New theater production office opens in NYC

This Jan. 9, 2013 photo provided by The Hartman Group shows Adam Blanshay, the new chief executive officer of Just For Laughs Theatricals, in New York. Blanshay will develop and produce plays and musicals internationally. (AP Photo/The Hartman Group, Dennis Kwan)

This Jan. 9, 2013 photo provided by The Hartman Group shows Adam Blanshay, the new chief executive officer of Just For Laughs Theatricals, in New York. Blanshay will develop and produce plays and musicals internationally. (AP Photo/The Hartman Group, Dennis Kwan)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The producers behind one of the largest comedy festivals in the world are launching a new theatrical subsidiary that hopes to become a major player on Broadway and in London's West End.

The Just For Laughs Group on Monday unveiled its new stage-orientated producing division and said Adam Blanshay will be its chief executive officer.

Just For Laughs Theatricals, which will be based in New York City, is already signed on to help produce the new Broadway musical "Kinky Boots," the West End productions of "A Chorus Line," ''Old Times" with Kristin Scott Thomas, and "Merrily We Roll Along." Future projects include the new Broadway musical "Bullets Over Broadway" in 2014.

"While comedy has always been our focus, we believe great theatre ? whether musical, drama or comedy ? can be an equally powerful unifying force," Gilbert Rozon, founder of the Just For Laughs Group, said in a statement.

Blanshay's recent Broadway credits include the revival of "Evita" starring Ricky Martin, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" with Daniel Radcliffe, "The Scottsboro Boys," ''Catch Me If You Can" and "Jerusalem." He has been nominated for six Tony Awards, one Grammy Award, and is a graduate of McGill University.

The Just For Laughs Group creates comedy festivals around the globe, dozens of hours of TV and operates concert tours. It is behind the Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, which this summer will celebrate its 31st anniversary.

The festival attracts 2 million people each summer and has featured Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, John Cleese, Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Ray Romano, Jason Alexander, Dane Cook and Tim Allen.

___

Online: http://www.hahaha.com/en/about-us/theatricals

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-25-US-Theater-Just-For-Laughs-Theatricals/id-6f3196f0e8854c71b9abf1a7c30c4154

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'Sequester' on president's agenda at meeting with governors

President Barack Obama on Monday is expected to implore the nation's governors to put pressure on Congress to avoid the sequester as Obama speaks to the nation's governors at the White House.

Members of the Obama administration, heads of federal agencies and others have been issuing severe warnings to Congress regarding the sequester-- $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts that will go into effect March 1 absent a budget. Warnings have been released threatening fewer responders to handle wildfires, reduced food safety inspection, less help for vulnerable Americans and on Friday, widespread flight delays and cancellations.

"Travelers should expect delays. Flights to major cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco and others could experience delays up to 90 minutes during peak hours, because we have fewer controllers on staff. Delays in these major airports will ripple across the country," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters at Friday's White House press briefing after announcing that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans massive furloughs and closing air traffic control towers if the sequester goes into effect.

The White House on Sunday night released state-by-state reports detailing what they say would be "devastating" impacts on each state as a result of the sequester, but the topic of the sequester was notably absent from Obama's speech Sunday night to the governors, who are in town for the National Governors Association's (NGA) annual winter meeting.

Instead, the president at the White House dinner struck an appreciative tone, commending the governors for steering their states through tough times.

Democratic Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware, chair of the NGA, followed Obama's address Sunday night by emphasizing the absence of politics from the night's celebration. "On this one night it?s a relief -- politics doesn?t drive the conversation. We don?t speak of partisan issues or presidential aspirations," Markell said.

But Markell did note the sequester.

"One thing for sure is certain -- you don?t let issues fester. You get to deal with education and health care, and even the sequester," Markell said to laughter and applause from the audience.

Republicans such as Speaker John Boehner have publicly stated their opposition to the sequester, though others have threatened they are willing to let it go into effect.

Some Republicans over the weekend continued to accuse the administration of exaggerating the sequester's impact.

"They have plenty of flexibility in terms of discretion on how they spend money. There are easy ways to cut this money that the American people will never feel," Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma said on Fox News Sunday.

The president is slated to address the governors at 11:05 a.m. ET from the White House State Dining Room. Vice President Joe Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama and Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden are also scheduled to speak.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-expected-address-sequester-monday-meeting-governors-143539950--politics.html

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Ohio gas prices down to start week

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Ohio motorists are seeing slightly lower gas prices to start the work week.

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Ohio was about $3.70 in Monday's survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express. That's about 12 cents lower than a week ago.

The Ohio average is about 8 cents lower than the national average of 3.78, which is a nickel higher than the national average price of a week ago. The national average has risen 44 cents in the past month.

The Ohio average is about 30 cents higher than a month ago, but just a few cents higher than at the same time in 2012.

Online:

AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report: http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-gas-prices-down-start-154805461.html

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Take a walk! Koreans reject Cuban ball switch

(Reuters) - A baseball game between Cuba's national team and a South Korean professional club had to be called off when they could not agree on which ball to use, leaving the two sets of players practising awkwardly next to each other in the stadium, an official from Korea's NC Dinos has told Reuters.

Cuba were set to play NC Dinos at the Dou Liou Baseball Stadium in Taiwan on Thursday as part of their preparations for the World Baseball Classic, which takes place from March 2-19.

"We have never experienced anything quite like this before," an NC Dinos official with the team in Taiwan told Reuters by telephone on Friday.

"It is customary for baseball teams from two different countries to have two different balls and to use balls of their choice (when fielding).

"But 40 minutes before the game, Cuba insisted both teams use the ball they chose," the official added. "We rejected that because our players could get injured by using balls they are not familiar with.

"We could not risk getting injured in a warm-up match like this one. Then they brought another ball, to which we again said no. They didn't give up and brought another one again and we turned them down once again.

"Finally, about 15-20 minutes before the game, they just abruptly notified us that they cancelled the game."

The official said Dinos had been taken aback by Cuba's decision to cancel the game.

"What they insisted was preposterous and goes against normal practice."

With no game to play, both sets of players started practising on the field.

"After the game was cancelled at the last minute, our team remained and practised in the stadium and the Cuban team didn't leave," the official added.

