Durant's 42 helps send Lakers to 6th straight loss

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Kevin Durant hit a 3-pointer in the final second of the first half and did a full reverse somersault to celebrate a 16-point lead. The Thunder were running the Lakers out of their own building, and not even Kobe Bryant could stop them.

Oklahoma City is again clearly among the best teams in the Western Conference, and the struggling Lakers may not have enough time left in the season to join them.

Durant scored a season-high 42 points, Russell Westbrook had 27 points and 10 assists, and Oklahoma City easily sent the short-handed Lakers to their sixth straight loss, 116-101 on Friday night.

Kevin Martin scored 15 points and hit three 3-pointers for the Thunder, who romped to a 27-point lead in the second half. Oklahoma City has won seven of nine, while Los Angeles is on its longest skid since March 2007 while playing without injured stars Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol.

Oklahoma City (28-8) matched the Clippers for the NBA's best record ? and the Thunder made it look easy with a virtuoso game from Durant, who had 38 points midway through the third quarter.

"Coming in here, it's tough to win no matter what," Durant insisted after the Thunder coasted down the stretch. "We did a great job of just playing together at both ends of the floor all night and not taking those guys lightly. They've got two of the best players in the world out, so we just wanted to come out and have a good game."

They had a bit more than a good game. Durant hit four 3-pointers and his usual array of athletic shots whenever he wanted, while Westbrook finished three rebounds shy of a triple-double while playing less than 35 minutes.

The Thunder only had three scorers in double figures, but that was more than enough.

Westbrook, a Los Angeles native, has little sympathy for the Lakers.

"They're not done. They have a lot more games left, and I'm pretty sure they're going to find a way to get it together," Westbrook said. "Our job is to worry about our team and our organization. It wasn't easy. I just think we did a good job of playing team basketball defensively, and it showed. Kevin took control most of the game."

The Lakers (15-21) hadn't lost this many consecutive games since the year before they acquired Gasol and embarked on a run to three straight NBA finals. With Cleveland and Milwaukee visiting over the next four days, the Lakers have a chance to get competitive again ? but they're facing an uphill climb just to get into playoff contention.

"I told the team, the biggest thing is our season starts Sunday," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We've got to make a run. We've got one shot at it, and everybody needs to get ready mentally and physically. From there on, we can't make any more false steps. That's just how it is. We put ourselves in this ditch, and we're the only ones that can get it out, and hopefully we can get some guys back and start our season Sunday."

Bryant scored 28 points and Antawn Jamison added 19 against Oklahoma City, but Los Angeles looked lost and overmatched in its third straight game without Howard and Gasol.

The Thunder eliminated Bryant and the Lakers from last season's playoffs in five games, and Los Angeles has shown few signs of being able to compete with the defending conference champions this season. Injuries aren't the only problem, but Howard likely is out for at least another week with a shoulder injury, while Gasol still hasn't been cleared to return from his concussion.

"We're just very frustrated and upset about what we're going through right now, and how we're playing," Bryant said. "We're going to have to make some big adjustments if we're going to be successful. We gave up about 120 points tonight, and a lot of them were just layups and easy looks at the rim."

Steve Nash had seven points and seven assists in a quiet 30 minutes for the Lakers, who announced during the second quarter that backup big man Jordan Hill likely needs season-ending surgery on his left hip. Metta World Peace added 12 points, going 1 for 9 on 3-point attempts.

"We showed some fight, but we just were a little overmatched," Nash said. "They're bigger than us at almost every position. Kevin got hot, and we couldn't contain him in the second quarter. As the game wore on, I just think the difference in depth and quality took over."

NOTES: Before the game, Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, announced they've called off their divorce proceedings. Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce in December 2011. ... The teams meet again at Staples Center on Jan. 27. Oklahoma City also visits to face the Clippers on Jan. 22. ... Charlize Theron, Adam Sandler, Robin Thicke, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Mehmet Oz and Chad Johnson watched the game from courtside.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/durants-42-helps-send-lakers-6th-straight-loss-085640987--spt.html

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Real estate news | For What It's Worth

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Source: http://christopherfountain.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/real-estate-news-10/

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BoC's Macklem sees near-term softness in economy

KINGSTON, Ontario (Reuters) - High household debt is stretching the Bank of Canada's low interest rate strategy to the limit, Senior Deputy Governor Tiff Macklem said on Thursday, hinting that the central bank will retain its bias toward higher interest rates.

