Baidu - Why You Cannot Buy It - Seeking Alpha

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)

Baidu (BIDU) is the leading search engine in China and has grown at an eye popping pace since inception. The company has benefited greatly from the implicit barriers that the Chinese government puts up against foreign companies. Google (GOOG) was forced to abandon one of the richest Internet markets because of Chinese censorship policies. Companies like GE (GE) and Siemens (SI) have also complained in the past about the unequal playing field for foreign companies in China. Baidu has grown to be the second most valuable search engine company after Google. This is mainly due to their Chinese home advantage. Google is the dominant search engine in almost every country except Russia and China. Baidu has managed to successfully navigate through the Chinese bureaucracy (and its attendant information secrecy) to become a $35 billion behemoth.

Why you cannot buy Baidu

Technology not as good as Google

Baidu's core search product is not as good as Google's search engine. Its success in the past has been more due to local factors than technological superiority. The way it displays its ads in the search pages is also not as user friendly as Google. This makes the company susceptible to change in China's policies in the future. If the Chinese government opens up and allows more foreign competition, then Baidu could be in trouble. Currently trade wars are flaring up between China and US on a number of issues like steel, solar and wind turbine imports. Europe is also seeking to impose duties on imports of Chinese solar panels. China could be forced to give concessions like providing better access to Western companies.

Competition is Growing after Google exit

Baidu has been losing marketshare to local home grown competition like Qihoo 360 (QIHU), Sohu (SOHU) and Tencent Holdings (TCEHY). It's almost monopolistic marketshare in the Chinese market implies that Baidu marketshare has only one way to go - down. Baidu's marketshare has come down from 80% in 2011 to 58% in 2012. Google has got only a miniscule 6% marketshare due to its exit in 2010. However, if Google is allowed to return, then Baidu could face a huge headache in its core search segment.

One Country Pony

Baidu earns most of its revenues from China and does not have a material presence elsewhere. Its efforts to diversify to other neighboring countries like Korea and Japan have not borne fruit. While we concede that China is a huge market, the concentration risk cannot be ignored lightly. The slowing of the Chinese economy and the fall in the Shanghai stock market has affected Baidu. A future hard landing in China would be bad for Baidu. Google earns almost 50% of its revenues from outside its home market. Lots of companies are dependent on their home market for most of their revenues. However, the contrast to big Internet companies like Amazon (AMZN), Google and Microsoft (MSFT) remains stark in this case

Mobile Search Marketshare is not even half that of PC

Baidu's marketshare in the mobile phone search segment is not even half that of the PC share. This has been the biggest cause of the stock price decline as analysts have repeatedly emphasized this point. Search queries are rapidly moving towards mobile phones and tablets. This means that Baidu is at risk of losing its top dog position in China's Internet search sector.

Late Investment in Cloud Computing

Baidu has been late to the cloud computing space though it is now investing a massive 10 billion yuan to build a cloud computing centre. It is copying Google and Amazon who have been the first movers in the market. Baidu is introducing a copycat Google Drive with a 100 GB space.

Chinese ADR Risks

Chinese companies listed in the US have come under sharp attack for accounting problems if not outright fraud. Baidu has not shown any such problem yet, however this risk has to be kept in mind while investing. The SEC is taking action against Chinese subsidiaries of big audit firms for not providing adequate disclosure. This has the potential of turning into a nasty fight between US and China in which the Chinese ADRs will get hit.

Risks to the Upside

Online Video Leadership in China

Baidu has managed to enter new business streams such as online video in which it has become the No.2 player just behind the market leader Youku (YOKU). The company has managed to successfully copy Google's entry into online video (Youtube). Google is managing to increase its online ad revenues through monetizing Youtube videos. Baidu is set to follow Google's example in this revenue stream as well.

Growth Still Strong but Tapering Off

Baidu's revenue and operating profit growth is still quite strong, increasing by 50% y/y in Q312. Baidu's customers increased by 29% y/y and have reached 400,000. In less developed markets like China and India, customer relationships with SMEs are more important than places like USA. Customers are still mainly acquired through offline means as they don't have a good knowledge about online advertising. Revenues per customer growth decreased sharply to 16.8% y/y. Overall, the trend line for most metrics shows a declining growth trend.

Valuation is not Cheap though not as Expensive either

Baidu's valuation has come down substantially from the heady P/E multiples it used to command earlier. However, it is not cheap either as it trades at roughly 8.5x P/S based on current quarter revenues of ~$1 bb. The P/E at ~20x based on current quarter earnings is not expensive given that the company is expected to grow by 25-30% next year. But in technology, we know that the earnings can evaporate suddenly based on an abrupt technology change. We think that Baidu, despite its recent fall, is still not cheap.

Baidu's stock has fallen by ~40% from its peak in 2011 to ~$100 now due to concerns about mobile monetization, slowing growth, Chinese ADR issues and a 3Q12 revenue miss.

Summary

Baidu remains a formidable Internet force in China due to its dominant search engine. However, the company has been late in entering segments like cloud computing, mobile etc. The company has also lost marketshare in the PC and desktop segments to local competitors. There is always the danger of Google returning after a deal with the Chinese government. The company's valuation is still not cheap despite the price fall seen in the last couple of years. Baidu is undertaking a painful transition of moving into the mobile market from PCs. It has not been proactive in recognizing the new Internet trends. Its strategy has always been to copy the western Internet companies. This is the reason that they have not been successful in their international operations. The Chinese government implicitly protects them in the massive domestic market. I think the days of sharp stock price growth are over for Baidu. It may not make sense to buy Baidu.

Source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/1084031-baidu-why-you-cannot-buy-it?source=feed

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Add Convenience to Your Business or Home - ArticlesWide.com

[unable to retrieve full-text content]HOME :: Shopping and Product Reviews :: Electronics ... The under counter ice machine is a convenience for even the smallest shop or business since the hassle of obtaining ice is virtually non-existent. Installing an under ...

Source: http://www.articleswide.com/article/12173-Add_Convenience_to_Your_Business_or_Home.html

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Water War! Tom Cruise Gets Drenched During 'Fallon' Visit

Tom Cruise gave his first post-divorce television interview to late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday night to discuss his latest film, Jack Reacher. Coincidentally, Cruise chose to break his public silence on the same show as his ex-wife Katie Holmes did almost exactly one month ago -- except, he made more of a splash.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/tom-cruise-water-war-jimmy-fallon/1-a-509834?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Atom-cruise-water-war-jimmy-fallon-509834

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Kodak, dijital g?r?nt?leme patentlerini aralar?nda Apple, Google, Microsoft ve Samsung'un da bulundu?u bir ?irketler birli?ine satacak

?lk dijital kameran?n mucidi Eastman Kodak, 21. y?zy?lda dibe vuran k?kl? teknoloji firmalar?ndan biri olarak ge?ti?imiz Ekim ay?nda Amerika'daki tesisleri ve di?er m?lklerini elinde tutabilmek i?in resmen iflas koruma ba?vurusunda bulunmu?tu. Yakla??k otuz y?l ?nce 145 bin ?al??ana sahip bir d?nya markas? olarak nitelendirilen g?r?nt?leme end?strisinin dev ismi, y?z binden fazla eleman?yla yollar?n? ay?rd?, bir?ok k?tadaki onlarca operasyonuna son verdi. ?flas Mahkemesi taraf?ndan toplam m?lkiyeti 5.1 milyar dolar, borcu ise 6.75 milyar dolar olarak a??klanan ?irket, Citigroup ile 950 milyon dolarl?k bir kredi i?in anla?maya varm??, bunun d???nda as?rl?k tecr?besinin ?r?nleri olan g?r?nt?leme patentlerini satarak borucunu kapatmaya ?al??aca??n? duyurmu?tu.

