FDA approves highly anticipated weight-loss pill

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Food and Drug Administration is approving a weight loss drug from Vivus Inc. that many doctors consider the most effective therapy among a new generation of anti-obesity pills.

The agency cleared the pill Qsymia (CUE-simm-ee-ah) for adults who are obese or overweight and have at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol.

Patients taking Qsymia for one year lost 11 percent of their body weight, on average. That was more than two other weight loss pills recently reviewed by the FDA.

Qsymia is the second weight loss drug approved by the FDA in less than a month. In late June the agency approved Arena Pharmaceutical's pill Belviq. Previously the agency had not approved a new drug for long-term weight loss since 1999.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-07-17-Obesity%20Drug-FDA/id-9b1eedf4faa64abf815914df1aaddde4

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Heat is source of 'Pioneer Anomaly', NASA spacecraft study finds

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) ? The unexpected slowing of NASA's Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft -- the so-called "Pioneer Anomaly" -- turns out to be due to the slight, but detectable effect of heat pushing back on the spacecraft, according to a recent paper. The heat emanates from electrical current flowing through instruments and the thermoelectric power supply.

The results were published on June 12 in the journal Physical Review Letters.

"The effect is something like when you're driving a car and the photons from your headlights are pushing you backward," said Slava Turyshev, the paper's lead author at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "It is very subtle."

Launched in 1972 and 1973 respectively, Pioneer 10 and 11 are on an outward trajectory from our sun. In the early 1980s, navigators saw a deceleration on the two spacecraft, in the direction back toward the sun, as the spacecraft were approaching Saturn. They dismissed it as the effect of dribbles of leftover propellant still in the fuel lines after controllers had cut off the propellant. But by 1998, as the spacecraft kept traveling on their journey and were over 8 billion miles (13 billion kilometers) away from the sun, a group of scientists led by John Anderson of JPL realized there was an actual deceleration of about 300 inches per day squared (0.9 nanometers per second squared). They raised the possibility that this could be some new type of physics that contradicted Einstein's general theory of relativity.

In 2004, Turyshev decided to start gathering records stored all over the country and analyze the data to see if he could definitively figure out the source of the deceleration. In part, he and colleagues were contemplating a deep space physics mission to investigate the anomaly, and he wanted to be sure there was one before asking NASA for a spacecraft.

He and colleagues went searching for Doppler data, the pattern of data communicated back to Earth from the spacecraft, and telemetry data, the housekeeping data sent back from the spacecraft. At the time these two Pioneers were launched, data were still being stored on punch cards. But Turyshev and colleagues were able to copy digitized files from the computer of JPL navigators who have helped steer the Pioneer spacecraft since the 1970s. They also found over a dozen of boxes of magnetic tapes stored under a staircase at JPL and received files from the National Space Science Data Center at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., and worked with NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., to save some of their boxes of magnetic optical tapes. He collected more than 43 gigabytes of data, which may not seem like a lot now, but is quite a lot of data for the 1970s. He also managed to save a vintage tape machine that was about to be discarded, so he could play the magnetic tapes.

The effort was a labor of love for Turyshev and others. The Planetary Society sent out appeals to its members to help fund the data recovery effort. NASA later also provided funding. In the process, a programmer in Canada, Viktor Toth, heard about the effort and contacted Turyshev. He helped Turyshev create a program that could read the telemetry tapes and clean up the old data.

They saw that what was happening to Pioneer wasn't happening to other spacecraft, mostly because of the way the spacecraft were built. For example, the Voyager spacecraft are less sensitive to the effect seen on Pioneer, because its thrusters align it along three axes, whereas the Pioneer spacecraft rely on spinning to stay stable.

With all the data newly available, Turyshev and colleagues were able to calculate the heat put out by the electrical subsystems and the decay of plutonium in the Pioneer power sources, which matched the anomalous acceleration seen on both Pioneers.

"The story is finding its conclusion because it turns out that standard physics prevail," Turyshev said. "While of course it would've been exciting to discover a new kind of physics, we did solve a mystery."

Pioneer 10 and 11 were managed by NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Pioneer 10's last signal was received on Earth in January 2003. Pioneer 11's last signal was received in November 1995. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Slava Turyshev, Viktor Toth, Gary Kinsella, Siu-Chun Lee, Shing Lok, Jordan Ellis. Support for the Thermal Origin of the Pioneer Anomaly. Physical Review Letters, 2012; 108 (24) DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.241101

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/QevY8g8AH3M/120718115354.htm

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Dieting Sorcery - Poof! - You're Thin&8226Weight Loss And Fitness ...

Magic enthralls, excites and gives us great delight. It opens our minds to the ?what ifs? in our lives. ?And when it comes to dieting, millions of people are caught up in diet sorcery. ?They are enchanted; they believe in the ?what ifs.?

Real people in a real world will appreciate the facts?

?A much-publicized study suggesting that a high-protein diet is better for weight loss is just an illusion, as are other diets, one expert says. ? Inside Health. Research ? Fitness & Nutrition ? Money & Policy ? Views ? Health Guide ??
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/10/health/nutrition/q-and-a-are-high-protein-low-carb-diets-effective.html

Do you really, really ?understand what was written about the Adkins diet?

