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Monday, December 31, 2012
jaime's Site - Speaking at the Alameda Writers Group January 5 ...
Speaking at the Alameda Writer?s Group January 5, 2013
I will be speaking at the Alameda Writers Group on January 5th at 10:00 on Know Your Writer?s Rights, a one hour presentation where I give screenwriters everything (well, almost everything) they need to know about the legal issues affecting writers. ?Will cover copyright infringement, registrations, options agreements, collaboration agreements, Libel & Slander, Titles, and a host of other topics. ?It?s free, so come on out and begin the year by learning something new.
For more information, visit?http://alamedawritersgroup.ning.com
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Source: http://zernerlaw.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/speaking-at-the-alameda-writers-group-january-5-2013/
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Debt Limit ? A Guide To American Debt Made Easy
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Source: http://therealrevo.com/blog/?p=90986
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Places To Go In Sectates
In the future, humans are 'cleansed' to become the perfect servants. But when some of them start to remember their past and feel emotions, what will happen?
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Game Masters:
This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Broken Humans?. Anything posted here will also show up there.Topic Tags:
Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.Please do not post here.
MORE TO BE ADDED.
Shops & Businesses
These are the places that people usually go to do their shopping or have fun.
General Shopping
There is one or two in each two supermarkets, depending how big the town is, and only one type owned by the same person, called AFFU. It is usually about two storeys high, with every single food you could have in there, with a small clothes section, and other items e.g. magazines. However, even though there is almost any variety of grocery you can buy here, because there is little of them in a city, there are also many small shops that may specialize in one type of food, e.g. bakery, butchers etc. Newsagents are also quite popular, but usually contain more magazines than newspapers, as all news shout outs are broadcasted on the television.
Clothes
There are a few main clothes stores. The first one is YOUNG 5EVER, which sells expensive clothes, but is very popular, as it is a 'brand name.' The second one is FOURYU, which, though the clothes are not as good quality and it is not a 'brand name,' is much cheaper than Young 5Ever. SIMPLY is another store, but this would be regarded as the 'Hipster Store' as it would be called, because that is the type of clothes it sells. The last store is CEES&MON, this is a complete variety of clothes with all age groups in mind.
Food & Eating Out.
Mercury is like today's 'McDonalds,' and is the biggest fast food chain ever, though there are a few others. There is a small caf? called Sharlene's, and a very expensive restaurant named 'An Bia Go Halainn.' Also, in the apartment block is a small restaurant known simply as 'The Place To Eat.'
Entertainment
There is a cinema with an attached bowling alley and soft play area for younger children. there are two night clubs, the 18+ one called Club Kiss, and the 13 - 18 one called Club Lights. Club Kiss has an attached arcade and casino.
There is a swimming pool, with an upstairs for gym and a separate room for Jacuzzi and spa treatment. There are two libraries and a toy store named Toys4U. The pub/bar is called Wesleys Lounge with Karaoke on Fridays and live music on Saturdays.
-- Most stores are a lot like your average ones today, though perhaps a bit more modern and extravagant.
The Everly Household
This is where the majority of playable characters live.
Click Here to see all the rooms in the house.
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Sunday, December 30, 2012
Stone Canyon offers custom-built homes surrounding golf course ...
New builders and new leadership have brought a new energy to Stone Canyon, a community of custom-built homes surrounding Stone Canyon Golf Course on the border between Blue Springs and Independence.
Stone Canyon, once the victim of an uncertain economy, is now a thriving new-home community.?Fourteen homes have closed since this new team took over last year. We have five custom new construction sales pending and multiple others in the design and negotiation process,? said Sally Moore with Keller Williams Eastland Partners, who exclusively markets the community.Stone Canyon has much to offer new-home buyers, she added. It is built around the Stone Canyon Golf Course, the only Greg Norman Signature Design golf course in Missouri, which is ranked as one of the top three public courses in Missouri. Stone Canyon has a Blue Springs address and children attend Blue Springs schools, including the nearby Sunny Pointe Elementary and Sunny Vale Middle schools. However, since Stone Canyon is officially within the borders of Independence, residents enjoy lower city taxes and lower utility rates.?Stone Canyon is just minutes from the new Centerpoint Medical Center, great shopping and services along with some of the best restaurants in eastern Jackson County,? Moore said. ?Access to Interstate 70 is just down the street. It only takes about 15 minutes to get to downtown Kansas City.?But even with minutes-away access to all the urban conveniences, Stone Canyon is nestled in a quiet area with little traffic or congestion and expansive views of the surrounding area.?We are on a ridge that allows you to see for miles,? Moore said. ?The sunsets are spectacular. At night you can see city lights in all directions.?These factors have contributed to Stone Canyon?s recent success and allowed it to take early advantage of the resurging real estate market.?As others are just now starting to feel the positive effects of our continually improving economy, we here at Stone Canyon have already been experiencing the rebirth of new construction for many months,? Moore said. ?That?s because we understood from the very beginning that the secret to success is delivering a customized home building experience with an unprecedented level of service and quality.?To provide that level of quality, Stone Canyon chose two builders with stellar reputations, Robert Foushee of Foushee Homes Inc. and Kevin Stallings of Dreams & Design Building. Foushee has 17 years of building experience and Stallings has 20.?Building my first spec house to sell in the early years was an eye opener, but I maintained the attitude that if I did it well and offered my customers something better, I would develop a reputation for quality and treating people right,? Foushee said.That attitude has brought Foushee success, rave reviews from his past clients and repeat customers. His promise to his clients is to provide them with quality construction and a friendly experience.The name of Stallings? business, Dreams & Design Building, says it all. ?If a customer dreams it, I can usually design and build it,? he said.Stallings takes pride in