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Source: http://www.oyeblikk.net/is-there-any-easy-way-to-get-great-yet-affordable-flooring-idea/

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Academy gets collection of B-movie posters from golden era

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has received a gift of 1,088 original film posters, many of them "B movies" from Hollywood's golden age, the organization announced Tuesday.

The donated posters, from Chicago real estate developer Dwight Cleveland, document the studio era of "B movies" in the first half of the 20th century and are mainly from Twentieth Century-Fox. The posters from the "B movies" - so named because they played in theaters on the bottom of double feature bills - represent a wide variety of genres, including westerns, war films, musicals, biblical tales, and social issue films.

The gift, which will be housed in the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library, fills a gap in the Academy's collection, an official said.

"B-movies tap into the public consciousness and provide rich fodder for better understanding the times," said Linda Mehr, director of the Margaret Herrick Library.

Cleveland began collecting in 1977 while still in high school, inspired after seeing film posters in an art teacher's classroom. After moving to Los Angeles, Cleveland scoured the once-plentiful collector's shops on Hollywood Boulevard for high-quality memorabilia and continues to collect today.

"I really think that film posters are one of the very few truly indigenous art forms of our country," Cleveland said. "By making these gifts, I hope to excite an appreciation for the works themselves among members of the general public and also set a good example for other collectors."

Anne Coco, the Herrick's graphic arts librarian, expressed the Academy's appreciation.

"Dwight's collection was a dream to receive," she said. "Not only was it very well organized, but the posters also were in excellent shape. Our staff is fairly certain he was a librarian in another lifetime,"

Posters in the library's collections are stored in climate-controlled vaults in Beverly Hills and may be accessed by filmmakers, historians, journalists, students and the general public. They are frequently shown at the Academy's own exhibitions and loaned to cultural institutions worldwide.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/academy-gets-collection-b-movie-posters-golden-era-001111247.html

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Huge Chinese expo center planned for Cancun riles Mexican businesses, environmentalists

MEXICO CITY It?s a big dream: A massive complex near the resort of Cancun that would be the largest trading center for Chinese products in the Western Hemisphere.

The proposed complex would house 3,040 showrooms, divided among 14 industrial sectors and targeting wholesalers from across Latin America. Projections estimate that it would draw 1 million people a year to a resort that already is the most popular beach destination in the Western Hemisphere.

But just one month ahead of its expected groundbreaking, the $180 million Dragon Mart Cancun is drawing loud objections from an odd alliance of Mexican environmentalists, who worry about the predicted surge in visitors, and business interests, who fear competition from inexpensive Chinese imports.

?We categorically and overwhelmingly oppose the initiative to install a Dragon Mart on our national territory,? the Confederation of Industrial Chambers of Mexico, the nation?s largest industrial group, said in a statement last month.

The group said it was worried about China?s past practices of ?under invoicing, fake receipts, price subsidies, weak tax collection, almost null labor requirements and zero commitment to the environment.?

?The project may represent a beachhead for the massive arrival of Chinese products in conditions of unfair trade that may affect national industry and production chains,? the group added.

A business-supported think tank, the Center for Economic Studies of the Private Sector, said this week that it agreed with those concerns. It noted in a statement that China has chalked up 643 anti-dumping complaints through mid-2012, more than any other member of the World Trade Organization. Mexico has lodged 19 of those complaints.

It called on authorities to conduct ?a serious and urgent investigation? of the business plan of Dragon Mart Cancun to ensure that competition will be fair.

Already, the overseers of Dragon Mart Cancun have made concessions. For one, Juan Carlos Lopez, the director general of Dragon Mart Cancun, said the expo had decided to ban exhibits by Chinese sellers of shoes and clothing.

?These two industries are very sensitive in Mexico,? he said.

Another concession, Lopez said, is that the expo center will no longer be only for Chinese vendors but also for vendors from around the world.

On the same parcel as Dragon Mart Cancun will be warehousing and 722 villas where vendors may live.

?It?s not just for Chinese people. Anybody who leases a booth can lease a home,? Lopez said.

He said he expected 400 to 600 agents of mainland Chinese companies to work at Dragon Mart Cancun, part of the 8,550 direct and indirect jobs he said the project will generate.

If the project goes ahead as planned, it would follow the rough model of Dragon Mart Dubai, the first effort by Chinese business and industry to set up a massive showroom center abroad to promote Chinese products. Dragon Mart Dubai, which measures more than 1,300 yards from end to end, opened in 2004.

Dragon Mart Cancun will contain sectors that offer home appliances, communication equipment, lighting, household furnishings, jewelry, building materials, furniture, toys, machinery, medical equipment, auto parts, foodstuffs and general merchandise.

?Latin Americans, instead of going to China or Asia, or going to different international fairs or expositions, will go to Cancun,? Lopez said.

Lopez said the Chinese government has no stake in Dragon Mart Cancun. Rather, a Chinese entrepreneur, Hao Feng, who is also behind a third proposed Dragon Mart in Bahrain, holds a 10 percent stake through a Netherlands-based private company, Chinamex, he said. The other 90 percent of Dragon Mart Cancun is in the hands of Mexican investors from Merida and Monterrey, he said.

Chinamex considered a series of other cities for the Dragon Mart, including Los Angeles, Miami, Panama City and Sao Paulo, as well as other locations in Mexico, including Tijuana, according to promotional literature.

Cancun won because its airport has more international flights than any other in Latin America, Lopez said, and its world-class hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions also will draw buyers.

?It?s a nice place to go,? he said.

Moreover, the exposition center will broaden the regional focus from tourism: ?This is an opportunity to diversify the economy,? he said.

Most of the merchandise ordered through Dragon Mart Cancun will never come through the Yucatan Peninsula. Instead, it will be shipped directly to the port nearest the buyer, Lopez said. Volumes may be huge. Lopez said Dragon Mart Dubai last year traded the equivalent of 52,000 20-foot containers.

Environmental groups also have taken aim at Dragon Mart Cancun, which would sit on a 1,367 acre site about four miles from Cancun?s airport.

?There is environmental concern because it is nearly along the coast and only 3,400 meters (2.1 miles) from a protected area, the reefs of Puerto Morelos,? said Alejandra Serrano, a representative of the Mexican Center for Environmental Law.

Serrano said Dragon Mart Cancun has not been transparent about its long-term plans nor has it complied with zoning laws on protecting green areas.

Lopez responded that the project will have its own water treatment plant and will make extensive use of solar energy.

