European stocks down, off lows after US data

2011-06-17T02:21:47+02:00

European share markets closed lower on Thursday, extending recent losses after better-than-expected US data helped offset continued worries about Greece's ongoing debt debacle.

Dealers said figures showing a large fall in US new jobless claims and a pickup in housing starts helped reassure investors who have been spooked by a series of recent data pointing to a marked US economic slowdown.

Similar fears that China, the world's economic powerhouse, and India would cool sharply as their government reined in growth to avoid overheating has added to the negative mix so Thursday's reports were a bit of welcome relief.

In London, the benchmark FTSE 100 index of top shares fell 0.76 percent at 5,698.81 points. In Frankfurt, the DAX slipped 0.07 percent to 7,110.20 points while in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.38 percent to 3,792.31 points, with most markets recovering a lot of the ground lost earlier in the day.

Dealers said that while the bounce was welcome, it was unlikely to last given the bad news coming out of Athens, where Prime Minister George Papandreou was fighting to save his government and the austerity measures which parliament must pass if Greece is to get the next tranche of funds needed to avoid default.

"The clock is counting down. The financial markets are worried about a disorderly Greek debt default," said VTB Capital economist Neil MacKinnon.

"The risk of a 'Lehman Moment' for the eurozone is increasing," he said, referring to US bank Lehman Brothers, which collapsed in September 2008 and sparked a financial crisis which dragged the world economy into recession.

The EU executive on Thursday urged European decision-makers to put aside differences "at this critical juncture" and agree on a package for a second bailout of Greece by July 11.

Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said he was confident the 17 eurozone finance ministers would agree at meetings Sunday and Monday on the disbursement of the latest slice of Greece's 110-billion-euro ($155 billion) bailout loan.

"I call on all EU decision-makers, and more particularly the finance ministers of the euro area next Sunday, to overcome the remaining differences and come to a responsible agreement at this critical juncture," he said.

The International Monetary Fund meanwhile inisted that the disbursement of this tranche was still contingent on Greece pushing through the latest round of austerity measures it had agreed to earlier.

In New York, stocks were firmer in early trade, helped by the economic data even as investors kept a wary eye on events in Greece.

At around 1800 GMT, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.56 percent while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 0.24 percent.

In Asian trade earlier Thursday, markets tumbled as they followed sharp overnight losses on Wall Street.

Tokyo slumped 1.70 percent, Hong Kong fell 1.75 percent, Shanghai fell 1.52 percent and Sydney shed 1.91 percent.

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A Busy Mom and Her Children Came Up With a New Kids Clothing Line. ZB's Extends the Life of Kids Pants with Customiz

2011-06-15T20:55:01+02:00

s cargo pants with practical zip-on/zip-off legs and cuffs create custom pants lengths for growing kids. One pant wears as shorts, long shorts, long pants, and extended length pants fora fit that is always right.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) June 08, 2011

A new kids clothing line.After becoming frustrated with outfitting her growing kids with new pants every time they outgrew their back-to-school pairs (or worse, sending them off to school in “highwaters”). Busy mom, Elysia Sloan hit on a solution to add length to the bottom ofwhile adding to their versatility.

ZB’s pant design is “four-in-one” and includes a cargo-style base short along with a set of longer legs and a set of shorter cuffs. Legs and cuffs can be zipped on separately or together to create custom lengths of shorts or pants. ZB’s four customizable options are: shorts, longer shorts/capris, long pants, and extended length pants. ZB’s come in khaki, blue, or purple in unisex sizing for boys and girls. The soft, long-wearing nylon pants feature an adjustable waistband and the extender cuffs will add 3-1/2 inches to the long pant length for when kids grow.

“ZB’s are the solution to every parent’s dilemma in dressing their children. Back-to-School pants purchases start out way too long and baggy in the waist. Then towards the end of the school year, they’re too short. ZB’s add length and longer wear to kids’ pants and they extend the family clothing budget.” says Sloan about her inspiration.

Elysia Sloan’s passion for family and fashion crossed paths and ZB's was born in 2010. Alongside her two children at the kitchen table, Sloan created pants designs that would be comfortable, durable, and practical. ZB'sare extremely versatile for travel, hiking, and for playing in the Sloan family’s always changing Pacific Northwest weather.

ZB’s retail for $39 and are available exclusively online atin children’s unisex sizes 4-9. Optional decorative cuffs and belts are also available in kid-friendly designs. To view a video of ZB’s in action, please visit: .

Samples are available to the press upon request.

###

Elysia SloanZB's Children's Clothing LLC.(206) 962-1789Email Information

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British Holidaymakers Could Be Paying More Than Five Times Over The Odds For Car Hire Excess Insurance That May Not Even

2011-06-11T12:06:33+02:00

s liability on the rental in the event of a crash or damage. In some cases the excess is reduced to zero, but some companies still charge an excess even with the top-up cover.

Protectyourbubble.com carried out phone research into the six major UK car hire firms; Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Enterprise, National and Alamo and found that all six companies charged substantially more for excess insurance taken out by customers at the point when they picked up their car, than it would have cost pre-buying through a specialist online insurer.

Two of the largest car hire companies in the UK, Hertz and Avis, charged more than £15 per day for excess insurance, compared to taking out excess cover through an online insurer such as Protectyourbubble.com, which costs from just £3.02 per day or £21.14 for a standard seven-day car hire in the UK and Europe.

The research also revealed that even taking out excess insurance cover through the hire car companies did not necessarily mean that customers were covered for all eventualities. For example, Avis excess insurance cover does not include damage to the tyres and windscreen, and customers are asked to pay a further £2 a day if they want to include damage to these parts of the vehicle.

And although the sales representative at Europcar said their excess insurance does cover all damage to the vehicle, on their website the small print reveals that underbody, tyres and windscreen damage may be excluded from the cover depending on the country of destination.

To research the car hire excess insurance market, Protectyourbubble.com took a standard four-door Ford Focus or equivalent, seven day car hire, travelling in the UK or Europe during June, and found that Hertz was the most expensive of the six major firms, charging a total of £109.24 for their excess cover, which brought the excess down from £550 to zero.

