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Position: Communications Director
Organization:
The Regeneration Project is the national office of the Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) campaign. The IPL campaign is mobilizing a religious response to global warming in concert with our affiliate organizations in 39 states. IPL engages congregations through energy conservation and renewable energy programs, education and outreach, and public policy advocacy. IPL is working with faith communities around the country to become leaders in the fight against global warming. Over 14,000 congregations of all faiths are involved, in all 50 states.
Position Summary:
The Communications Director (CD) will develop and implement a national communications strategy to raise the profile of Interfaith Power & Light and broadcast faith-based and moral messages for climate action. The CD will be responsible for promoting our national policy priorities, strategic message development, recruiting and training spokespersons, and interacting directly with media outlets. Candidates should have demonstrated success in generating earned media in both traditional and online outlets. Candidates should also be experienced in utilizing social media for message amplification and list-building. The position is suited for an experienced communications professional who is excited about taking a relatively new and rapidly growing organization (we?ve just entered our second decade) to the next level. The ideal candidate will also have experience with the faith community and climate and/or energy policy advocacy along with at least three years project management experience.
This is an opportunity to join a unique and dynamic organization in a newly created, strategic position.
Responsibilities:
? Develop and implement national communications plan targeting both traditional and new media opportunities
? Ensure that social media communications are consistent with overall media strategy and messages
? Create and oversee development of compelling written materials including website content
? Maintain and develop relationships with reporters and editors; manage media database and track news coverage
? Monitor and analyze media coverage of national campaigns and state affiliates
? Work with state affiliate leaders to help them develop their communications programs
? Collaborate with other staff to integrate media outreach into campaign planning
? Travel to training events, strategy sessions, visibility events, or other large events and conferences as needed
? Provide creative input and work with multiple teams
? Collaborate with development team to ensure effective communication with funders, board members, and supporters
? Work with president and executive director to ensure program is meeting strategic priorities
? Work in coalitions with other environmental and faith-based organizations
Qualifications:
? B.A. or B.S.
? Seven to ten years media experience including at least three years in a senior management position
? Proven experience developing and implementing successful media and communications strategies
? Strong track record developing and managing creative online campaigns using social media, including list building campaigns
? Excellent written and oral communications skills
? Experience with climate, energy efficiency, and/or renewable energy policy
? Experience working in a nonprofit setting
? Experience working with the faith community preferred
? Ability to plan, organize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment; excellent attention to detail and follow-through are essential
? Ability to take initiative, think creatively and work collaboratively with people of diverse backgrounds and skills
? Proficiency with MS Word Office Suite and aptitude with Internet applications including email, social media, constituent relationship management and other related database tools
? Experience with Macintosh computers, online CRM and CRS software a plus
Compensation:
The Regeneration Project offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, generous vacation time, commuter benefits and a retirement savings plan.
Location:
San Francisco (Financial District)
To Apply:
Please send a resume and cover letter by February 24, 2012 to:
Communications Director Search
Care of Gretchen Killion
Gretchen@theregenerationproject.org
Please note where you saw the job posting.
Download PDF of job posting.
Source: http://interfaithpowerandlight.org/2012/01/were-hiring-a-communications-director/
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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) ? Movie fans don't need to wait until the red carpet is rolled out to get in on the excitement of this year's Academy Awards.
The Oscars app, developed in partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Disney-ABC Television Group, provides a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood's biggest night of the year.
"It's like an Oscars companion that can be with you from the minute the nominations are announced all the way through the event," explained Karin Gilford, senior vice president of digital media for ABC.com.
The free app, available for iPhone and iPad, provides fans with original interactive content, such as interviews with movie insiders, backstage pass highlights and historical Oscar moments.
"Every day the fans will be able to go on there and they'll be presented with new videos, and it will be really easy to see at a glance if something has been added," Gilford said.
Additionally, a game called My Picks will be launching within the app this week for fans to cast their predictions on this year's winners, and keep score with their friends.
On the big night, February 26, the app will host a dozen live feeds from the event captured by strategically placed cameras -- including the thank you cam that gives winners an extended period of time to thank their supporters, or any of the other backstage cameras capturing behind-the-scenes action.
"Imagine the football analogy, where you're seeing a grid of tiles with all the different football games going on," she explained.
"We're going to have a very similar interface, so fans will be able to look at this and see what's happening on the cameras, and then just touch and click to that camera and have it expand to get see what's going on."
Gilford said that last year these cameras were able to capture many memorable moments.
"One of my favorite moments was Jeff Bridges who was so excited and giving all the thank yous he couldn't give on stage to the camera, to the extent that we had to get him a chair because he just had a lot to say," Gilford said.
(Reporting by Natasha Baker; editing by Patricia Reaney)
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LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The "Harry Potter" finale has earned some love from Hollywood's top acting union, winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for best big-screen stunt ensemble Sunday.
The win for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" was a final triumph for the fantasy franchise that concluded last summer after a run of eight blockbusters.
Winning the TV stunt ensemble prize was "Game of Thrones." The stunt awards were announced on the arrivals red carpet before the show began.
Among the early arrivals to the cheers of enthusiastic fans on a sunny and warm afternoon were Patrick Duffy and Linda Gray of the old "Dallas" TV series, soon to be the new "Dallas" TV series on TNT. Meanwhile, Glenn Close was looking very unlike her "Albert Nobbs" character for which she received a SAG nomination as she posed for fans in a sleek black gown.
For the main event, Sunday's 18th annual SAG ceremony is heavy on actors playing illustrious real-life figures.
Among them: Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady"; Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover in "J. Edgar"; and Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe and Kenneth Branagh as Laurence Olivier in "My Week With Marilyn."
Streep won a Golden Globe for "The Iron Lady" and is considered a favorite for the SAG prize and for her third win at the Academy Awards, which are set for Feb. 26.
The front-runners for the other SAG awards are actors in fictional roles, though, among them George Clooney as a dad in crisis in "The Descendants" and Jean Dujardin as a silent-film star fallen on hard times in "The Artist." Both are up for best actor, and both won Globes ? Clooney as dramatic actor, Dujardin as musical or comedy actor.
