An ocean away: Two new encrusting anemones found in unexpected locations

ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2012) ? As a result of field work by associate professor James Davis Reimer and two graduate students from the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan has found two new species of encrusting anemones, or colonial zoanthids, in unexpected locations. The species belong to the genus Neozoanthus, which was previously known only from a single species in the Indian Ocean. Surprisingly, the new species were found in the Pacific Ocean, in southern Japan and on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.

The only previous species of Neozoanthus was described in 1972 from Madagascar, and subsequently it was not seen for almost 40 years, until recent research had ascertained that new Pacific specimens likely belonged to Neozoanthus (Reimer et al. 2011, in the journal Marine Biology). The new study formally describes these new specimens as two species.

The members of this genus are small, with individual polyps no more than 6 mm in diameter, and have red, gray, blue or purple oral discs; all inhabit coral reef ecosystems in areas with strong currents and some siltation. Both new species and the species from Madagascar contain symbiotic, photosynthetic, single-celled algae that can provide them with energy from the sun.

"We were very surprised in 2008 to discover Neozoanthus in the Pacific, in Japan," said Reimer, "and initially thought that perhaps these were very rare." However, further research in southern Japan by graduate students Yuka Irei and Takuma Fujii, co-authors on the new paper, revealed that the Japanese species was locally common. A further surprise came during the Census of Marine Life's Census of Coral Reef Ecosystems (CReefs) surveys on the Great Barrier Reef in 2009 and 2010, when similar encrusting anemones were found thousands of kilometers away from both Madagascar and Japan.

"These findings can be explained by the fact that there are very few zoanthid researchers in the world. These species are not particularly hard to find, but there was no one looking for them," Reimer added. "This research demonstrates how little we know about marine biodiversity, even in regions relatively well researched."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Pensoft Publishers, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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Journal Reference:

1. James Reimer, Yuka Irei, Takuma Fujii. Two new species of Neozoanthus (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia, Zoantharia) from the Pacific. ZooKeys, 2012; 246 (0): 69 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.246.3886

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/s4_9HhVkuno/121129103549.htm

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Napoleon's secret coded Kremlin letter on sale

In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, a letter dictated and signed by Napoleon in secret code that declares his intentions "to blow up the Kremlin" during his ill-fated Russian campaign is displayed for the media in Fontainebleau, outside Paris. The rare letter, written in unusually emotive language, sees Napoleon complain of harsh conditions and the shortcomings of his grand army. The letter goes on auction Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, a letter dictated and signed by Napoleon in secret code that declares his intentions "to blow up the Kremlin" during his ill-fated Russian campaign is displayed for the media in Fontainebleau, outside Paris. The rare letter, written in unusually emotive language, sees Napoleon complain of harsh conditions and the shortcomings of his grand army. The letter goes on auction Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, auction house associate Jean-Christophe Chataigniera holds up a letter dictated and signed by Napoleon in secret code that declares his intentions "to blow up the Kremlin" during his ill-fated Russian campaign is displayed in Fontainebleau, outside Paris. The rare letter, written in unusually emotive language, sees Napoleon complain of harsh conditions and the shortcomings of his grand army. The letter goes on auction Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, a letter dictated and signed by Napoleon in secret code that declares his intentions "to blow up the Kremlin" during his ill-fated Russian campaign is displayed in Fontainebleau, outside Paris. The rare letter, written in unusually emotive language, sees Napoleon complain of harsh conditions and the shortcomings of his grand army. The letter goes on auction Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, a letter dictated by Napoleon in secret code that declares his intentions "to blow up the Kremlin" during his ill-fated Russian campaign is displayed in Fontainebleau, outside Paris. The rare letter, written in unusually emotive language, sees Napoleon complain of harsh conditions and the shortcomings of his grand army. The letter goes on auction Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, a letter dictated and signed by Napoleon in secret code that declares his intentions "to blow up the Kremlin" during his ill-fated Russian campaign is displayed in Fontainebleau, outside Paris. The rare letter, written in unusually emotive language, sees Napoleon complain of harsh conditions and the shortcomings of his grand army. The letter goes on auction Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

FONTAINEBLEAU, France (AP) ? The single line of Napoleon's secret code told Paris of his desperate, last order against the Russians: "At three o'clock in the morning, on the 22nd I am going to blow up the Kremlin."

By the time Paris received the letter three days later, the Russian czar's seat of power was in flames and the diminished French army was in retreat. Its elegantly calligraphic ciphers show history's famed general at one of his weakest moments.

"My cavalry is in tatters, many horses are dying," dictated Napoleon, the once-feared leader showing the strain of his calamitous Russian invasion, which halved his army.

The rare document ? dated Oct. 20, 1812, signed "Nap" in the emperor's hand and written in numeric code ? is up for auction Sunday at France's Fontainebleau Auction House.

The Napoleon code, used only for top-secret letters when the French emperor was far from home, aimed to stop enemies from intercepting French army orders. The code was regularly changed to prevent it from being cracked.

Napoleon must have dispatched his strongest horses and riders to carry the news: It only took three days to reach France's interior ministry ? 1,540 miles (2,480 kilometers) across Europe.

"This letter is unique. Not only is it all in code, but it's the first time we see this different Napoleon. He went into Moscow in 1812 at the height of his power. He returned profoundly weakened. In Moscow, the Russians had fled days before and burnt down the city. There was no victory for Napoleon, nor were there any provisions for his starving, dying army," says Jean-Christophe Chataignier of the auction house.

The only thing left for the weakened leader was to give the order to burn Russia's government buildings ? coded in the letter as "449, 514, 451, 1365..."

It is evidence of what historians call the beginning of the end of Napoleon's glorious empire, which started in Russia and ended at Waterloo three years later.

In June 1812, Napoleon's "Grand Army" ? at 600,000 men one of the largest in human history ? confidently entered Russia. But they were woefully unprepared for the harsh weather, the strong Russian defense and the Russian scorched-earth tactics, which left nothing behind to sustain the hungry and freezing French troops.

"This letter is an incredible insight, we never see Napoleon emotively speaking in this way before," says Chataignier. "Only in letters to (his wife) Josephine did he ever express anything near to emotion. Moscow knocked him."

In the text ? which announces that his commanders are evacuating Moscow ? Napoleon laments his army's plight, asking for assistance to replenish his forces and the ravaged cavalry, which saw thousands of horses die.

In September, 200 years after Russia's victory over Napoleon, the Kremlin held huge celebrations aimed at rousing patriotism among modern Russians. The highlight was a re-enactment of the battle of Borodino ? one of the most damaging clashes for Napoleon's troops ? which saw thousands in Russian and French military uniforms perform before several hundred thousand spectators.

The 1812 victory played an important role in Russia's emergence as a major world power. Until World War I, Napoleon's Russian campaign and the ensuing wars were the largest European military face-off in history.

The letter, which is accompanied by a second decoded sheet, is estimated to fetch up to ?15,000 ($19,500).

___

Follow Thomas Adamson at http://Twitter.com/ThomasAdamsonAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-11-30-France-Napoleon%20Letter/id-2cf2daa519eb4d858fafbce8950a96f2

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Kris Humphries: Ejected from Nets-Celtics Game!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/11/kris-humphries-ejected-from-nets-celtics-game/

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Syria again disconnects nation from the internet

Paul Marks, chief technology correspondent

On 29 November, three days after it was slated for dropping cluster bombs in a playground, Bashar Al-Assad's embattled regime in Syria has severed all external connections to the internet, cutting the nation off from cyberspace. Many cellphone networks are also down.

It's possible the outages have been ordered to stymie transmission of news reports of fresh atrocities - but the Syrian government insists that a rebel attack on a key internet backbone cable caused the severance of services.

That's unlikely, says internet analytics outfit CloudFlare.com, owing to the systematic way it appeared to have been taken down. The video above shows the internet paths out of Syria closing down, one at a time. And at 01:00 GMT on Friday the New Hampshire-based traffic analyst Renesys said starkly: "In the global routing table, all 84 of Syria's IP address blocks have become unreachable, effectively removing the country from the internet."

