Monday, December 24, 2012

At Christmas Eve Mass, pope urges space for God

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? Pope Benedict XVI marked Christmas Eve with Mass in St. Peter's Basilica and a pressing question: Will people find room in their hectic, technology-driven lives for children, the poor and God?

The pontiff also prayed that Israelis and Palestinians live in peace and freedom, and asked the faithful to pray for strife-torn Syria as well as Lebanon and Iraq.

The ceremony began at 10 p.m. local time Monday with the blare of trumpets, meant to symbolize Christian joy over the news of Christ's birth in Bethlehem. As midnight neared, chuch bells tolled throughout Rome, while inside the basilica, the sweet voices of the Vatican's boys' choir resounded joyously.

Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican traditionally began at midnight, but the start time was moved up years ago so as to give the 85-year-old pontiff more time to rest before his Christmas Day speech. That address is to be delivered at midday Tuesday from the basilica's central balcony.

A smiling Benedict, dressed in gold-colored vestments, waved to photo-snapping pilgrims and applauding church-goers as he glided up the center aisle toward the ornate main altar of the cavernous basilica on a wheeled platform guided by white-gloved aides. The platform saves him energy.

In his homily, Benedict cited the Gospel account of Mary and Joseph finding no room at an inn and ending up in a stable which sheltered the baby Jesus. He urged people to reflect upon what they find time for in their busy, technology-driven lives.

"The great moral question of our attitude toward the homeless, toward refugees and migrants takes on a deeper dimension: Do we really have room for God when he seeks to enter under our roof? Do we have time and space for him?" the pope said.

"The faster we can move, the more efficient our time-saving appliances become, the less time we have. And God? The question of God never seems urgent," Benedict lamented.

The pope worried that "we are so 'full' of ourselves that there is no room left for God." He added, "that means there is no room for others either ? for children, for the poor, for the stranger."

With his voice a bit hoarse, and looking somewhat tired as the two-hour ceremony neared its end, Benedict decried that history has suffered through "misuse of religion," when belief in one God became a pretext for intolerance and violence. Still, he insisted that where God is "forgotten or even denied, there is no peace either."

"Let us pray that Israelis and Palestinians be able to live their lives in the peace of the one God and in freedom," the pope said.

Benedict also mentioned his hope for progress in Syria, which is mired in civil war, as well as Lebanon and Iraq.

Reflecting the Vatican's concern about the exodus of many fearful Christians from the Muslim-dominated Middle East, Benedict expressed hope that "Christians in those lands where our faith was born maybe be able to continue living there" and that Christians and Muslims "build up their countries side by side in God's peace."

Hours before the basilica Mass, Benedict lit a Christmas peace candle on the windowsill of his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/christmas-eve-mass-pope-urges-space-god-223825279.html

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Heavy Pets - Culture Room, Fort Lauderdale - December 21 - Fort ...

So, the world didn't exactly come to an end on Friday. But something major definitely went down at?Culture Room, where Greenhouse Lounge and the Heavy Pets, with special guest Roosevelt Collier, jammed out an epic end-of-the world party. If any sort of an apocalypse was gonna happen, this was where we wanted to be.?

The Heavy Pets took to the stage in the most potent, assertive show we have seen from?them yet. They have become local staples, playing (much needed) afterparties around town for major acts like Umphrey's McGee, but this concert made a clear statement that they are a headlining act in their own right.

First of all, we made sure to arrive early on Friday because we missed out on Greenhouse Lounge's opening set for Papadosio a couple weeks ago, a big mistake which we were determined to rectify. The Jacksonville-based trio weave a soundscape of jam, ?jjazz, electro, and funk that proves "jamtronica" is not only a legitimate genre, but an entirely new musical frontier.?

Now, we knew that a concert headlining the Heavy Pets would be exactly as awesome as it was. But the real star of the night was Robert Collier, the steel pedal guitarist who sat in for nearly half of the Pets' set. You may have heard him around town as a member of the Lee Boys, a Miami-based soul brigade made up of an extremely talented crop of brothers and nephews. We'll call it a great case of musical genes. Collier made an appearance with the Heavy Pets last month at Bear Creek, and it went down so well that we can only assume they wanted to make it happen again just in case the world truly did implode on itself.?
Over an hour into the set, Collier joined the Heavy Pets onstage for a steelled-up medley of Heavy Pets gems, old and new: "Xylophone", "Help Me Help You," a track from the newly-released EP, The Everywhere Sessions, Vol. 1, and "Girl You Make Me Stupid," a crowd favorite that has become something of a Heavy Pets concert staple since the release of their debut double-disc album, Whale, in ?2007. "Girl You Make Me Stupid" was a highlight not only on account of Collier's presence, but also due to funky vocals and a searing solo from Jim Wuest on keyboards.

