Emancipation Proclamation 150th Anniversary Marked By Watch Nights This Year

WASHINGTON ? As New Year's Day approached 150 years ago, all eyes were on President Abraham Lincoln in expectation of what he warned 100 days earlier would be coming ? his final proclamation declaring all slaves in states rebelling against the Union to be "forever free."

A tradition began Dec. 31, 1862, as many black churches held Watch Night services, awaiting word that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation would take effect amid a bloody Civil War. Later, congregations listened as the president's historic words were read aloud.

The proclamation would not end slavery outright and at the time couldn't be enforced by Lincoln in areas under Confederate control. But the president made clear from that day forward that his forces would be fighting to bring the Union back together without the institution of slavery.

Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862, after the Battle of Antietam, announcing that if rebel states did not cease fighting and rejoin the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, all slaves in rebellious states or parts of states would be declared free from that date forward.

This year, the Watch Night tradition will follow the historic document to its home at the National Archives with a special midnight display planned with readings, songs and bell ringing among the nation's founding documents.

The official document bears Lincoln's signature and the United States seal, setting it apart from copies and drafts. It will make a rare public appearance from Sunday to Tuesday ? New Year's Day ? for thousands of visitors to mark its anniversary. On New Year's Eve, the display will remain open past midnight as 2013 arrives.

"We will be calling back to an old tradition," said U.S. Archivist David Ferriero, noting the proclamation's legacy. "When you see thousands of people waiting in line in the dark and cold ... we know that they're not there just for words on paper.

"On this 150th anniversary, we recall those who struggled with slavery in this country, the hope that sustained them and the inspiration the Emancipation Proclamation has given to those who seek justice."

The National Archives allows 100 visitors at a time into its rotunda, where the Emancipation Proclamation will be displayed along with the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. On the busiest days, 8,000 people file through for a glimpse of the founding charters.

Performances and re-enactments are scheduled to continue throughout New Year's Day. The U.S. Postal Service will unveil a new Emancipation Proclamation stamp as well.

This special display is just one of many commemorations planned in Washington and in churches nationwide to mark the anniversary of Lincoln's actions to end slavery and end the Civil War.

President Lincoln's Cottage in Washington, where the 16th president spent much of his time and where he began drafting the proclamation, is displaying a signed copy of the document through February. It also will host its own New Year's Eve celebration.

The Library of Congress will display the first draft handwritten by Lincoln. It will be on display for six weeks beginning Jan. 3 in the library's exhibit, "The Civil War in America," which features many personal letters and diaries from the era.

Also, the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture just opened its newest exhibition, "Changing America," to recount the 1863 emancipation of slaves and the 1963 March on Washington for Civil Rights. It includes a rare signed copy of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that ultimately abolished slavery.

The Watch Night tradition also continues at many sites Monday night.

In Washington, the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, where abolitionist Frederick Douglass was a member, will host a special 150th anniversary service.

History lovers say this is a chance to remember what the Emancipation Proclamation actually signified.

Lincoln wrote in part: "I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward, shall be free."

He went on to say the military would recognize the freedom of slaves, that freed slaves should avoid violence and that freed slaves could enlist in the U.S. armed forces. It did not immediately free a single slave, though, because Lincoln didn't have the power to enforce the declaration in the Confederacy. Still, many slaves had already been freeing themselves, and the document gave them protection, said Reginald Washington, an archivist of African-American history at the National Archives.

"It was a first, important step in paving the way for the abolishment of slavery with the ratification of the 13th Amendment," he said.

It also brought "a fundamental change in the character of the war," Washington said. "With the stroke of Lincoln's pen, a war to preserve the union had overnight become a war of human liberation."

The proclamation became a symbol of hope for nearly 4 million slaves and a confirmation that the war should be fought to secure their freedom, said Washington, who is retiring from the Archives after nearly 40 years. Some historians and scholars have come to view to proclamation as one of the most important documents in U.S. history.

The final proclamation has been rarely shown because it was badly damaged decades ago by long exposure to light. After it was signed at the White House, it was kept at the State Department for many years with other presidential proclamations. In 1936, it was transferred to the National Archives.

Records show it was displayed between 1947 and 1949 in a "Freedom Train" exhibit that traveled the country. Then it was shown briefly in January 1963 to mark the 100th anniversary of its signing.

It wasn't until 1993 that the Emancipation Proclamation has been shown more regularly to the public. In the past decade, it has been shown in 10 other museums and libraries nationwide for no more than three days at a time to limit its exposure to light. A 2011 exhibition at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., that was open around the clock drew lines amounting to eight-hour waits to see the document.

Conservators rotate which of the five pages are shown to limit their light exposure. In Washington, they will display pages two and five, which is Lincoln's signature page. High-quality copies are shown in place of the other original pages.

"It's rarely shown, and that's part of our strategy for preserving it and making it accessible," said Catherine Nicholson, an archives conservator. "Our goal is to keep its current condition so that it can be enjoyed not only by people today, but by future generations."

___

Online:

http://www.archives.gov

___

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13 technologies you won't see in 2013

2 hrs.

Avram Piltch, Laptopmag.com , TechNewsDaily

It seems like only yesterday we were planning for the Maya apocalypse, but like so many other products, the 14th b?ak?tun (next era) has been delayed due to bugs and lack of pre-orders. Yet if you talked to some pundits back in 2011, they?d have told you that the end of days was coming out in Q4 of 2012, along with its competitor, BlackBerry 10.

No doubt, in 2013, several long-rumored products will come to market. However, next year won?t be the year for these 13 gadgets and technologies.

Amazon smartphone

The speculation: After its success selling Amazon-branded Android tablets, the company will launch a smartphone that puts its content front and center and encouraging you to shop wherever you go. Some have even suggested that the company will make it easy to scan prices when you're in a retail store, just so you can see if Amazon sells the item cheaper. Taiwan Economic News recently reported that Foxconn will be manufacturing the handset, which will launch in Q3 or 2013 for $100 to $200.

Why it?won't happen in 2013: Breaking into the U.S. smartphone market with any hope of success is extremely difficult for new players. The four major carriers rule their networks with an iron fist, either forcing phone vendors to go along with their software?strategies or outright rejecting products that don't meet their immediate business goals. Just ask Google, which decided to release the Nexus 4 as an unlocked device rather than deal with AT&T and Verizon. (A subsidized version is available for T-Mobile.)

From a business perspective, playing in the smartphone space makes little sense for Amazon as the company's goal is not to sell phones but to sell media and dry goods through its online store. The company already has its shopping app preloaded as crapware on many Android devices, and the company could leverage these placements in 2013 by finally bringing Amazon Instant Video to Android devices and adding a price-scanning app to the mix. Why spend money building and supporting a smartphone when you can just get users of other phones to buy the all the same products from you?

More: ?Top 10 Smartphones

Windows?Blue

The speculation: Microsoft?will launch the next major version of Windows, codenamed "Windows Blue," as soon as spring 2013. The new OS will get at least annual updates over the air so consumers and businesses with Blue always have the latest verison of the OS.

Why it won't happen in 2013: If the rumors are true, a company that usually releases operating systems on a three-year cadence will suddenly start selling a new mainstream operating system less than a year after Windows 8?launched. And before Microsoft starts selling its next OS, it will no doubt go through months of public and developer previews as it has with Windows 7 and 8.

