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A bodyguard secures popular Egyptian television satirist Bassem Youssef, who has come to be known as Egypt's Jon Stewart, as he enters Egypt's state prosecutors office to face accusations of insulting Islam and the country's Islamist leader in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, March 31, 2013. Government opponents said the warrant against such a high profile figure, known for lampooning President Mohammed Morsi and the new Islamist political class, was an escalation in a campaign to intimidate critics. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egyptian popular television satirist Bassem Youssef, who has come to be known as Egypt's Jon Stewart, waves to is supporters as he enters Egypt's state prosecutors office in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, March 31, 2013 for accusations of allegedly insulting Islam and the country's leader. The acceleration in legal action targeting protesters, activists and critics comes against a backdrop of continued unrest in the country. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Popular Egyptian television satirist Bassem Youssef, who has come to be known as Egypt's Jon Stewart, waves to is supporters as he enters Egypt's state prosecutors office to face accusations of insulting Islam and the country's Islamist leader in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, March 31, 2013. Government opponents said the warrant against such a high profile figure, known for lampooning President Mohammed Morsi and the new Islamist political class, was an escalation in a campaign to intimidate critics. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egyptian popular television satirist Bassem Youssef, who has come to be known as Egypt's Jon Stewart, waves to is supporters as he enters Egypt's state prosecutors office to face accusations of insulting Islam and the country's Islamist leader in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, March 31, 2013. Government opponents said the warrant against such a high profile figure, known for lampooning President Mohammed Morsi and the new Islamist political class, was an escalation in a campaign to intimidate critics. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's most popular television satirist, who every week skewers the Islamist president and hard-line clerics on his Jon Stewart-style show, was released on bail Sunday but could face charges of insulting the country's leader and Islam.

Bassem Youssef is the most prominent critic of President Mohammed Morsi to be called in for questioning in recent weeks, in what the opposition says is a campaign to intimidate critics amid wave after wave of political unrest in deeply polarized Egypt.

Arrest warrants have been issued for five prominent anti-government activists accused of instigating violence.

Deputy chief prosecutor Hassan Yassin denied the nearly five-hour interrogation was part of an intimidation campaign and said his department was enforcing the law and seeking to establish some guidelines on freedom of expression.

"The prosecution is the protector of social rights and we work on implementing the law. ... There must be guidelines for those working in the media to observe so as not violate the law," Yassin told The Associated Press.

Morsi last week accused private media of fanning violence and argued that it was being used for political aims.

But Yassin denied that the prosecutor's office was operating at the behest of the presidency to go after Morsi's critics, saying it has also interrogated and sentenced Islamists. Morsi appointed the chief prosecutor late last year despite an outcry from many in the judiciary who accused him of trampling on their right to choose the top prosecutor.

A court ruling last week declared Morsi's appointment void, a verdict he will likely appeal.

"There is no contact between us and the presidency. ... Just like we moved against someone who insults Christianity, we moved against someone who is accused of insulting Islam," he said.

Youssef is the host of the weekly political satire show known for his skits lampooning Morsi and Egypt's newly empowered Islamist political class. But he also mocks the opposition and the media.

The fast-paced show has attracted a wide viewership, while at the same time earning its fair share of detractors. Youssef has been a frequent target of lawsuits, most of them brought by Islamist lawyers who accused him of "corrupting morals" or violating "religious principles."

Youssef frequently imitates Morsi's speeches and gestures. He has fact-checked the president, and in one particularly popular episode earlier this year, he played video clips showing remarks by Morsi, made in 2010 before he became president, calling Zionists "pigs."

The remarks caused a brief diplomatic tiff with the U.S. administration, and Morsi had to issue a statement to defuse the flap.

In his last episode this week, Youssef thanked Morsi for providing him with so much material.

Youssef has also made regular jokes about comments by Islamic clerics and presenters on Islamic TV stations, exposing contradictions between their comments and public speeches and what he considers the spirit of Islam.

