News Archive
Have a Safe and Happy New Years! -- Posted by soullezz
on Sunday, December 31 2006
Here are some funny New Years "Top 10's" and a little history of the New Years holiday to help you all enjoy the New Year a little more!
Top 10 New Years Resolutions You Can Actually Keep
10. Read less.
9. Gain Weight. Put on at least 30 pounds.
8. Stop exercising. It's a waste of time.
7. Watch more TV. Then watch even more TV.
6. Procrastinate more.
5. Drink. Drink some more.
4. Start being superstitious.
3. Spend more time online.
2. Stop bringing lunch from home: I should eat out more.
1. Take up a new habit: maybe smoking!
David Letterman's Top Ten Ways To Make Your New Year's Eve Party More Exciting
10. Anthrax canapes
9. Hire a Hans Blix impersonator
8. Get a Times Square hotel room within heckling distance of Dick Clark
7. Hookers, hookers, hookers
6. Instead of friends, family and neighbors, invite hitchhikers, drifters and runaways
5. Invest in a jigsaw puzzle and thank me later
4. Announce to guests, "One of you won't live to see the New Year"
3. Every male guest automatically entered in a drawing to become Jennifer Lopez's next husband
2. Club soda plus nail polish remover equals homemade champagne
1. Don't invite me
Research New Year Celebrations
ANCIENT NEW YEARS
The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring).
The Romans observed the new year in late March, but their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors so that the calendar soon became out of synchronization with the sun.
THE CHURCH'S VIEW OF NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS
Although in the first centuries AD the Romans continued celebrating the new year, the early Catholic Church condemned the festivities as paganism. But as Christianity became more widespread, the early church began having its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagan celebrations, and New Year's Day was no different. During the Middle Ages, the Church remained opposed to celebrating New Years. January 1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Western nations for only about the past 400 years.
NEW YEAR TRADITIONS
Traditions of the season include the making of New Year's resolutions. That tradition also dates back to the early Babylonians. Popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.
The Tournament of Roses Parade dates back to 1886. In that year, members of the Valley Hunt Club decorated their carriages with flowers. It celebrated the ripening of the orange crop in California. Although the Rose Bowl football game was first played as a part of the Tournament of Roses in 1902, it was replaced by Roman chariot races the following year. In 1916, the football game returned as the sports centerpiece of the festival.
The tradition of using a baby to signify the new year was begun in Greece around 600 BC. It was their tradition at that time to celebrate their god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of that god as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth. Although the early Christians denounced the practice as pagan, the popularity of the baby as a symbol of rebirth forced the Church to reevaluate its position. The Church finally allowed its members to celebrate the new year with a baby, which was to symbolize the birth of the baby Jesus. The use of an image of a baby with a New Years banner as a symbolic representation of the new year was brought to early America by the Germans. They had used the effigy since the fourteenth century.
FOR LUCK IN THE NEW YEAR
Traditionally, it was thought that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. For that reason, it has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends. Parties often last into the middle of the night after the ringing in of a new year. It was once believed that the first visitor on New Year's Day would bring either good luck or bad luck the rest of the year. It was particularly lucky if that visitor happened to be a tall dark-haired man.
Traditional New Year foods are also thought to bring luck. Many cultures believe that anything in the shape of a ring is good luck, because it symbolizes "coming full circle," completing a year's cycle. For that reason, the Dutch believe that eating donuts on New Year's Day will bring good fortune.
Many parts of the U.S. celebrate the new year by consuming black-eyed peas. These legumes are typically accompanied by either hog jowls or ham. Black-eyed peas and other legumes have been considered good luck in many cultures. The hog, and thus its meat, is considered lucky because it symbolizes prosperity. Cabbage is another "good luck" vegetable that is consumed on New Year's Day by many. Cabbage leaves are also considered a sign of prosperity, being representative of paper currency. In some regions, rice is a lucky food that is eaten on New Year's Day.
AULD LANG SYNE
The song "Auld Lang Syne," is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the new year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, it was first published in 1796 after Burns' death. Early variations of the song were sung prior to 1700 and inspired Burns to produce the modern rendition. An old Scotch tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago," or simply, "the good old days."
NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS IN AMERICA
40 to 45% of American adult make one or more resolutions each year.
