Tesla CEO amends Model S financing deal after criticism

By Deepa Seetharaman

DETROIT (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc, the automaker led by billionaire Elon Musk, overhauled financing strategy for the Model S electric sedan in response to criticism that its initial plan last month overstated the potential cost savings.

Changes include allowing buyers 72 months, instead of 63, to repay loans, lowering monthly costs by more than one-fourth. Tesla also guaranteed that the resale value of the Model S would top other luxury cars in its segment.

"We looked at it and decided we were wrong," Chief Executive Musk told reporters during a conference call on Friday. "Other people were right, and we needed to fix it."

The financing deal is intended to make the Model S electric sedan, which starts around $70,000 before a $7,500 tax credit, more affordable.

But Tesla got flack from critics who said the company was too aggressive in saying payments could be as low as $500 a month. The company's online payment calculator valued time saved filling up on gas at $100 an hour.

The automaker also drew criticism for pegging the resale value of the Model S to the Mercedes S class of sedans.

Tesla has since changed the default settings of its online payment calculators to be more conservative. The calculator now reflects only potential gas savings and assumes premium gas will be below $5 a gallon over the next three years.

Tesla will also guarantee that the resale value of the Model S will be higher than comparable luxury vehicles from BMW , Audi , Mercedes , Lexus or Jaguar , the company said.

"We're guaranteeing that the resale value in three years will be better than that of any of the major premium sedan brands," Musk told reporters.

Without taking into account gas savings, the monthly cost of owning a Model S will be around $800, down from $1,100, Musk said during the call. Including gas savings, the cost will be between $500 and $600 a month.

If 70 percent of the miles put on the car are for business purposes, the depreciation benefits cuts the "effective monthly cost" of owning a Model S down to $350, Tesla said.

The new financing deal will be extended to those who financed their Model S purchases over the last month. At least one-fifth of buyers over the last month made use of the financing deal, but Musk told reporters that he expects that figure to go as high as 70 percent.

(Reporting by Deepa Seetharaman; editing by Gunna Dickson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tesla-ceo-amends-model-financing-deal-criticism-200436877.html

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Immigration debate gives life to annual rallies

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? Social media and text messaging have emerged as indispensable tools for advocates of a sweeping immigration overhaul, but street marches have an enduring allure.

Tens of thousands are expected to rally in dozens of cities from New York to Bozeman, Mont., on Wednesday in what has become an annual cry for easing the nation's immigration laws. The rallies carry a special sense of urgency this year, two weeks after a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill that would bring many of the estimated 11 million living in the U.S. illegally out of the shadows.

"The invisible become visible on May 1," said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, which is organizing what was expected to be the nation's largest rally.

The May Day crowds were not expected to approach the massive demonstrations of 2006 and 2007, during the last serious attempt to introduce major changes to the U.S. immigration system. Despite the large turnouts, many advocates of looser immigration laws felt they were outmaneuvered by opponents who flooded congressional offices with phone calls and faxes at the behest of conservative talk-radio hosts.

Now, immigrant advocacy groups are focusing heavily on calling and writing members of Congress, sometimes targeting specific lawmakers at key moments in the debate. Reform Immigration for America, a network of groups, claims more than 1.2 million subscribers, including recipients of text messages and Facebook followers.

A text-message blast during a key vote in 2010 on legislation to provide legal status to many who came to the country as children resulted in 75,000 phone calls to members of Congress in two days, said Jeff Parcher, communications director for the Center for Community Change, which works on technology-driven advocacy for the network of groups.

A phone blitz targeting Sen. Orrin Hatch produced 100 calls a day to the Utah lawmaker's office last week, Parcher said. After Hatch was quoted Sunday in The Salt Lake Tribune saying immigration reform couldn't wait, a message went out to call his office with thanks.

Organizers are also reaching out by email and old-fashioned phone banks.

"The general rule is you keep people on the platform they're used to," Parcher said. "If they're on Facebook, we'll ask them to post something to Congress members' pages."

Gabriel Villalobos, a Spanish-language talk radio host in Phoenix, said many of his callers believe it is the wrong time for marches, fearful that that any unrest could sour public opinion on immigration reform. Those callers advocate instead for a low-key approach of calling members of Congress.

"The mood is much calmer," said Villalobos, who thinks the marches are still an important show of political force.

Salas, whose group is known as CHIRLA, dates the May Day rallies to a labor dispute with a restaurant in the city's Koreatown neighborhood that drew several hundred demonstrators in 2000. Crowds grew each year until the House of Representatives passed a tough bill against illegal immigration, sparking a wave of enormous, angry protests from coast to coast in 2006.

The rallies, which coincide with Labor Day in many countries outside the U.S., often have big showings from labor leaders and elected officials.

