Forget buying software: You can now rent Microsoft Office (cheap!)

18 hrs.

Rosa Golijan , NBC News

Considering that we can have music, movies, TV shows, Photoshop???even underwear???via some sort of monthly or yearly subscription, it's about time we can finally rent Microsoft Office 365, too.

In exchange for $100 per?year (or $10 per?month), you'll be able to install Office 2013 on up to five PCs, Macs or Windows tablets. You'll have?access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access. Additionally, you'll get an extra?20GB of cloud storage through SkyDrive (on top of the 7GB you already get for free) along with 60 minutes of Skype world calling per month.?

You can still buy Office 2013 the old-school way, though don't expect to see any physical media in the software box; you'll just buy a product code and be sent online to download the actual software. The Home & Student version of that is $140 and is limited to one device (and just Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote); Home & Business is $220 (which includes Outlook as well), and Pro ? with all of the same?apps offered in the subscription ??is $400.

Besides being able to install on up to five devices, there are other benefits to the subscription plan:?Free upgrades to the latest versions of the Office software are included, so you can buy in at any time without worrying about missing the next version. Better still, since the subscription?license covers different types of devices, you don't have to buy a bunch of different versions.?(Besides Mac support, Microsoft has said in the past that this Office 365?license would even?provide you with not-yet-released editions, including a possible iPad version.)

If you have a family with lots going on, it is likely to be a money saver, even when you factor in the deals you get from home/student pricing.?

If you are simply?a power user with a lot of different devices, you'll be able to sync Office 365?documents between them with ease. (And you'll, of course, also be able to share documents quickly, thanks to SkyDrive.)?It doesn't stop with the documents though: Your settings and preferences sync as well. This means that no matter where you sign into Office 365, you'll have the same experience. This is, once again, a great benefit for those who split their time between one too many devices.

Pricing and cloud support aside, the latest Office itself isn't a radical redesign. Everything feels familiar, with some small tweaks. It appears that Microsoft is attempting to reduce the bloat we occasionally experience when it comes to its software suite. Does it succeed? Well, we'll have to use the software for a bit longer to make a solid judgment call in regards to that.

While?the?latest version of the software isn't?lacking anything?from?the?traditional?desktop?view???in fact, our initial impression is that it might be the best version of Office we've used so far???we're still waiting for a finger-friendly tablet version of the?legendary?suite.?Though?it?would?be?a?huge?success?given?the?popularity?of?iPads?and?other?tablets,?Microsoft?isn't?going?to?rush?that?out?in?haste,?because?the?company's?developers?say?they?want?to?get?it?right.

You can snag a free one-month trial of Office 365 through Office.com and we suggest taking advantage of this deal. Odds are that you'll find it feeling comfortable and familiar ? and a little lighter on the checkbook as well.

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/forget-buying-software-you-can-now-rent-microsoft-office-cheap-1C8157930

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Flier protections a big part of LaHood?s DOT legacy

48 min.

A. Pawlowski , NBC News

How often do you think about Ray LaHood when you fly? For most fliers, the answer is probably, "never"???or "Ray La-Who?"

But when a storm keeps a? plane grounded on the tarmac, an airline loses luggage or fees complicate airfare shopping, it's the rules put in place under the LaHood-led Department of Transportation?that help keep travelers sane.

Secretary?LaHood announced Tuesday?he will leave his post ? a move that made some passenger rights advocates wistful.

?There?s actually no doubt about it, he was by far the most passenger-friendly and consumer-friendly Secretary of Transportation that we?ve ever had,? said Charlie Leocha, director of the Consumer Travel Alliance.

?He had a whole series of consumer-friendly rule makings that really changed the landscape of flying for the public.?

LaHood will perhaps be most remembered for implementing the tarmac delay rule, which took effect in the spring of 2010 and threatened airlines with huge fines if they allowed a flight to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours?without giving passengers the option of deplaning.?The rule aims to cut down on nightmare scenarios involving passengers stuck inside a grounded plane, with little food or water and with malfunctioning lavatories.

It appears to be working. There were 86 tarmac delays of three hours or more in 2011, the last full year for which DOT statistics are available, or about one-tenth of such incidents reported in 2009.

Other passenger protections passed during LaHood?s tenure include requiring airlines to disclose all fees on their websites and refund bag fees if they lose the luggage. DOT also doubled the amount of compensation passengers are eligible for if they are involuntarily bumped from an oversold flight.

Some of those regulations are more important than the tarmac delay rule because they affect many more travelers on a daily basis, Leocha said.

At the same time, LaHood?s DOT showed the regulations finally have teeth by levying hefty fines against airlines that break the rules.

?He has been very active in instituting, and following up and enforcing,? Leocha told NBC News, adding he would give the departing secretary a grade of ?A-plus-plus-plus.?

LaHood also received warm praise from the National Association of Railroad Passengers, which called him an energetic advocate for the improvement and expansion of America?s passenger rail network.

Other travel advocates were somewhat more critical.

Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org, gave LaHood a grade of B-minus.

?He certainly presided over an improvement in passenger rights. In the last year, though, he seems to have rested on the momentum that was there previously,? Hudson said.

Hudson?s group presented the DOT with 19 recommendations last summer, he noted, including establishing an airline passenger emergency hotline and providing travelers with compensation for excessive flight delays. But the government committee that examined the proposed reforms ignored them, Hudson said.

He hopes that whoever replaces LaHood will take a much more serious look at the recommendations.

Meanwhile, Airlines for America (A4A)???which represents some of the country?s biggest carriers ? praised LaHood?s commitment to safety. The group hasn?t always seen eye to eye with the secretary, warning at one point that the tarmac delay rule would lead to more canceled flights, greater passenger inconvenience and would be inconsistent with the goal of completing as many flights as possible.

LaHood will leave his post once a successor is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. A4A will focus on his successor, who is not immediately clear.

?We look forward to working with the next DOT leader on ways to build on the safety and efficiency of the airlines, while ensuring they are able to compete globally,? A4A spokesman Vaughn Jennings said?in a statement to NBC News.

So what?s next? Leocha said he?s not worried that the momentum will stop when LaHood departs. The Consumer Travel Alliance plans to keep up the pressure on the new secretary of transportation, he added.

?The culture of taking care of consumers and passengers is really ingrained at the DOT and it would take something really dramatic to have that change. I just don?t see that happening,? Leocha said.

LaHood will leave his post once a successor is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. His replacement was not immediately clear.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/flier-protections-big-part-ray-lahoods-legacy-1B8174595

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Wednesday's college variety roundup: Warhill grad Armstead of Norfolk State named to VaSID first team

Daily Press

6:22 p.m. EST, January 30, 2013

Norfolk State senior outside hitter Charlotte Armstead, a Warhill High graduate, was one of six players named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors? women's volleyball all-state first team. She leads the Spartans? all-time charts in kills, attacks, sets played and blocks.

The second team included William and Mary freshman Dessi Koleva, the Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year, and Hampton sophomore Vendula Strakova.

Softball:

Newport News native Sarah Atkins, a three-time Division II All-Southeast Region player and 2010 All-American for Lenoir-Rhyne, has joined the Christopher Newport coaching staff under Keith Parr.

