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Monday, August 5, 2013
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Apple Snaps up Wireless Chip-maker to Beef up Bluetooth
Like celebrity deaths, Apple acquisitions seem to come in clumps. Last month the company acquired two mapping-related companies, Locationary and HopStop; on Thursday, Cupertino mixed it up by snagging a maker of low-energy computer chips, Passif Semiconductor. News of the deal was first reported and confirmed by former Wall Street Journal writer Jessica Lessin.
As usual, Apple was closemouthed about its reasons for the acquisition, but it's not hard to figure out why it picked up the small Silicon Valley-based company, which was founded by a pair of Ph.D. students from the University of California, Berkeley. Clearly, though, Apple has deemed it increasingly important to control the key technologies that go into its products--case in point, its 2008 acquisition of PA Semi, which enabled Apple to develop its own processors for products like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
Along with processors, wireless technology is the other key area on which Apple has focused; just look at its attempts to simplify and cut down on the number of wires for its devices using technologies like AirPlay, and its early adoption of Wi-Fi. More recently, there have been reports that users may soon be able to use Bluetooth to configure their Apple TV. And former senior vice president Bob Mansfield, who was recently detailed to work on special projects for Tim Cook, was last year put in charge of a Technologies division working specifically on semiconductors and wireless.
That connectivity between devices is only going to become more important with the rise of Bluetooth LE (low energy), the part of the Bluetooth 4.0 standard that's targeted at low-power devices like those used for fitness, security, and healthcare. Even if you set aside long-running rumors of Apple's foray into wearable computing, having a stake in this technology is important for the company's existing mobile products, which, more and more, are interacting with smartwatches, fitness devices, and the like.?The forthcoming iOS 7 bears this out: It's due to?include a technology called iBeacons, which allows devices to collect data such as location via Bluetooth LE.
The low-energy part of the spec is particularly important, since anybody who's used almost any Bluetooth accessory with their iPhone can attest to its effect on bottom-line battery life. Apple, like any other company in the mobile device market, is always trying to wring more longevity out of its products; lately, that's been in the form of more and more intelligence power management. With control over both the hardware and the software, Apple has the potential to squeeze even more performance optimizations out of these types of application.
And there is, of course, the aforementioned mythical smartwatch. A power-efficient Bluetooth LE chip would be of primary importance to such a device, where battery life is at a premium. (Right now, for example, I've got two wearable devices, a Fitbit Flex and a Pebble, each of which lasts about a week between recharges--to me, that's the bare minimum for a device that you're going to use every day.)
Passif's acquisition may not be the last for Apple in the near term; CEO Tim Cook said at the D11 conference in May, before news of the location-related acquisitions came to light, that the company had already acquired nine companies in 2013, and that it was still shopping for talent. Let's just hope it's getting the bulk-pricing deal.
Source: http://www.cio.in/news/apple-snaps-wireless-chip-maker-beef-bluetooth-438502013
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Dodgers set club mark with 13th straight road win
CHICAGO (AP) ? With some of their big hitters getting the day off, it was sharp pitching that helped the Los Angeles Dodgers break a franchise record that stood for 89 years.
Chris Capuano scattered six hits over 6 1-3 innings and the Dodgers set a team record with their 13th straight road win, 3-0 over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
The Dodgers, who haven't lost on the road since July 6 in San Francisco, eclipsed the 1924 mark set by the Brooklyn Robins.
"You go out there and you're just waiting to see who's going to drive in the runs and get the big hits," Capuano said. "It's a good feeling when you come to the park."
Los Angeles is in the middle of a stretch of 26 games in 27 days, and manager Don Mattingly gave his infield an alternative look by taking four-time All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzales, hot-hitting second baseman Mark Ellis and third baseman Juan Uribe out of the starting lineup.
No matter. There were others who came through at the plate.
Carl Crawford broke open a 1-0 game by driving in two runs with a single in the sixth inning. Jerry Hairston Jr. singled in the first run in the third for NL West-leading Los Angeles, which is 13-2 since the All-Star break and has won 30 of its last 37 overall.
"It's a good feeling to be a part of history, to keep winning," Crawford said. "The team is jelling really well right now."
Capuano (4-6) came up with his second straight strong start and third in his last four. He struck out five and walked only one before four Dodgers relievers closed it out.
"Cappy really did a good job finishing pitches, the whole thing," Mattingly said. "Some nice plays in the infield but Cap was really efficient doing his thing."
The Dodgers turned three of their four double-plays behind Capuano, who has been rocked at times this year. But on Saturday he was crisp and in command.
"For me, he's attacked with his fastball more and continued to use that and not always get to his off speed," Mattingly said. "I just think he's used his whole repertoire for the right guys."
Brandon League relieved Capuano with one out in the seventh and runners on first and second but got out of the inning by getting Cody Ransom to ground into a double play.
Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 16th save in 19 chances.
Jeff Samardzija (6-10) allowed three runs over six innings in Chicago's third straight loss. He gave up seven hits, five walks and hit a batter, but was able to get out of jams with nine strikeouts.
"Fastball command is going to be the dictation of pretty much everybody's outing and he really didn't have it today," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "He battled and got the outs and kept the game close, but obviously the pitch count after six innings was way too many."
Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig had a pair of singles and scored a run. He has hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games, including seven multi-hit games during that span. Puig made a diving catch on Starlin Castro's line drive into the gap with one out in seventh and a Chicago runner on second to preserve the shutout. He left the game after the inning with bruised thumb.
"We'll see how I feel tomorrow before the game," Puig said through a translator. "I'll take some swings and we'll decide then."