Octavia Spencer as a brassy Mississippi maid in "The Help" and Christopher Plummer as an elderly dad who comes out as gay in "Beginners" won Globes for supporting performances and have strong prospects for the same honors at the SAG Awards.
The winners at the SAG ceremony typically go on to earn Oscars. All four acting recipients at SAG last year later took home Oscars ? Colin Firth for "The King's Speech," Natalie Portman for "Black Swan" and Christian Bale and Melissa Leo for "The Fighter."
The same generally holds true for the weekend's other big Hollywood honors, the Directors Guild of America Awards, where Michel Hazanavicius won the feature-film prize Saturday for "The Artist." The Directors Guild winner has gone on to earn the best-director Oscar 57 times in the 63-year history of the union's awards show.
SAG also presents an award for overall cast performance, a prize that's loosely considered the ceremony's equivalent of a best-picture honor. However, the cast award has a spotty record at predicting what will win best picture at the Oscars.
While "The King's Speech" won both honors a year ago, the SAG cast recipient has gone on to claim the top Oscar only eight times in the 16 years since the guild added the category.
Airing live on TNT and TBS from the Shrine Exhibition Center in downtown Los Angeles, the show features nine television categories, as well.
Receiving the guild's life-achievement award is Mary Tyler Moore. The prize was to be presented by Dick Van Dyke, her co-star on the 1960s sit-com "The Dick Van Dyke Show."
___
Online:
http://www.sagawards.com
http://www.sagawards.com
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Searching for inexpensive California auto insurance? The key to discovering the cheapest California auto insurance rates is to take advantage of discounts, buy only the amount of protection that you require, and to regularly store about for California car insurance coverage estimates from numerous various insurance businesses a minimum of as soon as each and every six months. After all, California auto insurance prices alter often and its your decision to invest a couple of moments doing some study so you can find a cheap California auto insurance policy for your self!
California is one of the greatest states in the whole nation having an estimated 36,457,549 million people and specialists only predict that it?ll continue to develop (it?s developed a staggering 7.6% from 2005 to 2006). With so many individuals residing in the state, one are only able to presume that there?ll be numerous more motorists entering the this Western area from the United states, therefore more vehicles will be on the streets of California in many years to come. Due to this it?s no surprise that rates in California can get to become extremely costly when it comes to automobile insurance, especially in cities like La, San Francisco and San Diego.
It?s essential to know however, that possible customers can nonetheless find inexpensive CA automobile insurance when they shop around and do every thing they need to do before deciding on a company. 1 factor about this state is the fact that has great variety when it comes to population. People from all around the world come to California to live and because of the car insurance businesses need to form their coverage to them.
Prior to even choosing the type of coverage you would like from the particular car insurance business it?s essential to understand the state specifications (or state?s minimums) for California. This may allow you to see the minimum coverage feasible that you can select from a particular car insurance coverage business, thus it?ll give you the least expensive price feasible. The state of California dictates that 1 should be accountable for their very own actions with regards to driving a motor vehicle and that an individual must know the danger related with being behind the wheel of the automobile.
The statutory limitations for automobile Insurance coverage inside the state of California are 15/30/5. This implies that any person driving an automobile within the roads of the state has to have a minimal of Bodily Damage of 15,000 for demise of damage of anybody individual, Bodily Damage or 30,000 for all individuals in a single incident and Home Damage of $5,000 per accident. This really is clear as California car insurance legislation is trying to stop authorized arbitrations toward any driver when is comes to car accidents.
1 factor of note is the fact that even though having the minimum protection will help you with the rates, in case of an incident you?ll not have complete or collision coverage. Also, these people that bought an automobile and therefore are still generating payments on it, or these of you who leased a vehicle won?t be able to obtain minimal protection (they?re necessary to have comprehensive and collision protection). Because of this reason, it is essential to bear in mind not just just how much cash you can afford when purchasing a new automobile, but just how much your insurance will rise if you purchase it.
Aside from getting the minimal coverage the state of California enforces you will find many other issues a driver must take into account when they desire a cheap California automobile insurance coverage policy. One of them is to try and obtain a substantial deductible; nevertheless it must be a deductible that they can afford just in case some thing occurs.
If you personal a relatively old automobile and are done making payments around the car you need to be okay having a minimum protection along with a substantial deductible (the most affordable car insurance coverage coverage), however in the event you want to be protected and have a less out of pocket price in case something happens try a low deductible. The most common deductible is the fact that of $500 because it is not to reduced or too high simultaneously, but people could even go so far as having a $1000 deductible which would decrease their rates dramatically.
Final although not least is it essential to mention the selection of discounts that California automobile insurance businesses provide to reduced the prices of potential clients attempting to enroll in their ideas. These reductions can be the main factor when it comes to cheap automobile insurance coverage prices in the state of California.
1 factor that can definitely help your price is if you possess a clean driving file. Since the state of California is really a busy 1, especially when it comes to visitors, insurance businesses will lower your price if you really are a good driver and drive defensively. In the event you obtain a DUI in the state, expect to pay much more than ambigu what you would for car insurance.
Another essential discount that just about all insurance coverage companies give is the fact that of car equipment. In the event you have security functions this kind of as air bags, anti-theft alarms, anti-lock brakes and any other people; then you will be great to go when it comes to reductions. Keep in mind that theft is really a high risk that insurance coverage companies base their prices on, so in the event you try to stop it with these functions, your rate will be much reduced.
Final but not minimum it?s great to discuss other reductions this kind of nearly as good pupil and licensed driver?s certificate. This first 1 if important simply because as you start your driving career you will be hit difficult with high insurance coverage rates merely because you wont have experience and insurance businesses are taking a danger by insuring you. If you are a great student that makes great grades, you?ll have the ability to get discounts.
