Hispanic Business Magazine

Vikki Vargas Awards First Broadcast Scholarship To Cal State Fullerton Student

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:16:44 PST

Vikki Vargas, NBC4 Southern California's Orange County Bureau Chief this month awarded Stephanie Marcado the first Vikki Vargas Broadcast Journalism Scholarship toward her education with the Cal State Fullerton College of Communication....

Quiet Hurricane Season Unlikely, Florida Governor Says

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:45 PST

Don't let six hurricane-free years in Florida fool you into thinking the upcoming season will be a cakewalk. That was the message of Florida Gov. Rick Scott and other officials at the Governor's Hurricane Conference in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday....

Southwest Air Postpones Delivery of 30 Boeing 737s

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:45 PST

Southwest Airlines, Boeing's biggest customer for single-aisle jets, on Wednesday postponed 20 deliveries of 737s due in 2013 and 10 deliveries in 2014, pushing all 30 deliveries out by four years. Boeing spokesman Tim Bader said Boeing over-books its delivery slots, so despite the deferrals "there are no holes" in its jet delivery schedule from the Renton, Wash., 737 final assembly plant....

Cristian Fernandez Case Judge Agrees to More Immediate Access to Motions

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:45 PST

A judge this morning agreed that The Florida Times-Union and news partner First Coast News should have more immediate access to court motions filed in the cases against Cristian Fernandez. One outstanding record in question, however, will be filed under seal, Circuit Judge Mallory Cooper said....

Fake Viagra: Man Pleads Guilty to Shipping Bogus Boosters

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:45 PST

A Volusia County, Fla., man formally pleaded guilty in Orlando federal court Wednesday to trafficking hundreds of pounds of counterfeit Viagra and Cialis. Gregory Bochter admitted to packaging and shipping the drugs, used to treat erectile dysfunction, from two companies in China. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison and will be sentenced Aug. 15....

Feds: Man Wanted to Smuggle 1,000 Guns to Egypt

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:45 PST

Federal authorities arrested a man in Orlando this week who allegedly told an undercover agent that he wanted to smuggle up to 1,000 firearms to Egypt. Gamel Saad was arrested following a sting Monday....

Mad-cow Testing Equipment Nabbed by Thieves

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Medical equipment used to detect a brain disease similar to mad cow has been stolen from Florida Hospital's main campus in Orlando, Fla., and the equipment may pose a public health risk. Hospital surveillance cameras captured footage of a white pickup with ...

Jobs Numbers Become Wisc. Political Football

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Pushing back against Democratic critics of his jobs record, Wisc. Gov. Scott Walker on Wednesday trumpeted a new job creation number sent this week to federal officials. The new number sent to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Wisconsin gained 23,321 jobs, both public and private, between December 2010 and December 2011....

FastTrain Business College Raided by FBI

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Federal agents raided a for-profit business training school in Jacksonville, Fla., yesterday. The FBI arrived at FastTrain College in the 10000 block of Deerwood Park Boulevard around 8 a.m., said Special Agent Jeff Westcott....

National Immigration Referendum Seen in Diaz Case

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

From its inception the Hugo Diaz case has served as a referendum on national immigration issues and Tuesday's sentence hearing in federal court was no exception. The Evans-based homebuilder was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison ...

'Ma'am, Are You Aware You Have No Clothes On?'

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

A woman visited a Stewart's Shop and Curtis Lumber in Albany, N.Y., within a few minutes of each other Tuesday -- with no clothes on. "Have a good day," the woman told one lumber yard employee as she traipsed out....

Charter Captains Describe Big-boat Cod Raids

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Big offshore draggers using their own and acquired catch share allocations have worked inside Stellwagen Bank for the past year -- where they'd not been seen before -- depleting a rebuilding stock of Gulf of Maine cod....

Bain Capital: Biden Rips Romney's Business Background in Youngstown

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Vice President Joe Biden renewed the Obama campaign's assault on Mitt Romney's business record Wednesday, portraying it as a quest for profits for the wealthy at the expense of ordinary workers. ...

Texas Parole Rates Surge to Avoid Unsupervised Releases

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Texas' parole rate for convicted felons has reached new highs in recent months, with the approval rate topping 40 percent this spring after hovering in the high 20s for several years. The parole rate for violent sex offenders reached nearly 60 percent in March....

'Battleship' Entertains, Despite Leaks

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

The jovial and innocuous "Battleship" takes aim at its target audience and fires away, delivering volley after volley of impressive special effects, snicker-worthy dialogue, goofball humor and -- best of all -- aliens vs....

California Ranks 3rd in Private Equity Investment

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Private equity firms invested $16 billion in 214 California-based companies in 2011, placing the Golden State third among all states, according to an analysis released today by the Private Equity Growth Capital Council....

Foreclosures: Illinois 3rd Despite National Improvement

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

oreclosures starts in Illinois are on par with those in other areas but the state's court-supervised foreclosure system continues to bog down properties in the process. Almost 7.5 percent of all one-to-four-unit mortgage loans in Illinois ...

Short Sales: Bank of America Offers $30,000 Enticement

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Expanding a program that began in Florida, Bank of America plans to entice more distressed homeowners across the county to sell houses in short sales by offering up to $30,000 in relocation money. The bank tested the program in the fall in Florida, where more than 11,000 homeowners agreed to participate....

Working Families Struggle to Get By

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

A growing number of working families in Pima County, Ariz., are stuck on a spinning wheel between poverty and self-sufficiency -- a situation that cries out for public policy attention, a new report says....

NJ Gov. Chris Christie Hints at Development in Atlantic City in Speech to Laborers' Union

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Construction jobs in Atlantic City will increase as the economy improves and efforts to revitalize the resort move forward, Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday while speaking at the Laborer's International Union of North America 2012 Eastern Region Conference....

'Wrongful Birth' Laws Proposed in Several States

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Several states are currently considering legislation, known as a "wrongful birth" law, that would prevent parents from suing their doctors for not warning them about potential problems with unborn babies during pregnancy, National Public Radio reports....

Central America Has World's Highest Murder Rates

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

iolence fueled by transnational organized crime and drug trafficking has dramatically increased murder rates in Central America, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday. Three countries have the world's highest homicide rates, he said....

Carlos Fuentes: Mexico Bids Farewell to Literary Lion

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Mexican author Carlos Fuentes' casket was draped in the country's flag Wednesday, in a tribute that brought together his family, friends and prominent figures in Mexican culture and politics. The closed casket was laid on the steps of the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City....

Facebook IPO: Number of Shares to Expand

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Facebook on Wednesday said it was increasing the number of shares on offer in Friday's initial public offering (IPO) by 25 percent, as early investors seek to cash in a frenzy for the company's shares....

Woman Killed by Neo-Nazi Boyfriend May Have Been Afraid to Get Protection Order

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

The Arizona woman allegedly killed by her white supremacist boyfriend in a murder-suicide may have been afraid to get an order of protection, officials say. Police officers said they advised Lisa Mederos, 47, to get an order against J.T....

Obama, Boehner Spar Over Debt-ceiling Hike

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, disagreed Wednesday over a debt-ceiling hike during a White House meeting. The speaker's office said the clash came after the president earlier handed a five-point economic "to do" list to U.S....

Expanded Educational Options Strongly Favored by NM Voters: Poll

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Voters in New Mexico strongly favor the creation of a private school choice program in their state, according to the results of a survey released yesterday by the American Federation for Children (AFC) and the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (HCREO)....

Industrial Production Rose in April

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

Industrial production rose 1.1 percent in April after two months of holding unchanged, the U.S. Federal Reserve said Wednesday. In April, manufacturing output increased 0.6 percent after falling 0.5 percent in March....

Dollar Value Has Been Manipulated: Herman Cain

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:33:44 PST

The present U.S. monetary system is an abysmal failure and the value of the dollar has been manipulated, according to a former Federal Reserve official. "For the last 40 years in Washington, regulate has meant manipulate, ...

