Green Rating Alliance merges with Global Real Estate Sustainability ...

Green Rating Alliance (GRA) and Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) have signed a memorandum to join forces and improve the sustainability of commercial property portfolios, representatives have said.

The ?Memorandum of Understanding? outlines the companies? intention to share data and resources with the aim of improving their mutually beneficial schemes, paving the way for improvements in construction and refurbishment methods across Europe.

GRA and GRESB?s primary aim is to provide the tools for global real estate investors to reduce the emissions generated by their assets, whilst further targets involve relaying these methods to the wider property market.

Pieter Hendrikse, CEO of CBRE Global Investors EMEA and chairman of GRA, said: ?We are glad that we have found the perfect partner for the Green Rating Alliance with GRESB.? While GRA is focusing on property sustainability performance, GRESB is assessing property funds and companies.

?Both associations will benefit from each other by sharing their knowledge, joint activities and discussions between their members within the international real estate industry. We are looking forward to working together on a day-to-day basis and improving the sustainability performance in all our portfolios.?

Nils Kok, executive director of GRESB, expressed similar sentiments to his new-found partners, saying: ?GRESB and the GRA are both committed to independent evaluation of the sustainability performance of the real estate sector and complement each other.

?GRESB is investor-led, backed by 40 institutional investors and all leading industry bodies and real estate associations focused on the investment portfolio level.

?GRE is a manager-led initiative with the aim of optimising the sustainability performance of individual buildings. This partnership allows us to achieve our common goal of enhancing and protecting value by improving the sustainability performance of the built environment.?

Elsewhere, technology company GE has been extolling the virtues of its sustainability initiatives and commitment to help manage the Middle East?s carbon-footprint at the Arab Forum for Environment & Development in Beirut today.

Written by Ben Parkinson

Ben Parkinson is a copywriter and online content producer for Search Office Space. He is an avid writer and social media marketer, with a penchant for music and literature when he's not documenting the flexible office industry.

He began his interest in professional writing through his work with leading festival news site Virtual Festivals, before taking on a blogger role for online new music publication There Goes The Fear.

In his professional life he has produced online content and corporate literature for a number of colleges, including London Graduate School and Kensington College of Business, before joining the SOS team.

Tel: +44 (0)20 8909 5151
Email: benjamin@searchofficespace.com
Twitter: @parkinson_b

Source: http://www.searchofficespace.com/news/green-rating-alliance-merges-with-global-real-estate-sustainability-benchmark/

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KayCee Stroh: Pregnant!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/11/kaycee-stroh-pregnant/

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Lack of a ?Foreclosure Wave? Determined By Banks | FDL News Desk

Here?s a pretty jerky victory lap clearly planted by the mortgage lending industry, with the boastful title ?Foreclosure Wave Averted as Doomsayers Defied.? Let?s hear this out for a second.

When banks pulled back on foreclosures two years ago following a government investigation into allegations of faulty practices, market researchers, academics and Wall Street analysts said that a surge of delinquent homes would deluge the U.S. market once lenders resolved the claims and worked through backlog, driving down prices for years to come. RealtyTrac Inc., a seller of property data, warned a year ago of a ?new set of incoming foreclosure waves.? Susan Wachter, professor at the University of Pennsylvania?s Wharton School, said in February that a logjam may be ?unleashed? and destabilize the market.

In fact, the flood failed to materialize, even after the five biggest U.S. mortgage servicers reached a $25 billion settlement with federal and state regulators in February. Instead, the number of properties for sale shrank to the fewest in a decade, prices appreciated at the fastest pace since 2005, and the gradual healing of the housing market helped boost consumer confidence and the economy.

?We don?t have enough homes now to meet the needs of the market,? Paul Jacobson, a Stockton native and real estate broker for 22 years, said as he cruised the city?s northern fringe, where suburbia meets farmland. ?People see a foreclosed home for sale in this area and they?re going to jump on it.?

Missing here is any understanding of who controls the timing of a so-called foreclosure wave. Banks do the foreclosing, after all, and it?s really up to them whether or not to put inventory on the market or to foreclose at all. And in both cases, they haven?t moved forward for very specific reasons. Professor Adam Levitin had a solid response to this article.

First of all, we aren?t seeing a ?foreclosure wave? because mortgage servicers still don?t have the capacity for mass foreclosures above and beyond their current pace. Aside from them not hiring enough specialists, many states responded to the crisis and the foreclosure fraud scandal by passing their own due process laws designed to stop illegal foreclosures. The industry calls these states dirty names, but they happen to be the REASON for the lack of a foreclosure wave.

In addition, as Levitin writes:

Moreover, the banks? plan for several years has been to slowly recognize losses against earnings. If all defaults had been foreclosed at once, the banking system would look a lot less solvent. The game plan has always been to run the clock. Hence all the ?kick the can down the road? mods. As a result, what we?re likely to see is not a foreclosure tsunami, but rather an extended foreclosure high-tide.

Assuming no major hiccups (e.g., interest rates rising), it will still take a few years before foreclosure levels return to historic averages. Unfortunately, that?s when a lot of 2009-2011 HAMP mods will start to have their interest rates rise. Probably not a crisis from that, but certainly not good.

A very good and overlooked point there. HAMP modifications are TEMPORARY. They expire in five years, which means we have the rate recast threat that we saw with adjustable-rate mortgages, not a main driver of the crisis but certainly something that made the crisis worse.

Not to mention the fact that the potential expiration of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act (thanks for catching up, Wall Street Journal!) will make principal reductions and short sales a thing of the past and generate a lot more foreclosures. One of the reasons we haven?t seen a foreclosure wave comes from banks using alternative options like short sales and, in select cases, principal reduction. Incidentally, the endgame in the short sale is that the homeowner loses the home, so while it?s better for the borrower, it?s hard to see the social benefit to saying ?Nyah nyah, there hasn?t been that foreclosure wave, just a lot of forced short sales!?

The point is that any slowing in the foreclosure process, as much as banks whine about it, helps their bottom line and should be seen as deliberate. It?s one of the things propping up the market; the slow absorption of home defaults. ?Foaming the runway,? if you will.

Foreclosure starts remain four times above traditional levels. If Bloomberg considers that extended high level a ?strategy? that is ?paying off? because prices have risen, well, congratulations.

UPDATE: Incidentally, if you don?t believe that banks are holding back inventory and goosing prices, this is from the article, referring to Stockton, California:

There were 6,650 properties with unresolved code violations as of Sept. 30, about two-thirds of which were vacant because the owners walked away and banks hadn?t foreclosed, Lemos said. His team stages night raids to oust squatters from abandoned properties. To give the appearance homes are occupied, they paint dry lawns green.