Also, in the event you go and attend a defensive motorists program, most California Auto Insurance Businesses will be able to give you a huge discount merely because you learned techniques which will help you turn out to be a much better driver.
It is not hard to get a cheap automobile insurance coverage coverage within the state of California. Even though the state has much more vehicles around the streets than ever before before and insurance coverage rates are going up, you can steer clear of paying plenty of cash in the event you merely do the things mentioned above.
In the event you want the cheapest auto insurance coverage policy available then go forward and obtain the minimum specifications, however you cannot be leasing or making payments on your automobile. If you just merely want a rate that is not sky rocket high, then simply attempt elevating your deductible a bit bit or requesting a few of the numerous discounts that insurance coverage companies may give.
Right here is some more info:
Buying a new car may be a fun and exciting expertise. You get to walk the lot picking out the vehicles that match you best. Once you discover the 1 you like nothing beats that new car smell. You cannot wait around to point out of one?s new automobile to all of your friends and loved ones. Then reality sets in and you realize you need to purchase car insurance for brand new vehicles and you?ve got to pay for tags and sales tax. This new automobile will quickly set you back an additional thousand dollars from pocket. Fortunately, there are methods to save on automobile insurance coverage for new vehicles. Think about the following four tips to save in your new coverage.
Suggestion 1: Choose Your car Cautiously
When you are nonetheless around the great deal you should consider purchasing your insurance. In the event you wish to save cash search for an automobile that has plenty of security features and is rated highly by car and driver. Numerous insurance businesses give reductions for security features. Their view is that if you are safe they?re less likely to pay out an insurance coverage claim. Make sure you get passenger air bags, anti-lock brakes, and a security system in your new automobile.
Suggestion Two: Evaluate Protection to get a Great Deal
The best method to make sure you?re obtaining the best car insurance for new cars is to complete an online research and comparison. You can total a research by your zip code to locate nearby insurance agents. Nevertheless, you will find you will find many companies that go over a number of states. Filling out the form is easy. Just make sure you have your driver?s license and VIN number for your car. Enter your own information and also you can get instant quotes from many various companies immediately.
Tip 3: Don?t Buy More Than You need
Buying car insurance coverage is type of like shopping for groceries. You can purchase around you want, however you do not always require what you are buying. Every state has minimum coverage limits. However, there are no maximums. When you purchase automobile insurance for new cars you need to sit down and choose just how much coverage you?ll need.
Does one need $25,000 bucks of health-related coverage or $250,000? The difference in between the two quantities is very drastic. You coverage could even ambigu whenever you include on substantial protection amounts. It?s up to you to decide if you really need this much coverage.
Tip Four: Raise Your Deductible Also compare Auto Insurance North Carolina here.
In the event you are purchasing car insurance coverage for brand new cars you will have to choose just how much you would like your deductible to become. This is actually the amount you pay from pocket if you enter into an incident. Most companies permit you to select deductibles from $500 to $1,500.
Elevating your deductible will lower your insurance top quality. However, you need to make sure you have the money to spend a $1,500 dollar deductible if you enter into a wreck. This could be very challenging.
As you can see purchasing car insurance for brand new vehicles can be a bit tricky. However, whenever you know what you?re performing the process is easier.
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PORTLAND, Ore. ? The Associated Press, relying on information supplied by a company executive, erroneously reported Jan. 26 that Starbucks Corp. in its fiscal first quarter had its biggest quarterly revenue gain since 2007. It was the company's biggest quarterly revenue gain since the fourth-quarter of 2010.
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On Sunday, UFC.com was re-routed several times to the website UGnazi. The site's organizers, who White called terrorists several times during the UFC on Fox 2 press conference, said the hacking of UFC.com is a result of the company's support of SOPA and PIPA. The wide-ranging bills are aimed at stopping online piracy.
White lashed out at the hackers.
"Keep hacking our site, do it again. Do it tonight," said White. "These guys look like terrorists now and a bill that was about to die, is about to come back."
The hacker taking credit for the UFC hit, @joshthgod went a different route after the challenge posting White's personal info, including a social security number, a list of residential addresses, a vehicle identification number and a personal phone number.
That followed a tweet that said White is now the target.
"@danawhite We don't want your site anymore. We are going after YOU! Follow me for tonights exciting events! #ufc #sopa #acta #pipa,"
White said the hackers are only hurting their own cause by alerting politicians that there's a serious issue. He's willing to risk his own safety to stop the online pilfering.
"Is SOPA the perfect bill? No, it's not. The only thing that we're focused on is piracy. Piracy is stealing. If you walk into a store and you steal a gold watch, it's the same as stealing a pay-per-view. I don't care what your twisted, demented idea of stealing is," White said. "These kids who grew up on the Internet never had to pay for anything, so they don't think that you should have to."
White closed by saying he's not afraid of the Internet, it's where cowards live.
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Geri Jewell is headed back to the small screen - this time joining the cast of J.J. Abrams' new sci-fi drama, "Alcatraz."
The former "The Facts of Life" actress, 55, has signed on for a recurring role playing the "eccentric sister" of merciless Deputy Warden E.B. Tiller (played by Jason Butler Harner), and Geri said her character will help reveal E.B.'s compassionate side.
PLAY IT NOW: Dish Of Salt: Geri Jewell Talks Joining The Cast Of FOX?s ?Alcatraz?
"It's a wonderful role," Geri told AccessHollywood.com's Laura Saltman of her new gig on the FOX series, which follows the mysterious story of former Alcatraz inmates on the loose in modern-day San Francisco.
The role marks Geri's second series return to the small screen since her "Facts of Life" days - she previously starred on HBO's "Deadwood."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: ?The Facts Of Life? Stars: Then & Now
"When I was on 'Deadwood,' it was a dark show -- very dark," she told Laura. "Some of my relatives couldn't even watch it... but when a show is that dark, it needs contrasts, it needs light."
Adding, "I think that's what I offered 'Alcatraz' was the lightness... She's a smart-aleck, she has a wonderful sense of humor."
