“Lincoln” leads BAFTA film nominations with 10

LONDON (Reuters) – “Lincoln”, the story of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln’s battle to end slavery starring Daniel Day-Lewis in the title role, won 10 BAFTA nominations on Wednesday, putting it ahead of the pack at Britain’s top film honors.

The biopic was shortlisted in categories including best film, actor, supporting actor (Tommy Lee Jones) and supporting actress (Sally Field), but director Steven Spielberg was not nominated.

Added to its domination of the Golden Globe contenders going into Sunday night’s awards ceremony, British critics said the film appeared to be in pole position to sweep Oscar nominations which are announced on Thursday.

“Les Miserables”, the movie version of the global hit stage musical, and shipwreck saga “Life of Pi” followed with nine BAFTA nominations each, while the latest installment of James Bond, “Skyfall”, garnered eight.

Iranian hostage thriller “Argo” won seven nominations and “Anna Karenina”, an adaptation of the Russian novel, earned six.

Quentin Tarantino’s quirky slavery-era Western “Django Unchained” and “Zero Dark Thirty”, about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, were just behind with five nominations apiece.

“Amour”, Austrian director Michael Haneke’s moving portrayal of death, bagged four nominations, an unusually high number for a film in a foreign language.

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Eric Fellner of Working Title Films, the company behind Les Miserables and Anna Karenina, said he was pleased that two potentially risky projects had been recognized.

Les Miserables, by Oscar-winning director of “The King’s Speech” Tom Hooper, was sung live on set, while Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina, starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law, was set against the backdrop of elaborate stage sets.

“We knew that it was a much-loved musical and there was a large part of the world’s population who were also aware of the book,” Fellner said of Les Miserables after the BAFTA nominations were announced.

“But it didn’t stack up as a mainstream movie because over the past decades very few (musicals) have worked. It was a big risk,” he told Reuters, adding that awards recognition could provide a big lift for a picture just hitting theatres now.

Of Anna Karenina, he added: “The minute you do anything different it becomes harder to get it made. But we really believe in our film makers.”

Skyfall’s Judi Dench was nominated for best supporting actress as Bond’s spymaster M and Spanish actor Javier Bardem was nominated for best supporting actor as the villain Silva.

There is likely to be disappointment, however, that the movie which has become the most successful in British box office history, with critical acclaim to match, was not included on the most coveted shortlist – best film.

That award will be contested by Argo, Lincoln, Life of Pi, Les Miserables and Zero Dark Thirty.

Up for best actor alongside Day-Lewis is Ben Affleck (Argo), Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook), Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables) and Joaquin Phoenix in Scientology tale The Master.

The best actress award is between 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva (Amour), Helen Mirren (Hitchcock), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) and Marion Cotillard (Rust and Bone).

As well as Haneke and Affleck, Ang Lee is in the running for best director (Life of Pi) as is Tarantino and Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty).

The BAFTAs have a patchy record in predicting which films go on to scoop the biggest movie honors, the Oscars, although last year the main winner in London, “The Artist”, also swept to success at the Academy Awards.

The awards ceremony for the BAFTAs, formally called the EE British Academy Film Awards, takes place in London on February 10.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

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Stock futures rise after Alcoa starts earnings season

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stock index futures rose modestly on Wednesday as Alcoa got the earnings season under way with better-than-expected revenue.

Alcoa Inc also gave a positive outlook for 2013, but kept a cautious tone as worries lingered over a looming U.S. budget confrontation. Shares of Alcoa, the largest aluminum producer in the United States, rose 2.5 percent to $ 9.33 in premarket trade.

Even with the encouraging Alcoa report, investors were wary about the outcome of the fourth-quarter earnings season. Profits were expected to beat the previous quarter’s lackluster results, but analyst estimates were down sharply from October. Quarterly earnings were expected to grow by 2.7 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Equities have pulled back over the last two sessions after last week’s rally, which was spurred by the “fiscal cliff” deal in Washington.

“With the euphoria of the fiscal cliff deal wearing off, the market is looking for the next positive theme and the hope is that earning season can fill that need,” said Andre Bakhos, director of market analytics at Lek Securities in New York.

“With expectations muted, any semblance of decent numbers could provide a robust upside potential.”

S&P 500 futures rose 1.2 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 15 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.50 point.

Dish Network Corp late Tuesday announced a bid for Clearwire Corp that trumped Sprint Nextel Corp’s $ 2.2 billion offer, setting the stage for a battle over the wireless service provider.

Clearwire was up 8.9 percent at $ 3.18 in premarket trading, while Sprint lost 3.5 percent to $ 5.76.

Apple Inc is working on a lower-end iPhone, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources. The report comes as Apple’s chief executive meets with partners and government officials in China.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley are among a group of banks expected to agree as soon as this week to a $ 1.5 billion settlement with U.S. regulators over botched foreclosure claims, sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

Hard drive maker Seagate Technology rose 3.4 percent to $ 32.45 after it raised its second-quarter revenue forecast.

The biggest U.S. for-profit college company, Apollo Group Inc , reported lower student sign-ups for the third straight quarter and cut its operating profit forecast for 2013. Apollo’s shares dropped 7.2 percent to $ 19.44.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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How to start a retirement fund in your 50s

Dear Dr. Don,
What’s the best way to start a retirement fund in your 50s? I realize that it’s a late start, but my husband was laid off and just began working again in June. We do not have a lot of money for a retirement fund, and we don’t know where to begin. Should we invest in stocks, bonds or certificates of deposit? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
– Denise Diligence

Dear Denise,
If you’re in your 50s, you probably have seven to 15 years until retirement. You’re going to need to make those years count. So don’t dabble in saving for retirement. Jump in with both feet. Save until it hurts.

Your husband should first check whether his employer has a 401(k) plan and whether the employer matches employee contributions to the plan. Companies typically kick in 50 cents for every dollar the employee contributes into a 401(k), and they’ll usually contribute up to 6 percent of salary. That’s a 50 percent return before you even decide how to invest the funds. The plan provider may also help your husband with investment advice.

In general, you’re going to want to get as good of a return as possible in your investments while avoiding risky bets. Because of that, CDs probably aren’t the answer. They protect principal but not purchasing power. You’ll want a mix of stock and bonds in your portfolio.

One decision you’ll need to make is whether you’d like to pay for professional investment advice. You can’t afford any investment blunders. So, working with a fee-only financial planner to evaluate your retirement income needs and develop a strategy for building and investing your retirement fund should be money well spent.

If you decide to go it alone, you could use an asset allocation calculator, such as the one available on Bankrate.com, to provide you with an initial read on investment choices. From there, I’d suggest a traditional individual retirement account or Roth IRA invested in no-load indexed stock and bond mutual funds that track broadly based market indexes. Exchange-traded funds tracking these indexes are also available as an alternative to mutual funds.

Get more news, money-saving tips and expert advice by signing up for a free Bankrate newsletter.

To ask a question of Dr. Don, go to the “Ask the Experts” page and select one of these topics: “Financing a home,” “Saving & Investing” or “Money.” Read more Dr. Don columns for additional personal finance advice.

Bankrate’s content, including the guidance of its advice-and-expert columns and this website, is intended only to assist you with financial decisions. The content is broad in scope and does not consider your personal financial situation. Bankrate recommends that you seek the advice of advisers who are fully aware of your individual circumstances before making any final decisions or implementing any financial strategy. Please remember that your use of this website is governed by Bankrate’s Terms of Use.