Hertz was closely followed by Avis, which charged customers who chose to take out excess insurance £108.50 for seven days of cover. However, unlike Hertz, Avis cover only reduced the excess from £850 down to £100. Hertz also had the highest excess on its Collision Damage Waver of any of the six car hire companies.

According to the results of the research, Europcar and Alamo offered the cheapest excess insurance, with seven days of cover costing just £56, almost 50% cheaper than Hertz, both reducing the excess to zero. National charged £65 for seven days of excess cover, while Enterprise was slightly more expensive, charging £76.93 for a week’s cover. However, while National’s excess insurance reduced the excess to zero, Enterprise’s cover only reduced the excess from £750 down to £250.

The comparison table in the attached file shows for the six major car hire companies in the UK, the cost of taking out excess insurance cover and to what amount the excess is reduced to. The companies are ranked from the company offering the most expensive seven-day excess insurance cover down to the one offering the least expensive.

Stephen Ebbett, director, Protectyourbubble.com comments: “Consumers will be shocked to discover that they could be paying over five times more for excess insurance cover, and that even taking out the car hire company’s own excess insurance doesn’t necessarily mean they are covered for all eventualities. Our research revealed just how much extra customers are paying by taking out excess insurance at the car rental desk rather than buying it in advance online through a specialist company.

“For many customers, it’s only at the point when they’re picking up their hire car that they discover their insurance cover has a high excess and are then offered the excess insurance option. In fact, many customers won’t even be aware, up until that point, that there is even such a thing as excess insurance, and that it might be sensible to take it out to avoid facing a hefty excess charge if they damage the vehicle.

“Unfortunately, by the time it is explained to a customer that the Collision Damage Waver has a high excess charge, it is too late and many customers have little choice but to take out the hire company’s excess cover for peace of mind, unaware that they could have bought the cover online for considerably less.

“If anyone is thinking of hiring a car this summer in the UK or Europe, just a few minutes online could save them paying over the odds for excess cover that may not be fit for purpose.”

Notes to editor:

1. Protectyourbubble.com carried out its research between 9am and 5.30pm on May 23, 2011, by calling sales representatives at Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Enterprise, National and Alamo, to obtain information relating to excess insurance cover.

2. For more information, please contact:

Jonny StevensT 020 7851 4757M 07977 119 579E jonny(at)rhizomepr.com

3. About Protectyourbubble.com:

Online insurer Protectyourbubble.com specialises in travel, car hire, gadget and pet insurance. Whether you are looking for a ski holiday, golf break, long stay trip or a business trip, Protectyourbubble.com offers great value travel insurance you can rely on at fantastic prices.

4. Protectyourbubble.com car hire excess insurance:

Protectyourbubble’s car hire excess insurance is designed to cover the excess payment, as well as other items such as damage to tyres, windscreens and the underbody of the car, which are often the financial responsibility of the hirer and can be expensive. If you do take out car hire excess insurance through your car rental company and not Protectyourbubble, be sure to check that damage to the glass, tyres and the underbody is included, otherwise you could be stung with a large and unexpected bill should damage occur to any of these vehicle parts while in your care.

Protectyourbubble’s Platinum excess insurance benefits include: 13 months cover for the price of 12 Prices from £3.02 a day or £42.49 for a year Select the cover to suit your hire car needs – whether for one day, or several weeks a year, in the UK, Europe or further afield. Insure up to six drivers on one policy The policy allows you to insure an additional six drivers on your policy at no extra cost regardless of the duration of your hire car contract. Includes cover for damage to glass, under-body and tyres as standard

Additional info:

Useful link: http://www.protectyourbubble.com/co-car-hire-excess-insurance.html###

Dominic HiattRhizome PR020 7851 4757Email Information

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Satisfaction with online retail sites hits all time high

2011-06-11T05:57:00+02:00

s recent history.

Derek Eccleston, research director at eDigitalResearch, explains, “This is an exciting time for online retail. Satisfaction with retail sites is rising as retailers continually strive to make the online journey as seamless as possible for customers. Our consumer research already indicates that more and more people are shopping online as we continue to witness the growing MEcommerce consumer trend, where consumers now have the power to dictate to retailers where, when and how they want to shop. It is therefore essential that retailers continue to invest in online operations in order to create an attractive, easy to use and practical website that encompasses everything that consumers have come to expect."

Javari topped the overall league tables for a second time after only entering the study eight months ago. Shoppers are continually impressed with the websites functionality, including relevant search results and detailed product pages. Javari also provides industry best practice for their offline processes, coming top in delivery, telephone and email customer service.

The results show that top performing areas of the online customer journey remains the search and browse sections with shoppers continually impressed with accurate search results and intuitive category filters. Retailers who are integrating predictive text in keyword searches are those that continue to perform well in this area, benefitting from developing search technology.

The study also highlights improving offline practices, with telephone customer service now scoring higher than some key areas of the online journey, including the home page and first impressions. The results found that some online retailers are now providing responsive and helpful telephone customer contact with intuitive and well received features, such as Javari’s ring back service, taking the overall telephone customer service score to 93%, 2% above the overall top score for the homepage and on a par with the website purchase section.

Derek Eccleston, Research Director at eDigitalResearch, explains, “Customer service remains a crucial aspect of online retail. Our in-depth consumer research shows that customers expect the same experience online as they do on the high street, including customer contact. Our previous eRetail Benchmark results have highlighted that this hasn’t always been the case, with phone calls being left unanswered and email queries ignored. Telephone and email customer service often act as the only point of personal contact for online customers and it is essential that they provide a friendly and helpful lasting impression if retailers want to encourage repeat purchases, especially as the online market space becomes more and more crowded.”

For your copy of the benchmark report, including full league tables, please complete this short survey: .

