you’re going to be flying in the coming days, especially if you’re coming into the U.S. from another country, prepare yourself for aggravation and uncertainty. But you’ll be safe, or at least think you are!

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A handful of sites are linking to a post on NetbookNews.de, which links to a post on a UK-based site called IBTimes titled Google Chrome OS-based netbook tech specs are out. It seems fishy and the site doesn’t get a lot of traffic in the first place but if the post ends up being credible, I apologize.

The post starts out with “the tech specs of the rumoured Google Chrome OS-based netbook are already out” followed by “tech bloggers have already begun speculating about the netbook’s specs” followed by “The Google netbook, it is reported, will run on Chrome OS…” etc. But where is this being “reported”? And is this information based on speculation by tech bloggers or actual sources? There’s a world of difference there.

Then the next paragraph begins with “It is also being rumoured that the netbook will sport…” So we have that the tech specs are “out” but all the information seems to be based on rumors. Whatever the case, here’s what we’re apparently working with:

• NVIDIA Tegra platform with ARM CPU
• 10.1-inch TFT HD-ready multi-touch display
• 64GB solid state drive
• 2GB of RAM
• Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, Ethernet, USB ports, webcam, card reader
• Subsidized at less than $300, sold directly to consumers by Google

The post then ends by saying “Now if all of these are true, it’s like getting a Ferrari for the price of a Mini Cooper.” That’s pretty much an admission that none of these specs can be officially confirmed. And let’s look at the actual plausibility of the specs.

– Subsidized at $300 or less: Maybe. Google says Chrome OS netbooks “will be in the price range that people are used to for netbooks today.” The Nokia Booklet 3G is subsidized at $300, but that’s about the top of the scale as far as pricing goes.

– Sold directly to consumers by Google: Maybe. When initially asked about Chrome OS netbook pricing, Google said “You will hear that from our partners.” Recent rumors, however, seem to indicate that Google may be seeking a hardware developer to build a Google-branded netbook. It seems odd, though, that Google would create its own netbook only to then partner with a wireless company to subsidize the price of it and that such a product would be sold directly by Google and not also in the wireless carrier’s retail locations.

– NVIDIA Tegra platform with ARM CPU: Plausible, likely.

– 10.1-inch TFT HD-ready multi-touch display: Not likely to get multi-touch for $300. If it’s indeed being subsidized, multi-touch is a possibility.

– 64GB solid state drive: This is the biggest red flag, as far as I’m concerned. Everything is supposed to be “in the cloud” with this platform. Maybe a 4GB or 8GB solid state drive. There’s no use for a 64GB drive and it’d add to the overall cost of the netbook.

– 2GB of RAM: Likely.

– Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, etc.: Plausible, likely.

Now it’s entirely possible that these could be the specs for a particular vendor that’s intent on selling a Chrome OS-based netbook, but the idea of a flagship Chrome OS netbook with a 64GB drive and subsidized price tag sold directly by Google to consumers seems unlikely.

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One thing that’s harder to find on Google than it ought to be: A guide to Google-certified consultants who can help marketers navigate their way through the vagaries of the search engine.

That’s now resolved, via Google’s “Professional Search” page, which is just a tiny bit more complicated than a conventional search. You jot down how much you plan to spend on online ads, and what kind of help you’re looking for, and it spits out a list of “Google Advertising Professionals” — search pros who’ve earned Google’s equivalent of a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.

That makes plenty of sense, right? It might make even more sense if Google (GOOG)  publicized the directory (which is in beta, of course). But so far it seems have kept quiet about it. I learned about it via Search Engine Land, which got tipped by Google pro Tim Cohn.

[Awesome seal of approval via genetic lorax]

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A couple of weeks ago I talked about how Daimler was starting production on 200 Mercedes B-Class F-Cell vehicles. Now, leading hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer for the automotive industry Ballard has announced they have struck a deal with Daimler to supply fuel cells for cars and buses for the automaker.

Ballard has announced they will sell their FCvelocity fuel cell to Daimler for approximately $24 million over 18 months with distribution in the 2010 and 2011 timeframe. This money may help the struggling company to stay afloat.