The Heavy Pets were also joined by local songstress Leiah Siciliano (who, at first beer-goggled glance, we kinda thought was Alanis Morissette), who lent her vocals to "Love Gigantic."?

The Heavy Pets have been making waves at major Florida events such as Bear Creek and Art Basel this fall, and this year has definitely marked a period of progression for the group. With backing from local tastemakers Brotherly Love Productions, the Heavy Pets have quickly become the most beloved jam band in SoFla and most certainly beyond (we're not sure how far we can extend our own personal taste, but they're awesome).?

The apocalyptic get-down closed out with a drawn-out rendition (with help from Collier) of "The Day the Sun Forgot to Rise," a new track from?The Everywhere Sessions, Vol. 1.?A nod to the apocalypse? Perhaps. But now that the world hasn't ended, we can confidently start to look forward to the Pets' next SoFla appearances. They'll spend the holidays playing up north (lame), but will return to play some excellent after parties for Jam Cruise pre- and post-shows in Fort Lauderdale.?



Source: http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/countygrind/2012/12/heavy_pets_culture_room_draft.php

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Having A Great Commercial Real Estate Agent Is ... - Maynas Eric

Commercial property is similar to a double-edged sword. It can make you big profits, but it may also be financially devastating. The trick is to choose wisely, know what property is marketable, and have the means to get the money for the transaction. This article can provide you with some of the information that you need to succeed in real estate.

Think about any environmental concerns that the property poses. A thing that people are often worried about is that your commercial property may have hazardous waste problems. Regardless of whether or not you caused the problem, as the landowner it is your responsibility to fix it.

You should go ahead and advertise any commercial property for both far and local people. Many make a mistake in assuming that the only people who want to buy their commercial real estate property are those who are local buyers. There are many private investors who will buy affordable priced property in any area.

TIP! Unlike a home loan, you will need a higher percentage down payment for a commercial real estate loan. Looking for good lenders and great investments through the resources you can utilize will help you qualify for the loans you seek.

Your investment might prove to be time-consuming in the beginning. First you will need to find a property that you think is worth purchasing, and you may have to remodel or repair it. Do not become discouraged due to the time-consuming nature of this process. Your efforts will be rewarded.

If you are selecting a broker, ascertain the amount of experience they have had within the commercial real estate market. Make sure that they are experts in the area in which you are selling or buying. Also, consider entering into an agreement that will be exclusive between you and that broker.

TIP! You should meet with a tax adviser before you buy anything. A tax adviser can let you know how much money the buildings will cost you, and the amount of your income that will be taxable.

Carefully peruse the disclosure statements issued by the real estate agency you intend to hire. Never neglect the fact that you may be dealing with a ?dual agency.? When dual agency exists, the agency advocates for both parties in the transaction. When dual agency happens the Realtor on behalf of both parties. It should be disclosed if there?s a dual agency, along with an agreement by both parties.

Keep your eyes open for motivated sellers. Finding them should be your goal, particularly the ones most ready to offer you a below market deal. When you find the right deal, it really helps if the seller is motivated to sell quickly.

If inspections are included in your real estate transaction, as they usually are, make a request to see the inspectors? credentials. This guideline is especially important when working with people who deal in pest management; these specific fields are often populated by practitioners who lack proper credentials. By hiring an experienced professional, you?re less likely to run into problems after you buy the property.

TIP! Get yourself set up online before you buy any property. These days, a website is a must as are accounts on professional networking sites like LinkedIn.

Those who invest in commercial real estate should be aware that higher-than-usual inflation can wreck and otherwise-good investment. In the past, most leases had various built-in clauses that had their price adjusted to the CPI, which protected those who signed from inflation. Unfortunately, in today?s market, this practice is very seldom used. This can make you defenseless against the consequences of inflation.

