Automotive Troubleshooting Secrets: A Web Site To Help You Save ...

Monday, 30 July 2012

We all encounter car difficulty every so often. The issue then becomes, what is wrong and exactly where do I go to get it fixed? You will find a system online that can help you with identifying your problems. It is identified as ATS or Automotive Troubleshooting Secrets, and it is is an Online program to help you fix your automotive problems. A real mechanic can assist you to solve the problem and not some piece of software or robot.

The technician will go over the symptoms with you and help you determine the problem yourself. You are certain to get worthwhile feedback and illustrations that are simple to understand. You can get beneficial information regarding automotive repairs that is very current with just a click of a button. It is easy to fix any problem you have by arming yourself with the most recent solutions to your problems. ATS will be able to evaluate any work that might be done to your car regardless of which mechanic does the work. ATS provides a massive data store of garage repairs and automotive software and all technicians are experienced and ready to help you solve your problem. The repairs are first analyzed and then sent to you. Linden Method review

The perfect method of fixing your car problem will be properly researched and evaluated. Due to their big collection of repair information, they are able to combine wiring diagrams and common fixes and figure out what parts are causing the problem using secret techniques. Some of the technicians are engineers and mechanics, who have retired, and they not only can grasp the different systems, but analyze them as well. If your concern is complicated and hard to repair, the technicians will be able to help you do a scan using a scanner that many top garages use. ATS is a fantastic offer with a one time payment for lifetime membership plus you will find a 90 day money back guarantee. click here

The simplicity of ATS is actually the reason why it works so well. By using the service, it will save the mechanic time to do it and it will save you money as well. What to do whenever you test your vehicle that was repaired, and it wasn?t fixed. You will be able to evaluate problems like hesitations, stalling, no-starts with illustrations and get practical solutions. Learn how to repair small problems before they worsen into big problems. Until finally your issue is fixed, you will get unlimited support, and any vehicle driver can use ATS, even garage owners and mechanics.

You may possibly not be able to fix the car by yourself but at least with this information, you will know if your mechanic is being dishonest. That is what you will get from ATS, and it could save you not only a lot of money, but also a lot of headaches. Ideally, you simply won?t have many car problems but if you do, you understand there is a place online that can help you. more info

Tags: Auto, Automotive, cars, vehicle

The entry 'Automotive Troubleshooting Secrets: A Web Site To Help You Save Money On Car Fixing' was posted on July 30th, 2012 at 10:04 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://580areacode.com/automotive-troubleshooting-secrets-a-web-site-to-help-you-save-money-on-car-fixing/

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Surgical patient safety program lowers SSIs by one-third following colorectal operations

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Contact: Sally Garneski
pressinquiry@facs.org
312-202-5409
American College of Surgeons

Study reports that a combined approach reduces surgical site infection rates in a high-risk patient population

Chicago(July 30, 2012): A surgical patient safety program that combines three componentsaccurate outcome measurement, support of hospital leadership, and engaged frontline providersreduces surgical site infections (SSIs) by 33 percent in patients who undergo colorectal procedures, according to a new study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

SSIs are the most common complication for this high-risk population, occurring in 15 to 30 percent of patients after colorectal operations, according to the study authors. "Colorectal surgical site infections have been tough to prevent. This is a first step to understanding a strategy for prevention. Wound infections are an important risk factor for hospital readmission, increased length-of-stay, and reoperations," said lead study author Elizabeth Wick, MD, FACS, a colorectal surgeon at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and assistant professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital participates in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP). ACS NSQIP is the leading nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program to measure and improve the quality of surgical care in private sector hospitals. While participating in a pilot program of ACS NSQIP called "Procedure Targeted Module," which monitored outcomes in all patients undergoing colorectal surgery," the colorectal operating team at Johns Hopkins discovered that they had a very high colorectal wound infection rate, approximately 30 percent.

To address the problem, Dr. Wick and her colleagues decided to apply the comprehensive unit-based safety program, known as CUSP, to colorectal wound infections. The five-step quality improvement strategy was designed to bring about patient safety improvements through an interdisciplinary team approach focusing on frontline providers with the goal of changing the unit's workplace culture.

"The CUSP program is unique because it focuses on the frontline providersthe nurses and the medical techs taking care of the patients day to dayand it gives them the power to identify and fix defects in the operating room. A key component of the program is a hospital executive is part of the team to help overcome barriers and reiterate the importance of the work," Dr. Wick said.

For the study, the CUSP team identified four defects in their surgical care: antibiotic selection and dosing, skin preparation, maintenance of normal body temperature, and intra-operative sterile technique. All defects surfaced from querying frontline providers.

Further, to evaluate the association between the CUSP intervention and postoperative SSIs, the researchers studied patients undergoing colorectal operations over a two-year period. They used one year of pre- and post-CUSP intervention SSI rates from the ACS Procedure Targeted Module, which collects outcomes data on high-risk procedures such as colectomies (surgical excision of the colon) and proctectomies (surgical excision of the rectum).

The study included 278 colorectal surgery patients in the 12-month preintervention period and 324 patients in the 12-month postintervention period. Patient risk factors were similar in both groups. In one year, researchers found that the overall SSI rate fell from 27.3 percent to 18.2 percent, a notable reduction of 33 percent in this high-risk patient population.

"Changes evolved over one year it was not a bundle, it didn't happen all at once. Therefore, it's hard to figure out what specifically led to our wound infection reduction. But interestingly, as soon as we got this team together and engaged, our wound infection rate dropped," Dr. Wick observed. Based upon the post-CUSP implementation SSI rate, the study authors estimate that 28 infections were prevented during the study period, and that the CUSP intervention resulted in a cost savings of up to a $280,000 at the institution in one year.

"This project would not have been possible without ACS NSQIP. It gives feedback, which motivated the team to realize that this was a correctable problem and that played a role in improving patient outcomes," Dr. Wick said. "We had a clear metric and reliable data, which allowed for tangible improvements in patient safety."

The study authors speculate that widespread application of the CUSP intervention may reduce the number of SSIs by 170,000 per year, saving up to $170 million each year.

Based on these results and the successful implementation of CUSP to reduce healthcare associ-ated infections in the OR, the researchers currently have Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality funding to reduce SSIs, and other major surgical complications, through a national implementation of a surgical-based CUSP program.

"This work is extremely important because it demonstrates it is possible to engage a team of frontline providers to solve a very difficult and common problem in surgery," said Clifford Y. Ko, MD, FACS, Director, Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, American College of Surgeons. "The CUSP technique has achieved extremely noteworthy results in and out of surgeryboth in improving clinical issues as well as culture. We are very excited to be involved in this partnership with the John Hopkins group to advance surgical care and outcomes."

