Will Florida Pythons Slither To Rest Of The U.S.?

Lynne Sladky/AP

A Burmese python coils around the arm of a hunter during a news conference in 2010 in the Florida Everglades. New research suggests that the pythons won't spread through the American Southeast, as previously believed.

There are several exotic snake species that have become a problem in the Everglades. But for wildlife managers, the biggest headache is the Burmese python.

Earlier this year, researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey captured the largest Burmese python yet in Everglades National Park. Three USGS staffers had to wrestle the snake out of a plastic crate to measure it. The snake was a 17-foot-7-inch female carrying 87 eggs.

Wildlife managers are working to get a handle on the problem of exotic snakes in South Florida; but the snakes have already made a big impact.

One study suggests that in Everglades National Park, pythons have reduced the population of raccoons, opossums, deer and other mammal species by 90 percent.

To help combat the problem, the federal government earlier this year banned the importation and sale of Burmese pythons and three other exotic snake species.

One reason was fears that pythons might spread to other states. A study several years ago by the USGS found pythons could potentially spread up the East Coast and west to California.

But Elliott Jacobson, a professor emeritus of zoological medicine at the University of Florida, says a new study questions how far beyond South Florida pythons could spread.

"These maps give a very false sense of distribution," Jacobson says.

In a study published in the journal Integrative Zoology, Jacobson and other researchers looked closely at the low and high temperatures found along the East Coast in the python's projected habitat range. Freezing temperatures are deadly for pythons. And Jacobson says pythons have trouble eating and digesting food at temperatures below 60 degrees.

"The bottom-line conclusion was the number of freezing days in the winter is going to limit the ability of this animal to spread beyond extreme South Florida," he says.

Jacobson says this new information shows the federal government overreacted when it imposed a national ban on a species that's a problem just in Florida.

And some other well-known scientists are also speaking out against the python ban.

"The press has made this a big deal. The sky is falling ? I call it the Chicken Little syndrome ? when indeed it isn't," says Brady Barr, the resident herpetologist with the National Geographic Society.

Barr says the new study shows something he and other researchers have maintained for some time ? that Burmese pythons can't spread far beyond Florida's three southern-most counties. Barr says that's because, unlike native snakes, pythons can't tolerate cold, and they lack the instinct to hibernate.

"They don't have the innate ability to find hibernacula, to find places to hide or to be warm. They don't know how to do that," Barr says.

That question ? whether snakes from tropical climes, like pythons, may take measures to adapt to the cold ? is one that divides herpetologists. Gordon Rodda, now retired from the USGS, helped write the report showing that pythons could potentially spread throughout the Southeast U.S. He says there's nothing in this new report to change his thinking, including its doubts about whether pythons may learn to adapt to cold.

"We know that Burmese pythons in the more high altitude portions of their range do in fact hibernate. The question then is: How do they acquire that behavior to do so?" Rodda says.

This is a question that may come up in Congress later this week. A House subcommittee is holding a hearing on whether to extend the ban on Burmese pythons to other exotic snake species.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/11/26/165941428/will-florida-pythons-slither-to-rest-of-the-u-s?ft=1&f=1007

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Pioneer Foods earnings hit by empowerment costs

Country music titan Dolly Parton is anything but shy.In an exclusive interview with "Nightline," Parton dished about her love life (including those rumors that she is secretly gay), losing a drag queen lookalike contest and building an entertainment empire estimated at half a billion dollars.Watch the full story on "Nightline" tonight at 11:35 p.m. ETIn her long reign as a country music legend, Parton, now 66, has done it all. In her new motivational memoir, "Dream More," which will be released on Nov. 27, Parton talks about growing up dirt poor in Sevierville, Tenn. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pioneer-foods-earnings-hit-empowerment-costs-053431933--finance.html

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Ethical Fashion in Africa

Is this a good idea or is this just exploitation with sugar on top?

Maasai women work on beading for a Vivienne Westwood collection. (Photo: Chloe Mukai/ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative)

Menkes (and her signature hair swoop) sat down with Simon Cipriani, the head of the Ethical Fashion Initiative, about his work to bolster what he calls ethical manufacturing for high end designers in places that are in need of employment opportunities. That means situations such as a Maasai woman hand weaving items for Vivienne Westwood.

?By brining out dignified work, you change society forever,? Cipriani said of the clusters of workshops spread out throughout various African countries.

Check out the video on the New York Times website and see what you think of the interview.

Is this a good idea or is this just exploitation with sugar on top?

ACROSS THE WEB

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Source: http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/ethical-fashion-africa/

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Son of Madoff's accountant kills himself

6 min.

The Associated Press

The son of Bernard Madoff's longtime accountant, who himself pleaded guilty to securities fraud in the scandal centered on the disgraced financier, has committed suicide in central Ohio, authorities said.?

Jeremy Friehling, 23, was found dead at his apartment of a self-inflicted gunshot wound Thursday in Columbus, where he was a second-year student at Ohio State's medical school, police there said.?

There was no indication that the Madoff investment scandal had anything to do with the suicide, Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak said. She said Friehling left a note that just said that he was sorry.?

Police detective Jay Fulton confirmed Sunday that Friehling left a note but would not give details about its contents.?

The Friehling family declined to comment and "asks that their privacy be respected at this difficult time," Andrew Lankler, an attorney for Friehling's father, said Sunday.?

Bernard Madoff was arrested in 2008 and later admitted that his investment business was a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. He was sentenced to 150 years in prison. Madoff's son, Mark Madoff, committed suicide in December 2010, hanging himself in his New York City apartment.?

Friehling's father, David, of New City, N.Y., pleaded guilty in 2009 to securities fraud charges. Madoff's accountant for nearly two decades, he quickly came under scrutiny after the financier's spectacular scam came to light. Federal prosecutors said he turned a blind eye to Madoff's cooked books.?

