Web pioneer is now a portal in a storm

Yahoo Inc. attracts more visitors each month than any other
Internet site. But it is wrestling with the same disruptive forces
hammering old and new media alike: rapidly evolving technology,
changing audience tastes and growing competition. By Chris
Gaither.
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Outbreak triggers calls for tougher produce guidelines

The produce industry and federal regulators are facing renewed
pressure to adopt stricter guidelines for growing and handling
fresh fruit and vegetables after Taco Bell said Wednesday it would
remove green onions from its 5,800 restaurants following a recent
E. coli outbreak. By Ellen Barry.
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History fires the imagination

The creative team behind Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" did a lot of
research on the Mayan civilization. But when it came time to
re-create that universe, they allowed their imaginations to build
on historical fact. By Susan King.
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HP spy scandal lawsuit is settled

Hewlett-Packard Co.'s settlement of a lawsuit stemming from the
spying scandal that rocked the Silicon Valley icon could set new
standards for corporate behavior and strengthen enforcement of
privacy laws, legal experts said Thursday. By James S. Granelli.
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L.A.-area designer teams with Carrefour

BCBG Max Azria Group, one of Los Angeles' best-known fashion
designers, announced Thursday that it was joining with a French
retail giant to produce women's apparel for its European stores.
By Abigail Goldman.
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Long way home

Two British newcomers joined the Dixie Chicks with three
nominations in the four marquee categories for the 49th Annual
Grammy Awards, which will be handed out Feb. 11 at Staples Center.
By Geoff Boucher.
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Diamonds have more best friends than ever

The diamond industry had reason to fear "Blood Diamond." The movie
is two-plus hours of brutal violence and corrupt gem dealing -
opening smack in the middle of the biggest diamond-buying season
of the year. Yet diamond sales have never been better. By Valli
Herman.
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Premium wine sales pour in

Wine shoppers are plunking down more to drink up, and California
is reaping the benefit. The state's wines have cornered about 85%
of the U.S. market for $15-and-up bottles, a study finds. By David
Colker.
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Wii shortages frustrating gamers BBC News
Shortages of Nintendo Wii consoles around Europe have left some gamers who pre-ordered the new machine frustrated.Nintendo, which has already launched the machine in the US and Japan, said it expected to sell out of Wiis on the first day of sales. More than four million Wiis will be shipped globally this year, and 50,000 were sold in the UK in 12 hours. BBC News has been e-mailed by gamers disappointed that pre-orders for the machine have not been fulfilled. More than 1,200 Wiis have gone on sale on online auction site eBay in the UK within hours of the launch. The highest price for a console so far has been £500. Simon Ball from Wales e-mailed the BBC News website to say he had failed to receive his ordered Wii.He said: "I pre-ordered the Nintendo Wii from Play.com on 15 September along with some software. "I have been informed today that it is unlikely my order will be fulfilled before Christmas. Incredibly they have dispatched the game we ordered to accompany the console."

'Not shipped enough'
Claire Inglesby from Liverpool wrote: "I pre-ordered the console in November from Woolworths website for my son's Christmas present. "I received an e-mail today informing me that as Nintendo had not shipped enough I might not receive my order."So the fact that I had the foresight to pre-order and not disappoint my son means very little as they obviously expect me to camp outside Woolworths for days on end." David Yarnton, general manager, Nintendo UK, said: "We are doing everything we can do to meet demand throughout Christmas and the New Year period." A spokesman for Woolworths said there were problems getting stock from Nintendo. The UK chain has said it expects to fulfil all pre-orders for the machine by next Tuesday or Wednesday. He said: "Demand has far outstripped supply and we are delighted to have been able to secure a significant amount of consoles for our customers before Christmas." Woolworths were not able to confirm if they would receive any more stock once pre-orders had been met. Currys, PC World and Dixons have said they will deal with outstanding pre-orders in "strict chronological order".In a statement from the retail group, it said: "When we reached the point in the pre-ordering process when demand exceeded anticipated supply, we made it clear to any customers choosing to join the list after that date there were no guarantees that we would be able to fulfil their orders prior to Christmas." Rob Lowe, UK product manager for Wii, said: "There is a good chance it will sell out on Friday. "Judging by the feedback we have had from the retailers I would say you would be lucky to get one on Saturday," he said. Response to the Nintendo Wii's release has been very positive among consumers and journalists. The console costs £179 and includes a motion-sensitive controller shaped like a remote control. The so-called Wiimote can be jabbed, swung, waved and turned to imitate a range of real-life motions that are represented on screen. Nintendo hopes that simplifying the control system will make games consoles less intimidating to non-gamers and more accessible and immersive for hardened players.

