Bielema excited for challenge of SEC at Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) ? Bret Bielema watched from afar in April as Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long handled the difficult circumstances surrounding Bobby Petrino's firing, liking what he saw so much that he wrote Long a letter of support a few months later.

Bielema also liked what he heard from Long earlier this week during a clandestine meeting in New York, eventually agreeing to become the Razorbacks' long-term replacement for the scandal-ridden Petrino.

The former Wisconsin coach was introduced in Fayetteville on Wednesday, bringing an end to a nearly eight-month search for Arkansas ? which fell from the upper echelon of the Southeastern Conference to also-ran in its season in limbo under interim coach John L. Smith.

The Illinois native takes over a program hit hard by the turmoil following the ouster of Petrino, who was fired for hiring his mistress and initially lying about her presence during an April 1 motorcycle accident. Arkansas began the season ranked in the top 10 before stumbling to a 4-8 finish under Smith, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2008.

Bielema will receive $3.2 million annually for six seasons, leaving behind a Wisconsin program he led to a 68-24 record over the past seven seasons. The 42-year-old coach said he won't coach the Badgers in their third straight visit to the Rose Bowl.

Long said he interviewed four candidates for the job, though Bielema was his first choice. The athletic director said he first met Bielema when he was an assistant coach at Wisconsin in 2005, but it was his September letter of support following Petrino's firing that caught his attention.

Long first attempted to make contact with Bielema following Wisconsin's 70-31 win over Nebraska on Saturday night in the Big Ten championship game. The two talked Sunday before eventually meeting into the late hours of Monday night.

After sleeping on his discussions with Long, and considering the challenge of taking on the powerhouse of the SEC, Bielema accepted Arkansas' offer Tuesday. He met with his former players at Wisconsin on Tuesday night, introducing himself to the Razorbacks on Wednesday afternoon before his introductory news conference.

Bielema wouldn't put a timetable on success at Arkansas, but he did say he would embrace the underdog role after the Razorbacks' lowest win total since 2005.

He said consistent turnover on his coaching staff at Wisconsin, and the ability to pay his assistants more at Arkansas, played a role in his decision to leave the Badgers ? where he was Barry Alvarez's hand-picked successor following the 2005 season.

Bielema grew up on a hog farm in Illinois, a fact that brought out hearty laughter from the gathered crowd of Razorbacks faithful Wednesday in the Broyles Center.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bielema-excited-challenge-sec-arkansas-232625602--spt.html

super bowl commercials 2012 mia amar e stoudemire m.i.a. adrianne curry hoekstra best superbowl commercials 2012

December Gifts for Women : Ideas For Women Health and Fitness

Ho Ho Ho and Merry Christmas. It is that time of year where gift ideas are all over the media. Often women are so stressed over picking the right gifts for others that they ignore their own wants or needs during the season. This month we will be looking at great gift ideas that are perfect for women and also will improve or enhance health and wellness. The ideas here are great ideas for other women on your list too.

Monday?s gift: Anything for the feet. Why feet, you may ask?? Healthy feet are imperative to good spine alignment, good posture, flexibility, and pain free movement. Feet do actually affect all of these. Consider this: over grown toe nails, ingrown toe nails, plantar warts, athletes foot skin rash, corns, blisters, or anything that causes pain and imbalance will affect the way you stand, walk, and feel.

Gift ideas: ? Make a foot health gift basket with fancy wrapping. Include the following:

A toenail clipper set which should include an emery board or file.

Comfortable gel inserts for your shoes.

Packages of aromatherapy foot soak mix or make your own with bath salts and Epsom salts. Add your favorite essential oil for the scent and sit back for a long foot soak.

Bright colored nail polish, nail polish remover, and the foam forms that seperate the toes for painting.

Soft footie socks

Foot lotion

Soft slippers with a rubber sole for support.

Wooden massage roller, can easily be found in department stores. Roll your foot over the movable wooden balls for a great foot massage that increases circulation to the toes.

Calus stone for removing dry skin

A foot bath tub

Buy yourself a good fitting pair of shoes.

A first aid kit for feet to include band-aids, corn pads, wart remover, cuticle cream, or anything else you can think of that will make your feet feel their best.

The above suggestions may not seem glamorous to some but if you shop around you can find some really cool items for foot health. Many of the foot health ideas suggested can also be found at home among the items you already own. Just gather them in a cute basket to give yourself a foot spa during the holidays. Foot health matters and your overall well being and fitness depends on it.

Source: http://blogs.ideasforwomen.com/blogs/health/2012/12/03/december-gifts-for-women/

davy jones death born this way foundation lytro camera lytro camera andrew brietbart branson mo monkees songs

Source: http://hambletongoldie59.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/december-gifts-for-women-ideas-for-women-health-and-fitness.html

mega millions march 30 lucky numbers odds of winning mega millions mary mary sag aftra merger dj am bully

Source: http://oyesmiah884.blogspot.com/2012/12/december-gifts-for-women-ideas-for.html

bob costas bowl games Ronda Rousey Jovan Belcher SEC Championship Rick Majerus Cotto vs Trout

US weighing military options if Syria uses WMD

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney gestures during his daily news briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, Dec., 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney gestures during his daily news briefing at the White House in Washington, Monday, Dec., 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, left, and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, right, arrive for their press conference in Prague, Czech Republic, Monday, Dec. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House and its allies are weighing military options to secure Syria's chemical and biological weapons, after U.S. intelligence reports show the Syrian regime may be readying those weapons and may be desperate enough to use them, U.S. officials said Monday.

President Barack Obama, in a speech at the National Defense University on Monday, pointedly warned Syrian President Bashar Assad not to use his arsenal.

"Today I want to make it absolutely clear to Assad and those under his command: The world is watching," Obama said. "The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable. And if you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons, there will be consequences and you will be held accountable."

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, in Prague for meetings with Czech officials, said she wouldn't outline any specifics.

"But suffice it to say, we are certainly planning to take action if that eventuality were to occur," Clinton said.

Options now being considered range from aerial strikes to limited raids by regional forces to secure the stockpiles, according to one current U.S. official, and one former U.S. official, briefed on the matter. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue publicly.

The administration remains reluctant to dispatch U.S. forces into Syria, but a U.S. special operations training team is in neighboring Jordan, teaching troops there how to safely secure such sites together with other troops from the region, the officials said.

The warnings to Syria come after U.S. intelligence detected signs the Syrian regime was moving the chemical weapons components around within several of Syria's chemical weapons sites in recent days, according to a senior U.S. defense official and two U.S. officials speaking on Monday. The activities involved movement within the sites, rather than the transfer of components in or out of various sites, two of the officials said.

But they were activities they had not seen before, that bear further scrutiny, one said.

Another senior U.S. official described it as "indications of preparations" for a possible use of the chemical weapons. The U.S. still doesn't know whether the regime is planning to use them, but the official says there is greater concern because there is the sense that the Assad regime is under greater pressure now.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about intelligence matters.

