My best friend is an amazing, amazing party planner.? I keep telling her to start her own business or at least start a web page that shows off her fabulous talent.? This party was a baby shower for a friend who recently moved to Toronto from South Africa.? She took care of all the food, decor, activities, invitations?basically EVERYTHING (she even made the diaper cake herself)!? It was a nice, intimate event and in order to have all of this mama?s family be a part of it, several laptops were set up with Skype.? Far away family and friends were given prior details on when to log in and it all went off with minimal glitches!? We even attempted to project some of them onto the wall and capture some ?Skype reunion portraits!?? Amazing, right?!
(you?ll notice an Apple laptop being toted by the mama?s husband ? he first told her he was bringing her to a jujitsu tournament and then changed his story later to include an Apple software workshop?despite that, I don?t think she suspected anything!)
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The former chief financial officer of the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia was sentenced on Friday to two to seven years in prison for stealing more than $900,000 from the church.
After she serves her prison term, Anita Guzzardi, 43, of Camden County, New Jersey, will remain on probation for seven years, Common Pleas Court Judge Ellen Ceisler said at the sentencing.
Guzzardi had pleaded guilty to theft by deception, forgery and unlawful use of a computer.
Her case made headlines earlier this year as the archdiocese faced a $6 million budget shortfall and an additional $11 million in legal costs associated with a child sex abuse scandal. Monsignor William Lynn was convicted of covering up for predatory priests.
Prosecutors have said that Guzzardi spent most of the money on personal credit card bills and at casinos in the United States, the Caribbean and Mexico.
Her lawyer, Louis Busico, said on Friday she has so far paid back some $260,000, but the court ordered her to turn over another $646,627.
These are not happy days for Apple in China. The iconic American brand, outpaced by Samsung in its appeal among Chinese consumers since last year, is now also losing out to other smartphone competitors.
According to IDC, Apple?s share of the Chinese smartphone market by shipments fell by nearly half to 10 per cent in the second quarter from three months earlier. The company came fourth in a ranking topped by Samsung and Lenovo, the Chinese company that is also the world?s second-largest PC vendor.
IHS isuppli, another research firm, even sees Apple as an ?also-ran? in China, trailing, with a market share of just 7.5 per cent, behind Coolpad, Huawei, Nokia and ZTE, as well as Samsung and Lenovo.
Coolpad, a former maker of feature phones that sells mainly in its Chinese home market, is now focused on smartphones as well. Huawei and ZTE, China?s two largest vendors of telecom equipment, are aggressively pushing into the smartphone market as growth in their traditional market for telecom network gear is slowing.
Lenovo leapt from seventh rank to number two with 11 per cent market share in just three months, according to IDC. ?Both Lenovo and Coolpad have been rising pretty fast,? says Kevin Wang, director of China electronics research at IHS.
The difference in the two rankings is caused by different ways of counting shipments, particularly the extent to which subsidized shipments to carriers are counted.
But no matter whether it is fourth or seventh, Apple is clearly no longer Chinese consumers? first choice ? a problem that had already been flagged when the company disappointed investors with its results for the June quarter last month.
That is particularly hard for the US company is that the Chinese smartphone market is more important than ever. The IDC figures show that smartphone shipments overtook those of feature phones for the first time in the June quarter, accounting for 51 per cent of total handset shipments of 87m units in the world?s most populous country and largest mobile market by subscribers.
IHS says Full-year shipments are set to rise 141 per cent.
One reason Apple is falling behind is Chinese telecoms operators? reluctance to subsidise the iPhone enough to make it competitive. While this affects all makers, Apple is especially exposed because its smartphone is the most expensive.
Another headache has been Apple?s reluctance to customize the device for TD-SCDMA, the Chinese homegrown 3G standard used by China Mobile, and thus making itself unattractive to subscribers of the world?s largest mobile operator.
That problem could go away when the iPhone 5 is launched later this year. The device is expected to come with a Qualcomm chip that is TD-compatible.
But there are other disadvantages. With a screen expected to measure 4 inches, the iPhone 5 is no longer cutting edge. ?That would still be smaller than many of its Chinese competitors, which have 4.3-inch or 4.7-inch screens,? says Wang.
?Zhao Tianqi, Kathrin Hille
Related reading Apple?s Chinese rival in model launch, beyondbrics Apple in China: less froth but still pretty darn impressive, beyondbrics Apple disappoints as iPhone sales abate, FT Apple Q2: it?s all about China, beyondbrics Apple fans consumer flames in China, FT Apple looks to China?s ?staggering potential?, FT
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) ? John Lennon's killer was denied release from prison in his seventh appearance before a parole board, New York corrections officials said Thursday.
Mark David Chapman, 57, was denied parole by a three-member board after a hearing Wednesday, the state Department of Corrections said. The transcript of his latest hearing wasn't immediately released.
Chapman can try again for parole in two years.
