Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.
hugo hugo nfl combine 84th annual academy awards beginners 2012 oscars the shore
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Saudi king seen on TV amid health questions
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) ? Saudi state television has broadcast the first public images of King Abdullah since the 87-year-old monarch underwent what was described as back surgery 11 days ago.
The video shows the king sitting down, as members of the royal family greet him and kiss his hand in a hospital suite in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
The Wednesday broadcast appeared aimed at quieting speculation about the overall health of Abdullah, a key U.S. ally in the region. The official Saudi Press Agency says the top-level delegation was "reassured" about Abdullah's recovery.
The king underwent more than 10 hours of surgery Nov. 17 for what officials said was a procedure to secure a loose vertebra.
The king had back operations in 2010 and twice in 2011.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-king-seen-tv-amid-health-questions-152727867.html
chris stewart evo 4g lte marlins new stadium arnold palmer augusta national blake griffin pau gasol
U.S. bans BP from new government contracts after oil spill deal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government banned BP Plc on Wednesday from new federal contracts over its "lack of business integrity" in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, possibly imperiling the company's role as a top U.S. offshore oil and gas producer and the No. 1 military fuel supplier.
The suspension, announced by the Environmental Protection Agency, comes on the heels of BP's November 15 agreement with the U.S. government to plead guilty to criminal misconduct in the Gulf of Mexico disaster, the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history. The British energy giant agreed to pay $4.5 billion in penalties, including a record $1.256 billion criminal fine.
BP and its affiliates are barred from new federal contracts until they demonstrate they can meet federal business standards, the EPA said. The suspension is "standard practice" and BP's existing U.S. government contracts are not affected, it said.
The EPA acted hours before a government auction of offshore tracts in the Gulf of Mexico, a region where BP is the largest investor and lease-holder of deep-water tracts and hopes for further growth. BP is also the top fuel supplier to the U.S. military, the largest single buyer of oil in the world.
Suspension of contracts could give the government leverage to pressure BP to settle federal and state civil litigation that could top $20 billion if a court finds BP was grossly negligent in the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
An EPA official said government-wide suspensions generally do not exceed 18 months, but can continue longer if there are ongoing legal cases.
In a statement, BP said it has been in "regular dialogue" with the EPA, and that the agency has informed BP that it is preparing an agreement that "would effectively resolve and lift this temporary suspension." The EPA has notified BP that the draft agreement will be available soon, BP said.
U.S. operations accounted for more than 30 percent of BP's pre-tax profits in the third quarter, and the United States accounts for about a fifth of BP's global oil production.
The U.S. military has been a reliable customer of BP's jet fuel and other refined products. As recently as September, BP affiliates won two military fuel contracts worth as much as $1.37 billion, according to a website that tracks U.S. military contracts.
The EPA's action is a sign that all federal contractors will be held to high standards, said Scott Amey, general counsel for the Project on Government Oversight, a private watchdog group.
"BP had years to improve its business ethics and is paying the price for its inaction," Amey said.
On November 15, BP Finance Director Brian Gilvary told investors on a conference call that any blanket ban could force the company to rethink its entire U.S. business.
The Justice Department says it intends to prove in a court case set to get underway in February 2013 that BP was grossly negligent under the Clean Water Act, a claim the company has adamantly denied.
"The critical question is whether this a shot across BP's bows to get settlement, or a more sustained stance, in which case the importance of the context is underlined" by Gilvary's comments, said Peter Hutton, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets.
The EPA's suspension will not impair BP's ability to produce oil and gas from existing U.S. assets, said Pavel Molchanov, an analyst with Raymond James & Associates Inc in Houston.
"BP's supply contract of fuels to the Pentagon might be at risk, but of course BP could supply other customers if this supply contract is not renewed," Molchanov said in a research note.
BP and the U.S. government likely worked out a deal on the timing of the suspension before BP agreed to sign off on the November 15 criminal plea deal, said Samuel Buell, a Duke University Law School professor and former federal prosecutor.
"It's just inconceivable to me that BP's lawyers ... would have entered into that agreement last week without the issue of a suspension or debarment having been addressed," Buell said.
BP did not participate in Wednesday's federal auction of 20 million acres (8 million hectares) of drilling tracts in the Gulf of Mexico, one of BP's biggest oil production regions globally.
One long-time critic of BP applauded the decision.
"After pleading guilty to such reckless behavior that killed men and constituted a crime against the environment, suspending BP's access to contracts with our government is the right thing to do," U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, said in a statement.
BP's U.S.-traded shares closed flat, while London-traded shares were down less than 1 percent at 427 pence.
(Additional reporting by Andrew Callus in London, Ayesha Rascoe in Washington, Joshua Schneyer in New York and Kristen Hays in Houston; Writing by Chris Baltimore; Editing by John Wallace, Grant McCool, Andrew Hay and Marguerita Choy)
rachel zoe penn state football mt rainier national park rose parade mount rainier national park drop dead gorgeous ticket city bowl
Basis Activity and Sleep Tracker Is One to Watch
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/tGQ7El80VVY/
Jordan Pruitt real housewives of new jersey Kanye West sex tape emmys emmys torrey smith torrey smith
iSchool Campus Wants To Bring The Next-Gen Wired Classroom To K12 Education
Technology is increasingly becoming a part of the classroom experience, particularly thanks to smart devices. Tablets and iPads offer students a more portable, engaging and interactive experience than many of the tools of old, and schools are catching on. The San Diego School District's recent purchase of 26,000 iPads is just one of many recent examples of districts and states pushing to deploy tablets in their schools.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/NRdIB3CdBvo/
capitals john edwards conocophillips octomom dan savage new world trade center kellen moore
JRF @ University of Delhi in Delhi
Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.
Source: http://forums.sureshkumar.net/government-jobs/132483-jrf-university-delhi-delhi.html
rachel zoe penn state football mt rainier national park rose parade mount rainier national park drop dead gorgeous ticket city bowl
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
China investment levels excessive, risks are rising: IMF research
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's economy relies on an excessively high level of investment and risks a potentially destabilizing increase if the government aims to keep growth around current levels for years to come, new International Monetary Fund research suggests.
Already running high as measured by a theory used by economists to assess capital-to-output ratios, investment accelerated between 2007 and 2011 to counter the effects of the global financial crisis, IMF staff wrote in a research paper on China's soaring investment levels.
"Depending on precise assumptions, over this period, China may have been over-investing by between 12 and 20 percent of gross domestic product relative to its steady-state desirable value," the report said.
"Even allowing for elevated investment levels associated with most economic take-offs, the econometric evidence suggests that China is over-investing," it said. "China's predicted investment norm over the last 30 years has ranged between 33-43 percent of GDP. In reality, it has fluctuated in a much broader band of 35-49 percent of GDP."
The IMF says its working papers do not necessarily represent the organization's policy, and that the reports describe research in progress that is published to spur debate.