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1,100 g?r?nt?leme patentine sahip Kodak'?n federal mahkemeden yapt??? a??klamada, dijital foto?raf ?ekme, payla?ma gibi hususlarla ilgili patentlerin 2.21 - 2.57 milyar dolar de?erinde oldu?u bildirilmi?ti. Ancak Google, Samsung, Nokia, Motorola, LG gibi bir?ok firmaya lisanslanarak ?imdiye kadar 3 milyar dolar?n ?zerinde gelir elde edilen bu teknolojilerin yayg?n hale gelmi? olmalar?ndan ?t?r? de?erini yitirdi?i ifade edildi. Patentleri sat?n almak ?zere Intellectual Ventures Managment ?a?t?s?nda birle?en Apple, Microsoft, Research In Motion gibi firmalar, Temmuz ay?ndan beri RPX'in bir araya getirdi?i Google ve Android ekosisteminin Asyal? firmalar?ndan Samsung, HTC, Huawei ile teklif yar??? i?erisindeydi. Bug?n Bloomberg'in bildirdi?i son geli?meyle nihayet taraflar?n bir ?irketler birli?i olu?turarak patentleri sat?n almaya karar verdi?i ortaya ??kt?.

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Resmi bas?n duyurusunu k?sa s?re ?nce a??klayan Kodak, bir k?s?m g?r?nt?leme patentlerini kapsayan bu al?mdan yakla??k 525 milyon dolarl?k bir gelir elde edece?ini belirtti. ?irketler birli?inde ba?? ?eken Apple ve Google'?n yan? s?ra al?m?n kapsad??? dijital g?r?nt?leme teknolojilerini ?r?nlerinde lisansl? bir ?ekilde kullanabilecek ?u isimler yer al?yor; Adobe Systems, Amazon, Facebook, Fujifilm, HTC, Huawei, Microsoft, Samsung, Shutterfly, Research In Motion. 2011'de Nortel Networks'?n 6,000 ileti?im teknolojisi patentine yine bir konsorsiyum olu?turarak 4.5 milyar dolar ?deyen Apple ve Microsoft, 900 milyon dolarl?k bir teklif veren Google'? saf d??? b?rakmay? ba?arm??t?. Fakat bu durumdan ders ??karan teknoloji devlerinin Kodak patentleri i?in s?rd?rd?kleri rekabetten vazge?erek daha ekonomik bir teklifle anla?maya vard?klar? belirtildi.

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Ald??? krediler ve satm?? oldu?u g?r?nt?leme patentleriyle bor?lar?n? ?deyip 2013 ilk yar?s?nda iflastan ??kmay? uman Eastman Kodak, ilerleyen d?nemlerde ?irketi k???lt?p foto?raf??l?k sekt?r? yerine reklam, ambalaj ve bask? alanlar? ile kurumsal servislere odaklanacak. Bu stratejiyle varl???n? s?rd?rmeye devam etmeyi uman New York merkezli firma, gelecek planlar?nda ?nemli bir yere sahip olan patentlerinin sat???n?n ?flas Mahkemesi taraf?ndan onayland?ktan sonra tamamlanaca??n? aktard?.?

Source: http://www.donanimhaber.com/Kodak_dijital_goruntuleme_patentlerini_aralarinda_Apple_Google_Microsoft_ve_Samsungun_da_bulundugu_bir_sirketler_birligine_satacak-38273.htm

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Why Tragedies Alter Risk Perception

If Friday's school shooting in Connecticut follows the pattern set by other mass tragedies, huge numbers of Americans are worrying about the safety of their kids at school. How is our perception of risk is shaped by tragedy, and what happens when our perceptions do not line up with the facts?

Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/12/17/167427990/why-tragedies-alter-risk-perception?ft=1&f=1007

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History of Technology: 50 years of Relay 1 satellite at N3RD

Today satellite communications seem something that falls within the ordinary and not surprising to see a live broadcast of an event that is taking place at the other end of the world. However, in the 60s, during the race space, satellite communications were extremely innovative and experimental communication channel that began to offer the ability to deliver audio and video signals between areas live far apart geographically. On 10 July, the 50th anniversary of the launch of the first commercial communications satellite in history, the Tesltar 1, a project that would open the door to broadcasting of satellite television signals and led to other projects such as Relay Program NASA would launch into space, but this day 50 years ago, the Relay 1 satellite.
The December 13, 1962, a Delta rocket launched from Cape Canaveral facilities in Florida put the satellite in orbit Relay 1, a NASA pilot project that took place in parallel to the Telstar program and that, as it had target experiments with satellite communications in addition to capturing data telemetry systems that housed the satellite.
The project, this time, was led entirely by NASA (the Telstar was a public-private partnership aimed at commercial communications) and the development of the satellite was the responsibility of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). The Relay 1 was a satellite weighing 78 kilograms around and was able to be stabilized by turning (rotating at a speed of 167 revolutions per minute) and in addition to communications equipment, carried a transmitter for monitoring ground, one for and telemetry equipment to photograph the terrestrial radiation belts.
However, the main objective of this mission were satellite communications and, in this sense, the satellite was able to act in active repeater received signals, ie the signal received, processed and returned to the relay them to Earth (regenerating the signal). If one was aimed Tesltar linking U.S. with Europe, the Relay 1 satellite became the Pacific and was able to unite the United States with Japan (though also used for broadcasts to Europe).
The orbital period of Relay 1 was 185.09 minutes and, during orbit 2677 (which took place on November 22, 1963), was scheduled to issue a greeting from President Kennedy to the Japanese people but just that day was the assassination of President and instead of issuing the speech had been recorded, the first satellite transmission between the United States and Japan was to communicate the news of the death of JFK.
In the next orbit in 2678, Japan was broadcast a program broadcast live in America that revolved around the life of President Kennedy and became the first live broadcast from the United States and Japan, an activity that would NBC repeated when the satellite used to broadcast days later the funeral procession and funeral of President. President Kennedy's death, unfortunately, serve to demonstrate the feasibility of satellite communications for broadcasting live events and programs since, during the 3 days following the murder, the Relay 1 broadcast 11 live connections, 8 for 3 for Europe and Japan.
In the summer of 1964, Tokyo City was in charge of hosting the Olympics and deployed communications satellites would take an important part in the worldwide broadcast of this event. At that time, NASA had also deployed satellites Syncom program and by Syncom 3 was established the link between Japan and the United States and, thanks to Relay 1, the link was established between the U.S. and Europe, giving global coverage the Olympics and breaking new ground by combining two satellite technology to broadcast a signal.
While the Relay 1 can be considered a success, the satellite was able to give the odd headache to NASA. Shortly after launch, the satellite did not respond well to commands sent from the ground in addition to suffering a leak in one of the high power regulators took it out of service for the first two weeks. After this time, the satellite returned to work and did not need repairs but in early 1965, after just over two years of service, causing problems again cuts in transfers until February 10 of that year and broke down the satellite thus ending its useful life.
The Relay 1 was not the only satellite deployed under this program and the January 21, 1964, NASA launched the Relay 2, a satellite that was in service until 1967, also for various faults, was no longer operating.