The internet activist collective Anonymous claims to have undertaken its own analysis and has vowed revenge for the outage on behalf of the internet itself, rather than Syria's rebels: it has started a takedown programme targetting Syrian government websites around the world.

If Al-Assad's operatives did indeed take down the net (and they have done it before) they are failing to learn from Egypt's experience: a five-day internet outage in January 2011 did ousted president Hosni Mubarak no good at all. As Egyptian activist Wael Ghonim said later that year, technology can help to foment revolutions - but with or without it, it's the will of the people that's likely to prevail.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/262206d3/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Conepercent0C20A120C110Csyria0Edisconnects0Einternet0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

Bourne Legacy Chad Johnson

Unified Communications Makes Financial Sector Ready for - SBWire

Hallbergmoos, Germany -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/29/2012 -- Recent studies and market research have clearly shown that if banks and insurance companies unify their communications processes through the integration of voice, web and video applications, they will offer better service which will win and keep customers? customers, devise more efficient business processes designed to increase productivity and reduce costs. ANDTEK GmbH uses a common Cisco platform to provide convergent and mobile solutions for multi-channel integration in financial services (voice/data communication, video surveillance and building security, voice recording, call centers with intelligent call distribution, and so forth).

Experts agree: unified communications has become the hot topic in the financial sector?s ICT agenda. Research conducted by IDC has shown that unified communications (UC) has become the driving force in competition. UC increases employee satisfaction and the agility of business processes and is a great driver of innovation. More and more large corporations, including banks and insurance companies have already acquired an IP-based network infrastructure and are planning investment in UC servers, as reported in a recent study by Berlecon Research.

Insurance companies use unified communications applications from ANDTEK GmbH ba sed on Cisco IP networking technology. Many banks also rely on Cisco IP technology, including the Sparkasse K?lnBonn, Germany?s largest municipal savings bank, the HypoVereinsbank and the Basler Kantonalbank.

Thanks to unified communications, the individual bank and insurance offices, call centers and headquarters are all now a single virtual entity. All business processes can be handled through a single communications platform. All employees, regardless of location have access to all relevant information about a customer and satisfy the customer?s needs in a more efficient and improved manner. Conversely, the customer can reach bank or insurance company staff via a single phone number. This increases day-to-day productivity in a mobile business environment and leads to more streamlined processes, of benefit to all, but especially the customer.

ANDTEK?s "Contact Center" application offers a highly scalable call distribution software that optimize call routing and customer service with comprehensive reporting options. This UC is currently being used by many companies, including, for example, insurance companies with over 1,000 employees. The system allows centralized management of the entire customer service enterprise via a single platform.

The switchboard console solution "AND Desktop AC" is geared for large customer databases and CRM systems. The IP communications solution allows a complete overview of all telephone lines within the company and displays detailed information about a caller (on the IP phone or PC). Users can control their IP hone directly from any computer, search the company database and access company directories. Accelerated call processing improves customer service and speeds up internal coordination processes.

Many financial service providers are required by law to record telephone conversations. In futures trading, for example, the verifiability of a telephone call is essential. "AND Phone Recorder" not only records phone calls, but encrypts and signs them to protect them from tampering. Telephone calls are always recorded from the beginning, even if the employee only later activates recording. This function allows the reconstruction of the exact wording and can be used as evidence in court, if necessary.

About 90 percent of all German banks want to implement unified communications systems by next year to improve internal cooperation and customer service, while increasing cost efficiency.

Many companies are still at beginning stages of implementing UC solutions, reports Berlecon Rearch, but Roland Russwurm, CEO of UC specialist ANDTEK GmbH, warns against holding back: "If you hesitate too long and stick to your stand-alone solutions, you?ll be frustrating your own staff and risking your customers? loyalty."

For text copy and pictures please visit http://www.fuchs-pressedienst.de

About ANDTEK GmbH
ANDTEK GmbH, founded in the year 2000, is specialized in intelligent and custom-made unified communications applications and additional benefit services. The solutions developed and implemented by ANDTEK support companies of all areas of business in improving communication processes and open up innovative possibilities to use the IP telephony like for example voice recording, presence services or security applications. Among other things ANDTEK?s IP communications solutions are predestined for finance companies, public service, health care, trade, industry and judiciary.

Further Information:

ANDTEK GmbH
Roland Russwurm
Am Soeldnermoos 17
85399 Hallbergmoos
phone: +49 (0) 8 11 95 94 96 0
fax: +49 (0) 8 11 95 94 676
press@andtek.com
http://www.andtek.com

Press Contact:
Fuchs Pressedienst und Partner, Journalisten PartG
Franz Xaver Fuchs
Narzissenstr. 3 b
86343 Koenigsbrunn
phone: +49 (0) 82 31 609 35 36
fax: +49 (0) 82 31 609 35 37
info@fuchs-pressedienst.de
http://www.fuchs-pressedienst.de

For the original version on IndustrialPR visit: http://www.industrialpr.net/news/classified.php?listing=9001

This news release was distributed by IndustrialPR.net

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/unified-communications-makes-financial-sector-ready-for-competition-183657.htm

presidents day band of brothers

Free Grooming for Pets Affected by the Hurricane

(Photo by jstreit, Flickr)

Belly Rubs Clips and Suds?wants to help you clean up after the hurricane by?giving your pet a good scrub!

The Monmouth County SPCA says that Belly Rubs Clips and Suds Mobile Dog Grooming will be at the SPCA?s Eatontown location this Sunday from Noon to 6 p.m.

Belly Rubs is offering free grooming to pets affected by the hurricane, since they know that families as well as their pets are going through?a lot to recover. Belly Rubs figures there are probably a lot of furry ?kids? that need good baths right about now!

The Monmouth County SPCA is just off of Industrial Way East on Wall Street in Eatontown. For more information, go to www.monmouthcountyspca.org.

Source: http://943thepoint.com/free-grooming-for-pets-affected-by-the-hurricane/

dalai lama tamera mowry

Artist Josh Simpson Makes Giant, Fiery Glass Planets, Coronas and Meteorites [Slide Show]

Science and a furnace turn glass and metallic oxides into fantastic worlds

By Mark Fischetti

Planet Earth looks beautiful from space. So beautiful that a photo of our world taken by Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell inspired then 21-year-old Josh Simpson to begin a lifelong project: creating his own universe of brilliantly colored glass planets, complete with oceans, continents, volcanoes and clouds.

Since learning glassblowing at Goddard College, Simpson has made thousands of planets large and small, as well as tremendous glass platters that resemble the sun?s corona, or Saturn and its rings. He has also crafted artificial meteorites that are physically and chemically similar to the real ones, embedded with glass inlays. The largest planets, a foot in diameter and weighing 50 pounds or more, are in the permanent collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Art, the Corning Museum of Glass, the Yale University Art Gallery and other institutions; many others have been in exhibitions such as the White House Collection of American Crafts USA Tour.

Simpson says his motivation ?comes directly from the material itself. Glass is an alchemic blend of sand and metallic oxides combined with extraordinary, blinding heat.? The result, he says, ?is a material that flows and drips like honey. When it's hot, glass is alive. It moves gracefully and inexorably in response to gravity and centrifugal force. It possesses an inner light and transcendent radiant heat that makes it simultaneously one of the most frustrating?and one of the most rewarding?materials to work with. I attempt to coax it; all it wants to do is drip on the floor.?

[View a slide show of Simpson?s glass worlds]

Simpson does not use terms such as gravity and centrifugal force casually. He has mastered the science of glass in incredible detail. The features of his planets?the structures that are embedded in the larger glass orbs?are themselves composed of many bits of glass he has colored in his own furnaces under exacting conditions. ?Different blue colors come from melting silver in the glass, under different oxidation rates that I can control,? he explains. As he mixes more colored objects into the larger globes, the science becomes even more important. ?Adding cobalt, say, to clear glass changes the glass?s coefficient of expansion.? Other additives will create bits that have other coefficients. ?So if I?m using 50 or more colors of glass in one planet, I need a very careful recipe, or things could go wrong, sometimes explosively.? At this point in his career, the 63-year-old also designs his own blast furnaces and tools.