Among the top new years resolutions are resolutions about weight loss, exercise, and stopping to smoke. Also popular are resolutions dealing with better money management / debt reduction.
The following shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:
- past the first week: 75%
- past 2 weeks: 71%
- after one month: 64%
- after 6 months: 46%
While a lot of people who make new years resolutions do break them, research shows that making resolutions is useful. People who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't make resolutions.
New Year's resolvers and comparable nonresolvers interested in changing a problem later were studied for six months. Resolvers reported higher rates of success than nonresolvers; at six months, 46% of the resolvers were continuously successful compared to 4% of the nonresolvers.
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information for this editorial was gathered from a variety of website resources
Eutelsat Inks Alcatel for W7 Satellite -- Posted by soullezz
on Sunday, December 31 2006
Commercial satellite company Eutelsat signed a contract with Alcatel Alenia Space to build and deliver its new W7 communications satellite. Slated to launch in 2009 to Eutelsat's 36 degrees east location, W7 will double to company's currently available capacity throughout its fleet of geostationary satellites.
Through a configuration of high-performance fixed and flexible beams, W7 will boost coverage and flexibility for addressing growing markets in central Asia and Africa, the company said.
According to Eutelsat, W7's mission comprises up to 70 Ku-band transponders that can be connected to six beams serving Europe, Russia, Africa the Middle East and central Asia. To be co-positioned with the company's W4 satellite - which already serves pay-TV operators in Russia, the Ukraine and sub-Saharan Africa - W7 will enable Eutelsat to almost double bandwidth for digital video services in those regions.
W7 will also replace all capacity on Eutelsat's SESAT 1 satellite which serves Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and central Asia, and bring fresh capacity to South Africa through a high-power fixed beam, and also to central Asia through a spotbeam which can be oriented in orbit. Following W7's deployment, SESAT 1 will continue in commercial service at an alternative location, the company said.
Liberty Gets DIRECTV, Carey to Stay on As CEO -- Posted by soullezz
on Wednesday, December 27 2006
Liberty Media said this morning it entered into an agreement with News Corp. to exchange Liberty's 16.3 percent stake in News Corp. for the media giant's 38.5-percent stake in DIRECTV.
Liberty also picked up regional sports networks controlled by News Corp. in Denver, Pittsburgh and Seattle and cash through the much-anticipated deal.
Other news tidbits coming from the announcement ... Liberty said it is expected Chase Carey - a long-time executive with the satellite TV company and News Corp. - will continue to serve as DIRECTV's president and CEO. Liberty will appoint directors to fill board seats currently held by News Corp. representatives.
The boards of News Corp. and Liberty unanimously approved the transaction.
Liberty said the deal is expected to close in mid-2007. The transaction is subject to regulatory and News Corp. shareholder approvals and the receipt of a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service. In addition to that tax ruling, it's expected the Federal Communications Commission will scrutinize the deal.
This is just the latest sale involving DIRECTV. In 2002, General Motors, which at the time controlled DIRECTV parent Hughes Electronics, attempted to sell the satellite business to EchoStar, but the deal ran afoul with regulators worried about a combination of the nation's two biggest DBS platforms. DIRECTV was then sold to News Corp. in late 2003.
Holiday Wishes -- Posted by soullezz
on Monday, December 25 2006
Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah! Holiday Wishes to all our visitors!
We hope your holiday is safe and happy for you and your family!
EchoStar Sees Court Victory -- Posted by soullezz
on Tuesday, December 19 2006
With the latest ruling in the on-going distant signals fiasco, it appears that EchoStar and National Programming Services have notched a victory over the broadcasters. Late last week, a magistrate judge for the U.S. District Court in Florida recommended that Judge William Dimitrouleas - he who slapped EchoStar with its permanent injunction this month - rule that NPS' distant signal service does not violate his earlier decision.
United States Magistrate Judge Barry S. Seltzer recommended Dimitrouleas deny the emergency motion filed on behalf of the network affiliates asking that both EchoStar and NPS be held in contempt of the injunction for offering the service and that NPS must cease such business activities. Broadcasters have claimed that EchoStar is working with NPS to circumvent the judge's prior decision.
Seltzer ruled the transaction between EchoStar and NPS is "nothing more than an equipment lease" and that EchoStar is "not only out of the prohibited business, but it has no part of NPS' distant network programming." The judge also rejected broadcaster claims that EchoStar is telling customers they could subscribe to distant network signals through NPS - implying that NPS was assisting EchoStar undermine the court's injunction.
