Michael Vick thinks Michael Vick is still worth a huge contract
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In papers he submitted to a bankruptcy court, Vick indicated that he plans on making $10 million per season, which I'm pretty sure would be a record for an ex-con who had a career quarterback rating of 75.7 when he went away. From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:
The embattled Atlanta Falcons quarterback is hoping to earn as much as $10 million a year or more, according to court filings in his bankruptcy case. Under the plan he submitted to the court, Vick would keep the first $750,000 of his annual income over the next five years. After that, a percentage would go to his creditors based on a sliding scale. [...]
In a March 4 court filing, Vick’s attorneys say he “has every reason to believe upon his release, he will be reinstated into the NFL, resume his career and be able to earn a substantial living.”
“He is hopeful to play quarterback,” Daniel Meachum, an attorney and business manager for Vick, said in an interview. “There is no person with his talent in that position in all the league.”
That may have been true at one time, but there are also no quarterbacks in the league who have spent the last nine months sitting in a jail cell and eating prison food. I'm not a nutritionist or anything, but I'm pretty sure that's not what NFL team doctors would recommend for keeping a guy in optimum game shape.
The fact of the matter is that no one knows how Vick will perform when he gets out of the joint, though it seems extraordinarily unlikely that he'll look exactly the same as he did when he went in. Factor in the amount of teams scared off by the P.R. nightmare, and I think we're looking at a salary closer to $605,000, which was last year's veteran minimum for a seventh-year player.
Gracias, FanHouse.
Here Comes Your Stimulus Bonus
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Employers should be ready for the Making Work Pay credit by Wednesday. That means some extra take-home pay. Here's what you need to know.
You're likely to see some more green in the next couple of weeks. Not only on the trees. Very possibly in your wallet, too.
President Obama has asked that all employers adjust their payroll systems by Wednesday so eligible workers can start receiving the new Making Work Pay tax credit through their paychecks. The credit, available for 2009 and 2010, was a part of the economic recovery package lawmakers passed in February.
Just how much extra cash you will see depends on your marital status, your salary and how many allowances -- or exemptions -- you normally take.As a rough guide, singles eligible for the credit might get between $10 to $15 per paycheck if paid weekly; for those married filing jointly, they're likely to see an extra $15 to $20.
Who Is Eligible?
The credit is available to those with earned income. It's worth up to $400 a year for single filers and $800 for joint filers.
The full credit will be paid to people with modified adjusted gross incomes of $75,000 or less ($150,000 per couple). A partial credit would be paid to those making above those amounts but no more than $95,000 ($190,000 for couples).
What is modified adjusted gross income? It's your adjusted gross income but with some exclusions added back in. In the case of this credit, the only exclusion that would need to be added back is any income earned in a foreign country, in Puerto Rico or in American Somoa.
"For most people, their modified adjusted gross income will be the same as their adjusted gross income, which is on the bottom of the front page of their return," said enrolled agent David Mellem of Ashwaubenon Tax Professionals, who is certified to represent taxpayers before the IRS.
The credit is also refundable, which means that even very low-income families who don't make enough to owe income tax would be able to claim it.
Who Is Not Eligible?Even if someone works, he won't qualify for the Making Work Pay credit if he is claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return.
Also, adults who are eligible for Social Security, Railroad Retirement, veteran's compensation or pension benefits will not receive the credit. But if they were eligible for those benefits sometime between November 2008 and January 2009, they will receive a one-time, $250 emergency payment no later than mid-June.
That emergency payment is not subject to income tax, Mellem said.
How Does It Work?
Using new withholding tables from the IRS, employers are supposed to pay out the Making Work Pay credit by reducing how much tax is withheld from eligible workers' paychecks.
"Changing withholding tables is a routine task. It's not difficult," said Scott Mezistrano, senior manager of government relations at the American Payroll Association.
In fact, many employers likely have already done so, said Pete Isberg, the head of the National Payroll Reporting Consortium. That means their employees should already have started to see more cash in their paychecks.
For example, Ron Moser, a human resources director for a school district in western New York, said his district included the credit in paychecks starting in early March.
Lower-income workers may not make enough money to have taxes withheld once their exemptions are taken into account. So they won't see any extra cash in their paychecks. But they may claim their full credit when they file their 2009 tax returns next year.
Is There Anything I Need to Watch Out For?
Possibly. Some people could end up getting a larger credit than they're entitled to. That means they'd have to pay back the excess amount when they file their 2009 taxes -- or, if they're getting a refund, their refund would be reduced by the amount they were overpaid.
If that situation is unappealing, a tax filer could act now to reduce the number of withholding allowances he takes on his W4 at work. The fewer allowances he takes, the more tax that is withheld.
The IRS has a calculator online that you can use to figure out how many allowances you should take if you're eligible to receive the credit and don't want to be overpaid -- or to put it another way, don't want to have too little tax withheld.
Those most likely to be overpaid are:
Anyone who holds more than one job. You will get paid the Making Work Pay Credit twice, up to $400 ($800 for a joint filer) from your first employer and up to $400 ($800 for a joint filer) from your second employer.
Joint filers whose spouses work. Each spouse will end up being paid the credit for married couples by each of their employers.
There's a twist, too. Because of the way the withholding tables were set up, each working spouse may be paid up to $600 this year -- instead of up to the $800, Mezistrano said.
In other words, the husband would receive $600 at his job and the wife $600 at her job, for a total of $1,200. Since they're only entitled to $800 total as a couple, that means they would have to pay $400 back to the IRS -- or see their refund reduced by that amount.
Anyone who receives income from a rental property or investment, such as interest and dividends. Your employer only knows about the income you earn at the company. If you receive other income that increases your modified adjusted gross income -- or even pushes you past the income limits for the credit -- you may end up owing the IRS some or all of the credit you received in your paycheck.
Anyone who started receiving their credit at the end of Febuary or anytime in March. The withholding tables are structured so that payments starting in April will add up to $400 for single filers and $800 for joint filers by year end. If payments start sooner than that a tax filer may actually receive a bit more than he's due by Dec. 31.
Conversely, if your employer doesn't start your payments until the end of April or in May -- there's no penalty if an employer doesn't meet the April 1 deadline -- you may end up getting a little less of a credit than you're entitled to, in which case you can claim the rest when you file your 2009 tax return.
