Teen wounded in Georgia school shooting

ATLANTA (Reuters) - At least one student was wounded on Thursday in a shooting at a middle school in Atlanta, police said.

"There is one boy who was shot. He's OK," an Atlanta police spokeswoman told parents outside Price Middle School in southeast Atlanta.

An Atlanta fire department official identified the student as a 14-year-old, who was hit in the head and taken to hospital. The official added that a teacher was treated for superficial injuries at the scene.

MyFoxAtlanta.com said three suspects were in custody and the school was on lockdown after the shooting. Further details were not immediately available.

"I just heard that somebody's kid got shot. The police ain't telling us nothing," said Tekea Cowans, the mother of a 12-year-old boy at the school.

The shooting came as national debate rages over gun violence, especially in schools, after a gunman shot dead 20 students and six staff members at a Connecticut elementary school last month.

(Reporting by David Beasley, Kevin Gray; Editing by David Adams and Tom Brown, Gary Hill)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/least-one-wounded-atlanta-school-shooting-reports-195921610.html

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Decimated Ga. plant a symbol of storm's power

Pam Parker sifts through debris while looking for any personal belongings in the area where she was sitting at her desk when a tornado struck the Daiki plant, a metal fabrication company where she works in accounts payable, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, in Adairsville, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Pam Parker sifts through debris while looking for any personal belongings in the area where she was sitting at her desk when a tornado struck the Daiki plant, a metal fabrication company where she works in accounts payable, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, in Adairsville, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Workers look for personal belongings following a tornado at the Daiki plant, a metal fabrication company, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, in Adairsville, Ga. A fierce storm system that roared across Georgia has left at least one person dead after it demolished buildings and flipped vehicles on Interstate 75 northwest of Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Residents work to clear debris from a subdivision in Calhoun, Ga. that was destroyed by a tornado Thursday Jan. 31 2013. The storm killed one person and left extensive damage in the Bartow and Gordon county area Wednesday. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kent D. Johnson) MARIETTA DAILY OUT; GWINNETT DAILY POST OUT; LOCAL TV OUT; WXIA-TV OUT; WGCL-TV OUT )

Members from the Dalton Fire Dept continue to check homes in a subdivision in Calhoun, Ga. that was destroyed by a tornado Thursday Jan. 31 2013. The storm killed one person and left extensive damage in the Bartow and Gordon county area Wednesday. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kent D. Johnson) MARIETTA DAILY OUT; GWINNETT DAILY POST OUT; LOCAL TV OUT; WXIA-TV OUT; WGCL-TV OUT )

Will Carter, 15, wraps himself up in a towel he found while searching debris for the family dog, a pit bull named Niko, upon arriving to his damaged home from school following a tornado, Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013, in Adairsville, Ga. A fierce storm system that roared across Georgia has left at least one person dead after it demolished buildings and flipped vehicles on Interstate 75 northwest of Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

ADAIRSVILLE, Ga. (AP) ? For Darleen Evans, it was sheer terror as the manufacturing plant where she worked collapsed around her and her colleagues. She and two other women rushed into a bathroom stall, she holding one under each arm as she prayed, a tornado roaring overhead.

She tearfully recalled their survival as nothing short of a miracle: "If it wasn't for God, this company and these people wouldn't be here."

On two occasions, tornadoes have ripped through the Daiki Corp. steel manufacturing plant that employs more than 90 people in this small community. Both times, everyone inside escaped serious injury.

The sprawling facility won't be reopening anytime soon after the storm that hit Wednesday, however: Most of it has been reduced to a pile of rubble, little more than mangled beams and twisted steel. The first time, in 2002, a tornado tossed the roof into the parking lot. Ventilation fans, ductwork and wiring were torn away.

Several media outlets aired dramatic video Wednesday showing a massive funnel cloud roaring through Adairsville, a town of about 4,600 some 60 miles northwest of Atlanta.

Three people died because of the massive storm system that marched across the U.S. ? tornadoes killed one each in Tennessee and Georgia, while floodwaters killed a third in Maryland. While most came away with their lives, many lost their homes and were left with little else a day later.

Tens of thousands were without power at the storm's peak as a cold front sent what had been unseasonably high temperatures plummeting to near-freezing depths. Dangerous wind blanketed the nation's midsection, with subzero temperatures and wind chills recorded in the Dakotas. In Detroit, icy roads were blamed for a massive chain reaction wreck involving about 30 vehicles on Interstate 75. At least three people died there, and another pileup involving more than 40 vehicles near Indianapolis closed a stretch of Interstate 70 in both directions.

Others closely watched rivers swollen by torrential rains, and officials opened flood gates to ease pressure on dams in Maryland. Hundreds were evacuated to higher ground. In Anne Arundel County, one person apparently drowned in a flooded camp where homeless people live in tents, said police Lt. T.J. Smith.

Ernest Moran said he lives at the site with about 15 other people. He awakened Thursday morning to find "a swamp," he said, and escaped with only his dog and a knapsack.

Near the nation's capital, at least one motorist had to be rescued because of flash floods. In New England, powerful winds were the main problem as gusts topping 60 mph in some areas caused widespread power outages.

The tornadoes Tuesday and Wednesday broke the nation's longest break between tornado fatalities since detailed records began being kept in 1950, according to the Storm Prediction Center and National Climatic Data Center. The last one was June 24 in Florida. That was 220 days ago as of Tuesday.

Winter tornadoes are not unheard of: In January 2012, at least two tornadoes ripped across Alabama, killing two people and wiping out scores of homes and businesses. Warm air from the Gulf of Mexico can collide with cold air inland, creating the sort of instability that spawned this week's tornadoes.

National Weather Service meteorologist George Wetzel said the storm that tore through Adairsville was a high EF3 in strength, creating winds of more than 100 miles per hour. An EF5 is the strongest tornado category.

