Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Marketing is used as text


Pepsi, McDonalds, Elle Magazine, the Hilton hotel group and Dunkin 'Donuts are just some of the many companies that use text marketing to increase sales, rolled out new products or services, perform actions, or communications with customers. But Bulk SMS is not just for large corporations or multinational companies. Automated calling and messaging services make it possible for professionals, small businesses and organizations of all sizes to perform text-marketing. This mass text-messaging services enable subscribers to enter a message and send it to a few or thousands of people at once with a single click.

According to the Mobile Marketing Association, a global non-profit industry association that educates, promotes activities, guides and protects the mobile marketing industry is the mass SMS is the most common form of mobile marketing because of the many advantages it holds. Statistics by mobile operators show that SMS has skyrocketed in the U.S. alone is 9.8 billion SMS messages a month in 2005-152200000000 SMS per month in 2009, are the most recent year statistics are available. And trends show that an SMS will continue to grow in the coming years. For companies, the figures strongly support the use of text marketing as a viable way to reach customers.

A text is any kind of mass communication, a phone number will be sent. It could be a written message, a coupon code or a survey. Mass SMS is the process of transferring a mass of text using a Web connection. Through the combination of automated messaging technology and the large, secure networks of the Internet, much of the text is transmitted to recipients lightening speeds. Bulk SMS is an acceptable form of communication as an SMS text message to recipients, which is notified to send opt-in, or gave their phone number and permission to text communication from the business, institution or organization to obtain.

Bulk SMS text contains both global marketing campaigns and small, local marketing initiatives. Here are two case studies that show a nationwide central text and a marketing campaign:

Case Study # 1: McDonald's ran a mass text campaign in conjunction with his radio spots. The advertisements encouraged consumers to text in their name to receive an SMS voucher for free menu items. In addition, the receivers could receive the SMS voucher with a "Y", continue special offers from McDonald's response. As a result of accumulated use the fast-food restaurant has a huge database of names and phone numbers for future bulk SMS campaigns.

Case Study # 2: A Texas-based practice, again and again no-shows of appointments made weeks in advance. The employees make the appointments started collecting phone numbers of patients and to ask permission to send text reminders. This made ??it possible to send bulk text of the daily dental practice those patients who had appointments the next day. Not only does this initiative to improve the office no-show ratio, it also enabled the dentist's monthly text-marketing campaigns to inform patients of their other dental services.

Mass SMS is used in many different applications through a wide range of disciplines and industries. Some examples of the use of business text marketing include brokers, weather-related facilities, hotels, restaurants, retail stores, nonprofit organizations, health agencies, emergency management agencies, media companies and professionals such as lawyers, doctors, chiropractors, dentists, consultants , service centers and hair stylists.

According to Mobile Marketer, the leading news publication for mobile marketing, media and retail, 85 percent of people read SMS messages within 15 minutes of receipt. This gives companies a real-time way to communicate with their customers.

As an entrepreneur, constantly looking for ways to increase their customers without a lot of money looking for mass SMS provides a workable solution, be it a one-person business or a large company. Using Bulk SMS for text marketing business or increase brand awareness, increase customer loyalty and retention, increases your customer database that works seamlessly with other marketing or promotional activities, and especially increases sales.

- More people have cell phones with SMS functions as a computer with e-mail. According to the Mobile Marketing Association, there are four times the number of mobile subscribers in the world (2.4 billion) compared to PCs.

- More people use cell phones than landline phones, with 20 percent of all U.S. households complete "mobile-only", according to statistics from the Mobile Marketing Association.

- Low cost. Automated messaging services, monthly plans that start as low as about $ 10 per month, and also the ability to send an automated text message or automated voice message.

- Immediate gratification. The real-time communication of the masses SMS appeals to all generations, including the Gen-Y customers and others who respond to the spontaneity of the limited-time offers, specials and promotions.

Source: http://business-line.blogspot.com/2011/08/text-marketing.html

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War Time Britain, Elizabeth David and the Foodie Renaissance ...

Food Poster British War Museum - Vivien Young
Food Poster British War Museum - Vivien Young

Elizabeth David was a key figure in re-introducing the culinary use of many foodstuffs to British cooks and kitchens after World War ll

The British people have always cherished their status as an island race, but living on an island is not always an advantage when it comes to providing food for the population during wartime.

In the years between 1940 and 1954, Britain was forced to introduce a system of rationing for most foodstuffs. This was because the outbreak of the Second World War meant that it was impossible for the United KIngdom to continue to import supplies of food as it had been accustomed to do in the days when the North Sea was unaffected either by blockades or by the depradations of the German U-boats.

Food Shortages in the United Kingdom

During the war years, food shortages were commonplace in the United Kingdom, and the British government introduced rationing in order to make sure that scarce supplies of food were fairly distributed. The weekly rations of essential items included (for example) 4oz of bacon or ham, 2 oz of cheese and 2 oz butter per person per week.

The government urged the British people to "Dig for Victory". Prized lawns and rose beds were planted with potatoes, carrots and cabbages, families would keep chickens, rabbits and sometimes even pigs to supplement the meagre food rations and good food was something to dream about rather than to hope for. The quotation below illustrates vividly the meagre provisions available to most British people during the long days of World War ll and its dreary aftermath.

"Meat ration lasts only for three evenings. Cannot be made to go further, that is, Saturday,Sunday and Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday I cook a handful of rice, dodged up in some way with curry or cheese. But the cheese ration is so small there is little left. Thursday I have an order with the dairy for a pound of sausage. These make do for Thursday, friday and part of Saturday. Don't taste much of sausage, but (they) are of soyabean flour. We just pretend they are the real thing ... All rather monotonous, but we are not hungry." (from Vere Hodgson's Few Eggs and No Oranges).

Elizabeth David and the Post War Food Renaissance

Elizabeth David's wartime experiences were radically different from those described above. The outbreak of WWll found her exploring the Mediterranean with her lover; after a variety of adventures in France, Corsica, Sicily and Yugoslavia David managed to reach Egypt, where she spent most of the war working in the naval cipher office. Incidentally, she became increasingly enamoured of the scents, flavours and cuisine of the Mediterranean.

" ........circumstances had landed me in Alexandria and subsequently in Cairo. In my turn I fell under the spell of the beautiful food of the Levant - the warm flat bread, the freshly pressed tomato juice, the charcoal grilled lamb, the oniony salads, the mint and yoghurt sauces, the sesame seed paste, the pistachios and the pomegranates and the apricots, the rosewater and the scented sweetmeats, and everywhere the warm spicy smell of cumin." (from Spices,Salt and Aromatics in the English Kitchen, Elizabeth David).

She returned to Britain towards the end of the war and was appalled by the food shortages and the depressing, unimaginative cuisine which seemed to be endemic in post-war Britain.

Magical Food Writing

Overcome with memories of more exotic cuisines and nostalgia for warmer, more colourful climes, Elizabeth David began to write food articles for Harper's Bazaar in an attempt to express her longing for food made with care and fresh ingredients and her frustration at the miserable culinary conditions which prevailed in Britain. The war seemed to have drained all the life and energy out of the country, taking with it imagination and the will to make the most of what ingredients were to hand, or so it seemed to Elizabeth David at the time.

"I sat down and started working out an agonised craving for the sun and a furious revolt against that terrible cheerless, heartless food by writing down descriptions of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking..." she wrote in Spices, Salt and Aromatic in the English Kitchen, adding "Even to write words like apricots, olives and butter, rice and lemons, oil and almonds , produced assuagement. Later I came to realise that in the England of 1947 those were dirty words I was putting down."