###

About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 78,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit www.facs.org (.)

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sally Garneski
pressinquiry@facs.org
312-202-5409
American College of Surgeons

Study reports that a combined approach reduces surgical site infection rates in a high-risk patient population

Chicago(July 30, 2012): A surgical patient safety program that combines three componentsaccurate outcome measurement, support of hospital leadership, and engaged frontline providersreduces surgical site infections (SSIs) by 33 percent in patients who undergo colorectal procedures, according to a new study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

SSIs are the most common complication for this high-risk population, occurring in 15 to 30 percent of patients after colorectal operations, according to the study authors. "Colorectal surgical site infections have been tough to prevent. This is a first step to understanding a strategy for prevention. Wound infections are an important risk factor for hospital readmission, increased length-of-stay, and reoperations," said lead study author Elizabeth Wick, MD, FACS, a colorectal surgeon at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and assistant professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital participates in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP). ACS NSQIP is the leading nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program to measure and improve the quality of surgical care in private sector hospitals. While participating in a pilot program of ACS NSQIP called "Procedure Targeted Module," which monitored outcomes in all patients undergoing colorectal surgery," the colorectal operating team at Johns Hopkins discovered that they had a very high colorectal wound infection rate, approximately 30 percent.

To address the problem, Dr. Wick and her colleagues decided to apply the comprehensive unit-based safety program, known as CUSP, to colorectal wound infections. The five-step quality improvement strategy was designed to bring about patient safety improvements through an interdisciplinary team approach focusing on frontline providers with the goal of changing the unit's workplace culture.

"The CUSP program is unique because it focuses on the frontline providersthe nurses and the medical techs taking care of the patients day to dayand it gives them the power to identify and fix defects in the operating room. A key component of the program is a hospital executive is part of the team to help overcome barriers and reiterate the importance of the work," Dr. Wick said.

For the study, the CUSP team identified four defects in their surgical care: antibiotic selection and dosing, skin preparation, maintenance of normal body temperature, and intra-operative sterile technique. All defects surfaced from querying frontline providers.

Further, to evaluate the association between the CUSP intervention and postoperative SSIs, the researchers studied patients undergoing colorectal operations over a two-year period. They used one year of pre- and post-CUSP intervention SSI rates from the ACS Procedure Targeted Module, which collects outcomes data on high-risk procedures such as colectomies (surgical excision of the colon) and proctectomies (surgical excision of the rectum).

The study included 278 colorectal surgery patients in the 12-month preintervention period and 324 patients in the 12-month postintervention period. Patient risk factors were similar in both groups. In one year, researchers found that the overall SSI rate fell from 27.3 percent to 18.2 percent, a notable reduction of 33 percent in this high-risk patient population.

"Changes evolved over one year it was not a bundle, it didn't happen all at once. Therefore, it's hard to figure out what specifically led to our wound infection reduction. But interestingly, as soon as we got this team together and engaged, our wound infection rate dropped," Dr. Wick observed. Based upon the post-CUSP implementation SSI rate, the study authors estimate that 28 infections were prevented during the study period, and that the CUSP intervention resulted in a cost savings of up to a $280,000 at the institution in one year.

"This project would not have been possible without ACS NSQIP. It gives feedback, which motivated the team to realize that this was a correctable problem and that played a role in improving patient outcomes," Dr. Wick said. "We had a clear metric and reliable data, which allowed for tangible improvements in patient safety."

The study authors speculate that widespread application of the CUSP intervention may reduce the number of SSIs by 170,000 per year, saving up to $170 million each year.

Based on these results and the successful implementation of CUSP to reduce healthcare associ-ated infections in the OR, the researchers currently have Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality funding to reduce SSIs, and other major surgical complications, through a national implementation of a surgical-based CUSP program.

"This work is extremely important because it demonstrates it is possible to engage a team of frontline providers to solve a very difficult and common problem in surgery," said Clifford Y. Ko, MD, FACS, Director, Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care, American College of Surgeons. "The CUSP technique has achieved extremely noteworthy results in and out of surgeryboth in improving clinical issues as well as culture. We are very excited to be involved in this partnership with the John Hopkins group to advance surgical care and outcomes."

###

About the American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 78,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. For more information, visit www.facs.org (.)

---

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-07/acos-sps072612.php

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New Video Game Releases Week 31, 2012 - Video Games Blogger

Here?s the list of this week?s video game releases. New this week are: Kingdom Hearts 3D on 3DS, Risen 2 for consoles, and Growlanser on PSP. Aside from that, the dreaded Summer drought has hit the game retail releases schedule, but at least new downloadable content provides a cool Summer breeze with The Expendables 2 on PSN, Deadlight on XBLA, Orcs Must Die! 2 on Steam and more.

New on the downloadable games front is:

• On the PlayStation Store The Expendables 2 Video Game, Ridge Racer: Unbounded (PS3), Grand Theft Auto 3, War of the Monsters (PS2) become available [updates Tuesday].
• While on Xbox Live Marketplace there?s Deadlight (XBLA), El Shaddai, Disney Universe (Games On Demand) being released [updates Wednesday].
• The Wii Shop, DSiWare & 3DS eShop?s games are: America?s getting 3D Solitaire (3DS), and Europe?s getting the Game Boy Color classic Toki Tori, Jonny Kung Fu, new Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy songs DLC (3DS), The Last Blade (Wii), 3,2,1? Words Up!, Ace Mathician (DSi) [updates Thursday].
• On Steam there?s Orcs Must Die! 2, MDK 2 HD, The Political Machine 2012, The Book of Unwritten Tales, A Virus Named TOM, Hitman: Sniper Challenge, Awesomenauts.

The new retail releases are:

• Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time (PSP)
• Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (3DS)
• Myst 3D (3DS)
• Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart ? Collector?s Edition (PC)
• Risen 2: Dark Waters Special Edition (Xbox 360, PS3)

Take a look at the Kingdom Hearts 3D launch trailer:

Here?s the Risen 2: Dark Waters launch trailer:

Watch Deadlight story trailer for the Summer of Xbox Live Arcade:

Watch The Expendables 2 Video Game trailer for the PlayStation Network:

Lastly, here?s the Orcs Must Die! 2 trailer for the Steam release:

Image credit: Letsgetfoxy

What video games will you be playing this week? Any of these?

Tags: Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Risen 2: Dark Waters

Categories: 3DS News, DS News, News, PC News, PS2 News, PS3 News, PSP News, Videos, Wii News, Xbox 360 News

Source: http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2012/07/30/new-video-game-releases-week-31-2012.htm

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Rumor: Apple to announce next iPhone and smaller iPad on Sept. 12

6 hrs.

