Hydrogen sulfide: The next anti-aging agent?

Jan. 29, 2013 ? Hydrogen sulfide* (H₂S) may play a wide-ranging role in staving off aging, according to a paper published online ahead of print in the journal Molecular and Cellular Biology. In this review article, a team from China explores the compound's plethora of potential anti-aging pathways.

"H₂S has been gaining increasing attention as an important endogenous signaling molecule because of its significant effects on the cardiovascular and nervous systems," the team writes. The evidence is mounting, they note, that hydrogen sulfide slows aging by inhibiting free-radical reactions, by activating SIRT1, an enzyme believed to be a regulator of lifespan, and probably through its interactions with a gene, klotho, which appears to have its own market basket of anti-aging activity.

Hydrogen sulfide is produced within the human body, and has a variety of important physiological effects. For example, it relaxes the vascular endothelium and smooth muscle cells, which is important to maintaining clean arteries as one ages, says first author Zhi-Sheng Jiang, of the University of South China, Hunan. It functions as an antioxidant. And it inhibits expression of pro-inflammatory factors, all of which "imply an important role in aging and age-associated diseases," according to the paper. For example, mice lacking CSE, the gene for an enzyme involved in producing H₂S, manifest extensive, premature arteriosclerosis, an inevitable consequence of aging, says Jiang.

The gene, klotho, which appears to be upregulated by hydrogen sulfide, is thought to extend lifespan via a number of different pathways, some of which promote production of endogenous antioxidants, according to the report. Produced in the kidneys, it has direct angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibiting activity; that is, it's an ACE inhibitor, just like certain drugs that mitigate high blood pressure. Not surprisingly, plasma H₂S declines with age, and is lower in spontaneously hypertensive rats than in those with normal blood pressure. More generally, a lack of H₂S is implicated in cardiovascular disease.

A decline in H₂S is also thought to undermine neurological health. Endogenous H₂S has been found wanting in an animal model of Parkinson's disease, and is found to be depressed in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. There are even suggestions, mostly in animal models, but also in human studies, that H₂S may be protective against cancer, according to the report.

"Data available so far strongly suggest that H₂S may become the next potent agent for preventing and ameliorating the symptoms of aging and age-associated diseases," concludes Jiang. In the future, he says, people may take H₂S via food, or as an anti-aging supplement.

* Hydrogen sulfide (British English: hydrogen sulphide) is the chemical compound with the formula H₂S. It is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas that gives off the odor of rotten eggs.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Society for Microbiology.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Y. Zhang, Z.-H. Tang, Z. Ren, S.-L. Qu, M.-H. Liu, L.-S. Liu, Z.-S. Jiang. Hydrogen Sulfide: Next Potent Preventive and Therapeutic Agent in Aging and Age-associated Diseases. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2013; DOI: 10.1128/MCB.01215-12

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/jEAT1lRShRo/130129121945.htm

pro bowl 2012 roster yamaguchi road house occupy oakland occupy oakland morgellons disease arik armstead

Tornado tears through Georgia

About Reuters TV

Hard-edged reporting, insight and analysis, Reuters TV breaks ground creating informative news and financial videos. Showcasing Reuters? 3000 award-winning journalists, Reuters TV delivers high-energy investigative journalism with concise explanations. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/UKVideoLatest/~3/iV-i4RyljNU/tornado-tears-through-georgia

the cutting edge fox 8 news indy 500 angelina jolie leg daytona artie lange nascar daytona 2012

Don't bet on a casino: 3 ex-Mayors to city council ? Good Gravy

Don Peat - January 30th, 2013

City Hall is gearing up for the great casino debate in the next few weeks. Three of Toronto?s ex-mayors ? David Crombie, Art Eggleton and John Sewell ? have teamed up to tell Mayor Rob Ford and city council not to bet on a casino.

Here is the letter they released today (full disclosure ? Art Eggleton seems to have provided it exclusively to the Toronto Star yesterday):

?

January 30, 2013
The Mayor and City Councillors
Toronto City Hall
Dear Mayor and Councillors,
We are former Mayors of Toronto who believe that it is not in our city?s best interest to establish commercial casino operations in Toronto.
In the years we served in office, we saw countless proposals that proponents said would bring the city big revenues, many jobs, and much prestige. And some of them did, but beware the sales pitch. The numbers don?t always add up, and we think that is a real possibility in this case. Revenues can be inflated and costs such as police services and traffic congestion underestimated. In fact, extensive research in the U.S., carried out by Earl Grinols, professor of economics at Baylor University, indicates that for every $1 in benefit, there is a cost of at least $3. These costs are reflected in infrastructure costs, higher regulatory expenses, additional policing and criminal justice costs, and larger social welfare expenditures.
A Canadian study by the RCMP in British Columbia has also linked increased crime to casino gambling, noting that ?members of organized crime also use casinos for criminal purposes such as loan-sharking and money laundering?.
And how will local businesses in and around the Casino be affected? According to some studies, not too well. Casinos want to keep you in the building, not roaming to outside restaurants and other establishments in the community. They have their own restaurants and shopping facilities to keep you inside. In Atlantic City many restaurants have closed near the casinos, leaving a few pawnshops and cash for gold stores.
It has been suggested that a casino shouldn?t be in a residential neighbourhood. But look at downtown Toronto and almost anywhere else in the city. Condo development is putting residential communities everywhere.
The social costs of gambling must also be taken seriously. It preys on the poor and those vulnerable to addiction. Problem gambling is already an issue. A commercial casino in Toronto will make it that much worse. Studies indicate that where casinos go, so go increases in poverty, homelessness, gambling problems, suicides, drug/alcohol addictions, and crimes by those feeding their habit. Not only are the gamblers affected but so are their families, their kids.
Toronto is not about to become another Las Vegas, a tourist gambling destination. And we wouldn?t want it to. Much of the casino revenues are likely to be generated locally by taking away from other games of chance and lotteries. There are already enough gambling opportunities. We say enough is
enough. Governments shouldn?t be expanding gambling opportunities as a means of balancing their budgets. A commercial casino operation is not in Toronto?s best interest.
Sincerely ,
David Crombie, John Sewell, Art Eggleton

Categories: General

Tags: Art Eggleton, casino, city council, David Crombie, John Sewell, mayor rob ford

Subscribe to the post

Source: http://blogs.canoe.ca/goodgravy/general/dont-bet-on-a-casino-3-ex-mayors-to-city-council/

2012 ncaa basketball tournament walt what time is it current time a thousand words my sisters keeper kirby

Scientists learn more about how inhibitory brain cells get excited

Jan. 30, 2013 ? Scientists have found an early step in how the brain's inhibitory cells get excited. A natural balance of excitement and inhibition keeps the brain from firing electrical impulses randomly and excessively, resulting in problems such as schizophrenia and seizures. However excitement is required to put on the brakes.

"When the inhibitory neuron is excited, its job is to suppress whatever activity it touches," said Dr. Lin Mei, Director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University and corresponding author of the study in Nature Neuroscience.

Mei and his colleagues found that the protein erbin, crucial to brain development, is critical to the excitement.

