Saturday, March 31, 2012

Video: The mind as matter

London's Wellcome Collection exhibition "Brains" explores mankind's quest to decipher that most unique and mysterious of human organs, our brains. NBC's Nicole Ogrysko reports.

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Friday, March 30, 2012

Why Hubble Broke and How It Was Fixed

The article mentions that the contractor was afraid to bring up problems.

That, plus the mentality from management that people who bring up problems are "troublemakers," "negative," "not team players," etc. (because they've put too much of their ego or political capital into a project) has got to be responsible for more disasters, large and small, than any other deadly combination.

I worked for a large nonprofit that blew money on doomed projects as though money grew on trees. Each time, it started with somebody, usually a contractor or somebody else who stood to gain from it, flattering the leadership that this was huge and visionary and would make or save them millions. Then the organizational mind control started, where everybody was saying that it was the greatest thing ever. Then the flawed project management started. Then when the cracks were obvious, people who pointed them out were vilified as naysayers. It was only the lower-downs who said anything because to rise, one had to be a "team player," and the organization was hierarchical enough that lower-downs were ignored. Then denial that there were problems, together with tossing more money at it (including adding more people to a software project at the last minute because that always works). Then even when the leadership [sic] team [sic] all realized there were problems, they all waited until the person responsible for the project was willing to concede defeat. because in a political environment, nobody wants to confront somebody who might retaliate

Those elements are the inevitable recipe for disaster for any project, but it's fear that drives virtually all of them. Fear of not looking good (note that the Congresscritter didn't yell about wasting taxpayer money, she yelled about being made to look bad), loss aversion, fear of admitting a mistake, fear of speaking up.

Pellerin was brave enough to do something technically illegal and scrape up the funds for servicing it.

That is what a leader does.

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/fcKqhU0_xMk/why-hubble-broke-and-how-it-was-fixed

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Britney Spears Would Be 'Great Fit' For 'X Factor,' Marcus Canty Says

'She would give me that pop I need,' last season's fourth-place finisher tells MTV News of rumored addition to judges' table.
By Christina Garibaldi

<P><P>During his final appearance on <a href="/news/articles/1676110/x-factor-marcus-canty.jhtml">"The X Factor," Marcus Canty</a> promised his fans it was "not over" for him yet, and he was right. The fourth-place finisher, who wowed viewers with his energetic stage presence and smooth R&B style, recently signed to Epic Records and has released his debut single, "Won't Make a Fool Out of You." </P><P> </P><P>Yet at one time it seemed like we might never have heard his music at all. Before "X Factor" Canty tried but failed to get through the audition rounds for <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/topic/american_idol/">"American Idol."</a> </P><P> </P><P>"I tried 'American Idol.' I got in front of the judges, I sang my little heart out, but I guess I didn't make it," Canty revealed to MTV News. "I guess they didn't want me." </P><P> </P><P><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:754173/cp~vid%3D754173%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A754173" width="460" height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed> </P><P> </P><P>"Idol" may not have wanted Canty, but "The X Factor" did. With help from his mother, Canty reluctantly decided to step in front of the judges, hoping to get his chance to go to Hollywood. </P><P> </P><P>"The funny thing is that I didn't want to do 'X Factor' at first. I was just like, 'Man, I'm gonna do it myself,' then I look on the bill and I see L.A. Reid, and I'm like, 'Wait a minute, that's L.A. Reid!' " Canty said. "For so long I've been trying to get music to him. When it came that time, my mom was like, 'Look, you should just try it." </P><P> </P><P>With Reid as his mentor, Canty battled his way to a fourth-place finish with some show-stopping performances that gained him comparisons to Al Green and Bobby Brown. </P><P> </P><P>Canty also developed relationships with the other judges on the show, including former mentors <a href="/news/articles/1678191/paula-abdul-exits-x-factor.jhtml">Paula Abdul</a> and <a href="/news/articles/1678186/nicole-scherzinger-steve-jones-leaving-x-factor.jhtml">Nicole Scherzinger</a>. </P><P> </P><P>"I actually was kind of surprised," Canty said of the departures of Abdul and Scherzinger. "I thought it was a lot of drama on the show with Paula and Nicole, but they were so nice." </P><P> </P><P>Canty was no stranger to drama himself. The R&B crooner found himself in the bottom two during several episodes, most notably edging out <a href="/news/articles/1680940/rachel-crow-simon-cowell.jhtml">Rachel Crow</a> in an emotional and <a href="/news/articles/1675936/x-factor-rachel-crow-elimination-reaction.jhtml">controversial finish</a>. </P><P> </P><P>"I feel like Paula was honest. I feel like Nicole was honest &#8212; even in certain situations on the show that they got into, with me and Rachel and at one point, me and Drew," Canty said. "If I was in that situation I probably wouldn't know what to do." </P><P> </P><P>With Scherzinger and Abdul out of the judges' seats, rumors have been swirling that pop star <a href="/news/articles/1680782/britney-spears-x-factor-judge-offer.jhtml">Britney Spears may fill</a> one of the vacant spots. </P><P> </P><P>"Oh wow, I haven't heard that one. Britney Spears, wow. That should be interesting," Canty said in response to the news. "Britney Spears can be my mentor because, first of all, I was the entertainer. I know she would give me that pop I need. That's definitely a great fit."</p></p>

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1682052/marcus-canty-britney-spears-x-factor.jhtml

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Spike Lee to Sanford couple: 'I deeply apologize'

By msnbc.com

This tweet was posted by Spike Lee on Wednesday evening.

Film director Spike Lee has apologized to a Florida couple after he retweeted an address that was described as the home of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who shot Trayvon Martin.

The mistake forced David and Elaine McClain, a couple in their 70s whose home is about four miles from where Martin was killed, to flee to a hotel.

The McClains demanded an apology of Lee, who has nearly 250,000 followers on Twitter.

Technolog: How did Spike Lee get it wrong?

"He definitely owes a big apology," McClain told the Orlando Sentinel. "All this is really scary and it's a shame. There's no reason they put our address out there without checking to see who lived there."

Late Wednesday, Lee made the apology via Twitter, saying he deeply apologized and urged people to "leave the McClain's [sic] in Peace."?