David Friehling said he failed to do his job to verify Madoff's financial records but insisted that he didn't know Madoff was ripping off investors. He noted that he had put his own family's savings, including college funds for his three children, into Madoff's investment business.?

"In what was the biggest mistake of my life, I put my trust with Bernard Madoff," Friehling told a judge.?

Friehling has yet to be sentenced, as he is continuing to work with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to charges that carry a potential prison term of up to 114 years in prison, though substantial cooperation can result in significant leniency. He also agreed to forfeit $3.1 million, which represents what he was paid by Madoff for his accounting and tax services, along with what his family withdrew from their Madoff accounts.?

Jeremy Friehling was "a friend to many and a brilliant student who gave selflessly of his time to tutor other students," said a statement from the dean of the Ohio State medical school, Charles Lockwood. He also said Friehling had great promise as a future physician.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/son-madoffs-accountant-kills-himself-1C7127843

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Giving back: Eight innovative philanthropists around the world

F.K. Day, President of World Bicycle Relief & Executive Vice President of SRAM Corporation, pictured in downtown Chicago. (Leah Missbach Day)

F.K. Day, United States

Life in rural Zambia has improved dramatically for dairy farmer Cecil Hankambe. He has doubled his milk sales, purchased a farm, and earned enough money to send his children to school. He still milks the same cow and travels the same rugged roads to the local dairy co-op. The only difference now: Instead of lugging a heavy jug on foot, he pedals a bicycle.

Mr. Hankambe rides a Buffalo, a bike so sturdy and basic that its steel frame can carry up to 220 pounds and be repaired with a rock. Instead of delivering only seven to 10 liters of milk a day, Hankambe can now transport 15 to 20 liters to a chilling station before it spoils, boosting his profit.

"A reliable bike can create reliability in a dairy farmer's income," says F.K. Day, founder of World Bicycle Relief, a foundation based in Chicago that produces the Buffalo and provides two-wheeled aid to people in developing nations. "You forget how important transportation is."

Mr. Day cringes at the word "philanthropist," even though his nonprofit group since 2005 has raised more than $13.5 million, distributed 116,000 bicycles at $134 each across 11 countries in Africa, and trained more than 800 bicycle mechanics.

"There is not a greater gift that one can give a community than an economic engine," says Day. "An industrial revolution on a personal level can push someone's productivity forward and help them to help their families and communities."

Before you think of Day as an enterprising industrialist who has arrived on the African continent to build a bicycle empire, let's back up. As a teenager, he flew ? on his own initiative ? from Chicago to Brazil to knock on the door of Irish priests who were building schools in S?o Paulo's poorest neighborhoods. They hadn't responded to his letters. But when he showed up on their doorstep, they had no choice but to put him to work.

That experience laid the groundwork for what followed three decades later. On Dec. 26, 2004, horrific images of tsunami-swept Southeast Asia flickered on TV screens in the United States. Day, now a successful cofounder of SRAM, an elite bicycle-parts manufacturer, wanted to do more than just fund relief efforts. "We thought we could leverage our expertise in the bike industry and offer that as aid instead," says Day.

So he and his wife, Leah, boarded a plane to Sri Lanka. Within weeks, Day had partnered with World Vision; he eventually oversaw the distribution of 24,000 bicycles that gave thousands of people affected by the tsunami the ability to reach their jobs, schools, and health-care centers.

From that experience, Day built his own model for a sustainable philanthropy, spoke by spoke, and World Bicycle Relief hit the road. Since 2005, its core strategy has remained simple: Provide transportation in the wake of disasters, help health-care workers visit more clients, make it easier for rural schoolchildren (particularly girls) to reach distant classrooms, increase the amount of goods people transport to market.

"We're not imposing, 'Here, have this tool. We will change your life,' " says Leah of the bike recipients. "[Bicycles are] a tool to help the life they are already leading, to quantify what they are already doing."

World Bicycle Relief now partners with groups (which buy Buffalo bikes to distribute through aid and microfinance programs) in Zambia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Day, who makes several field trips to Africa a year, says there is no replacement for hands-on experience. A nine-day Africa Rides program invites donors to Lusaka, Zambia, to build their own bikes and then ride with local recipients to rural schools and markets.

"If you can enter something new, open and honestly with beginner's eyes, something good is bound to happen," says Day.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/OVXzD21g-lo/Giving-back-Eight-innovative-philanthropists-around-the-world

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Visual notes: Paintings in Park City; still photographer grant | The ...

Documentary grants

The Documentary Project Fund, a new nonprofit supporting still photographers, is offering a $5,000 grant to qualified photographers.

When ? Applications for new projects accepted through Dec. 15.

Where ? Westminster College, 1840 S. 1300 East, Salt Lake City

Details ? thedocumentaryprojectfund.org/call

Photo exhibit

Todd Keith and Renee Lee, internationally published commercial photographers, will display their work.

When ? Monday through Friday, Nov. 19-23, noon-8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 24, noon-5 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 26, noon-8 p.m.

Where ? Utah Arts Alliance, 127 S. Main St., Salt Lake City

Tickets ? Free. Details at utaharts.org

story continues below

Bountiful/Davis finale

Handmade art will be the last exhibit at the Bountiful/Davis Art Center?s Main Street location. In January, BDAC will move to a temporary spot in Farmington until the renovation of BDAC?s permanent home is complete.

When ? Tuesday through Friday, Nov. 20-23, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24, 2-5 p.m.

Where ? Bountiful-Davis Art Center, 745 S. Main St., Bountiful

Tickets ? Free; www.bdac.org

Graphic design exhibit

Graphic designer and illustrator Michael Mabry will talk about his work displayed at Weber State University.

