Saturday, June 30, 2012

Storms hit mid-Atlantic region with power outages

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/storm-hits-washington-dc-area-thousands-without-power-035759980.html

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New Las Vegas Allegiant flight to land in Honolulu

The first Allegiant Airlines flight from Las Vegas will be greeted in Honolulu with lei, Hawaiian music and a blessing.

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The inaugural flight arrives Friday at Honolulu International Airport.

Last year, Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co. received federal certification to fly a bigger plane, which company officials said was a step toward providing service to Hawaii. The Hawaii Tourism Authority has said Allegiant's Hawaii service would help cultivate first-time travelers to the islands.

Honolulu will also welcome a new Allegiant flight from Fresno, Calif., on Sunday.

Tourism officials say both flights are estimated to provide $30 million in visitor spending and $3 million in tax revenue annually for Hawaii.

The airline focuses on connecting small cities with leisure destinations.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48013884/ns/travel-news/

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Friday, June 29, 2012

11 Incredible Escape Pods [Design]

Seriously, it's always the slowest ones that go down with the ship/flying aircraft carrier/Death Star. That's why our friends at Oobject have assembled the 11 best ways to bail—and fast. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/71t1QGxAdAM/

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A Rare Buy Signal From A Real Estate Mogul | Summit Assets Group

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

In addition to daily headlines in major publications about the increases in housing prices and home sales, we?re seeing major buying signals from some of the top real estate moguls. When the ultra-wealthy in the industry start buying, especially after a long absence, it?s time to sit up and listen.

For instance, Donald Trump has not been buying ANY commercial real estate for over 10 years. That?s a long time. Well, just recently he made a huge purchase. More on that in a minute.

What?s even more important than what he bought is why he bought it. Trump said the main reason he made the purchase was as an inflation hedge. Based on all of the information and experts he has access to, he is positive higher inflation is coming soon due to the policy of the Fed.

sign 207x300 A Rare Buy Signal From A Real Estate MogulThat?s where income properties come in. As inflation goes up, guess what else goes up? Rents. And that makes income producing properties a safe haven investment right now and a great hedge against inflation.

Here?s another important aspect to his purchase. He isn?t worried about whether the price of the property will go up or down in the future, his only concern is how much annual income the property can produce for him. Read that last line again. It?s very important. Let it sink in.

This is a key trait of a wealthy mindset.

If you?re currently standing on the sideline trying to figure out if the real estate market has bottomed out yet, you?re focusing on the wrong thing. You see, even if prices go down a little bit more, as long as your properties are producing income year after year, it doesn?t matter!

There are 2 great reasons income-producing real estate is a great purchase right now

1. Rental properties can be purchased at historic bargain basement prices. Remember, buy low, sell high.
2. Interest rates on mortgages are at historic rock-bottom lows

Sure, Donald could lose money on this investment. But because the current real estate market is in a once in a lifetime setup it?s more likely he will make an obscene amount in the long run.

Don?t let this opportunity pass you by. Invest like the super wealthy and take advantage of great opportunities when they come up.

Our team of experienced real estate professionals can help you create a customized investment plan and find properties in the best rental markets the country that fit your plan. Don?t look back and say ?Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda.?

Contact us today for a free consultation. Call Dan at 408-268-9777.

PS ? If you?re curious about what ?The Don? purchased, he bought a golf resort in the Miami area with four golf courses and 700 rental units for $150 million.

Source: http://summitassetsgroup.com/real-estate-mogul-buy-signal/1931/

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Nora Ephron: A Big-Screen Love Letter

We fondly remember the cinematic legacy of the director/screenwriter who died Tuesday at the age of 71.
By Amy Wilkinson


Nora Ephron
Photo:

It couldn't have been more than six months ago that a male friend and I were engaged in an uncharacteristically earnest Gchat conversation about the genius of "When Harry Met Sally..." And as philosophical discussions of that sort often go, we couldn't help but wonder why they don't make romantic comedies like they used to. (Oh, the loathsome they: such a handy scapegoat!)

Of course, each generation is wont to think theirs did it best, but it was probably a curious conversation for us to be having considering we hadn't even finished the second grade when the film debuted in 1989. But our belated affinity for the film speaks volumes to the timelessness of a screenplay written by filmmaker Nora Ephron, who died Tuesday at the age of 71.

Ephron wasn't the first to ponder the oft-fraught friendships that develop between men and women, but her commentary on the subject remains among the most true. More than 20 years after Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) met and road-tripped from Chicago to New York City, the question of whether the "sex part" always gets in the way continues to be a favorite cinematic trope (see: "Friends With Benefits," "No Strings Attached"). But those efforts seem superfluous in the shadow of Ephron's Oscar-nominated achievement.

The New York-born writer was a journalist by trade, who made her foray into feature films with 1983's "Silkwood," which starred Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell and Cher. Ephron (along with co-screenwriter Alice Arlen) received her first of three Oscar noms for the biopic's script based on the life of Karen Silkwood, who died under suspicious circumstances while investigating the processing plant where she worked. Ephron penned a handful of dramatic screenplays (including a a few politically charged scripts that never saw the light of day), but it is her earnest romantic comedies that Ephron will always be remembered for.To wit, today's mostly treacly romantic romps make Ephron's films seem a revelation— and, thankfully, never once a rescue mission. Her female characters were never sad-sack spinsters whose only aim was to find a man. In fact, oftentimes, such as in "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail," the female protagonist was already in a relationship when a new one began to blossom with the real Mr. Right.

But if an Ephron heroine were ever to be considered in need of salvation, so too were her heroes: both equally formidable and equally flawed. In "Sleepless in Seattle," Meg Ryan's Annie, stuck in a lackluster relationship with Bill Pullman's Walter, was as much rescued by Tom Hanks' widowed Sam as she rescued him, bringing him back to life atop the twinkling Empire State Building.

Much of what made Ephron's characters so indelible was what came out of their mouths. The screenwriter excelled at witty, quippy dialogue that often beat with the quickened pulse of New York City (a frequent setting for her films). I mean, "I'll have what she's having"? Come on! And don't even get me started on Harry's proclamation of love to Sally. To this day, I can't even read the monologue without getting a little misty-eyed: "... And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." (Do yourself a favor and read her entire quotes page on Goodreads.)

Of course, Ephron wasn't just a scribe but a keen director, who got the best out of her actors and understood the power of a Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks one-two punch. And in the end, she had no delusions about what her career was and wasn't, telling MTV News in a 2009 interview while promoting her final film, "Julie & Julia," that she never felt penned in by the romantic-comedy genre.

"I'm not complaining about any box that I'm in, because I can write whatever I want," Ephron said. "Fortunately, I'm not just in the movie business, so I don't feel that the only way I can express myself is by the movies I make."

Fortunately for us, she was in the movie business, and she never once faked it.

Share your condolences for Ephron's family and friends in the comments.

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Upbeat US economic figures help stocks advance

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UK police demand Assange leave Ecuador embassy

Miguel Medina / AFP - Getty Images, file

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange arrives for a hearing at the Supreme Court in London on February 2.

By msnbc.com and news services

LONDON - British police summoned WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to a London police station on Thursday as part of his extradition process, demanding he leave Ecuador's embassy where he has been holed up seeking political asylum.

Assange, 40, is wanted for questioning in Sweden over sex crime allegations and took refuge in Ecuador's London embassy in a surprise move last week.


He now risks being arrested the moment he steps outside the red-brick building after breaching bail terms, keeping both his supporters and police puzzled as to what he might do next.

On Thursday, police said it had formally "served a surrender notice upon a 40-year-old man that requires him to attend a police station at date and time of our choosing."

WikiLeaks' Assange says Ecuador 'quite supportive'

It added: "He remains in breach of his bail conditions, failing to surrender would be a further breach of conditions and he is liable to arrest."

The statement, in line with UK police policy, did not name him but local media quoted sources identifying him as Assange.

The BBC reported the extradition unit delivered a note to both Assange and the Ecuador embassy. The embassy declined to?comment. Other media reported that he was due to present himself to a police station on Friday.

Assange enraged Washington in 2010 when his WikiLeaks website published secret U.S. diplomatic cables.

He denies any wrongdoing in Sweden and says he fears that if extradited there he could be sent on to the United States, where he could face criminal charges punishable by death.

After losing his appeal against extradition to Sweden to face allegations against rape and sexual assault, The Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, says he is considering his next step, which could be an appeal to Britain's Supreme Court. ITN's Sejal Karia reports.

Assange, known for his unpredictable behavior, caused a media storm in Britain with his asylum bid. Ecuador's ambassador has in the meantime flown home to discuss whether to grant him asylum but the decision has yet to be made.

By diplomatic convention, police cannot enter the embassy without authorization from Ecuador. But even if Quito granted him asylum, he has no way of travelling to Ecuador without passing through London and exposing himself to arrest.

WikiLeaks' Assange seeks asylum in Ecuador?

On Tuesday, a group of celebrities and activists published an open letter to Ecuador published in The Guardian newspaper asking that Assange be given?asylum?in that country because he faced the death penalty if eventually sent to the United States.?

"We believe Mr Assange has good reason to fear extradition to Sweden, as there is a strong likelihood that once in Sweden, he would be imprisoned, and then likely extradited to the United States," reads the letter signed by?the leaker of the Pentagon Papers Daniel Ellsberg,?film-maker?Michael Moore, actor and director Danny Glover, director Oliver Stone, comedian Bill Maher and author Naomi Wolf, among others.

Reuters contributed to this report.?

?

More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:

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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Where's The (Real) Love?: The Portrayal of Relationships In K-Pop ...

K-pop, like all forms of music, is a great place to escape and tune out the doldrums of the real world, by becoming completely ensconced in eye candy, fast beats, and catchy hooks. However, behind all the fun and games, the songs and MVs of idol groups can have problematic messages embedded in its lyrics and storylines.

The majority of, if not all, K-pop songs are about the many facets of love and relationships, and their MVs are usually centred around the trials and tribulations of a girl or boy in love, or out of love, with their future, current, or past signficant other. Many of these MVs portray relationships and love in general in an exaggerated and sometimes, grossly distorted way. The messages found in the songs and MVs are sometimes shocking and offensive, which is worrisome because they are being readily consumed by a young audience. Many of these songs and MVs that I will discuss shortly, have been banned because of the violent material they carry or sexual content, but the ones that weren?t, due to a lack of violence or sexual content, are just as deeply problematic. What?s also worrying is that these messages are not specific to a single group, or entertainment company roster, and can be found throughout the industry and its groups. The repetition of these messages create problematic tropes that can be easily found in a plethora of K-pop songs, and they are usually songs that become very popular, which only abets their prevalence.

It seems that in most MVs, love isn?t depicted as being a part of life, but it is something that sucks the life right out of us and our lives completely revolve around it.? We have idols in MVs being completely passive within life and are completely immersed in their relationship, practically exchanging their own distinct life for the one who is supposedly your true love. This trope is pushed further by even promoting that by having your life completely revolve around him or her, and try to make his or her life with you completely worry and trouble-free.? This is a common premise in most girl group MVs, with ?Hug Me Once? by Girl?s Day and SNSD?s ?Genie? being noteworthy examples, and reiterates misogynistic stereotypes that men should be the dominant ones in a heterosexual relationship, one that should completely revolve around him, with his female counterpart having to dote upon and try to help him in any way she can. Once their relationship dissolves, the girl is usually found moping around her room, bemoaning her loss, and doesn?t seem to pick herself back up again, and there isn?t anything at the end of the MVs that alludes to that. We do have MVs showing boy groups sitting around in their misery, but there aren?t any MVs that show men clinging on to women, having their lives revolve around them, or singing songs about making every wish of his girlfriend or wife come true.

Another aspect of this male-centred relationship is that during the beginnings of their relationships, girls are always the ones who are completely uncertain and shy about love. Rarely do we find boy groups singing and acting in MVs where they are struggling at confessing, the only exception being boy groups who are considered ?flower boys,? boys who are effeminate, meaning they look and act in ways that are commonly associated with women, or at least, how women should look and act. But generally boy groups are portrayed as the more experienced, ?older? ones in the relationships, and can find themselves playing the stereotypical ?bad boy? or? ?player? role. Some MVs, and songs, go even as far as to imply that men should not be sensitive or timid in terms of relationships, and should be more active and act confident. Girl groups even find themselves perpetuating this trope, like Secret?s ?Shy Boy? and 2NE1?s ?Pretty Boy.?


There are also many MVs that imply that the only way to be desirable is by? your appearance alone. For boys, there are many geek turned chic MVs, like Big Bang?s ?Last Farewell? and Super Junior-M?s ?Super Girl,? telling boys that the way to a girl?s heart is by adopting this tough guy appearance, which usually means that they should wear expensive-looking clothes and upgrade from regular glasses to sunglasses.

The latter two examples don?t even show the girls accepting the boys for who they truly are, but only their superficial alter egos. It can go both ways for women as well, with MVs telling girls that appearance is key, and confidence lies in how one looks. In 2NE1?s ?I Am The Best,? although it?s a song about confidence, like many 2NE1 songs, the only reasoning the girls use to support their belief in them being ?the best,? is their appearances. In the MV for Lee Hyori?s ?U Go Girl,? although the lyrics are about confidence as well, the MV is all about how Lee Hyori, or rather the girl she is playing, can get the man of her dreams by changing the way she looks. Most lyrics of songs about boys being in love with girls list the things the boy(s) like about the girl(s) they are singing about, a list that centres around how the girl looks, in a objectified way. They look at various aspects of the girl, her legs, her eyes, her smile, and don?t see the girl as a whole and sentient being. Songs like 2PM?s ?10 out of 10,?? just shows to girls that the only source of her beauty is through her features, not how she is as a person. The emphasis on appearance may be the result of an extremely appearance-conscious culture, but this still does not excuse the message that both young men and women will never be good enough, or desirable, unless they look like this or that, which only lowers their self-esteem and self-worth.

Finally, there are MVs and songs show the darker side of relationships, the possessive and abusive side, but in a completely trivial and romanticized way. Somehow, being completely possessive, and aggressively so, towards one?s significant other managed to become attractive within the mainstream, especially when men act that way towards women. It?s been popularized by books like Twilight, and deeply frightening that teens are taking this messages to heart and associating them with love, when it is not love at all, not even the least bit. Songs like DBSK?s ?Mirotic? toy with this message, which can be blatantly found with such charming lyrics such as:

What is love? What! It?s now meant by the Red Ocean
I?m breakin? my rules again, you know it?s getting boring
Even if you?re hurt a bit, it?s okay Oh~

and the chorus

You want me, You?ve fallen for me, You?re crazy over me
You?re my slave, I got you under my skin

The song even begs the question, ?Is this love?,? and? I honestly tell you DBSK, and Cassies, no it is NOT. If you take away the fact that DBSK is singing this song, the lyrics seem like they are the musings of? a delusional stalker or abusive significant other. Although the song was bought by SM, and Yoo Young-jin only helped with its composition, the fact that they still released the song with its lyrics is still mind-boggling. Even though they were forced to change ?skin? to ?sky,? the creepy message still remains, just with a confusing lyric at the end of the chorus.

The MV of ?Mirotic? makes it seem like DBSK is the one being dominated by this faceless woman, but when accompanied with the lyrics, and placing DBSK in the singing position, the interpretation of the MV could be altered to the faceless woman trying to push DBSK away from her and DBSK trying to dominate over her. Either way, relationships shouldn?t be where one partner has the the upper hand of the other, or having someone ?wear the pants? in the relationship. It should be about mutual respect, and lyrics like in ?Mirotic? are just promoting terrible messages to fans, that are somewhat willing to accept these kinds of lyrics out of some devotion towards their idols, which is saddening.

The next stage in this trope is when the possessive partner becomes violent. MVs with these storylines have very little context as to why this violence is occurring, and sometimes the explanations for the violence are petty and completely random. MVs for MBLAQ?s ?Y? and Song Ji-eun and Bang Yong Guk?s ?Going Crazy? trivializes violence, making it seem like it?s an act of love or passion, when it?s really just a moment of sheer psychosis and mental breakdown. There is nothing wrong with using a mentally unstable person in a MV, provided it is done in a meaningful and logical manner, not nonchalantly and with absolutely no motivation except for a warped version of love, which MVs like these don?t show it as. It?s something that seems to be taken lightly by entertainment companies and these MVs don?t really provide any context as to telling that?the ones committing the violence are in the wrong, especially in MBLAQ?s ?Y,? it goes by quickly and suddenly, without a word, or any repercussions, except for maybe crying over what they had done, furthering the belief that they truly love this person.

Like in all developed countries, domestic violence is a huge problem that often goes unaddressed and unreported in South Korea and is more likely to be brushed off as being just a lover?s quarrel, a mindset derived from the cultural stigma against involving oneself into the private lives of another. That is why when MVs, like Tablo?s ?Bad? and Bang Yong Guk?s ?I Remember?? have the nerve to present domestic violence in a trivial, and even romanticized way, it furthers the misconception that domestic violence isn?t that big of a deal. Tablo?s lyrics??love is so bad??accompanying with violence the male is committing against the woman is utterly offensive; the abuse this woman goes through is not love, it?s a man trying to dominate and abuse his wife or girlfriend. What?s even more disturbing is the final scene of the MV, where the two end up huddled together in an embrace, which just reiterates the ?lover?s quarrel? misconception over domestic violence.


In Bang Yong Guk?s ?I Remember,? during the opening scenes, the man suddenly begins to beat his wife or girlfriend, before, just as quickly, the two fall lovingly in each other arms. On both counts, the violence isn?t addressed at all, and in Tablo?s ?Bad,? it?s used in a symbolic and hyper-sexualized way. Even though younger viewers were prevented from watching these MVs, no one, even if you are of age, should be watching them at all. Domestic violence is something that to be taken seriously and should be shown for what it is, a traumatizing and horrifying experience, that has been shown in Korean movies like Punch Lady, and perhaps even promote and support the limited resources available for people who are abused by their signficant others by maybe including into an MV. Just a thought.

Although there are many MVs and songs that have accurate representations of relationships are and should be like, the lingering existence of these misrepresentations of love and relationships negates any effort a MV does to give an realistic take on love and relationships. What?s even more unsettling is how these MVs and songs managed to be become popular despite the messages they blatantly portray, but what?s even more unsettling is that these people behind all these songs and MVs?who are almost all middle-aged men?have the power to present to fans, who are mostly made up of teens and young adults, healthy relationships and handle the darker aspects of relationships in a thoughtful and appropriate manner, not randomly or carelessly. The constant use of these aforementioned tropes only reinforcing terrible messages and harmful ideals towards impressionable demographics , especially when idols are considered as role models.

All of the songs I listed are extremely catchy and nice-sounding, many of them were are personal favourites of mine, in terms of musical quality, but I cannot deny that messages the songs and MVs are not helping matters, and even encouraging obsessive and destructive behaviour because of the nonchalant way these real-life issues are handled. This is not acceptable and should stop immediately, and will only happen if entertainment companies and us fans acknowledge these problematic messages and show love and relationships for what they truly are, and reinforce that love is a part of our lives and real love is about having a healthy relationship made of mutual respect and caring for one another.

So Seoulmates, what MVs and songs have you watched and listened to that showed misrepresentations of love and relationships, or even songs and MVs with great representations? Share them in the comments below!

(minsarang, The Korean Herald, The Grand Narrative, SM Entertainment, LoveKpopSubs )

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University of Va. board restores ousted president

Preston Gannaway / The Virginian-Pilot via AP

University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan weaves through supporters and media after she was reinstated on Tuesday.

By msnbc.com staff and news services

The University of Virginia reinstated its president Tuesday just over three weeks after ousting her amid outcry from faculty, donors and students.

The 15-member Board of Visitors voted unanimously to reinstate President Teresa Sullivan during a brief meeting, after a motion from a former university rector, according to a university press release.

Outside the meeting, faculty, students and others had organized a demonstration to show support for Sullivan, the university?s eighth president and first female leader.

?I want to partner with you in bringing about what?s best for the university,? Sullivan, 62, said after reinstatement.


University Rector Helen Dragas, who was central in the initial move to oust the president, apologized for actions that sparked the controversy and pledged that she will work with Sullivan to help the university emerge stronger than before, according to a university press release.

?The situation became enormously dramatized and emotionally charged,? Dragas told the group before the vote was taken. ?I sincerely apologize for the way this was presented and you deserve better. I believe real progress is more possible than ever now.??

The vote to reinstate the president came after 17 tumultuous days that began with the board?s sudden announcement June 10 that they had accepted Sullivan?s resignation midway through a five-year contract.

U.Va officials said that Sullivan would step down in August, citing concerns for state and federal funding, declining faculty compensation and accountability for academic quality and productivity.

?Yet in the face of these challenges, the University still lacks an updated strategic plan,? Dragas wrote in statement to the board last week. ?We deserve better ? the rapid development of a plan that includes goals, costs, sources of funds, timelines and individual accountability.?

Sullivan's unexpected ouster triggered complaints about the board's explanation and brought a groundswell of support for her.

Watch the most-viewed videos on msnbc.com

Sullivan defended her performance at a board meeting last week, citing initiatives she had taken, including hiring a new provost and chief operating officer and adopting a new budget model that decentralizes financial planning.

Gov. Bob McDonnell, who appointed half of the board members, had warned Friday that he would seek the resignations of all the members if the group failed to resolve the controversy. As the meeting opened Tuesday, Dragas said the decision of the board would be definitive on the matter.

The board on Monday named McIntyre School of Commerce Dean Carl Zeithaml as interim president. Zeithaml said he agreed to take the interim post because he wanted to move the university in a ?very positive way? but ?did not agree with the decision to remove? Sullivan.

After Tuesday?s meeting of the board, member W. Heywood Fralin acknowledged missteps had been made.

?It is my opinion that everyone agrees the process was flawed,? he said. ?It can never be repeated when important decisions are being made.?

Fralin said he also disagreed with Sullivan?s resignation in the first place.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Crucial Components of a Really Good Roofing System for ...











When it pertains to roofing systems, what most Michigan homeowners typically see is simply the exterior surface of the roof. In reality, making it actually takes a lot of time and research to get it right. A really good roof makes a great home, and putting in time and also effort in to making the best roof covering system is well worth it.

The first step in making a roofing system is considering where you live. Your area identifies the design of the roof covering that you're going to apply, among other considerations. As an example, if your neighborhood gets a lot of snow or rainfall, a steep-pitched roof covering that enables water and snowfall to run-off might just be more preferable than a flat roof covering.

Insulation. A good home will certainly have the ability to keep you cool even when the weather is like a desert outside, and it is able to keep you warm even when the whole state is covered in snow. This is made possible by your home's insulation, which should be a significant element of your roofing system design factors. The kind of framing that you're going to utilize, as well as the insulation product, will definitely figure out how energy-efficient your home would be.

Ventilation. If the crawl space, which is directly below the roof covering, isn't well ventilated, mold could certainly grow and can induce health risks to you and your household. Additionally, the temperature in an attic with flawed air flow will leak in to the roof covering during cold months, causing the snow to melt and leak into the house. Air flow works with insulation in making your residence energy-efficient.

Materials. The components your roof covering is made from can determine just what type of maintenance it demands, precisely how often it needs checking, and just how long it's going to last. You could pick from conventional elements like lumber, clay, aluminum, or metal. Detroit roofing service providers, as an example, could also hook you up with green roof coverings and other eco-friendly solutions.

Model. Lastly, you should consider the curb appeal of the roof. Does it look too scattered when viewed from afar? How much of an overhang should the roof have to be useful without being shabby? Michigan roofing companies could provide you their expert viewpoint on issues like these.

The majority of Michigan roofers are respected people, though it never hurts to be more careful. You're going to be paying a whole lot of cash for this; it only makes sense to do a background check on the roofing contractors. For additional details, check into greenhomebuilding.com/articles/howtodesign.htm.

If you have questions, please visit us at www.KrollWindow.com for complete details and answers.

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Bing Maps Just Got 165TB Better [Maps]

Bing Maps just added 165TB of new aerial images—more than doubling the 129TB previously available. The update covers 15 million square miles in North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Europe and Asia. Besides satellite imagery, additions include exclusive aircraft photography. You can explore the whole release and get more details from the Bing Maps World Tour App. [Bing Blog via The Verge] More »


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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Court: Can EPA regulate mud from logging roads?

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Ariz. Gov. Brewer: This is not the end (CNN)

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Economist shows the value of moving back with mom and dad

Monday, June 25, 2012

Though many may dread the idea, young adults who move back home with mom and dad after a job loss may benefit from it more than they realize. Research published in the Journal of Political Economy finds that returning to the nest can be valuable insurance in a tough labor market, serving as a short-term safety net while also keeping long-term earnings from being stunted by a job loss.

"Intuitively, it makes sense that people move home after an employment shock," said Greg Kaplan, an economics professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the study's author. "We've seen a lot of anecdotal evidence of this during the latest recession, but there hadn't been much hard data on how common it is or what the effects might be. This study demonstrates that the option to move home is potentially very important."

Kaplan used data on nearly 1,500 men born between 1980 and 1984. Surveys tracked the men through their 20s, capturing employment status and living arrangements for each month. By the age of 23, nearly 40 percent of the men in the sample had returned home for at least a month after initially moving away from home. Those who stopped working were 63 percent more likely to back move home in the following three months, compared to those who continued to work. Constraints of the survey data forced Kaplan to limit his sample to men who did not go to college, but an additional dataset suggests that the phenomenon applies to the broader population. "When we look at aggregate state-level data we see a similar pattern," Kaplan said. "As a state's unemployment level increases, so do co-residency rates."

The data show an important long-term advantage to moving home after a job loss. Take for example an average person in Kaplan's sample who loses his job at the age of 20. People in that situation had earnings at age 26 that were 25 percent lower than someone who did not lose a job. However, this long-term effect was concentrated almost entirely among youths who did not live with their parents and did not return home after their job loss. Those who lost a job and did move back home had essentially the same earnings in later years as people who had never lost a job.

Why does living with mom and dad serve as a buffer from the negative earnings effect? Kaplan believes it's because those living at home can be choosier when looking for a new job. They have the option to wait for a job that offers higher future earning potential. "Jobs with higher growth potential may be harder to find," Kaplan said. "And they often involve low earnings in the short run but higher earnings in the future?an internship for example. If you're living at home, you might be able to wait for these better opportunities."

But if you're on your own and need to pay rent, you need a decent-paying job quickly. Easier-to-find jobs?like food service or simple labor?have lower long-term growth potential. As a result people who are pushed into those jobs will have lower earnings down the line compared to those who can live at home and wait it out.

To test this idea, Kaplan used his real-world data to construct a theoretical model that simulates labor market choices. "In the model, I can do counterfactual experiments," he said. "I can take away the option to move home and see how important it is in different circumstances."

Using his data, Kaplan modeled how a 23-year-old might evaluate job offers in a world where the option to move home was turned on or off. He created two types of hypothetical jobs. "Safe" jobs come around often, but have lower potential for future earnings. "Risky" jobs are rarer, but have higher future earnings.

According to the model, there would be as many as 15 percent fewer youths working in risky, high-growth jobs if the option to move home is removed entirely, resulting in lower earnings over the long term. The model results echo the long-term income loss found in the real-world data and provide good evidence that the pattern is linked to constrained job choices for those who may be unable to move home.

###

University of Chicago Press Journals: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu

Thanks to University of Chicago Press Journals for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 38 time(s).

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Houston TX Pool Builders | Indoor Swimming Pool Guide

Houston TX pool builders will provide proper installation and ensure that your quality materials will not be wasted. For your pool building, workmanship quality is key and if you can afford it, you should call pool building experts in Houston TX. If you do not want to spend lots of money, you can supervise your pool building carefully.

Houston TX Swimming Pool Builders

Be aware that if they are not experts with over 5 years experience in indoor swimming pool building, most pool builders in Houston TX will not be familiar with the specialized materials and techniques required. Hence, before the construction begins, you have to make sure that each pool builder understands the importance of the materials and their proper installation.

 Indoor swimming pool builders in Houston TX

Also, coordinate carefully different builders and suppliers work and where they overlap. If you can, daily review building and installation of materials to find problems before they become hidden from view.
These tips will ensure your swimming pool building in Houston TX at good quality standards for a reasonable price.

Selecting a Houston TX Pool Building Contractor

In Houston TX, any contracting job including swimming pool building or repair that costs over $500 must be performed by a contractor who holds a current, valid contractors license usually in the classification for which they are contracting. Contractors who build or repair swimming pools must be licensed as swimming pool specialty contractors.

A general building contractor may also contract for Houston TX swimming pool construction provided the general building contractor holds the swimming pool specialty classification, or the general building contractor hires a licensed swimming pool specialty contractor to perform the work in Houston TX.

Other contractors in Houston TX like plumbers, landscapers, solar workers, etc., should work within their specific areas of licensure, and cannot be responsible for the overall pool building project.

Homeowners who are considering building a swimming pool may work with a salesperson. The law does allow licensed building contractors to employ registered home improvement salespersons (HIS) to solicit, negotiate, sell, or execute contracts, including swimming pool building and repair.

Tips for Choosing Houston TX Pool Builders

- Get referrals: It is a good idea to ask friends or family for referrals before hiring pool builders or service company. You may also get referrals from trade associations, such as a local builders? exchange or a Houston TX swimming pool and spa association.
- Get references: You should ask for references from the building contractor, at least one current and one recently completed in Houston TX. When you call to talk with the client about the job, be sure to ask how the project was handled and about their satisfaction with the contractor, sub-contractors and employees, as well as the end result for the completed job.
- Get bids: It is important to get at least three bids from pool builders in Houston TX so you can compare them.
- Verify the license or registration: Make sure to verify that the pool building contractors license or registration is in the name that is presented to you and that it is current and active. Ask the builder or salesperson to see their identification and check that the name of the Houston TX swimming pool building company with which you are doing business is listed.
- Have a contract: make sure everything is in writing. This includes materials, schedule and clean-up. Changes, details and payment scheduled should be written down in detail. Do not sign or pay anything until you completely understand the terms. A plan and scale drawing of the shape, size, and dimensions must be included as part of your swimming pool building contract in Houston TX.

Related posts:

  1. Pool Construction in Houston TX
  2. Home Spa in Houston TX
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  5. Pool Water Filtration in Houston TX

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What food do we grow, and who gets to eat it?

Neil Palmer, CIAT

Photo: Neil Palmer, CIAT

One billion people eat too little. One billion others eat too much. One-third of all food harvested around the world is lost or wasted. Our global food production systems need a drastic overhaul.

Need more evidence? Agriculture today contributes one-third of global greenhouse gases emitted. Farming today is depleting soil and water, destroying forests, and hurting the planet?s biodiversity. The more food we grow, the more we destabilize the climate, and the more food we therefore must grow to compensate for crop losses due to droughts, floods, pests and disease.

The world is descending on Rio de Janeiro to map out a vision for a more sustainable and equitable future. The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20, is the best place to start figuring out how we feed our world as well. What we grow, how we grow it, and who gets to eat it are issues with profound implications, not just for our global food supply, but for our collective quality of life and the sustainability of the earth?s system. .

Numerous efforts, from the G8, the Obama administration, and the private sector, have committed tens of billions of dollars to bolstering food security and developing sustainable agriculture. Yet, a disconnect remains between these initiatives and the immediate need to scale up innovations that can produce healthy food, feed hungry people, and still protect the environment.

Rio+20 should ensure support for key approaches and innovations, not just the general principles of sustainable development.

In the span of a generation, Brazil transformed itself from a net importer of food to the world?s second-biggest agricultural exporter. Global partnerships and robust government support for agricultural research and development were key. Scientists at Brazil?s national agricultural research institute, EMBRAPA, developed soybean varieties and farming practices suited to the dry and acidic plains of Brazil, making the region a breadbasket for the world.

But innovation has not stopped there. State-of-the-art research looks at everything from preventing food waste to developing nutritionally enriched crop varieties. Now Brazil and other rapidly-emerging economies like China are partnering with developing nations in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere to extend the benefits of agricultural R&D.

But it?s not just about overall investments and approaches. It?s also about financing to scale up solutions that work.

In Punjab, India, hundreds of thousands of farmers produce a nearly continuous supply of rice and wheat for up to 500 million people. In a rush to clear the land for wheat planting after the rice is harvested, farmers set their fields of rice stubble ablaze. Climate change is stoking this rush, as rising temperatures are reducing wheat yields by up to 15 percent, increasing the impetus to plant more crops during the winter months. But this burn depletes soil, causes human health problems, and emits about 12 megatons of carbon dioxide.

Two badly needed alternatives to burning are in early stages of use. The locally manufactured tractor-drawn ?Happy Seeder? machine cuts and lifts the rice straw, sows wheat seeds, and deposits the straw as mulch. Also in the Punjab, a new biomass-based power plant will use paddy stubble as fuel. It will collect farm residue and sell power to the private sector. Brought to scale, these solutions would improve soil fertility and human health, mitigate climate change, and create local jobs as part of a green economy.

In sub-Saharan Africa about 500 million people eat cassava every day, making it the region?s second most important source of carbohydrates. Cassava is also the prime money-making crop for hundreds of thousands of small farmers in Southeast Asia. The hotter the climate, the better it grows, making it a safety net for millions of people as temperatures rise.

But climate change is also bringing increased pest and disease outbreaks that threaten the crop. To fulfill its promise as a failsafe crop in a changing climate, new varieties are needed that further improve drought and cold tolerance, as well as pest and disease resistance. Accelerated improvement of this crop could go a long way to ensuring food security for millions of people in a changing climate.