Source: http://n3rd.tv/history-of-technology-50-years-of-relay-1-satellite/

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Shooter a mystery to neighbors and former classmates

A police barricade prohibited access on Saturday to the neighborhood where gunman Adam Lanza lived in Sandy Hook.??

NEWTOWN, CT -- Even to his neighbors, the gunman who massacred 26 kids and educators at an elementary school here still remains somewhat of a mystery.

"I want to know more," said Len Strocchia, who lives less than half mile away from the shooter's house.

Authorities say Adam Lanza, 20, killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, at their well-to-do home?Friday morning?before driving to Sandy Hook Elementary where he stormed in and committed one of the worst mass school shootings in U.S. history. The victims were 20 first-graders and six staffers, including the principal.

Adam Lanza's parents divorced a few years ago. Messages left with his father, Peter Lanza, were not returned.

On Saturday, Strocchia walked down the street to see the shooter's house firsthand, but was forbidden to go past a police barricade near the Lanza home.

"I want to know which house and why I didn't know them," the father of two teenagers told Yahoo News.

Another neighbor did know Adam Lanza. Megan, who declined to give her last name, was a classmate of the shooter from kindergarten through middle school.

"He wasn't like a weird kid as a child," Megan told Yahoo News. "He was just quiet. He didn't put off a friendly vibe."

But she said he was one of the smartest students in school.

"He was always participating in class and everything," Megan said.

Police said Lanza, dressed in all black, was armed with two handguns and a semi-automatic Bushmaster .223 rifle when he barged into the school.

Dr. Carver, the medical examiner, said it appears that all the children where gunned down by the military-style rifle. Authorities said all the weapons were legally owned and registered by Nancy Lanza, the shooter's mother.

Newtown school superintendent Janet Robinson told reporters Saturday that Nancy Lanza had no connection to Sandy Hook school, despite initial reports Lanza was on the faculty or a substitute teacher there.

"I'm sickened that this mass murder was done with legal guns," said Strocchia, the neighbor. "I'd like to find out why. Why did she have guns?"

But acquaintances of Nancy Lanza told The New York Times that the 52-year-old mother was a big fan of guns.

"She had several different guns," Dan Holmes told the newspaper. "I don't know how many. She would go target shooting with her kids."

Reports that Adam Lanza may have suffered from a personality disorder are being supported by people who knew the mother to have a troubled son.

According to the Times story, a friend said Nancy Lanza?was "handling a very difficult situation with uncommon grace."

While searching for answers, Strocchia said he harbors no anger.

"I'm thankful my children are alive," he said. "I have compassion and mercy. There was something wrong with him."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/shooter-mystery-neighbors-former-classmates-215811657.html

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Texas Cancer Agency Marred By Criminal Probe

AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas put up $3 billion in taxpayer money and promised cancer breakthroughs. But a criminal investigation, widespread rebuke from scientists and the resignations of embattled state officials came faster than medical discoveries.

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas launched in 2009, flaunting the second-biggest trough of cancer research dollars in the country. Nobel laureates eagerly took jobs with the agency and celebrity Lance Armstrong lent visible and then-coveted support. It was an unprecedented state-run battle against a worldwide killer.

Three years later, it's become unhinged by suggestions of politics and personal profit and is on the ropes.

"People expected that we get some good results. Not that we make people rich in private companies doing cancer research," said Cathy Bonner, a cancer survivor who was a close aide to former Texas Gov. Ann Richards, and who helped brainstorm the idea for CPRIT. "I can't imagine anything lower than misuse of research money that's meant to save people's lives."

Embroiled by two lucrative grants approved despite scant review ? or none at all, in one case ? CPRIT is ending a year of turmoil saying the beleaguered agency is cooperating with separate prosecutor investigations. One is by a public corruption unit that convicted former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay on money laundering charges, and is beginning this probe trying to recover key internal emails CPRIT says it cannot retrieve.

The investigations opened last week after CPRIT revealed its latest and most serious blunder: Giving a private biomedical startup, Dallas-based Peloton Therapeutics, an $11 million award in 2010 without ever scrutinizing the merits of the company's proposal. The discovery came on the heels of the agency funding a $20 million project roundly condemned for not first undergoing an independent scientific review.

On Friday, the federal National Cancer Institute ? which confers CPRIT the prominent status of being an approved funding entity ? confirmed it was evaluating "recent events" at the state agency.

Amid the escalating troubles, an agency that doled out more than $800 million in three years has practically ground to a halt.

CPRIT's peer-review boards that evaluate research proposals are empty ? virtually all members quit in protest, including the chief science officer and the head of the science review council, both Nobel prize winners. They didn't leave quietly: Dr. Phillip Sharp, professor at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said agency leaders "dishonored" the integrity of the independent review process and suggested "suspicions of favoritism" were at hand.

On the other end of treating cancer ? putting drug discoveries on the market and in the hands of patients ? Chief Commercialization Officer Jerry Cobbs resigned in November after the irregularities behind Peloton's funding were uncovered. The agency has said Peloton was unaware its proposal bypassed review, and the company has declined comment.

Executive Director Bill Gimson then completed an extraordinary purging of the agency's leadership last week, saying he would step down from the $300,000-a-year job he held since CPRIT formed. His Dec. 10 resignation letter is dated the same day the Texas attorney general's office informed Gimson it was launching a wide inquiry into the agency's operations.

Months of upheaval has become even too much for one public relations superpower. Hill & Knowlton Strategies severed its consulting deal with CPRIT last week, telling the agency in a letter that "the ongoing issues and challenges that have confronted the organization over recent months have greatly exceeded the scope of work outlined in the original contract."

Cancer-fighting groups worry Texas lawmakers will be next to abandon CPRIT.

