Friday, November 30, 2012

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Coffee vending services are popular with office workers and visitors. They insert a few coins, and press a button to make their selection and receive their hot drink almost instantly. These types of machines have come a long way from the first model, designed to dispense holy water, by an individual who worked as an engineer and mathematician hundreds of years ago.

Historically, in many workplaces, employees brought in their refreshment supplies and made their own hot drinks or used a flask. That caused employers concerns, because individuals also brought in their second-hand kettles, which usually did not meet with the current safety standards. The alternative was for the company to provide kettles or hot-water urns.

Refreshment breaks in the workplace have always been a source of conflict between employees and management. Employees were often accused of taking extended breaks, or too many breaks. They responded with complaints about the distance they had to go to get a hot drink, or the queue they had to stand in when they got there.

Introducing vending machines in rest areas has proved popular with employees and eliminated the need for kettles in the work area. If the rest and vending area is incorporated into the office area, staff are less likely to take frequent or extended breaks. They can get their hot drink from the office coffee service and return to their desk if that is allowed.

Many large and modern office complexes are designed so their floor plan includes an area for refreshments and vending services. The preferred method for providing office vending services would be on a contract basis. The service supplier maintains, cleans and replenishes stocks and retains ownership of the machines. In many cases, the cost of the machine rental for the employer is minimal.

Many employees take advantage of food and drink machines to save time. They do not want to waste time going outside the office for food and drinks, especially in the bad weather. They can usually take their pick and enjoy a wide variety of hot and cold drinks and food.

Reputable firms that provide kitchen supplies Pittsburgh area and elsewhere around the US, survey their customers and monitor buying habits to determine the types of products that are popular. They also take into account the information supplied by health providers and nutritionists on what makes a healthy snack or dinner. They aim to provide food and coffee vending services to meet customer demands.

Source: http://bestcoffeebeansinformation.blogspot.com/2012/11/discover-more-about-coffee-vending.html

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Houston attorneys face off as Cadillac Ranch patron charged with ...

Eccentric Texas artist and philanthropist?Stanley Marsh 3 ? who financed Ant Farm's legendary 1974?Cadillac Ranch project in Amarillo ? turned himself into authorities Wednesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest, accusing the millionaire of sexually abusing two teenagers in 2010.

Marsh was charged with 11 counts of child molestation and later released from the Potter County Detention Center?on a $300,000 bond.

Since late October, the 74-year-old Marsh has been embroiled in several suits claiming he used a so-called "mentorship program" to help forge sexual relations with underage boys and young men.

"Whether or not Marsh is considered incapacitated now?," said attorney Anthony Buzbee, "it doesn't change what happened or what he did."

Houston attorneys?Paul Nugent and Heather Peterson, who are representing Marsh in criminal proceedings, deny the allegations. According to a Wednesday statement provided to the Amarillo Globe News, they portray the lawsuits as attempts to bilk their client out of millions, taking advantage of a series of health issues he's faced throughout this year.?

?After Stanley Marsh 3 suffered a massive stroke and became legally incapacitated," the statement read, "the group implemented their plan to become multimillionaires by signing contracts with an aggressive personal injury lawyer from Houston."

Nugent and Petersen are referring specifically to attorney?Anthony Buzbee, who recently filed six lawsuits against Marsh and told CultureMap on Thursday that the criminal charges filed by county prosecutors were a "good development."

"I expected this [arrest] would happen at some point," he said. "It's been going on for a long time. . . I wouldn't be surprised if this was just the tip of the iceberg."

Known for a number of successful suits against oil giant BP,?Buzbee?was unfazed by the name-calling, noting that any suggestions that he was involved in a "cabal" for Marsh's money were offensive to those abused by the artist-patron.?

"I've seen a lot of evidence in the past few months," he said.?"Whether or not Marsh is considered incapacitated now, it doesn't change what happened or what he did."

Source: http://houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/11-29-12-14-03-noted-texas-artist-and-icadillac-ranchi-patron-charged-with-11-counts-of-child-molestation/

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US pivot to Mexico?

A new leader of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto, takes office with enough hope of reform that it argues for the US to draw closer to its neighbor.

By the Monitor's Editorial Board / November 28, 2012

Mexican President-elect Enrique Pe?a Nieto shakes hands with President Obama at the White House on Tuesday.

AP

Enlarge

The date remains uncertain. But at some point Mexico?s reputation in the eyes of Americans will start to shift from being a burden ? drugs, migrants, violence, corruption ? to becoming a partner as close as Canada, Japan, or Britain.

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Perhaps that date is Dec. 1.

That?s when a new president, Enrique Pe?a Nieto, takes office with far more political pull than recent presidents to push through the kind of reforms that have been moving Mexico closer to the United States over the past decade. He?s also taking over an economy that is fast rivaling China as a magnet for global investors.

President Obama welcomed Mr. Pe?a Nieto to the Oval Office on Tuesday, perhaps with an eye to raising Mexico higher in his second-term agenda. Indeed, in addition to the ?pivot to Asia? that Mr. Obama recently proposed for US foreign policy, he might also pivot the US toward its southern neighbor, which is now its third largest source of oil and second largest export destination.

Few in the US have grasped the changes in Mexico. It is more open to the world, with 44 free-trade pacts and greater manufacturing exports than the rest of Latin America combined. This has forced it to listen more to its foreign critics in honoring the rule of law, labor reform, and human rights. Its politics are more competitive, its civil society and media are stronger, and its governing bodies, such as the central bank and Supreme Court, are more independent.

Mexico even seems posed under Pe?a Nieto?s coming six-year term to lessen the self-defeating nationalism that has prevented reform of its government-run oil monopoly. Opening Pemex to private, even foreign, investment would mark a shift from the historical Mexican resentments that have also dogged its politics. And it would help turn North America into the world?s energy giant.

One still-uncertain measure of Mexico?s changes will be in the political behavior of Pe?a Nieto?s Institutional Revolutionary Party. Has the PRI, which ruled from 1929 to 2000, shed its corrupt, power-hungry ways since it lost power ? and democracy bloomed?

The PRI?s comeback comes as younger Mexicans and a rising middle class are less tolerant of corruption. Mexicans have also tired of the strategy of outgoing President Felipe Calder?n, who relied heavily on the Army in curbing the power of the drug cartels. While homicides are down this year, the killings since 2006 have pushed Mexico to rethink this ?war on drugs.?

Pe?a Nieto plans to further beef up the federal police and improve the judiciary. He needs more US assistance for that. The PRI also holds more power in the legislature than his predecessor?s party, PAN, which allows it to better pass key reforms.

America?s interest in Mexico should also be drawn to the fact that the Mexican economy has been growing faster than that of the US. And far fewer Mexicans are fleeing to the US for jobs.