?They report that people on the Atkins diet were burning off more calories. Ergo, the diet is a good thing. Such low-carbohydrate diets usually give a more rapid initial weight loss than diets with the same amount of calories but with more carbohydrates. But when carbohydrate levels are low in a diet and fat content is high, people lose water. That can confuse attempts to measure energy output. The usual measurement is calories per unit of lean body mass ? the part of the body that is not made up of fat. When water is lost, lean body mass goes down, and so calories per unit of lean body mass go up. It?s just arithmetic.

In simple terms, calories burned are measured by our nonfat body. ?The more water you lose, the more your nonfat body mass decreases. ?So?it will appear that those with lower lean body mass, are burning more calories. ?But, it?s not true?they are losing water weight, not fat.

If a weight loss program sounds too good to be true, it probably is a bunch of malarkey and you should get a firm grip on reality. ?There are certain rules to losing weight.

There is an inflexible law of physics ? energy taken in must exactly equal the number of calories leaving the system when fat storage is unchanged. Calories leave the system when food is used to fuel the body. To lower fat content ? reduce obesity ? one must reduce calories taken in, or increase the output by increasing activity, or both.

So that is the truth. ?To lose fat, you either reduce the number of calories you eat each day, or you rev up your activity. The good news is, is that it doesn?t matter from what foods you get your calories. ?A calorie is a calorie.

Some diets are better or worse for medical reasons, but not for weight control.

What does matter is your health, and that my friend, is another topic for another day.

?

?

Source: http://weightlossandme.com/dieting-sorcery-poof-youre-thin/

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Video: Cut Taxes or Restore Jobs?

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

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/48201495/

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Video: Robotic snake slithers up pole, hugs guy's bicep

11 hrs.

John Roach

For those who like to keep snakes and robots at an arm?s distance, don?t watch this video. It shows a snake-bot climb a pole and coil around a guy?s bicep.

Carnegie Mellon University?s modular snake robots have been in development for years, primarily as a tool to access tight spaces that are?out of reach to humans, other machines and rescue dogs.?

The latest advancement shown off in the video clip is the robot?s ability to automatically adapt to changes in its environment. Until now, most of the robot?s motions were remotely controlled.

The pole it climbs is four inches in diameter at its base. When the pole dwindles to a two-inch diameter, the robot transitions without any input and keeps on adapting to coil around the guy?s arm.

When in human contact, the robot is said to exert enough force to climb, but not enough to be uncomfortable.?

Fortunately, the test subject reached the computer in time to turn off the robot's power before he found out if that comfort?level was maintained with a robo-snake coiled around his neck.

??Via Gizmodo

John Roach is a contributing writer for NBCNews.com. To learn more about him, check out his website. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

Source: http://www.futureoftech.msnbc.msn.com/technology/futureoftech/video-robotic-snake-slithers-pole-hugs-guys-bicep-887240

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'The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All': Emily Calls Out Kalon For His 'Load Of S**t' Apology (VIDEO)

"The Bachelor"

<strong>"The Bachelor," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> You really think we've seen the last rose handed out? Not in a million years. ABC has already tapped their next "Bachelorette," and we know they'll have their eyes peeled for a hot rejected man from that spinoff to be the next "Bachelor."

"The Bachelorette"

<strong>"The Bachelorette," ABC</strong> <br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Bachelor" Brad's also-ran Emily Maynard is getting her turn as the rose giver for the seventh season of "The Bachelorette" this summer. As long as there are people willing to look for love on reality TV, this show will keep on trucking.

"Body of Proof"

<strong>"Body of Proof," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Body of Proof" has been falling below its timeslot competitor, CBS's "Unforgettable," but it still draws a decent audience and its fans are very vocal. ABC has decided it deserves a third season.

"Castle"

<strong>"Castle," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This show's ratings have definitely suffered without "Dancing With the Stars" airing beforehand, but it is a consistent performer. And now that Castle and Beckett's relationship is evolving, a fifth season of "oh yes they will" is a no-brainer.

"Charlie's Angels"

<strong>"Charlie's Angels," ABC</strong> <br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Not really a shock for anybody, but "Charlie's Angels" is cooked. Flimsy story, bad remake, questionable casting.

"Cougar Town"

<strong>"Cougar Town," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed -- for TBS!<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The Season 3 ratings weren't boosted much by holding this show until midseason, but ABC's wonky air schedule also didn't help ... which is why the news that TBS has picked up the show for a fourth season is huge. Cheers with your Big Carl!

"Dancing With the Stars"

<strong>"Dancing With the Stars," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "DWTS" may have lost its luster in the ratings, but if the viewers are still coming.

"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23"

<strong>"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> ABC's new bleep-worthy comedy starring Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker and James Van Der Beek is a funny one, and definitely embraces the quirk (Beek Jeans!), so we're excited to see what they do with a second season.

"Desperate Housewives"

<strong>"Desperate Housewives," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> After countless deaths, murders, betrayals and natural disasters on Wisteria Lane over the show's eight seasons, the ladies of "Desperate Housewives" will say goodbye forever this May.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"

<strong>"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> After a whopping nine seasons, the do-gooding show came to an end in January. But worry not, it will continue to have a few specials to make viewers cry tears of joy.

"GCB"

<strong>"GCB," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This "Desperate Housewives"-esque dramedy premiered to less than 8 million viewers, and the phenomenal cast (Kristin Chenoweth, Annie Potts, Leslie Bibb) couldn't bring in a Texas-sized audience, so ABC canceled it.

