Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/12/29/carry-speed-ds-slim-camera-sling-strap-review/
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
Carry Speed DS-SLIM Camera Sling Strap review
For photographers, one of the most important yet oft-overlooked accessories may be the humble camera strap.? It must be seamlessly functional,? comfortable, easily adjustable, and quickly attached to your camera.? Tall order!? Does Carry Speed fit its billing as “The Most Advanced Camera Strap System?” Click any image to enlarge. Background Info Carry Speed offers [...]
Friday, December 28, 2012
Airlines Waiving Change Fees for Delayed Travelers | Travel ...
Due to the recent line of winter storms stretching across the midwest and northeast, many airlines are waiving the change fees associated with flight cancellations and delays at several airports across Indiana, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Vermont. Those looking to continue on with a trip may be able to turn to their airline to change flights without paying associated fees or fare differences.
This time of year is specifically prone to these kinds of travel interruptions. Luckily, many airlines are more lenient during mass travel disruptions in an effort to ease the tension and stress during these winter storms.
Additionally, those who have travel insurance policies in place may find relief for some costly expenses related to delays and cancellations. Travel delay, trip interruption and trip cancellation are some of the most valuable benefits that may provide relief to travelers burdened by extra costs or complete cancellation of travel arrangements.
Travelers should check policy details for specific weather-related benefits to see if coverage applies.
Related articles:
Source: http://blogs.squaremouth.com/travel-advice/airlines-waiving-change-fees-for-delayed-travelers/
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No deal in sight as 'fiscal cliff' deadline nears
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Lawmakers are engaged in a playground game of "who goes first," daring each political party to let the year end without resolving a Jan. 1 confluence of higher taxes and deep spending cuts that could rattle a recovering, but-still-fragile economy.
President Barack Obama returns from Hawaii Thursday to this increasingly familiar deadline showdown in the nation's capital, with even a stopgap solution now in doubt.
Adding to the mix of developments pushing toward a "fiscal cliff," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner informed Congress on Wednesday that the government was on track to hit its borrowing limit on Monday and that he would take "extraordinary measures as authorized by law" to postpone a government default.
Still, he added, uncertainty over the outcome of negotiations over taxes and spending made it difficult to determine how much time those measures would buy.
In recent days, Obama's aides have been consulting with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid's office, but Republicans have not been part of the discussions, suggesting much still needs to be done if a deal, even a small one, were to be struck and passed through Congress by Monday.
At stake are current tax rates that expire on Dec. 31 and revert to the higher rates in place during the administration of President Bill Clinton. All in all, that means $536 billion in tax increases that would touching nearly all Americans. Moreover, the military and other federal departments would have to cut $110 billion in spending.
But while economists have warned about the economic impact of tax hikes and spending cuts of that magnitude, both sides appear to be proceeding as if they have more than just four days left. Indeed, Congress could still act in January in time to retroactively counter the effect on most taxpayers and government agencies, but chances for a large deficit reduction package would likely be put off.
House Republican leaders on Wednesday said they remain ready to negotiate, but urged the Senate to consider or amend a House-passed bill that extends all existing tax rates. In a statement, the leaders said the House would consider whatever the Senate passed. "But the Senate first must act," they said.
Aides said any decision to bring House members back to Washington would be driven by what the Senate does.
Reid's office responded shortly after, insisting that the House act on Senate legislation passed in July that would raise tax rates only on incomes above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples.
Meanwhile, Obama has been pushing for a variant of that Senate bill that would include an extension of jobless aid and some surgical spending reductions to prevent the steeper and broader spending cuts from kicking in.
For the Senate to act, it would require a commitment from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell not to demand a 60-vote margin to consider the legislation on the Senate floor. McConnell's office says it's too early to make such an assessment because Obama's plan is unclear on whether extended benefits for the unemployed would be paid for with cuts in other programs or on how it would deal with an expiring estate tax, among other issues.
What's more, House Speaker John Boehner would have to let the bill get to the House floor for a vote. Given the calendar, chances of accomplishing that by Dec. 31 were becoming a long shot.
Amid the standoff, Geithner advised Congress on Wednesday that the administration will begin taking action to prevent the government from hitting its borrowing limit. In a letter to congressional leaders, Geithner said accounting measures could save approximately $200 billion.
That could keep the government from reaching the debt limit for about two months. But if Congress and the White House don't agree on how to avoid the "fiscal cliff," he said, the amount of time before the government hits its borrowing limit is more uncertain.
"If left unresolved, the expiring tax provisions and automatic spending cuts, as well as the attendant delays in filing of tax returns, would have the effect of adding some additional time to the duration of the extraordinary measures," he wrote.
Whenever the debt ceiling hits, however, it is likely to set up yet another deadline for one more budget fight between the White House and congressional Republicans.
Initially, clearing the way for a higher debt ceiling was supposed to be part of a large deal aimed at reducing deficits by more than $2 trillion over 10 years with a mix of tax increases and spending cuts, including reductions in health programs like Medicare. But chances for that bargain fizzled last week when conservatives sank Boehner's legislation to only let tax increases affect taxpayers with earnings of $1 million or more.
Obama and his aides have said they would refuse to let Republicans leverage spending cuts in return for raising the debt ceiling. But Republicans say the threat of voting against an increase in the limit is one of the best ways to win deficit reduction measures.
Another potential showdown is pending. A renewed clash over spending could come in late March; spending authority for much of the government expires on March 27.
___
Follow Jim Kuhnhenn on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jkuhnhenn
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/no-deal-sight-deadline-fiscal-deal-nears-082405286.html
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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Egypt election panel: Morsi constitution wins by 2-1
Ahmed Abd El Latef / AP
Egyptian women cut their hair to protest against the Islamist-oriented constitution during a demonstration in Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012.
By Maria Golovnina, REUTERS
CAIRO - Egypt announced on Tuesday voters had approved overwhelmingly a constitution drafted by President Mohamed Morsi's Islamist allies, and the government imposed currency restrictions to cope with an economic crisis worsened by weeks of unrest.?
Final figures from the elections commission showed the constitution was adopted with 63.8 percent of the vote, giving Islamists their third straight victory at the polls since strongman Hosni Mubarak was toppled in a 2011 revolution.?
Morsi's Leftist, liberal, secularist and Christian opponents had taken to the streets to block what they argued was a move to ram through a charter that would dangerously mix politics and religion.?
The president argues that the new constitution offers sufficient protection for minorities, and adopting it quickly is necessary to end two years of turmoil and political uncertainty that has wrecked the economy.?
Hours before the vote result was announced, the authorities imposed a new ban on travelling in or out of the country with more than $10,000 in foreign currency, a move apparently intended to halt capital flight.?
Some Egyptians have begun withdrawing their savings from banks in fear of tougher restrictions.?
The "yes" vote paves the way for a parliamentary election in about two months, setting the stage for yet another electoral battle between surging Islamists and their fractious liberal and leftist opponents.?