For further information, contact Lisa Bonczyk on 01489 772920, or email: lisa.b(at)edigitalresearch(dot)com

Methodology: An eMysteryShopper survey was conducted to compare the customer journey of 51 UK retail websites. The fieldwork was carried out using the eMysteryShopper Panel of internet users during March through to April 2011. The benchmark measures included:

o First Impressions (Homepage)o Search – Navigation and Keywordo Items Found (Product Pages)o Shopping Basketo Purchaseo Registration / Login o Deliveryo Returns / Refundso Customer contact – Telephoneo Customer contact - Email

About eDigitalResearch:

eDigitalResearch is a leading provider of digital market research, enabling customers to make critical business decisions with the benefit of comprehensive consumer insight and informed direction.eDigitalResearch possesses a unique combination of research expertise, marketing background, web technology and knowledge of the cross-channel consumer.As well as providing invaluable research data, the modules of our fully integrated research system - ratings, surveys, panels, communities and forums - can combine to provide holistic analytics and essential market-leading insight.This gives our clients the power, confidence and backup to make crucial decisions on key aspects of their business including product range, marketing, customer service, supply chain, even basic positioning.

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Lisa BonczykeDigital Research01489 772920Email Information

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Astronaut Breaks US Spaceflight Record in Orbit

2011-05-29T10:09:15+02:00

NASA has a new spaceflight champion and his name is Mike Fincke.

Fincke, an astronaut flying on the shuttle Endeavour's final mission, broke NASA's all-time record for the most time spent in space by an American late Friday (May 27) when he passed the 377-day mark, and he is raising the bar higher with every additional minute he spends in orbit.

By the time Endeavour lands on June 1, Fincke will have spent 382 days in orbit on three space missions. []

NASA's previous record holder for theis the agency's chief astronaut Peggy Whitson, who spent 376 days, 17 hours and 22 minutes in orbit during two six-month missions to the International Space Station. Fincke, like Whitson, has also served two long-duration stints on the station and is now on this third trip: the 16-day mission of Endeavour's STS-134 flight.

"It's certainly an honor to get a chance to fly up in space, and especially for long periods of time," Fincke told reporters in interviews Thursday (May 26).

NASA's new space champ

Fincke, 44, is an Air Force colonel who joined NASA's astronaut ranks in 1996. His new cumulative spaceflight record is the equivalent of spending one year and 12 days zooming about 220 miles (354 kilometers) above the Earth at about 17,500 mph (28,164 kph). []

The all-time record for most time spent in space is still held by Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who accumulated about 804 days in space over the course of six spaceflights. Krikalev's record is equivalent to more than two years and two months orbiting in the cosmos.

Fincke, who hails from Emsworth, Penn., has served on two different International Space Station expedition crews, each time launching in a Russian-built Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. []

Fincke first launched to the station on April 2004 as part of the station's Expedition 9 crew. He spent six months on the orbiting outpost and performed four spacewalks before landing in Kazakhstan in October 2004.

Fincke returned to the space station during the Expedition 18 mission, which launched in October 2008. On that mission, Fincke served as station commander. He returned to Earth in April 2009 alongside two crewmates.

NASA's most prolific spaceflyer

Yet, with more than a year of spaceflight experience under his belt, the launch of Endeavour on its STS-134 mission was the first time Fincke rocketed into orbit aboard one of NASA's space shuttles. []

"I’ve been here at NASA for 14 years. I spent a year in space, but I’ve never launched on, or landed on, a space shuttle before, so it was with great surprise and pleasure that I got assigned to STS-134, commanded by Mark Kelly, and got a really great crew," Fincke said in a preflight interview.

Endeavour's mission is NASA's second-to-last shuttle flight before the 30-year-old program is shut down and the orbiter are retired to museums. Endeavour delivered a $2 billion particle physics experiment to the space station, among other supplies, on this flight.

A few days after Endeavour blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 16 to begin its final mission before being retired later this year along with the rest NASA's fleet, Fincke summed up the experience from the space station.

"It was worth the wait," he said in a video that aired during the day's highlights on NASA TV.

Still, Fincke expects that as human exploration and spaceflight continue into the future, these records stand to be broken, especially the missions that aim to push further out into the solar system.

"Any records that are happening now – even the greatest on the Russian side of 804 days – that's all going to be long forgotten when humans really start to explore the solar system, especially with some of the new vehicles that NASA is going to come up with," Fincke said. "Six months at a time seems to be what seems to be working now for the space station. Anything longer than that is going to be a little bit tougher, but I think we can live up here relatively indefinitely. A year mission is not out of the question aboard the space station. It would be a lot more interesting to spend a year going to Mars, however."

You can follow SPACE.com Staff Writer Denise Chow on Twitter . Visit SPACE.com for complete coverage ofor follow us and on .

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In This Competition, High School Students Teach Lifesaving Skills

2011-05-24T07:00:33+02:00

PHILADELPHIA, May 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 400 students from the School District of Philadelphia demonstrated ways to teach their peers how to save a life. The teenagers showed their novel projects for teaching skills in performing CPR and using an AED (automated external defibrillator) at an event co-sponsored today by the School District and researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Student Program for Olympic Resuscitation Training in Schools (SPORTS) study was conducted by CHOP in conjunction with the School District.Fifteen of the district's high schools were involved in the study, which focuses on the students developing innovative new ways to learn and retain the life-saving skills of CPR andAED use.

The study culminated today with the CPR/AED Olympics at Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania, where the students were judged on the creativity and innovation of their novel CPR/AED programs, and their ability to acquire and retain the skills of CPR andAED use.

"Approximately 300,000 individuals in the U.S. die each year from sudden cardiac arrest, including nearly one thousand children, many of them at school and sports events.Most of these adults and children have no symptoms prior to a sudden cardiac arrest," said Victoria Vetter, M.D., pediatric cardiologist and medical director of Youth Heart Watch at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia."To protect against such tragedies and better train a generation who will have the skills to save lives using CPR andAEDs Youth Heart Watch at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia conducted this research study to help engage students in CPR andAED education."

"This is an innovative project and we are happy that many of the high schools in The School District of Philadelphia participated in creating opportunities that will help their peers learn to do CPR and use AEDs and to retain that knowledge," said Arlene Ackerman, Ed.D., superintendent, School District of Philadelphia. "The District and CHOP have worked together for years to ensure the AEDs are available in our schools. The District's Office of Health, Safety and Physical Education is committed to having AEDs readily available to schools throughout Philadelphia and to have personnel trained to use them in an emergency."

AEDs are small, easy-to-operate devices that are extremely effective in reviving victims of sudden cardiac arrest if administered immediately after the heart stops. They are safe to operate because they will not shock anyone whose heart is beating normally and who is not in cardiac arrest. Pennsylvania's Good Samaritan law protects people administering an AED to someone experiencing cardiac arrest.