U.S. intelligence officials also intercepted one communication within the last six months they believe was between Iran's infamous Quds Force, urging Syrian regime members to use its supplies of toxic Sarin gas against rebels and the civilians supporting them in the besieged city of Homs, a former U.S. official said. That report was not matched by other intelligence agencies, and other intelligence officials have said Iran also does not want the Syrians to use their chemical weapons.

The Assad regime insists it would not use such weapons against Syrians, though it carefully does not admit to having them. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government "would not use chemical weapons ? if there are any ? against its own people under any circumstances." The regime is party to the 1925 Geneva Protocol banning chemical weapons in war.

The Syrian assurances did not placate the White House.

"We are concerned that in an increasingly beleaguered regime, having found its escalation of violence through conventional means inadequate, might be considering the use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people," said White House press secretary Jay Carney.

"Assad has killed so many of his people, I just wouldn't be surprised if he turned these weapons on them," added Maryland Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, after intelligence briefings Monday.

An administration official said the trigger for U.S. action of some kind is the use of chemical weapons, or movement with the intent to use them, or the intent to provide them to a terrorist group like Hezbollah. The U.S. is trying to determine whether the recent movement detected in Syria falls into any of those categories, the official said. The administration official was speaking on condition of anonymity because this person was not authorized to speak publicly about the issue.

Israeli officials have repeatedly expressed concerns that Syrian chemical weapons could slip into the hands of Hezbollah or other anti-Israel groups, or even be fired toward Israel in an act of desperation by Syria.

Syria has some 75 sites where weapons are stored, but U.S. officials aren't sure they have tracked down all the locations, and fear some stockpiles may have already been moved. Syria is believed to have several hundred ballistic surface-to-surface missiles capable of carrying chemical warheads, plus several tons of material stored in either large drums, or in artillery shells, which become deadly once fired.

"In Syria, they have everything from mustard agent, Sarin nerve gas, and some variant of the nerve agent VX," according to James Quinlivan, a Rand Corp. analyst who specializes in the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.

A primary argument against sending in U.S. ground troops is that whoever takes possession of the chemical weapons will be responsible for destroying them, as part of the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention. Destroying Syria's stockpiles could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and take more than a decade, Quinlivan said.

Syria's arsenal is a particular threat to the American allies, Turkey and Israel, and Obama singled out the threat posed by the unconventional weapons earlier this year as a potential cause for deeper U.S. involvement in Syria's civil war. Up to now, the United States has opposed military intervention or providing arms support to Syria's rebels for fear of further militarizing a conflict that activists say has killed more than 40,000 people since March 2011.

Activity has been detected at Syrian weapons sites before.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said in late September the intelligence suggested the Syrian government had moved some of its chemical weapons in order to protect them. He said the U.S. believed that the main sites remained secure.

Asked Monday if they were still considered secure, Pentagon press secretary George Little declined to comment about any intelligence related to the weapons.

Senior lawmakers were notified last week that U.S. intelligence agencies had detected activity related to Syria's chemical and biological weapons, said a U.S. intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door meetings. All congressional committees with an interest in Syria, from the intelligence to the armed services committees, are now being kept informed.

"I can't comment on these reports, but I have been very concerned for some time now about Syria's stockpiles of chemical weapons and its stocks of advanced conventional weapons like shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles," said House intelligence committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich.

"We are not doing enough to prepare for the collapse of the Assad regime, and the dangerous vacuum it will create. Use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime would be an extremely serious escalation that would demand decisive action from the rest of the world," he added.

The U.S. and Jordan share the same concern about Syria's chemical and biological weapons ? that they could fall into the wrong hands should the regime in Syria collapse and lose control of them.

___

Associated Press writers Bradley Klapper in Prague, Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Albert Aji in Damascus and Matthew Lee, Lolita C. Baldor and Julie Pace in Washington contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-03-US-Syria/id-b1e80025fa63465aa95404ce6240604d

dallas cowboys bob costas bowl games Ronda Rousey Jovan Belcher SEC Championship Rick Majerus

Ed and Deb Shapiro: 4 Ways to Surf the Waves of Change

We are a country divided, as the past election showed us, driven by conflicting viewpoints and approaches to problems. Essentials of life, such as finances and health care, have very different meanings to different people. And with a split government, such differences tend to end in gridlock. All of which implies that, as a whole, we are looking at drawn out economic problems, endless health care arguments, and an abiding sense of uncertainty in our lives. We hesitate to contemplate what the future may bring.

Such uncertainty, added to opposing views on climate change and constant global tension, can create fear, turmoil and even panic. So how do we live with this? How do we live with the unknowing and insecurity? In fact, when everything seems hopeless is the very time we have the chance to grow into something better. Remember: What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, we call a butterfly! But, like a butterfly, the journey to such growth can be difficult, including having to possibly transform ourselves as completely as a caterpillar does.

Perhaps the best way to adjust is by recognizing that if constant change is inevitable, as it is fundamentally the essence of all life, then that doesn't mean it has to be negative, for there is equally the potential for positive change in every moment. Here are four ways of surfing the waves of change that work for us:

1. Recognize That Nothing Is Permanent

Nothing lasts, whether money, jobs, thoughts, feelings, or loved ones; everything is constantly changing. Life never stands still. As Yoga Master Swami Satchidananda said: "Life is all about coming and going." Everything that is happening now will change into something else, every structure will one day collapse, and new forms will be created, just as the cells within our bodies are constantly dying and recreating. Without change in ourselves we become stifled and stagnant; without change in the world we will not survive. Such impermanence means that every difficulty, challenge, joy, or success will, at some point, be different: This too shall pass.

2. Be With What Is

Even when times are tough, resistance is the quickest route to further discomfort and unhappiness. When we resist we put up walls or try to push the anxiety away, but this inevitably leads to unfulfilled desires and further discontent. Acceptance enables us to be with what is, to create spaciousness and room to breathe. Then we can make friends with our circumstances, instead of longing for things to be other than what they are. Being with what is means we release any need to know what the outcome of a situation might be.

3. Know That Each Day Is a New Beginning

Just as palm trees transform muddy water into sweet coconut milk, so we always have the opportunity to transform fear into courage, selfishness into kindness, and loss into a new beginning. We are capable to creating a new life for ourselves with every breath, word and action. We just need to put one foot in front of the other.

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. -- Maria Robinson

4. Stay Grounded and Calm

As every wave has both a crest and a dip, the clue to surfing is being able to paddle in the dip so we are ready to ride the next crest. Two of the best ways that we have found to help ourselves cope with the dips are yoga and meditation. Yoga releases physical and mental stress and relaxes the body, while meditation develops a peaceful and joyful mind. They enable us be present with what is, as well as to accept and live with change.