Look for the opportunity to buy something big. Although you may feel overwhelmed by the number of units you will be responsible for in a large building, it actually doesn?t take more work to take care of large buildings successfully. Plus, larger buildings are cheaper in the long run?you pay less for each unit if the building has more units.

Remember that size is everything when you are shopping for a permanent space for a growing business. Purchasing a larger space that can accommodate growth ensures that you are not forced to repeat the shopping process in the near future.

TIP! If you plan to finance your commercial investments, you must first ensure that you are backed by a competent legal adviser. It is best to always be protected by a trustworthy, knowledgeable legal professional who can help you to resolve any issues that may arise.

As mentioned in this article, investing in commercial real estate takes work and should not be considered free money. It takes effort, time, and a lot of money (initially) to be successful. You will also have to take some risks.

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/having-a-great-commercial-real-estate-agent-is-critical-to-your-purchase-4

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Sunday, December 23, 2012

Billboard.Biz Readers' Survey Results, Part 3: The ... - audio korner

As part of our year-end special, we asked you, the audience three specific questions about 2012 ? and we got dozens of thoughtful, intelligent, well-considered responses. In the last of three questions we asked the industry? ?What will the most important/influential issue facing the music industry be in 2013?? To which we got a huge variety of answers: ticketing, the decline of physical sales/rise of digital, the Internet Radio Fairness Act, UMG/EMI, EDM, and everything in between, ending on an up note from attorney MaryAnn McReady. HUGE thanks to everyone who took the time to respond, and you can see?all of our year-end coverage right here. Happy holidays!

QUESTION: What will the most important/influential issue facing the music industry be in 2013?

Rich Bengloff, President, American Association of Independent Music?
For the foreseeable future, music monetization will be the key issue, so that we can continue to encourage artists to make great music and then have the funds to have support staff and expense budgets to market and promote our music so it rises from obscurity above the release glut. New revenue opportunities abound and grow, so I am optimistic.

Andy Cohn, Publisher, The Fader
The continued and painfully slow demise of the record-label business model and continuing rise of DIY artists finding ways to blow up without their help.?

Helen Smith, General Chair, Impala
Confronting the myth that copyright is a barrier.? Improving the image of artists? and writers? work as having real value and being indispensable ? to art, to business, to the online market?.

Vickie Nauman President, 7digital North America
More artists and songwriters being empowered, and getting fairly compensated for their work. It?s very difficult to be an artist in the digital era ? it has meant you need to be a marketer, a techie, a businessperson, amd a roadie, as well as a guitarist. This is very challenging! Artists and songwriters absolutely must ensure they are collecting each penny across all service types, because in aggregate it adds up ? YES it is mundane to manage your data, but registering with all performing rights organizations, collection societies, and services is essential as the foundation.?

Tom Windish, President, The Windish Agency?
The EDM bubble gains steam in some circles and loses a lot in others.

Tom Corson, President and COO, RCA Records

The continued rise of the single, the struggle to sell albums and the expansion of streaming/subscription and what that means to charts. The connection with the consumer/user is morphing from transactions to experiences.?? This is turning many of our marketing and branding assumptions and models sideways or upside down.? Very soon it will be less about the user/consumer putting their cash down for content, but more about getting their full attention so they search out and stream the artist?s content.? It?s an on-demand world!?

Sarah Hogan, Senior Publicist, Force Field PR
I think the Internet Radio Fairness Act will have a big impact on 2013. I think that record labels will start to opt out of making their releases available through streaming services out of frustration over royalties. I also think that more labels will decide to use services like Drip.fm, which is a platform that labels such as Ghostly, Stones Throw, and Polyvinyl are already taking advantage of.?

Michael Schneider, Artist Relations, BandPa?ge
The rise of artist content access on mobile. Fans will be able to do everything within the mobile experience from music purchasing, concert tickets, all social media, and more. The industry will find new ways to monetize the mobile experience and fully engage the fan experience!?

Nick Eden, Writer, SoulTrain.com
2013: I think the big story of 2013 will be the effect of the revision of the US Copyright Law. 35 years after 1978, the recordings and songs ?owned? by record labels or publishers will revert to the artist or songwriter regardless as to whether the artist or songwriter was recouped or un-recouped. So it?ll be interesting to see how some labels, whose cash cow has been reissues of past hits, will survive and thrive.?

