Russian investigators probe alleged military fraud

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia's top investigative agency on Thursday launched a criminal probe into alleged fraud in the selloff of Defense Ministry assets, a high-profile case that could shake up the nation's scandal-marred military establishment.

It may also threaten Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who has enjoyed President Vladimir Putin's support despite years of strong public criticism.

The Investigative Committee said that the state had suffered damage of more than 3 billion rubles ($95 million) from an alleged scheme that involved the sale of prized land plots and real estate in Moscow and other parts of Russia.

Investigators have questioned officials and conducted a series of searches at the offices of Oboronservice, a state-controlled company linked to the Defense Ministry and its affiliates, the agency said. The agency said it suspected unidentified Defense Ministry officials of using the company to sell valuable assets at prices far below their market value.

The investigators also searched the apartment of Yevgenia Vasilyeva, the former head of the Defense Ministry's property department who now holds a senior position in Oboronservice. They seized some documents and confiscated more than 3 million rubles ($95,000) in cash along with antiques, paintings and jewelry items, the agency said.

It did not say what Vasilyeva stands accused of or explain the reasons for the confiscation of her property.

The criminal case has dealt a strong blow to Serdyukov, who has long faced criticism over painful military reforms that have involved firing a large number of military officers and disbanding many military units.

Serdyukov was the board chairman at Oboronservice until 2011, and Vasilyeva was one of his close aides.

Rumors about Serdyukov's imminent dismissal have circulated over the years, but Putin has staunchly backed him. The new probe may signal that Serdyukov has lost Putin's favor.

Putin met with Serdyukov on Thursday and told him to fully cooperate with the probe, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Russian news agencies.

Serdyukov didn't show up at Thursday's Cabinet meeting. He has sought to downplay the criminal case, saying that investigators' claims have yet to be proven and that his ministry would welcome an objective probe.

The nation's military establishment has been haunted by corruption accusations for years, and many top military officials have been convicted of embezzlement.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russian-investigators-probe-alleged-military-fraud-173216650.html

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Ford Plans to Close Belgian Plant

Article Excerpt

BY CHRISTOPH RAUWALD AND MIKE RAMSEY

Ford Motor Co. confirmed Wednesday that it entered talks with labor unions over closing its Belgian plant in Genk by the end of 2014 as part of its efforts to streamline costs, cut capacity and turn around its unprofitable European operation.

"The proposed restructuring of our European manufacturing operations is a fundamental part of our plan to strengthen Ford's business in Europe and to return to profitable growth," Ford Europe chief Stephen Odell said ...

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Source: http://feeds.wsjonline.com/~r/wsj/xml/rss/3_7011/~3/8rnR2Px0Wzg/SB10001424052970203897404578076251152476158.html

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Paladyne Taps Paul Cucurullo to Lead Asset Management Sales ...

By Ed Reckers on October 23, 2012

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., October 23, 2012 ? Paladyne Systems, a Broadridge Financial Solutions Company (NYSE:BR) and a leading provider of next-generation investment management solutions, today announced that it has appointed Paul Cucurullo as Senior Director of Sales to lead and develop the Paladyne offering for long-only asset managers and investment advisors. Mr. Cucurullo brings more than 30 years of experience as an asset management professional to Paladyne.

?Paul is a strong addition to our team for an important market segment. He brings many years of experience and a holistic understanding of the technology and operational needs of investment managers,? said Sameer Shalaby, President, Paladyne Systems. ?Some of the largest, most-sophisticated hedge fund managers use Paladyne to manage their mission-critical business. With our heritage in alternatives and the increasing convergence between hedge funds and traditional asset management investment strategies, Paladyne offers an effective solution that meets the challenges facing the industry.?

Mr. Cucurullo joins Paladyne from Eagle Investment Systems, LLC, a subsidiary of BNY Mellon. Previously, he was a managing partner, co-founder and director of business development for IX Partners, which in 2009 was sold to Headstrong, a multinational offshore consulting firm. For ten years prior to that, he was Chief Information Officer at Ark Asset Management, a boutique investment advisor with $34 billion in assets under management.

