Thursday, October 25, 2012

Judge to rule on Romney testimony: Staples' value may be key

CANTON, Mass (Reuters) - A Massachusetts state court judge delayed for a day a decision on whether to make public testimony that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave more than two decades ago in divorce proceedings involving the founder of the Staples Inc office products chain.

The testimony included a disputed June 1991 assessment by Romney of the value of Staples, according to a person who spoke with the founder's ex-wife.

Maureen Sullivan Stemberg, the former wife of Staples founder Tom Stemberg, appeared at a court hearing in Canton, Massachusetts, outside Boston, to say she had no objection to making public Romney's testimony in her divorce.

The testimony could become public less than two weeks before Romney faces incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama in the November 6 election.

The Boston Globe newspaper on October 15 asked the court to make the testimony public before the election. Its attorney, Jonathan Albano, argued in court on Wednesday that it was appropriate for the court to reassess the need to keep the records private now that Romney is seeking the presidency.

While there were no hints at Wednesday's court hearing about the contents of the testimony, an independent film maker said he had been told by Sullivan Stemberg that Romney testified that her holdings in Staples were worth very little.

"She felt that he devalued the stock. And what really kind of proved it was that one minute it wasn't worth anything at all and all of a sudden it was worth a whole lot," according to Edmund Druilhet from Dragon-Lion Media, who interviewed Sullivan Stemberg in 2008 for a movie on her life that was never completed.

"He was stating for his best friend to save money in a divorce that the stock was worth very little," Druilhet said in a phone interview.

Romney campaign officials did not directly address Druilhet's assertion. His attorney raised no objection to the testimony being made public.

"From the governor's perspective, the sooner we get at it, the better," attorney Robert Jones said during the court proceedings.

Staples had been publicly traded for more than two years by the time Romney testified. The company had a $264.4 million market capitalization on June 26, 1991 - the first of two days of Romney's testimony that the Globe is seeking to make public.

Over the next year, it nearly doubled in value, reaching $507.1 million by June 26, 1992, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Today Staples has a $7.72 billion market capitalization.

Sullivan Stemberg's attorney, Gloria Allred, said her client supported making the testimony public.

"We have no objection to the motion by the Boston Globe, because we believe the people have a right to know what Mitt Romney's testimony under oath was," Allred told reporters before the hearing, at Norfolk Probate and Family Court.

STRONG OBJECTION

Allred, a well known civil rights attorney, declined to discuss the contents of the testimony with reporters and declined to comment on Druilhet's assertion.

Tom Stemberg, who spoke at the Republican National Convention in Orlando in August, was not present at the hearing. His attorney, Brian Leary, strongly objected to making public the testimony, contained in two inch-thick bundles of paper that Allred produced in court and another volume she said she had.

"This is not an issue involving Governor Romney," Leary said in court of the former Massachusetts governor, whose private equity firm, Bain Capital, funded Staples' launch. "This is a private divorce matter."

Leary later declined to comment on Druilhet's statements.

Assistant Judicial Case Manager Jennifer Ulwick, who denied Leary's request to keep media out of the court proceeding, gave Leary, as well as attorneys for Romney and Staples, a day to review the testimony to see if it contained confidential information before deciding on whether to make it public.

She told the attorneys as well as Sullivan Stemberg not to discuss the case with the media prior to her ruling on whether to make the documents public.

An attorney for Staples asked for time to review the documents to ensure they contained no confidential information that would damage the office supply retailer's business interests.

Leary described it as expert testimony on investment matters, while Allred said it was unclear whether it was limited to that.

Ulwick granted a request to have a television camera present for Thursday's court session to rule on whether to make Romney's testimony public.

The Globe and Staples declined further comment.

Allred donated $2,500 to the Obama campaign in September, according to the OpenSecrets.org, a website run by the Center for Responsive Politics.

(Reporting By Scott Malone; Editing by Martin Howell and Steve Orlofsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/judge-rule-romney-testimony-staples-value-may-key-221500167--finance.html

fiat 500 abarth madonna halftime m i a mia super bowl tom coughlin

Clearing Up The Confusion: It?s ?The New Windows 8 UI? ? Not ?Metro UI?

metro_signEver since we heard the first rumors about Microsoft dropping the "Metro" moniker for its new touch interface and its app, there has been a lot of confusion about what the new interface should be called. Is it the new Windows UI? Windows 8-style UI? Are they Windows 8 apps or Windows Store app? Is it still Metro and all the rumors were false? Even just a day before the launch of Windows 8, most people still don't know what to call it (and I just spent most of the day in briefings with Microsoft partners ahead of the launch). To clear things up, I asked Microsoft for its own official guidance today (because inside of Microsoft, people are using different names as well).

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/A1wCvsfiqJ8/

los angeles kings earth day timothy leary jonathan frid pujols watchmen hitch

NCAA FB: USC vs. Tennessee (moneyline)

Old Yesterday, 11:11 PM ? #1

Outsider Onfo

?
Male

Join Date: Sep 2007

Location: North Augusta

Posts: 36,873
CockyCash: 94332417673


10/27 Noon

Luke Skycocker is online now ? Reply With Quote

Source: http://www.cockytalk.com/showthread.php?t=181447&goto=newpost

multiple sclerosis falling skies rodney king Webb Simpson Fathers Day Quotes Stevie J mothers day 2012

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Ballseye's Boomers: Second Piece of Good News I Heard Today

THE RED ZONE

Scroll down through the Red Zone to read my disclaimer, find out more about me, find contacts for government officials, get some basic information about our most cherished national documents, discover ways to help support U.S. Troops overseas, and to find links to help you learn about the Flag of the United States of America.

DISCLAIMER

Use of any information or advice that I supply or to which I link is done at your own risk. Your use of my blog, in any manner, is your consent to hold me harmless and indemnify me and other sources mentioned herein, from any claim(s) against me, or those other sources, said claim(s) arising directly or indirectly from your use of this blog or any content therein or linked to it, or arising from your passing on of information from this blog to any party and their use or passing on of it ad infinitum.

Source: http://ballseyesboomers.blogspot.com/2012/10/second-piece-of-good-news-i-heard-today.html

Jordyn Wieber michael phelps Kerri Strug Ledecky Nadia Comaneci Rebecca Soni Snoop Lion

T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard

DNP TMobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard

T-Mobile silently killed off its $10 per month 200MB data plans, a leaked document reveals. A company spokesperson verified the news with Fierce Wireless. This decision is most likely due to the growing demand for mobile data as smartphone applications continue to evolve. Grandfathered customers will not be affected by this new policy, but will need to pay full price for a device and sign up for a "Value" plan when upgrading in order to maintain their existing service plan. T-Mobile now requires its smartphone customers to have a minimum data plan of 2GB or higher, which starts at $20 per month. While this change may make sense for most smartphone users, existing customers who are light on data and heavy on savings might have a different perspective when it's time to buy a new phone. Check out an extreme closeup of T-Mobile's document after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard

Filed under: , ,

T-Mobile drops 200MB smartphone data plan, 2GB now the new standard originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Phone Scoop, Fierce Wireless  |  sourceTmoNews  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/19/t-mobile-drops-200mb-smartphone-data-plan/

nhl all star draft touch nitrous oxide rihanna thug life tattoo chuck pagano arizona governor seal team 6

Solar power is contagious

ScienceDaily (Oct. 18, 2012) ? People are more likely to install a solar panel on their home if their neighbors have one, according to a Yale and New York University study in the journal Marketing Science.

