Source: webdev.credittrends.moodys.com --- Thursday, December 29, 2011
Investors remained cautious after Italian 10-year bond yields stayed above the 7% level ...
Source: http://credittrends.moodys.com/pro/article.asp?cid=227317
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As a budget MFP geared to a home office or micro office, the Brother MFC-J280w ($100 street) is a mixed bag, having some strong business features while lacking some sensible, complementary ones. Like the Editors? Choice Brother MFC-J430w ($100 street, 4 stars), it?s decidedly business-oriented rather than home?unusual for an MFP at its price point. It has some nice touches, like good speed and a low claimed cost per page, but the MFC-J430W presents a better rounded and more compelling package.
The MFC-J280w can print, copy, scan, and fax. It lets you fax either from your computer (PC Fax), or standalone faxing without needing a computer. However, it lacks an automatic document feeder (ADF) for unattended copying, scanning, or faxing of multi-page documents. It also lacks a port for a USB thumb drive as well as a media-card reader. The MFP is compatible with the Brother iPrint&Scan app, which allows you to print or scan from an Apple, Android, or Windows 7 Phone mobile device on the same wireless network.
The matte-black MFC-J280w is reasonably compact, measuring 6.3 by 15.9 by 14.9 inches (HWD) and weighing 19.2 pounds. It has a 1.9-inch color touch screen with touch panel controls for navigating menus. It has a 100-sheet paper tray, a bit meager for home-office use, and lacks an automatic duplexer for printing on both sides of a sheet of paper.
The MFC-J280w connects to a PC via a USB cable, or to a network via WiFi (802.11b/g), but lacks Ethernet connectivity. I tested it over a USB connection with the drivers installed on a computer running Windows Vista.
Print Speed
The Brother MFC-J280w printed out the latest version of our business applications suite (as timed with QualityLogic?s hardware and software) at a zippy 4.3 effective pages per minute (ppm), matching the speed turned in by the MFC-J430w. It proved faster than the Editors? Choice Kodak ESP C310 All-in-One Printer ($99.99 direct, 4 stars), which chugged through the tests at a 2.7 ppm clip.
In contrast to its business printing speed, the MFC-J280w turned in a lackadaisical 1 minute 57 second average in printing out 4-by-6 photos, effectively tying the MFC-J430w (1:59). The Kodak ESP C310, which is a more home- than business-friendly MFP, turned the tables in photo printing with an impressively low average of 46 seconds per 4-by-6 print.
Output Quality
The MFC-J280w?s output quality was a touch below par across the board. Text quality was suitable for schoolwork or general business use, but not up to use with documents like resumes in which visual impact is important, or documents with smaller fonts.
As for graphics, illustrations generally looked slightly pale or faded. Some dithering (solid areas appearing grainy) was apparent, and several graphics showed minor banding (a regular pattern of faint stripes lighter than the background).The graphics were suitable for displaying data in reports or PowerPoint handouts, though I?d hesitate in giving them to, say, a client I was seeking to impress through their visual appearance.
In some photo prints there was considerable loss of detail in brighter areas. Still, most of the prints could pass for drugstore quality. Printing photos proved tricky, as the printer frequently failed to recognize Brother?s letter-sized photo paper (even with the driver set for it) and I?d have to reload it, sometimes several times.
Other Issues
Brother?s claimed running cost is 3.8 cents per monochrome page and 10.7 cents per color page, a low figure for a printer at its price. The color figure is even lower than that of the MFC-J430w (11.3 cents).
The Brother MFC-J280w is a rarity, a budget inkjet MFP with home-office chops but few home (namely, photo-centric) features. It has very good speed, a low claimed cost per page, and some nice flourishes like the ability to work as a standalone fax machine as well as to initiate faxes from your PC. Still, it lacks some of the features of the similar, Editors? Choice Brother MFC-J430w?such as an automatic document feeder, which lets you fax, copy, or scan multi-page documents without having to feed each sheet in by hand. If you?re looking for a more home-oriented budget inkjet MFP, be sure to check out the Kodak ESP C310.
More Multi-function Printer Reviews:
??? Brother MFC-J280w
??? Brother MFC-J625dw
??? Canon imageClass MF4570dw
??? HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275
??? HP Officejet Pro 8600 Plus e-All-in-One
?? more
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/HhV_N3SFkFI/0,2817,2397998,00.asp
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From Bradley Cooper to Nicolas Cage, see what the stars born between Jan. 2-8 can tell you about the sign of Capricorn
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At the Carrier Dome @SyracuseU with Lane watching the number 1 team in #NCAA Basketball! #GoOrange mypict.me/mtzmN 
ScottMoffatt21 Scott Moffatt
Source: http://twitter.com/ScottMoffatt21/statuses/152188807071019008
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By SiliconIndia, Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 03:44 Hrs
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Bangalore: Microsoft controls more than 90 percent of the desktop market and its product Xbox is a leader in gaming arena. But these factors are not helping Microsoft as after years of development and efforts, the sales of Windows Phone is still dormant in the Smartphone market.
Microsoft introduced Windows Phone in November 2010 and has made partnership with Nokia in the hope of gaining a market place which was ruled by Androids and Apple. But the efforts didn?t pay off as the sale of WP7 is still minute in the market.
Charlie Kindel, former Windows Phone GM came up with a post this week blaming Microsoft for its weak connections with the mobile carriers and the hardware developers. According to Kindel, Microsoft wants to control the carriers with rigid upgrade policies. It also gives strict guidelines on hardware designs to manufacturers. Even though this provides a specific interface for each phone, it counts for reducing the number of designs. Also it makes the carriers push the products of Microsoft?s rivals like Android which provides carriers and the hardware vendors with more privileges.
According to Robert Scobble, an analyst, the lack of applications is also a reason. Microsoft had just covered 50,000 applications compared to Google?s 380,000 apps for Android and Apple?s 500,000 iOS apps. MG Siegler, a venture capitalist thinks that Microsoft was too late in launching the phone while Apple and Android hit the markets very early.
Microsoft has launched its new WP, Nokia Lumia 710 in the US markets last week at just $50 with a T-Mobile contract.
