Thursday, January 31, 2013

No worries, mon! Jamaica OK with Super Bowl ad

The commercial, featuring people speaking in fake Jamaican accents, has been earning harsh criticism. Barbara Lippert of MediaPost.com calls it "racist" and says she doubts it will air during the Super Bowl amid the controversy.

By Joy Jernigan, TODAY

Our Life Inc. readers?don't think?Volkswagen?s new Super Bowl ad is offensive, and, as it turns out, neither do most Jamaicans.

The commercial, which features carefree office workers speaking in inexplicable Caribbean accents to the background tune of Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff's "C'mon, Get Happy," has been characterized by some media critics as racist.

During an appearance Wednesday on TODAY,?Barbara Lippert, editor-at-large at mediapost.com, said she was "shocked" by the ad.

"My problem with it is there's no link to Volkswagen. It's a German car!" she said.

"It's just saying that black people are happy."

New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow told CNN that the advertisement was?like "blackface with voices."?

But on Wednesday, Jamaican lawmaker?Edmund Bartlett told the Associated Press that the commercial "is a perfect illustration of Jamaican culture's global reach and our uncharacteristic penchant to be happy even in challenging situations."

Jamaica's Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Wykeham McNeill has endorsed the one-minute spot. "I think this is a very creative commercial which truly taps into the tremendous mass appeal that brand Jamaica and its hospitable people have globally,? reports Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner.

A spokesman for Volkswagen of America said the company has no plans to pull the Super Bowl spot, which is scheduled to run during the?second quarter of the big game.

"We went out with confidence and did our homework," said?Scott Vazin, a company spokesman, adding that the response to the spot has been "overwhelmingly positive."

Information from TODAY contributor Paul Eisenstein and the Associated Press was included in this report.

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2013/01/30/16775307-no-worries-mon-jamaica-has-no-beef-with-vws-super-bowl-ad?lite

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Suns rally to beat Lakers in Nash's return for LA

PHOENIX (AP) ? Steve Nash's first trip back to Phoenix to play the Suns was an evening of triumph.

For the Suns, not Nash.

Michael Beasley scored a season-high 27 points and the Suns rallied from 13 down in the fourth quarter to hand Nash's Los Angeles Lakers their eighth straight road loss 92-86 on Wednesday night.

The Lakers, who had won three straight ? all at home, lost Dwight Howard when he reinjured his right shoulder with 6:57 to play. Coach Mike D'Antoni said he thinks the injury is something that Howard will have to deal with all season.

"It is my understanding that it is something that will hurt, then it will go away and he will be able to play," D'Antoni said.

Beasley, whose previous season best of 25 came two games earlier, scored on a scrambling layup as the shot clock was expiring to put the Suns ahead 88-86 with 43.8 seconds to play.

"I'm just playing aggressive," Beasley said. "I'm trying to turn over a new leaf. No more nonchalant Beas. I'm back to the Beast."

Kobe Bryant had 17 points and nine assists, but missed what would have been the tying layup with 24 seconds to play. Howard had nine points and 14 rebounds before he left after aggravating the shoulder injury that sidelined him for three games earlier this month. Metta World Peace scored 15, Pau Gasol 14 and Antawn Jamison 13 for Los Angeles.

The Lakers played the first of seven straight on the road, where they haven't won since Dec. 22.

The Suns, who improved to 3-2 since Alvin Gentry was fired and replaced by interim coach Lindsey Hunter, outscored the Lakers 29-13 in the fourth quarter.

"I thought we had some open shots and didn't knock them down," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We missed some foul shots, we had six or seven turnovers in the fourth quarter. Turnovers all night killed us."

Down 78-65 with 10 minutes left after Jamison scored 10 straight Lakers points, the Suns went on an 8-0 spurt to 78-73. But Bryant's 22-footer with 6:05 left had Los Angeles ahead 80-73.

Phoenix outscored the Lakers 19-6 the rest of way.

"We seemed to be kind of a step behind," Bryant said. "We seemed to be a little sloppy, a little lackadaisical."

After Bryant threw up an airball under P.J. Tucker's tight defense, Jared Dudley sank a 3-pointer to tie it at 82 with 3:39 left. After a turnover by the Lakers, Beasley's 17-footer made it 84-82, then Luis Scola sank a 15-footer to complete a 13-2 run that had Phoenix ahead 86-82 with 1:55 left.

Bryant's driving layup cut it to 86-84 with 1:35 to go, then Nash knocked the ball loose from Scola for a turnover and Bryant's two free throws tied it at 86-86 with 1:07 to play.

That set up Beasley's drive. The Suns reserve, whose play has blossomed since Hunter took over, had the ball knocked away by Peace as the shot clock wound down, but managed to drive to the hoop for a layup that made 88-86.

"Once I picked it up and seen I had 2 seconds to go, the only thing I was trying to do was get it toward the basket," Beasley said. "It was just that kind of a night, I guess."

Bryant's driving miss followed and the Suns wrapped it up from the foul line.

"Michael Beasley was incredible tonight," Hunter said. "He's been working really hard to get to this point and I really see promise in his future and just continue to encourage him."

A video tribute to Nash during a first-quarter timeout drew a rousing standing ovation from the crowd, a mixture of Lakers and Suns fans. Nash responded with a wave as the Lakers came back onto the court.

It was a warm remembrance of the high-flying style that Nash, with D'Antoni his coach, brought to Phoenix. Nash won two MVPs and the team made the Western Conference finals twice in Nash's eight seasons. Nash, who turns 39 on Feb. 7, left the Suns for Los Angeles in a sign-and-trade deal at the end of last season.

"This is a very special place for me and to be recognized by the fans is incredible," he said. "I am definitely very grateful for the reception but also for my time here, which are among the best years of my life."

Nash finished with 11 points and two assists.

Marcin Gortat had 14 points and 12 rebounds as five Suns reached double figures.

Neither team led by more than five points in the first half with the game tied at 41 at the break.

The Lakers outscored Phoenix 23-10 to start the third quarter, taking a 64-51 lead on a layup by Peace with 3:26 left in the period. He also had a pair of 3s in the run.

Jamison finished the quarter with a long 2-pointer, followed by a 3, and the Lakers led 73-63 entering the fourth.

It was a stretch of 10 consecutive points for Jamison, whose layup made it 78-65 with 10 minutes to play.

Notes: The Suns were in black uniforms for the first time since 2000. ... The Lakers don't play at home until Feb. 12, against Phoenix. ... Suns C Jermaine O'Neal missed his fifth straight game because of an irregular heartbeat. ... D'Antoni had lunch Wednesday with good friend Gentry. ... 18-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps was in the crowd.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/suns-rally-beat-lakers-nashs-return-la-061112544--spt.html

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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Exposure For Your Self-Published Book ? Writing and Illustrating

Gain Exposure For Your Self-Published Book!

21stSelfPub-800px-300x86

You?ve put countless hours into writing your book and perfecting it for publication. You did your homework, and found the right self-publisher for you. Now, give your book the exposure and accolades it deserves ? enter the Writer?s Digest 21st Annual Self-Published Book Awards!

You could win:

?Up to $3000 in cash
?National exposure for your work
?The attention of prospective editors and publishers
?A paid trip to the Writer?s Digest Conference in New York City!

Early Bird Deadline: April 1, 2013

Enter Now!

How to enter: register and pay online or download a printable entry form. (Early Bird Entry fees are $100 for the first entry, and $75 for each additional entry.)