Source: http://news.firedoglake.com/2012/11/30/lack-of-a-foreclosure-wave-determined-by-banks/

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Lidia's Favorite Recipes Cookbook Giveaway!

I have always been a fan of Lidia Bastianich. Her recipes are easy to make Italian food that are good enough to serve to company. I have watched Lidia cook on her show and she really knows how to feed her family. I have been to some of her restaurants in New York City and all I can say is ?Wow?!

When I received her new book, Lidia?s Favorite Recipes, I didn?t know what to cook first. This wonderful collection of 100 recipes are Lidia?s ?go to recipes? adored by her family and friends. Some of Lidia?s favorite recipes have also become my favorite recipes.

Last week, I made? Straw and Hay, which is a colorful pasta dish with crispy peas, prosciutto and creamy sauce. As elegant as it sounds, it only took 30 minutes to make. It was the perfect weeknight meal and I will be making it again and again.

The holidays are coming and I can?t wait to try some of the appetizers. From Fried Mozzarella Skewers to Lobster Salad with Fresh Tomatoes, there is just one good recipe after another. These recipes are for the beginning cook to the most experienced home chef.

Besides all the great recipes in the cookbook, there is also a website where you can get cooking tips, recipes and videos. If you love Italian food, you will need to visit Lidia?s Italy.

Now for the great news. You can win this gorgeous cookbook.

All you have to do is leave a comment. For additional entries:

Leave a separate comment for each entry telling me you follow, pinned, etc. There are 6? possible entries per person!

Please leave your comments by Tuesday, December 4th at 11:59pm EST.? Make sure there is a link to a blog or you leave your email address. A winner will be randomly picked and announced on Wednesday, December 5th.? Sorry, but you can only enter if you have a US mailing address. Good luck everyone!

Straw and Hay

Author:?Lidia?s Favorite Recipes (Lidia Bastianich)

Recipe type:?pasta

Cuisine:?Italian

Prep time:? 10 mins

Cook time:? 20 mins

Total time:? 30 mins

Serves:?6

?

• Salt for the pasta pot
• 4 scallions
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup shelled peas, blanched or frozen baby peas
• 6 to 8 slices imported prosciutto, cut crosswise into ? inch ribbons
• ? cup low sodium chicken broth or stock
• ? cup heavy cream
• 1 pound fresh fettuccine pasta or ? pound dry egg fettuccine and ? pound dry spinach fettuccine
• ? cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Trim the roots of the scallions and cut them in half length-wise, then into 3 inch pieces in thin strips.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add scallions and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and cook for 3 minutes. Add prosciutto and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until it changes color. Pour in the chicken stock and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce sauce to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add the heavy cream and continue to simmer until lightly thickened.
4. Stir the pasta into the salted water and cook until al dente. Fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a skimmer and add directly to sauce. Cook on high heat until sauce is creamy.
5. Remove from the heat and toss with cheese. Serve in warm bowls.

3.1.09

?

*****For full disclosure, I was given a copy of this cookbook to review and one to give away to a reader. As usual, all opinions are my own.

.

Tagged as: cookbooks, pasta

Source: http://www.jerseygirlcooks.com/2012/11/lidias-favorite-recipes-cookbook-giveaway.html

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A human-caused climate change signal emerges from the noise

Public release date: 29-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Anne Stark
stark8@llnl.gov
925-422-9799
DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Livermore, Calif. -- By comparing simulations from 20 different computer models to satellite observations, Lawrence Livermore climate scientists and colleagues from 16 other organizations have found that tropospheric and stratospheric temperature changes are clearly related to human activities.

The team looked at geographical patterns of atmospheric temperature change over the period of satellite observations. The team's goal of the study was to determine whether previous findings of a "discernible human influence" on tropospheric and stratospheric temperature were sensitive to current uncertainties in climate models and satellite data.

The troposphere is the lowest portion of earth's atmosphere. The stratosphere sits just above the troposphere, between 6 and 30 miles above earth's surface.

The satellite temperature data sets were produced by three different research groups, and rely on measurements of the microwave emissions of oxygen molecules. Each group made different choices in processing these raw measurements, and in accounting for such complex effects as drifts in satellite orbits and in instrument calibrations.

The new climate model simulations analyzed by the team will form the scientific backbone of the upcoming 5th assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is due out in 2014.

In both satellite observations and the computer model simulations of historical climate change, the lower stratosphere cools markedly over the past 33 years. This cooling is primarily a response to the human-caused depletion of stratospheric ozone. The observations and model simulations also show a common pattern of large-scale warming of the lower troposphere, with largest warming over the Arctic, and muted warming (or even cooling) over Antarctica. Tropospheric warming is mainly driven by human-caused increases in well-mixed greenhouse gases.

"It's very unlikely that purely natural causes can explain these distinctive patterns of temperature change," said Laboratory atmospheric scientist Benjamin Santer, who is lead author of the paper appearing in the Nov. 29 online edition of the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "No known mode of natural climate variability can cause sustained, global-scale warming of the troposphere and cooling of the lower stratosphere."

The team analyzed results from climate model simulations with specified historical changes in human and natural external factors, and from simulations with projected 21st century changes in greenhouse gases and anthropogenic aerosols. They also looked at simulations with no changes in external influences on climate, which provide information on the year-to-year and decade-to-decade "noise" of internal climate variability, arising from such natural phenomena as the El Nio/Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

The team used a standard "climate fingerprint" method to search for the model signal pattern (in response to human influences, the sun and volcanoes) in the satellite observations. The method quantifies the strength of the signal in observations, relative to the strength of the signal in natural climate noise.

###

Other contributors include researchers from Remote Sensing Systems of Santa Rosa; the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, Melbourne, Australia; the Canadian Centre for Climate Modeling and Analysis, Victoria, Canada; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton; the University of Colorado, Boulder; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; the U.K. Met. Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, U.K.; the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Toulouse, France; North Carolina State University; the National Climatic Data Center, Asheville; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder; the University of Adelaide, South Australia; the University of Reading, U.K.; and the Center for Satellite Applications and Research, Camp Springs. The paper is Santer's inaugural article as a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides solutions to our nation's most important national security challenges through innovative science, engineering and technology. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 29-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Anne Stark
stark8@llnl.gov
925-422-9799
DOE/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Livermore, Calif. -- By comparing simulations from 20 different computer models to satellite observations, Lawrence Livermore climate scientists and colleagues from 16 other organizations have found that tropospheric and stratospheric temperature changes are clearly related to human activities.

The team looked at geographical patterns of atmospheric temperature change over the period of satellite observations. The team's goal of the study was to determine whether previous findings of a "discernible human influence" on tropospheric and stratospheric temperature were sensitive to current uncertainties in climate models and satellite data.