The potential for severe internal economic imbalances in China stemming from an extended period of investment-driven growth, plus the risk that the excess capacity it creates spills into the global economy, are a recurring theme of IMF research.
A rise in fixed asset investment spending has helped underpin a rebound in China's economic growth in recent months, after seven successive quarters of slowing expansion - the worst run since the depths of the global financial crisis.
China officially targets GDP growth of 7.5 percent this year and analysts broadly believe the government has had an informal annual target of 8 percent or more for years - a level regarded until now as necessary to create enough jobs for the country's 1.3-billion strong population.
In a report earlier this year that Beijing sanctioned, the World Bank - the IMF's sister organization - assumed that China could maintain growth of 6-7 percent a year until 2030 with the right mix of structural economic reforms.
Average annual growth of around 10 percent for most of the last 30 years since China began a landmark program of economic reform, has seen the country transformed from impoverished laggard to the world's second-biggest economy - and likely to take top spot from the U.S. before the end of the next decade.
Beijing said in September that it had given fast-track approval to infrastructure projects worth $157 billion, a move analysts say has been key to cementing a fourth quarter bounce in GDP.
Total planned investment in newly started projects, a leading indicator of fixed asset investment, accelerated to 35.2 percent year-on-year in October from 31.3 percent in September, according to Ting Lu, chief China economist at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch.
MORE INVESTMENT, LESS GROWTH
The IMF stressed there were limitations to the model it was using and the assumptions it made, adding that on some simple metrics, the efficiency of China's return on investment was broadly in line with emerging market economies.
But the report added that by its calculations, a sustained period of over-investment meant that China now required ever higher investment to generate the same amount of growth, forecasting that investment's share of GDP could soar to 60-70 percent from current levels around 50 percent.
"Under such a strategy, vulnerabilities will likely grow in the form of hidden deadweight that will have to be paid in future in one form or another. The cost of financing such an elevated level of investment could undermine overall economic stability," it added.
Whether those vulnerabilities would eventually erupt into a full-blown funding crisis was far from clear, the IMF research said, particularly given China's heavy use of household savings, rather than external financing, for investment spending.
That funding model in itself has added strain which impeded the transition the government has said it wants to achieve in rebalancing growth towards domestic consumption and more dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
"In China, a large burden of the financing of over-investment is borne by households, estimated at close to 4 percent of GDP per year, while SMEs are paying a higher price of capital because of the funding priority given to larger corporations," the IMF report said.
(Reporting by Nick Edwards; Editing by Richard Borsuk)
flower delivery e cards smash kate upton sports illustrated outback chaka khan taylor swift safe and sound
Garden tools and equipment | Home Improvement Idea - Typepad
Regardless ?f whether ????re hobbyist, beginner ?r expert, ??? gardening a particular piece ?f land t? work ?n ???r property. Many tools ?n relation t? specific categories t? extended format associated w?th gardening implement. An individual ??n really feel th? courage, ?f ??? g? t? th? supply stores ?nd ??? ??n ?l?? see h?w individual agents ???ld b?. D? n?t m?k? ???r ?wn happiness ?nd try t? meet th? individual needs ?nd specific budget Al?? w?th real resources match. Beginners ?h??ld discover things th?t need specific gardening basics b?g?n, b?????? th?? ?r? much more money ?f ??? b?? ?n ????ll?nt job moving.
A? ??rt related t? basic gardening tools, w? ?r? ?bl? t? talk ?b??t power, hand sources, spades, shovels, rakes, towing products, current water pumping systems, air springs, wheels ?nd much numerous. Y?t a handful ?f people w? need. Wh?n ??? h??? two flower beds work, ?t ?? n?t n??????r? t? connect t? th? five types ?f resources f?r th?m. Stick t? th? basic requirements f?r lower, ?r b?????? th? person h?? come t? m?k? a fortune investing ?n funds th?t ?r? n?t used. Mind ???, ?r even ??k f?r tips, recommendations ?nd conditions relating t? th? instructions fr?m a much more experienced home gardeners t? m?k? sure th?t ??? select a particular gardening equipment correctly.
Different people ??n continue t? live a special impact ?n th? environment ?n connection w?th gardening tools wh?n w? th?nk th?t many ?f th? resources ?r? generally gas.
If ??? d? n?t invest ?n b?d sources, ??? ??n ??? th? products ?n
much ?f gardening ?? th?t ?t d??? n?t need t? b? replaced frequently. Y?? w?ll n?t b?? shovels ?nd rakes per year. Y?? m?? need gloves ?nd boots, b?t n?t specific bases gardening change. If th?? d? n?t understand wh?r? t? ?t?rt, m? personal opinion ?? ??m? tips online. In particular, th? Internet gives ??? access t? th? l?rg??t gardening forum clubs, ?nd th? community, ?nd th?r? ?? always something t? discover through especially th? more experienced.
J??t spend professionals ?n a complex ?nd varied garden tools. Many ?f th? funds t? individual responsibilities easier ?nd ?l?? t? th? office more efficient b?t more complex special special tool, especially ?m?ng higher cost t? fix. People wh? ??? natural ?nd organic gardening invest example , ?t ?? essential th?t careful selection ?f resources t? ???. Th?? rule applies t? everyone, even less tangible reasons!
Posts related to Garden tools and equipment
Source: http://wilsome.com/2012/11/garden-tools-and-equipment.html
donald driver donald driver robin thicke mariana trench transcendental meditation trayvon martin obama care
Source: http://kevincheatwood8.blogspot.com/2012/11/garden-tools-and-equipment-home.html
Rupert Sanders bachelorette penn state Ernie Els Teen Choice Awards 2012 Aurora victims usher
Source: http://orvilledowns525.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/garden-tools-and-equipment-home-improvement-idea.html
9/11 Memorial jessica simpson chris brown 911 Google Docs masterchef Dictionary.com
Source: http://santiagojuarez7891.typepad.com/blog/2012/11/garden-tools-and-equipment-home-improvement-idea.html
direct tv wimbledon ray allen Savages Home Run Derby 2012 San Diego fireworks steve nash
awake mario batali lone ranger aaron brooks dave matthews band solar flares 2012 whitney houston will
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Thyroid Surgery: What to Expect ~ Health Fitness & Beauty Secrets ...
Thyroid Surgery: What to Expect
Thyroid surgery is the primary treatment for thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules and hyperthyroidism.? During the procedure, all or part of the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland located at the front of the throat is carefully removed.? Here, we'll take a closer look at what the procedure involves, plus we will discuss ways your body may change after thyroid surgery.About Thyroid Surgery
Surgery is normally used to treat thyroid problems in a number of cases.? For instance, if your doctor has diagnosed you with thyroid cancer or if it is suspected that thyroid cancer is developing, you are a likely candidate for thyroid surgery.? In addition, if you have a benign thyroid nodule that has begun to interfere with swallowing or breathing, or if you have a fluid filled thyroid nodule which returns after having been drained more than once, you are a candidate for surgery.? Thyroid surgery is also prescribed for hyperthyroidism and Graves Disease which does not respond to radioactive iodine or medications.