The final result, announced by the election commission, matched --?to the last decimal place -- an earlier unofficial tally announced by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood.?
The constitution was drawn up by a body largely made up of Morsi's Islamist allies. The results announcement was a disappointment for the opposition which had put pressure on the authorities to recount the result to reflect what they have described as major vote violations.?
"We have seriously investigated all the complaints," judge Samir Abu el-Matti of the Supreme Election Committee told a news conference. The final official turnout was 32.9 percent.?
Cairo, gripped by often violent protests in the run-up to the vote, appeared calm after the announcement and opposition groups have announced no plans for demonstrations to mark the result.?
"The results was so odd and no change in the percentage points shows that nothing was done to take our complaints into account," Khaled Dawood, an opposition spokesman, said.?
The referendum, held on December 15 and on December 22, has sown deep divisions in the Arab world's most populous nation but Morsi says enacting the new constitution quickly will bring stability and a chance to focus on fixing the economy.?
A growing sense of crisis has gripped Egypt's polarized society for weeks. Standard and Poor's cut Egypt's long-term credit rating on Monday.?
Hours ahead of the results announcement, Prime Minister Hisham Kandil told the nation of 83 million the government was committed to taking steps to heal the economy.?
"The main goals that the government is working towards now is plugging the budget deficit, and working on increasing growth to boost employment rates, curb inflation, and increase the competitiveness of Egyptian exports," he said.?
Nasser Nasser / AP file
An Egyptian election worker shows his colleagues an invalid ballot while counting ballots at the end of the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution in this Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012 file photo.
CRISIS MODE?
The central bank said on Monday it would take steps to "safeguard" bank deposits, without giving any details. Rumors are rife of what sort of measures are planned.?
"I have been hearing that the central bank is going to take over all our bank deposits to pay wages for government employees given the current deteriorating economic situation," said Ayman Osama, father of two young children.?
He said he had taken out the equivalent of about $16,000 from his account this week and planned to withdraw more, adding that he had also told his wife to buy more gold jewellery.?
"I am not going to put any more money in the bank and neither will many of the people I know," he said.?
The referendum is the Islamists' third electoral victory since the fall of Mubarak, following parliamentary and presidential elections, representing a decisive shift in a country at the heart of the Arab world, where Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood was suppressed for generations by military rulers.?
However, secularist and liberal opposition members hope they can organize better in time for the next parliamentary vote.?
The opposition says the constitution fails to guarantee personal freedoms and rights for women and minorities. The government says the criticism is misplaced.?
Hossam El-Din Ali, a 35-year-old newspaper vendor in central Cairo, said he agreed the new constitution would help bring some political stability but like many others he feared the possible economic austerity measures lying ahead.?
"People don't want higher prices. People are upset about this," he said. "There is recession, things are not moving. But I am wishing for the best, God willing."?
More world stories from NBC News:
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China may require real-name registration for Internet access
3 hrs.
BEIJING?(Reuters) - China may require Internet users to register with their real names when signing up to network providers, state media said on Tuesday, extending a policy already in force with microblogs in a bid to curb what officials call rumours and vulgarity.
A law being discussed this week would mean people would have to present their government-issued identity cards when signing contracts for fixed line and mobile Internet access, state-run newspapers said.?
"The law should escort the development of the Internet to protect people's interest," Communist Party mouthpiece the People's Daily said in a front page commentary, echoing similar calls carried in state media over the past week.?
"Only that way can our Internet be healthier, more cultured and safer."?
Many users say the restrictions are clearly aimed at further muzzling the often scathing, raucous ? and perhaps most significantly, anonymous ? online chatter in a country where the Internet offers a rare opportunity for open debate.?
It could also prevent people from exposing corruption online if they fear retribution from officials, said some users.
It was unclear how the rules would be different from existing regulations as state media has provided only vague details and in practice customers have long had to present identity papers when signing contracts with Internet providers.?
Earlier this year, the government began forcing users of Sina Corp's wildly successful Weibo microblogging platform to register their real names.?
The government says such a system is needed to prevent people making malicious and anonymous accusations online and that many other countries already have such rules.?
"It would also be the biggest step backwards since 1989," wrote one indignant Weibo user, in apparent reference to the 1989 pro-democracy protests bloodily suppressed by the army.?
Chinese Internet users have long had to cope with extensive censorship, especially over politically sensitive topics like human rights, and popular foreign sites Facebook, Twitter and Google-owned YouTube are blocked.?
Despite periodic calls for political reform, the ruling Communist Party has shown no sign of loosening its grip on power and brooks no dissent to its authority.
(c) Copyright ThomsonReuters 2012. Check for restrictions at:?http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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Obamacare Tax Hikes May Just Be Getting Started
New taxes are coming Jan. 1 to help finance President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Most people may not notice.
But they will pay attention if Congress decides to start taxing employer-sponsored health insurance, one option in play if lawmakers can ever agree on a budget deal to reduce federal deficits.
The tax hikes already on the books, taking effect in 2013, fall mainly on people who make lots of money and on the health care industry. But about half of Americans benefit from the tax-free status of employer health insurance.
Workers pay no income or payroll taxes on what their employer contributes for health insurance, and in most cases on their own share of premiums as well.
It's the single biggest tax break the government allows, outstripping the mortgage interest deduction, the deduction for charitable giving and other better-known benefits.
If the value of job-based health insurance were taxed like regular income, it would raise nearly $150 billion in 2013, according to congressional estimates. By comparison, wiping away the mortgage interest deduction would bring in only about $90 billion.
"If you are looking to raise revenue to pay for tax reform, that is the biggest pot of money of all," said Martin Sullivan, chief economist with Tax Analysts, a nonpartisan publisher of tax information.
It's hard to see how lawmakers can avoid touching health insurance if they want to eliminate loopholes and curtail deductions so as to raise revenue and lower tax rates.
Congress probably wouldn't do away with the health care tax break, but limit it in some form. Such limits could be keyed to the cost of a particular health insurance plan, the income level of taxpayers or a combination.
Many economists think some kind of limit would be a good thing because it would force consumers to watch costs, and that could help keep health care spending in check.
Obama's health law took a tentative step toward limits by imposing a tax on high-value health insurance plans. But that doesn't start until 2018.
Next spring will be three years since Congress passed the health care overhaul but, because of a long phase-in, many of the taxes to finance the plan are only now coming into effect.
Medicare spending cuts that help pay for covering the uninsured have started to take effect, but they also are staggered.
The law's main benefit, coverage for 30 million uninsured people, will take a little longer. It doesn't start until Jan. 1, 2014.
The biggest tax hike from the health care law has a bit of mystery to it. The legislation calls it a "Medicare contribution," but none of the revenue will go to the Medicare trust fund.
Instead, it's funneled into the government's general fund, which does pay the lion's share of Medicare outpatient and prescription costs, but also covers most other things the government does.
The new tax is a 3.8 percent levy on investment income that applies to individuals making more than $200,000 or married couples above $250,000. Projected to raise $123 billion from 2013-2019, it comes on top of other taxes on investment income.