Best Foods for a Flat Belly
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What if someone told you that the way you eat could whittle your waistline? Sure, you'd think. Give up carbs and rely on rabbit food. Not true! I'm happy to tell you that there are other, yummier ways to go. Certain foods and styles of eating can indeed help flatten your belly (and everywhere else, for that matter). Try these tips and you'll uncover an amazing middle in no time.
Gimme a C: I love pink grapefruit and that's a good thing, since research has found that foods that are naturally rich in vitamin C—think citrus fruit, cantaloupe and red peppers—can help reduce fat absorption. In fact, skip it and you may see your middle expand, since diets low in vitamin C have been linked to bigger waistlines. Meet your daily goal of 75 milligrams by snacking on an orange or a cup of strawberries. See how these small changes can add up to big results.
Tea up: Women with the highest consumption of catechins, the plant-based antioxidants in tea that may boost fat burn, put on fewer pounds over 14 years than those who drank less tea, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals. Try to choose green or white varieties, which contain the most catechins. Learn how to maximize the benefits of tea and other superfoods.
Peel it off: Reach for a banana and you'll banish bloat faster than you can say Buddha belly. The fruit contains 422 mg of potassium, which controls the amount of puff-producing sodium in your system. Toss a banana in your bag for a fabulous ab-flattening snack. Try our Flat Abs Fast plan for more bloat-reducing tips and tricks.
Go low: Consuming just one meal of low-glycemic-index foods, those that your body digests slowly, can help you feel fuller all day so you're less likely to pack your tummy with treats, a study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reports. Low-GI foods include oatmeal and vegetables (sorry, not potatoes), as well as some fruit like grapefruit and blueberries. Oatmeal Meatballs are a tasty way to curb cravings.
Stroll away your sweet craving: Loco for cocoa? Me, too. A little dark chocolate is fine, but if you've already hit your limit, try lacing up your sneakers! Chocolate lovers who walked for 15 minutes reported reduced hankerings during the walk and even afterward, according to a study in the journal Appetite.
Ditch high-fructose corn syrup: Scan labels and you're likely to see high-fructose corn syrup on many ingredient lists...even on things like tomato sauce! When you do, put down that jar and look for something else. Why? High-fructose corn syrup can cause a surge in your blood sugar, and some research suggests it messes up your hunger and satiety signals, like leptin, leaving you less satisfied and causing you to eat more. When leptin responses fail, it's tougher to control appetite. The result: Extra calories get deposited as fat. To prevent this, trade packaged foods with high-fructose corn syrup for ones with healthy fats and fiber—think veggies, hummus, nuts or sunflower seeds.
Snap your snack: Taking a photo of your plateful of food can keep you slim. People who took pictures of everything they ate for five days reported consuming fewer snacks and being less likely to go back for seconds than during a week-long period in which they kept a written food diary, a study from the University of Wisconsin at Madison finds. Try capturing your meals for a week to help eyeball portion sizes as well as color variety—aim for more green, less white (unless it's cauliflower). See an example of this, and get ideas for healthy, photo-worthy meals of your own, at Eat Like Me.
Last-minute Conficker survival guide
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No one knows, but we'll probably find out soon.
Or not. As Slate notes, Conficker is scheduled to go "live" on April 1, but whoever's controlling it could choose not to wreak havoc but instead do absolutely nothing, waiting for a time when there's less heat. They can do this because the way Conficker is designed is extremely clever: Rather than containing a list of specific, static instructions, Conficker reaches out to the web to receive updated marching orders via a huge list of websites it creates. Conficker.C -- the latest bad boy -- will start checking 50,000 different semi-randomly-generated sites a day looking for instructions, so there's no way to shut down all of them. If just one of those sites goes live with legitimate instructions, Conficker keeps on trucking.
Conficker's a nasty little worm that takes serious efforts to bypass your security defenses, but you aren't without some tools in your arsenal to protect yourself.
Your first step should be the tools you already have: Windows Update, to make sure your computer is fully patched, and your current antivirus software, to make sure anything that slips through the cracks is caught.
But if Conficker's already on your machine, it may bypass certain subsystems and updating Windows and your antivirus at this point may not work. If you are worried about anything being amiss -- try booting into Safe Mode, which Conficker prevents, to check -- you should run a specialized tool to get rid of Conficker.
Microsoft offers a web-based scanner (note that some users have reported it crashed their machines; I had no trouble with it), so you might try one of these downloadable options instead: Symantec's Conficker (aka Downadup) tool, Trend Micro's Cleanup Engine, or Malwarebytes. Conficker may prevent your machine from accessing any of these websites, so you may have to download these tools from a known non-infected computer if you need them. Follow the instructions given on each site to run them successfully. (Also note: None of these tools should harm your computer if you don't have Conficker.)
As a final safety note, all users -- whether they're worried about an infection or know for sure they're clean -- are also wise to make a full data backup today.
What won't work? Turning your PC off tonight and back on on April 2 will not protect you from the worm (sorry to the dozens of people who wrote me asking if this would do the trick). Temporarily disconnecting your computer from the web won't help if the malware is already on your machine -- it will simply activate once you connect again. Changing the date on your PC will likely have no helpful effect, either. And yes, Macs are immune this time out. Follow the above instructions to detect and remove the worm.
Can Obama Win Russia's Cooperation on Iran?
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By VIVIENNE WALT Vivienne Walt
Don't expect President Barack Obama to look into President Dmitry Medvedev's and "get a sense of his soul" when he meets his Russian counterpart on Wednesday at the G-20 summit in London. That was what President Bush claimed to have done during his first meeting with Vladimir Putin early in 2001, but Obama and Medvedev have more immediate and practical concerns: Washington urgently needs Moscow's help in achieving one of its key foreign policy priorities - containing Iran's nuclear ambitions. But Russia will cooperate only if it's satisfied that Obama has abandoned the more confrontational approach of the Bush Administration toward Iran.
Russia's centrality to the issue lies in the fact that it is building Iran's civilian nuclear reactor at Bushehr, and is also the Islamic Republic's key supplier of high-tech weaponry. Moscow's support is also critical to U.S. efforts to use sanctions to pressure Iran to back down on the nuclear issue. Wednesday's meeting between Obama and Medvedev could provide an important indicator of whether Washington will get the help it seeks. (See pictures of Russia celebrating its military might.)
According to Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, Moscow will use the Obama-Medvedev meeting as an opportunity to assess how far the new Administration plans to go in pursuit of Obama's promised "new beginning" with Iran. The answer could shape Moscow's decisions with respect to supplying key military technology to Tehran.
