First black South African billionaire donates fortune to poor

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's first black billionaire, Patrice Motsepe, on Wednesday said he has signed up for the Giving Pledge, becoming the first African to join some of the world's wealthiest people in donating vast sums of personal wealth to the poor.

Mining magnate Motsepe, with assets estimated by Forbes magazine of $2.65 billion, said he is making the pledge to benefit the millions of South Africans who have seen little gain in their personal fortunes since white-minority rule ended in 1994.

The Giving Pledge is a philanthropic initiative started by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffet along with Bill and Melinda Gates that has recruited nearly 100 billionaires, mostly Americans, who have pledged to donate the majority of their wealth to charity.

Motsepe, founder and executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, did not say exactly how much he will donate but he "will contribute at least half of the funds generated by our family assets to the Motsepe Foundation."

Motsepe, along with his wife, told a news conference most of their donations will be used to bolster education and health in South Africa - the continent's richest economy blighted by mass poverty and some of the world's highest rates of income disparity.

"We recognize the huge responsibility and duty that the Motsepe family has to the poor," said Motsepe, adding he would push other wealthy South Africans to follow suit.

(Reporting by Sherilee Lakmidas; Editing by Jon Herskovitz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-black-south-african-billionaire-donates-fortune-poor-144501739--finance.html

Pretty Little Liars Rob Parker Comcast Pokemon X and Y Rob Ryan Silver Linings Playbook david bowie

But who says new construction homes don't need inspecting?

?

Take a look at the following pictures very carefully.

What I am hoping you will notice is that the handle on the hot side is in a different position in each photo.?

In the first picture the hot water is turned off and we can see the ?cold water? temperature is 41.2 degrees F.

In the second picture the hot water is turned on and we can see the ?hot water? temperature is 41.0 degrees F.

?

Whoops.

It is actually a little hard to imagine how this could happen, but it is another in an endless list of reasons to get new construction inspected.

Turning on the taps for that nice relaxing bath on move-in day might leave the home owner a little ?cold.?? And the call to the agent and inspector might not be too warm either.?

On this particular home I found this issue particularly interesting because water temperature at all of the other taps was 158 degrees F.

For those of you that have been living under a log---158 degrees is WAY too hot and will cause 2^nd and 3^rd degree burns in less than a second.?

Modern fixtures to showers and tub/shower combos are required to be regulated such that these kinds of temperatures cannot be reached?even if the water heater is set too high.? Temperature control devices for this new construction home were either missing or not adjusted properly.

But who says new construction homes don?t need inspecting?

?

Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle

?

?

?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Seattle Home Inspector

Click on the Rose to check out: AHA!---A Forum of Landmark Proportions---your Group

PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.

My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.

?

? ?

WA State, Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board

?

Source: http://activerain.com/blogsview/3605905/but-who-says-new-construction-homes-don-t-need-inspecting-

clint eastwood Julian Castro Blue Moon August 2012 Eddie Murphy Dead Democratic National Convention 2012 robin roberts myocardial infarction

Use a Wooden Spoon to Know When Oil Is Ready for Frying

You've got a big pot of oil on the stove, some chicken or fries to deep fry, but no clip-on thermometer to tell when the temperature is just right. No problem. Your wooden spoon can clue you in on when it's time to add your food.

In a great guide to fearless deep frying, Food 52 notes that if you insert a wooden spoon into the oil, the oil will bubble around the stick when it's ready for frying. (Alternatively, you can use a popcorn kernel, which will pop somewhere between 325 and 350 degrees Fahrenheit?a tip Lifehacker reader Faslane offered when we mentioned a similar trick with a grain of rice).

Check out the full article for lots more tips on frying?wisely and safely.

Deep Frying Without Fear | Food 52

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/2eP5hK55_7A/use-a-wooden-spoon-to-know-when-oil-is-ready-for-frying

Herman Melville Books Kyna Treacy megan fox Bb&t Lane Goodwin Romnesia eminem

Sony details VAIO T15, touchscreen T14 Ultrabooks on their way to Japan

Sony was mum on most of the details of the VAIO T15 and a touch-upgraded T14 when they appeared at CES. We won't have to wait until the spring launch in the US to know what some editions of the Ultrabook will carry, though. At least for Japan's February 9th release, the T15 won't be running any Haswell-based parts -- the top-spec system carries a 2GHz Core i7 from the current generation, a BDXL drive and a 1TB hybrid hard disk. The touch-ready T14 will be just as modest with a 1.8GHz Core i5, a DVD burner and up to 750GB of hybrid storage. We wouldn't be shocked to see performance boosts to either PC before they cross the Pacific, but we at least know what to expect as a baseline.

Filed under: Laptops, Sony

Comments

Source: Sony (translated)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/29/sony-details-vaio-t15-touchscreen-t14-on-their-way-to-japan/

whitney houston dies dolly parton i will always love you beverly hilton hotel whitney houston found dead i will always love you whitney houston 2012 grammy awards powerball results

Russia likely to contribute to Cyprus bailout

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Russia is likely to contribute money to a rescue package that Cyprus is trying to finalize with eurozone partners, the cash-strapped country's finance minister said Tuesday.

Vassos Shiarly said leaders from the other 16 EU countries that use the euro are in "high level" talks with Moscow about a contribution to the bailout and that a deal was "probable."

"I think it's only a question of time," he told The Associated Press in an interview.

The Kremlin confirmed that the two countries' presidents, Vladimir Putin and Dimitris Christofias, spoke by phone about the issue on Tuesday, but gave no details.

Cyprus has enough money to survive through April but hopes to sign a final rescue bailout deal in March, after general elections, Shiarly said.

The key concern is size. The bailout, most of which would go to help stabilize Cypriot banks, would likely be worth as much as the tiny country's entire yearly economic output of ?17.5 billion ($23.51 billion). Many experts say that is too much for the country to be able to pay back. And if Cyprus can't handle its rescue loans, that defeats the purpose of a rescue program.

Shiarly insisted Cyprus would be able to cope with the bailout ? which some estimate would push public debt to 140 percent of annual gross domestic product. The government could manage, if deemed necessary, by selling state-owned companies and its controlling stake in Laiki bank, the country's second largest lender, he said.

The so-called troika of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund are meanwhile looking for ways to reduce Cyprus' debt load. There has been speculation that the troika might try to impose losses on the Cypriot banks' investors, such as bondholders and depositors, many of which are Russian.

That is one reason why Russia, a long-time ally of Cyprus, has been involved in the bailout talks.

Cyprus already received a low interest loan of ?2.5 billion ($3.36 billion) from Russia two years ago to keep it afloat and has asked to extend its repayment from 2016 to 2021. The left-wing government tried last year to clinch an additional ?5 billion loan from Moscow but those talks never yielded a deal.

Shiarly said Cyprus' eurozone partners are aware that the country's connection with Russia is a "very strong one."