Here's a meditation to help you stay calm and present. It is based on the flow of breath, which is like an anchor that gives us stability and steadiness. And just as the breath comes in and goes out, so it is like the coming and going of all aspects of life. Practice for a few minutes or as long as you like.

Sit upright and relax. Breathe in and out gently, simply watching the natural rhythm of your breathing. Follow the flow of your breath and let your mind relax into the rhythm. With each in breath silently repeat, "May I be well, may I be peaceful, may I flow with the changes." With each out breath let your heart smile gently.

How do you deal with change? Do comment below. You can receive notice of our blogs every Tuesday by checking Become a Fan at the top.

For more by Ed and Deb Shapiro, click here.

For more on emotional wellness, click here.

See our award-winning book: BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World, forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, with contributors Jack Kornfield, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Byron Katie and many others.

Deb is the author of the award-winning YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND, Decoding the Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Messages That Underlie Illness.

Our three meditation CDs: Metta -- Loving kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi -- Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra -- Inner Conscious Relaxation, are available at: www.edanddebshapiro.com.

?

?

?

Follow Ed and Deb Shapiro on Twitter: www.twitter.com/edanddebshapiro

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-and-deb-shapiro/life-changes_b_2224327.html

david wright cory booker cubs cj wilson ellsbury brad pitt and angelina jolie brad and angelina

Observatory: Early Mediterranean Settlers Ate Little Seafood

Sicilian cuisine is famous for the bounty of the Mediterranean: fish, clams, mussels, shrimp. But 20,000 years ago, around the time of the last ice age, the first modern humans who arrived in the region ate very little seafood, researchers report after studying the remains of human skeletons.

?The source of the dietary protein consumed mainly originated from the meat of medium to large terrestrial herbivores,? said the report?s first author, Marcello Mannino, an archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany.

The remains were found in a cave on the small island of Favignana, which thousands of years ago was part of Sicily. Sicily itself was connected to the mainland by a land bridge, allowing humans to cross over.

Dr. Mannino and his colleagues did an isotopic analysis of the remains to determine what the settlers were eating. They reported their findings in the journal PLoS One.

By the time they arrived in Sicily, modern humans had yet to develop sophisticated fishing techniques. Moreover, Dr. Mannino said, the Mediterranean is an enclosed sea, poor in nutrients compared with oceanic regions. By now, he continued, overfishing has taken its toll on the sea?s marine resources.

?Modern fishing methods essentially wipe out anything that is present in a given area and then essentially destroy the sea bottom,? he said.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/04/science/early-mediterranean-settlers-ate-little-seafood.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

emancipation proclamation april 16 tornadoes mitch hedberg secret service scandal shea weber greystone

Celebrity Real Estate - Curbed National

Monday, December 3, 2012, by Amy Schellenbaum

TMZ reports that actress Halle Berry is selling her 5,900-square-foot, Tuscan-style abode in LA's Hollywood Hills for $15M. There are no listing photos?celebrities love their cursed pocket sales?but the estate reportedly includes a 1,400-square-foot guest house and a motor port, which means it probably has a very different feel than, say, her barnlike Canadian vacation home. [TMZ; previously]

Source: http://curbed.com/archives/2012/12/03/celebrity-real-estate-143.php

stop sopa justified southland sopa blackout protect ip act jim caldwell internet blackout

Are Small-Business Owners Going to Spoil the Mood? (Opinion)You ...

Consumer certainty strike a 5 year high this month, a headlines blared in response to a recover of a many new University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index. The certain spin was that rising residence prices and disappearing stagnation have done consumers upbeat, causing a index to time in during a top spin given before a Great Recession began.

Despite a happy news, consumers aren?t that optimistic. Not usually are a consumer view numbers weaker than a headlines suggest, though also small-business owners are expected to taint consumers with their some-more downbeat views.?

Related:?What?s a Best Outcome for Small Business on a Fiscal Cliff? (Opinion)

The headlines are deceiving. Consumers aren?t assured about a future. The view index is stoical of dual parts: consumers? views of stream mercantile conditions and their expectations about destiny conditions. While consumers were some-more certain about stream mercantile conditions this month than final month, their expectations about a destiny were indeed some-more pessimistic, a University of Michigan information reveals.

Moreover, a stream spin of consumer view isn?t quite clever when compared with chronological standards. Advisor Perspectives records that a Nov figure lies next both a index?s normal given 1978 and a normal for years when a economy was expanding.?

Further, consumer view tends to lane small-business confidence, and small-business owners aren?t all that certain right now. Despite rising 0.3 points final month, a National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index stays next a pre-recession average, mired in what a association?s economists call a ?recession range.?

Related:?Why a Local Economy?s Strength Is Critical to Small-Business Success (Infographic)

Small-business owners are disturbed that worker health-care costs will arise almost as a Affordable Care Act is implemented, and that Congress and a President won?t determine on taxes and spending, promulgation a nation over a mercantile precipice into a retrogression in 2013. A new consult of small-business owners conducted for a U.S. Chamber of Commerce by Harris Interactive reported an 11 commission indicate arise in a final year in a series of owners who are uncertain of either their business will be improved off in a destiny than it has been in a past.?

Small-business owners sojourn most worse off financially than they were before a Great Recession since they suffered a quite low dump in income during a mercantile downturn. The Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances shows?that a median income of households headed by a self-employed chairman forsaken 19 percent between 2007 and 2010 ? distant some-more than a 6 percent decrease for households led by someone operative for a income or wage. Similarly, Census Bureau total uncover that a income of a standard wage-earning domicile fell usually 1.3 percent between 2006 and 2010 when totalled in inflation-adjusted terms, though plummeted 17.4 percent for a median self-employed household.

The some-more sanguinary small-business certainty numbers are some-more expected to envision destiny mercantile conditions than a some-more assured consumer-sentiment figures. To start with, a NFIB?s magnitude is a improved predictor of destiny mercantile expansion than a University of Michigan?s indicator.

Moreover, small-business owners? melancholy will expected be a drag on a economy. Business owners? downbeat expectations will lead them to refrain from investment and hiring. Because half of private-sector practice and sum domestic product are accounted for by tiny businesses, miss of activity among tiny businesses will keep GDP and practice from flourishing much. Faced with low practice and wages, a view of consumers, many of whom also work during tiny companies, will spin negative.

Sorry for a out-of-the-holiday-spirit message, though economics is a gloomy science, after all. ?

Related:?Small-Business Owners Still Waiting for a Rebound (Opinion)

Read some-more stories about:

Confidence,
Economic conditions,
Opinion

Source: http://youloverandom.com/are-small-business-owners-going-to-spoil-the-mood-opinion/

blake griffin dunk on kendrick perkins kendrick perkins steve jones emily maynard kola boof burmese python national signing day

Clinton pushes US bid for Czech nuclear project

PRAGUE (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton lobbied the Czech government Monday to approve an American bid for a $10 billion expansion of a nuclear power plant amid fierce competition from a rival Russian offer.