listening to customers, then showing them a template design that will meet most of their needs, but taking that template and modifying it so that customers get exactly the home they envisioned.?I never build the same home twice,? Stallings said, adding that he refuses to cut corners to hold down costs. ?I build every home as if it were mine. I won?t accept less than quality construction, I won?t rush the process and I won?t cut corners.?Stallings also knows the importance of building energy-efficient homes and has his homes independently inspected to meet Energy Star standards, providing a finished home that is between 45 and 50 percent more efficient that homes built to current building codes.Foushee and Stallings offer clients a variety of home designs, including ranch, 11/2-story, reverse 11/2-story and two-story plans with prices starting at $275,000. Prospective buyers can see the quality of Stallings? construction by visiting the model home at 4211 S. White Sands Court. They can also visit Foushee?s completed inventory home that is now available. Foushee also has another inventory home under construction that will be move-in ready in about 90 days. Stallings is just starting construction on two inventory homes that should be completed by summer.Prospective buyers also may see a variety of home plans from both builders at the model home that can be used as a basis for a custom designed and built home, Moore said.?It is amazing to see how these builders take a home from concept to design to completion for their clients,? Moore said. ?And they walk their customers through the process every step of the way. Each home is individualized.?One client, whose mother will be living with them, needed a home that was ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) compliant and that home was designed with an elevator,? she continued. ?Another customer wants to live in his home forever, so he is also having an elevator installed.?Stone Canyon is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For information, call Sally Moore at 816-268-3828 or visit stonecanyonkc.com.Source: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/12/30/3983296/stone-canyon-offers-custom-built.html
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Former chairperson of the University of Kelaniya student union Suranjith Bandara...
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thatcher papers show fascination with Reagan visit
LONDON (AP) ? It is not often that the president of the United States needs to seek fashion advice.
But when Ronald Reagan was getting ready for a visit to England as a guest of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1982, his people had an important question for the Brits: Just what does one wear to go riding with the queen in the magnificent horse country surrounding Windsor Castle?
The answer: Something smart, but casual, of course. Riding boots, breeches and a turtleneck sweater would do fine ? no need for formal riding attire.
The fashion inquiry is but one tidbit contained in nearly 500 pages of formerly Confidential documents relating to the Reagan visit being made public Friday by Britain's National Archives. The dossier shows the British government ? led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ? to be extraordinarily interested in pleasing the relatively new president on his two-day visit. British leaders also fretted that perennial cross-Channel rivals might triumph in the tug-of-war for presidential face time in a visit that had to be sandwiched between two summits on the European mainland.
The papers show that top Reagan adviser Michael Deaver had a way of annoying his British counterparts with last-minute changes and requests, and also surprised them with some of his objectives. Deaver, remembered as a shrewd image-builder, said he wanted Reagan to be photographed outside of formal venues, so he wouldn't be seen "exclusively in white tie" at palace functions, even suggesting that Reagan go to a village pub to soak up the atmosphere
There were raised eyebrows, and bruised feelings, when the White House failed to formally reply in a timely fashion to an official invitation from the queen ? the sort of invite that usually commands respect and a prompt reply the world over. The queen's invite was left to languish for weeks and weeks, something that the British believe is simply Not Done.
"It is really for the president to respond to her invitation, which he has not done personally, something that I have pointed out several times here," writes Nicholas Henderson, Britain's ambassador to Washington, in a memo to the British Foreign Office. "As you know those surrounding the president are not deliberately rude: It is simply that they are not well-organized and do not have experience of this sort of thing."
William F. Sittman, a special assistant to Reagan who was involved in planning the trip, told The Associated Press that it is possible the delay in responding to the queen was caused by first lady Nancy Reagan's insistence on consulting her astrologer before travel plans were finalized.
"You have to remember that Mrs. Reagan was very strict about his schedule, and she would consult her astrologer to see if this was the right time to travel," he said. "Sometimes she would back up departures."
The documents make clear that Europe's leaders were desperate for Reagan's attention at a time of high Cold War tensions. A memo from U.K. Cabinet Secretary Robert Armstrong on Feb. 5 expresses concern that a gala, summit-closing dinner at the palace of Versailles outside Paris could delay Reagan's arrival in London. But he warns against pressuring the Reagan entourage to skip the meal at Versailles' Hall of Mirrors because "that would not please the President of the French Republic."
Reagan's aides also worried the British by suggesting the president might have to skip the stop in London because accepting it might anger the Germans, who had offered a similar invitation. But feelings are smoothed over a bit when the Americans assure the British contingent that the Germans are not America's top priority.
"Eagleburger emphasized how much the president himself wanted to go to London," stresses one confidential memo from the British ambassador, referring to senior U.S. diplomat Lawrence Eagleburger. "There should be no doubt about that. Eagleburger also said that at the moment the Germans were not America's favorite allies."
The prospect of a chance to relax from international summitry with a bit of horseback riding with the queen seems to have helped carry the day for the Brits. Asked for the president's favorite type of horse, British planners are told simply that he wants a thoroughbred. He ended up riding Centennial, one of the queen's favorites, and wearing a perfectly fitted sports jacket above his sweater, going for an old-time Hollywood look he carried off with ease.
Much of the actual visit was devoted to pomp and pageantry, or to relaxation, but Reagan did make one speech of consequence. He became the first American president to address a meeting of both houses of Parliament and used the occasion to trumpet his distaste for the Soviet Union, calling it an economic catastrophe.