"We have lots of Russian businesses operating from Cyprus, lots of Russian investment has gone through Cyprus in the past, the relationship is a very close one, not to mention the same religious Orthodox (Christian faith) that we maintain," he said.

The country has also faced allegations ? mostly from Germany which is resisting granting a bailout ? that it's a Russian money laundering hub, something that Cypriot officials strenuously deny.

"One only has to look at the international reports from organizations whose role is to report on matters such as money laundering and you will find that we rank very favorably compared to many other European member states," said Shiarly.

Shiarly said Cypriot authorities are briefing eurozone partner countries on the country's anti-money laundering efforts to dispel any misconceptions and to curb resistance to a bailout.

He pointed out that the many of the losses Cypriot banks took in Greece were due to a writedown on Greek sovereign debt that the eurozone had insisted on. When the other eurozone countries see that Cyprus problems' are largely due to the Greek writedown, "I think the attitude will change and we will receive the financial assistance we're seeking," said Shiarly.

"We're not asking for a gift, we're asking for a loan on the reasonable terms which have been offered to other member states," he said.

Eurozone states have already rescued the governments of Greece, Ireland, and Portugal as well as the Spanish banking sector.

Shiarly noted that Cyprus has already enacted a string of austerity measures, including deep public sector salary cuts and tax hikes as foreseen under a draft bailout agreement.

But Shiarly, whose job will be up next month when elections are held, dismissed any talk of a Greek-style 'haircut' for Cyprus under which private investors will be forced to take losses on their investments in Cypriot sovereign debt.

"It has been rejected by us, it has been rejected by the Commission, it has been rejected by the IMF and therefore I think it's not an issue."

The finance minister said recapitalizing Cypriot banks directly from the EU's rescue fund is one option that the country can pursue. But that is unlikely to happen before April next year at the earliest, when a single banking supervisory that will oversee the process is up and running.

Shiarly backed European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi's assessment that Cyprus needs eurozone support so as not to upset the currency bloc's slow and fragile recovery.

"I have read these statements how even small Cyprus can be a systemic risk to the euro and not only myself, but I believe many other European ministers of finance share this view."

___

Lynn Berry in Moscow contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-likely-contribute-cyprus-bailout-151125945--finance.html

the misfits hook troy miracle andy whitfield kennedy demi moore

Stocks mixed as earnings offset news on economy

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks opened mixed Wednesday as encouraging earnings reports helped to offset disappointing news that showed the U.S. economy unexpectedly contracted in the fourth quarter.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 4 points to 13,949 as of 9:58 a.m. EST. The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 1 point to 1,509. The Nasdaq composite gained 9 points to 3,162.

The U.S. economy shrank from October through December for the first time since the recession ended, hurt by the biggest cut in defense spending in 40 years, fewer exports and sluggish growth in company stockpiles. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that the economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter. That's a sharp slowdown from the 3.1 percent growth rate in the July-September quarter.

Amazon jumped $14.25 to $274.40 after the world's biggest online retailer showed improving profit margins when it posted fourth-quarter earnings late Tuesday. Boeing gained 30 cents to $73.95 after it reported earnings that beat analysts' expectations, as rising profits from commercial jets offset a smaller profit from defense work.

The Dow Jones average has surged since the start of the year climbing close to 14,000 and to within touching distance of its record level. Investors bought stocks after lawmakers reached a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff" and on optimism the U.S. housing market is recovering and the jobs market is slowly healing.

Investors will parse the Federal Reserve's statement later Wednesday following the conclusion of the central bank's first two-day meeting this year.

Economists are expecting the Fed to affirm that it intends to keep short-term rates near zero until joblessness dips below 6.5 percent from the current 7.8 percent. The statement is scheduled to be released at 2:15 p.m. EST.

Among other stocks making big moves Wednesday;

? Chesapeake surged $1.33 to $20.35 after the company said late Tuesday that its embattled CEO Aubrey McClendon will leave the company this spring.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-30-US-Wall-Street/id-fabd3678b6f74d37ab8ff31814b42405

stacy francis tournament brackets 2012 ncaa basketball tournament walt what time is it current time a thousand words

Auditions for TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD and FUDDY MEERS ...

Theatre In The Park will be holding auditions for the remainder of its 2012/2013 Season on February 25 starting at 7:00pm.? Please prepare a 1 minute monologue ? dramatic for To Kill A Mockingbird, comedic for Fuddy Meers.? If auditioning for both, please prepare 2 monologues,?a dramatic and comedic, not to exceed 2 minutes.? All ages and ethnicities are encouraged to audition.? Auditions by appointment only.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee? Dramatized by Christopher Sergel ? This traditional coming-of-age story is the tale of Scout and her brother Jem in 1930?s Alabama.? Through their neighborhood meanderings and the example of their father, they grow to understand the world isn?t always fair and that prejudice is a very real aspect of their world no matter how subtle it seems.? Ira David Wood III will direct and star as Atticus Finch.

Production Dates ? April 12-28.

Casting 3 children, 7 women, 9 men plus ensemble of townspeople.

?

Fuddy Meers?by?David Lindsay-Abaire?- Tells the story of an amnesiac, Claire, who awakens each morning as a blank slate on which her husband and teenage son must imprint the facts of her life.? One morning Claire is?abducted by a limping, lisping man who claims her husband wants to kill her.? The audience views the ensuing mayhem through the kaleidoscope of Claire?s?world.? Jesse Gephart directs.

Production Dates ? June 14-30.

Casting?1 woman,?4 men

The roles of Claire and Gertie have already been cast.

?

Perusal copies of scripts are available on a 48-hour loan with a $5 deposit per script.

?

To schedule your audition, please call Theatre In The Park at 919-831-6936.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]

Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)

Source: http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/2013/01/auditions-for-to-kill-a-mockingbird-and-fuddy-meers/

secret service prostitution 4 20 george zimmerman sheree whitfield weather dallas pat summitt real housewives of atlanta

HTC May Unveil Its New Flagship Phone At New York And London Press Events On February 19

Mark your calendars, Android fans -- HTC has just started sending out invitations to press events in New York and London on February 19. Granted, those invitations are very vague (no teasing any big features a la Motorola, I'm afraid), but the Taiwanese company is widely expected to officially reveal its latest flagship Android smartphone, codenamed "M7."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/BFOawYBvMxM/

Jerry Lawler godaddy andy murray Samsung Galaxy S3 bachelor pad bachelor pad Green Coffee Bean Extract

Using Self Improvement To Improve Your Mind, Body And Mood ...

Monday, January 28th, 2013. Author : Max Cohen. 9 views.

Sometimes when you first step onto the road of personal development, it can all be a little overwhelming. There are also a lot of different improvement avenues to chose from. Personal development can range from improving your diet to enhancing your social skills. Self improvement can be achieved in many different ways. The main goal of personal development is to improve the way that you feel about yourself, but it is quite probable that others around you will notice the changes too.