"Grey's Anatomy"

<strong>"Grey's Anatomy," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Shonda Rhimes' medical drama is a ratings juggernaut, even in its eighth season, and with most of her <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/greys-anatomy-ellen-pompeo_n_1506113.html?ref=tv" target="_hplink">big stars signed on for more</a>, ABC gave the go-ahead for a ninth season.

"Happy Endings"

<strong>"Happy Endings," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This show is way too "ca-yute" to bubble it, and obviously someone high up at ABC agrees. After its first season was moved around and aired all out of order, the network still gave it another chance to find its audience in Season 2 ... and it has, and hopefully will continue to in Season 3.

"Last Man Standing"

<strong>"Last Man Standing," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status: </strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Ratings for Tim Allen's return to sitcoms have been very strong, making it Tuesday's most-watched comedy. If you can beat "Glee" and "The Biggest Loser," a second season is a given.

"Man Up!"

<strong>"Man Up!," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> ABC pulled the show after eight episodes.

"The Middle"

<strong>"The Middle," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Now in its third season, "The Middle" is still holding onto its middle position in the ratings on Wednesday nights, and that seems just about right. It doesn't do "American Idol" or "Survivor" numbers, of course, but with over 7 million viewers, it's a strong comedy for the network that easily beats anything NBC is offering.

"Missing"

<strong>"Missing," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Ashley Judd lead this drama about a former CIA agent whose son goes missing, kicking her back into action to find him. The series was only set to air 10 episodes, miniseries-style, with the potential for more, but a cancellation means that's all they're getting.

"Modern Family"

<strong>"Modern Family," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Modern Family" remains ABC's biggest sitcom success story of the last decade, both in ratings and awards love. This critical darling is getting a fourth season of hijinks with the hilarious Pritchett-Dunphy clan.

"Once Upon A Time"

<strong>"Once Upon A Time," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Once Upon a Time" has gotten praise for being one of the more family-friendly dramas on TV, and it's been pulling in close to 10 million viewers each week because of it. We're excited by the almost endless possibilities for new fairy tale-inspired stories to tackle in Season 2.

"Pan Am"

<strong>"Pan Am," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Poor "Pan Am" just never quite took off. The series' vintage look actually worked against it, much like NBC's swiftly canceled "Playboy Club" -- guess when you're being compared to award-winning shows like "Mad Men," it makes it more than a little tough to live up to the hype.

"Private Practice"

<strong>"Private Practice," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Private Practice" has never gotten "Grey's Anatomy"-level ratings, and things got shakier when ABC bumped it to Tuesday nights to make room for creator Shonda Rhimes' <em>other</em> new show, "Scandal," but they've given the show a sixth season order.

"Revenge"

<strong>"Revenge," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> With a clever mix of drama, mystery and serious revenge-ing, this is hands down one of the most addictive new shows on TV, and we can't wait to see where they take things in Season 2.

"The River"

<strong>"The River," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The promise of "Paranormal Activity"-like scares each week quickly fizzled after this show premiered, along with the ratings. The first season's eight episodes came and went, and ABC has nixed any plans for more.

"Scandal"

<strong>"Scandal," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Shonda Rhimes' latest show isn't about doctors at all -- and that's why we're glad it's sticking around. Kerry Washington is amazing as Olivia Pope, a Washington, D.C. fixer with a crack team of specialists helping make bad headlines vanish before they're ever written. Here's hoping for more than seven episodes in its second season.

"Shark Tank"

<strong>"Shark Tank," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Now in its third season, this reality competition show is unlike any other on network TV and ABC is keeping it around for more for that very reason.

"Suburgatory"

<strong>"Suburgatory," ABC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> It's smart, quick and not too cute -- "Suburgatory" is consistently named the sitcom you should be watching, but probably aren't. The great cast makes this one a no-brainer, and the ratings have stayed pretty consistent, too. We're thrilled it's getting a second season to shine!

"Work It"

<strong>"Work It," ABC</strong> <br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Let us count the ways ...

"2 Broke Girls"

<strong>"2 Broke Girls," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>At first, people balked at the racist supporting characters, but now it seems that audiences are all over "2 Broke Girls" -- it's ratings have seen a steady increase, and it won the People's Choice Award for Favorite New Comedy.

"A Gifted Man"

<strong>"A Gifted Man," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>"A Gifted Man's" total viewer numbers were OK for a Friday night, but a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic is especially bad for CBS. Another bad sign: star Patrick Wilson tweeted about the end: "I had a great time. Thanks to my fans. So happy it's done." And done it is.

"The Amazing Race"

<strong>"The Amazing Race," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status: </strong>Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Voted the best reality show on TV several times (albeit years ago), "The Amazing Race" isn't going anywhere. Ratings have dropped a bit, but are still solid.

"The Big Bang Theory"

<strong>"The Big Bang Theory," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Nothing seems to be able to make a dent in this show. With fantastic ratings (it beat "Idol"!) and a rabid following, we'll be seeing plenty more "Big Bang" before its run is over.

"Blue Bloods"

<strong>"Blue Bloods," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The anchor of Friday nights on CBS, "Blue Bloods" has performed well, pulling in around 11 million viewers an episode. The show might not have the youngest audience, but it's still enough for CBS to keep it on the schedule.

