http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com SpoonyLife fr-FR http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/north-interbay-group-seeks-to-loosen-industrial-zoning-15464.html Industrial Pipeline Developers like Thompson just want to make more money on theirgambles in industrial real estate, he charges. "This is all aboutinstantaneous gratification." The City Council could take up the Interbay NeighborhoodAssociation's proposal this fall. North Interbay is a triangular sliver of the city, boundedgenerally by West Dravus Street, the BNSF railroad yards and busy15th Avenue West. It's a jumble of vacant lots, storage yards and mostly olderfactories and warehouses. Most who work in the area or live nearby agree it's rundown. "It's dead here. Just dead," says Chuck Read, whose companymanufactures custom cutting boards. About one-third of the area, mostly along Dravus and 15th, is zonedfor commercial uses. The Interbay Neighborhood Association is pushing for big changeshere, too a rezone to allow condo or apartment towers up to125 feet tall. The city's Department of Planning and Development last monthproposed towers not top 85 feet. Planners said taller buildingswould be incompatible with nearby industry. North Interbay's industrially zoned blocks hold businesses thatmanufacture doors and cabinets and musical instruments. There's a steel-products warehouse, a marine-equipment supplyoperation and several machine shops. Other businesses don't really qualify as industrial: adog-obedience school, a fitness club, a company that rents partytents and canopies, another that markets sex toys. The Interbay Neighborhood Association cited that mix in itspetition to trim the area from BINMIC. The neighborhood already lacks the intensity of "hard-core"industrial uses that should define a manufacturing/industrialcenter, proponents argue; deleting it would just reflect reality. The city's restrictions on nonindustrial uses "lump me in with100-acre tracts in South Seattle that are pouring steel," saysRead. "Every area has different needs and different requirements." Thompson, Nitty Gritty's developer, contends mixed-use projectslike his would create "a more upgraded environment for industrialuses and a more respectful environment for customers." But just 12 percent of the land in Seattle is zoned industrial. AndAakervik, of the BINMIC Action Committee, says North Interbayoffers the access to rail and water that industry needs, and thatfew other areas offer. Industrial development in the area has been stymied, he says,because property owners aren't satisfied with its potential returnsand are speculating that zoning changes will make them richer. Dave Gering, executive director of the Manufacturing IndustrialCouncil of Seattle, says a project like the Nitty Gritty wouldcause him more heartburn if it were proposed in a heavy-industrystronghold like Georgetown or SoDo, rather than North Interbay. Gering's organization supported the limits on nonindustrial usesthe City Council approved last December. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:02:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/metal-fabricator-requests-rroad-closing-for-growth-15462.html Metal Fabricator The company fabricates metal for power plant ducts, structuralsteel, conveyors, hoppers and stainless steel scrubbers for coalplants, Mr. Parker said. The company also manufactures powertransmission lines for the Tennessee Valley Authority, he said.Another large customer is Georgia Power. Mr. Parker said he started his business in 1995 with a building andan acre of land. He expanded twice, and bought five acres adjoiningthe site two years ago, and then bought another tract on BrownStreet. The road closure also would benefit his company and a neighboringbusiness by preventing theft, Mr. Parker said. Both companiesfrequently have break-ins, he said. "I'll sit out here at night and they'll circle the block lookingfor something to steal," Mr. Parker said. The commission approved a request by former planningcommissioner Mike Price to grant a road-width variance at the ElderCove subdivision in Tiftonia. The request was not on the Mondayagenda. Mr. Price, owner of MAP Engineers, said he had filed thevariance with the planning agency, but the case was not scheduledto be heard until the July meeting. The Elder Cove developers are installing roadside drainage in thesubdivision and needed to reduce the road's width. The projectwould have been held up if the developers had had to wait until theJuly planning commission meeting, Mr. Price said. Planning agency director Barry Bennett said after the meeting thatwhile granting a request that's not on the agenda is unusual, itcan be done under extreme circumstances. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:00:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/india-copper-eases-on-rising-lme-15460.html lme copper Indian copper futures gave up early gains and eased on Tuesday after rising inventories dampened sentiment, analysts said. At 4.50 p.m., the benchmark June copper MCCM8 on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) was down 0.39 percent at 344.25 rupees per kg. Copper inventories on the London Metal Exchange were up 1,500 tonnes to 123,550 tonnes on Tuesday. "Rising inventories pushed down copper after it gained in the morning but it should rise again because the outlook continues to be strong," said an analyst from Motilal Oswal Commodities Broker Pvt Ltd. Prices found support earlier after China reported a 25.6 percent surge in urban investment in the first five months of the year which indicated a positive demand outlook for metals. Copper prices also found support from falling Chinese imports. China is importing less copper, despite domestic demand, and expectations are that the local shortage will push traders to buy the metal over, supporting prices China's imports of unwrought copper fell 25 percent in May from April. Prices also rose on fresh supply concerns from Peru, where protestors blocked a mine belonging to Southern Copper (PCU.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (SPC.LM: Quote, Profile, Research), the country's largest copper producer [nN16263028]. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:59:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/control4-introduces-standards-based-ip-entertainment-15459.html lighting wire Control4 Corporation, a leader in affordable IP-based controland entertainment systems, today announced the release of Control4 ? Suite Systems, a customized version of the company ' s popular home automation and entertainment control technology forthe hospitality market. The Control4 Suite Systems provides aplatform of innovative convenience and automation for the in-roomenvironment by enabling hotel guests to control lighting, roomtemperature, television/video systems, music, draperies andrequests for services through a single Control4 ? remote. "We' ve worked closely with the industry to develop a fully customizedroom automation platform that is incredibly easy to use, installand maintain, " said Will West, Chief Executive Officer at Control4. " The Control4 Suite Systems truly transforms the guest experience byproviding completely new functionality that significantly enhancesthe customer ' s stay and provides differentiation for the destination. Thehospitality market represents a huge market opportunity forControl4 ? technology and we look forward to applying our expertise forcontinued innovation. " Control4 Suite Systems provides the hospitality industry apractical, reliable automation operating system that is affordable.For new property construction, operators will see significantsavings in construction costs because the Control4 Suite Systems ' wireless features eliminate virtually all in-room, low-voltagewiring, and require less conduit, labor and materials for controland lighting systems than traditional wire-based systems. The Control4 hospitality solution also offers a non-obtrusive andeasy way to save money by managing precious resources such asenergy, water, money and time. Control4 Suite Systems can beprogrammed to automatically put a room into unoccupied status uponcheckout turning down or off the heating/cooling system, televisions,lights and any appliances. According to Green Lodging News,lighting accounts for up to 35 percent of a hotel ' s energy bill, while up to 50-70 percent of a hotel ' s energy bill is attributed to heating and cooling. "The Mandarin is renowned for offering personalized comfort andconvenience for our hotel guests, " said David Heckaman, VP Technology, Mandarin Resorts. " Control4 Suite Systems provides a technology platform that takesthat personalized experience to an entirely new level. Bothcorporate and leisure guests will delight in this highlysophisticated, yet easy-to-use service that makes the roomenvironment more relaxing and enjoyable. " Control4 Suite Systems is also easy to install. Wired and wirelesssolutions are available for installation in both new constructionand most retrofits of properties meeting LEED certificationbuilding standards. To facilitate interoperability and integration between partnerproducts and Control4 ' s digital home platform, Control4 is licensing its operating systemthrough the C4iQ ? certified partner program. C4iQ ? approved technology enables companies to embed the Control4operating system into a range of products, such as televisions,routers, receivers, etc. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:57:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/magnetic-sensor-ignores-large-local-fields-15457.html Small MagnetResearchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a novelmagnetic sensor that they claim for the first time detects tinyfluctuations in a small magnetic field even when there is astrong magnet right beside it. The sensor can therefore be utilised even in places where powercables generate an interference field for instance, in acar's side mirror. In the car mirror application, if there is a change of driver it isnormally required to adjust the position of the mirror and theseat. To provide automatic adjustment for each driver, a tiny chip in thekey or a corresponding button on the dashboard can be pressed,enabling