Chapman shot Lennon in December 1980 outside the Manhattan apartment building where the former Beatle lived. He was sentenced in 1981 to 20 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. The musician, singer and songwriter was 40.
"Despite your positive efforts while incarcerated, your release at this time would greatly undermine respect for the law and tend to trivialize the tragic loss of life which you caused as a result of this heinous, unprovoked, violent, cold and calculated crime," board member Sally Thompson wrote. Board members Joseph Crangle and Marc Coppola agreed.
The panel praised Chapman's conduct and accomplishments but said "parole shall not be granted for good conduct and program completions alone." The board noted there was significant opposition to his release.
Chapman was transferred in May from the Attica Correctional Facility in western New York to the nearby Wende Correctional Facility. Both are maximum security. The prison system doesn't disclose why inmates are transferred.
At his previous hearing in 2010, Chapman recalled that he had considered shooting Johnny Carson or Elizabeth Taylor instead, and said again that he chose Lennon because the ex-Beatle was more accessible, that his century-old Upper West Side apartment building by Central Park "wasn't quite as cloistered." Chapman fired five shots outside the Dakota apartment house on Dec. 8, 1980, hitting Lennon four times in front of his wife, Yoko Ono, and others.
The former security guard from Hawaii said that his motivation was instant notoriety but that he later realized he made a horrible decision for selfish reasons.
"I felt that by killing John Lennon I would become somebody and instead of that I became a murderer and murderers are not somebodies," Chapman told the board two years ago.
Ono, 79, had said two years ago that she was trying to be "practical" in asking that her husband's killer remain behind bars. She said Chapman might be a danger to her, other family members and perhaps even himself.
In a 1992 interview at Attica, Chapman told Barbara Walters that it was dark when he shot Lennon in the back with a .38-caliber revolver after he exited a limousine, headed up the walkway to his apartment building and looked at Chapman. "I heard this voice ? not an audible voice, an inaudible voice ? saying over and over, 'Do it, do it, do it,'" Chapman said. He explained, "I thought that by killing him I would acquire his fame."
He has been in protective custody with a good disciplinary record, according to corrections officials.
Anthony Learman | alearman1@mlive.com, August 23, 2012 11:25 p.m.
Fennville's Mitchell Leonard caught a 10-yard pass from Seth Schut for the Blackhawks' lone touchdown.
Leonard had three receptions for 35 yards, and Schut completed 4 of 11 passes for 43 yards with two interceptions. Ish Olivera led the ground game with 12 carries for 73 yards.
"I was proud of how our team kept fighting," first-year Fennville coach Brian Sackett said. "We let the game get away at the end of the first half."
Buchanan took a 35-8 halftime lead. Running back Doug Freeman scored four touchdowns -- two rushing, one kickoff return and an interception return.
People wait in line to get inside for the Apple and Samsung trial during a lunch break at a federal courthouse in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012. After three weeks of listening to technology experts, patent professionals and company executives debate the complicated legal claims of Apple Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co., a jury of nine men and women are set to decide one of the biggest technology disputes in history. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
People wait in line to get inside for the Apple and Samsung trial during a lunch break at a federal courthouse in San Jose, Calif., Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012. After three weeks of listening to technology experts, patent professionals and company executives debate the complicated legal claims of Apple Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co., a jury of nine men and women are set to decide one of the biggest technology disputes in history. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) ? Jurors began deliberating Wednesday in a multibillion dollar patent infringement case pitting Apple against Samsung over the design of iPhones and iPads ? but few experts were expecting a quick verdict.
After a three-week federal trial in San Jose, a jury of seven men and two women picked from a pool of Silicon Valley residents will try to decide if Samsung Electronics Co. ripped off Apple Inc. designs or whether Apple wronged Samsung.
With so much money and market clout at stake, a decision likely won't come anytime soon, according to jury experts, attorneys and courtroom observers.
"This case has huge implications," said University of Notre Dame Law Professor Mark P. McKenna. "It could result in injunctions against both companies" involving the sales of products.
It took the judge more than two hours to read the 109 pages of instructions to the jury. As a verdict is reached, jurors must fill out a 20-page form that includes dozens of check-off boxes.
"The verdict form is crazy," said Karen Lisko, who runs a jury consulting company that specializes in patent trials. "It's incredibly complicated."
Jurors have several different smartphones and computer tablets in the jury room to help them determine which device is alleged to have violated what patent.
Apple argues that Samsung should pay the Cupertino-based company $2.5 billion for ripping off its iPhone and iPad technology when it marketed competing devices.
Attorneys for Samsung asked the jury to award it $399 million after claiming Apple used Samsung technology without proper compensation.
Lisko said it could take the jury an entire day just to devise a routine and system to sift through the facts and began actual deliberations.
"The first day is usually very messy," she said.
It took jurors more than a week to reach a verdict in another major patent case, Google v. Oracle. That San Francisco panel decided in May that Google did infringe Oracle's patents related to the Java computer language, but the panel awarded no damages after it couldn't come to a unanimous agreement on several other points.
