Disney unlikely to change 'Star Wars' brand

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2011 file photo, "Darth Vader" accepts the Ultimate Villain award from "Star Wars" creator George Lucas during the 2011 Scream Awards, in Los Angeles. A decade after George Lucas said "Star Wars" was finished on the big screen, a new trilogy is destined for theaters after The Walt Disney Co. announced Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, that it was buying Lucasfilm Ltd. for $4.05 billion. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2011 file photo, "Darth Vader" accepts the Ultimate Villain award from "Star Wars" creator George Lucas during the 2011 Scream Awards, in Los Angeles. A decade after George Lucas said "Star Wars" was finished on the big screen, a new trilogy is destined for theaters after The Walt Disney Co. announced Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, that it was buying Lucasfilm Ltd. for $4.05 billion. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

People walk past a fountain showing the Yoda character from the Star Wars movies outside of Lucasfilms headquarters in San Francisco, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. The Walt Disney Co. announced Tuesday that it was buying Lucasfilm Ltd. for $4.05 billion. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2012 file photo, George Lucas arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in West Hollywood, Calif. A decade after George Lucas said "Star Wars" was finished on the big screen, a new trilogy is destined for theaters after The Walt Disney Co. announced Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, that it was buying Lucasfilm Ltd. for $4.05 billion. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Naysayers would have you believe Disney's purchase of Lucasfilm can only mean one thing: Bambi and Mickey Mouse are sure to appear in future "Star Wars" movies taking up lightsabers against the dark side of the Force.

Not so, say experts who've watched Disney's recent acquisition strategy closely. If anything, The Walt Disney Co. has earned credibility with diehard fans by keeping its fingerprints off important film franchises like those produced by its Marvel Entertainment and Pixar divisions.

"They've been pretty clearly hands-off in terms of letting the creative minds of those companies do what they do best," says Todd Juenger, an analyst with Bernstein Research. "Universally, people think they pulled it off."

Though the Walt Disney Co. built its reputation on squeaky clean family entertainment, its brand today is multifaceted. Disney, of course, started as an animation studio in 1923 with characters such as Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Steamboat Willie and Mickey Mouse. Over the years, the company ventured into live action movies, opened theme parks, launched a fleet of cruise ships and debuted shows on TV.

By way of acquisitions over the last few decades, it has ballooned into a company with $40.9 billion in annual revenue and a market value of $88 billion. Disney bought Capital Cities/ABC in 1995 for $19 billion, Pixar for $7.4 billion in 2006, Marvel for $4.2 billion in 2009 and this week, it said it will purchase Lucasfilm and the "Star Wars" franchise for $4.05 billion.

Disney's acquisition of Marvel Entertainment in 2009 offers the best example of how it might treat Lucasfilm and the "Star Wars" universe.

Marvel was in the midst of a storyline that would span several films following the smash hit success of its first self-produced movie, "Iron Man," in 2008. When Disney bought it a year later, it continued reading from the comic book giant's playbook, releasing in subsequent years "Iron Man 2," ''Thor," ''Captain America" and then this year, "The Avengers," which brought heroes from those movies together in one giant film that grossed $1.5 billion at the box office.

Now, "Avengers" director Joss Whedon is working on the sequel and developing a Marvel-based TV series for Disney-owned ABC.

Rick Marshall, a journalist and blogger who writes about the comic book and movie industries, was skeptical when Disney bought Marvel. But his doubts quickly melted when it was clear Disney wouldn't taint the Marvel universe by getting too involved.

"I was the first one to say there's going to be a Goofy-Wolverine crossover," Marshall said. "We haven't seen that... Disney was able to step away."

Recent history ought to assuage "Star Wars" fans who fear the Disney empire. But that hasn't stopped many of them from posting an array of video and pictorial mash-ups and jokes online as they poke fun at their darkest fears: Luke Skywalker staring into the distance at a mouse-eared sun and Darth Vader telling Donald Duck that he's his father.

What Disney did with Marvel was merely amplify its presence in theme parks, stores and theaters, observers say.

Disney's formula for success with Marvel was not to tamper with storylines, but to bring the existing franchise under its corporate umbrella.

Before it was acquired, Marvel paid Paramount Pictures a percentage of movie ticket sales to advertise its movies, make film prints and get them into theaters. Disney has those capabilities, so now that money doesn't go out the door. Disney also has a worldwide network of staff that help put Marvel toys on store shelves, expanding their reach and saving the money that Marvel used to pay third-party merchandise middlemen.

Owning Marvel also gives Disney a steady flow of super hero cartoons for its pay TV channel, Disney XD. These kind of logistical savings allow Disney to profit from ownership while not interfering in the creative process.

"Marvel does seem like it's running pretty independently and staying pretty close to its roots," said Janney Capital Markets analyst Tony Wible.

Disney's recent acquisitions have also filled gaps in its creative portfolio. CEO Bob Iger has said the company's $7.4 billion purchase of Pixar in 2006 was partly an investment in talent and a way to "grow and improve Disney animation." The deal brought John Lasseter, a former Disneyland employee, back into the fold as its chief creative officer of both Disney and Pixar's animation studios.

The purchase of Marvel helped Disney add characters that would resonate with boys at a time when the company was becoming known more for princesses, fairies and its fictional teenage rock star Hannah Montana.

The "Star Wars" franchise fills a hole in Disney's live-action portfolio, which suffered an embarrassing $200 million loss on the sci-fi flick "John Carter" earlier this year. The box-office bomb caused an executive shuffle at the studio that brought in former Warner Bros. president Alan Horn, who oversaw the hugely successful runs of "Harry Potter" and "The Dark Knight" movies.

It's in Disney's best interest to maintain the integrity of film franchises that come with a built-in fan base. Disney chief Iger has said the plan is for "Star Wars" live-action movies to replace others that may be in development, and to keep its production slate at a modest 7 to 10 movies per year.

"I think Disney's intention is that it just doesn't want to get in the way of a great asset," said Morningstar analyst Michael Corty.

In a conference call explaining the acquisition, Iger told analysts that "Disney respects and understands, probably better than just about anyone else, the importance of iconic characters and what it takes to protect and leverage them effectively."

