Green Blog: Taking a Harder Look at Fracking and Health

PHILADELPHIA ? A coalition of academic researchers in the United States is preparing to shine a rigorous scientific light on the polarized and often emotional debate over whether using hydraulic fracturing to drill for natural gas is hazardous to human health.

Some five years after the controversial combination of fracking and horizontal drilling in the gas-rich Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania and surrounding states got under way, a team of toxicologists from the University of Pennsylvania is leading a national effort to study the health effects of fracking.

The university?s Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology has organized a working group with researchers at other top universities including Columbia, Johns Hopkins and the University of North Carolina to investigate and analyze reports of nausea, headaches, breathing difficulties and other ills from people who live near natural gas drilling sites, compressor stations or wastewater pits.

The aim is to bring academic discipline to the unresolved national debate, which pits an industry that denies any link between fracking and environmental contamination against those who assert that fracking poisons air and water with natural and man-made chemicals that can cause cancer, birth defects and other illnesses.

?There is an enormous amount of rhetoric on both sides,? said Trevor M. Penning, head of the Penn toxicology center and the driving force behind the Environmental Health Sciences Core Center Hydrofracking Working Group. ?We felt that because we are situated in Pennsylvania, we had a duty to get on top of what was known and what was not known.?

Dr. Penning has asked 17 centers affiliated with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to take part in different aspects of research on the health effects of fracking. Ten have so far accepted, he said in an interview.

Among the questions to be answered, Dr. Penning said, is the toxicity of the ?flowback? water that emerges from gas wells, which contains a mix of man-made and naturally occurring chemicals. The drilling technique forces a mixture of water, sand and chemicals at high pressure a mile or more underground to fracture shale formations and release the natural gas ? mainly methane.

Determining whether flowback water or fracking fluid is dangerous to health is challenging if the chemicals and their combinations are not fully disclosed, he said. The teams will also look at whether air quality is dangerously affected by the flaring of waste gases, and whether the industry?s extensive use of diesel fuel for trucks, drills and compressor stations is polluting the air near gas installations to unhealthy levels.

?We don?t know if the levels we are dealing with are hazardous,? he said. ?We think it?s unsafe, but we don?t know it?s unsafe.?

The first project, based on work at Penn, surveyed residents in the Marcellus Shale regions of Pennsylvania about their health symptoms and whether they believed their symptoms were related to local gas drilling. Results are expected to be published in mid-February.

Future projects, which depend on obtaining financing from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, would include working with a cancer center at the University of Texas to compare the heavily drilled Barnett Shale in that state with the Marcellus and to determine whether state laws on gas drilling have taken public health into consideration.

Also awaiting financing is a plan to use a Harvard University mapping tool to correlate natural gas installations with reports of sickness and a proposal to study the health outcomes of targeted populations by examining billing data from insurance companies.

Dr. Penning said the planned research projects would not duplicate the continuing work of the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which is conducting its own research into whether fracking contaminates water supplies. That study is not explicitly focused on the health effects of any contamination, he said.

Asked why academics are only now proposing a systematic study of fracking?s health effects about five years after the shale boom began in earnest in Pennsylvania, Dr. Penning replied, ?Politics.?

With a strongly pro-industry administration led by Pennsylvania?s Republican governor, Tom Corbett, and a Republican-controlled legislature that has recently approved a gas-drilling law friendly to industry, state financing has not been available for research into whether drilling activities have negative health effects, Dr. Penning said.

?Academia can only do work if there?s funding to do that work,? he said.

The projects may guide industry and government worldwide in developing shale gas reserves, which are expected to become a major global energy source.

?The Marcellus Shale is a microcosm of what?s going on across the globe,? Dr. Penning said.

Source: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/21/taking-a-harder-look-at-fracking-and-health/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Jetsettersblog ? Sports & Music Festival Returns to Desert Breeze ...

New Found Glory, 3OH3 & Asking Alexandria Set To Headline March 30 Festival

Las Vegas, NV ? December 17, 2012 ? Extreme Thing Sports & Music Festival roars back for the 18th year, leaving concert, professional BMX and amateur skate competitions in its wake. Extreme Thing Sports & Music Festival, produced by Clark County Parks & Recreation, is Nevada?s only premier action sports and music festival and is set for 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. March 30th at the Desert Breeze Skate Park, 8275 Spring Mountain Road at Durango Drive.

Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 on the day of the show. A limited VIP Package is also available for $30 and includes a general admission ticket, commemorative event T-shirt and event poster.

Extreme Thing will feature bands New Found Glory, 3OH3, Asking Alexandria, Mindless Self Indulgence, Sleeping with Sirens, Aquabats, Youngblood Hawke, Comeback Kid, Motionless In White, Born of Osiris, Chelsea Grin, Iwrestledabearonce (with more being added), along with a world class BMX Dirt Challenge hosted by local pro-rider/reality TV Star Ricardo Laguna, the Vegas AmJam Skate and BMX amateur competition, and making its highly anticipated return the DUBSTEP stage featuring: Big Chocolate, Mechanize, Splitbreed, Pablos Hassan, Mike Attack, Teen Wolf, Bize, Michael Toast, Bassnutz and more to be added.