Jim Donio, President, NARM/digitalmusic.org
The most important or influential issue facing the music industry in any year is how we best deliver great music to fans where, when and how they want it. While recent forecasts have indicated that the CD will continue to be a noteworthy part of the marketplace mix for the next five years or so, I would have to say that dialogue about the growth and positioning of the streaming and subscription model will likely be a primary topic of discussion over the next 12 months.?

Kenneth Rhodes, Director of Purchasing, Ingram Entertainment Inc.
Retail. Music, in physical format, will continue to shrink to being only three major retailers: Best Buy, Target and Wal-Mart. And one of those three business might NOT survive 2013. Trans World can?t last forever. Can the truck and travel industry become more of a destination for physical music and video formats? There are a lot of locations, incredible margin pressure, and a need to show category growth in year-to-year comps. Can these three issues somehow work together to allow this category to survive in these locations? Suppliers need help from the labels to try and make this happen.?

David Mikael, singer
More of the same really except it will be interesting to watch the rebuilding of EMI into the UMG, to see if they do what they said and use it as an opportunity to develop and spend on A&R. Then to watch which new online platform changes the game next whether it?s the next Spotify or the rebranding of Myspace or a real challenger to Facebook. I think we?ll see some more game-changing brands come into focus.?

Alison Smith, Senior Vice President/Performing Rights, BMI
The most important issue facing the music industry in 2013 is keeping up with the rapid growth of digital purveyors and being able to create processes that are efficient and income generating for music creators, while protecting their copyrights. We?ve seen an increase of 27% in our new media and digital revenues from FY 2011, due in large part to the rise in use of music by BMI?s 10,000 digital licensees.? Developing platforms to harness the growth in digital and new media is a necessity in 2013, especially for BMI.?

Dave Haynes, VP Business Development, SoundCloud
It?s difficult to pin it down to one particular issue but for me there are a couple of bigger trends that will dominate 2013. Firstly, the importance of data within the industry. Secondly, the role of technology in driving discovery and curation of great music as consumers move from ownership to access. And last but not least, how the industry can foster innovative new business models that are sustainable for all stakeholders.

Julien Mitelberg, CEO, Bandsintown

The idea of social discovery and push notifications in music is going to be huge, and we?ve seen it just recently with Spotify?s new Discover platform. The tangibles ? songs, tour dates, distribution methods, etc. ? are all out there, but apps and social networks are now figuring out how to actively promote the data, whether it?s connecting fans to likeminded listeners or albums and concerts that they might not know about.

Larry Miller, Executive Vice President and General Manager, MediaNet

I?ve been watching the ongoing debate concerning the Internet Radio Fairness Act (IRFA) with great interest, and in 2013 I hope and expect there to be increased conversation about comprehensive music licensing reform. While this certainly isn?t a brand-new debate, this is the first time since the Digital Millennium Copyright Act was passed in 1998 that we?ve had demand for music licensing reform from all major players, combined with Congressional support. Everyone has to keep the pressure on so we have real fairness for the entire music industry.?

Golnar Khosrowshahi, President, Reservoir
In 2013, we expect to see more of the trends that have persisted over the past few years-revenue allocations are going to continue to shift away from the traditional avenues into new royalty streams, and people are going to continue to question the livelihood of intellectual property.? We tend to take a bullish approach both in pursuing new income opportunities and protecting our writers? intellectual property, and we feel confident going into 2013 this way.

Marcie Allen, President, MAC Presents?
An important issue facing the music industry in 2013 will be the regulation of ticket pricing and managing the third party ticket process. With the alignment between AEG and StubHub, hopefully the astronomical prices demanded from scalpers and third parties can be better regulated giving fans an improved opportunity to experience the music events that they love. Along with that specific partnership, new technologies and startups are coming together as well as the hopes to globalize StubHub, which could greatly impact the live music industry as a whole.?

Joe Riccitelli, EVP/GM RCA Records
The most important issue facing the music business next year: what is the floor on the physical product decreases? What started out as a projected 9% decrease has zoomed up over the year to a 18% decrease and digital sales will not offset that number. You can see the role it had in trying to accurately predict in store weeks with urban artists and to a certain extent the pop genre as well.

