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Monday, December 31, 2012
Kim prepared to be Senate President
Donna Mercado Kim was picked Friday by her colleagues to become Senate President.
Senator Kim is no stranger to politics. She's been in the same halls for the last three decades. Now the seasoned lawmaker says she's ready to take on the challenge of Senate President.
"I will have to make personal adjustments, but I'm me. I'm not going to change my stripes. I mean I will continue to be the champion for accountability and transparency and efficiency in government. I've always done that," said Senator Kim.
Her no-nonsense demeanor made headlines during the state senate's wonder blunder hearings as she grilled University of Hawaii leaders.
Senator Kim said she has a passion for politics, and she's thorough.
"I'm a very hands on kind of person.? I'm very detail oriented.? I like to make sure that the 'i's' are dotted and the 't's' are crossed," said Senator Kim.
One of her primary duties as Senate President is making sure things get done and getting fellow lawmakers to compromise.
"I'm also a consensus builder. I'd like to make sure that you can't please everybody, but will try to get as many people together. But i'm a realist and common sense has to prevail," said Kim.
She still has the 14th District to represent, she plans to fight for them while balancing the interests of the senate as a whole.
Officially, senators must vote for her to fill the position once the legislature convenes in mid-January.
Click to read more.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50319340/ns/local_news-honolulu_hi/
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Sunday, December 30, 2012
Top stories of 2012, No. 2 - Minor league baseball a long out
Baseball fans Jarrod Reynolds and Kyle Thompson hold signs in support of plans to build a minor league stadium in Wilmington before a City Council meeting Aug. 7, 2012.
Buy Photo StarNews file photo
Published: Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 5:27 p.m.
For much of the year, it seemed barely a week, and sometimes a day, went by with no mention of bringing a minor league baseball team to the Port City.
Nearly two months after Wilmington voters shot down a proposal to build a taxpayer-funded stadium, Mayor Bill Saffo said this is still a viable market for a ballpark.
But he doubts baseball will be discussed for the next decade. ?At least,? he added.
In November, 70 percent of city voters rejected the proposal to fund and build a $37 million stadium. The vote followed a lengthy discussion period between the Atlanta Braves, which would have brought a minor league team to the Port City, and Mandalay Baseball, which would have operated the stadium.
The campaign leading up to the vote was contentious and ?Vote No Stadium Tax? signs popped up across the city.
Saffo, who supported the stadium deal, said after the vote that the city would not pursue baseball. Weeks later, that hasn?t changed.
?I think the only option that?s out there that voters made very clear is that it would have to be a privately funded deal,? Saffo said.
Representatives from both Mandalay and the Braves said they had no plans to pursue a stadium after the failed referendum.
?There is no plan B as far as we?re concerned,? said Rich Neumann, Mandalay?s president of baseball development, just after the vote. ?We?ve done everything we could do to bring this opportunity to Wilmington and we feel it?s over, barring some complete, unforeseen set of circumstances,? he said.
But no private deal has yet to surface.
After the vote, Terry Spencer, chairman of the ?Vote Yes!? effort, said the group would support any future baseball opportunities that surfaced. But he wasn?t optimistic.
?If there were any investors, they would have come out of the woodwork by now,? he said.
Julian March: 343-2099
On Twitter: @julian_march
Source: http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20121229/articles/121229694
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Rockets' Royce White To Finally Begin Rookie Campaign in NBA D-League?
Though his rookie campaign has already been one filled with turbulent twists and turns, the Rockets' Royce White is finally ready to hit the hardwood. His road back will reportedly begin with a stint in the D-League as member of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
Despite being one of the top prospects in this past summer's NBA rookie draft, Royce White's stock dipped due to concern over his existing anxiety disorder. Would the talented forward be able to cope with the travel requirements and everyday grind of The Association?
With many teams unsure, the Rockets swooped in to snatch White up with the sixteenth overall selection in the draft. But although he has all the potential in the world, the forward has yet to hit the hardwood this season.
He and the Rockets have reportedly been at odds over the last couple of months with regard to dealing with his disorder. It's taken a while for the two sides to agree upon what the best plan of action will be to ensure a seamless transition into the NBA.
After working out at the team's training facility on his own over the last week or so, White finally appears ready to the hardwood, albeit it won't be an NBA one just yet. The forward is set to begin his journey in the D-League, and is scheduled to be in uniform for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers' contest later Sunday.
Such a step is a huge one in the right direction for White. After originally being assigned to the D-League last month (though he never went on to appear in a game), it's likely that his NBA journey would have begun in the minors either way.
In the early goings of the season, the Rockets have been among the most efficient and frequent utilizers of its NBADL affiliate. The likes of Scott Machado, Donatas Montiejunas, and Terrence Jones have all donned D-League uniforms thus far. All three have played well, and have subsequently been sent up and down between Houston and Rio Grande Valley, depending on the Rockets' game/practice schedule and such.
But their respective assignments have been anything but demotions. Earlier this month, Rockets' Vice President Gersson Rosas told RidiculousUpside.com in an exclusive interview that not only had the team already seen progress from the young guns, but that they also felt as though spending time in the minors was simply an essential and routine part of each rookie's development. Citing Houston's deep roster, the executive said because of their existing talent, that the Rockets have the flexibility to send each prospect down in order to give them closer attention (and more playing time, of course) in the D-League.
And now it's White's turn to put his immense amount of promise on display a bit. A self-proclaimed point-forward, the 6'8" rookie likes to get his teammates involved. There's no doubt he can score, but White's key contributions come when he isn't putting the ball in the basket. In addition to being a big man with steady court vision, the forward can also rebound the ball well and has sound fundamentals on the defensive end.
With the D-League dedicated to developing the ultimate complementary player(s) for NBA squads, White's skill set will be put to use on the perfect stage. After watching his fellow rookies previously thrive while donning Viper uniforms, he should look forward to the chance to finally strut his stuff.
The rookie's recent NBADL assignment is reportedly the first step in what will be a multi-week process in integrating him back as a regular member of the Houston Rockets. Whereas Machado is using his time in the minors to better understand how to run an offense, and both Montiejunas and Jones continue to adjust to the big league game from college/international ball, respectively, White may be closer than most think.
If he's able to find a rhythm and get his footing right, White's versatile talents may make it easier for him to fit right into Coach Kevin Mchale's system. The rookie just needs to begin his journey by simply showing the team his potential is not only still existent, but is also able to be translated to the NBA game.