?I am excited to join the Paladyne team at this important juncture. Paladyne has a proven and integrated front-, middle- and back-office platform that is suitable for large to mid-tier asset management firms looking to create efficiencies, or emerging managers seeking a complete technology and infrastructure solution,? said Mr. Cucurullo. ?In the current regulatory climate, firms need a business partner that will help them respond quickly and efficiently to changes in the industry. With Broadridge?s size, scale, and synergies, clients can be assured that Paladyne will continue to evolve into the platform of choice for the entire buy-side.?

Paladyne has proven success with over 225 clients, including long-only managers, hedge funds, hedge fund administrators, prime brokers and other service providers. Paladyne helps asset management firms to rethink their operating models by streamlining multiple vendor relationships and technology platforms, allowing the investment team to concentrate on its core business of managing money for clients. With the Paladyne platform, COOs and CFOs can implement an entire front- to back-office solution that covers order management, trading, compliance, data warehousing, performance, analytics and reporting, drawing on a network of data and third-party relationships, as well as an expanded product set from Broadridge.

Posted in Announcements, Press Releases

About Paladyne Systems

Paladyne Systems, a Broadridge Company (NYSE:BR), is the leading provider of next generation investment management solutions. Paladyne offers its integrated front-, middle- and back-office platform, known as the Paladyne Suite?, to hedge funds, asset managers, fund administrators and prime brokers. The modular Paladyne Suite includes order management, portfolio management, reference data management, data warehouse and custom reporting and reconciliation, and is complemented by the Paladyne Network?, an integrated network of leading 3rd-party software and market data firms. The solution can be delivered onsite or via Paladyne's industry-leading application service provider solution, SAS 70 Level II-certified Paladyne ASP?- . Paladyne was established in 2005 and acquired by Broadridge in 2011 and now serves over 225 clients worldwide. The firm has approximately 180 employees and is headquartered in New York, with regional offices in New Jersey, London, Russia and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.paladyne.com.

About Broadridge

Broadridge ((NYSE:BR) is a technology services company focused on global capital markets. Broadridge is the market leader enabling secure and accurate processing of information for communications and securities transactions among issuers, investors and financial intermediaries. Broadridge builds the infrastructure that underpins proxy services for over 90% of public companies and mutual funds in North America; processes more than $4 trillion in fixed income and equity trades per day; and saves companies billions annually through its technology solutions. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.

Source: http://www.paladyne.com/press-releases/2012/10/paladyne-taps-paul-cucurullo-to-lead-asset-management-sales-and-business-development/

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Video: What did Ohioans think of the debate? (cbsnews)

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Iowa City Real Estate: Market Snapshot October 22, 2012

34 homes sold in Iowa City so far in October. The number of homes sold in all of?October ?2011 was 63.?We?ve got another 10 days to match that number ? It seems that might be a bit of a stretch, but we?ll see. April was the only month this year that saw a decline in home sales compared to 2011. I?m hoping we can keep up that good trend. 331 homes are currently listed on the Iowa City MLS showing as active and 50 homes are?contingent?or?sale pending.

The?absorption rate? is at 4.4 months, that?s an average of ?134 days on market. This time last year the absorption rate was at 6.4 months so that?s a good healthy drop by comparison.?There is much less inventory on the market in Iowa City right now and that helps the absorption rate ? The absorption rate is calculated by looking at both the number of homes sold and active listings.

331 Active Listings
50 Homes Pending or Contingent
34 homes sold?in Iowa City in October to date?- ?26 Single Family Homes, ?7 Condos, 1 Zero Lots

Check back for updates to see how the Iowa City real estate market does through the winter months. Or better yet?Subscribe to My Blog?and have updates on the Iowa City housing market sent directly to your email.

Want to talk through your options and figure out whether now is a good time for you to buy a home or sell your home in Iowa City? ?Give me a call at 319-400-0268 or drop me an?email. My approach is very straightforward. I?ll help you figure out a strategy on how to get from A to B with the minimum amount of fuss.?

Source: http://ichomesforsale.com/iowa-city-real-estate-market-snapshot-october-22-2012/

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Docs call for changes to prevent cheer injuries

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A group of U.S. pediatricians on Monday recommended that cheerleading be designated an official sport, mainly to help prevent injuries, which the doctors say can be catastrophic.

Some of the group's other recommendations include requiring cheerleaders to pass pre-season physicals, to have access to strength and conditioning coaches and to be removed from competing or performing if they have a head injury.