The researchers studied clusters of solar installations throughout California from January 2001 to December 2011 and found that residents of a particular zip code are more likely to install solar panels if they already exist in that zip code and on their street.

"We looked at the influence that the number of cumulative adoptions -- the number of people who already installed solar panels in a zip code -- had on the probability there would be a new adoption in that zip code," said Kenneth Gillingham, the study's co-author and assistant professor of economics at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. "Our approach controls for a variety of other possible explanations, including clustering of environmental preferences or marketing activity."

They calculated that 10 extra installations in a zip code increase the probability of an adoption by 7.8 percent. If there is a 10 percent increase in the total number of people with solar panels in a zip code -- the "installed base" -- there will be a 54 percent increase in the adoption of solar panels.

"These results provide clear evidence of a statistically and economically significant effect," said Bryan Bollinger, the other co-author and assistant professor of marketing at New York University Stern School of Business.

The study also shows that the visibility of the panels and word-of-mouth led to larger installations. "If my neighbor installs a solar panel and tells me he's saving money and he's really excited about it, it's likely I'll go ahead and do the same thing," said Gillingham. "Then there are others who'll install because they don't want to be one-upped by their neighbors."

The researchers found that white males between the ages of 45 and 65 who have a 30-minute commute and home repairs were associated with higher adoption rates. Gillingham suggested that a disproportionate number of engineers working in Silicon Valley may explain the result. In addition, larger households and people with longer commutes were more exposed to solar installations, thus more likely to adopt the technology, compared to people who carpooled and lived in smaller households.

"These findings have clear implications for marketers who are striving to reduce the high cost of consumer acquisition in the solar photovoltaic market," said Bollinger.

In January 2006 the California Public Utilities Commission established the California Solar Initiative, a $3.3 billion, 10-year rebate program encouraging the installation of 3,000 megawatts of solar infrastructure over the ensuing decade. These subsidies, according to the authors, have increased the number of solar installations to 17,000 in 2010 from fewer than 1,000 in 2001. The authors used the 85,046 requested residential installations during that time in their calculations.

"Our finding of an increasing effect of new installations in a zip code suggests that targeting marketing efforts in areas that already have some installations is a promising strategy," said Gillingham.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Yale University, 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:

  1. B. Bollinger, K. Gillingham. Peer Effects in the Diffusion of Solar Photovoltaic Panels. Marketing Science, 2012; DOI: 10.1287/mksc.1120.0727

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/STfXuwO0mB0/121018162213.htm

watchmen hitch justin beiber lamar odom perfect game jon jones vs rashad evans results justin bieber

4 Myths About Feeding Your Baby | Modern Alternative Mama

Julian at 8 months feeding himself avocado

There is a plethora of information at the disposal of parents today regarding feeding your baby. Unfortunately, it is difficult to know what is good advice, what is well-intentioned and what is just plain wrong, especially when people you trust, such as your mom or pediatrician, are the ones doling out the advice. I hope to dispel some commonly held ideas today and give you encouragement to do what is best for your child regardless of what others think.

Myth # 1: The best first food is rice cereal.?

What is the best first food for my baby? Ask your pediatrician and the answer will most likely be rice cereal. Unfortunately, any grain-based food is not a good choice when starting solids with your baby. The Weston A. Price foundation, a source I highly respect, has this to say,

?Grains, nuts and seeds should be the last food given to babies. This food category has the most potential for causing digestive disturbances or allergies. Babies do not produce the needed enzyme to handle cereals, especially gluten-containing grains like wheat, before the age of one year.?

The needed enzyme, pancreatic amylase, is not produced by the body until at least one year of age, although some experts say it is not fully produced until somewhere between 5-12 years of age (1, 2). After researching this, my husband and I decided to wait on feeding our son any grains until all of his first year molars came in. For us, that meant that we have been eating grain-free as a family for about a year now. My son?s molars recently all came in and, while we plan to introduce properly prepared grains slowly over the next few months, I must say that after we discovered how delicious ?baked goods with almond flour (such as these muffins) are over the past year, it would be hard to cut that out completely!

Myth #2: You must wait ____ days between introducing each new food.?

Some websites say three days, your pediatrician says five and your best friend?s grandma says two if your baby is a girl and four if your baby is a boy. In my research, I could find no evidence that this is necessary. My best guess is that this idea surfaced because of how young most babies are when they are given solid food for the first time. Any reaction to food they are given is more likely than not due to the fact that their little bodies are not ready to consume anything other than breast milk. Delaying solid foods until at least 6 months of age may make a big difference for your baby. For my family, we chose a baby-led approach to feeding, which means that your baby eats what the rest of the family eats. I can assure you that I do not feed my family one food at a time and I do not want to spend any more time preparing food than I already do. Not only is this ?rule? unsubstantiated, it is rather impractical!

Myth #3: Babies are ready for food when ________.

Only you truly know your baby. There is no magical milestone that clearly indicates your baby is ready to eat solid food. While there is certainly a ?window of opportunity? to introducing solid food to your baby, usually between 6-9 months, there is no one indicator, be it age, weight or sleep patterns. It is also interesting to note that several reputable sources (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) suggest that?all babies be?exclusively?breastfed (no cereal, juice, water etc.) for the first 6 months of life. I don?t know about you, but our pediatrician began recommending rice cereal when our son was merely 4 months old. I politely told her we would not ever be giving him rice cereal and that was the last I heard about that! Kelly Mom?gives several good reasons why exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of age is the best choice. For my family, we chose to keep our son exclusively breastfed for 8 months.

Myth #4: Babies need baby food.?

When I was pregnant with my now 17 month old son (and before I started researching real food), I knew that when the time came for introducing solid food to him we would not be buying jarred (or boxed, pouched, plastic encased) baby food. While my parents, in the late eighties and mid nineties, did occasionally use jarred baby food, they also tell me stories of throwing whatever they were having for dinner in the blender to feed my sister and I. I figured that would not be too difficult and would definitely save some money. Then, when I started researching real food, I realized that not only do babies not need jarred baby food from the grocery store, but they don?t even need pureed food. What a relief this was to me! I had visions of myself standing in front of the blender for hours mixing up food for my little guy.

I came across this book?in my research and, while I don?t agree with everything the author suggests, her idea were the catalyst I needed to firm up my philosophy on feeding my baby solid food. Like I mentioned earlier in the post, we adopted a baby-led feeding (you may hear this called baby-led weaning, but I don?t like that term because it insinuates ceasing breastfeeding, which was not our goal in the least bit) approach, which means that we fed our son what we ate. We did not spoon feed him (except when eating something like soup), but rather put the food directly on his high chair tray and let him at it! Sure, this often times resulted in a messy baby and a messy floor, but, for my family, the benefits of feeding him this way far outweighed the mess.

What About Toddlers?

Julian at seventeen months feeding himself brown rice spaghetti

I have spent quite a bit of time talking about babies, but what about toddlers? How does this look in real life? To be honest, when we are at home, I don?t often think about the food/lifestyle choices we make as being counter-cultural. It isn?t until we are out in public at restaurants, extended family events, church potlucks or even in the nursery on Sunday mornings that I am reminded that we are, for lack of a better term, odd.

Our son ?has never eaten typical kid food. Chicken nuggets, fish crackers, animal cookies, puffs etc. have no place in our home or in my toddler?s tummy. He eats what we eat for meals and snacks on real food, like raw milk cheese cubes, organic raisins and mushrooms. Since he chose to stop breastfeeding, he drinks non-homogenized, low temp, vat pasteurized whole milk (we don?t have a source for raw) and filtered water.