"The internal dynamics are concerning, and we need to know exactly what's going on," said James Gray, a government relations director for the American Cancer Society. "But the mission and work of CPRIT is vital in saving lives today, and also in the future."

CPRIT was created with a built-in expiration date. Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2007 to launch a $3 billion cancer-fighting effort, but gave the state only a decade to do it. Apart from funding research in university laboratories and infusing private biotech startups with cash ? including Peloton ? the agency also provides money for hundreds of thousands of preventive screenings, such as for breast cancer, across Texas.

Gov. Rick Perry and other elected leaders are now talking tough about transparency and getting to the bottom of the Peloton grant. The state's key budget-writing committee added a review of the agency to a hearing agenda for Thursday, though there appears to be little appetite among lawmakers to cut off CPRIT.

Prosecutors launched their investigations last week without alleging any criminal misconduct. But their broad scope will include trying to recover internal agency emails surrounding the Peloton grant that Gimson has said are no longer available.

"We've been down that road many times," said Gregg Cox, director of the Travis County district attorney's public integrity unit.

CPRIT is among fewer than two dozen funding entities in the nation approved by the National Cancer Institute. Aleea Farrakh Khan, an NCI spokeswoman, said the institute has not directly contacted CPRIT during its evaluation and no decisions have been made.

___

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/15/texas-cancer-agency-_n_2307946.html

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johir.khan: Women on belay ? belay on: Gals on Bliss learn the ...

Kenneth Coppedge, an outdoor recreation program manager at Fort Bliss, instructs the Women on Rope course at the Soldier Activity Center Dec. 3. Southwest Adventure hosts the two-hour instructional course for the third time at the recreational center. Photo by Sgt. Ida Irby, 24th Press Camp Headquarters.

Sgt. Ida Irby,
24th Press Camp Headquarters:

The Soldier Activity Center features a 23-foot indoor rock-climbing wall equipped with padded flooring, auto-belays, plastic holds and artificial cliffs where women in the Fort Bliss community attended a free indoor rock-climbing instructional course titled ?Women on Rope? Dec. 3.

The Southwest Adventure Team instructed the third iteration of the climbing course to help women improve their strength and fitness. The course was held for all women to learn in a comfortable environment from beginners to intermediate sport climbers.

?Climbing is a predominately male sport, and we wanted to provide women the opportunity to learn together in an environment with less intimidation,? said Kenneth Coppedge,? Fort Bliss Outdoor Recreation program manager, who instructed the class with the help of Greg Mai, recreational aide.

?The women encourage each other to try harder when climbing becomes frightening for beginners,? said Coppedge, who encourages women to mingle and feed off of each other?s energy. ?We are willing to meet them where they are [in their technical climbing skill] and give them instructions to improve or challenge them.?

During the class females learned to put on a harness and fix a figure-eight knot used in belay climbing. Instructions also included proper use of climbing aids, proper climbing techniques and helpful climbing vernacular.

Neysa Hardin scales a 23-foot indoor rock-climbing wall during a free Women on Rope indoor rock-climbing instructional course Dec. 3 at the Soldier Activity Center. The rock-climbing wall is part of the recreational facility recently built at East Fort Bliss. Photo by Sgt. Ida Irby, 24th Press Camp Headquarters.

Rock climbing requires strength and balance and climbers need a good strength-to-weight ratio ? this is why women can be very skilled climbers, explained Coppedge. During the course women learn how to use their bodies to be more effective climbers. While using a straight arm hold and pushing up with their legs women can climb farther and longer.

Women climbers attended the course with friends and made more friends during the class.

Neysa Hardin, an avid climber, attended to improve her skills in bouldering, top roping and sport climbing.

?Belaying in an indoor facility is a totally different experience than outdoors,? said Hardin.

Each female was strapped into a harness to try her hand at climbing the wall. They assisted one another by identifying different plastic holds and steps along the wall, making it easier to learn the fundamentals of climbing.

?I wanted to practice the basics of climbing,? said Nicole Mora, a Fort Bliss military spouse. ?[During the course], I learned how to belay, and how to use a step ? through climbing technique, and I feel more comfortable having someone give me verbal directions [while I climb], such as ?step left? or ?step right?.?

I will recommend this class to any of my friends who want to learn climbing,? said Mora, after completing a partner-belay on the indoor wall.

The recreational activity center is available to all active duty military, military retirees, civilian employees and family members at least 18 years old. Equipment available for check out at the center includes: harness, climbing shoes, carabineers and ropes. The Southwest Adventure team encourages safety and camaraderie.

Short URL: http://fbmonitor.com/?p=17491

Posted in climbing

Tags: class, climbing, coppedge-during, friends, instructional, neysa-hardin, press, press-camp, recreation, recreational, soldier, women, women-on-rope

Source: http://zyj88888.com/women-on-belay-belay-on-gals-on-bliss-learn-the-ropes-of-climbing-fort-bliss-monitor/

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Source: http://johirkhan72.blogspot.com/2012/12/women-on-belay-belay-on-gals-on-bliss.html

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Who's watching whom? Camera-equipped TV can be hacked, says researcher

35 min.

Wilson Rothman and Gary Merson , NBC News

Security researchers have identified a vulnerability in Samsung?s Linux-based Smart TV software that could give a hacker near-complete access to the television. This includes any file on the television, any connected USB drive and, yes, the built-in camera and microphones found on the latest top-of-the-line LCD and plasma sets. In effect, this would allow a hacker to hear and see you as you're watching the TV.?

ReVuln,?a Malta-based?firm that specializes in "vulnerability research for offensive and defensive security,"?showed how it could hack the TVs remotely?from anywhere on the network where the TV itself?is installed.

On Dec. 8,?ReVuln posted a video showing the team accessing TV settings, channel lists, widgets, USB drives attached to the TV (and any personal files they contain) and?remote control configurations. As the video chillingly puts it, "We can install malicious software to gain complete root access to the TV."

ReVuln announced?the hack in email correspondence with the online journal?Security Ledger, which published the video.

If this all?sounds familiar, it's because?HD Guru identified the potential vulnerability?back in March following the launch of Samsung?s 2012 line-up.?(At that time, NBC News?ran this story?by HD Guru's Gary Merson.)

When asked about the exploit,?Samsung released this statement to NBC News:

Samsung takes the security of our products very seriously. We are currently investigating the matter and will take appropriate actions, to the extent necessary.

There are four Samsung Smart TV?series, 11 models total,?that have built-in mics and HD cameras: The plasma 8000 series with three models, a 7500 LED LCD series with three models, an 8000 LED LCD series with four models and the flagship 9000 LED LCD, which currently has one model.

For independent verification of the claims, NBC News turned to Black Hat, which hosts global conferences to address highly technical security?matters. "These researchers are a known entity,"?Trey Ford, general manager of the group,?told NBC News. "I respect and believe what they present in the video. It is a credible threat."