The IADT Local Band Stage will welcome the top seven Battle of the Fans winners to perform on their own stage, while the schools? students, film and record a live DVD for the local bands to showcase.

Only a personal ?unopened? bottle of water can be brought to the festival along with still cameras and sunscreen.

There will be plenty of ATMs on site with an array of food vendors available, along with beverages.

Alcohol will not be sold. Animals, coolers, weapons or chairs are not permitted. Re-entry will not be allowed at this event.

Sponsors include: X107.5, Verizon Wireless, International Academy of Design & Technology, Vitaminwater, City Life, My LVTV, The CW Las Vegas and XPOZLV.com.

Those interested can visit the Web site at http://www.extremething.com. Tickets can be purchased online starting January 1, 2013 at http://www.ticketmaster.com or http://www.extremething.com.

Additional information can be found by calling Clark County Parks and Recreation at 455-8200 or visiting the Web site at http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/parks.

Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (702) 474-4000 or at participating Smith?s Grocery Store(s).

All tickets are subject to additional facility fees and/or service charges.

Additional information can be found by calling Clark County Parks and Recreation at (702) 455-8200 or visiting the Web site at http://www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/parks . Clark County Parks and Recreation also can be found on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook by visiting http://tinyurl.com/4dfw8ea.
Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas
Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation?s 14th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2 million citizens and 40 million visitors a year.
Included are the nation?s 7th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state?s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The county also provides municipal services
that are traditionally provided by cities to almost 900,000 residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning
and development.

Source: http://www.jetsettersblog.com/blog/2013/01/02/sports-music-festival-returns-to-desert-breeze-skate-park/

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Source: http://ucotodavi.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/jetsettersblog-sports-music-festival-returns-to-desert-breeze/

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The Real Estate Investor's Mindset: Live The Way You Believe ...

The real estate market is picking up steam. In some places such as San Francisco and New York City, the recovery has turned into a frenzy where rents are surging and multi-bidding situations are now the norm. As a prodigious wealth builder, it?s important to assess your local real estate environment.

I?m down in the Sunday open house trenches to get a first hand view of what?s going on. I talk to Realtors about their property listing durations, understand why the sellers are selling, and get opinions on the market. You can never fully trust a Realtor because to them, it?s ?always a good time to buy or sell property.? By going to open houses yourself, you can at least observe the amount of foot traffic and listen to the enthusiasm or lack thereof.

It should be obvious I?m an advocate of homeownership by now for the following reasons:

1) You have to live somewhere.

2) The homeownership stock is better quality than the rental stock to live.

3) Most people can?t save for poop, so paying down principle is better than poop.

4) Tax shield on income, which is especially helpful for those in higher brackets.

5) The long term trend is always up so long as there is limited land and population growth.

6) You can potentially make a lot of money over time.

7) More control over your lifestyle e.g. never have to move, remodel as you will.

8) Build real assets that can be passed along to your children.

9) Inflation hedge.

10) Inflation play.

There?s nothing wrong with renting if you don?t have the money, don?t know what to do with your life, have a lot of debt, or are not sure whether you want to live in one place for more than five years. The mobility of being a renter is wonderful, so is the lack of responsibility for property taxes and maintenance. Just know the return on rent is always -100% every month. At least with homeownership, you have a chance of making some money.

This post isn?t about the merits of homeownership. This post discusses how to think about your current living situation and whether it gels with your investment outlook. Remember, the name of the game is passive income, increasing assets, and creating financial freedom.

A RENTER IS NEGATIVE REAL ESTATE

A renter benefits when home prices and rents go down, which is why I say renters are ?short? real estate. If rents and home prices go up, renters get ?short squeezed? as they have to pay more of their disposable income on rent, a downpayment, and a mortgage. The concept is the same with the stock market. If you short Apple stock at $520, it means you believe you can buy back the stock at a lower price and pocket the different. If Apple rebounds to $600, you may have to buy back the stock at $600 and lose $80 a share.

With inflation, population growth, QE3, QE4, QE Infinity, and limited land, the natural trajectory is ?up and to the right? for rent and housing prices. Housing costs are a key component of inflation and something we must all pay in some way or another.?A renter is a price taker, just like a car driver is a price taker of gasoline. As a renter, you may actually not want rents to drop because that signifies a weakening economy.

If you are still renting 40 years from now, you won?t have a place to live rent-free in retirement, nor will you have an accumulated asset you can pass down or draw from. Like gasoline and tuition, the rent you pay now will undoubtedly be much higher when you become a senor citizen. Don?t believe me? Just ask your parents or grandparents what they were paying in rent during their working days.

A ONE PROPERTY HOMEOWNER IS NEUTRAL REAL ESTATE

When it comes to investing, everything is relative. Given you have to live somewhere, if you live in your home, you are neutral on real estate. If the market goes up, your house value goes up, but it doesn?t matter because you aren?t selling. You can take out a home equity line of credit to buy a Porsche 911 Turbo instead of a Honda Accord, but that?s not very wise.