He said Marxism-Leninism would be left on the ash heap of history ? a prediction that would come to pass in the following decade.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/thatcher-papers-show-fascination-reagan-visit-012217318.html
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Tigers Making Comeback in Asia
Camera trap images reveal tiger numbers rebounding across Asia, especially in southwestern India, where young tigers are leaving protected reserves due to population pressure, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
The WCS attributes the rise in different tiger groups to better law enforcement and protection of additional habitat. For example, a notorious poaching ring was busted in Thailand last year, and the gang leaders have been given prison sentences of up to five years ? the most severe punishments for wildlife poaching in Thailand's history, the conservation group said in a statement.
Tiger numbers have been rising steadily in Thailand's Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary since 2007, with a record 50-plus tigers counted last year, the WCS said. The sanctuary is part of the country's Western Forest Complex. This core spans 7,000 square miles (18,000 square kilometers) and is home to an estimated 125 to 175 tigers.
In India's mountainous landscape of Nagarahole and Bandipur national parks, tigers have reached saturation levels, with more than 600 individuals caught on camera trap photos in the past decade. Young tigers are leaving the parks along protected corridors and entering a landscape with a population of a million people, the group said. [In Images: Tigers Rebound in Asia]
Conservationists also worked with government officials in Russia to create additional protected areas for tigers. The country declared a new corridor, called the Central Ussuri Wildlife Refuge, on Oct. 18. The refuge links the Sikhote-Alin tiger population in Russia ? the main group of endangered Amur tigers? with tiger habitat in China's Heilongjiang Province in the Wandashan Mountains. The refuge ensures that tigers can move across the border between Russia and China in this region.
An estimated 3,200 tigers are living in the wild, with only 2,500 breeding adult pairs, according to TRAFFIC, a monitoring group funded by the World Wildlife Fund and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Tigers have lost 93 percent of their historical range, which once sprawled across Asia from Turkey to Russia and south to Bali, according to the group.
"Tigers are clearly fighting for their very existence, but it's important to know that there is hope. Victories like these give us the resolve to continue to battle for these magnificent big cats," Cristi?n Samper, WCS president, said in a statement.
Reach Becky Oskin at boskin@techmedianetwork.com. Follow her on Twitter @beckyoskin. Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter?@OAPlanet. We're also on?Facebook?and Google+.
Copyright 2012 OurAmazingPlanet, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tigers-making-comeback-asia-144611814.html
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NO. 1 STORY 2012: Dexter community unites, works together after tornado rips through town
The Dexter community's strength played a key role in the immediate reaction to and recovery from the devastating F3 tornado that touched down on March 15 and damaged more than 200 homes, some of which are still in the process of being rebuilt or repaired.
View and purchase photos
The people living in the Dexter area have built a community by forging bonds to improve their overall quality of life and to make the area a great place to live - not to prepare for any major disaster.
All the same, the community's strength played a key role in the immediate reaction to and recovery from the devastating F3 tornado that touched down on March 15 and damaged more than 200 homes, some of which are still in the process of being rebuilt or repaired.
The tornado and the community's response make it Heritage Media's No. 1 story of 2012.
Virtually every organization and agency within Washtenaw County responded in some way, proving the community's strength and laying the groundwork for future emergency response not just in Dexter, but across Washtenaw County.
"You don't think about where you are going to store the 100 cases of water that Lowe's wants to give you," said Assistant Village Manager Courtney Nicholls.
Managing donated resources, directing eager volunteers (or holding them back initially when their helpfulness could put them in harm's way), reaching residents when your electronic means of communication are hamstrung by lost power - these are some of the experiences that local government officials have learned from.
The hope is that there won't be another incident of such magnitude in the county, but the Dexter area and its partners in the tornado response at the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, the Michigan State Police and the county government walked away wiser and more prepared.
"One example is we have our server for email off site so when the power (in the village) goes down, we can access it from anywhere and get messages out (under those circumstances," Nicholls said. "The tornado is also when we started using Facebook. Even though we had (the email server) back the next day, (it was still good to have an alternative avenue of communication)."
Just letting people know that the village government was functioning, and coordinating people and resources was important to many residents.
"You just want to let people know that services are fine for the rest of the village," she said. Continued...
The village government also knows that it can count on trash and recycling service provider Waste Management to help when Dumpsters are needed to hold debris."We had a lot of things in place that we could use. Debris removal was handled quickly and getting those Dumpsters was a big help," Nicholls said.
Dexter Township has done a lot to prepare for a similar incident in the future, not being in the same position as the village in terms of resources and manpower.
Unlike the village, the township doesn't have emergency sirens, a company like Waste Management at its disposal, or as many financial and human resources, which is why Township Supervisor Pat Kelly, the township board and the township's employees have been hard at work.
"I think we did pretty well given that we have no staff to speak of," Kelly said. "The village has staff - an assistant village manager, department of public work -we have two part-time office workers and a zoning administrator and, other than that, elected officials."
At the time, the township worked with the county and the sheriff's office, and coordinated volunteers from Dexter Township Hall, while the township's comparatively ragtag group handed out fliers to affected residents every couple of days.
Kelly said she's glad that all of her residents were alive and well enough to receive messages, due to the timing of the storm. Ensuring area residents get by similarly unscathed from future incidents is why the township approved expenses to build 16 early warning sirens in the township, in addition to bolstering fire safety.
"Obviously, the outdoor warning sirens were a project that wouldn't have been dreamed of, if it weren't for the tornado," Kelly said. "We saw firsthand that people in the village (were) prepared with the sirens, and we, on the (township) board), felt that was very helpful.
"If any severe weather or anything like that happens again, we want to be as prepared as the village is. Given the damage, we're lucky that no one was hurt or worse."