"All the issues of Iran will be decided on what we have more of in our talks - the hope for peace, or the 'hope' of threats," Rogozin told TIME.
Iran has negotiated an agreement for Russia to supply it with the S-300 surface-to-air missile system, which is far more accurate, and at a far greater range, than Iran's current air defenses are, and would greatly enhance Iran's capacity to ward off a preemptive Israeli or U.S. air strike aimed at its nuclear facilities. The State Department's key adviser on Iran, Dennis Ross, warned last month that Israel could be tempted to strike before the delivery of S-300 missiles (whose deployment had been expected sometime next year).
But, says Rogozin, Russia could hold back on delivering the enhanced air defenses if Obama signals a change in Iran policy. "The best thing that Washington can offer [Russia] is realigning its own attitude with Iran," says Rogozin. Moscow will be encouraged by Tuesday's news that President Obama's special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, met with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mehdi Akhoundzadeh at a conference in The Hague on Tuesday, and that the two had agreed to "remain in touch."
Russia, in fact, appears to already have put the S-300 delivery to Iran on hold, while it waits to see what approach Obama's Administration adopts in dealing with Tehran's nuclear program. "On a political level [the Russians] have put the sale on hold - that's new," says Cliff Kupchan, an expert on both Russia and Iran at the Eurasia Group in Washington. (See pictures of health care in Tehran.)
Rogozin sees Iran's need for missiles as related to Washington's own stance. "The harsher the U.S. policy is towards Iran, the harsher the response is to the U.S. and the whole world," he says. "If you drive into a corner a small nation they will do anything they can to protect their security." Yet although Russia has long defended Iran's right to develop its civilian nuclear program, Kupchan claims officials in Moscow were taken aback when Iran tested a medium-range missile last month. Still, Russia has been unwilling to abandon the S-300 contract. Rogozin indicated that Russia is waiting until "after the first meeting of the two Presidents, and then we will decide on our plans."
Besides a new stance toward Tehran, Obama can offer Russia two further inducements to cooperate on Iran: A tacit delay - perhaps for years - in plans to deploy a U.S. missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, and also in plans to extend NATO membership to Georgia and Ukraine. Both issues are on the table at this week's NATO summit in France and Germany, although with no link to Iran. Indeed, Iran is not the only issue on which the U.S. and its allies need Russian help: Moscow's cooperation may be the key element in securing alternative supply routes for NATO troops in Afghanistan, given the ease with which Taliban-aligned forces are able to attack the supply lines through Pakistan on which the mission currently depends.
Even with concessions on the missile shield and on Ukraine and Georgia, Russia remains deeply suspicious of NATO. "There is still no mutual understanding or trust between us," Rozozin says. "Russia should become a reliable partner to both the U.S. and NATO, but for that Russia needs to be respected in both Washington and Brussels." Moscow would prefer to reduce the Alliance's footprint not only on its southern flank in Georgia and Ukraine, but also on its western frontier with Poland and the Baltic States - although any reversal of the integration of those countries into NATO would render the Alliance itself meaningless. So, the relationship is likely to remain testy, even if it becomes more cooperative. "We are not a naÏve people but we feel a lot of hope," says Rogozin. "We are optimistic."
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U.S. offers olive branch to non-violent Taliban
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THE HAGUE (Reuters) – The United States offered Taliban fighters who renounce violence in Afghanistan an "honorable form of reconciliation" on Tuesday as part of a revamped strategy to tackle a deepening insurgency.
Traditional U.S. foe Iran, attending an international conference on Afghanistan, pledged help in tackling the huge opium trade in its neighbor but stressed it remained opposed to U.S. and other foreign troops there.
The conference in the Netherlands is a chance for NATO and other U.S. allies to consult on the Afghan strategy unveiled by President Barack Obama last week stressing the need to cooperate with regional players such as Iran, Pakistan, Russia and India.
"We must ... support efforts by the government of Afghanistan to separate the extremists of al Qaeda and the Taliban from those who have joined their ranks not out of conviction, but out of desperation," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told the conference in The Hague.
"They should be offered an honorable form of reconciliation and reintegration into a peaceful society, if they are willing to abandon violence, break with al Qaeda, and support the constitution," Clinton said.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai welcomed Obama's "fresh, strong and judicious leadership," but said his government should take the lead in approaches to the Taliban.
"The policy of reconciliation ... can succeed only if carried out under the aegis of the national institutions of Afghanistan," he warned.
Iran, which sent Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Mehdi Akhoundzadeh to the talks, promised it would help fight drugs trafficking and in reconstruction projects.
"The presence of foreign forces has not improved things in the country and it seems that an increase in the number of foreign forces will prove ineffective too," Akhoundzadeh said.
But he added: "Iran is fully prepared to participate in the projects aimed at combating drug trafficking and the plans in line with developing and reconstructing Afghanistan."
RUSSIA READY
Clinton and Akhoundzadeh were not due to hold substantive talks in the Hague, but not expected to avoid contact either.
Their joint presence was an easing the policy of the former Bush administration which stuck to a years-long stand-off over Tehran's nuclear program. The West suspects Iran wants a cover for the atom bomb, an aspiration it denies.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signaled a greater readiness by Moscow to help reconstruct Afghanistan.
"We need to combine the antiterrorist measures with the socio-economic measures to rebuild Afghanistan and in future Russia is quite ready to participate in that effort," he said.
Nearly eight years after the U.S.-led invasion to topple the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan, more than 70,000 U.S. and NATO troops are still there battling a growing insurgency, which is also spreading its influence in Pakistan.
The Pakistani Taliban said on Tuesday they had carried out an attack which killed eight cadets in a police academy in the Pakistani city, Lahore.
It was the second attack in Lahore this month after gunmen targeted the Sri Lankan cricket team, underscoring how far the insurgency is spreading into the heartland of Pakistan.
Since taking office in January, Obama has ordered 17,000 extra troops to Afghanistan to tackle violence ahead of elections, and a further 4,000 to help train the army.
The new U.S. administration has said it will end the megaphone diplomacy used by Washington in the Bush years to cajole more troops out of often reluctant allies, but is urging them to commit more aid and civilian support.
"President Obama has introduced a new focus, one that we welcome very much," said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, whose country came under most pressure to step up its contribution to the counter-insurgency effort.
"We shall have to reinforce our civilian presence. The military presence will remain necessary and in an election year we can expect more tensions," he said of August elections.