The critics list out various reasons, still most of them agree that new WP7 is clearly better than Android. So Microsoft will have to focus on marketing the platform more to establish a foothold. The path doesn?t seem to be easy as new rivals like Facebook and Amazon are planning to enter the Smartphone market.
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HONOLULU (AP) -- The Obama administration is considering whether to allow Yemen's outgoing president into the United States for medical treatment, as fresh violence and political tensions flare in the strategically important Middle Eastern nation.
A senior administration official said President Ali Abdullah Saleh's office requested that he be allowed to receive specialized treatment in the U.S. for injuries sustained in a June attack on his compound. The request was being considered, and would only be approved for medical reasons, the official said.
Until now, the White House had not commented on Saleh's assertion Saturday that he would be leaving Yemen and traveling to the U.S. Saleh insisted he was going in order to help calm tensions in his country, not for medical treatment.
The official, who requested anonymity because of a lack of authorization to speak publicly, did not say when the Obama administration would decide on Saleh's request. But the official said Saleh's office indicated that he would leave Yemen soon and spend time elsewhere abroad before he hoped to come to the U.S.
Demonstrators began protesting against Saleh and calling for his ouster in February. The Yemeni government responded with a bloody crackdown, leaving hundreds of protesters dead, and stoking fears of instability in a nation already grappling with burgeoning extremism.
Last month, Saleh agreed to a U.S.- and Saudi-backed deal to hand power over to his vice president and commit to stepping down completely in exchange for immunity. The deal further angered Saleh's opponents, who demanded he be tried for his attacks on protesters.
American officials are deeply concerned that the months of turmoil in Yemen have led to a security breakdown. The dangerous al-Qaida branch in Yemen, known as al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, has taken advantage of the vacuum to expend its presence in southern Yemen.
Pressure has been mounting in recent weeks for Saleh to leave Yemen altogether. Opponents say he has continued to wield influence through his loyalists and relatives still in positions of power, hampering the transition ahead of presidential elections set for Feb. 21. Many feared he would find a way to continue his rule.
Activists said troops commanded by Saleh's relatives attacked protesters in the capital of Sanaa Saturday, killing at least nine people. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated the following day, protesting the deaths and demanding the resignation of Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi for failing to bring the killers to justice.
The White House said President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, called Hadi Sunday and emphasized the need for Yemeni security forces to show "maximum restraint" when dealing with demonstrations. Hadi told Brennan that he had launched an investigation into the recent deaths and injuries and would do his utmost to prevent further bloodshed, the White House said.
The White House said Brennan and Hadi agreed on the importance of continuing with the agreed-upon path of political transition in Yemen in order to ensure that the February elections take place.
Obama was being briefed on developments in Yemen while in Hawaii for his Christmas vacation.
The U.S. has experience with letting unpopular foreign leaders into this country for medical treatment.
More than three decades ago, President Jimmy Carter allowed the exiled shah of Iran into the U.S. for medical treatment in October 1979, eight months after Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini led a revolution that ousted the shah and created the Islamic Republic of Iran.
On Nov. 4, 1979, Iranian students occupied the U.S. embassy in Iran. Fifty-two American hostages were held for 444 days in response to Carter's refusal to send the shah back to Iran for trial.
----
Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC
Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_US_YEMEN?SITE=CAVIC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
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(Reuters) ? A U.S. appeals court agreed to resolve a dispute among institutional investors over whether Bank of America Corp's $8.5 billion mortgage debt settlement should be sent back to a New York state court for approval.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York on Tuesday said it plans to rule within a 60-day period on whether U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan correctly took the case from the state court.
It granted the requests of Bank of New York Mellon Corp, which as trustee negotiated the settlement, and investors including BlackRock Inc, MetLife Inc and Allianz SE's Pimco to appeal Pauley's decision.
Other investors, led by a group called Walnut Place, preferred that the case stay in federal court, which could result in higher recoveries.
The June settlement was intended to address much of Bank of America's remaining legal liability from the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank's 2008 purchase of mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp.
It would cover claims by investors in 530 mortgage securitization trusts with $174 billion of unpaid principal that the home loans underlying their investments were toxic or underwritten poorly.
Bank of New York Mellon had negotiated the accord with 22 institutional investors, and sought approval by New York State Supreme Court Justice Barbara Kapnick in Manhattan.
But Walnut Place and other investors that were not part of the talks, but would be bound by the outcome, complained that the $8.5 billion payout was too low.
Moving the case to federal court could make it easier for these investors to back out, or negotiate higher payouts.
In a two-page order, the 2nd Circuit asked the parties to address several issues, including whether the settlement was a "mass action" allowing federal court review.
"We have jurisdiction to determine our jurisdiction," the 2nd Circuit said.
Pauley had on October 19 said the case implicated "paramount federal interests" such as the integrity of nationally chartered banks and the vitality of financial markets.
Bank of America spokesman Lawrence Grayson declined to comment. Bank of New York Mellon spokesman Kevin Heine and David Grais, a lawyer for Walnut Place, did not immediately return calls.
The 2nd Circuit also granted Bank of America's request to file papers supporting requests for an appeal.
The cases are Bank of New York Mellon v. Walnut Place LLC et al, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Nos. 11-4554 and 11-4571.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Tim Dobbyn, Gary Hill)
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Source: http://support.oreilly.com/oreilly/topics/ebook_version_of_tornado
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Alternative energy has been a growing focus of mine over the past few months, and so I've been looking for the right uranium, solar, and wind energy stocks to add to my portfolio as buy and hold value plays. Here is a short summary of my analysis of the current situation in the solar energy market:
1. Solar ETFs have been some of the worst performing ETFs in 2011 -- which of course piques my buying interest quite a bit. While I consider it quite likely these stocks could continue to go further down, I don't think the underlying fundamentals have changed; concerns over peak oil and the need to transition away from fossil fuels are only growing, and players like China and Google are still viable candidates for being the "smart money" that can bring the demand to push prices higher -- demand upon which small-time players like individual investors can piggyback on. China's domestic demand for solar energy continues to grow, as does Google's interest solar as evidenced by its recent KKR deal.