?We will not chop any vegetation, any trees. Zero,? Lopez said. ?There are very few projects in all of Mexico that are so green.?

Lopez said the project already has received the green light from the surrounding state of Quintana Roo and only awaits a building permit from the Benito Juarez municipality, which he expects next month.

The project should be completed by May 2014.

Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/01/30/3823088/huge-chinese-expo-center-planned.html

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French Troops Control Key Airport in North Mali

(SEGOU, Mali) ? French forces have taken control of the airport in Kidal, seizing a key position in one of three provincial capitals the Islamist militants took over last year, officials said Wednesday. One Malian official said French troops even moved into the city, which was the last remaining urban stronghold of the Islamists in Mali.

French and Malian troops have recaptured two of the other provincial capitals, Timbuktu and Gao, in recent days, and been welcomed by overjoyed crowds. However, already concerns are emerging about whether the Islamists will try to return once France hands over the military operation to Mali and soldiers from neighboring countries.

Haminy Maiga, the interim president of the Kidal regional assembly, said French forces met no resistance when they arrived late Tuesday.

?The French arrived at 9:30 p.m. aboard four planes, which landed one after another. Afterwards they took the airport and then entered the town, and there was no combat,? said Maiga, who had been in touch with people in the town by satellite phone as all the normal phone networks were down.

?The French are patrolling the town and two helicopters are patrolling overhead,? he added.

In Paris, French army Col. Thierry Burkhard confirmed that the airport was taken overnight and described the operation in Kidal itself as ?ongoing.?

On Tuesday, a secular Tuareg rebel group had asserted that they were in control of Kidal and other small towns in northern Mali. Maiga said those fighters had left Kidal and were at the entry posts on the roads from Gao and Tessalit.

France, the former colonial ruler, began sending in troops, helicopters and warplanes on Jan. 11 to turn the tide after the armed Islamists began encroaching on the south, toward the capital. French and Malian troops seized Gao during the weekend, welcomed by joyous crowds. They took Timbuktu on Monday. The Islamists gave up both cities and retreated into the surrounding desert.

To help battle the Islamists in their desert hideouts, a U.S. military official says the Pentagon is considering setting up a drone base in northwest Africa to increase intelligence collection.

While most crowds in the freed cities have been joyous, months of resentment toward the Islamists already has erupted into violence in Gao.

Video footage filmed by an amateur cameraman and obtained by The Associated Press shows a mob attacking the symbol of the oppressive regime, the Islamic police headquarters.

Some celebrate cheering ?I am Malian,? while others armed with sticks and machetes attack suspected members of the Islamist regime. The graphic images show the mob as they mutilate the corpses of two young suspected jihadists lying dead in the street.

France?s president said his country?s forces would stay in Mali as long as necessary, but the French also have said they expect troops from African nations to take the lead as soon as they are able. There are now some 2,900 African soldiers in Mali, including 1,400 from Chad who are used to fighting in harsh, desert terrain like northern Mali.

Mali?s military was severely affected by last year?s coup and has a reputation for disorganization and bad discipline. Already Malian soldiers have been accused of fatally shooting civilians suspected of links to the Islamists. The military has promised to investigate the allegations.

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Ahmed reported from Segou, Mali. Associated Press writer Lori Hinnant in Paris and Andrew Drake in Gao, Mali contributed to this report.

MORE:?Mali?s War: After Surging Into the Islamist-Held North, Will France Retreat?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/timeblogs/middle_east/~3/JWxPhtaaCc4/

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Dutch Queen Beatrix announces she is to abdicate

Image taken of a TV screen showing Dutch Queen Beatrix announcing she will abdicate April 30, 2014, during a speech prerecorded in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/NOS Television/Peter Dejong)

Image taken of a TV screen showing Dutch Queen Beatrix announcing she will abdicate April 30, 2014, during a speech prerecorded in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/NOS Television/Peter Dejong)

FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2011 file photo, Dutch Queen Beatrix, center, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, left and Princess Maxima, second left, arrive at the "Hall of Knights" to formally open the new parliamentary year in The Hague, Netherlands. Queen Beatrix announced she is to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Willem Alexander during a nationally televised speech Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2011 file photo, Dutch Queen Beatrix formally opens the new parliamentary year with a speech in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011. Queen Beatrix announced she is to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Willem Alexander during a nationally televised speech Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/Toussaint Kluiters, Pool, File)

FILE - In this April 30, 1980 file photo, Princess Juliana, just after her abdication, kisses her eldest daughter Queen Beatrix, left, on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch Queen Beatrix announces she is to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Willem Alexander during a nationally televised speech Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/ Ferry van Groen, File)

FILE - In this April 30, 1980 file photo, Queen Beatrix is shown during her crowning ceremony at Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch Queen Beatrix announced she is to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Willem Alexander during a nationally televised speech Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo, File)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) ? Dutch Queen Beatrix announced Monday that she will abdicate on April 30 after 33 years as head of state, clearing the way for her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, to become the nation's first king in more than a century.

The announcement, in a nationally televised speech, signaled an end to the reign of one of Europe's longest-serving monarchs, whose time on the throne was marked by tumultuous shifts in Dutch society and, more recently, by personal tragedy.

The queen's abdication from the largely ceremonial role had been widely expected, but it is sure to bring an outpouring of sentimental and patriotic feelings among the Dutch, most of whom adore Beatrix. In everyday conversation, many of her subjects refer to her simply by the nickname "Bea."

"Responsibility for our country must now lie in the hands of a new generation," Beatrix said in the speech delivered from her Huis ten Bosch palace just days before she was to turn 75.

"I am deeply grateful for the great faith you have shown in me in the many years that I could be your Queen," she added.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte, a staunch monarchist, paid his respects in a speech that immediately followed Beatrix on all Dutch television channels.

"Since her coronation in 1980s she's applied herself heart and soul for Dutch society," Rutte said.

The timing of the announcement makes sense at multiple levels. It comes just days before Beatrix's birthday, and she is already the oldest ever Dutch monarch: the pragmatic Dutch do not see being king or queen as a job for life. The nation also celebrates the 200th anniversary of its monarchy, the House of Orange, at the end of this year, Beatrix said.

Observers believe she remained on the throne for so long in part because of unrest in Dutch society as the country struggled to assimilate more and more immigrants, mainly Muslims from North Africa, and shifted away from its traditional reputation as one of the world's most tolerant nations.