Clinton made her pitch for the American energy giant Westinghouse Electric Co. in meetings with Prime Minister Petr Necas and other senior Czech officials in Prague. Speaking to reporters, she stressed the need for the Czech Republic to wean itself off of a dependency on Russia for fuel.

"We are encouraging the Czech Republic to diversify its energy sources and suppliers," Clinton said. "Given how long-term and strategic this investment is, the Czech people deserve the best value, the most tested and trustworthy technology, an outstanding safety record, responsible and accountable management."

The Czechs get 60 percent of their oil, 70 percent of their natural gas and all of their nuclear reactor fuel from Russia. That leaves the NATO member highly susceptible to economic and political pressure from Moscow, which dominated the Central European country from the end of World War II to the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Revitalizing the Temelin nuclear power plant is a big part of the Czech agenda to radically boost its nuclear power production, defying global skepticism about the use of atomic energy in the aftermath of last year's meltdown at Japan's Fukushima plant. And the Obama administration is hoping to get some of the windfall by securing Westinghouse's bid. The project could generate 9,000 American jobs, U.S. officials said.

For the United States, the battle for the Temelin contract is an example of an increasingly prominent element of foreign policy: Going to bat for American companies. If this was once a less-promoted if widely understood element of private diplomatic relations, what Clinton calls "economic statecraft" has now become an endeavor U.S. officials proudly promote as part of their jobs-building effort for the United States.

"We are not shy about pressing the case for Westinghouse," Clinton said. "We believe that company offers the best option for the project in terms of technology and safety. It would clearly enhance Czech energy security and further the nuclear cooperation between our countries, and it would create jobs and economic opportunity for Czechs and Americans."

To make the case, Clinton and other officials are cautioning the Czechs about the dangers of again putting their energy future in the hands of Russia. They need only point to 2008, when Russia sharply reduced oil supplies to the Czech Republic immediately after a U.S.-Czech agreement on a missile defense installation. The Russians blamed the decline on technical problems.

Still, a consortium led by Russia's Atomstroyexport may win the competition to build two new reactors at the Temelin plant, amid American grumbling over alleged bribes. The Czech government is expected to evaluate the final bids in December and make a decision in 2013. The reactors won't be operational until around 2025.

Clinton is in Prague on the first leg of a five-day trip to Europe. From the Czech capital, she'll travel later Monday to Belgium. Further stops are scheduled for Ireland and Northern Ireland. Focuses include promoting human rights and democracy across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and NATO support for Turkish efforts to beef up defense of its volatile border with Syria.

In Brussels on Tuesday, the alliance's members are likely to give formal endorsement to Turkey's request for Patriot missiles to help it respond to a series of Syrian rockets that have violated Turkish airspace. Five Turks have been killed. Decisions on how many batteries and where to deploy them will then be referred to national governments, said U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly about NATO deliberations.

The U.S., Germany and the Netherlands are the probable providers. Each has experts investigating possible deployment sites near the border. But it will be weeks before any anti-missile batteries reach Turkey, the officials said.

Clinton also is holding private talks Monday evening with Pakistan's foreign minister and military chief to coordinate security and peace strategies in Afghanistan as the U.S. and its partners plan to withdraw most foreign troops through the end of 2014.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-pushes-us-bid-czech-nuclear-project-093933314.html

the raven zerg rush david wilson playstation all stars battle royale kim zolciak kim zolciak travis pastrana

Can My Small Business Afford A Commercial Mortgage ...

Despite the official end to economic recession, banking lending and all-round financial confidence remains at an all-time low and as a result, business owners of all industries are left questioning the suitability of every financial move that is made.

As a leading form of business finance, a commercial mortgage is deemed by experts as the most appropriate form of lending, providing business owners with a great deal of desirable benefits:

• Property Ownership
• Financial Stability
• Improved Cash flow
• Low Interest Rates
• Tax Deductible Sum

Greatly outperforming the business rental market, the commercial mortgage has achieved proven success across the board. However, in light of the recent economic struggle; business owners have refrained from initiating any form of expansion be it via property or staff and any form of lending be it a commercial mortgage or otherwise, why? The lack of government action and the declining trust of the banking authorities in the small business have created a volatile commercial market leaving the small business owner asking one question?

How can my business afford a commercial mortgage?

How Can A Commercial Mortgage Help?

The commercial mortgage stands out as the clear leader and has proven to have helped businesses of all industries achieve a degree of fundamental success and can help to achieve the same results for any business, however small it may be:

• Providing vital funds for business expansion
• Providing a needed cash injection
• Allow for comfortable business growth
• Cost reduction
• Increased Profitability
• Remain a leader in your industry

How Can My Business Be Deemed A Suitable Commercial Mortgage Candidate?

In light of the recent gravy train scandal, trust in banks has greatly diminished and borrowers are now, more than ever, wary of whom they seek financial aid from. As the result of the flailing confidence, the alternative lender has grown greatly in popularity and is now deemed the ultimate source for commercial finance.

In order to provide your business with the suitable financial injection; a commercial mortgage broker will, despite any previous loan rejection, clearly and concisely analyse your business finances, history and plans in an effort to determine your real loan credibility and whether; in the face of any future financial strain, your business will be able to withstand the pressure of monthly mortgage repayments.

The risk of default will always remain at the forefront of the decision made by a mortgage broker and using specific markers, lenders will thoroughly assess the qualifying factors of a borrower.

Loan to Value Ratio- A key factor used to assess potential borrowers, the LTV ratio is a figure concluded by dividing the borrowed sum by the property value. The lower the figure, the greater the suitability of the client.

Debt Service Coverage Ratio- Another key factor used to assess potential borrowers, the DSCR is a protective barrier sum formed by dividing NOI by monthly interest and mortgage payments. The higher the DSCR figure, the lower the client risk.

How Will I Be Required To Repay The Borrowed Sum?

If, using one of the aforementioned markers, you have been deemed suitable; the mortgage broker will grant your business the desired sum you wish to borrow however an agreement will need to be settled.

A commercial mortgage is often loaned for a period of between fifteen to twenty years and as the borrower you will be required to repay an agreed monthly sum; this sum will be determined by the type of mortgage you chose to select:

• Variable rate- A risky option with varying payments
• Fixed Rate- The safest option, with consistent payments
• Interest Only- A financially desirable option, allowing the borrower to lower overall loan interest.

Dependent upon the type of mortgage you chose to opt for; you will be required , under any and all circumstances, to make your monthly payments without fail. Should you fail to repay your mortgage, your account will fall into default however your financial broker will have prepared for the worst during the initial application process and will have ensured that all risks are minimised.

How Can I Be Sure I Will Not Face Hidden Charges?

Nothing can be more damaging to a business then any hidden financial charges; however in contrast to the cloudy agreements offered by the banking authorities, a commercial mortgage broker will ensure complete transparency throughout the entire process.

In the hands of the right broker, all charges and all fees will be made abundantly clear before you sign on the dotted line.