The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the third on Hairston's RBI single that drove in Puig.
Samardzija escaped a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the fourth by striking out Crawford and Puig swinging. He wasn't as lucky in the sixth after Skip Schumaker walked to open the inning then advanced to third on Tim Federowicz's double one out later. Samardzija struck out Capuano, but Crawford lined a sharp single to right to make it 3-0.
The Cubs loaded the bases in the eighth against relievers Ronald Belisario and Paco Rodriguez, but Rodriguez struck out Wellington Castillo swinging on a full count to end the threat.
NOTES: Gonzalez is hitting .301 and leads the Dodgers with 105 games played, 120 hits, 15 homers and 66 RBIs. Scott Van Slyke filled his spot at first base, but Gonzales pinch-hit in the ninth. Ellis had extended his hitting streak to 13 games ? he is 19 for 47 during that span ? on Friday. Schumaker took his spot and Hairston played third until Uribe pinch-hit in the eighth and stayed in the game .. Mattingly said before the game that RHP Zack Greinke is still "lined up" to start Saturday, but hinted that he might make a last-minute tweak to the rotation and push Greinke's start back to Monday. Los Angeles doesn't have another off-day until Aug. 15 and Mattingly is trying to keep his starters fresh. ... Dodgers OF Matt Kemp, who is on the DL with a sprained left ankle, is wearing a boot and threw in the outfield before Saturday's game. "Hopefully that's going to help him bounce forward," Mattingly said. "I know the plan in St. Louis is to start the baseball stuff back up again, start hitting off a tee and getting in the cage." . Cubs RHP Zach Putnam, who is on the DL with right elbow soreness, had bone chips removed from the joint on Friday.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dodgers-set-club-mark-13th-straight-road-win-234137399.html
Why the New York Knicks Will Suffer Significant Regression in 2013-14 NBA Season
Despite their run to the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2013, the New York Knicks will suffer a significant regression in the upcoming 2013-14 NBA Season. Between the dilemma of fitting all of the pieces together in New York, their aging roster and the improvement of other contenders, the Knicks may just be one and done in next year's playoffs.
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Can Mike Woodson Make it Work?
One of the biggest problems facing the Knicks this year will be determining what their best lineup is. Let me be clear in saying that there is plenty of talent on the roster. But Mike Woodson's ability to put the right pieces in place is half the battle.
At point guard, Raymond Felton and Pablo Prigioni will take care of the job. The Knicks may look to acquire a veteran like Mo Williams or Beno Udrih to help out, but those players would have to accept a minimum contract in order to join the team.?
Check out this article from Inside Hoops?for more:
Now things get a little murkier. Iman Shumpert, reigning Sixth Man of the Year JR Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr. can all play shooting guard, but Shumpert often gets minutes at small forward when the Knicks decide to play small ball.?
Then there is Carmelo Anthony, whose natural position is small forward, but he played some power forward last year, too. On top of that, Metta World Peace was brought in from the Los Angeles Lakers to add a defensive spark to a team that has been far too reliant on Tyson Chandler.
At power forward, they acquired Andrea Bargnani from the Toronto Raptors in one of the most puzzling moves of the offseason.
Sure, they dumped the contracts of Steve Novak and Marcus Camby, but they also gave up three valuable draft picks. For a 7'1" man who has averaged a measly 4.8 RPG throughout his career, that may have been an overpayment.
Bargnani and Amar'e Stoudemire are certainly both talented guys, but neither has eclipsed the 50 games played mark in the past two seasons. Yikes.
At center, Tyson Chandler has been a defensive stalwart for the Knicks, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and making the All-NBA Defensive Team in 2013. Though his offense has been questionable?particularly his 5.7 PPG in this year's postseason?he is a stabilizing force on a roster with a lot of uncertainties.
Mike Woodson has his work cut out for him
I've listed a bunch of different names of some great individual basketball players, but it's completely unclear as to how Mike Woodson will use all of them. Because of this, his coaching will be all the more important.
Check out this article by B/R Featured Columnist Vin Getz to see his breakdown of possible lineups.
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Are the Knicks too Old?
Though this upcoming season's version of the Knicks is far different from the 2012-13 squad that ranked as the oldest in NBA history, many of the team's key members aren't getting any younger.
Carmelo Anthony is still one of the league's elite players, but he has always had durability problems. He hasn't played more than 70 games since the 2007-08 season. It's tough to win without your best player in the lineup, and at 29 it's unlikely Anthony will magically become more resilient.
At 30, Chandler likely has his best seasons behind him. He hasn't played more than 66 games in a season for the Knicks, and injury issues have followed him for most of his career.
Despite the fact that he had one of his best statistical seasons of all in 2012-13, he got exposed by younger players like Roy Hibbert in the playoffs, as you can see in the video below.
Other aging roster players for the Knicks include Metta World Peace (33) and Pablo Prigioni (36), while Raymond Felton (29) is no spring chicken, either.
You can say all you want about the Spurs vs. Heat matchup in the NBA Finals, but the Knicks aren't on that kind of talent level. It's a young man's game and the Knicks don't have many of them.
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What About the Rest of the Eastern Conference?
While the Knicks were busy acquiring the enigmatic Andrea Bargnani and Mr. World Peace, other top contenders were getting better.
It's widely known that there are five legitimate teams in the Eastern Conference that will all likely occupy the top five playoff seeds next spring. These include the Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, and New York Knicks. In order to improve on last year, they'll have to go through a few of them.