While it does apply to profits from home sales, the vast majority of sellers will not have to worry since another law allows individuals to shield up to $250,000 in gains on their home from taxation. (Married couples can exclude up to $500,000 in home sale gains.)
Investors have already been taking steps to avoid the tax, selling assets this year before it takes effect.
The impact of the investment tax will be compounded if Obama and Republicans can't stave off the automatic tax increases coming next year if there's no budget agreement.
High earners will face another new tax under the health care law Jan. 1. It's an additional Medicare payroll tax of 0.9 percent on wage income above $200,000 for an individual or $250,000 for couples. This one does go to the Medicare trust fund.
Donald Marron, director of the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center, says the health care law's tax increases are medium-sized by historical standards. The center, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, provides in-depth analyses on tax issues.
They also foreshadow the current debate about raising taxes on people with high incomes.
"These were an example of the president winning, and raising taxes on upper-income people," said Marron. "They are going to happen."
Other health care law tax increases taking effect Jan. 1:
- A 2.3 percent sales tax on medical devices used by hospitals and doctors. Industry is trying to delay or repeal the tax, saying it will lead to a loss of jobs. Several economists say manufacturers should be able to pass on most of the cost.
- A limit on the amount employees can contribute to tax-free flexible spending accounts for medical expenses. It's set at $2,500 for 2013, and indexed thereafter for inflation.
Source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100338999
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
"My Roleplay" Link not Working
As stated by the title, the "My Roleplay" link doesn't work when I try to access it. On Firefox, my browser sends me to a "Problem Loading Page" screen with the message: "The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression.". I've tried Google Chrome, with no success. Help please?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/o-d73TEg_-k/viewtopic.php
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Sunday, December 23, 2012
Citizen-Group Lawsuit Challenges US Coast ... - LNG World News
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Three citizen groups have sued the U.S. Coast Guard to challenge the agency?s April 2009, approval of a proposal for a liquefied natural gas terminal on the Columbia River in Warrenton, Oregon, and the LNG tanker traffic that would result on the river.
Three citizen groups have sued the U.S. Coast Guard in federal court to challenge the agency?s April 24, 2009, approval of Oregon LNG?s proposal for a liquefied natural gas terminal on the Columbia River in Warrenton, Oregon, and the LNG tanker traffic that would result on the river.
According to AP Alert, Oregon LNG originally wanted to import LNG from abroad, but have changed the proposal to also include export of domestic gas supplies to the lucrative Asian market.
The environmental litigation was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on October 22, 2012, by three citizen-group plaintiffs: Columbia Riverkeeper, Columbia-Pacific Common Sense and Wahkiakum Friends of the River.
The Daily Astorian reports that the suit raises concerns about environmental threats like explosions and that the terminal would take up almost 100 acres of public land. An LNG tanker is 20 stories in height and more than three football fields in length and about 125 of these tankers would make the inbound and outbound trip on the river annually.
The Daily Astorian says further that a fully loaded tanker leaving the terminal would hold ?a staggering eight percent of total U.S. daily gas consumption? and proposed connecting pipelines would cross ?hundreds of miles? of ?farms, forests, the Columbia River Estuary and residential properties.?
Reportedly, the suit alleges violations of federal law because the Coast Guard?s approval came before required Environmental Impact Statement preparation, without analyzing the harm to endangered species and lacking mandatory consultation with ?fisheries agencies.?
In a related land use litigation matter, the Oregon Court of Appeals on October 24, 2012, affirmed a lower court dismissal of a request to compel Clatsop County to issue a permit that would have allowed construction of a natural gas pipeline to the Warrenton LNG terminal.
LNG is imported by mostly industrialized countries, including the United States, but no import terminals are yet located in any West Coast states.
LNG has the potential to ignite an immense, explosive fire if it leaked from a tanker onto river or ocean water. For this reason, an LNG tanker on the Columbia would need to have escorting safety vessels and a safety buffer around it, making safe transport even more complex.
Briefs from the plaintiffs are not due until January 2013. As the suit progresses, environmentalists and energy companies alike will watch with keen interest.
LNG World News Staff, December 22, 2012; Image: Oregon LNG
Source: http://www.lngworldnews.com/citizen-group-lawsuit-challenges-us-coast-guard-approval-of-lng-project/
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Friday, December 21, 2012
Look Younger With Green Tea
Who doesn't want to look younger or stop the years that have passed from showing in our physical appearances? The ageing process is a natural occurrence that we can't avoid. However, there's something we can do to slow down the process and you might be surprised on how easy the answer is.
Article by Health-and-Fitness:Anti-Aging Articles from EzineArticles.com (c) Health-and-Fitness:Anti-Aging Articles from EzineArticles.com - Read full story here.
Source: http://anti-aging.fitnessthroughfasting.com/anti-aging/look-younger-with-green-tea.php
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
The Lesbian and Gay Band Association will march in the 57th inaugural parade fol...
The Lesbian and Gay Band Association will march in the 57th inaugural parade following the swearing in of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
More than 2,800 applications were submitted to perform in the parade, more than double the number of applicants in 2009.
?The talented groups chosen to participate in the Inaugural Parade reflect the spirit, values, and diversity of our gr...eat nation,? said President Obama. ?Vice President Biden and I are honored to have them join us in the parade.?
The Band has announced the music selections on their website, writing "after many hours of listening to arrangements and pouring over styles and composers we have come up with a very exciting array of music.
In no particular order? DRUMROLL PLEASE?
Something old and classic and very LGBA,
to play in front of the President:
Tonight from ?West Side Story? by Leonard Bernstein
Something new and rockin?:
Give Me Everything (Tonight) popularized by Latino American rapper Pitbull
Something patriotic and powerful:
A mash up of sorts of Battle Hymn Republic
and Simple Gifts
Something with flair:
Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga
We are very excited about the variety of music we have come up with and feel that these will represent LGBA very well.
The band previously participated in President Obama's 2009 inaugural parade. Watch the video below:
WATCH the 2009 INAUGURATION PERFORMANCE: http://www.youtube.com/
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People who post offensive messages on Twitter or Facebook to face fewer criminal charges under new guidelines
Fewer criminal charges are likely to be brought against people who post offensive messages on Twitter or Facebook, under new guidelines set out by Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer QC.
But the question of whether the country needs new laws to deal with offensive posts on social media is a question for Parliament, Mr Starmer said.
Criminal prosecutions against people posting offensive online messages have controversially mushroomed in the past 18 months.
New guidelines are needed because of the potential for a "chilling effect on free speech" as thousands of people could be accused of being criminals every month, Mr Starmer said.
The May 2010 conviction of Paul Chambers for joking on Twitter about blowing up Robin Hood Airport in South Yorkshire is one of most well-known cases in this area. His conviction for sending a "menacing" tweet drew widespread condemnation and was eventually quashed on appeal in the High Court in July.
Mr Starmer now admits that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) made the wrong "judgment call" to prosecute the 28-year-old and included his solicitor in discussions over the law.
