Markets calm despite looming fiscal cliff

Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, walks to a closed-door GOP caucus as Congress meets to negotiate a legislative path to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" of automatic tax increases and deep spending cuts that could kick in Jan. 1., at the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, walks to a closed-door GOP caucus as Congress meets to negotiate a legislative path to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" of automatic tax increases and deep spending cuts that could kick in Jan. 1., at the Capitol in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

LONDON (AP) ? Markets appeared Monday to be taking in stride the ongoing failure of U.S. politicians to agree a budget deal in time to avoid automatic tax increases and spending cuts that many economists think could tilt the world's largest economy back into recession.

With just hours to go before the U.S. falls off the so-called "fiscal cliff," Republicans and Democrats remained divided over tax and spend, raising the prospect that markets will start 2013 without a clear idea of America's budget policy. The main sticking point appears to be what level of taxes are imposed on higher incomes.

Discussions in the Senate broke off Sunday night without agreement. Senators are due to reconvene at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) try to hammer out a deal before the deadline.

"With precisely zero headway made on the fiscal front resulting from the early weekend return by Congressional lawmakers, hopes are fast-fading of any sort of compromise before the end of 2012," said Andrew Wilkinson, chief economic strategist at Miller Tabak & Co.

However, it's not the first time that budget discussions in the U.S. have gone down to the wire only for a deal to be eventually reached.

Many investors remain confident that some sort of deal will be struck in time following positive noises coming out from late Sunday discussions between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, and Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

Even if a deal is not reached in time, many investors think that the possible damage wrought by the potential $671 billion package of higher taxes and spending cuts will be limited. A backup proposal that would address only a few issues is expected to be presented by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, if a bipartisan deal is not reached.

"It is likely that many of the fiscal cliff measures allow a certain amount of room within which the government can introduce measures to refrain from any tax increases," said Joshua Mahony, an analyst at Alpari.

The prospect of counter-measures to offset the "fiscal cliff" impact helps explain why markets were fairly calm in Europe and Asia, and Wall Street was poised to open higher on the last day of a year that's seen many indexes post strong gains, partly through rising hopes over Europe's 3-year debt crisis.

In Europe, the FTSE 100 index of leading British shares closed down 0.5 percent at 5,897.81. For the year as a whole, the FTSE ended 5.8 percent higher.

The CAC-40 in France closed 0.6 percent higher on the day at 3,641.07. In 2012, it rose 15.2 percent.

Those European indexes that were open only traded for half the day. Others, including Germany's DAX, were closed. The DAX was one of the world's best-performers in 2012 with its annual rise of 29.1 percent.

U.S. stocks were poised for gains at the open despite the "fiscal cliff" uncertainty, with both Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures up 0.2 percent.

Despite the recent worries, U.S. stocks have had a strong 2012, with the Dow up around 6 percent so far and the S&P 11.5 percent higher.

Developments over the U.S. budget will likely be one of the big issues in financial markets in 2013, especially in the early part, alongside Europe's ongoing efforts to contain its debt crisis and the state of the Chinese economy, now the world's second biggest.

Clearly, the full imposition of the "fiscal cliff" measures would hobble the U.S. economy that has shown some signs of late of a more sustainable economic recovery. Waning U.S. economic growth would have an impact worldwide.

Some economists predict the effects of the "fiscal cliff" could eventually throw the U.S. economy back into recession ? although if the deadline passes, politicians still have a few weeks to keep the tax hikes and spending cuts at bay by repealing them retroactively once a deal is reached.

Still, the failure to adhere to the deadline following weeks of squabbling and procrastination could be view negatively by the major credit rating agencies and weigh on investor confidence going into 2013.

"I think the market reaction to that will be very negative. This means the U.S. will never be able to bring its house in order. And the deficit will continue to accumulate," said Francis Lun, managing director of Lyncean Holdings in Hong Kong. "No meaningful reform and no solution in sight. You can throw confidence out of the window."

Earlier in Asia, the picture was fairly subdued in those markets that were open ? among others, markets in Japan, were closed for the New Year's holidays. After a stellar performance in December, Japan's Nikkei ended the year almost 23 percent higher.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng, trading for a half-day, closed marginally lower at 22,656.92, to also end the year nearly 23 percent higher.

Mainland Chinese stocks rose Monday after a private survey showed the country's manufacturing growth at its strongest level in 18 months in December. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.5 percent to close at 4,648.90.

There was also a fairly calm atmosphere in other financial markets, with the euro down just 0.2 percent at $1.3190. Despite the endless debate over its future, the euro has actually ended the year modestly higher against the dollar.

____

Sampson contributed from Bangkok.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-31-World%20Markets/id-c2d91ab16d4145fc8f1f627cbba56192

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Stock futures edge higher as cliff talks continue

(Reuters) - Equity futures were slightly higher on Sunday night as talks continued in Washington over resolving the "fiscal cliff."

While the Senate will not vote Sunday night on any bill to avoid a series of $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts, as many had hoped, negotiations continued between lawmakers and the White House.

The Senate will reconvene on Monday after the open of equity trading. In order for a deal to take effect, it would also have to be passed by the House of Representatives.

Despite the gain indicated by futures, stocks still could end up falling on Monday when the cash markets open if lawmakers are unable to come to an agreement to avoid the cliff, which many fear could push the economy into recession.

"There is always a chance for a massive stalemate, and we could see a lot more volatility if we get to a point where there's no more hope. Right now there's still hope," said Adam Sarhan, chief executive of Sarhan Capital in New York.

Midnight on Monday marks the deadline for a deal, though the government can pass legislation in 2013 that retroactively prevents going over the cliff, an option that is viewed as politically easier.

"At some point, someone will have to blink, or Congress will just come in early in 2013 and vote for a tax cut," Sarhan said. "Something will be done to resolve this."

S&P 500 futures were up 5.4 points, or 0.4 percent, at 1,389 in electronic trading. Still, futures were about 7 points below the fair value level of 1,397.19. Fair value is a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Despite the rise, if futures remain below fair value, cash markets will open lower.

