Why Angel Investors Don't Make Money ? And Advice For People ...

Editor?s note:?Andy Rachleff is President and CEO of Wealthfront, an SEC-registered online financial advisor. He serves as a member of the board of trustees and vice chairman of the endowment investment committee for University of Pennsylvania and as a member of the faculty at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he teaches courses on technology entrepreneurship.?Prior to Wealthfront, Andy co-founded and was general partner of Benchmark Capital.

Everywhere I go in Silicon Valley I hear people discussing their angel investments. The conversations remind me of fish stories. People love recounting the one time they caught a big fish, not the many futile hours they spent waiting for a bite.

My skeptical perspective on angel investing is colored by my 25 years in the venture capital business and the data I use to teach my students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

I know that many of our clients at?Wealthfront?are tempted to become angel investors after they sell their company stock post-IPO. It?s not that I think becoming an angel is a bad idea; it?s just that most people who expect to make money as angel investors are fooling themselves.

To understand why I think this way, bear with me for a few paragraphs about what makes venture capital firms successful. There aren?t many successful firms, as this Kauffman Foundation?research?makes clear. Cambridge Associates, an advisor to institutions that invest in venture capital, says that only about 20 firms ? or about 3 percent of the universe of venture capital firms ??generate 95 percent of the industry?s returns, and the composition of the top 3 percent doesn?t change very much over time.

Those premier venture firms succeed because they have proprietary knowledge of the characteristics of winning companies. Over the years, the knowledge of what it takes to succeed is passed down from partner to partner and becomes part of the firms? institutional memory. (In a professional setting, it?s not the failures that teach people the most, but the successes. Failures teach us a lot personally, but that?s a different story.)

The premier venture capital firms know the best investments have high technical risk and low market risk. Market risk causes companies to fail. In other words, you want companies that are highly likely to succeed if they can really deliver what they say they will. Unfortunately, consumer Internet companies don?t follow that pattern. They usually have low technical risk and high market risk. There is very little chance they can?t deliver their product. The big issue is whether the startup?s product is of value to a large enough audience.

Most people see angels as taking market share from venture capitalists. I think that is the wrong perspective: The premier venture capital firms have consciously outsourced consumer Internet companies? bad market risk onto the angels, maintaining their returns as a result.

How low are returns for angels? I don?t know of good statistics on returns for angels who invest in tech companies, but I can deduce returns from what I know about the venture capital business. As explained in the Kauffman Foundation?research, the?overall?return for the venture capital industry has been quite poor (the average VC fund barely returned investor capital after fees). According to an annual seed financing survey by Fenwick & West, only 45 percent of companies that received seed financing in 2010 went on to raise venture financing in the next 18 months. Twelve percent were acquired, but likely in talent acquisitions that lost money for the angels.

If the average VC fund barely makes money, and seed investments represent even less compelling opportunities than the ones pursued by venture capital firms, then the typical return for angels must be atrocious. Even Ron Conway?s second angel fund, which had the good fortune to invest in Google (a 400x cost winner), only broke even (that means close to a 0 percent IRR)!

I know some of you are thinking you?ll be the exception to the rule. Maybe, but if so, it won?t be because you?ve been a great executive at a startup. My teaching partner at Stanford, Mark Leslie, the founding CEO of Veritas Software and a successful angel investor, tells me I would have been a better venture capitalist if I had been CEO of Wealthfront first, and a venture capitalist second, instead of the other way around. I tell him absolutely not. Running a company has not improved my investing skills, which are completely unrelated to being a good leader and strategist. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs do not understand that being a good executive has nothing to do with being able to pick companies likely to succeed on the large scale needed to generate a good investment return.

My conclusion is that unless you are Andy Bechtolsheim, legendary founder of Sun Microsystems, Granite Systems and Arista Networks, and can have the pick of the best technical founders in the Valley, or you are a member of the Paypal Mafia, you should not be an angel investor. A few elites have a chance of making money. The rest of you are in for pretty dismal results.

I know that most of you are going to ignore my advice. If you do, and decide to make angel investments, here are a few tips:

1. Assume you are going to lose all your money. Treat success as a complete surprise. Successful venture capital firms generate approximately 80 percent of their returns from less than 20 percent of their investments. The chances are high your angel investments will be losing bets.
2. Don?t do it unless you are worth at least $1 million or earn at least $200,000 per year. The SEC requires these minimums for angel investors because it is the minimum regulators believe is necessary for an individual to withstand the loss of the investment.
3. Take a portfolio approach. Whenever you invest in a risky asset class like startups, movies or new artists, you need to have a portfolio, because the law of small numbers will likely lead to a complete loss on your investments.? Remember talent acquisitions, which represent the vast majority of successful angel investments, usually result in a loss for the investors. Try to build a portfolio of at least 15 companies.
4. Limit the size of your angel portfolio to 10 percent of your investible assets. Even sophisticated institutions that have the financial wherewithal to take significant risk and have access to the premier venture funds tend to allocate no more than 5 percent to 10 percent of their portfolios to venture capital. You don?t have the staying power or the financial expertise of these endowments, so try to limit the size of your overall bet.

Perhaps the best angel investment you could make is choosing the right company to work for. The value of the options associated with a successful company will swamp the return on any angel investment you?re likely to make, even if you do happen to have a success.

In case you?re interested, I make one or two angel investments each year, but I don?t do it to make money. If I wanted to make money on those investments then I would want the benefit of the counsel of my former partners at Benchmark Capital, because I know it is too hard to make such high-risk investments on my own.

I make those few angel investments because I want to help my best students achieve their goals, and because I like being involved in startups. That?s the ultimate lesson from the fish stories in Silicon Valley. True fishermen cast their lines not because they want the fish, but because they like fishing. It?s fine to be an angel investor ? just don?t do it for the money.

Wealthfront is an online financial advisor that manages your investments for you so you can live your life. An SEC registered investment adviser, Wealthfront provides sophisticated investment advice at 75% lower fees than typical financial advisors. The company?s investors include Marc Andreessen, Jeff Jordan, DAG Ventures, and retired partners from Benchmark Capital and Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers. We?re located on Forest Avenue in Palo Alto, halfway between San Francisco and San Jose, minutes away from Caltrain.

? Learn more

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/30/why-angel-investors-dont-make-money-and-advice-for-people-who-are-going-to-become-angels-anyway/

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Iranian news agency picks up Onion article as fact

CHICAGO (AP) ? A joke by the satirical newspaper The Onion appears to have gotten lost in translation.

An Iranian news agency picked up ? as fact ? a story from the paper about a supposed survey showing an overwhelming majority of rural white Americans would rather vote for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad than President Barack Obama. But it was made up, like everything in the just-for-laughs newspaper, which is headquartered in Chicago.

The English-language service of Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency republished the story Friday, several days after it appeared in The Onion.

The Iranian version copied the original word-for-word, even including a made-up quote from a fictional West Virginia resident who says he'd rather go to a baseball game with Ahmadinejad because "he takes national defense seriously, and he'd never let some gay protesters tell him how to run his country like Obama does."

Homosexual acts are punishable by death in Iran, and Ahmadinejad famously said during a 2007 appearance at Columbia University that "in Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country."

The Iranian version of the article leaves out only The Onion's description of Ahmadinejad as "a man who has repeatedly denied the Holocaust and has had numerous political prisoners executed."