All this argues for stronger American engagement with a nation of 113 million people on its border that is becoming a global economic player. Obama can help lead that necessary pivot.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/oMyGaexp9mw/US-pivot-to-Mexico

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Who Is Scroogling Who? Bing?s Shopping Results Aren?t All That Clean, Either

Notification Center-3Microsoft started a rather controversial anti-Google campaign this morning that alleged Google is essentially misleading its users because all of the company's shopping results are now paid. The "Don't Get Scroogled" page is getting quite a bit of attention today, but at the same time, there is also some unease about how Bing organizes its own shopping results.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/K6Rm4ng2IcU/

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Mt. Pleasant to kick off the holidays with tree lighting and parade

?

MT. PLEASANT (WCSC) ? Thousands of residents are projected to line Coleman Boulevard for this year?s Mount Pleasant Holiday Parade.

The Christmas-themed parade will take place Sunday, December 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The event will kick off with a Christmas tree lighting and fireworks display at 5:30 p.m. at Moultrie Middle School, with the parade beginning at 5:45 p.m.

Beginning at the intersection of Coleman Boulevard and Pelzer Drive, the parade will move past Shem Creek and end at the Sea Island Shopping Center.

For more information on the Mount Pleasant Holiday Parade, click here.

Copyright 2012?WCSC.? All rights reserved.

?

Source: http://mtpleasant.live5news.com/news/events/71534-mt-pleasant-kick-holidays-tree-lighting-and-parade

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Adam Levine Slams The Roxy on The Voice, Club Responds in Awesome Fashion

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news: Technology in - Computers

hope you join the website and share what you knowwe will always listen and share with you any questions when you needwe will give you a separate city with many friends in the worldtogether to discuss issues around information technologyWelcome to hitechvnn.info, the IT professional's online resource for news coverage of the information technology industry. We know technology news. Our mobile and wireless news coverage moves as fast as wireless technology itself. We follow all the devices you depend on to stay connected. Our software coverage follows the multi-faceted software industry from every angle. We've got a lock on network security and computer security issues. We're all over the business of the Web--the Internet business--and the engines that run it. We have our eyes and ears tuned to the players who make and run the tools that tie us all together--Google, Microsoft, eBay, Cisco, Yahoo, Oracle, Apple, Sony--and scores of others. And we keep close tabs on the backbo ne of information technology, PC hardware. We know PCs and Apple computers inside and out. We cover computer technology, computer news, software news, search engine news, business software, operating systems, and software development. Our coverage of tech news includes a strong focus on the security business, its attendant spyware and viruses, how security relates to wireless technology and business networking and the security issues surrounding RFID technology. We closely follow developments in Internet news and Internet technology, including the spread of broadband and its effect on Web browsers and the Web business. We watch the VoIP business, and how VoIP technology is affecting the state of telephony in the enterprise. And if all that isn't enough, we also track developments in the IT industry that affect IT jobs, IT careers, and outsourcing.Click Here!thank you

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Biggest black hole blast discovered: Most powerful quasar outflow ever found

ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) ? Astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) have discovered a quasar with the most energetic outflow ever seen, at least five times more powerful than any that have been observed to date. Quasars are extremely bright galactic centres powered by supermassive black holes. Many blast huge amounts of material out into their host galaxies, and these outflows play a key role in the evolution of galaxies. But, until now, observed quasar outflows weren't as powerful as predicted by theorists.

Quasars are the intensely luminous centres of distant galaxies that are powered by huge black holes. This new study has looked at one of these energetic objects -- known as SDSS J1106+1939 -- in great detail, using the X-shooter instrument on ESO's VLT at the Paranal Observatory in Chile [1]. Although black holes are noted for pulling material in, most quasars also accelerate some of the material around them and eject it at high speed.

"We have discovered the most energetic quasar outflow known to date. The rate that energy is carried away by this huge mass of material ejected at high speed from SDSS J1106+1939 is at least equivalent to two million million times the power output of the Sun. This is about 100 times higher than the total power output of the Milky Way galaxy -- it's a real monster of an outflow," says team leader Nahum Arav (Virginia Tech, USA). "This is the first time that a quasar outflow has been measured to have the sort of very high energies that are predicted by theory."

Many theoretical simulations suggest that the impact of these outflows on the galaxies around them may resolve several enigmas in modern cosmology, including how the mass of a galaxy is linked to its central black hole mass, and why there are so few large galaxies in the Universe. However, whether or not quasars were capable of producing outflows powerful enough to produce these phenomena has remained unclear until now [2].

The newly discovered outflow lies about a thousand light-years away from the supermassive black hole at the heart of the quasar SDSS J1106+1939. This outflow is at least five times more powerful than the previous record holder [3]. The team's analysis shows that a mass of approximately 400 times that of the Sun is streaming away from this quasar per year, moving at a speed of 8000 kilometres per second.

"We couldn't have got the high-quality data to make this discovery without the VLT's X-shooter spectrograph," says Benoit Borguet (Virginia Tech, USA), lead author of the new paper. "We were able to explore the region around the quasar in great detail for the first time."

As well as SDSS J1106+1939, the team also observed one other quasar and found that both of these objects have powerful outflows. As these are typical examples of a common, but previously little studied, type of quasars [4], these results should be widely applicable to luminous quasars across the Universe. Borguet and colleagues are currently exploring a dozen more similar quasars to see if this is the case.

"I've been looking for something like this for a decade," says Nahum Arav, "so it's thrilling to finally find one of the monster outflows that have been predicted!"

[1] The team observed SDSS J1106+1939 and J1512+1119 in April 2011 and March 2012 using the X-shooter spectrograph instrument attached to ESO's VLT. By splitting the light up into its component colours and studying in detail the resultant spectrum the astronomers could deduce the velocity and other properties of the material close to the quasar.

[2] The powerful out?ow observed in SDSS J1106+1939 carries enough kinetic energy to play a major role in active galaxy feedback processes, which typically require a mechanical power input of roughly 5% of the luminosity of the quasar. The rate at which kinetic energy is being transferred by the outflow is described as its kinetic luminosity.

[3] SDSS J1106+1939 has an outflow with a kinetic luminosity of at least 1046 ergs s?1. The distances of the outflows from the central quasar (300-8000 light-years) was greater than expected suggesting that we observe the outflows far from the region in which we assume them to initially accelerated (0.03-0.4 light-years).

[4] A class known as Broad Absorption Line (BAL) quasars.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Southern Observatory - ESO.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Benoit C.J. Borguet, Nahum Arav, Doug Edmonds, Carter Chamberlain, Chris Benn. Major contributor to AGN feedback: VLT X-shooter observations of S iv BAL QSO outflows. The Astrophysical Journal, (accepted)

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/top_news/top_technology/~3/27I08f4caWg/121128093712.htm

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Subaru Introduces All-New 2014 Forester? Crossover SUV At Los ...