Aside from Los Angeles, big crowds were expected in New York, Chicago and Milwaukee. At a rally in Salem, Ore., Gov. John Kitzhaber planned to sign legislation to authorize drivers' licenses to people in the state illegally. With Congress in recess, there were no major demonstrations planned in the nation's capital.

Organizers were sending text-message blasts on Tuesday to remind subscribers of times and places for the marches.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-05-01-Immigration%20Marches/id-9d0e640dada342608a40057c5ecd41f3

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Social Innovation Summit 2013 | Business Call to Action

Dear Members and Friends,

As you may know, UN Development Programme and Business Call to Action are proud partners of the Social Innovation Summit 2013 at the United Nations on May 29-30^th and are delighted to extend you this special invitation! To register online as our guest, please use VIP Code: UN30 (special 30% discount).

Social Innovation Summit is a premier invitation-only conference connecting and inspiring a unique network of the top Business, Philanthropy, Media, Technology & Community leaders passionate about creating positive social change.?Balancing significant networking opportunities with a roster of high-profile speakers, the Social Innovation Summit offers a unique framework to discuss global challenges, analyze innovative approaches for problem-solving, and build lasting partnerships that maximize social impact.

Hosted in partnership with Landmark Ventures and the United Nations Office for Partnerships, we would be delighted if you would accept our invitation with details as follows:

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May 29-30, 2013
United Nations Headquarters
First Avenue at 46^th Street
New York, NY 10017

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ONLINE REGISTRATION

Summit Website:??www.socinnovation.com

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PARTIAL LIST OF PAST SPEAKERS

• Adam Brotman, Chief Digital Officer ? Starbucks
• Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director of Global Community Affairs ? Microsoft
• Alan Hassenfeld, Chairman of the Executive Committee ? Hasbro
• Alicia Keys, Multi-Platinum Grammy award-winning Musician, Actress
• Barbara Bush, Executive Director ? Global Health Corps
• Bill Draper, Legendary VC; Chairman ? Draper Richards Foundation
• Bill Gross, Chairman & CEO ? Idealab
• Bryan Clay, Olympic Decathlete, Gold Medalist ? 2008 Beijing Olympics
• Charles Best, Founder & CEO ? DonorsChoose.org
• Charles Moore, Executive Director ? Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy
• Craig Newmark, Chairman & Founder ? Craigslist
• Cynthia Germanotta, Co-founder and President ? Born This Way Foundation (Lady Gaga?s Mother)
• Dan Warmenhoven, Chairman ? NetApp
• Daniel Epstein, CEO ? Unreasonable Institute
• Dan?l Lewin, EVP, Strategic & Emerging Business Development ? Microsoft
• Dikembe Mutombo, Philanthropist, former NBA All-Star
• Eric Benhamou, Former Chairman & CEO ? Palm, 3Com
• Gerald Chertavian, Founder & CEO ? Year Up
• Howard W. Buffett, Executive Director ? Howard G. Buffett Foundation
• Hunter Walk, Head of Social Good Initiatives ? YouTube
• Jacquelline Fuller, Director, Charitable Giving & Advocacy ? Google
• James Gowen, Chief Sustainability Officer ? Verizon
• Jean-Pierre Rosso, Chairman ? World Economic Forum USA
• Jeff Seabright, Chief Environmental Officer ? Coca-Cola
• Jeff Swartz, Former CEO & President ? Timberland
• John Abele, Founder ? Boston Scientific Corporation
• John Wood, Founder & Co-Chairman ? Room to Read
• Jonathan Greenblatt, Head, Office of Social Innovation ? White House
• Kathy Pickus, VP, Abbott Fund & Global Citizenship and Policy ? Abbott Labs
• Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, President ? Marc & Laura Andreessen Foundation
• Mallory Weggemann, Paralympic Swimmer, Gold Medalist ? 2012 London Olympics
• Marc Pollick, President and Founder, The Giving Back Fund
• Marika?McCauley Sine, Director of International Public Affairs ? Coca-Cola
• Maura O?Neil, Chief Innovation Officer?? USAID
• Mitchell Kapor, Founder ? Mitchell Kapor Foundation
• Nick Beim, General Partner ? Matrix Partners
• Nirvan Mullick, Founder, Imagination Foundation; Director ? Caine?s Arcade
• Padma Lakshmi, Author, Actress, Model, Television Host; Co-Founder ? Endometriosis Foundation
• Peter Bloom, Chairman ? DonorsChoose.org
• Rahul Raj, Director of Sustainability and E-Commerce ? Walmart.com
• Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder and Chairman ? LinkedIn
• Rhonda Mims, President ? ING Foundation
• Richard Hall, Director, Global Strategic Alliances ? Intel Corporation
• Robert Torres, Senior Program Officer ? Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Sal Khan, CEO & Founder ? Khan Academy
• Seth Farbman, Global Chief Marketing Officer ? Gap
• Shannon Schuyler, Senior Managing Director, Corporate Responsibility ? PwC
• Shelly Esque, President ? Intel Foundation
• Soon-Hong Choi, Chief Information Technology Officer ? United Nations
• Steve Gleason, Former NFL Player; Founder ? Team Gleason Foundation
• Ted Danson, Actor, Activist; Board Member ? Oceana
• Tim Draper, Founder & Managing Director ? Draper Fisher Juvertson
• Tim Koogle, Former CEO/Chairman ? Yahoo!
• Timothy McClimon, President ? American Express Foundation
• Tom Shadyac, Director, Screenwriter, and Producer ? Ace Ventura, Bruce Almighty, I Am
• Tony Bates, President ? Skype Division, Microsoft
• Wyclef Jean, Musician, Record Producer, Politician

