evanrose

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Halliburton Pays Just $200,000 for Destroying Evidence from BP's Billion Dollar Oil Spill?

Halliburton Energy Services Inc. has agreed to plead guilty to charges of destroying evidence from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster off the coast of Louisiana.

While the disaster cost tens of billions to clean up, Halliburton faces a fine of just $200,000 from the U.S. Justice Department. Halliburton makes that much money in 23 seconds, according to the Huffington Post.

The Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded on April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers and injuring 16 others. The rig, 20 miles off the coast of Louisiana in the Macondo Prospect oil field, was owned and operated by Transocean and the oil belong to BP. Halliburton was responsible for overseeing the cement pouring during the drilling of the well.

Halliburton officials twice destroyed computer simulations of the effects of using six instead of 21 centralizers when they built the rig, according to the Times-Picayune. Centralizers are metal collars in the casing of the well that keep it centered in the drill hole while cement is poured.

For 86 days, oil poured into the Gulf of Mexico from the well. That?s somewhere between 3.26 million and 5.5 million barrels of oil.

"Prior to the blowout, defendant Halliburton had recommended to BP the use of 21 centralizers in the Macondo well. BP opted to use six centralizers instead,? says the criminal bill filed by government attorneys in the U.S. District Court of New Orleans.

In January 2011, President Barack Obama?s oil spill commission found that a series of cost-cutting decisions made by BP and its partners ultimately led to the explosion.

Cleanup continues on 84 miles of the Louisiana coast, although BP cleanup ended in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi this summer, BP spokesman Jason Ryan told the Association Press.

The full impact of the spill on wildlife and fisheries along the Gulf coast is difficult to gauge even two years later. Scientists are finding strange and unusual deformities in animals, and the number of dolphin and sea turtle deaths are sky high, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

David White, the director of the National Wildlife Federation's Gulf of Mexico Restoration Campaign, told the AP in June that there is must left to do.

"As much as one million barrels of oil from the disaster remains unaccounted for, and tar mats and tar balls from the spill continue to wash up on the coast," said David White. "Regardless of how our shorelines are monitored, BP must be held accountable for the cleanup. We cannot just accept oiled material on our beaches and in our marshes as the 'new normal.'"

Sources: NOLA.com, RT.com, Huffington Post

Source: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/halliburton-pays-just-200000-destroying-evidence-bps-billion-dollar-oil-spill

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Thursday, July 25, 2013

The perfect fit: Wonderbra maker to buy Maidenform

FILE - This file photo taken May 2, 2005, shows women's lingerie on display in Houston. HanesBrands is buying underwear maker Maidenform Brands Inc. for approximately $547.6 million on Wednesday, July 24, 2013. The deal would add brands like Maidenform, Flexees and Self Expressions to the Hanesbrand roster that includes Playtex, Bali, Champion, Wonderbra and its namesake Hanes. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? It's the perfect fit.

Two of the world's top bra makers are coming together in the biggest development in the $11.5 billion underwear industry in years.

Hanesbrands, which makes the Wonderbra, said Tuesday that it agreed to buy bra and underwear company Maidenform Brands Inc. for about $547 million. The deal would add brands like Maidenform, Flexees and Self Expressions to the Hanesbrand roster that includes Playtex, Bali, Champion, Wonderbra and its namesake Hanes.

The merger comes as traditional bra and underwear makers are facing tough competition from specialty stores such as Victoria's Secret that focus on frilly designs and newer rivals like Spanx that make shapewear that promises to control and smooth out bulges.

"Maidenform has great brands that consumers trust," said Hanes CEO Richard A. Noll. "Combining the complementary strengths of both companies creates a lot of growth opportunities."

Bras, which are as much about fashion as they are about function these days, are the biggest sellers in the intimate apparel arena, making up about 48 percent of all sales, according to research firm IBIS world. Panties make up about 24.8 percent of sales, sleepwear makes up about 22 percent and shapewear 5.2 percent, according to IBIS figures.