/PRNewswire/ ?

  • All-new pattern with softened performance, economy, comfort and space
  • Up to 32 mpg estimated highway fuel economy
  • New 250-hp direct-injection turbocharged 2.0-liter BOXER engine accessible
  • New 6-speed primer delivery for 2.5i models
  • New Lineartronic? CVT, with 2.0XT also featuring 6-speed and 8-speed primer change modes
  • Enhanced Active AWD complement with X-Mode and Hill Descent Control
  • Available EyeSight? driver support technology

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121128/PH20257-a ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121128/PH20257-b ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080325/SUBARULOGO )

Subaru of America, Inc. currently introduced a all-new 2014 Forester, a fourth era of a renouned all-wheel expostulate crossover SUV, during a Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2014 Forester debuts a bolder extraneous pattern and roomier interior, along with softened opening and aloft fuel economy opposite a line. The 2014 Forester arrives in Subaru dealerships subsequent spring.

The five-passenger 2014 Subaru Forester is a sum re-design of a acclaimed crossover SUV that?s built a clever repute for safety, performance, dependability and versatility. With probably a same footprint as a effusive model, a 2014 Forester offers stretched room, comfort and utility. A new 250-horsepower 2.0-liter direct-injection turbocharged BOXER engine leads a line, that will also embody models powered by a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter naturally aspirated BOXER engine.

As with all prior Forester models, a 2014 chronicle comes customary with Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, a eminence from rival models that come with front-wheel expostulate as customary and offer all-wheel expostulate as an extra-cost option. The 2014 Forester will burst to a conduct of a shred in all-wheel expostulate fuel economy, with a 2.5i models with a CVT achieving manufacturer-estimated fuel economy ratings of 24 mpg city / 32 mpg highway / 27 mpg combined.

The 2014 Forester combines evolutionary pattern themes with neatly tangible new sum in an all-new body. The 2.0XT models underline an disdainful assertive looking competition pattern front fender along with a one-piece filigree character grille and chrome-rimmed haze light bezels.

The 2014 Forester is built on a new height featuring a 0.9-inch longer wheelbase (now 103.9 inches). Vehicle length is increasing by usually 1.4-inch, and breadth by 0.6-in., nonetheless interjection to Subaru?s poise of fit car packaging, a 2014 Forester offers important gains in roominess, quite in a back seat, where legroom is now 41.7 inches. Higher chair hip points, a reduce core hovel and shorter front console also yield incomparable legroom and comfort for a core back chair passenger. Maximum back load area room with a 60/40 separate back seatbacks lowered is now 74.7 cu. ft., that is among a best in class.

The 2014 Forester 2.5i indication will be accessible in base, Premium, Limited and top-line Touring versions. The turbocharged Forester 2.0XT will be offering in a Premium and Touring versions. The 2.5i models offer a choice between a new 6-speed primer delivery and a Subaru Lineartronic invariably non-static delivery (CVT) that is also used in a Subaru Impreza?, Legacy? and Outback? models. A high-torque chronicle of a CVT is customary in a Forester 2.0XT models, where it facilities 6-speed and 8-speed primer change modes with steering circle paddle switches.

High-line 2014 Forester models versed with a CVT also underline new X-Mode control for a Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and Hill Descent Control to yield additional control in certain pushing conditions. New reserve facilities for all 2014 Forester models embody anti-whiplash front seats, a driver?s knee airbag, Brake Override and an impact-sensing fuel complement cutoff.

For all 2014 Forester models, a new Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) complement contributes to fuel potency and also provides glorious feedback to a driver. In further to a turbo engine, a 2.0XT models broach crook doing responses from a sport-tuned cessation with 18-inch wheels, and a 2.0XT also facilities incomparable brakes than a 2.5i models, with ventilated front and back rotors.

The Forester?s four-wheel eccentric cessation complement delivers flexible doing and a rarely agreeable float quality. The 8.7 inches of belligerent clearway is aloft than for many crossovers and SUVs. Yet, a Forester maintains a absolutely easy and low step-in, extended in a 2014 indication by wider-opening back doors and by side sills that are 2 inches reduce than before.

The 2014 Forester debuts new amenities and conveniences, along with some-more upscale oppulance facilities on high-line models. All though a bottom 2.5i indication come with a customary back prophesy camera and tone multi-function display. New accessible facilities embody a energy back liftgate with involuntary close, Keyless Access and Start and a EyeSight motorist support system. Using a stereo camera complement grown by Subaru, rather than radar, EyeSight integrates Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking and Vehicle Lane Departure Warning.

The accessible touch-screen navigation complement offers smartphone formation with Aha? smartphone formation features. The top-line Touring models come customary with a navigation complement and an eight-speaker, 440-watt harman/kardon? audio system.

About Subaru of America, Inc. Subaru of America, Inc. is a unconditionally owned auxiliary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., a association markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, tools and accessories by a network of some-more than 600 dealers opposite a United States. All Subaru products are made in zero-landfill prolongation plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is a usually U.S. vehicle prolongation plant to be designated a backyard wildlife medium by a National Wildlife Federation. For additional information revisit www.subaru.com.

SOURCE Subaru of America, Inc.

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Russian whistleblower's death in UK unexplained

LONDON (AP) ? British officials are investigating the unexplained death of a Russian businessman, a key witness against Russian officials who allegedly stole $230 million from a London hedge fund in a money laundering scheme.

Alexander Perepilichny's body was discovered Nov. 10 outside his rented house south of London. Police said a second post-mortem on the 44-year-old former milk factory owner would begin Friday after a previous one had proven inconclusive. It could still take months to get the new toxicology results, Surrey Police spokeswoman Nicola Burress said.

The case evokes memories of the 2006 death of former Russian spy-turned-Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with polonium-210, a rare radioactive isotope that was secretly slipped into his tea at a London hotel. The case took relations between Moscow and London to a post-Cold War low, a relationship that has yet to fully recover.

The latest Russian death is linked to the same money laundering scheme that was being investigated by Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer hired by the London-based hedge fund Hermitage Capital. Magnitsky died in a Moscow jail in 2009 amid torture claims, and his death has spurred efforts in Europe and the U.S. to punish Russian officials who may have been complicit in human rights abuses.

"All of us are at risk in this campaign," Hermitage Capital director William Browder told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Perepilichny had approached Hermitage officials in 2010 and provided extensive documents on the alleged scheme, Browder said. Bank statements, company registry documents and ownership records of offshore companies were then passed onto Swiss investigators and Hermitage Capital applied to file a criminal complaint in Switzerland.

