Corporate Whistle Blower Center Now Urges Employees of Any Type Of Private Contractor in Afghanistan or Iraq to Step Forward for Rewards if They Possess Proof of Fraud

The Corporate Whistle Blower Center is now urging insiders, or an employee of a contractor, or their subcontractors, that were, or are providing any type of service in Afghanistan or Iraq to step forward, if they possess significant proof of over billing, or defrauding the U.S. federal government out of millions of dollars, because the rewards could be gigantic. For more information please contact the Corporate Whistle Blower Center anytime at 866-714-6466. http://CorporateWhistleBlowerCenter.Com

(PRWEB) February 27, 2013

The Corporate Whistle Blower Center is now urging current, or former employees of major contractors, or subcontractors in shipping, logistics, construction, or any type of service that has defrauded the US taxpayer in Afghanistan, or Iraq to step forward, if they have significant proof of the fraud. To be worthwhile for the whistleblower the fraud needs to be in the millions, or tens of millions of dollars. In its final report to Congress, the Commission on Wartime Contracting said as much as $60 billion has been lost to waste and fraud over the past decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the figure could grow larger as U.S. support for reconstruction projects and programs wanes in Afghanistan. The Corporate Whistle Blower Center says, "From what we hear the contractor fraud in Iraq, or Afghanistan is almost impossible to comprehend, it covers private security, logistics, transportation, construction, roads, fuel, food, to almost everything you can think of, and we want the employees of these contractors, or subcontractors of these companies to step forward, if they have significant proof the government paid for something they never received, or the government paid for nothing-no services, or products provided. As long as you can prove it, and the amount exceeds five million dollars, there can be huge rewards for this type of information, as long as its substantial proof, and very credible." For more information please call the Corporate Whistle Blower Center at 866-714-6466. http://CorporateWhistleBlowerCenter.Com

On December 6th 2012, Afghanistan's President Karzai told NBC News, "The bigger corruption is the corruption in contracts," he added. "The contracts are not issued by the Afghan government. The contracts are issued by the international community, mainly by the United States." The Corporate Whistle Blower Center assumes when Afghanistan's President Karzi talks about corruption he would be in the expert category. http://CorporateWhistleBlowerCenter.Com

Simple rules for a whistleblower from the Corporate Whistle Blower Center:

• Do not go to the government first, if you are a major whistleblower. The Corporate Whistle Blower Center says, "Major whistleblowers frequently go to the federal government thinking they will help. It's a huge mistake. Frequently government officials could care less, or they are incompetent."
• Do not go to the news media with your whistleblower information. Public revelation of a whistleblower's information could destroy any prospect for a reward.
• Do not try to force a government contractor, or corporation to come clean to the government about their wrong doing. The Corporate Whistle Blower Center says, "Fraud is so rampant among federal contractors, that any suggestion of exposure might result in an instant job termination, or harassment of the whistleblower. We say, come to us first, tell us what type of information you have, and if we think its sufficient, we will help find the right law firms, to assist in advancing your information."

Any type of insider, or employee, who possesses significant proof of their employer, or a government contractor fleecing the federal government is encouraged to contact to Corporate Whistle Blower Center anytime at 866-714-6466, or they can contact the group via their web site at http://CorporateWhistleBlowerCenter.Com

M Thomas Martin
America's Watchdog 6
866-714-6466
Email Information

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/corporate-whistle-blower-center-now-urges-employees-type-082527084.html

news channel 4 radar weather morosini death jacoby ellsbury jacoby ellsbury lionel richie kenny rogers

Festivalebook.com ? Shopping and Product Reviews

The Kindle Fire is an enhanced edition of Amazon?s authentic Kindle, which was launched in 2007 and immediately became a common bestseller around the world. This Kindle Fire assessment offers you the run down on Amazon?s newest solution aimed with the tablet reader industry. A number of the new enhancements additional for the?Kindle Fire review [...]

Source: http://www.festivalebook.com/shopping-and-product-reviews/02/07/25/

pennsylvania primary jerome simpson hand sanitizer obama on jimmy fallon google drive pilar sanders andrew young

Justin Guarini Welcomes Son Asher

He and wife Reina Capodici welcomed their second son, Asher, at 6:40 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 25. He weighed in 7 lbs., 8 oz.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/VR32FpBp68M/

shooting at chardon high school sasha baron cohen stacy keibler stacy keibler oscar red carpet daytona 500 start time ryan zimmerman

Hear AlunaGeorge's Slinky New Single ?Attracting Flies?

British duo AlunaGeorge have premiered their latest single, ?Attracting Flies,? on BBC Radio 1 with Zane Lowe. The new track has all their trademarks ??a bouncy electro beat, light stabs of warped synths and, of course, Aluna Francis? soft vocals hovering above the squiggles of activity.

She sounds sweet, but Aluna?s fed up as she sings, ?Little white fairy tales and little white lies / Everything you have said is attracting flies.? The song is off AlunaGeorge?s forthcoming debut LP Body Music, which is out July 1. Hear it below.

AlunaGeorge ???Attracting Flies?

Source: http://idolator.com/7443606/alunageorge-attracting-flies-stream

chase Adam Lanza Facebook the hobbit mick jagger Newton Shooting Newtown Shooting Gangnam Style

Video: Battle of the Retailers: Buy JC Penney or Macy's?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50972274/

jacksonville jaguars benjarvus green ellis shaka smart hungergames bagpipes aspirin aspirin

Egypt confiscates missiles smuggled from Libya

CAIRO (AP) ? An Egyptian security official says authorities have confiscated two pick-up trucks carrying 60 anti-tank missiles smuggled across the border from Libya.

The official says two truck drivers were arrested and the weapons seized just south of Cairo on Wednesday morning.

The two were heading from Marsa Matrouh, 430 kilometers (270 miles) northwest of the capital on the Mediterranean Coast, to the largely lawless Sinai Peninsula where weapons are regularly smuggled to Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip through underground tunnels.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

Lawlessness has been rife in Sinai since the ouster of longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. Weapons have flowed from Libya into the peninsula, where Islamist militants have grown in strength.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-confiscates-missiles-smuggled-libya-125911272.html

gossip girl Ink Master Jenni Rivera Funeral aspergers Richard Engel Daniel Inouye steelers

Green Blog: How to Solve New England's Electricity Crunch?

The electricity crunch in New England that I wrote about on Feb. 15 persists, and it is clearly related to a shortage of natural gas pipeline capacity relative to growing demand. But experts say the root cause is something more complicated: a structural flaw in the regional electric market.

The gas industry, the electricity generators and the Independent System Operator ? New England, which runs the grid, all say there is a problem, although they are not quite in agreement on how to solve it. The details are important because the phenomenon could spread around the country.

The problem in New England, which has resulted in electricity prices that are four times higher than normal for sustained periods, is that all of the pipeline transmission capacity has been purchased by the local gas distribution companies that sell gas for home heating and retail uses. When those companies need all that capacity to meet customer demand during a cold snap, there is nothing left over for them to sell to the gas-fired electricity generators.

The two sets of companies are a bit like the grasshopper and the ant in Aesop?s fable. The hard-working ant, or local distribution company, survives the winter, but the grasshopper, or merchant generator, does not.

In theory, those merchant generators, which are independently owned and compete in selling to the electric companies that sell power at the retail level, could solve the problem by buying capacity themselves. But in practice, the electric market discourages them from doing so, experts say.

