oyesmiah88: October 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner Bring 'Breaking Dawn' Clip To MTV!

'Twilight' trio will sit down for an interview Thursday at 8 p.m. — and MTV has plenty more treats around the 'Part 2' premiere.
By Kara Warner

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1696462/kristen-stewart-robert-pattinson-taylor-lautner-breaking-dawn-mtv-first.jhtml

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U.S. Philosophy Of Government

Mitt Romney and Paul RyanPaul Ryan have a right to propose a smaller government, and that states take care of most tasks.

Putting aside whether that is a practical way to run a country for the moment, we do have a right to ask them to stick to these beliefs.

Too many times when their views were seen as politically incorrect they merely ?walked them back,? to use today?s lingo.

Abraham Lincoln said: ?You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.?

That may not be true any longer. Improvements in communications later made it possible to tell lies so often that they began to been as the truth.

With today?s media there is so much noise it is hard to tell what is true. Media content creators are competing for the attention of the nation, with no holds barred.

Romney said he would shut down FEMA, even privatize it.

Obama called the attack on Benghazi an attack, and an act of terror, twice within 24 hours.

Who to believe?

Leaving that answer to each individual voter the question should become whether making the government smaller should be the No. 1 priority of Americans. Is small inherently better than large, or just in some cases, even most cases.

The New York Times may have said it best with ?big storm, big government.?

Bad things, be they serial killers, diseases, bugs, weather disasters, or terrorism, cross states lines.

Republicans say regional disasters create an opportunity for unnecessary spending.

We could disassemble NORTHCOM and NORAD and build a state emergency center in all 50 states. And we could build a communications system connecting them.

At the end of the day, would the director of each one of these centers be more concerned about his/her state or the regional outcome?

Source: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/13294248-us-philosophy-of-government

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Video: Hurricane Sparks Massive Fire

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/49609801/

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Westport Inks Development Deal with Tata ... - LNG World News

Westport Inks Development Deal with Tata Motors

Westport Innovations, the global leader in natural gas engines, said it has signed an agreement with Tata Motors to develop an engine for light- and medium-duty trucks and buses.?

?Westport is developing a next generation engine technology for integration into a new engine platform with Tata Motors,? said Nicholas Sonntag, Executive Vice President, Westport Innovations. ?This is a great opportunity to work with India?s largest engine manufacturer in a fast-growing marketplace demanding cost effective and environmentally conscious solutions. Our development schedule is accelerated and we believe it can be accomplished given the substantive market size and interest in natural gas vehicles in India.?

Upon successful completion of the development phase, commercialization is expected to follow, with Westport supplying key natural gas engine components based on the proprietary technology being developed in this program.

Mr. Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director ? Commercial Vehicles Business Unit of Tata Motors, said, ?As national CNG and LNG fueling infrastructure continues to develop a need for innovative, low cost, reliable technologies natural gas will emerge. Tata Motors is already in the forefront in this area.?

LNG World News Staff, October 30, 2012

Source: http://www.lngworldnews.com/westport-inks-development-deal-with-tata-motors-canada/

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Home Supplies Drop To Multi-Year Low | Crested Butte Real Estate

Meet Heather Woodward, Realtor

Heather is a full-time Realtor and a consistent top producer in the local Crested Butte, Almont and Gunnison markets.

Heather takes great pride in giving unparalleled customer service and is dedicated to her clients and their individual needs. Her number one priority is to provide service above and beyond her clients? expectations. She will dedicate her time, attention, energy and knowledge during and after each transaction. Read More

Source: http://www.crestedbuttepropertyshop.com/existing-home-sales-september-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=existing-home-sales-september-2012

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Manager, Sales Executive, Accountant, Front Desk Officer Current ...

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

A leader in the printing, publishing and trading industries with operations based in Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja seeks:

SENIOR BUSINESS MANAGER: CODE SBM 001

RESPONSIBILITIES

-???????? Strategy development and execution

-???????? Market and business development, sales force management

-???????? Logistics distribution strategy development

-???????? Income generation, budget management and profitability

REQUIREMENTS

-???????? ??First degree in marketing, masters degree will be added advantage

-???????? Good knowledge of paper trading, publishing and printing business

-???????? At least 10 years experience in similar roles at management level

SALES EXECUTIVE: CODE SE 002

RESPONSIBILITIES

-???????? Ability to break into paper/print consumables market and in depth knowledge of the paper industry

-???????? Good business development and marketing skills and ability to convert prospects into sales

REQUIREMENTS

-???????? First degree in related field

-???????? Field sales experience in opening new market and business channels

-???????? 5 years experience in paper trading industry

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: SA CODE 003

RESPONSIBILITIES

-???????? Mange the office and schedule of the CEO

-???????? Ability to prepare executive reports, coordinate board activities and coordinate exco meetings

REQUIREMENTS

-???????? Good university degree, a second degree will be added advantage

-???????? Excellent writing skills, presentation, verbal communication and ability to prepare annual report

-???????? Extensive skills in usage of office tools and handheld devices

-???????? At least 5 years experience in similar position in a reputable organization

-???????? Extended work hours, weekend and travel

GROUP INTERNAL AUDITOR: CODE IA 004

RESPONSIBILITIES

-???????? Ensure audit readiness process and policies are in compliance with statuary codes

-???????? Ensure strict and professional internal and external control across board

REQUIREMENTS

-???????? At least degree in accounting

-???????? Professional accounting qualification will be added advantage

-???????? At least 5 years experience in accounting/auditing firm

FRONT DESK OFFICER: CODE FDO 005

RESPONSIBILTIIES

-???????? Customers and visitors management process, data management and data mining

REQUIREMENTS

-???????? OND or professional qualification

-???????? Smart and courteous with ability to coordinate a large and busy front office

-???????? Excellent writing and verbal communication skills

-???????? Ability to effectively use the internet and social media platforms

METHOD OF APPLICATION

Send CV and indicate the job code as email subject to: recruitment@donquester.com or donquester@gmail.com

Source: http://www.jobsfornaija.com/2012/10/manager-sales-executive-accountant-front-desk-officer-current-job-positions-in-nigeria-today.html

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

GSK starts final-stage tests on severe asthma drug

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gsk-starts-final-stage-tests-severe-asthma-drug-111619293--finance.htmluniversity of kentucky ncaa oakland news alec baldwin alec baldwin college basketball oakland

Comments Off - Autoextremist.com

October 31, 2012

Revenge of the Telecomies and the Motor City?s PR nightmares du jour.

