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ThetaHealing® Master
The ThetaHealing Master Certification is awarded to all those who have completed the Eleven ThetaHealing seminars, listed below, within a 4 year period.
This award recognizes the amount of personal healing and transformation the individual has completed.
At the completion of the ThetaHealing Master Pragram each student is awarded a Plaques that says
"You are recognized as one of the graduating classes from the ThetaHealing Institute of Knowledge® (THInK) and acknowledged as a ThetaHealing Master.
You have accepted the challenge to soar above the world and overcome the barriers to success. You are recognized as a leader for your efforts.
Truly, you are an inspiration."
The ThetaHealing Master Certification includes the following DNA Practitioner and Instructor Seminars.
Basic DNA
This is where your ThetaHealing journey begins. This is the first seminar to take to become a Certified Practitioner...
3 Days
Advanced DNA
is the seminar to take after completing Basic DNA. Experience the in-depth and powerful digging and belief work that will change your life...
3 Days
Dig Deeper
Become Confident in the Digging and Belief work, one of the main concepts in the ThetaHealing Technique.
2 days
Disease and Disorder
Develop awareness and understanding of the complexities of the body...
2 Weeks
Growing Your Relationships 2: You and God
2 days
Intuitive Anatomy
Journey through the human body in a way you have never experienced. Learn the beliefs tied to each system of the body....
3 weeks (15 days)
Manifesting and Abundance
Learn to clear beliefs that are holding you back from manifesting in your life. Learn you can Create Your Own Reality...
2 Days
World Relations
Unlock the Mysteries of your past to spring forward unchained into the future...
5 Days
Basic DNA Instructors
The best way to learn is to teach. This seminar is the first step in teaching ThetaHealing and changing lives...
4 days
Advanced DNA Instructors
Guide your students cosmic awareness into the Planes of Existence.
3 days
Dig Deeper Instructors
Learn to teach the 8 ways of digging.
2 days
Growing Your Relationships 2 Instructors
2 days
Intuitive Anatomy Instructors
Empower others by unearthing the secrets of the body.
3 weeks
Manifesting and Abundance Instructors
Teach your students how to make their manifestations possible...
Rainbow Children Instructors
Develop the inherit intuition of our next generation...
5 days


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Like virtually ever other global performance car, the 2010 Mazdaspeed3 has been retuned for the American market. Unlike the competition, our version's actually better. Really.
Full Disclosure: Mazda wanted us to drive the Mazdaspeed3 so badly they flew me out to Monterey and put me up in a swanky hotel. They also fed me Lobster martinis, which are neither as satisfying as regular lobster nor as intoxicating as a regular martini.
Because Europeans are more likely to spend a lot of time close to the Speed3's 155 mph electronically limited top speed and tend to treat the sporty Mazda as a practical family car, it needs more stability than the US-spec vehicle. Enthusiast drivers here are more likely to exploit the performance on twisty mountain roads and are willing to make some compromises to do so, which means the Mazda USA engineers have been able to swap some stability for quicker handling.
That difference points to the Mazda's unique position within the American market, where it's really the only serious FWD hot hatch and is cross shopped more with cars like the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Ralliart. Europeans, spoiled with choices like the not-softened-for-America GTI, truly wonderful French cars like the Renault Clio Cup and the hotter-than-hell Ford Focus RS tend to treat the Mazda as a bit of an also-ran.
That second-rate status was created not by the 2.3-liter turbocharged engine — which remains largely unchanged for 2010 with 263 HP and 280 Lb-Ft of torque — but by the chassis, which exhibited a strong predilection for understeer and wasn't terribly agile by fast hatch standards. The boring styling also played a roll, but it at least gave the Mazda a certain sleeper appeal.
The new car adapts the regular Mazda3's happy new design, but makes that grin louder with a deeper front splitter, a huge hood scoop, a big wing and 18-inch wheels of the same design as those on the RX-8 R3. Driving the 2010 model on the roads around Laguna Seca, we really missed the old under-the-radar styling. Other journalists driving these roads the day before had seriously pissed off the local law enforcement by hitting three-figure speeds in residential neighborhoods and catching air in Mazda5s in a school zone. In response, the CHP swarmed the area with speed traps.
Thankfully, Mazda still makes cars in grey, so we grabbed one of those and slowly made our way to roads far, far away.
The new 3's chassis is now purportedly much stronger (although Mazda hesitates to put a percentage on that) allowing the fitment of stiffer springs and firmer dampers. Those changes actually appear to improve the ride by better controlling impacts and minimizing their invasiveness on the chassis, but that hasn't come at the expense of feel. Like other vehicles in the Mazda range, power steering is boosted by an electric motor, but unlike vehicles like the 2009 BMW Z4 this appears to increase rather than reduce steering feel. Geometry remains the same as the old model, just with upgraded componentry throughout.
Finally on some roads free of prying eyes and radar traps the new Speed3 responds to aggressive driving in a similar manner to the old one, albeit with more feel, more agility and, as a result, more speed. The engineers deliberately left in some torque steer rather than going overboard with power retardation in the early gears, but, while its still very noticeable, that sideways yank on the steering wheel now feels more like character and less like a dynamic limitation. Throw the car into a tight corner hard and it'll understeer, but a small lift works wonders to correct that. Even over heavily rutted tarmac it now puts its power down very effectively with a minimum of wheel spin.
Mazda has actually made gears 2 through 5 slightly taller which better suits the character of the torquey engine. Peak torque hits at 3,300 RPM while peak power is at 5,500. After that, the next 1,000 RPM is basically overrun. Thanks to the new gearing you can leave the car in third for most roads and sit happily in the broad power band. A peaky four-cylinder this is not.
Back at Laguna and what is now a pretty exciting road car is transformed into a competent if somewhat less exciting track car. The understeer that's still evident on less-than-perfect roads disappears on the smooth surface of Mazda Raceway, replaced with quick turn ins and good mid corner speeds. The faster uphill curves leave us wanting for a bit more power while the tight 2nd gear corner onto the main straight leaves the Speed3 struggling to put its torque down. Still, it's unflustered by the whole experience which leaves us to do some much needed concentrating on our lines. I think I finally have the right one through Rainey.
All the upgrades make the new model slightly more expensive than the old one at $23,195 before destination and delivery, but the thoroughness of the changes more than compensates for the thousand extra bucks or so. The 2010 Mazdaspeed3 is faster, more agile and more fun to drive than before. It's still not the best hot hatch in the world, but it is the best hot hatch Americans can buy.

subset: commoncrawl


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Warner Stellian enjoys a storied history with the State Fairgrounds. And for the last few years, our appliances have made a comeback appearance at the Minnesota State Fair.
The Eco Experience, located in the Progress Center on Randall Avenue, brings together organizations, ideas, and hands-on activities to show what the fair-goers what they can do at home to help the environment.
(By the way…while you're saving the environment…By replacing your refrigerator, washer, dishwasher and freezer from the 1980s to new Energy Star appliances you can save an average $350 a year in energy costs. Save away!)
Warners' Stellian is partnering with the Fair again this year to demonstrate the options for choosing energy efficient applicances. Our display consists of a vignette of a kitchen (with island cabinet) and ENERGY STAR refrigerator, dishwasher, and other appliances with an adjacent laundry room demonstrating a HE washer and dryer.
ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use up to 50% less energy and water than older models. If you're already in the market for new appliances, choosing ENERGY STAR appliances over standard appliances will cost you an average $80 less annually in water and energy (even if they cost a few more smackeroos upfront).
Also included is an ENERGY STAR freezer, air conditioner and dehumidifier.
You'll find tips on how to decrease the energy you use on the appliances you already own.
If you like PowerPoint, awkward blondes and saving energy, come see me at the Eco Experience Sustainability Stage this Sunday, Aug. 26 at 2:30 p.m. I'll be showing you how to save money and energy both when you purchase new appliances and when you use what you've already got at home.