"We felt that there needed to be some guidelines out there on how to make it safer for these girls," said Dr. Cynthia LaBella, co-author of the recommendations that were issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Girls make up 96 percent of an estimated 3.6 million cheerleaders over the age of six in the U.S. In high school alone, there were 400,000 cheerleaders in 2009, according to the policy statement.

In the realm of high school athletics, cheerleading accounts for less than 1 injury per 1,000 "athletic exposures" in girls, according to the AAP. That's far less than the 8.5 injuries per 1,000 exposures for gymnastics or the 5.3 per 1,000 exposures for soccer.

However, research has shown that cheerleaders are at a disproportionately high risk for catastrophic injuries, which include skull fractures and spine injuries.

According to the AAP, cheerleading accounted for 65 percent of all catastrophic injuries in high school girl athletes and about 71 percent in college women between 1982 and 2009.

"In many states and at the college level, cheerleading isn't officially recognized as a sport. And because of that there are quite a few safety mechanisms they miss out on," said LaBella, an associate professor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

Those safety mechanisms, according to the AAP, include access to trainers and medical care, better facilities and practice times and certified coaches.

Currently, 29 U.S. states recognize cheerleading as a high school sport. The National Collegiate Athletic Association, however, does not recognize it as a sport at the college level.

"The reason we promote having all the states recognizing it as a sport is because it would be a simple way to provide these services for the cheerleaders," said LaBella.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

"Most of this is actually stuff we've recommended for quite a while," said Jim Lord, executive director of the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) in Memphis.

But Lord told Reuters Health there are sticking points.

Specifically, he does not think cheerleading should be designated a sport because many cheerleaders don't compete on a regular basis, and some states or organizations may require that.

"Regardless of the term, we have to get to the point where they are treated like athletes and it's seen as an athletic activity," he added.

Another sticking point was the AAP's recommendation that pyramids or stunts only be performed on foam or spring floors, which Lord said may interfere with a cheerleader's balance.

"That would actually increase injuries dramatically," he said.

But both Lord and LaBella told Reuters Health that there shouldn't be any problem solving those disagreements.

"We have (the cheerleaders') safety in mind and we know AACCA also has their safety in mind. I think those are easy things to come to agreement on," said LaBella.

"We realize there are some political issues that may not work in every state with these recommendations, but even if cheerleading is not recognized as a sport, there are ways that schools and state organizations can provide these safety mechanisms for them," she added.

The recommendations were published in the journal Pediatrics to coincide with a presentation at AAP's national conference in New Orleans.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/HjQ8dI Pediatrics, online October 22, 2012.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/docs-call-changes-prevent-cheer-injuries-140731027.html

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Which Jobs Require Little Interpersonal Interaction? - Work and ...

starkid
Toucan

Joined: Feb 10, 2012
Age: 31
Posts: 293
Location: California Bay Area

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:41 am?? ?Post subject: Which Jobs Require Little Interpersonal Interaction?
I need a job that doesn't require regular interpersonal contact with people, including co-workers. I had settled on technical writing, because I have done it freelance at a low-skill level, but my research shows that technical writers regularly have to interview co-workers in the company to get the information they need to write about. I can't deal with that long-term. I don't like being around people and have trouble parsing speech. I don't know if I could get all the information in writing, that seems like too large of an accommodation to ask for. I'm just about out of ideas. I need something that challenges me intellectually, otherwise I will get bored and frustrated, then hate my life or quit the job. I might be able to go to graduate school to get new job skills (I'm considering Statistics, Operations Research, or some type of Computational Math), but I need to think of something to do short term. I have a B.S. in Physics, familiarity with programming in a few languages, half a Computer Science B.S., good writing and and editing skills, good math skills, research skills, and I'm a fast learner. Any suggestions? _________________ No animal should be treated as property. Assume nothing. The truth is more important than your feelings.