The reason is that the merchant generators operate in a competitive market and cannot afford the burden of buying constant transmission capacity; it is a bit like buying a train ticket for a trip every day of the year even though you don?t make the journey every day. A merchant generator who bought such capacity would be very competitive for the few weeks a year when capacity is tight, but not for the rest of the year.

By contrast, the gas distribution companies are monopolies regulated by public service commissions and can simply fold their pipeline charges into electricity rates.

?The fundamental problem when you look at the New England market is economics,?? said Donald F. Santa Jr., president of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, the trade association of the pipeline owners.

?The way the electric market is now structured, there is little premium placed on reliability and on compensating generators for that,?? he said. ?There?s no real incentive for them to hold firm capacity, and if they do, you can argue it puts them at a competitive disadvantage relative to their peers.??

And that is because of another quirk in the market. Other kinds of investment in transportation are made because the investor senses there will be a market and wants to capture the business and make a profit, but gas pipelines are built only when contracts are in hand from shippers.

?We don?t build on spec,? as a spokeswoman for the pipeline group, Cathy Landry, put it.

The pipeline owners agree that demand for gas has grown far faster than their ability to transport it, and that they should either lay new pipe or add compressor stations to squeeze more gas through existing pipe. The trend in New England is not very different from the trend in the Midwest. New York is in a slightly different situation; local rules require that gas generators be able to run on fuel oil as well in a pinch.

New England generators used to avoid this problem by stocking up on diesel oil, but environmental rules discourage this. (The ?gas? in ?gas-fired generator? does not refer to natural gas, but to the physical form of the gas being burned; fuel oil, although stored as a liquid, can be turned into a gas.) And at the moment, if New England generators spend the extra money to build and fill a tank, they are not compensated for that.

The group that represents the local gas companies, the American Gas Association, agrees that a structural problem exists. ?Our nation has access to abundant supplies of natural gas and a robust network of 2.4 million miles of natural gas pipelines that reliably deliver this fuel,? Dave McCurdy, its president and chief executive, said in a statement. ?Until power generation markets appropriately incentivize continued infrastructure investments, New England will struggle to meet the growing energy needs in the region.?

In other words, the market should pay more for electricity from a generator that has invested in making its power supply reliable than for the same product from a generator that can only produce when the weather is warm and gas demand is low.

Even the power generators agree. Yet Dan Dolan, a spokesman for the New England Power Generators Association, said the devil is in the details: how should the market be structured to compensate the grasshopper for becoming an ant?

The Independent System Operator is thinking of both incentives and disincentives. New England, like New York State and the market to the south, PJM, (which used to stand for Pennsylvania-Jersey-Maryland), has a market for electric energy but also for capacity.

Companies that buy electricity, like utilities that distribute it to homes and businesses, also pay for generating capacity equal to their expected demand. So independent generators collect a fee for simply having capacity available as well as a fee for the energy they produce.

At the New England Independent System Operator, Vamsi Chadalavada, the chief operating officer, said companies that collect the capacity fee must be able to get fuel and produce electricity when called upon. ?If we call upon them and they do not deliver, there has to be a significant consequence,? he said. Companies that cannot produce would pay penalties, he said, and that money would go to companies that do.

?If I stand to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars any given day, I?m going to do everything within my capability to make sure that doesn?t happen,? Mr. Chadalavada said. Generators would therefore buy firm gas transmission capacity or make other kinds of investments to ensure reliability.

---

This post has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: February 25, 2013

An earlier version of this article misspelled the first name of the spokeswoman for the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America. She is Cathy Landry, not Kathy.

Source: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/25/the-ant-and-the-grasshopper/?partner=rss&emc=rss

martin luther king jr quotes Inauguration 2013 Tony Gonzalez Richard Blanco The Following Anna Burns Welker Martin Luther King, Jr.

RT's Oscar Picks 2013 - Results

How did we fare this year in our Academy Awards predictions?

We at Rotten Tomatoes freely admit we're not the world's greatest Oscar prognosticators. Still, we did a bit better than usual this year; while there were some surprises (Sound Editing was a tie?!) and a few winners that aren't all that surprising in retrospect, most of our predictions came true at the 85th Annual Academy Awards. Read on to see how our forecast squared with the final results!

---

Best Picture: Argo

Momentum has been building for Argo in the past few weeks; it took home best picture honors at the Golden Globes, the BAFTAs, and the Critics' Choice Awards (and not to toot our own horns, but it won the Golden Tomato Award for Best Wide Release as well). Argo hits several sweet spots that the Academy voters find irresistible: it's inspirational, but loaded with historical gravitas; it was both a mainstream hit and a critical favorite; and, perhaps most importantly for voters, it's a celebration of the power of movies and the people who make them. Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook have enjoyed some dark horse cache, but we think Argo will be the first film since Driving Miss Daisy to win Best Picture without garnering a Best Director nod.

CORRECT

---

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln

This category has been in the bag since the ink was dry on Daniel Day-Lewis' contract.

CORRECT

---

This was the toughest category for RT editors to whittle down. At opposite ends of the age bracket, Emmanuelle Riva and Quvenzhan? Wallis each gave remarkable performances, and Riva in particular could muster some votes. Even more likely is Naomi Watts, whose physically grueling work in The Impossible has also generated buzz. Early on, it looked like Jessica Chastain had this category all sewn up, as critics societies around the country were heaping praise on her. However, in the last couple months, all the Oscar mojo has seemingly shifted toward Jennifer Lawrence; with a Golden Globe, a Critics Choice, and a SAG award under her belt, we think Lawrence will walk away with the Oscar as well.

CORRECT

---

Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln

Each of the nominees has an Oscar to his credit, so there aren't any unjustly ignored sentimental favorites to choose from. Christoph Waltz won the BAFTA and the Golden Globe, but it seems unlikely he'll win just a few short years after his breakout role in Inglourious Basterds. Robert DeNiro has a strong chance, especially since his work in Silver Linings Playbook helped to erase memories of the great actor's string of mediocre films. However, we think Tommy Lee Jones - who was already honored by the Screen Actors Guild --will ultimately claim the Oscar.

INCORRECT - Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained. We shouldn't have discounted Waltz's previous award season victories.

---

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway for Les Mis?rables

Anne Hathaway has enjoyed almost universal Oscar buzz since before Les Mis?rables even hit theaters, and her wins at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs confirm her status as the front-runner here. It's possible, though unlikely, that either Helen Hunt or Jacki Weaver will steal this category; if Weaver wins, it could be an early sign that Silver Linings Playbook will have a huge night.

CORRECT

---

Best Director: Steven Spielberg for Lincoln

Since Ben Affleck was inexplicably snubbed in this category, we think Steven Spielberg will take home the hardware as a consolation prize.

INCORRECT - Ang Lee, Life of Pi. It just wasn't Lincoln's night, and the Academy was obviously more enamored with Life of Pi overall. It's still a mystery why Ben Affleck wasn't even nominated in this category.

---

The Usual Suspects, Fargo, Lost in Translation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Juno... The screenplay awards are the place where the Academy honors innovative stuff that's a little too wild and wooly for Best Picture. Quentin Tarantino's consolation prize for Pulp Fiction losing to Forrest Gump was a Best Original Screenplay trophy, and he'll pick up another one for Django Unchained this year.

CORRECT

---

Adapted Screenplay: Argo

Following up on the last entry, we must make note of the fact that because there are two screenplay awards, it makes sense that one goes to something a little left of center, and the other goes to whatever won Best Picture. So chalk up Argo for the Academy Award for Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay).

CORRECT

---

Best Foreign Language Film: Amour

Given that Amour was also nominated for Best Picture (not to mention noms for Michael Haneke in the direction and screenwriting categories), this one seems like a lock.

