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Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Send condoms ? not diapers | London | News | London Free Press
Get ready for the 1960s sexual revolution to reach its ultimate climax.
The trend-setting baby boomers are starting to move into retirement homes and long-term care facilities. But is the retirement industry ready for a generation that came of age during the summer of love?
As boomers age -- the oldest are 67, making them 22 during the so-called summer of love -- and move into retirement and long-term care facilities, health care providers are increasingly having to accommodate sexually active seniors.
"I think it's been a secret up until now, and as more people are moving into care we are making it an issue," said Susan Eng, vice-president of advocacy for the Canadian Association of Retired People.
"There's no reason why that part of their lives should stop. People start with the assumption that at a certain age you stop being sexual, and that's not true."
Nursing homes are ill-equipped to accommodate seniors' sexual needs, Eng said.
"We need more private rooms. It's a question of design, and the current state of affairs is not designed to accommodate this part of people's lives."
At Oak Crossing, a 160-bed long-term care facility which opened two years ago in London's northwest, residents can choose to live in a "couple's room."
There's also a stay-over room meant for visiting family members that can also be used, on request, if two residents want some privacy, said Elaine Shantz, the interim administrator at the city-owned nursing home, Dearness Home. She previously worked at Oak Crossing.
"There are ways in which we are trying to address the rights of our seniors," she said.
"As the baby boomers age, all sorts of things will change."
At Dearness, there's no such private room for residents to rent.
But staff try to put couples in a room together, if possible, or give them rooms close to each other.
"This is the residents' home. They come here to live, so throughout their life here, we strive to meet their needs," Shantz said.
Sex education needs to catch up to the reality of sexually active older boomers, said Susan Silcox, a social worker at Parkwood Hospital, who teaches future doctors about sexuality and seniors.
"Maintaining sexual health is a lot about adjusting your expectations of it, because the sex you had in your 20s is not the same sex you'll have when you're older," she said.
A Canadian study released in 2002 found 70% of adults over age 70, and 25% over age 80, are sexually active.
Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are on the rise worldwide and boomers and seniors also need to know about safer sex.
According to the American Center for Disease Control, there were almost 900 cases of syphilis in 45- to 64-year-olds in 2000.
By 2010, the number grew to more than 2,500.
In Canada, 2006 statistics showed 12% of reported AIDS cases were in people over age 50.
"When you pay attention to any advertising, you'll see that the Viagra and Cialis commercials are aimed at the older generation. But anything about safer sex is aimed at the younger generation," Silcox said.
While younger boomers may be up on the latest safer-sex practices, many older ones weren't thinking about condom use during the summer of love.
"They may have had sex with just one partner, or only to conceive children, and they think now that they're older (safer sex) doesn't apply to them, which isn't true," Silcox said.
Added Eng: "It's embarrassing enough to admit that they're doing this, let alone asking for directions. They're not going to ask their kids."
Erica Zairns, a public health nurse with the Middlesex London Health Unit, speaks to groups about sex as part of a sexual health promotion team.
She's never been asked to talk to a group in a seniors' home, but she's spoken to groups in the community that include older people, especially women.
"The topic of sexuality is sensitive, especially if you're not used to it," she said.
"We are sexual beings from birth to death. It's a really important part of most people's lives."
She's taken groups of women to sex shops to figure out how to use sex toys and many of the older women readily participated.
"The biggest sexual organ is the brain, so it doesn't matter what you have below the neck. Sexual activity is very beneficial, whether it's with yourself or with a partner," Zairns said.
"We should encourage safer sex in adults."
Nursing homes should be last-resort places, Eng said, so seniors can live as long as possible in their own homes with dignity and privacy.
When people do go into long-term care facilities, they should encounter staff and administrators willing to accommodate sexually-active residents.
Administrators and personal care workers need to be sensitive.
"They should not assume that once you go into care, that part of your life is over and you are essentially neutered," she said.
"Among residents, you'll have connections. (Staff) need to be aware that this is an important part of (residents') lives and they need to have dignity and privacy."
E-mail kate.dubinski@sunmedia.ca, read Kate's blog, or follow KateatLFPress on Twitter.
Source: http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2012/07/29/20041526.html
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Saturday, July 28, 2012
The slow-motion collapse of American entrepreneurship - CFED ...
Washington Monthly
By: Barry C. Lynn and Lina Khan
July/August 2012
The slow-motion collapse of American entrepreneurship
For all its current economic woes," the Economist magazine recently asserted, "America remains a beacon of entrepreneurialism." That idea is at the heart of America's self-image. Both parties celebrate entrepreneurial small business as the fount of innovation and growth. Even if America no longer manufactures its own smartphones or computers, we cling to the idea that American entrepreneurs invent most of the new products and services that matter to the world.
Americans also view entrepreneurialism as a vital route to upward mobility--a way for average people to build wealth, in the form of a business venture that can be passed on to one's children or sold upon retirement. Whether it's the family farm or the local diner, small businesses have traditionally provided citizens not only with income but also with a place to teach kids the value of responsibility and hard work.
Then there's the role entrepreneurs play in creating jobs. One recent study by the Small Business Administration (SBA) showed that businesses with fewer than twenty employees were responsible for more than 97 percent of all new jobs between 1988 and 2004.
More broadly, Americans have traditionally seen entrepreneurship as a crucial measure of the nation's political vibrancy and liberty. We hold that the more independent citizens we have, the more widely power, responsibility, and voice will be distributed, and hence the stronger our democracy will be. The basic thinking here was best expressed by James Madison more than 200 years ago, when he wrote that the "greater the proportion" of citizens who are their own masters, "the more free, the more independent, and the more happy must be society itself."
Yet how much does this faith in the vigor of American entrepreneurialism stand up to scrutiny? To a casual news consumer, it might seem that it has never been easier to launch and grow a new venture. One highly publicized study claimed that the United States leads all major industrial economies in the percentage of the adult population engaged in entrepreneurial activity. "We are in the midst of the largest entrepreneurial surge this country has ever seen," a CNNMoney article tells us. Or, as the Council on Competitiveness has observed, "One of the critical drivers of America's economic dynamism and flexibility has been the strength of its entrepreneurial economy."
Last summer, however, a report by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation exposed a big crack at the base of this widely held belief. "Even before the overall economy started its most recent downturn," the authors noted, the number of business births had already "peaked." Worse, with the onset of the Great Recession these numbers began to "plummet," with the number of new independent employers dropping 27 percent in only three years.
This spring Kauffman followed with a second report that was in many ways even more dire. Compared to a generation ago, the report said, it is now much harder to start a business in America and keep it running. In 1980 "young firms"--those less than five years old--accounted for almost half of all going concerns. By 2010, their share of the total had collapsed to less than 35 percent. And as the Kauffman authors made clear, this doesn't only mean less opportunity for America's entrepreneurs. It also means millions fewer jobs every year, and much less economic growth.
Inspired by Kauffman's report last summer, we set out to examine for ourselves the health of America's entrepreneurial economy. What we discovered is that the decline in entrepreneurship is even bigger and more systemic in nature than was clear from Kaufmann's work. America really is undergoing a radical change in the structure of our political economy. And yet this revolutionary shift of power, control, and wealth has remained all but unrecognized and unstudied by the mainstream media, Capitol Hill, the White House, state legislatures, and both party machines.