I don?t say these things to brag (I am certain there are families out there who eat better than we do!), but to offer encouragement to other mommas (and dads!) who are worried about the choices they are making for their little ones. You may be given blank stares, scoffed at or even openly ridiculed by others, but hold your head up high and know that you are doing the best you can with the information you have available.

If you need a source of in-depth information on baby and toddler feeding, plus healthy recipes they?ll actually eat, try Breast to Bib! ?And yes, you can even find homemade chicken nuggets in there.

Other Sources

There are several e-books available to help you navigate the waters of baby feeding. One of my favorites is Kate?s Breast to Bib! Here are also some other blog posts that cover this topic that are worth perusing:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Source: http://www.modernalternativemama.com/blog/2012/10/20/4-myths-about-feeding-your-baby/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=4-myths-about-feeding-your-baby

Alexis Wright presidential debates seahawks Felix Baumgartner Little Nemo gawker green bay packers

Friday, October 19, 2012

The Importance of Consumer Reviews for Web Store

The e-commerce industry has expanded the consumer market. Online businesses have global access because there are no physical or geographical limitations to their consumer base. For example, a physical shop can only target the local community in the surrounding area, whereas, a web store can reach an international audience via the internet. As such, many entrepreneurs have created an online presence for their businesses. To remain competitive in this saturated industry, your web store must be visually attractive as well as display useful information for potential clients.
Consumers are now more astute when it comes to purchasing. With the knowledge available to them through the internet, consumers can make more informed choices based on online research and product comparison. As an web store owner, make sure your website includes product reviews and assessments. This is an essential element which helps buyers decide if your product is suited to their needs and wants.
Most buyers will not purchase an unknown product. Since they cannot see or physically touch the products sold on a web store, they rely on client testimonials to evaluate the quality of the product and the reputation of the company. The reviews help dispel any doubts a buyer may have because they document real experience of the product. The buyer feels secure knowing that the merchandise has been tried and tested. Furthermore, these reviews give the website a more 'human' element because people can read about how the product was satisfactory and helpful in real life situations.
Clients also appreciate the display of product reviews and client assessments as it lends credibility to your web store business.

The image it conveys is that your company is legitimate and that you are confident enough to allow people to post their opinions about your product.
Feedback and product appraisals from satisfied clients is often the most effective mode of advertising for your e-business. Best of all, it is free. Visitors who browse through your web store will often read the reviews before they decide to purchase. Most times, a good review is all you need to convince a person to buy your product. Also, with the use of web links, product reviews have the power to increase the flow of traffic to your website which, in turn, will translate into more sales.
Consider the benefits a customer review page can bring to your web store. If you want to increase the visibility of your e-business in the cyber world, the best way is to compile positive reviews from existing customers and post them your website. Customers will always look for testimonials and peer assessments to help them decide whether or not they should buy your product.
?

Source: http://product-review.ezinemark.com/the-importance-of-consumer-reviews-for-web-store-7d37f1ffde5c.html

bubba watson recent earthquakes fbi most wanted list stuttering james van der beek dyngus day indonesia quake

What Windows RT Can't Do [Windows 8]

You probably know that Windows 8 comes in two different versions—Basic x86 Windows (this is what you use now) and Windows RT. They have similar names. They look the same. But there are serious differences between the two—ones you should know about before you plunk down your cold hard cash on a Microsoft tablet. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/fS7DLWFnZ1M/what-windows-rt-cant-do

ufc 144 fight card ufc 144 results acura nsx all star weekend 2012 giada de laurentiis howard hughes nationwide race

Selling A123 before the fall - The Term Sheet ... - Fortune Finance

FORTUNE -- As battery-maker A123 Systems (AONE)?was hurtling toward bankruptcy, one of its longtime investors was furiously dumping shares. Or, more specifically, a longtime investor with a representative on the A123 board of directors.

North Bridge Venture Partners first backed A123 in either late 2001 or early 2002, with partner Jeff McCarthy joining the company's board of directors. It would continue to support the company, ultimately investing more than $40 million alongside financial and strategic investors like Sequoia Capital, Alliance Bernstein, General Electric (GE), Qualcomm (QCOM) and Motorola (MSI).

By the time A123 went public in September 2009, it had raised a total of around $240 million. None of its private investors sold shares in the IPO, following which North Bridge held a 9% equity position (8.86 million shares). The North Bridge stake was valued at nearly $120 million at the time of IPO, and $228 million just a few days later.

Over the intervening three years, North Bridge didn't sell a single share. Not when lockups originally expired. Not when the stock price steadily declined. Not when it was forced to recall defective electric car batteries last December. Not when the company signed a $465 million bail-out of sorts in early August with Chinese auto parts maker?Wanxiang Group. Not a few days later when U.S. Congressmen began objecting to the deal, or when NASDAQ issues a delisting notice on August 22 (because the company's shares had been trading below $1 for more than 30 days).

No, North Bridge didn't unload its first share until August 28, when it sold?732,989 shares at $0.28 per share. And then it sold the rest of them. Between August 28 and Sept. 9, North Bridge managed to unload all 8.6 million of its shares for around $2.02 million.

Obviously a huge loss compared to both its cost basis and its paper value back in 2009, but still some savings from what North Bridge might have received in a bankruptcy.

McCarthy remained on the A123 board during this period, not formally resigning until last Saturday (according to an 8K filed earlier today).

It is entirely possible that the share sale decision was divorced from the looming bankruptcy, perhaps prompted by the delisting notice or some other internal North Bridge trigger. It also is possible that there was a firewall between?McCarthy and North Bridge trading decisions on A123, as some larger private equity firms have in place, although it seems unlikely.

But it is, at the very least, a curious development. North Bridge held onto its A123 investment for more than a decade, in both good times and bad -- always believing, it seemed, that even better times were ahead. So why did it choose to sell out just a month before the company filed for Chapter 11? And should its own investors be pleased that the firm at least got pennies on the dollar, or livid that it didn't sell at a profit when it had the chance (as, for example, Sequoia Capital did).

I've put the questions to?McCarthy, North Bridge and A123, but have not yet heard back.

Sign up for Dan's daily email newsletter on deals and deal-makers:?GetTermSheet.com

Source: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/10/17/selling-a123-before-the-fall/

washington wizards rudy zynga free shipping free shipping esophageal cancer marfan syndrome

Mitt kills (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/256645727?client_source=feed&format=rss

xfactor frankincense cloudy with a chance of meatballs the hobbit movie hanukkah gpa calculator menorah

Internet Marketing Is Really A Good Way | Information

Advertising on the web is something you need to do, if you want to make money on the web, or you have a business you would like to make profitable. You are probably somewhat overwhelmed, if you have been searching for the very best way to advertise, because there are numerous choices. It will be vital for you to find the appropriate ways to market your business so you?re not wasting any cash. When you figure out how to do advertising on the net correctly you are going to have the ability of taking your business to a higher level.

Traditional advertising and marketing can be very expensive, which a lot of new marketers don?t realize. Although you can find free methods for advertising any kind of business, you are going to discover that many forms of advertising and marketing are going to require you invest some amount of cash. I?m certain you have heard the expression you get what you pay for, and the exact same thing goes with online advertising, meaning that free is not always better. You need to bear in mind that you aren?t going to be giving your products away, and the individuals who offer advertising are not going to be giving not away for free either. Money isn?t the only way that you need to pay for marketing and advertising, as you might find an marketing method that requires no money but will require plenty of time on your part. When you?re investing money or you are investing your time, you?ll have to make some sort of investment for your marketing.