Set realistic, attainable goals for yourself to ensure that you are envisioning an achievable, healthy lifestyle. By taking some time our for yourself to focus on both strengths and weaknesses, you will notice overall self-improvement.

Take the time to research the lives of successful people. Studying the processes used by others will help you better develop your own self improvement strategies. Knowing that other people have succeeded at the same goal will make it seem more attainable to you.

Be on the lookout for new ways to challenge yourself. Discovering new challenges is a great way to open yourself up to new possibilities. You can learn more and acquire new skills. You may even start a new model by doing something that has never been done before. Do something new and unique, instead of copying others.

TIP! Seeking advice from a counselor, or paster can be a wonderful source to help guide you. They have a great deal of experience in dealing with personal thoughts and are even licensed to do so.

When you are actively trying to improve yourself, failing to do well at something can hurt your self-esteem more than it otherwise would. Actually, failure is really a learning experience. Failure is a way of learning your weaknesses and your strengths. Looking at it this way, failure is a source of pride, because you?ve unlocked another piece of the puzzle when it comes to your development.

Get organized. You will feel accomplished and your mind will feel clearer. This also helps relieve you from stress caused by disorganization. When everything is in a proper place, life is a bit more calm.

Take the time to change the focus of your conversation from your own accomplishments and awards to the achievements of those around you. You?ll be able to find out about the wonderful things the people you know have accomplished, bringing about a new-found respect and admiration for them.

Find texts that help you. This could be a holy text for some people. For others, it could just a book of inspirational sayings. Sometimes having a physical representation of comfort can help you better manage your day-to-day life.

TIP! Make the most of your work time to accomplish more. One trick to doing this, is to take more breaks.

Improving your life is closely tied to willpower, and a lot can be said for the karma you develop along the way. This means that you are wise to only wish good things upon others. If you endeavor to be positive about all things, then that positivity will come back to you.

Learn to deal with stressful situations without reacting in an emotional way. Learning ways to maintain your composure when stressed will help boost your self-esteem, and help you triumph under any circumstance. Breathing deeply can be a powerful way to reduce stress and stay in the moment.

The worst way to deal with a situation is by overreacting. This will cause you unneeded and unnecessary stress. It?s best to train yourself to cope with your daily stress, and it begins with analyzing every situation where you tend to feel strained. If you screw up, you can probably fix it, or at least find a way to minimize the damage. Rather than dwelling on what you?ve lost, look at the things you still have.

Leadership is about exercising authority, but good leaders are humble, too. When delivering criticisms, remember that you should be firm, yet friendly. You will not go far if you forget your own willingness to serve. A successful leader is one who demonstrates integrity and virtue as an example to others.

TIP! Writing out your goals will help you develop your own plan for personal growth. Record the behaviors and character traits you wish to have; for example, you might list patience or gratitude.

It is impossible for you to properly care for the ones you love, unless you take care of yourself first. It doesn?t matter if you are succeeding or failing in your path. You should always find time to rest your body so that you can renew yourself.

Strive to improve daily so that each one is more perfect than the previous. Set a goal of continuous improvement through steady efforts. Try your hardest to achieve something different today than what you achieved yesterday.

Make a list of your priorities, and plan your life around these elements. When it comes to focusing your feelings and emotions, strive to apply them to the important aspects of your life that build happiness, and do not waste them on the negative aspects that weigh you down and prevent inner peace.

Your core principles are important, and your actions should reflect them. Everyone has basic principles by which they define themselves. Having a good foundation based on your core principles will benefit your sense of self esteem. Better yet, this practice encourages consistency, which is an excellent character trait to maintain.

TIP! Live your life with wisdom and humility. There are certain things in your life that you just can?t change.

Anytime and anywhere, be ready for when your ideas strike. Make sure you have a notepad on you at all times. Scribble detailed notes when something comes to you, and then carry them out whenever your creativity is piqued.

It is essential to have a clearly outlined goal, when working toward improving self improvement. Make sure to come up with a target goal for yourself. If you are clear about your goals, it will be easier to measure how well you have achieved them.

Our goal in this article was to help you to accomplish a start on your self improvement plans. However, there are many other ways in which you may further improve your life. No matter your age, you can always work on becoming a better person for both yourself and others.

Maintaining a positive attitude will get you through a lot of tough times while allowing you to grow and mature. If you do not have a good attitude you will never get as far as you could have. Maintain a positive approach to life in order to reach your goals.

TIP! One new trait that is being researched and is very important to develop is known as sexual capitol. It does not refer to using sexuality in a manipulative way.

This is a Guest Post. Read more about the author here: Click Here

Using Self Improvement To Improve Your Mind, Body And Mood

Source: http://rodt-st.com/using-self-improvement-to-improve-your-mind-body-and-mood/

sean young arrested matt kenseth bridge to nowhere primary results dale earnhardt jr michigan primary daytona 500 winner

Get Influenced Ray Lewis Jersey And Acquire Match These Health ...

Some guidelines on how to start with exercise Ray Lewis Jersey creates an excellent begin for starters. Here are some suggestions that can with any luck , help you into producing better decisions as well as start off building a program appropriately. You need help get a lean body as well as your system, therefore it is in your advantage to understand some thing readily available suggestions.

Working with your own personal back garden is a great way to add to your fitness program and grow far more in shape general without needing to traveling to a health club or your neighborhood studio. There are a variety of workouts that one could personalize in your personal circumstance, yard plans and time limitations as a way to improve your room and acquire fantastic health and fitness outcomes.

When taking part in baseball and attempting to hit a home work, strike the soccer ball using a Ray Lewis Jersey minor perspective along with an higher minimize for the middle. As a result the ball get more suspend time in the atmosphere, as well as the a lot more potential probability of you scoring a property operate than the usual series drive.

Pilates exercises is a form of exercising that works to alter the form of the body by using core dependent moves. Pilates fortifies and lengthens muscles it does not develop muscle tissue. Including this particular energy exercising to the standard cardiovascular work out will help you to give your body an improved change.

When you are attempting to lose weight, you have to be sure that you simply record every factor that you try to eat. Will not give yourself any place. When you Ray Lewis Jersey record every thing you are ingesting, you may be much more alert to what your consuming and whether or not your are increasingly being excellent or awful.

Reduce your working schedule by 50 % at times. Overdoing it can be never a good idea for the body, so each couple of months, get a whole 7 days to halve your working schedule. You are going to give your body enough time to retrieve with out dropping the energy or velocity you obtained before.

A great method to motivate yourself to finish each establish is usually to Ray Lewis Jersey count up in reverse as an alternative to forwards. Checking down, rather than up, can be a great instrument to move you allow it your all towards the end of a set. So make sure you are counting how many repetitions you may have still left rather than just how many you may have done.

In order to work with toning up and achieving muscle energy, recall two important stuff: rest your muscles and don?t overdo it. All bodyweight exercises should be held pretty brief due to the fact after a prolonged time frame the body commences to create a stress reply. It is additionally essential to require time away from involving muscle tissue workout routines Ray Lewis Jersey to be able to let your muscle groups to relax and recharge.

