Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Shakira lastly offers birth to little one boy!

In situation you are wanting to know you have heard this news just before, you ought to understand that the earlier news was a prank and that Colombian singer Shakira gave birth to her very first kid - a boy - inside a Barcelona hospital on Tuesday, and this time her loved ones confirmed inside a communique!



The pop star gave birth at 9.36 p.m. to a boy weighing nearly three kg and each the mom and kid are "in excellent health", the communique stated.



Shakira was admitted for the private Teknon clinic at six.30 p.m. accompanied by her boyfriend, F.C. Barcelona soccer star Gerard Pique.



From the communique, the couple as well as the family members mentioned: "We are satisfied to announce the birth of Milan Pique Mebarak, son of Shakira Mebarak and Gerard Pique ... The title Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn), implies dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in ancient Roman, eager and laborious; and in Sanskrit, unification".


Considering that early Tuesday morning, a number of reporters and photographers had remained on alert outdoors the clinic, offered latest rumours that this could be the day the little one could be born.



On Tuesday morning, prior to the birth, Shakira had tweeted, "I'd prefer to inquire you all to accompany me with your prayers on this pretty significant day of my daily life."



The infant was delivered by previously-scheduled Caesarean by a healthcare crew headed by Dr. Carlota Garcia-Valdecasa.



Shakira, 35, final appeared in public Jan 14 in the Casa del Libro in Barcelona, wherever she attended the presentation of the guide written by her father, William Mebarak.



FALSE RUMOUR: Shakira's little one birth news a prank?


Shakira's boyfriend Gerard Pique reportedly would seem to possess pulled a prank by announcing the news from the Colombian singer providing birth to her initial youngster on Friday.



Pique announced the birth of their son on his Twitter webpage early Friday morning, that's the day of Dia de los Innocentes, Spain's equivalent to April Fool's Day, reported New York Day-to-day News.



"Our son has become born! We're quite delighted! Due to all for the messages," the Barcelona FC player, 25, wrote in Spanish.



The timing from the announcement has prompted speculation that Pique has pulled a quick 1, seeing that Shakira, 35, hasn't confirmed the news.



Pique later on seemed to become letting followers know it had been a joke by tweeting, "He by now includes a title! He's named Innocent! Delighted Day in the Innocents to all!"



Shakira exposed her pregnancy final September when announcing the cancellation of the Las Vegas gig.



The singer started dating sportsman Pique in 2011 immediately after splitting from her longtime boyfriend Antonio de la Rua.



Need to SEE! Shakira posts bare child bump pic on Twitter


Pregnant pop sensation Shakira has shared her increasing belly image on micro-blogging web page Twitter.



Within the photo, the 35-year-old Colombian singer lies on her boyfriend, 25-year-old soccer player Gerard Pique, with her back on his chest. The parents-to-be have been all smiles in front of your camera, reported Ace Showbiz.



The athlete wore a blue t-shirt, even though the Waka Waka hitmaker was observed inside a red best with its hem coming just over her rounded tummy.



"I could have a further 9 months like this!," she tweeted a caption coupled with the image. Child BUMP



Pregnant Shakira and beau Gerard Pique `want a lot more than a single child`


Shakira, who's pregnant with her 1st little one her soccer-star beau Gerard Pique, is explained to become by now arranging for any 2nd 1.



The singer took to her Facebook web page September 19 to announce that she is expecting a baby



Now, a supply near to the singer has exposed to Us Weekly that she and her Pique are by now organizing to get a sibling for their yet-to-be-born child boy.


3tennis

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Oelwein ancient donates renal system; begins squence of events associated with donors

One kidney donation set off a chain reaction of related very good deeds at 1 Des Moines hospital. In 1 week, 5 folks donated their healthful kidneys to other folks in have to have.

The guy who started off all this, Tyler Weig, is initially from eastern Iowa. Weig graduated from Oelwein Large College in 2001. He essentially went to prom with KWWL's Danielle Wagner, also an Oelwein graduate.

Tyler Weig now lives from the Des Moines spot. He aided conserve a lifestyle by choosing to donate a kidney to a full stranger.

"Right now its beginning to hit me, what it signifies, how specific it's," explained Tyler Weig.

On Monday, Weig went into surgical treatment to possess his kidney eliminated, to get transplanted right into a patient who required it to survive. Dr. Cass Franklin eliminated his kidney through a 3 hour operation even though a further patient waited to obtain it.

"Today I get blessed having a new kidney," stated Lance Beyer.

The Mercy workers place the wholesome organ into an ice bath to put together it. A brief time later on, medical practitioners started the extended difficult transplant surgical procedure on 42-year-old Lance Beyer of Pella, who had kidney illness for 25 many years. Just after an effective surgical procedure, two days later on, the 2 met for that to start with time.

"So you happen to be the donor? Enjoy it. Thanks a great deal. It really is functioning true superior," mentioned Beyer.

But how can you thank an individual for that present of daily life?

"I see his loved ones, what he'll have the ability to do now tends to make me satisfied," explained Tyler Weig.

Weig's want to conserve one particular particular person set off a chain reaction that result in yet another kidney transplant that similar day.

45-year-old Jay Lindahl of Boone was wheeled in to acquire one more kidney. Turns out his donor was the wife in the very first recipient.

"You can give your kidney to anyone, another person can help my husband in that way, it is a no brainer," stated Julie Beyer.

Her kidney was not a match for her husband, so she paid it forward to assist a stranger alternatively.

Just after operating on people two pairs Monday, two far more kidney transplants have been carried out Tuesday. On Wednesday, even 1 a lot more. None with the recipients knew his donor, but 4 donors have been pals or family members of an additional patient from the chain who they wished to assist but did not match.

5 new beginnings and 10 lives impacted by 1 preliminary and generous present.


25food

Sophisticated Search Marketing and advertising Workshop - Blizzard Web Advertising and marketing - Glenwood Springs Colorado

Hotel, lodging, travel, and hospitality firms in search of to make in-house search promoting experience are invited to an intensive 2-day Google Workshop intended to educate search advertising tactics verified to boost web-site presence, assured.