By Peter M. De Lorenzo

(Posted 10/30, 10:45 a.m.) Detroit. It?s appropriate that our publication date falls on Halloween this week, as the PR nightmares continue in and around this business, starting with, of course, the ridiculous give and take between our ? cough, hack ? illustrious presidential candidates, who continue to wrangle over the auto bailout while removing what little shred of credibility is left from either side of the discussion. They?re both in denial and saying anything they can to capture the highest office in the land and as the days wind down to next Tuesday, the words disgraceful and disgusting come to mind to describe their respective camps? behavior. But hey, that?s how politics is defined here in the good ol? U.S. of A. It?s a revolving cesspool of bad actors, empty promises and enough stupidity to make us collectively ask every four years: Is the best we can muster? Really?

Somehow this business and life its own self (kudos to Dan Jenkins and Dr. Bud for that phrase) comes down to Public Relations. Let me clarify that, good Public Relations. You either have it, need it, want it or wish you had it. It?s that simple. Because when you?re living in a swirling maelstrom of bad PR, life can be a brutal, never-ending slog of recrimination and self-flagellation.

Let?s start with Ford. Their swirling maelstrom of crap starts and ends with a Consumer Reports magazine crew that is out to crucify the company for egregious affronts to consumers both real and imagined. Did Ford go too far with its drive to be the most forward-thinking, touchy-feely techie car company in the land? Yes, of course they did. And the result? MyFord Touch has not been well received in ConsumerVille. (Ah yes, consumers. Their tolerance level for anything the least bit challenging is zero. But then again their credibility isn?t always impeccable, as their personal enlightenment too often leaves much to be desired. After all, from this illustrious group came the brilliant posse who bought Hummer H2s, and then proceeded to complain to J.D Power about the vehicle?s fuel economy in surveys. Nicely done.)

Have the Consumer Reports editors used its jihad against Ford to call attention to them and their publication? Absolutely. That?s what the magazine does on a regular basis, sort of like the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety does with its standing offer from NBC News to run crash tests that will look appropriately horrifying on the Today Show. But has the magazine thrown an entire company under the bus ? a company that?s building some of the best mass-produced vehicles in the world ? because of an electronics interface? Yes.

And therein lies Ford?s PR problem. Ford?s PR maestro, Ray Day, and his team, have their work cut out for them. The natural tendency in the PR biz is to always overreact, but so far, I haven?t seen that from Dearborn. They?re building excellent cars and trucks and they know it, and they?re tweaking MyFord Touch by the hour to make it better, but then again that may not be enough. A major reassessment of how Ford handles its consumer interface inside their vehicles may be in order. Until then, Ford will have to bend over backwards to gain positive consumer word of mouth.

How about the denizens of the Silver Silos? GM PR?s nightmare (besides me) begins with the fact that there?s a major disconnect between the excellent cars and trucks they build (for the most part) juxtaposed against the fact that the ?Government Motors? moniker is still hanging over the company like a giant scythe.

This is the one thing that vexes CEO Dan ?Captain Queeg? Akerson more than any other. It fuels negativity amongst a large section of the populace that still bristles over it, it prevents the company from luring top-notch talent to its executive ranks, and it?s killing the company image-wise. Akerson desperately wants out from under that tag, and he can?t wait until the U.S. Government divests itself from the company?s shares (which will happen sometime after the election and before the end of first Quarter of 2013, count on it).

In the meantime, powerless to do anything about GM?s ?Government Motors? cross to bear, Akerson careens around GM like a bull in a china shop, making bad decisions in rote fashion while operating in a blissful state of tone-deafness that defies description. His PR handler, Selim Bingol, who was brought to Detroit by drive-by former CEO Ed Whitacre, has had a tough time of it to say the least. But then again, all of these telecom executives who have wandered into this business through GM have had a tough time adjusting.

Why? Well it might have something to do with the fact that their arrogant attitude is unrepentant and jaw dropping to witness, even in this town of wildly self-inflated egos. It?s not in the Italians? league out in Auburn Hills ? not even close, in fact ? but it?s staggering to observe in its own right. The Telecomies just think the business is child?s play, and they don?t understand the fuss. Captain Queeg has repeatedly gone on record as saying that anyone can ?do? product, that there?s nothing to it and the constant hand-wringing about whether you?re a ?car guy? or not is juvenile and boring. Meanwhile Akerson and his hand-selected minions are threatening to drive GM and its True Believers ? the men and women keeping GM in the fight ? right over the edge.

You can always tell when Akerson has had a particularly bad spate of personally negative PR, because he inevitably donates a car or money to local charity to emphasize to all that he?s one with the community and that he cares. The money is welcomed, but the cynicism behind it isn?t. Akerson doesn?t live here and he?s not about to. And camping in a downtown hotel doesn?t constitute being one with the community either. It will never disguise the fact that he?s a carpetbagging interloper and an ?Accidental Tourist? of a CEO who will leave GM in a little over a year to collective shouts of ?thank goodness? and ?OMG, finally!?

I don?t envy Bingol in this mess, but then again he signed up for it, and it?s his unique burden to bear. (And that I am Public Enemy No. 1 in his and Akerson?s book is just fine with me, because I couldn?t care less. The High-Octane Truth is not for the faint of heart.)

