Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/205455190?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Analysis: Economy at stake as political turmoil grips ... - Minivan News
The tourism industry stands to lose as much as US$100 million in the next six months, the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) has warned, due to widespread media coverage of the country?s political unrest.
?Potential visitors are questioning the safety and security in the island nation as the political turmoil in Maldives makes headlines in a large number of international media,? claimed MATI in a recent statement, adding that resorts had registered 500 cancellations in the first week following the change of government.
?Various allegations such as the installation of an Islamic regime, possible enactment of full?Sharia law and Anti Semitic remarks made by politicians at public gatherings have also caught the attention of the international press,? MATI stated.
With no election date in sight, the economic consequences of the ongoing political turmoil in the Maldives are likely to be far reaching. The ongoing climate of uncertainty ? anathema to business, foreign investment and especially tourism ? is likely to persist while the ousted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) continues to challenge the legitimacy of the new government, which in turn has resisted setting a date for early elections despite pressure from a growing number of international bodies.
Image problem
The Maldives? resort industry is so insulated from the rest of the country that few arriving tourists are likely to be even aware of the unfolding political crisis ? let alone be impacted by it. Arriving guests are collected at the airport and whisked off by resort representatives the moment they step through the departure gate ? Male? is nothing more than an interesting piece of scenery as the seaplane lifts off.
?That message is not going out,? says newly appointed Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb. ?People don?t know that the resorts are separate [from the rest of the Maldives], and international headlines have made people panic.?
The need for an economy is one of the only subjects the major parties agree on ? and the US$3 billion tourism industry is by far the biggest earner, and indirectly responsible for over 70 percent of the economy.
?Tourism is so much connected to the economy. We cannot afford to involve politics in the industry,? Adheeb says.
MATI?s Secretary General, Sim Mohamed Ibrahim, agrees: ?The travelling public don?t always know that it is one resort, one island, and that the resorts are cushioned from the unrest. This has mostly taken place in in Male? and Addu. The resorts are far removed from the unrest.?
That policy of segregation is now being tested after weeks of turbulent headlines in international media, focusing not only on the political crisis and police crackdowns, but other issues such as the contrast between the Western hedonism of the resorts and rising religious fundamentalism in other parts of the country.
?The main problem is that the media is now portraying the Maldives as a hardcore Islamic country, which is putting people off,? reported Tourism Review.
MATI?s concerns appeared echoed in the new government?s aggressive response to negative media coverage on Friday, during?a strident speech by the formerly demure President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.
?We are not afraid to die as martyrs. We are not afraid of the enemies we face,? Dr Waheed told the crowd of over five thousand, while sharing the stage with several of the country?s wealthiest resort tycoons.
?We must be sad that the enemies and traitors of the Maldives are spreading lies in various places of the world to tarnish the country?s image. They are the real conspirators. Those who defame the Maldives to destroy its industries and tourism are enemies of this country,? he said.
The true impact of recent events on tourism is hard to gauge, amid the industry?s efforts to play down negative media coverage and preserve the country?s reputation as a safe, peaceful and relaxing travel destination for well-heeled visitors.
?There have been some reported cancellations, although no data is available yet,? a senior tourism official told Minivan News. ?A lot of resorts are very concerned and are asking what?s around the corner. We?ve no answer to that yet.?
Adheeb said the Tourism Ministry was presently ?crunching the numbers?.
Reports at the height of the crisis in early February suggested that tourists hardly put down their cocktails: ?We are having a great time. We heard about the coup, but it doesn?t matter to us,? a professor of American literature told Reuters, between sips ? ?And even if there is trouble, the airport is on another island, so no trouble.?
The situation was not considered so severe that people were cancelling their holidays, the tourism official told Minivan News, but a lot of resort owners were expressing concern about forward bookings, he said.
Furthermore, while the guests might be unconcerned about the Maldivian political situation, many of the Maldivian staff serving them certainly were.
?The beauty of the Maldivian tourism product is that resorts are safe even if there are local problems,? the official told Minivan News. ?But 50,000 Maldivians work in the industry, and they are largely from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Morale of the staff may be affected ? staff are talking and unsettled, and they will pass that onto guests. Tourism is a contact sport and many visitors will build a rapport with their waiter or butler, and it will spill out.?
One resort manager expressed concern that the combination of staff morale and isolation was a ?powder keg? for strike action.
Lack of information and fears for the safety of family members appears to be another factor ? visiting a resort on Baa Atoll recently, Minivan News was approached by staff members concerned for family members in Addu Atoll, following the police crackdown after the destruction of their buildings on February 8.
?Travel Advisory?
A travel advisory issued by Salisbury-based NGO Friends of Maldives (FOM), urging visitors to avoid Bandos and all Villa properties (Sun, Paradise, Royal and Holiday Islands), has received a mixed reaction.
?These are places linked to individuals or groups who we suspect to be involved in the subversion of democracy and in human rights abuses in the Maldives,? FOM said in its accompanying statement, but emphasised that it was not a blanket boycott of the Maldives.
?We appreciate the Maldives economy relies hugely on the tourism economy, and so we aren?t asking for tourists to avoid the Maldives ? rather we are asking them to make an informed and ethical decision to choose out of around a hundred resorts that aren?t associated with the the coup d??tat and the human rights abuses that occurred following the event,? said FOM?s founder, David Hardingham.
MATI meanwhile condemned ?in strongest possible terms? the ?call for a boycott of some Maldivian tourist resorts?.
?MATI believes that any action detrimental to the tourism industry of the Maldives will have serious implications for the country?s economy. We believe that those who refer to themselves as friends of the Maldivian people must realise that such damaging measures taken against he tourism industry result in harming public welfare and those most vulnerable in society.?
The travel advisory was ?very hurtful?, added Adheeb.
?Something like this can really affect the whole industry and bring a lot of sorrow,? the tourism minister said. ?A lot of Maldivians work in these resorts. We say to FOM that it?s too early to judge ? there are a lot of negative things happening in our country, so let things unfold first. We request that they not play with our industry.?
The senior tourism official also expressed concern about the potential impact of the advisory on resort staff ? many of whom were MDP. He also warned against rhetoric suggesting that resort owners were responsible ?for the coup? ? a theme begun by Nasheed after his ousting, and picked up by several international publications.
?This cannot blamed on resort owners,? he said. ?That a few businessmen who own resorts toppled the government does not means that all resorts are ?pro-coup? ? many actually supported Nasheed, and he still has a lot of support there.?
The official also questioned whether an ?appeal-to-conscience? would really affect tourists? decision to come to the Maldives, regardless of whether it was a democracy or dictatorship.