Swiss Federal Prosecutors' Office spokeswoman Jeannette Balmer said Thursday that the Hermitage Capital investigation was ongoing but that some bank accounts had already been frozen.

Hermitage claimed the husband of a former Moscow tax official used bank accounts at Credit Suisse to make million-dollar property purchases after she approved a fraudulent $230 million tax return for three of Hermitage's subsidiaries. Their ownership documents had earlier been seized by officials at Russia's Interior Ministry, who used them to register their own people as owners and directors before filing the fraudulent tax claim, according to Browder, who has been waging a campaign against corruption in Russia for years.

Perepilichny, who owned a milk factory in the Ukraine and had been involved in investment management for others, never revealed to Hermitage how he had obtained the records, Browder said.

Perepilichny was cooperating as a whistleblower and had been aware of reports that his life had been threatened, according to a British official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

"He came here a couple of years ago but his name had become known to us prior to his arrival in the UK," said the official. There had been reports that Perepilichny had become entangled with criminal gangs in Russia but he had not sought protection from authorities, the official said.

Perepilichny was living with his wife and two children in Weybridge, south of London.

Magnitsky was jailed by Russian officials after being charged with tax evasion linked to his defense of Hermitage. After officers at the Interior Ministry had seized ownership documents and registered their own people as owners and directors, they then reportedly filed a tax claim, saying they made a much smaller profit than originally described and asked for a $230 million tax return, according to Hermitage.

Magnitsky and Hermitage accused employees of the tax office that authorized the massive return in just one day of profiting from that tax scheme. The Interior Ministry has acknowledged the fraud but insisted that their tax officials played no part in it.

Russian criminal gangs are alleged to have helped in the money laundering scheme and Perepilichny is one of four men linked to the money laundering investigation who have died young.

Sergey Albayev, the alleged driver of a Russian gang leader, died in 2005 of heart failure at the age of 39. Alexei Alexanov, a 46-year-old linked to an alleged shell company, died in 2006 of heart failure. Valery Kurochkin, 43, who also had links to criminal gangs, died of liver disease in 2008.

Earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a measure that imposes visa and financial restrictions on Russian officials linked to human rights abuses. Browder, who has pressed for such restrictions, plans to push for similar measures in Canada next week.

Many Russians who have fled to the U.K. for various reasons have reported being targeted.

In March, a former Russian banker was shot in an apparent assassination attempt in east London after giving evidence in a 2009 attempted murder case. German Gorbuntsov suffered several gunshot wounds outside an apartment block close to London's Canary Wharf financial district. Scotland Yard is still investigating the shooting.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russian-whistleblowers-death-uk-unexplained-183948783--finance.html

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World stocks up on hopes for a US budget deal

BANGKOK (AP) ? Signs that U.S. political leaders may be closing in on a budget deal to avoid the so-called "fiscal cliff" boosted world stock markets Thursday.

Comments by President Barack Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner that a deal to avoid a budget crisis could be reached before year's end was enough to boost markets in the face of disappointing U.S. home sales, a critical indicator of whether the economy is improving.

European stock markets opened higher. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.4 percent to 5,826.96. Germany's DAX advanced 0.5 percent to 7,382.93. France's CAC-40 added 0.7 percent to 3,538.65.

Wall Street also appeared headed for a session of gains. Dow Jones industrial futures rose 0.6 percent to 13,030. S&P 500 futures were up 0.6 percent at 1,416.10.

Earlier, Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 1 percent to close at 9,400.88. Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 1 percent to 21,922.89 and South Korea's Kospi added 1.2 percent to 1,934.85. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.7 percent to 4,477.70. Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan and New Zealand also rose.

But mainland Chinese stocks extended their slump to a fourth day. The Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.5 percent to 1,963.49, the lowest closing since Jan. 16, 2009. The smaller Shenzhen Composite Index lost 1 percent 743.43.

"Investors are getting more and more pessimistic towards the market after recent losses," said Peng Yunliang, a Shanghai-based analyst.

Obama and the U.S. Congress have until Jan. 1 to agree on how to trim the country's unwieldy deficit. Otherwise, a series of automatic tax increases and sharp spending cuts will take effect that could drag the world's No. 1 economy into recession. Obama said Wednesday he believes a "framework" for an agreement can be reached before Christmas.

"It's really a headline market at the moment. We'll probably continue to see headlines on the fiscal cliff supersede any economic data until it is resolved," said Stan Shamu of IG Markets in Melbourne. "The longer it stretches out, the more risk there is that it will cause further volatility in the markets. But for now, it seems markets are on the right track."

Among Japanese stocks, Nakayama Steel Works soared 55 percent after a Nikkei business daily reported the company will seek restructuring and loan waivers from banks. Kobe Steel gained 6.9 percent. Export-dependent shares also rose, including Yamaha Motor Co., up 3.6 percent; and Honda Motor Co., up 2 percent.

Hong Kong-listed property shares also posted solid gains, including Evergrande Real Estate Group, which jumped 6.6 percent.

Concern that the U.S. will go over the fiscal "cliff" has weighed on stocks since the Nov. 6 elections returned a divided government to power, with Obama staying in the White House and Republicans retaining control of the House of Representatives.

U.S. sales of new homes fell slightly in October, down 0.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 368,000. The government also said Tuesday that September sales were slower than initially reported.

In Europe, sentiment improved this week after Greece's bailout creditors agreed to pay its next installment of loans and outlined a series of measures to lower its debt load over the coming decade. Concerns remain, however, over the country's economy, which is expected to enter a sixth year of recession in 2013.

Benchmark oil for January delivery was up 44 cents to $86.95 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 69 cents to close at $86.49 per barrel on the Nymex on Wednesday.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.2976 from $1.2932 late Wednesday in New York. The dollar rose to 82.15 yen from 81.90 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

___

AP researcher Fu Ting contributed from Shanghai.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/world-stocks-hopes-us-budget-deal-092749644--finance.html

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Free VoIP Options for Non-Facebook Users

There are multiple options for free VoIP for people who are not members of Facebook. The social network recently announced a video calling chat function which uses the VoIP provided by Skype.
The TeamSpeak 3.0.0 RC1 is one such free VoIP provider that allows multiple users to chat over the internet. Though anyone can use this tool, it has to be configured as the program is capable of handling multiple connections simultaneously and limiting it to certain people requires server and client components.
Another VoIP that provides such services is the iCall Free VoIP 1.3.1 which allows iPhone, iPod or iPad users to make more free calls even after their monthly free calls are over. This app can be used over a 3G or Wi-Fi network but currently the VoIP provider is still a ad-supported app which only allows calls to be made within the US and Canada. Even Skype 5.5 could be a major money saver as it provides an option of calling your Facebook friends free of charge if they are also Skype users.