The troposphere is the lowest portion of earth's atmosphere. The stratosphere sits just above the troposphere, between 6 and 30 miles above earth's surface.

The satellite temperature data sets were produced by three different research groups, and rely on measurements of the microwave emissions of oxygen molecules. Each group made different choices in processing these raw measurements, and in accounting for such complex effects as drifts in satellite orbits and in instrument calibrations.

The new climate model simulations analyzed by the team will form the scientific backbone of the upcoming 5th assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is due out in 2014.

In both satellite observations and the computer model simulations of historical climate change, the lower stratosphere cools markedly over the past 33 years. This cooling is primarily a response to the human-caused depletion of stratospheric ozone. The observations and model simulations also show a common pattern of large-scale warming of the lower troposphere, with largest warming over the Arctic, and muted warming (or even cooling) over Antarctica. Tropospheric warming is mainly driven by human-caused increases in well-mixed greenhouse gases.

"It's very unlikely that purely natural causes can explain these distinctive patterns of temperature change," said Laboratory atmospheric scientist Benjamin Santer, who is lead author of the paper appearing in the Nov. 29 online edition of the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "No known mode of natural climate variability can cause sustained, global-scale warming of the troposphere and cooling of the lower stratosphere."

The team analyzed results from climate model simulations with specified historical changes in human and natural external factors, and from simulations with projected 21st century changes in greenhouse gases and anthropogenic aerosols. They also looked at simulations with no changes in external influences on climate, which provide information on the year-to-year and decade-to-decade "noise" of internal climate variability, arising from such natural phenomena as the El Nio/Southern Oscillation and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

The team used a standard "climate fingerprint" method to search for the model signal pattern (in response to human influences, the sun and volcanoes) in the satellite observations. The method quantifies the strength of the signal in observations, relative to the strength of the signal in natural climate noise.

###

Other contributors include researchers from Remote Sensing Systems of Santa Rosa; the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, Melbourne, Australia; the Canadian Centre for Climate Modeling and Analysis, Victoria, Canada; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton; the University of Colorado, Boulder; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; the U.K. Met. Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, U.K.; the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Toulouse, France; North Carolina State University; the National Climatic Data Center, Asheville; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder; the University of Adelaide, South Australia; the University of Reading, U.K.; and the Center for Satellite Applications and Research, Camp Springs. The paper is Santer's inaugural article as a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Founded in 1952, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory provides solutions to our nation's most important national security challenges through innovative science, engineering and technology. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is managed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/dlnl-ahc112912.php

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Did you see that? How could you miss it?

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

You may have received CPR training some time ago, but would you remember the proper technique in an emergency? Would you know what to do in the event of an earthquake or a fire? A new UCLA psychology study shows that people often do not recall things they have seen ? or at least walked by ? hundreds of times.

For the study, 54 people who work in the same building were asked if they knew the location of the fire extinguisher nearest their office. While many of the participants had worked in their offices for years and had passed the bright red extinguishers several times a day, only 13 out of the 54 ? 24 percent ? knew the location.

When asked to find a fire extinguisher, however, everyone was able to do so within a few seconds; most were surprised they had never noticed them. The researchers found no significant differences between men and women, or between older and younger adults.

"Just because we've seen something many times doesn't mean we remember it or even notice it," said Alan Castel, an associate professor of psychology at UCLA and lead author of the study. "If I asked you to draw the front of a dime or the front of a dollar bill from memory, how well could you do that? You might get some elements right. Do you know who the president is? On the dime, is he facing left or right? Does it say 'In God We Trust' on the front of the dollar or the back? Do you know what else it says? You've seen it so many times, but you probably haven't paid much attention to it."

Castel said that not noticing things isn't necessarily bad, particularly when those things are not important in your daily life. "It might be a good thing not to burden your memory with information that is not relevant to you," he said.

But with safety information, such as knowing where fire extinguishers are or what to do in an emergency, being prepared can, of course, be very useful.

"When you're on an airplane, do you know where the life vest is and what to do in the event of an emergency?" Castel asked. "You've been told many times, but how would you respond under stressful conditions, when there could be smoke and people screaming?"

A few months after being asked the location of the nearest fire extinguisher, the study participants were asked again if they knew where the closest one was. All of them knew.

"We don't notice something if we're attending to something else," Castel said. "Fire extinguishers are bright red and very conspicuous, but we're almost blind to them until they become relevant."

What does this tell us about the importance of training, whether for emergencies or something as common as learning a new computer program?

Castel stresses that making errors during training is useful. As with the fire extinguisher exercise, errors ? or simple oversights ? can teach us that we don't know something well and need to pay more attention in order to remember it.

"It's good if errors happen during training and not during an event where you need the information," he said. "That's part of the learning process."

The study is published in the journal Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics.

###

University of California - Los Angeles: http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu

Thanks to University of California - Los Angeles 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.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125499/Did_you_see_that__How_could_you_miss_it_

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Lady Gaga Gives Lindsay Lohan 'Beautiful' Review For 'Liz & Dick'

'They always try to knock the greats down a few pegs,' Gaga tweets amid negative reviews of Lohan's Lifetime biopic.
By Jocelyn Vena

Lindsay Lohan in "Liz & Dick"
Photo: Richard McLaren/ Lifetime

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1697959/lady-gaga-lindsay-lohan-liz-and-dick.jhtml

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Comic Katt Williams sued over aborted performance

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? Comic Katt Williams is being sued over his onstage meltdown and aborted performance in Oakland.

The San Francisco Chronicle (http://bit.ly/ThjNW6 ) reports it's the second Alameda County lawsuit filed over Williams' bizarre 10 minutes on stage earlier this month at Oakland's Oracle Arena.

The suit filed by 35-year-old Brian Herline, of Modesto, says he and hundreds of fans were disappointed when Williams took off his clothes and challenged people to fight.

Herline is seeking class-action certification in an effort to get ticket money back for all audience members.

A representative for Williams has refused to comment.

The Williams meltdown came two days after he was arrested on charges of attacking an aspiring rapper on his tour bus outside a downtown Oakland hotel. He was later released with no charges filed.

___

Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/comic-katt-williams-sued-over-aborted-performance-133253859.html

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Rebels patrol in Congo city as deadline passes

GOMA, Congo (AP) ? Rebels widely believed to be backed by Rwanda and Uganda held their positions in this key eastern Congolese city that they seized last week, letting a midnight deadline for their withdrawal expire in the early hours of Tuesday.

