Examining the Link Between Asbestos Exposure and Cancer ...

Last updated 7 hours 51 minutes ago

Almost everyone has been exposed to asbestos at one time or another, but repeated contact over a long period of time can heighten the risk of serious illnesses like lung cancer and mesothelioma. A certified asbestos removal contractor can help you determine if you and your family are at risk. In the meantime, keep reading for an overview of the link between asbestos exposure and cancer.

What Is Asbestos?

For a very long, asbestos had been firmly ingrained in Canadian industry and infrastructure. The very first asbestos mine was founded in Asbestos, Quebec in 1879. Throughout the next century, asbestos use in Canada thrived due to the mineral?s resistance to fire, heat, and chemicals. Today, older homes with asbestos-laden insulation can be found throughout the country. ?

What Are the Health Risks?

In the 1920?s, Canadian asbestos miners were known to suffer higher rates of lung ailments and mortality than the general population. It wasn?t until the 1970?s, however, when the true health impacts of asbestos exposure were made known. Studies have shown repeated asbestos exposure to increase the risk of serious lung diseases like lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare cancer of the membranes in the chest and abdomen. Exposure to asbestos can also cause permanent lung damage, leading to breathing difficulties and other health problems.?

How Can You Limit Your Exposure?

When contained behind walls, asbestos presents very little risk to your health. The dangers arise when the fibers are disturbed and become airborne. If your home has insulation containing asbestos, do not disturb the materials. Call a certified asbestos removal professional before embarking on any interior demolition project that could result in exposed are disturbed insulation.

If your home has insulation or other materials containing asbestos, a certified professional can help you to better understand the risks to your health. At Belanger Environmental, we provide a range of environmental services for homeowners throughout the Toronto area, including asbestos testing, asbestos removal, and vermiculite removal. Call us today at (519) 949-3322 to schedule a free at-home estimate.

Source: http://www.asbestosmouldremoval.com/618735/2012/12/30/examining-the-link-between-asbestos-exposure-and-cancer.html

spring equinox audacious pollen count mexico city first day of spring mexico earthquake aziz ansari

Novated lease program | Car Finance, Loans & Leasing Blog ...

Does your company offer a novated lease program? If they do, it is worthwhile looking into. Do your research and see how much money you would save by taking out a novated lease. Your employer may even allow you to salary package your partner?s vehicle too. By financing a car by way of a novated lease it enables you to purchase the vehicle from your pre-tax income. You may wish to take out a fully maintained novated lease. This enables you to not only finance the car from your pre-tax income but to pay for the running costs, such as fuel and servicing from your pre-tax income too.

?

To find out what you could save by salary packaging your vehicle, use our online novated lease calculator. To find out more about salary packaging and what your monthly commitments would be, speak to one of our friendly staff members today on 1300 887 967.

Source: http://h3sean.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/novated-lease-program-car-finance-loans-leasing-blog-roche-finance.html

amazing race Cam Cameron RG3 Ada Lovelace 12/12/12 manny pacquiao Chopper Live

New Year's new birth of freedom in Washington, Gettysburg

As New Year's Day approached 150 years ago, all eyes were on President Abraham Lincoln in expectation of what he warned 100 days earlier would be coming - his final proclamation declaring all slaves in states rebelling against the Union to be "forever free."

A tradition began Dec. 31, 1862, as many black churches held Watch Night services, awaiting word that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation would take effect amid a bloody Civil War. Later, congregations listened as the president's historic words were read aloud.

The proclamation would not end slavery outright and at the time couldn't be enforced by Lincoln in areas under Confederate control. But the president made clear from that day forward that his forces would be fighting to bring the Union back together without the institution of slavery.

Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862, after the Battle of Antietam, announcing that if rebel states did not cease fighting and rejoin the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, all slaves in rebellious states or parts of states would be declared free from that date forward.

This year, the Watch Night tradition will follow the historic document to its home at the National Archives with a special midnight display planned with readings, songs and bell ringing among the nation's founding documents. And in Gettysburg, local volunteers will be stationed outside the David Wills House in Lincoln Square,

where President Lincoln completed writing the Gettysburg Address, with information and activities for adults and children.

The official document bears Lincoln's signature and the United States seal, setting it apart from copies and drafts. It will make a rare public appearance from Sunday to Tuesday - New Year's Day - for thousands of visitors to mark its anniversary. On New Year's Eve, the display will remain open past midnight as 2013 arrives.

"We will be calling back to an old

FILE - This Feb. 9, 2009 file photo shows the first draft of President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation that Lincoln presented to his full cabinet on July 22, 1862, displayed at the Library of Congress in Washington. As New Year's Day approached 150 years ago, all eyes were on President Abraham Lincoln in expectation of what he warned 100 days earlier would be coming _ his final proclamation declaring all slaves in states rebelling against the Union to be ?forever free.?A tradition began on Dec. 31, 1862, as many black churches held Watch Night services, awaiting word that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation would take effect as the country was in the midst of a bloody Civil War. Later, congregations listened as the president's historic words were read aloud. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) (Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

tradition," said U.S. Archivist David Ferriero, noting the proclamation's legacy. "When you see thousands of people waiting in line in the dark and cold ... we know that they're not there just for words on paper.

"On this 150th anniversary, we recall those who struggled with slavery in this country, the hope that sustained them and the inspiration the Emancipation Proclamation has given to those who seek justice."

The National Archives allows 100 visitors at a time into its rotunda, where the Emancipation Proclamation will be displayed along with the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. On the busiest days, 8,000 people file through for a glimpse of the founding charters.

Performances and re-enactments are scheduled to continue throughout New Year's Day. The U.S. Postal Service will unveil a new Emancipation Proclamation stamp as well.

This special display is just one of many commemorations planned in Washington and in churches nationwide to mark the anniversary of Lincoln's actions to end slavery and end the Civil War.

President Lincoln's Cottage in Washington, where the 16th president spent much of his time and where he began drafting the proclamation, is displaying a signed copy of the document through February. It also will host its own New Year's Eve celebration.

The Library of Congress will display the first draft handwritten by Lincoln. It will be on display for six weeks beginning Jan. 3 in the library's exhibit, "The Civil War in America," which features many personal letters and diaries from the era.

Also, the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture just opened its newest exhibition, "Changing America," to recount the 1863 emancipation of slaves and the 1963 March on Washington for Civil Rights. It includes a rare signed copy of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that ultimately abolished slavery.

The Watch Night tradition also continues at many sites Monday night.

In Washington, the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, where abolitionist Frederick Douglass was a member, will host a special 150th anniversary service.

History lovers say this is a chance to remember what the Emancipation Proclamation actually signified.

Lincoln wrote in part: "I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward, shall be free."