What's?the worst that could happen?
When?NBC News reached out to ReVuln, Luigi Auriemma, the firm's co-founder, explained the significance of?his firm's discovery.?

"The vulnerability is exploitable remotely via network so the attacker needs to reach the TV IP address," he wrote to NBC News in an email from Malta. This distinction means that it's different than a worm or virus, that could spread to the TV via the Internet.

"In our opinion it's more interesting and realistic to think about attacks [against] specific targets reached via open/weak/hacked Wi-Fi or compromised computers of a network, instead of mass-exploiting via the Internet," wrote Auriemma. "That's interesting due to the effects of the vulnerability (retrieving information and the possibility of monitoring) which are perfect for targeted attacks, from a specific person with a TV at home to a company with TVs in its offices."

As disturbing as the concept of a "targeted attack" sounds, this means that there are limitations to who can get at you via a smart TV.?

"Where do you have to be to attack? Over the Internet from China? Or on my local network?" asks Ford of the Black Hat organization. "I don't believe this is exploitable from anywhere but the local network. Judging from the video, they have to be on the local network on Wi-Fi or plugged in (via Ethernet)."

The reason is that a router, like the one you have in your home, is the only part of your network visible to the Internet at large. Every computer, phone, game console or, yes, smart TV, attached to that router gets a local address, one that is unknown ? and therefore unexploitable ? from the outside. There are situations where devices connected to the router can be seen ? for instance, when a PC is hosting a Web page ? but aren't?typical household configurations.

Keep?out of my TV
If you just bought a smart TV, don't panic. Instead, make sure your home set-up is properly secured by following these steps recommended by the security experts.

For starters, remember: "Your network is your personal responsibility," says Travis Carelock, Black Hat's content director and research technologist. Black Hat recommends you ensure that your router's wireless network is secured with WPA encryption (not?WEP, which can be cracked), and that you keep track of what devices have access to?your network.

"Consider that little kid next?door that's good with computers," says Ford. Even if someone doesn't have malicious intent, they may be accessing your network.

Next, "update, update, update," says Carelock. Just as you update your home computer and Web?browsers to prevent security breaches, so must you now update your TVs and other connected electronics. It's what Black Hat calls "safe computing hygiene."

Another thing you can do is put some tape over the camera when it's not in use. "A physical layer of defense is always the best defense," says Carelock.

The?future is an open network
Even if you can keep your household secure, "we're moving into a whole different world," says Ford. "Growing up, you and I didn't have a wirelessly connected camera pointing at the couch."

And while the safeguards against this sort of threat may be clear to security experts now, the next wave of Internet interactivity, known as IPv6, will bring a new set of concerns. Currently, devices?connected to a?router are?typically?invisible to devices on the open?Internet. But when every device that connects to the Internet gets its own IP address, the rules will change.?

"That's what will make this a whole lot more fun in the future," says Ford.

Wilson Rothman is the Technology & Science?editor at NBC News Digital. Catch up with him on Twitter at @wjrothman, and join our conversation on Facebook.?Gary Merson is the founder of HD Guru and a reknowned TV expert. You can email him here.

More from HD Guru:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/whos-watching-whom-camera-equipped-tv-can-be-hacked-says-1C7596675

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Hitman HD Trilogy? Amazon Says Yes. | Video Game Blog, Video ...

By Victor VellonPublished: 13 December 2012 8:48 AM UTC

Posted in: News, PS3, Video Games, Xbox 360

Tags: HD Collection, Hitman, Square Enix

Still playing Hitman: Absolution? You better hurry up. You?ve got three older games to go out and play in HD when you?re done.

Anyone that remembers the good old PS2 has probably played at least one of the Hitman games. No matter which one you played, you?ll find it in this brand new HD collection listed on Amazon.com recently. ?You can play these games all over again on your PS3/360.

The HD collection will give you the following:

- +1 Limited Edition Art Book

- Hitman Contracts

- Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

- Hitman Blood Money

All with achievements/trophies and in HD greatness. You can look forward to breaking out the?fiber-wire?and killing your enemies while looking classy on Jan. 29, 2013.

Article from Gamersyndrome.com

Related posts:

1. Hitman HD Trilogy Release Date Revealed
2. Hitman: Absolution
3. Hitman: Absolution ? Achievement/Trophy Guide
4. Hitman Absolution DLC Contract Mode Scratched, Content Now Free
5. New Agent 47 video for Hitman: Absolution

Source: http://gamersyndrome.com/2012/video-games/hitman-hd-trilogy-amazon-says-yes/

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Women Entrepreneurs - Small Business Trends

I am often faced with whining articles about the lack of women entrepreneurs in our industry. Well, my response has always been to show examples of what is really happening. Let me introduce you to three interesting women in diverse industries from educational technology to online music.

Melanie Kusmik: ?Cubert?s Cube

Any teacher will tell you how hard it to teach elementary school kids to write. Because these students vary in cognitive and motor skill development, writing can be frustrating for many to learn such important skills. Entrepreneur, Melanie Kusmik, hopes to solve that problem by teaching kids to write through social web technology.

Years of experience in software development and product management at companies like Quantum, 3Com, Nortel Networks has helped Melanie learn to transform a concept into a business.

As a fun and social online writing environment, Cubert?s Cube is an absorbing, social online writing program designed to creatively engage young students in all aspects of the writing process.? The idea of creating such a platform came while Kusmik was volunteering in her son?s kindergarten class. She noticed the kids would become more engaged if someone collaborated on their story idea and allowed them to draw pictures. At the same time, she realized the students? interest in technology.

Kusmik brainstormed her ideas with a second grade teacher and came up with the first design of the website in 2010. They developed a prototype and introduced it to 250 second and third grade students and 10 teachers. Kusmik is currently offering a pilot program to validate the product across different teaching and learning environments:

• public
• private
• home school environments

School district-wide licenses will be available in the spring of 2013.

TAM for Cubert?s Cube is estimated at $45.2M, supposing a 12.5% adoption rate of elementary school teachers and homeschool parents in the United States, where there are 88,000 elementary schools with an average of 30 classrooms in the United States.

With the subscription model, Kusmik is expecting an annual recurring revenue stream on a per teacher/single class or per school basis, and often 3 to 4 times more when school districts purchase a multi-year subscription. Writing portfolio and journal books could? make up a second revenue stream for the company.

Historically speaking, engaging K-12 teachers to adopt new technologies has been challenging, but Melanie is determined and passionate about it. She sees reluctant writers starting to find writing fun. They get to work with friends collaboratively and use features like drawing, inserting pictures, etc. And more and more tech-savvy teachers and parents are tech-savvy, willing to adopt educational technology to help their students learn better and more interactively.

Zoe Peden: Insane Logic

Kids with learning disabilities have been found to respond well to various types of education technology. Zoe Peden created Insane Logic to help these children develop key language and communication skills in a fun, useful and interactive way. Using the iPad and iPhone as a platform, Insane Logic provides games using signs and symbols to communicate and play.