Back to top eric76
Phoenix

Joined: Sep 01, 2012
Posts: 526
Location: alone on the prairie surrounded by a sea of very dry grass

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Metasyntactic Variable

Joined: May 07, 2008
Posts: 13759
Location: Stendec

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:01 am?? ?Post subject:
Cat Burglar? Safe Cracker? Counterfeiter? Forger? These are professions where lack of social contact is almost essential for a long and profitable career. _________________ ST: 07 / DX: 08 / EN: 04 / IN: 14 / ED: 09 / SO: 11 / PS: 00 / AQ: 38

Back to top eric76
Phoenix

Joined: Sep 01, 2012
Posts: 526
Location: alone on the prairie surrounded by a sea of very dry grass

Back to top eric76
Phoenix

Joined: Sep 01, 2012
Posts: 526
Location: alone on the prairie surrounded by a sea of very dry grass

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 1:06 am?? ?Post subject:
By the way, I used to know a woman in Houston who had a degree in Biology from the mid 70s and who had worked in a medical lab in Houston for two years. After two years, she was so tired of doing the exact same lab procedures over and over and over and over that she quit. What did she do instead? She washed windows. Not the ones high up on the skyscrapers but the ones at ground level and in many fancy houses. They didn't just soap the window and wash off the soap -- they polished every window until you could hardly see the glass at all. The pay was apparently pretty good. I visited her at her house one night. It was a lot nicer house than mine. Another friend of mine used to take care of swimming pools. The pay was okay, but too many of his clients were deadbeats and he gave up the business after a while because of that. He also washed windows with the above woman for quite a while. According to him, once you get a good reputation for being honest, many of the people in the expensive homes will seek you out.

Back to top Zodai
Blue Jay

Joined: Oct 03, 2012
Age: 17
Posts: 98
Location: The big ball of sanity and chaos we call earth. More specifically, California.

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 3:13 am?? ?Post subject:
Writer/Novelist? You could probably forefit social interaction for days and still get paid, so long as you actually write the thing. It's what I plan to do xD. And it's flexible - you challenge yourself based on your own intelligence. Might be stressful near the deadline though. _________________ "Only those who do not fit in the world have the power to change it"

Back to top Ilka
Phoenix

Joined: May 08, 2011
Age: 40
Posts: 1282
Location: Panama City, Republic of Panama

Back to top Aspinator
Toucan

Joined: Feb 24, 2008
Posts: 266
Location: AspinatorLand

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Phoenix

Joined: Sep 01, 2012
Posts: 526
Location: alone on the prairie surrounded by a sea of very dry grass

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Source: http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt213279.html

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All the interviews for 2012 (Offthekuff)

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94% The Sessions

All Critics (68) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (64) | Rotten (4)

The movie is so clammily sensitive and tame that it stifles any strong response.

A sentimental, feel-good romance about pity sex.

The Sessions is bracing. It's also one of the few movies to recognize that people with severe physical disabilities have sexual lives, too.

A sweet but minor fictional parable about the strange possibilities of love.

A movie like this is really built around a performance, and John Hawkes - so powerfully evil in "Winter's Bone" and "Martha Marcy May Marlene" - carries the film.

"The Sessions'' treats intimacy with an explicitness and honesty that's very rare in movies.

Another dynamite vehicle for John Hawkes, in which Lewin's affecting script overcomes his pedestrian direction.

Skilled direction, a talented cast and a simple but elegant story will garner a lot of sympathy from its targeted, more mature audience.

It offers a relatable depiction of the powers of a positive mental attitude and perseverance in spite of horrendously bad luck. And some Oscar-caliber acting, to boot.

An incredibly low-key and feel-good adult movie about sex that's much funnier than most people are probably expecting, highlighted by a pair of Oscar-caliber performances by its two leads.

A frank exploration of sex and disability, The Sessions compensates for a minor structural misstep with an acute ear for tone and stellar performances throughout.

The bottom line here is that yes, a movie about a physically disabled man makes for one of the sexiest date nights of the year. Unless you're allergic to over-20s.

With Ben Lewin's film The Sessions, Hawkes is given the biggest and juiciest leading role of his career, and he pulls it off with remarkable grace and humor.

Less dreary than uplifting, The Surrogate succeeds as a light romance with heavy material.

The movie methodically punts each time it comes across anything interesting.

The Sessions is a magnificent film. This tale of a profoundly disabled man's sexual awaking is not only a genuine crowd pleaser , but it also gives a cinematic voice to the marginalized.

Mature but deeply powerful look at sex and the disabled.

Award-worthy performances from John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy.

This warm, witty, sensuous and quite wonderful study of a disabled artist terrifically avoids any "triumph of the human spirit" sentimentality.

The core of the move -- specifically the sessions between Mark and Cheryl -- is quite good.