Youth Heart Watch at Children's Hospital advocates the placement of AEDs in every school and has worked with schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to implement AED programs and encourage placement of AEDs in schools and community gathering places throughout the U.S. In addition to AEDs, Youth Heart Watch helps schools put programs in place to educate students and staff about sudden cardiac death and to train them in the use of AEDs and CPR, so that proper care can be administered at the first sign of heart trouble. In the case of a sudden cardiac arrest, immediate care is essential.

Over the years, the School District of Philadelphia has trained over 800 of its personnel in schools to use AEDs and perform CPR. Youth Heart Watch has provided training grants to fund CPR and AED training in the District's middle and high schools.

The Pennsylvania legislature enacted a law eight years ago providing two AEDs per school district in the state. In 2003, Youth Heart Watch at CHOP partnered with the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers who funded AEDs for every School District of Philadelphia high school that was open at the time. The District also has AEDs available for use at all of its athletic complexes, better known as "Athletic Super Sites."

Schools and families should be aware of the warning symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest. Symptoms include: fainting or severe chest pain during exercise, a sudden change in exercise tolerance or shortness of breath (not asthma related) during exercise, and a sensation of rapid heart beats. A family history of early (before 35 years) sudden cardiac arrest is another important factor, as the conditions that cause sudden cardiac arrest in the young are frequently inherited, added Dr. Vetter.

Cardiac arrest is often reversible if it's treated within a few minutes with an AED that administers an electric shock torestore a normal heartbeat. Few attempts at resuscitation succeed after 10 minutes, so every second counts. Application within three to five minutes of the heart stopping using an onsite AED is usually successful.

The SPORTS study is supported by the American Heart Association and Laerdal Foundation for Acute Medicine.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking third in National Institutes of Health funding. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 516-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit .

Contact:

Joey McCool Ryan

(267) 426-6070

Fernando Gallard

Philadelphia School District

(215) 400-4040

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Gay RI House speaker takes heat for marriage vote

2011-05-24T05:50:58+02:00

The protests started as soon as Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox sounded the death knell for gay marriage legislation and said he'd back civil unions instead. A cop-out, gay marriage supporters said. A compromise for no one. One man made a sign proclaiming, "Fox Hunting Season is Open."

For the first openly gay House speaker in the nation, the protests were personal. But Fox, who sold ice cream to pay his way through law school and who cites Winston Churchill as a role model, knows something about persevering. About taking the long view. And about counting votes.

"These folks were looking for a champion," Fox, a Providence Democrat, told The Associated Press. "It hurts me to think that I'm not quite their champion at this point. That bothers me. Because so many people were waiting for so long ... but you have to be able to move votes."

Gay rights advocates had hoped Fox would help them make this the year that Rhode Island legalized same-sex marriage, joining Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Iowa. Fox became speaker last year, and newly elected Gov. Lincoln Chafee is a longtime supporter who called on lawmakers to pass gay marriage in his inaugural address.

But those hopes faded with Fox's announcement late last month. Many supporters of the measure felt betrayed, saying civil unions treat gay couples as second-class citizens.

"In my opinion he's a self-loathing homophobe," said Gary D'Amario of Cranston, who attended a rally at the Statehouse called after Fox made his decision.

"What was Speaker Fox thinking?" asked the Rev. Duane Clinker of Providence's Open Table of Christ United Methodist Church, a supporter of gay marriage. "I think he forgot he had friends."

Fox said the criticism has stung. But he chalks it up to disappointment and years of frustration.

"I believe they have a higher expectation of me," Fox said, because of his sexual orientation. "I think it's also people that want this badly, that may not understand the process as much. ... When they say `Oh we've now got a gay speaker of the House, now anything is possible.'"

Fox, 49, has served in the legislature for nearly 20 years and came out in 2004 while addressing a gay marriage rally. But he seldom talks publicly about his sexual orientation.

He explains his decision on the vote as a calculated move designed to get gay couples real rights today. While he may have had the votes to get the measure through the House, the measure faced a battle in the Senate, where Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed opposed gay marriage but has indicated support for civil unions.

The measure would allow gay couples to enter into civil unions that grant all of the state rights and benefits given to married couples in Rhode Island. The full House could vote on the measure as early as Thursday.

Illinois, New Jersey, Delaware and Hawaii have passed civil union laws similar to the one under consideration in Rhode Island. Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire all adopted civil unions prior to recognizing same-sex marriage. Iowa and Massachusetts also allow same-sex marriage.

Those who know Fox well say that his decision isn't surprising, and that gay rights supporters will one day thank him for it.

"This decision was tougher for him than for anyone else," said William Murphy, the previous House speaker, who endorsed Fox as his successor. "Politically, it was the right move. He's got a bill that will pass. People who look at this objectively will see he's advanced the issue further and faster than anyone else."

Fox is one of six children born to an Irish-American father and a mother of Cape Verdean descent. His father was a jewelry polisher and worked odd jobs to make ends meet. His mother worked as a maid and later made golf balls at a local factory. Fox remembers when the family moved into a new apartment with a view of the Statehouse. He would marvel at the imposing marble dome, and the serious-looking men and women who worked there.

His father picked up extra shifts to send Fox to Providence College, a Roman Catholic school, but Fox had to drop out after a year when his father died. He enrolled at the public Rhode Island College a year later, working his way to a degree in history and political science, and then a law degree at Northeastern Law School in Boston.

Fox says his proudest legislative accomplishments include the state's public smoking ban, an affordable housing law and a law requiring health insurers to cover mental health treatment.

"I truly believe, notwithstanding all the stuff you hear these days, that government has a positive effect on people's lives," Fox said. "Everyone should have an equal shot at life. An equal chance."

Fox lives with his mother just a few miles from where he grew up. He's been in a committed relationship for years.

He's known as a fast-talking, skillful debater and crafty politician. Fox recently silenced one of his perennial Republican critics by shutting off his microphone.

His friend of 20 years, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline, said Fox wouldn't let his personal life affect his work. Cicilline, a former Providence mayor, is also gay and said he was disappointed when Fox said gay marriage wouldn't pass. But it wasn't disappointment in Fox.