Something you might be happy to know is that regardless of how much money you need to invest, you are going to most likely find marketing within your budget. If you do some research you ought to have the ability to find inexpensive marketing that?s also not too time consuming. Some of you might want to try and learn everything there is to know about online marketing and advertising prior to getting started, but this is a thing that could take years in order to master. You have to figure out what is going to be most effective for you, mainly because one type of marketing and advertising is not created for every kind of product. You are making an effort to run a successful business, so you will need to take your advertising and marketing efforts seriously. The product you?re marketing is additionally going to determine what sort of advertising you need to be using, of course if this is really a bad product it is possible that no type of advertising will help.

rechtsschutzversicherung vergleich You are additionally going to have to decide who your target market is, as this will additionally have an affect on how you?ll promote. If there are other marketers online who are successful marketing the same products you are planning on promoting, try and determine how they are being successful. Remember that if individuals don?t want your product to start with, no amount of marketing is going to be able to help. After you have these things figured out, then you are ready to begin advertising and marketing. There?s one other thing I want to mention, and that is the significance of having your own personal website and domain name for the product you are marketing.

If you have not yet produced a web site you may possibly want to hold off on your marketing and advertising until your site is created. One of the biggest reasons individuals fail on the internet is because they fail to take action. If for some reason you can?t determine how best to advertise your product, seek the advice of other marketers in Internet Advertising and marketing forums. Advertising on the web will end up being key to any individual starting a web based business and an important part of the equation for men and women looking to make more cash from their current business.

Source: http://gosselinfiat.com/business/internet-marketing-is-really-a-good-way/

best new artist 2012 grammys foo fighters nikki minaj grammys album of the year grammy red carpet

EU, U.S. to negotiate free-trade deal from spring 2013: officials

BRUSSELS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Europe and the United States are set to launch trade talks early next year to deepen the world's largest trading relationship, EU and U.S. officials say, potentially unleashing billions of euros of new transatlantic business.

Together, the bloc and the United States account for about half the world's economic output and nearly a third of world trade. But a debt crisis in Europe and elusive American growth are pushing both sides to consider knocking down the final barriers to trade.

A deal could increase economic output by 122 billion euros ($158 billion) a year for Europe alone and add 0.52 percent to the EU's gross domestic product in the long term, according to European Commission estimates, benefiting industries ranging from chemicals to automakers.

An expert group co-chaired by EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk will in December issue a report recommending pursuing talks, EU and U.S. officials say. They do not expect the outcome of the U.S. November 6 presidential election to influence discussions, though the campaign limits their ability to speak publicly about it.

"The report will recommend the negotiation of a comprehensive agreement between the United States and the European Union," said a senior EU official who declined to be named, echoing other European diplomats and members of the European parliament interviewed by Reuters.

"Talks could begin in the spring," a second official said.

EU leaders at a two-day summit in Brussels from Thursday will also commit to "working towards the goal of launching in 2013 negotiations on a comprehensive transatlantic trade and investment agreement," according to draft summit conclusions.

U.S. officials in Washington told Reuters that talks would go ahead, but that there would be no announcement until after the election.

EU-U.S. commercial links are unrivalled. Transatlantic trade in goods and services is worth $700 billion a year.

Total U.S. annual investment in the European Union is higher than in all of Asia, while EU investment in the United States far outstrips EU investment in India and China combined.

A deal would be the most ambitious in a new generation of sophisticated agreements that go beyond tariffs to take in intellectual property rights, services and regulation.

Eliminating barriers in the automotive sector, which makes up the largest chunk of EU-U.S. trade, could bring a 15 percent fall in costs for both sides, the Commission estimates.

"It would be very useful for us," Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat and Chrysler, told Reuters in a visit to Brussels last week, saying the deal could make it easier to exchange car components across the Atlantic.

"ONE TANK OF GAS"

Businesses on both sides would like an agreement in which a car tested for safety in the United States would not have to be tested again in Europe, and a drug deemed safe by Brussels would not have to be approved as well by the U.S. government.

Small companies who make household appliances, lighting and wiring equipment say prohibitive costs of certifying products for different requirements in Europe and the United States make it impossible currently to export, according to a public consultation by Brussels-based lobby group Business Europe.

According to an internal EU document seen by Reuters, the European Commission and the EU's 27 countries want the widest deal possible, including access for EU companies to American, state-level government purchasing contracts and services.

With the 10-year-old Doha round of global trade talks deadlocked, the EU and the United States are trying to sign as many free-trade deals as they can to lock in access to fast-growing economies, especially in Asia.

Europe's trade accord with South Korea came into effect a year ago and the continent is now aiming for a deal with Japan.

Brussels and Washington are eager to avoid getting dragged down into years of talks. But there is optimism.

"I think we can do this quickly, on one tank of gas," Michael Froman, the White House international economic affairs adviser, told a gathering of service industry companies in Washington last month. "We also know ... where the obstacles are and how to resolve them."

But both sides appear likely to leave much of the highly sensitive agricultural sector out of the agreement altogether, diplomats say. Washington maintains a 15-year-old ban on EU beef imports imposed because of American concerns about mad-cow disease. The European Union says the ban breaks World Trade Organisation rules.

The United States, in turn, faces prohibitively high tariffs for its beef and pork products, running into Europe's complex definitions of high-quality meat.

Genetically engineered foods are also contentious, with the United States in favor of developing the industry but with the European Union against. "They will not be part of the deal," said one EU diplomat in Brussels.

(Additional reporting by Franceso Guarascio in Brussels; Editing by Sebastian Moffett and Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eu-u-negotiate-free-trade-deal-spring-2013-105608525.html

peeps nhl playoffs masters 2012 masters the borgias shroud of turin warren sapp

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Dalmeny Kirk Demonstrate Exhibits Outfits

Owning banded to get above nine hundred ages, Dalmeny Kirk is a place to start to get countless people consuming a launch within marriage.

When parish details might tell us a little bit pertaining to some of the people who definitely have travelled all the way down that one church aisle, you can find the first thing people cant exhibit united states quite a few would probably disagree it is important during every wedding and reception clothes.

Having said that, wedding and reception buffs plus track record fan equally are typically success, when Dalmeny Kirks Jubilee with wedding dresess 2013 occurrence might be displaying above 85 years truly worth with extras plus design with the neighborhood plus above.

Sandra Mackay, 63, a strong folk while in the religious, explains a Day time News flash: We were supplied outfits plus wedding and reception collectors' items dating back to pertaining to
73 ages.

There will be many have been made listed here and get under no circumstances went, hence all things considered most people became a total with 11 outfits, and much more furthermore.

Joyce Slee, sixty one, your gadget while in the kirk, offers: We going preparing elements around April, having a strong listing inside of a area newspaper including a paper demanding
anyone with wedding dresses and various collectors' items who seem to obtained became wed around Dalmeny Kirk so that you can get hold of united states.

I currently have enjoyed listed here all of living thus obtained your uncertain understanding of people today we're able to solution. The fact is that them ended up most of them hadnt essentially placed its wedding dresses, nonetheless fortuitously several of the mature affiliates of your religious was able to would suggest some others so that you can united states.

We as well tested out so that you can get hold of Terri Dywer, who will be in all probability most widely known among the primary Hollyoaks thrown affiliates. The woman became wed while in the religious around 2004. Most people got in touch with the girl's representative, nonetheless under no circumstances listened to nearly anything backside. I actually contemplate in case the require appeared to be sometimes handed over. We'd currently have treasured to acquire the girl's.