So, for Windows Blue to launch even as late as Q4 of 2013, Microsoft would have to announce a developer preview or public beta at the beginning of the year. With all the controversy surrounding Windows 8, news of another new Windows OS would convince users who were on the fence about upgrading to delay their purchases. Talk about Osborning yourself.

More:??8 Worst Windows 8 Annoyances and How to Fix Them

Google Nexus 4 with LTE connectivity

The speculation: When Google released its Nexus 4 phone, users were shocked to learn that the device did not support 4G LTE, the fastest type of mobile network.?To avoid dealing with carriers and building carrier-specific versions of its handset, the company decided to go with simple HSPA support, a decision Android head Andy Rubin called a "tactical issue."?Despite Rubin's comments, some believe that Google will eventually offer an LTE version of the Nexus 4, because it provided carrier-specific LTE versions of its prior-gen phone, the Galaxy Nexus. The Nexus 4 even has a disabled LTE radio inside of it, though this radio can only support a handful of bands that most areas of the U.S. don't use.

Why it won't happen: With the Nexus 4, Google is trying to make a point about its independence from carriers. Users who want a nearly-identical phone with LTE can already buy the LG Optimus G. However, not including LTE on phones is a poor long-term strategy. I wouldn't be surprised if Google's next handset, rumored to be the Motorola X, had LTE that worked with at least a couple of the major U.S. carriers' networks.

More: ??10 Most Stylish Smartphones

Wireless charging pads hit public places

The speculation: If you've been following the news lately you might expect to see wireless charging stations?appear at all your favorite haunts in 2013. This past fall, Nokia, HTC and others released phones with Qi-standard wireless charging support built-in while. At the same time, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf announced its plan to install compatible charging pads in its tables and Virgin Atlantic said it will offer the same in its airport lounges. Jay Z also announced a partnership with Duracell to bring that company's charging mats to several New York hotspots, including his own 40/40 club. Could Starbucks, McDonald's, 7-11 and Chucky Cheese be next? Not in 2013.

Why it won't happen in 2013: While many new phones this fall support the Qi wireless charging standard, Samsung and Qualcomm have loaned their support to the competing Alliance for Wireless Power (AW4P) standard. There's nothing like a standards war to make restaurant chains invest millions in upgrading their infrastructure to support half a dozen phones, none of which is an iPhone. Don't expect to see many more public places with wireless charging until Apple picks a standard and builds support into its products.

More:??Top 6 Smartphones with Wireless Charging

Nokia's Windows tablet

The speculation:?Two years have passed since Nokia has jumped off the "burning platform" of developing its own phone OS and fully embraced Windows Phone.?So what does former Microsoft exec Stephen Elop do for a follow-up? How about releasing a tablet.

After all, Elop said the following when speaking with analysts: "From an ecosystem perspective, there are benefits and synergies that exist between Windows and Windows Phone. We see that opportunity. We'll certainly consider those opportunities going forward." According to one popular rumor, the company plans to release a Windows RT slate with a battery-powered keyboard cover early in 2013. The tablet will allegedly come with wireless 4G service from carriers such as AT&T.

Why it won't happen in 2013: Nokia has had enough difficulty gaining market share in the smartphone space and, though things seem to be looking up for the Finnish company, its Devices and Services division lost 683 million Euros in Q3. Windows RT devices like the Microsoft?Surface are by no means a proven commodity, so Nokia would be jumping onto a whole new burning platform at a time when it needs to show stability and success. I think they'll pass.

More: ?10 Best Tablets of 2012

Mobile payments become common

The speculation: If you have certain Sprint phones, today you can use Google Wallet to tap and pay at a handful of stores. On AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, you will soon be able to use a competing service called ISIS to turn your phone?into a credit card. With all this activity, you might expect that, in 2013, all the major stores would support mobile payments. Not so fast there, Ms. Kardashian.

Why it won't happen in 2013: You may see a few more stores add support for one or both payment standards, but many phones, including the iPhone, don't have the NFC chip necessary to support them. Even worse, consumers have few incentives to switch from old fashioned credit and debit cards. Forrester Research Analyst Denee Carrington recently told us that mobile payments won't catch on until at least 2015.

More:??How to Fix Mobile Payments

An Apple TV set

The speculation: Rumors of an Apple large-screen TV (aka the iTV) have been floating around for years. In late 2011, these rumors gained more credibility when Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs mentioned that the late Apple founder had plans for a TV set. In 2012, Apple CEO Tim Cook told NBC's Brian Williams that TV is "an area of intense interest" for his company. Now, many believe 2013 will be the year that Apple stops dropping hints and finally drop ships a product.

Why it won't happen in 2013: There's nothing stopping Apple from manufacturing an ordinary HDTV with iTunes and maybe some additional smart TV functions built-in. However, the company won't be content to ship that. It needs to partner with cable providers and TV networks, two very conservative groups, to offer a complete end-to-end service. It must also provide a better display than its competitors, perhaps an OLED screen that would push the price way up.

With the cable and display markets unlikely to change in the next 12 months, Apple will decide that it's better off pushing its services through an improved Apple TV set-top box, rather than getting into the TV business in 2013.

More:??Best Smart TVs of 2012

Self-driving cars

The speculation: Google has been working on a self-driving car for a couple of years now but it's not alone. Big automakers such as Ford, Cadillac and Volvo are developing their own autonomous vehicles. In the past two years, both Nevada and California have made the self-drivers street legal. Will we finally see someone selling them to the public in 2013? No.

Why it won't happen in 2013: Google's self-driving car technology is probably the closest to being ready, but the company is not an automaker and isn't likely to sell autos directly to the public. Even if one of the automakers felt it had a finished product, there are only a couple of states where drivers could use the car in its autonomous mode. With so much potential liability???just imagine the lawsuit if one of these cars caused an accident???we'll be reading about new testing and legal certifications for years before the first model hits a dealership.

More:??High-Tech Cars Go Mainstream

Motorola Droid 5

The speculation: Motorola is the king of the keyboard slider, having launched the original Droid with keyboard and then releasing three different sequels. The company's most recent entry, the Droid 4, came out last February on Verizon and launched on Sprint as the Photon 4G this past summer. If Motorola plans to continue offering keyboarded phones, it will need to release a Droid 5 some time in early 2013.

Why it won't happen: The other leading phone vendors have moved?away from QWERTY phones in recent years, either giving up on them altogether or releasing them as under-featured budget phones such as the Samsung Stratosphere. Motorola's new owner Google hasn't put keyboards on its phones and, when the company launched its flagship devices this fall, it didn't even mention physical keyboards. Sadly, it looks like Motorola won't come out with another high-end keyboard slider.

More:??The 7 Worst Smartphone Injustices and How to Fight Them

BlackBerry PlayBook 2

The speculation: BlackBerry's PlayBook was first released in 2011, an eternity in tablet years. With the company's new BlackBerry 10 OS coming in January, some speculate that RIM will update its slate. Though the old PlayBook is still for sale, it has ancient specs like a 1024-by-600 screen and a dated design.?If RIM wants to stay in this space, it needs to release a new model. A leaked roadmap even mentions a 10-inch PlayBook code named "Blackforest."