Enter your book into one or more of these categories:
?Mainstream/Literary Fiction
?Genre Fiction
?Nonfiction
?Inspirational (Spiritual, New Age)
?Life Stories (Biographies, Autobiographies, Family Histories, Memoirs)
?Children?s/Picture books
?Middle-Grade/Young Adult books
?Reference Books (Directories, Encyclopedias, Guide Books)
?Poetry

Read the rules and get the details: Writer?s Digest Self-Published Awards

One Grand Prize Winner will receive:

  • $3,000 cash and a trip to the Writer?s Digest Conference in New York City
  • A priceless endorsement for their book from the Writer?s Digest Editors?10 copies of their book for submission to major publishing review houses
  • A one-year membership for Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), the largest not-for-profit trade association representing more than 3,000 independent book publishers, courtesy of Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC
  • Guaranteed acceptance in a special sales catalog and national representation through 1,800 salespeople who sell to non-bookstore markets
  • A one-year membership to Author-U
  • A copy of Show Me About Book Publishing and consultation with Book Shepherd Judith Briles (valued at $500)
  • A guaranteed review in Midwest Book Review

Nine First-Place Winners will receive:

  • $1,000 cash and promotion in Writer?s Digest
  • A one-year membership to Small Publishers Association of North America (SPAN)
  • A guaranteed review in Midwest Book Review
  • A one-year membership to Book Central Station where you can find lists of suppliers rated by previous clients, provided by Brian Jud & Book Marketing Works, LLC
  • An ebook titled Beyond the Bookstore by Brian Jud (with CD).

All Grand Prize and First Place winners will:

  • Be featured on the Writer?s Digest website
  • Receive a copy of The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing, 4th Edition by Tom and Marilyn Ross
  • $100 worth of Writer?s Digest Books

Honorable Mention Winners will receive $50 worth of Writer?s Digest Books and be promoted on www.writersdigest.com.

All other entrants will receive a brief commentary from the judges along with a link to the entrant?s website (only if the URL is accurate) on writersdigest.com.

THE RULES:

1. The competition is open to all English-language self-published books for which the authors have paid the full cost of publication, or the cost of printing has been paid for by a grant or as part of a prize.

2. You may register and pay online for faster service.

3. Entrants must send a printed and bound book. Entries will be evaluated on content, writing quality and overall quality of production and appearance. No handwritten books are accepted.

4. All books published or revised and reprinted between 2008 and 2013 are eligible. (Writer?s Digest may demand proof of eligibility of semifinalists.)

5. All books not registered online must be accompanied by an Official Entry Form. Photocopies of the Official Entry Form are acceptable. You may enter more than one book and/or more than one category; however, you must include a separate book, entry form and the additional fee for each entry.

6. We accept check, money order or credit card payment for the required judging fee. The early bird entry fees are $100 for the first entry, $75 for each additional entry must accompany submissions. For books submitted after the April 1 early bird deadline, the fees are $110 for the first entry, $85 for each additional entry. Payment must accompany submissions.

7. All early bird entries must be postmarked no later than April 1, 2013. Entries submitted for the regular deadline must be postmarked by May 1, 2013. All winners will be notified by October 14, 2013. If you wish to receive confirmation that your entry was received before the deadline, we recommend using certified mail or some other tracking method to send your entry.

8. Judges reserve the right to withhold prizes in any category. Judges reserve the right to re-categorize entries.

9. Books which have previously won awards from Writers Digest are not eligible.

10. Employees of F+W Media, Inc. and Book Marketing Works, LLC and their immediate families are not eligible. Books published by Abbott Press are not eligible to participate.

11. Writer?s Digest is not responsible for the loss, damage or return of any books submitted to the competition.

Talk soon,

Kathy

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Source: http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/exposure-for-your-self-published-book/

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Boeing forecast assumes little impact from 787 problems

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Wednesday it was sticking with the troubled lithium-ion battery technology that this month grounded its high-tech 787 Dreamliner, and that the grounding had no significant financial impact on its 2013 forecast.

Boeing said it will speed up production of the new plane as planned, responding to revelations that the battery has had more problems than previously disclosed.

CEO Jim McNerney said it was "business as usual" and that the company also had not advised suppliers to slow down their shipments of pieces of the 787, the most widely outsourced jet in the company's 97-year history.

"Nothing that we have learned has told us that we have made the wrong choice on the battery technology," McNerney said on a conference call with analysts and journalists.

"We feel good about the battery technology and its fit for the airplane. We have just got to get to the root cause of these incidents and we will take a look at the data as it evolves, but there is nothing that we have learned that causes us to question it at this stage."

The probe into the cause of two burnt batteries this month involves hundreds of experts from Boeing and outside the company but is "highly compartmentalized" and "it's not drawing any critical resources from any other growth programs we've got," McNerney added.

"Our plan is to continue production of the 787 and to continue the development of the wide-body airplanes," McNerney said.

The statements came as Boeing posted higher-than-expected profit.

Its shares were up 1.2 percent at $74.52.

Aviation safety agencies in the United States and Japan are investigating what caused lithium-ion batteries to burn on two 787 passenger jets earlier this month, prompting the worldwide grounding.

Boeing has since halted 787 deliveries, and analysts have raised concerns about the cost of the grounding and fixing the battery problem on about 125 jets that Boeing has built so far.

But Boeing released a forecast for 2013 that included no significant impact from the 787.

The company said it expects to deliver at least 60 Dreamliners in 2013 -- fewer than the 80 jets or more that some analysts expected -- but a figure that implies a four-month delay in delivery, since Boeing is making five 787s a month.

McNerney said Boeing still plans to increase 787 production to seven a month by mid-year and 10 a month by year-end.

The new production forecast raised some eyebrows. Russell Solomon at Moody's Investors Service was forecasting 100 787 deliveries, and said Boeing's forecast of more than 60 was "significantly weaker than we had expected."

Concern about the battery rose on Wednesday after Japan's two biggest airlines said they had repeatedly replaced sub-par lithium-ion batteries on their Dreamliners in the months before the two incidents that led to the 787 groundings.

The comments from All Nippon Airways Co Ltd, the biggest 787 customer to date, and Japan Airlines Co Ltd indicated problems with the battery system reliability long before one caught fire on a JAL 787 at Boston's Logan Airport on January 7. A second was badly charred and melted on an ANA domestic flight a few days later, prompting the pilot to make an emergency landing and evacuation.

The two airlines operate 24 of the 50 787s in service. United Airlines is the only U.S. carrier currently flying the 787.

McNerney said the earlier battery replacements were not made because of safety concerns.

"There's been no incidents that we're aware of where a battery has been replaced for any sort of safety concerns," he said. "It's a replaceable unit designed to be replaced and a matter of routine maintenance."

He said the replacement rate had been "slightly higher" than predicted.

McNerney declined to give any cost estimates for the 787 problems or discuss the investigation in any detail. The NTSB, which is leading the investigation in the U.S. has not yet established a cause for either of the two battery incidents.

NET FALLS, STILL BEATS

Meanwhile, Boeing said net income fell to $978 million, or $1.28 per share, in the fourth quarter, from $1.39 billion, or $1.84, in the year-ago period, when it posted a special tax gain.

Analysts expected earnings of $1.19 a share.

Ken Herbert, an analyst at Imperial Capital, said wider profit margins from Boeing's commercial airplanes unit helped the company beat estimates, even as defense revenue declined slightly.