Macklem, considered the strongest candidate to be the next governor of the central bank after Mark Carney leaves later this year, said keeping rates low for the longest period since the early 1950s was the right thing to do during the global financial crisis and in its aftermath.

"It was the right thing to do... That strategy is reaching its limits and rising levels of household indebtedness have created a vulnerability," he said in response to a question from the audience following a speech at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

Macklem said in his speech that the Canadian economy will likely be more sluggish than expected in the near term but that momentum will pick up throughout 2013.

"We continue to expect economic activity to pick up through 2013, but near-term momentum now appears to be slightly softer than previously anticipated," Macklem said.

"These and other developments will all be taken into consideration as we revise our economic projections, to be published on January 23 with the next interest rate decision," he added.

The bank is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate on hold at 1.0 percent later this month. But it has been hinting for months that its next move will be up, not down and the debate in markets is just how soon it will act.

Market players surveyed by Reuters in late November forecast the bank would raise rates in the fourth quarter of this year. Yields on overnight index swaps, which trade based on expectations for the policy rate, show traders do not fully pricing in a rate hike this year.

In another hawkish sign, Macklem repeated comments by Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney that in the current circumstances, the bank may want to set interest rates higher than would normally be warranted to reach its 2 percent inflation target within six to eight quarters.

He cited Canada's record high household debt as a factor that could influence the timing and degree of any rate increases.

"If the bank were to lean against such imbalances, we would clearly say we are doing so, and indicate how much longer we expect it would take for inflation to return to the 2 percent target," he said, echoing previous remarks made by Mark Carney, the bank's current chief.

Michael Gregory, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets, believes the bank's January 23 announcement will keep its language on the need to raise interest rates.

"It will be retained even though the Bank's economic projection will be downgraded ... and the output gap, currently expected to close by the end of 2013, might be pushed into early 2014," he wrote in a note to clients.

Macklem's speech is being closely watched as he is widely viewed as the most qualified candidate to take over as governor after Carney leaves to be the next governor of the Bank of England.

Debt accumulation by Canadian consumers is slowing and if the trend continues the ratio of household debt to income - which hit a historic high of 163 percent in the third quarter of last year - will stabilize later this year, he said.

Fears of an overheated housing market are also starting to wane amid signs real estate activity is cooling. Macklem predicted housing construction would moderate to come in line with demographic demand at some point this year.

He warned though, that it was too early to tell if these trends would last.

While he stressed the bank's commitment to keeping inflation low and stable, Macklem also highlighted the need for flexibility in the time it takes to reach the inflation target. The global crisis taught us that price stability and financial stability are linked, he said, and one should not be pursued without keeping an eye on the other.

"It may be appropriate in some circumstances for monetary policy to complement macroprudential policy and contribute to financial stability directly.

(Reporting by Randall Palmer, writing by Louise Egan and Cameron French; editing by Janet Guttsman and David Gregorio)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bocs-macklem-sees-near-term-softness-economy-215305490--business.html

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Obama sets State of the Union for Feb. 12

President Barack Obama will deliver the State of the Union address on February 12, a senior White House official told POLITICO on Friday.

House Speaker John Boehner invited the president with a formal letter dated Friday.

"Our nation continues to face immense challenges, and the American people expect us to work together in the new year to find meaningful solutions," Boehner said in the letter. "This will require a willingness to seek common ground as well as presidential leadership. For that reason, the Congress and the Nation would welcome an opportunity to hear your plan and specific solutions for addressing America?s great challenges."

Read more about: State Of The Union 2013

Source: http://feeds.politico.com/click.phdo?i=140b26dd2f8275fc08eb441e8d57d63c

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FAA safety alert tackles exploding coffee filters

1 day

Flight attendants already have to look out for cranky passengers, portable electronic devices that stubbornly stay on and giant carry-ons wedged into overhead bins. Now,?there's a new menace: exploding coffee filters.

A safety alert issued by the Federal Aviation Administration last week?warns that several airlines and flight attendants have reported coffee filter packages bursting in-flight, causing first and second degree burns to crew members and bystanders.

The mishaps occur while the hot beverage is brewing in drip-style coffee makers on board, apparently caused by a pressure build-up in the filter package. Warning signs include water overflow and ?a hissing noise,? the FAA said.

?When the coffee pot handle is lifted, the coffee filter containing the hot coffee grounds can burst causing burns to the face, neck, hands, arms and torso in varying degrees of severity,? the safety alert notes.