When "Star Wars Episode 7" hits theaters in 2015, millions of fans will surely hold Iger to his word.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-10-31-Disney-Star%20Wars/id-2e82b2645fc749359212bfcce975dcb6

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How to use storytelling and NLP to create sales ... - Self Help Hypnosis

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IMAX chief says China's protectionist policies hurt "Dark Knight", "Spider-Man" Box Office

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - IMAX Chief Executive Rich Gelfond told analysts Thursday that China's decision to release "The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Amazing Spider-Man" at the same time last summer cut into the box office for both superhero films.

Gelfond said he believes the Chinese government engaged in this type of protectionism to bolster Chinese films. During the first part of the 2012, Gelfond said that U.S. movies made up some 75 percent of the Chinese box office and the government was hoping to even the playing field for domestic movies.

But it didn't go according to plan, according to Gelfond, who said that the box office hit "...will give China pause."

"It's a short-term policy," he added. "Most of the people I talked to over there felt it was not going to be a long-term policy."

The IMAX chief's comments came after the company reported bullish third-quarter earnings Thursday driven by theater expansions and $110 million global gross for "The Dark Knight Rises" on its screens.

With its massive population of moviegoers and rapidly expanding network of IMAX and 3D-enabled screens, China is the holy grail for studios looking to bolster sluggish domestic attendance. However, China has long been wary of allowing U.S. companies to gain too big a threshold in its borders or too tight a stranglehold over its $2.1 billion box-office market.

This year, the government slowly eased the door open for studios. Under a new trade agreement, China will allow U.S. companies to release an additional 14 films a year if they are 3D or in big-screen formats like Imax. That brings the total number of U.S. films released in the country annually to 34.

Gelfond said he still believes the market presents enormous opportunities for companies like IMAX, which are not only releasing U.S. films but are partnering with Chinese companies to bring their movies to their 70mm screens. In September, IMAX said it was digitally remastering four Chinese films from Huayi Brothers for its big-screen format.

"Nothing has soured me on the Chinese market," Gelfond said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/imax-chief-says-chinas-protectionist-policies-hurt-dark-214412252.html

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Drug Addiction and its Treatment Methods | ArticlePDQ.com

What is a Drug?
A drug is an element which might have medicinal, hallucinogenic, enactment improving or other paraphernalia when taken or put into human body but it does not comprise food. We can also say that it is a chemical which affects the body functioning. Alcohol, caffeine, aspirin and nicotine are the names of few drugs.
What is Drug Addiction?
Drug Addiction is a type of brain disease. It is normally categorized by obsessive and irrational and many at times irrepressible drug hankering, longing and even consuming of the drug even in the face of enormously undesirable and harmful consequences.
Some individuals are competent to practice frivolous or remedy drugs without displaying adverse signs or may be infatuation but for others that same substance can be a reason of worry and cause hitches during work, home, school or may be in relations leaving the individual feel secluded, destitute or mortified.
Worry for the individual facing drug addiction would not be the solution. Learning more on drugs, drug addiction and its treatment methods could definitely help to resolve the issue sooner or later depending upon the addiction. One should have healthier indulgent on why certain drugs are so persuasive and how to deal with the problem. The best method of treatment is joining some Drug Rehabilitation Treatment Centers

How to use a drug what is drug abuse and addiction?
People now a day try carry out trials with different drugs. The addiction starts with just trying out some drug out of inquisitiveness or may be consuming the same out of sense of status symbol or may be to increase the performance at work or in sports. Using of the drug does not inevitably lead to abuse it diverges from person to person the level where a drug can cause antagonistic effects on the body. Drug abuse and addiction has to do more with the consequences of its use rather than the frequency or quantity of drug consumed. Sooner or later daily consuming of drug becomes a habit and one cannot live without it and this leads to the addiction.
Methods to treat drug addiction
Drug addiction can be treated through Drug rehabilitation treatment center. It is a place where series of processes of medical psychotherapeutic treatment to help the patient to terminate substance abuse in order to escape mental, legal, monetary, communal and corporal consequences that can be instigated specifically by life-threatening use.
With the help of drug rehabilitation centers, an addict can return to vigorous, standard, fruitful and dynamic life as he was before. The treatment at drug rehabilitation centers is through initialed towards every patient requirement.
Medications help the patient to revive a lot and conquer their desire for drugs. Another technique used in drug rehabilitation centers is behavioral therapies which encompass advocating, support groups and psychoanalysis are for extended tenure which help the patient convalesce mentally and lead a normal life.
Spirituality and faith in God have also an important role to play in drug rehabilitation. Through spiritual and religious rehabilitation the patients get motivated more quickly and easily and try and motivate themselves towards leading a positive life with positive attitude.
Recovering from drug addiction can be difficult and tedious job but not an impossible task and overcoming the habit may take a long time but one must be patient and do not lose his hope to get well soon.

Source: http://articlepdq.com/health-fitness/drug-addiction-and-its-treatment-methods/

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Something Natural...Aromatherapy To Enhance Everyday Living 10 ...

Mothyna James-Brightful-Global freedoms and empowerment campaign for domestic violence awareness-Heal a Woman to Heal a Nation. Dawn-Marie Hanrahan is a #1 Bestselling Author, TranSpirational Speaker and Spiritual Leader, who travels the world educating others

We have Grammy award winning record producer Mr bangladesh for a special 2 hour special promoting his new artist and music career

Marx & Julie chat with British filmmaker Chris Stone, the writer & director of the Victorian vampire web series turned feature film called Blood and Bone China. As if that wasn't enough, we also speak to our featured indie music artist of the week, Birthrite.

Native American Movement founder Russell Means was laid to rest yesterday at his home on Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota. He is remembered with comments, stories, and prayers.

Lori Saitz is a nationally recognized expert in using gratitude to boost client retention and increase referral business. She is the founder of Zen Rabbit, which is a concierge type company specializing in helping business professionals ?multiply profits

Gus Speth, author of AMERICA THE POSSIBLE,shares his vision of comprehensive and deep change rooted in a political economy that sustains people, communities and nature. Long time Washington insider, he now is part of the protest movement.

One of Radio One?s top DJs, DJ Kayotik will be on with us to talk about career, current mixtape KAYOTIK KHRONIKLES VOL. 1, and youth organization.

