WikiLeaks' Assange downplays health concerns

LONDON (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, holed up in London's Ecuadorian embassy for nearly six months, played down concerns about his health on Thursday, saying he enjoyed being at the centre of the legal and diplomatic storm.

Assange, 41, whose website angered the United States by releasing thousands of secret diplomatic cables, took sanctuary in Ecuador's embassy in June, jumping bail after exhausting appeals in British courts against extradition to Sweden for sexual assault allegations.

Ecuadorian officials have said the former computer hacker is suffering from a chronic lung ailment as a result of his long stay in the embassy.

Dressed in a dark suit and white shirt fastened with silver-colored cufflinks in the shape of a 'W' and an 'L', Assange showed no outward sign of health problems.

"The confinement, the circumstances are obviously difficult," was all Assange would say when questioned about his health by Reuters.

"I rather enjoy being swept away in the storm of it all. You only live once so it's important that we do something that is meaningful with our time," he said.

He is said to be living a cramped life inside the modest diplomatic mission. He eats mostly take-out food and uses a treadmill to burn off energy and a vitamin D lamp to make up for the lack of sunlight.

The whistleblower said he has used his time at the embassy to focus on his work, including a book "Cypherpunks" in which he warns that the growing amount of personal data we store online could render society a "slave to the internet".

Speaking in a gilt-corniced conference room, accessed via an entrance hall decorated with a beaming portrait of Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, Assange spoke vehemently about the dangers of cyber-surveillance by governments and private companies.

(Reporting By Alessandra Prentice)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wikileaks-assange-downplays-health-concerns-184147180.html

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Zynga shares slide after privileged status with Facebook ends

(Reuters) - Shares of gaming company Zynga Inc fell as much as 10 percent, a day after the "Farmville" creator reached an agreement with Facebook Inc that reduces its dependence on the social networking giant.

The companies reported in regulatory filings on Thursday that they have reached an agreement to amend a 2010 deal that was widely seen as giving Zynga privileged status on the world's No.1 social network.

Zynga gets a freer hand to operate a standalone gaming website, but gives up its ability to promote its site on Facebook and to draw from the thriving social network of about 1 billion users.

"Although Zynga investors have reacted negatively to Thursday's announcements so far, we view them as a long-term positive for both companies," Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said in a note to clients.

"Zynga now has an advantage to offer more payment options which could result in additional subscribers who are not Facebook users," he said, maintaining his "outperform" rating and price target of $4 on the stock.

Both internet companies have been trying to reduce their interdependence, with Zynga starting up its own Zynga.com platform, and Facebook wooing other games developers.

In recent quarters, fees from Zynga contributed 15 percent of Facebook's revenue, while Zynga relies on Facebook for roughly 80 percent of its revenue.

Francisco-based Zynga's shares were down 7 percent at $2.44 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday.

Facebook shares were down more than 1 percent at $26.98.

(Reporting By Aurindom Mukherjee in Bangalore; Editing by Don Sebastian)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zynga-shares-slide-privileged-status-facebook-ends-161723897--sector.html

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Five Customer Service Tips to Prepare for Holiday Rush | Business ...

I?m writing this the day after Thanksgiving, also known in the retail world as Black Friday. This is one of the busiest, if not the busiest, shopping day of the year. I observed a number of sales people and customers in the stores at a very busy shopping mall. Here?s what I noticed.

By the way, even if you?re not a retailer, there are still some lessons here. Every business will have busier times than others. It doesn?t have to be because of a holiday rush. It can be after a trade show or seasonal. Now, back to Black Friday.

Customers were divided. Some were enjoying the experience of looking for sale items for themselves or for holiday gifts for friends and loved ones. Others seemed to be anything but casually shopping. They appeared to be on a mission. It was either for a particular item or store, or it was to get the best deals they could get on Black Friday. All of the customers had one thing in common: they were going to encounter busy stores, long lines and overworked sales people.

The sales people were busy ? very busy. In some cases, almost too busy.

Some stores were busier than others, and of course, the check-out lines were longer than usual. This was testing the patience of some of the customers.

As a business, we must be prepared for these busier times. If we work hard to create a customer focused brand, we can?t let the holiday rush, the extended hours and demanding customers erode what we?ve worked for. No, if anything we need to up our game and deliver an even better level of service. First for our existing customers, and second because new customers will find their way into our stores, and if you want them back, then the customer service experience had better be amazing.

So, how can we do it? Here are five simple and common sense strategies. This isn?t really new as much as they are important reminders.

Make sure you are staffed well. Wait times for the customer shouldn?t be too different than other busy times. Sales people must be available. If the customer feels they are waiting too long, or they see a long line, they may get frustrated and leave.

1. Make sure you are staffed well. Wait times for the customer shouldn?t be too different than other busy times. Sales people must be available. If the customer feels they are waiting too long, or they see a long line, they may get frustrated and leave.
2. Train the staff for the busy times. Prepare them. Give them some tips on how to deal with more than one customer at a time. Expect it will be busy.
3. Motivate them. If ever there was a time for a team meeting before you opened every day, this is the time. Get employees excited about the prospect of breaking sales numbers, but delivering great service along the way. Talk about what happened the day before and plan to repeat the good and avoid the bad.
4. Have a contest of some kind. Make the day fun.
5. Model the right behavior. Treat the employees the way you want your customers treated, and expect everyone else to do the same.

Okay, it?s holiday time! Let?s get to work ? and have an amazing holiday!

Source: http://www.business2community.com/customer-experience/five-customer-service-tips-to-prepare-for-holiday-rush-0343499

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Dear Sales Doctor | Sales Doctor's Blog - Sales Training

Read more about Tony Morris and Sales Doctor at The Evening Standard.

Dear Sales Doctor

Q: I sell out in the field and it can be quite a lonely job sometimes. There are weeks where I am out doing appointments and door knocking and although I haven?t achieved any sales, I had an okay week. I walk into my office on a Friday and my boss asks me immediately, ?how many deals have you done this week?? to which I reply ?none?. ?What kind of salesman are you if you can?t close a deal? and what have you been doing, watching Countdown? why are you back in the office if you haven?t done any business? go out there and close.?

?How the hell do I stay motivated and positive when I get that response every time I walk into the office without a sale??

This is very common for remote field sales people, so let me ask you some questions:

?What did you achieve that week?? He replied ?Weren?t you listening, I got no sales at all, so nothing? he angrily rebutted. I argued the point and said, ?I guarantee you did achieve things, you are just closed off to it right now.?

Me: How many new opportunities did you find that week that you didn?t have at the beginning of the week?

Salesman: Well about eight I guess but surely if I didn?t close them it?s irrelevant?

Me: And out of those eight how many decision makers? names did you identify?

Salesman: All of them, what?s your point?

Me: Did you find out the situation within those eight companies?

Salesman: Yeah, I found out the supplier they are with, the products they use and their contract date, but I didn?t close any of them.