Geri, who suffers from cerebral palsy (she was the first actress/comedienne with the disease to land a recurring role on a TV show back in 1980), said "Alcatraz" writers have been creative when it comes to incorporating the physical evidence of her ailment into her role.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Funny Ladies! The Glorious Women Of TV Comedy
"In a scene that I filmed for this coming episode, I'm drinking a lot of liquor in it -- drinking a lot of wine. I'm like, 'Is she drunk or does she have CP?'" she said, laughing. "I think it's a little of both! I like [my character]! She's kind of cool."
While Geri's struggles with CP haven't hindered her "Alcatraz" performance, she revealed her years on "The Facts of Life" were more difficult, and at times, painful - an experience she details in her new book, "I'm Walking as Straight as I Can" (in bookstores now).
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Through The Years: TV?s Favorite Families
"In the '80s when I got 'Facts of Life,' even though I was chronologically an adult - I was 23 - I was emotionally probably 12," she told Laura. "And there were so many people in my life -- outside of the show, who were manipulative and using me for the wrong reasons, and I didn't know [about] boundaries.
"I didn't understand that people lie... I grew up in special [education] and you believe what anybody said to you," she added. "So it was forcing me to grow up, when emotionally, I was 12. The conflict was huge."
Geri's "Facts..." co-star Lisa Whelchel (Blair) was a tremendous source of strength while filming the '80s sitcom.
"I love her dearly and I always will. She was very, very supportive of me in those years," Geri said, when asked if she and Lisa still keep in touch. "We became instant friends when I was on the show and I went to her house one night shortly after we filmed, and then the next minute I was her roommate. So, it was like, instant."
"Alcatraz" - starring Sam Neill, Sarah Jones and Jorge Garcia - airs Mondays at 9 PM on FOX.
Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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ScienceDaily (Jan. 25, 2012) ? NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the low pressure system called System 97S on Jan. 24 and observed a large area of strong thunderstorms around its center that hinted at further development. On Jan. 25, the low strengthened into the ninth tropical depression and now a tropical storm of the Southern Indian Ocean.
NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Tropical Storm 09S on January 25 at 7:05 UTC (2:05 a.m. EST), and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument measured the cloud top temperatures. Just as they appeared in infrared imagery on January 24, thunderstorm cloud tops around the entire center of circulation and in some of the bands of thunderstorms that circled the center from northwest to northeast were colder than -63 Fahrenheit (-52.7 Celsius). Temperatures that cold indicate uplift (and evaporation) of air is very strong, and it pushes the cloud tops to the top of the troposphere. When cloud tops get that high, they tend to drop heavy rainfall (around 2 inches/50 mm per hour).
AIRS infrared imagery revealed that the convection continues to strengthen and during the early hours on January 25, bands of thunderstorms were developing around the center.
Although Tropical Storm 09S has moved in a westerly direction over the last couple of days, a weather system (elongated area of high pressure, called a ridge) will begin pushing it eastward toward Western Australia late on January 25. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has forecast Tropical Storm 09S (TS09S) to come closest to the coastline of Western Australia by January 29 and 30, 2012.
At 1500 UTC (10 a.m. EST) on January 25, TS09S had maximum sustained winds near 35 knots (40 mph/~65 kph). It was located near 16.0 South latitude and 107.8 East longitude, about 515 nautical miles (~592 miles/~953 km) northwest of Learmonth, Australia. The storm was still moving to the west at 5 knots (~6 mph/9 kph), but is expected to change course to the east-southeast.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects that Tropical Storm 09S will continue to strengthen over the next couple of days and could reach Cyclone status.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. The original article was written by Rob Gutro.
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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/jjCDJP4t3YY/120125163408.htm
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Miley Cyrus Eats Penis Cake [The Frisky] Kim Kardashian Donates Money to Project [HollyWire] Check Out Megan Fox Commercial [Right Celebrity] Andy Dick Sued for [...]
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British boy band talks to MTV News about 'amazing' U.S. tour.
By Jocelyn Vena
The Wanted
Photo: MTV News
As British boy band the Wanted embark on a U.S. tour, the five guys are eating up all the love they've been receiving Stateside. In fact, they kind of can't get enough of all the American fans they have met since kicking off their tour last week.
"Unbelievable, like we never expected it," Max George told MTV News about the shows, which have included sold-out dates. "The States is one territory in the world we always wanted to crack, and that's like the ultimate. It's been amazing."
The Wanted — made up of George, Tom Parker, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes — formed in 2009 and quickly became popular enough in the U.K. to snag touring dates with Justin Bieber. Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, has since taken them under his managerial wing, accelerating their rise to American popularity. In fact, they even opened for Britney Spears for a date on her Femme Fatale Tour. They are currently out promoting their single "Glad You Came."
Parker said he's overwhelmed by the response the guys have been getting city after city since coming over, which includes a performance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." "It's all been really quick, actually, and we've only been over here for a week and we've seen it grow massively in just a week," he said of the group's popularity. "Well that's the power of the Internet; social networking crosses over into so many different territories that for us it's been crucial."
Kaneswaran added that the guys have also been connecting to audiences and fans thanks to "the power of music, music defines an act."
As the guys continue to weave spells over American audiences, they weighed in on what makes U.S. fans different from the ones back home. "The American fans are so optimistic, very intense," George said. "They're just really enthusiastic. I get a massive buzz off American people. I think it's really refreshing."
With several weeks left on their trek around America, McGuiness teased future audiences of what they should expect at one of their shows. "I think just don't go expecting the perfect, polished, most beautiful set of things ever," he said. "Basically it's five guys and this absolutely rocking band. Our band is badass and we sing our heads off and it gets sweaty."
The guys are here promoting their album Battleground. Their U.S. tour will wrap up on February 8 in Los Angeles before they kick off an arena tour on February 15 in their native England. "We were always hopeful it would go as good as it started off to be," McGuiness added. "But you never know how a new territory is going to react. I feel like there is an element of luck involved."