The details in one of Simpson?s planets can be stunning, as I saw firsthand last weekend when I visited an exhibit of his work at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Gallery 51 in North Adams, Mass., about a half-hour from Simpson?s home in northwestern Massachusetts.

Glass chemistry so fascinates Simpson that he has also found a way to create artificial meteorites. His friend and former editor of Sky & Telescope magazine, Walter Houston, gave him a meteorite years ago. It was a tektite, a glass form of meteor fused from silica and metallic oxides. Another friend did a spectral analysis of the meteorite for Simpson, who then proceeded to create conditions in his furnaces that allowed him to make a similar kind of rock. ?I realized the meteorite?s composition was not that complicated,? he says, so he melted materials according to the spectral formula. Simpson has made many artificial meteors since, turning them into objects d?art by inlaying colored glass.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=866abf6b3f447d99ac933cd1c2441924

the big chill tony blankley

Google Loves This Third Party Instant Street View Search App, Will They Buy It?

When I spoke with one of the leads on Google search a while back, he told me that one of the biggest features to come along for the company was "instant search" and autocomplete. Basically, you didn't have to type out a whole search string before performing said search, which required more thought and brain power. Now when you go to Google, you can type a few letters and it will try and predict what you're looking for based on a number of factors. What if Google Maps worked like this? Today, on its Geo Developers blog, the team highlighted a service that has built it, and it's quite cool.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/CRqz2Oz5-cY/

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Prepare for a Career in International Business ? Satunet

If you?re a young adult searching for an exciting and rewarding career, you should consider a course of study in international business. Our modern communications methods have made trade between countries more prolific than ever. These jobs often pay well, are personally rewarding, provide numerous travel opportunities, and have lasting job security. With some planning you can embark on this exciting career and advance quickly through the ranks.

If you want to study international business, one thing that will give you a leg up on the competition is learning a second language. If, for example, you want to work in an industry that does a lot of business in Germany you will need to learn to speak the language. For those looking for German classes Brisbane has a number of educational opportunities to help you develop your career. You can find a school or tutor that matches your needs and schedule, and begin a course of study that will make you a highly desirable future employee.

Source: http://www.satunet.com/business/prepare-for-a-career-in-international-business/

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UK press report goes to prime minister

LONDON (AP) ? The judge who spent a year investigating the misdeeds of Britain's lively newspapers is giving Prime Minister David Cameron an early look at his recommendations for the regulation of the press.

Officials say Cameron will get a copy of Lord Justice Brian Leveson's report Wednesday, a day before the public sees it, but Cameron is already being besieged with advice about how to respond to the still-secret recommendations.

The big question: Should the government legislate to regulate newspapers, or give them another chance at self-regulation?

More than 80 politicians from all three main parties have signed a letter warning Cameron against legislating, while 42 members of his Conservative Party have urged tough new laws.

The report follows a long inquiry into phone hacking and other press intrusions into private life.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-press-report-goes-prime-minister-110807971.html

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Suicide bomber wounds key Pakistan Taliban commander, kills 6

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - A suicide bomber wounded a senior Taliban commander and killed six people on Thursday in a market in a northwestern Pakistani region on the Afghan border, a spokesman for the commander and police said.

Maulvi Nazir Wazir, also known as Mullah Nazir, was wounded in the attack at the main market of Wana, the capital of the South Waziristan region. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack or the extent of Nazir's wounds.

The blast destroyed Nazir's vehicle, killed six people and injured 12, said Maulana Amir Nawaz, a spokesman for Nazir.

"Nazir is a very important commander with the support of his tribe," said Mansur Khan Mahsud, the director of research at the Islamabad-based FATA Research Centre.

Pakistan's semi-autonomous Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), are dominated by ethnic Pashtun tribes, some of which have sheltered and supported militants over decades of conflict in neighboring Afghanistan.

Nazir's faction is one of four major Taliban groups that joined the al Qaeda-brokered Shura-e-Murakeba alliance late last year. The others are Hafiz Gul Bahadar's group, the Haqqani Network and the Pakistani Taliban led by Hakimullah Mehsud.

Nazir's group has previously clashed with other Taliban fighters during a struggle for leadership.

There are many divisions among the Pakistan Taliban leadership that have led to clashes. But despite the rivalries, analysts said the Taliban are unlikely to splinter as that would make them an easier target for the powerful Pakistani army.

(Additional reporting by Saud Mehsud and Javed Hussein; Writing By Katharine Houreld; Editing by Randy Fabi and Robert Birsel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/suicide-bomber-wounds-key-pakistan-taliban-commander-kills-102421895.html

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Circuit Exercise. The greatest For Today's Way Of life : Article Feeder ...

Everybody knows the worth of workouts and other trainings to one?s health. Sadly, lots of modern people are preoccupied with the ever-increasing needs of work, family, and also some other vital matters that they have no time to include exercise in their schedules. Numerous people are seeking methods to enhance their appearance, build their muscular tissues, and also eliminate anxiety without consuming excessive time.

A fantastic way to enhance one?s health and also appearance is by using the circuit exercise plan. This kind of training plan includes relocating from one toughness training routine to another, in a stipulated amount of time, with the objective of working the significant muscular tissue groups in the upper physique, lower physique, and also central. People that would like to try this plan should bear in mind that no 2 consecutive workouts must target the same muscular tissue team. During circuit training, people generally perform workouts in about 20 to 30 seconds with a 30 second recovery between each workout. Three to five sets of workouts are finished with a 3 minute recovery between each set.

Circuit training might enhance toughness, muscular tissue stamina, and also metabolic process because of continual movement. In addition to these health conveniences, if circuit workouts are done at speed, some conveniences of aerobic workouts could be accomplished also. Nonetheless, this type of plan alone might not burn sufficient fats to promote significant weight-loss. This workout plan, like some other workout plans, have advantages and also drawbacks.

The Conveniences Of Circuit Training

? Building of toughness and also stamina
? Best kind of training for numerous kinds of sports
? May be adjusted for suitable age, health and fitness, and also health of people
? Workouts are straightforward enough to make people feel a sense of success in finishing them
? A large array of workouts are readily available that will certainly satisfy an individual?s preference

Drawbacks Of Circuit Training

? Numerous workouts call for equipment, like (dumbbells, barbels, workout ball, etc)
? Ample space is needed to perform circuit workouts
? Usage of some equipment call for suitable health and also protection monitoring

Similar to some other workout plans, circuit training should be done effectively and also in moderation to accomplish boosted health. Some people are in such a hurry to enhance their health that they tend to over-train. Over-training should be prevented given that excessive or too serious training might take its toll on the physique. This occurs given that the physique literally undertakes ?wear and tear? in the course of training.

To create muscular tissues and also enhance the physique, it should rest to achieve typical advancement. Health care studies reveal that over-training might trigger tiredness and also cause respiratory system contamination. In addition to these conditions, men that over-train might experience a decrease in semen quality and also production. This occurs given that serious exercises might lower the amount of the bodily hormones in the blood stream that impacts the semen. Typical semen production and also quality might return to normal after 2 to three days of rest.

Before beginning the circuit exercise plan and also some other exercises, people are motivated to find the recommendations of specialists and also other health specialists. They might formulate a workout plan and also diet that are suitable for one?s health demands. Understanding the advantages and also drawbacks of exercises might lead to reinforced general health.

Source: http://www.articlefeeder.com/blog/health-and-fitness/33835-circuit-exercise-the-greatest-for-todays-way-of-life

anne hathaway mike brown

The best and worst run states in America

2 hrs.

Michael B. Sauter, Alexander E.M. Hess, Samuel Weigley and Ashley C. Allen , 24/7 Wall St.

How well run are America?s 50 states? The answer depends a lot on where you live.