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Video: Can I Afford It, Jr.? Matthew
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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50314057/
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Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D: Newtown and the Nation's Mental Health
As President Obama opened his December 16 Newtown speech at the vigil for the Sandy Hook shooting victims with the statement, "We gather here in memory of 20 beautiful children and six remarkable adults. They lost their lives in a school that could have been any school, in a quiet town full of good and decent people that could be any town in America," I think the whole country was asking the same question: Why did this happen? There are many theories and opinions being expressed to address this question, all of which are just speculation until the results of the investigation become known. As a researcher, educator, and president of a nonprofit health-care organization I would like to add my thoughts to the mix.
There have been 29 mass shootings in the United States between the events of April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School and the Dec. 14, 2012 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I propose these shootings were, in part, a health-care issue.
Your immediate response may be to ask how these shootings could possibly be related to issues surrounding health care. Let me provide a few facts for consideration. The Nov. 16, 2011 issue of Time magazine included a report that 1 in 5 American adults take mental health drugs, which was a 22 percent rise since 2001. A Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study has indicated that the number of children diagnosed with different forms of attention/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) was 9.5 percent, or 5.4 million children 5-13 years of age. As of 2007, parents of more than 3 million children ages 4-17 years who had a diagnosis of ADHD reported that their child was receiving medication for the disorder. Children with these diagnoses were found in the same report to be more likely to have other chronic health conditions, both physical and mental. A recent report on the global burden of disease in the Dec. 15, 2012 issue of the internationally-recognized medical journal The Lancet indicated that mental health problems in people of all ages are one of three most rapidly increasing areas of health concern in the world.
I remember back in the early 1980s, a time when there was greater funding for community mental health centers, that the mental health professionals working in these facilities were very concerned that the number of people needing to be cared for was increasing, but the budgetary allotment for these centers was decreasing. Since the 1980s, there have been significant cuts in the funding for mental health intervention. Professionals working in the field of mental health have seen a decimation of community mental health services. A 2011 report from the National Alliance on Mental Illness titled "State Mental Health Cuts: A National Crisis" indicates that the nation is challenged with increasing needs for mental health treatment while at the same time the funding for community mental health treatment and consultation has been continually reduced.
It would be a reach to connect the Sandy Hook shootings directly to either a change in the prevalence of mental health issues in children or the reduction in funding for -- or emphasis on -- their comprehensive treatment, but shouldn't this potential connection at least be in the discussion about prevention? Certainly many variables relate to the enigma of how a person becomes a killer without human consciousness, but one of the recurrent themes that follows each shooting episode is the discussion about the mental health of the perpetrator. Could it be that these shooters represent a horrible kind of "yellow canary" of the declining mental health of our society at large? If so, then shouldn't we be engaged in a serious national dialogue about how to curb this national epidemic, just as we have done with the war on cancer, or the reduction of risk to heart disease through proper lifestyle, diet and exercise?
This is not just an academic issue. Mental health derives from physical health, and vice versa. Our bodies and minds are interconnected. We know that dementia is more common in people who suffer from obesity and diabetes. We know that depression is more prevalent in people with nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin B3, where one of the signs of deficiency of this vitamin is dementia. We know that behavior problems in children may be more common in children who consume large amounts of empty-calorie foods. Conversely, we know that children who engage in regular physical activity are more emotionally resilient and alert. As the health of our children has declined with increasing obesity and chronic illnesses, it is interesting that the prevalence of mental health issues in kids has increased. It is the same with their parents. There is a strong association between obesity, poor lifestyle habits, and mental and physical health issues in both adults and children. I recognize that association of two factors doesn't necessarily prove that one causes the other, but as the research accumulates there is a stronger case for a cause-and-effect relationship between health of the body and health of the mind.
Given this suggestion, it raises the question as to what the effects are of children sitting before a computer screen or television many hours a day being bombarded by messages of war, crime, violence, and killing. Not only are their minds being imprinted by the message, but their bodies are responding to the stress of the emotion, all while being sedentary and likely eating foods and drinking beverages that are rich in empty calories.
Like every other American who wears some of the grief of the Newtown shootings, I would like to find answers to the question "why?" and to accomplish what President Obama has challenged the country to do, which is to care for our children. As he said, "It is our first job. If we don't get this right, we don't get anything right. This is how our society will be judged."
Where can we turn as individuals to meet his challenge? It might start with a serious discussion at the national level as to what is happening to the health of our children, how their habits and lifestyles contribute to their declining health, and what needs to be done to create the country that turns around the trend of declining mental and physical health of its children. Through this difficult discussion, I believe some important answers will emerge that may not only help to prevent other Newtown catastrophes, but also prevent countless cases of unnecessary diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney and liver diseases and mental health disorders.
For more by Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., click here.
For more healthy living health news, click here.
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Follow Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JeffreyBlandPhD
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-bland/childrens-health_b_2360281.html
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
Stomach bug knocks Nadal from Australian Open
FILE - In this June 10, 2012, file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal wipes his face as he plays Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's final match in the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. Nadal will miss the Australian Open because of a stomach virus, further delaying his comeback after being sidelined since June.(AP Photo/David Vincent, File)
FILE - In this June 10, 2012, file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal wipes his face as he plays Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's final match in the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. Nadal will miss the Australian Open because of a stomach virus, further delaying his comeback after being sidelined since June.(AP Photo/David Vincent, File)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) ? Just when Rafael Nadal had recovered from a knee injury, a stomach virus has delayed his return to tennis by a couple of months.
Nadal announced Friday he will miss next month's Australian Open and probably won't play again until the end of February. The Spaniard said he needs time to recover from the virus that already prevented him from coming back this week at Abu Dhabi.
Nadal has been sidelined since June with a knee injury, which forced him to miss the London Olympics and U.S. Open. He had planned to rejoin the ATP tour at the Qatar Open in Doha next month before the Jan. 14-27 Australian Open, but pulled out of both.
"We just hope he gets better quickly and we see him back on the tour as soon as possible," Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said. "Tennis fans across the world have been missing him."
While he is expected to recover from the virus in time for the year's first Grand Slam tournament, Nadal and his team said he wouldn't have the proper preparation for a five-set event.
Nadal stressed that his decision had nothing to do with the tendinitis in his left knee. That injury prompted him to take a break following a second-round loss to then 100th-ranked Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon in June.
"My knee is much better and the rehabilitation process has gone well as predicted by the doctors," Nadal said in a statement from his hometown of Manacor on the island of Mallorca. "But this virus didn't allow me to practice this past week and therefore I am sorry to announce that I will not play in Doha and the Australian Open."
The former No. 1 hopes to return at a tournament in Acapulco, Mexico, starting Feb. 27. He left open the possibility of playing at an earlier tournament if his recovery went well.
"As my team and doctors say, the safest thing to do is to do things well and this virus has delayed my plans of playing these weeks," Nadal said. "I always said that my return to competition will be when I am in the right conditions to play and after all this time away from the courts I'd rather not accelerate the comeback and prefer to do things well."