Glenwood Springs, Colorado (PRWEB) January twelve, 2013


Blizzard World-wide-web Advertising and marketing, Inc. is providing a 2-day Superior Search Engine Advertising and marketing workshop on January 21 and 22 in Glenwood Springs. This workshop is open towards the public and can target on approaches for hotel, lodging, travel, and hospitality corporations to increase their on-line marketing and advertising final results and maximize web-site presence making use of confirmed approaches that assure benefits and enhance their return on marketing and advertising investments.


"Blizzard Online Advertising is actually a normal fixture at holiday rental field conferences. Trent Blizzard's presentations are amid one of the most remarkably anticipated and heavily attended occasions at every conference. Their mixture of experience in world-wide-web promoting and holiday rentals make them the premier provider of SEM (Search Engine Promoting) solutions." - Park Brady, ResortQuest


Marketing and advertising has moved far past print and standard media alone. Companies can no longer depend upon previous practices so as to remain competitive. Individuals are more and more savvy and also have the resources readily available to examine evaluations, assess charges, and look for their preferred goods and solutions. So as to compete, corporations ought to put into action the on-line marketing and advertising techniques and approaches that get them observed. That is what this workshop is all about.



Blizzard Web Advertising, Inc. is based mostly in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and gives full-service on line advertising and marketing remedies on the hospitality, travel, and lodging industries. Their suite of search promoting providers incorporates search engine marketing, paid marketing, hyperlink promoting, electronic mail promoting, social media and track record management, web-site layout, reserving engine integration and information management technique style and design.


united health

Friday, January 11, 2013

Alabama's Delicate, Milliner, Fluker Key in NFL Set up

Alabama tailback Eddie Lacy, cornerback Dee Milliner and proper tackle D.J. Fluker are getting into the NFL draft following assisting lead the Crimson Tide to a 2nd straight nationwide title.



Lacy and Milliner announced their ideas to skip their senior seasons Friday at a news conference. Fluker could not be there to the announcement simply because he was traveling.



It is an additional exodus of talented underclassmen to get a group which has won 3 of your previous 4 nationwide championships. Almost all of the 4 first-round picks in just about every in the previous two drafts that left Alabama had been underclassmen.



"I enjoy what they've finished for that University of Alabama but we also acknowledge the truth that from a business enterprise standpoint, these guys are producing great choices about their potential and what they're able to do," coach Nick Saban explained.



As opposed to latest groups of departing juniors from Alabama, only Milliner is pegged being a positive first-round choose.



He was a Jim Thorpe Award finalist and unanimous All-American right after recording two interceptions and 22 pass deflections. He and guard Likelihood Warmack, who was a senior, are projected since the Tide's major recent prospective customers.



"I consider when I was right here, I met the many ambitions and crew affirmations that I set for myself being a freshman by winning a championship, getting to be an All-American, just becoming component of the crew that generally loved to win," Milliner mentioned. "I believe I fulfilled all my ambitions and am prepared and ready to visit the subsequent degree."



Lacy was MVP of your nationwide championship game against Notre Dame immediately after rushing for 140 yards and scoring two touchdowns. He mentioned he was not one hundred % healthier all season right up until the title game Monday evening, but Lacy nevertheless ran for one,322 yards and 17 touchdowns even though averaging six.five yards per carry.



"We never possess a great deal of many years to perform this place, which means you need to go even though you are able to," Lacy explained. "I would enjoy to come back. This can be a good spot. We've the most beneficial supporters, but I seriously did not wish to threat coming back and never obtaining this kind of a very good year or possibly even risking injury. I have had my share of injuries this year. I truly feel like you have got to have out when you may."



Lacy thinks he "made a fairly strong statement" within the title game, when he produced a spin move in to the finish zone on the TD catch and on one more run pushed 248-pound linebacker Danny Spond away with 1 hand.



Lacy was recruited within the identical class as Trent Richardson, final year's No. three select by Cleveland, but redshirted and after that spent two seasons being a backup. He's not broadly projected to adhere to Richardson and 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram in to the very first round. Lacy mentioned he was projected as being a second- or third-round select in feedback in the NFL, but was amazing from the finale. Ordinarily, Saban only suggests projected first-round picks leave early.



"I'm thoroughly supportive of what Eddie's performing," Saban mentioned. "It's slightly bit of the distinctive scenario than we have had during the previous, but it is slightly bit distinctive also. Just about every certainly one of these scenarios is exceptional to that unique person and what his condition is. "



The 6-foot-6, 335-pound Fluker started off 35 video games for that Tide and was a second-team Linked Press All-American.



He was on the list of Tide's top-rated signees in 2009 but came in overweight at about 395 pounds and was redshirted.



"I absolutely really feel like this year has become his finest year like a player, and I really feel that he's produced a fantastic choice about what he needs to undertake," mentioned Saban, including that Fluker has enhanced as substantially as any player around the group.



The mammoth Fluker, who wears a size-22 shoe, explained inside a statement that leaving early "is under no circumstances a simple choice if you are taking part in at a area like Alabama."



"''These 4 many years in Tuscaloosa are actually the very best 4 many years of my lifestyle and I value every person who aided me along the way in which," he stated.



Quarterback AJ McCarron, All-America linebacker C.J. Moseley and guard Anthony Steen have currently explained they are returning for their senior seasons. Saban did not rule out other juniors perhaps declaring for that draft prior to Tuesday's deadline.



The Tide does have promising gamers that have logged a good amount of taking part in time behind Lacy and Milliner, specifically. Two freshmen - tailback T.J. Yeldon (one,108 yards, twelve touchdowns) - and cornerback Geno Smith saw substantial action.



"You've got men and women which have been likely to visit the NFL annually and you have got persons behind them which are likely to do the exact same factors when their time comes," Milliner explained.


art prints

Oscar nominations generally an incredible checklist

The Oscar season is customarily kicked off through the Academy President along with a random star solemnly announcing the nominees within a drab ceremony. The Academy chose to shake up tradition this year even so, in one of several most cheerful Oscar mornings we have ever had.

Seth MacFarlane, the director of "Ted" and this year's Oscar host, announced the nominees alongside the invaluable Emma Stone, who had the funniest bit at final year's Oscar ceremony. MacFarlane and Stone created for an excellent duo, engaging in playful banter about every of your categories. Even if among their jokes did not fairly hit the mark, MacFarlane and Stone nonetheless looked like they have been acquiring a real ball on stage. That is in excess of might be explained about Anne Hathaway and James Franco after they hosted the Oscars two many years ago.