Some Twitter members have been sending Lee angry and often racist tweets in response to his sharing of the address, many of which he has retweeted.

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Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/29/10921391-spike-lee-apologizes-to-florida-couple-for-retweeting-their-address

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Thursday, March 29, 2012

Analysis: Canada's "Cushing moment": A northern pipeline crisis looms

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Oil traders still grappling with an unprecedented pipeline bottleneck in the U.S. Midwest that roiled global energy markets last year should beware: Canada may be next.

The pipelines that carry crude from Alberta's oil sands and the Bakken shale fields of North Dakota to U.S. refiners may run out of capacity as soon as 2015, some analysts now warn.

Fears that the export of Canadian crude will be constrained have risen recently as a result of pipeline project delays and the unyielding growth of North Dakota output. Any resulting glut could weaken Canadian oil prices, depress profits for producers like Suncor Energy Inc and Cenovus Energy Inc and choke growth in the largest source of U.S. imports.

A crisis could be avoided, though. Major pipeline operators like Enbridge Inc say they're confident that an estimated 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of idle capacity on existing Canada-to-U.S. lines is more than enough for up to five years, sufficient time to complete new lines or add pumps.

That view is by no means unanimous.

"New capacity is needed by the 2014-2015 period or we're really going to be squeezed," said Steve Fekete, managing consultant at international oil consultancy Purvin & Gertz, which completed a major pipeline study last autumn.

"Tight oil out of North Dakota (is) rapidly increasing and could chew up capacity perhaps more quickly than our forecast," he said, referring to the crude oil prised from shale by injections of water and chemicals.

Call it a "Cushing moment" for Canada, the world's No. 6 oil producer -- a dire scenario in which surplus crude would start to pile up in the storage tanks of Hardisty, Alberta, like the glut that developed in the U.S. oil crossroads of Cushing, Oklahoma, a year ago.

The possibility of a Canadian choke-point has arisen because of two recent, unexpected developments: The U.S. rejection of the Keystone XL project, the biggest trans-national pipeline expansion; and the stunning growth of North Dakota's Bakken shale.

The government is also taking action. Canada is set to push forward new measures to cut approval times for major pipeline projects in order to speed the completion of proposed routes to the Pacific Ocean and refiners in Asia.

"At a certain point there will be an issue (with capacity)," Joe Oliver, Canada's natural resources minister, said in an interview this week. "We remain optimistic that pipelines can be built in time to avoid ... the kind of problem they have in Cushing."

WON'T BE FOOLED AGAIN?

Last year, the rapidly growing glut of crude trapped in the Midwest caught most of the industry unprepared, forcing traders and producers to use railways, barges and tank trunks to compensate for the lack of north-to-south pipelines. Most U.S. conduits were built to transport imported or Gulf Coast crude to the interior of the country, not the reverse.

Jitters over pipeline capacity are reflected in the cash market for spot Canadian crude. Earlier this month, the price for the synthetic crude created from oil sands bitumen tumbled after a car crash in Illinois shut down a major line south. Its discount to benchmark U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures was nearly doubled by the conduit's closure for nearly a week, which trapped volumes in Western Canada.

There's some indication that operators have taken note.

Enbridge is now looking at ways to ensure that a possible expansion of its network from North Dakota won't congest its main Canada-to-U.S. trunk line, says Vern Yu, vice-president of business development.

"We're going to make sure that where that crude ties into our system it doesn't create a choke point. That's what we're scoping out right now," he said in an interview. Details of the new Bakken project may be released in May, he added.

For the moment there is more than enough capacity in existing pipelines to compensate for most disruptions, even after a 20 percent rise in exports since 2010.

In all, Yu estimates that by using its latent capacity and reshaping what its pipelines carry, Enbridge could find space for an additional 1 million bpd of new production, more than enough to service an expanded 585,000 bpd Flanagan South project announced on Tuesday.

In 2011, Western Canada's oil production totaled around 2.6 million barrels per day, with 1.58 million bpd coming from the oil sands and the remainder from conventional sources -- still fitting comfortably within Canada's available export pipeline space of around 3.6 million bpd.

However by 2015, oil sands output is expected to rise to 2.2 million bpd and, including conventional crude, total will reach about 3.55 million bpd, according to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP's) benchmark annual forecast issued last June.

"It's something we're watching very closely," said Greg Stringham, vice-president of markets at CAPP. "We see tightness coming in 2014 and 2015."

Canadian crude is only half the story.

Even if producers can get oil south of the border, booming output from North Dakota's shale oil fields is increasingly flowing into the same trunk lines from Canada. It must then travel another 500 miles south to major Midwest refineries, intensifying congestion along that narrow but crucial stretch.

A C$180 million ($182 million) Bakken expansion project will take 145,000 barrels per day of crude from North Dakota by 2013, pushing Enbridge's outbound capacity from the state to 350,000 barrels. A second such project is now being considered.

THREE LINES, THREE SOLUTIONS?

Canada now has three major pipelines taking conventional and oil sands crude into the Midwest. The largest is Enbridge Inc's mainline system, which carried nearly 1.55 million bpd last year, shy of its design limit of 2.5 million bpd. It runs as far east as Sarnia, Ontario, and south to Cushing.

About 300,000 or 400,000 bpd of the spare capacity can be accessed immediately, says Yu. But it could take as much as a year or two in order to reach maximum output, which would require the installation of additional pumps.

"Our expectation is that capacity will be needed, depending on supply growth, anywhere between 2015 and 2017," he added.

Two more pipelines that run from Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin, also offer additional space: the 450,000 Alberta Clipper pipeline, opened in 2010 and still running under capacity -- though Enbridge does not disclose its utilization rates -- and the 796,000 bpd Line 4, which now handles heavy oil from Alberta.

Yu says Enbridge could convert its 390,000 bpd Line 3 -- which now runs light and synthetic crude, as well as natural gas condensates and some light sour crudes -- to run heavy crude.

Other companies' lines are effectively maxed out, including TransCanada Corp's existing 591,000 Keystone oil line and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners' 280,000 bpd Express-Platte system into southern Illinois.