Peden spent nine years working in the education and academic publishing industry in product development and editorial. In 2007, she started as a senior manager at The Makaton Charity, a UK-based charity that owns a proven language program consisting of sign language and symbols that aid language acquisition and development. It is primarily used for children and adults with learning disabilities but can also be used for unimpaired pre-school children.

Peden partnered with her friend and technical co-founder Andrew Jackman to release Insane Logic?s flagship product MyChoicePad, targeting schools and the speech and language therapy markets.

As a result of a recent seed investment, the company is starting to build out its very small team. Currently, the company has 1,100 paying customers spending an average of ?120, with 5,000 customers on the free version of the app. About 40% of all downloads have taken place in the last three months. The company is now getting the word out about how MyChoicePad can help language development and provide access to alternative communication for the 1 in 10 children in the U.K. who enter school with speech, language and communication needs.

Peden has also recently extended the brand to a more mainstream audience with the release of a three game series of apps for building effective language development through using sign language, symbols and pictures, called MyChoicePad Memory. They are aimed at the parental market, specifically for parents with children under five years old.

Cookie Marenco: Blue Coast Records

Cookie Marenco knows the music industry inside out. Starting as a fourteen-year-old piano teacher, she bootstrapped her recording studio in 1982 with a partner and received Grammy nominations and two Gold Records.

In 1987, she joined Windham Hill Records as a producer where she learned how a record label operates, legal issues of music, relationship development, the intricacies/ problems of music distribution and branding. In 1997, Cookie became the chief engineer for Liquid Audio, one of the first online music download companies.

She launched Blue Coast Records in 2007 as a cutting-edge music company pioneering super-resolution audio creation and innovative distribution methods. Blue Coast Records was the first to release DSD (Direct Stream Digital, Sony?s newest digital format) audio, which was delivered to end-users through the internet. Since then, Cookie has created several revenue streams and launched many branded products. ?All her activities revolve around the strong belief:

?Quality adds value.?

At times, she has gone against the trends, but it?s her commitment towards quality that has made her successful.

Prior to Blue Coast, she co-developed a recording technique for surround sound, calling it Extended Sound Environment (ESE). When the rest of the world was turning to home digital recording and low-end mp3, Marenco returned to analog tape and DSD for recordings because the quality was so much better. High-end sound equipment manufacturers were the first to adopt the technology.

To sell the expensive gear, Marenco and her partner needed music that was recorded faithfully to the real sound so that it would show off what their products could do. Several manufacturers approached them to create co-branded products and their first sales were to audiophile manufacturers.

Marenco was bootstrapping even back then. To retain control over the product, she turned down many investors. She also continued with the studio operations to support Blue Coast Records. She decided to stick to quality audio and continued to sell the discs for $40. That was the best decision she made because demand for her products has increased with time.

She started Downloads NOW! as a platform for distributing files of any size. Within six months, manufacturers responded to customers? request and started building converters so that DSD files could be played on home sound systems. As word spread of the new hardware, software support and more recorded music became available.

There are more than 150 titles available at Downloads NOW!, with 19,000 users downloading? DSD audio in a year. The company is experiencing annual growth of 84%. They are negotiating with Symphony Orchestras, a nationally known major label, to release their content with Downloads NOW! In 2012 Blue Coast Records has already achieved 50% of the revenue required to cover the total operational costs and is very close to the tipping point.

These entrepreneurs prove the adage that a good idea coupled with persistence and focus on quality pays off in the end.

Gender is irrelevant.

About Sramana Mitra

Sramana Mitra is the founder of the One Million by One Million (1M/1M) initiative, an educational, business development and incubation program that aims to help one million entrepreneurs globally to reach $1 million in revenue and beyond. She is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and strategist who writes the blog Sramana Mitra On Strategy.

?

Source: http://smallbiztrends.com/2012/12/women-entrepreneurs-thriving-startups.html

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Online Auction Internet sites ? Simple Techniques for Dealers ...

Over the final several years, mounting variety of folk have bought and sold merchandise on online auction marketplace websites for example craigslist and ebay. Of course, many people which joined up with world wide web sale before long realized this earnings likely offered to people that may market successfully. All these currently have bundled stay-at-home mothers and fathers in search of some extra profits plus business men planned that monster beats desired to begin their particular daily business. Online auction marketplace internet sites are generally attracting innovative business men because they?re a new aim for loaded ecosystem: people today touring world wide web auction websites are usually people today looking to spend your money as opposed to folks merely wanting to get information and facts.

In order to take up a enterprise marketing via web deals, you initially must make a decision precisely what market to target along with figure out how to obtain a reliable item marketing to make money in a acceptable market price. Up coming, you have to be able to sell it off. In this article, My spouse and i target a final issue, the best: how you can offer on the web applying sites. In case you follow these standard recommendations then you definately really should flourish in introducing your small business, providing you do have a appropriate product to offer that you understand features quite a few shopper need. Both usually are:

1. Provide genuine along with beautiful product or service descriptions

2. View the procedures of the auction in addition to fee professional, e.f., PayPal

Everyone is aware of right now than a photography can be a must-have. The link descriptions tend to be crucial, however dealers in some cases go cheap during this aspect. There is absolutely no part of forever worrying in relation to ?What what?s provide on line?? simply to later on go cheap when you prepare yourself the market entries. A detailed description is particularly essential if the product is available using many extras, maybe a digital camera with various lens. As well, in case you are conscious the goods can be used using a further product which isn?t component of your web retail, it?s best to state expressly that the some other piece is just not contained in the sell.

These may be explained together with mp3 player public sale item listings. You most likely know already that mp3 players are offered using varying levels of storage. Your current criteria on the memory convenience of the exact item you might be providing must be exact, in the event that a product or service publicized the 32 Gigabytes iPod similar to always be an Eight Gb model you?ll be able to bet the consumer will probably set claims next to someone to find his or her income refunded. Re-decorating the key reason why it usually is dangerous copying public auction results beats by dre cheap by yet another retailer to get a solution if you can not totally appreciate everything regarding this: your own property will not be designed exactly the same the appeared to be. Adverse reviews can be quite detrimental when you?re inside startup company stage for an online business. Guess you are selling a used ipod devices with no headphones. Your picture simply just reveals an iPod with out headphones are seen, simply because you may not be auctioning some sort of pair of headphones or ear buds about it. An iPod needs a head set involving some sort, though, or any innovative ipod device bought in an outlet would come with mini headphones. Let?s assume that the buyer comprehends your wireless headset is not section of the sell based mostly stringently on your own photograph can be dangerous. We suggest a direct, authored affirmation which headphones are not bundled. An oz . connected with elimination is worth one pound regarding cure to generate money on line.