Her beautifully written articles, and later books such as A Book of Mediterranean Food sung the praises of ingredients such as garlic, lemons and olive oil and paved the way for Britain's gradual rediscovery of good food, well cooked using simple, seasonal ingredients.

It might not be too fanciful to argue that without the works of Elizabeth David, our twenty first century love affair with food might never have happened. Her beautiful evocative prose and enthusiasm for the subject must make even the most unenthusiastic cook long for a well stocked kitchen and time to experiment with new recipes and ingredients.

Sources

Hodgson, Vere, A Few Eggs and No Oranges , Persephone Books, London 1999

David, Elizabeth, Spices,Salt and Aromatics in the English Kitchen, Grub Street, London 2000

David, Elizabeth, A Book of Mediterranean Food, Penguin London 2011

Copyright Vivien Young. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication. Vivien Young, Becky Young

Vivien Young -

Makes the most of every day and then writes about it .........

Source: http://vivien-young.suite101.com/war-time-britain-elizabeth-david-and-the-foodie-renaissance-a382233

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Exxon, Rosneft tie up in Russian Arctic, U.S. (Reuters)

SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) ? U.S. oil company Exxon and state-owned Russian peer Rosneft are to develop oil and gas reserves in the Russian Arctic jointly, opening up one of the last unconquered drilling frontiers to the global industry No.1.

Tuesday's deal ended any hope British group BP had of reviving a pact with Rosneft to develop the same Arctic territory -- that deal was blocked in May by the billionaire partners in BP's existing Russian venture.

"New horizons are opening up. One of the world's leading companies, Exxon Mobil, is starting to work on Russia's strategic shelf and deepwater continental shelf," Russia's prime minister, Vladimir Putin, said.

Putin attended the signing of the deal in the Black Sea resort of Sochi by Exxon chief executive Rex Tillerson and Russia's top energy official, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin.

Under the deal, Exxon and Rosneft will invest $3.2 billion developing East Prinovozemelsky Blocks 1, 2, and 3 in the Arctic Kara Sea and the Tuapse licensing block in the Black Sea.

Rosneft will own 66.7 percent and Exxon 33.3 percent of a joint venture to develop the blocks, which Exxon said were "among the most promising and least explored offshore areas globally, with high potential for liquids and gas."

"RESET" RESULT

Rosneft said the Kara Sea blocks contained an estimated 36 billion barrels of recoverable oil resources. Total resources were estimated at 110 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

The Black Sea block was estimated to hold 9 billion barrels of oil reserves. First drilling was planned to start in 2015, with Exxon shouldering most of the costs.

"The Russians very quickly had a plan B and plan B was Exxon," said Fadel Gheit, energy analyst at Oppenheimer & Co, referring to the quick switch to Exxon from BP.

The deal marked a turnaround for Exxon in Russia. The U.S. oil giant was widely thought to be on the verge of taking over Yukos, then Russia's largest oil firm, before its head Mikhail Khodorkovsky was arrested in 2003.

Khodorkovsky was subsequently jailed for fraud and tax evasion and Yukos's prime assets bought at bankruptcy auctions by Rosneft, now Russia's industry leader and with enough reserves to cover 27 years of production.

"Politically, it is significant that this is an American company," said Clifford Kupchan, a Russia-watcher at the Eurasia Group. "Three years ago, American companies were being excluded. Here, an American company is at the center of a flagship announcement."

The deal also demonstrated that the "reset" in relations sought by President Barak Obama was working to reduce the significant political risk for U.S. business of investing in Russia, analysts said.

Uncertainty persists over whether Putin or President Dmitry Medvedev will seek the presidency next March. Putin can now show off the deal as a success if he decides to run.

The transaction also marks a comeback for Sechin, who was ousted as Rosneft chairman earlier this year in a purge of state company boards ordered by Medvedev. Sechin estimated total investment in the project at $200-$300 billion.

U.S. UPSTREAM

Rosneft will be offered an equity interest in Exxon exploration projects in North America, including deep-water Gulf of Mexico and fields in Texas, as well as in other countries.

Thus, the deal fulfils the demand for reciprocity so often made by Putin, helping Rosneft, which already works with Exxon offshore Russia's Sakhalin island, toward its long-term goal of being a global energy major.

"That is probably huge for them," said Allen Good, Exxon analyst at Morningstar. "Being able to expand in deepwater and gain some experience and some knowledge from Exxon Mobil will probably benefit them as well as they look to explore offshore in Russia."

There will be no exchange of equity, Sechin told reporters.

The BP deal had called for a $16 billion share swap in which BP would have exchanged a 5 percent stake for 9.4 percent in Rosneft.

"It is the same plan with very small modifications. Instead of exchanging equity stakes with each other, Exxon instead is going to JV them into some of their properties in the U.S.," said Gheit at Oppenheimer.

"Exxon is double or triple the size and market value of BP. So, obviously this would be much more important for a BP than it is for Exxon."

Exxon's coup deals a setback to other international oil majors, after Royal Dutch Shell was named earlier by Putin as a possible partner for Rosneft in the Arctic.

Rosneft shares closed up 1.4 percent in Moscow. Exxon stock traded 1.0 percent weaker.

(Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Katya Golubkova, Michael Ermann and Ernest Schneyder; Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Dan Lalor)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/energy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110830/bs_nm/us_rosneft_exxon

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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Chiropractic Online Marketing: Using Social Networks

Did you know that social network these days is far more reaching that any other form of marketing? Perhaps it is because everybody is now into the use of the internet. The idea of using social networks to promote a business was thought of by many businessmen but only a few of them are truly able to embrace it. If chiropractic online marketing is serious in ensuring that the industry is established and that chiropractors will not have a hard time reaching out to people, then it must make use of social media. Incorporating the rules of the use of social media in any marketing campaign like that of the chiropractors may be one of the best things they could do for the business,

Source: http://www.thetubaguy.com/internet-and-businesses-online/chiropractic-online-marketing-using-social-networks/

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Medical Bankruptcy ? Does It ... - Finance Articles, Tutorials and News

[unable to retrieve full-text content]A bankruptcy that consists mostly of medical bills is often called a medical bankruptcy. This type of bankruptcy is not an official term, but lenders may look at a bankrupt person more favorably for future borrowing if they can show them that their ...

Source: http://www.finance4noobs.com/medical-bankruptcy-does-it-exist/

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Monday, August 29, 2011

GEICO Collector Car Insurance Review - Compare Auto Insurance

GEICO is a name that has become familiar to millions of Americans due to the company?s strategic advertising, which includes such popular cultural icons as the GEICO Gecko and the Cavemen. Most people know that ?15 minutes can save you 15% on car insurance? with this company but few people know that GEICO also insures a variety of other types of vehicles, including collector and antique cars.

Compare Auto Insurance Quotes

GEICO began in 1936 as a company designed to provide insurance for federal government employees. GEICO was the brainchild of Leo Goodwin, an insurance agent who had worked for USAA, a company which only insures military personnel and veterans. Goodwin like the idea of working with a controlled-risk pool of customers, which allowed the company to minimize risk and keep costs low for ?good? drivers. Wanting to use the same principles applied at his former company, Goodwin began the Government Employees Insurance Company (or GEICO for short) to provide insurance for the financially stable and low-risk group of people who worked for the federal government. GEICO grew quickly and branched into publicly-sold insurance after several years. GEICO also spawned some subsidiary insurance divisions such as GELICO, a company designed to provide life insurance for federal employees.

