Vic-netian: 12/12/10

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Rain causes traffic and flooding issues in Bay Area

Page 1 of 2

- view video -
Rain causes traffic and flooding issues in Bay Area
Updated on: 2010-12-17 14:39:58

- view video -
Residents prepare for storms to hit Santa Cruz Mountains
Updated on: 2010-12-17 22:03:38

- view video -
Storm doesn't deter shoppers in Union Square
Updated on: 2010-12-18 03:22:50

- view video -
Wind kicks up in Santa Cruz Mountains
Updated on: 2010-12-18 03:41:22

Story posted 2010.12.18 at 01:30 AM PST

ABC7 NEWS TO GO News

Throughout the Bay Area, local counties are urging residents to be prepared for a prolonged series of storms. Several sandbag pickup stations have been setup around the Bay Area to protect homes from potential flooding. Officials are also worried about those who don't have a home this weekend.

Rain didn't stop shoppers Friday night

The rain is already a nuisance for people trying to finish-up holiday errands and that's only going to get worse. There was enough rain on Friday night in San Francisco to cause a few hassles, but not enough to cause major problems.

Out west, city crews closed down the Great Highway between Lincoln and Sloat because of a small amount of flooding. They don't know why water collected in the road, the rain didn't seem that severe, but will investigate once the water subsides.

Aside from that, public work crews reported a quiet night. They said the brakes in the rain made all the difference, giving the water time to drain.

The rainy weather is hitting during a busy weekend of shopping and parties, but Union Square still looked full of life.

The most exciting call that ABC7 heard of was a fight that broke out between people that were fighting with their umbrellas. They were fighting over a taxi.

Sheltering the homeless

EHC Lifebuilders is one of the largest emergency shelter providers in Santa Clara County with 375 beds available at three cold weather sites. It plans to tap into all of its resources to help the homeless during this storm. The shelter expects to fill every one of its beds and then some.

"We're planning on going over numbers as need be and we're also planning to transport folks as necessary. When one shelter gets full, take them someplace else where there are more openings," said EHC Lifebuilders CEO Jenny Niklaus.

"They're predicting it's going to be really wet the next couple of days, so I'm going to stay at the facility and make sure I am warm and dry," said homeless veteran David Campbell.

Meantime, crews from the Santa Clara Valley Water District got a jump start on the storm. Wednesday, they used heavy machinery to clear creeks of fallen trees and debris that could cause potential flooding problems. It also placed web cams at vulnerable hot spots that include trash racks over the openings, to prevent creeks from becoming clogged.

Businesses are also worried. This is the last shopping weekend before Christmas. That could mean a lot of people just staying home and shopping online or heading to the indoor malls.

Residents prepare for storms to hit Santa Cruz Mountains

In San Carlos, shopkeepers and homeowners were stuffing sandbags on Friday in preparation for potential flooding problems that could come as a result of the upcoming storms.

Residents in the Santa Cruz Mountains are bracing for a heavy storm ahead. The public works department in that area is monitoring rain and river gages, and will have crews on standby in case there are any serious problems.

The storm's potential has a lot of people stocking up on supplies, flashlights, batteries and plastic. People in the Santa Cruz Mountains are generally more prepared than most. Many businesses and even homeowners have generators. Rough weather seems like a rite of passage.

In Boulder Creek the fire chief isn't so much worried about the rain, but the one-two punch storms like this often bring.

"I'm more concerned with the combination of the wind and rain. Then we'll have the downed trees, power lines, roads closed," says Boulder Creek Fire Chief Kevin McClish.

When it comes to wet roads, the California Highway Patrol is issuing the standard warnings: slow down, give yourself more time to get to your destination, and allow for more braking distance.
Next >>

Víctor Lei

Snowstorm affects travelers in Reno-Tahoe area

- view video -
Heavy snow falling in the Sierra
Updated on: 2010-12-17 11:30:13

- view video -
Snowstorm affects travelers in Reno-Tahoe area
Updated on: 2010-12-17 23:50:59

- view video -
Heavy snowfall makes travel to Sierras difficult
Updated on: 2010-12-18 03:32:20

Story posted 2010.12.18 at 12:34 AM PST

ABC7 NEWS TO GO News

A snowstorm is snarling traffic and forcing flight delays and cancellations in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area.

Chain restrictions were required on Friday at the Kingvale exit. There was a mix of snow and rain that made the roads very slippery. Caltrans is concerned about the high winds expected on Saturday which could create whiteout conditions and possible road closures on the highways.