But he was disappointed by the 2013 profit outlook of $5.00 to $5.20 a share, compared with his target of $5.60. The figures include pension charges.

The consensus Wall Street estimate was $5.13 a share for 2013, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Total revenue for the quarter rose 14 percent to $22.3 billion.

The company said it booked 394 net aircraft orders in the quarter, adding that its total order book was nearly 4,400 planes valued at $319 billion, a record tally. In the third quarter, it recorded 369 net orders and had an order book of about 4,100 airplanes valued at $307 billion.

For the first time, Boeing released so-called core results, which exclude most pension expenses that are part of standard accounting measures. Boeing said core earnings rose 9 percent to $1.84 billion in the quarter from $1.69 billion a year ago.

Core earnings per share fell 24 percent to $1.46 from $1.92, but the year-earlier figure included a one-time tax benefit of about 52 cents a share.

Boeing said the new measures better reflected its operating performance by factoring out market fluctuations and interest rate assumptions that can make pension expenses change significantly from quarter to quarter.

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Marguerita Choy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-profit-drops-sees-no-significant-impact-787-125728755--finance.html

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Dealing with Bankruptcy in the GCC | IslamicFinance.de

The paper makes an attempt to understand how the balance sheets of various sectors of GCC got impacted due to the financial crisis. There is also an attempt to understand why Bankruptcy laws in GCC are inadequate and what lessons can be learnt post Global Financial crisis to deal with Bankruptcy in GCC region. Estimation has been made to understand the current size of problem in GCC and we have included studies of Investment companies seeking to restructure their debt.

Source: http://www.islamicfinance.de/?q=node/4536

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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

High Efficiency Video Coding standard H.265 is approved - Software ...

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has agreed on the specifications for the successor to the ?PrimeTime Emmy award winning? ITU-T H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC codec. The new H.265 codec, sometimes known informally as High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), will deliver video on a par with its predecessor at half the bit rate.

The new video format is expected to bring high quality streaming; even to slower, less capacious and more congested networks. It could be a boon to smartphone users with a data cap and also enable very high quality streaming over broadband. Using the new H.265 codec content providers will be able to provide 4K streams using the same bandwidth as 1080p video streaming uses today.

The previous H.264 codec is widely supported by computers, smart connected devices and audio/visual hardware. The new HEVC H.265 codec should become the new standard and will ?provide a flexible, reliable and robust solution, future-proofed to support the next decade of video. The new standard is designed to take account of advancing screen resolutions and is expected to be phased in as high-end products and services outgrow the limits of current network and display technology,? according to the ITU press release.

What?s not to like about a new codec which makes things faster to steam/download with the potential for better quality? I suffer from rural broadband with a data cap right now so HEVC could improve things for me in internet streaming/downloading terms. Also I hope my Humax Foxsat HDR FreeSat+ box will get upgraded firmware to make use of the new codec.

Source: http://hexus.net/tech/news/software/51013-high-efficiency-video-coding-standard-h265-approved/

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The Saturdays' U.S. EP Gives America 'A Taste' Of Their Brand Of Pop

U.K. girl group break down Chasing the Saturdays, out this week, to MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


The Saturdays
Photo: Araya Diaz/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700944/the-saturdays-ep-pop.jhtml

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Neglect, errors to blame in Brazil nightclub fire

SANTA MARIA, Brazil (AP) ? There was no fire alarm. There were no sprinklers or fire escapes. And when a band member tried to put out a fire that had been started by pyrotechnics, the extinguisher didn't work.

All the elements were in place for the tragedy at the Kiss nightclub early Sunday. The result was the world's worst fire of its kind in more than a decade, with 231 people dead and this southern Brazilian city in shock and mourning.

Funerals began on Monday, as reports continued to emerge about the accumulation of neglect and errors at the packed night spot.

Brazilian police said they detained three people in connection with the blaze, while the newspaper O Globo said on its website that a fourth person had surrendered to police. Police Inspector Ranolfo Vieira Junior said the detentions were part of the ongoing police probe and those detained can be held for up to five days.

Vieira declined to identify those detained, but the Brazilian newspaper Zero Hora quotes lawyer Jader Marques saying his client Elissandro Spohr, a co-owner of the club, had been held.

The paper said police also detained two members of the band that was performing when the blaze broke out in this university town of about 260,000 people. The band's guitarist told Brazilian media he saw flames lick the ceiling after the group's spark machine was deployed.

More than 100 people remained hospitalized for smoke, local officials said. Paulo Afonso Beltrame, a doctor helping coordinate the emergency response, said he was optimistic that those injured would pull through.

"It's impossible to predict what will happen, because they are all in a very delicate state, but there's hope for all of them," said Beltrame, adding that more than 40 survivors had been sent to neighboring cities for treatment of burns and smoke inhalation. "One of the problems we're having here is that all these people need to be on respirators and we don't have enough respirators in the city."

Funeral services were held for several of the 231 victims, most of them college students 18 to 21 years old. Some of the victims were minors. Most died from smoke inhalation rather than burns.

Initial reports suggested the tragedy was the result of a series of failures. Police have said they think the pyrotechnics ignited flammable sound insulation on the ceiling.

Other witnesses said security guards who didn't know about the blaze initially blocked people from leaving without paying their bills. Brazilian bars routinely make patrons pay their entire tab at the end of the night before they're allowed to leave. Many of the dead were found in the club's two bathrooms, where the blinding smoke caused them to believe the doors were exits.

Rodrigo Martins, a guitarist for the group Gurizada Fandangueira, told Globo TV network in an interview Monday that the flames broke out minutes after the deployment of a pyrotechnic machine that fans out colored sparks, at around 2:30 a.m. local time.

"I felt that something was falling from the roof and I looked up and I saw the fire was spreading, and I shouted 'Look, it's catching on fire, man, it's catching fire,'" Martins said. "Then the drummer tried to throw water on it, and it looked like the fire spread more then. Then the security guards came with an extinguisher, tried to use it, but it didn't work."

He added that the club was packed and estimated the crowd at about 1,200-1,300 people.

"I thought I was going to die there. There was nothing I could do, with the fire spreading and people screaming in front."

Martins confirmed that the group's accordion player Danilo Jacques, 28, died, while the five other band members made it out safely. Martins said he thought Jacques made it out of the building and later returned to save his accordion.

Martins said the group nearly always used the so-called Sputnik pyrotechnics machine and that it had never before caused any problem, even in smaller venues. An electrical short circuit could also possibly have been to blame for the fire, he suggested.

Still, police were leaning toward the pyrotechnics as the likely cause of the tragedy. Police inspector Antonio Firmino, who's part of the team investigating Sunday's blaze, said it appeared the club's ceiling was covered with an insulating foam made from a combustible material that ignited with the pyrotechnics. He said the number and state of the exits is under investigation but that it appeared that a second door was "inadequate," as it was small and protected by bars that wouldn't open.

Television images from Santa Maria showed black smoke billowing out of the Kiss nightclub as shirtless young men who attended the university party joined firefighters using axes and sledgehammers to pound at the hot-pink exterior walls, trying to reach those trapped inside. Teenagers sprinted from the scene after the fire began, desperately seeking help. Others carried injured and burned friends away in their arms. About half of those killed were men, and another half women.

The party was organized by students from several academic departments at the Federal University of Santa Maria. Such organized university parties are common throughout Brazil.

Beltrame said he was told the club had been filled far beyond its capacity, and the crowds and thickness of the smoke made it hard for people to find their way out.