(Additional reporting by Bill Maclean and Aaron Gray-Block; Writing by Mark John and Reed Stevenson; Editing by Myra MacDonald)
GM CEO Wagoner to step down at White House request
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DETROIT – General Motors Corp. Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner will step down immediately at the request of the White House, administration officials said Sunday. The news comes as President Barack Obama prepares to unveil additional restructuring efforts designed to save the domestic auto industry.
The officials asked not to be identified because details of the restructuring plan have not yet been made public. On Monday, Obama is to announce measures to restructure GM and Chrysler LLC in exchange for additional government loans. The companies have been living on $17.4 billion in government aid and have requested $21.6 billion more.
Two people familiar with the plan said Sunday that the Obama administration would give GM enough government aid to restructure over the next 60 days, while Chrysler will get up to $6 billion and 30 days to complete an alliance with Italian automaker Fiat SpA. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to make details public.
Wagoner's departure indicates that more management changes may be part of the deal, but it is still unclear who will be in charge of GM. The automaker recently promoted Fritz Henderson, its former chief financial officer, to become president and chief operating officer. Many in the company thought he would eventually succeed Wagoner.
Detroit-based GM issued a statement Sunday saying that the company expects the administration to make an announcement about the automaker's restructuring soon but that "it would not be appropriate for us to speculate on the content of any announcement."
A person familiar with Chrysler's management said the company has been given no indication that the government will require any changes at the Auburn Hills, Mich., company, which has been led by former Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli since August 2007. The person also spoke on condition of anonymity because Obama's plan has not been made public.
Wagoner, 56, has repeatedly said he believed it was better for him to lead GM through its crisis, but he has faced sharp criticism on Capitol Hill for what many lawmakers regard as years of missteps, mistakes and arrogance by the Detroit Three automakers.
Wagoner joined GM in 1977, serving in several capacities in the U.S., Brazil and Europe. He became president and chief executive in 2000 and has served as chairman and CEO since May 2003.
Wagoner, in an interview with The Associated Press in December, declined to speculate on suggestions from some members of Congress that GM's leadership team should step down as part of any rescue package.
"I'm doing what I do because it adds a lot of value to the company," Wagoner said in a Dec. 4 interview as GM sought federal aid from the Bush administration. "It's not clear to me that experience in this industry should be viewed as a negative, but I'm going to do what's right for the company and I'll do it in consultation with the (GM) board (of directors)."
Auto industry analysts credit Wagoner with doing more to restructure the giant automaker than any other executive. But given that he has been at GM's helm for so long, many of his critics say he moved too slowly to take on the United Auto Workers and shrink the company as its market share tumbled.
"Given the history, a change in management could hardly hurt and might do some good," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Sunday.
Among his biggest accomplishments as CEO, Wagoner presided over a landmark contract agreement with the UAW in 2007. In that four-year agreement, the automaker successfully transferred nearly $50 billion in health care liabilities to the union as it sought to reduce labor costs, especially huge liabilities to retirees.
In 2004, Wagoner sought to reduce GM's brands by shutting down the Oldsmobile line of cars — a costly project because it required huge payouts to dealers. He also sought to streamline the company by selling the company's defense unit to General Dynamics Corp. for $1.1 billion in 2003. He has also reduced the company's work force by tens of thousands and closed factories around the country.
But Wagoner's critics say GM relied for too long on sales of pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles for its profits and was unprepared for a drastic market shift when gasoline prices hit $4 per gallon last year.
During the Congressional debate over whether to give GM and Chrysler loans last year, many lawmakers criticized Wagoner, including Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the Banking Committee.
Dodd accused automakers' top management of having a "head-in-the-sand" approach to problems and said Wagoner "has to move on" as part of a government-run restructuring that should be a condition of financial life support for the auto industry.
David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich., said Sunday that Wagoner's departure gives the government a rationale to provide additional aid to the automaker. He was not surprised by the move, but said he is disappointed because he considers Wagoner a capable leader.
"I think that as a condition for further government support, this helps give them a little cover with the public," Cole said. "Essentially he's taking one for the team."
Cole noted that other automakers have been shaking up management as well. Toyota Motor Corp.'s president, Katsuaki Watanabe, recently said he would be stepping down as the Japanese automaker weathers financial difficulty. Also, France's biggest carmaker, PSA Peugeot-Citroen, abruptly ousted CEO Christian Streiff on Sunday, saying "exceptional difficulties" confronting the auto industry require new management at the top.
In the financial sector, where the overwhelming majority of government bailout money has been directed, some corporate leaders found their days numbered. The CEOs of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were forced out after the government took over the companies in the fall. Robert Willumstad, the former CEO of American International Group Inc., left the company in September, just a day after the government pumped $85 billion into the insurer to keep it from going under.
The terms of Wagoner's departure are unclear. However, GM disclosed in its annual report last month that it cannot make severance payments to Wagoner or other senior executives under the terms of its governments loans. Wagoner is eligible to retire under GM's salaried employee and executive retirement plans, but the amount he would receive is unclear.
Nardelli's departure is less likely than Wagoner's because Nardelli is "relatively new" to the automaker, with less than two years at the helm, Cole said.
GM and Chrysler were required by the Bush administration to get major concessions from debtholders and the United Auto Workers, with a deadline of March 31 for signed contracts. But very little headway was being made with either party this weekend as they awaited Obama's announcement.
Members of Obama's auto task force have said bankruptcy could still be an option for GM and Chrysler if their management, workers, creditors and shareholders failed to make sacrifices. Both companies are trying to reduce their debt by two-thirds and convince the United Auto Workers union to accept shares of stock in exchange for half of the payments into a union-run trust fund for retiree health care costs. The deals also call for executive pay cuts and labor costs that are competitive with Japanese automakers with U.S. operations
Associated Press Writer Ken Thomas reported from Washington, D.C. AP Auto Writer Dan Strumpf contributed from New York.
(This version CORRECTS that GM sold its defense unit to General Dynamics; the unit was not named General Dynamics.)
Tiger returns to winning at Bay Hill
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It made Woods forget that it had been nine months since he played under so much pressure.
And then he made golf remember the magic it had been missing.
With cameras flashing in the approaching darkness, Woods delivered another rock-star moment by making a birdie on the final hole to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one shot and match the largest comeback in his PGA Tour career.
“It feels good to be back in contention, to feel the rush,” Woods said. “It’s been awhile, but God, it felt good.”