Every year, 24/7 Wall St. conducts an extensive survey of all 50?states in America. Based on a review of data on financial health, standard of living and government services by state we determine how well each state is managed. For the first time, North Dakota is the best run. California is the worst-run for the second year in a row.

The successful management of a state is difficult to measure. Factors that affect its finances and population may be the result of decisions made years ago. A state?s difficulties can be caused by poor governance or by external factors, such as extreme weather.

A state with abundant natural resources should have an easier time balancing its budget than one starved for resources. Regional problems or the national decline of certain industries can destroy local economies. The subprime mortgage crisis, for example, disproportionately affected states with strong construction and real estate markets. Such factors can be easily identified and noted as possible causes for a state?s poverty levels, unemployment, or strained coffers.

Despite this, it is the responsibility of each state to deal with the resources at its disposal. Each government must anticipate economic shifts and diversify its industries and attract new business. A state should be able to raise enough revenue to ensure the safety of its citizens and minimize hardship without spending more than it can prudently afford. Some states have historically done this much better than others.

24/7 Wall St.: America's Poorest States

To determine how well the states are run, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed hundreds of data sets from dozens of sources. We looked at each state?s debt, revenue, expenditure and deficit to determine how well it is managed fiscally. We reviewed taxes, exports, and GDP growth, including a breakdown by sector, to identify how each state is managing its resources. We looked at poverty, income, unemployment, high school graduation, violent crime and foreclosure rates to measure if residents are prospering.

The best-run states have certain characteristics in common, as do the worst run. The high-ranking states all have well-managed budgets. Each of the top 10 has a perfect, or near-perfect, credit rating from Standard & Poor?s, Moody?s, or both. Of the?10?worst-ranked, only three received top scores from one agency, and none from both. California is currently the only state rated A- by S&P, the lowest score given to any state. These poor-ranked states have high debt relative to both income and expenditure.

There is a strong correlation between well-educated populations and generally well-managed states. Of the?10?best-scoring states on our list, nine have among the highest percentages of adults with high school diplomas.

Employment is also closely correlated to how well a state is managed. The unemployment rates of most of the poorly ranked states are among the highest in the country. Nine of the?10?best-ranked states had an unemployment rate of less than 7% in 2011. This includes North Dakota, which had the lowest rate in the country in 2011, at just 3.6%. The average unemployment rate nationwide was 8.9% in 2011.

These are the best- and worst-run states in America.

1. North Dakota

• Debt per capita:?$3,282 (22nd lowest)
  
• Budget deficit:?None
  
• Unemployment:?3.5% (the lowest)
  
• Median household income:?$51,704 (20th highest)
  
• Pct. below poverty line:?12.2% (13th lowest)
  

For the first time, North Dakota ranks as the best run state in the country. In recent years, North Dakota?s oil boom has transformed its economy. Last year, crude oil production rose 35%. As of August 2012, it was the second-largest oil producer in the country. This was due to the use of hydraulic fracturing in the state?s Bakken shale formation. The oil and gas boom brought jobs to North Dakota, which had the nation?s lowest unemployment rate in 2011 at 3.5%, and economic growth. Between 2010 and 2011, North Dakota?s GDP jumped 7.6%, by far the largest increase in the nation. This growth has also increased home values, which rose a nation-leading 29% between 2006 and 2011. North Dakota and Montana are the only two states that have not reported a budget shortfall since fiscal 2009.

2. Wyoming

• Debt per capita:?$2,694 (18th lowest)
  
• Budget deficit:?10.3% (32nd largest)
  
• Unemployment:?6.0% (7th lowest)
  
• Median household income:?$56,322 (13th highest)
  
• Pct. below poverty line:?11.3% (6th lowest)
  

Wyoming is not the best-run state in the nation this year. The drop is largely due to the state?s contracting economy. In 2011, GDP shrunk by 1.2%, more than any other state. As a whole, however, the state is a model of good management and a prospering population. The state is particularly efficient at managing its debt, owing the equivalent of just 20.4% of annual revenue in fiscal 2010. Wyoming also has a tax structure that, according to the Tax Foundation, is the nation?s most-favorable for businesses ? it does not have any corporate income taxes. The state has experienced an energy boom in recent years. The mining industry, which includes oil and gas extracting, accounted for 29.4% of the state?s GDP in 2011 alone, more than in any other state. As of last year, Wyoming?s poverty, home foreclosure, and unemployment rates were all among the lowest in the nation.

24/7 Wall St.: 13 Pro Teams Running Out of Fans

3. Nebraska

• Debt per capita:?$1,279 (2nd lowest)
  
• Budget deficit:?9.7% (34th largest)
  
• Unemployment:?4.4% (2nd lowest)
  
• Median household income:?$50,296 (22nd highest)
  
• Pct. below poverty line:?13.1% (tied-15th lowest)
  

Last year, Nebraska had the second-lowest unemployment rate in the nation at 4.4%. In Lincoln, the state capital, the unemployment rate was 4%, lower than all metropolitan areas in the country, except Bismarck and Fargo in North Dakota. Although far from the nation?s wealthiest state ? median income was slightly lower than the U.S. median of $50,502 ? Nebraska?s economy is strong relative to the rest of the U.S. The state is one of the leading agricultural producers, with the sector accounting for 8.3% of the state?s GDP last year. The state also had the second-lowest debt per capita in the country in fiscal 2010, at $1,279, compared to an average of $3,614 for states nationwide.

4. Utah

• Debt per capita:?$2,356 (15th lowest)
  
• Budget deficit:?14.7% (25th largest)
  
• Unemployment:?6.7% (tied-11th lowest)
  
• Median household income:?$55,869 (14th highest)
  
• Pct. below poverty line:?13.5% (tied-17th lowest)
  

In fiscal 2011, Utah had a budget deficit of $700 million, equal to 14.7% of the state?s GDP. This debt-to-GDP ratio is worse than half the states in the U.S. Despite these problems, Utah has committed to reducing expenses in place of raising taxes or increasing debt. The state has also limited its borrowing. Its total debt was just under $6.5 billion in fiscal 2010, or $2,356 per capita ? less than most states ? and 40.4% of 2010 tax revenue. Both Moody?s and S&P gave Utah their highest credit ratings because of the state?s strong fiscal management. Moody?s commented that Utah has a ?tradition of conservative fiscal management; rebuilding of budgetary reserves after their use in the recession; [and] a closely managed debt portfolio.?

5. Iowa

• Debt per capita:?$1,690 (7th lowest)
  
• Budget deficit:?20.3% (18th largest)
  
• Unemployment:?5.9% (6th lowest)
  
• Median household income:?$49,427 (24th highest)
  
• Pct. below poverty line:?12.8% (14th lowest)
  

Like many of the other well-run states, Iowa is one of the nation?s top agricultural centers ? the industry accounted for 6.6% of the state?s GDP in 2011. The farm economy has contributed significantly to growth, with farm earnings rising rapidly and land values skyrocketing. State GDP rose by 1.9% between 2010 and 2011 ? the 12th-highest increase in the country. Iowa?s unemployment rate fell from 6.3% in 2010 to just 5.9% in 2011, the nation?s sixth-lowest rate. The state has carried a low debt burden in recent years, averaging just $1,690 per capita in fiscal 2010, among the nation?s lowest. The state currently has the best possible credit ratings both from Moody?s and S&P.

These are the worst run states in America.

1. California

• Debt per capita:?$4,008 (18th highest)
  
• Budget deficit:?20.7 percent (17th largest
  
• Unemployment:?11.7 percent (2nd highest)
  
• Median household income:?$57,287 (10th highest)
  
• Percent below poverty line:?16.6 percent (18th highest)
  

California is 24/7 Wall St.?s ?Worst Run State? for the second year in a row. Due to high levels of debt, the state?s S&P credit rating is the worst of all states, while its Moody?s credit rating is the second-worst. Much of California?s fiscal woes involve the economic downturn. Home prices plunged by 33.6 percent between 2006 and 2011, worse than all states except for three. The state?s foreclosure rate and unemployment rate were the third- and second-highest in the country, respectively. But efforts to get finances on track are moving forward. State voters passed a ballot initiative to raise sales taxes as well as income taxes for people who make at least $250,000 a year. While median income is the 10th-highest in the country, the state also has one of the highest tax burdens on income. According to the Tax Foundation, the state also has the third-worst business tax climate in the country.