all adjustment to be performed very easily. There is a tiny magnet in the mirror and another in the seat, whoseposition is detected by a magnetic sensor and which enables themirror to be correctly adjusted. The only problem with this systemis that the cables supplying the power for heating the mirror andcontrolling the stepper motor also generate a magnetic field. The sensor therefore sees not only the field generated by themagnet, but also that of the power cable and errors can bemade. Up to now, therefore, such magnetic field sensors have had tobe screened. This is difficult and expensive. A new type of integrated 3-D magnetic field sensor from theFraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) in Erlangen,Germany, can work without screening. The researchers have arrangedseveral sensors in a pixel cell in such a way that they can measureall three components of the magnetic field in one place. If two ofthese pixel cells are placed on a chip, the sensor measures notonly the magnetic field as such, but also how the position of themagnetic field changes. IIS team leader Dr Hans-Peter Hohe states:"This sensor enables us for the first time to identifymagnetic interference fields as such and to separate them from theuseful field. The sensor works perfectly even when the interferencefield is considerably larger than the useful field. There istherefore no need for shielding." Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:57:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/crm-s-cdc-softwareschneider-electric-says-upgrade-15456.html Hardware Supply CRM vendor CDC Software, a wholly owned subsidiary of China's CDC Corporation, has announced that Schneider Electric (News - Alert) has gone live with its upgrade to cWMS Release 10, a warehouse management system part of the CDC Supply Chain suite. With more than 2,000 employees and revenue in excess of the equivalent of $977 million, Schneider sells electrical distribution and automation control products and services in the country and has rapidly expanded its logistics operations over the past 10 years. Since first implementing an earlier version of CDC Software's (News - Alert) "cWMS" 10 years ago, Schneider consolidated two of its warehouse sites, while at the same time expanding capacity to 50 tons of throughput per day, covering 14,000 product lines, resulting in cost savings and higher productivity. Andrew Holdroyd, logistics projects manager, said the company "needed to upgrade our warehouse functionality and systems to support our growing business volume and new distribution service in a multi-brand environment." Michael Shrimplin, logistics development analyst for Schneider, said while the initial go-live "covered an ‘as-is' upgrade, the latest version of cWMS will allow us to implement additional functionality... these include capabilities such as cartonisation, which will help improve item scanning, picking accuracy and overall quality control." CRM vendor CDC Software, a wholly owned subsidiary of IT company CDC Corporation, has announced three multi-million dollar contracts recently. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:55:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/reliance-steel-purchases-pnagroup-for-1.1bln-15454.html Platinum Bar Reliance Steel et Aluminum Co. said Tuesday it agreed to buy PNAGroup Holding Corp., a steel service center group owned by PlatinumEquity, for about $1.1 billion. Shares of Reliance rose $6.82, or 4.7 percent, to $74.43 shortlyafter the opening bell. The deal is expected to close within 60 days, pending regulatoryapprovals. Los Angeles-based Reliance Steel expects to finance the dealthrough its existing credit facility and by raising about $750million by issuing new debt and equity securities. Reliance, which processes and sells products to aerospace, energyand construction companies, said it expects the deal to immediatelyboost earnings. Through its subsidiaries, PNA Group processes and distributesprimarily carbon steel plate, bar, structural and flat-rolledproducts. PNA subsidiaries include Delta Steel LP, Feralloy Corp.,Infra-Metals Co., Metals Supply Company Ltd., PrecisionFlamecutting and Steel LP and Sugar Steel Corp. PNA had 2007 sales of about $1.6 billion. Reliance reported saleslast year of about $7.26 billion. PNA has 23 steel service centers in the United States, five jointventures and seven service centers in the U.S. and Mexico. Reliancehas about 180 locations in the U.S. and about 37 across Belgium,Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materialmay not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:54:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/reliance-steel-aluminum-co.-signs-deal-to-acquire-pnagroup-15452.html including aluminum Reliance Steel et Aluminum Co. (NYSE:RS) announced today thatit has reached an agreement to acquire the outstanding capitalstock of PNA Group Holding Corporation, a national steel servicecenter group owned by Platinum Equity. The transaction is valued atapproximately $1.1 billion. PNA ' s subsidiaries include the operating entities Delta Steel, LP,Feralloy Corporation, Infra-Metals Co., Metals Supply Company,Ltd., Precision Flamecutting and Steel, LP and Sugar SteelCorporation. Through its subsidiaries, PNA processes anddistributes primarily carbon steel plate, bar, structural andflat-rolled products. 