As the middle man working between clients and a portfolio of lenders; the success of a commercial mortgage broker will only lay in the success of client dealings.

Who Do I Need To Talk To?

As with anything and everything in business; you must scour the market to search the right deal and the right lender for your business. Although the high street lender may seem like the easier option, your business could potentially and quite greatly benefit from seeking financial aid from an independent source.

An impartial and specialist commercial mortgage broker will scour the market to search for the ideal solution to suit your business and will ensure you have access to the best rates and the most appropriate solutions.

Will I Need To Provide Anything?

During the commercial mortgage application process, many lenders will require specific information to secure your lending:

• Financial history of the business for a minimum of three years
• Business Plans
• Miscellaneous Information

Once in possession of the required information; a specialist financial lender will begin processing your application and determine whether a commercial mortgage is the right financial solution for your business.

If in need of financial assistance then why not consider a commercial mortgage as the financial route for your business?

?

Source: http://www.charlestonfinancial.co.uk/can-my-small-business-afford-a-commercial-mortgage/

patriots vs broncos contraband denver vs new england denver broncos vs new england patriots cruise ship sinking vernon davis starship troopers

China to host Palestine envoy on Gaza tensions

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will host an envoy of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the crisis in Gaza, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday, adding the government had been in touch with all players in the conflict to try and find a solution.

China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council with veto powers, has traditionally had a low profile in Middle East diplomacy, but has maintained close relations with the Palestinians for decades.

In recent years, it has also cultivated good ties with Israel, especially in the field of defense.

The envoy, secretary-general of the Palestinian People's Party, Bassam Al-Salhi, will be in China from Thursday for a three-day trip, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.

"China is paying great attention to the present situation in Gaza," Hua said. "China has been in close touch with Israel, Palestine and other countries, and has called on all sides, especially Israel, to exercise maximum restraint and cease fire as soon as possible to avoid the situation worsening."

"We support the necessary steps taken by the international community, especially the U.N. Security Council," she said. "China will continue to use its own means to work hard to ameliorate the situation between Israel and Palestine and maintain peace and stability in the region."

Hua added that China also supports the Security Council "responding to calls from the international community, including the Arab world, to issue as soon as possible a consistent and beneficial message about the Gaza situation".

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi had called the Egyptian foreign minister "to support efforts of the Arab League and Arab countries to ameliorate the situation in Gaza", Hua said.

China has tried on and off over the years to mediate in the Israeli-Palestinian issue but with little apparent success.

Israeli air strikes shook the Gaza Strip and Palestinian rockets struck across the border as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday, seeking a truce that can hold back Israel's ground troops.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Writing by Sui-Lee Wee; editing by Miral Fahmy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-host-palestine-envoy-gaza-tensions-083233351.html

bobby abreu 2012 draft colt mccoy arbor day mike adams janoris jenkins john edwards trial

Magazines Download - All in PDF | Kiplinger's Personal Finance ...

21 November 2012 21:20

English | PDF | 75 pages | 35.9MB

Kiplinger's Personal Finance was written to help you do a better job of managing your personal and family financial affairs and to help you get more for your money. You get ideas on saving, investing, cutting taxes, making major purchases, advancing your career, buying a home, paying for education, health care and travel, plus much, much more.

3913cee9-fa05-4f13-b49d-95cb284644ed|0|.0

?

Source: http://magazinesdownload.com/post/2012/11/21/Kiplingers-Personal-Finance-January-2013.aspx

minnesota vikings pittsburgh steelers seattle seahawks ryan tannehill cispa baltimore ravens space shuttle new york

EU leaders prepare for bitter fight over budget

German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks out of her car window as she arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. EU leaders begin what is expected to be a marathon summit on the budget for the years 2014-2020. The meeting could last through Saturday and break up with no result and lots of finger-pointing. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks out of her car window as she arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. EU leaders begin what is expected to be a marathon summit on the budget for the years 2014-2020. The meeting could last through Saturday and break up with no result and lots of finger-pointing. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

British Prime Minister David Cameron speaks with journalists as he arrives for an EU summit at the EU Council building in Brussels on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. EU leaders begin what is expected to be a marathon summit on the budget for the years 2014-2020. The meeting could last through Saturday and break up with no result and lots of finger-pointing. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

French President Francois Hollande speaks with the media as he arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. EU leaders begin what is expected to be a marathon summit on the budget for the years 2014-2020. The meeting could last through Saturday and break up with no result and lots of finger-pointing. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)

People walk in front of a giant banner for the euro currency outside of an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. Leaders from around Europe are arriving in Brussels Thursday for what promises to be a turbulent summit on the budget for the 27-country European Union. And for once, Britain will be at the heart of the debate. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

British Prime Minister David Cameron leaves the building after a bilateral meeting at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. EU leaders begin what is expected to be a marathon summit on the budget for the years 2014-2020. The meeting could last through Saturday and break up with no result and lots of finger-pointing. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

BRUSSELS (AP) ? The leaders of Britain and France staked out starkly different version of the European Union's future Thursday as they walked into a European Union budget summit, setting the stage for a long, divisive and possibly inconclusive summit.

While British Prime Minister David Cameron is seeking to keep payments into EU coffers down as low as possible, French President Francois Hollande called for sustained subsidies for farming and development programs for poorer nations.

With each of the 27 nations having the power of veto over the 2014-2020 budget, the summit negotiations could stretch over the weekend, perhaps without result.

Cameron voiced the concerns of several other countries that do not want to see an increase in the bloc's spending plan at a time when many member states are cutting budgets at home.

"No, I'm not happy at all," Cameron said about EU President Herman Van Rompuy's latest offer to cap spending for 2014-2020 at ?1 trillion ($1.28 trillion).

"Clearly, at a time when we're making difficult decisions at home over public spending, it would be quite wrong ? it is quite wrong ? for there to be proposals for this increased extra spending in the EU," Cameron said.

The EU budget primarily funds programs to help farming and spur growth in the bloc's less developed, and it amounts to about 1 percent of the EU's gross domestic product.

France's Hollande said that was worth fighting for, adding he would be happy to walk away from the meeting if his demands were not met.

"No country should have a privileged position," Hollande retorted. "I come here to find a compromise, not to set an ultimatum."

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, supports more spending, arguing that cross-border initiatives will help create the economic growth and jobs that the bloc of a half-billion people needs, particularly during a financial crisis that has pushed some countries into recession.

Several leaders were already anticipating the possibility of failure and the need to hold another summit in the new year to negotiate a deal.

"Germany wants to reach a goal, but there might also be the need for yet another stage," Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Facing an ever more vocal Euroskeptic electorate at home in the U.K., Cameron is under huge pressure to veto any seven-year deal which would make the budget bigger. The U.K. and other countries that contribute more then they receive from the budget ? such as the Netherlands, Sweden and, to a certain extent Germany ? claim an austerity budget is the only justifiable outcome at a time when almost every member state has to cut its budget to lower debt.