"So we practised there too for a while, the two teams in the same space, until we asked them to leave ... it was so awkward."

Dinos coach Kim Kyung-moon lamented the lost opportunity for his team to play one of the best international sides and said it would have been a valuable experience for his players.

Cuba are placed in Pool A of the WBC alongside champions Japan, Brazil and China.

(Reporting by Narae Kim in Seoul, writing by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/walk-koreans-reject-cuban-ball-switch-164325502--mlb.html

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Jewish settlers, Palestinians clash in West Bank

JERUSALEM (AP) ? A Palestinian medic says a 24-year-old demonstrator was shot in the stomach during clashes between Jewish settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank village of Kusra. The Israeli military could not immediately confirm the report.

The medic, who says the demonstrator is in serious condition, requested anonymity, because he was not authorized to speak to media.

A military spokeswoman says about 150 Palestinians and 25 Jewish settlers hurled rocks at each other Saturday, and Israeli forces tried to disperse them.

The clashes come amid mounting tension in the West Bank where there has been a rise in demonstrations against Israel's policies toward Palestinians, and in support Palestinian prisoners who are conducting hunger strikes in Israeli jails.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jewish-settlers-palestinians-clash-west-bank-132532723.html

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PM says 'Japan's back,' vows stronger ties with US

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama meets with Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. The Japanese prime minister is meeting President Barack Obama on Friday. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. The Japanese prime minister will meet with President Barack Obama on Friday. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. The Japanese prime minister will meet with President Barack Obama on Friday. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Japan's new prime minister declared Friday he would make his country a stronger U.S. ally and joined President Barack Obama in warning North Korea that its recent nuclear provocations would not be tolerated.

After meeting Obama in the Oval Office, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also sent a clear message to China: that while Japan does not want confrontation with Beijing, it won't tolerate challenges to its sovereignty over islands disputed by the two Asian powers.

Those regional tensions served as the backdrop for Friday's meetings, which came just two months after Abe began his second stint as Japan's prime minister following a convincing election victory.

Obama said he and Abe were united in their "determination to take strong actions" in response to North Korea's nuclear test this month, which followed a successful long-range rocket launch last month. That has propelled the isolated, authoritarian state closer to having a weapon of mass destruction that could threaten the U.S.

Abe said he and Obama have agreed to push for tougher sanctions by the U.N. Security Council and spelled out why Pyongyang's actions are cause for worry.

"They (North Korea) have increased the range of their missile immensely and have attained the ability to reach even the mainland United States," Abe said at a Washington think tank after his White House visit. He said Pyongyang was also claiming it has made a smaller nuclear bomb that could be delivered by missile.

Speaking through a translator, the Japanese leader said this was why the United States was pressuring China to exert more influence over its North Korean ally. Abe said it was important for the entire international community to do the same.

Most experts believe North Korea is still some years away from being able to hit America, although its shorter-range missiles could already threaten its neighbors.

Abe, a nationalist and advocate of Japanese relations with the United States, is the latest in a revolving door of Japanese prime ministers ? the fifth since Obama took office. That's made it difficult to establish a personal rapport between Japanese and U.S. leaders, notwithstanding the enduring nature of the bilateral relationship. Japan hosts about 50,000 American forces and is a cornerstone of Washington's Asia policy.

His first stint as prime minister was cut short in 2007 by ill health, but Abe's now riding high in the polls. He outlined Friday his policy to revive his nation after years of malaise by building a strong economy and strong national defense.

"Japan is not, and will never be, a tier-two country," Abe said. "That is the core message I am here to make. And I reiterate this by saying, I am back, and so shall Japan be."

He promised to enhance Japan's role in international affairs, build its cooperation with other democracies and promote open use of the seas and rules-based trade.

Japan's relationship with Washington has assumed more importance for Tokyo in recent months as it has locked horns with China over the control of unoccupied islands in the resource-rich seas between them.

The dispute flared after Tokyo nationalized some of the islands in September. China also claims the tiny islands, which it calls Diaoyu. It has stepped up patrols into what Japan considers its territorial waters, heightening concern that a conflict could be sparked. The tensions highlight the rivalry between China, the world's second-largest economy, and Japan, which is the third.

Obama did not address the dispute in his brief remarks, but separately, Secretary of State John Kerry complimented Japan on the restraint it has shown and its efforts to prevent a "significant confrontation."

Abe said that Japan had no intention of escalating the dispute and that his door was always open to Chinese leaders.

But he had some words of defiance, too, over Japan's sovereignty of the islands.

"We simply cannot tolerate any challenge now and in the future," Abe said. "No nation should make any miscalculation about firmness of our resolve. No one should ever doubt the robustness of the Japan-U.S. alliance."

The U.S. has treaty obligations to help Japan in the event of a conflict, obligations Abe said were a stabilizing factor in ensuring peace and stability in the region.

In comments that will be welcomed by Washington, Abe held out an olive branch to South Korea, a key U.S. ally that shares Japan's concern over North Korea's provocations.

He said the Japan-South Korea relationship was "extremely important" and he wanted to resolve the differences between them. The two Asian democracies have bickered over another island dispute, and Seoul believes Tokyo lacks contrition for its colonial past and use of Korean sex slaves during World War II.

Friday's meeting was an opportunity for the U.S. to gauge Tokyo's intent to join negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, a regionwide free-trade pact pushed by Washington.

Abe held back from such a commitment that could prove politically risky before key elections in July for the upper house of the legislature, known as the Diet. Joining TPP is opposed by most of his party and Japan's small but politically powerful farming lobby.

However, a joint statement said the two leaders had agreed to continue their talks about Japan's "possible interest" in joining TPP. It appeared to offer some new wiggle room for Abe. It acknowledged sensitivities for Japan on certain agricultural products and for some manufactured products for the U.S.

The statement said that while all goods would be subject to negotiation, a prior commitment to eliminate all tariffs was not required.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-22-US-US-Japan/id-061886cd94a846faa07e97b60edc8f87

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Deal of the Day: 51% off Incipio EDGE PRO Hard Shell Slider Case for iPhone 5

Today Only: Purchase the Incipio EDGE PRO Hard Shell Slider Case for iPhone 5 and save $17.99!

