Kansas demands that sperm donor pay child support

By NBC staff and wire services

A Kansas man who donated sperm to a lesbian couple three years ago is fighting the state?s demand that he pay child support.

The two women raising the 3-year-old girl say they support the man, who responded to an ad they posted on the Craigslist website in 2009,?the Topeka Capital-Journal reported.

The issue of child support arose when the two women broke up, and the couple applied for state services. Workers at the Kansas Department for Children and Families demanded the donor?s name and then filed a child-support claim against him, the newspaper said.

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Angela Bauer, one of the mothers, told the Capital-Journal?that she and her former partner, Jennifer Schreiner, support the donor, William Marotta, ?in whatever action he wants to go forward with? to fight the state's demand.

"This was a wonderful opportunity with a guy with an admirable, giving character who wanted nothing more than to help us have a child," the newspaper quoted Bauer, 40, as saying. "I feel like the state of Kansas has made a mess out of the situation."

When Bauer and Schreiner, the 34-year-old birth mother, reached a deal with Marotta that did not include any payment for his sperm donation, he signed a written agreement that relinquished all parental rights and held him?harmless ?for any child support payments demanded of him by any other person or entity, public or private ... regardless of the circumstances or said demand,??it said.?

The state argued in court papers that because the insemination wasn?t performed by a licensed physician, the contract was null and void.

When the two women split in 2010, they had eight children, including some they adopted, whom they now co-parent.?

Marotta, a 43-year-old mechanic,?was dragged into the dispute when the couple filed for state assistance. The state insisted that they reveal the donor?s identity, saying that if they refused to do so, their daughter would no longer be eligible for health care coverage. The women reluctantly complied, the Capital-Journal reported.

The girl?s birth certificate does not include her biological father?s name, and the Capital-Journal said that he had no contact with the girl, other than receiving occasional email updates from Bauer. Both women adopted the girl, although they had to file for adoption separately because the state does not recognize same-sex unions, the newspaper said. This means that the state also cannot collect child support from same-sex parents.

"More and more gays and lesbians are adopting and reproducing, and this, to me, is a step backward," said Bauer, who formerly supported the family financially but is no longer able to work due to a "serious illness."?"I think a lot of progressive movement is happening currently in the world as far as gays and lesbians go. Maybe this is Kansas' stand against some of that."

The Capital-Journal could not reach Marotta for comment and the?Kansas Department for Children and Families declined to discuss the case, citing privacy laws.

This isn?t the first time states have demanded child support from sperm donors. But in most of those cases, the sperm donor was known to the birth family ? usually a man who was friendly with a lesbian couple and who agreed to help them out.

Court rulings vary
Sperm donors who donate through a sperm bank are typically protected by state parenting shield laws. But in less straight-forward cases, courts have differed on whether the men should pay up.

A Massachusetts court ruled this year that a Nigerian immigrant had to pay child support for twins conceived through artificial insemination a year after he and his wife had separated, the Patriot Ledger reported.

And?In Vermont, a man who donated sperm to a female friend was required to pay child support because he maintained a relationship with the children.

Explained one of the mothers to The Associated Press in 2007: "Part of the decision came down because he was so involved with them. It wasn't that he went to the (sperm) bank and that was it. They called him Papa."

In New York, a married doctor agreed to donate sperm to a young resident and her partner in the late 1980s, only to be asked 18 years later for child support, the New York Post reported.

His undoing was sending money and cards to the child, which he would sign, ?Dad? or ?Daddy.? The biological father?s name was also on the birth certificate.

But in Washington state, the Court of Appeals ruled in 2004 that a donor can?t be required to pay child support unless he and the mother have signed an explicit contract.

And in Texas, an appeals court ruled in favor of a former policeman who donated sperm to a woman he had been formerly connected with. He had paid thousands of dollars in child support for twins until the court ruled in his favor.

When the lawsuit was filed in 2008, the man told McClatchy: "I was totally blown away. I was already married and had moved on with my life."

NBC's Isolde Raftery and The Associated Press contributed reporting.?

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/30/16254404-kansas-demands-that-sperm-donor-pay-child-support?lite

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Pot, gay marriage: Are we all Washington now?

By Isolde Raftery, NBC News

The images out of Washington state toward the end of 2012 ? all-night parties celebrating legalized pot and same-sex marriage ? sparked hope among liberal activists that the tide has turned on these two issues.

Even though national polls show more openness to pot and gay marriage nationwide, it raised the question ? why Washington?

Oregon, the state?s blue neighbor to the south, has not successfully mounted campaigns to approve pot or same-sex marriage. California has had a messy relationship with both issues, and Idaho swings solidly right.

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There are a number of unique factors that made Washington ripe for these liberal reforms, experts say.

"There?s a libertarian streak in Washington, and there are more atheists. Religion is part of this," University of Washington Professor John Findlay told NBC News.?The state is one of the least religious, with only about half of Washingtonians?telling the Gallup poll in 2008?that religion plays a part in their daily lives.

Beyond pot and same-sex marriage, Washington also allows physician-assisted suicide (as do Oregon and Montana) and was one of four states that decriminalized abortion before Roe v. Wade in 1971. To top off its liberal cred: A Democrat has been in the governor's office since 1980 ? longer than any other state.

Cliff Despeaux / Reuters

Washingtonians light up near the Space Needle in Seattle after the law legalizing the recreational use of marijuana went into effect in the state.

But to describe Washington as a purely liberal state is to oversimplify its politics. Outside of the Puget Sound area, Washingtonians have more in common with Red State residents than they do coffee-craving Seattleites.

"Without Seattle, we?d be Idaho," says pollster H. Stuart Elway. Seattle-area voters accounted for one-third of the state total.

Washington has no income tax, and the possibility of implementing one is rarely mentioned, even during tough economic times; in 1998, voters nixed affirmative action; two years later, they approved $30 license plate tab renewals, a dramatic fee reduction that cut into city and state coffers, hiking up bus fares and leaving potholes unfilled.

What ties all these measures together, beyond a "live and let live" ethos, is the state's initiative and referendum process, which gives voters, not lawmakers, the power to set policy much more directly than in other states.

Findlay says the initiative process can be traced back to the state?s early days, when Washingtonians, buoyed by the progressive and populist movements, didn't trust their politicians. While politicians in most other states manage what goes on the ballot, Washingtonians can pay $5 to submit an initiative or referendum. Get 241,153 valid signatures (120,557 for a referendum) and that measure is inked on the ballot.

"There?s a legacy of distrust of the Legislature stemming from 100 years ago that has continued to shape politics for more than a century," Findlay said.

Although 24 states and the District of Columbia have an initiative process, it has been most used by the Western states, particularly California, Oregon and Washington, making them laboratories for special interest groups.

Take marijuana, for example, where outside money was a big part of the campaign.?Drug Policy Action in New York fronted $1.6 million;?Progressive Insurance CEO Peter Lewis, who supports drug reform and lives in Ohio, donated about $2 million.