2007 and first quarter 2008 revenues for PNAwere about $1.6 billion and $474 million, respectively. PNA has 23steel service centers throughout the United States, as well as fivejoint ventures that operate a total of seven service centers in theUnited States and Mexico. The transaction is expected to be consummated within the next 60days, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, includingobtaining required regulatory approvals. Reliance expects tofinance the transaction, including the replacement of PNA ' s existing debt, through a combination of borrowings under Reliance ' s existing credit facility and by raising approximately $750million through the issuance of a combination of new debt andequity securities. " The PNA operations complement our existing business and add newproducts in many geographic areas that further enhance thecustomer, product and geographic diversification of our business.Through the PNA joint ventures, we also gain entry into a newmarket for us in Mexico, " said David H. Hannah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Inregard to the financing, Hannah stated, " We expect that this transaction, including the impact of theexpected financing, will be immediately accretive to our earnings,with the dilution from any new shares issued offset by the earningsfrom PNA and savings from our lower cost of capital. Additionally,we expect our balance sheet and liquidity to remain strong. " Reliance Steel et Aluminum Co., headquartered in Los Angeles,California, is the largest metals service center company in theUnited States. Through a network of more than 180 locations in 37states and Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the UnitedKingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processingservices and distributes a full line of over 100,000 metalproducts. These products include galvanized, hot-rolled andcold-finished steel; stainless steel; aluminum; brass; copper;titanium and alloy steel sold to more than 125,000 customers invarious industries. Reliance Steel et Aluminum Co. ' s press releases and additional information are available on theCompany ' s web site at www.rsac.com . The Company was named to the 2007 " Fortune 500 " List and the Fortune 2007 " 100 Fastest Growing Companies " List and the Fortune 2008 List of " America ' s Most Admired Companies " and the 2008 Forbes " Platinum 400 List of America ' s Best Big Companies. " This release may contain forward-looking statements relating tofuture financial results and the proposed acquisition and relatedfinancing of PNA. Actual results and events may differ materiallyas a result of many factors over which Reliance Steel etAluminum Co. has no control. These risk factors and additionalinformation are included in the Company ' s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007and other reports Reliance Steel et Aluminum Co. has on filewith the Securities and Exchange Commission. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:53:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/shop-sui-by-sylvia-tai-at-no.-227-has-funky-printed-t-shirts-8954.html Printed Velvet Shop Sui by Sylvia Tai at No. 227 has funky printed T-shirts youwon't see on anyone else's back, while Little Salon at No. 71 is asmall but perfectly formed boutique selling designer scarves,handbags and more. Food Melbourne's best Italian pizzeria is not on Lygon Street. There areno red-and-white checked tablecloths or Ferrari posters, just darkwood, marble-topped tables - and authentic wood-fired pizzas withminimalist toppings. It's Ladro, at No. 224a, a slick diner thathas held tightly to its one hat in The Age Good Food Guide. Justcome early or you've got no chance of getting a table. Anotherdarling of Melbourne foodies is the Gertrude St Enoteca at No. 229.Started by slow food proponent Brigitte Hafner, it is part winebar, part cafe - and everything that Clover Moore is trying toencourage in Sydney. Tables are surrounded by shelves ofinteresting bottles of wine - you can get a French Pouilly-Fume orartisan cognac, a coffee or an antipasto platter. Jars of picklesand olives line the window and a sign proudly declares the Enotecais a "GM Free Zone". In fact, it's more a philosophy than a shop. The Builders Arms pub on the corner does both reconstructed pubgrub and Middle-Eastern specialities. The menu ranges from suchAnglo staples as corned beef and bread and butter pud to Greekskordalia and tagines. And don't be fooled by the traditionalyellow-tiled exterior - inside, think disco balls and not a pokiein sight. Dante's restaurant and wine bar at No. 150 is a bit of aboho institution and is a great place to go for tapas and a drink.Also worth mentioning is Fatto A Mano organic bakery at No. 228,which apart from a variety of breads and rolls, sells irresistiblypuffy Italian sugar doughnuts. Art It has to be remembered that the art galleries in Gertrude