Apple to Increase Size of iPhone Screen, Reports Say

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:35:13 PST

Apple (AAPL) will make one of its biggest changes yet to its popular smartphone in the next generation of the device, increasing the size of the iPhone's screen by roughly 30 percent, according to multiple media reports Wednesday morning....

Time Warner Cable Restructuring Insight Jobs

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:35:13 PST

Time Warner Cable has told former Insight sales employees in Lexington, Ky., that it will be restructuring the team and requiring employees to reapply for jobs within the revamped structure. The employees affected sell cable advertisements locally, and Time Warner Cable spokeswoman Mary Jo Green said the decision impacts upwards of 50 employees primarily in Kentucky....

GOP Chided for Exclusive Deal on Caucus Results

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:35:13 PST

The Republican Party of Iowa caught heat from news organizations for reneging on its own plan for releasing certified presidential precinct caucus results by giving them to the Des Moines Register before any other media outlets....

Fox Hispanic Media Unveils MundoFox Lineup at Upfront

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:35:13 PST

Fox Hispanic Media (FHM) today unveiled the initial programming schedule for MundoFox , the new U.S. Spanish-language broadcast network it's launching this summer. FHM announced new programming schedules for the rest of the division's channels during an Upfront event held today at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City....

Working the Assembly Line at GM Not as Easy as It Seems

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

Here's a cold, hard fact of life: When you're feverishly trying to fasten a lug nut to a bolt, it always seems to fight back instead of spinning smoothly onto the twisted metal. I got schooled in that lesson Tuesday when I joined 15 newly hired General Motors workers for an assembly-line training session for the automaker's 2.5-million-square-foot Lansing Grand River plant....

HUD Deputy: Kwame Kilpatrick Helped Bobby Ferguson Get Contract

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

Ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick helped pave the way for his longtime friend Bobby Ferguson and his construction associates to land a contract for a low-income housing project in Detroit, according to testimony in the high-profile bid-rigging trial....

GM Stock Up Nearly 5 Percent After Warren Buffett's Firm Invests

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

Shares in General Motors rose 4.7% in early trading today, following the disclosure Tuesday that Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway investment firm had purchased 10 million shares of the automaker....

Warren Buffett's Investment Firm Buys 10 Million Shares of GM

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

Legendary investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed Tuesday that it had acquired 10 million shares of General Motors common stock -- a show of confidence in the automaker that went through bankruptcy just three years ago and is still 32 percent owned by the federal government....

Minnesota Activist Has Role in Ad Ripping Romney's Work at Bain Capital

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

In 1993, when Mitt Romney's Bain Capital bought GST Steel in Kansas City, one of the top union officials representing the mill's workers was Mankato, Minn., native Dave Foster, then serving as director of United Steelworkers District 11 based in the Twin Cities....

Romney Blamed for Chain Store's Bankruptcy

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

President Obama's re-election campaign pressed its attack on Mitt Romney as a cold-hearted capitalist Tuesday by saying that he helped drive into bankruptcy a chain of department stores that used to be located in 26 Ohio cities, including Bowling Green....

Carmakers Introduce Standardized Port to Charge E-Vehicles

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

Eight big car makers have introduced a standardized port for fast charging electric vehicles that will be made commercially available at the end of this year for vehicles hitting the road in 2013, it was announced....

US Targets Threats to Yemen Transition

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

President Obama signed an executive order Wednesday freezing U.S.-based assets of those who obstruct a November agreement on transition of power in Yemen. The executive order said the Treasury Department could target ...

Home Construction Starts Rose in April

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:23:57 PST

New home construction starts in the United States rose in April, but permits that predict future business fell, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Housing starts rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 717,000, up 2.6 percent compared with a revised figure for March of 699,000....

Merkel, Hollande Agree to Make Joint Effort to Push for Growth

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:08:06 PST

Despite their differences over how to drag Europe out of its current economic swamp, German and French leaders pledged to make joint effort to reinvigorate growth in the continent during their first meeting on Tuesday....

Forbes Releases Its Celebrity 100 -- Females Rule the Top 10

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:09:31 PST

Forbes today released its top 100 celebrities and toping the list is Jennifer Lopez, followed by Oprah Winfrey and Justin Bieber. The females are leading the entertainment world -- seven out of the top 10 are women....

Rock the Bells Lineup Released -- and It's Gonna Blow Your Mind

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:46:11 PST

Rock the Bells is back and the lineup is crazy. With only four stops, middle America Hip Hop and Rap fans will have to travel to the coasts to see all of this incredible talent. Old and new music acts are represented....

Lauryn Hill's Ex, Rohan Marley, Engaged To Brazilian Model Girlfriend

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:35:18 PST

Son of the late Bob Marley, Rohan Marley, is engaged to his model girlfriend, Isabeli Fontana, according to multiple sources. Marley, Lauryn Hill's ex husband and father of five of her children, currently runs a family business, Marley Coffee....

Santa Fe Business-plan Competition Draws New Ideas

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

What Santa Fe, N.M., really needs is a late-night vegan food truck. Or a lingerie manufacturing business. Or an easy hydroponic growing system to feed a micro-agriculture revolution. Those are among the ideas presented by area entrepreneurs in a business-plan competition that will wrap up in a few weeks....

Parents Spread Out Safety Net for Kids in Tough Economy

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

Readfield, Wisc., resident Nikki Johnson lived at home with her parents while she attended college, but hoped to get her own apartment last spring after she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh....

National Alzheimer's Plan Unveiled as Aging Boomers' Needs Drive Urgent Action

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

On the day before he left for Washington to push for a national plan to fight Alzheimer's disease, Roger Bushnell leaned over his mother's wheelchair as always. "Love ya," the 49-year-old Melvindale man murmured with a quick kiss....

Military Given Free Access to National Parks, Wildlife Refuges

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

Members of the United States armed services now have free access to more than 2,000 public lands, including all national parks and wildlife refuges. The news was announced in a ceremony honoring the military at Yorktown Victory Monument in the Colonial National Historical Park on Tuesday under cloudy skies....

JPMorgan's Big Loss: Was It Hedging or Betting?

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

Could misdirection over the meaning of a simple, five-letter word -- hedge -- be at the heart of the roiling controversy over JPMorgan Chase's embarrassing $2 billion loss in European trading? CEO Jamie Dimon tried to quiet the storm at JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s ...

Home Depot CEO: 'Gradual Thaw' in Housing Market

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

Business from professional contractors is coming back gradually, Home Depot's CEO said, at a slower pace than do-it-yourself customers overall, but with more strength from the biggest professional customers....

Oil Price Skids on Potential Buildup

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

Crude oil prices dropped to nearly $93 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange Tuesday as U.S. stockpiles are expected to have grown this week. It would be the eighth consecutive week of an inventory buildup....

Jennifer Lopez Is the World's Most Powerful Celebrity: Forbes

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

Jennifer Lopez (No. 1) is the World's Most Powerful Celebrity on Forbes' 2012 list of the 100 most influential people in entertainment -- ranked by earnings, press coverage and Internet impact ("The Celebrity 100 List: The Full List," p. 86). Lopez ("The Turnaround Artist," p. 92) catapulted from No. 50 last year to No. 1, her first time atop the list....

Discovery US Hispanic Releases New Blockbuster Series, Original Programming

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

Discovery U.S. Hispanic, the home of Discovery en Espanol and Discovery Familia, unveiled its 2012-13 lineup at Upfront, adopting this year's Upfront theme of "Discover How Far Curiosity Can Take You" as its own....

Great Books: Fred Astaire, French Actresses and Film Noir

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

There's no end to movie books -- star memoirs, critical career overviews, coffee table "making of" commemorations ("The Art of John Carter: A Visual Journey" -- really?!), sex-laden, scandalous tell-alls....

US Limits F-22 Flights After Pilots' Complaints of Oxygen Deficiency

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Tuesday announced new measures to restrict the flight missions by the 5th-generation F-22 Raptor fighters, after pilots continued complaining about hypoxia-like symptoms during flight....