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A version of this article originally appeared in the Black AIDS Institute's Black AIDS Weekly e-mail. Colorlines joins other black community media in co-publishing content from the Black AIDS weekly. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first U.S. reports of what would be known as HIV. Throughout the year, Colorlines.com will both highlight future challenges and profile people who are finding solutions.
About a mile away from Nashville, Tenn.'s Metropolitan Interdenominational Church stands the First Response Center, a primary care clinic that provides HIV/AIDS testing, treatment, prevention services and education. Part of the 350-member church's outreach program, the health center is the brainchild of the Rev. Edwin Sanders and his fellow founding members. Since its inception, it has become a pillar of the predominantly black community in which it's located, and an essential resource for folks who are not able to obtain such services anywhere else.
Sanders and his congregation have been proudly active in the fight against HIV/AIDS for more than 26 years, shortly after one of the founding 12 members of the church died from AIDS. "We certainly realized early on that this was not a gay white male disease, and people in our community were not treating it as though it was something we needed to be aware of and addressing," recalls Sanders. "So we began to do education in our community. That eventually evolved into prevention work and then to us providing direct services. Now we've evolved to the point where we have the clinic."
The church's outreach–which provides HIV/AIDS patients with transportation to appointments, delivers prevention information to young adults, makes condoms available and at one time ran a syringe-exchange program–is distinctive. Sanders doesn't know of any other African American congregation operating an HIV/AIDS primary care clinic.
"There are other congregations with primary care clinics that do other things, but ours is exclusively focused on HIV/AIDS," he explains. "We were really fortunate to get a planning grant from the URSA Institute about 10 years ago, and have a fully operating clinic four years after that. Now we are able to serve a population in our community that represents those who are truly disenfranchised."
The church is in the process of "building out" the clinic so that case management, outreach and counseling group sessions can all be in one building. The clinic also serves everyone–people who are mentally ill, suffering from addiction, underprivileged or have no means of getting to appointments. "We serve the people who fall through the safety net," Sanders says.
While many churches shy away from having an open dialogue about such topics as HIV/AIDS and homosexuality because of their stigma, Metropolitan Interdenominational Church tackles the issues head on. Avoidance and exclusivity are not on the agenda. "Because we have always been pretty forthright in challenging norms and traditions, we've always been under the spotlight in the ways we've been welcoming and inclusive and reconciling of all people," Sanders says.
But the black church's early reluctance to deal with HIV/AIDS has been turning around. "When we first started doing HIV/AIDS work, we were the lone rangers without any other congregations working collaboratively and cooperatively with us," he admits. "But over time, we've seen more and more open-mindedness and participation on various levels. There has been a shift in theological perspective regarding gay, lesbian and transgender people. We have gained the respect of most all of the faith communities."
The church also demonstrates leadership in HIV/AIDS medical research. The Legacy Project, a collaboration with the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, which Sanders chairs, increases involvement of African Americans and Latinos in vaccine trials.
"Historically, there's been a distrust of clinical research because of what some believe has been the exploitation and abuse of people of color," Sanders says. "But we're working very hard to get people to overcome this because it is very important to have African Americans involved in these trials so that when a vaccine is developed, it's effective for all of us."
"There is a theme at the center of everything we do: the word 'whosoever,' " says Sanders. "We emphasize that there are no exceptions, and we believe that irrespective of any aspects of any person who comes to our door, we must always be welcoming and inclusive–whosoever they might be."


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The City of Lost Souls chapter reveal starts TODAY!
As well as being able to read the first chapter, if you live in the US, at each chapter stop you can enter to win one of six VERY limited edition SHADOW HUNTER FAMILY RINGS. Just click here and enter your information. (Canadians, follow @SimonPulseCA for you chance to win a SHADOWHUNTER ring. I'm sorry it's only open to US residents, but apparently those are the legalities of this kind of giveaway. The chapter however, can be read by anyone.)
Tomorrow, the hunt continues at www.novelnovice.com
*** You may notice I never, ever, ever update this blog any more. I have moved to
and I update there daily. This livejournal is not going to be updated with any regularity, or possibly again ever, so for those who have been checking, please follow me over at tumblr!


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Outdoor Kitchens Add Fun, Function
If your backyard beckons when temperatures climb, an outdoor kitchen may be the perfect answer for your next construction or remodeling project. Outdoor kitchens bring color, style and design to your backyard landscape while adding a fully functional living space to your home.
Outdoor Kitchens Add Fun, Function
(Family Features) If your backyard beckons when temperatures climb, an outdoor kitchen may be the perfect answer for your next construction or remodeling project. Outdoor kitchens bring color, style and design to your backyard landscape while adding a fully functional living space to your home.
Whether you tend to enjoy your backyard with close family or frequently host a larger group, creating a work zone close to the action lets you keep tabs on all the fun. By bringing the same luxuries and conveniences of interior kitchens outdoors, you can stay in the middle of it all while serving up meals that keep the party going well into the evening.
The options are nearly endless when it comes to designing your ideal outdoor kitchen. Consider these key areas as you begin planning your project:
Location comes first. A well-designed outdoor kitchen flows from the home and creates a natural transition to the rest of the landscape. As you contemplate the location and orientation, think about how the kitchen will be incorporated into your existing outdoor living space. Let the land guide your design.
Seamless style. The aesthetic style of your outdoor kitchen is another vital ingredient to help ensure the design complements your home's exterior architecture and landscaping. Create a unique, one-of-a-kind look with door styles and powder coat colors and realistic wood grain finishes, such as those offered by Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens and Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens, to capture the exact look you desire.
Layout logistics. A grill is an obvious element of virtually every outdoor kitchen, but there are still plenty of decisions to make, such as the best placement of your grilling appliances. Don't forget to factor in wind, which may force smoke into your house or dining areas, or create the need to incorporate a ventilation hood. Also keep your cooking style in mind, which may help you determine how to lay out other features, such as the work space and other cooking and cooling appliances, so they are in easy reach.
Menu options. Think about the types of foods and beverages you'll want to serve outdoors. For example, a backyard bar may warrant an extra sink, larger refrigerator, ice maker, wine cooler and/or beer dispenser. For interactive kitchen fun, you may opt for a pizza oven that is both attractive and deliciously entertaining.
Know the code. Remember that the purpose of an outdoor kitchen is to provide function, which you can only achieve with proper plumbing, gas and electric. Do your research to determine any local building code requirements and be sure to check with your home owners association or any other group that may govern a remodeling project on your property.To get your project started on the right track, enlist the help of a design professional. Find inspiration and more tips for creating your ideal outdoor kitchen at danver.com and brownjordanoutdoorkitchens.com.
March 2022
Interested in Publishing on The Home Idea?
Send your query to the Publisher today!


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Marc Coma, Red Bull KTM's three-time winner of the world's toughest rally on Tuesday bagged his second stage win in this year's edition of the Dakar. Coma finished ahead of Joan Barreda and old rival Cyril Despres to edge further ahead in the overall standings as the competition enters Chile.
Coma, who has been suffering from a cold these past days felt better on Tuesday and delivered a great controlled ride, taking over the lead in the latter part of the stage. He said at the finish it had been "very fast and very nice". He is now in front by 40 minutes 19.
Coma's factory teammate Jordi Viladoms also had a good day to finish sixth and consolidate his third overall position. He now has a good 30-minute advantage over fourth placed Chilean rider Esquerre.
Viladoms: "I think I'm in a good position and I want to hold onto that until the end. Now we know this landscape. The first week we were in the mountains and in new places but I like it, even if it is not easy to ride here. We must keep 100 percent concentration because there are still some difficult days ahead."
Meanwhile KTM-supported rider Kuba Przygonski of Poland (literally) bounced back after a crash to finish a creditable thirteenth in the stage and is now seventh overall.
Przygonski: "The first day in Chile was hard for me because I had a big crash. I hit some stone with my rear wheel. Then it was like a MotoGP crash. I was sliding along the ground and so was my bike. That was good for me but bad for the bike and when I stood up the exhaust was totally out. I had to repair it and I lost about 10-12 minutes. But its good that I'm on the finish line and tomorrow I'll be pushing."
It was also an eventful day for KTM-supported rider Riaan van Niekerk of South Africa, seventeenth in the stage and holding at thirteenth overall.
Van Niekerk: "It was very dusty, I remember that from last year. Just fesh-fesh (very fine powdered sand) and dusty roads. The navigation was critical. It's difficult to navigate from the road book because you have to concentrate on where you're going. I made a small error and after five-six km I had to turn around and find my way back. But it's a day in the bank and we'll look forward to tomorrow."
Speaking about the stage, KTM Factory Team Manager Alex Doringer said it had been a good day for his riders and for the new KTM 450 RALLY bike. "Marc won the stage and that's fantastic. The lead is getting bigger. He feels good so tomorrow he starts in front and he can play a smart game. We are also in third overall and the gap is around 30 minutes so Jordi (Viladoms) is in a good position.
"Riaan (van Niekerk) is doing a great job. With what he learned from last year to this year, you can see him improving. He has to continue like this but the most important is that he arrives safe every day and he's doing a great job.
"Kuba (Przygonski) did well to arrive at the bivouac after his crash because the bike didn't look so good. But he's okay and no injuries and that's always the most important thing. Tomorrow he'll attack again."
Just 83 of the original 196 bikes started Stage Nine and many riders were still suffering from the after effects of the tough marathon stage and overnighting at high altitude in Bolivia.
The stage took riders into the dunes of the Atacama Desert for the 422 km timed special, finishing the day's ride at the infamous Iquique dune. They then had a heart-stopping 30%-steep drop over the final three kilometers down to get their first look at the Pacific Ocean.
In Stage 10 riders go south from Iquique to Antofagasta over a 58 km liaison and another 631 km of timed special.
Results Stage 9 (unofficial)
Calama to Iquique – 29 km liaison, 422 km special = 451 km
Stage Results
1, Marc Coma, ESP, KTM 4 hours.49.05
2, Joan Barreda, ESP, Honda at 1.41
3, Cyril Despres, FRA, Yamaha at 5.28
4, Joan Pedrero, ESP, Sherco at 8.43
5, Stefan Svitko, SVK, KTM at 9.42
Other KTM
6, Jordi Viladoms, ESP, KTM at 11.23
8, Ivan Jakes, SVK, KTM at 13.40
13, Jakub Przygonski, POL, KTM at 19.10
16, David Casteu, FRA, KTM 33.47
17, Riaan van Niekerk, ZAF, KTM at 35.12
Overall after Stage 9
1, Coma, 36:56.24
2, Barreda at 40.19
3, Villadoms at 1:38.45
4, Esquerre at 2:07.06
5, Olivier Pain, FRA, Yamaha, 2:16.10
Other KTM
7, Przygonski at 2:25.16
10, Casteu at 3:23.06
11, Svitko at 3:29.02
12, Jakes at 4:05.41
13, Van Niekerk at 4:17.31