Let?s say your $500,000 home appreciates by 20% to $600,000 over 10 years. You put 20% down ($100,000) and now your equity is worth $200,000 for a 100% increase. Awesome! But the house you want to upgrade to now costs $1 million from $800,000, because it too has gone up! The only thing that allows you to purchase more house is not your own home equity, but your savings and investments.

On the other hand, if you want to downsize from a $1 million dollar house to a $600,000 house, you have benefitted more financially if you are OK with the downgrade. You made $200,000 ($800,000 to $1 million) and only have to put $120,000 down on a $600,000 house. You therefore bank the $80,000 and pay a smaller $480,000 mortgage if you are fine with simpler living. As a homeowner, you are in a neutral positive situation.

On the flip side, if your $500,000 home loses 20% of its value to $400,000, you?re not really affected either because you aren?t moving anywhere unless you can?t afford the payments. Interestingly, that $1 million dollar house you?ve been eyeing may have also lost 20% of its value down to $800,000. You no longer have to put $200,000 down and take out a $800,000 if you want to move up. You can now put $160,000 down and assume a $640,000 mortgage instead! In a declining market, those who have the financial means to ?upgrade? are the ones who benefit.

As a one property homeowner, you?re like a small boat who happily floats along the rolling waves. Unless you are easily susceptible to sea sickness, the movements don?t really matter.

A MULTI-PROPERTY OWNER IS BULLISH ON REAL ESTATE

The only way to really benefit from a real estate recovery is to buy more than one property. When the markets are hot, you can raise the rent or sell the property to realize a gain. If you only own one property that you live in, you can?t do much at all except for downsize.

Why do you think there are countless examples of real estate magnets like Li Ka Shing, Sam Zell, and Donald Trump? They made their money (and lost some as well) through buying multiple properties on debt. Many have also gone bust buying at the wrong time, being over levered, and not holding on long enough. Over the long run, property has proven to be a consistent wealth builder for so many.

To recap, the point of this post is to get you thinking about how your outlook on housing and the economy fits with your current living situation. If you are very negative on housing, then owning multiple properties doesn?t make sense. If you believe there will be a multi-year housing market recovery like I do, renting doesn?t make sense because you?ll get squeezed. Rental yields are much higher than mortgage rates, which makes for an instant positive carry while you wait for capital appreciation.

Make sure your living situation is congruent with your real estate investor beliefs. Live the way you believe and everything will fall into place over time.

Are you short, neutral, or bullish on property? If you are incongruent with your beliefs, do you plan to change?

Photo: Santorini Property Overlooking The Crater, Sam D, 2011.

Regards,

Sam

Source: http://www.financialsamurai.com/2013/01/04/the-real-estate-investors-mindset/

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Myanmar says jets used against Kachin rebels

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's military has used jets to attacks rebel fighters in northern Kachin state, the government said on Thursday, its first admission of an intensification of a conflict that has raised doubts about its reformist credentials.

Rebel sources have reported aerial bombings, shelling and even the use of chemical weapons since December 28 after the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) ignored an ultimatum to stop blocking an army supply route in the hilly, resource-rich state where more than 50,000 people have been displaced.

Official newspapers said that air support was used on December 30 to thwart KIA fighters who had occupied a hill and were attacking logistics units of the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar's military is known.

"The Tatmadaw troops cleared Point-771 hill and its surrounding areas where the KIA troops were attacking the Tatmadaw logistic troops," the New Light of Myanmar, a government mouthpiece, said. "The air cover was used in the attack."

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern on Wednesday over reports of helicopters and fighter jets being used in the state bordering China. The KIA said the attacks were intended to clear the path for an assault on its headquarters in Laisa.

Ban called on Myanmar's government to "desist from any action that could endanger the lives of civilians" and reiterated demands for humanitarian aid groups to be granted access, U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said in a statement.

President Thein Sein's quasi-civilian administration insists it wants a ceasefire and political dialogue. It says troops have acted only in self-defense and on Thursday denied having plans to seize the KIA's stronghold.

DOMINANT MILITARY

The escalation of fighting has raised doubts about the sincerity of the reformist ex-generals running the government and the extent of their power in a country the size of Britain and France plagued by decades of internal conflict.

Some analysts and diplomats say central government is either not fully committed to peace with the KIA or unable to assert control over the military, which still dominates politics and the economy despite formally ceding power in March 2011.

Colonel James Lum Dau, a Thai-based spokesman for the KIA's political wing, said Kachin officials on the ground had reported up to 300 people killed in air strikes.

"We are in a defensive position. Right now more people are suffering not only bombings, but shelling and spraying of chemical weapons with helicopter gunships and jets," he said. "Only god knows what to do. We are praying."

It is difficult for journalists to independently verify accounts from the two sides.

Fighting erupted in Kachin in June 2010, ending a 17-year truce, and has continued even as government negotiators have agreed ceasefires elsewhere with ethnic Shan, Chin, Mon and Karen militias after decades of fighting in border areas.

