Fergie backs Rangers fans to come in peace

AFP/File/Sir Alex Ferguson

MANCHESTER (AFP) – Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists Rangers fans will be on their best behaviour when the Scottish champions visit Old Trafford for a potentially explosive Champions League clash.

Rangers supporters and riot police fought running battles in the streets of Manchester before and after the 2008 UEFA Cup final, which was played at Manchester City's Eastlands Stadium.

Over 100,000 Scots travelled from Glasgow without tickets for the match against Zenit St Petersburg, with 42 fans arrested and many more injured during the ugly scenes.

It is thought the riots were in part fuelled by the failure of a big screen that was due to show the final, which they eventually lost, leaving drunk supporters staring at a blank screen in one of the busiest parts of the city.

Rangers fans will return to Manchester for the first time since that night when they face United in the opening game of their Champions League group on September 14.

But for Ferguson, a former Rangers player, the match is an occasion to relish, and not one he expects to be spoiled by rowdy fans.

"There were circumstances that day," he said, referring to Rangers' previous visit to Manchester.

"I don't think it was well organised because fans were invited down without tickets.

"It is like every club. Rangers have fantastic supporters but they have some bad elements.

"The unfortunate incidents that day maybe could have been avoided.

"Too many travelled without tickets. It won't happen again because we will be giving Rangers their proper allocation and they will control where the tickets are going.

"I don't expect Rangers fans to travel without a ticket."

Under competition regulations, Rangers will be given an allocation of around 4,000.

Assistant chief constable Ian Hopkins has already expressed his belief the game will pass off without incident, saying: "Greater Manchester Police is extremely experienced at policing high profile European football matches.

"We will be working in partnership with the clubs and football authorities to ensure this is a safe and enjoyable game for all."

Manchester City Council intend to arrange the evening in a slightly different way, and confirmed there will be no big screens erected for fans to watch the game.
© AFP

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Intel warns 3Q results will miss expectations

Intel Corp

NEW YORK – Chip-maker Intel Corp. is cutting its sales forecast for the quarter, adding fresh evidence that a rickety economy is putting a damper on the back-to-school shopping season.
Intel is the world's biggest provider of microprocessors for PCs and a bellwether for the broader technology industry.

In a statement Friday, the company said it is seeing "weaker than expected demand for consumer PCs in mature markets," including the U.S. and Europe.
The warning comes a little more than a month after Intel reported its biggest quarterly profit in a decade. But those results were fueled by a rebound in technology spending at corporations, many of which held off replacing older computers during the recession.
Home computer purchases are another matter. Uncertainty about jobs is still keeping people's spending in check.
Intel said it now expects revenue of $10.8 billion to $11.2 billion for the fiscal third quarter, which ends in September. That compares with a previous forecast of $11.2 billion to $12 billion.
On average, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected $11.5 billion.
Intel is scheduled to report results on Oct. 12 and plans to update its fourth-quarter and full-year outlook then.
Intel's downgrade to its guidance wasn't entirely a surprise. Many investors simply didn't believe that Intel would be able to hit the higher numbers because of signals from other PC-industry suppliers that PC sales were collapsing.
Those fears were the main reason why Intel's stock has fallen about 13 percent since Intel issued its original guidance on July 13. The fall erased about $16 billion in shareholder wealth through Thursday's close.
After the company released its revised outlook, the company's shares rose 31 cents, or 1.7 percent, to $18.49 in midday trading Friday, amid a general lift on Wall Street.
Last week, PC makers Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. also raised red flags about what is normally a robust season for sales. Dell Chief Financial Officer Brian Gladden said in a conference call that the back-to-school shopping season has been "a little weaker than we would have expected."
Todd Bradley, head of HP's PC division, told investors that the company saw some "softness" in the consumer laptop market and that back-to-school shopping started "somewhat late for us."
Intel sees trends in the PC market early because its orders are based on the number of computers that PC makers are anticipating building.
The company has benefited from a recovering PC market for about a year and half. In April 2009, Intel CEO Paul Otellini proclaimed that PC sales "bottomed out" and had started recovering — a forecast that even the major PC makers wouldn't immediately get behind, but proved to be true.
Now, it appears the market is starting to dip again.
© yahoo.com AP Technology Writer Jordan Robertson contributed to this story from San Francisco

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Medicare Funds to Exhaust in 2029, Higher Mortgage Insurance Fees Approved and Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Declines

A new government estimate shows that Medicare will run out of funds by 2029, 12 years later than originally expected. In other insurance news, higher mortgage insurance fees have been approved by Senate and a report from JD Power and Associates shows that auto insurance customer satisfaction has declined.