Though the Heat haven't had much of an offseason in terms of improving their team, only the most delusional New York sports fans would argue that the Knicks stand a chance in a head-to-head playoff matchup. Feel free to let me have it in the comment section if you truly believe otherwise.
Not only did the Pacers beat the Knicks this past postseason, they also got much better. Indiana returns a healthy Danny Granger, signed CJ Watson as a solid backup for George Hill and traded for another big man in Luis Scola.
Oh, and lest we forget, they signed the sharpshooting Chris Copeland away from the Knicks to address their biggest need. This team is significantly better.
Then there are the Bulls. It doesn't take a genius to realize that adding Derrick Rose to the team that had the?third-ranked defense?will make the Bulls much better. To add to that, Tom Thibodeau is one of the game's premier coaches, making this team exceedingly difficult to play against.
And, of course, I didn't forget the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets. All they did was add Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko. They may be an aging roster, but it's a deeper and more talented one than the Knicks can offer.
This leaves the Knicks as the fifth best team in the conference, which, last I checked, is still good enough to make the playoffs. But in the end, fifth place means a first round date with one of the four aforementioned squads.?
Maybe in 2014-15, New York??
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Saturday, August 3, 2013
M:Communications launches Consilium - PMLiVE
M:Communications has launched spin-out business Consilium Strategic Communications to provide dedicated strategic communications advice to the healthcare sector.
Headed up by managing partner Mary-Jane Elliott and co-founder Amber Bielecka, Consilium will work with international healthcare companies, spanning the public and private sectors and across pharma, biotech, medtech and healthcare services.
Elliott has 15 years' experience in the healthcare industry and set up and led M:Communications' international healthcare team.
Bielecka (pictured right), in addition to being part of the healthcare team at M:Communications, was a member of the pharma and biotech team at Citigate Dewe Rogerson. She also has a background in lobbying, with experience in both Brussels and Washington DC.
Elliott and Bielecka will be joined later this month by partner Emma Thompson, who will run the company's Asian operations from Singapore.
The new company will offer the same broad range of specialist communications support offered by M:Communications' healthcare team to its clients.
Consilium's remit will cover financial communications, cross-border transactional support, reputation management and crisis communications, along with guidance on corporate and social responsibility strategies.
Clients range from healthcare services sector leaders and multinational pharmas to technology start-ups, via charities and government bodies.
"The launch of Consilium Strategic Communications allows us to intensify our focus on our clients with our dedicated sector approach and to provide unmatched capabilities across all levels of the healthcare sector on a truly international scale?, said managing partner Elliott. ?I am proud to be launching Europe's only healthcare-focused financial PR and IR company.?
Source: http://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/mcommunications_launches_consilium_494118
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Study: Apple iPhone saves T-Mobile from losing up to 400,000 customers
1. kozza3 posted on 5
i would love iPhones if they were different, i don't understand how people just settle for the way they are now...
2. darkkjedii posted on 3
It's a phone dude, not everyone is spec driven. Apples target demographic is the mainstream consumer, they couldn't care less about specs. They just want a phone that works, and provides a rich end user experience.
4. a_tumiwa posted on 6
it`s not just a spec, but their design and feature are not much improve too , they dont offer something big new. i dont know the reason to upgrade the iphone if i use the older one because the older one is also "just work".
5. Shatter posted on 3
If you don't care about specs then why would you ever upgrade your iphone. I mean you are getting the same software as the new versions.
10. darkkjedii posted on 0
You're speaking as a techie Shatter. My point was about the mainstream consumer, which you are not. You know tons more than them.
14. darkkjedii posted on 0
Also people upgrade their phones for a lot of reasons. Wear and tear over the course of a year, exclusive features, like Siri on the 4S which looked like the 4, as well as others.
3. PootisMan posted on 0
The people want what the people want.
6. Emmanuelz posted on 0
T-mobiles line up is great they have every high end device.
15. -box- posted on 0
Except the Lumia 1020, Optimus Pro, and a few others I can't think of right now.
18. Emmanuelz posted on 0
Lumia phones dont sell anyways. People dont like windows phones. Optimus pro isnt a popular phone. Remember we need to think like an average user they are going to purchase the top phones in the market. They are not aware of the stuff we know
7. 1113douglas posted on 3
i dont really understand why people choose iphones over galaxies their is so much less to do on it, and the galaxy is the same price.
8. Tre-Nitty posted on 3
Because not everyone likes galaxy phones! Using your logic, we should all get Samsung galaxy's and have zero variety.
12. darkkjedii posted on 0
Choice only matters to 1113douglas, when that choice is android. In the real world, people buy what they want/like...choice.
9. appleDOESNT.com posted on 2
ya right. Sprint is basically going bankrupt because of iPhone deal. TMobile will suffer a similar fate. Going into bed with Apple only has one on top, the ugly beatch named fappleasia
16. -box- posted on 0
I could see sprint failing, but T-Mobile has some good stuff going for it. Faster LTE rollout, JUMP, no contracts, cheaper rates, better reception and call quality than sprint (where the networks overlap), and a better selection of phones, among other things. Though they did get rid of that Carly chick, apparently?
17. joey_sfb posted on 0
Any deal that don't make money suck! A deal that would wipe out the company cash reserve is horrific!
What is Sprint CEO thinking when he signed the deal with Apple!
He should have waited for a better deal with Apple or give better discount to other phones.
11. trixie posted on 1
I love iPhone all the way!Go Apple be on top again!
13. darkkjedii posted on 0
It never stopped being on top, it's simply been joined by some very good android devices.