GEICO Insurance Today

Today, the company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, and insures 10 million individuals all over the United States. The company grosses over $9 billion a year in sales and employs 24,000 people. GEICO is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and has branch offices throughout the United States. GEICO is primarily an online insurance company, but also does business through an independent agent network, allowing customers to meet face-to-face with an agent or do their business entirely through the website.

GEICO Collector Car Insurance

Drivers who own a collectible car (whether it is a true antique, a restored model or a hybrid of your own creation) often understand that ?regular? car insurance does not meet all their needs and look for coverage especially designed to insure your investment. GEICO has a special section of its auto insurance division which deals specifically with collector cars, and it offers quite a few options for the exotic car owners which are not available under regular liability policies.

Why Typical Auto Insurance doesn?t work for Collector Cars

One of the reasons regular liability does not work for collector cars is depreciation. While most cars go down in value the longer you own them, a classic or collector car tends to become more valuable the longer it is maintained. However, liability policies are often designed to account for depreciation, so the same insurance you are paying for this year will only pay you a fraction of the value of your car in five years.

To overcome this problem, GEICO has designed ?agreed value? policies for collector cars. This means that you and the company will agree upon a value for your car at the time you purchase your policy, and that amount will not change. If you have to make a claim on your car five years from the date of your insurance purchase, you will receive the same amount as you would receive the day you bought the policy. The company will assess the value of this insurance and issue you a premium quote based on the value of the car, along with other factors such as your age, location, and driving record.

GEICO will allow you to take into account everything that you put into your car, another bonus to the collector car owner. Often, after-market modifications and restorations can increase the value of your car, so GEICO allows you to add these values to the total price of your car at the time of your purchase. If you further modify the car, or if it increases in value, you can re-negotiate your value at that time.

GEICO Collector Car Insurance Customer Service Review

GEICO enjoys a relatively good rating for overall customer service. In the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates review of auto insurance customers, GEICO scored ?average? in overall customer satisfaction, with ?average? scores in the categories of ?billing? and ?talking to the insurer,? and ?above average? ratings in ?pricing? and ?policy offerings.? On J.D. Power?s Customer Satisfaction Index, GEICO scored 797 out of a possible 1,000 points, placing it 7th of the 33 companies surveyed.

If you are interested in GEICO collector car insurance, you will need to talk to a company representative to determine your agreed value and the price of your coverage. You can talk to GEICO agents by contacting a local independent agent who handles GEICO, or by visiting GEICO?s website and requesting an online quote.

Learn more about Collector Car Insurance online!

Related posts:

  1. GEICO Auto Insurance Review
  2. Grundy Worldwide Collector Car Insurance Review
  3. GEICO vs Nationwide Auto Insurance
  4. GEICO vs State Farm Auto Insurance
  5. GEICO vs USAA Auto Insurance

Source: http://www.compareautoinsurance.com/geico-collector-car-insurance-review/

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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Classic American road trips from the movies

Nothing triggers wanderlust quite like a classic American road-trip movie. The best of these films evoke the feeling of a place in such a way that the scenery becomes a character in its own right. With that in mind, we started our search for great American drives at the movies, where we watched reel after reel until we found five films that feature U.S. highways and landscapes as prominently as the protagonists. From the vast soundstage of the Southwest to the Technicolor magic of the Alaskan wilderness, each of these drives captures the spirit of the film that inspired the route.

Slideshow: 5 classic American drives

California's other wine country ("Sideways")
Experience one of our nation's cinematic wine regions.

Film synopsis: This bromantic comedy by director Alexander Payne follows friends Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Jack (Thomas Haden Church) on a tour through one of the less-trafficked areas of California wine country, the Santa Ynez Valley. The film is one of the first to celebrate American wine.

Destination highlights: The six communities of Santa Ynez Valley, Calif., are mainly located along or near U.S. Route 101. Plan your trip: Santa Maria to Buellton to Santa Ynez; 41 miles.

Stick to the script: To trace the duo's ramble through the region, start at Foxen Winery & Vineyard in Santa Maria, where Miles and Jack sneakily refill their glasses to the brim when the pourer's not looking. Drive south to Buellton so you can dig into Miles's favorite smoked-then-grilled duck breast with apricot-ginger sauce ($25.95) at the Hitching Post II restaurant. After dinner, stroll to the Days Inn Buellton and bunk like the boys did ? breakfast is always included (from $90). Finally, scoot over to Santa Ynez, a gateway village for Los Padres National Forest, where you can preempt a Giamatti-style wine belly by hiking the famous trails.

How to go deeper: Santa Barbara Backroads can help you discover the best "Sideways" highlights with their Deluxe Backroads Wine Tour that visits four vineyards and wineries, including those featured in the film (tours from $149). And when it's time to stretch your legs, make like Lance Armstrong (who used to train in these hills) and hit the road on two wheels. Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling Tours offers a number of itineraries (from $70 for a half-day tour).

The great Alaskan wilderness ("Into the Wild")
Embrace the pioneering spirit that has led Americans to explore new frontiers for centuries.

Film synopsis: Emory University grad Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) donates all of his possessions and life savings and sets off on a two-year journey that ends in a remote part of Alaska's wilderness.

Destination highlights: After traveling through western U.S., McCandless's last great adventure took shape on Alaska's Stampede Trail, near Denali National Park & Preserve. Plan your trip: Fairbanks, Alaska, to Denali's Wonder Lake; 204 miles.

Stick to the script: "I now walk into the wild," wrote Chris McCandless in a final postcard from Fairbanks. To explore the Alaskan wilderness yourself, make the scenic, three-and-a-half-hour drive down the George Parks Highway to Denali National Park & Preserve ? 6-million-plus acres that are home to grizzlies, caribou, Dall sheep and Mt. McKinley. After orienting yourself at the park's main visitor center, hop a bus to the Wonder Lake area ($43 per adult). There, you can hike in the midst of North America's most awe-striking views.

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How to go deeper: McCandless's adventure has sparked interest in the Stampede Trail, where visitors have sought to discover Bus 142, the abandoned bus where he took refuge and later died. If you'd rather not go it alone, join City Discovery's Stampede Trail Into the Wild Adventure, a four-hour guided tour on your own zippy little ATV (from $175).

Utah's canyon country ("Thelma & Louise")
Set out in search of freedom in the wide open expanse of Utah.

Film synopsis: Friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) break from their everyday lives and hit the road, where their journey turns into a flight from the law ? and they end up choosing freedom on their own terms.

Destination highlights: In the final, iconic freeze-frame, Thelma and Louise float suspended above Arizona's Grand Canyon, having driven their 1966 Thunderbird convertible off a cliff ? and into film history. But director Ridley Scott actually shot all of the desert scenes in Utah, including at Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. Plan your trip: Bryce Canyon to Dead Horse Point, Utah; 287 miles.

Stick to the script: Following T&L's itinerary through bitty Western towns could make for a dull trip ? unless you plan to rendezvous with a young Brad Pitt type, of course. Barring that possibility, pay tribute to the duo's destiny by road-tripping between two of Utah's unforgettable canyons. Start at Bryce Canyon National Park in southwest Utah. Bryce is home to otherworldly orange rock formations that seem to morph in color and shape throughout the day. Take a ranger-guided hike into the canyon for the full effect. From Bryce, drive northeast, bypassing Canyonlands, to visit Dead Horse Point, where Thelma and Louise's final flight was actually filmed. Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point offer opposing views of one gorgeous chasm. It feels a lot like the Grand Canyon, but without the hordes of chattering tourists and smog from L.A.

