The Poop Group

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/03/05/business/20100306_CHARTS_GRAPHIC.html?ref=economy March 5, 2010 After Jerky Swings, the Economy Begins to Look Nice and Boring By FLOYD NORRIS A DEEP recession and the credit crisis led to extraordinary falls in the American economy and perhaps even greater disruptions in financial markets. Now, both economic and market indicators have returned to what Warren G. Harding called "normalcy" when he was elected president in 1920, after the end of World War I and a subsequent recession. A lot of worry about the economy remains, and some economists are forecasting a double-dip recession, as occurred in the early 1980s, or a very slow recovery, as happened after the 1990-91 and 2001 recessions. But as the accompanying charts show, three disparate indicators - covering unemployment, corporate financial distress and stock market volatility - have gone from very high to a little below historical averages. Abby Joseph Cohen, the Goldman Sachs strategist, told a conference sponsored by George Washington University this week that lessened market volatility was one of the reassuring signs she saw. She was referring to the VIX index, which uses index options prices to show how much volatility traders expect. Another way to measure volatility is to look at the range of share prices. The chart here shows the differences between the highs and lows of the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index during three-month periods. There have been some sharp movements on a few days, but the high from December through February was just 10 percent higher than the low, the smallest range since the summer of 2007. Similarly, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement firm, said that only 42,900 firings were announced in February, the lowest for any month since 2006. The chart shows three-month totals, which are down almost three-quarters from the highest levels last year. The data "offers more support to the notion that U.S. employers ha

HELENDALE * Investigators believe the murder of an elderly Helendale man last December is linked to cockfighting and gambling, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department officials said. While Homicide detectives would not say Jesus Rocha, 68, was holding illegal cockfights on his 10-acre property, authorities do believe he is involved in the criminal sport in some way. "It's gambling and sometimes people lose large amounts of money and that creates problems between individuals and groups of people," Cindy Beavers, spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Department, said. "In this case someone lost their life."

Avoiding Speeding Tickets Trapster is essentially a cell-phone social network that allows motorists to hook up with one another for the purpose of issuing real-time alerts about the location of speed traps. Over the last year, Trapster has significantly broadened its functionality, adding several new applications, carriers and formats. When we spoke with Trapster.com founder and CEO Pete Tenereillo in mid-August, the big news at the time was that Trapster.com had just released its first Android version, which means it's now available on the T-Mobile G1 phone, which significantly increases its penetration, making it accessible to many more users. "Before, if a user had a phone that used the Android system, they didn't much care if it was available on the iPhone," Tenereillo said. Trapster works like this: Go to the Web site, and sign up for a free membership. Then download the Trapster software to your cell phone or PDA. Tenereillo said that most current-generation cell phones, Blackberries and other PDA's can accommodate the Trapster software. Then, you're ready to hit the road. And once you're tooling down the highway, if you spot a state trooper or city cop lying in wait with a radar gun or laser unit, you just need to punch in "pound one" on your cell phone -- or dial a toll-free number. Other users are then alerted on their cell phones or PDA when they approach the same speed trap. "One great thing about that is that it's hands-free," says Tenereillo. "You don't have to be looking at the phone or even be holding it to be notified of the speed trap -- which, of course, is safer, because you don't have to take your eyes off the road to be notified of the trap."

filming "Priest," what Dresser calls a post-Apocalyptic vampire Western.

filming "Priest," what Dresser calls a post-Apocalyptic vampire Western.

The report indicated economic outlooks do not look good and Bockman and Sirotnik agreed based on the reactions of purchasing managers.

The report indicated economic outlooks do not look good and Bockman and Sirotnik agreed based on the reactions of purchasing managers.