The article was featured prominently on the Fars website alongside its usual fare of stories about advances in Iranian military technology, condemnation of Israel and Iran's nuclear program. The story appeared to have been taken down by about mid-day, Chicago time.

Calls to Fars representatives were not answered Friday.

The Onion reveled in the fact that it had been taken seriously.

Onion editor Will Tracy put out a tongue-in-cheek statement that referred to Fars as "a subsidiary of The Onion" that has acted as the paper's Middle Eastern bureau since it was founded in the mid-1980s by Onion publisher T. Herman Zweibel.

"The Onion freely shares content with Fars and commends the journalists at Iran's Finest News Source on their superb reportage," Tracy said in jest.

It's not the first time a foreign news outlet has been duped by The Onion. In 2002, the Beijing Evening News, one of the Chinese capital's biggest newspapers, picked up a story from The Onion that claimed members of Congress were threatening to leave Washington unless the building underwent a makeover that included more bathrooms and a retractable dome.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iranian-news-agency-picks-onion-article-fact-170925534.html

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RPOF's former director: 'Presumed' prostitutes attended GOP fundraiser

Delmar Johnson, the state's star witness in the fraud and theft trial of former Florida Republican Chairman Jim Greer, told attorneys in a sworn statement that he saw a golf cart full of women ? he presumed they were prostitutes ? at a party fund-raiser in the Bahamas in 2008.

Johnson, 33, of Winter Garden, gave a video-recorded deposition June 15 in the criminal case against Greer, the ousted party chairman now awaiting trial on theft and fraud charges. The Orlando Sentinel obtained a copy Friday.

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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/highschool/football/broward/fl-brow-top-ten-0929-20120929,0,848148.story

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Johnson described Greer as "dictatorial" and said Greer blind-sided him in early 2009 when he proposed creating Victory Strategies LLC, the company that prosecutors say Greer and Johnson used to steal money from the state party.

Greer says he did nothing illegal and that the company earned legitimate fund-raising commissions. Prosecutors say he set it up in secret and used it to funnel $125,000 of party money into his personal bank accounts.

In his deposition, Johnson said Greer insisted that there be no paper records tying him to the company. They were largely successful, Johnson said, except that the party's chief financial officer, Richard Swarttz, came to suspect Greer was behind Victory.

Still, Johnson said, Swarttz paid Victory's invoices without question. "Nobody questioned the chairman," Johnson said.

Johnson's most dramatic revelation was about a party fund-raiser in the Bahamas in 2008. In attendance were major party donors and prominent Florida Republicans, he said.

"I specifically saw a golf cart with young ladies drive by, the extent of why they were there I did not specifically know," Johnson said. "But I could presume they were prostitutes."

In his deposition, Johnson identified a handful of prominent Republicans whom he said were at the fund-raiser, including Greer and Tallahassee lobbyist Brian Ballard.

Ballard said Friday night that he was there, along with about 100 other people, and said he knew nothing about any guests spending time with prostitutes.

He called it "ridiculous and disgusting" that the people who attended had been "thrown into a scandalous lie."

Although Johnson owned a 40 percent share of Victory Strategies, he was not charged because he struck a deal with prosecutors, agreeing to testify against Greer and repay the $65,000 that he earned through Victory Strategies.

Defense attorney Damon Chase pointed out during the deposition that Johnson was the one who opened Victory Strategy's bank account, was the only one who ever submitted invoices to the party for payment, the only one who deposited the party's checks to Victory and the only one who had a key to its post office box.

Johnson said he did those things at Greer's direction.

Greer, 50, of Oviedo, is charged with four counts of theft plus fraud and money laundering.

rstutzman@tribune.com or 407-650-6394.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/orlandosentinel/news/~3/BZZ2dDZ-vjE/os-jim-greer-delmar-depo-20120928,0,6340766.story

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Daytrading, Stock Trading, Investing and Forex Trading ...

There are numerous opportunities to be had with stock option daytrading it can be a good way to earn some additional money if you're following the right methods and trading pointers. You've probably heard varied opinions about stock option daytrading that leave you pondering if it is a great idea or not, and a few of the people will even tell you it's a bad form to get yourself concerned in. While others will make it obvious that securities dealing is the ideal way to make a return on your investments. The most important factor to figure out your success is whether you've got the right coaching and systems to help your stock trades be profit-making. To find success with your career in daytrading remember that you're also going to want to contemplate how much you can invest. The more constantly and consistently you can work, even if you're only able to give a few hours each week, the more sorted you will be. One of the most vital rules about daytrading is that you will need to understand how much you stand to benefit and how much you stand to lose at the close of the day. Too many folks know how much they stand to benefit, but then they don't weigh that against what they stand to lose.

But because a day trader recognizes that wildly oscillating industrial info and also fooling information which will ultimately become public data will create the V word ( which is generally Adored by day traders ) VOLATILITY Volatility, to the average, each day financier is an exceedingly bad thing, and creates big risk, and most likely leads to great losses. There are that many reasons that you must pause and consider what type of losses and wins that you may take, but the most vital thing to recollect is you will need a clear view of what your options will be. Standard , buy-and-hold speculators like nice smooth, slow, steady ( upward ) movement. Volatility to a normal financier can be particularly straining psychologically, and regularly leads to the sickening phenomenon among long term speculators of ?buy high, sell low? ( which is, naturally, extraordinarily opposite of what the goal is ). ) You like the concept of trading a fashion that has the highest possible cost ( commissions, spread paid, needed set-up and technology, investment in ?learning how? ) and lowest possible margins ( money ? costs ). Fluctuating ) markets represent?IF they know what they are doing.

Please consider : You don't earn money in this game by emulating what everybody else thinks, by jumping onto the next hot indicator that other traders are talking about, or by attempting to prove how smart you are to the market by being a ?high frequency? retail trader. ( Do all of your trading mates gloat about ?scalping? the market? Hard luck for them, don't make the very same gaffe. ) At one time traders HAD to pay tons to trade because all commissions were high. Today, many traders Opt to pay through the nose in commissions by selecting to be, ?highly active day traders?.

This made short-term trading not too much better than a bet at a casino. Hyperactive daytrading is a concept promoted by brokers as it pulls the most possible cash out of your account and places it in their income stream.

Source: http://traders101.com/2012/09/28/daytrading-daytrading-2/

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Google's Field Trip app pops up location-relevant info

Google's Niantic Labs have pushed out a new app called Field Trip, which simply pops up location-specific information cards as you wander or drive around town. It's vaguely Google Nowish in its predictions, and provides several channels of content, such as historic places and events, lifestyle, food and drink, cool and unique places, and plenty more. There's plenty of control over how many and what kind of notifications you get for this app through its various settings, so no worries about getting too annoyed with the app or having your battery drained into nothingness. Information can also be relayed over audio if you have a Bluetooth or wired headset plugged in. Content partners include big names like the Food Network, Zagat, Cool Hunting, and plenty of others. 

Unfortunately, Field Trip is currently only available in the U.S., but it still looks pretty awesome. I'd love to see something similar that uses voice instead, so you could leave your phone on the table during a conversation and have relevent Wikipedia articles pop up automatically as you talk. It's always weird spending the minute or two looking stuff up only to find the conversation has drifted somewhere else entirely. 

Anyway, it looks pretty sweet, and it's free to boot. iOS users will be able to get in on the fun shortly too. I hear they're having trouble getting around these days. 