Source: http://www.voip-weblog.com/24768940/free_voip_options_for_nonfacebook_users.php

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Samsung Galaxy S III mini review: a small Galaxy with few stars

Samsung Galaxy S III mini review: a small Galaxy with few stars

Samsung made a bold move when it announced the Galaxy S III mini. Here was an Android phone with the potential to take the iPhone 5 head-on. While the original Galaxy S III is clearly the flagship, its 4.8-inch display means it's literally too much for some people to handle. By matching Apple's screen size inch for inch, it could have been pitched as a device aimed at winning over some iOS fence-sitters. However, when you look at the specifications: a dual-core 1GHz processor, WVGA (800 x 480) display and a 5-megapixel camera, it's clear that Samsung had other ideas, opting to fish for a more mid-range customer instead.

Fast forward to the present, and it's no longer a matter of intellectual debate as to what the mini is all about: the phone is here, and on sale in much of Europe for £299 / €379. So hubris, brand appeal and pundit talk aside, is this the real-deal Galaxy S III, just for smaller hands? Or is it a budget phone simply wearing its elder sibling's tuxedo to the ball? We spent some time getting to know the phone in an attempt to find out.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III mini review: a small Galaxy with few stars

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/jImVohZBW9w/

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Renowned Basketball Players from the Past Time | Hugo Hosting

Because the very very first gamers sunk the very initial hoops again on the century back again, basketball might be one connected with America?s number 1 sports, and expert basketball gamers take place to be making sports activities historical past.
American skilled basketball record could be traced to some recreation carried out in 1896 in the YMCA inside Trenton, Nj. Ron Artest jerseys
This on-line recreation was done as brought on by a following consequences dispute in amongst members from the YMCA crew along with a YMCA acknowledged. The annoyed players formed their really own skilled team and started out to perform for the money.
Also a lot of years afterwards, many New Jacket newspaper sports activities activities editors started the Nationwide Basketball Category (NBL). The stars of the very first qualified league had been Barney Sedan as nicely as Ed Watcher.
Since the league progressed to the twentieth hundred several years, the very first two prosperous expert teams ended up the actual Buffalo Germans and also the Unique Boston Celtics. The very initial main nationwide expert category was the true American Golfing ball League. The Harlem Globetrotters and also the New You are ready to Renaissance, also known as the Reins, almost certainly the most effective teams from the thirties. These two groups experienced been comprised totally of dark players. There had been also women basketball groups at the instant, with the very greatest women gamers getting In close proximity to Whitened, Alpine Banking establishments Spouses, as effectively as Babe Didrikson.
The Minneapolis Lakers centered the professional basketball circuit through the late 1940s as well as earlier nineteen fifties.

The real Lakers, trained by Steve Kendal as properly as led by means of George Milan, required the NBA match titles within 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953 as nicely as 1954. Historic expert basketball people of the era experienced been ahead Frank Pettit as nicely as guard Frank Cousin, that guided the real Boston in buy to six NBA sport titles (1957, 1959-1963). The Boston Celtics commanded since of regard inside of the NBA by way of 1957 in purchase to 1969. In these moments the group received an total whole of 11 NBA game titles, such as eight within a row. Statement Russell had been the celebrity participant from the Celtics, even though yet another in the past dominant middle, Wilt Chamberlain, played out for that Philadelphia People.
Historical skilled basketball players happen to be getting exhilaration to lovers and honor to teammates for increased than a century. Using the ongoing curiosity about pro golf ball and sellout crowds above the league, there is not any indicator how the acceptance connected with basketball is slowing any period of time before long.

Related posts:

  1. ConnectSpace Launches CS Hoops, an Easy-To-Use Recruiting Resource that Connects High School Basketball Players with College Basketball Programs
  2. Nutrition For Basketball Players
  3. Secret Basketball Dribbling Drills For Serious Basketball Player
  4. Regulation Size Basketball
  5. Growth and Development in College Basketball

Source: http://www.hugohosting.com/renowned-basketball-players-from-the-past-time.html

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Title, release date announced for Amanda Knox book

This undated photo provided by HarperCollins shows the cover design of "Waiting to be Heard". Amanda Knox's upcoming memoir has a title, a cover design and a new publication date. HarperCollins announced Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 that the book is titled "Waiting to be Heard." It will come out April 30, two months later than originally scheduled. The date was changed out of deference to the court in Italy that scheduled a March 25 hearing for the prosecution's appeal of the former exchange student's acquittal in the 2007 murder of her British roommate. (AP Photo/HarperCollins)

This undated photo provided by HarperCollins shows the cover design of "Waiting to be Heard". Amanda Knox's upcoming memoir has a title, a cover design and a new publication date. HarperCollins announced Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 that the book is titled "Waiting to be Heard." It will come out April 30, two months later than originally scheduled. The date was changed out of deference to the court in Italy that scheduled a March 25 hearing for the prosecution's appeal of the former exchange student's acquittal in the 2007 murder of her British roommate. (AP Photo/HarperCollins)

(AP) ? Amanda Knox's upcoming memoir has a title, a cover design and a new publication date.

HarperCollins announced Wednesday the book is titled "Waiting to be Heard." It will come out April 30, two months later than originally scheduled. The date was changed out of deference to a court in Italy that scheduled a March 25 hearing for the prosecution's appeal of the former exchange student's acquittal in the 2007 murder of her British roommate.

The 25-year-old Knox returned to her native Seattle last year after spending four years in a jail in Perugia, Italy. Her ordeal made international headlines. Her book deal was announced in February and reportedly was worth $4 million.

The cover features a close-up of an intense, unsmiling Knox. The picture was taken earlier this year.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-11-28-Books-Amanda%20Knox/id-894d40ee1ae349d5807cae7545c3f03f

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Glam It Up For the Holidays | Natural Holistic Health Blog

Guest Post Courtesy of the Clarisonic Blog

The holidays are fast approaching which means it?s time to glimmer, shine, and shimmer. With the holiday party invitations already beginning to roll in, we?re sharing our picks for this holiday season?s hottest trends to ensure you look elegant and festive, party after party:

Glittery Makeup

Tis? the season to break out some sassy and playful holiday makeup ? glittery lips, metallic eyes, and luminescent skin all send us into fits of twinkling delight this time of year. We love the smoky eye look for a party, and lining your eyes with a thin sweep of glitter shadow on the upper and lower rims of eye is sure to make your eyes twinkle.

Holiday Updos

Sweep hair up for a dose of instant drama and feminine flair for all your holiday festivities. An updo is a great way to accentuate your neckline and show off your favorite pair of sparkly earrings.