The government advises crews to make sure the packages are not folded and to use only one filter per pot.

If the water begins to overflow from the basket or makes a hissing sound, flight attendants should step aside, not raise the handle and turn off the unit, the FAA counsels.

Longtime flight attendant Heather Poole said she?s heard about the problem, but she?s never seen a filter ?explode? and doesn't know anyone hurt in such a mishap.

?We're taught how to insert the bag so that it doesn't happen,? said Poole, the author of ?Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet.?

She added that the most common issue with coffee filters in flight is that they break ? not violently burst ? which means the grounds get into the water, so the flight attendant must clean out the pot and start anew. Even that simple added step can disrupt a crew?s tightly choreographed routine on a plane.

?It takes a little extra time to clean out a coffee pot in the galley because our water trickles out,? Poole said.

?It also seems like it takes forever to brew when passengers on morning flights want their coffee now, now, now.?

Still, the bursting coffee filters are enough of a concern that the FAA is encouraging airlines to add ?cautionary instructions and procedures? to the Flight Attendant Manual and training program, warning crew members of the dangers to people and equipment.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/faa-safety-alert-tackles-exploding-coffee-filters-1B7924226

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Chelsea man ordered to pay $7M after alleged scam linked to Facebook IPO

A Chelsea man who ran a scam that claimed to put investors? money into Facebook?s IPO and other investments has been ordered to pay nearly $7.3 million.

Gary J. Martel pled guilty in U.S. District Court last month to selling fictitious investment products. Through companies he called Martel Financial Group and MFG Funding, Martel took money from investors who believed he was investing in social media giant Facebook?s IPO, pass-through bonds, mortgage-related securities and other investments.

An investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission found that Martel was instead keeping the money and using it for himself.

The SEC claimed Martel ripped off investors in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and Florida.

The court?s final judgment, issued Monday, orders Martel to pay $3.3 million in disgorgement of profits he made as a result of the fraud, $695,800 in interest and a civil penalty of $3.3 million.

Source: http://feeds.bizjournals.com/~r/bizj_boston/~3/BIr546IWj6Q/chelsea-mans-facebook-fraud.html

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State files action against rigged Internet penny auction site | Boomer ...

Bidders on electronics and other goods auctioned on ArrowOutlet.com thought they were competing with other human beings. But, it turns out, they were often battling ?bots,? according to a lawsuit filed by the Washington State Attorney General?s Office.

?Arrow Outlet programmed ?bidbots,? software that runs ? that cheats ? automatically,? Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna said in a statement. ?These programs created bogus bids that rigged results. And the bidbots sometimes won, allowing Arrow Outlet to walk away with all the bidders? money and the auction item.?

The agency announced a settlement today with the so-called ?penny auction? site. The company will shut down its auctions and provide restitution to its customers, McKenna said.

Penny auctions

Arrow Outlet?s site required bids to be purchased in ?packs? that cost at least $20. Auctions would generally take place over a period of days or hours. When the remaining time ticked below 15 seconds, each new bid increased the remaining time by 15 seconds. But Assistant Attorney General Jake Bernstein, who handled the case, said Arrow Outlet?s bidbots were engineered to secretly intervene in the process.

?By deploying hidden programming to simulate bidding, Arrow Outlet increased the number of bids required for real consumers to win an auction,? said Bernstein. ?That practice is obviously unfair and deceptive ? a clear violation of our state?s Consumer Protection Act.?

In a consent decree filed today, Arrow Outlet is, among other restrictions, barred from running penny auctions. It agrees not to violate the Consumer Protection Act by misrepresenting online products and services.

The company will pay $20,000 in Attorney?s fees and $15,000 in penalties, with another $35,000 suspended as long as the company follows the terms of the settlement.

Restitution

Arrow Outlet will pay the Attorney General?s Office $50,000 to run an Arrow Outlet restitution fund for Washington state consumers.

Up to $250 will be available for each Washington state consumer who purchased bids between Aug. 1, 2010 through July 31, 2012. To receive restitution, Washington state consumers must contact the Attorney General?s Office and request a claim form. The claim form will be available in about two months.

This is the third penny auction site shut down by the agency. In 2010, the office negotiated a deal to shut down PennyBidr, which, like ArrowOutlet.com, programmed fake bids. In 2011, the agency stopped another penny auction site that was failing to deliver items to the winning bidder.