Streetare what started to draw fashionable and creative types into itsorbit in the first place. At No. 200 is Gertrude Contemporary ArtSpaces, a collection of galleries and studios started in 1983. TheDiane Tanzer Gallery at No. 108 also started in the 1980s and isdedicated to exhibiting innovative artists. Also see SeventhGallery at No. 155, which has two galleries rotating severalexhibitions each month. Books Artisan Books at No. 159 is crammed with unusual literary finds.Here, you can find tomes on everything from crop circles to bodyart. Title at No. 183 is a new shop staffed by musos, stocking raremusic and films. If you need an obscure piece of vinyl, look nofurther. Some of the items on display included a vinyl soundtrackof the film Lolita, a collector's edition DVD of Zatoichi and theFritz The Cat series. The standout bookshop here is Books for Cooksat No. 233, Australia's largest seller of cookbooks. There arebooks that date back to the 18th century, a foreign languagesection and of course the latest titles from top cookbook authorsaround the globe (the day I pass, Stephane Reynaud's Terrine wasfeatured). Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:36:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/herb-benham-table-shopping-no-picnic-8951.html A pea-sized meteorite, a large, wobbly bird, a sign with noindication of what the sign meant? Whatever it was, the table tops detonation meant that we were leftwith the square, green, rickety table on the deck that has servedas the bed for Gennie, our huge black lab mix, for the last fewyears. The solution seemed simple to me. Dust off the square table, Picnic Table Cloth on it, and when the weather was nice enough to sitoutside, eat dinner there. We are not going to eat dinner on a dog table, my wife said. A dog table? A dog table is different than a table on which a dogsleeps. If we follow this reasoning, then we must designate thehandsome blue carpet inside our family room as the dog rug eventhough this is a rug we proudly use ourselves. This was not a winnable argument. As far as Sue was concerned,Gennie, by virtue of logging thousands of hours of sleep on the topof the table, had imparted a certain dogness to the table that madeit off-limits to what city planners might call mixed use. TABLE SHOPPING NO PICNIC Dont even think about a picnic table that is not made ofredwood, said Russ, a friend, who conspires to make life moredifficult by throwing up issues of taste and expense at everyopportunity. Redwood? Of course. Why not wrought iron, marble or beaten gold? The problem with iron, marble or gold is with theirpurchase, thehomeowner moves from the picnic table genre to patio furniture orperhaps even to heirloom status. Couple patio and furniture, twoinnocuous words when used separately, and summer vacation plans areat risk. Im going to find a table, I announced recently as if I wereleaving the cabin to track down and shoot an elk. Costco was the first stop. They had a marble-like table similar tothe one neighbors had that was beautiful, solid and cost more than$1,000. It also required a seven-ton crane to move it three inches. Next up was Lowes, which had one of those old-fashioned picnictables made of pine with the benches attached displayed in front ofthe store for $90. Pine's fine until the first rain and then your picnic table bowsand turns into Noahs Ark. Inside Lowes was a beautiful wrought-iron table with fourwrought-iron chairs. I sat down on one of the comfortable swivelchairs. I called Sue and asked her to come and look at the set,which I was confident shed absolutely love. It's ugly, Sue said, when she finally arrived. I want to likeit, but I cant. How do you argue with ugly? Ugly has never lost an argument. Theonly thing that trumps ugly is pretty and pretty was not available. Wal-Mart. No. Target. No. After three hours of shopping for picnictables on Rosedale Highway, I was no closer to an elk or a table onwhich to serve it so I returned home. The next day, I called several glass shops. It costs $200 toreplace the glass top. Two hundred bucks puts us back in businessand solves the problem of eating on a table with a large black labas the centerpiece. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:34:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/world-s-top-cable-firms-try-reining-in-heavy-web-use-8949.html Nylon Cable Gland Top U.S. cable operators Comcast Corp and Time Warner Cable Inc will begin testing ways this week to limit individual subscribers who use the largest amount of Internet capacity in an effort to protect their high-speed networks.ADVERTISEMENT The moves are a response to government inquiries as well as the heavy costs of upgrading existing broadband infrastructure due to the explosion of downloading and watching music and videos. Such usage is "taxing the infrastructure," a Time Warner Cable spokesman said. "In order to make investments in the infrastructure, we have to find the revenue to pay for it." Some technology blogs have criticized the new pricing structure and usage limits, which they said would curtail interest in viewing videos online and