The perfect party dress

Glam it up for the holidays in a glittering sequin dress. This season is all about all things that sparkle, and this pick is sure to dazzle, thanks to its chic, swingy silhouette and the sequins adorning the bodice.

Accessories

Make the most of your holidays with the season?s most festive accents. Accessories can help you complete the look at create the perfect ensemble for any event. So be sure to incorporate a lot of metallic tones and sparkle into your shoes, jewelry and other accessories.

What will you wear?

Photo licensed through Creative Commons by Jennuine Captures

Continued here:
Glam It Up For the Holidays

Free PDF Health Ebook...

Natural Help for Female Infertility

? ? Simply right click the ebook title above, and choose Save As to save to your desktop!? You can find more FREE Natural Health, Wellness and Pet Ebooks at Remedies4.com!


About Clarisonic - Sonic Skin Care

At Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, we have a passion for bringing great new ideas to life. Our mission is to develop and market technically advanced and clinically proven products that make a clear difference in skin care. With Clarisonic, we aim to revolutionize skin care in the same way sonic technology forever changed how millions care for their teeth and gums. Pacific Bioscience Laboratories was established by scientists, engineers, and the primary inventor of the Sonicare toothbrush, one of the best-selling sonic-based consumer products of all time.

Source: http://www.natural-holistic-health.com/glam-it-up-for-the-holidays/

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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Rockets coach Kevin McHale's daughter dies at 22

by Associated Press

kens5.com

Posted on November 25, 2012 at 11:09 AM

Updated Sunday, Nov 25 at 12:32 PM

HOUSTON (AP) -- The daughter of Houston Rockets coach Kevin McHale has died at 22.

The death of Alexandra "Sasha" McHale was announced by the team Sunday. No other details were released.

Kevin McHale has been on leave since Nov. 10 to deal with what the team called a personal family matter.

Team owner Leslie Alexander said in a statement that he extends his "deepest condolences" over the loss of the McHales' "beautiful daughter." He called Kevin and wife Lynn "loving and dedicated parents who will need our continued support throughout this very difficult time." He said the "entire organization is mourning."

Kelvin Sampson has been the interim coach. There is no timetable for Kevin McHale's return.
?

Source: http://www.kens5.com/sports/spotlight/Rockets-coach-Kevin-McHales-daughter-dies-at-22-180753711.html

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Turkish PM fumes over steamy Ottoman soap opera

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A hit TV show about the Ottoman Empire's longest-reigning Sultan has raised a political storm in Turkey, with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan urging legal action over historical inaccuracies and the opposition accusing him of artistic tyranny.

Erdogan tore into the weekly soap opera "Magnificent Century", which attracts an audience of up to 150 million people in Turkey as well as parts of the Balkans and Middle East, in response to criticism of his government's foreign policy.

The lavish television production, which grips audiences with tales of power struggles and palace intrigue, is set during the 16th century reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, when Ottoman rulers held sway over an empire straddling three continents.

Bristling at suggestions that Turkey was meddling too much in its neighbors' affairs, Erdogan recalled Turkey's heritage, and said Suleiman had been a proud conqueror rather than the indulgent harem-lover portrayed in the show.

"(Critics) ask why are we dealing with the affairs of Iraq, Syria and Gaza," Erdogan said at the opening of an airport in western Turkey on Sunday.

"They know our fathers and ancestors through 'Magnificent Century', but we don't know such a Suleiman. He spent 30 years on horseback, not in the palace, not what you see in that series."

Scenes that showed Suleiman with women in the harem have prompted calls from viewers in the mostly Muslim and largely conservative country for the broadcasting regulator (RTUK) to ban the series. But it tops the viewing charts each week.

Erdogan said the director of the series, which has been on air since January 2011, and the owner of the channel that broadcasts it had been warned, but also said he expected the judiciary to act, without elaborating.

Erdogan's opponents accused him of authoritarianism.

"The prime minister must be jealous of the series' popularity. He thinks there's no need for another sultan when he's in power," said Muharrem Ince, the deputy chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).

"Erdogan wants to be the only sultan."

Elected a decade ago with the strongest majority seen in years, Erdogan has overseen a period of unprecedented prosperity in Turkey. But concerns are growing about his increasingly authoritarian rule.

Hundreds of politicians, academics and journalists are in jail on charges of plotting against the government, while more than 300 army officers were given prison terms in September for conspiring to topple him not long after he swept to power.

Turkey has been increasingly assertive in regional politics, most notably over the crisis in neighboring Syria, where it has led calls for international action and scrambled war planes in a warning to Damascus not to violate its territory.

"I think the prime minister's aim here is to change the agenda. I can't think of any other reason to discuss an imaginary television series when there are so many problems in a country," Nebahat Cehre, who played Suleiman's mother during the first two seasons, told Turkey's Birgun newspaper.

(Editing by Nick Tattersall and Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/turkish-pm-fumes-over-steamy-ottoman-soap-opera-180439872.html

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Bridal Business Academy's Wedding Pros Conference | Tellem ...

TGPR?s Queen, Susan Tellem, will be speaking at the Bridal Business Academy?s Wedding Professionals Conference?Tuesday, December 4th at the Sheraton Delfina in Santa Monica, CA. She will focus on Social Media and PR at the conference where wedding industry entrepreneurs gain hands-on familiarity with the fundamental skills needed in a successful wedding business.

Top wedding industry specialist and the conference?s featured trainer and business motivator, Chris Evans,?will be on hand to help attendees learn how to improve their business and grow sales.

Other professionals will teach information focusing on practical concepts and tools to strengthen leadership capabilities in the wedding business. If you are a wedding coordinator or planner, your admission is free.?Wedding professionals who want to grow their business: the Academy offers a?discount of $28 per person, off the original price of $98, (so you only pay $70 for the full day of training).

For complete details and to RSVP, visit http://bridalbizacademy-esli.eventbrite.com/.

-Dan, TGPR

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Source: http://tellemgrodypr.com/2012/11/27/bridal-business-academys-wedding-pros-conference/

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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Rice meeting with senators fails to dampen criticism

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice on Tuesday failed to win over her harshest Republican critics in the U.S. Senate who are threatening to block her nomination if President Barack Obama chooses her for Secretary of State or another top post in his second-term Cabinet.

Rice met for about an hour behind closed doors at the U.S. Capitol with Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte. They have openly criticized her for initial comments after the September 11 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi that suggested it was a spontaneous event arising from protests of an anti-Islam film rather than a premeditated attack.

The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed in the attack on the Benghazi mission and a nearby CIA annex. Intelligence officials later said the attack was possibly tied to al Qaeda affiliates.