"Large amounts of toxic smoke quickly filled the room, and I would say that at least 90 percent of the victims died of asphyxiation," Beltrame said. "The toxic smoke made people lose their sense of direction so they were unable to find their way to the exit. At least 50 bodies were found inside a bathroom."

Beltrame said people who were inside the club and thought they made it out safely have started to turn up at area hospitals with symptoms of smoke inhalation, which he said can take hours or even days to appear. He estimated that around 15 people have sought out help in the past few hours and said some have had to be intubated.

Santa Maria Mayor Cezar Schirmer declared a 30-day mourning period, and Tarso Genro, the governor of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, said officials were investigating the cause of the disaster.

The blaze was the deadliest in Brazil since at least 1961, when a fire that swept through a circus killed 503 people in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro.

Sunday's fire also appeared to be the worst at a nightclub since December 2000, when a welding accident reportedly set off a fire at a club in Luoyang, China, killing 309 people.

___

Associated Press writers Marco Sibaja contributed to this report from Brasilia, Brazil, Stan Lehman and Bradley Brooks contributed from Sao Paulo and Jenny Barchfield contributed from Rio de Janeiro.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/neglect-errors-blame-brazil-nightclub-fire-200250681.html

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Monday, January 28, 2013

A look at notable deadly nightclub fires

A fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday and killed more than 230 people appears to be the deadliest in more a decade. Here is a look at some of the biggest nightclub fires in the past century:

? A blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia, broke out in December 2009, when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches, killing 152.

? A December 2004 fire killed 194 people at an overcrowded working-class nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after a flare ignited ceiling foam.

? A nightclub fire in the U.S. state of Rhode Island in 2003 killed 100 people after pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling.

?In China's worst nightclub disaster in recent years, a fire blamed on a welding accident tore through a disco in the central city of Luoyang in December 2000, killing 309 people.

?A fire at the Ozone Disco Pub in 1996 in Quezon City, Philippines, killed 162 people, many of them students celebrating the end of the school year.

?In 1977, 165 people perished and more than 200 were injured when the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky, which touted itself as the Showplace of the Nation, burned to the ground.

?A fire killed 492 people at Boston's Cocoanut Grove club in 1942, the deadliest nightclub blaze in U.S. history. The fire led to the enactment of requirements for sprinkler systems and accessible exits with emergency lights not linked to the regular lighting system.

?In 1940, a fire ignited the decorative Spanish moss draping the ceiling of the Rhythm Night Club in Natchez, Mississippi, killing 209 people. Hundreds of patrons ran to the only exit. The windows had been boarded shut to keep unwanted guests from sneaking in.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/look-notable-deadly-nightclub-fires-135256442.html

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BlackBerry World will soon feature an extensive catalogue of music, movies and TV shows

Not only will Research in Motion?s (RIMM) BlackBerry World include more than 70,000 BlackBerry 10 apps, the storefront will also offer ?one of the most robust music and video catalogs in mobile today.? The company announced on Monday that the new BlackBerry World will feature an ?extensive catalog? of DRM-free music as well as movies and TV shows, a majority of which will be available for download on the same day they are released on DVD, and next day availability for a number of TV series. The BlackBerry World catalog of music, movies and TV shows will be available on the first BlackBerry 10 devices, which the company is scheduled to announce at a press conference this Wednesday, January 30th. RIM?s press release follows below.

New BlackBerry World for BlackBerry 10 to Include Extensive Catalogue of Songs, Latest Movies and TV Shows

[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 debuts on Wednesday ? strap in for a wild ride]

January 28, 2013

Unified Multimedia Storefront Will Carry Music and Video Content from All Major Studios, Labels and Broadcasters

Waterloo, ON ? Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX:RIM) today announced that the new BlackBerry? World? storefront (formally BlackBerry App World?) for BlackBerry 10 will offer one of the most robust music and video catalogs in mobile today. The new BlackBerry World will include an extensive catalog of songs as well as movies and TV shows, with most movies coming to the store the same day they are released on DVD, and next day availability of many current TV series. The competitive offering will feature content from all major studios, music labels and top local broadcast networks. Customers will be able to preview tracks and access the content using multiple payment options.*

?Music and video content is an integral part of a rich mobile experience. People want easy and convenient access to their favorite music, movies and TV shows wherever they are,? said Frank Boulben, Chief Marketing Officer at Research In Motion. ?RIM is committed to working with content providers to bring the best, most up-to-date content to our customers with BlackBerry 10, and to make it easy for them to get what they want.?

The video download and rental section in BlackBerry World will initially be available in the US, UK and Canada. Varying by region and distributor, customers will have access to movies from the following studios and independents: 20th Century Fox, Entertainment One (eOne), Lionsgate, MGM, National Film Board of Canada, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, STUDIOCANAL, The Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures (UK), Warner Bros. Customers will also have access to TV shows from the following broadcasters and studios: ABC Studios, BBC Worldwide, CBC/Radio-Canada, CBS, DHX Media, ITV, National Geographic, NBCUniversal (UK), Nelvana, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Univision Communications Inc, and Warner Bros.

The BlackBerry World storefront?s DRM-free music download section will feature an extensive catalog from all major and independent labels including: 4AD Records, Domino Recording Company, finetunes, Matador Records, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, Rough Trade Records, Sony Music Entertainment, The Orchard, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, XL Recordings and Zebralution. The music section will initially be available in 18 countries: Canada, USA, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Australia, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blackberry-world-soon-feature-extensive-catalogue-music-movies-191558444.html

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New technique sheds light on RNA

Jan. 28, 2013 ? When researchers sequence the RNA of cancer cells, they can compare it to normal cells and see where there is more RNA. That can help lead them to the gene or protein that might be triggering the cancer.

But other than spotting a few known instigators, what does it mean? Is there more RNA because it's synthesizing too quickly or because it's not degrading fast enough? What part of the biological equilibrium is off?

After more than a decade of work, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a technique to help answer those questions.

The method involves a compound called bromouridine, which can be used to tag or label newly created RNA. Researchers apply the bromouridine for 30 minutes then isolate the RNA to see where the new RNA was made. They call this process Bru-Seq.

On the other hand, the researchers can follow up the bromouridine labeling with a rinse with the chemical uridine for different periods of time. They call this BruChase-Seq because the uridine chases away the newly made RNA so they can look at how the RNA ages over the course of one hour, two hours or six hours. In other words, is the RNA degrading like it's supposed to?

"We can see the whole pattern of all the RNA that's synthesized and all the RNA that's stable vs. degrading. We can sort it out in terms of synthesis and stability and see if a particular RNA is more stable in the cancer cell than the normal cell or if it is taking longer to degrade in the cancer cell than in the normal cell," says study author Mats Ljungman, Ph.D., associate professor of radiation oncology at the U-M Medical School.

"With our technique, we're adding 10-fold more depth to the picture of how genes are expressed," he adds.

Ljungman is part of the Cancer Center's new Translational Oncology Program, which brings together cancer researchers from across the University of Michigan to speed the translation of basic science into clinical trials and new treatment opportunities for patients.

The Cancer Center is currently using gene sequencing techniques to help match advanced cancer patients with potential clinical trial opportunities based on the make-up of their tumor.

In addition to helping with cancer sequencing, Ljungman sees potential for this new technique to help with identifying diseases such as diabetes or inflammation. In the paper describing the technique, published online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers describe how they used it to understand an inflammatory response in cells. The researchers have also used the technique to test blood samples.