Queen Afua, has been an expert in Wholisitc Health, a lecturer/author for 40 years. She'll discuss the 21 Detoxification Process & the work she's doing in Detroit for the next year. Kilindi Iyi, world renowned lecturer and Master of The African Martial Art

Health & Fitness is on tap when International Fitness Model Charles Flanagan and IFBB Pro Fitness competitor Donna Jones from Australia tackle everything from nutrition & exercise to the psychology of living well, Speaking to callers LIVE

Stacey Monroe welcomes Rico and J-Rod from the group Recognition to E! GEMZ! Radio to speak about their music career and life. How did they two become Recognition? What did they both give up in order to pursue there music career? Tune in to see what they have

Big Blend Radio talks with outdoorsman and naturalist Jay Erskine Leutze about his acclaimed book STAND UP THAT MOUNTAIN: The Battle to Save One Small Community in the Wilderness Along the Appalachian Trail.

Teen Hosts McMillen, Janae, Jackie, Jessica, and Salwa discuss common sex myths. Our guests, Crystal Collette and Caitlin Mcardle from Planned Parenthood, are here to give us the facts.

This week on the BIG show, host Tim Gordon will talk with writer/director Matthew Cherry about his upcoming drama, The Last Fall. The semi-autobiographical tale tell the story of an NFL journeyman who struggles to deal with life's after the game.

Super Role Model, Valerie Jeannis, heralded as ?the Catalyst?, joins the Feminine Soul Radio show and talks about her new book I Am Beautiful: Changing the Way You See Yourself. Valerie will inspire you to say yes to your life and take action on your dreams.

In the dark, driving tasks like looking at other vehicles ahead and reading road signs are more difficult for some drivers. With the end of daylight savings only eight days away, tune into Healthy Vision? with Dr. Val Jones to learn how to take better care of your eyes ? and your car ? to improve your nighttime driving.

Legendary singer, Tony Bennett kicks off our new Storytellers series with a special live interview. Join hosts Eric Olsen (@amhaunted) of America?s Most Haunted and Chitra Agrawal, BlogTalkRadio?s own Director of Marketing, for the premiere.

The Phantom Zone Radio Show welcomes actor, screenwriter, and film editor, Camden Toy. He is best known as a character actor in the series, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and it's spinoff series, Angel.

Join Weigh In Sports as they talk to the CEO of BCS.net Magazine Robin Bayless as they go over the new BCS standings, the founding of the magazine in such a competitive market, the writers and much more.

Source: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cherylsmith/2012/10/25/cheryls-world

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LG 42CS560

These days, you don't have to spent a lot of money for an HDTV. Budget screens are becoming less and less expensive, and you can pick up a solid 42-inch set for under $700 with relative ease. At that price, you'll have to makes some compromises, though. LG's CS560 series of 1080p CCFL-backlit HDTVs are barebones when it comes to features, but they offer excellent color reproduction and a very bright picture. The downside: Black levels aren't great, and shadow details suffer. But the 42-inch model we tested, the 42CS560, retails for just $629.99 (list), so it's tough to deny the price appeal.

Design
As a budget set, the 42CS560 won't win any points for good looks. It's flat, plain, and black, with a bezel that measures 1.5 inches around the screen and a thickish 3-inch profile. It's 29.5 pounds and can be easily mounted on a wall, but doesn't keep a particularly low profile. A small, nearly invisible row of touch-sensitive controls sit on the lower right corner of the bezel, controlling power, volume, channels, and menu navigation, though you'll likely be using the simple remote most of the time. Around back, there are just two HDMI ports, component and composite video inputs, and an Ethernet port. A single USB port sits on the side, making it the only port you can conveniently access while the screen is mounted on a wall.?

The 7.2-inch remote has plain rubber buttons and isn't backlit. You get four color buttons for various contextual uses, and the SimpLink button provides access to the TV's DLNA feature. It's a big departure from the remotes on LG's high-end HDTVs, which often come in pairs; one long, sleek conventional remote and one motion-sensing magic wand.

You won't find any online services or other extra features on the 42CS560. It supports DLNA through Ethernet so you can play media from computers and other devices over your home network, and has a tuner so you can watch over-the-air or basic (clearQAM) cable without any extra devices, but that's it. Again, it's a strictly barebones HDTV.

Performance
We test HDTVs with DisplayMate test patterns, SpectraCal's CalMAN software, and a Konica Minolta CS 200 Chroma Meter. While the 42CS560 suffers in black levels, it gets very bright and its color accuracy out of the box is excellent. In our tests, after basic contrast and brightness calibration, the 42CS560 displayed 335.48 cd/m^2?(candelas per square inch) peak brightness. However, at those settings, it only reached a black level of 0.34 cd/m², a very poor showing for any type of HDTV. Cranking the backlight down cut the black level to a still-poor 0.17 cd/m², but it cut peak brightness in half as well. You might be able to coax the blacks darker, but the contrast won't differ much from the tested 987:1 contrast ratio we measured. Our Editors' Choice budget HDTV, the 720p plasma?Samsung PN51E490B4F, reached a much better, but still mediocre 0.08 cd/m². If you want dark black levels, look elsewhere, but you probably won't find levels lower than 0.05 cd/m²?without spending upward of $1,000.

The 42CS560 fares much better in color response. Out of the box, with color temperature set to Warm, blues and reds were nearly perfect and green registered as only slightly cool. As the CIE color measurement chart below shows, the screen shows colors that are very close to ideal (the circles represent the recorded colors, and the squares represent the ideal levels). If the colors seem slightly off to you, the 42CS560 has a plethora of advanced color options, including individual saturation and tint settings for six color channels.

I watched?Piranha?on Blu-ray on the 42CS560, and while the bright, vibrant colors looked good during the party sequences above the water, the poor black levels hurt the dark scenes under the water. Deep reds and bluish greens of the blood and water made the scenes above pop, but in the murky deeps shadows looked pale and uninspiring.

As a CCFL-backlit LCD HDTV, the 42CS560 is a bit of a power hog. With no energy saving features enabled, it consumes 136 watts, high for its size. With energy saving set to Medium, it consumes a more modest 80 watts while keeping the screen bright enough to be comfortably watched. The Auto and Maximum energy saving modes cut the power down to 60 watts, but made the screen slightly too dark. In comparison, the?Sony KDL-46EX750??LED-backlit LCD HDTV consumes only 67 watts with no power saving features turned on and 48 watts with power saving enabled.?