Next Page >

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifestyle/55237607-80/nov-exhibit-bountiful-art.html.csp

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PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: Applications for the 'Agricultural Export ...

19 November 2012? TONGAN | The Ministry of Finance & National Planning hereby invite applications from agricultural produce exporters to the ?Agricultural Export Marketing Fund'.

The purpose of the Fund is to provide a short term loan to exporters that buying exportable commodity from farmers. The underpinning rationale for the fund is to alleviate growers risk exposure to external marketing shocks such as fluctuation in exchange rate, post harvest lost due to freights etc. Agricultural exporters, especially from electoral constituencies, representing their farmers are encouraged to apply. Produce that the Fund will give priority to are taro, tapioca, watermelon, and yams. Export of squash pumpkins is not included. Criteria for Accessing Agriculture Funds Applicants must provide documented proof of;

1. Obtainment of the required export & business licenses.

2. Proven import market in the destination country (with first focus on NZ, Australia, other Pacific Island Countries and the USA).

3. Preference of export proceeds paid direct to the fund to settle amount lent.

4. Preference given to proven export record of at least three (3) years.

5. A clear business plan which will include its direct and indirect contribution to economic sector in terms of :

a. purchase of produce from a net work of growers; (added consideration will be given to the number of growers and their distribution across the Kingdom)

b. employment creation and other economic benefits.

6. Approved information on logistics, farmers, production, harvest time, quality control with compliance with quarantine, requirement of importing countries.

7. The market and guaranteed demand overseas, with prices and quantities of each product (particular support to watermelon, taro, ufi/yams and tapioka, but other products may be considered, particularly if there is some value added to the raw materials).

8. A budget listing:

a. The expected revenue based on the market demand;

b. Quote for freight, insurance and all other costs for delivering the produce;

c. Commission and any other charges to be added by the exporter; and

d. Any other related costs and revenue associated with this export.

9. Banker's statement that they are of good standing.

10. Ability to pay 1% administration charge.

11. Ability to repay the amount lent within 30 days.

12. Ability to arrange definite means of repayment of the amount lent (including letter of credit and other means of security).

13. Status as approved exporter under the Fund will be cancelled if any of the approved conditions are breached.

For more information regarding the application to this fund, please do contact the Secretary for Finance & National Planning, Ministry of Finance & National Planning, for details. All applications shall be submitted in writing and addressed to the Secretary for Finance & National Planning, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Nuku'alofa, no later than 4.30pm, Friday, 23rd November, 2012.

ENDS

Issued by: Ministry of Finance & National Planning, Government of the Kingdom of Tonga, P.O. Box 87, Nuku'alofa. Telephone: (676) 23 066 Fax: (676) 24 040 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Press Release dated 9 November 2012

Source: http://www.mic.gov.to/news-today/press-releases/4135-public-announcement-applications-for-the-agricultural-export-marketing-fund

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Israel actions decried by Middle-East protesters

Argentina News.Net Saturday 17th November, 2012

In Egypt many people turned out on Saturday with banners pledging support for the Palestinian Territories.

In Tunis as many as 4,000 marched through the streets calling for a stop to Israel's "blatant aggresssion."

Tunisia's government has called for a UN Security Council meeting to impose sanctions against Israel.

In Turkey hundreds marched towards Israel's consulate in Istanbul.

Turkey's prime minister has accused Israeli leaders of ordering the offensive against Gaza militants as a political move.

The plight of those living in Gaza has become desperate over the past week following Israeli air strikes on many parts of the area which houses Hamas government buildings.

On Friday the offices of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh were damaged in the overnight air strikes.

On the same day Israel killed Hamas's military chief.

Officials have said at least 40 Palestinians have died including several children since last weekend when the air strikes began.

Israel's cabinet has already given the go-ahead for 75,000 reservists to be called up for a possible ground assault on the Palestinian enclave in retaliation against militants firing rockets into Israel.

Three Israelis were killed in a rocket attack on Thursday.

Hamas leaders have accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of war crimes.

Hamas spokesman Taher al-Nunu has said the actions of the prime minister will put him under the spotlight.

Referring to a report on the 2008-2009 Gaza offensive that concluded Israel possibly committed war crimes, he said Netanyahu would enter a new file of war criminal acts and "be part of a new Goldstone report."

US President Barack Obama has already spoken to Israel's Prime Minister about de-escalation of the strikes.

Source: http://www.argentinanews.net/index.php/sid/210799157/scat/b8de8e630faf3631

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Accounting News Roundup: Ta-Ta to Twinkies?; SEC's Flood of ...

Ex-Needham CFO Arrested in Theft From Firm [WSJ]
As chief financial officer at Needham & Co., Glen W. Albanese worked on the brokerage firm's charitable efforts after Hurricane Katrina and its scholarship fund for children of victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks.?Now, federal authorities have accused him of directing money to a different cause: himself.?U.S. prosecutors in New Jersey accused Mr. Albanese in a criminal complaint Thursday of colluding with vendors to overbill Needham by $1 million, using the money for landscaping at his home, a designer dog known as a Labradoodle and tickets to Disney World and Six Flags theme parks.?A separate civil action filed by a Wall Street self-regulatory group accused Mr. Albanese of having Needham improperly pay for his tickets to the 2009 World Series at Yankee Stadium.

Banker Math Meets the Justice Department?s Cooks [Bloomberg]
It took two days for the enforcement numbers from the FBI's Distressed Homeowner Initiative to debunked.

Hot tips: SEC fields 3,000 whistleblower complaints in 12 months [JofA]
?In just its first year, the whistleblower program already has proven to be a valuable tool in helping us ferret out financial fraud,? SEC Chairman Mary L. Schapiro said in a news release. ?When insiders provide us with high-quality road maps of fraudulent wrongdoing, it reduces the length of time we spend investigating and saves the agency substantial resources.??

