Substantial Income Tax Rate Relief Upon Introduction of DTC

CONTACT INFORMATION Aashish Ramchand 212 Jolly Bhavan No. 1, 10 New Marine Lines, Mumbai Mumbai Maharashtra - 400020 India Phone: 022-66121000 Email: connect@makemyreturns.com

Market Press Release ? November 30, 2012 7:30 am ? New Delhi, October 29, 2012: India?s Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has announced that the Government is likely to accept the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee with regards to the Direct Taxes Code (DTC) Bill when the revised version of the Bill is presented before the Parliament. This move is set to benefit a wide section of personal Income Tax payers.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital, the Finance Minister however refrained from mentioning a probable date for the introduction of DTC. The DTC is set to replace the now out-of-date Income Tax Act of 1961.

A Parliamentary Panel headed by Mr. Yashwant Sinha, the former Finance Minister of India, has made several key recommendations that are set to change Income Tax norms in the country. The DTC Bill was to be initially introduced at the beginning of the Financial Year of 2012 on April 1. However, since the Standing Committee tabled the revised report before the Parliament only in March 2012, the Bill suffered a delay.

The DTC has undergone revisions and the present recommendations differ from the original draft in several departments, especially those related to an individual?s Income Tax exemptions. The amount of Income Tax imposed for different slabs of income is also set to undergo changes in favor of the taxpaying population.

The Standing Committee has recommended a substantial increase in exemption limits with tax exemption to be allowed for those earning an income of Rs. 3 lakh as against the current limit of only Rs. 2 lakh. The recommendations of the Committee also includes the Income limit to be increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh for the 10% slab, Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 20 lakh for the 20% slab, and above Rs. 20 lakh instead of Rs. 10 lakh for the 30% slab. The only constant seems to be the Corporate Tax Rates which remain at 30%.

In addition to changes in the Taxation slabs, the Committee also recommends a raise in the Income Tax exemption limit of Long Term Savings from the current amount of 1 lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh. An individual?s pension up to an amount of Rs. 1.5 lakh, medical insurance up to Rs. 1 lakh, an amount of Rs. 50,000 for education and professional studies, as well as medical insurance for dependent parents to the tune of Rs. 50,000 are all expected to be placed under the Income Tax Exempt banner as well.

Mr. Aashish Ramchand, the Co Founder of Make My Returns, among India?s leading Tax Consultant portals, welcomed the announcement saying, ?The standing committee's recommended changes to the current taxation system will definitely benefit the aam aadmi or common man. The increase in the relevant tax slabs i.e. up to 3 lakh - exempt, from 3 lakh to 10 lakh - 10%, from 10 lakh to 20 lakh - 20%, and above 20 lakh - 30%, will definitely lead to an increase in personal disposal income. Similarly the increase in 80 C limits from 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh will also help decrease the tax liability of individuals as various tax savings schemes will now be preferred.?

Mr. Ramchand also made an observation with regards to the revised DTC Bill?s benefits to the economy and said, ?The overall increase in the personal disposal income of an individual will benefit the Indian economy and lead to an increase in consumption and spending thus increasing the GDP.?
The Finance Minister?s announcement increases the hopes of a majority of the Indian populace who are hoping to save on a substantial amount of Income Tax once the Standing Committee?s recommended changes to the DTC Bill are accepted.

About Make My Returns
Make My Returns is a Tax Portal created by some of the leading Tax Advisors and Tax Law Experts in India. The company offers one-stop solutions to a range of Taxation issues including various packages for ease in the filing of Income Tax Returns. A panel of experts specializing in Income Tax, Audits, Corporate Tax, Service Tax and Sales Tax among others help resolve various Tax concerns.

For more information please visit http://www.makemyreturns.com

Source: http://www.marketpressrelease.com/Substantial-Income-Tax-Rate-Relief-Upon-Introduction-of-DTC-1354260578.html

donald driver robin thicke mariana trench transcendental meditation trayvon martin obama care miss universe canada

San Diego panda cub is a 'little gift' (+video)

One hundred days after his birth, the San Diego Zoo's youngest panda received his name. Researchers say that due to the panda breeding program, the species survival seems more likely. ?

By Staff,?Associated Press / November 13, 2012

There is a new little gift at the San Diego Zoo that's going to get very big.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

The zoo's youngest giant?panda?was officially named Xiao Liwu, Chinese for "little gift," at a ceremony Tuesday. He is on the small side, but is strong and cooperative, said Dr. Ron Swaisgood, a member of the zoo's?panda?team.

The cub was born on July 29 and was named 100 days after its birth, according to Chinese zoo tradition. Officials said the cub weighs 9.2 pounds (4 kilograms) and stretches more than 23 inches (58 centimeters) long from nose to tail.

Zoo officials got 7,000 suggested names, chose their top six and put them up for a vote. More than 35,000 zoo visitors voted on names that meant Little Gift, Miracle, Raindrop, Big Ocean or Big Sea, Brave Son and Water Dragon.

Xiao Liwu's mother is Bai Yun which means White Cloud and father Gao Gao, which means Tall Tall. The cub is Bai Yun's sixth. She turned 21 in July, making her the oldest giant?panda?known to give birth.

Through participation in a?panda?exchange breeding program with China, researchers "have gone from zero to 100 overnight in understanding the species," Swaisgood said. That's very beneficial for conservation because "it's hard to conserve what we do not understand."

He called the?panda?the world's "best loved species."

Before the program, the future of the species was bleak, he said, because the death rate exceeded the birth rate. But in 2010, "we met the 200 individuals needed to preserve the genetic diversity of the species," Swaisgood said to applause from the audience.

Swaisgood described efforts by scientists in China to track wild?pandas. A wild?panda?will leave about 50 droppings a day, he said, and scientists can learn a lot from that, including information about DNA, hormones and diet.

Swaisgood said those taking part in the breeding program have done a good job.

"There is a feeling of hope that things are turning around for the species and it has a brighter future than it did 20 years ago," he said.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/VjSmVhWKmV4/San-Diego-panda-cub-is-a-little-gift-video

comedy central philadelphia eagles obamacare Todd Akin Register To Vote Fox News Live Obama 2016

Employee Engagement: Strengthening Wellbeing ? Davidzinger.com

Employee Engagement: Strengths Make Me Well

The pyramid of employee engagement offers a model of the 10 blocks of employee engagement.?Here is a link to a 50 page booklet on the pyramid.?There are 10 posts in this series. To learn more with a chance to be interactive on strengths and engagement plan to attend an?educational workshop in London?on the importance of strengths for employee engagement and a fusion of the pyramid of employee engagement with a strength-based approach to work. See the workshop details at the end of this post.

Infuse your wellbeing with strengths

Martin Seligman, the former President of the American Psychological Association has made phenomenal contributions to happiness and wellbeing. His recent book, Flourish, is an examination of how we can have a positive impact on wellbeing. I believe that we must find wellbeing inside of work and that it is more integral to who we are and what we do twenty-four hours a day than only something we do after work with a period of meditation, a healthy meal, or a short jog.