What will also help Ballard is that they are selling a 19.9-percent stake in the Automotive Fuel Cell Co-operation (AFCC) to an unnamed financial institution. AFCC is a joint venture with Ballard, Ford and Daimler.

Ballard has backed away from fuel cells for the automotive industry in recent years to concentrate on their stationary fuel cell business. But, it’s good to see that they are managing to stay solvent and keep involved in manufacturing hydrogen fuel cells to help the carmakers progress to the next level of production vehicles.

Food for children is a subject that calls for great attention, as it is directly connected to their mental, physical, and emotional development.

Experts note the range of vitamins and minerals that are needed by children for appropriate development.

Some families, however, have certain problems when it comes to providing these nutritional needs for their children. Especially when the children in question are picky eaters, or have meager appetites. Here then is a list of foods that kids love to eat, and that are also very healthy:

1. Meat–Rich in protein and vitamin B. Meat also provides the niacine, copper, and iron that a developing body needs. Meat is also one way to get more choline, which helps brain development. The same cholesterol and fat that some adults try to avoid are actually good for the bodies and brains of children. For a balanced meal that includes meat, you could try a meat and vegetable stew. And of course, every now and then children should be allowed to eat hamburgers and such, though not always. Another great way to bring together meat with vegetables is through barbeque-ing and grilling. Read more…

A roundup of economic news from around the Web.

• As Stimulus Fades: A third of the $787 billion stimulus will be spent after the middle of 2010, but it won’t keep boosting the pace of growth.  At Econbrowser, Menzie Chinn says critics of stimulus often neglect to highlight that “even as the stimulus subtracts from growth starting in the second half of 2010, the level of GDP is still higher than what would be the case in the absence of the stimulus package.” Paul Krugman follows up with his own example. “You can see why I and many others are worried about the second half of next year,” Krugman says.
• Municipal Strains: As cities face long-term cutbacks from the downturn, The American Prospect posts its first 2010 issue on “The Post-Boom City” looking at the decline of cities and factories and efforts to revitalize them. “Together, manufacturing and urban development created the foundation for the middle-class nation that emerged after World War II,” the magazine’s editor writes. “When once-prosperous industries and cities decline, so too does the vitality of our collective life.”
• Monetary Aggregates: “The monetary base is exploding,” Greg Mankiw writes. “So what?” Mankiw takes on the view held by some investors that a surge in the monetary base will be inflationary by increasing bank lending, which would then increase broad monetary aggregates such as M2 and lead to inflation in the long run. The Fed’s ability to pay interest on reserves should lead banks to hold onto those reserves, he writes. “The bottom line is that when reserves pay interest, the monetary base is a pretty uninteresting economic statistic.”

Chalk up another unexpected consequence of pumping too much carbon dioxide into the air: According to a new study, the excess CO2 that ends up in seawater is gradually making the oceans noisier.

The changing chemistry of the ocean is one of the major impacts of CO2 emissions. The dissolved gas is changing the pH of the water by making it more acidic, which makes life harder for corals and marine critters with calcium carbonate shells that are corroded by the acidic water. But the new study, published in Nature Geoscience, found that changing the pH of the oceans also reduces the levels of chemicals that absorb sound, like magnesium sulphate and boric acid.

Low-frequency sound in the ocean is produced by natural phenomena such as rain, waves and marine life, and by human activities such as sonar systems, shipping and construction. The sound is absorbed mainly through the viscosity of the water and the presence of certain dissolved chemicals…. But the concentration of chemicals that absorb sound in the oceans has declined as a result of ocean acidification [AFP]. The study found that sound absorption could fall by some 60 percent in high latitudes and deep waters by 2100.

The pH change is only affecting sounds in the lower frequency range, and it’s not yet clear how that will impact marine mammals like dolphins and whales that use acoustics to find food and mates. Says study coauthor Richard Zeebe: “If the noise level increases, it can distract species,” he said. “If they’re trying to identify certain sounds in the ocean important for them for reproduction, feeding or something, and if the background noise is increasing, it could essentially cover certain sounds they depend on. This is a possibility” [Honolulu Star-Bulletin].