Twinkies maker Hostess plans to go out of business [Reuters]
Hostess Brands Inc, the bankrupt maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, said it had sought court permission to go out of business after failing to get wage and benefit cuts from thousands of its striking bakery workers.?Hostess said a national strike by members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union that began last week had crippled its ability to produce and deliver products at several facilities.?The liquidation of the company will mean that most of its 18,500 employees will lose their jobs, Hostess said on Friday.

Atheists sue IRS for failure to monitor church politicking [WaPo]

The lawsuit claims that as many as 1,500 pastors engaged in ?Pulpit Freedom Sunday? on Sunday, Oct. 7, when pastors endorsed one or more candidates, which is a violation of IRS rules for non-profit organizations.?IRS rules state that organizations classified as 501 (c) (3) non-profits ? a tax-exempt status most churches and other religious institutions claim ? cannot participate or intervene in ?any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any political candidate.??Though the regulation has been in place since 1954, a federal court ruled in 2009 that the IRS no longer had the appropriate staff to investigate places of worship after a reorganization changed who in the agency had the authority to launch investigations.

?

Move to Fair-Value Pension Accounting Gathers Steam [CFOJ]
FYI.

?

Levin: Payroll tax extension could depend on Dec. jobs report [The Hill]

Democrats and Republicans appeared to be on the same page that the payroll tax holiday should expire earlier this year.?Ways and Means Committee ranking member Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) told reporters that Democrats could push for an extension in the fiscal cliff talks.??I think that will be affected by the report, the first Friday of next month,? he said.?

?

Understanding President Obama?s Revenue Targets [TaxVox]
$1 trillion. $1.6 trillion. What's the difference? ... Oh, right. $600 billion

Man Injects Penis With Olive Oil, Gets Penis Cancer [HP]
A man was admitted to a Bangkok hospital after an unlicensed olive oil injection meant to enlarge his penis caused an infection so horrible his testicles swelled to the size of the medium size fruit, the Bangkok Post reports.?Six months ago, the 50 -year-old man, who is unnamed in reports, reportedly suffered a cut to his penis, but he refused to go the doctor until it became infected. When he finally went to the hospital, doctors discovered the man had cancer that required his penis to be amputated, the Post reported.

?

Source: http://goingconcern.com/post/accounting-news-roundup-ta-ta-twinkies-secs-flood-whistleblowers-fair-value-pension-edition

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The Drum Jobs Round Up: Carat, TMP Worldwide, JAM PR, Carrot Digital & Emperor Design

It?s time once again to dust off your CVs, press your suit and polish those shoes because, yes, The Drum jobs round up is here.

Kicking things off this week are Carat who are looking for a paid search manager to bolster their team. The successful individual will be responsible for running a team and meeting tight deadlines.

Next up is TMP Worldwide who are hunting for a new head of technology to manage a team of eight front and back end developers. Interested parties with experience of management and delivering new product solutions are invited to give them a bell.

Jam PR meanwhile are on the look-out for a new ?Jammer? aka an account manager, to assist with the development of B2B brands within the food, travel and finance sectors. If this sounds like you, you know what to do.

Carrot Digital meanwhile are seeking a digital project manager following their appointment to a new role by one of their clients. The post will entail managing multiple projects in addition to liaison with key stakeholders.

Finally Emperor Design are after an account manager with significant experience of working within an integrated design agency under their belt. The role will entail stewardship of client relationships and brands.

Source: http://www.thedrum.com/news/2012/11/16/drum-jobs-round-carat-tmp-worldwide-jam-pr-carrot-digital-emperor-design

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Badgers sports roundup: Seniors power volleyball win

The University of Wisconsin volleyball team honored three seniors on Friday night, then swept Iowa 25-19, 25-16, 25-17 before 2,943 spectators at the UW Field House.

Seniors Alexis Mitchell and Bailey Reshel each had 10 kills ? three behind sophomore Ellen Chapman's match-high 13 ? as the Badgers snapped a five-match Big Ten Conference losing streak.

UW's other senior, Mary Ording, had eight kills.

"I'm happy that we had a good match on Senior Night," coach Pete Waite said.

"The seniors did well and everyone else played hard for them."

The triumph assured the Badgers (17-13, 5-12 Big Ten) of a winning record for the season, and the 17 wins are their most since 2008.

Iowa fell to 10-20 and 2-15.

Wrestling

Old Dominion dominated the lighter weights en route to a 19-12 win over the 25th-ranked Badgers in Norfolk, Va.

The Badgers won four matches, including the final two after the match had been decided.

Tyler Graff's decision at 141 pounds was the lone UW triumph in the first five matches as the Monarchs built a 13-3 lead.

Frank Cousins won by decision at 165 to pull UW within 13-6. But Old Dominion (1-1) won the next two matches, including Austin Coburn's 4-3 decision against Dylan Iczkowski at 184 pounds, to clinch the victory.

Jackson Hein (197 pounds) and Conner Medbery (285) added the other wins for the Badgers (1-1), each by decision.

Source: http://host.madison.com/sports/college/badgers-sports-roundup-seniors-power-volleyball-win/article_ac8c709a-30c5-11e2-8f20-0019bb2963f4.html

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U.S. intelligence committees open Benghazi attack probe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence and State Department officials testified behind closed doors on Capitol Hill on Thursday about the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, that has turned into a contentious issue between Republicans and the administration of President Barack Obama.

Former CIA Director David Petraeus, before his resignation last week over an extramarital affair, had initially been scheduled to testify at Thursday's closed Senate and House of Representatives intelligence committee hearings, but will now be a solo witness before those panels on Friday morning.