The storm traveled 25 miles across Bartow and Gordon counties, and it is not yet clear how long it took for the storm to travel through the area, Wetzel said.

By Thursday, the focus in Adairsville had turned to cleanup and rebuilding. Metal siding and fiberglass insulation dangled from trees; Christmas ornaments and knickknacks were strewn across lawns, the homes that had housed them no longer standing.

Dozens of law enforcement officials from several agencies swarmed the area, as well as other relief workers. A Krystal fast food restaurant in town served meals to rescuers as well as residents struggling to recover.

Daiki plant manager Wes Stephenson said Thursday that the facility would likely have to at least temporarily lay off most of its 90 employees. The storm knocked out most of its manufacturing capability, but there are some sections of the plant still standing where employees could do some finishing work. Stephenson said he hoped to keep a skeleton crew to do that finishing work until the rest of the plant could be repaired, which would likely take at least several months.

Rodey Kirby, a production worker, was among those who didn't know if he'd still have a job in the coming days. He was working Wednesday when the lights started flickering, and Stephenson told him and others to run. They took cover in a restroom, and Kirby and two colleagues kneeled and started praying. He heard the unmistakable roar of a tornado; he looked up and saw the ceiling tiles vanish.

"I'd see daylight and no daylight; daylight and no daylight. And then it seemed like it took forever, but then it was over," Kirby said.

"I looked around and everybody was there. And I'm glad (God) heard our prayers because that's the only thing I could do with it, just hold on and pray."

___

Associated Press writers Phillip Lucas in Atlanta and Matthew Barakat in Laurel, Md., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-31-Winter%20Weather/id-2fa0d370a91e4e6ba1ca49e4be79831a

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Cancer Death Rates Higher In Men Than In Women, Report Suggests

Cancer death rates in the UK are more than a third higher in men than in women, a new report says.

The stark contrast between the sexes is revealed in latest survival figures from 2010.

In that year, 202 men per 100,000 died from cancer compared with 147 women per 100,000 - a 35% difference.

When gender-specific diseases, such as prostate and breast cancer, were excluded, men were 67% more likely to die.

• A lump or swelling anywhere on your body needs checking out

  AXA?s research found that 79% of people were able to correctly identify breast lumps as a potential indicator of cancer. But a lump or swelling in any part of the body, including the armpit, neck, abdomen, groin or chest area, is worth having checked by a doctor.

• Talk about your toilet habits

  Diarrhoea or changes in bowel habits are most likely to be caused by a stomach bug or eating something that disagrees with you. But if you?re noticing changes that have lasted more than a few days, for example if your bowel movements are looser for three weeks or more, or you notice any blood when you?ve been to the toilet, then make an appointment to get it checked out.

• Sores and ulcers should disappear quickly ? investigate them if they don?t

  A lot of people get mouth ulcers when their immune system is low or they?re stressed. Generally they?re nothing to worry about and, as the lining of the mouth regenerates itself every couple of weeks, shouldn?t last long. But any ulcer that hasn?t healed after three weeks merits attention from your doctor or dentist. The same goes for any sore or spot that lasts for several weeks without healing ? get it checked by a doctor.

• Difficult passing urine ? not just an inevitable consequence of age

  Many men find it more difficult to pass urine as they get older, needing to go more often or urgently or being unable to go when they need to. These problems are usually caused by an enlarged prostate, which is a common condition that is not in itself cause for concern. But occasionally these symptoms can be a sign of prostate cancer ? either way, men experiencing these symptoms should see their GP. Similarly, while urinary tract infections are the most likely cause of women having pain or difficulty passing urine, this should pass relatively quickly. If it doesn?t, then any sudden urges to pass urine or the need to go more often should be discussed with your doctor.

• Lost weight without dieting?

  It?s natural for most people?s weight to fluctuate over time. But if you haven?t instigated any changes in your diet or exercise regime and have obviously lost weight, then talk to your doctor. And if you?re experiencing heavy night sweats you should seek medical advice ? these don?t always have a sinister cause, and can be brought about by certain infections or medications, but they?re worth checking.

• Coughing up blood needs to be checked out

  If you?ve coughed up any blood, you should see your doctor, regardless of the amount of blood or frequency. It can be a sign of lung cancer, so needs to be checked out.

• Coughs and sore throats

  Most of us will experience coughs or croaky voices at some point, normally when we?ve had a cold. But as with many other changes to your body, anything that hasn?t gone away after three weeks or so should be investigated.

• Educate yourself on what to look out for

  AXA?s research found women were more likely than men to identify key cancer warning signs, including breast lumps, changes in bowel habits and irregular moles. But for both men and women, ensuring you?re aware of symptoms to keep an eye out for is important. Knowledge is power: understanding what you?re looking for means you can any changes checked out quickly.

• Know your own body

  AXA?s research found only 6% of men and 3% of women check their bodies daily for anything unusual. But understanding what?s normal for your own body is essential if you?re to spot when anything has changed. If you do notice changes that are persisting for a long time, or causing you pain and discomfort, then see your GP.

• Don?t put off seeing the doctor!

  A sizeable 61% of people AXA spoke to admitted they?d delayed seeing their doctor when they spotted changes that could be potential flags for cancer. But early detection of any problems can make a huge difference if any treatment is then needed. Similarly, if changes are harmless your doctor will be able to reassure you. Overall, the sooner you go to see your GP, the better.

Liver cancer death rates were twice as high in men, who also faced triple the risk of being killed by oesophageal cancer.

The difference may partly be explained by men developing hard-to-treat cancers such as those affecting the bladder, oesophagus and liver, according to the charity Cancer Research UK which produced the figures.

Each year around 82,500 men in the UK lose their lives to cancer, making it the leading cause of death in the male population.

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The findings were presented on Tuesday at the Men's Health Forum conference in London.