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/XlzYyj6c2U4/story01.htm

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What's Facebook's New Real Estate Investment Deal? ? CT Homes ...

Facebook recently announced a sizable new investment in California real estate. What is it, is it a good move and what other opportunities are evolving for real estate investors?

Facebook?s New Real Estate Bet

Zuckerberg recently proclaimed he was ready to make some ?big bets?. One of them appears to be a major expansion of the social networks offices in Menlo Park, CA. The massive complex is being designed by the legendary Frank Gehry and boasts an expansive hanger like 10 acre open working area heralded as the ?largest open floor plan in the world?.

So beyond the cool design, is this really a smart move given the current stock situation and will the show end up killing productivity at the tech giant causing it to lose even more of its edge?

It is certainly a fantastic time to buy California real estate, especially with interest rates so low however many question whether this is the only smart thing about the plans. You?d think Facebook was still the last brand who needed to stoop to Hollywood antics in order to stay in the news. Building the tallest condo or office building or even selling the most expensive one is one thing but there are real business operations to be kept in mind here.

Many are concerned that the vastnesses of the open space could easily kill productivity and creativity and ultimately the stock, especially after plowing so much money into the new building and taking on more overhead. Yes, having mini kitchens throughout, treadmill desks, a roof top walking trail and encouraging more interaction between staff sounds good but it is going to take some amazing design skill to be able to keep real working going on. Before you think about opening a real estate office like this think about the noise, lack of focus, germs, privacy and stress. Tech firms like Facebook can?t afford high turnover or to slip for even a month.

Facebook?s Opportunities for Real Estate Professionals

Mobile aside and not mentioning the fact that Apple left out further integration on the new iPhone 5, Facebook also seems like it may be losing serious ground to Google as Google+ racks up 400 million plus serious business users and Facebook slashes user numbers due to fake accounts.

Zuckerberg did allude to the social network pursuing search marketing as a channel which could be interesting but will face serious competition. However, many will be surprised if the Zuck is still at the head of the table next year. Right now he?s a sitting duck, a scapegoat whose firing can save Facebook from bankruptcy when current plans don?t go right, but if there is one thing the he is slick about it is control.

Real Estate Education from Facebook

While this is a great time for buying California real estate you have to imagine flipping real estate like this has to be a little more challenging given the numbers and niche.

Maybe the original house is a hotter flipping item? What other soon to be billionaire entrepreneurs? inspiring first digs are up for grabs and can be flipped for great profit with a good story?

This entry was posted on Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 2:00 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.cthomesllc.com/2012/09/whats-facebooks-new-real-estate-investment-deal/

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Jay-Z: Bringing Nets to Brooklyn an American dream

NEW YORK (AP) ? Jay-Z has accomplished a lot in his career, but his latest feat has him feeling that like he's living the American dream.

The 42-year-old music mogul and entrepreneur says when he was a poor kid in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, he never imagined that he'd someday own a basketball team. Now Jay is part owner of the Brooklyn Nets and instrumental in moving the franchise from New Jersey.

He feels his rags-to-riches story embodies all that is possible in America.

"Yeah I think I'm the American dream," Jay-Z said. "That whole thing that you could come here and pull yourself up by the bootstraps, like that whole thing what America has always put up to the world that we represent. I feel that. Yes, I've lived that."

Jay-Z made the comments at the launch party for the upcoming NBA 2K13 video game, where he acted as the game's executive producer.

As a child, he says, he dreamed of glory on the basketball court.

"You know the three-two-one, oh, he hits the winning shot," Jay-Z said. "But no one was ever on the court saying I was gonna own the Knicks. Yes, it's way beyond any of my wildest dreams."

Now as part owner of the Nets, he's even designed the team's black and white logo. Brooklyn has not had a professional sports team since the Brooklyn Dodgers left for Los Angeles after the 1957 baseball season.

Rapper Bow Wow, who appears in the video game, says he's always looked up to Jay-Z, but the move to bring the Nets to Brooklyn immortalizes him.

"I think that's the biggest inspirational thing for any kid growing up in any ghetto and any suburb, and you can do whatever you want to do as long as you put your mind to it. That's a great man to follow, right there," Bow Wow said.

As for his success with music, fashion with his brand Rocawear and now a video game, Jay says his creativity is all over the place.

"When you're an artist, you can see greatness in all things, and you say, man, I wonder if I can try and tinker with that and maybe if we put the music into (NBA)2K and bring those two cultures" together, Jay Z-said. They "were cousins already, so why not bring the family together and let them sit at the same table?"

The Brooklyn Nets will play in the newly built Barclays Center. But before his new team takes the court for the first time, the rapper will christen the new arena with an eight-show run beginning Friday.

___

John Carucci covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow him at http://www.twitter.com/jcarucci_ap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jay-z-bringing-nets-brooklyn-american-dream-054712915.html

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Web Marketing Made Easy With These Great Tips

There are lots of different ways to market with affiliates, depending on your technical expertise. You should know what you will be selling, and who wants to buy it. Hopefully, you do not have ambitions of simply mass-emailing every person you see sign in and pray for a quick profit. The secret lies in crafting a sound plan and knowing the market well.

Try asking for a raise if you are generating a good amount of leads. The program should be willing to pay you what you are worth and work to retain you as a productive sales force.

Use a multitude of venues when promoting your affiliate product. A part of your customer base will prefer searching the web for deals. Other customers may respond better to brochures and fliers. Many people will not buy anything unless they can get a good discount on it. Broadening your advertising approach can get the word out to a greater number of potential customers.

There are a wide variety of affiliate programs. They may offer a wide range of products and a variety of working conditions.

Only keep the affiliates that are extremely profitable, to make the most of your online marketing. Make sure you thoroughly review your affiliates performance. Choose to eliminate affiliates that are not giving you much revenue. This way you can add advertisers who will be more profitable.

Using the product yourself can instantly give your product a great amount of credibility. You can report how valuable the product has been for you via a blog, in a web article or product reviews. Posting on forums will also help you spread your point of view. Wherever you post on the web, always tag your affiliate link. You make the site available to any reader who enjoys your post and has an interest in buying a product.

Build your list of followers on Google Plus before your competitors do. Make sure your contacts on existing social networks know your Google Plus account name. Also, put a Google Plus button on your site to make even more contacts. Remember that having solid content is the best way to gain followers.

Provide alternative uses for the products that you sell through your affiliate programs. For example, if you?ve decided to sell extra absorbent dish rags, you can show them cleaning up a mess or drying your dishes.

Before you decide on prospective affiliates, make sure you have a clear understanding of your target audience. Partners with the right affiliates will increase traffic to your site and give you a good understanding of who your customers are and how to meet their needs.

Paid advertising, like Google?s Adsense, are well worth the cost. Ads that target keywords related to your product or service have a high success rate for drawing in potential customers.

Following the above tips will help attract users and help you make good profits. As you spend time working in the market, it is likely that you will develop your own techniques. They might even surpass those mentioned in this article. Remember the basics to create a simple and effective market plan

Eric Green

Skype ID: thedigitalgangster

P.S. If you are a Network Marketer or Affiliate Marketer, check out these 3 MLM Tips.

Stop Struggling in your business and learn exactly how you can be generating 100 Percent Commissions with one simple Blogging System.