"I know how Gordon really anguished over how to proceed," Cicilline said. "I also know he's a smart politician and he made a calculation that the votes weren't there. People can disagree with the strategy, but I don't think anyone can question his commitment to marriage equality."

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Metcam Expands Workforce with the Addition of 30 New Jobs, Enters Training Partnership with Georgia Quick Start and Lani

2011-05-03T16:54:13+02:00

s workforce.

Alpharetta, GA (PRWEB) April 29, 2011

Metcam, a fabricator of sheet metal components and assemblies for OEMs, announced today that it will be adding 30 new positions to their Forsyth County-based facility. The new manufacturing hires represent a 20% increase in the overall size of Metcam’s workforce.

“Metcam’s ability to produce the highest quality products, delivered on-time continues to generate new opportunities for growth,” states Bruce Hagenau, President of Metcam. “Finding and developing qualified employees is key to helping us make good on the new business agreements we’ve entered.”

The jobs will be good opportunities not only for candidates with previous sheet metal fabrication experience but also for applicants with assembly, paint, hardware or machine operator experience as well as the ability to read blue prints.

Metcam is working with Georgia Quick Start and Lanier Technical College on creating and implementing a training program that supports not only the 30-job expansion, but the continued development of the entire workforce. The training program focuses on quality and productivity enhancement such as lean manufacturing and ISO principles, as well as communication, leadership and collaboration skills.Quick Start will be designing and developing the training material as well as providing instructors for the classes.

“Helping existing Georgia companies grow and stay competitive is a big part of our mission at Quick Start,” said Jackie Rohosky, Technical College System of Georgia Assistant Commissioner of Economic Development Programs and Head of Quick Start. “We’re honored to partner with Metcam as the company creates additional jobs and builds on its successes.”

“The Development Authority of Forsyth County and Lanier Technical College collaborated to assist Metcam with accessing local workforce development and other necessary resources for this expansion. This project is indicative of the economic vitality of our community and we look forward to seeing the fruits of this fantastic partnership,” says Randall Toussaint, Vice President of Economic Development for The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce.

About Georgia Quick Start Quick Start is Georgia’s internationally acclaimed economic development program that provides customized workforce training at no cost to qualified new, expanding and existing businesses in Georgia. Since 1967, Quick Start has trained more than 877,000 employees through 6,000 projects with a broad range of industries. For more information, visit .

About MetcamMetcam is a fabricator of precision sheet metal components and assemblies for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) representing a wide variety of industries including telecommunications, electronics and HVAC. Metcam’s advanced metalworking capabilities include laser cutting, punching, forming, hardware insertion, welding (including robotics), powder painting, silkscreen and assembly. Metcam also assists clients with product design and manufacturability to reduce their total cost of production. Metcam’s award winning service combined with an aggressive focus on quality, environmental management and lean manufacturing, simplifies the outsourcing decision for firms worldwide. For more information, visit .

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JENNIFER KOONMICHAEL MACKENZIE COMMUNICATIONS404-543-9636Email Information

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NEWSWEEK Poll: The Beached White Male

2011-04-26T15:07:57+02:00

An exclusive NEWSWEEK Poll proves what every wife intuitively knows: unemployed middle-aged men are sad, tired, and defeated. But here's the rub: they're also in denial. Plus, .

The recession hit all sectors of the economy, but one demographic was dealt a blow from which it may never recover: college-educated, middle-aged white men. Part of why the layoffs have been so striking is that they're so unprecedented.

Gallery:

It's a demographic that has weathered past recessions well, but during the last recession, write , only half as many lost their oxford shirts. Unemployment is taking its toll on this previously privileged group.

A NEWSWEEK poll of 250 unemployed men ages 41 to 59 found that 66 percent have bouts of sadness and depression, and 45 report a diminished sex drive. Complicating their plight is the fact that few come to terms with it: 60 percent think it's unlikely they will get to their previous level of work again, 82 percent are “concerned” about that, yet 58 percent have not accepted a job “beneath them.”

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For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at .

Richmond Fed Director Appointed

2011-04-14T01:40:59+02:00

RICHMOND, Va., April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Federal Reserve Board of Governors made the following appointment to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond's Board of Directors, effective immediately:

Russell C. Lindner president and chief executive officer, The Forge Company, of Washington, D.C., was appointed as a Class C director of the Richmond board to fill an unexpired term ending December 31, 2012.

Each Federal Reserve Bank has a nine-member board of directors. Three Class A and three ClassB directors are elected to three-year terms by the stockholding member banks, and three Class C directors are appointed to three-year terms by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Class A directors represent the stockholding member banks in each Federal Reserve District. Class B and Class C directors represent the public and are chosen with due consideration to the interests of agriculture, commerce, industry, services, labor and consumers.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond is one of 12 District Reserve Banks that together with the Board of Governors in Washington, D.C., make up the Federal Reserve System. The Richmond Fed serves the Fifth Federal Reserve District, which encompasses the District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and most of West Virginia.

SOURCEFederal Reserve Bank of Richmond

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Le Jeans à 100 Euros...

2011-03-14T22:33:00+01:00

Je suis désespéré.

Hier Dimanche, je voulais me réconcilier avec Bayrou qui passait à la télé sur la 5. Début satisfaisant contre une jeune journaliste inexpérimentée, qui avait vraiment du mal à produire un travail de qualité. Elle se cherchait, tentait de faire sa belle mais n'y arrivait pas. Visiblement sur la défensive, elle jouait encore dans la cours des stagiaires, à la limite de l’incompétence mais du mauvais côté.

Bayrou ne s’énervait pas devant cette agressivité gratuite et maladroite qui se voulait de la franchise journalistique. Il essayait tant bien que mal de dérouler un argumentaire plutôt agréable à entendre et cohérent. J’usqu’à….jusqu’â…..jusqu’à…..patatrarrrrraassss, la glissade fatale…

Voilà que Bayrou pour illustrer son propos sur la chine, nous prend l’exemple du Jeans de base, celui de tout le monde, qui ne couterait que 2 Euros à produire et qui « comme tout le monde sait » dit-il, est vendu 100 Euros pièce.