Atkins, a Warwick High graduate, guided Lenoir-Rhyne to three conference titles and three NCAA regional crowns. She is Lenoir-Rhyne?s all-time leader in home runs (49), RBIs (190), walks (109) and games played (229). ...

Poll:

CNU is ranked eighth and Roanoke sixth in the preseason Division III coaches poll.

Men?s gymnastics:

William and Mary?s Landon Funiciello was named the College Gymnastics Association Collegiate Division National Gymnast of the Week for the second time.

?Helping the then-No. 12 Tribe defeat Navy, Funiciello won on the rings (15.25) and parallel bars (14.45) and was third in floor exercise (14.3). He ranks third nationally on rings (15.33) and 18th on parallel bars (14.45).

Baseball:

CNU first baseman-designated hitter Christopher McDougal and right-handed pitchers Ryan Fleischmann and Austin Chrismon, a transfer from East Carolina, were named as ?Players to Watch? by D-III coaches in a recent edition of Collegiate Baseball.

Indoor track and field:

The CNU women?s team passed Emory for No. 1 in the latest regional ranking, while the Captains? men remained at No. 1.

NOTE: Comments area is for meaningful discussion. Readers are reminded to post comments that are germane to the article and write in a common language that steers clear of personal attacks and/or vulgarities. Readers may report comments by clicking report abuse. Once a comment has been flagged, a Daily Press staffer will investigate.

Source: http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-college-variety-roundup-20130130,0,6219148.story?track=rss

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Internet Tips - A Beginners Guide to Filtering Spam - Computer How ...

New Internet users who open email accounts can find that their joy at discovering online networking is impinged by spam. Spam, otherwise known as unsolicited electronic junk mail, is sent, often by advertising companies, to mass recipients at once. Sometimes receivers respond favorably to spam, which makes the whole process valuable to senders. Receivers who don?t want junk via electronic post however, can find spam annoying.

Spam can quickly fill your inbox and take time to wade through. In addition, if you are a conscientious Internet user you may be wary of accidentally opening spam that might contain a computer virus. Catching a Trojan or other computer virus via junk mail can add insult to injury.

Image credit: Renato Avanzini, Flickr

Spam filters

The first step to avoiding spam can be to employ an anti-spam filter tool. You can download anti-spam tools from the Internet; however, you will probably find that you already have a method of dealing with spam supplied by your email program. Windows Mail for example, provides junk email options for customers. Under the heading ?Tools? you could click on ?Junk-Email Options? and then choose how you would like to deal with potential spam via a list of choices.

[Read also: Why Gmail is The Best at Keeping Your Inbox Organized]

No automatic filtering

The first, but least safe option is to employ no automatic filtering. This would mean that you received all mail routinely whether it was junk or not. However, you could still block known spammers and other senders from whom you didn?t want to receive mail.

Low filtering

The second option is low filtering. This involves moving obvious spam to a junk folder. Low filtering can be useful if you don?t want to miss emails you want to receive that could otherwise be presumed to be junk if a higher filtering capacity was employed.

High filtering

High filtering is a great way to catch almost all forms of junk email, but it can sometimes result in messages you would have liked to receive being lost as well.

Safe list filtering should be used if you only want to receive mail from people you know and have placed on a safe list. Any other mail is automatically filtered.

[Recommended read: How to Avoid Falling for A Phishing Scam]

Permanent removal

The final option Windows offers is to opt for permanent removal of unsolicited mail. Such mail doesn?t go into a junk folder for you to check. Instead, all unsolicited messages and spam are permanently deleted before you get to see them.

Like Windows Mail, most email programs allow people to select filtering options of their choice to suit their needs. Not choosing to use a filtering system at all can be a mistake, as viruses and annoying mail are generally posted electronically to email users en masse in this fashion.

Deciding which filtering option is best for you and employing it straight away when you open an email account can be wise. By perusing the selection of choices offered by your email program regarding junk mail, you can effectively avoid most spam and safeguard your time, energy and safety as an email receiver.

About the Author: Sam Jones, the author, thinks that broadband is wonderful but that it still has some regulatory problems.

Source: http://www.computerhowtoguide.com/2013/01/guide-to-filtering-spam.html

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Same-Sex Marriage Opponents Have A Grand New Incoherent ...

Lawyers defending Prop 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act have come up with a really good argument for why the gays shouldn?t be able to get married: they think too much before they have babies.

Marriage should be limited to unions of a man and a woman because they alone can ?produce unplanned and unintended offspring,? opponents of gay marriage have told the Supreme Court.

By contrast, when same-sex couples decide to have children, ?substantial advance planning is required,? said Paul D. Clement, a lawyer for?House Republicans.

Hahaha, you thought we were kidding.

No, this is now the big reason that straights are imperiled by same-sex marriage: marriage should be restricted to people who could unintentionally get pregnant, and if we extend it to the gays and lesbians, well, um?Obamunism?

The traditional marriage laws ?reflect a unique social difficulty with opposite-sex couples that is not present with same-sex couples ? namely, the undeniable and distinct tendency of opposite-sex relationships to produce unplanned and unintended pregnancies,? wrote Clement, a solicitor general under President?George W. Bush. ?Unintended children produced by opposite-sex relationships and raised out-of-wedlock would pose a burden on society.?

?It is plainly reasonable for California to maintain a unique institution [referring to marriage] to address the unique challenges posed by the unique procreative potential of sexual relationships between men and women,? argued Washington attorney Charles J. Cooper, representing the defenders of Proposition 8. Same-sex couples need not be included in the definition of marriage, he said, because they ?don?t present a threat of irresponsible procreation.?

Defenders of the laws have to succeed on rational basis review: basically, that there?s some legitimate reason for the law rationally linked to the law.

As you can obviously tell, this is a wholly rational argument for excluding gay and lesbian couples from marriage; after all, if they?re allowed to marry, then there might be some dumbass straight couple auditioning for Teen Mom 3 (or, fuck it, Jenelle from Teen Mom 2) who refuses to get married because queers possibly could, too.

In the lower courts, defenders of the traditional laws struggled to explain why committed couples of the same sex should be denied the benefits of marriage. The plaintiffs include same-sex couples who are raising children.

Clement and Cooper do not address that issue directly. Instead, they argue that it is reasonable for the law to steer opposite-sex couples toward marriage, including by giving them extra benefits. ?It was rational for?Congress to draw the line where it did,? Clement said, ?because the institution of marriage arose in large measure in response to the unique social difficulty that opposite-sex couples, but not same-sex couples, posed.?

And that makes perfect sense, because Congress designs state marriage laws, and so rationally believed that every state meant for marriage to exist in its natural state: at the end of a shotgun.

[LA Times]

Tagged

• arguments,?
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• i mean the whole thing really,?
• jenelle,?
• jenelle's implants,?
• LGBT,?
• marriage,?
• i thee boned and then wed,?
• rational basis,?
• same-sex marriage,?
• supreme court,?
• teen mom,?
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• weird arguments

Source: http://wonkette.com/498825/same-sex-marriage-opponents-have-a-grand-new-incoherent-argument-marriage-is-for-dumbs

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Spotlight: Leaders in Commercial Banking ? North Bay Business ...