Elaine Thompson / AP

King County Executive Dow Constantine, right, embraces Pete-e Petersen as her partner, Jane Abbott Lighty, watches after Constantine issued the the county's first marriage license to a same-sex couple. On the night that same-sex marriage became legal in Washington state, many of the state's issued marriage licenses beginning at midnight.

Given their success in Washington and Colorado, Drug Policy Action is looking to push similar campaigns in California and Oregon in 2014 or 2016. Both states have legalized medical marijuana and in California, medical pot has becoming a booming business since it was approved in 1996. A 2007 federal study estimated that Californians consume one million pounds of pot a year.

"We have these results in Colorado and Washington under our belt, so that sort of fertilizes the ground," Dale?Gieringer, who heads the California office of the?National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, told Reuters.?

Outside money also played a role in the battle over gay marriage, but so too did some Washington billionaires, including Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, and Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, who collectively gave more than $3 million to the campaign to approve same-sex marriage.

"The populist and progressive movements are over, and the feelings are over, but there?s this tool," Findlay said. "A lot of us complain about those things, but it doesn't matter, because it?s going to shape politics in this state. This is the tool we have that most other states don?t have. It?s part of how we do things here. And it doesn't work exclusively for progressives or conservatives."

Other reasons floated for the state?s unique positions on issues: Unions have long had a stronghold in the state, as have female politicians -- the state was home to Dixie Lee Ray, the fiery former governor whose motto during her 1976 campaign was ?Little lady takes on big boys.?

But, as Elway noted, Washington?s votes often come down to the Seattle area. Elsewhere on Election Day, conservative Washingtonians watch in dismay as their leads are turned upside down as results from the metropolitan area trickle in.

State Republican Party Chairman Kirby Wilbur told the Seattle Times that the votes speak for themselves.

"Washington has always been a socially liberal and economically conservative state," he said.

To be fair, Washington may not be so far ahead of the rest of the country on social issues such as pot and same-sex marriage, according to Mark Smith,?who teaches political science at the University of Washington.

Smith noted that 53.7 percent of Washingtonians approved same-sex marriage. Polling figures show a similar, if slightly lower, level of support nationwide.

"We?re not that far ahead of the nation,? Smith said. "The whole nation is trending; we?re just further along than the rest of the country."

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/31/15879444-legalized-pot-gay-marriage-are-we-all-washington-now?lite

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Woman charged with murder in NYC subway death

A woman is reportedly in custody in connection with the death of a man who was struck by an oncoming NYC subway.

By NBC News staff and wire services

NEW YORK?? A 31-year-old Bronx woman was charged Saturday with second-degree murder as a hate crime in the death of a man who was shoved in front of a speeding subway train, New York City authorities said.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown identified the woman as Erika Menendez, 31. He said in a statement that she was awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.

Sunando Sen, a 46-year-old Queens resident who was born in India and ran a printing shop, died Thursday night when a woman who had been muttering to herself on a train platform in Queens suddenly knocked him on the tracks as a train entered the station.

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Brown's statement said that Menendez admitted pushing Sen and said she "pushed a Muslim" onto the tracks because she hated Hindus and Muslims ever since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. ?

Brown also said:

"The defendant is accused of committing what is every subway?commuter's worst nightmare - being suddenly and senselessly pushed into the path of an oncoming train.?The victim was allegedly shoved from behind and had no chance to defend himself. Beyond that, the?hateful remarks allegedly made by the defendant and which precipitated the defendant's actions can never?be tolerated by a civilized society."

The woman fled after the attack Thursday. Police released security camera video showing her running from the station.

The attack was the second time this month that someone was pushed to their death in a New York City subway station. A homeless man was arrested in early December and accused of shoving a man in front of a train in Times Square. He is awaiting trial, and claimed he acted in self-defense.

Further details on how police managed to identify the suspect in Sen's death were not immediately available.

Investigators had been following up on tips from people who had seen the security video and were checking homeless shelters and psychiatric units in an attempt to identify the woman.

It was unclear whether she had any connection to Sen. Witnesses told police the two hadn't interacted on the platform as they both waited for the train.

This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/29/16235799-woman-charged-with-hate-crime-murder-in-death-of-man-pushed-in-front-of-nyc-train?lite

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Report: Cleveland Browns to clean house; let go of head coach Pat Shurmur, general manager Tom Heckert

Published Saturday, Dec 29, 2012 at 8:44 pm EST Last updated 2 hours and 23 minutes ago

Cleveland Browns coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Tom Heckert are expected to part ways with the organization or be fired by Monday, NFL sources told The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer.

The Browns are under new ownership (Jimmy Haslam) and have a new CEO (Joe Banner). A shakeup was expected after the sale of the team to Haslam was approved, Banner was hired and former team president Mike Holmgren departed.

Banner had told reporters last week that a decision on Shurmur and Heckert's future with the franchise would come quickly after the season.

Shurmur and Heckert both know they will be gone following Sunday?s game, even though they hadn?t yet been informed, sources told the newspaper.

Shurmur has a 9-22 record in two seasons heading into Sunday?s finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns have had one of the youngest rosters in the league this season; 26 players have less than two years? experience, the Plain Dealer noted.

Multiple reports have named former Browns personnel executive Michael Lombardi, currently an analyst for the NFL Network, as a possible successor to Heckert.

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Alabama coach Nick Saban have been linked to the potential head coach opening, according to reports. Saban is staying put, however, sources told the Plain Dealer. Saban was a Browns assistant under Bill Belichick from 1991 to 1994.

Last week, the Browns hired Alec Scheiner to be the new team president.

The Browns are expected to be one of several teams to dismiss coaches and/or general managers early this week.

Source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-12-29/cleveland-browns-set-to-fire-pat-shurmur-tom-heckert-coach-gm-jimmy-haslam

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PFT: Rex OK with working in TV next season

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University of Oregon head coach Chip Kelly isn?t the only Pac-12 head coach who is getting attention as a possible head coach in the NFL.

Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian is also being rumored as a possibility for making the jump to the professional ranks.

Sarkisian served as the quarterback coach for the Oakland Raiders under Norv Turner in 2004 before returning to the collegiate ranks. Under Sarkisian, quarterbacks Rich Gannon and Kerry Collins threw for 3,934 yards and were the eighth-ranked passing attack in the NFL.

Raiders owner Al Davis circled back to Sarkisian in 2007 and offered him the head coaching job after a 2-14 season with Art Shell at the helm. Sarkisian declined and chose to remain at USC. The Raiders hired fellow USC assistant Lane Kiffin instead.

?Being a head coach in the National Football League, there?s only 32 of them in the world,? Sarkisian said in 2011, via Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. ?In a lot of ways, that?s the pinnacle of our profession. So when you have to make those tough decisions, you have to look at them all individually and take the face off of it, and take the jerseys off of it. ? So when the opportunity came, I had to try to remove the emotion of I-get-to-go-coach-the-Oakland-Raiders and is this the best thing for my family? For myself, for my family and for our careers as we move forward? And I just didn?t feel like it was the right time to be taking that job.?