USHCC Calls for Review of 2011 Federal Contracts Process

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) today expressed its strong dissatisfaction with the federal government's minority procurement efforts in 2011. In a recent Bloomberg report, U.S....

Markets Fall on 'Messy' Greek Exit Warning

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:33:42 PST

Global market indexes fell Wednesday after the International Monetary Fund head said Europe should prepare for a possibly "messy" Greek departure from the euro. Asian and Pacific market indexes fell 1.5 percent to more than 3 ...

Boehner: Debt Hike Will Mean Deep Cuts

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:43:34 PST

House Speaker John Boehner vowed not to agree to an increase in the debt ceiling this fall without cuts in federal spending, raising the possibility of a government shutdown after the November election....

US Retail Sales Edge Up 0.1 Percent in April

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:43:34 PST

U.S. retail and food services sales barely rose in April, following a stronger increase in the previous three months, the U.S. Department of Commerce reported on Tuesday. The department said the combined retail and food services sales in April gained 0.1 percent over the previous month to a seasonally adjusted 408 billion U.S....

Krugman Calls JPMorgan's Loss a Reminder of Banking Regulation

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:43:34 PST

Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman on Monday said that JPMorgan's misstep underlines the need of regulations against banks' risky speculations. History tells us that banking is and always has been subject to occasional destructive "panics," which can wreak havoc with the economy as a whole, Krugman noted in his latest column article on The New York Times....

Protesters Gearing Up for Chicago 2012 NATO Summit

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:43:34 PST

Some are anti-war. Others want economic reform. Still others are environmentalists. No matter their agenda, people who share a dissatisfaction with the world's political and economic status quo have begun to flow into Chicago from around the country and even overseas....

High Court Refuses Puerto Rico Voting Case

Wed, 16 May 2012 07:43:34 PST

The U.S. Supreme Court Monday refused to review a lower court ruling that said Puerto Ricans cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections. The justices rejected without comment two petitions dealing with the issue....

Is Facebook a Good Investment?

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

How does Facebook stack up as an investment? A number of stock analysts are predicting a bright future for the social networking giant, but they also warn of significant risks along the way. By one standard measure, Facebook's anticipated public offering will be ...

Greece to Hold New Elections

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

Greece will hold a new election after politicians failed to form a government, nine days following an inconclusive vote, prolonging a political crisis that pushes it closer to bankruptcy and exit from the euro....

New Jersey Revenue Falls Short in April

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

Tax collections in New Jersey are running $230 million behind Gov. Christie's projections after April revenue came up short, according to a state Treasury report released Tuesday. If the trend continues, Christie and lawmakers may have to revise their plans to cut taxes, or they may have to find other places to trim the budget....

Facebook May Be Your Friend, but Doesn't Mean You Need to Rush to Buy It

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

Facebook may be your friend or where your friends hang out. But that doesn't mean the stock will be friendly to you if you rush to buy it within the next few days. Judging from my recent emails, many people who have never purchased a share of stock in their lives now feel compelled to get their hands on Facebook stock....

Website Search Startup Raises $1.5 Million

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

Elicit, a Chicago-based startup that makes technology to improve searching within websites, said Tuesday that it has raised $1.5 million in its first round of venture capital funding. The company was founded by Adam and Eric Heneghan,brothers who have run digital marketing agencies for 20 years....

Facebook Falling Out of Favor as IPO Approaches

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

The fascination with Facebook appears to be fading fast with the "cool" crowd at the worst possible time as the social networking giant's nearly $13 billion IPO rolls out this week, like it or not. ...

Next iPhone Likely to Have Bigger Screen

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

Evidence is mounting that the next generation of Apple's iPhone will have a bigger screen than current models, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Apple had ordered screens measuring at least 4 inches (10.2 cm) diagonally from its Asian supplier, according to people familiar with the situation, the report said....

Airbus A380 Eats Into Q1 Profits at EADS

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

Finding a fix for cracks on the wings of its Airbus A380 superjumbo ate into first-quarter profits at European aerospace and defence giant EADS, the group announced Wednesday. EADS, the parent company of airplane manufacturer Airbus, recorded profits of 133 million euros (174 million dollars) between January and March....

Spain Calls for Defence of Euro as Bond Spread Soars

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday called on the European Union to launch a "clear and forceful" message in defence of the euro as the interest rate on Spanish 10-year bonds hit a new record high....

Reports: Facebook to Expand Number of Shares in IPO

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

Facebook Inc plans to increase the number of shares it is offering in this week's initial public offering (IPO) by 25 percent to about 420 million, the CNBC news channel reported. The plan to expand the offering by 85 million shares would be filed with ...

Can Facebook Justify Its Sky High Price?

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

It might be hard to imagine that a company that's an integral part of the lives of about one in seven human beings on the planet could be overhyped. But that's exactly what many seasoned investors are saying ahead of Friday's eagerly anticipated initial public offering of Facebook....

OpenTable Introduces Restaurant Industry Index

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:47 PST

OpenTable Inc., a leading provider of free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners and reservation and guest management solutions for restaurants, today introduced the OpenTable Restaurant Industry Index, a quarterly barometer that tracks the state of the reservation-taking restaurant industry....

Great Online Launches Social Media Manager

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:46 PST

As the Facebook IPO looms, The Great Online expands their service offerings with the launch of The Social Media Manager. The Denver inbound marketing company will design and implement social media marketing strategies and plans for small and medium-size businesses....

John Deere Posts Record 2Q Earnings at $1.056 Billion

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:46 PST

Net income attributable to Deere & Company was $1.056 billion, or $2.61 per share, for the second quarter ended April 30, compared with $904.3 million, or $2.12 per share, for the same period last year....

GM Rethinks Paid Ads on Facebook

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:46 PST

General Motors made a dramatic update to its status on Facebook. Just days before Facebook's expected initial public offering, spokesman Tom Henderson said GM is "reassessing" the value of buying ads on the social-network site....

Europe Should Prepare for a Possibly 'Messy' Greek Departure From Euro

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:46 PST

Flipboard Brings Sound to Your Social Magazine

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:46 PST

The newest edition of Flipboard, released today, is all about sound. Anyone with Flipboard on Apple's iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch can now listen to audio shared on SoundCloud and radio programming from NPR and Public Radio International (PRI), all while reading their Flipboard....

Baidu Enters Phone Wars

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:46 PST

Baidu, China's Internet search giant, has announced its intention to enter the mass smartphone market with a phone running its own mobile operating system. The low-cost Changhong H5018, to be built by Foxconn, will be powered by Baidu's own Cloud OS....

Global Mobile Industry Gaining Momentum

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:46 PST

Google today, with the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), the leading global trade association for the mobile industry, announced the launch of an updated version of "Our Mobile Planet," a mobile consumer data resource that provides free access to powerful data across 40 countries in 22 languages at thinkwithgoogle.com/mobileplanet....

Diablo III Now Live

Wed, 16 May 2012 06:04:46 PST

Blizzard Entertainment Inc. today announced that Diablo III, the highly anticipated next chapter in its award-winning action-role-playing game series, is now available in retail stores throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau....

Former IMF Chief Strauss-Kahn Files Countersuit Against Hotel Maid

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:48:47 PST

Former IMF director Dominique Strauss-Kahn has filed a $1-million countersuit against a hotel maid who accused him in a civil court of sexually assaulting her last year, her lawyer said Tuesday. Douglas Wigdor said the countersuit was a "desperate ploy," predicting that the court handling the civil case would swiftly reject it....

Builder Confidence Hits 5-year High

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:48:46 PST

U.S. builder confidence in the market for new homes is on the rise in most of the country, the National Association of Home Builders said Tuesday. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for May was 29, up five points from last month and the highest reading since May of 2007....

Boehner Vows Another Showdown Over Debt and Taxes

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:46:29 PST

House Speaker John Boehner set the stage Tuesday for another tense, partisan showdown over tax and spending policy later this year, as he vowed to insist on big spending cuts before he will agree to a new debt ...