Is the Nintendo Wii a revolution in gaming? Will it appeal to people who have never played videogames before? Did you pre-order one? Have you had problems picking up it up? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.
Here are a selection of your comments that we have received:
I pre-ordered my Wii from an online store a few months ago. A friend of mine had ordered his before me, from a different online store, and was advised recently that he wouldn't be getting one on release day. Thankfully the company I ordered with seems to have more stock. Mine has been despatched and I'm waiting for the delivery man to arrive with it any minute now!
Tom Rushton, Stoke on Trent

Pre-ordered a Wii from Curry's. Went to pick it up to find the store covered in posters telling me that they (as in all Curry's shops) had received nothing from Nintendo and that their allocation had been reallocated to another store. They offered me a refund or a wait until January. Took the refund.
CJ Anderson, Biggin Hill Kent

I have pre-booked a Wii from Oxford Street HMV, but have been told they only got 51 units to satisfy the pre-orders, but were also told 200 people who haven't pre-ordered can wait outside Oxford Street store and queue. A lot of students and people who don't have a full time job are laughing in the queue and there are so many on ebay for sale for nearly double the price. Why have Nintendo done this? People are making money out of these units by themselves. I hope I get mine before Christmas otherwise I will cancel my order. The bigger the company it seems the less they care about their loyal fans...who happen to have a life outside video games and can't queue up for two days.
Tim Warren, London

Having not pre-ordered a machine I was highly doubting being able to pick one up before Christmas. I took a chance and headed down to the local 24-hour Tesco. I arrived there at 7pm and was 18th in the queue, with a total of 28 machines and a limited number of games available. My biggest thanks go to the staff at Tescos in Wath upon Dearne. They provided seating, hot drinks, and it was easily the most organised, efficient and top class service I have received in a long time. I left the store at 12:01 with a Wii and Wii sports, extra remote and Wii Play, for £210 all in. Top stuff.
Lee Hawksworth, Rotherham, UK

I pre-ordered with Game and successful collected it at midnight. I was just going to pick it up this lunchtime but the manager warned they "may" be short in accessories and games so I went down just in case. Got everything we needed and it is currently sitting at home waiting to be opened this evening when a party of invited people arrives. Very excited indeed.
Claire, Glasgow

I managed to pick one up without pre-ordering. A local shop had five non-pre-order consoles in stock; I arrived 30 minutes before it opened and was first in the queue. The smaller retailers are a Godsend!
Jamie Cole, Newcastle upon Tyne

I pre-ordered a Wii from Woolworths for delivery to my local store on 7th November. I was told it was despatched on 2nd December, and then nothing.... The store don't know, the customer service don't know. They have my money and they have supposedly sent it to the store, but it has taken six days and no joy. I am not quite sure where they are sending it from - but six days in this modern age to deliver a parcel in the UK is madness.
Mat Robinson, Bishops Stortford, Herts

My boyfriend pre-ordered his Wii online more that a month ago, and it never arrived today. He's very disappointed as he took the day off just to play it. It might come tomorrow, but the weekend is ruined already.
Amanda Harrigan, Dunfermline, Fife

I pre-ordered the console in November from Woolworths website, for my son's Christmas present, I received an email today informing me that as Nintendo had not shipped enough I might not receive my order. And yet, according to your news article Woolworths are preparing for a busy time ahead expecting today to 'be busiest day of the year' - charming! So the fact that I had the foresight to pre-order and not disappoint my son means very little as they obviously expect me to camp outside Woolworths for days on end. I will indeed remember to book extra time off work next year in order to do so!
Claire Inglesby, Liverpool

I ordered mine with Argos a while ago and was told that I will receive it on release date. On 5 December I spoke to Argos and again it was on its way, so far down the order on its way that I wasn't allowed to change the address it was to be delivered to but on 6 Dec I received a call to advise that they don't have enough. Now that's service for you. Merry Christmas from Argos.
Robert Cartwright, Preston

Snipes arrested in tax fraud case BBC News
Actor Wesley Snipes has been arrested in Orlando after surrendering himself to authorities on tax fraud charges.The 44-year-old flew into an Orlando airport and gave himself up, a spokesman for his new film said. An arrest warrant was issued in October for the Hollywood star over reports he had dodged millions of dollars in taxes in 1996 and 1997. He says he is a scapegoat and has been unfairly targeted. If convicted he faces up to 16 years in prison. Mr Snipes was filming Gallow Walker in Namibia when the arrest warrant was issued. He was not forced to leave the country as the African nation does not have an extradition treaty with the US. Ian Thompson, a spokesman for Sheer Films, which is producing Gallow Walker, told the Associated Press that Mr Snipes planned to return to Namibia after the court appearance to finish work on the film.

