Masco Remains Neutral - Zacks.com

We have maintained a Neutral recommendation on Masco Corporation (MAS - Analyst Report) following the appraisal of its third quarter 2012 results.

Masco?s adjusted earnings of 13 cents per share in the third quarter of 2012 increased 44% year over year and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. Net sales were flat year over year as well as with the Zacks Consensus Estimate at $1.98 billion; hurt significantly by currency headwinds, sluggish big ticket remodeling activity in the U.S., weakness in Europe and challenges in the cabinetry business. Organic revenues, however, grew 2% on the back of higher selling price, innovation and increase in new home construction activity in the U.S.

Masco Corporation manufactures, sells, and installs home improvement and building products. Its main products and services include plumbing products, cabinets and related products, installation and other services, decorative architectural products, and other specialty products. The company is a leading cabinetry manufacturer in the U.S. and the market leader for faucets and kitchen cabinets. The company owns some of the popular brands like KraftMaid and Merillat cabinets, Delta and Hansgrohe faucets, Behr paint and Milgard windows.

Going forward, management is apprehensive about the weak big ticket remodeling industry and slow European economies. Further, Masco?s Cabinet business has been sluggish for sometime, mainly because the repair and remodel spending trends have slowed in the U.S. and the dealer segment is not showing any major traction.

Despite the short-term headwinds, we like the long-term fundamentals of Masco. We believe that the company?s leadership brands, its continued focus on innovation and new product launches can help drive growth in the long term.

Masco has taken several strategic initiatives to boost long-term growth. These initiatives include improvement of underperforming businesses like Installation and Cabinet; leveraging its brands and continued innovation, reducing costs and strengthening its balance sheet. The company?s cost-saving initiatives included business consolidations, system implementations, plant closures, improvement in the global supply chain and headcount reductions. The restructuring initiatives are expected to result in about $175 million of gross cost reduction, excluding the impact of inflation in 2012.

Moreover, the housing dynamics are improving in North America. The new home construction activity in North America is benefiting from improved demand and affordability of homes, owing to low mortgage rates and increased rentals as well as rising home prices. Inventory of existing homes is declining and there is limited supply of new homes in the market, thus stabilizing home prices. In 2011, 75% of Masco?s top line was related to repair/remodel activity, and the remaining 25% was derived from new home construction. Though the new home construction market is improving, the overall recovery, and repair and remodel activity is still moderate and uneven. However, once the housing market recovers substantially, we believe the recovery, repair and remodel market will see significant improvement. Masco competes with Owens Corning (OC - Snapshot Report), which carries a Zacks #3 Rank (short-term 'Hold' rating).

Source: http://www.zacks.com/stock/news/89438/masco-remains-neutral

bloom energy

Breakfast Links for 12/31/12 - When Death Comes Home; Get ALL ...

BREAKFAST LINKS 12/31/12:

Karen Spears Zacharias, Patheos/Karen Spears Zacharias: ?I read recently that in tribal villages it is the wails of the mourning that alerts others in the village when someone has died. People in this country don?t give over much to wailing. We are conditioned to think that such mourning is unbecoming. I blame the damn Yankees who burned Atlanta. Perhaps you blame the Puritans? Whatever. The wails of my sister, head down on Mama?s lap, are what I will recall forever more about Mama?s dying day. And I will never ever again be able to think of Jesus upon that cross without hearing the sounds of Mama?s suffering.

?By late afternoon, the breathing that we had thought so labored in the morning sounded like a diesel truck moving up a steep grade. Mama?s forehead and face were pinched in pain. Nothing we did eased it. So Frank, Linda and I gathered around Mama?s bed and prayed for God to hasten her death, to show all of us a mercy.

?Deep, deep rattling breaths. And then nothing. Complete and utter silence. Linda looked at me. I looked at her. Then we both looked at Mama. She was still breathing. Her shoulders still moving but Mama was breathing quietly as a newborn baby. In and out. In and out. And then she opened her eyes and Linda cried out, ?She dying.?

?We both cried out, ?We love you, Mama.?