The announcements aside, lets speak concerning the real nominations. Like final year, 9 films created it in to the Most effective Image race. Whilst there aren't any key surprises from the lineup, the crucial point is the Academy managed to nominate 9 varied, positively marvelous films. Primary the pack is Steven Spielberg's masterful American biopic, "Lincoln," with twelve nominations. Not as well far behind "Lincoln" was my favourite film of 2012, Ang Lee's "Life of Pi," gaining 11 nominations. David O. Russell's demented romantic comedy, "Silver Linings Playbook," got eight nominations all round on top of that to starting to be the initial film because "Reds" in 1981 to score nominations in all 4 acting categories. Also amid the nominees are "Amour" (5 nominations), "Argo" (7 nominations), "Beasts in the Southern Wild" (4 nominations), "Django Unchained" (5 nominations), "Les Mis¡§|rables" (eight nominations), and "Zero Dark Thirty" (5 nominations).

Although there have been no upsets inside the Very best Image category, the top Director race is often a entire other story. As anticipated, Steven Spielberg did get in for "Lincoln" in addition to Ang Lee for "Life of Pi." The Academy threw us 3 curveballs however with Michael Haneke for "Amour," Benh Zeitlin for "Beasts with the Southern Wild," and David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook." Inexcusably absent are Ben Affleck for "Argo" and Kathryn Bigelow for "Zero Dark Thirty," the two of whom seemed like surefire locks and probable winners. What occurred? Perhaps the Academy did not truly feel like recognizing Bigelow yet again so quickly following winning for "The Harm Locker." As for comeback kid Affleck, probably his peers even now have not forgiven him for that immortally despised "Gigli." In any situation, it is a royal shame neither of those excellent directorial feats obtained acknowledgment. Nonetheless, I cannot complain a lot of seeing how the Academy did nominate 5 effectively worthy directors.

Daniel Day-Lewis will certainly win the top Actor award for his ideal portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. Bradley Cooper of "Silver Linings Playbook," Hugh Jackman of "Les Mis¡§|rables," Joaquin Phoenix of "The Master," and Denzel Washington of "Flight" need to just be grateful to become nominated for their awesome do the job. Sadly absent is John Hawkes, who gave a transcendent functionality as being a guy in an iron lung in "The Sessions."

During the Most effective Actress race the nominees are Jessica Chastain for "Zero Dark Thirty," Jennifer Lawrence for "Silver Linings Playbook," Emmanuelle Riva for "Amour," Quvenzhan¡§| Wallis for "Beasts on the Southern Wild," and Naomi Watts for "The Extremely hard." Entertaining truth, Wallis has now develop into history's youngest Very best Actress nominee at age 9 whilst Emmanuelle Riva is now the oldest at age 85. Coincidentally, Riva is going to be turning 86 on February 24th, exactly the same day because the Oscar ceremony. As fantastic as Riva and Wallis are, it is difficult to visualize them beating out Chastain or Lawrence.

The top Help Actor category is totally comprised of previous Oscar winners with Alan Arkin for "Argo," Robert De Niro for "Silver Linings Playbook," Philip Seymour Hoffman for "The Master," Tommy Lee Jones for "Lincoln," and "Christoph Waltz" for "Django Unchained." Personally, I was disappointed to check out Leonardo DiCaprio left out for his scene-stealing efficiency since the charmingly despicable plantation proprietor in "Django Uncahined." This snub was relatively anticipated nevertheless.

The very deserving Greatest Supporting Actress nominees are Amy Adams for "The Master," Sally Field for "Lincoln," Anne Hathaway for "Les Mis¡§|rables," Helen Hunt for "The Sessions," and Jacki Weaver for "Silver Linings Playbook." In response to this category, MacFarlane manufactured the hilarious crack, "Congratulations, none of you women should carry on to become attracted to Harvey Weinstein."

Subsequent to final year's Greatest Authentic Song debacle by which only two numbers have been nominated, I am information to announce the Academy did nominate 5 fantastic songs this year with "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," "Suddenly" from "Les Mis¡§|rables," "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," "Skyfall" from "Skyfall," and "Everybody Requirements a Finest Friend" from "Ted." MacFarlane lit up with glee on hearing of his nomination. For that record, "Everybody Demands a Most effective Friend" will not be the exact same song as "The F-You Thunder Song."

So these will be the highlights through the main categories. While there aren't any regrettable candidates to the ballot, there have been some notable films that failed to merit any nominations whatsoever. Wherever the top rated grossing cash makers most many years possess a tendency to become nothing at all but crap, 2012 truly brought us many sensational blockbusters, which includes "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Hunger Video games," and "The Wonderful Spider-Man." But, none of people outstanding films could even garner a technical nomination. "The Avengers," the year's greatest film, only acquired one particular nomination for Finest Visual Effects. 1 blockbuster that did fare very nicely was the breathtaking "Skyfall," obtaining 5 nominations. But even that excellent film could not break in to the Greatest Image race regardless of this getting this kind of a landmark year to the James Bond franchise.

"Cloud Atlas," one of several 2012's most technically brilliant photos, was ignored across the board when it at the least should really have gotten nominated for Very best Makeup, Art Path and Unique Score. A further film that did not get just about adequate adore was "Moonrise Kingdom," the year's most heartfelt unconventional romance. Not less than Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola got in for Most effective Unique Screenplay. Irrespective, they are likely to possess a hard time beating our Mark Boal for "Zero Dark Thirty" and Michael Haneke for "Amour."

With exception to people oversights, this can be a primarily wonderful checklist to encompass a terrific year for videos. Dependant on this Oscar Morning, we will count on two factors come Oscar Sunday. Foremost, "Lincoln" will win the ideal Image prize even though I'd enjoy practically nothing greater than to view "Life of Pi" pull an upset. Secondly, MacFarlane should really be a riot if he's anyplace close to as charismatic and likable as he was currently. With that mentioned, allow me leave you with this particular sidesplitting comment MacFarlane created in regards to the Greatest Foreign Language Image frontrunner, "Amour." "The final time Austria and Germany coproduced some thing it had been Hitler so this can be a lot greater."


food and drinks

Facebook or myspace Charging $100 to be able to Message Chief executive officer Tag Zuckerberg

Facebook is not charging for poking, and "liking" a photo continues to be totally free for the social networking internet site.