He went on to say the military would recognize the freedom of slaves, that freed slaves should avoid violence and that freed slaves could enlist in the U.S. armed forces. It did not immediately free a single slave, though, because Lincoln didn't have the power to enforce the declaration in the Confederacy.

Still, many slaves had already been freeing themselves, and the document gave them protection, said Reginald Washington, an archivist of African-American history at the National Archives.

"It was a first, important step in paving the way for the abolishment of slavery with the ratification of the 13th Amendment," he said.

It also brought "a fundamental change in the character of the war," Washington said. "With the stroke of Lincoln's pen, a war to preserve the union had overnight become a war of human liberation."

The proclamation became a symbol of hope for nearly 4 million slaves and a confirmation that the war should be fought to secure their freedom, said Washington, who is retiring from the Archives after nearly 40 years. Some historians and scholars have come to view to proclamation as one of the most important documents in U.S. history.

The final proclamation has been rarely shown because it was badly damaged decades ago by long exposure to light. After it was signed at the White House, it was kept at the State Department for many years with other presidential proclamations. In 1936, it was transferred to the National Archives.

Records show it was displayed between 1947 and 1949 in a "Freedom Train" exhibit that traveled the country. Then it was shown briefly in January 1963 to mark the 100th anniversary of its signing.

It wasn't until 1993 that the Emancipation Proclamation has been shown more regularly to the public. In the past decade, it has been shown in 10 other museums and libraries nationwide for no more than three days at a time to limit its exposure to light.

A 2011 exhibition at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., that was open around the clock drew lines amounting to eight-hour waits to see the document.

Conservators rotate which of the five pages are shown to limit their light exposure. In Washington, they will display pages two and five, which is Lincoln's signature page. High-quality copies are shown in place of the other original pages.

"It's rarely shown, and that's part of our strategy for preserving it and making it accessible," said Catherine Nicholson, an archives conservator. "Our goal is to keep its current condition so that it can be enjoyed not only by people today, but by future generations."

Gettysburg celebration

What: Freedom's Eve celebration in Gettysburg

When: Monday, Dec. 31 at 9 p.m.

Where: Outside the David Wills House in Lincoln Square

Details: Anyone interested in volunteering with the event should contact Rosalie Dillan at 717-677-6064.

Source: http://www.eveningsun.com/localnews/ci_22279021/new-years-new-birth-freedom-washington-gettysburg?source=rss

lottery winner lottery numbers mega millions lottery jackpot winning numbers mega millions megamillions drawing olbermann

Sports Fan Recreation space debuts Green Bay Packers Football ...

Y??r Sports Fan Recreation space declared th?t th?? retailer now h?? gotten real Packers NFL keepsakes, wh??h include authorized helmets, photos ?nd vintage cycling jerseys, along w?th latest gamer apparel.
Y??r cheap NFL jerseys Sports Fan Recreation space declared th?t th?? retailer h?? brought various Packers apparel ?nd home accessories, th?t ?r? around w?th regard t? transport. Th? shop additionally gotten authorized Packers NFL keepsakes wh??h include cycling jerseys, helmets, photos ?nd more via prime participants l?k? Robert Hornung, Bart Starr, Brett Favre ?nd Reggie White-colored.

Th? shop features Packers NFL cycling jerseys, t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps ?nd accessories f?r th?t home, vehicle ?nd college wh??h represents ?m?ng th? NFL?s historic franchise companies. Items available represent legend participants l?k? Aaron Rodgers, Clay-based Matthews, Donald Car owner, Charles Woodson wh?l? others.
MyHotElectronics.com, ???r Sports Fan Playground?s affiliate site, features Dvd movie ?nd Blu-ray collections telling th? storyline ?n th? Packers, wh??h include NFL System?s O?r country?s Sport string chronicling ???r world-class a lot ?f ???r Packers ?n th? initial Extremely Dishes ?nd those inside Th? early nineties along w?th Th? year 2010.
Sports Fan Recreation space ?? ?ft?n a primary service provider associated w?th sporting goods f?r kids ?nd adults whatsoever age ranges ?nd amounts. Th? shop additionally characteristics a thorough enthusiast g? shopping f?r NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, ?nd NHL products. Th? shop even offers ?m?ng th? b?gg??t autographs collections available ?n th? web. Article ?? resourced fr?m cyber Monday NFL online store.

Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Source: http://www.oneworldtwowheels.org/224-sports-fan-recreation-space-debuts-green-bay-packers-football-gear.html

dallas clark litter marinol flight attendant pau gasol trade michael madsen spring forward

Source: http://tiamoeopp.posterous.com/sports-fan-recreation-space-debuts-green-bay

Zach Parise Spain Vs Italy Euro 2012 tiger woods erin andrews erin andrews Pepco tour de france

Last-minute fiscal cliff talks in Senate

President Barack Obama arrives to make a statement on the fiscal cliff negotiations with congressional leaders in the briefing room of the White House on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, in Washington. The negotiations are a last ditch effort to avoid across-the-board first of the year tax increases and deep spending cuts. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

President Barack Obama arrives to make a statement on the fiscal cliff negotiations with congressional leaders in the briefing room of the White House on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, in Washington. The negotiations are a last ditch effort to avoid across-the-board first of the year tax increases and deep spending cuts. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

President Barack Obama pauses during a statement on the fiscal cliff negotiations with congressional leaders in the briefing room of the White House on Friday, Dec. 28, 2012 in Washington. The negotiations are a last ditch effort to avoid across-the-board first of the year tax increases and deep spending cuts. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. leaves the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, after a closed-door meeting between President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders to negotiate the framework for a deal on the fiscal cliff. The end game at hand, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders made a final stab at compromise Friday to prevent a toxic blend of middle-class tax increases and spending cuts from taking effect at the turn of the new year. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. leaves the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, after a closed-door meeting between President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders to negotiate the framework for a deal on the fiscal cliff. The end game at hand, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders made a final stab at compromise Friday to prevent a toxic blend of middle-class tax increases and spending cuts from taking effect at the turn of the new year. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., right, accompanied by the committee's ranking Republican, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, to discuss changes in Senate procedural rules. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Senate leaders groped for a last-minute compromise Saturday to avoid middle-class tax increases and possibly prevent deep spending cuts at the dawn of the new year as President Barack Obama warned that failure could mean a "self-inflicted wound to the economy."

Obama chastised lawmakers in his weekly radio and Internet address for waiting until the last minute to try and avoid a "fiscal cliff," yet said there was still time for an agreement. "We cannot let Washington politics get in the way of America's progress," he said as the hurry-up negotiations unfolded.

Senate Republicans said they were ready to compromise. "Divided government is a good time to solve hard problems_and in the next few days, leaders in Washington have an important responsibility to work together and do just that," said Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, delivering his party's weekly address.

Even so, there was no guarantee of success.