During thyroid surgery, you may have your entire thyroid gland removed, or you may need to have only a portion of your thyroid removed.? If you require a total thyroidectomy, the entire gland, along with the lymph nodes surrounding it will be removed.?
If you require a thyroid lobectomy, either with or without an isthmectomy, only the affected lobe will be removed.? With an isthmectomy, the isthmus, which is the band of tissue that connects the two lobes, will be removed as well.? Before finishing surgery, the surgeon will have the removed tissue analyzed to determine whether cancer is present.? If cancer is present within the cells, the surgeon will remove the remainder of the thyroid.? This is called a completion thyroidectomy.
In cases of hyperthyroidism caused by Graves Disease, a subtotal thyroidectomy will be performed.? In this thyroid surgery, one complete lobe, part of the second lobe, and the isthmus will be removed.
Thyroid surgery once required long incisions which completely opened the neck; today, many surgeons are conducting endoscopic thyroidectomies using a number of small incisions which allow surgical instruments and a tiny camera to be inserted into the surgical site.? Not only does this reduce the appearance of scars post-surgery, it also reduces recovery time and produces less pain than standard thyroidectomies do.
As with most modern surgeries, thyroid surgery is generally safe.? There are some complications which may occur due to the surgery, including a changed voice or persistent hoarseness brought on by nerve damage.? The best way to avoid this is to select an experienced surgeon; in addition, those having lobectomies rather than complete thyroidectomies are at lower risk for speech difficulties.
If the parathyroid glands are damaged or mistakenly removed during a total thyroidectomy, then hypoparathyroidism can result.? This is not a common problem encountered in patients having lobectomies, and again, the more experience a surgeon has, the less risk there is of accidental parathyroid gland removal.
Thyroid surgery patients are sometimes seen on an outpatient basis; most remain in the hospital for a day or two after surgery.
Additional Considerations
If you must undergo a total thyroidectomy, you will need to take synthetic thyroid hormone; this can also occur if you have a subtotal thyroidectomy or a lobectomy.
If you have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer and have undergone thyroid surgery, you will more than likely require treatment with radioactive iodine after the surgery, to ensure that all the cancer cells and thyroid tissue are gone.?
If you have undergone thyroid surgery for hyperthyroidism, you may have low calcium levels; in this case, you will need to take calcium supplements.?
Be sure to have a discussion with your doctor regarding any concerns you may have surrounding thyroid surgery.? While the risk for complications is present, most patients go on to enjoy life better than they have in many years, once thyroid surgery is successfully completed.?
Dr. Michael Barakate is a paediatric and adult otolaryngologist located in Sydney, Australia.? For more information on ENT surgery and ENT disorders, visit ENT-Surgery.com.au.
?
Source: http://healthbeauty-guide.blogspot.com/2012/11/thyroid-surgery-what-to-expect.html
berkshire hathaway ufc 144 james jones james jones aladdin black forest ufc 144 fight card
The Skyline Silhouette Home Screen
Reader vignesh_pv took Android's Ice Cream Sandwich color theme and built a home screen around it with text-based widgets, icons, and some cool system buttons.
This is another example of a simple, but good-looking screen. All you need to put it together is:
Do you have an awesome, tweaked-into-oblivion home or lock screen of your own that you'd like to share? Go ahead and post it on the #homescreenshowcase forum with a description of how you made it and it may be the next featured home screen.
The Skyline Silhouette Home Screen | #homescreenshowcase
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/6eAU26LVdEI/the-skyline-silhouette-home-screen
joan rivers gary carter dies oolong tea survivor one world lil kim progeria what will my baby look like
Loans for bad credit: tax assistance expanded to awful ... - JLPT Study
A good reason due to this is it doesn't involve any assets or protection. Therefore a finance company must rest assured some way of any personal capability to pay out in time.
Payday Loans Online - The Easiest Way to get Cash Quickly! Maybe you have get thus posting bunch's of files if you wish a borrowing arrangement? Then an online Payday loan could be ideal for you. In advance of, I need to to accumulate each of the important docs and publish them to your finance company so that they can commence the financial loan procedure. That way, it takes about couple times will contain the agreement and will not help if I own a economic crisis. Removed are those days of problems linked to the traditional financial loan method, since i uncovered online payday loans. installment loans with no credit check Unsecured Loans - Answer to Recovering a favorable credit Rating When elements go awry, and also a worsening financial circumstances leads to fails with a loan, it seems sensible a bad credit score. Recuperating from this slide from monetary sophistication can seem impossible, but techniques, as well as very best is to become easy which time satisfy the settlement responsibilities with out negligence. It does look strange that this sort of a good way to recoup from bad credit is to try to get additional credit history, but there is however no surer strategy to present loan merchants the errors of the past happen to be figured out. That is why products referred to as unsecured bad credit loans are obtainable, providing people that were being sufferers of circumstances with enable you to gain back their credit ratings. Certainly, loans which have been credit card hold together a much better possibility than their properly secured alternate, but you're usually only method of financing available since, for any customer, the earlier personal debt would probably have already been repaid got they nearly anything to use as security to start with. For people who are a little bit bewildered between home equity loans loans, a personal unsecured loan is issued on the basis that the borrower includes a enough monthly revenue as well as a decent credit score. Certainly then, the money restriction is significantly decrease and influenced by the incidence of greenbacks. For instance, one who generates $ 6,000 monthly will meet the requirements to secure a larger sized mortgage loan than an individual which has a Bucks 4,000 monthly earnings, supplied the previous charges are certainly not proportionally larger.
That's why, increasing numbers of people are purchasing collateralized personal loans for diverse economic requirements that may be listed as pressing, regime and way of living recreation. Attached loans could only be benefited by all those personal loan hunters who are going to offer their property (like dwelling) as equity about the loan. The reason for collateral is usually to guard the lenders investment decision. Regardless of the reasons why, recurring defaults or not-payment can result in repo with the pledged security to get better the credited total. A secured mortgage deal may seem dangerous, however the lender can easily maintain your pitfalls if you are paying his EMI's (The same Monthly Instalments Equals Theory + Curiosity) as determined, by choosing a acceptable repayment schedule by his investment recovery potential and potential ideas.
Source: http://www.jlpt-study.com/forum/loans-bad-credit-tax-assistance-expanded-awful-collectors
nascar news doppler radar colorado rockies moonshine news channel 4 radar weather morosini death
Monday, November 26, 2012
The case for getting rid of cable
Cable and internet are two monthly bills that most of us see as untouchable. But you can get by without either.?
In this 2009 file photo, a Time Warner Cable truck is parked in New York. Hamm argues that cable television is far from a necessary expense ? and in certain cases, you can get by without Internet, too.