Nadal's doctor, Angel Ruiz-Cotorro, said in the same statement that the player needed at least a week to recover from the virus. That ruled him out for the Qatar Open, which starts Jan. 2.
Nadal's coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, said going straight to a five-set tournament after being sidelined so long was "not appropriate."
"It is simply not conceivable that his first event is a best-of-five sets event," he said in a statement. "He wouldn't be ready for that."
Nadal's knee injury prevented the 11-time Grand Slam winner from defending his Olympic singles gold medal at last summer's games, where he was supposed to be Spain's flag-bearer in the opening ceremony. He also had to pull out of the U.S. Open and Spain's Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic, which his teammates lost without him.
Nadal, ranked No. 4, won the Australian Open in 2009. Last year, he lost to top-ranked Novak Djokovic in a title match that lasted 5 hours, 53 minutes, the longest recorded Grand Slam final.
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Pakistan seeks help to rescue 23 missing police
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) ? Pakistani officials pressured tribal elders Friday to help rescue 23 policemen believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban during attacks on their posts in the country's troubled northwest tribal region.
Also Friday, missiles fired from unmanned U.S. aircraft killed four suspected militants at a training center elsewhere in the remote frontier area, the main sanctuary for al-Qaida and Taliban fighters in the country, Pakistani intelligence officials said.
The 23 tribal policemen went missing before dawn Thursday when militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons attacked two posts in the Darra Adam Khel tribal region. Two policemen were also killed in the attacks.
Senior political officials held a meeting in the main northwest city of Peshawar on Friday with tribal elders from both the villages where the attacks took place, said government administrator Naveed Akbar Khan. Tribal law stipulates that the elders could be punished for attacks that occurred in their areas.
Officials gave the elders until Monday to rescue the missing policemen and arrest the culprits, said Khan. If they fail to do so, authorities may take punitive action, such as cutting off monthly allowances they receive from the government. The elders said they would do everything they could to help, said Khan.
Security forces have also launched an operation to try to recover the missing policemen.
The U.S. missile strike Friday occurred in Gorbuz village in the North Waziristan tribal area, said Pakistani intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Three missiles hit a suspected militant training center in the village, they said.
The U.S. rarely speaks publicly about the covert CIA drone program in Pakistan, but officials have said privately that the strikes have killed many senior Taliban and al-Qaida commanders.
____
Associated Press writer Rasool Dawar contributed to this report from Peshawar.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-seeks-help-rescue-23-missing-police-073230136.html
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Genetic sequencing breakthrough to aid treatment for congenital hyperinsulinism
Dec. 27, 2012 ? Congenital hyperinsulinism is a genetic condition where a baby's pancreas secretes too much insulin. It affects approximately one in 50,000 live births and in severe cases requires the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas.
Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School are the first in the world to utilise new genetic sequencing technology to sequence the entirety of a gene in order to identify mutations that cause hyperinsulinism. Previously, existing technology limited such sequencing to only part of the coding regions of the gene which meant that some mutations were missed.
Using new Illumina genetic sequencing technology, the research team led by Professor Sian Ellard has discovered novel mutations that cause hyperinsulinism. Their findings are published December 27 2012, on-line by The American Journal of Human Genetics.
The outcome will be that some infants born with hyperinsulinism will require fewer investigations, because the new technology means that for many only one genetic test will be required to determine the extent of the condition in each child. It also means that clinicians will have more information at their fingertips to inform them about how much of the pancreas needs to be removed.
Approximately 50 per cent of patients with congenital hyperinsulinism require surgery, and of those half require the entire pancreas to be removed. Removal of the entire pancreas increases the risk of diabetes later in life, but if left undiagnosed and untreated hyperinsulinism can result in irreparable brain damage. Symptoms range from shakiness and tiredness to seizure and coma.
Dr. Sarah Flanagan, Research Fellow in Molecular Genetics at the University of Exeter Medical School said: "The potential provided by this new technology is important and exciting, because it allows us to investigate genetic coding in its entirety. This means that investigators can identify mutations that sit at the heart of any number of conditions where before they might have been missed. This in turn results in better information for clinicians upon which they can base effective treatments and interventions for their patients."
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Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Exeter, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Sarah?E. Flanagan, Weijia Xie, Richard Caswell, Annet Damhuis, Christine Vianey-Saban, Teoman Akcay, Feyza Darendeliler, Firdevs Bas, Ayla Guven, Zeynep Siklar, Gonul Ocal, Merih Berberoglu, Nuala Murphy, Maureen O?Sullivan, Andrew Green, Peter?E. Clayton, Indraneel Banerjee, Peter?T. Clayton, Khalid Hussain, Michael?N. Weedon, Sian Ellard. Next-Generation Sequencing Reveals Deep Intronic Cryptic ABCC8 and HADH Splicing Founder Mutations Causing Hyperinsulinism by Pseudoexon Activation. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.11.017
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/Hvyf7POeyVQ/121227130325.htm
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imranijins: Vocational Education - ypasnsda's posterous
December 26, 2012 
Education
Economies of the world will turn into knowledge economies. With the basics of the world are changing with the evolution of technologies, it is important for a person to specialize in a particular area to find gainful employment.
This type of specialization is taught by vocational schools. In the fields of health, technology, art and business of professional training is offered in general. The classification of these subjects will still be conducted in other courses.
Vocational education has gained increased revival of enthusiasm in the world of today?s demand for skilled workers for the company. Vocational training in the details is extremely diverse theme and title of the analysis of a wide range of references and sources includes several specific questions about education, vocational training and career. You will find many online sources that can help you with detailed information about the training in education. Due to the desperate need that rises on a large scale among corporate houses of skilled workers in the world today believe that the people business schools, rebuild its stable foundation.
Faculty of vocational schools is very experienced. They provide practical knowledge to their students. As a result, students are able to have a real life experience and industry practice. Students are also provided with training.
There are several professional development projects around the world. In fact, every state has vocational schools, where villagers can earn degrees and become part of a dedicated workforce. The majority of these training institutions. Work according to the rules and regulations of the State Department of Education The Ministry of Education of the State or Central Government granted recognition training institute.
AVLC is a center of learning, different types of training, such as vocational training, job training, training, English IELTS and so provides.
Source: http://nationalmilitarychildeducationcenter.net/education/vocational-education.html
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Source: http://ypasnsda.posterous.com/imranijins-vocational-education
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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Cliff looms: Kicking the Can, Washington-style
WASHINGTON (AP) ? When it comes to the nation's budget challenges, congressional leaders are fond of saying dismissively they don't want to kick the can down the road.
But now, a deadline hard ahead, even derided half-measures are uncertain as President Barack Obama and lawmakers struggle to avert across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts that comprise an economy-threatening fiscal cliff.