But nowadays, sending a private message to anyone can expense anyplace from $1 to $100 ¡§C should you be sending to another person like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, that's.


"We are testing some severe value factors to view what will work to filter spam," stated a Facebook spokeswoman.



Final month, Facebook introduced "paid messages," a characteristic the place consumers spend a $1 charge to get their private message sent to an individual's "strict filtering inbox" as an alternative to an obscure "other" inbox. Prior to the alter, Facebook customers had been permitted to send a private message cost-free to another person they did not know or weren't linked with.


"Several commentators and researchers have mentioned that imposing a economic expense to the sender could be by far the most helpful method to discourage undesirable messages and facilitate delivery of messages which might be related and handy," Facebook stated inside a Dec. twenty statement.



Facebook informed ABCNews.com the $100 private message supply is surely an experiment not only with Zuckerberg but to these which has a sizeable variety of subscribers. Don't forget, subscribers are individuals that are not your pals but can view the information you share with them for the reason that they adhere to you. Facebook calls these subscribers a broader group of close friends.


"This check will give a modest amount of people today the solution to shell out to possess a message routed on the 'inbox' in lieu of the 'other' folder of the recipient that they're not linked with," mentioned Facebook. "If you decide on stringent filtering, you may see largely messages from buddies as part of your inbox."


Considering that reaching one billion customers final October, the social network giant has become revamping its privacy settings and transforming the seem and really feel of your Facebook working experience on-line and in mobile products.



Facebook is "testing intense price tag factors to eradicate spam" with its new messaging charge, the website explained. As end users turn out to be far more acquainted using the new messaging charge, they will recognize the quantity of messages obtained will likely be restricted to a greatest of a single every week.


Facebook informed ABCNews.com there is lots of filtering occurring leading to acquiring the messages which might be only meant for you personally, the consumer. As far since the reaction to Facebook's new "paid messages" function, Facebook provided no comment.


United healthcare

Correct hand-washing critical all through flu season

Flu season is in complete force, with 47 states reporting widespread influenza and 24 states displaying higher illness action, in accordance with government estimates released Friday.

Although the Centers for Illness Handle and Prevention nonetheless says the very best solution to avoid influenza is usually to obtain a flu vaccine -- which it stated Friday was about 62 % efficient based mostly on preliminary study -- other daily actions like hand-washing could go an extended way.

Dr. Elaine Larson, associate dean of study at Columbia University College of Nursing, explains to CBSNews.com that some individuals might not be practicing good hand-washing tactics within the midst of flu season.

"The greatest blunder will not be covering the surfaces probably to touch, that are the fingertips," explained Larson. "People rub their palms collectively, when fingertips will be the most important."

People today really should wet their hands with clean operating water -- warm or cold does not matter -- and apply soap ahead of rubbing their hands with each other to kind a lather, based on the CDC. Pay out particular interest to your backs of the hands, among your fingers and beneath your nails. The agency stated a superb rule of thumb will be to hum the "Happy Birthday" song from get started to finish twice, to make certain that you just wash your hands for at the very least twenty seconds. Then rinse underneath operating water and dry.

Considering that operating water is not generally nearby alternative, Larson suggests carrying a bottle of hand sanitizer whilst to the go, this kind of as within a car or truck or when traveling with public transportation, the later on of which could be primarily handy in flu-affected significant cities like Boston, Chicago and New York. She says to generate confident the sanitizer includes 60 % alcohol, since other elements haven't been confirmed as productive.

Hand-washing can go an extended way, she pointed out, as the virus could be uncovered on numerous surfaces in the course of flu season.

A review co-authored by Larson during the Sept. 2012 concern of American Journal of Infection Management located the flu virus lives on hands and surfaces while in the natural environment for about 5 to 10 minutes just before it really is gone. To achieve that conclusion, researchers asked twenty people today with confirmed circumstances in the flu to cough and sneeze within their hands and touch nearby surfaces.

She says her examine suggests that there is no time for you to waste when maintaining your hands clean.

"The key matter is obtaining your hands clean at once, since there is rather excellent proof if another person coughs and sneezes, you may get contaminated."

Apart from good hand-washing procedures, Larson says it really is crucial for men and women who're sick to cough or sneeze into their elbows rather of their hands, a habit she concedes is tough to break. If an individual coughs into their hands and expels the flu virus, recontamination is often a chance if your particular person then touches their nose.

Some others who may perhaps need to be mindful are people operating out with the health club, given that gear can spread germs. She notes a lot of people may well feel the flu is often a respiratory infection full with coughing and sneezing, but additional subtle signs and symptoms like muscle aches plus a slight fever may well seem initially when persons carry about their everyday lives.

"People are really infectious just before they commence coughing stuff," she mentioned.

Other valuable recommendations provided through the CDC contain steering clear of individuals who're sick and never touching your eyes, nose and mouth when attainable. For those who turn out to be sick with flu or a further respiratory illness, remain dwelling (or hold your youngster at your home) for a minimum of 24 hrs just after fever is gone except if vital, like needing to look for health-related care.

For all those doing work in an workplace the place flu may well spread, the CDC suggests regular cleansing of touched objects and surfaces this kind of as doorknobs, keyboards and phones.

"Everyday preventive actions can assist slow the spread of germs that will bring about quite a few distinctive illnesses and might give some safety against the flu," based on CDC.


soccer

Atmosphere Force memo traces sweeping price range reduces

Air Force leaders will lower flying hrs by practically twenty % and put together for the doable finish to all noncombat or noncritical flights from late July by means of September if Congress can not agree on the spending budget and billions of bucks in automated cuts are triggered.

In an Air Force inner memo obtained from the Related Press, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley laid out broad but grim methods the services will likely be taking in coming days and weeks to enforce a civilian employing freeze, cancel air demonstrate appearances and flyovers, and slash base enhancements and repairs by about 50 %.

Past these quick actions, Donley and Gen. Mark Welsh, the Air Force chief of workers, mentioned while in the memo the services will make ideas to chop aircraft and depot servicing by about 17 % and initiate widespread civilian furloughs if there is certainly no resolution towards the spending budget matter by March. The lower in flights would lessen flying hrs by in excess of 200,000, the memo explained.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta together with other military leaders are already predicting dire consequences if Congress fails to pass a brand new spending budget and automated cuts consider spot. The Pentagon is facing a investing reduction of just about $500 billion above a decade. An supplemental $110 billion in automated investing cuts to military and domestic applications will consider result in early March if no agreement is reached.