A good way to begin getting a sense of the magnitude of the drop-off in entrepreneurship--and its potential significance--is to examine the number of new "employer businesses" created every year, as compiled by the Census Bureau. The Census defines employer businesses as proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations that have at least one paid employee. In other words, we're not talking about the midlevel executive turned "consultant," not the nanny who pays taxes, not the part-time potter puttering around Etsy.
According to the Census Bureau's raw data, the total number of employer businesses has grown continuously over the last three decades. When we focus only on this one number, we get an image of slow and steady expansion in the ranks of entrepreneurs. Which is why this figure is used so often to buttress claims of the nation's entrepreneurial health.
The problem with this picture, however, is that it does not account for the fact that between 1977 (the first year the Census captured this "employer business" data) and 2009 the working-age population in the United States increased by seventy-five million people. If we adjust for this expansion, a much darker picture emerges. New business formation in America is revealed to have actually fallen dramatically over the last generation.
In 1977, Americans created more than thirty-five new employer businesses for every 10,000 citizens age sixteen and over. By 2009, however, Americans were annually creating fewer than eighteen such businesses, a 50 percent drop. While the Great Recession clearly cut into new business creation, the decline was clear well before 2007. The averages across decades capture that decline: between 1977 and 1989 Americans created more than twenty-seven new businesses for every 10,000 working-age citizens. This compares to fewer than twenty-five in the 1990s and around twenty-two in the 2000s. In and of itself, this decline in the number of new employer firms does not prove that the average American citizen is less able or less willing to launch a new business. A greater percentage of our entrepreneurially minded citizens might, for instance, be content to work as one-person operations. Indeed, in recent years we saw the rise of a new form of entrepreneurial hero--the self-employed "freelancer." In the well-known phrase coined by business guru Dan Pink in the late 1990s, America was to become a "free agent nation," in which individual citizens voluntarily choose the flexible work arrangements that come with solo gigs and short-time contract arrangements.
Here, too, we decided to test the common perception--repeated endlessly in the business press--against actual Census Bureau figures, once again adjusting for the growth in the working-age population. And here, too, we found that the official statistics contradicted the theory--at least as it applies to the population as a whole.
Data kept by the Small Business Administration, for instance, shows that the share of the working-age population that is self-employed has been declining since 1994. The share fell steadily until 2002, stayed level between 2003 and 2006, then began to drop again. Overall, between 1994 and 2009, the share declined nearly 25 percent.
Source: http://blogs.cfed.org/cfed_news_clips/2012/07/the-slowmotion-collapse-of-ame.html
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Home Improvement | Sleek Light Designs That Will Save You Money ...
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Landscape lighting could be everything from lights on a park to lighting your back yard. The sun?s rays makes landscape lighting unnecessary during the day. Solar powered lights are an optimal way to obtain light when you are trying to find reduced operating costs as well as high productivity. The particular lighting you decide on for your yard needs to be a good source of light at night, which means that attention has to be provided towards the spots needing light the most. Your focus on feature lighting fixtures must become your secondary priority.
Chandeliers offer a means to light a room in style & class. Company are often greeted by this luxurious glass fixture in the entrance of a property. They can accommodate the dining room too. Styles vary, yet almost all chandeliers consist of pieces of glass or crystals and little lights.
Bedrooms & living rooms primarily just need one substantial source of light. Throughout the day time, lighting is often not needed because of large windows that are normal in these areas. Lamps not only possess the potential to help accentuate a location, but can also supply a seriously bright, portable light fixture for reading a book, playing games, projects and numerous alternative activities. Big light fixtures much less suitable for creating an intimate, soft ambiance in a room.
One of the most vital factors to take into consideration while selecting lights is their power efficiency. Energy effective lights reduces both price plus the harm done to our earth. The expense of utilizing fluorescent lights is significantly below that of traditional incandescent lights. The upfront cost of incandescent lighting fixtures is deceiving since they are less per bulb compared to energy efficient lights. The length of time the bulb will last and its cost on your power bill shows a fluorescent light bulb is a substantially superior deal overall.
While wall and ceiling lighting is commonly employed throughout a home, they can also be the focus of a room depending upon their design. Ceiling lights are most often in the middle of the room so that its illumination can be dispersed uniformly. Wall lights are in most cases situated where their light can reach all the corners of a room. These types of lighting fixtures ought not need to be accompanied by a number of others so that you can properly illuminate a room.
Fluorescent lights are the most widely known method of illumination at this time. one rationale for this is the extraordinary power efficiency of fluorescent bulbs. A single seventy-five watt incandescent light lasts four times less than a 15-watt fluorescent light. A fluorescent light may cost just 25% of what an incandescent bulb will.
The versatility of lamps makes them a well-liked source of light. Lamps are more suitable for highlighting a room & providing a bright, concentrated source of light than they are at being the main light source in a room room. Modest and medium sized lamps could be placed practically anywhere there's a supporting surface & tall lamps just demand a little area on the floor. Choosing the proper lamp is a matter of deciding on what characteristics are most essential to you; mobility, decorative allure or brightness.
Article Source:?http://www.bharatbhasha.net
Article Url: http://www.bharatbhasha.net/home_improvement.php/380347
Article Added on Friday, July 27, 2012
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Source: http://www.bharatbhasha.net/home_improvement.php/380347
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Friday, July 27, 2012
BAA loses appeal over enforced Stansted airport sale
LONDON (Reuters) - British airport operator BAA on Thursday lost its appeal against a Competition Commission (CC) ruling forcing it to sell London Stansted airport.
The CC has welcomed today's Court of Appeal decision to uphold its decision requiring BAA to sell Stansted airport," the CC said in response to the ruling.
BAA, owned by Ferrovial, last year chose to sell Edinburgh airport after Britain's Competition Commission ordered it to dispose of one of its Scottish airports along with Stansted as part of a drive to loosen the firm's grip on the British airport market.
Stansted, which is a predominantly low-cost leisure and holiday airport, is based some 50 kilometres northeast of central London.
(Reporting by Rhys Jones; editing by Neil Maidment)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/baa-loses-appeal-over-enforced-stansted-airport-sale-122900648--sector.html
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Thursday, July 26, 2012
ORC: Vengeance for iPad review: dungeon-crawling done right
If you're tired of waiting for Infinity Blade: Dungeons to come out and have already played the snot out of Dungeon Hunter 3, I've got a great fantasy hack-and-slash game for you. ORC: Vengeance will be released soon by Big Cave Games, a new developer with some extensive experience from the PC and console gaming world. ORC: Vengeance features gesture-based combat, highly polished graphics, a novel equipment upgrade system and a unique angle on the usual goody-two-shoes fantasy plotline.
ORC: Vengeance follows Rok, a green-skinned warlord that has been captured by the undead hordes that have taken over the lands of Argon. Human empires fell long ago, but there is still an orc resistance, faltering as it may be. Rok has to return to his clan, rescue his fellow banished warlords, and take the fight to The Dark One. The usual RPG elements are here: kill bad guys, earn experience points, level up, choose abilities to improve, and pick up new gear along the way. New equipment can be purchased between levels with the coins players pick up throughout battle or acquired through in-app purchases. Weapons and shields will also occasionally drop, though duplicate items are automatically translated into coin, cutting down on inventory clutter.