Why it won't happen in 2013: Though the company shipped a surprisingly-high 255,000 Playbooks in Q3 of 2012, the tablet?has never been a considered a success by anyone's standards. Meanwhile, RIM is losing market share in he smartphone space and needs to buckle down and focus on its core audience: smartphone users. If the company turns its fortunes around with BlackBerry 10 phones, we may see another tablet, but not in 2013.

More:??10 Most Anticipated Features of BlackBerry 10

A Facebook phone

The speculation: For years, we've been hearing that Facebook would release a phone of its very own.?In 2011, HTC even released the super-lame Status, a budget phone with the Facebook logo on it and some added Facebook integration. Could Facebook be planning to enter the market with a truly revolutionary handset in 2013?

Why it won't happen?in 2013:??Back in July, Mark Zuckerberg himself said that creating a phone "wouldn't make sense." To be fair, companies sometimes deny working on products that later turn out to be very real. However, in this case, you should take Zuck at his word. There's no real selling point to a Facebook phone when every phone on the market has Facebook integration. By making its own phone, Facebook might even alienate some of its partners.

More:??26 Ultimate Facebook Tips

Flexible display phones or tablets

The speculation: CNET recently reported that Samsung Electronics will be showing off bendable displays at CES 2013. With the rumored Galaxy S IV phone expected to launch this spring and the inevitable Galaxy Note III, some believe we'll see the first phones to deploy this technology.

Why it won't happen in 2013: If Samsung's electronics division is first demoing the screen at CES 2013, it won't hit commercial products for at least another year. Also, in order for the phone itself to be flexible, the entire body must bend, something that may never happen. Samsung may use the flexible displays to create phones with slightly curved screens, but that won't happen in 2013.

More:??5 Things You Need to Know About the Samsung Galaxy S IV

Google Project Glass for consumers

The speculation: Google's Project Glass augmented reality goggles will be available as a developers kit in early 2013. If developers get their hands on the product in January or February, a full-fledged product release can't be too far behind, right?

Why it won't happen in 2013: Google co-founder Sergey Brin told Bloomberg in June that he would like to have a consumer version of Project Glass "within a year" after releasing the kit to developers. While it's always possible that the kit will come out in January and the product will ship in December, it seems unlikely that such a unique product will make its way from prototype to final that quickly. Don't expect to get your headset until 2014.

More:??Will Google Glasses Make Us Cyborgs?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/13-technologies-you-wont-see-2013-1C7753186

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How to negotiate your remodeling contract with a general contractor ...

28Dec

www.angieslist.com ? We?ve all heard about home improvement or remodeling projects that went way past the completion date, or worse, required a second general contractor to complete the project. Homeowners can protect themselves from these scenarios by getting contracts from the service providers, and most importantly, reading the contract thoroughly and adding additional protective agreements as needed.

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Source: http://www.cohocton.org/179-how-to-negotiate-your-remodeling-contract-with-a-general-contractor

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Malloy Nominates Andrew McDonald To State Supreme Court ...

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has nominated Andrew McDonald, his chief legal counsel, to the state Supreme Court.

?McDonald will replace Justice Lubbie Harper, Jr., who reached the mandatory age of retirement for state judges last month.? When confirmed, he will serve as the first openly gay appellate jurist in Connecticut?s history,? the governor?s office said in a release Thursday morning.

?

The statement also said:

McDonald has more than two decades of experience as an attorney in Connecticut.? For most of his legal career, McDonald served as a litigation partner for Pullman & Comley, LLC, where he chaired the firm?s appellate practice.? Additionally, he served as the director of legal affairs and corporation counsel for the City of Stamford from 1999 to 2002, when Governor Malloy served as mayor of the city.? He currently serves as general counsel to the Office of the Governor for the State of Connecticut.

?Having had the opportunity to work alongside Andrew McDonald in several capacities over the years, including both as a lawyer and as a public servant, I am convinced that he will be an excellent addition to our state?s highest court and will serve the people of Connecticut well when he is confirmed to the bench,? Governor Malloy said.? ?In each of the roles he has served, Andrew has proven to have an exceptional ability to understand, analyze, research and evaluate legal issues.? He has undertaken his legal work with a focus on giving back extensively to his community and a commitment to the equal rights of all residents.? He will be an exceptional justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court.?

?I?m immensely grateful to the governor for the honor he has shown me through this nomination,? McDonald said.? ?Honoring the law and serving the people of this state have been the focus of my professional life, and I will be humbled by the opportunity to continue to do both on the Supreme Court if confirmed by the General Assembly.?

In addition to his experience as an attorney, McDonald held several elected positions in the state, including as state senator of the 27^th district from 2003 to 2011, where he served as deputy majority leader and senate chairman of the Judiciary Committee for eight years.? He served on the Stamford Board of Finance from 1995 to 1999, including two years as chairman, and as a member of the Stamford Board of Representatives from 1993 to 1995.?McDonald graduated from Cornell University in 1988 and received his law degree, with honors, from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1991, where he was the managing editor of the Connecticut Journal of International Law.? He lives in Stamford with his husband Charles Gray.

Source: http://www.courant.com/news/breaking/hc-malloy-nominates-andrew-mcdonald-to-state-supreme-court-20121227,0,5937608.story?track=rss

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Geminid meteor shower peaks tonight: When to watch for falling stars

A new and as-yet unnamed meteor shower may also make an appearance tonight, ramping up the celestial display even further.

By Mike Wall,?SPACE.com / December 13, 2012

In this picture provided by Wally Pacholka of AstroPics.com, a Geminid fireball explodes over the Mojave Desert in the Jojave Desert, Calif. in 2009.

Wally Pacholka/AstroPics.com/AP

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Skywatchers around the world are in for a treat tonight, as the annual Geminid meteor shower is poised to put on a spectacular show.

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The Geminids?will peak overnight tonight (Dec. 13) with the moon at its new phase. The skies will thus be free of the moon's glare, allowing viewers in rural areas to see perhaps 100 or more meteors per hour, experts say.

A new and as-yet unnamed?meteor shower?may also make an appearance tonight, ramping up the celestial display even further.

"Meteors?from the new shower (if any) will be visible in the early evening, with the Geminids making their appearance later on and lasting until dawn," Bill Cooke, head of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, said in a statement.?[Photos: Geminid Meteor Shower of December 2011]

The Geminids ? so named because they appear to emanate from the constellation Gemini (The Twins) ? result when Earth plows through debris shed by the huge, enigmatic asteroid 3200 Phaethon. This is unusual for annual meteor showers, which are typically caused by comet particles.

The potential new shower's source is a comet called Wirtanen, Cooke said. Earth hasn't run into Wirtanen's debris stream before, but computer models suggest this year could be different.

If the new shower does indeed materialize, it could produce up to 30 meteors per hour tonight by itself, Cooke said. These shooting stars will seem to be coming from the constellation Picses (The Fish), so the shower may end up being called the Piscids.

A few scattered Geminids can be spotted shortly after sunset tonight. The show will really start picking up around 10 p.m. local time, experts say, and it should peak at 2 a.m. or so. You won't need binoculars or a telescope to see the shooting stars; just crane your neck up, preferably in a spot away from bright city lights.