More Critic Reviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_sessions/

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Kitchen Remodeling Cost | Concierge Home Improvement

It can be expensive to remodel your kitchen. There are ways that you can save with kitchen remodeling cost.

Start with your custom kitchen cabinets NJ. You want your kitchen cabinets replaced completely? Can you hire someone to stain your kitchen cabinets? If you really want them replaced, make sure that you hire a professional to do the job. You do not want to try to do it yourself and end up with crooked kitchen cabinets. You must either live with the error or hire a professional to fix your kitchen remodeling jobs. When a professional remodeling solve the problem, it may end up costing you more in the long term if the professional did the job in the first place, you save money and headaches.

If you want to wallpaper the walls making it much easier to hire a professional. Many professionals have simply steam the wallpaper off the wall. Then, the professional can easily peel the wallpaper off the wall.

You can choose to have someone to put new wallpaper or paint your kitchen when you are remodeling the kitchen. Choose the color of wallpaper or paint or paint colors and gives work to a professional. You can have the time to do your work or save your time for yourself.

Perhaps you have saved some money remodeling your kitchen by replacing only the front area of your kitchen cabinet. Now you have more money to spend on your floors. You can choose to have carpet put in your kitchen. Make sure you clean up spills before they stain your carpet. Should also be shampooed carpet from time to time by you or a professional?

You may decide that you want wood flooring installed in your kitchen. You can choose to have real wood or laminate wood flooring installed in your kitchen. If you have a dog or dogs, make sure you choose a solid wood such as oak. The dog nails scratch wood floors and you need a hardwood. If you have young children, you should choose a solid wood flooring as well. Many toys down on the kitchen floor and other accidents. Laminate wood flooring is also a cheaper flooring and excellent for families with pets. Laminated is difficult to scratch and dent.

You can change the look of your kitchen by replacing the chandelier. If you are remodeling your kitchen modern country, a new luster to day will help do the trick.

Kitchen remodeling cost is quite expensive, but there are several ways you can have a beautiful kitchen of your dreams without breaking the bank.

Source: http://provider-concierge.com/kitchen-remodeling-cost/

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Campaigning during cancer recovery cost me votes: Chavez | The ...

By Agence France-Presse
Sunday, October 21, 2012 10:25 EDT

?

CARACAS ? Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and won re-election this month, acknowledged that campaigning while in recovery cost him votes.

Chavez on Saturday said in a meeting shown on state television VTV that after radiation therapy, he had only done ?10 percent? of what he would have normally done on the campaign trail, adding he would have done more if he had been ?fully fit.?

The 58-year-old populist socialist leader, in power since 1999, won 55.26 percent of the vote on October 7, against 44.13 percent for challenger Henrique Capriles, a businessman and governor of Miranda state.

?If I had been ? fully fit, I would have beaten the (opposition) candidate by at least 20 percent,? boasted Chavez, who was criticized by the opposition for keeping details of his illness close to the vest, and for seeking treatment in Cuba.

The anti-US firebrand has vowed to deepen his oil-funded socialist revolution after a ?perfect? victory.

But he also reached out to disenchanted voters by pledging to work with the opposition, a tacit acceptance that this was a narrower victory than in the past and that Venezuela is a country very much divided.

The fate of Chavez, the leading voice of Latin America?s left, was closely watched by communist ally Cuba, which heavily depends on Venezuela?s oil, and other regional partners.

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Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/21/campaigning-during-cancer-recovery-cost-me-votes-chavez/

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Box-office activity slows for 'Paranormal,' Perry

This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows Kathryn Newton in a scene from "Paranormal Activity 4." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures)

This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows Kathryn Newton in a scene from "Paranormal Activity 4." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures)

Scary movie fans are still into "Paranormal Activity," though the horror franchise looks as though it's starting to run out of steam at the box office.

Paramount's "Paranormal Activity 4" debuted at No. 1 with $30.2 million, a big drop from the $40 million and $50 million opening weekends of the last two installments, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Perpetual hit maker Tyler Perry failed to find an audience for his new persona as an ace crime solver. Summit Entertainment's "Alex Cross," starring Perry as author James Patterson's brilliant criminal profiler, was a dud, opening at No. 5 with $11.8 million.