Now Mr Starmer has set out new interim CPS guidelines designed to raise the threshold against which people should be prosecuted.
"In most cases, once you have put the (new) safeguards in place then a prosecution is unlikely to be the appropriate response. To that extent, therefore, it is to make it less likely that these cases will be prosecuted," Mr Starmer said.
The guidelines are intended to strike the right balance between freedom of expression and upholding criminal law, he said.
Now, social media messages which amount to credible threats of violence; a targeted campaign of harassment; or which breach court orders will be prosecuted robustly.
An example of this is the nine people each ordered to pay the woman raped by footballer Ched Evans ?624 for naming her on Twitter or Facebook.
Her naming breached a court order prohibiting the identification of victims of sexual offences. Any similar cases would still be prosecuted robustly.
Aggressive "trolling" would also probably fall under this banner as it could be specifically targeted and constitute harassment or stalking, Mr Starmer said.
But potentially "grossly offensive" messages will now only be prosecuted if they cross a high threshold.
The guidelines point out that context is important and the tone of social media messages is different to other communications.
People often make spontaneous jokes or engage in offensive banter and comments "intended for a few may reach millions".
For criminal charges to be brought, a message must now be shown to be more than offensive, shocking or disturbing; more than satirical, iconoclastic or rude; and more than the expression of an unpopular or unfashionable opinion, the guidelines state.
Also if a message is swiftly deleted, blocked by service providers or websites or shown not to be intended for a wider audience, a prosecution is unlikely.
The message must be "obviously" beyond what is rightly considered tolerable or acceptable in a diverse society which upholds and respects freedom of expression.
Any prosecution must be in the public interest and therefore "necessary and proportionate".
But prosecutors must also weigh whether vulnerable victims may be more affected by offensive tweets than others and consider this in any decision to bring charges.
"In summary, there is a clear distinction between four types of case: the first three to be robustly prosecuted, the fourth (offensive messages) to be treated very differently," Mr Starmer said.
"The fourth one is probably there where the more difficult decisions have been in recent months and certainly where there's been a growth in decisions. There we've put in a double safeguard: high threshold and unlikely to be in the public interest.
"It doesn't mean no cases but it certainly puts in that double safeguard before a case is brought."
The guidelines also state that children (under-18s) will rarely face criminal charges for offensive tweets or Facebook statuses, for example.
While intended for the CPS to make a decision whether to charge someone or not, the guidelines are also designed to offer early advice to police.
Chief Constable Andy Trotter, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: "(The guidance) takes a common sense approach and will help support consistency from prosecutors and police."
Javed Khan, chief executive of charity Victim Support, said: "This distinction between communications which constitute a credible threat and those which may merely cause offence is sorely needed. In particular, we welcome the guideline which makes a prosecution more likely if a victim is specifically targeted and this has a significant impact on them."
The interim guidelines take effect immediately and are now subject to a consultation process.
PA
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Maureen Ryan: Mayan Apocalypse? No Problem, TV Has Prepared Us
On Friday, according to some predictions based on the Mayan calendar, the end of the world will arrive. As it turns out, those who've been watching a lot of TV might just have an edge on survival.
There's been a ton of apocalypse-oriented TV in the last decade or so, and especially in the last couple of years. You can't swing a remote these days without hitting a zombie horde or a virulent plague. End times make for crowd-pleasers, as far as TV executives are concerned -- given the success of "The Walking Dead" and "Revolution," don't expect the barren wastelands on your screen to give way to more carefree fare any time soon. There's money in electricity-free pessimism, assuming TV networks are around past Friday to monetize it.
But it's not as if every disaster scenario is created equal. I asked "Conan" staff writer Rob Kutner, the author of the amusing and useful survival manual "Apocalypse How" about the dos and don'ts for a would-be hit end-times TV show.
"Beautiful ruins" are key, Kutner said. "Mere crumbling storefronts don't say 'apocalypse'; they say 'Queens.' You want them landscaped, with wisteria and kudzu, like it's an episode of 'While You Were Out Being Blown Up.'"
What do the next "Walking Deads" want to avoid? "Loud, screechy violin music," Kutner replied. "Hey, thanks, Yo Yo Ma -- the upended Statue of Liberty head now being used to barbecue stragglers wasn't enough to inform me something was 'off.'" (Of course, "The Walking Dead" itself has a terrific score from post-apocalypse-TV veteran Bear McCreary, who also wrote the music for "Battlestar Galactica").
So what's the practical information these post-apocalyptic shows have imparted? You're busy, especially as the holidays approach, so we've broken down what you'll need in your go bag when the apocalypse (Mayan or otherwise) approaches.
One place to start is with the list of items Bruce Beach of "Doomsday Preppers" recently recommended, but we think these deserve room in your backpack of doom as well.
What to Pack When the World Has Ended:
- Under-eye concealer. "You can't get weighed down by bags, and neither should your peepers," Kutner noted.
- Bow and arrows. All the cool End Times kids have them.?
- Tissues. "If it's one of those screechy-violin apocalypses, you'll cry a lot," Kutner noted.?
- Sturdy walking shoes. "No need to carry those extra heels in a bag, ladies, you're a one-pair gal now," Kutner said.
- Hooch. "Good for self-medicating, actual-medicating and beer-goggling your way back to repopulation," according to Kutner.
- A knife. Even if you've doomsday prepped with the best of them, you're going to run out of ammo eventually, unless you stumble across an armory (and if you do, it will undoubtedly be full of psychos and/or zombies).?
- Dry shampoo. You can't have your hair looking greasy when the hot militia guys show up!
- Henley tees and plaid shirts. Be prepared to rock a grunge look. Don't forget to throw in a few tank tops that'll show off the sick biceps you'll develop from chopping wood/axing zombies etc.
- Family. 'Cause (sniff) they make it all worth while!?
Want more intel on what to expect when you shouldn't expect anything good? Check out our Rate That Apocalypse slide show!
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Follow Maureen Ryan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/moryan
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HR Realignment: Maintaining HR through Corporate Transition ...
As 2012 ends and the new year begins, many corporations are shifting to accommodate the new tax law and regulations which are coming down the pipe. Times of changing vision are stressful for all employees. Human resources professionals have a double role in these tense times: Not only are they serving as agents of change in the corporate culture, they?re serving as listeners and support for employees who are frustrated and nervous because of recent changes. Being an astute HR manager means keeping a consistent presence throughout the transition and keeping HR policies up to date, ensuring they reflect the new company direction. This sounds easier than it is, especially during chaotic transitions, but these tips can help you keep your focus in times of realignment.
1. Get to know the strategic plan:?A three- or five-year strategic plan outlines the goals and direction of organizational growth. Familiarizing yourself with the growth objectives makes realignment easier, because it helps you determine why changes are being asked for and what type of change will really fill a need. In essence, this allows you to be a?strategic partner. For example, a strategic plan emphasizes a focus on technology. A current employee gives his notice and a manager asks you to advertise his position. Knowing that technological changes are coming down the road and that technology is a priority of the company?s strategic plan, you may push back on this one. Advocate that the job as advertised may not be relevant to the company?s needs and suggest that you re-examine the position before hiring, so the company can come out ahead.