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Gameplay and controls
ORC: Vengeance breaks the traditional joystick mold for iOS action games. Players tap where they want to move, long press to initiate autorun, and tap on enemies once to start automatically attacking them. Instead of relying on an action bar for special abilities, they can be assigned to gestures such as double-tap, swipe, circle, and zigzag. This added level of complexity is key to making the game more than just tapping on bad guys until they die, but they can sometimes be a little too tricky to execute properly and quickly. It would be nice to be able to remap long-press along with the others, since for whatever reason I find myself double-tapping when I want to run. Auto-run also seems to automatically quit a little sooner than I would like.
Progression is more or less standard, with a circular experience graph letting you know how close you are to levelling up. Once full, players get four ability points to spend on attack, defense, greed, and vengeance attributes - wait, greed and vengeance? Yup, greed affects how much gold is dropped by enemies as well as the prices offered by the inter-level vendor. Vengeance determines how often Rok can use special abilities; it's expended when he uses an ability, and regained for killing enemies. Mana is for wussy humans. New powers are discovered in chests throughout gameplay, and can be upgraded the same way as weapons, minus the level 5 cap on upgrades. My only qualm about progression is that it feels kind of lame when after leveling up for kicking open a barrel - should I really be getting experience points for that?
There's a particularly great equipment system in place. ?Every single piece of gear can be upgraded at any time with gold acquired from adventuring or through in-app purchase. There are five upgrade tiers for each weapon, with costs and level requirements increasing with every upgrade. Skills can be upgraded in a similar way, though they aren't limited to five levels. Between stages, players can visit the shop to offload excess loot and pick up new weapons and armor. ORC: Vengeance really cuts down on inventory clutter by automatically selling anything picked up that's already owned. Approaching items on the ground pops up a window that shows how it compares to what's currently equipped, and buttons to toss it in the backpack or start using it right away.?
Kitting out Rok is perhaps a little oversimplified. There are only two slots that can be equipped with gear (shield and weapon), which is a huge step down for people that are used to other fantasy games where it's the norm to equip boots, leggings, body armor, helm, two rings, gauntlets, and either weapon and shield, dual weapons, or two-handed weapons. I've only played through until level 7, so more options may open up down the line, but nothing beyond the two slots so far. Axes, swords, and maces are the three weapon types, each with their own balance between speed and power. Though weapons don't have a laundry list of bonuses like many RPGs, some will provide a bonus to one of Rok's four stats.?
The storyline deserves a shoutout. I have a soft spot for orcs, so maybe putting them front and center already engenders me to the concept of the game, but it's refreshing to have a party that's normally the villain taking up the protaganist's role while still maintaining a level of badassery. While exploring dungeons, players will find lore books with bits and pieces of the story that gradually paint a larger picture beyond the intro video. The action isn't bogged down with an excess of story, though - so far one level has moved on to the next without any cutscenes.
ORC: Vengeance is universal and has iCloud sync enabled for those of you that want to pick up where you left off between iOS devices. Game Center is enabled for leaderboards and achievements, but no multiplayer just yet unfortunately.?
Graphics and audio
I was really, really impressed with the graphics in ORC: Vengeance. The environments are gritty, detailed, and full of dynamic lighting effects. Character animations are convincing and show a ton of personality. Environmental effects like weather and camera shake really set the mood. All gear is faithfully reproduced on Rok, which makes your loadout all the more personal. Many of you will be happy to hear that the visuals are optimized for the new iPad's Retina display.?
The soundtrack is high-grade, and matches the dark, gritty atmosphere of an orc laying waste to the undead. Sound effects and the few bits of voice acting are equally awesome. ?There are lots of rain effects in the early levels, and aside from the continual pitter-patter, Rok's footsteps also have their own distinct splashing sound effects.?
Pros
- Excellent graphics
- Fresh take on classic fantasy storylines
Cons
- No multiplayer
- Few equipment slots
Conclusion
ORC: Vengenace manages to deliver all of the action and fun of a classic dungeon romp game on PC, while paring down just enough to keep things optimized for a touch interface. There's also a few new spins on the classic fantasy action game, such as new attributes, gesture-based attacks, a focus on orcs (traditionally the bad guys) and simplified equipment upgrades that make ORC: Vengeance a truly fresh experience even for grizzled gaming veterans. Multiplayer would be nice to have down the line, but as it is this game is great. I'd love to see the developers stick with the engine and expand with new episodes made available through in-app purchases. Microtransactions are done in a classy way - that is, buying coins with IAPs is entirely optional and not remotely required to succeed or have fun playing the game.?
ORC: Vengeance comes out July 26 for $2.99. Get it! I double-dog dare you.?
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Qwtd4yM9S9c/story01.htm
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Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Sunbeds raise skin cancer risk by 20 per cent: study | Cancer Kick
The researchers called for tanning under the age of 18 to be restricted, and
unsupervised tanning salons to be banned ? laws that are already in place in
Australia and several European countries.
?Prevention of the harmful effects associated with sunbed use must be
based on tougher actions,? wrote lead author Mathieu Boniol, of the
International Prevention Research Institute, in France.
?If sunbed use by teenagers and young adults does not substantially
decrease in the short term, then more radical actions should be envisioned,
such as the nationwide prohibition of the public use of tanning devices,
which was implemented by the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency
in November 2009.?
They argued that the sunbed industry has not shown an ability to ?self-regulate
effectively? but instead gives ?information intended to deceive
consumers?.
?The sunbed industry has used the opportunity to claim that properly
regulated indoor tanning is safe, and that it might even have health
benefits,? they said.
A ban on under 18s using sunbeds is coming into force in the UK last year.
Across Europe, the use of sunbeds leads to almost 3,500 cases of skin cancer
and 800 deaths every year, the authors estimated.
Elspeth Wigmore, Information Development Nurse at Macmillan Cancer Support,
said: ?Young people who use sunbeds are particularly at risk of developing
skin cancers including the most serious type of skin cancer, malignant
melanoma. Using a sunbed also ages your skin which will affect your
appearance as you get older.
?New regulations ban the use of sunbeds by people under 18. You should see
your GP if you notice any changes to your skin that don?t heal or go away on
their own.?
Article source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9423190/Sunbeds-raise-skin-cancer-risk-by-20-per-cent-study.html
Source: http://cancerkick.com/2012/07/25/sunbeds-raise-skin-cancer-risk-by-20-per-cent-study/
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Look! It Moves! by Adi Tantimedh: The Dark Knight Flashpoint ...
So THE DARK KNIGHT RISES has become a kind of flashpoint for cultural preoccupations and anxieties on levels both surprising and unexpected tragic. It?s one of those pop culture artifacts that has attuned itself so sharply to the ether that it becomes a magnet for unforeseen occurrences that puts it even more firmly into the time it was made in. It?s fascinating that where people used to see Batman as a kitsch figure of fun, Christopher Nolan has transformed him into an embodiment of the American zeitgeist and all its contradictions and confusions in a way no other character, not even Superman, could.
I can?t help feeling that with THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, Hollywood movies are finally dancing with the apocalypse the same way Japanese pop culture has been for decades. Coincidentally, DARK KNIGHT RISES shares some themes with John Wagner?s apparently final JUDGE DREDD storyline in 2000AD that just ended a few weeks ago, DAY OF CHAOS, where Judge Dredd saw Mega City One face near-annihilation with over three quarters of its population ? and the Judges ? wiped out in all-out civil war because of propaganda and other chaotic conflagrations, dealing with the conflict between Order and Chaos, and with a far less comforting conclusion than the one Batman arrives at. It should be noted that John Wagner is pretty much an anarchist writing a dark satire where fascism is the best answer against all-out apocalyptic chaos. It?s all in the air these days.