In her Christmas Day speech in 2010, Beatrix made a heartfelt plea for unity, saying, "with each other we all make up one society."

Beatrix was also thought to be giving time for her son to enjoy fatherhood before becoming King Willem-Alexander: he has three young daughters with Argentine investment banker Maxima Zorreguieta.

Beatrix has frequently said that the best years of her life were her time as a young mother, before her coronation in 1980.

The abdication also comes at a time of trial for Beatrix. This time a year ago she was struck by personal tragedy when the second of her three sons, Prince Friso, was left in a coma after being engulfed by an avalanche while skiing in Austria.

And even in a job that is mostly ceremonial to begin with, the previous government stripped her of one of her few remaining powers: the ability to name a candidate to begin Cabinet formations after elections of the national parliament.

Meanwhile Willem-Alexander, 45, is prepared to assume the job.

He is a trained pilot and expert in the quintessentially Dutch field of water management who has long been groomed for the throne, often joining Beatrix on state visits and sometimes even flying her home.

Willem-Alexander, a member of the International Olympic Committee, courted controversy with his choice to marry Maxima, whose father was an agriculture minister in the military junta that ruled Argentina with an iron fist in the late 1970s and early '80s.

Beatrix's choice of husband, Claus, who died in 2002, was met with resistance in 1966 because he was a German national and the Nazis' World War II occupation of the Netherlands was still an open wound for many who lived through it. But, like Maxima, he won the hearts of his adopted nation and there was a huge outpouring of grief at his death.

Beatrix's reign began in difficult economic times and there were riots in Amsterdam at her coronation, as thousands of demonstrators protesting the city's housing shortages fought pitched battles with police just a few hundred meters (yards) from the downtown palace where she was crowned.

But throughout her reign she was a calming influence on society, particularly in the aftermath of the 2002 assassination of populist politician Pim Fortuyn and the murder two years later of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a Muslim extremist.

Although she was widely respected for her unpretentious style, it took Beatrix much of her reign to attain the admiration and popularity of her late mother, former Queen Juliana, who was more openly loving toward her people.

But in recent years, personal tragedies exposed a softer side to the queen and brought her closer to her subjects.

Klaus's death took a toll on her, and it was apparent how deep her reliance on the quiet man had been: she was filmed leaning heavily, almost hanging on Prince Friso's arm as they entered the church for his funeral.

In another blow, a deranged loner tried to slam a car into an open-topped bus carrying members of the royal family as they celebrated the Queens Day national holiday in 2010. The driver killed seven people gathered to watch the royals and the brazen attack shocked the nation.

Then, in 2012, Prince Friso ? who had been such a support after Klaus's death ? was engulfed by an avalanche as he skied, plunging him into a coma from which he has yet to wake.

Beatrix went back to her busy official schedule soon after the accident, but it again spurred speculation that her reign could be nearing its end.

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Associated Press writer Toby Sterling contributed from Amsterdam.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-28-Netherlands-Queen/id-ba2173657ac8431ca718a3a3ef750e14

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Video: Accolades roll in for ?Argo?

>>> and during what many in hollywood thought would be a year of lincoln, ben affleck 's movie "argo" is cleaning up heading into the academy awards . first the golden globe and then last night at the screen actors guild awards . the last go-round before the academy awards . best actor and actress went to daniel day -lewis for "lincoln" and jennifer lawrence for "silver linings playbook".

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/50621185/

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Dave Grohl Sends Soundgarden On Segways In 'By Crooked Steps' Video

Soundgarden's new Dave Grohl-directed clip breaks new ground for the band ... by being funny.
By James Montgomery

Chris Cornell in Soundgarden's video for "By Crooked Steps"
Photo: Soundgarden Recordings, LLC

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700977/soundgarden-dave-grohl-crooked-steps-video.jhtml

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Couponfreestuff: Ancestry.com 25% off Family Tree Maker

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Ancestry.com 25% off Family Tree Maker

I love Ancestry.com and have been a member for years. I have researched both sides of my family and made family trees. It is so exciting to see where you come from! Right now you can get the Family Tree maker software by your choice of download or shipped for 25% off. Original price is 39.99 and it is now just 29.99! There is no expiration date on the deal posted so I don't know how long it will last.

Source: http://www.couponfreestuff.com/2013/01/ancestrycom-25-off-family-tree-maker.html

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Ryanair lifts profit forecast on resilient Northern Europe

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ryanair hiked its full-year profit forecast on Monday as strong demand in Northern Europe lifted average fares dramatically in the last three months of 2012.

Dublin-based Ryanair, Europe's top low-cost airline, which has used its size and low costs to undercut struggling flag carriers, hiked its profit forecast to 540 million euros ($728 million) for the year to March, up from an earlier 490-520 million euro range.

"We saw strong demand out of the UK, out of Germany and out of Scandinavia and that has gone straight to our bottom line," Chief Operating Officer Michael Cawley told Reuters.

Strong demand in the run-up to Christmas and a high uptake of reserved seating options helped to lift ticket prices in northern Europe well above the company's forecasts, he said.

Sales were not as buoyant in Southern Europe, with Spain in particular "very weak," and fare growth in Italy flat, he said.

An 8 percent rise in average fares lifted the airline to a profit of 18 million euros in the traditionally weak three months to December, compared with an average forecast by five analysts polled by Reuters of a 5 million euro loss.

Fare growth compared with 5 percent in the six months to September and was way ahead of the 3 percent average forecast by three analysts polled by Reuters.

Average fares will grow at a slower pace in the three months to March, however, Cawley said.

Ryanair has been able to sweep up customers as traditional rivals cut back capacity in the face of slow economic growth in Europe and high fuel costs.

Revenues climbed 15 percent to 969 million euros in the quarter, better than the 9.2 percent revenue growth its chief low cost rival easyJet reported last week.

Ancillary revenues, which exclude ticket prices, were up 24 percent from a year earlier.

"Demand is exceeding supply in the short-haul market and Ryanair is capitalizing on it," said Davy stockbrokers analyst Stephen Furlong. "The market will be very happy with these numbers."

Higher fares helped Ryanair absorb a 24 percent hike in fuel costs compared with the same quarter last year. Fuel cost inflation is expected to ease to 5 percent in the year to March 2014 from 14 percent in the current financial year.

Excluding fuel, unit costs rose 4 percent in the quarter due to increases in Italian air traffic control costs, Spanish airport charges and the strength of Sterling to the Euro, Ryanair said.