In a blunt challenge to Republicans, Obama said that barring a bipartisan agreement, he expected both houses to vote on his own proposal to block tax increases on all but the wealthy and simultaneously preserve expiring unemployment benefits.

Political calculations mattered as much as deep-seated differences over the issues, as divided government struggled with its first big challenge since the November elections.

Speaker John Boehner remained at arms-length, juggling a desire to avoid the fiscal cliff with his goal of winning another new term as speaker when a new Congress convenes next Thursday. Any compromise legislation is certain to include higher tax rates on the wealthy, and the House GOP rank and file rejected the idea when Boehner presented it as part of a final attempt to strike a more sweeping agreement with Obama.

Yet lawmakers have until the new Congress convenes to pass any compromise, and even the calendar mattered. Democrats said they had been told House Republicans might reject a deal until after Jan. 1, to avoid a vote to raise taxes before they had technically gone up and then vote to cut taxes after they had risen.

Nor was any taxpayer likely to feel any adverse impact if legislation is signed and passed into law in the first two or three days of 2013 instead of the final hours of 2012.

Gone was the talk of a grand bargain of spending cuts and additional tax revenue in which the two parties would agree to slash deficits by trillions of dollars over a decade.

Now negotiators had a more cramped goal of preventing additional damage to the economy in the form of higher taxes across the board ? with some families facing increases measured in the thousands of dollars ? as well as cuts aimed at the Pentagon and hundreds of domestic programs.

Republicans said they were willing to bow to Obama's call for higher taxes on the wealthy as part of a deal to prevent them from rising on those less well-off.

Democrats said Obama was sticking to his campaign call for tax increases above $250,000 in annual income, even though he said in recent negotiations he said he could accept $400,000.

There were indications from Republicans that estate taxes might hold more significance for them than the possibility of higher rates on income.

One senior Republican, Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, said late Friday he was "totally dead set" against Obama's estate tax proposal, and as if to reinforce the point, Blunt mentioned the issue before any other in his broadcast remarks. "Small businesses and farm families don't know how to deal with the unfair death tax_a tax that the president and congressional leaders have threatened to expand to include even more family farms and even more small businesses," he said.

Officials said any compromise was likely to ease the impact of the alternative minimum tax, originally designed to make sure that millionaires did not escape taxation. If left unchanged, it could hit an estimated 28 million households for the first time in 2013, with an average increase of more than $3,000.

Taxes on dividends and capital gains are also involved in the talks, as well as a series of breaks for businesses and others due to expire at the first of the year.

Obama and congressional Democrats are insisting on an extension of long-term unemployment benefits that are expiring for about 2 million jobless individuals.

Leaders in both parties also hope to prevent a 27 percent fee cut from taking effect on Jan. 1 for doctors who treat Medicare patients.

There was also discussion of a short-term extension of expiring farm programs, in part to prevent a spike in milk prices at the first of the year. It wasn't clear if that was a parallel effort to the cliff talks or had become wrapped into them.

Across-the-board spending cuts that comprise part of the cliff were a different matter.

Republicans say Boehner will insist that they will begin to take effect unless negotiators agreed to offset them with specified savings elsewhere.

That would set the stage for the next round of brinkmanship ? a struggle over Republican calls for savings from Medicare, Medicaid and other federal benefit programs.

The Treasury's ability to borrow is expected to expire in late winter or early spring, and without an increase in the $16.4 trillion limit, the government would face its first-ever default. Republicans have said they will use administration requests for an extension as leverage to win cuts in spending.

Ironically, it was just such a maneuver more than a year ago that set the stage for the current crisis talks over the fiscal cliff.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-12-29-Fiscal%20Cliff/id-2ca2ea5db66742f48b665b0fc3d9d318

republican candidates mike martz hokies quadrantid norv turner jerry angelo

New York?s MTA releases Subway Time app, lets users know exact train arrival times

The New York MTA (Metropolitan Transport Authority) has released an app that will allow users to access up to the minute information on when a subway train will arrive at their chosen station. The app which is called Subway Time will initially cover seven stations with more to come in the future.

MTA Subway Time gives you real-time train arrival information for selected routes of the New York City subway system. Knowing exactly when your train will arrive will reduce the time you spend waiting on the subway platform, and let you know of any service delays or reroutes before you pay your fare.

The seven lines that the app will provide up to the minute information for are Lines 1 through to 6 and the the 42nd Street shuttle. The service hasn't come cheap either; according to the Wall Street Journal, new signalling technology and sensing equipment has cost the MTA a staggering $228 million to install over the last eleven years. Further additions to the lines covered by the app will roll out soon with the L line and No 7 line set to be added by 2016.

• Free - Download now

The data that feeds the official MTA app will also be made available to third party developers to incorporate into their apps too. This is a good move as the MTA?s Subway Time app could do with a bit of polish and user interface redesign. It certainly isn't the most elegant app or that user friendly either. Also strangely enough it hasn't been optimized for the iPhone 5?s larger screen either.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/gl5dD8iPCDM/story01.htm

ramon sessions portland trail blazers nba trade blagojevich new mexico state kevin rose sessions

Twitter Fans Marvel at Stan Lee's 90th Birthday

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A homeless woman was in critical condition in a Los Angeles hospital after a man doused her with liquid accelerant and set her on fire as she slept on a bus bench, police said on Thursday. Officers arrested Dennis Petillo, 24, in connection with the early morning attack, and he has been booked in jail on suspicion of attempted murder, police said. The woman, whose name has not been released, was being treated at a local hospital with burns all over her body, said Los Angeles police Lieutenant Damian Gutierrez. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/twitter-fans-marvel-stan-lees-90th-birthday-171316195.html

space shuttle Torrey Smith Brother fiona apple awkward awkward CJ Spiller tracy morgan

JW Marriott Luxury Brand Opens Golf & Beach Resort in Panama ...

Page last updated at 11:08 am, Friday, December 28th, 2012

Marriott Hotels & Resorts has opened the 118-room JW Marriott Panama Golf & Beach Resort, marking the brand?s first resort and first hotel in the country. The property is located within the master-planned Buenaventura beach front community, near the town of Rio Hato, about two hours driving distance from Panama City, on the Pacific Coast of Panama.

?Panama remains one of the most vibrant countries for new development in all of Latin America,? said Rob Steigerwald, Chief Operations Officer for the Southern Americas at Marriott International. ?We are thrilled to finally reveal our first world class JW Marriott luxury brand hotel in the country. This beautiful resort brings the highest levels of accommodations and service to Panama and is a great addition to the brand?s growing global portfolio.?

All of the resort?s 118 guestrooms feature private balconies or gardens, bringing the natural beauty of the region right to their door. The resort features five restaurants and a variety of activities both on and offsite, including the resort?s recently opened 18-hole Nicklaus Design course.

