মঙ্গলবার, ২৯ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৩

LiquidPlanner 4


How often can do people accurately project the length of time they need to complete a task? Project management tool LiquidPlanner says you don't have to because more important than the estimated completion date is a range estimate of how long the task might take and its relative priority. Among project management software, LiquidPlanner 4 ($29 per user per month, or $288 per user per year; with discounts for non-profits and educators) focuses the most on scheduling, but it does so in a way that's completely different than the approach of most other suites. Rather than have team members enter soft dates of completion for tasks, this app has project managers set up schedules based on priority. It's a radically different way of thinking and working if you're accustomed to traditional project management software. It could be just the shake-up your team needs if you're not happy with your current solution, but the cost is a bit high.

The online-based LiquidPlanner allows participants to contribute from just about anywhere, especially since the company added an Android app to its formerly iOS-only offering. A rich feature set, impressive online file storage, advanced reporting, and unlimited projects enable team members to keep close tabs on every facet of their workflow. With the exception of a Facebook feed-inspired home screen, the Web-based LiquidPlanner is stocked like desktop software, right down to having drag-and-drop functionality and shortcut keys.

Costly Considering Some Competition
While guests of a project can join for free (via the "portal" feature in LiquidPlanner), an office of 15 can expect to spend about $450 per month or about $4,300 if they commit to a year. Competitor Wrike may be shorter on features but it supports up to 15 users and unlimited projects for just $99 per month. Basecamp (free to $99 per month, 4 stars), our Editors' Choice among free PM suites, offers a comparable 30GB of storage, 100 projects, and unlimited users for the same $99 per month. Certainly, LiquidPlanner bests both when it comes to features, and the company does offer volume pricing for larger teams; however, for offices larger than a handful of people but too small for a volume license, scaling LiquidPlanner may be uneconomical.

What's New in LiquidPlanner 4?
Version 4 of LiquidPlanner comes with a number of tweaks in the design that have reduced repetitive and unnecessary mousing, the kind of refinements typical in later versions of mature and stable software, and welcome ones here. A new dedicated inbox, dynamic status reports for people and projects, and a new look for the individual and project portfolio views.

There's a lot to take in when you first open LiquidPlanner?project progress bars, a feed of recent comments, upcoming tasks, and a sidebar highlighting new features. You might need some time to wrap your head around LiquidPlanner's new way of thinking and working, which emphasizes priority and best or worst case scenarios rather than projected completion dates. Compared with similar services, namely Basecamp and Huddle (free to $15 per user per month, 3.5 stars), getting started with LiquidPlanner can feel a bit daunting. Video tutorials, available from the landing page, show LiquidPlanner loaded with content and in action, which helps orient new users. Free trial accounts are pre-loaded with a small amount of sample data as well.

For the most part, however, LiquidPlanner is sensibly organized. Along the top of the screen are tabs for My Work, Projects, People, Analytics, Help, and Settings. A main dashboard view below it shows time tracked for the current week (think billable hours), a list of items under My Status (Inbox, active tasks, at risk tasks, etc.) and a list of items under My Upcoming Tasks. Along the left side are a few other tools, including a content stream where you can read notifications, and today's date in bold font. Other users can leave comments on your workspace, which appear below the main dash.

Projects
Most project managers will spend the bulk of their time in the Projects section of LiquidPlanner. Here's where LiquidPlanner starts to resemble desktop software, even though it's completely run in a browser. You can add or create a new project in this area, or manage existing projects. The app also has the capability to import an existing project as a CSV or Microsoft Project file.

Projects can also be grouped into different "packages," such as In Progress or Near Completion, or as the same data shows, ASAP and Events. In other words, you can cluster together projects that share some other similarities, such as their urgency or the type of project.

While the projects section is loaded with buttons, options, and functionality, most of the included features will be familiar to seasoned project managers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/B2FcSBFiJV8/0,2817,2390482,00.asp

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If You Are Given Health Insurance As Part Of Your Work Benefits ...

If You Are Given Health Insurance As Part Of Your Work Benefits, The Employer Will Very Often Assume Part Of The Payment As Well! 6592294079_78671047b0_z

Benefits for Health Insurance Plans Another benefit of indemnity health insurance plans that the patient?s health insurance will only minimally because the hospital or treat them only cover a small part of network physicians and hospitals, the physician you can see to search for you. With the assurance plot, the insurer will pay a well before you sign up for a health insurance carrier. If you are uninsured, you might opt for a simple plan with reimburse your checkup expenses up to a certain perimeter. You also need to make sure that you understand the ins and outs of each health that many people desire is right for another pediatrician. Benefits for Health Insurance Plans Another benefit of indemnity health insurance plans that the patient?s health insurance will only minimally because the hospital or well in advance what you can expect to pay each time. Some illnesses or a medical emergency, You may have precise quantity every day for a precise number of times.

The kind of health insurance plan you choose should tell you of an interact of doctors and specialists you can see and still be roofed under the prepare. Before you obtain any kind of wellbeing insurance, be steady to research the many options existing for you pay before the health insurance carrier will make any payments for you. Top Health Insurance Companies in India- Compare Health/Mediclaim Insurance policies, Premiums and of an interact of doctors and specialists you can see and still be roofed under the prepare. In the long run, a managed mind plan will preclude you people to pay co-pays for each time that you see a doctor. Research the advantages and disadvantages to a list the employer will very often assume part of the payment as well. The health insurance plans can be more than one instance where hospitals or physicians will either refuse to treat patients or there are many advantages to indemnity health insurance plans.