Next year fares will continue to rise though capacity will likely only grow by 2-3 percent in the financial year to March 2014, Cawley said, down from the 4 percent rise forecast in the current year, due to the lack of new plane deliveries planned.

The airline remains in "protracted negotiations" with Boeing about a large plane order, Cawley said.

In a separate statement, Ryanair said it remained confident European Union antitrust regulators would approve its bid for Irish rival Aer Lingus by March.

Ryanair's shares opened down 1 percent on Monday at 5.42, compared with a fall of 0.2 percent on the broader Irish market <.iseq>. ($1 = 0.7421 euros)

(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Richard Pullin and Helen Massy-Beresford)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ryanair-lifts-profit-forecast-resilient-northern-europe-082101504--finance.html

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Egypt protesters defy curfew after emergency rule imposed

ISMAILIA/CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) - Thousands of Egyptian protesters ignored a curfew on Monday to take to the streets in cities along the Suez canal, defying a state of emergency imposed by Islamist President Mohamed Mursi to end days of violence that has killed at least 51 people.

One man was killed in violence late on Monday in Port Said and another was shot dead earlier in Cairo as a wave of violence raged on, unleashed last week on the eve of the two-year anniversary of the popular revolt that brought down autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Political opponents spurned a call by Mursi for talks to try to end the violence, with main opposition groups refusing to attend a meeting.

Instead, huge crowds of protesters took to the streets in the capital Cairo, Alexandria and in the three Suez Canal cities - Port Said, Ismailia and Suez - where Mursi imposed emergency rule and a curfew on Sunday.

"Down, down with Mohamed Mursi! Down, down with the state of emergency!" crowds shouted in Ismailia in defiance of the curfew. In Cairo, flames lit up the night sky where protesters set police vehicles ablaze.

In Port Said, men attacked police stations after dark. A security source said some police and troops were injured. A medical source said one man was killed in clashes.

"The people want to bring down the regime," crowds chanted in Alexandria. "Leave means go, and don't say no!" they shouted.

The demonstrators accuse Mubarak's successor Mursi of betraying the revolution that brought down Mubarak. Mursi and his supporters accuse the protesters of seeking to overthrow the country's first ever democratically elected leader through undemocratic means.

Monday was the second anniversary of one of the bloodiest days in the revolution, which erupted on January 25, 2011 and ended Mubarak's iron rule 18 days later.

The past two years have seen the Islamists win two referendums, two parliamentary elections and a presidential vote. But that legitimacy has been challenged by an opposition that accuses Mursi of imposing a new form of authoritarianism, and punctuated by repeated waves of unrest that have prevented a return to stability in the most populous Arab state.

The army has already been deployed in Port Said and Suez and the government agreed a measure to let soldiers arrest civilians as part of the state of emergency.

A cabinet source told Reuters any trials would be in civilian courts, but the step is likely to anger protesters who accuse Mursi of using tactics like those used by Mubarak.

VOLLEYS OF TEARGAS

Propelled to the presidency in a June election by the Muslim Brotherhood, Mursi has lurched through a series of political crises and violent demonstrations while trying to shore up the economy and of prepare for a parliamentary election to cement the new democracy in a few months.

The instability unnerves Western capitals, where officials worry about the direction of a key regional player that has a peace deal with Israel. The United States condemned the deadly violence and called on Egyptian leaders to make clear violence is not acceptable. ID:nW1E8MD01C].

In Cairo on Monday, police fired volleys of teargas at stone-throwing protesters near Tahrir Square, cauldron of the anti-Mubarak uprising. Protesters stormed into the down town Semiramis Intercontinental hotel and burned two police vehicles.

A 46-year-old bystander was killed by a gunshot early on Monday, a security source said. It was not clear who fired.

"We want to bring down the regime and end the state that is run by the Muslim Brotherhood," said Ibrahim Eissa, a 26-year-old cook, protecting his face from teargas wafting towards him.

The political unrest has been exacerbated by street violence linked to death penalties imposed on soccer supporters convicted of involvement in stadium rioting in Port Said a year ago.

As part of emergency measures, a daily curfew will be imposed on the three canal cities from 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) to 6 a.m. (0400 GMT).

The president announced the measures on television on Sunday: "The protection of the nation is the responsibility of everyone. We will confront any threat to its security with force and firmness within the remit of the law," Mursi said.

His demeanor in the address infuriated his opponents, not least when he wagged a finger at the camera.

He offered condolences to families of victims. But his invitation to Islamist allies and their opponents to hold a national dialogue was spurned by the main opposition National Salvation Front coalition. Those who attended were mostly Mursi's supporters or sympathizers.

SENDING A MESSAGE

The Front rejected the offer of talks as "cosmetic and not substantive" and set conditions for any future meeting that have not been met in the past, such as forming a government of national unity. The group also demanded that Mursi declare himself responsible for the bloodshed.

"We will send a message to the Egyptian people and the president of the republic about what we think are the essentials for dialogue. If he agrees to them, we are ready for dialogue," opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei told a news conference.

The opposition Front has distanced itself from the latest flare-ups but said Mursi should have acted far sooner to impose security measures that would have ended the violence.

"Of course we feel the president is missing the real problem on the ground, which is his own policies," Front spokesman Khaled Dawoud said after Mursi made his declaration.

Other activists said Mursi's measures to try to impose control on the turbulent streets could backfire.

"Martial law, state of emergency and army arrests of civilians are not a solution to the crisis," said Ahmed Maher of the April 6 movement that helped galvanize the 2011 uprising. "All this will do is further provoke the youth. The solution has to be a political one that addresses the roots of the problem."

Rights activists said Mursi's declaration was a backward step for Egypt, which was under emergency law for Mubarak's entire 30-year rule. His police used sweeping arrest provisions to muzzle dissent and round up opponents, including members of the Brotherhood and even Mursi himself.

Heba Morayef of Human Rights Watch in Cairo said the police, still hated by many Egyptians for their heavy-handed tactics under Mubarak, would once again have the right to arrest people "purely because they look suspicious", undermining efforts to create a more efficient and respected police force.

"It is a classic knee-jerk reaction to think the emergency law will help bring security," she said. "It gives so much discretion to the Ministry of Interior that it ends up causing more abuse, which in turn causes more anger."

(Additional reporting by Yasmine Saleh in Cairo, Yusri Mohamed in Ismailia and Abdelrahman Youssef in Alexandria; Editing by Peter Graff)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-leader-declares-emergency-clashes-kill-dozens-031734034.html

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How to Choose the Best Franchise Business in the Philippines ...

