BRACAnalysis helps women with increased cancer risk avoid cancer

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF)- Stacy Chesser visits her gynecologist, Dr. Thomas Ray, on a regular basis.?? Chesser is the middle daughter in her family. Her sister, Kimberly Vernetti, made a disturbing discovery that dealt with family health history.?

"Kimberly had a knot on her breast, came into Dr. Ray. Two days later she got the results back that she had cancer," said Chesser.

That diagnosis shook the family to the core because breast cancer runs in the family. Vernetti's oncologist recommended a BRAC test for her, her sisters and mother.?

Dr. Ray explained what BRACAnalysis is.??

"The?BRACAnalysis is a test that screens for the?BRCA one and two gene. Essentially detects hereditary breast and ovarian cancers," said Ray.

He is very specific about what the test does and doesn't do.?

"It does not indicate that there is current cancer. But it does indicate that they may be susceptible at a higher risk than the general population over their lifetime," added Ray.

So who should take it??

"This test would be ideal for anyone who has a family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer," he said.

Chesser was the first to schedule the test and got the results two weeks later.??

"He explained to me that?I came back positive for both breast and ovarian gene and with that he gave me an 87 percent chance of getting breast cancer by the time?I was 50," she said.

Once the test results come back and if they are positive, the patient has a lot to think about. A very aggressive form of treatment could be surgery. Conservative treatments may involved medications.?

"I was through having my children and so?I went ahead and proceeded in three weeks with a complete hysterectomy. During this time, I've already been refereed over to a physician in Huntsville to where?I could talk to him about whether?I wanted to proceed with a double mastectomy," said Chesser.

Chesser's older sister tested negative, but their mom tested positive and also had both surgeries.

She said the?BRAC test is a blessing.?

"Mastectomy is a scary word. It scares everyone. But it's just body parts. You're still yourself. In hindsight, I've come out better," she said.

And now she's spreading the word so more women can try to avoid these types of cancer.

Copyright 2012 WAFF. All rights reserved.

Source: http://decatur.waff.com/news/news/80527-bracanalysis-helps-women-increased-cancer-risk-avoid-cancer

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Is This What the Next Amazon Kindle Looks Like? [Kindle]

Amazon is widely expected to introduce new Kindles at its event next week and it looks like we might be getting a sneak peek at the goods early. Here's an image that supposedly shows a new Kindle Touch with Paperwhite. Yep, it looks like the Kindle is finally getting a front-lit display a la the Nook Simple Touch with Glowlight. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/jo8VW-t5Xfg/here-is-what-the-next-kindle-might-look-like

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Mitt Romney's Wealth: He's Used Privacy Afforded by Prudent Estate ...

As Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney prepare to leave the Republican National Lovefest Convention tonight to get back on the presidential campaign trail, Barack Obama?s campaign is shouting ever louder about what it perceives as secrecy surrounding the estate planning and personal wealth that Romney has built up for his wife, five children and 16 grandchildren.

Bah! Humbug!

Secrecy is not the same as simple privacy. Anyway, his latest tax return tells us what we need to know here.

In an article released on Monday, Bloomberg points out just how much Mitt Romney?s tax return tells us about how he has planned for his family?s future. The article is well-written and detailed, but it quickly slips from the lingua franca English to the kind of Lawyer-speak that demands an Advil and a bilingual dictionary to translate. Consider me your interpreter.

(Normally, I would give you a disclaimer here affirming that I?m just presenting the facts and abstaining from entering the political fray. You won?t find that today because what I see in Romney?s return is success built on hard work and concentrated effort. I can?t fault a family for having the hard work and perseverance to create much bigger pie than I have ? and I especially can?t do that when I see that they?ve given away more to charity than I?ve even been able to make. But I get ahead of myself.)

The wealth of the Romneys is impressive. It appears that they have amassed at least $350 million. But that?s not even as much as some of the men who?ve held similar positions atop companies like Bain Capital, where Romney served as CEO (check back to the Bloomberg piece for these particulars).

The Romney grandchildren, complete with weeping lass up front. She?ll cheer up when she learns that Grandpa?s myriad living trusts, cunning use of an IRA, and corresponding deferred tax withdrawals have secured her future for ? why is she crying louder now?

The Romneys have used shrewd estate planning techniques since as early as 1995. It appears from the values of his income and his estate plan that Gov. and Mrs. Romney have set aside about 28% of their holdings for their family. Yes, that is based on some big numbers and speculation, but it?s simple math. Specifically, the plan appears to look like this:

1)????? The Romneys created a Family Trust to create wealth for their children and grandchildren. They structured the Family Trust as a series of Grantor Trusts where they paid the taxes on the income the trust made. The assets inside the trust aren?t depleted by money paid to the government and have more potential to grow outside of the estate. The payments aren?t considered an additional wealth transfer for gift-tax purposes, and because the Romneys have paid the levies over the years, current distributions to the children aren?t subject to income tax. That allows the trusts to distribute assets to the beneficiaries tax-free.

2)???? Gov. Romney regularly placed money in his retirement accounts ? probably as much as was legally possible. He currently appears to have as much as $87 million (depending on the value of the assets at any one moment) in those retirement accounts. He will be required to start taking required minimum distributions, but the professionals feel that this is really money set aside for future generations so they can stretch out the distributions over the life of the beneficiary, rather than Governor Romney?s life.

3)???? Gov. and Mrs. Romney have also given back in a big way. The Romneys set up a charitable remainder unitrust in 1996, according to state financial disclosure documents. The trust, also known as a CRUT, moves money out of an estate by donating it to charity. Tax documents show that they gave $7 million to charity in 2010 and 2011.

My good friend, Jonathan Mintz, looked at the tax returns used for Bloomberg?s article. He well summarized why someone would consider such an estate plan.

?It isn?t possible to determine from tax documents released by Romney?s campaign the terms of the family trust, assets gifted to it and their initial value,? Mintz, chief operating officer at WealthCounsel LLC, a group supporting estate and business planning attorneys, told the reporters for Bloomberg. ?That?s one of the real benefits of certain types of trusts and why families use them. They are private.?

Planning rules change regularly. What worked for Gov. and Mrs. Romney in 1995 may not work in 2013. No, we don?t know who will be president. But we do know that planning is critical for the future, regardless of the size of your pie or the number of mouths you want to feed with it.

So, have you done your planning yet? Do you mind if everybody knows the details?

_____________________________

If you?re interested in discussing estate planning or business law, find out how to get in touch with us at:??TheFisherLawOffice.com. You can also contact us at?Facebook.com/FisherLawOffice, on?Twitter?@thefisherlawoffice, or at?LinkedIn.com/in/FisherLawOffice. If you come here just because we sometimes incorporate kittens into the blog, you?d best consult the?Arts and Cats Movement.