19. androiphone20 posted on 0
iPhone for me everything else sucks
20. bugsbunny00 posted on 0
APPLE is the reason how t-mobile got that much customers..wow.
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Friday, August 2, 2013
Google Play edition HTC One Android 4.3 kernel source released
Kernel source published —? but no update for devices just yet
HTC has released the kernel source code and related platform support files for the Google Play edition HTC One, as required under the GPL. The code drop comes ahead of the Google Play HTC One's Android 4.3 update — officially, the phone's still on 4.2.2, and we've not seen any updates on our own devices just yet.
The kernel source code is from software version 3.06.1700.10 (up from 2.14.1700.15) and Linux kernel version 3.4.10 (unchanged from the 4.2 firmware.)
We've checked Samsung's open source release center and there's no Android 4.3 code on there just yet, so it looks like HTC's first out the gate with its kernel release. In any case, hopefully this means the 4.3 update for Google Play edition phones is just around the corner. We'll let you know as soon as the updates start rolling out.
Source: HTCDev
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Szfnnyxhn8o/story01.htm
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Europe's factories grow, China's stabilize
By Andy Bruce
LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's factories delivered more signs last month the region is gradually leaving recession behind, according to business surveys that also eased immediate fears over the health of China's economy.
Thursday's purchasing managers indexes (PMIs), surveying thousands of manufacturers worldwide, showed output in British factories surged in July, and industrial activity in the euro zone rose for the first time in two years.
A report on the United States due later is expected to show a modest rate of growth in factories after the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday the world's biggest economy was recovering but would still need support.
Overall, the European and Chinese PMIs allayed worries the global economy's mid-year lull will deepen from here, although that view could hinge on how many jobs the U.S. economy - still the global driver - added last month, with the figures due on Friday.
"We're seeing different trends in different parts of the world, which are to a large extent offsetting each other," said Andrew Kenningham, senior global economist at Capital Economics in London.
"The euro zone has clearly improved ... over the last six months or so, and the survey data in July was pointing to more or less flat GDP and possibly some growth in the third quarter."
"And of course the UK has clearly improved significantly."
The surveys backed a consensus expecting the European Central Bank and Bank of England to hold policy unchanged later on Thursday, although the latter surprised investors last month with a warning they were pricing in an interest rate hike too soon.
Markit's UK manufacturing PMI jumped to 54.6 in July from 52.9 in June, trumping even the most optimistic forecast in a Reuters poll of economists and triggering a rise in sterling.
Readings above 50 signify growth.
Brian Hilliard, economist at Societe Generale, noted the fastest rises in new orders and output since February 2011, at 58.2 and 58.0 respectively.
"Just amazing. What's the need for (Mark) Carney to do anything?" he said, referring to the new Bank of England Governor. "It's shaping up for Q3 to be stronger than Q2."
Markit's Eurozone manufacturing PMI signaled marginal growth among factories for the first time in two years, also rising to 50.3 in July from 48.8.
It follows a string of promising economic data out of the euro zone, which has wallowed in recession since the end of 2011.
"Manufacturing output rose again in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Ireland during July, while there were welcome returns to growth for France and Austria," said Rob Dobson, senior economist at PMI compiler Markit.
There were signs the downturns in the euro zone's most vulnerable economies, like Spain and Greece, are easing too.
HOPE IN CHINA?
In China, the official government factory PMI was a little stronger than expected in July, offering a rare bright spot in an otherwise sluggish Asian manufacturing sector.
Although the China PMI surprised and gave a boost to regional share prices and commodities, it also signaled only a modest pace of growth. A rival report from HSBC was much more gloomy, showing factory activity fell to its lowest in nearly a year.
Elsewhere in Asia, other PMI reports suggested factory output and new orders falling in July in India, South Korea and Taiwan. In Indonesia, a PMI report signaled that output and new orders were holding at similar levels to June.
China's official PMI rose to 50.3 in July, contrary to expectations that it would fall to 49.9 from 50.1 in June.
"I think the official report does offer a slim hope that the economy is stabilizing at least, but it is still a bit early to conclude that things have turned around decisively," Wei Yao, China economist at Societe Generale in Hong Kong.
The HSBC PMI, compiled by Markit, fell to 47.7 in July, the weakest reading since August 2012, from 48.2 in June. The latest reading matched a preliminary PMI released last week
That focuses more on smaller and private sector companies than the official government PMI.
"We can see the small companies are more affected by the liquidity tension apparently," said Yao.
(Additional writing by Neil Fullick Editing by Jeremy Gaunt)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-factory-sector-perks-elsewhere-gloomy-065849663.html
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Union screams bloody murder over report on TSA misconduct
WASHINGTON, DC - The union representing over 45,000 Transportation Security Officers today blasted TSA critics on Capitol Hill for "trying to sensationalize" the report's findings. The American Federation of Government Employees claims the report itself found that only a tiny fraction of the huge workforce was involved in any misconduct, and fewer still have been involved in misconduct that had any relation to security.
In a statement, AFGE National President J. David Cox, Sr. said:
"Efforts by Representative Mica and others on Capitol Hill to hype this report as evidence of widespread and scandalous misconduct by TSA employees run contrary to the facts of the report itself.
"The GAO study of allegations of misconduct on the part of TSA employees has been wildly misrepresented. TSA critics on Capitol Hill seize every opportunity to give the agency and its dedicated workforce a black eye, even when the facts to not support their arm-waving displays of false outrage. They want to drag us back, as a nation, to the pre-9/11 practice of using poorly trained, minimum wage rent-a-cops to protect the flying public from terrorists. Their theory that private, for-profit security is better than that provided by TSA is not borne out by the facts of this report. The data GAO analyzed show once again that the TSA workforce is doing a great job protecting the flying public, and that around 99% of the employees are never involved in security-related misconduct.