Are you planning on seeing the Wanted live? Let us know in the comments!
Related ArtistsSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1677891/the-wanted-band-american-tour.jhtml
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I?m among the people confused by Boston?s move to dump Marco Scutaro and his $6 million salary on the Rockies for a marginal minor leaguer in Clayton Mortensen, in part because Scutaro was hardly overpaid and in part because the Red Sox?s in-house options to replace him at shortstop are so underwhelming.
It still doesn?t make much sense to me, but Alex Speier of WEEI.com offers a few details that explain the situation somewhat.
For instance, Speier notes that because of the wording of Scutaro?s contract the Red Sox would have taken a sizable luxury tax hit if they?d simply declined his 2012 option, so instead they exercised the option and then dumped him on the Rockies (who have no such luxury tax concerns).
There?s been plenty of speculation that the Red Sox shed Scutaro?s salary in order to make a run at Roy Oswalt and in the meantime they sliced nearly $8 million in money as it?s counted against the luxury tax. Speier reports that the Rockies were the only team willing to take on Scutaro?s entire salary.
As for why they?d trade Scutaro without having a good shortstop replacement waiting in the wings?particularly after parting with Jed Lowrie earlier this offseason?Speier points to the fact that he?s 36 years old, somewhat injury prone, and perhaps declining defensively. And for now at least the Red Sox feel more comfortable than you might expect with a time share between Mike Aviles and Nick Punto.
Whether or not all that adds up to the Scutaro salary dump being a smart move by the Red Sox is another issue?I?d still vote no, certainly?but at least it makes a little more sense than it did at the time.
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BEIJING?? A hugely popular Chinese Lunar New Year variety show has a special guest star playing the ukulele: American billionaire Warren Buffett.
Buffett is shown wearing a dark sweat shirt and singing the folk song "I've Been Working On The Railroad" in the video posted on state broadcaster CCTV's "Spring Festival Gala" website Sunday.
There are no details on the website about where the 45-second clip was shot, but Buffett appears to be sitting in a small room with an elaborate model railroad set up in the background.
The video's simplicity contrasts with other performances posted on the website of the gala, which is usually a flashy extravaganza that draws 800 million viewers.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46091350/ns/business-world_business/
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Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks at a campaign town hall in Northfield, N.H. Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum speaks at a campaign town hall in Northfield, N.H. Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
In this photo taken Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, Republican presidential candidate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney speaks in Salem, N.H. Conservative leaders are encouraging their brethren to rally behind Rick Santorum or perhaps another conservative to counter Mitt Romney?s rise in the presidential race. Virtually silent on the rollicking contest until now, these leaders of the GOP base burned up the phone lines and cyberspace Wednesday, energized by Santorum?s single-digit loss to the well-funded Romney in Iowa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks at his caucus night rally, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, in Ankemy, Iowa. Paul's wife, Carol, is at left.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? A look at where the 2012 Republican presidential candidates stand on a selection of issues.
They are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.
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ABORTION:
Gingrich: Platform calls for conservative judges and no subsidies for abortion but not a constitutional abortion ban.
Paul: Says federal government should have no authority either to legalize or ban abortion.
Romney: Says Roe v. Wade should be reversed by a future Supreme Court and states should decide their own abortion laws.
Santorum: Favors constitutional abortion ban and opposes abortion, including in cases of rape.
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DEBT:
Gingrich: As House speaker in 1990s, engineered passage of a seven-year balanced-budget plan. It was vetoed but helped form a bipartisan balanced budget later.
Paul: Would eviscerate federal government, slashing nearly half its spending, shut five Cabinet-level agencies, end spending on existing conflicts and on foreign aid.
Romney: Defended financial sector bailout, criticized GM and Chrysler bailout. Cap federal spending at 20 percent of GDP.
Santorum: Freeze social and military spending for five years to cut $5 trillion from federal budgets.
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ECONOMY:
Gingrich: Repeal the financial industry regulations that followed the Wall Street meltdown. Restrict the Fed's power to set interest rates artificially low.
Paul: Return to the gold standard, eliminate the Federal Reserve, eliminate most federal regulations.
Romney: Lower taxes, less regulation, balanced budget, more trade deals to spur growth. Replace jobless benefits with unemployment savings accounts. Repeal new financial-industry regulations.
Santorum: Eliminate corporate taxes for manufacturers, drill for more oil and gas, and slash regulations.
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EDUCATION:
Gingrich: Shrink Education Department. But supported Obama administration's $4 billion Race to the Top grant competition for states.
Paul: Abolish the Education Department and end the federal role in education.
Romney: Supported No Child Left Behind law. Once favored shutting Education Department, later saw its value in "holding down the interests of the teachers' unions."
Santorum: Voted for No Child Left Behind law, now regrets vote. Wants "significantly" smaller Education Department but not its elimination.
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ENERGY:
Gingrich: Let oil and natural gas industries drill offshore reserves now blocked from development, end restrictions on Western oil shale development.
Paul: Remove restrictions on drilling, coal and nuclear power, eliminate gasoline tax, provide tax credits for alternative fuel technology.
Romney: Supports drilling in the Gulf, the outer continental shelves, Western lands, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore Alaska; and exploitation of shale oil deposits.
Santorum: Favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, scaling back "oppressive regulation" hindering drilling elsewhere, and eliminating energy subsidies in four years.
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ENVIRONMENT:
Gingrich: Convert EPA into "environmental solutions agency" devoted to research and "more energy, more jobs and a better environment simultaneously." Once backed tougher environmental regulation.
Paul: Previously said human activity "probably does" contribute to global warming; now calls such science a "hoax." Says emission standards should be set by states or regions.
Romney: Acknowledged that humans contribute to global warming, but later said "we don't know what's causing climate change." Cap and trade would "rocket energy prices."
Santorum: The science establishing human activity as a likely contributor to global warming is "patently absurd" and "junk science."
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GAY MARRIAGE:
Gingrich: If the Defense of Marriage Act fails, "you have no choice except a constitutional amendment" to ban gay marriage.
