Pet Insurance FAQ: Your Dog's Most Common Ailments | Pet Blog

Just like humans, our pets are susceptible to illness and disease. Specific breeds are more prone to certain ailments, but there are some health problems that are common among all dogs. With such common occurrences, it?s recommended to invest in some form of pet medical coverage like pet insurance to reduce costs. Even if your pet isn?t sickly, it will still need routine checkups and vaccinations. Check to see if the pet health insurance has any exclusions and make sure it includes these five problems.

Interestingly enough, the most common dog illnesses are very similar to what humans typically suffer from. The first is ear infections, which usually form from a wax buildup, ear mites, and occasionally bacteria or fungus. Dogs with longer ears and those with hair on the underside of the ear flaps are more likely to get ear infections. With proper grooming and ear cleaning, you can greatly reduce the dog?s risk. Watch for symptoms such as shaking of the head, sensitivity to ears being touched, and scratching of the ears.

Canine skin allergies come in as close second. The dog may also have inhalant allergies from mold, dust, or pollen. Symptoms include scratching, biting, constant licking, and biting at the feet. The itching will be most severe on the feet, groin, and armpits and the skin will become thickened and produce a strong odor. Other causes of allergies are food and flea bites. The symptoms will be similar but the dog will also have ear inflammation, shaking of the head, anal itching, and rubbing the face on carpeting.

Another skin ailment is pyoderma, which is a skin infection caused by bacteria. Skin fold pyoderma is caused when the folds of the skin rub together. It can also be caused by allergies and parasites, so if you don?t treat ailment number two, it can easily turn into ailment number three. An infected area will show redness, swelling, hair loss, and sometimes blisters. If left untreated, it can cause severe pain, pus or blood, and a foul odor. A simple antibiotic can treat it, but in order to prevent it, always properly groom your dog.

At some point in time, your dog probably has vomited. This is known as gastritis. While it is often a one time occurrence, constant vomiting is a very serious condition. There is a long list of possible causes including food allergy, chemical ingestion, medication, inflammatory bowel disease, and stomach cancer. Immediately take your dog to the veterinarian if there is blood in the vomit, weakness, severe weight loss, diarrhea, or lack of appetite.

The fifth most common ailment is enteritis, or inflammation of the small intestines. Bacteria and viruses are usually the culprit. Diarrhea is the number one sign. However, don?t rush your dog off to the vet just yet. If the diarrhea is frequent or there is blood in the stool, then there is serious cause for concern. Only lab tests can determine the specific cause.

Always be on your guard and look for signs that your dog is not well. Eventually, your dog will need to be treated for something. Be prepared with dog health insurance or its alternatives and make frequent checkups part of your routine.

http://www.PetAssure.com is the preferred alternative to insurance coverage for your family pet. Unlike pet health insurance, all pets are covered; regardless of age, medical condition or any pre-existing condition. There are no exclusions, no deductibles and no waiting for reimbursement with our pet health plan.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Etinger

Source: http://pet.mypkweb.com/pet-insurance-faq-your-dogs-most-common-ailments/

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Ouya developer console gets an official unboxing, flaunts transparent case (video)

It's a little early for an Ouya teardown, but Kickstarters who chipped in $699 won't have to wait long to see what the little console is made of -- Ouya's developer hardware is transparent. The console's team decided to cut the inevitable march of unboxing videos off at the neck, offering fans a quick preview of the package it's shipping out to devs. The standard accoutrements are there -- the tiny console itself, two prototype controllers with batteries, HDMI and power adapters, plus a micro USB cord and a letter to developers thanking them for their investment and warning them of the early build's bugs. The note also cautions deep-pocketed gamers that the device is built specifically for developer use, and has no games to placate eager couch potatoes. The video shows the console booting up, and even demonstrates how easy it is to open the hardware. Skip on past the break to get a glimpse at what early adopters and developers are getting their hands on.

Continue reading Ouya developer console gets an official unboxing, flaunts transparent case (video)

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Source: Ouya

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/28/ouya-unboxing/

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Google Apps makes gains on Microsoft Office

Google Apps was long seen as too lightweight to be a competitor to Microsoft Office. But Google Apps has added features and maintained a low price over the years, and now the cloud software suite is starting to tempt companies away from Microsoft Office.

By Jeff Ward-Bailey,?Contributor / December 26, 2012

More and more companies are considering the cloud-based Google Apps suite as a serious competitor to Microsoft Office. Here, a city bus in Los Angeles shows an advertisement for the Microsoft Surface tablet.

Fred Prouser/Reuters/File

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For years, Microsoft Office was widely considered to be the way for businesses to get "serious" work done. Google Apps, the cloud-based office suite, wasn't generally thought of as being stable or full-featured enough for company use. But as Google Apps has matured, more and more companies have noticed -- and in 2012 Microsoft found its core business base eroding as offices jumped ship to Google.

Skip to next paragraph Jeff Ward-Bailey

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Jeff began writing for the Monitor's Horizons blog in 2011, covering product news and rumors, innovations from companies like Apple and Google, and developments in tech policy.

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Google has been promoting its software for business use since 2006, focusing mainly on small businesses that didn't need all the features of Microsoft Office. Now, The New York Times' Quentin Hardy reports, big companies are starting to notice Google as well. New Google Apps clients in 2012 included Hoffman-La Roche, a Swiss drug company with over 80,000 workers, and the U.S. Interior Department, where 90,000 employees use Google Apps.

Google's pricing is a big mark in its favor with businesses. The Google Apps suite, which includes word-processing, data-entry, spreadsheet, and presentation programs, has added features at a steady pace for several years, but the price of the software -- $50 a year for each business user -- has stayed the same. By contrast, Microsoft Office will cost $400 a year for each business user in 2013, although the Times notes that many companies pay half that with bulk discounts.

Microsoft hasn't ignored the cloud-software trend, though. Last year it released Office 365, an online version of its venerable software suite, which costs between $72 and $240 per year for each user, depending on how many features are needed. Julia White, a manager in Microsoft's business division, says Office 365 is "on track to be [Microsoft's] fastest-growing business," according to the Times, although the company hasn't released figures on usage. In late 2011 and early 2012 Microsoft's business divison made almost $24 billion -- but that revenue came almost entirely from conventional Office software that runs on computers located on companies' premises.

Google announced this summer that more than five million businesses were using its Apps suite, although nearly all of those companies have ten or fewer employees. So big companies like Hoffman-La Roche aren't jumping to Google Apps en masse, although the Times notes that Google won 23 of the 42 large government contracts for which it competed with Microsoft in 2012, compared with 10 for Microsoft.