The bra and underwear industry has growth spurts when new trends come along. Think: boy shorts three years ago, for example, or shapewear over the past two years. But when it comes to what they're wearing underneath their clothes, Americans have cut back on their shopping habits since the recession.

"It used to be women invested in their intimates, now they're investing either in their bra wardrobe or panty wardrobe," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst with The NPD Group. "The economy changed the way we buy; we're not buying everything all at once anymore."

The industry has been playing with sizing in recent years to get growth. From 20 sizes 20 years ago, there are now more than 90 sizes, said Kate Terhune, marketing manager for Intimacy, a chain that specializes in helping women find the right size undergarments. And HanesBrands said Wednesday that Maidenform's average-figure bra business will complement its full-figure bra collection.

Ninety-one-year-old Maidenform was a pioneer in the bra industry in the 1920s, patenting the first modern-seamed "uplift" bra in1925. But the Iselin, N.J. has been suffering from losses, hurt by tough competition in the shapewear business and lower sales from department stores, where Maidenform products are traditionally sold.

The company said it has been evaluating its strategic options. Maidenform CEO Maurice Reznik said that the deal was appealing in part because it provides the necessary infrastructure and resources to help grow its business.

Matthew Butlein, president of freshpair.com, an online underwear retailer, said he thought the move was a smart one for Maidenform since the company can use Hanesbrands marketing team to get more exposure for its brands, as well as its Visr service, a self-service wholesale portal that lets smaller boutiques place underwear orders directly instead of dealing with sales reps. Hanesbrands, for its part, will get more youthful lines from Maidenform, since Hanesbrands lines tend to skew older.

Both companies' boards unanimously approved the acquisition, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter. It still needs approval from Maidenform shareholders.

Hanesbrands shares rose $4.15, or 7.8 percent, to $57.51, after earlier reaching a 52-week high of $59.35. Maidenform shares rose $4.31, or 22.6 percent, to $23.40. The stock has traded between $16.50 and $26.37 during the past 52 weeks.

Hanesbrands, based in Winston Salem, N.C., was founded in 1901 as a men's hosiery business. It expanded into men's underwear in 1920 and added women's bras in 1971 when it acquired Bali Brassiere Company.

Hanes has a 14.3 percent share in the underwear market, according to Euromonitor International, behind only L Brands, which owns Victoria's Secret. Maidenform, meanwhile, is the fifth largest player in the market with a 2.5 percent share.

The deal fits into the company's strategy to make acquisitions that will boost earnings. The Maidenform deal is expected to add to earnings within 12 months, with full benefits in three years. It acquired GearCo., which sells licensed logo apparel in college bookstores, in 2010, and acquired TNF Group Pty Ltd., an activewear supplier in Australia, in 2011.

Hanesbrands will pay $23.50 per share, a 23 percent premium to Maidenform's $19.09 Tuesday closing price. The companies put the deal's value at about $575 million.

Hanesbrands anticipates being able to potentially lower the costs of Maidenform products for retailers and consumers. Currently Maidenform sources its products from third-party manufacturers. With the acquisition, HanesBrands said Maidenform will now be able to take advantage of HanesBrands' company-owned manufacturing, which is supplemented by third-party manufacturers.

Hanesbrands spokesman Matt Hall said it was too early to say whether there would be layoffs related to the acquisition, but said there is "typically overlap of independent company corporate functions that would be redundant."

AP Writer Michelle Chapman in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-07-24-Bra%20Merger/id-8990542598a042e9a9ba26775ceec276

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

iPad: Kicking Windows back to the office

iPad over Win8 — Image credit: James Kendrick/ZDNet

The iPad garnered the reputation as a new type of device designed for doing fun things at home. People were immediately taken with the fact that the iPad could do lots of fun things, endearing it to the masses. Then developers started writing thousands of apps for the iPad that started to bridge fun stuff with activities normally done on a PC, even Windows PCs. Consumers noticed that the Windows PC (desktop or laptop) that they kept at home was being used less and less. Ultimately they were only using Windows at work.

For many consumers the iPad does everything they want a tablet to do and more so why would they want to use a tablet with Windows?