Reno-Tahoe International Airport spokeswoman Trish Tucker says the storm has caused four cancellations and 13 delays so far.

Washoe County School District officials in Reno say all school sporting events and activities are being canceled through Monday.

The storm also has prompted widespread chain controls on highways in the region, including on Interstate 80 over Donner Summit.

The National Weather Service says the storm should be the start of a prolonged stormy period lasting through the middle of next week.

The storm is expected to bring 3 to 6 feet of snow to higher elevations around Tahoe by Sunday afternoon.
Story posted 2010.12.18 at 12:34 AM PST

Víctor Lei

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Looking Back - How Did I Acquire EOTB Internship

I can say I have so many good memories on the day that I went to the interview and tour to EOTB...

After more than three weeks of searching, sending resumes and cover letters to many internship sites, I have finally acquired an internship for CBS 5 / KPIX's TV show "Eye On The Bay" and I will begin my internship on next Tuesday.

For me, it is such a big milestone because I have moved one step ahead for my career path. In the mean time, as I have found my internship, the searching of internships has also come to an end, so what I'm now focusing is my current internship, I will work hard, utilize my strengths and get my job done. Working in a TV station a great opportunity for me to gain a lot of experience, now I got it, I will not let my other potential opportunities to go away.

Speaking of my search for internship, I can say it didn't go very well at first. About one week before the new semester began, I started sending out cover letters and resumes to my college's own TV station EATV, as well as some other internship sites. However, at the moment, I really wanted to focus an internship within my college rather than an off-campus internship, so I didn't send resumes and cover letters to those internship sites. One week later, EATV Program Director, who is also an instructor for video production, contacted me to see if I had time to be interview in the following week, then I set up an interview appointment with him in the afternoon on August 26.

At that time, I was thinking that I could get that internship easily because I have many required experience and skills, on the other hand, I was also thinking that I may not quite ready for working off-campus. However, what you want doesn't equal to what you get. When I came to the interview that day, I felt so tense and I forgot anything that I wanted to tell Arthur, when Arthur asked me the questions, I couldn't even answered them clearly because I was so nervous. Arthur then told me that his station could only accept two interns this semester and each of them could only work for few hours a week. He said because of the short budget, he couldn't offer many hours to his interns. At the end of the interview, Arthur suggested me to gain real experience by working in the video production sites or TV stations, he told me that I should go out and explore the world by interning in TV stations rather than in my college. Then he showed me some listings of TV stations that were accepting interns. He told me to send resumes and cover letters to different TV stations, and I still remember what he told me when I left. He said the real meaning of internship is not about the money, but it is about the experience that can lead to the future job, $9 a hour looks good for some, but we have to think of long-term goal, the long-term goal is to find a real job.

After that night, I started thinking what Arthur said may be true, I have to have real working experience, and the best way to get those experience is to work in a TV station. Therefore, I began to send out resumes and cover letters to many Bay Area's TV stations, some organizations and companies, as well as some video production firms. Some of them responded me and asked if I could go for interviews, but many of them didn't get back to me at all.

But the things began to change. One week ago, Cassandra from the KPIX / CBS 5 TV station sent me an email if I was interested to come for an interview for the "Eye On The Bay" internship, then I set up an appointment with her on September 14 at 10:30 am, which was yesterday.

I came to the KPIX / CBS5 TV station around 10:30 am. Besides myself, two other new interns Rachel and Honeybee (what a lovely name!) were also interviewed at the same time. The interview was going really good, I think it's more like a discussion rather than a formal interview. Cassandra, the lady who conducted the interview for all three of us, asked us to sit together and shared something about ourselves, what do we want to do as an intern, and what kind of skills we want to acquire on the completion of the internship. Then Cassandra told us that she was also started as an intern, and she also told us something important that we have to know and understand them. We also asked some questions about the program and specifically what the general duties are, and Cassandra answered them very clearly and understandable. After about half-an-hour of interview, Cassandra took all three of us for a tour around the station. First we toured the intern working area, and we met so many great producers and editors and other great people for "Eye On The Bay", and of course, one the hosts Liam Mayclem. Then Cassandra took us to other departments in the station like the News Department, the Sales Department, the Business Department, just to name a few. Cassandra then brought us to Don's office, he is person who makes identification card for the interns. He asked each of us to sit down and took a "passport-style" picture, then we got our IDs few minutes later.