Congressional officials said Wednesday they knew of no significant strides toward a compromise over a long Christmas weekend, and no negotiations have been set.
After conferring on a conference call, House Republican leaders said they remain ready for talks, urged the Senate to consider a House-passed bill that extends all existing tax cuts, but gave no hint they intend to call lawmakers back into session unless the Senate first passes legislation.
"The lines of communication remain open, and we will continue to work with our colleagues to avert the largest tax hike in American history, and to address the underlying problem, which is spending," the leadership said in a statement.
A short while later Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. countered that the House leadership should allow action on a Senate-passed bill that lets income tax rates rise only on incomes above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. The measure could "pass tomorrow" if put to a vote, he said.
The Senate is due in session Thursday, although the immediate agenda includes legislation setting the rules for government surveillance of suspected spies and terrorists abroad, including Americans, as well as a measure providing $60 billion for victims of Superstorm Sandy.
Obama decided to cut short his Hawaii vacation for an overnight flight expected to get him back to the White House on Thursday.
Apart from the cliff, other financial challenges loom for divided government, where political brinkmanship has become the norm. The Treasury disclosed during the day it would take accounting measures to avoid reaching the government's borrowing limit of $16.4 trillion by year's end. The changes will provide about two months of additional leeway.
Separately, spending authority for much of the government will expire on March 27, 2013.
After weeks of negotiations, the president urged lawmakers late last week to scale back their ambitions for avoiding the fiscal cliff and send him legislation preventing tax cuts on all but the highest-earning Americans and extending unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless. Longer, term, he said he still supports deficit cuts that were key to the earlier talks.
"Everybody's got to give a little bit in a sensible way," he said at the White House.
The House has no plans to convene, following last week's rebellion in which conservatives torpedoed Speaker John Boehner's legislation to prevent scheduled tax increases on most, while letting them take effect on million-dollar wage earners.
"How we get there, God only knows," the Ohio Republican said of efforts to protect the economy ? and taxpayers ? from the tax increases and spending cuts.
"Now is the time to show leadership, not kick the can down the road," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said a little over a week ago after Boehner announced he would shift his own focus from bipartisan talks to the approach that eventually was torpedoed by his own rank and file.
It's a phrase that political leaders use when they want to suggest others want to avoid tackling major problems, and one that Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia and even Obama as well as Reid have used.
"We have a spending problem. We have to address it, And we're not going to address it by kicking the can down the road," the speaker said at a news conference late last week when he was asked about setting a vote on a plan that Democrats find acceptable.
Cantor recently used the same approach in challenging Obama to agree to savings from Medicare and other benefit programs. "This has to be a part of this agreement or else we just continue to dig the hole deeper, asking folks to allow us to kick the can down the road further and that we don't want to do," he said on Nov. 28.
In fact, it's a phrase that has been in use for over a year as Obama and Republicans jockey for position on pocketbook issues.
In July 2011, when he was struggling with Republicans over the threat of a first-ever government default, Obama said he had "heard reports that there may be some in Congress who want to do just enough to make sure that America avoids defaulting on our debt in the short term. But then wants to kick the can down the road when it comes to solving the larger problem, our deficit."
A few months later, an extension of a payroll tax cut was the issue, and Boehner was insisting on a year-long renewal rather than the temporary plan that passed the Senate with votes from lawmakers in both parties.
"How can you do tax policy for two months?" he asked on Dec. 18, 2011. "I believe that two months is just kicking the can down the road.
"The American people are tired of that."
At issue now is series of tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to kick in with the new year that economists caution could send the economy into a recession.
___
AP Economics Writer Christopher S. Rugaber contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cliff-looms-kicking-washington-style-190538562--politics.html
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Don't blame video games - The Maddow Blog
Associated Press
A publicity image promoting "Call of Duty: Black Ops II."
When the NRA's Wayne LaPierre cast blame for gun violence, he listed all kinds of cultural elements, singling out, among other things, "vicious, violent video games." The Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan found the indictment compelling:
"The first half of the Wayne LaPierre statement, in which he passionately scored our culture -- the video games, the movies, the whole thing. We've all been through this for 25 years, and yet we cannot say it enough. Our culture is helping to make unstable people sick and dangerous. It does make a contribution. He was right to say it; I was delighted to hear it."
Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) didn't seem especially impressed by Noonan's praise for LaPierre's cultural criticism.
But is there anything to the larger argument? Putting aside the irony of the underlying point -- blaming simulated, pixelated guns is fine; blaming actual guns is not -- this isn't new. Plenty of officials, including folks like Joe Lieberman, have been arguing for years that violent games desensitizes young people to violence and contributes to a larger corrosive effect on the culture.
There's just no evidence to support the claims. Hunches and cultural criticisms notwithstanding, there is no science to bolster the contention that gaming and gun violence are connected. (Adam Lanza was reportedly obsessed with "Dance Dance Revolution" -- which is a game, as the name suggests, about moving feet, not shooting weapons.)
But the point I keep coming back to is simple: the United States is not the only country with young people who play a lot of video games, but it is the only country with high rates of gun violence.
Gaming is a huge cultural phenomenon in countries like South Korea, England, Japan, and Canada -- and they're all playing many of the same games Americans enjoy -- and yet, none of these countries comes close to the U.S. when it comes to deadly shootings.
And why not? Sociologists can speak to the differences in more detail, but I suspect it has something to do with access to firearms. It may seem tautological, but let's state it for the record anyway: societies with fewer guns have less gun violence, whether they're playing "Halo" or not.
Source: http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/12/26/16165183-dont-blame-video-games
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
F.C. Real Estate Agent Earns 'Emeritus' Status
The Long & Foster Real Estate Falls Church office announced this month that Lillian Peterson, a sales associate with the office, has earned the prestigious Realtor Emeritus status from the National Association of Realtors, in recognition of 45 years of service to the real estate community.
Peterson is also the first-ever member of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors to earn membership in the organization?s Multi-Million Dollar Sales Club each year for more than four consecutive decades and is the only member to hold that title. She is also a lifetime member of NVAR?s Top Producers Club.
Source: http://fcnp.com/2012/12/25/f-c-real-estate-agent-earns-emeritus-status/
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Jessica Simpson Confirms She's Expecting Second Baby
The rumors are true! Jessica Simpson gave her fans and followers a Christmas present when she confirmed on Dec. 25 that she's expecting her second child.
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Enzyme PRSS3 Linked To Prostate Cancer
Researchers have identified an enzyme,? PRSS3,?specifically linked to aggressive prostate cancer, and have also developed a compound that inhibits the ability of this molecule to promote the metastatic spread of the cancer.