Until about a year ago, a squeeze seemed unlikely. After years of environmental reviews, TransCanada's $7 billion Keystone XL project seemed set to get approval to add as much as 830,000 barrels per day of new capacity by 2013.

But the project became mired in U.S. political infighting and opposition from environmental groups. In January, the Obama Administration denied the project its necessary State Department permit, forcing it to re-apply for approval.

Although TransCanada now has Obama's blessing to move forward on building the line's southern Cushing-to-Houston leg, it may have to wait until after the November presidential election to start work on the cross-border portion of the line, which it now hopes to complete only by 2015.

"There seems to be increasing support for the project in the U.S.," said Paul Lechem, an analyst at CIBC World Markets. "We'll see if it gets built on schedule, but it seems that things are starting to line up a little bit better there."

Efforts to shift more oil to its Western ports -- alleviating capacity fears and also reducing producers' total dependence on the U.S. market -- also face fierce resistance from environmentalists and aboriginal groups.

Regulators have extended lengthy public hearings into Enbridge's 525,000 bpd Northern Gateway project due to the volume of complaints, while Kinder Morgan has yet to apply for regulatory approvals for plans to double the size of its existing 300,000 bpd Trans Mountain pipeline.

IS THERE DEMAND?

A larger question also looms: Will U.S. refiners be willing to buy all this thick, sulphurous crude?

BP Plc is modernizing its 405,000 bpd refinery at Whiting, Indiana, in order to boost its use of heavy Canadian crudes as a feedstock, while Marathon Petroleum Corp's Michigan plant is in the midst of an overhaul to boost heavy crude intake by 13 percent to 120,000 bpd.

Beyond that, however, plans are limited. So instead, many want to move into new markets like the refining cluster on the U.S. gulf coast, the end point of Keystone XL and the Seaway pipeline that Enbridge and Enterprise Product Partners are reversing and expanding.

"We have capacity on our system but we can't use all of it today because there aren't downstream markets for all of it," says Enbridge's Yu. "By the end of this year we may have spare capacity but we won't have markets for it."

($1 = $0.99 Canadian)

(Editing by Alden Bentley)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-canadas-cushing-moment-northern-pipeline-crisis-looms-053121272.html

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Oh hey, AT&amp;T's White Lumia 900

Image
On AT&T? Couldn't imagine what a White Nokia Lumia 900 would look like with Ma Bell's branding on it? Then feast your eyes on the picture above. Just remember, it's not arriving on April 8th like its Cyan and Black cousins. A phone that stylish requires you to patiently wait until the 22nd.

Oh hey, AT&T's White Lumia 900 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Techcrunch.com  |  sourceeverythingwm  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/69Sm9_Lil4U/

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Egypt's military generals defend their business

FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011 file photo, An Egyptian army soldier stands alert in front of Cairo's stock market in Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian military receives around $1 billion a year in U.S. aid, one of the largest recipients. But its budget is largely unknown. Under Mubarak and previous leaders, the budget was discussed in a secret panel in parliament, dominated by ruling party officials and loyalists. (AP Photo/Ahmed Ali, File)

FILE - In this Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011 file photo, An Egyptian army soldier stands alert in front of Cairo's stock market in Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian military receives around $1 billion a year in U.S. aid, one of the largest recipients. But its budget is largely unknown. Under Mubarak and previous leaders, the budget was discussed in a secret panel in parliament, dominated by ruling party officials and loyalists. (AP Photo/Ahmed Ali, File)

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 23, 2011 file photo, Egyptian army soldiers guard the entrance of Egypt's stock exchange in Cairo, Egypt . The Egyptian military receives around $1 billion a year in U.S. aid, one of the largest recipients. But its budget is largely unknown. Under Mubarak and previous leaders, the budget was discussed in a secret panel in parliament, dominated by ruling party officials and loyalists. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, File)

(AP) ? Egypt's ruling military council warned it will not allow civilians to encroach on the armed forces' extensive business enterprises in rare comments about its secretive economic interests in the face of increasing demands for public scrutiny.

The comments by Maj. Gen. Mahmoud Nasr, the deputy defense minister for financial affairs and member of the ruling military council, were published in the local media Wednesday.

They come amid an unprecedented national scrutiny of the huge military economic sector, following the ouster of the former President Hosni Mubarak in the face of a popular uprising last year.

The military has enjoyed a near-autonomous power in Egypt for the last 60 years, providing all the country's leaders since the 1952 military coup that brought generals to office. Over that time, it expanded its business ventures that granted it huge perks and privileges such as large government construction contracts and almost guaranteed well paid government jobs for its retired generals.

In recent years, it built a massive economic empire that is shrouded in secrecy and, according to some estimates, accounts anywhere between 15 and for 40 percent of the nation's GDP. The generals have never confirmed any figures.

The military council took over from President Hosni Mubarak after his ouster last year in the face of a popular uprising. It has promised to transfer power to a civilian administration by July. But leaders of the uprising have demanded civilian oversight into the military budget. The new parliament ? led by the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, whose members have their own extensive and largely unaccounted-for network of businesses ? has promised to work toward realizing such a demand.

"We will fight for our projects and it is a battle we won't give up on. We have sweated for 30 years and we won't leave this for anyone to destroy," Nasr said according to comments published in the independent daily Al-Shorouk. "We will not allow anyone, whoever they may be, to come near the projects of the Armed Forces."

He spoke in a conference on economic reform attended by a select group of prominent local journalists and writers Tuesday.

The Egyptian military receives around $1 billion a year in U.S. aid, one of the largest recipients. But its budget is largely unknown. Under Mubarak and previous leaders, the budget was discussed in a secret panel in parliament, dominated by ruling party officials and loyalists.

Generals insist their economic interests have always been subject to public scrutiny, through the Central Auditing Organization, which keeps records of public spending and has also always been controlled by a regime loyalists.

Nasr defended the military's right to hold businesses, saying they were used in the national interest and were needed to finance the Defense Ministry. He said the ministry receives only about 4.2 percent of the national budget but needs around 15 percent.

He said the economic projects, which include anything from potable water, to electronics, food stuff and hotels, yield about $200 million a year in revenues, the state-owned Al-Akhbar reported.