After we got our intern ID cards, we are officially the interns for "Eye On The Bay", we will start working next week. My shifts will be Tuesdays and Thursday from 9am - 5pm, so my first day will be on next Tuesday. I'm getting really excited!

Although there may be a lot of difficulties and obstacles when I work as an intern, I believe I can overcome much of them.

My Internship Has Been Completed

After 13 consecutive weeks of hard work and efforts, my internship at Eye On The Bay has been completed on Tuesday. Honestly to say I had a lot of feelings on that day, on one hand I really feel proud of myself that I can complete all my work nicely, and I also proud of that I came to work all the required days during that 13 weeks; on the other hand, I really didn't want to leave the Eye On The Bay office, and I really want to work there continuously. Why? During that 13 weeks, I was working in their office and helping the producers, everyone in the EOTB office are really awesome. A lot of feelings…

On my last day of my internship at EOTB, I arrived to the station around 10am as usual, then I began my last day of work. First, I checked with the Feature Producer Henry Kaiser (he is such a great producer, and I remember that my first day was also to help Henry.) to see if there was anything that I could help him, he asked me to help him on transferring the video from a BETA-tape into the computer. This was my first time, and was my only chance to learn how to capture video from a tape to the computer. After finishing that work, I went back to Henry's cubicle and he asked me if I could help him to log his “Unusual Jobs — Window Washers”, then I began to help him on that. What else did I do that day? Besides those daily duties like checking emails, checking voice message and deliver mail, I also helped James Reid, the Executive Producer to find the tapes he asked for, later James asked me to watch those tape and see if there was something he wanted. I also helped another producer Amanda to ingest her video footage into CAT-DV.

The time was almost 5pm, and it's the time for me to say goodbye, earlier that afternoon I asked Cassandra if I could stay for the next semester with only working one day a week instead of two, (because I have classes during the day next semester, I can't spend two full days to work like this semester.) but Cassandra said the rule was set by the station, she couldn't do anything of it or to change the rule, I have to say goodbye to them. When I printed out my final intern follow-up report and put it into the interns binder, I was about to leave, but I was asked by Liam Mayclem, the host and producer of Eye On The Bay to help him pickup his package downstairs, this was my final duty for EOTB, a few minutes after 5pm on December 14, I walked out from the EOTB office and the KPIX station, when I walked out from the EOTB office, I talked to producer Chris Bollini, he asked me about my plans next semester, he also asked me if I would come back next semester, I told him that I really wanted to come back, but my class schedule next semester prevents me to do so. Finally, a warm holiday greeting and a goodbye between Chris and me ended my last day at EOTB.

It was raining when I stepped out from the station, that made me feel a little bit sad about my leave. Another thing that I felt sad was I started my internship with other interns and a new intern, but I ended my internship alone. Honeybee, the intern who started her job as I started, has left the office on Monday. We didn't have a lot of time to work together, especially after mid November.

I have got so many good memories working in the EOTB office, but the most important thing is that I learned a lot of things. I also learned many essential skills there, and I should have something good to put into my résumé and my reel.

More hard work is still on the way…

Bay Area braces for weekend rain

Story posted 2010.12.16 at 03:46 PM PST

The Bay Area is bracing for a series of storms that could dump as much as 10 inches of rain in the mountain areas and four inches on the Valley Floor over the next week.

The Santa Clara Valley Water district had crews out today removing trees from rivers and creeks that could cause problems as the rain moves in on Friday.

Larry Bosworth is a senior maintenance worker for the SCVWD. He and his crew were using a crane to pull a 30 foot long tree trunck out of the Penitencia Creek in San Jose.

"The object is to remove the tree so it doesn't have fish blockage, doesn't create any debris blockage or float downstream in the storm," he said.

The district also uses web cameras to monitor potential trouble spots so if trash and debris do build up, a crew can be sent out to clean up the problem before it creates an overflow situation.

Agencies serving the homeless are also getting the word out to get inside and stay dry as the wet weather hits the Bay Area. EHC Lifebuilders is the largest organization providing emergency shelter in Santa Clara County. It has three cold weather sites set up in the county: one in Gilroy, Sunnyvale and San Jose. CEO Jenny Niklaus is expecting all 375 beds to be full and even anticipates an overflow.

"We're planning on going over numbers if need be. And we're planning on transporting folks as necessary. When one shelter gets full, take them someplace else where there are more openings." Niklaus said.