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Source: http://thefisherlawoffice.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/mitt-romneys-wealth-hes-used-privacy-afforded-by-prudent-estate-planning-do-you-want-your-planning-public/

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Fed Beige Book: Economy Continues to Expand but Growth Slows ...

Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District

Reports from the twelve Federal Reserve Districts suggest economic activity continued to expand gradually in July and early August across most regions and sectors. Six Districts indicated the local economy continued to expand at a modest pace and another three cited moderate growth; among the latter, Chicago noted that the pace of growth had slowed from the prior period. The Philadelphia and Richmond Districts reported slow growth in most sectors and declines in manufacturing, while Boston cited mixed reports from business contacts and some slowdown since the previous report.

Commercial Real Estate

Commercial real estate market conditions held steady or improved in nearly all Districts in recent weeks. New York, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, and Kansas City all reported that commercial leasing increased and vacancy rates fell. New York and Kansas City reported increases in office rents as well; Kansas City also cited a rise in commercial construction. Commercial building permits were up significantly from one year ago in portions of the Minneapolis District. Chicago?s report was mixed: office vacancy rates remained high, restraining demand for new office construction, but office leasing demand improved modestly and industrial construction picked up. Atlanta reported rising apartment rents and small gains in office leasing, with weakness in the retail and industrial sectors. Boston reported that office fundamentals were flat on average, with rising rents in portions of Boston proper and muted but steady activity elsewhere in the District. Nonresidential construction picked up in the Boston and Cleveland Districts. Office and industrial real estate markets remained healthy in Dallas. The St. Louis report noted an increase in commercial construction across much of the District and varied reports on leasing across areas within the District. In San Francisco, demand for commercial property was stable while commercial construction was limited. Richmond reported a decline in office leasing volume in Washington, D.C., but some portions of the District recorded increasing sales and construction. Multifamily real estate remained a strong submarket and a key driver of construction in many Districts, including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, and San Francisco.

Eleventh District ? Dallas

The Eleventh District economy grew at a moderate pace over the past six weeks. Manufacturing activity continued to expand, demand for business services remained solid, and transportation services activity increased. Respondents said retail sales edged up, while automobile sales held steady. The housing and commercial real estate markets remained healthy. Financial firms noted softening loan demand. Energy activity remained robust, and agricultural conditions improved slightly. Employment levels were steady to slightly higher. Wage and price pressures were modest. Most contacts noted that European debt issues and the upcoming national elections added uncertainty to their outlooks.

Construction and Real Estate (Eleventh District)

Housing activity remained strong since the last report. Contacts said sales of new and existing homes continued at a good pace and were well above expectations. Builders noted strong traffic and reported rising backlogs, while realtors said shrinking inventories had led to price gains. Apartment demand remained strong, and contacts noted rising construction activity as investors continue to be attracted to the market. Housing outlooks remain positive.

Office and industrial real estate fundamentals remained healthy over the past six weeks. Leasing activity continued at a good pace and some contacts noted a pick-up in property sales. Outlooks were optimistic but cautious. Since the last report, there were a few signs that investors were becoming less aggressive in pursuing commercial real estate deals, outside of multifamily.

Fed Beige Book ? August 2012

Source: http://www.coydavidson.com/national/fed-beige-book-economy-continues-to-expand-but-growth-slows-in-several-regions/

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This Is How a Medical Scanner Looks Without Its Skin [Video]

When you look at them in hospitals, CT (Computer Tomography) scanners look like devices from Star Trek's Enterprise. When you look at them without their smooth futuristic covers on, they look like tired engine parts from the Battlestar Galactica. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/rFHPA5budxs/this-is-how-a-medical-scanner-looks-without-its-skin

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HR Manager Role And Responsibilities ? Tips For Human - HR Crest

HR is a field under siege. In this context, let us take a deeper look at the HR Manager?s roles and responsibilities?

In order to determine the HR Manager?s role in nurturing a high performing organization, we need to appreciate the pressure HR ?department as a field deals with on an ongoing basis.

The HR ?function has seen some of the most radical shifts in expectations compared to any other field in the corporate environment. Forces such as the technological revolution in the last twenty years, globalization, business process outsourcing among others have challenged HR managers to rethink their role in organizations. In addition to these, organizations require you as an HR manager to prove your relevance continually.

Aligning Organizational Activities to Strategy

High performing organizations demonstrate a high degree of alignment to strategy. An organization whose strategy is clear to all business units tend to perform better than their non- aligned competitors.

You have the duty of aligning HR policy to the overall business strategy.

One of the excellent manifestations of this alignment is the implementation of talent management as part of your HR practices.

Talent management adds a strategic dimension to traditional HR roles, and expands these roles to cover an employee?s full employment cycle. It also helps every organization to adapt well to the changing times of business. This is an integral part of the roles and responsibilities of a HR Manager.

Promoting Productivity as opposed to Activity

As an HR manager, you must realize that high performing organizations stress on results rather than activity. HR remains very susceptible to paper pushing. This comes from its traditional transactional roles. The growing imperative for HR managers is to keep all HR activities focused on the priorities of their organizations. It is mandatory to understand what business leaders expect from their HR Managers. Click here to read more on this.

Many employees fall in the trap of activity rather than productivity.

It is up to you, the HR manager, to sort out the mess and to ensure that each employee has a clear understanding of what is important for the organization by coordinated goal setting. You can do this by using performance reviews designed to measure productivity rather than activity.

Striving towards high efficiency is one of the HR manager?s role in a nurturing a high performing organization. It is not enough to receive reports about the hours an employee spends on tasks.

It is vital to determine what value those tasks added to the organization.

Pursuing Efficiency in Operations

In high performing organizations, the HR manager?s sift through processes to simplify them to increase efficiency.

You have the continuous challenge of developing new policies to cover emerging issues. These new policies tend to add layers to processes, which end up clogging your HR function. At all times, you must keep working towards becoming an Efficient HR Department and an effective HR Manager.

To achieve a high level of performance, you need to bear in mind the need to streamline the HR processes to reduce clutter and to increase the efficiency of processes. HR should not add barriers to the work process, but should free up employees to focus on the important work.

Article Summary: HR function, is under constant pressure to evolve amidst changes in the global business environment. HR managers must work towards greater alignment of HR policy towards the organization?s overall strategy. In addition, HR managers need to stress on results rather that activities and they also need to ensure all work processes are as efficient as possible.?