Neither company is boasting about its total number of enterprise users, and it would be inaccurate to suggest that Microsoft is hemorrhaging business customers. But as companies put more stock in online collaboration, Microsoft will have to find ways to make Office 365 more attractive -- or come up with another strategy to tempt businesses away from Google.

For more tech news, follow Jeff on Twitter: @jeffwardbailey.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/vhIII-YXqoI/Google-Apps-makes-gains-on-Microsoft-Office

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The sinking of "Plan B"; the U.S. "fiscal cliff" disaster of John Boehner (reuters)

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Las Vegas Limousine Services | travel and leisure article updates

If you want to go on a travel down the Vegas strip, party in the hottest clubs or just simply explore the beautiful sights, lights and sceneries, you better get one of those Las Vegas Limo Services.

It is wise to choose a limousine company that has been in the limousine business for a long time. This means that they are thriving in the business because they provide excellent service to its customers.

It is important that you must have an idea about the services being offered by the company so you can determine which one is the best for you.

The cost that you have to pay for a limousine service varies and largely depends on the amenities included. If you want a cheap limousine service, expect it to be as simple as driving and taking you where you want to go, just the typical. No nothing. If you want to experience luxury and royal treatment, you are going to have pay a huge amount of money.

Limousine services can be counted upon, on business gatherings, corporate events, weddings, party hopping and other occasions or affairs. When selecting the best limousine service, you have to take consider and be keen on the vehicles they provide.

Limousines are classified into 4 groups, namely, traditional limousines, modern limousines, exotic and novelty limousines.Traditional limousines are usually old and vintage cars. They are simply an extension of a sedan with several adjustments. Modern limousines are cars like the Rolls Royce Phantom, BMW 7-series, Jaguar XJ, Audi A8L and the likes. They are usually the luxury cars of car manufacturers.

Exotic limousines are generally stretch limousines. Some cars like the brands mentioned above are being stretched to add amenities and to increase the passenger capacity. Novelty limousines are those that are commonly used in weddings. Some novelty limousines can even be painted different colors.

For anyone planning on a trip down the Sin City, whether to party or just plain sight-seeing, a Las Vegas Limo service might just be right for you.

Source: http://travel-leisure-updates.blogspot.com/2012/11/las-vegas-limousine-services.html

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Precision Castparts offers $2.9 billion for Titanium Metals

(Reuters) - Precision Castparts Corp offered $2.9 billion to acquire Titanium Metals Corp , a leading maker of alloys used in jet engines and controlled by Texas billionaire Harold Simmons.

Precision Castparts, whose castings are used in every jet aircraft engine program in production or under development, said the acquisition of the titanium producer will help streamline its supply chain, reduce costs and boost earnings.

"(Titanium Metals) will provide us with the titanium capability that has always been a key missing piece of our overall product portfolio," Precision Castparts Chief Executive Mark Donegan said in a statement.

The company offered $16.50 per share for Titanium Metals, a 43 percent premium to the stock's closing price on Friday of $11.57.

Simmons' Contran Corp and affiliates, which hold about 45 percent of Titanium Metals, have agreed to support the deal.

Since Precision Castparts was Titanium's biggest customer, the cost reductions from the deal should be significant, analysts said. It also gives the buyer much greater exposure to titanium sales. And Precision Castparts has shown an ability to integrate acquisitions smoothly.

"If PCP is able to extract the value out of this, then in the long run, like you've seen with other acquisitions it's made, I think you can argue it will end up being a good deal," Ken Herbert, an analyst with Imperial Capital said.

Precision Castparts, based in Portland, Ore., makes castings, forgings, fasteners for aircraft and industrial gas turbines.

The acquisition follows a string of smaller deals, and expands its portfolio to include titanium sponge and melted products that are used in aircraft engine and airframe components.

Titanium Metals' is a maker of specialized alloys that are widely used in jet engines. Its customers include Boeing , Rolls Royce and United Technologies' Pratt & Whitney.

"It is a good acquisition," said Richard Whittington, an analyst with Drexel Hamilton. "Precision Castparts has a long history of handling supplier acquisitions very well and reducing costs."

This is Precision Castparts' biggest acquisition since at least 1996, according to Thomson Reuters data, and its seventh deal so far this year. Through deals, the company has expanded its product range and integrated vertically to include more production processes.

"That's been the history under Mark Donegan," said Peter Arment, managing director and aerospace and defense analyst at Sterne Agee in New York. "He's got a stellar track record" of improving synergies and running businesses efficiently.

Precision Castparts said it expects the acquisition to immediately add to its earnings.

"This transaction is truly a needle mover, a deal that offers Precision Castparts and our customers a wide range of opportunities going forward," CEO Donegan said.

Precision Castparts said it had lined up $3 billion in bridge financing that it said may be used to complete the deal.

The company will begin a tender offer for Titanium shares on November 20.

Dallas-based Titanium Metals said the merger agreement allows it to actively solicit other takeover bids for a period of 45 days. Morgan Stanley is acting as financial adviser to Titanium Metals. Simmons is a former banking examiner and financier.

Titanium Metals shares traded at $16.49, above the offer price, in after-hours trading, indicating that some investors expect a higher bid. Precision Castparts shares rose 4.3 percent after hours, from the close of $171.33.

(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Aurindom Mukherjee in Bangalore and Karen Jacobs in Atlanta; Editing by Maju Samuel, Alwyn Scott and Carol Bishopric)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/precision-castparts-offers-2-9-billion-titanium-metals-013048785--finance.html

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Colorado Springs Business Journal ? Blog Archive ? Father and son ...

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Brian and Paul Hegarty cannot say whether entrepreneurialism is innate or learned.

One thing is certain, they said, it isn?t easy.

Being an entrepreneur requires passion and drive and a strong will when standing at the crossroads deciding when it is time to press forward with a startup and when it?s time to let it go.

The father and son discussed their long and successful entrepreneurial careers Friday at the Peak Venture Group breakfast meeting. PVG Entrepreneurs breakfast series began years ago as a way to showcase successful entrepreneurs but also for the group to hear from up-and-coming entrepreneurs. Two local entrepreneurs each give a five-minute presentation on their startup companies.

Brian Hegarty

Brian, who hails from Ireland, made a career in the U.S. in semiconductor process and product engineering. Later, in his career in Colorado Springs, he co-founded a company the developed A/D and D/A converters; and one that developed technology for manufacturing flash memories. Today, he is a clock maker ? grandfather-style clocks that play authentic recordings of famous chiming clocks from museums around the world.