Sarkisian also turned down a chance to interview with the St. Louis Rams last season.

In his four seasons with the Washington Huskies, Sarkisian has managed to turn around a program that had sunk to unprecedented lows. Sarkisian inherited a team that went 0-12 in 2008 and hadn?t been to a bowl game since 2002. Since then, the Huskies have strung together three straight 7-6 seasons with three straight bowl appearances. The turnaround helped spearhead a much-needed $250 million renovation of Husky Stadium that will be completed this summer.

Sarkisian made a pair of big impact coaching hires a year ago bringing in defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox from Tennessee and highly regarded recruiter Tosh Lupoi from California. Wilcox helped a porous defense improve immensely in his first season. The Huskies allowed 153 fewer points in 2012 and nearly 100 fewer yards a game (95.9 yards/game).

The team that returns for Sarkisian in 2013 may be the most talented of his tenure. He?s had five seasons to help correct serious depth deficiencies and has a slew of offensive weapons in receiver Kasen Williams, tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and running back Bishop Sankey.

Sarkisian has also said that his time with the Raiders left him with a fairly unsavory taste in his mouth. He said he enjoys being able to coach kids at a younger age with the opportunity to help put them on the right path for life after college. With Kelly rumored to be leaving Oregon and the Ducks possibly about to be hit with sanctions for recruiting violations, the door could be cracking open for the Huskies to re-emerge as a threat at the top of the Pac-12 conference.

There may come a point where Sarkisian wants to give the NFL another shot, but with a renovated stadium and a program seemingly on the verge of taking a sizable step forward it seems unlikely Sarkisian will decide to make that move this year.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/29/rex-ryan-open-to-spending-next-season-working-in-television/related/

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Ways To Use Online Marketing For Your Business - Internet ...

Internet promotion is incredibly interesting. The possibilities are endless when it comes to all the different ways it might be customized to meet a business need. Of course, this is a tall order for anyone who has not taken the time to explore the different factors involved in online marketing. These tips can help get you ready for the challenge.

It is important to keep track of online sentiment whenever you have an event or promotion running. This allows you to tailor your future strategies more effectively. After you set up an online promotion, keep track of how visitors respond on blogs or other social networking sites. You can grow your customer?s respect for your business if you use some of their ideas in the future.

Blogging is a great adjunct to any internet marketing business. A continuing blog also stands as testament to the enduring value of your products. By blogging you not only grow your site but you also have an opportunity to incorporate more search engine optimization techniques.

You can use tools to see how many people are visiting your site versus how many people are ordering from your site. Analyze the information, and you can get quick feedback on whether your online marketing is effective or not. Many of the bigger online companies have tracking meters available that will show you the precise number of visitors in comparison with buyers and repeat visitors.
These web analysis products are designed to suit a number of uses and easily integrate with you sites per-existing software.

Do not spend a lot of money on ads. You should not pay too much money for something which may not help your business grow. Make sure that your money is being spent towards something that will benefit you.

Make sure to include free samples and coupons with shipping boxes that will relate to whatever product your customer will be receiving in the mail. Many customers will look at the coupon as an added incentive for returning to the website for more purchases.

If you are looking to improve your SEO and the amount of traffic your site sees, you must be sure to provide content that is unique. Any idea you have for a business is probably not original. You?re selling the same stuff as someone else. So, separating yourself from the pack with originality becomes incredibly important for the life of your business. By writing your own unique product descriptions, while using important keywords, you will be able to blow away the competition.

Let customers be able to write ratings on your products and enable them the option to explain why these ratings were chosen. Once a buyer has given feedback that illustrates the strong points and weaknesses of a product, other potential customers can make a more-informed purchasing decision. You can use honest reviews and ratings to improve your product offerings, too.

Make a simple video where you demonstrate using the products that you are selling. This will allow potential customers to view how the product can be used before purchasing. Be sure to demonstrate any and all features and benefits that the product has. Upload this video to sites such as Youtube, and put it on your blog.

Learn how to use email marketing on your own. You should be able to master the necessary tools in no time. All of the experience you acquire will help you out as well.

Do everything you can to ensure your site?s ordering system is safe and secure. It is possible to establish a PayPal account that permits you to offer a safe method of completing the transaction on your website. Before giving you their personal and financial information, you should require users to create a password-protected account.

Back up your claims. A large percentage of Internet users are wary of online claims. Credibility is key; augment your sales pitch with support like references, customer testimonials and fact-based evidence. When you are dropping unproven statements throughout your site, people will ignore and dismiss you and your site.

Make sure to keep very detailed records of all aspects of your business. This information should encompass traffic, conversions, sales, refunds and anything else that is measurable. Maintaining detailed analysis of your customers and their purchase habits helps you becomes a better marketer because you see everything that works and what doesn?t.

Always have fresh, current content available on your site. If a site visitor sees outdated content, they might think you are doing badly and will not stay long on your site. Fresh, new content will attract readers and increase your ranking within the search engines, too.

Make sure that you maximize the quality of third-party security with transactions. Many different companies offer a variety of secure services. VeriSign and McAffee are two such services. You must pay fees for a good security system, but it?s a necessary expense and provides your customers and your business with safety in online transactions.

To promote your product to the audience before the sale, introduce them to a page that is specifically about the merchandise, like a video. When you do this, people can feel more comfortable about buying any item. This shows that you would rather inform them about the product than make a sale, leaving them the option to buy or not.

Create product and service packages that you can sell at a wholesale discount, and propose distribution agreements with other retailers on the web. Linking to several markets will increase the amount of sales you have. An example of this would be using an online book agent. They help to negotiate prices for people to make sure they get the best rates on things like airfare, hotels and car rentals. This is ideal for the businesses that have products linked in a complementary manner, rather than a rivalry.

Internet marketing involves many kinds of techniques, which can be both good and bad. Having so many different options makes it very difficult to decide which particular strategies to use. These tips will make it easier for you to cash in on Internet promotion.

Internet Marketing, SEO

Source: http://www.websitehostdirect.com/ways-to-use-online-marketing-for-your-business/

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UFC 155 picks from Kevin Iole, Maggie Hendricks and Cagereaders like you

UFC 155 is only a day away. It's time for picks from Yahoo! Sports' columnist Kevin Iole, Cagewriter editor Maggie Hendricks, and Cagereaders who posted their picks on Facebook.

Kevin Iole: Junior dos Santos W5 Cain Velasquez -- I can't believe I'm picking against Velasquez. To me, he is in many ways the perfect heavyweight, with great conditioning, great wrestling and tremendous power. But how do we ignore what dos Santos has done? Much was made of Velasquez's knee injury before their first fight, but what isn't as well known is that Junior had a bad leg, too, and couldn't do much. It's going to be a dogfight, but I think Junior finds a way to pull it out.