CONFIRMED ATTENDEES

Participants include an elite?invitation-only gathering of top Fortune 500 Corporate Executives, Venture Capitalists, Government Leaders, Heads of CSR, Foundation Presidents, Changemakers and Social Entrepreneurs with firms such as?Abbott,?American Express, AOL, Bain Capital, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boston Scientific, BP, Cantor Fitzgerald, CBS, CDW, Clinton Global Initiative, Cisco, Citi, CVS Caremark, Deutsche Telekom, Devex, Discovery Communications,? DonorsChoose.org, eBay,?ESPN, F5 Networks, Facebook,? Ford Foundation, Gap, General Electric, Genzyme, Goldman Sachs, Google, Grameen Foundation, Groupon, Hasbro, HBO, HP, Howard G. Buffett Foundation, ING, Intel, JPMorgan Chase, MasterCard, McKesson, McKinsey, Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Merck, Microsoft, MTV Networks, National Geographic, NBC Universal, NetHope, NYU,?ONE Campaign, Palm Ventures, Pencils of Promise, Pfizer, PwC, Robin Hood, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Salesforce.com, Samsung, Siemens, Skoll?Foundation, Sony, Stanford University, Starbucks, T-Mobile, Target, Time Warner, Twitter, United Nations, Verizon, Viacom, Virgin, VMware, Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart, Walt Disney, Western Union, White House, World Bank, Yahoo!, Year Up, YouTube, etc.

Registration also includes your access to the 1?1 networking tool which is a great way to browse, connect and schedule meetings with the literally hundreds of global leaders and innovators converging for the conference.

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Source: http://www.businesscalltoaction.org/news-highlights/2013/04/social-innovation-summit-2013/

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Blackhawks Edge Wild 2-1 In OT: Bryan Bickell Goal Lifts Chicago To Game 1 Win (VIDEO)

CHICAGO ? Bryan Bickell scored in overtime on a two-on-one rush, and the Chicago Blackhawks started the playoffs on a winning note after dominating the regular season, beating the Minnesota Wild 2-1 Tuesday night.

Corey Crawford settled down after allowing a weak goal in the opening minutes. Marian Hossa also scored, and the Blackhawks took the early lead in this first-round series.

Game 2 is Friday at the United Center.

The Blackhawks finally put this one away when Johnny Oduya chipped the puck off the boards up to Viktor Stalberg on the right side. Stalberg then dished it to Bickell on the two-on-one rush in front for the winner at 16:35.

Big things are expected in Chicago after a spectacular regular season that included a record start and the team's first Presidents Trophy since 1991.

The Blackhawks are eyeing a run to the Stanley Cup for the second time in four years. They have been eliminated in the first round the past two seasons after beating Philadelphia for the championship in 2010, and they realize that for all they accomplished thus far in 2013, they'll ultimately be judged by what happens in the playoffs.

They seemingly caught a break before the game when Minnesota goalie Niklas Backstrom was scratched because of a leg injury suffered while reaching for a puck in the pregame warm-ups.

Josh Harding replaced him and more than held his own after being limited to just five games following a multiple sclerosis diagnosis last summer. Harding made 35 saves.

The Wild, trying to match what the Los Angeles Kings did a year ago and win the Stanley Cup as an eight seed, took the lead just under five minutes into the game when Cal Clutterbuck fooled Crawford with a soft shot from the left circle.

The goal on Minnesota's first shot brought back some bad memories for Blackhawks fans who remember him allowing several soft goals in the playoffs against Phoenix a year ago.

Hossa tied it just over two minutes into the second period, streaking down the left side, getting behind Minnesota's Jonas Brodin and firing the puck between Harding's pads after taking a feed from Patrick Kane.