Gas Company Warns Customers of Scam

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:46:29 PST

Southern California Gas Co. is warning customers of a scam targeting utility customers and an effort to illegally obtain their Social Security numbers. During the con, customers are told they can earn credits toward utility bills, but that they must first provide their Social Security number to apply....

John Travolta's First Accuser Dropped by Lawyer; Second Case Likely Won't Go to Trial

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:46:29 PST

One of the men accusing John Travolta of sexually assaulting him has been dropped by his lawyer, while a second case will likely never go to trial, RadarOnline reports. The website reports that the first male masseur who filed a lawsuit against Travolta was dropped on Friday by his lawyer, Okorie Okorocha, who is also representing the second alleged victim....

Most Expect Obama to Win Re-Election

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:46:29 PST

U.S. voters overwhelmingly say they expect President Obama to win re-election, the latest Gallup poll indicated Tuesday. The Gallup/USA Today poll found 56 percent of those queried said they expect Obama to win, compared to 36 percent who said they expect presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney to come out on top....

Obama Plans to Fight Alzheimer's

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:46:29 PST

President Obama plans to fight Alzheimer's disease by funding two major clinical trials and boosting funding for physician training, officials said. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, presented the national plan to fight Alzheimer's disease at the Alzheimer's Research Summit 2012: Path to Treatment and Prevention....

Facebook Loses a Big Advertiser, Buys a Small Company's Employees

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:31 PST

As it prepares for its highly anticipated IPO, Facebook continued with the business of being the world's largest social network Tuesday, dealing with the loss of a large advertiser even as it "acquired" a small London company. General Motors, reportedly the third-largest advertiser in the United States, is halting its paid Facebook advertising, the company confirmed....

Discover to Bring New Data Center, 162 Jobs to Central Ohio

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:31 PST

Discover Financial Services will add a $76 million data center and create 162 permanent new jobs at its campus in New Albany, the company announced today. Carlos Minetti, an executive vice president with Discover, made the announcement at the company's existing field operations center in central Ohio....

Ft. Lauderdale Workforce Agencies Placed 3,500 People in Jobs in April

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:31 PST

Workforce agencies in Broward and Palm Beach counties placed more than 3,500 people in jobs in April, according to a report by Workforce Florida that compares job placement among counties. In fact, Broward's Workforce One's placed more workers in April than any other agency....

Biden to Visit Eastern Ohio This Week

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:31 PST

The re-election campaign of Democratic President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will focus on Republican Mitt Romney's business experience during a two-day trip to Ohio by Biden this week....

Forbes Ranks Dalton, Ga., One of Best Small Cities for Job Growth

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:31 PST

The city of Dalton, Ga., slipped a few notches this year, but it remains ranked by Forbes magazine and NewGeography.com as one of America's best small cities for job growth. Dalton ranked 243rd among cities with less than 150,000 jobs on the 2012 list, featured in the May 1 issue of Forbes....

Obama Wants G8 to Agree on Release of Oil Reserves, Discuss Growth

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:31 PST

President Barack Obama is expected to push for a release of global oil reserves at the Group of 8 (G8) summit he is hosting later this week, in an effort to drive down fuel prices ahead of November's presidential election, diplomats said Tuesday....

Romney: Stimulus Was Wasted

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:30 PST

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney derided President Obama's economic stimulus package to a Des Moines, Iowa, audience as a "waste" of borrowed money. Romney, speaking before about 200 people at the Hotel Des Moines Tuesday ...

Dems Like Obama More Than GOP Likes Romney

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:45:30 PST

Democrats say they're happier with President Obama than Republicans are with presumptive party nominee Mitt Romney, Gallup reported. Fifty-nine percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said they were satisfied with Romney as their party's nominee, while 36 percent said they would prefer another candidate, results of a Gallup/USA Today poll indicated Monday....

Ron Paul Still Aims for Delegates at State Conventions to Push GOP

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:40:01 PST

Rep. Ron Paul may have dropped off the presidential campaign trail, but he insisted Tuesday that he's not entirely out of the race. A day after Paul announced that he would no longer formally campaign or spend money in primary states, his camp released a memo laying out the Texas Republican's strategy for the remainder of the primary season....

Best Buy's Founder Never Wanted to Leave

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:40:01 PST

Richard Schulze never intended to leave his creation. The St. Paul, Minn., native who opened his first stereo shop in 1966, then built it into the world's largest consumer-electronics retailer, wasn't interested in turning his life's work over to anyone else....

Clippers Ready to Play Mind Games With San Antonio as Next Challenge

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:40:01 PST

The Clippers' win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference quarterfinals was barely 10 minutes old when Chris Paul stood at his locker inside FedEx Forum and offered some insight on what lay ahead. "We're going from physical to mental," Paul shouted to his teammates....

Carlos Fuentes: Mexico's Cosmopolitan Literary Giant Dies

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:40:01 PST

A cosmopolitan author, a close friend of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Julio Cortazar, a man always ready for controversy: Carlos Fuentes, Mexico's most important novelist, died Tuesday at age 83. Even in the last days of his life, Fuentes appeared elegant and in good humour, and his death from heart problems took Mexico by surprise....

Univision Announces New Lineup of Novelas, Specials

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:02:11 PST

Following its presentation at Upfront at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City, Univision President and CEO Randy Falco announced the network's new lineup of telenovelas, specials, daytime programming and reality shows....

Tom Cruise Speaks Candidly to 'Playboy'

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:01:29 PST

Tom Cruise ... Remember him? He's about to celebrate the big 5-0 and is about to release the highly-anticipated movie "Rock of Ages," so perhaps to celebrate he gave Playboy magazine a candid interview....

Minn. Gov.: Vetoed Tax-relief Bill From GOP Was Irresponsible

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:41:42 PST

Republican legislative leaders are outraged and disappointed that Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed the second tax relief bill they sent to him last week, but the governor says they shouldn't be surprised. "I told them I wasn't going to sign it because it violated fundamental principles of fiscal responsibility," Dayton said at a St....

Corkheads: Is That Wine Orange?

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:41:42 PST

What gets a wine geek's juices flowing? Aroma, certainly. Nothing's quite as satisfying as that first whiff of lychee in a glass of gewürztraminer, or the unmistakable l'eau de jerky in some syrahs....

Myth-busting Look at Human Nature

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:41:42 PST

People are often told not to talk about race and gender in public. That, according to University of Notre Dame professor Agustin Fuentes, provides fertile ground for myths that science long ago debunked....

US Justice Officials Probe JPMorgan's $2 Billion Loss

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:41:42 PST

JPMorgan Chase's $2 billion trading loss has drawn the attention of the U.S. Justice Department, which has opened an inquiry, according to The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. The Journal cited an unnamed official as confirming that the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was leading the probe, but it was not clear what kind of legal violations were at issue....

Author Carlos Fuentes Dies at 83

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:41:42 PST

Mexican author Carlos Fuentes died Tuesday, Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced on Twitter. "I am deeply sorry for the death of our dear and admired Carlos Fuentes, a universal writer and Mexican. May he rest in peace," Calderon tweeted....

Land O'Lakes Reports Mixed Results

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:45:48 PST

Land O'Lakes Tuesday posted what the company called a "solid, but mixed quarter" on Tuesday, with sales rising nicely but profits falling back from last year's record levels. The Arden Hills-based agriculture cooperative had first-quarter sales of $3.9 billion, up 12 percent from a year ago....

Retail Sales Up Marginally in April

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:45:48 PST

Retail sales rose 0.1 percent in April over March with motor vehicle sales up 0.5 percent, the U.S. Census Bureau said Tuesday. The gain was shy of expectations with economists predicting a 0.2 percent rise and short of March's gain, which was 0.7 percent....

Britney Spears, Demi Lovato to Join 'X Factor' This Fall

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

Oh baby, baby. It's official. Fox confirmed Monday that pop icon Britney Spears and former Disney star/singer Demi Lovato have signed on for the second season of "The X Factor." The announcement was made at the network's upfront presentations in New York....