CORRECT

---

This was another contentious award for RT editors. In a year of particularly strong choices, we think it's down to a three-way race between Searching for Sugar Man, The Invisible War, and The Gatekeepers, with the feel-good vibes of Sugar Man carrying the day over its more somber, issue-oriented peers.

CORRECT

---

Animated Feature: Brave

Another tough call. We think the competition is ultimately between Brave and Wreck-It Ralph. However, because graying Academy voters can't tell Call of Duty from The Call of the Wild, we're gonna go with the little redhead. (It must be noted that RT editor-in-chief Matt Atchity insists Frankenweenie will win, loudly telling the rest of the staff, "You're all wrong." Sure thing, chief.)

CORRECT

---

Best Cinematography: Life of Pi

Life of Pi's visual splendor is so mind-blowing that it seems improbable that anyone could steal this category from its cinematographer, Claudio Miranda.

CORRECT

---

Best Film Editing: Argo

Argo already took home the BAFTA in this category, and we think three-time nominee William Goldenberg will add to the film's Oscar haul.

CORRECT

---

Best Music - Original Score: Lincoln

John Williams is one of the most nominated figures in Academy history, and hasn't won in a long time. We think he'll win Oscar number six, but Mychael Danna's eclectic score for Life of Pi could surprise some people.

INCORRECT - Life of Pi. We had a feeling Mychael Danna could steal this one, especially since John Williams has so many Oscars to his name already.

---

Best Music - Original Song: Skyfall

These days, award shows exist for one reason, and one reason alone: to bestow trophies upon Adele.

CORRECT

---

This looks like a tossup between Anna Karenina and Les Mis?rables. We decided to go with the period piece based on a classic novel. And when we realized we were being forced to choose between two period pieces based on classic novels, we picked Anna Karenina, because Leo Tolstoy had cooler facial hair than Victor Hugo.

INCORRECT - Lincoln. We got this one completely wrong. Probably should have considered the painstakingly recreated period detail of Civil War-era Washington.

---

Take this one to the bank, comrades.

CORRECT

---

The controversy over Zero Dark Thirty's politics have hurt its Oscar chances in a number of categories. Still, few questioned the film's technical brilliance, and we think it's here that Zero Dark Thirty will take home the hardware.

HALF CORRECT - Ties are rare in Oscar history, but not unprecedented. Zero Dark Thirty split the honor with Skyfall.

---

A big deal was made about the fact that the cast of Les Mis?rables sang their songs live on camera. That's pretty tough to record, especially with canons going off everywhere.

CORRECT

---

Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi

Dude, remember the tiger in that movie? It was all CGI. Pretty cool, huh?

CORRECT

---

Those ears didn't get pointy all by themselves.

INCORRECT - Les Mis?rables. We were so focused on the pointy ears we neglected to take note of the grit and grime that accumulated on the faces of the actors portraying 19th Century Gauls.

---

Best Short Film - Live Action: Curfew

An idiosyncratic dramedy about a depressed writer tasked with babysitting his precocious niece, Curfew has racked up a bunch of festival awards, and we think it will add an Oscar to its haul.

CORRECT

---

Best Short Film - Animated: Paperman

Paperman is the wistful tale of an office drone who goes to great lengths to reconnect with a beautiful woman he glimpsed on the subway. It's sweet, it's beautifully animated, and it had the benefit of being the opening act for Wreck-It Ralph in theaters.

CORRECT

---

Best Documentary Short: Open Heart

This is a particularly solemn year for documentary shorts. We think Open Heart, the tale of eight Rwandan children traveling to Sudan for heart surgery, will earn both tears and votes from Academy members.

INCORRECT - Inocente, the story of a homeless girl who dreams of becoming an artist, took home the Oscar.

---

FINAL TALLY

CORRECT: 18
INCORRECT: 6

---

For our full Oscar coverage on the day, go to RT's Awards Tour page

---

Written by Tim Ryan

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1926890/news/1926890/

Beyonce Superbowl weather.com nemo Nemo Storm redbox powerball weather forecast

As cuts loom, Obama meets with governors

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie shares a toast with first lady Michelle Obama as President Barack Obama welcomed the governors of the National Governors Association to the 2013 Governors? Dinner at the White House in Washington, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie shares a toast with first lady Michelle Obama as President Barack Obama welcomed the governors of the National Governors Association to the 2013 Governors? Dinner at the White House in Washington, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

National Governors Association Chairman Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware puts his notes back in his pocket after speaking and offering a toast to President Barack Obama and governors of the National Governors Association at the 2013 Governors? Dinner at the White House in Washington, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Barack Obama offers up a toast as he welcomes the governors of the National Governors Association to the 2013 Governors? Dinner at the White House in Washington, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama will be meeting with the nation's governors as they push Congress to avert deep federal spending cuts that begin to take effect Friday.

The state leaders are in Washington for the annual meeting of the National Governors Association. The president, first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, are scheduled to address them at the White House.

Obama administration officials warn of significant airport delays, deep cuts to education and furloughs for hundreds of thousands of government workers if the budget cuts go through, as widely expected.

The president did not mention the budget stalemate during a White House dinner with most of the governors Sunday night. But Obama told them, "We've got more work to do."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-02-25-US-Obama-Governors/id-a3c915675af344b7ad428c9c9cacc319

brandon inge freedom tower freedom tower eric church world trade center quick silver where have you been rihanna

Network Effect: SingTel-Owned Amobee Expands Mobile Ad Platform To Cover Its Globe, Optus And Telkomsel Holdings

When the pan-Asian mobile carrier SingTel paid $321 million to acquire mobile ad platform SingTel in May last year, the thinking was that the Singapore-based SingTel could use Amobee to serve targeted ads to its 480-million mobile subscriber base across the region. Some eight months after the deal has closed, that network effect is coming into play: today Amobee is announcing that it will take over all mobile ads for SingTel, as well as Globe in the Philippines, Optus in Australia and New Zealand and and Telkomsel in Indonesia. The deal is exclusive and will mean that all four carriers will be served ads through Amobee’s PULSE mobile ad platform — which was initially developed by Amobee in California but has since been integrated into SingTel’s servers in the Asia-Pacific region. Initially, this deal will cover 200 million users, Amobee says, but will be extended out to eventually cover all of SingTel’s 480 million subscribers. Overall, SingTel is active in 20 countries. Amobee continues to work with other carriers that are not part of the SingTel group. These include AT&T and Sprint in the U.S., Vodafone and Telefonica, as well as others across Europe and the Middle East. But the Asia-Pacific portion of its business is now growing. Whereas last year it made up 10% of Amobee’s revenues, this year that rise to at least one-third. The idea is for SingTel to gain better control over ads across its network of operations, and offer publishers a more attractive, targeted advertising option than going with one of the other established players — such as Google, the king of the mobile advertising hill. “Instead of competing against Google, it?s about doing something different,” noted Mark Strecker, COO for Amobee, in an interview with TechCrunch. “A lot of carriers are looking for alternatives to Google.” That strategy, of course, will take on a new twist for SingTel in the coming years. SingTel is one of the 18 carriers that has signed on to work with Mozilla in the development of the Firefox OS for mobile (and the two partner on investments to boost that ecosystem, too, such as this $25 million investment in mobile search startup Everything.me). One of the promises of the new HTML5-friendly platform is that it will give carriers a bigger say in how mobile services are localized for their respective customer bases. That will include what ads get delivered,

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/XUF48RG_5zg/

usssa baseball alex o loughlin the godfather cape breton bowling green marysville tornados

Style Assistance: Learn How To Outfit - Shopping and Product ...