"Criminal Minds"

<strong>"Criminal Minds," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Paget Brewster might be checking out, but "Criminal Minds" is here to stay. In Season 7, the procedural is still a consistently strong ratings performer for CBS.

"CSI"

<strong>"CSI," CBS</strong> <br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Whenever the time comes, the "CSI" mothership will end with a lot of fanfare, but not this year. With new faces Ted Danson and Elisabeth Shue around, there is going to be at least one more season.<br />

"CSI: Miami"

<strong>"CSI: Miami," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Out of the three (!) "CSI" programs on the air, "CSI: Miami" is the one to say goodbye first. The one-time ratings giant has been affected by football overruns (just as "The Good Wife" has) and "CSI: NY" has the edge in terms of total viewers, meaning a "Miami" sunset was inevitable. <br />

"CSI: NY"

<strong>"CSI: NY," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Of the two "CSI" spinoffs, "CSI: NY" is the stronger -- pulling in more than 10 million viewers on a Friday night is no easy task -- and with "CSI: Miami" canceled, "CSI: NY's" renewal was a no-brainer.

"The Good Wife"

<strong>"The Good Wife," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This critical darling suffered after its move from Tuesdays to Sundays thanks to sports overruns. The viewers are frustrated, but given its strong cast and Emmy love, the show is still coming back for more.

"Hawaii Five-0"

<strong>"Hawaii Five-0," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Despite the scheduling setback as Alex O'Loughlin seeks treatment, Season 2 is still doing well for CBS in a very competitive timeslot.<br />

"How To Be a Gentleman"

<strong>"How To Be A Gentleman," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Not even having "The Big Bang Theory" as a lead-in could save this David Hornsby project, which only lasted three episodes.

"How I Met Your Mother"

<strong>"How I Met Your Mother," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> CBS renewed "How I Met Your Mother" for two more seasons in March 2011, so fans can look forward to being strung along about the titular mother's identity for a bit longer.<br />

"The Mentalist"

<strong>"The Mentalist," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Although the show hit a season ratings low in the middle of February, its fanbase and overall ratings were enough to have it return for another season.

"Mike & Molly"

<strong>"Mike & Molly," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Thanks to an Emmy win and Oscar nomination, Melissa McCarthy is a Hollywood power player and CBS is keen to keep her around. Just look at the multiple pilots she has in the works as a behind the scenes player! "Mike & Molly" will be back for a third season.

"NCIS"

<strong>"NCIS," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The long-running procedural has become a ratings juggernaut at a time when most shows start shedding viewers. Season 10 is now happening.

"NCIS: Los Angeles"

<strong>"NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong>Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This show has gone up in the ratings over the last couple of years, and people can't get enough of L.L. Cool J and Chris O'Donnell.

"NYC 22"

<strong>"NYC 22," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This "Rookie Blue" clone from executive producer Robert DeNiro didn't really move the needle when it premiered midseason; CBS officially axed it with three episodes left to air.

"Person of Interest"

<strong>"Person of Interest," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> With ratings matching juggernauts like "Grey's Anatomy" and fans popping up everywhere, we'll be seeing another season of "Person of Interest."

"Rob"

<strong>"Rob," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Rob's" spot after ratings juggernaut "The Big Bang Theory" probably went a long way in helping it survive to see the end of its first season, but that's as far as it'll get.

"Rules of Engagement"

<strong>"Rules of Engagement," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This show has moved around so much it's hard to remember when it's on, and with six seasons under its belt it's had quite a nice run. Despite slipping ratings and the aforementioned constant switcheroos, there's still a future for "Rules of Engagement."

"Survivor"

<strong>"Survivor," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status: </strong>Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Of <em>course</em> we have "Survivor" coming back for another season. Where else are we going to see petty squabbles and insane behavior on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world?

"Two and a Half Men"

<strong>"Two and a Half Men," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Despite a less-than-favorable critical response, the revamped "Two and a Half Men" keeps pulling in respectable numbers every week. Ashton Kutcher, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones will all return for a Season 10.

"Undercover Boss"

<strong>"Undercover Boss," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The inherent addictiveness of this show has gone a long way in securing loyal viewers -- it has been on top of the ratings several times this season alone.

"Unforgettable"

<strong>"Unforgettable," CBS</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> In its timeslot, "Unforgettable" keeps emerging on top, beating out "Parenthood" and "Body of Proof." Leading lady Poppy Montgomery has been called "the female version of 'The Mentalist,'" another top-rated show, so things are looking positive.

"90210"

<strong>"90210," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> While its ratings have plummeted since last season, the Beverly Hills crew is still doing better than "Supernatural," "Hart of Dixie," "Nikita," and "Gossip Girl" on average.

"America's Next Top Model"

<strong>"America's Next Top Model," The CW<br /> Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Tyra Banks' reality show is in the early stages of its 18th cycle with a Brit vs. U.S. installment. Cycle 19 will be the show's inaugural "college edition."

"Gossip Girl"

<strong>"Gossip Girl," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Fans will get to say goodbye to the Upper East-Siders in a sixth and reportedly shortened final season.

