T-Mobile USA sweetens bid for US carrier MetroPCS

BERLIN (AP) ? Deutsche Telekom AG, the parent company of T-Mobile USA, is raising its bid for MetroPCS Communications Inc. in what it calls its "best and final offer."

The announcement late Wednesday comes ahead of a special shareholder meeting being held by Dallas-based MetroPCS Friday.

The deal would merge the fourth- and fifth-largest cellphone carriers in the U.S.

Telekom says the original offer had T-Mobile USA contributing $15 billion in shareholder loans to the combined company. The new offer reduces those loans to $11.2 billion, "significantly increasing the equity value of the combined company."

Telekom says it will also reduce the interest rate on those loans by 50 basis points.

The ownership structure remains unchanged, with 26 percent of shares being held by current MetroPCS shareholders and 74 percent by Deutsche Telekom.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-11-T-Mobile%20USA-MetroPCS/id-d6f4cb4a275e4a6984d85232fbcda8c0

FedEx Gabriel Aubry cyber monday deals small business saturday small business saturday best cyber monday deals best cyber monday deals

Botched SimCity launch vaults EA to second consecutive award for ?Worst Company In America?

"I like small penises," said no women interviewed for an actually scientific study released Monday by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS. Yes, PNAS is a funny sounding acronym, and, yes, PNAS has found that size does matter ? and that women prefer "showers" to "growers."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/botched-simcity-launch-vaults-ea-second-consecutive-award-194255890.html

national inquirer knicks vs heat kate walsh cnn debate equatorial guinea marine helicopter crash chicago weather

'It was a sign': Lapsed Catholics lured back by Pope Francis

Gregorio Borgia / AP

Pope Francis waves as he is driven through a crowd in St. Peter's Square prior to the start of his weekly general audience on Wednesday.

By Tracy Connor, Staff Writer, NBC News

Twenty million Americans consider themselves lapsed Catholics, but Pope Francis is convincing many to test the holy waters again with his bold gestures and common touch.

After years of disenchantment with the church's hierarchy and teachings, former members of the flock say they are willing to give the Vatican a second chance under new leadership.

Dallas teacher Marilyn Rosa is one of them.

"He's being studied very closely," Cardinal Edward Egan of the Archdiocese of New York said of Pope Francis, added that wherever he goes, priests want to know how the Pope will change the Catholic Church and what the implications will be. Cardinal Edward Egan is interviewed by TODAY's Lester Holt.

"It was a sign," Rosa, 57, said of the Argentine Jesuit's election as pontiff last month. "It was like a miracle."

Born and raised Catholic, Rosa attended parochial schools and had a church wedding for her first marriage. Over the years, she drifted away from the religion that had been such an integral part of her Puerto Rican family's life.

She questioned the relevance of church policies in the modern world. As a divorced woman, she felt cast out. The pedophile-priest scandals disgusted her.

Three years ago, she quit going to Mass and joined an evangelical church. But she didn't feel at home and she started to wonder how she could fill the void.

"The day the pope got elected, I turned on the TV and when I learned he was Latin, I went crazy at home," said Rosa.

"When they started to talk about how he lived by himself and didn't move into the archbishop's residence, how he took the bus to work, I said, 'I know God is talking to me. This is the man we needed.'"

On Palm Sunday, she and her second husband "reverted," attending services at Dallas' St. Pius X Catholic Church.

"It was packed. I had to stand up the whole time. But I felt so happy. It was like a revival," she said.

Ron Feldman

Father Peter Mussett of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center in Boulder, Colo., had five people tell him they were returning to the faith in a week because of Pope Francis.

Rosa has kept going to back to St. Pius, encouraged by what she's seen of the pope: from the simple white robe he wears to his rejection of the opulent papal apartment in favor of a spartan guest house.

"He's not letting himself be controlled by the rest of the church," Rosa said. "He's his own man."

Embrace of poor, emphasis on service
It's unknown how many others have joined Rosa around the country and globe and the vast majority of lapsed Catholics have not been enticed back. In the U.S., that's a huge pool of potential "new" members for an institution challenged by secularism and rival religions.

A 2009 report by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life estimated one in 10 adults in the U.S. was raised Catholic but has broken with the church. Its teachings on?abortion, homosexuality, birth control and treatment of women were often cited as reasons.

Pope Francis hasn't given any hint of radical change on those issues, but his man-of-the-people persona is appealing to some of the unfaithful.

Tom Peterson, president of Catholics Come Home, which airs ads aimed at the lapsed, said his website traffic tripled the day of the election, adding several thousand visitors. It's been double ever since.

Some interest could stem from the hubbub surrounding the selection of any pontiff, but Peterson thinks Francis' "love for the poor and his humility is exciting people to a great extent."

Father Peter Mussett, pastor of the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center, which serves the University of Colorado at Boulder, agrees.