Individuals are alphabetized by name of institution.

Larry Tidwell

AltaPacific Bank

3725 Westwind Blvd., Ste. 100, Santa Rosa 95403,?apbconect.com, 707-236-1521

Larry Tidwell

Larry Tidwell has served as the executive vice president in the real estate industries group at AltaPacific Bank in Santa Rosa since April 2009. He oversees all construction lending, a responsibility he held in his previous position as executive vice president in the real estate industries group at Temecula Valley Bank.

Mr. Tidwell was born in Roswell, N.M., and has lived in the North Bay for 30 years. He cited the retention of customers over more than 15 years as a major accomplishment.

?I think one thing we will see in 2013 is more banks throwing their hat in the ring with regards to lending,? he said.??This will lead to healthy competition amongst lenders, which will be good for borrowers as they will have more choices.?

AltaPacific Bank was founded in 2006 and has assets of $222 million.

Gus Zijlstra

American River Bank

90 S. E St., Ste. 11, Santa Rosa 95404, americanriverbank.com, 707-528-6300

Gus Zijlstra

Gus Zijlstra is vice president and relationship manager at American River Bank and has 16 years of experience in commercial lending.

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mr. Zijlstra has a management and accounting degree from Sonoma State University and a master?s degree from the University of San Francisco. He moved to Santa Rosa in 1985 after graduating from the Argentine Naval Academy and a successful naval career.

Mr. Zijlstra said the one-on-one customer service he provides is what clients expect from a community bank, and those interactions are enhanced by his experience in the banking industry. He is also a frequent volunteer for community organizations, including his work to help mentor elementary school students through Operation Getting Together and to teach financial concepts at the junior high level through Junior Achievement of the Redwood Empire.

American River Bank is a 30-year-old regional business bank with $585 million in assets.

David Meddaugh

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

10 Santa Rosa Ave., Ste. 210, Santa Rosa 95404,?bankofamerica.com, 707-293-2553

David Meddaugh

David Meddaugh is the senior vice president and market manager of the North Coast commercial banking office of Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He has been with the bank for more than 30 years. In his current capacity, he manages the unit?s largest client relationships, with particular focus on the wine and specialty food and beverage industries.

Mr. Meddaugh also serves as the bank?s liaison with the California wine industry. He has presented at the Wine Industry Financial Symposium, Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, Leadership Forum, Sonoma State University Economic Outlook and Moss Adams Wine Industry Roundtable.

He earned bachelor?s degrees in both economics and finance from California State University, Chico, and holds an MBA in corporate finance from the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Mr. Meddaugh was raised in Santa Rosa. He lives there with his wife and two children at their Buckshot Ranch property, which has been planted to Italian varietal olive trees.

Beth Reizman

Bank of Marin

504 Redwood Blvd., Ste. 100, Novato 94947,?bankofmarin.com, 415-763-4520

Beth Reizman

Beth Reizman?is a seasoned lender and manager who has held various positions over her 17-year tenure at Bank of Marin. As commercial banking manager, she is based in?the bank?s headquarters in Novato. She also is a member of the senior management team, helping set the strategic direction of the bank. Ms. Reizman claims her greatest banking accomplishment is helping contribute to the growth and success of Bank of Marin.

Ms. Reizman is currently treasurer of the Marin Workforce Housing Trust Board and serves on their finance committee. She has served on numerous local non-profit boards in the past, including Novato Human Needs Center, North Bay Children?s Center, and Novato Sunrise Rotary. She has also been a long time community volunteer with Lucas Valley Swim Team, Lucas Valley Community Church, and Marin Catholic High School.

Born in the Philippines, she attended the International School in Manila then graduated with a degree in economics from Stanford University. Ms. Reizman started her career at Crocker Bank in the Asia Pacific division then held numerous private and commercial banking positions with Crocker, Hibernia Bank and Bank of California.

Larry Fletcher

Bank of Napa

2007 Redwood Rd., Ste. 101, Napa 94558,?thebankofnapa.com, 707-257-7777

Larry Fletcher

A 30-year resident of Northern California, Larry Fletcher is the executive vice president and chief credit officer at Bank of Napa. He has more than 30 years of experience as a banking executive, 26 of them in Napa and Solano counties. He is responsible for all aspects of the bank?s loan portfolio.

Born in Southern California, Mr. Fletcher graduated from Long Beach State University in 1974 with a degree in business administration. He graduated with honors from the Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle in 1988.

Prior to joining Bank of Napa, Mr. Fletcher was the manager of the commercial lending hub for Vintage Bank. He also held the previous role of chief credit officer for Solano Bank, a subsidiary of Vintage Bank in Vacaville, and began his banking career as a consumer loan officer for United California Bank in Los Angeles.

Outside of the bank, he serves on the board of directors for Child Start, a nonprofit that operates the Head Start child-development organization in Napa and Solano counties.

Tom LeMasters, president and CEO, credited Mr. Fletcher with helping the bank to grow a strong portfolio during tumultuous economic times. The bank reported nearly $150 million in assets at the end of 2012.

Don Mercer

Bank of the West

20 S. Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma 94952,?bankofthewest.com, 707-778-3313

Don Mercer

Don Mercer, senior vice president and national sales manager, has been with Bank of the West for 13 years. In this role for the bank, he manages the region?s SBA team for small business and commercial lending.

Previously, Mr. Mercer served as a branch manager, regional business development officer and regional manager at the bank. He began his banking career while in college, and assumed his current position in 2007.

A graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School, Mr. Mercer also holds a bachelor?s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Born in Anaheim and raised in Fullerton, he has lived in the North Bay for more than 10 years. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and reading.

Founded in 1874, $63 billion-asset Bank of the West operates 700 branches and offices in 19 states. The bank has several branches in the North Bay, including a commercial lending office in Petaluma and a wine-focused lending office in Napa.

Michael Silva

Comerica Bank

2 Embarcadero Ctr., Ste. 300, San Francisco 94111, comerica.com, 415-477-3274

Michael Silva

Michael Silva is a senior vice president at Comerica Bank, heading the bank?s commercial lending group in San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. He has served in his current role for nine years and has been with Comerica for a total of 15 years. That followed 12 years at Union Bank.

Mr. Silva has a bachelor of science degree in finance from Santa Clara University?and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Comerica serves a number of specialty food manufacturers in the North Bay, and the wine industry represents about 25 percent of the bank?s regional portfolio, he said.

?There are a lot of companies in the region that are emerging from a smaller size and looking to grow,? Mr. Silva said.

He said that the bank also sees growth opportunities for other sectors in the region, such as helping to finance the purchase of the North Bay Business Journal, Santa Rosa Press Democrat and the Petaluma Argus-Courier last year.

?You?re seeing the impact of local business people owning their local newspaper,? he said.

Comerica Bank had $63.3 billion in assets in its most recent report.

Steve Herron

Exchange Bank

545 Fourth St., Dept. 410, Santa Rosa 95401,?exchangebank.com, 707-524-3102

Steve Herron

Steve Herron has served as senior vice president and manager for commercial lending at Exchange Bank since 2000. He focused on business lending for seven years prior to that as a business development officer at the bank.?