Rumored low cost ball gown wedding dresses building entry jogger Bruce Oldfield not long ago publicly stated Microsof company Middleton probably will not be taking walks decrease this church aisle available as one connected with his or her handy work. Having a lot less than daily eventually left, who's going to be driving this before long for being well known frock?

Paging Nancy Received! This journey to locate Kate's marriage attire custom made is always some sort of thriller soon after custom made Bruce Oldfield journeyed open indicating it will not possibly be them.

This hugely speculated entry jogger spoke having WWD recently in addition to fit rumours to help relax.

"I aren't going to be building the item, inches Oldfield claimed. "Catherine will probably undoubtably glimpse spectactular. This lady has an outstanding physique in addition to appreciates very well what exactly meets the woman. When i will likely be intrigued to discover the woman number of pattern. inches

He or she is one of many. Having specifics by food to help customer number generally published, clothing is " inside info ". One good thing is, most of us will not have very long months to attend until the massive show. To help hold people in excess of, most of us take into consideration within the very likely contenders. Exactly who ya think will probably be?

Sarah Burton connected with Alexander McQueen

McQueen's suitable give taking his or her 2010 demise, quite a few marketing usually are positioning the bets with Burton. This edgy name could well be with connect having Middleton's penchant intended for excessive vogue. Even so, including Oldfield, Burton possesses declined almost any guidance while using the Noble Attire.

Alice Temperley

Having the woman comfortable boho functional, Temperley seemed to be reported for the reason that custom made driving this bridesmaids garments. Both equally Kate's aunt Pippa in addition to mum Carole logged time on Temperley's shop sooner from the thirty days in addition to places imagine your lover may very well be driving this marriage attire, far too.

Daniela Helayel connected with Issa

It truly is not any technique Kate likes Issa. The woman generally photographed violet engagement attire seemed to be designed by Helayel. Could possibly your lover likewise possibly be in command of this noble wedding gown?

CHARMEUSE
Any smooth, light cloth, charmeuse features a sheen, yet just isn't since sparkly since satin.

CHIFFON
Any translucent (see through) substance, chiffon may be produced both coming from a silk duvet or perhaps rayon. Chiffon is normally layered above one more perhaps the outfit.

WIDE LACE
ALRIGHT, that is a single you definitely already know just. Wide lace can be an open-weave cloth. Typically, it really is employed within any outfit, yet should it be appropriately lined, the complete outfit may be wide lace, this way a single coming from Paula Varsalona.

ORGANZA
Any utter, inflexible cloth manufactured from a silk duvet or perhaps rayon. Organza will be inflexible, yet provides a lot more movement as compared to tulle.

RAYON
Any man-made (human-made) cloth. Rayon seems like a silk duvet, yet now is easier to do business with and also less costly.

A SILK DUVET
The most used and also pricey 2013 wedding dresses trends cloth, a silk duvet can be a clean, smooth, normal soluble fiber. A silk duvet threads are employed to generate a great many other fabric which includes charmeuse, chiffon, organza, satin, and also tulle. A number of these fabric can be made out of any less-expensive silk/rayon combination, or perhaps together with rayon on your own.

SATIN
You understand this place because the sparkly cloth. Satin is manufactured out of a silk duvet although Duchese satin appears elegant, it is in reality an even more cost-effective blend of a silk duvet and also rayon.

TAFFETA
Any clean cloth, taffeta features a popularity as being "old fashioned" or perhaps "prom-like, " yet can use inside extremely modern day types this way quick outfit coming from Casablanca Bridal.

TULLE
Tulle is essentially netting created from a silk duvet or perhaps rayon. Tulle is frequently useful for veils, yet can cause unbelievably passionate and also extraordinary seems any time employed as part of the outfit like this kind of bridal outfit coming from Oleg Cassini.

bridal organizing can often seem to be overpowering. With OneWed.com we like to give you basic information to make you more comfortable with your bridal choices. If you ever find yourself confused or intimidated by a bridal salon or bridal vendor, take a minute to step back. Ask questions and if they aren't answered in a way that makes sense to you, find another vendor.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Dalmeny-Kirk-Demonstrate-Exhibits-Outfits/4216945

Hurricane Isaac Sam Claflin Tony Farmer West Nile virus symptoms snooki ll cool j amy schumer

Merkel, Hollande clash on EU budget czar before summit

BERLIN/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Germany and France, Europe's two central powers, clashed over greater European Union control of national budgets and moves towards a single banking supervisor before a summit of the bloc's leaders began on Thursday.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded stronger authority for the executive European Commission to veto national budgets that breach EU rules, but French President Francois Hollande said the issue was not on the summit agenda and the priority was to get moving on a European banking union.

The two leaders met privately for 30 minutes just before the start of the 22nd EU summit since the euro zone's debt crisis erupted nearly three years ago. Afterwards, a French source said they had agreed on the need for a tight timetable for introducing banking union.

Addressing parliament in Berlin earlier, Merkel sought to slow the race to create a single European banking supervisor, saying quality was more important than speed.

Reluctant to see its politically sensitive regional Landesbanks and savings banks come under outside supervision, Germany says European oversight should cover big cross-border banks only, and rejects any joint deposit guarantee under which richer countries might underwrite banks in poorer counterparts.

Hollande told reporters: "The topic of this summit is not the fiscal union but the banking union, so the only decision that will be taken is to set up a banking union by the end of the year and especially the banking supervision.

Asked why he thought Merkel was dragging her feet, Hollande said it could be related to Germany's electoral calendar, with elections due in September 2013, adding that the two dominant EU powers had a duty to solve the crisis.

In Greece, police clashed with protesters hurling stones and petrol bombs during a general strike that brought much of the near-bankrupt country to a standstill.

In her speech to parliament, Merkel skirted the issue of a possible credit line for Spain, which euro zone officials expect Madrid to request within weeks, but reiterated her desire to keep Greece in the currency area despite chronic debt problems.

"We have made good progress on strengthening fiscal discipline with the fiscal pact but we are of the opinion, and I speak for the whole German government on this, that we could go a step further by giving Europe real rights of intervention in national budgets," Merkel told the Bundestag lower house.

A proposal by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble to create a super-empowered European currency commissioner was a possible way forward, she said, and more European control called for a stronger European Parliament. Such moves would require EU treaty changes, which Hollande is keen to avoid.

"FISCAL CAPACITY"

Merkel also advocated the creation of a European fund to invest in specific projects in member states which she said could be fuelled by a financial transaction tax which 11 euro zone countries have said they will adopt.

Her call echoed a proposal for the 17-member euro zone to have its own budget -- known in EU jargon as a "fiscal capacity" -- on top of the 27-nation union's common budget, which mostly funds agriculture and aid to poorer regions.

In a plea for unity at the start of the summit, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said last week's award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU should inspire leaders to work together for peace and prosperity.

A note circulated by Van Rompuy to leaders said the proposed new pot of money could provide euro zone countries with insurance against economic shocks and support those that committed themselves contractually to structural reforms.

"Every member state, regardless of their income levels, would over time contribute," Van Rompuy wrote to EU leaders in a note seen by Reuters. "Therefore, this would not lead to permanent transfers across countries."

Several countries, including the Netherlands, Finland and Austria, voiced suspicion of the idea, although none rejected it outright.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz, in an address to the summit, warned the leaders against proposals which he said "threaten to drive a wedge through our union".