Conspired
The actor has also been charged with failure to file tax returns from 1999 through to 2004 and conspiring with two men to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which collects taxes in the US. Mr Snipes' former accountant has already surrendered to authorities. The actor's first role was in Goldie Hawn's 1986 American football comedy Wildcats, and he later appeared in the video for Michael Jackson's Bad, which was directed by Martin Scorsese. He also appeared in hit films such as White Men Can't Jump, New Jack City and the Blade trilogy.

Verdict against Lehman is upheld

An appeals court backs a jury's decision that the Wall Street
giant is liable for aiding fraud by an O.C. lender, but damages
will be recalculated. By E. Scott Reckard.
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Avon calls; China now answers

SHANGHAI - With Beijing easing a ban on door-to-door sales,
companies are training armies of salespeople to tap a huge
potential market. By Don Lee.
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Suit filed over billboard fee increase

Caltrans says the hike to $100 annually from $20 is needed to
cover the expense of regulating the displays. Outdoor ad companies
say that is excessive. By Alana Semuels.
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U.S. payrolls grow more than expected

Employers add a net 132,000 jobs, led by strong hiring in services
such as healthcare and finance. Manufacturing and housing post
drops. By Lisa Girion.
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Taco Bell feels fallout from E. coli outbreak

A man who says he fell ill after eating at the chain files suit.
Analysts downgrade the stock. By Marla Cone.
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Tribes place bets outside the casino

ARDMORE, Okla. - Native American nations that want to diversify
are turning to Chinese partners. In Oklahoma the Chickasaws are
getting a sports-car assembly plant. By Evelyn Iritani.
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More bands finding venues on the Web

Not desiring - or willing to wait for - a major record deal, more
artists are distributing their music online. By Alana Semuels.
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Money flows on faith in the Fed

Cash glut buoys markets as investors trust central bankers to
restrain inflation without killing the global expansion. By Tom
Petruno.
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Anti-poverty banker accepts Nobel BBC News
Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank have received the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in the Norwegian capital Oslo.Mr Yunus founded the bank, which helps people out of poverty by giving them small, usually unsecured loans. Mr Yunus, 66, said he would use the 10m Swedish kronor ($1.35m, prize money to "find more innovative ways" to help the poor launch businesses. "Poverty is a threat to peace," he told the awards ceremony. "The frustrations, hostility and anger generated by abject poverty cannot sustain peace in any society in the world." He added that while terrorism had to be condemned "in the strongest language", the world needed to tackle its root causes. "I believe that putting resources into improving the lives of the poor people is a better strategy than spending it on guns," Mr Yunus said. He set up the Grameen Bank in 1976 with just $27 from his own pocket. Thirty years on, it has 6.6 million borrowers, of which 97% are women, according to the bank's website. Nobel prizes are always presented on the 10 December anniversary of the death of their creator, Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel. Mr Yunus, the first Nobel laureate from Bangladesh, was accompanied by bank board member Mosammat Taslima Begum at the ceremony. Norwegian Nobel Committee chairman Ole Danbolt Mjoes said that by giving the award to Mr Yunus, the group wanted to highlight not only the fight against poverty, but also dialogue with the Muslim world and the need to empower women. "Micro-credit has proved itself to be a liberating force in societies where women in particular have to struggle against repressive social and economic conditions," he said.

Creativity fertilizes garden of 'green' cars

Expo showcases vehicles that go easy on energy, including a
yet-to-exist electric sports car. By Roger Vincent.
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Gibson movie opens at No. 1

His "Apocalypto" brings in $14.2 million for the weekend despite
the film's challenges. By Josh Friedman.
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Berman, copyright fan, to run key panel

WASHINGTON - The L.A. congressman's rise cheers the media industry
but backers of free content are wary. By Jim Puzzanghera.
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Iraqi dinar builds head of steam amid nation's chaos

BAGHDAD - The currency nears its peak value since being reissued
in 2004. With the state buying to curb inflation, the strength may
be temporary. By Molly Hennessy-Fiske.
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Imax seeks new capital to help in regaining focus

It needs to add theaters and develop a digital format, analysts
say. High costs and an SEC probe make investors wary. By Lorenza
Muñoz.
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Music silenced by Nazis will be heard

The Los Angeles Opera will launch a multiyear "Recovered Voices"
project focusing on music suppressed by the Nazis. The series of
concerts, to be led by L.A. Opera music director James Conlon,
will be underwritten by a $3.25-million gift from Los Angeles
philanthropist Marilyn Zierling. By Chris Pasles.
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Step right up, folks!