How to go deeper: Throughout 2011, events across the country are celebrating the film's 20th anniversary. In D.C., for instance, the nonprofit organization Women in Film & Video will host a Sept. 14 screening with Geena Davis in attendance.

Route 66 ("Easy Rider")
Follow the highway that gave birth to the American road trip as we know it.

Film synopsis: The South and Southwest come alive as Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) discover themselves and America in this 1960s counterculture classic.

Destination highlights: Follow the old U.S. Route 66, which overlaps U.S. Route 40 in many places, from California to Louisiana. Plan your trip: Death Valley, Calif., to Flagstaff, Ariz., to Taos, N.M., to New Orleans; 2,017 miles.

Stick to the script: Much of "Easy Rider" takes place along Route 66, which today overlaps much of I-40. If you begin where the twosome hit the open road, in Death Valley, then, like the boys, you'll be ready to refuel by Flagstaff. Try Brix, a restaurant and wine bar, where the chef obsesses over local ingredients from around the Four Corners region (wine from $21 per bottle). Taos and Las Vegas, N.M. (not to be confused with Sin City), are the sites of several scenes (including the debut of fellow traveler George Hanson, played by Jack Nicholson). As you pass through, carve out an afternoon to tour the Taos Pueblo. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is an impressive village of multistory adobe structures that has been home to a Native American community for more than 1,000 years. Next, head to the Big Easy. Whether or not you time your trip with Mardi Gras, you can soak up the Creole culture any time of year with visits to Pitot House (the only Creole colonial house open to the public), the Presbytere (part of the Louisiana State Museum), and St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 ? where the guys' infamous bad trip went down.

How to go deeper: Looking to fine-tune your "Easy Rider" tour down to the detail? Follow the blog written by superfan Mr. Zip66. It chronicles the entire movie and its route in Google Maps glory, with accompanying photos, movie stills and videos.

Cross-country: Chicago to L.A. ("National Lampoon's Vacation")
The itinerary for the classic family road trip.

Film synopsis: "Why aren't we flying? Because getting there is half the fun. You know that." A family vacation goes amusingly awry when Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) and clan embark on an epic road trip to Walley World.

Destination highlights: The film traces the Griswolds' route from their home in Chicago to St. Louis, Kan., the Grand Canyon, and Los Angeles ? 2,408 miles, according to Clark's primitive PC. Plan your trip: Chicago to St. Louis to the Grand Canyon to Anaheim, Calif.; 2,221 miles.

Stick to the script: The Griswold route is a quintessential cross-country tour that hits some of the top sites and cities in the U.S. Start in Chicago, where the Skydeck at Willis Tower will afford you an eagle-eyed view of Lake Michigan from atop the western hemisphere's tallest building. Next, drive down to St. Louis for a look at the Gateway Arch and its Museum of Westward Expansion. Keeping with that "westward ho" spirit, it's off to the Grand Canyon. Check into El Tovar Hotel (where Clark couldn't pay for the room; today, it's $178 per night), then take in the view from the South Rim, where the Griswold family paused for a millisecond before skipping town. Finally, make your way to Anaheim, so that the kids can experience that real-life inspiration for Walley World that's never "closed for repairs" ? Disneyland.

How to go deeper: Chevy Chase breaks up the long haul between Missouri and Arizona with a detour to see tacky Cousin Eddie in Kansas. In that spirit, we suggest you visit roadsideamerica.com to choose among numerous kitschy pit stops. In Kansas alone, there's Truckhenge, the Underground Salt Museum, and, of course, the World's Largest Ball of Twine.

? Additional reporting by Jerry Soverinsky

More from Budget Travel

Copyright ? 2011 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44259682/ns/travel-destination_travel/

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Automotive Engineering ? Building Today's Vehicles

?

Automotive engineering and automotive design refer to the design and manufacture of all vehicles. ?Automotive engineering is a branch of vehicle engineering which incorporates elements of mechanical,electrical, electronic, software and safety engineering as applied to the manufacture and operation of motorcycles, automobiles, buses and trucks and their respective engineering subsystems. ?The automotive engineer is a highly qualified professional and an automotive engineer salary is noteworthy.

Engineering aspects within automotive engineering

This branch of the engineering discipline incorporates other forms of engineering for the design of safe, functional vehicles. ?Safety engineering is the assessment of various crash scenarios and their impact on vehicle occupants. ?Vehicles are tested against very stringent governmental regulations and some of these requirements include seat belt and air bag functionality, front and side crash worthiness and resistance to rollover. ?These assessments are dome with various methods and tools such as computer crash simulation and crash test dummies. ?Automotive engineering also includes fuel economy / emissions. ?Emission testing involves testing the measurement of vehicle emissions, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. ?Vehicle dynamics is the vehicle?s response to ride handling, steering, braking and traction. ?Design of the chassis systems of suspension, steering, braking, frame, wheels, tires and traction control are highly leveraged by the vehicle dynamics engineer to deliver optimal vehicle dynamics quality. ?NVH engineering stands for noise, vibration and harshness and refers to the customers impression of the vehicle, both tactile and audible. ?This feedback is generated by vehicle components either rubbing, vibrating or rotating.

Other aspects involved

The automotive engineer must pay attention to other aspects of vehicle production. ?Performance is a measurable and testable value of a vehicle?s ability to perform in various conditions. ?Performance can be considered in a wide variety of tasks, but it?s generally associated with how quickly a car can accelerate. ?Shift Quality is the driver?s perception of the vehicle to an automatic transmission?banana event. This is influenced by the powertrain (engine and transmission) and the vehicle suspension. ?Durability and corrosion?engineering is the evaluation testing of a vehicle for its useful life. This includes mileage accumulation, severe driving conditions, and corrosive salt baths.?Package Engineering is a discipline that designs and analyzes the occupant accommodations (seat roominess) and the driver?s field of vision (gauges and windows). The Package Engineer is also responsible for other areas of the vehicle like the engine compartment, and the component to component placement. ?And ergonomics?is the discipline that assesses the occupant?s access to the steering wheel, pedals, and other driver/passenger controls.

Automotive engineer salaries

According to a national salary automotive engineers earn between $36,825 per year and $112,099 per year. ?An automotive engineer can hope to start earning $41,490 at an entry-level position and the average engineer salary in the United States is $62,880 per year.

Becoming an automotive engineer

A person interested in automotive engineer jobs trains at automotive engineering colleges. ?During their course of study at ?automotive engineering schools a student will learn the discipline and excel at the above-mentioned tasks. ?It is a long and arduous route to an automotive engineering career and acceptance to these programs is competitive.

Top 10 programs in the U.S.

The top ten automotive engineering programs in the United states are offered at the University of Michigan and Michigan Technological University, Indiana University ? Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), Cornell University, Kettering University, University of Texas at Austin and University of Texas at Arlington, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, University of California Davis, California Polytechnic state University San Luis Obispo and California Polytechnic State University Ponoma, Clemson University and Georgia Institute of Technology. ?These high-ranking programs are just one step on the road of success in automotive engineering. ?Experience, expertise and applied knowledge is necessary in the complex field of automotive engineering.

If you have found any of this automotive engineering information useful, please remember to share this link with friends.

Tags : automotive engineer, automotive engineering, automotive engineering jobs, automotive engineering schools ,

Categories : Automotive Engineering, Engineering ,

Source: http://sarahaswell.com/automotive-engineering

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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Mexican Drug War: Gunmen Fire on Monterrey's Casino Royale (Time.com)

After Monterrey saw piles of severed heads and corpses hanging from overpasses, it was hard to imagine a more gruesome attack in Mexico's industrial heartland. But the survivors pulled out of the city's burning Casino Royale described the truly hellish dimensions of the worst act of violence in the city in recent memory. The massacre illustrates how Mexico's drug cartels have steadily raised the stakes in trying to outbid one another as the most brutal player in the conflict. While their victims used to be limited to gangsters and police, now they are increasingly civilians, with catastrophic consequences.