The township's sirens are still a work in progress that is expected to be completed in 2013. The 16 sirens will be controllable by township officials, as well as county emergency managers and local weather officials. Continued...
Kelly said that the sirens will be utilized in incidents large and small, including a situation of a lost child."If a child is lost at Silver Lake Beach, we could activate the siren closest to that location to alert folks to look for that missing child," Kelly said.
Township officials are also working on "continuity of government policies, procedures and protocols" that will address a number of scenarios, including what happens if the township hall is hit by a tornado or other calamity.
"We're working on policies to address those issues," Kelly said. "Our Public Safety Advisory Committee is working on that in an effort to be more prepared and have our residents be more informed and prepared, as well."
Kelly and Nicholls both agreed that one thing that isn't lacking or in need of improvement is the outpouring of support that is waiting to spring forth from the Washtenaw County community in such instances of disaster.
"The response was in the thousands," Kelly said. "It wasn't just community residents, but people from far away, from church organizations, other volunteer organizations that just help out in disasters."
Nicholls said that the village couldn't have managed and utilized all of the volunteers without the help of Dexter Community Schools or Faith in Action.
"The biggest piece was dealing with the phone calls and the people who wanted to volunteer and donate things," she said. "We were lucky that we didn't have the damage and the people in need of much. People wanted to keep donating. We couldn't have managed that without the schools and Faith in Action."
Staff Writer Sean Dalton can be reached at 734-429-7380 or sdalton@heritage.com. Follow him on Twitter @seankdalton. Text HERNews and HERWeather to 22700 to receive news and weather alerts to your cellphone. Msg and data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? No. 2 STORY 2012: President Obama visits Southeast Michigan twice??????????????????????????????????????????? No. 3 STORY 2012: Ypsilanti, Willow Run school districts merge?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? No. 4 STORY 2012: Sylvan Township solves debt repayment, but many issues still linger
The people living in the Dexter area have built a community by forging bonds to improve their overall quality of life and to make the area a great place to live - not to prepare for any major disaster.All the same, the community's strength played a key role in the immediate reaction to and recovery from the devastating F3 tornado that touched down on March 15 and damaged more than 200 homes, some of which are still in the process of being rebuilt or repaired.
The tornado and the community's response make it Heritage Media's No. 1 story of 2012.
Virtually every organization and agency within Washtenaw County responded in some way, proving the community's strength and laying the groundwork for future emergency response not just in Dexter, but across Washtenaw County.
"You don't think about where you are going to store the 100 cases of water that Lowe's wants to give you," said Assistant Village Manager Courtney Nicholls.
Managing donated resources, directing eager volunteers (or holding them back initially when their helpfulness could put them in harm's way), reaching residents when your electronic means of communication are hamstrung by lost power - these are some of the experiences that local government officials have learned from.
The hope is that there won't be another incident of such magnitude in the county, but the Dexter area and its partners in the tornado response at the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, the Michigan State Police and the county government walked away wiser and more prepared.
"One example is we have our server for email off site so when the power (in the village) goes down, we can access it from anywhere and get messages out (under those circumstances," Nicholls said. "The tornado is also when we started using Facebook. Even though we had (the email server) back the next day, (it was still good to have an alternative avenue of communication)."
Just letting people know that the village government was functioning, and coordinating people and resources was important to many residents.
"You just want to let people know that services are fine for the rest of the village," she said.
The village government also knows that it can count on trash and recycling service provider Waste Management to help when Dumpsters are needed to hold debris.
"We had a lot of things in place that we could use. Debris removal was handled quickly and getting those Dumpsters was a big help," Nicholls said.
Dexter Township has done a lot to prepare for a similar incident in the future, not being in the same position as the village in terms of resources and manpower.
Unlike the village, the township doesn't have emergency sirens, a company like Waste Management at its disposal, or as many financial and human resources, which is why Township Supervisor Pat Kelly, the township board and the township's employees have been hard at work.
"I think we did pretty well given that we have no staff to speak of," Kelly said. "The village has staff - an assistant village manager, department of public work -we have two part-time office workers and a zoning administrator and, other than that, elected officials."
At the time, the township worked with the county and the sheriff's office, and coordinated volunteers from Dexter Township Hall, while the township's comparatively ragtag group handed out fliers to affected residents every couple of days.
Kelly said she's glad that all of her residents were alive and well enough to receive messages, due to the timing of the storm. Ensuring area residents get by similarly unscathed from future incidents is why the township approved expenses to build 16 early warning sirens in the township, in addition to bolstering fire safety.
"Obviously, the outdoor warning sirens were a project that wouldn't have been dreamed of, if it weren't for the tornado," Kelly said. "We saw firsthand that people in the village (were) prepared with the sirens, and we, on the (township) board), felt that was very helpful.
"If any severe weather or anything like that happens again, we want to be as prepared as the village is. Given the damage, we're lucky that no one was hurt or worse."
The township's sirens are still a work in progress that is expected to be completed in 2013. The 16 sirens will be controllable by township officials, as well as county emergency managers and local weather officials.
Kelly said that the sirens will be utilized in incidents large and small, including a situation of a lost child.
"If a child is lost at Silver Lake Beach, we could activate the siren closest to that location to alert folks to look for that missing child," Kelly said.
Township officials are also working on "continuity of government policies, procedures and protocols" that will address a number of scenarios, including what happens if the township hall is hit by a tornado or other calamity.
"We're working on policies to address those issues," Kelly said. "Our Public Safety Advisory Committee is working on that in an effort to be more prepared and have our residents be more informed and prepared, as well."
Kelly and Nicholls both agreed that one thing that isn't lacking or in need of improvement is the outpouring of support that is waiting to spring forth from the Washtenaw County community in such instances of disaster.