Prosecutor Mohammed el-Sayed Khalifa was quoted on the website of the state-owned Al-Ahram daily that he has 28 plaintiffs in the case against Youssef accusing him of insulting Islam, mocking prayers, and "belittling" Morsi in the eyes of the world and his own people.

The plaintiffs are mostly regular citizens, according to Shaimaa Abul-Kheir, a representative of the New-York based Committee to Protect Journalists who was allowed to attend the interrogation.

In remarks to a TV presenter on CBC, the private station that airs his program, Youssef said on Saturday that his program does not insult Islam but aims to expose those who "distort" it.

"We don't insult religion. What we do is expose those so-called religious and Islamic stations which have offended Islam more than anyone else," he said. "If anyone is to be investigated for insulting religions, it should be all those who use Islam as a weapon and a political tool to swallow the others using religion."

When asked if programs in Egypt should be less scathing than those of the West, Youssef said: "We will give (the West) an example of how freedoms are respected after the revolution," he said of the 2011 uprising that ousted longtime authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak.

After turning himself in for questioning, Youssef first tweeted a series of quips from the prosecutor's office.

"They asked me the color of my eyes. Really," one said.

A news broadcaster at a TV station affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, Misr 25, accused Youssef of "mocking" the investigation. His tweets later were erased and he wrote that some reports from inside the interrogation room were "incorrect."

Amr Moussa, a former presidential candidate, called the warrant for Youssef's arrest a "provocation to Egyptians who are known for their love of what is funny."

"There is nothing odious about criticizing the president," he said in an emailed statement. "This humanizes the president."

Gamal Eid, a rights lawyer, said accusing Youssef of insulting religion ? as opposed to just the president ? is a tactic aimed at increasing public sympathy for the investigation.

"The accusation of insulting religion would mobilize more people against him," Eid said.

Gamal Heshmat, a lawmaker from the Muslim Brotherhood's political party, dismissed the opposition's claims of an intimidation campaign as an "exaggeration," adding that many critics of Morsi and his group are responsible for instigating violence and "offending" many in the public.

"What is the problem with abiding by the law? No one was detained and there were no extra-legal measures," he told the AP, describing the media as "chaotic," with numerous attacks against Morsi but few prosecutions.

"It is offensive ... Let the judiciary decide," he said.

A prosecution official said Youssef was to pay a bail of 15,000 LE ($2,200), pending the completion of an investigation. Youssef tweeted that the bail is for three separate cases.

Eid, the rights lawyer, said the release on bail means all options are open.

"The prosecution could continue investigation, put the case aside or send it to trial."

Meanwhile, in Egypt's second largest city, Alexandria, 11 people detained on Saturday including five lawyers accused of attacking a police station were released without charges.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-31-ML-Egypt/id-287f75c51b5b4763a54f115472888737

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

Source: http://purikukuror.blogspot.com/2013/03/sulkiness-polyp-computers-and.html

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These days, weight loss diets have been shifting beyond the conventional procedures. It really is additional about counting calorie consumption, removing carbs, figuring out nutrition facts and focusing far more on eating what you need.

Just take a look at any of your new diets (like the Food Lovers Fat Loss System as an example) and they'll all tell you that you simply can even eat pizza or chocolate cake and nonetheless shed excess weight. Is this a trick to sell more diets just because they play in your emotional wants? It certainly sounds much easier than just eating boring salads.

Maintain in mind that you happen to be not obtaining the large image, just the aspect which you wish to see. You still have to consume healthful foods - just like the boring salad. It's just that you can even consume the foods you are going to usually really feel guilty about eating and nevertheless shed weight. But will these types of unconventional weight loss diets ever operate for you personally?

Lots of of those new diets are determined by a fat burning method referred to as calorie shifting. With calorie shifting, you simply consume 4 - 5 compact meals per day, consuming different amounts of calories each day. This kind of eating kicks your metabolism into overdrive forcing the body to burn fat instead of storing it. Calorie shifting diets operate simply because they are backed up by science.