CTV footage shows a gang of eight gunmen descending on the casino, located in an upper-middle-class neighborhood, on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 25, while about 150 croupiers and customers - mostly women - played bingo, roulette and slots. The scene quickly descended into psychosis and panic, as the crowd stampeded from the games into bathrooms, stairwells and a blocked emergency exit. They heard gunfire and explosions that they thought were grenades and saw men pour gasoline over the machines and set them alight. As the building burst into flames, most of the victims choked to death in trapped corners, while others burned as they tried to escape or were crushed by the stampede. When emergency crews finally smashed down the walls to rescue the survivors, corpses littered the game tables, stairwells and bathrooms. By Friday morning, police had counted 52 dead; dozens more were in hospitals. (See photos of Mexico's ongoing drug violence.)

President Felipe Calder?n quickly underlined the terrorist nature of the attack, whose victims appeared to mostly be innocent civilians with no connection to the drug war. "I express my solidarity ... with the victims of this abhorrent act of terror and barbarity," he wrote in a statement. "These deplorable acts require all of us to persevere in the fight against those unscrupulous criminal gangs." The President's message reaffirmed his commitment to the all-out war against drug cartels he has waged since taking power in December 2006. But the promise of more fighting back from the government offered little comfort to Mexico's shaken public, which has watched cartels steadily escalate their tactics during the past decade. The bloody casino attack would have been inconceivable in Mexico five years ago. Yet as the country woke to news of the tragedy on Friday, people were disgusted but not surprised.

As in so much of the violence in this conflict, it is hard to fathom the motives of the criminal hit squads. In a news conference, officials said it was the work of "organized crime" - meaning drug cartels - but it did not say which gang it suspected. Monterrey has been torn by fighting between the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas, a criminal militia led by former special-forces commandos. Officials also said they are investigating the casino owners themselves for operating without a license. Casinos are one of the key businesses used by cartels for money laundering, and gangs like to hit their rivals' assets. But many businesses are the victims of cartel extortion and are attacked when they don't pay protection money. (See a video of an aerial drug bust at the Mexican border.)

Whatever the reason gangsters hit the casino, most of the victims were simply customers having a flutter. Some witnesses were reported as saying that although the assailants ordered them to leave, the terrified people in the crowd fled further into the building. Others didn't hear anything but gunshots and stampeding. Many with knowledge of cartels allege that the attackers were deliberately attacking civilians to make a bigger impact. On El Blog del Narco, a website that broadcasts cartel propaganda videos, the editor concluded that the attackers knew exactly what they were doing. "Without a doubt, the attack was thought up and ordered from the high levels of an organized crime group," he wrote. "The assassins knew perfectly what they were getting into. Their plan was to sow terror in the population." For many, killing civilians to make an impact is the definition of terrorism.

Mexico's cartels started the brutal tactic of beheading rivals as recently as 2006 - a technique they mimicked from al-Qaeda videos, investigators say. The stunt was meant to terrorize both their enemies and the public. In September 2008, gangsters hit civilians directly when they lobbed two grenades at revelers celebrating Independence Day, killing eight. In July 2010, the public became even more worried, when the Ju?rez Cartel set off a car bomb, killing police and civilians. Then, in August, the world was stunned when 72 migrants traveling through Mexico were shot dead in a massacre allegedly carried out by the Zetas in San Fernando County, which lies between Monterrey and the Texas border.

The Casino Royale tragedy is the second most deadly massacre in the conflict, after San Fernando. While the victims of last year's atrocity were poor migrants, the Casino Royale victims included many wealthy residents of Mexico's top business center. Among those waiting desperately outside the casino for word on family members was a former professional soccer player. In response, Calder?n called for three days of national mourning. Amid this lamenting of what happened, many worry about what lies ahead - and what the cartels could possibly do next.

See photos of a Mexican meth gang waging a holy drug war.

See photos inside Mexico's drug tunnels.

View this article on Time.com

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/mexico/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20110826/wl_time/08599209060100

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Guide To Finding Lawn Repair Tools. | Home & Garden

Every gardening enthusiast aims to have beautiful, healthy and well tended lawn. As such, using the right tools to make and keep your lawn beautiful is important. The thing though is, most lawn repair tools these days cost a lot of money and this does not sit very well with quite a few average income households who also happen to be gardening enthusiasts. Of course, there are a number of things you can do in order for you to find and then purchase such lawn maintenance and repair tools for your garden. First of all, you will need to identify exactly what lawn problem you are going to work on. This is helpful in keeping you within the budget you set aside since you can avoid buying tools you would not use anyway.

After you have gone and identified the lawn problem, what you can do next is to go online and research for the available tool or equipment you will be using to resolve the lawn problems you have. If you need a tool you can use for lawn seeding for example, the internet is where you are most likely going to find what you are looking for. There are also a number of advantages of finding gardening implements over the internet. There is of course the convenience of not having to go out of your house to buy the lawn tools you need. Also, because you can have more than one website open at a time, you can easily comparison shop between various online dealers and retailers which in turn will help you to find the most affordable deals that are available.

Before you go and buy these items online though, there are a number of things you are going to have to keep in mind. To begin with, it is important to make use of grass seed germination tools that you are confident will not cause more trouble on your lawn than good. This means you have to make sure you are going to buy these products only from online retailers and dealers you can trust. This is so you can be sure you are about to spend your money on high quality products that will not break down on you after a short period of time or cause even more lawn damage. Compare at least three different online retailers in order for you to find the best deals that are available these days.

Source: http://homeegarden.in/guide-to-finding-lawn-repair-tools-2/

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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Easy Ways For Gold And Silver Investments - Buy Silver Online ...

This is still a very popular way to invest in precious metals and it is one of the largest investment markets in the world, but it is not necessarily the easiest type of gold and silver investment vehicle. Although futures investment can generate very high yields, it can also expose you to an enormous amount of risk

A lower risk strategy for investing in gold and silver commodities is to purchase actual physical gold and silver from brokers, or similar. Gold and silver can be purchased in the form of bars and coins, typical examples of gold include Krugerrand and US Gold Eagle coins.

Physical gold is more expensive than silver as it has a higher value per ounce, but do not discount silver as it currently has an excellent investment potential as the price of silver is rising in value all the time due to demand from the emerging markets in countries such as India and China.

Obviously, if you choose to invest in physical gold and silver bars and coins as part of your long term investment strategy, you might not want large amounts of precious metal sitting around in your home due to the serious security implications. Fortunately, there are other options available and many companies will securely store the precious metals on your behalf until you are ready to sell a part of your investment. Instead of a selection of gold or solver bars and coins, you will own a certificate instead. This indicates your claim on particular amount of gold that the company has in their possession. At any given time, you can either buy another share and add to your investment, or sell a portion of your existing investment.

 Easy Ways For Gold And Silver Investments

Mutual funds are another easy way to allocate a percentage of your investment portfolio to precious metals. Mutual funds are a good way for beginners to move into precious metal investment as long as you do your homework and make sure the fund manager has a good understanding of precious metal mining companies. When participating in a mutual fund investment scheme, you can either choose to stick with one metal, such as gold, or pick a mutual fund that can offer diversification into other precious metals such as silver.