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Wall Street edges up at open after Alcoa results

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks opened slightly higher on Wednesday after Alcoa got the earnings season under way with better-than-expected revenue and an encouraging outlook for the year.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> gained 36.93 points, or 0.28 percent, to 13,365.78. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> rose 2.64 points, or 0.18 percent, to 1,459.79. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> advanced 7.35 points, or 0.24 percent, to 3,099.15.

(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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Redskins' RG3 has surgery on torn knee ligament

WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert Griffin III had surgery Wednesday morning to repair a torn ligament and to determine whether there was any other damage in his ailing right knee.

A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the procedure was expected to last about two hours. The person said orthopedist James Andrews planned to repair a torn lateral collateral ligament and examine the state of Griffin's ACL.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Redskins had not made an announcement about the latest details surrounding the rookie quarterback's injury.

A torn LCL requires a rehabilitation period of several months, possibly extending into training camp and the start of next season. A torn ACL is a more severe injury, typically requiring nine to 12 months of recovery, although Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson made a remarkable return this season some eight months after tearing an ACL — and nearly broke the NFL's single-season rushing record

Griffin was optimistic before he entered surgery, tweeting early Wednesday: "Thank you for your prayers and support. I love God, my family, my team, the fans, & I love this game. See you guys next season."

Griffin reinjured his knee at least twice in Sunday's playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, prompting a national debate over whether coach Mike Shanahan endangered Griffin's career by not taking his franchise player out of the game sooner.

The first major injury to his knee came in 2009, when Griffin tore the ACL in the third game of the season while playing for Baylor. Griffin missed the rest of the year but returned in 2010 and won the Heisman Trophy in 2011.

Griffin sprained the LCL last month when he was hit by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata at the end of a 13-yard scramble. Griffin missed one game and returned to play three more with a knee brace, his mobility clearly hindered.

Then, on Sunday, Griffin hurt the knee again as he fell awkwardly while throwing a pass in the first quarter against the Seahawks. He remained in the game, with Shanahan saying he trusted Griffin's word that all was OK.

Griffin finally departed in the fourth quarter, after the knee buckled while he was trying to field a bad shotgun snap.

The No. 2 overall pick in last year's draft, Griffin was one of several rookie quarterbacks to make an instant impact on the NFL this season. He set the league record for best season passer rating by a rookie QB and led the Redskins to their first NFC East title in 13 years.

But he also had to leave three games early due to injuries — two because of his knee and one because of a concussion — and missed a fourth altogether because of the knee.

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Australian firefighters battle bush blazes, intense heat

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Federal government steps in with fuel, personnel to help NSW fire effort


• More than 130 fires are burning across NSW during one of the hottest days on record


• 90% of the Australian state is under "severe" or higher fire warnings


• High temperatures and dry conditions have combined to create "dangerous day"

Editor's note: Are you there? Send your stories, images to iReport

(CNN) -- Soaring temperatures and strong winds have combined to create a "catastrophic" fire threat across the southeast Australian state of New South Wales.

Residents have been warned to remain vigilant as temperatures rise towards a predicted high of 43 degrees (109 degrees Fahrenheit) in the state capital of Sydney.

In some areas of the state, winds of more than 70 kilometers an hour (43 mph) were threatening to fan the flames of fires already burning. However, a change in wind direction had caused temperatures in certain parts of the state to fall, offering some relief.

A "catastrophic" fire risk has been declared in four areas of NSW, although the risk across 90% of the state is "severe" or above. A "catastrophic" warning carries the risk of significant loss of life and the destruction of many homes, according to the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS).

"I cannot say it more plainly: the risk is real and potentially deadly. People need to act now," the service's Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

The "catastrophic" fire threat had led many to fear a repeat of "Black Saturday" in 2009, when soaring temperatures and high winds fanned the flames of a series of bushfires across the state of Victoria, leaving 173 people dead and 500 injured, and destroying thousands of homes.

Australia battles bush blazes, intense heat

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On Tuesday afternoon, the Australian government announced that the state fire service would be granted access to Defence Force bases, fuel and personnel as part of the federal government disaster response plan.

Earlier, Prime Minister Julia Gillard warned it was "dangerous" day and urged people to "stay focused."

"The word catastrophic is being used for good reason," Gillard told CNN affiliate the Seven Network.

"It is very important that people keep themselves safe, that they listen to local authorities and local warnings."

Total fire bans were place in the states of NSW, Victoria and across the whole of Tasmania, the southern island state ravaged by fire in recent days.

On Tuesday afternoon, more than 130 fires were burning throughout NSW, with over 40 of those yet to be controlled, according to NSW RFS.

There were no reports of any homes having being destroyed but authorities warned that the dry, hot conditions were expected to stretch into the night.

"It's a long way ahead -- we've got a lot of daylight left and a lot of nighttime left under these conditions," Fitzsimmons said.

Thousands of firefighters were battling blazes on the ground, and more than 40 aircraft and 250 fire trucks had been deployed, a fire service spokeswoman said.

Thousands more firefighters were on standby in high risk areas, including 21 "strike teams," each consisting of five tankers to assist local brigades.

The fire service said it was relying on people to report fires in their areas, but that surveillance flights were also monitoring the landscape for smoke and flames.

Authorities said residents and tourists had responded well to early warnings to abandon properties under threat.

"If you are in a bushfire risk area -- if you are an at risk location, leaving early is the safest option," Fitzsimmons said.

Record high temperatures and the delayed state of the Australian monsoon season have created a tinderbox out of large swathes of bush and scrub land across the state.

The last four months of 2012 were "abnormally hot" across Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Meterology. Average maximum temperatures were the highest since records began in 1910.

In the first days of the new year, extreme heat contributed to the spread of fires across Tasmania.

Firefighters are still on alert, tackling a number of blazes, as residents who were in the path of the earlier fires returned to the charred rubble of their homes. More than 100 properties were destroyed or damaged, though authorities warn more may be at risk.

Rescue workers are continuing to search for human remains as around 100 people have still not contacted friends or family, according to Tasmania police.

"It's vitally important that all people who were in the area at the time, and are OK, self-register their details with the National Registration and Inquiry Service operated by the Red Cross," said Acting Deputy Commissioner Donna Adams.

Meanwhile, police have charged a 31-year-old man for allegedly causing one of the worst of the fires by leaving a campfire unattended that was not completely extinguished.

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Mariah Carey increased security in feud with fellow “Idol” judge

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Pop diva Mariah Carey said she hired increased security following what she described as threats reportedly made against her by fellow ‘American Idol‘ judge Nicki Minaj, according to an interview on ABC News.

Carey, 42, one of three new judges to join the “American Idol” panel for the hit talent show’s new season on January 16, told Barbara Walters in an interview airing on Monday, “it felt like an unsafe work environment.”

“Anytime anybody’s reeling threats at somebody, you know, it’s not appropriate,” Carey said.

“I’m a professional. I’m not used to that type of environment,” she said, adding that she hired extra security.

The diva was alluding to widely reported tension between her and Minaj, who were seen arguing with one another in a video from the show’s audition phase.

Walters has reported that, according to Carey, others on the “Idol” set heard Minaj go further and say, off-camera, “If I had a gun, I would shoot that bitch.”

Minaj, a Trinidadian-born singer and songwriter, previously denied making any remarks about firearms, but Carey told Walters that beefing up her security “was the appropriate thing to do.”

“Sitting there on the road with two babies, I’m not going to take any chances,” she said, referring to her 20-month old twins with husband Nick Cannon.