It was known that a protein on the cell surface called TARP gamma-2, also known as stargazing, interacts with a brain cell receptor called AMPA, ensuring the receptor finds the cells surface. It is here that the receptor can be activated by the neurotransmitter glutamate. AMPA receptor activation is essential to activation of the NMDA receptor, which enables cells to communicate, ultimately enabling learning and memory, Mei said. How TARP gamma-2 was controlled, was an unknown.

Inside the nucleus of inhibitory cells in areas of the brain that control learning and memory, the researchers found erbin interacts with TARP gamma-2, enabling it to survive. "If you do not have this mechanism, your stargazing becomes very unstable and your AMPA receptor cannot be on the surface so this neuron is inactive," Mei said. They also found that erbin is only in these inhibitory neurons, called interneurons. They're already working on what they believe to be the counterpart for excitatory cells, which account for about 80 percent of brain cells.

"Interneurons basically control firing," releasing GABA, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, Mei said. They tone down or synchronize the activity of pyramidal cells, pyramid-shaped neurons that get both excitatory and inhibitory input then make the call on what action to take.

When scientists ablated the erbin gene in mice or kept erbin from interacting with TARP gamma-2, a protein that helps anchor the AMPA receptor on the cell surface, TARP gamma-2 couldn't do its job. The result was less receptors on the cell surface and mice that were hyperactive with impaired learning and memory.

Cell activity hinges on receptor activity and receptors must be anchored on the cell surface to work. Ensuring AMPA receptors are strategically placed is a lifelong task since the busy receptors wear out and each brain cell has tons of them, Mei said.

He and his colleagues reported in the journal, Neuron, in 2007, two genes -- neuregulin-1 and its receptor ErbB4 -- that help maintain a healthy balance of excitement and inhibition by releasing GABA at the sight of inhibitory synapses, the communication paths between neurons. Years before, they showed the genes were also at excitatory synapses, where they also could quash activation. Both genes are involved in human development and implicated in schizophrenia and cancer.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Georgia Health Sciences University. The original article was written by Toni Baker.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Yanmei Tao, Yong-Jun Chen, Chengyong Shen, Zhengyi Luo, C Ryan Bates, Daehoon Lee, Sylvie Marchetto, Tian-Ming Gao, Jean-Paul Borg, Wen-Cheng Xiong, Lin Mei. Erbin interacts with TARP ?-2 for surface expression of AMPA receptors in cortical interneurons. Nature Neuroscience, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nn.3320

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/genes/~3/5e3pfQjjfxE/130130121641.htm

Newtown Shooting Gangnam Style Ryan Lanza Sandy Hook justin bieber kanye west cbs

Detroit edges closer to bankruptcy filing

14 hrs.

Nick Carey, Bernie Woodall and Karen Pierog , Reuters

DETROIT - At the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month, luxury was in the air. Pricey new Bentleys and Maseratis glittered - including a Maserati 2014 Quattroporte with a $132,000 price tag; U.S. Cabinet Secretaries and dignitaries rubbed shoulders; and many of the well-heeled attendees ponied up for a $300-a-ticket black-tie charity ball.

But in a city that is slowly dying, the glitz didn't extend much beyond the Cobo Center exhibition hall.?General Motors Co. and Chrysler, which along with Ford Motor Co. gave the Motor City its identity, survived near-death experiences after filing for bankruptcy during the financial crisis.?

Now, Detroit itself is edging closer to a similar precipice, only unlike the automakers, its chances of getting a federal bailout are almost nonexistent.

The story of Detroit's decline is decades old: Its tax revenue and population have shrunk and labor costs have remained out of whack. But the city's budget problems have deepened to such an extent that it could run out of cash in a matter of weeks or months and ultimately be forced into what would be the largest-ever Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy filing in the United States.

Frustrated by the lack of concrete progress, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican, last month appointed a team to scour the city's books. The audit could result in a state takeover of Detroit's finances through the appointment of an emergency financial manager. Such a manager, who would seize control of the city's checkbook, could then propose federal bankruptcy court as the best option.

Snyder, who has called the situation "a crisis in terms of financial affairs," said the team would deliver its report in February.

"Detroit is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy after the City Council has failed to make the necessary cuts to deal with having a smaller population," said Rick Jones, chairman of the Republican majority caucus in the state Senate.

Jones, who has indicated he does not favor a bankruptcy, said he would like to see an emergency manager installed to fix the city's problems. If that failed, there would be a case for finding a way to shrink the Detroit municipal area, he argued.

Detroit's population is now just over 700,000 - down 30 percent since 1990 - but the city still has to provide services to an area encompassing more land than San Francisco, Boston and the borough of Manhattan.

While Democratic Mayor Dave Bing and the Detroit City Council have moved to reduce spending and initiate some reforms to stave off a takeover, including layoffs and wage and benefit cuts, the progress may not be enough for Michigan officials and lawmakers.

Streets without lights
In the booming post-Second World War era, Detroit was America's fifth-largest city. Today, it ranks 18th. In addition to a sharp population decline, it suffers from high unemployment related to a loss of businesses, a flood of home foreclosures and a cut in state funding. That has led to shriveling revenue, leaving the city unable to afford a workforce of more than 10,000 and the surging health and pension costs that go with them and with its retirees. As a result, credit ratings on Detroit's approximately $8.2 billion of outstanding debt have sunk deeper into junk territory.

The city's labor costs, including health care and pensions, are shrinking in absolute terms but rising as a share of the budget. They are slated to drop to $968 million, or nearly 49.5 percent of the operating budget, in the fiscal year ending June 30 versus $1.14 billion, or 45.5 percent, a year earlier.

Signs of decline are everywhere - in a rising crime rate, streets without lights and block after block of abandoned buildings. The murder rate of one per 1,719 people last year was more than 11 times the rate in New York City. The jobless rate is above 18 percent, more than twice rate for the country as a whole.

A bankruptcy would be messy.

The interests of creditors would likely collide with those of labor unions wanting to protect workers' benefits, said Eric Scorsone, a Michigan State University economist who has written papers on municipal bankruptcy and on the state's emergency manager laws.

"It is going to require the players - the City Council, the mayor, the state - to be on the same page. If you go into bankruptcy with a lot of conflict and dissent, it's going to cost more," said Scorsone.

It could also be racially explosive. Detroit has the largest percentage of black people of any U.S. city, with 83 percent of the population identifying themselves as African American, black or Negro, according to the 2010 U.S. census. Most of Michigan's state government, including the governor's office, is run by white Republicans. ?

Detroit Council Member JoAnn Watson, who along with two other members of the city's all-black City Council has been resisting reform measures, said she is still hopeful of a federal bailout or an injection of state money that she claims the city is owed.

Mayor Bing would not comment for this story.

Consequences
The automakers have little to say publicly about the crisis. Most of their operations in Michigan are now outside Detroit, and getting any top executive to even discuss the possibility of a city bankruptcy was almost impossible at the auto show. "I don't want to get into the politics," said GM CEO Dan Akerson, while Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said: "I don't see what the consequences would be for us."

One of the city's biggest challenges is its complex set of labor agreements with a whopping 48 bargaining units that represent most of the city's workforce.

Max Newman, a bankruptcy attorney at Michigan-based Butzel Long, said a Chapter 9 bankruptcy could help the city throw out its collective bargaining agreements with unions.