"The response was in the thousands," Kelly said. "It wasn't just community residents, but people from far away, from church organizations, other volunteer organizations that just help out in disasters."
Nicholls said that the village couldn't have managed and utilized all of the volunteers without the help of Dexter Community Schools or Faith in Action.
"The biggest piece was dealing with the phone calls and the people who wanted to volunteer and donate things," she said. "We were lucky that we didn't have the damage and the people in need of much. People wanted to keep donating. We couldn't have managed that without the schools and Faith in Action."
Staff Writer Sean Dalton can be reached at 734-429-7380 or sdalton@heritage.com. Follow him on Twitter @seankdalton. Text HERNews and HERWeather to 22700 to receive news and weather alerts to your cellphone. Msg and data rates may apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? No. 2 STORY 2012: President Obama visits Southeast Michigan twice??????????????????????????????????????????? No. 3 STORY 2012: Ypsilanti, Willow Run school districts merge?????????????????????????????????????????????????????? No. 4 STORY 2012: Sylvan Township solves debt repayment, but many issues still linger
Source: http://www.heritage.com/articles/2012/12/29/dexter_leader/news/doc50df2af9ade41542469615.txt
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Wade suspended game for action against Sessions
NEW YORK (AP) ? Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade has been suspended one game without pay by the NBA for flailing his leg and making contact with the groin of Charlotte Bobcats' Ramon Sessions.
The suspension was announced Thursday by Stu Jackson, the NBA's executive vice president for basketball operations.
The incident happened with 8:12 left in the fourth quarter of the Heat's 105-92 victory over the Bobcats on Wednesday night. Sessions was called for a foul on the play.
Wade will serve the suspension Friday night when the Heat visit the Detroit Pistons.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wade-suspended-game-action-against-sessions-015259966--spt.html
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Friday, December 28, 2012
Pakistan Taliban chief says group will negotiate, but not disarm
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) - The head of Pakistan's Taliban said his militia is willing to negotiate with the government but not disarm, a message delivered in a video given to Reuters on Friday.
The release of the 40-minute video follows three high-profile Taliban attacks in the northern city of Peshawar this month: an attack by multiple suicide bombers on the airport, the killing of a senior politician and eight others in a bombing and the kidnap of 22 paramilitary forces on Thursday.
The attacks underline the Taliban's ability to strike high-profile, well-protected targets even as the amount of territory it controls has shrunk and its leaders are picked off by U.S. drones.
"We believe in dialogue but it should not be frivolous," Hakimullah Mehsud said. "Asking us to lay down arms is a joke."
In the video, Mehsud sits cradling a rifle next to his deputy, Wali ur-Rehman. Military officials say there has been a split between the two men but Mehsud said that was propaganda.
"Wali ur-Rehman is sitting with me here and we will be together until death," said Mehsud, pointing at his companion.
Pakistani officials did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.
The Taliban said in a letter released Thursday that they wanted Pakistan to rewrite its laws and constitution to conform with Islamic law, break its alliance with the United States and stop interfering in the war in Afghanistan and focus on India instead.
Mehsud referred to the killing of the senior politician in his speech and said the political party, the largely Pashtun Awami National Party, would continue to be a target along with other politicians.
"We are against the democratic system because it is un-Islamic," Mehsud said. "Our war isn't against any party. It is against the non-Islamic system and anyone who supports it."
Pakistan is due to hold elections next spring. The current government, which came to power five years ago, struck an uneasy deal with the Taliban in 2009 that allowed the militia to control Swat valley, less than 100 km (60 miles) from the capital, Islamabad.
A few months later, the military launched an operation that pushed the militants back. The U.S. military also intensified its use of drone strikes.
Now the Taliban control far less territory and the frequency and deadliness of their bombings has declined dramatically.
The Taliban's key stronghold is in North Waziristan, one of the tribal areas along the Afghan border and the site of most of the hundreds of drone strikes by the United States.
Mehsud said in his interview that although he was open to dialogue, the Pakistani government was to blame for the violence because it broke previous, unspecified deals.
"In the past, it is the Pakistani government that broke peace agreements," he said. "A slave of the U.S. can't make independent agreements; it breaks agreements according to U.S. dictat."
Mehsud said that the Pakistan Taliban would follow the lead of the Afghan Taliban when it came to forming policy after most NATO troops withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014.
"We are Afghan Taliban and Afghan Taliban are us," he said. "We are with them and al Qaida. We are even willing to get our heads cut off for al Qaida."
(Writing By Katharine Houreld; Editing by Nick Macfie)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/head-pakistan-taliban-says-group-negotiate-not-disarm-105343851.html
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First Gulf War's 'Stormin' Norman' Schwarzkopf dies
Consolidated News Pictures / Getty Images file
Click to view scenes from the life of the retired Army general.
By M. Alex Johnson, NBC News
Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, the blunt, bulldog-like commander of U.S.-led coalition forces in the first Persian Gulf War, died Thursday in Florida. He was 78.
Schwarzkopf died after a long illness at his home in Tampa, where he lived in retirement, a senior defense official told NBC News.
Schwarzkopf, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran who rose quickly through the Army's ranks during the 1970s and '80s, drew up the initial plans for the successful U.S.-led ejection of Saddam Hussein's forces from Kuwait, which Iraq invaded in 1990.
He then became famous for his pointed and inventive language during the almost-daily televised briefings he gave reporters as commander of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, invariably clad in desert camouflage, which he is credited with introducing.
Schwarzkopf described the key maneuver that led to the end of the ground war, a redeployment of forces into Iraq behind Iraqi lines, with a boxing metaphor: He called it a "left hook." And he memorably dismissed one report he disagreed with as "bovine scatology."
Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, describing the defeat of Iraqin February 1991, told reporters he could have gone all the way to Baghdad had he been given the order.
In his 1992 autobiography, "It Doesn't Take a Hero," Schwarzkopf related that he meant to send a message in those briefings.
"With those cameras grinding away, I knew I wasn't talking just to friendly audiences, but that Saddam and his bully boys were watching me on CNN in their headquarters," he wrote.
Schwarzkopf said he agreed with President George H.W. Bush's decision not to pursue Saddam all the way to Baghdad. At the February 1991 briefing during which he described the coalition's victorious operations, he made it clear that he could have done so, however, had he been given the order:
"If it had been our intention to take Iraq, if it had been our intention to destroy the country, if it had been our intention to overrun the country, we could have done it unopposed for all intents and purposes from this position at that time."
Schwarzkopf emerged from the war with the nickname "Stormin' Norman" and a career in television, much of it as a military analyst for NBC News.
The decision to go to war to oust Saddam was the defining moment of Bush's presidency. In a statement from Houston, where he is being treated at Methodist Hospital for complications related to bronchitis, Bush called Schwarzkopf "one of the great military leaders of his generation."
"More than that, he was a good and decent man," Bush said.
In a statement Thursday night, President Barack Obama called Schwarzkopf "an American original."?
"From his decorated service in Vietnam to the historic liberation of Kuwait and his leadership of United States Central Command, General Schwarzkopf stood tall for the country and Army he loved."
Colin Powell, who was Schwarzkopf's boss as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during Desert Storm, remembered him Thursday as "a great patriot and a great soldier."
"He was a good friend of mine, a close buddy," Powell said in a statement. " I will miss him."
Schwarzkopf, who had been based in Tampa for many years on the way to leading U.S. Central Command in 1988, was a prominent spokesman for campaigns to promote awareness of prostate cancer, with which he was diagnosed in 1993. He is survived by his wife, Brenda, and their three adult children.
Andrea Mitchell and Courtney Kube of NBC News contributed to this report.
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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Shinzo Abe returns as Japan's prime minister
TOKYO (AP) ? Japan's parliament elected Shinzo Abe as the nation's prime minister on Wednesday, ending three years of rule by liberal administrations and bringing back to power the conservative, pro-big business party that has run Japan for most of the post-World War II era.
Abe, whose nationalist positions have in the past angered Japan's neighbors, is the country's seventh prime minister in just over six years. He has promised to restore growth to an economy that has been struggling for 20 years.
He led the Liberal Democratic Party to victory in nationwide elections Dec. 16 to cement his second term as Japan's leader. He was also prime minister in 2006-2007 before resigning for health reasons that he says are no longer an issue.
He won elections in both houses of Parliament, though in the less powerful upper house, where his party is weaker, he finished second in the first round and needed a runoff to win. He was to name his Cabinet later Wednesday.
Capitalizing on voter discontent with the left-leaning Democratic Party of Japan, Abe has vowed to shore up the economy, deal with a swelling national debt and come up with a recovery plan following last year's devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crises.
Abe has also stressed his desire to make Japan a bigger player on the world stage, a stance that has resonated with many voters who are concerned that their nation is taking a back seat economically and diplomatically to China. Abe has vowed to stand up to Beijing over an ongoing territorial dispute and strengthen Tokyo's security alliance with Washington.
"I feel as fresh as the clear sky today," he told reporters before the vote, adding that he wanted to get right to work.
He has already named a roster of top party executives that includes two women ? more than previous LDP administrations ? and is younger than earlier ones, with three of the four in their 50s.
Abe was expected to give the finance portfolio to another former prime minister, Taro Aso. The new foreign minister likely will be Fumio Kishida, an expert on the southern island of Okinawa, where residents are calling for the removal of nearly 20,000 US troops based there. The defense minister was expected to be Itsunori Onodera, who was in Abe's previous administration.
The LDP governed Japan for decades after it was founded in 1955. Before it was ousted in 2009, the LDP was hobbled by scandals and problems getting key legislation through a divided parliament.
This time around, Abe has promised to make the economy his top priority and is expected to push for a 2 percent inflation target designed to fight a problem that was until recently relatively unique in the world ? deflation. Continually dropping prices deaden economic activity, and the Japanese economy has been stuck in deflation for two decades.
Besides generous promises to boost public works spending ? by as much as 10 trillion yen ($119 billion), according to party officials ? Abe is pressuring the central bank to work more closely with the government to reach the inflation target.
He has acknowledged, however, that the road ahead for Japan will be bumpy.
"Our party leadership will undoubtedly have to deal with many issues," he said Tuesday.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/shinzo-abe-returns-japans-prime-minister-065626144.html
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The Perils of Subzero Weather for Pets | Stafford Animal Shelter
When the temperature dips below zero, rules change for pets? outdoor time.? There are a number of important seasonal changes for you to be aware of.
??When it?s below zero, keep your cat inside, they can freeze or become lost. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.
??When it?s cold, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape.
??Don?t let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm?dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.
??Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.
??You should also thoroughly wipe off your cat and dog?s legs and stomach when they come in out of the sleet, snow or ice. They can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking their paws, and the paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice. You can put petroleum jelly on dry, cracked paw pads to help them heal.
??Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. For ?outdoor? dogs, they need to have insulated places with warm, dry bedding; plastic dog houses do not keep the cold out.
??It only takes three hours for an animal to freeze to death without shelter, even if they have blankets. If you have barn cats, they must have a warm sheltered place to escape the cold, like protected burrows in haystacks. Check water several times a day since it often freezes outdoors and they can?t get enough moisture from eating snow. There are also plug in pet bowls and heated bedding available.