He said the Armed Forces used its revenues to prop up the Egyptian economy in the post-uprising period, paying more than $ 2 billion to support the Central Bank, to pay salaries and support the police and various ministries.

The general said one of the Armed Forces holding companies, the National Service Project Organization, has yielded about $1.3 billion in profits between 1990 and 2011, according to his comments in Al-Shorouk.

NSPO includes four main companies working in manufacturing of canned foods and drinks; the bottled water and olive oil company; an Optronics company, and a chemical and agriculture products company.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-03-28-ML-Egypt-Military/id-962c1d093d6c441ab2bdfe6cbadb5482

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You Will Recognize That You Can Earn Money Together With E-Books

E-Book Sale Can Create Cash! Once you begin your journey into a internet business and creating directory resources a part of it, then you?ll rapidly figure out the should choose one thing from many possibilities every single working day. If this might be your first business pursuit, then early on usually generally determine how well-suited you?re for the task.

But still, that is actually no reason to strain over it because it is actually merely a normal piece of all business. We understand the feeling of wanting to understand it all, but the great news is you never have to learn it all, right away or ever. The more decisions you create that possibly are not the best, then you?ll learn from them and become more knowledgeable. All you require to do aside from pay attention and discover is create it far enough thus you become more capable. We are always pretty excited to talk about approaches that could be fresh to you because that signifies we are sharing our success with you.

Individuals are always seeking hot methods for creating income online. One thing you will discover is a lot of web marketers may buy all brand-new programs which come out that promise to aid them commence making more cash. Nevertheless there?s something that has and continues to work to make folks income and that?s E-books. E-books are still a terrific way to create cash online if you know how to market them properly. Here you?re going to figure out how to create an E-book or even how to create income by advertising an E-book the you?ve got the resale rights for. There just is no denying about the potential of forum link directory to dramatically alter some situations is incredible. We do understand well that your situation is really important and matters a amazing deal. There is a lot, we learn, and that is why we are taking a surprisingly brief break to state a few words about this. This is the sort of content that people should understand about, and we have no issues saying that. The balance of the post is not to be overlooked considering it can make a huge difference.

The something that you may be going to recognize is that info is among the items a large number of individuals is prepared to spend funds on. Having said that in case you are advertising an E-book that folks are not interested in, you need to recognize that marketing something which men and women do not wish is not going to cause sales. For example should you wrote an E-book about how to change a tire on a vehicle, there are that you?ll most likely not sell surprisingly several, if any duplicates of that E-book. But if you decided to write an E-book on how to receive much better gas mileage with any car, you might find that due to the price of gas, people might be willing to invest some funds on a book that may teach them how to save money on gas. Basically should you offer useful information, persons is ready to invest in the knowledge.

Now you ought to additionally be aware that the same thing is true with regards to obtaining the resale rights to different E-books. I know a number of you don?t really know what resale right E-books are, and really thus you understand, this might be something you are able to market to individuals again and again after you buy the rights. But again, you?ll want to ensure that the E-book you buy the rights to, contains info that individuals usually be ready to spend money on.

You will moreover need a website, this might be how you are going to be able to have a web page to market your E-book. You might possibly like to find somebody who will develop a expert webpage for you in case you may be not wise at generating an internet site. Your E-book equally has to match the domain name you select for the site. You should absolutely realize that anything like improvegasmileage.com will be a absolutely good domain name in the event you have an E-book called ?Improve Gas Mileage?. A domain name that way is something which men and women will sort in to the major search engines and they?re going to have a superior chance of finding your website should you have performed proper search engine optimization.

So you recognize, people have been selling info for a pretty long time, and you could receive your piece of the pie with E-books. You must remember that the info and knowledge that is in the E-books is key to being capable to creating revenue with E-books.

Needless to say you had small or even no idea of what you would discover when you set about shopping for more information about web directory; that is usually the case. Perhaps you do not want comprehensive knowledge, but having that will always assist and not hurt.

Do pay close attention as you start to move from one topical area to another. Going beyond what has been talked about here, you will need to pick anything that appeals to you or is relevant. Valuable knowledge is there for you if only you have the motivation to look for it.

Then it?s as much as you as to move forward with a linear consideration to the topic, or in any different direction.


Source: http://www.inspire-moments.com/you-will-recognize-that-you-can-earn-money-together-with-e-books.html

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Texting While Parking Is Not a Trend (But Still Makes You a Good Person) [Rant]

Shocking news! This weekend, The New York Times reported that people are pulling over and parking sometimes to use smart phones, and sometimes that makes other people angry. Oh my willakers! This is nonsense. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/LtdARxMsYeM/texting-while-parking-is-not-a-trend-but-still-makes-you-a-good-person

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Four Elms retirement community - Seniors staying active in winter ...

Navigating the city in a wheelchair isn?t an easy task at the best of times. Adding a few inches of snow and sub-zero temperatures makes it nearly impossible.

Seniors that have mobility problems can find the winter to be a frustrating time when many of their favourite outdoor activities are no longer possible. Simply getting to the grocery store and back can be a great challenge without some assistance. Different families have different solutions, but more and more seniors are realizing the social benefits of choosing to live in a deluxe retirement community.

Far different from a nursing home, a retirement community is based on sharing the experience of life with an active and embracing community of peers. The top tier of this style of living in Thornhill is Four Elms Retirement home, with their round the clock medical staff and daily activities suited to all tastes.

Here are a few ideas for the active senior that don?t have to be hampered by poor winter weather.

Busses provide year round transportation to a variety of locations where seniors can have fun. Travelling in a group provides safety and Four Elms staff have a wide base of locations for all to enjoy.

Large social events give everyone in the building a change to get to know one another. Dances, staging plays, music lessons and card nights enable new friendships and romances to blossom at any age.

One of the greatest benefits to a retirement community is that family can actually visit a lot more easily. Conveniently located in Thornhill, Four Elms provides the option for family and visitors to stay in the room and also provides rental rooms for guests, just like a five star hotel.

No member of the community is left out of the luxurious and social lifestyle provided by Four Elms Retirement Community. Give them a call at 905-738-0905 or visit www.fourelms.ca for more information.

Back to the Four Elms Retirement Community profile page.