"H8R"

<strong>"H8R," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Apparently, the opposite of MTV's former series "Fanatic" proved people don't love to hate Kim Kardashian and Snooki as much as we thought. It lasted four episodes.

"Hart of Dixie"

<strong>"Hart of Dixie," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Josh Schwartz and Rachel Bilson return for a sophomore season of "Hart of Dixie," hopefully so they can make more viral videos.

"Nikita"

<strong>"Nikita," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>We're shocked the show is coming back for another season, but its hard-core fans will certainly be happy.

"One Tree Hill"

<strong>"One Tree Hill," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> After nine seasons, it's time to say goodbye to "One Tree Hill." After subpar ratings, the network decided to pull the plug on its long-standing teen soap. Thankfully, the CW gave "One Tree Hill" a final 13 episodes to wrap up all of the drama.

"Remodeled"

<strong>"Remodeled," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> As good as dead<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Not only has "Remodeled" already been replaced on the CW schedule, but it debuted with one of the CW's lowest-rated premiere ever, scoring a terrible 0.3 in the coveted 18-49 demo.

"Ringer"

<strong>"Ringer," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Sarah Michelle Gellar's double-life proved too complicated and poorly-produced for viewers to care much about.

"The Secret Circle"

<strong>"The Secret Circle," The CW</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Somewhat of a surprising development given its decent ratings, but it never quite lived up to its lead-in, "The Vampire Diaries."

"Supernatural"

<strong>"Supernatural," The CW<br /> Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This fan favorite will return, but time will tell if the cast wants a Season 8.

"The Vampire Diaries"

<strong>"The Vampire Diaries," The CW <br /> Status:</strong> Renewed <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Vampire Diaries" is The CW's golden child ... the vampires and witches and werewolves of Mystic Falls aren't going anywhere.

"Alcatraz"

<strong>"Alcatraz," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Alcatraz" -- and almost every other recent J.J. Abrams TV project -- proves that slapping "from J.J. Abrams" on a show does not equal ratings success. The series debuted strong, but fizzled in the ratings, leading Fox to pull the plug.

"Allen Gregory"

<strong>"Allen Gregory," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Jonah Hill's animated series only lasted seven episodes. The Oscar nominee should probably just stick to movies for a while ...

"American Dad"

<strong>"American Dad," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Fox gave out early renewals to "American Dad" and "The Cleveland Show," keeping its Sunday night animation block intact. <br />

"American Idol"

<strong>"American Idol," Fox</strong> <br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The show's declining ratings have been widely reported this season, but it's hard to imagine TV life without "Idol."

"Bob's Burgers"

<strong>"Bob's Burgers," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Too soon to tell<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The sophomore season of this quirky animated comedy kicks off this month (Sun., Mar. 11), so don't expect to hear about a Season 3 just yet.<br />

"Bones"

<strong>"Bones," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed <br /> <strong>Why: </strong>The show got a ratings boost thanks to its lead-in "The X Factor." With the floundering state of Fox's dramas (see ya, "House"), Fox is holding on to this one.

"Breaking In"

<strong>"Breaking In," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>After a last minute revival, "Breaking In" returned for a second season with Megan Mullally in tow, but it wasn't enough to revive this D.O.A. comedy.

"The Cleveland Show"

<strong>"The Cleveland Show," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Fox gave "The Cleveland Show" and "American Dad" early renewals and this spinoff will be back for a Season 4, but no word on a fifth season.<br />

"Family Guy"

<strong>"Family Guy," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>Fox handed out early renewals to the Seth MacFarlane animated comedies.

"The Finder"

<strong>"The Finder," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "The Finder" hit the benches for a bit before moving to Fridays, and the numbers never improved. Averaging less than 6 million viewers an episode (not so hot for a Fox drama), it was only a matter of time ...

"Fringe"

<strong>"Fringe," Fox <br /> Status:</strong> Renewed <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This fan favorite has struggled in the ratings, but Fox has agreed to give it a 13-episode order for a fifth and final season to wrap up all the mysteries of both universes.

"Glee"

<strong>"Glee," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status: </strong>Renewed<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>The hit teen series is breaking records in music sales, but its overall viewership has slipped. After a bit of a PR debacle about graduating characters that ended with spinoff plans being squashed, "Glee" will get another season.

"Hell's Kitchen"

<strong>"Hell's Kitchen," Fox <br /> Status:</strong> Renewed <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Last year at this time, Fox renewed the Gordon Ramsay series for two more seasons, so it's all set.

"House"

<strong>"House," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> After eight seasons and countless unsolvable medical cases solved, this Fox medical drama is coming to an end.

"I Hate My Teenage Daughter"

<strong>"I Hate My Teenage Daughter," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why: </strong> As if getting panned by critics wasn't enough, "I Hate My Teenage Daughter's" shrinking ratings had the show marked for death, then Fox benched the sitcom for three months after only four episodes and then ... yep, buh-bye forever. No shock there.

"Kitchen Nightmares"

<strong>"Kitchen Nightmares," Fox <br /> Status:</strong> Renewed?<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> In early February, Fox signed on for a?16-episode fifth season of this other Gordon Ramsay series. They're in the Gordon Ramsay business, and they're not going anywhere.

"MasterChef"

<strong>"MasterChef," Fox <br /> Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> No official announcement has been made regarding a third season, but there was a casting call issued during episodes throughout Season 2. And if Gordon Ramsay's track record with Fox is any indication, it's as good as renewed.