Harding made a big save with his right pad from point-blank range on Kane after he beat Marco Scandella in the opening minutes of the third period to preserve the 1-1 tie.

Chicago appeared to take the lead midway through the third. Minnesota's Jared Spurgeon fell on a loose puck just outside the crease, and the Blackhawks kept swatting at it. Jonathan Toews knocked it into the net, but the whistle had already blown.

Blackhawks fans responded with some nasty chants, but they were letting out big sighs of relief two minutes later when a wraparound shot by Minnesota's Jason Zucker slid across the crease.

After five of their six playoff games against Phoenix last year went to overtime, the Blackhawks found themselves in a familiar spot.

They almost won it in OT when Hossa skated toward the net and drew Harding to the ice, but the goalie barely deflected his backhanded shot. Crawford then had a big blocker save on Zach Parise.

Notes: Kane is sporting a playoff mullet again. "I think it's fun," he said. "It's good for a good laugh or two. It's something that's been a little bit of a tradition." The youthful looking Kane gained national attention when he grew the mullet for the championship run in 2010 and he went with it again the following year. He went with a beard, instead, last year. But on Tuesday, he was all business up front and party in the back. ... Besides Emery, the Blackhawks were without Dave Bolland (lower body injury).

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/30/blackhawks-wild-overtime-bickell-playoffs_n_3189934.html

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Chile to be Latin America's only candidate to U.N. Council

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile will be Latin America's sole candidate for a seat at the United Nations' Security Council for the 2014 to 2015 period, Foreign Affairs Minister Alfredo Moreno told reporters on Tuesday.

The Andean country needs to be elected by two-thirds of the General Assembly in October to win a two-year term. Chile has already been elected to the Security Council four times.

The U.N.'s Security Council, which has five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members, is focused on maintaining international peace and security.

Argentina and Guatemala are the only two Latin American countries currently part of the council.

Chile is currently led by conservative, business-friendly President Sebastian Pinera. Former leader Michelle Bachelet, a center-left politician who used to head U.N. Women, is widely expected to win this year's presidential election.

(Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chile-latin-americas-only-candidate-u-n-council-213358227.html

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Toward stopping abuse of women and girls

A Christian Science perspective.

By Annu Matthai / April 29, 2013

What is a woman?

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A weak human being to be overpowered, violated, and exploited?

If I were to go only by the recent news reports here in India, I?d be inclined to believe that. But is that really what a woman is? I like to think that the majority of people wouldn?t agree.

When we think of our mothers, wives, daughters, or friends, do we associate them only with a physical form? Rather, don?t we think of their warmth, gentleness, tenderness, and even their strength? Perhaps it is their unselfishness or honesty that comes to mind. Isn?t that really what womanhood is all about ? qualities that comfort, nurture, and strengthen?

Those qualities of warmth, love, and unselfishness belong to us all, irrespective of our gender. Men express these ?feminine? qualities just as women express the ?masculine? qualities of strength and courage. Through my study of Christian Science, I?ve come to understand that it is a combination of the feminine and the masculine qualities that makes up our individuality and gives us a sense of wholeness and completeness. Mary Baker Eddy, who discovered Christian Science, explains it this way in ?Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures?: ?Union of the masculine and feminine qualities constitutes completeness? (p. 57).

Look around you and you will see shining examples of men and women who combine these qualities perfectly. Why then have we set up these divisions, put ourselves into these little compartments of ?men must be like this? and ?women must be like that??

Much change has come to those old ways of thinking, and we are starting to break out of those compartments. Some argue that it is this breaking up that is bringing violence against women to the surface. Perhaps it is so. Perhaps it is a stirring up that is going on, bringing false ideas of both women and men to the surface so that they can be removed. False ideas that women are weak and must stay that way, or that men are strong but unable to control their bodies or their actions. It?s a wrong notion that strength can be expressed only harshly or that tenderness is equivalent to weakness. True strength is expressed gently. ?Tenderness accompanies all the might imparted by Spirit,? wrote Mrs. Eddy (Science and Health, p. 514). Gentleness is not a sign of weakness.

Much more remains to be done if we are to close the gender gap that is so evident in the recent instances of violence against women in India that have horrified the country and the world. It is really a gap in the general thought that is calling to be filled with right ideas about true manhood and womanhood ? the ideal man, God?s reflection, whom the Bible refers to in its first chapter of its first book: ?God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

This is something each of us can do because each one of us contributes to the general thought. So today, let?s claim our right ? and everyone else?s as well ? to express our wholeness, our masculinity, and our femininity. It will give a boost to the health and progress of individuals and nations as nothing else can.

Adapted from the author?s blog on SpeakingTree.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/DkFAzsvO9jE/Toward-stopping-abuse-of-women-and-girls

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