Purchasing shares in mining companies is popular way to invest in the gold and silver bull market. Buying shares in precious metal mining companies gives you a great deal of leverage as a shareholder. Mining costs are usually a known quantity, so each time the price per ounce rises, the shares you own in the mining company will be worth more, which makes it likely that your mining shares will yield a good return.

Gold and silver ETFs are another alternative investment strategy. Each share is the equivalent of one tenth of an ounce of gold or silver and the simplicity of ETFs makes it a very popular and easy way for everyday investors to trade in gold and silver.

More Investing In Gold And Silver Articles

Related posts:

  1. Easy Ways for Gold and Silver Investments By Pan American Metals Of Miami
  2. Why Are Silver Bullion, Gold Bullion And Palladium Wise Investments
  3. The Many Different Ways to Buy Silver
  4. How can I get started investing in physical gold and silver?
  5. Q&A: how do you invest in gold or silver?

Source: http://silveradoinvestment.com/easy-ways-for-gold-and-silver-investments/

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Libya rebels battle to root out Gaddafi diehards (Reuters)

TRIPOLI (Reuters) ? Rebel forces began to purge Tripoli's streets of diehard gunmen still loyal to fugitive Muammar Gaddafi Thursday in the final phase of the battle for the Libyan capital.

As a volley of shell fire broke the morning calm in Tripoli, rebels said they were confident they could mop up soldiers clinging to a leader now on the run and presumed to be in hiding in the country he ruled for four decades.

"The end will only come when he's captured, dead or alive," said Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC), who offered amnesty to any of Gaddafi's entourage who killed him and announced a reward worth more than $1 million for his capture.

After rebel forces overran Gaddafi's fortified Tripoli compound and trashed symbols of his 42-year rule, scattered loyalist fighters and snipers fought last-ditch battles in pockets across the city. Rebels also reported fighting deep in the desert and a standoff around Gaddafi's home town.

"There are still many snipers in eastern Tripoli," said one rebel fighter. "We'll finish them off, but it'll take time."

In a clearing by the seafront in Tripoli, at least 100 rebel trucks mounted with machineguns were parked, their crews checking their weapons in preparation for an assault on Gaddafi hold-outs in the leader's huge Tripoli stronghold overrun by rebels at the weekend.

"Gaddafi is finished," said one fighter, who had driven into Tripoli from the rebel city of Misrata.

There was no clear indication of Gaddafi's whereabouts, though his opponents surmised he was still in or around Tripoli after what Gaddafi himself described as a "tactical" withdrawal from his Bab al-Aziziya compound before it fell Tuesday.

French magazine Paris Match quoted an intelligence source saying Libyan commandos found evidence that he had stayed at a safe house which they raided Wednesday. NATO was helping the rebels with intelligence and reconnaissance, Britain said, and its jets kept up their bombing campaign overnight.

"There are areas of resistance by the regime which has had considerable levels of military expertise, still has stockpiles of weapons and still has the ability for command and control," British Defense Minister Liam Fox told Sky News.

"They may take some time to completely eliminate and it is likely there will be some frustrating days ahead before the Libyan people are completely free of the Gaddafi legacy."

HOSPITALS FILLED WITH WOUNDED

Aymen, a rebel at the Mitiga airbase in Tripoli, said rebels were trying to fight their way into the Abu Slim area, not far from Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya complex.

"They are surrounding it but Gaddafi loyalists are putting up a fight, firing from inside. We continue to comb for supporters of the fallen regime," he said by phone.

Nouri Echtiwi, a rebel spokesman in Tripoli, said rebels had released several hundred detainees from a prison in Abu Slim. The figure not be immediately verified.

Gaddafi's home town of Sirte, on the coast between Tripoli and Benghazi, was still not in the hands of the new leadership who have dispatched forces there.

"Talks have been ongoing for two days now between NTC and tribal leaders from Sirte to liberate the city and ensure its inhabitants lay down arms and allow access to administrative buildings," Echtiwi said.

Rebels also reported fighting in the southern city of Sabha.

But medical supplies, never especially plentiful, were reaching critical levels in many places where some of the hundreds of casualties from the fighting were being treated. Shooting in the street also kept medics away from work.

"The hospitals that I've been to have been full of wounded - gunshot wounded," said Jonathan Whittall, head of the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) mission to Libya.

"In one health facility that I visited, they had converted some houses next to the clinic into an inpatient department ... But because of the shortage of staff, there was no nursing staff and the patients were essentially caring for themselves."

A British medical worker said one Tripoli hospital had received 17 bodies which appeared to be of civilians executed in recent days by government forces in Gaddafi's compound.

Meanwhile Libya's new masters are keen to forge ahead and secure the funds they need to bring relief to war-battered towns and rebuild the oil sector on which the economy depends. NTC diplomats meet their Western backers in Turkey Thursday.

Western leaders and the rebel government-in-waiting have lost no time readying a handover of Libya's substantial foreign assets.

After talks with Arab and Western allies in Qatar on Wednesday, a senior rebel leader said the NTC would seek to have $5 billion in frozen assets released to jump-start the economy and provide vital relief to its citizens. The amount is double the previously given estimate of $2.5 billion.

The United States has also submitted a draft resolution to the U.N. Security Council to unfreeze $1.5 billion in Libyan assets. No vote was held on the draft Wednesday, but diplomats said a vote could come Thursday or Friday.

While Libya is rich in oil, four decades of rule by personality cult has left it with few normal institutions.

"DIRTY BOMB"

After meeting rebel government chief Mahmoud Jibril in Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who took a lead in pushing for NATO military intervention, said Paris would host a "Friends of Libya" summit on September 1.

It would include Russia and China, both critics of the Western bombing campaign, who have been concerned at now losing out on business deals with the rebels. Rebels want to bring back workers to restart oil export facilities soon.

The rebels, many of whom were once supporters of Gaddafi, have stressed the wish to work with former loyalists and officials and to avoid the purges of the ousted ruling elite which marked Iraq's descent into sectarian anarchy after 2003.

Their gains are however no guarantee of security or progress with Gaddafi and his entourage at large. Abdel Salam Jalloud, a close ally who switched sides last week, said Gaddafi planned to slip away and launch a guerrilla war:

"He is sick with power," he said. "He believes he can gather his supporters and carry out attacks ... He is delusional. He thinks he can return to power."

There were signs of more supporters giving up on him, following a stream of defections during the six months of the uprising.

The second in command of Libya's intelligence services and the health minister declared their allegiance to rebel forces.

After by far the bloodiest of the Arab Spring revolts that are transforming the Middle East and North Africa, there were clear indications of new threats of disorder. Four Italian journalists have been kidnapped near Zawiya, between Tripoli and the Tunisian border.

Western officials also fear anti-aircraft missiles and nuclear material capable of making a "dirty bomb," could be taken from Gaddafi's stocks and reach hostile groups.

Imposing order and preventing rivalries breaking out across tribal, ethnic and ideological lines among the disparate rebel factions are major concerns of both the new leaders and of their Western backers, who are working to avoid the anarchy and bloodshed that followed the overthrow of Iraq's Saddam Hussein.

(Reporting by Peter Graff, Ulf Laessing, Missy Ryan and Samia Nakhoul in Tripoli, Robert Birsel in Benghazi, Hamid Ould Ahmed and Marie-Louise Gumuchian in Algiers, Souhail Karam in Rabat, Sami Aboudi, Dina Zayed and Tom Pfeiffer in Cairo; Writing by Giles Elgood and Jon Hemming; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110825/wl_nm/us_libya

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Generate free cash using the web by way of giving answers to ...