Redistricting Spurs Tough Matchup for NM State Senate Seat

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

Had it not been for the redrawing of political lines this year, the race for state Senate District 8 in northeastern New Mexico could have gone by like many in the past, with Sen. Pete Campos poised for an easy re-election....

'The Avengers' Movie Car Concept Debuted in Detroit

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

Does that cool, red, matches-Iron-Man's-suit convertible that Tony Stark and Bruce Banner drive off in at the end of "The Avengers" look familiar to you? You might have seen a similar car at the Detroit auto show....

Mazda Rolling Into Corona

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

The Cardinale Automotive Group could soon own a third dealership in the Corona Auto Center if the California city approves plans for a new Mazda facility. The Seaside-based company, which already operates Volkswagen and Hyundai dealerships in the Corona center, plans to construct an 18,000-square-foot Mazda-branded dealership on vacant land between Volkswagen and a Nissan dealership....

Consumer Debt Surge Highest Since 2001

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

Total U.S. consumer credit grew by $21.36 billion in March, according to the latest figures from the Federal Reserve. That was the biggest month-to-month jump since 2001 led by a surge in auto loans, personal loans and student loans, which combined for about $16 billion of the increase....

Regional Mexican Cuisines Rival Europe, Asia

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

What passes for Mexican food on this side of the border -- the tried and true carne asada, rice and beans -- is merely an amuse-bouche when held up against the vast repertoire of dishes south of the border....

House Predicts 7.4 Percent Jobless Rate in 2014; Senate Less Optimistic

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

The Michigan Legislature's two fiscal agencies presented sharply different forecasts for the Michigan economy in reports released Monday, with one offering a rosy view and the other taking a more guarded outlook....

General Motors Plans to Introduce a Small SUV Called the Chevrolet Trax in Mexico and Canada

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

General Motors plans to introduce a small SUV called the Chevrolet Trax in a key addition to its foreign product mix. The vehicle, which is to be introduced at the Paris auto show in September, will be available in showrooms in Mexico and Canada starting in the fourth quarter....

Shareholders Approve Dimon's $23 Million

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

Shareholders approved a $23 million pay package Tuesday for JPMorgan Chase head Jamie Dimon, who apologized for the bank's $2 billion trading loss. Dimon apologized repeatedly for the loss at the annual shareholder meeting in Tampa, Fla., CNN reported....

Ariz. Gov. Brewer Vetoes Online Education Bill

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill which would have made broad changes to the state's online education system, officials say. Senate Bill 1259 would have made it easier for junior and high school students to take online courses from a "master list" of courses approved by the state....

Wildfires Burning in Arizona

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

Southwesterly winds Tuesday helped clear smoke from one of several fires consuming thousands of acres in Arizona. David Albo with the Tonto National Forest said the smoke came from the still uncontained Sunflower Fire in the Tonto National Forest Monday evening, The Arizona Republic reported....

Renters Rate Hertz as Best

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:23:48 PST

Hertz ranks as the top auto rental company, a new consumer survey released today by Zagat reveals. Hertz is No.1 based on three categories, vehicles, reliability and service, says Zagat, the food and travel guidebook publisher, which is releasing its first auto rental company survey since 1997....

National Chocolate Chip Day: Top Five Chocolate Chip Foods

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:24:06 PST

Sure, National Chocolate Chip Day seems like a silly, arbitrary holiday to temporarily go gaga over a favorite food item (see: National Popcorn Day, National Irish Coffee Day, etc.)....

Kardashians Even Impact Top Five Baby Names for 2011

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:09:00 PST

It appears that the Kardashian Klan's influence goes far beyond massive Twitter followers....

Jay Z Supports Gay Marriage

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:06:54 PST

Music mogul Jay-Z told CNN this week that he supports gay marriage and backs President Obama's sentiments on the issue. Gay rights have been at the center of debate now more so than ever since North Carolina voters passed a constitutional amendment defining marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman....

George W. Bush Endorses Mitt Romney

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:27:07 PST

Former President George W. Bush has announced his support for Mitt Romney. "I'm for Mitt Romney," Bush told ABC News today....

Diablo III: The Devil's In the Downloads

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:04:58 PST

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US-Colombia Free Trade Pact Starts, Spurring Business

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:21 PST

The long-touted U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement takes effect Tuesday and South Florida companies are already gearing up to boost business with a country that is currently the state's No. 2 trade partner....

Martinez Hits Romney's 'Self-deportation' Idea

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Gov. Susana Martinez, who has insisted she isn't interested in becoming presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's running mate, criticized his stance on illegal immigration during a recent Newsweek interview....

Francesca's CFO Fired Over Use of Social Media

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

More than once, the chief financial officer of Houston-based Francesca's Holdings Corp. wondered in a tongue-in-cheek Twitter post whether his days at the company might be numbered. Turns out, they were....

Facebook May Be First US Company Worth $100 Billion at IPO

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Facebook will raise the price of shares for its initial public offering, possibly vaulting the world's most popular social network to the first $100 billion valuation of a U.S. company at the time of its public debut....

Edwards Defense Turns to Campaign Guidelines

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

The money used to hide John Edwards' affair with videographer Rielle Hunter, former Federal Election Commission Chairman Scott Thomas said Monday, was for "an intensely personal" purpose and not intended to influence the election....

NBC Announces Fall Lineup

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

NBC announced its new lineup Sunday. New dramas "Revolution" (about life after the power goes out, for good) "Chicago Fire" (the world of firefighters, etc.) "Do No Harm" (A neurosurgeon experiences dejÃ vu of the dangerous kind) ...

Cancer Genetics IPO Faces Facebook

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Cancer Genetics is pursuing a strategy that differs from Facebook's IPO plan, expert says. A Rutherford, N.J.-based start-up developing tools to diagnose cancer is planning to launch an initial public offering this week under the long shadow of Facebook's long-awaited blockbuster IPO....

Yahoo's New Leaders See Opportunity in Online Media

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

A day after a boardroom coup at Yahoo (YHOO), the struggling Internet company is in the hands of a major shareholder and an interim chief executive officer who appear to agree on what needs to be done to turn around the company....

Marriage Amendment's Effect on N.C. Tourism Unclear

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Since North Carolina's Amendment One passed last week, negative reactions from opponents filled the state tourism promotion Facebook page, with some posters threatening to boycott the state. But no signs of a tourism backlash have turned up locally....

Apple to Reportedly Introduce Instagram-like Photo-sharing Features to iCloud

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

In an effort to keep up with the exploding popularity of photo-sharing sites like Instagram, Apple (AAPL) is reportedly about to beef up its online service iCloud to let users swap and comment on other users' pictures....

Obama Teams With Ricky Martin For New York Fundraiser Supporting Gay Marriage

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Barack Obama travelled to New York to enlarge his re-election campaign coffers in a trip that included a visit to gay supporters less than a week after he became the first sitting US president to declare his support for gay marriage....

Friends, Concerts, Rewards=Your Summer Just Got More Social

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Live Nation Entertainment has released the Live Nation Concert Calendar Facebook app -- a robust personalized concert calendar app for fans. The Concert Calendar combines official concert listings, gaming features, music related badges, a point system, leaderboard and a loyalty/rewards platform....

Genesis Launches New Superfruit Juice for Hispanic Market

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Genesis today, superfruit purveyor of one of the nation's fastest growing healthy food, beverage and nutritional supplement companies, today announced the national launch of Renacer SuperFRUITAS, the superfruit juice developed specifically for the Hispanic market available at Walmart and Sam's Club in the refrigerated section....

Pitney Bowes Hosts 2nd Annual Supplier Diversity Summit

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Pitney Bowes will host the second annual Supplier Diversity Summit at its world headquarters in Stamford, Conn. The summit will feature a wide range of internal stakeholders across the business and prime suppliers, coupled with diverse suppliers looking to ...

Univision: Total Market Media Drives Growth

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Univision Communications Inc. unveiled its 2012-2013 programming lineup and several new content initiatives that give marketers an even broader and more effective toolkit to reach the growing, engaged and empowered U.S....

