| Credit Crunch Worries Economists
Both consumer prices and wholesale prices jumped sharply in January. In his testimony last week, Bernanke said Fed officials were watching inflation developments closely but still believed that the slowing economy would dampen inflation in the months ahead. On other topics, the NABE survey found only 35 percent of respondents ranked the government's budget policies as "about right," compared with 45 percent in August. That probably reflects projections that the budget deficit could hit all-time highs this year and next. Economists retained their support for free trade: 79 percent said they viewed greater flows of goods and capital as having a net positive impact over the next decade. But 62 percent felt that sovereign wealth funds, government-controlled investment vehicles, should be more open about their operations.
Bazalgette leaves Endemol
The Trust also said it wanted viewers' opinions on whether it should go ahead with the late-night Freeview option because it would mean that people would have to upgrade their set-top boxes once to do that and then again after the digital switchover because of changing technical standards. The Trust said: "Our provisional conclusions are now open to public consultation and we would like to hear from as many members of the public and stakeholders as possible before reaching our final decision. We are particularly interested in the public's view about the options for an HD channel on Freeview. Would licence fee payers prefer the BBC to launch a four-hour service immediately, before a nine-hour service is possible because of spectrum capacity, even if that means having to buy two set-top boxes within a very short period of time?"
Looking to IPTV, the trust also approved distributing the HD channel over set-top box IPTV services and the desktop internet, even though broadband speeds are currently insufficient.
Bay Area Vista
Our show provides depth, context, perspective, compelling personal stories and entertainment. Janice Edwards is host and producer of "Bay Area Vista." Jon Rodriquez is Associate Producer.
Recently on Bay Area Vista, 'Hustle and Flow' Director Craig Brewer
Watch the next episode of Bay Area Vista at the special time of 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 24.
Bay Area Vista February 24
Cinequest Film Festival
A Day of Luis Valdez
Junior League of San Jose
La Vie En Rose Movie
NBC11 "It's All About the Bay Area." More .
Video games exercise elderly brains
GRANDMA and grandpa are joining the wave in video and computer games as makers step up efforts to promote the software as exercise for the brain. Based on growing scientific evidence, certain types of game-playing is increasingly being viewed as calisthenics for the brain that can be especially useful for seniors at risk of memory loss, dementia and various vision problems. Makers of computer-based and online programmes aimed at the elderly have been growing, while Japanese giant Nintendo has sold more than 8.6 million copies, including 1.4 million in the United States, of its Brain Age programmes for its DS game console. Nintendo says it makes no specific health claims for Brain Age games, but the programmes, which were developed by Japanese neuroscientist Ryuta Kawashima and include tasks in memory, mathematics, reading and even music, are "challenging exercises to get users' brains pumping." The company says the games are designed to stimulate the brain, especially the prefrontal cortex which helps apply stored knowledge to everyday skills.
FEATURE: No holiday for many domestics
In Chinese societies, the most important festival is the Lunar New Year, when families reunite in a holiday atmosphere. Many migrant workers in Taiwan, however, do not have the luxury of a holiday. Lunar New Year's day falls this year on Thursday and most people have six days off, although many workers from Southeast Asia will see their workloads increased, particularly the 160,000 domestic workers and caregivers who make up almost half of the 360,000 foreign laborers in Taiwan. Such is the case for Mary, a young Indonesian who came to Taiwan one-and-a-half years ago. Working as a domestic helper, she starts her day at 6am by preparing breakfast, then goes to market, cleans the house and takes out the garbage. She doesn't get to call it a day until after 11pm. Ostensibly hired to take care of an elderly member of her bosses family, in reality that is only a small portion of her strenuous workload.
Obama's Wrang-Wrang
Didn't Mike Kinsley get in big trouble at the L.A. Times for trying this? ... Seems kind of innocuous now. ...[via Corner] 1:43 A.M. Tuesday, February 20, 2007 Explainer Please! Rudy Giuliani "is happy to participate in a receiving-line style photo opportunity as compared to a snake line." [E.A.] What's the difference? What if the receiving line starts, you know, snaking a bit? ... P.S.: Maybe I'm a jaded Hollywood type, but Giuliani's demands don't seem that diva-ish. He only requires one (1) SUV. He apparently allows eye contact! He doesn't even ask for a fruit basket. ... 2:21 P.M. Monday, February 19, 2007 Hillary--Batting .001: Mohammed at Iraq the Model--writing after the recent Baghdad car bombings-- reports that: Although attacks happen here and there, the general feeling is still closer to hope and appreciation of the plan than pessimism.
87th Tour de France - Grand Tour
Drama was rife on the final climb of the 2000 Tour De France, the Col de Joux-Plane today, as Maillot Jaune Lance Armstrong (USPS) had a bad case of the bonk with 22km to go, as the steep climb began. He was dropped by Virenque and a resurgent Jan Ullrich, while Richard Virenque (Polti), warmed by the summer sun, charged ahead to win the stage. Armstrong was visibly in trouble as the tough ascent started; his usually impeccable form had deteriorated to swaying shoulders and bobbing head as the tough Texan struggled to stay in contact with the front of the race. So why did Armstrong crack? "The problem was a bonk; I didn't eat enough and on the last climb I had no energy...", said Lance just after the stage finish. As the race went on and on across winding mountain roads, the race situation became ever more difficult for USPS to get bidons up to Lance, Kevin and Tyler.
Spy vs spy
The web of controversies hounding the administration is manifesting another dimension of our world today: how vulnerable we have become with the unscrupulous use of new spy technology. Readily available surveillance cameras and software for tracking mobile phones and PCs are assaulting our right to privacy and other freedoms. Moreover, our politics has turned even more convoluted by illegal but damning evidence like recorded conversations being sold or released to damage one political camp or another, whether deserved or not. In Lozada's testimony at the Senate, we heard about how he was advised by his captors to stop using his cellphone since they were intercepting his messages anyway. We all know about the CCTV video systems installed across La Salle University in Greenhills where Lozada was sheltered.
Rendell and his quick tongue return to the national spotlight.
In Sunday's Washington Post Rendell told columnist David Broder that with a 10 or 11-point lead over Sen. Barack Obama there was "no way [Clinton] would lose" in Pennsylvania. But a day after polls showed Clinton's lead had shrunk to six points, Rendell toned down his prediction, telling the Inquirer on Thursday that if she wins Texas and Ohio he was "confident" she would win in Pennsylvania adding "It is a very good state for her demographically and there is tremendous good will in the southeast for her because of what the president (Bill Clinton) and she did for us," he said. Requests for appearances spiked two weeks ago when Rendell found himself the target of unwanted attention over a remark about race and politics. Rendell drew widespread criticism when he commented that a percentage of conservative Pennsylvanians would probably not vote for Sen.
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