Detoxify your body. Eat all you like and lose weight. Dubious
health claims are everywhere. Nobody can possibly keep track of
all the latest medical advances or health products, but consumers
can learn to spot the tell-tale signs of bogus remedies and false
promises. By Chris Woolston.
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AIG to buy Dubai's U.S. port assets

Insurance giant American International Group Inc. agreed to
purchase an Arab company's politically mangled investment in
several U.S. ports, ending a brief stewardship that unleashed a
storm of criticism about foreign operators in American harbors. By
Ronald D. White.
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Mexico hopes tax on soda will refill lost oil revenue

MEXICO CITY - Mexico is trying to make up for a projected
shortfall in oil revenue by raising taxes on other quick-fix
liquids: colas and carbonated drinks. By Marla Dickerson and
Carlos Martinez.
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U.S. eases its tactics on suspect firms

WASHINGTON - Federal prosecutors are backing away from some of the
aggressive tactics they have employed against corporate crime amid
growing criticism that their methods have trampled on the rights
of white-collar defendants. By Jonathan Peterson and Kathy M.
Kristof.
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Housing still up in some areas

Home values continue to increase in the county's less-expensive
neighborhoods, offsetting declines in higher-end ZIP Codes. By
Annette Haddad.
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Six Flags says it will keep Magic Mountain rolling

The firm plans to decide by year-end whether to sell the park and
says it would be sold as an operating business, not for its real
estate value. By Alana Semuels.
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Multiple choice

With award season now at full throttle - on Thursday, nominations
will be announced for the Golden Globes - it seems there could be
a glut of big names competing with themselves for the affections
of voters. By Geoff Boucher.
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'Nip/Tuck' will implant itself here

Goodbye, South Beach. Hello, Beverly Hills. McNamara-Troy, the
debauched plastic surgeons of "Nip/Tuck," have hung up their Miami
shingle and traded up (or so they think) for the reconstructive
mecca of a famous Left Coast address. By Maria Elena Fernandez.
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Do I look phat?

BMW's new physics-defying X5 adds power and inches - and yards of
luxury. Yet the vehicle's initial impression is one of sheer,
unmitigated mass, a pitiless heft and center-of-the-Earth-seeking
tonnage one associates with falling safes. By Dan Neil.
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Landmark EU chemical law passed BBC News
The European Parliament has backed a deal, reached with EU governments, on wide-ranging legislation to control the use of toxic chemicals in industry.The law is designed to make firms prove the thousands of chemicals they use in products from cars to clothes are safe. It comes after years of wrangling between firms keen to avoid more red tape and environmentalists seeking to cut the use of hazardous pollutants. EU nations will have until 2018 to implement the new rules.

Safety standards
Reach has been described as the most important piece of EU legislation for 20 years. It puts the onus on business rather than public authorities to test chemicals for safety - including the thousands of chemicals that have been used for years without proper understanding of their effect on health or the environment. It is also meant to encourage the replacement of hazardous chemicals with safer ones, and to spur innovation. However, environmentalists had always hoped the law would go further than it did in its final version - and industry groups still say it went too far. "This deal is an early Christmas present for the chemicals industry, rewarding it for its intense and underhand lobbying campaign," said Green MEP Caroline Lucas. Alain Perroy, director general of the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) said his members regretted the "unnecessary requirements" introduced for authorisation of chemicals.

New agency
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said it would "increase our knowledge about chemicals, enhance safety, and spur innovation, while encouraging substitution of highly dangerous chemicals by safer ones". Europe's main consumer group BEUC said the adoption of the law was not the end of the story. "What has been agreed must now be implemented properly and we will actively monitor the situation," warned BEUC director Jim Murray. He pointed out that the deal still allows some cancer-causing substances and other poisonous chemicals to be used in consumer products, even when safer substances exist, as long as they have been subject to "adequate" control. "The only adequate form of control for such substances is substitution when possible," he said. The system for registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals (Reach) demands that firms provide lists of the chemicals they use and specify any possible risks. A newly-established agency in Finland will oversee the way the firms assess chemicals for safety. The register will initially focus on the most toxic chemicals and those produced in the largest quantity.

Issues unresolved
Manufacturers will have to come up with plans to replace the most hazardous chemicals, but they will not be banned outright as environmentalists had hoped. While the EU said the deal improved the safety standard of chemicals, green lobbyists were angered by what they saw as the EU bowing to industry pressure. Conservation body the WWF said the final text of Reach "was not the complete disaster that it would have been if the chemical industry lobby had succeeded in all their wrecking tactics" but said it left a number of substantial problems unsolved. It also warned that the deal would continue to allow potentially harmful chemicals into the environment.

'Right advice'
After the legislation was passed the UK's Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) called on its government to help small firms. "This regulation will affect small businesses that manufacture or import chemicals in the EU as well as those using chemical preparations in their industrial or commercial activities," it said. It said that the cost of complying with the new rules would hit small firms "especially hard" because they were "least able to absorb costs or pass them on to their customers, unlike larger businesses". John Holbrow of the FSB added: "Civil servants must bear in mind the thousands of jobs across the business spectrum that depend on Reach being implemented well. "With the right advice small firms can do their bit without being left exposed to prosecution due to their understandable lack of resources and specialised knowledge." And the CBI warned: "An overly bureaucratic implementation of the regulations could yet undo the benefits of today's sensible compromise and make REACH unworkable."