Take the Fat Loss for Idiots diet program as an illustration. It has been readily available for no less than 5 years and is among the most effective selling on line diets with a lot of unbiased customer reviews and critiques claiming the diet regime performs where other individuals have failed. Because then, there have already been a flurry of other diets that have been shown to work just also simply because they have incorporated exactly the same calorie shifting technique in to the diet regime. Identical diet program, various brand and naturally diverse creators put their twist to it.

The Food Lovers Fat Loss System promises that you simply can "eat all your favorite foods all day long and reduce your waistline just about every week." This can be a extremely bold statement and also they understand that it could be met with skepticism. The statement is both a fib in addition to a reality - marketing meant to appeal for your sense of need.

Who doesn't choose to realize that they can eat what they want and still reduce their waistline? Nevertheless, consuming what you need could be an over statement, what if you'd like pizza and fried chicken, is not that unhealthy or forbidden if you're trying to lose weight. Any weight loss expert would tell you to refrain oneself from eating them. But you happen to be still permitted to consume these foods in moderate amounts considering that we're focusing on shifting calorie values along with the focus is still placed on healthier foods.

From all the researching on the internet, it seems that the Food Lovers Fat Loss System does operate to get a larger percentage of men and women. You will discover lots of astounding results stories but some seem to believe that it doesn't matter in case you use Robert's system or any with the other calorie shifting diets - as I've pointed out you happen to be going to view outcomes for the reason that its not the brand that performs, its the calorie shifting strategy to losing weight.

What ever the price tag you pay to keep healthier weight loss and body, it should not actually matter but for any system like this, a number of people are complaining that the kit expenses lots and you still need to acquire pricey supplements that Robert recommends while some people favor to accomplish the diet plan with no obtaining them, plus the recipes are complicated and high-priced to shop for.

Source: http://healthfitnesstp.blogspot.com/2013/03/why-is-food-lovers-diet-so-popular.html

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INDIA NEWS NETWORK: Is Sonianomics An ?Occult? Form Of Economics?

Is Sonianomics An ?Occult? Form Of Economics?

Instead of economics, are Congress president Sonia Gandhi?s pet welfare schemes drawn from the occult?

In an Indian Express column that evaluates 15 years of Sonia Gandhi?s leadership, Chairman of Oxus Investments Surjit S Bhalla says that the Congress chief?s economic policies, which were aimed at helping the poor, but ended up hurting them the most, defy ?pure reason? and dubs them ?occult economics?.

Her policies have their origin in the creation of the Congress in 1885 by the Theosophical Society, an occultist movement, he says.

?Sonia UPA?s alchemy raised procurement prices of food grains beyond reason, helped a few rich farmers (say 20 million) and massively hurt ten times as many landless agricultural workers. And by generating super-inflation for four years, transformed the Indian economy beyond recognition,? says Bhalla.

Bhalla also analyses the economics of MGNREGA, a UPA pet scheme aimed at giving employment to the rural poor.

According to Bhalla, as per the NSS data of 2009-10, of the Rs 1,70,000 crore spent on MGNREGA, only a fifth reached the intended beneficiaries. In other words, about Rs 1,40,000 crore went to the non-poor. The scheme has helped nothing but corruption, says Bhalla.

Another example of ?occult economics? is the 2013-14 budget, in which the government aims at 13 percent GDP growth and 16 percent expenditure growth, which is to be financed with a 19 percent growth in tax revenue.

A third example of this brand of economics is the Food Security Bill, which is slated to be presented in the current Budget session of Parliament. The bill seeks to provide subsidised food grains to 67 percent of the country?s population.

According to a recent report in The Hindu, the bill would burden the government with a subsidy bill of about Rs 1.35 lakh crore.

Such economic policies have already halved the GDP growth, doubled inflation, depreciated the rupee by 20 percent and widened the current account deficit to 6.7 percent of GDP.