Me: What you are missing is you are in a better position now than you were at the beginning of the week, as you have identified eight new businesses with which you will be able to work. If you stay in touch with them there?s a very strong possibility one of their suppliers will mess up and immediately you can get in. Equally I would rather 10% of something than 100% of nothing, so worth positioning yourself as their back up supplier. You clearly qualified the prospect, who?s to say in the near future their requirements don?t change and they may need something you offer that their suppliers cannot.

So the key is focus on what you did get, as opposed to focusing on what you didn?t. There will be days where you get hold of forty companies that for whatever reason you cannot help.

Rather than hang yourself, understand that you had to call those forty at some point, so at least you got them out of the way.
You can now read ?Dear Sales Doctor? every week in the Evening Standard

Source: http://www.wedosalestraining.com/blog/sales-training-tips-self-improvement/dear-sales-doctor-3/

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Booking pet friendly Minnesota vacation resort | Travel & Leisure

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Petraeus scandal: Tampa socialite fighting back

Tampa socialite Jill Kelley is fighting back. Today, sources close to the woman who was caught in the media crossfire during the David Petraeus sex scandal have released new letters aimed at reclaiming her reputation.

In a letter released to reporters by Jill Kelley's spokesperson, Kelley's attorney goes after a New York businessman who claimed Kelley was using her connections to Petraeus to broker a deal with the South Korean government.

"It is impossible to overlook your attempt to get your '15 minutes of fame,'" attorney Abbe Lowell wrote to Adam Victor, the president and CEO of TransGas Development Systems. "?You have the right to do that to yourself, but you do not have the right to defame our client.

"This letter is notice to you that statements you have made are false and defamatory and are intended to portray Ms. Kelley in a false light," the letter continued.

Click Here to Read Past Blotter Coverage: Jill Kelley Emails Show Her Eager to Make Multi-Billion Dollar Deal

Victor has claimed that Kelley asked for $80 million in commissions to arrange a deal between Victor and the South Korean government. Kelley was an honorary consul for the Republic of South Korean.

"While it is certainly true that Ms. Kelley communicated with you about a potential business deal, it has nothing to do with General Petraeus or other military," Lowell wrote Victor.

Kelley was stripped of her ceremonial position as honorary consul for South Korea today, according to South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyun.

"It is not suitable to the status of honorary consul that [she] sought to be involved in commercial projects and peddle influence," Kyou-hyun told South Korea's semi-official Yonhap News Agency.

The dealings between Jill Kelley and Adam Victor were detailed in a series of emails between the two made public earlier this month. The emails appeared to confirm the New York businessman's claim that Kelley wanted a huge fee for brokering a transaction with the South Korean government.

But in his letter to Victor, Lowell denies that Kelley wanted anything close to $80 million, and says the full chain of emails reveal that "it was you (Victor) who were trying to capitalize on her contacts, and not the other way around."

Kelley and Victor were introduced at the Republican National Convention in Tampa in August by Kelley's friend, Tampa real estate developer Don Phillips. In an interview with ABC News, Phillips said he suggested that Kelley and Victor should meet because Kelley could help Victor land a deal for a coal gasification plant in South Korea.

Phillips claimed that Kelley said that Victor tried to "proposition" her "almost immediately," and said he had to cajole her into flying to New York for a second meeting with Victor.

After she met with Victor in New York, Phillips said, Kelley reported that she was no longer interested in pursuing the deal. According to Phillips, she said, "As a result of my personal investigations and business intelligence this is just not going anywhere, Don, and you just don't want to associate with this guy."

Victor, who denies propositioning Kelley, claimed she continued pushing for the deal after their meeting in New York. But sources close to Kelley say that telephone voice messages Victor left for Kelley reveal that he was the one who continued to seek Kelley's involvement, even after the Petraeus affair came to light.

Victor also claims that Kelley told him Petraeus arranged for her to be named honorary consul, and that she could use her connections with high-level Korean officials to help land the coal plant deal.

None of the emails that Victor showed to ABC News mention Petraeus. Kelley's friend Don Phillips told ABC News that Kelley has not "in any way tried to profit" from her relationship with Petraeus.

Sources close to Kelley also say a complaint about Kelley's former attorney was filed with the Florida Consumer Assistance Program, charging that he may have violated attorney-client privilege by holding a news conference and speaking about Kelley.

In addition, a letter from Kelley's lawyer was dispatched to the Department of Justice, asking if there will be an investigation of how his clients' names leaked to the media.

Victor told ABC News he has not yet received the letter that was released to selected reporters this evening, but after being told of its contents Victor said it appears to be a frivolous complaint.

"I don't know what they're upset about. I've said nothing derogatory about Ms. Kelley and have only told the facts as I know them, in fact much of what I've said was complimentary," Victor said.

As to charges of inappropriate behavior, Victor said he was mystified. He told ABC News he had only met Kelley in the presence of his female chief of staff and received gracious follow emails from Kelley afterwards.

Victor said he did indeed contact Kelley after the Petraeus scandal broke, but mainly to find out what was going on.

Requests for comment from the Kelleys' Florida attorney were not immediately returned.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/petraeus-scandal-socialite-jill-kelley-fighting-back-003449795.html

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Negotiations to bring Double-A baseball team to Ottawa drag on

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The window to bring Double-A baseball to Ottawa has been extended into early 2013, Mayor Jim Watson said in a memo to city council Wednesday.

According to Watson, Beacon Sports Capital Partners, the group negotiating the purchase, asked for the extension ?given the complexity of the commercially confidential discussions still under way with a number of parties.?

Watson said he ?remain(s) optimistic? that a deal can be reached within the first quarter of the new year, in time to bring professional baseball back to the vacant Ottawa Stadium for the 2014 season.

Negotiations have been ongoing between the city, the Beacon group and the Eastern League, where it has long been rumoured the floundering Binghamton Mets, Double-A affiliate of the New York Mets, will be sold.

On Tuesday, Beacon COO Richard Billings shot down an ESPN report that suggested the sale of the Binghamton franchise to Ottawa had ?fallen through,? saying the report was ?inaccurate? and that negotiations are indeed continuing.

Binghamton Mets president Michael Urda has denied his team is on the move.

Eastern League president Joe McEacharn did not return requests for comment.

David Gourlay, founder of the Champions for Ottawa Baseball group building community support for the team, said the search for local ownership partners remains a key sticking point in negotiations, and could be a ?deal-breaker.?

The baseball winter meetings, starting Monday in Nashville, were thought to be a crucial point in the timeline to finalize a deal. However, Billings said the meetings are not a ?hard? deadline.

?When there is a final agreement with Beacon Sports Capital Partners and the Eastern League, I will update members of council at the earliest opportunity,? said Watson.

aedan.helmer@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @OttSunHelmer

?

Source: http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/11/28/negotiations-to-bring-double-a-baseball-team-to-ottawa-drag-on

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Bulk Investors And The Real-Estate 'Recovery' | ZeroHedge

Via Pater Tenebrarum of Acting-Man blog,

Bulk (Wall Street) buyers have been receiving a lot of attention recently. It's time to take a closer look.