In the end there?s no amount of PR wrangling that?s going to make Captain Queeg into a lovable, respected CEO. That?s just GM?s ? and Bingol?s ?? particular PR nightmare du jour.

And then there?s Fiat-Chrysler. The quasi-American, Italian-owned enterprise fueled by the talents of the True Believers out in Auburn Hills toiling in the shadow of their Italian overlords is cookin?. It?s quite a deal Sergio & Co. has worked out, actually. The True Believers do all of the work and make all the cash for the company, while Sergio and his merry men take all of the credit. And thus it was ever so throughout Sergio?s illustrious career. (The Vice-President denies that Sergio was ?gifted? Chrysler in his latest stump speeches, but the fact of the matter is that?s exactly how it went down.)

And why fight it? After all Sergio is The Exalted One, the eternal Smartest Guy in the Room, and not a discouraging word shall penetrate his fa?ade of greatness, because, if it weren?t for him Chrysler would be a faded memory by now, right? Right.

That his persona of invincibility and aura of greatness are all calculated is beyond most people, especially a shocking number in the media, but I digress. It is what it is, and his personal PR bag man, Gualberto Ranieri, operates in a kind of netherworld where his only job is to prevent discouraging words from ever crossing Sergio?s bow, which in this town is a cakewalk, what with the slobbering media hanging on Sergio?s every word and all. (In Italy it?s a completely different story, as Sergio has worn out his welcome and the agitation directed toward him is ramping up by the day.)

You would think that Ranieri would be, for all intents and purposes, Marchionne?s personal valet, someone seen and never heard, and that?s sort of how it works. (Except for this week when Ranieri had to correct the bumbling Romney campaign for a blatant falsehood about Jeeps being built in China. Will they eventually build Jeeps in China? Of course they will. Just not soon enough to be part of the discussion in this lame-ass Presidential campaign.)

But then again Ranieri is a graduate of the renowned Unctuous Prick University of PR (Bingol graduated summa cum laude from there as well) and he wears his boss?s condescending attitude and extravagantly overwrought hubris like a Day-Glo pocket square, with the only thing missing from his suit being the battle ribbons awarded to him by Sergio for his years of faithful and meritorious service.

That Ranieri marches to his boss?s beat is to be expected. That?s what professional PR people do. With Marchionne setting the tone by viewing anyone and everything that came before him in this town as being irrelevant, pedantic and well, inconsequential, Ranieri is in perfect lockstep with his boss, and the condescension plainly oozes right out of him.

Ranieri is also the only PR guy in this town devoid of the nightmares visited upon the others. His ?What, me worry?? attitude is perfectly in sync with his boss?s view of the world, and no negatives are even off to the horizon to threaten their blissful state. To that I say, ?We?ll see,? because as the European situation darkens further, the burgeoning calamity that is becoming Fiat may just derail Sergio?s grandiose plans for world domination for good.

The PR nightmares in this town change like the shifting winds, and the PR operatives engaged in dealing with them understand that implicitly. Some have it goin? on, and some will eventually leave their posts still searching for a clue. It doesn?t make it any easier by any means, but that?s how the game is played.

As I said, when it comes to good PR you either have it, need it, want it or wish you had it.

It really is that simple.

And that?s the High-Octane Truth for this week.

See another live episode of "Autoline After Hours" with hosts John McElroy, from Autoline Detroit, and Peter De Lorenzo, The Autoextremist, and guests this Thursday evening, at 7:00PM EDT at www.autolinedetroit.tv.

By the way, if you'd like to subscribe to the Autoline After Hours podcasts, click on the following links:

Subscribe via iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=311421319

Subscribe via RSS:

http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/podcasts/feeds/afterhours-audio.xml

Source: http://www.autoextremist.com/current/2012/10/30/the-autoextremist.html

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Wine & Spirits: Halloween Cocktails | Washington Life Magazine

Washington bars scare up witches brews, creepy concoctions and spine-tingling sips on Oct. 31.

By Kelly A. Magyarics

The Misty Mummy at Capitale is just one of the Halloween-themed liquids creations at District bars. (Photo by Vithaya Photography)

Hurricane Sandy got you down? Have no fear ? Wednesday is Halloween. So after she?s barreled through and left her trail of downed power lines and treebranches,?flooding?and misery, head to one of these area bars on October 31 for some liquid treats.

Capitale (1301 K St. NW, 202.962.3933) will be mixing up the Bruja Brew, with Tequila, lime juice and Cointreau, smoked with applewood and peppercorn, and topped with dry ice; Or try the?Misty Mummy, a cinnamon-tinged fizz wrapped in King Tut-worthy streamers. The two libations are $12 ($10 during happy hour). Capitale shared a variation of the Misty Mummy with WL Wine & Spirits for your own Halloween happenings:

The Misty Mummy
Recipe courtesy of Capitale, Washington, D.C.

1 ? oz. Cinnamon-infused vodka (see Note)
? oz. simple syrup
? oz. lemon juice
1 egg white
2 drops black food coloring
Soda water

Combine the vodka, simple syrup, lemon juice, egg white and food coloring in a cocktail shaker. Shake?without ice, and then add ice and shake again. Strain over ice in a tall Collins glass wrapped in white?streamers and top with soda.

To prepare the cinnamon-infused vodka:

Take a 750 ml bottle of vodka and add a handful of cinnamon sticks. Shake the bottle each day for?several days, until the desired cinnamon flavor is achieved. Remove the cinnamon sticks, or keep them?in the bottle for additional flavor.