Trucks loaded with fighters belonging to the eight-month-old M23 rebel group patrolled the empty streets of this regional capital, as the ultimatum issued by the regional bloc representing nations in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa came to an end. Earlier in the day, the rebels announced that they plan to move their headquarters to this city of 1 million later this week, another sign that they do not intend to respect the demands of mediators.

For the first time since the fall of Goma eight days ago, the Congolese government acknowledged that it had entered talks with the rebels who handed Congo's military its most humiliating defeat since Goma was last overrun by fighters nearly a decade ago. The two sides were meeting in Kampala, the capital of neighboring Uganda. On Monday, the head of the M23 rebels confirmed that he was en route to Uganda to join in the negotiations.

"We are still waiting to hear about the outcome of the meetings in Kampala. We should receive a document about it tomorrow. The president (of the M23) came back this evening. But given that we do not know what is asked of us we did not move out of our positions," said Bertrand Bisimwa, spokesman for M23's political branch.

As the deadline loomed, the Congolese military appeared to be regrouping in the town of Minova, 60 kilometers (36 miles) to the south, but they appeared disorganized and not in position to launch an immediate assault on Goma. It has left residents on tenterhooks, worrying that they will be caught in the crossfire between rebel and government forces.

Congolese Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo confirmed that President Joseph Kabila had met in recent days with the rebels in Kampala. He said that the government is leaning toward "the avenue of dialogue and peace," suggesting that it is unlikely that the military will try to take Goma by force if the ultimatum is not respected.

"Any action to take back the city of Goma by force will without doubt result in enormous human loss," said Matata Ponyo in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Monday. "President Kabila is giving priority to the road that will lead to the least loss," he said. But he added: "I think (the rebels) will abide by it (the ultimatum)."

The deadline was issued by the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region on Saturday and gave the M23 rebels two days to retreat to 20 kilometers (12 miles) outside of Goma. It expired at midnight on Monday night.

The regional group is attempting to negotiate an end to the fighting, but it did not threaten any consequences if the rebels don't depart. Uganda and Rwanda belong to the group and they are hardly neutral. Both countries back the rebels, according to a U.N. report released last week, and they would be unlikely to go to war with M23 over the seizure of Goma.

Residents fear that if the Congo army attempts to regain Goma, there will be bitter fighting.

"I am worried the fighting will come back to Goma soon if the army attacks again. Last week, we were so scared. I don't want to go through that again," said Amani Zaliwa, a Goma resident.

In the hours before the midnight ultimatum, armed M23 rebels could be seen driving slowly in a Land Cruiser past United Nations troops stationed at traffic circles in downtown Goma. Others carried out foot patrols on the main arteries. The U.N., which has hundreds of peacekeeping troops stationed in Goma, did little to halt the rebels' advance into the city a week ago, saying that the U.N. mandate did not allow them to engage the fighters.

Tens of thousands of Congolese have fled to refugee camps for safety. Aid organizations struggled to provide them with food and supplies. When a rainstorm hit the Munguna-3 camp, about 7 miles (11 kilometers) south of Goma, children held out their hands to catch the water and drink it. They were quickly imitated by adults.

M23 is made up of hundreds of soldiers who deserted the Congolese army in April. The rebels accuse Congo's government of failing to honor the terms of a 2009 peace deal that incorporated them into the national army.

Matata Ponyo said that the Congolese president agreed to meet with the rebels in order to hear their demands and in a good faith effort to avoid bloodshed. In the early months of the rebellion, the M23 said that the Congolese government had not paid them well, and had discriminated against people from the Tutsi ethnicity, which makes up the bulk of their ranks. A U.N. report released last week, however, said that the rebels were backed by Rwanda, and to a lesser extent Uganda, and most likely were fighting for a greater share of Congo's mineral riches.

Matata Ponyo said that things like greater pay are on the table, but Congo's territorial integrity is off limits.

"These are borders that were drawn in Berlin in 1885. More than 100 years have passed ? no. It's not negotiable," he said.

___

Callimachi reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writer Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda and, Africa chief photographer Jerome Delay in Minova and Goma, Congo, contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rebels-patrol-congo-city-deadline-passes-235751771.html

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Video: Mobile devices drive new Cyber Monday record

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3041440/vp/49976794#49976794

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New Mexican leader: Economic gains will cut crime (CNN)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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Fiscal Cliff Notes: A study aid for the budget shell game

By Walter Shapiro

It was the political equivalent of discovering more Americans were secretly watching British snooker telecasts than pro football. According to a recent national survey by the Pew Research Center, more Americans claimed to be very closely following the budget negotiations to avert the fiscal cliff than were engrossed in the soap opera that forced CIA director David Petraeus to resign.

A few possible explanations for these anomalous poll results:

1) A sex scandal involving a revered four-star general is inherently boring. 2) Americans mistakenly assume that the fiscal cliff is part of an extreme skateboarding competition, not shorthand for the looming expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts and possible across-the-board spending cuts. 3) Voters have been panicked into believing that the president and Congress must solve the country?s financial problems by the Dec. 31 or we instantly become an international basket case.

In truth, the fiscal cliff is nothing more than an arbitrary deadline created by Congress to be replaced with a dramatic flourish and, yes, another arbitrary deadline set a bit further in the future. It?s a shell game created by political con men who have come to believe their own cons.

So, relax about the over-hyped New Year?s Eve countdown for budget negotiations. Results matter, not the timetable. But even without the Petraeus-related distractions, it?s hard to separate the real from the fake, the legitimate fiscal issues from the political posturing.

So here is my version of Fiscal Cliff Notes:

Fact: All comparisons to Greece, Spain, the Roman Empire or the Duchy of Grand Fenwick are ludicrously exaggerated.

?The Road to Greece? might have been the title of a Mitt Romney campaign biopic since the former GOP presidential hopeful used the imagery so often. And during an interview Sunday with ABC?s ?This Week,? South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham used the same rhetorical excess about the American economy reduced to offering budget tours of the Acropolis.

In fact, the European fiscal crisis is far different from what the U.S. faces.

Debtor nations like Greece and Spain do not fully control their economies because they are lashed to German austerity policies through the common currency, the Euro. That means those countries do not have their own currencies to devalue, which would spur exports. Nor do they have a central bank like the U.S. Federal Reserve which would provide liquidity for their banking systems.

The United States does have long-term fiscal challenges and years of unsustainable trillion-dollar budget deficits. But our problems are largely due to the fact that we are still groping our way out of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Slow but persistent economic growth (the White House projects that unemployment will not drop below 6 percent until 2017) will reduce many budgetary problems.

Global confidence in the American economy is reflected in the near record low interest rates available on 10-year and 30-year Treasury bonds. Investors around the world are willing to tie up their money for 30 years in Treasuries for the paltry interest rate of 2.8 percent.