Right now there are many ways to generate income through the Internet. The far more capable entrepreneurs with significant advertising and marketing information can cause a web site and run a business online. Other people with important Search engine optimization skills can work as an use outsourcing for personnel.Nevertheless, the chances and options never merely hold on there. If you don?t have some of these skills, you could alternatively paid survey.

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Source: http://pwsite.net/generate-free-cash-using-the-web-by-way-of-giving-answers-to-several-online-surveys/

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High Yield Retirement Investment Answers For You | Health Diaries Blog

Article by Markus Skupeika

Did you recently notice how a lot of baby boomers from a moderate income group are suffering these days to manage their retirement amount? They only needed to take some active steps to multiply their retirement savings without investing much time.

At the same time, if you take a look at the next generation, they are too serious about their career and future planning. Shifting companies for better opportunity is very common among most of the next generation professionals. Perhaps no one dreams about working with the same company unless they are bound to do so.

Most of these current generation professionals and a lot of small business owners do not want to depend on a company sponsored retirement plan where the company selects the retirement investment options. They are well aware of their financial status and capable enough to plan their own retirement plans. In other cases, they rely on advisors to do the job for them. Experts say that, these new generation people have seen how people, those who depend on social security alone, lead their life after retirement. They also think that there is no reason to depend on your company to find a suitable plan when you can do it yourself.

Irrespective of your profession, part time, full time or a business owner, you can fix your retirement date according to your preference and financial status. When you have all the choices open to you to make more savings for retired life, there is no meaning in waiting for others to do the job for you.

The process may seem tough, but all you need to do is to invest through self directed IRAs. Here you are the sole decision maker of how to invest and where to invest. You are free to open a limited liability company (LLC) with your self directed IRA and start the business that you wanted. You can also open a partnership firm that would be sponsored by your self directed IRAs.

With a self directed IRA, you can also opt for passive income like investment in real estate where your money would grow faster in a secured environment. For example you can direct your IRA to buy a house. Now what ever income that house is generating will be deposited in your account. You can even sell out that property when the price is high. This will give you the opportunity to grow your retirement amount beyond regular expectation. And this is a big reason why a lot of people are investing on real estate with their self directed IRAs. After the minor setbacks of previous years, real estate is back in its position for high yield investments.

You will also find a lot of these new generation investors are joining different investment clubs or starting their own to make the most out of their retirement savings. If you are interested in stock market or bonds, you have the freedom to invest in them. But the number is decreasing as it involves high market risks.

If you take a closer look at the overall situation you will find that those who are very busy with their daily schedules, are interested in lifestyle investments where you need to define a retirement date and as you close to that date, the risk factors are automatically minimized by the system (they stop investing your money in high risk zones).

There are a lot of investment options that can provide you huge amount to retire and lead a healthy lifestyle. So why wait for low performing options?

Source: http://healthdiariesblog.com/high-yield-retirement-investment-answers-for-you/

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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Hathaway's accent in 'One Day' awaits judgment (AP)

LONDON ? The accent is on Anne Hathaway at the European premiere of her new film.

It's one big night for the American Oscar-nominated actress as she unveils her performance as Emma Morely in "One Day," on Tuesday at Westfield shopping center in west London.

Based on the best-seller by David Nicholls, the story follows Emma's relationship with university friend Dexter Mayhew by catching up with them on the same day every year.

British actor Jim Sturgess, who portrays Dex, and the film's director, Lone Scherfig ("An Education"), will also attend.

But all eyes and ears will be on Hathaway, as the local crowd decides whether or not her Yorkshire accent can make the grade.

The movie opens in the U.K. on Wednesday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110823/ap_on_en_mo/eu_britain_people_hathaway

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Computer Destruction

When I think of all the things that I have typed on my computer on the internet or in a document, I would have to admit that my computer is worse than a diary. I have a password for my computer login, I have my most personal documents saved to a secure flash drive, and I always erase my internet browsing history. Who doesn?t like their privacy, right? All of these measures are fine as long as the computer is still in my possession. When I get rid of my computer, I want to be sure that I have deleted all of my personal information from that computer. That is not so easy because pieces of information can still be recovered from the hard drive of a computer even after the information has been deleted? Disposing of a computer is not as simple as tossing it into a dumpster or sitting it out for the junkman. That computer has to be taken to.Turtle Wings, an electronics recycler who knows how to get rid of the computer and not compromise your privacy.

22 August 2011 | Computers and Technology

Source: http://www.beerformyhorsesthemovie.com/computers-and-technology/computer-destruction/

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Judge Dismisses Strauss-Kahn Sex-Assault Charges (Time.com)

Dominique Strauss-Kahn's appearance in court on Tuesday, his first since July 1, has turned out to be his last trip to the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse. In the weeks since the latest hearing over his alleged sexual assault of a chambermaid at a midtown Manhattan hotel, in which Judge Michael J. Obus freed Strauss-Kahn and vacated his bail because of questions about the accuser's credibility , more and more signs have pointed toward prosecutors' dropping charges against Strauss-Kahn. On Monday afternoon, prosecutors filed a dismissal on recommendation papers recommending that Obus drop the charges. At noon on Tuesday, the judge complied, dismissing the charges before then issuing a stay on his order so an appellate court could decide whether a special prosecutor should be appointed.

"For a trial jury to find the defendant guilty, it must be persuaded beyond a reasonable doubt that the complainant is credible," the motion to dismiss says. "Indeed, the case rises and falls on her testimony." The motion explains, "The physical and other evidence does not establish forcible compulsion or lack of consent," meaning that the case would hinge on a jury's believing the accuser's testimony over Strauss-Kahn's assertions that the sexual encounter was consensual. (See pictures of Dominique Strauss-Kahn during the case.)

In court Tuesday morning, Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzi-Orbon spoke before Judge Obus and explained their reasoning for the motion to dismiss charges. Illuzi-Orbon said that Strauss-Kahns accuser, Nafissatou Diallo, was untruthful with us in virtually every substantive interview in matters of large and small significance. Illuzi-Orbon explained that while the physical and forensic evidence in the case suggests a hurried sexual encounter, it did not answer questions of force or consent. For a jury to believe an assault took place, jurors would have to rely on Diallos credibility. Indeed, the case rises and falls on her testimony, said Illuzi-Orbon in a direct quote from the dismissal motion.

Judge Obus agreed and dismissed the charges, but the legal proceedings had one more act. On Monday, Diallos lawyers filed a motion to appoint a special prosecutor, arguing that Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance, Jr. had not fulfilled his duties. Judge Obus denied that motion, and just hours before the hearing, Diallos lawyers appealed that ruling. When Judge Obus dismissed the charges, he placed a stay on the ruling for 30 days, meaning that the ruling would not go into affect for that time, allowing the appellate court to rule on Diallos appeal. It turns out the court didnt need much time at all. Less than two hours after the hearing ended, the appellate court denied the appeal, leaving Strauss-Kahn free to go.

Outside the courthouse, lawyers for Strauss-Kahn said they were pleased with the decisions. It is impossible to understand the full measure of relief Dominique Strauss-Kahn is feeling, his lawyer Benjamin Brafman said. You can engage in inappropriate behavior perhaps, but that is much different than a crime. When asked if Strauss-Kahn would be free to leave the country, Brafman said, He can go now if he wants to, but hes not.

The decision to end the case altogether comes after weeks during which the accuser and her attorneys tried to publicly pressure the prosecutors into continuing the case. On July 25, Diallo went forward in interviews with Newsweek and ABC News and told her side of the story of the alleged attack. Two weeks later, Diallo filed a civil suit in the Bronx, asking for unspecified monetary damages for what the complaint called a "violent and sadistic attack." (See "The Double Standard of Sex Crimes.")