Overall, the CS560 series offers excellent color reproduction, but its poor black levels keep us from recommending it wholeheartedly. While it offers a 1080p picture for a very low price, you're also getting a serious lack of features, few HDMI ports, and sketchy shadow detail. The 720p, 51-inch Samsung PN51E490B4F plasma remains our Editors' Choice for budget HDTVs, with darker black levels and 3D support with glasses for nearly the same price. If you can spend a bit more, the Vizio E601-A33 offers a much more full-featured experience with online services, built-in Wi-Fi, and a larger, 60-inch panel at about $1,000.

More HDTV Reviews:
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??? LG 37CS560
??? LG 32CS560
??? Vizio E601I-A3
??? Samsung PN51E490B4F
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/AqalFT-pFdU/0,2817,2411182,00.asp

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TRUNK

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Main Drawbacks of Product

General y people speak highly of the Power Wheels Dune Racer and browsing through the reviews
wil give you a good opinion about it.
There were though some complaints about its speed, some considering it too slow. Another client
stated that it has a too large turning radius. But most of them "complain" that kids won't leave the
cockpit for hours!
Customers Reviews/Feedback of Product

One thing is for sure, kids definitely love Power Wheels Dune Racer. The reviews are praising it,
some saying that is more than you hope to get when you hit the buy button.
Parents bought this item for their kids, most of them having previous models.
They say that, comparing to other similar racers, this one is definitely superior from a wide range
of reasons.

Impressive in many ways, with great engineering design, precise assembly directions, high precision
fitting parts and cool looks, Power Wheels Dune Racer is a perfect anniversary or Christmas gift
for al kids.
Great fun al round for boys or girls for
more reviews and best price
CLICK HERE

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LEGO Ninjago Fire Temple 2507
The LEGO Ninjago Fire Temple 2507 is pieces, 7 mini-figures heroes, a fire
another amazing toy set from the
dragon, and 18 different weapons. Three
famous Danish enterprise, which has
detailed instruction booklets wil help
LEGO 2507
been producing unbelievable fun and
you assembling it for proper playing.
playful toys since 1932.
The set is 11 inch tal and 10-inch-wide.
This is battle time and the combat for
Besides Kruncha or Samukai figures and
the 4 weapons is greater than ever. The fourteen weapons, the set features four
courageous LEGO heroes, such as
mighty golden weapons, the Dragon
Sensei Wu, Zane, Nya and Kai have to
Sword of Fire, the Scythe of Quakes
fight for these weapons against Lord
and the Shurikans of Ice.
Garmadon, assisted by his evil skeleton
army.
Main advantages of the product
The objective is to gain full control of
DRAGON'S FIRE BREATH
the Dragon Sword of Fire, a powerful

legendary weapon.
The fire temple can be divided into two

parts, letting the ferocious Fire Dragon
break out, protecting the sword by
Main features of the product
launching fire flames towards Lord

Garmadon.
LEGO Ninjago Fire Temple 2507 set is a The dragon is 17 inch long and his main
complex construction having 1174
ability is fire spitting; he can also rotate
his neck to aim the shooting firebal s.
Kids can easily fire it again for more
bursts of flames.
MASTERS OF SPINJITZU
LET THERE IMAGINATION
RUN WILD THIS CHRISTMAS
WITH THE LEGO NINJAGO
SET
MARJORIE (3YEARS)
HOURS OF FUN FOR ALL

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The set is intended for children over eight, taking them to a magic world with ninjas and dragons
and the classic epic battle of good versus evil.
Sensei Wu and his disciples, Kai, Zane, and Nya are trained in the ancient martial art cal ed
Spinjitzu and joined in a quest for the fabled weapons of Ninjago.
Lord Garmadon and his evil forces stand in their way, but the legendary power of Spinjitzu and the
Fire Dragon defeat them.

Customers reviews about the product

The LEGO Ninjago series have passionate fans al around the globe and many of them gave LEGO
Ninjago Fire Temple 2507 excellent reviews.
Besides some comments about it being slightly fragile, al the reviews speak highly of it. Children
definitely love ninjas and this toy has a wonderful story behind.

LEGO Ninjago Fire Temple 2507 set is the perfect addition of any Ninjago fans col ection and can
be the perfect gift for any kid who loves brave stories with dragons, vil ains and mighty ninja
warriors.
Great fun al round for boys or girls for
more reviews and best price
CLICK HERE

---

Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Ultimate Optimus Prime
Transformers: Dark of the Moon -
trailer truck with blue and red vivid
Ultimate Optimus Prime is the ultimate finish.
electronic toy in the Transformers toy
The truck can rol without problems on
OPTIMUS
line which was first released by Hasbro a carpet or any other hard surface. It
back in 1984.
can be proudly displayed on a cabinet
Inspired by the famous comics and
or on the dresser top.
blockbuster movies, these amazing toy
According to Transformers habits, this
vehicles can transform into robots.
mighty Autobot comes out of disguise
There are two factions of
and transforms himself into a powerful
Transformers, the evil Decepticons
robot.
combated by the heroic Autobots.
It converts into the Omega Combat

Armor and Optimus can be placed
TRUCK TO ROBOT
Main features and advantages of inside it.
the product
Extended wings complete its ferocious

look. Featuring a firing super cannon as
well as battle mask that is retractable, it
Transformers: Dark of the Moon -
is completely posable and highly
Ultimate Optimus Prime addresses to
articulated.
kids over the age of five and features a
cutting edge design with flashy glowing
lights and sounds during battles. It
FIRING SOUNDS CAN BE
makes the perfect addition to any
Transformers col ections.
HEARD AND FLASHING
LIGHTS APPEAR
Truck to Robot conversion
LIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Being one of the most fully featured
based on action figures toy, it is a semi-
SIX MECHTECH PORTS
ULTIMAX SUPER C ANON

---

Lights and Sounds
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Ultimate Optimus Prime is able to make different sounds. When
the Ultimax Super Canon fires rockets towards the enemies, firing sounds can be heard and
flashing lights appear.
If you pull the trigger, the canon wil open while letting out a burst of sounds and lights, as well as
the famous quote "I am Optimus Prime!"
Customer opinions about Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Ultimate Optimus
Prime