Rosa Golijan

Updated 4:43 p.m. ET

Circle Sept.?12 on your calendar, Apple fanboys and fangirls. Because rumor is that the next generation iPhone will be announced on that day?? along with an "iPad Mini."

This little morsel of gossip comes to us via iMore's Rene Ritchie, who?says he heard about it "from sources who have proven accurate in the past." While this sort of cagey sourcing is typically?easy to dismiss, it is worth noting that Ritchie nailed the announcement date for the third-generation iPad a month ahead of time?? thanks to similarly mysterious sources. (Perhaps even the same ones?)

Ritchie writes that while both the next-generation iPhone as well as a long-rumored "iPad Mini" will be announced on Sept. 12, only the iPhone will start shipping nine days later, on Sept. 21. There's no word on an expected release date for the other device, though presumably it would be soon after, if not at the same time.

The dates suggested in Ritchie's report do line up with what we've been hearing for a while?? that the next-generation iPhone will hit shelves in the fall and that the smaller iPad should be available in time for the holidays.

What else do we know about this next bunch of Apple gadgets?

Well, we?suspect that the next-generation iPhone will be pretty darn similar to the iPhone 4S, but with a slightly thinner and larger screen?and 4G LTE?connectivity (like on the newest iPad).?It will likely use a smaller 19-pin port rather than the wider 30-in port found on current iPhones, iPads and iPods. (Say goodbye to your old chargers?? or hello to some awkward adapter???if that turns out to be the case.)

Judging by photos at?9to5 Mac?? showing what is?supposedly?the equivalent of a fully-assembled next-generation iPhone???those guesses might be right on the money.

As far as the "iPad Mini" goes, we don't know too much.?Based on the most reliable reports, it should be close to eight inches diagonally, offer a plain (non-Retina) display, and be priced in the $250 range (to compete with Google's Nexus 7).

We've reached out to the folks at?Apple and asked them if they're feeling crazy enough to confirm the rumored announcement date or chit-chat about their upcoming products. Since it's their policy not to address such things, we'll just continue daydreaming about shiny gadgets of the future.

Update:?All Things D's?John Paczkowski?? who has an incredible track?record when it comes to nailing the dates of Apple events?? writes that his own sources have confirmed that Apple will be holding an event during the week of Sept. 12. "[W]hile we haven?t yet confirmed [the event's] focus, history suggests it will indeed be the new iPhone," he clarifies.

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.technolog.msnbc.msn.com/technology/technolog/rumor-apple-announce-next-iphone-smaller-ipad-sept-12-916194

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Divided dolphin societies unite

30 July 2012 Last updated at 07:23 By Matt Bardo Reporter, BBC Nature

A unique social division among a population of bottlenose dolphins in Australia's Moreton Bay has ended, according to a new study.

The dolphins lived as two distinct groups that rarely interacted, one of which foraged on trawler bycatch.

But scientists think that a ban on fishing boats from key areas has brought the two groups together.

They believe these socially flexible mammals have united to hunt for new food sources together.

The findings are published in the journal Animal Behaviour.

Continue reading the main story

Dolphin see, dolphin do?

Bottlenose dolphins have large brains and quickly learn new behaviours. Using a wide range of sounds to communicate with other members of the group, or "pod", they have been observed showing remarkable individual and social intelligence:

• One for the team: watch how a single dolphin peels off from the pod to shepherd the mullet into the open mouths of the group
• Bubble trouble: initially cautious of the new shapes created by the bubble machine, you can see how quickly the inquisitive dolphins turn this experiment into a game
• Mirror, mirror on the wall: from the reaction of these dolphins to their own reflection, scientists believe the animals have a developed sense of self
• Thinking out cloud: see how these dolphins off the Florida coast have developed a unique hunting strategy for the shallows off the Florida coast

The Moreton Bay dolphins were thought to be the only recorded example of a single population that consisted of groups that were not associating with each other in a split dubbed "the parting of the pods".

But since the study that discovered the rift, trawlers have been banned from designated areas of the bay leading to a 50% reduction in the fishing effort.

A key area of the bay to the south, where the social split was observed by the previous study, has been protected.

The changes gave scientists a unique opportunity to observe the adaptability of dolphin society.

The "trawler" dolphins from Moreton Bay had previously fed on the bycatch from boats while the "non-trawlers" found other sources of food.

"There's never been really any experiments looking at social structure... where you can compare what it was like before and what it is like now," said Dr Ina Ansmann, marine vertebrate ecologist, University of Queensland, and the study's lead author.

Analysing how the population interacted before and after trawling meant the team could assess how the dolphins' social network had changed.

"The dolphins had basically re-arranged their whole social system after trawling disappeared so they're now actually interacting again," Dr Ansmann told BBC Nature.

The scientists identified individual dolphins by the marks on their dorsal fin and recorded which animals were associating with which.

"Each dolphin has small injuries like nicks and notches, cuts and things like that on the fin so they all have a very unique looking dorsal fin."

This technique meant that Dr Ansmann could observe changes in behaviour, in some cases down to the individual dolphins which had been studied in the 1990s to reveal the original division.

One of those males is now fully integrated into a single community.

"Presumably they're sharing information, co-operating and things like that."

Dolphins operate in what is called a fission-fusion society, forming groups and then splitting up to form different groups.

Through complex communication and social intelligence, bottlenose dolphins often work as a team when hunting for food and Dr Ansmann believes this may be what lies behind the unification.

"When relying on natural food sources I guess it's more important for them to interact with others, or to learn from others, or to co-operate with others to get to these food sources," she said.

The results suggest that a flexible social structure may be an important factor in how dolphins exploit a wide range of resources in the marine environment.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/18985101

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London Olympics: Weightlifter hoists three times his body weight

North Korea's Om Yun Chol said he wanted to lift a big weight and make the other athletes nervous.

He definitely nailed that strategy.

Om, standing all of 5 feet and 123 pounds, won a gold medal by confidently lifting an Olympic-record 370 pounds in the clean and jerk at the London Games.

Only a handful of people have lifted more than three times their body weight, and this one came out of nowhere.

Sunday's other big news included:

Swimming: Now the US Olympic men's swimming team knows what it feels like to be on the other side of the coin. Four years after Jason Lezak's thrilling final leg in the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay helped the Americans blow by France, the European power handed Team USA some painful retribution in London on Sunday. Also, the women's 100-meter butterfly event has a new world-record holder and her name is Dana Vollmer. While it's shocking whenever a world record is broken during the Olympic Games, the American swimmer foreshadowed this event by recording a new personal-best time in the event when qualifying for the final.