Dow and Nasdaq futures were also slightly higher, though below fair value.

Stocks fell sharply on Friday, with significant losses in the last minutes of trading, as prospects for a deal worsened at the beginning of the weekend.

The rise in the futures market does not necessarily augur for a rally on Monday, however. The cash market and futures markets closed with a wide gulf on Friday, by virtue of the extra 15 minutes of trading in futures.

The S&P 500 closed at 1,402.43 at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, down 1.1 percent, but futures continued to fall before closing 15 minutes later with a loss of 1.9 percent. S&P futures and the S&P cash index don't match point-by-point, but that kind of disparity points to a weak opening in stocks on Monday.

One hour before they had hoped to present a plan on Sunday, Democratic and Republican Senate leaders said they were still unable to reach a compromise.

Earlier in the day, President Barack Obama, appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," said investors could begin to show greater concerns in the new year.

"If people start seeing that on January 1st this problem still hasn't been solved ... then obviously that's going to have an adverse reaction in the markets," he said,

Investors have remained relatively sanguine about the process, believing that it will eventually be solved. In the past two months markets have not shown the kind of volatility that was present during the fight to raise the debt ceiling in 2011.

The Dow industrials and the S&P 500 each lost 1.9 percent last week, after stocks fell for five straight sessions, which marked the S&P 500's longest losing streak in three months. Equities have largely performed well in the last two months despite constant chatter about the fiscal cliff, but the last few days shows a bit of increased worry.

The CBOE Volatility Index <.vix> rose to its highest level since June on Friday, closing at 22.72.

(Additional reporting by David Gaffen; Editing by Jan Paschal)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stock-futures-edge-higher-cliff-talks-continue-004506710--sector.html

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Fiscal cliff deal would pale against expectations

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Whether negotiated in a rush before the new year or left for early January, the fiscal deal President Barack Obama and Congress cobble together will be far smaller than what they initially envisioned as an alternative to purposefully distasteful tax increases and spending cuts.

Instead, their compromise, if they do indeed cut a deal, will put off some big decisions about tax and entitlement changes and leave other deadlines in place that will likely lead to similar moments of brinkmanship, some in just a matter of weeks.

Republican and Democratic negotiators in the Senate were hoping for an accord as early as Sunday on what threshold to set for increased tax rates, whether to keep current inheritance tax rates and exemptions and how to pay for jobless benefits and avoid cuts in Medicare payments to doctors.

An agreement would halt automatic across-the-board tax increases for virtually every American and perhaps temporarily put off some steep spending cuts in defense and domestic programs.

Gone, however, is the talk of a grand bargain that would tackle broad spending and revenue demands and set the nation on a course to lower deficits. Obama and Republican House Speaker John Boehner were once a couple hundred billion dollars apart from a deal that would have reduced the deficit by more than $2 trillion over 10 years.

The trimmed ambitions of today are a far cry from the upbeat bipartisan rhetoric of just six weeks ago, when the leadership of Congress went to the White House to set the stage for negotiations to come.

"I outlined a framework that deals with reforming our tax code and reforming our spending," Boehner said as the leaders gathered on the White House driveway on Nov. 16.

"We understand that it has to be about cuts, it has to be about revenue, it has to be about growth, it has to be about the future," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said at the time. "I feel confident that a solution may be in sight."

And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., offered a bold prediction: "There is no more let's do it some other time. We are going to do it now."

That big talk is gone for now.

Senate negotiators were haggling over what threshold of income to set as the demarcation between current tax rates and higher tax rates. They were negotiating over estate limits and tax levels, how to extend unemployment benefits, how to prevent cuts in Medicare payments to doctors and how to keep a minimum income tax payment designed for the rich from hitting about 28 million middle class taxpayers.

But the deal was not meant to settle other outstanding issues, including more than $1 trillion in cuts over 10 years, divided equally between the Pentagon and other government spending. The deal also would not address an extension of the nation's borrowing limit, which the government is on track to reach any day but which the Treasury can put off through accounting measures for about two months.

That means Obama and the Congress are already on a new collision path.

Republicans say they intend to use the debt ceiling as leverage to extract more spending cuts from the president. Obama has been adamant that unlike 2011, when the country came close to defaulting on its debts, he will not yield to those Republican demands.

As the day ended Saturday, there were few signs of success on a scaled-back deal, but no one was declaring a stalemate either.

Lawmakers have until the new Congress convenes to pass any compromise, and even the calendar mattered. Democrats said they had been told House Republicans might reject a deal until after Jan. 1, to avoid a vote to raise taxes before they had technically gone up, and then vote to cut taxes after they had risen.

Republicans said they were willing to bow to Obama's call for higher taxes on the wealthy as part of an agreement to prevent them from rising on those less well-off.

Democrats said Obama was sticking to his campaign call for tax increases above $250,000 in annual income, even though in recent negotiations he said he could accept $400,000. There was no evidence of agreement even at the higher level.

Obama, who once proposed nearly $1.6 trillion in tax revenue over 10 years, would get about half of that if he succeeded in getting a $250,000 threshold over 10 years. At a $400,000 level, the revenue figure drops to about $600 billion over a decade.

Republicans want to leave the estate tax at 35 percent after exempting the first $5 million in estate value. Officials said the White House wants a 45 percent tax after a $3.5 million exemption. Without any action by Congress, it would climb to a 55 percent tax after a $1 million exemption on Jan. 1. Obama's proposal would generate more than $100 billion in additional revenue over 10 years.

Democrats stressed their unwillingness to make concessions on both income taxes and the estate tax, and hoped Republicans would choose which mattered more to them.

___

Associated Press writer David Espo contributed to this article.

___

Follow Jim Kuhnhenn on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jkuhnhenn

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fiscal-cliff-deal-pale-against-expectations-092812135--politics.html

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Syrian troops, rebels, still fighting for chemical arms base

At least 14 people were killed?just in?day-long clashes Friday for control of the Al-Safira military complex south of Aleppo where Bashar Assad houses a large chemical weapons store. Air force jets and helicopters bombarded the rebels, many of them adherents of al Qaeda-linked and extremist Salafist organizations.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he contacted Syrian opposition leaders through the Russian embassy in Egypt and invited them for a meeting, but was snubbed. In Turkey, officials reported two defecting Syrian generals were ?regional Syrian Air Force commanders.?