Mr. Herron?s banking career began in Los Angeles, where he participated in a commercial lending training program for Union Bank. The program included a one-year assignment in Sacramento, which led to his transfer to the bank?s small banking office in Santa Rosa as a commercial lender in 1987.

Since 1996, Exchange Bank has steadily developed?its?growing?niche as a commercial lender catering to Sonoma County?s artisan?winemakers, growers and vineyard managers, growing that portfolio?to more than $150 million.?

A resident of the North Bay since 1987, Mr. Herron grew up in Fresno. In his spare time he loves to listen to music, read business periodicals, follow the stock markets and collect fine wine.

?I personally think there is a reasonable level of pent-up demand within the business community ? most sectors ? for growth in hiring, capital expansion and expanded business lending,? he said.??I think it will start slowly in 2013, held back by the second phase of the fiscal/budget cliff, but accelerate during the second quarter and into the back half of 2013.?

Exchange Bank was founded more than 120 years ago and reported more than $1.6 billion in assets in its last financial filing.

Barbara Larson

First Community Bank

438 First St.,? Santa Rosa 95401,?fcbconnect.com, 707-636-9711

Barbara Larson is vice president and commercial loan officer at First Community Bank.

Barbara Larson

Ms. Larson has been in the banking industry since 1996, and joined First Community Bank in 2008. She specializes in commercial lines of credit, equipment financing and SBA financing. The bank describes her as a client favorite who brings a wealth of business expertise and customized personal service to each relationship.

?I love working for a community bank, and First Community was the perfect fit for me professionally and personally,? she said.

The bank encourages community service, and Ms. Larson shares her time and talent in through a number of community organizations. She is the current treasurer of the Santa Rosa West Rotary Club, a position she has held for nine years. As a longtime advocate for children, young adults and seniors, she also serves as the treasurer for the Elder Care Expo board of directors.

Carol Landry

First Northern Bank

555 Mason St., Ste. 100, Vacaville 95688,?thatsmybank.com, 707-447-8600

Carol Landry

Carol Landry is the senior vice president and western region commercial loan manager for First Northern Bank. She has been with the bank for eight years. In her current position, Ms. Landry manages commercial loan activities in Solano and Yolo counties.

She has more than 30 years of experience in commercial lending, including several community and national banks in Solano, Yolo and Napa counties.

Ms. Landry is past chairman of Vacaville Chamber of Commerce and Vacaville Library Commission. She has been a board member of several community organizations in Solano County. Ms. Landry holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of California, Davis, and is a graduate of Pacific Coast Banking School at University of Washington.

First Northern Bank was founded in 1910 to provide better banking services to the Solano agribusiness community. Today, in addition to operating lines of credit and equipment lines and leases, the bank offers commercial solar financing and commercial real estate loans to small- and medium-sized businesses and farms. The 10-branch bank is a preferred SBA lender and reported $805.6 million in total assets on Sept. 30.

Jim Wening

JPMorgan Chase

835 Fourth St., Santa Rosa 95404, chase.com, 707-576-3003

Jim Wening is the market manager for Chase Middle Market Banking in Northern California. He has served in a number of leadership roles over an 18-year career in banking, most recently as market manager for Chase Middle Market Banking in San Diego and chairman of the bank?s market leadership team for Orange County the Inland Empire and San Diego.

Mr. Wening spent 16 years as U.S. Bank?s San Diego market president. He has a double major in accounting and finance from Texas Christian University, and an MBA with an emphasis in corporate strategy from Washington University in St. Louis.

?The North Bay is a great market with many strong businesses across different sectors, which makes it an attractive environment for Chase,? Mr. Wening said.

Lynne Carpenter

Luther Burbank Savings

804 Fourth St., Santa Rosa 95404, lutherburbanksavings.com, 707-523-9898

Lynne Carpenter

Lynne Carpenter is the chief income property loan officer at Luther Burbank Savings. She has worked for the bank for ten years, formerly as a commercial loan officer.

Ms. Carpenter worked as a teller in high school and returned to banking after graduating from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. The California native worked in the commercial real estate lending department at a Newport Balboa Savings and Loan after college, embracing the associated challenges and choosing to focus her career in that field of banking.

As manager of the Income Property Lending Division at Luther Burbank Savings, Ms. Carpenter oversees the origination of loans secured by multi-family property in California as well as Seattle, Wash.

Ms. Carpenter said one of her biggest accomplishments was ?helping Luther Burbank Savings achieve record profitability in one of the most difficult real estate markets in history.?

Ruth Edwards

Mechanics Bank

433 Soscol Ave. Ste. 161, Napa 94559,?mechanicsbank.com, 707-256-4343

Ruth Edwards

Ruth Edwards, senior vice president and corporate banking regional manager for the Napa region of Mechanics Bank, has spent more than a decade as a North Bay banker. A longtime wine country resident who grew up in Santa Rosa, she joined the bank?s Napa corporate banking office in 2006. Previously, she was part of the Santa Rosa regional commercial banking office of?Wells Fargo. She lives with her husband, Gary, and two small children in Sonoma.

Mechanics Bank has been a North Bay fixture for 17 years. Its Napa client relationships, however, date back to the early 20th century, when it was a well-known lender to the wine industry. The bank has continued to lend during the economic downturn and focused on furthering its customer relationships as industries weathered the so-called Great Recession.

The 107-year-old bank passed the $3 billion asset mark last year with significant deposit growth. Offices throughout Northern California include Napa, a St. Helena and San Rafael. A new Napa office is set to open in late spring.

Mike Ledwich

Rabobank, N.A.

700 Trancas St., Napa 94558,?rabobankamerica.com, 916-797-8286

Mike Ledwich

Mike Ledwich is vice president and commercial banking officer for Rabobank, N.A. He is responsible for fostering new business relationships and providing solutions to meet the banking needs of business customers in Napa and Sonoma counties.

A banker for 26 years, Mr. Ledwich has spent his entire career in Napa. Before joining Rabobank, Mr. Ledwich was senior vice president and client relationship manager at Bay Commercial Bank as well as senior vice president and relationship manager at Charter Oak Bank.? He also served as vice president and senior relationship manager at Mechanics Bank in Napa for 10 years.

Mr. Ledwich earned a bachelor of science degree in finance and economics from Sacramento State University?and an MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. ?A lifelong resident of Napa, he is a member and past president of Napa Sunrise Rotary Club.

Rabobank is a California community bank with nearly 120 branches, including branches in Napa and Sonoma and a branch and agribusiness lending office in Santa Rosa.

Michael Downey

Redwood Credit Union

3033 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa 95403,?redwoodcu.org, 877-545-4100

Michel Downey

Michael Downey is senior vice president of business services for Redwood Credit Union, where he has managed the credit union?s business programs since 2006. He has a bachelor?s degree in business administration from Chico State University?and served on the city of Santa Rosa Board of Public Utilities for nearly 24 years.

Mr. Downey has many years of business management and financial services experience in Sonoma County. He owned a local business for 30 years. Recognizing the unique financial needs of small businesses, Mr. Downey started a financial services career more than 10 years ago to provide custom financial solutions to help local businesses grow and thrive.