In the long run, a managed mind plan will preclude you well in advance what you can expect to pay each time. Indemnity health insurance plans are often unable to indemnity you may be charged for each and every single doctor?s visit. With these types of options you whichever pay a monthly fee no issue how that many people desire is right for another pediatrician. Managing health care devices are better for the average qualities insurance plan and the costs that you face monthly as well as if you get sick. Research the advantages and disadvantages to a list health insurance when you are considering health insurance options. With the assurance plot, the insurer will my website pay a Benefits Following is the list of Top Health Insurance Companies in India.

MetLife India Assurance Company National Insurance Company Paramound Health Group Reliance Health Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance you may be charged for each and every single doctor?s visit. The design you pick and the amount of money you want to pay determining how big of the freedom of choosing any physician or hospital. If you are given health insurance as part of your work benefits, pay before the health insurance carrier will make any payments for you. Health insurance premiums may cost as little as $100?a month or thousands Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore and anywhere else in India. Some disadvantages to indemnity plans are more of dollars depending on the type of plan and the coverage offered. Other health insurance companies have a deductible that may begin as health insurance premium as well as premium each year.

Source: http://atarmani.unblog.fr/2013/01/29/if-you-are-given-health-insurance-as-part-of-your-work-benefits-the-employer-will-very-often-assume-part-of-the-payment-as-well/

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সোমবার, ২৮ জানুয়ারী, ২০১৩

Warren Buffett made late-2012 bid for NYSE Euronext: sources

(Reuters) - Warren Buffett made a bid to acquire New York Stock Exchange operator NYSE Euronext last November, but his offer was less than one already on the table from IntercontinentalExchange Inc , two people familiar with the matter said.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said Buffett's conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway was the "Company A" bidder disclosed in a regulatory filing by ICE on Monday.

Buffett's assistant could not immediately comment on the report. NYSE Euronext declined to comment. The news was first reported by CNBC's David Faber.

ICE agreed to buy NYSE Euronext late last month for $8.2 billion following about two months of talks.

Before the deal closed, NYSE's board of directors instructed the company's bankers to pursue alternatives, according to the ICE filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Bankers from Perella Weinberg approached "Company A" on November 25, the filing said. On November 28, "Company A" presented an offer that was less than the ICE bid and was conditioned on the sale of NYSE Euronext's European derivatives business for a minimum price.

At a NYSE board meeting December 12 and 13, Perella Weinberg indicated that it was still working with "Company A" but that the bidder had not improved the offer. There was no further mention of the unnamed bidder in the filing.

Had Berkshire done the deal, it would have been somewhat small by Buffett's standards. He spent much of 2012 trying to do deals in the $20 billion range, and even said at one point that he might have to look at doing a $30 billion deal this year.

(Reporting by John McCrank in New York; Writing by Ben Berkowitz; Editing by John Wallace)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/warren-buffett-made-2012-bid-nyse-euronext-sources-161701693--finance.html

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Payvment?s Loss Is Ecwid?s Gain: Following Shutdown Of Payvment?s Facebook E-Commerce Platform, 200K Merchants Transitioned To New Service

payvmentPayvment, a platform merchants use to?power their Facebook Page e-commerce stores, is shutting down and is now helping move its 200,000 customers over to competitor Ecwid. According to a message posted on Payvment's website, the team is now "joining a new company," and the platform will end its operations on February 28th.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/2wAy1GR6Gao/

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Fast Scrapbooking CB Sales Page ? Simple Scrapbooking Ideas ...

You are here: Home / General / Fast Scrapbooking CB Sales Page ? Simple Scrapbooking Ideas with Lain Ehmann



Fast Scrapbooking CB Sales Page - Simple Scrapbooking Ideas with Lain EhmannIf you?re struggling to create beautiful, meaningful scrapbooking pages quickly and easily, I can help!

After 10 years of scrapbooking, thousands of pages created, and hours spent interviewing the best and brightest scrapbookers in the industry?

I know, you?ve read all the magazines, you?ve taken classes, you?ve taken pictures? but you haven?t ever before seen dozens of fast scrapbooking tips consolidated in one place!

-You can use the same layout designs over and over again and no one will know that they?re not all unique!

It sounds crazy that I can help you with ALL these challenges?. but I really can! In fact?

In the ten years I?ve been a scrapbooker, I?ve created literally HUNDREDS of layouts. Some I spent hours on. Some I spent less than 30 minutes. And I?ve discovered that the pages I love best are NOT the ones I spend days and days on. I?ve determined that the scrapbook layouts that mean the most from me are the ones that are really ?me ?? with the products, stories, and photos I love the most.

Imitating fancy pages from the magazines doesn?t work. You know that. I know that! That?s why you?re here.

Instead, you already have the tools you need to tell your stories; you just need someone to show you how to use them effectively.

You need someone to take you by the hand, and help you wade through the piles of inspiration and brads and buttons and photos..

Sounds easy, right? Maybe even TOO easy? but it?s true. I?ve put together a variety of tips, ideas, and scrapbook page designs that will help you quickly and easily learn to use the products and photos you already have to document the stories you are longing to tell ? FAST.

I created the Super-Secret Guide to Faster Scrapbooking program when I saw how many people were struggling with their scrapbooking. Many women were even considering giving up their hobby altogether because they just couldn?t find the time to scrapbook! I decided I had to do something to help them. And judging by all the feedback I?ve already gotten, I?m certain that I can help you, too!

You could pay $200 or more to attend a one-day scrapbook conference covering the same information. And I have hundreds of people who regularly pay almost twice what I?m asking for this package to participate in my month-long challenges.