But in a sign of media savvy, she noted that “for all the drama, I hope it helps the show.”

Walters also asked Carey about reports she is being paid $ 18 million for each “Idol” season.

“I think we’re in the ballpark, (but) I can’t even talk about those things,” the singer replied.

(Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Paul Simao)

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Obama Should Have Gone Over the Fiscal Cliff

Heading into the holidays, most people in Washington expected President Obama to hold firm against Republican obstinacy and let the country go over the fiscal cliff. Obama had been handily reelected after campaigning to raise taxes on households making more than $ 250,000. Afterward, he kept campaigning. He didn’t just want to raise taxes. He also wanted to cut entitlement programs and resolve the upcoming budget deadlines that are sure to upset consumer confidence and slow the recovery. Right up until the end, Obama was admonishing Republicans to go along or face the consequences. Then he folded.

Even before the deal was settled, many liberals were outraged at how much the president was willing to concede to avoid going over the cliff — an event for which every poll showed Republicans would be blamed. Most Republicans were terrified at the prospect.

Nonetheless, Obama agreed to raise income tax rates only on households making $ 450,000 or more; establish a generous inheritance tax exemption; and lightly tax dividends and capital gains. The income-tax threshold alone sacrifices $ 200 billion compared with what he had once insisted on. But the revenue sacrificed isn’t terribly important.

What is important is that Obama yielded on resolving the budget deadlines, the most consequential being the need to raise the debt limit. Already, Republicans are threatening default without deep cuts in return. Had Obama been willing to go over the cliff, they probably wouldn’t be, since the public would be furiously blaming them. By pulling back, Obama passed up a chance to “break the fever” (as he likes to put it) that afflicts the Republican party and that led it to oppose nearly all he’s done during his presidency.

The great unsettled debate among partisans over the last four years is whether, in the event of some ultimate confrontation, Americans would side with Democrats or Republicans. This debate first climaxed in the weeks before the continuing resolution that funds the federal government was set to expire in April 2011.

That prompted a furious showdown between Obama and House Republicans, who’d been swept into power by the Tea Party in the 2010 midterm elections. But rather than let the government shut down, as partisans on both sides wanted, Obama and House Speaker John Boehner cut a midnight deal that satisfied no one. Democrats blamed Obama for capitulating to the Tea Party by agreeing to $ 40 billion in cuts, rather than let Republicans get blamed for a shutdown. Republicans thought those cuts were gimmicks and believed that a country that had just unleashed a Tea Party wave on Washington would rally behind them after a shutdown.

Unresolved, the debate intensified over the summer of 2011 as the debt limit approached. To avoid a catastrophic default, Obama and Boehner struck another last-minute deal that satisfied no one. Democrats were furious that it cut $ 1 trillion and didn’t raise taxes. Republicans were upset that the cuts weren’t immediate and feared they would never happen.

Traditionally, presidential elections settle these kinds of debates.

Obviously, this one didn’t. Going over the cliff might finally have done the trick. If Americans concluded that the GOP had forced huge tax increases on everyone because Obama was trying to raise tax rates on the wealthy, the backlash would have been ferocious — possibly enough to get a debt limit increase folded into a deal, but certainly enough so that turning around and threatening default would be untenable.

Obama characteristically chose the risk-averse path, so we’ll never know for sure. But there’s good reason to think this was his chance to break the fever without risking a meltdown, because Republicans were in a similar position once before and lost badly. Just over a year ago, House Republicans tried to block the extension of the payroll tax holiday, awkwardly opposing a middle-class tax cut. The condemnation, including from fellow Republicans, was so severe that they quickly folded. Given the scope of the tax increase in the fiscal cliff, that reaction would have been amplified severalfold.

Instead, Obama relented, thereby setting up a triple-threat showdown that dwarfs the cliff. Two months from now, the debt limit, the expiration of the continuing resolution, and the automatic spending cuts known as “sequestration” all kick in at once.

Obama has chosen to keep navigating the same minefield as before in pursuit of a comprehensive deal. It’s a different strategy than was employed by the last Democratic president to strike a big budget deal. In 1995, President Bill Clinton stared down Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich and let the government shut down. Two years later, the fever having broken, the two signed an accord that ultimately balanced the budget.

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Survey: Small biz optimism rises despite ‘cliff’

NEW YORK (AP) — Small business owners were slightly more optimistic at the end of 2012 even as they awaited the outcome of negotiations in Congress over the “fiscal cliff.”

That’s the finding of a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business, a lobbying group. The NFIB’s small-business-optimism index rose half a point from its level in November to 88. The index remains near its lowest readings on record.

The survey was completed on Dec. 28, four days before the House voted for a bill that spared tax increases on the middle class and postponed steep budget cuts.

The NFIB says its January survey may more accurately reflect how owners feel. With year-end political and tax issues resolved, they can focus on the economy.

The December index reading was lifted in part by owners’ slightly higher expectations that their sales would rise in 2013. Employment in the sector was virtually unchanged.

And it was clear that they were waiting to see the outcome of the talks in Washington before making plans to invest in equipment or expand. More than half — 52 percent — said they did not want to take out a loan. Companies often borrow when they’re getting ready to expand — or hire.

The NFIB questioned 648 of its members selected at random for the survey.

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Wall Street dips as earnings season begins

A $20,000 diamond ring found in a tanning salon in St. Charles, Mo., appears to be at the center of a legal dispute over "finders keepers." The St. Louis Post-Dispatch attempts to explain murky statutes revolving around found property versus stealing. After Bonnie Land found the expensive ring and agreed to return it weeks later, she was arrested. She subsequently sued the ring's owner for $66,500 alleging breach of contract as Land wasn't given the posted $3,000 reward money.

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'Bama bashes Notre Dame 42-14 in BCS title game

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Barely taking time to celebrate their latest national championship, Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide are ready to get back to work.

That's how they make it look so easy.

In what must be an increasingly frustrating scene for the rest of college football, another season ended with Saban and his players frolicking in the middle of a confetti-strewn field. Eddie Lacy ran all over Notre Dame, AJ McCarron turned in another dazzling performance through the air, and the Tide defense shut down the Fighting Irish until it was no longer in doubt.

The result was a 42-14 blowout in the BCS title game Monday night, not only making Alabama a back-to-back champion, but a full-fledged dynasty with three crowns in four years.

This one was especially satisfying to Saban.

"People talk about how the most difficult thing is to win your first championship," he said. "Really, the most difficult one to win is the next one, because there's always a feeling of entitlement."

Rest assured, that feeling won't last long in Tuscaloosa.

While Saban insisted he was "happy as hell" and "has never been prouder of a group of young men," it was hard to tell. He was already talking about reporting to the office Wednesday morning and getting started on next season.

"One of these days, when I'm sitting on the side of the hill watching the stream go by, I'll probably figure it out even more," Saban said. "But what about next year's team? You've got to think about that, too."

So, in short order, he'll be talking with underclassmen about entering the NFL draft, making sure everyone goes back to class on schedule, and getting started on that next depth chart.

"The Process," as he calls it, never stops.

"We're going to enjoy it for 24 hours or so," Saban said.

No. 2 Alabama quieted the top-ranked Irish on the very first drive — so much for waking up the echoes — and could've started the celebration at halftime, heading to the locker room with a commanding 28-0 lead.

The Tide (13-1) pushed it out to 35-0 midway through the third quarter on the third of McCarron's four touchdown passes, a 34-yarder to Amari Cooper with a defender nowhere in sight.