2. But while solar as a sector is set to grow for years and will help the world transition away from fossil fuels, not all parts of the solar value network are the same. Indeed, I believe the value network is still evolving rapidly as new technologies -- particularly those related to storage -- continue to come on to the scene. However, one trend that I think is particularly important, and will drive much of how the value network changes and profit opportunities are created, is the rapidly declining price of solar panels. As solar panels continue to fall in price, I suspect profit opportunities will transition to firms that specialize in installation and the development of custom solar solutions. In other words, companies that are more service-oriented and customer-relations centric rather than pure product makers.
And here is where I come to a stand still, and why I have yet to make an investment in the solar sector. There simply isn't a company I've found that has the strategy I'm looking to back as well as a stable balance sheet and competent leadership. The solar ETFs, KWT and TAN, could be viable ways of playing the entire sector, though I don't think they have the right kind of companies -- companies pursuing the strategy I've outlined in this post -- in their portfolio. And so, I'm still on the sidelines when it comes to solar, and will continue to focus on uranium stocks and nuclear energy which I think has more companies with viable strategies and a more mature value network safer for investing as well.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
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Tomorrow at 3:00 EST on @NBC's Global Golf Adventure, I'll be running, swimming and swinging my way to Hawaii. 
Matt_Ginella Matt Ginella
Source: http://twitter.com/Matt_Ginella/statuses/150737502997716993
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Microsoft Corp Wins a Ruling against Motorola Mobility Android phones goo.gl/fb/bHyzN 
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Cuba's President Raul Castro arrives for a parliamentary meeting in Havana, Cuba, Friday Dec. 23, 2011. Cuba's parliament is meeting in one of its twice-yearly, private sessions to get an update from Raul Castro on the island's economic situation, and possibly pass new laws. The assembly is gathering behind closed doors for what is expected to be a one-day plenary session. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco, Prensa Latina)
Cuba's President Raul Castro arrives for a parliamentary meeting in Havana, Cuba, Friday Dec. 23, 2011. Cuba's parliament is meeting in one of its twice-yearly, private sessions to get an update from Raul Castro on the island's economic situation, and possibly pass new laws. The assembly is gathering behind closed doors for what is expected to be a one-day plenary session. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco, Prensa Latina)
Members attend a parliamentary meeting in Havana, Cuba, Friday Dec. 23, 2011. Cuba's parliament is meeting in one of its twice-yearly, private sessions to get an update from President Raul Castro on the island's economic situation, and possibly pass new laws. The assembly is gathering behind closed doors for what is expected to be a one-day plenary session. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco, Prensa Latina)
Cuba's President Raul Castro, left, speaks to First Vice President Jose Ramon Machado during a parliamentary meeting in Havana, Cuba, Friday Dec. 23, 2011. Cuba's parliament is meeting in one of its twice-yearly, private sessions to get an update from Raul Castro on the island's economic situation, and possibly pass new laws. The assembly is gathering behind closed doors for what is expected to be a one-day plenary session. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco, Prensa Latina)
Cuba's President Raul Castro raises his hand to vote for the 2012 budget during a parliamentary meeting in Havana, Cuba, Friday Dec. 23, 2011. Cuba's parliament is meeting in one of its twice-yearly, private sessions to get an update from Raul Castro on the island's economic situation, and possibly pass new laws. The assembly is gathering behind closed doors for what is expected to be a one-day plenary session. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco, Prensa Latina)
Cuba's President Raul Castro, right, speaks to Vice President of the Ministers Council Marino Murillo during a parliamentary meeting in Havana, Cuba, Friday Dec. 23, 2011. Cuba's parliament is meeting in one of its twice-yearly, private sessions to get an update from Raul Castro on the island's economic situation, and possibly pass new laws. The assembly is gathering behind closed doors for what is expected to be a one-day plenary session. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco, Prensa Latina)
HAVANA (AP) ? President Raul Castro on Friday put on ice highly-anticipated plans to ease travel restrictions on Cubans, telling lawmakers the nation would not be pressured into moving too fast and citing continued aggression from the United States as the reason for his cautious approach.
Cuba has been awash in speculation the much-hated regulations, which prevent most Cubans from leaving the island, might be lifted during Friday's session of the National Assembly. But Castro said the time still wasn't right, despite a year of free-market reforms that has seen the Communist government legalize a real estate market and greatly increase private business ownership.
"Some have been pressuring us to take the step ... as if we were talking about something insignificant, and not the destiny of the revolution," Castro said, adding that those calling for an end to the travel restrictions "are forgetting the exceptional circumstances under which Cuba lives, encircled by the hostile policy ... of the U.S. government."
Castro criticized U.S. President Barack Obama, saying he was the 11th American president since the 1959 revolution led by his brother Fidel, and appeared "not to understand" the sacrifices Cuba had made in its struggle for independence and sovereignty, including the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis, as well as Washington's 49-year trade and travel embargo.
"Sometimes, he (Obama) gives the impression he has not even been informed of this reality," Castro said, repeating his willingness to normalize relations with the U.S. under the right conditions.
Castro also announced an amnesty for 2,900 prisoners ahead of next year's visit by Pope Benedict XVI, but a senior official told the Associated Press that jailed American subcontractor Alan Gross would not be among those freed.
The Cuban president told legislators he still hoped to enact the travel reforms, but did not say when. If hopes were high among islanders that Friday would be the big day, Castro had only himself to blame.
At parliament's last session, in August, he announced that the government was committed to ease the travel restrictions. He said the measures were originally adopted because many who left in the years after the revolution were a threat to the nascent government, including people backed by the United States who sought its overthrow.
Castro said in August that most of those who leave now do so for economic reasons and are not enemies. He said removing travel restrictions would help "increase the nation's ties to the community of emigrants, whose makeup has changed radically since the early decades of the revolution."
Cubans had been clamoring for the elimination of the "tarjeta blanca," or exit visa, which the government requires of all seeking to travel abroad, even for vacation. Many people are denied, particularly doctors, scientists and military officials whose departure would be considered a threat to the state.
"The need for permission to leave should never have been invented in the first place," Victor Salgado, a 73-year-old retiree, told the Associated Press ahead of Castro's speech. "They should have eliminated this long ago. Why should I have to ask permission if I want to leave my country?"