"Above all, there is no need whatsoever to create new, parallel unions and new, parallel institutions," he said.

Decisions on institutional reforms are not expected until a December summit, and Merkel's demands appeared to be partly an attempt to shift the focus away from moves towards a banking union, which have drawn fierce criticism in Germany.

SENSE OF URGENCY FADING?

Since the European Central Bank said last month it was ready to buy the bonds of struggling euro zone states in unlimited amounts, state borrowing costs have fallen sharply and some of the pressure to move rapidly to resolve the crisis has dissipated.

Spain's 10-year bond yields sank to their lowest since February at an auction on Thursday, helped by Moody's decision this week to leave its credit rating at investment grade.

But rather than signaling that Madrid does not need help, Moody's verdict was predicated on Spain applying soon for a euro zone assistance programme to trigger ECB intervention.

"In many senses, it's a very false market because it's not really telling you (whether) people feel comfortable about the outlook for Spain," said Marc Ostwald, strategist at Monument Securities in London.

The leaders agreed at their last summit in June to create a single banking supervisor under the ECB, but the original goal of having legislation in place by January 2013 already looks in doubt, and it may not be fully up and running until 2014.

EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn said it was important the summit maintain the momentum on banking union "which is critical to break the vicious circle between sovereigns and banks".

Joerg Asmussen, the German member of the ECB's executive board, said on Wednesday the central bank would not be ready to start overseeing banks from early next year, and said it was more important to do it properly than to do it quickly.

The latest draft summit conclusions said only that a single supervisor was a "matter of priority" and leaders should have the "objective of completing it by the end of the year".

The deeper the discussion on banking union goes, the more complex and problematic it gets. As well as disagreement over the timeline for a single supervisor -- a prerequisite for the euro zone's rescue mechanism to be able to recapitalize banks directly -- there are disputes about how it will function.

Countries outside the euro zone -- particularly Britain, which has Europe's biggest banking sector -- are concerned their banks could be disadvantaged if no balance is maintained between the ECB and its oversight of euro zone banks and the powers of other authorities to oversee non-euro zone banks.

And if non-euro zone countries join the banking union, as policymakers are hoping, it is unclear what representation they would then have within the ECB, since the central bank is currently answerable only to euro zone member states.

(Additional reporting by Stephen Brown and Madeline Chambers in Berlin, Jan Strupczewski and Luke Baker in Brussels, Harry Papachristou and Lefteris Papadimas in Athens and Gilbert Krijger in Amsterdam. Writing by Paul Taylor, editing by Mike Peacock)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/merkel-seeks-more-eu-budget-control-french-cool-112014943--business.html

Bosses Day Cabin Fever 2 Kyna Treacy American Horror Story Bb&t Herman Melville Books Lane Goodwin

Obama takes the offense, says Romney just for rich

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) ? An aggressive President Barack Obama ripped into Mitt Romney's economic blueprint in a town hall style debate Tuesday night, accusing his rival of favoring a "one-point plan" to help the rich at the expense of the middle class. The Republican protested the charge was way off the mark.

"The middle class has been crushed over the last four years," Romney said in the opening moments of the 90-minute debate, the second of three between the two men precisely three weeks before Election Day in a close race for the White House.

The president was feistier from the outset than he had been in their initial encounter, where he turned in a listless performance that sent shudders through his supporters and helped fuel a rise by Romney in opinion polls nationally and in some battleground states.

Obama challenged Romney from the outset on economics and energy policy, accusing him of switching positions on coal production and declaring that his economic plan was a "sketchy deal" that the public should reject.

Romney gave as good as he got.

"You'll get your chance in a moment. I'm still speaking," the former Massachusetts governor said at one point while Obama was mid-sentence.

The open-stage format, with no physical objects between them, placed incumbent and challenger face to face and, when they chose, directly in each other's faces. Their physical encounters crackled with energy and tension, and the crowd watched raptly as the two sparred while struggling to appear calm and affable before a national television audience.

The rivals disagreed about taxes, measures to reduce the deficit, energy, pay equity for women and health care issues ? all in less than the first half of the 90-minute debate at Hofstra University.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-takes-offense-says-romney-just-rich-012705752--election.html

bowl game schedule katy perry and russell brand katy perry divorce brock lesnar retires new years wake forest wake forest

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Anna and Jeff's Southwest Kitsch House Tour | Apartment Therapy

GALLERY_Lead_AD_31_AP.jpg

Name: Anna Duarte and Jeff Keene, of Night & Day Vintage
Location: Athmar Park, Denver, Colorado
Size: 2,000 square feet
Years lived in: 6 years; Own

Six years ago Anna, Jeff and Luna moved from their California beach bungalow to a beautiful Spanish style home in Denver, which they have lovingly filled with an assortment of Mexican and Southwest kitsch collectibles, vintage goods and amazing artwork. Walking through their home is just as thrilling as shopping in their vintage store downtown.

THUMBNAIL_AD_AP_17.jpg

The first time I toured the home was during a mid-summer "hootenanny". Anna, Jeff and their daughter Luna are all unbelievable musicians ? as well as many of their friends. The backyard was filled with food, friends, music and n tremendous sense of community. Despite the very dry and unforgiving summers we have here in Denver, they have worked hard to make the backyard an extension of their creative home.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: We decorate with what we love: whether handed down, thrifted, found at a yard sale or bartered, we are surrounded with meaningful objects and artwork. We came from living in a beach bungalow on the Pacific coast to moving into a 1920's Spanish style house in the heart of Denver, and have tried to fill it with complimentary pieces. Each room of our house seems to have its own style. For instance, we immediately fell in love with the wood panel basement and see that as our own little cabin hideaway. The the living and dining rooms are filled with beautiful tile images of galleon ships which we took as a sign that this was to be our future home! This became the perfect opportunity to indulge our passion for Mexican and Southwest kitsch.

The large hutch in our dining room came from Jeff's family and is perfect for rotating our collection of cook books, glassware and pottery. I'm sure Mom would be proud! We're also fortunate to have plentiful wall space to feature many of our creative friends' artwork. It has been fun watching our nine-year-old daughter applying her own personality and artistry in her bedroom and the rest of the house. We always have to remind ourselves that, like our lives, this is a work in progress.

Inspiration: Our crafty friends and family! Treasure hunting, style books, blogs, magazines, vintage vinyl and lowbrow art, Mr Modtomic, Breezy, hillarious vintage blogs, Vinyl Whores, Rock and Soul Ichiban for awesome tunes, and our friend Courtney Hendricks.

Favorite Element: Wonderful natural light upstairs. Hardwood floors.

Biggest Challenge: Keeping things uncluttered.

What Friends Say: We like to keep things fresh and rearrange quite a bit so when friends walk in they often ask, "Is that new?" or "It's really homey in here"!

Biggest Embarrassment: Our dead lawn! And we've yet to install a cooling system on our main floor. Thankfully, our basement is really cozy and perfect for camping out during hot summer days and nights.

Proudest DIY: The fact that we've planted close to 20 trees and bushes (oaks, aspen, spruce, lilacs and fruit trees) on this property since we've moved in. We're committed to trying to turn our little corner of urban Denver into an inviting green habitat for friends, family, honey bees and birds. Thanks Park People and Denver Digs Trees! AND the custom Mexican tile bathroom sink and cabinet that Jeff fabricated when we moved in!

Biggest Indulgence: We try to always have a good tequila on hand! Salud!

Best Advice: When you own an old house it's easy to get overwhelmed with maintenance. So, take your time. Have fun. Do it yourself if you can, and don't be afraid to take chances and bounce ideas off of your friends.