Source: http://www.debka.com/newsupdate/3314/

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Top Small Business 2013 Predictions and Trends (Infographic ...

Since all the hoopla about the Mayans proved to be untrue, we?ve once again reached ?prediction time? ? the time of year when everyone publishes their small business 2013 predictions.

I received a lot of great feedback for my ?Top Small Business 2012 Predictions and Trends Infographic? last year so I thought I?d spend some time creating one again for 2013.

I?ve reviewed and analyzed 70 small business 2013 predictions and trends posts and broke them down into high-level topics for your consumption.

You see, the only downside to ?prediction time? is that the sheer number of predictions and trends posts makes it hard to pull out the top topics ? the areas on which to focus in the year to come.

Never fear however because I?ve done that work for you once again! That?s right, I?ve reviewed and analyzed 70 small business 2013 predictions and trends posts and broke them down into high-level topics for your consumption.

And, if you?re just looking for a quick look ahead, I?ve even compiled the top predictions and trends into a handy infographic!

So read on and see what the future has in store for your small business in 2013.

Happy New Year!!!

Top Small Business Predictions and Trends 2013:
The Infographic

Below is the ?Top Small Business Predictions and Trends 2013? infographic. Below the infographic, you will find:

1. A closer look at the top small business 2013 predictions and trends, and
2. Links to the 70 small business predictions and trends posts for 2013 that I reviewed to gather data.

Notes:

1. Feel free to share this image on your own site. All you need to do is include this link either above or below the image: http://www.mattaboutbusiness.com/top-small-business-2013-predictions-and-trends-infographic/trackback
2. Click on the infographic image below to view a bigger version.
3. You can also download this infographic as a PDF.

Top Small Business Predictions and Trends 2012:
A Closer Look

Some Old and Some New Faces In the Top 5 Predictions and Trends

Even though three of last year?s top five predictions and trends are still around, focus has shifted in new directions.

There are some new, and very compelling, faces in the top 5 this year. And, even though three of last year?s top five are still around, focus has shifted in new directions.

1. Mobile, continues to dominate the top five predictions and trends however, businesses are starting to move beyond ?being mobile? to strategies and tactics that are enabled by the mobile platform:
   1. SoLoMo (the convergence of social media, local marketing and the mobile platform) continues to be a hot topic of conversation however, there?s a new term that?s buzzing strong, ?Context Marketing?. Essentially, context marketing means delivering the right message to the right person at the right time, the holy grail of marketing. Look for lots of activity in the race to deliver ?personalized? marketing.
   2. The ability to pay, and accept payments, via a mobile device is the key to the ?Mobile Wallet?. Many solutions are already available with many more to come. And, when the mobile wallet is combined with loyalty programs such as points or number of visits, we?re going to see this trend explode.
   3. Having a website that looks good no matter on what device it is viewed is called ?Responsive Design?. At the core, this means having a mobile-ready website, one that looks good on phones and tablets alike. Talking about tablets, the huge number of tablets now out in consumer?s hands is driving designers to use the tablet interface as the standard upon which all content will be designed to be viewed.
2. Advertising and marketing continues to be a high-priority for small businesses however, there are a couple of new trends to which you should pay attention:
   1. Visual marketing, videos in particular, seem to be the new standard for content delivery online. Videos can be informative and entertaining, something that customers like very much. Look for more videos (both good and bad) and a new focus on YouTube as a marketing platform.
   2. Thanks to the many changes in search engine optimization (SEO) rules during 2012, content marketing will continue to be the key to attracting attention online. Included in that are the subcategories of content filtering, curation and aggregation, all valuable types of content that help customers cut through the noise to find the information they need.
3. Social media continues to be a hot topic, but it?s almost taken for granted that a small business needs to be there these days. Two interesting new trends include:
   1. The impact of social influencers, those with strong followings on the various social media networks, will continue to grow and can be harnessed by smart marketers who make use of those influencers to reach their followers.
   2. ?Social TV? and ?Social News? are two new terms to me, but they?ve both been growing in popularity over the past few years. Social TV is the ability to comment and share during a show?s airtime and social news is the trend where ?citizen reporters? are posting the news that others consume.? Both of these trends have begun to change both the way we are entertained and the way we learn about the world around us.
4. Business intelligence makes its debut this year with a focus on three important trends:
   1. ?Big Data?, that pool of information that businesses collect about each of us, will continue to be mined for any and all insights into consumer buying behavior, wants and needs. 2013 will likely see big data become more accessible to small businesses so that they can start reaping the rewards of analyzing you and me.
   2. More and more small businesses will pay close attention to their website and social media metrics. They will analyze and act on what they find as well, all in an attempt to maximize their return on investment (ROI) which?
   3. ?is the final piece of the business intelligence puzzle. Armed with real-time metrics and reports, small businesses will be able to change their courses mid-stream and maximize the return on all their hard work.
5. Lastly, one of the most interesting new trends arising in 2013 is the increase in?Customer Power. Customers could always make or break a small business, but now they can reach both far and wide. Using review sites, social media updates, forums and more, they can praise you or complain about you and there?s not much you can do about it (aside from slander). The key to success here is twofold:
   1. Give them a safe place to complain by building relationships and communities online. If customers feel that they can be served there, then they will head on over before posting a bad review or bad-mouthing you on Facebook.
   2. And, for those times that bad things do happen, small businesses need to make use of reputation management tools and techniques so that those situations can be quickly (and hopefully happily) resolved.

Other Predictions and Trends

Here are some other interesting predictions and trends that caught my eye:

• The Power of Crowds ? yep, the use of crowdfunding, crowdsourcing and crowdsolving will continue to grow in 2013.
• Remote Workforce - with the ability to collaborate from anywhere and the growing trend to hire non-permanent workers such as freelancers, 2013 just may be the year of working remotely.
• Micro Startups ? with so many folks still out of work, the rise of successful solopreneurs serving niche markets will continue.
• Shift Back Towards Paid Content ? a couple of the posts I read argued that this was bound to start happening in 2013. I?ll be interested to see if this model, which did not fare to well a few years ago, will regain a foothold online.