Maggie Hendricks: Cain Velasquez W5 Junior dos Santos -- Velasquez was injured in his last bout with JDS. With a healthy knee, he'll get to use his wrestling to control and beat on JDS for five rounds.

Cagereaders: Couldn't ask for a better way to end the year than this rematch. This will last longer than the first but not by much. I'm picking Cigano by KO R1. Cain has amazing wrestling and ground and pound. However, I think Junior is the guy that has his number and things won't go as planned for Cain. Velasquez will come out more aggressive than the first fight and that will spell the end. Junior will rock him with some brutal counters causing Cain to shoot in for the take down. Junior will stuff the attempt and finish the fight with an uppercut around 3 minutes into the first. -- Jackson Torres

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Kevin Iole: Joe Lauzon W3 Jim Miller -- Definitely will be the Fight of the Night in my opinion (is there any other kind of fight for Lauzon?) I don't think Joe will be able to submit Jim, but he is so active and works so hard I think he'll pile up the points to win.

Maggie Hendricks: Joe Lauzon Sub2 Jim Miller -- Lauzon's submission game is tough to beat. He will need to avoid Miller's well-rounded game, but can do it.

Cagereaders: My two favorite 155 pound fighters. When I saw Miller step in for Maynard, my heart sank. I'm going to see one them lose, and it looks to be J-Lau. Miller matches up really well for Lauzon's style. He has power in his punches and solid wrestling, backed up with a serious ground game and outstanding cardio. Joe has a killer instinct and a more dangerous ground game. Still, I like Miller taking this fought by a UD. -- Tom Hogan

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Kevin Iole: Tim Boetsch W3 Costas Philippou -- Boetsch will grind out a victory by controlling the distance and limiting Philippou's power

Maggie Hendricks: Tim Boetsch W3 Costa Phillippou -- Ditto on what Kevin said. Boetsch won't make it a thrilling fight, but it will be a convincing win.

Cagereaders: Boetsch over Phillipou by 3rd Round TKO -- I think this fight will be back to forth, I have counted out Tim Boetsch in many fights just to be shocked, from the poor decision in the Lombard fight, to the amazing knock out of Okami, I think Phillipou gets the better of him early in the fight, while Boetsch owns the latter part of the fight, this could easily be fight of the night and if it does go decision, it will be close, but I see Phillipou gassing late and Boetsch taking advantage. -- Daniel Ryan

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Kevin Iole: Alan Belcher TKO2 Yushin Okami -- This outcome would have been unthinkable a year ago, but Belcher improves tremendously each time out and is now one of the world's most complete fighters.

Maggie Hendricks: Alan Belcher W3 Yushin Okami -- With title shot hopes hanging over him, Belcher has good reason to fight a smart game and come out with a win over Okami.

Cagereaders: Yushin Okami will beat Alan Belcher by decision. Okami will go back to what made him successful before his fight with Anderson Silva. He will use his jab and height, keeping Belcher back, then take him down for ground and pound. This will continue for 3 full rounds and Okami will come out with the unanimous decision. -- Marcus Min

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Kevin Iole: Chris Leben TKO3 Derek Brunson -- This is a big fight for Leben, and I think he knows it. I expect him to eventually catch Brunson with something big that will end it.

Maggie Hendricks: Derek Brunson W3 Chris Leben -- In his first fight after a long layoff, Leben will have a hard time dealing with a wrestler with power like Brunson.

Cagereaders: Derek Brunson should be able to defeat Chris Leben by decision because he has a great wrestling background and Chris Leben may not be in the best shape coming off a 13-month layoff. -- Edgar Diaz

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-155-picks-kevin-iole-maggie-hendricks-cagereaders-161442619--mma.html

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Entrepreneur launches first Africa-designed smartphone

AFP - A Congolese inventor has unveiled what he says is the first African-designed smartphone.

Verone Mankou, 27, told AFP that the so-called Elikia, which means "hope" in the local language, went on sale the day before in the Republic of Congo.

Mankou, head of the company VMK, said the Android-powered device was on sale in only in Congo for now, but he planned to launch it in other countries.

The phone was initially due to go on sale in October but its launch was delayed "because of an explosion in demand," he said.

Though the phone is Congolese by design, it is manufactured in China. It costs about 130 euros ($170) -- a considerable sum in this central African nation.

The phone has a 3.5-inch touchscreen, 512 megabytes of RAM and a 650-Mhz processor. Its camera is five megapixels, and it also comes with GPS and Bluetooth.

Mankou last year designed what was billed as Africa's first tablet computer.

Source: http://www.france24.com/en/20121229-entrepreneur-launches-first-africa-designed-smartphone

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Movie Twist for Android Suggests Movies to Watch Based On Your Mood

Android: If you're visiting a friend or sitting in front of the TV wondering what to watch, Movie Twist is a handy Android app you can fire up to figure out what you should enjoy when Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu's own recommendation engines fail you.

The app offers a few modes: for one, you can tell the app how you feel at the moment, and the app will suggest some films that might be a good fit for your mood. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, happy, emotional, or angry, the app can suggest a film to suit it. Similarly, the app organizes films extensively by tag, so you can select specific tags for the type of movies you're interested in (or that you'd rather avoid) and Movie Twist will organize your suggestions accordingly.

Movie Twist also gives you individual sliders for the themes and elements of a film that you can drag around to refine its selections. Looking for a film that's not violent but really funny? Drag the corresponding silders down and up, respectively. Select the genres or details you want, and tap explore to see the app's recommendations for you. The suggestions are ordered by relevance to your selections, and you can tap each to get more information about it from IMDB. Movie Twist is free, and available now at Google Play.

Movie Twist (Free) | Google Play via Addictive Tips

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/OTYUVJ2Nptc/movie-twist-for-android-suggests-movies-to-watch-based-on-your-mood

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AP sources: Saints, Payton, agree to terms on deal

File-This Jan. 15, 2007 file photo shows New Orleans Saints football coach Sean Payton listening to a question at a news conference in New Orleans. The suspended New Orleans Saints head coach has agreed in principle to a multiyear contract extension, according to two people familiar with the deal, said Friday Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

File-This Jan. 15, 2007 file photo shows New Orleans Saints football coach Sean Payton listening to a question at a news conference in New Orleans. The suspended New Orleans Saints head coach has agreed in principle to a multiyear contract extension, according to two people familiar with the deal, said Friday Dec. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? The New Orleans Saints and suspended coach Sean Payton will indeed be together again next season as the bounty scandal fades into history and the bid to win a second Super Bowl resumes.

Payton has agreed in principle to a multiyear contract extension, according to two people familiar with the deal.

The people told The Associated Press about the deal Friday night on condition of anonymity because it hasn't been signed and final details regarding the length of the contract and financial compensation are still being worked out.