Robb McDaniels, Ingrooves/Fontana

Other than establishing the appropriate rates for performance royalties, as mentioned above, I think the most important issue facing the industry in 2013 is ensuring that large media and communication companies are sharing their profits with artists when those profits are generated, at least in part, on the backs of the musicians.? Obscure, mostly unrelated laws protecting ?fair use? should not relieve these gargantuan companies from taking the moral high ground and supporting the ongoing health of the artist community.? It?s actually easy to make a case that it?s in their best interest to re-invest some of these profits back into the music industry because it will actually maintain the cycle of making profits off of the backs of these great musicians.? Remember, don?t bite the hand that feeds you!?

Ian Rogers, CEO, Topspin
It?s hard to pick one trend but from my vantage point:
- We?ll see consumer facing services achieve more scale (Pandora, Spotify, the launch of the Beats service, Songza, etc)
- As a part of the above, ?Curation? by ?Trusted Sources? will become the important trend in internet distribution
- We?ll see artist facing services achieve more scale (Topspin, etc)
- We?ll see the other players continue to redefine themselves as ?artist services? companies
- We?ll see ticketing become a bigger part of the direct to consumer business?

Jean Nelson, The Blueprint Group
I?m going to go ahead and say downsizing labels and how music is going to be sold and marketed. Anyone can sign a buzzed about act or the new hot act on the block ? but can you get an album out of that act, tour that act, turn that act into a brand?? Do you want to sell singles, like a microwaved dinner, or do you want to sell albums and enjoy the dinner??

I feel that labels today toss a single onto the radio and if it doesn?t catch on immediately, doesn?t secure instant ads, they let it go and forget about it. A record has to find its fans, find its groove. Look at Miguel ? ?Adorn? was out for months before it latched on and became a hit ? and now Miguel is swimming in Grammy Nominations.

I?ve worked in A&R and produced albums my whole life. These days artists are coming in with their records half done. Why not have a smaller staff, less signings and work closer, as a team, effectively with the signings that you do have? I?ve talked to some artists who tell me, ?I can?t name my product manager, I don?t know my radio guy, my management can?t get in touch with the publicist? ? that?s not cool. Everyone still needs A&R, needs a plan, even if it is just a little fine tuning, a push in the right direction and a gift of the right tools to finish the album.

Marcus Grant, The Collective?
Radio is always a big issue. There are too many great artists and not enough spots to play music. Format are constantly changing. I believe? soundcloud will explode next year. Fans need another outlet to listen to their favorite artists besides traditional radio.?

Syd Schwartz, Founder & CEO, Linchpin Digital
Ticketing, particularly addressing paperless and the role of the secondary marketplace.? Fans want reasonably priced access to decent seats more than 2 minutes after the on-sale, the systems to prevent scalping are still woefully inadequate and smartphones are eliminating paper faster than you can say ?convenience fees.??

While we?re talking touring, I?ll mention webcasting.? The technology is getting good enough and inexpensive enough to become a more regular part of the touring mix if the rights and radius clause issues can be addressed?no one wants to cannibalize ticket sales but there are fans hundreds of miles away who do want to virtually be there.? And fans are already holding up cell phones becoming de facto DIY webcasters and NOBODY is getting paid on those streams.?

Sam Rosenthal of Projekt Records
Certain artists will finally speak out about their ?fans? financially killing them. And the fans will yawn and say, ?but I want it for free.? Expect pay-per-view suicides from big name, major label music artists, though their fans will stream it illegally.?

Mary Ann McCready, Flood Bumstead McCready and McCarthy
Despite all of the predictions of doom and gloom, the record business is still alive and giving the world powerful music that is coneccting and selling. God bless the record business!

Source: http://audiokorner.com/?p=10513

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Real estate notes | TribLIVE


By Sam Spatter

Published: Saturday, December 22, 2012, 8:56?p.m.
Updated 2 hours ago

? Mary Ann Sipos of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency was named certified property manager of the year by Western Pennsylvania Chapter 7 of the Institute of Real Estate Management. NDC Real Estate Management Inc., Oakland, was named accredited management organization of the year. Marc F. Battistone, Massaro Properties LLC, was elected Institute president. Anthony Williams, Crossgates Management Inc., is president-elect. Gary R. Kowalczyk, Forest City Residential Management, is secretary-treasurer.