These tips outline the HR manager?s role in nurturing a high performing organization as an integral part of the HR Manager roles and responsibilities

Related posts:

1. Human Resources Manager Role ? Opening A New Office Or A New Location
2. Free Pdf on HR ? Human Resources Book With Tips For HR Manager
3. The Human Resources Manager Of Changing Times ? How To Rock In Your Human Resource Job in 2012
4. How to Identify Talent And Critical Resources-Role Of HR Manager
5. HR Tips: The Role Of HR Manager ? How To Finish The Assignments You Dislike

Tags: aligning HR policy, duties of hr manager, Effective HR Manager, Efficient HR Department, Goal Setting, HR Manager roles and responsibilities, HR Manager?s role, HR manager?s role in a nurturing a high performing organization, roles and responsibilities of hr manager, Roles Of HR Manager, the changing times of business, to streamline the HR processes

Category: HR Manager

Source: http://www.hrcrest.com/hr-manager/hr-manager-role-and-responsibilities-tips-for-human-resources-manager/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hr-manager-role-and-responsibilities-tips-for-human-resources-manager

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EMC Security Fire Monitoring Saves House; Fire Started by Dryer ...

The EMC Security monitoring center received a fire alarm from the home of a customer in Jefferson, Georgia. ?Upon receiving the alarm, the monitoring center operator directly called the customer. ?The customer was on her way home from a friend?s house. ?While on the line with the customer, ?the operator immediately dispatched the fire department to the home. ? The customer notified the operator that she would call her back when she arrived at her home. ?The fire department arrived at the home before the customer and was in the process of distinguishing the fire at her home. ?The monitoring center operator later learned that the dryer in the customer?s started the fire. ?Thankfully, the customer did not suffer any substantial loss and no one was hurt. ?Please always consider fire monitoring for you home as a part of your security system. ?In addition to burglary and intrusion monitoring, EMC Security provides fire and medical monitoring at no additional cost. ?Having adequate fire monitoring can mean the difference between minimal loss and fire damage and total loss of your home to a fire. ?More importantly, it can mean the difference between life and death.

Tags: fire alarm jefferson, fire detection georgia, fire monitoring georgia, security system fire alarm, security system georgia

This entry was posted on Monday, August 27th, 2012 at 9:56 pm and is filed under Jefferson, News, Real Alarm Incidents, Security Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://emcsecurity.com/blog/2012/08/27/emc-security-fire-monitoring-saves-house-fire-started-by-dryer/

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Chris Christie?s complete RNC speech

Chris Christie's keynote speech at the Republican National Convention (as prepared for delivery):

This stage and this moment are very improbable for me.

A New Jersey Republican delivering the keynote address to our national convention, from a state with 700,000 more Democrats than Republicans.

A New Jersey Republican stands before you tonight.

Proud of my party, proud of my state and proud of my country.

I am the son of an Irish father and a Sicilian mother.

My Dad, who I am blessed to have with me here tonight, is gregarious, outgoing and loveable.

My Mom, who I lost 8 years ago, was the enforcer. She made sure we all knew who set the rules.

In the automobile of life, Dad was just a passenger. Mom was the driver.

They both lived hard lives. Dad grew up in poverty. After returning from Army service, he worked at the Breyers Ice Cream plant in the 1950s. With that job and the G.I. bill he put himself through Rutgers University at night to become the first in his family to earn a college degree. Our first family picture was on his graduation day, with Mom beaming next to him, six months pregnant with me.

Mom also came from nothing. She was raised by a single mother who took three buses to get to work every day. And mom spent the time she was supposed to be a kid actually raising children ? her two younger siblings. She was tough as nails and didn't suffer fools at all. The truth was she couldn't afford to. She spoke the truth ? bluntly, directly and without much varnish.

I am her son.

I was her son as I listened to "Darkness on the Edge of Town" with my high school friends on the Jersey Shore.

I was her son as I moved into a studio apartment with Mary Pat to start a marriage that is now 26 years old.

I was her son as I coached our sons Andrew and Patrick on the fields of Mendham, and as I watched with pride as our daughters Sarah and Bridget marched with their soccer teams in the Labor Day parade.

And I am still her son today, as Governor, following the rules she taught me: to speak from the heart and to fight for your principles. She never thought you get extra credit for just speaking the truth.

The greatest lesson Mom ever taught me, though, was this one: she told me there would be times in your life when you have to choose between being loved and being respected. She said to always pick being respected, that love without respect was always fleeting -- but that respect could grow into real, lasting love.

Now, of course, she was talking about women.

But I have learned over time that it applies just as much to leadership. In fact, I think that advice applies to America today more than ever.

I believe we have become paralyzed by our desire to be loved.

Our founding fathers had the wisdom to know that social acceptance and popularity is fleeting and that this country's principles needed to be rooted in strengths greater than the passions and emotions of the times.

Our leaders today have decided it is more important to be popular, to do what is easy and say "yes," rather than to say no when "no" is what's required.

In recent years, we as a country have too often chosen the same path.

It's been easy for our leaders to say not us, and not now, in taking on the tough issues. And we've stood silently by and let them get away with it.

But tonight, I say enough.

I say, together, let's make a much different choice. Tonight, we are speaking up for ourselves and stepping up.

We are beginning to do what is right and what is necessary to make our country great again.

We are demanding that our leaders stop tearing each other down, and work together to take action on the big things facing America.

Tonight, we choose respect over love.

We are not afraid. We are taking our country back.

We are the great grandchildren of men and women who broke their backs in the name of American ingenuity; the grandchildren of the Greatest Generation; the sons and daughters of immigrants; the brothers and sisters of everyday heroes; the neighbors of entrepreneurs and firefighters, teachers and farmers, veterans and factory workers and everyone in-between who shows up not just on the big days or the good days, but on the bad days and on the hard days.

Each and every day. All 365 of them.

We are the United States of America.

Now we must lead the way our citizens live. To lead as my mother insisted I live, not by avoiding truths, especially the hard ones, but by facing up to them and being the better for it.

We cannot afford to do anything less.

I know because this was the challenge in New Jersey.

When I came into office, I could continue on the same path that led to wealth, jobs and people leaving the state or I could do the job the people elected me to do ? to do the big things.

There were those who said it couldn't be done. The problems were too big, too politically charged, too broken to fix. But we were on a path we could no longer afford to follow.

They said it was impossible to cut taxes in a state where taxes were raised 115 times in eight years. That it was impossible to balance a budget at the same time, with an $11 billion deficit. Three years later, we have three balanced budgets with lower taxes.

We did it.

They said it was impossible to touch the third rail of politics. To take on the public sector unions and to reform a pension and health benefit system that was headed to bankruptcy.

With bipartisan leadership we saved taxpayers $132 billion over 30 years and saved retirees their pension.

We did it.

They said it was impossible to speak the truth to the teachers union. They were just too powerful. Real teacher tenure reform that demands accountability and ends the guarantee of a job for life regardless of performance would never happen.

For the first time in 100 years with bipartisan support, we did it.

The disciples of yesterday's politics underestimated the will of the people. They assumed our people were selfish; that when told of the difficult problems, tough choices and complicated solutions, they would simply turn their backs, that they would decide it was every man for himself.