The hotel has 517 square metres of meeting space, including a grand ballroom and four smaller meeting rooms to accommodate groups, events and destination celebrations.

?The JW Marriott Panama?s exotic and tropical seaside location along with its luxurious accommodations, amenities and services, has made it Panama?s premiere resort destination. Whether you are travelling for leisure with your family, on a romantic getaway, or an incentive trip with your company, the property has a vast selection of activities and amenities to accommodate you,? Manuel Ovies, Area Vice President of Operations for Central America & Northern South America.

?We are thrilled to open our first property in Panama,? said Mitzi Gaskin?s, Vice President & Global Brand Manager for JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts. ?We focus on giving guests the space and time they need to do what is most important to them. Whether it is a zip-lining adventure or a beach-side spa treatment, the new JW Marriott Panama Golf & Beach Resort can deliver.?

JW Marriott is part of Marriott International?s luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. Currently, there are 58 JW Marriott hotels in 23 countries; by 2015 the portfolio is expected to encompass 79 properties in 28 countries.

JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts www.marriott.com/jw-marriott/travel.mi

Nicklaus Design www.nicklaus.com/design

Buenaventura?www.buenaventura.com.pa

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Source: http://www.golfbusinessnews.com/news/travel/jw-marriott-luxury-brand-opens-golf-beach-resort-in-panama/

NBA draft 2012 alicia sacramone Don Grady ann curry euro 2012 Colorado Springs pga tour

'Fiscal cliff' meeting at White House: Will it be 'Lincoln' moment for Obama?

Many Senate Republicans say that with Congress deadlocked on averting the fiscal cliff, it is up to Obama to force a deal. The lesson from the movie 'Lincoln,' they say, is 'the president has to lead.'

By Gail Russell Chaddock,?Staff writer / December 28, 2012

President Barack Obama returns a Marine honor guard's salute as he steps off the Marine One helicopter and walks on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 27, as he returned early from his Hawaii vacation for meetings on the fiscal cliff.

Charles Dharapak/AP

Enlarge

The Friday afternoon meeting with congressional leaders at the White House represents a potential ?Lincoln? moment for President Obama as time has effectively run out to cut a deal to avert the Jan. 1 ?fiscal cliff? of spending cuts and tax hikes.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

That?s the view, anyway, of many Senate Republicans, back in session this week, who say that, with Congress gridlocked, it?s now all up to Mr. Obama to produce a plan that can both cut deficits and win bipartisan support.

?To get hard things done, the president has to lead,? says Sen. Roy Blunt (R) of Missouri, referencing the must-see film of the year for Washington insiders, ?Lincoln.?

?Virtually every member of the Senate, I think, has seen this new movie on Lincoln, and the lesson of that movie is that to get hard things done the president has to decide he wants something done,? he adds.

In ?Lincoln? the movie, an intensely engaged, hands-on president consolidates Republican ranks on the need for an amendment abolishing slavery, while peeling off enough Democratic votes to win by argument or raw political muscle.

President Lincoln?s effort to pass an amendment abolishing slavery took months. Obama has four days to find a way around some $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts set to take effect on Jan. 1.

Moreover, the 3 p.m. Oval Office meeting marks the first time the president has met directly with all four congressional leaders on the fiscal cliff since mid-November. With Congress gridlocked and House Republicans in disarray, it?s not clear that the Obama White House has the capacity or the will to take responsibility for the outcome.

For what it?s worth, Obama is winning the fiscal cliff battle in public opinion polls. A Gallup poll released this week finds that 54 percent of Americans approve of his handling of the fiscal cliff negotiations, compared with 26 percent who back the Republican leaders. While most Americans had been confident that Congress would resolve the fiscal cliff by Jan. 1, that confidence level dropped this week to just 50 percent.

"Blunt's remarks show how intractable this situation is. The GOP doesn't want to take the blame for proposing anything, and instead wants to blame the White House for not doing the same," says longtime congressional budget analyst Stan Collender,a partner at Quorvis Communications in Washington, in an e-mail.

"The White House sees no reason to bail out the GOP, who's approval rating is in the 20s while the president's is in the 50s," he adds.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/feXwngQ34qw/Fiscal-cliff-meeting-at-White-House-Will-it-be-Lincoln-moment-for-Obama

pujols watchmen hitch justin beiber lamar odom perfect game jon jones vs rashad evans results

Dick Armey Led A Literal Armed Coup At ... - Business Insider

AP

New details have emerged yesterday about the events leading up to Dick Armey's ouster as the head of the Tea Party affiliated FreedomWorks group.

Initially, all that was known about Armey's exit was that it involved an "internal clash,"?primarily between Armey and the group's president Matt Kibbe.?

Armey is set to recieve $8 million in consulting fees over 20 years paid for by Richard Stephenson, a Republican fundraiser and founder of Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

The new details indicate that this was an extremly literal clash.

On September 4 Armey, flanked by his wife and an aide, lead an actual armed coup against several coworkers prior to the election.?

From Amy Gardner at the Washington Post, here's what happened:

Richard K. Armey, the group?s chairman and a former House majority leader, walked into the group?s Capitol Hill offices with his wife, Susan, and an aide holstering a handgun at his waist. The aim was to seize control of the group and expel Armey?s enemies: The gun-wielding assistant escorted FreedomWorks? top two employees off the premises, while Armey suspended several others who broke down in sobs at the news.

The overthrow lasted six days and at the end of it all Armey left FreedomWorks with an $8 million severance package. Evidently Richard Stevenson wanted Armey out and the fired staff in and was willing to pay for Armey's exit.

All of Armey's "enemies" now remain at the Tea Party group.?

Read the full article here.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/dick-armey-led-a-literal-armed-coup-at-freedomworks-right-before-his-8-million-ouster-2012-12

brian dunn vin scully petrino fired george zimmerman charged big sean sherri shepherd sherri shepherd

Nebraska wind farm project awaits power buyers

COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) -- A wind energy development company says it is ready to build a 200-megawatt wind farm in northeast Nebraska, but it has had difficulty attracting customers because the state's lack of tax incentives means it would have to charge more for power than companies based in other states.

TradeWind's quandary was discussed last month at the Nebraska Wind Conference in Kearney and earlier this month at the NPPD board of directors' meeting as officials updated the board on wind energy problems.

Nebraska's lack of state tax incentives for wind projects forces project developers to charge more for power, which allows projects in other states to dominate the market for exported power, said David Rich, of Nebraska Public Power District, which has been buying wind energy to meet its goals for providing power from renewable resources.

Frank Costanza, executive vice president of business development for TradeWind, told The Associated Press on Thursday that prices Nebraska projects have to charge are always higher by several dollars per megawatt hour ? up to 10 percent higher than power from comparable wind power projects in Kansas or Oklahoma, for example.