A familiar sight in public is someone with an iPad in hand, or one being used with a keyboard case. Where it used to be more common to see people using Windows laptops of varying sizes in public venues many of them have been replaced with the iPad. More significantly, iPad users are not just doing fun stuff that tablets are believed to be designed for, they are doing everything they used to do with the forgotten Windows laptop back at home.

Microsoft saw this coming and radically changed the design of Windows to work on tablets, desktops, and laptops. The folks in Redmond saw the writing on the wall and knew they had to change the OS into a tablet OS to keep Windows in the home. They already had the enterprise locked up so bringing Windows to the tablet was an effort to keep folks using the OS at home.

Make no mistake, the Surface RT was firmly aimed at getting consumers to imagine Windows on home tablets, and that effort has failed. Those wanting to use a simple tablet at home have pretty much already adopted the iPad. It sports a mobile form factor that runs a simple OS designed specifically for the tablet. Sure iOS is also a phone platform but Apple has adapted it to handle the iPad nicely. It was also able to get app developers to adapt or create iPad-specific versions of apps to work well on the slate.

I like my ThinkPad Tablet 2, a nice Windows tablet. It takes advantage of Windows 8, especially all the tablet features Microsoft implemented for that purpose. But when I show it (or any Windows tablet) to folks I get pretty much the same reaction.

"Hey, that's a nice tablet."

"Yes I like it. It runs Windows 8."

If the person I'm showing it to doesn't work in the Windows/IT space, I get a blank look for a few seconds followed by this or a similar statement:

"Why would you want to do that?"

The discussion proceeds with me explaining how you can run Windows apps and how new apps are being written for the Windows 8 app store. This is followed by a conversation that makes it clear the other party not only has no desire to run Windows and its apps on a tablet, they genuinely can't see why anyone would want to do that. The iPad does everything they want a tablet to do and more so why would they want to use a tablet with Windows?

For many consumers Windows represents work. It's on the computer in the office and they "have" to use it there. They remember all the times they had to get the IT folks to come fix the PC that stopped doing something. They think of how they can't go to all the cool web sites because they are blocked at work, which they come to think of as a Windows thing. They think of how trouble-free their home computing has become since they just naturally started doing it all on the iPad at home.

Most of the folks I interact with about Windows on tablets who like it, and are excited about Windows 8, are those who either make a living in the Windows ecosystem or have a special need for using Windows outside the scope of typical home computing. Having full Windows in a tablet form is just what they need to do what they want both for work and at home.?

Unfortunately for Microsoft, there aren't enough of these enthusiasts to make a difference, as proven by both the Surface RT debacle,?and low Surface Pro sales (compared to the iPad). The vast majority have already been shown that their beloved iPad is all they need outside of work. The iPad has totally replaced PC usage in the home for many owners and kicked Windows back to the office.

Source: http://www.zdnet.com/ipad-kicking-windows-back-to-the-office-7000018368/

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These Macro Shots of Animal Eyes Are Beautifully Striking

This amazing image isn't a black hole sucking up the contents of the Universe, or an aerial shot of some dark mysterious lake. In fact, it's the eye of a Basiliscus lizard, photographed by Suren Manvelyan.

Monday, July 22, 2013

July Giveaway ? Laguna Ponds Urban Water Bowl | Allen's Blog - P ...

Monday, July 22nd, 2013 by P. Allen Smith, 91 comments

I know a certain someone named Linda in New Jersey who is enjoying the soothing sounds of a brand new water feature. Linda was the winner of the Laguna Ponds Giveaway, a contest hosted by myself and the folks over at Laguna last spring. The prize was a new water feature provided by Laguna Ponds and gardens designed by yours truly.

In June we invaded Linda?s home to disrupt her life and landscape for two days to put in the water feature and new plantings. As it turns out Linda and I had a lot to talk about. She?s a poultry fanatic and a floral designer, lives on a farm and spearheads the local farmer?s market. I was tickled to be able to add to the charm of her already fabulous home.

When it came to the design of the beds around the water feature I used a combination of Linda?s favorite plants along with a few of my picks and some edibles.

