Anti-regime activists say Syrian regime kills 23 in Damascus suburb in airstrikes, clashes

BEIRUT - Airstrikes by Syrian jets and shells from tanks levelled a neighbourhood in a restive city near the capital of Damascus on Tuesday, killing 18 people, and at least five rebel fighters died nearby in clashes with regime troops, activists said.

The airstrikes on the city of Douma, northeast of the capital, left residents scampering over a huge expanse of rubble and using their hands to dig up mangled bodies, according to activist videos posted online.

Scenes of vast destruction like those from Douma on Tuesday have grown more common as rebels seeking to topple President Bashar Assad have made gains on the ground, and Assad's forces have responded with overwhelming air power.

In the past weeks, anti-regime activists say about 150 people have been killed a day in fighting. Since the uprising against Assad began in March 2011, they say 35,000 have died.

Tuesday's airstrikes came a day after what activists called the heaviest and most widespread bombing campaign nationwide on what was to be the final day of an internationally sanctioned truce that never took hold.

The death toll for what was supposed to be a four-day cease-fire ending Monday exceeded 500.

Activists speculated that the government's heavy reliance on air power reflected its inability to roll back rebel gains, especially in the north of the country near the border with Turkey, where rebels have control of swathes of territory.

The international community remains at a loss about how to stop the Syria violence. The U.S. and other Western and Arab nations have called on Assad to step down, while Russia, China and Iran continue to back him.

In the latest fighting after nightfall Tuesday, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 18 civilians were killed in an airstrike and tank fire Tuesday in the Hajariyeh neighbourhood in the suburb of Douma, northeast of Damascus.

The dead included four women and five children, the group said, adding that the toll could rise as residents were still searching through the rubble.

Five rebel fighters were also killed in clashes with regime forces elsewhere in Douma, the group said.

Amateur videos posted online showed a deep, rubble-filled crater in the middle of what appeared to be a poor neighbourhood, with many walls collapsed in the blast.

Men were seen chanting "God is great!" while pulling a mangled body from the rubble in one video. They used their hands to dig through cinder blocks and cement dust in another to uncover another dead body.

In yet another video, a man standing in the destruction yells at the camera, "These are the accomplishments of Lakhdar Brahimi," referring to the international envoy who proposed the recent, failed cease-fire.

Regime airstrikes also collapsed buildings in the rebel-held northern city of Maaret al-Numan, which straddles a key supply route from the capital to Aleppo, Syria's largest city and a main front in the civil war.

Assad's regime has been hammering away at Maaret al-Numan, 80 kilometres (50 miles) southwest of Aleppo, with heavy airstrikes since it fell to rebels on Oct. 10.

One amateur video purporting to show the aftermath of an airstrike on Tuesday showed a man holding up the dead body of a small girl in a red and white shirt and baby blue pants. Other videos showed men carrying bloodied women and children from destroyed buildings.

The Observatory said the day's airstrikes on the city killed at least seven people, four of them children.

One video showed the bodies of three girls wrapped in white shrouds. Nearby, a man dripped water on the face of a dead older man with a white beard, saying: "Go to heaven, dad. May God take revenge."

The Observatory said at least one rebel fighter was also killed in clashes south of the city, and regime forces were trying to bring in reinforcements from further south.

Activist claims and videos could not be independently verified because of restrictions on reporting in Syria, but the videos appeared genuine and corresponded with other Associated Press reporting on the events depicted.

Violence also flared elsewhere in and around Damascus. The Observatory said missiles fired from a fighter jet struck the capital's Jobar neighbourhood ? a rare hit in the capital's municipal area. Most of the fighting around Damascus for the past few months has been in suburbs and outskirts, where rebels have managed to challenge the regime.

Syria's state news agency said an "armed terrorist group" assassinated a high-ranking air force general. Maj. Gen. Abdullah Mahmoud al-Khalidi was gunned down while getting out of his car in the mostly Kurdish neighbourhood of Rukn Eddine in Damascus.

The government views the rebels as terrorists and accuses them of being foot soldiers in a foreign plot to destroy Syria.

In Turkey, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu expressed "great sadness" that the cease-fire had failed and said government was done talking to Assad's regime.

"Unfortunately the attacks continued, and the Syrian people spent the holidays suffering great pain," Davutoglu told reporters in Ankara. "There would be no meaning to forging a dialogue with a regime that pressed ahead with such a massacre even during the holidays."

___

Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed reporting.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/anti-regime-activists-syrian-regime-kills-23-damascus-204013453.html

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Gas prices boosted by weather forecast, LNG tanker bypass

LONDON (Reuters) - British prompt gas prices rose on Friday morning, snapping three straight days of losses, as cooler weather forecast for next week lifted demand expectations and a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker headed to North America instead of the UK.

Gas for immediate delivery rose 1.75 pence to 67.25 pence a therm at 0845 GMT due to a combination of factors including a tight supply-demand balance, lower temperatures from Sunday and the expected start of maintenance at Apache's North Sea Beryl Alpha platform in the current trading session.

Work at Beryl Alpha will shave 1.5 million cubic meters/day (mcm/day) of supplies from the UK's transmission system.

A forecast drop in temperatures from Sunday to 13 degrees Celsius extending into next week led traders to raise gas demand estimates by 20 mcm/day on the back of greater gas-fired heating demand.

Britain has received no LNG deliveries since October 1, and no tankers are currently expected at UK terminals, partly due to recent maintenance at two of the world's biggest liquefaction plants in Qatar, according to port data.

The Qatari vessel Al Mafyar, which has a track record of unloading at the UK's South Hook terminal, disappointed expectations of a delivery by signalling North America as its intended destination.

Analysts and traders expect higher numbers of LNG tanker deliveries in November after Qatargas said it had restarted production lines 4 and 5 after planned works.

Norway, Britain's other major gas supplier, on Friday warned that major maintenance programmes would hit output in the last three months of the year, potentially disrupting flows to the UK.

However, it said repairs would be split equally between Norway and its international operations, meaning supply losses to the UK may be less than expected.

Britain's gas market was undersupplied by about 4 mcm/day, with demand pegged at 246.9 mcm/day.

Month-ahead gas prices rose 1.2 pence to 67.30 pence.

Further forward, the benchmark summer 2013 gas price rose about 0.20 pence to 62.15 pence.

In Britain's power market prices for day-ahead delivery climbed 6.25 pounds to 56.75 pounds per megawatt-hour (MWh) as gas market sentiment fed through to power.

A total of 2,870 MW of nuclear capacity was offline Friday morning due to outages at Magnox's Wylfa 1 unit, EDF Energy's Hinkley Point B-7, Dungeness B21 and its Heysham 1-1 and 1-2 reactors.

(editing by Jane Baird)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-gas-prices-boosted-weather-forecast-lng-tanker-105100330.html

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'Conservation President' is celebrated

NEW YORK?? The natural world was a lifelong passion for U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. At age 8, Roosevelt started his own collection of natural history specimens, and on his deathbed, he was writing a book review about pheasants.

Some of the specimens he collected, as well as other Roosevelt artifacts, remain at the American Museum of Natural History, an institution with which he had a lifelong association.