Crafted with rigid Plextonium shell and impact resistant core, the EDGE PRO includes a co-molded 2-part sliding design that allows for convenient docking and charging. With a sleek, low-profile design, the EDGE PRO protects your iPhone 5 in style while maintaining access to the screen, camera and ports. Available in a handful of different color combinations!

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/phFnPgNbmbg/story01.htm

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Shia LaBeouf quits play, hints at Baldwin clash

Mario Anzuoni / REUTERS file

By Natalie Finn, E!Online

Shia LaBeouf has cast himself as the lead in a nail-biter of an off-Broadway drama. Somewhat mocking the "creative differences" explanation that was given as the reason for him leaving the upcoming Broadway revival of "Orphans"?less than a month before previews are set to begin, the actor took to Twitter today to post emails between him; the play's director, Daniel Sullivan; and erstwhile costars Alec Baldwin and Tom Sturridge that indicate something more dramatic occurred behind the scenes.?

"Alec, I'm sorry for my part of a dis-agreeable situation," LaBeouf wrote in an email to El Dorado Pictures with a subject line reading, "Apology." In the philosophical missive, the actor also called his dad "a s--t human" and wrote things like "a man owns up," "a man does not know everything" and "a man can tell you he was wrong."

Is Anne Hathaway reprising her Les Miserables role on Broadway?

"I'm too old for disagreeable situations," responded Sullivan. "you're one hell of a great actor. Alec is who he is. you are who you are. you two are incompatible. I should have known it."

"this one will haunt me," the Tony-winning director continued. "you tried to warn me. you said you were a different breed. I didn't get it." Signed, "dan."

Those two emails were attached to a tweet reading, "creative differences."

Shia LaBeouf, Kristen Stewart, Natalie Portman topped Forbes' 2012 list of most bankable stars

Baldwin's camp declined to comment to E! News, while reps for Sturridge and LaBeouf -- who would have been making his Broadway debut in "Orphans" -- have yet to respond to requests for comment.

LaBeouf followed up an hour later with an exchange between him and Baldwin, in which the 30 Rock star assured him, "I've been through this before. It's been awhile. And perhaps some of the particulars are different. But it comes down to the fact that what we all do now is critical. Perhaps especially for you."

"I don't have an unkind word to say about you. You have my word," Baldwin added, signing off as "AB."

Find out why Matthew Broderick stopped in the middle of his performance of Nice Work If You Can Get It last night

LaBeouf replied with, "same. be well. good luck on the play. you'll be great," attaching the exchange to a tweet quoting David Mamet (who is not affiliated with the revival of Orphans): "Acting has become a profession of the genteel class."

Several hours later, the Transformers star tweeted, "Depth of friendship does not depend on length of acquaintance. Tom = good dude - good actor."

Attached was an email from Sturridge, also from today, reading, "I don't really know what to write. I went in this afternoon and they were all there...producers, etc. I said my piece but they didn't really listen. I don't understand what has happened here. Maybe you have had a more enlightening conversation with someone by now.

See more big stars who've done Broadway (but rarely this dramatically)

"All I can say is that it truly was an honour to work with you even if it was only for a few days," the Brit continued. "I was stunned by the work you were doing, the performance you were giving. I think you lifted the play to a place higher than maybe it even deserved to be...Hope you're ok brother."

Talk about your dramatic twists. We cannot wait to see what happens after intermission!

Related content:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/02/21/17044294-shia-labeouf-quits-broadway-play-hints-at-clash-with-alec-baldwin?lite

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Bluemont Dance | Leesburg Sports & Recreation, Art ...

Saturday, March 16, 2013, 8:00 pm

37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, VA | Get?Directions??
$10.00

WHEN: The third Saturday of the month, October?? through May. Each dance begins at 8 pm, with a beginners workshop at 7:30 pm ?

WHERE: Hillsboro Old Stone School
????????????? 37098 Charles Town Pike
????????????? Hillsboro, VA 20132 ?????????????????????

COST: $10 per person
????????? $7 for seniors, students, and Bluemont members

Bluemont dances are held the third Saturday of each month, October through May, and attract residents and visitors throughout the area with a friendly atmosphere that welcomes both new and experienced dancers. The dances feature old-time square and contra dancing with music provided by a live band. Instruction and calling are provided throughout each dance. Families and single dancers are welcome. The March 16th dance will feature music by The 8^th of January, featuring?Chris Romaine on fiddle and banjo, Bill Schmidt on fiddle and banjo, Bruce Hutton on guitar, and Ann Porcella on bass. Figure calling will be done by Bill Wellington.

Visit www.bluemont.org for more information

39.198029

-77.719935

primary

Bluemont Dance

March 16, 2013 / April 20, 2013 / May 18, 2013, 8:00 pm?11:00 pm

37098 Charles Town Pike, Hillsboro, VA

/events/bluemont-dance

/locations/8858753

Source: http://leesburg.patch.com/events/bluemont-dance

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eBay app for Windows 8 gets major update

eBay released its official app for Windows 8 back in July in the Windows Store, two months before Microsoft's new operating system was officially released. Since that time, there have been many reviews that have been critical of the performance and features of the eBay app.

This week, eBay released a new version of the Windows 8 app, which it says adds quite a number of new features. The patch notes state that some of the new features include "my eBay messages, my eBay purchase history, ask seller a question, view seller?s other items, [and] save a seller."

There's also been some more Windows 8 live tile changes such as being able to receive live tile updates to the application tile. The new version of the app also allows users to pin eBay lists and eBay items to the Windows 8 Start menu. Finally, there's been some improvements made for scrolling from within the eBay app, along more search features and filters and some unnamed bug fixes.

The patch notes also state that eBay will continue to add features to the Windows 8 app based on user feedback, adding, "We will be adding more live tiles and seller functionality for creating listings in the near future."

Source: Windows Store | Image via eBay

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/ebay-app-for-windows-8-gets-major-update

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Touchy-Feely Bionic Hand Closer to Reality

A new and better bionic hand under development connects directly to the nervous system and could one day return dexterity and sensation to amputees, researchers say.

In recent years, a plethora of bionic hands have emerged for amputees. However, surveys of those using such artificial hands have revealed that up to 50 percent of amputees do not use the prosthesis regularly, due to poor functionality, appearance and controllability.