Rebekah Brooks Faces Phone-hacking Charges

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Former British newspaper editor Rebekah Brooks faces charges of trying to obstruct a police investigation into phone hacking at the publication she ran. Prosecutors Tuesday accused Brooks, a former editor of the defunct News ...

Roundup: RI to Recognize All Gay Marriages, Calif. Budget Cuts, Pink Slime Layoffs

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee signed a measure Monday recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states and giving gay couples the same rights as heterosexual ones for health insurance and other benefits....

Gay GOP Group Bashes Obama, Not Romney

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

To defend their claim to a smidgen of space in the GOP's ideological pup tent, the Log Cabin Republicans -- a gay and lesbian group -- are attacking Barack Obama for doing what Mitt Romney won't: say he supports same-sex marriage....

Elizabeth Edwards 'Volcanic' Over Affair

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

John Edwards' pollster testified Monday the onetime Democratic presidential candidate feared his wife's "volcanic" reaction to his extramarital affair. As defense testimony began in the former presidential candidate's ...

Calif. Bill Would Protect Password Privacy

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

California lawmakers say they're taking action against employers demanding access to Facebook accounts of employees or job applicants. If a bill in the California Legislature is successful, the state will become the second, after Maryland, to ban the practice of employers asking for access to social media accounts of workers or applicants, ZDNet.com reported Sunday....

Amber Riley Wraps Up 'Glee' Role

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:38:20 PST

American actress-singer Amber Riley said via Twitter she has wrapped her role of Mercedes on the popular music-themed series "Glee." "Access Hollywood" said her character will graduate at the end of the current third season of the show....

Obama Says JPMorgan Loss Proves Reform Needed

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:11:10 PST

US President Barack Obama has said that the huge trading loss at JPMorgan Chase, the country's biggest bank, has demonstrated the need for Wall Street reform. "JPMorgan is one of the best managed banks there is....

Same-sex Civil Unions Bill Dies a Quick, Second Death In Colorado

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:11:10 PST

Colorado lawmakers killed a rejuvenated effort to allow same-sex civil unions during the first day of a special session called to consider that and other bills. A Republican-controlled State House committee listened to nearly three hours of testimony before dumping the bill, which died on a 5-4 party line vote....

Markets Post Modest Gains

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:11:10 PST

U.S. markets opened modestly higher Tuesday with investors looking at a slew of economic reports. The U.S. consumer price index slowed inflation slowing in April. On an annual basis, prices are up 2.3 percent, a slower pace than March when the annual inflation rate stood at 2.7 percent. Retail sales rose 0.1 percent in April from March, the government said....

Introduction to the NATO Summit

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

Welcome to NATO Summit Week, Chicagoans! As the unofficial liaison between the summit and Chicago-area residents, I'm as excited as you are about the big event. It's going to feature all the fun of the Air & Water Show's traffic congestion without the annoying planes and boats and wholesome entertainment....

Could Twitter Predict Presidential Election?

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

What if the outcome of the presidential election could be predicted by collecting data from Twitter? Or what if posts on the social media site -- which allows all users to send and read short text messages -- could foresee volatility in the stock market? We're not there yet, but a Naval Academy professor and a group of midshipmen say they've taken a big step toward achieving such feats....

Facebook Raises Share Price Ahead of Friday Trading

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

Strong investor demand has led Facebook to increase its share price in advance of its planned initial public offering (IPO) this week, according to the company's prospectus released Tuesday. The social networking website raised its price per share range from 28 to 35 dollars to 34 to 38 dollars, putting the value of the company above 100 billion dollars....

German Economy Rebounds

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

Germany warded off the threat of recession during the first quarter of 2012, with data released Tuesday showing strong exports driving Europe's biggest economy to post a bigger-than-forecast 0.5 per cent growth rate....

Facebook to Raise IPO Price to $34 - $38 Per Share

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

Facebook Inc plans to raise the price of the shares it offers to the public Friday as high as 38 dollars, giving the company a valuation in excess of 100 billion dollars, Bloomberg News reported late Monday....

Greece's Political Deadlock Drags Down Global Markets

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

A political coalition that came in second in recent elections refused Monday to attend talks about forming a government with parties that insist on going ahead with spending cuts to qualify for a bailout of the debt-ridden country....

2 in 3 Say a Better Economy Is Ahead

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

Americans may be downbeat about today's economy, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, but they are increasingly optimistic that things are about to get better for the nation and themselves. Though an overwhelming 71% rate economic conditions as poor, a 58% majority predict they will be good a year from now....

Groupon Revenue Up Nearly 90 Percent

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

Groupon Inc. narrowed its net loss in the first quarter of 2012 from the previous year as revenue grew nearly 90 percent. The Chicago-based daily deals company reported Monday a first-quarter net loss of $11.7 million, or 2 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $146.5 million, or 48 cents per share, a year earlier 2011....

Jurors Must Not Tweet Proceedings, According to Ruling

Tue, 15 May 2012 06:28:12 PST

A Massachusetts appeals court is calling for judges to better inform jurors of the damage done by sharing case details on social media, officials say. "Jurors must separate and insulate their jury service from their digital lives," said a court ruling referring to a case in which several jurors discussed details of a larceny trial on Facebook....

American Airlines Pilots Ask Bankruptcy Judge to Keep Contracts Intact

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:47:14 PST

American Airlines' pilots union pressed its case Monday before the U.S. bankruptcy court, asking the judge not to abrogate its contract with the carrier and laying out its offers to cut costs that American had rebuffed leading up to the court hearing....

GM Could Buy Ally Financial's International Auto Lending Business

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:47:14 PST

General Motors confirmed that it is interested in acquiring some of Ally Financial's international auto lending assets. Detroit-based Ally said today that it would put its international operations up for sale in a move announced at the same time it blessed the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of its primary mortgage subsidiary, Residential Capital, which is shedding toxic mortgage assets....

Dollar Continues To Strengthen

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:47:14 PST

The US dollar continues to strengthen against the other major currencies. The shekel-dollar rate is very slightly higher this morning, in comparison with Friday's representative rate, at NIS 3.8233/$....

Ousted Yahoo Boss To Get No Severance

Mon, 14 May 2012 16:47:14 PST

Former Yahoo chief Scott Thompson will get no severance pay following his ouster from the struggling web pioneer, the company said in a regulatory filing Monday. But Thompson will get to keep some 7 million dollars in bonuses and stock incentives that he received when he joined the company in January from online payments company Paypal....

Employers Increasingly Offering Health Benefits to Workers' Domestic Partners

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

President Barack Obama's stand last week in favor of same-sex marriage has no legal effect on employers' decisions on whether to offer benefits to workers' domestic partners, but some advocates believe it could reinforce a decade-long trend toward coverage....

First Lady Puts 'Let's Move' In Olympic Context

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

Flanked by more than two dozen U.S. athletes, First Lady Michelle Obama on Monday announced an initiative to expose more than 1.7 million American children to Olympic sports. Obama, who will lead the presidential delegation to the Opening Ceremonies in London this summer, said the new partnership between the U.S....

Romney To Deliver Major Policy Speech In Des Moines Tuesday

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

Mitt Romney will deliver what's being billed as a major policy address Tuesday in Des Moines on the "out-of-control spending and debt" under the Obama administration, according to Iowa U.S. Rep. Steve King....

Website Targets 'Tween' Seniors

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

As if baby boomers weren't already a dominant enough slice of the demographic pie, a PBS website being launched Tuesday posits that boomers have gone and created a whole new life stage. Next Avenue, PBS' first venture to begin on the Internet rather than broadcast TV, was conceived and developed at Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) in St....

Co-founder of Facebook, Partner Pledge $100,000 To Maine Same-sex Marriage Campaign

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

A co-founder of Facebook who is the editor-in-chief of the liberal magazine The New Republic has offered a $100,000 matching gift to the campaign supporting same-sex marriage. Mainers United for Marriage on Monday announced the fundraising ...