Another Havana resident, Yamila Baez, said she was hoping the restrictions would be scrapped as soon as possible.
"It isn't normal that one has to ask the government for its okay," she said. "If you have the money to buy a ticket you should be able to go."
Castro's speech was the highlight of an otherwise humdrum parliament session in which legislators approved a budget for 2012 and heard from senior officials on the state of the economy.
Economy Minister Adel Yzquierdo told lawmakers the government expected economic growth to come in at 3.4 percent in 2012, a bit better than the 2.7 percent expected to be registered this year. Finance Minister Lina Pedraza added that the government expects both revenue and costs to rise in 2012, with the government running a deficit of about 3.8 percent.
Cuban officials also used the session to criticize Washington for its trade and travel embargo, and to call on the U.S. to release four Cuban agents still imprisoned there. A fifth left jail earlier this year, but has been blocked from returning to Cuba until he completes parole.
Cuba is ending the first year of a drive by Castro to reform its state-dominated economy. The government has allowed citizens to get business licenses for nearly 200 approved jobs, and 355,000 have taken them up on the offer. The state has also legalized a real estate market for the first time in nearly half a century, begun extending bank credits to entrepreneurs and those wishing to fix up their homes, and removed restrictions on the sale of used cars.
A parallel effort to trim half a million workers from state payrolls largely foundered.
___
Paul Haven can be reached at www.twitter.com/paulhaven/
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Today, SetJam, a company that describes itself as "building the future of TV," has announced it has been acquired by Motorola Mobility. The company's products currently include a customizable TV and movie widgets designed for embedding on websites, plus developer-friendly tools like a REST API and XML download of the SetJam database.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/vY5WxDkI-6g/
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HONG KONG (AP) ? Hollywood independent studio Lionsgate and media mogul Haim Saban's investment firm said Thursday they're teaming up with a Malaysian-owned company in a pay TV joint venture to tap the expanding Asian entertainment market.
Saban Capital Group Inc. said it will provide "significant capital investment" for Celestial Tiger Entertainment, which it is forming with Lionsgate Entertainment Corp. and Celestial Pictures Ltd., a Hong Kong-based film and TV company owned by Malaysian pay-television operator Astro Holdings.
Celestial Tiger, based in Hong Kong, will offer three pay TV channels from Tiger Gate Entertainment, an existing Asian partnership set up by Lionsgate-Saban in 2010. Celestial Pictures will contribute three Chinese-language pay TV channels.
Celestial Tiger plans to expand by adding new channels or buying other operators with the money from Saban, which did not disclose the amount.
The company also plans to produce its own TV shows as well as remakes of movies from the Shaw Brothers Film Library, the world's biggest collection of Chinese-language movies. The collection, owned by Celestial Pictures, includes more than 760 films produced over half a century.
The joint venture is the latest in a string of partnerships with Asian entertainment companies formed recently by Hollywood studios looking for growth in Asia, where a burgeoning middle class is driving demand.
"We really see Asia as a very strategically important region for our investment activity," Saban Capital President Adam Chesnoff said. "When you look at the growth in the media sector, particularly in the pay TV and free TV markets throughout the region, we think the fundamentals are very ripe and strong for investment opportunities."
The Asia-Pacific region is already the world's biggest pay TV market, with 57 percent of global subscriptions, which were forecast to exceed 745 million in 2011, according to an ABI Research report earlier this year.
Celestial Tiger's main markets are Southeast Asia and China and it will also be the sole sales agent for Lionsgate movies and TV shows for those regions.
Lionsgate follows two other Hollywood studios, Relativity Media and Legendary Entertainment, that announced Chinese partnerships this year.
Recent Lionsgate releases include the films "The Expendables" and "Margin Call" and the hit TV series "Mad Men."
Saban Capital is best known for licensing the Power Rangers from Japan in the 1990s.
__________
Follow Kelvin Chan at twitter.com/chanman
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Donald Cerrone isn't very big on Christmas and he's definitely not a fan being insulted. After an October run-in with Nate Diaz, it makes for the perfect blizzard of punches, knees and kicks next week at UFC 141.
Before UFC 137, there was no history between Cerrone and Diaz, until the younger half of the infamous Diaz brothers pulled a trick from his bag of anger.
During the workouts before UFC 137, Diaz was speaking Leonard Garcia, one of Cerrone's teammates at Jackson's MMA in Albuquerque.
"Leonard was over there talking with the dude, so I said 'oh, [expletive] I'll go over there.' They were laughing and joking around. I walked over and said 'what's up Nate, I'm 'Cowboy.' He slapped my hand away and called me a punk-ass [expletive]," Cerrone told ESPNRadio1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas (NSFW). "He told me to get on. I don't know what his point [was]. I guess he doesn't want to be cordial."
Cerrone is slightly volatile and likes to fight. You need some major cojones to start something with him. There was a brief second there something bad was set to go down.
"I was getting ready to fight. Then he walked away. He just took off after that. It caught me by surprise," said Cerrone. "Don't know anything about the guy. I think they just wake up pissed off all the time for no reason. It just seems like they're always mad. Whatever he does to get his mind ready for the fight that must be it," said Cerrone.
If you think Cerrone is going to let it slide, you're dead wrong. He brought it even stronger during an interview on "Countdown to UFC 141" saying Diaz messed with the wrong guy.
"If you want to talk [expletive] to me, you're just gonna enrage me and piss me off," said Cerrone. "So feed my [expletive] flame. That's what I say. Let's go!"
At Cerrone's last fight, a dominant win over Denis Siver at UFC 137, he again got to witness the Diaz brothers' madness first hand as Nick ranted and raved about everything under the sun.
"I was exploding into laughter on some of the comments. I was waiting for someone to take the mic away from him, like 'that's enough before you completely ruin yourself. That'll be enough out of you.' I was just surprised he kept going on about compensation and no one knew what the [expletive] he was talking about," said Cerrone.
As far as Christmas goes, Cerrone is planning on hitting the road in the morning to drive from Albuquerque to Las Vegas. Cerrone, who's picked up $225,000 in post-fight bonuses this year, bought himself an early Christmas gift, an $80,000 RV.