It sure looked that way.
Just like last year, when Woods made a 25-foot birdie on the final hole at Bay Hill to win by one, he crouched and backpedaled as the putt rolled toward the cup. But instead of slamming his cap to the ground, he gave a roundhouse fist pump and ran into the arms of caddie Steve Williams, who lifted him off the ground in celebration.
Welcome back, Tiger.
“Last year … there wasn’t any big comeback or anything. I was out there just competing as usual,” Woods said. “This time, it was a little bit different. I hadn’t been in the mix since the U.S. Open, so it was neat to feel the heat on the back nine again.”
Starting the final round five shots behind, Woods closed with a 3-under 67 for a one-shot victory over hard-luck Sean O’Hair. It was the third time he won at Bay Hill with a birdie putt on the 18th hole, and this uphill putt was the easiest of all.
But it was just as sweet, especially walking off the green to see a beaming tournament host.
“What was it I told you last year?” Palmer said as he grabbed Woods by the shoulder.
Palmer has seen enough of Woods to know what to expect. Woods won at Bay Hill for the sixth time, the fourth PGA Tour event he has won at least that often.
Woods had not been atop the leaderboard since he won the U.S. Open in a 19-hole playoff last June. He had reconstructive surgery on his left knee a week later, and missed the next eight months.
With two indifferent results, there were questions whether he would be ready for the Masters in two weeks.
Not anymore.
Woods donned the blue blazer that goes to the Bay Hill winner. That could go a long way toward winning another jacket at Augusta National, different color.
“Certainly, this win definitely validates all the things I’ve been trying to do,” Woods said.
O’Hair made only one birdie and closed with a 73, but he steadied himself along the back nine until a crucial mistake on the 16th hole, when he went at the flag with Woods in the rough. His 7-iron came up short and into the water, leading to a bogey.
“I think what happened is when the sun was going down a little bit, I guess that kind of proved to me that the ball wasn’t quite going as far,” O’Hair said.
He might be right, for Woods ran into the same problem a hole later. He posed over a 4-iron that he thought was flush, tongue hanging out of his mouth like Michael Jordan when he knew a shot was going in. This one plugged under the lip of the front bunker, and Woods made bogey to fall into a tie.
Ryo Ishikawa, front left, of Japan, is followed by a crowd of reporters after an interview with the Golf Channel during the pro-am for the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament in Orlando, Fla., Wednesday, March 25, 2009. .
Ryo Ishikawa, front left, of J…
AP - Mar 25, 3:47 pm EDT
That set up the dramatic finish with only minutes of daylight remaining, thanks to a two-hour rain delay in the morning.
It was the second straight year that O’Hair had to watch Woods celebrate. They were in the final group a year ago when Woods made his big birdie putt to beat Bart Bryant. This one stung even more.
“It’s just a little bit disappointing that I couldn’t close it,” O’Hair said.
Woods finished at 5-under 275 and won $1.08 million for his 66th career victory. Only once in his career has Woods failed to win a PGA Tour even in the three months leading to the Masters, but more Bay Hill magic took care of that.
Zach Johnson shot 69 and finished third, although he was treated to quite a show playing in the last group.
“I tried to stay in my own world, and for the most part I did that,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of hard when you’re seeing what you’re seeing. Obviously Tiger, when he needs to step up, he does it. It was impressive to watch.”
Arnold Palmer, left, and Tom Ridge, former secretary of Homeland Security, talk while waiting to tee off during the Pro-Am play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament in Orlando, Fla., Wednesday, March 25, 2009.
Arnold Palmer, left, and Tom R…
AP - Mar 25, 2:56 pm EDT
Woods was running out of holes until he came up with two clutch putts, the kind he has made throughout his career.
The most pivotal came at the 14th, when he was one shot behind and caught yet another plugged lie under the lip of a bunker. Woods did well to blast out to just over 12 feet, while O’Hair had 15 feet for birdie. Make it, and he could go up by three.
O’Hair narrowly missed, and Woods holed his putt for par. On the next hole, Woods made a 25-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead.
There were three lead changes over the final three holes, and a predictable winner.
It was a struggle from the start for O’Hair.
He didn’t hit a fairway until the sixth hole, and he didn’t have a birdie putt inside 30 feet until the ninth hole. The game was on after a two-shot swing on the third hole, when O’Hair missed the green to the right and made bogey, and Woods made an 8-footer for his second straight birdie to close within two shots.
They were separated by one shot for most of the back nine, with momentum seemingly on Woods’ side, but not the lead. That didn’t come until the 16th hole, and then he needed one more clutch shot to return to a familiar place.
“It’s like Stevie was saying out there,” Woods said of caddie Steve Williams. “This feels like we hadn’t left. You just remember how to do it. It hasn’t been that long for me, but you just have that feel of what to do. And it’s a matter of getting it done.”
Study: Triathlons can pose deadly heart risks
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ORLANDO, Fla. - Warning to weekend warriors: Swim-bike-run triathlons pose at least twice the risk of sudden death as marathons do, the first study of these competitions has found.
The risk is mostly from heart problems during the swimming part. And while that risk is low — about 15 out of a million participants — it's not inconsequential, the study's author says.
Triathlons are soaring in popularity, especially as charity fundraisers. They are drawing many people who are not used to such demanding exercise. Each year, about 1,000 of these events are held and several hundred thousand Americans try one.
"It's something someone just signs up to do," often without a medical checkup to rule out heart problems, said Dr. Kevin Harris, a cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. "They might prepare for a triathlon by swimming laps in their pool. That's a lot different than swimming in a lake or a river."
He led the study and presented results Saturday at an American College of Cardiology conference in Florida. The Minneapolis institute's foundation sponsored the work and tracks athlete-related sudden deaths in a national registry.
Marathon-related deaths made headlines in November 2007 when 28-year-old Ryan Shay died while competing in New York in the men's marathon Olympic trials. Statistics show that for every million participants in these 26.2-mile running races, there will be four to eight deaths.
The rate for triathletes is far higher — 15 out of a million, the new study shows. Almost all occurred during the swim portion, usually the first event.
"Anyone that jumps into freezing cold water knows the stress on the heart," said Dr. Lori Mosca, preventive cardiology chief at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and an American Heart Association spokeswoman. She had no role in the study but has competed in more than 100 triathlons, including the granddaddy — Hawaii's Ironman competition.