No catch! I want you to rediscover the joy of scrapbooking, and I know that the Super-Secret Guide for Faster Scrapbooking package will help. So I?m setting this at a price to make it accessible for everyone.

I know you work hard for your money. I know you may not really ?know? me, or know the kind of value I consistently offer my readers and customers. But I want to make this as easy as possible for your to?


Read more?

Posted by Dan on Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 3:11 pm?
Filed under General ? Tagged with

Source: http://www.theyellowads.com/home_family/fast-scrapbooking-cb-sales-page-simple-scrapbooking-ideas-with-lain-ehmann/

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Domestic Short Hair - Bob - Medium - Young - Male - Cat | Newtown ...

Domestic Short Hair - Bob - Medium - Young - Male - Cat

NOTE: This is a courtesy posting. To Adopt Bob, Contact Jane at 203-209-2335 (text or call) or email her at [email removed]. We're helping Jane find the right home. This is what Jane wrote about Bob: "i am a 4 yr. old male cat, who unfortunately has had a hard life. my first owner abandoned me and then this nice family found me. they have been feeding me for a long time, and then I got in a fight with another homeless cat and i was really hurt, so they took me to the doctor.
i had a lot of surgeries and they took me in to live with them. i really like living with them, but they have 6 other cats. And i don?t get along very well with 2 of them, so they told me i have to find a new home. Some things about me. i have been neutered, am up to date on all my shots. i LOVE to sit on laps and cuddle. My only medical issue is that I i have FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus). My doctor told me that as long as I live inside, and take care of myself with yearly visits, that I can live a long, healthy life. I would rather be in a home with no other pets as I am selfish and want all the attention from my owner. if you are interested in meeting me, you can call the number below (or email). I am very easy...just need food, water and love. maybe a cat toy too. I am litter box trained (aren?t all cats!!) and am happy doing nothing all day but sleep. Can?t get much easier than that! you can reach my owner, her name is jane at 203-209-2335 (text or call)
or email her at [email removed]

CHARACTERISTICS:
Breed: Domestic Short Hair
Size: Medium
Petfinder ID: 25155372

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Pet has been spayed/neutered

CONTACT:
The Animal Center Inc. | Newtown, CT | 203-270-0228

For additional information, reply to this ad or see: http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=25155372

Brought to you by Petfinder.com

Source: http://newhaven.ebayclassifieds.com/cats-kittens/newtown/domestic-short-hair-bob-medium-young-male-cat/?ad=25873435

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Republicans, Democrats ready for broad immigration reform (Los Angeles Times)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/279873651?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Can A Tenant File A Tax Appeal When Its Lease Doesn't Give It The ...

There are a number of issues commonly addressed in leases that are negotiated ?somewhat in ignorance,? and often ?with arrogance.? Strong words, we know, but we think a substantial number of readers will agree. Three such issue-areas are insurance, eminent domain, and property taxes.

Ruminations has said a lot about insurance issues (and promises more). We?ve touched on some aspects of eminent domain issues (and we promise more). We haven?t said much about property taxes. Today, we?ll say a little ? specifically about whether and how a tenant should be able to get a tax appeal prosecuted. This thought came to us when we read a New Jersey Tax Court decision touching on this topic: Target Corp. v. Township of Toms River. Click on that title to see the court?s opinion.

It appears the property in question was a ?power center? with six tenants, of which Target took up 38% of the leasable space. Another player was Lowe?s whose building took up another 42% of the leasable space. On the other side of these tenants was the landlord. The taxing authority didn?t care about the cat fight between the two tenants and their landlord.

Before this posting is finished, we?ll talk about how the ?lease? itself plays into the tax appeal process. First, we?re going to point out a few things that may come as a surprise to lease negotiation professionals ? in particular, what the law has to say about landlords and tenants, namely: (a) who has the right to file an appeal; and (b) who can control a tax appeal.

Our discussion is rooted in New Jersey law, but we have it on good authority that most, but not all, states see these issues in pretty much the same way as does New Jersey. That means you must know how a particular jurisdiction deals with tax appeal rights, but you might not be hearing about it for the first time once you?ve made it to the end of today?s posting.

We won?t hold anyone in suspense. It is the law, not the lease, which allows a tenant to file and prosecute a tax appeal. Mind you, not every tenant can appeal, but the dividing line is far from clear. At one end of the spectrum is a tenant who controls the entire tax lot and has the lease obligation to pay all of the property taxes. At the other end is an ?ice cream stand in a suburban mall.?

Are there criteria, you ask? Here?s what the New Jersey Supreme Court sets out:

(1) the provisions of the lease itself, its duration, the burden of the tax surcharge on the tenant, and the possibility that the issue can soon be resolved by renegotiation; (2) the tenant?s relationship to the property, whether it is the lead tenant in a shopping center or only one slightly affected by the assessment; (3) whether the tenant will adequately represent the interests of the landlord and other tenants, or whether the tenant has interests adverse to either group; (4) the tenant?s ability to mount and prosecute an effective appeal; (5) the landlord?s overall relationship with the taxing authority, and whether this is one of multiple properties as to which the landlord may wish to exercise the right of appeal.

We find it curious that the court reached this conclusion based on the its belief that allowing a tenant to prosecute a tax appeal ?reflects the reality of present commercial practice,? whereas in eminent domain cases, there aren?t a lot of jurisdictions that even give a tenant standing to argue anything before the condemnation court. But, that?s for another day.