Watch UFC 141 right here on Yahoo! Sports
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Ventre: 2011 was one big surprise party in sports. There were enough astounding developments ? both positive and negative ? to keep mouths agape, eyes agog and Twitter atwitter. Unfortunately, the one that stands out the most is the ugliest story possible.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/45770038#45770038
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ALLEN PARK, Mich. ? Protesters descended on a Lowe's store in one of the country's largest Arab-American communities on Saturday, calling for a boycott after the home improvement chain pulled its ads from a reality television show about five Muslim families living in Michigan.
About 100 people gathered outside the store in Allen Park, a Detroit suburb adjacent to the city where "All-American Muslim" is filmed. Lowe's said this week that the TLC show had become a "lightning rod" for complaints, following an email campaign by a conservative Christian group.
Protesters including Christian clergy and lawmakers called for unity and held signs that read "Boycott Bigotry" and chanted "God Bless America, shame on Lowe's" during the rally, which was organized by a coalition of Christian, Muslim and civil rights groups.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Detroit Democrat and the first Muslim woman elected to the Michigan Legislature, said it was "disgusting" for Lowe's to stop supporting a show that reflects America ? the conservatives, liberals and even "the Kim Kardashians" in the Muslim community, she said.
"We're asking the company to change their mind," said protester Ray Holman, a legislative liaison for a United Auto Workers local. He said he was dismayed that the retailer "pulled sponsorship of a positive program."
A local rabbi extended his support to clergy at the protest and local Arab Americans, saying he and other Jews would have been at the protest had it not fallen during the Jewish Sabbath.
"I hope that they would likewise stand up and demonstrate should something outrageous like this take place against another religion," Rabbi Jason Miller said in a statement.
Lowe's spokeswoman Karen Cobb said Saturday that the company respected the protestors' opinion.
"We appreciate and respect everyone's right to express their opinion peacefully," she said.
The show premiered last month and chronicles the lives of families living in and around Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit at the heart of one of the largest Arab-American populations outside the Middle East.
Dearborn is home to the Islamic Center of America, one of the largest mosques in North America. Overall, the Detroit area has about 150,000 Muslims of many different ethnicities and is served by about 40 mosques.
It airs Sundays and ends its first season Jan. 8.
The Florida Family Association has said more than 60 companies it emailed, from Amazon to McDonalds, pulled their ads from the show, but Lowe's is the only major company so far to confirm that it had done so. The group accused the show of being "propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values."
The travel planning site Kayak.com also pulled its ads, though its marketing chief said the decision was made because the company was dissatisfied by the show's quality and TLC wasn't upfront with advertisers about how the show would be presented.
Saturday's rally was met by about 20 counter-protesters including John White, who lives in nearby Livonia and called those protesting against Lowe's "terribly misdirected." He acknowledged that he hadn't watched the show, saying he'd seen previews and read about it, but believed the company made a decision based on business, not bigotry.
"Americans are not suspicious ... of baseball-playing, apple-pie eating Muslims," he said. "It's the ones you see on the news."
The manager of the Lowe's store, Doug Casey, said the company wasn't influenced by any outside group or ideology. He said those who criticized Lowe's have a right to their opinion, but that "it's not the opinion of most of the customers I spoke to in the store today."
"I'm deeply sorry if it's caused any divide in our community," he said. "It was never our intention to offend or alienate anyone."
The hubbub didn't keep people from shopping at the store. Keith Rissman, who was buying finishing boards for windows he's installing in his mother's garage, said he supported the company.
"It's a decision they're allowed to make," the 57-year-old said. "If (people) don't want to shop here, they don't have to."
Karen Lundquist, 65, came to the store with her son even though she didn't support Lowe's decision. "It just seems like they yielded to a Christian hate group," she said.
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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45707233#45707233
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LONDON (Reuters) ? The decline in the euro zone's private sector eased a little this month, but a recession still looks inevitable with the region's periphery struggling badly, a key business survey showed on Thursday.
Markit's Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which measures the activity of thousands of euro zone companies, rose for a second month in December to 47.9 from 47.0, confounding expectations for a fall to 46.5.
But the preliminary reading lingered well below the 50 mark that divides growth and contraction for a fourth month.
Survey compiler Markit said France and Germany were responsible for the improved headline figure, while debt-laden peripheral countries remained firmly in contraction territory.
"It's an encouraging sign that (the index) didn't fall any further. Quite what will happen henceforth remains highly uncertain," said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit.
But overall the data point to a deep contraction.
"The euro zone suffered its worst quarter for two and a half years in the final three months of 2011, with the PMI data suggesting that the region's economy is likely to have contracted by 0.6 percent."
That forecast is worse than the median consensus of 0.3 percent in a Reuters poll of economists on Wednesday.
Williamson pointed to steep falls in incoming new orders and very low levels of confidence about the year ahead in the services industry as reasons to expect more decline.
"Whether the rates of decline continue to moderate or accelerate is largely in the hands of the political leaders, and financial markets in their reaction to any changes in the sovereign debt situation," said Williamson.
EU leaders last Friday took a historic step towards fiscal union at a summit last week, but economists have warned this will do little to repair a debt crisis that is choking off market funding for Spain and Italy.
Williamson warned that further weakness in these peripheral economies could yet knock the stronger core economies of France and Germany off track.
Taking a step back, he said the surveys could be viewed as a sign that the euro zone economy is beginning to restructure itself although improvements in output so far haven't been forthcoming.
Perhaps the notable bright spot in the composite PMI was the jobs index, which rose to 50.9 from 50.1 in November. Williamson said this was encouraging, but he noted that this also was largely due to Franco-German strength, with dole queues lengthening in the periphery.
The services PMI, which accounts for the bulk of the euro zone economy, rose to 48.3 in December from 47.5. But the survey's business expectations index stayed at 53.5, low by historical standards.
The manufacturing index also rose modestly, to 46.9 from 46.4, but still its fifth month below the breakeven 50 point.
Its output component, which feeds directly into the composite PMI, showed a bigger rise -- to 47.1 from 45.7.
Factory order books continued to shrink sharply, however, albeit at a slightly reduced pace, with that sub-index rising to 43.3 from 42.4 in November, which was its lowest since May 2009.