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3. Email Marketing Made Simple With These Easy Steps
4. Great Affiliate Marketing Tips For Great Marketers
5. Article Marketing Made Easy With These Basic Tips

Source: http://thedigitalgangster.com/web-marketing-made-easy-with-these-great-tips/

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Graham, Washington Horse Farm Seizure: Animals Removed From ...

Super Egg

Cookie Smith shows off a normal egg and a "super egg" Wednesday, May 30, 2012, in Abilene, Texas. Cookie Smith went to collect eggs from her three laying hens on Monday afternoon, and discovered one normal egg and one "super egg" in her coop.

Dog With World's Largest Eyes

Bruschi, a four-year-old black and white Boston Terrier, who lives with his owner, Victoria Reed, in Grapevine, Texas, holds the Guinness World Record for "dog with the largest eyes" -- a whopping 1.1 inch in diameter.

Calico Lobster

This May 9, 2012 photo provided by the New England Aquarium in Boston shows a rare calico lobster that could be a 1-in-30 million, according to experts. The lobster, discovered by Jasper White's Summer Shack and caught off Winter Harbor, Maine, is being held at the New England Aquarium for the Biomes Marine Biology Center in Rhode Island. The lobster is dark with bright orange and yellow spots. (AP Photo/New England Aquarium, Tony LaCasse)

30,000 Bees Stuck In New Jersey Attic

Bee removal expert Gary Schempp removed a 25-pound hive from the attic of a home in Cape May, N.J. The hive had 30,000 bees living in it.

Giant Rat

An English man named Brian Watson killed a large rat his granddaughter's boyfriend found while cutting grass on April 21, <em><a href="http://news.sky.com/home/strange-news/article/16213384" target="_hplink">Sky News</a></em> reports. The water rat was so large, Watson broke a boat paddle trying to kill the critter.

Giant Shark Caught In Mexico.

Two fishermen in northeastern Mexico claim they netted a dead great white shark estimated to be near 20-feet-long on April 15, 2012.

Prada

This March 8, 2012 photo shows Nicole Andree feeding a hamburger to her dog, Prada, a 4-year-old pit bull mix, at an animal control facility in Nashville, Tenn. Andree is fighting a lengthy legal battle to save her dog's life after the animal was ordered euthanized for attacking other dogs.

Homer Simpson Fish

The Stargazer fish which bears an uncanny resemblance to Homer Simpson. (Caters News / Getty Images)

Kitten Found In Car Engine

After driving about 85 miles to Santa Cruz, Calif., a man discovered that this runaway kitten had been inside his car's engine in March 2012.

World's Smallest Dog?

At two weeks old, Beyonce, a Dachsund mix born at a Northern California animal shelter, is just under four inches long and is in the running for the title of World's Smallest Dog. Here she is pictured resting on an iPhone.

Piglet In Hotel Lobby

This adorable injured baby pig was found roaming a hotel lobby near Honolulu's airport. The Hawaiian Humane Society renamed her Pukalani and says she'll be available for adoption later in March.

Cat Cafes Threatened In Tokyo

TOKYO - JANUARY 20: A woman strokes a cat at Nekorobi cat cafe on January 20, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan. Changes to Japan's Animal Protection Law threaten the future of these furry bars by imposing a curfew on cats and dogs. (Photo by Junko Kimura/Getty Images)

A Woolly Mammoth In Siberia?

This newly released video taken during the summer of 2011 allegedly shows a living woolly mammoth crossing a river in Siberia. There is much speculation and debate as to whether this is, indeed, a living specimen of prehistoric elephant-related animals that were thought to be extinct.

Albino Penguin -- Jan. 2012

A rare, mostly white-colored penguin was discovered in Antarctica in early January 2012. The picture was snapped by naturalist David Stephens.

'Cupid' The Cat -- Jan. 2012

This stray orange tabby in Houston earned the nickname 'Cupid' after he survived a piercing shoulder to shoulder wound in January 2012. A vet safely removed the arrow and 'Cupid' is expected to make a complete recovery.

Lucy: World's Smallest Working Dog -- Nov. 2011

Lucy, a mini Yorkshire terrier from Absecon, New Jersey, is now in the Guinness Book of World Records. Weighing just 2 1/2 pounds, Lucy was named the world's smallest working dog last week, bumping out a 6.6-pound police dog in Japan.

Polydactyl Kittens -- Jan. 2012

Undated Cats Protection handout photo of 4-month-old polydactyl kittens named Fred (left) and Ned (right), currently in the care of Cats Protection, Gosport Town Branch in the United Kingdom. They will shortly be going to their new home once they've been neutered. Ned has an extra eight digits, while his brother Fred has 10 more than the usual 18, making a total of 54 digits between them.

Crocodile in Belgium -- Dec. 2011

A man holds a crocodile with tape around its mouth, as workers from the Natuurhulpcentrum, a wildlife rehabilitation center, collect several crocodiles at a villa in Lapscheure, near the Dutch border, on Dec. 22, 2011. Police discovered eleven Nile crocodiles and one alligator (all alive) in a villa rented by a German man, Rolf D., during an investigation into financial fraud.

Booie The Smoking Chimp Dies

Booie, a chimpanzee that kicked a smoking habit and used sign language to beg for candy, died at the age of 44 at a California animal refuge in mid-December.

Taxidermied Squirrel -- Dec. 2011

Rick Nadeau has saved up quite a nut by creating taxidermied squirrels that he puts in unusual outfits. He sells his works starting at $65 all the way up to $200.

Giant Crocodile Captured In Philippines -- Sept. 2011

In this Sept. 4, 2011, photo, Mayor Cox Elorde of Bunawan township, Agusan del Sur Province, pretends to measure a huge crocodile, known as Lolong, which was captured by residents and crocodile farm staff along a creek in Bunawan late Saturday in southern Philippines. Elorde said that dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot (6.4-meter) male crocodile along a creek in his township after a three-week hunt. It was one of the largest crocodiles to be captured alive in the Philippines in recent years.

Skywalker The Rodeo Bull Gets Stuck -- Nov. 2011

Skywalker, a rodeo bull in Hawaii, could not eat or drink while a 50-pound tire was stuck around his head. A ranch hand was able to pry it off after Skywalker exhausted himself, allowing the worker to get near the cranky animal.

Gorilla Check-Up -- Oct. 2011

Yakini the gorilla received a medical check-up from vets at Melbourne Zoo before being moved to a new multimillion-dollar exhibit at Werribee Open Range Zoo, on Oct. 28, 2011, in Melbourne, Australia.

3-Eyed Nuclear Fish -- Oct. 2011

Fishermen landed a three-eyed fish in Argentina near a nuclear reactor in October 2011.

Earthquake Dog -- Oct. 2011

Roman Akisen carries Cip, a 5-year-old German shepherd who found 18-year-old Imdat Padak alive under the rubble of a collapsed building more than 100 hours after a magnitude 7.2 quake, in Ercis, Turkey, Oct. 28, 2011.

Tiger Goes To The Dentist -- Oct. 2011

Dr. Doug Luiten drills the tooth of Kunali, a 300-pound, 7-year-old Siberian tiger, during root canal surgery at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage, Alaska, Oct. 20, 2011. This was the first procedure in a recently opened operating room and the first for the zoo's new veterinary table, complete with hydraulic lift and fold-out leafs to accommodate limbs and tails.

Moose In A Pool -- Oct. 2011

This New Hampshire moose was swimming a little too deep, forcing nine rescue workers to help remove it from the pool.