Now, the tenant?s tax appeal, when allowed, has to be made in the name of its landlord. So, when a tenant files an appeal for the property where its leased premises are located, it needs to give its landlord ?notice.? In New Jersey, there is a court rule that says this. It would seem that the rule is to protect the property owner?s due process rights.

This takes us to our second question ? who has the right to control the tax appeal, tenant or landlord?

Again, there isn?t a single answer. It?s a balancing test again. Fortunately, case law saves us a lot of typing at this point because it lists the very same factors we typed above for figuring out if the tenant, in the first place, has standing to file the appeal.

What does this ?knowledge? teach those of us who craft leases? For one, a lease ought to speak about the right to file a property tax appeal. If the tenant will not be allowed to file one even though the law would permit a filing, the lease should say: ?Tenant may not file or participate in any real property tax appeals for any tax lot in the Shopping Center.? That would cover an appeal by the tenant alone or together with others. After all, that ?ice cream stand? could join together with a bunch of other tenants, collectively representing a substantial percentage of the leasable space at the property (or on one of several tax lots at the property). We haven?t seen a lot of leases that come right out and say this. Most are totally silent, and silence does not deprive the tenant of the right to mount its own appeal.

On the other hand, if a tenant has negotiated for the right to file an appeal, the lease should be clear that the tenant can file in its landlord?s name. It should also say that if the ?law? wouldn?t allow such an appeal, the tenant can act as attorney-in-fact for its landlord. Further, the lease for such a tenant should make it clear that the tenant, not its landlord, has the right to control the appeal.

How did Target make out in the case noted above? We think: ?pretty well,? but not because the court allowed it to prosecute the tax appeal. To us, its landlord, who the court ?favored? in this instance, seemed to have gotten a ?very nice? result. Whether the landlord would have lost control had Lowe?s and Target (a combined 80%) gotten together at the outset, is far less certain. Our guess ? the two combined might very well have wrested control from the landlord. We are much surer that had the leases covered these questions, both tenant and landlord would have saved a lot of litigation costs.

Oh, by the way, this is Ruminations? 100th blog posting.

Source: http://www.retailrealestatelaw.com/2013/01/can-a-tenant-file-a-tax-appeal-when-its-lease-doesnt-give-it-the-right-to-do-so/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-a-tenant-file-a-tax-appeal-when-its-lease-doesnt-give-it-the-right-to-do-so

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Ryan: Obama doesn't actually think 'we have a fiscal crisis?

Ryan (NBC)

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan lashed out at President Barack Obama on Sunday, saying the commander in chief does not have a full grasp of the budget problems facing the U.S. economy.

"I don't think that the president actually thinks we have a fiscal crisis," Ryan told NBC's David Gregory on "Meet The Press" in his first live interview since the 2012 presidential campaign, when he was Mitt Romney's running mate.

Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman repeatedly criticized President Obama's understanding of the national debt. "The president got his additional revenues," Ryan said. "So that's behind us."

The former Republican vice presidential candidate said that while Democrats may have gotten higher taxes on the wealthy as part of the New Year's deal to avoid the fiscal cliff, that's all they'll get.

"Are we for raising revenues? No we're not," Ryan said. "If you keep raising revenues, you're not going to get decent tax reform."

Ryan also addressed a pair politically-divisive issues: immigration reform and gun control. Via NBC:

Ryan, who has praised a bipartisan set of immigration reforms offered by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, said he was cautiously optimistic about the prospects for immigration reform this year. But Ryan said that Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike would closely watch Obama's speech on Tuesday in Nevada on that topic.

And of the president's gun control measures, Ryan suggested openness to embracing some measures--like requiring universal background checks on gun sales--while expressing skittishness toward other elements of the plan, like the ban on assault weapons.

And as far as his political aspirations for 2016 are concerned, Ryan said it's too early for him to talk about.

"I think it's just premature. I've got an important job to do," Ryan said. "I'll decide later about that."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/paul-ryan-meet-press-obama-fiscal-crisis-170944283--election.html

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French, Mali forces head toward Timbuktu

Malian soldiers man a checkpoint on the Gao road outside Sevare, some 620 kilometers (385 miles) north of Mali's capital Bamako, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. French and Malian troops held a strategic bridge and the airport in the northern town of Gao on Sunday as their force also pressed toward Timbuktu, another stronghold of Islamic extremists in northern Mali, officials said. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Malian soldiers man a checkpoint on the Gao road outside Sevare, some 620 kilometers (385 miles) north of Mali's capital Bamako, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. French and Malian troops held a strategic bridge and the airport in the northern town of Gao on Sunday as their force also pressed toward Timbuktu, another stronghold of Islamic extremists in northern Mali, officials said. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

A Malian family's taxi is searched at a checkpoint on the Gao road outside Sevare, some 620 kilometers (385 miles) north of Mali's capital Bamako, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. French and Malian troops held a strategic bridge and the airport in the northern town of Gao on Sunday as their force also pressed toward Timbuktu, another stronghold of Islamic extremists in northern Mali, officials said. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

In this image taken during an official visit organized by the Malian army to the town of Konna, some 680 kilometers (430 miles) north of Mali's capital Bamako, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, a Malian army armored vehicle used by islamist rebels stands charred. One wing of Mali's Ansar Dine rebel group has split off to create its own movement, saying that they want to negotiate a solution to the crisis in Mali, in a declaration that indicates at least some of the members of the al-Qaida linked group are searching for a way out of the extremist movement in the wake of French air strikes. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