Overall, Williamson cautioned against reading the improvement in the headline figures as a meaningful step towards growth.
"It's really too early to say whether this represents a proper turning point and that the situation won't deteriorate in the coming months," he said.
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LUBBOCK, Texas ? The worst drought in Texas' history has led to the largest-ever one-year decline in the leading cattle-state's cow herd, raising the likelihood of increased beef prices as the number of animals decline and demand remains strong.
Since Jan. 1, the number of cows in Texas has dropped by about 600,000, a 12 percent decline from the roughly 5 million cows the state had at the beginning of the year, said David Anderson, who monitors beef markets for the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. That's likely the largest drop in the number of cows any state has ever seen, though Texas had a larger percentage decline from 1934 to 1935, when ranchers were reeling from the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, Anderson said.
Anderson said many cows were moved "somewhere there's grass," but lots of others were slaughtered. He said that in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Arkansas, about 200,000 more cattle were slaughtered this year, a 20 percent increase over last year.
That extra supply could help meet increased demand from China and other countries, but the loss of cows likely will mean fewer cattle in future years.
"Consumers are going to pay more because we're going to have less beef," Anderson said. "Fewer cows, calves, less beef production and increasing exports."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that beef prices will increase up to 5.5 in 2012, in part because the number of cattle has declined. That follows a 9 percent increase in beef prices in the past year.
Oklahoma, the nation's second-largest cattle producer, also saw about a 12 percent drop in cows, Oklahoma State University agriculture economist Derrell Peel said.
Anderson said beef production nationally will be down 4 percent next year.
In Texas, the problem is primarily due to the worst single-year drought in the state's history. From January through November the state got just 46 percent of its normal rainfall of about 26 inches.
The drought was the result of a La Nina weather pattern, which brings drier than normal conditions to the southwestern states. Forecasters have said La Nina is back, meaning another dry year for Texas, Oklahoma and other nearby states.
The lack of rain coupled with blistering summer heat caused pastures to wither, leaving rancher with the choice of buying feed for the cattle or selling them.
Betsy Ross, a 75-year-old rancher from the small central Texas community of Granger, said she sold all but 80 of the 225 grass-fed animals she had in January. With feed costs up 40 percent and her pasture parched, Ross said she didn't have any other option.
"It's not a profitable year, heavens no," she said. "If you can't keep them on grass when they're grass fed you're not going to make any money."
About 200 miles north in Sulphur Springs, Texas, part-time rancher Dwyatt Bell said producers in his part of the state sold off up to half their herds. Bell said high prices for cattle have helped offset increases expenses, but many ranchers still are struggling to stay afloat.
"It's been a rough year," he said.
Across Texas, the drought has caused an estimated $5.2 billion in losses to farmers and livestock producers, and that figure is expected to rise
Nationally, the number of cows has dropped by an estimated 617,000 this year, a 2 percent decline from the 30.9 million animals on Jan. 1. That number would be larger, but states in northern plains such as North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, increased their cow herd.
Anderson said it's unclear whether high beef prices would hurt U.S. sales or limit exports. The U.S. is the world third largest consumer of beef per capita at 85.5 pounds per year. Uruguay is first at 137 pounds per capita.
"Exports have been the strongest part of beef demand all year and they're expected to remain so but higher prices should constrain their growth," he said.
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Name: Leon "Phantom's Shadow" Grace.
Nickname: The Phantom's Shadow
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Job/Class: Ark Security Personnel/Captain
Specialty/Specialty/Class: Sniper/Infiltrator/Engineer
Height: 6 ft, 2 in.
Weight: 208 lbs (muscle)
Eye Color: brown
Hair: Originally Dark blonde, dyed gray
---------
Appearance: below
Personality/Alignment: Outside of ARKSEC, Leon is a fun loving individual mixed with a serious demeanor when it comes to something he cares about
---------
Armor: Light kevlar vest underneath his shirt.
Weapons: His main weapon is his trusty FN-FAL rifle which was passed down from his father, which is ironic because the FAL is often called the "RIght arm of the free world" when Leon is fighting against those who wish to be "Free"
His secondary weapon is his mother's CheyTac Intervention 50. Caliber sniper rifle. A powerful weapon by all means. He always has his US Military grade 50. Cal suppressor with him so nobody will know he's there. As a professional sniper, he couldn't help but name the Sniper Rifle "Jessie" after his first love and current girlfriend. A firebrand girl that wasn't afraid to shove a "Deagle" revolver between your eyes and pull the trigger if you tried to fuck with her.
His Emergency weapon is the Ark Security issue KA-BAR. The weapon he's had since he first joined ARKSEC. He's proud to have it, and prouder to kill with it.
Paraphernalia: Personal first aid kit with revive syringes (special syringes that stimulate healing and strength for a short few seconds to heal wounds), bandages, healing salves and other Necessities. He then has his duo suppressors, one for his FN-FAL and one for his CheyTac Intervention. He then has a leather wallet with his ARKSEC officer's access card, his ARK ID card, ARK issue credit card (with 500 "ARK" dollars on it, which amount to 750 american dollars) then a photo of him and his girlfriend, Jessica in front of Founder's Tower when he gained the promotion to Officer.
---------
Powers/Abilities/Skills: None/none/An master sniper and infiltrator. He is known for being able to get in and out of a fortress without a whisper, yet at the same time, can put a hole in a soda can at 100 yards with his assault rifle and make that soda can disappear at half a mile with his CheyTac. He is also an expert when it comes to machines with his..."Unique" ways of setting up traps with mines and turrets.
Weaknesses: He is absolutely devoted to Jessica's health and safety because of the resistance's attacks and will stop at nothing to rush into a resistance trap if she gets in trouble
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Strength: Leon is reasonably strong for an ARKSEC officer. He can easily lift his weight and more and is more then capable then to break a jaw in one punch.
Agility: As a master infiltrator, he has reached physical perfection when it comes to agility, especially with the demands to move from place to place quickly so he doesn't get caught.
Endurance: As with all ARKSEC soldiers, you need to be as durable as the home your defending, and he definitely is.