"I can tell you that until there is some movement in Nebraska, we're going to have a more difficult time in marketing power from Rattlesnake Creek," Costanza said. Without customers committed to buying the power, he said, the project won't get built.

TradeWind's Rattlesnake Creek project in Dixon County would generate enough electricity to power about 60,000 homes, according to the Columbus Telegram.

The Nebraska Legislature approved a bill in 2010 allowing private investment in wind projects for export to other customers in other states, but proposals for incentives have not advanced, Rich said.

"Nebraska projects are getting beat out because those states have put incentives for wind for export whereas Nebraska hasn't," he said.

A report commissioned for the Nebraska Sierra Club that was released in October said Nebraska is trailing its neighbors in wind-energy development and missing an opportunity to add jobs to the state economy.

Omaha Sen. Heath Mello said he and other lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully to pass renewable energy tax credits in recent years, while tax credits for other business ventures have won approval.

"We've passed sales tax exemptions for biochips, for data centers, and a variety of other industries," Mello said. "I think the issue at hand for us as state policymakers is: Why are we not looking at our tax structure to try to incentivize market growth in this industry?"

NPPD's Rich said the company won't lobby for an incentives bill in the session that begins next month, but it will watch with interest to see what related legislation is introduced.

The American Wind Energy Association says Nebraska ranks fourth in the country with its potential of more than 900,000 megawatts of wind energy.

The state has 11 operational wind farm sites consisting of 260 turbines capable of producing 459 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power 165,880 homes, according to the Nebraska Energy Office. In 2011, 2.9 percent of the state's power was provided by wind.

By comparison, Iowa wind farms have a current total capacity of more than 4,500 megawatts, according to American Wind Energy, which is enough to power 1.1 million homes and meet nearly 19 percent of the state's total electricity demands for 2011.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nebraska-wind-farm-project-awaits-194355491.html

texans lana del rey snl enemy of the state golden globe nominees joe philbin miss america pageant 2012 shipwreck

The Thaumaturges of New Year's Eve

A magic short story for children

Owner:

Game Masters:

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.

---

---

I would like to join, if you can give me some time to fill out the form. ^^"

Be who you are and say what you feel. Because those who mind, don't matter. And those who matter, don't mind. -Dr. Seuss

Kawaii Desu

Member for 0 years

---

---

Post a reply

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Who is online

Registered users: 0neTailedf0x, AceofSpade*, Adantas, Addrinvan*, Ahri, Akantha, Alasund De'astio, Allan Walker, allimagination, Anastasia's Arrow*, Annalee2010*, AntleredRabbit, Anuwa*, ArabellaDemonte*, Areomancer, arequiemforlove, ArgoYamato, Aryutsuki*, Asher MstrImmortalis*, Astral Weeks, AthaNielsen*, AuroraDawn*, AvengerSpirit*, Azrieldemourn*, bandgeek*, Banshee*, BeautifulDisaster*, birdguard, Blackbird26*, BleedingLover, BlueWind_22, BrienaSkysong, Bromander Shepard*, C4L3N, Canibelle, Carlos_Joaquin*, chaoticcarrot, ChaoticMarin*, CharlotteV, CherryRed, Cheshire_Cat*, chrono*, cirrus_sd, Cloasse*, code6435*, CoffeeLorencia, CookieCupcake, CptxMorgan*, create_something, CreativityIsPower*, CriminalMinds, Crooked Thoughts, Curtsive*, CussingChild*, CuteAsKaylah*, D.Angel*, Daakukage, DandelionDelia*, DarknessUndying*, Daxion*, dealing with it, delfiler, DemiKara*, desire99600, Devil Within*, Diarmuid O'Dyna*, Digital_Muse*, Dmitrij Rosha, DocBlargle, Draruto, Dreamalot106*, Dreaming Dead*, Drogyn*, DustAndEchoes, Dustybrook Tom*, EmperorCaesar*, Essence, Exabot [Bot], FamishedPants, Floorgan*, flying monkey child, FoolMeOnce, Forget~Me~Not*, FrostedFlames, fullmetal642*, FullMetalBoy*, gezzygezzy, Ghost_Scar, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, GotDraggedIntoThis*, graphicromantics*, Gustof26*, Half-Dragon*, Hallowed777*, Harlequin Smile, Heirii13*, Himekura, Horseygirl, imabig875*, JacintoRain, Jadebud98*, Jakuri-chan, JayZeroSnake, JEDH3*, Just Sayin', Kai, KameJLa*, Kawaii Desu*, kelsiikhaos*, Ken Shiro, kexia, KulasLightShadow*, Kuroe, Lacrimiya*, Lady Inali, LazuliMetempsychosis*, legacy14*, Lenyx*, Liberator600*, lilyboo12*, Little Fox, LittleMissGeorgia*, Lost Whisper, LostRiver, LuckyNumber24*, Lufia*, Luna Delta*, Marcus*, masato22, Mastadill*, Mathew Littlepaw*, Mephisto, Merusagon*, Michaelis_xXx_Elly*, Midnightclub*, Mishie*, Miss_Dreamer, mjlavalleejr, Monroe, Moonbow*, Morgan, Mrs. Sara Banner*, MsCatnipz*, MSN [Bot], MSNbot Media, Nami L'Chi, NasiaWords, NateStei*, Natzalia*, Nemmy826*, Nemo, Nightmaric_Angel*, Nikolai, November Rain*, Nulix*, Oborosen*, OFortune*, Opposite-Proclaimer*, OrphicTrumpeter*, OurStars*, OxiriusZoom*, PeaceEntropy*, pieluver, Polarisbear12*, PrinceSakuma, Princess Awinita*, Pyramids*, Qaida*, qbsuperstar03, Quitelovely487*, RacoonMoon()*, RedWolfe*, Rem?us*, Roadkill923*, ROFLMAO FTW*, Romaneck, Roxas_13*, Runika*, Rylie Renae*, Sammael*, saphiresyphira*, Scarlet Loup*, Script, Seveneleven*, shadereen*, Shadetree76, Shanatos, Shaodow*, Shiki29*, silver0lilly*, SkullsandSlippers*, slcam, Sneakyrio*, spayce, Specialist443*, St. Valentine*, StandardFiend, Stark Contrast, Starlight77*, StarMorrison, Starryskies*, Starsailor*, Stella11, Stilts, Suezanne*, SugarPlum2*, Sunlite, Sweet Angel Jocelyn, T1ra, Tainted Twinkee, Taroo, Temple*, TerrorofDeathSkeith, Tessla, The Great Thundorz, The Magic Hobo*, The Painkiller*, The(Doctor)Horrible*, thebagel264*, TheChaplain*, TheEclips3*, TheFlag*, TheMaster*, tigerking1292*, Tiko*, Tinkers, TommyGirl, True Grave, Tsukiakari*, twi-twi, Tylerjohnny1*, UniqueYetUnoriginal*, Varyar, Vestiline*, ViceRicePres, vilevixen, Vinn, Vinno1234*, VitaminHeart*, ViviOrunitiaFF9*, Walsh1977*, WalterF*, WaltJRimmer*, warthog*, wolfoftheage*, Wudgeous, xDarkTiger Rose*, xoxMissClairexox*, Yahoo [Bot], Yolo, Zaya06*, Zenia*, zeno3111*, Zodia195*, zukinchanx3

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/DGVuNIZf4GE/viewtopic.php

meryl streep martin scorsese sacha baron cohen best picture nominees 2012 academy awards 2012 albert nobbs a star is born

Cliff looms: Kicking the Can, Washington-style

WASHINGTON (AP) ? When it comes to the nation's budget challenges, congressional leaders are fond of saying dismissively they don't want to kick the can down the road.