Inside a briefing with Pentagon reporters, Donley mentioned the Air Force is simply not targeting a specific sum in cost savings to attain, but is taking measures to curtail investing exactly where doable at this time without the need of getting an irreversible result within the services and never impacting the nation's capability to wage war.

The Air Force accounts, Donley explained, will bear about as much as twenty % in the Defense Division reductions

Asked about Panetta's directive to quite possibly cancel ship, aircraft and depot upkeep within the third and fourth quarters of this fiscal year if there may be no spending budget resolution, Donley stated the Air Force will analysis every variety of aircraft and its specifications.

"We're attempting to consider prudent actions now which can be as reversible, recoverable as you possibly can," Donley stated. "We're attempting to safeguard servicing for aircraft and weapons techniques sustainability so long as we will to the fiscal year."

Welsh stated commanders will make choices on how ideal to curtail flying and the Air Force will make an effort to safeguard instruction flights as lengthy in to the year since it can.

But, he mentioned, "if sequestration hits along with the multibillion-dollars reductions fall within the final two quarters in the fiscal year, you can find no way to not influence education, flying hrs and servicing, that are matters, proper now, we're attempting to guard so long as we are able to."

Officials stated that civilian spend is about 40 % from the Air Force's operations and upkeep spending budget. Panetta has manufactured it clear that if there is certainly no spending budget agreement, the civilian workforce will encounter sweeping cuts and unpaid furloughs.

You can find about 800,000 civilians across the Defense Division, and virtually one.four million within the active-duty military. The Air Force numbers about 330,000 active-duty services members and about 143,000 fulltime civilians.


nba

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Right after Two Many years of Gloom, Nokia Has Some Very good News

Nearly two many years ago, Stephen A. Elop, Nokia's new chief executive, spoke of flaming ocean platforms and shark-infested waters to describe the troubles he inherited because the enterprise teetered for the brink of irrelevance.



Mr. Elop painted the bleak outlook as he prescribed a radical remedy for your Finnish cell phone pioneer: The rejection with the company's personal Symbian smartphone operating program for the shotgun wedding to Microsoft, itself stumbling badly with smartphone computer software. Just after that, income slumped sharply, losses mounted and large layoffs followed.



On Thursday, he delivered sudden great news: a profit. Income of its new smartphone line, the Lumia, powered by Microsoft's Windows Telephone operating procedure, soared greater than 50 % during the fourth quarter of final year, based on preliminary economic facts.



In what was observed as being a make-or-break quarter, Mr. Elop mentioned Nokia would break even or turn a two % profit instead of report a reduction as huge as ten %, as analysts anticipated.



Nokia will report its earnings on Jan. 24.



Wall Street reacted for the announcement by sending Nokia's American depositary receipts up 18.67 %, or 70 cents, to $4.45.



"While we absolutely skilled some difficult problems while in the initial half of 2012, we're managing by means of these troubles," Mr. Elop stated inside a conference get in touch with with journalists.



What Nokia has achieved underneath Mr. Elop should be to generate a line of more and more competitive smartphones that happen to be beginning to draw favorable comparisons with these from Samsung and Apple, the 2 businesses most accountable for knocking Nokia from its lofty perch.



"The Lumia smartphones are night-and-day distinct from Nokia's old Symbian handsets," explained Francisco Jeronimo, an analyst with all the Global Information Corporation in London. "I believe what we're starting up to find out now is what will probably be a steady turnaround in Nokia's fortunes."



The business, which dominated the cellphone business enterprise until finally Apple introduced its iPhone in 2007, nevertheless includes a prolonged strategy to head to reach its former stature. While in the third quarter, Nokia held on to a four % share of your worldwide smartphone market place, and was ranked a distant No. ten within the sector, as outlined by Tactic Analytics, a investigation company.



Samsung and Apple, the No. one and No. two smartphone makers, with each other had 50 % in the worldwide smartphone market place, and their product sales have been rising. Though its rivals rose, Nokia has created just about five billion euros ($6.five billion) in losses below Mr. Elop, and eradicated a third of its function force.



The important thing to its turnaround was the introduction in October of your top-of-the-line Lumia 920 and 820, which applied the new Windows Cell phone eight operating process. Given that then, Nokia has spent heavily on marketing in Britain and Europe to encourage the designs. The corporation is not going to disclose simply how much it had spent on its campaign, but its tv adverts have been ubiquitous in excess of the holidays, stated Neil Mawston, an analyst at System Analytics in London.



The heavy promotion, which was aided by Microsoft's personal marketing, has aided the business recapture a few of its lost glory, Mr. Mawston stated.



But he warned that "Nokia nonetheless lacks the real killer telephone that may allow it to compete together with the iPhone five or Samsung Galaxy S III." He anticipated Nokia's share on the international smartphone marketplace to rise to six % from the finish in the year.



The company's fiscal place is most likely to revive all the more immediately due to the stringent cost-cutting imposed by Mr. Elop, who ran Microsoft's enterprise software package division ahead of joining Nokia in late 2010.



Considering the fact that then, Nokia has shut factories across Europe. Final month, the business sold its 540,000-square-foot glass-and-wood headquarters during the Helsinki suburb of Espoo to Finnish investors, and leased it back. The maneuver netted Nokia 170 million euros.



Apart from a far more competitive array of phones, Nokia has discarded its market-leader mentality. Staff members are now routinely traveling in economic climate class and sharing rides to airports. Employees no longer use pricey phone conference calling but talk in group teleconferences employing much less high-priced World-wide-web calling solutions.



"The business is actually a good deal more compact now but persons are doing work far better with each other," explained Susan Sheehan, a Nokia spokeswoman. "Everyone is pitching in."



Even at Nokia Siemens, the company's long-suffering network tools venture, the long term is searching brighter than it had been two many years ago. On Thursday, Nokia stated the unit, which contributes about 40 % of complete revenue, would report an operating profit to the quarter, its third consecutive quarterly profit.



Nokia, in its announcement to investors, even revised the operating profit margin forecast on the venture to 13 to 15 % of income, up from a array of four to twelve %.