For the country to come out of the economic rot, Sonia has to change her occult spots by resorting to economic reforms, the Bhalla says. Otherwise, the Congress?and with it the country?will perish.

Source: http://hyd-news.blogspot.com/2013/03/is-sonianomics-occult-form-of-economics.html

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It looks like some changes are afoot at Booyah, the location-based gaming company best known as the maker of the MyTown franchise. MyTown and MyTown 2 attempted to evolve the location-based check-in model in gaming, allowing users not only check into locations within a city-building sim, but also scan and check into products in the real world.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/971M-8wvPq8/

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By Ben Hirschler

LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists have developed a new vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease that is safer and easier to manufacture, an advance they believe should greatly increase production capacity and reduce costs.

The technology behind the livestock product might also be applied to make improved human vaccines to protect against similar viruses, including polio.

The new vaccine does not require live virus in its production - an important consideration as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is extremely infectious and vaccine facilities handling virus samples are difficult to secure.

"It spreads like wild fire," said David Stuart, a professor of biology at the University of Oxford, who led the research.

A 2007 outbreak of FMD in southeast England, for example, was traced to a nearby vaccine site. The same facility, ironically, is home to some of the researchers behind the new vaccine.

In contrast to standard FMD livestock vaccines, the new product is made from synthetic empty protein shells containing no infectious viral genome, scientists reported in the journal PLOS Pathogens on Wednesday.

This means the vaccine can be produced without expensive biosecurity and does not need to be kept refrigerated.

"One of the big advantages is that since it is not derived from live virus, the production facility requires no special containment," Stuart said.

"One could imagine local plants being set up in large parts of the world where foot and mouth is endemic and where it still remains a huge problem."

Worldwide, between 3 billion and 4 billion doses of FMD vaccine are administered every year but there are shortages in many parts of Asia and Africa were the disease is a serious problem.

Current standard vaccines are based on 50-year-old technology, although U.S. biotech company GenVec last year won U.S. approval for a new one.

The purely synthetic British vaccine has so far been tested in small-scale cattle trials and found to be effective.

Stuart said the research team from the universities of Oxford and Reading and two state-funded bodies - Diamond Light Source and the Pirbright Institute - would now conduct larger tests while discussing the vaccine's commercial development.

"We are talking to a potential commercial partner," Stuart told Reuters, adding that it would probably take around six years to bring the new vaccine to market. He said it was too early to give an indication of how much the vaccine would cost.

He declined to name the company involved but said it was not Merial, the animal health division of Sanofi that shares Pirbright's site in southeast England.

Stuart and his colleagues were able to produce empty protein shells to imitate the protein coat that surrounds the FMD virus using Diamond's X-ray system to visualize images a billion times smaller than a pinhead.

The same approach could in future be used to make empty shell vaccines against related viruses such as polio and hand-foot-and-mouth, a human disease that mainly affects infants and children, the researchers said.

(Editing by Keiron Henderson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-scientists-develop-safer-foot-mouth-vaccine-013538002--finance.html

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According to the latest research, it may be on your breath.

It turns out that obesity may be detectable as a gas, thanks to organisms that inhabit our gut. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, researchers extend our knowledge about the hidden universe of the microbes that live within us to show that obesity is associated with certain populations of microbes that give off a distinctive gas.

To be more specific, obesity may smell a lot like?methane, which is to say, like not much at all, since methane in its naturally-occurring state is actually odorless. In the study. Dr. Ruchi Mathur, director of diabetes in the department of medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and her colleagues analyzed the breath of 792 men and women of various ages. Mathur focused on detecting methane in the breath, since animal studies found that the presence of a certain family of organisms called archaea, which are older than bacteria and colonize the gut, was linked with weight gain and conveniently released small amounts of methane gas. Mathur also knew from her own work analyzing the gas makeup of the breath from bariatric surgery patients that those releasing higher levels of methane in their breath tended to have a body mass index (BMI) nearly 7 points higher on average than those with lower levels.