"In an agency with a workforce the size of a small city, spread out over more than 400 airports, misconduct numbers this small indicate success, not failure. No one condones any misconduct and TSA is diligent in investigating allegations that range from being a few minutes late to work to violating security protocol. Thanks to our union, the agency is required to evaluate evidence when charges of misconduct are made, and when the facts warrant discipline, tailor the punishment to the offense. Efforts to sensationalize these kinds of routine management functions in order to make the case for the return of the failed, for-profit model of airport screening are appalling and irresponsible."
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Michael Catanzarite combines competitiveness and a family ...
?Today, you better be the best at everything or you?re going to get run over.?
Michael Catanzarite, CEO, Darice Inc.
?A Pat Catan?s Company? reads the sign in the lobby of Darice Inc. where Michael Catanzarite greets his guests. Catanzarite, or Catan for short, is the son of Pat Catan and is CEO of Darice Inc., a premier wholesale distributor in the craft industry.
That lobby sign is a symbol of the company Catanzarite?s father started in 1954 with $200, basically creating the craft industry.
?It?s a unique story because how the hell would you get into the craft business?? Catanzarite says.
Pat Catan was a pilot instructor during World War II. When he returned from service the only place to get a job in Cleveland was at NASA. As a new guy living in Cleveland walking around, he saw a need for supplying decorations for decorators of store window displays.
?Back then, department stores? biggest form of advertising was the window decoration itself,? Catanzarite says. ?He started supplying products for that. It evolved into material for making your own flowers for displays and floral arrangements for your house and grew from that point.?
In 1954 Pat Catan?s was just one single store. By the mid-?70s, the company had six or seven stores.
?He was a pioneer in the industry, because there really was no craft industry,? Catanzarite says. ?In the early?70s, we came up with the name Darice. Darice is our wholesale name and that?s the majority of our business. If you go into any big box store like Wal-Mart, Target or Michael?s, you would see the Darice brand in there.?
The wholesale division started in the 1970s. Catanzarite entered the family business following his graduation from high school in 1976.
Catanzarite knows the ins and outs of Darice. He knows the names of virtually every employee and can quote his father?s sayings and other inspiring messages that line the walls of the Darice office.
But what else would you expect from a man who has worked at the company for his entire life?
?My dad was my idol, my hero,? Catanzarite says. ?I enjoyed being with him and I enjoyed working with him. Why did I come into the family business? I hated school.?
Catanzarite has been CEO for nearly 20 years, but he isn?t the only family member working at Darice. In fact, there are 22 family members who work full time in the business. His office contains nearly 100 photos of family and items like his dad?s old briefcase and jacket, which help motivate him and serve as a symbol of who started the business.
From 1954 to today there have been a lot of changes within Darice and the craft industry itself.
?The difference between today and yesterday is the speed to market and the speed of business,? Catanzarite says. ?You better be at the wheel every day and have your foot on the gas 100 percent or you?re going to be left behind.
?Today, we are fortunate because of our employees and their hard work, we?re the largest in the industry at what we do. Being the largest has its challenges in that you?re always a target for competition.?
Here?s how Catanzarite keeps a family feel at Darice while also pushing the company to remain an industry leader.
Fight the competitive forces
Darice Inc. today has 1,800 employees and is one of the top privately held companies in Ohio. The company supplies craft product lines such as craft basics, jewelry making, paper crafting, bridal, floral design, fine art supplies, kid?s crafts and licensed products to retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Michaels.
?We?ve made it a priority in our company that we are going to be product-first people and product-innovation focused,? Catanzarite says. ?That?s our business: creativity and products. When we do that, everybody in this building understands that our goal is to find the next best product to make sure we?re to market quick and can respond to a call from Target or customer X to have a presentation done in a week.?
Anything that Catanzarite does to be successful is a result of the company?s mission statement and that his employees work on it every day. It requires the right kind of people to live the company?s mission.
?Do we have the right people and the free thinkers for that?? Catanzarite says. ?That?s how we take something from concept to reality. In any company, if you just talk about stuff and you don?t make it a priority with the facility and the people, you?re not going to get anywhere.
?If you say you?re going to do something, but all you have is an idea on a piece of paper, well, what the hell good is that? You?ve got to give it substance.?
Catanzarite spends a lot of his day motivating and counseling employees and trying to figure out what areas Darice needs to improve.
?You?re constantly changing and trying to upgrade, but not because the people are bad, successful companies merge new ideas in with the old ideas,? he says. ?We never really focus on the competition. We just try to be as good as we can be.?
Part of making the company better is continuing to get products to market quicker than anyone else.
?Here, we do things quickly,? Catanzarite says. ?We get stuff to market in half the time of our competition. We react to our customer faster than anybody. That?s the only way you?re going to beat the competition because everything is so fast and everybody is trying to increase their margin to go around you.
?Today, you better be the best at everything or you?re going to get run over. We?re focusing on how we do that.?
A big reason for Darice?s success is due to its employees and the culture Catanzarite has helped foster over the years.
?The people part of the business, which a lot of people shy away from, is really the most important part of the business,? he says. ?It?s what?s driving the company. You have to motivate them to do what?s next.?
Catanzarite fosters this kind of culture through commitment, consistency, being honest with his organization and devoting the time to it.