Source: http://www.thornhillshoptalk.com/2012/health/seniors-staying-active-in-winter-weather/

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Monday, March 26, 2012

A Look at the Leading Personal Finance Issues

Many people have a rocky relationship with money. Whether you love it or leave it is irrelevant; you must be able to manage your personal finances. If you keep reading, you will learn a lot of great advice on how to deal with your finances for the rest of your life.

Also make sure to home page. Spend time analyzing your incoming and outgoing funds to settle on a budget. Start with the money that you bring in monthly, after taxes are taken out. Don?t forget any secondary sources of income. It is optimal to live within your means by not spending more than you earn.

A budget is effective once you have determined your expenses. Detail every single item that you spend money on during the month. It?s important to make sure you include what your entire family spends, not just you. All bills should be included in the list, regardless of whether they are paid a few times per year or each month. Make sure your list is accurate and all-inclusive so that you have complete look at where your money is going.

Start by building a workable budget for yourself. You can only achieve this after you have analyzed your spending. Try to identify expenses that you can do away with, or changes you can make to save money. For instance, consider making your own coffee instead of stopping at a coffee shop every morning. Find every penny you can save by going through your list with a fine tooth comb.

Consider various upgrades in your home if your goal is to lower your utility costs. You can lower your heating costs by installing new windows or by fixing the roof on your home. Additionally, you should repair any leaking water pipes and only run your washing machine or dishwasher when it contains a full load of clothes or dishes.

You must consider purchasing new appliances that are economical and energy smart. Replacing your current appliances with these will reduce your electric bills. Also, when you are not using something, unplug it. By doing this, not only will you save energy, you will find that your bills are reduced.

New insulation installed with a replacement roof will ensure that heat and cool air remain in the house. These upgrades may cost money now, but they will lower your bills.

Study these tips and you will be able to save money and reduce your expenses. You could use the savings from this to buy appliances that are more energy efficient. In turn, this will improve your quality of life and help you to remain in control of your finances.

Source: http://www.fairfaxtrails.com/a-look-at-the-leading-personal-finance-issues

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Opting For A River Vacation Cruise For Leisure | The top 50 Travel ...

If you wish to see a substantial amount of the country side, unwind and enjoy the hospitality of the different areas a river cruise trip vacation is the perfect choice. They can be relatively cheap, if you simply decide on a short trip on the river of a area near you, or they can cost you thousands of dollars for a trip through numerous nations around the world in spectacular destinations.

Whatever your economic conditions and your reasons behind wanting to cruise, there?ll be a package somewhere offering precisely what you need. Short and simple excursions are ones that are often on rivers in, or near, main cities. It is a great method to spend your lunch break if you live close to one. Several city cruise trips are deliberately designed to be short and action packed, to ensure that they get the trade from business folks searching for someplace original to eat. And although you are touring the town they are generally centered around some very nice attractions. If you?re going to a city, why don?t you ask your hosts to recommend a great city cruise?

There?s, naturally, a world of difference between the lunch break business lunch cruise trip and the vacation cruise trip lasting several days. If you are searching for a way to get away from the world of business and just take it easy for somewhat there can be few better ways than by cruising along the water. Even though some rivers, such as those in the northern regions of North America, can only be cruised specific times of the year there are plenty of other North American rivers to be enjoyed at any time. Just about the most well known areas for river cruising is the Mississippi, and this will present you with a distinctive culture and atmosphere.

Taking a river cruise trip on another continent will involve somewhat more expense, more planning, and a wider knowledge of the rest of the world. A lot of folks enjoy European cruise however unless you will be cruising in Great Britain and Ireland it helps to understand a little of the language. The exclusions to this are the tours which are run by American or British operators, where English will consistently be spoken. On a river cruise trip in Europe it?s actually possible to see several nations around the world in one trip.

Far East river cruise are quite enjoyable and provide a completely diverse view of culture than what you are probably accustomed to seeing. This can make an excellent winter months vacation for people who live in northern areas with tough winters, as the temps in Thailand and surrounding nations are consistently high through the northern hemisphere winters, and rain is low. Keep in mind, they are quite lengthy and high priced family trips.

The length and type of your river cruise trip are the most essential points to get right in your preparing, as they?ll dictate which rivers are suitable for your requirements. Take short excursions on rivers close to you and plan lengthier holidays on longer rivers when you can take time to enjoy them completely. River cruises in the city can be as easy as lunch out whilst longer ones in exotic places can be quite luxurious.

It truly is required to point out that you?ll need to be careful if you?re spending significant chunks of money of money on a potential cruise trip. You want to make sure you?re using a dependable business that has been in existence for awhile. A lot of individuals have been cheated out of money by fly-by-night organizations who take their dollars and then disappear. Using your credit card to pay can help as you can report hoaxes whilst if you give them cash and they disappear you are out of your money.

Having the ability to leave independent reviews river cruise operators typically go out of their way to provide excellent facilities. Using the Web to carry out detailed research is the most important step it is easy to take in attempting to protect your investment, and those providers that are consistently good over numerous years will accumulate a great deal of sound feedback. Whenever you select a dependable company you?ll be able to wind down and enjoy 1 of the best vacations you?ll ever take.

This article has been written by the author, Alex Blaken. Should you require any more River Cruise Trip vacation please visit his Amazon River Cruise resources!

Source: http://theblog50.com/cruises/opting-for-a-river-vacation-cruise-for-leisure

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Methods To Profit With Online Day Trading | Montreal Marketing ...

Although online trading is amongst the most promising forms of enterprises lately, a great deal of people that have dared to engage into it have finished up broke. It isn?t due to the fact online trading isn?t truly capable of giving them the massive income but because they are not able to compete nicely inside the trading industry and overcome. There might be countless different causes that a day trader could wind up broke in the day trading business; it may be that he does not know the correct methods or that he does not know the industry at all. Regardless of whether you might be a day trader of your own funding or in an online stock trading business, it is actually extremely crucial that you obtain a proper education with regards to day trading initially before getting into it.

Getting a proper or sufficient education about online stock trading would give you all the knowledge and trading methods you will need in order to survive the business. It is possible to enroll in short term courses of four to six months becoming provided by most trading firms nowadays. The short term courses wouldn?t just provide you with common understanding about the day trading business but would also give to improve the trading techniques you already know. And if real-estate investing in rio de janeiro apartments or homes interests you, there are classes for that as well.