Mistrust runs deep between the military and the KIA, which was once backed by China, and multiple rounds of talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire have gone nowhere. Analysts say a history of bad blood and a battle for control of resources, including highly lucrative jade, could be stoking the unrest.

Zaw Htay, a senior official in Thein Sein's office, told Reuters no air strikes had taken place but K-8 trainer jets had provided cover fire to protect ground troops from rebel attacks. The military, he said, had no intention of seizing the KIA's headquarters.

"The president has said this and at the same time he has invited KIA leaders to come and talk with him in Naypyitaw, but they still haven't responded," Zaw Htay said.

(Additional reporting by Paul Carsten in Bangkok; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Alan Raybould)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/myanmar-says-jets-used-against-kachin-rebels-085722675.html

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Childhood Obesity with Dr. Eliana Perrin ? YOUR HEALTH?

Posted by: yourhealthradio | January 2, 2013

This weekend on YOUR HEALTH?, Adam & Cristy will be joined by?Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at UNC, Dr. Eliana Perrin about Childhood Obesity.

Please tune in!?This show will?air:
? Saturday, January 5^th?at 9am
? Sunday, January 6^th?at 9am and 5pm
? Monday,?January 7^th?at 6pm and 10pm

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Source: http://yourhealthradio.org/2013/01/02/childhood-obesity-with-dr-eliana-perrin/

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NY area lawmakers: House GOP scraps vote Sandy aid

WASHINGTON (AP) ? New York area-lawmakers in both parties erupted in anger late Tuesday night after learning the House Republican leadership decided to allow the current term of Congress to end without holding a vote on aid for victims of Superstorm Sandy.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said he was told by the office of Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia that Speaker John Boehner of Ohio had decided to abandon a vote this session.

Cantor, who sets the House schedule, did not immediately comment. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland told reporters that just before Tuesday evening's vote on "fiscal cliff" legislation, Cantor told him that he was "99.9 percent confident that this bill would be on the floor, and that's what he wanted."

A spokesman for Boehner, Michael Steel said, "The speaker is committed to getting this bill passed this month."

In remarks on the House floor, King called the decision "absolutely inexcusable, absolutely indefensible. We cannot just walk away from our responsibilities."

The Senate approved a $60.4 billion measure Friday to help with recovery from the October storm that devastated parts of New York, New Jersey and nearby states. The House Appropriations Committee has drafted a smaller, $27 billion measure, and a vote had been expected before Congress' term ends Thursday at noon.

More than $2 billion in federal funds has been spent so far on relief efforts for 11 states and the District of Columbia struck by the storm, one of the worst ever to hit the Northeast. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund still has about $4.3 billion, enough to pay for recovery efforts into early spring, according to officials. The unspent FEMA money can only be used for emergency services, said Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J.

New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Hampshire, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts are receiving federal aid.

Sandy was blamed for at least 120 deaths and battered coastline areas from North Carolina to Maine. New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were the hardest hit states and suffered high winds, flooding and storm surges. The storm damaged or destroyed more than 72,000 homes and businesses in New Jersey. In New York, 305,000 housing units were damaged or destroyed and more than 265,000 businesses were affected.

"This is an absolute disgrace and the speaker should hang his head in shame," said Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.

"I'm here tonight saying to myself for the first time that I'm not proud of the decision my team has made," said Rep. Michael Grimm, R-N.Y. "It is the wrong decision, and I' m going to be respectful and ask that the speaker reconsider his decision. Because it's not about politics, it's about human lives."

"I truly feel betrayed this evening," said Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.

"We need to be there for all those in need now after Hurricane Sandy," said Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.

The House Democratic leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, said she didn't know whether a decision has been made and added, "We cannot leave here doing nothing. That would be a disgrace."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-area-lawmakers-house-gop-scraps-vote-sandy-045956219.html

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Details of Senate bill averting 'fiscal cliff'

Highlights of a bill approved Tuesday by the Senate aimed at averting wide tax increases and budget cuts scheduled to take effect in the new year. The measure would raise taxes by about $600 billion over 10 years compared with tax policies that were due to expire at midnight Monday. It would also delay for two months across-the-board cuts to the budgets of the Pentagon and numerous domestic agencies.

The House is expected to vote on the bill Tuesday or Wednesday.

Highlights include:

?Income tax rates: Extends decade-old tax cuts on incomes up to $400,000 for individuals, $450,000 for couples. Earnings above those amounts would be taxed at a rate of 39.6 percent, up from the current 35 percent. Extends Clinton-era caps on itemized deductions and the phase-out of the personal exemption for individuals making more than $250,000 and couples earning more than $300,000.

?Estate tax: Estates would be taxed at a top rate of 40 percent, with the first $5 million in value exempted for individual estates and $10 million for family estates. In 2012, such estates were subject to a top rate of 35 percent.

?Capital gains, dividends: Taxes on capital gains and dividend income exceeding $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for families would increase from 15 percent to 20 percent.