2. Keep a focus on people:?HR specialists are renowned for their people skills, and in times of change these skills are most important. An effective HR manager is someone who can listen impartially to both sides of an argument. If an employee comes to you with concerns about a coworker, listen to both parties, then reflect upon company goals and directives. Employee disputes may not be a case of right or wrong, but of what the best decision is for the company. Your familiarity with policies and goals qualifies you to settle this dispute and ensure all employees are on board with goals. Outsourcing some of your responsibilities to a dedicated human resources provider?can free up time to focus on answering questions and keeping a closer eye on company morale.
3. Write effective policies.?Your policies should reflect your company?s direction ? and when the company changes direction, policies should, too. Conduct a periodical review of policies, making a point of reviewing and updating internal and external documentation in times of change. Your knowledge of the strategic plan will help you craft policies that reflect the direction of growth. Be aware that writing effective policies is only half of the battle. You?ll need to get feedback from higher-ups to make sure that your new policies accurately reflect the direction of change. After you update policies, hold workshops or briefings and explain the changes to all employees. Be on hand to answer any questions people may have. Employees can feel frustrated or under attack when things change without notice.
For all of these measures, communication is key. Especially in times of corporate shift, communicate clearly and frequently with all parties. This create buy-in to the new policies and reinforces loyalty in times of change. Always keep the end goal in mind when communicating, whether it?s customer service or growth in a new sector, so that you frame policies effectively.
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Adam Lanza Taking Antipsychotics - Business Insider
By now the whole country is fully embroiled in the Gun Control debate, spurred by the grisly murder of 27 people, mostly kids, at the Sandy Hook Elementary school last Friday.
Guns might not be the only problem though.
New York Magazine wrote a piece about shooter Adam Lanza's supposed "aspergers" syndrome as a "red herring" meant to distract from the real problem (guns, of course, the subject goes without mentioning).
Inside the piece though they report Adam Lanza's uncle said the boy was prescribed Fanapt, a controversial anti-psychotic medicine.
Fanapt was the subject of a Bloomberg report when it passed regulators, after previously getting the "nonapproval" stamp. Why wasn't it approved, you might ask?
There are many reasons, some of which have to do with competing entities in a competitive market.
The main cited reason for the rejection was that it caused severe heart problems in enough patients to cause a stir.
Maybe more importantly, though, Fanapt is one of a many drugs the FDA pumped out with an ability to exact the opposite desired effect on people: that is, you know, inducing rather than inhibiting psychosis and aggressive behavior.
From Drugs.com, side effects of the drug Fanapt:
Psychiatric
Psychiatric side effects including restlessness, aggression, and delusion have been reported frequently. Hostility, decreased libido, paranoia, anorgasmia, confusional state, mania, catatonia, mood swings, panic attack, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia nervosa, delirium, polydipsia psychogenic, impulse-control disorder, and major depression have been reported infrequently.
In fact, Fanapt was dropped by its first producer, picked up by another, initially rejected by the FDA, then later picked up and mass produced. The adverse side-effect is said to be "infrequent," but still it exists, and can't be ignored.
The reaction invoked by the drug in some people is reminiscent of the Jeffrey R. MacDonald case, where a Green Beret slaughtered his entire family and then fabricated a story about a marauding troop of "hopped up hippies".
MacDonald though, had Eskatrol in his system, a weight-loss amphetamine that's since been banned in part for its side effects of psychotic behavior and aggression.
These drugs are not the only ones that can cause the opposite of their desired effect. Several anti-depressant medications are also restricted to adults, for the depression they inspire in kids rather than eliminate.?
SEE ALSO:?Details About Sandy Hook Shooting Suspect Adam Lanza
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Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/adam-lanza-taking-antipsychotic-fanapt-2012-12
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012
State Dept. criticized for inadequate security before Benghazi
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Security at the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya was grossly inadequate to deal with a September 11 attack that killed a U.S. ambassador and three others because of failures within the State Department, an official inquiry found on Tuesday.
In a scathing assessment, the review cited "leadership and management" deficiencies at two department offices, poor coordination among officials and "real confusion" in Washington and in the field over who had the responsibility, and the power, to make decisions that involved policy and security concerns.
The attack killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans and set off a political furor as Republicans used the issue to attack President Barack Obama before the November 6 election in which he won a second term in office.
The report's harsh assessment seemed likely to tarnish the four-year tenure of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who said in a letter accompanying the review that she would adopt all of its recommendations.
"Systemic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels within two bureaus of the State Department ... resulted in a special mission security posture that was inadequate for Benghazi and grossly inadequate to deal with the attack that took place," said the unclassified version of the report by the official "Accountability Review Board."
The board specifically faulted the department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, the regional office which is responsible for the Middle East and North Africa, and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, its law enforcement and security arm.
The five-member board said U.S. intelligence provided no "specific tactical warning" of the attack and that there was "little understanding of militias in Benghazi and the threat they posed to U.S. interests" in the eastern Libyan city, where the central government has little influence.
The incident has raised questions about the adequacy of security at U.S. embassies around the globe and where to draw the line between protecting American diplomats in dangerous places while giving them enough freedom to do their jobs.
Jon Alterman, head of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the assessment reflected poorly on Clinton and its recommendations would probably make life harder for diplomats in the field
"This is a mark against Secretary Clinton. While she was not singled out, the report highlighted the lack of leadership and organization on security issues, and those fall into her bailiwick," Alterman said.
"The report, however, relies a little too much on bureaucratic fixes," he added. "Sprinkling people throughout the system who are not only empowered to say 'no,' but have an institutional interest in doing so, will make it harder for diplomats to get out of tightly guarded facilities."
DID LOCAL GUARDS LEAVE GATE OPEN?
The report faulted as "misplaced" the mission's dependence for security support on the "armed but poorly skilled" Libyan February 17 Martyrs' Brigade militia members and unarmed guards hired by State Department contractor Blue Mountain Libya.
No Blue Mountain guards were outside the compound immediately before the attack to provide early warning, which was their responsibility. The report raised the possibility that Blue Mountain guards left the "pedestrian gate open after initially seeing the attackers and fleeing the vicinity. They had left the gate unlatched before."
The board found little evidence that the February 17 guards alerted Americans to the attack or swiftly summoned more militia members to help once it was under way. There had been questions of reliability in the weeks preceding the attack.
"At the time of Ambassador Stevens' visit, February 17 militia members had stopped accompanying special mission vehicle movements in protest over salary and working hours," the report said.
The board recommended that the State Department create a new, senior position to oversee security at "high threat" posts, to strengthen security at such posts beyond what is usually provided by host governments, and to consult outside experts on "best practices" for operating in dangerous environments.
The department should also hire more security personnel at dangerous posts, ensure key policy and security staff serve there for at least a year and consider making it easier to punish those who perform poorly in future security incidents.