Costs would have to be tackled since Detroit cannot just jack up taxes to reduce the cumulative budget deficit, which grew to $326.6 million in fiscal 2012 from $196.6 million in fiscal 2011. The state would likely resist tax increases, and they might only make matters worse anyway. "If taxes go up any further it would exacerbate the flight out of the city," Newman said.

But for some of those who have seen Detroit struggle for years, bankruptcy is starting to look like the least awful option - even though it will be painful.

"I think...off and on, that it wouldn't be a bad idea," said former Ford chief financial officer Allan Gilmour, now the president of Detroit's Wayne State University. "Let's clean this out once and for all."

Additional reporting by Deepa Seetharaman and Paul Lienert in Detroit.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stuck-reverse-detroit-edges-closer-bankruptcy-1C8149698

rampart jimmy fallon jimmy fallon nick collins dave matthews ambien wwdc

Google maps out North Korea with crowd-sourced data

1 day

Rosa Golijan , NBC News

While Google Maps feels like a solid mapping solution, it has some blank spots?? ?particularly when it comes to regions such as?North Korea. But that's all changing thanks to a group of "citizen cartographers" and a tool which allows Google to incorporate crowd-sourced map data into its product.

As?Jayanth Mysore, a senior product manager working on the Google Map Maker project,?explains in a post on the official Google Maps blog, the Map Maker tool?has been around since 2008 and allowed users to "update the maps of the areas they know, and improve their level of detail and accuracy." Crowdsourced data like this is how Google "will build the modern map," Mysore adds, reiterating that without these details, map data is currently "very limited" in some parts of the world.

Efforts to map out North Korea have been made over the last few years, but on Monday, Google was finally ready to officially update the region on Google Maps. "We know this map is not perfect," Mysore acknowledges. "We encourage people from around the world to continue helping us improve the quality of these maps for everyone with Google Map Maker." He adds that, from now on, any further "approved" updates to the North Korean maps will also appear on Google Maps.

The Wall Street Journal's Evan Ramstad points out?that the update of North Korea on Google Maps comes about three weeks after Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt visited the area (though a Google spokesperson tells NBC News that the visit was unrelated to the timing of the Google Maps update).?During his time in the country, "Schmidt encouraged officials he met in North Korea to make the Internet available to its citizens and end its attempts to restrict information," Ramstad writes.?The Verge's Sam Byford reminds?that Internet access in North Korea remains quite restricted nonetheless, and that odds are that the "vast majority of North Korean citizens" won't be able to access Google's freshly updated maps.

The crowd-sourced cartography includes mass transit, monuments and parks, as well as North Korea's massive gulags, which are signified on Google Maps with a slightly different shading. ?As?the Atlantic notes, "Naturally, the Hwasong Gulag, like any place on Google, already has some jokesters reviewing its?accommodations."?

Mysore dances around these detail in his blog post, and instead focuses on who will be able to take advantage of the information. "While many people around the globe are fascinated with North Korea," he writes, "these maps are especially important for the citizens of South Korea who have ancestral connections or still have family living there."

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/google-maps-out-north-korea-crowd-sourced-data-1C8157346

Tippi Hedren Big Tex Sweetest Day optimal Samantha Steele Espn goog Sylvia Kristel

Four Day Cricket Clinic For Senior & U19 Players | Bernews.com

The Bermuda Cricket Board confirmed that Andy Pick, ICC Americas High Performance Officer, will be in Bermuda February 11 14 to conduct a four-day training camp for the National Team, Under 19 team and BCB National Academy [BCBNA] squad members.

He will be accompanied by Chris Brown, former first class cricketer, England Cricket Board [ECB] Level 4 Coach and ECB spin bowling specialist coach. Coach Brown has played and coached cricket throughout the world and is an ICC Americas coaching consultant.

National Coach, David Moore elaborated, ?The purpose of the visit is two-fold.?Firstly, both coaches will be working with myself, National Team Coach, Arnold Manders, Assistant Coach, Clevie Wade and BCB National Fast Bowling Coach, Lorenzo Tucker to implement a high performance clinic.?

?Secondly, Andy Pick and Chris Brown will be the conducting coaching workshops open to all BCBNA, Club and Youth coaches throughout the Island. Coach Pick and Coach Tucker will be conducting free fast bowling workshops while Coach Brown alongside national team player Joshua Gilbert to conduct high performance spin bowling workshops.

?Coach Brown is the Head Coach at the Norfolk Cricket Academy and worked with Gilbert last summer while he was at Academy after being awarded a scholarship through the Youth, Sport and Recreation National Junior Athlete Sponsorship program.?

Lloyd Fray, President of the BCB stated, ?On behalf of the Board I am extremely pleased to welcome both Andy and Chris to the island to assist our senior team prepare for the World Cricket League Div. 3 [April 28 - May 5 in Bermuda] and the ICC U19 World Cup Qualifier [July 7-14 in Toronto].

?It is particularly important to the Board provide our Club and Youth Coaches with the chance to benefit from this first class coaching expertise and knowledge and I fully expect that they take full advantage of this opportunity. We are extremely grateful for the support of the Bermuda Government and our BCBNA sponsors, Bank of Bermuda Foundation and the XL Foundation who make this important program viable and successful.?

Read More About: Bermuda cricket

Category: All, Sports

Source: http://bernews.com/2013/01/upcoming-cricket-clinic-for-senior-u19-players/

wii u wii u American Music Awards turkey brine Imessage Not Working mc hammer pecan pie recipe

Under pressure, Boy Scouts may ease no-gays policy

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, Jennifer Tyrrell, right, arrives for a meeting at the Boys Scouts of America national offices in Irving, Texas, with her son Jude Burns, 5, second from right, partner Alicia Burns, and son Cruz Burns, 7, left. The Ohio woman was ousted as a den mother because she is a lesbian. The Boys Scouts of America announced Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, that it is considering a dramatic retreat from its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, Jennifer Tyrrell, right, arrives for a meeting at the Boys Scouts of America national offices in Irving, Texas, with her son Jude Burns, 5, second from right, partner Alicia Burns, and son Cruz Burns, 7, left. The Ohio woman was ousted as a den mother because she is a lesbian. The Boys Scouts of America announced Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, that it is considering a dramatic retreat from its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, Jennifer Tyrrell hugs her son Cruz Burns, 7, outside Boy Scouts national offices in Irving, Texas, after a meeting with representatives of the 102-year-old organization. The Ohio woman was ousted as a den mother because she is a lesbian. The Boys Scouts of America announced Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, that it is considering a dramatic retreat from its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

A statue of a Boy Scout stands in front of the National Scouting Museum, Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, in Irving, Texas. The Boy Scouts of America announced it is considering a dramatic retreat from its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

FILE - In this July 18, 2012 file photo, Jennifer Tyrrell hugs her son Cruz Burns, 7, outside Boy Scouts national offices in Irving, Texas, after a meeting with representatives of the 102-year-old organization. The Ohio woman was ousted as a den mother because she is a lesbian. The Boys Scouts of America announced Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, that it is considering a dramatic retreat from its controversial policy of excluding gays as leaders and youth members. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Facing diverse and ceaseless protests, the Boy Scouts of America is signaling its readiness to end the nationwide exclusion of gays as scouts or leaders and give the sponsors of local troops the freedom to decide the matter for themselves.