Aging baby boomers will play a prominent role in commercial lending in 2013 as they execute business-exit strategies and transfer assets, he said.

?We are entering a period of the largest transition of generational wealth in the history of our country,? he said.

In 2008, Mr. Downey helped start Redwood Credit Union?s SBA program, which has ranked among the top lenders in the North Bay for the past four years. The credit union is a Small Business Administration preferred lender with more than $2 billion in assets and in excess 220,000 members.

Sunny Lapham

SAFE-BIDCO

1377 Corporate Center Pkwy., Ste. A, Santa Rosa 95407,?safe-bidco.com, 707-577-8621

Sunny Lapham

Sunny Lapham joined SAFE-BIDCO as a loan officer in 2004. Ms. Lapham?s current responsibilities include underwriting and financial analysis of loan requests and overseeing the corporation?s Small Business Loan Guarantee Program and the Energy Efficiency Loan Program.

Ms. Lapham works extensively with community lenders to facilitate their small business lending. Under her stewardship, the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program tripled in volume this past year.

She has 25 years of experience in north coast banking and financial development, including stints at Exchange Bank and Redwood Credit Union. She has a degree in social psychology from University of Nevada?and trained to administer loan programs backed by the Small Business Administration, as well as general banking. Ms. Lapham has served on the board of directors for a number of businesses, nonprofits and educational organizations in the North Bay.

Rob McMillan

Silicon Valley Bank

899 Adams St., Ste. G2, St. Helena 94574,?svb.com/winedivision, 707-967-1367

Rob McMillan

Rob McMillan is the founder of the?St. Helena-based?Wine Division of??Silicon Valley Bank. Starting in 1992, he developed the division from the idea and startup phase to the point where it?s now regarded by many as the leading provider of financial services to the fine wine business on the West Coast.

Mr. McMillan?s banking career has spanned more than 30 years, over 20 with Silicon Valley Bank. In that time, he has moved though roles of increasing responsibility including a term on the bank?s Managing Committee.

Today, Mr. McMillan supports Silicon Valley Bank?s continuing growth and success in the wine business assisting the rest of the division?s clients and bankers: sharing views on the macro factors impacting the fine wine business, offering customized management presentations for clients, writing, speaking and managing a portfolio of client relationships.

He has published reports of varied and emerging trends to the wine industry over the past decade and is author of the bank?s annual Wine Industry Report. Mr. McMillan?s perspectives regarding the direction, opportunities and threats in the fine wine business continue to be cited in regional, national international and the wine trade press.

Mr. McMillan received a bachelor?s degree in finance and economics from Sacramento State University and an MBA from Leavey School of Business at?Santa Clara University. He is affiliated with, and supports numerous charities and industry associations both in and outside of the wine industry.

He is the father of two, enjoys the outdoors and travel, and takes any opportunity to play percussion and drums in live settings.

Jamie Williams

Sonoma Bank

1101 Fifth Ave., Ste. 360, San Rafael 94901,?sonomabank.com, 415-747-3202

Jamie Williams

Jamie Williams has been senior vice president and commercial banking regional director for Sonoma Bank since he was hired two and a half years ago. His focus has been on building strong commercial banking teams in Marin County, East Bay and Santa Rosa. He said hiring high-performing, well-known veteran bankers are key in the success of the bank?s commercial teams in the region.

Along with traditional business banking products and services, Sonoma Bank has experienced tremendous growth in owner-occupied commercial real estate lending.

Mr. Williams was born in Marin and has lived in Novato for more than 21 years. He has been in the banking industry for more than 30 years, always on the commercial or corporate banking side. Prior to joining Sonoma Bank, he was a founder of Greater Bay Bank Marin and was regional vice president for Westamerica Bank. His first position was in 1978 as a management trainee for Wells Fargo after graduating from Santa Clara University with a degree in economics.

Sterling Bank of Spokane, Wash., does business in California as Sonoma Bank.

Bill Fogarty

Summit State Bank

500 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa 95403,?summitstatebank.com, 707-568-6000

Bill Fogarty

Bill Fogarty is senior vice president and chief credit officer at Summit State Bank. Mr. Fogarty joined Summit at the end of 2011 with 25 years of banking experience, including chief credit officer and chief executive roles at other community banking institutions.

Mr. Fogarty attended Arizona State University and earned a bachelor?s degree in business administration at University of Phoenix. He also graduated from Pacific Coast Bankers School at University of Washington in Seattle.

He focuses on all areas of the bank?s lending programs and portfolio for safety, soundness and profitability.

?We are seeing indicators of an upturn in our economy due to a notable pickup in loan production in 2012 that was double the level of 2011,? Mr. Fogarty said. ?We heavily promoted our $50 million loan commitment in 2012, which we believe was part of our increased loan demand and production at Summit. But we also believe that the economic upturn was the foundation of this growth. Businesses are also beginning to activate their expansion plans and start projects that have been on hold for the last few years.?

In his spare time, Mr. Fogarty enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, wildlife photography and golf. He also enjoys spending time with his wife of 28 years, Sheryl, his two children and grandchild.

Mr. Fogarty has ?fallen in love with Sonoma County? and regularly donates his time to local nonprofits and chambers of commerce.

Founded in 1984, Summit State Bank has roughly $430 million in assets, 62 employees and five offices. Summit State Bank is a Top Performing Bank, earning the highest Findley Reports designation of all Sonoma County-based banks.

Francine Boards

Travis Credit Union

One Travis Way, Vacaville 95687,?traviscu.org, 707-469-1964

Francine Boards became vice president of business lending at Travis Credit Union in early 2012. It?s a newly created position that is part of a targeted approach to boost the $2.2 billion institution?s efforts in commercial lending. She served as senior commercial credit officer at the credit union since 2009.

Prior to joining Travis, Ms. Boards held senior management positions for commercial lending operations at One California Bank, Mechanics Bank and Civic Bank of Commerce. She has a total of 24 years of financial industry experience and is a graduate of the MBA program at St. Mary?s College of California as well as Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Patrick McCarty

Umpqua Bank

1400A Grant Ave., Novato 94945, umpquabank.com, 415-493-3120

Patrick McCarty is senior vice president and manager of Umpqua Bank?s business banking center in Novato. He assumed that role following Umpqua?s purchase of Novato-based Circle Bank in November, where Mr. McCarty had served as chief lending officer for ten years.

In his current role, Mr. McCarty oversees an office specializing in commercial real estate loans in Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. He said that he expected Circle Bank?s positive reputation as a commercial real estate lender would continue at Umpqua.

?Umpqua Bank is unique in that it has the pricing power of a large regional bank, but due to their internal structure, local management is allow to make credit decisions. This structure eliminates a common complaint regarding response time in larger institutions,? he said.

Mr. McCarty has nearly four decades of banking experience, and has a bachelor?s degree in finance from Texas A&M University.

James Barrett

Union Bank

899 Adams St., Ste. F-1, St. Helena 94574,?unionbank.com, 707-968-9514

James Barrett

James Barrett?is vice president and senior relationship manager with the Wine Industry Services group at?Union Bank.