You can also watch the meteor action online tonight if you so choose. Cooke and several NASA colleagues will host a live web chat overnight from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. EST (0400 to 0800 GMT), complete with live video of streaking meteors captured by a special camera at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. It will all happen here:?http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/geminids2012.html

Skywatchers who miss tonight's peak will have a few other chances to catch the Geminids this year. The shower should linger until Dec. 16 or so before petering out completely.

Editor's Note:?If you take a photo of this year's Geminids that you'd like to share with SPACE.com for a possible story or gallery, please send it, along with your comments, to spacephotos@space.com.

Follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter?@michaeldwall?or SPACE.com?@Spacedotcom. We're also on?Facebook?and?Google+.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/P5njnmoqJFk/Geminid-meteor-shower-peaks-tonight-When-to-watch-for-falling-stars

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Andrew Dice Clay On 'Indestructible,' His Comeback And Why He Hates Internet Porn

This New Year's Eve, audiences will have the opportunity to see the first new Andrew Dice Clay stand-up special in 17 years. During his heyday in the 1980s, the Brooklyn-bred comedian was one of the most popular and divisive figures in pop culture, but Clay had been largely out of the public eye since the '90s after his stand-up career faded and his film career fizzled. But in 2010, he played a thinly-concealed version of himself in an arc on the final season of "Entourage" to much acclaim. Surprising many, his next big job came in the form of a dramatic role in the currently untitled next Woody Allen film.

We spoke to Clay about how he prepared for his new special, how he balances his family life and career and why he really, really hates Internet porn. "Indestructible" airs on Showtime on Monday, Dec. 31 at 10 p.m. EST.

HuffPost Comedy: I enjoyed your special.
Andrew Dice Clay: [laughs] Yeah?

HPC: Why is that funny?
ADC: I didn't do anything for many years, and then when I did "Entourage" I was ready for the onslaught from the press. But it was a lovefest. I was like, are they goofin' on me? Is this for a goof? I got a sense of humor about stuff, so it was like, this is too good! I'm waiting for the hammer to fall, and then I go, well, they'll see the special and things will go back to normal. But, people seem to be diggin' it.

HPC: It's pretty much just classic Dice.
ADC: I've always had my voice as a comic. I was never that into politics, or prop comedy. I'm a Brooklyn guy onstage, and I try to really feed my fans with the kind of material they expect from me. If Seinfeld got dirty, people would be like, what's this about? There was no way I was going to clean it up. I'm very real up there. I might do cartoonish sexual jokes, but it's my way of saying what's going on in the world. How people are animals, really.

HPC: Has that view changed since you started out? That people are animals?
ADC: A thousand percent. Like I say in the special, people have always been animals when it comes to sex. But since the Internet, it's become really out of control, in my opinion. I know this will sound crazy, but I tried, and I think succeeded, in sheltering my own sons from the Internet when they were very young. I remember having a conversation with my son, who's now 22, where I said, "I can't stop you from sneaking around and going on the Internet. But I'm your father and I won't lie to you. The things you see on the Internet can twist your mind for life." And I have kids who listen to me, so they did stay away from it. Everything out there is just heinous. I just don't feel like parents are guiding their children in that way.

HPC: What do you think parents are doing wrong?
ADC: I lived in Beverly Hills for years. I always had a line, "I hate the rich." From what I witnessed after living there for 15 years, these people just don't raise their kids. I used to see the lineup of cars in front of the schools and it was all the nannies. And I'd hear all the stories of, "My parents were in this country and that country," and I'm just thinking, who the fuck is raising you? By the time the kids are 15, they're drunks and they're drug addicts and they're getting chicks pregnant. The parents wonder, "What did I do wrong?" What you did wrong was, you were never there. You had the kid as a status symbol, that's what went wrong. You sent your kid to boarding school, that's what went fuckin' wrong. And you're paying the price for it.

HPC: Your kids open for you in the special. Why did you decide to let them do that?
ADC: They put so much into their music. They've been active for years and really dedicated themselves to it. We're a very tight, close-knit family. Years ago, Rodney Dangerfield gave me the opportunity to be in the "Young Comedians" special, and I felt like [my kids] were ready for people to see them.

HPC: Were your parents supportive of your performing career?
ADC: My dad, who passed away a few years ago, was my manager. Even though I was with bigger management in L.A., I didn't make a move without my father. My mother was the one who totally got behind me as far as, do things and ask questions later. My father would say, I don't care how dirty you are up there, just be funny. Because they knew me offstage. They knew I was a good guy. They also understood what was starting to happen in the world of comedy, and they knew my whole plan of becoming the most exciting comedian, visually, ever. A real rock-and-roll stand-up comic.

Comics, as good as they might be, they didn't know much about performance. There aren't too many comics you could watch for an hour without getting tired. They might have good material, but it's about theater to me. That's why it was always about... as my career got bigger, the jackets became more elaborate, it became more Elvis-y. I really didn't study comedians. I studied rock stars and actors. And when I got into comedy, which was really for acting, I would see the guys who would be considered great today. Like Seinfeld -- as a clean comic, it doesn't get better -- and Larry Miller, and guys like that. They were great, but after a few minutes I could get kind of bored because they wouldn't move around. The dress code was boring to me. I didn't want to see the guy next door when I'm watching a performer. I wanted to see someone I would pay a ticket for.

HPC: Who are some young guys you pay attention to?
ADC: I really don't. I don't follow it at all. I hear about different guys, but I don't know their routines and I don't really follow them. If Guns 'N' Roses are in town, I'll see them. But I never go see a comic. The only one I'd ever really want to see is Don Rickles. He might be 80 years old, but he blows everyone out of the water.

HPC: What were your expectations going into this special?
ADC: I really prepared for this for a couple of years. I knew the day would come that I would want to do this again, and I really only wanted to do one more special. I wanted to create for people what I would call a very exciting rock-and-roll comedy special, and that we'd do it as a family and it'd be on film forever.

From my end of it, I had to prepare physically, and material-wise. I put a couple years into updating the kind of stuff I was doing. Between my ex-fiance Eleanor and meeting my current wife Valerie, there was a lot of dating that went on. That's when I realized the whole world has really spun. Women are now more aggressive than men! And I don't put them down for it. I think it's great. My attitude with sex with any woman I've ever been with is, I want you to be exactly who you want to be behind closed doors. Don't ever hold back with me. And comedic material comes out of that. That's why I bring up the book "Fifty Shades of Grey." I said, "You hide and you read that book while your husbands are at work. I had my wife read that book to me while she was sittin' on my [penis]." If you hide what you really are, then there's going to be problems in marriage down the road. I don't mind if a girl is aggressive. It's just sex.

HPC: Have you always been like that?
ADC: I've been like that since i was ten. I went to "school" when I was a kid, that's what i say. I was 17 years old, and i had a fight with one of my first girlfriends. She's telling me, I'll say it nice, she was complaining how i never gave her an orgasm. And I'll never forget thinking, that's never going to happen to me again in my life. So I would I go with women, 28 years, 35 years old, and I told them, you teach me what feels good and I'll do it. I had notebooks.