Public Tenley's deceptively potent punch mixes vodka, apple cider and fruit juice. (Photo by Vithaya Photography)

Public Tenley?s (4611 41st St. NW, 202.237.1793) Wicked Witch PUBLIC Apple Punch ($10) is a witch-worthy brew with vodka, cider and fruit juice. Don?t be fooled by the drink?s easy drinking nature?it?s a ghoulishy potent potable.

The Bloody Bang ($11) at 901 Restaurant (901 9th St. NW, 202.524.4433) combines Emperor Imperial Vodka, Champagne and raspberry pur?e. The restaurant promises it will unleash your inner zombie so you can continue your revelry until dawn breaks.

Graffiato (707 6^th St. NW, 202.289.3600) is celebrating Halloween Jersey-Shore style with?The Fist Pump ($13). A mix of dark, light and 151-proof rum, Applejack, papaya pur?e and pineapple juice, The Fist Pump is garnished with orange and cherry. Additionally, they?ll be offering two seasonal cocktails: the Smashing Pumpkin 2.0 ($10) has pumpkin spice Moonshine, lemon, Allspice Dram, maple, Old Fashioned bitters and pumpkin ale; the Hot Tottie ($10) mingles Laird?s Apple Jack, Rittenhouse Rye, pumpkin puree, lemon, honey, Angostura bitters and nutmeg.

Mixologist Horus Alvarez at U Street hotspot Vinoteca (1940 11^th St. NW, 202.332.9463) uses the ubiquitous orange orb in the Harvest Pumpkin ($12). He infuses Boyd and Blair potato-based vodka with locally sourced, fresh pumpkin and squash and reaches for his grandmother?s recipe to make a pumpkin candy pur?e with brown sugar and spices. He mixes both with Domaine de Canton and tops the sipper with a piece of candied pumpkin.

Bar Pilar and Caf? Saint-Ex are both hosting a rock star Halloween party on October 31 from 7 PM until close, paying tribute to two of the hottest pop and rock stars of our time. Caf? Saint-Ex?s (1847 14th St. NW)?Halloween soir?e is?themed around Ozzy Osbourne,?the??Prince of Darkness? himself.?Saint-Ex encourages guests to dress like their favorite Osbourne (Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly or Jack), and will offer Ozzy-inspired cocktails for $7. Jam to rock and metal music upstairs or spins from DJ Ari Goldman downstairs.

Just down the block, Bar Pilar (1833 14th St. NW, 202.265.1751) is hosting a Thriller Halloween, encouraging guests to dress like Michael Jackson. They?ll be mixing up cocktails like Graveyard Punch and the Old Overholt-based Pumpkin Manhattan. Tunes from the King of Pop and fab bands will be blasting with a fog machine recreating that Thriller video ambiance. The best MJ costume wins a $50 bar tab, with judging done at 11 PM.

Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer, and wine educator, in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or www.twitter.com/kmagyarics.

Source: http://www.washingtonlife.com/2012/10/30/wine-spirits-halloween-cocktails/

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Massachusetts closes third pharmacy since meningitis outbreak

BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts regulators shut down a pharmacy on Sunday after a surprise inspection raised concerns about the sterility of its drugs, in the third such closure since a deadly meningitis outbreak caused by contaminated drugs from another pharmacy in the state.

The latest pharmacy to be closed, Infusion Resource, is not affiliated with New England Compounding Center, the company linked to the outbreak, officials said.

Infusion Resource in Waltham was closed after inspectors last week found "significant issues" and "expressed concerns for the sterility of products," said Madeleine Biondolillo, director of the state's Bureau of Healthcare Safety and Quality.

No contaminated drugs were found at Infusion Resource, but 40 patients and their doctors were asked to return any medications they received from the company, she said.

Massachusetts regulators have come under fire after contaminated drugs from NECC, based in Framingham, were cited as the cause of the outbreak that has killed 25 people and sickened another 337 in 18 states.

The state is conducting inspections of all compounding pharmacies that handle sterile medications in the wake of the deadly national meningitis outbreak.

The two pharmacies shut down earlier were NECC, which was closed on October 3, and a sister company of NECC, called Ameridose, which closed voluntarily for inspections on October 19.

Bernard Lambrese, CEO of Infusion Resource, said in a statement he wanted to reassure "patients and the general public of the safety, purity and efficacy" of solutions produced at his company's Waltham pharmacy. "Patient safety is something we take very seriously," he said.

Lauren Smith, interim commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, told reporters the ongoing state-wide inspections are part of "a series of aggressive and necessary actions to protect public safety and enhance oversight of this industry" following the national meningitis outbreak.

Separately, Smith said a member of the state's pharmacy oversight board with ties to NECC and Ameridose, Sophia Pasedis, has rejected a request by regulators to step down.

Pasedis sits on the state's Board Registration of Pharmacy and is vice president of regulatory affairs at Ameridose. Ameridose has said Pasedis recused herself from any board topics that related to NECC or Ameridose

But Smith said a review of the board's minutes "call into question" that defense and fail to provide definitive proof that Pasedis recused herself on certain occasions.

"Given the ongoing investigation, we believe it is in best interest of the board to have Ms. Pasedis step down," Smith said. "Thus far, she has declined to do so."

Ameridose representatives did not immediately reply to calls and emails for comment.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it found "greenish black foreign matter" and other contaminants in an injectable steroid produced by NECC.

It also found that vials from the same bin of the steroid contained what appeared to be a "white filamentous material," according to the report released by the FDA following inspections of the facility in October.

(Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis, Dan Whitcomb and Stacey Joyce)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/massachusetts-closes-third-pharmacy-since-meningitis-outbreak-010328325.html

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Broadway takes few chances with superstorm coming

Plywood covers the revolving doors in preparation for Hurricane Sandy at the 2 Broadway building of Lower Manhattan in New York, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012. Areas along the Northeast Coast are preparing for the arrival of the hurricane and a possible flooding storm surge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

A sign informs subway riders of changes in service in the hours before the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in New York Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012. Areas in the Northeast Region prepared Sunday for the arrival of the hurricane and a possible flooding storm surge. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Broadway took the threat of the mammoth storm seriously, with theater owners canceling all Sunday evening and Monday performances of shows like "The Book of Mormon" ''Once" and "Mama Mia!" long before a drop of rain fell in Times Square.