But now, a deadline hard ahead, even derided half-measures are uncertain as President Barack Obama and lawmakers struggle to avert across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts that comprise an economy-threatening fiscal cliff.

Congressional officials said Wednesday they knew of no significant strides toward a compromise over a long Christmas weekend, and no negotiations have been set.

After conferring on a conference call, House Republican leaders said they remain ready for talks, urged the Senate to consider a House-passed bill that extends all existing tax cuts, but gave no hint they intend to call lawmakers back into session unless the Senate first passes legislation.

"The lines of communication remain open, and we will continue to work with our colleagues to avert the largest tax hike in American history, and to address the underlying problem, which is spending," the leadership said in a statement.

A short while later Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. countered that the House leadership should allow action on a Senate-passed bill that lets income tax rates rise only on incomes above $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for couples. The measure could "pass tomorrow" if put to a vote, he said.

The Senate is due in session Thursday, although the immediate agenda includes legislation setting the rules for government surveillance of suspected spies and terrorists abroad, including Americans, as well as a measure providing $60 billion for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

Obama decided to cut short his Hawaii vacation for an overnight flight expected to get him back to the White House on Thursday.

Apart from the cliff, other financial challenges loom for divided government, where political brinkmanship has become the norm. The Treasury disclosed during the day it would take accounting measures to avoid reaching the government's borrowing limit of $16.4 trillion by year's end. The changes will provide about two months of additional leeway.

Separately, spending authority for much of the government will expire on March 27, 2013.

After weeks of negotiations, the president urged lawmakers late last week to scale back their ambitions for avoiding the fiscal cliff and send him legislation preventing tax cuts on all but the highest-earning Americans and extending unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless. Longer, term, he said he still supports deficit cuts that were key to the earlier talks.

"Everybody's got to give a little bit in a sensible way," he said at the White House.

The House has no plans to convene, following last week's rebellion in which conservatives torpedoed Speaker John Boehner's legislation to prevent scheduled tax increases on most, while letting them take effect on million-dollar wage earners.

"How we get there, God only knows," the Ohio Republican said of efforts to protect the economy ? and taxpayers ? from the tax increases and spending cuts.

"Now is the time to show leadership, not kick the can down the road," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said a little over a week ago after Boehner announced he would shift his own focus from bipartisan talks to the approach that eventually was torpedoed by his own rank and file.

It's a phrase that political leaders use when they want to suggest others want to avoid tackling major problems, and one that Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia and even Obama as well as Reid have used.

"We have a spending problem. We have to address it, And we're not going to address it by kicking the can down the road," the speaker said at a news conference late last week when he was asked about setting a vote on a plan that Democrats find acceptable.

Cantor recently used the same approach in challenging Obama to agree to savings from Medicare and other benefit programs. "This has to be a part of this agreement or else we just continue to dig the hole deeper, asking folks to allow us to kick the can down the road further and that we don't want to do," he said on Nov. 28.

In fact, it's a phrase that has been in use for over a year as Obama and Republicans jockey for position on pocketbook issues.

In July 2011, when he was struggling with Republicans over the threat of a first-ever government default, Obama said he had "heard reports that there may be some in Congress who want to do just enough to make sure that America avoids defaulting on our debt in the short term. But then wants to kick the can down the road when it comes to solving the larger problem, our deficit."

A few months later, an extension of a payroll tax cut was the issue, and Boehner was insisting on a year-long renewal rather than the temporary plan that passed the Senate with votes from lawmakers in both parties.

"How can you do tax policy for two months?" he asked on Dec. 18, 2011. "I believe that two months is just kicking the can down the road.

"The American people are tired of that."

At issue now is series of tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to kick in with the new year that economists caution could send the economy into a recession.

___

AP Economics Writer Christopher S. Rugaber contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-26-Fiscal%20Cliff/id-05e1854d7ac9401a9589343215c9ae35

Newton Shooting Newtown Shooting Gangnam Style Ryan Lanza Sandy Hook justin bieber taylor swift

Things You Need to Know About Watercolour Painting ...

Painting with watercolours is a fascinating medium and perhaps a little more challenging than oils or acrylics. This is because such things as bleeding can occur and if you make a mistake it cannot be painted over, making it less easy to control.

That being said, painting with watercolours is a very hard choice to resist. Below you will find a few basic terms and techniques that you may find useful.

Terms Used in Watercolour Painting

Blotto Painting: using tempera paint apply it to one side of a piece of paper and then fold it in order to create a second image, the result being very similar to an ink blot.

Flat Wash: a smooth covering that is even or uniform with no shading or tint changes and is used for backgrounds or sizeable areas of the watercolour surface.

Graded Wash: is used to cover the painting surface. It is thinly or lightly coloured and is then gradually made thicker and darker in order to achieve a light to dark effect. Vice versa to achieve a dark to light effect.

Wash: a thin and normally translucent paint layer which is used in backgrounds or for covering large surface areas.

Waterbrush: A waterbrush is just like an ordinary paintbrush. It has a shaped tip made out of bristles but unlike your typical brushes, this one has a small reservoir or vat attached to it that holds water. When in use, the water flows in a slow and controlled manner to the bristles, allowing for continuous wet application.

Wet on Dry Watercolour Painting: This is watercolour painting applied to a dry surface which will bring about cleaner, sharper, more defined details/lines.

Wet in Wet Watercolour Painting: applying watercolour paint to a wet colour surface allowing for better merging, blending, bleeding, blurring, undefined lines or details.

Using quality art materials will help you to create your very own masterpiece and the purchase of quality art books will more than help too as they will give you much more information and ideas than what you see here.

Prior to painting it is necessary to prepare and stretch your paper properly. You do this by wetting and taping the paper down onto a wooden board to prevent wrinkling or buckling when applying the paint. Leave the paper to dry naturally, if possible, so you may need to start this particular process the day before you want to start your painting.