Frank Viola, Patheos/Frank Viola: ?To protect his own ego and reputation, he was trying to turn the people he knew against a group of blood-washed, blood-bought, precious followers of Jesus and against one of its members.

?Throughout the years, I?ve watched Christians engage in gossip and slander, not ever realizing the damage they were doing. Some, in fact, would even preface their tale-bearing with the words, ?This isn?t gossip because I experienced it? or ?the person who told me this experienced it themselves so it?s not gossip.?

?That?s like saying, ?I just slit someone?s throat in cold blood while they were sleeping. But it isn?t murder because . . .?? The flesh is quite skilled at self justification.

Paul Louis Metzger, Patheos/Uncommon God, Common Good: ?Entitlement thinking is a classless thing. It cheapens the people who demand special privileges and things they do not deserve.

?In contrast to the entitlement thinking so prevalent in our culture, God?s grace makes people grateful. Those who are not grateful have not truly experienced God?s grace.

?Grace and gratitude change the conversation. Rich and poor and everyone in between move beyond entitlement thinking when grace is in our hearts, our homes, and in the public square. Together we become a people with a whole lot of class who redistribute our wealth freely because of our shared need.?

Leah Libresco via Tim Dalrymple, Patheos/Philosophical Fragments: ??Javert loves God, in his own way, because Divine Law is the source of order in the world. ?For Javert, the absense of mercy is the greatest mercy of all, because it allows Javert to perfectly understand the world around him. ?Grace is a miracle, a dirty word, a motion to suspend the rules.

??Mercy unmoors the moral stars Javert navigates by, and, as an agent of the Law, he?needs some kind of unfailing light to steer by. ?The more?precisely?he understands the world, the less margin for error he needs to leave.

?After all, if the moral universe is as mechanical as Javert dreams, he can save himself through his own efforts. ?If the rules are fixed and known, then all he has to do is follow them. ?If there are no miracles and no mercy, then everything is within Javert?s understanding, and his mastery is only limited by his self-control. ?God sets the rules, and Javert gets to play a fair game.?

Source: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/philosophicalfragments/2012/12/31/breakfast-links-for-123112-when-death-comes-home-get-all-the-story-entitlement-and-grace-les-mis-theology/

sherri shepherd

From Couch Potato To Calendar Girl: Conquering The Fitness Phobia

By ML Van Valkenburgh

It's New Year's Day 2013, and many of us have either made resolutions or will make them today. Most of those resolutions will have to do with health and fitness - this year, we're going to make better diet choices. This year, we're going to run a 5K. This year, we're going to join a gym and actually go.

A few of us will keep them. Most of us will stick with it for anywhere from a few weeks to early March, which is the window during which most New Year's Resolutions go their merry way and we go back to being our old, sedentary selves.

I gave up making resolutions long ago, because they were a recipe for disappointment and a source of increasingly negative feelings about myself because I couldn't stick with whatever it was I'd resolved to do.

The seeds of change were planted in the fall of 2011. I got sick (again), and I couldn't get well. I coughed and hacked and cracked a couple of ribs. I missed six weeks of work during the busiest season of the year. I took antibiotics and over-the-counter everything and even when the coughing was over, I was chronically tired and uncomfortable. I was also fat. Somehow, between the spring of 2011 and early 2012, I put on 50 pounds and went from being a size 2 to a size 14. I don't really know what happened - it was as if my metabolism just stopped dead. But I had hit rock bottom. My immune system could take no more. Neither could my self-image.

I consulted my doctor, who was just as puzzled as I. He ordered tests, as doctors do when they have no idea what the heck has happened to you, and in February of 2012, he announced the findings: My body was completely depleted of Vitamin B12, which gives us energy and keeps our immune systems healthy. Also, my triglycerides were getting high. But instead of prescribing drugs, he did a few things that changed my life. First, he started me on B12 injections; first weekly, then monthly. He also told me to take fish oil capsules. And he reiterated the importance of diet and exercise.

He wasn't the first person to point out that, aside from having a job that required me to be on my feet, I was totally lacking in the exercise department. Nor was he the first person to point out that my diet was made up of complete junk. But for the first time, I really listened to what he had to say and I slowly began to make changes.