Professor Alan White, from Leeds Metropolitan University, chairman of the Forum and co-author of the report, said: "The impact cancer has on younger men is often overlooked, but these are men whose life is cut too short by the disease.

"Our report highlights just how big a problem cancer is and highlights the need to understand the reasons why men are more likely to die of cancer. It's crucial that the NHS leads the way in taking a more proactive approach to prevent men both getting and dying from cancer prematurely.

"The Men's Health Forum is campaigning for a better explanation for these differences and more male-focused cancer prevention work so that fewer men are struck down by cancer."

See also:

Half Of Men To Get Cancer By 2027

But Men Don't Get Breast Cancer, Right?

Scientists Help 53-Year-Old Cancer Victim To Grow New Nose

A second report, presented at the same meeting by Cancer Research UK, showed that smoking remains the largest preventable cause of cancer in men, leading to 36,500 cases of new disease each year.

After smoking, being overweight, drinking alcohol and poor diet are the most important cancer risk factors for men.

Catherine Thomson, Cancer Research UK's head of statistics and an author of both reports, said: "Our work highlights the cancer toll for men across the UK. This needs action and Cancer Research UK is supporting a range of research into men's cancers.

"We're one of the UK's largest funders of research into prostate and testicular cancers and this work is leading to new and better treatments.

"Men can help stack the odds of avoiding cancer in their favour by quitting smoking, cutting down on alcohol and eating plenty of fruit and vegetables."

Also on HuffPost UK Lifestyle:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/01/29/cancer-death-rates-men-women_n_2572660.html

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MGM picks up rights to Jojo Moyes' romance novel 'Me Before You'

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios has secured the feature film rights to Jojo Moyes' novel "Me Before You," MGM announced Tuesday.

"Jojo's book is frankly one of the most unique, emotional and engaging love stories written in recent years," said MGM president Jonathan Glickman. "We're so thrilled to collaborate with her on creating a classic film romance that lives up to this exceptional novel."

The best-selling romance follows a small-town girl caught between dead-end jobs. She becomes a caretaker for a successful, but newly-paralyzed man who has given up on life as a result of his sudden disability. The two bond over a series of adventures.

Moyes, a British journalist-turned-author, has written 10 novels since her first, titled "Sheltering Rain," was published in 2002. "Me Before You" has sold more than half a mllion copies since its release in 2012.

"I could not be more excited about MGM and their plans for ?Me Before You,'" Moyes said in a statement. "The studio is so passionate about the book and I'm thrilled that a story that seems to have come alive in so many readers' imaginations is about to have a whole new life on-screen."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mgm-picks-rights-jojo-moyes-romance-novel-221907739.html

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Kurdish militants set for Turkey ceasefire in Feb-paper

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Kurdish militants will halt hostilities with Turkey in February according to the timetable of a fledgling peace process aimed at ending 28 years of insurgency, a report in a mainstream newspaper said on Tuesday.

As an initial confidence-building step, around 100 fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrilla group will hand in their weapons and leave Turkey, the Hurriyet said.

Turkish intelligence officials began talks with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in late 2012 and preliminary talks have also been held with PKK members in northern Iraq, where most of the group's several thousand militants are based, it said.

More than 40,000 people have been killed in fighting since the rebels took up arms in 1984 with the aim of carving out a Kurdish state in southeastern Turkey. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Ankara, the United States and European Union, has since moderated its goal to one of autonomy.

The conflict is the chief domestic problem facing Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan after 10 years in power.

"According to the timetable on the table, the PKK will announce its decision to halt hostilities in February right after an official call by Abdullah Ocalan," the paper said.

Hurriyet, which is regarded as authoritative on security-related matters, did not identify its sources and there was no immediate comment from Turkish officials or the PKK.

The militants have announced unilateral ceasefires in the past but these have been ignored by Turkish security forces.

Under a framework discussed with Ocalan, all PKK fighters will eventually disarm after the withdrawal from Turkey and in return the government will improve the rights of Kurds, who make up some 20 percent of Turkey's population of 76 million.

As part of those reforms, Turkey's parliament last week passed a law allowing defendants to use Kurdish in court in a move seen aimed at breaking a deadlock in trials of hundreds accused of links to the PKK. [ID:nL6N0AU2VN]

NORTHERN IRAQ TALKS PLANNED

Only Erdogan and a few officials are believed to have first-hand knowledge of the peace framework. They have not disclosed details of the plan, nor have they denied reports on it by media close to the government.

With next year's local and presidential elections in mind, Erdogan has limited time and is keen to keep the process under wraps due to fears of a nationalist backlash against talks with a group reviled by most Turks.

A more senior delegation from the MIT national intelligence agency, possibly including its head - Hakan Fidan, was due to travel to Arbil in northern Iraq for more talks with the PKK in the coming week, the liberal Radikal daily reported.

Among those expected to take part in those talks was Sabri Ok, a senior figure in the PKK who had also participated in peace talks in Oslo. Those negotiations unraveled in 2011 when recordings of them were leaked to Turkish media.

The planned withdrawal of PKK fighters from Turkish territory is expected to be monitored by representatives of non-governmental organizations.

The militants previously withdrew from Turkish territory on Ocalan's orders after his capture in 1999, as part of moves towards peace. However, several hundred militants are estimated to have been killed by security forces during that withdrawal.

In an apparent bid to ease PKK concerns that the same would happen this time, Erdogan promised this month that it would not.

(Editing by Louise Ireland and Jonathon Burch)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kurdish-militants-set-turkey-ceasefire-feb-paper-120550740.html

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Kenya elections observers to enhance transparency

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) ? Kenya's first nation-wide vote since devastating violence broke out after the nation's 2007 presidential election will be closely monitored by the international community and local observers to help ward off potential problems, officials said Monday.

The disputed 2007 presidential election sparked off ethnic fighting that killed more than 1,000 people, and observers warn there is an unacceptably high risk of repeat violence around Kenya's March 4 vote. A chaotic primary vote this month and outbreaks of deadly violence around the country have done little to instill confidence that peace will prevail.