They made the discovery by investigating publicly available databases, derived from clinical studies, which contain data on molecules that are upregulated - irregularly switched on - in cancer. They had previously discovered a link between the protease and the earlier stages of breast cancer. The research team wanted to see if any other cancer abnormally expresses this protease, and at what stages so they mined multiple databases.?
"This molecule is a protease, which means it digests other molecules. Our data suggests PRSS3 activity changes the environment around prostate cancer cells ? perhaps by freeing them from surrounding tissue ? to promote malignancy and invasiveness," says the study's senior investigator, Evette Radisky, Ph.D., a cancer biologist in the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center in Florida. "I don't think PRSS3 is the only factor involved in driving aggressive prostate cancer, but it may be significant for a certain subset of this cancer ? the kind that is potentially lethal.
"The link between PRSS3 activity and aggressive prostate cancer jumped out at us. We found a definitive trend of increasing PRSS3 expression with cancer progression."
Then, in mice models of prostate cancer, the researchers demonstrated that expression of the protease was critical for prostate cancer metastasis. Cancer did not spread in mice in which PRSS3 was silenced.
The group had earlier crystallized the structure of the PRSS3 protease, and discovered a place on the enzyme where a small protein therapeutic could bind to plug up the "scissoring" action of the molecule.
"The protease has an active site that breaks down other proteins, and our inhibiting agent sticks to the site, shutting it down," Radisky says.
The researchers say their finding suggests several possible future clinical applications. And the researchers' prototype drug provides a template upon which to build an agent that can be used to treat these same patients. "Our inhibitor does not have the characteristics we need for a clinically useful drug. But it puts us on the right path to develop one."
Published in?
Molecular Cancer Research
Source: http://www.science20.com/news_articles/enzyme_prss3_linked_prostate_cancer-99330
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Local Small Business Online Advertising And ... - web-starters.net
Do you own a local small business? Do you do local online advertising for your small business? You want to be on Google, and you want you local small business to show up several times on the first page of a local Google search. Local Profit Geyser teaches small business owners how to get listed multiple times on a Google search for your product/service category. www.localprofitgeyser.com ?local advertising? ?small business advertising? ?local online advertising? marketing ?SEO marketing? ?local SEO? ?Local directory listings? ?local advertising service? ?internet advertising? ?social media advertising? ?facebook advertising? ?online ads? ?Claude Whitacre? Claude Whitacre owner http Internet Advertising Strategies for Local Small Business Get internet advertising strategies for local small business as part of a holistic website marketing plan, ppc, seo, local search, social media. Local Internet Advertising Strategies Internet Advertising for Small Business & Internet Marketers . your entire online advertising strategy needs to be centered around the search engine. Internet Advertising Strategies for Small Businesses | Marketing Internet Advertising Strategies for Small Businesses. Internet Marketing Strategies for Local Small Business. Effectively targeting local internet users is the key to a successful website to promote your local small business. Marketing Plan Marketing .Marketing vs. Advertising: What?s the Difference? How are you utilizing integrated marketing in ?
Tags: advertising, Business, Businesses, Local, Marketing, online, Small, Video
Source: http://www.web-starters.net/?p=2449
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Monday, December 24, 2012
Picture Perfect Country Club Estates Home For Sale - Fontana WI
This Country Club Estates home has a view of Geneva Lake that people swoon over!
Designed for functionality and entertaining, this custom-built home in Fontana, WI offers a beautifully decorated home that was showcased in Sheridan Road magazine.? With huge windows, the gathering areas are filled with sunlight and offer great space for family and friends to get together.
The open-concept floor plan adds to the functionality of the home.? In designing the kitchen, the owners made sure to use all the best finishes and appliances.? Architectural appointments designed by McCormick & Etten.? The gourmet kitchen; has granite counters, Sub Zero, Miele, Viking appliances and a?Bose Stereo System throughout the home.? Beautiful?hardwood floors add to the quality finishing touches that make this home family friendly and perfect for entertaining.
?
Yes, I do believe this is the perfect spot to have your morning coffee!
When this home was designed, the owners made sure that the layout was functional for anybody.? With 2 master suites, it can serve great as a vacation home for friends.? The main floor master bath was just completely renovated and could be a picture for a Pottery Barn ad.? With it?s shabby chic feel and walk in shower you?ll feel right at home here.
The second master suite has it?s own wing of the home.? With a beautiful fireplace and windows that showcase your view of the lake this owner?s retreat will let all your worries melt away.? The bathroom has a deep, soaker tub and separate shower to make relaxing and getting ready easy for both of you!
Tucked away, this Master Suite has lake views, private bath and fireplace!
This home has stunning views of Geneva Lake.? It has an amazing view all year long, sits above Fontana so your view is over the harbor and all of the West End. There is no other place?we would rather be for fireworks and family fun.? With the wrap-around deck, and built-in Bose sound system, it?s the perfect set up for entertaining guests!
Located in Country Club Estates, you are within walking distance to the beach and golf course.? It?s so much fun for kids all summer long being able to created their own memories and make friends at the lake!
This is a home you have to see in person! To set up an appointment to see the property, call or text (262)745-3738.
Listing Price: $ 699,000 MLS #: 1287774
Address: 730 Arrowhead Drive
City: Fontana
State: WI
ZIP: 53125
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 3
Beautiful Gourmet Kitchen
?
This Country Club Estates home in Fontana, WI is listed by Michalene & Hans Melges with Keefe Real Estate, Lake Geneva. The Melges team shares their unparalleled knowledge and passion for Lake Geneva with their clients. Listening to what you are looking for in a lakefront vacation home, they will put their knowledge of every shoreline along Geneva Lake to work finding you the perfect home in the perfect location. If you?re looking for a home in Fontana or Lake Geneva, WI connect with the Melges Team for help. They?ll make sure all your questions are answered and that all the details are tended to making your home purchase their priority! Call or text (262)745-3738 to talk with the Melges Team and start making your dream about owning a Lake Geneva home possible! Source: http://agents.keeferealestate.com/michalene_melges/2012/12/23/country-club-estates-custom-home/
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Celaradith, Playground of the Gods - Brand new RP!
Moonfall.
Islithika celebrates this holiday once every 30 days during the phase of the new moon. It celebrates the end of something old, and new beginnigs.
Death and rebirth.
Mithras' town square is packed with revelers, music flows through the evening air. You can see it from the window, through the bars of the prison cell yourself and several others have been locked in. Who knows what you did or why you're in here, but one thing is certain. You need to escape.
Welcome to Celaradith, the Playground of the Gods. Grand adventures await you.
We are a brand new Fantasy-Steampunk adventure set in a completely original world, and have a limited number of character spots available for the start of the storyline, but it will open up shortly after we get off the ground!