The 26th president and his legacy are memorialized in a number of places throughout the museum. That memory has received a $40 million restoration, unveiled Thursday in a ceremony featuring city and state officials.

At the ceremony here, the museum unveiled a host of upgrades and additions, including a new statue of the former president seated on a bench, and new displays featuring artifacts from his life, such as a buckskin jacket and specimens he killed and prepared as a young naturalist and taxidermist, such as a snowy owl. [ See Photos from the Teddy Exhibit ]

Roosevelt, who served as president from 1901 to 1909, has been called the "Conservation President" and the "biologist-in-chief." In office, he set aside five national parks, only part of the more than 230 million acres he placed under federal protection, officials said.

Roosevelt's father helped found the museum, and Roosevelt himself contributed specimens when he was only 13 years old. He would later return to the museum with questions, such as how to save a particular bird species he had studied, and join forces with its scientists, said Douglas Brinkley, Roosevelt biographer and professor of history at Rice University.

Today also marked the reopening of the museum's Hall of North American Mammals, which contains dioramas depicting landscapes Roosevelt explored and preserved through his conservation policies, said Michael Novacek, a senior vice president at the museum.

The dioramas offer glimpses of unique North American environments and their inhabitants, depicting, for example, wolves running across the snow-covered southern shore of Gunflint Lake in northern Minnesota under the moonlight, or a pair of bull moose clashing in the Alaskan wilderness while a female looks on.

Sixty years after the hall opened, these scenes need more than simple repairs and touch-ups to color, since biologists' understanding of the animals has advanced dramatically since 1942, Ross MacPhee, curator of mammalogy, told visitors.

The designers of the moose diorama focused on the bulls' combat, setting a female off to the side watching passively.

"In the last 60 years, we have learned a lot about moose behavior, just as we have learned a lot about mammals in general," MacPhee said. "With our new text panels, we are able to tell a slightly different story."

Biologists now know cows, or female moose, play an active role in determining which males get to mate, rather than passively accepting the winners of a battle like the one depicted in the diorama.

In some circumstances, "if she makes the decision these guys really don't have what it takes, she will emit this peculiar, low moaning noise and that will be picked up by all the guys in the background, who are looking on and it is an announcement to them they can come forward and give it their best shot,? he said. [ Dissecting Decibels: Loudest Animals Infographic ]

Dioramas may seem old-fashioned, but they have a theatrical quality that engages museum visitors? imaginations and allows them to see a scene from a variety of angles, something that is not feasible with a nature documentary, MacPhee said.

Each diorama depicts a specific place and time, said George Dante, president of Wildlife Preservations and a taxidermist involved in the restoration.

"You can actually find this exact location and see how it has changed over time," Dante said.

Over the years, the lights in the hall burnt out the pigments in the fur of most of the taxidermied animals in the dioramas.

"With the help of (the) scientific department, we were able to get study skins that were not faded and compare them against these specimens and then develop a coloring process where we went in and actually recolored the specimens to bring them up to a more accurate color," Dante said.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook and Google+.

? 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49571968/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Former Marine Jonathan Brown Fired For Going To Doctor And ...

Former Marine Jonathan Brown was discharged from the military about two years ago after injuries to his eyes left him unable to serve. And it's that disability, Brown is claiming in a recently filed lawsuit, that prompted his employer to fire him from the gym that he was managing last summer.

Brown had been employed by New Life Fitness World in Lexington, S.C., for nearly two years when he was called into the office of the newly hired regional manager and was told on July 30 that his employment "wouldn't work out." Brown had just returned from a regular doctor's appointment at a nearby Veterans Affairs hospital, when his boss, Jonathan Moreno, said he had to let Brown go.

"It was kind of a surprise," Brown told WIS-TV in Columbia, S.C. (via WBTV.com). As much of a surprise was the reason noted on his dismissal paperwork (pictured below), which showed Brown was terminated by New Life Fitness World on July 31 for being a "disabled veteran," according to county court filings obtained by the TV station.

Brown said he offered to work nights and weekends to make up for the time taken for doctors' appointments -- something that he'd done with his previous manager -- but Moreno wasn't willing to reconsider his decision. "His mind was made up by the time he was even walking in the building," Brown said.

Brown served in the Marine Corps for six years and was deployed in Iraq, where he operated a 25 mm cannon before being discharged for his eye condition. Its symptoms include blurred vision and shaking in both eyes. Brown said that he wasn't sure whether operating the gun caused his eye condition.

"The VA is just like the military," Brown told WIS. "If you miss an appointment, you might not get another one to actually let them help you with your problem."

Brown's attorney, James Smith, said his client's case is black and white. "[It] is so clear a violation of the [Americans With Disabilities Act], and obviously they need an education," said Smith, also an Iraqi war veteran.

Employers with 15 or more employees are required to make "reasonable accommodations" for employees with disabilities, Smith said. Brown's willingness to make up lost time was fair to both sides, he added. "Those are reasonable accommodations, which must be made by an employer and they just need to understand that," Smith said.

About 25 percent of recent veterans report having a service connected disability, as compared to about 13 percent of all veterans, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Veterans of the conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan also have higher rates of unemployment than veterans as whole -- 19.9 percent, compared to 6.7 among all veterans, according to data for September by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

More: Top Employers Of Veterans

When confronted with the allegation that he fired Brown because of his disability, Moreno, who has since left New Life Fitness World, called the charge, "horse***t." Moreno told WIS that the reason he fired Brown was because of customer service complaints, and for failing to keep the gym clean and meet his sales goals.

But Jody Parks, Brown's previous manager, said Brown was "a great guy [and a] good employee." Brown's final paycheck shows the gym paid him $150 in bonuses for meeting production, sales and membership goals.

Parks confirmed that he and Brown had worked out an arrangement that allowed the veteran to make up the time that he spent in doctors appointments. "He was able to basically come back in and make up the time that he had missed. It was fair on that level," Parks said.

Ciye Malcuit, owner of the gym, declined comment on Brown's lawsuit, saying "I was advised not to say anything."

An attorney for the gym, Tobias Ward, told WIS that the reason for Brown's termination "is hotly contested,' adding that "management vigorously disputes the reason for termination given by Jonathan Brown in his lawsuit."

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David Schepp has spent more than a dozen years covering business news for the electronic and print media, including Dow Jones Newswires, BBC News, Gannett Co., and most recently at AOL's DailyFinance. Nearly 10 years ago, he started writing a weekly People@Work column, looking in depth at issues facing workers in today's workplace. Follow David on Twitter. Email David at david.schepp@huffingtonpost.com.

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Source: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/10/25/marine-jonathan-brown-fired-disabled-veteran/

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Dr. Jane Greer: Russell Crowe: Can You Really ... - Huffington Post

Russell Crowe and his wife of nine years, Danielle Spencer, announced their separation recently after nine years of marriage. The two were on opposite sides of the globe when the news broke -- she in Australia shooting "Dancing With The Stars", and he in Los Angeles shooting the film "Noah." Their whereabouts might be an indication of what went wrong in their marriage. Did their careers take priority over their personal lives?