Kenya's election commission says at least 1,014 international observers and more than 10,000 local observers have been accredited. The United States said it will field a team of about 105 observers.

"We hope our ongoing engagement on electoral preparations combined with the presence of election observers from the U.S. government, international partners, and Kenyan groups before and during the election will help ensure that the electoral process is free, fair and peaceful, thereby giving the Kenyan people confidence in the legitimacy of election results," U.S. Embassy spokesman Christopher Snipes said.

The U.S. is encouraging Kenyans to put aside tribal and ethnic differences, reject intimidation and violence, demand an end to impunity and to address any electoral disputes through Kenya's courts, rather than on the streets, Snipes said.

The European Union observer team will be smaller in number than in 2007 ? 70, down from 132 ? but will spend more time in the country analyzing the buildup to the vote, said Gillian McCormack, deputy head of the EU observer mission.

Kenya has introduced political reforms to address the flawed 2007 polls. A new constitution passed in August 2010 has put checks and balances on government bodies. The constitution also established a robust Supreme Court and initiated judicial reforms that have resulted in more than a dozen higher court judges being fired over lack of integrity.

A report this month by the Council on Foreign Relations listed several reasons to fear violence might reoccur: the country's top presidential candidates are mobilizing voters along ethnic lines; the vote is likely to be very close; the election commission will be unable to fully prepare for the election; and one presidential candidate faces trial at the International Criminal Court for violence perpetrated after the 2007 vote.

"The United States and others may have limited leverage over Kenya's domestic politics, but they are not without options that would significantly improve the prospects for acceptable elections and help avert a major crisis," the report said. "However, with little more than two months before the elections, Washington must intensify its engagement or forsake its opportunity to make a difference."

The U.S. is financially supporting observers from the Carter Center ? run by former President Jimmy Carter ? and the largest Kenyan group of observers, said Snipes.

The International Crisis Group said in a recent report that high youth unemployment and inequality encourage the growth of criminal groups and militias who want to intimidate political opponents.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kenya-elections-observers-enhance-transparency-103508146--politics.html

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decreeing quoin: A Dictionary of Education (Oxford Paperback ...

26 Jan 2013

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List price: $ 24.99

The field of education is vitally important but it involves a specialized vocabulary and terminology which may be unfamiliar to those new to the discipline. The new Dictionary of Education provides clear and concise definitions for 1,250 terms that anyone studying education or involved in teaching is likely to encounter. Coverage includes all sectors of education: pre-school, primary, secondary, further and higher education, special needs, adult and continuing education, and work-based learning. It also includes major legislation, key figures and organizations, and national curriculum and assessment terminology. The dictionary features entry-level web links, accessible and kept up to date via the Dictionary of Education companion website. Detailed appendices include a timeline summary of landmark educational legislation since 1945 and a glossary of acronyms. In addition, there is a useful, fully cross-referenced section of comparative terms used in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, an

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Source: http://atixi.com/a-dictionary-of-education-oxford-paperback-reference/

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Source: http://decreeing-quoin.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-dictionary-of-education-oxford.html

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Happy Birthday, You Bastard

Some Slate pieces are so great, they demand a second reading. Today we revisit John Swansburg?s timeless 2008 masterpiece.

Illustration by Alex Eben Meyer.

What has become of the birthday party? I used to love a good birthday get-together. Some other kid's parents are picking up the tab for an afternoon of bumper bowling? There might be a Cookie Puss from Carvel? Fire up the Datsun, Mom, we're going to be late!

I'm told that when you're a legitimate grown-up?with a spouse and kids of your own?birthday parties are once again events you look forward to. You leave the munchkins with a sitter and go to the Johnsons' for an evening of cocktails and casserole. Maybe an animated game of Taboo breaks out. Sounds delightful. But in the moment between earning your college degree and signing your first mortgage, the birthday party transmogrifies into something else. It becomes the birthday dinner.

For me, it happened in my late 20s. As my friends moved from graduate programs and entry-level positions into decent-paying jobs, a birthday meet-up at a dive bar to pound SoCo-and-lime shots started to feel a shade d?class?. Yet everyone was still living in small studio or one-bedroom apartments?no place for a proper cocktail party. The compromise: People started celebrating their birthdays by inviting friends out to dinner, typically at a moderately fancy restaurant. The kind of place that frowns on bringing your own candles and Cookie Puss but isn't averse to sticking a sparkler in a cr?me br?l?e.

Seems like a nice idea, the birthday dinner. It is not. It is a tedious, wretched affair. It is also an extravagantly expensive one. In these wintry economic times, we need to scale back. I hereby propose that the birthday dinner go the way of the $4 cup of coffee, the liar's mortgage, and the midsize banking institution.

Consider, for example, the birthday dinner I attended not long ago in honor of my friend Simon. In the past, Simon's birthday parties have been rollicking good times. His 25^th, celebrated at a Manhattan club, ended memorably, if abruptly, when Simon was ejected from his own party by a bouncer who'd discovered him taking an indiscreet catnap on the bar. For his 30^th, Simon, now a brain surgeon, organized a more civilized affair: dinner for 10 of his closest friends at an upscale Tribeca steakhouse.

Everything that can go wrong at such a dinner did. A maitre d'?led us to a giant oval table, where I was seated a country mile from the man of the hour. Could I have hit him with a strenuous toss of a French roll? Yes. But polite conversation was out of the question.

Instead, I found myself wedged between Simon's high-school friends and his college friends. Feeling more of a ken for the high-school side of the table, I tried to orient myself in that direction, but the effort required a socially and anatomically awkward craning of the neck. I was left in a no man's land?on the fringe of two conversations, an active player in neither. Had we been at a bar, I could have maneuvered my way out of such a quagmire by excusing myself to order another round of sweet, sweet SoCo and lime. Thus escaping, I could have muscled my way over to the guest of honor and given him a good birthday noogie. But mired in the middle of this dinner table, the only way I was going to get Simon's attention was by faking an aneurysm, and I just wasn't feeling up to it.???