Cold water constricts blood vessels, making the heart work harder and aggravating any pre-existing problems. It also can trigger an irregular heartbeat. On top of this temperature shock is the stress of competition.
"It's quite frightening — there are hundreds of people thrashing around. You have to keep going or you're going to drown," Mosca said.
Swimmers can't easily signal for help or slow down to rest during swimming as they can in the biking or running parts of a triathlon, said Harris, who also has competed in these events. Rescuers may have trouble spotting someone in danger in a crowd of competitors in the lakes, rivers and oceans where these events typically are held, he added.
For the study, researchers used records on 922,810 triathletes competing in 2,846 USA Triathlon-sanctioned events between January 2006 and September 2008.
Of the 14 deaths identified, 13 occurred during swimming; the other was a bike crash. Autopsies on six of the victims showed that four had underlying heart problems. Two others had normal-looking hearts, but they may have suffered a fatal heart rhythm problem, Harris said.
A search of the Minneapolis registry and the Internet found four other triathlon-related deaths from 2006 through 2008 beyond those that occurred in the officially sanctioned events.
"While not a large risk, this is not an inconsequential number," Harris said.
Fundraising triathlons have enticed many runners to try to expand into areas like swimming, which they may not have learned to do very efficiently, to benefit particular charities, Mosca said.
"They're really recruiting people to do these events," she said. "It can be a recipe for disaster."
Doctors offer these tips to anyone considering a triathlon:
_Get a checkup to make sure you don't have hidden heart problems.
_Train adequately long before the event, including open-water swims — not just in pools.
_Acclimate yourself to the water temperature shortly before a race, and wear a wetsuit if it's too cold.
_Make sure the race has medical staff and defibrillators on site.
Leaving computers on overnight = $2.8 billion a year
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But all the power wasted while computers are sitting idle overnight adds up, and one study has finally tried to measure it. The tally: An estimated $2.8 billion wasted on excess energy costs each year in the U.S. alone.
On a CO2 basis, that's 20 million tons of carbon dioxide, about the amount produced by 4 million cars on the road.
The full report is available for download here (scroll down to "PC Energy Report US 2009").
But big numbers like that become almost meaningless in an era of trillion-dollar bailouts, so to put the wasted energy in perspective, the study provides the data in terms you can better understand: If you run a company with 1,000 PCs left on overnight, you can save about $28,000 a year if they are turned off after hours. That's not chump change.
Of course, it's also a fact that your PC will function better if you restart it regularly, and nightly shutdowns can help you avoid having to suddenly reboot in the middle of the day when you'd otherwise be productive. So even though this little laptop, by my math, eats up only about a quarter's worth of power overnight, maybe it's a smart idea -- and ultimately a time-saver, too -- to shut it down after hours after all.
Great Music Mysteries, Hoaxes, and Scams
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But, of course, along with all the excitement about Jackson's return are rumors. There's always a rumor with Michael. Chatter is swirling that the dude at his recent press conference announcing the upcoming concerts was NOT actually Jackson. His voice was too deep, his chin too fake (something "too fake" on Jacko?), his walk was not Michael's usual gait.
If you ask me, I think he's probably with Elvis on a Tahitian island being served drinks by Jim Morrison. And they're all reading about Amy Winehouse's space-alien love child in the latest issue of National Enquirer. For their amusement and yours, I offer up these other musicians who've been the subject of scams, hoaxes, and mysteries through the years. You can file them next to your Oliver Stone DVD collection. Or next to your Joaquin Phoenix rap albums.
Best Places for Business and Careers
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Raleigh, N.C., and its fellow Tar Heel metros shine in our annual look at America's largest cities.
The economy shed 651,000 jobs in February and 4.4 million since the recession began in December 2007. Only a handful of metro areas have escaped falling employment over the past three months. Yet there are still some places out there that remain attractive to businesses.
Our 11th annual ranking of the Best Places for Business and Careers features clear winners in North Carolina and Colorado, home to a combined 10 of the 20 top metro areas.
Leading the way is Raleigh, N.C., which grabbed the top spot for a third straight year on the strength of strong job growth (both past and projected), low business costs and a highly educated workforce.
In Depth: Best Places for Business and Careers
Employment is expected to fall during 2009 in Raleigh after jobs were added at a 4% annual clip the past five years. But the job picture is expected to brighten in 2010 and 2011, and the three-year projected annual employment gain is 1.4%. according to Moody's Economy.com, 15th best in the country.
Helping fuel Raleigh's strong economy is the Research Triangle Park, one of the oldest and largest science parks in North America. It is located between Raleigh and Durham and is home to 170 companies employing 42,000 people. Big employers include Biogen Idec, Cisco Systems and IBM.
"Raleigh is holding up better than any other place in North Carolina," says Matthew Martin, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Va. He cites the significant higher education presence and low manufacturing base in the area for Raleigh's steady economy.
Keeping Raleigh company at the top are fellow Tar Heel State metros Durham (ranked third), Asheville (sixth), Wilmington (13th), Winston-Salem (18th) and Charlotte (19th).
Our rankings looked at the 200 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., which range from the New York metro and its 11.7 million people to Olympia, Wash., with a population of 241,000. We examined each on 11 different criteria. Economic research firm Moody's Economy.com supplied data on job growth over the past five years and projections through 2011. Economy.com also provided business and living cost data as well as income growth and migration trends.
We also turned to Bert T. Sperling, city researcher and co-author of Cities Ranked & Rated for some labor supply and quality of life information. Sperling furnished data on college attainment, crime rates, local colleges and cultural and recreational opportunities in the area.
In a nod to the current economic climate, we added two new categories this year: projected job growth and subprime mortgages as a percentage of total originations over a three-year period. This change helped boost several metros in the rankings, most notably Austin, Texas, which ranked eighth this year, up from 47th last year. Austin's projected annual job growth rate of 2.3% is fifth fastest in the country, and its subprime mortgage exposure clocked in at 13th.
The city has a fan in the Charles Schwab Corporation. "The city of Austin is extremely business-friendly. They have bent over backwards to accommodate us," says Glenn Cooper, head of real estate at Schwab, which expanded its Austin presence in 2007 when it purchased the 401(k) Co. Cooper highlights the political environment, culture and cost of living as draws for Schwab to Austin.