Coke To Test Mid-calorie Sprite, Fanta

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

Coca-Cola will see how consumers react to mid-calorie versions of its Sprite and Fanta sodas in a limited test. The Atlanta-based beverage giant will release the drinks, which will have half the calories of their regular counterparts, in mid-June in ...

John Edwards' Trial Proves Salacious, But Lawyers See No 'Smoking Gun'

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

John Edwards arrives at the federal courthouse here each morning somehow sporting that same fresh look with which he bounded onto the national political stage. Trim and polished in his business suits and crisp shirts, he still flashes a bright smile to greeters. And the hair -- almost as famous now as the man himself -- is still thick, a shiny brown and always in place....

Moody's Downgrades 26 Italian Banks

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

The ratings agency Moody's Monday lowered the credit ratings for 26 Italian banks, including giants UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo. The outlook for the banks is "negative," Moody's said, an indication that further downgrades were likely....

Sea Shepherd Anti-whaling Activist Paul Watson Arrested In Germany

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been arrested at Germany's Frankfurt airport, following an international arrest warrant from Costa Rica, state prosecutors said Monday. The 61-year-old head of the activist Sea Shepherd conservation group was arrested Sunday upon his arrival at the airport, according to a spokesman for prosecutors in Hesse state....

Obama To Grads: Sit Youself at the Table

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

President Obama Monday said the battles fought for women's rights, voters' rights and gay rights have helped make the United States a great nation. Obama, giving the commencement address at Barnard College, the ...

Canadian Actress Denies Stalking Alec Baldwin

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:53:33 PST

A little-known Canadian actress on Monday denied stalking "30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin, her lawyer saying she had "legitimate" reasons to try to contact him. "My client had a legitimate purpose within the meaning of the law for her efforts to contact Mr Baldwin," attorney Maurice Sercarz said after a brief pretrial court hearing attended by the accused, Genevieve Sabourin, in New York....

Demi Lovato and Britney Spears Sign On As 'X Factor' Judges

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:37:04 PST

Ratings, ratings, ratings galore. Simon Cowell did it again. He secured two of the hottest singers--by way of Disney--Britney Spears and Demi Lovato to be judges on the "X Factor." Both ladies have signed on to be judges on the X Factor, confirming rumors that had been swirling for months....

elwiri, A Lifestyle Mobile App, Caters to the Hispanic Market

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:39:09 PST

It's no secret the Hispanic consumer's dollar is a gold mine. New products, TV shows, and most recently, a news channels are being created to get the Hispanic consumer's attention. Related Story: "Univision News and ABC News Will Join Forces In Targeting U.S....

Ron Paul Ends Presidential Campaigning

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:08:22 PST

Ron Paul today announced that he will no longer actively campaign for the GOP nomination. He will, however, continue to work to secure delegates at upcoming Republican state conventions, reports CNN. ...

GM To Sell Chevrolet Trax Overseas

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

General Motors plans to introduce a new small sport-utility vehicle called the Chevrolet Trax in a key addition to its foreign product mix. The vehicle, which will be shown for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in September, will be available in showrooms in Mexico starting in the fourth quarter....

Newsweek Declares Obama Is 'First Gay President'

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

It was last Wednesday when Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to say he believes gay couples should be allowed to get married. Now, Newsweek Magazine is calling Obama "the first gay president" in its latest issue's cover story written by blogger Andrew Sullivan....

Protesters Rush Into Building Housing Obama Campaign Headquarters

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

Dozens of demonstrators dashed into the Loop building housing President Barack Obama's campaign headquarters this morning, slipping past security guards and running up escalators as they kicked off what they ...

At Churches, Mixed Review of Obama Gay Marriage Support

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

President Obama may have roiled the political and clerical waters with his personal endorsement of gay marriage last week, but for many parishioners Sunday, the president's message was greeted with a mixture of acceptance and relief....

'War On Women?' Yes, No and A Sidestep

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

With women's votes emerging as a major battleground in the 2012 presidential election, the three women in Minnesota's congressional delegation are carving out distinctly contrasting roles. Labeled by Democrats as a GOP "war on women," the fight has most ...

49 Bodies Dumped on Mexico Highway

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

Officials blamed the Zetas gang for the slaughter of 49 people whose headless, handless bodies were recovered early Sunday near a highway that leads from the industrial city of Monterrey to the South Texas border....

90-year-old Begins Citizenship Process

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

Teresa Lopez moved to Chicago from Mexico as a septuagenarian in 1994, joining an expanding wing of her family that has since spread to about 100 relatives in the area. Two years later, Lopez, now 90, became a legal permanent resident and then remained in that limbo status for 16 years....

Secret Service Agent's Troubles Shock Hometown

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

As a boy growing up in Ransomville, Arthur Huntington was known as playful and rambunctious. As a teenager at Wilson High School, he was respectful and trustworthy. As a man, he was deemed worthy of protecting the president of the United States....

Tom Morello Keeps Punk-rock Spirit of Woody Guthrie Alive

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

Tom Morello says he rarely gets nervous anymore before he performs, in part because he's done just about everything from rocking stadiums with Rage Against the Machine to participating in protest rallies around the world as a guitar-thrashing activist....

DJ Pauly D Announces REMIX, His New Ready-to-Drink Pre-Game Cocktail

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

In June 2012, world-famous housemate turned world-class DJ, Pauly D, will debut a new ready to drink cocktail, REMIX Pre-Game Cocktail, launching in New Jersey, home of the Jersey Shore, Pauly's own home state, Rhode Island and other key markets....

Telemundo Media Announces More Than 800 Hours of New Content

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

Telemundo Media, the fastest growing broadcast network in primetime among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen, today announced its 2012-2013 programming lineup, with more than 800 hours of original content, increasing the network's original programming slate by nearly 40 percent....

Obama Urges Congress To Act On 'To-Do List' To Spur Economy

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday pressed Congress to act on a "To-Do List" to create jobs and help restore economic security for the middle class. "After the worst recession of our lifetimes, it will take longer than any of us would like for the economy to fully recover....

In Poll, 51 Percent Back President On Gays

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

More than half of Americans say they approve of President Obama's stance that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally, but 60% say his shift in position will have no bearing on how they'll vote in the November election, according to a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll....

Obama Stirs Churches

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

The pulpits of the nation's black churches took measure Sunday of President Obama's decision to support gay marriage, and the result was conflicted. Some churches were silent on the issue. At others, pastors spoke against the president's decision -- but kindly of the man himself....

Babies Benefit from Music Lessons

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

One-year-old babies exposed to music lessons demonstrated better communication and more sophisticated brain responses to music, Canadian researchers say. Laurel Trainor, director of the McMaster University's Institute for ...

Donnie Wahlberg Police Docu-series To Air on TNT

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

TNT says it has ordered a police docu-series called "Boston Blue" from executive producer Donnie Wahlberg and plans to air it next year. The show follows the men and women of the Boston Police Department's gang unit....

Jay-Z Announces Music Festival in Philadelphia; To Feature Nearly 30 Acts

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:27:56 PST

Jay-Z is in a Philadelphia State of Mind: The rapper announced a two-day music festival Monday in the City of Brotherly Love. The "Budweiser Made in America" festival will feature nearly 30 acts "that embody the American spirit" across three stages at Fairmount Park on Sept 1....

Unemployment Benefits To Run Out for 93,000 Californians

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:54 PST

An estimated 93,000 Californians lost unemployment benefits as of today when the federal government cut off funding that allowed the state to provide extended aid to the jobless since 2009. California's unemployment is still in the double digits -- 11 percent -- but even that rate is not high enough to meet the threshold for Washington to continue financing extended unemployment aid....

Life After College: High Unemployment and Depressed Wages

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:53 PST

They're facing high unemployment, depressed wages and loads of debt -- and they're only in their 20s. Welcome to life after college. Though the labor market is recovering slowly, graduates this spring have only slightly better chances of landing jobs than grads did in the depths of the recession, experts say....