Paul, a Cheyenne Mountain High School graduate, was part of the team that worked with Steve Jobs on NeXT, a company whose software was the foundation for today?s MacOX and iOS. He went on to work as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence with a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley and started his own company. Today, he teaches at Stanford University and his iOS application development course has been widely shared on the Internet.

Paul Hegarty

Here are their top three tips for Colorado Springs entrepreneurs:

1. Build a community and let people know you are here, Paul said. ?Knowing each other, that is critically important,? he said. That, he said, is what happens in Silicon Valley. Entrepreneurs know each other, know what they are working on and can help each other find the experts they need to build a team.
2. Plug in with the Angel investor community, Paul said. Angel investors, he said, invest in people when they find a spark. They are less likely to come out a pitch and talk to one another about bottom line and return on investment projections. ?They are saying, what did you think about that person?? Paul said. Angels want to know that an entrepreneur can shift gears quickly and adapt products and ideas without getting stuck.
3. Get someone in your group who is the ?reacher out? person, Brian said. Engineers can be introverts or even a bit secretive about their ideas, he said. In Silicon Valley, such engineers pair up with the person who is the talker, the schmoozer.

None of what the Hegarty father and son have accomplished was easy. Good ideas, Hegarty the senior said, are a dime a dozen. It?s the hard work and years of struggle that make them successful.

For details go to www.peakventure.org.

?

Source: http://csbj.com/2012/11/09/father-and-son-entrepreneurs-offer-advice-on-how-to-stay-in-the-game/

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Creating Such A Personal Appeal For Spon... - Work On the Internet

Are you not getting that break-margin sales hike from your current ad choices? Has your trade profit graph been showing a dip because of the recent rise in competition? Are you worried that your publicity devices have not been working their magic on the right people for the wares that you have to ffer? Well then, maybe it is time you gave a thought to a more varied, demand oriented and need specific campaign machinery, to get your sales ratings up and bring in those dollars like you aspired.

Direct mail marketing is one of the more aggressive advertising mechanisms adopted by traders today, in addition to, or as a more effective substitute to general advertising techniques. Promotional postcards sent directly to customers add a more personal touch to the campaign, and has the additional benefit that, an uninterested buyer doesn???t have to bother to actually open an envelope to study the contents of the mail. Ad mail postcards can be colourfully and eye-catchingly designed, so as to get maximum curiosity and attention generated in the potential buyer. Nowadays business promotion agencies have broken free from the traditional norms of design and composition and presently, we get to see ads in mail postcards that are round or triangular in shape and using new and unconventional slogans and patterns of presentations.

Although most trades can benefit from this type of advertising media to promote their services or products, certain specific businesses like Real estate developers and other traders with a geographically limited consumer crowd, gain more returns from such channels. The first step in this mode of active campaigning would be to research and compile a targeted mailing list. For example to create a target list in Florida for your ad Postcards Florida phone directories or other local listing sites can be looked up and utilized. The next move should be to find good marketing promotion companies that specialise in Direct Mail marketing and Post card designing, and vie for the best quotes. Ad companies nowadays offer to manage the entire process of marketing, including list creation for specific products, lead generation through internet ads and emails, creating interest and publicity through generalised advertisements, and cleverly drawing in prospective customers with more personalised campaigning like direct postcard mailing and discount coupons and special offer baits. They give options to the traders on a multitude of designs and templates and offer expert advice about what will appeal to a specific group of clients. They also have a large choice of custom templates that permit very flexible graphics and pattern alternatives.

One of the main advantages of personal mailed ads is that traders are able to keep a very clear track of the responses created by the posts, which will help them in creating future campaigns and also to learn more about consumer demands and trends. An added advantage would be that personal mails are less viewable to competitors, and your marketing tactics and lines of approach remain more or less unmimicked and unique.

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Source: http://www.workoninternet.com/business/reviews/miscellaneous/219734-article.html

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Family of missing man fears the worst

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (WKYT) - He borrowed his father's cell phone and left home saying he would be back shortly.

Police say that was two days ago and a Kentucky man has not been seen or heard from since.

Barbourville police say 26-year-old Jonathan Ryan Foley's parents did find his truck last night but no sign of Foley.

Jonathan Foley's parents tell us they are worried something bad happened to him.

Foley's parents say he was going to this corner store, not far from where he lived. He even commented that he would be back in 15 minutes, but that was Tuesday and they haven't heard from him since.

"It's just like he vanished, and we can't find him," said Beverly Foley, his mother.

A quick trip to the Lee's Food Mart has turned into a nightmare for the family of 26-year-old Foley.

"I miss him, and I love him, and I just want him home. I don't know what's happened to him," said his mother.

Foley's parents tell us he has been living with them since he got back from serving in Iraq almost one year ago.

They say Tuesday Jonathan left in his own truck with his dads cell phone. And his parents actually found his abandoned truck one day later.

"As soon as we pulled behind it, his father noticed the license plate and a little sticker he had on that truck. And everything was so muddy whether it was black or blue, you couldn't tell," said his mother.

His parents say they just want their son to come home, especially with tomorrow being his birthday as well as his mother's. But in the back of their minds, they are suspicious about his disappearance.

"I think he's dead. I really do. I hate to say that," said his mother.

It is unclear whether Foley actually made it to this store. Police are still investigating and tell us they do not have any leads in this case.

Barbourville police tell us they have no reason to believe Foley has left Knox County.

Source: http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Family-of-missing-man-fears-the-worst-178035561.html

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Canadian Shared Hosting | UBservers' Blog

November 7, 2012 Hassan Zobeen Hosting

Considering the importance that every website needs to be hosted somewhere on the internet, it may not be wrong to say that web hosting has become a rapidly escalating online business. Somehow, when it is a matter of opting for type of hosting you need for your website the different types of hosting on offer can be quite puzzling. Shared hosting may be right for you if you are running micro websites featuring personal blogs because it requires minimal resources and bandwidth.

Although the concept is not hosting is not alien for the internet users but there can be a possibility that some users may not be very much aware about shared web hosting. Basically, it is the type of hosting in which same server is being shared by many websites as a result of which other resources and an IP address is also common with a large number of other users. Due to sharing, the cost of using server is also divided among the users.