The political uproar in the United States over the Benghazi attack has already claimed one victim.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, widely tipped as a front-runner to replace Clinton when she steps down as secretary of state early next year, last week withdrew her name from consideration, saying she wished to avoid a potentially disruptive Senate confirmation process.
Republican lawmakers had blasted Rice for comments she made on several television talk shows in the aftermath of the attack in which she said preliminary information suggested the assault was the result of protests against an anti-Muslim video made in California rather than a premeditated strike.
The review, however, concluded that no protest took place before the attack. Rice has said she was relying on talking points drawn up by U.S. intelligence officials.
(Additional reporting by Paul Eckert and Andrew Quinn.; Editing by Christopher Wilson)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/independent-inquiry-faults-state-department-benghazi-attack-022436408.html
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Claims Examiner - Workers Compensation - Insurance Claims Jobs
Claims Examiner
Workers Compensation
CLAIM YOUR FUTURE AS A GREAT PERFORMER!
Providing both satisfying and challenging work along with a highly professional and friendly work atmosphere, Sedgwick has a strong commitment to its colleagues and its clients. If you are seeking place where you can do great things for those whose lives you touch while maximizing your own career possibilities, Sedgwick is the place for you. As the largest and most innovative Third Party Administrator in the claims industry and the first and only TPA to receive both recognition as the Best TPA in America and the coveted Employer of Choice designation, we invite you to come be a part of our team and, ?Claim Your Future.?
PRIMARY PURPOSE : To analyze complex or technically difficult claims to determine benefits due; to work with high exposure claims involving litigation and rehabilitation; to ensure ongoing adjudication of claims within service expectations, industry best practices and specific client service requirements; and to identify subrogation of claims and negotiate settlements.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS and RESPONSIBILITIES
ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS and RESPONSIBILITIES
QUALIFICATION
Education & Licensing
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university preferred. Professional certification as applicable to line of business preferred. Licenses as required.
Experience
Four (4) years of claims management experience or successful completion of Claims Examiner II training required. BS/BA degree may substitute for two (2) years of required experience.
Skills & Knowledge
- In-depth knowledge of appropriate insurance principles and laws for line of business handled, recoveries offsets and deductions, claim and disability duration, cost containment principles including medical management practices and Social Security and Medicare application procedure as applicable to line of business
- Excellent oral and written communication, including presentation skills
- PC literate, including Microsoft Office products
- Analytical and interpretive skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Good interpersonal skills
- Excellent negotiation skills
- Ability to work in a team environment
- Ability to meet or exceed Service Expectations
WORK ENVIRONMENT
When applicable and appropriate, consideration will be given to reasonable accommodations.
Mental: Clear and conceptual thinking ability; excellent judgment, troubleshooting, problem solving, analysis, and discretion; ability to handle work-related stress; ability to handle multiple priorities simultaneously; and ability to meet deadlines
Physical: Computer keyboarding, travel as required
Auditory/Visual: Hearing, vision and talking
NOTE : Credit security clearance, confirmed via a background credit check, is required for this position.
The statements contained in this document are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by a colleague assigned to this description. They are not intended to constitute a comprehensive list of functions, duties, or local variances. Management retains the discretion to add or to change the duties of the position at any time.
Sedgwick is an Equal Opportunity Employer
and a
Drug-Free Workplace
Additional Information: The following licensures are preferred: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin.
Requisition #: 10930
Source: http://jobs.insuranceclaimsweb.com/c/job.cfm?site_id=1635&jb=11707222
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Pursuing catcher, Texas talks to Pierzynski's reps
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Understanding Uterine Cancer Staging - How To Diagnose And ...
Staging is the medical way of detailing the location, spread of cancer and knowing whether the cancer has affected other organs functionality or not. It aids in proper cancer diagnosis. Similar to the case of every cancer, the uterine cancer severity is also determined by knowing its cancer stage. The earlier the cancerous stage is detected, the more probable is the chance of survival from the uterine cancer.
The staging is known based on the fact whether the cancerous cells have invaded surrounding tissues or organs or restricted to its original place. To know this, doctor may advise to take one or more of the following tests.
Tests to Determine Uterine Cancer Staging
Pap test helps to determine whether tumor cells have extended to cervix. Blood tests are also done to check the functionality of kidneys and liver. CA-125 blood test is also performed as it is a biomarker for cancer whose level increases with cancer stage.
Chest X-ray is done to check for tumor in lungs. This helps to diagnose whether uterine cancer has spread to lungs or not. CT scan and MRI will help doctors to visualize the pelvis, abdomen and chest, and analyze cancer spread in uterus, lungs, lymph nodes or other nearby organs.
Hysterectomy, the endometrial surgery is needed in many cases to remove tumor and analyze tissue samples that help to know the confirmed stage of the uterine cancer.
The Uterine cancer staging is usually not considered complete before surgery. By knowing the stage correctly, doctor is able to choose on the best treatment and help to predict a woman?s chance of recovery (prognosis).
Cancer Staging
Source: http://www.uchospitals.edu/online-library/content=CDR62964
The staging helps to describe the cancer in a fixed pattern, so doctors can together bring out the best of treatments. One tool used to describe the stage is TNM (Tumor, Node, and Metastasis) system. Cancer is finally determined in five stages starting from stage 0 to stage IV.
Also Read
Important Causes Of Uterine Cancer
How To Treat Uterus Cancer
Methods And Procedure Of Uterine Biopsy
Causes And Treatments Of Cervical Uterine Cancer
Cancer Stages ? Restricted to Uterus
In Stage 0, the cancer is in the very early stage (in situ). It is restricted to one layer of cells and has not spread, called as carcinoma. Under Stage I, the tumor is confined to uterus or womb and not spread to nearby organs of the body. It becomes Stage IA, when the tumor is found in endometrium or less than half of the myometrium. Further, it reaches Stage IB, the moment cancer spread to one half or more of the myometrium.
Spreading Beyond Uterus
In Stage II, the cancer spreads beyond the uterus to the stroma of cervix but not to other body parts. One is known to attain Stage III, as soon as the tumor goes beyond the uterus into the pelvic region. When the tumor grows into the uterine serosa and/or into fallopian tubes and ovaries but still not extended to other body parts, one has attained Stage IIIA.
Further it becomes Stage IIIB as the cancer enters the vagina or next region of the uterus. In Stage IIIC1, the tumor reaches to the lymph nodes of the pelvic region. Under Stage IIIC2, the tumor has further spread to the lymph nodes of para-aorta and may or may not have spread to lymph nodes of pelvic region.
As soon as the tumor has reached to the mucosal lining of the bladder or rectum, it is referred as Stage IVA. Last stage of uterine cancer, Stage IVB, is attained when the tumor further extends to lymph nodes of the groin-area, with or without spreading to organs like lungs or bones.