Meanwhile, 15 of the EU's most financially and economically vulnerable countries have joined forces to oppose any cuts to funds earmarked for economic growth and development. These countries include not only traditionally poorer member states, many in Eastern Europe, but also those hit hardest by the financial crisis, like Greece, Portugal and Spain.

They argue that they need sustained, even increased, help to close the wealth gap on the continent and that EU institutions need the means to implement their jobs and growth policies.

"Certain countries want to make drastic reductions in the budget. That's a big mistake," said Elio Di Rupo, Belgium's prime minister.

With every country having the power of veto, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte fully realized what was coming.

"There will be quite a battle to come ? the French, the British, southern Europe, eastern Europe, we all have our demands," Rutte said. "I don't know whether it will work out."

Going into the open-ended summit, which might well stretch into Saturday or beyond, Van Rompuy made a first compromise proposal that leaned toward Cameron's demands. It proposes a cut of between ?3 billion ($4 billion) and ?24 billion ($31 billion) ? depending on which year the cut is calculated against ? from the ?1 trillion proposal.

"With less money, we cannot do the same as before," Van Rompuy wrote in the invitation letter he sent to the 27 leaders.

If the summit fails to find a compromise, the issue could spill over into a new meeting next month, or into next year. There is no set deadline for a deal but the closer it gets to 2014, the tougher it will be for a smooth introduction of new programs.

"In talks with colleagues, I had one message. If this doesn't work out at once, let's be sure that the mood is not that dark that we have to spend months on patching up personal relationships," Rutte said.

If there is no deal up to 2014, there would be a rollover of the 2013 budget plus a 2 percent increase accounting for inflation.

___

Don Melvin and Carlo Piovano contributed from Brussels, Juergen Baetz from Berlin.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-11-22-EU-Budget%20Summit/id-7d1b733d5ad444f4a5f2e745901fc9f3

att libya engadget twin towers gizmodo cnet iPhone 5

Why Section 179 Matters for Technology Purchases

We talk often around here about the importance of the Section 179 tax deduction, and we should: It?s one heck of an important topic.? As the year winds down and the holidays approach, you should be thinking about more than just the hottest Black Friday sales.? You should be thinking of ways to take advantage of the Section 179 tax deduction for your end-of-year technology purchases.

Section 179 allows you to deduct up to $139,000 on a number of technology purchases, from computers to hardware and software, servers, and POS systems, there are a variety of ways to take advantage of the deduction.* With technology ever-changing and new versions released regularly, it certainly pays to take advantage of any price break you can get your hands on.? This way, you?re able to stay up-to-date with the latest equipment.

So how does it work? ?It?s simple, just fill out this form from the IRS and submit it.? But hurry, because the limits of this deduction will be dramatically reduced at the end of the year, likely to as low as $25,000.? Any piece of technology used outside of the United States is not eligible, so keep that in mind.

Still have questions? Be sure to check out our ebook with even more details on how to take advantage of this deduction.? And, to find out how much you can save, plug your information into our Section 179 calculator.

Have you taken advantage of this deduction yet?

*This is not tax advice.? Be sure to talk with your tax advisor to be sure that your specific equipment will qualify.

Direct Capital Facebook | Direct Capital Twitter | Direct Capital Newsletter

Photo credit to iStock

Source: http://blog.directcapital.com/business-insights/finance-lending/section-179-technology/

Yom Kippur 2012 detroit lions Aaron Paul mumford and sons packers Dancing With The Stars All Stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Teach me how to make a book! ? Education in graphic design and ...

Digital technologies in education - In recent years there has been a great increase in the interest in how digital technologies in the field of education and academic research can be such a useful tool and also a crucial way of testing the educational practice itself. The development of these technologies has been pushed through with the contribution of many different disciplines. The tools that have already been developed, and the potential of all the new devices, could be of great value to add to educational activity in every field and also an opportunity to rethink the ways in which to produce and share knowledge. Of course it is still an ongoing process, but some goals have been achieved, concerning digital publishing for educational purposes.
Both the conferences that INC has organized in the past years, Unbound book 2011 and Boek uit de band 2012, have treated this issue in a very complete way (for example, the conference session called ?E-readers in Dutch Education? moderated by Joost Kircz) and the e-Learning research field is one of the most innovative and lively at this moment.
We are talking about digital tools and digital publishing for education and academic research.
What is the role of visual arts and design in these fields? And what about design and arts educational programs in the digital age?

Education for publishing - What I find curious is that we are actually living in the upcoming era of self publishing, in which it seems that the problem is only about giving the tools to enable the process and then things, like the making of a book or a magazine, can be easily done by anybody ? with all the debate generated about the increase in knowledge production due to instant on demand replication. This is, in my opinion, exactly the burning question:
What could be the meaning of a publishing class in the age of DIY practices?
Related to book design, what is the role of the teacher now that he/she has lost the complete authority and expertise on the subject, because digital publishing is a field that hasn?t been fixed in specific features yet?
Is it right to start seeing teachers and students in a different and more collaborative hierarchy?

The publishing process in the field of visual arts - If we get more into the world of visual arts and graphic design and the educational practice in these fields, of course we need to focus more on the medium ? we can call it book or whatever. There is no doubt that this particular approach could be one of the still missing points of view on digital publishing that can contribute to the proper development of it, even in its educational aspect. So we question about on what is a book and which shape it?s going to have in the near future, however, from the specific point of view of visual arts, we could also ask which is the right way to teach the entire publishing process, from the first idea to the final shape of the ?object?.

Publishing Class 2011 - poster for a workshop

Defining the publishing process - So, the first step would be: What do we mean by publishing process? First of all, I think the best way is to start with a wide approach, trying to set a framework about how to teach the whole publishing process in a way that includes all its phases, all its aspects and all the possible shapes that a publishing course can take ? for example, a journalism class or a book design class.
What are both the steps and the different areas in educational practice and what could be the main principles and guidelines for teaching in the publishing field?

Teaching journalism - An insightful point of view comes from the field of journalism? and some very functional ways of setting the problem came from a paper that I recently read, written by Raoul Boers ? lecturer in Content Management and Digital Culture at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam, who? I am going to meet next week ? and other lecturers from different universities: [R. Boers, E. Ercan, L. Rinsdorf, R. W. Vaagan, From Convergence to Connectivism: Teaching Journalism 2.0, Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, Volume: 2 Issue: 4, October 2012].

The paper sets the key concept of media convergence and how it leads to fundamental changes in the education for the journalistic field under three sub-topics, ?the changes in the curricula, the changes in? course syllabi, and the changes in the technological infrastructures of the academic institutions?.
?Cross-media news writing and storytelling are different from producing for broadcast media and print news [?] In writing across media one adds elements to this process by creating a non-linear approach, which means that instead of developing a rigidly structured single narrative you choose to navigate through the elements of story by using a combination of text, still photographs, video clips, audio, graphics, and interactivity such as polls or blogs on a website in such a fashion that each medium is complementary.?

