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Overall, I think Allan Sloan does a nice job with this short piece on myths regarding the credit crisis.
The myths:
Myth No. 1: The government should have done nothing.
Myth No. 2: The government bailed out shareholders.
Myth No. 3: The Volcker Rule will save us.
Myth No. 4: Taxpayers are off the hook for future failures.
Myth No. 5: It's the government's fault.
He is a little too easy on the government's involvement in my opinion. While I don't think the government was totally responsible, they do share in the blame. They created the incentives for companies to do what they did.
Here is a follow-up article if you're interested.


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|Advertising accounting services is risky. Chances of finding the message that will elicit response are dependent on a few not commonly known factors to which ad agencies are oblivious.
CPA Firm Advertising Guide
Accounting service advertising - avoid these mistakes
|Why CPA & accounting firms uniformly fail to get the expected (or accepted) results from their ad campaigns? What kind of a message elicits interest, creates need and desire for Accounting services? How do you handle the prospective clients you obtain?
What you need to know before you spend another dime on advertising?
Advertising is a high-risk investment unless you KNOW that you're using a message and medium that have brought results previously.
Avoid spending a dime for advertising until you get proven FACTS on what brings RESULTS. That is to say, don't pay before you have at least a reasonable certainty that your investment will bring you more profits than it costs.
Advertising can be a very confusing (and confused) subject with lots of gurus, opinions, and theories of every imaginable kind abound.
Advertising people would like us take our facts from them - what is true and what isn't.
You're not supposed to evaluate advertising by results.
That's right. Advertising agencies aren't interested in giving any kind of guarantees that their campaign would bring you new clients and income.
Campaigns are evaluated by a jury of peers (other ad people) as artwork... and prizes given to the "best looking ads."
The only thing guaranteed is you get the bill
Seriously - are you aware of how much ads cost these days?
Have you asked for a quote from an ad agency on creating the ad itself?
Enquired about telemarketing or those "prospecting services" offered to accounting professionals?
If you have, you know that they cost an arm and a leg. Staggering costs - and absolutely NO guarantees that you would get RESULTS.
There are a lot of ways you can SPEND money advertising but very few that will give you results to justify the expenditure.
The only thing you get is "hope" - you get to live in a positive, expectant state of mind for a while. That's until the exchange (or lack thereof) for your investment becomes evident a few days after the publication date.
You bought the advertising on the hope of obtaining new clients. But the item of sale was the ad space or the service attempting to find you prospects.
The only thing you are guaranteed to GET is the the bill. While at least something tangible, it's not really the kind of concrete results you were looking for.
You also get to feel like you were doing something to benefit your Practice. The guy that sold you the hope rarely calls to ask if you are satisfied... and if he calls, he never fails to act "surprised" that you got little or no results. (You are an "exception," see... "our clients usually get..." and so on. But, I'm sure you've already heard that tune many a time, right?)
There are SO many uncertain elements in any advertising that the fact is your chances of losing out are astronimical. You'll be VERY lucky to break even - get one client - with a long return of investment to look forward to.
The reason why so few CPAs advertise - or do ANYTHING to attempt finding prospects - is because it has proved to be nothing but an expense.
And you're not a CPA for throwing away good money after bad.
What makes basic advertising such a risky gamble with little or no chance of winning?
I have no axe to grind with advertising and publishing industries. They are very useful, but only if you know exactly how to use their products and services.
The first thing to realize is that an advertising space or a direct mailing letter itself produces NOTHING.
No matter what media you use to convey your message, the media itself is only the CARRIER of your message.
It's the MESSAGE that does the trick - gets you the results you expected - or doesn't.
If successful, people will contact you to get more information.
But don't assume that accounting services could be sold with an ad or a letter only. Don't expect to get calls from business owners fully decided and ready to sign a contract.
You need to have a very carefully planned system to HANDLE the contacts your advertising, mailing or telemarketing campaign produces.
If you don't then you cannot get sales.
Don't confuse selling accounting services with selling a car of definite make, model, mileage and condition. You can sell a used card with an ad if the price is right.
But you cannot sell your accounting services that way. While the WHO of a used car has some bearing on it's value, it isn't a major point. But WHO my CPA is - the person himself, how well I like him, how easily I understand what he says and he what I want... these are CRUCIAL elements of decision.
Many accounting professionals think that if they only have a competitive hourly rate, they will automatically get clients.
Sorry - it doesn't work that way. Business owners KNOW that "an hour" is the vaguest of all definitions for exchanging money with work. See - they have LOTS of experience on this with their employees. An hour of work can mean just about anything - from something very valuable to nothing but nuisance.
Trying to get the price down is something most people at least think about no matter WHAT the think of buying. And business owners have little else to go on - they don't know how to evaluate your accounting services professionally.
So they talk price - but that's not the real item. Not by a long shot.
The real item is "what do I get out of this - how much easier and faster will it make the running of my business, the decisions I have to make? Can this CPA save me money, help me understand my finances better - will he return my calls, be available when I have questions...?" Things like that.
So you need to have a message that COMMUNICATES these things and does so in a split second - otherwise your moment is gone. And you need a very clever way to HANDLE the contacts you get. Once you have these two, you WILL get results. Results beyond what you could imagine, in fact.
But before you can achieve these, you need to understand the most fundamental of all causes behind the miserable failure of ad campaigns.
Would you create a new bookkeeping method for each new client?
Picture this: A CPA that would create a whole new system of accounting for every individual client he gets. He would compose a unique set of (generally accepted) accounting procedures for each Joe Doe that signs on.
And, to really gorge with creativity, he would use the alphabet instead of numbers in his Tax Report - and use a different set with each client... and hide these "secret codes" and refuse to show them to anyone.
Now, there's a fresh if crazy viewpoint - phew!
Let me ask you this: Would you consider this imaginary CPA a good professional, a genius... or something else?
Right. This guy would be seen as insane and carted off to the funny farm in no time!
Every accounting professional knows that standard procedure, using the proven and accepted methods and tools is the ONLY way to do accounting... and end up with something that is CORRECT and WORKS.
But very few CPAs have ever questioned the logic of contrary methodology in marketing and advertising!
Think about it: Every single campaign is ALWAYS created totally unique, totally new - EVERYTHING IS FRESHLY INVENTED AND TOTALLY UNTRIED!
The three MAJOR REASONS why CPA campaigns fail and area a waste of money are:
We've been fooled into thinking that it's CLEVER to always create a totally new "fresh approach!"
We NEVER research, test, or pilot these new elements included in the campaigns! It's all new, all untried, based on someone's personal ideas and opinions.
What it SHOULD be based on is the viewpoints of your target audience. It should offer them what THEY perceive valuable and aren't getting from their currect CPA. It should use THEIR terminology, their wordings on accounting & finance services... and so on.
If you're lucky (or skillful) enough to actually GET prospects from your campaign, the traditional way of HANDLING these contacts is by presentations of your own services - almost always done ad lib, committed to memory... and so on.
To interest a prospect, you need to put the attention on HIM, not you. You need a very specific, piloted and proven DOCUMENTED system to handle the prospects in order to close the majority of them onto your services.
The reason you can be pulled into hopeless deals - or refuse to try ANY prospecting and sales at all - is simply not knowing the basics of how your practice CAN get clients.
This isn't a big step - but you have to drop all those "theories" and concentrate only on what aims at DIRECT RESULTS and is proven to work.
The main thing in this point is understanding that obtaining new clients is a bigger system that needs to have proven parts for each phase - and once you have a system, you just KEEP AT IT and don't EVER CHANGE IT as long as it produces results. (And that will be YEARS, not months!)
A message that works
Starting with your advertising / prospecting, you need a message that...
EFFECTS AN IMMEDIATE POSITIVE REACTION in those that receive it - it is NOTICED and experienced postively,
CREATES A HIGH INTEREST in what you offer in the target audience you are communicating to to,
GENERATES A DESIRE TOWARD (and an understanding of benefits of) the offered service, and
EFFECTS AND ELICITS A RESPONSE so that decision-makers contact you for more information (or free introductory servce, or whatever it is you're offering as the NEXT STEP TO TAKE).
If your message is based of those underlying factors that govern the interest and selection process of your target audience... you WILL get results.
A presentation & sales system that works
To handle the prospects you receive, you need a CPA service presentation & sales system that effects, among others, such things as...
STABILIZING THE CONTACT as the first action so that he won't just ask for a price an "run"
PREQUALIFYING THE CONTACT so you won't waste time with someone that either has no authority do decide or isn't the kind of client you'd want
CREATING DIFFRENTIATED IMAGE of you and your practice in the mind of the prospect so that HE formulates several positive opinions about you - without any prompting from you
CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION of the sales action so that you constantly advance toward the point where it is possible to get a sale
ASSOCIATING YOURSELF with those things the prospect wants and considers extremely valuable, so that he will see your service as something he has long been looking for - not something that's being pushed at him
CONSULTING THE PROSPECT - as if it were: Your sales actions have to be in form of a consultation in order for you to not have to take the (ineffective) traditional sales approach
INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUE that will allow you to ask pleasant questions but effect the prospect forming favorable opinions (making small, positive decisions) about you, your service and the benefits of the future cooperation with you
...and so on. This is a huge list - there are well over a hundred small steps in this system, all in correct sequence to take the prospect a little bit closer to a positive decision.
Ideally, this system takes about 20 minutes on the phone with each prospect and then about 1 hour at a sales meeting in your (or his) office.
Despite the gigantic number of parts it really translates into some ready and very easy-to-use tools. That's functionality - the end result is something ANY accounting professional can use without prior sales experience or long studies.
All the marketing & sales techniques are woven into the tools. You just have to use the tools.
You don't have to do any research. It's been done and you get the report on the results with your system.
You don't have to create elaborate added-value accounting services or value pricing. That's included, too.
It's all there. Each tested part in correct sequence, with clear and simple step-by-step instructions to follow.
Click here to read more about the Modern Accountancy Marketing & Sales Course - the system that is used by countless CPA & accounting firms in 45 U.S. states and 30 countries worldwide.
It'll forever change the way you can obtain new clients when you want - and the kind you want.
makes finding prospects for accounting services so difficult
Why offers of accounting services do not interest businesses and what you should offer instead?
The Four Decisions of Prospects: How you control decisions and handle the most usual objections in selling accounting services
How to get an unfair advantage over other practices when prospecting in your area?
How you can find a constant flow of qualified prospects without cold-calling?
Starter Product Strategy: How to quadruple the number of new prospective clients while actually making a PROFIT out of your marketing?
The two factors which make selling your own accounting services so difficult...and how to overcome these barriers
How an Accounting Professional can outsell all but the absolute top sales experts by a ratio of 2 to 1?
A discreet, effective way for a CPA to sell accounting services without ever having to become a salesman
How prospects form their opinion about your professional skills - learn how to instill a high image of yourself with every single prospective client!
|Which are the effective elements in a CPA service presentation and sales system - which parts are essential if you want RESULTS with certainty?
The Profit Catch 22 of CPA firms and how you solve it & get BOTH time and money to spend?
Practice Management - The missing ingredient in making goals become actuality: What your CPA Practice could REALLY do for you?
Avoiding Accounting Service Advertizing Mistakes: What you should absolutely know before you pay another dime for advertizing?
Writing Killer Copy: Creating a high-interest CPA service advertising message that elicits response
CLICK HERE to leave your link suggestion to us!
|SUBSCRIBE to our FREE CPA Marketing Tips NEWSLETTER!
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subset: commoncrawl