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Items where Kingston Author is "Hurtado, Rosario"
Group by: Item Type | No Grouping
Jump to: Artefact/Device | Book | Design | Exhibition
Number of items: 10.
Feo, Robert and Hurtado, Rosario (2007) Objects and obstacles. (Installation). Madrid, Spain,
Feo, Roberto and Hurtado, Rosario (2006) Micos and tape chairs. (Sculptural furniture). Milan, Italy, Magis.
Feo, Roberto and Hurtado, Rosario, eds. (2008) Nowhere/Now/Here. Gijon, Spain : LABoral Centro de Arte y Creacion Industrial. 303p. ISBN 9788461320882
Feo, Roberto [Designer] and Hurtado, Rosario [Designer] (2011) Free range tables. Handmade tables.
Feo, Roberto [Designer] and Hurtado, Rosario [Designer] (2011) Imaginary architectures. Glass sculpture.
Feo, Roberto [Designer], Hurtado, Rosario [Designer] and Urban Salon [Designer] (2009) Horatio's garden. Super Contemporary. .
Feo, Roberto [Curator] and Hurtado, Rosario [Curator] (2008) Nowhere/Now/Here. .
Feo, Roberto and Hurtado, Rosario (2006) Tagged environments. Talking cities : the micro politics of urban space [Perspective and visions in design]. , 26 Aug - 03 Dec 2006 , Essen, Germany.
Feo, Roberto and Hurtado, Rosario (2006) Make believe. Make Believe. , 11 Jan - 4 Mar 2006 , Kingston-upon-Thames, UK.
Feo, Robert and Hurtado, Rosario (2002) Pet shirts. The evolution will not be televised. , 13 Dec 2002 - 01 Feb 2003 , Manchester, UK.


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On Facebook -JOIN I Antique Online.com: Collectors of Antiques and Collectibles.
Here is the link for the group https://www.facebook.com/groups/327133184409134/
Please join our FB group where YOU can post directly.
A Community For People Who Buy, Sell or Collect Antiques, Collectibles and Art
February 11, 2017 at 2pm to December 9, 2017 at 5pm – Harwich Antique Center Every 2nd Saturday of the month throughout 2017 - Join us for this FREE event! In-house coin expert Peter Dunne will be on hand to tell you all about your United States coins and currency. Second Sat… Organized by Peter vanEsselstyn | Type: antique, coin, appraisal
May 27, 2017 at 10pm to May 28, 2017 at 5pm – Plumbers Hall OUTDOOR/INDOOR SEASON KICK OFF! All year round, one weekend each month, Randolph Street Market transforms Plumbers Hall into the ultimate shopping, eating, drinking and people watching experience in… Organized by Randolph Street Market | Type: antique, and, art, show
© 2023 Created by C. Dianne Zweig Powered by


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Obamacare: One punt after another
Why do Republicans even bother trying to delay Obamacare? President Barack Obama's doing it all by himself.
On Thursday, the Obama administration gave customers permission to pay their premiums as late as Dec. 31 for coverage that starts Jan. 1, and officially gave customers an extra week — until Dec. 23 — to sign up for January coverage.
The move was just the latest in a long list of extensions, delays and punts that have plagued the health care law.
Sure, Obama's not doing the things Republicans have suggested — push off centerpieces like the individual mandate, or even put the entire law on hold for a year. But piece by piece, the Obama administration keeps giving itself extensions on smaller parts of the law, because there's always some piece that isn't quite ready.
( Also on POLITICO: Full health care policy coverage)
It's an attempt to put out fires — but it's also a painful admission that, yes, there are fires.
The administration is also extending a critical program — the temporary high-risk pool for people with pre-existing conditions — through the end of January, to make sure none of them suddenly lose their health coverage because they can't sign up for new Obamacare insurance by Jan. 1.
That's after it postponed the employer coverage requirements for a year, delayed the online enrollment for the federal health insurance exchanges for small businesses, and told health insurers they can extend people's coverage for an extra year — a last-minute attempt to un-cancel millions of canceled policies. It also delayed the Spanish-language website, even though Hispanics are a large proportion of the uninsured population. It even postponed next year's enrollment period, pushing it conveniently past the November elections.
"This is the least shocking thing since the sun came up in the east. This is what they do," said Douglas Holtz-Eakin of the American Action Forum. "They've essentially established that there's going to be a rolling start to this thing."
( Also on POLITICO: Another Obamacare extension)
There was also a tone to Thursday's announcement that was close to pleading for help, as the administration urged insurers to cut the new customers a bit of slack — looking the other way if they sign up a few days late, and making their coverage retroactive if they pay a bit late.
So far, the administration has refused to consider delaying big provisions like the individual mandate, and it has been cool to Democrats who want to extend the enrollment period past March 31 because of all the website problems. In those cases, insurers have been fighting hard against any change because they say any delay would throw off their pricing decisions, and possibly lead to big premium increases down the road.
And, of course, the one deadline that probably should have been delayed — the Oct. 1 of HealthCare.gov — wasn't delayed, and the administration has been paying the price ever since.
But it may be hard for the administration to hold the line when it keeps moving so many other deadlines for the law — always a subtle admission that some component of Obamacare wasn't quite ready when it was supposed to be.
PHOTOS: 12 Democrats criticizing the Obamacare rollout)
"For all his attacks on our efforts, no one has done more to undermine the implementation of Obamacare than the president himself," said Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton dismissed the move in four words: "Another day, another delay."
Obama administration officials insisted the latest delays are all aimed at a good cause: smoothing the path to Jan. 1, the one unmovable deadline, the day when the new health benefits begin under the health law. That's when people will be able to get coverage for pre-existing conditions, for example, and subsidies to help them pay for the coverage if their incomes are low enough.
That's true for people who had private health insurance that no longer meets the law's standards, but it's especially urgent for the 86,000 people with serious health conditions who can't afford a break in coverage after the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, the stopgap program also created by Obamacare, ends.
WATCH: 6 major players in HealthCare.gov debacle)
"Both we and the issuers are focused on making sure … that every individual who is actively seeking coverage on the first of January, that that coverage is effective," Mike Hash, director of the Department of Health and Human Services office of health reform, said in a conference call with reporters.
Outside health care experts weren't surprised by the latest delays, but said they're necessary to smooth the transition to the one deadline that really matters: Jan. 1. That's when the new health insurance rules begin — including the coverage of people with pre-existing conditions — as well as the individual mandate that's supposed to draw enough healthy people to make the new coverage stable.
"It's not exactly news that the implementation has been rocky," said Larry Levitt of the Kaiser Family Foundation. At the same time, he said, "the administration has been nimble in trying to deal with the challenges as they arise, not all of which were anticipated. They've been trying to put out fires as they erupt."
The latest fires are all linked to the possibility that people wouldn't be able to sign up for coverage in time for Jan. 1, possibly leaving sick people, and previously insured people, temporarily without health insurance — a nightmare scenario for a law that was supposed to expand health coverage.
The Obama administration has a long history of moving deadlines to try to get better results. Late last year, when it wasn't getting enough states to build their own health insurance exchanges — the new marketplaces of private health coverage — HHS moved the deadline for states to make that decision.
Even after that, only 14 states and the District of Columbia agreed to set up their own exchanges, leaving the feds to set up the rest — through the HealthCare.gov website.
And there's plenty of speculation that the March 31 enrollment deadline could still be extended to give people more time to sign up, given all the website troubles, although HHS hasn't said it will do that and it's not clear that it can.
But as much grief as the Obama administration will get from Republicans over the latest delays, Levitt said the administration probably had no choice — because it has to solve the crises that have been stacking up while it approaches the one deadline that can't be moved.
"It's not surprising that they're trying to deal with all the issues that are backing up as we approach New Year's eve," Levitt said. "Before, you could kind of say, 'oh, those deadlines aren't really that important.' Jan. 1 is the one that really matters."