But back to Batman.
The thing is, Batman has been a flashpoint for American cultural mores since Frank Miller?s THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS was published in 1986 when Miller?s dark, adult approach to the character featured shooting-in-all-directions satires on the Reagan era, complacent hippies, political correctness and its tension with the fascistic aspects of Batman and the superhero genre paved the way for not only subsequent portrayals of Batman in comics and movies, but Christopher Nolan?s trilogy as well. You could argue that Superman and Batman comics in the 1960s and 1970s reflected unconsciously the trends and anxieties of the day as well, but not intentionally. It was the 1980s that this approach to storytelling became more overt. The Tim Burton movies and Joel Schumacher?s decadent campy fiasco were expressions of 80s and 90s decadence, especially the lack of coherent narratives, but Nolan?s trilogy took Batman to a more somber, adult allegorical space.
I think it?s too much to ask of a blockbuster comic book movie to provide us with any answers, but what fiction does best is reflect current anxieties and societal obsessions, and Christopher Nolan has used Batman to make a trilogy of allegorical post-9/11 American anxiety the same way that Eastern Bloc movies used symbolism and allegory to comment on life under Soviet rule in order to avoid censorship, only in Nolan?s case, he didn?t have to worry about censorship. If anything, where every other movie that tried to tackle 9/11 and the War on Terror directly in the past decade has failed either artistically or financially or both, Nolan?s Batman trilogy have been huge hits. It seems that tackling the issues and themes allegorically and symbolically has made them palatable to audiences seeking entertainment and escapist solace. This is interesting considering how somber and downbeat much of the trilogy is. Nolan has pretty much subverted the usual triumphalist power fantasies of the superhero genre and turned the Batman movies into something darker, more somber and ambivalent. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES actually contains some fairly complex questions about the purpose of popular myth and propaganda, including untrue ones, to ensure social order and cohesion in ways that political philosopher Leo Strauss used to write about. That?s pretty heady for a comic book movie.
Nolan has said that he and his co-writers didn?t use the Occupy Movement as inspiration but Charles Dickens? A TALE OF TWO CITIES, which was set in the French Revolution and detailed the descent of a society into chaos once a fanatical revolutionary order took over. The scenes of the show trials in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES were designed to recall the show trials as depicted in tales from the French Revolution, and Bane is not an avatar of the Right or the Left so much as Robespierre. I was reminded of Andrzej Wajda?s 1983 movie DANTON, which was set in the time of the Terrors in the French Revolution and could itself be seen as a veiled allegory of Poland under the Communist regime at the time. Of course, Bane?s fanatical nihilism is a kind of straw man you only find in comic book stories, the kind of pretender to revolution who?s really out to destroy everything that exists mainly in reactionary minds (there?s no proof that the Occupy Movement was about nihilism at all except in the minds of the Right, considering the Occupiers were only demanding accountability in the banking system) but serves the purposes of unsubtle pulp entertainment. Typically, the movie doesn?t really have any faith or belief in the collective action of people. It talks about the haves and have-nots but doesn?t really show ordinary people or their reactions. Nolan?s Bruce Wayne is more a rich anarchist who doesn?t even seem to care much about holding onto his money, and whose tactics are often fascistic.
The trilogy really works best when read as allegories and symbols. When Ra?s al-Ghul compared Gotham City as a modern Sodom and Gommorah whose destruction would cause the other cities in the world to follow in BATMAN BEGINS, it only made sense if you read Nolan?s Gotham as an allegory for America. American critics immediately seized upon BATMAN BEGINS? reflection of post-9/11 America and the threats of terrorist destruction. THE DARK KNIGHT took the allegory even further with the battle between Batman and the Joker as a conflict between Chaotic Good and Chaotic Evil. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES continues the series? dance with the hot button themes of fascism, terrorism, social collapse and chaos without overtly taking a side on right or left, which leaves plenty of room for pundits on both the left and right to try to claim it for themselves, just as with THE DARK KNIGHT a few years back. Neither side has acknowledged that Batman?s actions in the movies have made him more of an ambivalent anarchist than a conservative. As a vigilante, he?s breaking the law while trying to enforce justice, and his use of might and illegal surveillance tend to flirt with fascism, making him a mass of contradictions neither left nor right. And Nolan also made it a point to have Batman?s fall from grace turn him into an underdog instead of the one with power to put us on his side.
Topographically, Nolan?s Gotham has always been a mish-mash of several cities edited together. In BATMAN BEGINS, it was a combination of Chicago and London?s Canary Wharf. In THE DARK KNIGHT, it was mostly Chicago, alluding to that city?s status as the preeminent city for ruthless American politics, and in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, it?s made up of parts of Downtown Los Angeles, Newark, Pittsburgh and very recognisable parts of New York City, from the skyline to the scenes of urban clashes in the Financial District. New York being the financial capital ends up referencing the economic meltdown and Occupy Wall Street, even though the script was written back in 2008, well before the emergence of the Occupy movement. In that respect, Gotham becomes not just every city in America but a symbol of America itself, which serves Nolan?s purpose when Bane takes over the city and subjects it to a nihilistic rule of terror while pretending to be a leftist liberator. Catwoman here is a mouthpiece for class resentment and social inequality. If the movie settles on any stance by the end, it?s one of reconciliation.
And then you can?t ignore the implications of the shooting in Colorado. Beyond the fact that crazy people will always gravitate towards popular events, especially when they want to kill as many people as possible, there?s really nothing else to say, except that this has put the movie in an unfortunate, unexpected and horrible position of being part of the zeitgeist yet again. As Heath Ledger?s death at the time of THE DARK KNIGHT?s release connected it with drug and pill problems, now the Aurora shooting at a cinema has also placed it in the forefront of America?s problem with guns and violence, neither case was part of the movies? stories or intended themes.
It?s a strange and surreal twist that all roads lead to Batman.
If you?re in the USA, you can watch DANTON on hulu.com
Leaping tall metaphors with a single bound at lookitmoves@gmail.com
Follow the official LOOK! IT MOVES! twitter feed at http://twitter.com/lookitmoves for thoughts and snark on media and pop culture, stuff for future columns and stuff I may never spend a whole column writing about.
Look! It Moves! ? Adisakdi Tantimedh
Source: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/07/24/look-it-moves-by-adi-tantimedh-the-dark-knight-flashpoint/
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Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Dwarkadelhi Blog ? Self Improvement: Guidance On Being Who You ...
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In today?s modern entire world massive amounts of people are making the most of well-known self-assist strategies in an effort to enhance themselves in addition to their lifestyles. Personal-help coaching, together with assisting you become the person you may have always wanted to be, will help improve the pleasure and contentment you have in your own life. The next report features some useful self-assist recommendations.
Pamper your self, and be sure you are doing what makes you cheerful. It might be pressure relieving to get items that make you satisfied and do them for your self. Regardless of whether it?s something straightforward such as obtaining your nails accomplished, discover time for such things, and do them therefore you feel better about yourself.