Mark Lenhihan/AP/File
EnlargeI?ve talked over the last few days about the value of reviewing monthly bills and subscription services. Today, I?m going to look at two bills that people often think of as ?untouchable,? but which essentially just boil down to expensive entertainment.
Skip to next paragraph Trent HammThe Simple Dollar is a blog for those of us who need both cents and sense: people fighting debt and bad spending habits while building a financially secure future and still affording a latte or two. Our busy lives are crazy enough without having to compare five hundred mutual funds ? we just want simple ways to manage our finances and save a little money.
Recent posts
' +
google_ads[0].line2 + '
' +
google_ads[0].line3 + '
Subscribe Today to the Monitor
I?m looking at you, cable/satellite bill. I?m looking at you, too, internet bill.
Let?s look at each of these bills separately.
First,?a cable/satellite bill is purely for entertainment.?There?s essentially no information that you can get from your cable box that you couldn?t get elsewhere, and honestly, the vast majority of what it?s used for is entertainment.
The question is whether or not you could get equivalent entertainment (or information) from other sources. Is there anything you?re getting from your cable box that you couldn?t really get from your DVD player, a roof antenna, and a converter box ? and no longer have a monthly bill?
With just local television, you can get the necessary news and weather alerts and a wide diversity of programming (especially since, with the advent of digital television, you can get ten to twenty channels almost everywhere). With a DVD player, you have access to lots and lots of movies, especially in conjunction with a Redbox kiosk.
What about the internet bill? I?ll agree that?many people use the internet for work-related purposes, but it?s also used largely as a source of entertainment in the home.?Web browsing, movie watching, gaming ? they?re all forms of entertainment enabled by internet access.
Again, can you find these entertainments elsewhere? Would a digital converter box and an antenna on the roof suffice for television programming? Could you use other resources, such as a library, for your other internet needs?
For many people, these two bills add up to well over $100 per month. In some cases, the bill can touch $200 or $300 a month. That?s a pretty big impact on a person?s monthly finances.
It?s well worth considering an alternative plan, at least in the short term, so that you can get control of your finances again. Eliminate the internet or the cable box (or both) from your home for a while and breathe a sigh of relief at the reduced monthly bills.
For many people today, I?d suggest choosing the internet over the cable box if you?re choosing between the two. There is a lot of entertainment that can be found online ? often enough to replace the regular programming given to you by cable or satellite services.
Looking for another way to cut back on monthly entertainment bills? Consider cutting back on your mobile data plan. How often do you really use it for useful things that aren?t purely for entertainment?
The goal isn?t to live a spartan lifestyle. The goal is to stop paying for stuff you don?t use ? or things that you can already get through another service ? and put that money to better use in your life.
This post is part of a yearlong series called ?365 Ways to Live Cheap (Revisited),? in which I?m revisiting the entries from my book ?365 Ways to Live Cheap,? which is available?at Amazon?and at bookstores everywhere.?
?
The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best economy-related bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here. To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on www.thesimpledollar.com.
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/gW3AKLd6DSQ/The-case-for-getting-rid-of-cable
facebook buys instagram kevin systrom fibonacci sequence maryland lottery grand jury ozzie guillen fidel castro darvish
U.S. astronaut, Russian cosmonaut to spend a year in space
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida |
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Two veterans of the International Space Station will return for an experimental year-long stay aboard the orbital outpost, a test run for future missions to the moon, asteroids and Mars, NASA said on Monday.
Former U.S. space shuttle pilot and station commander Scott Kelly, 48, who last flew in 2011, will be paired with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, 52, for a 12-month space station assignment beginning in early 2015. Kornienko served as a flight engineer aboard the station in 2010.
"The one-year increment will expand the bounds of how we live and work in space and will increase our knowledge ... as we prepare for future missions," NASA associate administrator William Gerstenmaier said in a statement.
Only four people have lived off-planet for a year or longer, all Russians who served aboard the now-defunct Mir space station. The single longest stay in space was a 438-day mission in 1994-1995 by cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, a physician.
The current U.S. record for a long-duration flight is held by former International Space Station commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, who spent 215 days in orbit between September 2006 and April 2007.
"You don't really notice it until you come back and begin recovery," Lopez-Alegria told Reuters. "When you come back, you decide whether you've pushed it too far or not."
With the retirement of the space shuttles last year and the completion of the U.S. construction of the $100 billion station, NASA is working on a new space transportation system that can fly astronauts to the moon, asteroids and other destinations in deep space. The goal is to send a crew to Mars in the mid-2030s.
The year-long station missions are intended to collect medical data and to test protocols for countering some of the adverse impacts of long-duration spaceflight, including bone and muscle loss, risks to eyesight and reproductive systems and changes in the immune and cardiovascular systems.
Kelly and Kornienko are scheduled to begin a two-year training program early next year.
(Editing by Jim Loney)
limbaugh aaron smith wilt chamberlain joe arpaio cat in the hat green eggs and ham wiz khalifa and amber rose
Just What Is A Guarantor Personal Loan? | Beach Lungis
Submitted by BobDBennett on Sun, 11/25/2012 - 19:45.
Just about all men or women checking out this specific commentary might have heard about the expression "guarantor loan" however could possibly not have an understanding of specifically what it all will mean. So what's a guarantor loan plus the way it might assist an individual? A guarantor loan is actually a funding contract which expects the guarantee from a 3rd party. Many people decide to use this particular category of loan program since they're not able to meet the criteria for a personal loan independently. Regularly, folks with zero and also sub par credit scores will need the warranty of a third party to actually obtain a loan. In cases where individuals who possess a below average credit standing make an application for a loan program, his / her financing request can often be turned away by the lending company basically because they might not be in the position to repay the loan. Even so, the lending company might provide financing when a guarantor is actually in a position to pay off the money whenever the applicant is not able to repay. Any of these loans normally involve printed agreements that must be signed by the debtor in addition to the guarantor.
There are different choices of guarantor loan product that people with negative credit scores and / or modest income can usually get. In view that a guarantor loan refers to a 3rd party reassurance for repayment of the borrowed funds, this specific title will be appropriate for practically all models of borrowing options. To provide an example, grad students nearly always will not hold any personal credit history which can ensure that it is next to impossible for them all to achieve a student loan. Even so, they can have a lending product if any individual having a very good credit record wants to become a guarantor. Folks with a small net income or just an undesirable credit rating would probably require a guarantor to get a home mortgage, personal financial loan, car finance and also other types of loan program.
The guarantor may be a relative or an acquaintance who may be wanting to lend you a hand. Now and then, firms can even consent to be the guarantor whenever you apply for a bank loan. To end up being a guarantor you need to carry a first-rate credit standing but also possess the capacity to pay back the finance if the individual is not able to pay up. Normally, the financial institution will certainly take a look at the resources together with the pay packet of your guarantor in advance of allowing a loan.
A spoken guarantee via the guarantor is not really satisfactory to execute a financing deal. Guarantor loan products are actually completed only after a thorough commitment is inked with the guarantor combined with the consumer. These printed forms offer the loan merchant the legal right to seek repayment from the guarantor if perhaps the borrower doesn't repay.