There is little data available pertaining to bulk investors and even less meaningful analysis. Historically, Wall Street has never been active in direct ownership of single family homes, so there is no past histrory to learn from. We need to start from scratch.

How big are these bulk buyers? A few months ago, I read a report that Keefe, Bruyette & Woods estimated Wall Street had raised $6 billion to $8 billion so far, which is really a paltry sum in the world of high finance. It is impossible to estimate how much small investors are adding to this investment pool. We also have no clue how much this pool may grow over time, or whether it will? soon be exhausted and shrink instead.

Investors typically buy lower end properties. Say at an average of $100,000 per unit, the $6 billion to $8 billion raised so far would not even amount to 100,000 homes.

On the national level, and using the most recent releases, Existing Homes Sales and New Homes Sales combined are coming in at a pace of just over 5 million for 2012. The median price is $178,000 for existing homes and $242,000 for new homes. 100,000 homes would not even show up on the radar.

As for foreclosures, there are 5.6 million total non current loans in various stages of default. The current estimate for under water mortgages still exceeds 10 million, or about 20% of all mortgages. The Wall Street bulk investors are unlikely to put a dent in the distress property arena for the foreseeable future. In comparison, when the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) was dissolved back in 1992 due to the sunset clause, investors cleaned the entire inventory of REOs and loans off the books with just a few auctions.

On the localized level, it is a slightly different story. I am going to use three Western metro areas as examples. Phoenix, Southern California and Las Vegas were hotbeds of the subprime bubble and are once again the most sought after areas, this time by bulk investors. Using September data from DQNews, investors purchased 38.6%, 27.3% and 48.5% of all sales respectively. The actual number of absentee buyers for the four areas totaled 9,885 for the month of September. I expect this number will grow for the current months and into the near future, as investors eagerly place their funds. There is no data that separates absentee buyers into specific classes, such as Wall Street funds, local syndicates or small investors. However, if the bulk buyers are actively accumulating in these select markets, it is safe to assume that they do have some influence. The question is for how long.

Of the aforementioned metro areas, Las Vegas is the most out of whack. There were 4,570 sales in October.? 50.2% were sold to absentee owners, 52.5% in cash (43.2% were short sales, 16.7% were REOs) and 36.1% FHA financed. I have never seen a market where over half of the buyers paid cash and over 1/3 of the sales were financed via the FHA, leaving only 14% of sales in the "other" category.

In just the months of September and October, Las Vegas sold 4,278 single family units to absentee owners.? Assuming a majority of them will show up as rentals soon, if they haven't already, how much more can the market absorb? If this trend continues, how many months will it take to swamp the desert with single family rentals?

Even more out of whack is the "it's cheaper to buy than rent" theory. I am not disputing the math but rather the conclusions.? Just the fact that it is cheaper to buy does not mean that renters should buy. Maybe housing is simply unaffordable and rents are way too high.? As the supply of rentals continues to increase, natural economic forces should be driving down rent and home prices. Furthermore, if renters are buying because it is cheaper than renting, won't there be even more pressure from this supply of rentals? Where are the additional 2,000 renters going to come from each month?

Finally, it is mind boggling that they are still building in this market. Here are some of the new homes for sale.? Just this website shows 100 communities on the market.

As an investor, why would I touch the Las Vegas market? Check out the popular websites such as craigslist or rentals.com. There are countless houses, condos and apartments for rent, all chasing after this phantom demand.? Cash investors have to ability to lower rents to the level that the market will bear, but can current investors compete? With so many renters, are neighborhoods going to deteriorate, driving even more under water mortgages into foreclosure?

I took a number of these rentals in Las Vegas and did a quick analysis on their return. It is impossible to come up with a reliable vacancy allowance. It is entirely possible for a bulk investor today to be sitting on a bulk of vacant houses tomorrow. While the option exists to lower rents, that can cause a chain reaction which may result in more foreclosures, more distress properties and a new round of depreciation in value.

Phoenix was probably the first region to experience an investor driven rebound. The most recent data from DQNews for September are already showing a sequential as well as a year over year decline. I am eagerly waiting to see what the October statistics will look like. Is that recovery already running out of steam?? The median price has been appreciating to $155,000 but it is still 41.3% below the all time peak of $264,100 in 2006. I am not suggesting that the subprime peak was reasonable, just that there is still a boatload of homeowners who have little or no equity in their homes.

Here in Southern California, the herd mentality is in full control with buying increasing at all levels. How long will this feeding frenzy last? Will the bulk investors be able to generate enough returns to whet their appetite for more? Will the local investors continue to ride on the coattails of the Wall Street moguls? Will owner occupiers continue to overpay for new homes because the 1%ers are paying cash and squeezing them out of the non-FHA market?

Stay tuned.

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Source: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-11-27/bulk-investors-and-real-estate-recovery

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Yeast protein breaks up amyloid fibrils and disease protein clumps differently

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Several fatal brain disorders, including Parkinson's disease, are connected by the misfolding of specific proteins into disordered clumps and stable, insoluble fibrils called amyloid. Amyloid fibrils are hard to break up due to their stable, ordered structure. For example, ?-synuclein forms amyloid fibrils that accumulate in Lewy Bodies in Parkinson's disease. By contrast, protein clumps that accumulate in response to environmental stress, such as heat shock, possess a less stable, disordered architecture.

Hsp104, an enzyme from yeast, breaks up both amyloid fibrils and disordered clumps. In the most recent issue of Cell, James Shorter, PhD, assistant professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and colleagues from the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, show that Hsp104 switches mechanism to break up amyloid versus disordered clumps. For stable amyloid-type structures, Hsp104 needs all six of its subunits, which together make a hexamer, to pull the clumps apart. By contrast, for the more amorphous, non-amyloid clumps, Hsp104 required only one of its six subunits.

Unexpectedly, the bacterial version of the Hsp104 enzyme, called ClpB, behaves differently compared to Hsp104. Bacterial ClpB uses all six subunits to break up amorphous clumps and fails to break up amyloid fibrils. Bacteria just ignore these more stable structures, whereas yeast use Hsp104 to exploit amyloid fibrils for beneficial purposes.

"One surprise is that biochemists thought that Hsp104 and ClpB hexamers worked in the same way," says first author and graduate student in the Shorter lab Morgan DeSantis. "This is not the case."

Hsp104 breaks up the protein clumps by "pulling" individual polypeptide chains through a channel that the hexamer forms at its center, recruiting more subunits to the job, as needed. Individual polypeptides emerge on the other side where they can be refolded into active structures. Remarkably, Hsp104 broke up various amyloid fibrils formed by proteins connected to Alzheimer's disease (tau and Ab42), Parkinson's disease (?-synuclein), Huntington's disease (polyglutamine), and even type II diabetes (amylin).

The bad news is that animals do not harbor their own version of Hsp104 and they do not appear to have the protein machinery to break up amyloid clumps as rapidly. But Shorter views this as a possible therapeutic opportunity: "We want to introduce Hsp104 transiently as a therapeutic clump buster and optimize Hsp104 for each type of disease protein." He is heartened by preclinical evidence that Hsp104 rescues neurodegeneration caused by ?-synuclein misfolding in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. His lab is now scanning yeast cells to look for the most useful forms of Hsp104.