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Some Sulphur Springs residents to get energy make-overs

06/22/12 Janelle Irwin
WMNF Drive-Time News Friday
|

A TECO worker shows Sulphur Springs homeowner Paul Foster what energy efficient items are being installed in his home.

photo by Janelle Irwin

Three hundred homes in Tampa?s Sulphur Springs neighborhood will be getting an energy makeover on their homes this month. The Tampa Electric Company started the neighborhood weatherization program for low-income homes Tuesday in Tampa.

Improvements to homes include things like weather stripping around doors to keep cold air in and hot air out during the energy-draining summer months. A team of contractors will also be cleaning appliances and replacing old light bulbs with more efficient fluorescent coil ones. Cherrie Jacobs, a spokesperson for TECO, said the program will also provide homeowners with an educational component.

?It is essentially explaining to them how they can save energy, why caulking around the windows is important ? because it keeps the cool air inside the house. Same with the weather stripping around the doors, these types of things. It helps them know when to watch for maintenance issues. It helps them remember to change their air filter every month if they have a central air system ? keep those appliances running efficiently so that long-term they can benefit from these improvements.?

Paul Foster, a seven-year resident of Sulphur Springs, is the first to have improvements done to his home at no cost to him. He?s looking forward to seeing the savings on his next electric bill.

?It runs about $80 a month which is a pretty high and I need these things to help me save on that and since I am the only one here, I will be saving.?

And while homeowners don?t have to pay for the improvements to their homes, TECO does. Jacobs, the company?s spokesperson, said it?s being paid by a fund that customers already see on their bills.

?The value of these improvements that we?re installing in people?s homes is around $700 per home and it allows these homeowners to save about $100 a month depending on their energy use and the condition of their house and that is being paid for through our conservation clause. So, all of our customers are participating in the investment in this program because all of our customers ultimately benefit. If everyone uses energy more wisely, it can help us delay building more power plants.?

One major component that will save ratepayers big is attic insulation. Keith Smith, an energy contractor, has to wear protective clothing and a mask to install the substance.

?Well, the machine is like a vacuum machine that blows actually. We install the insulation into a machine and it blows the fiber into the attic. We just spread it out about four inches. The purpose is to keep the cool air from escaping up to the top, into the attic.?

Smith also weatherizes spaces around windows where air can both enter and escape. They use a rubbery substance called caulk to seal cracks. But don?t worry, Smith said homeowners will still be able to open their windows.

?Actually, it doesn?t actually go onto the glass unless it?s a big glass. We have another foam-type material instead of the caulk that we use to actually seal the glass and the windows and the caulk goes around the outside.?

TECO expects to start work in the Tampa Heights neighborhood once they?ve completed the 300 or so homes in Sulphur Springs. By the end of the year they hope to have made 2500 homes more efficient. Paul Foster, whose home is now done, said he?s looking forward to more than just cost savings.

?This helps me out because I don?t get a lot of time to cut the grass or work inside, do the laundry. I don?t get a lot of time to the little odds and ends that need to be done and this really needed to be done.?

Some of Foster?s neighbors have benefited from other home improvement assistance programs. The home across the street looks shiny and new after getting a new paint job from the group Paint Your Heart Out.

?I believe these programs really enhance the neighborhoods and hopefully everybody can take advantage of them. You know what I mean??

Another neighbor is hoping she can take advantage of TECO?s program. But, their spokesperson said homeowners who qualified have already been notified.

?There?s actually no application needed. We are using this program as a way to target particular neighborhoods. We are using census data and national standards to determine low-income neighborhoods and we?re targeting those neighborhoods ? Sulphur Springs starting this month and later in the year we?ll be looking at Tampa Heights and we?ll have more neighborhoods in coming years. For folks to participate, just wait for us to contact you. If you?re eligible, we will contact you and let you know.?

And for people who don?t qualify for TECO?s program, Jacobs said there are ways to lower energy consumption. She said a good place to start is by keeping thermostats set at 78 and raising that about 5 degrees if the home is going to be empty for more than four hours.

?Because, if there?s nobody home to benefit from being cool then you?re essentially wasting electricity. You don?t want it to get too warm and too humid that it takes additional energy to cool it down when you get home. So, about five degrees is good. I put mine up to about 83 when I leave for work because I?m gone all day and then when I get home I set it to 78. Now, for some folks who like to fall asleep to a little cooler temperature, a good investment might be a programmable thermostat that sets on a timer. So, keep it at 76 for a couple of hours until you fall asleep and then maybe later in the night when you?re already asleep and not as affected by temperature then bump it back up to 78.?

The utility also suggests that homeowners change their air conditioning filters at least every month when the AC is being used. In addition, ratepayers are encouraged to keep all working parts of appliances ? especially if there are pets in the home ? clear of dirt and debris.

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