Iif needed, mats will go on the floor to keep people out of the elements. Homeless veteran David Campbell is grateful for the shelter.

"Wet and cold is really a tough thing because once you get wet, it's hard to get dry and warm especially if you don't have warm clothes or warm socks," he said.

Retailers are also disappointed in the timing of this massive system. This is the last weekend of shopping before Christmas. Agnes Lee is the owner of Agnes women's boutique in Saratoga.

"This is the last weekend. This is terrible. This is really running our business. It's already slow enough" Saratoga boutique owner Agnes Lee said.
Story posted 2010.12.16 at 03:46 PM PST

Víctor Lei

Christmas tree decked with $11M in ornaments

Story posted 2010.12.16 at 05:51 AM PST

ABC7 NEWS TO GO News

When they deck the halls in opulent Abu Dhabi, it comes with gold ornaments and gem-studded bows on a towering Christmas tree.

The $11 million symbol of the season has become the latest extravagance at the Emirates Palace hotel, which boasts its own marina, heliport and a vending machine that pops out small gold bars.

The hotel's general manager, Hans Olbertz, was quoted in local newspapers Thursday as saying the 43-foot (13-meter) faux fir has 131 ornaments that include gold and precious stones such as diamonds and sapphires.

Olbertz told Dubai's Gulf News that he worked with one of the jewelers in the hotel to create a "unique tree and experience for our guests this year." The hotel may later contact Guinness World Records for a possible bid as the world's most expensive Christmas tree.

The Guinness web site lists a $10.8 million tree put in 2002 in Toyko with 83 pieces of jewelry from Piaget Japan.

Christmas spirit is not rare in the United Arab Emirates, which is officially Muslim but hosts a huge foreign population. Malls are full of carolers, Santas and piped-in yuletide songs.

But not everyone's jolly. Some Emirati officials worry about threats to Gulf traditions from the wave of Western culture from holiday celebrations to Hollywood movies.
Story posted 2010.12.16 at 05:51 AM PST

Víctor Lei

Raccoons enter home thru doggy door, attack pets

- view video -
Raccoons enter home thru doggy door, attack pets
Updated on: 2010-12-15 21:47:41

- view video -
Residents warned about aggressive raccoons
Updated on: 2010-12-16 02:33:40

Story posted 2010.12.15 at 11:32 PM PST

ABC7 NEWS TO GO News

Alameda police are warning residents about vicious raccoons who are attacking people and animals. It's the 10th incident in the last six months and the latest attack wounded two family pets, after a gang of raccoons used a doggy door to get into the house.

Those two dogs are now under rabies quarantine for 30 days and experts are urging homeowners to keep the pet door shut. Neighbors are also taking precautions.

"When I heard about the raccoons, we have a door, a doggy door in the back that the dogs use to come in and out at night. I guess we've got to slide down to shut the door and close down and they won't be going outside anymore," Alameda resident Jim Ross said.

The raccoons come out at night traipsing around the neighborhood, looking for food in garbage and recycling cans you find out in the street. Now they're going into homes through pet doors to enjoy dog and cat food.

"If there was no garbage, no pet food and if there are more people feeding raccoons on purpose, there is some of those, and if there wasn't that, there would still want food but the population wouldn't get so high where there is population stress and it's affecting the animals," Daniel Wilson from Alameda Vector Control said.

But what has animal control people concerned is the intensely aggressive behavior exhibited by raccoons.

"With some of the earlier incidents, people were just walking down the street with their dogs and have an aggressive raccoon react to their dog, well that's really troubling because it's a public safety issue.

Public safety concerning raccoons is bothering Ross -- and this is a Marine talking.

"They are dangerous. They are not afraid of anything, and I don't want to come out and have one on my leg," he said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture came out and trapped some raccoons and removed them from this area. The best advice is when walking your dog, be aware of your surroundings, especially at night, because raccoons can come out of nowhere and attack. Also the best offense is some defense, so keep those pet doors shut.
Story posted 2010.12.15 at 11:32 PM PST

Víctor Lei

San Francisco minimum wage to increase by 1.3 percent

Story posted 2010.12.16 at 11:48 AM PST

Minimum-wage workers in San Francisco will get a late Christmas gift this holiday season - a 1.3 percent pay increase.