Engagement and strengths are vital contributors to wellbeing. Seligman believes that the five contributors to wellbeing are positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. These five sources of wellbeing are available to us inside of work.?In addition, strengths turbocharge these five factors. Seligman and others in the positive psychology movement have demonstrated that when we know our strengths, use our strengths on a daily basis, and leverage our strengths in the service of others we will enhance our personal wellbeing.

We will get a phenomenal return on our energy invested in well being when we attach our strengths to create positive emotions, experience engagement, participate in relationships, develop meaning, and accomplish desired goals.?Seen from a wellbeing perspective, my seven significant strengths of leading, developing others, enthusiasm, self-improvement, creativity, flexibility and empathy are good medicines for me at work.

I encourage you to work towards being well by drawing deep upon your strengths by bringing them to the daily surface of work.

Educational London Workshop on Strength Based Approaches to Leadership

Plan to attend the London UK Strength and Engagement Workshop Wednesday November 28 from 13:00 to 18:00. ?I invite you to attend an afternoon workshop sponsored by Strengths Partnership on?The Leaders Role in Optimising Strengths and Engagement to Achieve Innovation and Excellence.?I will be presenting/facilitating on the Pyramid of Employee Engagement and Michael Farry, HR Director for PhotoBox, will also be presenting on how to build a culture of positive leadership, collaboration and innovation through a systematic, practical and integrated change and development programme.

For a modest fee of ?75 plus VAT, you will receive:

• ?Entrance to the conference and networking over drinks after the event
• ?An opportunity to take the Strengthscope360? profiler and receive feedback
• ?A free leadership book entitled ?Stretch ? Leading Beyond Boundaries?
• ?Delegate pack containing proven and practical tools to help optimise workforce strengths and engagement at the individual, team and organisational levels
• ?An invitation to join the Strengths HR Forum (over 1,300 members) and the Employee Engagement Network (over 5,400 members)

To register?click here.

Next Post in the Series:?Energetic strengths and engagement

David Zinger?is an employee engagement expert. He will be in the UK in late November to support the Go Live event for the UK Employee Engagement Task Force and to co-lead an afternoon on the fusion of employee engagement and strengths for innovation and excellence.

Source: http://www.davidzinger.com/employee-engagement-strengthening-wellbeing-14710/

Eric Idle rory mcilroy Fatboy Slim Rio de Janeiro Shark Week London 2012 closing ceremony Shark Week 2012

Pope Reveals All the Secrets of Baby Jesus?Including His Birth Star's True Nature

Pope Benedict XVI has just published a new book, the third volume of his Jesus of Nazareth trilogy, talking about the childhood of Jesus. Like Dan Brown's bestsellers, Herr Ratzinger promises to reveal lots of mysteries for just $13. Or you can save your money and read the juiciest bits here, starting with the reality behind the star of Bethlehem: More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/xYjPu3-RAFk/pope-reveals-all-the-secrets-of-baby-jesusincluding-his-birth-stars-true-nature

pink slime eagle cam trayvon martin case affordable care act the line us soccer bobby brown arrested

Touch Laptops: What's Great?And What's Not

I'm a little embarrassed to admit how much I like the Surface RT. I wasn't expecting a lot when I ordered it, but after a day of use, I realized this was more than Yet Another Gadget. It might represent a brave new world of laptop design. How can you not love a laptop that lets you touch Zardoz to unlock it? More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/6aQUABX9jkc/touch-laptops-whats-great++and-whats-not

van der sloot heather locklear mlk memorial mlk memorial heather locklear hospitalized joplin tornado extreme makeover home edition

2 ex-David Cameron confidants face bribery charges

LONDON (AP) ? Two former confidants of Britain's prime minister have been charged with conspiring to pay public officials in exchange for stories and information ? the latest development in the country's establishment-shaking scandal over media malfeasance.

Britain's Crown Prosecution Services said Tuesday that former tabloid editors Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks were among five people being charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

Prosecutors said that Brooks, a neighbor, close friend, and political ally of Prime Minister David Cameron, conspired with journalist John Kay to funnel as much as 100,000 pounds to Ministry of Defense employee Bettina Jordan Barber in return for a steady stream of stories that were published in Murdoch's The Sun newspaper.

In a statement, the prosecutors alleged that Coulson, who until last year served as Cameron's top press aide, conspired with journalist Clive Goodman to pay officials for access to a royal phone directory known as the "Green Book."

The charges stem from the phone hacking scandal that erupted last year at Murdoch's News of the World tabloid, which Brooks and Coulson used to edit before she took a job as chief executive of News International and he went to work for the government.

Britons were outraged when it emerged last year that News of the World journalists routinely hacked phones and paid bribes to win scoops. The scale of wrongdoing was staggering; ruthless reporters violated the privacy of some 600 victims, from powerful politicians to high flying celebrities and even crime victims.

Coulson and Brooks already face charges with relation to phone hacking; in July prosecutors charged the pair with conspiring to intercept the communications of hundreds of people between 2000 and 2006. Brooks faces separate charges of obstruction of justice relating to her alleged attempts to hide evidence from police. Coulson is charged with perjury in relation to evidence he gave at a 2010 trial in Scotland.

The gradual pile-up of charges could further embarrass Cameron, who hired Coulson as his chief communications adviser and once counted Brooks and her horse training husband Charlie in his circle of friends. Cameron ignored persistent warnings about the pair's ethics and promised to stand by Coulson even as an increasing number of reports implicated him in tabloid wrongdoing.

The scandal shows little sign of winding down. London's police force, chastened by its failure to uncover the scandal earlier, has kept up a steady drumbeat of arrests and American officials are still weighing whether Murdoch's company violated U.S. anti-corruption laws. In Britain, the legal process is still grinding forward. Mark Lewis, a prominent victims' lawyer, recently announced lawsuits against the Daily Mirror newspaper over allegations of phone hacking ? further expanding the circle of tabloid suspects.

The scandal is likely to be a watershed moment for Britain's rambunctious press. A judge-led inquiry into the ethics and practices of the country's media set up in the wake of the scandal is due to report shortly, and its recommendations could lead to sweeping changes in the way that the British media operates.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2-ex-david-cameron-confidants-face-bribery-charges-113647767.html

Yom Kippur 2012 detroit lions Aaron Paul mumford and sons packers Dancing With The Stars All Stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt

PFT: Jerry Jones downplays chat with Holmgren

AP

Patriots All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski suffered a broken arm on the extra point that gave New England its 59th point in Sunday?s 59-24 win over Indianapolis. That has some people asking: Why did Bill Belichick have Gronkowski in the game?

Longtime Boston sports columnist Ron Borges made the point on Comcast SportsNet New England that Belichick?s use of such an important player as Gronkowski on such an unimportant play as an extra point late in the fourth quarter of a game in which the Patriots are leading by 34 points is a mistake.

?I?ve never understood some of these decisions that get made, to use some of these guys on special teams,? Borges said. ?Why are you doing this? I don?t get it. . . . I?ve never understood it. It?s very head-scratching. If it were me I wouldn?t have him on extra points, period.?

If whoever the Patriots put on the extra point team in Gronkowski?s absence over the next few weeks misses a block, and the Patriots have an extra point blocked because of it, then perhaps Belichick would be vindicated. But it seems awfully unlikely that Gronkowski?s absence would hurt the Patriots on special teams. What will hurt the Patriots is that they?re now going to be without one of their best players, probably for a month or two.