HPC: Do you think men have gotten less aggressive?
ADC: I think that a lot of men, especially once they're married, feel like their girl is just who she is, so don't treat her too special. They shut her off, and having sex before you go to bed is like a sleeping pill. I always say, you're supposed to remember the reason you even asked that girl out.

HPC: That's good advice.
ADC: Think of that moment when you looked at her and said, "I gotta have that person in my life." If you start letting that go -- there's no relationship. You walk into my bedroom at night, it looks like a nightclub. There's all kinds of lighting effects, there's all kinds of music. I want them to feel like they're in for a show. I believe in romance.

HPC: Do you think people can sense that?
ADC: I think they can tell. You have certain people in this country who will listen to my act and take the material like it's gospel. I'm not too crazy about that kind of fan. But the couples who are sitting there just laughing, they are the ones who are thinking, "It's just a joke, but that's so true." Those are the ones I love, who know it's a goof.

HPC: You recently finished filming a role in the next Woody Allen movie. What was it like working on that?
ADC: He doesn't like us to talk about the movie, but it's a pretty heavy flick. It's not a comedy from what I understand. Woody saw me on "Entourage," that's why he called me for this part. He knows who he wants in his movies. If I had to describe working on the movie in one word, it would be "thrilling." To work with one of the great filmmakers of all time is thrilling. He's one of the guys I would have loved to have worked with years ago, but there was so much backlash to what I did. I hadn't done a movie in 12 years, I didn't think I'd ever do a movie again.

I've had comebacks before, but this is an absolute resurgence. I'm about to sign contracts for a book deal, it's an autobiography. And producers and directors in Hollywood are interested. Twenty years ago, Chris Rock would say to me, "Where's the Dice movie?" I said, "Chris, I'm only 40 years old. I gotta live a little."

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/26/andrew-dice-clay-on-indestructible-comeback-interview_n_2367614.html

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Film Review: Django Unchained | OregonLive.com

In his last movie, "Inglourious Basterds," Quentin Tarantino created his own alternate history, using a title and aesthetic inspired by an obscure B-movie. The fact that he's done the same thing with "Django Unchained" might make one worry that the onetime wunderkind was spinning his wheels. In fact, though, Tarantino's new film is, if not quite as inspired as "Basterds," is close enough to make no difference.

Taking World War II's place as the backdrop for Tarantino's patented blend of snappy patter and bloody anarchy is the antebellum American South, and instead of a "Dirty Dozen"-style band getting revenge on Nazis, we get a freed slave and a bearded bounty hunter taking on those who trade in the buying and selling of dark-skinned flesh.

Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), initially disguised as a dentist, bloodily frees Django (Jamie Foxx) from servitude in order to gain his assistance in tracking down a wanted man.? Once that's taken care of, the pair team up to rescue Django's wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from the clutches of the villainous Francophile plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Though Washington, sadly, doesn?t have much to do, the three male leads all get opportunities to enjoyably ham it up?Foxx as the smoldering icon of revenge against the institution of slavery, DiCpario as its practically mustache-twirling embodiment, and especially Waltz, whose every appearance inspires gratitude towards Tarantino for bringing this unheralded German TV actor into his cinematic universe.

As always, that universe is peppered with familiar character actors, including Don Johnson as a Colonel Sanders-esque slaveowner, and trusty standby Samuel L. Jackson as a superficially obsequious, but secretly scheming, house slave.? Jackson takes a role which could have devolved into an offensive cartoon (especially considering things like Tarantino?s continued freewheeling use of a certain racist epithet), and makes him a fascinating enigma.

A busload of other recognizable names pepper the cast, including (but not limited to) Michael Parks, Jonah Hill, Walton Goggins, Bruce Dern, and Russ Tamblyn. ?Franco Nero, the star of the original 1966 spaghetti Western ?Django,? makes an amusing, brief showing. The director?s own appearance, toward the end of the movie, is an egocentric distraction, one of the few sour notes.

Cinematographer Robert Richardson has worked his usual magic, and Tarantino seems to have found an able substitute for his longtime editor, Sally Menke, who unexpectedly and tragically died in 2010. ?Django? doesn?t have the razor-sharp chronological complexity of ?Pulp Fiction,? but it?s ably paced.? A very funny scene involving a proto-Ku Klux Klan lynch mob and their poorly made hoods nevertheless seems a bit out of place, but there?s plenty of well-timed suspense.

Throughout his consistently impressive career, Tarantino has drawn on his love of exploitation cinema, grindhouse classics, and genre films.? In these last two movies, he glories in the simple moral compass they provide.? While so many ostensibly serious films explore murky moral ambiguity, Tarantino knows that it can be cathartic to see unalloyed villains, whether Nazis or slave owners, get their comeuppance.

(165 min., R, multiple locations) Grade: A-

Marc Mohan is a Portland freelance writer; marc.mohan@gmail.com

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2012/12/film_review_django_unchained.html

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5 issues facing small businesses in 2013

40 min.

JOYCE M. ROSENBERG , Associated Press

In 2013, small business owners will contend with many of the same issues that made it hard to run their companies over the last 12 months.

They're also heading into the new year with a lot of uncertainty. It's unlikely that negotiations in Congress will resolve all of lawmakers' disagreements over tax and budget issues that affect small businesses. And there are still many questions about the implications of the health care law for small companies.

That points to continued caution ? and perhaps slow hiring ? among the nation's small companies.

"Uncertainty is the bane of every small business," says Scott Shane, a professor of entrepreneurship at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management in Cleveland. "Their only rational response is to pull in their horns and slow down."

Small businesses aren't likely to get much encouragement from the economy. It's expected to grow by no more than 3 percent in 2013, according to the Federal Reserve. That's a moderate pace, better than the 1.7 percent that the economy grew during the first three quarters of 2012. But it's also far from robust.

Here's a look at some of the issues facing small businesses in the coming year:

Taxes
Lawmakers are still haggling over what's called the fiscal cliff, the combination of billions of dollars in tax increases and budget cuts. Even if Congress reaches an agreement, small business owners won't have the certainty they need, according to Todd McCracken, president of the National Small Business Association, a group that lobbies on behalf of small companies.

"It almost surely won't be comprehensive enough that we won't be revisiting it next year," McCracken says. He's concerned that there'll be another fiscal cliff in six months ? which would mean more negotiations and more uncertainty.

Many small business owners are worried about their personal tax rates. Sole proprietors, partners and owners of what are called S corporations, all report the income from their businesses on their individual Form 1040 returns. That means their companies are in effect taxed at personal rates, which can be higher than corporate rates.

One of the most important tax provisions for small businesses, what's known as the Section 179 deduction, will shrink to $25,000 next year from $125,000 in 2012. The deduction, which applies to equipment purchases, was $500,000 in 2011. Congress can increase the deduction at any time, even after 2013 has begun. But for the time being, business owners can't count on getting a big break.

"It's a huge change for companies planning on making investments," McCracken says.

It's not known if Congress will extend the 2 percentage point payroll tax cut that workers have had for two years. If it doesn't, consumers will have less money in their paychecks to spend, and that is likely to affect retailers and any other small businesses that sell directly to the public.

Health care
Health care has been another source of uncertainty for small business owners. The new year will bring some, but probably not all, of the answers to questions about how the new health care law will affect them. Many will have to devote some time to understanding the law ? or hire someone to help them do it.