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Dr. Votruba Talks Health Care on The Mike Trivisonno Show
Posted 3.26.10
Interested in learning more about Weatherhead programs? Request more information or apply now, or register for one of over 70 open enrollment courses through Executive Education.
Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University cultivates creativity, innovation, and purpose-driven leadership to design a better world.


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The Gadsden County Coalition for Change (of which I am a member) is a no budget public service group of local citizens whose work supports the county's food banks, library system and Shanks Middle School. Our belief is that one is not likely to learn if hungry or if there are inadequate reading materials, or if there is a lack of support for the student.
Every healthy student in Gadsden County is capable of learning deeply – learning that happens at home and is reinforced in the classroom. It's through reinforcement and repetition that the brain learns.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Gadsden County Times, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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Tony Jackson was walking over to De Paul`s basketball practice the other day when it happened.
``People were stopping their cars to talk to me, people who wouldn`t have stopped in three moons if we hadn`t been where we are,`` he said.
Tony Jackson was walking over to De Paul`s basketball practice the other day when it happened.
``People were stopping their cars to talk to me, people who wouldn`t have stopped in three moons if we hadn`t been where we are,`` he said.
Where the Blue Demons are is in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, matched against the No. 1 team in the country, Duke, Friday night in an East Regional semifinal.
Sweet 16? Sweet irony! After being booed most of the season, Jackson, the 6-foot-5-inch senior guard, is now a hero. It`s enough to make a guy a cynic. Not Jackson, though.
``I`m not cynical,`` he said. ``I just see it as funny. I could be terrible to people now if I got the chance, but that`s not in my character.
``The situation is humorous to me. You basically see what makes people tick. When you get a lot of respect just because you win a few games, it just reflects on their character.
``Basketball`s a sport. Sometimes people put too many marbles in it. If you dissect it, it`s just a bunch of guys doing something they enjoy. We don`t ask for all the hoopla, but we get it. It`s part of the package.``
Jackson admitted that when he first started getting booed when introduced before home games, ``it was tough to go through. I couldn`t believe it at first. I was kind of dazed. I thought: `Why? Why me?` I`d played bad before without getting booed.``
Some homespun philosophy from his grandmother helped pull Jackson through the tough times. ``She tells me that God never gives us more than we can handle,`` Jackson said.
``I live by that. Now it seems like it never happened. That must be what my grandmother meant, because now it`s behind me.``
But the lesson he learned from this roller-coaster season will stick with him. ``You have to learn not to take the highs too high or the lows too low,`` he said.
``I`m not too high right now because I know we`ve got a lot farther to go.``
Many people presume the Blue Demons have gone as far as they can go. Even more suppose that by beating Virginia and Oklahoma to advance this far, De Paul has already assured itself of a successful season.
``We`ve never won two games in the tournament before,`` said Jackson, speaking for the four seniors who are playing in their third straight NCAA tournament. ``It`s an accomplishment already, but I`m not satisfied. And I`m not going to let these guys be satisfied, either.``
The Blue Demons have spent the better part of the week attempting to explain how a team on the road to nowhere suddenly found itself bound for the moon.
``It`s still a mystery to me,`` said Jackson. ``I guess it`s a confidence factor.``
But whence came the newfound confidence? Was it beating St. John`s, then ranked No. 6 in the nation?
``No,`` answered Jackson. ``That was the game that got us into the tournament, but we lost a couple of games after that.``
The moment of rebirth quite likely came on the Sunday afternoon when the team sat in the film room at De Paul and waited for a tournament bid that few thought would come.
``After seeing some of the other teams get bids,`` Jackson remembered,
``we kind of looked around at each other and you could see we were all thinking the same thing. If we`d only played a little harder in just a couple of games, there wouldn`t be any doubt.``
If the unexpected NCAA tournament bid had not come, Jackson said, the National Invitation Tournament would have been a downer for the Demons.
``I personally wouldn`t have wanted to play in it,`` he said. ``Who`s in it? I don`t even know who`s winning. I think we`d have been kind of nonchalant if we`d gone there.``
No one is nonchalant around De Paul this week.
``I`ve never seen these guys this happy,`` said Jackson.
``I`m happy seeing these kids smiling and high-fiving each other,`` said coach Joey Meyer. ``After what they`ve been through, it`s very rewarding.``


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The Jamis-Hagens Berman team finished one-two at tonight's fast and furious Saint Paul Downtown Criterium, stage 2 of the North Star Grand Prix. Ian Crane sprinted to the win ahead of teammate JJ Haedo in front of an enthusiastic crowd that lined the finish straight. Travis McCabe of Team SmartStop rounded out the podium. Tom Zirbel (Optum) remains in the yellow race leader's jersey.
The plan worked to perfection for Crane and his team, after all the same strategy delivered three stage victories for Haedo in last year's event. After Optum worked hard to reel a break, the Jamis-Hagens Berman leadout train took over the front of the field on the penultimate lap.
"We wanted Optum to do most of the work and then take over at the end which we were able to do. We had numbers, we had four of us up there. We wanted to be able to hit it hard and hit it all the way to the line. We had Luis Amaran and Ben Jacques-Maynes who did about four or five guys worth of work and then they dropped me off on the second to last straightaway, halfway down before the last corner. I went through the corner hot and JJ didn't come around, it works out well. I think both of us are capable in the sprint, the plan itself was to try and set JJ up but I was a little bit higher up in the TT so the bonus was good for me," Crane explained.
McCabe and his teammate, the reigning US National Road Race Champion Eric Marcotte sat behind the Jamis-Hagens Berman train. "We made sure that no one really stole our wheels and we were comfortable. On this course, there is a lot of backlash that goes on, that rubber band effect, so we wanted to stay clear and out of trouble of all the other racers. We stayed right there for the last ten laps, there was a little bit of shuffling going on but we were in a really comfortable position. Optum brought the breakaway back, Jamis went to the front."
He added, "It was Ian Crane coming into the last corner, JJ Haedo and then me, and we sprinted from there and we finished like that. Ian has a fantastic sprint tonight, opened up a huge gap."
Though seven riders escaped off the front for almost 20 laps in the second half of the race, Zirbel was not concerned about the gap that grew to 23 seconds. "I was happy about to let them win the race by 15 seconds honestly but we have some fast guys right behind me and it would be nice if they didn't get time bonuses," he said. "Once the break went, honestly, the guys rode so well, I had such an easy ride, riding fifth wheel for 20 laps, it just made my life so much easier and so much stress-free. It got a little dicey there the last couple of laps but I was in such good position and hadn't used any energy so I was able to stay up there. The team did amazing."
The pace started off fast and never let up for the men's 40-lap race on the Downtown Saint Paul course. Attacks flew from the start but nothing stuck as the 147-rider field flew around the 1.4-km five-corner course. Optum came to the front and kept the speeds high to stay safe."That was survival." Zirbel stated about the high speed. "It's just so much safer on the front. We had to go fast and let a strong break go, that was the only way that we could stay safe."
The front of the race shuffled and re-shuffled as attacks flew until finally one rider got clear at 21 laps to go. Belgian Stef van Zummeren of Team 3M, in his first race in the United States, was feeling good.
"I think the form is good. We didn't know the teams, and no one from the team knew how the races are ridden here so we didn't know if it's going to be really fast or a close race, we didn't know nothing. In the beginning I was a little bit behind but then I came to the front and I attacked, I had really good legs, I just tried to stay in the front as long as possible," van Zummeren commented.
More riders bridged up and a few laps later, the break was finally established. Off the front were Andrew Bosco (Seasucker/Guttenplan Coaching), Michael Olheiser (Incycle-Predator Components), David Santos (KHS-Maxxis-Jackroo), Ruben Companioni (Jamis-Hagens Berman), Adam Myerson (SmartStop), van Zummeren and his teammate Gerry Druyts. The gap slowly grew to 22-seconds while the Optum squad lined up at the front of the single-file peloton.
Van Zummeren admits that he didn't think the break would stick to the finish line. "I thought it was difficult because there were whole teams riding after us but I'm totally not a sprinter so I just tried to make it as long as possible. I still had good legs in the final so I just thought 'let's just try'. If you don't try you can never win."
With that philosophy in mind, the Belgian made one final attack with three laps to go and was awarded the Penn Cycle Most Aggressive Rider jersey for his efforts.
Capturing top points at the finish line gave the blue Xcel Energy Sprinter jersey to Crane. Peter Disera (Jet Fuel Coffee-Norco Bicycles) is the new TRIA Orthopedic Center Best Young Rider while Coulton Hartrich (SeaSucker / Guttenplan Coaching) keeps the green North Star Top Amateur jersey.
The race moves south to Cannon Falls on Thursday for a rural road race showcasing the wide open spaces of Minnesota's heartland, dotted with family farms, boutique wineries and the famed Cannon Valley Trail, stretching 20 miles along the Cannon River. The 97-mile race finishes with multiple laps at high speeds through the quaint downtown.