Related Content:
80beats: Prepare for a Lobster-Full Future: Acidic Oceans Could Help Some Critters
80beats: Ocean Acidification: Worse Than the Big Problem We Thought It Was
80beats: Oil and Gas Exploration Forces Whales to Speak Up
80beats: Sonar Damage to Dolphins’ Hearing Is Akin to the “Rock-Concert Effect”
80beats: Cacophony in the Oceans May Confuse Whales and Drown Out Their Songs

Image: flickr / jurvetson

Audi announced today that it will continue to invest in new products and technologies to strengthen its lineup in the future. The Ingolstadt automaker plans to invest 7.3 billion euros ($10.5 billion USD) from 2009 through 2012.

Audi said that approximately 5.9 billion euros ($8.49 billion USD) will be invested in developing new products, optimizing of conventional driveline and the development of electric and hybrid models. By 2015, Audi plans on expanding its portfolio from 34 models to 42.

Audi said that the A1, A7, A8 and R8 Spyder will be added to its lineup during 2010. The German automaker confirmed that it will introduce its first full hybrid model, the Audi Q5 Hybrid, at the end of 2010.

Audi sold a total of 1,003,469 cars in 2008, achieving its 13th consecutive record year.

Hit the jump for the press release.

Press Release:

Audi continues to invest strongly in the future

· 7.3 billion euros total investment from 2009 through 2012
· Around 5.9 billion euros for new products and future technologies
· Number of models to increase from 34 now to 42 in 2015
· Clear commitment to Germany as a production location: around 3.8 billion euros to be devoted to the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm plants between 2009 and 2012

Ingolstadt, December 28, 2009 – Audi will continue to invest heavily in new products and forward-looking technologies in the future: plans for 2009 through 2012 envisage total investments of 7.3 billion euros for fixed assets.

In coming years the Audi Group will continue to invest strongly in its future. Approximately 5.9 billion euros, in other words about 80 percent of its total investment in fixed assets, will be devoted to new product development, further optimization of conventional drivelines and the development of electric and hybrid models. By 2015, the Audi brand will have enlarged its product portfolio from currently 34 to 42 models. “With our planned investments in new products and mobility concepts, for example electric propulsion, we are creating a basis for our company’s future growth,” says Axel Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management for Finance and Organization at AUDI AG.

Next year Audi will launch a series of new cars. The A1, A7, A8 and R8 Spyder will be added to the product portfolio during 2010. At the end of 2010 Audi will unveil the Audi Q5 Hybrid, which will reach the market at the start of 2011 as the brand’s first full hybrid model. As Strotbek points out: “We will be in a position to finance all our planned investments from our operative cash flow.”

At the German locations and elsewhere, future policy is now being implemented: from 2009 through 2012 approximately 3.8 billion euros will be invested at the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm plants. “This is a firm commitment to our German facilities. Audi is facing the technological upheaval in the automobile world in a farsighted way. The will to work and high qualifications of employees at our German plants are a firm foundation for the necessary changes,” states Peter Mosch, Chairman of the Audi General Works Council.

About 2.5 billion euros will be invested at Ingolstadt and about 1.3 billion euros at Neckarsulm. A new transmission and emissions center will be opened at the Ingolstadt plant, and other investment priorities will be stamping tools for the new Audi A1 and the manufacturing structures for the A3 and A4 models. The investment focus in Neckarsulm will be on the A6, A7 und A8 models and new engine-function test rigs.

AUDI AG sold a total of 1,003,469 cars in 2008 and thus achieved its 13th consecutive record year. The Company posted new record figures with revenue of €34.2 billion and profit before tax of €3.2 billion. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). Aurangabad in India saw the start of CKD production of the Audi A6 at the end of 2007 and of the Audi A4 in early October 2008. The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG’s wholly owned subsidiaries include Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. in Sant’Agata Bolognese (Italy) and quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm. Audi currently employs around 58,000 people worldwide, including 46,500 in Germany. The brand with the four rings invests around €2 billion each year in order to sustain the company’s technological lead embodied in its “Vorsprung durch Technik” slogan. Audi plans to significantly increase the number of models in its portfolio by 2015 to 42. Audi celebrates its 100th birthday this year. The company was founded by August Horch in Zwickau on July 16, 1909; he named it AUDI after the Latin translation of his surname (“hark!”).