With a great deal more investigation, Ljungman envisions that one day the test could potentially be offered to people visiting their doctor as a way to monitor changes in the RNA.

"If something is significantly changed from one test to the next, it could be a red flag or an early warning sign of disease. That would be the broadest use of this technology," Ljungman says.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Michigan Health System.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. M. T. Paulsen, A. Veloso, J. Prasad, K. Bedi, E. A. Ljungman, Y.-C. Tsan, C.-W. Chang, B. Tarrier, J. G. Washburn, R. Lyons, D. R. Robinson, C. Kumar-Sinha, T. E. Wilson, M. Ljungman. Coordinated regulation of synthesis and stability of RNA during the acute TNF-induced proinflammatory response. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1219192110

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/most_popular/~3/d-5_GxygMd4/130128104636.htm

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Sunday, January 27, 2013

Abrams on 'Star Wars': 'surreal' and 'exciting'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? J.J. Abrams calls getting assigned to direct the seventh live-action "Star Wars" film "as surreal as it is exciting."

The director-producer-writer spoke with a handful of media outlets on the red carpet before darting into the Producers Guild Awards on Saturday night. Abrams was there to accept the Norman Lear Achievement Award for such television works as "Felicity" (1998-2002), "Alias" (2001-2006), "Lost" (2004-2010), "Fringe" (2008-2013) as well as the current series "Person of Interest" and "Revolution."

Abrams also is proving to be a go-to director of successful new films for long-established franchises, such as "Star Trek" and "Mission: Impossible."

Last week, Lucasfilm officially announced Abrams' hiring for "Star Wars: Episode VII," which has a tentative release date of 2015. "Star Wars" creator George Lucas personally endorsed Abrams in a statement: "I've consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller. He's an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn't be in better hands."

As for Abrams' plans for "Episode VII"?

"You know, obviously, it's so early," he replied. "I can just say what I want to do: I want to do the fans proud. I want to make sure the story is something that touches people. And we're just getting started. I'm very excited."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/abrams-star-wars-surreal-exciting-160239824.html

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Tips For Knowing The Right Credit Card Terminology | Paixao ...

TIP! Never use a password or pin code for your credit card that is really easy for people to figure out. Don?t use something obvious, like your birthday or your pet?s name, because that is information anyone could know.

Many people get frustrated with bank cards. If you have the right advice, you can easily deal with charge cards in a hassle-free way. Use the tips in this article to help you learn how to live responsibly with bank cards.

TIP! If you use credit cards, consider obtaining a free credit report every year. Check to ensure that all the information is correct.

Do not close too many credit accounts at once. It may be the initial reaction when you want to preserve the score of your credit, but it will actually have the opposite effect by making your score worse. When you close accounts, you reduce how much credit you have. This then closes the gap between the credit you can borrow and how much you currently owe.

TIP! It isn?t the best idea to get credit as soon as you turn 18 years old. Although people love to spend and have credit cards, you should truly understand how credit works before you decide to establish it.

Take time to go over your monthly statements. Be sure this is done as regularly as possible. If you are waiting too long, you probably won?t be able to recall transactions. Also, solving a problem is harder if you wait.

TIP! It can be hard to get a card if you are not at least 18 years old. The best way to start is to be an additional user on an existing account.

It is a good idea to review the receipt of all of your credit card purchases, and the time to do it is right at the check-out stand. If there are any corrections that need to be made, this can be done immediately.

TIP! Always know who you are dealing with and make sure they are legitimate companies when you give out your credit card information online. It makes sense to call the phone numbers given on the website to verify the seller?s existence, and it is wise to steer clear of sellers providing no street address.

Read the credit card agreement thoroughly before you sign your agreement with the company. A lot of credit card places think of your first purchase as your agreement to their terms. You should particularly go over the fine print, even though it may be difficult to read.

TIP! Be sure you ask a credit card company if they are willing to reduce how much interest you pay. Some companies will decrease the interest amount that they charge to their customers if these people maintain a good relationship with them for a long period of time.

Know your credit card laws to ensure that you are protected. Creditors are not allowed to raise rates retroactively. The companies are also not allowed to bill in a double-cycle. Study the laws and keep up with the changes. There have been two major changes in the laws. You should read up on them to familiarize yourself.

TIP! Make sure to get your credit card payments in on time. Missing one payment can cause higher interest rates for you.

As you can see by now, credit card companies cause people a lot of grief. Choosing a good card is easier with research and advice. By using these suggestions, you can enjoy life with charge cards and avoid the headaches!

Source: http://blogpaixaoentrelinhas.com/tips-for-knowing-the-right-credit-card-terminology/

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Obama: Tough call on letting a son play football

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is a big football fan with two daughters, but if he had a son, he says he'd "have to think long and hard" before letting him play because of the physical toll the game takes.

"I think that those of us who love the sport are going to have to wrestle with the fact that it will probably change gradually to try to reduce some of the violence," Obama tells The New Republic.

"In some cases, that may make it a little bit less exciting, but it will be a whole lot better for the players, and those of us who are fans maybe won't have to examine our consciences quite as much."

In an interview in the magazine's Feb. 11 issue, Obama said he worries more about college players than he does about those in the NFL.

"The NFL players have a union, they're grown men, they can make some of these decisions on their own, and most of them are well-compensated for the violence they do to their bodies," Obama said. "You read some of these stories about college players who undergo some of these same problems with concussions and so forth and then have nothing to fall back on. That's something that I'd like to see the NCAA think about."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello responded Sunday, "We have no higher priority than player health and safety at all levels of the game."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-27-US-Obama-Football/id-48c4adfa5ecf47f090b3440c6361dcef

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Saturday, January 26, 2013

Origin and maintenance of a retrograde exoplanet

Jan. 25, 2013 ? Astronomers have used the Subaru Telescope to show that the HAT-P-7 planetary system, which is about 1040 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus, includes at least two giant planets and one companion star. The discovery of a previously unknown companion (HAT-P-7B) to the central star (HAT-P-7) as well as confirmation of another giant planet (HAT-P-7c) orbiting outside of the retrograde planet HAT-P-7b, offer new insights into how retrograde planets may form and endure.

A Japanese collaboration led by Norio Narita (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan) used the Subaru Telescope in 2008 to discover the first evidence of a retrograde orbit of an extrasolar planet, HAT-P-7b.? Although retrograde planets, which have orbits that run counter to the spin of their central stars, are absent in our solar system, they occur in other planetary systems in the universe. However, scientists did not know how such retrograde planets formed.

Since his team's initial discovery of the retrograde planet HAT-P-7b, Narita has pursued his quest to explain its origin. As participants in the SEEDS (Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with the Subaru Telescope) Project, he and his colleagues, Yasuhiro Takahashi, Masayuki Kuzuhara, and Teruyuki Hirano (all from the University of Tokyo), took high contrast images of the HAT-P-7 system? with HiCIAO (High Contrast Instrument for the Subaru Next Generation Adaptive Optics) to develop a more complete picture of it.

The team first discovered two companion candidates around the HAT-P-7 system in 2009 and measured their proper motion? over a three-year period until 2012. They confirmed that one of the two candidates is a common proper motion stellar companion to HAT-P-7, named HAT-P-7B.

The team also confirmed a long-term radial velocity trend for HAT-P-7. This indicated the existence of another giant planet, HAT-P-7c, orbiting between the orbits of HAT-P-7b (the retrograde planet) and HAT-P-7B (the stellar companion).