Republicans have accused the Obama administration of misinformation in the early days following the September 11, 2012, attack that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.

Administration officials say their initial comments that it appeared the attack grew spontaneously out of protests over an anti-Muslim film rather than a premeditated strike were based on the best available information at that time.

Two top Republican senators on Wednesday threatened to block any nomination of Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to a Cabinet post, which must be confirmed by the Senate, for making those initial comments. Obama came to her defense and said if she was the right person for a spot in his Cabinet, he would nominate her.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will testify before Congress about the Benghazi attack after a State Department report is completed, likely in December.

On Thursday, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, acting CIA Director Michael Morell, National Counterterrorism Center Director Matthew Olsen, FBI Deputy Director Sean Joyce and Under Secretary of State for Management Pat Kennedy were testifying behind closed doors at separate hearings of the House and Senate intelligence committees.

Clapper and Kennedy walked past a throng of reporters without making any comment before entering a basement hearing room that is specially reserved for the House intelligence committee. A red sign on the door says "restricted area."

The House Committee on Foreign Affairs was holding an open hearing with non-government experts on the Benghazi attack on Thursday.

"The coordinated, preplanned and brazen attack against the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on September 11th was an outrage. Also disgraceful is the sad parade of conflicting accounts of the attack that we have received from Administration officials in the weeks and months since," Republican Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement.

"Successive revelations in public reports indicate that the Administration failed to adequately protect the American consulate and denied consulate requests for additional security," she said.

(Editing by Warren Strobel and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-intelligence-committees-open-benghazi-attack-probe-162929273.html

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Will Calculating How Much I Owe Help Me Start to Pay Off My Credit Card Debt?

Well for some people I am sure it does. But for many, many others it creates two big barriers to any positive action towards reducing those credit card debts.

The first issue is actually doing the calculation. You are deep in debt. You do not want to face how much you owe. This is the dreaded thing in your life. With all those negative feelings towards your debts are you really going to pick up a pen and paper, rummage around for those bills, and sit down and make the calculation? Often the answer is, not if you can possibly find something "better" or "more important" to do - I'm sure darning those socks was a crucial, "must do now" activity!

You're mind knows facing these credit card debts causes you stress. It wants to protect you. Avoid facing them and hopefully the stress will go away - yes, your mind is not always logical!

O.K. So let's say you are in a position where you really have to face those credit card debts. You've plucked up the courage, and you have calculated all you owe - congratulations! Often what happens now is that you find you owe even more than you thought you did - that exercise really did deliver the shock value! Has that shock made you determined to do something about it and pay off those credit card debts? With some people it will, but with many it just puts you from despair to absolute despair!

What has happened here? Your subconscious mind has been protecting you from the stress of your credit card debt by avoiding it. You have then, against its will, decided to face it. Your subconscious mind is now convinced it was doing the right thing by avoiding these debts as you are now not just stressed, but completely besides yourself with worry. All the feelings you are having are negative. The action of calculating how much you owe has resulted in negativity (unless you have managed to implant in your mind that the action itself is a positive step towards reducing your debt, and made this feeling stronger than the shock of the total you have calculated).

So what is our natural reaction to negativity? If you are anything like me I will first try burying my head in the sand and hope it will go away. If that doesn't work, then a shopping spree can often take your mind off it. And if you still haven't got over it then a trip to the pub to obliterate it completely can be very effective! We do not operate efficiently in a negative frame of mind.

So what's the alternative? Is there an alternative? Yes, there is. The key is to approach your debts in a neutral way - positive is very difficult when dealing with credit card debt! If you can approach your credit card debt in a neutral way, with a mindset which is not focussing on the negativity of it (not even facing how much you owe!), and you can take actions which are positive, whilst not requiring you to face any of the negativity or change your lifestyle, then gradually your mind will realise this is nothing to fear. As the actions create results your mindset will turn from negativity towards your credit card debts to positivity.

The biggest beauty is, once your mind has turned from negative to positive it is now working with you to reduce these debts, not fighting to protect you from them. Once this happens your results will soar, and best of all, you will feel great. You will have had none of the pain of facing how much you owe before you were ready to, and you will have big gains in reducing those credit card debts faster than you thought possible.

"How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt" shows you a very simple system to achieve a positive mindset towards your debts. Give it a go, and start smiling about your debts:). Available on Amazon, or go to http://suemaddock.com/howtopayoffcreditcarddebt.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/7378711

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Economics vs. Politics in Jordan ? News To News

Politics and economics are always intertwined. In Jordan, this was clearly the case when the government raised energy prices.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour went to great lengths on Jordan TV Tuesday night to explain to the Jordanian public why his government was forced to hike prices of gasoline, kerosene, diesel and cooking gas. But the problems facing the Ensour government are much deeper than simply the budget deficit or subsidized prices.

Ensour is correct to blame some of the problems on the Arab Spring, but he is wrong as to how the Arab Spring exacerbated the situation. He tried to blame the blowing up of the Egyptian gas pipe and the demonstrations of the hirak (movements) in Jordan for the financial crisis. However, the prime minister, who was opposed to the recently approved Elections Law, made no mention of this restrictive law that made an important sector of the society refuse to participate in the upcoming elections.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which opposes this law along with a number of nationalist movements, found in the current price hikes a perfect vehicle to make its political position known. A brotherhood leader, Murad Adaila, made this issue perfectly clear on BBC Arabic the following morning, stating that the authorities? insistence on its controversial Elections Law has led people to protest both economic and political decisions.

The difficulty of the current government in Jordan goes beyond the problem with elections and Islamists. The fact that the country is preparing for elections that will, for the first time, have 27 seats that will be elected on a national list basis has weakened the ability of the government to rally political leaders to its position.