Searching ahead, Nokia explained it anticipated to return to an operating reduction of two % of revenue on account of the first-quarter postholiday acquiring lull and fierce competitors. However the final results for your coming 3 months could fluctuate extensively.



Pete Cunningham, an analyst at Canalys, a investigation company in Studying, England, explained that Nokia nonetheless faced issues. "2013 could even now turn out to get an additional extremely hard year for Nokia. It is actually way as well premature to state that the firm has produced a turnaround."



Mr. Cunningham explained he utilised the Lumia 920, Nokia's newest smartphone, throughout the Christmas holidays and liked it.



"But the a lot more I employed the cell phone, the extra obvious it became to me that you can find huge gaps involving Lumia and its rivals regarding the performance and usability of its apps," Mr. Cunningham explained.



"I even now believe there is certainly lots of get the job done to become carried out on Lumia."


finance strategy

Theme for '13: Excellent expectations

Watch closely, people. The 2013 NASCAR season might be 1 to don't forget.

I am counting on it, if not betting on it.

Some items are likely to occur in NASCAR this year which have hardly ever occurred prior to. Along with a number of points could possibly come about that nobody has observed in lots of many years.

Let us start out having a couple of confident matters, or nearly positive issues:

" 43 many years ago -- The final time NASCAR raced on dirt. It had been Sept. 30, 1970, within the fairgrounds in Raleigh, N.C. Richard Petty won for the 1-mile oval.

NASCAR goes vintage racing this year using a Camping Globe Truck Series occasion around the dirt at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, a half-mile oval owned by Tony Stewart.

This race will probably be one of many most anticipated occasions with the season. It will take location on July 24, a Wednesday evening ahead of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis (90 miles away) 4 days later on.

The field are going to be restricted to 30 trucks. Eldora has 16,000 seats, but further grandstands will probably be brought in to get a probably sellout crowd.

" A female initial -- No girl ever has run a complete Cup season, except for that six-race inaugural NASCAR season in 1949, when Sara Christian raced in all 6 occasions.

She completed 13th total, finest ever for any lady, but a six-race season hardly counts by today's requirements.

Danica Patrick will come to be the initial female of your modern-day era to race a total Cup routine (barring injury or suspension) this season when she runs complete time for Stewart-Haas Racing.

By modern day requirements, Janet Guthrie posted the top ranking for any female when she completed 23rd within the 1977 standings though operating 19 of 30 occasions, earning 4 top-10s.

Equaling that mark is really a tall process for Patrick, but not extremely hard. Bobby Labonte was 23rd during the 2012 standings with two top-5s and an normal finish of 22.six. Patrick is going to be within a much better vehicle (Hendrick Motorsports gear) than Labonte has.

Right here are quite a few other items that may occur for your initial time within a extended time and a few other individuals that might be a initial in NASCAR:

" 51 many years ago -- The 1962 season marked the final time NASCAR had 3 consecutive seasons the place a crew proprietor won a Cup title for that 1st time.

It'll occur this year if Michael Waltrip Racing claims its very first title with both Clint Bowyer or Martin Truex Jr. Each guys produced the 2012 Chase, and Bowyer completed because the championship runner-up to Brad Keselowski.

"We possess the capability to enhance on our good results from final season," explained Scott Miller, MWR's vice president of competitors. "We designed a system final season to acquire from point A to point B, and we discovered a great deal of results with all the system. We'll utilize the similar method to aid us together with the advancement from the 2013 vehicle.

"Toyota Racing Improvement is functioning truly challenging to the engines to provide us a lot more reliability and even more electrical power. I believe we will elevate our plan this season and compete for the championship once again."

Stewart's 2011 title was the very first Cup crown for Stewart-Haas Racing. Keselowski gave Roger Penske his long-awaited Cup championship in 2012.

Rex White (1960), Ned Jarrett (1961) and Joe Weatherly (1962) gave group owners first-time championships half a century ago. The fascinating factor is all 3 of them ran races in individuals championship many years for a lot more than one particular crew proprietor, not unusual in these days.

" 32 many years ago -- Darrell Waltrip won the 1981 title in his initial season driving for Junior Johnson. Nobody has performed it considering the fact that, but Matt Kenseth includes a fantastic shot at it this year in his to start with season for Joe Gibbs Racing.

" 17 many years ago -- The 1996 season was the sole time a driver won the championship twelve many years eliminated from his final 1. Terry Labonte did it at Hendrick Motorsports. Jeff Gordon could equal the feat this year for boss Rick Hendrick. Gordon's fourth and final Cup title came in 2001.

" 14 many years ago -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his 2nd consecutive Nationwide title (the Busch Series with the time) in 1999. That was the final time the Earnhardt title had a championship banner.

There are actually two means that may transpire this year. Earnhardt could win the Cup crown in what may perhaps be his finest possibility ever. And Regan Smith could win the Nationwide title driving his to start with complete season for JR Motorsports.

" 13 many years ago -- Bobby Labonte's Cup championship in 2000 was the final time NASCAR had a driver who was the brother of the champion win a title while in the similar series.

Ty Dillon could win the Camping Planet Truck Series crown this year, two seasons right after his brother, Austin Dillon, won it.

Austin also is really a contender for your Nationwide Series title this year, so they could come to be the primary brothers to win titles inside the very same season.

" ten many years ago -- Brian Vickers won the Nationwide title in 2003. He's among the list of favorites to win it this year in his initial season driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. If he does, he'll grow to be the 1st guy to win championships within the series ten many years apart.

" Back-to-back titles in two series -- That by no means has occurred, but Ricky Stenhouse Jr. features a shot at it this year. Granted, it is an extended shot, but he's driving a high quality car or truck to get a group that manufactured the Chase final year. Stenhouse, who won the previous two Nationwide titles, replaces Kenseth at Roush Fenway Racing.

Keselowski and Greg Biffle came near to accomplishing this feat. Keselowski's Cup crown final year came two many years following he won the 2010 Nationwide title. Biffle won the 2002 Nationwide championship two many years immediately after winning the CWTS title.

Keselowski and Bobby Labonte will be the only Nationwide champs (up to now) who went on to win a Cup title.


soccer

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

CNN's 2013 travel want checklist

We've all got them: locations that reside massive in imagination or memory, begging us to hop on the plane to uncover their tasty mysteries.