At that point, Alabama was on a 69-0 blitz in national title games, having scored the last 13 points in its 2010 triumph over Texas and blanked LSU 21-0 for last year's BCS crown.

When Everett Golson finally scored for Notre Dame (12-1) with about 4 minutes remaining in the third, it snapped a scoreless stretch of nearly two full games — 108 minutes and 7 seconds — by the Tide.

"It was just a complete game by the offense, defense and special teams," said Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley, the defensive MVP with eight tackles, one of them behind the line.

Despite the dazzling numbers by McCarron — 20 of 28 for 264 yards — he was denied a second straight offensive MVP award in the title game. That went to Lacy, who finished with 140 yards rushing on 20 carries and scored two TDs. Not a bad finish for the junior, who surely helped his status in the NFL draft should he decide to turn pro.

Lacy also was MVP of the Southeastern Conference championship game, rushing for a career-best 181 yards in the thrilling victory over Georgia that gave Alabama a chance to repeat as champion.

The Tide will have some big holes to fill, no matter who decides to leave school early, with offensive tackle D.J. Fluker and cornerback Dee Milliner also pondering their draft prospects. There's not a lot of seniors on the roster, but All-America linemen Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack and safety Robert Lester are among those who definitely won't be back.

But Alabama had some huge holes to fill a year ago, too, with five players drafted in the first 35 picks.

That worked out just fine.

The Crimson Tide wrapped up its ninth Associated Press national title, breaking a tie with Notre Dame for the most by any school and gaining a measure of redemption for a bitter loss to the Irish almost four decades ago: the epic 1973 Sugar Bowl in which Ara Parseghian's team edged Bear Bryant's powerhouse 24-23.

"The process is ongoing," said Saban, tightlipped as ever and showing little emotion after the fourth BCS national title of his coaching career. "We have a 24-hour rule around here. We enjoy everything for 24 hours."

Notre Dame went from unranked in the preseason to the top spot in the rankings by the end of the regular season, winning two games in overtime and three other times by seven points or less.

But the long wait for a championship — the Irish haven't finished No. 1 since 1988 — will have to wait at least one more year.

"They just did what Alabama does," moaned Manti Te'o, Notre Dame's star linebacker and Heisman Trophy finalist, trying to digest an embarrassing loss in his final college game.

Golson will be back.

He completed his first season as the starter by going 21 of 36 for 270 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. But the young quarterback got no help from the running game, which was held to 32 yards — 170 below its season average.

"We've got to get physically stronger, continue close the gap there," said Brian Kelly, the Irish's third-year coach. "Just overall, we need to see what it looks like. Our guys clearly know what it looks like now — a championship football team. That's back-to-back national champions. That's what it looks like. That's what you measure yourself against there. It's pretty clear across the board what we have to do."

Kelly vowed this was only beginning, insisting the bar has been raised in South Bend no matter what the outcome.

"We made incredible strides to get to this point," he said. "Now it's pretty clear what we've got to do to get over the top."

Alabama is already there but still longing for more, not content even after the second-biggest rout of the BCS era that began in 1999. The only title game that was more of a blowout was USC's 55-19 victory over Oklahoma in the 2005 Orange Bowl, a title that was later vacated because of NCAA violations.

You could almost hear television sets around the country flipping to other channels as Alabama poured it on, a hugely anticipated matchup between two of the nation's most storied programs reduced to a laugher when the Tide scored on its first three possessions.

"We're going for it next year again," said offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandijo, only a sophomore and already the owner of two rings. "And again. And again. And again. I love to win. That's why I came here."

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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”Texas Chainsaw” movie kills rivals at North America box office

(Reuters) – The return of the bloody “Texas Chainsaw” franchise sliced up movie box office rivals with a surprise win over the weekend, grabbing an estimated $ 23 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales.

The new “Texas Chainsaw 3D” pulled past Quentin Tarantino Western “Django Unchained,” the second place film from Friday through Sunday with $ 20 million. No. 3 movie “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” grabbed $ 17.5 million.

Going into the weekend, box office forecasters did not think the revival of the 40-year-old “Texas Chainsaw” franchise had enough buzz to top the holiday releases that are adding to their tallies during the month of January, a typically slow time for moviegoing.

Marketing efforts for “Texas Chainsaw” paid off for distributor Lions Gate Entertainment, the studio behind the horror franchise.

Lions Gate ran a social media campaign aimed at its core horror fan base – mostly young men and women – and ran promotions during AMC Networks’ TV zombie hit “The Walking Dead.” The studio aimed for a broader audience with promotions during college football bowl games and other sports programs after Christmas.

“The numbers were a little bit more than expected,” said Richie Fay, the president of domestic distribution for Lions Gate Entertainment.

“It is great to be No. 1. I think we held our own,” he added.

Lions Gate spent about $ 20 million to promote the movie, which was produced by Millennium Films.

The movie revives a franchise that started four decades ago with the 1974 film about a serial killer named Leatherface. Since then, the seven “Texas Chainsaw” movies have pulled in $ 175 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters, according to website Box Office Mojo. The films have generated $ 416 million domestically.

The new movie follows a woman who inherits a family home in the town of Newt, Texas, showing all of the blood and gore in 3D. The story picked up where the original left off and included cameos from original cast members.

“Texas Chainsaw” was the only new nationwide release in North America (United States and Canada) over the weekend. “The Hobbit,” the first of three movies based on the fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, brought its total domestic sales to $ 263.8 million since its December 14 debut. “Django Unchained,” released on Christmas Day, reached $ 106.3 million.

In fourth place for the weekend, musical “Les Miserables” earned $ 16.1 million, bringing its domestic sales to $ 103.6 million since its Christmas Day release. The No. 5 slot belonged to family comedy “Parental Guidance,” which grossed $ 10.1 million.

“The Hobbit” was distributed by Time Warner Inc’s Warner Bros. studio. The Weinstein Co. released “Django Unchained.” Universal Studios, a unit of Comcast Corp distributed “Les Miserables.” “Parental Guidance” was released by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.

(Reporting By Lisa Richwine; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Movies News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Stock futures slip after stocks hit five-year high

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stock index futures fell on Monday, with markets expected to consolidate after the S&P 500 index closed at a five-year high on Friday.

Last week was the best for U.S. stocks in more than a year as a budget deal and economic data boosted investor confidence.

Financial shares will be in focus a day after global regulators gave banks four more years and greater flexibility to build up cash buffers, scaling back moves that aimed to help prevent another financial crisis.

By spurring credit, the easing of the bank rule may help support growth, boosting investments in equities and other risk assets.

S&P 500 futures dipped 1.3 points and were below fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 13 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 1 point.

Walt Disney Co started an internal cost cutting review several weeks ago that may include layoffs at its studio and other units, three people with knowledge of the effort told Reuters.

Video-streaming service Netflix Inc said it will carry previous seasons of some popular shows produced by Time Warner’s Warner Bros Television.

Major U.S. technology companies could miss estimates for fourth-quarter earnings as budget worries likely led some corporate clients to tighten their belts last month.

Amazon shares rose 2.3 percent in premarket trading after Morgan Stanley raised is rating on the stock to “overweight” from “equal weight.”

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Economy News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Heartland Payment Systems(R) Acquires Ovation Payroll to Position Heartland Payroll Services for Rapid Growth

PRINCETON, NJ–(Marketwire – Jan 7, 2013) – Heartland Payment Systems ( NYSE : HPY ), one of the nation’s largest payments processors, has expanded its Heartland Payroll Services business by acquiring Ovation Payroll, a leading U.S. payroll outsourcing company that offers payroll tax preparation and administration, Internet payroll reporting, direct deposit, and other services.

Headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., with six additional locations nationwide, Ovation Payroll serves nearly 10,000 clients in 48 states and is listed on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest Growing Companies. Heartland will retain Ovation’s nearly 150 employees as well as its executive leadership.

In addition to being an important element in Heartland’s strategic growth plan for Heartland’s payroll business, the acquisition immediately brings aboard additional veteran payroll industry leaders, as well as a highly developed Affinity Partner network to provide high quality sales leads that can be leveraged throughout the Heartland sales force. The acquisition also provides immediate scale to more quickly leverage platform and operating costs while further enhancing Heartland’s product and service offerings to merchants in virtually all markets in which Heartland conducts business.

“Integrating Ovation Payroll within Heartland will allow us to further market the advantages of being the only large, public, highly service-oriented, merchant advocate payroll provider offering three-year price lock agreements,” said David Gilbert, president, hospitality group, Heartland Payment Systems. “While our consolidated payroll business will now service more than 22,000 clients with the combination of our talented management teams, our powerful sales forces and our great Affinity Partners, we are excited about the opportunity to accelerate our growth. As the industry’s only all-inclusive provider and merchant advocate offering guaranteed pricing, Heartland will further help merchants save money and increase productivity by being one partner that bundles an enhanced payroll service platform with payments processing and other solutions. With the addition of Ovation, we also gain a distribution channel into new markets.”

Tony Tortorella, president and CEO of Ovation Payroll, added, “I speak for my executive team and all our employees when I share our enthusiasm about becoming a part of Heartland Payment Systems. Over the last three years, we’ve expanded our national footprint, as well as our payroll and HR services, to become one of the leading payroll providers in the country. By integrating our services, technology and sales teams with an industry leader like Heartland, employers across the country will benefit from the most competitive payroll solutions currently on the market today.”

Heartland Payroll Services offers complete, customizable payroll processing solutions, all-inclusive pricing guaranteed for three years, U.S.-based payroll specialists, 100 percent web-based solutions for anytime, anywhere management, an easy-to-use employee self-service portal and a paperless solution with standard direct deposit and prepaid card options. More information can be found at Heartland Payroll Services.

About Heartland Payment Systems
Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. ( NYSE : HPY ), the sixth largest payments processor in the United States, delivers credit/debit/prepaid card processing, school solutions, loyalty marketing services, campus solutions, payroll solutions, and related business solutions and services to more than 250,000 business and education locations nationwide. A FORTUNE 1000 company, Heartland is the founding supporter of The Merchant Bill of Rights, (MerchantBillofRights.org), a public advocacy initiative that educates merchants about fair credit and debit card processing practices. The company is also a leader in the development of end-to-end encryption technology designed to protect cardholder data, rendering it useless to cybercriminals. For more detailed information, visit HeartlandPaymentSystems.com or follow the company on Twitter @HeartlandHPY and Facebook at facebook.com/HeartlandHPY.

Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature which represent our management’s beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are based on information currently available to us. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements due to many factors, including risks and additional factors that are described in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

Marketwire News Archive – Yahoo! Finance

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Stocks dip at open after five-year high

DEAR ABBY: I spent the afternoon running errands. As I left the shopping center, I saw a young couple with a baby and a toddler holding a sign requesting help with food, as the husband had just been laid off. I drove past, then considered the children and circled back. I had no cash with me, so I stopped and offered them our family's dinner -- a jar of premium spaghetti sauce, a pound of fresh ground beef, a box of dried spaghetti, fruit cups that my children usually take to school for treats, and some canned soups I occasionally have for lunch. ...

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Here come the big boys

Here come the big boys.

The NFL's wild-card weekend is over, with nary an upset. Moving on are division winners Green Bay, Houston and Baltimore, along with NFC West runner-up Seattle and the only rookie quarterback still standing: Russell Wilson.

Ahead are some daunting challenges as the Ravens visit Denver, the Texans go to New England, the Packers head to San Francisco and the Seahawks journey to Atlanta.

Only the Seahawks-Falcons isn't a rematch.

Seattle isn't intimidated one bit about facing the NFC's top seed.

"Despite the fact that we have a 'nobody' team," Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said after Sunday's convincing 24-14 comeback win at Washington, "a team not full of first-rounders and things like that, we have a lot of guys that play at a high level."

Of course, so do the Falcons (13-3), Broncos (13-3), Patriots (12-4) and 49ers (11-4-1).

"They have a great coach and a great quarterback and they have great role players on their team," Texans running back Arian Foster said of the Patriots, who routed Houston 42-14 last month. "I have a lot of respect for them, but we can play ball, too."

The Texans beat Cincinnati 19-13 on Saturday, then Green Bay took out Minnesota 24-10. In Sunday's other game, Baltimore eliminated Indianapolis 24-9.

The playoffs continue next Saturday with Baltimore (11-6) at Denver, followed by Green Bay (12-5) at San Francisco. The Broncos beat the Ravens 34-17 three weeks ago, while the 49ers knocked off the Packers 30-22 in the season opener.

On Sunday, it's Seattle (12-5) at Atlanta, followed by Houston (13-4) visiting New England.

___

Ravens at Broncos

Not only is Baltimore thrilled to keep playing and keep star linebacker Ray Lewis' career going, but the Ravens got the opponent they sought for the divisional round.

"I wanted Denver," said Anquan Boldin, who set a franchise record with 145 yards receiving, including the clinching touchdown against Indianapolis (11-6). "Because they beat us. We'll make it different."

Lewis made 13 tackles in his first game back in nearly three months. He ended his last home game in Baltimore before his impending retirement by lining up at fullback for the final kneel-down. Then Lewis went into a short version of his trademark dance before being mobbed by teammates. He followed with a victory lap, his right triceps, covered by a brace, held high in salute to the fans.

Joe Flacco became the first quarterback to win a postseason game in each of his first five seasons and John Harbaugh is the first coach to do so.

"I love our team," Lewis said, "and I'm really looking forward to going out there and playing them next week."

The loss ended the Colts' turnaround season in which they went from 2-14 to the playoffs in coach Chuck Pagano's first year in Indianapolis. Pagano missed 12 weeks while undergoing treatment for leukemia and returned last week.

Andrew Luck completed 28 of 54 passes, the most attempts by a rookie in a playoff game, for 288 yards.

Packers at 49ers

It's been a long time since these teams met on kickoff weekend, and much has changed.

Green Bay has become a bit more balanced on offense and somewhat stingier on defense than it was back in September. San Francisco has second-year quarterback Colin Kaepernick instead of Alex Smith, and receiver Michael Crabtree finally has developed into a threat.

The Packers held league rushing king Adrian Peterson to 99 yards in beating the Vikings (10-7), 100 yards less than he got on them the previous week.

"I don't think we had our identity at that point," QB Aaron Rodgers said of the Packers team San Francisco beat. "We were trying a lot of different things."

Seahawks at Falcons

Atlanta has flopped in its last three playoff games, including losing at home to Green Bay two years ago in a similar scenario.

Seattle won't bring as high-powered an offense as the Packers did to Atlanta, but it's versatile enough with the creative Wilson, bulldozing halfback Marshawn Lynch and a deep group of receivers.

The most significant challenge for the Falcons, though, will be a defense that completely shut down the Redskins and a hobbling Robert Griffin III for the final three quarters of their wild-card game.