Fact: Even if all the Bush tax cuts expire on Jan. 1, no one will instantly be paying higher income tax rates.

The Wall Street Journal ran a story the other day titled ?Most Households Face Fiscal Cliff,? suggesting almost every American family would pay more if the Bush tax cuts expired. As an example, the Journal pointed to a married couple making about $25,000 a year whose annual income tax bill would leap from zero to about $1,400.

While the tax calculations are accurate, the likelihood of this happening is about on par with an asteroid destroying the Capitol. No one in government wants the Bush tax cuts to expire for anyone earning less than $250,000 a year, so a hypothetical family scraping by on $25,000 a year would not pay a penny more in income taxes under anyone?s plan.

But what if Congress misses the Dec. 31 deadline to extend the Bush tax cuts?

This is the part of the shell game. The Treasury Department has wide discretion in the pace by which it instructs employers to adjust their income-tax withholding rates. Chances are Treasury would do nothing in January to change the rates for anyone earning less than $250,000, meaning a temporary tax increase for those wage earners would be a fiscal abstraction rather than a real-world wallet pinch. And when Congress and the president cut the inevitable tax deal, the new, lower rates would be retroactive to January 1.

Make no mistake: Some people will see their taxes increase. For the past two years, most Americans have benefited from a 2 percent reduction in their payroll taxes ? a cut designed to stimulate the economy in a period of high unemployment. But the payroll tax cut was always supposed to be temporary rather than a permanent rate adjustment. While nothing is certain, chances are payroll taxes will revert to their normal levels next year.

Then there is the so-called ?sequester? that is supposed to slash $100 billion from the budget if lawmakers do not reach an epic Grand Bargain on the deficit. For all the alarmist talk that this will reduce the U.S. Navy to bathtub levels and shred the social safety net, the sequester is another easily disarmed fiscal booby-trap.

In fact, Congress will (shocking revelation ahead) probably extend the deadline. And even if lawmakers temporize, don?t expect to see generals and admirals on the unemployment line. The automatic cuts are evenly divided between the Pentagon budget and domestic spending for a total of about $8 billion per month and every federal agency has been preparing for these potential cuts.

Across-the-board cuts, to be sure, are a foolish way to impose budgetary discipline since there is no rational case to reduce funding for embassy security after the Benghazi raid or slash FEMA spending in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. But it is hard to believe that even a delay of a month or two will ultimately matter except at the margins.

Fact: There is no $4 trillion magic number that the president and Congress must hit to prove their long-term deficit reduction plan is credible.

Somehow $4 trillion has become the gold standard to measure deficit hawk seriousness. That was the rough number in the 2010 Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan and it carried over into President Obama?s abortive 2011 negotiations with Republican House Speaker John Boehner.

Throughout the 2012 presidential campaign, Obama talked about his own $4 trillion ?balanced plan.? But that was partly sleight of hand: The Obama road map includes $1 trillion in savings from a 2011 congressional deal and another mythical $848 billion from the end of the Iraqi and Afghan wars. In short, his plan reflected previous agreements and military spending that had already been discontinued.

Fact: Everyone in Washington wants credit for tackling the deficit but no one wants to be blamed for causing pain.

As recounted by Bob Woodward in ?The Price of Politics,? a dramatic moment in the 2011 Obama-Boehner negotiations came when the two men battled over boosting the age to qualify for Medicare. Boehner wanted the age change to take effect in 2017 while Obama wanted to hold out until 2022.?

That is Washington in a nutshell ? both men wanted to postpone the pain until after they retired from office. They wanted to bask in the glory of reaching a Grand Bargain on the deficit with all the complications reserved for a future president and House speaker.

In a sense, it is budgetary arithmetic as seen through the prism of Lewis Carroll. In Through the Looking-Glass, the White Queen promised Alice jam every other day. ?The rule is,? the Queen explained, ?jam tomorrow and jam yesterday ? but never jam today.?

Just like budget cuts and tax increases ? always tomorrow and yesterday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fiscal-cliff-notes--a-study-aid-for-the-budget-shell-game-26083862-173528170.html

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Giants end slide, rout Packers 38-10

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) signals a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012 in East Rutherford, N.J. After further review Manning's pass to Hakeem Nicks was ruled a touchdown. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) signals a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012 in East Rutherford, N.J. After further review Manning's pass to Hakeem Nicks was ruled a touchdown. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (88) signals for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. After further review quarterback Eli Manning's pass to Nicks was ruled a touchdown. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw, right, celebrates with teammate Martellus Bennett, left, after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora (72) knocks the ball away from Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers (12) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) reacts during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) ? Adam Merchant had a wish and a command for the New York Giants.

The 15-year-old fan from Barre, Vt., attended practice and then Sunday's game with the Packers thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He wanted the Giants to snap their two-game slide and get out of their offensive funk.

So he ordered the Giants to "play like world champions," and they delivered a 38-10 rout of the Green Bay Packers.

"That was the theme of our meetings," coach Tom Coughlin said.

Eli Manning came back from the bye week with a rested arm, and that offensive slump was tossed aside. The Giants (7-4) said they turned things around for themselves, and for Merchant, who has cancer.

"They have one wish," Manning said after throwing for three scores to set a team record with 200 TD passes for his career. "It is sad when you think about it ? they have one wish, what you want to do, and he wanted to come to Giants practice ... and to a game.

"He said, 'Go show everybody you are the world champions and why you are the world champions and play that way.' Everybody got fired up and played the way we know we can."

The Packers (7-4) certainly did not. The showcase game was decided early as the Giants outscored the Packers 31-10 in the opening half to end Green Bay's five-game winning streak. While New York took a two-game lead in the NFC East, Green Bay fell out of a tie with Chicago atop the NFC North.

The Packers were missing such key starters as linebacker Clay Matthews, defensive back Charles Woodson and receiver Greg Jennings, and it showed. After being manhandled in last season's playoffs by the Giants, who went on to win the Super Bowl, the Packers weren't much more competitive this time. Aaron Rodgers was sacked five times, including twice by Mathias Kiwanuka, who spent much of the game at defensive tackle rather than in his usual linebacker spot.

"When your quarterback is under pressure like that, it affected me tonight," coach Mike McCarthy said of his play-calling. "I probably didn't call the best game I've called. You have to protect your quarterback. It's your No. 1 responsibility. That's not what we're looking for."

New York's balanced attack was guided by Manning, who had his first strong game in a month with 249 yards passing.

"I never thought my arm was tired, never felt like it," Manning said. "After a week off, you come back to practice, it felt good, alive, balls coming out with a little pop on it.