The agency advises consumers to beware of penny auction sites.

For more information for boomer consumers, see my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/boomerconsumer/2013/01/10/state-files-action-against-rigged-internet-penny-auction-site/

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Don't Get Your Money Advice from Suze Orman ... - Yahoo! Finance

Few people know how to manage their personal finances effectively. That?s why we spend millions of dollars every year on books and seminars that tell us how to get rich quick and get out of debt.

Suze Orman, Dave Ramsey, Robert Kiyosaki and David Bach are just some of the best-known personal finance experts advising and lecturing indebted Americans about their foolish and short-sighted money decisions. Yet these are exactly the individuals that the average person should not be listening to for financial solutions according to Helaine Olen, author of the new book "Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry" and former editor of the Money Makeover series in the Los Angeles Times.

In an interview with The Daily Ticker, Olen says these financial gurus either offer platitudes or ?dreadful? advice that don?t apply to most people?s lives or situations.

?The idea that anyone can give specific advice to millions of people first of all doesn?t really work,? she says. ?We?re not archetypes.?

Most Americans are under serious financial strain and the advice ?parroted? by these so-called experts is ?easier said than done,? Olen argues.

The stats Olen uses to paint the economic picture of a typical American is alarming: Americans have less than $100,000 saved in dedicated retirement accounts and 43% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Salaries have stagnated and Americans? net worth has fallen nearly 40% between 2007 and 2010.

Related: Three Disturbing Economic Trends for 2013

Moreover, people don?t rack up thousands of dollars in credit card bills because they buy too much, she says. Unexpected and costly medical emergencies, divorce or long bouts of unemployment are the main reasons Americans find themselves drowning in debt.

Ending such indulgences as daily Starbucks lattes (recommended by David Bach) or buying one or two or three homes with zero down (promoted by Robert Kiyosaki) are exactly the tips that have steered Americans in the wrong direction and provided false hope to many desperate individuals.

Related: How to Be Richer and Smarter Than Your Parents: Zac Bissonnette

Olen takes particular umbrage at the assertion that one can become a millionaire by putting all of their savings in the stock market. Suze Orman has promoted this suggestion before on CNBC and in her numerous books, but Orman has admitted that she rarely invests in stocks and prefers the safety of municipal bonds, according to Olen. Equities are extremely volatile and rarely provide the 12% annual return that Orman and Dave Ramsey tout for people looking to quadruple their income, Olen adds.

Olen does agree with the overall message promoted by most personal finance experts that Americans should pay off high-interest credit cards and reduce their overall debt burdens. But she insists that there?s no one size fits all solution. Instead she says society needs to change its attitude toward money and encourage more frank, candid discussions about debt and saving.

Olen purposely avoids making her own personal finance recommendations in "Pound Foolish" but does proffer one tip she?s learned over the years as a personal finance journalist: invest in market index funds. They won?t make one rich but they offer the best return with the least amount of risk, she says.

More from The Daily Ticker:

Top Risks to Global Markets in 2013: Eurasia Group

Polaroid Reinvents Itself Again With "Fotobars"

Apple's Cheap iPhone Is A Great Move For The Company

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/don-t-money-advice-suze-orman-dave-ramsey-122754956.html

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Samsung announces Galaxy S II Plus with Jelly Bean, dual-core CPU

Samsung Galaxy S II Plus i9105 Samsung announces Galaxy S II Plus with Jelly Bean, dual core CPUOther manufacturers might be busying showing-off their flagship devices at CES 2013, but Samsung has taken a different route by announcing Galaxy S II Plus today. Powered by Jelly Bean and a dual-core processor, Galaxy S II Plus does not really add any pluses to the original Galaxy S II.

The smartphone features a 4.3-inch WVGA(480?800) Super AMOLED Plus display, 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 8MP rear camera, 2MP front camera, FM Radio, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal storage,? and 1,650 mAh battery.

It is likely to join Galaxy S III mini in the mid-range segment of the Korean manufacturer?s smartphone portfolio.

Samsung is releasing two variants of the phone, with and without NFC. The NFC variant will be 0.4mm thicker; the rest of the dimensions will remain same. It will be sold in white and dark blue colours.

The original Galaxy S II was launched back in April 2011 and turned out to one of the biggest selling smartphones from the company.

There is no word on the pricing of release date right now, but we expect to see the phone on sale in next few weeks.

Source: http://androidos.in/2013/01/samsung-galaxy-s-ii-plus/

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