The paper goes on to explain how a journalism course can be structured, observing how some classes have been arranged around the concepts of media convergence, collaboration and user-generated content, identifying two main aspects of the process, which I find particularly effective: ?The integrative aspect (the merging of different technologies and industries to create new forms of cultural product and new modes of production and delivery e.g. iPhones, iPads, androids) and the divergence aspect (the flow of content across multiple media platforms, the cooperation between multiple media industries and the migratory behavior of media audiences, who will go anywhere for desired entertainment experience).?

How to frame a publishing class - There are several things to be previously defined in order to frame a publishing class:
A. The different profiles involved in the process;
B. The different activities and how they get integrated in the process (integrative aspect);
C. What the product is like and what the different platforms for it are (divergence aspect).
Finally, there are also kinds of product that are different on another level: beyond the media convergence aspect, there are indeed several different objects that have their own features and each one needs a different approach because it triggers a different process. There is a difference if I want to make a book for a novel, a news paper, a monthly magazine, an artist?s book etc. This doesn?t mean that they couldn?t be interacting with each other, but I think it is also important to set some specifics for each, to define better the market, the user, the medium and so on.
Another aspect to analyze, following these that I have explained above, is:
How to integrate technology in the process of teaching for publishing? Both in the phases of the process and for the different activities, profiles, platforms, products and objects etc.

Design class for publishing and publishing class for visual arts - There are many examples of studies about how digital technologies are embodied in the process of publishing in journalism and in the field of academic writing for several disciplines, and some education programs are completely conceived in this way.
But I?m afraid that the point for art and design is always the same: Why is this issue so complicated to frame and even not so taken into account in the field of the making of visual arts and the making of educational programs for visual arts? I see two main reasons: one is because the digital format and process has not been explored much sufficiently in book design and this is actually a consequence of the second reason: there is such a strong paper tradition in all the design and art parameters, rules, limits, and possibilities there are changing fast in technologies, but so slowly in the concepts. This makes sense also for the newspaper and the academic essay formats, but much more so for books because the design and art traditions have always been seen primarily as a their own visual product.
As we tried to identify the publishing process from an educational point of view following some examples in the journalistic field, we could ask the same questions and try to set the same steps and levels of arrangement for a book design course. But the specific challenge in this field should be indeed how to deal with the wall of such a strong paper and typographic tradition in graphic design and how to translate it into a digital environment.

Werkplaats Tipografie

The dialectic aspect of the teaching practice - What I also see as a decisive key concept, not to forget in an experimental phase such as it is, is that the dialogue between two different generations and roles (students/teachers) could be an interesting starting point for the research on how to make a book today, observing how this dialogue can actually affect the design process.
So the teachers could be seen as the ones that know how to do it properly in a more traditional way, and the students, the so-called digital-natives, could be the ones who have the right amount of ?ignorance? and openness to new technologies to break the rules of the book and see it in a new way, as it actually has always been in the past ? looking at, for example, the work of the pioneer of the New Wave movement in graphic design, Wolfgang Wiengart and his totally unconventional usage of the photographic film in typography, in the context of a strong tradition as the Swiss one was in the 50s and 60s. This is just one of the many examples of breaking the rules in graphic design, using a particular technology in a diverse way.
However, the dialectic aspect of the teaching practice is something that has always been there and it?s what makes education not only an activity to educate someone who is younger and less expert than us, but also a way to come up with new ideas, what makes a discipline itself evolve, starting from both positions, teacher?s and student?s. How to take advantage of this dialogue to re-define the book as such?

Wolfgang Weingart - experiments with letterings

The state of education in graphic design and visual arts - All these issues could help in having an idea of what the state of the art in the education for publishing is, both in the design and art practices and in the creating-content activities, but also to set some anchor points that could be useful to have a clear idea of all the steps achieved, in order not to be run over by the times changing so fast in terms of new media, new technologies and, in general, new behaviour.
As many designers and visual artists are also educators and they carry out a huge part of their research through the teaching practice, it?s interesting to talk with them about the educational aspect of their profession, because they can directly see what?s going on in the educational field from the point of view of someone who is actually making visual communication.
Many of them point out that they have the feeling that what we teach/learn in classes is to be a professional that could be just expired or be totally different in the next few years; this is true especially in the design field, looking at all the new and specific skills that a designer needs to have. Probably the world is not seeking the old-school-designer anymore, the designer has to become also a developer, or on the other hand, a manager, a critic, a curator etc. or maybe someone more like a director that makes all the parties interact in the proper way. But this is of course a very controversial issue: Are we moving towards a more specialized or a more generic kind of profession in the design field? Can the dialectic aspect of education in some ways contribute to solve this ambiguity and how?

Students and teachers in comparison - in order to study more closely these issues of book design, artist?s book and the educational aspects of both in the digital age, in the next interviews we?ll ask these questions directly to students and teachers.

? Session one will be two focus group interviews ? students and teachers together ? in two Dutch institutes, one is a school of graphic design and typography: Werkplaats Typografie, based in Ahrnem; and one is a course of publishing for visual art: Publishing Class 2012, the two year program designed for the Dutch Art Institute MFA ArtEZ by Casco - Office for Art, Design and Theory.

? Session two will be two single interviews in the field of journalism publishing, one to a student: Lars B?hm, developer of the magazine Uncovered; one to a teacher: Raul Boers, Amsterdam University of Applied Science.

Casco's Publishing Class works

Source: http://networkcultures.org/wpmu/outofink/2012/11/21/teach-me-how-to-make-a-book-education-in-graphic-design-and-visual-art-in-the-age-of-digital-publishing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=teach-me-how-to-make-a-book-education-in-graphic-design-and-visual-art-in-the-age-of-digital-publishing

knicks coach encyclopedia britannica pi white lion mike d antoni resigns holes ncaa brackets 2012

Obama, Congress leaders meet to avert "fiscal cliff"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional leaders emerged from a meeting with President Barack Obama on Friday vowing to find common ground on taxes and spending that would allow them to head off a looming "fiscal cliff" that could push the economy back into recession.

Democrats said they recognized the need to curb spending and Republicans said they had agreed to put "revenue on the table" as the two sides enter what are likely to be weeks of tense negotiations ahead of a December 31 deadline.

Both sides are eager to reassure investors that Washington will not see a repeat of the white-knuckle budget standoffs that spooked consumers and financial markets last year.

After a White House meeting that lasted a little more than an hour, the top two Republican leaders in Congress spoke alongside the two Democratic leaders - a rare occurrence.

"I feel very good about what we were able to talk about. We have the cornerstones of being able to work something out," Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said.

U.S. stock indexes went up on the positive remarks by Reid and the other leaders - House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

The meeting marked the first time Obama, a Democrat, has sat down with his Republican opposition since he won re-election last week.