Organization is essential into a stress free life. If you feel like you might be inside a cluttered and chaotic surroundings it can make you sense as if your way of life is chaotic and chaotic. It can do not take long to remove a few of the mess which is well worth the effort when it is all mentioned and done.
Learn to be practical as an alternative to reactive. The excellent managers worldwide, see a problem before them and prepare in order to meet it, and even overcome it, well well before it happens. Many people don?t are living in this way. Most react to troubles while they come up and then wind up so hidden in quick demands that they can?t concentrate on the upcoming. Learn to be assertive and you will free of charge your time and efforts for personal growth.
If you are thinking of heading down the way of personal-help working with your rage difficulties, you should stay focused on your aim being more relaxed. Usually, events will occur that will make you would like to snap, but you have to stay focused and search past the brief satisfaction of fury.
Be sure to handle an optimistic perspective on life. It really is simple to say I can not do this or pay attention to things that you do not have. Alternatively, once you catch oneself contemplating negative, make on your own think of the optimistic that moves together with that thought. Being positive can help you understand your successes and keep you concentrating on other folks.
Figure out what is vital for your needs. It really is as well an easy task to be influenced into believing that for you to do by someone who is good at convincing other individuals. Be sure if you make up your mind to generate an alter in your own life, know that it must be something you want to accomplish due to the fact when stuff get hard, it will be simpler for you to keep going.
As was stated at the beginning on this report, utilizing self-assist strategies and techniques can assist you to enhance who you really are as being a man or woman, raise degrees of contentment in your lifetime and allow you to reside the life span you have always imagined. Utilize the personal-support advice contained in this article and you will be on your way to learning to be a greater man or woman.
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gpnextel.com ? Blog Archive ? What bankruptcy debt relief You ...
What bankruptcy debt relief You Need To Know About Personal Bankruptcy Now
Personal bankruptcy is a big step for many people, and it is a legitimate tool that helps people get out from under a mountain of debt. Many borrowers successfully build their credit after filing bankruptcy, and continue on with success in their financial lives. Read on to find out more about personal bankruptcy, and what it means to you financially.
As you prepare to file bankruptcy, you must prepare a list of all your assets. This includes any financial resources, such as financial accounts, titles to real estate holdings or vehicles, and anything you own that exceeds $500 in value. Having this information handy and accurately documents makes the whole process of bankruptcy go much smoother.
Seek advice from a debt consultant before you file for bankruptcy. Deciding to file for bankruptcy is not something that you should do without first seeking advice from a financial expert. This is because filing for bankruptcy will seriously hinder your ability to secure credit in the coming years.
It is important that you don?t let bankruptcy get you down in the dumps. Bankruptcy can be a challenging time in anyone?s life, but it is meant to give you a fresh start, enabling you to establish good credit and move toward a better future for you and your family. Remember, bankruptcy is your legal right, so don?t feel guilty or ashamed of taking advantage of it. If you do feel that you are suffering excess anxiety or depression over financial issues, counseling may help you to better deal with your emotions and concerns.
Do not wait too long to file for bankruptcy, credit card consolidation if that is what you are going to do. By waiting a long period of time, you are just allowing your debt to keep piling up. Once you have decided that filing for bankruptcy is the right choice, start the process right away!
Do not be foolish, and try to file personal bankruptcy without an attorney. Do your research online, find a reputable attorney. Ask friends, and coworkers if they have any experience with bankruptcy lawyers. Often is the case that good attorneys are found, via word of mouth. An attorney is the best chance you have of coming through feeling comfortable, about your bankruptcy.
After filing for bankruptcy, check your credit report to make sure that it was reported the way that it should have been. You want to make sure that any debts that were part of your bankruptcy are now labeled ?BK? so creditors know you no longer owe that money.
If you are trying to avoid ruining your credit by filing for bankruptcy, you should consult a credit counselor before you are in too deep. Research the internet to find a reputable credit counseling company. When you find a good company, they will help find ways to reduce expenses, work on a manageable budget, and pay-off all you debt without filing bankruptcy.
Before opting to file for personal bankruptcy, try to pay off all of your debts. Some creditors are more than willing to work with you and you should do so before deciding to file for bankruptcy. This way, you can avoid all of the problems that are associated with bankruptcy.
Do not forget to list the name of any of the creditors that you would like to be included when you file for bankruptcy. Any credit relief creditor that is not listed will not be included.This means that you will still owe them the entire balance that is on your account.
If you are being threatened by creditors you may avoid personal bankruptcy by working with a financial repair expert. Many times unpaid debts are paid upfront by these organizations, and the debt is then owed to the debt repair company. There is a fee for this, but this plan has less expense than going through bankruptcy.
Avoid Bankruptcy
One way that many people have been able to avoid personal bankruptcy is to consolidate debt. Often, people have accumulated many small debts that can be extremely difficult to pay at the same time. If you can consolidate these debts along with larger ones into one debt, it is much easier to avoid bankruptcy.
If you want to try to avoid bankruptcy, you have to do everything you can to reduce your expenses. Sit down and write-up every expense you have for the month and start slashing. It does not matter how small, even the buck you spend at the coffee machine helps and adds up.
Consolidate Your Debt
Consult with a bank to see if they may be able to consolidate your debt. Then you can make a breathable payment plan to your bank so that you do not have to file for bankruptcy. This is a good way to avoid having to live with a bad credit history.
Filing personal bankruptcy can provide you with a safe haven from creditors and bill collectors. Navigating your way through bankruptcy to a debt-free life can help get you on the road to a more positive financial future. Personal bankruptcy is not for everyone, but it is worth investigating to see if it makes sense for you.
Source: http://gpnextel.com/?p=134
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
Alexander Cockburn Dead: Radical Journalist Dies At 71 After Fight With Cancer
Alexander Cockburn, a prominent radical columnist and journalist, has died at 71 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Cockburn's death was announced by his friend and journalism partner Jeffrey St. Clair on Counterpunch, the website they ran together.
Cockburn was born in Ireland, the son of novelist and journalist Claud Cockburn and the brother of Andrew and Patrick Cockburn, both of whom also became journalists. He moved to the United States in the 1970s and remained there for the rest of his life.
Cockburn was a well-known writer for decades. He first became famous as a pioneering media critic, writing a column on the press for the Village Voice for ten years. (Media writer Jack Shafer long cited him as an inspiration.) He then became a columnist for The Nation, where he wrote for nearly 30 years. His columns were also syndicated by Creators' Syndicate.
He founded Counterpunch, which became a clearinghouse for his writing and for other leftist journalism, in 1996.
Cockburn became well known, and controversial, for his strong criticisms of American foreign and domestic policy; his skepticism about global warming; his opposition to the policies of Israel; and for his bitter falling out with his former friend, the late Christopher Hitchens.
Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation, tweeted about his death on Saturday morning:
Katrina vandenHeuvel
Alexander Cockburn,longtime Nation columnist, radical journalist, unwavering voice of dissent,RIP, 1941-2012.
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/21/alexander-cockburn-dead-radical-journalist_n_1691742.html
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Theater shooter believed to be ex-graduate student
The honor student, who moved to Colorado last year to study psychiatric disorders, dropped out in June. In recent months, he purchased four weapons and allegedly booby-trapped his apartment with various incendiary and chemical devices. NBC's Mike Taibbi reports.