EchoStar Director of Corporate Communications Kathie Gonzalez told SkyREPORT, "We are pleased with the decision which confirms EchoStar has acted properly, and protects the right of eligible customers to obtain distant network channels."
Involved parties have this week to file official objections. There is no deadline by which Dimitrouleas must accept or deny Seltzer's recommendation.
DIRECTV and Others Offer Terms for DVB-S2 -- Posted by soullezz
on Monday, December 18 2006
DIRECTV, the European Space Agency (ESA), and Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI) - all holders of key DVB-S2 intellectual property rights - together unveiled terms of a comprehensive licensing offering under their combined patent rights for the digital video broadcasting standardized technology.
According to the companies, the offering will set limits on cumulative royalties paid for the licensing of intellectual property rights in order to expedite the adoption of the DVB-S2 standard. DVB-S2 is the second generation DVB system for broadband satellite communications, covering digital TV and HDTV broadcasting, interactive services and professional links by satellite.
The three right-holding groups said they will jointly offer a license under their combined portfolios of intellectual property rights necessary for the implementation of DVB-S2. For consumer applications like set-top box receivers, a license will not exceed 50 cents per product in quantities exceeding 500,000 over the term of the license and not to exceed $1 per product in lower quantities.
Free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters will not be required to pay a separate service license fee to broadcast to licensed receivers, the groups said. The per product royalties and the arrangements for broadcasters are geared to help launch DVB-S2 technology and follow the commitment of the rights holders to offer licenses on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.
Globalstar Revises Results -- Posted by soullezz
on Monday, December 18 2006
Mobile satellite service provider Globalstar revised its previously-announced net income amounts for the three and nine-month periods ending Sept. 30 to reflect a $1.7 million non-cash charge.
The effect of the charge was to decrease net income from $4.4 million to $2.7 million for the three-month period and from $26.1 million to $24.4 million for the nine-month period. The changes do not impact the company's operating income, EBITDA, service revenue or other operating information previously released, Globalstar said.
According to the company, the non-cash charge resulted from a revision in the accounting treatment of an interest rate swap, which was previously accounted for as a cash flow hedge. The company entered into this swap in July of this year to mitigate its variable rate loan interest exposure under its credit agreement with Wachovia.
Globalstar said the charge will also be included in a separate line item in its quarterly and year-to-date statements of operations.
FCC Looks At Pay-TV Competition -- Posted by soullezz
on Monday, December 18 2006
Many in the satellite community will be watching closely this week as the Federal Communications Commission convenes to discuss competition in the pay-TV market and help new providers - namely the giant telcos - get into the game faster than ever. The FCC is scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether to limit local authorities to 90 days for reviewing video franchise applications and restrict demands that force providers to offer unrelated services such as building playgrounds and constructing sidewalks.
As it stands, the new telco subscription TV providers must apply with individual local municipalities' ruling boards for permission to offer their brand of video services. The telcos see offering a multichannel TV product as a way to better compete against the cable companies which are enjoying record success with new video, voice and high-speed internet bundles. The FCC sees the move as a way to spur more competition.
"The commission can take steps to further this entry and ensure the benefits of increased video competition, namely lower prices for consumers, are available to as many Americans as possible as quickly as possible," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin recently said.
The cable companies say they not only had to get permission, but they built the infrastructure that "wired" the country for its first pay-TV option years ago. In their eyes, having to approach each community for the right to offer video services is only fair. But the telcos say they can't offer competition to customers if they continue to be handcuffed by the long-standing rules.
Not on the agenda Wednesday is voting on at&t's acquisition of BellSouth. Commissioner Robert McDowell was recently authorized to vote on the deal by the FCC general counsel to break a potential dead-lock, but he has said he could still abstain.
Legislative Relief in DISH's Future? -- Posted by soullezz
on Tuesday, December 12 2006
With EchoStar being forced to turn its back to the 800,000-or-so DISH Network subscribers that had been receiving its distant network signals, the company was holding out for some legislative relief that never came. But now that the blackout has reached across the entire country, and certain constituents are being affected, one Congressman has sponsored a bill designed to settle the dispute and turn the signals back on.