Fans of the series waited anxiously for this set and their expectations have been exceeded. The
item is impressive and they surely recognized the "wow" factor specific for Transformers toys.
Describing it as very impressive and well designed, people who bought this item are contained
with their choice.
A few complained though about the transforming feature, saying it is a little more difficult than
they expected.
Anyway, the conversion between Vehicle Mode and Robot Mode is well explained in the
instructions with helping pictures of every step.
Recreate the epic battle between the Autobots and Decepticons at home with the amazing
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - Ultimate Optimus Prime!
This is a must for any transformer fan for
more reviews and better prices
CLICK HERE

---

Anakin Skywalker Ultimate FX Lightsaber
Anakin Skywalker Ultimate FX
It has a glowing blade which radiates
Lightsaber is the right device for kids
during the battle with light tones of
who want to recreate the epic battles
blue.
ULTIMATE FX
from the worldwide famous Star Wars
For a more realistic atmosphere, it has
series.
battle clash light signals and sounds.
Kids love role playing and they always
Motion sensors control the sound
like impersonating movie heroes they
effects to be as swift and prompt as
best identify with.
possible.
Anakin Skywalker aroused the
And the best of al , this FX saber from
imagination of kids since the releasing
Hasbro features the famous humming
of the prequel trilogy and now children sound when being activated.
can lead the galactic battle as the
This model of Star Wars saber is not a
famous general.
static, showcase object. It is dynamic,
B ATTLE SOUND EFFECTS
fun to play with and suited for games
Features and advantages of the
with other kids.
item

The saber measures approximately 33
inches in length.
It has a light tube for blade and a
detailed plastic hilt. The package
includes batteries for several hours of
RECREATE THE EPIC
playing.
BATTLES FROM THE
With the Anakin Skywalker Ultimate
TRAINING DVD
WORLDWIDE FAMOUS STAR
FX Lightsaber, everything is about lights WARS SERIES
and sounds, to create the atmosphere
specific to a SF fighting scene.
VIVID LED LIGHTING
3 X AA B ATTERIES

---

Source: http://pdfcast.org/pdf/top-10-best-christmas-gifts-for-boys-in-2012

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US to return 4,000 archaeological items to Mexico

EL PASO, Texas (AP) ? U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will return to the Mexican government more than 4,000 archaeological pieces seized at several locations across the United States by customs agents and investigators.

ICE spokeswoman Leticia Zamarripa says the cache of items mostly date from before the landings of European explorers on the North American continent. The lot includes pre-Columbian stones used to grind corn and other grains, statues, figurines, copper hatchets and other artifacts. They were seized in El Paso, Phoenix, Chicago, Denver, San Diego and San Antonio.

They'll be displayed during a ceremony Thursday at the Mexican consulate in El Paso. The ceremony will be attended by the Mexican Consul General Jacob Prado and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations officials.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-return-4-000-archaeological-items-mexico-071810273.html

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Council Member Leroy Comrie to host Free Legal Immigration ...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.myleroycomrie.com/council-member-leroy-comrie-to-host-free-legal-immigration-assistance-program/

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'Hunger Games' Too Heavy? 'Starving Games' May Be Your Movie

Comedic spinoff, which follows a miss Kantmiss Evershot, will also poke fun at 'Harry Potter,' 'Sherlock Holmes' and 'The Avengers.'
By Jocelyn Vena

Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1696124/hunger-games-spinoff-starving-games.jhtml

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Self-Help Tips For An All-Around Better Life | Valentino Crawford

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Hundreds if not thousands of Americans want to improve many different aspects of their life. There are different areas in each person?s life where they want to makes these changes. This article will show you several helpful hints on developing your character.

Begin a special savings for emergencies. For many people any unexpected expense results in more charges on their credit card. If you take a few dollars and put them into an emergency fund every week, you will build a nice amount of money to use whenever something unexpected arises. This fund can take the stress out of unexpected situations and can likewise help you to avoid piling up any more credit card debt.

Believe that your future can improve over your past. Aim for frequent and continuous improvement. If you did something pretty well yesterday, tell yourself that wasn?t enough. You need to do it really well today.

TIP! Learn how to listen to others. This truth applies even more to those who are making a concentrated effort to develop themselves on a personal level.

Make an honest effort to become more organized. When you are organized you have much more of a feeling of being in control, and this will help you gain self confidence. Disorganization is a big stress inducer, so organization will help with that, too. When things have a place and are organized, you will feel calmer in your surroundings.

It is important to know exactly where you currently are, and the direction you want to go. This first step is certainly one of the hardest, and many people have a hard time committing themselves past this point. Unless you are honest about your starting point, your goals will not be a true reflection of where you need to go for maximum personal growth.

If you find yourself consistently falling short of self-imposed goals and guidelines, step back and assess the possible problems. Do some research online for examples of goals and ideas that are similar to yours, then compare your own goals to your findings. It?s possible your goals are too lofty, you?re missing a step along the way, or you?re just not putting the resources necessary into meeting your goal.

Figure out what is really important to you and focus on those things in your life. Focus on the more positive things in life because they matter. Do not focus on the negative things because they don?t matter, and you will have a lot better inner peace.

TIP! If you notice yourself struggling with the blues, try increasing the amount of complex carbs in your diet. Serotonin can lower if you don?t eat enough carbs.

It helps to see your good points in writing. Write down all of your good characteristics. Always keep it on you, and read it whenever you need a boost. An even more effective solution would be to read the list out and have it recorded on video; playing it back when you are feeling low. Are you wondering why you should do this?

Don?t allow buying sprees to become an emotional release. If you practice something you like instead of shopping, you will not spend a lot of money and get into debt.

On the road to self improvement, treat your body with respect. If your body is telling you that you are hungry, thirsty, etc., then you should work to correct that problem immediately. By doing that, your body will perform better later on in the future. If you ignore your body, it may ignore you in the future.

Sexual capitol is an important new trait that?s being researched. Sexual capitol does not mean employing your sexuality as a tool in procuring what you want out of life. This means to use charisma instead. Good social skills are not something everyone is born with, but developing them help you go the distance in life.