While the country is facing harsh economic realities, most leading politicians, especially those wishing to run in the upcoming elections, have chosen to stay quiet rather than defend an unpopular economic decision. This means that the brunt of the problem with raising the prices falls squarely on the shoulders of the prime minister.

Speaking frankly and directly to the Jordanian public, Ensour did insist that he and he alone bears the full responsibility of this difficult decision. While the premier alluded to the fact that this decision should have been taken a few years ago, he expressed understanding of how previous prime ministers had a hard time with it.

The reality of the economic and political situation in Jordan naturally has a security escape. With the monarch having the power to reverse government decisions, some are looking to King Abdullah to address the popular protests. However, such an intervention, as witnessed during the Tarawneh government, is a two-edged sword. Having asked for the reversal of the price hike, the King provided the public with a precedent that might in some ways provide ammunition to the protesters. Some believe that if the protests continue, the King will intervene and change the decision of his government. Still others are talking about the exaggerated price hike the government imposed.

Whatever the reasons, politics have an important effect on the economic scene in Jordan. It is impossible to divorce the two.

In order to dig itself out of this economic situation, the leadership of Jordan has no choice but to find a political mechanism that ensures that all sectors of society, including the Islamists, are participating in the overall decision-making process. If not, the country will continue to suffer from ups and downs and changes of governments, which cannot be the formula for long-term political or economic stability in the country.

Follow Daoud Kuttab on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/daoudkuttab

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daoud-kuttab/economics-vs-politics-in-_b_2137750.html

Source: http://www.newstonews.com/2012/11/16/economics-vs-politics-in-jordan/

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Constitution Plaza Leading Contender For Relocating UConn Campus

A Hartford architecture firm has been hired by the University of Connecticut to evaluate the former Travelers Education Center on Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford ? seen as among the top sites to house the university?s relocated West Hartford campus.

The University of Connecticut is taking a closer look at 200 Constitution Plaza, the former Travelers Education Center in downtown Hartford. Photo by Kenneth R. Gosselin/kgosselin@courant.com

The university last week announced that it would move the West Hartford campus to downtown Hartford within a year, but it didn?t name a location. The university said it was still evaluating sites.

The agenda for Thursday?s UConn Board of Trustees meeting specifically included the address of the education center ? 200 Constitution Plaza ? in a request for $243,524 in funding to hire JCJ Architecture PC.

Late Thursday, Lawrence McHugh, the board?s chairman, said in a statement: ?The university is examining multiple properties in the course of its due diligence and the board approved this funding to give them the resources to do so.?

A call to the JCJ wasn?t returned Thursday. The former education center is vacant and has been on the market for lease, following a foreclosure.

The education center is among three downtown Hartford sites seen as potential locations for the school. The others are Connecticut River Plaza and One Talcott Plaza.

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Source: http://courantblogs.com/ct-real-estate/constitution-plaza-leading-contender-for-relocating-uconn-campus/

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Real Estate Investing Gaming Website For Sale - Big - WebsiteBroker

Virtual Real Estate .com - Unique Website Business For Sale

I am positive that this will be THE most interesting site offering you have seen all week. You should read my site offering, even if for no other reason, then to educate yourself on what a website should look like when considering buying one in the future. This site truly sets the bar up a notch in technology development.. and best of it its REALLY neat! DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY You can purchase this website by hitting the Buy Now button below! ONLY $395

Questions? Email me at Support@SEORulebook.com

This is on of the hottest websites of the year and I hope it has your name written on it. Now I'm going to tell you why I have spent so much of my time building this. www.VirtualRealEstateGame.com *Please Read Entire Sales Proposal Before Purchasing*

The Virtual Real Estate Game Established Website Business For Sale What the website does is simple -- it allows "players" to Buy And Sell Virtual Real Estate online for PLAY or REAL money. Its truly a unique and wonderful idea -- being able to buy and sell apartments in a virtual simulated market and play with small, but real money. We have built this system that is purely peer to peer skilled gaming that will give the world what they have been wanting for such a long time -- the chance to buy into real estate and make a lot of money. Since people don't have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on real estate right now they can get online and buy these 'Virtual Properties' for a profit and live the dream until this rough economy turns around. This is the most advanced website we have ever built. We started building this back in 2007 and it has taken this long to finish -- so this website is quality. The website allows users to signup and choose if they want to play for fun or for real profits. If they choose real profits then they can make a deposit into the game and exchange their real money for Virtual Dollars. The website displays 13 available virtual properties. Each property has detailed information such as market value and indicators that control its price and growth. Virtual tenants move from one property to the next based on a series of formulas and most of all -- peer to peer trading and momentum which is similar to property popularity. You can learn a lot about these things on the site but I will try not to get into great detail here. Viewing a property for sale allows the player to purchase a property based on movement, tenants, and charting. The key like all things is buying low and selling high. Once property is purchased they will be able to manage things from their 'Real Estate Investor Control Panel". As you can see from things we spared no expense building the site and making things as graphical and easy to use as possible. After the user purchases property they can manage their entire portfolio via our graphical interface. They can manage their deposits, withdraws, property holding, upgrades, and more. Each property gives the game a very unique look and feel and is a fun interface that visitors love and lets them get in touch with what they are building. The icons at the bottom light up as upgrades are made and everything is interactive. When the property is going up in value the trend icons change and it helps the user quickly make good financial choices. The buying and selling of property goes very quickly in the game and individuals will find themselves buying and selling 4-5 times each day for a profit -- sometimes even in the same hour on very tense turns. The game is 'Real-Time' so people play the game daily -- and sometimes even all day. Its much like playing the stock market! The game will easily manage +50 simultaneous users playing at the same time on its mildest level. This means everyone buying and selling at the same time during the day -- which is a lot of players. If we need to increase the number then it can be done simply but making the turn time faster -- which could support hundreds of players all at once. Even with 50 players at once -- you would be yielding hundreds of dollars a day in revenue.