Instead, the people of New Jersey stepped up and shared in the sacrifice.

They rewarded politicians who led instead of politicians who pandered.

We shouldn't be surprised.

We've never been a country to shy away from the truth. History shows that we stand up when it counts and it's this quality that has defined our character and our significance in the world.

I know this simple truth and I'm not afraid to say it: our ideas are right for America and their ideas have failed America.

Let's be clear with the American people tonight. Here's what we believe as Republicans and what they believe as Democrats.

We believe in telling hard working families the truth about our country's fiscal realities. Telling them what they already know ? the math of federal spending doesn't add up.

With $5 trillion in debt added over the last four years, we have no other option but to make the hard choices, cut federal spending and fundamentally reduce the size of government.

They believe that the American people don't want to hear the truth about the extent of our fiscal difficulties and need to be coddled by big government.

They believe the American people are content to live the lie with them.

We believe in telling seniors the truth about our overburdened entitlements.

We know seniors not only want these programs to survive, but they just as badly want them secured for their grandchildren.

Seniors are not selfish.

They believe seniors will always put themselves ahead of their grandchildren. So they prey on their vulnerabilities and scare them with misinformation for the cynical purpose of winning the next election.

Their plan: whistle a happy tune while driving us off the fiscal cliff, as long as they are behind the wheel of power.

We believe that the majority of teachers in America know our system must be reformed to put students first so that America can compete.

Teachers don't teach to become rich or famous. They teach because they love children.

We believe that we should honor and reward the good ones while doing what's best for our nation's future ? demanding accountability, higher standards and the best teacher in every classroom.

They believe the educational establishment will always put themselves ahead of children. That self-interest trumps common sense.

They believe in pitting unions against teachers, educators against parents, and lobbyists against children.

They believe in teacher's unions.

We believe in teachers.

We believe that if we tell the people the truth they will act bigger than the pettiness of Washington, D.C.

We believe it's possible to forge bipartisan compromise and stand up for conservative principles.

It's the power of our ideas, not of our rhetoric, that attracts people to our Party.

We win when we make it about what needs to be done; we lose when we play along with their game of scaring and dividing.

For make no mistake, the problems are too big to let the American people lose ? the slowest economic recovery in decades, a spiraling out of control deficit, an education system that's failing to compete in the world.

It doesn't matter how we got here. There is enough blame to go around.

What matters now is what we do.

I know we can fix our problems.

When there are people in the room who care more about doing the job they were elected to do than worrying about winning re-election, it's possible to work together, achieve principled compromise and get results.

The people have no patience for any other way.

It's simple.

We need politicians to care more about doing something and less about being something.

Believe me, if we can do this in a blue state with a conservative Republican Governor, Washington is out of excuses.

Leadership delivers.

Leadership counts.

Leadership matters.

We have this leader for America.

We have a nominee who will tell us the truth and who will lead with conviction. And now he has a running mate who will do the same.

We have Governor Mitt Romney and Congressman Paul Ryan, and we must make them our next President and Vice President.

Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to put us back on the path to growth and create good paying private sector jobs again in America.

Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to end the torrent of debt that is compromising our future and burying our economy.

Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to end the debacle of putting the world's greatest health care system in the hands of federal bureaucrats and putting those bureaucrats between an American citizen and her doctor.

We ended an era of absentee leadership without purpose or principle in New Jersey.

It's time to end this era of absentee leadership in the Oval Office and send real leaders to the White House.

America needs Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan and we need them right now.

There is doubt and fear for our future in every corner of our country.

These feelings are real.

This moment is real.

It's a moment like this where some skeptics wonder if American greatness is over.

How those who have come before us had the spirit and tenacity to lead America to a new era of greatness in the face of challenge.

Not to look around and say "not me," but to say, "YES, ME."

I have an answer tonight for the skeptics and the naysayers, the dividers and the defenders of the status quo.

I have faith in us.

I know we can be the men and women our country calls on us to be.

I believe in America and her history.

There's only one thing missing now. Leadership. It takes leadership that you don't get from reading a poll.

You see, Mr. President ? real leaders don't follow polls. Real leaders change polls.

That's what we need to do now.

Change polls through the power of our principles.

Change polls through the strength of our convictions.

Tonight, our duty is to tell the American people the truth.

Our problems are big and the solutions will not be painless. We all must share in the sacrifice. Any leader that tells us differently is simply not telling the truth.

I think tonight of the Greatest Generation.

We look back and marvel at their courage ? overcoming the Great Depression, fighting Nazi tyranny, standing up for freedom around the world.

Now it's our time to answer history's call.

For make no mistake, every generation will be judged and so will we.

What will our children and grandchildren say of us? Will they say we buried our heads in the sand, we assuaged ourselves with the creature comforts we've acquired, that our problems were too big and we were too small, that someone else should make a difference because we can't?

Or will they say we stood up and made the tough choices needed to preserve our way of life?

I don't know about you, but I don't want my children and grandchildren to have to read in a history book what it was like to live in an American Century.

I don't want their only inheritance to be an enormous government that has overtaxed, overspent and over-borrowed a great people into second-class citizenship.

I want them to live in a second American Century.

A second American Century of strong economic growth where those who are willing to work hard will have good paying jobs to support their families and reach their dreams.

A second American Century where real American exceptionalism is not a political punch line, but is evident to everyone in the world just by watching the way our government conducts its business and everyday Americans live their lives.

A second American Century where our military is strong, our values are sure, our work ethic is unmatched and our Constitution remains a model for anyone in the world struggling for liberty.

Let us choose a path that will be remembered for generations to come. Standing strong for freedom will make the next century as great an American century as the last one.

This is the American way.

We have never been victims of destiny.

We have always been masters of our own.

I won't be part of the generation that fails that test and neither will you.

It's now time to stand up. There's no time left to waste.

If you're willing to stand up with me for America's future, I will stand up with you.

If you're willing to fight with me for Mitt Romney, I will fight with you.

If you're willing to hear the truth about the hard road ahead, and the rewards for America that truth will bear, I'm here to begin with you this new era of truth-telling.

Tonight, we choose the path that has always defined our nation's history.

Tonight, we finally and firmly answer the call that so many generations have had the courage to answer before us.

Tonight, we stand up for Mitt Romney as the next President of the United States.