US embarks on key Chinese talks BBC News
US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has arrived in Beijing for what is thought to be one of the most important US trade delegations to China in months.Key topics include currencies, access to markets and information piracy. The delegation includes the Federal Reserve's head Ben Bernanke and US Trade Representative Susan Schwab. This week marks five years since China joined the World Trade Organization, but the US feels China still has much to do to open its markets as required.

'Barriers'
The visit comes days after the US issued a report assessing China's record in implementing requirements demanded by the WTO. "China has taken many important steps to implement its WTO obligations, but on the fifth anniversary of its WTO membership, China's overall record is decidedly mixed," said Susan Schwab following the report. Ms Schwab also said come industries face "frustrating barriers" when doing business in China, and highlighted concerns that China's market liberalization had been slowing down in the past year. But analysts also say China has transformed into a far more sophisticated nation in the past five years - and that Mr Paulson and his mission will face a country that is more assertive in trade matters. The trip comes amid mounting pressure for China to reform its currency, and a day after data showed that China has replaced Mexico as the second largest trading partner with the US. The US - the world's largest economy - posted figures showing its deficit with China had risen by 6.1% in October compared with the previous month. Critics blame the growing deficit with China largely on China's currency, the yuan, being artificially weak. This makes Chinese exports to the US cheap in comparison with US goods.

'Effective rules'
The summit, which is being billed as a "strategic economic dialogue", follows a range of commercial deals signed between the two nations.US retailer Home Depot bought a chain of Chinese DIY stores, while GE Aviation is selling engines to a Chinese airline. "Commercial engagement built on fair, effective rules is the foundation of the healthy, strong and continually growing trade relationship that we envision between China and the US," said Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, following the deals. As well as trade, a key topic of discussion will be piracy. On Wednesday, China's official news agency announced a campaign to tackle manufacturers of fake goods. US officials say Chinese pirated goods cost genuine producers as much as $50bn (£24.4bn; 37.8bn euros) annually in lost earnings.

Movie executive holds the reins with steady hands

A competitive horseback rider, Elizabeth Gabler is not intimidated
by high hurdles or obstacle courses. Since taking over six years
ago as president of Fox 2000, Gabler has revived the once-ailing
label with some unlikely hits. By Lorenza Muñoz.
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Utility users to foot the bill for cleaner air

Customers of Pacific Gas & Electric Co. would be able to pay more
on their monthly bills to fight greenhouse gas emissions under a
program described as the first such arrangement by a U.S. utility.
By Elizabeth Douglass.
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Showbiz tale is supremely alive

"Dreamgirls" is alive with the sound of music. It's a love song
two times over, a tribute to a vibrant period of American popular
music as well as to a style of filmmaking we don't get to see
enough of: the big-budget Hollywood musical. By Kenneth Turan.
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Never more global

Golden Globe voters have a long history of kissing up to
Hollywood. But as Thursday's nominations proved, Hollywood is no
longer centered in Southern California. Multinational,
multilingual "Babel" set the tone with seven nominations. By John
Horn.
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China awards massive nuclear deal BBC News
Westinghouse, the nuclear-plant builder sold by British Nuclear Fuels earlier this year, has won a billion-dollar contract to build reactors in China.The deal, worth about $8bn (£4.1bn), is for four nuclear plants - two at Sanmen in Zhejiang province, with another two at Yangjiang in Guangdong. An expected decline in fossil fuels and increasing energy demands have prompted many nations to focus on nuclear power. Analysts said that the deal may also help soothe trade tensions with the US.

'Relationship driven'
US-based Westinghouse defeated a number of other international companies to win the tender, including France's Areva and Russia's Atomstroiexport. The fact that Westinghouse is now owned by Japan's Toshiba may also have helped secure the deal, especially after Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signalled an intention to restore friendlier ties with China. "This is all relationship driven," said David Hurd, an analyst at Deutsche Bank. "The US is putting pressure on China at the moment, so China's response is 'let's thrown them a bone,'" he explained. The US, which is running a record trade deficit with China, estimated that the deal would create more than 5,000 American jobs. At the heart of the deal was the promise of a transfer of technology from the US firm to China, analysts said. Westinghouse will build AP1000 reactors that should be up and running by 2013, while the transfer of technology means that China would be able to build itself similar reactors.