2. Rhode Island

• Debt per capita:?$9,018 (3rd highest)
  
• Budget deficit:?13.4 percent (28th largest)
  
• Unemployment:?11.3 percent (3rd highest)
  
• Median household income:?$53,636 (17th highest)
  
• Percent below poverty line:?14.7 percent (24th lowest)
  

Rhode Island?s finances were a mess in fiscal 2010. The state had $9.5 billion in unpaid debts, which came to 107.2 percent of that year?s revenues.At more than $9,000 per person, it?s one of the largest debt burdens in the country. The state also funded less than half of its pension obligations, worse than all states except for Illinois. In 2010, in a spectacular example of fiscal mismanagement, the state guaranteed a $75 million loan to a video game company, which has since defaulted. With one of the nation?s slowest growth rates and the third-highest unemployment rate in the U.S., at 11.3 percent, Rhode Island?s economy performed poorly overall.

24/7 Wall St.: Interactive Tool for Select Data on All States

3. Illinois

• Debt per capita:?$4,790 (11th highest)
  
• Budget deficit:?40.2 percent (2nd largest)
  
• Unemployment:?9.8 percent (tied-10th highest)
  
• Median household income:?$53,234 (18th highest)
  
• Percent below poverty line:?15.0 percent (25th highest)
  

Although many states have budget issues, Illinois? faces among the biggest problems. In 2010, the state?s budget shortfall was more than 40 percent of its general fund, the second-highest of any state. Both S&P and Moody?s gave Illinois credit ratings that were the second-worst of all states. In addition, the state only funded 45 percent of its pension liability in 2010, the lowest percentage of any state. Governor Patrick Quinn has made the now-$85 billion pension gap a top priority for the new legislative session beginning in January.

4. Arizona

• Debt per capita:?$2,188 (12th lowest)
  
• Budget deficit:?39.0 percent (3rd largest)
  
• Unemployment:?9.5 percent (tied-13th highest)
  
• Median household income:?$46,709 (21st lowest)
  
• Percent below poverty line:?19.0 percent (tied-8th highest)
  

Between 2006 and 2011, the value of homes in Arizona tumbled by 35 percent, more than every state except for Nevada. The state also had the nation?s second-highest foreclosure rate in 2011, with one in every 24 homes in foreclosure. In the aftermath of the financial crisis, Arizona had some of the nation?s largest budget shortfalls. In fiscal 2010, the state had a shortfall of $5.1 billion, equal to 65 percent of its general fund. In fiscal 2011, Arizona?s budget deficit was 39.0 percent of its general fund, the third-highest in the nation. In the recent state elections, residents voted on several measures intended to shore up the state?s finances. Voters rejected the continuation of a sales tax hike, while approving the restructuring of the state?s property tax assessment system.

5. New Jersey

• Debt per capita:?$6,944 (5th highest)
  
• Budget deficit:?38.2 percent (4th largest)
  
• Unemployment:?9.3 percent (14th highest)
  
• Median household income:?$67,458 (3rd highest)
  
• Percent below poverty line:?10.4 percent (3rd lowest)
  

Between 2010 and 2011, New Jersey?s GDP contracted by 0.5 percent, more than all but three other states. The state's median household income and poverty rate were both third best in the nation. On the other hand, the state?s tax burden on its residents was second highest in the U.S. in 2010. Residents paid 12.4 percent of their income in state and local taxes, higher than any other state except New York. The state has many budget problems, as well. New Jersey?s debt as a percentage of revenue was 91.6 percent, the fifth-highest of all states.

How did your state do? Click here to read all 50 of best and worst run states

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/best-worst-run-states-america-1C7332327

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Rival Palestinian groups show support for UN bid

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's leader, having failed to block the Palestinians from taking their quest for a state to the U.N., defiantly declared Thursday that they would have to back down from long-held positions if they ever hope to gain independence.

Ahead of Thursday's vote, thousands of Palestinians from rival factions celebrated in the streets of the West Bank. In a departure from previous opposition, the Hamas militant group, which rules the Gaza Strip, said it wouldn't interfere with the U.N. bid, and its supporters joined some of the celebrations.

Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas turned to the United Nations after four years of deadlock in Mideast peace efforts. While the initiative, all but certain to pass, will not immediately bring about independence, Palestinians hope the strong international endorsement will give them more leverage in future negotiations with Israel.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Abbas said diplomatic pressure to abandon the initiative was "tremendous," but that he would not be deterred.

"We said our word, and the vote will take place," he said.

The Palestinians' jubilant mood contrasted sharply with Israel's weak diplomatic position at the world body.

Intense U.S. efforts failed to sway the Palestinians from going ahead with their plan. And one by one, European allies, including heavyweights like France, rejected Israeli appeals to oppose the Palestinian resolution. Germany, a close ally of Israel, said it will abstain.

The resolution calls for a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a pullback to the 1967 lines, saying it would threaten Israeli security. Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem are now home to some 500,000 Israelis.

Netanyahu warned the Palestinians on Thursday that they would not win their hoped-for state until they recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland, declare an end to their conflict with Israel and agree to security arrangements that will protect Israel.

"The resolution in the U.N. today won't change anything on the ground," Netanyahu declared. "It won't advance the establishment of a Palestinian state, but rather, put it further off."

The Palestinians have resisted demands to recognize Israel as the Jewish homeland, saying it would undermine the claims of Palestinian refugees and their millions of descendants scattered across the world.

Israel says Palestinian demands for refugees to return to what is now Israel is an illegitimate attempt to undermine the Jewish character of their state. Instead, Israel says refugees should be resettled in a future Palestine alongside Israel.

The Palestinians have turned to the U.N. in frustration with nearly 20 years of negotiations have that have foundered under the weight of mutual violence, intransigence and failure of will.

Last year, they sought full-fledged membership in the U.N. but failed to muster Security Council support. This year, they set their sights lower, to a lesser status of non-member state, but are assured of approval in the sympathetic General Assembly.

The date they chose is emotionally charged. On Nov. 29, 1947, the U.N. decided to partition what was then British-ruled Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. Jewish leaders accepted the plan, but Arabs rejected it, and the Palestinians were left without a state.

General Assembly recognition on Thursday of Palestine will not actually deliver a state, end the Israeli occupation or reunify the Palestinians, who are ruled by dueling governments in the West Bank and Gaza.

But the Palestinians hope U.N. recognition will add weight to their claims.

Israel, like the U.S., argues that the Palestinians can win a state only through negotiations, and both countries mounted an aggressive campaign to try to head off the General Assembly vote.

"The path to a two-state solution that fulfills the aspirations of the Palestinian people is through Jerusalem and Ramallah (in the West Bank), not New York," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told reporters on Wednesday.

In a last-ditch move Wednesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns promised Abbas that President Barack Obama would re-engage as a mediator in 2013 if the Palestinian leader abandoned the statehood effort. Abbas refused.

The U.N. bid is crucial to maintaining his leadership. The Islamic militant Hamas group's standing in the Arab world has risen as changes sweep the Mideast, while Abbas' Fatah movement, which governs the West Bank, has been sidelined and marginalized, in large part because of his failure to deliver a state through diplomacy. Hamas got a major boost earlier this month, claiming victory after battling Israel in eight days of hostilities that ended with an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire.

The rival Palestinian governments emerged after Hamas seized Gaza from Abbas in 2007, reducing his control to parts of the West Bank.

Hamas supporters took part in Thursday's celebrations. In the West Bank city of Hebron, some in a crowd of several thousand raised green Hamas flags, while in the city of Ramallah, senior figures of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups normally opposed to Abbas, addressed the crowd.

"It's the right step in the right direction," Nasser al-Shaer, a former deputy prime minister from Hamas, said of the U.N. bid.