Marcos Brindicci / Reuters

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected to lead the Catholic Church following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.?

"I had five people in a week who were saying, 'Pope Francis has inspired me to return to my faith,'" he said. "It's pretty remarkable."

Brian O'Neill, 48, an Irish-American cop from Washington State, went to Catholic elementary school and a Jesuit high school but hasn't practiced since graduating from a secular college. He says that could change soon.

The Vatican's stance on social issues, along with the gilded lifestyle of some higher-ups previously drove O'Neill away. Francis' embrace of the poor and his background as a service-minded Jesuit might bring the father of two back.

"I was shocked and amazed when he started doing those things -- you know, 'No Popemobile for me,'" said O'Neill, who wrote a column for his local newspaper about possibly returning to Catholicism.

He said that while Francis' views on church teachings might still be far from his own, his election heralds change.

"When the church says that's the guy we're going to put on St. Peter's throne, that says enough about where the church wants to go," O'Neill said. "Will I go back? I'm planning on it -- if I can find a good service."

'He's another retro pope'
Last weekend, when he was formally installed as bishop of Rome, the pope used the opportunity to appeal to defectors, urging them to come back to the fold.

The News Tribune (Tacoma)

Brian O'Neill, a cop and father of two from Washington state, is a lapsed Catholic who is considering returning to the church because of Pope Francis.

It will take more than an invitation for Kathy Budreski, though. The 70-year-old left Catholicism after the abuse scandal and has been attending a Unitarian church in Cape Cod.

She was heartened to see the cardinals pick a pope from South America, and loved seeing Francis hug a little boy with cerebral palsy after Easter Mass but says he's not a progressive.

"He has a big heart and he loves the poor people, but he's not going to do anything to change the stance of the church on birth control and gay rights," she said.

"I don't see him as a mover and shaker. He has some wonderful qualities but he's another retro pope."

/

Cardinals from around the world gathered in the Vatican to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Related:

Sex-abuse crisis: Experts draft to-do list for Pope Francis

'Peace to the whole world': Pope urges unity in?Easter Sunday address

Pope chooses simple residence over regal papal apartment

Full coverage of Pope Francis?from NBC News

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653387/s/2a8aa5c9/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A40C10A0C176712520Eit0Ewas0Ea0Esign0Elapsed0Ecatholics0Elured0Eback0Eby0Epope0Efrancis0Dlite/story01.htm

megamillions winners university of louisville louisville ky lotto winners mega ball winning numbers baltimore county current tv

Daimler to revise forecasts amid tough markets

BERLIN (AP) ? German automaker Daimler is warning shareholders it expects 2013 to be difficult and that it may have to reassess its earnings expectations.

CEO Dieter Zetsche said in remarks prepared for the company's annual shareholder meeting Wednesday that "not much tailwind is anticipated from the markets in the coming months."

Daimler in February reported 2012 net profit of 6.5 billion euros ($8.5 billion) and forecast flat underlying earnings for 2013.

But because of the market situation, particularly in Europe, Zetsche said the company will "reassess whether its previous market-related assumptions for 2013 are still valid." Further details will be provided alongside first-quarter results.

Even though Daimler is set to revise its outlook, its share price was up 2 percent at 41.70 euros after the company said first quarter sales were.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/daimler-revise-forecasts-amid-tough-markets-074226671--finance.html

viktor bout ncaa hockey role models ferdinand porsche gregg williams theraflu masters leaderboard

Ex-HBOS chief Crosby asks to be stripped of knighthood

By Steve Slater and Matt Scuffham

LONDON (Reuters) - James Crosby, former boss of failed British bank HBOS, offered on Tuesday to give up his knighthood and nearly a third of his pension after being denounced by lawmakers for the "colossal failure" that led to his bank's collapse.

Crosby, whose bank had to be bailed out by taxpayers in 2008, effectively volunteered for the same punishment as that visited on Fred Goodwin, former head of Royal Bank of Scotland, the other large Scottish bank bailed out after the 2008 financial crisis. Goodwin's knighthood was stripped last year and he gave up part of his pension in 2009.

Crosby becomes the first person to voluntarily give up a knighthood for almost a century. He said 30 percent of his 580,000 pound a year pension would either be returned to shareholders or given to charity.

"In view of what has happened subsequently to HBOS, I believe that it is right that I should now ask the appropriate authorities to take the necessary steps for its removal," he said of his knighthood in a statement on Tuesday.

The government was clearly pleased with the decision. A Treasury spokesman said: "This must be a matter for an individual's conscience, but the Government believes it is right that this decision has been reached."

Crosby, 57, was awarded his knighthood shortly after stepping down as HBOS chief executive in 2006.

The bank did not collapse until two years after he left it, but a report on Friday by the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards (PCBS) put the blame squarely on him and two other former bosses for the decisions that wrecked it.