Reason: He isn't a negotiator. He's more likely to put a bullet in your head then try and talk you out of pulling the trigger.
Intuition: He has the instinct of a soldier and acts on it without hesitation. He is reasonably smart though when it comes to the ARK, as an Officer, he is required to know the ins and outs of each pelgo.
Fighting Skill and Style: Leon is a brutal fighter, never backing down from a fight. He often mixes blade and punch when it comes to hand to hand combat and always has his KA-BAR facing downwards in his left hand when he fights.
---------
Family/Acquaintances:
Sarah Grace, 47 - Retired ARKSEC sniper. Currently an adviser for Mokoena
Charlie Grace, 49 - Deceased ARKSEC Soldier. Killed in the Pelgo 12 incident
Josephine Grace, 25 - Active doctor. Currently keeping people alive in container city. Highly respected among both resistance and security
Violet Grace, 19 - Active Resistance Soldier. Currently working alongside Brother Chen as a bodyguard.
Jessica Morgan, 26 - Active waitress for Killian's "Darkwater Cafe' ", Currently Leon Grace's loving and overbearing girlfriend and hopeful future wife.
Biography/History: Leon was born and raised on the ARK. His grandfather was a wealthy governor of Washington state and was personally invited by Clinton Mokoena to live on the ARK in total safety just as the ark was beginning to be built. Predicting that the waters of the earth would soon rise to swallow earth whole, he gladly accepted the invite and joined the ark and was given a wonderful high-class home on the luxurious Pelgo 2. The Pelgo of the founders, right next to Founders Tower on Pelgo 1.
He brought up Leon's father, Charlie Grace, to be an Ark Security soldier and strong supporter. Anybody who criticized ARKSEC usually received their broken teeth in a nice little package. Charlie never did tell much about his life as an ARKSEC commander, but at 19 years old, he met Leon's mother, Sarah Grace, whom just joined up with ARKSEC around the same time as Charlie did. Charlie was smitten at first sight and pursued her at every chance he could get. It took some work, but he grew on Sarah, and within a year, they had their first child. Leon. Who was but one of the many children that Sarah would conceive. 3 years later, Josephine Grace was born. Happy for a time, they raised the two to be supporters of ARKSEC and to ignore the rumors of a "Joseph Chen" and anger against ARKSEC and the founders.
Unlike Josephine, Leon got right into ARKSEC when he was but 8 years old. His father got him to join up with a Junior SEC club that was supposed to be fun. Turns out that this was all he needed to prove his ability to be a soldier.
A mere year later, Violet Grace was born, and unfortunately for Charlie, Violet was a born rebel. Always disobeying commands and the like. She resented ARKSEC and as rumors of Chen's uprising began to sprout truth, she ran away from home at an early age to speak with chen herself. Although she returned that night, she learned a great deal of things from Chen and it was implanted in her young, ten year old mind that she would join Chen when his plans went into motion.
Back onto topic, at 11 years old, Leon met his childhood sweetheart, Jessica Morgan, who was the first to hit on him, both literally and flirtatiously, shortly after he got out of the Junior SEC club. Over the years, they really grew on each other and got together shortly after highschool at 18. She even stuck around with him when he left for a year and a half to begin his Ark Security training. Although many attempted to court her, a threat to either beat the crap out of them or report them to her boyfriend in ARKSEC kept them at bay.
It was during this year and a half that he gained his nickname. "The Phantom's Shadow" for his phenomenal skills when it came to sniping and infiltration. He was trained by his mother and father themselves and he majored in Engineering class. The real terror behind the nickname came when rumors of an attack on Pelgo 12 surfaced and Leon was the one to volunteer to spy on Chen to see if they were true. Unfortunately for ARKSEC, it was true. But it was too late for the news to be of any great affect as a huge amount of soldiers that Chen has called "The Resistance" attacked the military training base on Pelgo 12. There was no winner that day as nearly half of the resistance troops were wiped out, all of the ARKSEC personnel and civilians on board of Pelgo 12 were also killed and Pelgo 12 itself was sunken. Although rebuilt using Arkoral, the war was on and both sides were bitter at what happened.
Leon did not get much time home unfortunately, the most he could do was plead Jessica to have her and her family move out of Container City and live on Pelgo 2 with him and his family. Thankfully for him and her family, they moved to Pelgo 2 and took up the empty rooms in Leon's house.
Shortly thereafter, Leon was promoted to captain and his father's rifle and his mother's sniper rifle were given to him as presents. At personal request, he now patrols the streets of Pelgo 2 and often spends the day with Jessica at the cafe', always having his radio on, just in case. Every now and then, he is called to do a stealth or sniping mission for a few days and has to avoid Jessica's wrath for a few weeks while he tries to convince Mokowena to send him in to try and get his sister out
As for his sisters, they did not fare as well as he did. Josephine decided to not take a side at all besides that of the Civilians. All throughout school, she trained to be a Doctor so she could help people instead of hurt them. Right out of colleges pearly arkoral gates, she opened up a clinic on Container City and started to service both the soldiers of each side of the war and the victims of friendly fire. She's the main reason both the sides actually have soldiers left to fight.
Violet however ran away about a month before Leon was promoted to Captain and hasn't been seen. From what Josephine has said, Violet joined up with the resistance and is fighting against ARKSEC rather proudly.
FACE AND HAIR
Face 1 HD
Face 2 HD
Face 3 HD
body upper HD
Face 4
Hair back HD
Hair front
Hair side HD
BODY
Chest HD
back HD
pants back HD
pants front HD
chest + Head HD 1
Chest undershirt back HD
Chest undershirt front HD
TATTOO
Arm tattoo with shirt on HD
Body tattoo front 1 HD
Arm tattoo without shirt HD
back tattoo
Body tattoo front 2
Eye Tattoo HD
WEAPONS
FN-FAL (Primary weapon)
CheyTac Intervention 1 (Secondary weapon)
CheyTac Intervention 2 (Secondary weapon
ARK issue Serrated KA-BAR
CheyTac Suppressor
FN FAL suppressor
OTHER
Leon's Wallet
Josephine Grace
Violet Grace
Jessica Morgan
STORY IS NOT READY YET. CHARACTER IS STILL BEING CHANGED. STORY IS BEING PUT THROUGH EDITING. IT IS A CONTINUING STORY THAT I SHALL EDIT FROM TIME TO TIME. THIS MESSAGE SHALL BE REMOVED WHEN CHARACTER IS COMPLETE AND STORY HAS BEEN STARTED
Chapter 0: Another day on the job.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/BSW3EgXuIQs/viewtopic.php
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Today the war in Iraq is ending. After nearly nine years our long national nightmare in Iraq is almost over. This day may not have come were it not for the years of work by all of the millions of Americans who volunteered, protested, lobbied, organized, donated, wept, prayed and voted for an end to this war. The American people have ended the war in Iraq through our democracy's flawed but still great ability to correct itself.