In Hamas-ruled Gaza, several thousand took to the streets, most of them Abbas loyalists. Marchers hoisted Palestinian flags and chanted, "We want our state, today is our date."

While the U.S. focused on pressuring Abbas, Israel concentrated on trying to line up European powers against the measure. But European nations were more interested in bolstering the moderate Abbas in his rivalry with Hamas.

The Palestinians did not need the European backing to win the vote for their bid. Support from most of the developing world, including Arab and Muslim states, assures them an automatic majority in the General Assembly.

But they hope that breaking down the resistance of European heavyweights will further isolate Israel diplomatically, lead to further international criticism of Israeli settlements, and renew pressure on it to withdraw from territories the Palestinians claim for a state.

As potential support fell away, Israel tempered its threats of retaliation, appearing to back off from plans to immediately punish the Palestinians.

Months ago it suggested new settlement construction would be Israel's response to the Palestinians' statehood bid. Now officials are saying they will wait to see whether the Palestinians use their new standing to pursue war crimes charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court, a U.N. body. If so, they threaten punitive measures but have not given details.

Backing for the Palestinians' appeal to the U.N. came from an unexpected quarter Thursday, when former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quoted as saying the Palestinian request "is congruent with the basic concept" of the two-state solution.

"Therefore, I see no reason to oppose it," said Olmert, according to The Daily Beast news website. An Olmert spokesman did not return a call for comment.

Olmert, Abbas and their teams conducted peace talks in 2007 through early 2009, but never clinched a deal.

___

Laub reported from Ramallah, West Bank.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rival-palestinian-groups-show-support-un-bid-143436185.html

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NCR Acquires Retail Point Of Sale Software Company Retalix For $650 Million Cash

In case those Black Friday and Cyber Monday frenzies weren't enough, here's another big reminder of what a massive industry (and opportunity) retail technology is. Global payment and retail technology giant NCR Corporation announced this afternoon that it will acquire Retalix, a provider of point-of-sale software and services, for $30 per share in cash, a total transaction value of approximately $650 million.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/B0BA7vt-12A/

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Rihanna Emerges From London Hotel After 50 Hours

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/11/rihanna-emerges-from-london-hotel-after-50-hours/

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Recovery Through Fitness - myLT.com

"Start by doing what's necessary, then start doing what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

?

Today, I am an average 24 year old girl. I'm a college graduate, I work at a hospital, and I love to spend time with my family and friends, run and travel. If you caught a glimpse of me walking down the street, you would notice that I'm an average height, average weight, fit and muscular. I'm probably also smiling. A few years ago, I had little joy in my life. Today, I have everything to smile about. I have emerged from the devastating depths of an eating disorder and substance abuse to go on and accomplish some pretty amazing things. Without fitness at the core of my recovery, I know I wouldn't be where I am today. Life Time Fitness has undoubtedly helped me to achieve my goals and overcome these issues. I am now not only engaging in a healthy lifestyle, but accomplishing feats that I never thought were possible.

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My journey with anorexia began at the age of 14. This journey began as a simple regime of calorie counting and exercising the summer before high school. My disordered thinking somehow led me to believe that losing weight (I was never overweight to begin with) would increase my chances of being accepted. My weight steadily began to dwindle and eventually reached a dangerous level. My battle with anorexia led to lengthy hospitalizations and encounters with countless therapists, nutritionists and eating disorder specialists. I finally acheieved a stable weight after years of struggling, but I still never quite felt comfortable in my own skin.

?

I began running my freshman year of college. I was overwhelmed by the amount of work I had to do, and used running as an outlet for my stress. I started off small: running a mile here and there. Gradually, I began to increase my mileage. I distinctly remember the first time I ran 2 miles. It took me 20 minutes, but I was completely amazed that I could run that far without stopping.

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I continued to run throughout my college career, and completed a few 10K races here along the way. However, it was also during that time that I began drinking far too much and prioritizing my social life over my health and my studies. My fitness went on hold for a number of years. I remember trying to run after nights of drinking; it never ended well.

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After I graduated college, I started working at a hospital doing research. I hadn't had a physical in years, but it was mandatory for all hospital employees. I remember the doctor walking into my clinic appointment and telling me that my blood pressure was high. It was that day that I decided I needed to make a serious change in my life. I stopped drinking and joined my local Life Time Fitness. I chose Life Time because the facilities were amazing and I knew it was somewhere I would enjoy going to everyday. Since that fateful day, I haven't looked back. Stepping onto that treadmill for the first time was admittedly a little frightening. It wasn't easy, but within weeks I found myself getting stronger and faster. Running was something I thoroughly enjoyed during college; however, I have rediscovered a new passion for running during my time in sobriety. I used to run while being completely hungover and nauseated. Now, I find running much more enjoyable.

?

I registered for Life Time's indoor triathlon earlier this year. I decided I wanted to take my fitness to new levels and begin challenging myself more. I was astounded when I actually finished. After that, I registered for my first sprint triathlon which I completed this past summer. I remember being worried about the swimming, but after spending hours in Life Time's pool, I had prepared more than enough.

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Not only can I call myself a triathlete this today, but also a marathon runner. I've completed 3 half marathons and a full marathon this year. I cried after crossing the finish line of my marathon because it's truly amazing to me how far I've come. These are feats I know I would not be accomplishing had I not decided to discontinue my unhealthy behaviors and engage in a healthier manner of living. Life Time has truly helped me to revolutionize my life.

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I've also learned through this journey how to fuel my body with food, rather than use it in a maladaptive way. If someone would have told me 5 years ago that my body was capable of running 26 miles I probably would have laughed. I used to barely have enough energy to get out of bed each day. Today, I do not exercise obsessively. I run because I can, to make a statement that I am strong and capable and that we can all overcome anything we set our minds to. Running allows me to find inner strength, and to inspire others to reach their goals.

Source: http://lifetimefitness.mylt.com/community/mystory/blog/2012/11/27/recovery-through-fitness

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Majority of Britons want press watchdog backed by law - poll

LONDON (Reuters) - More than two-thirds of Britons are in favour of an independent press regulator established by law, according to an opinion poll published in the Guardian newspaper on Wednesday, a day before a judge is expected to issue a report on problems in the industry.

The poll found that 79 percent of Britons surveyed want the government to introduce legislation to create an independent press regulator. Only 9 percent oppose tough measures regulating the press.

Senior judge Brian Leveson is expected on Thursday to recommend a new independent body with statutory powers over the press instead of the current system of self-regulation that the industry wants to retain.

Leveson oversaw a year-long public inquiry into the press that was prompted by a phone-hacking scandal at Rupert Murdoch's News of the World Sunday, a News Corp (NWSA.O) tabloid the media tycoon then shut down.

The poll, conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Media Standards Trust, found that over 80 percent want national newspapers to be obliged to sign up to the new system by law.

Most of the British newspaper industry is opposed to a regulator underpinned by law, as they argue it would curb freedom of speech.

(Reporting by Stephen Mangan; Editing by Paul Simao)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/majority-britons-want-press-watchdog-backed-law-poll-024615269--finance.html

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News | Economy

News

Watch ? Belarus and Kazakhstan able to reach more in regional cooperation. This was stated today by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belarus Yergali Bugelenov during the roundtable discussion of CIS integration issues. He positively evaluated the agreements reached during the recent visit of the Belarusian PM to Kazakhstan. A lot of them have already been executed in form of specific contracts. Progress in the development of the Common Economic Space was noted today. The creation of its contract and legal base is being carried out right now. (Yergali Bugelenov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kazakhstan to Belarus)?

2000-2012 ??All rights reserved. Belteleradiocompany

Official site created and supported
by Internet Broadcasting
Department of Belteleradiocompany

Source: http://www.tvr.by/eng/economics.asp?id=78808

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Celebrities safe from roving paparazzi drones ... for now

11 hrs.

Helen A.S. Popkin

Celebrity gossip site TMZ found itself on the other side of the rumor mill Tuesday morning, after a story claimed it?applied for a surveillance drone permit from the Federal Aviation Administration. This news comes just as the FAA pushes back its deadline for selecting drone testing sites, citing for the first time its concerns over privacy.