Because rural residents - specifically those in northern Michigan - have lost access to their distant network signals, Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) has signed onto legislation that would allow a settlement of the dispute that is blocking DISH from carrying the out-of-market channels. According to a release from Stupak's office, the legislation would make clear that the court has the authority to accept any settlement reached between the networks, broadcasters and the satellite company allowing individual agreements for DISH to provide network programming.
While "we cannot allow DISH Network to break the law, this legislation would help allow a balanced solution that upholds the law, but does not penalize rural television viewers," Stupak said. "This legislation does not guarantee a solution, but it at least gives the court authority to accept any agreements between the networks, the broadcasters and DISH."
Stupak said that his constituents who lost their network signals due to the dispute may have other options - namely cable or DIRECTV -but that those services are not always available. The Congressman said he would continue to work with his colleagues for a solution "that upholds the law, but does not penalize rural television viewers," - especially in Michigan.
In related news, National Programming Service - the company offering distant network signals to alienated DISH subs - is now facing problems of its own for trying to provide the service recently taken from EchoStar. Last week, NPS was forced to stop connecting customers to the out-of-market signals because Cedar Rapids-based Decisionmark - the company maintaining white-area household databases - stopped processing the company's clearance requests. The move by Decisionmark to withhold its data from NPS keeps the satellite company from determining potential customers' eligibility to receive the distant nets.
According to a court filing, NPS President Mike Mountford said that the broadcasters are strong-arming Decisionmark claiming the service it's providing violates the court's ruling against EchoStar and if continued would face contempt proceedings. The broadcasters "have launched the legal equivalent of total war against NPS, with all the secondary effects and destruction that such implies," the company wrote.
Decisionmark VP of Operations Herb Skoog told SkyREPORT "there is nothing Decisionmark can comment on regarding this situation," and attempts to reach Mountford were unsuccessful. As of press time, EchoStar had not answered requests for comment.
Satellite Radio Programming Additions -- Posted by soullezz
on Saturday, December 9 2006
Sluggish holiday retail sales may be expected from the two biggest satellite radio companies this year, but that's not stopping either from bolstering their programming offerings. This week, both XM and Sirius made moves to add big names to their programming ponds in an attempt to lure new subscribers and have a financially merry Christmas.
In light of the religious nature to the holiday season, Sirius and the Archdiocese of New York are teaming up for His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York to host his own one-hour weekly talk show. The Cardinal's program will air every Thursday from 12-1 p.m. ET throughout the year on Sirius' The Catholic Channel. In addition, Cardinal Egan will be one of the regular celebrants of the Mass broadcast each day on the channel.
As holiday goers are racing to get their shopping done on time, subscribers of XM will be happy to know that IndyCar Series hottie Danica Patrick is the latest racing superstar to join the company's on-air team. Patrick will co-host XM's The Andretti Green Racing Hour with AGR teammates Marco Andretti, Dario Franchitti, Bryan Herta and Tony Kanaan. The weekly one-hour show will debut next spring on sports talk XM channel 144.
And, as earlier reported, XM also became the official home satellite radio home of the 2007 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship Game and the other top college football bowl games this year.
Merger Talks Renewed Between XM, Sirius -- Posted by soullezz
on Saturday, December 9 2006
Most didn't give initial rumors of a merger between Sirius and XM much thought a short while ago. With regulators hinting they were unlikely to allow either company total control of the domestic satellite radio market, the issue seemed lost in space.
But Sirius Chief Financial Officer David Frear said this week that a merger with its rival would be a bonus to shareholders - and Standard & Poor's Equity Research said the prospects of a union with XM appear much more likely.
Why? According to Forbes, XM and Sirius are looking at slower retail growth and both companies have to devise a new plan to combat the mounting threat from iPods and other portable media players.
As earlier reported, Sirius cut its annual subscriber guidance to between 5.9 million and 6.1 million from its previous estimate of 6.3 million. That news came on the heels of two guidance cuts from XM, which begs why the two un- to barely-profitable companies are fighting with each other and other forms of entertainment for listeners.
S&P analyst Tuna Amobi said the situation gives both companies an argument to present to regulators and to Congress as to why their duopoly status needs to change. And, both XM and Sirius are hoping that the Federal Communications Commission will see the satellite radio service as part of a larger industry delivering music via mobile devices.
The likelihood of a merger, Amobi said, is around 40 percent and could still be years away.
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