Style Assistance: Learn How To Outfit

How old you are never is important with your desire to appearance your greatest. You can find somebody as well as land a job when you look great. Some trend ideas are well tested, but new ones will always be growing. In order to find out some advice, please read on in the adhering to lines.

Wedge high heels are preferred for shoes and sandals. A great deal of women like this kind of back heel since it features a slimming impact and makes them seem taller. Just like any heel, training jogging in wedges prior to getting them. This guarantees that one could control the elevation in the back heel beautifully.

Bring out your fortes. From lengthy legs into a sexy again, giving much more attention to the best characteristics will create feeling and looking good. This too helps to keep peoples eyes off the areas of you that don?t appear so hot. For example, utilize a pen skirt to highlight your calves, or vessel neck area tops to bring your your neck.

One wonderful idea for fashion is always to always look for new styles and changes. You can enjoy the fashion periodicals, in addition to their internet sites, to understand what the newest trend is. They are most often the original source for first time developments.

One particular new trend style consists of quilted fabric. You can get this fabric in all types of garments, from overcoats and blazers to dresses and blouses. When it ought to be somewhat free, wearing it as well baggy will make you appear bigger.

Know your figure?s robust things and its weaker types. Smaller men and women can use things that are made of smoother textiles and they are tighter appropriate. Busty girls should consider looking for clothing that pulls your eyes away from that place. When you are pear-shaped, attempt to use lighter weight shades up top rated associated with darker skirts or jeans.

Don?t truly feel straight down when someone feedback on how you are dressing up. Dressing up well isn?t an issue of looking like your best Hollywood movie star. All you should do is carve out a design that believes normal for your needs. There are bound to be other folks around which will appreciate your distinct look.

A great purse is vital to the clothing. It must usually enhance any one of the other luggage that you simply bring at the same time. Which means you must have a coordinated list of a brief-case and purse should you carry both of them concurrently. Don?t get maintained out together with your totes, however. Have two on the absolute most.

Be aware in which sizing is involved. Which means that, no matter what it can be, you have to try it on before purchasing it. Styles don?t go by set measurements. Every single company features its own in shape. Should you be brave enough to acquire outfits away an internet website, cautiously look at their sizing graph initial. Examine and see if it will be easy to come back the garments when they will not suit.

Anything on the schedule coming is definitely an situation you would like to look great for. Maybe this is a wedding, meal party or organization outing. So you appear self-confident as well as alleviate, keep in mind suggestions outlined on this page in this post. Searching trendy could be effortless.

Thanks for reading. For more great tips see blog on fashion

?

Source: http://shopping-product-reviews.com/style-assistance-learn-how-to-outfit/

Jack Taylor Apple Pie Recipe black friday How long to cook a turkey green bean casserole green bean casserole recipe red dawn

Quvenzhan? Wallis to play title role in "Annie" movie

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nine-year-old Oscar nominee Quvenzhan? Wallis will play the title role in "Annie," Sony's Columbia Pictures announced on Sunday.

"Annie" is due to hit theaters in 2014 during the winter holiday season, and is based on the stage play about an orphan's adventures in finding her family and a better life while overcoming the schemes of orphanage mistress Miss Hannigan.

President of production at Columbia Pictures Hannah Minghella expressed confidence in Wallis' talent and star power.

"With the recent Academy Award nomination and critical acclaim, Quvenzhan? Wallis is a true star and we believe her portrayal as Annie will make her a true worldwide star," she said.

"She is an extraordinary young talent with an amazing range, not only as an actress but as a singer and dancer, and we can't wait for audiences to further discover her."

Among the film's co-producers are Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter. Carter's 1998 Grammy-winning album "Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life" contains a hip-hop version of "It's a Hard Knock Life," a song from the original Broadway musical "Annie."

The hit musical was first made into a film starring Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan in 1982. A made-for-TV version with Kathy Bates in the same role aired on ABC in 1999, and earned two Emmy awards.

Wallis is the youngest actress to ever be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. She was nominated for her role as Hushpuppy in indie drama "Beasts of the Southern Wild," which also earned a nod for Best Picture. "Beasts" is Wallis' first acting job.

Among her other firsts, she will also be the first African-American actress to play Annie, who has been traditionally portrayed as a freckle-faced redhead.

Later this year, she will star alongside Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender in Steve McQueen's historical drama "Twelve Years a Slave," based on the book by Solomon Northup.

(Editing by Eric Walsh and Jackie Frank)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/quvenzhan-wallis-play-title-role-annie-movie-213840204--finance.html

joan crawford john goodman kendall marshall whitney houston news sylvia plath whitney houston autopsy results obama trayvon

XBMC Updated to Support iOS 5.2 on the Apple TV 2

'); document.write('

'); document.write("

"); document.write("

"); document.write('

'); }

Source: http://www.iclarified.com/27697/xbmc-updated-to-support-ios-52-on-the-apple-tv-2

David Petraeus Petraeus Mia Love wall street journal us map Electoral Map concede

Feature: Sony's PlayStation 4 Reveal - Did It Meet Our Expectations?

Mulling things over

Just moments before Wednesday?s big PlayStation 4 press conference, we rounded up as many Push Square staff members as we could get our hands on, in order to discuss our hopes, dreams, and fears for Sony?s next generation platform. Now, with the console blown wide open, we?ve repeated the more-challenging-than-it-sounds task, herding together a familiar roster of names for a good old chinwag about the impending system and its coming out party.

Anthony Dickens, Managing Director

Sony bravely scoffed a hearty slice of humble pie with its PS4 announcement, addressing some of the technical challenges developers faced with PS3, which should prove a particularly solid move by them. Its effort to embrace social gaming all sounded excellent, too, but we'll have to see it in practise before getting too excited. As for the re-birth of Vita as a 'second screen', it could be a saving grace for the struggling handheld.

However, I?m not convinced about the new DualShock controller. While the form factor tweaks look nice overall, it seems too busy and slightly confused ? perhaps there?s still time for refinement? I would have liked to have seen more games, too, but I?m sure E3 will solve that. I thought that the titles that were on show offered a reasonable demonstration of the system?s capabilities.

Overall, I thought the press conference was positive, and a great foundation for further announcements throughout the rest of the year. Bring on E3.

Sammy Barker, Associate Editor

I understand that there are people desperate for the next generation to usher a new wave of creativity, but I was honestly satisfied with the pretty graphics. Sony is renowned for innovation, so I?m certain that titles like Journey, LittleBigPlanet, and Heavy Rain will come in time. For now, I just wanted to see the Helghast being shot in the face in glorious 1080p ? and the manufacturer didn?t disappoint in that department.

But it was Sony?s attitude that probably impressed me the most. It was almost like the platform holder had a list of problems with the PS3 and responded to every single one of them. Difficult development environment? Fixed. Awkward patching and firmware system? Fixed. Lack of social and community features? Fixed. I wrote in my reactions piece that the PS4 sounds like a return to the ?Plug and Play? ideals of yesteryear, and the more I read about the console, the more that appears to be true. As someone who wants to scream every time I see a progress bar, I?m excited for a new piece of hardware that promises to work without any hassle.

Mike Mason, Assistant Editor

I'm fairly convinced that I'll be buying a PS4, though as of yet I'm not certain I'll be putting down the moolah at launch. This was just a first showing, though, and with E3 on the horizon I'm looking forward to seeing a fuller roster in a few months.

