Jonathan Reichental, Ph.D. | With IT leadership, the ?how? is as ...

The other day my IT operations leader entered my office in a state of confusion. He had just been reviewing our uptime statistics and was baffled by what he saw.

In 2010, on one particular web stack we had an uptime of 99.88% (translates to about 10 hours of an outage). But when he looked at our data for 2011 to date, we had 100% uptime. While clearly glowing with such a result, his confusion was based on the fact that we had not implemented any specific technology or fixes in this stack to garner such impressive results. He said: ?I am very proud of these results. I just don?t know what we did to achieve them.?

In this instance he was asking the wrong question. It was not what we did. It was how we did it.

Doing things right

Our IT strategy is and will always be focused on doing the right things. Getting positive results is the bottom line. But while doing the right things is essential, it can be equally important to do things the right way.

It is my belief that a fleshed out IT strategy reconciles predictability with innovation. It will seldom fly to just have one or the other. Both are required and they must feed off each other.

The core challenge essential to implementing both is finding the right blend for your organization. I have written about it here. In the first year of our IT transformation much effort was expended on putting in place good process to support the right level of predictability. It?s a work in progress.

Getting the right level of process consistent with culture and organizational needs is a science unto itself.

The IT team made good progress in process areas such as IT governance, project management best practices, IT service management, business analysis and change management. It is in the latter that we gained particularly positive results.

Managing change

At its core, change management is about moving from one state to another to achieve a desired result while being adequately prepared and managing to an acceptable level of risk. It is also an important vehicle for communications between individuals and across teams.

Put bluntly, change management is good business.

Change happens all the time within IT. What contributes to the definition of a world-class IT organization is how that change is accomplished.

As O?Reilly IT entered 2011, we decided to be very deliberate about change. We agreed that we would be hyper-judicious in the infrastructure changes we made. We became priority junkies. Every time a change was identified we asked questions such as whether it was a priority, if there were alternatives, and studied the consequences of not making the change (see the change tool later in the blog).

And as we did that, something extraordinary happened.

The IT operations team started to get the most important projects deployed. Distractions became manageable and the priorities process kept everyone on track.

But most of all, we experienced increased infrastructure stabilization.

Of course some stabilization occurred because the improvements that were being made were being applied through a rigorous change management process. But, moreover, there was greater stability because less unnecessary change was being applied.

Change management was helping us make changes successfully and it was also helping us to determine what changes not to make.

Good process still gets insufficient focus

In IT, most of the time technology gets all the press. We get excited by new innovations and start-ups that introduce cool new capabilities. We are thrilled when a big player disrupts the market with something really compelling. And we should. We live in amazing times and new technology is a big part of that.

But often lost in the enterprise is that while technology represents a part of change ? albeit, a critical part ? the processes to implement and manage that technology are as important (and often more) than the technology itself.

I would guess we have all seen a great technology fail in an organization because of non-technology reasons. At the same time, I bet we have all seen how good technology coupled with good processes has resulted in excellent results.

When my IT operations leader observed great things happening despite technology, he was inadequately recognizing how we were working. For all involved it provided a rewarding ?aha? moment.

Quick tool to manage change

I will conclude by sharing a brief tool that both IT and business can use for managing technology-related change. These are the minimum questions that must be asked for every change. They are simple questions, but all too often one or more is omitted when embarking on a change that expends scarce enterprise resources:

1. Why [Governance]: Is the change aligned and essential to achieve business objectives?
2. What [Measurable Outcome]: Is it understood whether it is a technology or process (or both) that will provide the desired result? Can the outcome be measured?
3. Who [Resourcing]: Have the appropriate participants been identified for this change?
4. How [Methodology]: What approaches have been identified to execute and manage this change?
5. When [Prioritization]: Has sequencing been agreed to relative to all other objectives?

If both IT and the business are in agreement on the answers to each of these questions, you?ve just taken your IT management up a few notches. And you might just find a few people surprised by the positive results.

Source: http://www.reichental.com/?p=273

generator dolly parton world trade center chelsea handler craiglist netflix apple stock

Insurance Firms Collect More Premium | Life Insurance Health

Change arise size

Most of Arkansas? largest health word companies collected aloft reward in 2010 than in 2009.

(For a list of a largest health insurance companies click here. A spreadsheet chronicle is available here.)

Seven of a tip 10 word companies on final year?s list of a largest health word companies ranked by reward created in Arkansas saw reward increases in 2010, according to reward total on record during a Arkansas Insurance Department.

The largest inciter on this year?s list was Mercy Health Plans, a Coventry Health Care Plan, with $41.3 million in Arkansas premium, an boost of 37.2 percent.

Mercy didn?t moment a tip 10 on final year?s list. Mercy Health Plans of Chesterfield, Mo., pronounced on Jun 30, 2010, that it would sell a association to Coventry Health Care Inc. of Bethesda, Md.

Mercy had been losing income for years, and it projected some-more waste for 2010-13. Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford had indicted Mercy of ?gross mismanagement.? Bradford told Arkansas Business in Feb that Mercy labelled a premiums too low, concluded to cover high-risk patients and misjudged a rising cost of medical services.

But a reward has softened underneath Coventry, that sealed on a sale in Oct 2010.

A Mercy orator didn?t lapse a call to Arkansas Business, and a Coventry mouthpiece pronounced a association central was taken to plead a arise in reward revenue.

Mercy transposed Wellcare Prescription Insurance Inc. of Tampa, Fla., on this year?s list. Wellcare reported $77.8 million in Arkansas reward in 2009, that enclosed reward for Wellcare Health Insurance of Illinois Inc. But in 2010, a Arkansas Insurance Department usually had a reward for Wellcare Health Insurance, that was $13.2 million in 2010.

A Wellcare orator didn?t lapse a call for comment.

Health Insurance Reform

Health word leaders contend one of a causes of a arise in health word reward was a stretched advantages word companies were compulsory to offer final year as partial of a health caring remodel that Congress authorized in Mar 2010.

[?Link to this article?]

Source: http://lifeinsurancehealth.net/insurance-firms-collect-more-premium/

adam levine cee lo green wisconsin recall wisconsin recall chromebook sign language cameron

How to Find a Good Real Estate Mentor | Real Estate Agent Training ...

When you?re looking to find a good real estate coach or mentor you?re looking for someone who can show you the ropes, someone that will show you how to get started in the business, and who will show you how to be successful in the business.? Basically you need someone to show you how NOT to make all the mistakes most new agents make.?????

You may have basic questions like where do you get your information for the MLS? Or how do you fill out the sales contract correctly. ?Many new agents find brokerages that have in-house training programs in a classroom style that overviews the ?how to? of daily activities in a ?Fast Start? type of program. But many new agents then go on to seek out personal real estate mentors?.someone in their office that has been in the business for a number of years and has had great success.

You?re looking for the opportunity to learn by example and to shadow a successful real estate professional.

A number of offices and manager may assign mentors to new real estate agent that come into to the company.? This is likely with little consideration as to whether or not there is a personality ?match?. Some agents just approach a more experienced agent and ask them directly if they be their real estate mentor.? These days there may be someone you follow online, a real estate professional that has a popular and engaging blog or a social network that you admire.? You might ask that person to be your real estate mentor.? But typically mentors work at the same real estate company or brokerage so that any compensation can be an agreed up share of commission.