Starting Jan. 1, employers who pay minimum wage will have to increase their hourly rates to $9.92, up from the current $9.79, according to Mayor Gavin Newsom's office.

The hike in wages is in compliance with the city's 2003 minimum wage ordinance, which calls for annual rate adjustments based on the previous year's Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan area.

The San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement this week is mailing multilingual posters announcing the increase to 100,000 locally registered businesses.

There was no raise in minimum wage in 2010.

The last raise in 2009 increased wages from $9.36 per hour to the current $9.79 hourly. Minimum wage increased each year between 2004 and 2009, according to the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement.
Story posted 2010.12.16 at 11:48 AM PST

Víctor Lei

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

(BN) U.S. Retail Sales Rise More Than Economists Forecast as Consumers Recover

Bloomberg News, sent from my iPod touch.

U.S. Retail Sales Rise More Than Forecast as Consumers Recover

Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Sales at U.S. retailers rose more than forecast in November as holiday shopping got under way, a sign consumers will play a bigger role in the recovery.

Purchases increased 0.8 percent, following a 1.7 percent gain in October that was larger than previously estimated, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for a 0.6 percent rise. Excluding autos, gasoline and building materials, which are the figures used to calculate gross domestic product, sales climbed 0.9 percent, the most since August.

Customers snapped up discounts at chains like Target Corp. and Macy's Inc. during the Thanksgiving weekend, the traditional kick-off to the busiest sales season of the year. Even as the world's largest economy gains momentum heading into 2011, high unemployment and the risk of a prolonged drop in prices remain concerns for Federal Reserve policy makers set to meet today.

"Holiday sales are looking pretty good," Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Inc. in Lexington, Massachusetts, said before the report. "Consumer spending will steadily improve in coming months. We're seeing a better overall economic outlook."

The projected increase in retail sales was based on the median of 71 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey. Economists' forecasts ranged from increases of 0.2 percent to 1.5 percent. The Commerce Department revised the October reading up from a 1.2 percent gain previously reported.

Broad-Based Gains

Eight of 13 major categories showed increases last month. Sales at general merchandise stores climbed 1.3 percent, the most since October 2009, and purchases at non-store retailers, which include Internet merchants, advanced 2.1 percent, the biggest gain of the year.

Retailers began cutting prices earlier in November than the past few years and continued through Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Sales at stores open at least a year climbed by the most in eight months from November 2009, industry reports showed.

Target and Costco Wholesale Corp. led the sales gains for discounters last month, while teen retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and department stores Macy's and J.C. Penney Co. also posted better-than-forecast increases.

Purchases are broadening out beyond holiday gifts and clothing. Home Depot Inc., the world's largest home-improvement retailer, lifted its full-year profit forecast on stronger fourth-quarter demand for plumbing and electrical items and Christmas trees.

'Terrific' Demand

"As we look at November into December, we see strength across the store," Chief Financial Officer Carol Tome said Dec. 8 by telephone from an analysts' meeting in Boston. The Atlanta- based company had a "terrific Black Friday."

The National Retail Federation has forecast the November- December holiday sales gain will be the biggest since 2006. A Bloomberg survey taken Dec. 2 to Dec. 8 showed economists raised 2011 projections for consumer purchases, the biggest part of the economy, to 2.6 percent from 2.3 percent estimated last month.

Today, the International Council of Shopping Centers revised its November-December holiday-season sales forecast up by 0.5 percentage point to a range of 3.5 percent to 4 percent, citing "the strong November performance and promising trends in early December."

While recent gains in consumer sentiment bode well for retail sales, the unemployment rate, which in November reached a seven-month high of 9.8 percent, remains a hurdle.

Fed policy makers, who meet today for the final time this year, may reiterate the strategy to buy an additional $600 billion of Treasuries through June to try to trim joblessness and avert deflation, or an extended drop in prices.

To contact the reporters on this story: Shobhana Chandra in Washington at schandra1@bloomberg.net Bob Willis in Washington at bwillis@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net

Find out more about Bloomberg for iPhone: http://m.bloomberg.com/iphone/

Víctor Lei

DMV: new Calif. licences delayed up to 6 weeks

- view video -
DMV: new Calif. licences delayed up to 6 weeks
Updated on: 2010-12-13 22:13:14

Story posted 2010.12.13 at 07:11 PM PST

ABC7 NEWS TO GO News

If you're waiting for your new driver's license to arrive in the mail, you could be waiting quite a bit longer. The DMV says it's now taking up to six weeks.