Mass For Animals -- Oct. 2011

Gil Florini, of Saint-Pierre-d'Arene's church, blesses donkeys with holy water after a mass dedicated to animals on Oct. 9, 2011, in the southeastern French city of Nice.

World's Smallest Living Cat -- Oct. 2011

Fizz Girl, a Munchkin Cat from San Diego, Calif., has grabbed the record title for Shortest Living Cat. Measuring in at just 6 inches tall from floor to shoulder, Fizz Girl weighs 4 pounds, 2.3 ounces. Munchkin cats are a special breed that have little legs caused by a naturally occurring genetic mutation.

Kayaker Snags Shark -- Sept. 2011

This is the jaw-dropping moment a canoeist landed a 6-foot shark after it dragged him through the water for 10 minutes. Brave Rupert Kirkwood, 51, had paddled a mile off the United Kingdom's Devon coast when he suddenly felt a snag on his line. The 70-pound beast nearly pulled him overboard, before pulling his 16-foot canoe through the water as he desperately clung on. After 10 minutes of wrestling with the beast, he eventually hauled the massive fish on board.

Baby Elephant at San Diego Zoo -- Sept. 2011

A newborn African elephant lifted his trunk in search of his mother at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. In this rare moment, the calf stood alone after he had wandered off a few steps, but shortly thereafter, his mother, 5-year-old sister Khosi (koh-see), and 2-year-old brother Ingadze (in-Gahd-zee) rushed over to tend to the unnamed calf. The Safari Park is now home to 18 elephants (eight adults and 10 youngsters).

Elephant Polo -- Sept. 2011

Elephant polo players from the Spice girls team (left) and the British Airways British Army team battle it out for 5th place during the final day at the King's Cup Elephant polo tournament Sept. 11, 2011, in Hua Hin, Thailand.This year marked the 10th edition of the polo tournament with 12 international teams participating for the unusual annual charity sports event.

Orangutan Quits Smoking

An orangutan in Malaysia is kicking its smoking habit. Wildlife officials have removed Shirley from a state zoo after the captive primate was regularly spotted smoking cigarettes that zoo visitors had tossed into its enclosure.

Boy Suckles From A Cow

Tha Sophat, a 20-month-old Cambodian boy, suckles from a cow in Koak Roka village, Siem Reap province, Cambodia, Friday, Sept. 9, 2011. Tha Sophat started suckling the cow in July after he saw a calf do the same since his parents moved to Thailand in search of work, said his grandfather UmOeung.

This Little PIggie Has Two Snouts

This tiny porker has an excuse for making a pig of himself at mealtimes. He really does have two mouths to feed. The bizarre two-month-old youngster -- part of a litter born on a farm in northern China -- can use both his mouths to eat and appears otherwise normal, say his owners.

Drunk Moose

A moose is seen stuck in an apple tree in Gothenburg, Sweden, September 6, 2011. The police believe the moose was trying to eat apples from the tree and became intoxicated by fermented apples. The moose was freed by police officers and after a dose on the lawn, he sobered up and returned to the woods.

Woman Punches Bear to Save Dog

Brook Collins holds her dog, Fudge, at her home in Juneau, Alaska on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011. Collins punched a black bear in the snout after the bear attacked Fudge on Sunday, Aug. 28.

Elephant with Prosthetic Leg

Motala, age 50, rests in the afternoon sun with the new prosthetic made for her at the Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE) elephant hospital in the Mae Yao National Reserve August 29, 2011 Lampang,Thailand. Motala lost a foot many years back after stepping on a land mine and now is on her third prosthetic, as they need to be changed according to the weight of the elephant. The world's first elephant hospital assists in medical care and helps to promote a better understanding of the elephant's physiology, important in treating them for illness. For generations elephants have been a part of the Thai culture, although today the Thai elephant mostly is domesticated animal, since Thailand now has few working elephants. Many are used in the tourism sector at special elephant parks or zoos, where they perform in shows. In some cases Thailand is still deals with roaming elephants on the city streets, usually after the mahout, an elephant driver, becomes unemployed, which often causes the elephant serious stress.

Elephant in Water Reservoir

Indian army personnel use a bulldozer during a rescue mission to save a wild elephant trapped in a water reservoir tank at Bengdubi army cantonment area some 25 kms from Siliguri on August 30, 2011. A wild elephant fell into the water reservoir tank as a herd crossed the area. Army personnel of 16 Field Ammunition Depot along with wildlife elephant squad of Mahananda wildlife sanctuary joined forces to save the animal.

Open Rabbit Sport Tournament

Lisa Marie Bach leads her pet rabbit Marie through an obstacle course in the middle-weight category at the 5th Open Rabbit Sport Tournament (5. offene Kaninchensport Turnier) on August 28, 2011 in Rommerz near Fulda, Germany. Eighty rabbits competed in light-weight, middle-weight and jumping-for-points categories at today's tournament in Rommerz that is based on Kanin Hop, or Rabbit Hopping. Rabbit Hopping is a growing trend among pet rabbit owners in Central Europe and the first European Championships are scheduled to be held later this year in Switzerland.

Hippo Goes To The Dentist

North Carolina Zoo Chief Veterinarian Dr. Mike Loomis recently returned from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, where he helped perform a dental procedure on a 3,000-lb. old friend. Loomis, along with veterinarians and keepers from the Parque de las Sciencias museums in Bayamon, conducted dental surgery on "Tomy," a 39-year-old male hippopotamus that the N.C. Zoo veterinarian has been treating on a semi-regular basis for two decades.

Dolphin's Fake Tail

Winter, a six-year-old dolphin at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida, lost her tail when she was three months and now uses a prosthetic tail made especially for her.

Otis The Skydiver

"Otis'' the pug gets his harness put on him before making his 64th skydive at the Parachute Center in Acampo with his master, veteran skydiver Will DaSilva of Galt. Otis knows that harness means he's going skydiving and sits patiently while it is put on him.

City Chicks

John Huntington poses with one of his chickens on a lead in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 15, 2011. Mr Hungtington's 'City Chicks' are chickens for those living in an urban enviroment, complete with small walking leads and harnesses and elasticised nappies. 'City Chicks' will be showcased at Sydney's ABC Gardening Australia Expo.

Dolphin Flip

A dolphin flips in the air and splashes water over a watching crowd during a summer attraction at an aquarium in Tokyo on August 17, 2011. Theme parks and attactions such as this one are booming in August when many people try to beat the summer heat by visiting indoor attractions.

Sprinkles The Koala

'Sprinkles' the Koala following her life saving radiation treatment at the Brisbane Veterinary Specialist Centre in Brisbane, Australia, August 9, 2011. Suffering from an extremely rare case of excessive drooling, sprinkles developed a skin infection due to the excessive moisture flowing from her mouth.

Sprinkles The Koala

Veterinary specialist Dr Rod Straw holds 'Sprinkles' the Koala following her life saving radiation treatment at the Brisbane Veterinary Specialist Centre in Brisbane, Australia. Suffering from an extremely rare case of excessive drooling, sprinkles developed a skin infection due to the excessive moisture flowing from her mouth.

Mobile Home Filled With 154 Reptiles

Inside Walter Kidd's North Carolina trailer home were 154 reptiles, including cobras, vipers and Gila monsters. About 100 of the animals were dead and frozen, according to the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.