Gymnastics: Jordyn Wieber, with a total score of 60.032, finished fourth in qualification for the individual all-around. Normally, that would be way more than enough to put her through to the finals, which is home to 24 gymnasts. But here's the kicker. Finishing ahead of Wieber were Aly Raisman (60.391) and Gabby Douglas (60.265), who, of course, are both American. And, according to the official rule, only a maximum of two gymnasts from each country can advance to the finals.

Soccer: Spain had another rough day against a supposedly inferior opponent. The Spaniards were pegged as one of the top teams in the soccer competition in the 2012 London Olympics, but they haven't played that way in their first two games.?Luis Milla's club suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Honduras on Sunday in a Group D match of monumental proportions.

Basketball: There has been a lot of talk about this Team USA squad led by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant?and they certainly walked the walk in their London 2012 opener, thrashing rival France 98-71. Bleacher Report is live in London with JR SportBrief, grading the players and overall performance of Team USA as they begin their journey for the gold medal.

*****

Below watch the latest Olympics videos:

Source: http://www.wickedlocal.com/danvers/sports/x1489220877/London-Olympics-Weightlifter-hoists-three-times-his-body-weight

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Is Any Group Challenging the Canadian Prime Minister's Efforts to Weaken Environmental Protections?

POWER POLITICS: Green leaders say Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's motives for weakening environmental protections stem from his interest in expanding and exploiting Canada's tar sands oil and gas deposits, which constitute the second-largest petroleum reserve in the world (after Saudi Arabia's). Image: iStockPhoto

Dear EarthTalk: Why were some environmental Web sites blacked out all day back on June 4? Was this some sort of protest or did they get hacked??Ned Cooper, Detroit

It wasn?t hackers this time. In fact, a group of environmental and social justice organizations representing millions of Canadians blacked out their websites for 24 hours this past June 4 to protest efforts by Canada?s conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper to push through a budget bill that would significantly weaken environmental protections.

Organizations leading the black-out include the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the David Suzuki Foundation, Ecojustice, Greenpeace, Nature Canada, Sierra Club Canada and World Wildlife Fund Canada, and several others. More than 13,000 other websites?including those of many major U.S. green groups including the Sierra Club?also participated in the black-out and continue to support the effort calling for stronger, not weaker, environmental protections. Reports the Black Out Speak Out website: ?The environmental changes are particularly undemocratic and worrisome given the extent to which the government is going to please powerful oil interests...?

Green leaders say Harper?s motives stem from his interest in expanding and exploiting Canada?s tar sands oil and gas deposits, which constitute the second largest petroleum reserve in the world (after Saudi Arabia?s). ?Harper?s attacks are happening for many reasons, not the least of which was the success of environmental groups in Canada, the U.S. and Europe in threatening what Big Oil wants most: unlimited tar sands expansion and pipelines like the Keystone XL to send its oil around the globe,? reports Michael Marx, director of the U.S. Sierra Club?s Beyond Oil campaign, on the Huffington Post website. ?He put the interests of the oil industry first and looked the other way when it came to enforcing laws about air and water pollution, endangered species and the health of downstream communities.?

Marx says that ?tar sands oil companies are destroying a pristine forest the size of England, accelerating the rate of climate change, causing thousands of wolves, bears, migratory birds, and caribou to die, and leaching toxic chemicals into rivers, as downstream communities experience a spike in cancer rates.?

According to Marx, Harper?s government is trying to disarm its opposition by threatening the charitable status (and thus the fundraising ability) of green groups who oppose tar sands, subjecting them to onerous tax reporting requirements to bog them down. ??Black Out, Speak Out? is a warning that the Harper Government has gone too far,? says Marx. ?This protest has brought together a diverse array of Canadians to defend their democracy and right to have an open debate about the future of their country.?

?Hopefully Black Out, Speak Out will mobilize thousands of Canadians and Harper will learn that it?s one thing to attack environmentalists and quite another to attack freedom of speech,? says Marx. ?If the Harper government pursues this repressive policy, it should expect the backlash to spread in Canada, the U.S. and in Europe.?

CONTACTS: Black Out Speak Out, www.blackoutspeakout.ca; Huffington Post, www.huffingtonpost.com; Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org.

EarthTalk? is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine ( www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=e31232a50c25e528428618d7be9a9fb7

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One Piece: Dark Age of Piracy

[WIP]Now 50 years into the future, shall you align with the current trend of piracy, crazed by greed, aggression, and conquest? Or do you perhaps remember what the world used to be, and still grasp onto your ideas of Justice, or morality, or good ole fun?

Owner:

Game Masters:

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "One Piece: Dark Age of Piracy"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

?I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge. That myth is more potent than history. That dreams are more powerful than facts. That hope always triumphs over experience. That laughter is the only cure for grief. And I believe that love is stronger than death.?
? Robert Fulghum

?All I'm writing is just what I feel, that's all. I just keep it almost naked. And probably the words are so bland.?
? Jimi Hendrix

Little Fox

Member for 0 years

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Looking for five active Co-GMs to help me manage the RolePlay.
Also, please don't submit a character just yet until I've worked out the remaining kinks! Thanks!

Little Fox

Member for 0 years

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Fuck yes I want in. I can also offer co-gm, ESPECIALLY if you work over IM/social networking. It makes my life that much easier.

Baby

Member for 4 years

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This won't be a one liner roleplay? The last One Piece roleplay I was in... was very disapointing. This looks great so far though! I too can help co-gm is you like.

jigokunoshinzo

Member for 0 years

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I cannot stand one-liners. I live for detail. You may be my second Co-GM :]

Little Fox

Member for 0 years

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Post a reply

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A Lot Of ghd Australia Excellent Sport fishing Ideas To Help You Out ?

Many people lengthy to seafood but don?t think they?d be any good at it. You may be ghd Australia amazed to understand that angling is not really that difficult when you know how to proceed. Read this write-up for several very good recommendations on sport fishing, to be able to love this exceptional sport.

Think about taking out the pores and skin, when you found a bottom part feeder, such as a catfish. Skinning a sea food certainly improves its flavour. Lower the skin powering your head and pectoral fins before pulling it with a collection of pliers. Your head and guts will likely be simpler to take away as soon as you?ve skinned the seafood.

While you are making use of grubs and so are employing a hefty line to sea food with, be sure your grub carries a sharp and strong connect. Keep away from hooks made out of fine wire simply because striped bass can readily straighten these hooks. You may use thin wire hooks when sport fishing with light-weight collection ghd Straightener since they are better suited for much softer connect units.

If you?re sport fishing with live bait, you should be sure to make it amazing. When resting out in the sunshine, lure may often get hot, and the heat the fish will truly feel can certainly make them more unlikely to consider a bite. If you?re using herring, for instance, you?ll want to keep it among 35 and 62 levels.