As some companies begin to rebuild stocks, the impact could wash through the economy for a few more months, adding jobs and moderating the overall decline. Then the underlying weakness of the economy will probably reassert itself, say experts. After years of borrowing against homes and cashing in stock to spend in excess of their incomes, many Americans are tapped out. Austerity and saving have replaced spending and investment in many households, constraining the economy. As many Americans transition from living on home equity loans to sustaining themselves on paychecks, weekly pay continues to effectively shrink: Over the last year, average hourly earnings for rank-and-file workers - some 80 percent of the labor force - have increased by 2.5 percent. But average weekly earnings have expanded by only 0.7 percent, less than the increase in the cost of living, because employers have slashed working hours. In September, the average workweek edged down by one-tenth of an hour, to 33 hours. For those out of work, the job market looks harsher now than at any point in the recession. The number of people who have been jobless for more than six months increased in September by 450,000, reaching 5.4 million. "We have a truly massive crisis of long-term unemployment," said Christine L. Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project in a statement, adding that nearly 400,000 jobless people had exhausted their unemployment benefits by the end of September. "Today's employment report is a marching order for Congress to pass unemployment benefit extensions to all states, quickly." The first signs of improvement are likely to be seen among temporary workers, say experts, as companies now hunkering down in the face of uncertain prospects take tentative steps to expand. But temporary help services lost 1,700 jobs in September. "Companies are extremely cautious," said Roy G. Krause, chief executive of Spherion, a recruiting and staffing comp

As some companies begin to rebuild stocks, the impact could wash through the economy for a few more months, adding jobs and moderating the overall decline. Then the underlying weakness of the economy will probably reassert itself, say experts. After years of borrowing against homes and cashing in stock to spend in excess of their incomes, many Americans are tapped out. Austerity and saving have replaced spending and investment in many households, constraining the economy. As many Americans transition from living on home equity loans to sustaining themselves on paychecks, weekly pay continues to effectively shrink: Over the last year, average hourly earnings for rank-and-file workers - some 80 percent of the labor force - have increased by 2.5 percent. But average weekly earnings have expanded by only 0.7 percent, less than the increase in the cost of living, because employers have slashed working hours. In September, the average workweek edged down by one-tenth of an hour, to 33 hours. For those out of work, the job market looks harsher now than at any point in the recession. The number of people who have been jobless for more than six months increased in September by 450,000, reaching 5.4 million. "We have a truly massive crisis of long-term unemployment," said Christine L. Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project in a statement, adding that nearly 400,000 jobless people had exhausted their unemployment benefits by the end of September. "Today's employment report is a marching order for Congress to pass unemployment benefit extensions to all states, quickly." The first signs of improvement are likely to be seen among temporary workers, say experts, as companies now hunkering down in the face of uncertain prospects take tentative steps to expand. But temporary help services lost 1,700 jobs in September. "Companies are extremely cautious," said Roy G. Krause, chief executive of Spherion, a recruiting and staffing comp

Robert Joel Halderman, known as Joe, who until last month shared a residence in Connecticut with Ms. Birkitt, is a longtime and well-respected producer for the CBS News program "48 Hours Mystery." Mr. Halderman, 51, pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted larceny, after he reportedly threatened to expose Mr. Letterman. According to prosecutors, Mr. Halderman gave Mr. Letterman, 62, a one-page screenplay treatment depicting the talk-show host as a great success whose "world is about to collapse around him" with revelations of his trysts. Mr. Halderman also handed over photographs, correspondence and a page of the personal diary of Ms. Birkitt.

Robert Joel Halderman, known as Joe, who until last month shared a residence in Connecticut with Ms. Birkitt, is a longtime and well-respected producer for the CBS News program "48 Hours Mystery." Mr. Halderman, 51, pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted larceny, after he reportedly threatened to expose Mr. Letterman. According to prosecutors, Mr. Halderman gave Mr. Letterman, 62, a one-page screenplay treatment depicting the talk-show host as a great success whose "world is about to collapse around him" with revelations of his trysts. Mr. Halderman also handed over photographs, correspondence and a page of the personal diary of Ms. Birkitt.