Finally, Some Good Resources and a Bit of Fun

• Good roundups to check out:
• Interesting overall trends:
• REALLY Useful!
• Some fun:

Top Small Business Predictions and Trends 2012:
The Infographic Links

Below, in no particular order, are the links to the 70 small business predictions and trends posts for 2013 that I reviewed to gather data for the infographic above.

1. 2013: Adding Context to Content
2. Your Guide to Mobile Marketing in 2013
3. 7 Hot Trends for Small Business in 2013
4. 2013 Business Predictions for Small Business Owners
5. Hyperlocal Execs? 2013 Predictions: Goodman, Tolles, Kucharz, and More?
6. SMB analytics: Deconstructing 3 small business predictions for 2013
7. Dydacomp Shares Top Predictions for Small Business in 2013
8. Emma Jones?s 2013 Small Business Predictions
9. Tech trends to transform small business in 2013
10. The 2013 Marketing Predictions: Content Marketing And Social Business
11. 5 Trends That Will Shape Small Business in 2013
12. 7 ?Small Business? Social Media Trends for 2013 with Mike Roberts
13. Small Business Owners Think Local For 2013
14. 14 Experts Predict 2013 Social Media Trends for Small Business
15. 5 Trends in 2013 That Small Business Owners Can?t Afford to Ignore
16. Top Franchise Trends for 2013
17. 8 Online Reputation Management Trends and Predictions for 2013
18. Seven big trends for small businesses in 2013
19. Four small business marketing trends for 2013 (Video)
20. 13 small business marketing trends to watch in 2013
21. The Rise of Big Data
22. The Workspace of the Future
23. Using Transparency to Build Consumer Trust
24. 5 Small Business Trends to Embrace in 2013
25. 2013 Startup Trends
26. Growing Small Business Trends for 2013
27. 6 Small Business Marketing Trends For 2013
28. 2013 Online Marketing Trends For Small Business
29. 5 Hot E-Commerce for Small Business Trends to Watch
30. 2013 Technology Trends for UK Small Businesses
31. Four Small Business Trends For 2013
32. Five Top 2013 Trends for Small Business Social Media Engagement Using Content Marketing
33. 3 Small Business Marketing Trends for 2013
34. Social Business: 5 Trends To Watch For 2013 And Beyond
35. 5 Key Trends That Will Play A Pivotal Role For Your Small Business in 2013
36. Marketing Trends In 2013 ? How Will They Affect Your Small Business?
37. Three SMB tech trends to watch in 2013
38. 9 Online Marketing Trends For 2013
39. Trends for 2013: Making Mobile-First a Priority
40. 5 Small Business Marketing Trends for 2013
41. 5 content marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2013
42. Small Business Online Trends 2013
43. Eight Small Business Digital Marketing Trends in 2013
44. 2013 Marketing Trends: What do Small Businesses Need to Know?
45. Top 3 Tech Trends Affecting Small Business in 2013
46. 5 tech oriented marketing trends for 2013
47. 26 Social Media Marketing Trends for 2013
48. Heads Up on Top 5 2013 Business Trends
49. Gartner Declares Top 10 Tech Trends for 2013
50. A Look Into the Future: Planning Ahead for 2013 Trends
51. Top 3 Distribution Technology Trends for 2013
52. 3 Marketing Trends for 2013
53. Top 5 Technology Trends for 2013
54. Marketing Trends for 2013
55. Online Business Trends for 2013: What You Need To Know
56. Top Trends for 2013: Marketing Moves On
57. 2013: The Year of Integrated Digital Marketing
58. Three Trends in Content Marketing
59. Is Your Business Ready for 2013? Look into the Future of Marketing to Find Out
60. Digital And Media Marketing Trends For 2013
61. Six Social-Digital Trends for 2013
62. Five Social Media Trends for 2013
63. 5 Mobile Marketing Tips and Trends for 2013
64. Top Business Trends for 2013
65. Small Business SEO Trends to Keep an Eye On
66. Seven eCommerce and Marketing Trends To Watch For In 2013
67. What?s Hot and What Could Suck About 2013 Communication Trends?
68. Predicted Social Media Trends in 2013
69. The Big Tech Trends of 2013
70. Lucky Thirteen: Marketing Trends for 2013

Source: http://www.mattaboutbusiness.com/top-small-business-2013-predictions-and-trends-infographic/

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Source: http://www.thefloorgeek.com/2012/12/is-high-internet-hosting-service-providers-the-very-best-internet-hosting-provider-in-the-worldwide-market/

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Jenne Expands Avaya&#39;s Radvision Scopia Offering for Resellers | IT ...

Providing Training Through Jenne University and a Range of Dedicated Pre- and Post-Sales Support

First Classes on Innovative Videoconferencing Technology Solutions Begin on January 21st and Will Cover Scopia Solution for Video Communications

AVON, OH?(Marketwire ? Dec 27, 2012) ? ?Jenne, Inc., a leading value-added distributor of IP telephony, audio and video conferencing, unified communications, data networking and IT security products, announced that it is now providing comprehensive training on the Avaya video portfolio, beginning with a course on the Avaya Scopia solution and taking place next month at Jenne University. Jenne, which is now an Avaya Connect Value Add Distributor, has also completed the stringent requirements of the Authorized Avaya Learning Partner (AALP), with access to Avaya Learning training and materials.

In addition to being an authorized distributor for the entire Scopia product line, Jenne is also currently offering comprehensive support services on the entire Scopia portfolio, including pre- and post-sales support, configuration services, installation and implementation services as well as full contract renewal management services.