The Wine Industry Services group in Northern California is growing. Ttotal commitments to the industry increased by about 30 percent in the last two years. Mr. Barrett attributes this growth to the bank?s consistency in its approach to the business and to its strong relationships with clients.

In addition to the wine industry, he has clients in the retail, food and beverage, and manufacturing sectors, and has worked with clients in many other industries during his career.

Mr. Barrett said his biggest accomplishment has been to successfully balance a rewarding career with an active and happy family life. He likes to spend time with family and friends and enjoys sports, reading and cooking.

He earned a finance degree at?Auburn University?and a master?s degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance at?Georgia State University?in Atlanta. He is a graduate of?Leadership Napa Valley?and a member of the?Napa Rotary Club.

Mr. Barrett has lived in Napa since 1995.

As of Sept. 30, Union Bank had assets of $88.2 billion and roughly 10,000 employees.

Conrad Figueroa

U.S. Bank

1 California St., Ste. 2000, San Francisco 94111,?usbank.com, 707.326.8397

Conrad Figueroa

Conrad Figueroa is a senior relationship manager in the?Bay Area Commercial Banking Group, which includes the North Bay, of U.S. Bank. The group caters to middle-market companies with a strong focus on relationship banking.? ?

Previously, Mr. Figueroa spent 10 years working for Wells Fargo Bank and five years for Comerica Bank. During his time at Wells Fargo and prior to becoming a vice president for commercial banking there, he was a branch manager and a licensed financial advisor.

Mr. Figueroa has lived in Northern California for over 20 years and is a graduate of University of California, Davis, in economics. Mr. Figueroa enjoys running in his spare time and is a 2011 Boston Marathon finisher.

U.S. Bank, based in Minneapolis, recently reported more than $350 billion in assets. ?

Scott Shapiro

Warren Capital Corp.

100 Rowland Way, Ste. 205, Novato 94945,?warrencapital.com, 415-898-1875

Scott Shapiro

Scott Shapiro is senior vice president of Warren Capital Corporation. He is responsible for managing the lender?s portfolio and developing relationships with its partners, which include community banks and the health care and franchise markets.

Mr. Shapiro has been with Warren Capital for 12 years. His career in banking began at BankBoston in Boston during its merger with Fleet Bank. He attended Boston College, graduating with a business degree in finance and information systems.

Having grown up in the North Bay, Mr. Shapiro moved back to California after college. He began working at Warren Capital as a three-day-a-week intern in the 2001 recession and gradually worked his way up to senior vice president. He said that ascent is?one of his greatest accomplishments, leading to years-long relationships with repeat clients.

Over the past 29 years, Warren Capital has completed over $1.7 billion in financings, including $500 million in the North Bay, for more than 3,500 clients. The lender provides services that include equipment leasing and financing, large-scale debt placements and seller-focused merger-and-acquisition advisory.

James Kimball

Wells Fargo

200 B St., Ste. 300, Santa Rosa 95401, wellsfargo.com, 707-584-3147

James Kimball

?Kimball is a senior vice president and regional manager with the Wells Fargo Commercial Banking Group. He oversees the North Coast Regional Commercial Banking Office, responsible for a territory spanning from the Golden Gate Bridge to Oregon.

The team serves a variety of industries, but has specialists focused on wine, specialty food and agriculture.

Mr. Kimball has worked in financial services for more than 25 years, a career that has focused on commercial banking in Northern California and the western United States. He was regional president for wholesale banking at Wachovia when the bank merged with Wells Fargo and spent 22 years holding various leadership positions at Bank of America.

He received bachelor?s and master?s degrees in finance from Sacramento State University.

A lifelong Sonoma County?resident, Mr. Kimball is an active community leader in Northern California and has a history of service on the boards of the North Bay Leadership Council and the Wine Business Institute at Sonoma State University. He lives with his wife, Sharon, and two children in Petaluma.

Joseph Dietzen

Westamerica Bank

1108 Fifth Ave., San Rafael 94901, westamerica.com, 800-848-1088

Joseph Dietzen is senior vice president at Westamerica Bank. In that role, he oversees account relationships and loan production in the bank?s Sonoma and Mendocino regions.

A native of Washington, he grew up in Yakima and came to California to obtain a bachelor?s degree in economics from Stanford University. Mr. Dietzen later received an MBA in finance from?University of California, Berkeley, and attended Pacific Coast Banking School.

He joined Westamerica Bank in 2005 when it acquired National Bank of the Redwoods.?He had been executive vice president and responsible for real estate loan production there.

Mr. Dietzen said that he was pleased to work closely with the low-income housing efforts of the Sonoma County Loan Consortium and Burbank Housing. He also?was?actively involved with Redwood Empire Food Bank during a time of expansion.

When away from his duties at the bank, Mr. Dietzen said that he enjoys working on a classic Victorian townhouse that has been in his wife?s family for generations.

Westamerica Bank reported $5 billion in total assets at the end of 2012.

Source: http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/67794/spotlight-leaders-in-commercial-banking-2013/

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Economists feeling more optimistic about 2013

15 min.

The Associated Press , Staff

Economists are increasingly optimistic about growth in the year ahead with hiring expected to pick up in coming months.?

A quarterly survey by the National Association for Business Economists released Monday shows half of the economists polled now expect real gross domestic product ? the value of all goods and services produced in the United States ? to grow between 2 and 4 percent in 2013. That's up from 36 percent of respondents who felt the same way three months earlier.?

About half expect sluggish or negative performance, down from 65 percent in October.?

The latest survey was conducted between Dec. 20 and Jan. 8 and asked 65 economists and others who use economics in the workplace about conditions at their firms or industries. It found that 34 percent of firms now expect to expand their payrolls in the next six months, the highest percentage since April of last year. Meanwhile, 2 percent said they expect their companies to cut payrolls through layoffs, while 14 percent see payrolls trimmed through attrition.?

A quarter of respondents also said employment grew at their firms in the fourth quarter, which is comparable to the levels seen in the first half of 2012. The same percentage also reported a rise in wages at their firms in the final three months of the year, up 10 percentage points from the last survey.?

Overall sales growth was stable in the fourth quarter with results mixed across industries. For instance, growth slowed in the services, finance, insurance and real estate sectors, but rose in the transportation, utilities, information and communications sectors.?

Timothy Gill, chair of NABE's survey committee and director of economics at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, noted that sales growth was stable despite "widespread uncertainty surrounding the potential impact of the fiscal cliff."?

The "fiscal cliff" refers to the steep tax hikes and spending cuts that were to take effect Jan. 1 unless the White House and Congress reached an agreement to avoid them. The survey found that 27 percent of respondents postponed at least some hiring and capital spending during the quarter as a result, while 72 percent said the issue didn't affect hiring.?

Despite stable sales growth, survey respondents noted that profit margins deteriorated in the fourth quarter, with 25 percent saying their margins increased, down from 27 percent in October. On the flipside, 18 percent reported declining profit margins, compared with 15 percent a year ago. Over the next three months slightly more than a third said they expect primary non-labor costs to rise. That's down from 43 percent in the previous survey.?

