Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Has Compared Hungary To A Dictatorship


Viktor Orban

Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselbor has given a stern interview to Der Spiegel, comparing controversial Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's reforms to dictatorship in Belarus and arguing that the country should have its EU voting rights withdrawn.

Key passage:

Orbán has clearly breached Article 2 of the EU treaties that enshrine the democratic values of the constitutional state such as freedom and pluralism. The media have been under the control of the government for a year. Freedom of opinion has been abolished, the separation of powers is being ignored. Independent judges are being replaced by those loyal to the regime. In these points Hungary is no longer different from a dictatorship like that in Belarus.

Strong words considering Orbán appears to be backing down from his hardline positions. We wonder what this negative attention is doing for Orbán's domestic popularity — this weekend saw an estimated 100,000 people take to the streets in support of him, a fair amount larger than a recent anti-Orbán protest.

Read more at Der Spiegel >

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/RzFWd3-HXbY/hungary-orban-luxembourg-asselbor-2012-1

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The Perils of Social Media Connectivity: You Just Can't Quit

textingWe've all seen the group of teens sitting silently together at a table texting other people. If you're like me you wonder, what's the point of hanging out with friends when you're just texting someone else or updating Facebook?

But are we all that different from that group of apparently anti-social teens? Aren't we doing the same thing when we reply to a work email when out for dinner or when your entire table checks their phones for the answer to the day's trivia question? I know I've caught myself doing these things.

Hyper-connection means never missing a moment of the Kardashians. It means never missing an email, text, Tweet or status update. But is that a good thing? Are we too connected? And even if the answer is yes, is it even possible to back away from the smartphones and social media and go back to our old-fashioned, face-to-face, voice-to-voice ways?

Social Media Isn't Helping

I will admit I was a Facebook user back in the day when you had to have an ".edu" address just to get an account. It was the coolest thing since Myspace, which isn't saying much now, but back then it was a big deal. It was a novelty to be able to catch up with friends from high school, classmates at school, and co-workers at work.

Little did I know that Facebook was the gateway drug to hyper-connection.

Like pretty much everyone else on the planet, I'm hooked. But I also know I'm being overdosed. I'm happy for my friend who just had a baby, but do I need to see a new picture every day? No, Mom and Dad, I will not be your friend on Facebook even if I can hide my pictures from you. And at the end of the day, do I really need to know what 1,328 friends think about the College Football National Championship Game? Do I really have that many friends?

Of course, I can't quit now, can I? After all, Google had to go and start another social media site, Google+. Now I have LinkedIn for career networking, Facebook for friends, and Google + for ... (Why do I have Google +?) If that's not enough, there's Twitter, which I have to check 50 times a day just in case Texts From Last Night had something funny to say.

My head is spinning from being hyper-connected to things I don't even need in my life. And now they're coming at me at an even faster pace.

You're Being Left in the Dust

Have you seen the AT&T commercial where everything is "soooo 12 seconds ago." That's the industry saying that if you're not plugged in, you're falling behind.

The rollout of 4G networks by AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint has given us broadband-speed on-the-go that almost matches the speed of a home connection.

Yes, I rail against this progress. I claim that what I really need is an old-fashioned cell phone without Facebook or Twitter -- a phone that's so hard to text message on, I give up and call instead. Yes, I want to go back to the simpler days when I called to ask what you were up to or to say I was on my way home.

Even though that's what I want, it won't happen. I'm too connected. I'll use work as an excuse to Tweet and I'll admit that it's easier to text my friends to figure out plans for the night. And what would I do without those stupid games to fill up the extra time in my life? It's not like I read books anymore!

The electronics industry has drawn me in with its shiny gadgets and its lightning-fast information at my fingertips. I'll remember the days with my old-school cell phone and the conversations I once had. But if you want to reach me, you'll find me floating somewhere in the G+LinkedTwitterFace social media universe. There's no escaping it.

Motley Fool contributor Travis Hoium does not have a position in any company mentioned. You can follow Travis on Twitter at @FlushDrawFool. The Motley Fool owns shares of Google and Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Google and Apple, as well as creating a bull call spread position in Apple.

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Source: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/01/21/the-perils-of-social-media-connectivity-you-just-cant-quit/

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Earnings Could Push Texas Instruments Above $36

TI has diversified itself very well and while Analog and DLP & Calculators segments provide high margins, low growth, the application processor and wireless connectivity segment have room for growth.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2012/01/23/earnings-could-push-texas-instruments-above-36/

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FIFA Says Beer 'Must Be Sold' During 2012 World Cup, Walgreens Reviews $200 Million Creative Business -- Here's Today's Ad Brief


Budweiser Ad Screenshot

FIFA announced that beer "must be sold" during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, even though the host country has banned alcoholic drinks in its stadiums to reduce violence. (Brewer Budweiser is a big Fifa sponsor).

Walgreens has contacted agencies to review its $200 million media buying and creative business -- the requests for infortmation are due from agencies this week.

Christin Bensen has left Moxie Interactive after being their EVP of media and analytics for less than a year.

MZ Advertising has launched a fast food blog called "Restaurant Catch-Up" following the loss of one of its fast food accounts.

The E*Trade baby will make his fifth consecutive appearance in the Super Bowl this year.

Tremor Video, an independent online video advertising technology company, purchased InPlay Publisher analytics technology from TubeMogul, a media buying platform for video advertising.

Although many brands bid for product placement in the television show Modern Family, only about 90 percent of them make the cut. Apple, who had some serious face time on the show, never paid for product placement.

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WATCH: The Giants Win The NFC Championship Game After A Terrible 49ers Fumble In Overtime


The New York Giants are in the Super Bowl after beating the 49ers 20-17 in San Francisco.

The key play came in overtime, when Kyle Williams — who had already muffed one punt — fumbled on a punt return deep in his own territory.

We'll have two whole weeks to discuss Pats-Giants. But for now, here's the pivotal play from Giants-Niners:

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/YMB-aPCZbGU/49ers-fumble-giants-2012-1

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