enrage consumers who currently pay for unlimited service. Time Warner Cable said it will launch a service on Thursday that charges new consumers of high-speed Internet service based on their usage. Broadband subscribers in Beaumont, Texas, will be charged $1 per gigabyte above monthly allowances, a company spokesman said. Separately, Comcast said it has changed the way it will manage network traffic and begin a test to slow the transfer of files to individual subscribers who are its heaviest users during congested periods. The tests will begin Thursday in the Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and Warrenton, Virginia areas. Time Warner Cable's new policy is intended to address its top 5 percent of users, who have spent a "disproportionate" amount of time on the company's network, the spokesman said. Consumers in Time Warner Cable's test region will be offered several levels of service. A $29.95 per month plan for slower speeds of 768 kilobits per second and a 5 gigabyte limit would let users send and receive nearly 350,000 e-mails, play 170 hours of online games, or download more than 1,380 digital songs per month. At the high end, a $54.90 monthly fee for a 15-megabit-per-second service and a 40 gigabyte monthly limit would allow subscribers to watch 124 hours of standard-definition videos or download 11,070 songs. COMCAST MULLS NEW BILLING Comcast is currently looking at "consumption" billing plans. The top U.S. cable operator offers tiers of service differentiated by speed, but not by size limits. A Comcast spokesman said it is also evaluating a monthly 250-gigabyte limit for customers to manage its heaviest users, but it has not made a decision. "We want to deliver the best online experience for our customers," a Comcast spokesman said. "We can do it really quickly and without the need for government intervention." In January, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission said it would investigate complaints by consumer groups over the blocking of file-sharing services such as BitTorrent on Comcast's service. At the time, Comcast said it did not block such services, but used network management technology to slow delivery of files to heavy users of such services. Comcast's new approach will stop distinguishing the type of activity or services that are considered bandwidth hogs, but will slow delivery of files it believes is taxing the network. "Setting the caps is a very simple matter to change," the Time Warner Cable spokesman said. "If usage patterns are such that we need to change those, we certainly can." Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:33:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/china-stock-indexes-down-as-telecommunication-shares-slide-8940.html DC Contactor China's main stock indices fell Wednesday on the heavy selling of telecommunications shares following their recent gains. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 66.49 points, or 1.9 percent, to 3,369.91. The Shenzhen Composite Index lost 1.3 percent to 1,021.36. Telecom companies extended losses as investors continued to cash in on gains made the past few weeks ahead of a major industry restructuring. Details of the plan were announced Monday. China United Telecommunications tumbled 8.9 percent to 8.74 yuan. From April 22 to Tuesday, the stock had risen 37 percent to 10.71 yuan. Computer and telecom services provider Bright Oceans Inter-Telecom lost 7.9 percent to 14.92 yuan and equipment maker Wuhan Yangtze Communications shed 6.4 percent to 9.58 yuan. "Early investor enthusiasm for telecom firms immediately fizzled out after the sector's overhaul was announced, reflecting the broader stock market's gloom," said Wu Feng, an analyst at TX investment. Despite prevailing pessimism, declines have been limited by the conviction among many investors that regulators will move to support the market if share prices drop much lower, analysts said. China Merchants Bank fell 3.1 percent to 28.77 yuan on lingering concerns that the lender's capital base will be weakened by its US$2.47 billion takeover of Hong Kong's Wing Lung Bank. Property developers advanced on expectations that they will likely benefit from the reconstruction of areas devastated by last month's earthquake in Sichuan province. China Merchants Property Development rose 6.5 percent to 19.70 yuan. China Vanke gained 4.7 percent to 20.50 yuan. In currency dealings, the dollar's advance overnight in international markets helped push the Chinese yuan lower. The dollar was at 6.9440 yuan around 0730 GMT on the over-the-counter market, up from Tuesday's close of 6.9250. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:32:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/cable-digital-tuner-clearing-up-the-dtv-confusion-8936.html Cable Digital Tuner Television stations across the country will be dropping theiranalog signal and going all digital next February. But do you knowwhat that means? Do you know if you'll have to make changes towatch your favorite TV shows? 