?Most people don?t really make travel decisions based on ethical or moral concerns. It?s a small percentage of the market,? he said.
Sim agreed ? ?People do not travel to the Maldives based on questions of morality? ? but said the impact remained to be seen.
?People do not travel to destinations that are in any way not peaceful, or are experiencing civil unrest,? he said.
The Maldives tourism industry began in the 70s and grew in a peaceful environment under the autocratic stability of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Now, however, unhappy supporters of Nasheed have been bolstered by the growing ranks of the democratically disenfranchised, who seem in no hurry to relax their demands for early elections.
The uncertainty in such a climate of political statement can hardly be good for business ? and the signs are beginning to show.
Investor confidence
On February 17, just over a week after the change of government, India?s Economic Times reported that the State Bank of India (SBI) had issued a moratorium on fresh loans in the Maldives until June.
SBI held a quarter of all deposits in the Maldives and had issued 42 percent of all loans, according to the Times.
?In 2009, SBI bailed out Maldives from a severe foreign exchange crisis when it subscribed to US$100million dollar-denominated treasury bonds issued by the Maldivian Monetary Authority (MMA),? the paper added, citing an Indian government official.
Given SBI?s contribution to the tourism industry in the Maldives, ?that is something we are very concerned about,? Adheeb acknowledged.
?I would like to give confidence to investors that we will make sure we are stable and consultative, and will not bring politics into tourism,? he added.
Sim pointed out that if SBI had taken such a stance, ?it is likely that other people will also view it this way. Stability in the country is most important to investors,? he said.
?SBI has also previously said they have a problem with the judiciary, and that this has contributed to a [lack of] investor confidence.?
Concerns about the impartiality of the justice system and its resistance to reform eventually led Nasheed?s government to detain Chief Judge of the Criminal Court, Abdulla Mohamed, and call for the UN and Commonwealth to help resolve the crisis. Two weeks later, opposition supporters and rogue elements of the police and military toppled Nasheed?s government, prompting his resignation.
?This is a problem for potential investors. If you invest and something goes wrong, all roads lead to a Maldivian court ? and who?d want that?? the tourism official asked Minivan News.
In the immediate aftermath of what Nasheed?s supporters contend was a coup d??tat, ?a lot of contracts that are half completed have been stopped, and those by the previous government politicised and halted. We?ve become a nightmare client by not following through on agreements,? the official told Minivan News.
?Anyone who has not been paid for goods delivered is in a bad situation right now ? it?s not good for our reputation,? he said.
Wider economic impact
The tourism industry is not only culturally insulated from the rest of the Maldives, but also economically.
Most resorts charge in dollars ? a practice that technically contravenes monetary authority regulations but is widely overlooked ? and bank overseas in more financially and politically-stable economies, such as Singapore.
Beyond import duties, credit card fees and assorted taxes, very little foreign currency trickles into the country, given the size of the tourism industry. Which, with the introduction of the 3.5 percent tourism GST last year, was found to be two to three times larger than previous estimates.
At the same time, with little to no demand for the local currency at even a transactional level, the rest of country suffers from an enduring dollar shortage.
Furthermore, 50 percent of tourism industry employees are expatriate and remit their income, while local staff are typically paid in Maldivian rufiya ? tips and service charge aside.
The result is a troubled economy that remains dependent on foreign aid, despite having a per-capita income high enough to in 2011 see the Maldives become one of only three countries to ever graduate from the UN?s definition of a Least Developed Country (LDC), to ?Middle Income?.
That progression limits the country?s access to concessional credit, removes certain trade concessions, and some donor aid ? as well creating a perception in the donor community that the Maldives is ?less deserving? than countries still on the LDC list.
Swedish Ambassador accredited to the Maldives, Lars-Olof Lindgren, said as much in May 2011. Sweden, he said, ?has very strict of GDP per-capita criteria and has decided to focus its aid elsewhere on least developed countries, particularly in Africa.?
?At the same time, certainly I think we have to look at other aspects of the Maldives ? the fact the country taking first steps as a democratic country, steps towards getting the party system to work ? that is one reason why the international community should support this ? support not only government, but the whole society,? he told Minivan News last year.
Climate aid to a great extent filled the void, with countries ranging from Denmark to the US lining up to commit to infrastructure projects ? harbours, water treatment plants, waste management centres ? under the banner of climate adaption and mitigation.
Much of that was prompted by Nasheed?s high profile on the world stage as an environmental campaigner, with wealthy countries happy to share the limelight and demonstrate eco-credentials to their own, increasingly climate-conscious public.
That environmental focus also ?absolutely changed how the destination was marketed?, the tourism official told Minivan News.
?Nasheed was synonymous with that, and the photo of the underwater cabinet meeting is one of the most famous in the Maldives. It was a brilliant gimmick that summed up the challenges,? he said.
Now, several foreign diplomats from current donors have privately expressed concern that with the political instability, Commonwealth jitters and contentious legitimacy of the new government, such funding will be a harder sell to the public and aid agencies in their home countries: ?We will fulfill our existing commitments,? one promised.
The Chinese?bellwether
The weathervane on the Maldivian tourism economy is likely to be the Chinese market. With belts tightening in the Maldives? traditional lucrative markets in Europe ? particularly Italy and the UK ? surging interest in the Maldives tourism product from China has cushioned the industry in the wake of the 2008 financial economic crisis.
In the first seven months of 2011, Chinese visitors accounted for 19.9 percent of the total arrivals. By the end of the year the figure had increased to 23 percent ? figures backed by Beijing?s stamp of approval that the Maldives was an acceptable destination for Chinese tour operators to send customers by the thousand.
?We don?t deal with numbers like that from any other country,? the tourism official told Minivan News.
?Chinese guests tend to respect authority ? and currently the Chinese government is saying that the situation is OK. As soon as the Chinese authorities say they are concerned, 23 percent of the market will disappear. We can regard the Chinese as either directly in or out,? he said.
Adheeb observed that the Chinese market was ?sensitive to international headlines?.
There had been a dip in Chinese arrivals, he noted, but this could be attributed to the aftermath of Chinese New Year.
Sim said the Chinese market was ?particularly vulnerable, as they make decisions based on information they are given. It has been Chinese New Year so the dropoff in numbers is hard to separate from those put off by the political unrest,? he said.
Most Chinese arrivals come through package tour operators, who are extremely sensitive to travel warnings. The Chinese government currently has no warning for the Maldives, however neighbouring Hong Kong on February 8 placed the country on an ?amber alert?, alongside Pakistan, Russia and Iran.
The language barrier can complicate efforts to reassure the market, particularly on the Chinese side.