"Mobbed"

<strong>"Mobbed," Fox <br /> Status:</strong> On the bubble <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> It started with a ratings bang, but things have only gone down from there for Fox's flash mob reality show with Howie Mandel at the helm. It's not on the schedule in any regular timeslot though, so it's possible they'll continue producing a few episodes a year.

"Napoleon Dynamite"

<strong>"Napoleon Dynamite," Fox <br /> Status:</strong> On the bubble<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> After a decent debut, "Napoleon Dynamite" dropped about half of its audience to about 4 million viewers per episode. It could go either way.<br />

"New Girl"

<strong>"New Girl," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "New Girl" was the first new Fox show to get a full Season 1 order and the show has continued to perform well in the ratings and in the 18-49 demographic. America loves that adorkable charm.

"Q'Viva: The Chosen"

<strong>"Q'Viva: The Chosen," Fox</strong> <br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Too soon to tell/Not their call<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>Shortly after the Latin American-based show -- starring J. Lo and her ex-husband Marc Anthony -- debuted on Univision, Fox picked up an English-language version that debuted in early March. Though the reality series underperformed in its Saturday night timeslot, it's not Fox's decision whether or not we'll see more "Q'Viva."

"Raising Hope"

<strong>"Raising Hope," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Thanks (or no thanks) in part to the success of "New Girl," the sophomore season of "Raising Hope" has moved around timeslots, but it has retained about a 2.1 score in the adults 18-49 demo.

"The Simpsons"

<strong>"The Simpsons," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> After a very tense contract standoff, the voice actors of "The Simpsons" and the studio agreed to new terms and the show was renewed through Season 25.

"So You Think You Can Dance"

<strong>"So You Think You Can Dance," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status: </strong>Too soon to tell<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Season 9 of "So You Think You Can Dance" won't debut until this summer and when it does, there will be changes: Fox has nixed the results show entirely. If the fanbase is still there, the cheaper production could save the show for another few seasons.

"Terra Nova"

<strong>"Terra Nova," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Fox pulled the plug on this very expensive dinosaur drama, but reports indicate producers are looking to keep the show alive on a different network.<br />

"Touch"

<strong>"Touch," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The Kiefer Sutherland drama had a sizable audience (about 12 million viewers) for its preview and has remained somewhat steady since its premiere. Fox showed faith in the series, giving it the post-"American Idol" slot, and it paid off.

"The X Factor"

<strong>"The X Factor," Fox</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>Fox has already renewed the singing competition for a second season and boy will there be changes: two new hosts and two new judges will join Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid at the table.

"30 Rock"

<strong>"30 Rock," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong>"30 Rock" is showing its age, but the star power of Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin can't be denied -- NBC has renewed the show for a seventh and final season of 13 episodes.

"America's Got Talent"

<strong>"America's Got Talent," NBC <br /> Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> NBC's top-rated summer show is moving to New York for this upcoming season, but it's most likely not going anywhere. Unless, of course, the new judge -- shock jock Howard Stern -- really messes things up somehow.

"Are You There, Chelsea?"

<strong>"Are You There, Chelsea?," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> With just over 3 million viewers an episode, it wasn't not exactly a strong performer, even by NBC's standards. Even Chelsea Handler and NBC's fondness for funny ladies couldn't save this show.

"Awake"

<strong>"Awake," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> "Awake" had gotten some great promotion, but its numbers were pretty middle of the road and only went down further -- genre shows with heavy serialized elements are always tricky.

"Bent"

<strong>"Bent," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled <br /> <strong>Why: </strong>The Amanda Peet comedy premiered in late March and had six episodes to prove itself, but NBC didn't give it much of a chance, airing them back-to-back.

"Best Friends Forever"

<strong>"Best Friends Forever," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong>Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The female buddy sitcom starring and co-created by Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham was yanked from the schedule and then axed for good.

"Betty White's Off Their Rockers"

<strong>"Betty White's Off Their Rockers," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Too soon to tell<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Even though Betty White isn't doing the pranking, "Off Their Rockers" could still make a comeback.

"The Biggest Loser"

<strong>"The Biggest Loser," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> NBC's weight loss competition show has been around for years, and despite sagging overall ratings, its 18-49 rating (a recent episode got a 2.0) is still one of NBC's highest.

"Celebrity Apprentice"

<strong>"Celebrity Apprentice," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Series low ratings probably won't kill this franchise. But are there any D-listers left who haven't competed for Donald Trump's approval?

"Chuck"

<strong>"Chuck," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The Josh Schwartz spy dramedy ended its five-season run in January.

"Community"

<strong>"Community," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status: </strong>Renewed<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>Beloved by (a very vocal) few, ignored by many -- that's "Community" in a nutshell. After getting benched in January, "Community" returned to NBC's schedule with a vengeance, getting it a fourth season pick-up for 13 episodes to air on Fridays. Cool, cool, cool -- you can pop, pop! that champagne now.

"Fashion Star"

<strong>"Fashion Star," NBC</strong> <br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why: </strong>The high-style reality series with Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson, Elle Macpherson and John Varvatos has certainly been confusing, but it's still a smart business model: The winning designs each week are for sale in stores the next day, and those stores just happen to be covering a large portion of production and advertising costs.

