As TV revenues continue to shrink because of falling ad dollars and the irrelevance of ads period due to the proliferation of DVRs, the major networks are mulling shutting off the tap. ABC, CBS and NBC could soon be just another cable network since cable channels have dual sources of revenue — television ads and kickbacks from cable companies that can amount up to $4 a month per viewer as is the case with ESPN. Fox reported that operating income fell 54% for the quarter while other Fox properties FX and Fox News grew income by 41%.

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Is the End of Free TV Near?

The attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day has thrown a spotlight on the nation of Yemen, after an al-Qaida group that’s based there claimed responsibility for the foiled attack. But the United States had already been ramping up its operations in Yemen to counter the al-Qaida threat there.

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U.S. Has Long Kept Watchful Eye On Yemen

Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is pushing for full-body scanners to be installed at airports in the wake of the attempted terrorist attack aboard an airliner on Christmas Day. Chertoff is also urging investigators to look into why the alleged terrorist did not have his U.S. visa revoked after negative information about him was passed to U.S

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Chertoff Seeks Full-Body Scanners At Airports

Grade: A | Genre: Romantic Comedy Summary: “(500) Days of Summer” is a very good film that sheds the conventions of Hollywood to give us an honest look at why relationships work and why some don’t. Too often Hollywood gets too bogged down in its own ‘happily ever after’ mischief when approaching romantic comedies

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(500) Days of Summer

Taiwantrade, prominent national business-to-business e-commerce portal in the realm of Taiwan, island in southeastern Asia 100 miles off the coast of mainland China in the South China Sea, has introduced a “Zero Time-Difference & Zero Distance” customer service program exclusively for overseas buyers. It is to be noted that this new program assigns professional customer service agents to render instant “one-to-one” personalized Taiwantrade services and important trade activity information on Taiwan to overseas buyers. Whatever it is, the time of launch (the year 2009 is coming to a close bit by bit) has amazed even the industry experts.

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vip news : Taiwantrade introduces novel customer service program

It’s the turn of HBO to launch iPhone app and the premium television programming owned by Warner Brothers Entertainment has done the same aiming at existing and expected new customers, offering clips from its TV lineup and an interactive program guide. Well, even though no full-length episodes are available, the app enables users to easily pay money for episodes of HBO shows from iTunes and Amazon with a “Buy Episode” button.

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vip news : HBO introduces iPhone app for both existing, expected clientele

AXA Insurance, one of the most prominent insurers in the sphere of United Kingdom, and innovations has become almost synonymous and now it has come out with a motor insurance claims iPhone app. Reason? The company has found that (merely) a third of drivers disclose to knowing what to do should they be involved in an accident and this is best way to help them out.

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vip news : AXA Insurance confident of best execution of its iPhone app

IBM (International Business Machines), globally acclaimed multinational computer, technology and IT consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, North Castle, New York, United States, doesn’t need new mention and even in the realm of India it retains a major prominence. Now this saga of accomplishments thus far is going to be augmented thanks to the latest feat of IBM India.

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vip news : IBM India attains “strategic win”

Following good advice, this afternoon I did a reshoot of the Indian elephant my daughter gave me for Christmas. Once the photos were on my computer, I saw the white Heidi cat hairs on the elephant, ack, and had to try my best to pick them all carefully off…then did a third reshoot of the elephant. I think the old saying is true, “The third time's the charm.” Lol

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Elephant Reshoot

Akmal Shaikh, a British bi-polar sufferer who was homeless in Poland, was lured to China with dreams of becoming an international popstar – and incidently carried 4kg of heroin into China on the way to his dream. Despite the most strident appeals from the British government, he was executed yesterday by the Chinese. The basis of the British objection was that he was: a) he suffers from bi-polar disorder and that it is against UN convention to execute the mentally ill – in addition, during the two years of his incarceration, no attempt was made to give him medical help nor was a mental health assessment carried out

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Akmal Shaikh – China executes mentally ill Briton

Reuters – Morgan Stanley has been sued by a Virgin Islands pension fund that accused the Wall Street bank of defrauding investors by marketing $1.2 billion of risky mortgage-related notes that it expected to fail.

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Morgan Stanley sued over failed $1.2 billion CDO
(Reuters)

Reuters – Investors’ optimism surrounding the shares of airport security systems makers could be premature as interest in the companies’ products after the Christmas Day plane scare is not expected to translate into immediate orders.

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Investors seen jumping the gun on airport security
(Reuters)

In “The Play That Changed My Life,” 21 of America’s best playwrights write knowingly and movingly about the ways that plays and theater gave them a calling.

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Books of The Times: Falling, Falling, Falling for the Footlight Parade

Huw Stephens, the Radio 1 DJ and SWN creator/overseer/organiser has gone and done a Christmas list, and rather nice it is to. We’ll leave the rest of the words to Huw, with his top 10 favouritest festive albums, EPs and tracks.

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Huw Stephens names his Festive Ten

I have been viewing this site for quite a while and have been very impressed with the content and the involvement of many of the members. Today I finally decided to take the plunge and join the group. I have attempted to post an entry to the Best of 2009 contest and I hope I have been successful.

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Best of 2009 – Landscapes

As popping corks announce the New Year, champagne lovers can expect some radical new trends in the art of savouring a tipple that for centuries has been associated with celebration.

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Celebrating New Year with the latest art of champagne (AFP via Yahoo! News)

Reuters – U.S. retailers performed better during the holiday shopping season this year than in historically dismal 2008, in line with lowered expectations, according to data released on Monday.

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Retail holiday sales improve after dismal 2008
(Reuters)

AFP – European stock markets sprinted ahead Monday, powered by strong gains in Asia, with Frankfurt breaking through the 6,000-point barrier and Paris closing in on 4,000 points.

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European stocks climb after Asian gains
(AFP)

Reuters – Morgan Stanley plans to overhaul pay plans for its top executives, deferring more of their compensation over time and benchmarking pay against rival firms, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

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Morgan Stanley to overhaul pay for top execs: report
(Reuters)

Reuters – Shares of Japan Airlines Corp (9205.T) fell as much as 11 percent to renew a record low on Tuesday as investor worries mount the carrier will be restructured in bankruptcy court as part of a state bailout.

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JAL shares touch record low on bankruptcy worries
(Reuters)

Reuters – Frequent flyers grudgingly remove their shoes and keep liquids in tiny bottles to appease airport security, but measures imposed after a foiled Christmas Day terror plot could tempt frustrated travelers to find alternatives to commercial airlines, experts say.

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Air travel hassles worse after scare; shares dip
(Reuters)

Reuters – Australian shares rose on Tuesday, helped by gains in oil and metals and by merger activity, but stock markets elsewhere in Asia lagged as year-end activity dwindled and the dollars rally ran out of steam.

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Australia leads Asia stocks as commodities gain
(Reuters)

The Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) has reported that while UK house price growth will moderate in 2010, a rise of between 2% and 4% can be expected. Some commentators on the market are expecting significant house prices falls in the months ahead, but Cebr argues that this is unlikely for a number of

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Cebr predicts 2010 house price rise of up to 4%