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Your Destination For Hunting in the Missouri,
Oklahoma & Kansas Regions!
Angler's Paradise
Liberal, Missouri
Welcome to
The fishing experience you've been looking for
Angler's Paradise, located in Liberal, Missouri, was established in 1993 to provide access to quality fishing found on private lakes in the Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma region. Our goal is to give anglers steady action and the opportunity to catch trophy bass. Our lakes offer a great fishing experience for all types of anglers.
On Three Mile Lake, thick timber and an average water depth of 20 feet challenge the experienced angler, while a side trip to Lone Pine Fishing Lake provides constant action to hold the attention of young and novice fishermen. You will find an abundance of Florida-strain largemouth bass, Kentucky bass, blue gill and crappie in our waters. Our lake record is a 13 pound bass, and each year, several anglers record their personal best for trophy largemouth bass.
So if you're looking for one of the best private fishing lakes in the Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma area, one that offers a real opportunity at catching a trophy fish along with good fishing action, come visit us at Angler's Paradise.


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Greenhouse Effect
The greenhouse effect refers to circumstances where the short wavelengths of visible light from the sun pass through a transparent medium and are absorbed, but the longer wavelengths of the infrared re-radiation from the heated objects are unable to pass through that medium. The trapping of the long wavelength radiation leads to more heating and a higher resultant temperature. Besides the heating of an automobile by sunlight through the windshield and the namesake example of heating the greenhouse by sunlight passing through sealed, transparent windows, the greenhouse effect has been widely used to describe the trapping of excess heat by the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide strongly absorbs infrared and does not allow as much of it to escape into space.
A major part of the efficiency of the heating of an actual greenhouse is the trapping of the air so that the energy is not lost by convection. Keeping the hot air from escaping out the top is part of the practical "greenhouse effect", but it is common usage to refer to the infrared trapping as the "greenhouse effect" in atmospheric applications where the air trapping is not applicable.
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Greenhouse Effect ExampleBright sunlight will effectively warm your car on a cold, clear day by the greenhouse effect. The longer infrared wavelengths radiated by sun-warmed objects do not pass readily through the glass. The entrapment of this energy warms the interior of the vehicle. The trapping of the hot air so that it cannot rise and lose the energy by convection also plays a major role.
Shorter wavelengths of ultraviolet light are largely blocked by glass since they have greater quantum energies which have absorption mechanisms in the glass. Even though you may be uncomfortably warm with bright sunlight streaming through, you will not be sunburned.
Blackbody radiation concepts
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Increase in Greenhouse Gases
The increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide, one of the three major atmospheric contributors to the greenhouse effect has been carefully documented at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. The 1990 rate of increase was about 0.4% per year. The interesting cyclic variations represent the reduction in carbon dioxide by photosynthesis during the growing season in the northern hemisphere.
Current analysis suggests that the combustion of fossil fuels is a major contributor to the increase in the carbon dioxide concentration, such contributions being 2 to 5 times the effect of deforestation (Kraushaar & Ristinen).
Increase in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
Data from NOAA
The Mauna Loa monitoring station reports the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere today as over 400 parts per million compared to 315 ppm in 1958 when modern measurements were initiated. Measurements of air bubbles trapped in the Greenland ice sheet indicate concentrations of 270 ppm in preindustrial times.
Kraushaar & Ristinen
|Go Back
Contributors to Greenhouse Effect
Those gas molecules in the Earth's atmosphere with three or more atoms are called "greenhouse gases" because they can capture outgoing infrared energy from the Earth, thereby warming the planet. The greenhouse gases include water vapor with three atoms (H2O), ozone (O3), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4). Also, trace quantities of chloro-fluoro-carbons (CFC's) can have a disproportionately large effect.
Note that the above data is decades old, and the atmospheric CO2 is projected to be about 410ppm in 2020. Major efforts have been made to reduce the amount of CFC's in the atmosphere.
To attempt to quantify the effects of greenhouse gases on the global temperature, climatologists use the "radiative forcing" of the current atmospheric content of these gases.
Kraushaar & Ristinen
|Go Back
Global Warming
An issue of major concern is the possible effect of the burning of fossil fuels and other contributors to the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The action of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in trapping infrared radiation is called the greenhouse effect. It may measurably increase the overall average temperature of the Earth, which could have disastrous consequences. Sometimes the effects of the greenhouse effect are stated in terms of the albedo of the Earth, the overall average reflection coefficient.
This graphic of the global air temperature was posted by Phil Jones on behalf of the Climatic Research Unit, UK. The key reference used was Brohan, et al.
Another depiction of the mean temperatures in the northern hemisphere was drawn from NOAA.
Essentially any kind of tabulation you access will tell the same story. The temperature has gradually risen over the last 150 years.
Because the potential consequences of global warming in terms of loss of snow cover, sea level rise, change in weather patterns, etc are so great, it is a major societal concern. On the other hand, proposed measures to reduce human contributions to greenhouse gases can also have great consequences. The large potential impact combined with the ambiguities of the science has given rise to many passionate extremes.
Stephen Schneider of Stanford seems to me to be one of the more balanced voices. His website is a good source for relevant data. He discusses the problems in the context of the Earth's energy balance and the changes in the concentrations of greenhouse gases.
Kraushaar & Ristinen
Brohan, et al.
|Go Back


text:
In ten days Microsoft will launch the next generation game console, the Xbox One. The $500 device is designed to take over the living room, bringing just as many entertainment options as it does games. If you have pre-ordered one, or plan to grab one later, then you can expect it to come in black.
However, if you have some spare money sitting around, and wish to support a good cause, then you can grab an ultra-rare white build of the console.
Xbox Live chief Larry Hryb, AKA Major Nelson, has one up for auction and the money goes to benefit Wounded Warrior Project. "The winning bid will not only receive the extremely limited edition white Xbox One (console, Kinect and controller) but will also receive one year of Xbox Live, and a copy of each of our first party launch titles including Forza Motorsport 5, Ryse: Son of Rome, Dead Rising 3, Killer Instinct and Crimson Dragon".
As of this writing, the bid stands at $11,300, but at least the shipping is free. Of course, the money also goes to a good cause, so that is the real benefit in spending the the rather hefty fee.