?Alternative minimum tax: Permanently addresses the alternative minimum tax and indexes it for inflation to prevent nearly 30 million middle- and upper-middle income taxpayers from being hit with higher tax bills averaging almost $3,000. The tax was originally designed to ensure that the wealthy did not avoid owing taxes by using loopholes.

?Other tax changes: Extends for five years Obama-sought expansions of the child tax credit, the earned income tax credit, and an up-to-$2,500 tax credit for college tuition. Also extends for one year accelerated "bonus" depreciation of business investments in new property and equipment, a tax credit for research and development costs and a tax credit for renewable energy such as wind-generated electricity.

?Unemployment benefits: Extends jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed for one year.

?Cuts in Medicare reimbursements to doctors: Blocks a 27 percent cut in Medicare payments to doctors for one year. The cut is the product of an obsolete 1997 budget formula.

?Social Security payroll tax cut: Allows a 2-percentage-point cut in the payroll tax first enacted two years ago to lapse, which restores the payroll tax to 6.2 percent.

?Across-the-board cuts: Delays for two months $109 billion worth of across-the-board spending cuts set to start striking the Pentagon and domestic agencies this week. Cost of $24 billion is divided between spending cuts and new revenues from rule changes on converting traditional individual retirement accounts into Roth IRAs.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-01-Fiscal%20Cliff-Glance/id-5f4e18742fde4e6fbf015b5374a188db

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Bollywood 101: The Raj Kapoor Family Tree | MissMalini

Raj Kapoor Family Tree

As I was blogging about Ritu Nanda?sNew Year?s Eve party it occurred to me that a family flow chart might help clarify this complicated lineage! I?m guessing you knew most of these connections but I found a few particularly intriguing. Like for instance I didn?t ?realise Shweta Bachchan Nanda?was connected to the Kapoor family by marriage. Especially since the massive fallout between the Kapoor and Bachchan?s over Karisma Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan?s broken engagement must have made extended Kapoor family?occasions?a little weird, no?

Amazing how much Karisma resembles her mom Babita Kapoor,?especially that smile!?I also noticed that Samaira Kapoor has light eyes! Are we thinking next generation Bollywood perhaps? Aadar & Armaan Kapoor are growing up fast and I?m guessing the Kapoor clan will continue it?s filmy pursuits for generations to come.

PS. Raj Kapoor?s two brothers Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor were also big in Bollywood, I thought Rajiv Kapoor (Raj?s youngest son) looked so much like Sammi that I initially had them confused until I realised this was good ol Chimpoo! *lol*

Any other interesting observations that come to mind? Leave me a comment below!

Posted on: Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013 at 6:06 pm Filed under: Bollywood, Bollywood+ (new). Follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.missmalini.com/2013/01/02/bollywood-101-the-raj-kapoor-family-tree/

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Obama claims victory, heads back to Hawaii (Los Angeles Times)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/274296268?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Choosing the best Website Design Houston Companies

By Harry Hurt

The initial step to setting up a business on the Internet is to create an internet site. There are numerous means through which a person could construct a site.

One choice is to discover a web language and then construct a site from scratch. Nonetheless, for such an endeavor, you will have to have a considerably technical background in order to be totally comfy while dealing with a programming language.

On the other hand, there are many programs that you can download and make use of to develop an internet site for yourself. Such programs will enable you to create sites with varying intricacies in terms of functionality and other comparable facets.

The 3rd choice that the majority of individuals have the tendency to use is that of hiring someone else to develop your internet site for you. If you have the monetary resources at hand, it makes good sense to employ a professional who has significant experience in structure websites. Such a person will be able to comprehend what your demands are then equate them onto a websites.

How to search for web designers?

The Internet Industry is made up of freelancers along with people who work for businesses. A business will absolutely be more pricey than a freelancer but will likewise have the needed resources to handle a huge job. A freelancer, on the other hand, could not be well equipped to manage incredibly large jobs however will ensure specialized attention to your job. If you are looking for incredibly detailed oriented work and want to have the ability to interact with your employee every step of the way then employing a freelancer might be a good option for you.

There are a number of online portals that will facilitate your search for a freelance internet developer. You could additionally log onto search engines online. Using appropriate keywords like 'Houston Web Design' or 'Houston Website Design', you could get links to beneficial sites.

Website Design Houston Business

The Internet will allow you to find companies around the globe. Nonetheless, if you have a particular preference, you could exercise it to discover business within particular nations or cities all over the world. For example, a search term such as 'Web Design Houston' or 'Houston Web Designer' will link you with business or freelancers operating within Houston.

Similarly, you can modify the above pointed out search terms to alter the area criteria of your search.

If you wish to get a website built, simply go online today and begin searching.

?

About the Author:

Source: http://www.milwaukeebusinessopportunities.com/2012/12/choosing-best-website-design-houston.html

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List: No love for 'fiscal cliff,' 'spoiler alert'

DETROIT (AP) ? Spoiler alert: This story contains words and phrases that some people want to ban from the English language. "Spoiler alert" is among them. So are "kick the can down the road," ''trending" and "bucket list."

A dirty dozen have landed on the 38th annual List of Words to be Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness. The nonbinding, tongue-in-cheek decree released Monday by northern Michigan's Lake Superior State University is based on nominations submitted from the United States, Canada and beyond.