? Herr-Voss Stamco, Callery, Butler County, has renewed its lease in Building One of Schreiber Industrial Park North on Grandview Boulevard in Zelienople. The structure was built in 1968 on 5.6 acres. It has 15 percent office space, eight loading docks and a 10-ton crane. Scott Long of Pennsylvania Commercial Real Estate Inc. represented the landlord. Herr-Voss opened a mill services facility at its New Ross (Crawfordsville, Ind.) site. The maintenance shop complements six other mill service shops in Indiana, Pennsylvania and California.

? Colliers International reported the Pittsburgh industrial market ended September with 8.9 percent vacancy, down from 9.5 percent at the end of the second quarter. In the July-September period, net space leased was 107,935 square feet, compared to a loss of 466,221 square feet in the second quarter. At the end of September, 138,299 square feet of industrial space was under construction.

? George Hackett, president of Coldwell Banker Pittsburgh, was elected president and director of West Penn Multi-List Inc. for a two-year term. Other officers are Helen Hanna Casey, president, Howard Hanna Co., vice president and director; Robert Freeman, president, Freeman Realty Co., treasurer and director; Thomas Hosack, president, Northwood Realty Co., secretary and director; and Ronald Croushore, president, Prudential Preferred Realty, director. Barbara Kohl, who has served as executive vice president, is chief operating officer.

? AE Works Ltd., based in Pittsburgh, was architect and engineer for the recently completed James Van Zandt VA Medical Center Rehabilitation Clinic campus in Altoona.

? LaCreesha McKenzie and her daughters moved into a house at 3932 40th St., New Brighton, on Dec. 15; it was the 50th home built through Habitat for Humanity of Beaver County.

? A fall completion date is scheduled for the University of Pittsburgh?s $87 million Graduate School of Public Health expansion and renovation project. The work includes a laboratory pavilion that will add 58,000 square feet of space and a 215-seat auditorium. The renovation of all facilities, which house the majority of the school?s classrooms, offices and laboratories, will be completed in 2016.

Sam Spatter is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7843 or sspatter@tribweb.com.

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Source: http://triblive.com/business/realestate/3110208-74/president-director-estate

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Saturday, December 22, 2012

Wall Street Week Ahead: A lump of coal for "Fiscal Cliff-mas"

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street traders are going to have to pack their tablets and work computers in their holiday luggage after all.

A traditionally quiet week could become hellish for traders as politicians in Washington are likely to fall short of an agreement to deal with $600 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts due to kick in early next year. Many economists forecast that this "fiscal cliff" will push the economy into recession.

Thursday's debacle in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Speaker John Boehner failed to secure passage of his own bill that was meant to pressure President Obama and Senate Democrats, only added to worry that the protracted budget talks will stretch into 2013.

Still, the market remains resilient. Friday's decline on Wall Street, triggered by Boehner's fiasco, was not enough to prevent the S&P 500 from posting its best week in four.

"The markets have been sort of taking this in stride," said Sandy Lincoln, chief market strategist at BMO Asset Management U.S. in Chicago, which has about $38 billion in assets under management.

"The markets still basically believe that something will be done," he said.

If something happens next week, it will come in a short time frame. Markets will be open for a half-day on Christmas Eve, when Congress will not be in session, and will close on Tuesday for Christmas. Wall Street will resume regular stock trading on Wednesday, but volume is expected to be light throughout the rest of the week with scores of market participants away on a holiday break.

For the week, the three major U.S. stock indexes posted gains, with the Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> up 0.4 percent, the S&P 500 <.spx> up 1.2 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> up 1.7 percent.

Stocks also have booked solid gains for the year so far, with just five trading sessions left in 2012: The Dow has advanced 8 percent, while the S&P 500 has climbed 13.7 percent and the Nasdaq has jumped 16 percent.

IT COULD GET A LITTLE CRAZY

Equity volumes are expected to fall sharply next week. Last year, daily volume on each of the last five trading days dropped on average by about 49 percent, compared with the rest of 2011 - to just over 4 billion shares a day exchanging hands on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq and NYSE MKT in the final five sessions of the year from a 2011 daily average of 7.9 billion.

If the trend repeats, low volumes could generate a spike in volatility as traders keep track of any advance in the cliff talks in Washington.

"I'm guessing it's going to be a low volume week. There's not a whole lot other than the fiscal cliff that is going to continue to take the headlines," said Joe Bell, senior equity analyst at Schaeffer's Investment Research, in Cincinnati.