"They'll have to get their arms around the law, look at their options, learn more about the exchanges," says John Arensmeyer, CEO of Small Business Majority, a lobbying group.

Under the law, companies with 50 or more employees will be required to provide affordable health care insurance for their employees starting Jan. 1, 2014. During 2013, federal and state health insurance exchanges will be set up, and owners will be able to see how much it will cost them to buy insurance. As the year begins, however, many small business owners don't know whether their states will be creating exchanges, or whether they'll have to go into the national system ? and they don't know what that will mean for their costs.

For some owners, that information will help them decide whether they will buy insurance, or whether they'll decide it's cheaper to not provide coverage and just pay the government a $2,000-per-employee fine. For those who have close to 50 workers, they may decide to not hire more workers in order to remain outside the law's jurisdiction.

Lending
Don't look for the small business lending climate to get easier in 2013. Owners who are uneasy about the economy, taxes and health care aren't expected to significantly increase their borrowing, especially as many have been paying down debt since the recession. But even those who are ready to borrow are expected to find it's still hard to get a loan. Bankers are unlikely to be more liberal in their lending policies.

Depressed lending levels may be with us well beyond 2013, says James Schrager, a professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

The problem isn't just that banks are cautious about small business loans. Schrager notes that home equity loans, a traditional source of money for people starting or expanding a business, remain difficult to get, the result of the collapse in the mortgage market in 2008.

Small Business Majority's Arensmeyer is hopeful that a bill introduced in Congress this year to allow credit unions to make more loans to small businesses will get more traction when the new Congress convenes. That bill would more than double the amount of total assets that credit unions can use to lend to small businesses to 27.5 percent.

But he's also not expecting major changes in lending next year.

"Sadly, I don't think we're going to increase our access to capital overnight," he says.

Onshoring
A trend that's expected to gain speed in 2013 is what's calling onshoring. That's the term for manufacturing that had been done overseas, and that's now taking place back in U.S. factories. Apple Inc. earlier this month said it would move production of some of its Mac computers to the U.S. from China next year ? but many small businesses have already been making the switch. While Apple is an example of a big company moving in this direction, the majority of U.S. manufacturers are small businesses.

There are several reasons behind the trend. As China becomes more of a middle-class country, wages for its workers are rising, and that is lessening some of the appeal of manufacturing there for U.S. companies, says Steven Kaplan, a professor of entrepreneurship and finance at Chicago's Booth School. Over the past two decades, it was the cheaper labor in China that prompted businesses of all sizes to have everything from computers to clothes to food ingredients made in China.

The rising cost of fuel, which has made transporting goods more expensive, is another factor in onshoring.

"Manufacturing in the U.S. is relatively more attractive than it has been in 20 years," Kaplan says.

Skilled worker shortage
While companies' caution has weighed on the job market, many company owners who actually want to hire say it's hard to find workers to fill some positions.

It's becoming more difficult to find people who have the skills they need, these owners say. Many new manufacturing jobs require high-tech skills. They include positions at factories where computers are used to create products like airplane parts and machinery. And some require several years of training, says Shane, the Case Western Reserve professor. For example: A company that makes metal molds which are in turn used to create automobile dashboards. That takes a machinist who knows cutting-edge processes to make the molds.

"You cannot take someone off the street to do it," Shane says.

Because of changing technology, owners are struggling to find qualified workers in 2013.

"There's a whole level of work that's going to require skills that weren't needed in traditional jobs," says Arensmeyer. He notes that community colleges around the country are offering courses that will help train workers to fill these jobs. But training takes time, and the demand for jobs may continue to outstrip the supply of qualified workers.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/5-issues-facing-small-businesses-2013-1C7660251

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Schools review security measures in wake of Conn. school shooting ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]However, school decisions are based on local control, and the state does not mandate any physical security measures, like buzzer systems at main entrances, security offices, and cameras. Still, most state educators said their ...

Source: http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/988118-469/schools-review-security-measures-in-wake-of.html

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More Than Meets the Eye About Death, Dying, and Afterlife: Moving ...

?When an event occurs?such as the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut--that gets nationwide attention, it creates a huge, negative pool of energy in the collective consciousness of humanity. People respond with all kinds of emotions form anger at the perpetrator to sympathy for the victims.?

When the media focuses on the perpetrator of a hideous crime it activates the darkness in the minds of others who have considered doing something to gain public attention. No wonder we have similar events cropping up within weeks of such a calamity.

The day after the shooting in Connecticut, an empath friend of mine asked if I was doing okay. She hoped that I wasn?t being sucked in by the energy of grief that was engulfing the nation and being pumped by the media. I assured her that while I had compassion for the families who had lost loved ones in that shooting, I was not overcome with sorrow. It may sound callous or aloof to admit such a thing, but I know that every soul agrees to play a role at an unconscious level and brings about the circumstances it is involved in. So even if children?s bodies and earth lives were destroyed, their forever wise souls were not victims. Perhaps the lesson was part of that soul?s development plan; or the soul of a loved one affected by the tragedy may have learned something valuable from the experience. I?ve learned that it is not wise to intervene in this soul-awakening process.

If I were to add my grief to a situation like this, it would not bring back one of those dear children or adults who died that day. It would make me miserable because I?m sending my energy out where it doesn?t belong. I would be sticking my nose in someone else?s business, but it would not comfort the families. In fact, it would only intensify and prolong their grief. In my book, More Than Meets the Eye, I mentioned how our grieving affects the soul of the departed and keeps them around family members in the Earth plane. If a soul stays too long after departing the body, it can miss its opportunity to crossover. Thus, it can become Earthbound unless someone shows it the way to the light.

So what can we do when something hits the media and garners negative public attention like this? ?Let the dead bury the dead,? as Jesus said.

1. Send a beam of light and love to the grieving families and the departed souls
2. Send uplifting cards or letters to the families?anything that will create a lighter feeling surrounding the situation
3. If you know the family, reach out to them with a meal or other kind gesture.
4. Envision a portal of light for the departed souls to enter where they can cross over into a blissful afterlife?
5. Refrain from watching the media coverage and rehashing of the event?
6. Send a beam of light and love to others who are in darkness or are considering enacting violent crimes against others.?
7. Pray or meditate on world peace! Studies have shown repeatedly that when a large group of people pray, meditate, or direct their collective energy toward one purpose it has a huge effect. When a group of yogis gathered in Washington to meditate on a mantra the crime rate in that area went down as much as 24.6 percent. ?

?It will make a difference not only in how you feel, it will help souls move on, ease the grief of the families involved, and lessen the possibility of other crimes that tend to follow. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For more information, you might enjoy reading my book,?More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife.?Purchase paperback on Amazon.com. It's also on Amazon as an e-book for those who have Kindle or Sony Readers. The audio book is now available!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Source: http://deathdyingafterlife.blogspot.com/2012/12/moving-on-after-national-tragedy.html

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Official: Navy SEAL died of apparent suicide

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. military officials are investigating the apparent suicide of a Navy SEAL commander in Afghanistan.

Cmdr. Job W. Price, 42, of Pottstown, Pa., died Saturday of a gunshot wound to the head while supporting stability operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, a U.S. military official said Monday on condition of anonymity because the death is still under investigation.