Bringing up the rear of our rankings are the troubled spots in California. The Golden State had its worst showing ever in our tally. It is home to six of the seven lowest-rated spots, and Riverside was the only one of its 21 metro areas (among the country's 200 biggest) that cracked the top 100. Most California metros are burdened with sky-high living and business costs, and the job outlook is week. The unemployment rate in 199th-ranked Merced, Calif., is expected to hit 21% in 2010.
The current recession is too deep and widespread for even our best-rated cities to escape damage. Yet when things do turn around, expect many places ranked at the top to be at the head of the pack, notes Marisa Di Natale, an economist at Economy.com.
"Austin, Boulder [Colo.], Fort Collins [Colo.] and to a lesser extent Raleigh all have a lot of high-tech investment," she says. "We think that is one of the first things that comes back once the economy does recover."
Top 5 Best Places
1. Raleigh, NC
Metro Area Population: 1,086,000
2. Fort Collins, CO
Metro Area Population: 292,000
3. Durham, NC
Metro Area Population: 487,000
4. Fayetteville, AR
Metro Area Population: 442,000
5. Lincoln, NE
Metro Area Population: 296,000
Click here for the full list of the Best Places for Business and Careers.
Stress is Sabotaging Your Diet Success
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If there's one thing that gets in the way of you being your healthiest, it's stress. For anyone who's found themselves standing in front of the freezer inhaling spoonfuls of Coffee Heath Bar Crunch ice cream (not my real name!) to avoid finishing a project, or waking up three times in the wee hours of the night in anticipation of a difficult conversation, here's some not-so-shocking news: Research shows that anxiety can make you sleep fewer hours, get sick more often, remember less, become more prone to long-term disease and—as if you needed reminding—eat more. No wonder up to 90 percent of doctor visits are for stress-related complaints, a fact that I suspect too many of you know firsthand (though you experience it as GI distress, back pain, a headache or other physical symptom).
In a recent Self.com poll, 85 percent of women said that worries interfere with their ability to catch zzz's, while 71 percent say they're more irritable due to stress. And given the recent headlines about the state of our economy, it's not surprising that 52 percent of women say they are under considerably more stress than they were six months ago. (What is your stress level?)
Grim, yes, but there IS hope. Just as our bodies are wired to react to stress, we're all also programmed to know how to wind down, whether it's by watching a funny movie, sitting in the sauna, sipping some chamomile tea (while dunking a cookie, of course!) or drinking a glass (or two) of wine with dinner. These activities switch on the brain's pleasure centers, blocking the production of the stress hormone cortisol and churning out happiness-inducing chemicals like serotonin instead.
When I feel a tightening in my back or neck coming on, I cope by doing things I love, like going for a long, slow run in the park with my dog. Try a few of these instant soothers, and watch your own stress go from ARGH! to Ahhh.
Turn up the tunes. Listening to music that has a steady (not frenetic) beat may cause brain waves to keep time and relax you, research from a music symposium at Stanford University in California reports. Load your iPod with a playlist of the songs that make you happiest.
Phone a friend. Pouring your heart out to pals can help you cope with bad feelings and brainstorm new ways to solve problems. And don't forget to return the favor: Lending an ear and offering support can make you feel needed and reduce anxiety. (Or drop them an e-card to say thanks!)
Break a sweat. Exercising for 30 minutes makes your body release chemicals that dull the physiological effects of stress response for up to a full day. But the effect only works when the activity is something you really want to do, so make sure you're psyched about channeling your energy in that cardiovascular direction.
Use a better bulb. Outfit your office lamp with an incandescent bulb, particularly if your cubicle is brightened by fluorescent lights. Incandescent and fluorescent lights work together to more closely mimic outside light. And it's sunshine (or the perception of it) that regulates the body's biorhythms. Not getting enough of it can affect hormone levels, suppressing the immune system and increasing the probability of mood swings, depression and sluggishness.
Pamper yourself. Whether you get a pedicure or splurge on a blowout, giving yourself special treatment reduces your blood pressure and gets your mind off what’s bothering you. Science supports this coping mechanism as well: A warm bath can activate neurons that increase serotonin, and a study from Bowling Green State University in Ohio found that a 15-minute massage can significantly cut anxiety levels. Not up for a splurge? Get the same effect from an at-home pedicure, manicure or blowout.
Dine by candlelight. The effect won't just make you look gorgeous. The dim setting actually signals your brain to release melatonin, the good-for-you sleep hormone which ensures a better night's rest. And catching enough zzz's helps keep your stress levels under control and your immune system humming. Can't sleep? See what your stress dreams are trying to tell you.
Snuggle with your sweetie. A simple 20-second kiss or hug increases endorphin levels, while having sex releases more calming hormones than any other form of sex play, researchers at the University of the West of Scotland at Paisley note.
Keep a journal. Jotting down your stressful thoughts can help you look at them more logically, potentially easing anxiety, mentally and physically. A study in the Journal of Health Psychology finds that a mere month of expressive writing can help reduce hypertension. Keep a pretty notebook handy at all times.
Anticipate something awesome. Or something tiny that makes you smile. The point is to look forward to something each day, whether it’s enjoying your morning java or counting down to an exotic vacation. Practicing this will keep your mind from focusing on what could go wrong that day.
Exhibit your exhilarating moments. Tape up pictures of three amazing days you’ve experienced, such as dancing at your wedding or crossing the finish line of a half-marathon. Honing in on the images for at least 10 seconds can lower muscle tension and stabilize your heartbeat.
Give someone props. Go on, pay a compliment to someone deserving. Research has shown that the more warm personal connections you make, the better your body is at jettisoning the effects of stress.
Stress-eater? Snack away the tension with these stress-busting foods.
World switches off to save planet in "Earth Hour"
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The Las Vegas welcome sign is dimmed during a one hour call to action for climate change during World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour 2009 Saturday, March 28, 2009 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Lights went out at tourism landmarks and homes across the globe on Saturday for Earth Hour 2009, a global event designed to highlight the threat from climate change.
From the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge to the Eiffel Tower in Paris and London's Houses of Parliament, lights were dimmed as part of a campaign to encourage people to cut energy use and curb greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.
Organizers said the action showed millions of people wanted governments to work out a strong new U.N. deal to fight global warming by the end of 2009, even though the global economic crisis has raised worries about the costs.
"We have been dreaming of a new climate deal for a long time," Kim Carstensen, head of a global climate initiative at the conservation group WWF, said in a candle-lit bar in the German city of Bonn, which hosts U.N. climate talks between March 29 and April 8.