J’ai été pétrifié sur place. Heureusement pour le MoDem qu’à cette heure de l’après-midi peu de gens censés sont devant leurs écrans, et qui plus est sur la 5. Constat terrible de la facture entre les politiques et la masse des Français de base. Terrible désolation de ces politiciens qui ne connaissent pas la vie de tous les jours, incapables de savoir le prix des choses et qui pensent bien gouverner.

Moi qui voulais me réconcilier avec Bayrou, c'est raté...Il devrait s’extraire bien plus souvent de son cabinet Fantôme et de sa littérature classique et descriptive d'un monde fini depuis des siècles, pour connaitre un peu mieux la réalité de la boue de tous les jours.

Le Jeans de tous les jours, celui de la grande masse des Français, à 100Euros.....

Monsieur Bayrou, le Jeans de base coûte en moyenne 20-25 Euros… On en trouve à partir de 5-7 Euros.

Deja vu: Russia, US at odds over missile defense

2011-02-25T10:28:02+01:00

Talks between the U.S. and Russia over a new anti-ballistic missile system for Europe are stuck on a key point, with Moscow demanding to jointly run the system and the U.S. refusing to yield.

Russia is insisting on shared control of the missile defense program with the U.S. and NATO, which President Barack Obama has flatly opposed because it would essentially give Russia responsibility for protecting NATO from nuclear missile threats. The U.S. is offering Moscow a more limited role.

After years of opposition, Russia agreed last fall at least to talk about cooperating on the anti-ballistic missile plan for Europe, which the U.S. says may one day be needed if Iran develops nuclear weapons. Experts from both sides are scheduled to report on details of the proposal to defense ministers in July.

But Moscow has refused so far to budge from its demand for joint control, and has been keeping up the rhetorical pressure. In late November, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said if the U.S. and NATO can't reach an agreement on missile defense Russia may deploy new offensive weapons, triggering a new arms race.

Early this month, a Russian deputy foreign minister warned anything less than a "joint system" could lead Russia to withdraw from the recently-ratified New START treaty and to "take other measures, including military-technical measures."

Russia's U.S. Ambassador, Sergey Kislyak, told an industry-sponsored conference here this week that the two sides still haven't come up with a good understanding of how a joint program would work, warning that his country wasn't interested in "cloning" decisions already made by the U.S.

Referring to Russian fears that the missile defense system could target Russian warheads, Kislyak said Moscow is determined to maintain a strategic nuclear balance with the West.

"We want to be reassured that whatever you do there doesn't undermine the stability of deterrence, because deterrence is still with us," Kislyak said Wednesday at the Nuclear Weapons Monitor Nuclear Deterrence Summit in Washington. "We haven't reached a state ... between our two countries that would allow us to abolish it. We would like to see it happen. But that's going to be a long way (off)."

The U.S. and NATO have proposed sharing radar and other early warning data, but Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller, the top U.S. arms control negotiator, told the industry summit that Obama has decided that "NATO will protect NATO, and that's the bottom line as far as we're concerned."

The issue could make or break the deal.

"The hardest question on missile defense in the end is who pulls the trigger," said Steven Pifer of the Brookings Institution, a veteran of U.S. arms control negotiations and former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. He nevertheless thinks that an agreement can be reached.

The White House had hoped that the New START treaty limiting U.S. and Russian strategic weapons, which took effect Feb. 5, would be a springboard to further arms deals, including deeper cuts in strategic forces as well as reductions in short-range nuclear weapons and non-deployed warheads.

U.S. officials say that new limits on the strategic arsenals of the U.S. and Russia, which between them control 90 percent of the world's deployed nuclear arms, are crucial to efforts to halt the spread of those weapons and promote disarmament worldwide.

Both U.S. and Russian officials have been vague about the details of Russia's proposal for a joint missile defense system, which Medvedev has called a "sectoral" defense.

But independent Russian military expert Alexander Golts said the plan would give Russia responsibility for intercepting missiles headed across its territory toward Europe, while NATO would be responsible for missiles headed across its territory toward Russia.

The apparent aim is to ensure that NATO's interceptors aren't aimed at Russian ICBMs, where they might cripple Russia's ability to respond to a first strike from the West.

Golts said the Kremlin may recognize that the U.S. could never agree to such a scheme but has adopted this position as a bargaining tactic. Russia's bottom line, he said, may be an agreement by the U.S. not to deploy ship-based missile interceptors in the Arctic region, where in theory at least they could shoot down Russian strategic ICBMs headed for U.S. targets.

"If Americans are honest when they say that this missile defense is not aimed at Russian nuclear potential, why not?" Golts said.

Experts say U.S. missile defense systems aren't capable of posing a serious threat to Russia's nuclear missiles, and are intended to protect against future any missile threats from Iran and North Korea. But Russia has said that it is concerned the current systems will develop into a full-scale missile shield.

Russia isn't the only country skeptical of U.S. missile defense goals.

"The Chinese are very, very concerned about missile defenses," said Sharon Squassoni of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. "A moderately effective missile defense, which we don't have yet, could really neutralize their nuclear capability and they know that. .We have to do this with the Russians because we're going to have to do this with the Chinese later on."

Despite the impasse, several current and former U.S. officials expressed confidence the U.S. and Russia eventually will find a compromise and strike a deal.

"We believe that we both have systems that can augment each other," Undersecretary of State for Arms Control Ellen Tauscher said this week. She added that the New START treaty had created an environment "where we can work to make sure that NATO is protecting NATO, Russia is protecting Russia."

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Power utility BC Hydro plans C$800 million dam upgrade

2011-02-23T19:17:34+01:00

Provincial power utility BC Hydro unveiled plans on Tuesday for an C$800 million ($808 million) upgrade of an 80-year-old hydroelectric dam and generating plant in southern British Columbia.

The utility said it had applied this week to the British Columbia Utilities Commission, which regulates BC Hydro, to modernize the Ruskin Dam and Powerhouse.

BC Hydro, Canada's third biggest power utility, recently embarked on a C$6 billion, three-year capital program to renew aging power infrastructure and help meet an expected 40 percent increase in power demand in the province in the next 20 years.