###

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine: http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/

Thanks to University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine 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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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125352/Yeast_protein_breaks_up_amyloid_fibrils_and_disease_protein_clumps_differently

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Spacecraft monitoring Martian dust storm

ScienceDaily (Nov. 21, 2012) ? A Martian dust storm that NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been tracking since last week has also produced atmospheric changes detectable by rovers on Mars.

Using the orbiter's Mars Color Imager, Bruce Cantor of Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, began observing the storm on Nov. 10, and subsequently reported it to the team operating NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The storm came no closer than about 837 miles (1,347 kilometers) from Opportunity, resulting in only a slight drop in atmospheric clarity over that rover, which does not have a weather station.

Halfway around the planet from Opportunity, the NASA Mars rover Curiosity's weather station has detected atmospheric changes related to the storm. Sensors on the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS), which was provided for Curiosity by Spain, have measured decreased air pressure and a slight rise in overnight low temperature.

"This is now a regional dust storm. It has covered a fairly extensive region with its dust haze, and it is in a part of the planet where some regional storms in the past have grown into global dust hazes," said Rich Zurek, chief Mars scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "For the first time since the Viking missions of the 1970s, we are studying a regional dust storm both from orbit and with a weather station on the surface."

Curiosity's equatorial location and the sensors on REMS, together with the daily global coverage provided by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, provide new advantages compared with what Viking offered with its combination of orbiters and landers. The latest weekly Mars weather report from the orbiter's Mars Color Imager is at http://www.msss.com/msss_images/2012/11/21/ .

Each Martian year lasts about two Earth years. Regional dust storms expanded and affected vast areas of Mars in 2001 and 2007, but not between those years nor since 2007.

"One thing we want to learn is why do some Martian dust storms get to this size and stop growing, while others this size keep growing and go global," Zurek said.

From decades of observing Mars, scientists know there is a seasonal pattern to the largest Martian dust-storm events. The dust-storm season began just a few weeks ago, with the start of southern-hemisphere spring.

Starting on Nov. 16, the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter detected a warming of the atmosphere at about 16 miles (25 kilometers) above the storm. Since then, the atmosphere in the region has warmed by about 45 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees Celsius). This is due to the dust absorbing sunlight at that height, so it indicates the dust is being lofted well above the surface and the winds are starting to create a dust haze over a broad region.

Warmer temperatures are seen not only in the dustier atmosphere in the south, but also in a hot spot near northern polar latitudes due to changes in the atmospheric circulation. Similar changes affect the pressure measured by Curiosity even though the dust haze is still far away.

Besides the research value in better understanding storm behavior, monitoring the storm is also important for Mars rover operations. If the storm were to go global, the Opportunity rover would be affected most. More dust in the air or falling onto its solar panels would reduce the solar-powered rover's energy supply for daily operations. Curiosity is powered by a radioisotope thermoelectric generator, rather than solar cells. The main effects of increased dust in the air at its site would be haze in images and increased air temperature.

JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project and both of the Mars rover projects for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.

For more information about the missions of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, visit http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/ .

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/vuroBhKXG8w/121121180100.htm

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Avaya Learning Recognizes Jenne, Inc. for Training Excellence for ...

Posted by Publisher Hardware, Picture Gallery Monday, 19. November 2012

AVON, OH ? (Marketwire) ? 11/19/12 ? Jenne, Inc., a leading value-added distributor of IP telephony, audio and video conferencing, unified communications, data networking and IT security products, announced that it has been recognized as a recipient of the Avaya Learning Partner-s (ALP) Recognition Program for the fourth quarter in a row. For Q3, Jenne was once again a recipient of Avaya Learning Partner awards for the U.S. region, capturing the ?Highest Student Satisfaction? and ?Highest Response Rate.?

The Avaya Learning ?Highest Student Satisfaction Award? recognizes Jenne as having attained the highest level of satisfaction among students, while the ?Highest Response Rate Award? refers to Jenne as having received the highest survey participation among students during Q3, 2012. ALS surveys are routinely used to rate quality of content, instructor, lab equipment and other important considerations.

?Our repeated success in receiving the Avaya Learning awards speaks to the ongoing effectiveness of our Avaya-oriented training programs and the unmatched quality of our trainers and facilities,? commented Jim Karaffa, director training and technical services, Jenne. ?Training is a very important dimension of how we are able to help our customers be more successful with Avaya products and services in a market that is increasingly competitive.?

Jenne cites its rigorous certification process and partnership with Pearson VUE as two very important and distinguishing factors in its ongoing training success.

Avaya rolled out the recognition program last year and its awards are based on data from Knowledge Advisors- MTM (Metrics that Matter) tool and then compared with its GlobalWare Solutions reports of distributed courseware kits. Avaya Learning recognizes Learning Partners- achievements in the across the globe each quarter.

?Jenne continues to demonstrate outstanding performance in all the training dimensions Avaya Learning measures, and to date has won more training awards than any other company,? commented Diane Hutchins, senior manager, Avaya Learning Partner Program, Avaya Learning. ?We congratulate Jenne University on its ongoing success and for delivering distinguishing value for its customers.?

Jenne University delivers comprehensive training to its resellers on Avaya IP Office, Avaya Aura?, Avaya Aura? Communication Manager, and other products. All of its courses are led by Jenne-s own Avaya certified instructors and held at locations around the country including Jenne-s own state-of-the-art training facility located in Avon, Ohio.

As a partner of Pearson VUE, the electronic certification and licensure testing business of Pearson, Jenne is able to provide Information Technology certification test delivery using the Pearson VUE? Testing System. The Pearson VUE advanced computer-based testing system administers exams for leading IT certification programs from leading technology manufacturers through a global network of quality test centers.

To learn more about current training offerings in Jenne University, resellers should visit .

Jenne, Inc., headquartered in Avon, Ohio, is a leading value-added distributor of business telephony, data, audio and video conferencing, and security technology products, including equipment and software for the Enterprise and SMB markets. More than 150 major manufacturers partner with Jenne including Avaya, Aastra, ADTRAN, Bogen, ClearOne, Extreme Networks, GN Netcom, ICC, Lifesize, Panasonic, Plantronics, Valcom, and Verint. Jenne is dedicated to tracking emerging technologies, offering fresh solutions, new equipment and related applications, accredited training and certification to better serve dealers and resellers.

Jeff Touzeau
Hummingbird Media, Inc.
(914) 602-2913

Susan Elder
Jenne, Inc.
(440) 471-3434

Related posts:

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2. Jenne Helps Resellers Remain Certified on Avaya IP Office Platform by Providing Dedicated Fast Track Courses and On-Site ACIS Exams Course Offerings Leverage Distributor-s Partnership With Pearson VUE, Providing Convenient Access to Authorized Certification Testing...
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5. Altura Achieves Avaya-s Exclusive Partner in Customer Excellence Designation FULLERTON, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 03/19/12 -- Altura Communication Solutions has been recognized by Avaya for achieving their highest standard of customer service and receiving the Avaya Partner in Customer Excellence Designation. The Partner in Customer Excellence Designation is awarded to an Avaya BusinessPartner for achieving superior customer satisfaction over the past 12 months including both sales and support services to Avaya customers. Only a select group of Avaya BusinessPartners have ...