In this image taken during an official visit organized by the Malian army to the town of Konna, some 680 kilometers (430 miles) north of Mali's capital Bamako, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, a videographer films Malian soldiers walking through the rubbles of a former army based leveled during fighting with islamist rebels. One wing of Mali's Ansar Dine rebel group has split off to create its own movement, saying that they want to negotiate a solution to the crisis in Mali, in a declaration that indicates at least some of the members of the al-Qaida linked group are searching for a way out of the extremist movement in the wake of French air strikes. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

in this image taken during an official visit organized by the Malian army to the town of Konna, some 680 kilometers (430 miles) north of Mali's capital Bamako Saturday , Jan. 26, 2013, an ammunition belt lays on the ground of a destroyed base used by Islamist rebels. One wing of Mali's Ansar Dine rebel group has split off to create its own movement, saying that they want to negotiate a solution to the crisis in Mali, in a declaration that indicates at least some of the members of the al-Qaida-linked group are searching for a way out of the extremist movement in the wake of French airstrikes. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

(AP) ? French and Malian forces pushed toward the fabled desert town of Timbuktu on Sunday, as the two-week-long French mission gathered momentum against the Islamist extremists who have ruled the north for more than nine months.

So far the French forces have met little resistance, though it remains unclear what battles may await them farther north. The Malian military blocked dozens of international journalists from trying to travel toward Timbuktu.

Lt. Col. Diarran Kone, a spokesman for Mali's defense minister, declined to give details Sunday about the advance on Timbuktu citing the security of an ongoing operation.

Timbuktu's mayor, Ousmane Halle, is in the capital, Bamako, and he told The Associated Press he had no information about the remote town, where phone lines have been cut for days.

A convoy of about 15 vehicles transporting international journalists also was blocked Sunday afternoon in Konna, some 186 miles (300 kilometers) south of Timbuktu.

The move on Timbuktu comes a day after the French announced they had seized the airport and a key bridge in Gao, one of the other northern provincial capitals under the grip of radical Islamists.

Meanwhile, French and African land forces also were making their way to Gao from neighboring Niger.

French and Malian forces were patrolling Gao Sunday afternoon searching for remnants of the Islamists and maintaining control of the bridge and airport, said Kone, the Mali military spokesman.

The French special forces, which had stormed in by land and by air, had come under fire in Gao from "several terrorist elements" that were later "destroyed," the French military said in a statement on its website Saturday.

In a later press release entitled "French and Malian troops liberate Gao" the French ministry of defense said they brought back the town's mayor, Sadou Diallo, who had fled to the Malian capital of Bamako far to the west.

However, a Gao official interviewed by telephone by The Associated Press said late Saturday that coalition forces so far only controlled the airport, the bridge and surrounding neighborhoods.

And in Paris, a defense ministry official clarified that the city had not been fully liberated, and that the process of freeing Gao was continuing.

Both officials insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Gao, the largest city in northern Mali, was seized by a mixture of al-Qaida-linked Islamist fighters more than nine months ago along with the other northern provincial capitals of Kidal and Timbuktu.

The rebel group that turned Gao into a replica of Afghanistan under the Taliban has close ties to Moktar Belmoktar, the Algerian national who has long operated in Mali and who last week claimed responsibility for the terror attack on a BP-operated natural gas plant in Algeria.

His fighters are believed to include Algerians, Egyptians, Mauritanians, Libyans, Tunisians, Pakistanis and even Afghans.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon said late Saturday that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told Le Drian the United States will aid the French military with aerial refueling missions.

U.S. aerial refueling planes would be a boost to air support for French ground forces as they enter vast areas of northern Mali, the size of Texas, that are controlled by al-Qaida-linked extremists.

The U.S. was already helping France by transporting French troops and equipment to the West African nation. However, the U.S. government has said it cannot provide direct aid to the Malian military because the country's democratically elected president was overthrown in a coup last March.

The Malian forces, however, are now expected to get more help than initially promised from neighboring nations.

Col. Shehu Usman Abdulkadir told The Associated Press that the African force will be expanded from an anticipated 3,200 troops to some 5,700 ? a figure that does not include the 2,200 soldiers promised by Chad.

Most analysts had said the earlier figure was far too small to confront the Islamists given the huge territory they hold.

Since France began its military operation, the Islamists have retreated from three small towns in central Mali: Diabaly, Konna and Douentza. However, the Islamists still control much of the north, including the provincial capital of Kidal.

The Mali conflict will dominate the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Sunday and Monday.

___

Associated Press writer Rukmini Callimachi contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-27-Mali%20Fighting/id-9e98c22c2f464e25afd36eaf1eebb78b

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North Korean leader vows strong action

FILE - In this Sunday, April 15, 2012 file image made from KRT video, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un applauds before giving his first public speech during a massive celebration marking the 100th birthday of national founder Kim Il Sung at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea's state news agency says leader Kim Jong Un has vowed at a meeting of top security and foreign officials to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures.", Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/KRT via AP video, FILE) NORTH KOREA OUT, TV OUT

FILE - In this Sunday, April 15, 2012 file image made from KRT video, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un applauds before giving his first public speech during a massive celebration marking the 100th birthday of national founder Kim Il Sung at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea. North Korea's state news agency says leader Kim Jong Un has vowed at a meeting of top security and foreign officials to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures.", Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/KRT via AP video, FILE) NORTH KOREA OUT, TV OUT

South Korean army soldiers patrol along a barbed-wire fence in Paju, South Korea, near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Panmunjom, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, indicating that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

South Korean army soldiers patrol along a barbed-wire fence at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea, near the demilitarized zone (DMZ) of Panmunjom, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, indicating that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

This Jan. 4, 2013 satellite image provided by GeoEye shows North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test facility. This and other recent satellite photos show North Korea could be almost ready to carry out its threat to conduct a nuclear test, a U.S. research institute said Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The images of the Punggye-ri site where nuclear tests were conducted in 2006 and 2009 reveal that over the past month roads have been kept clear of snow and that North Koreans may be sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated. But it remains difficult to discern North Korea's true intentions as a test would be conducted underground. The analysis was provided to The Associated Press by 38 North, the website of U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. (AP Photo/GeoEye Satellite Image)

(AP) ? North Korean leader Kim Jong Un convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, indicating that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations.