You possess probably listened to the estimate ?location, area, place? when it comes to some things, such as real estate property. A similar keeps accurate for fishing. It is crucial that there is a ghd Straightener sound idea of the position of the sea food you are attempting to get. Once you find this area, you might be more likely to trap a lot of fish.

When sportfishing, it is vital to help keep sound as low as possible. Amazingly, sea food are incredibly sensitive to noise. If you are seated on the side of a lake or pond fishing, maintain your tone of voice level low and never have a stereo beside you blaring audio or the ballgame. Should you be sportfishing from the boat, avoid banging around inside of your motorboat and from tossing your anchor noisily overboard.

Saltwater fish tend to be a whole lot sharper in terms of the smell ghd Australia of your respective bait. Consequently, it is usually wise to seafood with fresh live or refreshing lifeless lure, when sportfishing in sea salt h2o. This is certainly more likely to draw in seafood from your extended distance than unnatural lures with more understated or a lot less organic fragrances.

When deciding on which type of fishing rod to get, numerous things needs to be taken into account. Will the angler require a lightweight, versatile sport fishing rod? A graphite angling rod is lightweight and flexible. Graphite rods fluctuate long and adaptability to fit the kind of fishing that this rod will likely be ghd Australia useful for.

Given that you?ve achieved the final on this write-up, you happen to be much better prepared to hoist your rod and reel above your shoulder making the trek for the fishing pit. Make use of the issues you?ve acquired in the following paragraphs to engage in your brand-new exterior interest or become a far better fisherman.

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Source: http://all-articles-directory.com/a-lot-of-ghd-australia-excellent-sport-fishing-ideas-to-help-you-out/

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Opening Ceremony London 2012: Chariots of Fire! Harry Potter! The Queen and James Bond!

The 2012 Summer Olympics kicked off in grand style last night, as a $42 million Opening Ceremony featured The Queen as a James Bond Girl, Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean and a whole lot more.

 

Chariots of Fire at the Opening Ceremony

Among the highlights of the three-and-a-half hour event:

• Dozens of Mary Poppins floating down from the sky.
• Queen Elizabeth and Daniel Craig shared a big screen scene, marking the latter's acting debut.
• Atkinson (above) got himself involved in the iconic Chariots of Fire scene, actually running on the beach with the stars of that movie (technology rules!).
• A grass infield with countryside with sheepdogs, horses and ducks turned into an industrialized city with smokestacks, representing how far England has come.
• Seven billion pieces of paper were actually dropped on to the athletes, representing every human on the planet.
• Voldemort stopped by.
• And seven young people lit the Olympic Flame in an exciting, emotional climax.

The London Olympics will now air on NBC and many of its cable affiliates over the next two weeks. Best of luck to all participants. Go USA!

 

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/07/opening-ceremony-london-2012-chariots-of-fire-harry-potter-the-q/

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Home Improvement Is The Best Investment You Can Make. Here's ...

Home Improvement is vital, but not implementing cost effective methods can actually lessen the thickness of your wallet. Organising things effectively can actually save you from some space in your hall. Climate conditions and wind blowing directions are the other areas which you need to take care off. Waste Management is another area you need to take care, so that it would make our surroundings clean.

All things can be done yourself, but only if you have full interest on doing it,otherwise leave it for experts. Giving to experts means you need to pay them, so that the best person to do those tasks is you !!

Read the full article here:
Home Improvement Is The Best Investment You Can Make. Here?s ?

Related posts:

1. Home Improvement Is The Best Investment You Can Make. Here?s ?
2. Home Improvement Is The Best Investment You Can Make. Here?s ?
3. Home Improvement Is An Investment For Life ? Tips To Make It Easy ?
4. Home Improvement Is An Investment For Life ? 4 Tips To Make It Easy
5. Home Improvement Is An Investment For Life ? Tips To Make It Easy

Source: http://ctroofingcontractors.com/2012/07/home-improvement-is-the-best-investment-you-can-make-heres/

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Twitter Severs Ties to Instagram: Smart Business ... - Marketing Pilgrim

These past few weeks, Twitter?s been the two-year-old jumping up and down next to mom while she tries to work. They announced targeting for Promoted Tweets, covertly revealed their plans to make a web series and as of tonight, they?re all over the Olympics.

But you know how those toddlers can get into trouble and Twitter has been true to form. On Thursday, the site went dark for more than an hour, the second big outage in under two months. They say it was a server issue and that even their redundant systems failed. I think it?s a conspiracy to test the reaction to a nation left without social media and specific internet services because on the same night, Amazon, IMDB, and Netflix all went down. Coincidence or carefully planned madness?

Or could it be a publicity stunt for the new TV series Revolution which is about survival after a catastrophic event knocks out all the power on the planet?

Call me paranoid if you must, but Twitter also made a move against Instagram this week. They cut the ties to the Find a Friend portion of the Instagram app which seems like it will hurt them more than it hurts Instagram.

Instagram has 80 million users, all of whom could have used the Find a Friend feature to access their pals on Twitter but apparently Twitter doesn?t care. Just like they didn?t care when they cut off LinkedIn.

Twitter?s new stance is, if you want to play with my toys, you have to play in my yard and that?s kind of mean. Some think the Instagram boot is a direct result of their connection to Facebook. Others think that Twitter is planning to release their own photo option to compete with Instagram. Whatever the reason, it?s starting to feel like bad business.

Twitter didn?t get where they are by surrounding themselves with high walls. Social media is about being social and that means sharing with your friends from all over the neighborhood.

I?m a big fan of Twitter, but I?m starting to worry about where this new attitude will lead them. What do you think? Was it smart business to cut off Instagram and LinkedIn, or is Twitter heading for trouble?

?

Source: http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2012/07/twitter-severs-ties-to-instagram-smart-business-or-bad-move.html

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Tribal Online Gaming Act of 2012

Internet, Mobile & Sports Betting

Read draft online gaming bill - the Tribal Online Gaming Act of 2012

?

Jul 27,2012 - Committee on Indian Affairs oversight hearing on regulation of tribal gaming: from brick and mortar to the internet
Statement of Chairman Daniel K. Akaka

I call this hearing of the Committee on Indian Affairs to order. Aloha, and welcome to the Committee's oversight hearing on the Regulation of Tribal Gaming: From Brick and Mortar to the Internet.

We are here to discuss the regulation of tribal gaming. Tribal gaming is now a twenty-seven billion dollar industry. In total, tribal gaming makes up approximately forty percent of the commercial gaming industry in the United States. Gaming, like many industries, does not remain stagnant. That is why today, we will discuss the current regulatory structure of Indian gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, as well as examine regulation of online gaming should federal legislation be enacted.