At first, I admit, I focused on the diet part, because exercise has always been somewhat terrifying. So I cut way back on carbs, quit drinking beer and started buying fresh foods, including fruits and veggies that I would never have otherwise eaten. Everywhere I saw a chance to substitute something healthier for something drowning in saturated fats or full of preservatives, I did it. And I began to feel better. But it wasn't enough. I was using an app called My Fitness Pal to keep track of my calories eaten versus my calories burned every day, but I felt like I needed something more. How could I find healthier recipes? How could I get a handle on what claimed to be healthy and what actually was healthy? And how on earth could I, at age 37, start exercising? Other than intermittent periods of bike riding or rollerblading through Humboldt Park, I hadn't regularly exercised since before college.

At 14, my competitive diving career ended with the first of many shoulder dislocations caused by a congenital defect in my bone structure. Doctors and physical therapists told me I'd never have upper body strength like other people. And exercises like running were boring and seemed pointless. Exercise in general seemed futile.

But I found myself wanting more. Maybe it was the extra energy from the B12. Maybe it was just time. Either way, I was no longer satisfied with my couch potato status. Fifteen days after my 37th birthday, on April 25, 2012, I did a search for the best health and fitness apps for my iPhone and stumbled across Fitocracy. It had good reviews, and, even better, it was free. I downloaded it and now, a little over seven months later, I can honestly say it was one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

Fitocracy was developed by two former self-described video game addicts, Dick Talens and Brian Wang, who met in the weight room as students at Penn. Dick had become unhealthily overweight from his years in front of the console, while Brian was skinny and weak. Both had begun to change that with weightlifting, and both had a desire to help others transform themselves.

They also both had something in common with me, and with many of the people I know: they were once couch potatoes. And, as video game junkies, they knew something that many people don't realize: people respond to the reward of scoring points, even if the points are ultimately meaningless to the world at-large.

My journey into the world of Fitocracy began in a group called "Healthy Eating," because I wasn't yet ready to tackle serious exercise. Fitocracy is set up much like Facebook, in that users relate to one another through posts, can "follow" one another, can "prop" each others' posts, can send private messages, and can get the interaction with others that our social-media crazed society seems to need. Not only did I instantly feel welcomed, I felt at home. No one made judgements. When I made good choices and posted about them, I got props and soon I acquired a few followers. I read what others wrote, asked questions, followed others, gave props, and within a week was logging what little exercise I was getting, from walking the dog to choosing to take the stairs at work instead of the elevator.

Over the past seven months, I have gone from being an unhealthy, worried, health-phobic person to being a member of a growing online community of healthy, supportive people who encourage and inspire me. I now belong to my local community center's fitness center, and the young girl who would never have any upper body strength has become a woman who strives to break personal records (I can now deadlift 90 lbs. and actually enjoy bench pressing and leg presses (PR 140 lbs), among other activities.

Yesterday, I earned the points to "level up" to level 28 (the higher your level, the harder it is to level up). I pay a monthly fee for the privilege of being a "Fitocracy Hero," which allows me to duel with friends and followers (of which I have almost 500 now!), among other things. I even have a personal trainer, Daniel Kreger, who runs his training business almost entirely online based on your goals and abilities. He writes programs for his clients on a weekly basis, and stays in close touch to make sure you're on track, or, if you're not, what he can do to help you get there. For those of you who find trainers intimidating and obnoxious, I highly recommend Dan, one of the world's nicest people. His blog and contact information can be found at www.djkreger.me.

In early December I had the opportunity to go to New York City and meet many fellow Fitocrats, including much of the Fitocracy team (Talens, Wang, CPO Jared Cocken, and others). It was a terrific event that included some great discussions about health and nutrition, training, and pretty much every other topic under the sun (plus an open bar, courtesy of Fitocracy!). Realizing that the people I interacted with online were real people who go through many of the same struggles I do, and enjoying the company of like-minded people with similar desires to improve themselves, was a real coup for me.