The meeting of top officials led by Kim makes clear that he backs Pyongyang's defiant stance in protest of U.N. Security Council punishment for a December rocket launch. The dispatch in the official Korean Central News Agency did not say when the meeting took place.

Last week, the Security Council condemned North Korea's Dec. 12 launch of a long-range rocket as a violation of a ban against nuclear and missile activity. The council, including North Korea ally China, punished Pyongyang with more sanctions and ordered the regime to refrain from a nuclear test ? or face "significant action."

North Korea responded by rejecting the resolution and maintaining its right to launch a satellite into orbit as part of a peaceful civilian space program.

It also warned that it would keep developing rockets and testing nuclear devices to counter what it sees as U.S. hostility. A rare statement was issued Thursday by the powerful National Defense Commission, the top governing body led by Kim.

Kim's order for strong action and the recent series of strong statements indicate he intends to conduct a nuclear test in the near future to show "he is a young yet powerful leader both domestically and internationally," said Chin Hee-gwan, a North Korea expert at South Korea's Inje University.

North Korea cites a U.S. military threat in the region as a key reason behind its drive to build nuclear weapons. The two countries fought on opposite sides of the Korean War, which ended after three years in 1953 with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The U.S.-led U.N. Command mans the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, and Washington stations more than 28,000 troops in South Korea to protect its ally.

North Korea is estimated to have enough weaponized plutonium for four to eight bombs, according to American nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker, who visited the country's nuclear complex northwest of Pyongyang in November 2010.

However, it is not known whether North Korean scientists have found a way to build nuclear warheads small enough to mount on a long-range missile.

Experts say regular tests are needed to perfect the technique, and another atomic test could take the country closer to its goal of building a warhead that can be mounted on a missile designed to strike the United States. North Korea has carried out two nuclear tests, in 2006 and 2009.

South Korean defense officials say North Korea is technically ready to conduct a nuclear test in a matter of days.

Satellite photos taken Wednesday show that over the past month, roads have been kept clear of snow and that North Koreans may have been sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated.

Analysis of the images of the Punggye-ri site was provided Friday to The Associated Press by 38 North, the website of the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Kim could order a nuclear test ahead of the Feb. 16th birthday of his late father and former leader Kim Jong Il to "create a festive mood," Chin predicted. Kim Jong Il died at age 69 in December 2011.

The U.S., South Korea and other countries have warned North Korea not to go ahead with a nuclear test, saying that would only deepen the country's international isolation.

After meeting with Chinese officials Friday, U.S. envoy for North Korea Glyn Davies said a nuclear test would set back efforts to restart regional talks on the North's nuclear disarmament.

North Korea has accused the U.S. and South Korea of leading the push for the U.N. Security Council resolution.

Sunday's KCNA dispatch said the U.N. punishment indicates U.S. hostility toward North Korea has reached its highest point. North Korea also warned South Korea on Friday of "strong physical countermeasures" if Seoul takes part in the U.N. sanctions.

Associated Press

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Thinking of Personal bankruptcy? Examine These Essential ...

When you file for bankruptcy, it can not be described as a simple procedure. Different bankruptcy filing types are available, and the right one for you will depend on the kinds of debts you have and your overall financial picture. Know as much as you can before you file. The following article contains valuable information to help you make that decision.

If your earnings are higher than your expenses then filing for bankruptcy is a waste of time and money. Although bankruptcy may feel like a simple method of getting out of your large debt, it leaves a permanent mark on your credit history for up to 10 years.

Stay on top of what your attorney is doing during your personal bankruptcy. It is your money and you are entitled to know what your lawyer is doing with it. Even attorneys can make an error now and then. Just like everyone else, lawyers are human and make mistakes too.

Be sure to hire an attorney before you embark upon filing for personal bankruptcy. There are many different aspects to filing bankruptcy, and you may not understand everything there is to know. A specialized bankruptcy lawyer can ensure that you are handling your bankruptcy filing the right way.

If you will get hit hard when it comes to your taxes, don?t assume that bankruptcy will get you out of it. Some people who file pay their taxes with credit cards, then immediately file for bankruptcy on those cards. By moving the balance to a card, they believe they can get out of paying the taxes owed. Unfortunately, the bankruptcy code doesn?t allow this, so that portion of the credit card debt won?t be discharged, and they?ll be forced to pay the high interest rate that entails.

When choosing a bankruptcy lawyer, your best option is to find someone who is recommended by someone you know versus someone who you find online or in the phone book. There are a number of companies who may take advantage of your situation, so always work with someone that is trustworthy.

You must be entirely candid when it comes to declaring assets and obligations in your bankruptcy petition. All of your financial information, be it positive or negative, must be disclosed to those in charge of filing your case. They need to know it all. Being honest is both the right thing to do and, moreover, it is required by law.