If approved by the Scouts' national executive board, possibly as soon as next week, the change would be another momentous milestone for America's gay-rights movement, following a surge of support for same-sex marriage and the ending of the ban on gays serving opening in military.

"The pulse of equality is strong in America, and today it beats a bit faster with news that the Boy Scouts may finally put an end to its long history of discrimination," said Chad Griffin of the Human Rights Campaign, a major gay-rights group.

Under the proposed change, which was outlined Monday by the Scouts, the different religious and civic groups that sponsor Scout units would be able to decide for themselves how to address the issue ? either maintaining an exclusion of gays, as is now required of all units, or opening up their membership.

Southern Baptist leaders ? who consider homosexuality a sin ? were furious about the possible change and said its approval might encourage Southern Baptist churches to support other boys' organizations instead of the BSA. The Southern Baptists are among the largest sponsors of Scout units, along with the Roman Catholic, Mormon and United Methodist churches.

Under the proposed change, said BSA spokesman Deron Smith, "the Boy Scouts would not, under any circumstances, dictate a position to units, members, or parents."

The Irving, Texas-based BSA, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010, has long excluded both gays and atheists. Smith said that a change in the policy toward atheists was not being considered and that the BSA continued to view "Duty to God" as one of its basic principles.

Protests over the no-gays policy gained momentum in 2000, when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the BSA's right to exclude gays. Scout units lost sponsorships by public schools and other entities that adhered to nondiscrimination policies, and several local Scout councils made public their displeasure with the policy.

More recently, pressure surfaced on the Scouts' own national executive board. Two high-powered members ? Ernst & Young CEO James Turley and AT&T Inc. CEO Randall Stephenson ? indicated they would try to work from within to change the membership policy, which stood in contrast to their own companies' non-discrimination policies.

Amid petition campaigns by Change.org, shipping giant UPS Inc. and drug-manufacturer Merck & Co. announced that they were halting donations from their charitable foundations to the Boy Scouts as long as the no-gays policy was in force.

Also, local Scout officials drew widespread criticism last year for ousting Jennifer Tyrrell, a lesbian mom, as a den leader of her son's Cub Scout pack in Ohio and for refusing to approve an Eagle Scout application by Ryan Andresen, a California teen who came out as gay last fall.

Tyrrell said she was thrilled for parents and their children who've been excluded from scouting and "for those who are in Scouts and hiding who they are."

"For me it's not just about the Boy Scouts of America, it's about equality," she told The Associated Press. "This is a step toward equality in all aspects."

Many of the protest campaigns, including one seeking Tyrrell's reinstatement, had been waged with help from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

"The Boy Scouts of America have heard from Scouts, corporations and millions of Americans that discriminating against gay scouts and scout leaders is wrong," said Herndon Graddick, GLAAD's president. "Scouting is a valuable institution, and this change will only strengthen its core principles of fairness and respect."

The Scouts had reaffirmed the no-gays policy as recently as last year and appeared to have strong backing from the conservative religious denominations that sponsor large numbers of Scout units. Under the proposed change, they could continue excluding gays.

Before Monday's announcement, the BSA conferred with some leaders of these religious groups, including the Rev. Frank Page, who leads the Southern Baptist Executive Committee.

According to Roger S. Oldham, a spokesman for the executive committee, Page then wrote to the Scouts "expressing his tremendous dismay at the decision."

"They had been working for months on this proposal and just days before they informed us," Oldham said in a telephone interview. "We would anticipate that there would be a very significant backlash to this as churches re-evaluate whether scouting comports with."

If the Scouts proceed with the change, Oldham said, SBC leaders were likely to issue a statement "expressing disappointed and encouraging our churches to support alternative boys organizations."

Neither the Catholic Church nor the Mormons' Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued official statements as to how they would respond.

Said Sister Mary Ann Walsh, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "The bishops hope the Boy Scouts will continue to work under the Judeo-Christian principles upon which they were founded and under which they have served youth well."

Were the change adopted, said BSA spokesman Smith, "there would no longer be any national policy regarding sexual orientation."

"BSA members and parents would be able to choose a local unit that best meets the needs of their families," he said. "Under this proposed policy, the BSA would not require any chartered organization to act in ways inconsistent with that organization's mission, principles, or religious beliefs."

The announcement came shortly after new data showed that membership in the Cub Scouts ? the BSA's biggest division ? dropped sharply last year and was down nearly 30 percent over the past 14 years.

According to figures provided by the organization, Cub Scout ranks dwindled by 3.4 percent, from 1,583,166 in 2011 to 1,528,673 in 2012. That's down from 2.17 million in 1998.

The BSA's overall "traditional youth membership" ? Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venturers ? totaled 2,658,794 in 2012, compared to more than 4 million in peak years of the past.

The Boy Scouts attribute the decline largely to broad social changes, including the allure of video games and the proliferation of youth sports leagues and other options for after-school activities.

However, critics of the Scouts suggest that its recruitment efforts have been hampered by high-profile controversies ? notably the court-ordered release of files dealing with sex abuse allegations and persistent protests over the no-gays policy.

The Scouts have been buffeted in recent years by multiple court cases related to past allegations of sexual abuse by Scout leaders, including those chronicled in long-confidential records that are widely known as the "perversion files."

Through various cases, the Scouts have been forced to reveal files dating from the 1960s to 1991. They detailed numerous cases where abuse claims were made and Boy Scout officials never alerted authorities and sometimes actively sought to protect the accused.

The BSA has apologized for past lapses and cover-ups and has stressed the steps taken to improve youth protection policy. Since 2010, for example, it has mandated that any suspected abuse be reported to police.

___

Associated Press writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Rachel Zoll in New York contributed to this report.

___

Boy Scouts: http://www.scouting.org/

___

David Crary can be reached at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-29-US-Boy-Scouts-Gays/id-46c95fa538ca4804a2dde94065e1dfd8

usps Dick Van Dyke anne hathaway pro bowl victoria azarenka Royal Rumble 2013 adam levine

Gauge of business spending plans edges higher

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A gauge of business confidence improved in December, a sign that business worries over tighter fiscal policy may not have held back investment plans as much as feared at the end of 2012.

The Commerce Department said on Monday that non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for investment plans, edged 0.2 percent higher.

Many economists believe businesses held back on capital spending late last year because of uncertainty over government spending cuts and tax increases that had been scheduled to kick in this month. Congress ultimately struck a last-minute deal in early January to avoid or postpone most of the austerity measures.

Monday's data showed companies appeared to still be planning to expand their businesses.

"There's a lot more confidence," said Wayne Kaufman, an analyst at John Thomas Financial in New York.

In a further sign that firms are betting their business will grow, the investment plans proxy for November was revised higher to show a 3 percent gain.

Overall durable goods orders jumped 4.6 percent in December, beating economists expectations of a 1.8 percent gain.

(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gauge-business-spending-plans-edges-higher-133926858--business.html

oklahoma city thunder sunoco titanic ii babe ruth new jersey nets nba playoff schedule rondo

Article Writers needed!!! New freelancers are welcome | Academic ...

Tax Type Tax Rate Tax ID or Company no.

eg. VAT, GST ? Registration no.