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|Call Now For a FREE Consultation for All Cosmetic Procedures at the Renaissance Laser & Vein Institute! Thousand Oaks: (805) 214-6660
Titan Laser Treatment
The Titan laser treatment is a cutting edge procedure that helps patients achieve more youthful, tighter and healthier looking skin. As people age, one of the most common skin complaints is sagging, loose skin. Even women and men who do not have substantial wrinkles can suffer from sagging skin, which cannot be treated with traditional wrinkle-reducers like Botox or fillers like Restalyn, collagen or Juvederm. The Titan laser treatment is an ideal solution for people with sagging or loose skin. The Titan laser treatment works by targeting the collagen production below the top layer of skin, stimulating it to multiply and create firmer, tighter skin from within. Unlike Botox, Restalyn or Juvederm, the Titan laser treatment enables the body to naturally repair itself to create more youthful skin. Also, unlike these temporary treatments, the Titan laser treatment will have improved results over the course of time as the collagen continues to grow. Other treatments will fade away and require constant upkeep, making them more expensive in the long term.
The Renaissance Laser and Vein Institute is proud to be one of the leading Southern California laser centers to provide the Titan laser treatment. Since the Titan laser treatment is a fairly new technological advance, many clinics have been slow to adopt this exciting laser. One of the biggest benefits of the Titan laser treatment is its versatility; it can treat everything from a sagging neck and jowls to stretch marks anywhere on the body to loose abdominal skin after weight loss or pregnancy.
Titan Procedure™ - Non-surgical Facelift
Titan™procedure is a revolutionary new technology from Cutera which facilitates the tightening of the skin through a non-surgical, non-ablative procedure. Using infra-red light, the Titan delivers controlled pulses of infra-red light to the skin, creating precise, deep dermal heating, while limiting the penetration depth of the heat to the deeper tissues. This dermal heating is a highly effective and safe method for tightening the skin, stimulating collagen production and remodeling, leading to a more youthful appearance.
During the Titan procedure , the epidermal layer is constantly cooled, making the process virtually pain-free. In fact, there is no need for any general or local anesthesia, and many patients report that the procedure actually feels soothing. Some patients report mild irritation or redness following treatment, but this usually subsides within a few hours without any treatment.
One of the best aspects on Titan™laser treatment is that, unlike more conventional treatments such as injectable fillers in which the improvement is nearly immediate followed by slow degeneration, the improvements brought by Titan™ are slow and gradual, and in most cases actually improve over time. Most people begin to see subtle changes immediately after the first treatment, but after the third or fourth treatment the improvement is marked. Also, as the Titan™ works by stimulating the body to "heal" itself, the changes to your skin continue to improve for as long as six months, and the results can last for up to two years, though individual results will vary.
Unlike Thermage® treatments which can be very painful and require anesthesia, the Titan Procedure™ requires only a thin layer of aloe gel to be rubbed on the skin prior to treatment to allow freer movement of the laser head.
The Renaissance Laser and Vein Institute is the first center in the Conejo Valley to offer the Titan Procedure™, and is one of a very few sites in Southern California where this technology can be accessed. For maximum skin enhancement, some of our patients may benefit from our revolutionary 3-D Skin Rejuvenation treatment , combining the Titan Procedure™ with IPL Photofacial™ and Laser Genesis treatments . Also, all of our patients will benefit by utilizing our specialized skin care products, specifically designed to treat patients of laser procedures.
Titan Skin Tightening
The cutting edge new Titan laser is the most promising treatment for patients who are seeking skin tightening. Without going under the knife, the Titan skin tightening laser utilizes the power of infrared light to create tighter, smoother and younger looking skin. The Titan skin tightening treatment works by penetrating deep into the skin's layers to where collagen is formed. With its special infrared light, the Titan skin tightening treatment targets skin cells below the surface to rejuvenate and promote re-growth. This enables skin to repair itself naturally over the period of a few months, until the Titan skin tightening procedure can achieve its full effect. The great thing about the Titan skin tightening treatment is that patients can enjoy dramatic skin tightening effects without having to undergo anesthesia, scarring, invasive surgery, or long recover times. Patients can receive a Titan skin tightening treatment and go home or back to work immediately following the procedure.
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Wow it has been a while since I last posted... again! Time is just running away with me and especially now that the weather is finally improving there are just too many fun things going on :) My blogging backlog is growing and growing, so let's try if I can't get that cleared up anytime soon.
I found this really funny gift idea via Pinterest, it was just ideal for my very best friend who can sometimes have a bit of a sweet tooth.
The original tutorial can be found HERE
It took some time to find a deep frame and, believe it or not, even longer to find M&Ms. Usually they're in all the poundshops but for some reason what I needed them: nothing. When I finally found some they only had the peanut ones (which are the best anyway, they just don't look as nice but they would have to do).
As is usual with my project, the first try failed. It looked nice, but I had written on the outside of the glass instead of the inside. And the text was a bit too low. Not to worry, I now had a template to use for the inside of the glass. Luckily, when I finally did find frames, I bought 2 of them!
Much better :)
I sent it over to my friend who absolutely loved it!
So a big thank you goes out to the 30 Minute Craft blog for this tutorial, it was such fun to make :)


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Sorry, no definitions found. You may find more data at ri.
Sorry, no etymologies found.
No complete translation can be found for them in English; "Ri" and "Ki" may be best translated as the rational and the formative principles in the universe, while "In" and "Yo" signify the active and the passive, the male and the female, the light and the darkness; in a word, the poles of a positive and negative.
These days, the main battle of No Gun Ri is about Bateman's book.
Hanley says Bateman's version of what happened at No Gun Ri is simply a vicious attack on us (the AP writers) personally, with fantasies about our psyches and motivations, about our mysterious evil journalistic methodologies, and about the dark secrets he imagines we're keeping.
Ri-Ri is busy recording tracks for her upcoming new album, and her producer Adonis Shropshire is giving fans an update on how the Grammy-winning star is doing.
Ri is a nice girl n she got things goin 4 her but not the live shows!
Paramore, Pink, T.I., Rihanna MTV Video Music Awards 2008 Performance
Ri is living very happily, and ought to continue so, — if not, it will I am afraid be her fault, for her husband is an excellent fellow.
But attack pilots, except for brief moments of public glory -- the Korean War film, "The Bridges at Toko-Ri," is one notable example -- have been relegated to plodding unnoticed in the aviation trenches to conduct an unglamorized and relatively under-publicized air-to-mud business.
Bridges at Toko-Ri, is one notable example -- have been relegated to plodding unnoticed in the aviation trenches to conduct an unglamorized and relatively under-publicized air-to-mud business.
Considering the tenuous nature of her explosive romance with the R&B crooner, Ri-Ri is convinced that if he's pushed over the edge, Chris will turn on her once again and release the sex tapes, an unidentified informant has revealed.
It seems such an odd couple … I mean Ri is sooo HOT, but i guess that she fancies funny guys … He's not that bad either though!