You have to ask yourself the question: which comes first, my home life or my work? Sometimes there's no easy answer. There is a time in many people's lives when they wonder if they've compromised one for the other. Everyone who has a passion for what they do has struggled to balance work and family. For celebrities, the choice can be particularly hard since their projects often take them far away for long periods of time, but you don't have to be a star to grapple with this tug-of-war.

This dilemma can strike at different stages of people's lives: being too busy to find love, being taken away from a boyfriend or new spouse by work demands, or having to choose between your children and your job. At some point, you will most likely be forced to make a decision. So the question becomes: How much is too much? And how much of a toll does work take?

Having a career certainly shouldn't preclude you from having a fulfilling romantic and home life, but sometimes people become so consumed with their work that it depletes the energy that they might otherwise be able to spend on personal commitments. For example, Abigail, one of my patients, completely threw herself into her work. Because she could make time only for the occasional date, it became impossible for her to develop a real relationship. She feels there is no other option for her but to take on more creative responsibility if she wants to build her career and continue to move up the ladder. The risk, however, is that if she doesn't make some room now for her romantic life, she may lose the opportunity to have one.

What if you're the person left at home repeatedly, as my patient Ellen and her baby recently were while her husband worked on a big project? Or what if your boyfriend has to move to another city in order to tackle his new promotion? In fact, when my patient Claire's boyfriend moved, he was working toward financial stability so he could feel secure and ready to propose to her. However, she took it personally and thought he wasn't committed to the relationship because he moved away. It is easy to feel that your partner is choosing the office over you; they, however, typically don't see it as a choice but rather their professional responsibility.

If this is going on with the person you are dating or married to, try to step back and consider what's motivating them to invest so much energy into their work. Also, it might be helpful to have a conversation with them to see if they can put some checks and balances in place at work in order to make some personal time. If you're the one who's been overwhelmed with work and not making it home until after 9:00 p.m. or missing a Friday night with your family, give your loved one fair warning. That way, they can make other plans and not feel ignored or abandoned.

It is important to take the time to figure out your work-life balance. You will want to preserve the emotional intimacy you share with your partner because that can ultimately help sustain you as you make your way in the world -- and up the corporate ladder.

Please tune in to "Let's Talk Sex" which streams live on HealthyLife.net every last Tuesday of the month at 2 PM EST, 11 AM Pacific. We look forward to listener call-in questions, dealing with relationships, intimacy, family, and friendships, at 1.800.555.5453.

Connect with Dr. Jane Greer on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/DrJaneGreer, and be sure to follow @DrJaneGreer on Twitter for her latest insights on love, relationships, sex, and intimacy.

?

Follow Dr. Jane Greer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/https://twitter

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jane-greer/russell-crowe-can-you-rea_b_1992450.html

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A/C Repair Specialists

Air Conditioning Aurora CO If you need to install a updated heating or air conditioning system in your house, the most important things to think about are purchasing high quality products and trusted service. There are many brands of furnaces that all have various advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your home and location, your home temperature and utility bill can improve dramatically if you purchase the right furnace. Cooling systems are also very unique and it is essential to use a system that is the most effective. When you hire a heating and cooling professional, they will analyze your home and help pick the tools that best meets your needs. These specialists are also skilled in completing all varieties of heating and cooling repairs. Experience a large difference in your year-round comfort with quality heating and cooling specialists by your side. Home Efficiency Solutions

Source: http://www.seaykopitiam.com/ac-repair-specialists/

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Barnes & Noble says PIN pads in 63 stores hacked

50 min.

AP staff , AP

Barnes & Noble said Tuesday that devices used by customers to swipe credit and debit cards have been tampered with in 63 of its stores in nine states.

The company warned customers to check for unauthorized transactions and to change their personal identification numbers, or PINs. It didn't say how many accounts may have been compromised.

But The New York Times, citing a high-ranking company official it did not name, reported that hackers had made unauthorized purchases on some customer credit cards.

The New York-based bookseller said in a statement Tuesday only one of the devices, known as PIN pads, was tampered with in each of the 63 stores. The stores are in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

All the PIN pads in its nearly 700 stores nationwide were disconnected on Sept. 14 after the company learned of the tampering. Federal authorities are helping in its investigation.

Barnes & Noble said it is working with banks and card issuers to identify compromised accounts so that additional fraud-protection measures can be taken.

Customers at its book stores will now have to ask cashiers to swipe credit or debit cards on card readers connected to cash registers, a process that is secure, Barnes & Noble said.

Anything bought on Barnes & Noble.com or with the chain's Nook devices and app was not affected, the company said. It also said its customer database is secure.

Barnes & Noble is only the latest major retailer to be a victim of a serious data breach. In one of the largest, more than 45 million credit and debit cards were exposed to possible fraud because of hackers who broke into the computer system of TJX Cos., the parent company of retailers T.J. Maxx and Marshall's, starting in 2005.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/barnes-noble-says-pin-pads-63-stores-hacked-1C6642435

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Buckeyes QB says he's fine after injury

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? When Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller first was hurt in Saturday's game against Purdue, he didn't know what to think.

He'd never before been thrown down on his head and neck.

"I didn't know what it was," he said of his injury. "I was just a little bit dizzy from the hit, whiplash. So they sent me to the hospital to see what it was."

Tests determined that Miller, a sophomore who ranks among the top rushers in the nation, did not have a concussion or any other serious injury. He was cleared to return to practice immediately. The only lingering problem has been a slightly sore neck.

"No. 5 is doing good," coach Urban Meyer said after Ohio State's Wednesday practice. "Full-speed practices really yesterday and today. Sore neck, but today's much better. He lifted (weights) and he's good to go."

Miller was tackled from behind by Purdue defensive back Josh Johnson late in the third quarter of No. 9 Ohio State's home game. He was thrown hard to the turf, had difficulty getting up, and then had to be carted off the field.

"It was just one of those type hits you clench your eyes," Miller said.

The ninth-ranked Buckeyes trailed 20-14 when he left. Backup Kenny Guiton threw an interception and the Ohio State offense surrendered a safety, but Guiton led a last-minute, 61-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown pass and two-point conversion pass with 3 seconds left to force overtime.

The Buckeyes (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) ended up pulling out an improbable 29-22 win.

In the hospital, Miller was trying to find out how his teammates were doing.

"I just kept asking the nurse. (She'd say), 'I don't know. We're working on you,'" he said with a laugh. "I just kept asking and they finally told me."

Miller has been receiving daily rehab of massage, stretching, ice and anti-inflammatories for a sore neck. Other than that, he says he's 100 percent.

Meyer said Miller is not under any limitations for Saturday's big showdown against Penn State (5-2, 3-0). He is listed as the starter.

"I'd say I'm full go," Miller said.

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/buckeyes-qb-says-hes-fine-injury-235514332--spt.html

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Dangers of going mobile | E RADAR | Smarter business online

One device conquers all! You can now use an iPhone app which acts as a mirror for when you are doing your make-up or grooming your hair?