So, to improve the amount of dexterity and sensation of these bionic hands, scientists reasoned they could use interfaces that link the hands with the nervous system, potentially enabling intuitive control and realistic sensory feedback.

"Our dream is to have Luke Skywalker getting back his hand with normal function," researcher Silvestro Micera told TechNewsDaily, referencing the hero in "Star Wars" who gets an artificial hand after his real one is cut off.

[Brainpower: Human Minds May Soon Control Prosthetic Limbs]

Micera is the head of the translational neural engineering lab at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Switzerland, which is one of the collaborators helping to develop the new bionic hand.

In a four-week clinical trial, Micera and his colleagues found they could improve the sensory feedback an amputee received from bionics by using electrodes implanted into the median and ulnar nerves in the arm near the stump. This helped deliver feelings of touch.

In addition, the researchers analyzed motor neural activity from the nerves, signals used to help control muscles. They found they could tease out signals related to grasping to help control a prosthetic hand placed near the amputee but not physically attached to the person's arm. In other words, it may be possible to develop an artificial hand that can transmit signals to and respond to data from the brain.

"We could be on the cusp of providing new and more effective clinical solutions to amputees in the next years," Micera said.

Micera and his colleagues also announced a new clinical trial that will soon connect the prosthetic hand directly to a patient as part of the Italian Ministry of Health's NEMESIS project. They hope to further improve sensory feedback and overall control of bionics this way.

A key problem is how electricity from the electrodes can inflame cells, forcing the body to grow tissue around the electrodes that dampen signals to and from the bionic hand. Micera suggested drugs or coatings on the electrodes might help prevent such inflammation.

Natural hands normally possess 22 degrees of freedom, meaning they can flex 22 different ways ? for instance, they can spread fingers apart. While 22 degrees of freedom are currently unrealistic for prosthetic hands, the four or five different grasping tasks the research team's device can provide can be very helpful, Micera said.

In the future, artificial hands may connect not only with nerves in the periphery of the nervous system, such as those in the limbs, but may also link with the spinal cord. "A hybrid solution that combines both approaches may be the way to go," Micera said.

Future research might also have amputees prepare for what bionic hands might feel like using virtual-reality experiments that could help them reconstruct their body images. "In the medium term, we'd like to have virtual-reality environments for training patients," Micera said.

Still, much work remains before artificial hands are as capable as natural ones.

"I think the Luke Skywalker hand is probably 20 or 30 years away, maybe even more," Micera said.

The scientists recently detailed their findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston.

This story was provided by TechNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/touchy-feely-bionic-hand-closer-reality-010549683.html

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Lawmakers target ECB to stop Iran from using euros

WASHINGTON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers are crafting a bill designed to stop the European Central Bank from handling business from the Iranian government, a congressional aide said on Thursday, an attempt to keep Tehran from using euros to develop its nuclear program.

The bill, in the early stages of drafting, would target the ECB's cross-border payment system and impose U.S. economic penalties on entities that use the European Central Bank to do business with Iran's government, the aide said on condition of anonymity.

The aide disclosed the new sanctions push ahead of fresh talks on Tuesday in which major powers hope to persuade the Iranian government to rein in its nuclear program, which the United States suspects may be a cover to produce weapons.

Iran, which says its program is for peaceful purposes, has so far resisted pressure from U.S., EU and U.N. sanctions - including steps that target its lifeblood oil revenues - designed to force it to accept a diplomatic solution.

In a disclosure likely to raise concerns about the Iranian program - which has raised the possibility of an Israeli or U.S. military strike against it - a U.N. report on Thursday said Iran has begun installing advanced centrifuges at its main uranium enrichment plant.

In a confidential report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said 180 so-called IR-2m centrifuges and empty centrifuge casings had been hooked up at the plant near the central town of Natanz. They were not yet operating.

If launched successfully, such machines could enable Iran to significantly speed its accumulation of material that the West fears could be used to devise a nuclear weapon.

The U.S. State Department said Iran's installing advanced centrifuges would be "yet another provocative step" but said it hoped Iran would embrace a diplomatic solution and come to Tuesday's talks ready to allay international concerns about its nuclear program.

The talks, which will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, will be between Iranian negotiators and officials from Germany and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT UNCLEAR

U.S. sanctions have cut Iran off from the U.S. financial system and largely prevented it from conducting bank transactions in dollars, which for the most part must clear through U.S. banks. The draft legislation appears designed to make it harder for Iran to use euros as a substitute.

One of the lawmakers working on the proposed legislation is Republican Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois, an advocate of tighter sanctions on Iran. It is unclear how much support in Congress there may be for the idea.

The European Central Bank's so-called Target2 system is used to settle cross-border payments in Europe and processes around 350,000 payments daily, according to the most recent figures made available.

Although the ECB already complies with European Union sanctions against Iran, the proposed bill is aimed at pressing Europe to do more to prevent Iranian firms and banks from using the Target2 system to conduct transactions involving euros.

"The ECB ensures that no illegitimate transactions are cleared in Target2," a spokesman for the euro zone's central bank said. "But any sanctions are EU sanctions and not an ECB competence."

The ECB provision is part of a wider U.S. bill aimed at choking off funds to the Iranian government.

It is unclear when the bill would be introduced or whether there would be support in the U.S. Congress or the Obama administration to enact another set of economic sanctions.

The United States and the European Union have worked mostly in tandem to impose harsh economic sanctions against Iran, which have so far slashed the country's oil revenues, disrupted trade and weakened its currency.

ECB representatives are due in Brussels at the start of March for discussions on various Iran sanctions issues, EU sources said, though the meetings were not specifically to discuss Target2.

Last year, U.S. lawmakers succeeded in pressuring Belgium-based SWIFT electronic payment system to block Iranian transactions. SWIFT, which facilitates the bulk of global cross-border payments, disconnected designated Iranian financial firms from its messaging system after European regulators ordered the company to do so.