– By: Omar Rana

Filed under: Etc., UK, Celebrities

As fellow car fanatics, it’s often hard for us Statesiders to get a clear picture as to how big of a phenomenon Top Gear really is over in the UK. After all, we hardly have a proper frame of reference – the only car shows that really draw significant audience shares in America are the 500s (your choice of Daytona or Indianapolis), and everything else is comparatively minor – from failed series attempts like NBC’s Night Rider redux to the Speed network and stalwarts like MotorWeek.So… just how big are Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond in Blighty? The Great Britains have just been named heads of the biggest show of the decade.

According to the Daily Mail, a new survey conducted by YouGov (commissioned for a Channel4 tv special), The Greatest TV Show of the Noughties, the forty-something boys and their fabulous toys topped all comers from all genres. The BBC program beat out such programs as the UK’s homegrown version of The Apprentice, Doctor Who, The Office, The Simpsons, and Britain’s Got Talent.

[Source: Daily Mail | Image: Shaun Curry/AFP/Getty]

Top Gear brings the firepower, named UK’s favorite show of the decade originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Throttle Launcher: This application has been around for some time now, and it is still one of the more popular UI for WM. I was recently going through their inventory of themes, and found some really nice ones for example the screen shots right next to this are from their Meizu M8 section and the next is from the XpertFS post. This application is free, but you do have to sign up for the site, or donate about $1 from here.

After using this for some time now(4 months ago) I can say its fun to be able to switch between 10+ deferent UI’s in a second. I would not go with this over TF3D 2.5, but I am becoming more into one UI at a time now.

Throttle Explorer: If you are tired of the boring old Windows Explorer and want something a little different to go with this, might just be for you. This not so new, but very nice file explorer that puts a little more work into making the UI looks good and is feature packed: Download here.

-Multidisplay support (all screen resolutions!)
-Awesome diamond default theme designed by Lycox!
-Extremly finger friendly
-Smooth and light.
-D-Pad support.
-Really fast navigation
Send files over bluetooth
Copy, Paste, delete and edit files and folders properties.
-Order and grouping by Date, Extension and First Letter. Groups can be collapsed.
-Fully skinable.
-Scrolling on the right moves directly between categories
-Fullscreen: Minimize using a top-down gesture.

Throttle Lock: Throttle, the more popular lock screen app. This app was recently updated 3 months ago and now it supports HTC’s G-sensor, so the dots can move around as you tilt your hand left and right. The idea is very good(Mine BTW) and he did an okay job with implementing everything to work correctly together. I used this for some time, but did not like it that much. You can get your self a copy here.

Added 3D effect based on GSensor (will work on Omnia and HTC GSensor enabled devices). Can be disabled thorught the settings dialog.
Added Active tasks notification icon.
Added Upcomming appointments notifications icon.
Added Notifications dialogs showing:
Number of Unread emails and the last unread email subject
Pending tasks
Unreaden SMSs and the last unread body.
Next Upcomming appointment if it’s in the next two days.
Number of missed calls and last missed call.
Added minimun time lapse after last power off before ThrottleLock autmatically locks the device.
Fully redesigned settings dialog.
Now if text size for the clock is 1, clock is not painted.
Skins inherint graphics from the default one.
Added ThsDownload so Gold users can download their licenses directly from the device.
Added AppToDate support.

Throttle Storage: “Have you ever though…. where is my storage space going to!!…. This is a new app I’ve developed!! . It shows you graphically how your storage space is being used displaying a circular chart so you can easily locate which folders are taking more storage. You can navigate through all of your folders and analyze each one in detail or exclude them from the report. Easy and simple!!

This app concept is based on the classic FileLight Linux app. All credits for their idea go for them (or who ever they take the idea from…)” That is what the developer of this app had to say about the app it self. It is a very simple app that is more of a demographic sort of thing going on their. Download here

Startup the app… It will start exploring your device to take the sizes of the files, please be patient it may take from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes depending on the amount of files….