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Chapter 23 : Chapter 23
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I paced around the dormitory for hours mentally cursing Snape and trying to figure out where to go from here. Now, even more than ever, I knew I had to be at Grimmauld Place. Something was horribly wrong. Everyone was in danger. And Snape didn't give a damn. He thought I was paranoid. He thought it was for something as trivial as spending Christmas with Fred. He didn't understand, he didn't care how much danger the Weasleys were in.
Why would he? He never cared about them.
No, he hadn't. He treated them with the same indifference he treated everyone. Actually, he treated them worse for being Gryffindors. He only tolerated Fred because of me.
I couldn't stay here, not while Fred and the rest of them were in danger. I wouldn't just sit here and do nothing. I wasn't going to be useless. It wasn't going to be my fault if something happened to them. I was going to London.
I stuffed every stray belonging I owned into my trunk. I'd head to Hogsmeade, take one of the pub's fireplaces to Diagon Alley, and then walk across London to Grimmauld Place. The hardest part would be getting through the Hogwarts gates but I was confident I could manage.
I shrunk my trunk and slipped it into my coat pocket before moving towards the door. I cast one last look around to be sure I had everything. Dobby's breakfast tray was still here, cold and long forgotten. I'd never touched the glass of juice beside my bed. I did have everything I needed though, that was what mattered.
I twisted the doorknob to leave, imagine my surprise when it didn't open. I rattled it, trying to get it unstuck because surely that's what was wrong. Still it didn't open. I tried the same technique I'd used on Snape's door. That didn't work the first time or the tenth. I ran through every unlocking charm I knew to no effect. I even kicked it, yet it wouldn't budge. As a last resort I sent a Reducto at it. The spell only bounced back and struck Lavender's bed, damaging one of the bed posts.
A pop sounded from behind me – Dobby. He was standing close to the wall, watching me fearfully. Suddenly it dawned on me why I couldn't get out.
"Dobby, open the door," I demanded.
"Dobby cannot," he said, shaking his head.
"I'm ordering you to open the door," I told him viciously.
"Dobby is sorry –"
"Did he tell you to do this?!" Of course he did, this screamed Snape intervention.
"Miss must stay at Hogwarts," Dobby pleaded.
This was the last place I wanted to be at the minute. Well if I couldn't get through the door, I would find a way out the window. I sent a vanishing spell at it and nothing happened. Furious, I started casting several other spells that merely bounced back and struck the walls and sometimes the beds in the dormitory. When physically hitting the glass didn't work either, I turned back to Dobby.
"Open the door," I ordered him, shaking with anger. He shook his head frantically. "Open it!" I shouted, fury taking over.
"Dobby cannot."
"Open it," I whispered dangerously, looming over him.
"Dobby will not. Miss is safe at Hogwarts."
"Leave," I commanded.
"Dobby is protecting –"
"I said to leave."
"Miss is –"
"LEAVE!" I roared, causing Dobby to jump and pop away.
In a fit of rage, I tore off my coat, throwing it on one of the beds. I slid down to the floor, my back against the wall. This was because of Snape. I was trapped here because of him, like some animal in a cage. He was manipulative and controlling. His stupidity was going to get the Weasleys killed. Instead of trying to warn them he had locked me in here, rendering me useless. Didn't he understand that this was an emergency?!
An emergency.
This was an emergency!
Why hadn't I thought of it before?!
I scrambled over to my coat and ripped my trunk out to expand it. I frantically searched through the right compartment before I found the small, flat box. Worried that Dobby might return, I moved to the bathroom, securely locking the door before I sat down on the tile floor.
I carefully opened the box and stared at the medallion Tsukino sent me nearly two years ago. The note said 'for emergencies' and this certainly felt like one now. I removed the medallion from its case and flipped it over in my palm while mentally repeating 'I need help,' as per the instructions. Finally I set it sideways on the floor and spun it.
There was a burst of flames in front of me and a phoenix appeared. A gold and white phoenix. My mind drifted to my wand core. This couldn't possibly be…I mean even if it is a rare bird, the odds…it couldn't be the same bird…could it? Then another thought hit me – this is how she did it. This is how Tsukino sent and picked up letters and packages without me knowing.
The phoenix let out a gentle trill, reminding me he was still there and waiting. I grabbed the medallion and stood up, trying to think of how to communicate with him. Would just talking work?
"Er…hi," I said awkwardly. He let out a few notes that I hoped was a greeting. "Can you…well I was wondering…I need to go to London." The bird tilted his head at me. "Can you do that?" I asked unsure. "Someone I care about is in danger and I can't leave my dormitory. I need to be in London so I can be sure nothing happens to him or his family over the holiday. Do you know where London is? London, England?" Fantastic, now I was rambling away to a bird. He flapped his wings impatiently. "Oh!" I exclaimed, finally realizing the issue. "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place," I clarified. The phoenix flapped his wings again, this time floating up. He circled above me twice before stopping with his tail in front of me. "Er…ok?" I reached out and carefully wrapped my hand around his tail feathers. The next moment there was a flash and we were gone.
It was very warm traveling this way and impossible to see anything. Thankfully the trip didn't last long and my feet touched down on a firm surface. It was the room I'd spent the summer in. The only difference was a layer of dust.
"Thanks," I told the phoenix who had landed on the back of the chair at the desk. He let out a few soothing notes and rose up again, disappearing in a burst of flames.
I stuffed the medallion into my pocket and headed out the bedroom door. I was listening closely for any sounds. The Weasleys were all supposed to be here, right? Then why was it so quiet? There was light coming from under the door of Fred and George's room. I crept in that direction.
When I was a foot from the door it swung open and Ginny nearly ran into me. She let out a surprised gasp and jumped before she realized it was me. "Jade?" she asked, confused.
"What?" one of the twins said from inside the room. In seconds both of them were behind Ginny, looking shocked.
"Hi there," I greeted uncomfortably. Fred pushed past Ginny and pulled me into a hug before planting a kiss on my lips.
"Ugh," George said in disgust. "We might was well leave, Ginny, Merlin knows how long this will last."
Fred pulled back though, and gave me an appraising look. "What's wrong?" he asked, sounding worried.
"What? With me? Nothing." He didn't look convinced. "Really, nothing," I assured him.
"Then why do you look so awful?" he questioned, frowning.
George shook his head in disbelief as Ginny rolled her eyes and muttered "Idiot."
"I'm ok. How are you guys?" I asked cautiously.
"Dad's ok," Ginny answered. "Mum and Bill spend a lot of time at St. Mungo's and we visited him the other day. He seemed ok."
"We're supposed to go back Christmas day," George added.
"That's good," I replied truthfully. The more time they spent at Grimmauld Place the better.
"Are you sure you're ok?" Fred was still looking me over, slightly frowning.
"I'm better now," I told him.
"How'd you get here?" George asked. "We asked mum and Lupin if you could come but Lupin said Dumbledore didn't approve."
"Er…" In the rush to get here I hadn't actually thought of a way to explain my sudden appearance. I doubted 'I borrowed a Seer's phoenix' would work, even if it was the truth. "Where there's a will, there's a way?" All three Weasleys raised an eyebrow at me.
"Did you sneak out of Hogwarts?" Ginny asked incredulously.
"I…I fancied a quick pop in to check how things were," I said defensively
"You did!" George said with a laugh.
"You're going to be in a load of trouble," Fred pointed out, although there was a mischievous smirk on his face.
They were so carefree, so at ease, I couldn't tell them. I couldn't admit the real reason I risked breaking out of Hogwarts was because they were in danger. They wouldn't understand if I told them. They'd think I was mental.
"I'll handle it when I get there," I said offhand. Fred pulled me into other hug before wrapping his fingers around mine.
"Come on," he said, pulling me towards the stairs. "You really look like you could use a few meals." Yeah, I probably could. Maybe it would help ease some of my anxiety. At least there was some relief in being here and knowing that for now, the Weasleys were safe. And according to George they were spending their holiday at Grimmauld Place and wouldn't be leaving again until Christmas. That was still four days away. I would figure something out before then.
"What's going on?" a voice asked as we stepped down onto the next floor. Ugh – Black.
"Jade?" Hermione said, confused. She was with Harry, Ron, and Black. "What are you doing here?"
"I'd like to know the same thing," Black said, glaring at me.
"She's staying for Christmas," Fred answered instantly. Black gave him a dark look, the look he usually used on me or Snape, making me think I had missed something between them.
"Stay here," Black ordered before walking down the next flight of stairs and disappearing into the kitchen.
There was silence before Harry spoke up. "You ok?" he asked. I was surprised to see he was talking to me. When I realized why, I immediately lowered my hand off my left shoulder.
"Fine," I muttered. For a second it felt like I was being tugged back and I cast a glance behind me, finding nothing.
"How did you get here?" Hermione questioned.
"I think that's what we'd all like to know." Black had returned with Lupin.
"Magic," I answered sarcastically. Lupin looked at me disapprovingly as Black scowled.
"Sirius says he never opened the door and neither did I," Lupin stated. "I was only asking how you entered the house. If there's a weakness we'd like –"
"If there's a weakness? That's really the best excuse you could think of?" I cut in. "Try for a bit of honesty and ask the real question you want an answer to." Lupin was looking less and less pleased by the minute. Black's gaze drifted over to Fred. "He didn't let me in," I said angrily. Lupin turned to glance at Black who was now watching me with narrowed eyes.