text:
BETA: This is a new service - your feedback will help us to improve it. Find out more about the beta phase.
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Isaac Pyke, Frontispiece to The Stringers Journall, ink on paper, 1713
Full description:The work is an illustration seeing as a frontispiece which prefaced Pyke's narrative of his journey aboard The Stringer from Bombay to England between 1712-13 and illustrates his impression of the encounter with the East. The frontispiece depicts two soldiers in uniform bearing arms and flanking an early crest of the East India Company that includes heraldic sea lions and ships and bears the legend, 'Deus Indicat', that translates as God directs [the way]. In front of this standard, three distinctly Oriental men in flowing robes and headgear kneel in submission bearing bales of goods as well as jars and wares for trade. A palm tree situates them squarely in the tropics while the figures contain clues identifying them as Indian, Persian and Chinese, major trading partners of the East India Company ascertained by the items of their trade.
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text:
Third Wave Witch: Feminist Spirituality, Spiritual Feminism
Third Wave Witchcraft explores the intersection of feminism, Witchcraft, Goddess Spirituality, and feminist activism. A place to explore how to make our spirituality more feminist, our feminism more spiritual, and our world more just.
Weekly Goddess Inspiration: Sekhmet
When Sekhmet, The Mighty One, roared into my cards this week, I didn't even know what to say. Sekhmet encourages to get in touch with our anger and our rage and use it to transform our lives and our situations. As someone who wrestles with depression -- "anger turned inward," as the saying goes -- giving free range to my anger and rage is sometimes frightening. And given that American society's response to a woman with strong emotions and opinions, a woman who shows anger, is typically to dismiss her as irrational and thus not worth listening to, letting my inner Sekhmet out is something I've been strongly socialized to avoid.
But she is here to visit, in all her lion-headed majesty....
Sekhmet by Hrana Janto
"Let your darker emotions bring you strength"
Some questions I'll ponder this week....
How can I transform my depression into fuel for transformation?
How can I transform my anger into fuel for transformation?
What does anger feel like? Where do I feel it in my body?
How can I channel my anger into things that bring me strength?
Do I resist acknowledging my anger? How?
How can I acknowledge anger in a way that is productive?
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Corporate tax rate overhaul may be part of a 'fiscal cliff' deal
WASHINGTON — Amid the wrangling over the so-called fiscal cliff, President Obama and congressional Republicans can agree on something: They want to lower the corporate tax rate.
The U.S. has the highest overall rate of any of the world's developed economies. It took the top spot in March after Japan reduced its rate, mimicking other countries that have lowered taxes to lure new businesses and keep existing companies from leaving.
Negotiations to avert automatic income tax increases and federal spending cuts scheduled to kick in Jan. 1 could provide the impetus for U.S. policymakers to tackle an overhaul of the corporate tax code next year.
The White House wants to put a corporate tax overhaul, along with changes to the individual income tax system, on a fast track as part of any deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff."
The centerpiece of an overhaul would be slashing the 35% corporate tax rate, a goal long sought by corporate executives and lobbyists.
Quiz: How much do you know about the 'fiscal cliff'?
"In the name of global competitiveness, I think that has largely been agreed to," Jim McNerney, chief executive of Boeing Co., said about how both parties view the need for major corporate tax changes.
In February, Obama proposed lowering the federal rate to 25% for manufacturing companies and to 28% for other firms. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has been pushing a plan to lower the rate to 25% for all corporations.
In both cases, the rate cuts would be accompanied by the elimination of some of the numerous tax breaks that allow many companies to pay a much lower effective tax rate — and sometimes to avoid paying any corporate taxes at all.
"The administration's position on this is very much in sync with what Republicans say they want, which is a lower rate and a broader base," said Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the former chief economist for Vice President Joe Biden.
But there still are some obstacles to a deal.
Some Democrats want to use an overhaul to increase the amount of tax revenue coming from corporations, while Republicans want to keep the amount the same. The White House and congressional Republicans also differ on how the U.S. should treat money earned abroad.
And the business community itself is divided. Many small companies file taxes as individuals. They're opposed to any "fiscal cliff" deal that would raise their rates while giving corporations a rate reduction.
Analysts said the obstacles could be overcome because there is consensus around the broader point that the U.S. needs to bring its corporate tax rate in line with other developed nations.
"Regardless of your political persuasion, it is unquestionably the case that the nominal U.S. corporate tax rate is much higher than that of peer countries," said Edward Kleinbard, a USC law professor and former chief of staff of Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation.
The case for corporate tax reform got a boost when the overall U.S. rate of 39.1%, which includes federal, state and local corporate taxes, became the highest this year among the 34 nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Two decades ago, the U.S. was 13th.
"At one time in the '80s, we had a competitive corporate tax rate," said Dorothy Coleman, vice president of tax and domestic economic policy for the National Assn. of Manufacturers. "We've fallen behind by standing still."
But the rate in the tax code isn't what many companies pay because of a host of deductions and tax credits. In 2011, the effective corporate tax rate in the U.S. was 29.2%, roughly in line with the 31.9% average of the six other largest developed economies, the Obama administration said.
The White House said that parity does not mean the statutory rate shouldn't be reduced. It simply means that many tax breaks should be eliminated, allowing the rate to be lowered without adding to the deficit.
Democrats and Republicans agree on that point. Those breaks, totaling $159 billion last year, include deductions for depreciation and research expenses as well as credits for domestic manufacturing, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Obama has proposed eliminating dozens of breaks for specific industries, particularly oil and gas production, while adding new breaks to encourage domestic manufacturing and alternative energy development.
Michigan's Camp also wants to get rid of some deductions to bring the rate down to 25% for all companies. He wants a corporate tax overhaul to result in the same amount of money flowing from corporations to Washington.
Businesses have been pushing for such a revenue-neutral approach.
The White House has said its plan would not add to the deficit because the elimination of breaks would raise $250 billion over the next decade, enough to offset the rate cut. But it has not committed to a revenue-neutral approach, leaving open the possibility that it would push for more revenue from corporate taxes to reduce the deficit.
Some Democrats believe that corporations should be paying more in taxes to Washington.
"There's a lot of offshore tax havens that we should not allow to be sucking up money from our Treasury," Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) said. "Tens of billions of dollars a year are involved in these corporate loopholes."
Obama wants to set a new minimum tax rate on foreign corporate profits, even if they are never brought back to the U.S.
The U.S. is one of the few countries that taxes foreign earnings when they are brought back to the country, which leads many companies to stash the money offshore. Companies with foreign operations also often plow those earnings back into those countries.
Obama's minimum tax on foreign earnings probably is the biggest hurdle for corporate tax reform, analysts said.
Republicans and leading business groups want the U.S. to go in the other direction — changing to a so-called territorial system in which profits are taxed only in the country where they were earned.
"America is 5% of the world's market. It's in our best interest that our companies compete overseas … which means generating profits in those markets," said Carl Guardino, president of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, which represents the region's businesses. "Let's stop hindering these American companies from earning profits overseas and bringing them home."
Michael Ettlinger, vice president of economic policy at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, said there's a way to satisfy both sides on the issue.
The U.S. could change to a system in which profits are taxed in the county where they were earned, except in the case of countries with very low tax rates. Profits from those countries would be taxed by the U.S. at a minimum rate to discourage companies from using low-tax countries as tax havens. Japan and Germany have a similar approach.


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|Inspired by the Peaky Blinders
* This is a made-to-measure product
Get yourself a decent suit man! This great Grey & Red Windowpane three-piece tweed suit in Peaky Blinders style will ensure that you look the part at work or when going out and about. And of course it's the perfect suit for a cool Peaky Blinders inspired wedding!
This Grey & Red Windowpane 3-piece tweed suit from our Shelby Brothers collection, is named after Michael Gray and it's handmade by tailors with great craftsmanship who use only English tweed of the best quality. They use your measurements to cut their fabrics, so your Shelby suit will fit perfectly. The original brown tweed wool in Windowpane pattern guarantees an authentic 1920's style look.
Add a tweed bag, vintage style boots, matching shirt, cufflinks and a Peaky Blinders flat cap or hat to your suit for that real overall Shelby Brothers look.
|Big or tall, small or skinny? Choose for a Made to Measure suit and get the perfect fitting suit for your body shape and size. Before placing your order, please read and download our measurements guide. This will make the ordering process a lot easier and faster. Please enter all measurements in centimeters and your weight in Kilograms. A detailed guide on how to take all of the measurements can be found our measurements guide and in the order proces.
The Shelby Brothers collection offers 3 varieties of three-piece tweed suits, in different price ranges:
Please note: this product is handmade. The delivery time is generally 4 to 6 weeks. Customs and import duties may apply and are the sole responsibility of the customer.
* Custom-made items cannot be exchanged or returned. Measure carefully for correct sizing of the suit. If you're unsure about this, have yourself measured by a tailor or travelling tailor.
|In stock (35)
|Delivery time:
|6 - 8 weeks
|Article number:
|SB-BDTM-BA-005 Grey Red Windowpane Plaid Tweed