Everything is now converged into one mobile device which gives both versatility and functionality. But in the workplace it is easy for people to use a device to steal intellectual property, for example by taking photos of a company?s latest research papers. Broad discovery laws regarding electronic information, for example in the US makes the great ocean of data ?fair game?. The opinions of judge and jury can now be swung by just one incriminating piece of evidence.

Lawyers Jonathan Armstrong and Eric Sinrod from?Duane Morris LLP?discuss their views in the latest transatlantic podcast.

Podcast: Download

About the Author:

Jonathan is a partner with international law firm Duane Morris LLP. He practices in corporate law specialising in risk, technology and compliance across Europe.

Jonathan Armstrong ? who has written 10 posts on E RADAR | Smarter business online.

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Source: http://www.eradar.eu/2012/10/dangers-of-going-mobile/

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Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to review use of ...

In a follow up to our Open Data session back in August I thought I would post this as many of you were interested in the business opportunities behind open data.

The comprehensive review, which was announced in the Open Data White Paper, will improve access to data and help promote economic growth by examining the market for public sector information.?The objective is to improve access to data and promote economic growth, and in particular to look at:
* ? ? ? ? The current use of public sector information within government, the private sector and by the general public

* ? ? ? ? Opportunities for innovation and developing new data services with public sector information

* ? ? ? ? Constraints on developing new services with public sector information and the role that current funding models play

* ? ? ? ? The impact on competitiveness of existing and new businesses entering the market

* ? ? ? ? An audit of current and past studies and the current use and re-use of public sector information

The review is set to report in Spring 2013.
More information is available here.
http://news.bis.gov.uk/Press-Releases/Review-of-open-data-to-explore-growth-opportunities-68203.aspx

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Source: http://socialmediacafeliverpool.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/department-for-business-innovation-and-skills-to-review-use-of-public-sector-information/

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Longtime Indian activist Russell Means dies at 72

FILE - In a Jan. 31, 1989 file photo, Russell Means, who heads the American Indian Movement, (AIM) testifies before a special investigative committee of the Senate Select Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington. Means, a former American Indian Movement activist who helped lead the 1973 uprising at Wounded Knee, reveled in stirring up attention and appeared in several Hollywood films, died early Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 at his ranch Zzxin Porcupine, S.D., Oglala Sioux Tribe spokeswoman Donna Solomon said. He was 72. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander, File)

FILE - In a Jan. 31, 1989 file photo, Russell Means, who heads the American Indian Movement, (AIM) testifies before a special investigative committee of the Senate Select Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington. Means, a former American Indian Movement activist who helped lead the 1973 uprising at Wounded Knee, reveled in stirring up attention and appeared in several Hollywood films, died early Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 at his ranch Zzxin Porcupine, S.D., Oglala Sioux Tribe spokeswoman Donna Solomon said. He was 72. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander, File)

FILE - In a Feb. 4, 1974 file photo, American Indian Movement (AIM) leader Russell Means, who is challenging incumbent Oglala Sioux Tribal President Richard Wilson in Thursday's election on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, laughs at news report which quoted Wilson as saying he will give AIM 10 days to get off the reservation after he is reelected "or else", in Pine Ridge, S.D. Means, a former American Indian Movement activist who helped lead the 1973 uprising at Wounded Knee, reveled in stirring up attention and appeared in several Hollywood films, died early Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 at his ranch in in Porcupine, S.D., Oglala Sioux Tribe spokeswoman Donna Solomon said. He was 72. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)

FILE - In a Friday, April 27, 2012 file photo, Russell Means, former leader of the American Indian Movement, (AIM) poses for a portrait at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. Means, a former American Indian Movement activist who helped lead the 1973 uprising at Wounded Knee, reveled in stirring up attention and appeared in several Hollywood films, died early Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 at his ranch in in Porcupine, S.D., Oglala Sioux Tribe spokeswoman Donna Solomon said. He was 72. (AP Photo/Argus Leader Jay Pickthorn) NO SALES

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) ? Russell Means spent a lifetime as a modern American Indian warrior. He railed against broken treaties, fought for the return of stolen land and even took up arms against the federal government.

A onetime leader of the American Indian Movement, he called national attention to the plight of impoverished tribes and often lamented the waning of Indian culture. After leaving the movement in the 1980s, the handsome, braided activist was still a cultural presence, appearing in several movies.

Means, who died Monday from throat cancer at age 72, helped lead the 1973 uprising at Wounded Knee ? a bloody confrontation that raised America's awareness about the struggles of Indians and gave rise to a wider protest movement that lasted for the rest of the decade.

Before AIM, there were few national advocates for American Indians. Means was one of the first to emerge. He sought to restore Indians' pride in their culture and to challenge a government that had paid little attention to tribes in generations. He was also one of the first to urge sports teams to do away with Indian names and mascots.

"No one except Hollywood stars and very rich Texans wore Indian jewelry," Means said, recalling the early days of the movement. And there were dozens, if not hundreds, of athletic teams "that in essence were insulting us, from grade schools to college. That's all changed."

AIM was founded in the late 1960s to demand that the government honor its treaties with American Indian tribes. The movement eventually faded away, Means said, as Native Americans became more self-aware and self-determined.

There were plenty of American Indian activists before AIM, but it became the "radical media gorilla," said Paul DeMain, editor of News from Indian Country, a national newspaper focused on tribal affairs.

"If someone needed help, you called on the American Indian Movement, and they showed up and caused all kind of ruckus and looked beautiful on a 20-second clip on TV that night," DeMain said.

Means and AIM co-founder Dennis Banks were charged in 1974 for their role in the Wounded Knee uprising in which hundreds of protesters occupied the town on the site of the 1890 Indian massacre. Protesters and federal authorities were locked in a standoff for 71 days and frequently exchanged gunfire. Before it was over, two tribal members were killed and a federal agent seriously wounded.

After a trial that lasted several months, a judge threw out the charges on grounds of government misconduct.

Other protests led by Means included an American Indian prayer vigil on top of Mount Rushmore and the seizure of a replica of the Mayflower on Thanksgiving Day in Plymouth, Mass.

But Means' constant quest for the spotlight raised doubts about his motives. Critics who included many fellow tribe members said his main interest was building his own notoriety.

Means said his most important accomplishment was the proposal for the Republic of Lakotah, a plan to carve out a sovereign Indian nation inside the United States. He took the idea all the way to the United Nations, even though it was ignored by tribal governments closer to home, including his own Oglala Sioux leaders, with whom he often clashed.

For decades, Means was dogged by questions about whether the group promoted violence, especially the 1975 slaying of a woman in the tribe and the gun battles with federal agents at Wounded Knee.

Authorities believe three AIM members shot and killed Annie Mae Aquash on the Pine Ridge reservation on the orders of someone in AIM's leadership because they suspected she was an FBI informant.

Two activists ? Arlo Looking Cloud and John Graham ? were both eventually convicted of murder. The third has never been charged.

Also in 1975, murder charges were filed against Means and Dick Marshall, an AIM member, in the shooting death of a Sioux man at a saloon in the town of Scenic, S.D. Marshall served 24 years in prison. Means was acquitted.