These tips must have presented you some much needed insight on where to begin and the way to commence with your own personalized fitness prepare. These pointers had been thoughtfully put together to help you the physical fitness beginner understand the essentials and a few other amazing methods which are not so difficult to use for daily.

Get hold of numerous super-cheap Ray Lewis Jersey right now with fast shipping, score payment & terrific customer satisfaction from reputable Ray Lewis Jersey store.

Source: http://www.youthwavebd.com/get-influenced-ray-lewis-jersey-and-acquire-match-these-health-and-fitness-ideas/

2012 oscars the shore meryl streep oscar wins sasha baron cohen oscars oscar winners the artist sacha baron cohen oscars

Refinancing to lower mortgage and..... - Zillow Mortgage Advice

First, I want to say that I am required to only refinance with a list of lenders that the City of SF provides otherwise the City will not approve the subordination agreement (have a 2nd silent loan with them).?

I picked a lender and early on I asked if the appraisal fee could be waived as I refinanced 3X? and it was pretty high on the GFE ($629!).? The most I ever paid was $450 if that.? So - he said I may have to pay this up front but he will reimburse me when closing and said his E-mail will verify that promise.? However, although resistant, I sent him a form to sign that he promised to reimburse me the appraisal fees at closing with his signature.? I'm trying to be cautious and not just take his word for it.?? The closing costs were a bit high also, but as I said, I'm limited as to who I can refinance with.? The loan is good - but if the #s change at closing and I change my mind - will I still be able to get my appraisal fee back if I have to pay up-front to lock in a loan?

Thank you.

Source: http://www.zillow.com/advice-thread/Refinancing-to-lower-mortgage-and/476149/

madonna papa johns guacamole recipe ufc 143 results kickoff time super bowl 2012 superbowl national anthem patriots vs giants super bowl

How to Survive an Avalanche: Skier s Air Bag

For those who can?t resist fresh powder in the backcountry, a new wearable safety device could increase the chances of rescue

By Lou Dzierzak

AVALANCHE AIR BAG: Backpacks equipped with inflatable bladders--such as this model from Dakine--are designed to keep a skier near a rushing snowpack?s surface, where there is less of a chance he or she will be be suffocated. Image: Courtesy of Dakine

• 

  Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...

  Read More??

Every winter the allure of skiing on deep, untracked mountain snow attracts skiers to backcountry areas. Yet the thrill of skiing in an off-the-beaten-path bowl with waist-deep powder comes with a risk of being caught in a dangerous, potentially life-threatening avalanche.

Most experienced skiers pay close attention to avalanche safety and carry specialized equipment such as avalanche beacons, shovels and probes that can help in location and rescue. This season a new device has been added to the tool kit: an ?avalanche air bag? equipped with inflatable bladders that fill instantly in the event of a snowpack slide. When an avalanche strikes, skiers can be carried along in a thunderous mass of snow moving up to 100 kilometers per hour down the mountainside. Death is usually caused by suffocation.

At the first sign of danger, a skier pulls a ripcord that activates a cartridge of compressed air or nitrogen, which inflates bladders within two or three seconds. Some brands use single U-shaped bladders that protect the back of the skier?s head and shoulders. Other manufacturers use dual bladders in case one is damaged or fails to fully inflate. The North Face ABS (air bag system) uses compressed nitrogen to inflate two integrated, high-volume air bags that keep the user on the surface of the avalanche by equalizing the volume and density of the victim relative to the surrounding snow. In general the bladders hold between 85 and 150 liters of air?enough to keep an adult skier near the surface of an avalanche slide. The bladders are designed to stay inflated for several minutes.

Keeping the skier near the rushing snowpack?s surface lessens the chance he or she will be be suffocated. The principle is the same as what keeps brazil nuts near at the top of a bowl of mixed nuts?bigger and less dense objects tend to rise to the surface. ?Avalanche air bags are not flotation devices,? says Pascal Haegeli, an avalanche safety researcher at Avisualanche Consulting and an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University?s School of Resource and Environmental Management in British Columbia. ?They don?t work like a life vest that you use when boating. It?s not a buoyancy effect, it?s a sorting effect. The bladders make the skier a larger particle within the avalanche debris.? (This YouTube video provides an example of a skier deploying an avalanche air bag during a snow slide in the Snake River backcountry near Montezuma, Colo.)

Few air bag models are designed to deploy automatically, although some feature a wireless activation remote. This makes it possible for a skier in an emergency to inflate not only his air bag but also the air bags of other members of his group. Models vary sharply in price, anywhere from about $500 to more than $1,200, depending on the materials used and the features offered?the lightest backpacks are typically the most expensive.

The air bags have received credit for saving lives. Nearly a year ago, an avalanche on Stevens Pass in Washington State swept professional skier Elyse Saugstad more than 600 meters in 30 seconds. Saugstad credits her air bag with keeping her head above the snow slide, which killed three other skiers in her group.

Other ski experts confirm that they do help. ?Although air bags don?t do anything to prevent trauma, they do prevent a lot of avalanche victims from death or injury from asphyxiation,? says Jonathan Shefftz, a National Ski Patrol avalanche instructor who trained at the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. ?If you can see part of the victim, that reduces or avoids the need to use a beacon search to find a buried victim. Avalanche air bags are not foolproof, but they definitely offer a very big measure of additional protection.?

Air bag?equipped backpacks are beginning to improve safety, Haegeli says, but they don?t eliminate the risk. ?They were able to save some lives, but there were still fatalities even with fully deployed air bags,? he says.

The best way to avoid getting caught in one of these snow slides is to follow local avalanche forecasts, carry safety equipment and understand how to use them if caught in a slide.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=c106c2c054200990133df8f5c7749400

albatross louis oosthuizen phil mickelson 10 year old gives birth c. difficile carmelo anthony nurse jackie

Apple boosts fourth-generation iPad to 128GB for $799

Apple's iPad line has topped out at 64GB since it was born. That perennial ceiling has been smashed: the company is hiking the capacity of the fourth-generation iPad to a whopping 128GB. The hardware hasn't otherwise changed and preserves both the performance and dimensions that we already know. The WiFi and cellular versions get equal treatment, although we'll pay dearly for the increase at $799 for the base WiFi version and $929 for the cellular edition. Both of the extra-capacious tablets will be available February 5th.

Show full PR text

Apple Increases iPad with Retina Display to 128GB

Offers Twice the Storage Capacity to Create & Enjoy Even More Incredible Content

CUPERTINO, Calif., Jan 29, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Apple(R) today announced a 128GB* version of the fourth generation iPad(R) with Retina(R) display. The 128GB iPad with Wi-Fi and iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular models provide twice the storage capacity of the 64GB models to hold even more valuable content including photos, documents, projects, presentations, books, movies, TV shows, music and apps.