"Spoiler alert," the seemingly thoughtful way to warn readers or viewers about looming references to a key plot point in a film or TV show, nevertheless passed its use-by date for many, including Joseph Foly, of Fremont, Calif. He argued in his submission the phrase is "used as an obnoxious way to show one has trivial information and is about to use it, no matter what."

At the risk of further offense, here's another spoiler alert: The phrase receiving the most nominations this year is "fiscal cliff," banished because of its overuse by media outlets when describing across-the-board federal tax increases and spending cuts that economists say could harm the economy in the new year without congressional action.

"You can't turn on the news without hearing this," said Christopher Loiselle, of Midland, Mich., in his submission. "I'm equally worried about the River of Debt and Mountain of Despair."

Other terms coming in for a literary lashing are "superfood," ''guru," ''job creators" and "double down."

University spokesman Tom Pink said that in nearly four decades, the Sault Ste. Marie school has "banished" around 900 words or phrases, and somehow the whole idea has survived rapidly advancing technology and diminishing attention spans.

Nominations used to come by mail, then fax and via the school's website, he said. Now most come through the university's Facebook page. That's fitting, since social media has helped accelerate the life cycle of certain words and phrases, such as this year's entry "YOLO" ? "you only live once."

"The list surprises me in one way or another every year, and the same way every year: I'm always surprised how people still like it, love it," he said.

Rounding out the list are "job creators/creation," ''boneless wings" and "passion/passionate." Those who nominated the last one say they are tired of hearing about a company's "passion" as a substitute for providing a service or product for money.

Andrew Foyle, of Bristol, England, said it's reached the point where "passion" is the only ingredient that keeps a chef from preparing "seared tuna" that tastes "like dust swept from a station platform."

"Apparently, it's insufficient to do it ably, with skill, commitment or finesse," Foyle said. "Passionate, begone!"

As usual, the etymological exercise ? or exorcise ? only goes so far. Past lists haven't eradicated "viral," "amazing," ''LOL" or "man cave" from everyday use.

___

Follow Jeff Karoub on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffkaroub

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/list-no-love-fiscal-cliff-spoiler-alert-092339244.html

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What is the real point of PR? Driving a business forward? | Perfect ...

There has been a lot of talk in 2012 of the PR industry?s identity crisis. Is PR dead? Are traditional PR agencies old hat? Are advertising people taking over? Ultimately, I?m not into all that navel gazing and I don?t waste a lot of time worrying about how PR people want to define themselves or why they may or may not feel threatened by other creative industries.

What most concerns me is making a positive difference to my clients? businesses. It has become abundantly clear that the media industry is becoming less and less powerful and that consumers? media consumption habits are changing fast. PR used to be about getting in the papers but it?s not as simple as that any more and this has been the case for a long time. Forget about measuring PR purely in terms of the amount of newspaper and magazine coverage. What really matters is changing behaviour, changing perceptions, driving online activity and generating leads.

PR now has to stand shoulder-to-shoulder alongside digital marketing, SEO, sales and advertising. It has to prove its worth in terms of contributing to business development and show that the money spent on PR activity is giving a good return. There is so much crossover now with other disciplines, that ?a good PR service should be integrated with marketing, social media, SEO and advertising and a PR practitioner should have a thorough understanding of those disciplines.

PR should not be a cookie cutter approach though, in the sense that different businesses will have different objectives and challenges, and therefore the role of PR is not simply to issue press releases. What I do for one client completely differs from what I do for another, depending on how large the company is, who the target customers are and what the goals are. In some cases it might cover social media, and not others. Same goes for traditional media relations and again for copywriting.

Ultimately, I believe the point of PR is to drive a business forward, whether that is to help generate new customers from a wide consumer base, or to develop corporate partnerships or clients from a niche business base. A word of caution though, PR cannot operate in a vacuum ? in other words, you can?t expect to only spend money on PR and rely on it as a silver bullet to solve all you business growth needs. Great PR is PR that works in tandem with other marketing activity. Great PR also relies on good content, and that content requires time, planning, creativity and a bit of money along the way too.

Read More

Source: http://www.perfectcirclepr.co.uk/2013/01/what-is-the-real-point-of-pr-driving-a-business-forward/

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New York State Assemblyman Sean M. Ryan announced this week that he?s proposing tougher animal abuse penalties. The legislation, which is being called, ?Phoenix?s Law,? is named for a Jack Russell Terrier who was burned alive by two teenagers in October. ?Phoenix? lived through the ordeal, but is still in a Buffalo animal hospital recovering from burns and broken bones.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tunisia-win-first-nations-cup-warm-game-061207319--sow.html

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Pakistan militants kill 40 in execution, attack on Shiites

Naseer Ahmed / Reuters

Paramedics inspect the bodies of Shiite pilgrims killed by a car bomb in Quetta on Sunday.