By Pete Williams, Bill Dedman and NBC News staff
Updated Friday 9:25 p.m. ET:
James Eagan Holmes, suspected of carrying out the Colorado movie theater shooting while wearing an outfit of?black ballistic gear, was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate student in neuroscience who started buying his four weapons legally in May, about the time his grades fell and he began the process of dropping out of school.
A law enforcement official confirmed that Holmes had two handguns, a shotgun and a semi-automatic rifle, had his hair brightly colored red or orange, and told police that he was the Joker, the fictional villain in earlier Batman comics and films. Holmes is not cooperating with authorities, other than to divulge that his apartment was rigged with explosives. He is represented by an attorney.
One difficulty for investigators is that the explosives in the apartment of the only suspect in this shooting are making it difficult to get to his computer, any writings or other information that could explain motive, why he apparently committed this mass killing. Police called it a "vexing problem." Police would say nothing about a possible motive or what Holmes' demeanor has been. Police have suspended for the night their attempts to enter his apartment.
In the past 60 days, police said, Holmes bought more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition, at gun shops and over the Internet.
The shooter reportedly never said a word while shooting 71 people and killing 12 in a sold-out show for Batman movie 'The Dark Knight Rises.' NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.
The 24-year-old from San Diego, known to friends as Jimmy, was a Ph.D. student at the University of Colorado Medical School campus in Aurora, a university spokesman told NBC News.
"The University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus can confirm that Mr. James Holmes was in the process of withdrawing from the University of Colorado Denver's graduate program in neurosciences," the university statement said. "Mr. Holmes enrolled at the university in June 2011."
A poor last semester
The Washington Post reported that a neuroscience faculty member at Colorado who said he taught Holmes said he immediately thought of Holmes when he heard that a student was accused of the shooting. He was ?very quiet, strangely quiet in class,? and said he seemed ?socially off.?
Holmes did very poorly on his comprehensive exams last semester, the instructor told the Post, and the school was considering placing him on academic probation, but was not considering expulsion.
Aurora, Colo., police say they are working on disarming "flammable or explosive material" in the home of James Holmes, the suspected movie theater shooter, and NBC's Pete Williams has more details on the shooter's apartment.
The university website listed one of his courses as the Biological Basis of Psychiatric and Neurological Disorders. He was listed on the class website as making a?presentation?in the spring on MicroRNA biomarkers.
The University of California, Riverside, confirmed that a student named James Eagan Holmes, with the same date of birth, graduated with a bachelor's degree in neuroscience in 2010. He graduated in four years, attending from the fall of 2006 to spring 2010. Public records show that the Holmes living in Aurora had a previous address at a Riverside dormitory.
Have information?
Do you know James Holmes? If you have information, send an email to?Bill Dedman?of NBC News.
?'A little strange,' 'very smart'
A student who lived across the hall from Holmes at Cal-Riverside,?who asked not to be named, said Holmes completed the honors program and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key honor societies.
"I always thought that he was a little strange. I could never put my finger on it, but something told me to not get to close to him, female?instincts?I guess," the female student told NBC News. "I had tons of classes with him and lived across from him in the Honors dorms. He was a very smart guy though. He was a little bit of a weird guy, but we were honors students, so weird people were kind of common."
Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said Holmes, born Dec. 13, 1987, is the man who is believed to have killed at least 12 people early Friday, wounding 70 people in all, at a midnight showing of the new Batman movie in Aurora, a suburb of Denver. Holmes has not yet been charged with any crime, and will appear in court on Monday. Police said nearly all of the 70 were shot, and a few were injured in other ways in the chaos.
"We are confident that he acted alone," Oates said. He said he had no way to know yet how many rounds were fired, but it was "many, many." CNN said the gunman had a magazine that would have contained more than 100 rounds.
Holmes was arrested without any resistance at his white Hyundai car in the theater parking lot, parked just outside the theater's back door.
University of Colorado
James Holmes, the suspect in the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting.
He was?wearing a black ballistic or bullet-resistant helmet, a ballistic tactical vest with pockets, ballistic leggings, throat and groin protectors, a gas mask, and ballistic tactical gloves, Oates said.
Weapon purchases started in May
In addition to two canisters, perhaps teargas, four weapons were found at the scene,?Oates said.
- Two were handguns, made by Glock. Both were .40-caliber. At least one of those was used, the police chief said. He had more than 3,000 rounds of .40-caliber ammunition.
- One shotgun, a Remington Model 870, one of the most popular models. Pump action, single barrel, 12 gauge, with 300 rounds.
- And one Smith & Wesson AR-15 type rifle, .223 caliber, called by some an "assault rifle."?These weapons can accommodate large ammunition "clips," and he had one "drum clip" that would have carried more than 100 rounds. With that clip, he could have fired 50 to 60 rounds in a minute, even if the rifle was considered semi-automatic, not automatic, Oates said. He had 3,000 rounds of ammunition for this rifle.
Officials told NBC News that all four were purchased legally, beginning in May, from two national chain stores: Gander Mountain Guns and Bass Pro Shops.
Bass Pro Shops released a statement saying that employees at a Denver store followed all laws when they sold two weapons to Holmes. "We want to offer our deepest sympathies to the victims and their families," said Larry Whiteley, manager of communications for the company. "This is an unspeakable tragedy, and we join with all Americans in offering our prayerful support.?Based on the records we have reviewed, personnel in our Denver store correctly and fully followed all Federal requirements with respect to the sale of one shotgun and one handgun to the individual identified in this incident. Background checks, as required by Federal law, were properly conducted, and he was approved.?Again, our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We also offer our support and appreciation to the law enforcement and emergency response professionals and all others who responded to give aid to these innocent victims."
CNN spoke with the CEO of TacticalGear.com, which said it sold Holmes a Blackhawk urban assault vest for $107, along with a triple pistol magazine, an M16 magazine pouch and a silver knife.
The only previous police record for Holmes is a speeding ticket in October 2011, the chief said.
NBC's Pete Williams reports the Colorado gunman identified as James Holmes carried two pistols, a rifle, and a shotgun into the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises," and said authorities are looking into how he was able to get in through the theater's emergency exit.
Family statement
Holmes' family, who live in Rancho Penasquitos, a well-to-do suburban community in the northeastern part of San Diego,?issued a statement through the San Diego Police Department.
"Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the family and friends of those involved," the statement said. "We ask that the media respect our privacy during this difficult time. Our family is cooperating with authorities in San Diego, California, and Aurora, Colorado. We are still trying to process this information and we appreciate that people will respect our privacy."?A man believed to be Holmes' father, James, was seen leaving with luggage, escorted by police. The Associated Press said the father is a manager at a software company, and his mother a nurse.
A neighbor, Tom Mai, told reporters on the block that Holmes was a shy, well-mannered kid, clean cut and responsible, who was very active in the church. The Associated Press reported that the family attended a Presbyterian church and threw a quiet Christmas party for neighbors. Holmes?had trouble finding work after college, Mai said, and then went off to graduate school.
Rooting for the villain?
Holmes attended Westview High School in San Diego, graduating in 2006, the Poway Unified School District confirmed. Classmates showed yearbooks with his photo on cross country and soccer teams.