Jenne University will be offering ?Avaya Scopia Solution for Video Communications? at its state of the art training facilities in Avon, OH. The class will take place on a quarterly basis, with the first session scheduled for January 21-25, 2013. Avaya?s Scopia product portfolio provides comprehensive and powerful visual communications solutions that allow advanced voice, data and video conferencing. Next month?s course is designed for systems engineers and IT managers and offers a comprehensive overview on features, operations and benefits of the Scopia solution. Following the course, students will be able to:

• Identify Scopia endpoint functionality and?capabilities
• Match Scopia components to various deployment?scenarios
• Install and configure Scopia endpoint?components
• Create and manage a conference
• Install and configure the MCU, Scopia desktop,?and Scopia Management Suite
• Troubleshoot the Scopia solution with component?logs and network traces covering call failures, endpoint to MCU calls,?point to point calls, PathFinder issues and video/audio issues

?Avaya?s Scopia videoconferencing solutions present an enormous opportunity for resellers serving all sizes of markets, and by offering these innovative products in combination with top-notch training through Jenne University, we are helping Avaya Connect partners take advantage of a business opportunity and to be more competitive,? commented Jim Karaffa, director of training and technical services, Jenne. ?As an Avaya Authorized Learning Partner, we have worked very closely with Avaya to implement what we consider to be the best certified training and support capabilities available in distribution for the Scopia solution, being able to fully certify our students here at Jenne University via the PearsonVue testing process adds a distinct advantage to our offering.?

Radvision, an Avaya Company, has been a leader and innovator in the development of videoconferencing technology and solutions for the past 20 years. Since last September, Jenne began distributing the entire Scopia portfolio, helping Avaya Connect partners increase their ability to deliver comprehensive video communications solutions to a broad range of end-users in the SMB, mid-tier and enterprise markets.

?With its immediate stock availability, training offering and comprehensive product support, Jenne is able to offer a multi-dimensional Scopia solution,? commented Karl Soderlund, vice president, Americas Channel Sales, Avaya. ?Its new course on Scopia video conferencing will help Avaya Connect partners deliver an expanded range of high-quality communications experiences to their customers, while providing resellers new revenue opportunities through enhanced real time collaboration solutions.?

Thousands of enterprises around the world already rely on the Scopia solution, which is known for its rich interoperability and interconnectivity for any standards-based video-enabled device, regardless of the communication network. Scopia is an end-to-end video communications solution that includes multi-point conferencing units, firewall traversal, desktop conferencing and management for voice, video and data. The system can be used to connect meeting rooms, desktop users and mobile users in a variety of setups ranging from SMB environments to large-scale, distributed network deployments.

The Scopia product portfolio is among the most innovative and value-based videoconferencing solutions in the market and includes such features as:

• Desktop and mobile video conferencing solutions that fully support iOS and Android devices, as well as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives
• The only system on the market (Scopia XT5000) to incorporate dual 1080p/60fps live video and content, H.264 High Profile and H.264 Scalable Video Coding (SVC)
• The Scopia Executive solution supports multi-party conferencing for impromptu group meetings and includes a high resolution LED display for detailed content sharing
• The simplest and most affordable SMB video solution combining HD video room system capabilities with the market?s highest capacity embedded MCU for multi-party conferencing, desktop and mobile video collaboration, along with integrated firewall traversal
• Comprehensive video management delivery, control and scheduling for robust, easy-to-use conferencing with deployments including Scopia as well as third-party systems
• Extremely high UC connectivity capabilities, high UC connectivity with interoperability provided between any standards-based video enabled device, along with Avaya and other market leading unified communications solutions

Avaya Connect partners interested in learning more about the new Scopia course being offered through Jenne University should contact Erica Butler at (800) 422-6191, extension 3130 or email hidden; JavaScript is required. Partners who are interested learning more about the Avaya Scopia product solution should contact Jenne sales at (800) 422-6191.

Source: http://itresellerworld.com/2012/12/27/jenne-expands-avayas-radvision-scopia-offering-for-resellers-2/

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Fossil dealer's guilty plea ends dino dispute

NEW YORK?? A Florida fossil dealer pleaded guilty to smuggling charges Thursday and agreed to give up a celebrated $1 million dinosaur skeleton that was seized by the U.S. government earlier this year for eventual return to Mongolia.

Eric Prokopi, 38, said he would surrender the 70 million-year-old Tarbosaurus bataar skeleton, known as "Ty," and give up any claims to six other dinosaurs and various other bones in a cooperation deal that might win him leniency from charges that carry a potential prison sentence of up to 17 years.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin S. Bell read a list of the dinosaurs to Magistrate Judge Ronald L. Ellis, saying a second substantially complete tyrannosaur skeleton was found at Prokopi's Gainesville, Fla., home, while a third was believed to be in Britain.

Bell said the government will also get to keep a Chinese flying dinosaur that Prokopi illegally imported; a skeleton of a Saurolophus, a duckbilled, plant-eating dinosaur from the late Cretaceous period; and two oviraptor skeletons, one found at Prokopi's home and the other at another residential dwelling in Florida. The oviraptors have parrotlike skulls.

"It's among the larger dinosaur shopping lists you'll see today," Bell told the magistrate judge.

Cosmic Log: The year's top ancient mysteries (and missteps)

In a release, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: "Fossils and ancient skeletal remains are part of the fabric of a country's natural history and cultural heritage, and black marketers like Prokopi who illegally export and sell these wonders, steal a slice of that history. We are pleased that we can now begin the process of returning these prehistoric fossils to their countries of origin."

The government accused Prokopi of smuggling bones into the country illegally from Mongolia before assembling them into a skeleton that was sold by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions for $1.05 million, a deal that was suspended pending the outcome of litigation. The government said the dinosaur skeleton was mislabeled as reptile bones from Britain.

Free on bail
Prokopi remains free on bail pending a sentencing scheduled for April 25. After his plea Thursday, he immediately went with prosecutors to their offices without commenting.

In a statement last spring, Prokopi defended his handling of the dinosaur, saying the value of the bones was labeled much lower than the eventual auction price because "it was loose, mostly broken bones and rocks with embedded bones. It was not what you see today, a virtually complete, mounted skeleton."

1. Science news from NBCNews.com

   1. Year in Science: Higgs boson takes the prize

      Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: As 2012 draws to a close, physicists are celebrating ? and being celebrated for ? the end of a quest to find a subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson.