TIP! Are you having a hard time meeting that special someone? You should consider using the Internet. Forty percent of people find their partner online nowadays.

One way to improve yourself is to discover and emphasize your strengths, while minimizing your weaknesses. Determine what is important to you. If you always endeavor to do your best, you?ll never be disappointed in yourself.

The first step towards self improvement is learning how to be a leader. Leadership has many definitions, but many people think of it as ?influence.? Take a look at your leadership journey. What experiences have had the greatest impact on your life? What kind of skills have you acquired? What attributes make you a good team player? By asking yourself these questions, you can become more aware of how you best fit into a team.

Most people know they want to improve something in their life but remain unsure of how to get started. There are good insights in this article that can assist you in getting started, but do keep in mind that your dedicated effort is still required. If you ever feel your motivation levels start to slack, reread the tips here to help you get going again.

Establish reachable goals to increase your feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction in life. Figuring out your weaknesses and doing what you can to deal with them will make you a happier, more satisfied person.

TIP! Getting and staying healthy is one of the most important parts of personal development. A healthy lifestyle includes a healthy diet, exercise and motivation.

P.S.-If you love personal development and would love to make an extra $1000/day blogging with it, find out how my 2 friends are helping thousands of people make money about their passions === Discover why this game-changer is the most bad-ass personal development plan in the industry?s history!

Source: http://valentinocrawford.com/self-help-tips-for-an-all-around-better-life/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=self-help-tips-for-an-all-around-better-life

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CE Around the State?November Edition ? Reference Librarians ...

Holiday season is fast approaching, and continuing education is the gift that keeps on giving!? If you?re able to squeeze any in during this busy time, a list of November programs and webinars follows.

RLA-CE has a program this month:? The Modern Discussion Group?Books Optional on Monday, November 26, 9:30am to 12:00pm at the Northbrook Public Library Auditorium.? Register here.

A little further down the line, RLA-CE will be having a stop-motion video program.? Save the date for December 12, 9:30 at Barrington Area Library. It will be both presentation and hands-on activities.

Children?s librarians may be interested in checking out Free Form Free For All at Vaspasian Warner PLD on November 2 from 9:15am to 12:00pm.? They?ll ?discuss new books, old favorites, program ideas and crafts, and are welcome questions on all topics relating to youth services.? ???Contact Paula Lopatic (lopatic@vwarner.org) if you plan to attend.? FREE!

Webjunction offers The Power of the Image webinar November 6, at 1:00pm.? Geared towards presenters and visual communication.? Information and registration here.? FREE!

YLA Programmers Group meets November 9, 9:00am to 12:00pm at Ela Area Public Library.? If interested in attending, please contact Kay Chisamore at kchisamore@eapl.org.? FREE!

As always, make sure you Slam the Boards on the 10^th.? Promote libraries beyond their walls and hit your favorite Q&A social sites (Yahoo Answers, Quora, WikiAnswers, etc.) to answer questions librarian-style.? In your answers, identify yourself as a librarian, then post links to your answers on Twitter using the hashtag #slamtheboards.? FREE!?

Youth Librarian Networking Group meets November 12, 9:00am to 12:00pm at the RAILS Wheeling location.? FREE!

If you?re looking to up your advocacy efforts, check out Webjunction webinar Energize Your Base: Tips and tools to raise awareness and build support for library services.? It?s November 14, at 12:00pm.? Information and registration here.? FREE!

We all undoubtedly know someone who could benefit from LACONI?s How to Safely Manage Disruptive Patrons Presented by CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) on Thursday, November 15, 2012 from 9am-12pm.? The event is at the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook.? Register here.

Dominican University?s Thom Barthelmess hosts Butler Book Banter at the University?s Butler Center on November 15 at 7:00pm.? Meetings are held the third Thursday of each month to discuss children?s literature.? Register here.? FREE!

LACONI will be hosting Bite-Sized Marketing with Nancy Dowd of Novelist and The M-Word Blog on November 16, from 9:15am to 1:00pm.? The event is at Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.? Register here.

The Collection Development Librarians Networking Group meets November 16, 9:30am to 12:00pm at Schaumburg Township District Library.? FREE!

Changing the Face of Summer Reading is November 16, from 9:30am to 3:00pm at Fountaindale Public Library.? Presented by LACONI.? Register here.

LACONI event Shift Happens! Technology Training at Your Library takes place November 16, 2012 from 10:00am to 12:00pm.? Register here.

ALA Techsource is offering a webinar series, Makerspaces: A New Wave of Library Service.? This month?s session is ?Learn about Makerspaces from the Innovators at Cleveland Public Library? on November 19 at 1:00pm.? Register here.? FREE!

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Source: http://rlace.info/2012/10/24/ce-around-the-state-november-edition-2/

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UPDATE: Van Possibly Taken By Suspect In Triple Slaying Found ...

RANCHO CORDOVA (CBS13/AP) ? Sheriff?s deputies have detained one person in connection with the slaying of a mother and her two toddler children in Rancho Cordova on Tuesday. They also found the van believed to have been taken by the suspect.

A mother and her two young toddlers were found dead inside their home on Tuesday afternoon in what investigators called a horrific scene.

The family?s missing van was found at a Rocklin Denny?s early Wednesday morning by Rocklin police who notified deputies. A man believed to be in possession of the van was detained for questioning at around 2 a.m., but has not been identified as the murder suspect. His identity has not been released.

According to the Sacramento County Sheriff?s Department spokesman Sgt. Jason Ramos, a father came home to the house in the 10100 block of De Soto Way about 3:30 p.m. and saw the bodies inside. He ran to a neighbor?s house and they called 911.

A 2-year-old boy and 3-year-old girl were killed ?very violently? along with their mother, who was in her 20s, Ramos said. A crying 6-month-old baby boy was also located in the back of the home unharmed in a crib.

?This is somebody who confronted a family inside their homes and took their lives very violently,? Ramos said.

Investigators say a gun was not used in the killings.

An army of law enforcement officers converged at the home and the father and neighbor were detained for questioning but are not considered suspects. The investigation is being complicated by a language barrier, CBS13?s Ron Jones reported. The family is of eastern European descent.

Ramos said investigators have not identified a suspect and were searching the neighborhood. He said the crime was ?shocking, even to veteran law enforcement.?