NBC 7 San Diego spoke with a classmate, Sumit Shah, who said he went to school with Holmes. "He was pretty shy, but once he got comfortable with you, he was the funniest, smartest guy? He always had something witty to say.? He continued, "The guy I knew in high school, I don?t understand how that could be the same guy?He was shy and little quiet, but he was never aggressive or mean. He always had really good grades. He seemed pretty normal.?
A woman who said she knew him in high school told NBC News that Holmes was a good person, but oddly always rooted for the villains in superhero movies.
"He was a nice guy. Who very much wanted to be liked and wanted," the woman said. "He was a very, very smart guy. I honestly can not believe he could do this. I know, I know,?everyone says that. But it is truly devastating to me.
"He did not have many friends for someone who wanted to be liked," she said. "He loved all the villains in superhero stuff, which I did point out as odd.??Most people enjoy the hero!"
Her cousin, who knew Holmes and played soccer with him, offered this assessment by email: "Jimmy was kind to those who knew him. It was hard to get to know him, but once you did, you realized he was funny and accepting of everyone's faults. He loved video games. But I would say he did not like the shooting games. He preferred others, guitar hero. He was always quiet on the soccer field, but was committed to the team. Which is someone you want on your side even if they aren't the best. The last time I talked to Jimmy, he didn't really seem to be in a good place. But that was years ago. But nothing out of the ordinary, just you know the 20's trials and tribulations. What he did was horrible, but I will always know him as Jimmy Holmes, not this person he is being portrayed as. Just so devastating, maybe if I tried to keep in contact or something. Just hope and pray that the families that were involved know that everyone is thinking of them. I just am thinking of Jimmy also."
'Quiet and easy-going'
Public records indicate that Holmes lived in the Aurora?building where police have found explosives, at 1690 Paris St., Apt. 10. The building is reserved for students, faculty and staff from the medical campus.
The Denver Post reported that Holmes, in an apartment rental application he last year, described himself as "quiet and easy-going." A pharmacy student who lives in the building told The Post he called 911 around 12:30 a.m. Friday because there was a song blaring from the stereo inside apartment 10, where Holmes lived. The student, who wanted to be identified only as Ben, said he couldn't make out the song but that it seemed to be the same one playing on repeat. He also said Holmes kept to himself and wouldn't acknowledge people when they passed in the hall and said hello. "No one knew him. No one," he told The Post.
Melvin Evans, who was a bouncer at a karaoke bar near Holmes' apartment, said he recalled Holmes as a patron from checking IDs. He said Holmes would stroll into the Zephyr Lounge, sit quietly in a corner booth and have a Budweiser,but never joined in the singing. "He would just sit by himself. He wouldn?t talk to anybody," Evans said. "He was really, really mellow, really calm. You wouldn't even look twice at him, if you passed him on the street."
Officials said Holmes was not on any watch list that would have alerted authorities that he was dangerous, officials said. The incident was not believed?to have any connection to international terrorism, they added.
An earlier report that the car Holmes was driving had Tennessee plates turned out to be incorrect, officials said.
Watch live video from KUSA
'He looked so calm'
Police said the?gunman entered through an exit door and appeared at the front of the theater in Aurora?and released a canister, thought to be tear gas,?that let out a hissing sound. He apparently had bought a ticket, propped open a door, and gone to his car for his gear.
The gunman then started shooting into the crowd, sparking pandemonium.
"He looked so calm when he did it," an eyewitness told NBC affiliate?KUSA. "It was like scary. He waited for both the bombs to explode before he did anything. Then, after both of them exploded, he began to shoot."
"He had no specific target. He just started letting loose," the witness added.
Witnesses told reporters that the gunfire erupted during a shootout scene in the "The Dark Knight Rises."?
More on this story from breakingnews.com
After being captured by police, Holmes?told authorities he had explosive materials in his apartment, KUSA reported. ?
Local and federal officials searched Holmes' apartment building, which was evacuated soon after the shooting.?
Oates, the police chief, said the apartment had been booby-trapped with sophisticated explosives or flammable material. Officers were trying to determine how to defuse the devices.
Tune in Friday night to NBC News to watch a "Dateline NBC" special on the shootings in Colorado. Ann Curry will report live from Aurora at 9 p.m. ET.
Contributors to this report include staff from NBC News: Ian Johnston, Brinley Bruton, Sevil Omer, Suzanne Choney, Rosa Golijan, Joe Myxter, Petra Cahill, Kari Huus, Dick Belsky, Lauren McCullough, Michael? Brunker, Jason White, Bob Sullivan, Maggie Fox, Roland Jones, Carissa Ray, Alex Johnson, Gael Fashingbauer-Cooper, Will Femia, John Schoen, Allison Linn, Reena Joy Flores, Becky Bratu, Martin Wolk. The Associated Press and Reuters also contributed.
Related content from NBCNews.com:
Follow US News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
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Saturday, July 21, 2012
Remodeling activity is up, here are some affordable projects
Remodeling is expected to pick up by the end of this year and into 2013, according to a report released today by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Annual homeowner improvement spending may reach double-digit growth by the first quarter of 2013, the report said, indicating that the outlook is finally improving after a few bad years.
"Home improvement activity has been bouncing around the bottom of this cycle for almost three years now, waiting for the industry to get some traction," said Kermit Baker, director of the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center. "Now, the combination of low financing costs, stronger consumer confidence, improving home sales, and the perception that home prices have stabilized in most markets across the country are encouraging owners to start working on the list of home improvement projects they have been putting off. "
If you've been putting off a remodeling project, Consumer Reports has updated Ratings of flooring, countertops, sinks, paint and a host of appliances as well as new remodeling guides for kitchens and bathrooms.
$1,000 bathroom makeover
You don't need to spend a lot to give a bathroom or kitchen a makeover. You can update a bathroom for as little as $1,000 by doing the following:
- Replace the vanity with a new wood model that has a stone counter.
- Add a new mirror and faucet.
- Replace your toilet and faucet and add a new vinyl floor.
- Improve lighting and ventilation with a new combination light and exhaust fan.
- Add a set of sconces on either side of the mirror or medicine cabinet.
- Update towel bars, hooks, toothbrush and toilet paper holders, and cabinet hardware.
- Switch your standard showerhead to one with multiple settings.
- Keep your towels toasty with a heated towel bar, some of which cost $100 or less.
$5,000 kitchen update
Spending $5,000 in the kitchen might not get you new cabinets but you can spruce up what you have now and also get new appliances or countertops. Here are some options:
- If the cabinets are structurally sound you can give them a fresh coat of paint and improve capacity with inexpensive cabinet organizers.
- An island adds work and storage space whether it's a permanent unit with furniture-style looks or a small portable one on casters.
- The back splash is a great place to add color or contrast. Paint is the simplest and cheapest option but tile only costs $10 to $40 per square foot installed.
- Salvage shops are stocked with new or gently used stone countertops, hardwood flooring, decorative lumber, kitchen cabinets, and stained glass.
- Improved efficiency, new features and styling, and make replacing your appliances tempting.
- Hard-wearing laminate countertops cost as little as $550 for an average-size kitchen, and trendy but tough quartz starts at $2,800. Add an engineered wood floor for less than $10 per square foot.
- Our tests have found that thinner stainless-steel sinks resisted dents, stains, scratches, and heat as well as thicker, more expensive ones. Get a faucet with a lifetime warranty that covers leaks and stains.
- Proper lighting makes a kitchen more inviting and safer. Undercabinet fixtures are the best source of task lighting. Update ceiling-mounted fixtures, especially dated fluorescent boxes.