"We are significantly troubled by many of the answers that we got, and some that we didn't get, concerning evidence that was overwhelming leading up to the attack on our consulate," McCain told reporters after the meeting.

"It is clear that the information that she gave the American people was incorrect when she said that it was a spontaneous demonstration triggered by a hateful video," he said.

"It was not, and there was compelling evidence at the time that that was certainly not the case, including statements by Libyans as well as other Americans who are fully aware that people don't bring mortars and rocket-propelled grenades to spontaneous demonstrations," McCain said.

Republicans have argued that the Obama administration tried to play down the terrorist angle in its initial comments to avoid undermining the president's claims of success in fighting al Qaeda in the run-up to the November 6 election.

Rice was accompanied by acting CIA Director Michael Morell and was not seen by reporters, but later issued a statement saying: "We explained that the talking points provided by the intelligence community, and the initial assessment upon which they were based, were incorrect in a key respect: there was no protest or demonstration in Benghazi."

"While, we certainly wish that we had had perfect information just days after the terrorist attack, as is often the case, the intelligence assessment has evolved," she said. "We stressed that neither I nor anyone else in the Administration intended to mislead the American people at any stage in this process."

Obama has defended Rice and said if senators have a problem with the administration's handling of Benghazi they should "go after me" rather than try to "besmirch her reputation."

Graham also criticized U.S. intelligence agencies that wrote the talking points on which Rice based her public comments.

"I'm very disappointed in our intelligence community. I think they failed in many ways. But with a little bit of inquiry and curiosity, I think it would be pretty clear that to explain this episode as related to a video that created a mob that turned into a riot was far afield," he said. "And at the end of the day, we're going to get to the bottom of this."

Rice's controversial Benghazi statements were based on a set of unclassified talking points prepared by U.S. intelligence agencies for members of Congress.

The initial draft written by the CIA referred to "attacks" carried out by "extremists with ties to al Qaeda." However by the time Rice received them, "attacks" had changed to "demonstrations" and "with ties to al Qaeda" had been deleted, multiple U.S. sources have said.

The White House has denied making those edits and members of Congress are trying to determine where the changes were made.

The senators who met with Rice remained unconvinced by her responses and said her visit left them with greater concerns than before the meeting.

"I wouldn't vote for anybody being nominated out of the Benghazi debacle until I had answers about what happened that I don't have today," Graham said.

Asked whether he would block such a nomination, Graham said: "Oh, absolutely. I would place a hold on anybody that wanted to be promoted for any job that had a role in the Benghazi situation."

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the questions about Rice's appearance on the talk shows and the talking points had been answered. "The focus on - some might say obsession on - comments made on Sunday shows seems to me and to many to be misplaced," he said.

(Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell, Jeff Mason and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Jackie Frank)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/senators-wont-support-rice-until-libya-questions-resolved-162116177.html

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Bangladesh factory fires highlight working conditions

Just after a fire killed at least 112 workers at a garment factory in the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, another 10-story factory caught fire Monday morning, and thousands took to the streets to protest the factories? poor safety standards.

Though no one was killed in the second fire, during both fires the main doors to the factories were reported to be padlocked, blocking easy escape.

The protests put a spotlight on the poor working conditions, lack of fire escapes, and garment owner negligence that has wracked the world's second-largest garment-exporting country, where firms produce clothing for high-profile brands including Gap, H&M, and Wal-Mart.

?Every time these incidents occur, the owners get away without making any change to their working conditions inside the factories,? says Sultan Uddin Ahmmed, assistant executive director of Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies (BILS). ?These incidents will have to be treated as an offense in order to stop such occurrences.?

[QUIZ: How well do you know Asia?]

Bangladesh's garment industry employs 4 million people, 3 million of them women, at some 4,500 factories, says Siddiqur Rahman, acting president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). And between 1990 and 2012, there have been at least major 33 fires in garment factories, claiming some 500 lives, according to BILS.

The 2006 Bangladesh Labor Law and the Factories Rules of 1979 would be strong laws if they were applied effectively, says Babul Akhter, president of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers? Federation, a national trade union federation. Both legal frameworks stress the welfare of workers and settlement of disputes between workers and employers. To date, however, none of the factory fires have had a conclusive investigation, nor has anyone been found responsible.

The Factories Rules require specific provisions for escape in the event of an emergency for factory buildings housing explosive or highly flammable materials: "The means of escape shall include at least two separate and substantial stairways permanently constructed either inside or outside the building and which afford direct and unimpeded access to ground level."

Garment factories have had problems since the early 1990s, when the industry was developing. ?Unfortunately, the owners pay no heed to ensure the minimum safety standards inside the buildings,? says Mr. Selim.

That's because the rules are easy to get around, say observers.

Though international buyers often require factories meet the safety and requirements, often the auditors representing them are not well trained, says Selim, enticing owners to save money by only appearing to adhere to standards.

When the industry was just starting, there was a government push to expand, says an insider within the fire service. That push encouraged looking the other way when it came to safety inspections, at least temporarily. ?In the initial stage, for the expansion of industry, the fire service issued warehouse or workshop license to buildings, overlooking many compliance issues,? says the insider.

But the practice has continued even as Bangladesh's garment industry, which currently makes up some 80 percent of its export revenue, has boomed. The sector earned $19 billion in the financial year that ended in June 2012.

Many activists and workers blame the factory owners.

The gates are padlocked primarily for two reasons, says Mr. Akhter, ?so that workers do not leave the workplace or raw materials and goods do not get stolen.?

But he says that if cameras were installed and security guards present, they wouldn?t have to lock the doors.

?It comes as a moral responsibility for the owners to ensure the fire safety standards," he says. "Locking the exits at the stairways means that the owners prioritize their goods and raw materials over the lives of the workers,? he says.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/deadly-bangladesh-garment-factory-fire-spotlights-poor-working-182611219.html

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Authenticity Is the New Audacity - Business Networking With Dr. Ivan ...

TR Garland (pictured with me in the photo below) is a friend of mine and co-author of one of my most recent #1 best-selling books called ?Building The Ultimate Network.?? He?s also considered a top trainer for the Referral Institute.?

For some time now, we?ve both observed a need to drill down on one of the most important and foundational concepts to networking ? The VCP Process?.? Ten months ago, we started a much-anticipated 12-part monthly series of blog posts which addresses this and contains some very timely information for networkers across the globe.? In the past, we?ve co-authored the articles.? Today, I?m proud to share with you Part 10 of the series ? which is written entirely by TR as a Guest Blogger.? Please comment below and let us know what you think.

?

AUTHENTICITY IS THE ?NEW? AUDACITY

(Part 10 of 12 of the ?Navigating The VCP Process? To Networking? Series)

Have you ever heard the following phrase: ?It?s nothing personal, it?s just business???