Nuclear future?
China is having to look at ways of safeguarding its energy independence as world oil supplies are squeezed, and its growing population and booming economy increase its thirst for energy. At the same time, many experts have claimed that nuclear power is one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways of meeting a population's energy needs. This view is proving controversial and has been contested by environmental groups, which claim that the risks of an accident and cost of dealing with radioactive waste far outweigh any benefits. Even so, demand for nuclear power plants is on the increase, and the International Energy Agency estimates that more than $200bn will be spent by 2030 on harnessing the atom for energy output.

Clothing firm may go public

American Apparel Inc., a high-profile Los Angeles clothing maker
and retailer known for its sexually provocative ads, is expected
to announce today that it will be purchased by a New York
investment firm for about $244 million in stock. By Claire
Hoffman.
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Artisans in Mexico struggle to make it

ECATEPEC, Mexico - Changing consumer tastes and competition from
imports hurt sales. By Marla Dickerson.
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Regan was fired after slur, News Corp. says

NEW YORK - Media giant News Corp. took the unusual step of
releasing notes of a conversation between one of its attorneys and
former book publisher Judith Regan to show that she made
anti-Semitic remarks that led to her firing. By Josh Getlin.
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A very Stern reprimand

Frustrated NBA Commissioner David Stern took quick action in
response to the weekend brawl between the Denver Nuggets and New
York Knicks, suspending seven players and issuing team fines he
hoped would send a message. By David Wharton.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBE...Io30G2B0IAyZ0EG

Winter binge

After the top few players, free-agent talent isn't deep, but
baseball's inflated pockets are, already doling out more than $1.2
billion By Ross Newhan.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBE...Io30G2B0IAya0EN

President, Or Decider- In-Chief? Washington Post
Unusual Job Titles Are a Sign of the Times
Chief something or other. Senior blah blah blah. Director for the whatever region. Vice president of lots of stuff. It used to be much more common that titles meant the same thing across industries. You knew where a vice president stood. Or a director. But now we've got titles for everything, and some things that don't really exist. Just spend a few more years on the job and watch that title grow. How many times have you realized you couldn't identify someone from his many-worded-title? The dot-com boom was the start of major title creativity for many workplaces. No longer were there human resource directors. Instead: chief people officers. Steve Jobs called himself chief know-it-all. And workers at Wal-Mart and other stores were no longer employees, but rather associates. Lee Burbage does not consider titles when looking at résumés. (He doesn't care what he's called unless he needs someone to call him back -- and then he is the vice president of human resources for Alexandria-based Motley Fool.) It's the job description that matters, he said. If he receives a résumé from someone at AOL and needs to figure out what a title actually means, he will seek out a former AOL employee. "The only thing a title can tell me is a sense of progression," he said. During the dot-com boom, Motley Fool was one of those companies that encouraged people to make up their own creative titles. In general, people now aren't titled at the investment advisory company. When someone gets a promotion, the company announces the new duties, no title included. "The only time it comes into play is: If you're trying to write a résumé, you get a good sense of what level you are," he said. (If you e-mail Burbage, you may get a response that says "human resources/reality star.") So why all the title confusion? A decade ago, there was a set group of titles, said Nels Olson, an executive recruiter with Korn/Ferry International (official title: senior client partner and sector leader, external affairs practice). But "in an economy where the job market's tight and we're seeing war for talent everywhere increasing, companies are doing everything they can to retain the best and brightest," he said. "One way to do that is giving them a more senior title." According to a recent Korn/Ferry survey, 42 percent of 279 executives said they have seen a rise in the practice of companies awarding inflated titles to retain top talent. Nearly half of recently promoted executives said their responsibilities have remained roughly the same despite their new titles. Which could be a moot point if they're looking for a job. Take it from the head of hiring: Job titles matter "very little," said Brad Patrick, senior vice president of human resources at Sara Lee Food & Beverage. "We really underscore the importance of writing a clear, concise résumé," he said. "The titles? We look beyond those." In fact, he's looking for people whose work went way beyond their job titles. So perhaps it's the substance that counts after all. Before Burbage came to Motley Fool several years ago, he worked for Bank of America. Like most banks, he said it had thousands of vice presidents. "I would think, 'If only I work harder, I can get from assistant vice president to vice president.' " But when he finally made it, his duties didn't change. In fact, he said, nothing really changed except his business card holder. Oh, and he got an extra week of vacation. To some, a title means something, even if that something is, well, only a title. Sharon Bower has been with her company for almost 12 years. While her title was legal analyst, her office put a freeze on title promotions so it could rewrite and redefine the titles, she said. Later, Bower was doing the work of a senior analyst but could not receive a title promotion. Her anxiety about the lack of title bump was not about money: Her boss gave her a raise, so she was making close to what a senior analyst made and she was content with that. The final frustration for her was when she was working on a project with senior engineers, senior analysts and project leads from other areas of the company. It came up that she was "just" a legal analyst. "I was kind of surprised to find myself in this situation. If you had asked me before, I would have said, 'They can call me whatever they want as long as they pay me!' But after several years of doing the work and not getting credit, it finally got to the point that the title was more important than the raise," she said. "It became embarrassing." Finally, about a year ago (four years after she started lobbying for a new title), Bower got her title bump. So was the fight worth it? Did the new title change her life? She laughed. "I really think it was a matter of just professional prestige."
By Amy Joyce, Washington Post Staff Writer