(MORE: The Good Bugs: How the Germs in Your Body Keep You Healthy)

And sure enough, Mathur found that among the nearly 800 participants she tested, those with higher levels of methane (3 or more parts per million over 90 minutes) and hydrogen gases (20 or more parts per million) in their breath also tended to be heavier, with a BMI about 2.4 points greater than those with normal levels of the gases and about six percent more body fat on average.

?Our hope is that this is one piece of the complex puzzle that is obesity,? says Mathur, ?and that by identifying people who are obese because they have this microorganism, we can manipulate and work with the gut microbiome to lead to benefits in weight loss in that subgroup.?

(MORE: What Do Gut Bugs Have to Do With High Cholesterol? A Lot)

The culprit, she believes, is a member of archaea known as Methanobrevibacter smithii, which is present in the intestinal tract of about 70% of people, but elevated in about 30%. It?s that smaller group of individuals who might be genetically predisposed to harboring levels of M. smithii that might put them at higher risk of developing obesity. M. smithii harvests hydrogen molecules from neighboring microbes in the gut, which it then transforms into methane gas. The more it scavenges hydrogen from its environment, the more other microbes produce. But all of that activity is focused on extracting energy and nutrients from food, so along with the hydrogen gas, the microbes are also packing in more calories for the host, which can lead to weight gain. It?s also possible, says Mathur, that the release of methane slows the transit of digested food through the intestinal tract, and that could increase the time for additional calories from digested food to be absorbed and added to the body?s tally.

In order for M. smithii to thrive, it needs the hydrogen from surrounding microbes, and that may be why people with higher levels of both hydrogen and methane gases in their breath were heavier than those with elevated levels of methane or hydrogen alone.

(MORE: Skim Milk May Not Lower Obesity Risk Among Children)

So how does this help control the obesity epidemic? For those whose weight gain may be due in part to the activity of M. smithii, controlling the organisms with antibiotics or other medications could slow down the rate at which they pack on the pounds, and these individuals could easily be identified with a relatively simple breath test.

Mathur and her colleagues are also working with the American Diabetes Association to test a group of people with prediabetes who are overweight or obese and have elevated levels of methane in their breath. The researchers will test the participants? glucose tolerance, the time it takes for digested food to transit through the intestinal tract, and the amount of calories in the patients? stool. Then they volunteers will be given an antibiotic to essentially wipe out the population of M. smithii and the same parameters will be measured again, to see if eliminating the microbes will help change the patient?s weight profile and alter their trajectory toward diabetes.

She is also studying a group of children to see how early M. smithii buildup occurs, and how soon in development it starts to set up a pattern of weight gain that might then be interrupted by changing the composition of the gut microbial world. ?From an evolutionary perspective, our relationship with the microorganisms that live in us has basically been symbiotic, and we have evolved together,? she says. ?We?ve had that relationship for millenia, but it is just now being explored and discovered in more detail.? And, when it comes to controlling the obesity epidemic, could lead to the (sweet?) smell of success.

MORE: Americans Are Eating Fewer Calories, So Why Are We Still Obese?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/smell-obesity-094538640.html

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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/26/the-daily-roundup-for-03-26-2013/

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strawserbirdie83 · Mar. 26, 2013

Mar. 26, 2013 ? People are quick to point the finger or dismiss the effect of violent video games as a factor in criminal behavior. New evidence from Iowa State researchers demonstrates a link between video games and youth violence and delinquency.

Matt DeLisi, a professor of sociology, said the research shows a strong connection even when controlling for a history of violence and psychopathic traits among juvenile offenders.

"When critics say, 'Well, it's probably not video games, it's probably how antisocial they are,' we can address that directly because we controlled for a lot of things that we know matter," DeLisi said. "Even if you account for the child's sex, age, race, the age they were first referred to juvenile court -- which is a very powerful effect -- and a bunch of other media effects, like screen time and exposure. Even with all of that, the video game measure still mattered."