(Reporting by Paul Carrel in Frankfurt, Justyna Pawlak in Brussels, Rachelle Younglai in Washington and Fredrik Dahl in Vienna; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt and Vicki Allen)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lawmakers-target-ecb-stop-iran-using-euros-160730028.html

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Top predators also have sway over climate

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

University of British Columbia researchers have found that when the animals at the top of the food chain are removed, freshwater ecosystems emit a lot more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

"Predators are disappearing from our ecosystems at alarming rates because of hunting and fishing pressure and because of human induced changes to their habitats," says Trisha Atwood, a PhD candidate in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC.

For their study, published today in the journal Nature Geoscience, Atwood and her colleagues wanted to measure the role predators play in regulating carbon emissions to better understand the consequences of losing these animals.

Predators are bigger animals at the top of the food chain and their diets are comprised of all the smaller animals and plants in the ecosystem, either directly or indirectly. As a result, the number of predators in an ecosystem regulates the numbers of all the plants and animals lower in the food chain. It's these smaller animals and plants that play a big role in sequestering or emitting carbon.

When Atwood and her colleagues removed all the predators from three controlled freshwater ecosystems, 93 per cent more carbon dioxide was released into the atmosphere.

"People play a big role in predator decline and our study shows that this has significant, global implications for climate change and greenhouse gases," says Atwood.

"We knew that predators shaped ecosystems by affecting the abundance of other plants and animals but now we know that their impact extends all the way down to the biogeochemical level."

###

University of British Columbia: http://www.ubc.ca

Thanks to University of British Columbia for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126875/Top_predators_also_have_sway_over_climate

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Separated bike lanes, slower vehicle speeds greatly reduce bicycle injuries

Feb. 20, 2013 ? Using your bicycle to commute to work has numerous health and environmental benefits. Yet, the largest Canadian study on cycling injuries led by Ryerson University suggests cyclists are at risk of injury due to the lack of cycling infrastructure in large urban centres.

"Previous studies have focused on the measures such as helmets that reduce harm after a crash occurs," says Anne Harris, lead author of the study, who is an avid cyclist herself and an assistant professor with Ryerson's School of Occupational and Public Health. "Our study is one of the first to take a comprehensive look at how route infrastructure, particularly at intersections and major roadways, might influence the risk of cyclist injury in Canada."

North American cyclists are eight to 30 more times likely to be seriously injured while cycling than their counterparts in Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands. Harris says one explanation could be the availability of segregated bike lanes in those countries.

The major findings of the Ryerson's School of Occupational and Public Health study are:

Intersections -- safer

? Intersections at residential streets

? Cars travelling 30 km and under decreases the risk of injuring a cyclist by half

Intersections -- less safe

? Traffic circles: designed as a traffic calming measure, actually increase the risk of cyclist injuries. In the study, 19 out of 690 accidents occurred in Vancouver intersections with traffic circles

? Grade: roads that slope downhill are more dangerous than uphill roads

? Arriving at the intersection in the opposite direction of vehicular traffic

Non-intersections -- safer

? Separated bike lanes along major streets

? Bike routes with traffic diversion on local streets

? Bike-only paths separated from traffic

? Non-intersections -- less safe

? Streetcar tracks

? Downhill grade

? Construction at site

? Shared bike lanes or single bike lanes with parked cars present

The researchers also found that painted and shared bike lanes commonly found in Toronto offered no significant protection for cyclists.

"Our research demonstrates that transportation planners really need to segregate cyclists from motor vehicle traffic just as we use sidewalks to separate pedestrians," says Harris. "If people see cycling as a safer activity, they would be more encouraged to commute by bike, which makes them more active and healthy citizens."

Research Methodology

Harris and her co-authors, also cyclists, interviewed 690 cyclists injured in downtown Toronto and Vancouver between May 2008 and November 2009. According to Census data, nearly two per cent of people in Toronto and almost four percent in Vancouver commute by bicycle.

In the study, all of the cyclists sought medical attention at emergency departments with injuries ranging from minor to serious. Of the total number of cyclists, 211 were injured at intersections and 479 injured along roads or paths.

The researchers gathered two sets of data. First, they asked all of the cyclists to map the route they were injured on, and describe the details of their trip and their injury. Next, an observer visited one or two randomly selected locations along each route to coincide the injury site (if it was at an intersection or not). Specific details about each site were gathered such as the presence and type of bike lanes, grade of the road and traffic volume. Finally, the researchers performed statistical analyses to look at the relationship between route infrastructure and relative safety.

At the time of the study, both Toronto and Vancouver had cycling infrastructure typical of North American cities: shared bike lanes, local street bike paths, off-street paths and a few kilometres of physically separated bicycle routes beside major roads. Some of the features unique to Toronto were streetcar tracks on major streets, whereas traffic circles are common in Vancouver residential areas. Vancouver also has a helmet law for all ages, where it's optional for Toronto adult cyclists.

The study's co-authors are: University of British Columbia and University of Minnesota -- Conor Reynolds; University of British Columbia -- Kay Teschke , Peter Cripton, Hui Shen, Shelina Babul, Jeffrey Brubacher, Garth Hunte, Melody Monro; Simon Fraser University -- Meghan Winters; University of Toronto -- Mary Chipman, Lee Vernich; St. Michael's Hospital and University of Toronto -- Michael Cusimano; and University of Toronto and University Health Network -- Steven Friedman.

The study, published in the journal Injury Prevention, was funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

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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/most_popular/~3/UhcfOHBgVYQ/130220131744.htm

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U.S. congressional delegation meets Cuba's Raul Castro

HAVANA (Reuters) - A seven-member U.S. congressional delegation met on Tuesday with Cuban President Raul Castro, official media reported, to improve relations that have been strained since U.S. government contractor Alan Gross was imprisoned there in 2009.

Members of the group, which arrived on Monday, also met with Gross, said a delegation member who asked not to be identified.

A statement issued by the Cuban government on Tuesday said Castro and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez met first with Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont to discuss "issues of interest for both countries," then held talks with other lawmakers.

Leahy met with Castro, Rodriguez and Gross last year.

The senator, who spoke with reporters on Monday, said Gross's fate and reforms under way in Cuba would top the group's agenda.

The Cuban statement, released Tuesday with video of the meeting, said the U.S. delegation also held meetings with parliament president Ricardo Alarcon and Rodriguez.