The report said Crosby had so badly run the bank that it would have failed even without the 2008 financial crisis.

John Mann, a Labour lawmaker who has been a critic of Crosby during hearings into the banking crisis, welcomed Crosby's decision to accept blame and suggested it set an example to other failed bankers.

"At last we have a banker who is prepared to say he got it wrong and wishes to make amends," Mann said.

A knighthood is one of the highest honours an individual in Britain can achieve. A committee recommends the honour to the Prime Minister and then to the Queen.

The last person to give up a knighthood voluntarily was Nobel Prize-winning Bengali writer Rabindranath Tagore, who renounced his in 1919 in protest against the Amritsar massacre when British troops killed hundreds of civilians. Others to have been stripped of the honours include Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, Romania's Nicolae Ceausescu and former spy Anthony Blunt.

"SET THE COURSE FOR DISASTER"

The PCBS, tasked with finding ways to reform Britain's banks, said Crosby had been the "architect of the strategy that set the course for disaster" at HBOS.

Crosby set the strategy that saw HBOS lose billions of pounds from reckless lending to companies and a disastrous expansion into Ireland and Australia. After its bailout by the state, the bank was acquired by rival Lloyds Banking Group.

Crosby said the report was "very chastening reading" and he was "deeply sorry for what happened at HBOS and the ensuing consequences for former colleagues, shareholders, taxpayers and society in general".

Crosby's pre-emptive action means he effectively volunteers to share the fate of Goodwin, whose knighthood and lavish pension became a focus of public anger and attracted venomous denunciations from politicians after the financial meltdown.

Crosby said he would discuss with the pension scheme's trustees how the reduction in his pension would be implemented and if the amount waived should go to support good causes or benefit shareholders.

Under his proposal, he would still receive 406,000 pounds a year, to add to almost 8 million pounds he was paid during his tenure as HBOS's chief executive.

He said his pension had been built up over his 30 year career, including 12 years at Halifax and HBOS, and was "entirely contractual in nature".

Compass Group, the world's biggest catering company said late Tuesday Crosby decided to step down as non-executive director, with immediate effect.

Crosby resigned as an adviser to private equity firm Bridgepoint on Friday. He remains the chairman of Moneybarn, a small West Sussex company that lends to people with a bad credit history.

Moneybarn declined to comment.

After leaving HBOS, Crosby advised former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and became deputy chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), stepping down from that role in February 2009 after criticism of his role at HBOS.

(Additional reporting by Kate Holton and David Milliken; Editing by Peter Graff, Bernard Orr)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-hbos-chief-crosby-asks-stripped-knighthood-151007700--finance.html

wall street journal us map Electoral Map concede Obama Acceptance Speech Prop 30 Election 2012

Senate confirms Sally Jewell for Interior chief

Sally Jewell, CEO of outdoor retailer Recreational Equipment Inc., won easy Senate confirmation Wednesday to be the nation's next interior secretary.

The Senate approved her nomination, 87-11, with all the no votes coming from Republicans. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was among those who opposed Jewell.

At Interior, Jewell will oversee more than 500 million acres of national parks and other public lands, plus more than 1 billion acres offshore. The lands are used for energy development, mining, recreation and other purposes.

One of the first challenges Jewell will face is a proposed rule requiring companies that drill for oil and natural gas on federal lands to publicly disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations.

The administration proposed a draft "fracking" rule last year, but twice has delayed a final rule amid complaints by the oil and gas industry that the original proposal was too burdensome. A new draft is expected this spring.

Jewell also is expected to continue to push development of renewable energy such as wind and solar power, both of which are priorities of the interior secretary she succeeds, Ken Salazar.

President Barack Obama nominated Jewell last month to replace Salazar, who announced his departure in January.

Obama said in a statement Tuesday that Jewell's extensive business experience ? including her work as a petroleum engineer ? and her longtime commitment to conservation made Jewell the right person for the job.

"She brings an important mix of strong management skills, appreciation for our nation's tradition of protecting our public lands and heritage, and a keen understanding of what it means to be good stewards of our natural resources," Obama said.

Jewell, 57, of Seattle, also was a banker before taking over Kent, Wash.-based REI in 2005. She also served on the board of the National Parks Conservation Association, an advocacy group that works to protect and enhance national parks.

Jewell has made it clear she intends to strike a balance between the dual roles of conserving and developing resources, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said. "That's exactly the right approach to take on the diverse issues facing Interior, including safely developing natural gas, maximizing jobs and opportunities from recreation and improving management of federal forests."

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said she worked closely with Jewell on wilderness legislation in Washington state and was confident that Jewell "will bring her skills as an effective CEO in the business community to the Cabinet."

???

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MatthewDalyWDC

The department also provides services to 566 federally recognized Indian tribes.