Trading firms have diverse methods of educating aspiring traders to help them to become effective traders and rio de janeiro real estate investors. The first is obviously the choice to take short term classes of 4 to 6 months for those who?re determined to go after trading careers and may dedicate more time studying the way to endure in this business.

The second would be the option to find out from your house by way of online trading classes. It is a way of educating an ambitious day trader about the trading business; how it works and how to survive it or even master it. Online classes are much more convenient approaches of teaching wannabe traders every little thing about online stock trading, forex trading, real-estate investing and all other kinds of trading business. It is also a good chance to acquire one of the reliable high frequency trading software platforms that could greatly help you in surviving the trading business. Online classes are suited for all those who are slightly occupied with other careers while they are in the process of learning the trading business and would like a far more convenient time to study.

If a trader feels that he will not require a formal education concerning the trading business anymore, he can attend one of the regularly held trading seminars by most trading firms to cater to people that need aid surviving the business. Trading seminars consist of guidelines from knowledgeable and effective traders who share their blessings of a productive trading profession. The seminars are usually held for a day or perhaps a couple of hours in a day.

If you?re amongst those people who finds it necessary to pursue a trading business rather than their existing jobs due to the fact they need a lot more income, you should locate ways to find out how o survive the business. By far the most effective way would be to acquire knowledge from trading firms which have effective traders.

To possess a profitable position trading undertaking, you?ll want education and learning. This is correct for international real estate enterprises also.

Source: http://montrealmarketingcompany.com/methods-to-profit-with-online-day-trading/

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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Expectations, exhaustion can lead mothers to post-adoption stress

ScienceDaily (Mar. 23, 2012) ? Fatigueand unrealistic expectations of parenthood may help contribute to post-adoption depression in women, according to a Purdue University study.

"Feeling tired was by far the largest predictor of depression in mothers who adopted," said Karen J. Foli, an assistant professor of nursing who studied factors that could predict depression in adoptive mothers. "We didn't expect to see this, and we aren't sure if the fatigue is a symptom of the depression or if it is the parenting experience that is the source of the fatigue. It also may be reflective of a lacking social support system that adoptive parents receive. However, a common thread in my research has been an assumption that if the mom didn't carry the child for nine months or go through a physical labor, the parents don't need help in the same manner as birth mothers do."

Other predictors of depression in adoptive mothers included expectations of themselves as mothers, of the child, and of family and friends, perceived support from friends, self-esteem, martial satisfaction, and parent and child bonding. These findings, published this month in Advances in Nursing Science, are based on survey results of 300 mothers who had adopted within the past two years. The average age of the children at the time of the adoption was 4.6 years.

There are nearly 1.8 million adopted children in the United States, and Foli's previous work found that unrealistic and unmet expectations related to parenting, bonding with the child, and support from family and friends were common themes related to depression. She also co-authored the book "The Post-Adoption Blues: Overcoming the Unforeseen Challenges of Adoption."

Research has clearly established the importance of mental health, particularly depression, in birth parents as a correlate of behavior and emotional problems in children. Knowing what factors trigger post-adoption depression can help plan effective interventions, she said, to help avoid these problems for children who are adopted. For example, nurses, whether working in a pediatric setting or the mother's doctor office, could assess for fatigue in adoptive mothers. It's also important for health-care professionals, family members and others to realize that not all adoptions are equal, Foli said.

"Bonding with the children often comes up in post-adoption depression. If adoptive mothers cannot bond to their child as quickly as they expected, they commonly report feeling guilt and shame," Foli said. "These parents have the expectation to quickly attach to the child and they see themselves as superparents. But what happens when the child they adopt is a teething toddler or unknown special needs surface? It's a difficult stage for a parent who has known that child for two years, let alone someone who is establishing a new relationship with the child."

The study also showed that depressive symptoms were more likely higher for mothers who did not have the complete background or biographical information about children, who, after placement, were considered special needs children. However, depression was not correlated with parents who were aware they were receiving a child with known special needs.

"We also found that mothers of children with different ethnic or racial backgrounds did not report more depressive symptoms than those mothers who did not differ from their children's ethnic or racial backgrounds," Foli said. "Interestingly, these moms did report perceiving that society was less accepting of their adoptive family."

Foli plans to look at post-adoption depression in a long-term study to better understand issues related to maternal bonding with the child and marital satisfaction. Foli is supported by the School of Nursing in the College of Health and Human Sciences, and she worked with the "Journey to Me" an online support organization for adoptive parents to collect the data.

Study co-authors are Susan C. South, an assistant professor of psychological sciences, and Eunjung Lim, a research associate in the School of Nursing.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Purdue University.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Foli, Karen J.; South, Susan C.; Lim, Eunjung. Rates and Predictors of Depression in Adoptive Mothers: Moving Toward Theory. Advances in Nursing Science, 35(1):51-63, January/March 2012 DOI: 10.1097/ANS.0b013e318244553e

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/JJqob0mxTIw/120323134906.htm

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Satellite Image of Mexico

This is taken from NASA's caption of this image:

To the north, Mexico shares its border with the United States -- a line that runs some 3,100 kilometers (1,900 miles) east to west. About half of this border is defined by the Rio Grande River, which runs southeast to the Gulf of Mexico (partially obscured by clouds in this image) and marks the dividing line between Texas and Mexico. Toward the upper left (northwest) corner of this image is the Baja California peninsula, which provides the western land boundary for the Gulf of California.

Toward the northwestern side of the Mexican mainland, you can see the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains (brownish pixels) running southeast toward Lake Chapala and the city of Guadalajara. About 400 km (250 miles) east and slightly south of Lake Chapala is the capital, Mexico City. Extending northward from Mexico City is the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains, the irregular line of brownish pixels that seem to frame the western edges of the bright white cumulus clouds in this image. Between these two large mountain ranges is a large, relatively dry highland region.

To the south, Mexico shares borders with Guatemala and Belize, both of which are located south of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Source: http://gomexico.about.com/od/planningandinformation/ig/Maps-of-Mexico/Mexico-Satellite-Image.htm

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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Friday, March 23, 2012

Credit Risk Management Past Dodd-Frank and MF Global ...