Washington (10-7) had 129 yards in the first quarter and 74 for the rest of the game.

"Seventy yards in 3½ quarters is ridiculously good defense," coach Pete Carroll said after his Seahawks won their sixth straight and snapped Washington's seven-game winning streak.

Texans at Patriots

Both teams say the Monday night romp by New England on Dec. 10 is not an indicator of what's ahead. For their sake, the Texans better hope that is true.

"We didn't play our best football up there and we hurt ourselves with penalties and mistakes," said Foster, who rushed for 140 yards and a TD against the Bengals (10-7). "Anytime you give (the Patriots) opportunities, they'll take advantage of them. But we'll play our best up there."

They have no choice, and Patriots coach Bill Belichick fully expects a tighter game.

"When you play a team twice during the season, the games are totally different. They never go the same way," Belichick said. "We'll be able to certainly look at some of the matchups individually, guys that faced each (other) in the game. As far as plays and calls and things like that matching up, I'm sure they'll have some new wrinkles. I'm sure we'll have some, too. It will be totally different."

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Storm over Depardieu's 'pathetic' move

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed Russian citizenship on actor Gérard Depardieu


• For Depardieu, a public war of words erupted, with many in France disgusted by his move


• Depardieu more than anyone, represents the Gallic spirit, says Agnes Poirier


• Majority of French people disapprove of his action but can't help loving him, she adds

Agnes Poirier is a French journalist and political analyst who contributes regularly to newspapers, magazines and TV in the UK, U.S., France, Italy. Follow her on Twitter.

Paris (CNN) -- Since the revelation on the front page of daily newspaper Libération, on December 11, with a particularly vicious editorial talking about France's national treasure as a "former genius actor," Gérard Depardieu's departure to Belgium, where he bought a property just a mile from the French border, has deeply divided and saddened France. Even more so since, as we have learnt this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin has bestowed the actor Russian citizenship.

Back in mid-December, the French media operated along political lines: the left-wing press such as Libération couldn't find strong enough words to describe Depardieu's "desertion" while right-wing publications such as Le Figaro, slightly uneasy at the news, preferred to focus on President François Hollande's punishing taxes which allegedly drove throngs of millionaires to seek tax asylum in more fiscally lenient countries such as Belgium or Britain. Le Figaro stopped short of passing moral judgement though. Others like satirical weekly Charlie hebdo, preferred irony. Its cover featured a cartoon of the rather rotund-looking Depardieu in front of a Belgian flag with the headline: "Can Belgium take the world's entire load of cholesterol?" Ouch.

Quickly though, it became quite clear that Depardieu was not treated in the same way as other famous French tax exiles. French actor Alain Delon is a Swiss resident as is crooner-rocker Johnny Halliday, and many other French stars and sportsmen ensure they reside for under six months in France in order to escape being taxed here on their income and capital. Their move has hardly ever been commented on. And they certainly never had to suffer the same infamy.

Agnes Poirier

For Depardieu, a public war of words erupted. It started with the French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, and many members of his government, showing their disdain, and talking of Depardieu's "pathetic move." In response the outraged actor penned an open letter to the French PM in which he threatened to give back his French passport.

The backlash was not over. Fellow thespian Phillipe Torreton fired the first salvo against Depardieu in an open letter published in Libération, insulting both Depardieu's protruding physique and lack of patriotism: "So you're leaving the ship France in the middle of a storm? What did you expect, Gérard? You thought we would approve? You expected a medal, an academy award from the economy ministry? (...)We'll get by without you." French actress Catherine Deneuve felt she had to step in to defend Depardieu. In another open letter published by Libération, she evoked the darkest hours of the French revolution. Before flying to Rome to celebrate the New Year, Depardieu gave an interview to Le Monde in which he seemed to be joking about having asked Putin for Russian citizenship. Except, it wasn't a joke.

In truth, French people have felt touched to their core by Depardieu's gesture. He, more than anyone, represents the Gallic spirit. He has been Cyrano, he has been Danton; he, better than most, on screen and off, stands for what it means to be French: passionate, sensitive, theatrical, and grandiose. Ambiguous too, and weak in front of temptations and pleasures.

In truth, French people have felt touched to their core by Depardieu's gesture. He, more than anyone, represents the Gallic spirit
Hugh Miles

For more than two weeks now, #Depardieu has been trending on French Twitter. Surveys have showed France's dilemma: half the French people understand him but there are as many who think that paying one's taxes is a national duty. In other words, a majority of French people disapprove of his action but can't help loving the man.

Putin's move in granting the actor Russian citizenship has exacerbated things. And first of all, it is a blow to Hollande who, it was revealed, had a phone conversation with Depardieu on New Year's Day. The Elysées Palace refused to communicate on the men's exchange. A friend of the actor declared that Depardieu complained about being so reviled by the press and that he was leaving, no matter what.

If, in their hearts, the French don't quite believe Depardieu might one day settle in Moscow and abandon them, they feel deeply saddened by the whole saga. However, with France's former sex symbol Brigitte Bardot declaring that she too might ask Putin for Russian citizenship to protest against the fate of zoo elephants in Lyon, it looks as if the French may prefer to laugh the whole thing off. Proof of this: the last trend on French Twitter is #IWantRussianCitizenship.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Agnes Poirier.

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”Zero Dark Thirty” screenplay among Writers Guild nominees

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The writers of controversial Osama bin Laden thriller “Zero Dark Thirty” and of the presidential drama “Lincoln” won nominations on Friday for the Writers Guild Awards, as momentum built in Hollywood ahead of the Oscars in February.

The screenplays for Iran hostage drama “Argo,” cult movie “The Master,” quirky comedy “Silver Linings Playbook,” and shipwreck tale “Life of Pi” also won nods from the Writers Guild of America for honors either as adapted or original movie screenplays.

The field of 10 feature film screenplays was rounded out by “Flight,” “Looper,” Wes Anderson‘s “Moonrise Kingdom,” and coming of age movie “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

“Zero Dark Thirty” screenplay writer Mark Boal has come under fire from some U.S. politicians over the film’s depiction of the role torture may have played in the hunt for the al Qaeda leader, and for the origins of his source material in reconstructing the 10-year effort to track down and kill bin Laden in May 2011 by U.S. special forces.

The film makers have denied being leaked classified material and say the film shows that no single method was responsible for leading to the capture of bin Laden.

The Writers Guild Awards, a key indication of Hollywood sentiment ahead of the Oscars, will be handed out at simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York on February 17, one week before the February 24 Academy Awards ceremony.

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Vicki Allen)

Movies News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Shutterfly’s Improbably Long Survival

Jeffrey Housenbold, the chief executive officer of Shutterfly (SFLY), sat down recently for a meal at Il Fornaio, a popular Italian restaurant in Palo Alto. He says he watched as a diner at a nearby table pulled out a smartphone and began uploading pictures of his steaming plate of cioppino onto Instagram. After describing the scene, Housenbold says: “I don’t have photos of people’s dinner on my service. I have 16 billion memories.”

Housenbold uses anecdotes like this to help explain why Shutterfly isn’t insecure about its place in the world. The Redwood City (Calif.)-based company is making money by turning digital snapshots into tangible things: Sales of custom photo books, calendars, greeting cards, wedding invitations, and even wall decals totaled an estimated $ 600 million in 2012. Yet there’s a feeling that the company has been passed by. After all, investors value Shutterfly at $ 1 billion—the same price Facebook (FB) paid for Instagram, a startup with no revenue.