If you would like to find the right real estate mentor, someone who can show you the mistakes that most new agents are making, that may be difficult.? Many real estate mentors will help you with any specific questions you have on a real estate transaction but they may not offer you specific advice or tips on information that you need on so that you don?t become a statistic. You don?t want to become one of the four out of five real estate professionals who don?t make it.

So if you?re looking for a good real estate mentor, you should know the difference between finding a mentor and working with a real estate coach.

A real estate coach is an investment and the fee is whatever is mutually agreed upon.? It typically is not a percentage of closed sales but instead some other specific fee schedule.

The reason I have personally invested in coaching and the reason why top athletes, top actors, top performers and those who excel at their profession? always hire coaches is that they always have ?the best? specifically working with them personally, ?to help them achieve their best.? That?s because coaching is an investment in experience and expertise. ?It takes your professional skills and talent to the next level and that?s why coaching is essential to success.

See you at the top,

?

?

?

Ask Me How I Sell Real Estate in Multiple States & Spend My Days at the Beach? Schedule a FREE ?Show Me the Money, Honey!? Strategy Session>> Schedule Here Now!!

from your own site.

Source: http://therainmakerformula.com/how-to-find-a-good-real-estate-mentor/

outcast outcast phineas and ferb across the 2nd dimension phineas and ferb across the 2nd dimension paul simon s p guatemala

Minka Kelly, Derek Jeter Strike Out - International Business Times ...

Vote!

ESPNMinka Kelly, Derek Jeter Strike OutInternational Business TimesActress Minka Kelly and New York Yankees star Derek Jeter, once the subject of engagement talk, have ended their three-year relationship, a representative for Kelly told People magazine on Friday. The "amicable" breakup, as described by Kelly's ...Minka Kelly and Derek Jeter SplitPeople MagazineMinka Kelly, Derek Jeter end relationshipTimes of IndiaMinka Kelly and Derek Jeter have 'amicable' breakupLos Angeles TimesWall Street Journal?-Fox News?-ABC Newsall 645 news articles??...

read more...

Published By: Google News Business - Yesterday

?

Source: http://thunderfeeds.com/reader/news/minka-kelly-derek-jeter-strike-out-international-business-times

hurricane preparedness bach ocean city md mean girls honda generator honda generator ground zero

Improve Your Customer Service With An Advanced Business Telephone

When customers quit patronizing your company?s products and services, you will start to ask yourself whether your business can go on for more years or just fall. Even if you are out of the office occupied with other issues, it?s then very important for business owners to carry out strategies that focus on handling customers? problems at all times. With this, your business telephone should provide you the resources you?ll need for handling clients, keeping them happy and loyal to your company.

Today?s clients are more educated in terms of dealing with ineffective products and services. They?re extremely conscious that they can easily look for better options if you don?t deliver well. It?s essential that you outwit your competitors by creating that customer-oriented area of your business which is customer service, for your business to preserve your purchasing customers happy with what you provide. An innovative and easily-managed business telephone service is essential to a better customer service.

The need for a business telephone used for customer service stays while the requirements of different companies vary depending on what services they provide. Listed below are essential things you need to consider when searching for a consumer service-friendly telephone system:

. The choice to use a toll free telephone number- Most customers opt for services that free them from exorbitant fees. A business telephone with a toll free telephone number not only boosts the satisfaction level amongst your customers but more importantly, provides your business the opportunity to make use of an efficient advertising tool in promoting your products and services. Without having to be concerned about sky high expenses, customers usually search for companies that can provide them outstanding service.

. Make an assessment of your present business telephone system- You first have to see if your present business telephone system can deal with high volume of customer calls each day before thinking of improving your consumer service. To accommodate all queries from your clients your ultimate objective of offering better customer service must be supported by an advanced phone system.

. Keeping the human element of your consumer service- Customer service nowadays, are becoming more and more robotic and monotonous while utilizing highly developed phone systems. A lot of uninspired workers in the customer service area have unacceptable or inadequate business phone etiquette. Always bear in mind that customer service is an opportunity to present your business? products and services to a wider number of clients. Utilize and assign competent people to manage your company?s consumer service.- There should be an organized catalog of individuals within your company accountable for handling consumer calls. Questions like ?who shall deal with the problems of customers on the line?? and how these problems should be handled, should be answered with urgency and with the right mindset. Your business telephone system must be utilized correctly to develop the customer?s confidence in your business.

Consumer service is about exceeding your customer?s expectations. Your business telephone system, the tool for making direct contact with clients, can lead you towards the path of success and profitability.

Discover more about business telephone by visiting our business telephone service website. We offer in depth and complete review and comparison of different business 800 phone numbers service providers to help you determine which of them best meet your needs.

Source: http://www.lonad.com/2011/08/25/improve-your-customer-service-with-an-advanced-business-telephone/

jennifer garner notre dame football january jones yelp dominique strauss kahn kate winslet deus ex human revolution

Price on Gaddafi's head as fighting goes on (Reuters)

TRIPOLI (Reuters) ? Libya's new masters have offered a million-dollar bounty for the fugitive Muammar Gaddafi, after he urged his men to fight on in battles across parts of the capital.

A day after rebel forces overran his Tripoli headquarters and trashed symbols of his 42-year rule, scattered pockets of loyalist diehards kept the irregular fighters at bay as they hunted Gaddafi and his sons. Rebels also reported fighting deep in the desert and a standoff round Gaddafi's tribal home town.

In Tripoli, rockets and shooting kept largely kept civilians indoors and gunfire rang out in the center into the night. Most were anxious but hopeful the war would soon end, and with it the worsening shortages of food, water and medical supplies -- both for hundreds of wounded and for the sick.

"Gaddafi's forces and his accomplices will not stop resisting until Gaddafi is caught or killed," said Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the rebels' National Transitional Council (NTC), who offered amnesty to any of his entourage who killed the fallen strongman and announced a reward worth over $1 million for his capture.

"The end will only come when he's captured, dead or alive," Abdel Jalil said in the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi.

Until then, he said, Gaddafi would not give up easily and could still unleash a "catastrophic event." In a poor-quality audio tape broadcast by satellite on Wednesday, Gaddafi, 69, urged Libya's tribes to "exterminate traitors, infidels and rats."

There was no clear indication of where Gaddafi is, though his opponents surmised he was still in or around Tripoli after what Gaddafi himself described as a "tactical" withdrawal from his Bab al-Aziziya compound before it was captured on Tuesday.

But Western leaders and the rebel government-in-waiting have lost no time readying a handover of Libya's substantial foreign assets. Funds will be required to bring relief to war-battered towns and to develop oil reserves that can make Libya rich.

OIL FACILITIES

After talks with Arab and Western allies in Qatar, a senior rebel leader said the NTC would seek to have $5 billion in frozen assets released to jump-start the country's economy and provide vital relief to its citizens. The amount is higher than a previously given estimate of $2.5 billion.

Meanwhile, the United States submitted a draft resolution to the U.N Security Council to unfreeze $1.5 billion in Libyan assets. No vote was held on the draft on Wednesday, but diplomats said a vote could come on Thursday or Friday.

Another meeting was scheduled for Thursday in Istanbul.