You can find more information about and apply for a guarantor loan at http://www.easynofeeloans.co.uk/guarantor-loans.html.
Source: http://www.beachlungis.com/node/7478
chesapeake energy dick clark death yom hashoah yolo liquidmetal gsa scandal kelis
It's here- the OFAC Health & Fitness Challenge 2013
November 25, 2012
We are excited to announce the annual OFAC Health & Fitness?Challenge.? Everyone is welcome to participate and encouraged to have a blast while getting is shape.
Each year the Challenge is a little different, but designed to help encourage people to embrace an active lifestyle and while having fun at the same time. The challenge has been recognized on NBC4 and also?in a recent article in 11 Athletics as a unique way to get motivated and embrace a healthy lifestyle in the new year. The use of social media adds an exciting dimension to the contest and helps motivate us to keep pushing.?? This years Challenge runs from January 1, 2013 through April 1, 2013.
Dr. Terrence Philbin has worked hard to put together another OFAC Health & Fitness Challenge that we will be talking about for a long time. This year will really push your fitness level and will give people an opportunity to compete against yourself and with others. Baseline Fitness and D1 are helping us with the Challenge this year, so get ready to hit the infamous bod pod and cheer each other on at the OFAC Combine at D1 to start and complete the Challenge.? The kick off event will be the First on the First 5K again.For more information and how to sign up; check out our web page here.
Feel free to contact Katie Allen with any questions at allenkm@orthofootankle.com.
Enjoy some Holiday cheer this season and join us in the new year for the OFAC Health & Fitness Challenge.
Source: http://www.orthofootankle.com/2012/11/its-here-the-ofac-health-fitness-challenge-2013/
London 2012 hurdles Taylor Kinney Beach Volleyball Olympics 2012 Jessica Ennis Oscar Pistorius Aliya Mustafina Kirk Urso
IT BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST III - Job Resources - Careers.org
?
Basic Job Info
?Location
US-CA-Riverside
?Experience Required
At least 4 year(s)
?Employment Type
Full-Time
?Relocation Covered
False
Job Description
Develop and implement information technology systems solutions to address business needs and other duties as required. There are four levels (I, II, III and Supervising) within the IT Business Systems Analyst class series, each distinguished by its assigned role, skill and experience level and the amount of training and supervision required for successful performance. Level III is a separately allocated class, allocated to those positions that require incumbents to: a) Assign, schedule, review and monitor the work of employees; participate in the employee selection process; train, coach and mentor employees; and/or recommend corrective action OR b) Have responsibility over the most complex application, program, system or project requiring master-level technical and analytical skills on a regular and on-going basis. Advancement to Level III requires selection to an available Level III position through open recruitment.This class is distinguished from Level II in that the latter is the journey level. This class is distinguished from the Supervisory level in that the latter is for positions who exercise the full scope of supervision. Advancement to supervisor requires selection to an available Supervisory level position through open recruitment.?EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES:? Conduct systems analysis and design of business processes involving evaluation of current/proposed information & business process flow, available/emerging technology (hardware/software) and cost/benefits. ? Develop and document user requirements from end-user input for new and/or existing systems, business processes and applications. ? Select/recommend software &/or hardware based on systems analysis, evaluation of product &/or vendors. ? Create requests for proposal (RFPs) or requirement specifications and evaluate proposal submissions. ? Implement new/modified processes/systems by performing design, application development, installation & testing. ? Modify software; customize business applications/interfaces. ? Coordinate and communicate with end users, management, staff and vendors on project issues and status. ? Develop project work plans/schedules and monitor project resources including staff time, vendor work and finances. ? Prepare project documents, requirements, reports, feasibility studies, cost/benefit analysis and quality assurance/control standards. ? Maintain, support and administer software applications. ? Provide customer support, training and problem analysis for software applications.?RECRUITING GUIDELINES:Education: Completion of 30 semester or 45 quarter units from an accredited college in computer science, computer information systems, data processing, information management or a closely related field. IT job-related experience with Riverside County or its equivalent may substitute for education on a year for year basis. Experience: Minimum of four years of successful journey level IT job-related experience with one of those years including either lead person duties or technically advanced IT job-related work (one year experience as an IT Business Systems Analyst II will satisfy this experience requirement).Knowledge of: The principals, methods and techniques used in the course of work for this IT classification series and the principals and techniques applied to IT devices, applications and systems. Knowledge of the principals of organization and administration and the principals of documentation and recordkeeping, storage and retrieval. Ability to: Gather and analyze data, reason logically, draw valid conclusions and make appropriate recommendations; resolve technical problems and innovate more efficient use of IT resources; perform systems analysis work and problem solving; interpret and follow written and oral instructions; prepare concise reports and documents; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, customers, other employees and the public; communicate effectively with people at all organizational levels.IT-Related Skills: Required: Systems analysis theory, processes and techniques; project spec development; application design; writing and modifying technical and user documentation; data modeling techniques; prepare flow process diagrams and other design graphics; application of industry or County standards and conventions for systems analysis and quality assurance; installation, testing and migration process and techniques; quality and version control processes; use of packaged or off-the-shelf and 3rd party application software including office automation tools. Preferred: Internal consulting with clients at various levels of the organization; writing code and scripts; writing process descriptions; work with client server environments. ?Read this posting for special application instructions. Unless otherwise stated, use our resume builder to submit your resume, or select 'Apply' on this page. For specific questions regarding this position, contact [Click Here to Email Your Resum?] at 951-955-0780.All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment physical exam, including a drug/alcohol test, and a criminal background investigation, including fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment).Required Probationary Period - As an Approved Local Merit System, the County of Riverside requires all new regular or seasonal employees to serve an initial probationary period, the duration of which is indicated in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons, regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability.Women, ethnic and racial minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other non-job-related factor.DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS - Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the ADA Amendments Act, and the Fair Employment & Housing Act, persons with disabilities who believe they need reasonable accommodation, or help in order to apply for a position, may contact the Disability Access Office at (951) 955-5663.Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling (951) 955-8688. The County will attempt to meet reasonable accommodation requests whenever possible.if (!NREUMQ.f) { NREUMQ.f=function() {NREUMQ.push(['load',new Date().getTime()]);var e=document.createElement('script');e.type='text/javascript';e.async=true;e.src='https://d1ros97qkrwjf5.cloudfront.net/42/eum/rum.js';document.body.appendChild(e);if(NREUMQ.a)NREUMQ.a();};NREUMQ.a=window.onload;window.onload=NREUMQ.f;};NREUMQ.push(['nrf2','beacon-3.newrelic.com','89019a8e50',490821,'NlAGYxEFC0RWBhUIDQ8aN1IREglSQ0oiBw8yUBZBDwER',0,67,new Date().getTime()])Department: ?Mental Health Department
Salary: ?$29.34 Hourly
Careers.org gives you access to over a million jobs and career opportunities across the US including in Riverside. Find your perfect job and apply directly through a simply online application process
Source: http://jobs.careers.org/job/J3H3HZ718957P5RZYHW/IT-BUSINESS-SYSTEMS-ANALYST-III
helicopter crash matt jones whitney houston in casket photo resolute national enquirer whitney houston casket photo jk rowling qnexa
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Gas blast levels Mass. buildings; at least 18 hurt
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) ? Authorities say it's a miracle a natural gas explosion in one of New England's biggest cities didn't kill anyone.
Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Tim Murray says two buildings were destroyed and several firefighters and police officers were injured Friday evening.
Gas company workers in the area because of a leak are among at least 18 people injured.
The explosion in a downtown area of Springfield leveled a building housing a strip club. It blew out all windows in a three-block radius, leaving three more buildings damaged beyond repair and prompting emergency workers to evacuate an apartment building that buckled.
Police say it looks as though there was a missile strike where the explosion occurred. Murray says it's "a miracle" no one died.
Firefighters say they're investigating how the blast happened.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gas-blast-levels-mass-buildings-least-18-hurt-021618277.html
peter paul and mary edgar rice burroughs dallas clark litter marinol flight attendant pau gasol trade
PFT: Cutler's chances of playing 'looking better'
Getty ImagesHow bad was Thursday night?s loss by the Jets?? Fireman Ed left at halftime and deleted his Twitter account.
Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia says the impact of the very big Vince Wilfork comes from ?little things? that don?t show up on the stats sheet.
Bills DE Shawne Merriman is becoming more confident.
The Dolphins are considering various upgrades to their 25-year-old stadium.
The 17 rookies on the Browns? roster are learning about the Pittsburgh rivalry.
Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham is fueling his team?s recent run.
Ravens RB Ray Rice has only two 100-yard games this season, and he has averaged only 55.6 yards over the last five games.
The Steelers? home field will get ripped up on Saturday, with?four high-school games being played there.
Colts interim coach Bruce Arians calls Sunday?s visit from the Bills a playoff game; ?We have to take that approach because Buffalo is taking that approach,? Arians said.? ?They?re do-or-die, we better be do-or-die. That?s been our mindset all week.?
Titans RB Chris Johnson was happy to have a week off, but he ?wouldn?t have minded to keep on going,? given his recent run of success.
Jaguars QB Chad Henne knows that a key to getting the starting job beyond 2012 is to get the team?s first home win of the season on Sunday.
Texans coach Gary Kubiak didn?t regard getting kicked in the nuts to be a sufficient excuse for QB Matt Schaub?s failure to make the throw; ?He didn?t like that,? Kubiak said of Schaub.
Raiders FB Marcel Reece is finally getting the stats, but he?d prefer to be getting the wins.
Chiefs WR Dexter McCluster delivered Thanksgiving dinner to an elderly fan, and in return she gave him the business.
Broncos LB Von Miller is conjuring comparisons to Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas.
With Chargers LT Jared Gaither on IR, it?s time for undrafted free agent Mike Harris to step up.
Giants QB Eli Manning has a history of performing well after the bye week.? (So did Andy Reid.)
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is in ?awe? of Robert Griffin III.? (No one currently is in awe of the Cowboys.)
Redskins WR Pierre Gar?on ?suffered no setbacks? after a five-catch, 93-yard performance against Dallas.
With Eagles RB LeSean McCoy likely out, seventh-round rookie Bryce Brown is expected to get the bulk of the carries on Monday night.
Lions defensive end Willie Young loves fishing.? (He?ll have time to do plenty of it in January.)
Lost in the poor performance of the Bears? offensive line on Monday night is the fact that the Bears? defensive line wasn?t every good, either.
The unexpectedly good recovery of Vikings RB Adrian Peterson has left RB Toby Gerhart unexpectedly out of the mix for touches.
When the Packers face Detroit on December 9, Cory Uttech of Sheboygan will be the first non-player to perform the Lambeau Leap during a game.? (And then Ndamukong Suh will kick him in the crotch.)
Buccaneers DT Gerald McCoy calls rookie S Mark Barron ?a silent killer.?? (Barron likely has used the phrase ?silent but deadly? in reference to McCoy at some point this season.)
Saints safeties Roman Harper and Malcolm Jenkins are trying to forget what Vernon Davis did to them the last time they faced San Francisco.
After being shredded by LaRod Stephen-Howling, the Falcons are hoping for better run support against the Muscle Hamster.
The Panthers get another chance to prove they?re ready for primetime.? (Or to prove they?re not.)
The 49ers? kick and punt coverage units have improved significantly in recent weeks.
Coach Jeff Fisher realizes something has to give when the Rams, who haven?t won in five straight games, face an Arizona team that has lost six straight.
Cardinals defensive coordinator Ray Horton said that the intended message of the reduced use of S Adrian Wilson was ?do your job and do your job well.?
The Seahawks emerge from the bye week healthy and rested and ready for the stretch run.
jeff gordon veterans day 49ers world war z Johnny Manziel the voice When Is Veterans Day 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Shopping and Product Reviews: Top 10 Indian Wedding Decor Trends
Diagram the d?cor much in advance keeping in mind the weather, theme, colours and current trends to ensure that it is perfect. While richness does not always mean opulence, the key to a perfect d?cor can lie in innovation. Explore all options before making the final choice.
The wedding d?cor must explore the colourful, vast, vibrant and rich culture of boundaries of Indian weddings. It is the one aspect that can make or break the look and feel of that special evening. It is ideal to know what's exactly trending before deciding. But before setting out on this journey, just clear your mind of all fixed ideas. This doesn't mean that you can't set preferences and expectations, but the way forward is to not be rigid.
1. Flower Power
Flowers continue to be the popular choice this season. They genuinely spread cheery vibes all around. While roses are classics, tulips are refreshing, and lilacs breathe elegance. Flowers must be used in tandem with other aspects like the stage d?cor, theme of the wedding. Different types of flowers including artificial ones can be combined beautifully using ribbons and then be strategically placed. Ask the florist for a mock setup!
2. Lighten Up
Candles and lanterns add the much-needed softness to an otherwise grand affair. It not only lights up the place, but also looks beautiful. Special arrangements are created to fill up empty places.
3. Fab Fabrics
Multi-coloured and different fabrics draped together create a dramatic effect. Just be sure of not using cheap quality fabric that might rip apart damaging the look.
4. Match-much!
The decor of core areas like entrance, stage, seating, photo-opt, lounge areas and the linens is colour-coordinated. This is upped a notch when the bridegroom's outfit matches the colours of the locale.
5. Tent It
Shabby shamianas are history! Tented weddings do not mean cutting down the cost or capacity anymore but widening the chances of customization. Depending on the weather, choose to have a transparent or covered roof, and then the choice of fabrics, crystals and flowers.