One Shanghai-based travel agent, Sun Yi, told Minivan News she was faced with many cancellations just two days after the events of February 7.
?It has seriously affected our business. Many guests cancelled the Maldivian holiday package which used to be very popular,? she explained, adding that her company had suspended plans to hold a commerical event at a Maldives resort this spring.
?Quite a lot of Chinese customers are very concerned of this situation. Some of them are hesitant to make reservations now,? said Emy Zheng, a Chinese national working at Villuxa Holidays.
Recent reports in Chinese media have been reassuring: one honeymooner, Zhou Xiaoyi, told China Daily that he had considered cancelling his trip, but had only been offered a 2.5 percent refund on his prepaid ticket.
?The travel agency said most of our prepayment had been spent on reservations on flights and hotels,? Xiaoyi told China Daily. ?So we decided to come anyway and found that our honeymoon was little influenced. We also saw other Chinese people here.?
Much of the tourism industry in the Maldives maintains a wary distance from Maldivian politics, but ongoing political turbulence, protests, confrontational rhetoric, dark mutterings from the staff quarters and ultimately an economic threat such as a loan crisis or plunge in Chinese interest could haul the problem into the industry?s backyard.
With 70 percent of the economy at stake, were that to happen the matter of the government?s legitimacy and the colour of the flag in the President?s office would fast become the least of the country?s worries.
Source: http://minivannews.com/politics/analysis-economy-at-stake-as-political-turmoil-grips-maldives-32627
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
When Writing Or Speaking Learn That Less Is More | SQLRockstar ...
If I were you, I wouldn?t dare interrupt him.
Big words and long sentences will likely not serve you well as a writer. When it comes to making presentations the same holds true: don?t ramble on hoping to find the words that will have everyone in the room thinking you are the smartest person to ever grace their presence.
I?ve learned a few things along the way. First: use short sentences when writing. Second, eliminate the ?jelly? when writing and when speaking. Third, it?s hard to do those first two things when you are told to ?write naturally, as if you were speaking? and you tend to ramble anyway like your whole life is one long run-on sentence. But I digress?
I came across the following two links recently and so I wanted to share them with you.
First we have a link to a memo written by David Ogilvy to his employees titled ?How to Write? and it was a list of tips that included the following gems:
- Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.
- Never use jargon words like?reconceptualize,?demassification,attitudinally,?judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.
- If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.
- If you want ACTION,?don?t write. Go and?tell?the guy what you want.
This isn?t the first time I have heard suggestions about how writing should be kept to short sentences. The most notable reference example I have been told about came from Hemingway. I believe that he knew a thing or two about writing, especially the whole ?write drunk, edit sober? part.
Second we have a link to an article about presentations, ?In Presentations, Learn To Say Less?. This post ties well to the earlier reference I had to the jelly effect: focus on the important details when speaking to someone. Eliminate the jelly. The classic example is when you describe your company to someone and the first thing you say is ?we were founded in 1986?. Nobody cares when you were founded. Nintendo was founded in 1889 but didn?t start making video games until the mid 1970?s and OMG nobody cares about any of that. They only want to know when the next game will be released so stop wasting their time!
The article has some nice points that I have been using when putting together my outlines like I am doing for TechEd at the moment:
- Work backwards. Start with the key points and fill in the details on how to get to the key points.
- Practice your presentation without slides. This will help with your delivery, especially with transitions.
- Imagine the questions that your audience may ask.
If you learn to write less it will also translate to your presentation style. This will help you be an effective communicator, someone who others will want to read more frequently, or attend your presentations more often.
Source: http://thomaslarock.com/2012/02/when-writing-or-speaking-learn-that-less-is-more/
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Supreme Court rejects Asian carp appeal
The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by five states who seek stronger measures for keeping Asian carp out of the Great Lakes.?
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by five states seeking an order requiring that a range of steps be taken to keep the invading Asian carp out of the Great Lakes where they are considered a threat to fisheries.
Skip to next paragraphThe high court refused to hear an appeal by Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvaniaand Wisconsin after the states lost their bid for a preliminary injunction that would have required additional efforts to stop the migration of the voracious carp into the lakes.
The carp have taken over stretches of the Mississippi River and its tributaries. The U.S.Army Corps of Engineers and the Chicago area waterway system already have adopted a number of measures to block the advance of the carp into Lake Michigan.
The states have argued that two species, the Bighead and Silver carp, pose a severe threat to the Great Lakes' $7 billion fisheries. The carp can spread rapidly, crowding out other native fish species.
A federal judge and a U.S. appeals court in Chicago denied the request for a preliminary injunction that would have required additional physical barriers in the Chicago area waterways, new procedures to stop the carp and the speeding up of a study on how to devise a permanent solution to the problem.
In their appeal, the states said the Supreme Court "should grant review and reverse to abate an imminent threat to one of the most precious freshwater ecosystems in the world."
The federal government opposed the appeal, said the case does not warrant further review and told the Supreme Court that the effort to prevent the spread of the carp was already being effectively managed by federal, state and local agencies.
U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli said the states failed to show the need for preliminary injunctive relief and that the litigation should be allowed to proceed before a federal judge in Chicago.
In 2010, the Supreme Court on three separate occasions rejected an appeal byMichigan, refusing to get involved in the legal battle over the carp.
The U.S. Supreme Court case is Michigan v. Army Corps of Engineers, No. 11-541.
(Editing by Will Dunham)
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/WAb84pzRzoU/Supreme-Court-rejects-Asian-carp-appeal
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Coaching Your Pet dog using a PetSafe Electric Puppy fence ...
It is actually vital to acquire as minor disruption as possible through your pets' schooling sessions.
Through the training approach it is very Essential that you simply really don't let your dog run off lead from the lawn with or without the need of sporting the pet fence collar. For those who do, it's going to confuse him so you could have to re-start your entire electronic puppy fence schooling process. It might be very best to keep him on a leash in the course of the first week. But, never ever wander your pet above the boundary line on a leash. This will confuse him while in the starting. Gradually, you will end up equipped to consider him with you around the boundary on the leash - that is termed "Doorway Training" and we will discuss about this afterwards. But for now, if he has to leave the garden, area him inside the automobile, or carry him effectively in excess of into the other facet on the signal area. Remember to eliminate his electrical pet fence collar just before taking him with the yard by either of these two solutions, or he'll get corrected as he leaves.