"How did you open the door?" Lupin asked politely.
"Doors are overrated," I scoffed.
"Miss Lestrange," Lupin started before Ginny interrupted.
"Dumbledore probably sent her. He sent us, didn't he? The front door's not the only way in."
"Dumbledore was very adamant about her staying at Hogwarts," Black disagreed.
"Did Dumbledore send you?" Lupin asked curiously.
"Most definitely not," a new, bored voice said. It was from a painting of a wizard who was wearing Slytherin robes. "You seemed to have caused quite the uproar, Lestrange was it?"
"Phineas, what's going on?" Black demanded. The portrait raised an eyebrow.
"Most Headmasters do not approve of their pupils breaking out of the school. Though I suppose Dumbledore is the least of her worries. Professor Snape looked much more furious."
Again I felt the tugging sensation but my anger over hearing Snape's name made me brush it off. "He's probably just peeved I outwitted him," I said bitterly.
"Outwitted?" Phineas said sarcastically. "Oh yes, an illegal Portkey, how truly witty indeed."
The others looked at me in alarm but I let out a mocking laugh. "Joke's on him. Didn't need one." Phineas narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Then how –"
"Wouldn't you love to know," I cut in. Phineas observed me with a calculating look on his face. I was annoyed that I couldn't use Legilimency on a portrait so I would know what he was thinking.
"Well," he said at last, "if that's really the case, you wouldn't mind handing over your wand to be checked."
"You know, I think I'm going to have to pass on that," I replied, amused by his weak attempt to get me disarmed. "I think I'd prefer to keep it on me."
"This is why I detested children," Phineas stated. "You are all so arrogant –"
"Don't you have to report back to Dumbledore?" I asked rudely. "That's why you're here, right? Aren't you just a messenger boy?"
"Why you insolent –"
"And if you think you didn't like children, imagine how much they absolutely loathed you. Hogwarts' least favorite Headmaster, wasn't it? Why if it wasn't for that, I'm betting you wouldn't even be worth remembering at all."
Phineas let out an insulted huff and gave me a look of contempt before marching out of his current frame and appearing in the next.
"Oi! What are we supposed to do about her?" Black called out.
"Professor Snape will arrive later this evening!" Phineas shouted before disappearing.
"Let's go," Lupin said with a sigh. "You can eat before Severus gets here. You look like you could use it." Everyone followed Lupin downstairs where Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen cooking dinner. She looked at me before turning curiously to Lupin. "Miss Lestrange will be joining us for dinner," he explained. We all sat around the table, Fred beside me. "Severus will be along later to take her back to Hogwarts."
"I'm not going," I said simply.
"Yes, you are," Lupin replied forcefully.
"No, I'm really not," I reiterated with the same force.
"You need to get back before Umbridge notices you're gone."
"I can handle Umbridge," I said, feeling insulted.
"You risked expulsion. There's still a chance you could be expelled unless –"
"She won't," Fred cut in. "Umbridge is an idiot, Jade can –"
"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley warned.
"What?" he asked annoyed. "How come she can't stay? Harry and Hermione are both here –"
"Their uncle isn't Lucius Malfoy."
"What has that got to do with anything? She can lie about where she was. They wouldn't know –"
"Fred, Umbridge controls every punishment and Jade is already on a short leash," Lupin tried to explain. "She can be expelled for this. If Lucius takes her back to Malfoy Manor we will not be able to help her –"
"I don't need the Order's bloody help," I said darkly, glaring at Lupin. "I know how to handle Lucius fine on my own."
"And Voldemort?" Black asked cynically, causing most of the table to flinch. Your name should cause that same amount of fear. "What about half a dozen Death Eaters? You think you can handle them?"
"Yes," I said stubbornly. Black let out a humorless laugh, infuriating me. Show him.
"Arrogance is a family trait, eh?" Show him the meaning of pain.
"Sirius!" Lupin snapped.
"She's the one who wants to go recklessly duel them!" Black exclaimed. Don't let him speak about you like that. "Go let her." Teach him to fear you. "You heard her, she doesn't want the Order's help." You know all the spells. "Why are we even bothering?" He's nothing.
"We are not going to send a fifteen year old to Voldemort," Lupin said angrily. Show them all.
I rubbed my head trying to block out the thoughts. Black's not worth it, I told myself, he's just an idiot with a big mouth.
"What?" Lupin asked sharply. I looked up and found him watching me. "What did you just say?"
"What? Nothing."
"You said he wasn't worth it," Lupin said, his hand slowly moving off the table. Dammit, I had said it out loud and not even realized it. "Who were you talking to?" Lupin asked suspiciously.
"No one," I replied, annoyed by Lupin's accusing tone. It wasn't completely unheard of to mutter something to yourself in a moment of stress.
"Molly, take everyone upstairs," Lupin ordered, his eyes never leaving mine.
"Why -?"
"Upstairs, now please."
"No," Fred cut in. "What's going on?" Heck, I was wondering the same thing. Actually everyone, even Black looked confused. Too curious now, I used Legilimency.
I couldn't help but feel annoyed when I learned why Lupin was acting this way. He thought I was…tethered to some Death Eater and communicating with him.
"I was talking to myself," I said impatiently. "Not some Death Eater." Now Lupin looked shocked.
"How –?"
"You're a Legilimens!" Hermione blurted out before covering her mouth, looking embarrassed.
"A what?" Harry asked.
"Working on that one for a while now?" I questioned lazily. "Here I thought you'd figure out the photographic memory first."
"I knew it," she said triumphantly. "I knew it was something like that. There's no way you could have done all those essays and never opened a book."
"Wait," Ron interrupted, "isn't a photographic memory where you –"
"Remember everything you've ever done, read, or learned in your life?" George finished. "Pretty much. Are you all really just catching on to this now?"
"You knew?" Ron asked.
"Course we knew. I mean you can only watch her write so many three foot essays without opening a book before you get a bit suspicious."
"Did you know she was a Legilimens?" Black asked distrustfully.
"I don't even know what that is," George answered. Everyone's focus shifted towards Fred.
"It may have popped up once," I said, knowing Fred was about to lie although it wasn't necessary.
"You never thought to mention this?" Lupin asked sternly. I was still feeling quite vindictive towards Snape and also didn't want Fred to get in trouble, so I had no qualms about my next response.
"Maybe you should have asked a certain Potions professor. It's not my choice what he tells or in this case, doesn't tell you."
"Snape knew?" Lupin questioned, frowning.
"But was does Legilimens mean?" Ginny asked.
"It's like a mind reader," Hermione explained.
"The mind is not a book," Fred corrected. "You can't open it up and read it. You don't have one solid memory of your life. There are bits and pieces that make up your collective memories." I couldn't help but feel impressed remembering that I had told Fred the same thing over a year ago. "It makes more sense if you use food to explain it."
"Huh?" Ron said, looking even more confused.
"Shh," Lupin cut in. "Sirius, that's Phineas." Both Lupin and Black exited the kitchen.
I had a feeling about what would happen next. I shoved a roll into my mouth and mentally prepared myself. I was not leaving Grimmauld Place. I would not abandon Fred, the other Weasleys, Hermione, and Harry because Snape and Dumbledore refused to see the truth. I wasn't going to let Snape manipulate me into returning to Hogwarts, expulsion or not, some things were more important than school. And I absolutely was not going to make eye contact with Snape and let him force me into following his orders.
Lupin and Black came back a couple of minutes later. Everyone but me turned towards them to hear the news.
"Severus is on his way," Lupin announced.
"I can hardly wait," I replied sarcastically.
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Ivory Coast prelates lament attack on mosque
March 07, 2011
Supporters of incumbent Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo have burned down a mosque in the southern city of Yopougon. Gbagbo, a Catholic whose base of support is in the nation's south, lost the 2010 presidential election to Alassane Ouattara, a Muslim.
Gbagbo's decision to cling to power has prompted a humanitarian crisis and led the nation to the brink of civil war.
Archbishop Ambrose Madtha, the apostolic nuncio, and Coadjutor Bishop Salomon Lezoutié of Yopougon condemned the attack and visited other mosques to express their sympathy. Stating that the crisis afflicting the nation is political and not religious, they urged all to respect places of worship.
17% of the nation's 20.8 million people are Catholic, according to Vatican statistics. An estimated 8% are Protestant, 38% are Muslim, and 33% follow indigenous religions.
Further information:
- Gbagbo's 'Young Patriots' take the law into their own hands (France24)
- The religious leaders of Côte d'Ivoire: "Do not turn a political crisis into a religious conflict" (Fides)
- Caritas appeal for Ivory Coast (CWN, 2/23)
- Papal aid for displaced in Ivory Coast (CWN, 2/7)
- Bishops condemn Ivory Coast violence (CWN, 1/27)
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We've just got word that UBM, the company behind the Games Developer Conference (GDC) is launching the Indian equivalent with the India Game Developers Conclave (IGDCon) that would be on 7th and 8th August, 2013 in Bangalore. It's not called GDC India, presumably to avoid confusion with NASSCOM's gala event that shares the same name.
While this bodes well for the industry, what's odd is that UBM may not have done their ground work when it came to getting their conference chair, Badri Narayan on board. Old-timers remember him as the editor of SKOAR! magazine, one of the few gaming magazines in the country. Not so old-timers know him for delivering full versions of games like Quake 2 and Max Payne complete with the requisite cracks and keygens on discs that accompanied each copy of it. Though the magazine has cleaned up it's act, relaunched and is now a supplement within Digit, we wish that UBM did their research before hiring someone who thought it was cool to obtain content illegally and even cooler to distribute it monthly.
Sources: PR Newswire, IndianVideoGamer Forums