I busied myself by studying the menu, looking up in time to catch a nefarious glint in the eye of our white-smocked waiter. I understand from friends who've waited tables that serving a large party can have its annoyances: It's hard to get anyone's attention; you've got to extol the virtues of the soup du jour four times over. But a seasoned server knows how to work the situation to his advantage, and this guy proved to be positively au poivre.

Given the built-in gratuity for a party of our size, our waiter clearly realized there was nothing to lose by making the hard sell. He was getting 18 percent of whatever he could push on us, so he might as well give it a healthy shove. For an appetizer, he vigorously recommended the frutti di mare platter?an item accompanied on the menu by the dreaded "market price" designation. Working each flyleaf of the table separately, he managed to sell us three of these massive, adjustable-rate heaps of shrimp and lobster tail. One would have sufficed.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=b1589024a7b841fe7f2488ac5872fb23

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AP PHOTOS: Scenes of grief at Brazil club fire

AAA??Jan. 27, 2013?8:47 PM ET
AP PHOTOS: Scenes of grief at Brazil club fire
By The Associated Press??By The Associated Press

Family members and friends stand around coffins containing the remains of victims after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. Officials counted more than 230 bodies that were brought for identification to the gymnasium in Santa Maria,(AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

Family members and friends stand around coffins containing the remains of victims after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. Officials counted more than 230 bodies that were brought for identification to the gymnasium in Santa Maria,(AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

A woman cries over the coffin of a victim at a gymnasium where bodies were brought for identification in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. (AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

Police investigators inspect the entrance of the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. (AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

Family members and friends stand around coffins containing the remains of victims after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. Officials counted more than 230 bodies that were brought for identification to the gymnasium in Santa Maria,(AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

Family members and friends mourn as they stand around a coffin containing the remains of a victim after the bodies were identified at a gymnasium in Santa Maria city, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013. Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. Officials counted more than 230 bodies that were brought for identification to the gymnasium in Santa Maria,(AP Photo/Nabor Goulart)

Here are images depicting the aftermath of a fatal nightclub fire in Santa Maria, Brazil. The club was hosting a party for university students when the fast-moving fire caused hundreds of partygoers to stampede toward the exit. Firefighters and police say more than 200 are dead, and at least 200 are injured.

Associated Press
People, Places and Companies: Brazil

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-27-Brazil-Nightclub%20Fire-Photo%20Gallery/id-b3afc40632ab42c0bf16d5de1bb51a98

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Assange: WikiLeaks film script leaked to WikiLeaks

LONDON (AP) ? If you're making a movie about WikiLeaks, this is the kind of thing you probably see coming.

Julian Assange says he has obtained a leaked copy of the script for "The Fifth Estate," a DreamWorks film about the maverick computer expert and his famed secret-busting site. In a speech before the Oxford Union debating society earlier this week, Assange said his unauthorized sneak peek has left him convinced the film is a hit piece.

"It is a mass propaganda attack against WikiLeaks, the organization (and) the character of my staff," he said, adding that the movie ? the opening scenes of which Assange described as taking place in Tehran and Cairo ? also hyped Western fears over the Islamic Republic's disputed atomic energy program.

"It is not just an attack against us, it is an attack against Iran. It fans the flames of an attack against Iran," he said.

A DreamWorks spokeswoman declined to comment on Assange's claims.

In a telephone interview late Friday, Assange said that the film's plot revolves around a fictional mole in Iran's nuclear program who discovers that the country has nearly finished building an atom bomb and will soon be in a position to load it onto ballistic missiles. The film has the informant fleeing to Iraq when WikiLeaks publishes his name among its massive trove of classified material.

Assange says the whole story is "a lie built on a lie," claiming that the U.S. intelligence community generally believes that Iran stopped comprehensive secret work on developing nuclear arms in 2003, and that, in any case, the world had yet to see evidence of a case in which WikiLeaks had exposed a CIA informant.

"They tried to frame Iran as having an active nuclear weapons program. Then they try to frame WikiLeaks as the reason why that's not known to the public now," Assange said, comparing the movie to Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty," another film whose artistic liberties with recent history have drawn allegations of political bias.

Assange declined to say where he got the script, although he hinted that he had been supplied with several copies of it over time. He also declined to say whether the script would be posted to the WikiLeaks website, saying only that "we are examining options closely."

"The Fifth Estate" stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Assange and Daniel Bruhl as Daniel Domscheit-Berg, an early Assange ally who eventually fell out with WikiLeaks.

The film is due for release in November, and in a statement earlier this week director Bill Condon was quoted as saying that those behind the movie want "to explore the complexities and challenges of transparency in the information age" and "enliven and enrich the conversations WikiLeaks has already provoked."

Assange made his comments to the Oxford Union on Wednesday via videolink from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he has been holed up for more than six months in a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden as part of a long-running sex crimes case.

___

Online:

Assange's speech before the Oxford Union: http://bit.ly/Vcokdo

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/assange-wikileaks-film-script-leaked-wikileaks-221839919.html

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Obama presses liberal agenda as he starts 2nd term

WASHINGTON (AP) ? From gun control to gay rights, President Barack Obama's second-term agenda is shaping up as an unabashedly liberal wish list.

In less than a week, he's vowed to tackle climate change and protect government entitlements. His administration has lifted a ban on women in combat and expanded opportunities for disabled students. Proposals for stricter gun laws have already been unveiled, and plans for comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, are coming next week.

Obama's full embrace of such an agenda suggests a president both freed for action by his re-election win and seeking to capitalize on it.

"There is a deep recognition that he has a short period of time to get a lot done," said Jennifer Psaki, Obama's 2012 campaign spokeswoman. "The American people are seeing a man who is determined to finish what he started in his first term, pushing through his agenda without the burden of running for re-election."

But following through and winning approval for his proposals will require cooperation from a Congress that is nearly as divided now as it was before the November elections.

"If the president pursues that kind of agenda, obviously it's not designed to bring us together," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who calls the start of Obama's second term "a new era of liberalism."

And it's not just congressional Republicans who could stand in Obama's way as he seeks to make good on his pledges. Senate Democrats from conservative-leaning states ? who, unlike Obama, still face future elections ? may have reservations about backing a liberal agenda in the lead-up to the 2014 midterms.

Democratic resistance is already proving to be a problem for some of the toughest gun control measures that Obama proposed ahead of his inauguration in response to the elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn. An assault weapons ban, in particular, appears to be in jeopardy, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada among the Democrats yet to voice support.

Obama's tilt to the left follows a presidential campaign that left open questions about what policies he would pursue if he won a second term. His most specific campaign pledge was to let George W. Bush-era tax cuts expire for the wealthiest Americans, a step he was able to achieve during the "fiscal cliff" negotiations in late December.

That's why many of his strongest supporters were surprised ? some pleasantly ? by the issues he raised in his inaugural address, particularly his call for tackling the threat of climate change, a topic that garnered little attention during the campaign.

And after campaigning on a balanced approach to deficit reduction, including making tough choices on entitlement programs, Obama used his inauguration to extol the virtues of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. He made just one reference to the huge federal deficit.

Obama has previously said he's willing to put government entitlements on the table as Washington seeks to reduce the deficit, and aides say his inaugural address doesn't change that.

Obama also became the first president to use the word "gay" in an inaugural address, asserting that the nation's journey is not complete until "our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law."

Progressive groups welcomed the president's rhetoric, but made it clear that words alone would not be enough.

Adam Green, co-founder of the political action group Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said that if the president's inaugural address does become a template for his second-term governing strategy, "that will allow the president to win big victories and secure a legacy of bold progressive change that helped millions of Americans."

"We hope he goes that route, and we will proudly rally to his side if he does," Green said.

It remains to be seen how vigorously Obama pursues the agenda items he outlined in his inaugural address. White House officials have already struggled this week to back up his rhetoric with specific policy proposals

Still, people close to the president say he feels emboldened since winning re-election and wants to act quickly on progressive issues that eluded him during his first term. His supporters have also created a campaign spin-off organization to support his second-term agenda.

The outside group, Organizing for Action, will employ many of the same people who led Obama's two presidential bids and will have access to his campaign's voter and donor data. The new group is expected to focus on backing his positions in legislative battles, including gun control and immigration.

Some of what the president may pursue, particularly when it comes to climate change, may be through executive branch actions that don't need congressional approval.

The Pentagon this week acted on its own to lift a ban that kept female service members out of combat positions. And the Education Department unilaterally ordered schools to include students with disabilities in sports programs or provide equal alternative options.

White House officials are scouring rule books for other actions the West Wing and government agencies can take on their own.

___

Associated Press writers Josh Lederman contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-presses-liberal-agenda-starts-2nd-term-194514883--politics.html

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Self Improvement: Guidance On Colin Kaepernick Jersey Being A ...

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Video: Fire breaks out in Moscow skyscraper

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Court says Obama appointments violate constitution

Richard Cordray stands left as President Barack Obama announces in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, that he will re-nominate Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a role that he has held for the last year under a recess appointment, and nominate Mary Joe White to lead the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Richard Cordray stands left as President Barack Obama announces in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, that he will re-nominate Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a role that he has held for the last year under a recess appointment, and nominate Mary Joe White to lead the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama violated the Constitution when he bypassed the Senate last year to appoint three members of the National Labor Relations Board, a federal appeals court ruled Friday in a far-reaching decision that could severely limit a chief executive's powers to make recess appointments.

The court's decision marked a victory for Republicans and business groups critical of the agency. If it stands, it could invalidate hundreds of board decisions over the past year, including some that make it easier for unions to organize.

The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said that contrary to the administration's claim, the Senate was not in recess at the time Obama filled the vacancies on Jan. 4, 2012.

It also held that presidents have the authority to bypass the Senate in filling vacancies only when they occur during a recess, which it said occurs only between the end of the first year of a two-year Congress and when lawmakers convene for the second year.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said the administration strongly disagrees with the decision and that the NLRB would continue to conduct business as usual, despite calls by some Republicans for the board members to resign.

"The decision is novel and unprecedented," Carney said. "It contradicts 150 years of practice by Democratic and Republican administrations."

Under the court's decision, 285 recess appointments made by presidents between 1867 and 2004 would be invalid.

The Justice Department hinted that the administration would ask the Supreme Court to overturn the decision, which was rendered by three conservative judges appointed by Republican presidents. "We disagree with the court's ruling and believe that the president's recess appointments are constitutionally sound," the statement said.

The court acknowledged that the ruling conflicts with what some other federal appeals courts have held about when recess appointments are valid, which only added to the likelihood of an appeal to the high court.

The ruling also threw into question the legitimacy of Obama's recess appointment of Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Cordray's appointment, made on the same date, has been challenged in a separate case.

Carney insisted the court's ruling affects only a single case before the labor board and would have no bearing on Cordray's appointment. Obama on Thursday renominated Cordray for the job.

Obama made the recess appointments after Senate Republicans blocked his choices for an agency they contended was biased in favor of unions. Obama claims he acted properly because the Senate was away for the holidays on a 20-day recess. The Constitution allows for such appointments without Senate approval when Congress is in recess.

But during that time, GOP lawmakers argued, the Senate technically had stayed in session because it was gaveled in and out every few days for so-called pro forma sessions.