The question remained: How did the retrograde orbit of the planet develop?

In a 2012 research report, Dr. Simon Albrecht pointed out that certain gravitational effects between the central star and HAT-P-7b would prevent the long-term maintenance of its retrograde orbit. The current team thinks that the existence of the companion star (HAT-P-7B) and the newly confirmed outer planet (HAT-P-7c) are likely to play an important role in forming and maintaining the retrograde orbit of the inner planet (HAT-P-7b) via the Kozai mechanism, a long-term process during which a more massive object has an effect on the orbit of another. In the case of HAT-P-7b, the team posited so-called "sequential Kozai migration" as an explanation of this retrograde planet. They suggest that the companion star (HAT-P-7B) first affected the orbit of the newly confirmed outer planet (HAT-P-7c) through the Kozai mechanism, causing it to tilt. When the orbit of that planet inclined enough, HAT-P7c altered the orbit of the inner planet (HAT-P-7b) through the Kozai mechanism, so that it became retrograde. This sequential orbital evolution of the planet is one of the scenarios that could explain the origin of retrograde/tilted/eccentric planets.

Narita's team has demonstrated the importance of conducting high-contrast direct imaging observations for known planetary systems to check for the presence of outer faint companions, which may play an important role in understanding the entire picture of planetary migration. The findings provide important clues for understanding the origin of a variety of planetary systems, including those with highly tilted and eccentric orbits.

Notes

1) A retrograde planet is a planet with an orbit that runs counter (over 90 degrees) to the direction of the spin of the central star. Previous observations have revealed that about a third of hot Jupiters, exoplanets with characteristics similar to Jupiter but orbiting very close to their host stars, have tilted or even retrograde orbits relative to the spin of their central star.

2) The letters after the name of a star are consistent ways that astronomers label parts of a planetary system. The planetary system is named for the central star (HAT-P-7), and a companion star is labeled with an upper case B (HAT-P-7B). The first planet discovered in the system is designated by a lower case b (HAT-P-7b), and the next, with a lower case c (HAT-P-7c), and so on.

3) SEEDS (Strategic Exploration of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru Telescope) is a large-scale, five-year strategic project led by Motohide Tamura (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan). Using a total of 120 observing nights at the Subaru Telescope, the project focuses on exploring hundreds of nearby stars in an effort to directly image extrasolar planets and protoplanetary/debris disks around stars.

4) Radial velocity is a measure of the rate of change in the distance of an astronomical object. When a planet orbits around a star, it causes a tiny shift in the star's spectrum which can be measured with a high-precision spectrograph and used to infer the presence of a planet.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

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


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/space_time/astronomy/~3/58mG5SV5_0U/130125103923.htm

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Try These Magnificent Self Help Tips To Increase Your Confidence ...

Self improvement is when you work to make yourself a better person, and to ultimately improve your life. To reach your goals with personal development, you must educate yourself on how you can make yourself a better person and decide what works for you and what doesn?t. The article you are about to read will give you plenty of tips to get going on your personal development plan.

Most employers will not care what school or college you went to, they will care that you earned the degree and can do the work. Working with large financial institutions or law firms is an exception to this rule. Truthfully, it?s more crucial that you have obtained a degree and expanded your horizons.

Exercise is not only for people wanting to lose weight. There are tons of reasons to exercise. As you work out, your body will release chemicals necessary to relieving your stress.

TIP! Stay around like-minded individuals. This will help you to have a better attitude and maintain it as well as keeping you away from bad people that aren?t behind your dreams and goals.

You can?t change unless you make a directed, continuous effort to do so. It is important to make any changes that are necessary for growth.

You need to be your highest priority since you can?t please everybody. That doesn?t mean you should become selfish, but rather that you take control of your own emotions. You should never sacrifice your beliefs in the search for happiness.

One part of depression you may not thought of to look at is your diet and increasing the amount of complex carbohydrates that you consume. If you are not getting enough complex carbs, you serotonin levels will be low. You can do this by eating more raw veggies, fruits, nuts, brown rice, whole grains and assorted beans.

TIP! Make sure the goals you set for yourself are small and manageable so you can easily achieve them and develop the lifestyle that will make you happy. Figuring out your weaknesses and doing what you can to deal with them will make you a happier, more satisfied person.

Be ready to take down any ideas you may have, no matter what the setting is. Use a notepad app on your phone or even carry a real notepad with you. Just write down what their idea or thought is and then develop it more when you have the time and are feeling creative.

Strengthening your faith and expressing love are two great self improvement goals. You can not have faith without love. Therefore, it is important that you never become complacent in your faithfulness. Put your faith into action by helping others and loving not only your peers, but yourself as well.

Figure out what you want your life to be and do what it takes to accomplish it. If you lay around all day wishing your life was better but not doing anything to make it better, it will never happen. Make your dreams reality by taking decisive action.

TIP! We all make mistakes which includes making poor food choices once in a while. Stress is as bad for your body as a piece of cake, so remember that life is too short to sweat the small stuff.

Leadership is the cornerstone of personal development. Leadership is generally approached as being influential. Reflect back on your leadership experiences. What experiences have had the greatest impact on your life? What changes have occurred thanks to these events? What do you feel makes you a good team player? When you examine these thoughts, you will become more of a team player and leader.

You must understand that a divide exists between where you currently are, and the place you would like to go. This first step can start you on the way to reaching your goals. If you cannot see this discrepancy, it is unlikely that you will reach your highest potential.

TIP! Consider your personal character attributes when determining what you want to change. Your aesthetics can be changed quicker than your personality can! Clothes and looks are no reflection of the true personality of person.

If you suffer from anxiety, try going to see a movie with a friend. You will be out and about but you don?t have to talk a lot or even see who you?re with most of the time. This will give you the chance to get acquainted with the idea of being around more people.

Stress is one of the biggest road blocks to happiness. When the human mind is preoccupied with a state of stress, damage can be caused to both physical and mental aspects of the body. All of us need to have clear, relaxed thinking to enable us to plan and execute our life?s purpose, and this only happens when we let go of stressful thoughts. Allow yourself a set time during each day that you can relax and empty your mind. Taking a little bit of time for yourself will help you stay calm, and keep your goals in mind.

It is important that you feel comfortable using the abilities that you have. Being different isn?t a bad thing, since we all have different strengths and skills, which makes for an interesting world of personalities. Concentrate on good skills you already have rather than worry about talents you would like to acquire.

TIP! Are you experiencing difficulty meeting romantic partners? Think about looking on the Internet. Up to 40% of couples meet over the Internet nowadays.

You need to have an emergency fund. Many people handle every unexpected expense with a credit card, building up debt. If you put back just a few dollars every week you will quickly build up an emergency fund. Having an emergency fund in place can help provide a safety net throughout all the phases of one?s financial life.

Try writing down goals you want to reach if you want to better yourself. For example, should you want a greater amount of confidence, write about it. Then, brainstorm things that you could do or have done that will improve your confidence. Finally, you will need to put yourself in a situation where you can practice being confident. Developing a plan of attack will make it more likely that you succeed.

When you are trying to improve yourself, you should aim to have a high amount of self-discipline. Learn to exercise restraint over the desires of the flesh to achieve a higher level of self control. Overindulgence, overeating, lust, and selfishness are all base impulses that you can overcome. If you can cut out the negative aspects of your personality you?ll find your entire being becomes healthier and happier.