And, together, we stand up once again for American greatness.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/chris-christie-complete-rnc-speech-033352885.html

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New mileage standards would double fuel efficiency

In this Friday, July 29, 2011, photo, President Barack Obama walks down a ramp after delivering a speech at a gathering where he announced new fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks at the Washington Convention Center in Washington.The average gas mileage of new cars and trucks will have to nearly double by 2025 under regulations that were finalized Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, by the Obama administration. The new rules would require the fleet of new cars and trucks to average 54.5 miles per gallon in 13 years, up from 28.6 mpg at the end of last year. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

In this Friday, July 29, 2011, photo, President Barack Obama walks down a ramp after delivering a speech at a gathering where he announced new fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks at the Washington Convention Center in Washington.The average gas mileage of new cars and trucks will have to nearly double by 2025 under regulations that were finalized Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, by the Obama administration. The new rules would require the fleet of new cars and trucks to average 54.5 miles per gallon in 13 years, up from 28.6 mpg at the end of last year. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Obama administration has finalized new fuel economy rules that will require the fleet-wide average of new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to double over the next 13 years.

The average fuel economy must reach 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, up from 28.6 mpg at the end of last year.

The regulations will bring dramatic changes to the cars and trucks in U.S. showrooms, with the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption.

To meet the standard, automakers will need to introduce new technology to improve gasoline-powered engines. And they'll need to sell more alternative fuel vehicles. Critics say the rules will add thousands to the price of new cars and make them unaffordable for many.

The administration says the latest changes will save families more than $1.7 trillion in fuel costs and bring an average savings of $8,000 over the lifetime of a new vehicle sold in 2025. The standards also are the biggest step the U.S. government has ever taken toward cutting greenhouse gas emissions, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson said. Tailpipe emissions from cars and light trucks will be halved by 2025, the government said.

President Barack Obama said the new fuel standards "represent the single most important step" his administration has taken to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

But Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has opposed the standards, and his campaign on Tuesday called them extreme and said they would drive up the price of new cars. Any savings at the pump would be wiped out by rising costs of cars, the campaign said.

The gas mileage requirements will be phased in gradually and get tougher starting in 2017. They build on a 2009 deal between the Obama administration and automakers that committed cars and trucks to average 35.5 mpg by model year 2016.

In the arcane world of government regulations, the rules don't mean that cars and trucks will average 54.5 mpg in 13 years. It's actually closer to 40 mpg in real-world driving.

Under the complex regulations, dubbed "Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE," automakers can have lower mileage by using credits for selling natural gas and electric vehicles, changing air conditioning fluid to one that pollutes less, and even for placing louvers on car grilles to improve aerodynamics. They won't have to improve pickup truck mileage much for the first few years, but big improvements will come later, after 2020.

Still, automakers have been adding technology to boost gas mileage, mainly because people want to spend less on gasoline, which averaged about $3.75 per gallon this week. The research firm J.D. Power and Associates says that fuel economy is the top factor people consider when buying a car in the U.S.

By 2025, some bigger models may disappear, and dealers could offer more efficient gas-electric hybrids, natural gas vehicles and electric cars. There also will be smaller motors, lighter bodies and more devices to save fuel, such as circuits that temporarily shut off engines at traffic lights.

The changes will raise new car prices, but the government says that will be more than offset by the savings at the pump.

The new rules were adopted after an agreement between the administration and 13 automakers last year. That's a change from the past, when automakers fought stricter fuel economy changes, saying it cost them too much to build vehicles to meet the stricter standards.

Industry leaders repeatedly told the Obama administration that they wanted one nationwide fuel standard, fearing separate mileage standards from California and other states.

"They wanted certainty so that as they invest in the future they will know what rules they are playing by," Jackson said.

Fuel economy standards were first imposed on U.S. automakers in the 1970s. The aim was to make cars more efficient and reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil at time when the Arab oil embargo was creating gasoline shortages. The administration says this is the first update in decades.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will enforce the standards, calculating the average mileage of cars sold by each automaker. Automakers can be fined if they don't comply.

The requirements, which can be imposed without congressional approval, will be reviewed in 2018 and could be reduced if the technology isn't available to meet the standards.

The rules are tough, but General Motors, the largest U.S. car company, will roll out features to comply, spokesman Greg Martin said.

"Consumers want higher fuel efficiency in their cars and trucks, and GM is going to give it to them," he said.

The administration likes to tout cooperation between automakers and the government in forming the latest rules.

____

Krisher reported from Detroit.

___

Follow Matthew Daly on Twitter: (at)MatthewDalyWDC

The Courier-Journal

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-08-28-US-Obama-Fuel-Economy/id-e52637401d54417ab395c39330e02802

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Unexploded Nazi bomb forces evacuation in central Warsaw

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Some two dozen topless women protested in a New York City park on a hot, sweaty Sunday as part of what they called "National Go-Topless Day" to draw attention to inequality in topless rights between men and women. There were topless men in the park, too, but nobody paid them much attention, a disparity, organizers said, that demonstrated the need for the event. The topless women drew crowds of onlookers who took pictures and video with their cell phones. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/unexploded-nazi-bomb-forces-evacuation-central-warsaw-172146877.html

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Without big donors, Akin seeks small handouts

FILE - In this Aug. 7, 2012 file photo, Todd Akin, GOP Senate candidate from Missouri celebrates winning the primary at his campaign party at the Columns Banquet Center in St. Charles, Mo. Until this week, Rep. Todd Akin was virtually unknown beyond his district, associated more with his deep religious convictions than any legislative achievements. Long before his comments about women's bodies and "legitimate rape" made him a flashpoint in the fall campaign, this congressional backbencher was a favorite among home-schooling organizations and conservative church groups. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Christian Gooden) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT

FILE - In this Aug. 7, 2012 file photo, Todd Akin, GOP Senate candidate from Missouri celebrates winning the primary at his campaign party at the Columns Banquet Center in St. Charles, Mo. Until this week, Rep. Todd Akin was virtually unknown beyond his district, associated more with his deep religious convictions than any legislative achievements. Long before his comments about women's bodies and "legitimate rape" made him a flashpoint in the fall campaign, this congressional backbencher was a favorite among home-schooling organizations and conservative church groups. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Christian Gooden) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT

FILE - In this June 11, 2011 file photo , U.S. Representative Todd Akin answers a question from the panel during a debate among Republican Senate candidate hopefuls at the Lindenwood University J. Scheidegger Center's Bezemes Family Theater in St. Charles, Mo. Until this week, Rep. Todd Akin was virtually unknown beyond his district, associated more with his deep religious convictions than any legislative achievements. Long before his comments about women's bodies and "legitimate rape" made him a flashpoint in the fall campaign, this congressional backbencher was a favorite among home-schooling organizations and conservative church groups. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Johnny Andrews) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT

FILE - In this Aug. 10, 2012 file photo, Todd Akin, Republican candidate for U.S. Senator from Missouri, takes a question from the audience after speaking at the Missouri Farm Bureau candidate interview and endorsement meeting in Jefferson City, Mo. Until this week, Rep. Todd Akin was virtually unknown beyond his district, associated more with his deep religious convictions than any legislative achievements. Long before his comments about women's bodies and "legitimate rape" made him a flashpoint in the fall campaign, this congressional backbencher was a favorite among home-schooling organizations and conservative church groups. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Christian Gooden) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT

FILE - In this Aug. 20, 2012 file photo, a televison monitor displays comments from Rep. Todd Akin's at studios of KMOX in St. Louis. Akin was scheduled to be on the Charlie Brennan show, but didn't come in or call the station. Until this week, Rep. Todd Akin was virtually unknown beyond his district, associated more with his deep religious convictions than any legislative achievements. Long before his comments about women's bodies and "legitimate rape" made him a flashpoint in the fall campaign, this congressional backbencher was a favorite among home-schooling organizations and conservative church groups. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, J.B. Forbes) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) ? Abandoned by deep-pocketed national groups, Missouri Rep. Todd Akin is passing a collection plate among his remaining supporters, asking for a few dollars at a time in hopes of sustaining a Senate campaign threatened by his remarks about women's bodies and "legitimate rape."