The utility has proposed raising electricity rates by 10 percent in each of the next three years to help pay for the infrastructure program.

"We have deferred and put off investments for a decade and we are at a point now where we have to reinvest in our system," BC Hydro Chief Executive Dave Cobb said on a conference call.

The commission is expected to take about a year to decide on the Ruskin project upgrade, officials said.

($1=$0.99 Canadian)

(Reporting by Nicole Mordant; editing by Rob Wilson)

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Pakistan says U.S. prisoner has immunity

2011-02-16T23:18:30+01:00

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) – An American jailed for shooting two Pakistanis is shielded by diplomatic immunity, a Pakistani official said on Wednesday, but local courts are likely have the final say in a case that has ignited a bruising row between two strategic allies.

Despite signals the Pakistani government is yielding to U.S. pressure to back the release of consular employee Raymond Davis, his fate remained unclear as the killings stirred up fierce anti-U.S. sentiment that could put Pakistan's unpopular leadership at risk.

Davis shot dead two Pakistanis last month in what he said was self-defense during an armed robbery. The Lahore High Court will hold another hearing in the case on Thursday, during which the United States is expected to present a petition to certify that Davis has diplomatic immunity and should be released.

But the Pakistani official said that would not guarantee his release.

"We will present all relevant laws and rules about immunity before the court and will plead that prima facie it is a case of diplomatic immunity. But it is for the court to decide," the official said on condition of anonymity.

The row over the U.S. national is the latest issue straining ties between two nations that are supposed to be working to stamp out a tenacious Islamist insurgency that has fueled attacks against U.S. soldiers in neighboring Afghanistan.

President Barack Obama waded into the fray on Tuesday, saying the United States was working with Pakistan, a major recipient of U.S. aid, to secure the release of the former U.S. special forces soldier now locked in a Lahore jail.

'BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA'

The fragile government in Islamabad, mired in a battle against militants, struggling with a stagnant economy and fearful of backlash from its people, appeared to be willing to go only so far to placate its American allies.

"We are facing difficult decisions. There is a political price," Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, speaking at a religious event in Islamabad, said on Wednesday.

"If we make one decision, the people won't support it. If we make another decision, the world doesn't support it. We're caught between the devil and the deep blue sea," he said.

Obama sent Senator John Kerry to Pakistan to help secure Davis' release.

Gilani, in a statement released by his office after meeting Kerry, said the situation could be defused if the United States, in accordance with Islamic sharia law, offered blood money to the families of the slain Pakistanis, and the payment was accepted.

The issue has become a lightning rod for anti-American sentiment in Pakistan, which the United States counts as an important, if unreliable, ally in its war against militancy.

While most officials are saying the court must weigh in, the case has revealed divisions within the Pakistani establishment.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who until last week was foreign minister, suggested on Wednesday he may have been kept out of the government after a recent cabinet shuffle for asserting Davis did not qualify for blanket diplomatic immunity.

"The question is, whatever happens, will the government be able to sell it to the public and the family of the victims. Right now it's a very emotional issue," said Rifaat Hussain, a professor at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad.

Obama sent Senator John Kerry to Pakistan to help secure Davis' release. Prime Minister Gilani, in a statement released by his office after a meeting with Kerry, reminded Pakistanis that the United States was remorseful about the situation.

Gilani said a step toward easing U.S. payment of blood money to the deceased men's families under Islamic Sharia Law, if they accept, could help ease tensions.

ANOTHER EGYPT?

In the port city of Karachi, protestors beat effigies of Obama and Kerry with shoes. Imdad Sabir, a school teacher in Lahore, said Pakistan's integrity was at stake.

"If our rulers give (Davis) to the United States, Pakistan will come out onto the streets and protest as people did in Egypt," he said, referring to the demonstrations that forced President Hosni Mubarak out of power this month.

Pakistan's al Qaeda-linked Taliban has warned the government it will punish any move to release him.

The U.S. Justice Department would conduct a criminal investigation into the shooting, Kerry said, but it is unclear whether such a probe would lead to a trial.

Adding to the confusion is the murkiness over Davis' role at the U.S. consulate. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper said the government will inform the Lahore High Court that Davis' status as a member of the consulate's administrative and technical staff made him eligible for diplomatic immunity.

While consular staff may not qualify for the same immunity that diplomats get, the United States says Davis was assigned to the U.S. embassy in Islamabad and is therefore covered.

While Pakistani courts are now seen as relatively independent, former U.S. ambassador Anne Patterson called the Lahore court where Davis could be tried "unpredictable and anti-American" in a 2010 cable revealed by WikiLeaks.

(Additional reporting by Augustine Anthony and Zeeshan Haider; Writing by Missy Ryan and Michael Georgy, editing by Miral Fahmy)

(For more Reuters coverage of Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/places/pakistan)

US can blame itself for anger in the Middle East, and start making peace

2011-02-05T05:07:40+01:00

Washington – It had to come. Where, when, and how exactly one of many smoldering sparks in this agonized region might actually burst forth into the present conflagration was unknowable, but tension and anger was palpably rising over a long period.

Where all these uprisings across the region will go is still unknowable, but one thing is clear the imperative to break the long and ugly pattern of harsh, incompetent, and corrupt rule that sucks optimism, hope, and creativity out of these societies and made them breeding grounds for radicalism.

What the people of the region demand is to be able to take control of their own lives and destinies. But that in turn depends on an end to the constant external intervention of the United States in the region.

Exclusive Monitor Photos of Egypt Protests

In the near term, the prescription is stark Washington must back off and leave these societies alone, ending the long political infantilization of Middle Eastern populations. We must end our incessant and obsessive efforts to intervene and micromanage the political life of foreign states based on a myopic vision of American interests.

Cauldron of anti-American expressionToday the Middle East is the last redoubt in the world of regimes bought, maintained, and guided by Washington. Is it any wonder that this region is now the cauldron of numerous rebellions and anti-American expression?

And just why are we maintaining this damaging, hated quasi-imperial role in the Middle East? Is it for the oil? Yet what tin-pot dictator has ever refused us oil? Furthermore, we dont even rely that much on Middle East oil Saudi Arabia ranks only number three among our top five providers: Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Nigeria.