"Very happy it is official," Brees said in an email to the AP. "Never had any doubts."

Payton was due to begin his seventh season as the Saints' head coach in 2012 before being suspended for the whole season by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in connection with the NFL's bounty investigation.

Payton signed an extension in 2011 that would have kept him in New Orleans through 2015, but Goodell objected to certain language in that deal, leaving Payton's future uncertain until the deal was reached Friday. The language in question in the previous extension gave Payton the right to opt out early if general manager Mickey Loomis left the club for any reason.

The new agreement, which was first reported by Fox Sports, also must be approved by the NFL.

Payton is the only coach in Saints history to win a Super Bowl, a title earned at the end of the 2009 season. But his legacy was tarnished by the NFL's bounty probe, as Goodell ruled that Payton failed to exert proper institutional control over a cash-for-hits bounty program run by former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams from 2009-2011.

Although the Saints objected to the characterization of what coaches and players have said was nothing more than a performance pool for big plays, Goodell suspended Payton for the entire season. The commissioner also suspended Loomis for half of the season and assistant head coach Joe Vitt for six games.

Payton is 62-34 as in regular-season games as Saints head coach and 5-3 in the postseason. During the three seasons before his suspension, the Saints won 41 regular-season and playoff games combined, more than any other team in the NFL.

Payton has primarily handled the offense in New Orleans, teaming up with Brees to break numerous NFL and club records. The single-season NFL records set by the Saints in 2011 included yards passing by a team (5,505) and a quarterback (5,476). The Saints also set a record for total offensive yards with 7,474.

Although speculation ran rampant that Payton could essentially become a free agent after this season and end up elsewhere, Brees repeatedly said he would be "shocked" if Payton ended up anywhere but New Orleans next season. Brees is under contract with the Saints through the 2016 season, and Payton was the driving force in the Saints' effort to acquire Brees as a free agent in 2006.

Without Payton on the sideline this season, the Saints missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Brees remained prolific, but his 18 interceptions also tied for a league high heading into the final weekend of the season.

The Saints headed into Sunday's season finale against Carolina at 7-8, hoping to avoid their first losing season since they went 7-9 in 2007.

Payton is expected to return to the Saints immediately after the Super Bowl on Feb. 3, unless Goodell allows him to return earlier.

When Payton reports back to work, it will offically close the book on the bounty saga that has overshadowed the Saints' organization since the NFL first announced on March 2 that it found the Saints ran a program that paid improper cash bonuses for hits that injured opponents.

In addition to the suspensions of Payton, Loomis and Vitt, the Saints also were dicked second-round draft choices in 2012 and 2013, though Goodell has said he could potentially restores the Saints' 2013 second-round choice and dock the team a later-round pick.

Meanwhile, four current or former Saints were initially given suspensions of varying lengths. Two current Saints defensive captains, linebacker Jon Vilma and defensive end Will Smith, were among those suspended. Vilma was banned for the whole season and Smith for four games, but the players successfully challenged their punishment with the help of the NFL Players Association and never served a game.

Former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who was appointed by Goodell to oversee the players' appeals, ruled that the NFL probe was accurate in its findings that the Saints ran and improper program and attempted to cover it up, but that the evidence was not strong enough to warrant unprecedented suspensions for players who had been only fined for similar behavior in the past.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-28-FBN-Saints-Payton/id-6d6835640be942499763de672b2aff7b

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Job Announcement: Special Education Graduate Programs ...

Position Description?link.?Please help us get the word out about this opening in our Special Education graduate programs!?The Division of Special Education at Western Oregon University seeks qualified applicants for a full-time, 9-month, tenure-track Associate Professor and 12-month appointment as Division Chair. The Division Chair term is three years and rotates among the faculty. The WOU academic year is based on quarters.

PRIMARY TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary teaching responsibilities are in the Special Education graduate programs. Summer teaching opportunities may be available. The Special Education Programs include a Master of Science in Education: Special Education, an Early Intervention/Special Education I and II endorsement program, and a Special Educator I Endorsement and Special Educator II License. The program is especially interested in recruiting a faculty member with expertise in?teaching methods for low incidence disabilities (e.g., medical aspects, managing communication systems, transition) as well as?on-line program development.

CHAIR RESPONSIBILITIES

The Special Education Division is a multidisciplinary division with ten tenured/tenure track faculty and approximately twenty NTT faculty offering four graduate programs, two undergraduate programs, two minors, and two certificates. These programs include:

• MS: Education in Special Education
• MA in Interpreting Studies
• MA in Rehabilitation Counselor Education
• BA in American Sign Language Studies
• BA/BS in American Sign Language/English Interpreting
• American Sign Language Minor
• Special Education/Rehabilitation Counseling Minor
• Rehabilitation Counseling with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Adults Certificate
• Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate

Additionally, three full years of American Sign Language courses are offered in the Division, and all but one of the faculty teaching these courses is Deaf. Approximately 250 undergraduate students take ASL each year. The courses can be used to fulfill the foreign language requirement for BA degrees.

The Chair is expected to foster excellence in teaching, scholarship, and outreach for Division faculty, staff, and students; support faculty to expand their programs; and to work collaboratively in establishing future directions for the Division and program innovations. For example, the Division is currently seeking to reopen its Deaf and Hard of Hearing Educator program, which has been on hiatus since 2008. The Division Chair would play a key role in efforts to gain approval and to implement the revised program.

DSE faculty, staff and alumni were among 30,000 who took part in the annual Shamrock Run in Portland, which benefitted Doernbecher Children?s Hospital.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

You can find out more information about the Division of Special Education by going to?http://www.wou.edu/education/sped/index.php. You?ll find links to the programs there, as well as information on faculty activities and news of special events. ?WOU is home to other exciting?programs that support professional development in working with individuals with disabilities including the Regional Resource Center on Deafness?www.wou.edu/rrcd, Teaching Research Institute?www.wou.edu/tri?, and the Center on Sensory Disabilities?www.wou.edu/tri/sensory.

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rosetrimble23: humbler shetland: roomaroger: Biology Syllabus ? So ...

If you?re encountered with biology syllabus assessment in that case he/she really needs to fully grasp the exact objectives to make sure that he/she are able to comprehend the objective. There are 3 well-known objectives concerning learning the field of biology which generally are to have practical knowledge with understanding, ability to actually deal with important information and resolve issues in conjunction with learning experimental skillsets as well as inspections.

The actual Biology Syllabus entails of scientific phenomena specifics hence these particular 3 important objectives are crucial for the main assessment procedure. A few other reasons for assessment are to be capable of making predictions, address issues, manipulate data and locate ideal sources to get knowledge acquisition.