Source: http://www.freelancer.com/projects/Technical-Writing-Ghostwriting/Article-Writers-needed-New-freelancers.4179236.html

purim acc tournament big ten tournament big east tournament 2012 solar storm solar flares spanx

'Hansel & Gretel' Tops Box Office With Modest $19 Million

Ensemble comedy 'Movie 43' flops, collecting just $5 million during its first weekend.
By Ryan J. Downey

Jeremy Renner in "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters"
Photo: Paramount Pictures

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1700866/hansel-and-gretel-box-office-weekend.jhtml

trayvon martin 911 call kiribati vernal equinox mr rogers jamie lee curtis spring equinox audacious

Deal signed to clear Myanmar debt, allow new loans

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? The World Bank announced a long-awaited deal to allow Myanmar to clear part of its huge decades-old foreign debt, opening the door for new much-needed lending to jumpstart its lagging economy.

The bank's Washington headquarters said in a statement Sunday that the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the country's overseas development bank, will provide a bridge loan to Myanmar to cover outstanding debt to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, which totals about $900 million.

Myanmar stopped payments on its old loans about 1987, making it ineligible for new development lending.

The deal is a major breakthrough for Myanmar, with loans likely to go to upgrading its dilapidated infrastructure, including electricity and ports. The knock-on effect would be to bring in more foreign direct investment, already attracted by the country's relatively low-cost economy.

"We have not been allowed financial assistance for more than 20 years and the clearing of foreign debts will help bring fresh new loans for Myanmar," said Maung Aung, a researcher and economist at the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry. "We welcome the deal because the country's infrastructure development can be carried out only with the financial assistance from the big financial institutions like the World Bank and ADB."

The debt deal clears the way for Japan to push ahead with plans for a $12.3 billion plan to build a special economic zone near the capital which is being developed by a consortium including Japanese trading firms Mitsubishi Corp., Marubeni Corp. and Sumitomo Corp.

The deal is also likely to draw criticism, because it comes as Myanmar's army is pushing hard against ethnic Kachin rebels in the country's north, in an echo of the notorious counterinsurgency campaigns of previous military regimes.

A former general, Thein Sein, became the country's elected president in 2011 and began reversing almost five decades of military repression by instituting political and economic reforms.

He won the substantial easing of economic and political sanctions imposed against the junta by the United States and other nations. But some pro-democracy activists say his administration has been rewarded too much, too fast, allowing some abuses to continue, such as repression of ethnic minorities.

The World Bank had already made some exceptions to providing new aid.

In November, it approved an $80 million project to provide $25,000 grants to villages in 15 townships across the country, where community councils will identify the kind of help they want, such as roads, bridges, irrigation systems, schools, health clinics or rural markets. The bank reopened its office in Myanmar in August last year.

The bank was able to act because President Barack Obama lifted a long-standing U.S. restriction on international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, lending to Myanmar after Congress passed legislation enabling that step. It was one in a series of steps by Washington to reward the Southeast Asian country for its democratic reforms.

The World Bank statement did not detail the mechanics of the new deal to clear the debt arrears.

It did say the bank's board on Jan. 22 approved a $440 million "Reengagement and Reform Support Credit to Myanmar."

It said the credit would support "critical reforms being implemented by the Government to strengthen macroeconomic stability, improve public financial management and improve the investment climate."

It added that its proceeds would "also help the Government meet its foreign exchange needs, including repaying (the) bridge loan" and that there are currently discussions with the government to identify priority needs.

Separately, the Manila-based Asian Development Bank announced it would extend a $512 million loan to Myanmar under the same sort of arrangement with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation ,

"Myanmar has come a long way in its economic transformation, undertaking unprecedented reforms to improve people's lives, especially the poor and vulnerable," the statement quoted the World Bank's Myanmar Country Director Annette Dixon as saying.

"Much work remains to be done. We are committed to helping the government accelerate poverty reduction and build shared prosperity. The Bank's engagement, together with the ADB, the Government of Japan and other partners, will help attract investment, spur growth and create jobs."

Myanmar ran up $8.4 billion in debt during the socialist regime of the late Gen. Ne Win between 1962 and 1988, and $2.61 billion of debt after a new military junta took over in 1988, making for a total of just more than $11 billion.

The largest creditor before 1988 was Japan, with loans of $6.39 billion, and the biggest post-1988 creditor was China, with $2.13 billion.

According to the Japan External Trade Organization, Myanmar's exports to Japan totaled 1.73 billion kyat ($2 million) in 2011, while its imports from Japan were 2.7 billion kyat ($3.1 million).

___

Associated Press writer Grant Peck in Bangkok and AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach in Tokyo contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-27-Myanmar-World%20Bank/id-db45fab5962349f39fdbb7f166cee9c4

halftime show super bowl halftime show 2012 ahmad bradshaw halftime super bowl 2012 super bowl score madonna super bowl performance superbowl commercials

Cool socks, Chicago pride and Pop Rocks at the UFC on Fox 6 weigh-ins

CHICAGO -- The UFC on Fox 6 weigh-ins featured a large, raucous, possibly liquored up crowd of Chicago fight fans, plenty of cool socks, and every fighter making weight. The only fighter who came close to not making weight was Clay Guida. He walked to the scale wearing a custom shirt with the Chicago flag on it and a Chicago flag wristband. He jumped on the scale and was 147, too heavy for featherweight in his first fight at that weight class. He then took off his Chicago Bulls socks and jewelry, and made weight. The only other bit of drama was some jawing between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Glover Teixiera.

Read on for a complete list of weights and more pictures from the weigh-in.

MAIN CARD (FOX, 8 p.m. ET)
? Champ Demetrious Johnson (125) vs. John Dodson (124)
? Quinton Jackson (204) vs. Glover Teixeira (206)
? Donald Cerrone (155) vs. Anthony Pettis (155)
? Erik Koch (145) vs. Ricardo Lamas (145)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 5 p.m. ET)
? T.J. Grant (155) vs. Matt Wiman (156)
? Clay Guida (146) vs. Hatsu Hioki (146)
? Pascal Krauss (171) vs. Mike Stumpf (170)
? Ryan Bader (205) vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (205)
? Shawn Jordan (251) vs. Mike Russow (256)
? Rafael Natal (185) vs. Sean Spencer (186)
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 4:30 p.m. ET)
? David Mitchell (171) vs. Simeon Thoresen (171)

At left, Clay Guida and his Chicago Bulls socks. Donald Cerrone's cowboy boots and Superman socks are at right.

Guida's family had their guy's head on a stick and Guida buttons at weigh-ins. They were loud and supportive of Guida on Thursday, so you can bet they'll be out in numbers at the fights Saturday.

Dodson had Pop Rocks as his post weigh-in snack.

Thanks to Combat Lifestyle for the pictures.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/cool-socks-chicago-pride-pop-rocks-ufc-fox-013831605--mma.html

ronnie montrose melissa gilbert dancing with the stars dandelion wine cough matt groening brandon phillips summerfest

Walmart Explores Offering Private Health Insurance for Small

Once again I am here to sing the praises of Walmart. Over the years I have done so on many occasions.

Many misguided souls take the other side. They blame Walmart for ruining mom and pop grocery stores, mom and pop hardware stores, etc.