During closing arguments Tuesday, Apple attorney Harold McElhinny said Samsung was having a "crisis of design" after the launch of the iPhone, and executives with the South Korean company were determined to illegally cash in on the success of the revolutionary device.
Samsung's lawyer countered that the technology giant was simply and legally giving consumers what they want: Smart phones with big screens. They say they didn't violate any of Apple's patents and further claimed that Apple's claimed innovations were actually created by other companies.
The case went to the jury after last-minute talks between chief executives failed to resolve the dispute.
Author: Rebecca Sophia Meade | Total views: 127 Comments: 0 Word Count: 757 Date:
The moment you see that two red lines, different emotions arise. It's a mixture of happiness, excitement and of course, worries. You begin to become anxious about the last cups of sodas, wines and coffees you have recently taken in.
Pregnancy can be an overwhelming, thrilling and worrisome experience. The moment you have learned about your pregnancy, you become extra mindful about everything you do and what you take into your mouth. But can mindfulness affect the health of your unborn baby? CERTAINLY!
According to research, pregnant women who are mindful about their health as well as their baby's health during pregnancy tend to produce healthier and fitter babies. Women who are less mindful about what they eat and what they do, tend to expose their babies to higher risk of suffering from birth defects and other undesirable consequences. So what are the things that you should be mindful about during pregnancy?
Alcohol Consumption Consumption of large amount of alcohol imposes harm to you and your baby. Though the "safe amount" of alcohol consumption is still unknown, studies show that alcohol can cause physical and mental birth defects. Binge drinking can also cause damage to the baby's nervous system and it can trigger the development of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
Caffeine Over consumption of caffeine is not good for the body. Intake of over 150 milligrams of caffeine increases a pregnant woman's risk for miscarriage. Make sure to cut down your consumption of alcohol to give your baby the best possible health. Take note that caffeine does not just refer to coffee. Caffeine also includes green tea, cola, softdrinks and black tea. You can have chocolates but only in moderate amount.
Medications There are certain medications which you should avoid. Make sure to ask your doctor about the OTC and prescription drugs which are safe and unsafe to use. Some medications impose negative impacts to the health of babies. The use of recreational drugs can actually trigger premature birth, learning and behavioural problems, poor growth and birth defects. If you have used any of drugs during your pregnancy, make sure to consult your doctor about it.
Cigarette Smoking In whatever circumstances, cigarette smoking is never beneficial to the body. By smoking, you also allow your unborn baby to smoke. You in fact encourage him or her to obtain carbon monoxide and nicotine which are very harmful to the body. In effect, your baby is at a greater risk for low birth weight, premature birth, stillbirth, asthma and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners Make sure to avoid artificial sweeteners. According to research, excessive consumption of artificial sweeteners can trigger the development of serious health conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, bladder cancer and birth defects.
Exercise Some low-impact exercises are beneficial for a pregnant woman's body. However, high impact exercises such as bouncing, scuba diving, leaping, jarring, sit-ups, heavy lifting and weight training should be avoided. These exercises can exert too much pressure on the structures found within the uterus which can cause bleeding or premature labour. Instead of engaging in these exercises, perhaps you can do some yoga, swimming, walking and water aerobics.
Bug Spray and Household Chemicals Avoidance from these chemicals is strongly recommended as they impose drastic impacts to the health of the babies. Frequent exposure to these chemicals can cause birth defects, premature delivery and miscarriage.
Lead Make sure to avoid materials which contain lead. According to research, exposure to lead can cause premature delivery, developmental and learning delays, low birth weight and miscarriage.
In one study, it was found out that mindfulness can actually help in fighting off stress and anxiety. Also, it is proven to be effective in improving the overall health being of the baby as well as the mother. Women who have undergone mindfulness training during the early stages of their pregnancy earned greater satisfaction and higher self-esteem which results to less emotional distress. This creates positive impact on their delivery and to the health of newborns.
Pregnancy should not really be a worrisome journey. Too much worry and anxiety can just cause stress which can affect your baby's health if left uncontrolled. Make your pregnancy an enjoyable and exciting experience and follow your doctor's advices. By so doing, you get a higher probability of having a healthier and stronger baby.
Find FREE expert information about many aspects of pregnancy, including special health conditions, on the blog of Merrion Fetal Health. This is a medically led ultrasound clinic, in Dublin, where you can get pregnancy scans supported by a consultant led team.
Related to: pregnancy - mindfulness in pregnancy - what to avoid during pregnancy - what should be done during pregnancy - women\\\'s health - healthy and fitness - pregnancy scan - getting a pregnancy scan - benefits of mindfulness during pregnancy - mindfulness affects baby\'s heal
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These are not happy days for Apple in China. The iconic American brand, outpaced by Samsung in its appeal among Chinese consumers since last year, is now also losing out to other smartphone competitors.