By NBC News staff and wire services

QUETTA, Pakistan ??Pakistani militants, who have escalated attacks in recent weeks, killed at least 40 people in two separate incidents, officials said on Sunday, challenging assertions that military offensives have broken the back of hardline Islamist groups.

A car bomb exploded near a convoy of buses taking Shiite pilgrims to Iran, killing at least 19 people and wounding 30, officials told NBC News, the latest attack on the minority sect.?

Earlier Sunday, 21 tribal policemen believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban were found shot dead in Pakistan's troubled northwest tribal region, government officials said.

---

Witnesses said the blast occurred as the three buses were overtaking a car about 35 miles west of Quetta, capital of sparsely populated Baluchistan province, site of many sectarian attacks, near the Iranian border.?

Pakistan has experienced a spike in killings over the last year by radical Sunni Muslims targeting Shiites who they consider heretics. The violence has been especially pronounced in Baluchistan province, where the latest attack occurred. ?

"The bus next to us caught on fire immediately," pilgrim Hussein Ali, 60, told Reuters. "We tried to save our companions but were driven back by the intensity of the heat."?

A second eyewitness said the bomber rushed by in a pick-up truck, swerved in front of the first bus and slammed on the brakes. The bus slammed into the pick-up truck and then a big explosion occurred.?

Photos: Blast in Karachi kills six, wounds 48

Akbar Durrani, Baluchistan's home secretary, told Reuters that rescue teams were trying to reach victims in the wreckage of the vehicles, one of which was still in flames some time after the attack. He said the death toll could rise.?

Fayaz Aziz / Reuters

A badly injured paramilitary soldier, who survived the shooting by Taliban militants, receives treatment at a hospital in Peshawar on Sunday.

At least 19 were killed in the attacks, and 30 wounded, according to government officials.?

A string of attacks on Shiites underscores the government's inability to crack down on groups promoting sectarian violence.?

Sectarian tensions
Shiites make up around 15 percent of Pakistan's 190 million people. They are scattered around the country, but the province of Baluchistan has the largest community, mainly made up of ethnic Hazaras, easily identified by their facial features which resemble those of Central Asians.

Pakistan's 'dynastic politics': Bhutto's son launches career

Sunni extremists have long carried out attacks against Shiites in Pakistan. But the sectarian campaign has stepped up in recent years, fueled mainly by the radical group Laskar-e-Jangvhi, aligned to Pakistani Taliban militants headquartered in the tribal region. More than 300 Shiites have been killed in Pakistan this year, according to Human Rights Watch.

The violence has pushed Baluchistan in particular deeper into chaos. The province was already facing an armed insurgency by ethnic Baluch separatists who frequently attack security forces and government facilities. But the secessionist violence has been overtaken by increasingly bold attacks against Shiites.?

Pakistan, Afghanistan share vision on Taliban

The sectarian bloodletting adds another layer to the turmoil in Pakistan, where the government is fighting an insurgency by the Pakistani Taliban and where many fear Sunni hardliners are gaining strength. Shiites and rights group say the government does little to protect Shiites and that militants are emboldened because they are believed to have links to Pakistan's intelligence agencies.?

Tribal policemen killed
The 21 tribal policemen who were shot dead were found by officials shortly after midnight Sunday in the Jabai area of Frontier Region Peshawar after being notified by one policeman who escaped, said Naveed Akbar Khan, a top political official in the area. Another policeman was found seriously wounded, said Khan.?

The 23 policemen went missing before dawn Thursday when militants armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons attacked two posts in Frontier Region Peshawar. Two policemen were also killed in the attacks.?

After receiving threatening telephone calls warning they would regret helping the "infidel" campaign against polio, a group of woman, working on a UN-backed polio vaccination campaign, were shot and killed by gunmen a day after a similar slaying in Karachi. Ch4 Europe's Lindsey Hilsum reports. Warning: Some images maybe disturbing.

Militants lined the policemen up on a cricket pitch late Saturday night and gunned them down, said another local official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.?

Also Sunday, two Pakistani army soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in the North Waziristan tribal area, the main sanctuary for Taliban and al-Qaida militants in the country, security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with official policy.?

NBC News'?Mushtaq Yusufzai,?The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/30/16247077-pakistan-militants-kill-40-in-mass-execution-attack-on-shiites?lite

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Democratic officials: Fiscal 'cliff' deal reached

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks about the fiscal cliff, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in the South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington. The president said it appears that an agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff is "in sight," but says it's not yet complete and work continues. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks about the fiscal cliff, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in the South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington. The president said it appears that an agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff is "in sight," but says it's not yet complete and work continues. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama smiles and gestures as he speaks about the fiscal cliff, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in the South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington. The president said it appears that an agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff is "in sight," but says it's not yet complete and work continues. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The moon rises behind the U.S. Capitol Dome in Washington as Congress works into the late evening, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012 to resolve the stalemate over the pending "fiscal cliff." (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Racing the clock, the White House sealed a New Year's Eve accord with Senate Republicans late Monday to neutralize across-the-board tax increases and spending cuts in government programs due to take effect at midnight, according to administration and Democratic officials.