"After 10 weeks, it definitely needed a little rest."

Coughlin knew Manning would return with some extra verve.

"There was no doubt he was going to come back and play well," Coughlin said. "I think the rest really helped him. ... Eli said he felt as if he was coming back for the start of the season. I was very confident he would come back and be Eli."

Ahmad Bradshaw gained a combined 119 yards and scored a touchdown. He had the first big play of the night to begin the offensive onslaught.

New York struck early with a brilliantly conceived screen pass to Bradshaw off a fake reverse to Victor Cruz. Bradshaw sped down the field before being caught at the Green Bay 2, a 59-yard pickup that led to Andre Brown's scoring run.

Brown later broke his leg; Coughlin did not say which leg after the game.

"It will be a tough loss, he is an important player," Manning said.

Green Bay didn't flinch, with Jordy Nelson getting behind Corey Webster in single coverage down the right sideline for a 61-yard TD reception from Rodgers.

The scoring flurry went back in the Giants' favor ? and pretty much stayed there ? when Manning hit Rueben Randle in the back of the end zone for a 16-yard TD. It was the first score for the rookie and Manning's first touchdown throw in four games, and he set it up with, of all things, a scramble in which he laid his shoulder into Packers cornerback Tramon Williams for a 13-yard gain.

"It sparked our sideline," Coughlin said. "It would not be the recommended way. To see him do that kind of sent the message to the rest of our team: Whatever you have to do to succeed, do it."

Webster's interception led to Lawrence Tynes' 43-yard field goal late in the first quarter for a 17-7 lead, and the Giants weren't nearly done. Manning's 9-yard connection with Cruz tied him for the club record with 199 TD passes, and after Osi Umenyiora's strip-sack of Rodgers was recovered by Jason Pierre-Paul at the Green Bay 23, Bradshaw scored from the 13.

The 31 points were the most New York scored in a half all season and nearly equaled the 33 it scored in its two losses before the bye.

And the Giants had more offense in them. Manning threw his 200th TD pass to move ahead of Phil Simms, a 13-yarder over the middle to Hakeem Nicks, who stretched the ball over the goal line as he was tackled.

"There was a different enthusiasm in practices," Manning said, "and I think that paid off in the game."

It paid off for the Giants, and for their young fan.

"It kind of hit home," Justin Tuck said. "You got this kid that don't know us from James and watches us on TV every Sunday and it's so profound."

NOTES; The Giants lost safety Kenny Phillips with a knee injury in the third quarter. He was making his first appearance since Week 4, when he was sidelined with a knee problem. ... Giants right tackle David Diehl sustained a stinger in the first half. ... Green Bay lost safety M.D. Jennings (rib), DE C.J. Wilson (knee), and RB Johnny White (concussion). ... Rodgers was 14 of 25 for 219 yards, one TD, one interception and one lost fumble.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-11-26-Packers-Giants/id-71ab13792ef747ca870a7a5d9ffc7345

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11-year-old Abigail Lightbown dies from brain tumour ... - Cancer Kick

• Cancer discovered after seven month battle during which she lost 4kg
• She endured two rounds of chemo but never gave up hope
• Man Utd and Coronation Street stars paid her hospital visits

By
Sean O?hare

PUBLISHED:

06:40 EST, 26 November 2012

|

UPDATED:

09:07 EST, 26 November 2012

Brave: Abigail, who died on November 10, never complained about her illness and refused to give up hope that her condition would improve

An 11-year-old girl who was suspected of having an eating disorder has died after doctors discovered she was unwittingly battling brain cancer.

Abigail Lightbown had been diagnosed with stomach problems by a GP and given acid reflex medication after she suffered dramatic weight loss at the age of nine.

Her mother Bernie Lightbown, 34, and dad Gary, 44, would hear their daughter being sick each morning and feared she was deliberately making herself sick so she could look like ?stick thin celebrities.?

But seven months later, Abigail who
lost four kilos was rushed to hospital for an MRI scan after fainting
and a tumour was found in her brain.

She
bravely battled for two years against her illness and despite losing
her hair, wore a wig only twice and met TV star Antony Cotton who plays
Sean Tulley in Coronation Street and footballers Jonny Evans and Darron
Gibson.

Just weeks before
Abigail was due to start secondary school doctors said the tumour had
spread and was inoperable and she died earlier his month.

Now Mr and Mrs Lightbown from Bolton,
Greater Manchester, are campaigning for greater awareness about one of
the UK?s biggest killers.

Mr
Lightbown, a warehouse manager said: ?We think given the time frame, it
was possible that it might not have spread if Abigail had her operation
earlier, but nobody will ever know.

Undetected: Abigail, pictured here with her Dad, Gary, mum, Bernie and brother Jack was throwing up every morning, leading parents to think it was an eating disorder.

Celebrity visit: Abigail, pictured with her brother Jack, 6, and Manchester United footballers Jonny Evans (right) and Darron Gibson.

?We just can?t believe how little money and effort goes into raising awareness about brain cancer and the symptoms.

?We honestly believed Abigail had an eating disorder. Yet brain tumours kill more women under the age of 35 than breast or any other cancer. It?s shocking, when you look at the campaigns that go on for breast cancer.

?We just want to make parents and doctors aware that if a child is constantly being sick that it may be a brain tumour.

?We are so proud of our daughter. People don?t understand how inspiring and motivating she has been.

The parents in no way blame the hospital for failing to pick up on Abigail?s condition earlier.

We would have really struggled if she hadn?t been the way she was ? she only wore her wig twice because she wouldn?t let the chemo get to her.

Abigail first started being sick in
August 2010 after returning from a family holiday in Canada seeing
relatives. She had her blood tested in December 2010 ? but results
showed no abnormalities.

Mrs
Lightbown said: ?At first I thought it was down to travel sickness but
at one stage she was throwing up every morning. She was given acid
tablets by her GP but they weren?t working.

?Her appetite started going ? she was never a fussy eater and always had a fantastic appetite.

?I
took her to hospital to see a paediatric consultant and they were still
thinking along the lines of acid reflux. We would try and tempt her
with her favourite foods, but it just wasn?t happening.

?That?s when I thought it was possibly an eating disorder.?

?She
has never been image conscious, but I couldn?t think of any other
reason. I know how some girls are these days seeing all the celebrities
in magazines and on TV, and I tried to catch her out.

?We had rows about it and she would get really upset. I have since apologised.?

?Christmas
wasn?t good ? Abigail was ill during the day and her mood had changed
as well. She usually loved Christmas, but she just seemed depressed. She
didn?t even touch her Christmas dinner.?