Not me, I praise cheaper prices. Moreover, it's what consumers voted for with their hard-earned dollars.

If anyone wants to pay more for stuff, all they have to do is shop at a mom and pop hardware store, grocery store, or pharmacy. Most don't because they want a bargain.

Today, I have good news. Walmart-style competition may be on the way in the healthcare business.

The Orlando Business Journal writes Wal-Mart exploring private health insurance exchange for small biz.

Wal-Mart is exploring the idea of building a private health insurance exchange tailored to offer cheaper health insurance to small businesses, a vice president told Orlando Business Journal Jan. 11.

Marcus Osborne, vice president of health and wellness payer relations for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), spoke to OBJ after his keynote speech at the Foundation of Associated Industries of Florida?s 2013 Health Care Affordability Summit. Osborne said Wal-Mart wants to work with insurers and managed care companies to find new, low-cost health insurance options tailored for small companies, which historically have limited options.

The idea is to offer those products through a health insurance exchange ? or as Osborne said, simply a marketplace ? that would leverage Wal-Mart?s buying and marketing power to make the exchanges widely available and used. ?It would allow small employers to piggyback Wal-Mart,? Osborne said. ?We haven?t got it all figured out, but it?s one of the things we?re looking at.?

?The biggest problem today small employers face from a health insurance perspective is they have no alternatives,? Osborne said. ?If they find anything, they?ve got to take it. There?s something wrong with that.?

In Praise of Walmart

Obamacare is going to raise the cost of healthcare. Walmart will lower costs. I have been waiting for this since Summer of 2008.

Flashback June 22, 2008: Trade Wars, Health Care, and Wal-Mart

This post is about trade wars, tariffs, health care, and Wal-Mart. I will tie these themes together starting with a look at Wal-Mart and health care.

I have many disagreements with Jim Jubak, but he hits the nail on the head with Let Wal-Mart fix US health care.

I know who can fix our broken health care system -- and who can't:

• Not presumptive Republican nominee John McCain. He proposes a tax credit of $5,000 per family to encourage us to buy private health insurance.
• Not Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. She proposes universal health insurance supported by tax credits.
• Not Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. He proposes a mix of public and private health insurance with government subsidies to those who don't qualify for government insurance plans such as Medicaid.

I say, let Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) do it. Hold your guffaws. Stifle your impulse to scoff. Control those sputters of rage.

Wal-Mart has done more to expand coverage and lower costs in the past year than any government program to come out of Washington in the past 10 years. And I'd bet the new programs that this company -- known for stiffing its own part-time workers on health care benefits -- has announced in the past year will do more to expand coverage and cut costs than anything likely to come out of a McCain, Clinton or Obama first term.

Letting Wal-Mart run the health care system would fix many of those problems. It's a company that understands how low prices can build market share and thus increase profits. Furthermore, it's a company with a culture of cutting costs that has shown no compunction in pushing suppliers to the wall over price. The Wal-Mart motto ought to be, "Make it cheaper, or we'll find someone who can." I'd love to see that attitude brought to bear in health care.

Inquiring minds will want to read the rest of the article. It's surprisingly good.

Jubak makes a compelling case. He never said this explicitly but I will. "We do not need higher wages or higher prices. We need lower prices and a dollar that buys more".

Hopefully a good idea, long overdue, is about to happen. I repeat what I said in 2008: "We do not need higher wages or higher prices. We need lower prices and a dollar that buys more".

Walmart-style competition would do just that.

My primary fear is regulators will kill the idea based on trumped up charges of some sort (or bribes from healthcare providers who fear competition) before the idea takes hold.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com

Disclaimer:The content on this site is provided as general information only and should not be taken as investment advice. All site content, including advertisements, shall not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any security or financial instrument, or to participate in any particular trading or investment strategy. The ideas expressed on this site are solely the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the opinions of sponsors or firms affiliated with the author(s). The author may or may not have a position in any company or advertiser referenced above. Any action that you take as a result of information, analysis, or advertisement on this site is ultimately your responsibility. Consult your investment adviser before making any investment decisions.

Source: http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2013/01/walmart-explores-offering-private.html

Dick Morris Daily Show provisional ballot npr rush limbaugh rush limbaugh karl rove

Colombian superstar Juanes writes 1st book

NEW YORK (AP) ? Juanes (WAH'-nehs) has more to say than will fit in a hit song.

The Colombian singer announced Thursday that his first memoir will be released April 2 in English and Spanish. Its titles are "Chasing the Sun" and "Persiguiendo el sol," and they'll be released on Celebra, a division of Penguin Group (USA).

A news release said the book will feature photos and "personally penned intimate details about his life." It will also include stories about "the effects of witnessing corruption and violence" in Medellin, Colombia, where Juanes grew up, as well as "the regret and remorse surrounding his father's death."

Juanes is married with three children.

He is a Grammy Award winner and has multiple Latin Grammys, including last year's album of the year for "Juanes: MTV Unplugged."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/colombian-superstar-juanes-writes-1st-book-193856717.html

Ada Lovelace 12/12/12 manny pacquiao Chopper Live jerry brown michael buble michael buble

'REST IN PEACE' ? Just for a while

Jan 26 2013

Most of Southern Italy is very mountainous and this makes arable land very precious for growing crops and grazing animals. It leaves very little land suitable for cemeteries? and burials.

Prior to Napoleon?s conquering of Italy bodies were interred in the crypt below the church floor. There was a strict order for the placing of the bodies. Babies and children were placed to the left of the altar (on the floor above), with women towards the back but still on the left. The rich and important were placed to the right of the altar with the common men at the back, on the right. As the bodies decayed, the bones and ashes were gathered and placed in a common vault. The rich and powerful might be permitted a vault in the church itself and this certainly happened in the larger churches. It usually involved building a side chapel at the family?s expense. If you are visiting old churches in Italy look on the floor for the old entrance to the crypt usually a square manhole with a ring at the center.

Note: when you are in Rome visit the Crypt of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini (visit the Via Veneto area) is worth a visit if you?re interested in seeing some works of art made from the bones of more than 4000 dead monks.

Napoleon believed it was unhealthy to have bodies decaying below the church floor and ordered them cleared and moved to a cemetery outside the town limits. Of course now the towns have grown many are within the limits but in smaller towns they are still situated a distance from the town.

Burials usually take place within 24 hours of death unless there are special circumstances. Since many small towns do not have daily newspapers posters are printed and posted all over the town within hours of the death. If the deceased died at home the vigil would take place there with family members coming and going all through the night. If the death took place in the hospital then the body is not allowed to be taken home and the ?wake? tales place in the hospital in a special room set aside for the purpose. The deceased then goes directly to the church with a detour past their home for a short prayer before the mass and interment.

Cremation isn?t popular in Italy because the Catholic Church favors burial. However, it was an ancient Roman custom and it was introduced again in the early 1800?s under Napoleon for ?hygienic reasons? and discontinued after he was ousted.