TIP! Choose one element of your life to focus on improving. You may want to improve multiple aspects of yourself, but keeping a narrow focus makes it easier to define and achieve your goals.

Start each morning believing that it will be better that day than it was the day before. Put the effort that is needed to accomplish this. Steady, unending improvement should be your goal. Try your hardest to achieve something different today than what you achieved yesterday.

Your reaction to a situation can determine your level of stress. Acknowledge and manage your stress by carefully analyzing your circumstances. If a mistake is the issue, there are ways to correct it or cope with living with your mistake. Focus more on your accomplishments instead of your failures.

Avoid going shopping as a form of entertainment or comfort. Shopping your stress away, or ?retail therapy? as some people say, is really more of a stress inducer, because it distracts you from the stress for a while but it all comes back with big bills and interest charges when the bills come in.

TIP! Try to make the most of your time at work and get more done. Take an ample amount of breaks when you are working hard.

Don?t just respect people who have power or something to offer you; treat everyone with respect. The way you deal with people speaks volumes about your character.

Leadership is about exercising authority, but good leaders are humble, too. When rebukes are necessary, be gentle yet firm, and keep in mind that you must be able to serve to be able to lead effectively. A real leader models integrity and upholds the appropriate virtues. These qualities are required in order to lead successfully.

Behind every great champion is an equally great coach. It is important to surround yourself with a positive mentor and coach. Everyone should help one another. This is an important strategy for ensuring that everyone is able to achieve their goals. Behind every successful story, there?s a great mentor.

TIP! Do you drink a lot? Do you use tobacco products or any other harmful things? You should treat your body as if it is a temple. One way to improve your life is by getting rid of any bad habits that you have.

Know the obstacles you face before you hit them. This is very hard for many people to do. In order to change problems you are having, you must identify what they are. It?s easier to move forward if you take care of what is standing in your way.

Find books that inspire you. Everyone?s idea of a positive piece of writing is different. It may be a religious bible, or alternatively a book of inspirational quotes. By keeping something around that you can refer to for encouragement, you will be better able to handle all that life throws at you.

Take care of yourself physically to get the most out of your personal development activities. Just simple things, such as exercise, getting enough rest and a proper diet, will all keep your energy level up and make you feel good enough to be successful in your personal development journey. It might seem easy, but it can prove to be very difficult.

TIP! Focus on the things that you have determined are most important to you. Focus on the more positive things in life because they matter.

As was mentioned earlier, self improvement can help you better yourself. Try different things and select the strategies that work best for your situation. Use the advice in the article and you can take the first step in a journey of self improvement.

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Source: http://www.samuellevitz.com/try-these-magnificent-self-help-tips-to-increase-your-confidence

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GOP Electoral College Changes - Business Insider

In multiple states that helped push President Barack Obama to victory in the 2012 election, Republican-controlled legislatures are introducing electoral changes that they believe will help their chances in the future.

Earlier this week in?Virginia,?Senate Republicans advanced a plan that would radically change how the state's electoral votes are allocated. It would grant an electoral vote to the winner of each of Virginia's 11 Congressional districts. The state's remaining two electoral votes would be given to the winner of the most districts in the state.

The plan has gotten some backlash from critics, who charge that it is a partisan attempt to unfairly swing future presidential elections in Republicans' favor.

Virginia is just one of many states considering similar changes. Here's a breakdown of others:

  • In Pennsylvania, a bill failed in committee that would have split the state?s 20 electoral votes based on the winner of congressional districts. Republican?Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, has said he plans to introduce another in early February that would allocate votes based on?the percentage of the popular vote.
  • In Michigan, Republican state Rep. Pete Lund plans to introduce a bill similar to the one introduced in Virginia, which would divide Electoral College votes according to winners of the state's Congressional districts.
  • In Ohio, a hotly-contested battleground state, Republican Secretary of State?Jon Husted?has floated the idea of switching the winner-take-all state to allocation by district. But he's added "it's not something I am advocating for."
  • In Wisconsin, no proposals have yet been introduced but Gov. Scott Walker recently?dropped hints?that he might consider Electoral College changes, saying?it was an "interesting idea" but not one of his top priorities.
  • And in Florida, some Republicans have expressed interest in making changes. It seems unlikely that any measure would advance as of now, however, since the state's Republican House Speaker Will Weatherford has come out strongly against the idea.?

Two states, Maine and Nebraska, already split their electoral votes. Obama won all four of Maine's electoral votes last year, and Romney won all five from Nebraska. The changes, however, would likely result in a more divided outcome in some states, particularly traditional swing states.

This isn't the first time changes to the electoral college have been proposed. According to the Washington Post,?several measures?have been introduced by Democrats over the past decade, all with the same rationale of giving more say to voters on the losing side.

None of those measures ever made it out of committee.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/gop-electoral-college-changes-2013-1

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Friday, January 25, 2013

Returning to the Garden | Raising a Family on a Budget

WW II poster promoting gardening (from the National Agricultural Library)

WW II poster promoting gardening (from the National Agricultural Library)

I grew up in a family that always had a huge garden.? I would come home from school and pick strawberries and then all summer there were tomatoes, peppers, beets, squash, beans?you name it!? So when my husband & I bought our house I wanted a garden.? The down side, I had a new baby, poor soil, and bit off way more than I could chew. ?Now here I am 5 years later, another baby on the way and trying to keep this year?s garden (the first attempt since the disaster 5 years ago) practical.

The garden that we plant, needs to produce enough for our family, with a little extra for sharing or canning, but not so much that we become overwhelmed. ?Even more so, it needs to remain small enough so that I do not lose my mind trying to maintain a garden while I?m 9 months pregnant and with a newborn at home.

We decided last August, when the big oak tree in our yard fell during a storm, that now that we have light in the yard, it would be ideal to put in a few fruit trees, so that is our big time/money investment for the garden this year. ?Following that, it is replacing a blueberry bush (or possibly 2) that were decimated during the same tree incident.

I am trying to be realistic and only plan 1 small vegetable garden, but it is really tough when I want to be able to grow all of the beautiful produce for making baby food, but the more I think about it, the more I come to terms with just how impractical that would be this year.

I like the concept of the Victory Gardens from the WWII era.

Encouraged by the federal government to supplement scarce fruit and vegetable supplies, Americans planted more than 20 million victory gardens. Those gardens produced an estimated 40% of all vegetables eaten nationally during the later war years.

The practice of growing a garden to supply most of one?s own fruit and vegetables is regaining popularity today. Reasons vary from wanting to eat more locally produced food, to environmental concerns, as well as wanting to save money in a difficult economy.

If I keep that as our focus, producing only what our family will consume, with a little extra to preserve, then that should help to keep me on track with the planning and implementation of this year?s garden.

I think I?ll return to the garden planner for a little longer, and will share my progress tomorrow.

Source: http://www.raisingafamilyonabudget.com/?p=8732

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New dinosaur fossil challenges bird evolution theory

New dinosaur fossil challenges bird evolution theory [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 24-Jan-2013
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Contact: Glenn Harris
G.Harris@soton.ac.uk
44-023-805-93212
University of Southampton

The discovery of a new bird-like dinosaur from the Jurassic period challenges widely accepted theories on the origin of flight.

Co-authored by Dr Gareth Dyke, Senior Lecturer in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Southampton, the paper describes a new feathered dinosaur about 30 cm in length which pre-dates bird-like dinosaurs that birds were long thought to have evolved from.