?I always compare it to being a parent,? he says. ?The biggest component to being a parent is that children need your time. There?s nothing, as you raise your children, that?s more important than time. Your employees are the same way.
?If your boss came in today, sat with you, had a cup of coffee, and was nice to you, that would make your day. But a lot of people are just so busy going to the next meeting that they don?t carve out that time.
?You?ve got to spend time on relationships. That?s how you get the trust. My goal is for people to do good because they want a paycheck, but also because they like me and they don?t want to fail me.?
Eliminate family politics
In a family business, it?s easy for family members to develop office politics and destructive habits that can destroy a company. Darice and the Catanzarite family follow a simple motto to squash any of those possibilities.
?Faith, family and friends is our motto,? Catanzarite says. ?We live by it. There?s nothing more important than faith, which drives our family. Once you?re my friend, I?ll never get rid of you. We have 22 full-time family members that derive their full-time income from working at Darice. How do we deal with that? We try to eliminate politics.?
If a family member wants to come to work at Darice, the most important thing Catanzarite does is find the right job for that person.
?Are you going to make a guy who?s good with his hands and likes working on cars a salesman at Wal-Mart?? Catanzarite says. ?You may, but his chance at failure is much greater.?
Catanzarite?s family members let him have the ability to place them where he thinks they?re best served within the company.
?So far everybody still comes over on Christmas,? he says. ?But with 22 family members, if somebody gets mad, they go home and tell their spouse and they tell her mom who might be my sister, so you have to have the openness and honesty.?
Not every family member works full time inside the company. There are others who play outside roles.
?Even if you?re not internally in the building, most everybody else is in the business,? Catanzarite says. ?The guys that are outside play such an integral part that if I lost them, it would be like I?m losing somebody internally. It?s good the way we mesh that.?
To keep the family atmosphere in a company that has gone from three employees to 50, 50 to 100 and 100 to 1,800, it takes openness and transparency. Most importantly, someone needs to take charge.
?There are a lot of families that have trouble even sitting in the same room to meet,? he says. ?As a company you need a plan and unfortunately there could be five to 20 relatives in there, so you need a boss.
?There has to be a single leader in the family and the family has to be committed to supporting that, otherwise you?re going to fail,? he says.
Darice is currently undergoing a succession planning process so that it is prepared for the future. The company has also brought in people from outside the family for integral leadership roles.
?A lot of family businesses struggle to bring in professionals in executive positions,? Catanzarite says. ?We were the opposite. Our president is a non-family member. Our CFO is a non-family member. Our IT director is a non-family member. Our head of marketing is a non-family member.
?Long term, one of our decisions will be that we always want an outside president and CFO. In family businesses, it?s tough for people to do that sometimes. They say, ?I?ve been doing this forever; I know everything.? I may know more about crafts than anybody, but I don?t know more about selling to Wal-Mart and Amazon. I?m not an expert in distribution.
?Bring those people in and allow them that ability. Having those outside positions in a family business helps the rest of your employees too, because they see that it?s not just Catanzarite?s running the company.?
Every decision Catanzarite makes about the future of Darice is done so with his family and employees in mind and how that decision is going to make everybody feel.
?My focus is on continuing to grow this business to be a premier company in what we do and taking it to the next level and seeing the employees flourish,? Catanzarite says. ?I?m driven by the goal that my dad wanted a great company for his family, and if I don?t finish that, I failed. I?m not going to fail. You?ve never met a guy so driven to make something successful for the benefit of his family.?
How to reach: Darice Inc., (440) 238-9150 or?www.darice.com
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Thursday, August 1, 2013
Dissident Kazakh oligarch Ablyazov held in France -sources
By Kirstin Ridley and Matthias Galante
LONDON/CANNES, France (Reuters) - Mukhtar Ablyazov, a Kazakh businessman accused of embezzling $6 billion from his former bank, BTA, has been arrested on the French Riviera, two sources said on Wednesday.
Ablyazov was arrested in the village of Mouans-Sartoux about 8 km (5 miles) north of Cannes in southern France, a police source said. A court hearing has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. (0430 ET) Thursday, added a second source, who could not confirm the hearing's location.
Ablyazov, 50, denies allegations he says are designed to rob him and eliminate him as a rival to Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
He fled the oil-rich Central Asian state after BTA, the bank he once controlled, was nationalized and declared insolvent in 2009. A former government minister, he won political asylum in Britain in 2011. He left the UK in 2012 after being sentenced to jail for contempt of court and has been in hiding since.
He has said his life has been in danger since he left Kazakhstan and he feared for his safety in a British jail.
International police agency Interpol said on its website Ablyazov was wanted by Russia on separate charges including "large scale fraud", money laundering and document forgery. Ablyazov spent time in Russia between 2003 and 2005. He had been put on a so-called Interpol "Red Notice," which is similar to an international arrest warrant.
The French Justice and Interior Ministries made no comment on the case. The French Foreign Ministry and Interpol did not respond to requests for comment.
BTA, controlled by Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna, has filed 11 fraud charges against Ablyazov. To date, the bank has won court approval to seize about $3.7 billion of Ablyazov's assets.
One of Ablyazov's sons, Madiyar Ablyazov, told Reuters in an email his father was in France legally and accused President Nazarbayev of having a "personal vendetta" against his father.
Ablyazov says he fell out with Nazarbayev after campaigning for a change in government at home.
His case made headlines again in June after his wife and 6-year-old daughter were discovered and summarily deported from Italy to Kazakhstan, prompting calls for the resignation of Italy's interior minister.