In the world of internet or Information technology to be appropriate, users keep on looking for something even better. When it comes to a web host, those who expect high performance, incredible speed, advanced security and enhanced reliability would fancy going for litespeed web hosting. This is also because LiteSpeed will cause a marked improvement in load times for sites belonging to PHP and HTML. Besides, it is also compatible with certain software and scripts like shopping carts and others featuring ecommerce.

It is advised that before making your decision about the web hosting service, ensure you have gathered enough information going through reviews on forums and others scattered throughout the web. As far as litespeed hosting is concerned, it is advantageous in a way that as the name implies, it is twice as faster as the other hosting as a result of which downtime is minimum. No matter at what time of the day you are browsing the litespeed will always be there.

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Source: http://ubservers.com/blog/canadian-shared-hosting/

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Problems at polls cropping up in PA, OH, other spots around US, rights groups say (Star Tribune)

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Avinode Business Intelligence Unveils Market Forecast at NBAA2012

Avinode Business Intelligence Unveils
Market Forecast at NBAA2012

October 30th, 2012

MIAMI, FL ? OCTOBER 30, 2012

Avinode forecasts a 0.1% decrease in business jet activity for the United States in?2013. When that forecast is broken down on a regional level, it reveals that some regions will fare better than others.

The?South and West, with their seasons targeted to entertainment and discretionary travel, are expected to experience 0.4%?and 1.3% growth respectively. ?The more business-travel focused Northeast and Midwest continue to struggle,? says?Magnus Henriksson, Business Unit Director, Avinode Business Intelligence. These regions should see a 1.2% traffic?decline in the Northeast and 3.9% decline in the Midwest.

For Europe Avinode forecasts a 3.2% decline in business jet activity during 2013. As in the United States, Europe sees?substantial seasonal variation between its Northern and Southern regions resulting from the differences in traffic drivers for?the two regions. Avinode projects that the European South, which is mainly driven by leisure travel, will experience a 4.3%?decline in traffic in 2013. Northern European traffic, which is mainly composed of business travel, however, will see a?decline of only 1.3% year-over-year.

Projected Category Differences
Over the last few years, the light jet (LJ) category has experienced a fairly negative trend in terms of actual flights. Avinode?predicts that this trend will continue in 2013 with December 2013 year-over-year numbers down 2.2%. The entry level jet?(ELJ) category appears to be stealing flights from the LJs as evidenced by a continuously positive trend for the category.?Since January 2009, ELJs have gone from performing 6% of all U.S. flights to 9%.

Avinode expects this trend to continue?and that ELJ will have increased to a
10% market share by the end of 2013, with a year-over-year growth of 4.4%. The?midsize jet category is currently the second largest in the U.S. and is projected to grow by 0.1% next year. Meanwhile,?year-over-year projections show the heavy jet category down 1.7%, super midsize up 0.3% and super lights up 1.6%.

The trend in Europe shares similarities with the United States, but is far more aggressive. Europe is experiencing a?downgrade trend, with heavy jets and super midsize categories the most affected. The decreases in the heavy and super?midsize categories have resulted in increases in the mid and super light categories. Meanwhile, ultra long range jets?continue their positive growth trend, seemingly unaffected by the overall trends in the market.

U.S. Forecasts for 2013?
Entry Level Jets: +4.4%
Light Jets: -2.2%
Super Light Jets: +1.6%
Midsize Jets: +0.1%
Super Midsize Jets: +0.3%
Heavy Jets: -1.7%
Ultra Long Range Jets: +2.4%

European Forecasts for 2013
Entry Level Jets: +0.3%
Light Jets: -8.0%
Super Light Jets: +0.4%
Midsize Jets: -2.2%
Super Midsize Jets: -9.1%
Heavy Jets: -5.3%
Ultra Long Range Jets: +8.3%

About Avinode
The Avinode Marketplace is the world?s leading tool for buying and selling air charter online. Over 6,000 aviation?professionals use Avinode daily to buy and sell charter flights worldwide. More than 3,000 aircraft are currently listed in the?marketplace, which features online quoting, availability reports, integrated scheduling, empty leg reports, and safety data.

Avinode also provides up-to-the-minute market data and trend reports for the business aviation market through Avinode?Business Intelligence. Stay on top of market trends with Avinode?s weekly Business Intelligence newsletter, featuring trip?demand, availability, and pricing indexes as well as popularity reports for the most requested aircraft models, most?frequented airports and the most traveled routes. In addition, Avinode BI offers custom reports, tailored to fit your personal?data requirements.

Corporate headquarters is in Gothenburg, Sweden with two sales offices in the Americas, Avinode Inc., in Miami, Florida,?USA and Avinode Latin America in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Source: http://www.avinode.com/avinode-business-intelligence-unveils-market-forecast-at-nbaa2012/

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Nick Jonas Admits: "Wedding Bells" All About Miley Cyrus!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/10/nick-jonas-admits-wedding-bells-all-about-miley-cyrus/

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Scientists Move Closer To a Universal Flu Vaccine

So could we kill off all the 'typical' flu viruses allowing the evolution of something more aggressive?

Probably not inconceivable; but there are a couple of points to consider: TFA mentions targeting structures that are 'highly conserved' between different virus subtypes. Typically(and I am not a molecular biologist, so feel free to cringe and/or correct me) the fact that a structure is 'highly conserved' between genetically distinct populations means that it is extremely important for some reason. Mutations happen(and very, very fast in influenza), so regions that aren't life-critical can diverge significantly over time. Life-critical regions, on the other hand, do experience mutations; but most of the mutants die. The degree of conservation across genetic lineages that diverged at a known period in the past can tell you a lot about how important that area is, even if you don't yet know exactly what it does.

Second, while this also doesn't preclude a really nasty bug, it is important to remember that diseases aren't little agents playing Pandemic 2 and trying for a high score. Killing your host can be a viable strategy, if you gain enough from doing so; but (in the very weak sense that mindless evolving virues can even have 'goals') the 'goal' isn't body count, it's survival and reproduction. Very high mortality is frequently counterproductive, because hosts die faster than the disease can spread to new ones. In broad strokes, high mortality tends to occur when a novel pathogen shows up for the first time; but ends up being selected against over time(see the classic attempt to use Myxoma virus against feral rabbits in Australia).

Source: http://rss.slashdot.org/~r/Slashdot/slashdotScience/~3/yr24FQFJwf8/scientists-move-closer-to-a-universal-flu-vaccine

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PFT: McKinnie denies spending $375K at strip clubs

Getty Images

Titans tight end Jared Cook may want a trade, but that doesn?t mean he?s going to get one.

