The Daily Business Digest

The drinking water in United States contains more than 60,000 chemicals. 91 chemicals are allowed by the safe drinking water act in United States. But recent tests find that the drinking water contains many more chemicals. Even if these chemicals are taken at tiny proportion , they can lead to cancer, or stomach upsets or birth defects and other serious diseases.

From 2004 the commonly used health guideline is not followed to protect the people from chemicals of water. Around 62 million Americans depend on water provided by the government. Federal regulators are now under pressure and trying to prevent the industrial solvents, rocket fuel, and other contaminants entering the water. Safe drinking water act is unchanged since1974 , and it was only name sake updated during 1980.

A US trade commission has agreed plans to impose tariffs on imports of Chinese-made steel pipes.

The US’s International Trade Commission voted unanimously in favour of the tariffs, designed to offset Chinese government subsidies.

Duties ranging between 10% and 15% are now set to be imposed.

The move is the latest in a string of recent trade disputes between China and the US, who accuse China of using unfair subsidies and price practices.

In November, the US imposed a 35% import duty on Chinese tyres, arguing that large numbers entering the US market was having a disruptive effect.

The latest decision clears the way for the Commerce Department to impose the tariffs on steel piping as originally outlined in November.

Steel piping is big business in the US, which imported $2.74bn of steel pipe from China last year.

The pipes are used in oil wells, and have seen increased demand on the back of rising oil prices.

Imagine that your business is slacking. You need to attract consumers. If you can attract consumers in real time, using the power of the mobile technology, how would it feel? It would be great, right?

That is exactly what Digital Development Partners, Inc. do. They help companies get in touch with consumers quickly and in real time. The company, called DGDM is focused on building innovative products. These products are planned to improve the consumer touch points. The main product from them is called YuDeal.com. This is under BETA testing currently. It has the power of combining the social networking, and real time consumer discounts and also advertiser analytics. This thus has the power to quantify their real time ad campaigns. This fundamentally changes the way the coupons are used. For example, suppose your hotel is not getting any occupants. It is new year eve and you would offer 50% off on hotel stay. You can do that immediately and you can attract the right prospects.

The whole idea started from one student, Issac. He started tinkering with this idea. He developed the basic product. Then the company got interested in the idea and bought over his idea and is being beta tested right now.

US house prices rose in October for the fifth month in a row, according to a leading index.

Prices were 0.4% higher than they were in September on a seasonally-adjusted basis, the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price index said.

And confidence among US consumers has shown a larger-than-expected rise.

Improved optimism over the jobs market saw consumer confidence hit a three-month high in December, according the Confidence Board.

If you are a plant lover, then you would love to grow the plants wherever some space is available. You will definitely love the idea of growing them on your window box.

The window boxes offers a convenient and yet a beautiful place to grow the plants. There are a number of these window boxes planters who are out there. There are garden window boxes available which you can take and grow plants in them. Similarly, there are window flower boxes which are available. You can also have those window plant boxes .

All these are arranged by WindowboxPlanters. They also give you a complete range of different kinds of window boxes to grow the plants. You can even get gift certificates from them to gift somebody who is a plant lover.

The US private equity firm Carlyle Group is considering a takeover bid for the UK waste management firm Shanks.

Carlyle said it was in talks with the Shanks board about a possible offer, though the cost of the deal was not disclosed.

Shanks is the UK’s largest waste management company, with operations in mainland Europe and Canada.

The Shanks board recently said that an offer of 150 pence per share would be enough to buy the company.

That bid would value Shanks at £595m ($952m).

There are a number of businesses which need good quality leads. Whether it is the loan product that you are selling or it is a mortgage business that you are running, you need very good quality leads. But, seldom do you get them.

That is where the services of EquiLeads comes into play. Whether it is the Financial Services or it is the Insurance services, they create the leads for you.

You don’t have to worry about the quality of leads. If the leads are not of good quality, they return the money taken and also give you only good quality leads. They create good quality leads which are down loadable into excel sheet. They give you leads for Mortgage services also.

The pay of Walt Disney’s chief Robert Iger fell 28% to $29m (£18.1m; 20.2m euros) in 2009, a company filing to regulators has showed.

Disney’s earnings have suffered this year because of the economic slowdown.

However the board praised Mr Iger for “his rapid response to exceptionally challenging economic conditions”.

Separately, Apple head Steve Jobs received his customary $1 annual salary in 2009. Mr Jobs is Disney’s largest single shareholder.

According to documents released by the Securities and Exchange Commission

One of the subjects which is seen as tough by students around the world is Maths. Probably since it is difficult to memorize maths or imagine or visualize it, students have always feared maths.

This is where really good teachers score. They are able to understand the needs of each of the students in the class and pay attention specifically and help out the students. They seem to understand exactly where the different students struggle.

Unfortunately, given the pay that teachers get in schools these days, real good quality teachers are exception than the rule.

So, where does that leave your children? If you or your dear ones are doing K-12 or college, and are in need of good quality maths tutoring, where do you go?

This is where TutorVista makes a difference. It teaches maths online. Whether you Algebra help or help with any other Math problems , you can get in touch with TutorVista.

At an incredible package of $99.99, they offer tutoring for all the subjects, including maths. This is unlimited help. For example, if you need Algebra 2 help or help with the different Math answers, you can get the same. Whether it is the Algebra word problems or it is the Math word problems that requires help, you can get the same.

You get tutoring help 24 X 7.

The Greek parliament has voted to adopt big budget cuts designed to lower the country’s high levels of debt.

Greece aims to shrink public debt to 9.1% of overall economic output next year, down from 12.7% this year.

To do this, it has outlined measures to cut public spending and boost revenue by cutting back on red tape.

Concerns about Greece’s high level of debt have led the three main international credit ratings agencies to downgrade Greek government bonds.

Greece’s public debt currently stands at 300bn euros ($428bn; £268bn).

The single-chamber parliament adopted the budget by a large majority, with the 160 Socialist Pasok deputies voting for, and 139 opposition members against.