The movement to stop the war started before the war began. Those were grim times for dissension in America in 2002 only a short time after the horrible tragedy of September 11th. The people who stood up to voice their opposition were doing so out of courage and commitment. Many had their patriotism or character smeared in newspapers, on TV and in the halls of Congress. The adage that "patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel," resonates through the Iraq war.
And from those humble beginnings the movement to end the war grew over several years to become a chorus of millions who changed the political landscape and kept fighting until all of our troops came home. The anti-war movement became the anti-war public. By my last count, more than 50 members of Congress and senators lost their jobs in 2006 and 2008 to an anti-war opponent.
Along the way this movement organized hundreds of thousands of people at vigils, protests, marches, sit-ins and more. Tens of thousands of American were politicized -- learning their organizing skills while opposing the war. The movement built its own apparatus for politics, media, messaging and organizing.
This is the same movement that elected a president who opposed the start of the war and promised to end the war. This week President Obama has kept his promise to end the war in Iraq. He did not do it alone -- the movement that mobilized the public was at his side.
I don't praise the president as an act of partisan loyalty. There is plenty more for progressives to demand from this administration. But with the weight of foreign policy elites and establishment opinion pushing the president to stay in Iraq indefinitely, President Obama rejected a permanent occupation. As we saw over the last several weeks, Republican presidential candidates would prefer we stayed in Iraq forever.
There have already been voluminous tomes written about the war in Iraq, the occupation and George W. Bush. America was lied to by the Bush administration and when the lies were exposed they tried to rewrite history with more lies. But in the end the anti-war public rejected Bush and the lies.
That movement to end the war offers us important lessons we must never forget. Here are just a few.
America is weary of war and this war has been a psychic trauma on the United States that has shaken core beliefs of many. Now that it is over we must work to end other wars and start nation building here at home.
I started my anti-war activism as a volunteer. Eventually with MoveOn.org I helped organize to end the war focusing on accountability for politicians who supported the war. There are so many people that I worked with over the years who I hope will feel some amount of pride in their work to end the war -- it worked. As these things go, that work will soon be forgotten by history but the fact that millions of Americans joined together for change will not be forgotten. In the end, you ended the war in Iraq.
?
Follow Tom Matzzie on Twitter: www.twitter.com/tommatzzie
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-matzzie/you-ended-the-war-in-iraq_b_1151727.html
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WASHINGTON ? The Obama administration hit two senior Iranian military officials with travel and financial sanctions Tuesday and moved closer to a compromise with Congress over tough new sanctions against Iran's Central Bank that Washington worries could have unintended consequences.
Citing their roles in alleged human rights abuses, the Treasury Department added the chairman of Iran's joint chiefs of staff, the country's most senior military officer, and the deputy commander of the hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to a U.S. blacklist. The move freezes any assets they may have in the U.S., although it is unlikely they have any such assets, and bars Americans from doing business with them. The State Department also barred the two men from entering the United States.
"The Iranian people have suffered tremendously at the hands of senior officials, who instead of protecting their basic rights have ordered and orchestrated widespread, serious human rights abuses aimed at silencing criticism and punishing dissent," said Adam J. Szubin, the Treasury Department's director of foreign assets control.
Hassan Firouzabadi, the joint chiefs chairman, and Abdollah Araqi were accused of wrongdoing in the crackdown on protesters and mistreatment of detainees after Iran's disputed 2009 elections. The sanctions may have little direct effect since the U.S. and Iran have no military ties and few financial or commercial ones.
But the administration appeared to be moving closer to endorsing legislation that could hurt Iran far more.
Congress pressed ahead Monday evening with a massive $662 billion defense bill that includes an amendment directing the administration to target foreign financial institutions that do business with the Iranian Central Bank in Tehran. The pressure comes amid heightened concern over Iran's nuclear program and links to alleged terrorist plots.
Administration officials had expressed concern that Congress' approach could drive up oil prices and cause havoc to world markets. Higher prices might also boost the value of Iranian oil sales, which amount to more than half of the Iranian government's revenue. That would defeat the point of the sanctions by allowing the Iranian government to increase its investments in uranium enrichment or other destabilizing activity, they had argued.
But State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Tuesday the administration was reviewing the bill and remained in close contact with Congress. And officials noted changes made to provide the president with greater flexibility in implementing the law, playing down some of the administration's earlier opposition to the amendment.
The sanctions would bar foreign financial institutions doing business with Iran's central bank from opening or maintaining correspondent operations in the United States.
Foreign central banks would be affected only for buying petroleum or petroleum products, and if the president determines there is a sufficient alternative supply and if the bank's home country has failed to significantly reduce its purchases of Iranian oil. The president can also waive the penalties based on national security.
Russia, China, India and other nations maintain larger-scale trade with Iran, whose energy exports have helped it shrug off serious harm from four rounds of U.N. sanctions and other penalties applied by individual countries or the European Union. But a number of U.S. allies also import Iranian oil, from Japan and South Korea in Asia to economic strugglers Greece, Spain and Italy in Europe.
To purchase the petroleum, those countries must deal with Iran's central bank.
A Western diplomat said European countries are readying more sanctions of their own against Iran, probably for early next year, which they hope will show their commitment to weaning their economies off of Iranian oil and protecting them against the threat of American financial penalties. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
South Korea has annual two-way trade of about $10 billion with Iran and is also worried about how its companies might be affected. Japan is facing similar questions, according to diplomats.
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