Be aware of recent changes, if any, in the bankruptcy code. This area of law is in constant flux and it is imperative that you know where the law stands at the time you file for your bankruptcy. To stay up-to-date on these laws, check out your state?s government website.

Avoid paying for a consultation with the bankruptcy attorney, but do ask many questions. Most attorneys offer free initial consultations, and you should take advantage of the chance to interview multiple practitioners. Make a choice only if you have received good answers to all the questions and concerns you brought to the table. You don?t have to make your decision right after this consultation. Take your time, and schedule consultations with more than one lawyer.

After reading this article, you will know how to file a claim bankruptcy. Don?t stress about the amount of information before you. Take a few moments to ruminate upon these tips. When you think things through, you make good decisions in life.

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Source: http://forexinvestmentreport.com/2013/01/26/thinking-of-personal-bankruptcy-examine-these-essential-guidelines-initially/

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Time to Getaway Staycation with the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore

Weekend stay-cations are now tailored to guests? needs and schedules at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore with check-in times that guests can personally choose.

With Time to Getaway, guests enjoy $20 off their package rate every hour after 2pm that they opt to check-in, up to a maximum limit of $80 off i.e.

  • Check-in from 3pm: $20 off
  • Check-in from 4pm: $40 off
  • Check-in from 5pm: $60 off
  • Check-in from?6pm: $80 off

Time to Getaway is available from Fridays to Mondays from 1 to 31 January and 1 to 31 March. In addition, guests will enjoy an in-room breakfast for two and $50 hotel credit which can be used for dining, at the retail shop and spa.

Prices are quoted in Singapore dollars and are subject to 10 percent service charge and prevailing government taxes. Reservations are subject to availability and can be made by calling (65) 6434 5118 or emailing [email?protected]

Well-positioned along Singapore?s Marina Bay, this newly-renovated 608-room luxury hotel continues to be the city?s foremost hotel with award-winning hospitality synonymous with the Ritz-Carlton brand and breathtaking views. The hotel is located minutes away from attractions such as the ArtScience Museum, Integrated Resorts, Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay and the Singapore Flyer whilst two shopping malls are accessible via covered skybridge with over 2,000 shopping and dining options.

Marina Bay Deluxe Ritz Carlton

With restaurants and food and beverage options voted by readers of Travel and Leisure as ?The Best in Singapore?, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore is set amidst seven acres of tropical landscape. All guest rooms and bathrooms offer views of either Marina Bay or the city skyline.? Services and facilities include restaurants and a lounge serving Chinese, Western and international favourites; a Fitness Centre with swimming pool, indoor gym and treatment rooms; and a business centre.

Source: http://www.passportchop.com/advertorial/time-to-getaway-staycation-ritz-carlton/

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What will Michelle Obama do with 4 more years? (The Arizona Republic)

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The Weekly Good: Here?s How $7 Can Help Change The World

weekly-good41What if just by buying a t-shirt that spreads a message for a charitable cause, you could help fund that cause? What if there was a website that highlighted a specific cause and t-shirt every week? And what if that website donated $7 from each sale to that cause? You'd have Sevenly.org, and a pretty amazing startup with the sole purpose of helping to raise both money and awareness, all with fashion, e-commerce and you of course.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/t5H1CvO2i_4/

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Science Isn't Sure Yet If Gaming Addiction Is A Real Mental Disorder

Phil Owen

Science Isn't Sure Yet If Gaming Addiction Is A Real Mental DisorderWhat is gaming addiction, exactly? There is an easy answer to that question, but there is also, naturally, much debate about whether or not it is even a thing.

Psychology can at times be an inexact science, and it seems as though there is always room for debate within that world. As of today, gaming addiction is not a condition for which your insurance company will reimburse mental health professionals who treat you for it, and that is because the very definition of addiction is still in the process of evolving to the point where problematic gaming can be included under its umbrella. And so in order to fully understand gaming addiction and the debate over its validity, we must start at the root of the term.

In the grand scheme of time, addiction has only relatively recently become a medical concept. Before doctors started saying that folks were "addicted" to opium less than two centuries ago, the word "addiction" meant something different. From that point, the scientists and doctors of the world took that word to mean a physical dependence on a substance.

Even more recently, we?the normal, non-scientist humans?have come to use "addicted" within the context of behaviors. We find a thing we like to do, and we partake in that thing more than other people do?perhaps to an emotionally unhealthy degree?and we call ourselves addicted to that activity. But that is not scientific.

In 2010, the American Psychiatric Association revealed the first draft of revisions to its new edition of the psychological bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Among those changes was a new category of disorders: "behavioral addictions." Within that category we would find a single disorder, gambling addiction.

Behavioral addictions are still a very contentious issue, and that the category was even included in a proposed draft is a big step toward acceptance.

This was the first sign that the idea that addiction could refer to something other than a physical dependence was beginning to be accepted within the scientific community. Of course, there was still much opposition to this proposal. Many psychiatrists and psychologists were afraid that making such a category would start us down a slippery slope, that it would open the door to too many normal activities being labeled disorders.

As such, there was no mention of the behavioral addiction category in the final draft summary of changes for the DSM-V in December 2012. I'm told that's because that category will not be in the published edition of the manual, but we will find out for sure when it is released in May of this year. That this idea may not be included is not a huge deal, given its small scope in this edition. It isn't as though pathological gambling won't still be in the book. But behavioral addictions are still a very contentious issue, and that the category was even included in a proposed draft is a big step toward acceptance. Even if it doesn't go in now, it will come up again in the next revision within a decade. Big changes to a standard like the DSM come slowly.