Akin claimed Thursday to have taken in more than $100,000 during a two-day online fundraising drive that he portrayed as a grassroots effort to circumvent "party bosses" who demanded that he drop out. But the six-term congressman will need much more than that to replenish a campaign account already diminished by a hotly contested primary.

"It's very difficult, when you have the limited base we have in Missouri, to send emails out asking for $3 at a time," said Pat Thomas, secretary of the Missouri Republican State Committee who has worked as a coordinator for numerous candidates. "I don't know how to build a war chest to do that."

Akin now has to go forward without the firepower of well-funded political groups that had planned to pummel Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill with negative television ads.

If his money runs dry, Akin could confront a difficult choice: whether to end his candidacy or adopt a bare-bones strategy relying on social media and socially conservative activists to counter the millions of dollars of mass media advertising expected from McCaskill and her allies.

First, Akin has to repair his reputation with fellow conservatives and, according to Thomas, "get back to the point where people think you're credible."

Federal records show Akin has purchased enough air time to run apology ads in Missouri's biggest TV markets through at least Monday. Although his campaign has not disclosed how much he is spending, ad trackers for his Democratic opposition describe it as a $277,000 effort.

He's also working to mend fences. On Thursday, Akin attended a meeting of the conservative Council for National Policy in Tampa, Fla., site of the Republican National Convention, which he has agreed not to attend. He tweeted that his Wednesday fundraising goal had been met.

"Thousands of people stepped up and helped us raise over $100,000! The message is clear ... voters should pick candidates, not party bosses," Akin said.

He then sent out a new fundraising email asking supporters to chip in $5 toward a goal of raising an additional $25,000. Earlier in the week, he pleaded for $3 donations.

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee issued a fundraising plea for Akin on Thursday, accusing the "Republican establishment" of a "carefully orchestrated and systematic attack." If the national GOP and the political action committees won't help Akin "get us to the majority, then we'll do it without them," Huckabee wrote.

Akin campaign spokesman Ryan Hite declined to say exactly how much has been raised by the online contributions, but he said they were just part of Akin's fundraising strategy, which still includes efforts to get larger donations from more traditional sources.

Akin's campaign has not revealed how much money it has left. Before Missouri's primary, financial papers showed he had a little over $530,000 as of July 18. But he has spent steadily on ads since then. The next quarterly report is not due until Oct. 15, barely three weeks before the general election.

After winning the primary, Akin gained quick backing from national Republican and conservative groups focused on ousting McCaskill. But that support evaporated after Akin was asked in an interview that aired Sunday on St. Louis television station KTVI whether his general opposition to abortion extended to women who have been raped.

"From what I understand from doctors, that's really rare," Akin said in the interview. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

The chairman of the Republican National Committee urged Akin to quit, as did presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, his vice presidential pick Paul Ryan and every living Republican who has represented Missouri in the Senate.

Although it still has TV advertising time reserved in Missouri, the National Republican Senatorial Committee says it will pull $5 million of planned ads if Akin stays in the race. The conservative Crossroads group, associated with Republican strategist Karl Rove, also halted its anti-McCaskill ads and said it will pull out of Missouri if Akin doesn't go.

FreedomWorks for America, a powerful organizer among tea party activists, had been likely to support Akin in the general election with door-to-door canvassers, phone calls, mailed fliers, yard signs and online advertising. Now the group has joined the chorus calling for Akin to give up.

He's getting the cold shoulder from other national organizations that typically support Republicans.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has aired TV ads against McCaskill, has no plans for further involvement in Missouri's Senate race, a spokeswoman said.

The conservative Club for Growth and the Senate Conservatives Fund, which both shied away from Akin in the primary because of his support for earmarked spending, have shown no inclination to come to his aid.

But Akin still has the backing of some anti-abortion groups.

The Republican National Coalition for Life still supports Akin and could direct money his way before the general election, said coalition Director Dianne Edmondson. But she acknowledged that the group does not have deep finances. It gave $1,000 to Akin on July 31.

Missouri Right to Life remains staunchly behind Akin. But it has not typically waged big-dollar TV blitzes, either.

The political arm of the Family Research Council has already contributed to Akin and plans to try to fill part of his advertising vacuum.

The council's Faith Family Freedom Fund cannot match the $5 million that the Republican senatorial committee had planned to spend, acknowledged Chairman Connie Mackey. But "we think we've been pretty successful in going into some states on controversial candidates and issues."

Akin and the council hope that support for his campaign can snowball just as suddenly as it disintegrated.

"As it becomes clear that he is going to hang in there and be the candidate," Mackey said, "I would expect other groups go public with their support."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-08-23-Missouri%20Senate-Fundraising/id-1756ecca80ef4d80a367d2ca7d0ea248

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California Gives Young Illegal Aliens Driver's Licenses!

California is on the verge of allowing hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants to receive driver's licenses for the first time in nearly two decades.

The key question is how to do it.

The issue of granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants has raged in the Legislature for much of the past decade, without resolution, but fighting is largely moot now due to a new federal policy.
http://www.infowars.com/california-poised-to-grant-drivers-licenses-to-young-...

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Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuzpKYRnJ6A&feature=youtube_gdata

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UK newspapers steer clear of naked Harry photos

LONDON (AP) ? The prince has no clothes ? but British newspapers aren't running the pictures.

The country's scandal-loving tabloids devoted many pages Thursday to the story of Prince Harry's naked romp in a Las Vegas hotel suite. But all heeded a warning from royal officials that printing the images, already seen by millions on the Internet, would infringe on the prince's privacy.

So while Ireland's Evening Herald ran the stark-naked prince on its front page, British newspapers made do with pictures of holiday Harry in bathing trunks and fedora hat.

The Sun tabloid came up with the most creative solution, getting a staff member named Harry and a 21-year-old female intern to recreate the naked pose under the headline "Harry grabs the crown jewels."