Much more common is the placing of the deceased in a ?niche? for a period of up to 30 years after which the ashes and bones are removed and placed in the ?ossario? or bone vault. This can be a family vault or a communal vault. Niches are leased for periods of 30 to 99 years and can be used several times or just once. If the lease is renewed the deceased can continue to ?rest in peace? until the lease runs out and the ashes are removed. My father-in-law died several years ago after purchasing a 99 year lease on a ?niche? in the new part of the cemetery. He left a handwritten will which stated in no uncertain terms that he was to be left undisturbed until the lease ran out or he would put a curse on the person who disobeyed these instructions. This presented a dilemma for the family. Who would take responsibility for his ashes 99 years from now? Even his Great Grandchildren would probably not be around in 99 years and who would remember him and his curse?.

Most cemeteries have some in-ground burial plots for the poor who cannot afford to lease a ?niche?. Since a body decomposes much more quickly in the ground these plots can be reused after as little as 10 years.

Most niches and burial plots today have a photo of the deceased together with their name and dates (or years) of birth and death. These niches are regularly tended and adorned with fresh flowers. November 2nd is the National Day of the Dead (All souls day) with families gathering and touring the various locations and saying the traditional prayers. It is not unusual for family gatherings to happen that weekend, much like the American Thanksgiving.
Chrysanthemums are often used at funerals and in memory of the dead in Europe. When Grace Kelly was newly married she didn?t realize this and put a vase of these flowers on a guest?s bedside table. Prince Ranier was very upset and berated her. ?Don?t you know that these flowers symbolize death in Europe?? he said.

I know how she felt having bought Chrysanthemums to take to a dying relative of my husband. When he saw what I had chosen he did a ?donut? in the parking lot and ordered me to return them and choose something else.

All of the above means that unless your ancestor is rich or famous it is unlikely you will find a grave for them in Southern Italy. However, if you have a relative who died in Italy during WW2 and is buried there you probably will find their grave. Italian communities gave up precious land to create cemeteries equal to anything you might find in North America and they are tended lovingly by the population for whom they gave their lives.

Ann Tatangelo offers genealogical research services, specializing in researching family trees, in the province of Frosinone, Italy. Based locally, in Sora, civil and parish record searches can be performed as well as finding living relatives. Please visit Ann at her primary web home: Angel Research.

By Ann Tatangelo ? Mentoring ? ? Tags: Burial, Catholic Church, Cemetery, Italy, Napoleon, Southern Italy

Source: http://generousgenealogists.com/2013/01/26/rest-in-peace-just-for-a-while/

devils dodgers rachel maddow gia la riots new jersey devils torn acl

A MotherHood Experience: P&G Tips to maximize family budgets

skip to main | skip to sidebar

P&G Tips to maximize family budgets

The holiday season is now over and as we sit back and reflect about the joyous festivities, we can't help but also think about our 2013 budget which may or may not have a dent in it after gift giving and holiday hosting. Soon we will be facing the much?dreaded?post-holiday bills and some of us may be scratching our heads as to what happened and how we can get back on track for the New Year.? Sandra Hanna, CEO and co-founder of www.smartcookies.com has some great tips to help ease the pain of the headache that comes with post-holiday budget blues. We had the opportunity to listen to Sandra speak at the P&G event last November, shes a fantastic person with some amazing ideas to help families everywhere.?

Find free outdoor activities:

During the weeks the kids are off on holidays, or on weekends, why not participate in free outdoor activities like sliding at a local public hill, skating at a local public rink or even look into free winter festivals that may be taking place in your neighbourhood. These activities keep everyone happy and won't make an impact on your already dented budget.?

If you live in a close-knit neighbourhood you can also invite the local kids together for a snowman parade. This is where kids build snowmen and parade them around the block in a wagon or sled. Maybe even have a judging contest (of course everyone would win, it's all for fun after all).

Workout at home:

There's no need to keep up with the?Jones'?and spend on a gym membership this year. You can get a simple workout right at home. If you're willing to tough it outside a brisk walk, run or snowshoe could be the best workout you have all year. Best of all these activities cost you nothing but time and energy, if you want to work off that post-holiday overindulgence, these are great starting points. In winter months it can even be fun to get a group of friends together and share winter workout gear or workout music playlists to help eachother get motivated to meet their workout goals. With the money saved, you could all enjoy a nice hot chocolate or late for a treat afterward.?

Cold water wash:

No matter what the season, I wash our laundry in cold water. It saves money on electricity, use of hot water and also not as hard on the clothing. Less chance of shrinking that new sweater mom got me for Christmas. Using cold water and detergent like Cold Water Tide can actually save about $7 a load in energy costs. With the amount of laundry we do per week - those savings can definitely add up!




Winter Staycation:

Want to take the family on a vacation on an already tight budget? Why spend hundreds on a vacation somewhere hot and balmy when you can save money on a staycation right in your own city! You'd be surprised how fun and inexpensive a staycation close to home can be. Local hotels, restaurants and attractions often have off-season discounts you can cash in on. Just do a little research about where you're heading and call in advance letting them know about your local staycation to see if they have any discounts and savings you could use for your family. Being local you may just find a cheap hotel room rate or family meal discounts in hotels and restaurants!?

For more great money saving tips don't forget to follow @SmartCookies on Twitter and Like the SmartCookies Facebook fan page!

Happy winter budgeting!


Disclosure: Posted by AME in participation as a #PGMom Brand Ambassador. We receive special perks as part of the program. Comments and opinions on this blog are those of the author. Product information, tips and stock images provided by representatives of P&G.?

?

Source: http://www.amotherhoodexperience.com/2013/01/p-tips-to-maximize-family-budgets.html

Geno Smith ny giants brandon marshall ryder cup Kate Middleton Bottomless the Pirate Bay Hotel Transylvania

Colette Harrington Accuses Justin Bieber of Rude Gym Behavior, Possible Water Bottle Spitting

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/colette-harrington-accuses-justin-bieber-of-rude-gym-behavior-po/

i will always love you whitney houston 2012 grammy awards powerball results pebble beach golf beverly hilton roland martin whitney houston dead at 48

Currency Trading Basics | Eric Finance

If you are planning to speculate and try to make money by currency trading it is vital that you have a basic grounding on how transactions are conducted within foreign exchange markets. Here are some of the basics to help you on your way and hopefully enable you to eliminate some of the more elementary mistakes that are often made.

Principles Of Currency Trading

Every foreign exchange trade involves the simultaneous buying of one currency against the selling of another. Currency quotes are delivered as exchange rates as a form of comparison to evaluate the price of one specific currency against another. Market forces and economic news will dictate the fluctuation of each currency value at any given time working on a basic principle of supply and demand to determine what the value of each currency being traded is. When you place a trade you are aiming for the currency that you have purchased to rise in value in relation to the currency that you have sold. How successful you are in calling the movement correctly will ultimately dictate how much money you win or lose on each trade.

How To Identify A Potential Trade

Stock market prices in general are dictated not just by supply and demand principles but also by opinion and sentiment as well. If the Greek government announces a deepening financial crisis for example, that will have an effect on the currency price, but where the real skill of the trader comes into play, is identifying what level a price should rise or fall to based on the facts to hand, and if a price falls further than you think it deserves to you have the option and ability to back up your judgement by speculating on the price rebounding once the bad news has been digested. The whole point about financial speculating is of course that you could have misjudged the scale of the price collapse and it could fall even further, costing you money, or hopefully, you have managed to call a price overreaction correctly and profit accordingly as the price recovers.