Yet on Aug. 19, Assistant District Attorney Artie McConnell sent a letter to Thompson, inviting Diallo to a meeting on Aug. 22. According to the letter, which was obtained by the New York Times, the purpose of the meeting was for McConnell to "[explain] to her what I anticipate will occur in Court on the following day" which Thompson said he interpreted to mean they would be dropping the case or altering the charges.

In an interesting twist, Thompson himself gave the letter to the Times after criticizing the Manhattan DA's office for press leaks in the complaint filed for the civil lawsuit. "There have been leaks to the news media of false information about Ms. Diallo, apparently by members of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office," the complaint states, "that have severely damaged Ms. Diallo's credibility, reputation and character."

The civil suit ensured that Diallo's version of the story remained in the public eye; however, it may not have been the best legal move in her push for criminal prosecution. "If they have any hope for the prosecution going forward and resulting in a conviction, then it's a very foolish move," Bob Bennett, a leading criminal-defense attorney and former federal prosecutor who represented Bill Clinton against Paula Jones in her sexual-harassment suit, tells TIME. "This just confirms the theory of the defense that this is just all about money. What better evidence than the fact that she filed a suit for money?"

In particular, the timing of the civil suit before the criminal prosecution had ended appeared to be a hedge against the prospect that the case would be dropped. But by initiating the lawsuit weeks before the possible announcement that criminal charges would not proceed, Diallo's lawyers may have hurt their cause. "If it were dropped, you would have a perfect opportunity to stand up and say, 'She's not getting any justice in our criminal courts. We have no choice but to file civilly to try to get justice,' " Bennett says. "They can't make that statement now."

The lawsuit may also have been an attempt to keep Strauss-Kahn from returning to France, but it's unlikely that a civil suit would be enough to keep him in the States.

On July 1, prosecutors admitted that the case was weakened because of issues with Diallo's credibility. The motion to dismiss details instances in which the DA's office contends Diallo was not truthful. The papers describe three different versions of the incident, which the DA says Diallo provided at different times. The motion also explains falsehoods Diallo said to prosecutors, including that she had been raped in her native Guinea. In the end, the motion says, "The complainant's testimony at trial cannot be relied upon to establish proof beyond a reasonable doubt," although its first footnote explains that the motion "does not purport to make factual findings. Rather, we simply no longer have confidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty."

See how DSK could save his political career.

See the 25 best blogs of 2011.

View this article on Time.com

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/time/20110823/us_time/08599208992500

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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

esfors.org ? Blog Archive ? Computer Support ? Online Personal ...

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LIVESTRONG.COM: Small Changes, Big Results

Quit cold turkey. Run a marathon. Cut out carbohydrates. Reduce calorie intake by half. You may believe that drastic changes are the only ways to achieve the results you want, but that's hardly the case.

"When changes are too big, they may be too overwhelming," said registered dietitian Ellie Krieger, author of "Small Changes, Big Results: A 12-Week Action Plan to a Better Life." "People don't want to start, or they don't know where to begin so they don't at all."

Small lifestyle changes are easier to achieve and maintain. When successful, they are more likely to become habits and can lead to increased self-confidence.

"Most successful goals or changes are things you can literally check off and say, 'I did this,'" Krieger said. "If you say, 'I am going to eat better,' you can't track or net that goal. But when you set and accomplish small, tangible changes, you get an immediate sense of gratification, and that is self-motivating."

So whether you're looking to improve your finances, health, fitness or relationships, focusing on frequent, achievable little goals will lead you to success.

Stop Before You're Full
"On a scale of one to 10, with one being you're famished and 10 being you're Thanksgiving full, stop eating when you're at a five or six," said Krieger.

To stay satisfied yet never stuffed, give your snack or meal undivided attention. So-called "mindful eating" means not eating in front of the TV or anything that would distract you from the food.

Take small bites. Chew slowly. Smell your food. Focus on the texture and taste. After a few bites or one serving, ask yourself if you want more or are satisfied.

Using smaller plates and bowls can also help.

In a Cornell University study published in the September 2006 issue of the "American Journal of Preventative Medicine," 85 nutrition experts were given either a small or a large bowl for ice cream. Participants with the larger bowl served themselves and ate 31 percent more calories than those with the smaller bowl.

According to Brian Wansink, Cornell Food and Brand Lab director and lead author of the study, people are likely to serve themselves 22 percent fewer calories if they use a 10-inch plate instead of a 12-inch plate.

Portion half of the dinner plate with vegetables and fruits, says Elisa Zied, registered dietitian and author of "Nutrition at Your Fingertips." This way you fill up on fruits and veggies instead of the high-caloric food.

Take a Relaxing Bath

If you're struggling to fall asleep at night, Harvard University sleep experts suggest establishing a soothing pre-sleep routine. Read a book, practice relaxation exercises or take a bath (the rise and fall in body temperature induces drowsiness). Keep your room slightly cool, and avoid the glow of your computer at night.

After all, sleep is important for your well-being as well as your waistline. A study presented at the 2011 meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies shows that not getting enough shuteye may make junk food more tempting. Researchers say daytime sleepiness may impair your brain's inhibitory control when viewing tantalizing, high-caloric food.

Shower With Your Eyes Closed
Blocking or combining one or more of your senses, such as showering with your eyes closed or eating blindfolded, can improve memory and your mental fitness, according to the Franklin Institute.

When you use your senses in unexpected ways, you're stimulating nerve cells in the brain so that pathways and circuits get activated.

Listen to the rain and tap your fingers, or smell flowers while listening to music. Close your eyes when buying fresh produce and rely only on your spatial reasoning and sense of smell and touch.

Eat More, Drink Less

Whether it's a 140-calorie can of soda can or a 190-calorie soy latte, "liquid calories add up," said Zied.

Limit beverages that add to your daily caloric intake yet do little to make you feel full. And although low in calories, diet soda is not the solution. Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio reported that drinking diet soda is associated with a wider waistline. And a second study found that aspartame -- an artificial sweetener in diet sodas -- raised the blood sugar levels in mice.

Stick to water or unsweetened coffee/tea, or make fresh-fruit-infused water: Blend two cups of water with a cup of melon and pour over ice.

Sprint Your Workout
Burn fat, build muscles, boost endurance and improve your cardiovascular health in the shortest time possible with interval training, or short bursts of high-intensity exercises, says Jeff Plasschaert, an exercise physiologist at the University of Florida.

An effective way of incorporating interval training is to make part of your workout a circuit, such as a six-exercise set completed for one minute each with 30-second rests and repeated three times for a 30-minute workout. Be sure to include a warm-up and cool-down routine.

"If you know how much time you have to work out, then you can pick a set number of exercises and repeat those exercises for the duration of the workout," said Plasschaert.

Spend 15 Minutes Saving

The average U.S. family carries $8,000 in credit-card debt. Rather than making drastic sacrifices --- such as downsizing from a two-car to a one-car household --- financial expert Ellie Kay suggests small, workable changes that add up to major savings.

Before you shop, Kay recommends seeking online coupon codes and promotions. Cut your grocery bill in half with deals from the newspaper or other online coupon sites, and before traveling, use sites that let you know where the cheapest gas is along your route.

"Devote 15 minutes a day to saving, and determine to never pay full price for anything," said Kay.

By: Chan Tran

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"Small Changes Can Yield Big Results" courtesy of LIVESTRONG.COM.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/livestrongcom/small-changes-big-results_b_911269.html

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