Rebels also spoke of bringing back workers to restart oil export facilities soon. While Libya is rich in oil, four decades of rule by personality cult has left it with few institutions of normal governance.

The rebels, many of whom were once supporters of Gaddafi, stressed the wish to work with former loyalists and officials and to avoid the purges of the ousted ruling elite which marked Iraq's descent into sectarian anarchy after 2003.

Their gains are however no guarantee of security or progress with Gaddafi and his entourage at large. Abdel Salam Jalloud, a close ally who switched sides last week, said Gaddafi planned to drop out of sight and then launch a guerrilla war:

"He is sick with power," he said. "He believes he can gather his supporters and carry out attacks ... He is delusional. He thinks he can return to power."

However, some of his loyalists have already quit. The second in command of Libya's intelligence services and health minister declared their allegiance to rebel forces during interviews aired on Al Arabiya television.

There were signs of other supporters giving up on him, following a stream of defections during the six months of the uprising. At Tripoli's Rixos hotel where loyalist gunmen had been preventing nearly 40 foreigners, mostly journalists, from leaving, gunmen relented on Wednesday and let them go.

"DIRTY BOMB"

After by far the bloodiest of the Arab Spring revolts that are transforming the Middle East and North Africa, there were clear indications, too, of new threats of disorder. Four Italian journalists had been kidnapped near Zawiya, between Tripoli and the Tunisian border.

Western officials also fear weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles and nuclear material capable of making a "dirty bomb," could be taken from Gaddafi's stocks and reach hostile groups.

Imposing order and preventing rivalries breaking out across tribal, ethnic and ideological lines among the disparate rebel factions are major concerns of both the new leaders and of their Western backers, who are working to avoid the anarchy and bloodshed that followed the overthrow of Iraq's Saddam Hussein.

Meeting rebel government chief Mahmoud Jibril in Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy was the first Western leader to bask in the gratitude of Gaddafi's opponents, who noted how Sarkozy took a lead in pushing for NATO military intervention.

France will persevere with military operations in Libya for as long as needed by the rebel forces, Sarkozy said, adding Paris will host a "Friends of Libya" summit on September 1. It would include Russia and China, both critics of the Western bombing campaign which have been concerned at now losing out on business deals with the rebels.

MEDICAL SHORTAGES

Fighters who swept in to Tripoli at the weekend, uniting several fronts and a variety of opposition groups, were trying to establish order in the city, but faced pockets of resistance and there were signs of looting. Snipers kept up fire from high buildings, including around Gaddafi's compound. Rebels blasted back with anti-aircraft guns mounted on pickup trucks.

"There are still many snipers in eastern Tripoli," said one rebel fighter. "We'll finish them off but it'll take time."

Aymen, a rebel at the Mitiga airbase in Tripoli, said rebels were trying to fight their way into the Abu Slim area, not far from Gaddafi's fallen Bab al-Aziziya complex.

"They are surrounding it but Gaddafi loyalists are putting up a fight, firing from inside. We continue to comb for supporters of the fallen regime," he said by phone.

Gaddafi's tribal home town of Sirte, on the coast between Tripoli and Benghazi, was still not in the hands of the new leadership who have despatched forces there. Nor was the southern city of Sabha, where the rebels reported fighting.

Meanwhile, government buildings were being stripped of anything of value. The images on Arab satellite TV of rebels grabbing the props of Gaddafi's power, could invigorate other revolts in the Arab world, such as in Syria where President Bashar al-Assad has launched military crackdowns on protesters.

At Bab al-Aziziya, fighters were still going through buildings and coming out with sniper rifles and ammunition, which they distributed among their ranks.

But medical supplies, never especially plentiful, were reaching critical levels in many places where some of the hundreds of casualties from the fighting were being treated. Shooting in the street also kept medics away from work.

"The hospitals that I've been to have been full of wounded - gunshot wounded," said Jonathan Whittall, head of the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) mission to Libya.

"In one health facility that I visited, they had converted some houses next to the clinic into an inpatient department ... But because of the shortage of staff, there was no nursing staff and the patients were essentially caring for themselves."

(Reporting by Peter Graff, Ulf Laessing, Missy Ryan, Zohra Bensemra and Leon Malherbe in Tripoli, Robert Birsel in Benghazi, Hamid Ould Ahmed in Algiers, Souhail Karam in Rabat, Richard Valdmanis, Christian Lowe and Giles Elgood in Tunis, Sami Aboudi, Dina Zayed and Tom Pfeiffer in Cairo, writing by Alastair Macdonald, editing by Peter Millership)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110825/ts_nm/us_libya

capybara dentists dry cleaning celiac disease symptoms taco bell taco bell pizzeria

Hypertension study prompts new ... - Health Nutrition and Fitness

LONDON (Reuters) ? Taking repeated blood pressure readings over a 24-hour period rather than a one-off measurement in the clinic is the most cost-effective way of deciding who should be prescribed drugs for hypertension, according to a study published Wednesday.

The findings in favor of so-called ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were immediately adopted by Britain?s health costs watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), in new guidelines on how to diagnose and when to treat high blood pressure.

Bryan Williams, a professor of medicine at the Leicester University and chair of the NICE guideline development group, said the change would affect the treatment of millions of people in Britain and was ?a step-change that is likely to be replicated across the world.?

An estimated 1 billion people around the world have high blood pressure, or hypertension, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death globally. If it is left untreated, high blood pressure can cause strokes, heart attacks, heart failure and organ damage, including kidney failure and vision problems.

Those diagnosed with hypertension are often prescribed one of many blood-pressure lowering drugs such as Novartis?s Lotensin or generic benazepril, candesartan, sold as Atacand by AstraZeneca and Takeda, or Novartis? Diovan, known generically as valsartan.

Patients are often prescribed the drugs for many years if not the rest of their lives.

?Ambulatory monitoring allows better targeting of blood pressure treatment to those who will receive most benefit,? said Richard McManus of Britain?s Birmingham University, who led a study published in The Lancet medical journal which prompted the NICE guideline change.

?It is cost saving in the long term as well as more effective, and so will be good for patients and doctors alike.?

Diagnosis of hypertension has traditionally been based on blood-pressure measurements in the clinic, but studies have found that home and ambulatory measurements are better indicators of who will suffer heart problems and strokes.

Ambulatory blood pressure measurement involves the patient wearing a blood pressure cuff attached to an automatic blood pressure machine for 24 hours. Measurements are taken typically half hourly during the day and hourly during the night.

Experts say one-off blood pressure readings taken during a visit to the doctors can often be artificially raised due to what is known as the ?white coat effect? when patients are nervous about going into a clinical setting.

In the Lancet study McManus? team analyzed the cost-effectiveness of the three approaches and found that ambulatory monitoring was the most cost effective way to diagnose high blood pressure in men and women of all ages.

It saved money in all groups and resulted in significant improvements in quality of life for both sexes in the 50-plus age group.

McManus said the new NICE guidelines marked a significant change in hypertension care. ?The use of ambulatory monitoring will ensure quicker and more accurate diagnosis,? he said, adding that this was ?an exciting advance which I am sure will be taken up internationally.?