19 December 2012 | Reference and Education

Source: http://www.apodimosstudents.com/reference-and-education/biology-syllabus-so-what-does-the-subject-focused-on/

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Heart Healthy

Women are always being told to watch out for heart disease. So, what matters more when it comes to reducing the risk of developing heart disease- exercising or maintaining a healthy weight? It?s a controversial question that has researchers on both sides of the aisle talking. Steven N. Blair, PED, a leading researcher from the University of South Carolina, has been a longtime proponent of what he calls the ?fit and fat? theory. He has tested more than 10,000 people using a treadmill exercise test and found that level of physical fitness is an important factor in determining risk for dying from cardiovascular disease ? more important than weight, age, cholesterol level, systolic blood pressure or fasting blood glucose level, among other factors. If you are more physically fit, you are at a lower risk for dying from a heart attack.

However, a study published in the April 28, 2008 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine challenges Blair?s theory. Researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Brigham Women and Children?s Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a study involving more than 38,000 women to evaluate the joint effect of exercise and body mass index (BMI)* on risk for heart disease.

Contrary to Blair?s findings, they discovered that while exercise will lower the risk of heart disease in women considered overweight or obese, according to the BMI, it doesn?t completely eliminate the risk. They recommended being ?lean and physically active.?

A woman?s feet on a scale. The reading says ?It doesn?t take away the risk entirely. Weight still matters,? said Dr. Martha Gulati, a heart specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, in an interview with CNN.com.

Source: http://www.sfchiro.org/2012/12/heart-healthy/

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tahminalucchi: My Pair of Boots: Old Fort- Wing Family Home ...

The Wing Fort House is located at 69 Spring Hill Road, East Sandwich, Massachusetts. Open Tuesday through Saturday from June 15 to September 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is a small admission fee. For off-season visits please call the Caretakers at (508) 833-1540. Cousins, if you ever have the opportunity, this is a "must do" visit. It is something you will never forget and something you will never tire of talking about.

The oldest house in New England owned and occupied continuously by the same family for over three centuries. Built in 1641.? In 1646 it became the home of Stephen Wing, one of the early settlers of Sandwich, son of the Reverend John Wing and Deborah Bachelor. Stephen?and his descendants occupied the house from then on, adding on as families grew and changing tastes dictated. Now restored, it is furnished almost entirely with Wing family antiques showing the different periods of its long history. The house is maintained by the Wing Family of America and open to the public.

?This house is a must see on my list of Historic Landmarks!

Source: http://mypairofboots.blogspot.com/2012/12/old-fort-wing-family-home.html

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Crytek Exec Says Next-Gen Game Console Requires 8 GB RAM ...

Microsoft Xbox 360 | Wikipedia

Crytek Chief Executive Cervat Yerli laid out his observations during an interview with gaming website Video Gamer. According to him, next-generation consoles will require more RAM?about 8 GB or more?for maximum performance.

The exec added that console memory is ?the single most important thing that is always going to be underbalanced.? Although he is referring to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Yerli stated that the reason for the underbalanced console memory is the gaming system?s production stage.

He then suggested that the purported Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 may feature 8 GB RAM or more. Yerli even added that Sony and Microsoft could quadruple their respective console?s memory. That is if they can look for ways to cheapen its production cost.

Although a 32 GB may sound far-fetched, the exec strongly believes that more memory is necessary for console makers to come up with a next-generation cutting-edge gaming system.

New Sony PlayStation 3 | Sony Official Website

Purported Release for Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4

Industry pundits are expecting that the so-called Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 will be released late next year. However, a recent report from SemiAccurate states that the purported consoles are facing production issues. Thus, their release could be delayed to 2014.

Also dubbed as Xbox Next, Microsoft?s rumored Xbox 720 used to carry the Project Kryptos moniker and reportedly comes with a developer test system chip called Oban. Earlier this year, it was reported on the website that the console?s processor was in the works. There were also about 10,000 initial orders of the Oban wafers being manufactured by IBM primarily.

However, SemiAccurate also reported about a couple of problems in Microsoft, which could cause the production delay of their purported next-gen console. As posted on the website last September:

The chip, which is still referred to as ?Oban?, is being run through multiple fabs in very high quantities, too high by more than an order of magnitude to simply be for dev kits?. Given the sheer number of wafers Microsoft contracted for, this seems to be both an anticipated problem, and one they have plans to work through.

As for Sony?s PlayStation 4, the project is called Thebes, and it carries AMD CPU and GPU. Most likely it will be released in the spring of 2014, but it could be postponed until fall of the same year.

However, these things remain as ?speculations? until an official statement is released by each gaming system manufacturer.

A twenty-something Manila girl who writes regularly for AMOG. She loves to eat, read books of various genres, and write more than anything. Those are the things that keep her sane.

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Source: http://amog.com/tech/gaming/155513-crytek-exec-nextgen-game-console-requires-8-gb-ram/

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Israel revisits ban on female prayer at holy site

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's prime minister has instructed a quasi-governmental Jewish organization to find a solution for non-Orthodox Jewish female groups wishing to pray at one of Judaism's holiest sites.

An official said Tuesday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Jewish Agency, to look into the matter. The official spoke anonymously according to government regulations.

Last week Israeli police detained women from a liberal Jewish group who approached the Western Wall in Jerusalem carrying prayer shawls. Orthodox Jews insist those are for men only. The women seek to worship at the site without such restrictions.

Jewish Agency spokesman Benjamin Rutland said Netanyahu told Sharansky that the Western Wall "must remain a source of Jewish unity rather than division." The wall is a remnant of the biblical Jewish Temple compound.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-25-Israel-Western%20Wall/id-b028bba7efa54c7ebec91c38ac4bbc47

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Ticket rush: Film fans hand Hollywood record cash

FILE - In this publicity film image released by Disney, Chris Hemsworth portrays Thor, left, and and Chris Evans portrays Captain America, in a scene from "The Avengers," expected to be released on May 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Disney, Zade Rosenthal, File)

FILE - In this publicity film image released by Disney, Chris Hemsworth portrays Thor, left, and and Chris Evans portrays Captain America, in a scene from "The Avengers," expected to be released on May 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Disney, Zade Rosenthal, File)

In this publicity photo provided by Warner Bros. Pictures, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake, is shown in a scene in Warner Bros. Pictures? and Legendary Pictures? action thriller ?The Dark Knight Rises," a Warner Bros. Pictures release. TM & ? DC Comics. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ron Phillips)

FILE - In this file photo of a publicity film image released by Disney, Iron Man, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., left, and Captain America, portrayed by Chris Evans, are shown in a scene from "The Avengers." (AP Photo/Disney, File)

In this publicity photo provided by Warner Bros. Pictures, Tom Hardy, center, as Bane, is shown in a scene in Warner Bros. Pictures? and Legendary Pictures? action thriller ?The Dark Knight Rises," a Warner Bros. Pictures release. TM & ? DC Comics. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ron Phillips)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The big deal for Hollywood is not the record $10.8 billion that studios took in domestically in 2012. It's the fact that the number of tickets sold went up for the first time in three years.