The results were not unexpected, but somewhat surprising for Douglas Gentile, an associate professor of psychology, who has studied the effects of video game violence exposure and minor aggression, like hitting, teasing and name-calling.

"I didn't expect to see much of an effect when we got to serious delinquent and criminal level aggression because youth who commit that level of aggression have a lot of things going wrong for them. They often have a lot of risk factors and very few protective factors in their lives," Gentile said.

The study published in the April issue of Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice examined the level of video game exposure for 227 juvenile offenders in Pennsylvania. The average offender had committed nearly nine serious acts of violence, such as gang fighting, hitting a parent or attacking another person in the prior year.

The results show that both the frequency of play and affinity for violent games were strongly associated with delinquent and violent behavior. Craig Anderson, Distinguished Professor of psychology and director of the Center for the Study of Violence at Iowa State, said violent video game exposure is not the sole cause of violence, but this study shows it is a risk factor.

"Can we say from this study that Adam Lanza, or any of the others, went off and killed people because of media violence? You can't take the stand of the NRA that it's strictly video games and not guns," Anderson said. "You also can't take the stand of the entertainment industry that it has nothing to do with media violence that it's all about guns and not about media violence. They're both wrong and they're both right, both are causal risk factors."

Researchers point out that juvenile offenders have several risk factors that influence their behavior. The next step is to build on this research to determine what combination of factors is the most volatile and if there is a saturation point.

"When studying serious aggression, looking at multiple risk factors matters more than looking at any one," Gentile said. "The cutting edge of research is trying to understand in what combination do the individual risk factors start influencing each other in ways to either enhance or mitigate the odds of aggression?"

What does this mean for parents?

There is a lot of misinformation about video game exposure, Anderson said, that makes it difficult for parents to understand the harmful effects. Although it is one variable that parents can control, he understands that with mixed messages about the risks some parents may feel it's not worth the effort.

"What parent would go through the pain and all the effort it takes to really control their child's media diet, if they don't really think it makes any difference? That is why it is so important to get out the simple and clear message that media violence does matter," Anderson said.

Just because a child plays a violent video game does not mean he or she is going to act violently. Researchers say if there is a take away for parents, it is an awareness of what their children are playing and how that may influence their behavior.

"I think parents need to be truthful and honest about who their children are in terms of their psychiatric functioning," DeLisi said. "If you have a kid who is antisocial, who is a little bit vulnerable to influence, giving them something that allows them to escape into themselves for a long period of time isn't a healthy thing."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Iowa State University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

M. DeLisi, M. G. Vaughn, D. A. Gentile, C. A. Anderson, J. J. Shook. Violent Video Games, Delinquency, and Youth Violence: New Evidence. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 2012; 11 (2): 132 DOI: 10.1177/1541204012460874

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/i5WEpZcOs2A/130326121605.htm

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Be sure to check out our detailed stock analysis (click here).Ken Heebner is the co-founder of Capital Growth Management, a money management firm with more than $6 billion under management. The hedge fund is growth-oriented and founded by Heebner in 1990. Capital Growth on average has a 17.2% return rate against the 12.8% of index, and of late the fund has been been making bets on the airlines.

Capital Growth's New Picks

A couple of Capital Growth's new picks includes those from the airline industry, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) and United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE: UAL). Delta is now Capital Growth's ninth largest holding, and United Continental is 19th (see Jim Cramer's thoughts on airlines). The recent consolidation of the industry, with the merger of U.S. Airways and American, leaves three major airlines, which should bode well for the remaining operators. In particular, the consolidation should lead to pricing power and higher revenue per seat.

Delta has managed to see impressive operating efficiencies and expects margin expansion of 2.5% to 4.5% for the March-ending quarter. Delta has been performing well across the board, with luggage misses falling 25% and customer complaints down 40% last quarter on a year over year basis. As far as longer-term growth, one of Delta's key moves has been the acquisition of a 49% stake in the British carrier Virgin Atlantic. The big "win" for Delta related to the acquisition includes the fact that Delta will now have greater access to the New York - London route. London's Heathrow airport is one of the busiest in the world and Delta Air Lines has only 0.3% of the slots at the airport, but Virgin has 3.3%.