Since the new year kicks off, a handful of our pretty well-traveled CNN correspondents -- who've been spots and noticed matters numerous of us could never ever see firsthand -- share their location wishes for 2013 and past.

Exactly where have you been dreaming of going to this year? Please share your picks during the comments beneath. eight travel resolutions for 2013

Mongolia

Senior Worldwide Correspondent Ben Wedeman set his sights on Mongolia early in existence. "Back when I was, I believe, 9 or 10 many years old I go through a guide about Marco Polo, how he traveled with his uncles around the ultimate small business excursion for the Mongol Empire at its height," wrote Wedeman, who not too long ago moved to Rome right after an assignment in Cairo.

"The excursion lasted nearly a quarter of the century, for the duration of which he grew up, mastered Mongolian, gained the self-confidence of your Mongol emperor, Kublai Khan, after which at some point returned residence with wonderful tales of unusual lands and stranger folks. The story hooked me."

twelve months, twelve trips to create your pals jealous

Wedeman socked away cash from his to start with task delivering newspapers with an eye toward a $3,000 excursion to Mongolia advertised from the Sunday New York Instances magazine. "Making close to $30 a month, it might have taken me a lot more than eight many years to come up together with the revenue."

He go through about Mongolia within the meantime but spent almost all of his teenage many years from the Arab globe, wherever he realized the language and became considering journalism, "for improved or for worse, a busier profession within the Middle East than in Mongolia, such as."

Wedeman took programs in classical and modern-day Mongolian whilst learning for his master's degree and observed it "beastly tough."

He even now needs to take a look at, within the spring or summer season, he mentioned. "Mongolian winters, when temperatures drop to ?30 ??C (?22 ??F) are certainly not for me, thank you really a lot."

He says he would employ a manual and horses and set out to the huge steppes.

"I know it truly is modified radically because I to start with latched on towards the concept. For something it is no longer a part of the communist bloc, it really is no longer isolated, and its economic climate is rising swiftly fueled by a mining boom (that's destroying the classic nomadic life-style, and severely harming the when pristine natural environment)."

The value right now with an upscale organization is acceptable, he explained, "compared for the $3,000 it had been back in 1971."

"Today precisely the same excursion is close to $5000, which even though a nevertheless hefty sum, is, with regards to inflation, a steal."

Jordan

CNN Senior Worldwide Correspondent Nic Robertson spent a lot with the previous year in conflict-ridden spots that lots of travelers stay clear of currently, which includes Syria, Libya, Egypt and Lebanon. Up coming year, Robertson expects to travel to Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Jordan and Mali in North Africa, the place he says al Qaeda is placing down roots.

So you'd believe he could possibly want to commit a while on the secluded seaside someplace. Nope. He would like to travel with his wife and two daughters (ages 17 and 21) to Jordan.

"I have still to consider my young children there and this is a extremely distinctive spot to my wife and I as we met there inside the make as much as the primary Gulf War," wrote Robertson, briefly in the home in London, in an e-mail. "The hotel we met in, which was the CNN hotel, on the time known as the Philadelphia, now the Radisson, was attacked by Zarqawi suicide bombers in 2005.

"Jordan now is getting much less steady and I'd wish to consider my young children there to stop by areas like Petra, the Roman ruins in Amman and Jerash, the Dead Sea and Aqaba in which I discovered to dive. My eldest daughter's 2nd title is Jordan immediately after the nation ... which means you can see the connection runs deep."

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Do the job has taken CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley worldwide, but in her totally free time she's "never been a lot of the traveler" past a yearly pilgrimage to Sleeping Bear Bay in Michigan, which Crowley calls "the area of my heart."

However several many years ago, she was within a boat off the coast of Australia with her grown little ones, residing out a travel dream.

"I started to check out substantial locations of dark brown spread across the horizon of blue water. I began to cry. I by no means imagined a dream I had because I was a teenager would come real, but there I was about to scuba dive and snorkel in an place on the Fantastic Barrier Reef," wrote Crowley.

"I like water, sea lifestyle, scuba diving and snorkeling. I really like the warmth of sand just prior to it will get so hot you require footwear. I adore a location with that spiritual really feel of background and mystery. I really like getting with my young children there to share."

Crowley's got her following fantasy excursion mapped out.

"Now I've a financial institution account with 'The Galapagos' written on it. It can be not inside the cards for 2013, but I will get there.

"I need to do one among individuals week lengthy boat trips using the scientists on board who inform you what you have witnessed, what you happen to be about to determine for the reason that I believe it'll ratchet up the awe element, if that is probable."

Pantanal area, Brazil

Shasta Darlington, a CNN correspondent primarily based in S?o Paulo, is established to pay a visit to the Pantanal area of Brazil.

"This is my 2nd time residing in Brazil and it is some thing I failed to undertake the 1st time, so I choose to ensure that I get there this time," wrote Darlington.

"It's the biggest contiguous wetland within the globe and teeming with animal daily life. A lot of people imagine the Amazon would be the area to head to see Brazilian flora and fauna, however the Pantanal area is quickly just as wealthy in animals and they are much easier to spot, specifically for the duration of rainy season when rivers rise forcing animals virtually onto islands."

The area is difficult to attain and navigate, Darlington explained, with generally lodge-like accommodations and boats, little planes and four-wheel-drive autos for transportation. However the rewards are wealthy. "There are an abundance of birds, monkeys, caimans, snakes, butterflies and fish available."

South Africa

"There are some locations you know the moment you stage off the plane will adjust you. For me, it is constantly been Africa," wrote Patrick Oppmann, CNN's correspondent in Havana. He has visited the continent 3 times but has nevertheless to produce it to South Africa. "As a journalist, I've prolonged been fascinated with how South Africa is emerging from decades from the racial divisions in the Apartheid era.

"But it really is something to go through about these many years and an additional to basically check out Robben Island, in which Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, or to stroll in District six, the location wherever 1000s of black residents had their neighborhoods destroyed."

And needless to say, the country's breathtaking elegance is really a massive draw. "You can hit the seaside, hike Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town, consider in wonderful wildlife and cage dive between Fantastic White sharks."

Oppmann would not miss attempting braai, the South African method of spit-roasting meat above an open fire.

"And if there was a cold glass with the fantastic neighborhood wine or beer to go as well as the braai, that might be just fine also."