Finally, there's the calendar. Earlier in the fall of 2012, I joined a group created by a Fitocracy member that was intended for people who were interested in seeing both male and female Fito calendars for 2013. The calendars would feature members and be free for download. There was some sort of challenge included, although I didn't pay attention to that part - I was simply interested to see what the finished product would look like.

Join Fitocracy. Join the Fitocrat Calendar Group. Check out Miss April.

P.S. I've now lost 20 lbs. of fat, can wear a size 8, and gained a surprising amount of muscle and self-confidence. I've still got a long way to go. My resolve isn't going anywhere. Bring it, 2013!

-

ML Van Valkenburgh is a longtime Beachwood contributor and former Chicagoan now living in Florida. She welcomes your comments.

-

Previously by ML Van Valkenburgh:

* Letter From Tampa.

* Booklist: A Beachwood Book Guide.

* Cab #1309.

Posted on January 1, 2013

Source: http://www.beachwoodreporter.com/people_places_things/from_couch_potato_to_calendar.php

Bosses Day 2012 Arlen Specter

8 Hangover Myths You Did Not Know About | 97.3 The Dawg

Happy New Year, y?all! I?m sure more than half of Americans are feeling the heavy aftermath of last night?s New Year?s celebrations. It is a given that we cannot fully celebrate and party on New Year?s Eve without champagne, beer, wine, vodka, etc. I ran across some interesting hangover myths on Webmd and had to share with you.

?Since your not feeling so hot today, I want to let you know about the hangover myths you should not follow by.

1.) *Myth: Hangovers are ?gender blind.?
This is NOT true. Hangovers are more likely to affect women because women have less of a percentage of water in their body than men. So next time you ladies want to take shot for shot with you man friend, remember this.
2.) *Myth: You will only get a hangover if you drink an excessive amount.
Hangovers may be triggered by just a few drinks. It all depends on how hydrated your body is before and after you drink. Try to sip a non alcoholic beverage or glass of water in between your cocktails.
3.) *Myth: Diet sodas are a safe liquor mixer.
If you are trying to steer away from a morning hangover, try mixing sugary juices or fruit juices with your liquor.
4.) *Myth: Liquor before beer, your in the clear.
Sorry folks, this is not true. It does not matter what order your drinking your alcohol. If you have 10 vodka drinks followed by 2 beers, it is probably all of the vodka that is making you sick.
5.) *Myth: Eat food before you go to sleep.
To stay in the hangover free zone, you should always eat something hardy and substantial before you start drinking. Don?t order the soup or salad, go for a steak or pasta dish so your stomach can soak up the alcohol.
6.) *Myth: Take Aspirin before bed.
You won?t need an aspirin to keep you from developing a hangover. Once you hit the sheets and pass out you won?t wake up for a while; it is the morning you should be worried about. Take an Advil or ibuprofen right when you wake up.

7.) *Myth: Alcohol helps you sleep better.
WRONG. Although it helps you pass out quickly, you will not receive an adequate amount of sleep because of the reverse effect.

8.) *Myth: Coffee cures a hangover.
Coffee actually will not help your dehydration, whatsoever. Just stick to good ole water or sports drinks such as Gatorade to keep you hydrated.

So, there you have it! Next time you pop the top, take all of this into consideration!

Source: http://973thedawg.com/8-hangover-myths-you-did-not-know-about/

Gus Malzahn hyperemesis gravidarum

Coupons for New Years Eve Party or Family Fun! - Home Budget Ideas

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

Source: http://www.homebudgetideas.com/coupons-for-new-years-eve-party-or-family-fun/

Pumpkin Pie

Overweight Pets | Albuquerque Veterinarian | TLC Pet and Uptown ...