Source: http://www.so-co-it.com/post/205056/avaya-learning-recognizes-jenne-inc-for-training-excellence-for-fourth-quarter-in-a-row-with-highest-student-satisfaction-and-highest-response-rate.html/

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Obama urges Asia to ease tensions over sea territory

Between October 2006 and March 2009, a Wethersfield, Connecticut, woman named Lillian Adames unlawfully swapped her food stamps for cash. Today, Adames will be sentenced in a U.S. District Court for her role in a $1.6-million food stamp fraud scheme, which she accomplished in collaboration with her husband, who's now in jail.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-urges-asia-ease-tensions-over-sea-territory-075729624--finance.html

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Researchers show combining torrefaction pre-treatment with catalytic fast pyrolysis improves quality of bio-oil

Researchers show combining torrefaction pre-treatment with catalytic fast pyrolysis improves quality of bio-oil

Researchers at Auburn University and North Carolina State University have shown that using a simple pretreatment process?torrefaction?improves the quality of bio-oil produced via catalytic fast pyrolysis.

In a paper published in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels, they reported that the combination of the torrefaction pre-treatment and shape-selective catalyst (H+ZSM-5) resulted in highly deoxygenated liquid product that was favorable for aromatic hydrocarbons. The total carbon yield from catalytic pyrolysis of torrefied biomass was 1.45 times the total carbon yield from catalytic pyrolysis of untreated pine.

Fast pyrolysis is a thermal process that rapidly heats biomass to around 500 ?C, then quickly cools the volatile products. While fast pyrolysis has been shown to be an effective process to convert solid biomass to a liquid (bio-oil) with a short residence time, the bio-oil has to be upgraded to be able to be used as a liquid transportation fuel.

Among its problematic characteristics are a high oxygen content (approximately 35 wt % dry basis), resulting in instability, low heating value, and immiscibility with the current hydrocarbon fuels. Furthermore, the researchers noted, bio-oil undergoes a chemical transformation during storage to attain thermodynamic equilibrium leading to changes in molecular weight distribution and viscosity of the oil. These disadvantages hinder bio-oil from becoming a feasible solution as an alternate liquid fuel.

Two main approaches have been examined for upgrading: cracking and hydro-deoxygenation. Cracking involves reacting biomass or pyrolytic vapors over certain shape selective catalysts to remove oxygen. Hydrodeoxygenation uses high-pressure hydrogen in combination with desulfurization catalyst for the elimination of oxygen.

Recently, a simple thermal pretreatment process, torrefaction, has been applied to improve the properties of biomass. Torrefaction is a thermochemical process that occurs around 200?300 ?C in the absence of oxygen. During torrefaction, biomass undergoes partial decomposition with the release of volatiles, which results in overall mass loss. Furthermore, the fibrous structure of the biomass is lost as a result of torrefaction mainly because of the decomposition of hemicellulose and depolymerization of cellulose.

In addition, torrefaction results in a significant loss of oxygen from the biomass, which in turn reduces the oxygen content, increasing the calorific value of pretreated biomass while decreasing the energy required for grinding. The grinding energy for untreated pine chips and forest residues could be as high as 237 kWh/t compared to 23 kWh/t for similar biomass when torrefied.

...Most of the previous studies have examined the effect of torrefaction temperature and reaction time on the physicochemical properties of biomass. A handful of studies have focused on the influence of torrefied biomass on the quality of the liquid fuel. However, none of them have focused on the combined effect of catalyst and pretreatment on the bio-oil quality. Therefore, the main objective of this paper was to study the effect of catalyst and torrefaction on hydrocarbons yield using fast pyrolysis process.

?Srinivasan et al.

Aromatic hydrocarbons were significantly produced as a result of torrefaction, and temperature and catalyst enhanced their production. Among the findings were that torrefaction resulted in more of lignin derivatives?guaiacols, phenols?and less of holocellulose derivatives. The presence of catalyst resulted in the formation of naphthalenes due to its size selectivity.

Resources

• Vaishnavi Srinivasan, Sushil Adhikari, Shyamsundar Ayalur Chattanathan, and Sunkyu Park (2012) Catalytic Pyrolysis of Torrefied Biomass for Hydrocarbons Production. Energy & Fuels doi: 10.1021/ef301469t

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/greencarcongress/TrBK/~3/WwsN1KxDVdU/srinivasan-20121118.html

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Rockets fly over Israel and Gaza amid talk of truce - World News

More than 50 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more wounded in the four days of unrelenting Israeli assaults. Egyptian officials are working on securing a truce between Israel and the Palestinian factions, which could help avert a war both sides say they are prepared to fight. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.

By NBC News staff and wire reports

Updated at 3:33 p.m. ET: TEL AVIV, Israel?- Israel was prepared to substantially broaden its operation in the Gaza strip, the country's prime minister said on Sunday as its military planes continued to bomb targets in Gaza City.

"The Israel Defense Forces have attacked more than 1,000 terror targets in the Gaza Strip," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting. "We are exacting a heavy price from Hamas and the terrorist organizations and the Israel Defense Forces are prepared for a significant expansion of the operation."?

He gave no specifics and made no mention of the possibility of a ground offensive.?

---

Palestinian medical officials said Sunday at least 11 civilians, including women and young children, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City.?

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama said?he fully supported Israel's right to defend itself but cautioned against a ground offensive.

"If this can be accomplished without?a ramping up of military activity in Gaza, that is preferable," Obama said. "That's not just preferable for the people of Gaza, it's also preferable for Israelis because if Israeli troops are in Gaza they're much more at risk of incurring fatalities or being wounded."

President Barack Obama spoke on the unrest in the Middle East while on a trip to Asia. The president's trip is meant to put a focus on foreign policy, with the president making a tour of the region, including Myanmar and Cambodia. NBC's Chuck Todd reports from Bangkok.

'Huge bang'
At least two rockets fired from Gaza toward Tel Aviv, Israel's?commercial?capital, were shot down Sunday by Israel's Iron Dome air shield, witnesses and officials said.

NBC's Paul Goldman saw at least one missile being intercepted by Israel's anti-rocket defense system over the center of the city.

'Some indications' Hamas-Israeli truce is possible, Egypt says

"I was taking cover and heard a huge bang," Goldman said. "(I) looked up and saw the explosion in the air above me. I could smell the fire."

Israel continued bombing Palestinian militant targets in Gaza from air and sea, preparing for a possible ground invasion though Egypt saw "some indications'' of a truce ahead.

"If there is quiet in the South and no rockets and missiles are fired at Israel's citizens nor terrorist attacks engineered from the Gaza Strip, we will not attack,"?Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe?Yaalon said over Twitter.?