?Mary H.J. Farrell
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Thursday, July 19, 2012
The Continuing Education of the ULB offers you to enhance your skills
Do you want to update and enhance your knowledge, to get deep inside the scope of your knowledge, expand your skills and stimulate your critical thinking skill??
The Continuing Education department of the ULB offers hundreds of courses at the forefront of knowledge, the specific needs of your business, the issue or topic that interests you individually.?
The potential of a reference University in the capital of Europe is:?
- Nearly 300 international institutional agreements
- Special partnerships with the Universities of Lille, Valenciennes, Paris, Grenoble and Berkeley Montreal
- The headquarters of Unica network which covers all major universities in 38 European capitals
- The participation in major European training (Leonardo da Vinci, Socrates, Grundtvig, Minerva, etc..)
Source: http://ejobs-observatory.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-continuing-education-of-ulb-offers.html
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EU regulators investigating Microsoft's Windows 8
BRUSSELS: EU antitrust regulators are investigating whether Microsoft blocks computer makers from installing rival web browsers on its upcoming Windows 8 operating system following complaints from several companies.
The issue is part of an investigation opened on Tuesday into the world No. 1 software company's failure to offer users a choice of rival web browsers which it had agreed with regulators three years ago, a spokesman for the European Commission said.
The EU watchdog is also looking into allegations that Microsoft does not provide access to complete interfaces (APIs) for non-default browsers in Windows 8, spokesman Antoine Colombani said on Wednesday.
He said the investigation will also focus on charges that Microsoft allows only its own Internet Explorer browser to be installed on devices running Windows 8 on Windows RT tablets with British chipmaker ARM's chips.
Colombani declined to identify the companies which made the allegations. Microsoft made no comment.
Windows 8 is due out around October. Windows RT refers to the operating system for tablets where the other players are Apple and Google.
Microsoft's computer partners include Lenovo Group , Acer and Asustek Computer.
Source: http://economictimes.feedsportal.com/fy/8av2Fvy0c04wN2m6/story01.htm
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The History of English Grammar - Jamy's Blog
The first stage of development of the English grammar started during the early 16th century. William Bullokar wrote and published a book entitled ?Pamphlet for Grammar? in 1586. Bullokar wrote the book to purposely address the development of the English language in Latin America. The book contained Bullokar's traditional grammar which was vigilantly remodeled by the ?Latin Grammar? approach of William Lily in his book entitled ?Rudimenta Grammatices? published in 1534. King Henry VIII prescribed the use of Lily's grammar in teaching the English language in 1542. Bullokar's grammar in many of his writings were said to be adapted from the traditional ?Reformed Spelling System? of 16th century England. In 1685, Christopher Cooper wrote the first English grammar book in Latin entitled ?Grammatica Linguae Angelicance?.
During the late 19th century, a renowned grammar writer named Lindley Murray cited the role of ?Grammatical Authorities? in developing the use of the English language in many European and other Western countries. According to Murray's study, the use of Latin in interpreting the English grammar was distinguished from the Ancient Greek approach of the English language. During the start of the 17th century,<a href="http://www.eq2plat.org">everquest 2 platinum</a>, the development of the grammar primarily focused on tradition. The significance of the use of English grammar played a huge role in the commercialization of western societies. It was also during the early 17th century where the use of the ?Grammar Writing? was introduced. A series of techniques in improving grammatical skills through speaking and writing were introduced in many European countries during the mid-17th century. In 1711, two books about the role of the grammar in Latin countries were published. The two books are the following:
* ?A Grammar of the English Tongue? by John Brightland. Released during the early 18th century, the book contains Brightland's writings on the techniques of developing the English language through improvement of grammatical skills in the mid-17th century.
* ?Essay towards a Practical Grammar Usage? by James Greenwood. The book contains the use of grammar in targeting people with no Hispanic or Latin cultural background.
A total of 16 new grammars based from Pamphlet for Grammar were introduced during the late 17th century. It took more than 115 years before 270 grammar titles were added during the last years of the 17th century. During the first half of the 19th century, a total of 900 books about the significance of grammar in the English language were published. Many of the 900 books made use of the ?Egalitarian? and ?Utilitarian? method. In 1848, Edward Shelley wrote a book entitled ?The People's Grammar: English Grammar Difficulties for the Million? in 1848. The book was written for the 18th century young readers who are acquiring in-depth knowledge in developing grammatical skills from the English language. William Cobbett's ?A Grammar of the English Language: In a Series of Letters? was also published in 1848. Cobbett's writings were said to intend the significance of developing grammatical skills in writing and speaking English among students, sailors, soldiers and young apprentices.
Source: http://jamy845.skyrock.com/3103027867-The-History-of-English-Grammar.html
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Two Popular Windows Password Recovery Software for Your ...
You may feel distraught when you forgot your Windows password as a result of can not get into your computer. If there are numerous important files on the computer, that will be serious. There is certainly nothing worse than locked out of your using computer. Fortunately there are several Windows password recovery software that works for resetting Windows password could help you, and here we will show you the most two popular Windows password recovery software, which can reset the lost Windows Administrator password easily.
1. Ophcrack ? A most used free Windows password recovery software
Ophcrack is one of the most used free Windows password recovery tools available based on rainbow tables. It could perform on Windows, Linux/Unix, Mac OS X. It is free and easy to use, so it is one of most well-liked Windows password reset tool. You can use it to recover a Windows 7 password with less than 14 characters ( passwords greater than 14 characters cannot be recovered ) with these instructions:
Download Ophcrack from sourceforge.net, run USBOphcrack.exe , extract for your Personal computer; then click USBOphcrack.bat from your USBOphcrack folder, and stick to directions; then reboot your Laptop or computer and set bios to boot from USB. After booting from the USB sticks into a mini Linux setting, Ophcrack is launched after the technique has booted; then you can recover the forgotten Windows 7 Passwords with this USB instrument.
2. Windows Password Unlocker ? A most popular software to reset Windows password
Windows Password Unlocker is popular and professional Windows password reset software; it can help you reset forgotten Windows local administrator, domain administrator and other user account passwords on Windows 7/Vista/XP/2008/ 2003/2000 with 100% Windows password reset rate guaranteed.
It works to reset Windows password with a boot-able password reset CD/USB. You need to run this software and burn a bootable Windows 7 password recovery disk with a blank CD/DVD or a USB flash drive, and use this password reset disk to reset forgotten Windows 7 password. This Windows password reset program is efficient with easy operations. This is the guide on how to reset Windows password:
Requirements:
1. A blank CD/DVD and CD-ROM??RW drive are required
2. Download and install this software in a Windows PC rather than a Mac.
Steps:
1. Download this software on another computer that you can run as administrator.
2. Burn a password reset disk with a bootable CD/DVD
3. Reset Windows password with created CD/DVD reset disk
Though, there are some other methods to reset Windows 7 password without these third-party software, such as the Windows password reset disk, a valid account with administrator rights, and system recovery options, etc. But if you get no luck for those solutions, the above two software are your choice to help you out. But we do suggest you select the second software Windows Password Unlocker after you forgot Windows 7 password as its easy steps with 100% reset rate and no data loss to your computer.
Source: http://articlelib.org/two-popular-windows-password-recovery-software-for-your-computer/
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