On Thursday, March 22, 2012, Dr. Vince Kaminski will present a research seminar entitled ?Credit Risk Management Past Dodd-Frank and MF Global?.?? The seminar will take place in the Graduate Office Conference Room from 3:30-5 p.m. that day.

Dr. Kaminski has had a long and distinguished career in both academia and the private sector.? He currently holds a faculty appointment at Rice University?s Jones Graduate School of Business.? He has also held important research-related positions with Enron, Salomon Brothers, Citigroup, and various other firms.? His expertise is in the area of energy risk management, a topic that he has written extensively about; e.g., see his book entitled Energy Modelling: Advances in the Management of Uncertainty.

At your option, you may earn extra credit by attending Dr. Kaminski?s seminar and emailing a 1-2 page critical essay about the seminar to risk@garven.com by no later than Monday, March 26 at 5 p.m.?

Source: http://risk.garven.com/2012/03/21/credit-risk-management-past-dodd-frank-and-mf-global/

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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Simple Ways On How To Be A Better Person

It can be quite a challenge to begin a personal development program. There are many aspects you have to consider when developing a self-improvement plan. It includes changes to your personal health, as well as your relationship to others. Internal personal development can also occur on so many levels. Achieving your personal development goals will leave you with a feeling of satisfaction, that everyone around you will notice.

First thing you should think before beginning a new project (or simply just choose to find motivation) would be to read lots of job resource blogs to find the most requested job profiles or the new job opportunities. This is a good example to confirm just what the market wants so you can correctly plan your following steps. By way of example, It is best to take a glance inside the paramediccourses blog where they suggest new career opportunity ideas in the how to become a paramedic in florida article. Look at the necessities, what is the average income, what you?ll need to research etc?this is a good exercise to start with.

If you take proper care of your physical needs, you will get the maximum benefit from your personal development approach. Basic self-care, such as sleeping at least eight hours, exercising every day, and eating lots of fruits and vegetables are important parts of achieving positive growth. This may seem like a simple task, but for some it is the most difficult.

Being selfless is an important part of personal development. Caring for others, and being able to sacrifice for them, will help you improve yourself and become a better person. If you can see the emotional benefits of helping others, then you are already well on your way to becoming a person you can be proud of.

Everyone makes mistakes, especially when it comes to following a healthy diet. Don?t obsess over the minor details of life all the time as stress is no better for you than a piece of chocolate is.

A leader is someone who is not only powerful and demanding, they also tend to be modest. You should lecture, but do it softly, and keep in mind that you have to know servitude to be able to lead. A good leader has morals and is honest; these are crucial characteristics for any successful person to hold.

Constantly seek different experiences. These challenges can open new doors and develop better character and personality. You could acquire new skills and learn new things. Perhaps you could even set a new standard by achieving something no one has ever done before. Make your goals distinctly your own, and don?t limit the size of them based on what others have achieved.

Take every available opportunity to improve yourself. You should not fear making decisions even if you do not feel as sure about it as you would like to be. You will need to develop your instincts to make good choices. Even incorrect decisions improve the learning process, and lead to better development, by providing an outline for what you shouldn?t do. If you make a wrong move, you will know next time to do something different.

Always carry something you can record your ideas on. Carry paper with you everywhere. Whenever an idea strikes, write it down, and when your creative juices start flowing later, you can act on it.

An excellent personal development suggestion is to always ensure you value what you think is best. You should always strive to do your best in all aspects of your life.

Remember to practice humility. In the cosmic overview, humans are just a small blip. It is impossible to know everything. We can all learn and grow. Keep this in mind and seize the chance to learn something new whenever you can. Keep an open mind and you will find that others are more than willing to share their information with you.

Keep your limitations in mind and do not push too hard to reach your goals, especially when it comes to physical self-improvement. While exerting your best effort is admirable, recognize when you have reached your limit. Your body must be taken care of when striving for your goals. Hurting your body is going to be counter to what you are hoping to achieve in improving yourself.

Make the important aspects of your life the focus of how you live. Personal development involves focusing on the important things in life while allowing negativity and unimportant matters to drift past.

Are you a heavy alcohol drinker? Are there other such vices harming your body such as smoking or recreational drug use? Mistreating your body will lead to illness, premature aging and an early death. You can improve your life by replacing bad habits with good ones. Look at your life, and decide if you have any bad habits that you need to work on getting rid of.

You should now have a few ideas on things you can try to develop yourself. Life is constantly changing so improvement of yourself will never fully be done. It does not matter what age you are, pushing yourself to be the very best person you can possibly be should always be a goal. And remember always to treat others as you would like them to treat you.

This author offers advice on job and careers without charge on the jobs blog or facebook fan page to help people get the right decisions.

Source: http://www.thirdagemedia.com/simple-ways-on-how-to-be-a-better-person/

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Poor schools undermining US national security, panel says

[ [ [['Witnesses said the gunman pulled up on a black scooter', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GzwOIW', '[Related: New York police tighten security at Jewish sites]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['test Zimmerman for alcohol or drugs', 11]], 'http://yhoo.it/Gzn6VF', '[Related: White House says Trayvon Martin is local issue]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Shortly after he wrapped up his victory remarks', 2]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/4-straight-romney-wins-washington-gop-caucus-1330835515-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/e9/3e9b0082c3c3111dcc19e3527ae94cc7.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/Steven Senne', ], [ [['best understands the problems of average Americans', 2]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/4-straight-romney-wins-washington-gop-caucus-1330835515-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/e9/3e9b0082c3c3111dcc19e3527ae94cc7.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP Photo/Steven Senne', ], [ [['Trayvon Martin', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120320/trayvonjquery.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery', 7]], 'http://yhoo.it/GB2RVy', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/os/152/2012/03/20/photo-1332257995646-4-0-jpg_171722.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AFP', ], [ [['A massive manhunt is underway in France on Monday', 4]], 'http://yhoo.it/Gzy0M9', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/d/b4/db49ba9fa9a9bb5b59d2503822dd212c.jpeg', '630', ' ', 'AP/Manu Blondeau', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['French police stepped up the search',17]], ', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/poor-schools-undermining-us-national-security-panel-says-171012867.html

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Monday, March 19, 2012

How Staging Works? | Welcome To toyouraner.info

Home staging is the act of preparing a property for sale in the real estate market. The aim of home staging is to get the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more quickly and profitably. It is where homeowners hire home stagers to ready their home before putting it on the market.