GOP lawmakers used the tactic ? as Democrats had done in the past ? specifically to prevent the president from using his recess power to install members to the labor board and the consumer board. They had also vigorously opposed the nomination of Cordray. The White House argued that the pro forma sessions ? some lasting less than a minute ? were a sham.

The three-judge panel flatly rejected arguments from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, which claimed that the president has discretion to decide that the Senate is unavailable to perform its advice and consent function.

"Allowing the president to define the scope of his own appointment power would eviscerate the Constitution's separation of powers," Chief Judge David Sentelle wrote in the 46-page ruling. He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

The court ruled that during one of those pro forma sessions on Jan. 3, 2012, the Senate officially convened its second session of the 112th Congress, as required by the Constitution.

Sentelle's opinion was joined by Judge Thomas Griffith, appointed to the court by President George W. Bush, and Karen LeCraft Henderson, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush.

"With this ruling, the D.C. Circuit has soundly rejected the Obama administration's flimsy interpretation of the law, and (it) will go a long way toward restoring the constitutional separation of powers," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

GOP House Speaker John Boehner welcomed the ruling as "a victory for accountability in government."

If the ruling stands, it would invalidate more than 600 board decisions issued over the past year. It also would leave the five-member labor board with just one validly appointed member, effectively shutting it down. The board is allowed to issue decisions only when it has at least three sitting members.

Obama used the recess appointment to install Deputy Labor Secretary Sharon Block, union lawyer Richard Griffin and NLRB counsel Terence Flynn to fill vacancies on the labor board, giving it a full contingent for the first time in more than a year. Block and Griffin are Democrats, while Flynn is a Republican. Flynn stepped down from the board last year.

All three vacancies on the labor board had been open for months before Obama acted to fill them.

"I think this is a very important decision about the separation of powers," said Carl Tobias, a constitutional law professor at Virginia's University of Richmond. "The court's reading has limited the president's ability to counter the obstruction of appointments by a minority in the Senate that has been pretty egregious in the Obama administration."

"Today's circuit court decision is not only a radical departure from precedent, it ignores the fact that President Obama had no choice but to act," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. "Throughout his presidency, Republicans have employed unprecedented partisan delay tactics and filibusters to prevent confirmation of nominees to lead the NLRB, thus crippling the board's legal authority to act."

If Obama's recess appointment of Cordray to the newly created consumer board is eventually ruled invalid, it could nullify all the regulations the consumer board has issued, many of which affect the mortgage business.

___

Follow Sam Hananel on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SamHananelAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-25-Obama-Recess%20Appointments/id-0a71c37597e946c3855c199e7612ca51

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Video: Matthews: ?The Mickey Mouse Club is back?

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Bats split on family living

Jan. 24, 2013 ? For the tiny Daubenton's bat, the attractions of family life seem to vary more with altitude than with the allure of the opposite sex.

For more than a decade, a team led by Professor John Altringham from the University of Leeds' School of Biology has studied a population of several hundred bats along a 50-km stretch of the River Wharfe. They monitored roosts in Ilkley and Addingham, upstream in the market town of Grassington and higher still in the villages of Kettlewell and Buckden.

The researchers found that all Daubenton's bats in nursery roosts in lowland areas of Wharfedale during the spring and summer were females and their offspring.

Male bats were mostly restricted to a windier, Heathcliff-like existence in roosts at the top of the Dales.

But the researchers were surprised to find a small oasis of cohabitation in Grassington, sandwiched between the bustle of the women-only childrearing in the lowlands and the more relaxed lives of the bachelors in the highlands.

Professor Altringham said: "Low down the dale, the females appear not to tolerate males and we assume they won't let them in the roost. They don't want anything to do with them. High in the dales, all the roosts are bachelor pads. But in the middle, at Grassington, males and females live together -- the social structure changes with the environment"

"One possible reason for not finding males low down the valley could be that the mothers just want to avoid competing with males for food. It takes a lot of insects to make the milk needed to feed their young," Professor Altringham said.

"But it is also possible that the males choose not to roost with the females. When you look at the nursery colony in Ilkley, mothers and pups often have a lot of ectoparasites like ticks and mites. In a warm, crowded nursery, parasites can thrive, especially if there's less time for good personal hygiene. Parasites not only make life uncomfortable but can affect a bat's health. The males that live by themselves are usually very clean in their bachelor pads, so you can understand why they might not want to move in," he added.

At Grassington, which is deep in the Yorkshire Dales National Park but not as high as Buckden and Kettlewell, the bats have a completely different social structure. Both male and female bats live with the young throughout the spring and summer in roosts in the stonework of the old Dales bridges and in holes in ash trees.

"Females may roost as high up the dale as Grassington because they have these warm, cuddly males to bunk up with. This way, females use less energy keeping warm and babies grow faster," Professor Altringham said.

"In these marginal conditions, they may just tolerate a few males to keep them warm. Otherwise they kick them out. Why do the males co-habit if they are going to get parasites all over them? Well, that may be down to the usual answer: sex."

Although male and female Daubenton's bats usually live apart throughout the spring and summer, they meet when they begin flying to caves in late summer.

Professor Altringham said: "In and around these caves the bats gather in huge numbers to mate, in a behaviour known as swarming. This is clubbing for bats, with males displaying to females in lengthy acrobatic chases. As winter closes in, these caves will ultimately be their hibernation sites.

"There are nearly 2,000 cave entrances and hundreds of kilometres of cave passages in the Dales and these attract bats from all over Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and beyond for mating and hibernation. The males in Grassington may be giving themselves the opportunity to mate with the females late in the summer before they even get to the caves."

The researchers have built up a detailed picture of social and sexual behaviour by genotyping hundreds of individuals. The evidence gathered from this supports the theory that the Grassington males enjoy an advantage in mating.