"Fear Factor"

<strong>"Fear Factor," NBC <br /> Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Despite the donkey semen scandal that cut this season of "Fear Factor" a bit short, <a href="http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/fear-factor-returns-and-makes-a-ratings-splash/" target="_hplink">"Fear Factor" boosts NBC's ratings</a> ... and can a scandal really compete with that?

"The Firm"

<strong>"The Firm," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> As good as dead<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The show hasn't officially gotten the axe yet, but "The Firm" was moved to Saturdays after turning in an incredibly poor performance (less than a 1 rating in the 18-49 demo) on Thursday nights.

"Free Agents"

<strong>"Free Agents," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> This show just didn't have much life in it. It was canceled after just four episodes, despite its awesome lead actors Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn.

"Grimm"

<strong>"Grimm," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The supernatural fairy tale drama has been doing well for NBC on Friday nights -- it hovers around the 5 million viewers mark, which is pretty solid by NBC standards and why the network gave the drama an early renewal.

"Harry's Law"

<strong>"Harry's Law," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong>Cancelled<br /> <strong>Why: </strong> While earlier this year "Harry's Law" was one of NBC's top players, after a three-month break between January and March, the Kathy Bates drama saw mediocre ratings and failed to hold on to viewers.

"Law & Order: SVU"

<strong>"Law & Order: SVU," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The only "Law & Order" left, "SVU" has been an NBC power player for 13 years and will return for a 14th.

"The Office"

<strong>"The Office," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> It's hard to imagine a long-running, fan-favorite show like "The Office" going away without a big promotional push. The numbers are still good (by NBC standards) and "The Office" will return for a Season 9.

"Parenthood"

<strong>"Parenthood," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The perpetual bubble show has done pretty consistent numbers for NBC this season, but three seasons in and no signs of growth is both a good and bad sign ... luckily for fans, NBC gave it a Season 4 all the same.

"Parks and Recreation"

<strong>"Parks and Recreation," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Just like the rest of NBC's Thursday comedy block, "Parks and Recreation" has serious ratings blues. Can critical acclaim keep "Parks" around for a Season 5? The answer is yes! "Parks" will return for Season 5.

"The Playboy Club"

<strong>"The Playboy Club," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Canceled<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Apparently fictional slutty bunnies and real-life homewrecker Eddie Cibrian do not a successful show make. It only lasted three episodes. "The Girls Next Door" did it better.

"Prime Suspect"

<strong>"Prime Suspect," NBC <br /> Status:</strong> Canceled <br /> <strong>Why:</strong> Maria Bello's gruff detective failed to capture the audience NBC hoped. At least we had all those hat jokes. <br />

"Smash"

<strong>"Smash," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed <br /> <strong>Why: </strong> After a huge promo blitz, "Smash" debuted nicely, but started losing viewers quickly. A handful of episodes in, it stabilized, becoming NBC's #1 drama in the 18-49 demo, and NBC announced it was getting a second season.

"Up All Night"

<strong>"Up All Night," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The critical favorite of NBC's new comedy offerings, "Up All Night" debuted strongly to more than 10 million viewers, but has since dropped to less than 4 million viewers an episode. It will return for a Season 2.

"Whitney"

<strong>"Whitney," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The show is one of the better performing freshman offerings on the Peacock network -- and NBC chief Bob Greenblatt told members of the press at TCA that he is "hopeful Whitney will be a long-term player for us." Looks like Season 2 is a good start, with the show moving to Friday nights.

"The Voice"

<strong>"The Voice," NBC</strong><br /> <strong>Status:</strong> Renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> We may not even be at Season 2's live shows yet, but NBC is already up for more of "The Voice." Hopefully, Cee Lo's cat "Purrfect" will return for Season 3 as well.

"Who Do You Think You Are?"

<strong>"Who Do You Think You Are?," NBC<br /> Status:</strong> Likely to be renewed<br /> <strong>Why:</strong> The celebrity-centric family tree series has helped NBC on Friday nights and hit its ratings high in March.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/17/the-bachelorette-emily-calls-out-bs-apology-video_n_1678444.html

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How To Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself | Kyle Lacy ...

Self-promotion is just what it sounds like: promoting yourself, your events, your accomplishments, your victories, and even your defeats, problems, and lessons you have learned. You do it so you can increase your visibility to and awareness by others, increase traffic to your website, increase sales, and get more speaking opportunities, exhibitions, and gigs?more of whatever it is you?re looking for.

You promote yourself so you can get even more opportunities, which you can then tell people about.

Self-promotion is also called ?branding yourself,? because that?s really what it has become. (That, and it?s what we wanted to call the book.) In fact, we prefer to think of it as personal branding, because you need to think of yourself as a brand, just like Coca-Cola, McDonald?s, Google, or Facebook.

Why Is Self-Promotion Important?

You can?t count on people calling you out of the blue to hire you, buy your service, or book you for an event if they don?t know about you. The only way to get people to know who you are and what you do is to tell them. And you want to tell as many people who are actually interested as you can.
Self-promotion will help you make those important connections that will further your career and improve your professional standing. It can be as simple as introducing yourself to the organizer of a conference and telling her you are interested in speaking at her next conference, or it can be as involved as writing a book or two and then spending a day emailing every conference organizer you can to get as many speaking deals as you can.