The place are you currently dreaming about going in 2013?


household entertainment

Massive Discounts Throughout New York Hotel Week

For the 2nd year inside a row, New York City hotels are supplying huge discounts for the duration of what?¡¥s usually one particular on the slowest instances with the year.


24 hotels are participating in Hotel Week NYC, which kicked off Friday and runs till Jan. twenty. Area prices of $100, $200 and $250 can be found at a number of hotels ?a several of which ordinarily charge upwards of $500 a evening. Some from the participating hotels can also be like breakfast.


?¡ãLast year?¡¥s first-ever Hotel Week produced 500 space nights for your eight participating hotels. In 2013, we hope to double these numbers at a time when each hotel could advantage from incremental small business,?¡À mentioned Nancy Friedman, founder of Hotel Week. ?¡ãThis is a fantastic time for hotel visitors to consider benefit with the quite a few post-holiday product sales and also have a calming, economical getaway simultaneously.?¡À


Following is often a checklist of participating hotels:


Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC


Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC


The Maritime


The OUT NYC


The Jade Hotel


The Hotel @ Instances Square


nyma, the new york manhattan hotel


Pod 39


Pod 51


The James New York


Hyatt 48 Lex


Ace Hotel New York


Library Hotel


Casablanca Hotel


Hotel Giraffe


Hotel Elysee


Sanctuary Hotel


Hotel Belleclaire


Cosmopolitan Hotel ¡§C Tribeca


Washington Jefferson Hotel


The GEM Hotel Chelsea


The GEM Hotel Midtown West


The GEM Hotel SoHo


Comfort Inn Midtown West


Comfort Inn Occasions Square South


Visitors can get in touch with hotels immediately and mention ?¡ãHotel Week?¡À or pay a visit to the hotels?¡¥ web-sites to produce a reservation. The promotion is topic to availability.


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Friday, January 4, 2013

Steady job growth too slow to dent unemployment rate

Employers last month shrugged off worries about the high-profile budget battle in Washington and continued hiring at a slow, steady pace, government data showed Friday.

“(The job market) has been very resilient to a lot of the uncertainty that people have been talking about,” said Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and former economic adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden. “This is an okay job report at a time when you might have expected something worse.”

But the pool of workers looking for a job remains nearly twice as big as it was before the 2007 recession began to take hold.

The Labor Department reported Friday that payrolls, rose by 155,000 in December. That’s just about fast enough to keep pace with the growth of the population, but not enough to make a dent in the unemployment rate, which remained stuck at 7.8 percent last month.

“This has been the story throughout the recovery that began more than three years ago,” said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capitol Economics.

The number of unemployed Americans last month was essentially unchanged, at 12.2 million. That’s down from a peak of 15.4 million in October, 2009, but much higher than the 6.7 million who were out of work in March 2007.

The job gains last month were spread over a broad segment of the economy, from construction to manufacturing to health care.

Economists say the breadth of jobs gains is a good indication that the slow but steady recovery remains on track. But most forecasters expect the lackluster pace of growth – about two percent as measured by the gross domestic product – to continue through 2013.

Wage growth also remained flat, after adjusting for inflation, as it has since the recovery began. That trend runs counter to past economic rebounds, when wages have traditionally risen as the unemployment rate has fallen, according to Wells Fargo chief economist John Silvia.

“(That) supports the message of weaker consumer spending and GDP growth ahead,” he said

While the political spectacle of a dysfunctional government seems have had little impact on December hiring, the results of the budget battle are expected to have at least some dampening effect on hiring. Government spending, a critical target in the ongoing debate, makes up roughly 20 percent of U.S. economic activity.

Friday’s numbers demonstrated the impact of the ongoing budget squeeze on the job market. In December, government at all levels cut 13,000 jobs. For all of 2012, government payrolls shrank by 68,000.

Slow

BLS

While the December jobless rate was nearly a percentage point lower than a year ago, it’s still well above the average over the last 60 years of about 6 percent. The drop has also come as millions of workers have given up trying to find work. As a result, the portion of the population officially counted in the labor force is at the lowest level in three decades.

The pool of “long-term” jobless workers – those without a paycheck for 27 weeks or more – remained unchanged in December at 4.8 million, or nearly 40 percent of the unemployed.

That high level of persistent unemployment prompted the Federal Reserve to embark on its latest, open-ended round of bond buying in September to force interest rates lower and help spur hiring. The central bank has kept interest rates near zero since 2008. On Thursday, however, minutes from the Fed's December meeting suggested that some policymakers were growing more concerned about the impact of that policy on the financial markets.

Friday’s lackluster job data will likely help support proponents of the Fed’s continued easy-money policy, said Ashworth.

“If this state of affairs continues throughout most of this year, as we expect, then it is hard to see the Fed dialing back or stopping its (bond) purchases as some officials currently envisage,” he said.

The December report included a number of revisions, in part due to annual tweaks in the adjustments the Labor Department uses to smooth out seasonal swings in hiring. The government raised its estimate for the unemployment rate in November by a tenth of a point to 7.8 percent. The payroll number for November was also raised to 161,000 new jobs, from 146,000.

FAA orders inspections for older Boeing 737s

The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering more than 100 older Boeing 737s to be checked for cracks and holes in the fuselage.

CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg spoke to Anthony Mason and Norah O'Donnell about what the FAA is ordering and what prompted them to do it.

No "cliff" deal means huge cuts for FAA
Southwest pulls 81 planes after emergency landing

Greenberg called the Boeing 737 a high-cycle airplane, which means they fly a lot of takeoffs and landings. And every time you cycle a plane -- takeoff and land -- the fuselage gets pressurized and depressurized.

"That can lead, if you're not careful, to fatigue cracks and a rupture in the skin," he said. "So what the new FAA directive is calling for are more inspections -- not just visual inspections, but electromagnetic inspections -- because if you don't get these fatigue cracks early enough, they can lead to cracking. And next thing you know, a fracture of the fuselage."

Greenberg said it's not unusual for a 737 to do seven or eight takeoffs and landings a day, whereas a 747 may only do one or two. And he stressed that every aircraft will develop these kinds of cracks, nor is it the first directive the FAA has issued.

"They're not dangerous if you check them frequently," he said. "It's not a question of the age of the plane. It's the cycle versus the inspection regime and that's what the FAA is asking for now -- more repetitive inspections. And I think they're right."