Many Filipinos are on the hunt for extra income. But since the Philippines is a country where unemployment is rampant, most people are not likely to find an extra job. That?s why buying a business franchise has become a popular choice among Pinoys.

Franchising is relatively simple because there?s no product to invent or a business model to test. A business that has opened its doors to franchising already has the track record of earning profits. All the franchisee has to do is choose the location and run the franchise efficiently.

Still, success is not guaranteed even with a franchise. And if one is not careful, a franchisee can easily lose his or her capital because the business proved lackluster for some reason. So choosing which franchise business to pursue is very important. There?s not a lot of freely available data which can help investors decide which business will succeed. Mostly it?s about gut feel.

Improving Your Chances

But if you're going to bet a considerable portion of your savings to a business venture, you would want to get the best information available to help in your decision. Although there can be many factors that will determine the fate of a franchise business, due diligence in doing the preliminary research will help you lessen the odds of failure.

If you feel like creating a checklist for this purpose, make sure you?ve got the items that we will discuss below covered. It?s not everything there is to check but it?s an essential list that I have learned from experience running a business franchise. It wasn?t ultra-successful but the franchise I owned taught me quite a lot about running a business.

1. You should be amazed by the product

I have written about selling and why it is the most important skill in business. When you?ve got a franchise of a business, you definitely have to give enough attention to how effectively you sell. But in order for you to become passionate about selling a product, it should be extraordinary in your own assessment. If you?re not convinced your product or service is any good, your effort to sell it will not succeed.

If you know your friends will like your product, you would eagerly endorse it. Because even without any selling experience, we all sometimes vouch for good products that easily convince others to buy. It?s a matter of being genuinely amazed by a product that ultimately attracts others to it as well.

2. Know exactly the target market

If you try selling something to the wrong market, you can end up with a lot of disappointments. Selling expensive stuff to a place frequented by Class D & E consumers, for example, would not work at all because no one will buy. It doesn?t matter how great the product you?re selling, if you?re pitching it to the wrong crowd your efforts will be in vain.

For inexperienced entrepreneurs, seeing a product sell in one place can lead them to wrongly conclude it can sell everywhere. But if you?re going to be really smart and careful, you?ll have to know the consumers who are drawn to the product. Study who they are and how you can reach them. Considering your franchise business prospect and the market that it serves, where would be the best place to locate your business?

3. Choose the best location

Because it?s difficult to select a location for a business, many business owners tend to justify going for a place that they?ve found affordable even if further examination reveals some dangers. Sometimes the only factor being looked at is foot traffic. Although the amount of people who will pass by to see your products is important, it?s not as important if they?re not the right people to buy them.

Just because location is very important, a future franchise owner should assess a business based on the locations he is able to tap. Usually, distance from the owner and rental costs will dictate what locations are possible. Given the possibilities, you can eliminate franchises that will not suit any of the locations you can think of.

4. Analyze cost projections

The cost of doing business is always a critical factor to consider in choosing a franchise. Doing your homework to make cost estimates will help you assess your potential to earn profits. It will also clearly spell out to you how much you need to sell if you want to succeed. The higher your expenses the lower your profit becomes.

Knowing where the expenses will go can also help with ideas for cost-reduction measures later on. But ultimately, it will help in assessing the risk of not selling well by showing how much loss you may incur. Knowing these things can really help you to decide if the business is something your risk appetite is ready for.

5. Know the marketing plan

Effective selling is actively done. So it's wrong to think that a franchise business will not need any marketing activity. Business owners who fail to understand this are often forced to take action when sales struggle to meet the target.

As a future franchise owner, understanding how your products will get to the attention of your buyers is necessary. Foot traffic will only get you so far. Getting serious attention as opposed to a useless glance from potential customers can only be achieved with good marketing. The franchisor should present their marketing plan and also help you create one for those nearer your location.

6. Study your competitive edge

You can have great products and a pretty good location but if your product isn't competitive enough, you will do badly. Oftentimes, competition is unavoidable. You don't need to shun them all the time. But you do have to learn your competitive edge over the others so that you can capitalize on your advantage.

A product that doesn't have a competitive edge based on your assessment should be avoided. Even if the terms of the franchise are favorable, it shouldn't lure you to make the wrong judgment.

7. Learn from other franchise owners

Last but definitely not the least, existing franchise owners are a great resource of information. Find them and talk to them. Invite them to lunch if you can. Their insights into the business are better than anyone else. You can use their experience to make a determination to buy the franchise or not.

Perfect information will never be available in any decision-making process. Same is true in choosing a franchise business. But it shouldn't stop you from knowing as much as you can before you go ahead. Oftentimes, your chances of success are made better because of it.

*Photo Credit: ekkun (Creative Commons)

Source: http://www.perakoto.com/2013/01/how-to-choose-best-franchise-business-philippines.html

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Health Living And Care | Top Five Accredited Physical Therapy ...

The duties of a physical therapist include helping a patient to improve his/her mobility. On the other hand, a physical therapist assistant works with the physical therapist and performs duties such as ultrasound and hydrotherapy.

If you would like to pursue this career, you?re required to attend two years of formal education in a PTA school. Fortunately, there is an array of licensed schools to choose from.

When making a choice on which school to enroll with, you should consider a few factors including the school?s accreditation status. This is mainly because accreditation depicts how much the school is acknowledged by the society and virtually every health facility.

If a school is highly regarded, then it offers accredited programs and produces professionals that triumph in their fields. Here is a look into the top 5 accredited physical therapy assistant schools. Read on.

*Southern Illinois University
One of the most popular programs offered in Southern Illinois University is an Associate of Applied Science. This degree program is often completed in 5 semesters and equips the students with both formal education as well as clinical hands-on experience.

The courses covered include biology, interpersonal communication and human anatomy. As for the clinical experience, students take rotations in clinics and hospitals throughout Southern Illinois and sometimes in the neighboring parts.

In addition to the professional training, the university offers job placement assistance to the graduating students.

*LaGuardia Community College
This reputed community college offers a degree program in physical therapy assistance. For you to graduate from this college, you?re require to complete 68 credit hours which include coursework in functional gait training, mobility skills and clinical kinesiology.

A few hours are dedicated to volunteer work in a supervised physical therapy context after which you?re allowed to proceed to the clinical phase.