"I think we're all aware that we have some urgent business to do," Obama told reporters at the beginning of the meeting.

Both sides are pledging cooperation even as they dig in on their long-held opening positions.

Obama insists that tax rates on the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans must rise, while Republicans pledge that they will not agree to any rate increase.

Republicans are also eager to rein in government health costs, which are projected to explode over the coming decade.

"We're prepared to put revenue on the table provided we fix the real problem," McConnell said, referring to Medicare and other government benefit programs.

There could be room for compromise.

Obama could agree to allow the top tax rate to rise to something less than the 39.6 percent he wants. Policymakers, for example, could also agree to limit the tax increase to households making more than $500,000 annually, rather than the $250,000 cap Obama is demanding.

Republicans have suggested generating more revenue by limiting tax breaks for the wealthiest, rather than raising their rates. Obama has said that would not raise enough money.

The negotiators also need to confront $109 billion in domestic and military spending cuts due to kick in on January 2, the result of earlier failures to craft a more nuanced budget deal.

Nonpartisan budget forecasters say failure to reach a deal could push the U.S. economy back into recession and drive up the unemployment rate.

Business leaders say the uncertainty is already weighing on the economy as employers postpone hiring and capital expenditures until they get a better sense of the tax and spending environment.

The S&P 500 has dropped 4.3 percent in the past two weeks, in part due to concerns over the fiscal cliff.

Pelosi suggested two sides might forge a temporary deal that would get them past the cliff and give them more time to work out a more lasting solution. Lawmakers will almost certainly not have enough time to retool Medicare and overhaul the outdated tax code before the end of the year, but a preliminary agreement could provide a framework for doing so later.

"The speaker spoke about a framework going into next year. I was focusing on how we send a message of competence to consumers, to the markets, in the short run, too." Pelosi said.

Boehner faces a delicate balancing act as he will have to sell any deal to his rank-and-file conservatives, many of whom believe they owe it to their constituents to hold the line on taxes.

But after Obama won re-election and his Democrats picked up seats in the House and the Senate last week, they may be more willing to show that they can balance their ideals with the demands of the country as a whole.

"Going over the fiscal cliff, in my view, is a bucket of crazy," Republican Representative Peter Roskam, one of Boehner's deputies, said at a budget conference.

(Additional reporting by Angela Moon in New York and Thomas Ferraro and Patrick Temple-West in Washington; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Will Dunham and Bill Trott)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eve-fiscal-cliff-talks-positions-harden-011529513--business.html

torrey smith torrey smith oakland raiders Jessica Lange NFL scores week 3 kat dennings Steve Sabol

Discipline key for Florida Gators to buck trends

GAINESVILLE -- Historically, when Florida plays a team outside the Southeastern Conference not named Florida State or Miami, the result is usually one-sided.

Steve Spurrier?s and Urban Meyer?s high-powered offenses didn?t slow down just because the opposition wasn?t ranked. The Gators have never lost to a team from Football Championship Subdivision Division II, and in games against those teams, fans became accustomed to seeing something near 60 points on the scoreboard and walking out of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium with a smile on their faces. Lately, however, the smile has disappeared.

In November last year, Florida trailed Furman 22-7 after a quarter before pulling out a win. To start the 2012-13 season, Florida squeaked past Bowling Green by 13 points. And then there?s last week?s come-from-behind escape against Louisiana. Not exactly football powerhouses.

This is a new era in Gainesville. Second-year coach Will Muschamp has stripped any importance from blowout victories, saying all wins count the same. That approach has trickled down to his players, especially the 18 seniors who will play their final game at The Swamp on Saturday when No. 7 Florida (9-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) meets FCS opponent Jacksonville State (6-4) at 1 p.m.

Senior Xavier Nixon is one of those players. His first season in Gainesville was 2009, when Florida beat Charleston Southern, Troy and Florida International by a combined score of 180-12. But he said finishing his career in the same fashion he started it ? with a lopsided win ? is not that important.

?A victory is a victory, whether it?s Alabama, whether it?s Bowling Green or whoever we may face,? Nixon said. ?At the end of the day, as long as we get a win in the win-or-loss column, it doesn?t matter.?

But the Gators have come dangerously close of late to putting a number in the wrong column, and, according to Muschamp, there?s no one to blame but themselves.

Last week against the Ragin? Cajuns, Florida committed 10 penalties for 79 yards, helping extend scoring drives for the opposition while at the same time hindering its own chances of scoring. In the season opener against Bowling Green, the Gators had 14 penalties for 106 yards. Those two games have accounted for 30 percent of the team?s 79 penalties, which ties Florida with North Carolina for 111th nationally. The flags have been thrown in critical situations for mistakes that are easily prevented, like jumping offside or lining up incorrectly.

?Really, as far as just true discipline penalties, this was maybe the first one since Bowling Green that things got a little ridiculous,? Muschamp said of the Louisiana game. ?There?s a difference when you talk about an aggressive penalty. Maybe you could have used better judgment. And there?s a discipline penalty, where you don?t line up on the line of scrimmage against something you?ve run 6,000 times.?

Muschamp has said Florida?s margin for error is extremely slim, and against Jacksonville State on Saturday, it will be slimmer than usual. Starting quarterback Jeff Driskel (ankle) will miss the game, and several other players will play either injured or sit because of ailments. Sophomore Jacoby Brissett will make his first start of the season behind an offensive line that has allowed 31 sacks and hasn?t been fully healthy in weeks.

Therefore, Muschamp said he would sit the team down this week to go over the mistakes, something he did following the 14-penalty showing in Week 1.

?We?ll go back in the film room,? he said, ?and make sure they understand that when the other team doesn?t snap the ball and you take a step it?s a 5-yard penalty.?

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/11/17/3101329/discipline-key-for-florida-gators.html

phillies phillies Ryan Dempster Phelps NBC Olympics Live Olympic medal count Medal Count 2012

Pfizer's once-daily Lyrica trial fails to meet goal

(Reuters) - Pfizer Inc said on Friday a late-stage trial of a once-a-day formulation of its drug pregabalin did not significantly reduce the frequency of some types of seizures in patients with epilepsy.

Pfizer's biggest product, sold under the brand name Lyrica, is used to treat epilepsy when given several times a day in combination with other drugs. The drug, with $4 billion in annual sales, is more widely used to treat nerve pain.

Pfizer said the lack of a statistically significant improvement may have been due to a higher-than-expected response among patients taking the placebo.

The study was the first of three trials testing the drug as a once-a-day therapy. The company is also testing it in patients with fibromyalgia and some types of nerve pain, for which it is also approved in its immediate-release formulation.

(Reporting By Toni Clarke; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick and Grant McCool)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pfizers-once-daily-lyrica-trial-fails-meet-goal-132752581--finance.html

zipper armenian genocide asteroid mining memorial day ivan rodriguez planetary resources mothers day gift ideas