Applying a Wash to Paper

Wash your paper using clear water and a large, wide brush to dampen it. Stretch your arm out fully and move across the surface width with one continuous stroke, continuing with the same brush and colour until the surface is covered evenly. To apply a graded wash, dampen the surface, make the first complete stroke with the colour and with little water and add a slight amount of water for each successive brush stroke.

Using the Wet in Wet Technique

Paint a clean water image or shape and with the second action dip brush in watercolour and apply. The added colour will disperse, or bleed, into the wet space and to its edges. Experiment with painting a watercolour image or shape and using a second colour to add to the first to create bleeding and blending of colours.

Watercolours are versatile art materials and art books are necessary to boost your confidence. By painting with watercolours or inks you can achieve textures, shapes, brush strokes, contrast and values similar to any other painting medium. However, achieving luminosity in watercolours is much easier than with other paints.

Although many other colours are available, using black ink will restrict your work to grey scale or black and white. This can be helpful if you are just starting out or if you desire clarity and a strong composition in your art.

All you need to start painting in watercolours are art books and supplies, a willingness to learn and the mindset to succeed.

Shop 4 Books is an online bookshop for everything books and magazine subscriptions. We have a diverse range of categories covering all genres, including art books and supplies and in all major formats.

We have the lowest price books online so check us out and take advantage of all our frequent special offers.

Source: http://www.huntingbynight.com/things-you-need-to-know-about-watercolour-painting/

hilary duff michigan state michigan state city creek center andrew luck pro day josh johnson kim kardashian flour

Firemen's killer left chilling note, deaths at 3

This 2006 image provided by the Monroe County Sheriff's Department shows William H. Spengler Jr. Authorities say Spengler, 62, set a house and car ablaze Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, N.Y., and then opened fire, killing two firefighters and wounding two others. Spengler, who served 17 years in prison for the 1980 slaying of his grandmother, later killed himself after a shootout with police. (AP Photo/Monroe County Sheriff's Department )

This 2006 image provided by the Monroe County Sheriff's Department shows William H. Spengler Jr. Authorities say Spengler, 62, set a house and car ablaze Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, N.Y., and then opened fire, killing two firefighters and wounding two others. Spengler, who served 17 years in prison for the 1980 slaying of his grandmother, later killed himself after a shootout with police. (AP Photo/Monroe County Sheriff's Department )

A house burns Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

A house burns Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. An ex-con set a car and a house ablaze in his lakeside neighborhood to lure firefighters, then opened fire on them, killing two, engaging in a shootout with police and committing suicide while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

Police officers move in to look for a man who set fire to a house, Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

Homes burn on Lake Road, Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Max Schulte)

WEBSTER, N.Y. (AP) ? An ex-con killed two firefighters with the same caliber and make military-style rifle used in the Connecticut school massacre after typing a note pledging to burn down his neighborhood and "do what I like doing best, killing people," police said Tuesday as another body, believed to be the gunman's missing sister, was found.

William Spengler, 62, who served 17 years in prison for manslaughter in the 1980 hammer slaying of his grandmother, set his house afire before dawn Christmas Eve before taking a revolver, a shotgun and a semiautomatic rifle to a sniper position outside, Police Chief Gerald Pickering said.

The death toll rose to three as police revealed that a body believed to be the killer's 67-year-old sister, Cheryl Spengler, was found in his fire-ravaged home.

Authorities say he sprayed bullets at the first responders, killing two firefighters and injuring two others who remained hospitalized Tuesday in stable condition, awake and alert and expected to survive. He then killed himself as seven houses burned on a sliver of land along Lake Ontario.

Police recovered a military-style .223-caliber semiautomatic Bushmaster rifle with flash suppression, the same make and caliber weapon used in the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn., that killed 26, including 20 young children, Pickering said.

The chief said it was believed the firefighters were hit with shots from the rifle given the distance but the investigation was incomplete.

"He was equipped to go to war, kill innocent people," the chief said.

The two- to three-page typewritten rambling note left by Spengler did not reveal what set off the killer or provide a motive for the shootings, Pickering said. He called the attack a "clear ambush on first responders."

He declined to reveal the note's full content or say where it was found. He read only one chilling line: "I still have to get ready to see how much of the neighborhood I can burn down, and do what I like doing best, killing people."

Pickering said it was unclear whether the person believed to be Spengler's sister died before or during the fire.

"It was a raging inferno in there," Pickering said.

A next-door neighbor said Spengler hated his sister and they lived on opposite sides of the house.

Roger Vercruysse said Spengler loved his mother, Arline, who died in October after living with her son and daughter in the house in a neighborhood of seasonal and year-round homes across the road from a lakeshore popular with recreational boaters.

As Pickering described it and as emergency radio communications on the scene showed, the heavily armed Spengler took a position behind a small hill by the house as four firefighters arrived after 5:30 a.m. to extinguish the fire: two on a fire truck; two in their own vehicles.

They were immediately greeted by bullets from Spengler, who wore dark clothing. Volunteer firefighter and police Lt. Michael Chiapperini, 43, driving the truck, was killed by gunfire as the windshield before him was shattered. Also killed was Tomasz Kaczowka, 19, who worked as a 911 dispatcher.

Several firefighters went beneath the truck to shield themselves as an off-duty police officer who was passing by pulled his vehicle alongside the truck to try to shield them, authorities said.

The first police officer who arrived chased and exchanged shots with Spengler, recounting it later over his police radio.

"I could see the muzzle blasts comin' at me. ... I fired four shots at him. I thought he went down," the officer said.

At another point, he said: "I don't know if I hit him or not. He's by a tree. ... He was movin' eastbound on the berm when I was firing shots." Pickering portrayed him as a hero who saved many lives.

The audio posted on the website RadioReference.com also has someone reporting "firefighters are down" and saying "got to be rifle or shotgun ? high-powered ... semi or fully auto."

Spengler had been charged with murder in his grandmother's death but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter, apparently to spare his family a trial. After he was freed from prison, Spengler ? a felon who wasn't allowed to possess weapons ? had lived a quiet life on Lake Road on a narrow peninsula where Irondequoit Bay meets Lake Ontario.

That ended when he left his burning home Monday morning, armed with his three weapons and a lot of ammunition.

"I'm not sure we'll ever know what was going through his mind," Pickering said.

___

Esch reported from Albany. Associated Press writer Larry Neumeister in New York City also contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-25-US-Fire-Shooting/id-6b00449ace264eda9a28c96f2211e044

instagram mark sanchez christina aguilera Mayan End Of The World Olivia Black the voice World Ending 2012

LG Unveils a Gigantor 100-Inch Laser Projector: You're Gonna Need Bigger Walls

While conventional video projectors have remained largely a niche market for dedicated home theater enthusiasts on account of their difficult installation. However, a new breed of "home projector" has developed over the past few years into an increasingly viable alternative to flat panel televisions. And if LG's new 100-inch class LG "HECTO" Laser TV is any indicator, the LED/Plasma debate may be moot. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/JRfcxJeMnmQ/lg-unveils-a-gigantor-100+inch-laser-projector-youre-gonna-need-bigger-walls

ariel winter Paige Butcher David Petraeus Petraeus Mia Love wall street journal us map

Deconstructing the JV on a Real Estate Project | Pasha's San Diego ...