Will you be one of the God-favoured Vaalir? Blessed with a talent from one of the Gods? Or will you be the Eraziim? Those who remained unblessed and shunned by the Vaalir, forced into a life of servitude.
Follow the link to start your adventure in a completely original, fresh new fantasy world! http://www.roleplaygateway.com/roleplay/celaradith-playground-of-the-gods/
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/HM34hjl6nqg/viewtopic.php
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martamatali: humus arbores: candida carnation: Biology Syllabus ...
If you?re encountered with biology syllabus assessment in that case he/she really needs to fully grasp the exact objectives to make sure that he/she are able to comprehend the objective. There are 3 well-known objectives concerning learning the field of biology which generally are to have practical knowledge with understanding, ability to actually deal with important information and resolve issues in conjunction with learning experimental skillsets as well as inspections.
The actual Biology Syllabus entails of scientific phenomena specifics hence these particular 3 important objectives are crucial for the main assessment procedure. A few other reasons for assessment are to be capable of making predictions, address issues, manipulate data and locate ideal sources to get knowledge acquisition.
Source: http://www.apodimosstudents.com/reference-and-education/biology-syllabus-so-what-does-the-subject-focused-on/
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Source: http://otvtekod.posterous.com/biology-syllabus-so-what-does-the-subject-foc
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Source: http://candida-carnation.blogspot.com/2012/12/biology-syllabus-so-what-does-subject.html
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Source: http://humus-arbores.blogspot.com/2012/12/candida-carnation-biology-syllabus-so.html
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Source: http://martamatali.blogspot.com/2012/12/humus-arbores-candida-carnation-biology.html
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Sunday, December 23, 2012
Ford hybrids hot sellers despite mileage concerns
Ford's C-Max hybrid has become the fastest-selling hybrid ever, even as Ford deals with discrepancies between the car's real-world gas mileage and its EPA rating.?
A Ford 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid vehicle is seen on display outside the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich, last month. The C-Max has become the fastest-selling hybrid ever in its first two month on the market, according to Ford.
Rebecca Cook/Reuters/File
EnlargeFord may yet have to account for discrepancies between real-world mileage and EPA ratings on its hybrids, but any issues certainly aren't harming its sales.
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The company reports that the C-Max hybrid has become the fastest-selling hybrid ever, with 8,030 units sold in its first two months on sale.
By comparison, the Toyota Camry Hybrid sold 7,300 units in its first two months on sale, May and June 2006.
Between C-Max Hybrid and the plug-in Energi hybrid, sales are three times that of the combined launch sales of the first-generation Toyota Prius and Honda Insight back in 2000.
We'd interject at this point and suggest that the latter statistic isn't surprising in the least, given that, like electric cars today, hybrids were very much new, unusual and disruptive technology back in 2000.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Bieber's Hamster Giveaway Causes Furry Furor
Justin Bieber bonds with his former pet, Pac-the-hamster. Image credit: Twitter @PacBieber.
Here?s a story that will give you paws. Or at least it has paws.
According to TMZ, Justin Bieber gave an unsuspecting fan an early Christmas present by unloading his pet hamster, named PAC, on her during a recent concert.
?That?s all you,? Bieber can be heard shouting to the girl over the screams of the crowd as the incident was captured on?grainy video. ?You gotta take care of PAC.?
The girl, identified as Victoria Blair, age 18, screamed back, ?I will take care of him!?
The?California Hamster Association?is not amused. They simply cannot belieb the pop star acted so irresponsibly.
First of all, yes. There really is a California Hamster Association (CHA). And second, as David Imber, an adviser and spokesman for the organization pointed out ? what Bieber did was not cool.
?No doubt Justin Bieber meant well in delighting his adoring fan with the gift of his hamster, but without realizing it he was practicing a form of animal cruelty,? Imber said.
?We have subsequently read that the recipient is attempting to be responsible about caring for the animal, but absent any other indication, in general it is extremely likely that this hamster would have been harmed,? Imber continued. ?No pet, large or small, should ever be ?gifted? to an unknowing recipient.?
Beiber could not immediately be reached for comment by ABC News but Blair told ABC News that PAC is doing fine.
If you are considering giving the gift of a hamster this year, the CHA urges using some common sense.
This means never surprising someone with any sort of creature, let alone something as sensitive and fragile as a cute and furry little hamster. Without discussing it with them first, you don?t know if someone has the means or desire to provide proper care for the animal (as with any animal), including suitable housing, plenty of food and water, and one of those squeaky exercise wheels. And definitely, under no circumstances should you hand over a pet to the recipient at a concert.
Imber worried that most people don?t realize hamsters actually?don?t make?great pets for little kids even though they are inexpensive and reproduce in great numbers.
?They do not typically sit calmly in one?s lap, but roam incessantly ? the reason we give them wheels ? and they have a very short life span of fewer than 1,000 days,? he said.
If you do decide to go forward with a pet present, remind the new owner that they can leave it in the care of a shelter or animal rescue center should they no longer wish to keep it ? again, keeping in mind that any handoff should not occur in the midst of a screaming mob of adolescent girls.
But anyway, three holiday cheers for PAC?s new situation. Our little ham-star?doesn?t?appear doomed to die a horrible death as the CHA initially feared. In fact, he seems to be thriving like the tiny rodent royalty he is, even tossing out the occasional tweet to his nearly 46,000 followers.
?Yes, it?s true.?@victoriablair21?is ?my? new owner, she takes care of me so don?t worry,? said one of his tweets that posted a few days after he was handed over to Blair.
It was hashtagged, #happyhamster.
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/12/22/biebers-hamster-giveaway-causes-furry-furor/
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Top telecom companies in China
Three businesses which are run by the state dominate the Chinese telecommunications industry (the first three mentioned in this article (China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile). All three of them were formed after the Ministry of Information Industry directed a revolution in 2008.
China Mobile Limited
This company which used to be called China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited, is a mobile telecommunications and related services provider of different autonomous regions and municipalities throughout China by means of a completely contiguous digital mobile network. It also services thirty-one provinces.
China Telecom
As a provider of telecommunications and information services, China Telecom?s main business includes providing customers with local and international long-distance telephone. It has more than 216,000,000 subscribers for its telephone services and nearly 40,000,000 customers it provides with broadband internet acces.
China Unicom
Right now China Unicom provides Chinese municipalities, autonomous regions and up to 30 provinces with cellular business (GSM and CDMA), including long distance calls (both international and domestic), Internet data as well as other related services. Today the company totals some 372,000,000 subscribers (adding up both local telephone and broadband businesses).
China TieTong Telecommunications Corporation
This is a basic telecommunications operator(which is incidently owned by the state) offering various telecom services which include image and multimedia communications, data, domestic/international voice, as well as a resource leasing service for domestic communications.
Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.
This Taiwanese company is a telecommunication service provider that operates its business by means of fixed-line communication services, which include urban and long distance telephone as well as ISDN (integrated service digital network) IN (intelligent network) MOD (multimedia on demand) and domestic circuit leasing services.
Datang Telecom Technology Co.,Ltd.
This company which does business in the areas of software, communication access and terminals as well as microelectronics industries, and it also engages in the provision of SIM cards, GSM cards as well as UIM cards.
Source: http://www.onbile.com/info/top-telecom-companies-in-china/
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Assad's ally Russia 'not concerned' about his fate
Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP - Getty Images
Russia's President Vladimir Putin speaks Thursday about Syria and other issues during his major annual news conference in Moscow.
By NBC News wire services
MOSCOW -- Russia's main concern in Syria is the fate of the country and not that of President Bashar Assad, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.
He said Moscow wanted to ensure that any solution to the conflict in Syria must prevent the opposition and government forces just swapping roles and continuing to fight indefinitely, Reuters reported.
?We are not concerned about the fate of Assad's regime. We understand what is going on there,? Putin said at his annual, nationally broadcast news conference.
?We are worried about a different thing: What next? We simply don't want the current opposition, having become the authorities, to start fighting the people who are the current authorities and become the opposition -- and (we don't want) this to go on forever," he added.
There is a growing sense of desperation at refugee camps along the Jordanian border. Refugees say in Syria you die from warfare, but in the camps it is a slow death caused by hunger and sickness. ITN's Emma Murphy reports.
Russia has been criticized by the West for blocking United Nations Security Council resolutions designed to put more pressure on Assad and his government.
Damascus has been increasingly pushed in recent weeks as the 21-month war, which has claimed at least 40,000 lives, rages on.
Last week, more than 100 nations, including the United States, recognized the new Syrian opposition council as the legitimate representative of the country, a boost for the opposition forces that have been bombing regime targets in and around Damascus, once an impregnable stronghold of the Assad regime.
Related content:
Richard Engel and NBC News team freed from captors in Syria
Final member of NBC News team working with Richard Engel crosses safely from Syria
In rare interview, Syrian vice president says neither side can win
NBC's Richard Engel and two members of his crew are safe after being held captive in Syria for five days. Rev. Al Sharpton explains.
On Sunday, Syria's longtime vice president Farouk al-Sharaa?said that his regime and the rebels were both going down a losing path after 21 months of civil war, a rare admission by a top government official that Assad's victory was unlikely.
Al-Sharaa, a Sunni Muslim in a power structure dominated by Assad's Alawite minority, has rarely appeared in public since the revolt erupted in March 2011.?
He told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar that neither the rebels nor the Assad regime can "decide the battle militarily."?
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Muhammed Muheisen / AP
A look back at the violence that has overtaken Syria
More world stories from NBC News:
Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
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Friday, December 21, 2012
Cost of Coastal Living to Climb Under New Flood Rules ? Scarsdale ...
New York and New Jersey residents, just coming to grips with the enormous costs of repairing homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, will soon face another financial blow: soaring flood insurance rates and heightened standards for rebuilding that threaten to make seaside living, once and for all, a luxury only the wealthy can afford.
Homeowners in storm-damaged coastal areas who had flood insurance ? and many more who did not, but will now be required to ? will face premium increases of as much as 20 percent or 25 percent per year beginning in January, under legislation enacted in July to shore up the debt-ridden National Flood Insurance Program. The yearly increases will add hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to homeowners? annual bills.
The higher premiums, coupled with expensive requirements for homes being rebuilt within newly mapped flood hazard zones, which will take into account the storm?s vast reach, pose a serious threat to middle-class and lower-income enclaves. In Queens, on Staten Island, on Long Island and at the Jersey Shore, many families have clung fast to a modest coastal lifestyle, often passing bungalows or small Victorian homes down through generations, even as development turned other places into playgrounds for the well-to-do.
While many homeowners are beginning to rebuild without any thought to future costs, the changes could propel a demographic shift along the Northeast Coast, even in places spared by the storm, according to federal officials, insurance industry executives and regional development experts. Ronald Schiffman, a former member of the New York City Planning Commission, said that barring intervention by Congress or the states, there would be ?a massive displacement of low-income families from their historic communities.?
After weeks of tearing debris from her 87-year-old, two-story house on the bay side of Long Beach, N.Y., Barbara Carman, 59, said she understood the need to stabilize the flood insurance program, but she compared coming premium increases to ?kicking people while they?re down.?
Ms. Carman and her husband, who had hoped to retire in a few years, were reconsidering whether they could afford to remain on the coast on fixed incomes. But she said she feared that even selling their home could be hard. ?Only wealthy people could afford it, I guess, not middle-class people,? she said. ?You?re going to price us out of here.?
The heightened financial pressure has emerged as an unintended consequence of efforts to stop the government subsidization of risk that has encouraged so many to build and rebuild along coasts increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather. Supporters of the effort acknowledged that it would squeeze lower-income residents but said it was vital for the insurance program to reflect the risk of living along the shore.
?The irony is, if we allowed market forces to dictate at the coast, a lot of the development in the wrong places would never have gotten built,? said Jeffrey Tittel, director of the Sierra Club?s chapter in New Jersey. ?But we didn?t. We subsidized that development with low insurance rates for decades. And we can?t afford to keep doing that. Should a person who lives in an apartment in Newark pay for someone?s beach house??
Because private insurers rarely provide flood insurance, the program has been run by the federal government, which kept rates artificially low under pressure from the real estate industry and other groups. Flood insurance in higher-risk areas typically costs $1,100 to $3,000 a year, for coverage capped at $250,000; the contents of a home could be insured up to $100,000 for an additional $500 or so a year, said Steve Harty, president of National Flood Services, a large claims-processing company.Premiums will double for new policyholders and many old ones within three or four years under the new law.
Across the board, rates will begin rising an average of 20 percent after Jan. 1, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency; rate increases had previously been capped at 10 percent. For properties older than the flood insurance program, where premiums cost half as much as for newer buildings, those discounts are being phased out, through yearly rate increases of 25 percent. Second homes and businesses will see these increases next year without exception.
Primary homes will lose their discounted rates if repairs cost more than half the value of the home, if the home has had recurring flood damage or if the owner refuses an offer of money to help elevate or relocate the building ? the exact situations being confronted by many homeowners affected by Hurricane Sandy. The discounted rates disappear if owners sell, let their policies lapse or make major improvements.
The practice of grandfathering is also being discontinued: homes that were built in areas deemed safe at the time, but later added to flood hazard areas, will no longer be treated as though they are on high ground.