(Editing by David Cowell)

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/hypertension-study-prompts-diagnosis-guidance-235449329.html

Source: http://health-nutrition-fitness.net/medical-and-health-news/hypertension-study-prompts-new-diagnosis-guidance/

aetna aetna hp touchpads hp touchpads hp touch pad hp touch pad hcg diet

Cancer patients like Jobs face risks from treatment (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Patients with the rare form of cancer suffered by Apple Inc's Steve Jobs face a tougher battle if the disease recurs, because of the methods used in fighting it.

Jobs said on Wednesday that he could no longer be chief executive of the company he co-founded. He had gone on medical leave in January for an undisclosed condition after years of fighting a rare type of pancreatic cancer and other health issues.

He gave no new details on his health in his latest announcement.

The type of pancreatic cancer is caused by an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor.

Jobs was reported to have undergone a liver transplant in 2009 to fight off the spread of the neuroendocrine tumor. The procedure is experimental and is fraught with complications.

Jobs has never publicly stated the reason for his liver transplant.

Dr. Simon Lo, director of pancreatic and biliary diseases at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles said the most likely serious complication after Jobs' liver transplant would have been further spread of the cancer, which could have forced Jobs to leave his position permanently. Lo has not treated Jobs.

As many as 80 percent of patients who get liver transplants to treat this type of cancer live for at least five years, according to the University of California San Francisco.

Lo said a recent study showed about three-quarters of patients who got a liver transplant because of cancer saw their cancer return within two to five years. The cancer can return to the liver or spread to other organs in the body.

The immunosuppressant drugs necessary for a liver transplant also make it harder for the body to fight the return of the disease.

Jobs may be "confronting both the liver transplant related specific problems, as well as the cancer itself," Lo said. "Whenever you put patients on immunosuppressant medications, there's always a risk that it could take away natural resistance, so the cancer could grow faster."

Although this cancer is broadly lumped in with pancreatic cancer, neuroendocrine tumors have a different nature from most pancreatic tumors, which are highly lethal and which kill 95 percent of patients within five years.

Neuroendocrine tumors are more easily treated and less aggressive. According to the National Cancer Institute, there are only 200 to 1,000 new cases a year.

Jobs had a neuroendocrine tumor removed in 2004 and said afterward all the cancer was gone, and that he did not require chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

But he remained noticeably thin, even gaunt, and took time off in 2009 to deal with what he initially termed a hormone imbalance, again giving few details.

Islet-cell tumors can cause over-secretion of hormones, including insulin, into the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on digestion and leading to drastic weight loss. They are usually easily removed surgically, but recur in roughly half of patients, doctors say, possibly spreading to other organs.

(Editing by Michele Gershberg and Carol Bishopric)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/diseases/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110825/hl_nm/us_apple_jobs_cancer

bodog veetle veetle hilary duff 30 minutes or less brooke burke coupons

David Marsh Emini Day Buying And Selling Selections For Your Investing

Fairly a number of inexperienced traders at this time are wanting in the direction of day buying and selling and particularly the David Marsh Emini method. This method?s aim is to trade for a daily income utilizing the emini S&P 500. Many people come into the world of day buying and selling with little to no knowledge in order that they after all are exploring for the best choice for their schooling reasons. The benefit most of these new traders have at this time is the usage of the the web. The world extensive web gives them with many areas to research their choices for day trading. It?s also vital that folks remember the fact that for the entire excellent data to be discovered you will unearth equal data that?s not right.

Specifically day buying and selling the S&P 500 and buying and selling on the Forex markets have become particularly well-liked with traders. This after all opens the door to those that promote methods to help traders make the change to day buying and selling for a career. Sadly numerous of these so called techniques are a fraud and find yourself costing quite a lot of of us a thousand?s of bucks along with the money they lose while trading. It is vital that new traders do their homework earlier than investing into any buying and selling proposal.

The David Marsh Emini buying and selling plan comes complete with all the pieces a day trader may possibly be wanting for. Nonetheless, several don?t comprehend what they ought to be searching for when investing right into a day buying and selling course. All of the above questions are important in regards to your success of finding a superior investing system. The more extensive the training technique you decide, the upper the chances are in your favor to be a victorious day trader. One can find that the David Marsh Emini buying and selling technique provides the entire above along with first-rate support. Not only will you receive the necessary assist however it?s also possible to converse straightforwardly with the creator of the buying and selling course himself. Article Source and related Hyperlinks: Mongoose Maxim Dual-Suspension Mountain Bike, learn to play guitar and Compact Food Processor.

Source: http://www.polishchooks.com/polish-chooks-blog/1154

cleveland clinic patriots reggie bush bishop eddie long eddie long kyle orton kyle orton

Thousands of travelers delayed by East Coast quake (The Arizona Republic)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/126934239?client_source=feed&format=rss

whole foods whole foods daily deal anne sinclair urban charlottesville va puzzle games

Skinny Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs | Skinny | Skinny Mom | How ...

If you crave Italian but hate the carbohydrates that come with eating pasta, then you will love trying this recipe for Skinny Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs.? Tender spaghetti squash serves as the perfect substitute for pasta combined with lean meatballs and your favorite marinara sauce.? This dish is not only delicious but it is also on the lighter side and will quickly become an Italian family favorite.

Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 large spaghetti squash (about 4 pounds), halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 jar reduced-sugar spaghetti or marinara sauce
• 1 pound lean ground sirloin (95% lean)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs (look for whole wheat if you can find)
• 1/4 cup Fiber One Original Cereal (crushed or food processed to a bread crumb consistency)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
• 3-4 basil leaves, torn

Directions:

1. Place spaghetti squash facing down in a shallow baking dish filled with 1/4 cup water (water should barely fill the bottom of the dish.) Place spaghetti squash in microwave until a fork can be inserted through the middle and the squash is soft.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line with foil.
3. Combine meat, breadcrumbs, Fiber One bread crumbs, garlic powder, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper; mix well. Form meat into meatballs about 1 1/2 inch thick and place on cookie sheet. Cook in oven for 20-25 minutes until brown and meat is cooked to desired consistency.
4. After squash has cooked, remove from cooking dish. Using a fork, scrape the strands of squash into a dish and season with salt and pepper.
5. Add heated spaghetti squash and meatballs to spaghetti squash. Top with basil leaves and Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Info Per Serving (1/4 of recipe): Calories: 450, Fat: 9g, Carbohydrates: 25g, Fiber: 6g, Protein: 28g, Sugars: 12g

Skinny Mom Fact: When choosing a spaghetti squash, keep in mind that the larger the vegetable, the thicker the strands and the more flavorful the taste.

// ]]>

Source: http://skinnymom.com/2011/08/23/skinny-spaghetti-squash-and-meatballs/

hilary duff 30 minutes or less brooke burke coupons charles manson serena williams alamo

Buying Cheaper Than Renting | Your Next Real Estate Agent

Buying real estate continues to be cheaper than renting in the vast majority of major U.S. cities, according to a quarterly rent vs. buy index from real estate search and marketing site Trulia.

The index compared the median list price and the median annualized rent on a two-bedroom apartment, condominium or townhouse in the country?s 50 most populous cities. According to the index, the cost of buying was less than renting in 37 of the 50 cities (74 percent) as of July 1, 2011. About the same share, 78 percent, favored buying over renting in Trulia?s last index report, released in April.

Trulia defines total costs of homeownership to include ?mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, hazard insurance, closing costs at time of purchase and ongoing (homeowners association) dues and private mortgage insurance, where applicable. It also includes an offset for the tax advantages of homeownership, including mortgage interest, property tax and closing cost deductions.?

?Many aspiring homeowners are on the fence about renting and buying in today?s market. Should they take advantage of falling home prices and low borrowing costs, or should they continue to rent until the economy stabilizes?? said Ken Shuman, spokesman for Trulia, in a statement.

Price alone should never be the sole factor in deciding to purchase a home. Instead, buyers should first ask themselves if they plan to live in the home for at least seven to 10 years, could make monthly payments on the house, and have enough cash in the bank for a down payment and an additional six to eight months? worth of mortgage payments.

?If you can answer ?yes? to each of these questions, then the cost of buying a home definitely outweighs renting in most cities.?

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://realestatemarbles.com/yournextagent/2011/08/20/buying-cheaper-than-renting/

quarantine frederick douglass john john span span donald trump

Paul Rudd embraces 'Idiot' side (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? For more than a decade, Paul Rudd has served as a comedic chameleon, effortlessly moving from sidekick ("Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") to scene stealer ("Knocked Up," "Forgetting Sarah Marshall") to straight man ("Dinner for Schmucks," "I Love You, Man"). He's tackling his most transformative role yet in "Our Idiot Brother."

The affable 42-year-old actor grew his hair and beard out last summer to portray Ned, an easygoing organic farmer whose lack of ambition and independence continually frustrate his family. Rudd developed the earnest character with friend-neighbor-director Jesse Peretz. (The pair first worked together on the 2002 improvisational comedy "The Chateau.")

The indie dramedy, which was snapped up by The Weinstein Co. at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, is distinctly different from any of the other movies listed on Rudd's seemingly never-ending resume. It's not as silly as "Role Models" or "Dinner for Schmucks" nor is it as serious as "The Cider House Rules" or "The Shape of Things."

"It's just like life," Rudd recently said over breakfast. "It's not unrealistic or a cliche. That's one of the things I really liked about this project. There's a definitive point of view. To me, the character wasn't just about his look: the long hair, the beard, the Crocs. Those are external things. He's just a good guy who's into bio-dynamic farming."

After being released from prison for selling marijuana to a uniformed police officer, Ned becomes entangled in the lives of his three sisters: free-loving Natalie (Zooey Deschanel), career-focused Miranda (Elizabeth Banks) and perfection-seeking Liz (Emily Mortimer). Rudd has a younger sister, but their real-life relationship didn't inspire him.

"That was probably more of an influence on my decision to pursue acting as a career," said Rudd. "I think I knew I wanted to do this in high school, but the seeds were probably planted at a much younger age. My sister was born two and a half years after me. It was the perfect age for me to not know what to do and to want to turn the attention back to me."

As a teenager with a penchant for public speaking growing up in Overland Park, an idyllic Kansas City suburb, Rudd's high school classmate Sean Tevis recalled he would do things like spontaneously commandeer grocery store speaker systems to announce fictitious sales or convince his fellow yell leaders to sneak into cheerleaders' homes to invite them out.

"It's the kind of thing that a normal person wouldn't do," said Tevis. "Paul always had no fear of authority. I think he's just always done what he wants because it pleases him, which I guess has led him to pursue things that most people would say, `Oh, I could never do that.' I don't think that particular thought has ever really entered his head."

Rudd's unflappable nature and boyish charm led him from the land of theater, commercials and television parts in Los Angeles to his breakout brotherly role as the snarky stepbrother in 1995's "Clueless." He later relocated to New York and went on to work regularly with such playwrights and filmmakers as David Wain, Neil LaBute, Judd Apatow and Peretz.

Rudd, who still lives in New York with his wife and two children, said that despite his agent's advice, he tends "not to differentiate between dramas or comedies, lead roles or supporting ones." He doesn't mind if a movie is similar to one he's already done. He's drawn to films as a whole, not just the characters he portrays. Mostly, he just wants to have fun.

Rudd is currently in the middle of filming an untitled follow-up to Apatow's "Knocked Up" in Los Angeles. It focuses on the bickering sister and brother-in-law of Katherine Heigl's character that he and Leslie Mann played in the 2007 romantic comedy. It's the first time Rudd, who studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, has reprised a film role.

"It's been surreal," said Rudd, a stranger to sequels except for his first big part: a "Halloween" installment. "The dynamic that Leslie and I have is pretty great. There's already a familiarity with working with each other. It's been fun to play that part again. I really liked doing `Knocked Up,' so to play that part again but to do more stuff is great."

___

Derrik J. Lang can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang/.

___

Online:

http://www.ouridiotbrother.com/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personaltech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110822/ap_en_ot/us_paul_rudd_idiot_brother

dan peek dunkin donuts buffalo bills dallas cowboys atlanta braves your highness gene simmons family jewels

How to Have A Healthy Pregnancy ? home and family blogs

Pregnancy is a special episode in every woman's life. It is when her body is readying up another human being to be born in the world in its own appointed time. But no matter how tempting it is for the woman to enjoy all the special attention and pampering, it is still a medically crucial time. This is why it is important that she is responsible enough for her body and her baby's for a healthy pregnancy.

Prenatal Visits

One of the first things that must be ensured is that she gets her prenatal consultations with an obstetrician. The visits will start with once a month and gets more frequent as the expected date of delivery draws near. She has to have check-ups so that possible problems such as gestational diabetes and hypertension can be detected and managed early on. This is also a time to see how the baby's development progresses. Usually, women who do not go for prenatal checkups get the surprise of delivering ill babies, if not being ill themselves. It is, thus, important for a pregnant woman to realize that prenatal consultations with an ob-gynecologist are basic to healthy pregnancy.

Nutrition

A growing baby will need all nutrients, from regular vitamins and minerals to elements that are crucial for the baby's development, such as taurine for the brain or iron for blood formation. This is why pregnant women should always consume the right diet and take supplements. With the wrong foods, the woman can also make herself prone to developing hypertension or diabetes, or worsening her condition if she has already been diagnosed with such. Needless to say, alcohol, tobacco and other substances (including topically-applied substances such as lotions, perming chemicals, etc.) considered teratogenic or disruptive of normal fetal development should be avoided for a healthy pregnancy.

Exercise

A pregnant woman can still go to the gym or do her regular workouts but the intensity of the exercise must be reduced. It is good to ask one's obstetrician-gynecologist about what types physical activities are best as well as the recommended frequency. Walking is usually good for women as their expected date of delivery comes closer because this prepares the pelvis for childbirth. Through walking, the pelvis becomes more flexible, and childbirth becomes easier for her to expel the fetus from her body.

Hygiene

When a pregnant woman encounters any type of infection, the effects will not only set in on her own health but also on her baby's. Thus, it is important to make sure that everything that touches her body is clean. Because pregnancy also makes a woman physiologically prone to gingivitis, it is recommended that she practice extra stringent oral case measures to prevent the entry of bacteria through mouth sores. Feminine hygiene is also crucial as the female genitalia can be a direct route for harmful microorganisms to infect the baby.

Indeed, for a healthy pregnancy, a woman must be responsible enough to go out of her way to make her condition as close to ideal as possible with the help of her obstetrician-gynecologist.

Source: http://homeandfamilyblogs.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-to-have-healthy-pregnancy.html

spartacus spartacus el salvador el salvador spiderman 3 richard gere richard gere

Fisherman?s task: Catch island paradise?s killer shark

Krzysztof Galica / NBC News

Daryl Green, a fisherman known in the Seychelles as "the guy who can catch anything" on the trail of the killer shark.

By Stephanie Gosk, NBC News Correspondent

PRASLIN ISLAND, SEYCHELLES ? The sun wouldn?t be up for another hour when we met Daryl Green, a fisherman known on this island as ?the guy who can catch anything.? Green always gets up early, but for the last few days he has had something other than the day?s catch on his mind.
?
Green invited us into his home for tea and explained in detail how he was trying to catch the killer shark that is terrorizing the Seychelles. In just over two weeks, two tourists have been killed off the island of Paslin, where Green has lived and fished for more than 50 years.?

The latest victim was Ian Redmond, a 30-year-old IT specialist from England, who was here on his dream honeymoon. Redmond was attacked just 60 feet off shore while snorkeling. By the time locals brought him to the beach in a small boat it was too late. His new wife Gemma held his hand as he died on the beach.
?
His death and that of a French tourist on the same beach in less than a month has shocked this island. Shark attacks are supposed to happen in places like the United States, Australia or South Africa locals often say.? The last fatal attack in the Seychelles was over 40 years ago.
?
But there are definitely sharks here. On his coffee table where most people would place a coaster or a photo, Green has a bowl of shark teeth. With the expert skill of someone who has done the demonstration many times before, he showed my camera man and me exactly how easily and cleanly a shark tooth slices through paper ?like a razor.?
?
?Imagine 400 of those, ripping into you, each moving individually,? he graphically explained. ?When I look at a shark, I see a killing machine.?

Krzysztof Galica / NBC News

Daryl Green pulls on some lines he set out hoping to snare the killer shark.

The demonstration was followed by a photo display of all the sharks Green has caught including several very large bull sharks, the kind he believes is responsible for the two attacks.
?
For the last three days, Green?s son has gone out at night just off the beach where Redmond was attacked and baited a 400-yard fishing line with 30 hooks.? In the morning, the seasoned fisherman heads out on his 20-foot boat and pulls the line by hand hoping one of the hooks will have the shark that he thinks could be as big as 18 feet long.
?
There is actually no proof that the same shark is responsible for both deaths, but that is the widely held opinion here, and the Navy and local fishermen have begun a dedicated effort to the track the shark down. The government has even called in shark experts from South Africa to help lead the search.
?
Officials have been criticized for not adequately warning visitors earlier, but now the beaches are closed and the shark hunt is on, according to Seychelles High Commissioner Patrick Pillay.

Krzysztof Galica / NBC News

Daryl Green's son pulls in a shark - but unfortunately it's not the "big one" - just a Guitar shark.

?There?s now a very strong coordinated and concerted effort by various agencies and people to try and do everything within their powers to locate the shark in the area and try to catch it,? he said.
?
Green isn?t overly confident that he will be the one to catch the shark but he said, ?the shark?s chance of making it out alive are nil.?

As we cruised along in his boat Friday morning gliding through turquoise waters and winding through small islands, it was hard to imagine that a place this beautiful and idyllic could have been the scene of such horror only a few days ago.?
?
Just off Anse Lazio beach, where both tourists lost their lives, Green slowly and methodically pulled up the line and then he stopped.? There was something caught on one of the hooks.? He looked up at me and said, ?we got one.?

Krzysztof Galica / NBC News

The Seychelles fisherman, Daryl Green, searching for the killer shark caught something Friday, but unfortunately it was just a guitar shark - and not the 'big one.'

But when he pulled it on board, it was clear this couldn?t have been the shark. Instead, they had snagged a relatively small Guitar shark, harmless but apparently good to eat. The rest of the hooks were empty.
?
So the beach remained closed for another day and the search goes on. Simply put, Green says, ?We have to kill the big one before the big one kills us.?

Source: http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/19/7417929-fishermans-task-catch-island-paradises-killer-shark

libya libya news country strong nfl schedule e! us open geocaching

humberto - Articles 20VN | Your New Year's Resolution - Write More ...

Article marketing is one of the simplest and most enduring means of marketing your products or services online. If you're looking for a useful new year's resolution, writing more articles is a great option. It's measurable, it's easy to do, and it has long-lasting benefits.

Broadly speaking, the term "article marketing" refers to the practice of submitting content (the articles) to one or more of the many free article directories on the World Wide Web. (EzineArticles is perhaps the best known article directory, and always one of the directories you'll want to target, but there are many others to choose from.) You're not paid to submit these articles, but you do get the opportunity to insert a link or two back to your website into the article, usually in a "resource" or "biography" section at the bottom of the article. These links will generate traffic to your website (from curious readers who want to know more about you or the topic you wrote about) and also direct search engines to find and index more pages on your website. It's a win-win situation for you and the article directories -- the directories get fresh content to display (which attracts new readers and makes them more money from advertisements) and you get the dual benefit of human and search engine traffic.

Writing an article isn't as hard as it seems. Start with a comfortable topic -- something you can talk confidently about to someone on the street. Think of a common question someone would ask you about that topic. That's the title for your article. Now answer the question in a conversational tone, using approximately four to six paragraphs. That's the body of your article. Add a paragraph at the bottom giving the reader a reason to visit your website, and don't forget to add a link to the website. That's your resource/biography section. And you're done! Submit your article to an article directory and repeat the process by asking and answering another question. Once you do this a few times you'll be amazed at how easy article writing can become.

The key to success with article marketing is to write and submit articles on a regular basis. It helps to have a specific number in mind, so this is what your new year's resolution should be: "I will write N articles every week". If you're just starting out, try for one article a week. After you've done a few, increase it to two or three a week.

Do this on a consistent basis and you'll end up with 50 to 100 articles published by the end of the year. That may not sound like a lot, but it can yield a surprising amount of traffic and bring many search engine optimization benefits if done correctly. Many of your articles will get republished elsewhere (in newsletters and on other sites) as well, giving you additional benefits.

So start the new year right with a simple resolution: write more articles!

Source: http://www.20vn.com/internet-marketing/your-new-year-s-resolution-write-more-articles-4c1.htm

tempurpedic steve williams los somalia famine famine qualcomm

Source: http://rupym.livejournal.com/4205.html

alfred hitchcock abbott forbes heidi montag cox ratatouille the weather channel

Ceiling lights and table lamps ? Light sweet home | Acinorthwest ...

You can decorate your home sweet with the help of different lighting systems.?You can use ceiling lights to decorate your home as well as the initial appearance.?You can use the ceiling light and table lamp in a different place from your room, but the goal is one and the same time to light your home is sweet.?As the name suggests, a desk lamp placed at a table alone, but now people have a lot of craze for the use of various types of table lamps.?Usually at this time both men have tiffany table lamps, antique or brand to their table.

Ceiling lamp which has its importance.?Usually ceiling lights mounted on the wall or ceiling and can be installed in the room of your choice.?Ceiling to give different effects to your room.?This increases the interior beauty of the room and also add some personal touch to your home.?You can find various types of lighting in each and every market.?Recent colored lights are also available on the market that creates a sense of fashion and also to provide better lighting effects to your room.?These lights can also change the mood of the people especially those in a particular room.

You can also find decorative ceiling lights and beautiful on the market.?It depends upon your preference, if you want a simple light or are you looking for beautiful light.?Ceiling lights are usually mounted on a wall that is very popular and can easily be obtained in various sizes, designs and different prices.?The most popular choice of almost everyone, a chandelier that serves many purposes.?This is an eye appealing attractive and appreciated by almost everyone.?You can use this light for smaller or larger areas of your living room.

Lights of all types are preferred by people maximum.?You can choose the lamp depending on the size and space for the suitability of pocket.?Price these lights are very important factors.

Wall lamps are used in different ways.?It ?also essential for shooting photos.?But it is necessary to place the light so that it is necessary to obtain the correct brightness.?You should avoid the brightness of more light.

Source: http://www.acinorthwest.com/?p=284

gaia sinkhole malawi malawi starcraft 2 sinkholes alexander calder

Health Tip: Using an Antiviral for Chickenpox (HealthDay)

(HealthDay News) -- Chickenpox is a viral infection that causes itchy, fluid-filled skin blisters. Usually affecting children, the infection typically runs its course and clears up without treatment.

Adults and teens, however, may be at risk of more severe symptoms and may benefit from an antiviral medication, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says. An antiviral is most beneficial if begun during the first 24 hours of the skin rash.

The agency mentions these additional facts about use of an antiviral medication in a person with chickenpox:

• Healthy children who don't have severe symptoms probably don't need an antiviral medication.
• Adolescents who take regular aspirin may need an antiviral.
• People with skin or lung conditions, or those who have recently taken a steroidal medication, may benefit from an antiviral.
• People who have been exposed to chickenpox -- but haven't contracted the infection -- may benefit from an antiviral.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20110820/hl_hsn/healthtipusinganantiviralforchickenpox

freida pinto quran recitation quran recitation consumer reports consumer reports db cooper christina perri

Younger Small Businesses Signal the Future of Local Advertising ...

[google1] Jump to Comments

Local media research firm BIA/Kelsey?s most recent Local Commerce Monitor study showed a major jump in the average number of different media used by small and medium-sized businesses for local advertising and promotion?from 3.1 in 2009 to 4.6 in 2010?driven in large part by digital media.

Digging deeper into the LCM data, the marketing behaviors of newer businesses and younger business owners is strikingly different from more well established and older business owners. BIA/Kelsey says younger businesses are a leading indicator of where the SMB media and marketing world is headed ? more digital, more engagement, more use of digital tools and cloud-based applications.

Within this in mind, BIA/Kelsey is hosting a conference next month focused on the latest tools and technologies for small business marketing. DMS ?11: The Summit for Small-Business Advertising Solutions, which takes placed Sept. 20-22, in Denver, will bring together top executives from companies like AT&T Advertising Solutions, Facebook, Infogroup, MerchantCircle, Microsoft, Urbanspoon and Yellowbook, to break down the components of modern SMB marketing and analyze where the biggest opportunities are for players in the local-social-mobile ecosystem.

Exclusive Offer for BIG Marketing Readers
As a sponsor of DMS2011, BIG Marketing for Small Business subscribers can receive a $200 discount on the cost of conference registration when signing up with promo code DMS11BIG. More information is available on the conference website at http://www.biakelsey.com/DMS2011.

Source: http://www.bigmarketingsmallbusiness.com/2011/08/18/younger-small-businesses-signal-the-future-of-local-advertising/

curacao shanghai james dean ukraine manifest jon favreau calculator

Arts and Entertainment,Celebrity Gossip News - What should my ...

This is not required, but for school we can write a fictional 5 page story for an English contest. I don't really have any idea for the topic and this contest mean a lot to me because the winner wins a trip to England. so if you could list some topics, that'd be great.

Source: http://www.freegby.com/what-should-my-fictional-short-story-be-about.html

toys death race super 8 movie ai dna big sean bethany hamilton

Perry's Texas: Transportation needs trail behind (Houston Chronicle)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/124476883?client_source=feed&format=rss

e news signs floyd mayweather empire of the sun valerie helicopter whale shark

Analysis: Mexico's splintering drug gangs pose new security risk (Reuters)

TOLUCA, Mexico (Reuters) ? Few people had heard of the 'Hand with Eyes' before the drug gang dumped a severed head in a working class neighborhood outside Mexico City.

A crudely scrawled message at the crime scene in March said, "'The Hand with Eyes' takes its time but never forgets. Last chance to get the hell out of the Valle de Mexico."

The upstart gang formed just last year is already believed to be responsible for hundreds of murders, taking the kind of brutal bloodshed common in cities on the U.S. border closer to the Mexican capital, so far largely untouched by the mayhem.

Prosecutors say it is one of several new, hyper-violent groups splintering off from major drug cartels and earning a reputation for gratuitous violence.

"Before (the cartels) killed when it was necessary. Not like now. Now they kill as if it were sport," said Alfredo Castillo, a state prosecutor in the industrial town of Toluca, about an hour outside of the capital.

A breakaway group in Toluca formed from the largely dismantled Beltran Leyva cartel, the 'Hand with Eyes" -- or "Mano con ojos" in Spanish -- is fighting with a local rival, the 'Cartel del Centro' to control street-level drug dealing.

When President Felipe Calderon took office there were only around four major criminal organizations operating in Mexico.

Now, almost five years after he sent the military to try to crush the cartels, some security analysts say there are at least a dozen competing for survival.

They prove themselves with escalating acts of violence and earn extra cash by branching into parallel criminal enterprises like kidnapping and extortion.

"It seems like every day we hear of a new group. There are more than I can count," said a U.S. official in Mexico.

The changing cartel landscape is a liability for Calderon heading into presidential elections next year. He cannot run again and his ruling party is struggling to overcome poor approval ratings due in part to the violence.

Security will present a major challenge for the next president since the violence that has killed 42,000 people since late 2006 is unlikely to stop after the election.

THE GODFATHER

In a victory for the government last week, police arrested the leader of the 'Hand with Eyes' gang, Oscar Garcia, one of more than 20 top capos to be killed or captured by Calderon's government. A former marine, Garcia admitted to killing 300 people and ordering the murders of 300 more.

Calderon and U.S. officials working with Mexico to help combat drug violence say they are systematically weakening the cartels by attacking the command structure.

But the strategy of going after top cartel brass may be backfiring as others step into the void and assume control.

"As you pull out the leadership of the organization it creates confusion, nobody knows who is in charge," said the U.S. official, asking not to be named.

The expansion of Mexico's drug trade -- which rakes in an estimated $40 billion per year -- can also fan internal rivalries and divisions. Poppy cultivation in Mexico jumped 500 percent between 2003 and 2009 while marijuana growing tripled, the U.S. government says.

"When an organization gets too big, the No. 2s also get very ambitious and they think they are not getting a fair share of profits so you start to get break-away groups," said Mexican security analyst Alberto Islas. "It's like a divorce."

Many trace Mexico's drug trade back to a single figure, Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, a former policeman dubbed "The Godfather," who built a national cocaine smuggling network in the 1980s by linking up with Colombian traffickers.

After Gallardo's 1989 arrest, four major criminal organizations grew out of his empire. More splits followed.

The Beltran Leyva brothers, who worked for Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman, the head of the Sinaloa cartel and Mexico's most wanted man, broke away and forged their own cartel in 2008.

One of the brothers was killed in a shootout with marines a year later, prompting a further split into at least three new gangs, including 'Mano con ojos.'

The smaller groups do not control major cross-border trafficking networks like their larger rivals so they often drum up extra cash with kidnappings, extortion rackets, people-smuggling, carjacking, audio and video piracy and oil and cargo theft, analysts say.

One of Mexico's most brutal gangs, the Zetas, was once the paramilitary wing of the Gulf cartel but now fights its former employer in Tamaulipas and the business city of Monterrey.

Among new groups to emerge in recent months are the Knights Templar, a group espousing pseudo-religious beliefs that split from "the Family" in Michoacan state after its leader was killed.

Vanda Felbab-Brown, a researcher at Washington's Brookings Institution, said the split made little difference to locals.

"Where the state presence is minimum, it doesn't matter if its a bigger group or a smaller group, their lives are still dominated by crime gangs," she said.

(Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor; Editing by Kieran Murray)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/latam/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110816/wl_nm/us_mexico_drugs

dodgers crude oil prices the cars kendall jenner metrolink the help pagani huayra

Preview's return brings excitement - Fantasy Sports

Once upon a time in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Winston Cup Preview was the place to be for those who had followed the sport year after year, decade after decade.

Click to continue reading this fantasy sports article at Nascar.com.

?

Tagged as: fantasy racing, Fantasy Sports, NASCAR

Source: http://www.fantasysportsdish.com/previews-return-brings-excitement/

toefl bolt barbados honeywell harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban siri

Industrial output rises, calms recession fears (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Industrial production rose at its quickest pace in seven months in July as motor vehicle output rebounded strongly, further easing fears the economy could slide into recession.

Other data showed residential construction, while still depressed, was not a drag on the economy as the second half of the year got under way.

Industrial output increased 0.9 percent, the Federal Reserve said on Tuesday, after a 0.4 percent gain in June and well above economists' expectations for a 0.5 percent rise.

Manufacturing, which has been the economy's main pillar of support, rose 0.6 percent as motor vehicles production surged 5.2 percent after falling 0.9 percent in June.

"This report suggests that the recovery may have regained some momentum in recent months, and it could go some way in easing fears of a impending recession," said Millan Mulraine, senior macro strategist at TD Securities in New York.

The economy barely grew in the first half of the year, held back by high gasoline prices and supply chain disruptions from Japan in the wake of the March earthquake. The industrial production data indicated the Japan-induced disruptions to manufacturing were fading.

Commerce Department data showed housing starts slipped a less-than-expected 1.5 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 604,000 units as builders broke ground on new multifamily units to meet demand for rental apartments. Economists had expected a 600,000 rate.

However, the housing market recovery continues to be hobbled by an oversupply of previously owned homes.

"Housing starts remain somewhat range bound at historically low levels as homebuilders continue to reduce existing inventories of new single-family properties against a backdrop of elevated foreclosures," said Michael Gapen, an economist at Barclays Capital in New York.

"That said, we look for starts activity to be less of a drag on the recovery going forward."

U.S. financial markets were little moved by the report as investors focused on weak euro zone growth data. Stocks on Wall Street opened lower, while prices for U.S. Treasury debt rose. The dollar firmed against a basket of currencies.

BLOATED INVENTORY

A bloated inventory of unsold homes and a weak economy are weighing down on the housing market, whose collapse was the main catalyst of the 2007-09 recession. A large foreclosure pipeline also is not helping, leaving builders with little incentive to break ground on new projects.

Sentiment among home builders was steady at low levels in August, a survey showed on Monday, but they were pessimistic about sales over the next six months.

But demand for rentals, as Americans shun homeownership because of plummeting home prices and a 9.1 percent jobless rate, is stemming further declines in home construction.

Last month, housing starts for multi-family homes rose 7.8 percent to a 179,000-unit rate, and groundbreaking for projects with five or more units was the highest since January.

Single-family home construction -- which accounts for a large portion of the market -- dropped 4.9 percent to a 425,000-unit pace.

New building permits fell 3.2 percent to a 597,000-unit pace last month. Economists had expected overall building permits in July to fall to a 605,000-unit pace.

Permits were dragged down by a 10.2 percent drop in the multi-family segment. Permits to build single-family homes rose 0.5 percent.

New home completions increased 11.8 percent to 636,000 units in July, the highest since June 2010.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani and Jason Lange; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110816/bs_nm/us_usa_economy

spider man high school musical 3 high school musical 3 curacao curacao shanghai james dean

Deciding on the Correct Concrete fixings | Home Improvement ...

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

Source: http://micro-morph.com/deciding-on-the-correct-concrete-fixings/

gold price per ounce diana nyad diana nyad stock quotes ricky williams stock market today dow

Ways to Avoid Student Loans

by Miranda Marquit on August 17, 2011 ? 1 comment

The student loan industry is huge now. Indeed, outstanding student loan debt now exceeds outstanding credit card debt in the U.S. As you get ready for college this fall, it?s a good idea to think about your college funding options, and consider your financing. If you have a child that is still a few years away from college, it?s never too early to start saving. Here are some ways to avoid student loans:

• Save up: One of the best things you can do is to save up for college. There are tax-advantaged options for saving up for college using investment accounts that compound your contributions. The earlier you start, the more your money can work for you.
• Work toward scholarships: Look around for scholarships. There are a number of small scholarships available. Added up, they could really help out. You can also have your child prepare for the future by getting good grades and choosing a couple of extracurricular activities.
• Get a job: Most college students can handle a part-time job in college. This can reduce some of the need for student loans. On-campus jobs are usually flexible and can make it easy to balance class and work. You can also increase your income through side projects and passive investing.

Developing Good Financial Habits

Even if it is necessary to borrow some money for school, the development of good financial habits can limit that amount. College students that learn to be financially responsible can get ahead of the game. Those that live within their means, borrow as little as possible, and work to build wealth now, can find a great deal of success in the future. It?s never to early to start developing the habits that can lead to wealth.

?

Encourage teenagers and college students to improve their financial skills, and learn how to make wise decisions with their money. Those who make the effort to earn more, borrow sparingly, and save for the future will be well-placed to succeed. Even if student loans are needed, the development of good financial habits will lead to the ability to pay off the student loans sooner, reducing the total amount that one pays in interest. This can be a real help, since interest can be one of the things that erodes wealth.

?

Back to school time is an ideal point to stop and consider your college funding options. Even if you have a child that is years away, you can use this time to give him or her a solid start.

Related:

1. How to Avoid College Debt
2. Saving Money for College: Start Now
3. Going to College? Here are 5 Things You Don?t Need
4. Are You Actually Saving Money?

Tagged as: Banking Rates, college savings, Debt, financial habits, student debt, student loans

Source: http://www.complexsearch.com/blog/ways-to-avoid-student-loans/

sole don lemon pocahontas valium good morning america real housewives of new york icloud