"The safety and security of theatregoers and employees is everyone's primary concern," said Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of The Broadway League, which represents producers.

Forecasts called for rain late Sunday or early Monday, and subway and public transportation service is to be halted Sunday evening, potentially stranding theatergoers. Refunds will be made available from the point of purchase.

Off-Broadway shows including "Stomp," ''Bad Jews," ''Disgraced" and "Golden Child" were also canceled Sunday night. Most matinees on and off Broadway stayed open. Mondays are usually very light on Broadway, with most shows having that as their day off.

Carnegie Hall canceled two concerts scheduled for Sunday night and rescheduled a Monday concert by "Rent" and "Wicked" star Idina Menzel, which will now take place Nov. 4.

Some Broadway shows had no evening shows scheduled Sunday, including "Cyrano de Bergerac," ''Annie," ''Chaplin," ''Enemy of the People," ''Once," ''Jersey Boys" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It."

It was the most disruptive storm for the theater community since the threat of Hurricane Irene in late August 2011 prompted producers to cancel matinee and evening performances on Saturday and Sunday. While that hurricane mostly fizzled over New York, every show lost money because they were mostly limited to five or six performances that week.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-10-29-Superstorm-Broadway/id-ddbc2121fbf1491dbe750120ff442f47

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Google Play Music coming to Europe on Nexus launch day

Android Central

Warner Music Group artists also coming to Play Music

Google has announced that its Google Play Music service will be coming to European shores on Nov. 13, which also happens to be the day Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 arrive internationally. Initially, users in the U.K, France, Germany, Italy and Spain will be able to add up to 20,000 songs, just like U.S. customers, and music purchases will be supported in Europe too.

What's more, Warner Music Group artists will be available on Google Play Music too, meaning all the major record labels are now represented on Google's music service.

It's great to see the full Google Play Music experience finally arriving in Europe. Looks like international readers will have a lot to look forward to come Nov. 13!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/0P3zdL1EaGs/story01.htm

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Your Path to Self-Improvement With Custom Hypnosis - Politics Noir

Custom Hypnosis There are several myths that exist about hypnosis. Several people imagine a person waving a watch in front of a person?s eyes and causing them to become sleepy and do silly things. In reality, hypnosis is something very different. Hypnosis is placing yourself in an open state of mind where you are able to accept ideals. This is accomplished by changing the habits, feelings, and cravings that are set in action by your unconscious mind. Online hypnosis has shown real results in assisting people in quitting bad habits, dropping weight, and improving self-esteem. You can always trust us to receive the most Peace through hypnotherapy you can find anywhere. It is our goal to work with you on a personal level and ensure that your hypnosis experience is productive and comfortable. Notice the difference that custom hypnosis can make in your life when you call us today.

Posted on October 29, 2012 at 2:40 am

This post is filed under Health.

Source: http://politicsnoir.com/your-path-to-self-improvement-with-custom-hypnosis/

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Developer claims no frame of reference on historic home | Idaho ...

In early September, a friend?s Facebook post linking to a Change.org petition alerted me to the possible demolition of a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Phoenix, Ariz.

?I can?t even fathom how a developer could just tear down a FLW house,? the post read. ?It?s insane.?

The story came up in conversation several times over the next week or so, at which point my friends and I would shake our heads in disbelief and wonder not only how such a house could be unprotected as a historical landmark, but also how anyone could be so short-sighted and, frankly, heartless as to tear down what amounts to a cultural treasure, a work of art by one of America?s great architects.

?They can?t do that,? said one friend, in complete disbelief. ?They can?t.?

But there it was, not just on the petition, but The New York Times website as well: Wright built the home for his son David. When David Wright and his wife, Gladys, died, their granddaughters inherited the home. The granddaughters sold the home for $2.8 million to a buyer who promised to restore and live in the home. But instead, the buyer put the home back on the market, selling it for $1.8 million to a developer called 8081 Meridian, which had plans (and approval) to split the lot, demolish the house and build two luxury homes on the site.

And who might these dastardly developers be, these men who would tear down a piece of American history to turn a profit? A couple of high school pals from Meridian, Idaho, of course.

Thanks, guys. We Idahoans already get a bad enough rap for the white supremacist crazies that used to live up north. We don?t need people thinking we?ve got a hate on for American architectural history as well.

The New York Times reports that the developers, John Hoffman and Steve Sells, want to sell the house before Nov. 7, when the Phoenix City Council will decide whether to grant the house landmark status. Though such a move would only protect the home from demolition for three years, Sells said it would put him and Hoffman ?out of business.?

The men now say the house should be preserved, but I can?t help but wonder why they didn?t recognize that in the first place. According to the Times article, Sells claims ignorance, saying he hadn?t known the difference ?between Frank Lloyd Wright and the Wright brothers.? The article implies this is because Sells grew up ?rodeoing? with ?no money.?

Really? ?I attended Idaho public schools, was involved in 4-H and have been aware for quite some time that there once was an architect named Frank Lloyd Wright who?s still kind of a big deal.

And I?m not even a residential real estate developer. Surely at some point during their real estate development ventures ? as I understand it, real estate development is at least peripherally related to the architectural industry ? Sells and Hoffman came across some reference to Wright?s work. After all, the American Institute of Architects in 1991 named Wright the greatest American architect of all time. Of all time!