"Now we're no longer so alone with our dream. We're sharing it with all these people switching off their lights," he said as delegates and activists sipped bluish cocktails.
The U.N. Climate Panel says greenhouse gas emissions are warming the planet and will lead to more floods, droughts, heatwaves, rising sea levels and animal and plant extinctions.
World emissions have risen by about 70 percent since the 1970s. China has recently overtaken the United States as the top emitter, ahead of the European Union, Russia and India.
BILLION PEOPLE TAKE PART
The U.N. Climate Panel says rich nations will have to cut their emissions to a level between 25 and 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 to avoid the worst effects of warming. Developing nations will also have to slow the rise of their emissions by 2020, it says.
Australia first held Earth Hour in 2007 and it went global in 2008, attracting 50 million people, organizers say. WWF, which started the event, is hoping one billion people from nearly 90 countries will take part.
"The primary reason we do it is because we want people to think, even if it is for an hour, what they can do to lower their carbon footprint, and ideally take that beyond the hour," Earth Hour executive director Andy Ridley told reporters at Sydney's Bondi Beach.
In Asia, lights at landmarks in China, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines were dimmed as people celebrated with candle-lit picnics and concerts.
Buildings in Singapore's business district went dark along with major landmarks such as the Singapore Flyer, a giant observation wheel.
Other global landmarks that switched off their lights included the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Reserve Bank in Mumbai, the dome of St Peter's Basilica in Rome, Egypt's Great Pyramids and the Acropolis in Athens.
(Reporting by Reuters bureau; Writing by Jon Boyle)
Prostate cancer screening fails to provide definitive benefits
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Two new studies into PSA (prostate-specific antigen) screening for prostate cancer this week raised more questions than they answered, according to the American Urological Association. Dr. Felix Badillo, chief of urology at St. Francis Hospital; Dr. Howard L. Adler, medical director of Stony Brook University's prostate care center; and Dr. Louis Kavoussi, chairman of urology at North Shore-LIJ Health System, offered clarity.
Does PSA screening reliably detect cancer?
Yes and no. It also spots inflammation in the prostate, which may sound a false alarm, a reason its reliability has been questioned. Even when cancer is present, Adler noted, a PSA also cannot help distinguish between aggressive and indolent tumors. Indolent cancers, slow-growing malignancies, are less likely to spread, requiring nothing more than "watchful waiting."
The new studies, one by Americans and the other by Europeans, drew different conclusions. The Americans found "no benefit" from PSA screening; the Europeans found a negligible benefit. Why the difference?
The studies involved different investigational techniques and different populations. The urological association issued a statement saying studies such as these are just part of the national discussion about PSA testing. An overwhelming body of evidence exists supporting the value of the test and the potential to save lives.
The studies suggest there is no "survival benefit" from routine screening. What does that mean?
When the PSA was developed in the 1980s, experts theorized a widespread mortality reduction, as was seen with mammography and breast cancer. That didn't happen. However, Badillo emphasized that the benefits of screening far outweigh the risks of forgoing the test, especially for men at risk because of family history or those between the ages of 50 and 75.
What about men who are older?
Men in their 80s and 90s can choose to be screened less frequently. As men age, the prevalence of prostate cancer increases - but the tumors tend not to be lethal in the oldest age groups, explained Kavoussi. It's a cancer phenomenon that's not fully understood.
Chelsea and Liverpool meet again
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The two Premier League rivals are no strangers to one another following a series of previous meetings in the knockout stages of the continental competition and will again lock horns in the quarterfinals following the draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
Last season, Chelsea finally got the better of Liverpool after a 4-3 aggregate victory in the semifinals.
Extra-time goals by Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba booked their place in the Moscow final following a tense second leg at Stamford Bridge.
However, Chelsea have not had it all their own way as they were dumped out at the semifinal stage by the Reds on penalties the previous season, while Liverpool triumphed 1-0 on aggregate at the last-four stage during the 2004-05 campaign.
Elsewhere in the draw, European champions Manchester United will take on FC Porto in the last eight.
The two teams last met when Jose Mourinho was in charge of the Portuguese side and they triumphed 3-2 on aggregate at the last 16 stage in the 2003-04 campaign following a dramatic late goal at Old Trafford.
Arsenal have been paired against Villarreal in the quarterfinals with the winners facing either Manchester United or FC Porto in the semis.
The two teams met at the semifinal stage in the 2005-06 season with the Gunners drawing the away leg in Spain 0-0 before securing their passage to the Paris final with a 1-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium.
Meanwhile, the winner of the Liverpool versus Chelsea tie will face either Barcelona or Bayern Munich in the last-four stage after the Spanish and German champions made up the draw for the quarterfinals.
(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)
Explorer 8: Bugs, Crashes, Glitches, Oh My!
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InformationWeek
"I have just installed IE8 and still the search option doesn't work. All I get is a blank line with no search box so what and where is the problem?" a visitor to Microsoft's Explorer feedback page who identified himself as Aviramoff wrote on Thursday -- the same day Microsoft formally released the product.
Aviramoff was among dozens of posters to report significant IE8 glitches.
Another user, Bob, wrote that certain Web sites weren't displaying properly in Explorer 8, including that of online greeting card purveyor American Greetings. "After downloading IE8 I cannot print any card from American Greetings. The message I get is, 'An error occurred during the operation,'" complained Bob.
Microsoft has warned Web publishers that Explorer 8's default support for some new Internet standards may cause problems with their sites. Explorer 8 includes a tool called Compatibility View that lets users view sites built for previous editions of the browser.
But some IE8 adopters reported that even pages built with Microsoft's own Web publishing software, Microsoft Publisher, failed to render properly in the new browser. "I created my company's Web site using the MS Publisher 2007 template. After upgrading IE7 to IE8 my menu tabs and many important images no longer show," wrote a user named Phil Wheeler.
The news wasn't all bad for Microsoft, as some IE8 users said they were more than happy with the product.
"In my first 30 minutes of using IE8 on my Vista Business Edition I am very pleased," wrote Lambert. "The browser opens in a quarter of the time that it did in IE7. Normally I would not bother posting such an effusive comment, but IE8 is that good," Lambert gushed.
Microsoft needs Explorer 8 to be a hit, as the company's Internet Explorer franchise has been losing ground to competitors. Explorer's share of the market has fallen from 75% to 67% in just the past 12 months, according to market watcher Net Applications, while competitors such as Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox have gained ground.