Titans coach Mike Munchak said he?s not interested in moving Cook, who he sees as part of the team?s plans.

?I am not going to comment on that. That is not my decision to make, but I don?t see that happening, no,? Munchak said, via Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean. ?I don?t see why we would do that. I don?t follow that. The agent is calling to stir the pot. This is not the time for those things.

?Jared is a big part of our team. Jared has made a lot of great catches for us this year. Jared?s our [third] leading receiver. We know for us to win games we need him making plays for us, so for me it?s not something I?ve thought about at all, so I am hoping it is not on his mind either.?

What may be on his mind, and the mind of his agent, is that he?s entering the final year of his rookie deal, and it?s time to get paid.

But playing time is also a factor, as Cook has been on the field for fewer than 50 percent of the Titans offensive snaps in six of eight games, including two he was limited in because of a shoulder injury.

Munchak said they want to get him more involved, which could help smooth things over.

?We are all frustrated. I am frustrated, too. I hope everyone is frustrated. I hope we all think we can do more, because we all can do more, every one of us, the coaching staff on down. We?re 3-5, and that?s not good enough. And that includes every one of us,? Munchak said. ?Frustration means work your way through it and let?s find a way to turn this around and get to 5-5, that is where the frustration should be used.?

Cook has 28 catches for 373 yards and two touchdowns, a similar pace to last year?s 49-759-3 line. Since the beginning of 2011, only Rob Gronkowski has more receiving yards by a tight end.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/10/30/bryant-mckinnie-denies-running-up-375000-in-strip-club-bills/related/

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Managing the Cost of Homeschool Programs - Home for School

Home schooling is now, more than ever, being considered as a viable alternative to traditional schooling. The reasons for which are diverse ranging from cultural/religious beliefs to economic matters.

The notion that home schooling is much less expensive than sending your child to an educational institution is prevalent, but not necessarily true. Pound for pound, while a home school education is less costly than a private school, it will likely be more expensive than a public school.

Starting out
For one thing, if you?re just beginning with home schooling (and if you don?t have a teaching background), it is recommended that you subscribe to an independent study program or buy a boxed curriculum suited to your child?s skill level. While these may cost, these will guide your first few attempts at home schooling and help eliminate the trial-and-error process in finding out how to run your home school just right. These services and products range from a low of $300 to a high of $1,500 depending on the program.

Direct costs
However, the costs do not end there. You will need to supplement the program with textbooks as well as workbooks. Up-to-date reference materials are also needed such as an encyclopedia CD-ROM and Internet access. These will require purchases and subscriptions as well.

It will do your child much good to provide proper furniture and fixtures for studying. Getting them a proper study table, a comfortable chair and adequate lighting will show positive results in the child?s attitude towards learning. A computer to aid in their research and homework is also essential.

It is also possible that you may have to avail of tutorial services to cover subjects that you may have difficulty in teaching yourself. These can be done on a per course/per subject basis which may help reduce costs, but not by much. For example, a one-on-one advanced history class for high school students can cost about $300.

To provide a well-rounded education for your child, you will also need to include non-academic activities as well. This may mean music, sport or art lessons and perhaps even planned educational trips to museums and galleries, theaters, and nature parks.

Opportunity costs
These are the direct costs of running a home school program but in calculating the total cost for running a home school, you may also need to consider certain indirect costs.

A study on families on home study programs noted that on average, the parent conducting the home school is the mother, who holds a college degree. It has been calculated that her staying at home, instead of working, costs the family an estimated $38,000 every year - money that could have possibly been used to address the family?s other pending needs.

Helping defray the costs
But before you get fully discouraged with the idea of home schooling, there are ways to reduce the expenses. One way is to participate in support groups for home schooling families.

This affords you a great opportunity to share resources with similar families saving you the need to buy an entire set of materials for your child. Joining groups like these allow you to borrow or swap things like textbooks, boxed curricula or reference materials. An added plus to joining home school family groups in your area is giving your child the opportunity to interact with kids just like him/her who are home schooled as well.

Depending on where you live, some states allow home-schooled children access to public school resources and some local virtual charter schools provide teaching materials for little to no cost. Some will even offer annual stipends to pay for activities like piano lessons. Taking the time to know what assistance you can avail of to help subsidize the costs will more than pay for the effort you made to do so.

Some money-saving tips
It helps to know that if you have other children, the costs of home schooling can be reduced with each child since the materials may be reused or renewed for a much lower cost.

Take the time to explore your public library and use what they have to offer. They?ll be more than happy to see you visit as frequently as every week. This greatly reduces the need to buy books every time and on occasion allows you access to newly published ones that would otherwise be expensive.

Visit yard sales, book sales or swap meets whenever you can. You may just find that perfect study table, teaching aids or that hard-to-find textbook for a fraction of the cost of buying it from a store.

When considering the costs of something as important as your child?s education, it is best to think of them as investments rather than as mere expenses. When managed properly, what money you have can go so much farther than the actual costs as you give him/her a memorable childhood of learning and discovering ? with you at their side.

Source: http://homeforschool.blogspot.com/2012/10/managing-cost-of-homeschool-programs.html

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Pacific.scoop.co.nz ? BNZ to Host Samoa Business Network ...

Press Release ? BNZ

After the great success of the inaugural Samoa Business Networking evening, BNZ Manukau is hosting the second networking evening on Wednesday 31st October 2012 at 6.00pm.

Press release

26th October, 2012

BNZ to Host Fledgling Samoa Business Network Second Networking Evening

After the great success of the inaugural Samoa Business Networking evening, BNZ Manukau is hosting the second networking evening on Wednesday 31st October 2012 at 6.00pm.

Spokesman for Samoanz Limited and one of the main movers of this initiative, Rasmus Pereira, is excited about the growing awareness of the fledgling Samoa Business Network and BNZ Manukau?s continuing support for such an initiative, ?The last networking evening could not have happened without Laura Keil-Hall and her team at BNZ Manukau agreeing to host the event?, he said ?BNZ Manukau?s continuing support is exciting for the Samoa Business Network because it sends a message to the fledgling Samoan business community that they have a stake in the economy of not only South Auckland but the wider Auckland region and the country at large?

The Samoa Business Network is delighted to confirm that exciting new author of the Telesa Trilogy books series, Lani Wendt Young, will be the key note speaker. She follows on from the great success of Stella Muller, the mastermind behind Hot Samoan Boys Chilli sauce in the first networking evening, who talked about making use of unconventional marketing opportunities. Lani will be talking on the effect of social media in business.

Lani was born and raised in Samoa and was a High School English Literature teacher for 7 years. However, her underlying passion was writing. In 2009, she was commissioned by Hans Joachim Keil to research and write the narrative fiction book ?Pacific Tsunami: Galu Afi?. All profits of the book went towards assisting tsunami survivors. She turned to full time writing in 2010, and soon after her collection of short stories ?Sleepless in Samoa? won the USP Press Fiction Award in 2011. She wrote stories for children that are used in primary school reading programs. In October 2011, she launched the first book of the highly successful Telesa trilogy of urban fantasy novels, ?Telesa: the Covenant Keeper?. In July 2012, the second book in the series was launched, ?Telesa: When Water Burns?.

Samoa Business Network Evening:

Keynote Speaker: Lani Wendt Young on Social Media in business

Date: Wednesday 31ST October 2012.

Time: 6.00pm-8.00pm

Venue: BNZ Manukau (opposite McDonalds) ? 639 Great South Road, Manukau

Prizes to be won for your business:

1. 30 second animated advertisement by Bluwave Pasifika

2. Quarter page advertisement with NZ Pacific newspaper (a subsidiary of Samoa Observer Group)
To register for this event:

Rasmus Pereira ? ras@shopsamoa.com or (021) 516 1125

Laura Keil-Hall ? laura_Keil-Hall@bnz.co.nz or (021) 828 977
ENDS

Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
Original url

Source: http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2012/10/bnz-to-host-samoa-business-network-networking-evening/

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Insight: Bomb blast brings Lebanon's party capital to juddering halt

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Luxury yachts line the glitzy seafront marina of Beirut's Zaytouneh Bay where owners would sip champagne at sunset before stepping out for dinner - spoilt for choice between going Italian at Signor Sassi or French at Cro Magnon.

Across the street, the Whisky Mist night club at the Intercontinental Phoenicia Hotel would normally be swinging with Beiruti night clubbers. Gulf Arabs would head for the oriental Awtar night club at the Monroe Hotel for a belly dancing show.

The real estate market, meanwhile, defies not just the laws of economics but geopolitical gravity. "How people can ask for $100,000 in rent when the country is on the edge of the abyss I find extraordinary," said Michael Karam, a wine writer.

Lebanon would seem to have it all: a cosmopolitan society, beach resorts, mountains, friendly weather, good food and wine, and buzzing bars.

The party capital of the Arab world, Beirut is a freewheeling city where Gulf Arabs, expatriates and Lebanese ?migr?s fly in to enjoy its luxury hotels. But under the veneer of modernity lie sectarian demons coiled to strike.

The car-bomb assassination last Friday of intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan - an attack almost universally blamed on Syria and its local allies - brought the merry-go-round to a juddering halt.

Gunmen and protesters filled the streets, reflecting the antagonisms fuelling the conflict in next-door Syria and reviving memories of the sectarian hatreds that sunk Lebanon into its 1975-90 civil war, a conflict whose wounds have far from healed.

It is not just the sectarian poison - reflecting the regional struggle between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims and, in Lebanon, the Christians split into alliances with both sides - but the shocking social contrasts that lie beneath the surface.

'MANY LEBANONS'

Not far from the glamour of the Beirut seafront lie shanty towns where destitute people fight for daily survival.

Two apartments in the gleaming skyscrapers overlooking Zaytouneh Bay sold only a few months ago for $18 million and $14 million. Apartments for rent were non-negotiable a month ago at a price of $100,000. Real estate agents claimed demand was high from rich Syrians fleeing the conflict at home, but now they admit they may not see such fat deals for some time.

"There are many Lebanons. We live in a true disconnect. This place is on a respirator. We live in a bubble within the bubble," said Maria, 47, an interior designer who left Lebanon aged 9 and returned after 17 years abroad.

Even before last Friday's blast, the spillover from Syria had started to have a knock-on effect in Lebanon.

Security was deteriorating as the rule of law crumbled. Bank robberies and kidnappings for ransom picked up and sectarian rumblings between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims heightened as Lebanon's main Muslim factions lined up with the opposing sides of the Syrian conflict.

Tourists who come for the Roman ruins stayed away this year, leaving frightened Lebanese to contemplate another round of sectarian strife.

The Christian-Muslim bigotry that triggered Lebanon's own war is now buried within the overarching Sunni-Shi'ite struggle convulsing the region. The battle lines in Syria are drawn between the heterodox Shi'ite Alawite minority underpinning Bashar al-Assad and the rebellious Sunni majority, with minorities such as Christians and Druze caught in the crossfire.

Like other Lebanese, Karam has had enough. He will leave the country in which he married, had children and lived through three wars and a popular revolution.

"What prompted me to say this summer that it is time to go is the fact that Syria is in crisis. I am not for one second one of those people who say the Assad regime has to stay, No, but I think while Syria is in crisis Lebanon will be in a more dangerous situation," he said.

GREAT CITY

Karam moved to Lebanon from London in 1992, two years after the war ended and the rebuilding of Beirut by former premier Rafik al-Hariri, a billionaire construction tycoon, started.

The first tremor under this resurrected Beirut shook the city in 2005, when Hariri was killed by a massive bomb. The attack was blamed on Syria and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

"Now my kids are 15 and 14. They want to go out and I don't want them going out because I don't want to worry every time they go out," said Karam.

Maria, the interior designer, has already sent her two sons to school abroad. A Sunni Muslim with Shi'ite kids, she said sectarianism was embedded in Lebanese life and she did not want her children to subscribe to this culture.

"For me it is a personal choice but for them they have no place in this society. They don't subscribe to the grammar of this place," said Maria.

Beirutis are in a state of shock at the renewed violence, which is reviving memories of the civil war which claimed more than 150,000 lives.

RESILIENT CITY

Like many others Karam believes that unless the Lebanese rebuild a state not based on religion, tackle the security vacuum and revive the comatose economy, the country will lurch from periods of growth and prosperity to periods of instability.

Syria is the epicenter at the moment. Sectarian hostility is on the rise across the region. It began in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Muslim, and the takeover of power by majority Shi'ites. This shift in the balance of power reinforced the influence of Shi'ite Iran and revived historic tensions in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon and Syria.

That ugly side was on display last week after the car bomb that killed Hassan, a Sunni Muslim opposed to the Syrian leadership.

In Sunni neighborhoods, gunmen set up roadblocks of burning tires, stopping passers-by and asking whether they were Sunni or Shi'ite - a chilling throwback to the civil war.