Kind: Abigail Lightbown pictured with Coronation Street star Antony Cotton who paid her a visit

Bad news: Just weeks before Abigail was due to start secondary school doctors said the tumour had spread and was inoperable

The truth of Abigail?s condition emerged when she fainted during a visit to her grandmother?s house and claimed she had pins and needles in her legs.

She underwent an MRI scan at Bolton Royal hospital and the family were told a tumour ? and possibly a second one ? had shown up on the scans.

Abigail underwent a seven hour operation to remove 95 per cent of the tumour and she underwent further chemo treatment to check that the remainder of the tumour was not active.

?It was when we met the oncology consultant that I knew exactly what we were dealing with?, said Mrs Lightbown.

?I just kept thinking, these things don?t happen to people like us. But Abigail took it really well. She wasn?t bothered about the chemo and got really excited about the aspect of wearing all sorts of different hats and wigs.?

But further tests revealed the tumour was cancerous, and despite a 48-week course of intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy last April which shrank the tumour, the cancer returned.

She died in Derian House Children?s Hospice with her parents and six-year old brother by her side on November 10.

Mrs Lightbown said Abigail had never complained about her condition and never stopped thinking she might get better.

She said: ?Abigail left an impression and inspired an awful lot of people with the way she was.

?She had a determination and was so brave in so many different ways and she had a wicked sense of humour.?

Next April, Mr Lightbown will trek across the Great Wall of China with colleagues from Kingsland Wines and Spirits to raise money for Brain Tumour Research.

To sponsor him, visit: http://www.justgiving.com/Gary-Lightbown-TrekkingTheGreatWallofChina

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Give some cash to Cancer Research.

Support science and the advancement of human knowledge.

Marginalise and ex[pose those that would replace it with superstition and religion or who poison children?s minds into believing that religious faith is a virtue.

Point out that nothing fails like prayer and allow people to believe they are helping when they are not.

Then maybe one day we will beat cancer.

-

Stan
,

Newcastle,
26/11/2012 13:26

Report abuse

Oh this story just broke my heart. Bless this sweet girl. R.I.P Abigail

-

Paper Heart
,

Leamington, United Kingdom,
26/11/2012 13:23

Report abuse

Life is so unfair. RIP

-

nacho
,

cheese, United States,
26/11/2012 13:22

Report abuse

So sad.. RIP Abigail. Sleep tight little angel xx

-

Billybob-jo
,

Brum,
26/11/2012 13:21

Report abuse

Words are not enough. God bless and RIP to this little angel. My heart breaks for her and her family. x

-

MsKaz
,

Inverness, United Kingdom,
26/11/2012 13:17

Report abuse

RIP???.very sad ? too young to die.

-

Aberdonian
,

Aberdeen,
26/11/2012 13:17

Report abuse

Rip little girl. Cancer is bad and I hope a reversal is found very soon. X

-

Danka
,

F THE EU, UK, ENGLAND,
26/11/2012 13:16

Report abuse

Poor little girl, wanted so much to be well -, one day we will have full body scans in doctors surgeries that will detect these things sooner, lets hope it will be soon.

-

Denzil
,

Cornwall,
26/11/2012 13:15

Report abuse

God Bless you darling, may you rest in peace now xx

-

freesias and carrots
,

Isle of Man,
26/11/2012 13:13

Report abuse

What a lovely girl she sounds, and what a tragic loss. I hope her parents don?t blame themselves in any way ? you would never think that would be the real reason for your child being ill like that. And well done to them for trying to raise awareness of this disease now.

-

g2g
,

uk,
26/11/2012 13:13

Report abuse

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Article source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2238564/11-year-old-Abigail-Lightbown-dies-brain-tumour-parents-mistook-symptoms-eating-disorder.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Source: http://cancerkick.com/2012/11/26/11-year-old-abigail-lightbown-dies-from-brain-tumour-after-parents-mistook-symptoms-for-eating-disorder/

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APInterview: Wis. gov says mining bill will pass

MADISON, Wis. (AP) ? Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he is confident the Republican-controlled Legislature will pass a mining bill next year, but he won't sign anything he believes will hurt the environment.

Walker told The Associated Press in a Monday interview that he believes the June recall election against him made it more difficult for the mining bill to pass this year.

Lawmakers could not reach a compromise on the bill despite pressure from a company looking to open a new iron ore mine in northern Wisconsin near Lake Superior.

Walker says he would look at a bill that would do away with the state's 15-year-old "moratorium" on mines that produce polluting acids, but he doesn't want anything that would jeopardize the state's tourism and agriculture industries.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apinterview-wis-gov-says-mining-bill-pass-173937307--finance.html

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Preparation for the Great Critical Incident: First Aid Emergency ...

By J.W. Caesar

Hosea 4: 6 (KJV) My people perish from a lack of knowledge.

Knowledge is power for survival when it comes to overcoming disasters. It is vital to get educated on how to survive in the event of a myriad disaster scenerios. Many people die or get injured because they did not adequately plan, prepare or mitigate for unseen emergencies. In order to win the war on disasters; American citizens must take disaster preparation seriously and strengthen themselves mentally, spiritually, and physically to overcome the challenges in the future.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency states on their website that there are actions that should be taken before, during, and after an event that are unique to each hazard. Each person or group should identify the hazards that have happened or could happen in their area and plan for the unique actions for each hazard. They further note that mitigation can be defined as actions to reduce loss of life and property by decreasing the impact of disasters.? What this means is??taking action now??before the next disaster?to reduce human and financial consequences later (analyzing risk, reducing risk, insuring against risk).? Effective mitigation requires that we all understand local risks, address the hard choices, and invest in long-term community well-being. Without these actions, people jeopardize their safety, financial security, and self-reliance and quality of life.

Building an emergency kit with first aid equipment and taking medical classes are best practices in mitigation that can assist in reducing risk and loss to families and the community.? It is important to analyze what type of hazards would affect the community during a disaster, as well the decision to shelter in place or evacuate to a safe location.? By following this risk analysis process, it would help clarify what type and size of container or bag to place first aid items inside, the quantity, what too and what not to pack, where to pack it, the environment, hazard scenario and number of people it can provide care too. Your first aid kit or emergency supplies should be designed around an all hazards approach that insures against the risk of not being able to treat or prevent hazards from overtaking you and your group. These hazards can cause temporary or permanent damage to the critical infrastructure of this nation. Therefore everyone should be a stakeholder in public safety and security of this nation. As a result, many are designing their first aid kits around temporary disaster events where there is a short recovery period, while others are preparing their kits for a total collapse of the system where medical resources will be hard to find.