"A lot of people already have a foot out the door, and with the possibility of some market-moving news, you get the possibility of increased volatility."

Economic data would have to be way off the mark to move markets next week. But if the recent trend of better-than-expected economic data holds, stocks will have strong fundamental support that could prevent selling from getting overextended even as the fiscal cliff negotiations grind along.

Small and mid-cap stocks have outperformed their larger peers in the last couple of months, indicating a shift in investor sentiment toward the U.S. economy. The S&P MidCap 400 Index <.mid> overcame a technical level by confirming its close above 1,000 for a second week.

"We view the outperformance of the mid-caps and the break of that level as a strong sign for the overall market," Schaeffer's Bell said.

"Whenever you have flight to risk, it shows investors are beginning to have more of a risk appetite."

Evidence of that shift could be a spike in shares in the defense sector, expected to take a hit as defense spending is a key component of the budget talks.

The PHLX defense sector index <.dfx> hit a historic high on Thursday, and far outperformed the market on Friday with a dip of just 0.26 percent, while the three major U.S. stock indexes finished the day down about 1 percent.

Following a half-day on Wall Street on Monday ahead of the Christmas holiday, Wednesday will bring the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. It is expected to show a ninth-straight month of gains.

U.S. jobless claims on Thursday are seen roughly in line with the previous week's level, with the forecast at 360,000 new filings for unemployment insurance, compared with the previous week's 361,000.

(Wall St Week Ahead runs every Friday. Questions or comments on this column can be emailed to: rodrigo.campos(at)thomsonreuters.com)

(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Additional reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Jan Paschal)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wall-street-week-ahead-lump-coal-fiscal-cliff-012316294--finance.html

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Conn. town in mourning inundated with gifts, money

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) ? Peter Leone was busy making deli sandwiches and working the register at his Newtown General Store when he got a phone call from Alaska. It was a woman who wanted to give him her credit card number.

"She said, 'I'm paying for the next $500 of food that goes out your door,'" Leone said. "About a half hour later another gentleman called, I think from the West Coast, and he did the same thing for $2,000."

Money, toys, food and other gifts have poured in from around the world as Newtown mourns the loss of 20 children and six school employees at Sandy Hook Elementary School a little over a week ago. The 20-year-old shooter, Adam Lanza, killed his mother before attacking the school then killing himself. Police don't know what set off the massacre.

Saturday, all the town's children were invited to the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown to choose from among hundreds of toys donated by individuals, organizations and toy stores ? and funeral services for victims continued.

The giving is a way for people beyond Newtown to deal with their own grief over the shooting.

"It's their way if grieving," said Bobbi Veach, who was fielding donations at the town hall building. "They say, 'I feel so bad, I just want to do something to reach out.' That's why we accommodate everybody we can."

The basement of the building resembled a toy store, with piles of stuffed penguins, Barbie dolls, board games, soccer balls and other fun gifts. All the toys were inspected and examined by bomb-sniffing dogs before being sorted and put on card tables. The children could choose whatever they wanted.

"But we're not checking IDs at the door," said Tom Mahoney, the building administrator, who's in charge of handling gifts. "If there is a child from another town who comes in need of a toy, we're not going to turn them away."

The United Way of Western Connecticut said the official fund for donations had $2.6 million in it Saturday morning. Others sent envelopes stuffed with cash to pay for coffee at the general store, and a shipment of cupcakes arrived from a gourmet bakery in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The Postal Service reported a six-fold increase in mail in town and set up a unique post office box to handle it. The parcels come decorated with rainbows and hearts drawn by school children.

Some letters arrive in packs of 26 identical envelopes ? one for each family of the children and staff killed or addressed to the "First Responders" or just "The People of Newtown." One card arrived from Georgia addressed to "The families of 6 amazing women and 20 beloved angels." Many contain checks.

"This is just the proof of the love that's in this country," said Postmaster Cathy Zieff.

The funerals for the victims were wrapping up after a wrenching week of farewells in Newtown. Services were scheduled Saturday in Connecticut for Josephine Gay, 7, and Ana Marquez-Greene, 6. A service was also planned in Utah for 6-year-old Emilie Parker.