How Israel's 'Iron Dome' intercepts incoming rockets in Gaza conflict

Israel's strikes were causing widespread damage, Mohyeldin reported from Gaza.?"These strikes are portrayed as precision strikes, but they are anything but that given how densely populated the area is," he said.?

A strike on Sunday flattened a three-story building of the Daloo family, killing at least 11 people, Palestinian medical officials said, according to The Associated Press.

Gaza health official Ashraf al-Kidra said four women and four small children are among the dead.

The target was apparently a top militant.

Al-Kidra said the deaths brought to 66 the number of Palestinians killed in Israel's Gaza offensive, including 32 civilians.

More than 500 rockets fired from Gaza have hit Israel, killing three people and injuring dozens.

Journalists wounded
Overnight, six journalists were wounded in Gaza City when Israeli warplanes hit a television station,?according?to Agence France-Presse.?Reuters said witnesses identified the station as al Quds, which Israel sees as pro-Hamas.?Sky News reported that around 5 a.m. local time, two missiles?hit the building that houses its studios and offices.?Al-Arabiya also said?that its offices had been hit.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said the strike had targeted a rooftop "transmission antenna used by Hamas to carry out terror activity."?

'Some indications' Hamas-Israeli truce is possible, Egypt says

Israel unleashed intensive air strikes on Wednesday, killing the commander of the Hamas Islamist group that governs Gaza and spurns peace with Israel. Israel's declared goal is to deplete Gaza arsenals and press Hamas into stopping cross-border rocket fire that has plagued Israeli border towns for years.

In Cairo, as his security deputies sought to broker a truce with Hamas leaders,?Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi said that "there are some indications that there is a possibility of a ceasefire soon, but we do not yet have firm guarantees.''

Egypt has mediated previous ceasefire deals between Israel and Hamas, the latest of which?unraveled?with recent violence.

Key players in the Israel-Gaza cross-border conflict

A Palestinian official told Reuters the truce discussions would continue in Cairo on Sunday, saying "there is hope,'' but it was too early to say whether the efforts would succeed.

In Jerusalem, an Israeli official declined to comment on the negotiations. Military commanders said Israel was prepared to fight on to achieve a goal of halting rocket fire from Gaza, which has plagued Israeli towns since late 2000, when failed peace talks led to the outbreak of a Palestinian uprising.

NBC's Mike Viqueira and Martin Fletcher report on the latest developments in the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and each weigh in on what role the US would play in a possible ground offensive by Israel into Gaza.

Diplomats at the United Nations said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to visit Israel and Egypt in the coming week to push for an end to the fighting.

Ground offensive
Israel, with tanks and artillery positioned along the frontier, said it was still weighing a ground offensive.?

Israeli cabinet ministers decided on Friday to more than double the current reserve troop quota set for the Gaza offensive to 75,000 and around 16,000 reservists have already been called up.

Asked by reporters whether a ground operation was possible, Maj.-Gen. Tal Russo, commander of the Israeli forces on the Gaza frontier, said: "Definitely.''

Rockets from Gaza fired on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

?We have a plan. ... It will take time. We need to have patience. It won't be a day or two,'' he added.

NBC's Martin Fletcher and Richard Engle report from Tel Aviv and Gaza, where violence is ramping up with Palestinians firing rockets into Israel and Israel's military attacking Hamas symbols of power such as the prime minister's office and police headquarters.

A possible move into the densely populated Gaza Strip and the risk of major casualties it brings would be a significant gamble for Netanyahu, favored to win a January election.

The last Gaza war, a three-week Israeli blitz and invasion over the New Year of 2008-09, killed 1,400 Palestinians, mostly civilians. Thirteen Israelis died in the conflict.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

?

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/18/15252420-rockets-fly-over-israel-and-gaza-amid-talk-of-truce

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SE Asia to ask China to start talks over islands

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia --?

Southeast Asian leaders decided Sunday to ask China to start formal talks "as soon as possible" on crafting a legally binding accord aimed at preventing an outbreak of violence in disputed South China Sea territories, a top diplomat said.

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations made the decision during their annual summit in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said.

The South China Sea territorial disputes, which many fear could spark Asia's next war, have overshadowed discussions at the summit, where the top agenda items included human rights and expanding an Asian free-trade area.

Four countries in the 10-member ASEAN - Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam - have been locked in long-unresolved territorial rifts with China and Taiwan in the resource-rich waters, where a bulk of the world's oil and cargo passes. Since Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces engaged in deadly clashes in the region in the 1970s, the disputes have settled into an uneasy standoff.

But fresh territorial spats involving China, Vietnam and the Philippines starting last year have set off calls for ASEAN and China to turn a nonaggression accord they signed in 2002 to a stronger, legally-binding "code of conduct" aimed at discouraging aggressive acts that could lead to dangerous confrontations or accidental clashes in the busy region.

ASEAN member countries have submitted features they each want to see in such an accord and were now ready to sit as a bloc to discuss with China how the agreement could be drafted. The crucial talks could start immediately, even right after the Cambodia summit, according to Surin.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, host of this year's summit, would convey the bloc's decision to his Chinese counterpart, Wen Jiabao, who would fly to Cambodia later Sunday to join expanded ASEAN meetings in the next two days.

"They would like to see the commencement of the discussion as soon as possible because this is an issue of interest, concern and worry of the international community," Surin told reporters. "It's an issue between ASEAN and China to resolve together ... It needs two to tango."

U.S. President Barack Obama, would also fly to Cambodia to attend on Tuesday the so-called East Asia Summit, an annual forum where ASEAN leaders and their counterparts from eight other nations, including China and the United states, would discuss security and economic concerns. Washington has backed calls for the drafting of a South China Sea nonaggression pact.

It's unclear how China would respond, with ASEAN diplomats saying they have gotten unclear signals from Chinese officials.

Vietnam and the Philippines have separately accused China since last year of intruding into South China Sea islands, reefs and waters they claim and of disrupting their oil explorations well within their territorial waters. China, which claims virtually the entire South China Sea, has dismissed the protests, saying those waters belonged to Beijing since ancient times.

China has sought one on one negotiations with rival nations to resolve the disputes, something that will give it advantage because of its sheer size, and has objected to any effort to bring the problem to regional or international forums like ASEAN. It has also warned Washington not to get involved but American officials have declared that the peaceful resolution of the disputes and freedom of navigation in the vast sea was in the U.S. national interest.

Obama was expected to reiterate Washington's call for a legally-binding code of conduct in the South China Sea in Cambodia.

ASEAN leaders, meanwhile, adopted a human rights declaration on Sunday despite last-minute calls for a postponement by critics, including Washington, who said the pact contains loopholes that can allow atrocities to continue.

ASEAN, an unwieldy collective of liberal democracies and authoritarian states, signed a document adopting the Human Rights Declaration in Phnom Penh. The nonbinding declaration calls for an end to torture, arbitrary arrests and other rights violations that have been longtime concerns in Southeast Asia, which rights activists once derisively described as being ruled by a "club of dictators."