His activism extended to tribes beyond the United States. In the mid-1980s, Means traveled to Nicaragua to support indigenous Miskito Indians who were fighting the Sandinista government.

Born on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Means grew up in the San Francisco area and battled drugs and alcohol as a young man before becoming an early leader of AIM.

With his rugged good looks and long, dark braids, he also was known for a handful of Hollywood roles, most notably in the 1992 movie "The Last of the Mohicans," in which he portrayed Chingachgook alongside Daniel Day-Lewis' Hawkeye.

He also appeared in the 1994 film "Natural Born Killers," voiced Chief Powhatan in the 1995 animated film "Pocahontas" and guest starred in 2004 on the HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Means also ran unsuccessfully for the Libertarian nomination for president in 1988 and briefly served as a vice presidential candidate in 1984 on the ticket of Hustler publisher Larry Flynt.

Means always considered himself a Libertarian and couldn't believe that anyone would want to call themselves a Republican or a Democrat.

"It's just unconscionable that America has become so stupid," he said.

Means often refused interviews and verbally blasted journalists who showed up to cover his public appearances. Instead, he chose to speak to his fan base through YouTube videos and blog posts on his website.

Means recounted his life in the book "Where White Men Fear to Tread." He said he pulled no punches in the autobiography, admitting to his frailties but also acknowledging his successes.

"I tell the truth, and I expose myself as a weak, misguided, misdirected, dysfunctional human being I used to be," he said.

Means died at his ranch in in Porcupine, S.D. He announced in August 2011 that he had inoperable throat cancer and told The Associated Press that he would forego mainstream medicine in favor of traditional American Indian remedies.

Means' death came a day after former Sen. George McGovern died in Sioux Falls at the age of 90. McGovern had traveled to Wounded Knee with then-Sen. James Abourezk during the takeover to try to negotiate an end to hostilities.

"I've lost two good friends in a matter of two to three days," Abourezk said Monday. "I don't pretend to understand it."

___

Follow Kristi Eaton on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kristieaton .

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-10-22-Obit-Means/id-ee4112ff383b4b8fa8a27210ff1fe726

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Hyatt Announces Plans for a Park Hyatt Hotel in ... - Franchising.com

CHICAGO - October 22, 2012 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with China Resources Land Limited for a Park Hyatt hotel in Qingdao, China. China Resources Land Limited is the owner of Grand Hyatt Shenzhen, which opened in 2009, and is the owner and developer of five additional Hyatt-branded hotels under development in China, including Park Hyatt Hangzhou, Grand Hyatt Dalian, Grand Hyatt Hefei, Grand Hyatt Shenyang, and Grand Hyatt Zhengzhou. Park Hyatt Qingdao will be the second Hyatt-branded hotel in Qingdao, following the opening of Hyatt Regency Qingdao, which is slated to open at the end of 2012.

?Qingdao is a key economic powerhouse in Shandong Province and one of China?s most important ports, and is also a popular tourist destination and a renowned summer retreat,? said Larry Tchou, Group President, Asia Pacific, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts. ?We believe Park Hyatt Qingdao will deliver an unprecedented level of luxury and unrivalled hospitality experience to guests visiting this bustling gateway city. This hotel is our seventh hotel project with China Resources Land Limited, which is significant because it further underscores our relationship with this organization, as well as our commitment to creating preference by enhancing distribution of Hyatt-branded hotels throughout China, a market where our guests are frequently traveling.?

Expected to open in 2016, Park Hyatt Qingdao will be centrally located in Qingdao?s Central Business District on Shandong Road. The hotel will be part of City Crossing, a mixed used complex that will incorporate high-end residential buildings, serviced apartments, office space, and luxury shopping facilities. Park Hyatt Qingdao will be located on the upper levels of a 250-meter high skyscraper with office space underneath. The hotel will offer 247 guestrooms and suites, and will also feature an array of restaurants and bars, multi-purpose meeting and banquet spaces, a fitness center, a pool and a spa.

?We are pleased to be working with Hyatt again on a project as significant as this, and we look forward to growing our portfolio of Hyatt-branded hotels throughout China,? said Thomas Choi, Vice President of China Resources Land.

For more information, please visit www.hyattdevelopment.com.

About Park Hyatt

Park Hyatt provides discerning, affluent individual business and leisure guests with elegant and luxurious accommodations. Guests of Park Hyatt receive highly attentive personal service in an intimate environment. Located in many of the world's premier destinations, each Park Hyatt is custom designed to combine sophistication with distinctive regional character. Park Hyatt features well-appointed guestrooms, meeting and special event spaces for smaller groups, critically acclaimed art programs and signature restaurants featuring award-winning chefs.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome. Thousands of members of the Hyatt family strive to make a difference in the lives of the guests they encounter every day by providing authentic hospitality. The Company's subsidiaries manage, franchise, own and develop hotels and resorts under the Hyatt?, Park Hyatt?, Andaz?, Grand Hyatt?, Hyatt Regency?, Hyatt Place? and Hyatt HouseTM brand names and has locations on six continents. Hyatt House is changing its brand identity from Hyatt Summerfield Suites?. Hyatt Residential Group, Inc., a Hyatt Hotels Corporation subsidiary, develops, operates, markets or licenses Hyatt ResidencesTM and Hyatt Residence ClubTM. As of June 30, 2012, the Company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 492 properties in 45 countries. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include statements about our plans, strategies, occupancy and ADR trends, market share, the number of properties we expect to open in the future, our expected adjusted SG&A expense, capital expenditures, depreciation and amortization expense, interest expense and effective tax rate, estimates, financial performance, prospects or future events and involve known and unknown risks that are difficult to predict. As a result, our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as ?may,? ?could,? ?expect,? ?intend,? ?plan,? ?seek,? ?anticipate,? ?believe,? ?estimate,? ?predict,? ?potential,? ?continue,? ?likely,? ?will,? ?would? and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, general economic uncertainty in key global markets, the rate and pace of economic recovery following economic downturns; levels of spending in business and leisure segments as well as consumer confidence; declines in occupancy and average daily rate; our ability to successfully execute and implement our organizational realignment and the costs associated with such organizational realignment; our ability to successfully execute and implement our common stock repurchase program; loss of key personnel, including as a result of our organizational realignment; hostilities, including future terrorist attacks, or fear of hostilities that affect travel; travel-related accidents; changes in the tastes and preferences of our customers; relationships with associates and labor unions and changes in labor law; the financial condition of, and our relationships with, third-party property owners, franchisees and hospitality venture partners; if our third-party owners, franchisees or development partners are unable to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; risk associated with potential acquisitions and dispositions and the introduction of new brand concepts; changes in the competitive environment in our industry and the markets where we operate; outcomes of legal proceedings; changes in federal, state, local or foreign tax law; foreign exchange rate fluctuations or currency restructurings; general volatility of the capital markets; our ability to access the capital markets; and other risks discussed in the Company?s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

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Contacts:

Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Si?n Martin
+1 312 780 5797
sian.martin@hyatt.com

Lillian Zhang
+86 10 5928 1234
lillian.zhang@hyatt.com

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Police in Kuwait teargas opposition protesters

KUWAIT (Reuters) - Police in Kuwait used teargas, stun grenades and baton charges on Sunday to disperse tens of thousands of demonstrators protesting against changes to the electoral law which the opposition has called a constitutional coup by the government.