Thanks to inflation, revenue generally rises in Hollywood as admission prices climb each year. The real story is told in tickets, whose sales have been on a general decline for a decade, bottoming out in 2011 at 1.29 billion, their lowest level since 1995.

The industry rebounded this year, with ticket sales projected to rise 5.6 percent to 1.36 billion by Dec. 31, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. That's still well below the modern peak of 1.6 billion tickets sold in 2002, but in an age of cozy home theater setups and endless entertainment gadgets, studio executives consider it a triumph that they were able to put more butts in cinema seats this year than last.

"It is a victory, ultimately," said Don Harris, head of distribution at Paramount Pictures. "If we deliver the product as an industry that people want, they will want to get out there. Even though you can sit at home and watch something on your large screen in high-def, people want to get out."

Domestic revenue should finish up nearly 6 percent from 2011's $10.2 billion and top Hollywood's previous high of $10.6 billion set in 2009.

The year was led by a pair of superhero sagas, Disney's "The Avengers" with $623 million domestically and $1.5 billion worldwide and the Warner Bros. Batman finale "The Dark Knight Rises" with $448 million domestically and $1.1 billion worldwide. Sony's James Bond adventure "Skyfall" is closing in on the $1 billion mark globally, and the list of action and family-film blockbusters includes "The Hunger Games," ''The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn ? Part Two," ''Ice Age: Continental Drift," ''Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted," ''The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Brave."

Before television, movies were the biggest thing going, with ticket sales estimated as high as 4 billion a year domestically in the 1930s and '40s.

Movie-going eroded steadily through the 1970s as people stayed home with their small screens. The rise of videotape in the 1980s further cut into business, followed by DVDs in the '90s and big, cheap flat-screen TVs in recent years. Today's video games, mobile phones and other portable devices also offer easy options to tramping out to a movie theater.

It's all been a continual drain on cinema business, and cynics repeatedly predict the eventual demise of movie theaters. Yet Hollywood fights back with new technology of its own, from digital 3-D to booming surround-sound to the clarity of images projected at high-frame rates, which is being tested now with "The Lord of the Rings" prelude "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," shown in select theaters at 48 frames a second, double the standard speed.

For all of the annoyances of theaters ? parking, pricy concessions, sitting next to strangers texting on their iPhones ? cinemas still offer the biggest and best way to see a movie.

"Every home has a kitchen, but you can't get into a good restaurant on Saturday night," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros. "People want to escape. That's the nature of society. The adult population just is not going to sit home seven days a week, even though they have technology in their home that's certainly an improvement over what it was 10 years ago. People want to get out of the house, and no matter what they throw in the face of theatrical exhibition, it continues to perform at a strong level."

Even real-life violence at the movie theater didn't turn audiences away. Some moviegoers thought twice about heading to the cinema after a gunman killed 12 people and injured 58 at a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Colorado last summer, but if there was any lull in attendance, it was slight and temporary. Ticket sales went on a tear for most of the fall.

While domestic revenues inch upward most years largely because of inflation, the real growth areas have been overseas, where more and more fans are eager for the next Hollywood blockbuster.

International business generally used to account for less than half of a studio film's overall receipts. Films now often do two or even three times as much business overseas as they do domestically. Some movies that were duds with U.S. audiences, such as "Battleship" and "John Carter," can wind up being $200 million hits with overseas crowds.

Whether finishing a good year or a bad one, Hollywood executives always look ahead to better days, insisting that the next crop of blockbusters will be bigger than ever. The same goes this time as studio bosses hype their 2013 lineup, which includes the latest "Iron Man," ''Star Trek," ''Hunger Games" and "Thor" installments, the Superman tale "Man of Steel" and the second chapter in "The Hobbit" trilogy.

Twelve months from now, they hope to be talking about another revenue record topping this year's $10.8 billion.

"I've been saying we're going to hit that $11 billion level for about three years now," said Paul Dergarabedian, a box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "Next year I think is the year we actually do it."

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-26-Film-Hollywood's%20Year/id-df6a82e44d8d4e57bc551c529ad706c1

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The need for Commercial Finance | Trade Finance Bank

Firms are indispensable with out commercial finance these days. Smooth functioning of business enterprise operations is usually to be brought about in an effort to make your company profitable. A lot of lenders can present commercial loans but there?s a sizable division of a bank that offers commercial finance usually.

The loans that a bank features usually are secured by a business enterprise asset. This can be carried out to make certain that the repayment in the loan is carried out within a swift manner and in full. The assets which might be made use of to collateralize commercial loans are big but usually genuine estate, receivable from invoices and equipment or supplies are made use of to serve the goal.

Commercial finance is essential for the growth of the business enterprise. Firms generally get commercial finance to expand their operations and for capital growth and improvement. Markets are receiving really competitive these days and firms have to operate genuine tricky to survive within the sector. You might want to have long term sustainability for the business enterprise and enhance the value of the corporation. Critical commercial choices need to be made at the suitable time.

Prudent business enterprise experts have strong business enterprise acumen and may analyze nicely adequate when finances are required for the business enterprise. Commercial banks have made it achievable for firms to acquire loans and finance their tasks nicely adequate. Financial institutions even present advisory solutions as to how the commercial finance should be utilized by firms. Firms can even get debt-based economic arrangements by way of banks to support big economic capital.

Customized economic solutions are now achievable as well. You can get economic solutions tailored made for the distinct requirements. There is certainly a wide array of solutions which might be achievable to suit your needs. You can get brief term financing which is each convenient and versatile and also long term loans which you could pay more than a extended time frame.

Commercial genuine estate can be made collateral to safe long term repayment of loans. This type of a commercial loan is referred to as commercial mortgage. The constructing which is mortgaged in this regard will have to serve commercial purposes or have to be a business enterprise genuine estate. It should not be a residential house. The creditor can seize the collateral in case of default from the debtor. In most cases the deficiency is no extra paid from the debtor. Stability and profitability are the two points that a lender generally sees when forwarding a commercial loan in an effort to assure repayment.

If you would like know comprehensive particulars on commercial loans you must discuss with specialist in business finance.

Did you like this article? Share it below!

Source: http://www.tradefinancebank.com/the-need-for-commercial-finance/

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Extension Agent: Simple tips for a healthier new year

• By Brenda Phipps
• Originally published December 25, 2012 at midnight, updated December 25, 2012 at midnight

Try one or all of these easy tips in the coming year - every small change is a step in the right direction.

Switch to fat-free or low-fat dairy foods. They have the same essential nutrients as whole milk with less fat and calories. Drink a cup of low-fat milk with meals and be aware that cream cheese and butter are not part of the dairy food group.

Enjoy your food but eat less. Use 9-inch diameter plates at home to control portion sizes or share an entree when dining out. Take your time at meals, paying attention to textures, flavors and your feelings of fullness.

Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. They are low in fat and calories and full of healthy vitamins, minerals and fiber. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season for best quality or keep dried, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables on hand so that you always have plenty no matter the season. Have fruit for dessert and raw vegetables for snacks.