Brimming with resources such as oil, gas, gold and uranium, Kazakhstan's steppes stretch from the Caspian Sea to the Chinese border in a sparsely inhabited country the size of west Europe.
As a former government minister, Ablyazov was imprisoned in 2002, a year after his disenchantment with Nazarbayev's authoritarian rule prompted him to found the opposition party, the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan.
Pardoned in 2003, he spent two years in exile in Russia, rebuilding his businesses. He returned to Kazakhstan, under an amnesty with Nazarbayev, to lead BTA from 2005 until 2009. He fled to London after BTA was seized by the sovereign wealth fund and declared insolvent in 2009.
(This story was refiled to add dropped word in fourth paragraph)
(Additional reporting by Natalie Huet and Gerard Bon in Paris; editing by David Evans, Stacey Joyce and Tom Pfeiffer)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dissident-kazakh-oligarch-ablyazov-held-france-sources-072034152.html
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Man pleads not guilty to killing 3 Ohio women
This undated photo provided by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff Department show Michael Madison. Authorities responding to a report of a foul odor from a home discovered a body and arrested a registered sex offender, Madison, who sent police and volunteers through a poor Ohio neighborhood in a search for more victims, officials said Sunday, July 21, 2013. Madison is expected to be formally charged Monday. (AP Photo/Cuyahoga County Sheriff Department)
This undated photo provided by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff Department show Michael Madison. Authorities responding to a report of a foul odor from a home discovered a body and arrested a registered sex offender, Madison, who sent police and volunteers through a poor Ohio neighborhood in a search for more victims, officials said Sunday, July 21, 2013. Madison is expected to be formally charged Monday. (AP Photo/Cuyahoga County Sheriff Department)
CLEVELAND (AP) ? A man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to kidnapping and killing three women whose bodies were found wrapped in trash bags earlier this month.
Michael Madison, 35, appeared via a video feed from jail for his arraignment, for which he was handcuffed and wearing orange jail scrubs. When the judge asked him how he was, Madison answered, "I've been better."
The judge continued his $6 million bond and said she would appoint two attorneys to represent him. A pretrial hearing was set for Tuesday morning.
Madison is facing six charges of aggravated murder, two for each victim under different killing theories. He's also charged with three counts of kidnapping, three counts of gross abuse of a corpse, one count of rape and one count of weapon possession by an ex-convict.
East Cleveland police found one body July 19 when a caller reported a foul smell coming from a garage. Two more bodies were found the next day.
Madison was arrested in the deaths of Shirellda H. Terry, 18, Angela H. Deskins, 38, and Shetisha D. Sheeley, 28. The medical examiner said Terry and Deskins were strangled and Sheeley died of "homicidal violence by unspecified means."
The indictment said Madison raped Terry between July 10 and July 19. She was last seen July 10 leaving a Cleveland elementary school where she had a summer job.
Madison was classified as a sex offender in 2002, when he was sentenced to four years in prison for attempted rape, according to Cuyahoga County court records. He had previous convictions in 2000 and 2001 for drug-related charges.
The mayor of East Cleveland said Madison indicated he might have been influenced by Cleveland serial killer Anthony Sowell, who was convicted in 2011 of killing 11 women and sentenced to death. His case is under appeal.
Sowell was arrested after a woman escaped from his house in 2009 and said she had been raped there. Police found the mostly nude bodies in garbage bags and plastic sheets throughout his property.
In another case of violence against women in the Cleveland area, three women who separately vanished a decade ago escaped to freedom from Ariel Castro's house on May 6 when one kicked out part of a door and yelled to neighbors for help.
Castro, 53, who was arrested within hours, pleaded guilty Friday to 937 counts in a deal which sends him to prison for life without parole, plus 1,000 years. Prosecutors agreed to take a possible death penalty charge off the table. He is scheduled for sentencing Thursday.
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Wednesday, July 31, 2013
The University of Idaho recently released a mobile app that allows users to acce...
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Source: http://www.facebook.com/uiargonaut/posts/10151610991717982
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Montgomery gallery is mini-Cooperstown for baseball fans
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A document from Greenville South Carolina shows the signature, upper right, of baseball great Shoeless Joe Jackson on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at the Green Diamond Gallery in Cincinnati. The club houses baseball memorabilia and allows members to hear inside stories from the game's greats in monthly meetings. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
A collection of bats used by all the players who have hit 500 home runs, along with signed baseballs by the players, is displayed on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at the Green Diamond Gallery in Cincinnati. The club houses baseball memorabilia and allows members to hear inside stories from the game's greats in monthly meetings. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
A photo of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy throwing out a first pitch and a program from the 1923 Opening Day game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are among the varied baseball memorabilia on display, Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at the Green Diamond Gallery in Cincinnati. The club houses baseball memorabilia and allows members to hear inside stories from the game's greats in monthly meetings. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Owner Bob Crotty holds a bat used by Shoeless Joe Jackson as he stands next to a display on the 1919 Chicago White Sox scandal, Tuesday, July 23, 2013, inside the Green Diamond Gallery in Cincinnati. The club houses baseball memorabilia and allows members to hear inside stories from the game's greats in monthly meetings. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Rows of baseball memorabilia covering the history of the game are displayed on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at the Green Diamond Gallery in Cincinnati. The club houses baseball memorabilia and allows members to hear inside stories from the game's greats in monthly meetings. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Jerseys worn by baseball greats Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, and Roberto Clemente top a display dedicated to them, Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at the Green Diamond Gallery in Cincinnati. The club houses baseball memorabilia and allows members to hear inside stories from the game's greats in monthly meetings. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Signed players contracts, personal letters and signed checks from baseball greats such as Henry Aaron, Walter Johnson, Lou Gehrig, and Honus Wagner, are displayed on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at the Green Diamond Gallery in Cincinnati. The club houses baseball memorabilia and allows members to hear inside stories from the game's greats in monthly meetings. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Owner Bob Crotty stands next to a wall featuring photos and autographs of all the members of baseball's Hall of Fame, Tuesday, July 23, 2013, inside the Green Diamond Gallery in Cincinnati. The club houses baseball memorabilia and allows members to hear inside stories from the game's greats in monthly meetings. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
MONTGOMERY (AP) ? Shoeless Joe Jackson might have asked if THIS is heaven.