Nutrition experts like to portray weight control as a simple matter of ?calories in minus calories out.? But as anyone who?s ever been on a diet knows all too well, it isn?t quite that easy! There are many factors that affect weight, such as genetics, metabolic rate, weather, and even breed. Ultimately, the only ones we humans can control for our pets are diet and exercise?so let?s see why and how to manage our pets? weight.treat

In our busy lives, we may sometimes use treats or extra food as a substitute for quality time with our pets; or our pets get a little chunky because we just love to pamper them. But letting a pet become overweight is actually the opposite of love?we?re truly risking their health and lives for a few treats, a nibble from our dinner plates, or an extra spoonful of chow. The list of obesity-related diseases is a long one and includes arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, liver and kidney disease, urinary tract disease, skin and coat issues, and many more. It?s up to us to be the ?adults? in the family and call the shots on what our furry ?kids? are eating

Unfortunately, overweight has become the norm for our dogs and cats. In fact, many people would consider the ?ideal? body condition as too thin. Yet research has shown that dogs and cats?live longer?significantly longer?if they?re kept slightly underweight. A long-term study done by Purina looked at the difference in lifespan between Labrador Retrievers who were kept slimmer versus normal Labs (who were fed according to Purina?s own directions for that food!). The dogs who were fed less lived TWO years longer, and and the onset of degenerative diseases such as arthritis was significantly delayed. Remember, this comparison was between normal dogs and underweight dogs. Overweight pets? lives, health, and comfort are damaged even more.

Other research has shown that, in both cats and dogs, feeding a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet results in healthier weight loss and better muscle mass retention than high-fiber ?weight loss? diets. This makes perfect sense when we consider that our dogs? and cats? ancestors?and their current cousins?are designed to eat prey animals that are just that: high in protein, relatively high in fat, and very low in carbohydrates. Canned, raw, or properly balanced homemade diets are ideal for both dogs and cats; and are especially important for cats, who need the extra moisture and high protein for urinary health. Dry food is not recommended for cats, period.

?Light? and ?weight control? diets tend to be lower in fat and protein, and higher in fiber and carbohydrates, than comparable regular foods. But this is taking the nutritional balance in the exact opposite direction from the natural high-protein, low-carb carnivore diet our pets were designed to eat. If the amount of ?light? food being fed is not restricted, most pets will gain weight on that food. Carb-based diets just aren?t satisfying to the canine and feline palate, so pets will eat more of the food to get more of what they want and need. Moreover, a recent study showed tremendous variation in the amount of calories in different brands of ?light? foods?some were higher in calories than other brands? regular foods!

If your pet is a treat junky, there are things you can do to moderate the number of treat calories your dog or cat is getting without making your pet (or you!) feel deprived. For larger treats, break them into smaller pieces. Your pet will quickly adjust to the new size and feel just as satisfied. Give a lower calorie treat; or try treats made from dehydrated chicken or other meat that add primarily protein and little or no carbs. Limit rawhide bones, marrow bones, and other ?chew? treats; many of them are very high in fat and will load a huge amount of calories to your pet?s daily intake.To your pet, it?s more about the attention and love from you that your companion associates with treats, than about the treat itself. Whatever treats or ?shared? food your pet gets,you need to deduct treat calories from meals to balance the day?s total. Yes, that means the meal needs to be smaller!

In addition to providing a wholesome, appropriate diet, there are supplements that will help your pet get the most from food, as well as strengthen the immune system, optimize overall health, and support longevity. These include: (1) Omega-3 fatty acids, (2) digestive enzymes, and (3) probiotics, and?the fourth, antioxidants, are needed for immune system support.)

Unfortunately, counting calories is the best way to understand what we?re feeding our cats and dogs. Happily for those of us who recoil at math, it?s much easier for our pets than for people, who need to know calorie counts in a huge variety of food. Most of the time, we?ll be dealing with just a few foods and treats.

Calories in Pet Food*

Here?s a simple chart to give you a ballpark estimate of different types of pet food:

Food Type	Cat	Dog
Dry Adult	200-600 kcal/cup	300-600 kcal/cup
Dry Diet	200-400 kcal/cup	200-400 kcal/cup
Canned Adult	80-200 kcal/5.5-6 oz. can	200-400 kcal/12.5-13.2 oz. can
Canned Diet	80-200 kcal/5.5-6 oz. can	200-400 kcal/12.5-13.2 oz. can
Raw	300-550 kcal/cup	300-550 kcal/cup
Treats	10-300 kcal/treat	10-300 kcal/treat

*What we commonly refer to as a ?calorie? is technically a kilocalorie, or kcal. There may be little or no difference between regular and ?diet? foods. Calorie information is not required to be on the label, although some makers provide it. Check the manufacturer?s website, or call for calorie info on each particular food or treat.