# Posted by tng - 2 days, 1 hour, 26 minutes ago Yawn, another lame ABA article. Those 4800 law students should count themselves lucky that they had a summer associate position and the potential for a job offer (not to forget the 2k a week in compensation)... because there were another approximately 30,000 law students who did not win the "summer associate lottery" and work for a firm and get paid. Those some odd 30,000 other law students had to scrambled, beg, and plea for whatever unpaid internship they could find and take on another…say 20k in debt so they could live this past summer. Practically all of those 30,000 law students never had a the hopeful chance that they would get some offer of employment for a job that actually will enable them to pay off those student loans and no live in debt slavery. No, those other 30,000 law students now get to start their 3rd year heavily in debt with practically zero job prospects when they graduate. Time for law students to look for non-legal jobs…they better cruise those undergraduate job fairs. Flag this comment # Posted by JN - 1 day, 18 hours, 10 minutes ago Once again, I hope the clients of these biglaw firms realize what their legal bills are paying for. Is it ridiculous to encourage people making 2000 per week to be able to afford their own lunch? C'mon. The fact that this business model didn't die long ago amazes me. Flag this comment # Posted by annie - 4 hours, 9 minutes ago I would take my summer associate job where I worked with seven seasoned attorneys for the summer with little perks - didn't expect them - and lots of work over these cushy summer internships. I learned a lot that summer and the next fall, they continued to send me work at law school at a pretty decent hourly wage. Anyway, my apparent lack of entitlement made it possible for me to find my own clients and open a little office when I was laid off my first law job. I now work for a small firm. And I enjoyed a nice pean

# Posted by tng - 2 days, 1 hour, 26 minutes ago Yawn, another lame ABA article. Those 4800 law students should count themselves lucky that they had a summer associate position and the potential for a job offer (not to forget the 2k a week in compensation)... because there were another approximately 30,000 law students who did not win the "summer associate lottery" and work for a firm and get paid. Those some odd 30,000 other law students had to scrambled, beg, and plea for whatever unpaid internship they could find and take on another…say 20k in debt so they could live this past summer. Practically all of those 30,000 law students never had a the hopeful chance that they would get some offer of employment for a job that actually will enable them to pay off those student loans and no live in debt slavery. No, those other 30,000 law students now get to start their 3rd year heavily in debt with practically zero job prospects when they graduate. Time for law students to look for non-legal jobs…they better cruise those undergraduate job fairs. Flag this comment # Posted by JN - 1 day, 18 hours, 10 minutes ago Once again, I hope the clients of these biglaw firms realize what their legal bills are paying for. Is it ridiculous to encourage people making 2000 per week to be able to afford their own lunch? C'mon. The fact that this business model didn't die long ago amazes me. Flag this comment # Posted by annie - 4 hours, 9 minutes ago I would take my summer associate job where I worked with seven seasoned attorneys for the summer with little perks - didn't expect them - and lots of work over these cushy summer internships. I learned a lot that summer and the next fall, they continued to send me work at law school at a pretty decent hourly wage. Anyway, my apparent lack of entitlement made it possible for me to find my own clients and open a little office when I was laid off my first law job. I now work for a small firm. And I enjoyed a nice pean

Suits for Unpaid Legal Fees in Top 10 for Stupidity, Lawyer Says Posted Sep 30, 2009, 07:06 am CDT By Debra Cassens Weiss A lawyer who represents a company sued for unpaid legal fees says such claims aren't a good idea. Lawyer Warren Trazenfeld represents Whitney Information Network, sued by the Florida law firm Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, allegedly for failing to pay more than $400,000 in legal bills, the Daily Business Review reports. Trazenfeld told the publication he is planning to file a malpractice counterclaim. Suing a client is "one of the top 10 stupidest things a lawyer can do," he said. The story asserts the case is one of a growing number of instances in which law firms are suing clients for unpaid bills. "Most clients think the best defense is a good offense, and there's no better offense than a counterclaim for legal malpractice," Trazenfeld told the Daily Business Review. Another law firm that recently filed suit for unpaid fees is Ruden McClosky, the story says. Last week the firm filed suit claiming nearly $40,000 in unpaid legal bills by the father of retired pro quarterback Bernie Kosar. Ruden managing director Carl Schuster acknowledged that some malpractice claims have merit, but said clients often file them as a settlement tool in fee cases. "They obviously haven't paid the bill so that's not a defense, so they have to think up a defense," he told the Daily Business Review.