Paul: Decisions on legalizing or prohibiting gay marriage should be left to states.
Romney: Favors constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, says policy should be set federally, not by states.
Santorum: Supports constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, not leaving decision to states. "We can't have 50 marriage laws."
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HEALTH CARE:
All would seek repeal of Obama's health care law.
Gingrich: Prohibit insurers from cancelling or charging hefty increases to insurance holders who get sick. Offer "generous" tax credit to help buy insurance. Previously supported mandatory coverage.
Paul: Opposes compulsory insurance and all federal subsidies for coverage.
Romney: Opposes federal mandate to obtain coverage; introduced mandate in Massachusetts. Proposes "generous" subsidies to help future retirees buy private insurance instead of going on Medicare.
Santorum: Would seek to starve Obama's health care law of money needed to implement it. Supported Bush administration's prescription drug program for the elderly, now regrets doing so.
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IMMIGRATION:
Gingrich: In contrast to most rivals, supports option of giving legal status to illegal immigrants with deep roots in the U.S. and who have lived otherwise lawfully. Supports path to citizenship for illegal immigrants' children who perform U.S. military service. Make English the official language. Divert more Homeland Security assets to at Mexican border.
Paul: Do "whatever it takes" to secure the border, end right to citizenship of U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants, no social services for illegal immigrants, aggressive deportation.
Romney: Would veto legislation that seeks to award legal status to some young illegal immigrants who attend college or serve in the armed forces. Favors complete U.S.-Mexico border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants.
Santorum: Supports complete border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants.
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SOCIAL SECURITY:
Gingrich: Give younger workers the option of diverting Social Security taxes to private retirement accounts.
Paul: Says younger workers should be able to opt out of Social Security taxes and retirement benefits; benefits for today's retirees should be protected.
Romney: Starting with workers now under 55, raise age to qualify for full benefits, and limit inflation increases for wealthier beneficiaries. Protect status quo for people 55 and older.
Santorum: Proposes immediate steps to lower benefits for wealthier retirees, raise the age to qualify for full benefits and restrict inflation increases in benefits, both for current and future retirees. Supports option of private retirement accounts.
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TAXES:
All support eliminating the estate tax and keeping Bush-era tax cuts.
Gingrich: Choice of filing under current system or paying a 15 percent tax, preserving mortgage interest and charitable deductions. Cut corporate tax to 12.5 percent.
Paul: Eliminate the federal income tax and the IRS, and defund close to half the government.
Romney: No one with adjusted gross income under $200,000 should be taxed on interest, dividends or capital gains. Cut corporate tax rate to 25 percent.
Santorum: Triple the personal exemption for dependent children, reduce the number of tax brackets to two ? 10 percent and 28 percent, exempt domestic manufacturers from the corporate tax and halve the top rate for other business.
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TERRORISM:
Gingrich: Supports extending and strengthening investigative powers of Patriot Act. Supports continued use of Guantanamo Bay detention for suspected terrorists. Supported creation of Homeland Security apparatus. In 2009, said of waterboarding: "It's not something we should do."
Paul: Opposes Patriot Act as an infringement on liberty. Says terrorists would not be motivated to attack America if the U.S. ended its military presence abroad. Says: "Waterboarding is torture. And it's illegal under international law and under our law. It's also immoral."
Romney: No constitutional rights for foreign terrorism suspects. Campaign says he does not consider waterboarding to be torture.
Santorum: Defends creation of Homeland Security Department. Voted to reauthorize Patriot Act. Says airport screeners should employ profiling; "Muslims would be someone you'd look at, absolutely." Supports continued use of Guantanamo Bay detention but says Americans accused of being enemy combatants should have right to challenge indefinite detention in court. Says waterboarding has proved effective.
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WAR:
Gingrich: Supported Iraq war and opposed early withdrawal. Said U.S. forces should not have been used in Libya campaign, after he had called for such intervention. Opposes "precipitous" pullout from Afghanistan.
Paul: Bring most or all troops home from foreign posts "as quick as the ships could get there." Opposed U.S. intervention in Libya. Cut Pentagon budget.
Romney: Has not specified the troop numbers behind pledge to ensure the "force level necessary to secure our gains and complete our mission successfully" in Afghanistan.
Santorum: Says he would order bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities unless they were opened for international arms inspectors. Proposes freezing defense spending for five years.
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Associated Press writers Brian Bakst and Chris Tomlinson contributed to this report.
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DES MOINES, Iowa ? Some question whether Iowa needs to continue giving celebrities easy access to deer hunting in the state, but it appears unlikely that the promotional program will be scrapped.
The state program gives 75 celebrities, such as rocker Ted Nugent and former professional athlete Bo Jackson, an opportunity to buy a special out-of-state deer hunting permit each year. Other nonresidents might wait years to buy a similar permit.
The celebrity program began in 1998 to help promote the state as a top hunting destination.
Iowa Bowhunters Association President Randy Taylor tells the Des Moines Register ( http://dmreg.co/wCWfLU) that he's not sure the state really needs the promotion anymore.
"There is no deer hunter nationwide who doesn't consider Iowa one of the trophy hot spots in the nation," Taylor said.
Iowa routinely receives thousands more requests than can be filled each year from out-of-state hunters. So the program isn't popular with the people who sometimes wait years for one of about 6,000 nonresident permits to harvest deer of any sex.
A state committee ranks celebrity applications on a point system. The applicants most likely to win a hunting tag are the ones the state believes will garner the most media exposure for Iowa.
The celebrities pay the same $551 fee that other nonresidents pay for the hunting tag. Iowa residents pay $89 for theirs.
A few of the special celebrity tags are given to nonprofit conservation groups that often auction them off to nonresidents. Those auctions can raise $6,000 to $10,000, and the proceeds are split with the state.
Steve Dermand, who helps oversee the program for Iowa's Department of Natural Resources, says he's heard the complaints, but he doesn't think anyone is ready to eliminate the program.