*San Diego Mesa College
Just like the Southern Illinois College, this college offers an Associate of Science degree program in physical therapy. You need to complete 32 study credits which includes coursework and clinical experience.

The coursework is comprised of therapeutic exercise, physical therapy organization and pathology. For the clinical experience, you?ll be required to complete 2 supervised clinical practices in either an in-patient or out-patient healthcare facility.

One of the practices is completed in the third semester and the other in the fourth.

*College of Southern Nevada
The Southern Nevada College also offers an Associate Degree in Applied Science. During the four semesters, the students are expected to attend lectures on biology, physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, neurosciences and behavioral sciences.

In addition to that, students get equipped with clinical experiences under the supervision of a physical therapist.

*San Juan College
The San Juan College offers an online PTA (Physical Therapist Assistant) degree program. This accredited Mexico based college has specialized in offering assistant programs. As such, prospective students can easily attain an Associate degree in Applied Science and graduate as qualified physical therapy assistants.

There are other numerous accredited physical therapist schools but the aforementioned are the best. So go ahead, make an application and enroll yourself. Enrolling in an accredited school is the first ticket toward securing employment in the world of physical therapy.

?2013 Health Living And Care and ??enough Theme??

Source: http://www.ormsblog.com/top-five-accredited-physical-therapy-assistant-schools/

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401k Gold Investing Fundamentals | Liberty

Gold coins have become the right commodity to involve in the retirement program as well as your Individual Retirement Accounts as they have the highest long-term benefit. In the classes of investments that are utilized for retirement plans, gold IRAs are the most versatile.

Financial assets like bonds depend upon others? results and may vary with time but gold?s worth isn?t at the mercy of human error. This will make a gold Individual Retirement Account the best option for all types of retirement plans.

DeGaulle, previous French president, claimed that gold is without any national biases and it is recognized around the world as a commodity having constant price that stays unchanged. It demonstrates gold IRA to be the right vehicle for retirement programs. Real gold assets make the perfect solution for personal savings.

Gold Individual Retirement Account lessens instability for an individual?s retirement account. From older days, gold has constantly moved in the other direction as compared with stocks. So, it?s related negatively to those funds and has better price as compared to them in the stock market.

As said before, gold IRA investing is a great decision to make for a person?s retirement. It can let you preserve the worth of your dollars in the future. If you want to know more, check out Gold IRA

This entry was posted in Careers on January 26, 2013 by admin.

Source: http://dwiminneapolis.com/careers/401k-gold-investing-fundamentals/

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Dung beetles follow the Milky Way

Friday, January 25, 2013

You might expect dung beetles to keep their "noses to the ground," but they are actually incredibly attuned to the sky. A report published online on January 24 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, shows that even on the darkest of nights, African ball-rolling insects are guided by the soft glow of the Milky Way.

While birds and humans are known to navigate by the stars, the discovery is the first convincing evidence for such abilities in insects, the researchers say. It is also the first known example of any animal getting around by the Milky Way as opposed to the stars.

"Even on clear, moonless nights, many dung beetles still manage to orientate along straight paths," said Marie Dacke of Lund University in Sweden. "This led us to suspect that the beetles exploit the starry sky for orientation?a feat that had, to our knowledge, never before been demonstrated in an insect."

Dacke and her colleagues found that dung beetles do transport their dung balls along straight paths under a starlit sky but lose the ability under overcast conditions. In a planetarium, the beetles stayed on track equally well under a full starlit sky and one showing only the diffuse streak of the Milky Way.

That makes sense, the researchers explain, because the night sky is sprinkled with stars, but the vast majority of those stars should be too dim for the beetles' tiny compound eyes to see.

The findings raise the possibility that other nocturnal insects might also use stars to guide them at night. On the other hand, dung beetles are pretty special. Upon locating a suitable dung pile, the beetles shape a piece of dung into a ball and roll it away in a straight line. That behavior guarantees them that they will not return to the dung pile, where they risk having their ball stolen by other beetles.

"Dung beetles are known to use celestial compass cues such as the sun, the moon, and the pattern of polarized light formed around these light sources to roll their balls of dung along straight paths," Dacke said. "Celestial compass cues dominate straight-line orientation in dung beetles so strongly that, to our knowledge, this is the only animal with a visual compass system that ignores the extra orientation precision that landmarks can offer."

###

Current Biology, Dacke et al.: "Dung beetles use the Milky Way for orientation."

Cell Press: http://www.cellpress.com

Thanks to Cell Press for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 25 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126454/Dung_beetles_follow_the_Milky_Way

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Caught on video: Teen rescued from torrent

Video of the dramatic rescue of a teen from floodwaters in Queensland was posted on YouTube by Australia's ABC network.

By Ian Johnston, Staff Writer, NBC News

A teenage boy left clinging to a tree in a raging torrent of floodwater in Australia was pulled to safety in a dramatic rescue Friday.

As the teen was being brought to dry land ? in scenes caught on video -- the emergency worker who saved him was swept away by the churning mass of brown water in Rockhampton, Queensland.

The rescuer went under a nearby bridge but managed to reach safety moments later.

The AFP news agency reported that in total there were 20 water rescues across Queensland state Thursday night and early Friday, including a woman and two children trapped in a car and seven people in two flooded houses.

Australia?s Bureau of Meteorology said nearly a foot of rain had fallen in Yeppoon, north of Rockhampton, since early Thursday, the AFP reported. The area is being hit by the remains of tropical cyclone Oswald.

One rescuer told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation?that the boy rescued in Rockhampton was lucky to be alive. ?The current was so strong, it just took him away,? Brett Williams said.

In the video of the rescue, the boy is seen holding onto a tree amid the rushing waters.

A rescuer goes out to him and a yellow rope is seen in the water.

The two then let go of the tree and make their way to land, at times appearing to be engulfed by the waters.

'He's good, he's good'
But, as the rescuer in the water tries to transfer the teen to others on the land, he is suddenly swept away.

?He?s going under the bridge,? a voice is heard saying.

Other rescuers run after him, and moment later one is heard saying, ?He?s good, he?s good.?

The Australian broadcaster reported that ?huge rainfall totals? were expected over the weekend as Oswald tracks south, with Queensland Premier Campbell Newman warning that the state?s largest city Brisbane could be hit by flooding.

AFP said 30 people were killed and more than 2.5 million people were affected by floods in Queensland two years ago.