The best reason in the world to buy this site from me is because my phone number is on the bottom of this offering... but besides that.. owning a good website is more then just the concept. Trust me -- this concept is like a diamond in the rough with no competition and entering into an industry that is ready to embrace skill gaming. But besides that.. let me tell you what makes my site worth owning. I know your looking at other sites to buy but I promise you that you get what you pay for and I will prove it to you. Lets say you buy another site and you want to put a link to another website on there.. do you know how to do it? FTP, website editor -- lot of work. Lets say you need to change your PayPal email address that payments go to -- do you really think the person you buy the site from is going to go in there and edit the site for ya? What happens when a user needs their account modified because its setup wrong or you need to issue them out a credit -- do these other sites really provide the TOOLS you need? Of course -- cost too much money to build in all of this. Owning a website can be problematic when its not built right and designed in such a way that things are changeable with ease. As you read you will understand just how many tools I have built for you and why they are so very important to your success. From simple changes, to game modifications, to managing your marketing campaigns -- I've built you something that is going to take care of you. Other sites are going to leave you with a pen and paper and writing down transactions on your paypal to try to figure out the sales you made and if the site is profitable -- while mine is brilliant, charted, and offers comprehensive statistics. But besides all of that.. You need a website that looks good. I'm talking 'looks good' -- not stock art and slapped together overnight by a college student. This site is professionally designed and seamlessly integrated so when people look at the website they trust it. The website is a work of art and not slapped together. But besides looking good.. Because you can trust the people you work with. I'm not just a developer -- I'm a very talented Internet marketing icon that knows how to makes sales, generates leads, and most importantly for you -- find players. I understand you have to make money to buy these things and I understand your need to make profit and I'm going to guide you into the best way of doing this and empower you with the right tools and marketing materials to get the job done. Your not working with some joe blow that has a website selling panty hose -- I commissioned this site, designed every aspect and as you can see it turned out quite well so you can be assured that your in good hands. I've operated numerous internet companies and this is my job -- I invest and build intellectual property. If I take all this time just to write up the ad to sell it -- imagine how much time I have spent building it. Plus you can contact me via instant messenger, phone, email, and even attend my marketing conferences.

I want you to visit the website, play the game, and see how things work before purchasing: Please visit our sales model site at: www.VirtualRealEstateGame.com or to view our admin demo: http://demo.virtualrealestategame.com/ Its important to trust and believe in the product you sell. Play the game, see how things work and say to yourself "would I play this, will others play this, and will they enjoy playing it". Look at the website in the eyes of a consumer and really decide if its a good product that you would be proud to offer -- and if the answer is 'no' then don't buy this auction because you can't be successful selling something that you don't believe in. I want you to be PROUD to own this and not just look at the site as an investment.

How The Website Makes Money Every website has to 'monetize' as they say. I never understood the term because I always just considered it 'turning a profit'. I don't build things to 'monetize' -- I build them to yield sales and revenues and profit because that is what pays the bills. There is no 'bailout' for people like me -- we have to pay our own bills and because of this I can't, and cannot expect you, to purchase something for this amount of money and not expect a return and profits. This being said -- let me tell you how this site grows money on trees. Now people don't like to be 'sold' anything now days and they don't want to really pay for anything either. They don't like buying memberships or buying product so I come up with a more nifty way to gently and silently bring the site owner profits. The 'Real Money' side of the site allows peer to peer game play without a piece of the pie being taken by anyone. This means that they can buy and sell these properties and not have to share their revenues with anyone but themselves -- and people LOVE that. However, at the end of the day -- the site has to make money. This being said we have designed and and implemented property 'upgrade' feature. Upgrades are used by the player to give a strategic advantage in the game over their property. Players use upgrades to increase the tenants and popularity of their property which ultimately increases their property value. There are good times to use upgrades and bad times to use upgrades but in the end -- upgrades are essential to the success of a players portfolio -- and these 'upgrades' cost the player money. All revenues made from these upgrades goes directly into the site owners pocket (aka your pocket). These are pure 100% profit revenues and since you own the site and game outright you don't have to pay a penny to anyone. Since players are constantly buying and selling property you will earn a large portion of the deposited money overtime due to these upgrades -- as much as 40% of the deposited revenues. As the site grows in popularity so will its ability to sell text links on the partner page and also make strategic partnerships with other gaming companies. We have built in a very easy way to manage partner links and this can also become a great source of incoming -- selling a dozen links and bringing in up to $50 per link each month. No need to edit the website -- you can add links direct from the control panel.