To permit your pet to become accustomed for the collar probes on his neck take away the collar just after every single education session for the duration of the first week. After that, clear away the pet fence collar every single evening to the subsequent a few weeks. Gradually he'll have the ability to have on the canine fence collar all of the time, but it may possibly take some time for him to acquire a tolerance for the probes on the receiver. Clear each the probes as well as pet dogs neck just about every night for your first 30 times. dog snuggie
The coaching flags are there for two motives. First, to give your pet a visual boundary and secondly to help you using the instruction process. The flags should really be mounted about 12" on your yard side about the pet dog fence wire within the floor. All the flags will continue to be from the yard for approximately thirty days. dog snuggie
Don't forget the PetSafe electric pet dog fence schooling really should be enjoyment, rather than stressful at all. If other family members are assisting in the instruction periods, it is vitally critical that everyone follows the precise similar strategy. Make each and every session quick and upbeat (five to10 minutes max). Numerous pet dogs have very brief attention spans and training can be very tiring for them, so don't get discouraged if he will not "get it" at first - they're going to gradually understand.
Days one to three Place a leash with your pet using a flat collar or a slip collar, Never ever put the leash directly on the receiver collar. Before inserting the pet dog fence collar with your puppy, flip the puppy fence collar on the lowest energy environment. Your dog needs to first be taught ways to respond to the flags. Stroll with the pet inside the containment area on the yard and praise and engage in with him.
Now, proceed toward the teaching flags. As your dog head passes the flags, give a fast horizontal or downward "jerk and release" correction within the leash. Provide your dog back again about 10 feet into the containment space and praise him. The "jerk and release" may be the only damaging reinforcement your puppy requirements. There exists no verbal correction necessary. The PetSafe canine collar are going to be providing your puppy a warning tone before the pretty light correction he's getting in the flags. You must tailor the corrections towards your pets' character, temperament, dimensions and breed. dog snuggie
Just about every education session must only last about 5 to ten minutes. Enter the containment location at a variety of spots and target on regions that the relatives typically would leave the lawn ( ie: driveway, sidewalk or path your puppy utilizes now to depart). Shortly you must see your pet flip to avoid the flags. This indicates that he's finding out. Ensure that you engage in together with your puppy within the containment space to indicate him time put in during the yard is really a pleasant practical experience. This tends to stop your pet dog from growing to be timid or concerned going to the yard.
Don't forget, maintain him on the leash during this first week, even to go outside towards the bathroom. Some pet dogs will "pick up" the teaching faster than some others. Ahead of proceeding to Stage 2, ensure that your puppy is happy to operate and engage in within the garden, generally avoiding the flags. Otherwise, devote an additional day or two flag instruction. Schooling is just following the setting up blocks - you can't continue to Stage two without having first completing the flag schooling.
Source: http://www.ndpostadoption.com/coaching-your-pet-dog-using-a-petsafe-electric-puppy-fence-week-one/
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Monday, February 27, 2012
Simple Tips On How To Orchestrate A Local Move - Travel - EzineMark
Moving to a nearby state is normally referred to as a local move. Nevertheless, it is not that the move is always hassle-free. Even a local move needs a bit of planning and the right methods of execution. Thankfully, today you have a lot of information available on the web to help you give useful information on how to orchestrate your move to the neighboring state. If you are moving to your native with any of your relatives staying there then chances are that you might be already familiar with the place and the culture over there. In such scenarios, you don?t have to do too much research on the place. However, if you are moving for some business or job opportunity then it is imminent that you might not be familiar with the place. In such cases, there are certain things you need to keep in mind while masterminding the move. Compiled and presented below are some nice tips to help you make your local move a trouble-free one.
About residential options First and foremost, try to gather some information about the town you are moving over to. Select the residential location that is present in any of the busy areas of the city or select the residential place from a calm place quite far away from the bustling crowded areas of the city, depending on your budget and other requirements. Then start scouring online for information on the availability of apartment in that particular area. Whether you are going to rent or buy an apartment, analyze the price of homes in that area and narrow down your options. Mind you the rental charges vary from place to place. What might cost you for a single bedroom home in New York might not be the same as a home in New Mexico. These days, there are agencies that offer homes at very minimal interest rates. So if you want to become a home owner immediately then you may opt for any of the installment plans and purchase your home. As a safety exercise, for people who are moving to new homes, it is always safe to install reliable systems such as the ADT Security Systems to protect the family members and the expensive things from burglary and break-ins. About the Town After you have decided that you are going to move to a new town, take time to sit and research about the place. Take a look at the local map of the new town and try to spot the important areas in the place. Look for a place that has all the facilities like schools, churches, hospitals, corporate, shopping malls etc so that you don?t have to travel several miles to spot a shopping mall or restaurant. Also know a bit about the local people?s interests and the popular activities that are popular in that place. The reason why I am saying this is because if in case you get bored at home during the weekends, you can come out with your family and chill out at some of the bustling places in your area amidst the thrilling local activities. This will help you get rid of the homesickness. About moving Before vacating your home, take some time to sit and think about the items you are going to take to your new place and the things that you are going to sell. Likewise, assess the condition of your vehicle. If you too old and not in a good condition then you can think of selling it rather than dishing out on the transport charges to move your vehicle. Apart from these, you may also gather information about like how to apply for a driver?s license in the new state, how to find the right school for your kids etc.Source: http://travel.ezinemark.com/simple-tips-on-how-to-orchestrate-a-local-move-7d344c6338c0.html
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
Oscar Winners: 20 Years Of Best Picture Box-Office Rankings
We take a look at what taking home Sunday's big prize could do for this year's Best Picture winner.
By MTV News staff
Jean Dujardin and Missi Pyle in "The Artist"
Photo: The Weinstein Co.
If the 2012 Oscars unfold as expected Sunday night, "The Artist" will walk away with a Best Picture win at the close of the ceremony. With that triumph, the silent, black-and-white film will become the second lowest-growing Best Picture winner in modern history. A populist fave, this movie is not.
And that's often the case. While box-office record-breaker "Titanic" took home the Academy's top honor in 1998, the Best Picture ranks are littered with ho-hum performers. Some, like "Schindler's List" and "Million Dollar Baby," received huge bumps from their wins. "The Silence of the Lambs," which hit theaters in February 1991, received no bump at all, as it was already out of theaters. Yet others received small re-releases and added a few million to their totals.
To put the likely "Artist" win in historical context, MTV News took a look back at the past 20 years of Best Picture winners, ranking them from lowest to highest grossing (all figures come from Box Office Mojo and are not adjusted for inflation or ticket price).