Calculate Your Pet?s Caloric Needs

Your pet?s current weight: ______lbs (______ kg) ?To calculate kg, divide lbs. by 2.2

Your pet is estimated at _______ on the Body Condition Score Chart (below). The ideal BCS for disease prevention and longevity is about 4.

Your pet?s ideal weight: _________ (in kg; this may be based on breed standards, or your veterinarian can give you a good estimate.)

Next, estimate your pet?s daily caloric needs using these formulas:

(1) Resting Energy Requirement (RER)

30(weight in kg) + 70 = ______ kcal

(2) Metabolic Energy Requirement (MER)

RER x Multiplier (see chart below) = ______ kcal

This will give you your:

Target daily caloric intake: __________

(This is an estimated average only. Actual caloric needs vary with age, activity level, weather, and other factors.)

With this in hand, along with calorie information for the food and treats you feed your pet, you can calculate how much food to feed.

Example:

Fluffy weighs 15 pounds (6.8 kg). His body condition score is around 6-1/2, and his ideal weight is 12 pounds.

Fluffy?s Resting Energy Requirement (RER)

30(6.8) + 70 = _274_ kcal

Fluffy?s Metabolic Energy Requirement (MER)

RER x Multiplier (0.8) = __219__ kcal

Fluffy?s target daily caloric intake: 219 kcal

In canned food terms, this is between 1 and 3 cans per day.

For dry food, this may be anywhere from 1 cup per day to only 1/3 cup per day!

This is why knowing the caloric content of the food is so important!

Many?s the obese cat I?ve seen whose guardians were feeding a whole cup of dry food per day. This way too much of most dry foods, which are highly concentrated calorie sources, full of fattening carbohydrates and not enough moisture. Cat or dog, high protein, low carb wet food (canned, homemade, raw, fresh, or reconstituted freeze-dried) is the key to healthy weight?which is, of course, the key to health and longevity!

FELINE LIFESTAGE	x RER	?	CANINE LIFESTAGE	x RER
Neutered Adult	1.2	?	Neutered Adult	1.6
Intact Adult	1.4	?	Intact Adult	1.8
Active Adult	1.6	?	Somewhat Active Adult	2
?	?	?	Moderately Active Adult	3
?	?	?	Highly Active Adult	4-8
Obese Prone	1.0	?	Obese Prone	1.4
Weight Loss	0.8	?	Weight Loss	1.0
Critical Care	1.0	?	Critical Care	1.0
Weight Gain	1.2 ? 1.4	?	Weight Gain	1.2 ? 1.4
Gestation	1.6 ? 2.0	?	Gestation (0-42 days)	1.8
Lactation	2-6	?	Lactation	4-8
Growth	1.2-1.4	?	Growth (0-4 months)	3
Post-neuter (4-12 mos old.)	< by 25%	?	Growth (4 months ? neuter)	2

This entry was posted on Monday, December 31st, 2012 at 3:49 pm and is filed under Cats, Dogs. You can subscribe to any comments to this entry via RSS 2.0. Comments are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://tlcpethospital.net/news/overweight-pets/

case mccoy case mccoy UFC 155 Jack Klugman weather channel weather forecast merry Christmas

Stocks open mixed as budget deadline nears

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks are little changed in early trading on Wall Street as a budget deadline approaches with no deal in sight.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down six points at 12,931 shortly after the opening bell Monday.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index was up two points at 1,405 and the Nasdaq composite edged up 10 points to 2,970.

There are just hours to go before a midnight deadline, when sweeping tax increases and government spending cuts will go into effect unless lawmakers agree on a plan to cut the nation's budget deficit.

More than $500 billion in 2013 tax increases would take effect and $109 billion would be slashed from defense and domestic programs.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says negotiations are ongoing.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stocks-open-mixed-budget-deadline-nears-144552080--finance.html

beasley