"With more than 120 million iPads sold, it's clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and everyday they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs."

iPad continues to have a significant impact on business with virtually all of the Fortune 500 and over 85 percent of the Global 500 currently deploying or testing iPad. Companies regularly utilizing large amounts of data such as 3D CAD files, X-rays, film edits, music tracks, project blueprints, training videos and service manuals all benefit from having a greater choice of storage options for iPad. The over 10 million iWork(R) users, and customers who rely on other incredible apps like Global Apptitude for analyzing team film and creating digital playbooks, Auria for an incredible 48 track recording system, or AutoCAD for drafting architectural and engineering drawings, also benefit greatly from having the choice of an iPad with more storage capacity.

"Our AutoCAD WS app for iOS was designed to give customers seamless access to their designs anywhere, anytime," said Amy Bunszel, vice president of AutoCAD products for Autodesk. "These files are often large and highly detailed so having the thin and light iPad with its Multitouch display, integrated camera and all-day battery life, is a real advantage for iPad users to view, edit and share their AutoCAD data."

"The features and capabilities of iPad give us the ability to set a new standard for multitrack recording and editing on a mobile device," said Rim Buntinas, WaveMachine Labs' CEO. "Users of the Auria app can play 48 mono or stereo 24bit/96 kHz tracks simultaneously, record up to 24 of those tracks simultaneously, and also edit and mix with familiar tools. With its portability and all-day battery life, iPad has revolutionized recording for audio professionals allowing artists to record anywhere."

"The bottom line for our customers is winning football games, and iPad running our GamePlan solution unquestionably helps players be as prepared as possible," said Randall Fusee, Global Apptitude Co-Founder. "The iPad's unbeatable combination of security, being thin and light, having an incredible Retina display and also being powerful enough to handle large amounts of data enables us to deliver a product that takes film study to a new level and ultimately gives our users the best opportunity to prepare, execute and win."

The fourth generation iPad features a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina display, Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime(R) HD camera, iOS 6.1 and ultrafast wireless performance**. iOS 6.1 includes support for additional LTE networks around the world***, and iTunes Match(SM) subscribers can download individual songs to their iOS devices from iCloud(R).

iPad runs over 800,000 apps available on the App Store(SM), including more than 300,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand, and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore(SM).

Pricing & Availability

The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available starting Tuesday, February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and $929 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. All versions of the 128GB iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store ( www.apple.com ), Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

Filed under: Tablets, Apple

Comments

Source: Apple

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/eQWh5xheVqA/

higgs boson Malware Monday First Row Sports American flag Happy 4th of July 4th Of July Desserts fireworks

Youth energy in positive direction can meet complex challenges ...

January 28, 2013 ????? 0 Comments

?

NEW DELHI

India can meet ?complex challenges? if the energy of the youth is channelised in a ?positive direction?, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today.

??I have no doubt, if we are able to channelise this immense energy of our youth in a positive direction, we can succesfully address even the most complex challenges facing our country today,? he said here.

Addressing the Prime Minister?s rally at NCC Republic Day camp here, he asked the youth ?to exploit the opportunity with firm resolve and commitment and contribute positively towards the growth of our nation.?

?India is a young nation. Our youth are our major strength. Today, more than ever before, there is greater awareness among the youth about their rights. Equally, there is a strong desire to contribute directly to the betterment of our society,? he said.

Singh also acknowledged the ?immense contribution? of NCC towards nation-building, social harmony and in inculcating the core value of patriotism, discipline and self-less service in the nation?s youth.

?Your efforts in spreading the awareness among our masses on important issues like female foeticide, and cancer control, energy conservation and environment protection are praiseworthy,? he said.

He said the youth should keep the moto of the NCC? unity and discipline? uppermost in their mind, reminding them that discipline and a united nation can meet any challenge.

The Prime Minister said, ?It was a matter of pride? that NCC has always come forward and discharged its duty in the sphere of disaster relief social service and community development.

?I am aware of the high standards achieved by the cadets in the fields of training, support and adventure activity. It is heartening to learn that NCC cadets have undertaken several successful mountaineering, trekking and sailing activities?.

By Web Editor

Tags: energy, India, NCC, Prime Minister, today, Youth

Source: http://canindia.com/2013/01/youth-energy-in-positive-direction-can-meet-complex-challenges-prime-minister/

wwe wrestlemania oakland shooting mega millions winning numbers autism speaks ubaldo jimenez ncaa final country music awards

How to make your iPhone password stronger: Use an accent

14 hrs.

Thorin Klosowski , Lifehacker

We've?talked before?about using a longer passcode on your iPhone instead of a 4-digit pin, but as the tech blog Digital Inspiration points out, adding in accented characters adds yet another level of security.

The idea is that most people aren't going to bother dealing with accented characters (if you hold down on a letter, the available accented characters show up) when they're trying to guess your password. To use these, you first have to turn on the alphanumeric passcode. Just head into Settings > General > Passcode Lock, and turn off Simple Passcode. You'll be asked to enter in a new password, so throw in a few accented characters. It might make it a bit of a pain to enter in your passcode, but at least it's more secure.

[via Digital Inspiration]

More from Lifehacker:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/use-accented-characters-make-your-ios-password-even-stronger-1C8120707

Ravens vs Patriots 49ers Vs Falcons Mama Movie flyers epo suits PlayStation Network

U.S. condemns sentencing of American pastor in Iran

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Sunday condemned an Iranian court for sentencing an Iranian-American Christian pastor to eight years in prison.

The State Department said it had confirmed reports of Saeed Abedini's sentencing with the family's attorney and called for his release.

"We condemn Iran's continued violation of the universal right of freedom of religion and we call on the Iranian authorities to respect Mr. Abedini's human rights and release him," State Department spokesperson Darby Holladay said.

Hollaway said Abedini's attorney had only one day to present his defense and the department was deeply concerned about the fairness and transparency of his trial.

The American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative lobbying group, said Abedini was convicted by Judge Pir-Abassi of Branch 26 of the Iranian Revolutionary Court for threatening Iran's national security through his leadership in Christian house churches.

It said Abedini, a 32-year-old father of two, became a U.S. citizen in 2010 through marriage to his American wife Naghmeh.

He was ordained a minister in 2008 through the American Evangelistic Association and had been traveling back and forth freely between the U.S. and Iran for three years until this past summer, when he was placed on house arrest. He was imprisoned in September.

The ACLJ, which is representing Abedini's U.S.-based wife and children, said the pastor had been beaten and tortured during his time in prison, raising questions about his medical condition.

It said Abedini and his attorney were only allowed to attend one day of his trial, which started on January 21.

"This is a real travesty - a mockery of justice," said ACLJ's Executive Director Jordan Sekulow. "From the very beginning, Iranian authorities have lied about all aspects of this case, even releasing rumors of his expected release. Iran has not only abused its own laws, it has trampled on the fundamentals of human rights."

In a statement, Naghmeh Abedini said she is "devastated" for her husband and her family - a six-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son.

"We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is safely on American soil," she added.