Here was one of his thick-handled bats, being gripped lovingly and studied for cleat nicks and baseball smudges from games he played nearly 100 years ago. Newly arrived, it soon will be carefully displayed, near a rare Jackson signature, and in the days and years to come, it will be viewed by dedicated fans who will also be mingling with stars of the game.
Jackson, depicted in the movie "Field of Dreams," was banned from baseball for his role in the 1919 "Black Sox" World Series-fixing scandal, by lore disappointing a young fan who shouted: "Say it ain't so, Joe!" But the ill-fated star has a place amid such greats as Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron in the Green Diamond Gallery in suburban Cincinnati.
The gallery showcases a top private collection of baseball memorabilia while hosting a small club of fans who in recent months have been able to ask pitcher Jack Morris about falling short of making the Hall of Fame, slugger Jose Canseco about illicit steroid use, and manager Tony La Russa about secrets of the St. Louis Cardinals' success.
"There's Cooperstown, then it's Green Diamond, and I don't know what would be a close third," La Russa said, referring to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, celebrating its annual induction weekend in upstate New York. The Hall's president, Jeff Idelson, has visited the gallery and agrees it's unlike anything else he's seen outside Cooperstown.
The gallery's roots are in a child's first trip to a baseball game five decades ago.
Bob Crotty still savors memories of the sights, sounds and smells of Crosley Field, then home of the Cincinnati Reds. He was drawn to the souvenir stand, buying buttons and other inexpensive trinkets.
And so it began.
"Once I got the bug, I got it pretty bad," Crotty said.
The preteen boy cut lawns for cash to fund his new passion, and he spent hours writing letters to teams requesting yearbooks and other items. His bedroom desk and shelves filled, then his entire bedroom, then the family's basement. Continued...
He networked with collectors and learned the best auction houses and authenticators while becoming a top executive in the family-run Van Dyne Crotty uniform company. When it was bought in 2006 by industry giant Cintas Corp., Crotty suddenly had plenty of time and money ? and a very large collection.
"I was pretty much at a crossroads ... either get rid of all this stuff or do something with it," said Crotty, now 54. He met with Kevin Manley, who had worked for a nonprofit that Crotty's company supported, to brainstorm.
Most collectors by nature want to protect their privacy and valuables, so not many fans get to view what they have.
"I always wanted to give this a home where I could display it, share it in some capacity, maybe create an environment where we could do something different," said Crotty, who made Manley the manager of what opened in 2007. It included:
? A one-floor exhibit area packed with 4,000 items such as autographed baseballs, game-used jerseys, ballpark relics, rare documents, photos and letters, organized into categories such as Hall of Famers, greatest teams, the Negro Leagues and a tribute to character and courage honoring Jackie Robinson, Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente.
? A private club, initially 100 dues-paying members, then upped to 250 with two levels of membership. The club, which includes female members, has a waiting list for the few spots in the top-level Wright Society that open each year, at $2,000 annual dues.
? A charitable foundation, supporting baseball-related activities for economically disadvantaged youths and disabled and sick children. Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench has headlined fundraising events.
? Monthly receptions, featuring question-and-answer sessions with baseball's stars and characters. Hall of Fame pitchers Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven and Jim Bunning (also a former U.S. senator) were among last year's speakers, and hitting star Rod Carew is coming up in August.
"I was overwhelmed," said La Russa, who spoke last month. "The collection is staggering, the whole concept of the club ... You are surrounded by people who love the game."
Among them: Buck Newsome, an investment adviser who was part of initial word-of-mouth membership recruiting. Continued...
"I was like a little kid again. It was just unbelievable," Newsome recalled. "Within five or 10 minutes, I asked, 'How do I join?'"
Newsome tries to make every meeting, appreciating the chance to rub elbows with stars in a convivial atmosphere for hearing inside stories. Speakers like talking baseball with knowledgeable fans who aren't hounding them for autographs; after visiting, La Russa decided to help arrange for a Cardinal predecessor, Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst, to make an upcoming appearance.
Rentals for special events such as off-site corporate meetings and wedding rehearsal dinners help cover operating costs. Tight space and security concerns restrict numbers of visitors, but the gallery opens once or twice a year for paid tours.
Crotty, meanwhile, keeps adding. Besides the Jackson bat, he just bought Warren Spahn's Hall of Fame ring after the late pitcher's son put memorabilia up for auction. He doesn't disclose prices paid and said the only way to know the value of his collection would be to sell it.
"When you're a collector, it can be a lonely journey," Crotty said. "The beauty of having this model is I can continue to collect, and I've made friendships and relationships you can't put a monetary value on."
Online: greendiamondgallery.com
Source: http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2013/07/29/sports/ff5c37d6-b4a8-4e1d-9fd1-9c4a6b072949.txt
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