When the app has ended loading the info if will display a little cake graphic. The biggest pieces of the cake are the folders taking more space. You can tap&hold on a folder (for about 2 seconds) and a menu will popup with 3 options:

– Browse: will open the explorer in the selected folder.

– Analyze: will draw a “cake” using that folder as source.

– Exclude from report: will remove that folder from the report.

You can also drag your finger on the cake to see the different folders and it’s sizes on the top text label.

PS:What I said about the Idea being Mine is actually true, but apparently the developer does not like to give credit where the credit is due and I could care less, because it is not even that good of an app.

A hypothetical discussion between a cloud consultant and his client that is just too good not to post. Just be forewarned – this is NSFW.

Sponsor

Editor’s note: This story is part of a series we call Redux, where we’ll re-publish some of our best posts of 2009. As we look back at the year – and ahead to what next year holds – we think these are the stories that deserve a second glance. It’s not just a best-of list, it’s also a collection of posts that examine the fundamental issues that continue to shape the Web. We hope you enjoy reading them again and we look forward to bringing you more Web products and trends analysis in 2010. Happy holidays from Team ReadWriteWeb!

No one is spared by “the consultant”:

“No one knows what is going on. Not even Gartner. Especially Gartner.”

“CloudCamp is just a bunch of vendors getting pissed, eating pizza and comparing the size of their case studies.”

“And what is this about Microsoft. They are considered to be one of the four big cloud providers and they are about as cloudy as Steve Ballmer is cool.”

It goes on. it does strike a chord. The hype about cloud computing is so ripe for satire. Almost as much as social media – which apparently was the inspiration for this sketch.

The cloud consultant makes his point pretty well about the state of the cloud computing market. Hardly anyone is making any money. Have we not seen this before in our world of over charged tech enthusiasm?

In the meantime, according to the consultant, the only ones making a dime (barely) on cloud computing are a bookseller and a search engine.

“And maybe Salesforce,” the consultant says. “And they were cloud before cloud was cloud.” 😉

Discuss

While Bella and her vampire boyfriend drive around in a safe Volvo XC60, werewolf co-star Taylor Lautner is driving around Taylor Swift in a 500-hp Porsche 911 Turbo. Guess werewolves are cooler than vampires in their choice of rides.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: Celebrity Cars Blog

Importante noticia la que nos llega desde la Fórmula 1. Debido a los últimos cambios vividos en la escudería Renault F1 (Su venta a la empresa Mangrove) Robert Kubica acaba de confirmar tanto él como su manager que ha fichado por Ferrari para competir por lo menos en los tres primeros Gran Premios de la temporada.

Por lo visto, todo parece indicar que Flavio Briatore está detrás de Mangrove y según afirmó el propio Kubica, una de las condiciones de su contrato era que el expulsado Briatore no estuviera detrás de esta escudería.

Este fichaje se ha debido a que durante este pasado fin de semana, Felipe Massa participó en una carrera de karts benéfica en Sao Paolo, pero tuvo que retirarse en medio de la competición debido a un leve dolor de cuello. Recordemos que durante los tests de este mismo mes con un monoplaza del año 2008 también se quejó de un leve dolor de cuello.

Tras estos problemas, se le ha realizado un chequeo médico y se ha comprobado que el piloto brasileño sufre una dolencia muy similar al “codo de tenista“. Según han confirmado los médicos que le han tratado, necesitará unos 4 meses de reposo para recuperarse por completo.

Entonces, Luca di Montezemolo no ha dudado en hacerle una oferta al polaco Robert Kubica, como ya hizo en su día en el GP de Monza a Giancarlo Fisichella, para disputar las 3 primeras carreras del año. Por otra parte, este contrato será ampliable hasta que Massa se recupere por completo.

Related posts:

1. Renault confirmará mañana el fichaje de Robert Kubica
2. Confirmado, Robert Kubica ya es piloto de Renault
3. Toyota interesada en fichar a Robert Kubica

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