The official said Price failed to show up for an appointment and was found when others went to check on him.

Price was from Virginia Beach, Va.-based SEAL Team 4, which is part of the mission to train Afghan local police to stave off the Taliban in remote parts of Afghanistan.

It was not immediately known when Price started his tour of duty in Afghanistan, though he had been in command of the team of 25 to 30 men since June 2011, the official said. He said Price had no immediately known professional or work problems other than the stresses of deployment, which can be tremendous for troops.

"The Naval Special Warfare family is deeply saddened by the loss of our teammate," said Capt. Robert Smith, Commander of Naval Special Warfare Group Two, which manages all Virginia-based Navy SEAL teams. "We extend our condolences, thoughts and prayers to the family, friends, and NSW community during this time of grieving."

"As we mourn the loss and honor the memory of our fallen teammate, those he served with will continue to carry out the mission," Smith added Sunday.

Price is survived by a wife and a daughter.

His body is to be returned to the United States early Tuesday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/official-navy-seal-died-apparent-suicide-213239200.html

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Building Violation Can Cause an Obstruction For Selling ... - Zillow ...

Do you know if you have a building violation?

Many homeowners do not realize that during lifetime of their residency there may be a time when a city inspector may walk into your home, and spot a child and no guards on your windows. You get a summons and have to spend money to place metal wire over your windows.?

May be your neighbor complained, or it was an accidental find, but existing violation, if not treated, may prevent you from selling a home. According to (hotlink deleted by Zillow moderator) most counties in U.S. support strict rules regarding local building code, and enforce severe penalties for violations that create hazards to life safety.

In states like New York, it was reported that code enforcement inspectors go undercover as home buyers and inspected property for items that may fit as a violation of the code.

One way to protect yourself against building violations is to regularly?check your property for any complaints, as it will probably trigger an inspection within 14 business days. Be prepared to have your property inspected for life safety hazards,?illegal?enrichment, violation of zoning ordinances, and violations of the mechanical, electrical, and energy codes. Same?inspector?comes with tools to analyze your property and make a detailed report to the Building Department Code Enforcement Unit, which, in turn, will report to the City Clerk's office who may freeze your title, until the violation is resolved.?

You can however, hire your own(hotlink deleted by Zillow moderator; please see our Good Neighbor Policy for posting guidelines) inspector and test your property for zoning violations, before it's done by the government. There are plenty of firms out there to choose from. You have to be proactive on this issue, if you are looking to sell your home.

Source: http://www.zillow.com/advice-thread/Building-Violation-Can-Cause-an-Obstruction-For-Selling-a-Home/472039/

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Too much of nothing (Powerlineblog)

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Tax fight sends GOP into chaos (Washington Post)

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Energy boom may yield geopolitical shift for U.S.: Obama (reuters)

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New calculations solve an old problem with DNA

Dec. 21, 2012 ? The normal DNA will switch to left-handed DNA when it is physically twisted, or when a lot of salt is added to the solution. Researchers at the University of Luxembourg were able to accurately calculate for the first time the amount of salt which is required to do this. Z-DNA in the cell leads to loss of function and cancer.

In a recent publication, researchers achieved new accuracy in the ability to measure energy differences between states of molecules, thus predicting which states will be observed.

It has been known since the seventies that excessive salt causes DNA to reverse its twist, from a right-handed spiral to a left-handed one. DNA in the Z form is treated by our natural repair enzymes as damaged, and is therefore usually deleted from the cell. Deletion of genetic material can lead to cancer or to other problems, so the B-Z transition is no mere curiosity. However such is the complexity of the DNA molecule that a theoretical explanation which correctly predicts the amount of salt to do this has never before been found.

Dr. Josh Berryman and Professor Tanja Schilling of the University of Luxembourg have now been able to find a method of calculation which predicts this transition with unprecedented accuracy. With this success in describing the most enigmatic of molecules, the team is optimistic that they will be able to perform similar mathematical analyses for a variety of other substances. "It will enable us to predict material properties such as melting temperatures or elasticity. And this will be done with high accuracy using our new technique. Hence, we can now design new materials and biomaterials on the computer more effectively than before," said Prof. Schilling.

Prof Schilling and Dr Berryman are physicists at the University's Physics and Material Sciences Research Unit, which comprises a team of 50 researchers.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Universit? du Luxembourg, via AlphaGalileo.

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. Joshua T. Berryman, Tanja Schilling. Free Energies by Thermodynamic Integration Relative to an Exact Solution, Used to Find the Handedness-Switching Salt Concentration for DNA. Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation, 2012; : 121130085236003 DOI: 10.1021/ct3005968

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/kQwuQyVU8T8/121221091347.htm

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Smart Advice For An Effective Internet Marketing Plan - Maynas Eric

How do you feel about Website marketing? Do you do your homework when it comes to making your business visible to customers? If you haven?t done the research, you should. There are no shortage of resources available that will tell you everything you need to know about online marketing. Where should you begin? Try going through these tips to find your starting point.

You may want to look into mobile marketing. Let your visitors sign up to receive text alerts whenever you have a new product or special promotion. It is an innovative way to reach a broader audience, while they are on the go.

Attract visitors to your site by offering up a valuable and relevant feature or service. E-books filled with tips or a humorous article or cartoon can also bring traffic to your site. Providing a unique offer will get people excited about your site.

TIP! Another key to Internet marketing is your competition. Observe their successes as well as their mistakes and learn from them.

Capitalize on viral videos to drive a lot of traffic to your site. Coming up with unique ideas for videos that will go viral requires a lot of creativity and imagination. This extra traffic will make your business really take off.

As you may already know, people usually hold a lot of respect for those in authority. If you let people know who you are, they know you run the show. Give yourself the title of President or CEO.

As an example, if you?re a website designer, start a partner relationship with a writer and let him offer your discounted web services to his clients. Your partner can do the same, and you will both enjoy additional success as you reach more customers.

TIP! Put your site in a format that is more user friendly. Proper formatting ensures your website will retain your readers? interest and allow them to easily navigate your links.

Don?t count on Website marketing alone for your income, rather remember to diversify. This is vital because Internet profits tend to be pretty slow at first. Make sure you keep a consistent source of regular income until you see success sprouting up.

Online Marketing

When trying to get the most out of an Online marketing campaign, you have to create additional Online marketing strategies. This means that your campaign should be one that attracts a wide variety of visitors, as well as one where your visitors can easily find your business, search your site, and purchase your products. A successful process keeps repeating itself.

TIP! Calls to action can be made more attractive with the use of words such as ?simple? and ?easy?. Most people prefer products that are simple, so by using these keywords you can entice visitors to try your product.

When you offer discounts on products if they spend some money, you will get more hits. For instance, you could offer ten percent discounts on orders over 200 dollars. This is a good way to get your customers to buy more of your products.

Put yourself in your customers? shoes. What do they want to gain from visiting your website? If you are able to provide them with what they want, you will make more sales and move more product. Ask for opinions that are objective on your website. You could ask friends or invite comments from a marketing forum. Make adjustments as you go along until your site is as effective as possible.

Do not abandon projects that did not work. Something that did not catch on a few months ago might work now. The Internet is always changing and people are always find new uses. Put ideas not currently working on the back burner, and come back to them when they become relevant.