What Self-Promotion Is Not

Self-promotion is not bragging or boasting. It?s not being something bigger than you are. It?s just letting people know who you are and what you do.

It?s perfectly acceptable to promote yourself without looking like an arrogant jerk. People are going to be out promoting themselves and their personal endeavors and small businesses. If you?re not, you?re missing out on good opportunities, and others are going to beat you in the competition. They?re going to sell their art, get their speaking gigs, get more web traffic, or whatever they?re competing with you for.

What Can Self-Promotion Do for You and Your Career?

Without question, self-promotion can make you successful. And if you?re already successful, it will make your personal brand huge. You don?t get to be a success without knowing a lot of people and having a lot of people know you. If you want to be stuck in a little gray cubicle for your entire career, never rising above lower middle management, keep your head down and don?t attract attention. Actually, put this book down. Stop reading! But if you want to make a name for yourself, establish a good reputation, finally get that corner office, or even own your own successful business, you need to promote yourself.

To do that, you need to be passionate about two things: the work you do, and yourself. If you?re not passionate about what you?re doing, find the thing you?re passionate about. If you?re not passionate about yourself, seek professional help. The person you should love the most, admire the most, and treasure the most is you. And when you have that confidence in yourself, others will see it, too. When you share that confidence with other people, they?ll feel confident about you as well.

?

So don?t sit in your cubicle any longer. Figure out what you want to do, make it happen, and then start telling people about it. Let them know that you are good at what you do. Let them come to you for answers and information.

This is an excerpt from my book ? Branding Yourself. The second edition was released on Wednesday and is available for your reading pleasure.

Source: http://kylelacy.com/how-to-use-social-media-to-invent-or-reinvent-yourself/

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Patriot Coal Bankruptcy: A Sign of the Times for the Energy Sector ...

Last Monday, Patriot Coal (PCX) filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and was the first ship to go down in the declining coal industry. This bankruptcy and the current rock-bottom valuations of the US coal stocks (ACI, ANR, WLT, BTU, ect.) are a sign of the shifting sands in the energy sector as natural gas rises in importance and developing countries rely less on energy imports.

?The coal industry is undergoing a major transformation and Patriot?s existing capital structure prevents it from making the necessary adjustments to achieve long-term success,? Irl F. Engelhardt, Patriot?s chairman and chief executive, said in a statement. ?Our objective is to use the reorganization process to address important issues in an orderly way and make the company stronger and more competitive.?

Patriot may have secured some $802 million in restructuring financing, but it may just be delaying the inevitable as the coal industry is experiencing both a cyclical and structural decline.

The current decline is cyclical because of waning global energy demand and the unusually warm winter which built up excessive energy inventories. More importantly, the decline is structural because the new threat from the shale gas boom in the US. Further, power companies are retooling plants to handle both coal and gas for electricity generation in order to be able to opportunistically switch between the energy sources.

Furthermore, international demand for US coal imports is declining as well due to many new coal mines springing up in Indonesia, Australia, and Mongolia. Not only are those mines flooding the demand coming out of India and China, but demand is also coming up flat. Steel production (the other major use for coal) is flat as China's sky scraper building spree is not what it used to be, and new efforts to put up nuclear (Fukushima be damned) , solar, and other forms of energy do not speak well for future coal demand growth.

The icing on the cake is that none of the Coal companies really saw this coming and prepared for this much cannibalization. With the exception of maybe Peabody (BTU) who has been aggressively buying Asian coal assets and Console Energy (CNX) who has been diversifying into the LNG business, the typical US domestic players (Arch Coal, alpha Natural Resources, Walter Energy, ect.) have been expanding domestically and adding on debt. Arch and Alpha are both guilty of big coal acquisitions in the last 2 years which puts further strains on their cap structures.

Of course for every bear case, there is a bull case. Despite coal falling as a percentage of global electricity consumption, it should maintain its role as a staple energy source for decades to come and should generate at least a quarter of global power consumption (unless more innovations in alternative energy change that path).

Rapid population growth in developing continents should continue to spur the need for more energy production. In the developed markets, we should also see greater electricity consumption per capita as more electronics are used and as society switches away from crude oil to use the much more efficient electricity grid.

Finally, the fact that coal companies are going out of business should tighten up supply for the coal companies that can ride out the storm. However, the coal companies that will do the best are the ones that follow the BHP model in that they start heavily diversifying both geographically and into other materials. I do think some of the coal stocks are technically over-sold while others are likely to go bankrupt.

As I alluded earlier, this is not just about coal. Cheap coal has implications for the entire energy sector and will likely be a drag on the viability of Nat Gas and solar. One thing we can probably rely on is for cheap electricity to stick around as a theme. The utility companies have been fueled by low interest rates and low input costs now for several years. As utility monopolies get broken up, prices could see meaningful easing or at least stay relatively stable. From an investment perspective I will keep an eye out for companies in industries with high electricity input costs and strong growth profiles.

If you are interested in learning more about the coal space in more detail, I have attached a power point I presented to colleagues and will be posting a detailed financial breakdown of the more capital constrained coal companies (ACI & ANR) on my finance and investing blog (in signature) sometime tomorrow.

Source: http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/blog/patriot-coal-bankruptcy-a-sign-of-the-times-for-the-energy-sector

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