Camel In The Family

t's not every day you can say that a camel has shared your breakfast - unless you're Nathan and Charlotte Anderson-Dixon. Each morning they and their 18-month-son Reuben are joined by pet camel Joe, who pokes his head through their conservatory window to help himself to something to eat. The three-year-old happily munches eats bread, fruit and cereal plucked from the table at the family's detached country farmhouse. Joe, who measures 17.5 hands, loves bananas on toast but hates toast with cheese or Marmite. He lives with four other camels but is the only one to share breakfast with his owners. The others have to eat hay, barley, straw and corn mix in their stable in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Nathan, 32, has owned Joe for two years and uses him for camel racing.

Camel In The Family

Charlotte Anderson-Dixon pushes her 18-month-old son Reuben on the swing as Joe the camel watches.

Camel In The Family

Nathan Anderson-Dixon, his wife Charlotte, their 18-month-old son Reuben, Joe the camel and a reindeer.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/27/graham-washington-horse-farm-seizure_n_1918078.html

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Apple releases software update for Apple TV second and third generations

Apple has been really busy the last few weeks and the Apple TV must have been feeling really left out seeing all Apple?s other iOS devices receiving shiny new upgrades to iOS 6. Thankfully Apple hasn?t been ignoring the Apple TV at all and has now released an update for the Apple TV second and third generations. The new update brings along some nice new features but it is not iOS 6. Instead Apple decided to go with iOS 5.1 but don?t be put off by that, Apple has included a whole host of new features as shown below.

1. Accept invitations for Shared Photo Streams, browse photos and comments, and receive notifications of new content.

2. Send audio content from Apple TV to AirPlay-enabled speakers and devices (including AirPort Express and other Apple TVs). Also includes the ability to require an onscreen code to use AirPlay with your Apple TV.

3. Save multiple iTunes accounts and switch quickly between them.

4. Search movie trailers. In the United States, see show times for local theaters.

5. New Cascade, Shrinking Tiles, and Sliding Panels screen savers.

6. Reorder icons on the second page by holding down the select button on the remote.

7. SDH support for the deaf and hard-of-hearing as well as improvements to viewing and selecting subtitles.

8. Support for setting up advanced network options using configuration profiles.

9. Includes general performance and stability improvements.

So next time you fire up your Apple TV second or third generation you should see an option to upgrade to iOS 5.1. Of course if you have your Apple TV jailbroken, give this one a miss for now until we hear that it can be jailbroken again.

Source: Apple

Apple Tv

Update

5.1

News

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Hsjypg4aWew/story01.htm

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Military's mysterious space plane set for next secret mission

ABC News' Taylor Hom reports:

The U.S. military's mysterious X-37B space plane is headed back into the great beyond to do? whatever it does up there.

The X-37B is slated for its third launch in October, the Air Force said, but like its two orbital predecessors, the mission of the unmanned spacecraft remains shrouded in secrecy. The exact timing of the October spaceflight, dubbed Orbital Test Vechicle-3 or OTV-3, is also tentative.

"We are on track for the launch of the X-37B to occur next month, but the exact date of the launch is dependent on a number of factors including range conditions and weather," Air Force spokesperson Lt. Col . John Dorrian told ABC News. The 29-foot-long vehicle is set to launch aboard an Atlas 5 rocket from the Florida station of Cape Canaveral.

The pioneer voyage of the X-37B, called OTV-1, began in April of 2010 and lasted 225 days, eventually landing in December of the same year at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The second orbit, OTV-2, touched down on the same base this past June following a record-breaking 469 day travel.

"For this third launch, while the vehicle is the same? we are considering landing it at NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida instead of the previous base," said Dorrian. "We are looking to save money and make use of previous investments and infrastructure already available."

The mission for this small shuttle-like machine, developed by the U.S. Air Force and based on NASA's original X-37 design, remains largely classified. The secrecy surrounding the program, which is overseen by the Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office, has attracted international attention from nations like China who have speculated a more aggressive intent.

"Industry analysts said the spacecraft could be a precursor to an orbiting weapon, capable of dropping bombs or disabling enemy satellites as it circles the globe," China's state-run Xinhua news agency wrote in June after OTV-2 concluded its mission.

Since the 2010 maiden flight, U.S. officials have continuously assured the world that the mission of the OTV series is non-nefarious "testing." For instance, the coming October mission will focus on testing the vehicle's capabilities as well the cost-effectiveness of the aircraft, Air Force spokesperson Maj. Tracy Bunko told SPACE.com, which first reported on the new mission

"One of the most promising aspects of the X-37B is it enables us to examine a payload system or technology in the environment in which it will perform its mission and inspect them when we bring them back to Earth," Bunko said. "Returning an experiment via the X-37B OTV enables detailed inspection and significantly better learning than can be achieved by remote telemetry alone."

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/air-force-mystery-space-plane-set-next-secret-200448511--abc-news-topstories.html

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Quick Rumba likely to be quick in William Hill Hotbox Bet - Bettor.com

Quick Rumba likely to be quick in William Hill Hotbox Bet Stakes

Since June 2012, Quick Rumba has been at the top of his game. During this period, he has registered a number of podium finishes including five classic victories. Moreover, he took intense training during the last five days.

Keeping in view all these factors, we can hope that the G. Gibbinson trained blue dog will make a big impact in the high-voltage race of William Hill Hotbox Bet Stakes that is set to be held at Newcastle on Tuesday night, September 25.

The grade A3 race will be run over 480 meters. Quick Rumba will break from the orange box to fight against five worthy rivals for the sake of the prize money worth ?123.

The four-year-old veteran hound possesses an impressive track record. After winning a T2 race on June 20, he nicely bagged a couple of consecutive conquests in July.

In the month of August, the talented son of Hondo Black out of Digestivebiscuit achieved a couple of thirds and a tremendous triumph that was the William Hill Hotbox Bet Stakes.

The brilliant sprinter went ahead to finish first in the very next race entitled as A3 480m Flat. He fought well but finished third in the William Hill - The Home Of Betting.

These stats show that Quick Rumba is awash with form at the moment. He will surely apply this form tonight with a view to outpace his competitors.

Among the other hounds, Run For Glory is likely to perform well in the race. The J. Walton trained white and fawn bitch impressed all by winning the William Hill Hotbox Bet Stakes of August 11. She competed exceptionally good to beat the hot favourite candidate, Stay On Lass, by the big margin of 3? lengths.

The brilliant bitch moved on to seal top spot in the William Hill Hotbox Bet Stakes that occurred on September 13. She stood third in her last start.

Thus, the daughter of Crash out of Cillbeara Blu will fight head-to-head against Quick Rumba. The fiery spar between the two will give the spectators an exciting event to enjoy. Good luck to all the six contestants.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect Bettor.Com?s editorial policy.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Quick-Rumba-likely-to-be-quick-in-William-Hill-Hotbox-Bet-Stakes-a190097

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Greater Boston foreclosure rates flat in July | Commercial Real ...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.cre-news.com/29026/greater-boston-foreclosure-rates-flat-in-july

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Eurozone considers boosting bailout fund firepower

BERLIN (AP) ? Germany says eurozone officials are discussing the possibility of boosting the firepower of their new, permanent ?500 billion ($650 billion) rescue fund by involving private investors.

Finance Ministry spokesman Martin Kotthaus said Monday that "the discussion in Brussels is not concluded" on the issue and it's not possible to say by how much a so-called leveraging of the fund, the European Stability Mechanism, might increase its power.