ASEAN diplomats have called the declaration a milestone in the region despite its imperfections, saying it will help cement democratic reforms in countries such as Myanmar, which until recently has been widely condemned for its human rights record.

Founded in 1967 as an anti-communist bloc in the Cold War era, ASEAN has taken feeble steps to address human rights concerns in the vast region of 600 million people. It adopted a charter in 2007 where it committed to uphold international law and human rights but retained a bedrock principle of not interfering in each other's internal affairs - a loophole that critics say helps member states commit abuses without consequence.

During the summit, the leaders are expected to announce the start of negotiations for an expanded free-trade area involving ASEAN member countries and six regional economic powerhouses that include China but excludes the United States, which is promoting a separate free-trade arrangement involving Asia-Pacific nations.

ASEAN leaders meanwhile agreed that implementation of an ambitious ASEAN Economic Community will be slightly delayed.

Delegates explained to the press after a plenary meeting Sunday that the AEC will be launched at the end of 2015 - December 31 - rather than on Jan. 1, 2015 as originally envisioned.

The community, roughly similar to the EC, would integrate the diverse nations' economies, covering trade, investment and other measures.

Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said the meeting's chairman, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, had proposed the later starting date, and won the approval of all members.

He said the ASEAN Economic Minister's Meeting had earlier agreed the implementation could begin on Jan. 1, 2015, but that the leaders agreed Sunday that much work had yet to be done. "ASEAN is more concerned about substance than the date," he said.

Source: http://www.lakewyliepilot.com/2012/11/18/1728161/southeast-asia-adopts-human-rights.html

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No Comments - Fitness Magazine: FitnessX Magazine, Exercises ...

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PHP urlencode | Facebook Like Box

Ok I'm a total amateur when it comes to PHP, not my strong suite. All I know is:

<?php bitly(); ?> output's correctly what I wan't. But I am trying to encode what it outputs to a url readable by a Facebook like box button.

How could I go about doing this?

When i use that for the url of the facebook likebox i get a red error message

Source: http://facebook.stackoverflow.com/questions/13446738/php-urlencode-facebook-like-box

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The annual Hawaii Kai holiday parade is a local tradition!

While everyone is preparing for Thanksgiving dinner, East Oahu families are also getting excited about an annual tradition that traces back about 30 years. This parade has grown in popularity attracting families from around the island and visitors who are in town for the long weekend. Sponsored by the Koko Marina Center and Hawaii Kai Lions Club the Keiki Kalikimaka Parade will kick off the holidays on Saturday, November 24, 2012, starting at 10:00 am. The procession will begin at the intersection of Hawaii Kai Drive and Lunalilo Home Road as it travels down a one and a half mile stretch on Lunalilo Home Road to Koko Marina Center.

Marchers will include local high school bands, dignitaries, beauty queens, community groups and much more. And of course, Santa Claus will make one of his first appearances of the year!

As the parade winds down Lunalilo Home Road, follow the fun to Koko Marina's Center Courtyard next to Assaggio?s with a Christmas carnival from 11 am to 1 pm. A keiki hula performance will kick off the event. Attendees are invited to bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots or make a cash donation and enjoy the carnival rides, popcorn, cotton candy and balloons for FREE! Then, at 11:30 am keep your eyes on the marina and watch for Santa Claus who will ride in on a speed boat courtesy of Hawaii Water Sports Center. Keiki are invited to take a photo with Santa and receive a treat!

Maunalua Communities Foundation will also be selling poinsettia plants for $10 just in time for the holidays.

For more information, call 808-395-4737, visit www.Kokomarinacenter.com?or the Koko Marina Center Facebook page.

?

Source: http://eastoahu.hawaiinewsnow.com/news/events/111927-annual-hawaii-kai-holiday-parade-local-tradition

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A Few Simple Tips Can Save You Time And Money On Your Home ...

Feng shui can be used to give your rooms a positive energy. There are those who believe that design techniques, such as a clear doorway, can bring your household fortune. This article gives you some excellent tips on how to excel at feng shui.

When you do home improvement, it doesn?t always need to be a serious and boring task. Enlist family and friends to help, and make it a social event. Completing projects in your own home comes with a sense of accomplishment and that is magnified if you can share the task with the people you love.

Think about what would sell your home to buyers. Do not block any of the windows that are overlooking a pond or take down the canopy to show off the tiered ceiling in the master suite. No matter what, you will always want to maximize the home?s key selling points. If you do this, then any possible buyers will be able to see what is so special about your home.

Sometimes laying down new hardwood floors is not your only option, so make sure to consult a professional about your existing flooring first. Frequently, you may have a wonderful floor right under the old flooring in your home. The end result will be far more attractive and far less costly.

Bathrooms are very important to consider if you want to flip a property. Bathrooms are more expensive to update than living rooms or bedrooms, and potential buyers can definitely be turned off by having to spend a lot of money updating one. Your shower, tub and sink should be in good condition, and if they aren?t, they should be replaced. Floors made of linoleum may look pretty good and go in rather quick, but they should always be swapped out for a professional tile finish.

Before committing to a renovation, you must always verify that the project works well with the specifics of your environment. If you reside in a place with a lot of wind, you might not want a deck. If your renovations do not match well with your area, you will not see any return from your investment.

Make sure that the exterior of your home is accounted for when remodeling. A fresh-cut and well-manicured lawn is a great first step. You may also want to plant some well-placed shrubs. Always make sure you sweep your sidewalk. Keep the outside of your home clean and the roof washed. Get your windows sparkling clean. These simple steps will significantly improve the overall look and feel of your home.

Consider the money you spend now on insulation to be an investment in your long term savings. Older homes in particular do not have enough insulation. Installing extra insulation in your crawl space or attic can result in lower utility bills, saving you money for many years.

Pick a color scheme to use for the room. Try to create complementary color schemes for the most formal rooms of your home. To find complementary colors, use the color wheel and find colors that are opposite of each other. For example: yellow and blue or orange and purple. Although there is a bit of challenge associated with using these colors, the results are amazing.

Filtration System

A wonderful home improvement project to increase your home?s value is some kind of water filtration system. In just a few hours, you can easily install one yourself. Water filtration system units are now made to fit under your kitchen sink, so they are kept out of sight.

If you are a homeowner, you shouldn?t hire any contractors who don?t have licenses to work on your home. States require certification for both contractors and sub-contractors. These laws help to cut down on fraudulent contractors, but a homeowner still has to use their own good judgement. It?s important to realize that if a contractor doesn?t have proper licensing, he probably does not have proper insurance. This is a big risk for you.

Whenever you work with electricity you should always kill the power at the circuit breaker. If you don?t, you?ll be in for a shocking experience that could result in your death.

Kitchen Cabinets

When saving money is an issue, one cost effective way to update kitchen cabinets is to reface instead of replace. Totally replacing kitchen cabinets can cost quite a bit of money. On the other hand, refacing cabinets is actually quite cheap. You?ll get the fresh new look you crave and save a bundle in the process.

Do not demolish too much when you start your home improvement task. It is essential to investigate what is behind your walls prior to tearing them out. If electrical components are involved, you could make quite a mess.