But fear not, famous people!

Stacked in between posts about Jared Leto?s lack of eyebrows and ?ELMO ACCUSER #3? is TMZ?s denial, ?We?re NOT Keeping Up with the DRONESES.?

?We don?t have a drone ? we don?t want a drone ? we never applied for a drone,? the post reads, in part. ?Truth is ? while drones are, in fact, awesome ? it just ain?t true.?

The?San Francisco Chronicle?added a correction to the online version of its domestic drones story, which initially?contained the faulty fact. Tech, privacy and gossip blogs referencing the claim updated their posts as well.

Even the FAA issued a statement, assuring celebrity targets and their concerned fans that "TMZ does not have FAA authorization to fly an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), and we have no record that TMZ ever requested or inquired about an authorization."

But here?s the thing. Faster than TMZ could?refute the?drone accusation, plenty of people had no problem imagining that TMZ wanted one ? and?a few were?maybe?a little surprised to learn the ace gossip gathering institution doesn't have a drone?over Kanye West even now.

??Of course we were ready to believe,? said?Professor Matt Waite, the trailblazer behind the Drone Journalism Lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

If there?s two sure things, Waite told NBC News, it?s that, one day, ?paparazzi will use drones way they use helicopters, people on motorcycles, long telephoto lenses and anything else that gets a shot that brings them a bunch money.? The other, nearer sure thing? ?Significant lawsuits.? ?

This would explain the FAA?s reluctance to allow just any ol? person to cruise over crowds with what is, pretty much danger-wise, a million-dollar flying?lawnmower.?

Drones and journalism have great possibilities. From Fukushima?to Gaza, unmanned surveillance drones can help reporters gather important information without risking their lives.

Drones are valuable environmental monitors as well. This year,?the Drone Journalism Lab used an unmanned aerial vehicle to document Nebraska?s current drought, said to be even worse than the 1930s Dust Bowl. Aerial shots of the state?s desiccated landscape ? dry fields, dead grass and dying trees ? tell a story that?flow charts recording (the lack of) rain inches just can?t. ??

But celebrity stalkers piloting swarms of drones could wreak unprecedented havoc, the likes of which haven't been seen since?helicopters?cursed the extravagant cliffside wedding of Sean Penn and Madonna back in 1985. (Google it, kids!) Topless royals and hapless Lohans would be at the mercy of GPS-controlled Predators.

So for now,?universities, the military and police departments ? as well as drone manufacturers ? are the only groups the FAA considers eligible?for domestic drone licenses. Universities don't have the funds for drones that can fly for much more than 15 minutes, let alone maintain course in a five mile-per-hour wind.

You are right to?be concerned about your privacy, though,?even if you?re not a famous person. It's just that the privacy concerns of the moment?center around those eligible government agencies.?

"Drones have the ability to carry all types of surveillance ?equipment,"Jennifer Lynch, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told NBC News.

"Basic video cameras, infrared cameras, technology to intercept communication. The larger drones purchased and flown by the federal government can fly so high you can?t see them." Drones operated by the feds can fly for days, and take photos that are way better than what you see on?Google Earth, Lynch added.

"A lot of concerns raised with surveillance drones are not new," Lynch said. ?We would have similar concerns about an area blanketed by security cameras or technology that can intercept cellphone signals."

For all that?the EFF and other?advocacies,?such as the American Civil Liberties Union, know about drones, how that information is used and stored by the government is mostly a mystery to all but insiders.

In October, following what it says were ignored Freedom of Information Act requests, the Electronic Frontier Foundation filed suit against the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to find out why the DHS loans out Predator drones to police departments across the country. A similar suit against the FAA resulted in a steady drip of information the EFF updates on its website, along with a map pointing out where drones are located.

While the FAA was quick to quell misinformation about TMZ's lack of a drone, it hasn't been so forthcoming with information about who does have them. Part of the problem, Lynch said, is that the FAA must talk to the agencies its licensed before it makes that information public.?

"The whole point of issuing licenses is so we can see what's going on in the air at any given time," Lynch said.?"It's unusual?for such a transparent association to keep the information on drone flights so secret, and it's very difficult to?evaluate the privacy and free speech concerns about drone flight without the information about who is flying drones right now."?

Well, at least we know it's not TMZ.?One day, the skies may be abuzz with paparazzo-copters training their 360-degree cameras on wardrobe-malfunctioning?starlets?or spawning?Kardashians. For the time being though, thanks to the FAA, it'll still?just be?dudes on scooters.

Helen A.S. Popkin goes blah blah blah about privacy and then asks her to join her on Twitter and/or Facebook. Also, Google+.?Because that's how she rolls.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/celebrities-safe-roving-paparazzi-drones-now-1C7308456

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FDA accepts Aveo kidney cancer pill application

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) ? Aveo Oncology said Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration will complete a review of its cancer pill Tivopath by July 28.

Aveo and its partner Astellas Pharma Inc. want to market Tivopath as a treatment for advanced kidney cancer. The companies said the FDA accepted their application, and the agency will conduct a standard 10-month review. Astellas will pay Aveo $15 million now that the filing has been accepted.

Tivopath, or tivozanib, is a tablet intended to be taken once per day. The companies are also studying the drug as a treatment for other solid tumors, including cancers of the breast and colon.

Shares of Aveo Pharmaceuticals Inc., the official name of Aveo Oncology, lost 54 cents, or 7.6 percent, to $6.57 in midday trading. Its shares have traded in a 52-week range of $5.80 to $17.65.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fda-accepts-aveo-kidney-cancer-pill-application-175236197--finance.html

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Egypt learns the art of politics amid protests challenging Morsi's ...

Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi, who had granted himself sweeping new powers that would have made all of his rulings immune to judicial review, is facing continued public outcry despite his decision to soften the decree by limiting those rulings to 'sovereign' matters. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.

By Ayman Mohyeldin, NBC News

News analysis

Last week?s sweeping power grab by Egypt?s President Mohammed Morsi has thrown the country?s political elite into crisis, and prompted tens of thousands of Egyptians to take to the streets in protest. But much of the fury over his most recent moves probably has more to do with the way he chose to act than what he has actually done.

The conflict roiling the Arab world?s most populous country has been painted by some international observers and many regular Egyptians as a struggle between autocratic Islamists and democratic secularists. Indeed, Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood party have angered many with how they managed to win power democratically and then tried to consolidate it by decrees.

---

In a move quickly pounced on by critics, Morsi?s decree last week gave the body charged with writing a draft constitution two more months to finish its work. The decree essentially prevents challenges to the president's rule until the end of the two-month transitional period so that any decision made by Morsi cannot be questioned by the judiciary.

If the so-called constituent assembly, the elected constitutional body that is now dominated by Islamists, would have dissolved, it would have been seen as a victory by many liberal and secular Egyptians.

But Morsi?s decree will allow the assembly to finish its essential work, Henry Smith of the international consultancy Control Risks told NBC News.

'Leave, leave': Egyptians gather in Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest president's decree

"There was a risk that the body writing the constitution would be disbanded by legal judgments but according to his decree, we should see a draft in February," he added. "And if that is decided then we could have a new constitution by mid-2013."

As the struggle of the constituent assembly shows, Morsi and his government have been locked in a struggle with the judiciary.

And however dictatorial Morsi?s recent moves may have been, the judiciary is no paragon of democracy. Indeed, even many of the Brotherhood?s opponents think the judiciary is corrupt and packed with loyalists of deposed dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The lack of accountability for the killing of protesters during the 2011 revolution illustrates why many Egyptians do not trust the judiciary. None of the former regime officials brought to trial for these deaths has been convicted.

The judiciary also upheld the dissolution of parliament, halting essential efforts, such as reforming fiscal and economic policies meant to liberalize and jump-start the economy.