"When this started, Iowa was just becoming recognized as having a good deer resource. This came along during that growth time," Dermand said. "Now, Iowa is high-enough profile, the state is in all the hunting magazines and where to go for whitetail."
State Sen. Dick Dearden of Des Moines, chairman of the Senate natural resources committee, said he doubts the program will be eliminated. He also doesn't expect a change in the number of general out-of-state tags.
So it's likely that celebrities like country singers Toby Keith, Aaron Tippin and Miranda Lambert will continue to get access to deer hunting in Iowa along with professional hunters like Mark Luster.
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KABUL, Afghanistan ? France suspended its training operations in Afghanistan and threatened to withdraw its entire force from the country early, after an Afghan wearing an army uniform shot and killed four French troops Friday and wounded others.
The attack ? the second time this month an Afghan soldier has killed French forces ? came during a particularly deadly 24 hours for the international military coalition. Six U.S. Marines also died in a helicopter crash late Thursday.
It was the latest in a series of attacks by members of the Afghan security forces, or those dressed in their uniforms, against coalition partners that have raised fears of increased Taliban infiltration of the Afghan police and army as foreign combat forces prepare to withdraw from the country by 2014. The impact of the French suspending training operations is unclear, but it would result in a major setback for the U.S.-led coalition if other troop-contributing nations stopped training Afghan national security forces or decided to pull out earlier than planned.
French officials said the attack happened during a training exercise at a base jointly operated by French and Afghan forces.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced the French deaths in Paris and the suspension of training programs. He did not specify how many French forces or which programs would be affected.
"The French army is in Afghanistan at the service of the Afghans against terrorism and against the Taliban. The French army is not in Afghanistan so that Afghan soldiers can shoot at them," Sarkozy said.
He added that if security for troops is not restored, "then the question of an early withdrawal of the French army would arise."
Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said the French soldiers were unarmed when the attacker opened fire in Gwan in the Kapisa province during a very difficult training exercise at high altitude.
"We don't know at the moment whether it's a Taliban member who infiltrated, or someone who decided (to attack) for reasons that we don't know," he said on France-2 television.
He said the Afghan was in custody of the Afghan army's 3rd brigade, held by a general "whom we trust."
A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, praised the Afghan attacker but did not claim he was an infiltrator or provide other details.
Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi also said the shooting occurred while Afghan and French forces were on a joint operation in Tagab district. He also did not confirm whether the shooter was an Afghan soldier or a militant dressed as one.
"An individual in an Afghan army uniform opened fire over the French troops," he said. "This happened outside the base while they were on an operation."
The ministry sent a delegation to the area to investigate the shooting, he said, confirming that the attacker was arrested and was being questioned.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed deep regret over the attack.
The number of wounded in the attack was unclear.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said 15 troops were wounded but did not indicate their nationalities. Longuet said eight French troops were wounded, and the commanding officer was in serious condition.
Friday was among the most deadly days for French forces in the 10 years they have been serving in the international force in Afghanistan. The latest deaths bring to 82 the number of French troops killed in the Afghan campaign.
"From now on, all the operations of training and combat help by the French army are suspended," Sarkozy said.
The defense minister and the chief of staff of the French army are heading Friday to Kabul. Once they report back, Sarkozy said, the French government will decide how to proceed.
A big part of the French role in Afghanistan recently has been training Afghan troops and police ahead of an expected pullout of the around 3,600 French troops currently there in 2014.
Unpopular at home, Sarkozy is facing a potentially tough re-election campaign for elections in April and May and appeared determined Friday to act swiftly and sternly to the latest troop deaths.
The candidate who tops opinion polls ahead of France's elections, Socialist Francois Hollande, said in a statement Friday that he would aim to pull out French forces by the end of this year if he becomes president.
Friday's attack was all the more painful for the French because it came just weeks after an Afghan army soldier shot and killed two members of the French Foreign Legion serving in the NATO force on Dec. 29. French forces fired back and killed the assailant.
It remained unclear how likely or swift a French pullout could be. France has the fourth-largest force in the international coalition.
"Today there is clearly a new truth. It is not the first time that an Afghan soldier ... assassinates French soldiers," Foreign Minister Juppe said. He called it a question of "responsibility to adapt our timetable for withdrawal by taking into account these new circumstances."
Longuet was more cautious, saying French officials should maintain calm when making any decisions.
Sarkozy said he'd discuss France's role in Afghanistan with Karzai when he visits Paris next week.
Afghan security forces or insurgents dressed in their uniforms have attacked and killed international troops or civilian trainers more than a dozen times in the past two years, according to an Associated Press count.
Earlier this month, a U.S. service member was killed when a man in an Afghan army uniform opened fire at a base in the south of the country.
In one of the worst incidents, a veteran Afghan military pilot opened fire at Kabul airport on April 27, 2011, killing eight U.S. troops and an American civilian contractor.
In Riga, Latvia, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said this was "a very sad day for our troops in Afghanistan and for the French people," but insisted that such incidents are "isolated."
The helicopter crash, which occurred in the southern Helmand province, was the deadliest in Afghanistan since August, when 30 American troops died after a Chinook helicopter was apparently shot down in Wardak province in the center of the country.
The cause of Thursday's crash is still being investigated, but a coalition statement said there was no enemy activity in the area when it happened.
A senior U.S. defense official said all six reported killed were U.S. Marines and there was no indication that the helicopter had been hit by enemy fire. The defense official spoke on condition of anonymity because the U.S. command in Afghanistan had not yet publicly released details, including the nationalities of the dead.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef claimed insurgents shot down the helicopter, a Chinook, in Musa Qala district of Helmand province, killing all on board. The Taliban frequently exaggerate the number of people they claim to have killed.
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Corbet reported from Paris. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton, Jamey Keaten and Samantha Bordes in Paris, and Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.
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WASHINGTON ? The stock market has had an impressive January. The staid companies that make up the Dow Jones industrial average have gained 4 percent in three weeks, and the broader market has done even better.