Expectations for capital spending over the next year weakened from the last survey. Only 40 percent expect their firms to grow capital spending, down from 52 percent.?

For consumers, the survey suggests modest inflation could be in the works, with two-fifths of respondents ? the highest share over the past year ? saying they expect prices to rise in coming months. Most of those expecting hike prices think the increases will be less than 5 percent.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/economists-feeling-more-optimistic-about-2013-1C8137827

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Luxury cars buy into the downsizing trend

7 hrs.

Paul A. Eisenstein , The Detroit Bureau

For those attending the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month, Mercedes-Benz has rolled out an all-new version of its big E-Class line-up. But for reporters who came into the Motor City early for the show?s media preview, Mercedes offered a sneak peek at the new CLA model it will formally introduce later this year.

Sharing a similar silhouette with the current CLS coupe-like sedan, the CLA will be the smallest model the German maker has ever sold in the United States, representing a significant shift not only for Mercedes but for the rest of the luxury car market.?

A quick survey of high-line manufacturers including Lincoln, Land Rover, BMW and Audi shows they?re all taking aim at downsized segments. That reflects some significant trends in the luxury market as buyers come to grips not only with rising fuel prices but increasingly crowded urban environments, analysts and industry planners suggest.

?If we want to grow and don?t want to lose our customers, we have to downsize,? contends Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and chief of its Mercedes-Benz brand.

It?s not the first time the maker has pushed down-market. Mercedes made waves when it introduced its original C-Class ?Baby Benz? more than three decades ago. And in the ?90s, it tried pushing even lower with the stripped down C-Coupe. The C-Class is now one of the maker?s most popular products, though the smaller, lower-priced Coupe proved a flop and was quickly pulled from the lineup.?

Buyers were equally uninspired by the smaller, stripped-down version of the classic BMW 3-Series, the 318 Coupe.

Whether buyers will welcome even smaller models today remains to be seen, especially in the U.S. where ?it has always been bigger is better,? and buyers have measured luxury ? and the concurrent price tag ? by the inch and pound, said George Peterson, of consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc.

The C-Coupe and the BMW 318 were little more than econoboxes bearing luxury badges.? The new Mercedes CLA, however, will offer much more traditional luxury accoutrements, including leather seats, wood trim and the latest high-tech safety and infotainment systems, the maker promises.

That?s already a formula that works in Europe, said?Peterson. ?The idea that you make a statement by having the biggest car around isn?t quite the case anymore.? Now it?s more about the technology and features of the car.?

European makers have all added new downsized models, such as the BMW 1-Series and the Audi A2. The trend is apparent even in the luxury crossover segment where downsizing might once have seemed an oxymoron. BMW has had a hit with its X3 and now is offering the even smaller X1.

Slideshow: The 2013 Detroit Motor Show

Buick dealers are just taking delivery of the maker?s new Korean-made compact crossover, the Encore, which the General Motors mid-luxury brand hopes will help it attract an entirely new cohort of young, hip and increasingly affluent buyers.

Lincoln has the same idea in mind for the new MKC, one of four new models it is planning to bring out between now and 2014. The broader compact crossover segment has grown 200 percent over the past five years, including a 60?percent spurt in 2012 alone, notes Matt VanDyke, Lincoln?s new global marketing chief.?Yet while they account for a solid 11percent of the overall American automotive market, they?ve now jumped to an even more impressive 25?percent of the luxury segment.

While young, first-time buyers make up much of the market for compact CUVs and other downsized luxury products, VanDyke says it is equally significant that customers are also ?coming from other premium segment vehicles,? trading in larger, more traditional luxury products.

So, as with the CLA, the new Lincoln MKC will be offered with the sort of up-market features that normally wouldn?t be found on something nearly that small. In fact, the concept vehicle unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show featured a more lavishly appointed interior than Lincoln?s larger MKZ sedan, which made its debut late last year.

While it will help to load up these new products with plenty of luxury accoutrements, industry stylists are also working to give these downsized products more upscale designs.? Murat Gueler, who oversaw the exterior work on the MKC, and Soo Kang, who focused on the interior, put a particular focus on making the compact crossover look a lot larger than it really is.?

Particularly for the next generation of luxury customers, the idea of downsizing is not something they naturally shy away from.? If anything, they?re used to paying more for compact smartphones and tablet computers.?

And the industry is hoping that they?ll feel the same way about the latest generation of small luxury cars. The key, said analyst Peterson, will be to deliver all the features they?d traditionally expect on a bigger vehicle ?so they don?t feel like they have to sacrifice.?

Copyright 2013 The Detroit Bureau

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/luxury-cars-buy-downsizing-trend-1C8087460

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Thousands march in support of gay marriage in Paris

Christian Hartmann / Reuters

Demonstrators march through the streets of Paris in support of the French government's draft law to legalize marriage and adoption for same-sex couples, Jan. 27.

By Geert De Clercq, Reuters

Tens of thousands of people marched through Paris on Sunday to support the French government's plan to legalize gay marriage and adoption, but the turnout fell well short of a mass demonstration against the project two weeks ago.

Police estimated total attendance at about 125,000, while organizers put the number at 400,000. Two weeks ago, organizers of the anti-gay marriage protest claimed turnout of one million, while police put the number at 340,000, an unusually high turnout even in protest-prone France.?

"There is a big difference between today's march and the one two weeks ago, which is that this demonstration is one of brotherhood, not of hatred," Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who is openly gay, said on French television.?

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"The majority of French people wants all couples to have equality in love and parenthood," Delanoe added.?

On Tuesday, French parliament starts a two-week debate about the planned law change, which would be one of the biggest social reforms since abolition of the death penalty in 1981.?

The government's socialist and green majority is determined to pass the legislation, against which the conservative opposition has lodged some 5,000 amendments.?

On Saturday, an Ifop poll showed the proportion of French supporting legalization of same-sex marriage has risen to 63 percent from 60 percent in early January and December, despite weeks of protest against the planned reform.?

Support for adoption rights for gay couples also rose by 3 percentage points, although the country remains divided on the issue, with 49 percent in favor, according to the firm.?

Several government ministers took part in the march and will be among a string of celebrities at a party organized by Pierre Berge, partner of late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.?

Former French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot was one of the few conservative politicians to support the marchers.?

"Nobody has anything to fear from this step forward," she told BFM television.?

Henri Guaino, a former top adviser to President Nicolas Sarkozy, told BFM the proposed law was a "a denial of nature" and called for a referendum on the issue.?

"It is a negation of the difference between the sexes," he said.?

Opponents of gay marriage and adoption, including most faith leaders in France, have argued that the reform would create psychological and social problems for children.?

Same-sex weddings are legal in 11 countries including Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Norway and South Africa, as well as nine U.S. states and Washington D.C.?

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/27/16727958-tens-of-thousands-march-in-support-of-gay-marriage-in-paris?lite

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The Sunday Shows (TIME)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/279889284?client_source=feed&format=rss

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GOLDMAN'S JIM O'NEILL: Facebook Is To Blame ... - Business Insider

Every once in a while, since the economic crisis started, the phrase "currency wars" pops up.