Bob Satchwell, head of industry group the Society of Editors, said papers were merely complying with editors' voluntary Code of Practice, which declares "it is unacceptable to photograph individuals in private places without their consent."

But other media-watchers said a scandal that erupted a year ago over phone-hacking and other tabloid wrongdoing had tamed Britain's once-rambunctious press.

Newspapers were exposed to a trial of public opinion as Judge Brian Leveson's media ethics inquiry heard from celebrities, politicians and crime victims who said their lives had been turned upside down by press intrusion.

The scandal has killed one tabloid, the News of the World ? shut down by owner Rupert Murdoch after revelations about its illegal eavesdropping ? and tarnished the entire British media.

With the inquiry considering whether to impose stricter limits on press freedom, many feel the tabloids are staying away from kiss-and-tells and celebrity scoops that they once would have relished.

Neil Wallis, a former News of the World executive editor, said fallout from the hacking scandal had left newspapers "terrified of their own shadow."

"In this post-Leveson era ... they daren't do things that most of the country, if they saw it in the newspaper, would think 'that's a bit of a laugh,'" Wallis told the BBC.

While newspapers including The Sun and the Daily Mirror proclaimed that the naked photos had been "banned," that is not strictly true.

Several media organizations around the world ran the two naked photos of the prince, which are being sold, according to British media reports, for about 10,000 pounds ($16,000).

British outlets refrained, after receiving a warning Wednesday from palace officials.

Prince Harry's office confirmed it had contacted the Press Complaints Commission, an industry watchdog, which in turn advised newspapers not to publish the pictures.

Any paper that ran them risks being chastised by the commission, which can demand a newspaper publish an apology, but has no power to issue fines.

They could also potentially be open to an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit from the prince.

A letter to the watchdog from royal law firm Harbottle and Lewis warned that royal officials "entirely reserve their rights as to any future steps that they may take should publication take place."

Once, editors might have risked it, arguing that publishing the images was in the public interest because Harry is a public ? and publicly funded ? figure.

Satchwell acknowledged there was a risk Leveson's inquiry could chill press freedom. But he said newspapers were simply behaving responsibly over Harry.

"Of course freedom of the press is vitally, vitally important," he said. "But just because you can publish something doesn't mean that you should."

___

Jill Lawless can be reached at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-newspapers-steer-clear-naked-harry-photos-095547337.html

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PopCap Layoffs; 300M Apple Store Visitors; Foxconn Working Conditions Improve

Topping tech headlines Tuesday, gaming company PopCap laid off 50 employees from its Seattle office, and may be cutting more in Ireland.

The firm announced Tuesday that the reorganization was prompted by the rapid shift to free-to-play, social, and mobile games. PopCap co-founder John Vechey said that the company needs to stay in business, improve efficiency, and maintain a profit in order to keep games like Peggle and Plants vs. Zombies running. PopCap is in talks with its Dublin team to work out a "path to profitability" that will keep the office open.

Meanwhile, the most valuable company ever is performing well financially, as well as in customer volume. Apple Stores counted 300 million global shoppers in just the past 10 months. Cupertino boasts 375 stores worldwide, two of which opened in Canada over the weekend. The Loop's Jim Dalrymple predicted that by October, Apple Store traffic could approach 311 million to round out the 12-month period.

In other Apple news, the Fair Labor Association (FLA), which has been working with Apple on an audit of Foxconn, said Tuesday that Apple's top supplier has made progress on improvements to overtime and working conditions. Following March's report of excessive overtime and unsafe conditions, Foxconn began implementing a number of FLA-recommended changes. FLA President Auret van Heerden on Tuesday said that the Association is satisfied that Apple "has done its due diligence thus far."

Also, Skype released updates for its iOS apps, adding a new photo-sharing feature and improving overall performance. The latest version allows iPhone and iPad users to send and receive photos through the app.

Also making headlines Tuesday:

• iPhone 5 Search Traffic Skyrockets Amidst Rumors: Not surprisingly, the various rumors surrounding the release of Apple's next iPhone and the possible iPad mini have prompted a huge jump in the number of people searching for details about the much-anticipated products.
• Tesla Museum Campaign Tops $850K Online Funding Goal: Artist Matthew Inman on Tuesday surpassed his goal of raising $850,000 for a museum dedicated to electricity pioneer Nikola Tesla.
• Microsoft Opens Windows 8 Upgrade Registration: Microsoft on Tuesday started accepting registrations for Windows 8 upgrades.
• Report Tips October iPad Mini Launch: According to a new report, you will probably get your hands on the iPad mini by October.
• Samsung Teases Galaxy Note II in New Video: With just two weeks to go before Samsung's Mobile Unpacked event, the phone maker posted a video to its YouTube channel hyping up what it intends to unveil.
• Microsoft Puts out Call for Xbox Live Beta Testers: Microsoft on Tuesday put out the call for volunteers to test out the next version of Xbox Live.
• Vogue Publisher Launches Fashion Game for iOS: Conde Nast delivered an iOS game focused on the ups and downs of the world of fashion models called Fashion Hazard.
• Amazon Launches Glacier Cloud Storage Service: Amazon launched a low-cost storage service which is optimized for data archiving and backup.
• Jawbone Jambox Now Comes in Customizable Colors: Are you interested in the Jawbone Jambox speaker but not psyched with the current color options? Good news ? you can now customize it to your own preferences.
• Security Firms Work to Protect Cars From Cyber Attacks: A handful of virus-fighting companies, including Intel Corp's McAfee, are working to secure vehicles from cyber attacks.
• Sony Rolling Out Updated Version of ICS to Xperia Phones: Sony announced that it will roll out an updated version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich to several Xperia phones that already have the OS, as well as a few phones still running Gingerbread.
• NASA Unveils InSight, Next Mission to Mars: With Curiosity still getting the lay of the land on Mars, NASA this week announced that the next mission to the Red Planet will blast off in 2016 via InSight.
• Everything Everywhere to Roll Out U.K.'s First 4G Network: U.K. regulators on Tuesday awarded highly coveted 4G spectrum to Everything Everywhere (EE), which will be the first provider to offer 4G service in the U.K.
• 19 Million American Still Without Broadband Access: Approximately 19 million Americans, or 6 percent of the U.S. population, do not have access to acceptable broadband Internet services.
• Google Play Gift Cards Head to GameStop, RadioShack, Target: Google officially announced the availability of its Google Play gift cards, which come in denominations of $10, $25, or $50.
• Public Can Vote on Robot Hall of Fame 2012 Class: WALL-E, BigDog, and Rosie from The Jetsons are among a dozen candidates for enshrinement in the Robot Hall of Fame's next class, with online voting open through Sept. 30.