Policies of online auction web sites as well as their fee providers can modify after a while and you should be conscious of just what their particular the prices or any other coverage is previous to moving in to advertising around deals. As an example, infrequent Paypal contains for repayments recently caused confusion for a lot of brand new the ebay affiliate network vendors. Sellers possess often noted contains all the way to A three week period in expenses out of Pay pal. Obviously, a vendor continues to be forced to ship what you should potential buyers immediately after Pay pal has gotten removed payment. It indicates a seller may be motivated to mail things ahead of receiving payment, perhaps cash to pay for the shipping charges charges. A number of people have shown items available without having acknowledging this particular possibility and have subsequently gotten discouraged industry by storm a critical hesitate receiving. Fine art auctions usually do not demand retailers to just accept PayPal, but it really would be the simplest want to make use of as soon as commencing a business with internet auction sites. If you would like avoid Pay pal, web merchant services should provide instead. Additional tactics may beats by dre studio also be offered based on the comparison to its your own sell site-just don?t use investigations via purchasers saying to generally be out of Nigeria!

Another section of irritation regarding vendors is not unique for you to online auction marketplace internet sites: profits! Some people should not manage comes back, consequently they?re going to listing an item that has a refund guarantee associated with ?no earnings accepted?. Other individuals have a refund guarantee such as ?returns acknowledged within seven days, buyer is mainly responsible for returning transport plus a restocking cost.? In need of the consumer to pay returning shipping and delivery and/or asking any restocking payment can be standard. Regardless of the you are submitting as a return policy, having said that, you can be instructed to accept results should the client states anyone offered an item that has been Considerably Much less Identified (SNAD). PayPal will allow SNAD claims for being flattened nearly 50 nights following your purchase, therefore whether or not a person?s checklist stated that returns couldn?t survive acknowledged after 7 days yourrrre still destined from the Pay pal SNAD policy if you acknowledge repayment by way of Pay pal.

The terms regarding online auction marketplace web-sites along with repayment providers are cheap beats by dre usually not unduly difficult, but you should definitely look into the manual before you aim to get started marketing. Engaged in sales initially for a buyer is generally a wise course of action. This too allows you to start a beneficial track record inside the online auction marketplace web-sites. Should you have got a new excellent solution to sell that customers need it, you could generate appealing along with very clear auction sale listings, so you discover how your auction site is effective, then you?ve all the ingredients of a effective world-wide-web retail structured business. Best of luck enjoy yourself if you purchase and sell on-line!

Source: http://www.beatsbydresalesonstore.com/blog/online-auction-internet-sites-simple-techniques-for-dealers/

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Real Estate Tips To Help You Buy The Property Of Your Dreams ...

You are here looking for information on purchasing real estate and want it in a simple to read format. If the previous sentence describes you, this article can provide you with the information you want. This article presents some practical real estate buying guidelines that are easy to understand.

Determine which goals are important when you are under negotiations for a real estate contract. Identify all the issues on the table and set your expectations for each of them. The issues that hold the greatest importance to you should be your top priority. Remember to approach the negotiation process with a flexible mindset. You can?t get everything on your list so concentrate on the true priorities.

When you are looking to buy a property, have patience and be realistic towards any opportunity that is presented to you. It can take some time to find the perfect property that will help you meet your goals and work with your business strategy.

TIP! When considering a foreclosed home, consider the repairs that you will likely have to complete. There are a lot of foreclosed homes that have been vacant for an unknown period of time, this means that there has probably been no maintenance during this time.

It is absolutely necessary that you research a home?s neighborhood before you invest in a home. If the home is not going to suit your needs, then the purchase will be a long term disappointment to you. If you know the character of the neighborhood before buying, you will avoid such problems.

If you are considering purchasing a house that has a view, avoid paying high premiums for view lots. Not all potential buyers perceive a nice view as highly, so if you pay too much, it might be hard to resell at that price. Purchasing a new house for the view is great, but don?t pay too much for it.

If you can afford it, try to avoid buying a home that faces or backs a busy road. You might be saving money, but you will soon find out why the price was so low. Even if you can live with the noise, you will have a hard time selling this house later.

TIP! When you are planning on making an investment in real estate, you should keep your goals in mind. Determine if your goals are short or long term.

Even though a home inspection may not be required by your bank, you should still opt to do one for your safety. This is the best way to find out what to expect after purchasing the property. From cracks in the foundation and faulty wiring, to outdated pipes and mold in the basement, there is a long list of things that may be wrong in a home that you will miss without an inspection.

When shopping for a home, do not let the home?s decor affect your purchase decision. Smart sellers hide their house?s flaws with decorative items, so you need to learn how to look past the decor and analyze a home based on its architecture and structural condition. If you purchase one for the objects inside, you are missing out on the things that are wrong with it that can be a disaster later.

Get a checklist from your Realtor. It is not uncommon for a Realtor to bring a checklist containing all facets of a home purchase, including shopping for neighborhoods to obtaining financing. This helps you set up a timeline for buying that house so that everything is squared away when it is time to close the sale.

TIP! Reduced prices usually go together with lots of repairs and updates. This lets you pocket some extra cash up front, and then you can make the repairs on your schedule.

Get insurance before moving family and furniture into a new place. If you put this off until after you settle into your new home, something could go wrong because of the unpredictability of Mother Nature.

When you are considering a certain real estate agent, make sure to have plenty of questions planned to address all of your concerns. Ask crucial questions, like the number of homes they have sold the previous year and the number you?re interested in currently in your area. This agent should have the ability to answer each question professionally.

If you want to increase the value of real estate that you own, do some remodeling or repairs to the property. You?ll experience the benefit of a fast return on investment and increase in property value. Sometimes, you will even get more value increase than the amount of money you spent for repairs and renovations.

TIP! When looking at a potential home, have a professional inspection done. Although you?ll have to pay a fee, hire a professional home inspector to conduct the inspection so that you will have recourse if something gets missed in the inspection.

Do your homework on rental properties. Rental properties should always have their records examined for two years prior, at the very least. You should look into this before considering a purchase. You need to verify that the information given to you by the seller regarding the income generated is accurate. You will also need to prove your lender that this is a good investment.

In conclusion, we have provided you some of the most crucial aspects regarding buying real estate. We hope that you not only were able to learn something, but that you also will be able to successfully apply it. Follow our advice and you will be one step closer to being an expert in this subject.

TIP! You should consider investing in the real estate market at this time. Property values are very low now because of the crash in the housing market.

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Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/real-estate-tips-to-help-you-buy-the-property-of-your-dreams-2

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Peppermint pigs a smashing tradition in NY

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) ? A holiday tradition in this upstate New York resort town has a peppermint twist: pig-shaped hard candies are sold with little metal hammers to smash them at Christmas.

The peppermint pigs, which can weigh up to a pound, are considered good luck charms by some. Family members will take turns whacking the piggy tokens of holiday cheer into little candy shards.

"We do find that some people are a little taken aback: 'What's the whole idea of the pig and the hammer? What are you doing? And is someone insulting me by giving me a pig?'" said Mike Fitzgerald, owner of Saratoga Sweets, which makes the pigs that can be the size of a big bar of bath soap.