New Social Networking Site Measuredup.com Gives Consumers Real Power to Effect Change Broadcast Newsroom
Platform for consumers to rate and review customer service bringing long overdue truth to the saying that the customer is always right
Measuredup.com today announced the launch of a new Web site for customers to review and rate how they've been treated by businesses. The site, one of the first to bring purpose and power to social networking, gives consumers a channel for expressing their opinions and, ultimately, influencing the way organizations large and small conduct customer relations. The site is designed to address the customer service void growing in the wake of technology's fast pace forward. The rise in Internet shopping, automated voice systems, outsourced -- and offshored -- customer service departments and other technology-driven trends have served mainly to distance customers from companies rather than, as many marketers claim, bring them closer together. And while the Internet has helped customers become more informed in their purchasing decisions and perhaps, as a result, given them more influence in the product development and release processes, it hasn't given consumers an avenue for holding businesses accountable for their customer service. And Mom and Pop businesses and smaller brick-and-mortar organizations, while they haven't been able to use technology to insulate themselves from customers to the same degree, seem to show equal declines in service with customers reporting far more instances of staff rudeness, indifference and incompetence. Measuredup.com is intended to address and resolve these voids in a way that is both fun and empowering to consumers. "When it comes to customer service, the whole idea of 'empowered consumers' is more myth than reality," said Marc Karasu, Measuredup.com's founder and CEO. "Anyone who has ever been relegated to the automated-voice- system of a corporate giant's customer service department knows that complaints often quite literally fall on deaf ears. And, similarly, what recourse can the dissatisfied customer of a local mom and pop take if the proprietor dismisses or ignores the complaint? Sometimes, withdrawing your business isn't enough." By providing consumers a fun, accessible platform for venting, discussing and amplifying their customer-service interactions, Measuredup.com gives individual experience a public stage upon which the best and worst in customer service can be put in the spotlight. As such, Measuredup.com gives consumers an actual say in how they are treated in the marketplace. Through the Measuredup.com site, users can rate businesses or services on a 5-point scale, and then add a review detailing the reasons for their ranking. Everything from the neighborhood grocery to a national wireless provider to a taxi driver can be "measured". Accompanying the reviews are colorful icons that synopsize the rating for customer service -- a green smile face indicates complete satisfaction and a red frown face indicates complete frustration. After the Measuredup.com Web manager has scanned for potential business representatives posing as consumers, reviews are posted in their original context, with their original text (although obscene language and other inappropriate text is removed) so that the voice of the contributor and the details of the experience are preserved in their purest, most honest form. Karasu then encourages users of Measuredup.com to inform the business or service provider it has been "measured up" so feedback gets to the source. In this way, Measuredup.com aims to prove that technology and user generated local content, when used correctly, can actually bring consumers closer to a business. Categories on the site include banks and ATMs; beauty and convenience; boutiques, clothes and shoes; cable TV, phone and Internet; commuting systems; delis, coffees and snacks; dry cleaning; electronics; gas stations, car wash and oil; groceries; hotel motels, and bed and breakfasts; movies and theatres; restaurants; and other. The site, which is national in scope, officially launched on Dec. 15.

About Measuredup.com
Measuredup.com is the social networking site where consumers rate and review their customer service experiences at any business, anywhere, at any time. The site's founder, frustrated by an increase in incompetent, rude and outright abusive treatment by businesses both large and small, sought to develop a platform where consumers could share their experiences, vent or praise as appropriate and, ultimately, effect positive change.
SOURCE Measuredup.com

Hong Kong world centre for IPOs Bobsguide
World initial public offering (IPO) activity hit a record high in 2006 with $227 billion raised on 1,559 offerings between January and November, up $167 billion on all of 2005. The centre for IPO activity was the Hong Kong Stock Exchange with 17 per cent of all activities followed by the London Stock Exchange with 15 per cent, the research from Ernst & Young found. This year also saw the largest single IPO ever recorded with the listing of ICBC in China raising $22 billion. The Bank of China and Rosneft both raised $10 billion, while the top 20 deals all saw at least $1.3 billion raised. Gregory Ericksen, Ernst & Young's global vice chair of strategic growth markets, said: "The capital markets continued to globalize in 2006. "We've seen an increase in cross-border listings and stronger competition between exchanges, creating more options than ever for both investors and companies looking to go public." Forty-two per cent of all capital was raised in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), while the Asia/Pacific region took 34 per cent. North America and Central/South America (including the Caribbean) took 20 per cent and four per cent respectively.