(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by David Brunnstrom)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-condemns-sentencing-american-pastor-iran-012339247.html

donald trump Election 2012 map Election Results Map Early voting results BBC Dick Morris Daily Show

zindabasa: Education & Reference 2020: The K-12 Implosion ...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://kumanagra.blogspot.com/2013/01/zindabasa-education-reference-2020-k-12.html

resolute national enquirer whitney houston casket photo jk rowling qnexa kingdom of heaven national enquirer whitney houston arizona republican debate

Tiger headed toward another win at Torrey

Tiger Woods hits his second shot on the sixth hole during the fourth round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament, at the Torrey Pines Golf Course on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Tiger Woods hits his second shot on the sixth hole during the fourth round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament, at the Torrey Pines Golf Course on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Tiger Woods chips in for birdie on the fourth hole during the fourth round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at the Torrey Pines Golf Course on Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Tiger Woods reacts after chipping in from 40 feet for birdie on the fourth hole during the fourth round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at the Torrey Pines Golf Course, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Tiger Woods follows through with his tee shot on the first hole to begin the fourth round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in San Diego. The tournament will not conclude until Monday. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Erik Compton, right, a two-time heart transplant recipient, talks with Tiger Woods during a delay on the third tee at Torrey Pines during the third round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? The Pacific air was so cold at the end of a 10-hour day at Torrey Pines that Tiger Woods thrust both hands in the front pockets of his rain pants as he walked off the course at the Farmers Insurance Open.

It was a fitting image. Woods made a marathon day look like he was out for a stroll.

Staked to a two-shot lead going into the third round of this fog-delayed tournament, Woods drove the ball where he was aiming and was hardly ever out of position. Even with a bogey on the final hole ? the easiest on the back nine ? Woods still had a 3-under 69 and expanded his lead by two shots.

In the seven holes he played in the fourth round later Sunday afternoon, Woods hit the ball all over the course and still made three birdies to add two more strokes to his lead.

Thanks to the fog that wiped out an entire day of golf on Saturday, the Farmers Insurance Open didn't stand a chance of finishing on Sunday.

Woods just made it look like it was over.

He had a six-shot lead with 11 holes to play going into the conclusion of the final round on Monday. The two guys chasing him were Brandt Snedeker, the defending champion, and Nick Watney, who won at Torrey Pines in 2008. Neither was waving a white flag. Both understood how much the odds were stacked against them.

"I've got a guy at the top of the leaderboard that doesn't like giving up leads," Snedeker said. "So I have to go catch him."

"All we can do tomorrow is go out and try to make him think about it a little bit and see what happens," Watney said.

And then there was Erik Compton, a two-time heart transplant recipient who had a birdie-eagle finish in the third round that put him in third place through 54 holes, still five shots behind Woods. Someone asked Compton about trying to chase Woods. He laughed.

"I'm trying to chase myself," he said.

Woods was at 17-under par for the tournament, and more than just a six-shot lead was in his corner.

He finished the third round at 14-under 202, making it the 16th time on the PGA Tour that he had at least a four-shot lead going into the final round. His record on the PGA Tour with the outright lead after 54 holes is 38-2, the exceptions being Ed Fiori in 1996 when Woods was a 20-year-old rookie and Y.E. Yang in the 2009 PGA Championship.

Woods attributed his big lead to the "whole package."

"I've driven the ball well, I've hit my irons well, and I've chipped and putted well," he said. "Well, I've hit good putts. They all haven't gone in."

Woods has a good history of Monday finishes, starting with Torrey Pines. It was on this course along the coast north of La Jolla that Woods won a 19-hole playoff against Rocco Mediate to capture the 2008 U.S. Open for his 14th major.

He also won the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on a Monday in 2000 when he rallied from seven shots behind with seven holes to play. He won his lone title in The Players Championship on a Monday, along with a five-shot win in the Memorial in 2000, and a scheduled Monday finish in the Deutsche Bank Championship outside Boston.

Woods even gets to sleep in.

A Monday finish because of weather typically resumes in the morning so players can get to the next tournament. CBS Sports, however, decided it wanted to televise the conclusion, and so play won't begin until 2 p.m. EST. That decision might have been based on Woods being headed toward victory ? just a hunch.

Woods already has won seven times at Torrey Pines, including the U.S. Open. That matches his PGA Tour record at Bay Hill and Firestone (Sam Snead won the Greensboro Open eight times, four each on a different course).

The tournament isn't over, and Woods doesn't see it that way.

"I've got to continue with executing my game plan. That's the idea," he said. "I've got 11 holes to play, and I've got to play them well."

He seized control with his 69 in the third round that gave him a four-shot lead, and he might have put this away in the two hours he played before darkness stopped play.

He badly missed the first fairway to the left, but had a gap through the Torrey pines to the green and had a two-putt par. He missed his next shot so far to the left that the ball wound up in the first cut of the adjacent sixth fairway. He still managed a simple up-and-down for par.

After a 10-foot birdie on the par-3 third, Woods couldn't afford to go left off the tee again because of the PGA Tour's largest water hazard ? the Pacific Ocean. So he went miles right, beyond a cart path, a tree blocking his way to the green. He hit a cut shot that came up safely short of the green, and then chipped in from 40 feet for birdie.

"I was able to play those holes in 2-under par," Woods said. "And then I hit three great drives right in a row."

One of them wasn't that great ? it was in the right rough, the ball so buried that from 214 yards that Woods hit a 5-wood. It scooted down the fairway and onto the green, setting up a two-putt birdie the stretched his lead to six shots. And after another good drive, the horn sounded to stop play. Because it was due to weather, Woods was able to finish the hole, and he two-putted for par.

Eleven holes on Monday were all that were keeping him from his 75th career win on the PGA Tour, and delivering a message to the rest of golf that there could be more of this to follow no matter what the golf course.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-28-Farmers%20Insurance%20Open/id-a2b66573e60e45d98a5603c5f2fcd8cb

david foster wallace pinterest attwireless taylor swift zac efron the scream stephen colbert new madrid fault

Ways To Make Buying And Selling Commercial Properties Easier ...

TIP! Get the credentials of any person who will be doing an inspection on a property you are trying to buy. This is especially true of people who work with insect or pest removal, as there are many non-accredited people working in these fields.

Commercial property ownership is an exciting endeavor, but you must put in time and effort to be successful. All this can really make you confused about where exactly to get started so that you can make certain all your bases are covered. Learning everything about commercial property ownership can be overwhelming, but the following article will help you get started.

TIP! Develop a clear idea of the amount of available square footage. There are two different ways to measure square footage for commercial properties.

Seek the council of an experienced real estate attorney to help you with your commercial purchase. If something goes south in your property adventures, then you want the best backing you up to keep your reputation sound and protect you from threats.

TIP! Engaging in a commercial transaction often takes more time, and is more difficult than simply buying a home. The fact is that commercial real estate brings in a higher return, therefore the process must be more intense.