The?term Joint Venture (JV) has certain legal implications when used. In reality, when entering into a so called JV, one should replace this with the term ?general partnership? due to its legal treatment. The technical description of a JV is?an undertaking by two or more persons, without a corporate or partnership designation, formed for the purpose of carrying out a single business enterprise for profit.

A JV is a Partnership

Since a JV is treated like a partnership, it is given the same type of liability and tax considerations. Most joint ventures are run through separate entities instead of individuals to limit liability and certain tax consequences, i.e. instead of two individuals entering into a joint venture, two LLC?s would be the parties to the JV.

There are Three Major Characteristics of a JV

The line between a partnership and a JV is narrowly drawn, but simplistically, a JV is a temporary or short-term project where a?partnership?is an on-going business. A JV has similar characteristics to a partnership that a party to a JV should be acutely aware:

1. Common interest in a business venture
2. Equal right to govern the conduct of the venture
3. Sharing of profit and losses

A Writing Is More Important Than You Think

Absent a formal detailed written agreement, the Uniform Partnership Act (UPA) is what governs the terms between the parties?which means that were a court finds a JV exists between the parties, the court will fill in missing terms that the parties have yet to agree. This can be chaotic for the parties if they failed to contemplate some of the basic terms and are not familiar with the UPA. Relying to heavily on the UPA?s default terms takes away some of the advantages of entering in to a JV, such as the flexibility of the structure.

JV?s Do Have Advantages If Done Properly

JV?s are easy to create and can be very flexible for each transaction. In fact, the JV is so easy to create, a mere verbal agreement to the characteristics described above is enough to create a JV because the UPA will usually fill in the rest of the terms. In fact, if done correctly, JV?s can be an effective and still risk conservative tool to manage investments with a short life span as in many real estate investments.

Important Terms in a JV

Here are some common and important terms that should be discussed fully before entering into a JV.

Structure and Parties

As discussed above, JV?s are legally referred to two or more parties (individuals or entities) coming together for a common interest in a business venture; however, it may be that two individuals or entities come together to form an LLC which they may also?colloquially?call a?joint venture. ?A JV agreement should spell out specifically who are the parties and whether you entering into a JV or some other entity with shared ownership.

Purpose or Scope

Probably the most important step in assessing risk is defining and limiting the scope to the JV. The scope o

f the JV will determine the capacity of decision making by the respective parties. If one of the parties has full management control, this scope would limit his or her authority. Furthermore, if the parties have other dealings, the JV should be specific in its scope in order to limit the terms of the agreement to this transaction only unless desired otherwise.

Contribution and Schedule

Contribution can be defined with more than just money contribution but also labor, skill, or other property. This is?especially?applicable with real estate transactions, e.g.a hard money investor and and a contractor going into a project to flip a home. The schedule will also specify when and in what conditions these contributions are to be made. Sometimes there is an initial contribution with additional contribution specified upon certain events or contingencies.

This additional contribution is especially important as this will help contemplate unintended?occurrences?where additional capital, service, or property is needed to make the JV successful. For example, if a rehab has a specific budget but suddenly there is a?catastrophic?repair that is required that was not?contemplated? that additional capital will be needed. Do the parties have to contribute? If they do, do they obtain additional profit?

Effect of Contribution Failure

Contemplating default of a party for failing to contribute is paramount in legal risk management of a JV. This is often overlooked and is the cause of disputes when contributions fail to meet expectations. The failure to provide ?additional? contribution versus ?initial? contribution should likely have different consequences as the latter is likely to have additional risk.

Management and Control

In any project of any sort, deciding who makes decisions and how they are made is essential in avoiding dispute. Usually, each party of a JV has equal management and control, but this is a?recipe?for?disaster. Where there is an odd number of parties with similar levels of expertise and contribution, a voting system usually manages well; but, a single fair and experienced manager comes with the least conflict and risk. Management can also be formalized as in a corporation with equivalent functions to a CEO, CFO, etc.

Even where a system is in place, it may need a variance where certain major decisions are ?made, such as when there is a need for another capital call or the JV needs to be terminated early, etc.

Other Duties and Rights

JV?s allow quite a bit of creativity. In doing so, you will see sections that focus on other specific rights or duties of the respective parties. These may include confidentiality, intellectual property, and other?contingencies?that may be specific to the particular deal, e.g. the parties may choose to set a criteria on approving rehab expenditures above certain budget limits.

Indemnification

Indemnification is another good tool to protect individual parties of the JV who have less control. The party who is in a poor position to prevent certain harms should be indemnified by those that are in the position to prevent harms. Indemnification provides one party to reimburse the other for certain liabilities. Indemnification is generally not granted in situations of gross?negligence, willful or intentional misconduct, criminal misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty, or?fraud. The JV will specify whether indemnification of ordinary negligence?will be permitted.

Apportionment of Profit and Loss

These are terms that are rarely not discussed but can sometimes be oversimplified. For example, parties may decide on percentages but not on how profit is actually calculated or adjusted depending on varying?contingencies.

Legal Title

In a real estate transaction, ?it should be specified who or how the legal title should be distributed. Transferring legal title to a party as trustee for the joint venture is usually most appropriate.

Insurance Requirements

A quick and dirty way to avoid the unlimited liability of ?a JV is to insure the JV and its members are protected under an adequate policy.

Buy-Sell, Dissolution, and Termination

Because JV?s are quick and short term transactions, many times the same kind of thought process of ?what-if?s? are not properly considered. What happens if one of the parties is incapacitated or breaches his or her duty is usually not?contemplated?and is left to the courts to fill in the blank?Again, there is quite a bit of certainty on how a court handles such situations, but the point of a contract is to come to terms before a dispute, not after. Another example is dealing with a party who would like to withdraw or another one that wants to be admitted into the JV.

Records and Accounting

Specifying how records are held helps bringing clarity to the parties to be able to cooperate in the management of the JV, especially when one party is running the venture.

Dispute Resolution

With JV?s put together quickly, sometimes even with proper legal counsel it can be difficult to contemplate upcoming issues and disputes. Additionally, some things may be out of the party?s control. Parties may specify where and how disputes are handled including requiring mediation and/or arbitration instead of leaving it to a court.

?

Source: http://www.pashalaw.com/daily-business-legal-tip/deconstructing-jv-real-estate-project

Tsunami Lil Reese Hurricane Sandy Nyc aapl Saanvi Venna vikings Colin Powell