University of Miami Job Cuts Could Have Major Impact on Research, Innovation

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:51 PST

When Nobel Laureate Andrew Schally arrived in South Florida six years ago, he was greeted with great fanfare and named a distinguished professor of pathology at the University of Miami medical school....

Former Rosie the Riveter Shares Lifetime of Memories

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:51 PST

At 91, Mildred Womack has numerous interests and talents and she has seen a lot of changes in her lifetime. As a young married woman, Womack did her part during World War II, working for Eastern Aircraft in Baltimore, on Chesapeake Bay....

'Creative Industries Can Be Job Creators Too'

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:51 PST

Fostering creative industries can spur economic growth and create jobs in addition to promoting international cultural cooperation, Jordanian and European officials said at a forum Sunday. Inaugurating the EuroMed Forum on Creative Industries and Society, which ...

Zimmerman's Lawyer To Get First Look At Evidence Today

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:51 PST

Who gets to see the evidence against George Zimmerman, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer awaiting trial on a charge of second-degree murder? Today, that will likely become a point of dispute between lawyers in the case and the most powerful media companies in the country....

Pay Gap A Factor As Jobs Sit Empty

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:51 PST

The number of job openings has risen to levels not seen in the past seven years, but employers continue to complain they can't find enough qualified workers to fill open positions. In the manufacturing industry, which has been responsible for most of ...

Firms Face Charges for Skipping Workers' Comp Payments

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:51 PST

Thousands of Ohio companies violated state law by not paying their most recent workers' compensation premium, which can drive up insurance costs for businesses that follow the rules, a Dayton Daily News analysis found....

Man Turns Grandma's Home Remedy Into Madison Heights Business

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:51 PST

When Lenny Wentz went to Halifax County Senior High School in the 1980s, he played football and baseball. As a quarterback and a pitcher, he would find himself sore and aching after games and practice....

Labor Market Recovery Remains Stubbornly Slow

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:51 PST

Among Wisconsin's publicly traded companies, probably none has a better perspective on the economy's key issue -- jobs -- than ManpowerGroup. As one of the world's largest providers of temporary workers, the Milwaukee-based firm constantly gauges the workforce needs of businesses....

Get Up To Speed On Digital World

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:50 PST

Most businesses today likely have a website and Facebook account, but may not be getting the maximum value from their digital presence. Nor do they know where to turn for help in improving their online "store." That's what the Desert Southwest Marketing and Social Networking Expo is all about....

Crowdfunding Uses the Internet To Fund Ideas

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:50 PST

Teenage brothers Garret and Dakota Porter have an idea but little cash. So they're asking for a little help from their friends. Actually, they're asking the whole world. The brothers are "crowdfunding" for the $8,800 they need to get 45th Parallel Lighting off the ground....

Gov. Rick Scott's Chief of Staff Draws Ethics Complaint for Using State Staff to Apply for a Job

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:50 PST

A state ethics complaint filed this week against Gov. Rick Scott's chief of staff Steve MacNamara alleges he used state employees to help him seek a college president's job in Montana. The complaint comes at a time when MacNamara has drawn media scrutiny for steering contracts to friends or associates and getting involved in personnel matters....

JPMorgan's $2-billion Loss Claims First Executive

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:50 PST

One of JPMorgan Chase's top executives will leave the firm in the fallout of the $2-billion loss announced last week, the bank said Monday. Chief Investment Officer Ina Drew will retire after more than 30 years ...

Yahoo Chief Out Over Resume Padding

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:50 PST

Yahoo parted ways Sunday with recently installed chief executive Scott Thompson amid questions about a computer science degree that appears on his resume, but which he apparently never earned. Thompson will be replaced as chairman of the board and interim chief executive by the internet firm's global media chief Ross Levinsohn, the company said in a statement....

Yahoo Fires Chief Over Resume Padding

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:45:50 PST

Yahoo fired its recently-installed chief executive Scott Thompson on Sunday amid questions about a computer science degree that appears on his resume, but which he apparently never earned. Thompson will be replaced as chairman of the board and interim chief executive officer by the internet firm's global media chief Ross Levinsohn, the company said in a press release....

Jay-Z and Budweiser Team for Philadelphia Music Fest

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:42:12 PST

Budweiser has tapped Jay-Z to both headline and curate a music festival through which the beer maker seeks to recapture the magic of its former concert event, the Budweiser Superfest. The concert event will be known as the "Made in America" festival and take place Sept. 1-2, 2012....

Peace Officers Memorial Day, May 15

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:13:22 PST

Memorial Day , in which Americans honor countrymen who have lost their lives in military service, is Monday, May 28. But this week, thanks to a bill that John F. Kennedy signed into law on October 1, 1962, U.S....

Bankruptcy Aims To Free Ally of Bad Mortgage Assets After Auto Rescue

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:06 PST

Ally Financial, which still owes the government about two-thirds of the $17.2 billion in emergency loans it received as part of the General Motors and Chrysler rescues, nudged its residential mortgage subsidiary into Chapter 11 bankruptcy today to shed toxic mortgage-related securities....

Stocks Undermine Crude Oil Prices

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:06 PST

Crude oil prices headed lower Monday, aiming for $94 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange after stocks were hit hard in Europe. Late last week, Spain ordered its banks to raise $39 billion to protect the financial system against a downturn....

Facebook Co-founder Renounces U.S. Citizenship Before IPO

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:06 PST

Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin has renounced his U.S. citizenship ahead of the social networking company's initial public offering (IPO), a move that may reduce his capital-gains tax bill, U.S....

KLM Allows You To 'Like' Seatmates: Social Media In the Air

Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:06 PST

Here's a program that Facebook aficionados might "like." The Dutch airline KLM is testing a system that allows passengers to use Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to pick the people they sit next to on flights....

JPMorgan Trio Set To Quit Over Trading Loss

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:27:44 PST

Three JPMorgan Chase senior executives are reportedly set to resign this week over the bank's $2 billion loss on derivatives trades, including the executive who oversaw the trade. US media, citing company executives, reported on Sunday that Jamie ...

Web Wealth: Watching Your Bank

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:27:44 PST

Last week's financial news included reports of a monster investment loss at JPMorgan and new rules for salvaging failed banks. Here are some sites for tracking banks' health and oversight. Who's in charge? This chart at the Fiscal Times website might simply confirm many folks' worries that bank oversight is so complicated that it makes no sense....

Cheers for Sabor Latino

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:27:44 PST

Cinco de Mayo celebrating came a day early with tequila shots at Sabor Latino, the 10th annual Latin Women's Initiative Luncheon and Fashion Show. Cyndy Garza Roberts chaired the festive event, which raised about $250,000 for distribution to six organizations....

European Union Wants Greece in the Eurozone

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:27:44 PST

The European Commission insisted Monday that it is dedicated to keeping Greece in the eurozone, after its president appeared to suggest in an interview that Athens should leave if it doesn't stick by its financial promises....

Chicago Summit to be Largest in NATO History

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:27:44 PST

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Friday that the upcoming Chicago summit would be the biggest one in the alliance's history, with some 60 nations and organizations represented. "NATO is, and will remain a transatlantic alliance....

More Families Have No Savings

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:27:44 PST

The economy may be improving but many American families are still weighed down by debt and without a safety net. One out of five families owes more on credit cards, medical bills, student loans and other unsecured debt than they have in savings, according to a new University of Michigan report....

JPMorgan Trading Loss Could Top $3 Billion

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:27:44 PST

Banks will "lose their battle" to weaken new Wall Street rules, a U.S. senator said, as JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s head said its trading loss could top $3 billion. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich. -- a proponent of the so-called Volcker rule, ...

Forensics Of A $2 Billion Bank Blunder

Mon, 14 May 2012 07:27:44 PST

The $2 billion loss at U.S. investment bank JPMorgan Chase looks small compared to the 9.3 percent share value loss the bank suffered on Friday, numbers show. With shares losing $3.78 to $6.96, more than $14.4 billion of the bank's value on the stock market was erased Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported....