Cow Parade continues to raise funds for charity

One of the famous CowParade cows, which have travelled the world as part of an international public art exhibition, has returned to Edinburgh as an interactive piece of public artwork, and to generate funds for a Scottish children's charity.

Previously the cows were adorned with the work of professional and local artists. Now this cow will now act as a blank canvas for the public to use. Visitors to the interactive art event on St Andrews Square can pay a small fee to have their hand print painted on the body of the cow, with all the money raised from hand print sales being donated to CHAS, the Scottish children's hospice society.

At the end of the event organisers Breeze Galleries will then auction the cow to the highest bidder, with the money again going to CHAS.

Bob Corsie, founder of Breeze Gallery, said: "It is great to see one of the CowParade cows back here in Edinburgh and it?s been a real hit with visitors so far, who are all keen to leave their mark on this great piece of art.

"There are over 200 handprints on the cow so far making it look rather colourful, but there is plenty of space for more and I look forward to seeing the final creation once the event is over."

Live Art At The Festival is running until Sunday 2 September on St Andrews Square.

www.breeze-gallery.co.uk

Source: http://www.fundraising.co.uk/news/2012/08/31/cow-parade-continues-raise-funds-charity

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Battle over pension debt looms in San Bernardino bankruptcy

San Bernardino, a city of about 210,000 near Los Angeles that filed for bankruptcy on August 1, has listed the California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers) as its largest creditor, with unfunded pension obligations totaling $143.3 million. But Calpers, in response to an inquiry from Reuters, pegged the debt at $319.5 million.

Experts say the dramatically different calculations of San Bernardino's debt to Calpers will likely lead to litigation between the two entities, unless the city quickly agrees to the retirement system's figure.

Calpers is the largest pension system in the U.S. and serves many California cities and counties, including the city of Stockton, which is also in bankruptcy. It has long argued that pension contributions cannot be touched even in a bankruptcy.

But firms that insure municipal bonds have strenuously objected to the idea that pension payments should come ahead of bond payments. They have already gone to court on the issue in Stockton and are expected to do the same in San Bernardino.

The outcome of how Calpers and bondholders are treated as creditors in the two cities' bankruptcies - and whether Calpers receives preferential treatment - will have broad implications for local governments around the country that are struggling to balance their budgets amid soaring employee retirement costs.

The day after San Bernardino's filing the city's mayor, Patrick Morris, told Reuters the city was bankrupt because it was buried under pension debt.

San Bernardino's unfunded obligation to Calpers is the amount the city would have to pay to the organization to cover all current and future pension obligations if the city had to settle those overnight.

At the request of Reuters, Calpers analyzed its database and said that San Bernardino's unfunded obligations to the agency were more that double the city's assessment - $319.5 million.

Calpers's figure was split between $187.1 million for the pension costs of San Bernardino's safety workers - essentially its police and firefighters - and $132.4 million for the city's non-safety workforce.

A Calpers official said it appears that San Bernardino had used an "actuarial" value in determining its unfunded pension obligation, while the pension fund said it uses the current market value to make its calculation.

An actuarial value is a long-term, projected calculation that factors in predicted value of assets, potential future returns on investments and other economic data in determining what a city's pension obligation will be.

Officials at Calpers insist that the correct method to use for the purposes of the bankruptcy filing is the much higher "market value" calculation.

Karol Denniston, a San Francisco lawyer who helped draft California's bankruptcy process law, said whatever method San Bernardino and Calpers used to calculate pension obligations, the fact they are so wildly different spelled trouble.

When it comes to negotiating pension costs during the bankruptcy, Denniston said, "if Calpers views the number that differently, that is going to be an impediment to any sort of settlement. That claim amount will get litigated."

Morris, San Bernardino's mayor, agreed. "There will be trouble if you can't agree on the basic facts," he said.

Morris referred Reuters to the city's finance office for an explanation of how it reached its pension cost figure. Repeated calls there, and to the city manager's office, were not returned. Calls to the bankruptcy attorney representing the city also went unanswered.

The two California bankruptcy cases are being closely watched by investors and markets. They will be major test cases of whether cities in financial trouble can be allowed to renege on their bond debt and pension obligations - and in what order.

Richard Larkin, senior vice president and director of credit analysis at bond underwriting firm HJ Sims, said he expects bondholders to take on Calpers in the case of San Bernardino, which could lead to large scale litigation.

"As a bondholder, I'm going to want to keep other creditors' numbers as low as possible," Larkin said. "The other creditors are going to try and overturn Calpers's claim. I would say Calpers's calculations are wrong."

Litigation between Calpers and San Bernardino's other creditors, especially bondholders, was likely, Larkin said, because the case will have huge implications and set precedent for any future city bankruptcies.

Already in Stockton, two bond insurers are arguing that the city's failure to ask for concessions from Calpers showed the city had not negotiated in good faith with other creditors and its bankruptcy request should not be granted because it does not touch pensions.

In a statement, Calpers argued that California law dictates that it be given "priority" over bond creditors and that municipalities must meet their obligations to the pension system in full.

"Simply put, Calpers is an arm of the State of California and different laws apply to the relationship between Calpers and a municipality," Calpers said.

"Although bondholders and bond insurers have argued that they are 'similarly situated' with Calpers and its members, this is not true."

John Moorlach, chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and one of the officials who oversaw that California county's bankruptcy in 1994 - at the time the largest U.S. county to go bankrupt - said bondholders would be "nuts" not to take on Calpers now.

"The bondholders have got to take on Calpers," Moorlach said. "If they don't Calpers will just run them over."

(Reporting By Tim Reid; Editing by Jonathan Weber and Phil Berlowitz)

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20120830/battle-over-pension-debt-looms-in-san-bernardino-bankruptcy.htm

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Motorola trying to patent smart ads in navigation apps

There are few places left in this world safe from advertising. Your apps have em, your train is plastered with them (inside and out), even your premium video subscription service pelts you with sales pitches. So, why should getting from one place to another be any different? Motorola (and, we suppose by extension, Google) doesn't see any reason it shouldn't feed you ads while you're navigating about, using your phone's turn-by-turn directions app. Of course, all these ads would be tailored specifically to your tastes and locale. Obviously, there might be something to the idea of popping up small and unobtrusive alerts for nearby businesses -- maybe even ones you didn't known existed. But, when you're trying to navigate a busy roundabout or a confusing set of on-ramps (we're looking at you, New Jersey), perhaps it's best not to crowd your vision with popups for Mabel's MuumuuMart.

Filed under: Cellphones, GPS, Software, Mobile

Motorola trying to patent smart ads in navigation apps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/30/motorola-trying-to-patent-smart-ads-in-navigation-apps/

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2003 champ Roddick says he'll retire after US Open

Andy Roddick speaks during a news conference during the second round of play at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, in New York. Roddick says the U.S. Open will be the last tournament of his career. The 2003 U.S. Open champion and former No. 1 announced his plans to retire at a news conference Thursday, his 30th birthday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Andy Roddick speaks during a news conference during the second round of play at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, in New York. Roddick says the U.S. Open will be the last tournament of his career. The 2003 U.S. Open champion and former No. 1 announced his plans to retire at a news conference Thursday, his 30th birthday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Andy Roddick speaks during a news conference during the second round of play at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012, in New York. Roddick says the U.S. Open will be the last tournament of his career. The 2003 U.S. Open champion and former No. 1 announced his plans to retire at a news conference Thursday, his 30th birthday.(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2003, file photo, Andy Roddick, of the United States, holds the trophy after his 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero to win the men's final at the US Open tennis tournament in New York. The 2003 U.S. Open champion and former No. 1-ranked player surprisingly announced his plans to retire at a news conference at Flushing Meadows on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2012, his 30th birthday. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2003, file photo, Andy Roddick, of the USA, kisses his trophy after his 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero to win the men's final at the US Open tennis tournament in New York. The 2003 U.S. Open champion and former No. 1-ranked player surprisingly announced his plans to retire at a news conference at Flushing Meadows on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2012, his 30th birthday. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

Andy Roddick returns a shot to Rhyne Williams in the first round of play at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Andy Roddick's tennis career will close at the U.S. Open, the site of his biggest triumph.

The 2003 champion at Flushing Meadows and former No. 1-ranked player decided to walk away from the sport whenever his U.S. Open ends, making the surprise announcement at a news conference on Thursday, his 30th birthday.

"I'll make this short and sweet: I've decided that this is going to be my last tournament," said Roddick, wearing a black T-shirt and baseball cap with his clothing sponsor's logos.

"I just feel like it's time. I don't know that I'm healthy enough or committed enough to go another year," he said. "I've always wanted to, in a perfect world, finish at this event."

The 20th-seeded Roddick is scheduled to play 19-year-old Bernard Tomic of Australia in the second round Friday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"I think I wanted an opportunity to say goodbye to people, as well. I don't know how tomorrow's going to go, and I hope it goes well, and I'm sticking around," Roddick said.

He was, by turns, in reflective and joking moods while speaking to reporters about his decision.

"If I do run into some emotions tomorrow or in four days, I don't want people to think I'm a little unstable. Or more unstable," Roddick said with a chuckle. "So that's why I came to this decision."

His title in New York nine years ago was the last time an American man won a Grand Slam singles title, and Roddick spoke wistfully ? as he often has in the past ? about coming to the U.S. Open with his parents as a present when he turned 8.

He said he's "been thinking about (retirement) for a little bit," and knew for sure that the time now after his 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 first-round victory over 21-year-old American Rhyne Williams on Tuesday.

"I've thought all year that I would know when I got to this tournament," he said, "and when I played the first round, I knew."

In addition to winning his U.S. Open trophy, Roddick also played in four other Grand Slam finals ? three at Wimbledon and one at the U.S. Open, losing to 17-time major champion Roger Federer each time. That included a 16-14 defeat in the fifth set at the All England Club in 2009, when Roddick was saluted by spectators who chanted his name at the end of the match.

Buoyed by a booming serve ? he used to hold the record of 155 mph ? and big forehand, Roddick is 610-212 (a .742 winning percentage) with 32 titles, including two this year at Atlanta and Eastbourne, England. He also helped the United States end a 12-year David Cup drought by winning the 2007 title.

"Look, he's been our best player for many, many years. Do we love to have a guy like that out there? Sure. Was it great that he's American? Sure," said U.S. Tennis Association CEO Gordon Smith. "We could use another dozen Andy Roddicks, and we're grateful for all he's meant to American tennis, to the Davis Cup, to the U.S. Open."

Roddick's announcement came one day after four-time major champion Kim Clijsters played the last singles match of her career, a second-round loss to Laura Robson at Flushing Meadows.

"I haven't done this before. I'm sure it'll be very emotional. I'm sure I'll still be nervous," Roddick said, looking ahead to facing Tomic. "I don't know."

He's been dealing with a series of injuries over the past few seasons, and in February dropped out of the top 20, then slid to No. 34 in March, his lowest ranking since 2001.

A hurt right hamstring forced Roddick to retire during his second-round match at the Australian Open in January, and he lost in the first round at the French Open and third round at Wimbledon.

"With the way my body feels, with the way that I'm able to feel like I'm able to compete now, I don't know that it's good enough," Roddick explained. "I don't know that I've ever been someone who's interested in 'existing' on tour. I have a lot of interests and a lot of other things that excite me. I'm looking forward to those."

He mentioned the youth tennis and learning center that his foundation is building in his hometown of Austin, Texas, and a radio show he appears on.

The latter would seem to be a natural second career for Roddick, known for a sharp, often sarcastic, wit. He's never been shy about showing his emotions on the court ? whether tossing a racket or insulting a chair umpire or line judge ? or sharing his opinions off it.

Roddick grew up in the spotlight and the world watched him morph from a brash, Gen-X kid with plenty of 'tude to something of an elder statesman in the game.

He has spoken out about tennis players perhaps needing a union to fight for their rights the way athletes in U.S. team sports do, and he emerged as a mentor to younger Americans.

Up-and-coming players such as Sam Querrey and Ryan Harrison have thanked Roddick publicly for his help, whether it's offering advice about dealing with life on tour or inviting them to come train with him in Austin.

"I was a little shocked. I think he kept it a very good secret," the 20-year-old Harrison said about Roddick's retirement.

"Honestly, there were a lot of things he taught me, but probably the most important thing on the tennis front was the consistency of every day ? every day, working, being out there, putting in time and effort. It's 100 percent. ... If you're going to do it halfway, there's no point in doing it at all. That's what he taught me," Harrison added. "That's what he's done throughout his career and that's what he's all about."

Constantly confronted with questions about why his generation wasn't as successful as previous groups of American men ? like Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in the 1990s, or John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors before that ? Roddick did his best to keep adapting his game to try to keep up with Federer, in particular, as well as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

He improved his fitness. He added a better backhand. He worked on his volleys.

Eventually, though, he found it too hard to stay at the level he once reached.

"I don't know that I want to disrespect the game by coasting home," Roddick said. "I had plans to play a smaller schedule next year. But the more I thought about it, I think you've either got to be all in or not. That's more kind of the way I've chosen to do things."

___

Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

___

AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-08-30-TEN-US-Open-Roddick-Retires/id-0039fee1b61148dd8dd6e5ced609052d

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Steve Jobs' legacy: Best still to come from Apple | Kuwait Times

Steve Jobs resigned as chief executive of Apple on the evening of August 24, 2011, six weeks before he lost his long battle against pancreatic cancer. But his ideas live on in the iconic technology company he co-founded in a garage.

?I believe Apple?s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it,? Jobs wrote in his open resignation letter as, with a heavy heart, he was forced by ill-health to relinquish his leadership of Apple. Debilitated by the long fight with cancer, his body was no longer able to cope with the daily stress of running a multi-national that had just eclipsed oil giant Exxon Mobil as the publicly traded company with the world?s biggest market valuation.

Spurred by the success of the iPhone, Apple has gone on to become the most valuable company in the history of stock markets. This week, Apple?s surging sales and new products on the horizon propelled the company?s value to 624 billion dollars, topping Microsoft?s 1999 record market capitalization at the height of the internet bubble. Hollywood could not have scripted Apple?s history better.

The college dropout Jobs builds one of the first home computers in a garage with friend Steve Wozniak. The company grows quickly, but a rift in management leads to Jobs? ouster from his own company in 1985. In 1997, with Apple facing oblivion in the face of rival Microsoft?s dominant Windows operating system, Jobs returns as the saviour, redesigning the once-revolutionary Macintosh computer as the iMac and making it cool once again.

The first glimpse of Jobs? greater goal emerges with the success of the iPod digital music players, and Apple?s iTimes ushers the company into the business of marketing music and later films and books. Apple is now more than a simple computer manufacturer.? The first iPhone was introduced in 2007. Initially laughed at by competitors such as Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer, Apple turned the entire mobile-phone market upside down with its smartphone.

The iPhone?s touch screen quickly became standard, and industry giants such as Nokia and Blackberry-maker Research In Motion began to shudder at the market power of Apple. PC manufacturers learned to fear Apple in 2010 when the company launched the iPad. Rather than trying to claw back long-lost market share in the computer industry that he helped pioneer, Jobs innovated PCs into obsolescence and positioned Apple to dominate the next big thing: mobile computing.

Apple is still reaping the profits from the ideas and decisions of its founder, with the iPhone raking in profits while the iPad is the growth engine. Yet new Apple chief Tim Cook has managed to step out of the shadow of his long-time mentor. While Jobs often ruled like an emperor in his kingdom, Cook has made the company more transparent.

Cook heeded criticism of work conditions for employees of Apple?s Chinese suppliers, putting in place reforms at the company?s manufacturing contractors. He has listened to calls from shareholders for the payment of a dividend and did a u-turn after coming under fire for dropping out of an environmental rating system. By comparison, Jobs was famous for letting such pressure simply bounce off him.

Since Cook took the helm at Apple, the company?s value has doubled to more than 600 million dollars. Investors will speculate over the coming months about the new iPhone, a smaller iPad and a broader entry by Apple into the television business.? ?We simply remain true to our basic principles and build the best products,? Cook said recently. ?And because we are doing that, we are convinced that good times lie ahead for us.? ? dpa

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Source: http://news.kuwaittimes.net/2012/08/30/steve-jobs-legacy-best-still-to-come-from-apple/

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Sustainable construction: Waste wanted | Eco-Business.com

The Supertrees at Singapore's Gardens by the Bay are made with Holcim high strength green concrete for a reduced carbon footprint. Image: Eco-Business.

The construction industry is scrambling to find sustainable building materials for Asia?s booming cities, and companies are now competing for industrial waste to replace some of the natural resources they consume, say experts.

In Singapore, the lack of natural resources and growing demand for green buildings are driving the hunt for alternative building materials, and several concrete manufacturers have turned to a limited supply of recycled materials and industrial by-products.

One manufacturer that has done so is Holcim Singapore, a subsidiary of the Swiss-headquartered Holcim Group.

?We look for win-win solutions that offer immediate value and provide a commercial advantage,? said managing director Sujit Ghosh in an interview at the firm?s recently opened Centre of Excellence.

Holcim established the new centre with support from Singapore?s Economic Development Board. Its aim is to take products at the research and development stage and turn them into commercial products saleable in Asian market.

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Holcim is no stranger to using recycled materials in its products. In 2007, prompted by the sand crisis (see sidebar), Holcim started using waste collected from Singapore?s shipping industry in the making of its concrete. But first, it had to convince the regulator, Building and Construction Authority (BCA), that such material was safe enough to be allowed in building codes, noted Dr Ghosh.

The new concrete, called Holcim Green, was made from recycled granite from old buildings. Part of the sand needed in the process was also replaced with processed copper slag used by shipyards to clean ships.

Holcim obtained its copper slag by setting up a joint venture with local waste processing firm ecoWise in 2008, but the 400,000 tonnes that Singapore?s shipyards discard annually is only enough for about one month of the manufacturer?s concrete production.

The company produces about 1.5 million cubic metres of concrete each year, of which 5 to 10 per cent is certified green concrete.

Now that copper slag and other alternative materials - such as debris from building demolitions ? have been approved by building regulators, competition for those resources is increasing, said Dr Ghosh.

The firm is currently finalizing plans to use waste materials from Singapore?s waste incinerators, known as incinerator bottom ash.

This waste, of up to half a million tonnes each year, would otherwise end up in the Republic?s only landfill. Semakau Landfill is located off-shore and is currently under expansion so that it can continue to receive waste through at least 2045.

Home-grown Samwoh Group, which specializes in road building and also makes certified green ready-mixed concrete, is another manufacturer recycling waste back into building supplies.

The firm has two plants in Singapore that recycle asphalt and concrete from construction projects.? In 2010, it also built the Samwoh Eco-Green Building following a joint study with BCA and Singapore?s Nanyang Technological University to prove the safety of buildings using high percentages of recycled content. The building was the first in the region to use 100 per cent recycled ingredients for the concrete aggregate, which is the material added to cement and water to make the final product.

A shortage of waste

Holcim?s Dr Ghosh said that if there was an unlimited supply of recycled materials and by-products, the industry could easily replace half of the virgin materials it consumes without affecting the quality of the concrete. However, the available supply of copper slag, construction debris and incinerator bottom ash combined provides only a fraction ? about 10 per cent ? ?of the material Singapore?s building industry needs for concrete, he noted.

?Asia is not going to decrease its insatiable demand to build, so we need to figure out how we can do more with less,? said Dr Ghosh.

To reduce the demand for concrete from the construction industry, Holcim developed an eco-friendly high strength concrete that can decrease the amount of material needed for building projects by up to 50 per cent.

Two years ago, Holcim again worked with BCA to amend building codes that allow the use of high strength concrete, which was already used in Europe and Japan.

Since then, the firm has seen increased interest from builders that want to lower their carbon footprint and increase available floor area by using less bulky concrete structures, noted Dr Ghosh.

He predicted that over the next five years, the company?s high strength concrete could grow to 20 to 30 per cent of its overall production now that BCA is encouraging the use of such materials to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings.

While green concrete and green building designs are important to reducing the building industry?s environmental impacts, they are only part of the solution, he said.

The industry has done a good job focusing on design and energy efficiency, but has only just begun to map out the overall environmental impacts of the construction process, he explained.

He has seen some progress, including growing emphasis on productivity and sustainable materials, and better sorting of demolition debris. Three years ago, contractors sent stones from demolition sites to the landfill with the rest of the debris, but now they are all reused, he noted.

However, Dr Ghosh said building developers will need a bigger push, possibly in the form of a carbon price, to fully address the impacts of a project from start to finish.

Source: http://www.eco-business.com/features/sustainable-construction-waste-wanted/

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Merkel in control despite allies' Greek cacophony

FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2012 file photo German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Prime Minister of Greece Antonis Samaras, right, shake hands after a joint news conference as part of a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. Merkel wants the Greeks to keep the euro. Her vice chancellor says it wouldn't be so bad if they abandoned the common currency. Another ally says Greece should leave the euro club within months. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2012 file photo German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Prime Minister of Greece Antonis Samaras, right, shake hands after a joint news conference as part of a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. Merkel wants the Greeks to keep the euro. Her vice chancellor says it wouldn't be so bad if they abandoned the common currency. Another ally says Greece should leave the euro club within months. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

FILE - In this April 21, 2012 file photo general secretary of the Bavarian Christian Social Union, CSU, Alexander Dobrindt and Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer share a word in Andechs, southern Germany. Dobrindt was quoted as telling the mass-circulation Bild am Sonntag newspaper that "there is no way past a Greek exit from the eurozone" and added: "I see Greece outside the eurozone in 2013." (AP Photo/dapd, Lennart Preiss)

FILE - In this Dec. 16, 2011 file photo German Chancellor Angela Merkel from the Christian Democrats, right, and Vice Chancellor Philipp Roesler from the Free Democrats listen to the debate at the parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Germany. Merkel wants the Greeks to keep the euro. Her vice chancellor says it wouldn't be so bad if they abandoned the common currency. Another ally says Greece should leave the euro club within months. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

BERLIN (AP) ? Chancellor Angela Merkel wants the Greeks to keep the euro. Her vice chancellor says it wouldn't be so bad if they abandoned the common currency. Another ally says Greece should leave the euro club within months.

Merkel's image abroad may be that of Europe's determined taskmaster, but at home the picture has long been less clear: Her coalition government has become notorious for infighting over a range of issues. At first glance, the cacophony over Greece fits that picture ? but it shouldn't be mistaken for policy drift.

The chancellor still appears in control of the delicate balancing act she has performed for two years: to help struggling countries that accept tough budget cuts and reforms while convincing Germans she is defending their interests ? and wallets.

This week, a prominent lawmaker from a party allied with Merkel made headlines when he declared that Greece should leave the eurozone in 2013 ? flatly contradicting Merkel. His party backed down from such talk after she said in a television interview that politicians should "weigh their words."

Her personal popularity and reassuringly level-headed image, along with the opposition's reluctance so far to pick a serious fight, still give her room for maneuver against domestic pressure and foreign governments anxious for Germany to bail out weaker European economies.

Manfred Guellner, head of the Forsa polling agency, said that "people appreciate Merkel and in the end go along with her course" in hopes that the economic problems gripping much of Europe won't affect their lives.

Merkel's government insisted on tough conditions in return for German, and European, support for eurozone strugglers such as Greece and the two other countries that have received bailouts, Ireland and Portugal. With borrowing costs for Italy and Spain worryingly high, more such aid is likely to lie ahead.

Her diligence in demanding budget cuts and structural reforms as the price for German aid may be unpopular in Greece or Italy but it plays well among German voters.

"I think Merkel, whatever she does, will get a majority because the (opposition) Social Democrats and Greens also have to be statesmanlike," he said.

Merkel hasn't come close yet to losing any parliamentary vote on eurozone rescue measures. Although more than 20 coalition lawmakers voted in June against setting up a permanent European rescue fund, she had solid support in the 620-member parliament, with much of the opposition in favor.

The three-year-old coalition of Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union, its Bavarian sister, the Christian Social Union, and the pro-market Free Democrats has squabbled endlessly and inconclusively over issues as diverse as tax cuts, privacy laws and highway tolls.

The bickering extends to policy regarding the European debt crisis.

But on Europe, there's a key difference in that the center-right alliance agrees on the broad outline: It's united by distaste for pooling Germany's debt with that of southern strugglers and of making open-ended commitments to help them with economically sound Germany's check book. The opposition ? as well as many private economists ? argues for pooling debt.

Coalition lawmakers broadly agree that Greece shouldn't have more aid money on top of the two ?240 billion ($300 billion) bailout packages of which Germany has been a key financier and that Athens shouldn't be given more time to meet its reform commitments.

Bailing out Greece was never popular in Germany, and frustration with Athens is rising.

Raising questions over Greece's future in the euro offers hopes of political gain to some in Germany's two junior coalition parties, which both face domestic political challenges, though Guellner cautioned that "no party in Germany has ever been able to score points with the euro and the issue of Europe."

The Free Democrats won nearly 15 percent of the vote in Germany's 2009 election, but have slumped to around the 5 percent needed to win seats in Parliament ? a contrast with the solid ratings of Merkel's CDU, which consistently leads polls.

Their leader, Vice Chancellor Philipp Roesler, has struggled to turn around their fortunes.

Roesler irked Merkel last fall by talking about the possibility of an "orderly insolvency" for Greece, ignoring heavy hints from the chancellor to drop the subject.

This summer, he said a Greek exit from the euro had "lost its horror." Roesler didn't explicitly call for Greece to leave and Merkel let that pass without comment.

She clearly wasn't amused, however, by a new broadside from the CSU that comes as it prepares for important local elections in Bavaria next year.

Just a day after Merkel asserted, while standing next to Greece's prime minister, that she wants Greece to stay in the eurozone and that others in the coalition do as well, CSU general secretary Alexander Dobrindt was quoted as telling the mass-circulation Bild am Sonntag newspaper that "there is no way past a Greek exit from the Eurozone." He added: "I see Greece outside the Eurozone in 2013."

Merkel shot back that people should take care what they say in a "very decisive phase" of the financial crisis.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-08-30-Germany-Merkel's%20Muddle/id-70f8a665b33c4764a4eb4ecb82d207ae

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Gender bias in leading scientific journals

ScienceDaily (Aug. 30, 2012) ? Fewer women than men are asked to write in the leading scientific journals. That is established by two researchers from Lund University in Sweden, who criticise the gender bias.

In the 30 August issue of Nature, researchers have published an article showing that a much lower percentage of women than men are invited to write articles in News & Views in Nature and Perspectives in Science.

"We believe that fewer women than men are offered the career boost of invitation-only authorship in each of the two leading science journals," says Daniel Conley, a researcher at Lund University.

The consequences are that women are not as visible as men and are not provided the same opportunities for career advancement. The loss of women in science constitutes a brain drain for society.

When Nature was criticized in 2005 for offering too few women the opportunity to write for the Insight section, Nature increased the proportion of women authors.

"Gender parity can be achieved if Nature and Science are willing to make the effort to include more women in their invitation-only sections" says Johanna Stadmark, also from Lund University.

Conley and Stadmark conclude that equality within scientific research has increased in recent decades and that women today in many ways have the same opportunities as men to work within this field. However, they still believe that there is more to be done.

"Examination of the proportion of men and women who are invited to participate in all areas of science, whether it is as an invited speaker, a workshop participant, or for Science and Nature, is only good scientific practice" adds Daniel Conley.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Lund University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Daniel Conley, Johanna Stadmark. Gender matters: A call to commission more women writers. Nature, 2012; 488 (7413): 590 DOI: 10.1038/488590a

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/gW7__HSa_yw/120830102851.htm

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Romney, Obama plans on college costs differ

This is the second story of an 11-article series leading up to the Nov. 6 presidential election that will break down the issues dominating political debates. Check back next Thursday for our segment on equal rights.

In a world where most young adults are expected to attend college after graduating high school, 75 percent of the public has said it?s too expensive for most Americans to afford, and 57 percent of the public has said college doesn?t provide students with a good value for the money spent, according to a study by Pew Research.

Both Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama think the cost of higher education is unacceptable.

At Ohio State, the price of tuition has increased 3.5 percent for the past two academic years, making it an overall 7 percent increase. With the cost of student loans increasing, attending even an in-state public university is becoming unaffordable for many.

Virginia Layton, university director and bursar of OSU?s Office of Financial Services, said about 40 percent of OSU students depend on student loans to help cover the costs of education.

In Obama?s most recent visit to Columbus, he spoke primarily on the subject of student loans to a crowd at Capital University Aug. 21. On a university campus, he told students that he, like them, had experience paying back student loan debt, and that something needed to be done to make college more affordable.

?Both of us (him and Michelle Obama) graduated from law school with a mound of debt. When we got married, we got poor together,? he said. ?We paid more on our student loans than we did on our mortgage and that went on for years.?

Even with the high cost and burden of payments, Obama reminded students how important going to college is in finding a good job.

?Your education is the single most important investment you can make for your future,? Obama said. ?This is about more than your own success, because now more than ever, your own success is America?s success.?

During his time in office, Obama said he has worked to raise K-12 standards so students are better prepared for college and to make financing more affordable.

About 363,000 students received Pell Grants in Ohio in 2010, and more than 44,000 of those were in Columbus, according to campaign statistics.

On Wednesday Obama participated in a live-thread conversation on reddit, a social news website. The website drew in so many visitors that the site crashed.

Saturday, Romney spoke in Powell, Ohio, a suburb about 30 minutes from campus, but he did not talk about student loans. However, during a March visit to the University of Chicago, Romney said Democrats were not looking out for the welfare of college-age adults.

?I don?t see how a young American can vote for, well, can vote for a Democrat,? Romney said in March.

According to the Romney campaign website, ?all students should have the opportunity to attend a college that best suits their needs. Whether it is public or private, traditional or online, college must be available and affordable.?

Both Obama and Romney say people should believe that something can, and must be done about the affordability of a college education.

During his term as governor of Massachusetts, Romney increased access to charter schools for K-12 students so students could have the opportunity to attend better schools, according to his campaign website. The move has been criticized by some Democrats, afraid that low-performing schools would be abandoned.

?If you have a failing school you should be given the option to go somewhere else ? President Obama believes in pouring money into failing schools,? said Niraj Antani, communication director for the OSU College Republicans.

Romney officially became the Republican nominee this week after securing enough delegates at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.

During his visit to Capital, Obama talked about how students should take advantage of Pell grants, student loans and work-study programs. However, many believe that if the U.S. doesn?t lower the national debt, many of these programs will have to be cut.

?If you don?t get your huge spending under control ? it?ll be (what) we have to eliminate,? said Drew Stroemple, president of the OSU College Republicans. ?If we wanna keep these little programs around that are important to people, then we have to.?

Richard Stoddard, vice president of Government Affairs at OSU, said it likely isn?t a question of if education programs will be cut, it?s a matter of how.

?We are watching all this as you are, and the things that we are concerned with are student loans and student programs ? and another big one for the university for research funding,? he said. ?All those issues are up for grabs in the sense of will that change.?

He said that in addressing the debt issue, education funding could be seen as something easier to cut than other departments.

?The money that comes for higher education, whether that?s for research or financial aid, is in the discretionary part of the budget,? he said. ?(It) will be impacted in any addressment of the debt.?

Stoddard said it?s important to pay attention to what the president and congress do after the election.

?If the candidates are trying to say, ?We?re interested in this issue that is important to you,? then you have to stay engaged to see the details evolve, whoever wins, you have to say, ?What?s going to happen, what are you doing to do, how are you going to implement that, and how will that affect me.??

Source: http://www.thelantern.com/campus/romney-obama-plans-on-college-costs-differ-1.2889130

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NASA completes successful parachute drop simulation for Orion spacecraft

NASA has always used the desert as its own personal playground, and we'd imagine that its team had a blast in Arizona yesterday, as a mock parachute compartment of the Orion spacecraft was dropped from 25,000 feet above Earth. The dart-shaped object experienced free fall for 5,000 feet, at which point, drogue chutes were deployed at 20,000 feet. This was then followed by pilot chutes, which then activated the main chutes. As you'd imagine, these things are monsters: the main parachutes -- three in all -- each measure 116 feet wide and weigh more than 300 pounds. Better yet, the mission was successful.

Naturally, all of this is in preparation for Orion's first test flight -- currently scheduled for 2014 -- where the unmanned craft will travel 15 times further than the ISS and jam through space at 20,000 mph before returning to Earth. Yesterday's outing is merely one in a series of drop tests, and yes, it's important to remove any unknowns from the situation: eventually, humans will be along for the ride.

Filed under: Science, Alt

NASA completes successful parachute drop simulation for Orion spacecraft originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 07:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/30/nasa-completes-orion-parachute-drop-simulation/

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Lower Skin Cancer rates but lower Vitamin D? | Latif's Cavern

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

Source: http://latif.blogspot.com/2012/08/lower-skin-cancer-rates-but-lower.html

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TOTO Invites You to Tailor Your Dining Experience Based on Fanciness of Toilet [Toilets]

TOTO, makers of the fanciest toilets and toilet seats on this side of reality, are so eager to get your to try out their hi-tech commodes, they've put together a list of all the restaurants in the USA that have installed a TOTO Washlet in their washroom! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/QcvyroUQU_I/toto-invites-you-to-tailor-your-dining-experience-based-on-fanciness-of-toilet

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will.i.am debuts new single ... from Mars (+video)

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has beamed to Earth will.i.am's 'Reach for the Stars' Tuesday, in the first music broadcast from another planet.?

By Associated Press / August 29, 2012

Will.i.am (c.) listens to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Sciences and Exploration Directorate Chief Scientist Jim Garvin (l.) talk next to a mock up of the Mars rover Curiosity in Pasadena, Calif. On Tuesday, NASA will debut a new song by will.i.am.

Bill Ingalls/NASA/AP

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Will.i.am has premiered his new single ? from?Mars.

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JPL and Will.i.am challenge young students to reach for the stars.

The?NASA?rover Curiosity beamed to Earth his new song "Reach for the Stars" on Tuesday in the first music broadcast from another planet, to the delight of students who gathered at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to listen.

The song had been uploaded to the rover, which landed near the equator of?Mars, and played it back ? a journey of some 700 million miles (1,100 million kilometers).

The musician, who promotes science and mathematics education, was among more than a dozen celebrities who were invited to JPL to watch Curiosity's landing earlier this month. Others included Wil Wheaton, Seth Green and Morgan Freeman.

In 2008,?NASA?beamed the Beatles' "Across the Universe" into the cosmos to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the song.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/Vy2u82bim2Y/will.i.am-debuts-new-single-from-Mars-video

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eBay Find of the Day: 1975 Chevy Cosworth Vega with just 291 miles

In 1970, General Motors vice president John DeLorean wanted more power for the Chevrolet division's Vega. After five years of development, the Cosworth Vega was born. Sometime that year, somebody in Farmington, Ill. bought Cosworth Vega No. 1,094 of 2,061 cars built that year and promptly stored it away.

After changing hands several times, including in 2000 for $9,500 then again a few years later for $28,600 at a Mecum auction, No. 1094 is again available to a new owner. The eBay Motors Buy-It-Now price from RK Motors of Charlotte, NC is $34,900 ? no small ask.

However, this is quite possibly the lowest miles, most pristine 1975 Cosworth Vega extant. The odometer shows only 290 miles, and the satin black paint is all original. Inside, the carpet looks factory fresh, and the engine-turned bezel around the instruments gleams like the day it was born.

Even if you're not a Cosworth Vega fan, check out our gallery for a quick trip back to 1975.

Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/29/ebay-find-of-the-day-1975-chevy-cosworth-vega-with-just-291-mil/

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Bright arctic clouds formed by exhaust from final space shuttle launch

ScienceDaily (Aug. 28, 2012) ? Naval Research Laboratory scientist Dr. Michael Stevens is leading an international consortium of scientists in tracking the rapid transport of the exhaust plume from the final launch of the space shuttle in July 2011. The team has found that the plume moved quickly to the Arctic, forming unusually bright polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) there a day after launch.

Understanding the rapid transport of high altitude exhaust plumes near 105 km is providing new insight into the effects of winds at the bottom edge of the space weather regime towards improved forecasts of the co-located E-region of the ionosphere. This knowledge is critical for improving models of communication signal propagation and over-the-horizon-radar, explains Dr. Stevens, a Research Physicist in NRL's Space Science Division. Current theories suggest that the plumes are rapidly transported because of narrow, high-speed wind shears. These wind shears are also linked to the occurrence of so-called Sporadic E events, thus establishing a possible link between plume transport and the lower ionosphere.

During every launch, the space shuttle injects about 350 tons of water vapor from its three main engines off the east coast of the United States between 100 and 115 km altitude. Many studies have now shown that the poleward transport of this water vapor is much faster than global-scale models predict, and a few have furthermore shown that bursts of PMCs near 83 km altitude can result. These observations are forcing researchers to reexamine their understanding of global wind patterns in the lower thermosphere.

The long-term PMC record is also likely to be modified by increased space traffic, which is important because PMCs have been implicated as indicators of upper atmospheric climate change, explains Dr. Stevens. By assembling a suite of satellite and ground-based observations following the space shuttle's final launch, the NRL-led research team has revealed the nature of these shuttle clouds for the first time. The observations from both European and American collaborators show not only the rapid poleward transport of the plume and ensuing PMC formation, but that shuttle clouds are brighter than over 99% of all other PMCs and that the ice particles are larger at higher altitudes, which is the opposite of conventional models.

By allowing researchers to distinguish the shuttle PMCs from more typical clouds, these results will ultimately enable a search of the historical record to separate the anthropogenic PMCs from the natural PMCs.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Naval Research Laboratory.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Michael H. Stevens, Lance E. Deaver, Mark E. Hervig, James M. Russell, David E. Siskind, Patrick E. Sheese, Edward J. Llewellyn, Richard L. Gattinger, Josef H?ffner, B. T. Marshall. Validation of upper mesospheric and lower thermospheric temperatures measured by the Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2012; 117 (D16) DOI: 10.1029/2012JD017689

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/nasa/~3/_hp1Xq0_T9Q/120828135103.htm

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Drought-stricken states welcome rain from Isaac

FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2012 file photo, dust is blown from behind a combine harvesting corn in a field near Coy, Ark. The remnants of Tropical Storm Isaac could ease but not eliminate drought conditions in Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois by dropping 2 to 5 inches of rain. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2012 file photo, dust is blown from behind a combine harvesting corn in a field near Coy, Ark. The remnants of Tropical Storm Isaac could ease but not eliminate drought conditions in Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois by dropping 2 to 5 inches of rain. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2012 file photo, corn is harvested in a parched field near Coy, Ark. The remnants of Tropical Storm Isaac could ease but not eliminate drought conditions in Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois by dropping 2 to 5 inches of rain. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston, File)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) ? The remnants of Tropical Storm Isaac could bring welcome rain to some states in the Mississippi River valley this week, but experts say it's unlikely to break the drought gripping the Midwest.

Along with the deluge of rain expected along the Gulf Coast when Isaac makes landfall, the National Weather Service predicts 2 to 6 inches of rain will fall in eastern Arkansas, southeast Missouri and southern Illinois.

Those areas are among those hard hit by the drought that stretches from the West Coast east into Kentucky and Ohio, with pockets in Georgia and Alabama. The rain that falls inland likely will ease but not eliminate drought, because those areas are so dry, said Mark Svoboda, a climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center.

Arkansas rancher Don Rodgers said his area is short 17 inches of rain this year. He said even a couple of inches from Isaac would make a significant difference because he would have water for his cattle and might be able to grow some forage for this winter.

"I'm very sorry for the people in the path of this hurricane. I'm just praying we can get some of the benefit from it up here," said Rodgers, who has cattle in Crawford County, a rural area near the Oklahoma border.

Heavy rains, especially if it pushes into the Ohio Valley, would provide some relief for the low-water conditions that have hampered Mississippi River traffic for weeks, said National Weather Service hydrologist Marty Pope.

"If that happens, it would help us out quite a bit," Pope said.

Pope said any rise in the river would help clear clogged shipping channels, which have caused temporary closures in recent weeks. The low levels have prompted companies to reduce loads on barges carrying goods ranging from grain to gasoline, which can mean big losses for shippers.

Isaac has been gaining strength and could become a Category I hurricane before its expected landfall Tuesday or Wednesday. The storm's path may change before it reaches land, but the drought is so widespread that the rain is certain to be welcomed by those in any area that get it.

More than half of all U.S. counties have been identified as natural disaster areas this summer, mostly because of drought. Conditions are especially bad in the corn belt. Nearly all of Nebraska, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and more than two-thirds of Iowa are in the worst two stages of drought.

But Svoboda said a high pressure system over the Great Plains this week will keep Isaac's moisture from reaching much of that area. And Iowa may be too far north to see significant rainfall since the storm will have dropped much of the moisture it picked up in the Gulf by the time it hits there.

Farmers have been hoping for rain all summer, as drought damaged corn, soybeans and other crops.

But Missouri farmer Will Spargo said Isaac is arriving too late in the season to help much. The rain could even slow the corn harvest if fields become too muddy to support combines and grain trucks.

"We've gone months and months without rain, and now here it is at harvest that we're getting rain," said Spargo, who grows corn, soybeans and rice near Neelyville, Mo.

But farmers and ranchers in the path of the storm still were looking forward to the rain because anything that improves soil moisture will help them next year.

Flooding can be a concern anytime too much rain falls quickly in an area, but officials in Arkansas and Missouri said they weren't too concerned because the ground is so dry that it should be able to absorb the rain. And streams and lakes in the area should be able to handle runoff because they're so low.

With as dry as this year has been, many people would probably welcome the moisture even if it is accompanied by some flooding, Arkansas climatologist Michael Borengasser said.

"We'll take all of it we can get," Borengasser said.

___

Associated Press writer Holbrook Mohr contributed to this report from Gulfport, Miss.

___

Follow Josh Funk at www.twitter.com/funkwrite

Follow Holbrook Mohr at www.twitter.com/holbrookmohr

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-08-28-US-Isaac-Drought/id-3c4ad975f514425b824259137075c50c

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Israel court finds 'no negligence' in Rachel Corrie death

An Israeli court on Tuesday rejected all claims of negligence in a civil lawsuit brought by the family of US activist Rachel Corrie, who was killed by an Israeli military bulldozer during a protest in 2003.