   2. How climate shifts sparked human evolution
   3. Injured coral have less 'sex'
   4. 23 scientists and innovators win medals

Prokopi pleaded guilty to conspiracy for importing the Chinese flying dinosaur, entry by goods by means of false statements for importing Mongolian dinosaurs and one count of interstate and foreign transportation of goods converted and taken by fraud.

In describing his crimes, Prokopi said he wrote an email to a fossil dealer in China in 2010, instructing him to mislabel customs documents to make it appear that the bones of a Chinese flying dinosaur were worth less than they were.

He said that from 2010 to 2012, he arranged for shipments of fossils from Mongolia to be described in customs documents as if their country of origin were Great Britain.

'Vague and misleading' statements
The magistrate judge asked Prokopi if the country of origin on the documents was an important fact.

"Well, apparently," Prokopi said, prompting a brief discussion between the prosecutor and Prokopi's defense lawyer.

Afterward, Prokopi said the labeling of the relics was purposefully "vague and misleading so that they didn't bring attention to the shipment."

The magistrate judge asked him what would have happened if he had labeled them accurately.

"Probably nothing," Prokopi said, pausing and then adding, "or it may not have been allowed to be imported."

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50307137/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Reese Witherspoon Jokes: Tennessee Is a "Redneck" Name

Reese Witherspoon can laugh about it now, but during her third pregnancy, she kept information about the baby secret -- even from her celebrity BFFs like Chelsea Handler.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/reese-witherspoon-jokes-tennessee-redneck-name/1-a-511115?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Areese-witherspoon-jokes-tennessee-redneck-name-511115

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5 Clever Ways Your Business Can Use Video to Drive Traffic ...

?My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company.? -Jane Austen

Tired of hearing about how video increases conversions? Yeah me too.

And I live and breathe online video.

However, you?re a savvy marketer. You read the Unbounce blog and probably other popular marketing blogs, so you don?t need to be pounded over the head about the fact that you should be using video.

You already know that video increases conversions and you?ve probably read these great posts:

So, let?s take a different approach. Let?s explore some businesses that are using video in clever ways and in places you?ve never dreamt of.

Here are 5 clever ways businesses are using video to engage with their audiences and grow their traffic.

Go K-Pop

How do you capitalize on a wacky yet addictive music video that has become this year?s biggest internet sensation known as ?Gangnam Style??

Simple, you create your own version of a wacky, yet addictive music video and call it ?Inbound Style.?

If you?re an avid reader of Hubspot, like myself, then you love the marketing tips they provide. But you also love their not-so-serious approach to marketing.

Sure we?re geeky marketers who enjoy a dinner conversation about the latest conversion tactics and social media trends, but sometimes we all like (and need) to take our shoes off, take in a long breath of fresh air and enjoy a little comedy.

For all the great content that Hubspot creates, it?s refreshing to see a little personality so we, as their audience, can have a deeper connection with the brand.

THE Unsubscribe Video

What happens when you click unsubscribe on one of the daily emails you receive from Groupon?

Well, the quirky brand we all know and love uses video to re-engage users during this process.

The video allows you to ?punish? Derrick for sending an email that you found irrelevant. If you decide to click on the ?punish? button, another person comes over to yell at him and throws some water in his face.

At the end of the video, you are able to show some pity on Derrick and resubsribe to the emails.

Even though there?s no audio in the video, the concept is genius and the first time I saw it, I resubscribed immediately.

It?s an amazingly clever use of video and has led to many other blogs writing about this simple unsubscribe page.

Although Groupon has since switched over to a more conventional unsubscribe page where you can manage your email settings, the fact that Mike Arrington created a video about Groupon?s unsubscribe page made it still worth mentioning.

Video Twitter Replies

What typically happens when one of our followers ask us a question on Twitter? We write a reply back to them as fast as we can or link them to the right page with the answers. Works perfectly fine right?

But how do you go above and beyond the norm and truly connect with your audience? Jen Rubio, Social Media Manager for Warby Parker, uses social media in unexpected ways to double the response rate and truly connect with followers.

Most people generally think of Twitter as a text-based social platform, but one of the most successful things that Warby Parker does on Twitter is reply to people with video responses.

The companies? followers frequently ask questions about the color, size and/or shape of a particular frame, and instead of just responding to them with a tweet, she and her team creates a video that shows them the difference between two frames.

Keeping things visual captivates your audience and produces great content with little to no time or money.

Targeted Customer Testimonials

Full disclosure: Sharefile is a customer of SmartShoot.

How did Sharefile become one of the biggest file sending services on the net getting acquired by Citrix in October 2011?
They used SmartShoot, of course. J to the k.

On a serious note, Sharefile understood the power of video and instead of just creating one overarching testimonial video they created multiple testimonial videos targeted at key target markets.

By creating industry specific landing pages along with industry specific customer testimonials, they?ve boosted user signups to their subscription service.

Click for full-size image

Create Your Own Whiteboard Animation

Have a loooooong piece of video content that you can?t wait to share with the world? Consider using a whiteboard animation video.

The beauty of these videos is that everything moves at an engaging pace and allows you to create longer videos without the fear of losing your audience.

One of my ABSOLUTE favorites is Dan Pink?s talk about the hidden trusts behind what really motivates us at home and in the workplace.

Now if you?ve got the budget you can certainly get a whiteboard animation through the SmartShoot platform, however, you?re looking at a minimum of $2,000 for a 60 second video.

Pat Flynn, a popular blogger and internet marketer, has a fantastic video that teaches you how to create your own whiteboard animation for just a few hundred dollars.

Pat states that ?with YouTube, I can reach more people than I ever could by just sticking to written content on my blog.? His YouTube channel has over 13,000 subscribers and 1.8 million views.

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? Steve Young

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Source: http://unbounce.com/online-marketing/5-clever-ways-your-business-can-use-video-to-drive-traffic/

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Egypt's contentious Islamist constitution becomes law

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi signed into law a new constitution shaped by his Islamist allies, a bitterly contested document which he insists will help end political turmoil and allow him to focus on fixing the economy.