United Continental was another one of Capital Growth's airline picks. United has some of the top unit revenue growth, and has been focusing on improving its products and in-flight features to help with differentiation. This includes having already installed economy plus seats on 91% of its fleet and embarking on new initiatives that include expanding its global routes. The airline plans to add international destinations that include Taiwan; Ireland, Paris and various Canadian locations, not to mention the first-ever nonstop Denver - Tokyo service.

Both Delta and United may also be the cheapest airlines in the industry:

Price to earnings (forward estimates)

Delta 5 times
United Continental 6 times
Southwest Airlines 10 times
Jetblue 10 times
Alaska Air 10 times

Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY)w as also another new position, with Capital Growth buying up 2.6 million shares and putting the timber REIT as its 22nd largest holding (read about the timber outlook). Weyerhaeuser is a somewhat diversified REIT, deriving 43% of revenues from wood products (lumber, plywood, etc.), 26% from fibers (pulp), 15% from timberlands (land) and 15% from real estate (housing and residential development). The timber REIT has an impressive asset base, and driving future performance should be a turnaround in the U.S. housing market and a greater demand for timber exports. Related to the U.S turnaround, S&P expects residential construction to recover nicely in 2013, with housing starts expected to be up 27%.

Capital Growth's Selloffs

As far as bearish signs, Capital Growth sold off shares of two major car makers, Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and General Motors Company (NYSE: GM). The firm sold off all of its GM shares and downsized its Ford shares by 32%. I don't necessarily agree with Capital Growth's sell offs and believe there are reasons to buy both stocks. For one, Ford expects industry volume of 15 million to 16 million unit sales in the U.S. for 2013, compared to the 14.8 million in 2012. The car company is also expecting gains in market share for its U.S. and China operations; its current U.S. market share is 15% in the U.S. and only 3% in China. Beside growth in China, Ford plans to focus on the highly populous country of India by boosting exports of its engine production and manufacturing in India and then embarking on plans to ship from India to Europe. Ford also pays a near 3% dividend yield that is sometimes overlooked (read about Ford's great dividend).

GM is another top car maker. The company has some $18 billion in cash, with total debt of only $16.0 billion. North American market share is just one of GM's focuses, but the company does plan to boost market share and increase prices in the region over the next few years. This includes upping its profit margins from 8% to 10% for the region over the next three years. The margin expansion is expected to be a result of its investments in Cadillac, which it hopes to bring to the forefront as a premier brand.

With Ford's plans to look to China and India for growth, GM is following suit. GM has a joint venture with SAIC for opening its second plant in the Guangxi province for manufacturing the only-in-China brand Baojun, which will be able to produce some 400,000 vehicles annually. GM also has a joint venture with SAIC, of which it owns 93%, that will launch several light commercial vehicles in the Indian car market. GM's India operations will also export vehicles to other markets, including South America and South East Asia (see how the car makers are doing in China so far).

As far as GM and Ford go, both still trade much cheaper than their overseas counterparts:

Price to Earnings

Ford 9 times
GM 9.5 times
Toyota 19 times
Honda 17 times

Don't Be Fooled

Capital Growth focuses on growth-storied stocks. It appears that they believe the airline industry has impressive growth ahead, namely Delta and United. As well, a leading timber REIT, Weyerhaeuser, should also grow nicely on the back of a rebounding U.S. housing and real estate recovery. Meanwhile, it appears Capital Growth no longer sees the top U.S. car makers, Ford and GM, as growth stories. Yet, I believe both of these stocks could still reward shareholders over the interim. The growth prospects for the car industry might not be as robust as the airline industry, but I think Ford and GM have the advantage of being value plays, trading well below their Japanese counterparts

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gurufocus/nbNb/~3/Faeq-47G5Ss/growth-hedge-fund-shakeups-ford-f-delta-dal-and-more

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