TIP! It is most important that your customers trust you and that you maintain their trust. Do not provide advertising content that cannot be supported by evidence.

If you are already using internet marketing, you know which of your products are top sellers. A good strategy is to use your best sellers to drive sales of complimentary and add-on products. If you carry complimentary products advertise them as such to make an additional sale. You may even offer a discount for buying the two products together. Any product that is complimentary to your main sellers will get a boost because they don?t require as much promotion as anything unrelated would.

Take an international approach, and welcome visitors to your site from around the world. Make your site available in many different languages so that more people will be able to use it. You will get many more customers from different parts of the globe, and you are likely to see an impressive boost in traffic. If a person can read your website in their preferred language, they will feel more comfortable, and you raise the chance that they will place an order with you.

Make sure your site is full of high-quality content. You will attract search engines better by packing your site with loads of rich content. You not only have better results with the search sites, but your audience will be more satisfied with what they find when they visit your site.

TIP! You should be very careful about the information you are giving customers when you are marketing a small business. Aim to have content that is worthwhile and unique.

Offering Free

Offering free courses or eBooks can be a great way to attract new customers and gain customer loyalty. This strategy can be very effective, and you might consider packaging your course with a relevant product that the customers feel enticed to purchase. Using a contest offering free prizes is a also a great marketing tool.

If you are using email marketing, you need to rotate links that are included in your correspondence. A list of links that stay the same every time your customers receive an email makes your mail very easy to ignore. Create variety in your emails to gain attention.

TIP! Know what your goal is and always strive to achieve it. What kind of articles do you want to publish? What directories do you want to publish your articles to? You have to remember that certain directories have specific requirements that you have to follow in order to make submissions.

After reading about creating an Internet marketing plan, do you feel you?re ready to begin experimenting? Do you have the tools necessary that you can apply to your own business? This means you need to start improving your overall marketing plan strategically. If you can, then go!

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Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/smart-advice-for-an-effective-internet-marketing-plan

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New Year Eve Parties in Delhi | New Year Eve 2013 - Big Events in

Are you looking for fabulous new year's eve Party 2013?

It is that wonderful time of year, again, a time to say goodbye to the current year and welcome in the New Year. In this transition time of the year brings lots of opportunity for fun and enjoyment. New year parties are most expected events for enjoyment during this time.?Getting?right venues for this is most important. But?Venues for new year party in Delhi are never hard to be found. There are so many choices which beckons you with all its charms. Delhi is the most accessible and beatific location to find out your New Year eve party. Here is the list of top New Year Eve Parties in Delhi. New Year party venues have to beating with the sound of music just come and enjoy your party with dance and music.?

Note: All Events are happening on 31^st December 2012.

New Year Celebration - Electric Night:

Event Venue: Mapple Emrald Hotel

Event Time: 7:00 pm Event duration: 7:00 hrs

Electric Night - New Year Celebration with Live Performance by Bollywood Superstar Zarine Khan & DJ Krn Lucky & Falguni Bhahmbhatt (Live performer and dancer from Mumbai and a Live Sufi Band.

Enjoy unlimited food Veg & Non-Veg (Seperate section for vegetarian) & unlimited drinks. Organised by: Dreamz Event Management.

NYE 2013 - Royale Rock Eve:

Event Venue: The Leela Kempinski - Hotel & Residences

Event Time: 8:00 pm Event duration: 7:00 hrs

New Year Event 2013. Gameon International presenting 'Royale Rocket Eve' at The Leela Kempinski Gurgaon with Claudia Ciesla (Khiladi 786 Balma Girl) and Master Saleem (Famous Bollywood Singer).

Drink: Imported Liquor(Chivas Regal, Ballentine, Absolut Vodka, Wine, Beer &Mocktail Drinks). Food: Veg/Non Snacks, Veg/Non Main Course.

Specialties: Kid/Toy Zone & Open Smoking Area With Open Bar.

New Year Eve Party venues of Delhi NCR: Event promises to give an un parallel experience to the guests with the best of the talents performing to keep guests entertained.

Line up of international artist to keep up the party spirits high through out the night (DJs + other acts).

Smooth bar and food service to enhance the partying experience.

New Year's Eve Party 2013 with Malkit Singh:

Event Venue: Quantum

Event Time: 9:00 pm Event duration: 7:00 hrs

New Year's Eve Party 2013 with The Golden Star: Malkit Singh With His Full Band & Dhol Players and Bhangra Dancer.

Promises You A Truely Memborable NYE'13. As Quantum Is The Biggest Club, We Dont Say Anything We Only Give You The Best .

Malkit Singh is a famous foreign based Punjabi bhangra singer. He has become the first Punjabi singer to be honoured by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London with the award of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. He is most famous for the songs 'Gur Nalo Ishq Mita', 'Tootak Tootak Tootiyan', 'Kurri Garam Jayee', 'Dekh li vilyait', as well as recently, 'Chal Hun,' and 'Jind Mahi' from the blockbuster Bend It Like Beckham film sound track.

New Year's Eve 2013: The Masquerade @ The Crystal Ball Room:

Event Venue: 32nd Milestone

Event Time: 8:00 pm Event duration: 5:00 hrs

- Groove to Smashing Mixes by DJ DKT

- Scintillating Dances by Cyclone Dance Troupe

- 5 Hours of Unlimited Food & Drinks

- Sumptuous Multi Cuisine Gala Dinner

- Interactive Gaming by Emcee

- Bumper Draw with Exciting Prizes.

Dress Code: Smart Casual

New Year Eve Party @ T'zers:

Event Venue: T'zers.

Event Time: 8:30 pm Event duration: 4:30 hrs

New Year Eve Party @ T'zers. at Rs. 3200/- per couple & @ Rs. 2200/- per stag (If the stag is coming along with any of couple otherwise stags are not allowed) Variety of Starters, Salads, Raita, Main courses, Breads and Desserts. (Including Fish, Chicken, Mutton, Fresh garden Greens etc)

Terms and Conditions:

Club rules apply, Cannot be clubbed with any other existing offers and discount coupon.

Strictly couples only.

Dress code: Smart Casual. Prior Reservation is mandatory.

An Evening In Las Vegas @ Clarks Inn

Event Venue: Clarks Inn Apple Tree

Event Time: 08:00 PM

An Evening In Las Vegas @ Clarks Inn. Attaractions: Live Band, Orchestra, Belly Dancers, other forms of entertainment.

Lavish Dinner Buffet, Snacks and Mouthwatering Delights with IMFL.

Juggy D Performing Live at Lemp on New Year Eve:

Event Venue: Lemp Brewpub & Kitchen

Event Time: 9:00 pm Event duration: 3:00 hrs

31st December 2012 will be Juggy D?s first show after his album launch, exclusively at Lemp, Brewpub and Kitchen, Gurgaon.

Source: http://buzzintownbigevents.blogspot.com/2012/12/new-year-eve-parties-in-delhi-new-year.html

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Source: http://obybiripuk.posterous.com/new-year-eve-parties-in-delhi-new-year-eve-20

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Source: http://cameronwilkinson9874.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/new-year-eve-parties-in-delhi-new-year-eve-2013-big-events-in.html

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