20. "The Hurt Locker"
Pre-show box office: $14.7 million
Date of show: 3/7/2010
Date of release: 6/26/2009
Total box-office haul: $17 million
19. "Crash"
Pre-show box office: $53.3 million
Date of show: 3/5/2006
Date of release: 5/6/2005
Total box-office haul: $54.6 million
18. "Schindler's List"
Pre-show box office: $59.8 million
Date of show: 3/21/1994
Date of release: 12/15/1993
Total box-office haul: $96.1 million
17. "The English Patient"
Pre-show box office: $63.2 million
Date of show: 3/24/1997
Date of release: 11/15/1996
Total box-office haul: $78.7 million
16. "No Country for Old Men"
Pre-show box office: $64.3 million
Date of show: 2/24/2008
Date of release: 11/9/2007
Total box-office haul: $74.3 million
15. "Million Dollar Baby"
Pre-show box office: $64.9 million
Date of show: 2/27/2005
Date of release: 12/15/2004
Total box-office haul: $100.5 million
14. "Shakespeare in Love"
Pre-show box office: $73.2 million
Date of show: 3/21/1999
Date of release: 12/11/1998
Total box-office haul: $100.3 million
13. "Braveheart"
Pre-show box office: $73.3 million
Date of show: 3/25/1996
Date of release: 5/24/1995
Total box-office haul: $75.6 million
12. "Unforgiven"
Pre-show box office: $78.9 million
Date of show: 3/29/1993
Date of release: 8/7/1992
Total box-office haul: $101.2 million
11. "Slumdog Millionaire"
Pre-show box office: $98.4 million
Date of show: 2/22/2009
Date of release: 11/12/2008
Total box-office haul: $141.3 million
10. "American Beauty"
Pre-show box office: $108.5 million
Date of show: 3/26/2000
Date of release: 9/15/1999
Total box-office haul: $130.1
9. "The King's Speech"
Pre-show box office: $114.2 million
Date of show: 2/27/2011
Date of release: 11/26/2010
Total box-office haul: $135.5 million
8. "The Silence of the Lambs"
Pre-show box office: $130.7 million
Date of show: 3/30/1992
Date of release: 2/14/1991
Total box-office haul: $130.7 million
7. "The Departed"
Pre-show box office: $131.4 million
Date of show: 2/25/2007
Date of release: 10/6/2006
Total box-office haul: $132.4 million
6. "Chicago"
Pre-show box office: $134.0 million
Date of show: 3/23/2003
Date of release: 12/27/2002
Total box-office haul: $170.7 million
5. "A Beautiful Mind"
Pre-show box office: $154.7 million
Date of show: 3/24/2002
Date of release: 12/21/2001
Total box-office haul: $170.7 million
4. "Gladiator"
Pre-show box office: $186.9 million
Date of show: 3/25/2001
Date of release: 5/5/2000
Total box-office haul: $187.7 million
3. "Forrest Gump"
Pre-show box office: $317.1 million
Date of show: 3/27/1995
Date of release: 7/6/1994
Total box-office haul: $329.7 million
2. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King "
Pre-show box office: $364.1 million
Date of show: 2/29/2004
Date of release: 12/17/2003
Total box-office haul: $377.0 million
20. "Titanic"
Pre-show box office: $494.5 million
Date of show: 3/23/1998
Date of release: 12/19/1997
Total box-office haul: $600.8 million
The MTV Movies team has the 2012 Oscars covered! Stick with us for everything you need to know leading up to the awards show, and head to Next Movie for a printable Oscar ballot. On Sunday, tune into MTV.com at 5 p.m. ET for our two-and-a-half-hour red-carpet live stream and updates on the night's big winners. To join the live conversation, tweet @MTVNews with the hashtag #Oscars.
Related Videos Related PhotosSource: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1679921/oscar-best-picture-winners-box-office.jhtml
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Help Me Quit Smoking Cigarettes | New Health and Fitness
New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use
Help me quit smoking cigarettes is a request made by thousands of people! This is a habit that is very hard to give up. It is costly and not good for anyone?s health. Smoking is a constant nag in the life of a smoker. There are solutions if you and the smoker put your mind to it. I hope to address some ideas and issues about smoking. There are suggestions you can make to the person requesting help me quit smoking cigarettes.
The ability to make a conscious choice is definitely a good way to quit this habit. You can tell yourself that you don?t need it if you have the requisite willpower. But even after remaining away from your smoking habit for years, there is a good chance that you may cave in. Even if you are a strong willed person, the smoking habit continues to exist in your subconscious. In this situation, quit smoking hypnosis is quite effective because it can successfully bypass that conscious willpower level to go straight into the subconscious thereby altering your behavior at that particular level.
Directions need to be followed to receive the benefit of herbs quit smoking. Slippery elm works to strengthen the immune systems flushing the toxins and impurities from the body. Skullcap maintains a balanced nervous system, producing a sense of well-being. The balance keeps the tension associated with nicotine withdrawal at a minimum. It also helps with headaches, that some experience during smoking pauses. Peppermint is a mixture of remedies; it?s a muscle relaxer, calms headaches and detoxes the body.
Actually, smoking happens to be our conscious choice when we start in the first place. After some time, it transforms into a sort of habit in our subconscious wherein we feel strange when we stop smoking and that urge forces us to smoke more. When you start your quit smoking hypnosis session with a therapist, he or she will ask few questions; when you first started smoking, frequency of smoking during the day, and so on. You should be mentally prepared to quit smoking before you opt for the quit smoking hypnosis session because otherwise it won?t work.
You will find products to quit smoking such as, the nicotine patch, nicotine gum, nicotine lozenge, nicotine inhaler, nicotine nasal spray, and there are also some prescription medicines that your doctor can prescribe. Even though there are so many products to find that can help you quit, make sure you research them all thoroughly. You should consult your physician once you have decided to quit.
One method to quit cigarette smoking is known as cold turkey. This method has the lowest success rate of all the methods. The symptoms that come from quitting are very present and noticeable; increased grumpiness, frustration, appetite and some people have even shown signs of less concentration. This method indeed is difficult and your chances of success are not as great. But, if you persevere for three days you will see less desire to light up. After seven days the desire is almost entirely gone and the symptoms have started to become unnoticeable. And everyday you go without the healthier your body is becoming. Keep positive and keep at it, you can quit cigarette smoking.
Looking to find info on help to quit smoking ? Quit Smoking Today, then go to our site to find the best info on Easy to Quite Smoking With Herbal Vaporizer for you.
Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/02/24/help-me-quit-smoking-cigarettes-8/
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Tornado damage at Harmony Church may be completed by April 15
Construction to repair three buildings damaged by a tornado should be completed by April 15, a year after the twister touched down in Harmony Church at Fort Benning, an official said Friday.
Work crews are busy repairing Building 5124 and Building 2122, both barracks, and the Warrior Training Center, said Elsie Jackson, a public affairs spokeswoman. Repairs are expected to cost $2.9 million.