6. Stylish Seating
Make sure there is ample seating for your guests, and it is stylish! Be sure to dress up the banquet chairs with nice linen, which is not torn or damaged. Pretty it up with coloured sash, ribbons, flowers or crystals. It can be made more interesting by adding tassels and brooches is a good idea!
7. Colour It
Pastel and soft colours are really in! Using different shades of one colour look very nice. From invitation cards, floral balls to fabrics being used, ensuring that the colour is the same for all can perfect the Indian wedding decor like nothing else.
8. The Central Point
With proper seating plans, centrepieces catch all the attention. Regular floral or crystal ones are the usual choices; but edible options like a fancy chocolate candles or fresh fruits look great too! Innovation genuinely begins where convention ends!
9. Food Layout
Laying out the food, and displaying it well is an art. Make sure that the display of food, ingredients and chef's techniques is superbly creative so it engages the guest more.
10. Sweet Nothings
Vanity vans for guests to refresh or touch-up before entering the venue is really helpful. A grand welcome with sweets, fresh petal shower and other such gestures add the finishing touch to the otherwise perfect setup.
The author of this article is associated with BollywoodShaadis.com, a one stop destination for online wedding planning tips in India.
Source: http://mysoupbaby.blogspot.com/2012/11/top-10-indian-wedding-decor-trends.html
mitch daniels shirataki noodles john kerry prince fielder state of the union address 2012 obama state of the union 2012 2012 state of the union address
Use a Tire Repair Kit to Plug a Tire Leak
Sure anyone can use a can of Fix-A-Flat to quickly get them back on the road but you'll mostly likely have to replace the tire instead of patching and repairing it. Instead consider learning to use a tire repair kit?the $6 you spend on the kit will quickly be recouped the first time it saves you from having to replace a tire or walk home.
YouTube user Wranglerstar shares how this inexpensive repair kit can fix anything from bicycle to large truck tires. After locating your leak you'll want to use the rasp tool to enlarge the hole enough for the repair plug to fit. Attach the repair plug to the T-handle insert tool and insert the plug into the hole. Gently pull the T-handle tool back out and trim down any excess repair plug sticking out of the tire with a knife.
You're now ready to reinflate your tire using an air compressor, hand pump, or a CO2 inflator depending on your type of vehicle and what you have in your car emergency kit.
How to Fix a Flat Tire Anywhere | YouTube
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/f6fqrXfwhJ0/use-a-tire-repair-kit-to-plug-a-tire-leak
callista rick perry travis barker get back on board rob lowe peyton manning what is sopa marianne gingrich
Friday, November 23, 2012
Technical Writing for Non-Native English Speakers ? iOS Reference ...
Portland, Oregon ? Min-U Guides today is pleased to introduce Technical Writing for Non-Native English Speakers for iOS, its reference eBook that provides a framework for ESL authors to write professional documentation. An authoritative guide, its goal is to help authors to write consistent documentation, so that both technical experts and end users can benefit from common structures and conventions in written manuals and documents. The 203-page book includes 12 Chapters, 7 Appendices, and a section on basic principles written in Chinese. The comprehensive reference work includes a bibliography of useful style guides and dictionaries.
Technical Writing for Non-Native English Speakers discusses the basic principles of clear, concise technical writing, and it is directed at authors of all levels of experience. The book stresses internal consistency of format, style, and content, so that all users can derive the maximum benefit from corporate technical documentation. The guide also provides standards for common terms and concepts. In all phases of product development, from system design to documentation, consistency is a virtue. When writing technical documentation, authors should try to follow these guidelines as closely as possible.
Chapters & Appendices:
* Chapter 1) Fundamental Concepts of Technical Documentation-introduces basic concept of technical documentation
* C2) Basic Building Blocks of Information Design-describes how to use different types of information structures
* C3) Grammar and Usage Guidelines-provides advice and examples about how to use specific parts of English grammar correctly
* C4) Writing Documentation for an International Audience-provides guidelines on how to handle the most common problems encountered by translators
* C5) Ways to Improve Your Documentation-outlines some tips about how you can review and improve your writing
* C6) Essential Details to Consider When Writing-use of units with numbers, common misuse of words in English, hyphens, tense, voice, etc.
* C7) Indexing Documentation-describes basic index requirements and indexing techniques
* C8) Writing for GUIs-describes how to write about user interfaces
* C9) Usability and Readability Considerations for Technical Documentation-discusses readability issues and provides methods to assess readability
* C10) Writing Accessible Documentation-discusses the needs of non-native English speaking users of technical documentation
* C11) Use of Screenshots-provides style guidelines for screenshots
* C12) Legal Topics-covers essential legal topics in technical documentation
* Appendix A) Recommended Terminology-provides a comprehensive list of suggested terminology for use in technical documentation
* AB) Units-provides a list of standard units that frequently appear in technical documentation or in product software
* AC) Glossary of Terms in this Guide-provides a list of unfamiliar language terms that are used in this guide
* AD) Examples of Information Design Building Blocks-provides examples of the information design building blocks discussed in Chapter 2
* AE) Abbreviations I-list I of telecom & computer industry abbreviations
* AF) Abbreviations II-list II of telecom & computer industry abbreviations
* AG) Self-Test Quizzes and Key-205 multiple-choice questions to test yourself on this guide?s contents
?This book has been written specifically for the thousands of non-native English speakers who must write technical documentation daily,? stated Ken Tidwell of Min-U Guides. ?Employing these guidelines appropriately will ensure that your manual or documentation is consistent in layout, style, and content and that your writing is clear and concise, easily translated if necessary.?
Device Requirements:
* iPad, iPhone (3G or later), or iPod touch (2nd generation or later)
* iOS 4.3.3 or later
* Requires iBooks 1.3.1 or later
* 3.9 MB
Pricing and Availability:
Technical Writing for Non-Native English Speakers is $14.99 (USD) and available worldwide exclusively through the iTunes Store in the Books/Reference category. Review copies are available on request.
Technical Writing for Non-Native English Speakers
Purchase and Download
Screenshot
Book Cover
Located in beautiful Portland, Oregon, the Min-U Guides team is an independent software company founded by Ken Tidwell in February of 2009. With over three decades developing software, Ken?s goal is to provide user guides, manuals, and tutorials for a broad range of products while leveraging the unique Mac/iOS platforms. Copyright (C) 2012 Ken Tidwell. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod, and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.
brooklyn nets may day protests tony nominations 2012 facebook organ donor jessica simpson gives birth carrie underwood blown away chk
France's Sarkozy questioned over campaign funds
PARIS (AP) ? He faces the possibility of charges on allegations he took advantage of an aging heiress to get envelopes stuffed with illegal cash for his presidential campaign. His party is mired in an internal feud. And still France's conservatives see Nicolas Sarkozy as their best hope to return to power.