Dream Sources: Classic Hollywood and Mexican Cinema from the 1940s-60s.

Resources of Note:

PAINT & COLORS

    ? Valspar La Fonda Sonora
    ? Discounted paint from Habitat For Humanity- mix and match to create our own custom colors
    ? Behr, Pottery Red

ENTRY

LIVING ROOM

DINING ROOM

    ? "Stop the Endangerment...de La Tierra, de la Madre" Irene Perez
    ? Hand Dredge, Folk Painting, thrifted artist unknown
    ? Hand Rake, Folk Painting, thrifted, artist unknown
    ? Lydia Mendoza print, Ester Hernandez
    ? Traditional Mexican wood and tile dining room table
    ? "Bourbon Street", Catherine Durieux, lithograph

KITCHEN

    ? "Nopales", Victoria De Los Santos Mycue
    ? "La Serenata, Te Amo, Veces Felizes", Dia De Los Muertos Linocut Prints by Bob Rob Medina

BEDROOM

    ? Smoking Mexican, Linares, artist sketch
    ? Gypsie, estate sale kitsch, by Frizesil
    ? Revolutionay-woman with brush, print by Shepard Fairey
    ? Sailboat painting, Cynthia Rojas

Thanks, Jeff, Anna & Luna!

(Images: Ashley Poskin)

? HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE: Check out past house tours here.
? Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour Submission Form.
? Are you a designer/architect/decorator interested in sharing a residential project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our Professional Submission Form.

Source: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/anna-and-jeffs-southwest-kitsch-home-house-tour-178799

grammy red carpet grammy award winners the band perry grammy awards whitney houston autopsy dobie gray bruce springsteen

Seabourn Highest-rated Small Ship Line In


Seabourn Highest-rated Small Ship Line In

Seabourn Highest-rated Small Ship Line In Conde Nast Traveler readers? Choice Awards

Third Consecutive Win for Ultra Luxury Line

SEATTLE, Oct. 17, 2012 - The ultra luxury, small-ship cruise fleet Seabourn continues to impress the discerning readers of Conde Nast Traveler, who awarded the line its prestigious ?Readers? Choice? designation as the ?Best Small Ship Cruise Line? for the third consecutive year in the magazine?s 25(th) annual survey of top travel experiences. It was the fourth time in five years that the magazine?s well-traveled readers have recognized Seabourn as the best.

The award celebrates the line?s consistent ability to deliver exceptional vacations and outstanding service that attract and delight sophisticated, affluent travelers.? It is only the latest of many accolades the line has garnered.? Recently, Seabourn was named ?World?s Best Small-Ship Cruise Line? for the fourth consecutive year by readers of Travel + Leisure magazine. In addition, the line has been included on Conde Nast Traveler?s prestigious ?Gold List? of top travel choices for each of the 17 consecutive years since the list first appeared in 1994.

?We?re extremely pleased that ?Conde Nast Traveler readers named us the best once again,? said Seabourn President Richard Meadows.? ?The readers continue to reward our dedicated and hard-working employees both at sea and ashore, who focus every day on providing our guests with the very finest travel experiences.?

Seabourn recently completed a three-ship expansion, adding new ships that drew rave reviews and acclaim as ?game-changers? for the luxury cruise segment.? The expansion included the launch of Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn, and the Seabourn Quest..? Each ship carries 450 guests, providing the highest ratio of space per guest in the industry and unmatched levels of personalized service from nearly one staff member per guest. Seabourn?s fleet includes the line?s original trio of 208-guest ships: Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend.

All six ships offer key elements that set Seabourn apart: spacious, thoughtfully appointed suites, many with verandas; superb dining in a choice of venues; open bars throughout the ship; fine wines poured at lunch and dinner; the aforementioned award-winning service and a relaxed, sociable atmosphere that makes guests feel right at home on board.

Seabourn?s ships travel the globe throughout the year, sailing to many of the world?s most desirable destinations. Cruises of seven days to World Cruises of more than 100 days visit hundreds of ports, including marquee cities and lesser-known ports and hideaways.

For more information, contact a travel professional, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit http://www.seabourn.com .

The complete list of 2012 Conde Nast Traveler Readers? Choice Award winners is here.

Notes to Editors:

Seabourn is consistently ranked among the world?s top travel choices by professional critics and the discerning readers of prestigious travel publications such as Departures, Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler.? Its stylish, distinctive cruising vacations are renowned for:


? ? Six intimate ships with just 104 or 225 suites
? ? Unique itineraries visiting must-see cities and hidden gems where larger
? ? ? ships cannot follow
? ? Intuitive, gracious service provided by a staff passionate about
? ? ? pleasing our guests
? ? Spacious all-suite accommodations with sweeping ocean views - many with
? ? ? verandas
? ? Gourmet dining experiences as fine as the best restaurants anywhere
? ? Open bars throughout the ship and fine wines poured with lunch and
? ? ? dinner
Seabourn is a proud member of World?s Leading Cruise Lines. The exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line and Costa Cruises. Seabourn is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL and NYSE: CUK), and supports the Ocean Conservation & Tourism Alliance, dedicated to education and promotion of best practices for protecting the marine environment.

SOURCE Seabourn

Seabourn

CONTACT: Irene Lui, +1-206-626-9122, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or Emily Easter, Hawkins International Public Relations, +1-212-255-6541, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Web Site: http://www.seabourn.com


Number of visits: 108

Posted on Oct 17, 2012 - 02:30 PM ? Print

Source: http://www.hospitality-industry.com/index.php/news/comments/seabourn_highest-rated_small_ship_line_in/

cowboys slim dunkin slim dunkin will rogers ohio university ohio university keystone xl pipeline

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Church Honored with Historical Marker

This church was a part of Bridge City before the city was even founded; and Sunday it officially became a part of Texas history.

First Baptist Church in Bridge City was honored Sunday with an official Texas historical marker.

The church, once known as Blandale Baptist Church was organized in 1940.

Though worshipers had met for services in the area since 1877, the community, then known as Prairie View, did not have an organized church.?

Prairie View changed names to Bridge City following completion of the Rainbow and Cow Bayou Swing Bridges.

It took it's current name in 1948 and in 1953, a new sanctuary was built at it's current location.

A dedication ceremony Sunday evening commemorated the event which is located at 200 West Roundbunch Rd.

Three of the original members of the church were on hand to celebrate.

Source: http://setxhomepage.com/fulltext?nxd_id=203512

boehner john boehner demi moore hospitalized james farentino somali pirates navy seals navy seal team 6

NRC lays down terms for Honeywell before Ill. uranium plant opening

(Reuters) - Honeywell International Inc said Tuesday it could take nine to 12 months to upgrade the Metropolis Works uranium conversion facility in Southern Illinois to ensure it could withstand a strong earthquake or tornados.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a Confirmatory Order telling Honeywell what actions the company must take before it can resume operations at Metropolis.

The facility has been shut since May 9 following an NRC inspection that determined a major earthquake or tornado could result in a higher risk to the public than originally assumed, the NRC said in a release.

That inspection was part of the NRC's assessment of all U.S. nuclear related facilities in the wake of last year's Fukushima disaster in Japan.

There were no safety concerns at the facility currently since the plant is shut, the NRC said.

"This agreement with the NRC gives Honeywell clarity about the type and extent of necessary upgrades to the facility, allowing us to continue the scoping, planning and design work," Larry Smith, plant manager for the facility, said in a release.