I have to say thanks to Gary and the staff of Twin Pond Garden Center and Country Market. They were amazingly helpful and the garden center is something to experience. They?ve got a deli and country market there so you can get a fresh-baked apple pie, locally grown produce and some good looking plants for your garden all in one place. Now that?s what I call a one-stop-shop!

Linda is a winner for getting a brand new water feature and flower beds, I?m a winner for getting to spend a few days with my friends at Laguna, and we want you to be a winner too. In the comments section below tell me how you would use a Laguna Ponds Urban Water Bowl for a chance to win one. I?ll select a winner at random on Wednesday July 31, 2013.

Source: http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/july-giveaway-laguna-ponds-urban-water-bowl

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Bailed Russian opposition leader vows to become Moscow mayor

By Gabriela Baczynska and Maria Tsvetkova

MOSCOW | Sat Jul 20, 2013 12:41pm EDT

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny told cheering supporters on Saturday he wants to contest and win an election to become Moscow mayor after being freed on bail while he fights a five-year jail sentence.

Hundreds of people, some waving white roses, gave one of President Vladimir Putin's biggest critics a hero's welcome when he arrived in Moscow on the overnight train from Kirov, the industrial city where he was convicted of theft on Thursday.

The crowd applauded the tired-looking anti-corruption campaigner as he stepped off the train and chanted: "Navalny is our mayor" and "We represent power".

"We have a big and difficult election campaign ahead of us. Seven weeks of work non-stop. And that is only the beginning," Navalny told the crowd through a megaphone. "Let's fight for political power in the country right now."

Punching the air with his fist, his wife Yulia at his side, he said: "We will certainly win! Let's get to work! We are going for elections and we will win."

Navalny, 37, can run for mayor on September 8 if he can string out his appeal until then. Winning would hand him a propaganda victory and give him of the most influential jobs in the country, with offices a few hundred meters from the Kremlin.

But opinion polls show Navalny trailing far behind Sergei Sobyanin, who is seeking a new term as mayor, and suggest he has little chance of defeating a Putin ally who has state media behind him and the levers of power at his disposal.

Navalny, who says he would one day like to be president, must bank on his support being boosted by public indignation over the toughness of his sentence - on charges he says were invented and intended to sideline him as a rival to Putin.

More than 3,000 people protested close to the red walls of the Kremlin to demand his release on Thursday and thousands more staged rallies in other cities to show solidarity with him. More than 200 people were detained.

PEOPLE POWER

Under the watchful eye of police, Navalny told his supporters at Moscow's Yaroslavl Station that it was thanks to their pressure that he had been released.

"You have made it possible to release these men the next day," he said, referring to himself and Pyotr Ofitserov, who was sentenced to four years as his accomplice. "Compared to that, it is easy to win elections."

Navalny, who led protests in Moscow that began against Putin in December 2011, was convicted of stealing at least 16 million roubles ($494,000) from a timber firm when he was advising the Kirov regional governor in 2009.

The sentence was unexpectedly tough and was seen by Putin's opponents as part of a wider clampdown on dissent since the president began a six-year third term in May, 2012.

But it was followed by an equally surprising move on Friday when a judge approved a prosecution request to free Navalny pending an appeal so that he could run in the Moscow election.

Experts said it was unprecedented for the prosecution to seek bail on such terms after sentencing, and political experts said it pointed to differences in the Kremlin over how to handle Navalny and unease over the renewed protests.

Navalny's supporters say the decision to release him could also be an effort by Russian authorities to legitimize the election and Sobyanin's likely victory.

Navalny's support is mostly limited to the urban middle-class and youth, and anti-Putin protests last year failed to take off in the provinces. The president remains Russia's most popular politician, polls show.

There is no indication that Navalny's release from custody will affect the court's ruling on his planned appeal.

The acquittal rate in Russia is about half a percent, or one in 200, and has declined in recent years, said Pavel Chikov, a human rights lawyer and head of legal rights group Agora.

(Editing by Timothy Heritage and Gareth Jones)

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/20/us-russia-navalny-idUSBRE96G0WO20130720?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

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