Founded in 1999, Shutterfly has been surrounded by naysayers for much of its existence. The company has faced off against 1,000 (yes, really) startups in the online photo market as well as giants such as Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), Walgreens (WAG), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), Eastman Kodak, and Yahoo! (YHOO) Its odds of survival seemed low, but Shutterfly has chalked up 47 straight quarters of revenue growth. Sales, on Housenbold’s watch, have multiplied elevenfold. Having absorbed the customers from the defunct digital photo businesses of Kodak, Fujifilm, and Yahoo, Shutterfly is now home to 70 petabytes’ worth of cherished family pictures—making it the largest service of its kind.

Housenbold arrived from EBay (EBAY) in 2005 and took Shutterfly public a year later. Endowed with a photographic memory, the 43-year-old executive can recite the minutiae of Shutterfly’s financial performance over the past decade with ease. He’s also beyond what people would consider a photo buff. A onetime high-school and college yearbook photographer, he spent $ 2,000 a year on Shutterfly before taking over the company. He has 248,000 photos stored on his hard drive.

Most of Shutterfly’s customers aren’t so committed to photography. They are, in Housenbold’s words, amateur “chief memory officers.” Women account for 80 percent of Shutterfly’s business, and more than half of the company’s revenue comes around December as these CMOs turn photos into gifts. To secure its edge over rivals, Shutterfly has invested in technology, such as algorithms that will scan a photo album and arrange the pictures into a well-crafted book, as well as high-quality materials like double-thick paper. “It turns out that 25- to 50-year-old women really care about design and want to show off some flair,” Housenbold says.

Despite its solid financial performance, Shutterfly has a roller-coaster stock history, reflecting investors’ continuing concerns that it will be edged out by competitors. HP, owner of Snapfish, and American Greetings heavily discounted their prices in 2012, says Victor Anthony, a financial analyst with Topeka Capital Markets. “You have an industry under intense pricing pressure, and there’s always the concern going forward that companies like Facebook, Apple (AAPL), and Amazon (AMZN) will decide to enter this business,” he says. “The question is, will they build their own stores or try to buy Shutterfly?”

Housenbold counters that the company has a strategy in place to make more money outside the holiday rush. During slower times, Shutterfly has started using its digital presses to print custom brochures and mailings for AT&T (T), Dell (DELL), and other customers. It’s a $ 13 million-a-year business that Anthony expects could hit $ 100 million in two to three years. Shutterfly has also acquired companies such as Tiny Prints and Wedding Paper Divas to round out its portfolio of stationery, greeting cards, and invitations that can be sent throughout the year. As Housenbold says, “It’s all about the moments that matter.”

The bottom line: With an estimated $ 600 million in sales last year, Shutterfly has become No. 1 in the business of turning digital photos into keepsakes.

Businessweek.com — Top News

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New Job Alerts System Launched to Help Canadians Looking for Work

OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Jan 6, 2013) – The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today launched the new Job Alerts system, making it easier for Canadians across the country to find out about local job opportunities.

“The new Job Alerts system is an important part of our government”s plan to better Connect Canadians with Available Jobs in their area,” said Minister Finley. “Starting today, Canadians can subscribe to the new system, which will help them find out about locally available jobs that match their skills.”

The new Job Alerts will provide emails to Canadian subscribers twice a day that contain job postings from a variety of sources, including Job Bank and other recruitment systems. Job Alerts will continue to be refined and improved over time to ensure it works effectively and efficiently for users.

In addition to job postings for their preferred occupation, subscribers will have access to labour market information and resources that will help support a reasonable job search for suitable employment for Employment Insurance regular and fishing claimants. Subscribers may also choose to receive information on related jobs or the job market in other regions.

The new system is also much simpler to use. Subscribers to the new enhanced Job Alerts system will only have to provide a valid email address to get started. Once users confirm their subscription, they can modify their preferences to define the type of information they want to receive.

For more information or to subscribe, visit WorkinginCanada.gc.ca/JobAlerts. 

IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL PREVAIL.

This news release is available online at www.actionplan.gc.ca.

Backgrounder

The new, enhanced Job Alerts system provides Canadian subscribers with a more comprehensive list of available jobs in their chosen occupation and local area by sending emails twice a day regarding job opportunities and related labour market information.

Among the new features available, Job Alerts can offer suggestions for alternative occupations related to a user”s current occupational field. These related occupations are based on the skills and knowledge of the user”s current occupation. The results are suggestions and will require further exploration to determine any differences or gaps in skills or training.

When the system launches, Job Alerts will include job postings from a variety of sources, including Job Bank and other recruitment systems. The Government is also working with private-sector companies to include job postings from their sites. As these agreements come into effect, Job Alerts will be able to provide daily alerts about job postings from an even broader range of sources.

As the system continues to evolve, subscribers will also receive additional information that can help them decide how and when to expand a job search. For example, a heavy equipment operator in the oil and gas industry may begin searching for the same job in the same industry. If he chooses to receive additional labour market information, he could find that his skills are in high demand in other sectors. This could help him make the decision to expand his search to the construction or utilities sector.

How can I register for Job Alerts?

Under the previous system, people had to register by creating a profile through Job Bank to receive alerts. Subscribing to the enhanced Job Alerts is easier than ever-simply:

1. visit WorkinginCanada.gc.ca/JobAlerts;


2. choose an occupation and location for which to receive an alert; and


3. provide an email address where the alerts can be sent twice daily.

You can expect to begin receiving email alerts within 24 hours of registration, which is voluntary and can be unsubscribed at any time.

While visiting WorkinginCanada.gc.ca to subscribe to Job Alerts, Canadians can also use other tools to help them in their job search. For instance:

• The Skills and Knowledge checklist allows users to explore jobs or career options that match their skills and knowledge. Users select which skills and knowledge they possess, and a list of results demonstrates occupations with similar matches.


• A user can also explore careers by education program. Users can input an education program to generate a list of occupations linked to that program. 

The Job Alerts system is part of the Government”s common-sense changes to help better connect unemployed Canadians with available jobs in their local area that match their skills.

Other Connecting Canadians with Available Jobs measures include clarifying what constitutes “suitable employment” and “reasonable job search” and working with interested provinces and territories to explore ways to help people on Employment Insurance access employment supports earlier in their claim.

Marketwire News Archive – Yahoo! Finance

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"Cliff" concerns give way to earnings focus

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors' "fiscal cliff" worries are likely to give way to more fundamental concerns, like earnings, as fourth-quarter reports get under way next week.

Financial results, which begin after the market closes on Tuesday with aluminum company Alcoa , are expected to be only slightly better than the third-quarter's lackluster results. As a warning sign, analyst current estimates are down sharply from what they were in October.

That could set stocks up for more volatility following a week of sharp gains that put the Standard & Poor's 500 index <.spx> on Friday at the highest close since December 31, 2007. The index also registered its biggest weekly percentage gain in more than a year.

Based on a Reuters analysis, Europe ranks among the chief concerns cited by companies that warned on fourth-quarter results. Uncertainty about the region and its weak economic outlook were cited by more than half of the 25 largest S&P 500 companies that issued warnings.

In the most recent earnings conference calls, macroeconomic worries were cited by 10 companies while the U.S. "fiscal cliff" was cited by at least nine as reasons for their earnings warnings.

"The number of things that could go wrong isn't so high, but the magnitude of how wrong they could go is what's worrisome," said Kurt Winters, senior portfolio manager for Whitebox Mutual Funds in Minneapolis.