"At Grassington, most of the fathers of bats born there spent the summer with the females. If we look at pups in Addingham and Ilkley, their dads were males caught when swarming at caves. So, as well as two different mating systems, you have distinct social groupings. A bachelor from Buckden is always a bachelor from Buckden. He doesn't pop down to Grassington to visit the females in the summer. His only option seems to be to go clubbing in the autumn," Professor Altringham said.

The Daubenton's bat, named after the 18th Century French naturalist Louis-Jean-Marie Daubenton, is widespread across the United Kingdom and specialises in hunting insects over water. Full-grown adults weigh only 7 to 12 grams, but they can live for 20 years or more.

"These bats are the size of a shrew but have a very different lifecycle. A shrew typically spends its entire life in a few metres of hedgerow, eats and breeds with a ferocious intensity, for a year if it is lucky, and then dies. In contrast, these bats lead a complex life over a huge area and females produce only one pup a year," Professor Altringham said. "This makes bats particularly vulnerable to the problems of habitat fragmentation and climate change."

The paper, which is published in PLOS ONE, was co-authored by Dr Ruth Angell and Professor John Altringham at The University of Leeds and by Professor Roger Butlin at Sheffield University. It was funded by a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) PhD studentship to Ruth Angell, with additional support from the NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility at Sheffield.

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Journal Reference:

1. Ruth L. Angell, Roger K. Butlin, John D. Altringham. Sexual Segregation and Flexible Mating Patterns in Temperate Bats. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (1): e54194 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054194

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/tHvor6s1ylU/130124183638.htm

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Foreclosure Investing Essentials ? Real Estate | Raw Business Law

The term ?foreclosure? rarely has any positive feelings associated with it. And for good reason: foreclosures are always connected with times of financial difficulty. But for the real estate investor, foreclosure investing represents an opportunity to increase his or her profits while helping someone out of a tough spot at the same time.

What is a foreclosure?

A foreclosure refers to the process of reclaiming mortgaged property by the lender. Almost everyone must borrow some amount of money to purchase a home. The amount varies, but most lenders finance from 80 to 100 percent of the total cost of the property. The loan is called a mortgage, and the home buyer repays the mortgage over time. The total term of the loan can vary, but most buyers make monthly payments for a total of 15, 20 or even 30 years.

Sometimes a situation may arise in which the home buyer can no longer make monthly payments on time. This may be due to unexpected medical expenses, the loss of a job, or poor financial planning. It?s usually in the best interest of the lender to continue the loan, but if the buyer misses too many payments and has no visible resources for getting current, the lender may be forced to begin the foreclosure process.

Foreclosures are possible because the property serves are collateral for the loan. In the mortgage agreement, both parties have agreed to certain conditions, including the return of the house to the lender when required payments aren?t made.

What?s the benefit of foreclosure investing?

Foreclosures are particularly attractive to real estate investors. Foreclosure investing lets you buy properties at bargain basement prices. The time and money you invest in foreclosure properties almost always have greater returns than normal real estate investing.

Foreclosure investing tends to have less competition. Foreclosure takes some extra work to locate, especially in the weeks before it actually goes up for public auction. If you?re willing to do the research, you?ll be able to find these below-market-price homes and face very little competition.

How can I profit from foreclosure investing?

There are at least three ways to profit from foreclosure investing. First, you may choose to keep the home after you purchase it. Buying a foreclosure usually gives you a large instant equity that you can borrow against for future real estate investments. Or, you may choose to rent out the home and provide yourself with a monthly income.

Another way to profit from foreclosure investing is to flip the foreclosure. Many foreclosures may need only a cosmetic makeover to really enhance their curb appeal. Then you can resell the property at full market value and pocket a tidy profit.

Foreclosure investing has the potential for higher profits than everyday real estate investing. Plus, if you can close the deal before the house goes up for public auction, you?ll be providing real help for someone in a desperate financial situation. Foreclosure investing takes more research and follow-up, but the rewards are well worth it.

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Source: http://rawbusinesslaw.com/2013/01/23/foreclosure-investing-essentials-real-estate/

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Trial of suspects in India gang-rape case starts

NEW DELHI (AP) ? Five suspects, their faces covered with woolen caps, arrived in a special fast-track New Delhi court Thursday for the start of their trial for the rape and murder of a young woman on a bus last month in a case that triggered outrage and questions over the treatment of women in India's justice system.

Police were on alert outside the sprawling court complex in south New Delhi as the suspects arrived. Inside the court, about 30 policemen blocked access to the room where the trial was to be held, while scores of journalists and curious onlookers crowded the hallway.

The suspects were whisked into the courtroom by a phalanx of armed policemen for the start of the trial, although there were no immediate details released.

The court will hear opening arguments by the prosecution and defense lawyers. The trial will be conducted in a closed court room after Judge Yogesh Khanna denied a defense motion to make the proceedings public.

A sixth suspect says he is a juvenile and is expected to be tried in a juvenile court.

Police say the victim and a male friend were attacked after boarding a bus Dec. 16. The attackers beat the man and raped the woman, inflicting massive internal injuries with a metal bar, police said. The victims were dumped naked on the roadside, and the woman died two weeks later in a Singapore hospital.

The trial began a day after a government panel recommended India strictly enforce sexual assault laws, commit to holding speedy rape trials and change the antiquated penal code to protect women.

The panel appointed to recommend suggestions to overhaul the criminal justice system's handling of violence against women, received a staggering 80,000 suggestions from women's and rights groups and thousands of ordinary citizens.

Among the panel's suggestions were a ban on a traumatic vaginal exam of rape victims and an end to political interference in sex crime cases. It has also suggested the appointment of more judges to help speed up India's sluggish judicial process and clear millions of pending cases.

Law Minister Ashwani Kumar said the government would take the recommendations to the Cabinet and Parliament.

"Procedural inadequacies that lead to inordinate delays need to be addressed," he told reporters.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/trial-suspects-india-gang-rape-case-starts-073655340.html

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