Perry has written, directed and starred in a string of hits featuring his sassy grandma Madea, which mostly have had opening weekends two and three times bigger than that of "Alex Cross." Fans didn't buy into Perry as the title character, who goes up against a diabolical serial killer.

"He's become so identified and so successful with the Madea franchise that when he steps outside of that, it doesn't necessarily follow that the audience is going along with him," said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for box-office tracker Hollywood.com. "It's fun for him to stretch out a little bit, but it didn't really pay off."

Ben Affleck's Iran hostage tale "Argo" held up well in its second weekend, remaining at No. 2 with $16.6 million, dropping just 15 percent from its debut. Big studio releases often drop 50 percent or more in subsequent weekends, but "Argo" has proven a hit with critics and audiences alike, earning Academy Awards buzz and strong word of mouth that should give it a long run at theaters.

Affleck, who also directed "Argo," plays a CIA specialist who concocts a wild plan to rescue six Americans hiding in Tehran after the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy there.

Released by Warner Bros., "Argo" raised its domestic total to $43.2 million.

Liam Neeson's action sequel "Taken 2," which had been No. 1 the previous two weekends, slipped to fourth place with $13.4 million, lifting the 20th Century Fox release's domestic haul to $106 million.

Adam Sandler's animated hit "Hotel Transylvania," from Sony Pictures, also held up well at No. 3 with $13.5 million, pushing its domestic earnings to $119 million.

While domestic revenues were way down for the fourth "Paranormal Activity" flick, the franchise remains a big moneymaker for distributor Paramount. "Paranormal Activity 4" was produced on a tiny budget of $5 million, continuing the franchise's trend of turning minimal investments into tidy profits.

"For us, the focus is always, what are these movies made for and how profitable are they? Within Paramount, it's a colossal success," said Don Harris, the studio's head of distribution. "A $5 million movie that has an opening weekend of over $30 million, it's really kind of irrelevant what No. 2 or No. 3 did. The movies really stand on their own."

Overseas, "Paranormal Activity 4" had a good start with $26.5 million in 33 countries, giving it a worldwide total of $56.7 million.

In limited release, Fox Searchlight's acclaimed drama "The Sessions" did solid business, opening with $121,005 in four theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, for a healthy average of $30,251 a cinema. By comparison, "Paranormal Activity 4" averaged $8,851 in 3,412 theaters.

"The Sessions" stars John Hawkes and Helen Hunt in the true-life story of a man, paralyzed by polio and stuck in an iron lung most of his life, who hires a sexual surrogate so he can lose his virginity. The film expands to more cities over the next month.

While "Paranormal Activity 4" fell short of the franchise's third installment, which opened over the same weekend last year, overall Hollywood revenues continued to rise after a late-summer slump.

Strong holdovers such as "Argo," ''Hotel Transylvania" and "Taken 2" made the difference, with domestic business totaling $131 million, up 8 percent from the same weekend a year ago, according to Hollywood.com. Revenues were up for the fourth-straight weekend.

"Last year, the box office was so top-heavy with 'Paranormal Activity 3,' and the rest of the films really underperformed," Dergarabedian said. "This year, we have a much more balanced lineup."

Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Paranormal Activity 4," $30.2 million ($26.5 million international).

2. "Argo," $16.6 million ($1.2 million international).

3. "Hotel Transylvania," $13.5 million ($14.5 million international).

4. "Taken 2," $13.4 million ($23.6 million international).

5. "Alex Cross," $11.8 million.

6. "Sinister," $9 million ($2.3 million international).

7. "Here Comes the Boom," $8.5 million.

8. "Pitch Perfect," $7 million ($320,000 international).

9. "Frankenweenie," $4.4 million ($4.1 million international).

10. "Looper," $4.2 million ($5.6 million international).

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:

1. "Paranormal Activity 4," $26.5 million.

2. "Taken 2," $23.6 million.

3. "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted," $14.9 million.

4. "Hotel Transylvania," $14.5 million.

5. "The Impossible," $8.7 million.

6. "Asterix et Obelix: Au Service de Sa Majeste," $8.1 million.

7. "Ted," $8 million.

8. "Looper," $5.6 million.

9. "Perfect Number," $4.1 million.

10 (tie). "Frankenweenie," $4.1 million.