When the tornado touched down on April 16, Building 5124 took the brunt of the damage. Wind damaged the roof, ripped away siding and left metal studs exposing insulation on the building.
Building 2122 had slight damage with a shattered window of the building?s third floor and some ripped siding.
In addition to the two barracks, the Warrior Training Center sustained minor damage. Vehicles were damaged in the parking lot at the barracks and trees were toppled.
?We had fences that came down, stuff got moved,? Jackson said. ?All of that has been repaired. Trees that came down were moved almost immediately.?
Source: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/02/24/1945837/tornado-damage-at-harmony-church.html
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Saturday, February 25, 2012
Telephone conferencing as the fast food approach to Communications
In the modern business world, standard meetings are sometimes less structured events as they are emergency necessities. In a fast-paced field, the need to get parties together quickly to iron out pieces of a deal may require telephone conferencing in order to successfully reach an agreement. Or, portions of a complicated project may require minute adjustments in a short timeframe, which requires some communication between participants who are remotely stationed.
Teleconferencing?as come to the rescue to make a quick and dirty virtual meeting a reality for such situations.
Telephone conferencing can bring people together from across the globe on a dime, or very quickly compared to the logistics of the traditional staff or organization meeting. For this reason, some call it the ?fast food? of modern business communication. This type of business connectivity can be as formal or informal as the case requires, and not all participants need to be engaged equally in the proceedings. If an executive who?s vacationing on the golf course has to be contacted, for example, that party?s ?attendance? on the call may be limited to certain items requiring approval or verification by the officer, who can then get off the call and back to putting.
The flexibility of the format, in other words, can eliminate the necessity for physical contact in most cases, and in an emergency, the necessity of all the arrangements that go with in person settings.
There is no costly meeting space, video presentations, handout materials, etc. have to be introduced in order to hold productive calls via telephone conferencing. Such extras are probably a hindrance in the case of an emergency conference, because it may bog down the pace of home it to solve the direct issue we discussed.
This kind of communication works for both internal relations and external, goodwill sessions with suppliers, consumers, and peers in the industry. The fact that one of its great advantages is the speed with which it can be created, some online based companies have opted to utilize telephone conferencing as its main mode of regular staff communication. In light of the rise in complexity and pace with which organizations must make decisions, conference calls might be the ?fast food? method of connecting for many more companies in the near future.
This post is written by our guest author,?Michael, on the behalf of?Powwownow. Powwownow is one of the UK?s leading conference call, telephone conferencing,?teleconferencing provider.
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Source: http://www.techatlast.com/telephone-conferencing-communications
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Judge awards iPhone user $850 in throttling case
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) ? When AT&T started slowing down the data service for his iPhone, Matt Spaccarelli, an unemployed truck driver and student, took the country's largest telecommunications company to small claims court.
His award: $850.
Pro-tem Judge Russell Nadel found in favor of Spaccarelli in Ventura Superior Court in Simi Valley on Friday, saying it wasn't fair for the company to purposely slow down his iPhone, when it had sold him an "unlimited data" plan.
Spaccarelli could have many imitators. AT&T has some 17 million customers with "unlimited data" plans who can be subject to throttling. That's nearly half of its smartphone users. AT&T forbids them from consolidating their claims into a class action or taking them to a jury trial. That leaves small claims actions and arbitration.
Late last year, AT&T started slowing down data service for the top 5 percent of its smartphone subscribers with "unlimited" plans. It had warned that it would start doing so, but many subscribers have been surprised by how little data use it takes for throttling to kick in ?often less than AT&T provides to those on limited or "tiered" plans.
Spaccarelli said his phone is being throttled after he's used 1.5 gigabytes to 2 gigabytes of data within a new billing cycle. Meanwhile, AT&T provides 3 gigabytes of data to subscribers on a tiered plan that costs the same ? $30 per month.
When slowed down, the phone can still be used for calls and text messaging, but Web browsing is painfully slow, and video streaming doesn't work at all.
AT&T did not say whether it would appeal the decision. AT&T area sales manager Peter Hartlove, who represented the company before Nadel, declined to comment on the ruling. He argued in court that his employer has the right to modify or cancel customers' contracts if their data usage adversely affects the network.
Companies with as many potentially aggrieved customers as AT&T usually brace themselves for a class-action lawsuit. But last year, the Supreme Court upheld a clause in the Dallas-based company's subscriber contract that prohibits customers from taking their complaints to class actions or jury trials.
Arbitration and small-claims court cases are cheaper and faster than jury trials, but they force plaintiffs to appear in person and prepare their own statements. In a class-action suit, the work can be handled by one law firm on behalf of millions of people.
That means thousands ? and possibly hundreds of thousands ? of people who feel abused by AT&T's policy could seek to challenge the company, one by one, in arbitration or small claims court. The customer contract specifies that those who win an award from the company in arbitration will get at least $10,000. Spaccarelli picked the same amount for his claim.
In his ruling, Nadel looked at the remaining 10 months in Spaccarelli's two-year contract with AT&T and took an average of what he might pay monthly for using additional data. AT&T charges $10 for every extra gigabyte over 3 gigabytes.
Nadel said it's not fair for AT&T to make a promise to Spaccarelli when he buys the phone while burying terms in his contract that give the company the right to cut down data speeds.
Spaccarelli, 39, researched his case for a few months, and then spent three days putting together a binder of documents to bring to court.
"I need the money, but for me, this case is not about money at all," Spaccarelli. "You don't tell somebody 'you have unlimited' and then cut them off."
Earlier this month, a Southern California woman won a small-claims action against Honda over the gas mileage she got out of her Civic hybrid car. She was awarded $9,867. Meanwhile, a class action against Honda over the same issue netted Civic owners a few hundred dollars each. The plaintiff, Heather Peters, is an ex-lawyer who had opted out of the settlement.
AT&T's throttling of "unlimited" data comes as it tries to deal with limited capacity on its wireless network. When the iPhone was new, AT&T had ample capacity on its network, and wanted to lure customers with the peace of mind offered by unlimited plans. Now, a majority of AT&T subscribers on contract-based plans have smartphones, and the proportion is growing every month. That's putting a big load on AT&T's network.
Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA also throttle users, but their policies are gentler. Verizon only throttles if the specific cell tower a "heavy user" subscriber's phone is communicating with is congested at that moment. T-Mobile's throttling levels are higher for the same price, and the levels are spelled out ahead of time. AT&T subscribers have no way of knowing if they'll be throttled before a warning message drops in. If they keep using their phones, throttling kicks in a few days later.