Eurozone countries agreed last year that the existing temporary rescue fund, the European Financial Stability Facility, could be leveraged, but the possibility has never been used.

Kotthaus said that, whatever happens, Germany's total liability of up to ?190 billion won't increase and any agreement would need the German Parliament's approval. The new ESM is expected to start work next month.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eurozone-considers-boosting-bailout-fund-firepower-133813957--finance.html

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Ponder, Vikings stun 49ers 24-13

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) runs from San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown (25) during a touchdown run in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) runs from San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown (25) during a touchdown run in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) celebrates his touchdown run in the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin, top, is tackled by San Francisco 49ers defensive back Chris Culliver after making a reception during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross)

San Francisco 49ers running back Kendall Hunter (32) tries to break a tackle by Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Chad Greenway, right, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross)

Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Chad Greenway, left, sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ? Christian Ponder didn't flinch, even against that swarming San Francisco defense. Minnesota's quarterback has come a long way from his rough rookie season.

Ponder threw two touchdown passes to tight end Kyle Rudolph and ran for another score to help the Vikings hand the 49ers their first defeat, 24-13 on Sunday.

After a dominant start to their NFC North tour by decisively beating playoff teams Green Bay and Detroit, the 49ers (2-1) were beaten in every way by the team least likely to do so.

The Vikings (2-1) began the game boldly with a fourth-and-goal touchdown pass by Ponder to his favorite target Rudolph. They finished strong by forcing three turnovers and two punts by the 49ers in the fourth quarter.

Playing against his former team in the regular season for the first time, Randy Moss had a quiet afternoon with three catches for 27 yards. Frank Gore managed only 63 yards on 12 carries, and Alex Smith's franchise-record interception-free streak ended at 249 straight passes when Vikings rookie Josh Robinson picked him off. Toby Gerhart lost two fumbles for Minnesota in the fourth quarter, and it didn't even matter.

This bad game grew worse for the 49ers when star linebacker Patrick Willis walked gingerly off the field with assistance with an apparent injury to his right leg. Smith finished 24 for 35 for 204 yards, plus a lost fumble on a late sack.

He found tight end Vernon Davis on consecutive passes, the second one a 1-yard play-action fake, in the third quarter to pull within 17-13. The Vikings blew 17-0 and 20-0 halftime leads last September in losing consecutive home games to Tampa Bay and Detroit.

But with one third-and-goal pass by Ponder ? Adrian Peterson was wide open next to Rudolph, who reached around Donte Whitner to corral it ? the lead was back to 11 and the Vikings were on their way to burying that painful start to last year's 3-13 record. That drive was fueled by three 49ers penalties, including two unnecessary roughness calls, one by Dashon Goldson against Rudolph.

The 49ers have had the NFL's stingiest run defense since 2009, allowing barely 3? yards per attempt, and Peterson received another grueling reminder of that. Even the holes that appeared at the line closed up in a hurry. He finished with 86 yards on 25 carries.

Ponder was up to the challenge, though. Entering the game with the league's best completion percentage, he kept up his efficiency and was especially smart on third downs and against the blitz. Ponder went 21 for 35 for 198 yards and, most importantly, no turnovers.

The Vikings went 82 yards in 16 plays to start the game, with Ponder using a lot of quick throws. Peterson was stonewalled for 1 yard on second-and-goal at the 2 and no gain on third down. But with inches to go, Ponder rolled left under pressure by Goldson and threw a floater off his back foot that Rudolph ran down in front of Aldon Smith in the corner of the end zone for a 7-0 lead. Rudolph had four catches on that drive.

The Vikings, who played without outside linebacker Erin Henderson because of a concussion, lost another starter at the end of the first quarter when free safety Mistral Raymond tried to tackle Gore. His right ankle rolled during a wince-inducing injury that sent him off on a cart in a full-leg immobilizing brace. But the Vikings held firm and forced a short field goal by David Akers. Moss was wide open at the goal line on second down, but Smith's pass was high and Moss took an awkward attempt to stretch out for it.

Ponder went 4 for 4 for 39 yards passing and took off three times for 34 yards on the next possession, including the 23-yard sprint that made it 14-3 Minnesota. Accelerating off a cut inside the 10, perhaps reminding all the 49ers fans inside of their old favorite Steve Young, Ponder dived across the goal line for the final yard. He picked up the ball and began his celebration with an animated point at the cheering fans in the nearest seats.

Then, to finish off Minnesota's overall dominance of the first half, Letroy Guion blocked a 43-yard attempt by Akers, his first miss of the season. Ponder moved the Vikings close enough for rookie Blair Walsh to make a 52-yard field goal that stretched the lead to two touchdowns.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-09-23-49ers-Vikings/id-0a048a0a8a214d609c71f86beeca7ed7

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Wahoo Fitness introduces RFLKT: an iPhone-powered bike computer that lets handsets stay in pockets

Sure, you can turn your smartphone into a bike computer, but if you'd rather not put your pricey piece of tech anywhere near harm's way, Wahoo Fitness' RFLKT Bike Computer offers an alternative. Instead of packing all the brains, the device sits atop a bicycle's handlebar and displays data it's fed via Bluetooth 4.0 from cycling apps running on an iPhone 4S or 5. At launch, the hardware will support the firm's own Cyclemeter application and Wahoo Fitness App which can monitor ride information ranging from location to speed, in addition to heart rate with an additional accoutrement. Aspiring Alberto Contadors can page through data and even sift through tunes on their playlist with the help of buttons on the device's side. Gently tipping the scales at 2 ounces, the RFLKT measures up at 2.4- x 1.6 x 0.5-inches and boasts a one-year battery life on a single coin cell. Wahoo's gadget is slated for a December launch, but there's still no word on pricing. For more specifics, take a gander at the full press release below.

Continue reading Wahoo Fitness introduces RFLKT: an iPhone-powered bike computer that lets handsets stay in pockets

Filed under: Misc, Transportation

Wahoo Fitness introduces RFLKT: an iPhone-powered bike computer that lets handsets stay in pockets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/24/wahoo-fitness-rflkt-iphone-bike-computer/

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Stocks waver as confidence falls in Europe

Stocks closed down modestly after opening low and recovering in the afternoon.?Stocks?had risen strongly in recent weeks as traders anticipated, then received, help from the Federal Reserve.?

By Daniel Wagner,?AP Business Writer / September 24, 2012

Traders are pictured at their desks in front of the DAX board at the Frankfurt stock exchange Monday. Germany's relative resilience to the euro zone crisis has been steadily fraying as its firms see falling demand for their products from key European partners and signs of a slowdown in other markets.

Lizza May-David/Reuters

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U.S.?stocks?meandered sideways Monday as fears about Europe overshadowed recent excitement about central banks' efforts to boost the market.

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Stocks?opened lower, recovered by mid-afternoon to nearly flat and closed down modestly.

An index of business confidence in Germany, the biggest economy in Europe, fell for a fifth straight month. Many economists had expected it to at least remain flat. Some think Germany is headed for a recession.

The threat of the years-old European debt crisis has seemed less immediate in recent weeks as central banks unveiled measures aimed at encouraging investment and boosting the global economy. The German report reignited those fears.

Stocks?had risen strongly in recent weeks as traders anticipated, then received, help from the Federal Reserve in the form of an open-ended bond-buying program. The Fed will buy $40 billion of mortgage bonds per month until the economy has improved.