[Uh, also in the top 10 would be allowing a client to run up a $400,000 tab in these troubled times.] Suits for Unpaid Legal Fees in Top 10 for Stupidity, Lawyer Says Posted Sep 30, 2009, 07:06 am CDT By Debra Cassens Weiss A lawyer who represents a company sued for unpaid legal fees says such claims aren't a good idea. Lawyer Warren Trazenfeld represents Whitney Information Network, sued by the Florida law firm Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler, allegedly for failing to pay more than $400,000 in legal bills, the Daily Business Review reports. Trazenfeld told the publication he is planning to file a malpractice counterclaim. Suing a client is "one of the top 10 stupidest things a lawyer can do," he said. The story asserts the case is one of a growing number of instances in which law firms are suing clients for unpaid bills. "Most clients think the best defense is a good offense, and there's no better offense than a counterclaim for legal malpractice," Trazenfeld told the Daily Business Review. Another law firm that recently filed suit for unpaid fees is Ruden McClosky, the story says. Last week the firm filed suit claiming nearly $40,000 in unpaid legal bills by the father of retired pro quarterback Bernie Kosar. Ruden managing director Carl Schuster acknowledged that some malpractice claims have merit, but said clients often file them as a settlement tool in fee cases. "They obviously haven't paid the bill so that's not a defense, so they have to think up a defense," he told the Daily Business Review.

Citigroup GC Has No Sympathy for Law Firms Seeking Premium Fees Posted Sep 28, 2009, 08:52 am CDT By Debra Cassens Weiss The general counsel for Citigroup says his in-house legal department has been battered by the economic downturn, leaving him with little sympathy for law firm arguments for premium fees. General counsel Michael Helfer, a panelist at an event sponsored by Bisnow, said Citigroup's in-house legal department has shrunk by about 300 employees over the last few years, many of them felled by layoffs, according to the Washingtonian's Capital Comment Blog. Compensation for the lawyers who are left has been cut by up to 60 percent. In such an environment, "The amount of sympathy I have for the argument that $1,000 an hour is a reasonable rate ... is nil," Helfer said, according to the blog account. Law firms aiming to please general counsel such as Helfer are agreeing to charge alternative fees. Panelists told of changes. The percentage of revenue from alternative billing is about 10 percent at Arent Fox, about 15 percent to 20 percent at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, and about 5 percent to 10 percent at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Even as law firms move to alternative fees, they hope to maintain partner profits that can average more than $1 million a partner. Akin Gump chairman Bruce McLean acknowledged it won't be easy, the blog says. "It's a big challenge," said McLean. "We're not so good at that yet."

[The new buzzword shall be "alternative fees" ... uh, I think "alternative" here means "lower".] Citigroup GC Has No Sympathy for Law Firms Seeking Premium Fees Posted Sep 28, 2009, 08:52 am CDT By Debra Cassens Weiss The general counsel for Citigroup says his in-house legal department has been battered by the economic downturn, leaving him with little sympathy for law firm arguments for premium fees. General counsel Michael Helfer, a panelist at an event sponsored by Bisnow, said Citigroup's in-house legal department has shrunk by about 300 employees over the last few years, many of them felled by layoffs, according to the Washingtonian's Capital Comment Blog. Compensation for the lawyers who are left has been cut by up to 60 percent. In such an environment, "The amount of sympathy I have for the argument that $1,000 an hour is a reasonable rate ... is nil," Helfer said, according to the blog account. Law firms aiming to please general counsel such as Helfer are agreeing to charge alternative fees. Panelists told of changes. The percentage of revenue from alternative billing is about 10 percent at Arent Fox, about 15 percent to 20 percent at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, and about 5 percent to 10 percent at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Even as law firms move to alternative fees, they hope to maintain partner profits that can average more than $1 million a partner. Akin Gump chairman Bruce McLean acknowledged it won't be easy, the blog says. "It's a big challenge," said McLean. "We're not so good at that yet."

A survey of more than 50 law firms conducted by the PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm found that legal work and law firm profits increased during a three-month period that ended on July 31, in part due to internal cost-cutting by the partnerships, reports the Law Society Gazette. Although certain practice areas, such as real estate, still are struggling, others, such as corporate and mergers and acquisitions, are recovering, David Thurkettle tells the British legal publication. He is a senior director in PwC's professional partnerships group. "Firms have weathered the storm in the main. They have got through the cost and the financial pain, and are now reaping the rewards," he says of the survey results, which he believes are probably representative of the situation at other law firms, too. "The view here is that, if you took a basket of different law firms, most of them are over the worst in terms of activity levels."