Medicare Funds to Exhaust in 2029

The Obama administration has released a new report showing that Medicare will exhaust its funds by 2029. While this sounds bad, it is actually 12 years later than a previous report. The administration credits the 12-year extension to the health care reform law and cuts in payments to medical providers that could raise money for the program.
However, Medicare’s chief actuary, Rich Foster, says the numbers are a bit rosier than they should be since cuts aren’t likely to stand—doctors will probably drop out of the program to save their practices instead of accepting the cuts

Higher Mortgage Insurance Fees Approved

Recently, we reported that mortgage insurance fees were likely to increase in the near future. Now it seems that Congress is taking steps to make this official.
In early August, Senate unanimously approved legislation that would give the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) the power to hike the monthly premiums it charges to consumers. Currently, borrowers who take out loans through FHA to cover the 20 percent down payment on a home loan (also known as mortgage insurance) pay an annual fee of 0.55 percent of the total loan.
Now, FHA has been given the power to increase the rate to 1.55 percent with President Barack Obama left to give final approval

Auto Insurance Customer Satisfaction Declines

A study released by JD Power and Associates found that there has been a decline in auto insurance customer satisfaction so far in 2010. According to the study, satisfaction declined 10 points from 2009?s numbers to 777 on a 1,000-point scale.
The decline in satisfaction was largely attributed to the cost of coverage, which by itself declined 30 index points from 2009. However, other factors that attributed to overall dissatisfaction included interaction, billing and payment, policy offerings and claims
©  http://top-car-insurance-articles.com

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Auto Insurance Tips

There are many precautions you can take to reduce your risk of injury or worse when you operate a motor vehicle.
Though airbags are proven to greatly reduce deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents, they can be dangerous, we urge you to read our Airbag Safety tips.
After an Accident you're probably confused, upset, and possibly scared. While these are natural feelings to have after a collision, it's important to keep your wits about you and make sure you address 10 very important topics before making a claim.
Animal Collisions can cause a great deal of damage not just to the animal but the vehicle. The average cost of collision damage from large animals averages nearly $3000 and when bodily injury claims are factored in, that rises to $10,000. You should also read our tips on Car Breakdown Safety so you know what to do if your car ever breaks down and you are stranded on the side of the ride.
Using a Cell phone while Driving may not be in and of itself the most dangerous thing you can do but since it is so prevalent, it has become a far too common cause of collisions and near-collisions. When Driving in Bad Weather, it is important to take precautions to ensure your safety especially if you are taking a longer journey.
Road Rage is frustration manifested in actions including tailing slower drivers, obscene gestures and other actions that may lead to an accident. Read our Carjacking & Theft prevention tips to learn how to avoid being carjacked, how to avoid having your car stolen, and what to do if it is.
Senior Drivers are notoriously safe drivers and those older than 55 are far less likely to drive aggressively or too fast, which is why most insurance companies offer discounts to those drivers. It is important to make sure your child is strapped in and secured properly in a Child Safety Seat whenever they ride in the car with you.
Buying Safe Car typically ranks high on most people's lists. While every car must meet minimum federal safety standards, all cars are not equally safe. There are several safety features you should always consider when shopping for a new car. One of the best things you can do for your new teenage driver is to buy them a Safe Car. There are some criteria you should follow when deciding on what kind of vehicle to get them.
 © http://www.autoinsurance.net

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The tale of a difficult past

Kuakata, Patuakhali, Bangladesh

Kuakata, Patuakhali, Bangladesh.

The past was difficult.
There were storms, destroying and uprooting all the hopes.
There were unbearable days and nights, never ending solitude.
But like the old stories, after the gloomy period, the sun must shine.
Kuakata, Patuakhali, Bangladesh. The sea beach still contains the motifs of destruction by cyclone Sidr.© flickr.com

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