You're already waiting in long lines at the DMV and now comes word you'll have to wait as much as two months for your new California driver's license or ID card -- at least double what it used to take.

"You stand around waiting all morning just to be seen, and then you have to wait 6-8 weeks to get what you here for But they don't have you wait 6 to 8 weeks to pay them the money for it," DMV customer Julius Greene said.

Blame the new security-enhanced features on the card. They're supposed to make the California driver's license counterfeit-proof, but apparently the details are too much for the maker Connecticut-based L-1 Identity Solutions, forcing the state to reject every screw-up, even if it's just a smudge.

"If the card has any imperfection on it at all, we send it back," DMV spokesman Mike Marando said. "We don't have the luxury to be close, so our expectation is that every single card has to be 100 percent correct."

DMV says if you get pulled over by a cop, your record will show you're up-to-date. The agency also says you can board a flight with an expired license or ID card as long as you go through extra screening. But you might have to do some explaining to the store clerk, who asks for it when you use your credit card this holiday season.

None of that is good enough for Jerry Anderson, who got a postcard from work saying he needs to show them a valid government photo ID as soon as possible.

"If it takes longer than six weeks, yeah, the card says I will terminated," he said.

DMV has to stick with L-1 Identity Solutions because they handle the new licenses for 46 states. California is working with the company to speed things up. In the meantime, DMV suggests getting a temporary license or ID, but, of course, that means more waiting; whether you're on hold on the phone, or standing in line at a field office.
Story posted 2010.12.13 at 07:11 PM PST

Víctor Lei

BART eliminating EZ Rider cards

Story posted 2010.12.13 at 10:41 PM PST

Tomorrow is it for people who use BART's EZ Rider card; it's the last day the cards can be used to pay fares at some BART stations.

EZ Rider cards will be blocked at all stations by next Wednesday.

BART has notified people who want to pay with smart cards that they will have to switch to Clipper cards.
Story posted 2010.12.13 at 10:41 PM PST

Víctor Lei

Seagull freed of beer can collar at SF State

Story posted 2010.12.13 at 07:47 AM PST

Wildlife activists have removed a beer can collar shoved around the neck of a seagull, but more birds with the aluminum collars are still flying around the San Francisco Bay area.

Moss Landing's WildRescue says rescuers captured a young brown gull at San Francisco State during the weekend and cut off the beer container with scissors.

The San Francisco Chronicle says the bird was in good health and was released.

Wildlife group director Rebecca Dmytryk says the gull was the second bird freed from the beer can collars deliberately place around the necks of gulls from Half Moon Bay to San Francisco. At least five gulls have been spotted with beer cans around their necks since September.
Story posted 2010.12.13 at 07:47 AM PST

Víctor Lei

Yahoo preparing to lay off 600 to 700 workers

Story posted 2010.12.13 at 10:09 PM PST

ABC7 NEWS TO GO News

Yahoo Inc.'s holiday trimmings will include 600 to 700 layoffs in the Internet company's latest shake-up triggered by lackluster growth.

Employees could be notified of the job cuts as early as Tuesday, according to a person familiar with Yahoo's plans. The person asked for anonymity because Yahoo hadn't made a formal announcement.

The planned cutbacks represent about 5 percent of Yahoo's work force of 14,100 employees. It will mark Yahoo's fourth mass layoff in the past three years.

The latest two housecleanings have come under the company's current CEO, Carol Bartz, a Silicon Valley veteran hired nearly two years, despite a lack of experience on the Web or in advertising -- Yahoo's main source of revenue.

This week's round of reductions is expected to be concentrated in Yahoo's U.S. products group, which already has been undergoing an overhaul since Bartz hired former Microsoft Corp. executive Blake Irving to run the division last spring.

The job cuts won't come as a shock. News of the looming layoffs was first reported last month by two popular technology blogs, TechCrunch and All Things Digital.

Yahoo's feeble financial growth, stagnant stock price and recent management defections have raised questions about whether Bartz herself might be shown the door before her contract expires in January 2013.

The company's revenue had edged up by less than 2 percent to $4.8 billion through the first nine months of the year, reflecting the difficulty Yahoo has had selling ads while other Internet companies such as Google Inc. and Facebook are thriving.

Google's revenue climbed 23 percent to nearly $21 billion through the first nine months of the year. Privately held Facebook doesn't disclose its results but it is growing so fast that it had to move into larger headquarters earlier this year.