A Reuters cameraman was asked about his religion. Despite confirming he was Sunni he was prevented from filming because he was told he had a "Shi'ite beard".

Sectarian anger boiled over, with protesters chanting slogans insulting Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. "The blood of Sunnis is boiling," they said.

Yet despite all its troubles, there is a resilience to Beirutis, whose city could scarcely have survived without it.

"Beirut has tremendous energy, it is a city that picks itself up in few hours. It is like a very ugly woman with lots of charm and lots of character, extremely imperfect," said Maria.

"As imperfect as it is with all these people trying to live together, for better or for worse, they attempt to," she said.

(Editing by Giles Elgood)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/insight-bomb-blast-brings-lebanons-party-capital-juddering-153836105.html

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7 Winter Home Improvement Tips to Save You Money and Energy In ...

This year?s record breaking summer high temperatures and general worrisome warming trend don?t necessarily mean that the coming winter will be a walk in the park. Before the cold weather strikes, get your home buttoned up and ready for it with our expert hands-on game plan, which?will not only make your home more comfortable and energy efficient, but save you some?money?while you?re at it. From big changes that will knock hundreds of dollars off your energy bill to smaller ones that need just?a bit of elbow grease and a few materials from your local hardware store, we?ll show you what you need to get the job done! So no matter if you rent or own your house, check out these 7 handy tips that we promise will make a real difference in keeping you warm and your energy bill manageable this winter.

TIP 1: Get an Energy Audit

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, we should mention that the best way to get your home operating at its maximum efficiency is to hire a professional?BPI certified?energy rater to evaluate your spaces. This person will conduct what?s called an ?energy audit? and he or she will test your home for energy losses and safety issues, and generate a detailed report highlighting what your home?s issues are. With a report in hand you can easily?target and prioritize exactly what you need to do, and what you can afford to do.

If you can?t afford an energy audit, you can start to identify and remedy some problem areas on your own with the help of an infrared?thermometer, like the?Ryobi Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer. This handy gun allows you to safely measure surface temperatures and pinpoint spots where your home is experiencing air leaks or missing insulation. As energy efficiency expert David Johnson says, ?Air leaks account for 25-30% of an average?energy?bill, and this is one of the most profound steps that you can make for the betterment of your home?s comfort and reducing the amount of your monthly bill.?

Our tips ahead will address common problem areas seen in all types of homes, and they will offer solutions to problems that can be?easily?fixed, often without calling on help from a professional.

TIP 2: Seal Your Walls

The mantra in green construction is: ?seal it tight, ventilate right?. The sealing part is about getting a handle on all the places where air penetrates?through?the wall and causes drafts and fluctuations to the temperature inside your home. A simple tube of high quality caulk and a plan to tackle all those problem areas can go a long way if you know where to look (hint: grab your infrared thermometer).

What keeps the outside air out of your home is typically the interior walls (or drywall), but you?ll find many holes that have been cut out of these walls to install your plugs and switches. If you have ever removed the face-plates of ?these plugs and switches during cold weather, you?ll have probably noticed some cold air pouring out. Reduce this leakage by using caulk to seal around the the area where the electric box meets the drywall.?If you?re comfortable working around electricity, head to the breaker, turn it off, then test the outlets to make sure they are really off. Once off, you can then pull them out of the box and begin to seal up all the little holes in the back of the box, including where the wires come through.

TIP 3: Seal Your Home?s Can Lights

Other?notorious?culprits that contribute to air leaks are recessed lights found in the ceiling.?Many old can lights are actually vented on purpose to keep from being overheated by the lightbulb (they are called non-IC or non-insulation contact rated cans).?Because warm air rises, an unsealed can light below a roof is a big problem.?It?s a good idea is to remove the existing ring of this can and seal the can?s perimeter with caulk. The inside of the can should be sealed with either caulk or aluminum tape to keep your home?s warm air from escaping into the attic.

It?s very important that you not?put an incandescent bulb in the can. Instead, opt for something like a Cree LED recessed light?? this light is?dimmable, super-efficient and does not build up heat. Moreover, if you have a non-IC rated can, it?s a really good idea to put a note inside to not use incandescent lights in the future. An overheated fixture has the potential to cause serious problems. If you can?t give up your?incandescent, another approach is to go into the attic, install and seal a box made from drywall around the light, and then insulate from above. This has the added?benefit?of improving you r-value,?or insulating effectiveness.

TIP 4: Look For Insulation Gaps

Anywhere you have something that penetrates the wall, there is bound to be an air leak. Check out the outside faucets, air vents and plumbing for large gaps where air can escape. Seal the penetrations with expanding foam so that every nook and cranny?is filled. Be careful to never seal next to a gas flue or you will have a fire hazard on your hands.

Once that is done, if you are ready to get dirty, check out where the foundation meets the house and crawlspace and fill those little forgotten cracks ? note areas where you see even the slightest bit of daylight passing through. There is even an expanding foam for the big holes?and a fire block version for holes between floors or for sealing electrical boxes. We also?recommend?practicing on a?scrap surface to see how the foam works. Remember to wear gloves when using the foam ? this stuff is really sticky before it sets!

While expanding foam is ideal when dealing with air leaks, spray-and-go won?t always work with those extra big gaps. In spots that need an extra bit of air-stopping artillery, we recommend rolling out some insulation. But before grab for that pink stuff on the shelf ? a.k.a. fiberglass insulation ? we recommend that you consider using?Ultratouch denim insulation?instead. Unlike its counterpart, Ultratouch?is made from high-quality natural fibers (80% of which are post-consumer recycled)?that provide for extremely effective sound absorption and good thermal performance. You also won?t have to worry about getting the ?fiberglass itch??with the denim insulation; it is easy to handle and work with ? but we still?recommend?using a mask.?The perforated batts make off-size cavity installation easy. Simply measure, tear, carefully fit and cover with an air tight?barrier?and you are good to go.

TIP 5: Check and Tune-up Your Heating System

Before the start of the cold season, it?s not a bad idea to tune up your furnace. 30% of an average?home?s energy costs?are?related to heating, and this number can spike further if you have inefficiencies with your furnace or boiler system. The first place to start is by replacing the filter at the beginning of the season and every couple of months while you run the furnace.?When purchasing a new filter, note that the cheap ones are made just to protect the furnace fan motor, so make sure to get a more?efficient and healthy pleated filter?for improved air quality.