What makes homes in Seattle feel inviting is not the furniture, the size or the decorations, but it?s the comfort brought about by the property?s neatness and orderliness. The economy is tough and the real estate market has intense competition so, home sellers are turning to and taking advantage of home staging to sell their homes quickly and profitably.

Selling a property can be a real challenge for the seller and the Realtor. The question for agents and Realtors is how they can sell the property quickly, but it?s easy as pie for home stagers. Their creativity is what makes them different from real estate agents and Realtors. For them, an unfurnished, cluttered, and disorganized home looks empty, and unappealing, and cold which gives off a negative impression to home buyers.

Even if you have superb interiors, the kind that potential buyers would like to have, you still cannot change the buyer?s perception they receive from the first impression from the outside of your house. First impression lasts so impress your buyers with great curb appeal. Remember that taking as much out of from the kitchen, master bedroom and master bath is useless if the front porch is a mess.

This means that in home selling and buying, home staging startsbegins from having everything in the home in good shape, repaired, neat, clean and free of clutter. In home buying and home selling, the size of the home is not the only thing that matter. A home buyer will consider calling modest homes for sale in Pearland TX his/her home if everything is in its place rather than living in a tornado-hit mansion.

Source: http://www.toyouraner.info/how-staging-works/

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Chevron executives barred from leaving Brazil over spill

SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A Brazilian court on Saturday barred 17 executives from Chevron and Transocean from leaving Brazil, pending criminal charges related to a high-profile oil spill last November.

A federal judge in Rio de Janeiro state granted a request from prosecutors who are pressing for charges against both firms, a spokesman for prosecutor Eduardo Oliveira said in a phone interview. George Buck, who heads Chevron's Brazil unit, and the other 16 executives must turn in their passports to the police within 24 hours, the spokesman said.

Charges are expected to be filed on Tuesday or Wednesday, according to the prosecutors' press office.

The court decision came a day after the Brazilian navy spotted a thin stain of oil extending for about 0.6 mile in offshore field Frade, which was also the site of last year's spill. U.S.-based Chevron said in a statement it halted production at Frade on Saturday after winning permission from Brazilian oil industry regulator ANP.

Neither Chevron nor any of its executives "have been formally notified of any action by the judiciary yet," the company statement said. "Any legal decision will be abided by the company and its employees. We will defend the company and its employees."

Prosecutors want to press a criminal indictment of Buck and other executives from Chevron and Swiss-based offshore drilling company Transocean, three government sources told Reuters in January. Transocean's rig was used in the Frade field.

It is up to a judge to determine whether to accept the charges and proceed with indictments.

Chevron's spill in November leaked as many as 3,000 barrels from sea-floor cracks. It resulted in an $11 billion civil lawsuit, the largest environmental damages case in Brazil's history, although the total amount of oil was less than 0.1 percent of the BP spill in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico.

Chevron's troubles in Brazil could force it to rethink Latin American strategies. A shortage of trained workers, engineers and equipment has driven up costs in Brazil, and Chevron faces an $18 billion environmental verdict in Ecuador.

Chevron is stopping production plans to better assess its "reservoir management plans" in Brazil, where it has spent over $2 billion developing the largest foreign-run oil field. The suspension will shut down a field with the capacity to produce 80,000 barrels a day, more than 3 percent of Brazil's oil output.

Chevron, which made public on Thursday the request to suspend output at Frade, said the plan was supported by its partners in the field: Brazilian state oil company Petrobras and Frade Japan, which is owned by Japan's Inpex, Japanese trading house Sojitz and Japanese state oil and metals group JOGMEC.

Chevron owns 52 percent of Frade and operates the field. Petrobras owns 30 percent and Frade Japan, 18 percent.

"The decision to request the temporary shut-in of production is a precautionary measure," Chevron said in the statement. "The company will conduct a comprehensive technical study and prepare a complementary study to better understand the geological features of the area, working with partners."

NAVY SPOTS STAINS

Navy staff found the stain on Friday after flying over the area off Brazil's Atlantic coast, according to a statement late on Friday. The navy, the ANP and environmental protection agency Ibama will monitor and coordinate actions with Chevron to control the stain, the statement added.

Most of the oil coming from the leak is being captured by specially built containment devices, Chevron said, adding additional devices would be installed as needed.

Chevron said on Thursday there was no evidence that the new leak and the one in November were related.

Natural oil leaks in the Campos Basin, home to the Frade field, are common, Cleveland Jones, a geologist at UFRJ, the state university of Rio de Janeiro, said in an interview.

"Until there is some proof, there is a good chance that this leak is a natural occurrence, not something to do with Chevron," he said. "Leaks of this size are common, and are how people realized there was oil in the area in the first place."'

ANP, Brazil's navy and Ibama officials will meet early next week to assess the situation.

(Additional reporting by Maria Pia Palermo in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chevron-executives-barred-leaving-brazil-over-spill-010755995.html

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Sunday, March 18, 2012

christian louboutin pump Home Improvement Feng Shu ? asics news

Feng Shui describes the communication is takes situation every daytime between you plus your environment be it your family garden or work. This discipline investigates the universal feelings and responses of folk beings apt forever environments,????? sukusuku, including our world. The teachings explore how connections (TAO),christian louboutin pump,balance (Yin/Yang) plus vitality (CHI) impact our lives. An context affects always appearances of our being amid the world..from health,louboutin chaussures, safety,air max tailwind,home friendship, spirituality.apt even how we love Now,louboutin sales, more than ever before it namely important to zone explicit the clutter out of our lives and minds.to allow POSITIVE LIFE FORCE to support nurture plus empower us,????? ?????,through a poised and harmonic context.
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Source: http://asics.lateststyle.org/2012/03/18/christian-louboutin-pump-home-improvement-feng-shu/

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