Yahoo's stock price fell 31 cents to close Monday at $16.70, a few cents below where it ended last year. Meanwhile, the technology-driven Nasdaq composite index has risen by 16 percent so far this year.

The malaise has spurred speculation that opportunistic buyout firms might put together a takeover bid for Yahoo, possibly in partnership with another embattled Internet icon, AOL Inc.

Bartz, 62, has repeatedly insisted Yahoo, which is based in Sunnyvale, is heading in the right direction, although she has cautioned it might be another year or two before there's a significant improvement in the company's financial results.
Story posted 2010.12.13 at 10:09 PM PST

Víctor Lei

Sunday, December 12, 2010

My future laptop

Check out this product from the Apple Store:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC372LL/A

Víctor Lei

程文政-約會

想見面但是每天難在身邊天已靜悄聽著經典

每日夜長夢多相遇你但我倆卻遠到天邊
愿這刻若是愛戀成為影片心跳脈膊黑白經典
渴望成為童話的我倆手牽手到白頭
每秒亦未變

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ViuhRgQX4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Víctor Lei

(BN) Asian Stocks, Dollar, Copper Climb as China Refrains From Increasing Rates

Bloomberg News, sent from my iPod touch.

Asian Stocks, Dollar Climb as China Refrains From Rate Increase

Dec. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks advanced, copper and rubber jumped to records, and the dollar strengthened for a sixth day after China refrained from raising interest rates and as optimism increased that the U.S. recovery is gathering steam.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index climbed 0.5 percent to 133.70 as of 4 p.m. in Tokyo. Futures on the Euro Stoxx 50 index rose 0.5 percent while those on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index were little changed. Copper rallied as much as 1.7 percent in London and rubber gained for a fourth day in Tokyo. The Dollar Index, which tracks the currency against six major peers, added 0.2 percent, and was set for its longest stretch of gains since June.

China on Dec. 10 ordered banks to set aside larger reserves and didn't announce an interest-rate increase, even as data released the following day showed the inflation rate reached 5.1 percent in November while industrial-output growth and retail sales grew. As Federal Reserve policy makers meet tomorrow, a U.S. Commerce Department report will likely show retail sales climbed for a fifth straight month, adding to data that showed consumer confidence increased in December to a six-month high.

"A rate increase would produce a greater impact on the wider economy, so their cautious measure is positive for the market" said Lam Chee Mun, a fund manager at TA Investment Management in Kuala Lumpur.

Two stocks rose for each that fell on the MSCI Asian index, which has climbed 11 percent this year. The Shanghai Composite jumped 2.9 percent, its biggest advance since Oct. 15. Gains today helped trim the index's 2010 loss to 11 percent, still the steepest drop among Asian markets this year. China Vanke Co., the nation's largest developer by value, rose 3.7 percent.

'More Effective'

Consumer prices rose a more-than-forecast 5.1 percent from a year earlier, a statistics bureau report showed in Beijing over the weekend. Producer-price inflation was 6.1 percent, higher than any of 28 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had estimated. The central bank boosted reserve requirements by 50 basis points starting Dec. 20, the third increase in five weeks, instead of raising borrowing costs.

"The government seems to be using reserve requirements at the moment as a more effective tool," Hugh Simon, co-manager of the Dreyfus Greater China Fund, said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "They need to have some relief about inflation. Inflation this time, rather than 2008, is coming from the demand side as people are getting paid more."

Westpac Banking Corp. paced a rally in Australia's four largest lenders after analysts including Jarrod Martin of Credit Suisse Group said the companies may emerge as victors from Treasurer Wayne Swan's package to promote banking competition. Westpac, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank Ltd. and Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. rose at least 1.1 percent each after Swan's 13-point plan stopped short of investors' most pessimistic expectations.

Copper, Rubber

Copper for three-month delivery on the London Metal Exchange rose to as high as $9,138.50 a metric ton, surpassing the $9,091 level reached on Dec. 9. Zinc gained 2.4 percent while nickel rose 0.9 percent. Rubber futures in Tokyo advanced to an all-time high of 396.4 yen per kilogram following rains in Thailand, the largest exporter.

Crude oil gained 0.5 percent in New York to $88.24 a barrel on speculation oil demand will continue to rise in China, the world's largest energy user.