In fairness to Belichick, however, Gronkowski is a good blocker, and it makes sense to have him on the field goal unit for that reason, and teams use the same players on extra points as they do on field goals. You could argue that Gronkowski should be pulled from field goals and extra points when the game is no longer in doubt, but Belichick is far from the only coach who would simply leave in the same extra-point personnel that he?d been using all game, no matter the score.

Belichick might, however, be the only coach in the NFL who would have his starting quarterback throwing passes well into the fourth quarter with a four-touchdown lead. Tom Brady stayed in the game even after the Patriots went up 45-17 in the fourth quarter and put it out of reach, and Brady completed a 13-yard pass to Wes Welker with five minutes remaining in the game, with the Patriots leading 52-24. In my own opinion, having Brady risking an injury by throwing a pass late in the fourth quarter with the Patriots up by 28 is more egregious than leaving Gronkowski on the field for an extra point.

But Belichick doesn?t care about my opinion, Borges? opinion or any other opinion. He has always had an unusual approach to blowouts, in that he?d rather step on the opponent?s throat than pull his starters and give his second-stringers some live game action. That?s his right, and even Gronkowski?s injury probably isn?t going to change his mind.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/11/19/jerry-jones-downplays-sunday-chat-with-holmgren/related/

jennifer lopez wardrobe malfunction hugo hugo nfl combine 84th annual academy awards beginners 2012 oscars

Robin Roberts: Home from Hospital, Recovering from Virus

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/11/robin-roberts-home-from-hospital-recoverinf-from-virus/

san jose sharks humber perfect game ufc 145 fight card ufc145 chimpanzee chimpanzee the lucky one

Injectable formulation of malaria parasites achieve controlled infection

ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2012) ? In a breakthrough that could accelerate malaria vaccine and drug development, scientists have announced? that, for the first time ever, human volunteers were infected with malaria via a simple injection of cryopreserved sterile parasites that were harvested from the salivary glands of infected mosquitoes in compliance with regulatory standards. The parasites had been frozen in a vial for more than two years.

The established gold standard for deciding whether or not to proceed with the development of a new malaria drug or vaccine is known as a "human challenge" trial, in which volunteers exposed to the vaccine or experimental drugs are deliberately subjected to bites from infected mosquitoes. The findings from this study indicate that direct injection of cryopreserved parasites can be used in lieu of mosquito bites.

In a presentation at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), researchers at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands and their colleagues from Sanaria Inc. and Protein Potential LLC said the findings from this study eventually could lead to a powerful tool for testing promising malaria drugs and vaccines in trials that involve deliberately exposing subjects to a "controlled human malaria infection" (CHMI). Also, they said the injectable formulation of malaria parasites might be considered, by itself, as part of a novel approach to providing protection against a disease that each year kills at least 650,000 people, most of them young children in Africa. The findings were also recently published online in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and will be published in the January 2013 print issue.

"Our study shows it's possible to manufacture and then administer controlled doses of malaria parasites using a needle and syringe to deliver a formulation that can meet regulatory standards for purity and dose consistency," said Meta Roestenberg, MD, of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center and the lead author of the study along with Else M. Bijker, MD.

The current "human trial challenge" method is technically complex and costly, and there are only a few places in the world today where such work is being done. Also, when using mosquitoes to deliver malaria parasites (or "sporozoites" as they are called when they first invade the human body), it can be difficult to ensure that all subjects receive the same level of infection. And scientists say that can influence the outcome of the treatment.

In a controlled human malaria infection trial, conducted at Radboud University Medical Center from October 2010 to July 2011, researchers injected eighteen healthy Dutch volunteers with cryopreserved Plasmodium falciparum malaria sporozoites (PfSPZ Challenge). The study showed that 84% of participants -- five of the six volunteers in each group -- were safely and successfully infected with no differences among the groups in the time it took for the infection to develop or the presentation of symptoms. The volunteers who developed infections subsequently received treatment and quickly recovered without incident.

"We have demonstrated the potential to develop what you might call the human challenge trial in a bottle that could be available to scientists anywhere who need to know how a new drug or vaccine would fare against a real but carefully controlled and calibrated malaria infection," said Stephen L. Hoffman, MD, chief executive and scientific officer of Sanaria Inc. and the study's co-senior author. "This accessibility could be particularly important for expanding malaria research capabilities at African research centers, which is critical to combating this resilient disease."

The authors of the study also said that the results could provide evidence for developing what are known as "whole parasite" vaccines. Robert W. Sauerwein, MD, PhD, of Radboud University Medical Center said that the new study showing that infections could be accomplished with a simple shot in the arm could make the whole parasite approach more feasible.

"A major challenge to realizing the potential of whole parasite vaccines is the development of a stable, consistent formulation of sporozoites that can be manufactured, preserved and used like any other vaccine," said Sauerwein, the study's other senior author.

Sanaria is currently pursuing clinical trials to test two different approaches to whole parasite vaccination -- irradiated sporozoites and inducing controlled infections in tandem with the administration of anti-malaria drugs. Also, researchers are planning additional trials to ensure the infection produced with the cryopreserved sporozoites mirrors what one would experience through bites from infected mosquitoes.

"This study is a great example of the innovative and dynamic research being done through partnerships across academic and corporate sectors that's translating research into needed tools to control and ultimately eradicate malaria," said James Kazura, president of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. "What we have here is a new avenue, a new clue to study how the infection develops, and with that we are moving closer to eliminating what is truly a global scourge."

Disclosure: Sanaria Inc. manufactured PfSPZ Challenge, and Protein Potential LLC is affiliated with Sanaria. Thus, all authors associated with Sanaria or Protein Potential have potential conflicts of interest.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Burness Communications, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Eric R. James, Guido J. H. Bastiaens, Anne C. Teirlinck, Anja Scholzen, Karina Teelen, Theo Arens, Andr? J. A. M. van der Ven, Anusha Gunasekera, Sumana Chakravarty, Soundarapandian Velmurugan, Cornelus C. Hermsen, Robert W. Sauerwein, and Stephen L. Hoffman. Controlled Human Malaria Infections by Intradermal Injection of Cryopreserved Plasmodium falciparum Sporozoites. Am J Trop Med Hyg, November 13, 2012 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0613

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/top_news/~3/BfdzZLIHVEo/121113161502.htm

Canelo Alvarez Chavez vs Martinez Yunel Escobar Irish Daily Star seth macfarlane Black Mesa NFL.com

Why men like Petraeus risk it all to cheat

An admitted affair has crumbled the career of CIA Director David Petraeus, prompting the evergreen question: Why do people with so much to lose risk it all for sex?

In the last few years alone, several public figures, from former Rep. Anthony Weiner to action star and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, have admitted to straying from their marital vows. In Petraeus' case, a miscalculation of risk may have contributed to the decision to cheat, psychologists say.

"People tend to underestimate how quickly small risks mount up" because of repeated exposure to those risks, said Baruch Fischhoff, a professor of social and decision science at Carnegie Mellon University. "You do something once and you get away with it ? certain things you're probably going to get away with ? but you keep doing them often enough, eventually the risk gets pretty high."