Think bigger when you are investing in commercial properties. You may find that upkeep and operations for a twenty-unit property may actually be comparable to those required of a five-unit property. A property with nine units requires the same amount of time put into the financing as a building with nineteen units requires, but the larger one has lower per unit average prices and more rental income streams for you.

TIP! There are many factors to consider as you view available properties. For example, you should take note of statistics regarding local employers, workforce availability and the accessibility of skilled labor.

One prospect investors in the commercial real estate market need to constantly keep in mind is the potential for rampant inflation in the near future. Years ago, it was common for leases to protect people from inflation via adjustments made through Consumer Price Index. However, in today?s commercial real estate market, you would be hard pressed to find anyone willing to make such an agreement, putting you at a higher risk of falling victim to higher inflation rates.

TIP! Establish the needs of your business before looking at buildings. You should know precisely what your business?s office space requirements are.

As you have read, to be really successful, you do have to do your proper research, and then put in a decent amount of work and effort into it. Note that you cannot take a break from it, you have to always keep at it. By applying the advice of the previous paragraphs, you can start easily and safely down the path to commercial property ownership.

Source: http://nhlmicke.com/ways-to-make-buying-and-selling-commercial-properties-easier/

affirmative action helicon zac efron and taylor swift real housewives of orange county bloom energy franklin graham jambalaya

Chuck Hagel: Shaped by Vietnam

Obama's choice for defense secretary is a decorated veteran with a deep suspicion of war

What is?Hagel's?background?
He comes from humble stock. Born in Nebraska,?Hagel?grew up poor and constantly on the move. His father was a World War II veteran who had bad health and a drinking problem, and died when?Hagel?was 16. The eldest of four boys,?Hagel?worked to help support the family, and took an early interest in politics. In 1960, he broke with his fellow Catholic schoolboys to support Richard Nixon over John F. Kennedy.?Hagel?was a promising high school athlete, but a neck injury forced him to give up a college football scholarship. He drifted until his number came up in the draft in January 1967.

Where did he serve?
Hagel?initially received orders to go to Germany, but he asked for a transfer to Vietnam so he could fight in the war. Against protocol, he was placed in the same infantry squad as his younger brother Tom. Just four months into his tour,?Hagel?was caught in a mine blast, taking shrapnel wounds to his chest that his brother bandaged up. A month later, in April 1968,?Hagel?returned the favor after their troop carrier hit another mine.?Hagel?pulled Tom from the burning vehicle under heavy fire, sustaining serious burns to his face. (Hagel's?wounds in the two incidents won him two Purple Hearts.) In 2007, he recalled what went through his head when rescuing his brother: "I told myself, 'If I ever get out of this and I'm ever in a position to influence policy, I will do everything I can to avoid needless, senseless war.'"

How did he get into politics?
John Y.?McCollister, a Nebraska congressman, brought the young veteran to Washington in the early?1970s; within 18 months, he was?McCollister's?chief of staff.?Hagel's?ascent in the Republican Party was similarly rapid, and soon after Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980, he was named deputy director of the Veterans Administration. But within six months, he quit in protest against cuts in benefits for his fellow Vietnam veterans. It was his first act of rebellion against the party, but far from his last. "He thinks with the clarity of an actuary," said Michael McCarthy, one of?Hagel's?longtime financial backers, "but decides with the heart of an Irishman."

What was his next move??
He sold his car and joined two friends in investing in an industry no one knew about in 1982 ? a?cellphone?company. It made him millions when it later went public. In 1992 he moved his family from Virginia back to his native Nebraska, where he was elected senator in 1996 in an upset victory after a high-profile endorsement from fellow Vietnam vet Sen. John McCain. But?Hagel?remained a party maverick. After the GOP's poor showing in the 1998 midterm elections, he excoriated the leadership for running?"issueless?campaigns" and "demonizing" ads. In the 2000 primaries, he backed his friend McCain, saying that George W. Bush had "sold his soul to the right wing." Two years later, he became an ever bigger burr in Bush's saddle.

What issue divided them?
The war in Iraq, which?Hagel?opposed from the get-go, earning himself a place on the "axis of appeasement'' compiled by the?neoconservative?magazine?The Weekly Standard.?In 2002,?Hagel?delivered a thunderous speech on the Senate floor warning that "imposing democracy through force is a roll of the dice." The U.S., he said, did not truly understand the factional divisions among Iraq's Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds. He then voted to authorize military action in Iraq ? a vote he attributed to his loyalty to the office of the presidency. As the war spun out of control,?Hagel?became an ever-fiercer critic of the Bush administration. He voted against extending the Patriot Act in 2005, and led opposition in the Senate to the Iraq surge of 2007, calling it the "most dangerous foreign-policy blunder in this country since Vietnam."

Is that why many Republicans now oppose him?
Hagel's?apostasy on Iraq is just one of the ways in which he has infuriated his party's hawks. He has opposed military action to stop Iran's nuclear program, and described the Defense Department as "bloated." He angered pro-Israeli Republicans by complaining about the power of Washington's "Jewish lobby," and alienated social conservatives by comparing them to "Know-Nothings." But arguably his greatest sin against the GOP was befriending Obama. The two bonded in the Senate over their?contrarian?views on Iraq. In 2008,?Hagel?declined to endorse John McCain, which brought a chill to the long friendship between the two Vietnam vets.?Hagel?did not endorse Obama either, but enraged McCain by traveling to Iraq with the Democratic presidential candidate in July 2008.?Hagel?retired from the Senate in 2009, but he will soon return there as Obama's nominee for defense secretary to face confirmation hearings headed by his spurned former ally. "The friendship, I hope, is still there," McCain said in January, "but I have very serious questions about whether he will serve in a way that I think serves America's best national interests."?

The smoking gun on Vietnam
Although the Vietnam War left?Hagel?scarred, for decades he saw it as a righteous cause gone wrong, not an unjustified incursion. That changed in 1997, when the government released tapes from 1964 of Lyndon B. Johnson confessing that the U.S. couldn't win in Vietnam. Johnson had made a "cold political calculation" to stay in Vietnam to secure his legacy,?Hagel?came to believe, and he vowed to "never, ever remain silent when that kind of thinking put more American lives at risk in any conflict." His anti-war views hardened yet further in 2005, when a cousin unearthed long-lost letters his father had written to his family during his service in the Pacific. "If I thought I would ever have a son who would have to go through this," he had written, "I would never get married."?

SEE MORE: Obama's tumultuous first term: By the numbers

View this article on TheWeek.com Get 4 Free Issues of The Week

Other stories from this topic:

Like on Facebook?-?Follow on Twitter?-?Sign-up for Daily Newsletter

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chuck-hagel-shaped-vietnam-123400407.html

slither slither naacp glen campbell jerusalem artichoke bud shootout aretha franklin

Learn The Best Ways To Achieve Online Marketing Success ...

If you want a career in online marketing, you can find some suggestions here. In the following paragraphs are some points that you can apply towards success in affiliate endeavors.