How To Make A Trade

If you have an opinion that the pound is undervalued against the dollar you can execute a trade to buy the pound whilst simultaneously selling the dollar, then sit back and wait for the exchange to reflect your opinion and the pound to rise against the dollar. You have to remember that there is a margin involved of typically 1% between the buy and sell rate which is the commission involved in the trade that you will have to pay, so you have to factor this into your pricing and target exit price. In order to crystallize your gain into hard cash you must then do the reverse of what you did to open the trade, in other words you need to then sell the pound for dollars, enabling you to pocket the difference as profit less the commission charged for the trade.

Rapid Movements

Currency trading involves small incremental falls and rises and there is unlikely to be huge volatility during any one trading session. This means that to make any reasonable amount of money from FX trading you will have to work in relatively large sums of money and work on the basis that you should be prepared for rapid small movements in the price that present you with a window of opportunity to make a profit. Many successful traders conduct numerous transactions on any given day and are prepared to enter and exit markets for very short periods of time, with a view to building up profits over a series of individual transactions rather than one large single trade.

If you are nervous about racking up losses as you learn how to read the markets and develop a successful strategy then always consider applying a stop loss with each trade, so that you know the maximum amount of profit or indeed loss that you are exposed to with any specific market trade that you place.

Joseph Renshaw is a business and investment advisor. He blogs frequently and enjoys passing financial tips on to his readers. For more about currency trading, click here.

Source: http://www.ericfinance.com/currency-trading-basics/

own stacy francis tournament brackets 2012 ncaa basketball tournament walt what time is it current time

PSA Peugeot Citro?n and Bosch developing hydraulic hybrid

PSA Peugeot Citro?n and Bosch developing hydraulic hybrid powertrain for passenger cars; 30% reduction in fuel consumption in NEDC, up to 45% urban; B-segment application in 2016

Following the introduction of the Bosch electric axle-split hybrid in PSA Peugeot Citro?n diesel vehicles (earlier post), the two companies are now planning to develop a hydraulic hybrid powertrain for passenger cars. The hydraulic system, which uses compressed air for energy storage, basically comprises two hydraulic units and their pressure accumulators. PSA says the technology?called ?Hybrid Air??will be fitted on B-segment models starting in 2016.

The hydraulic components (motor and pump) recover and store the energy generated by the internal combustion engine and by braking and deceleration (kinetic energy); kinetic energy from braking that would otherwise be lost as heat is converted into hydraulic energy and stored in a pressure accumulator. This energy can then be used to drive the car.

A specific continuous transmission enables optimal use of the different energy sources depending on the type of driving in three operating modes:

• Gasoline power, with the gasoline engine as the sole source of propulsion.

• Air power, with the hydraulic motor alone transmitting energy to the wheels via the accumulators.

• Combined power, with the internal combustion engine and hydraulic motor working together. At low loads, the internal-combustion engine can be run at a more economical operating point.

The result is a potential average CO₂ reduction of 30% in the new European driving cycle, and as much as 45% in a purely urban driving cycle. Certified fuel consumption stands at 2.9 l/100km (81.1 mpg US) in combined-cycle driving, for CO₂ emissions of around 69 g/km for standard body style models such as the Citro?n C3 or Peugeot 208.

In comparison, PSA Peugeot Citro?n?s 3-cylinder gasoline engines with manual gearshift produce 104 g of CO₂ per km in combined-cycle driving. Vehicles equipped with Hybrid Air technology can also run on Air Power alone (with no CO₂ emissions) 60 to 80% of the time in city driving, depending on traffic density, thanks to the optimal efficiency of energy recovery during braking.

PSA suggests that the technology?based on materials that are both plentiful and easily recyclable,?offers a CO₂/price trade-off unmatched by any of the current hybrid technologies, representing a breakthrough. The company has filed 80 patents on the work.

In principle, this technology can be combined with any conventional engine. In an initial phase, it is to be used in the compact car segment, but it is also suitable for other passenger-car segments and light delivery trucks in urban traffic. This hydraulic-mechanical powertrain system results in a hybrid powertrain that is more cost-effective, robust, and service-friendly. In addition, it does not require any special infrastructure, and can be deployed anywhere in the world, Bosch noted.

The technology works on the same hydraulic powertrain principles as those used worldwide on a wide scale by the Bosch Rexroth. Bosch and PSA see great potential for adapting this technology to passenger cars.

The close collaboration between PSA Peugeot Citro?n and Bosch dates back to an engineering alliance set up in 2008. In the context of this strategic partnership, Peugeot launched the 3008 HYbrid4 in 2011, the first series-produced diesel hybrid passenger car with an axle-split powertrain.

In close collaboration with Bosch, PSA Peugeot Citro?n developed the electrical components (electric motor, power electronics, and high-voltage generator) as well as the special technical design of the ESP electronic stability program required for hybrid vehicles. This powertrain concept now also features in PSA?s Peugeot 508 (both the RXH station wagon and the HYbrid4 sedan) and Citroen DS5 HYbrid4 models. For these models as well, Bosch supplies the components for the electrical powertrain.

Automotive technology is the largest Bosch Group business sector; its sales came to ?30.4 billion, or 59% of total group sales, in fiscal 2011.

Source: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/01/psabosch-20130122.html

toys r us toys r us kohls target target walmart best buy

Bill Hader to take on David Hasselhoff character in "Baywatch" Movie

NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Bill Hader will star in Paramount's film reboot of "Baywatch," the 1990s TV show starring David Hasselhoff as the leader of a team of lifeguards.

Robert Ben Garant, who co-created "Reno 911!" and is directing "Baywatch," told TheWrap that Hader will play the Hasselhoff character.

Hasselhoff will make a cameo in the film, which like "Reno 911!" will take a faux serious tone to an absurd subject. Just as "Reno" parodied the over-dramatization of shows like "Cops," this will parody the 1990s hit TV show set on the beach.

Yes, Pamela Anderson also will have a cameo.

The plot follows lifeguards exploring an oil rig of the Malibu coast that turns out to be a meth lab. Jeremy Garelick and Peter Tolan both wrote drafts of the script, which Ben Garant has revisited.

"They're so excited they made us shoot a trailer and the script isn't even done," Ben Garant said.

Ben Garant said they are aiming for an April start date.

The director is at Sundance for "Hell Baby," a mock horror film he co-wrote and co-directed with "Reno 911!" co-creator Thomas Lennon, who stars alongside Leslie Bibb and Rob Corddry. He and Lennon also have written the "Night at the Museum" films together.

Hader is in his eighth season on "Saturday Night Live" and has a number of movies primed for 2013 release. He plays a supporting role in "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His" and "Hers," a two film-project about a troubled marriage where one film is told from each person's perspective. He also has a supporting role in CBS Films' "The Do List," due for a summer release, and he has lent his voice to a trio of animated films - "Turbo," "Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers" and "Me and My Shadow."

He is also starring in "The Skeleton Twins" with former "SNL" castmate Kristin Wiig, a project shooting now in New York.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bill-hader-david-hasselhoff-character-baywatch-movie-004553033.html

sopa and pipa piracy sopa marg helgenberger censorship wikipedia sopa and pipa bills