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Mystery and mayhem surrounding MegaUpload (roundup)
Hackers down government and entertainment Web sites after piracy arrest of people including Kim DotCom connected with the hosting site.
Charges of Web piracy are at the center of a legal battle embroiling the hosting site MegaUpload and its founder, the colorful Kim DotCom. Hackers get into the fray, too, early on.
Bail denied again for MegaUpload's Kim DotComThe founder of the cyberlocker service will remain in jail at least until his extradition hearing is held on Feb. 22.
• MegaUpload founder: Police punched and kicked me
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
February 3, 2012 3:22 a.m. PT
Nobody wanted MegaUpload busted more than MPAAAll the recent talk that the FBI cracked down on MegaUpload after being pressured by the music industry is just wrong. Nobody was doing more to prompt the federal government to act in the MegaUpload case than the film sector.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
February 1, 2012 11:02 a.m. PT
MegaUpload ripped off YouTube, tried smearing rivals, U.S. saysIn the indictment filed in a New Zealand court earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department says Kim DotCom oversaw an attempt to copy all of YouTube's videos and tried to inform on rivals.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
January 31, 2012 8:10 a.m. PT
Feds: We obtained MegaUpload conversations with search warrantHow did the feds acquire all those MegaUpload conversations? There are hints that the FBI managed to place government-issued spyware on the defendants' computers.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval and Declan McCullagh)
January 31, 2012 4:19 a.m. PT
Reprieve: MegaUpload's data safe for two more weeksMegaUpload's attorney says a deal has been worked out with hosting companies that will give managers time to find a more permanent fix.
• MegaUpload data could be erased Thursday, says report
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
January 30, 2012 6:08 p.m. PT
MegaUpload substitutes show spikes in traffic since shutdownPeople have flocked to other file-swapping sites since MegaUpload was shut down and became entangled in a criminal copyright case.
(Posted in Digital Media by Dara Kerr)
January 26, 2012 5:28 p.m. PT
Did someone park a tank on Kim DotCom's lawn?A life-size inflatable tank shows up on the front lawn of the MegaUpload founder's New Zealand home and nearly sparks a media frenzy.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
January 26, 2012 11:21 a.m. PT
MegaUpload embroiled in criminal copyright case (images)See all photos
Bail denied for MegaUpload's Kim DotComThe founder of the cyberlocker service must stay in police custody in New Zealand until February 22, when an extradition hearing is expected.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
January 24, 2012 3:25 p.m. PT
Attorney chasing MegaUpload is former piracy fighterNeil MacBride, the U.S. attorney who indicted MegaUpload founder Kim DotCom, is the former chief of antipiracy at the Business Software Alliance.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
January 23, 2012 10:24 a.m. PT
MegaUpload lawyer: U.S. misunderstands the businessLawyer for MegaUpload founder Kim DotCom asks New Zealand court to release him on bail, saing he's innocent of piracy and money-laundering charges against him. Lawyers for the U.S. say DotCom is an "extreme" flight risk.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
January 23, 2012 5:45 a.m. PT
FileSonic disables file sharing in wake of MegaUpload arrestsDigital locker's service can now only be used to upload and retrieve files users personally uploaded.
(Posted in Digital Media by Steven Musil)
January 22, 2012 4:55 p.m. PT
Officials seize $42 million in MegaUpload assetsRaids on offices, homes, and hotel suites in Hong Kong yield a large amount of digital evidence and suspected criminal proceeds.
(Posted in Digital Media by Steven Musil)
January 22, 2012 12:32 p.m. PT
MegaUpload assembles worldwide criminal defenseKim Dotcom will spend the weekend in a New Zealand jail while the U.S. tries to extradite him. His attorney says YouTube was accused of the same copyright violations but nobody raided its offices.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
January 20, 2012 5:13 a.m. PT
What MegaUpload founders stand to loseAside from losing control of a massive download empire, there is a huge sum of cash, fleet of exotic vehicles, and many domain names that could become government property if the accused MegaUpload founders are guilty.
(Posted in Digital Media by Christopher MacManus)
January 19, 2012 5:28 p.m. PT
Anonymous goes nuclear; everybody loses?opinion With #OpMegaUpload, Anonymous launches the equivalent of thermonuclear cyber war. What will be the consequences? Worse, did Anonymous just get played?
(Posted in Molly Rants by Molly Wood)
January 19, 2012 5:40 p.m. PT
What hath #OpMegaUpload wrought?CNET rounds up the list of targets from today's Anonymous DDoS attacks, including which ones stayed up, went down, or flipped back and forth.
(Posted in Security by CNET News staff)
January 19, 2012 4:20 p.m. PT
DOJ, FBI, entertainment industry sites attacked after piracy arrestsAnti-SOPA activists with Anonymous launch attacks to shut down government and entertainment industry sites after MegaUpload arrests.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)
January 19, 2012 2:20 p.m. PT
FBI charges MegaUpload operators with piracy crimesSeven people accused of operating the site and committing acts of online piracy were named in an indictment. Four people--including Kim DotCom, aka Kim Schmitz--have been arrested in New Zealand.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
January 19, 2012 11:50 a.m. PT
previous coverage
In SOPA's shadow, MegaUpload strikes back against UniversalThe hosting site successfully fights a copyright claim by Universal Music Group over a YouTube video.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)
December 15, 2011 5:31 p.m. PT
Mystery surrounds Universal's takedown of MegaUpload YouTube videoUniversal claims it was authorized to order the takedown of a MegaUpload video because of a certain agreement with YouTube and that it wasn't claiming copyright ownership.
(Posted in InSecurity Complex by Elinor Mills)
December 17, 2011 10:26 p.m. PT
MegaUpload settles copyright suit with porn studioOne of the world's largest Internet-file storage services has ended a fight instigated by Perfect 10, a litigious porn studio. But MegaUpload's copyright troubles may not be over.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
November 3, 7:34 p.m. PT
The mystery man behind MegaUpload piracy fightA 300-pound hacker, street racer, and convicted computer criminal is allegedly menacing filmmakers. The founder of MegaUpload, a service accused in a lawsuit of encouraging illegal file sharing, is a character right out of a studio script.
(Posted in Media Maverick by Greg Sandoval)
August 4, 2011 4:00 a.m. PT


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Job Details
Operations Manager-CA
Job Description
The Operations Manager is a member of the Store Management team, and as such, fulfills the company purpose of helping people on their path to better health by driving store execution and performance while building consumer loyalty to CVS/pharmacy through a focus on excellent customer service. Under the supervision of the Store Manager, the Operations Manager will maintain an engaged, productive store team through strong leadership, demonstrating initiative and leading by example.
The Operations Manager is responsible for supporting the Store Manager in the total leadership and strategic operation of a CVS/pharmacy store including:
• Overall store management, supervision, and policy implementation
• Sales and inventory management
• Employee staffing, training, and development
• Financial management
• Customer service leadership
Unlike the Store Manager in Training position, the Operations Manager position is not part of the CVS/pharmacy Retail Management Development Program. Operations Managers are not eligible for direct promotion to Store Manager. Candidates with a short-term goal of becoming a CVS Store Manager should instead apply for Store Manager in Training openings.
Essential Functions:
1. Management
• Lead others and work effectively with store crews
• Supervise, assign and direct activities of the store's crew
• Effectively communicate information to store crew and supervisors in an open and timely manner
• Support Store Manager with actions plans for operational and service improvement
2. Customer Service
• Assist customers with their questions, problems and complaints
• Promote CVS customer service culture (greet, offer help, and thank)


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SALISBURY — Salisbury Police this week are looking for suspects in three seemingly unrelated armed robbery cases about 18 hours apart from Sunday night to Monday afternoon including just minutes apart on Sunday.
Around 9:54 p.m. on Sunday, Salisbury Police responded to the McDonald's restaurant on South Salisbury Blvd. for a reported robbery. Responding officers met with store management who said a lone suspect had entered the restaurant had attempted to rob the restaurant. According to police reports, the suspect entered the restaurant and got into one of the service lines.
When the suspect reached the counter, he told the cashier he was in possession of a handgun and attempted to take cash from the register. However, the cashier was able to close the register, thwarting the robbery attempt by the alleged gunman. The suspect then fled the restaurant on foot and was last seen heading in the direction of Bateman Street.
There were no injuries reported and the suspect did not actually display a weapon during the robbery attempt. The suspect is described as a black male, roughly 30-35 years old, about 6'3" to 6'5" tall and approximately 280 pounds. He was wearing a blue, hooded sweatshirt at the time with a dark hat and wire-framed glasses.
The suspect also had a mustache with a distinct break in the middle of his upper lip, according to police reports.
About seven minutes after that incident, Salisbury Police responded to a reported robbery at the Shore Stop on Pemberton Drive. Salisbury officers met with a cashier who said a suspect entered the store, produced a silver handgun and vaulted the counter.
The suspect was able to enter the cash register and took an undetermined amount of money and placed it in a bag. The suspect then fled from the store toward the rear of the business. The clerk was unharmed during the robbery. The suspect is described as a black male wearing a black ski mask, black gloves, a black long-sleeved T-shirt and gray or white sweatpants. According to police reports, the suspect had a ponytail or long braid in his hair.
Shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday, roughly 18 hours after the first two incidents, Salisbury Police responded to another reported armed robbery, this time in the City Park and in broad daylight. According to police reports, the incident occurred on the walking-jogging path near the park's overflow parking lot on the north side of the river.
Responding officers met with a victim who told police he was walking his dog along the path when he was approached by a black male in his early 20s, roughly 5'6" tall and 170 pounds. The suspect displayed what appeared to be a silver-in-color handgun and allegedly said "give me your money, give me your wallet," and "I'll shoot you, I'll kill you."
The suspect then ordered to victim to lie face down on the ground before taking his wallet, car keys and cell phone. The suspect then fled on foot and was last seen running toward North Park Drive. The victim described the weapon as a small in caliber handgun with a six-inch barrel. Anyone with information regarding either of the three incidents is urged to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 410-548-3165, or Crime Solvers at410-548-1776. Information can be provided confidentially.