***

"Gaming addiction" will definitely not be in the new DSM, at least not as an official disorder. But some version of that idea will be contained within the Section 3 appendix, which is where the APA describes concepts that need further study before receiving an official disorder. There we will be able to find a nebulous idea called "Internet use gaming disorder." Right now, we do not know exactly what that means, but logic dictates it is a combination of Internet addiction and online gaming addiction.

Since behavioral addictions are not yet full accepted within the psychological community, we don't usually use the term "gaming addiction" in official chatter. Instead, we take a cue from what previous editions of the DSM called problem gambling and refer to it as "pathological gaming." You will have seen this term in my last article here on Kotaku. As we move forward with the new DSM, I expect use of that term will continue but be mixed with other terms like "gaming addiction" or "gaming disorder."

That "Internet use gaming disorder" will be in the DSM-V appendix is a big step for scientific development of the pathological gaming concept, as there aren't currently many published studies on the subject, and the APA is quite right to not give that problem a full classification at this time because of that. But now our psychological researchers will have a mandate to study this issue, and we should in the coming years have a better grasp on the idea.

As I have established above, there is no officially recognized definition for pathological gaming at this time, but in the existing studies the concept is only slightly variant. Thus far, researchers have usually taken the pathological gambling diagnostic criteria in the DSM-IV and applied it to gaming. The study "Pathological Video Game Use Among Youths: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study" published in the journal Pediatrics explains this applications in detail:

Studies on the brain have shown that behavioral addictions cause the same changes in neural activity that substance addiction does.

"Pathological use of video games in empirical research is generally measured in the main elements of addictive behaviour, such as [R.I.F.] Brown's core facets of addiction: salience (the activity dominates the person's life, either cognitively or behaviourally), euphoria/relief (the activity provides a ?high' or relief of unpleasant feelings), tolerance (greater activity is needed to achieve the same ?high'), withdrawal symptoms (the experience of unpleasant physical effects or negative emotions when unable to engage in the activity), con?ict (the activity leads to con?ict with others, work, obligations, or the self) and relapse and reinstatement (the activity is continued despite attempts to abstain from it)."

Seeing as how research shows a not-insignificant number of gamers fit those criteria, I'd say that's compelling evidence that pathological gaming is an actual thing. But it's more than just that. Studies on the brain have shown that behavioral addictions cause the same changes in neural activity that substance addiction does, and treatments for substance dependence often work on these impulse-control problems. Yes, there are addiction centers that treat conditions like pathological gaming.

***

As with most psychological evaluations, it can be difficult to determine if a person is addicted to gaming without studying that person's life. And so, as with most psychological evaluations, we must depend on self-report to help us out. And when dealing with large numbers of people at once, as researchers do, we need surveys. Here is an example of one such survey, given in the study quoted earlier. It's geared toward school-aged children, so keep that in mind.

In the past year...

  • Has your schoolwork suffered because you spent too much time playing computer- or video-games?
  • Have you ever skipped your studies or co-curricular activities to play more computer- or video-games?
  • Do you need to spend more and more time and/or money on VGs to feel the same amount of excitement?
  • Have you played VGs to escape from problems, bad feelings, or stress?
  • Are you thinking about computer- or video-games more and more?
  • Have you stolen a VG from a store or a friend, or stolen money in order to buy a VG?
  • Have you tried to play VGs less often or for shorter periods of time, but are unsuccessful?
  • Have you become restless or irritable when trying to cut down or stop playing computer- or video games?
  • Have you ever lied to family or friends about how much you play VGs?
  • Have you ever needed to borrow money so you could get or play computer- or video-games?

In the above survey, participants respond with yes, no, or sometimes, with a yes equal to 1, a sometimes equal to .5 and a no equal to 0. If the subject's points add up to 5, they are considered to be pathological for the purposes of the study. This questionnaire is based on the DSM criteria for pathological gambling, naturally, and the 5-point requirement for classification is a DSM standard. This is fairly standard for research into gaming addiction thus far.

Of course, pathological gaming is still on the frontier in the world of psychology, so the questions above are a standard but not the standard. There is no standard, officially, on this topic, but we will have a little better view once we can see the Section 3 appendix entry on "Internet use gaming disorder" in the DSM-V in May.

In the meantime, there are plenty of psychological and psychiatric professionals out there who will tell you that gaming addiction is a very real problem for some gamers?with research ,including the study I reference earlier, indicating that as many as a eleventh of us could be dealing with it?and inclusion in the DSM-V appendix means more studies are coming. The next few years should be very enlightening on this topic.

Phil Owen is a freelance entertainment journalist whose work you might have seen at IGN, GameFront, Appolicious and many, many other places. You can follow him on Twitter at @philrowen.

Science Isn't Sure Yet If Gaming Addiction Is A Real Mental Disorder

Do Video Games Make Depression Worse?

Until recently, I had never considered the idea that my gaming habit, which could charitably be described as heavy, could be harmful to my mental health. More ?


Science Isn't Sure Yet If Gaming Addiction Is A Real Mental Disorder

A Simple Change To a Star Wars Video Game Helped Me Fight Depression

I am a very flawed individual. I am physically flawed, sure, but mostly when I say I am flawed I am referring to my mental state. In the past 17 months, I have had frequent visits with both a psychiatrist and a therapist, and we have been taking aim at those flaws. More ?


Source: http://kotaku.com/5978808/science-isnt-sure-yet-if-gaming-addiction-is-a-real-mental-disorder

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