In any case, Sells seems a bit bent out of shape that his investment may not mean as big a payoff as he?d hoped. Though 8010 Meridian purchased the property for $1.8 million, The New York Times reports Hoffman rejected a cash offer of ?a little over $2 million? from an anonymous Wright enthusiast. And while it isn?t fair to ask Sells and Hoffman to take a massive financial hit just because they didn?t see the cultural and historic value of the property, it also isn?t fair of them to use the threat of demolition to squeeze as much money as possible out of a property they didn?t thoroughly research.

And from what Sells tells The New York Times, unless he and Hoffman get a price they?re happy with, demolition is still a possibility. Even if the City Council does grant the home landmark status, ?I?ll move in, invite everybody to come in and take their pictures, and I?m going to wait three years. Then I?m going to knock it down to recoup my losses.?

Dude, come on. Just because the law allows you to do the wrong thing doesn?t mean you should.

***

Cady McGovern is Focus editor for the Idaho Business Review

Source: http://idahobusinessreview.com/2012/10/29/developer-claims-no-frame-of-reference-on-historic-home/

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Monday, October 29, 2012

Romney stands by pledge to shut down FEMA (Americablog)

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Inside Scoop Series ? An interview with actress and model J'Zhanel ...

Guess what, readers? I have another installment of my Inside Scoop Series. In this series, I interview marketing professionals, models and actors with natural hair about their experiences in the industry as . For this installment, I?d like to introduce J?Zhanel ?JZ??Cole. I first found out about this blonde bombshell during Fro Fashion Week, Fall 2012. She was the host of the fashion show, and she was fierce!

Biography

Photo credits: Mhe Magazine Spring Edition-2012
http://www.mhemagazine.com/

Hailing from Los Angeles, California, J?Zhanel JZ Cole is a talented Actor, Model and Host.

After graduating from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in Arts, Entertainment & Media Management with a concentration in Music Business and a minor in Theater, she quickly began building a career working in artist management and development within the music industry, which afforded her the opportunity to travel and work with clients in both Los Angeles and Atlanta.

While working in the music industry, she then decided to make a commitment to take a leap of faith and pursue her dreams of becoming an actor. She completed the Tasha Smith Workshop (TSAW) in January of 2010; a workshop that in her own words ?changed my life!? She was then presented with an opportunity of a lifetime to work on a major project that would take her to Atlanta and would change her life as well as take her career to another level.

She was signed to Legacy Talent Management, and has quickly built a name and extensive resume for herself with credits ranging from film, television, radio, Ad campaigns, print, and theater. Working with the following networks and production companies; BET Network (The Monique Show, Tiny & Toya Season 2, and Let?s Stay Together), CW Network (The Vampire Diaries), LifeTime Television (Drop Dead Diva), Universal Pictures (The Change Up), QueenDome Entertainment (S.H.E. SPITS- The Play: 5 MC?s, 3 Nights, 1 Mic), Dream Catcher Productions (Black Man-o-Logues I, II & Fading Flowers), ABC Family (Christmas Cupid), 20th Century Fox (Big Momma?s House 3),Tyler Perry Studios (Meet the Browns and For Colored Girls) and VH1?s (Single Ladies).

In addition to her career as a professional Actor, Model and Host, she also currently serves as the Founder/CEO of QueenDome Entertainment (QDE) with subsidiaries such as Actors Monologues Forum (AMF), JZTV, S.H.E. SPITS-The Play: 5 MC?S, 3 NIGHTS, 1 MIC, and Versification.

With a busy production schedule that currently keeps her working between Los Angeles and Atlanta, to the demanding responsibilities of this budding entrepreneur, she makes it look so effortless, while providing the sky in which others can soar.

J?Zhanel is a true example of hard work, perseverance and determination and she is not just talking about it, but in essence, she is living her DREAM!

?I believe that acting is my ministry, my mission, what I was created to do, so I am just using my gifts and talents as a conduit to help others achieve their potential.? J?Zhanel

1. When and why did you decide to go natural?

To be honest, there was never a definitive time when I decided to ?go natural? as the texture of my hair has always been naturally curly ever since I was a little girl.??I recall people sharing a common affinity and admiration for my hair and the older girls in my school would want to comb my hair, style it and or just ask to play in my hair.??For this reason, my hair became this textured playground for all those who wanted to dive right in and explore its natural roots.?However, it wasn?t until my college years that I consciously began wearing my hair in its natural state more often.

2.???Describe your hair regimen. Do-it-yourself or let someone else do it for you??

I am a no holds barred ?Do It Yourself? type of girl.??So I usually tend to do my own hair on a daily basis, except for when I am preparing for an upcoming production, fashion show or while on set, in which I have my personal hair stylist tend to my crown.??I am very protective of my natural crown, so I don?t just let anyone just play in it as I did when I was a little girl.??My hair is like this sacred bounds and I am very careful who I let in the Curly Queendom!

Photo Credits: Mhe Magazine Spring Edition-2012
http://www.mhemagazine.com/

3. What, if any, are the advantages to being natural in the industry? Have you ever experienced any challenges? Rude comments? Negative experiences??

I think the biggest advantage to being natural in the industry is versatility, which is one of the key components of an artist.??As a professional Actor and Model, it is very important for me to be able to portray many types of looks.??Since my hair is natural, I have the ability to give the casting directors a myriad of styles.??I can rock my hair in a curly crown, pin it up, adorn braids, ponytail, Mohawk and or bone straight.??This has been a significant part of the casting process for me and it has served as a greater advantage.??So far, in my career, I have never experienced any challenges and or received rude or negative comments as a result of me rocking my natural hair.??If anything, it always seems to become a conversation piece prior to my auditions.

4.?What do you think accounts for the representation of natural hair in the media? In your opinion, is it increasing, or has it always been there and we never noticed until we went natural (as some have suggested)??