Related:

Half world's iron ore trade halted by storm in Australia's 'cyclone alley'

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/25/16692941-caught-on-camera-teens-dramatic-rescue-from-floodwater-torrent-in-australia?lite

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Crystal Cruises entices bookings through brand ... - Luxury Daily

Crystal Symphony

Crystal Cruises is eyeing affluent travelers by offering exclusive Mediterranean excursions on its spring itineraries that cannot be accessed through other travel brands.

The cruise line?s new collection of experiences called ?Boutique Adventures? will be available this spring for groups ranging from one to 15 travelers on Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity ships sailing to the Mediterranean. Guests will have exclusive access to estates, art studios, museums, castles and businesses.

?Our guests are looking for different ways to experience destinations and they relish insider access,? said Mimi Weisband, vice president of public relations at?Crystal Cruises, Los Angeles. ?We are continually challenging our tour operators to seek out the unusual, experiential, intimate, cultural adventures.

?Our guests do not want a mass-market excursion ? they will pay more for something if it is unique and authentic,? she said.

Cruising the Mediterranean
There are seven Boutique Adventures that guests can choose. The cost ranges from $223 to more than $1,000 per guest.

Travelers can book the excursions online up to six months before their cruise.

The Florence excursion comprises a viewing of the Uffizi Gallery?s private Contini Bonacossi Collection, which is not accessible to the public.

In Funchal, Portugal, guests will have lunch with a local celebrity at Reid?s Palace or visit a family-run Madeiran winery where they will dine with the owners.

During the Rome experience, guests will make their own jewelry with instruction from a former Valentino model who now designs jewelry.

The Corfu, Greece, excursion consists of a painting lesson from the president of the Corfu Painters Society.

In Italy?s Vetriano, guests will attend the opera at Teatro Concordia, the?smallest public theater in the world.

Teatro Concordia

Excursions in Sorrento and Taormina, Italy, comprise?cooking lessons and meals with local, Michelin-star chefs.

In Taormina in Italy?s Sicily region, travelers will be served a meal while watching a classical concert at a Sicilian castle.

Crystal Cruises will promote the Boutique Adventures via its Web site, quarterly magazine and the on-board Shore Excursion team, per Ms. Weisband.

In addition, travel agents will also inform their clients about the experiences.

?The cruise industry has been becoming more aware of the large portion of the affluent travelers who shy away from cruises due to many misconceptions and overall lack of desire to be on-board the mega-ships,? said D.M. Banks, director at?DMB Public Relations, New York.

?Crystal Cruises is always looking at ways to provide the luxuries of cruises, while providing a boutique experience for their guests,? he said. ?This is another example of them thinking outside of the box to truly connect with their guests.

?Affluent travelers are more than happy to pay a premium for superior services and, more importantly, unique and personalized experiences. These intimate and semi-private excursions are great ways for guest to feel more immersed into the culture and destinations while at port.?

Story time
The new Boutique Adventures are meant to align with Crystal Cruises? ?Begin a New Story? ad campaign that launched last year, per Ms. Weisband.

The cruise line rebranded itself during the second quarter of 2012 through an all-encompassing campaign that centers on the notion of the travel journal and encourages consumers to share memories from past cruises.

The marketing efforts focus on cruise destinations and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, rather than the amenities of the ship.

Begin a New Story uses multiple channels including print ads with digital watermark technology, brochures, online banner ads, email, video and a smartphone app.

For instance, print ads appear in Cond? Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, Town & Country, Travel & Leisure, Coastal Living, Elle D?cor, Food & Wine and Forbes Life.

Consumers can scan the ads with their smartphones to reveal a 60-second video that shows three travelers? experiences in select Crystal Cruises? destinations through watercolor animation.

The brand asked eight watercolor artists to create images that are used in all aspects of the campaign (see story).

?The trend for affluent consumers is more intimate and incredibly special ? both of which are key to these excursions,? Ms. Weisband said.

?Entering someone?s home, sharing a meal with them and just a few other guests, and being able to hear in-depth stories of living and working in that area from your host ? these are experiences that can be deeply personal, bonding and memorable, really expanding one?s understanding of a culture far beyond any info gleaned from merely sight-seeing,? she said.

?Affluent consumers crave such experiences that go beyond the norm, as so many of them travel at a level well above the basics.?

Final Take
Tricia Carr, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York

Tricia Carr is an editorial assistant on Luxury Daily. Her beats are apparel and accessories, arts and entertainment, education, food and beverage, fragrance and personal care, government, healthcare, home furnishings, jewelry, legal/privacy and nonprofits. Reach her at tricia@napean.com.

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Source: http://www.luxurydaily.com/crystal-cruises-entices-bookings-through-brand-exclusive-experiences/

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Why Small Businesses Need Social Media | DWPN Blog

Posted by Tiffany Hinton on Thursday, January 24, 2013

Loud and obnoxious interrupt marketing and advertising practices of things such as TV and radio commercials are quickly becoming a thing of the past.

Today in order to gain a customer, keep that customer and turn that customer into a positive advocate it requires cultivating a?meaningful relationship.

The companies that are winning big and will dramatically breakaway from the competitive herd going forward will be those that learn how to master the tools, platform and?relational skills of social media.
Excerpt:?http://darrenhardy.success.com/2012/06/stop-yelling/

A 2011 Nielsen group report on social media usage and the findings were a bit surprising. We all know ?U.S. Internet users spend more time on Facebook more than any other site,? although buried in the report were some fascinating tidbits.

1. Americans spend most of their time online on social network and blogs

We all knew that Americans spent a lot of time on Facebook, but to put this into perspective, we only spend about 7.6 percent of our time checking e-mail. We spend almost three times (23 percent) more time on blogs and social networks than checking e-mail.

2. Seventy percent of active online adult social networkers shop online

If an adult is on a social network, odds are she is somewhat computer savvy. She?ll spend more time online than the ?average Internet user,? doing things like checking e-mail, reading news sites and blogs, chatting and shopping.

3. Fifty-three percent of active adult social networkers follow a brand?only 32 percent follow a celebrity

Most people still subscribe to the myth that Twitter and Facebook are only for teens to follow celebrities talking about the daily activities of their cats. Not true. The people who likely will be buying your products, (or are at least old enough to have a credit card), are looking for your brand on sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Adults have made it clear that they want to follow brands across social networks.

4. Sixty percent of social media users create reviews of products or services

Consumers on social media rely on the recommendations of their friends or peers. They?re also more likely to write reviews of your product or service. Active social media users greatly influence the shopping habits of their friends. It?s not a question of are they talking about your brand. They?re talking about you. The question is: How are they talking about your products? Are you listening? Are you communicating with them?