I have.? And every time I hear it, it still disappoints me.? Today, business is personal and people do business with ME because of ME, and they should do business with YOU because of YOU ? not because you perfected some PowerPoint presentation or recently attended a Sales seminar on how to overcome a prospect?s objections.

Nowadays the consumer marketplace that fuels the economy sets the criteria on how they wish to be treated.? ?Consequently, to society today the term ?overcoming objections? sounds a lot more like the following descriptive words:

  • Persuade
  • Manipulate
  • Convince
  • Coax

When it comes to buying, purchasing, or investing criteria, I don?t know about you, but the concept of being ?closed? and the terminology used in the Traditional Sales Model doesn?t translate that well with me ? and probably society overall for that matter.? I don?t want to be ?convinced? of anything and my guess is that you don?t either.? If you?re interested in creating a long-term client/customer relationship, it?s my presumption that it?s probably not in your best interest to start off by persuading, manipulating, or convincing your potential client to do business with you.? Don?t you agree?

Yet the sad truth is that, today, it?s probably a safe bet that we could go to Amazon.com and search books on the topic of Sales.? It?s also probably a safe bet that we?d find hundreds (and potentially even thousands) of Sales books with their title including the words ?Persuasion Techniques?, ?How To Close The Sale?, and even ?How To Overcome Objections.?? Yes, people who employ these tactics will get results.? I?ll concede that point.? But these tactics continue to reinforce the lifestyle of a HUNTER ? behaviors that are long gone as conduct that small business owners and entrepreneurs idolize.

Remember, Business Networking is more about ?farming? than it is about ?hunting?.? It takes time to cultivate relationships.? But once you dedicate the effort, these relationships ultimately allow you to ?harvest? referrals for a lifetime.? Today, people choose to do business with other people because of:

  1. Who they are
  2. What they stand for and
  3. The lessons that life has taught them through their own personal experiences that uniquely qualify them to offer the marketplace a product or service in a way that only they could deliver.

If you seek Client relationships, today?s customers aren?t just buying what you sell. They?re buying who you are. ??If you seek Strategic Partner relationships, people refer other people ? NOT the product or service they offer or the actual company that they represent.

When networking and getting to know other professionals, if you shy away from who you are, what you stand for, and what personal experiences life has revealed to you, then your message most likely will not resonate today and you may not get the results that you expect.? Don?t make a mess of your message by trying to recite the ?About Us? Section of your company?s website when you first meet people.? What is captivating to other professionals these days is congruency with how you communicate that you are a real person through your attitude, behavior, and actions.

The definition of Audacity according to Wikipedia is to be BOLD, COURAGEOUS, or have CHUTZPAH.? I say that it?s pretty bold to be yourself with all your wonderful flaws (nobody?s perfect) because it proves your authenticity and attracts connection.? Everybody has relationships, yet few people relate.? Strive to be one of the few.? If you truly act like yourself all the time and not just in your personal life, then people will be able to relate.? This builds trust, credibility, and camaraderie.? If your behavior is different depending on whether you?re in a personal or professional environment, then you may be attracting people who are attracted to who you?re pretending to be.? And, it?s my belief that this is not the recipe for a long term professional relationship that?ll provide a steady stream of referrals.

In the grand scheme of things, you devote your time networking at the local Chamber of Commerce, Association Mixers, and even weekly BNI meetings to receive a return on your investment (ROI) in the form of regular referrals.? Navigating the VCP Process? to networking from Visibility to Credibility all the way to Profitability would most likely then be your goal.? Based on the marketplace?s value on authenticity today, I personally believe that your easiest path to Profitability is to start by simply being yourself.? Isn?t that a sigh of relief? :-)

In closing, a successful small business owner?s mission is not solely to take the action to network.? It?s about taking the actions to ensure that you connect and relate with others when you network that really counts. ? I thank you for reading today?s post and extend an invitation to be on the lookout for next month?s contribution to this series ? Part 11 called ?Don?t Make a Mess of Your Message.?

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Source: http://businessnetworking.com/authenticity-is-the-new-audacity/

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Changes to privacy law would cover the cloud

Featured

1 day

NBC News

If you're confused over a recent email from Facebook regarding its data use policy, you're not alone.? The email ? with the subject line "Up... Read more

23 hrs.

A generation ago, when the Electronic Privacy Communication Act was passed,?"the cloud," a term for massive?server?storage of private?emails, documents and photos, didn't exist. Now some?lawmakers are looking to amend the 1986?law so that information stored in the cloud would require a warrant by the police who want that information from either the cloud?storage provider or the individual.

That amendment to the?Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 2012, the first major changes to 26-year-old law, is expected to be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Right now, law enforcement needs only a subpoena, issued by a prosecutor, to search cloud-based storage, whether it's for emails or documents that are shared for collaboration?on sites like Google. A bill by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, would instead require law enforcement to obtain a search warrant issued by a judge.

"The bill pending at the Senate Judiciary Committee to update the Electronic Communications Privacy Act is long overdue," said Greg?Nojeim, senior counsel and director of the Center for Democracy & Technology's?Project on Freedom, Security & Technology, told NBC News.

"Requiring a warrant for email and other information stored in the cloud would provide privacy to consumers, certainty to law enforcement, and clarity to the companies that receive law enforcement demands."

The ACLU, too, is backing the change. "We believe the statute is very out of date," Christopher Calabrese, ACLU legislative counsel, told NBC News. "All email and all private communications should be covered by a warrant," and not just a subpoena.

Law enforcement groups are opposing the cloud-based?warrant requirement.?The battle comes as courts continue to?wrangle?over whether law enforcement should be allowed to track an?individuals'?cellphone information?without a warrant.?

"The crime scene of the 21st century is filled with electronic records and other digital evidence," wrote?representatives of various investigative, legal and police agencies via the National Sheriffs' Association?in a?letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

If anything, the agency representatives said in the letter, "laws, policies, protocols, and practices related to the process of law enforcement evidence retrieval from communications service?providers are out-of-date and increasingly insufficient moving forward."

Check out Technology, GadgetBox, Digital Life and InGame on?Facebook,?and on?Twitter, follow Suzanne Choney.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/changes-privacy-law-would-cover-cloud-1C7208010

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chrisrobsonxs: pentateuch bridle: Leptospires in wildlife from ...

Everard, C. O. R.; Fraser Chanpong, G. M.; Bhagwandin, L. J.; Race, M. W.; James, A. C., 1983: Leptospires in wildlife from Trinidad and Grenada. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 19(3): 192-199

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Tags: grenada, leptospires, mongooses, opossums, peridomestic

Source: http://scien.net/serum/leptospires-in-wildlife-from-trinidad-and-grenada

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