Overall I found the line-up somewhat underwhelming; efforts like Killzone: Shadow Fall appeared to be nothing more than prettier versions of games already possible on PS3 ? right down to the 'press Square to plant C4' button prompts. Deep Down and Watch_Dogs look superb, however, and Media Molecule's bizarre technology demo plastered a grin right across my face. I didn't and don't understand what that game is going to be, but I already want it.

Game streaming, media sharing, and instant, download-free, demos are big wins. The user video features are brilliantly thought out and are sure to entice the YouTube crowd. I don't know how much I'd use them, but as somebody who loves the video recording functionality of Just Cause 2, I'm sure I'll find some fun uses.

Greg Giddens, Reviews Editor

I had pretty high expectations for the PS4, but I wasn't prepared for how stunning the next generation of games were going to look. Killzone: Shadow Fall's vast, beautiful city vistas; Deep Down's incredible lighting; Quantic Dream?s photorealistic old man demo ? they all blew me away.

But what took the biscuit for me was seeing a live demo of Watch_Dogs. The living, breathing city and the power you have over it left me amazed. It was spectacular to see both fancy new visuals and new ways of playing. It?s going to be a wonderful launch title.

My only issue now, though, is the long wait until the holiday season. Current generation games are probably going to struggle to impress me ? I might just take to watching that Killzone demonstration on loop.

Asher Asghar, Staff Writer

The PS4 will deliver a new benchmark for gaming. After seeing this week?s presentation, I?m convinced of that. I?d rather have seen the console?s inner-workings than its final look any day, and for me, the event, specifically Destiny and PS4 streaming on Vita, was very reassuring. Sony has learned its lessons, and is leading the charge for the next generation.

If I have any criticism of the PlayStation Meeting itself, it?s that I?d hoped to see a little more of the Vita. But, alas, this was a show all about Sony?s next generation console, and I already can?t wait for E3 later in the year.

Ben Potter, Staff Writer

Well, that was something, huh? Besides being spot on with my Gaikai predictions ? I?m twirling my mustachio as I type ? there was one feature in particular that I, even in my infinite wisdom, couldn?t have foreseen. The ability to relinquish control of your game to a spectating friend was, for me, one of the most exciting features that the PS4 will offer. Yes, the console is powerful, the games will be beautiful and innovative, and there?ll be stellar exclusives ? but streaming and social integration is the direction that the industry is heading, and as long as Sony lives up to these promises, they?ll certainly have a leg up over their competition.

I've overheard a lot of people that were disappointed with the conference; people complaining that there weren't enough games or information. These people need to have a little patience. This was an announcement conference. For such an event we were treated to a surprising volume of information and reveals, and with a promised release window of this Christmas, you'll have information coming out of your ears by the time that E3 rolls around.

Robert Ramsey, Staff Writer

I?ll start by saying I think Sony did a great job. Maybe the press conference dragged on a bit now and then, but they?ve set themselves up perfectly for E3. For me, being able to stream games to other users and share videos was probably the most exciting reveal ? the potential here is huge, especially since the PS4 looks to be an astounding piece of hardware. Nothing showed off the sheer technical grunt better than Killzone: Shadow Fall ? I don?t think I?ve ever been so excited for a shooter.

Given the nature of the PS4?s architecture, it?s clear that Sony?s moving in the right direction, and that?s really the most important thing we can take from the event. Recent times have been rough on the brand, but the manufacturer?s shown that it?s still confident, full of ideas, and willing to improve. Bring on E3 ? I hope Kaz Hirai makes an appearance this time.

Simon Waldron, Staff Writer

My biggest concern about used games may not have been answered until after the press conference, but I still came away from the presentation delighted with the hardware. The processing power is impressive and should give developers a lot more freedom after the notoriously taxing PS3. The idea of being able to Remote Play games on your Vita is beyond cool, and I really hope that it?s something that is fully developed.

Unfortunately, I found the software a bit disappointing. We weren?t shown much other than a couple of ho-hum titles and footage of games that we already knew about. I know that Sony wants to save some content for E3, but it would have been nice to end the conference with a bang. The same is true of the price point; I understand that it?s a strategic decision to keep that under wraps, but the Internet is already awash with rumours of an exotic cost.

With the spectacle over, I?m still left with plenty of questions. But I?m eager to learn the answers, and I think that?s good enough for the time being.

Did the PS4?s reveal live up to your expectations? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Source: http://www.pushsquare.com/news/2013/02/feature_sonys_playstation_4_reveal_did_it_meet_our_expectations

Danell Leyva Ye Shiwen OJ Murdock Olympics Live Mens Gymnastics Allison Schmitt Olympic Schedule

Coming soon? Town in N. Dakota may show future oil, gas impact

The economy is booming in Dickinson, N.D., a community whose population was similar to Marietta's a couple of years ago, but has grown by 30 percent since 2010 and is still increasing, thanks to North Dakota's oil-laden Bakken shale deposits.

McDonald's workers in Dickinson earn $15 to $20 an hour with benefits; truck drivers start out at $34 an hour, and workers in their 20s can make between $100,000 and $150,000 a year in the oil fields, according to Steve Sprague, a former Tunnel resident and Waterford High School ag science instructor.

"This is what's coming to Marietta-and sooner than you think," said Sprague, 62, who moved to the Dickinson area a year ago after learning jobs there were prosperous and plentiful.

Article Photos

Photo by Jim Blecha, courtesy of Six Gun Hotshot
A horizontal hydraulic fracturing operation can be seen in the distance, along with a more conventional water well in the foreground near the town of Dickinson, N.D. Oil and gas companies retrieving oil from North Dakota?s Bakken shale beds have sparked a booming economy in that area that some say could be similar to what?s coming to Washington County.

He's now a supervisor for Six Gun Hotshot, a small trucking company that does a lot of business with a number of oil and gas companies that have established horizontal hydraulic drilling operations in that area.

"My boss is 32 years old and started the business in 2007 with a single truck and a 'hotshot' (a dually pickup towing a trailer)," Sprague said. "Now he has five hotshots, five semi trucks, and a crane-hauling truck. We work in North Dakota but are also pushing into Wyoming, Montana and Canada."

He said the success enjoyed by the company has become typical of businesses in the Dickinson area.

Fact Box

Some of the shale industry's impacts on Dickinson, N.D.:

The city has no bonded indebtedness.

Unemployment was at 1.5 percent in July.

Population increased from 17,787 in 2010 to 23,000 in 2012.

The city budget increased from $21 million in 2010 to $73.4 million in 2012.

Sales tax revenue jumped from $3 million in 2010 to a projected $8.6 million this year.

In 2010 the average 2-bedroom home rented for $600. In 2012 the same facility rented for $2,000.

There were 854 hotel rooms in 2010. In 2012 there were 2,711 rooms built or planned.

Source: City of Dickinson 2012 report, Opportunities in Dickinson.

"Every business is booming," Sprague said. "It's unbelievable. There are signs all along the roadways, advertising for help wanted, and people from all over the country are going to North Dakota to work. There's a lot of work, and not enough people."

But he said the growing prosperity does have some drawbacks.

"Anyone going there should be sure and do their homework on the area first," Sprague said. "It can be difficult to find a place to stay-hotels are filled, and some folks end up living in their cars or small trailers. Some of the oil companies have built 'man camps' near the drilling sites where employees can stay while working 12-hour shifts with two weeks on and two weeks off."

He said housing is probably the biggest concern in the Dickinson area right now, and noted one-bedroom apartments are renting for $750 to $1,200 per month, plus utilities, and homes with three or four bedrooms may rent from $2,750 to $4,500 a month.

Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Charlotte Keim said the housing impact of the shale industry moving into the Mid-Ohio Valley is already being felt here.

"The president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce was here this week, and we spent some time talking about the shale development," she said. "It's already happening here, and the first sign was an increase in the local bed tax collection."

The bed tax, or city hotel/motel tax, has been growing in the last few years, and is expected to generate more than $960,000 by the end of 2013.

Keim said hotel and motel rooms have been filled throughout the week as oil and gas company representatives began arriving in the area to look at land availability and analyze the mineral potential in local Utica and Marcellus shale beds.

"Two years ago I started receiving phone calls from oil and gas workers in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio who were having problems finding housing," Keim said. "Some of our surrounding counties have no lodging facilities, so they came here."

She said some advance shale workers want to bring their families here and need housing during the one or two years they'll be working in the area.

"Those initial people have the specialty skills needed to get the shale process set up, and after a couple of years they'll go back to their homes or move on to the next job site," Keim said.

But as companies hire more permanent workers, the housing demand will increase.

"We're already seeing that, too," Keim said. "The demand is turning housing from a buyer's to a seller's market. And overall that's good because people will begin upgrading and improving their existing housing for sale."

She said anyone who wants to take advantage of employment opportunities with the oil and gas industry should be obtaining the needed skills now.

"They should start doing some research about the industry and what jobs are needed," Keim said, adding that obtaining a CDL license could be a good start as truck drivers are already in demand by some shale companies in this area.

And training for oil and gas industry jobs is already available at local facilities like Washington State Community College and the Washington County Career Center.

Sprague said work in the "oil patch" is hard and goes on 24/7, but anyone willing to put in the effort stands to make a lot of money in a relatively short period of time.

The economic boom has brought other unexpected issues to the Dickinson area, too.

"You have to make an appointment two weeks ahead of time to have an oil change for your car," Sprague said. "One local tire shop had to add five or six new bays, and they still can't keep up with the demand for tires."

Gasoline prices also tend to be higher in the Dickinson area. He said some locals will drive across the border into Wyoming where they can buy gas 50-cents cheaper than in town.

Sprague said shale oil and gas companies are now setting up shop in the Mid-Ohio Valley, drilling wells into the Appalachian region's mineral-rich Marcellus and Utica shale beds.

"It's happening here, and the best thing you can do is have the infrastructure ready when companies start bringing their equipment in," Sprague said.

Washington County began developing a road use maintenance agreement (RUMA) last year that holds drilling companies responsible for maintaining county and township roadways that may be damaged by heavy equipment and increased truck traffic.

"The infrastructure can take a beating from that traffic," said county engineer Roger Wright.

He noted that state highways are generally pre-designed to handle heavy traffic, but many county and township roads have developed over years from original trails and pathways into gravel and paved roadways.

"We have a road use maintenance agreement with drilling companies," Wright said. "For example, PDC is currently putting stone on roads in Adams Township leading to their drilling sites. The county wants to reach out and work with all of the drillers who plan to operate here."

He said the Ohio County Engineers Association provides a venue where counties can share their experiences about dealing with the shale oil and drilling industry across the state.

"We're still in the infant stage here, so we're trying to learn as much as we can from other counties," Wright added. "But in my opinion taxpayer funds should not have to be used to pay for road repairs that are caused by heavy drilling equipment. Those industries should be responsible. That's why it's important that we obtain road use maintenance agreements with the shale companies."

Marietta city engineer Joe Tucker said the city is already seeing an increase in the number of trucks traveling on city streets.

"We've talked about a road use maintenance agreement for the city to help protect any impact on our streets, and we're currently looking at establishing a wellhead protection plan for our drinking water wells as a precautionary measure," he said.

Tucker noted the city is also continuing to work on major intersection improvements along the Ohio 7 and Pike Street corridor which will help ease traffic congestion that could be generated by additional vehicles on the road due to projected growth from the oil and gas industries.

Source: http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/550053.html

sleigh bells

Nashville, Season 1

Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere in ABC's Nashville.

Photo by Jon LeMay/ABC.

This week, in the absence of a new episode, the?Slate?Nashville TV club welcomes Jillian Mapes, a music writer, editor and producer for CBS, and former Billboard staffer, for a freeform conversation about the show. ?

Katy Waldman: Thanks for joining me, Jillian! I?m excited to fill the Charles Esten-shaped hole in my life with our chat today.

Jillian Mapes: That's a big hole, I'd imagine! Also excited?wasn't quite sure what to do with myself Wednesday night without Connie Britton.

Waldman: I don?t like moving in fits and starts with all these hiatuses. Especially because no one seems to know when exactly the season will end! Are we winding down? Gearing up? What?s going on?

Mapes: It does feel like this season is reaching a point where it could feasibly stop. Rayna's divorce seems like the end of a chapter, unfortunately.

Waldman: Though an inevitable/anticlimactic one. The suspense for me has never been about whether Rayna will stay with Teddy, but more: Who?s next? Deacon? Liam? ??

Mapes: Right, I don't really understand why they spent time investing in Teddy Conrad?as the mayoral candidate, in his Peggy backstory?if he's bound to be even more of a minor (and frankly, flat) character than he already has been. He just seems like the worst kind of guy, a real reaction to Deacon's youthful instability. The writers investing effort in a Teddy plotline makes me worry they won't end up going through with the divorce.

Waldman: It may require the additional push of Maggie's paternity coming to light.

Mapes: Ugh, I forgot about that. Rayna's family! It's all so Dallas. The father, the sister (who also plays the role of disapproving sister on Big Love). At least Juliette's family is complicated in a way that seems as though it could lead to resolution, as we start to see at the end of episode 13, when Juliette invites Jolene to move in.

Waldman: Jolene is the rare, dynamic supporting character on Nashville. We actually get to see her change, from desperate drug addict to a force for good in Juliette?s life. The other peripheral characters are so?static. ?

Mapes: They are pretty undeveloped. The managers are of a lot of interest to me in that way, because I've worked around the music industry. I've seen these kinds of guys in action. They're too... collapsed. Juliette's, you're meant to hate. Rayna's, he's one of the good guys.

Waldman: We?re supposed to hate Glenn?

Waldman: He was Juliette?s surrogate dad! He didn?t have to take her back as a client after the shoplifting and TV interview fiascos, but he was loyal. Fine, he also stands for soulless commercialism and selling out. I know, I know.

Are there managers like Glenn in real life?

Mapes: Well, yes and no. I think he represents a certain type of manager?but the thing is, he seems harder on Juliette than he does on the forces around him. Usually with money/fame types like him, they're hardest not on the star but on the other members of the support system. Just, very demanding, opportunistic. Divas tend to fire guys that treat them like Glenn has treated Juliette, but then again, she just did.

Waldman: So artists typically have more creative control than managers?

Mapes: I've seen all different manners of relationships between artists and their managers?but most feel like partnerships in some way, like they're at least playing for the same time. The only time I saw that with Juliette and Glenn was during the shoplifting scandal. I think I'm just surprised that Juliette hasn't ditched Glenn until now because, frankly, she's not a 16-year-old girl who doesn't know jack about the biz anymore. And clearly the reason she's just moved out from under his heavy-handed management is because of his paternal role in her life. So when I do think of it like that, it makes more sense. Beyonce just left her father's management a couple of years ago. It took Jessica Simpson a long time to ditch her dad as her manager. The list goes on and on with over-controlling dad-managers in the music industry.

Waldman: So Juliette is outgrowing one parent (her "dad") just as she's allowing another one (Jolene) back into her life. But to leave the therapist?s office for a second, is there anything about the music world Nashville gets especially right?