Demonstrators gathered in various parts of the capital, Kuwait City, to march towards the government's headquarters, but riot police swiftly surrounded some groups and used teargas and stun grenades to disperse them, Reuters witnesses said.

A medical source said at least 29 people had been admitted to hospital, most of them suffering from teargas inhalation or from baton bruises. At least 15 people, including two former MPs and a reporter, were detained. An opposition activist estimated that up to 50,000 people had gathered in different locations.

The opposition decided to take to the streets after the government - which is dominated by the ruling Al-Sabah family - announced last week it was calling elections for December 1 and would change the electoral law "to preserve national unity".

The announcement was the latest move in an intensifying power struggle between the ruling establishment and parliament that has seen eight governments come and go since the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, came to power in 2006.

The 83-year-old dissolved parliament on October 7. It was the sixth time the oil-rich state and key U.S. ally had disbanded its legislature since early 2006. Its oil wealth and a generous welfare state have helped Kuwait avoid the kind of "Arab Spring" protests that toppled leaders elsewhere in the region.

Before Sunday's protest got underway, the authorities had promised to "decisively confront" demonstrators.

Witnesses said protesters who had initially been dispersed later regrouped to form a crowd estimated at more than 20,000 at a main road near Kuwait Towers, a seaside landmark in the Gulf oil producer.

"The decree is void, void," some protesters chanted, referring to the emir's order for a change to the election law. Demonstrators said they had were motivated by a feeling of injustice.

"We are entering a dark tunnel," said Salem al-Ajmi, a 30-year-old man, after police blocked him from reaching Kuwait Towers.

The protest ended just before midnight after police told demonstrators to leave or be evacuated by force, said news website www.alaan.cc.

Human rights lawyer Mohammed al-Humaidi said he estimated the number of people injured was as high as 100 rather than 29 and said some of them were in a serious condition, the same website reported.

Kuwait has been convulsed by regular demonstrations since last year, and the opposition - including Islamists, liberals and tribal figures who won a majority in the 50-seat parliament in the last election in February - have rejected the emir's proposed changes and said they will boycott the vote.

The opposition has called the changes - which allow voters to choose only one candidate per electoral district - "a coup against the constitution", saying the reform would prevent its candidates from winning the majority they won in the last vote.

Forging an electoral alliance, which depends on supporters of one candidate voting for another in exchange for reciprocal support, would become unfeasible under the new system, they say.

CRITICISM OF THE EMIR

Kuwait's opposition has been emboldened after Arab protests toppled four heads of state.

Some have been demanding a constitutional state and for the emir to resign but for governments to be formed by majority groups in the 50-member assembly. Others have made more modest demands for the government formed by the emir to be subject to full parliamentary scrutiny.

The Al-Sabah dynasty has ruled Kuwait for more than 250 years and although Kuwait allows more freedom of speech than some Gulf states, the emir is seen as untouchable and is referred to as "immune and inviolable" in the constitution.

Kuwaiti authorities arrested two opposition politicians on Thursday and interrogated a third after they made comments seen as criticizing the emir.

The events prompted the Al-Sabah family to issue a rare statement on Thursday calling for obedience to the emir.

On Monday, police and protesters fought over a barricaded street after 5,000 people demonstrated outside parliament. Security forces arrested at least five people, including two former members of parliament.

The deepening crisis has taken its toll on the stock market, which dropped as much as 3.4 percent on Sunday, heading for its biggest daily fall since mid-2009, when shares were hit by the global financial crisis.

The crisis escalated in June this year when the top court annulled the last election which had been held in February, reinstating the previous, more government-friendly assembly.

Unlike other Gulf Arab states, Kuwait enjoys a more open political system that allows some parliamentary scrutiny over government decisions. But the emir still holds key levers of power, including appointing the prime minister.

The turmoil has not only paralyzed the political system but also blocked major economic development plans.

Sheikh Sabah warned in a speech on Friday that the recent political turmoil could lead to "strife that could be about to erupt and destroy our unity, disfigure our identity and tear apart our society into fragmented groups".

(Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-fire-teargas-opposition-protesters-kuwait-201312924--sector.html

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Burglars hit Pa. house twice in 2 weeks, nab puppy

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? Burglars have struck a Philadelphia house two weeks in a row, first stealing all the food in the family's refrigerator, then snatching their puppy.

Rachel Schortye tells WCAU-TV (http://bit.ly/TKmNcT ) that the latest theft happened late Saturday or early Sunday. She says the burglars took their 52-inch flat-screen TV, winter clothes and party favors for her 8-year-old son's upcoming birthday party.

Schortye says the thieves also took her 3-month-old puppy Miss Piggy from her cage. She says they entered the home through a screen on her porch.

The burglars first struck Oct. 15. Schortye says they entered through the unlocked front door and emptied the family's fridge.

Police say similar burglaries have been reported in the same neighborhood.

Schortye says she doesn't have the money to replace all that was stolen.

___

Information from: WCAU-TV, http://www.nbc10.com

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2012-10-21-Food-Puppy%20Snatchers/id-02e40787aa214bafa6c9d52e48dcca59

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Ethical Pet Skinneeez Exotic Series 18-Inch Dog Toy, Chicken - Buxr

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Source: http://www.buxr.com/deal/ethical-pet-skinneeez-exotic-series-18-inch-dog-toy-chicken_122061

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Blackberry Bold 9900 Dakota Cellphone Review - Clayton ...

???????? Technoreporter.com ? It took me two many years to comprehend that my old Blackberry Bold 9000 was obtaining rusty and close to the point the place I have been wanting to throw it to the wall. It unsuccessful me so numerous instances. Picture this it froze each two days and sometimes, it even froze proper when there is an incoming phone!! I ended up not able to get the phone and had to reboot the cellphone. So I instructed myself it. I need to adjust my telephone?? So I made the decision to change to this attractive Blackberry Bold 9900 Dakota.

Show

It has a beautiful display with vibrant coloration and spacious display. Blackberry Dakota also utilizes a Gorilla display now, so you can rest assured being aware of that your telephone will stand the most ???abusive??? treatment method.

Blackberry OS seven

All round, Blackberry OS 7 is a sound running method. Nonetheless, there is 1 significant glitch on my Blackberry Bold 9900 Dakota phone. When it is rebooted, it in many cases caught all around 70% of the process. Evidently, it is a known bug known as a?reboot loop. I?m currently using Blackberry OS seven. Bundle 2395. Some individuals stated that this is just a small glitch that will vanish when you upgrade your software program. The one particular I???m using now is truly an upgrade from the prior a single. I forgot that the Bundle # for the preceding one particular, but it seems with this new bundle, I didn???t encounter the reboot loop? way too many occasions. I hope your Blackberry Dakota reboots easily It just annoys me sometimes when I have to pull out the battery and put it again in when one thing like this took place.