"Thanks to this agreement, we are closer to being able to estimate the required investment and schedule of work needed for the facility to resume full production," Smith said.

A spokesman at Honeywell told Reuters the company has not publicly announced the estimated cost of the needed upgrades.

The Honeywell Metropolis Works is the only facility in the United States that takes milled uranium and converts it into uranium hexafluoride gas (UF6), which is then enriched at other facilities like USEC Inc's Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky to make fuel for commercial power reactors.

USEC's Paducah uranium enrichment facility is located across the Ohio River from the Metropolis plant in Paducah, Kentucky.

The Honeywell spokesman said the company does not comment on how the plant's shutdown was affecting the nation's supply of uranium hexafluoride.

UF6 is not a widely traded product but since May when the Metropolis facility shut, cash prices have declined from about $140 kilograms of uranium (kgU) to about $130 in September. See Ux Consulting Co LLC (UxC) Uranium UF6 North American price monthly contracts and

NO RESTART UNTIL WORK DONE

The NRC said it will not allow the Metropolis plant to resume operations until Honeywell satisfies the provisions outlined in the NRC's order.

"These measures ensure the continued safety of the people who work at Honeywell as well as those who live nearby," Victor McCree, the NRC's Region II Administrator, said in the release.

The inspection in May said process equipment in the facility lacks seismic restraints, support and bracing that would assure integrity during a significant seismic or wind event.

Specifically, the NRC said the amount of uranium hexafluoride that could be released into the environment should the process equipment be damaged by such an event could be significantly larger than assumed in the facility's Emergency Response Plan.

The material that could be released poses more of a chemical hazard than a radiation hazard, the NRC said.

But with the facility shut, the NRC said a seismic event or a tornado would not result in a significant release of material.

The NRC said it identified two apparent violations associated with the inspection findings.

Honeywell's Emergency Response Plan, submitted in May 2005, failed to identify accident sequences related to credible seismic and tornado events and the plant's Integrated Safety Analysis Summary erroneously states that "the plant is designed to withstand earthquake with no safety implications," the NRC said.

Due, in part, to Honeywell's cooperation and stated commitment to protect workers and public safety, the NRC said it decided to issue a Confirmatory Order in lieu of a Notice of Violation and consideration of civil penalties.

The NRC wants the company to revise its Emergency Response Plan and its Integrated Safety Analysis, ensuring that both define and provide the safety bases for its improved seismic and wind design.

The NRC also wants Honeywell to implement proposed modifications to ensure the facility can safely withstand such events.

(Reporting By Scott DiSavino;Editing by Sofina Mirza-Reid)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nrc-lays-down-terms-honeywell-ill-uranium-plant-165410382--finance.html

lsu vs alabama college football college football ncaa football brian van gorder blazing saddles lsu alabama

The Other Sept. 11

130250320

Dick Cheney discussing his memoir, October 2011.

Photo by Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images

The president was warned of an impending threat of terrorism. He failed to act. The attack came, Americans died, and now the administration is covering up the truth.

That?s what Republicans are arguing in 2012. Which is pretty funny, if you don?t count the dead Americans, because it?s the opposite of what the GOP said 10 years ago. Back then, the conspiracy theories and the 20/20 hindsight were about the original 9/11 attacks. And the Republican Party line was that anyone who accused the president of neglect or deceit was unpatriotic.

Yesterday the Republican National Committee posted a 4,500-word indictment of Obama?s role, or lack thereof, in the recent assault on the Libyan consulate. ?Less than two months before the Benghazi attack,? said the RNC, ?the State Department determined that ?the risk of U.S. mission personnel, private U.S. citizens and businesspersons encountering an isolating event as a result of militia or political violence Is HIGH.? ? Meanwhile, ?U.S. security officials repeatedly warned the State Department that more U.S. security personnel were needed in Libya.? Instead, security was cut back.

The RNC mocked Joe Biden for asserting in last week?s vice-presidential debate, ?We weren?t told they wanted more security.? It said Biden?s remarks ?raised questions about what had been included in the president?s briefing on the U.S. security posture the day before the 9/11 anniversary.? And it skewered White House press secretary Jay Carney for telling reporters ?there was no actionable intelligence that suggested there would be an attack at the Benghazi facility.? The larger question, the RNC maintained, was whether Obama, in his security briefing, had been told of previous plots and security concerns more broadly.

Dick Cheney, the former vice president, has been pressing this issue against Obama. On Oct. 2, Cheney said, ?The latest thing I?ve heard now is that ? they had denied the additional security resources that had been requested by the Benghazi consulate ? it looks like the administration?s been involved in a cover-up.? Cheney?s daughter, Liz, elaborated on the evidence: ?There was a DOD assessment, there was a CIA assessment. You had the chairman of the Joint Chiefs today say there's been this thread of intelligence that, in fact, al-Qaida is resurgent in Libya, resurgent particularly in Benghazi. There may well have been information out there that the president should have been aware of, that the State Department should have been aware of.?

Donald Rumsfeld, the former defense secretary, makes the same point. ?It's clear that they misjudged the security situation,? he told Fox News on Oct. 1. A day later, Rumsfeld paraphrased reports that U.S. officials had failed ?to respond promptly to a threat report and to concerns that were being expressed by the people in Libya.? Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor, was more emphatic. ?This is a cover-up,? he charged. ?And it's the worst kind of cover-up, a cover-up that involves our national security, a cover-up that involves the slaughter of four Americans.? On Oct. 9, Giuliani concluded: ?We should never have been attacked in Libya. The warnings were manifold. Instead of increasing security, we decreased security. It is quite possible that the ambassador and the other three Americans didn?t have to die if there [had been] a competent reaction.?

Maybe so. Maybe, if Obama and his underlings had heeded the danger signs, those four Americans would be alive today. But it?s pretty rich to hear this complaint about ?the events of September 11, 2012? from the people who presided over the original events of Sept. 11. You know, the ones in which nearly 3,000 Americans died.

The 9/11 commission report, issued in July 2004, documented numerous warning signs of that attack, all of which went unheeded. One was a July 2001 memo from the Phoenix FBI office to FBI headquarters, flagging the "possibility of a coordinated effort by Usama Bin Ladin" to train terrorists as pilots in U.S. flight schools. Another was the August 2001 arrest of one of the 9/11 plotters, Zacarias Moussaoui, for suspicious conduct at a flight school, which ?was briefed to ? top CIA officials.? But the most embarrassing document was the Aug. 6, 2001, Presidential Daily Brief, which carried the title, "Bin Ladin Determined to Strike in US.?

When the Aug. 6 document came to light in May 2002, Cheney brushed it off. ?It didn't give us any actionable intelligence,? he insisted in a Fox News interview. ?It didn't really give us anything new or anything precise or specific.? As to the rest of the warning signs, Cheney argued,

There wasn't anything out there that would have allowed us to predict what was going to happen. We found out since Sept. 11 that the FBI had Moussaoui in custody in Minnesota. We didn't know that before the 11th. That didn't trickle up to the presidential level. We've since heard about the so-called Phoenix memo that dates back to sometime in July, but again that didn't come up. ? In terms of getting down into the nitty gritty, into the weeds of this kind of intelligence reporting, you know, we're not in the habit of reading the raw intelligence reports from the FBI. There are 56 bureaus around the country, and that stuff?there aren't enough hours in the day for us to do all of that, so you need a system that deals with it.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=8a7957d4aaef2db389d75ab6a6b19995

mitt romney tax return flip saunders academy award nominations cynthia nixon cspan state of the union drinking game oscar noms