10 (tie). "Masquerade," $4.1 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-10-21-Box%20Office/id-d5db4cca5b07404d8260eeba1acf17a5

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For real scoop on Campaign 2012, check out this blogger, age 11 (Los Angeles Times)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/256990078?client_source=feed&format=rss

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How Does Car Insurance Work? Peter Konig Art

Oct19

401k Rollover Lewiston ME Every year, more cars and drivers hit the highways. With countless vehicles on the road, accidents will happen. Automobile insurance can be the difference between a small inconvenience and a major hassle. So how do you know what insurance you need and how much to buy? Liability: Liability pays for damages due to bodily injury and property damage to others for which you are responsible. Bodily injury damages include medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. Property damage includes damaged property and loss of use of property. It also covers your defense and court costs if you are sued. State laws usually mandate minimum amounts, but higher amounts are available and usually recommended. Personal injury protection: This is required in some states and is optional in others. Sometimes referred to as no-fault coverage, this pays the medical treatment for you or your passengers regardless of who was at fault. It may also cover lost earnings, replacement of services and funeral expenses. The minimum amount of this insurance is usually set by the state. Medical payments: This type of coverage is available in non-no-fault states and will pay no matter who is responsible for the accident. It pays for an insured person?s reasonable and necessary medical or funeral expenses for bodily injury from a crash. Collision: This pays for damage to your car caused by an accident. Comprehensive: This applies if your car is stolen or damaged by causes other than collision, including fire, wind, hail, flood or vandalism. Uninsured motorist: This pays for damages when an insured person is injured in a crash caused by another person who does not have liability insurance or by a person who cannot be identified (usually a hit-and-run driver). Under-insured motorist: This pays for damages when an insured person is injured in a crash caused by another person who does not have enough liability insurance to cover the full amount of the damages. Other coverage, such as emergency road service and car rental, is also available.Your auto insurance payments vary by company and will depend on several factors, including: *Your selected coverage *Your vehicle?s make and model * Your driving record * Your age, gender and marital status and * Where you live Some have come to think of auto insurance as a necessary evil, but it can truly rescue your economic health Evaluate your needs, do your research and with the help of your insurance agent make the decision that best suits you. Financial Advisor

Source: http://peterkonigart.com/how-does-car-insurance-work/

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'Runway' champ: Heidi 'took half of my collection'

David M. Russell / AETN

One of Dmitry Sholokhov's final designs walks the "Project Runway" finale show.

By Anna Chan, TODAY

"Project Runway's" season 10 champ, Dmitry?Sholokhov, may not yet have received his $100,000 prize from L'Oreal Paris for winning the fashion design competition yet, but that's OK with the winner.

"I can't be happier right now!" he told The Clicker on Friday.

Dmitry's geometric and structured designs easily topped the works by fellow finalists Fabio Costa, Melissa Fleis and Christopher Palu. As Nina Garcia told reporters on Wednesday, the decision to give the 33-year-old the win "was very unanimous."?

Model and host Heidi Klum was also a big fan of Dmitry's finale looks.

"Heidi took half of my collection!" Dmitry told us. "I'm the only designer whom she took clothing from ... as far as I know. When they were bagging the collection, they put Heidi's name on half of it and it went to Los Angeles."

Though the prize money hasn't come in yet, Dmitry hopes to use the cash (or what's left of it after paying his bills) to kick off his own brand. "This is a great moment for me. I've worked already for quite a few companies. Now, my name is out there and it's a good moment, it's the right moment," he said. "I need a business partner and an investor. There's a lot I need to figure out."

But until that starts happening, the former ballroom dancer might be using his downtime to catch up on "Dancing With the Stars."

"I love it!" he?said of the dance competition. "I quit ballroom dancing 15 years ago -- it was my childhood. I definitely watch when I can. It brings back memories. It's so colorful and it's beautiful, but it's hard work, really hard work."

When asked if he'd be interested in participating in a future "Dancing" season, the "Runway" champ sounded thrilled with the idea.

"Oh absolutely! I would be so excited!" he gushed. "It would be a little bit of pressure just because I used to dance in my teen years and in my childhood, so I have to be good. But it would be amazing to get back on that track because it was my life. ... It would be an amazing opportunity."

What did you think of Dmitry's winning designs? Would you want to see him on "Dancing"? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2012/10/19/14560960-project-runway-winner-heidi-klum-took-half-of-my-collection?lite

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