Ramos had to pull himself away from an on-camera interview to compose himself.

?We?re all human so it impacts all of us significantly,? he said. ?We?re looking into everything. We have a mom and two kids dead.?

The woman?s family issued a statement Tuesday night: ?We?ll greatly miss her and the children. She was a lovely woman of heart, one of a kind, an awesome mom for the babies. We still can?t believe they?re gone.?

CBS13 learned the woman was a Sunday school teacher at a local Slavic church and had recently graduated from Sacramento State.

Chaplains were staying on scene late Tuesday night.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Source: http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2012/10/23/3-found-dead-inside-rancho-cordova-home/

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The Depth Chart: 2012 NFL Week 8 Power Rankings

A look at 2012 NFL Week 8 power rankings.

Rank (Prev) Team
1 (1) Atlanta Falcons
2 (3) New York Giants
3 (4) Houston Texans
4 (5) San Francisco 49ers
5 (6) Chicago Bears
6 (2) Baltimore Ravens
7 (7) Green Bay Packers
8 (8) New England Patriots
9 (9) Denver Broncos
10 (10) Pittsburgh Steelers
11 (11) Philadelphia Eagles
12 (12) Minnesota Vikings
13 (14) San Diego Chargers
14 (13) Arizona Cardinals
15 (15) Dallas Cowboys
16 (16) New York Jets
17 (17) Washington Redskins
18 (19) Seattle Seahawks
19 (18) Detroit Lions
20 (22) New Orleans Saints
21 (20) Cincinnati Bengals
22 (21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
23 (23) Kansas City Chiefs
24 (26) Tennessee Titans
25 (24) Buffalo Bills
26 (25) Carolina Panthers
27 (27) Miami Dolphins
28 (29) Oakland Raiders
29 (30) Indianapolis Colts
30 (28) St. Louis Rams
31 (31) Jacksonville Jaguars
32 (32) Cleveland Browns

Source: http://www.bearsbeat.com/2012/10/23/the-depth-chart-2012-nfl-week-8-power-rankings/

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Debbie Sardone Interview with Fox News Edge ... - Business PR News

Debbie Sardone, our VIP Member, flew to New York City this week to tape an interview with Fox News Edge about Cleaning For A Reason!!

Read more about it.

October is a very special month.? Even Oprah introduced Buckets & Bows Maid Service's charity while guest anchoring for WFAA Channel 8 News.?

Read more

?

Source: http://businessprnews.com/debbie-sardone-interview-with-fox-news-edge-in-nyc

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Choosing The Right Forex Brokerage Company

These brokerage companies are uncountable, spread all over the world. What is the most peculiar in this kind of trading is that these brokerage companies provide services to anyone no matter where they are located. Besides, more and more people grow interested in Forex trading thanks to margin trade. These are what make Forex trading international.

In order to become a participant of fx market, one needs first of all to choose among a large variety of brokerage companies. A simple internet search will result a vast list of brokers. To decide which of them to choose, you should closely study their web sites. A proper web site as a rule contains a range of the following points:

Forex education in this section one is able to get a general notion about Forex trading, particularly how trading is realized in Forex, what the Forex analysis methods are, how to handle them, what margin trade is, what one needs to know about currency pairs etc..
Platforms every brokerage company suggests a couple of trading platforms, moreover a brokerage company providing its own platform is likely to have an advantage over others. Procedures for opening an account with each of the them are to be described in details, otherwise traders will face real difficulties.
Account types each brokerage company has various account types. They differ from each other by minimum and maximum deposits, as well as by minimum and maximum leverage ratios.
Trading instruments this is a very significant point, since they are not the same for all brokers. They greatly differ from one brokerage company to another. That difference lies in the variety of currency pairs available for trading, as well as in the variety of Contract for Difference trading. For example one brokerage company may create an opportunity to trade with CFDs on equities, another one with CFDs on indices, the third one with CFDs on commodities. One more thing to take into account is fixed spreads. So pay special attention to that spreads be fixed.
Deposit methods the web site should also contain those methods that are implemented for transferring investment. These methods are also specific for each broker.
Another important point is that the brokerage company be registered in a specific place under a specific number. The legality of the broker serves as a stimulating factor for traders. After all, everyone needs to be involved in legal and secure operations.
Contact means without any contact means a brokerage company cannot be considered a properly operating one. Among all contact means (Telephone, E-Mail, Skype, Callback, Live Chat) live support plays a very significant role. It partially represents the company's image, its quality. The more punctual, the more precise it is, the higher the company's rating will be.
The rating of the company also depends on the ability to transfer money as soon as possible. The velocity of transfers is one of the indicators of a brokerage company to be highly-qualified.

About the Author:
IFC Markets is a Forex (Foreign Exchange Market) broker providing services in spot Forex for both individual and corporative clients. Other services include Forex Education and Forex Training

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Choosing-The-Right-Forex-Brokerage-Company/4230234

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Windows 8: Make-or-break moment for Microsoft CEO

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer can't afford to be wrong about Windows 8.

On Thursday in New York, Microsoft will unveil a dramatic overhaul of its ubiquitous Windows operating system. If it flops, the failure will reinforce perceptions that Microsoft is falling behind competitors such as Apple, Google and Amazon as its stranglehold on personal computers becomes less relevant in an era of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.

If Ballmer is right, Windows 8 will prove that the world's largest software maker still has the technological chops and marketing muscle to shape the future of computing.

"This is going to be his defining moment," said technology industry analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy. Ballmer's "legacy will be looked at as what he did or didn't do with Windows 8. If Windows 8 is not a success, a lot of people will be looking for Microsoft to make a change at the CEO level."

Windows 8 is designed to run on PCs and tablet computers, heralding the biggest change to the industry's dominant operating system in at least 17 years. It also marks the first time that Microsoft has made touch-screen control the top priority, though the system can still be switched into the familiar desktop mode that allows for control by keyboard and mouse.

Ballmer sees Windows 8 as the catalyst for a new era at Microsoft. He wants the operating system to ensure the company plays an integral role on all the important screens in people's lives ? PCs, smartphones, tablets and televisions.

"We are trying to re-imagine the world from the ground up with Windows 8," Ballmer told The Seattle Times. He declined to be interviewed for this story.