Cut back on foods high in solid fats and added sugars, like cake, cookies, ice cream and candy. These foods should be occasional treats savored in smaller portion sizes.

Take in more whole grains. As part of a healthy diet, whole grains can help reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. Exchange refined grain products for whole grain products like brown rice or whole grain pasta. When baking, substitute whole grain flour for up to half of the flour called for in your recipes. Check ingredient lists for the words "whole" or "whole grain" before the grain ingredient name.

Select lower sodium foods. Sodium raises blood pressure and 75 percent of the sodium Americans consume comes from processed foods (canned, packaged, frozen foods, etc.). Compare nutrition facts labels and choose products that are lower in sodium or cook fresh foods at home and opt for a no-salt seasoning mix for more flavor.

Swap your soda for a healthier beverage. Soda and other sweet drinks contain a lot of sugar that add to calorie intake. Drink water or low-fat milk instead or cut down by selecting smaller cans or cup sizes rather than super-sized options.

When it comes to protein foods, purchase leaner cuts of meat, remove skin from poultry, adjust to smaller portions and remember that beans, peas, nuts and seeds are also protein foods. Eat seafood in place of meat or poultry twice a week and grill or bake meats for less fat.

Keep in mind that your children learn from you, so become a good role model. Set the example for your children by serving a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and lean protein foods every day. Encourage children to try new foods and to create fun snacks for the whole family. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, get physically active by joining in when your children are playing.

A good way to start on your way to becoming more physically active is to join us at Victoria Mall on Jan. 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the Walk Across Texas kickoff event. For more information, visit walkacrosstexas.tamu.edu or call the Victoria County Extension office at 361-575-4581.

Source: 10 Tips Nutrition Education Series at ChooseMyPlate.gov

Brenda Phipps is a Victoria County extension assistant.

Source: http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2012/dec/25/fr_brenda_phipps_122612_197279/

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larajhonson: born leta: Most Popular Diets of 2012 | Health and ...

Most Popular Diets of 2012

Michael Phelps' 12,000-calorie-a-day training diet and Beyonce's maple syrup cleanse may top Google's list of the 10 most-searched diets of 2012, but the popular website Diets in Review.com found that when people want to get serious about weight loss, ?
See all stories on this topic ?

Source: http://health-fitness.holidayinndeals.net/?p=2297

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EKNL, DROP - Penny Stocks Investing

First and foremost, we want to wish our members a safe and Happy Holiday!

Market will be open half day tomorrow and re-open on Wednesday and we will definitely be right there with our CORE plays EKO International (EKNL) and Fuse Science (DROP). No doubt looking for a Santa Claus rally for the history books.

We have seen opportunities in the past where key buying during ?Santa Claus rally? week set up for solid gains to follow and this holiday week will be no different. With the new year just around the corner, this week is definitely presenting some bargains for EKNL and DROP. We are not going to miss a beat on these plays this week!

What Does Santa Claus Rally Mean?
A surge in the price of stocks that often occurs in the week between Christmas and New Year?s Day. There are numerous explanations for the Santa Claus Rally phenomenon, including tax considerations, happiness around Wall Street, people investing their Christmas bonuses and the fact that the pessimists are usually on vacation this week.

Many consider the Santa Claus rally to be a result of people buying stocks in anticipation of the rise in stock prices during the month of January, otherwise known as the January effect.

Investors are getting ever so close to a monster rally with shares held by long and strong hands, and with a very thin share inventory. When trigger breakout event occurred, we can see EKNL soar super quick to record levels and in a ?blink of an eye? ? the prime time to load up on super undervalued shares is right here and right now ? we are that close.

We have seen the exact same lead up and a ?blink of an eye? trigger breakout with Fuse Science (DROP +83,000% gains) just prior to the history making breakout that not only was the talk of the investment community, it made some of our members millionaires who took the opportunities to load at similar levels

We have put a near term target of $2 for EKNL and we are determined to reach this level ? the potential of EKNL is XTREME, that is why we are committed to continue to profile EKNL all month and continue well into January!

Of course what really stands EKNL apart from everyone else is the relationships and key connections it has build so far.

Teaming up with iMDhealth.ca network just gave EKNL access to thousands of physician, diabetes education centers and health care providers for diabetics across Canada ? practically becoming EKNL?s sales force for the treatment of Nueropathy and the FREMS FDA approved technology.

EKNL released monster news announcing EKO?s Dr. Ziemer of NeuroVasc Medical Inc. and NCI, distributor of Neurometrix (NASDAQ:NURO)?s NC-Stat DPN check device are now available in 100 of WalMart-Canada stores.? Dr. Paul Ziemer, world renowned for his expertise in the medical field joined the team at EKNL.

EKNL launched first of many Clinics including recent announcement of launching clinics in the USA. These clinics will start to treat patients with their FDA approved FREMS technology that was also presented at the 13th annual Medical last month!

Also, Dr. Ziemer teamed up with Dr. Snow of Neurometrix, a NASDAQ Listed company (NURO) for exclusive hands on demonstration of their testing unit at the show.

No doubt, these are MONSTER updates that are turning a lot of heads, and institutional investors now eying that multi-dollar target level.

These updates already give EKNL HUGE valuation and potential?

?BUT, IT IS WHAT?S STILL TO BE UNLEASHED BY EKNL THAT WILL NOT ONLY BE MIND ?BLOWING? IT WILL PROPEL EKNL PRICES ?SKY HIGH? AND INTO RECORD TERRITORY

ABOUT EKO INTERNATIONAL

EKO International Corp. is a holding company focused on growth through acquisition. Each acquisition must have substantial growth potential and is expected to add assets and/or cash-flow to the consolidated financial statements of the Company. The Company is willing to examine a variety of proposed target businesses and if interested, will negotiate terms and conditions of purchase favorable to itself.

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Source: http://www.ourhotstockpicks.com/eknl-drop-a-santa-claus-rally-week-for-the-history-books/

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Hang Your Shower Curtain's Bottom Corner to Improve Drainage and Avoid Mold Growth

Mold usually grows in shower curtains when water does not dry properly on the end of the curtain tucked into the shower enclosure. To combat this sew a small ring onto the corner of the curtain and mount a hook inside your shower area where you can hang the ring to facilitate proper drainage.

Instructables user mole1 found that by sewing a ring onto the curtain and attaching an adhesive hook that any excess water on the surface of the curtain dripped toward the drain. You should be able to find the proper shower curtain ring for a buck or two and spend about the same amount for an adhesive hook. Just attach the ring on the hook after you get out of your shower and you'll have much less water retained on the curtain, but keep in mind you still need to wash your shower curtain once or twice a year.

Have a mold free shower curtain in your bathtub | Instructables

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/El6R3vvH3R8/hang-your-shower-curtains-bottom-corner-to-improve-drainage-and-avoid-mold-growth

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