___
AP Technology Writer Peter Svensson reported from New York. He can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/petersvensson
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Sunday, February 19, 2012
WriteAndCorrect.com ? You Should Afford Aquarium Supplies
If you?re considering shopping for an aquarium full of fish or when you already own one, then you definitely cannot afford to stop there. Identical to another pets, fish in aquariums require loads of care and attention. You cannot simply throw fish into an aquarium and anticipate them to outlive and thrive. You should buy the correct aquarium provides for your fish.
I?m pretty obsessed with this topic because owning a pet supplies retailer I have seen far too many people select to own fish because ?they?re easier and require lower than different pets.? Whereas that is true on many levels, it is no excuse for individuals to not buy the proper kinds of aquarium provides for his or her pets.
If you?re not sure of what kinds of aquarium supplies you might want for the fish you might have bought or are hoping to buy, then look no additional than to a pet provide retailer for help. Go to a store near you and discuss to someone that is knowledgable about aquarium supplies. Ask your whole questions and allow them to lead to aquarium provides which are affordable and essential for the livelihood of your fish. Just remember to have a full understanding of the wants of your fish before you buy them. You could notice that fish take work similar to another pet and that one thing shall be required of you in taking care of them.
If you happen to aren?t quite prepared to go to a pet supply retailer, then go to your local library and discover some assets on starting an aquarium and filling it with the right aquarium supplies. There are various great resources out there, you just want to search out them and be taught what you can. You too can benefit tremendously in studying in regards to the proper aquarium provides by doing an web search primarily based on the sorts of fish you have or are pondering of purchasing.
When it comes time to truly buy aquarium supplies, you?ll wish to make your manner back to the pet provides store. No the place else will you find as great of assist from people who actually know what they?re talking about. So get to your local petshop and find all the aquarium supplies you need. And don?t fret, most aquarium supplies are available in a wide variety of value ranges, so don?t feel obligated to run off and purchase the most expensive ones. As a substitute, go for what matches your budget.
Having fish can be a great and fun thing. Just make sure you fill your aquarium with the suitable supplies and your fish will stay long and stay happy.
For information in relation to cat water fountain, visit Taelor Grenvifer?s website immediately.
Source: http://writeandcorrect.com/you-should-afford-aquarium-supplies/
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Saturday, February 18, 2012
93% Chico & Rita
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (3)
By virtue of its simple, stylized look - bold lines and color blocks - and effervescent Cuban jazz score, the Spanish animated feature "Chico & Rita" rises above its routine story of a troubled love affair between talented musicians.
The real romance here is between the filmmakers and the cultural moment they hope to document.
"Chico and Rita'' beguiles first and foremost as a bebop romance that evokes a bygone era as well as, or maybe even better than, "The Artist."
This sexy, pulpy, very grown-up film is not your usual best animated feature material.
A dazzling and delightful work of modernist animation, a classic movie romance and a hip-swinging, finger-popping tale of musical revolution...
Sexy, sweet and laced with a sadness at once specific to its place and time and accessible to anyone with a breakable heart, "Chico & Rita" is an animated valentine to Cuba and its music.
It works best as an evocative tribute of sorts to a specific musical time and place.
An animated delight for grown-up eyes and ears, besides being a sexy romance and a luscious tribute to a great musician [with] Bebo Vald?s's authentic Latin jazz score.
There's an outline of an epic love story here, but the screenwriters never bother to fill it in all the way.
The film melds dazzling visuals and a wildly infectious score into a simple yet affecting love story.
It's the grown-up choice to win this year's Oscar for animated feature.
The hand-drawn, watercolor-style animation is a natural fit for the story, with its retro sensibility and timeless effect.
A Spanish animated film for adults that is a real crowd-pleaser.
This is the kind of sophisticated storytelling you rarely get even in live-action movies any more, full of unexpected turns and unruly human complications.
A heady wonder for fans of the music, the era, or visual creative art in general.
An incredibly beautiful story that uses animation to truly push boundaries in what types of stories can be told in the format.
An animated film that could actually open up audiences to the world, instead of giving them an escape from it.
More Critic ReviewsNo quotes approved yet for Chico & Rita. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/chico_and_rita/
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China to ease access for US movies, Biden says
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By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services
WASHINGTON -- China has agreed to significantly improve market access for American movies, capping a weeklong visit by China's leader-in-waiting that led to billions of dollars in business deals, Vice President Joe Biden said Friday.
"This agreement with China will make it easier than ever before for U.S. studios and independent filmmakers to reach the fast-growing Chinese audience, supporting thousands of American jobs in and around the film industry," Biden said in a statement obtained by NBC News after Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's whirlwind tour to the United States. "At the same time, Chinese audiences will have access to more of the finest films made anywhere in the world."
"U.S. studios and independent filmmakers cite China as one of their most important world markets, but barriers imposed by China and challenged by the United States in the WTO have artificially reduced the revenue U.S. film producers received from their movies in the Chinese market," said United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk. "This agreement will help to change that, boosting one of America's strongest export sectors in one of our largest export markets."
Pool / Getty Images
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, left, shows Vice President Joe Biden a chocolate-covered macadamia nut, given to him by Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie, at the start of a meeting of Chinese and American governors Friday at Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles.
On a global basis, films and other audiovisual services?create?a?$12 billion trade surplus in the sector for the United States, the White House said.
Last year, Chinese box office revenue was up to $2.1 billion,?with much?of that from 3D titles.
The agreement allows more American exports to China of 3D, IMAX, and similar enhanced-format movies on favorable commercial terms, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said.
"This is a major step forward in spurring the growth of U.S. exports to China," Chris Dodd, president of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), said in a statement.
"It has long been a top priority for the MPAA, and it is tremendous news for the millions of American workers and businesses whose jobs depend on the entertainment industry."
Walt Disney Co. president and CEO Robert Iger said in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter: "China is one of the most populous countries in the world, and this agreement represents a significant opportunity to provide Chinese audiences increased access to our films."
The U.S. movie industry has long complained about China's tight restrictions on the number of foreign films allowed into the country each year, a limit that they say helps fuel demand for pirated DVDs that are widely available in China.
While the quota of 20 foreign films per year remains in place, Beijing granted other concessions that pleased Hollywood.
The deal strengthens the opportunities to distribute films through private enterprises rather than the state film monopoly, and ensures fairer compensation levels for U.S. blockbuster films distributed by Chinese state-owned enterprises, U.S. trade officials said.
The agreement will be reviewed after 5 years to ensure that it is working as envisioned,?they?said.
NBC News and Reuters contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/18/10439615-china-to-ease-access-for-us-movies-biden-says
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Friday, February 17, 2012
Michael B. Keegan: 99% of Women Have Used Contraceptives. The ...