Fidelity to pay its funds in gift probe

Fidelity Investments said Thursday it will pay $42 million into
its funds to cover potential losses by stock traders who steered
Fidelity business to a brokerage that lavished them with
extravagant gifts and entertainment. By Walter Hamilton.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0IBhT0Es

Edison agrees to a huge wind power deal

Placing a big bet on the wind, Southern California Edison Co. said
Thursday it will buy the power produced by a massive Tehachapi
energy project that would dwarf the nation's largest such
operations. By Elizabeth Douglass.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0IBhU0Et

Wages are expected to rise 3.5%

Workers hoping that their wage increases will beat inflation
should find some cheer next year. The gains should outpace
inflation in 2007, but healthcare costs may blunt their effect. By
Molly Selvin.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICLs0E7

Option risk hits Apple stock

Shares of Apple Computer Inc. went haywire Wednesday amid fresh
reports that the company's stock options backdating problems could
be worse than previously disclosed and possibly ensnare
charismatic co-founder Steve Jobs. By Alex Pham.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICLt0E8

Dot-com crash survivor Mondo reanimates itself on Web and off

The studio's funny but grisly cartoon series "Happy Tree Friends"
is big on the Net. Can it be a hit on other screens? By Chris
Gaither.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICvt0E4

Wall Street's 2007 stock forecast has a familiar ring

Many professional investors' stock market forecasts for 2007 are
following a time-honored strategy: Restrain your expectations and
you're less likely to be disappointed. By Tom Petruno.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICvu0E5

Tech's mixed message

The diverse trade groups representing computer and Web firms may
need to consolidate to be more effective in D.C. By Jim
Puzzanghera.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICvv0E6


The million- dollar babies

Seems like yesterday they were getting allowances. Now it's
commission checks from megabuck sales. By Gayle Pollard-Terry.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICv40Ez

Straightening up so LAX can fly right

Coming attractions in 2007: Spiffed-up terminals and drive-through
check-in. By Jane Engle.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICv50E1

Once again, Oaxaca begins to right itself

Tourists are trickling back to the Mexican city known for charm,
not violence. By Patrick Healy.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICv60E2

Putting more on the line online

There may be one constant in the media sector in 2007: its
obsession with Google Inc. and the Web.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICyi0EX

ttp://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBFga0IAIo30G2B0ICyr0Eg

Going on a diet is no cinch

'Tis the season to diet. In an annual ritual that mostly benefits
the weight-loss industry, Americans will atone for gorging over
the holidays by depriving themselves over the coming weeks. But
the perennial resolution may in fact make people heavier and less
healthy.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICys0Eh

AND FINALLY
___________
She's L.A.'s pedal pusher

Monica Howe sees herself as the voice of a two-wheeled future,
dedicated to the notion that an urban bicycle culture will make
this a better place to live.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/eBF...Io30G2B0ICyt0Ei



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Copyright 2007

YouTubers to get ad money share BBC News website, Davos
People who upload their own films to video-sharing website YouTube will soon get a share of the ad revenue.YouTube founder Chad Hurley confirmed to the BBC that his team was working on a revenue-sharing mechanism that would "reward creativity". The system would be rolled out in a couple of months, he said, and use a mixture of adverts, including short clips shown ahead of the actual film. YouTube has more than 70m users a month and was recently bought by Google. The offer applies only to people who own the full copyright of the videos that they are uploading to the YouTube website.The company, which Google bought in November last year for $1.65bn, was currently working on "audio fingerprinting" technologies to identify copyrighted material, Mr Hurley said in a session on social networking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Speaking to the BBC after the session, he declined to give further details, saying that YouTube was still working out the technology and processes involved - both for the rewards system and the video clip advertising system. But he confirmed that the various features would be rolled out one by one over the next few months. "There won't be one big release," he said. The audience of the YouTube website will not have to put up with overly long "pre-roll" adverts. Mr Hurley said a clip of three seconds length was one of the options, although the details had not been worked out yet. Other video sharing sites such as Revver already split advertising revenues with users uploading original content, but only YouTube has managed to attract an audience measuring in the tens of millions. Mr Hurley said the fact that YouTube had not had a revenue sharing model was one of the reasons for its success, as that had allowed the website to focus on its key strength, making it easy to share videos with others. YouTube has repeatedly clashed with film studios and music publishers over copyrighted material that has been uploaded to the website. The company says that it is quick to remove copyrighted material on the site that has been brought to its attention. Since the takeover by Google, YouTube has also negotiated a string of deals with large media groups, which also involve some revenue sharing.
By Tim Weber, Business editor