But the Nasdaq composite ? a collection of technology stocks whose dot-com heyday was more than a decade ago ? has left them both in the dust.
That's no surprise when you consider tech stocks took a licking last year. Tech companies tend to carry more risk ? a problem for the Nasdaq during last year's market gyrations. As investors regain confidence in the economy, riskier plays are doing well.
But experts say the Nasdaq's gains reflect long-term currents that could lift tech stocks through 2012 and beyond. Many companies put off replacing worn-out technology during the recession. To compete and survive, they need to invest in tech.
There's also a growing global market for technology as more nations try to reduce labor costs by automating everything from factories to cash registers.
And the biggest tech companies face less competition these days when they try to acquire smaller companies. Many of their mid-sized rivals for those deals were weeded out after the dot-com bust and the financial crisis.
In the market for mergers and acquisitions, established players like IBM and Oracle can be picky about buying only those companies that will increase their earnings ? and probably their stock prices.
In other words, it's not all about Microsoft-style titans and trendy social media companies like LinkedIn and Zynga. The Nasdaq contains more than 3,000 companies, many of them relative startups compared with the companies in the Standard & Poor's 500 index.
For the year ? just 13 trading days old ? the Nasdaq composite is up 7 percent, compared with 4.6 percent for the S&P 500 and 4.1 percent for the Dow.
"It looks like it's going to be their year, or at least their month," says Michael Vogelzang, chief investment officer at Boston Advisors LLC.
The Nasdaq sank 1.8 percent last year, while the Dow rose 5.5 percent and the S&P was flat. That left tech stocks relatively cheap, giving them more space to rise as the broader market rallied. Oracle is up 11.9 percent this year, Microsoft 14.5 percent.
Vogelzang and others say the tech rally has further to go.
"If you want to make your company more productive, you have to turn to the world of technology for that," says Kim Caughey Forrest, senior analyst with Fort Pitt Capital Group.
She expects the S&P 500's tech sector to outperform the broader market because of strong demand from U.S. companies, developing nations such as China and even cash-strapped European governments. As China's banking system exploded to serve a growing middle class, banks there spent big on IBM technology, she noted.
"Nobody questions whether they need the latest and greatest technology anymore. They know they need to keep up their technology spending," says Eric Gebaide, managing director of Innovation Advisors, a tech-focused investment bank and strategic advisory firm.
Gebaide and others mentioned many companies' efforts to move their computing and data storage off-site ? trends known as "cloud computing" and "virtualization." Long-distance computing is cheaper, but it requires technology.
But why are tech stocks rallying now? The cloud computing transition has been under way for years, and spending by companies has driven much of the U.S. recovery since the economy emerged from recession in June 2009.
It's all about the investment cycle, says Jack Ablin, chief investment officer with Harris Private Bank. He says investors are finally willing to "flex their speculative muscles in a market that isn't falling apart in the way they feared last year."
Last year, some of the best-performing stocks were consumer staples and utilities ? lower-risk industries where demand is consistent even the economy is slow. This year, utilities in the S&P are down 3.7 percent, while tech companies are up 6 percent.
The move out of so-called defensive stocks, the ones you want to own in a slow economy, is a sign that investors are willing to embrace risk again.
"You're getting this big market rotation," Vogelzang says. "People made money last year in the boring, stable industries, and they're saying, `Hey, I better get on this economy train while I can.'"
Tech companies learned hard lessons from the dot-com bust of the early 2000s and the 2008 financial crisis, says Gebaide of Innovation Advisors. They hold more cash than most types of companies and carry less debt. That leaves them less vulnerable to bankruptcy or a loss of investor confidence.
Given its twice-stung discipline, tech is positioned to drive the economy ? "perhaps the best it has been as a sector in the past 20 years," Gebaide says.
The biggest threat to the industry, Gebaide says, is a slowdown in the early investment that helps startups grow into viable companies. Those early dollars used to offer massive returns to savvy investors when a good pick went public.
Today, the upside for venture capitalists is limited because far fewer companies are going public in big stock offerings. The bar is much higher after dot-com era debacles like Pets.com. Before underwriting a deal or buying chunks of stock, banks and investors want to see millions in annual revenue and established customer bases. It's tough for younger tech companies to meet those standards.
Peter Falvey, managing director of Morgan Keegan Technology Group, says there's plenty of capital, entrepreneurship and good ideas to keep companies' bottom lines ? and stock prices ? rising.
Falvey's group specializes in tech mergers and acquisitions ? the kinds of deals that allow IBM or Oracle to bring a small competitor's product to a wider audience and add to their own earnings. Last year was the best for M&A in his group's 11-year history, and this year's deal pipeline already is stronger than last year's was at this time, he says.
A company like IBM "has huge amounts of capital and a global customer base, plus complete hardware-software services," Falvey says. "Once you put a small company into that machine, IBM can do really well with it."
The industry's earlier downturns also helped big companies by weeding out smaller players. The number of publicly traded tech companies has decreased by a third since 2000, Gebaide says. Now the big dogs can pick and choose more carefully, acquiring only businesses that are almost certain to increase their profits.
To be sure, high-tech companies are higher-risk investments, and they could lose value quickly if the market tanks because of a debt catastrophe in Europe or something unforeseen.
"People love tech until we get an economic shock, or negative economic statistics start to come out," Vogelzang says. "Then all of a sudden, people will say, `Whoa, I need to go buy some utilities again."
But investors should take tech's success at this stage as a promising sign, says Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist with Schaeffer's Investment Research. He says higher-risk bets like tech stocks tend to rise as the market enters a phase of long-term growth.
Housing, tech and small-company stocks all have risen faster than broad indexes since October, Detrick says. Those sectors are sensitive to improving economic data, he says.
"When you start to see tech taking charge, that's definitely a potential step in the right direction for future gains, potentially for the whole year," Detrick says. "Those are the sectors you want to see lead a bull market."
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Follow Daniel Wagner at www.twitter.com/wagnerreports.
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