Early reaction has been mixed. Some reviewers like the way the system greets users with a mosaic of tiles displaying applications instead of relying on the desktop icons that served as the welcome mat for years. Critics say it's a confusing jumble that will frustrate users accustomed to the older versions, particularly when they switch to desktop mode and don't see the familiar "start" button and menu.

Windows 8 will hit the market backed by an estimated $1 billion marketing campaign. The advertising frenzy is just one measure of how important Windows 8 is to Microsoft's future.

Ballmer's margin for error is slim after being consistently outpaced by Apple and Google in his nearly 13 years as CEO. During his tenure, Microsoft's stock has lost nearly half its value, wiping out more than $200 billion in shareholder wealth.

But the company's board hasn't expressed any public dissatisfaction with Ballmer, who is Microsoft's second-largest shareholder with a 4 percent stake worth $9 billion. Only his good friend and predecessor, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, owns more of the company's stock. Gates has a 5.5 percent stake.

Since Ballmer succeeded Gates as CEO in January 2000, Microsoft's annual revenue has nearly quadrupled to $74 billion and expanded into lucrative new territory with its popular Xbox 360 video game console, which has given the company a platform for delivering services to television sets. But Microsoft has been slow to respond to technology shifts and has made some costly missteps trying to catch up.

Some of the best-known blunders include the company's iPod clone, the Zune, and its $6.3 billion acquisition of Internet ad service aQuantive.

Ballmer, 56, has spent most of his life at Microsoft. He was attending Stanford University's graduate school of business in 1980 when Gates, a former classmate at Harvard University, persuaded him to drop out and become one of the startup's first 30 employees. He brought more business savvy to the operation just as the company began providing an operating system for IBM Corp.'s first personal computer.

Just two weeks before Ballmer took over, Microsoft's stock reached its peak price. The dot-com bust quickly deflated that market value, and the company became locked in antitrust battles in the U.S. and Europe that distracted management for years.

The biggest question hovering over Windows 8: Is it innovative and elegant enough to lure consumers who are increasingly fond of smartphones, tablets and other sleek gadgets? Those mobile devices have been setting industry standards while Microsoft engineers have spent two years designing a new operating system.

And Windows 8 must address not only the upheaval in the computing market since Windows 7 came out in 2009, but also have the flexibility to adjust to future shifts in technology before Microsoft releases another version in two or three years.

"It doesn't seem like Microsoft is really pushing consumers into the future with Windows 8," said Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps. "What Microsoft has done is like buying a pair of shoes for a kid. The shoes may fit exactly right today, but those shoes probably won't fit six months from now."

Previous versions of Windows and other Microsoft products such as Office are so deeply embedded in companies and government agencies that Microsoft is still assured a steady stream of revenue from that segment of the market. That loyal base of customers is one of the reasons that Microsoft is expected to earn $25 billion on revenue of $80 billion in its current fiscal year ending next June.

"This isn't a company that is on the edge of extinction, like some people would have you think," said BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis. "What we are seeing with Windows 8 is classic Microsoft. They let the (technology) market lead and then they follow."

But investors want to see Microsoft do something more. The nagging fear on Wall Street is that the PC industry is past its prime and heading into a gradual decline that will pull down Microsoft, too.

The signs of decay have been proliferating since Apple released the iPad in 2010, hatching a tablet computer market that has combined with an already vibrant smartphone market to siphon away technology spending that used to go toward the latest PCs.

Worldwide PC sales year are expected to decline this year for the first time since 2001, according to the research firm ISH iSuppli. It's a drop of just 1 percent, but it underscores a troubling trend that has been hurting Microsoft.

The shift to mobile devices has whittled Microsoft's worldwide share of the computing device market from 67 percent in 2008 to about 30 percent today, estimates Forrester Research analyst Frank Gillett. Thanks to its Android software for phones and tablets, Google is now the leader with a 40 percent share of the computing device market. Apple stands at 20 percent.

Analysts don't expect Microsoft's corporate and government customers to immediately embrace the new system, no matter how much it's hyped. About half of this traditionally cautious group of customers still haven't upgraded to Windows 7. Most analysts expect companies and government to hold off on switching to Windows 8 for at least another year.

Ballmer hopes to accelerate the changeover by making Microsoft's Office software suite more compelling, with the help of two major acquisitions.

Microsoft bought the video chat service Skype for $8.5 billion last year and in June agreed to pay $1.2 billion for Yammer, a service the builds social networking services within companies. Both are expected to become key features within Office to make it easier for workers to connect and collaborate with their peers and customers.

Ballmer also has won praise from analysts for striking potentially fruitful partnerships with Yahoo Inc. and Nokia. Microsoft now provides Yahoo with much of the same technology that runs its Bing search engine. The Yahoo deal provides Microsoft with 12 percent of the revenue from the ads shown alongside search results on Yahoo's website.

The Nokia alliance ensured Windows 8 would be the operating system on that company's latest line of smartphones, a potentially valuable platform if Nokia is able to regain some of the market share it has lost in mobile phones during the past five years.

(Microsoft has also joined with The Associated Press to use AP content in Windows 8 news applications.)

But none of that has yet restored the luster Microsoft had on Wall Street when Gates was in charge.

Ballmer's initially dismissed emerging threats from Google and Apple. He consistently pooh-poohed Google as a one-trick company during its early years and in 2007 declared: "No chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share."

Those were some of his biggest mistakes, detractors say. Google quickly made important inroads in Internet video, online maps, email and mobile computing and contributed to the damage that the iPhone and iPad have done to Microsoft and its partners in the PC market.

Apple's meteoric rise has been especially painful for Microsoft. When Steve Jobs returned to run Apple in 1997, the company was so bad off that it needed a $150 million infusion from Microsoft to stay afloat. Now Apple has a market value of $570 billion ? more than double Microsoft's $250 billion.

On Tuesday, Apple got a chance to upstage Microsoft when CEO Tim Cook showed off the iPad Mini, a smaller and less expensive version of its top-selling tablet.

On Thursday in New York, Ballmer will herald the arrival of the most important product of his reign. The market's response to Windows 8 may determine whether it turns out to be the opening act in his vindication or one of his final moments in the spotlight.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/windows-8-break-moment-microsoft-ceo-220547932--finance.html

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