Anxiety about a deepening political and economic crisis has gripped Egypt in past weeks, with many people rushing to buy dollars and withdraw their savings from banks. The Egyptian pound tumbled on Wednesday to its weakest level against the U.S. currency in almost eight years.

The new constitution, which the liberal opposition says betrays Egypt's 2011 revolution by dangerously mixing religion and politics, has polarized the Arab world's most populous nation and prompted occasionally violent protest on the streets.

The presidency said on Wednesday that Mursi had formally approved the constitution the previous evening, shortly after results showed that Egyptians had backed it in a referendum.

The text won about 64 percent of the vote, paving the way for a new parliamentary election in about two months.

The charter states that the principles of sharia, Islamic law, are the main source of legislation and that Islamic authorities will be consulted on sharia - a source of concern to the Christian minority and others.

The referendum result marked yet another electoral victory for the Islamists since veteran autocrat Hosni Mubarak was toppled in 2011, following parliamentary elections last year and the presidential vote that brought Mursi to power this year.

Mursi's government, which has accused opponents of damaging the economy by prolonging political upheaval, now faces the tough task of building a broad consensus as it prepares to impose austerity measures.

CRISIS ATMOSPHERE

The atmosphere of crisis deepened this week after the Standard & Poor's agency downgraded Egypt's long-term credit rating and warned of a possible further cut. The government has imposed currency restrictions to reduce capital flight.

The pound traded as low as 6.1775 against the dollar on Wednesday, close to its all-time low of 6.26 hit on October 14, 2004, on concerns that the government might devalue or tighten restrictions on currency movements.

"All customers are rushing to buy dollars after the downgrading," said a dealer at a Cairo-based bank. "We'll have to wait to see how the market will operate with the U.S. dollar, because as you know there is a rush at the moment."

Keen to be seen as decisive, the government is now in talks with business figures, trade unions and other groups to highlight the need for tax increases to resolve the crisis.

Mursi has committed to such austerity measures to receive a $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.

However, Al-Mal newspaper quoted Planning Minister Ashraf al-Araby as saying the government would not implement the tax increases until it had completed the dialogue with different parts of society.

In Cairo's bustling centre, people openly expressed their frustration with economic instability as they went about their daily business.

"The country's going to the pits. Everything is a mess," Hamdy Hussein, a 61-year-old building janitor, said angrily. "It's worse than ever. Mubarak was better than now. People were living and there was security."

Ashraf Mohamed Kamal, 30, added: "The economic situation will be a mess in the next few years. It already is. People will get hungrier. People are now begging more."

TURMOIL CONTINUES

Mursi, catapulted into power by his Islamist allies this year, believes adopting the constitution quickly and holding the vote for a permanent new parliament will help to end the long period of turmoil and uncertainty that has wrecked the economy.

Mursi's government argues the constitution offers enough protection to all groups, and that many Egyptians are fed up with street protests that have prevented a return to normality and distracted the government from tackling the economy.

The charter gives Egypt's upper house of parliament, which is dominated by Islamists, full legislative powers until the vote for a new lower house is held.

While stressing the importance of political stability to heal the economy, Mursi's government has tried to play down the economic problems and appealed for unity despite the hardship.

"The government calls on the people not to worry about the country's economy," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohamed Mahsoub told the upper house in a speech. "We are not facing an economic problem but a political one and it is affecting the economic situation. We therefore urge all groups, opponents and brothers, to achieve wide reconciliation and consensus."

Mursi is due to address the upper house on Saturday in a speech likely to be dominated by economic policy.

Sharpening people's concerns, the authorities imposed currency controls on Tuesday to prevent capital flight. Leaving or entering Egypt with more than $10,000 in cash is now banned.

Adding to the government's long list of worries, Communications Minister Hany Mahmoud has resigned citing his "inability to adapt to the government's working culture".

The opposition has condemned the new basic law as too Islamist, saying it could allow clerics to intervene in the lawmaking process and leave minority groups without proper legal protection. It said this month's vote was marred by major violations.

Nevertheless, major opposition groups have not called for new protests, suggesting that weeks of civil unrest over the constitution may be subsiding now that it has passed.

The United States, which provides $1.3 billion a year in military aid plus other support to Egypt and sees it as a pillar of security in the Middle East, called on Egyptian politicians to bridge divisions and on all sides to reject violence.

(Additional reporting by Patrick Werr; Writing by Maria Golovnina; editing by David Stamp)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-leader-signs-contentious-constitution-law-091517463.html

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Gov. Quinn Welcomes Health Insurance &#39;Co-Op&#39;

CHICAGO (AP) -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is welcoming the news that a nonprofit organization plans to offer health insurance in the state starting in 2014.

The new nonprofit -- called Land of Lincoln Health -- announced last week it is applying for a state license and has received a $160 million federal loan to begin operations.

In a statement Monday, Quinn called the announcement "another positive step to provide the people of Illinois more choices" in health care.

President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law created a category of insurance carriers called Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans, or "co-ops."

Land of Lincoln Health was incorporated by the Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council. It's the first co-op in Illinois to receive approval from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Source: http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/Gov-Quinn-Welcomes-Health-Insurance-Co-Op-184754131.html

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Nervous retailers hope for post-Christmas rush

2 hrs.

Patrick Rizzo and Allison Linn, NBC News

The biggest holiday of the season is over, but retailers are hoping that you aren?t done with your holiday shopping quite yet.

?The next few days are critical for retailers. They?ve got some catching up to do,? said Marshal Cohen, retail industry analyst with NPD Group.

By early Wednesday, big chains including Macy's were already pushing their post-Christmas bargains, while major discounters?including Wal-Mart were encouraging shoppers to redeem their gift cards right away. But the fallout from a big Christmas storm could hurt their efforts if shoppers decide they prefer a cozy rest of the week at home instead.

Retailers had started off the all-important holiday shopping season in a much cheerier mood, as Black Friday shoppers appeared to gobble down turkey and rush to the stores ? and their computers ? in search of holiday gifts and bargains.