Mapes: You know, everyone in and around this world that I talk to seems to think this show is spot-on with how accurate it is. It's probably one of the big reasons I watch the show. I was hesitant but so many people said it felt like the real deal. Now, I can't watch it without trying to figure out who the characters are based on. Creator Callie Khouri is very much from the TV/film world, but her husband is T-Bone Burnett, who started out in [Bob] Dylan's band and has produced so, so many stars (and also works on the show). So I can only imagine the kinds of information and conversations that Khouri is privy to.

Waldman: Ooh! Who?s who?

Mapes: We got into an intense conversation about this at work the other day, and the general consensus was that Rayna and Juliette are definitely composite characters. Rayna has elements of Faith Hill, but she's more interested in songwriting and experimentation, so there's a touch of maybe a Lucinda Williams type?someone more alt-country. But I also see some shades of Shania [Twain] in her, particularly in the sense that her most significant creative collaborator was someone she was romantically involved with. (Twain was with her producer /ex-husband Mutt Lange). It's funny, because Mutt Lange was a big rock producer when he worked with Shania, and now Rayna's working with Liam. I mean, it's a different kind of thing, but just generally speaking.

Waldman: This is riveting. I am riveted.

Mapes: I've heard Juliette is drawn a bit from Carrie Underwood, but there's also the element of her fans being so young and pop-country that I get a whiff of Taylor Swift in there, too.

Waldman: I?ve read speculation that Juliette is the fantasy of what Taylor Swift is like behind closed doors (a nightmare).

Mapes: Ha! You know, if Juliette was anything like Taylor, she would still be in bed crying over that Tebow ripoff.

Waldman: HA. And also, while Taylor is drifting towards pop, Juliette wants to go less mainstream, right? Am I wrong that that?s kind of an unusual trajectory IRL?

Mapes: I definitely think it is an interesting trajectory for Juliette. She's seeking out more credibility. That concept, in general, is not an uncommon one, but we just haven't seen it in all that many big country stars, especially not female artists. They're usually moving away from the Nashville-centric stuff and toward the mainstream.

But looking at Rayna, too, she's working in ways that aren't obvious for someone who could almost be considered a legacy artist in the country world. She's collaborating with Liam, who to me, feels a little like Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys (who hasn't worked with country stars).

Waldman: These deviations?do they make Nashville feel unrealistic to you? Or plausible but interesting and surprising?

Mapes: I think they?re a testament to the complicated nature of?some of?the characters. Because Jack White would never work with Shania Twain. We can't collapse Rayna and Liam into those people. Maybe it's a slightly unrealistic and even romantic view of the country music world, but I wouldn't say it's hollow.

I'm curious for you, what is your perception of the show?s validity? Does it feel like these plotlines could be rooted in reality?

Waldman: The emotional conflicts, sure. The music biz itself is more of a cipher to me. I suppose I can imagine mentor/mentee relationships like Juliette's and Deacon's blossoming, along with all the rivalry and uncertainty and ambition. Then again, one of Nashville?s perks for me is its escapist shimmer. I wouldn?t want to know too much about the world it?s representing, or have a bunch of expectations that needed to be met.

Mapes: Speaking of expectations, were you off-put by Hayden Panettiere?s presence before watching the show?

Waldman: Hmm! Well, I never saw Heroes and had practically no impression of her. I wasn?t anticipating brilliance, I guess, but I wasn?t recoiling from Nashville either because she was in it. You?

Mapes: She's one of those actresses whose bitchiness seems to transcend her roles, but then I saw that a.) She's quite good in the show; b.) We're not supposed to like Juliette at first.

Waldman: One last question. What do you make of Nashville?s music?

Mapes: I'm admittedly not a huge mainstream country fan, but I actually like a lot of it. They have folks like Elvis Costello and The Civil Wars writing music for the show, and it kind of comes off like that. To me, a lot of the songs lean just slightly Americana or alt-country, especially with Scarlett and Gunnar (one of their first song, "If I Didn't Know Better," gutted me?and I know I'm not alone in that.) The songs are charting on Billboard's country chart.

The actors are impressive in that way, too. They're keeping up. Connie Britton doesn't have the most incredible voice I've ever heard, but she can carry a tune just fine.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=47ceaaf2f2638bc61e344ba439ab2bdc

north korea threat brandon jacobs brandon jacobs brian dawkins emma roberts north korea news north korea news

Toxic mice air drop: Dead poisoned mice to target Guam tree snakes

Toxic mice air drop: The US government is about target invasive brown tree snakes in Guam by bombing the island with dead mice laced with?acetaminophen, which is toxic to the reptiles.

By Eric Talmadge,?Associated Press / February 22, 2013

A Brown Tree Snake is held by a US Department of Agriculture wildlife specialist at Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam. The US government is planning to drop toxic mice from helicopters to battle the snakes, an invasive species that has decimated Guam's native bird population.

Eric Talmadge/AP

Enlarge

Andersen Air Force Base, Guam

Dead mice laced with painkillers are about to rain down on?Guam's?jungle canopy. They are scientists' prescription for a headache that has caused the tiny U.S. territory misery for more than 60 years: the brown tree snake.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

Most of?Guam's?native bird species are extinct because of the snake, which reached the island's thick jungles by hitching rides from the South Pacific on U.S. military ships shortly after World War II. There may be 2 million of the reptiles on?Guam?now, decimating wildlife, biting residents and even knocking out electricity by slithering onto power lines.

More than 3,000 miles away, environmental officials in Hawaii have long feared a similar invasion ? which in their case likely would be a "snakes on a plane" scenario. That would cost the state many vulnerable species and billions of dollars, but the risk will fall if?Guam's?air-drop strategy succeeds.

"We are taking this to a new phase," said Daniel Vice, assistant state director of U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services in Hawaii,?Guam, and the Pacific Islands. "There really is no other place in the world with a snake problem like?Guam."

Brown tree snakes are generally a few feet (1 meter) long but can grow to be more than 10 feet (3 meters) in length. Most of?Guam's?native birds were defenseless against the nocturnal, tree-based predators, and within a few decades of the reptile's arrival, nearly all of them were wiped out.

The snakes can also climb power poles and wires, causing blackouts, or slither into homes and bite people, including babies; they use venom on their prey but it is not lethal to humans.

The infestation and the toll it has taken on native wildlife have tarnished?Guam'simage as a tourism haven, though the snakes are rarely seen outside their jungle habitat.

The solution to this headache, fittingly enough, is acetaminophen, the active ingredient in painkillers including Tylenol.

The strategy takes advantage of the snake's two big weaknesses. Unlike most snakes, brown tree snakes are happy to eat prey they didn't kill themselves, and they are highly vulnerable to acetaminophen, which is harmless to humans.

The upcoming mice drop is targeted to hit snakes near?Guam's?sprawling Andersen Air Force Base, which is surrounded by heavy foliage and if compromised would offer the snakes a potential ticket off the island. Using helicopters, the dead neonatal mice will be dropped by hand, one by one.

U.S. government scientists have been perfecting the mice-drop strategy for more than a decade with support from the Department of Defense and the Department of the Interior.

To keep the mice bait from dropping all the way to the ground, where it could be eaten by other animals or attract insects as they rot, researchers have developed a flotation device with streamers designed to catch in the branches of the forest foliage, where the snakes live and feed.

Experts say the impact on other species will be minimal, particularly since the snakes have themselves wiped out the birds that might have been most at risk.