A tune-up is a good way to cut down on energy, prevent carbon monoxide leaks, and keep the air inside your home safe and healthy for you and your family.?A tune-up should be a top priority, especially given that your furnace or boiler system will be running at full blast for months to come ? you don?t want it to give out right when you need it the most!?While the cost of a tune-up may at first glance seem like an unnecessary expenditure, keep in mind that small problems can easily turn into much larger, expensive replacements down the road. A?new furnace is a substantial financial investment ? regular maintenance postpones its replacement.

Image:?Early morning frosty winter view through a window via Shutterstock

TIP 6: Check Your Windows

Windows that are unsuited for a home?s local climate can be a big contributor to inefficiency. If you live in an area that gets especially cold in the winter, investing in windows with insulated glass that?s double-paned or even triple-paned has the potential to transform the comfort of your home and your energy bill.

There are three main types of windows that are available on the market today and they include single-pane, double-pane, and super-triple-pane windows. Single- and double- pane windows are common in older houses, but windows in newer homes are commonly treated with?Low-emittance (low-E) coatings (this can include both super windows and double pane windows). Low-E?coatings?are microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window to suppress radiative heat flow. The coating keeps?radiant heat on the same side of the glass from which it originated, all while letting visible light pass ? which means in the winter heat is reflected in, and in the summer heat is reflected out.?Different types of Low-E?coatings have been designed to allow for high solar gain, moderate solar gain, or low solar gain, and their application will depend on what region your home is located.

Super windows are a more recent development that feature a third pane of treated glass, and in some cases?boast a krypton/argon/air gas mix?in between the panes. When it comes to thermal?performance, these windows are second to none and they can reduce your energy bill by?hundreds of dollars. The choices can be daunting when selecting new windows and payback long, so make sure to do?diligent?research?and ?tune? your windows to take advantage of solar heat.

While?new windows?would be great for everyone, we understand that they are a hefty investment that require a lot of?technical?analysis from a skilled professional. Moreover,?new windows can often be just marginally more efficient than old ones (compared to your wall?s r-value for instance).?Energy?efficiency?is about looking at the home as a system, and this is a long-term investment you shouldn?t be hasty or thrifty about. Get an?energy audit?before?you make the plunge into making any window replacement.

With that said, there are many improvements that you can make to what you already have. They require just a little effort, but can pay out big in cash savings and improved comfort.?More simple remedies can easily be found on the shelves of your local hardware store. Purchase some caulk and cellular shades (insulating blinds) to really increase efficiency. Use caulk?to seal the window frame, and then setup your cellular shades. These shades are easy to install and work by creating pockets of air to insulate windows from the cold. A?good set of shades?can double or triple a window?s performance making these a no?brainier?for winter comfort and energy savings.

TIP 7: Install a Smart Thermostat

Ok, so you got through the grunt work, now its time to put in some sexy technology to really save some energy. Programmable thermostats (or t-stats) have gotten a bad rap for being difficult to use, and the EPA has yanked their Energy Star designation as a result. However, there are new, much more intuitive?designs?out there, like the?Wi-Fi enabled Honeywell t-stat. Honeywell?s model?not only lets you control the device from your iPhone or computer, but it tells you when there are significant temperature swings coming and even when the filter needs to be changed.

Programmable thermostats?come in many varieties and price ranges, and getting one can save the average household about $180?a year if it?s used right. The idea is simple: these smart devices allow you to?optimize your home?s energy-efficiency by setting pre-programmed temperatures for different situations, seasons and times.?For example, you probably don?t want to be paying for heat during the day when you?re not even there, right? You can set your?programmable thermostat?to automatically turn down the heat during those hours and turn it up when you and your family come home to save money and energy.

For even more energy-saving products, visit Home Depot?s?EcoOptions website.

+ EcoOptions

At?The Home Depot, we pride ourselves on being?sustainability minded. To make saving energy and money even easier, we?ve launched our?EcoOptions?website dedicated to?green products?such as WaterSense? and ENERGY STAR? labeled products and wood harvested from sustainable forests.?EcoOptions?also offers helpful tips for homeowners trying to?go green?to help you every step of the way. Whatever your home improvement project, we?ve got the?organic solutions?that can help make your?home healthier?and air cleaner; and products that can help you conserve water, be more?energy efficient?and save money.

Source: http://inhabitat.com/7-winter-home-improvement-tips-to-save-you-money-and-energy-in-the-cold-season/

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This is the house that George built (Unqualified Offerings)

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

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Audit: US oversight of charter school funds lax

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? An audit of the U.S. Department of Education's division overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in charter school funding has criticized the office for failing to properly monitor how states spend the money.

The report released in late September by the department's Office of the Inspector General also singled out state education departments in California, Florida and Arizona for lax monitoring of what charter schools do with the funds and whether their expenditures comply with federal regulations.

The education department's Office of Innovation and Improvement spent $940 million from 2008 to 2011 on charter schools, which are autonomously operated public schools. Most of the money is funneled through state education departments, although some is given directly to charter schools.

The funds are administered through competitive grants aimed at helping launch new charters and replicate successful charter models.

The inspector general said the innovation office has not given proper guidance to states on monitoring the use of the money and does not have policies to ensure that states corrected deficiencies when they were found.

Additionally, the audit, which was conducted by San Francisco-based education research company WestEd, found that the office did not review expenditures to ensure they met with federal disbursement requirements.

The office has agreed to beef up its procedures to track federal funds and ensure states are adequately overseeing charter schools, the report said.

WestEd also examined state charter oversight policies in California, Arizona and Florida, which collectively received $275 million in federal funds for charter schools from 2008 to 2011.

Among the findings:

? In California, which has received nearly $182 million in federal charter grants from 2008 to 2011, auditors found "significant weaknesses" in charter oversight, such as school reviewers being unqualified to conduct on-site school visits. One reviewer felt "awkward" conducting site visits because of a lack of knowledge and experience, the report said.

? In Florida, state officials had no records of which schools received federal grant money nor which schools received on-site monitoring and audits. Florida received $67.6 million.

? In Arizona, which received about $26 million, reviewers lacked a monitoring checklist and thus collected inconsistent data when they visited schools.

The office has agreed to beef up its procedures to track federal funds and ensure states are adequately monitoring charter schools.

California Department of Education spokeswoman Tina Jung said officials in Sacramento had just received the report and were reviewing it, but she acknowledged that the department had been aware of oversight deficiencies.

"Even before this review, we recognized the need to build our monitoring capacity, and that effort has already begun," she said.

___

Contact the reporter at http://twitter.com/ChristinaHoag .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/audit-us-oversight-charter-school-funds-lax-191134813.html

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