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Customer Service Officer | Community Bank North Perth | WA
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Job Type: Full time
Do more, dream more, become more. Welcome to Bendigo.
About us
We're big enough to offer you every opportunity, but not so big that we lose the community feel that we're famous for. You can be bold and take calculated risks, knowing you have the backing of your team and leaders. Join us in walking the talk when it comes to supporting our customers, giving back and making our communities a better place.
Be the difference. Be part of Bendigo Bank.
About the role
As Customer Service Officer, you will be the face of the branch. Historically referred to as Bank Teller, our Customer Service Officers are leading the way with our unique philosophy.
You will be given the support you need to do what you do best – listening to customers and using your skills to help them with transactions, provide education on our online platforms and tools, recommend the banks products and services, and assist our customers achieve their financial goals.
This position is located at Community Bank North Perth . The role is Permanent Full time working 76 hours per fortnight.
About you
You will bring:
- Previous or current Banking experience is essential
- Extensive experience in a customer service environment
- Demonstrated competence in achieving consistent sales results
- An ability to confidently talk to customers face-to-face and over the telephone
- An eagerness to understand and share with others what makes our bank different
Why us?
There's so much more to a career with Bendigo Bank than just banking. You bring your brilliant mind, and we'll help you take your learning to the next level with on-the-job training and external development opportunities - we want you to shine. After all, YOU are the difference that makes us the better big bank.
To find out more about our Retail Banking roles visit - https://careers-ext.bendigoadelaide.com.au/branch-network.
At Bendigo Bank we believe a diverse workforce supported by an inclusive culture is central to our success and we actively encourage applications from those who bring diversity of thought to our business. We support candidate requests for adjustment to accommodate an illness, injury or disability to equitably participate in the selection process.
If you're excited to be part of an organisation with strong values and a community focus - then this could be the role for you! Apply now.
Further Information
Please review the Position Description: Customer Service Officer_Community Bank_May 2022.pdf
Screening and interviews may commence prior to closing date.
Please note – once you have submitted your application you will receive an email to complete a Pymetrics Online Gaming Assessment. This will take approx. 20-25 minutes and is required to ensure a fair and equitable process. Following this you will be contacted to advise of next steps. Please check your junk folder if the email is not received within 30 minutes.


text:
In the latest issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, Sean Freyne drops this little tidbit:
The problem we are have is trying to distinguish between what is theological reflection and its development, on the one hand, and historical realities on the other. Instead of splitting them apart and saying that's theology and that's history, I think the Bible as a whole gives us theologically interpreted history. There is an ongoing kind of reflection on historical events and rethinking them and reframing them and reinterpreting them, constantly reworking Biblical tradition itself in the process. That's why it's so hard to pull out the historical Jesus or the historical Israel and say there they are. [emphasis mine]
I think Freyne brings up an important point. When we read the scriptures, we need to realize that we are not reading history as we might think of history. We are reading textual traditions that reflect a long process of oral and written stages. These traditions, even in oral form, were tremendously formative for the people who experienced them, transmitted them, and ultimately wrote them down. We would be quite naive to assume they did not undergo redaction, or as Freyne puts it, reframing and reinterpretation. These texts are also "theological" in that they exist to promote a framework for understanding the past, present, and future. To say that the Biblical texts are literal history one runs the danger of actually minimizing their nature and purpose, let alone placing oneself in the dubious position of having to explain certain historical inconsistencies within the text. The scriptural texts were not meant to be historical as we understand the genre of history today; they were formative traditions that emerged out of historical contexts, which were transmitted orally until committed to written form. [Then later redacted into a final form, but that's a post for another time...]


text:
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health
Hearing Loss Tied to Faster Brain Shrinkage With Age
Follow-up studies needed to show whether treating hearing problems could delay mental decline, experts sayTuesday, January 28, 2014
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults with impaired hearing may have a faster rate of brain shrinkage as they age, a new study suggests.
A number of studies have found that older people with hearing loss tend to have a quicker decline in their memory and thinking skills, compared to those with normal hearing.
"We've known that common, age-related hearing loss is associated with cognitive [mental] decline. The question is, why?" said Dr. Frank Lin, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and the lead researcher on the new study.
The findings, he said, offer one potential explanation: Older adults with hearing problems lose brain volume more quickly than their peers with normal hearing.
The precise reason is not clear, and the real-life impact is unknown. The study did not test participants' actual mental ability.
But the "biggest question," Lin said, is whether treating hearing impairment can slow changes in brain structure and, more importantly, delay dementia.
He and his colleagues are now planning a trial to test that idea.
The current findings are based on 126 adults aged 56 to 86 who underwent yearly MRI scans to track brain-tissue changes for up to a decade. At the time of the first scan, they also had a physical and a hearing test. Of participants, 51 showed some degree of hearing loss -- mostly the mild variety where people have trouble hearing soft voices, for instance.
Lin's team found that older adults with hearing problems showed a faster decline in brain volume over the years -- especially in brain regions involved in processing sound and speech.
The study, published online Jan. 9 in the journal NeuroImage, cannot prove that hearing loss directly causes brain-tissue loss. But the basic "use it or lose it" principle may apply, according to Lin.
"The ear is no longer sending clear messages to the brain," he said. Without that input, sound-processing brain regions may change in structure.
What's more, Lin said, those brain areas have other jobs, too. Among other things, they play a role in memory and processing information other than sounds.
A hearing expert not involved in the study said it's "interesting," and raises the question of whether treating hearing impairment can prevent brain-tissue loss or slow mental decline.
"But we need a study to test that, and that study has yet to be done," said Dr. Ian Storper, an otologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City.
Even though researchers have found a link between hearing loss and mental decline, Storper noted, "that doesn't prove causation." Both hearing loss and brain-volume loss are common parts of aging, and there are many other variables that may be related to both, Storper added.
Lin's team did account for some other health factors -- like whether people smoked, or had high blood pressure or diabetes. And there was still a connection between impaired hearing and greater brain-volume loss.
But Lin agreed that what's ultimately needed is a trial testing whether hearing loss treatment slows mental decline.
"In the end," Lin said, "what everyone cares about is, what can we do about it?"
There are, of course, already reasons to treat hearing loss, Storper said. In some cases, treatment can be as easy as removing impacted ear wax, he noted.
But often, older adults need a hearing aid or assistive devices that make it easier to hear in specific situations -- while talking on the phone or watching TV, for example.
According to the U.S. National Institute on Aging, almost one-third of Americans aged 65 to 74 have at least mild hearing loss -- as do nearly half of those aged 75 and older.
If impaired hearing is one contributor to mental decline and dementia, Lin said, then treating it could have a big impact on public health.
SOURCES: Frank Lin, M.D. Ph.D., assistant professor, otolaryngology - head and neck surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; Ian Storper, M.D., otologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Jan. 9, 2014, NeuroImage, online
Copyright (c) 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Anna Wintour has announced that Condé Nast is putting its working relationship with famed celebrity photographers Mario Testino and Bruce Weber on hold in wake of sexual misconduct allegations made against them.
Vogue's editor in chief and Condé Nast's artistic director made her comments in a message posted on the magazine's website on Saturday after The New York Times reported that 13 male assistants and models claimed Testino subjected them to sexual advances and that 15 current and former male models claimed Weber exhibited coercive sexual behavior, often during photo shoots. Both photographers have denied the allegations.
"Both are personal friends of mine who have made extraordinary contributions to Vogue and many other titles at Condé Nast over the years, and both have issued objections or denials to what has emerged," Wintour said in her statement. "I believe strongly in the value of remorse and forgiveness, but I take the allegations very seriously, and we at Condé Nast have decided to put our working relationship with both photographers on hold for the foreseeable future."
The photographers have not commented on Wintour's decision.
Testino's lawyers challenged the characters and credibility of the accusers and also said they spoke to several former employees who were "shocked by the allegations" and added that they "could not confirm any of the claims," the New York Times had reported.
The outlet also quoted Weber as saying in a statement via his lawyer, "I'm completely shocked and saddened by the outrageous claims being made against me, which I absolutely deny."
Meanwhile, Wintour also said that Condé Nast will adopt new guidelines for outside contributors, "which has emerged after bracingly honest discussions—with model advocates and agents, stylists, photographers, hair and makeup artists, set designers, and many of our own editors."
"The goal of these conversations has been to understand how we can create safe and positive environments for everyone we work with," she said.
New rules include no longer allowing alcohol on Condé Nast sets, making sure all models appearing in fashion shoots commissioned by Condé Nast are 18 years of age or older and making sure any shoot involving nudity, sheer clothing, lingerie, swimwear, simulated drug or alcohol use, or sexually suggestive poses must be approved in advance by the subject.