At the same time, avoiding the expense of flood insurance will become harder for middleclass homeowners, many of whom have historically dropped their policies after a few uneventful years even though it is required for homeowners with federally backed mortgages who live in flood-prone areas. Lenders who do not enforce the requirement will face higher penalties. The stiffened penalties, higher premiums and elimination of subsidies enacted in July were meant to bolster the finances of the flood insurance program; it fell $18 billion into debt after Hurricane Katrina and had just $3 billion of borrowing capacity left before Hurricane Sandy, which could prompt claims of $6 billion to $12 billion. Congress was prodded into action not just by fiscal conservatives but also by environmental advocates who believed the program encouraged reckless development in harm?s way.
But the law did not address affordability, except to say that FEMA should study it.
?You have to move toward fiscal soundness,? said J. Robert Hunter, a federal insurance administrator during the Ford and Carter administrations who is now insurance director for the Consumer Federation of America. ?But we?ve said you also have to add some protection for low-income people. But they?ve never done it.?
Mr. Hunter, who was named to a post-storm commission on resilience by New York?s governor, Andrew M. Cuomo, said his analysis of FEMA data showed that fewer than 30 percent of homes in areas affected by the storm had policies in effect.
Agency officials said it would be months before the new flood maps were finished, which means that homeowners are approaching the question of rebuilding without a full understanding of the requirements they may face.
Dave Miller, head of the National Flood Insurance Program, said FEMA would provide guidance on map updates to local officials long before the maps were made official.
But he urged homeowners to think beyond the current standards. ?It may not hit you today,?Mr. Miller said, ?but a year or two from now, when the maps are adopted, it?s going to hit your community, and you?re going to ask, ?Why didn?t we hear this before???
Edward Thomas, a longtime FEMA official who is now president of the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association, said raising a structure even higher than the new minimum elevation was the only prudent option. Premiums when the next maps are adopted could be ?absolutely enormous: a doubling or tripling of the rate,? he said.
Yet exceeding still-unwritten flood standards is a ruefully far-fetched notion for New York and New Jersey residents, for whom mountains of ruined possessions are the immediate reality and rebuilding at all is a financially daunting question.
In Breezy Point, on the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, Jimmy O?Meara, 66, a retired Wall Street executive, said he had the means to rebuild his 1930s-era bungalow, though he had no flood insurance. But he worried aloud that his neighbors ? firefighters, police officers and retirees ? could give up when they realize the costs of returning.
?I don?t want to live there alone,? he said. ?If there?s no ceiling on the cost of insurance,it may dissuade people from rebuilding or staying. It could depopulate Breezy, if not just the threat of storms increases, but the cost of living there increases dramatically.?
By DAVID M. HALBFINGER
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China's Xi gives backing to embattled Hong Kong leader
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese Communist Party chief Xi Jinping gave his backing on Thursday to Hong Kong's embattled leader, Leung Chun-ying, who is under heavy criticism in the territory over unauthorized building works at his home.
Leung narrowly survived a motion of no-confidence this month over the structures at his home that have undermined his integrity and triggered calls for a mass protest on January 1 to lobby for his resignation.
At a meeting in Beijing, Xi appeared to throw his support behind Leung, who was anointed for Hong Kong's top job after being selected by a small body of mostly pro-Beijing elites earlier this year.
"The (Hong Kong) government has done concrete work, it has been proactive and its responsibilities are heavy. The central government endorses the work of the (Hong Kong) government," Xi said in remarks carried on Hong Kong's Cable TV.
Xi added that China's new leadership will not change broad policy directions for Hong Kong and Macau and would uphold the "one country, two systems" principle under which the two territories are allowed to run its own affairs.
Hong Kong and Macau returned to Chinese rule in 1997 and 1999 and promised a high level of autonomy.
Beijing-backed Leung was criticized by pro-democracy lawmakers this month for failing to give a clear account of building works in his hilltop mansion - something he seized upon to oust his rival Henry Tang, when both ran for Hong Kong's chief executive post this year.
In space-starved Hong Kong, embellishments to homes are common to maximize living space, but similar violations have ensnared several prominent officials over the past year.
Leung has endured a difficult half year, wrestling with issues ranging from high property prices and perceived interference from China over education, to grassroots resentment caused by a tide of Chinese visitors and pregnant mainland women cramming maternity wards to gain local citizenship.
(Reporting by Tan Ee Lyn; Editing by Ron Popeski)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chinas-xi-gives-backing-embattled-hong-kong-leader-121437821.html
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Thursday, December 20, 2012
Instagram comments on changes in Terms of Service, they're not selling your photos
Instagram users were in a uproar this morning after the company made changes to their terms of service. Namely, what they can do with your content that you upload to the service. Instagram has now commented on their on blog to clarify what those changes mean and how they really affect end users.
The concern Instagram users had was with a portion of their terms of service that Instagram is claiming was not worded well and could easily be misinterpreted. Namely, who owns your photos and what Instagram can and can't do with them without your permission.
Where ownership rights are concerned, Instagram's co-founder Kevin Systrom, had this to say:
Instagram users own their content and Instagram does not claim any ownership rights over your photos. Nothing about this has changed. We respect that there are creative artists and hobbyists alike that pour their heart into creating beautiful photos, and we respect that your photos are your photos. Period.
I always want you to feel comfortable sharing your photos on Instagram and we will always work hard to foster and respect our community and go out of our way to support its rights.
When it comes to advertising, Instagram does claim to be a business, which they are. And as such, they need to have ways to sustain that business in the form of advertising. They've made it clear in their latest comments that they don't intend on spamming users with banner ads but allowing business owners and individuals to promote their content in order to gain a more meaningful following.
To provide context, we envision a future where both users and brands alike may promote their photos & accounts to increase engagement and to build a more meaningful following. Let?s say a business wanted to promote their account to gain more followers and Instagram was able to feature them in some way. In order to help make a more relevant and useful promotion, it would be helpful to see which of the people you follow also follow this business. In this way, some of the data you produce ? like the actions you take (eg, following the account) and your profile photo ? might show up if you are following this business.
As far as privacy is concerned, Instagram has publicly stated that if your photos are private, they will remain that way. In other words, you don't have to worry about your boss seeing an advertisement for sun screen where you are in a 2-piece bathing suit with your friends on the beach.
Either way, if you're still concerned over Instagram's new terms of service, you can always back up your photos and delete your account. Otherwise, for end users, it may not be much of a change at all. We aren't sure at this point if things are getting reworded due to public outcry or if it really was just a misinterpretation.
You can hit the source link to read the rest of Kevin Systrom's blog posting on Instagram. Then come back and let us know whether or not you'll be keeping your Instagram account or if you're debating deleting it.
Source: Instagram
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/dSu7pqVVGdU/story01.htm
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