"It's not unusual after big moves for the market to, in essence, go quiet and wait for the next catalyst," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist with Prudential Financial. The next catalyst, Krosby said, is third-quarter earnings, which companies will begin to announce next month.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 20.55 points, or 0.2 percent, at 13,558.92. The Standard & Poor's 500 index declined 3.26, or 0.2 percent, to 1,459.89. Its two strongest groups were utilities and telecommunications, safer?stocks?that tend to do well in a weaker economy.

The Nasdaq composite index dropped 19.18 points, or 0.6 percent, to 3,160.78. The Nasdaq is heavy in technology shares, which were dragged lower by Apple.

As in the U.S., the concern in Germany is that an economy on the rebound will be weighed down by the rest of the European countries, half of which are already in recession.

Germany's economy grew 0.3 percent in the second quarter from the previous quarter, but a number of economists now believe the country will fall into a recession in the second half of the year.

In the U.S.,?stocks?have gone from underpriced to fairly priced, said Doug Cote, chief market strategist at ING Investment Management. If recent weakness in U.S. manufacturing is any guide, he said, traders will be disappointed next month by companies' quarterly results.

"It will be a sea change ? the first time in three years that we've had negative earnings growth," Cote said. He said China's abrupt economic slowdown is adding to corporate America's woes.

If that happens, Krosby said, it could drive the market lower. Without enough positive surprises from companies this quarter, the Fed program probably won't be enough to extend the rally, she said.

"There's an uneasy feeling surrounding the market," she said.

In the U.S., traders are looking for more good news from the housing market, which appears to be bouncing back after being a stuck in a rut for years. The latest data on new and pending home sales will be released later in the week.

Lennar on Monday became the latest builder to post surprisingly strong earnings. A rise in orders and the number of homes delivered, adding to a big tax benefit, had the Miami homebuilder quadrupling profits. KB Home on Friday did almost as well, and housing shares jumped on optimistic comments from its CEO, Stuart Miller.

On Monday, Lennar closed down 55 cents, or 1.5 percent, at $36.96. KB Home fell 63 cents, or 4.1 percent, to $14.63.

Apple fell after sales of the new iPhone 5 missed analysts' targets. The company sold 5 million units in three days. Its?stock?fell $9.31, or 1.3 percent, to $690.79.

UnitedHealth Group was down slightly on its first day in the Dow, which shuffled its lineup of?stocks?to reflect health care's growing importance in the economy. UnitedHealth, the nation's largest health insurer, replaces Kraft Foods in the Dow. Its?stock?fell 20 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $55.98.

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Inc.?stock?collapsed after the cancer drug developer told analysts they should not rely on recently disclosed data about its lead product, a proposed lung cancer treatment. The?stock?fell $4.23, or 78.5 percent, to $1.16.

The price of oil fell to around $92 a barrel, dragged down by concerns about weakening global growth and demand for crude. Benchmark crude fell 96 cents, or 1 percent, to settle at $91.93 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Stronger demand for safe investments pushed the yield on the 10-year Treasury note down to 1.72 percent from 1.75 percent late Friday.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/jRGVnPSl59Y/Stocks-waver-as-confidence-falls-in-Europe

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Drunk on Cloud Kool-Aid? Time To Sober Up

Editor's note: Justin Moore is CEO of Axcient, a cloud solution for data, application, and system uptime. You can follow him on Twitter at @justinrmoore. Many great technology breakthroughs are subject to analyst predictions about how quickly that technology will take over the world. In 2007, Gartner famously forecasted that all PCs would be virtualized by 2010. While this didn?t happen then and is not close to happening now, business leaders and analysts continue to predict that all business systems will be in the cloud in five years.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/FRIc4o3JITw/

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Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver Programmable TV Remote

If you're reading this review, it's likely for one of two reasons. One, you're a Doctor Who fan who loves the idea of your own sonic screwdriver to control your home theater. Two, you're not familiar with Doctor Who and don't know what a sonic screwdriver is. If you're in the latter group, I can save you the time and tell you this: You probably don't want this product. The Wand Company's Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote Control ($99.95, available at ThinkGeek.com)?is less a remote control,?and more a prop that happens to control your HDTV. That said, it's a very convincing prop that any fez-and-bow-tie-wearing nerd would love to keep on his coffee table.

The 8.7- by 1.2-inch, 9.9-ounce cylindrical remote control is modeled after the Eleventh Doctor's sonic screwdriver, and it's the most accurate replica I've handled. It doesn't have a pop-out claw like the toy version, but its die-cast parts, chrome finish, and much more solid plastics make it look and feel more like a prop than a toy or a remote control. That's because, despite its remote functions, it is more of a prop than a remote control. The "corset" around the middle is a soft plastic and not leather like the molded stitching implies, but otherwise the screwdriver feels very solid and real in the hand. The tip lights up green when sending a signal, just like the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.?It even comes with a nice and detailed, albeit plastic, display stand with a clear cover.?

The sonic screwdriver has four modes, each accessible by pressing the hidden button on the butt of the screwdriver (the only mechanical control on the device). Practice Mode lets you test the remote gestures, Command Mode lets you use remote control functions with sound effects for each gesture, Silent Command Mode nixes the sound effects, and FX Mode disables the remote control and turns the remote into a pure Doctor Who prop, making various sound effects with different gestures.

The Practice Mode should give you a big hint about how useful the sonic screwdriver is as an actual remote. Everything (except a double-press on the button) is gesture-based, and those gestures are so finicky that you really need a practice mode. The gestures include flicking the screwdriver up, down, right, or left; tapping the screwdriver up, down, right or left; rotating the screwdriver clockwise or counter-clockwise; and pushing or pulling the screwdriver. Almost every gesture registers as a flick or a tap, and I had problems getting the remote to even recognize if I was turning, pushing, or pulling it. Worse yet, the flick and tap directions aren't particularly accurate, and the remote regularly thought I was gesturing horizontally instead of vertically.

Each gesture has to be manually programmed by making the gesture you want to assign a command, listening to the built-in voice that says what you just did, pointing a regular remote at it, and pressing the desired button to teach that command to the screwdriver. It's a simple but tedious task, made more frustrating because of the tricky gestures. The remote has three different memory banks for commands, giving you 39 slots for remote control settings (three sets of 13). However, it's so unpredictable that I found myself using only three or four commands because their gestures were the only ones I could consistently master.

For Doctor Who fans, the useless remote aspect is saved by the incredibly fun FX Mode. Each gesture activates a different sound effect, including the sounds of four sonic screwdriver models from the Doctor's past, three of the Doctor's other gadgets, and six words of the inhuman language of the Foamasi from the Fourth Doctor serial The Leisure Hive. While you still need to practice the gestures to get the sound effects you want, it's a lot of fun just waving the sonic screwdriver like a magic wand and pretending you're the Doctor. It's a far better prop for your Comic-Con or Halloween costume than the regular toy sonic screwdriver.

Still, it's a $100 remote control that doesn't really work as a remote control. The Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver Universal Remote Control is a fantastic, albeit expensive, prop that goes perfectly with your bow tie, fez or Stetson, and jacket, but you don't want to use this for your main home theater remote. While it's a great product for fans, it isn't for general users. Of course, that's the point of it; you're buying a Doctor Who prop that just happens to have an awkward remote control built inside.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/4onMTpnbQzc/0,2817,2409860,00.asp

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