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Police also say the victim was attacked when he came out of his home.
He was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
The suspect fled the scene and has so far not yet been located.


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U.S. Soldier Cleared Of Afghan Abuse Charges
4 November 2005 -- A U.S. military jury has cleared an Army sergeant of all charges that he abused a detainee at a U.S. detention facility in Afghanistan.
Sergeant Duane M. Grubb is the third soldier from this company to be acquitted on charges of striking and abusing detainees in Bagram, Afghanistan.
The eight-man jury deliberated today for about 30 minutes before reaching their decision.
Grubb's lawyer, Captain Robert Fellrath, said the testimony by the government's sole eyewitness, former Specialist Jeremy Callaway, contradicted his own testimony in other cases. He also asked the jury to question why Callaway was the only person to see the abuse take place.
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Look at "100,000 Stars" from space with Google Chrome Experiment
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Along with the 3D graphics, users will be able to listen to music by Mass Effect composer Sam Hulick. The company uses the technologies including WebGL, CSS3D and Web Audio.
In the Google Chrome blog, Aaron Koblin wrote, "As you explore this experiment, we hope you share our wonder for how large the galaxy really is. It's incredible to think that this mist of 100,000 measurable stars is a tiny fraction of the sextillions of stars in the broader universe."
We have tried it and it is really an interesting experiment to look into a part of universe as an amateur.


text: On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:25:25 PDT, Andrew Morton said:> You need to grab the git tree and use git-bisect. Then wade through> all the runtime and compile-time bisection breakage which people> nowadays seem to find acceptable because git collapses in an> ignominious heap when these are fixed.I've bisected through Linus' tree more than once - ISTR that there wassome special funkiness in dealing with trying to bisect through linux-nextbecause the tree gets redone every night.If it *was* as easy as Linus's tree to bisect, I'd go ahead and do it.> > Anybody know where /proc/sys/fs/quota went?> Nope. There are pretty extensive changes to procfs core in the vfs> tree - perhaps something there made /proc/sys/fs/quota vanish.> > <checks>> > Yup, it happens in the most recent linux-next too.> > Ah, it seems to be taking a little vacation over in> /proc/sys/kernel/. Curious.Wow. I never *thought* to look for it there, and neither did my userspace :)[unhandled content-type:application/pgp-signature]


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Accra - Ghana President John Mahama has reportedly intervened in a financial dispute between players and football bosses in a bid to avert a boycott of Ghana's final Group G match against Portugal.
The team claims it has received none of the 75,000-dollars appearance fee each member was promised from FIFA money paid to the Ghana Football Association for qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil.
Accra-based Joy FM radio said Tuesday that players refused to honour travel arrangements for Thursday's Portugal game, which Ghana needs to win to have any chance of reaching the knock-out stage.
"A bus meant to carry the players to the Marceo airport had been delayed for several hours," it said.
"The players were supposed to have trained Tuesday morning but they did not turn up for training in protest over the delays in payment of their appearance fees," the radio reported.
It said the situation was "so volatile" that Mahama telephoned the players to promise them they would have their money by the end of Tuesday.
A spokesman for the football association confirmed players had not received any money since their arrival in Brazil and that their patience was running out.
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Macaroni and Tomatoes
I don't know how much more frugal you can get than this, and it's one of my most favorite comfort foods.
Boil macaroni as directed on the package. Drain. Add a can of crushed tomatoes. That's it for the basics.
I like to add salt, pepper and butter to mine when it's done cooking.
I am poor, and this is a filling meal, but if I ever get rich, I'll still eat this several times a month.
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I am a big proponent of Charitable giving. I raise funds at this time of year to sponsor and support few kids education back home in India. I always like to follow the proverb, that what you give from one hand shouldn't be known to the other. But at the same time, its not always […]
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Charitable Giving is Good for you & for your Taxes – Tax deductible contributions
Efficient Mutual Fund Investing by Avoiding Taxes
Mutual funds have been one of the safest avenues for many American to invest for the future whether its for retirement or kids education. Mutual fund companies have gained their reputation by showing good returns and solid growth. Many mutual fund companies have evolved strongly by good fund analysis with strong results and catering to various needs of the investor gaining investor sentiment from novice to veterans.
Many of us invest in mutual funds because it is bit safe and saves time as the fund managers are paid to do the job of portfolio analysis, effective investment by incorporating diversification and asset allocation strategies according to each fund's goal. Another main reason, mutual funds are less expensive for amount of diversification and assets involved in the funds. If someone has to do the same kinda of diversification, it would cost more on transaction fees alone not to add other cost. So it is not prudent unless you have big asset to handle.
Above all, we look for good, solid return and performance. On the downside, we really don't pay attention to the taxes on mutual fund earnings. We all know not all mutual funds are made equal but all them have the tax component associated with it. Taxes can be biggest drag on the funds performance. Every year many investors lose certain percentage points of fund returns because they don't try to lower their taxes.
It is not a big science or need to learn lot of tax codes to implement it. Just by keeping certain aspects of tax saving concepts in mind and adapting them which will help you portfolio. Here is the list of 3 simple strategies/concepts you can follow while trying to invest in mutual funds.
1. Low Turnover Ratio – Check for a fund's portfolio turnover ratio which is the percentage of its assets that were sold during the most recent quarter or year. If the fund has high turnover ration mean it is a more aggressive fund. For example, a turnover of 500% means a fund sold the equivalent of its entire portfolio of securities five times during the year. That raises a fund's expenses, and the likelihood of capital gains taxes. It is a good idea to limit your tax consequences by avoiding funds that trade most of their holdings in a given year. That means being wary of turnover ratios above 50%.
2. After-tax Return – Like you calculate any material cost after taxes, calculate fund tax return after taxes. So look beyond a mutual fund's pretax return is wise thing to do. After tax returns will give the right picture of profit margin after all the tax deductions. The tax-adjusted return accounts for capital gains, dividends and interest.
3. Capital Gain – If you are worried about big tax bill, it is good idea to analyze a funds possible capital gain exposure before you buy it. Possible exposure tallies capital gains that haven't been distributed to shareholders and divides that number by total net assets.
If you don't want to go through the head-ache of analysing every funds, you have option to go with tax-efficient funds or ETF's.
Tax Efficient funds, also called as Tax Advantage funds, are structured and operated on reducing the tax liability faced by its shareholders. It uses variety of techniques to keep the taxes low by purchasing tax-free (or low taxed) investments such as municipal bonds, Low turnover ratio, Offsetting gains by selling other stocks at a loss and Investing in lower-dividend-paying stocks to minimize passthrough dividends.
In conclusion, mutual fund investment can really reap better rewards if you give little bit of attention every year and plan accordingly by lowering taxes.
Source and read article at usatoday.com
What did you do with your tax refund?
Tax season is finally over. Some of you might have filed the tax on time over internet and already got your refund from Uncle Sam. Some of you might have filed in paper and waiting to hear from IRS which might take few weeks. Obviously some of you might filed for an extension since you didn't have enough time to get through with it. It would be good to file taxes soon as possible and get it over with it and avoid paying penalties or avoid giving interest free loan to IRS if you expect a refund.
Plan ahead for next year Taxes
Anyway, if you are among many Americans who filed early and got your refund, good for you. It is not a good idea to leave your money with IRS which is interest free loan to the government instead you could earn interest on the money. Also many think, getting a refund is a good thing. Not really and not always. If you planned properly ahead taking advantage of tax codes and deductions and filed your W4 with your employer to deduct the proper amount, you wouldn't be recieving the refund now instead you might got more money on every paycheck which you could have saved regularly. Try to plan ahead atleast this year and submit updated W4 if there is a change in your household or income and not give IRS interest free money.
I know people like me who are self employed or don't have standard income every year and also have deductions all over the place, they won't be able to easily judge their regular/estimated tax payments and end up paying 100% of your last tax amount to be on safe side and sometimes we end up getting reasonable amount of refund back taking all deductions. As of 2009 IRS tax stats card, IRS paid out on average $3000 as tax refund to individuals.
So going back to the actual topic, if you got your refund check, what are you planning to do with the lumpsum money?
I plan to spend part of my $1200 refund for home improvement by adding hardwood or laminate floor which will reduce carpet maintenance and good if I want to rent out later. Another part, I plan to put in a savings account for now and decide later.
What are you going to do?
I googled and found some usual answers like some are planning to buy a big screen TV or new gizmo like iPad, some thinking about exotic cruise or vacation in carribean and some planning to buy/upgrade your home appliances and some planning to put a downpayment for their new car. Here are some ideas which every financial guru will suggest which works for your favor.
Things you can do with your refund
1. Pay off your high interest credit cards or atleast reduce the balance if you a big one which will save you interest in the long run.
2. Put in Roth/Traditional IRA for your retirement.
3. Try to save for your kids college education in 529 plan or Coverdall Plan or open a new CD.
4. Make a value added improvement to your home so you can get better return when you sale it at later time.
5. If all above seems lot of work, just take a CD from ally bank or SmartyPig or any other bank which gives some good rate of return and make the decision later. It can be either used for future car or home or business venture. Don't just throw your money for something which doesn't yield a return.
You can also find more options at Bankrate.com. Credability has conducted a contest and I am hoping to get some good ideas from consumers. I will post the some them when they release the results in few weeks. Until then, you can either put the money in savings account or follow some the above mentioned ideas.
Are you interested to know how your tax dollars get spent by the government? Check out WhereDidMyTaxDollarsGo.com and enter your income. It will split out the propotion of your tax dollars spent on different categories.
image courtesy: 2010.TaxCalculators.com


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The Rainbow Warrior and Esperanza have been on an "Ocean Defenders Tour of South East Asia" tour this year. To highlight the richness and the beauty of the South East Asian seas and expose the destruction that causes marine degradation. Greenpeace is calling for urgent government action to protect the region's rich marine biodiversity.
Spinner dolphins next to the Greenpeace ship Esperanza in the Tanon Strait between the provinces of Cebu and Negros Oriental.
© Steve de Neef / Greenpeace
A better future is literally falling from the sky and blowing in our faces every day. So why are we still using fossil fuels! A 2-minute animation on how we can achieve a world powered by 100% renewables.
Greenpeace New Zealand activists shut down the heart of cat food giant Whiskas' Australasian operations, after Mars confirmed to the organisation that it sources tuna from Thai Union, a seafood company that has been connected to slavery and...
Big THANKS to: Lil BUB, Nala, Spangles, Princess Monster Truck, Captain Pancakes, Hamilton the Hipster Cat, Pork chop, Beans and TT Pistachio, Matilda the Alien Cat, Loki the Kitteh, Cole and Marmalade, Winston Smushface, Monty the Cat, Oskar and...
1 - 5 of 5530 results.


text: Hotel Tolosa puts you within a 15-minute drive of Levante Beach and PortAventura Theme Park. You can relax with a drink at the bar/lounge, and the coffee shop/café is the perfect spot to grab a bite to eat. Plasma TVs, down comforters, and free WiFi are offered in all rooms.