Fighting contraception. Stopping domestic violence protections. Extending tax cuts for the wealthy, while hiking taxes on the middle class. Welcoming white supremacists to a conference, but banning gay conservatives. The GOP has followed its extremist fringe off the deep end, leaving the rest of us back in the reality-based world, and befuddled. Their strategists warned them not to do this, but it appears that to the GOP, unhinged fringe issues are like catnip.
It wasn't a surprise to see Republican luminaries, including Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Mitch McConnell flock to major conservative conference last week that also included a panel session featuring a white supremacist. But it was ironic that this same event, the Conservative Political Action Conference, banned a group of gay conservatives from participating, accusing them of alienating so-called "family values" groups like the Family Research Council (FRC).
The banned group, GOProud, is hardly radical, even by right-wing standards -- it split from the Log Cabin Republicans because it thought the older group was too concerned with gay rights. Beyond pushing the much feared "The Gay Agenda," now just being gay excludes you from the biggest conservative conference of the year. Being a white supremacist gets you on a panel.
This year, CPAC banned the gays to gain back the FRC -- and white supremacists came as a bonus. The leaders of the GOP -- including a few aspiring leaders of the free world -- came along for the ride.
But CPAC was just the beginning of what has been a surreal week for a major political party. On Friday, President Obama announced a compromise with Catholic leaders who objected to religious institutions being included in the contraception coverage mandate for employee insurance. The compromise, which spared Catholic institutions from providing contraception coverage while ensuring that female employees would still have access to it, was not enough for the Catholic bishops and GOP leaders. Instead, they announced that they wanted a rule that would allow any employer to renounce any insurance coverage for any procedure they find morally objectionable.
Anyone who has ever had health insurance knows that that's an extreme position -- allowing employers to pick and choose what procedures they'll provide insurance for? -- but it's one that Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and the leaders of the House and Senate GOP jumped right on.
And attacking contraception is just the beginning. Republicans in the Senate are blocking a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act because it includes protections for LGBT people and undocumented immigrants. The Virginia House just passed a bill that would require women seeking abortions to undergo an invasive trans-vaginal ultrasound without their consent, and another that would put access to birth control at risk. The latter, a so-called "personhood" bill, is so extreme a similar measure was rejected by Mississippi voters by double digits last year -- yes, that Mississippi. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who is widely considered to be a top candidate for the GOP vice presidential nomination, has said he will sign the forced ultrasound bill and may sign the "personhood" measure.
Finally, on another issue important to millions of American families -- middle class tax cuts -- the GOP gave in and joined the rest of us in reality. While Republicans had been making rumblings about repeating their disastrous stunt in December where they threatened to raise payroll taxes on working Americans because the cost would be offset by a miniscule tax on the very rich, they ultimately gave in -- while leaving lower-profile but equally important issues of extending unemployment benefits and fixing Medicare payments for doctors in the lurch.
Where is the mainstream of the GOP? And why aren't they speaking up? 99 percent of American women who have ever been sexually active have used birth control. 59 percent of Americans think all employers should have to provide comprehensive health insurance to their employees -- including to women. Sixty-six percent think the wealthiest should pay a bit more to help all Americans get by in a bad economy. As of last year, 56 percent said gay and lesbian relationships are "morally acceptable" -- and although I haven't seen polling, I'd bet that the "morally acceptable" number for white supremacists is significantly lower.
Polls are polls and politicians shouldn't govern by them, but shouldn't they notice when they're falling off the deep end? The GOP, in pursuing the agenda of the most extreme factions of its base, has left moderates within its own party and American common sense behind. This isn't just bad for them politically -- in the long run, it's bad for the country. There are plenty of serious issues that demand our attention -- jobs, housing, the energy crisis, crumbling infrastructure. But instead of tackling these, the GOP seems determined to fixate on a parade of dangerous nonsense.
?
Follow Michael B. Keegan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/peoplefor
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-b-keegan/gop-obama-birth-control_b_1281808.html
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[unable to retrieve full-text content]For instance, if your left nostril is pierced, then you might want to get your right eyebrow pierced if you are really craving an eyebrow body piercing. ... Select Category, Uncategorized, Vacations, Arts & Entertainment, Celebrities, Humanities, Movies, Music, Photography, Poetry, Computers, Computer Certification, Data Recovery, Games, Hardware, Networks, Software, Finance, Credit, Currency Trading, Debt Consolidation, Fundraising, Insurance, Investing, Leasing ...
Source: http://69ta.com/2012/02/body-piercing-three-things-to-help-you-make-the-best-choices/
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Thursday, February 16, 2012
Colombian priests hire hitmen to kill themselves
El Tiempo via EPA
Priests Rafael Reatiga (left) and Richard Piffano were gunned down a year ago in Bogota.
By The Associated Press
Hours after he asked his parishioners to pray for him, Rev. Rafael Reatiga was found shot to death in a car in Bogota with another Roman Catholic priest.
The Associated Press reported that police initially suspected that Reatiga and Rev. Richard Piffano, 37, were victims of robbery. But now, three weeks after their bodies were found, Colombian prosecutors say the two Catholic priests hired hitmen to kill them when at least?one of them was diagnosed with AIDS.
Prosecutors located the alleged hitmen based on phone numbers the priests had called from their cell phones days before their deaths.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that the priests paid about $8,500 for the hit. They had originally planned to commit suicide by throwing themselves into a canyon but couldn?t bring themselves to jump. Medical tests showed that Reatiga, 36, had AIDS.
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He also had syphilis and had been seen visiting places frequented by gay men in Bogota, according to the AP.
Two of the four assassins have been arrested, the AP reported. They face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.
? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Martha Stewart's dog wins its breed at N.Y. show (Reuters)
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart is not the only star in her household. Her Chow Chow dog, GK, won its breed at the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on Monday.
The Club holds its annual two-day event at Madison Square Garden in New York. This year 2000 dogs representing 185 breeds and varieties from across the U.S. are vying to be named Best in Show on Feb 14.
GK, whose registered name is CH Pazzazz's Genghis Khan #8, competed in the Non-Sporting Group. He now advances to the Best in Group competition Monday night.
Stewart co-owns GK with Karen Tracy of Leighton, Pa. Leighton also owns GK's mother, who won the breed at Westminster last year.
This year, six new breeds of dogs, including Mexico's hairless Xoloitzcuintli, the Finnish Lapphund and the Norwegian Lundehund, are competing. They join other newcomers, the Cesky Terrier, the American English Coonhound and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog in competing at the event that started in 1877 with 1,201 dogs.
Last year's winner was a Scottish Deerhound named Hickory.
(Editing By Zorianna Kit)
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Monday, February 13, 2012
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