Gaming has been the single most effective form of economic development for Indian Country. Revenues from gaming provide essential services to tribal members, including education, healthcare, and housing. Indian gaming also provides jobs to members of the surrounding communities. In many counties across the nation tribes are the largest employer, with nearly seventy-five percent of those jobs going to non-Indians.

With these types of economic tools, comes great responsibility. Tribes are the first-line regulators for tribal gaming. We in Congress - and especially on this Committee -- also have a responsibility to ensure that tribal views and priorities are part of any legislation that could impact tribal gaming.

That is why I have developed a draft online gaming bill - the Tribal Online Gaming Act of 2012. This bill is intended to further the dialogue with tribes, my colleagues here in the Senate, and other affected stakeholders. I encourage all of you to review the bill and provide any comments.

In any expansion of gaming, we must make sure that the unique circumstances surrounding tribal sovereignty are maintained in any legislation. And, we must also enable tribes to participate fully should any legislation be considered so tribes are on equal footing with their counterparts in the commercial gaming industry.

As always, it is our job on the Committee to make sure tribes achieve parity in any federal legislation and to bring your voice to Congress. So, I urge all of you to review the Tribal Online Gaming Act discussion draft and provide comments so that we can make sure the tribal voice is heard.

We will continue the dialogue on this issue, and I encourage all of you to continue your work with the Committee. As Chairman, it is my goal to ensure that we hear from all who want to contribute to the discussion.

Mahalo - thank you. This hearing is adjourned.

http://politicalnews.me/?id=16025&keys=TRIBAL-GAMING-INDUSTRY-BILLIONS

Source: http://www.publicgaming.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11511:tribal-online-gaming-act-of-2012-draft-online-gaming-bill&catid=34:internet-mobile-a-other-gaming-news&Itemid=66

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Advocate: Pa. church sentence a wake-up call

PHILADELPHIA (AP) ? A Roman Catholic church official let children suffer at the hands of pedophile priests rather than stand up to his bishop, a judge said in handing down a stiff three- to six-year prison term that the archdiocese called unfair and excessive.

Monsignor William Lynn, 61, is the first U.S. church official convicted of covering up sex-abuse complaints against Roman Catholic priests. Common Pleas Judge M. Teresa Sarmina gave him nearly the maximum term for child endangerment, noting that he made the choice to stay on the job, unlike the young victims who couldn't control their fate.

Lynn "enabled monsters in clerical garb ... to destroy the souls of children," Sarmina said Tuesday.

The former secretary for clergy at the Philadelphia archdiocese, he "helped many but also failed many" in his 36-year church career, Sarmina concluded.

Lynn, who handled priest assignments and child sexual assault complaints from 1992 to 2004, was convicted last month of felony endangerment for his oversight of now-defrocked priest Edward Avery. Avery is serving a 2?- to five-year sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting an altar boy in church in 1999.

"I did not intend any harm to come to (the boy). The fact is, my best was not good enough to stop that harm," Lynn told the judge. "I am a parish priest. I should have stayed (one)."

Lynn's lawyers had sought probation, saying their client shouldn't serve more time than abusers. They plan to appeal the landmark conviction and seek bail next month while the lengthy appeals process unfolds.

Sarmina believes Lynn initially hoped to address the problem, and perhaps drafted a 1994 list of accused priests for that reason. But when Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua instead had the list destroyed, Lynn chose to stick around ? and keep quiet, she said.

"Monsignor Lynn personally heard the suffering of children," she said. "Since he was going to obey his bishop, he had to build a wall to steel himself from hearing their pain."

Lynn was acquitted of conspiracy and a second endangerment count involving a co-defendant, the Rev. James Brennan. The jury deadlocked on a 1996 abuse charge against Brennan; prosecutors plan to retry him.

The archdiocese called the sentence severe and hoped it would be "adjusted."

"Fair-minded people will question the severity of the heavy, three- to six-year sentence," the statement said.

In 1992, a doctor told the archdiocese that Avery had abused him years earlier. Lynn met with the doctor and sent Avery for treatment ? but the church-run facility diagnosed him with only an alcohol problem. Avery was later sent to live at the northeast Philadelphia parish where the altar boy was abused.

"A young boy was raped and those who could have prevented it had other priorities," the doctor wrote in a recent victim-impact letter.

Others believe Lynn is being judged through an unfair prism. Jurors heard about priest-abuse cases in Philadelphia that dated back to 1948.

"He did not have the benefit of our current hindsight," wrote former priest Dexter Lanctot, a seminary classmate of Lynn's. "As a society, we are all awakening to a very broken system. ... The evil we are speaking of in this case is embedded in systems that are deeply flawed and not in an individual."

Philadelphia prosecutors spent a decade investigating sex abuse complaints and issued two damning grand jury reports. They say Lynn and unindicted co-conspirators in the church hierarchy kept children in danger and the public in the dark.

"He locked away in a vault the names of pedophile priests. ... He now will be locked away for a fraction of the time he kept that secret vault," District Attorney Seth Williams said of Lynn.

Defense lawyers will argue on appeal that the state's child endangerment statute, revised in 2007 to include those who supervise abusers, should not apply to Lynn since he left office in 2004. They also insist he did more than anyone at the archdiocese to meet with victims, get pedophile priests into treatment and send recommendations to the cardinal.

"He did the best he could under absolutely awful circumstances," said lawyer Thomas Bergstrom.

The sex-abuse scandal has rocked the U.S. Catholic church for more than a decade, and may claim other higher-ups.

Bishop Robert Finn and the Kansas City diocese face a misdemeanor charge of failing to report suspected child sexual abuse. Both Finn and the diocese have pleaded not guilty and are set for trial in September.

"The Lynn sentence ... will embolden other prosecutors and deter other enablers," said Terry McKiernan, president of BishopAccountability.org, which tracks priest-abuse cases and believes more than 500 Catholic priests in the U.S. have been convicted of abuse.

"Until now, the enablers ? bishops, vicars general, vicars for clergy, and other chancery officials ? have shielded themselves from scrutiny and justice," McKiernan said. "Now that prison is a real possibility, church officials will feel much greater pressure to do the right thing."

___

Associated Press writer JoAnn Loviglio in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/advocate-pa-church-sentence-wake-call-063347041.html

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How to disable annoying Skype notification during a PowerPoint ...

During a PowerPoint presentation you don?t want distracting messages or notifications. It could be?extremely?annoying shameful if in the middle of an important?important business presentation to a group of investors for your new startup, your girlfriend sent a message through Skype saying something like ?baby, I am waiting for you. What time you come home?today??.

Well, in order to disable Skype notifications during a presentation, here are the steps to follow.

First, open Skype and look for the Tools menu. Here clicks in Options and then open Notifications tab.