Under the deal, taxes would remain steady for the middle class and rise at incomes over $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for couples ? levels higher than President Barack Obama had campaigned for in his successful drive for a second term in office.

Spending cuts totaling $24 billion over two months aimed at the Pentagon and domestic programs would be deferred. That would allow the White House and lawmakers time to regroup before plunging very quickly into a new round of budget brinkmanship certain to revolve around Republican calls to rein in the cost of Medicare and other government benefit programs.

Officials also decided at the last minute to use the measure to prevent a $900 pay raise for lawmakers due to take effect this spring.

Even by the dysfunctional standards of government-by-gridlock, the activity at both ends of historic Pennsylvania Avenue was remarkable as the administration and lawmakers spent the final hours of 2012 haggling over long-festering differences.

"One thing we can count on with respect to this Congress is that if there's even one second left before you have to do what you're supposed to do, they will use that last second," the president said in a mid-afternoon status update on the talks.

As darkness fell on the last day of the year, Obama, Biden and their aides were at work in the White House, and lights burned in the House and Senate. Democrats complained that Obama had given away too much in agreeing to limit tax increases to incomes over $450,000, far above the $250,000 level he campaigned on. Yet some Republicans recoiled at the prospect of raising taxes at all.

Democratic senators said they expected a post-midnight vote on the measure. They spoke after a closed-door session with Vice President Joseph Biden, who brokered the deal with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

"The argument is that this is the best that can be done on a bipartisan basis," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., when asked about the case the vice president had delivered behind closed doors.

Passage would send the measure to the House, where Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, refrained from endorsing a package as yet unseen by his famously rebellious rank-and-file. He said the House would not vote on any Senate-passed measure "until House members ? and the American people ? have been able to review" it.

Numerous GOP officials said McConnell and his aides had kept the speaker's office informed about the progress of the talks.

The House Democratic leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, issued a statement saying that when legislation clears the Senate, "I will present it to the House Democratic caucus."

Without legislation, economists in and out of government warned of a possible recession if the economy were allowed to fall over a fiscal cliff of tax increases and spending cuts.

And while the nominal deadline for action passed at midnight, Obama's signature on legislation by the time a new Congress takes office at noon on Jan. 3, 2013 ? the likely timetable ? would eliminate or minimize any inconvenience for taxpayers.

A late dispute over the estate tax produced allegations of bad faith from all sides.

After hours of haggling, Biden headed for the Capitol to brief the Democratic rank and file.

Earlier, McConnell had agreed with Obama that an overall deal was near. In remarks on the Senate floor, he suggested Congress move quickly to pass tax legislation and "continue to work on finding smarter ways to cut spending" next year.

The White House and Democrats initially declined the offer, preferring to prevent the cuts from kicking in at the Pentagon and domestic agencies alike. A two-month compromise resulted.

Officials in both parties said the agreement would prevent tax increases at incomes below $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for couples.

At higher levels, the rate would rise to a maximum of 39.6 percent from the current 35 percent. Capital gains and dividends in excess of those amounts would be taxed at 20 percent, up from 15 percent.

The deal also would also raise taxes on the portion of estates exceeding $5 million to 40 percent. At the

insistence of Republicans, the $5 million threshold would rise each year with inflation.

Much or all of the revenue to be raised through higher taxes on the wealthy would help hold down the amount paid to the Internal Revenue Service by the middle class.

In addition to preventing higher rates for most, the agreement would retain existing breaks for families with children, for low-earning taxpayers and for those with a child in college. Also, the two sides agreed to prevent the alternative minimum tax from expanding to affect an estimated 28 million households for the first time in 2013, with an average increase of more than $3,000. The law originally was designed to make sure millionaires did not escape taxes, but inflation has gradually exposed more and more households with lower earnings to its impact.

The legislation leaves untouched a scheduled 2 percentage point increase in the payroll tax, ending a temporary reduction enacted two years ago to help revive the economy.

Officials said the White House had succeeded in gaining a one-year extension of long-term unemployment benefits about to expire on an estimated two million jobless.

It was unclear whether the legislation would prevent a 27 percent cut in fees for doctors who treat Medicare patients was unknown.

Also included is a provision to prevent a threatened spike in milk prices after the first of the year.

Even as time was running out, partisan agendas were evident.

Obama used his appearance not only to chastise Congress, but also to lay down a marker for the next round of negotiations early in 2013, when Republicans intend to seek spending cuts in exchange for letting the Treasury to borrow above the current debt limit of $16.4 trillion.

"Now, if Republicans think that I will finish the job of deficit reduction through spending cuts alone ? and you hear that sometimes coming from them ... then they've got another think coming. ... That's not how it's going to work at least as long as I'm president," he said.

"And I'm going to be president for the next four years, I think," he added.

Obama's remarks irritated some Republicans.

Sen. John McCain of Arizona they would "clearly antagonize members of the House."

___

Associated Press writers Julie Pace, Andrew Taylor, Alan Fram and Ben Feller contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-01-Fiscal%20Cliff/id-2e7e5f8c25614f41b0ecadcfeea863b6

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