Leahy was expected to issue a statement on Wednesday.

Other members of the delegation included Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona and Democratic Senators Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Democratic Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Representative Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat who represents Gross' district in Maryland.

Gross, 63, was arrested in Havana in December 2009 and sentenced to 15 years in prison for installing Internet networks under a secretive U.S. program the Cuban government considers subversive.

The case halted a brief detente in long-hostile U.S.-Cuba relations.

Cuba has linked Gross' fate to that of five agents imprisoned in the late 1990s for infiltrating Miami exile organizations and U.S. military bases.

The agents, known as the Cuban Five, were sentenced to long terms, ranging from 15 years to life, and are considered heroes in Cuba.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, when he was a senator from Massachusetts, met with Rodriguez in New York in 2010 to discuss the Gross case, according to Foreign Affairs magazine. Former President Jimmy Carter also met with Raul Castro in Havana in 2011.

The Obama administration has said relations will not improve while Gross remains in custody. Under the 1996 'Helms-Burton' law, U.S. sanctions cannot be lifted until Cuba's one-party Communist political system is changed, a demand rejected by the Cuban government.

(Additional reporting by Nelson Acosta; Editing by Stacey Joyce)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cubas-raul-castro-meets-u-congressional-delegation-032805550.html

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Study Skills Tips

Academically successful students have one thing in common. They know how to learn, what to learn because they have study skills lesson plans to guide them. In other words, they are the ones who remain constantly inspired and updated.

This comes easily with study skills tips offered by tutors. When teachers promote good study habits to their students, they are doing an immense service to them because they are teaching their students one of the most beneficial life skills. However, the teachers must know how to teach these fundamental skills so that students internalize them.

Teaching study skills is not a once in a blue moon affair. The students must be constantly guided by learning skills, while teachers need to take special interest in designing study skills lesson plans complete with and backed by study skills tips that are measurable and evidenced for learning outcomes.

For example, it is not enough to tell them to get organized and remain that way, but to also let them know the ways they can remain organized such as make and use flash cards, turn off the TV, music and other distractions while studying, take notes in class and revise them after class, and so on. Additionally, one or more study skills must be taught each day as the part of study skills lesson plans.

Each teacher and every student have their own unique way of designing lesson plans because there are literally endless tips and plans. However, it is important that study skills lesson plans address the core issues faced by students, such as silent reading fluency and speed reading, interactive reading and building reading comprehension, building vocabulary, reading non-fiction strategy etc among several others.

The plan must take into account the weaknesses a student demonstrates in any area. These weaknesses can be identified with the help of a pre-designed test or a battery of tests. It is then easy to design a "to do" list for students to constantly practice upon. Additionally, a strategy for reflection indicates whether the student is progressing in the right direction. Finally, the progress should be measurable, monitor-able, and demonstrable for effective outcomes.

As I said earlier, each student is unique by virtue of their family background, home environment, academic and scholastic attainment and several other factors. So, discovering the best approach to study is an individual process. However, assistance from the teachers in designing the strategy ensures positive learning outcomes.

So, teachers should help students identify the activities for them including setting goals, managing time, group tasks. Each student must be helped with lesson plans to focus on that may include a combination of core skills and lesson plans. When teachers take individual interest in students, the students have reasons to work according to plan and perform to their expectations.

When students study according to a plan and absorb skills that promote efficient learning, their academic skills and outcomes improve. However, teachers are expected to not only offer study skills tips but also to actively engage with them in preparing study skills lesson plans for them.

"For more information about how to put together study skills lesson plans for yourself or your students, check out the Good Grades Guide Review. I'm sure you'll like it!"

Source: http://articles.submityourarticle.com/study-skills-tips-317301

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Changing the Discourse on Islamic Personal Finance - MuslimMatters

There is no discourse in our communities about Islamic personal?finance. None.

When we discuss Islamic finance at conferences, classes, dinner parties, and gatherings with friends, it's always the same. Which company did you use to buy your house? Is buying a car on 0% halal or not?

The problem with those discussions is that they ignore the stark reality of personal finance faced by many families and individuals. Before I get to the point of even buying a house, how much should I have saved? What percentage of my monthly income is reasonable for a house payment?

Before even that step, there should be consideration for things like how to make a budget for your household. How do you get out of debt?

As I've personally delved into reading about personal finance, I've come to realize this aspect of education is missing from our communities. We're content to discuss terms like ?musharakah? and ?murabahah? and ?ijaara? but we have yet to figure out a way to make higher education without student loans a reality for the majority of our ummah.

What is the point of a husband and wife buying a house through a halal mortgage, if they're going to fight every month about how to spend the money they make?

While we educate ourselves on the fiqh of things such as a woman's right to her own wealth, the responsibility of a husband to provide, and so on ? we overlook the nuts and bolts that are required to run a household. How do a husband and wife figure out where their money is going? How do they resolve disagreements about what to spend money on? How do they prioritize their spending? How do they make sure they have a realistic plan to save for things like hajj?

How does an individual plan ahead for expenses such as buying a car, or dealing with home repairs without having to rely on a credit card as their emergency fund?

The reality is, while we are an educated ummah ? both secularly and religiously ? we tend to have a false sense of confidence when it comes to finances. Many households are struggling with debts ? student loans, car payments, credit card payments, furniture purchases, computer purchases, and sometimes even a mattress payment of $10 a month stretched out over a few years.

It's time we reassess our attitudes toward finance and gain control of our wealth. Changing the discourse on finance allows us to learn how to budget ? which tells us both how we earn our money, and where we spend our money. We cannot account for this in the Hereafter if we have no idea where our money goes now.

Our community also needs to change the discourse when it comes to debt. We've let society make us think that debt is a tool, something we leverage. If the recession and collapse of the banking industry haven't taught us that this is playing with fire, at the least we should heed the warnings in our own sacred texts about staying away from debt. Our communities need proper financial counseling and help to get individuals and families out of debt.

Please also check out a series from our archives on debt and money management:?Intro?|?Part 1?|?Part 2?|?Part 3?|?Part 4?|?Part 5?| Part 6

As we work to change this discourse, we'd like to hear your stories.

Have you ever been in debt? How much debt?

What did it feel like to be in debt?