Look for Send me a message checkbox and if you want to remove Skype notifications just uncheck the option. You can see an example how it works when someone sends you a message:

During a PowerPoint presentation the difference is that the Windows menu bar won?t appear and the notification will be more visible during the slideshow. So, we hope this article helped to learn how to disable Skype notification during a PowerPoint Slideshow. You can do the same for other distracting programs like Outlook or even Thunderbird, for example if you want to disable iCal during a presentation.?Windows Balloon Tips like Low Battery can also be removed during a slide show presentation as well as Google GTalk notifications.

Related posts:

1. How to share a PowerPoint presentation using Skype
2. Collaboration for online presentations and meeting using Skype
3. How to enable or disable add-ins in PowerPoint 2010
4. Ways to start a PowerPoint Slideshow
5. How to extract pictures from a PowerPoint slideshow or presentation
6. How to start a PowerPoint slideshow automatically

Source: http://www.free-power-point-templates.com/articles/how-to-disable-annoying-skype-notification-during-a-powerpoint-slideshow/

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A Far-Out Solar System That Looks Like Ours

From far enough away,, our solar system looks 2-D. All eight planets still orbit on nearly the same horizontal plane, which matches up with the plane of the sun's equator. It?s what makes our home system look like a flat, spinning disc, and also a sign that our system hasn?t experienced anything too chaotic since its formation more than 4 billion years ago.

Until now, many astronomers thought that comparatively few star systems end up looking like ours. The planet-hunting Kepler telescope has spotted many systems in which the arrangement of worlds is askew rather than orderly. But now, thanks to new research being published in the journal Nature this week, scientists say there might be many more star systems that look like ours.

The three planets of a star now called Kepler-30 all appear to be in orbit around their star on the same horizontal plane, according to Roberto Sanchis-Ojeda, the lead author on the study and a Ph.D. candidate at MIT. "The physical conditions of the new system are such that it looks pretty much like our system."

Bumpy Beginnings

The birth of a solar system can be a messy process. The forming star?s gravitational pull attracts dust, gas, and rock that form a ring around the newborn. After billions of years, the chaotic ring eventually starts to differentiate itself into the component parts of what we recognize as a solar system.

Round planets and oddly shaped asteroids carve out their own orbits in the newly formed planetary neighborhood. But usually, Sanchis-Ojeda says, the results aren?t perfectly clean. Maybe a few planets scatter to one side or fall into a different orbit. Sometimes, if two planets form close together, the larger world?s gravitational forces can push the weaker out of orbit or off track. A rogue asteroid or comet could quite literally knock a planet out of whack.

Turbulence rocked our own solar system in its early days. For instance, the most likely explanation for the moon?s origin is that a Mars-size world struck the forming Earth, expelling the material that coalesced into our satellite. Nevertheless, the forces that wreaked havoc on solar systems around the galaxy early in their lives seem to have left ours relatively unscathed?despite the dangers, we wound up with eight planets on a horizontal plane.

Looks Like Home

Sanchis-Ojeda and his team were on a mission to find solar systems shaped like ours. The researchers used Kepler data to pick out certain star systems that fit within their parameters. Specifically, they wanted to study close young active stars with plenty of starspots (the equivalent of sunspots but on another star). These cooler areas on the surfaces of a star can act as markers for where a star is in its rotation; if you see the same starspot twice, you know the star has completed a revolution. Even though these spots fade with time, they stick around long enough to get a good read on the spin of a young star.

Sanchis-Ojeda saw three planets in the Kepler-30 system cross in front of, or transit, the same starspot?one right after the other. This meant that either the planets just happened to line up at that lucky moment before continuing their orbits on different geometric planes, or they were formed like our solar system?from a horizontal ring of gas and space dust. Sanchis-Ojeda hoped for the latter.

His confirmation came when the planet closest to the star transited the same starspot twice in the time Kepler had its eye on the system. The second transit all but affirms that the three planets didn?t just align by chance during their dissimilar orbits, he says?they must be on the same plane.

Kepler-30 is particularly important because its planets spin at an angle we can see from Earth. Our perspective and the placement of the relatively close solar system match up, making it easier to observe the transits. Kepler-30 is also quite close to the sun in mass and radius.

More Out There

Drake Deming, a professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland and author of a commentary accompanying the new study, says the researcher?s methods for tracking planetary orbits could eventually become a new standard for planet hunters, especially those looking for more solar systems like ours in the Universe.

Before Kepler, most of the exoplanets discovered were hot Jupiters?huge gaseous planets that were usually orbiting their stars in wildly oblique patterns. Astrophysicists know a lot about these "hot Jupiter" systems because they were relatively easy to study without space-based telescopes like Kepler.

But now researchers are finding more evidence that multiplanet systems such as ours are far more common than the solitary gas giants. "New studies have shown that indeed only one out of every 100 stars have a hot Jupiter," Sanchis-Ojeda says. "There are many more small planets close to a host star."

Although the Kepler-30 planets probably don?t hold life?all three are too close to their home star?they represent another step closer to finding a solar system that might, Deming says. The next step could be a new NASA program that, if funded in the fall, would take Sanchis-Ojeda?s methods even further. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a Kepler-like satellite, but instead of focusing on a small sliver of the sky, TESS would survey the entire sky for nearby solar systems that could be similar to ours. "TESS would be an all-sky version of Kepler," Deming says. "We?ll have a better chance of finding nearby stars. It might be the future of exoplanetary science."

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/space/deep/a-far-out-solar-system-that-looks-like-ours-11016380?src=rss

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Retirement Planning Q&A | Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly ...

Think ahead and be ready for good times and bad.

Living the kind of retirement you?ve dreamed of doesn?t just happen. It?s takes lots of planning, and that means figuring out exactly what you want to do first. After that, it means asking a lot of questions to make sure you?ve prepared yourself properly.

Some experts in estate planning and retirement answer some frequently asked questions.

Who will make health care decisions for you if you become incapacitated?
Greta Roemer Lewis, a partner in the South Bend law firm of Tuesley Hall Konopa, has practiced law for 20 years. She specializes in estate planning and estate administration.

?It?s very important to plan for what happens in case of incapacity. Who makes the decisions if you can?t? Who makes healthcare decisions for you?

?You also need to look at what happens to your estate after death. Is there a will in place? A trust? What are the distribution provisions? Are your IRA beneficiaries consistent with the provisions of your estate?

Mak ing plans Decide in advance who will make decisions for you if you become unable.

?I find planning for these kinds of things is very individualized. Some people just can?t deal with it. Some don?t want to talk about it but get forced into it because of emergency circumstances. There are a variety of reactions to that question when I ask it.

?I?ve found a lot of people work because they have to, and I see a lot of people who do amazing things. They volunteer in the community and stay active. That?s the thing I hear the most. The myth is you retire and go away.