By repainting your walls, you can transform the look of a dreary, dated house. New paint can change the appearance of a room right away. Even though painting is relatively inexpensive, it adds significant value to the home. Use colors that are light and match your home decor.

This article has shown you some great ideas for making the most of your home projects; helping you prepare for a successful start to your improvements. Rearranging furniture is a quick and inexpensive way to change the look of your home, and now that you have read this article, it is time to get moving.

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Source: http://www.laiguanateatro.com/a-few-simple-tips-can-save-you-time-and-money-on-your-home-improvement-project/

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Catelynn and Tyler's Wedding: When Is the Teen Mom Couple Getting Married?

Teen Mom's Catelynn Lowell and Tyler Baltierra have been together for over eight years, and they're finally getting hitched on July 13, 2013!

The 13th of July marks a special day in the couple's relationship ? their 9th anniversary! Catelynn and Tyler first met in 7th grade music class, and it was love at first sight. Cate gave birth to baby Carly on May 18, 2009, and together, they made the difficult decision to place her for adoption.

Now, Catelynn and Tyler have successful careers ? she's working towards a degree in social work while he chases his dreams of Hollywood stardom. We have no doubt we'll see more of Cate and Tyler in the future, hopefully in the form of an MTV wedding spin-off!

Would you like to see footage from Catelynn and Tyler's special day? Tell us below!

Source: http://feeds.wetpaint.com/~r/wetpaint/latest/excerpt/~3/17-HI0wy_uk/catelynn-and-tylers-wedding-when-is-the-teen-mom-couple-getting-married

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Wounded Warrior to Climb Aconcagua, the Highest Mountain in the Americas

Double-leg amputee to tackle 22,837-foot climb to raise awareness and funds for Disabled Sports USA?s Warfighter Sports program and other disabled veteran nonprofits

Rockville, MD (PRWEB) November 13, 2012

Disabled Sports USA, one of the nation's largest sport organizations for people with disabilities, announced that Army Sgt. Neil Duncan (Maple Grove, MN), 29, a double-leg amputee injured in Afghanistan, will climb the 22,837 foot Aconcagua, highest mountain in the Americas, located in the Andes mountain range near the Argentina and Chile border. Guided by Mountain Trip, the three week climb is set to begin on November 20.

"After losing my legs in 2005, all varieties of sports have played a very important role in my recovery and I appreciate what Disabled Sports USA and other veteran non-profits have done to help me rebuild my life. The opportunity to climb one of the seven summits is a tremendous challenge that will allow me to accomplish three primary goals: Raise awareness and funding for the returning wounded veteran population, motivate newly wounded amputees to set their goals high and finally to challenge myself, ? said Duncan,who is currently residing in Denver, CO and attending University of Denver.

In 2010, Duncan was part of the all-amputee wounded warrior team that successfully reached the submit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest point in Africa and the world?s tallest freestanding mountain at 19,320 ft. This past June, he was part of Team Warfighter Sports, which attempted to summit Mt. McKinley (Denali). Eighteen days into the climb, severe weather, including multiple avalanches, forced the Team Warfighter Sports to suspend the 20,320-foot climb after reaching 15,500 feet.

"After serving thousands of severely injured service members from Iraq and Afghanistan through rehabilitation sports programs for the past ten years, our disabled veterans yearn for opportunities to test their skills to the extreme, as they did in the military," Bauer said. ?Duncan and wounded warriors can now literally climb some of the tallest mountains in the world to challenge themselves and inspire others to become active and reach their goals."

Operation Aconcagua will benefit three veteran nonprofits, including Warfighter Sports, a program of Disabled Sports USA, which has served severely wounded warriors since 1967 through sports programs. Key sponsors of the climb includes: Disabled Sports USA, Tee it up for the Troops, American Airlines, Broe Group, DJ Resources and Medical Center Prosthetics and Orthotics.

Follow Duncan?s progress, view photos and support his efforts at: http://www.crowdrise.com/operationaaconcagua

About Warfighter Sports

Warfighter Sports, a program of Disabled Sports USA, offers sports rehabilitation for severely wounded warriors in military hospitals and communities across the U.S. through a nationwide network of over 100 community-based chapters. Since 1967, Disabled Sports USA has proudly served wounded warriors, including those injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, offering over 30 winter and summer sports at more than 100 events each year. Warfighter Sports rebuilds lives through sports by improving self-confidence, promoting independence and uniting families through shared healthy activities.

Contributions cover all expenses for participation, including individualized adaptive instruction, adaptive sports equipment, transportation, lodging and meals for the warrior and a family member. Since 2003, more than 6,000 of the most severely wounded and their families have been served, including those with amputations, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, visual impairments, and significant nerve and muscle damage. For more information, visit http://www.warfightersports.org.

Neil Duncan

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wounded-warrior-climb-aconcagua-highest-mountain-americas-201035572.html

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2012 NBA standings: Nuggets 7th in West with .500 record

Eight games into the season, the Nuggets are playing .500 basketball.

In the always-tough Western Conference, a .500 record typically isn't enough to assure a spot in the 8-team playoff field. Eight games into the season, .500 is where the Denver Nuggets find themselves, though their 4-4 record is currently good enough for 7th place in the conference.

The 4-4 mark is tied with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets for 7th best in the conference, though of course it's much too early to project that over a full season. Consider, especially, the Los Angeles Lakers, who at 3-5 are only a game back of that mark after starting the season worse than any other team in the league.

The 7-1 San Antonio Spurs and 6-1 Memphis Grizzlies currently top the rest of the conference, with the Los Angeles Clipper and Oklahoma City Thunder right behind.

In the Northwest Division, Denver is currently 1 1/2 games behind the Thunder (6-3) and half a game behind the second-place Minnesota Timberwolves (5-3), which is certainly a team Denver is expected to top in the standings when the end of the season comes.

Here's a look at the current Western Conference standings:

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Source: http://denver.sbnation.com/nuggets/2012/11/15/3649440/nba-standings-2012

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Yemeni president ends successful visit

MUSCAT ? Abdrabu Mansur Hadi, President of Yemen, left here yesterday after a two-day visit to the Sultanate during which he met with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
The Yemeni President and his accompanying delegation were seen off by Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, Darwish bin Ismaeel bin Ali al Balushi, Minister Responsible for Financial Affairs, Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Dr Abdullah bin Hamad al Badi, Sultanate's Ambassador to Yemen, the Charge D'Affaires of the Yemeni Embassy in the Sultanate and members of the embassy.
The Yemeni President was accompanied by Abu Bakr Abdullah al Qirbi, Foreign Minister, Dr Mohammed bin Said al Sa'adi, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, Sakhr Ahmed Abbas al Wajeeh, Minister of Finance, Dr Ali Mansour bin Safaa, Secretary-General to the Presidency, and Naji al Awadhi, Charge D'Affaires of the Yemeni Embassy in the Sultanate. ? ONA

Source: http://main.omanobserver.om/node/129333

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It's a tablet! No, it's a laptop! The introduction of Microsoft Windows 8 has sp...

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