Caution: for medical legal and health safety reasons-Disaster Preparers should think about:

1. Preparing physically, mentally, and spiritually now to adapt to changes caused by impact of disasters and?continuity of civil and infastructure recovery.
2. Familiarizing with their local, state and federal laws on the boundaries of giving care to humans, pets and livestock.
3. Getting prior training on how to use the items in the first aid kit.
4. Working as a trained and covenant group, not loner.
5. Trying to get written certification or medical authority to perform certain procedures.
6. Not going beyond their scope of practice or their medical certifications.
7. Abiding by the local laws of what is allowed in your first aid or medical kit.
8. (Personal, Force, Asset?Protection)Avoiding making themselves a target for thieves, murderers, drug addicts that use false emergency scenes or requests for help.

A first aid kit can be purchased at many stores, disaster preparedness organizations and online merchants. Medical supplies can also be purchased individually to build your own kit.? Some have also combined the two as one mitigation measure. Others have crafted their own replacement first aid products by improvising. They use tampons for bleeding, card board for splints, and other homemade items, or pet supplies for their kit?s inventory. The real issue is finding the right items and kit skin for your needs. There are many questionable claims to first kits such as the number of people that it can actually treat in an emergency, the quality, sterility and durability of items, the protective covering of the container or bag and excessive prices for minimal supplies. This is why it is vital to do a risk analysis and make appropriate mitigation decisions for your own needs from an all hazards approach.

?Non exhaustive Example of items for Emergency First aid Survival Kit:

Airway Control Kit

_____ Pocket Mask kit

_____ Breathing Barrier with gloves kit

Diagnostic Instruments/Tools

_____ First aid booklet _____Trauma/Bandage scissors _____Protective Face masks

_____12 hour Cyalume Lightsticks _____Candles_____Straws

_____ Scissors, fine point_____ Splinter Forceps _____Nail clippers ____Tweezers

_____ Disposable Penlight or flashlight _____Head Lamp _____ Flashlight

_____Permanent Markers_____Pen _____Pencil_____Writing Paper Tablet _____

_____ Disposable Gloves_____ Splints_____Trash bags ______Ziploc bags

_____Duct Tape_____Clear tape____Painter?s tape____Scotch tape

_____Lockman tool_____Knife_____Razor_____ Box Cutter

_____Cable ties______Rope______String_____Plastic Wrap______Foil

______Belts______Straps____Batteries____Heavy protective gloves

Circulation/Bleeding Control Shock Kit

_____ Triangular Bandages(Cravats)______Rubber Latex gloves_______ Eye protection

______Military Field Dressing bandages______Abdominal bandages___Burn Kit

______ Large Absorbent pad dressings _____ Elastic Bandages

______Gauze Roll Bandages______ Adhesive Bandages

______ Tourniquets______ Gauze Pads, 4?x4?______ Gauze Pads, 2?x2?

______ Bandage tape_____ Disposable Rescue Blanket for shock

Sickcall /First Aid items

____Band Aids____Salt____Pepper____Sugar____Ammonia Inhalents

____Tongue depressors____Tempa-dots Thermometers____Eyewash kit____Eye drops

_____Eye pads_____KY-Jelly ____ Aspirin____Tylenol____Cough drops

_____Cold Med.Tablets_____Nasal spray_____Immodium Tablets ____Anaphalaxis kit

____Anti-biotic Ointment______Antifungal cream______Iodine wipes._____Betadine wipes.

_____Alcohol wipes._____Cleaning wipes. ______Anti-bacterial Soap solution

Alcohol Bottle. ____Hydrogen Peroxide Bottle. _____Hand cleaning solution Bottle.

_____Ice Pack______Heat Packs____Moleskin cover bandage

Medical Supplies and their Skins

Medical supplies for a first aid kit can be put inside of a various items that are all weather resistant, waterproof, durable, floatable, not previously had any toxic or corrosive materials stored inside of it, and clearly marked as a first aid or medical kit. Ziploc bags and plastic trash bags can give extra all weather protection and longetivity of items. The kit should also be easy to carry with straps or handles, have reasonable space or compartments for medical items, and easy to open or secure during an emergency. The size and type of first aid emergency kit may be based on varied factors such as the personal needs of the individual, group, or community, different hazards, ?medical training, number of sick and injured, terrain, response time, life cycle of disaster, use with vehicles, walking distance, evacuation, and weather.

Examples:

• Military Unfolding zippered Aid Bag M-3 & M-17
• Military Chest with handles
• Military Aid Station chest containers
• Military hard plastic or metal containers
• Nylon, Leather or Canvas Back Packs
• Luggage with wheels and handle
• Purse or designer bag
• Lunch box
• Square or rectangle storage containers
• Tupperware containers
• Plastic Ice Cream or used Food Containers
• Hunting vests
• Belt Pouches

A well-stocked and well maintained list of items in the first aid kit should be kept up to date at all times by rotating and replacing items.? A best practice for maintaining the mitigation investment of life saving equipment is doing inventory and preventative maintenance checks before and after using the kit. It can take place on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly cycle. ?The outside and inside of the emergency kit should be inspected for damage such as cracks, tears or holes. Mitigations measures such as health safety inspections for spoilage and expiration dates of items are important also.? However, some questions have been raised about keeping items regardless of expiration dates because of future scarcity of items during extreme disaster periods. These questions should be addressed by medical authorities who are expert in disasters and laws of the land. ?In any case, some items can lose their shelf life, sterility, durability, and may become toxic because of the hot storage temperatures. Another temperature issue is freezing. ?Solutions can freeze causing the containers to crack and break causing contamination of other items or damaging the first aid container.

The kit should work as expected: treat injuries and save life when you need it and cause no harm when it is not needed. It is vital to verify that the items consisting within the kit still function as expected, including the batteries in the medical equipment. The first aid kit should be stored in a place that is of the right temperature for medical supplies, in a safe location, away from pests, where no damage can occur, can be accessible to adults, but not to children or pets that can be poisoned and injured.

In summary, disasters can happen at anytime and anyplace. The consequences of not preparing for them may be immeasurable. To minimize this risk, it is vital to mitigate these impacts by building an emergency first aid kit based on analyzing, reducing, and insuring against future risks. It would be wise to assemble an emergency first aid kit that is adaptable and maintainable for your needs, take first aid classes, get familiarized with medical ? legal laws, learn how to take protective measures in emergency situations, and establish mutual-aid and covenant partnerships well in advance of an emergency situation. All of these steps help reduce the impact of hazards associated with future events and improve the chances of winning the war over disasters.? Americans, must remember that everyone is a stakeholder in public safety, God given freedoms, continuity of civil government,?and protecting the critical infastructure and key resources of this nation.

References:

1. KJV
2. ?http://www.fema.gov/what-mitigation

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