?You need to be thoughtful of what you want to do. Planning sets a foundation. I typically spend a lot of my time counseling. I tell everyone it?s important to keep things updated and keep them current.?

What are the most important financial decisions you need to make for retirement?
Dale Parkison is a certified public accountant and a partner with the accounting firm Parkison & Hinton in LaPorte.

?The question I hear most is how much money do I need to retire? It?s very difficult to answer. Are you the type of person who needs a new car every year? Do you want to travel? Do you want to stay in LaPorte? The answer to those questions will have a lot to say about how much you need.

?A minimum amount is what people are looking for. Most people receive their retirement pay at age 66, starting with Social Security. What else have you saved? Do you have a pension? A 401(k)? What else do you have to draw upon or sell?

?I?ve found that very few are shooting for a number like $1 million. Ideally, you need to start planning at age 20, but the final answer is an equation that has so many variables.
?I don?t do what is normal retirement planning. I sit and talk. I don?t say you need X amount of dollars. For instance, if you hung your hat on CDs, you?re in bad shape right now.

?I find a lot of people continue to work after Social Security starts; some people never stop working. When Social Security was set up, the average male lived to be 66. Now, the average male lives to 79. You?ve got a lot of time to sit around and watch ?Oprah? if you want to.

?For a lot of people, it?s a different phase of life. If they want to help a kid, or become a custodian at their church, or like one guy I know, give flying lessons, there?s time to do that now. Ten years ago I would have said all of them would want to retire early, but since 9/11 and the economic downturn, things have changed. People want choices and they don?t want to be forced into retirement. They want to do the things they want to do.?

What?s the one single piece of advice you would give to someone who is about to retire?
George Carberry is managing partner in the Valparaiso law firm of Burke Costanza & Carberry LLP. His specialty is business law with an emphasis on health care law.

?Typically I would not talk about somebody?s assets. If you?re going to invest with three, four or five years left before retirement, I wouldn?t get into how much cash you?ll need.

?For me, the most important thing is ensuring your paperwork is in order. I want to assure that your pre-mortem and post-mortem planning documents are up to date. Have you designated a power of attorney and a health care power of attorney? Do you have a living will? Is there a funeral planning declaration? That?s a document that designates someone to handle your funeral arrangements for you.

?Make sure those documents are in good order and enforceable in another state if you?re moving to Florida, Arizona or Colorado. Usually they are, but it?s a good idea to make sure. Also make sure your will and trust, if you have one, are up to date, and accurately specify how your assets are to be disposed. Make sure the beneficiary designations you made in years past are still current.

?Take a look at your IRA, 401(k) accounts, life insurance or annuity policies. You designate beneficiaries while you?re working, but as life goes on you get distracted. Sometimes your life changes and maybe you?re no longer married. That?s really where the germ of my advice would be.

?One of the questions I get asked so much is, ?If I do these documents, are they going to be valid in another state?? It?s a good idea to make sure what the local custom in that other state is, so when you present those documents in another state, they are prepared properly.

?The vast majority of my estate planning clients are not planning any retirement in their mid-60s. They take it as a given they will be working later. Some of them have been kicked to the curb because of a reduction in force, but people generally think they will be working longer. I think they realize that playing golf or tennis 12 hours a day isn?t feasible.

?Some clients are concerned the government is going to get some of their assets upon their death. I tell them the federal and state tax isn?t as much of a factor now for people with less than $5 million in assets.

?I do have clients with some charitable intentions. We talk about the best way to make those things happen. Do you want to do it in your lifetime or when you?re gone, or both? Part of my job is to develop their thinking. A lot of times people are unsure and haven?t thought about things like what if a child predeceases you but she has children. Does her share go to them or is it divided among your other children? It helps to have a good idea before you see the professional.?

What?s the best advice you can offer for peace of mind in retirement?
Keith Wolak is head of the wealth and tax segment of the Valparaiso law firm Hoeppner Wagner & Evans, LLP. He is a lawyer and certified public accountant and has been with HWE since 1998. Wolak is certified in Indiana as a trust and estate lawyer.

?Retirement is more of a financial question than estate planning. I work with clients to help them organize and make sure they have the proper documents?a will or an advanced directive. The more pressing issue is making sure their ducks are in a row.

?I?ve had clients ask me, ?Am I ready for retirement?? We?re dealing with asset transference. How do I make sure you protect your assets and have control of those assets for the longest period of time? My discipline, which is estate planning, helps clients look for tax advantages and places to retain control of their destiny. We help them put in a safety net in the form of an advanced directive for financial and health decisions into the hands of the people they want.

?Twenty years out might seem to be too soon to start planning, but there could be a life event that could benefit from planning. That is something everybody should look at.

?You should not ask so much will I have the money, but will I have control. People like to put joint owners on accounts instead of listing power of attorney, but that can restrict control. Decisions like that have an impact. Proper estate planning will make sure control is maintained.

?Someone 20 years out might have the resources for planning but there are some without the resources. They might need to think about creating an estate with a life insurance policy or take some other steps to make sure final expenses will be taken care of. You need to think about these long before mortality stares them in the face.

?Organize what is going on around you. If your assets are so spread out and disjointed, it makes it more difficult to fit the pieces together, and that could cause extra probate expenses. Take a snapshot of where you are, then organize what you have to make sure your plan and objectives are coordinated.?

What are some of the steps that need to be taken to make sure you live the kind of retirement you want?
Connie Bauswell is the principal at the Law Office of Connie Bauswell in Valparaiso and Schererville. A graduate of the University of Dallas and the Indiana University School of Law, Bauswell is a Valparaiso native and a certified elder law attorney.

?My best advice is not to just plan for retirement when you?re well, but to plan in case you?re ill or disabled. Not many people want to think about death or disability or the what ifs, but those are very import.

?Life is a journey along a line that starts at birth and goes through adulthood. As we mature, we go farther down that line, and when we do, statistically things are going to happen. Our bodies might start failing us. Our minds might start failing us. We will all start experiencing those kinds of events. How are you going to live if you get sick?

?Long term care is expensive. On average, the stay in a nursing home is 2 years, and 50 percent of us will spend time there. Most people don?t plan for it. At the age of 85, incidents of dementia start showing up, and even folks younger can experience dementia of one sort or another.

?If you develop dementia, you need to look at how to privately pay for it. Do you have enough private money, or do you need some type of planning to obtain governmental funding for it?

?I?m not trying to sell a product. When I ask if someone has long-term-care insurance, most clients don?t have it. It?s either too expensive or they wait until they?re too sick to get it. It?s a choice. Some cannot afford it and some can afford it and choose not to get it.?

?Rick A. Richards

Source: http://www.nwibq.com/a-e/retirement-planning-qa/

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