Or is it perhaps all about Israel? Yet why should that state constitute the seeming touchstone of everything that we do in the region? After all, Israel is overwhelmingly the most powerful military state in the Middle East, acts at will in the Middle East under the protection of American veto, manipulates our own domestic politics in its favor, and is now run by the most inflexible and ultra-right-wing government in Israeli history, while soaking up more American foreign aid per capita than any other state. The US still backs Israel against the Palestinians in an Israeli occupation now into its fifth decade.

Washington still doesn't get itSo given the new outburst of frustration, anger, and violence, we still do not seem to acknowledge the need to change the narrative. Washington does not yet grasp the phenomenon of popular Middle Eastern will that now seemingly defies us everywhere. Our default instincts from cold-war days are still to grasp for a phantom stability at any price and prop up anyone who will be pro-Western. Egypt is a vital American ally, we hear but what does this mean? The ruler may have been bought, but the Egyptian people are not allies indeed they are predictably hostile to the status quo and to the powers that have propped it up.

We Americans believe that we favor democracy and democratization. But our government does not. We favor democracy but only when it produces the leaders and policies that suit our interests, not theirs. Democratization is always a punishment we deliver upon enemies, never a gift bestowed upon friends. God forbid that elections should turn up anti-American leaders whom we help to generate. And what does anti-American mean except a call for true sovereignty they have been denied?

Is our response to decades of anti-Americanism still to be more of the same? Are we incapable of finally acknowledging that free elections are required come what may? Yes, come what may, because angry people of the region may initially support policies we do not like. Ironically, it is the anti-American regimes of Syria and Iran that act most confidently in the face of Egyptian turmoil: Whatever the virtues of their regimes, they are perceived as truly sovereign and on the right side of Middle East anti-colonial history.

The root of anti-American sentimentYet we have been through this debate endlessly since 9/11. Why is there so much anti-American sentiment? No, its not because they hate our values. Its our lack of values in foreign policy they dont like, our hypocritical lack of commitment to democracy, except when it meets our immediate needs.

We have tiptoed fearfully around Mubaraks death agonies in Egypt. Yes, reforms, but no regime change. God forbid, Muslim Brothers might end up in government. Yet it has been the very iron fist of the Mubarak regime that has helped make the Muslim Brotherhood the dominant opposition party in Egypt today. Like it or not, at this point in history Islamist parties do well all over the Muslim world; they have become the default opposition. Get used to it. They vary tremendously across a wide spectrum, from moderates to radicals, and include a small sliver of violent killers. These movements are constantly evolving.

Six countries in the Arab world where 'winds of change' are blowing

We must learn to work with the more moderate ones; that includes the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. They are not prone to love America, especially in view of our past policies, but the Brotherhood has eschewed violence for half a century and moves cautiously. If they occupy a major place in any new Egyptian government, they could well do with our help. And they will have to meet the political, economic, and social demands of the people once in power: Anti-Americanism doesnt feed bellies or reform the social order.

Egypt protests: People to watch

Can't ride the tiger foreverAmerica cannot go on riding the tiger forever in the Middle East. We cannot expect to have pro-American forces in power in the Middle East when the publics dont like our policies. We cannot continue our endless interventions out of fear that some states might emerge as anti-American. The world is sick of such meddling. We have to deal with the causes of why populations have become anti-American. And all this comes in the context of the rise of new powers with their own interests, and desire for clout in what they see as a new, emerging, multipolar global order. The costs are rising on our old patterns of imposing Pax Americana.

Graham E. Fuller, a former CIA station chief in Kabul and vice-chairman of the CIAs National Intelligence Council, is author of The Future of Political Islam.

2011 Global Viewpoint Network/Tribune Media Services. Hosted online by The Christian Science Monitor.

Egyptian TV says Cairo curfew has been relaxed

2011-02-04T23:57:31+01:00

CAIRO – Egyptian state TV says a curfew in the capital has been relaxed and now runs from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. instead of 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Tens of thousands of people continue to demonstrate in Cairo's main square, emboldened in their campaign to oust President Hosni Mubarak after they repelled pro-regime attackers in two days of bloody street fights.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian state TV says a curfew in the capital has been relaxed and now runs from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. instead of 5 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Tens of people continue to demonstrate in Cairo's main square, emboldened in their campaign to oust President Hosni Mubarak after they repelled pro-regime attackers in two days of bloody street fights.

Inside the OK Go Rube Goldberg Video

2010-11-18T08:17:43+01:00

In March, viral band OK Go launched the video for "This Too Shall Pass," featuring an amazing Rube Goldberg-esque contraption that spanned the length of the song, interacting with the musicians in rhythm.

On Wednesday, SyynLabs' Adam Sadowsky visited the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco to explain a bit more how it was all done.

In 2009, Sadowsky said, the band came looking for help with the video for the song, which it had previously released. "The band came to us in 2009 and said they wanted a machine that they could dance with," Sadowsky said.

The decision to build a Rube Goldberg machine, a machine that injects unnecessary complexity into a simple process, was born.

OK Go, of course, had previously released "Here It Goes Again," a video featuring the band dancing on another type of machine, a treadmill.

So after discussions with the band, OK Go and SyynLabs came up with ten rules, or commandments: first, there couldn't be any magic. The technology had to be something that anyone's mother could understand, Sadwosky said.

Second, the whole thing had to integrate the band. Third, the machine had to interact and feel natural. Fourth, the band was looking for a "messy" vibe – as the screenshots indicate. The machine also had to fill the space and control the music, even synching to the rhythm and playing specific beats. Moreover, the eighth and ninth principles were that it should end precisely as the song ended, and even play parts of the song. And ,of course, it had to be done in one shot.

All in all, there were 8 different interactions, all synced together in a mind-boggling 85 takes. Out of that, the band returned three successful runs. Production burned through two pianos, ten TVs, and a high-heeled shoe that a female employee put down, then was turned into a trigger by an enterprising employee.

What did SyynLabs learn? "Small stuff sucks," Sadowsky said, noting that all the small balls and tracks and wires could be susceptible to vibration and noise and other variables. But they were also essential to the look of the video.

And the biggest lesson of all, of course, was "This Too Shall Pass," Sadowsky said.

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