"I reached the conclusion that there was no negligence on the part of the bulldozer driver," said Judge Oded Gershon, reading out his verdict at Haifa District Court in northern Israel.

The judge said he found no case for negligence on the part of the Israeli army, and that the military police investigation into her death had been properly conducted.

Corrie's parents, Craig and Cindy, had travelled from the United States to be present in court and followed the proceedings with the help of an interpreter, an AFP correspondent said.

They were accompanied by around 50 friends and wellwishers.

The 23-year-old activist was killed in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip in March 2003 as she was with a group of pro-Palestinian activists acting as human shields to prevent a house demolition.

The Israeli military closed its own investigation into the matter in 2003 without taking any disciplinary action, saying the bulldozer crew could not see Corrie because she was behind a mound of rubble.

But activists who were with her at the time said she was clearly visible to the driver of the military bulldozer.

Dissatisfied with the outcome of the military's investigation, the family in March 2010 launched a civil suit against the state of Israel and the defence ministry for the symbolic sum of $1, plus costs.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-court-rejects-civil-suit-over-us-activist-071358225.html

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Almanac forecast: Wintry weather _ and mystery

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) ? The weather world is full of high-profile meteorologists like NBC's Al Roker and the Weather Channel's Jim Cantore. But the guy making the forecasts for the Farmers' Almanac is more like the man behind the curtain.

He's cloaked in mystery.

The publisher of the 196-year-old almanac, which goes on sale this week, takes great pains to protect the identity of its reclusive weather soothsayer, who operates under the pseudonym Caleb Weatherbee. Caleb's real name and hometown are a secret. And so is his age-old formula used for making long-term weather forecasts.

The mystery man's forecast for the coming winter suggests that people from the Great Lakes to northern New England should get out their long johns and dust off their snow shovels because it's going to be cold and snowy. It's also supposed to be wet and chilly in the Southeast, and milder for much of the rest of the nation.

Even just to speak to the forecaster, the almanac would agree only to an unrecorded phone call with the man from an undisclosed location.

"It's part of the mystique, the almanac, the history," said Editor Peter Geiger of the current prognosticator, the almanac's seventh, who has been underground since starting the job in the 1980s.

The weather formula created by almanac founder David Young in 1818 was based on planetary positions, sunspots and lunar cycles. Since then, historical patterns, weather data and a computer have been added to the mix.

In an election season, the almanac dubbed its forecast "a nation divided" because there's a dividing line where winter returns for much of the east, with milder weather west of the Great Lakes.

Scientists generally don't think too much of almanac's formula.

Ed O'Lenic, operations chief for NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, declined to knock the almanac's methodology but said sun spots and moon phases aren't used by modern-day meteorologists.

"I'm sure these people have good intentions but I would say that the current state of the science is light years beyond what it was 200 years ago," O'Lenic said from Maryland.

In this year's edition, the almanac's editors are contrite about failing to forecast record warmth last winter but they suggested readers should go easy on the publication ? and on Caleb ? because nobody forecast 80-degree weather in March that brought the ski season a rapid end in northern New England.

"Let's face it ? the weather was so wacky last year. It was so bizarre," said Sandi Duncan, managing editor, pointing out that NOAA and Accuweather also missed the mark.

Indeed, NOAA and Accuweather didn't project the extent of the warm winter.

"We missed it too, to put it bluntly," said Tom Kines, a meteorologist at Accuweather in State College, Pa. "It was a weird winter last year."

The Maine-based Farmers' Almanac is not to be confused with the New Hampshire-based Old Farmer's Almanac. Both issue annual forecasts, with the Old Farmer's Almanac scheduled for next month.

Geiger, who keeps a copy of Weatherbee's secret weather formula in a secure location, is quick to point out that there's more to the almanac than just weather forecasts. Hearkening to its old traditions, the folksy almanac features recipes, gardening tips, jokes, facts and trivia, and a guide to a simpler life.

For example, who knew that you could clean your toilet by pouring in Coca-Cola instead of harsh chemicals, or that putting a spoonful of vinegar in a pet's water dish keeps fleas at bay?

As for the weather, almanac readers say it's all good, clean fun.

"It's a fun publication to get and to read, to watch and see how accurate it is," said Wanda Monthey of Alexandria, Va. "It's a lot like a game."

___

Follow David Sharp on Twitter at http://twitter.com/David_Sharp_AP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/almanac-forecast-wintry-weather-mystery-153153398.html

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Water Conservation And Plumbing Issues - IdeaMarketers.com

At Mr. Rooter Plumbing, our team is committed to helping every household conserve water and be aware of drain or piping issues. As a homeowner, it is extremely important to be aware of signs of clogs, damaged pipes or other plumbing issues. It is also important to have knowledge on ways to conserve water and save money.

As experienced plumbers, we want to share our knowledge and a few tips with you to help prevent future plumbing problems and assist you in conserving water.

Shower

1. Are you noticing a foul odor in your shower stall? If so, the issue may be a leaking drain pipe. A foul odor can mean a number of issues; however it is extremely important that you have it checked out by a professional.

2. If you are dealing with a slow shower drain it would be a good idea to invest in a small shower snake. Using a small shower snake to unclog tough build-up in your drain may be more helpful than using a liquid drain cleaner. To prevent build-up in your shower drain, you can try replacing your shower strainer with a strainer that collects excess hair before it travels into the drain. Also, be sure to collect any hair that is found on the strainer after every shower.

3. Try replacing your old shower head with a new one as this can help you conserve water and help you save money.

Household Appliance

1. Have you noticed that there is a bit of water left in your dishwasher after every wash? This water prevents your dishes from burning while they are being dried. However, if you notice excess water in your unit after a wash, there is a chance that your drain may be clogged and should be examined by a professional.

Mr. Rooter Plumbing is available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have and to provide you with the assistance that you need. Please give us a call for more water conserving tips and plumbing precautions to follow.

Mr. Rooter Plumbing is a plumbing repair service that offers complete residential and commercial plumbing solutions.

Keywords: Mr. Rooter Plumbing, water conservation, plumbing issue

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