Over many years, it has become accepted among palaeontologists that birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs called theropods from the Early Cretaceous period of Earth's history, around 120-130 million years ago. Recent discoveries of feathered dinosaurs from the older Middle-Late Jurassic period have reinforced this theory.

The new 'bird-dinosaur' Eosinopteryx described in Nature Communications this week provides additional evidence to this effect.

"This discovery sheds further doubt on the theory that the famous fossil Archaeopteryx or "first bird" as it is sometimes referred to was pivotal in the evolution of modern birds," says Dr Dyke, who is based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.

"Our findings suggest that the origin of flight was much more complex than previously thought."

The fossilised remains found in north-eastern China indicate that, while feathered, this was a flightless dinosaur, because of its small wingspan and a bone structure that would have restricted its ability to flap its wings.

The dinosaur also had toes suited to walking along the ground and fewer feathers on its tail and lower legs, which would have made it easier to run.

###

Dr Gareth Dyke is also Programme Leader for a new one-year MRes in Vertebrate Palaeontology, which offers potential students the chance to study the evolution and anatomy of vertebrates, in order to inform and increase our understanding of the workings of modern day creatures.

For more information about the course, please visit: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/postgraduate/taught_courses/mres_in_vertebrate_palaeontology.page



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New dinosaur fossil challenges bird evolution theory [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 24-Jan-2013
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Contact: Glenn Harris
G.Harris@soton.ac.uk
44-023-805-93212
University of Southampton

The discovery of a new bird-like dinosaur from the Jurassic period challenges widely accepted theories on the origin of flight.

Co-authored by Dr Gareth Dyke, Senior Lecturer in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the University of Southampton, the paper describes a new feathered dinosaur about 30 cm in length which pre-dates bird-like dinosaurs that birds were long thought to have evolved from.

Over many years, it has become accepted among palaeontologists that birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs called theropods from the Early Cretaceous period of Earth's history, around 120-130 million years ago. Recent discoveries of feathered dinosaurs from the older Middle-Late Jurassic period have reinforced this theory.

The new 'bird-dinosaur' Eosinopteryx described in Nature Communications this week provides additional evidence to this effect.

"This discovery sheds further doubt on the theory that the famous fossil Archaeopteryx or "first bird" as it is sometimes referred to was pivotal in the evolution of modern birds," says Dr Dyke, who is based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.

"Our findings suggest that the origin of flight was much more complex than previously thought."

The fossilised remains found in north-eastern China indicate that, while feathered, this was a flightless dinosaur, because of its small wingspan and a bone structure that would have restricted its ability to flap its wings.

The dinosaur also had toes suited to walking along the ground and fewer feathers on its tail and lower legs, which would have made it easier to run.

###

Dr Gareth Dyke is also Programme Leader for a new one-year MRes in Vertebrate Palaeontology, which offers potential students the chance to study the evolution and anatomy of vertebrates, in order to inform and increase our understanding of the workings of modern day creatures.

For more information about the course, please visit: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/oes/postgraduate/taught_courses/mres_in_vertebrate_palaeontology.page



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/uos-ndf012413.php

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Tots Essential Kit Guarantee Launched By Award-Winning Family ...

-- /EPR NETWORK/ -- Parents with toddlers and babies will be able to travel light to safe and relaxing family holidays this summer thanks to the Tots Essential Kit Guarantee, a new initiative launched today by award-winning family travel specialists Tots To Travel.

Instead of struggling to fit all the essential items little ones need into their luggage, and hauling it through customs on a fleet of baggage trolleys, parents can be sure of finding it all waiting for them at their holiday home.

Tots To Travel are the only company to offer this Tots Essential Kit Guarantee for all of their family holidays which covers over 20 items from pool safety and bulky furniture such as cots, high chairs and stair gates, to often overlooked essentials such as blackout blinds and a range of toys and easily forgotten items like night lights and a hand-held blender.

Tots To Travel owner Wendy Shand said: ?It's a real challenge for new parents trying to get all the kit they need to keep their baby safe and happy into their luggage. There are so many essential items from changing mats to travel cots, sterilisers and baby monitors that we take for granted at home.

?We have hundreds of calls and emails from anxious parents worried they won't be able to take family holidays if they can't be sure they have all these things. So we have compiled a list of the essential items and can now guarantee our holiday homes have all of them.?

Tots To Travel specialises in stylish, safe, fun holiday villas for the under fives and their families, and the Tots Essential Kit Guarantee is another important element in their mission to ensure relaxing family holidays from start to finish.

They offer holiday homes from cottages to chateaux, and take extensive steps to ensure each is suitable. All properties are inspected and vetted by a special team of agents using a system developed with the Child Accident Prevention Trust to ensure they are all safe and genuinely family-friendly.

Tots To Travel also offer a free holiday planner pack and there is also a vast array of useful information on their website, on everything from ?How far is the beach?? to ?Where is the nearest hospital or supermarket??.

The full Tots To Travel kit guarantee covers:

    • Pool barriers (enclosed by fence, hard cover or net)
    • At least one cot that meets EU standards
    • Good supply of cot linen
    • At least one high chair
    • Booster or junior seat (suitable for use at a dining table)
    • Baby monitor
    • At least one changing mat
    • Steriliser
    • Stair gates where needed
    • At least one potty
    • Child's toilet seat
    • Child's step
    • Baby and child cutlery, bowls, cups and plates
    • Bath toys and non-slip mat
    • Hand-held blender
    • At least one bed guard
    • Blackout blinds/curtains/shutters in child bedrooms
    • Children's books, indoor and outdoor toys
    • DVD player and children's DVDs
    • Microwave
    • Night light in children's rooms

Unsurprisingly, pool safety comes top of the list, as Wendy Shand, a mother of three, set up the company after her little boy fell into an unenclosed swimming pool on a family holiday. That terrible accident was a turning point which led her to set up her holiday company to ensure safe family holidays for under 5s.

She said: ?It felt there had to be a safer and more enjoyable way to holiday with small children. More to the point there must be plenty of parents just like me who need a safe, family-friendly holiday more than ever before.?

When Wendy couldn't find a family-friendly holiday company to suit her needs, she decided to start her own ? and quickly found its services in demand. ?There's something terribly motivating about having children. You suddenly have the drive to make life as you want it to be, rather than living by somebody else's rules,? she said.

Tots To Travel is now a multi-award winning company, which Wendy runs with husband Rob, a former RAF fighter pilot.

The company's success has been recognised with a range of prestigious awards including the Cisco Customer Kings Award for outstanding customer service (2010) and Woman of the Year Award from the Loved By Parents website (2011).

Notes to Editors

  1. For more information go to http://www.totstotravel.co.uk
  2. If you would like to speak with Wendy Shand or for all Tots To Travel media enquiries please contact Eleanor Treharne-Jones on
    07811 093648, eleanor@theconversationco.com or @EleanorTJ.
  3. Key statistics:
    • Tots To Travel launched with nine holiday homes in April 2006 and now feature more than 400 safe, family friendly properties
    • The company offers holiday homes in France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the UK
    • Tots To Travel have sent 1000s of families away of their holidays
    • They have developed a Blueprint For Lettings Success which helps holiday home owners to let their property more successfully in the family market

Source: http://express-press-release.net/105/Tots-Essential-Kit-Guarantee-Launched-By-Award-Winning-Family-Holidays-Company-78345652.php

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