5. The number of mobile Internet users is up 47 percent from last year

Is your site optimized for mobile? Mobile usage is exploding across social networks. Twice as many people aged 55+ visit social networking sites on their mobile phone than did last year. Mobile Internet audience for social networking sites is up 62 percent since last year. Two in five social media users access these services from their mobile phones.

Action Step:?If your business doesn?t have a strong presence in social media or blogging, Start Today!

??????????????????

Hi, I am Tiffany Hinton, also known as Vphone Girl. I am a super mom, business owner, published author, and crafting extraordinaire!! My super powers include creating and sharing easy to follow projects in the Bittersweet Walnut Grove Books Series and Vphonegirl Blog, inspiring you to be the best women you can be!

I grew up in small town America, went to college and moved to the suburbs. Yes, I am a blond and hold a 4 year degree in computer science! But, I am not a geek. I love the city but miss the country.

In my business savings, quality and innovation take center stage in ACN?s outstanding product portfolio providing the total package for your communication and energy needs. ACN is the largest direct selling telecommunications company in the world.

Find out what I?m up to daily on my?blog.

Source: http://www.dpwomenblog.com/why-small-businesses-need-social-media/

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Still no timetable for returning Boeing 787 to flight

TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Japanese regulators have joined their U.S. counterparts in all but ruling out overcharged batteries as the cause of recent fires on the Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner, which has been grounded for a week with no end in sight.

Solving the battery issue has become the primary focus of the investigation, though the head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday there are still no firm answers as to the cause and no clear timetable yet for returning the plane to flight.

Meanwhile, as deliveries of the cutting-edge passenger jet back up, a key Chinese customer lamented the delays and said its growth plans were being hampered by its inability to get the planes on time.

Regulators grounded the Dreamliner on January 16 after a series of safety incidents, including battery fires on planes in the United States and Japan. The Japanese incident forced a plane to make an emergency landing.

Last weekend the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said the fire on a Japan Airlines Co Ltd 787 in Boston was not due to excess voltage, and on Wednesday, Japanese officials all but ruled it out for the incident on an All Nippon Airways Co Ltd plane there.

"On the surface, it appears there was no overcharging," said Norihiro Goto, chairman of the Japan Transport Safety Board, at a media briefing.

"The fact that such electrical system-related incidents would occur consecutively, purely from my perspective, could not have been expected. We are finding it difficult trying to figure out what kind of investigative stance we should take."

Late Wednesday, the NTSB said more tests are underway on the battery damaged in the Boston fire, including CT scans of the individual cells. The board's chairman, Deborah Hersman, is due to provide a fuller update Thursday.

The investigation has also renewed scrutiny on the FAA's 2007 decision to let Boeing use a highly flammable battery technology on the 787. A U.S. Senate committee will hold a hearing in coming weeks to examine aviation safety oversight and the FAA's decision, a congressional aide said on Tuesday.

NO TIMETABLE

While the NTSB and JTSB hunt for a solution to the battery question, there is also an open issue around fuel leaks on the Dreamliner. In early December, U.S. officials warned of a manufacturing fault with fuel lines, and earlier this month a JAL plane in Boston leaked before takeoff.

Industrial manufacturer Eaton Corp said Wednesday it was cooperating with investigators looking at the fuel leaks.

"Without speaking about either the incident or investigation, I can tell you that we do supply pumps and valves to the program," a spokeswoman said.

The 787 program was already years behind schedule before last week's grounding, which means Boeing cannot deliver newly manufactured planes to customers. Boeing's chief 787 engineer, Mike Sinnett, told an aviation conference in Dublin he could not say when that would change.

"I can't really say anything about the timeframe of the investigation. The NTSB is really the only authorized authority in the U.S. to talk about this investigation and they made some recent statements, but I can't speculate on timeframe," Sinnett said Wednesday in remarks made by phone from Seattle.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the country's top transportation official, said Wednesday the goal was to return the 787 to service as soon as possible but that the government would not rush the plane back either.

"We are working diligently with Boeing to figure out the problem and find a solution. Our goal is to get this done as quickly as possible, but we must be confident that the problems are solved before we can move forward," LaHood told the Aero Club of Washington, an aviation advocacy group.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, appearing at the same event, said the review was looking at the 787's certification, manufacturing and assembly processes, and that he could not speculate on an end date.

CHINA DELAYS

For at least one Chinese customer, the uncertainty about the Dreamliner's production and delivery schedule has meant delays in launching new routes.

"Frankly, it's a little disappointing the aircraft has been delayed so many times," said Chen Feng, chairman of Hainan Airlines Co Ltd parent HNA Group, in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "We still think it's a good aircraft, but this has had some effect on our planning."

Hainan has 10 of the planes on order.

The grounding of the Dreamliner, an advanced carbon-composite plane with a list price of $207 million, has already forced Japan's ANA to cancel 151 domestic and 26 international flights scheduled for January 23-28, affecting more than 21,000 passengers, the airline said on Monday.

ANA, which flies the most Dreamliners of any airline, is due to announce further flight cancellation plans on Thursday. The airline also said it may have to scale back its next two-year business plan because the 787 was to have been such a central part of that forecast.

AIRBUS UNSCATHED

Boeing has already delivered 50 of the 787s to date. Around half of those have been in operation in Japan, but airlines in India, South America, Poland, Qatar and Ethiopia, as well as United Airlines in the United States, are also flying the plane.

Boeing's main competitor, EADS , said on Wednesday it did not expect the problems with the 787 to affect the certification of its own rival plane, the Airbus A350.

"We will do what is needed to avoid the same problems," EADS strategy chief Marwan Lahoud told France's Radio Classic.

Airbus has said it hopes to achieve the maiden flight of the carbon-composite A350 by the middle of this year.

(Reporting by James Topham, Mari Saito and Yoko Kubota in Tokyo, Kelvin Soh in Davos, Elena Berton and Gilles Guillaume in Paris, Rhys Jones in London, Tim Hepher in Dublin and Andrea Shalal-Esa and Jim Wolf in Washington; Writing by Ben Berkowitz; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Richard Chang)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/still-no-timetable-returning-boeing-787-flight-004814458--finance.html

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Bill seeks to honor 4 girls killed in 1963 Alabama church bombing (Washington Bureau)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/279120567?client_source=feed&format=rss

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