"One concern was that crows may eat mice with the toxicant," said William Pitt, of the U.S. National Wildlife Research Center's Hawaii Field Station. "However, there are no longer wild crows on?Guam. We will continue to refine methods to increase efficiency and limit any potential non-target hazards."

The mouse drop is set to start in April or May.

Vice said the goal is not to eradicate the snakes, but to control and contain them. Just as the snakes found their way to?Guam, they could stow away on a ship, or more likely the cargo hold of an airplane, and begin breeding on other islands around the Pacific or even the U.S. West Coast.

That "snakes on a plane" scenario has officials in Hawaii on edge. The islands of Hawaii, like?Guam, lack the predators that could keep a brown tree snake population in check.

Native Hawaiian birds "literally don't know what to do when they see a snake coming," said Christy Martin, a spokeswoman for the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species, a partnership of Hawaii government agencies and private organizations.

A 2010 study conducted by the National Wildlife Research Center found brown tree snakes would cause between $593 million and $2.14 billion in economic damage each year if they became established in Hawaii like they are on?Guam. Power outages would cause the most damage, followed by a projected decline in tourism. The cost of treating snake bites would account for a small share.

"Once we get snakes here, we're never going to be able to fix the situation," Martin said.

Though the snakes are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea,?Guam?is much closer to Hawaii and its snake population is much more dense, meaning it is the primary threat for snake stowaways.

So far,?Guam's?containment seems to be working. Only a few brown tree snakes have ever been found in Hawaii, and none over the past 17 years.

"If we continue doing what we are doing, the chance of success is very high," Vice said. "If what we are doing stops, I think the possibility of the snakes getting to Hawaii is inevitable."

___

AP writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report from Honolulu.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/5QKzfHBtQI8/Toxic-mice-air-drop-Dead-poisoned-mice-to-target-Guam-tree-snakes

shawn johnson Tony Sly Lauren Perdue tagged Heptathlon London 2012 shot put London 2012 Track And Field

5 Antique Skeleton Key Lot Vintage Metal Key Rusty Ornate Gothic Old Industrial for Altered Art Steampunk DIY Jewelry Wedding by KeyLimeSupplies

This listing for for five (5) antique skeleton keys perfect for your DIY jewelry projects, steampunk or gothic home decor, wedding decor, altered art, or whatever you can imagine!

This particular batch of rusty vintage metal keys came to me very rusty -- these old skeleton keys have been cleaned with a mild, all-natural rust remover. They still have bits of rust, for that lovely aged patina that old metal gets, but removing the rust allows the natural details to peek through.

I'm not sure of the exact age of these vintage metal keys or the exact metal content -- if it helps, these keys are magnetic. I believe them to be cast iron, but I'm no expert so I could be wrong!

Some keys have words etched into the top of the skeleton key or bent tabs at the part that enters the locket.

The antique skeleton keys measure between 1.5 inches (40 mm) - 3.5 inches (85 mm).

You will get five (5) randomly selected keys. You will NOT receive a matching set of 5 skeleton keys, but I may be able to find you a close-to-matching set if you convo me before your purchase.

Different quantities are available:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KeyLimeSupplies?section_id=11453047

Enter the main storefront:
http://keylimesupplies.etsy.com

Combined shipping is available on all items.

(If you prefer very rusty keys -- I will be listing those uncleaned, as-found keys soon -- convo me if you don't see them available).

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/124394309/5-antique-skeleton-key-lot-vintage-metal

new apple tv sun flare love hewitt new ipad solar flare joseph kony 2012 arian foster

Video: Talking Numbers: Buy Home Depot or Lowe's

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50893871/

Opening ceremony London 2012 Google Fiber Olympics Schedule 2012 Olympic Medal Count 2012 Olympics 2012 Olympic Schedule 2012 NBC Olympics

Boeing, Istanbul Technical University Launch Collaboration in Aerospace Technology Research

WEBWIRE ? Thursday, February 21, 2013

First joint project will explore advanced filtration technology to improve air quality in commercial airplane cabins

ISTANBUL,? Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Turkey?s leading aerospace engineering and technology institution, today announced a new collaboration in aerospace research to benefit the flying public.

Boeing Turkey President Bernard Dunn and ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Karaca held a signing ceremony at the university campus to celebrate an agreement to launch joint research and development programs. The event was attended by Turkish Airlines Executives Dr. Temel Kotil and Dr. ?smail Demir. Dr. Kotil is the Chief Executive Officer of Turkish Airlines and former chair and associate Dean of the University?s Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering. Dr. Demir is the Chief Executive Officer of Turkish Technic and a graduate of ITU.

In addition, Boeing and ITU announced their first joint project: a one-year effort to research and develop an advanced air-filtration system to enhance air quality for passengers in commercial airplane cabins.

?We are very pleased to establish a new research partnership with Istanbul Technical University, one of Turkey?s finest institutions of higher learning,? said Dunn. ?Boeing is defined by its technological edge, and we believe our collaboration with ITU will bring innovative ideas to our company and support Turkey?s goals for economic and technology development.?

?Today marks the start of a strong partnership between Boeing and ITU on innovative design and research for the aerospace sector,? said Prof. Dr. Karaca. ?We are very pleased to have not only Boeing, but also our national flag carriers Turkish Airlines and Turkish Technic on board as strong supporters and partners of such cutting-edge R&D for civil aviation.?

The environmental control system in today?s commercial airplanes minimizes concentrations of chemical contaminants to extremely low levels. In their research, Boeing and ITU will explore the effectiveness of specially treated nano-fibers to further remove volatile organic compounds from the airplane cabin.

?This project is an example of how Boeing is continuously working to improve the commercial airplane passenger experience,? said Mike Friend, senior technical director of Global Research and Development Strategy for Boeing Research & Technology. ?We look forward to working with the talented faculty and students at ITU, which has a strong research program in nano-materials for aerospace applications.?

Boeing has maintained a long-standing, mutually beneficial relationship with Turkey for nearly 70 years. It currently provides aircraft and services to Turkish commercial and defense customers and is a significant and trusted partner of the Turkish aerospace industry.

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., Boeing is the world?s leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. Boeing Research & Technology collaborates with customers, suppliers, universities and R&D agencies throughout the world to provide a broad base of innovative and affordable technologies for Boeing?s business units. For more information, please visit www.boeing.com.

For more information on Istanbul Technical University, please visit http://www.itu.edu.tr/en/.

Related Links

Source

WebWireID170424

This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.

News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.

Source: http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=170424

iditarod

4 Things to Know About Gina McCarthy, Obama's Pick to Head EPA

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, "Doug" (24), and I (22) have been in a long-distance relationship for a year, but we were friends for a couple of years before that. I had never had a serious relationship before and lacked experience. Doug has not only been in two other long-term relationships, but has had sex with more than 15 women. One of them is an amateur porn actress.I knew about this, but it didn't bother me until recently. Doug had a party, and while he was drunk he told one of his buddies -- in front of me -- that he should watch a certain porn film starring his ex-girlfriend. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/4-things-know-gina-mccarthy-obamas-pick-head-162748638--politics.html

Pepco erin andrews erin andrews tour de france Magic Mike Anderson Cooper Gay NBA draft 2012

Abe talks up significance of Japan-US security ties

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://straitstimes.com.feedsportal.com/c/32792/f/640967/s/28d17d5d/l/0L0Sstraitstimes0N0Cpremium0Ctop0Ethe0Enews0Cstory0Cabe0Etalks0Esignificance0Ejapan0Eus0Esecurity0Eties0E20A130A222/story01.htm

ricky martin larry bird chauncey billups caucus results exton kurt warner kurt warner