The dollar rose against most of its 16 major counterparts and traded at 84.13 yen from 83.95 yen in New York. Retail sales climbed 0.6 percent in November after advancing 1.2 percent in October, according to the median estimate of economists in a Bloomberg News survey before tomorrow's figures. Confidence among U.S. consumers increased in December to a six-month high, the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment showed on Dec. 10.

Yields Climb

Treasuries fell before the release of the data, sending yields on the 10-year note higher by three basis points to 3.35 percent. Fed policy makers may signal this week they will contemplate boosting purchases of government debt to support job growth. Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said earlier this month purchases of government securities may be increased beyond the $600 billion already announced under the Fed's so-called quantitative easing program.

The euro retreated against 14 of its 16 major peers before a Dec. 16 and 17 European Union meeting, where leaders will discuss the creation of a permanent mechanism to shore up over- indebted countries. Against the dollar, the shared currency traded $1.3200 from $1.3226 in New York on Dec. 10

Euro's Survival

The currency's survival is "non-negotiable," requiring budget vigilance and closer economic cooperation to overcome "structural weaknesses" within the euro region, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Dec. 10. Splits between EU governments on how to contain the debt crisis have emerged, with Germany opposed to euro-area bonds that Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg favor.

"Europe's large nations may find it hard to provide further aid when they think about their own domestic factors," said Masahide Tanaka, a senior strategist in Tokyo at Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., a unit of Japan's second-largest bank. "The euro is struggling to rise, as the dollar is regaining strength."

To contact the reporters on this story: Shiyin Chen in Singapore at schen37@bloomberg.net David Yong in Kuala Lumpur at dyong@bloomberg.net .

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Poole at jpoole4@bloomberg.net

Find out more about Bloomberg for iPhone: http://m.bloomberg.com/iphone/

Víctor Lei

Best holiday gift ideas for under $10

- view video -
Best holiday gift ideas for under $10
Updated on: 2010-12-07 11:25:30

Story posted 2010.12.07 at 08:06 AM PST

ABC7 NEWS TO GO News

Shopping on a budget can be time consuming looking for the right gift at the right price. Here's a rundown of Good Housekeeping's best gifts for under $10.

"There are plenty of great gifts to be had this year for under $10 for kind of everybody on your list. For your favorite tween, we have an adorable little French Bulldog Rebecca Bonbon Hat that they'll surely wear all winter," said Kim Moreau of Good Housekeeping.

For Hanukkah, she says there is a Silver Latke Server that is guaranteed to add a little flair to the table. And for the fisherman who doesn't mind a drink or two, how about a Wooden Fish Corkscrew from Kikkerland .

"Who hasn't been caught in a rainstorm without an umbrella so why not stock up for your friends and car poolers with some of these great small umbrellas from Totes . For the pet lover in your life, don't forget them and give them this great Squeaky Toy Gingerbread Man ," said Moreau.
Story posted 2010.12.07 at 08:06 AM PST

....

Víctor Lei

Consumer Reports tests more than a dozen 3D TVs

- view video -
Consumer Reports tests more than a dozen 3D TVs
Updated on: 2010-12-10 09:41:06

Story posted 2010.12.10 at 06:38 AM PST

ABC7 NEWS TO GO News

The labs at Consumer Reports tested 14 of the latest 3D TVs, both plasma and LCD. The pictures on all the TVs are compelling, but Consumer Reports has found differences.

"Our tests showed that plasma TVs handle 3D better than the LCD TVs, primarily because there's less ghosting," said Jim Willcox of Consumer Reports.

Ghosting refers to a double image that you can see even when you're wearing 3D glasses. To test for ghosting, Consumer Reports engineers designed special test patterns.

"Ghosting is particularly noticeable on the LCD TVs that we tested from Samsung and LG," said Willcox.

Another LCD TV from Sony seems ok when you look straight on, but if you tip your head, the ghosting is severe. For realistic 3D pictures with the least ghosting, Consumer Reports says the plasma TVs from Panasonic are a good choice - the VT20 and VT25 series. A 50 inch screen, including a pair of glasses, starts at about $2,500.

Unfortunately, Consumer Reports found that the 3D glasses that come with the Panasonic TVs aren't very comfortable. But universal glasses that work on any 3D TV should be available soon.

Consumer Reports is published by Consumers Union. Both Consumer Reports and Consumers Union are not-for-profit organizations that accept no advertising. Neither has any commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor on this site.

....

Víctor Lei

Total Pageviews

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Sunday, December 12, 2010