First off let me say -- I know your not as tech savvy as you want to be and I understand that you may not possess the skills of a webmaster. Knowing this I predicted that the owner might not be able to manage this website property -- so I built something to make it SUPER easy. Demo Control Panel Access Now I can't let you into my control panel because you could edit things which would really mess up the live game play but I have made a demo control panel so you could see things and not break anything. Visit The Demo Control Panel: http://demo.virtualrealestategame.com/ The control panel manages all aspects of the game -- from accounting and signup charting to the games economy structure and apartment details. This control panel is one of the most advanced systems you have ever seen yet easy to use. I encourage you to test drive it using the link above. I built this control panel so you can quickly see new player signups, charts and graphics, payments received, and manage the payments you need to send out. It will also help you manage your marketing, campaign tracking, and site conversion. If you need to edit a users account, change property details, prices, credit values, or game play -- the control panel will do it all. You never have to actually edit the site or do anything technical -- I've made it super simple and just about idiot proof (har har). Marketing Control Panel In addition -- I will be providing to you all marketing materials. This means you won't have to spend any money building banners or what not -- I will handle it for you. I know this stuff can be expensive to build so that's why I'm going to take care of it now and in the future. This will ensure that if you need something; its here for you and it will turn out as professional as the rest of the site. We also built you a marketing control panel that will handle all of your marketing needs and ensure that you have what you need to run profitable campaigns. We have included banners of all sizes -- from small buttons to full skyscraper ads. We also included suggested keywords to be used, phrases, and text ads of many sizes. This will help guide you and give you something to work from when building your first campaigns. Each banner is supported with HTML code you can just copy or paste or direct link to the banner itself. You can download and save it or refer to it via the site -- I've built it everyway I can think of that you will need it. ..Included Is Premium Hosting With Full Unrestricted Access Also included is hosting for 2-Years. You have FULL access to the cPanel, FTP, and scripting. You are not limited in any way and you can make changes to the site, databases and technology as needed. The Marketing Control Panel also has marketing advice updated as new markets are discovered. I will be feeding information direct into the control panel outlining great ways to promote the site, marketplace and ads that are performing well, and companies that can help you establish the site. I won't be telling you about the standard stuff like Google adwords -- everyone knows that -- I try to teach my clients about things that work and actually make money and not just run up a visitor counter.

This is a limited release offering. There will be up to 15 websites customized and produced in the likeness of this website. Please understand what your buying and why we have structured things this way. I know you want a unique website but this is the only way to make this website affordable to you. So just to be very clear and to keep things honest as possible: You won't be the only person to own this type of site. Its a limited release, and this is the reason why its saving you a small fortune and so well Let me start by saying that you simply cannot build something like this for the asking price. The content and site integration alone -- much less the programming and artists time -- cost far more then the asking price. Let me explain why you can purchase this at such a good price. I want to be very upfront and clear about this to ensure that you completely understand what you are buying. This Website is a Limited Release. This is similar to a turnkey site but it has a few fundamental core differences that separates it from a turnkey. In order to keep the cost as low as it is we will be selling up to 15 of these sites to new owners. Each one will be placed on its own domain, customized both contextually and graphically to the new domains name and branding, and released to the owner. Each game will be operated separately from each other and all proceeds go 100% to the new owner. Your website will not be an exact copy of this website -- it will look and feel and be branded to your new domain. It will be quality. I know this sounds like a downfall but its really to your advantage and let me tell you why. If you just sell this website exclusively to you -- then it would cost upwards of $18,000. Do you really want to pay $18,000 for a website? Of course not -- but you do want to own a website with the quality and support of $18,000 in work. Because we are building 15 of these you will be able to afford one and make money and enjoy the benefits of such a development. That's the reason this website doesn't look like garbage like all the other sites out there -- its costly. I know your thinking to yourself -- market saturation. With all of these people out there promoting how are you going to make any money, right? You have to take in consideration -- there are hundreds of marketplaces out there to promote this, billions of people willing to play it, and billions of websites that act as linking opportunities for you. No one person or website can saturate the market enough to capture all reasonable players out there willing to spend money. In fact, even with 15 websites, I don't believe everyone collectively will capture 1% of the market. Everyone could promote in the same marketplace and still not purchase all of the available ad space to even remotely being competitive to each other. This product and game is so unique that having just 15 people in the industry is a blessing -- rather then owning a dating site and having to complete with 10,000 dating sites. For the price and opportunity this is as close to owning an exclusive piece of this scale as you might ever get without spending twenty thousand dollars.

I'm not just going to hand you the site and wave from the shore as your boat floats into the distance -- I'm going to help you establish this site. In exchange for doing this I hope that you will purchase sites from me in the future because this helps me build a long term and prosperous living out of my line of work. Before I was a developer -- I was a Internet marketing professional. I don't do TV or print ads -- I only do Internet marketing and I'm fantastic at it. I've handed over truckloads of money to Google (and they have quickly flushed it down the corporate toilet) and I've spent a mint in PPC with some but little results. After losing hundreds of thousands of dollars I have learned over the last 10 years what does and does not work. I understand impression campaigns, social campaigns, SEO, direct advertising, and sales forces. I've managed everything from setting up guys to follow-up on leads within a companies clients to billion impression campaigns -- I know marketing. After setting up your site your going to have access to my personal consulting and I can help you get this established with players. I can show you how to chase profitable link opportunities, operate impression campaigns, newsletter promotions, and direct sales. Marketing isn't easy but not hard when you have good consulting and guidance to hold your hand and keep you from pouring good money after bad into 'what everyone else' think will work. I missed the boat (by a mile) on bailout money so MY advertising dollar has to count because its coming out of my pocket and I will always treat your shoe-string budget the same way. Companies are not established with lots of cash to throw at things and this is no economy to waste money so I will be helping you get this established on a small budget and in the most direct manner possible. Not only does it matter how much you spend on promotion but also how fast we can establish it -- time is money so I won't be wasting either of yours. No Other Costs Involved I am an honest and upfront individual -- so there is never any unethical whammies involved with anything I do or sell. That means there are no hosting fees, or consulting fees, or annual fees, or hidden costs, or otherwise padding to this auction that might end up costing you more money then the BIN. Just to be clear. There are no other fees. I'm going to host the site for you -- at no cost -- for two years or longer. I say two years because I have to give it some kind of limit -- but I have been hosting sites for 7 years without charging a penny to anyone; so I don't expect to ever change that. There are NO other fees outside of the auction price -- just have some money on the side that you can use to run your first promotion campaigns. I am a very reasonable person and I want you to be successful so everything will be straight forward and as fair as possible so that way we both always win and can conduct business together for a long time. Don't look at this as me trying to sell you a site; I'm just trying to gain you as a client

Source: http://www.websitebroker.com/site-details-999995654.html

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