text: The White House has threatened to veto the controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) in its present form, citing concerns that the bill does not adequately prevent sharing of irrelevant personal information.If the bill in its current form were presented to President Barack Obama, his advisors would recommend that he veto the bill, the executive office of the President said in a statement on Tuesday.The cyberthreat information-sharing bill, also referred to as H.R. 624, will be debated in the U.S. House of Representatives this week.The administration said it "recognizes and appreciates" that the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence adopted several amendments to H.R. 624 in an effort to address the administration's concerns.The bill appropriately requires the federal government to protect privacy when handling cybersecurity information, according to the statement. "Importantly, the Committee removed the broad national security exemption, which significantly weakened the restrictions on how this information could be used by the government," it added.The administration, however, remains concerned that the bill does not require private entities to take reasonable steps to remove irrelevant personal information when sending cybersecurity data to the government or other private sector entities. "Citizens have a right to know that corporations will be held accountable -- and not granted immunity -- for failing to safeguard personal information adequately," it said.The legislation should also ensure that cybercrime victims continue to report the crimes directly to federal law enforcement agencies, and continue to receive the same protections they do currently, according to the statement.The White House had also threatened to veto CISPA last year again on the issue of privacy safeguards.CISPA still features vague language that could put personal information in the hands of military organizations like the National Security Agency, despite recent amendments, digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation said Tuesday while asking people to call their representatives and tweet the House Intelligence Committee to oppose the bill.Civil rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union have opposed the bill, though some industry bodies like software trade group BSA support it. 34 organizations including ACLU and EFF wrote a joint letter to Congressional Representatives on Monday stating that they continue to oppose the bill, as the amendments "were woefully inadequate to cure the civil liberties threats" posed by the bill.One amendment, for example, stops the use of information collected under CISPA for any "national security" purpose, but still allows for the use of the data in the context of poorly-defined purposes such as a "cybersecurity purpose," EFF said.John Ribeiro covers outsourcing and general technology breaking news from India for The IDG News Service. Follow John on Twitter at @Johnribeiro. John's e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com


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Research In Motion has just reported their results for the first quarter of the 2013 fiscal year. We kind of knew what to expect after a business update was issued only a month ago, but it will be interesting to hear what RIM CEO Thorstein Heins has to say during the conference call. The CORE (cost optimization and resource efficiency) program still aims to save $1 billion by the end of fiscal 2013. RIM has faced a few challenges over the last few months but we're hoping that things pick up speed as we head toward the releae of BlackBerry 10. It's noted here that it's still "our number one priority" --however the updated release date for BB10 devices is now Q1 of 2013.
You can check out our full coverage and follow along with our live podcast and webcast during the call. Be sure to stick around after to hear our thoughts on it all. We'll be following up shortly with a breakdown of just what it all means, so be sure to check back later.
Press ReleaseResearch In Motion Reports First Quarter Fiscal 2013 Results
WATERLOO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 28, 2012) - Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported first quarter results for the three months ended June 2, 2012 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated).
- Cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments increased to $2.2 billion at the end of the first quarter
- Cash flow from operations was approximately $710 million in the first quarter
- Revenue of $2.8 billion in Q1, down 33% from $4.2 billion in the prior quarter
- GAAP net loss in Q1 of $518 million or $0.99 per share diluted; adjusted net loss of $192 million or $0.37 per share diluted
- Shipments of BlackBerry smartphones were 7.8 million and shipments of BlackBerry PlayBook tablets were approximately 260,000
- BlackBerry 10 smartphone launch now scheduled for Q1 of calendar 2013
- Restructuring efforts underway that will include a workforce reduction of approximately 5,000 employees as part of RIM's efforts to realize over $1 billion in cost savings, based on RIM's Q4 FY2012 run rate
- Launched World Tour BlackBerry Jam developer sessions in 23 countries resulting in strong adoption and support by application and developer partners for BlackBerry 10 platform
- BlackBerry App World continues to grow with over 89,000 applications available
- The overall BlackBerry subscriber base continued to grow, and the subscriber base grew in all regions except for North America
- RIM names Steve Zipperstein, former General Counsel of Verizon Wireless, as Chief Legal Officer
Q1 Results
Revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 was $2.8 billion, down 33% from $4.2 billion in the previous quarter and down 43% from $4.9 billion in the same quarter of fiscal 2012. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 59% for hardware, 36% for service and 5% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, RIM shipped 7.8 million BlackBerry smartphones and approximately 260,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.
GAAP net loss for the quarter was $518 million, or $0.99 per share diluted, compared with a GAAP net loss of $125 million, or $0.24 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and GAAP net income of $695 million, or $1.33 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year.
Adjusted net loss for the first quarter was $192 million, or $0.37 per share diluted. Adjusted net loss and adjusted diluted loss per share exclude the impact of pre-tax charges of $335 million ($326 million on an after tax basis), which are predominantly non-cash related to the impairment of goodwill. This charge and its related impact on GAAP net loss and diluted loss per share are summarized in the table below.
"Our first quarter results reflect the market challenges I have outlined since my appointment as CEO at the end of January. I am not satisfied with these results and continue to work aggressively with all areas of the organization and the Board to implement meaningful changes to address the challenges, including a thoughtful realignment of resources and honing focus within the Company on areas that have the greatest opportunities," said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO. "Our top priority going forward is the successful launch of our first BlackBerry 10 device, which we now anticipate will occur in the first quarter of calendar 2013. In parallel with the roll out of BlackBerry 10, we are aggressively working with our advisors on our strategic review and are actively evaluating ways to better leverage our assets and build on our strengths, including our growing BlackBerry subscriber base of approximately 78 million, our large enterprise installed base, our unique network architecture and our industry leading security capabilities."
The total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments was $2.2 billion as of June 2, 2012, compared to $2.1 billion at the end of the previous quarter, an increase of approximately $100 million from the prior quarter. Cash flow from operations in Q1 was approximately $710 million. Uses of cash included intangible asset additions of approximately $285 million, capital expenditures of approximately $155 million and a business acquisition of approximately $100 million.
BlackBerry 10 Update
The successful launch of the BlackBerry 10 platform and the delivery of high quality, full-featured BlackBerry 10 smartphones remain the Company's number one priority. Over the past several weeks, RIM's software development teams have made major progress in the development of key features for the BlackBerry 10 platform; however, the integration of these features and the associated large volume of code into the platform has proven to be more time consuming than anticipated. As a result, the Company now expects to launch the first BlackBerry 10 smartphones in market in Q1 of calendar 2013.
"RIM's development teams are relentlessly focussed on ensuring the quality and reliability of the platform and I will not compromise the product by delivering it before it is ready. I am confident that the first BlackBerry 10 smartphones will provide a ground-breaking next generation smartphone user experience," said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO. "We are encouraged by the traction that the BlackBerry 10 platform is gaining with application developers and content partners following the successful BlackBerry Jam sessions that we have held around the world since the beginning of May. Similarly, the reception of the BlackBerry 10 platform by our key carrier partners has been very positive and they are looking forward to going to market with BlackBerry 10 smartphones in the first quarter of calendar 2013."
Organizational Update
RIM today also announced the appointment of Steve Zipperstein, former General Counsel of Verizon Wireless, as its Chief Legal Officer. Prior to joining Verizon, Mr. Zipperstein previously served as Deputy General Counsel for GTE Corporation and was employed with the United States Department of Justice as a federal prosecutor. Mr. Zipperstein joins Kristian Tear, Chief Operating Officer and Frank Boulben, Chief Marketing Officer as the latest additions to RIM's executive management team.
CORE Program
The Company announced its CORE (Cost Optimization and Resource Efficiency) program in March of this year. The program is focused on delivering operational savings through various initiatives, with financial objectives for the program targeted to drive at least $1 billion in savings by the end of fiscal 2013, based on RIM's Q4 FY2012 run rate. As a result of the shift in BlackBerry 10 launch timeline, the increasingly competitive environment, as well as the identification of additional cost saving and efficiency opportunities, the Company may increase the scope and magnitude of these programs, and considers these original estimates as minimum numbers it will be pursuing.
To date, the Company has started implementing a number of these initiatives including:
- a reduction in the number of layers of management to drive better clarity, efficiency and accountability across the organization;
- the continued streamlining of our supply chain, which includes the consolidation of our manufacturing footprint from 10 external manufacturing sites to three, and working closely with our suppliers and other partners to identify ways to drive further efficiency;
- outsourcing key parts of the Company's Global Repair operations, including management of device level repairs;
- targeted use of resources in our sales and marketing initiatives to more effectively leverage marketing windows and prioritize our marketing efforts and spend in regions that offer the highest opportunity and return;
- further outsourcing of non-core functions as determined during the implementation of the CORE program; and
- a global workforce reduction of approximately 5,000 employees, which is expected to be completed by the end of fiscal 2013.
The Company expects to incur restructuring related charges of approximately $350 million by the end of fiscal 2013, primarily associated with the global workforce reduction. Other charges and cash costs may occur during this process, and the Company intends to share more details throughout the year regarding its progress as programs are implemented or changes are completed.
The Company expects the next several quarters to continue to be very challenging for its business based on the increasing competitive environment, lower handset volumes, potential financial and other impacts from the delay of BlackBerry 10, pressure to reduce RIM's monthly infrastructure access fees, and the Company's plans to continue to aggressively drive sales of BlackBerry 7 handheld devices. The Company expects to report an operating loss in the second quarter of fiscal 2013, as RIM continues to invest in marketing programs and continues to work through the transition to BlackBerry 10, as well as the Company's fixed costs being allocated over a lower volume of shipments. This outlook excludes the impact of charges related to the CORE Program.
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