I believe that it is increasing more as women are learning to accept and be comfortable in the skin that they are in and embrace their hair as a symbol of beauty as opposed to something that they should hide or cover up with weaves, wigs, hats or head wraps.???I think that it is something that we do subconsciously as African American women because we are often taught to hate the texture of our hair instead of adoring it. This self hate is a result of the whole ?good or bad? hair complex and I believe now, the tables have turned significantly because many women are learning that being natural is a beautiful thing!

?5.?What is your advice for aspiring models who want to wear their natural hair to auditions and casting calls??

I would just encourage ALL women to accept and love who they are from the inside and once that happens, that essence will transcend on the outside.??I would say be bold, be versatile, be beautiful, but most importantly; BE YOURSELF! In the end, agents, directors, casting directors, producers and everyone in between will appreciate it.

6. What upcoming projects do you have?

I am currently producing a docu-series entitled, ?I Am Arconic,? under my production company QueenDome Entertainment (QDE).??I Am Arconic? is a docu-series that highlights African American women within the industry who have made a mark in their respective fields (i.e. Photography, Acting, Modeling, Music, Make-Up, etc) as an artist and are quickly on their way to becoming an Icon, and or as I like to refer to them, ?Arconic!?? I am also working on some upcoming ventures for T.V. One as well as some upcoming national Ad Campaigns.

7. Is there anything else you?d like to add?

I would like to add that beauty comes in all kinds of shapes, colors and textures and as women we need to embrace that, starting from the top of our natural crowns and all the way down to our pedi-cured toes.??In my opinion confidence isn?t something that can be taught, however, it is something that one creates!??As women, we can create the difference within the media as well as across the board when it comes to presenting another dynamic of the standard of beauty. I believe that if there was an election for the next Natural Chic to represent this great nation of the United States of Natural America?then hands down, I would be the next Curl Queen of Staff! Lol

Photo Credit: Mhe Magazine Spring Edition-2012
http://www.mhemagazine.com/

8. Where can my readers and guests find you on the Internet???Readers can find me on Facebook?or can visit my website.??For general inquiries for QueenDome Entertainment (QDE) contact via email at?queendomeent@gmail.com.

JZ, thank you so much for providing your thoughts on natural hair and acting, modeling, and auditioning with my readers.

For other interviews with industry insiders, check out:

Tori Allen, Brainchild Associates

Cyntelia Abrahams, Design Essentials

Dominique Toney, Actress/Singer/Songwriter

Source: http://naturalhairinthemedia.com/2012/10/29/interview-actress-model-jzhanel-jz-cole-natural-hair/

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Toronto Skyline Holds Hazards for Migratory Birds

TORONTO ? In the shadow of the massive black towers of a bank?s downtown headquarters here was an almost indistinguishable puff of dark gray fluff on the sidewalk.

It was the body of a golden-crowned kinglet, an unlucky one, that had crashed into the iconic Toronto-Dominion Center building somewhere above.

There is no precise ranking of the world?s most deadly cities for migratory birds, but Toronto is considered a top contender for the title. When a British nature documentary crew wanted to film birds killed by crashes into glass, Daniel Klem Jr., an ornithologist at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa., who has been studying the issue for about 40 years, directed them here, where huge numbers of birds streaking through the skies one moment can be plummeting toward the concrete the next.

?They?re getting killed everywhere and anywhere where there?s even the smallest garage window,? Professor Klem said. ?In the case of Toronto, perhaps because of the number of buildings and the number of birds, it?s more dramatic.?

So many birds hit the glass towers of Canada?s most populous city that volunteers scour the ground of the financial district for them in the predawn darkness each morning. They carry paper bags and butterfly nets to rescue injured birds from the impending stampede of pedestrian feet or, all too often, to pick up the bodies of dead ones.

The group behind the bird patrol, the Fatal Light Awareness Program, known as FLAP, estimates that one million to nine million birds die every year from impact with buildings in the Toronto area. The group?s founder once single-handedly recovered about 500 dead birds in one morning.

Toronto?s modern skyline began to rise in the 1960s, giving it a high proportion of modern, glass-clad structures, forming a long wall along the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. That barrier crosses several major migratory flight paths, the first large structures birds would encounter coming south from the northern wilderness.

Though those factors make Toronto?s buildings particularly lethal, Professor Klem was quick to say that the city also leads North America when it comes to addressing the problem.

After years of conducting rescue and recovery missions and prodding the city to include bird safety in its design code for new buildings, FLAP has recently begun using the courts to help keep birds alive. It is participating in two legal cases using laws normally meant to protect migratory birds from hunting and industrial hazards to prosecute the owners of two particularly problematic buildings.

Briskly walking on a recent morning with a volunteer bird patrol, Michael Mesure, who founded FLAP 19 years ago, pointed out many examples of killer buildings. As he neared one particularly troublesome spot, on the eastern edge of the financial district, he pointed to a gaggle of sea gulls sitting in trees across the street from an office building. They were waiting, he said, to dine on the smaller birds maimed or killed by the building.

The building has a glass facade that disorients birds by reflecting the surrounding trees. Perceiving the reflection as habitat, birds zoom at it full throttle without regard for the danger.

The victims are largely songbirds. Perhaps because of familiarity, the urbanites of the bird world, like house sparrows, pigeons and gulls, are much less prone to crashing into glass, Professor Klem said.

All the birds collected by FLAP, dead or alive, go into paper bags. Though there were no survivors that recent morning, the merely stunned or frightened would have been released in a park near the shore of Lake Ontario. The injured would have been taken to one of two animal rehabilitation centers outside the city.

The dead birds, with the location of their deaths marked on their bags, first end up in a freezer at FLAP?s headquarters, which is part of a sympathetic city councilor?s offices. Although the autumn migration was barely under way, the freezer was already close to full. Its contents ranged from owls to hummingbirds, and the vividness of their plumage was generally offset by the gruesomeness of their smashed heads.