Photo Credit:?http://www.mayoclinic.org/uterine-cancer/enlargeimage2523.html
Understanding Uterine Cancer Staging,Source: http://www.ladycarehealth.com/understanding-uterine-cancer-staging/
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Ordinary heart cells become 'biological pacemakers' with injection of a single gene
Ordinary heart cells become 'biological pacemakers' with injection of a single gene
Monday, December 17, 2012Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute researchers have reprogrammed ordinary heart cells to become exact replicas of highly specialized pacemaker cells by injecting a single gene (Tbx18)?a major step forward in the decade-long search for a biological therapy to correct erratic and failing heartbeats.
The advance will be published in the Jan 8 issue of Nature Biotechnology and also will be available today on the journal's website.
"Although we and others have created primitive biological pacemakers before, this study is the first to show that a single gene can direct the conversion of heart muscle cells to genuine pacemaker cells. The new cells generated electrical impulses spontaneously and were indistinguishable from native pacemaker cells," said Hee Cheol Cho, PhD., a Heart Institute research scientist.
Pacemaker cells generate electrical activity that spreads to other heart cells in an orderly pattern to create rhythmic muscle contractions. If these cells go awry, the heart pumps erratically at best; patients healthy enough to undergo surgery often look to an electronic pacemaker as the only option for survival.
The heartbeat originates in the sinoatrial node (SAN) of the heart's right upper chamber, where pacemaker cells are clustered. Of the heart's 10 billion cells, fewer than 10,000 are pacemaker cells, often referred to as SAN cells. Once reprogrammed by the Tbx18 gene, the newly created pacemaker cells ? "induced SAN cells" or iSAN cells ? had all key features of native pacemakers and maintained their SAN-like characteristics even after the effects of the Tbx18 gene had faded.
But the Cedars-Sinai researchers, employing a virus engineered to carry a single gene (Tbx18) that plays a key role in embryonic pacemaker cell development, directly reprogrammed heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) to specialized pacemaker cells. The new cells took on the distinctive features and function of native pacemaker cells, both in lab cell reprogramming and in guinea pig studies.
Previous efforts to generate new pacemaker cells resulted in heart muscle cells that could beat on their own. Still, the modified cells were closer to ordinary muscle cells than to pacemaker cells. Other approaches employed embryonic stem cells to derive pacemaker cells. But, the risk of contaminating cancerous cells is a persistent hurdle to realizing a therapeutic potential with the embryonic stem cell-based approach. The new work, with astonishing simplicity, creates pacemaker cells that closely resemble the native ones free from the risk of cancer.
For his work on biological pacemaker technology, Cho, the article's last author, recently won the Louis N. and Arnold M. Katz Basic Research Prize, a prestigious young investigator award of the American Heart Association.
"This is the culmination of 10 years of work in our laboratory to build a biological pacemaker as an alternative to electronic pacing devices," said Eduardo Marb?n, MD, PhD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and Mark S. Siegel Family Professor, a pioneer in cardiac stem cell research. A clinical trial of Marb?n's stem cell therapy for heart attack patients recently found the experimental treatment helped damaged hearts regrow healthy muscle.
If subsequent research confirms and supports findings of the pacemaker cell studies, the researchers said they believe therapy might be administered by injecting Tbx18 into a patient's heart or by creating pacemaker cells in the laboratory and transplanting them into the heart. But additional studies of safety and effectiveness must be conducted before human clinical trials could begin.
###
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center: http://www.csmc.edu
Thanks to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
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Texas Instruments to cut 517 jobs in France
PARIS (AP) -- Chipmaker Texas Instruments says will lay off more than 500 people at a research and development plant near Nice, France, in the coming months.
The Dallas-based company announced last month that it is eliminating 1,700 jobs worldwide as it cuts spending in its wireless business. As the company's biggest smartphone and tablet customers have begun developing their own chips, Texas Instruments is shifting the focus to industrial and automotive customers.
Its factory at Villeneuve-Loubet was primarily dedicated to developing OPAM microprocessors used in smartphones and tablets. Nearly all of the employees at the factory, mostly engineers, will lose their jobs. The company is working with the government to find a new owner for the site.
In all, 517 jobs will be cut. Texas Instruments employs 609 people in France.
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You Can Increase Customers For Your Business Using An Internet ...
Whether your operate locally within a certain region, are a large corporate operation with one or more locations or a small business or perhaps use an eCommerce website the local Internet marketing strategies can help your business. Special attention from trained professionals is the best to apply the best marketing efforts that include search engine optimization that is a critical part of any marketing plan. You can have the greatest looking website in the entire world, but it really will not do any good for your business if it does not have a good flow of traffic to be converted to customers.
Without a strong web presence it may actually result in your business losing money, which is something that is not always realized by local businesses. It is extremely important for all businesses to use quality search engine optimization to help them succeed whether they are small or large and regardless if they focus locally or nationwide.
Let?s just consider local based businesses for example. Many local area retailers anticipate residents in their vicinity to become customers for their local business. Customers no longer shop for a business as they had in the past, which is something that several fail to realize. Paper advertisement and even junk mail has decreased in quantity as the Postal Service will agree since people are more often looking for a local retailer to provide the products or services they need by doing an online search.
Your business could be missing out on hundreds or possibly thousands of potential local customers if your business website does not rank near the top of those search engine results. In your area individuals are looking for products or services your business offers using Internet searches. Just visualize if your business was at the top of that list all the potential customers you could gain if you improved your ranking using local Internet marketing strategies.
Consider yourself cautioned that if you attempt to do SEO it is a very tedious task that also is difficult to keep current because the search engines constantly revise the criteria to rank websites so you not only have to keep up you constantly need to make changes. Which brings us to the conclusion that this type of project should only be handled by the experienced professionals who not only are on top of what works well, but also have advanced knowledge. Carefully selected keywords and strategic link building can produce excellent results so it is a good idea to get the experts involved to do their thing, which is demonstrated by their successful track records.
See what cost effective services are available when you check out Crexendo local marketing plan or you can also visit this pertinent link.
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- Philadelphia SEO: The Amount Of Traffic Received By Your Website Most businesses located all around the world are concerned with increasing traffic to their websites, but Philadelphia area businesses are happy to learn that there are Philadelphia SEO company area professionals that are skilled at marketing local traffic. After all, no matter how great your website appears, it does nothing to help you grow your business unless it receives a lot of traffic to convert into customers....
- Find And Keep Your Local Business Customers As an internet marketer, you know how widely used local search for local business has become. Around 40% of online searches tend to have local intent. People search for local information. They are using their mobile devices (3 times as many as there are PCs around) to search for local businesses....
- Local Business Internet Marketing Local business can benefit from the various marketing tools the Internet has to offer. Unfortunately, this isn;t common knowledge. For many local businesses, the exposure to such a global audience seems like a waste of time. It can be, if the local business is not interested in building global sales. What many don't realize is that the investment in solid internet marketing strategies can actually give local business an edge among competitors in the community and beyond....