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Home > Topics > Engineering
This chapter from Elements of Chemical Reaction Engineering, 5th Edition develops the first building block of chemical reaction engineering, mole balances, which will be used continually throughout the text. After completing this chapter, you will be able to describe and define the rate of reaction, derive the general mole balance equation, and apply the general mole balance equation to the four most common types of industrial reactors.
This chapter from Basic Principles and Calculations in Process Technology discusses gas laws, including Boyle's Law, Charles's Law, absolute temperature, real gases, and more.
This chapter from Microwave Circuit Design: A Practical Approach Using ADS discusses the classification of microwave integrated circuits and the use of microwave circuits in a communication system.
Communication at mmWave operating frequencies represents the most recent game-changing development for wireless systems. The authors of Millimeter Wave Wireless Communications discuss the need for new, interdisciplinary strategies to create the ever-evolving broadband wireless devices and systems at mmWave, and beyond.
As 2015 winds down to a close, I reflect on what 2015 brought IT.
New Mac OS X Means New Tricks...
Wow, who abducted our Windows 10 assumptions and left this smooth running and easy-to-use Operating System in their place?
And now, let us remember the great advances of a world gone tablet...


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Working with our fantastic photoshoot team is always a pleasure and none more so than when they achieve great things!
I was absolutely thrilled this week when Bethan Eccles shared her 3 page magazine spread in Wedding Ideas magazine. Working alongside her fabulously talented sister Sarah Eccles-Markey and the gorgeous Kirsty Jade-Reed the trio put together an amazing article about wedding style ideas for brides to be and including some of our bridal headwear.
Sarah talks through some simple ideas which can be achieved by following her step by step walk through, great for the bride looking for perfect Wedding day style.
I'm sure you'll agree the photo's are amazing and extremely inspirational.. I'm proud to have been included alongside their amazing talents!
Looking for some inspirational bridal headwear to wear on your perfect day?


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El Gordo and the Spanish Christmas Lottery
Today is a big day in Spain. It's the drawing for the Spanish Christmas Lottery. For months, people have been buying tickets throughout the country in hopes of winning big this holiday season. The Christmas lottery is not like most lotteries. Each number, 00001 to 85000, has 180 "series", and each of the series is divided into 10 "décimas". Each of the tickets you can buy is a décima, and they are sold for 20€ each. That is a grand total, if all the tickets are sold, of 3,060,000,000 euros! The government takes their cool 30% (91.8 millon) cut, and 2.142 billion euros are left for prize money.
What makes the Christmas lottery so interesting, and also so difficult for the human brain to calculate the probabilities, is that the tickets for any given number are all sold in the same establishment or set of establishments. So if number 12,345 wins a prize, all that prize money goes to the patrons of one particular bar, restaurant, or gas station. On recent news coverage, they were showing people queuing in long lines early in the morning to buy tickets from various places around the country. I'm not sure why; maybe they are thought to be lucky locations? Anyway, the newscaster mentioned that the Christmas Lottery is the biggest lottery of the year, with the most participants and the worst probabilities of winning. I have not done any follow-up calculations to confirm this.


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Sudan Feature: On 1st Anniversary of Protests, a New Vision for the Country? (Nasr)
Thousands in Sudan protesting last month at the University of Khartoum
This weekend brought news that tens of youth activists associated with the groups Girifna and Sharara have been arrested, as part of the Government's continued and sustained crackdown against any opposition movement which threatens the power of President al-Bashir.
The timing of this new wave of arrests is not random. On 30 January 2011, whilst the world watched events Tunisia and Egypt, a third revolutionary spark was lit. As EA noted on the day:
No one took much notice when a Facebook page was created, calling on Sudanese to join protests today against the 21-year rule of President Omar al-Bashir. Reports, however, suggest that a protest did take place today in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, joined by university students and mostly youngsters.
Khartoum had indeed erupted with demonstrations. Protests continued across February, mostly focused on the capital, and were met with fierce resistance by Sudanese security forces. News of the attempted uprising failed to travel far outside the country. The al-Bashir regime tried to silence the demonstrators through mass arrests, severe restrictions on social media and online communications, and a harsh crackdown on any newspaper which might be sympathetic to the protesters' cause.
The world more or less ignored Khartoum and the struggle against al-Bashir from then. As I wrote last month:
In the following months, what was one country has become two. While many Western overtures have been made to newly-independent South Sudan, the northern country has continued its economic slump and slide towards Sharia law. Protests, anchored in antipathy towards al-Bashir, have continued, particularly in the capital throughout 2011. The spirit of possibility has persisted, especially amongst Khartoum youth, despite the brutal torture --- including rape --- meted out by the regime to demonstrators at the start of the year.
In December, protests began at the University of Khartoum, focused on the failure of the government to compensate the Manasir who suffered greatly from flooding caused by the creation of the Merowe Dam, some 350 miles north of the capital. These protests --- which followed the mass-sit in begun in November by the Manasir in El Damer --- were met again with state repression, tear gas, and mass arrests. Despite an initial victory against punitive decisions made by the University administration, students have faced continued harassment and difficulties. Many, for example, found themselves prevented from returning in the new semester.
The arrests of activists in Khartoum this week is yet another troubling indication of al-Bashir's unwillingness to accept open critique. It also shows, however, just how scared the regime is of the growing solidarity movement in the north of the country, between the Manasir's continued struggles and youth activists in the capital (many Manasir themselves) who wish to see change in Sudan and freedom from corrupt rule. Coupled with the continued violence in Darfur --- and al-Bashir is a wanted war criminal for his role in the genocide there --- the one year anniversary of last year's attempted uprising marks an opportune moment to consider a vision for what a new Sudan could be. Writing for Al Jazeera English, Amir Ahmad Nasr does just that, through a return to the ideas expounded by John Garang.
Reviving the "New Sudan" Vision
Amir Ahmad Nasr
John Garang, the Southern Sudanese Christian rebel-turned-statesman, was arguably one of the best and most charismatic leaders Sudan has had. He surely had many flaws, but one of his greatest contributions was his "New Sudan" vision, which widely appealed to many Sudanese, even in the predominantly Muslim Arab north.
What Garang essentially did was reframe the overarching narrative about Sudan's internal conflicts and struggles. Rather than talk in terms of either the counter-productive Arab Muslim north versus African Christian south narrative or Darfur's Arab versus African tribes storyline, he took an honourable stance and made an important valid observation.
He affirmed Sudan's pluralistic nature and mixed identity, and emphasised the crucial fact that all Sudanese citizens, regardless of their backgrounds, were suffering under a murderous and repressive dictatorship. He was a staunch opponent who had been battling Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir's regime in Khartoum for nearly two decades.
Al-Bashir's regime came to power in 1989 after he and his former ally, the Islamist leader, Hassan al-Turabi, deposed a democratically elected government in a coup. Under him, the country has witnessed a series of unjust policies and murderous practices. He has shut down newspapers critical of government actions. Many of the government's critics were tortured in what came to be called Ghost Houses. In 1990, 28 dissenting military officers were executed after a mock trial. Corruption has spread.
Worse, the government's propaganda machine beat the drums of war and instigated fighting against the southern Sudanese in a conflict that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. Then again in 2003, Darfur erupted in a rebellion that was met by the government in a conflict that claimed at least 200,000 deaths due to war, famine, and disease, according to UN estimates.
The Southerners, the Darfurians, the Nuba of Southern Kordofan and the Ingessana of the Blue Nile, have often been at the receiving end of al-Bashir and his entourage's brutality. They have been one of the greatest victims of his regime's abuse of religion and divisive policy of tribalism.
This was, and still is, strongly reflected in Western media coverage of Sudan and the attention directed by US advocacy groups to those causes. Unfortunately, in the process, both Western media and advocacy groups have reinforced the dichotomies and helped spread the aforementioned counter-productive narratives along with simplistic explanations. They have also unintentionally alienated many Northern Sudanese opposed to al-Bashir and his morally bankrupt policies who now feel that their identity is unfairly under attack.
One must not overlook the suffering happening elsewhere in Sudan, such as in the north and in the heart of Khartoum. Let us not forget the January 2005 massacre of the Beja youth by government security forces in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, in which more than 20 peaceful Beja protesters - including women and children - were reportedly shot dead and hundreds were arrested. Their crime? Protesting years of injustice and the marginalisation of their people, and demanding democracy and development.
Let us also not forget the oppression of the Arab Rashaida in eastern Sudan. Or the Kajbar massacre of 2007 in the upper north, in which peaceful Manaseer and Nubian demonstrators protesting the construction of the large Merowe Dam were injured and killed by security forces.
The dam has since destroyed the protesters' communities; it has displaced them and flooded their homes without adequate compensation from the government. It has also drowned Sudanese pharaonic antiquities and historic sites dating back thousands of years before they had even been fully excavated. Such is the wonderful mindset and attitude of the beloved ruling regime.
Again, as Garang correctly noted, all Sudanese are suffering under the same dictatorship. He acknowledged the reality and charismatically advocated for a "New Sudan" on the basis of a civil and pluralistic democratic state that would affirm the rights, dignity and freedom of all citizens.