Even so, men can become blind to risk at the sight of an attractive woman, and from an evolutionary perspective, cheating can be a positive mechanism for ensuring gene survival, regardless of risk, scientists say.

Military affairs

Petraeus, a retired four-star general, resigned his post as CIA Director on Friday (Nov. 9), admitting to an affair with Paula Broadwell, his biographer. Twenty years the general's junior, Broadwell had close access to Petraeus for several years, but their affair reportedly did not start until after he left the military in 2011.

A West Point graduate, Broadwell is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves. She reportedly bonded with Petraeus over physical activity, going on runs with him and remaining a close confidant after Petraeus' military career ended.

That time together likely contributed to the intimacy between Petraeus and Broadwell, said Frank Farley, a Temple University psychologist, just as many people begin affairs after getting close in the workplace.

Petraeus is not the first high-ranking military man to have an affair, said Farley, who is also a past president of the American Psychological Association. Famously gruff World War II general George Patton had an affair with his wife's step-niece. General Douglas MacArthur had a mistress named Isabel Rosario Cooper, whom he met in the Philippines.

And General Dwight D. Eisenhower, later president, may have had an affair with his World War II chauffer, Kay Summersby, according to the woman's memoirs and some suggestive letters left behind after both parties died.

"The nation should not be surprised at Petraeus having an affair," Farley told LiveScience.

Leaders like Petraeus tend to be bold risk-takers, Farley said, a personality trait that is very helpful when leading soldiers into battle. The same trait may make these leaders more likely to take risks in their personal lives, as well. [10 Easy Paths to Self Destruction]

Broadwell may have some of the same risk-taking traits as the former director. In a January interview with The Charlotte Observer, Broadwell, who is also married, called herself and her husband "adventure junkies."

Risk versus reward

Still, Petraeus' 38-year marriage and his career were at stake in his decision to pursue an affair. Extramarital liaisons are especially risky for CIA employees with access to classified information, because an affair can leave the person open to blackmail.

There are also concerns that Broadwell could have gotten classified information from Petraeus. For example, in a speech in Denver in October, Broadwell brought up details about the U.S. Consulate attack in Benghazi that may not have been public knowledge, according to The Daily Beast.

With risks like that on the line, could an extramarital affair be worth it? As it turns out, men may become blind to risk when an attractive woman enters the picture. One 2008 study found that men who played blackjack after seeing beautiful female faces took more risks than men who played the game after seeing unattractive faces.

This was true if the men were highly motivated in seeking new sexual partners. The blackjack risks seemed calculated to impress potential mates, study researcher Michael Baker, now a professor at Eastern Carolina University, told LiveScience. [The Sex Quiz: Myths, Taboos & Bizarre Facts]

More germane to high-profile affairs, Baker said, the risk of losing one's career or reputation is nothing compared with the evolutionary drive to reproduce. In that sense, while embarking on an affair may seem dumb, it actually shows something called "mating intelligence."

"These individuals have these very high-status, high-power positions, and the whole idea behind why people might be motivated to get these positions is because it gives them better access to resources that could be used to increase their reproductive success and attract more mates," Baker said.

Until the last few decades, extramarital affairs wouldn't have put a crimp in the careers of high-profile men, Baker said. It's only recently that men have been subject to the consequences of infidelity. And, of course, monogamy is often a lofty ideal.

"The human race has had thousands of years of problems with monogamy," Farley said. "The problems have not been resolved."

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas?or LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.

Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/why-men-petraeus-risk-cheat-210918083.html

nfl mock draft 2012 norfolk island michael brockers lisa marie presley florida panthers tannehill joel ward

US stocks nearly unchanged as fiscal threat looms

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, file photo, Gregg Maloney, left, and Ronnie Howard, center, both of Barclays, direct trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, in New York U.S. stocks eked out the tiniest of gains on Monday Nov. 12, 2012, small comfort after worries about the fiscal cliff sent the market plunging last week. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, file photo, Gregg Maloney, left, and Ronnie Howard, center, both of Barclays, direct trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, in New York U.S. stocks eked out the tiniest of gains on Monday Nov. 12, 2012, small comfort after worries about the fiscal cliff sent the market plunging last week. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

U.S. stocks closed nearly unchanged Monday, after a day of uneven trading plagued by investors' fears about the approaching "fiscal cliff."

The Dow Jones industrial average finished down 0.31 point at 12,815.08, according to data available at 6 p.m. EST. It had spent the day alternating between small gains and losses, never rising more than 46 points or falling more than 32.

The closing level of the Dow was revised several times after trading closed. The New York Stock Exchange had experienced a trading glitch during the day, forcing it to alter its normal procedure for determining the closing prices of some stocks.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index edged up 0.18 point to 1,380.03. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.61 to 2,904.26.

Trading was very light. The federal government and the U.S. bond market were closed for Veterans Day, and no economic reports were released.

The fiscal cliff refers to government spending cuts and tax increases that are scheduled to kick in at the beginning of the new year, unless a divided Congress and the White House can work out a compromise before then.

Some traders thought the tentative trading action was nearly inevitable because there has been no positive or negative news about the economy or the possibility of a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff.

"Nothing good is going on," said Scott Freeze, president of Street One Financial in Huntingdon Valley, Pa. "Everything forward-looking remains dreary."

Last week, after voters returned a long-deadlocked and divided government to Washington, the Dow dropped 434 points in two days and had one of its worst weeks of the year.

Even if lawmakers work out a compromise, as they usually do, the political fight until then is sure keep investors on edge, pitching the stock market back and forth until it's resolved. Economists say the cliff could cost the economy $800 billion and 3 million jobs and would plunge the U.S. back into recession.

President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, have spoken of compromise but appear to be taking firm stances on some issues. Obama will meet with labor representatives as well as other progressive groups Tuesday. He'll hold separate meetings with the business community Wednesday.

The effect on the markets has been widespread. Fiscal cliff worries were blamed for keeping a lid on European markets and Asian markets, which closed mostly lower.

In Greece, lawmakers passed a new austerity budget, and the country's international lenders drafted a report saying it had made progress in righting its finances. Greece is hoping the other euro countries will give it another $40 billion in bailout loans. The budget and the report are crucial steps toward that goal.

Still, the new bailout isn't a sure thing: Some of the potential lenders must seek approval from their parliaments. Greece's main stock market index closed down 3.6 percent.

Freeze was among the underwhelmed. "At this point, all the Greek news is just noise," he said. "None of these bailouts really solve the underlying problem. Now if all of a sudden Spain became incredibly solvent and its unemployment rate went to 5 percent, then you'd see" a reason to buy.

Across Europe, there were other reminders that the debt crisis is far from solved. The Banking Association of Spain, a country where hundreds of thousands of borrowers have fallen behind on their mortgages, said it would curb evictions of some struggling homeowners. In Portugal, demonstrators planned protests against a scheduled visit from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Germany helped bail out Portugal last year and insisted that the government there cut spending as a condition of getting the money, a sore point for some in Portugal.

Among U.S. stocks making big moves:

? Leucadia National announced it would buy the investment banking firm Jefferies Group. Jefferies' chief will run the combined company. Leucadia, a holding company with investments in eclectic industries including beef processing and medical products, dropped 66 cents, or 3 percent, to $21.14. Jefferies soared $2, or 14 percent, to $16.27.

? Sherwin-Williams, the paint company, jumped 5.8 percent after announcing it will buy Consorcio Comex, a privately held rival based in Mexico City. Its stock rose $8.22 to $149.06.

? Best Buy leapt after announcing it had named a new finance chief, a former executive of the upscale kitchen store Williams-Sonoma. Analysts hope the new numbers cruncher can help turn around a chain that has struggled to keep up with online competitors. Best Buy's stock rose 55 cents, or 3.6 percent, to $15.85.

___

Daniel Wagner can be reached at www.twitter.com/wagnerreports.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-11-12-Wall%20Street/id-f681f24b678f478e93adea0d298e06ce

bengals vs texans nfl playoffs cincinnati bengals bengals the stand josh mcdaniels cotton bowl

Bahrain opposition leader: Hopes fading for talks

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) ? The head of Bahrain's main opposition group says envoys from the U.S. and other countries are acting as intermediaries with the Gulf nation's rulers, seeking to ease 21 months of unrest.

Sheik Ali Salman says there is little hope for breakthrough dialogue.

He also told The Associated Press on Sunday that Bahrain's main anti-government factions, including his Al Wefaq group, are unable to rein in breakaway protesters using increasingly violent tactics, including homemade firebombs.

Government officials also blame protesters for deadly explosions.

Bahrain's deepening crisis has led authorities to expand deployment of its paramilitary National Guard in the strategic nation, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

More than 55 people have been killed since February 2011 as majority Shiites seek a greater political voice in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-11-11-Bahrain/id-73b817d80fbb47529afb4c6ea19cd18e

new world trade center kellen moore guy fieri ryan braun bryce harper may day stoudemire

Apps of the Week: Need for Speed Most Wanted, Storage Analyser, Nexus Revamped LWP and more!

On this, the eve of the new Nexus, we have another set of great app picks for you. Spend a few bucks on some great games, pick up a couple of free productivity apps and take a look back at something retro with an old-school live wallpaper done right. So take a look, this is an all-star lineup you have to see.

Oh, and can you spot how many Nexuses there are in this post?

read more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/FDtl61eADJM/story01.htm

to catch a predator davenport chris hansen ehlers danlos syndrome the closer michael turner split pea soup

UK court says Apple notice was 'false and misleading,' orders full repayment of Samsung's legal costs

Nothing truly says "I'm sorry" like a large sum of cash, and Apple will have to open up its wallet to Samsung thanks to "false and misleading" information it published in a court-ordered statement. The decision stems from an earlier UK high court ruling ordering Cupertino to post an apology on its British website stating that the Galaxy Tab didn't copy the iPad. However, according to a new judgement by the the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the apology it issued contained statements "calculated to produce confusion," like references to unrelated, favorable judgements. Though Apple issued a second apology, the court is taking the unusual step of forcing it to pay all of Samsung's legal fees for the entire case on an "indemnity basis" -- in other words, to compensate the Korean maker for losses suffered due to the original statement. If you'd like to parse the legalese for yourself, hit the source.

Update: Some thought the original phrasing "which it did" implied that we thought Samsung did copy Apple, rather than the intended meaning -- that Apple did issue a retraction. We've changed the wording, so thanks to everyone who pointed it out.

Filed under: Tablets

UK court says Apple notice was 'false and misleading,' orders full repayment of Samsung's legal costs originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink The Verge  |  England and Wales Court of Appeal (Bailli)  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/AZxhH8_AZ0E/

patti smith lottery winners lottery winners april fools day pranks ohio state vs kansas daniel von bargen the beach

James Bond soars to box office record with "Skyfall"

(Reuters) - James Bond can don the tuxedo and break out the Dom Perignon after the super spy returned to theaters in record fashion at the weekend, blowing away box office rivals with $87.8 million in ticket sales for the U.S. and Canadian debut of new movie "Skyfall" for the biggest opening in the franchise's history.

The best North American opening for the 50-year-old Bond franchise adds to a strong tally of $428.6 million for "Skyfall" overseas. Globally, the movie starring Daniel Craig as 007 has now earned $518.6 million since first hitting international theaters on October 26, distributor Sony Pictures said.

"Skyfall" handily beat Walt Disney Co animated movie "Wreck-It Ralph," the story of a video game character who destroys everything in his path. The family film that topped last week's charts grabbed $33.1 million from Friday through Sunday and slipped to second place.

Denzel Washington drama "Flight," about an airline captain who saves a plane from crashing, pulled in $15.1 million to finish third.

Bond's allure proved unbeatable in "Skyfall," the third movie starring Craig and the first in four years. The last Bond film, "Quantum of Solace" in 2008, opened with a then-record $68 million at North American (U.S. and Canadian) theaters.

"We've always been very bullish about the film, but I don't think anyone expected the kind of stunning numbers that we've seen," said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution for Sony Corp's Sony Pictures studio.

"How many pictures in just over two weeks have earned more than half a billion already?" he told Reuters.

"We've seen huge openings in every country that it's opened in. It's going to be one for the history books," Bruer added.

In the new movie, Judi Dench returns as Bond's supervisor, "M." Bond travels between Istanbul, Shanghai and London as his loyalty to M is tested, while MI6 comes under attack from an unknown threat. Javier Bardem plays the villain Bond must stop.

Bond's return has been hailed by the critics as a triumph for the 23-film franchise after a tepid response to "Quantum of Solace." Ninety-two percent of "Skyfall" reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website were positive, and audiences polled by CinemaScore awarded the film an "A" grade. The film has already exceeded the "Quantum" lifetime box office total.

The $200 million movie was produced by MGM, Sony and Eon Productions. Its release comes 50 years after the franchise premiered with "Dr. No" in 1962, and the producers highlighted the anniversary in the film's marketing. The 22 previous Bond films have grossed $5 billion at box offices over five decades.

"Skyfall" was the only major new nationwide release this weekend. Steven Spielberg's historical drama "Lincoln" opened in 11 theaters with sales of $900,000, or $81,818 per theater on average. The movie which stars Daniel Day-Lewis as the 16th president expands to 1,500 locations next Friday.

Rounding out the top five, Ben Affleck drama "Argo," about the rescue of U.S. diplomats from Iran in 1979, finished in fourth place with $6.7 million. In fifth place, Liam Neeson hostage thriller "Taken 2" grabbed $4.0 million.

Sony Corp's movie studio released "Skyfall." "Flight" was distributed by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. "Lincoln" was produced by Dreamworks and released by Disney. Time Warner Inc's Warner Bros. studio released "Argo." "Taken 2" was distributed by 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp.

(Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/james-bond-soars-box-office-record-skyfall-182959233--sector.html

jonathan frid pujols watchmen hitch justin beiber lamar odom perfect game

JC Penney's Johnson has backing to weather sales plunge

NEW YORK (Reuters) - J.C. Penney Co Inc Chief Executive Ron Johnson has two key weapons in his arsenal as he tries to weather plunging sales while radically transforming the aged retailer - the backing of its top investor, and cash.