- Internet Marketing Solutions: A Necessity For All Small Businesses While you may believe that you have a website and that is all you require, it is important to ask yourself if your site is created with local search marketing in mind? Small businesses thrive on local business customers, for that reason it is necessary to tailor your site to the viewers that matter most to your business. With local search engine marketing you can direct your website to the searches that matter, those that are local to you can you can shift into sales for your small business....
- GAP Internet Marketing Consulting ? 5 Compelling Reasons to Use Search Engine Optimization In these times local businesses are battling to stay afloat in these turbulent financial times. An effective but underutilized strategy by local businesses is Search Engine Marketing....
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Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Putin touts record Russian arms sales of $14 billion in 2012
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian arms exports reached a record $14 billion this year, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, extending a run of record-breaking sales in recent years that have included deliveries to Syria despite the civil war raging there.
The world no. 2 arms exporter has cultivated new weapons clients in Southeast Asia and Africa, despite criticism that it is failing to deliver the technological benefits of Western suppliers or the low costs of emerging weapons exporter China.
"Let's talk about our results - they are positive. We are reaching a record level of weapons exports. Their total volume was above $14 billion," Putin said in a televised meeting with officials.
He said Russia had signed over $15 billion in new export contracts this year alone. He did not spell out when deliveries on those deals were expected.
Russia has faced Western criticism over its weapons sales to the Syrian government, worth nearly $1 billion in 2011.
Moscow says its arms deliveries to Syria, a longtime ally, do not violate international law and are not intended to help President Bashar al-Assad's government fight a 21-month-old uprising, but rather to fulfill Soviet-era commitments.
Russia has made clear it would use its U.N. Security Council Vote to veto an arms embargo against Damascus, contending such a move would be one-sided when rebels are able to obtain weapons via smuggling into territory they now control.
Moscow has reported no major arms deals with Syria this year. A major order of fighter jets was not completed, although it remains unclear as to why. Putin gave no specifics on Russia's main weapons buyers.
Top weapons clients also include Soviet-era client and regional Asian heavyweight India, as well as Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations wary of China's growing military might.
Putin said a major part of Russia's weapons business includes upgrades and refurbishment of Soviet-era technology and hardware. "We understand that competition in this sector of the international economy is very high and very serious," he said.
Exports from the world's top producer, the United States, have hovered around $30 billion annually in recent years.
State arms exporter Rosoboronexport accounts for around 80 percent of all Russian arms sales in a given year and nearly 20 independent firms comprise the rest with sales of spare parts and upgrades.
(Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/putin-touts-record-russian-arms-sales-14-billion-144908053.html
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Hopes rise for "fiscal cliff" deal as Obama, Boehner meet
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The differences over how to resolve the "fiscal cliff" narrowed significantly Monday night as President Barack Obama made a counter-offer to Republicans that included a major change in position on tax hikes for the wealthy, according to a source familiar with the talks.
The move, which the source stressed was not Obama's final offer, was welcomed, albeit with reservations, by a spokesman for Republican House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner, who met earlier in the day with Obama as the two hammered out a way to avert steep tax hikes and indiscriminate spending reductions set for the beginning of 2013.
In its most dramatic change in position yet, the White House proposed leaving lower tax rates in place for everyone except those earning $400,000 and above, the source said on condition of anonymity. That's up from the $250,000 threshold the president has been demanding for months, but still far from Boehner's preference of $1 million.
Obama also moved closer to Boehner on the proportion of a ten-year deficit reduction package that should come from increased revenue, as opposed to cuts in government spending. Obama is now willing to accept a revenue figure of $1.2 trillion, down from his previous $1.4 trillion proposal.
Boehner's latest proposal calls for $1 trillion in new tax revenue, which would come from raising rates and limiting deductions that the wealthiest can take.
Some of the savings in spending proposed by Obama would come from reducing the size of cost-of-living increases for all but the most "vulnerable" recipients of the Social Security retirement program, the source said, through the use of a different formula to calculate the regular raises called "chained Consumer Price Index."
In the most hopeful sign, the source stressed that this was by no means the final offer from the White House.
The response from Boehner's spokesman was also a positive signal. "Any movement away from the unrealistic offers the president has made previously is a step in the right direction," the spokesman said, emphasizing that differences remain on spending levels in particular.
"We hope to continue discussions with the president so we can reach an agreement that is truly balanced and begins to solve our spending problem."
The rapid developments Monday evening put a deal realistically within reach.
The two men held talks at the White House earlier Monday and aides from both parties said they were optimistic an agreement was shaping up.
Though Obama and Boehner appeared to be edging closer to an agreement, substantial hurdles remain. Rank-and-file Republicans could have trouble with the tax increases on the wealthiest Americans that are likely to be part of any deal, while Obama could have a tough time selling spending cuts to his fellow Democrats.
But investors were cheered earlier Monday, before news broke of Obama's counter-offer, by signs of progress and the Standard & Poor's 500 index of U.S. stocks rose 1.19 percent.
Economists warn that going over the fiscal cliff could push the economy into recession.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said his chamber will wrap up work on the issue after Christmas.
"It appears that we're going to be coming back the day after Christmas to complete work on the fiscal cliff," he said on the Senate floor.
Boehner faces a crucial test on Tuesday morning when he is expected to brief his party's lawmakers in the Republican-controlled House. He is not expected to bring any deal up for a vote unless a majority of the 241 House Republicans support it.
Republicans have campaigned for decades on a promise to keep taxes low, but Boehner in recent days has edged closer to Obama's demand to raise tax rates on top earners. In return, Obama could back a measure that would slow the rate of growth of Social Security benefits by changing the way they are measured against inflation, according to a Senate Democratic aide.
GETTING CLOSER ON TAXES
If there are no strong objections, he could try to finalize the deal with Obama on Wednesday, a Republican aide said.
Both sides declined to say what Boehner and Obama discussed at the meeting, which was also attended by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.
The White House said Boehner's latest proposal does not meet its standards.
"Thus far, the president's proposal is the only proposal that we have seen that achieves the balance that is so necessary," White House spokesman Jay Carney said at a news briefing.
Republicans understand that the clock is ticking and they are confident that Boehner will get a deal they can support in the coming days, a senior House Republican aide said.
Republicans want substantial spending cuts in return for increased tax revenue, but any proposal to trim popular benefit programs like the Medicare health insurance plan for seniors will face fierce resistance from liberal Democrats, whose votes will be needed to get a deal passed.
Obama could also face strong opposition from Democrats if he agrees to Boehner's proposal to slow the growth of Social Security benefits by changing the way the cost-of-living increases are measured against inflation, an approach that could save $200 billion over 10 years.
Obama also wants to head off another confrontation over the U.S. debt limit, which will need to be raised in the coming months. Republicans insist that any increase in the government's $16.4 trillion borrowing authority must be paired with an equal reduction in spending.
(Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro, Mark Felsenthal, Rachelle Younglai and Jeff Mason; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Alistair Bell, Eric Beech and Paul Simao)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hopes-rise-fiscal-cliff-deal-obama-boehner-meet-030313778--business.html
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