Negative-to-positive guidance by S&P 500 companies for the fourth quarter was 3.6 to 1, the second worst since the third quarter of 2001, according to Thomson Reuters data.

U.S. lawmakers narrowly averted the "fiscal cliff" by coming to a last-minute agreement on a bill to avoid steep tax hikes this weeks -- driving the rally in stocks -- but the battle over further spending cuts is expected to resume in two months.

Investors also have seen a revival of worries about Europe's sovereign debt problems, with Moody's in November downgrading France's credit rating and debt crises looming for Spain and other countries.

"You have a recession in Europe as a base case. Europe is still the biggest trading partner with a lot of U.S. companies, and it's still a big chunk of global capital spending," said Adam Parker, chief U.S. equity strategist at Morgan Stanley in New York.

Among companies citing worries about Europe was eBay , whose chief financial officer, Bob Swan, spoke of "macro pressures from Europe" in the company's October earnings conference call.

REVENUE WORRIES

One of the biggest worries voiced about earnings has been whether companies will be able to continue to boost profit growth despite relatively weak revenue growth.

S&P 500 revenue fell 0.8 percent in the third quarter for the first decline since the third quarter of 2009, Thomson Reuters data showed. Earnings growth for the quarter was a paltry 0.1 percent after briefly dipping into negative territory.

On top of that, just 40 percent of S&P 500 companies beat revenue expectations in the third quarter, while 64.2 percent beat earnings estimates, the Thomson Reuters data showed.

For the fourth quarter, estimates are slightly better but are well off estimates for the quarter from just a few months earlier. S&P 500 earnings are expected to have risen 2.8 percent while revenue is expected to have gone up 1.9 percent.

Back in October, earnings growth for the fourth quarter was forecast up 9.9 percent.

In spite of the cautious outlooks, some analysts still see a good chance for earnings beats this reporting period.

"The thinking is you need top line growth for earnings to continue to expand, and we've seen the market defy that," said Mike Jackson, founder of Denver-based investment firm T3 Equity Labs.

Based on his analysis, energy, industrials and consumer discretionary are the S&P sectors most likely to beat earnings expectations in the upcoming season, while consumer staples, materials and utilities are the least likely to beat, Jackson said.

Sounding a positive note on Friday, drugmaker Eli Lilly and Co said it expects profit in 2013 to increase by more than Wall Street had been forecasting, primarily due to cost controls and improved productivity.

(Reporting By Caroline Valetkevitch; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

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NHL, union reach tentative agreement

NEW YORK (AP) — Hockey is back, and it took nearly four months and one long night to get the game back on the ice.

With the season on the line, the NHL and the players' association agreed on a tentative pact to end a 113-day lockout and save what was left of a fractured schedule.

Commissioner Gary Bettman and union executive director Donald Fehr ceased being adversaries and announced the deal while standing side by side near a wall toward the back of the negotiating room and showing a tinge of weariness.

"I want to thank Don Fehr," Bettman said. "We went through a tough period, but it's good to be at this point."

A marathon negotiating session that lasted more than 16 hours, stretching from Saturday afternoon until just before dawn Sunday, produced a 10-year deal.

"We've got to dot a lot of Is and cross a lot of Ts," Bettman said. "There's still a lot of work to be done, but the basic details of the agreement have been agreed upon."

Even players who turned into negotiators showed the strain of the long, difficult process.

"It was a battle," said Winnipeg Jets defenseman Ron Hainsey, a key member of the union's bargaining team. "Gary said a month ago it was a tough negotiation. That's what it was.

"Players obviously would rather not have been here, but our focus now is to give the fans whatever it is — 48 games, 50 games — the most exciting season we can. The mood has been nervous for a while. You want to be playing. You want to be done with this."

The collective bargaining agreement must be ratified by a majority of the league's 30 owners and the union's membership of approximately 740 players.

"Hopefully within a very few days the fans can get back to watching people who are skating, not the two of us," Fehr said.

All schedule issues, including the length of the season, still need to be worked out. The NHL has models for 50- and 48-game seasons.

The original estimate was regular-season games could begin about eight days after a deal was reached. It is believed that all games will be played within the two respective conferences, but that also hasn't been decided.

The players have been locked out since Sept. 16, the day after the previous agreement expired. That deal came after an extended lockout that wiped out the entire 2004-05 season.

"Any process like this is difficult. It can be long," Fehr said.

Time was clearly a factor, with the sides facing a deadline of Thursday or Friday to reach a deal that would allow for a 48-game season to start a week later. Bettman had said the league could not allow a season of fewer than 48 games per team.

All games through Jan. 14, along with the All-Star game and the New Year's Day Winter Classic had already been canceled, claiming more than 50 percent of the original schedule.

Without an agreement, the NHL faced the embarrassment of losing two seasons due to a labor dispute, something that has never happened in another North American sports league. The 2004-05 season was lost while the sides negotiated hockey's first salary cap.

Under the new CBA, free-agent contracts will have a maximum length of seven years, but clubs can go to eight years to re-sign their own players. Each side can opt out of the deal after eight years.

The pension plan was "the centerpiece of the deal for the players," Hainsey said.

The actual language of the pension plan still has to be written, but Hainsey added there is nothing substantial that needs to be fixed.

The players' share of hockey-related income, a total that reached a record $3.3 billion last season, will drop from 57 percent to a 50-50 split. The salary cap for the upcoming season will be $70.2 million and will then go down to $64.3 million in the 2013-14 season.

All clubs must have a minimum payroll of $44 million.

The league had wanted next season's cap to fall to $60 million, but agreed to an upper limit of $64.3 — the same amount as last season.

Inside individual player contracts, the salary can't vary more than 35 percent year to year, and the final year can't be more than 50 percent of the highest year.

A decision on whether NHL players will participate in the 2014 Olympics will be made apart from the CBA. While it is expected that players will take part, the IOC and the International Ice Hockey Federation will have discussions with the league and the union before the matter is settled.

After the sides stayed mostly apart for two days, following late-night talks that turned sour, federal mediator Scot Beckenbaugh worked virtually around the clock to get everyone back to the bargaining table.

This time it worked — early on the 113th day of the work stoppage.

George Cohen, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service director, called the deal "the successful culmination of a long and difficult road."

"Of course, the agreement will pave the way for the professional players to return to the ice and for the owners to resume their business operations," he said in a statement. "But the good news extends beyond the parties directly involved; fans throughout North America will have the opportunity to return to a favorite pastime and thousands of working men and women and small businesses will no longer be deprived of their livelihoods."

Before the sides ever came to an understanding regarding a 50-50 split of hockey-related revenues, the NHL first tried to cut the players' share from 57 percent to 46 percent.

A series of talks in the first couple of weeks of September don't bring the sides any closer, and the board of governors gave Bettman the authority to lock out the players at midnight on Sept. 15.

There was optimism about an end for the lockout when the sides held talks in New York on Dec. 5-6. The roller coaster took the participants and the fans on an up-and-down thrill ride that ended in major disappointment.

Fehr painted a picture that the sides were close to a deal, and Bettman chastised him for getting people's hopes up. Negotiations broke off, and the NHL announced it was pulling all offers off the table.

It wasn't until Beckenbaugh's determined effort in the final two days of the prolonged negotiations that the sides finally found common ground.

"We were making progress continually and to make a deal you have to continue to make progress until it's over," Hainsey said. "That finally happened today."

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