It just means central banks trying to weaken their currencies (to make their countries more competitive) and other countries complaining about said weakening. It's not really that weird or that war-like.

Lately Japan has been the big easer, and interestingly some of the loudest complaints have come from the Germans, in part because Germans love hard money, but probably more likely because Germany is a big export powerhouse that could lose out if the Euro gets too strong against the yen.

And in fact, EURJPY has been going bananas, as the Euro is on a huge tear, and the yen is on just the opposite.

Here's a chart of the euro against the yen. It's been a rocket ride.

EURJPY via Bloomberg

So yes, that chart is not helpful to German exporters, but that's only half the story.

In his weekend note, Jim O'Neill of Goldman Sachs Asset Management partially blames the currency war on the "Facebook Times" because there's ever more interest in politicians saying soundbite things about economics that can go viral, and get posted by anyone with an internet connection.

Says O'Neill:

The Return of the Phrase ?Currency Wars?. Yet Another Sign of the ?Facebook Times?.

With the sharp fall of the Yen starting to get more and more attention and comment, one aspect that is back to the forefront is the notion of so-called ?currency wars? and the accusation that this time it is Japan that is supposedly engaging in them, with publicly the German policymakers, so far, being the most vocal on the topic. Some considerable time ago, I devoted a Viewpoint to the same topic when the Brazilian finance minister accused both Washington and Beijing at various times of similar supposed currency manipulation efforts, and just like them, I am going to be dismissive of such accusations.

At times, many countries and their governments do deliberately engage in efforts to change the price of their currency. It is quite amusing to read any continental European policymaker making such accusations when ? for much of floating rate history ? their own currencies have been managed very closely in semi-formal exchange rate systems, and, of course, today a large number of them kept in a formal monetary union, which, as we all know, has required intense focus and energy to keep alive. For most of the prevailing life between the end of floating in 1971 and the start of the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999, the Deutschmark versus the French Franc was held in very narrow ranges, except for the occasional FFR 2 devaluation and other occasional bouts of turbulence. Was that not currency manipulation?

I don?t recall either Chancellor Merkel or the Bundesbank recently accusing the Swiss authorities of deliberately manipulating the Swiss Franc?

Of course, much of what is often said, especially by a politician, is to use populist notions to either distract or sometimes attract attention to something that suits their purpose. And of course, it is especially easy and persistently tempting in this world of instant access to the internet and blogs where anyone can offer a view about almost anything.

Basically, 'currency wars' is a silly phrase with huge viral potential.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/goldmans-jim-oneill-facebook-is-to-blame-for-the-outbreak-of-global-currency-wars-2013-1

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Azarenka beats Li, defends Australian Open title

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Victoria Azarenka had the bulk of the crowd against her. The fireworks were fizzling out, and when she looked over the net she saw Li Na crashing to the court and almost knocking herself out.

Considering the cascading criticism she'd encountered after her previous win, Azarenka didn't need the focus of the Australian Open final to be on another medical timeout.

So after defending her title with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over the sixth-seeded Li in one of the most unusual finals ever at Melbourne Park, Azarenka understandably dropped her racket and cried tears of relief late Saturday night.

She heaved as she sobbed into a towel beside the court, before regaining her composure to collect the trophy.

''It isn't easy, that's for sure, but I knew what I had to do,'' the 23-year-old Belarusian said. ''I had to stay calm. I had to stay positive. I just had to deal with the things that came onto me.''

There were a lot of those things squeezed into the 2-hour, 40-minute match. Li, who was playing her second Australian Open final in three years, twisted her ankle and tumbled to the court in the second and third sets.

The second time was on the point immediately after a 10-minute delay for the Australia Day fireworks - a familiar fixture in downtown Melbourne on Jan. 26, but not usually coinciding with a final.

Li had been sitting in her chair during the break, while Azarenka jogged and swung her racket around before leaving the court to rub some liniment into her legs to keep warm.

The 30-year-old Chinese player had tumbled to the court after twisting her left ankle and had it taped after falling in the fifth game of the second set. Immediately after the fireworks ceased, and with smoke still in the air, she twisted the ankle again, fell and hit the back of her head on the hard court.

The 2011 French Open champion was treated immediately by a tournament doctor and assessed for a concussion in another medical timeout before resuming the match.

''I think I was a little bit worried when I was falling,'' Li said, in her humorous, self-deprecating fashion. ''Because two seconds I couldn't really see anything. It was totally black.

''So when the physio come, she was like, 'Focus on my finger.' I was laughing. I was thinking, 'This is tennis court, not like hospital.'''

Li's injury was obvious and attracted even more support for her from the 15,000-strong crowd.

Azarenka had generated some bad PR by taking a medical timeout after wasting five match points on her own serve in her semifinal win over American teenager Sloane Stephens on Thursday. She came back after the break and finished off Stephens in the next game, later telling an on-court interviewer that she ''almost did the choke of the year.''

She was accused of gamesmanship and manipulating the rules to get time to regain her composure against Stephens, but defended herself by saying she actually was having difficulty breathing because of a rib injury that needed to be fixed.

That explanation didn't convince everybody. So when she walked onto Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, there were some people who booed, and others who heckled her or mimicked the distinctive hooting sound she makes when she hits the ball.

''Unfortunately, you have to go through some rough patches to achieve great things,'' she said. ''That's what makes it so special for me. I went through that, and I'm still able to kiss that beautiful trophy.''

She didn't hold a grudge.

''I was expecting way worse, to be honest. What can you do? You just have to go out there and try to play tennis in the end of the day,'' she said. ''It's a tennis match, tennis battle, final of the Australian Open. I was there to play that.

''The things what happened in the past, I did the best thing I could to explain, and it was left behind me already.''

The match contained plenty of nervy moments and tension, and 16 service breaks - nine for Li. But it also produced plenty of winners and bravery on big points.

Azarenka will retain the No. 1 ranking she's mostly held since her first Grand Slam win in Melbourne last year.

Li moved into the top five and is heartened by a recent trend of Australian runner-ups winning the French Open. She accomplished that in 2011, as did Ana Ivanovic (2008) and Maria Sharapova (2012).

''I wish I can do the same this year, as well,'' Li said.

Later Saturday, Bob and Mike Bryan won their record 13th Grand Slam men's doubles title, defeating the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-4.

Sunday's men's final features two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic and U.S. Open winner Andy Murray. Djokovic is seeking to become the first man in the Open era to win three titles in a row in Australia.

Azarenka was planning a night of partying to celebrate her second major title, with her friend Redfoo and the Party Rock crew, and was hopeful of scoring some tickets to the men's final.

She said she needed to let her hair down after a draining two weeks and hoped that by being more open and frank in recent times she was clearing up any misconceptions the public had of her.

''When I came first on the tour I kind of was lost a little bit,'' he said. ''I didn't know how to open up my personality. It's very difficult when you're alone. I was independent since I was, you know, 10 years old. It was a little bit scary and I wouldn't show my personality.

''So the (last) couple of years I learned how to open up to people and to share the moments. I wasn't really good before. I hope I got better. It's your judgment.''

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/azarenka-secures-back-back-australian-113505989--ten.html

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