NFC

This cellphone is a single of the number of telephones that has NCF (Close to Subject Communication) in it. I cannot truly examination this out given that I simply cannot locate any place that provides an NFC tag to read from. Even so, this youtube movie will demonstrate you how it works. A single caveat?one of my good friend acquired his Blackberry Dakota from US (FYI, I bought this in Indonesia) and he did not have NFC mounted on his cellphone, so be cautious and make confident you check your phone (or inquire the consumer support if you are purchasing it on the internet) if it has NFC or not. You are definitely lacking out if your cellphone is not going to have one particular. Genuine that it?s not quite helpful now, but I can see it will be very useful couple of a long time down the highway.

Camera

This is where Blackberry Bold 9900 Dakota is missing. It only delivers 5MP camera! Granted that it has flash built-in. Even so, it doesn?t have automobile-concentrate function. So when you are getting a close-distant picture, your camera phone will be possessing a tough time to emphasis on the object and give you a blur picture.

Below we are talking about the best Blackberry phone in the market, harga blackberry dakota 9900. If you want to now more about blackberry dakota 9900 just visit our website now!.

Posted by SanchiousChiado on October 19, 2012. Filed under Mobile. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Source: http://www.technoreporter.com/reviews/mobile/blackberry-bold-9900-dakota-cellphone-review/

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Source: http://harrington42.typepad.com/blog/2012/10/blackberry-bold-9900-dakota-cellphone-review.html

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Pretend City Children's Museum to Host Annual Parents Symposium ...

THERE?S NO PRETENDING WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS FROM YOUR CHILD?

Are you overwhelmed by the BIG behaviors that your child sometimes exhibits?? Pretend City is hosting our annual Symposium for parents this month where leading child development experts will share valuable insight as they deal with challenging behaviors.? We would love for you to join us on October 24, 2012 from 6:00pm ? 8:30pm.? Here are a few tips I can pass along which will give you a taste of what you will learn from the other parenting experts at the Symposium.

1. When your child is acting out, remember to HALT.? H-A-L-T is an acronym for four important things to check out before you proceed.? Ask yourself, ?Is my child:

Hungry?

Angry?

Lonely (lonely applies to all big feelings like fear or uncertainty)?

Tired?

If you identify any of the above as true, you know where to begin to help alleviate the problem.? It?s a quick checklist to run through and may save you a whole lot of energy if you can take care of these items first before being sidetracked by their behavior.

1. Check your expectations.? Is what you expect from your child realistic?? Understanding what is typical behavior for your child?s stage of development is critical in setting realistic expectations. For example, if you have a 2-year old and you expect them to sit quietly while you watch your TV program, it?s safe to say that your expectation is unrealistic.? When they are 5-years old, this expectation is more realistic as they can color or read or play quietly.? On the flip side, if you expect too little, that?s a problem as well.? Sometimes children act out because parents are too restrictive and don?t allow children to challenge themselves. A key rule of thumb is to never do for a child what they are capable of doing for themselves ? it sends a subtle message to them that you don?t believe that they are competent. The more you understand about what is developmentally appropriate for your child, the more you will set realistic expectations ? for your child and for yourself.

1. Set reasonable limits and be as consistent as humanly possible.? Diversion and redirecting is a great way to move children away from a behavior that you want them to change.? Redirection is effective in some cases.? In others it is important to set reasonable limits for your child.? Setting reasonable limits helps children learn social norms and learn to manage their own behaviors.? If you are in a restaurant and your 4-year old starts throwing silverware, you need to set boundaries on what is proper behavior in public for them ? and remember to be as consistent as possible with the limits you set. Redirection is generally effective with infants and toddlers moving gradually into reasonable limit setting as children move toward their pre-school years.

Explain to your child why something is unacceptable, but don?t over explain.? One of the biggest problems I see today?s parents making ? and it seems to be on the increase, is that of over-explaining.? It almost seems as if parents are wanting their child to somehow validate that parents are doing the right thing by setting limits. While limit setting is not popular with your child, parents shouldn?t be seeking their child?s approval for the way they parent.? It is up to parents to learn about child development, set reasonable expectations, and do what is appropriate for their child in each new stage of their development.

Children often use challenging behaviors when they lack more appropriate behaviors or skills to accomplish the same goal or to communicate the message. During the Pretend City Symposium, our panel of experts will share ways to understand challenging behaviors and will discuss a range of helpful tips dealing with ages from birth to 10 years of age. ? We hope to see you there!

Linda Hunter, MA, LMFT

Senior Education Director and Chief Operations Officer, Pretend City

Linda earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Human Development and Master?s Degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy from the prestigious Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena. Linda joined Pretend City in 2002 prior to its opening and has over 40 years of experience working with children and families in both the fields of early childhood education and family therapy.

About Pretend City Children?s Museum

Pretend City Children?s Museum features a small, interconnected city designed to ?build better brains? through purposeful play, hands-on learning experiences, role playing, and educational programming.??As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization serving all children, it depends on community-based funding and guest support.??Through 17 interactive exhibits and activities guided by a highly trained professional staff, children learn foundational?math, reading and science skills, while fostering curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, organization, teamwork, self-confidence and socialization.??The museum is a unique community resource offering developmental screenings and tools for families, educators and community agencies working to ensure that each child gains the experiences needed to discover their potential and build toward a productive and fulfilling future.??Pretend City Children?s Museum is located at 29 Hubble, Irvine, CA 92618. For more information, please visit?www.pretendcity.org.

Source: http://www.theiemommy.com/2012/10/19/pretend-city-childrens-museum-to-host-annual-parents-symposium/

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Will 'Binders Full of Women' Hurt Romney?

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CalPERS Gets Itself a New CFO: Cheryl Eason - peHUB

The California Public Employees? Retirement System (CalPERS) has named Cheryl Eason as its CFO, a newly created position to oversee the financial and risk management operations of the $243 billion pension fund. Eason was most recently a VP for?the British Columbia Pension Corporation, one of the largest pension benefit administrators in Canada, and the largest in British Columbia.

PRESS RELEASE:

SACRAMENTO, CA ? The California Public Employees? Retirement System (CalPERS) has named Cheryl Eason as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), a newly created position to oversee the financial and risk management operations of the $243 billion Pension Fund.

Cheryl Eason comes to CalPERS with more than 25 years of financial management expertise in enterprise risk management and strategic and business planning in both the private and public sectors. She has held several senior executive positions throughout her career, most recently as Vice President, Financial and Plan Board Services for the British Columbia Pension Corporation, one of the largest pension benefit administrators in Canada, and the largest in British Columbia.

?Our CFO will be the single point of coordination for financial and risk-related activities across our organization, and Cheryl is the perfect choice to lead this important task,? said CalPERS Chief Executive Officer Anne Stausboll. ?Her background as a senior executive with extensive experience leading business planning, risk management and budgeting operations will ensure that CalPERS maintains a high level of transparency and internal controls in its financial operations.?

As CFO, Ms. Eason will be responsible for managing the finance processes for CalPERS, including budgeting, accounting, cash management, and financial planning and analysis. Ms. Eason will also oversee initiatives to improve and strengthen CalPERS risk management, compliance and ethics. She will be part of CalPERS executive leadership team, provide expert consultation and advice to the CalPERS Board of Administration, and report to Stausboll.