There should always be honesty in affiliate marketing. Describe to your users the purpose of your site and reveal all affiliations. If visitors sense dishonesty about your affiliations with the retailer of the product they wish to purchase, they will just pass you up and purchase directly from the merchant.

TIP! You should always disclose to your readers that you earn money if they make a purchase from an affiliate link. Your readers can tell how affiliate links look like and hiding this fact will cause them to lose their trust in you.

Use every appropriate strategy and medium to advertise your product or services. A part of your customer base will prefer searching the web for deals. Some may prefer brochures or fliers. Other customers might respond better to coupons and discounts. If you advertise in several ways, your audience will grow.

Put out feelers with a lot of different affiliates to start out. Using several related sites for you affiliate marketing program offers your customers a wide range of links from which to choose.

TIP! When you are selecting an affiliate company to work with, pick one who supports their affiliates and provides help to sell the product. Affiliate companies are smart, at least most of them are.

If you want to be the most successful affiliate possible, you must keep up with the best marketing methods. It?s tempting to simply grab the first free affiliate marketing campaign that comes along. While free always sounds good, you need to do some research to find options that will be affective in your particular market.

Optimize your marketing success by paying for professional ads. Make sure your ads are directed at specific keywords in order to produce revenue for you. Ads are a great way to draw in new customers and increase awareness of your products.

TIP! If someone visits your sport-themed website, you can be sure that they have one thing on their mind: sports. Only a sports-related link would benefit your affiliate site.

Set goals for yourself that will allow you to improve your current internet marketing strategy. Motivation remains as long as there are unfinished tasks visible in the task bar.

Choosing the hottest products to promote as an affiliate may mean thinner profits. While quality is always a major concern, it does not necessarily translate into popularity. Popularity also means over-saturation and an abundance of competition. This may not result in profits for you.

TIP! Affiliates should use text services to enhance their potential in earning commissions. While this is a little new still, there are lots of affiliates that use this to promote their products, share affiliate offers and keep all of their customers in the know.

Online Marketing

You should always research any company you plan on affiliating with. It doesn?t matter if the affiliate site has one of the highest earnings in its industry. You must ensure that you will have the ability to easily market it with no problems.

TIP! Affiliate marketing is great for businesses that have a strategy. You needdc to have your blog or site as high in search rankings as possible.

An online marketing program will help you achieve great results when promoting your business on the Internet. Online marketing programs are more effective than other advertising approaches, like banner ads or contextual networks. When looking at affiliate programs, pay attention to things like the directory?s popularity, ease of use and the payment you will receive for referrals.

It takes time to figure out which affiliate ads appeal the most to your audience?s demographic group. Some demographics like big advertisements with sound and video; others will prefer simple text. Your target audience should always be the driving force when you decide which products you wish to sell.

TIP! Increase your Google Plus follower count to keep ahead of your competitors. Intertwine your Google Plus, Twitter, and Facebook marketing, creating a combination of social media networking success.

Create your own e-book and post it on websites where documents can be shared freely. This can show that you know what you are talking about, and it can draw targeted visitors to your website. Make sure your article links back to your website.

You should consider giving your customers the opportunity to also market your product. Offer your customers that chance to be your affiliate upon purchasing your products. You can make a single sale into thousands if you have a client that wants to become an affiliate. It?s an easy way to drive more sales.

TIP! Useful advice for those who have only recently succeeded at affiliate marketing is to avoid resting on their laurels and continue to work hard. You should always strive for bigger and better things.

It is important to select a company with high sales conversion rates in order to have a successful affiliate program. Consider using a one percent conversion ratio as a benchmark.

By watching the statistics of your affiliates, you can see which links are performing well. Test each affiliate link in different locations on the page and compare your results. Be sure to use the same text for this test, and only change the link position within your article.

TIP! Write a note by hand, scan it, then put it up on your site. Handwritten content adds a touch of something that people feel is more personal.

Consider the peripherals when you are establishing affiliate links on the pages of your website. How about a water bottle with a strap so they can bring it out, too?

Every single affiliate you choose should be in your site?s niche. This will increase traffic to your website and also assist you in truly understanding the needs and wants of your customer base.

TIP! One solid piece of advice for potential affiliate marketers is to seek out companies with successful, long-term products. A diverse company gives you many ways to earn money.

Consider entering a niche market to increase your profits through affiliate promotion. It might be harder to find an audience when you are associated with a variety of products rather than focusing on a smaller, specific group of products.

Try to stay up to date in your industry. If you are behind the times in comparison to your competitors, people are more likely to patronize your competitors.

TIP! Try making a website just for your affiliate partners to improve your sales. Other affiliates may agree to work with you if you don?t hide that you use this marketing strategy.

It is critical that you do this, particularly if your target audience is the older generation. Make your font just a little bigger so people will notice it.

You will want to consider what products you are linking to. Once you have your affiliate links arranged properly, you should be earning more profits.

TIP! Use affiliations to market your online business more effectively. Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular ways of advertising, because of the number of people who click links.

Keep your intended audience in mind as you decide which affiliates to join. You should make sure that your affiliates are promoting products and services that are compatible or complementary to what your website offers. Visitors to your site are there because they want shoes, so try to sell them shoes and shoe related products. Choose ads that best cater to your demographic and take advantage of your customer information.

Try choosing an affiliate company who has higher sales conversion ratios. You should aim for about a 1% conversion rate.

TIP! One good marketing technique is to limit the purchase window for an affiliate product. When customers see they may not be able to get their hands on a product later, they might just jump on it.

Many affiliate marketers overdo it. They put their energy in too many places, they choose too many products, and they have too many promotions going at once to stay effectively competitive at any one thing. It is good to note there is no limit when it comes to what can be achieved. You just need time, creative thinking, determination and a willingness to learn in order to be successful in web marketing.

Learn new methods and share tips with other companies by joining a community for online affiliate marketers. You can find multiple outlets online where you can discuss best SEO practices, share codes, give advice, find and give leads on new affiliate programs, and get practical advice from other people doing what you do. Join different groups and forums to further your learning about affiliate marketing.

One highly effective internet marketing tactic is to put deadline stipulations on purchases. If visitors see that there is only a small amount of time left to purchase the product, they might feel an extra push to go ahead and purchase it. People love to feel as though they are getting a deal.

If you require access to your money in a timely fashion, choose an affiliate company that offers more than one payment option. While some companies only pay by check when you reach a predetermined amount, others allow you to send money directly to your bank account or to online payment accounts like AlertPay and Paypal.

Web Marketing

As previously mentioned, you can better promote your services and products through web marketing. Following these tips leads you on the road to becoming an expert in web marketing.

For more tips on Affiliate Marketing and to see the platform I use, go to: http://www.financialreboot.com.com

0

Source: http://www.samuellevitz.com/learn-the-best-ways-to-achieve-online-marketing-success

delmon young dallas mavericks washington capitals amare stoudemire tallest building in the world the pitch brandon inge