3 On Your Side's Jim Donovan clearsup some of the confusion. Maybe you've seen the commercials which are a reminder that nextyear, television as we know it, will change. It's the digital TVtransition and it's occurring February 17th of next year, but why? The government has ordered television stations to switch to adigital signal because it has benefits. "Anyone with an older analog TV that has an outside antenna orrabbit ears who would normally receive an analog broadcast needs adigital converter box," said Knowles. But what does a converter box do? The box converts the digitalsignal into analog so you can watch your older set. That's becauseolder TV's don't have a digital tuner. But you won't need a converter box if you have cable. "Regardless of how you're connected to cable, whether it be througha set-top box or a direct connection into the back of the set, ifyou're connected to cable, you're covered for February 2009," saidJeff Alexander with Comcast Cable. That's because the cable company converts the signal for you. Ifyou have satellite TV, you won't need a converter box either. Finally, the where. You can get a digital converter box at manyretailers. The government is offering two $40 coupons perhousehold. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:31:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/mobile-phones-batteries-s-nex-in-apple-iphone-8917.html Mobile Phones Batteries Gadget fans will also hope that iPhone 2.0 makes much better use ofits built-in Bluetooth, which at the moment only works with a fewselected Apple-approved accessories. This could potentially allowiPhone owners to ‘pair' their handset with theirBluetooth-enabled computer to transfer files between them, andwirelessly connect to Bluetooth headphones and handsfree systems. Expect to see voice-dialling and speed-dialling added to iPhone 2.0as well - it seems ridiculous that such a cutting edge gadget ismissing so many of the utterly basic mobile phone functions andcapabilities that we've taken for granted on lesser handsets foryears. Apple could also add "proper" global positioning software to theiPhone, which would tie-in nicely with its Google Maps tool. At themoment, iPhones are able to triangulate a users' vague location bytriangulating their mobile phone signal with nearby masts andwireless internet hotspots. In truth, that's probably sufficientfor most iPhone users, and GPS is an expensive technology that isstill largely in its infancy on mobile phones. Adding it to theiPhone would probably increase the cost of the deviceprohibitively, and it's unlikely to improve navigation andtriangulation accuracy enough to justify the outlay. In terms of appearance, several industry analysts have said thatthey do not expect Apple to make any significant or dramaticchanges to the look of the device until early 2009. The maindifferences are likely to be that slightly convex back to make roomfor a 3G-capable battery, and a non-recessed headphone plug -plenty of iPhone users were left disgruntled to discover theirexpensive, noise canelling headphones didn't have a long enoughjack to fit into the current iPhone's sunken headphone socket. So, what won't we see with the new iPhone? Don't expect too manydramatic changes to its text-messaging functionality. Americans arenot big fans of "txting", and while we Brits would love to be ableto forward on text messages to other contacts in our address book,it's unlikely to be added to the device. Instead, keen texters willhave to look to the new Application Store for those sorts of tweaks- more of which below. It's also unlikely that Apple will make any dramatic changes to itstouchscreen keyboard. iPhone users have long hankered after theability to flip the iPhone for a horizontal keyboard layout, andhaptic feedback to indicate that buttons have been correctlypressed, but that sort of interface improvement is more likely toappear on the third-generation device rather than on iPhone 2.0. Opinions are divided on whether Apple will drop the 8GB version ofthe phone and instead offer 16GB and 32GB versions of the device,which would bring it into line with the storage capacity of theiPod touch range. The fact that Carphone Warehouse and O2 storesslashed the price of the 8GB model just a few weeks ago couldeither be taken as a sign that they were trying to clearsoon-to-be-discontinued stock, or that they are simply making a bitof extra space for the next-gen model. Personally, I think we will see an introduction of a 32GB model,not least because Apple will be making another big announcement atthe conference that is all about software, rather than hardware:details of the iPhone application store, that will allow people tobuy third-party programs and widgets through iTunes and installthem on their device. Essentially, Apple is seeking to make the hacking of iPhonesunecessary by providing a development ecosystem in which people canbuild small programs that improve, diversify and personalise theiPhone's capabilities. The iPhone is built on a stripped-downversion of Apple's OS X operate system, which means there is plentyof latent power that can be leveraged to turn the handset into amini computer of sorts. Expert to see some really clever bits of software that fill in thegaps Apple itself is not plugging, such as an instant-messagingprogram for the iPhone, nifty location-based features, such asrestaurant recommendations and movie reviews that tie into GoogleMaps and its triangulation capabilities, and even software to keeptrack of your company expenses. In many ways it is this, rather than the actual handset itself,that should dominate the headlines, because it is the platform,rather than the hardware, that is key to securing the enduringpopularity, flexibility and longevity of the device. But the poor old iPhone, rather like a handsome movie star, hasbeen typecast for its good looks and sex appeal. Still, there areworst things to build a reputation on. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:28:00 GMT http://uebtootoodz0511.spoonylife.com/verizon-customers-in-three-mobile-phone-flashers-8912.html Mobile Phone Flasher Most video services for people who are deaf or hard-of-hearinginvolve an interpreter who relays messages between thoseindividuals and the hearing parties they communicate with. Avideophone with a high-speed Internet connection and a monitor,used either one-on-one or with an interpreter, is preferred by manyAmerican Sign Language users when they want to communicate bytelephone. Heidi Reed, commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for theDeaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), said, "MCDHH commends thisenhancement to Verizon's customer services for our manyconstituents who use American Sign Language. This addition inservice delivery reflects Verizon's leadership role in meeting theneeds of deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. All of us at MCDHHlook forward to continued excellence in communication accessservices for residents of Massachusetts." People can have a video conversation in ASL with a videophone -- aset-top box with either a built-in camera connected to a broadbandrouter, a free-standing desk unit with a small screen or a Web camsupported by a computer and appropriate software. Each equipmentoption requires a high-speed Internet connection to receive goodpicture quality; lower-bandwidth services will result in pixilationand low frame rates on most products. ASL is a unique language that incorporates hand gestures and facialexpressions, and provides a more expressive and fulfillingtelecommunications experience than either TTY (teletype) equipmentor relay services. "Due to the widespread availability and affordability ofbroadband, more and more deaf or hard-of-hearing consumers have avideophone," said Grenda. "We believe the videophoneoption gives customers a simpler, more user-friendly way tointeract with Verizon for their telecommunications needs." Verizon customer service representatives can recommend services andequipment that make communications easier for people with variousdisabilities. For example, Verizon offers phones that have photoson the buttons to help people with cognitive difficulties, andphones that operate by remote control for people with physicaldisabilities. Some customers with disabilities can get an exemption from chargesfor calls made to 411 or for operator-assisted calls. Verizon canprovide its bill statements in large print or Braille at no extracharge. The company also produces a quarterly newsletter(http://www.verizon.com/forwardaccess ; please enter a phone numberor zip code to access the file) filled with news and informationfor its customers with disabilities. While Verizon does not currently sell videophones, the centersupports sales of other equipment to help people with disabilities.(NOTE: See accompanying list of available equipment.) The Verizon Center for Customers with Disabilities, which iscelebrating its 16th anniversary this year, provides customersupport to people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, blind, or havevision, mobility, speech or cognitive disabilities. There are twosuch centers, one in Marlboro, Mass., the other in Oxnard, Calif. When the Marlboro center opened in 1992, its staff of sixrepresentatives handled approximately 4,000 calls a year. Today,the staff has grown to more than 100 representatives who now handlemore than 700,000 calls annually. Verizon Communications Inc. , headquartered in New York, is aleader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wirelesscommunication innovations to mass market, business, government andwholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's mostreliable wireless network, serving more than 67 million customersnationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business,which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions tocustomers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which bringscustomers the benefits of converged communications, information andentertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-opticnetwork. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employed a diverse workforce ofapproximately 232,000 as of the end of the first quarter 2008 andlast year generated consolidated operating revenues of $93.5billion. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:27:00 GMT