Have you been in debt and gotten out of it? How much debt did you have, and how did you pay it off?

Source: http://muslimmatters.org/2013/02/18/changing-the-discourse-on-islamic-personal-finance/

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San Francisco protest urges action on climate change (San Jose Mercury News)

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PayDay Loans Online Mag For ProAdvice and Finance News ...

The situation in Canada seems to be rather difficult and this conclusion comes out of the statement of the main banker of Canada. As it was mentioned in the statement of the governor of Bank of Canada, the Canadian economy is at risk of being damaged by the currency war and nothing good will result from cooperation of manipulators to boost all the export.

The present governor of Bank of Canada announced this confirmation when speaking to a Canadian parliamentary committee. Before this announcement, Jim Flaherty had an honor to sing that statement of Group of Seven confirming manipulation of exchange rate. The statement was already mentioned during the meeting of G20 in Moscow and tries to make countries to work out the monetary policy in accordance with the domestic needs but not to get the most profitable position in the market of goods and services.

That is why the countries need to use all the possible measures to suppress the economic recession and to become more efficient in solving all the possible issues. Besides, the countries need to play according to the rules recognized by all the countries.

Source: http://www.paydayloansmag.com/canadian-economy-decline-as-result-of-currency-rate-war/

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Microsoft Buys Buys Home-Automation Startup R2 Studios (18/2/2013)

News

Microsoft Buys Buys Home-Automation Startup R2 Studios (18/2/2013)

Microsoft Names Longtime Technology Entrepreneur Blake Krikorian Corporate Vice President in Its Interactive Entertainment Business

Proven innovator and leader in media and technology brings strong entertainment background to Xbox team.

Microsoft Corp. today announced the appointment of Blake Krikorian as corporate vice president for its Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB). Krikorian will report to Marc Whitten , chief product officer for IEB. This announcement follows the acquisition of Krikorian's company, id8 Group R2 Studios (R2 Studios).

"We are thrilled to have Blake join the Xbox team," Whitten said. "He's a proven innovator and well-respected leader in both the media and technology industries, having created simple, elegant products that have transformed the way people engage with and consume content. We look forward to his contribution to our team as Xbox continues to evolve and transform the games and entertainment landscape."

"I am excited to join Microsoft and be a part of the Xbox team. As a 10-year Xbox LIVE subscriber, I have seen firsthand how Xbox has delighted us by reinventing how consumers experience games and entertainment," Krikorian said. "I look forward to helping the team define the future of entertainment and contribute to the next decade of continued innovation."

Krikorian most recently founded R2 Studios. Before that he served as the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Sling Media Inc., inventors of the Emmy? award-winning Slingbox?, which is now owned by EchoStar Corp. Krikorian served on the board of Amazon.com Inc. and also co-founded the Philips Mobile Computing Group where he co-led the team that created the award-winning Velo 1 handheld PC running Windows CE. He has received numerous lifetime achievement awards including the Lifetime Technology Leadership Award from Broadcasting & Cable, as well as the TechFellow Award for Disruptive Innovation from TechCrunch, Founders Fund and NEA.

www.microsoft.com

Source: http://hiddenwires.co.uk/resourcesnews2013/news20130218-03.html

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What Did Obama and Tiger Woods Talk About During Their Top Secret Golf Game?

The White House Press Pool made a stink on Sunday after they were refused access to President Obama's golf game with Tiger Woods in Florida. Obama's in the Sunshine State for three days while his wife and daughters are skiing in Colorado, and he must've signed up for the premium package because he took the course with the world's second best player in what one sports pundit called a "historic day in golf." Obama's never played golf with Tiger Woods before, so the two titans probably had a lot of catching up to do. But we'll never know what they said, since the White House insisted upon locking the press out of the resort.?

RELATED: NPR at Odds with the White House on Bin Laden Death Photo

It's not like Obama snubbed reporters after a visit with a foreign head of state or anything, but the press pool was upset on principal. "Speaking on behalf of the White House Correspondents Association, I can say a broad cross section of our members from print, radio, online and TV have today expressed extreme frustration to me about having absolutely no access to the president of the United States this entire weekend," said Ed Henry, president of the White House Correspondents Association. "There is a very simple but important principle we will continue to fight for today and in the days ahead: transparency."

RELATED: Birthers Sue Esquire for $120 Million Over Satirical Article

Burn. Just three days ago Obama boldly declared that his administration is "the most transparent in history." That was read as a pretty dicey claim, especially after we just got finished learning about just how secretive the Obama administration has been about its drone program, despite calls from lawmakers and transparency advocates alike to share the rules of engagement with the public. Obama didn't just make up that "most transparent in history" line, either. It's the same one he used his very first day in office, when he promised "an unprecedented level of openness." A few years into his first administration, many had their doubts about whether or not the president kept that promise.

RELATED: The World Considers the Racist Obama Chimpanzee Email

So this isn't really about not getting to take a picture of Obama bumping fists with Tiger. (In fact, there were no photos of the outing made available at the time of this writing ? the picture above is from one of the president's outings last year.) Nor is it about concocting some conspiracy theory about how the other two men in the game,?U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Houston Astros owner Jim Crane, were whipping up some top secret espionage plans. They were probably all just talking about their fantasy basketball teams and trying to figure out a tasteful way to ask Tiger about his sex addiction. Or whatever it is masters of the universe talk about when playing golf.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/did-obama-tiger-woods-talk-during-top-secret-011612557.html

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Budget cut warnings may prove harsher than reality

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Get ready for two weeks of intensifying warnings about how crucial, popular government services are about to wither ? including many threats that could eventually come true.

President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans made no progress last week in heading off $85 billion in budget-wide cuts that automatically start taking effect March 1. Lacking a bipartisan deal to avoid them and hoping to heap blame and pressure on GOP lawmakers, the administration is offering vivid details about the cuts' consequences: trimmed defense contracts, less secure U.S. embassies, furloughed air traffic controllers.

Past administrations have seldom hesitated to spotlight how budget standoffs would wilt programs the public values.

When a budget fight between President Bill Clinton and congressional Republicans led to two government shutdowns, in 1995 and 1996, some threats came true, like padlocked national parks.

Others did not.