?I?m excited to join CalPERS and look forward to ensuring that the future of the organization continues on a solid financial foundation,? said Eason.

Ms. Eason holds a Master of Business Administration from British Columbia?s Royal Roads University and is a Certified General Accountant. She has also earned the Retirement Plans Associate designation from Dalhousie University and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Ms. Eason is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association and the Financial Executives International.

CalPERS, with assets of approximately $243 billion, is the largest public pension fund in the U.S. It administers retirement benefits for more than 1.6 million California state, local government, and public school employees, retirees, and their families on behalf of more than 3,000 public employers, and health benefits for more than 1.3 million enrollees. The average CalPERS pension benefit is $2,332 per month. The average benefit for those who retired in the most recent fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011, is $3,065 per month.

Source: http://www.pehub.com/169947/calpers-gets-itself-new-cfo-cheryl-eason/

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Austin City Limits Cares Helps Promote Music-, Environment - Miss A

ACL Music Festival encompasses all things that make Austin what it is. Inside the city limits of Austin, you?ll find a city passionate about its environment, live music and caring for its people. So it?s no surprise that every year ACL Festival features certain organizations and causes that represent Austin at the annual three day music festival.

ACL Music Festival (Photo Credit: Amanda Ivarra)

ACL Cares is about supporting good causes and providing an opportunity for select national and local organizations to gain support from thousands of enthusiastic, like-minded individuals. This year, the festival featured the following organizations: Anthropos Arts, Austin Music People, Conscious Alliance, Green Mountain Energy, HAAM, HeadCount, Love Hope Strength, Rock the Vote, SIMS, Solar Community, The Nature Conservancy and Vote the Environment.

Austin takes pride in being named the ?Live Music Capital of the World,? and the city has ACL Music Festival and SXSW to prove it.? But, there are also organizations like Anthropos Arts that promote music education and organizations like Austin Music People, HAAM and SIMS that provide services to musicians.? Just as Austinites enjoy the sound of live music, it?s important to keep the beat going by taking care of musicians and educating the youth of the community.

Esperanza Spalding and Anthropos Arts (Photo Credit: Amanda Ivarra)

Anthropos Arts

For 14 years, Anthropos Arts has been promoting equal opportunity in music education by bringing Austin?s top professional musicians into low-income, Title I schools to offer free lessons, workshops, master classes and performance opportunities to at-risk middle and high school students. On Day 1 of the festival, Esperanza Spalding?stopped by the Antrhopos Arts tent to sign autographs and pose for pictures with students.

Health Alliance for Musicians (HAAM)

The music industry is a vital contributor to the Austin economy?nearly $2 billion in economic activity, more than $38 million in local tax revenue each year. Yet, many musicians live below the poverty line. Many professional working musicians are self-employed and rarely have access to health insurance. Without insurance, they can?t afford preventive health care, including primary medical care, basic dental services and mental health counseling.

HAAM is a groundbreaking project that provides access to affordable health-care to Austin?s low-income, uninsured working musicians. Formed in 2005, HAAM has served over 2,700 musicians many of whom say HAAM has changed their lives and saved their careers.

SIMS

Sadly, many hardworking musicians struggle financially and live without access to mental health care. Due to the unstable nature of the business, musicians face a unique set of stressors. Irregular hours, financial insecurity, hectic travel schedules and proximity to alcohol and drugs can eventually take a toll on musicians. This stress can lead to or intensify depression, anxiety, relationship issues, addictions and even suicidal ideation.

Since 1995, the SIMS Foundation has provided a range of mental health services for Austin musicians and their families.

ACL Music Festival (Photo Credit: Amanda Ivarra)

Austin Music People (AMP)

AMP is committed to making the economic development of the Austin live music industry a priority for political and civic leaders and to empowering and connecting Austin?s live music community members by providing powerful advocacy tools, participating in policy development and representing live music interests in public and private forums.

AMP advocates for Austin?s live music community members, from engineers and musicians to bookers and venues, and ensures the continued health of our industry as a key economic and cultural driver for the ?Live Music Capital of the World.?

Love Hope Strength

Love Hope Strength (LHS) is an international, music-centric cancer charity dedicated to saving lives, one concert at time. Through its ?Get on the List? campaign, LHS encourages concert goers to also become bone marrow donors.

Conscious Alliance

This year, ACL Festival partnered with Conscious Alliance to host the ?Art that Feeds? food drive. Concert goers that donated 10 non-perishable food items received a free poster created by Anthem Branding. All food donations benefited the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas.

Austin may be known for its live music, but this city is also environmentally conscious. While the city may boast about the ACL Music Festival, it also values the land that plays host to the world famous festival and strives to keep it clean.

Green Mountain Energy (Photo Credit: Amanda Ivarra)

Green Mountain Energy

ACL Festival is committed to tracking and offsetting its carbon footprint, along with offering concert goers an easy way to offset their own emissions.? When purchasing festival tickets online, concert goers were offered the chance to purchase certified carbon offsets from Green Mountain Energy Company. By adding the $3 Green Mountain Energy? Fan Tag, ticket holders were able to offset 220 pounds of CO2. That?s like not driving a car for 245 miles, recycling 550 aluminum cans or as much as 13 trees can absorb in one year!

During the festival, fans could stop by the Green Mountain Energy tent, make a $3 donation and receive an adorable, nature-inspired recyclable tote.

All carbon offsets purchased from this year?s festival will benefit the SouthTex Greenwoods Farm Landfill in Tyler.

The Nature Conservancy

The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to protect the lands and waters on which all life depends. Over 862,000 acres of land in the Austin area have been protected by The Nature Conservancy.

Solar Community

Solar Community is dedicated to making solar power easy and affordable for everyone. For this year?s festival, Solar Community provided an off-grid solar electric system that included a solar shade structure giving concert goers a place to cool off and charge their cell phones.

Austin is proud to be a leader in the music industry and environmental field, and it?s a city that invites the world to see the progress that it?s making. But, this progress wouldn?t have been possible if the voices of its people were not heard.

Vote the Environment (Photo Credit: Amanda Ivarra)

Vote the Environment

The Vote the Environment campaign seeks to connect peoples? environmental passions with the power of their vote by encouraging people to register to vote, learn about candidates? environmental records and vote for the world they want to live in.

HeadCount

HeadCount is a grassroots organization that uses the power of music to register voters and raise political consciousness. Since 2004, HeadCount has staged voter registration drives at over 2,000 concerts and signed up over 175,000 voters. It?s not about what party you support or where you land on an issue, it?s that you must speak to be heard!

Rock the Vote

Rock the Vote?s mission is to engage and build political power for young people in our country. Rock the Vote is dedicated to building the political power and clout of the millennial generation by registering and turning out young people, by forcing the candidates to campaign to them and by making politicians pay attention to youth and the issues they care about once in office.

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Source: http://askmissa.com/2012/10/18/austin-city-limits-cares-helps-promote-music-environment-and-political-related-causes/

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