According to liberal and secular parties, the president ?didn't consult with them before issuing his decree on Thursday -- a claim disputed by Morsi's Freedom and Justice Party ? thus losing the opportunity to be seen as a leader willing to reach across political divides and interested in creating consensus.

And those protesting his power grab have reason to be suspicious. After all, Mubarak promised to be a one-term president at the beginning of what ended up as a 30-year rule.

In the end, Egypt is new to the art of politics and its actors unused to sharing power and debating issues publicly.

As international consultant Smith says: "Putting aside some of the autocratic elements of his recent decree, Morsi?s move could be seen as a positive move."

Thousands of Egyptians flood Cairo's Tahrir Square in protest of President Morsi, demanding he rescind decrees that granted him near-absolute powers. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports from Egypt.

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/27/15488387-egypt-learns-the-art-of-politics-amid-protests-challenging-morsis-decree

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FocusWriter Rich in Features, Poor in Some Important Ones

FocusWriter uses an intriguing concept that makes you wonder why other word-processing tools do not offer the same hide-away tools panels to eliminate distractions. It offers a set of writing tools with the ease and speed of unencumbered text editors. Focuswriter is a full-screen writing program. It has no option to resize or minimize.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/260e00d7/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C76710A0Bhtml/story01.htm

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What is the difference on 401k and anuite, IRA and others similes ...

I assume you?re concerned about a 401(k) account at an old employer. It sounds like you?re still working, and that you have access to a second 401(k) plan at your current employer.

1. You can often roll the old 401(k) account over into a current employer?s 401(k) plan, but you should check with your current employer?s plan to make sure. Some plans may not allow such rollovers. If not, you can roll over the old 401(k) into a traditional IRA. But think through the question of costs and investment options first.

2. Compare the expenses and investment options available to you in the old 401(k), the new 401(k) and any IRA you might consider opening. Low expenses (below 1% of the value of your assets) are desirable. Investment options that let you invest in a diversified portfolio of stocks and bonds are preferable. Don?t concentrate your investments, especially not in an employer?s stock.

3. After you?ve compared your options, choose the one that gives you the best combination of low costs and good investment options. There may be no perfect choice; just go with the one that, on balance, seems to be better than the others.

4. Whatever you do, don?t take a distribution of the retirement money directly into your own hands. That will give you a big tax liability and the loss of much of your retirement funds (due to taxes and probably a 10% penalty).

See the webpage listed below for more information.

Source: http://rothira.solve-up.com/roth-ira/what-is-the-difference-on-401k-and-anuite-ira-and-others-similes-plans/

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Google Play Books gets preorders, allowing you to preorder books

Google Play now allows you to preorder books from its "New and coming soon" section. That, uh, allows you to order books before they go on sale. Can't tell if there's any sort of discount for doing so, but at least the mechanism is in place, allowing for a smooth and orderly transaction. Smooth and orderly, Google. That's how we like it.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/tVeJQTWLd4k/story01.htm

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Philippine economy expands 7.1 percent in 3Q

MANILA, Philippines (AP) ? The Philippine economy expanded 7.1 percent in the third quarter, among the fastest growing in Asia despite headwinds from overseas, officials said Wednesday.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said household spending, public construction and higher farm output boosted growth. Exports have also improved but trade makes up a smaller proportion of the economy than in many other Asian nations, cushioning the Philippines from weak growth in Europe, Japan and the U.S.

The economy grew 6.5 percent for the first nine months of the year and is likely to exceed the government's 5-6 percent growth target for 2012, he said. In Asia, only China grew faster than the Philippines in the third quarter with growth of 7.4 percent.

"This economic expansion continues to be broad-based as almost all sectors posted higher year-on-year growth rates," said Balisacan.

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said the growth figures and multiple records set recently in the country's stock market show an upward momentum in investor and consumer confidence. Renewed confidence in the Philippines partly reflects President Aquino III's push to reduce graft and improve governance following a succession of corrupt governments.

Purisima said the expansion is significant because it is much higher than the trend growth rate of 4.7 percent in the past 10 years and comes amid a global economic downturn. It also happened despite a 2.2 percent decline in mining, where reforms are disrupting production.

"Mining represents an extra gear for the Philippine economy once the regulatory environment is rationalized," Purisima said.

The government's peace agreement with Muslim rebels, once completed and fully implemented, represents another extra gear that will unlock the significant potential of the southern Mindanao region, he said.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index on Wednesday surged to its 31st all-time closing high for the year, buoyed by the GDP figures. The index gained 47.27 points or 0.9 percent, ending at 5,633.72 points.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/philippine-economy-expands-7-1-percent-3q-084542403--finance.html

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Protests rage over Bangladesh factory fire, supervisors arrested

DHAKA (Reuters) - Three supervisors of a Bangladeshi garments factory were arrested on Wednesday as protests over a fire that killed more than 100 people raged on into a third day, with textile workers and police clashing in the streets of a Dhaka suburb.

The government has blamed last weekend's disaster, the country's worst-ever industrial blaze, on saboteurs and police said they had arrested two people who were seen on CCTV footage trying to set fire to stockpiles of cotton in another factory.

The fire at Tazreen Fashions has put a spotlight on global retailers that source clothes from Bangladesh, where wage costs are low - as little as $37 a month for some workers.

Rights groups have called on Western firms to sign up to a safety program in the world's second-biggest clothes exporter.

U.S. retailer Sears Holdings Corp said on Tuesday its clothing was not meant to be made in that textile factory, and was investigating reports that one of its brands had been found in the charred debris.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's largest retailer, said one of its suppliers subcontracted work to the burned factory without authorization and would no longer be used.

Witnesses said that at least 20 people were injured on Wednesday in the capital's industrial suburb of Ashulia as police pushed back protesters demanding safer factories and punishment for those responsible for the blaze, which killed 111 workers and injured more than 150.

Thousands of workers poured out onto the roads, blocking traffic, as the authorities closed most of the 300 garment factories in the area. They were driven back by riot police using tear gas and batons.

Three employees of Tazreen Fashions - an administrative officer, a stores manager and a security supervisor - were arrested and paraded in front of the media.

Dhaka District Police Chief Habibur Rahman told Reuters they would be investigated for suspected negligence.

He said that police were investigating complaints from some survivors that factory managers stopped workers from running out of the multi-storey building when a fire alarm went off.

Representatives of the Tazreen Fashions factory, including the owner, were not available for comment.

CCTV SHOWS APPARENT ARSON ATTEMPT

The country's interior minister, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, has blamed arsonists for the fire.

Adding to the case for sabotage, CCTV footage aired on a news channel showed two employees of another factory in the Ashulia area trying to set fire to stockpiles of cotton.

Police chief Rahman said a woman and a man, who were identified from the video, had been taken into custody.

The clip shows a woman dressed in a mauve head scarf and a traditional loose garment on her own passing through a room with garments piled neatly in various places on a table. She briefly disappears from view beneath the table and then is shown again walking through the room and out of range of the camera.

Smoke soon begins billowing, first slowly then more rapidly, from the place where the woman was seen beneath the table.

Workers come running in and try to douse it using various means. The woman first seen comes back into the room and is seen helping other workers in efforts to put out the fire.

Two other incidents in the outskirts of Dhaka - a fire at a factory on Monday morning and an explosion and fire at a facility on Tuesday evening - has raised concern among manufacturing leaders that the industry is under attack.

"The government today says they are smelling sabotage. We don't yet know what they mean by that, we will know in a few days," Annisul Huq, former president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, told Reuters. "I don't know what information they have but we don't like this link."

Bangladesh has about 4,500 garment factories and is the world's biggest exporter of clothing after China, with garments making up 80 percent of its $24 billion annual exports.

Working conditions at Bangladeshi factories are notoriously poor, with little enforcement of safety laws. Overcrowding and locked fire doors are common.

More than 300 factories near Dhaka were shut for almost a week this year as workers demanded higher wages and better conditions. At least 500 have died in garment factory accidents in Bangladesh since 2006, according to fire brigade officials.

(Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/protests-rage-over-bangladesh-factory-fire-supervisors-arrested-091524967.html

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