But then, a combination of factors including super storm?Sandy and the political upheaval over the fiscal cliff appeared to dim shoppers? moods. Experts also?said the stronger start to the season may have been a sign that people finished up early and had fewer last-minute shopping trips to make.

?The early start certainly looked like it meant that the consumer was in full spirits,? Cohen said. ?But in reality just because they had a front-loaded holiday didn?t mean there was going to be that much more spending to come.?

It's too early to paint a complete picture of how retailers fared so far in the most crucial season of the year. But early indications have some fretting that the year will end up being weaker than many had initially hoped.

Holiday-related sales rose 0.7 percent from Oct. 28 through Dec. 24, as compared to last year, according to data from Mastercard Advisors SpendingPulse. That was the lowest growth rate for that period?since 2008, at the depths of the recession. The same?survey showed a 2 percent increase in 2011.

The SpendingPulse data is based on estimates of payments made through the MasterCard network as well as by cash and check. It tracks holiday-related purchases including apparel, electronics and jewelry.

Research firm ShopperTrak, which compiles sales estimates based on foot traffic, said last week that it expects holiday sales to increase by 2.5 percent. That?s down from?its previous estimate that sales would increase by 3.3 percent.

But other researchers have not changed their initial forecasts for the season.

On Wednesday, the International Council of Shopping Centers, which produces an index of chain store sales along with Goldman Sachs, said it was holding to its estimate that holiday sales at chain stores would rise 3 percent this year.

?The ICSC?s chief economist, Michael Niemira, said in a note that sales in the last week of December could benefit from a calendar shift that put Christmas Eve on Monday this year.

A National Retail Federation spokeswoman said in an e-mail Wednesday that it also was sticking with its forecast that holiday sales would grow 4.1 percent to $586.1 billion.

Experts caution that it?s hard to say just yet what the final data will show, especially once post-holiday bargains are factored in.

?There?s no question that we saw a lot of (the) momentum slow down. How much did it slow down? We don?t really know yet,? Cohen said.

Holiday sales are considered crucial to retailers, and some can expect to make as much as half their profits, and 30 percent of their sales, during the two-month period.

The fiscal cliff, super storm?Sandy and other external factors are partly to blame for souring shoppers? moods toward the end of the season. But experts say shoppers have in recent years also become more savvy about sussing out bargains.

They?ve also become more bargain-conscious. C. Britt Beemer, retail analyst with America?s Research Group, said in a research note that major discounters appeared to fare best in keeping their customers.

?Consumers were very frugal this year, as we said all along,? Beemer said in the note.

The increasing shift to online shopping also may not be helping retailers pick up any extra sales. That?s because when a person shops online, they tend to seek out the best bargain and then buy that item. An in-store shopper may be more tempted to walk the other aisles, pick up a few things for themselves or do some other impulse shopping they hadn?t planned on.

?The consumer didn?t spend a lot of time this year buying those extra gifts. They didn?t spend a lot of time spending on themselves instead of others,? Cohen said.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/nervous-retailers-hope-post-christmas-rush-1C7659314

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Tigers roar back: Great news for big cats in key areas

Dec. 26, 2012 ? The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has announced significant progress for tigers in three key landscapes across the big cat's range due to better law enforcement, protection of additional habitat, and strong government partnerships.

The successes are much-needed good news as tiger numbers worldwide continue to hover at all-time lows due to the combined threat of poaching, loss of prey, and habitat destruction. WCS estimates that only 3,200 tigers exist in the wild.

The news begins in southwestern India where WCS research and conservation efforts that began 25 years ago now show a major rebound of tigers in the Western Ghats region of Karnataka State. Over 600 individuals have been identified to date from camera trap photos during the last decade in this mountainous landscape. In Nagarahole and Bandipur National Parks, tigers have actually reached saturation levels, with surplus young tigers spilling out into forest-reserves and dispersing using secured forest corridors through a landscape that holds over a million human beings. The combination of strict government-led anti-poaching patrols, voluntary relocation of villages away from tiger habitats, and the vigilant local presence of WCS conservation partners watching over tigers has led to the rebound of big-cat populations and their prey. In newer tiger reserves including Bhadra and Kudremukh, numbers have increased by as much as 50 percent after years of neglect and chronic poaching were tackled.

In Thailand, WCS conservationists report a tiger comeback in Huai Kha Khaeng (HKK) Wildlife Sanctuary -- a 2,700 square kilometer (1,042 square mile) protected area in the vast Western Forest Complex. WCS has worked closely with Thai authorities to beef up enforcement and anti-poaching patrols in the region. Last year, a notorious poaching ring was busted, and this year the gang leaders were given prison sentences of up to five years -- the most severe punishments for wildlife poaching in Thailand's history. Since their capture, there have been no known tiger or elephant poaching incidents in the park. Tiger numbers have been rising steadily in the park since 2007, with a record 50-plus tigers counted last year.

Meanwhile in Russia, government officials are drafting a new law that will make transport, sales, and possession of endangered animals a criminal offense rather than just a civil crime. This will close a loophole that currently allows poachers to claim they found endangered species like tigers already dead and thus avoid stiffer criminal penalties for poaching.

Russia is making progress in creating additional protected areas for tigers, too, declaring a new corridor called Central Ussuri Wildlife Refuge on October 18. The new refuge acts as a linkage between the Sikhote-Alin tiger population in Russia, which is the main population of Amur tigers, and some of the best tiger habitat in China's Heilongjiang Province in the Wandashan Mountains. The creation of the new refuge ensures that tigers have the capacity to move across the international border between Russian and China in this region. WCS first identified this key corridor in 1999 after conducting joint wildlife surveys with Chinese and Russian scientists there. WCS President and CEO Cristi?n Samper said: "Tigers are clearly fighting for their very existence, but it's important to know that there is hope. Victories like these give us the resolve to continue to battle for these magnificent big cats. While the news about tigers has been bleak, these recent developments clearly show how smart strategies and strong partnerships are ensuring tigers are saved for centuries to come."

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/R4fMvR8-z6Q/121226153034.htm

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