??It is unlawful to leave a dog or cat outdoors without adequately warm shelter and defrosted water. There will be a first warning and after that you can be charged with animal cruelty and fined $1,000 with imprisonment possible for subsequent convictions. If an animal?s life is endangered they can be seized as well.
??Arctic Circle breeds do well as outside dogs, but do not put a puppy or adult dog outside for extended periods of time. If your pet has been outside for any length of time during very cold weather, watch closely for frost bit paw symptoms such as picking up their feet, whining, and limping.
??Puppies and smaller dogs ? a larger percentage of their body mass is exposed so they get cold easier ? do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, so may not be willing to do their business when it is very cold and you may want to have paper-lined areas indoors if your dog has been paper trained. Older dogs also get cold easier so winter coats for elders, pups and small dogs are recommended.
Source: http://staffordanimalshelter.org/2012/12/the-perils-of-subzero-weather-for-pets/
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Treatment options for Vein diseases - ArticlesWide.com
If you have any type of vein disease or have problems dealing with issues such as Spider Veins or Varicose Veins you understand that it is a health issue that is not fun or enjoyable. This issue is a problem for many. In fact, about 50 to 55 percent of women and 40 to 45 percent of men in the United States suffer from some type of vein problem. The good news is that solutions are available. Thanks to new medical technology and years of research on everything from Deep Venous Thrombosis to Spider Veins, a lot of vein problems that are so commonly suffered in the United States can get treated well.
There are a multitude of treatments that are available for Vein Disease and it is up to you to decide which one will have the greatest impact on helping out your cause. The doctor that you visit in your initial appointment to discuss treatment options will go over all of the potential options available. Below, we have analyzed various treatment options that are available to people today and have gone over their advantages and disadvantages. Each option has unique benefits and drawbacks and it is ultimately up to you to decide, but based on the lists below, you should gain better knowledge as what treatment option will best suite your specific needs.
The first option is a procedure called Sclerotherapy. Sclerotherapy is a safe and proven non-surgical treatment for small or medium-sized varicose veins and is best for the treatment for spider veins. A tiny needle is used to implement a sclerosing solution into the target vein. This solution shuts it down the vein by irritating the lining of it.
Another option is called Endovenous laser Treatment (EVLT). This procedure is a minimally invasive treatment for veins that are located beneath the skins surface which are not working properly due to malfunctioning valves. The procedure involves the insertion of a tiny laser fiber into the vein, which seals the vein shut so it eventually collapses and fades from the surface of the skin.
The next option available is VNUS. This is a new procedure utilizes radiofrequency waves created by an electrode to close the vein. It closes the vein by heating the vein wall causing contraction of the vein. The VNUS Closure procedure has very little discomfort associated with it and yields a typically high degree of success.
Microphlebectomy is a procedure that is also commonly referred to as ambulatory phlebectomy. This is a type of surgery commonly used to remove large bulging veins. Many times, varicose veins near the surface of the skin are too large to treat with Sclerotherapy and are too small to treat with laser ablation. In these cases, this procedure is recommended to treat unsightly or painful leg veins close to the skins surface. Even though this is an invasive surgery, the risks associated are minimal.
As you see above, there is a great deal of options available to you for treatment of Vein Disease. Make sure you go over the options thoroughly and choose the treatment that fits your needs the best!
See more information about vein diseases and how to get the right treatment for your condition. Visit the following links: Varicose vein and Varicose vein doctor.
Visit our website at http://www.californiaveintreatment.com
Source: http://www.articleswide.com/article/12137-Treatment_options_for_Vein_diseases.html
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Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/7358550/ns/today-entertainment/
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Pope decries slaughter of 'defenseless' Syrians
VATICAN CITY (AP) ? Pope Benedict XVI wished Christmas peace to the world Tuesday, decrying the slaughter of the "defenseless" in Syria, urging Israelis and Palestinians to find the courage to negotiate and encouraging China's new leaders to allow more religious freedom.
Delivering the Vatican's traditional Christmas day message from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict also encouraged Arab spring nations, especially Egypt, to build just and respectful societies.
May China's new leadership "esteem the contribution of the religions, in respect for each other" to help build a "fraternal society for the benefit of that noble people," the pope prayed.
It was a clear reference to the Chinese government's often harsh treatment of Catholics loyal to the pontiff instead of to the state-sanctioned church. Earlier this month, the Vatican refused to accept the decision by Chinese authorities to revoke the title of a Shanghai bishop, who had been appointed in a rare show of consensus between the Holy See and China.
As the 85-year-old pontiff, bundled up in an ermine-trimmed red cape, gingerly stepped foot on the balcony, the pilgrims, tourists and Romans below backing St. Peter's Square erupted in cheers.
Less than 12 hours earlier, Benedict had led a two-hour long Christmas Eve ceremony in the basilica. He sounded hoarse and looked weary as he read his Christmas message and then holiday greetings in 65 languages.
In his "Urbi et Orbi" speech, which traditionally reviews world events and global challenges, Benedict prayed that "peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict that does not spare even the defenseless and reaps innocent victims."
He called for easier access to help refugees and for "dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict."
Benedict prayed that God "grant Israelis and Palestinians courage to end long years of conflict and division, and to embark resolutely on the path to negotiation."
Israel, backed by the United States, opposed the Palestinian statehood bid, saying it was a ploy to bypass negotiations, something the Palestinians deny. Talks stalled four years ago.
Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said that in a meeting with the pope last week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "emphasized our total readiness to resume negotiations." The Palestinians have not dropped their demand that Israel first stop settlement activities before returning to the negotiating table.