Those two assets help Johnson exude confidence on days like Friday, when the retailer reported its worst drop yet in same-store sales since he began his radical transformation of the department store chain earlier this year.

Same-store sales fell 26.1 percent in the latest quarter, ended October 27, while analysts had expected a decrease of 17.9 percent. It was a far more pronounced drop than in each of the first two quarters of the transformation.

Sales in the quarter were again abysmal at what Johnson called the "old JCP," as the elimination of coupons and most sales this year kept away shoppers, trained for decades to look for promotions. Business at recently opened boutiques like Levi's and its jcp brand were far better.

"It is really becoming a tale of two companies," Johnson told investors and Wall Street analysts at a meeting in New York, even as he said he was "100 percent committed" to his plan for the century-old retailer.

The boutiques were called out by activist investor William Ackman, whose Pershing Square Capital Management is J.C. Penney's top investor and who has repeatedly said he is giving the turnaround several years.

"It's about the shops. That's the future of the company," Ackman told Reuters at Friday's presentation.

Pershing Square owns 17.8 percent of shares, according to Thomson Reuters data, and has the right to buy another 8.3 percent.

At the 10 boutiques, including the eight opened in August and September, the company is generating sales at an annual rate of $269 per square foot, compared with $139 in the old parts of its stores. The boutiques still represent only 11 percent of the company's selling space. But they do bolster Johnson's argument.

What's more, prominent brands like Martha Stewart and Joe Fresh will open their stores in the spring, giving the retailer a critical mass of boutiques likely to draw more shoppers, independent retail stock analyst Marie Driscoll said. And sales comparisons will be easier next year after the abysmal results in 2012.

"If by July investors are not seeing tangible results, they might well start pushing for a change in strategy," Driscoll said, predicting investors will be patient for a bit longer because of how radical Johnson's strategy is.

Penney's plan calls for the conversion by 2015 of 700 of its 1,100 stores into collections of 100 boutiques, which now include Levi's Denim Bar, PVH Corp's Izod and upgraded Liz Claiborne areas.

By this time next year, Penney stores will have 40 shops, then another 30 in by November 2014, before completing the project in 36 months.

J.C. Penney shares fell as much as 9.6 percent after the company released its results. It closed down 4.8 percent at $20.64 on the New York Stock Exchange.

CAN'T NEGLECT "OLD JCP"

But for the time being, the company needs to stanch the bleeding at the so-called "Old JCP".

"That is the engine of cash growth to fund the new jpc," Johnson said.

At the meeting, Penney executive took concerns about its liquidity head on and said that at fiscal year end, in January, it would have a warchest of $2.5 billion, including $1 billion in cash as well as a credit line.

Chief Finance Officer Ken Hannah told the meeting that Penney had enough money to see the project through on schedule and that Penney could finance the transformation through cash generated by its operations.

Earlier this year, Penney laid off thousands of employees as one part of an effort to save $900 million a year. The company has also brought down its inventory 23 percent during the quarter, easing pressure on its finances.

Penney made some concessions on its pricing strategy during the third quarter, such as offering a $10 gift coupon last month and a recent "30 percent off" clearance promotion.

Looking ahead to the holiday season, which typically generates 40 percent of a department store's annual profit, Penney will have its only sale of the year on Black Friday, the day after U.S. Thanksgiving, a major day for holiday shopping.

Walter Loeb, president of retail management consultant Loeb Associates, expressed concern about Penney's performance during the upcoming holiday shopping season giving its difficulty in getting shoppers into its doors.

"I expect a big drop in sales" Loeb said. "(Johnson) must generate traffic. I think he has to be more promotional."

Kohl's Corp on Thursday warned of "a very promotional Christmas" for retailers.

Penney said its net loss narrowed to $123 million, or 56 cents per share, in the third quarter from $143 million, or 67 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding a gain from the sale of noncore assets and other one-time items, Penney said it lost 93 cents a share.

Sales fell 26.6 percent to $2.93 billion, hurt by big markdowns on "Old JCP" merchandise that it had to clear.

(Reporting by Phil Wahba in New York; additional reporting by Brad Dorfman in Chicago; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn, John Wallace and Richard Chang)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/j-c-penney-same-store-sales-plummet-26-120954828--finance.html

troy tulowitzki katie couric good morning america the rock vs john cena acm awards 2012 january jones ncaa final game reba mcentire

Microsoft outlines Internet Explorer 10 differences between Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8

Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 together mark a rare confluence for Microsoft: they represent the first instance of the company's desktop and phone platforms sharing the same browser base, and that has wide-reaching implications for what developers can do. The Redmond team doesn't want anyone plunging headlong into web apps without knowing what to expect, however, and it just reminded us in a blog post that there are still a few off-limits areas for Internet Explorer 10 on the mobile side. Not surprisingly, elements that demand a truly big screen or a windowed interface won't fly -- there's nowhere to drag-and-drop from or open a new window to. A few other aspects are more likely to catch web developers off-guard, such as the lack of in-line video, a handful of touch inputs, ActiveX and the level of file access. The most important common ground stems from simply having a modern rendering engine whose HTML5 and CSS3 support will prevent any rude shocks. There's much more at the source link, although Microsoft and designers may just be happy that any Windows Phone web development is a question of finding those few things that won't work, rather than reinventing the wheel.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft

Microsoft outlines Internet Explorer 10 differences between Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Nov 2012 06:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Windows Phone Developer Blog  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/09/microsoft-outlines-ie10-differences-in-windows-8-and-windows-phone-8/

gronkowski new hunger games trailer sasquatch david choe national wear red day gunner kiel gunner kiel

Members of Navy SEAL Team Six disciplined

Seven current members of the Navy's elite SEAL Team Six, including one involved in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, have received non-judicial punishments for having served as paid consultants for the video game "Medal of Honor: Warfighter." Four other SEALs who previously belonged to the unit remain under investigation.

The newly released game by Electronic Arts features special operations forces, including SEALs, in combat situations. Promotional materials for the game mention the fact that, to make the game as realistic as possible, input came from special operators, including Navy SEALS.

A Navy official says 11 active duty SEALS worked as consultants on the game over two days earlier this year. At the time all of them were members of SEAL Team Six.

A senior Navy official told ABC News that one of the seven SEALs was involved in the May 1, 2011, raid in Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden.

The SEALs were punished for having violated their nondisclosure agreements and for having revealed tactics, techniques and procedures. Non-judicial punishments allow commanders to discipline service members administratively instead of pursuing a legal process that could lead to a court martial.

The news that active duty SEALS had been punished for their involvement with the video game was first reported by CBS News.

The official confirmed that on Thursday morning seven senior enlisted sailors, who are still part of the unit, had received letters of reprimand and been fined two months' pay. Letters of reprimand are seen as career-enders because they typically prevent further promotions. The investigation continues into the four West Coast based SEALs who were part of the unit at the time that they served as consultants.

A Defense official said that in an unusual move, the punishments were read out loud to the seven SEALs in front of their peers to send the message that this kind of activity would not be tolerated.

In a statement, Rear Adm. Garry Bonelli, deputy commander of Naval Special Warfare Command, said his command "takes all allegations of misconduct seriously and conducts investigations to determine the facts. We likewise take seriously the Non-Disclosure Agreements signed by Sailors and adherence to the articles of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)."

The Navy first became aware of the SEALs' involvement following the release of the book "No Easy Day," written by the pseudonym Mark Owen, a former SEAL Team Six member who detailed his role in the bin Laden raid.

Owen was investigated by the Pentagon for having violated his non-disclosure agreements and for not having his book vetted by the Pentagon. He too served as a consultant on the Medal of Honor video game.

The Navy official said the participation by the 11 SEALs was discovered following a review prompted by the publication of Owen's book. The official said after the book came out, it was decided that a review should be made of what "outside engagements" current SEALs might have been involved with for which they may have received compensation.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/seven-members-navys-seal-team-six-disciplined-video-040839518--abc-news-politics.html

unemployment rate jesse ventura keri russell drew barrymore bill o brien portland trailblazers will kopelman

Sandy's silent killer claims another victim

Jonathan Sanger / NBC News

Heather Humphries fills a generator with gas in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012.

By Andrew Mach, NBC News

A Long Island, N.Y., woman died this week when a portable generator she began using after Superstorm Sandy knocked out the electricity in her neighborhood emitted fatal levels of carbon monoxide.

Michelle Bracco, 44, was discovered unconscious in her home around 10 p.m. Monday, police said. She was taken to South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside, N.Y., where she was pronounced dead, NBCNewYork reported.

Police said a portable generator in the garage was being used to provide power to Bracco?s home.

Bracco?s death wasn't the first caused by Sandy?s silent killer since the storm passed.

Local news outlets have reported that carbon monoxide poisoning has sickened dozens of people in more than 10 Northeast states in Sandy?s wake. Now, as newly powerless residents throughout the storm-struck region crank up generators after a nor?easter brought record early snow and winter weather, the potential for more deaths is high, officials warn.

---

Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter

?The stories that we?re hearing over the last couple of days are frightening,? New Jersey Poison Control Center Director Dr. Steven Marcus told NJ.com. ?People are just not thinking, and I?m afraid that the longer there is no power, the worse this could be.?

The storm boasted wind gusts of more than 50 mph and dropped heavy snow on already-weakened tree limbs, leading to the new outages. When combined with the residual outages left by Sandy, officials estimate some 700,000 are without power across the Northeast, according to utility providers in the region.?

Experts say carbon monoxide poisonings tend to spike when an area loses electricity because people often put power generators in partially opened or closed garages or bring charcoal grills indoors. Carbon monoxide can also seep through slightly open windows.

Police blamed carbon monoxide for the death of James Stapleford, 75, and Eva Stapleford, 73, of Shokan, N.Y.,?who were using a generator to power their home in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the New York Daily News reported. Police said the couple, who were discovered Monday, appeared to have been dead for two days.?

Record snow, new power outages as storm slams Northeast

In Newark, N.J., Mudiwa Benson and Kenya Barber, both 19, died last week, police said, from prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide because a generator was too close to their apartment home, NJ.com reported. ?

In Pennsylvania, four people died of carbon monoxide poisoning last week from generator fumes in separate incidents, the AP reported.

Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com?

And in Edison Township, N.J., a 65-year-old man likely died of carbon monoxide poisoning after running his generator in his garage last Wednesday, police said.

When emergency medical services responded to his house, police said they found him "blue in color." The generator found in his closed garage had run out of gas, NJ.com reported.

Carbon monoxide is completely odorless and invisible. Symptoms of poisoning caused by the gas include nausea, headaches, dizziness and vomiting, which can escalate to unconsciousness and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC?advises placing generators at least 20 feet away from homes, since there?s not enough ventilation within garages and basements or near open windows to prevent fatal poisoning. Battery-powered alarms are also necessary to warn residents before carbon monoxide reaches dangerous levels.?

Marcus said?people shouldn?t hesitate if they think they have a carbon monoxide problem.

"They need to get out of the house," he said. "Don?t open the windows. Just get out of the house. Don?t waste any time and get medical help."

More content from NBCNews.com:

Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/08/15025902-sandys-silent-killer-carbon-monoxide-claims-another-victim?lite

hanley ramirez Christian Bale visits victims Perez Hilton national weather service kristen stewart Christian Bale Sherman Hemsley

Manitou Messenger : Music on trial

Molly Raben
November 9, 2012 ? 9 views
Filed under Arts and Entertainment

Although election season has now passed, I have struggled to pull myself away from its soundtrack. In the few days prior to Nov. 6, I could not help but bump ?Don?t Stop? by Fleetwood Mac on high volume. I realize this is not 1992; however, its place in campaign history has solidified its place in many of our hearts. ?Don?t Stop? is an uplifting and energizing song reminding listeners to keep moving forward ? a poignant message central to Bill Clinton?s 1992 election campaign and one with which he has been associated over the past 20 years.

They may seem a small part of the big event, but campaign songs have been important tools in presidential elections since the mid-19th century. ?Tippecanoe and Tyler Too,? written for William Henry Harrison and John Tyler in 1840, is one of the most well-known of these early songs performed in promotion of a presidential ticket. The lyrics were written by Alexander Coffmann Ross and set to the tune of a popular minstrel song at the time, ?Little Pigs.? The song remains memorable because of its catchy alliteration and use of Harrison?s nickname, earned at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, and also because it firmly established song as a powerful device used to spread word about candidates.

In the 20th century, those running for office began associating themselves with popular recorded music and strayed from personalized songs. For example, FDR used the popular hit ?Happy Days Are Here to Stay? in his 1932 campaign.

Not all songs used in campaigns have retained a positive association. Ross Perot became infamous for choosing to play Patsy Cline?s 1961 recording of ?Crazy? while entering his rallies. A country western ballad about heartbreak, it is no wonder Perot received much attention for his choice of campaign song and its title.

Furthermore, several incidents have occurred in which musicians have asked certain candidates to cease using their songs to promote their campaigns. Tom Petty asked George W. Bush to refrain from playing his song ?I Won?t Back Down? at events during the 2000 election season. Petty then reportedly performed the song live at Al Gore?s house after receiving news of his loss.

In 2008, vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin attempted to fire up her crowds at events with the Heart song ?Barracuda.? She later faced the band?s outrage at her actions as they did not support her campaign. Similarly, Tom Petty, once again, had to draw his music out of the grasp of a candidate he did not support. Michele Bachmann kicked off her campaign for the presidential bid with his song, ?American Girl.? Apparently, Bachmann was not the ?Girl? Petty had imagined while writing the 1977 tune.

The campaign song tradition continued through this season, with President Obama singing an excerpt of Al Green?s ?Let?s Stay Together? at an appearance at the Apollo Theatre in January. This song stuck with him throughout the following months, but following his reelection Tuesday evening, he was appropriately met with cheers and Stevie Wonder?s high-energy funk hit, ?Signed, Sealed, Delivered? at Chicago?s McCormick Place Convention Center.

Although campaign songs may no longer be as useful as they were in the mid-19th century, they do remain a staple in the election season and serve as celebratory and? energizing tools for candidates.? What better way to come together in support of presidential candidates than to sing and dance?

?

?

?

raben@stolaf.edu

Source: http://www.manitoumessenger.com/arts-and-entertainment/2012/11/09/music-on-trial-4/

whitney houston funeral live pat buchanan slither slither naacp glen campbell jerusalem artichoke

TEXT-S&P affirms Keppel REIT rating at 'BBB' with stable outlook

(The following statement was released by the rating agency)

Nov 09 -

Overview

-- We expect Keppel REIT's acquisitions of two Australian properties will

increase its leverage to the ceiling for the current rating, assuming they are

fully funded by debt.

-- We are affirming our 'BBB' long-term corporate credit rating and our

'axA' long-term ASEAN regional scale rating on the Singapore-based REIT,

reflecting its stable cash flow generation on its high-quality leasing

portfolio.

-- The stable outlook reflects our expectation that the trust will manage

its leverage below 45%, which is appropriate for our assessment of an

"intermediate" financial risk profile.

Rating Action

On Nov. 9, 2012, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services affirmed its 'BBB'

long-term corporate credit rating on Singapore-based REIT, Keppel REIT

Management Ltd. The outlook is stable. At the same time, we affirmed our 'axA'

long-term ASEAN regional scale rating on the company.

Rationale

We affirmed the rating because we expect Keppel REIT to maintain its stable

cash flow, based on high occupancies in all its properties, despite the weaker

leasing outlook for the office sector in Singapore. As of Sept. 30, 2012, the

REIT's office properties in Singapore's central business district have 98%

occupancy despite significant new supply in 2012. This reflects Keppel REIT's

properties of above-average quality, good locations, and long weighted-average

lease expiry profile of 7.2 years, compared with the industry average of three

to four years. We expect Keppel REIT to be resilient even though leasing rates

may come under pressure in the next six to 12 months.

We also affirmed the ratings as Keppel REIT will likely maintain its leverage

below 45%, despite increasing its borrowing more than we expected. We assumed

that the REIT will take on additional borrowing of Singapore dollar (S$) 280

million to S$300 million in the next 12 to 18 months, to complete the

acquisitions of Chifley Square in Sydney and Old Treasury Building in Perth.

The debt increase will weaken the leverage and cash flow coverage, pushing the

credit ratios closer to the threshold for an "intermediate" financial risk

profile. We also expect the trust will have adequate facilities and a

refinancing plan in place to meet its large maturities coming due in 2014.

In our base-case scenario, we assume the acquisitions will be fully

debt-funded. Hence, leverage could range from 42% to 45% by the end of 2014.

We have defined leverage as the ratio of adjusted debt to total assets. The

debt and total assets include Keppel REIT's proportionate share of debt and

assets in its associate, One Raffles Quay Pte. Ltd. (unrated). Despite our

estimation that debt could rise to S$3.1 billion by the end of 2014, projected

leverage still remains within the range for an intermediate financial risk

profile because we have assumed a slight upward revaluation of Keppel REIT's

property portfolio in the next six months.

Our assumption is anchored on Keppel REIT's stable cash flow generation,

backed by good-quality tenants with long-term leases. In our projections, we

have not factored in fresh equity injections or sale of older assets by Keppel

REIT to reduce debt. However, the company has a record of raising equity in

2011 and 2010 for asset acquisitions, such as Ocean Financial Centre. At the

end of September 2012, Keppel REIT's leverage was 44.1% and ratio of funds

from operations (FFO) to interest was 5.2x.

In our view, Keppel REIT's business risk profile remains "satisfactory," but

will not be significantly enhanced with the completion of redevelopment of

Chifley Square and Old Treasury Building in the third quarters of 2013 and

2015, respectively. We expect both assets to form about 6% of Keppel REIT's

enlarged asset portfolio and about 8% of net property income by the end of

2014. Nevertheless, with the completion of Old Treasury Building, which has

been leased for 25 years to the government of Western Australia, we expect

Keppel REIT's top 10 tenants' weighted-average lease expiry to extend to 9.7

years from 7.5 years as of Sept. 30, 2012, further supporting our view of

Keppel REIT's stable cash flow generation.

Liquidity

Keppel REIT's liquidity is "adequate," as defined under our criteria. We

expect the REIT to refinance S$598 million in debt ahead of its maturity in

December 2012 and this could extend its average debt maturity profile to 3.4

years, compared with 3.1 years as of Dec. 31, 2011.

We estimate Keppel REIT's liquidity sources will exceed uses by about 1.2x in

the next 12 months, based on the following major assumptions:

-- We expect the REIT to generate FFO of S$200 million-S$210 million.

-- The REIT had unrestricted cash balance of S$104.6 million as of Sept.

30, 2012.

-- We expect the REIT's cash uses in the next 12 months to include

distributions of S$190 million-S$200 million and interest expenses of S$52

million.

-- Debt of S$155 million due in 2013 will be successfully refinanced in a

timely manner.

-- Keppel REIT has committed undrawn facilities of S$360 million as of

Sept. 30, 2012.

We also expect Keppel REIT to commence refinancing plans for the S$775 million

debt falling due in 2014, about six months ahead of maturity. We have assumed

successful refinancing of this significant maturity (about 28% of total debt

as of Sept. 30, 2012), based on Keppel REIT's satisfactory relationships with

its 12 lenders and its strong financial flexibility, backed by unencumbered

assets of S$4.7 billion. Based on these expectations, we believe Keppel REIT

will continue to benefit from the low borrowing cost of 2% in the next 12-18

months at least.

Outlook

The stable outlook reflects our expectation that Keppel REIT's leverage will

remain below 45% for the next two years and that the REIT will maintain:

-- its property portfolio with an emphasis on the 'A' to prime-grade

office assets;

-- its intermediate financial risk profile; and

-- its adequate liquidity.

We may lower the rating if the value of Keppel REIT's property portfolio

substantially declines, interest rates rise, or rental income falls. A

combination of these factors could cause the FFO-to-interest coverage ratio to

weaken to 3x or the leverage to exceed 45% for a prolonged period. Our

downgrade trigger is an FFO-to-interest coverage ratio of 4x. We may lower the

rating if Keppel REIT's acquisition appetite is more aggressive than we

expected.

Upward rating potential is limited in the next 12 months as the trust's

leverage will be near to the ceiling of our downgrade triggers. We could

review the rating if Keppel REIT meaningfully expands its portfolio of

high-quality office properties, backed by equity issuances, or if the company

adopts a more conservative financial policy.

Related Criteria And Research

-- Methodology: Business Risk/Financial Risk Matrix Expanded, Sept. 18,

2012

-- Key Credit Factors: Global Criteria For Rating Real Estate Companies,

June 21 2011

-- 2008 Corporate Criteria: Analytical Methodology, April 15, 2008

Ratings List

Ratings Affirmed

Keppel REIT Management Ltd.

Corporate Credit Rating BBB/Stable/--

ASEAN Rating Scale axA/--/--

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/text-p-affirms-keppel-reit-rating-bbb-stable-093043420--sector.html

jerry sandusky raul ibanez completely wrong Duck Dynasty hayden panettiere mila kunis stacey dash