It's a sign of how polarizing the former president is for the French: Many were suspicious of his close ties to the wealthy and threw him out of office; supporters see him as the only person able to save the country's economy and wish he'd return. On Thursday, the former president was named a key ? and potentially indictable ? witness after 12 hours before a judge to answer questions about whether he accepted illegal campaign donations from the 90-year-old L'Oreal heiress, Liliane Bettencourt.
Bettencourt's former accountant told police she handed over ?150,000 ($192,000) in cash she was told would be passed on to Sarkozy's campaign treasurer. In July, a magistrate ordered the seizure of Sarkozy's diaries, including his calendars.
The sum, although it pales in comparison to U.S. campaign funding amounts, shocked many French citizens because spending on political campaigns is tightly limited here. Individual campaign contributions to candidates are limited to ?4,600 ($5,930), and no candidate can spend more than ?22 million ($28 million) on an entire presidential campaign.
By comparison, an estimated total of $4 billion (?3 billion) was spent on campaigning for this year's U.S. presidential elections, and in the final months of the campaign each candidate was pulling in upward of $100 million (?77 million).
The investigation that has ensnared Sarkozy centers on the finances of Bettencourt, Europe's richest woman and the focus of a long-running family feud over her fortune. Bettencourt, who was reported to suffer from Alzheimer's disease, has since been placed under legal protection.
Sarkozy's election loss in May cost him his immunity from prosecution. By July, his offices had been raided. The Bordeaux prosecutor, Claude Lapland, told the Sipa news agency after Thursday's hearing that Sarkozy was given the status of what in France is known as an "assisting witness," with the possibility of facing charges later on allegations of abusing someone in an impaired state, swindling and abuse of confidence.
"Given the extremely strict rules and controls, illegal financing is completely impossible," said Claude Gueant, who was Sarkozy's campaign director at the time, chief of staff and later his interior minister.
Sarkozy entered the Bordeaux courthouse Thursday without notice after a decoy vehicle lured away the cameras hoping to catch him on the way in, according to the Sipa news agency. He and his lawyer met privately with investigating judges, who handed Sarkozy the special witness status.
They stopped short of filing preliminary charges, as some had expected, and his lawyer Thierry Herzog called the decision a "victory" for the former president. The status is somewhere between a simple witness and a formal suspect.
Herzog tried to tamp down interest in the case, saying on RTL radio Thursday night that the affair "no longer exists."
Sarkozy ally Patrick Balkany, a legislator and mayor, said on BFM television that he spoke to the ex-president after the hearing and "he was content."
Bettencourt's money was contested long before Sarkozy entered the picture. Her daughter accused a celebrity photographer of abusing her mother's alleged mental frailty - and bilking the elder heiress out of ?1 billion ($1.3 billion) in cash and artworks. The elder Bettencourt's ex-butler leaked details of household conversations, including one in which the mother seems confused about whether or not she gave an island in the Seychelles to the photographer as a gift.
The island has since been sold off to a wildlife preservation organization. The photographer and an asset manager for Bettencourt face criminal charges of taking advantage of the L'Oreal heiress. And Bettencourt herself has been placed under legal protection of her relatives, including the daughter who first brought the case to light.
As the scandal grew, the French economy stalled, and French voters tossed Sarkozy and his conservative UMP party into the political wilderness. And now the internal vote to replace the ex-president as party leader has descended into bitter allegations of questionable vote counts, leaving the party in chaos.
A poll released Thursday showed that a majority among the conservative UMP party think Sarkozy would be the best presidential candidate for the 2017 elections ? nearly double the percentages of those who backed the two men now wrestling for power.
The person mediating the party dispute is Alain Juppe, a former prime minister who was convicted in 2004 in an illegal party financing scheme and has since bounced back as a power broker in the conservative party.
Former President Jacques Chirac, another conservative caught in that same scandal, is the only French leader since World War II-era Nazi collaborator Marshal Philippe Petain to be charged or convicted of a crime.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/frances-sarkozy-questioned-over-campaign-funds-234403413.html
moratorium dwts season 14 cast leap day michigan primary results olympia snowe davey jones dead monsanto
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Irish gay parents to receive greater legal protection - PinkNews.co.uk
Ireland?s Gay and Lesbian Equality Network (GLEN) has welcomed comments made by Justice Minister Alan Shatter on the need to improve legal provision for gay parents and their children with new legislation.
Speaking at an LGBT reception on Wednesday, Mr Shatter confirmed?that?the Irish government would bring forward new legislation to secure ?equal citizenship for lesbian and gay parents?.
Mr Shatter announced a comprehensive Family Relationships and Children Bill, to be enacted by the end of 2013, which will provide for relationships of guardianship, custody and access for children in lesbian and gay headed families.
The proposed bill will also?provide?greater?financial security for the?children of same-sex?parents by addressing maintenance and inheritance rights, and?issues?concerning assisted human reproduction.
In response, the chair of GLEN Kieran Rose said: ?This is great news for lesbian and gay couples who are parenting children. One of the most urgent issues for these parents is the lack of legal certainty for their families and the lack of protection and security for their children.
?The reforms the minister outlined this evening will transform the status of these families, and secure for their children the range of protections and supports available to children in other?families.?
Discuss this ?Source: http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/11/21/irish-gay-parents-to-receive-greater-legal-protection/
peoples choice awards 2012 ford recalls robert kardashian chicago weather forecast narcolepsy narcolepsy weather st louis
Create a Summary of Purpose For School | Online Learning Tips
Posted on 21 November 2012.
Lately we?ve been incorporating business and project management into the mix with education. For those not studying these fields, it?s good to know some basic principles and strategic leadership techniques. One way to have success with your online education is to be a good project manager. Your academic plan is a good outline for where you?re headed, but you need to include the peripheral as well.
A summary of purpose will include a purpose, findings, best practices, barriers and issues, barriers overcome, and future needs. The academic plan can fulfill best practices, future needs, and some barriers. You need to come up with your purpose. Typically in an online class the first week discussion post is introductory, and you share your reason for taking the class and entering that degree or certificate program. Make sure you revisit your purpose throughout the program, you?ll find it changing throughout the process. As for findings, here?s where internships, career potential, and topical information should fall. This area could be the basis for a portfolio. The issues will be your own, and that can be anything from work-life balance to passing a required class. You need to identify what you?re struggling with, and then find resources to alleviate the strain.
[see also: How to Maximize Your Online Education Experience]
Use this document when you?re meeting with your student advisor. The frame of reference will give them a better idea of where you stand, and they can possibly correct any barriers that may be set in your way; like an old syllabus, or a class that doesn?t add to your academic plan.
View this summary as an executive decision on behalf of your education. Having a plan can be useful if you have a busy life and family that are competing for space. The strong purpose can also serve as your motivator when the assignments start getting tough. This summary should be the light at the end of your higher education tunnel, keep trucking and you?ll make it to the finish line soon enough!
By J. Mason
Online Learning Tips Editor
prince harry Hurricane hunger games Ronda Rousey Joey Kovar Expendables 2 Pussy Riot
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)