Bua hit a submerged boulder feet-first, according to his grandmother, Cheryl Rollins of Hesperia . The impact was so powerful that some people said they could hear bones break. Bua broke his right femur in 17 places and sustained fractures of the tailbone, pelvis, left tibia and fibula. He also cracked his L1 and shattered his right heel.

Bua hit a submerged boulder feet-first, according to his grandmother, Cheryl Rollins of Hesperia . The impact was so powerful that some people said they could hear bones break. Bua broke his right femur in 17 places and sustained fractures of the tailbone, pelvis, left tibia and fibula. He also cracked his L1 and shattered his right heel.

a portrait began to emerge Thursday of an unpleasant stickler for the rules who often clashed with researchers and considered the mice cages his personal fiefdom. Co-workers told police that Clark was a "control freak" who viewed the laboratory and its mice as his territory, according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press

And now, yes, evil witch You have already sucked my son and Now you suck my husband's navel. The witch grabs me She takes me to headquarters, She dries me out, (She turns me into a gourd or a flower-pot,) She gives me something to eat. The witch grabs me, She takes me up the hill, She sits me on her legs, She gives me some kisses. And tell me, hey tell me, hey you tell me, How many creatures have you sucked for yourself? None, none, none, don't you see That I'm considering sucking you for myself. ======= http://claineniniel.blogspot.com/2004/05/la-bruja-cancin-popular-mexicana.html

inventor Stephen Kurtin has developed the first manually adjustable lenses that let the wearer adjust from long distance to short distance viewing at the flip of a switch. The secret is a layer of liquid within the lens that changes shape depending on the situation. Called TruFocals, the glasses are composed of two components, a rigid plastic or glass lens, and a clear liquid that also acts as a lens. A slider on the top of the frame's bridge compresses the liquid, changing the shape and focus of the liquid lens, and thus the distance of focus for the wearer.

"urine biomarker test " -- Is nothing to worry about, only a ____________ of the ____, more info to be found at: www.BLOATED-TESTICLE.com re this New, non-invasive prostate cancer test, which beats PSA in detecting prostate cancer ----it's wonderful and magical ... "a simple urine test that screens for the presence of four different RNA molecules" PSA blood test currently in use worldwide, which can accurately detect prostate cancer in men with the disease but which also identifies many men with enlarged prostate glands who do not develop cancer, researchers say. Even the newer PCA3 test, which screens for a molecule specific to prostate cancer and which is now in use both in the U.S. and Europe is less precise,

"urine biomarker test " -- Is nothing to worry about, only a ____________ of the ____, more info to be found at: www.BLOATED-TESTICLE.com re this New, non-invasive prostate cancer test beats PSA in detecting prostate cancer ----"a simple urine test that screens for the presence of four different RNA molecules" PSA blood test currently in use worldwide, which can accurately detect prostate cancer in men with the disease but which also identifies many men with enlarged prostate glands who do not develop cancer, researchers say. Even the newer PCA3 test, which screens for a molecule specific to prostate cancer and which is now in use both in the U.S. and Europe is less precise,

"Since we only employ senior-associate and partner-level attorneys, our clients do not pay to train inexperienced young attorneys," the website states.

The highest number of air deaths in a single year was 2,374 in 1972, according to the Alexandria, Virginia-based Flight Safety Foundation.

Two men were found shot dead in a truck near Highway 395 and Eucalyptus Road, and a third man is fighting for his life, officials said. "He was standing in the middle of the street and screaming," said Melanie Haprov, who called 911 around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday when she and her boyfriend drove up to the intersection and spotted the survivor. "He was covered in blood - his face, his whole shirt - and he was holding his stomach." When San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies arrived, the man told them there were other victims out in the desert, according to Sgt. Doug Hubbard of the Homicide Detail. On a paved road in an undeveloped housing tract just northwest of the intersection, they found the two other men dead in a truck. The men may be from the Los Angeles area.