Fracking

Wind power

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senate-endorses-sally-jewell-interior-223618803.html

september 11 9/11 Memorial 911 masterchef Dictionary.com Chicago teachers strike september 11 2001

Ron Johnson's JCPenney: Anatomy of a Retail ... - Yahoo! Finance

In a stunning end to one of the most aggressively unsuccessful tenures in retail history, JCPenney (JCP) last night announced that CEO Ron Johnson would be leaving effective immediately. Myron Ullman, Johnson's predecessor at JCPenney, takes office as CEO.

When Johnson was initially wooed by JCPenney, it was to serve as CEO with Ullman as Chairman. In January 2012, Ullman was unceremoniously removed from the board. Gone with Ullman was any control the Board of Directors had over Ron Johnson and his control of JCPenney resources.

Without Ullman or anyone else to hold his ambitions in check, Johnson made public promises to change department stores as we knew them. He said he would parse his stores into little baby stores, making JCPenney sort of a flea market landlord to other brands. Johnson didn?t invent the idea (see: Dick?s), but he was going to blow it out like no one ever fathomed in department stores.

Beyond the merchandising, Johnson planned to make JCPenney a cool place to hang out. He planned to put wi-fi and coffee shops in the stores and do away with cash stands. He promised hair salons for kids and courtyards and dining. JCPenney was going to be the new model of everything we once thought to be merchandising. To analysts and employees, Johnson was Willy Wonka asking us go with him on a trip through his retail imagination.

It sounded cool. Very cool. Had the new plan been given a little time, JCPenney would have been fascinating to watch. Sadly, the visionary had no idea about allocating and conserving resources and core customers. He made promises neither his stores nor his cash flows would allow him to keep.

But Johnson didn?t even consider a staged roll-out. He immediately rejected everything existing customers believed about the chain and stuffed it in their faces. The first TV campaign is as painful to watch as it is a foreshadowing of Ron Johnson?s fate. Intentionally or not, the ads mocked his existing customers before he?d even started remodeling the roughly 1,100 appalling existing stores.

JCPenney?s dwindling, aging customer base left in droves. Sales were down a jaw- dropping 32% in the 4th quarter of 2012; an almost impossible feat for a company like JCPenney. The company was boring but not widely feared to be heading for a financial meltdown as recently as 2011. Now it?s pure excitement but not of the right kind.

Sowing the Seeds of His Own Destruction

The misstep that led to Johnson?s downfall was likely made within weeks of his arrival when he tried to snatch Martha Stewart (MSO) away from Macy?s (M). As revealed in emails, Johnson planned to buy Martha and trust that overtime (Macy?s) would move somewhere else. The key ingredients for the heist were JCPenney offering Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia a $200mm merchandising deal and an investment of $38.5 million in exchange for 16% of the company.

Johnson?s strategy was this: Take a massive stake in a Macy?s vendor then try to use that leverage over Macy?s to encourage the department store kingpin to give up without a fight. The flies in the ointment were that Macy?s had no intention of giving up the fight and had deeper pockets with which to litigate the matter. Also, the investment in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia meant any collateral damage to Stewart?s brand or sales as a result of JCPenney?s actions against Macy?s would hit not just MSO but also damage JCPenney?s own investment.

JCPenney?s investment in implied a stock price for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia shares of $3.50. MSO shares closed trading on Monday at $2.36 putting paper losses at $12.5 million, nearly 10x what JCPenney earned in 2012.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia?s dependence on Macy?s can?t be overstated. In the fourth quarter of 2012, MSO earned $1,360,000. Operating income from merchandising was $11,330,000 with Publishing and Broadcasting combined breaking even. Martha Stewart's very existence depends on revenues and profits from the Macy?s relationship. Merchandising was the only division of MSO to grow revenues in 2012 and the first thing Johnson did after buying 16% of the company was take actions that would kill that growth stream for the foreseeable future.

Trying to steal Martha Stewart from Macy?s was Johnson?s first major move as CEO of JCPenney. He did it in December of 2011, less than a month after taking office and a time when Ullman was still Chairman.

Ron Johnson proved at Apple that he has an uncanny eye with merchandising. But at Apple, Johnson had an unlimited budget, a product in high demand and Steve Jobs as a business partner. Ron Johnson had neither cash nor a genius mentor at JCPenney and the results exposed his limitations in a large way immediately.

What?s next for JCPenney?s customers and what can Myron Ullman possibly do to save a company that now has limited cash, almost no core customer base, a huge lawsuit and defection employees?

Stayed tuned to Breakout.

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/breakout/ron-johnson-jcpenney-anatomy-retail-failure-114635276.html

Samantha Steele Espn goog Sylvia Kristel st louis cardinals Steelers Schedule tory burch Al Smith Dinner