?If the people were colliding with buildings at the same rate birds are, this issue would have been dealt with a long time ago,? Mr. Mesure said. ?There?s a detachment in society about this.?

One especially effective, if unpopular, method of reducing the threat to birds, Mr. Mesure said, is simply to cover the outside of windows up to the height of adjacent trees with the finely perforated plastic film often used to turn transit buses into rolling billboards. The film can be printed with advertising or decorative patterns, although the group has found that a repetitive pattern of small circles made from the same adhesive plastic is both effective and less likely to prompt aesthetic objections.

For new buildings, the solution can be as simple as etching patterns into its glass. A German glass company is also developing windows that it hopes can take advantage of the ability of birds to see ultraviolet light, by including warning patterns that are invisible to humans.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/world/americas/casualties-of-torontos-urban-skies.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Sunday, October 28, 2012

4 tax breaks for parents on the chopping block - Personal Finance

Many low-income parents could see their tax bills jump by thousands of dollars next year.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) ? Many low-income parents could see their tax bills jump by thousands of dollars next year if nothing is done to stop a series of tax breaks from expiring January 1.

Unless Congress takes action before the end of the year to extend tax cuts that were introduced under the Obama and Bush administrations, four important credits for families ? The Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, Child and Dependent Care Credit and the American Opportunity Credit ? will revert back to previous levels.

If this happens, many families will be worse off by hundreds ? or even thousands ? of dollars, said Roberton Williams, a senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center.

?If you have what it takes to qualify for these particular benefits, you will get hit,? said Williams.

Some families will take a hit on several fronts if they qualify for more than one tax break. A low-income couple with three kids, for example, will lose as much as $1,500 from expiring provisions of the Child Tax Credit. If their income is low enough, they could also see a smaller refund from the Earned Income Tax Credit, and benefits from the Child and Dependent Care Credit could be reduced as well.

The upcoming presidential election has left the fate of these tax breaks uncertain. Democrats and Republicans in Congress continue to butt heads about which tax cuts should be extended, and there?s virtually no chance they will agree on a specific plan before the November election, Williams said.

Even if an agreement is reached by the end of the year ? which is far from a sure thing, either ? next year?s tax policy will ultimately depend on who takes over the Oval Office. (Related: Americans face $3,500 fiscal cliff tax hit)

1. Child Tax Credit

The Child Tax Credit allows lower-income parents to claim as much as $1,000 for each child under age 17.

Under George W. Bush?s Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, the maximum value of the credit was doubled to $1,000. Obama?s 2010 Tax Relief Act then extended the credit until the end of this year and made it so families whose income tax is lower than the credit?s value could receive more of the credit in a cash refund once any tax liability is zeroed out. The credit phases out for married couples whose income is $110,000 or for single people with income of $75,000 or more.

Should the Bush and Obama provisions expire, the tax break will drop back down to a maximum of $500 and only working families with three or more children will be eligible to receive cash refunds.

A couple with two children could therefore end up paying an added $1,000 in taxes next year. Since they have fewer than three children, they will no longer be eligible for a cash refund. And if they don?t owe any taxes, they can?t apply the credit either, said Williams.

2. Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

This credit allows working parents ? or those looking for work ? to report up to $3,000 of child care-related expenses per child, up to a maximum of $6,000 per family. Families can receive up to 35% of their expenses as a credit, with lower-income families receiving the highest percentages.

Prior to Bush?s tax cuts, parents could only report up to $2,400 per child or $4,800 per family, and families received a maximum credit of just 30% of expenses.

Should the tax breaks expire at the end of the year, the credit will revert back to these lower levels. That would mean the biggest credit that parents with two children could receive next year would be $1,440, compared to a $2,100 credit under the current tax code.

3. Earned Income Tax Credit

The government estimates that the Earned Income Tax Credit lifts millions of Americans out of poverty each year by allowing them to hold onto more of their earnings.

The more children you have, the more money you receive. For example, married couples filing jointly who have income below $50,270 and three or more qualifying children can receive up to $5,891 this year. If a married couple doesn?t have any qualifying children but has income below $19,190, the maximum credit drops to $475. (Related: Don?t overlook this $6,000 tax credit)

Since 2001, the income thresholds at which the credit begins phasing out for married couples were raised by about $5,000 by the Bush and Obama tax plans. But at the end of this year, phaseout thresholds for married couples are scheduled to revert back to the lower income levels that apply for single filers.

Obama also raised the maximum credit for families with three or more children from 40% to 45% of a household?s earnings (up to a maximum amount), and that rate is slated to go back to 40% in 2013. This decrease could amount to a loss of more than $600 for families with at least three children who had previously claimed this credit, said Williams.

4. American Opportunity Tax Credit

Introduced as part of Obama?s stimulus plan, the American Opportunity Tax Credit aims to help lower-income families pay for college. It replaced the Hope Credit and allows qualifying families to claim up to $2,500 each year for four years.

Obama made the credit 40% refundable, meaning a family that qualifies for the full $2,500 can receive $1,000 of the credit in cash and the rest must be applied toward their tax liability. That refundable $1,000 is especially important for low-income families, since they often don?t have big enough tax bills to apply a non-refundable credit. Often, the refundable amount is the only portion they receive.

But the American Opportunity Tax Credit is scheduled to disappear at the end of this year and revert back to the Hope Credit. At that point, the maximum credit will drop to $1,800. Also, families will only be able to claim the credit for two years and it will no longer be refundable.

?Because the Hope Credit is not at all refundable, that?s potentially $1,000 dollars out of the pocket of a college student, and when you?re trying to go to college, $1,000 is a lot of money,? said Williams.

First Published: October 11, 2012: 5:46 AM ET

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 27th, 2012 at 5:29 pm and is filed under Latest. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://personal-finance.wark.biz/4-tax-breaks-for-parents-on-the-chopping-block/

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Romania rescues two brown bears from decrepit zoo

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