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Two weeks ago, we shared our recipe for baked zucchini sticks here on the blog. We promised to share another quick and easy zucchini treat, and here it is: crispy Baked Zucchini Chips.
My husband, John, had been craving the tasty pub food he used to be able to enjoy before he switched to a gluten-free diet. Now fried mozzarella sticks and fried zucchini sticks are off-limits. So we decided to come up with two gluten-free, paleo friendly recipes. To our delight, they were even better than the pub food we remember and much healthier too. Everyone in the family enjoyed them. In fact, these zucchini chips were a particular favorite of the kids (no leftover vegetables that night!). I can definitely see these being a hit at our upcoming Super Bowl party.
These are so quick and effortless to make. Just slice up two medium-sized zucchini and toss the slices in a bowl with oil. In another bowl, combine grated Parmesan cheese, gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Dredge both sides of the zucchini slices in the mixture, and then arrange them on a baking sheet. Pop in the oven for fifteen minutes. Then broil for four to five minutes until they are golden brown and crispy.
Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables. It's very low in calories and is a wonderful source of potassium and Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Manganese (an essential mineral). With gluten free Ranch dressing as a dipping sauce (we like Annie's Cowgirl Ranch), these delicious baked zucchini chips are a no-guilt, incredibly healthy snack with just the right amount of Panko crunch and cheesy parmesan.
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- 2 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup gluten free Panko bread crumbs
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- Butter for greasing pan
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Grease a baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with oil. Combine Parmesan, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Dredge each round into the Parmesan mixture, on both sides until well coated. Place on the greased baking sheet.
- Bake 15 minutes. Then broil until golden, about 4-5 minutes Remove with spatula and serve.
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- Creamy Cauliflower Mash - December 5, 2017
- Gift Picks For Your Favorite Health Nut - December 2, 2017
- 12 Nutritious Soups and Side Dishes To Grace Your Holiday Table - November 15, 2017
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Miranda Woodard, a student at Pearl-Cohn High School, is known as a "frequent flyer" at her school library, but even she's sometimes disappointed by the book selection.
"I've found so many times when I'm trying to do research or something, the school library is just so limited," she said.
To Woodard's delight, she's now among those who likely will benefit from a new pilot program launched by Mayor Karl Dean on Wednesday designed to bring books and resources from the Nashville Public Library to students and faculty in three Metro high schools.
The program, dubbed Limitless Libraries, will start this school year at Pearl-Cohn, Hillsboro and Hillwood high schools, with the hope that it eventually will include all 16 Metro high schools.
"We're starting now with a few high schools, but my goal would be for perhaps next year to expand the program to all the high schools," Dean said. "This is such a positive thing and such a rational way to use our resources, that we need to get it done."
Under the initiative, students at the participating high schools will have access to the public library's collection of 1.5 million items, which includes electronic books, laptop computers, DVDs and CDs. Books and other resources will be made available to students and teachers through a delivery service, allowing materials to arrive within two days after the initial request.
"No longer will transportation be a barrier," said Donna Nicely, director of the Nashville Public Library. "Materials can come to the student."
When Dean first advocated the idea of merging the Nashville Public Library in late 2008, the proposal caught some members of the Metro Nashville Board of Education off guard. Over the past year, officials from the mayor's office, library and Metro schools have sat down to organize the new program.
"When I came to Nashville, Mayor Dean asked me to a meeting to talk about a partnership with public libraries," said Director of Schools Jesse Register, who began his tenure at MNPS last year. "I've got to be honest. I hadn't thought about it. It made me scratch my head a little bit, but this is a great initiative."
Part of the thinking behind the program, according to Dean, is to "break down the duplication of services" at the public library system and school district by ordering books together.
"The schools and public libraries will look at how to consolidate the purchasing of new materials in order to receive more favorable and better discounts, which will save the district money," Dean said.


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Ok, my DD will be 6 in October. Since she was an infant she has had trouble falling asleep. At months of age she would lay in her crib banging her foot on the wall for 3 hours before she would finally crash to sleep. Once she is asleep... she is done for, and sleeps well.
Over the years I have heard about melatonin. I have heard about hyper children or children with sleep issues using it.
Tonight we gave it a try. She was asleep within 10 minutes. However, I am kind of a medicine natzi. I hate to take meds for any reason and I don't give them to my kids either. I just have an issue with pills. Now I am worried about giving it to her.
Any one else give their child melatonin to help them sleep?
Asked by Anonymous at 11:26 PM on Sep. 17, 2011 in School-Age Kids (5-8)
Answer by BigMomm4 at 11:27 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Answer by But_Mommie at 11:32 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Answer by BigMomm4 at 11:34 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Answer by ObbyDobbie at 11:35 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
and... I will. You're waaaayyyy off. If you can't provide even a remotely informed opinion, then why bother?
You're completely ignorant to the NON medication that you speak of. To the simple fact of what it is, how it interacts with our bodies, and the lack of side effects.
So, make another assertion that screams of ignorance, and I will exercise my right to disagree :) thanks for your approval though.
Answer by ObbyDobbie at 11:37 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Answer by BigMomm4 at 11:38 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Answer by proudmom2510 at 11:41 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Answer by ajs16919 at 11:42 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Answer by ObbyDobbie at 11:42 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Did you read your link? Melatonin is a hormone found naturally in the body. Melatonin used as medicine is usually made synthetically in a laboratory.
Melatonin is LIKELY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth short-term or applied to the skin. It can cause some side effects including headache, short-term feelings of depression, daytime sleepiness, dizziness, stomach cramps, and irritability. Do not drive or use machinery for four to five hours after taking melatonin
Now look up the side effects of an actual medication not a sythetic hormone.
Answer by But_Mommie at 11:43 PM on Sep. 17, 2011
Next question in School-Age Kids (5-8)
Do you work on school work on the weekend?
Next question overall
Is there any chance to get a Job while pregnant?


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Redbox+ makes it easy for you to keep your job site clean and efficient.
You will keep the job rolling with redbox+ and the delivery of two services to your site with just one phone call. Redbox+ is the perfect solution for commercial, industrial and residential projects.
Whether you are in construction, roofing, landscaping, remodeling or flood and fire restoration redbox+ is perfect for your projects. Green, clean and seen, your customer knows you pay attention when you have a redbox+ on your site. Locally owned and locally operated, redbox+ brings the highest quality of service to your job site.
The redbox+ system is designed uniquely to be a portable toilet and roll-off box combination. This one-of-a-kind system gives your job sites the two critical services you need and lets your customer know that you pay attention to all aspects of the job.
Why pay the same price (or sometimes more) when you can get the convenience and service with just one phone call to your locally owned and operated redbox+.
Reduce the cost of having two deliveries to your job site when you call redbox+.
The redbox+ system gives you two services with one call. No more needing to use two different vendors for your roll-off and portable toilet needs, you don't make two phone calls, you don't get two invoices and best of all you keep your crew on site with a service that they need. No more crew running to the gas station, in your company truck, taking time away from the job. Now that you use redbox+ you have added efficiency at your job site.
Giving you a professional image and a competitive advantage
Avoid unpleasant "surprises" on the job site and embarrassing complaints by your clients with our portable restroom-waste container combination. Your customers will have piece of mind with toilets that never tip.
Whether you are a general contractor, home builder, remodeler, or in roofing, siding, landscaping, or flood and fire restoration redbox+ is perfect for your projects.


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LAGRANGE, Ga. (PRWEB) February 14, 2013
Many international travelers claim that they have been to America, but the reality is that they have been only in New York City, Miami, San Francisco or Los Angeles. They don't realize that there are many reasons why they should come back to this country. In Here In America, author Kittie Woolliscroft offers readers a quick yet fascinating view of the United States of America that just might tempt would-be travelers to visit.
Here In America is a nod to the late Christian singer, Rich Mullins (1955-1997), who did a wonderful song of the same title. This book provides a snapshot of the 50 states, which includes each state's tree, flag, flower, and bird, along with statistics and interesting bits of information about each distinct state. Though possessions or provinces of the U.S. are not part of this compilation, the author plans to include them in a future work.
For those citizens who have not had the opportunity to visit every diverse corner of America, Here In America will show them that there is so much to see and learn in this great country. Utilizing the internet to collect pertinent data about America along with vibrant images, Woolliscroft has succeeded in creating a brief yet fascinating reference guide that will give readers a tempting glimpse of what America has to offer.
Here In America will be featured at the 2013 Bologna Book Fair in Bologna, Italy, on March 25 – 28, 2013.
For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.
About the Author
Kittie Woolliscroft has had the good fortune to travel extensively in the U.S. and internationally. She found people have a limited exposure to what is really the U.S. and decided to share a little of the information. She has been a Type 1 diabetic since 1951. That has never stopped her from traveling. The author was born and raised in Minnesota, and moved south in 1994. Her writing experience includes articles for college magazines in Thailand, in-house newspapers for Northwest Airlines and TECO Ocean Shipping. This is her first book format but readers can watch for her name in future printed materials.
Here In America * by Kittie Woolliscroft
Publication Date: October 17, 2012
Picture Book; $61.99; 112 pages; 978-1-4797-1361-5
Picture Book Hardcover; $71.99; 112 pages; 978-1-4797-1362-2
eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4797-1363-9
Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (610) 915-0294 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879.
For more information on self-publishing or marketing with Xlibris, visit http://www.Xlibris.com. To receive a free publishing guide, please call (888) 795-4274.