Fitzgerald has pigs on his brain this time of year. A small crew at his shop south of Saratoga Springs in Halfmoon makes the hard candy from dawn to dark in a shop distinguished by boiling red pots of candy and an overwhelming scent of peppermint. Fitzgerald is hurrying to fill thousands of pig orders around the country.

Why pigs?

It could be related to the marzipan pigs northern European confectioners make at holiday time as good luck symbols. Fitzgerald said it's possible chefs at the old hotels in Saratoga Springs in the late 19th century couldn't easily make marzipan, so they improvised with peppermint hard candy.

In the old days, the pig was placed on the Christmas dinner table. Father would wrap it in a napkin and crack it with the steel rod used to sharpen knives so the family could share the sweet-tasting bits, Fitzgerald said. But by the mid-20th century, the area holiday tradition went the way of lit candles on Christmas trees.

In 1988, Fitzgerald made a first run of 60 peppermint pigs at the request of the local historical society. He was surprised to see people lining up to buy them, many of them older people who fondly recalled smashing pigs when they were young. He sold out his run and never looked back.

"It's been a pig race ever since. This year we'll make about 130,000 pigs," he said.

As Fitzgerald spoke, workers stirred bubbling tea pots filled with a Pepto-pink mix of sugar and corn syrup. The candy mix is hand-poured into cast aluminum molds to make one of three pigs: Holly (3 ounces and 3 1/2-inches long), Noel (a half pound and 5 1/2 inches) or the big man, Clarence (1 pound and 6 inches).

The hardened pigs have a shiny, glassy quality other hard candies with a higher corn syrup content lack. A quick strike by Fitzgerald's hammer shattered a pig.

"It has to break like glass," Fitzgerald said with satisfaction.

It's not as though sales of candy canes ? more than 1.8 billion are made a year ? are being threatened. But the pigs are a popular item in gift stores in Saratoga Springs and other retailers, dressed in red velvet bags with a shiny, silver hammer. (Once you get the hammer, you can order a refill without one.)

"Thanksgiving sort of kicks it off and from here on in, it gets crazy," said Marianne Barker of Impressions of Saratoga.

And the pigs have extended beyond their upstate New York habitat through online sales and catalogs. In Georgia, Lynn Barlow bought a pig on a lark in 1997 and shared it with her family on Christmas. A good luck streak followed that included a raise for her husband, one son bagging the biggest buck of his life and another son's team winning a basketball tournament.

The White, Ga., resident said pigs have been passed around at the holiday table ever since, now with grandchildren taking a turn with the hammer.

"My husband hits it first," Barlow said, "and then the peppermint is hard, so we usually go around the table twice just because the kids enjoy doing it so much."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/peppermint-pigs-smashing-tradition-ny-073143226.html

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Real Estate: Tours offer glimpses of homes sparkling with seasonal ...

BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | The dining room table set for the holiday dinner at Jack and Patricia Orben?s Aquebogue home.

For many, one of the greatest joys of December is getting a glimpse of other peoples? lives and decorating styles while gathering by the hearth at holiday parties.

If you?re so inclined, take note: A select group of North Forkers is going all-out and opening their homes for two upcoming benefit holiday house tours.

This weekend?s Oysterponds Historical Society house tour, which features 14 private and public buildings, has been a tradition for decades. In addition, the Jamesport Meeting House is hosting its first-ever holiday tour of nine houses in the Jamesport and Aquebogue area.

Richard Wines and Nancy Gilbert, who run the Meeting House, decided to hold the holiday tour this year after three years of successful September house tours.

BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO | The dining room sideboard decorated with a Christmas tree.

The Jamesport tour will be held Saturday, Dec. 15, the day after the annual ?Carols and Cookies? event on Dec. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Meeting House, Main Road and Manor Lane.

?Not all the houses are historic, but a bunch of them are,? said Ms. Gilbert. ?Every house is different. Every house is being decorated by the owner and they?re all incredibly unique.

?A lot of people have collections of ornaments that have come down in their families and special things they bring out for Christmas,? she added. ?One house has a 1950s theme with wonderful yard ornaments, while another house, which was built in the 1920s, has really early ornaments from that period.?

Among the tour participants are Patricia and Jack Orben of Aquebogue, who have opened their house on Peconic Bay in Aquebogue to past Jamesport Meeting House tours. Ms. Orben, who shows the flair of an interior decorator, also has a personal affection for Christmastime and, as of Nov. 30, had already been decorating for days in preparation for the event.

The Orbens were married on Dec. 17, 1960, and they display the Christmas wreaths that were hanging at their wedding, as well as stockings Ms. Orben puts out for her 10 grandchildren and decorations she?s purchased over the years from her niece?s fundraisers for the American Red Cross.

Ms. Gilbert and Mr. Wines? Winds Way homestead, a collection of historic buildings on Peconic Bay Boulevard, is also on the tour.

?I tend to go out in the garden and cut a bunch of stuff and bring it in, but Hurricane Sandy didn?t help in that regard,? Ms. Gilbert said. ?Every house has a distinct personality. Some people are quite ornate and elegant and some are simpler. People really do things in keeping with the house they?re living in. It reflects their personality.?

The Jamesport tour runs from 1 to 5 p.m. and starts at the Meeting House. Tickets are $30 in advance, available at 779-2831 or jamesportmeetinghouse.org, or $40 at the door. All proceeds go toward ongoing preservation work at the Meeting House.

The Oysterponds Holiday House Tour is also a mix of old and new, ranging from Arlene and Bob Shannon?s lovingly restored 275-year-old home, constructed by the Tuthill family, to the more contemporary home of interior decorator and renovation designer Cindy Schmidt at Pebble Beach in East Marion.

?Her house is absolutely beautiful,? Catherine Chaudhuri, who is organizing the tour for the historical society, said of Ms. Schmidt?s house. ?This year, we have a lot of traditional decorations with Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands, a mixed bag of everything.?

She said homeowners with fireplaces will likely have cozy fires going and several participants plan to bake cookies for visitors.

In addition to private homes, the Oysterponds tour also includes seven public buildings, including Poquatuck Hall on Village Lane, which will be decorated by the Oysterponds School PTA, which will provide baked goods, cider and a 50/50 raffle. Other tour stops are Orient United Methodist Church; Old Point School House, where the Beach Plum Christmas Shop will be open; the Village House, which is under renovation; and Webb House, which Ms. Chaudhuri says is ?always decorated beautifully by volunteer Constance Tupper.?

The self-guided tour, which runs from 1 to 4 p.m., begins at Orient Congregational Church, where people will pick up tickets, which are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. To order advance tickets, call 323-2480.

byoung@timesreview.com

Source: http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2012/12/41777/real-estate-tours-offer-glimpses-of-homes-sparkling-with-seasonal-cheer/

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