For more from Stephanie, follow her on Twitter @smlotPCMag.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2408761,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05079TX1K0000992

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Death toll rises in Syria-linked clashes in Lebanon

At least eight people have been killed in clashes between rival pro- and anti-Damascus gunmen in the city of Tripoli, security sources said on Wednesday, testing Lebanon's fragile security situation.

Two people died in the latest violence after a bloody day which saw six people killed in street battles between gunmen from Sunni and Alawite groups, whose rival districts are symbolically divided by a thoroughfare called Syria Street.

The northern port city of Tripoli was tense on Wednesday, with armed men driving through the city and shooting rounds of live fire into the air.

The fighting has rattled the already fragile security situation in Lebanon, which lived under three decades of Syrian domination and remains deeply divided between supporters and opponents of the Damascus government.

The dead included a 13-year-old boy, while another 75 people have been wounded, including a boy of six who was paralysed by a gunshot wound and 15 soldiers, security sources said.

The fighting first erupted late Monday in Tripoli, home to a Sunni community hostile to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Alawites, an offshoot of Shiite Islam to which the leader belongs.

The violence in Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city, saw machineguns and anti-tank rockets fired.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati called the army and security forces to "do what they can to stop this absurd battle." The military said soldiers were "chasing gunmen and have seized a quantity of guns, bombs and ammunition."

Exchanges of fire on Monday between Bab el-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen sparked the latest violence.

"We have repeatedly warned against being drawn into this blaze that has spread around Lebanon," Mikati said of the anti-Assad armed revolt in Syria since March 2011. "But it is clear several parties wanted to push Lebanon into the conflict."

Fires have blazed in several buildings of the rival neighbourhoods, where civilians have evacuated their homes, an AFP correspondent said.

"My family and I have left our house in Bab al-Tebbaneh ... But I don't have the money to leave for good. It's unfortunate this area will always be an open playing field for political struggles," said taxi driver Abu Khodr Sharbini.

Fighters in Bab al-Tebbaneh charge the Syrian regime lit the spark for this latest round of clashes. "They do this to cover up for their crimes in Syria," a fighter told AFP.

But Ali Fidda, a local Alawite official from Jabal Mohsen, said his side was only defending itself in the predominantly Sunni city. "We understand there are differences ... But we are prepared to defend ourselves if we have to."

The latest unrest follows a wave of tit-for-tat kidnappings of Lebanese citizens in Syria and Syrians in Lebanon.

Last week, an armed Lebanese Shiite clan claimed it had kidnapped around 20 Syrians in retaliation for the abduction of a family member by a Syrian rebel group, which accused him of being a sniper with the Shiite movement Hezbollah.

Hezbollah, considered Lebanon's most powerful military force, has denied any connection with the clan member or the kidnappings.

Meanwhile, the opposition Syrian National Council has accused authorities of failing to act over the attacks and implicitly blamed Hezbollah which heads a ruling coalition in Lebanon.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eight-dead-lebanon-street-battles-over-syria-101545149.html

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Heirloom Design Build Beautiful Home Additions ? |

(articles and photos courtesy of: Better Homes and Gardens)

Here is an article and some photos featuring beautiful home additions, with design and DIY tips.

1.?Colorful Family Room

A two-story addition brings enlarged family spaces, a new master suite, and light to a 1909 home without compromising the character of the original structure. The family wanted a casual living area where they could spend time together rather than a formal living room. Because wall space is limited in the family room, they could afford to go bold with color, opting for a tangy shade of salmon.

2.?Cabinet Division

A freestanding cabinet separates the family room from the kitchen. The family room side houses home entertainment equipment and storage?drawers for tapes and compact discs. At just 6 feet tall, the cabinet stops several feet short of the ceiling, allowing a visual connection between the two spaces and letting Southern light from the family room spill into the kitchen.

3. Kitchen Storage

In your kitchen remodeling?project, try an archway like this one that connects the kitchen to the sunny breakfast room. The kitchen side of the divider is fitted with storage cabinet?for dry goods. The partition makes the spaces on either side feel intimate, yet they still seem like part of a larger room. A beamed ceiling spanning the two areas visually links them and echoes the Craftsman character of the original house.

4. Sunny Breakfast Nook

An inviting breakfast nook with lots of windows protrudes from the back of the house, capturing plenty of light. The space is wrapped in wainscoting, lending it a cozy, cottage feel. The archway cabinets?hold party supplies for entertaining.

5. U?Shape Kitchen

The new space was designed to look as though it could be original to the house. Try pairing kitchen islands, such as this one, with cream-color kitchen cabinets?treated to a brown glaze for an unfitted look that suggests the room evolved over time. Fluted pendant lights strike a contemporary note.

6. Kitchen Cabinets

Multipane doors on kitchen cabinets?suit the period of the house and add depth to cabinet-lined walls. Additional storage?is tucked into the archway and the divider. Double ovens make it easy to cook for large groups.

7. Convenient Mudroom

This new space contains plenty of mudroom storage, cubbies with hooks, and a bench for every family member. A pocket door closes to conceal the mess. The bold salmon color?found in the family room and kitchen?is repeated here.

8. Bathroom Vanity

Bathroom vanities, such as this one with a glowing grid of glass, are smart additions. The unit sits 6 inches from the wall behind it to diffuse light entering through the windows; fluorescent lights concealed in the backsplash?illuminate the glass at night. Glass mosaic tile adorns the shower walls.

9. Rear Deck

The rear home addition, which acknowledges the home?s traditional styling, includes a one-story bump-out containing the mudroom and breakfast room. Decks offer easy access to the outdoors. This one features newels inset with planters to soften the transition between interior and exterior.

10. Main-Level House Floor Plans

A 1,800 square foot home in Chicago receives a 1,430-square-foot addition off the back including a kitchen, family room, breakfast room, and mudroom on the main level. The new kitchen and family rooms are divided by a freestanding cabinet containing pantries on one side and home entertainment equipment on the other. A deck?reflects the home?s Craftsman character, with paneled posts that double as planters.

11. Upper-Level House Floor Plans

An upper-level addition includes a new master suite featuring a large bathroom?and two closets. A beamed ceiling, trim, and wainscoting in the addition reflect the original architectural detailing in the old house.

?

Heirloom Design Build?is?Atlanta?s top tier unrestricted general contractor, specialized in design build, new home construction, renovation & addition and other special projects. Give us a?call (404) 537-1827, or?email us at info@heirloomdesignbuild.com.

We are members of the?United States Green Building Council, the?Atlanta Green Building Council,?Builder America,?Earthcraft, and?Energy Star. We are also EPA- Lead Free trained and certified, and we have?LEED (AP)?certified staff in house.

?Like us on?Facebook?Sign up for our?blog?and?Newsletter

Source: http://heirloomdesignbuild.com/blog/2012/08/21/beautiful-home-additions/

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