Clinton warned that Medicare recipients might lose medical treatment, feeding programs for the low-income elderly could end and treatment at veterans hospitals could be curtailed. All continued, thanks to contractors working for IOUs, local governments and charities stepping in and the budget impasse ending before serious damage occurred.

This time, at stake is not a federal shutdown but a so-called sequester. Between March 1 and Sept. 30 ? the remainder of the government's budget year ? it would mean reductions of 13 percent for defense programs and 9 percent for other programs, according to the White House budget office.

The cuts, plus nearly $1 trillion more over the coming decade, were concocted two years ago. Administration and congressional bargainers purposely made them so painful that everyone would be forced to reach a grand deficit-cutting compromise to avoid them.

Hasn't happened.

A look at the sequester and the chilling impact the administration says it would have, based on letters and testimony to Congress:

?A key reminder: Social Security, Medicare and veterans' benefits, Medicaid and a host of other benefit programs are exempted. The cuts take effect over a seven-month period; they don't all crash ashore on March 1. And if a bipartisan deal to ease them is ever reached, lawmakers could restore some or all of the money retroactively.

?On the other hand: Left in effect, these cuts are real even though their program-by-program impact is unclear. The law limits the administration's flexibility to protect favored initiatives, but the White House has told agencies to avoid cuts presenting "risks to life, safety or health" and to minimize harm to crucial services.

?Defense: Troops at war would be protected, but there'd be fewer Air Force flying hours, less training for some Army units and cuts in naval forces. A $3 billion cut in the military's Tricare health care system could diminish elective care for military families and retirees. And, in a warning to the private defense industry, the Pentagon said it would be "restructuring contracts to reduce their scope and cost."

?Health: The National Institutes of Health would lose $1.6 billion, trimming cancer research and drying up funds for hundreds of other research projects. Health departments would give 424,000 fewer tests for the AIDS virus. More than 373,000 people may not receive mental health services.

?Food and agriculture: About 600,000 low-income pregnant women and new mothers would lose food aid and nutrition education. Meat inspectors could be furloughed up to 15 days, shutting meatpacking plants intermittently and costing up to $10 billion in production losses.

?Homeland Security: Fewer border agents and facilities for detained illegal immigrants. Reduced Coast Guard air and sea operations, furloughed Secret Service agents and weakened efforts against cyberthreats to computer networks. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief fund would lose more than $1 billion.

?Education: Seventy thousand Head Start pupils would be removed from the pre-kindergarten program. Layoffs of 10,000 teachers and thousands of other staffers because of cuts in federal dollars that state and local governments use for schools. Cuts for programs for disabled and other special-needs students.

?Transportation: Most of the Federal Aviation Administration's 47,000 employees would face furloughs, including air traffic controllers, for an average of 11 days.

?Environment: Diminished Environmental Protection Agency monitoring of oil spills, air pollution and hazardous waste. The color-coded air quality forecasting system that keeps schoolchildren and others inside on bad-air days would be curtailed or eliminated. New models of cars and trucks could take longer to reach consumers because the EPA couldn't quickly validate that they meet emissions standards.

?State Department: Slow security improvements at overseas facilities, cuts in economic aid in Afghanistan and malaria control in Africa.

?Internal Revenue Service: Furloughed workers would reduce the IRS' ability to review returns, detect fraud and answer taxpayers' questions. It offered no specifics.

?FBI: Furloughs and a hiring freeze would have the equivalent impact of cutting 2,285 employees, including 775 agents. Every FBI employee would be furloughed 14 workdays.

?Interior Department: Hours and service would be trimmed at all 398 national parks, and up to 128 wildlife refuges could be shuttered. Oil, gas and coal development on public lands and offshore waters would be diminished because the agency would be less able to issue permits, conduct environmental reviews and inspect facilities.

?Labor: More than 3.8 million people jobless for six months or longer could see their unemployment benefits reduced by as much as 9.4 percent. Thousands of veterans would lose job counseling. Fewer Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors could mean 1,200 fewer visits to work sites. One million fewer people would get help finding or preparing for new jobs.

?NASA: Nearly $900 million in cuts, including funds to help private companies build capsules to send astronauts to the International Space Station.

?Housing: The Department of Housing and Urban Development said about 125,000 poor households could lose benefits from the agency's Housing Choice Voucher program and risk becoming homeless.

___

Associated Press writers Seth Borenstein, Dina Cappiello, Matthew Daly, Philip Elliott, Sam Hananel, Mary Clare Jalonick, Richard Lardner, Joan Lowy, Andrew Miga, Lauran Neergaard, Stephen Ohlemacher and Pete Yost contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/budget-cut-warnings-may-prove-harsher-reality-082453093--finance.html

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Youth's New Chance

A new chance was given to you to enjoy your youth since an unplanned death was unfortunately gifted to you. A group of teens will help each other create a new world, where they can enjoy the life they've always wanted in the real world.

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Youth's New Chance?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Youth's New Chance"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

pepperx3

Member for 0 years

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Pepper, why must you make me cry?

-goes back to remembering how sad Angel Beats was-

Finalhazard3

Member for 4 years

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Finalhazard3 wrote:Pepper, why must you make me cry?

-goes back to remembering how sad Angel Beats was-

This is completely different! But if you want to sign up, let me know!

pepperx3

Member for 0 years

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Can I be a Male

I can feel it...creeping towards me...like the dark of the night...quietly catching me. It spreads without sound...pulling at me...tearing me apart...stranding me alone...it's so nogalistic yet dreadful ...that edgy voice...this cold air...those crystal blue eyes...every little thing...suffocating me...trapping me inside a labyrinth of memories...

Leej10100

Member for 1 years

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Leej10100 wrote:Can I be a Male

Sure!

pepperx3

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Yay! Thank you I'm so happy ^^

Leej10100

Member for 1 years

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I'd love to reserve a female!

LOVELY, LOVELY LITTLE GIRL.
WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM MY WORLD?

YurakiMori-chan

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YurakiMori-chan wrote:I'd love to reserve a female!

Of Course!

pepperx3

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Could I also reserve a male?

forever2b

Member for 2 years

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forever2b wrote:Could I also reserve a male?

Your spot is now reserved for you!

pepperx3

Member for 0 years

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