Hours earlier, in the ancient Bethlehem church built over the site where tradition holds Jesus was born, candles illuminated the sacred site and the joyous sound of prayer filled its overflowing halls.
Overcast skies and a cold wind in the Holy Land didn't dampen the spirits of worshippers in the biblical West Bank town. Bells pealed and long lines formed inside the fourth-century Church of the Nativity complex as Christian faithful waited to see the grotto that is Jesus' traditional birthplace.
Duncan Hardock, 24, a writer from MacLean, Va., traveled to Bethlehem from the republic of Georgia, where he had been teaching English. After passing through the separation barrier Israel built to ward off West Bank attackers, he walked to Bethlehem's Manger Square where the church stands.
"I feel we got to see both sides of Bethlehem in a really short period of time," Hardock said. "On our walk from the wall, we got to see the lonesome, closed side of Bethlehem ... But the moment we got into town, we're suddenly in the middle of the party."
Bethlehem lies 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Jerusalem. Entry to the city is controlled by Israel, which occupied the West Bank in 1967.
For those who couldn't fit into the cavernous Bethlehem church, a loudspeaker outside broadcast the Christmas day service to hundreds of faithful in the square.
Their Palestinian hosts, who welcome this holiday as the high point of their city's year, were especially joyous this season, proud of the United Nations' recognition of an independent state of Palestine just last month.
"From this holy place, I invite politicians and men of good will to work with determination for peace and reconciliation that encompasses Palestine and Israel in the midst of all the suffering in the Middle East," said the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal in his annual address.
Back at the Vatican, Benedict offered encouragement to countries after the Arab spring of democracy protests. He had a special word for Egypt, "blessed by the childhood of Jesus."
Without citing the tumultuous politics and clashes in the region, he urged the North African region to build societies "founded on justice and respect for the dignity of every person."
Benedict prayed for the return of peace in Mali and harmony in Nigeria, where, he recalled "savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians."
The Vatican for decades has been worried about the well-being of its flock in China, who are loyal to the pope in defiance of the communist's government support of an officially sponsored church, and relations between Beijing and the Holy See are often tense.
Speaking about China's newly installed regime leaders, Benedict expressed hope that "they will esteem the contribution of the religions, in respect for each other, in such a way that they can help to build a fraternal society for the benefit of that noble people and of the whole world."
Acknowledging Latin America's predominant Christian population, he urged government leaders to carry out commitments to development and to fighting organized crime.
In Britain, the royal family was attending Christmas Day church services at St. Mary Magdelene Church on Queen Elizabeth II's sprawling Sandringham estate, though there were a few notable absences. Prince William is spending the holiday with his pregnant wife Kate and his in-laws in the southern England village of Bucklebury, while Prince Harry is serving with British troops in Afghanistan.
Later Tuesday, the queen delivered her traditional, prerecorded Christmas message, which for the first time was broadcast in 3D.
At Canterbury cathedral, Anglican leader Rowan Williams delivered his final Christmas day sermon as archbishop of Canterbury. He acknowledged how the church's General Synod's vote against allowing women to become bishops had cost credibility and said the faithful felt a "real sense of loss" over the decision.
_____
Dalia Nammari in Bethlehem and Cassandra Vinograd in London contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-decries-slaughter-defenseless-syrians-111207075.html
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Mark Cuban's Unconventional Income Tax Proposal Is The Exact ...
Michael Seto |
During a Reddit Ask Me Anything session, billionaire Mark Cuban offered up a very contrarian take on taxes.
First, here was the question that keyed off his claim that taxes should rise on the rich, and that it wouldn't be that harmful to the economy.
Could you further explain your stance on taxes for businesses? I've seen where you said that taxes essentially don't matter for business. That entrepreneurs will still start a business because they don't say, "Wow, I have a great idea but the tax rate is too high." Still, wouldn't it be helpful to have lower taxes because when those entrepreneurs sell their business, they have more money left to fund other businesses? If I sell my business for $1MM and capital gains is 5% higher than it is now, that's $50K that I can't invest in startups. That's easily 5 less businesses that will have to find capital elsewhere.
And here's Cuban's answer (lightly edited for punctuation):
Like everyone else, I want taxes lower. More money = more choices. BUT, I believe in taking responsibility for the circumstances we find ourselves in. As a citizen I voted for a bunch of the idiots in office. When they were doing stupid shit, I stood by quietly. Even when I spoke up, it didn't impact anything.? So while I believe that lower taxes are good. I recognize that I was part of the problem. And given that we are in the middle of a big problem, what I believe is the optimal way doesn't matter.? What matters now is fixing the problem. Unfortunately the way to fix the problem is to have those who can pay more to pay more.? I've been proactive individually, I've written checks to the City of Dallas. I've written big checks for disasters where I know that anything not financed privately is going to come from taxpayers. So its my small way of trying to help. I think all these politicians who ignore the current context/realities of where we are, hurt more than help? If it were up to me, I would increase taxes and create metrics that triggered declines. If the unemployment rate falls to 6pct nationally and the Deb/t GDP ratio declines to a specified amount, we lower taxes. If it goes the other way, we increase them further on the wealthy. I could go on for days on ideas, but no one is listening to me. :)
This is a very businessy way of looking at taxes, that lower taxes are like a bonus for good times, and that in bad times people should take home less. That does make sense in a business. As a tax policy, it's pretty much the opposite of what every economist will argue.
That being said, on Twitter Conor Sen makes a good point, which is that this creates an incentive for the rich to actively care about the unemployment rate, and to promote policies which would get there. There may be a way to structure it so that it works out well for everyone.
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