Many people have placed flowers, candles and stuffed animals at makeshift memorials that have popped up all over town. Others are stopping by the Edmond Town Hall on Main Street to drop off food, or toys, or cash. About 60,000 teddy bears have been donated, said Ann Benoure, a social services caseworker who was working at the town hall.

"There's so much stuff coming in," Mahoney, of Newtown, said. "To be honest, it's a bit overwhelming; you just want to close the doors and turn the phone off."

Mahoney said the town of some 27,000 with a median household income of more than $111,000 plans to donate whatever is left over to shelters or other charities.

Sean Gillespie of Colchester, who attended Sandy Hook Elementary, and Lauren Minor, who works at U.S. Foodservice in Norwich, came from Calvary Chapel in Uncasville with a car filled with food donated by U.S. Foodservice. But they were sent elsewhere because the refrigerators in Newtown were overflowing with donations.

"We'll find someplace," Gillespie said. "It won't go to waste."

In addition to the town's official fund, other private funds have been set up. Former Sandy Hook student Ryan Kraft, who once babysat Lanza, set up a fund with other alumni that has collected almost $150,000. It is earmarked for the Sandy Hook PTA.

Rabbi Shaul Praver of Congregation Adath Israel is raising money for a memorial to the victims. He said one man wrote a check for $52,000 for that project.

Several colleges, including the University of Connecticut, have set up scholarship funds to pay for the educations of students at Sandy Hook and the relatives of the victims.

Town officials have not decided yet what to do with all the money. A board of Newtown community leaders is being established to determine how it is most needed and will be best utilized, said Isabel Almeida with the local United Way, which has waived all its administrative fees related to the fund.

She said some have wondered about building a new school for Sandy Hook students if the town decides to tear the school down, but that decision has not been made.

And while the town is grateful for all the support, Almeida said, it has no more room for those gifts. Instead, she encouraged people to donate to others in memory of the Sandy Hook victims.

"Send those teddy bears to a school in your community or an organization that serves low income children, who are in need this holiday season, and do it in memory of our children," she said.

___

Associated Press writers Jesse Washington, Allen Breed, Chris Sullivan, Eileen Connelly, Susan Haigh and John Christoffersen contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/conn-town-mourning-inundated-gifts-money-173114867.html

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Video: Postal Service comes to Santa?s aid

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40153870/vp/50274977#50274977

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Gillmor Gang Live 12.21.12. (TCTV)

Gillmor Gang test patternGillmor Gang - Keith Teare, Kevin Marks, Robert Scoble, John Taschek, and Steve Gillmor. Recording live today at 11:30am Pacific.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/lvMhuevhY88/

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Friday, December 21, 2012

AT AMAZON, up to 66% off in Automotive Blowout Deals?. - PJ Media

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

Source: http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/160120/

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Lincoln vet and family get new home for holidays - News, Weather ...

By: Megan Palera
mpalera@klkntv.com

A homeless Lincoln veteran and his family get a new roof over their heads just in time for the holidays.

Santa Clause traveled all the way from the North Pole to bring an early Christmas to the Mogensen's. Presents were brought in one by one and stacked high thanks the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, or CVMA.

"The presents are nice but for me it's really about being able to help somebody and just letting people know that other people still think about them and that they're cared about," CVMA PR Officer Ty Boyer said.

Joseph Mogensen is an army veteran who lost his job earlier this year. Unable to make rent, his family was forced to move into the People's City Mission. They stayed for five months until the VA hospital helped them find a new home. And the Motorcycle Association helped them find furnishings.

"We have 4 bedrooms, 3 levels - it's great! Backyard. The kids are very happy here," Joseph's wife, Wendy said.

Now with a fresh start, new home and new friends, the Mogensen's fell truly blessed this Christmas.

"It's nice to know that stuff like this can and still does happen in today's society," Joseph said.

"Made my kids have a great Christmas now. It's just made it wonderful," Wendy said.

Source: http://www.klkntv.com/story/20388251/lincoln-vet-and-family-get-new-home-for-holidays

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Impaired melatonin secretion may play a role in premenstrual syndrome

Dec. 19, 2012 ? A new study by Douglas Mental Health University Institute researchers shows altered body rhythms of the hormone melatonin in Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) women with insomnia. This finding may help explain some of the sleep disruptions experienced by women with PMDD, also known as premenstrual syndrome.

PMDD is a mood disorder which appears in the week preceding menses, and affects about 3-8% of women. PMDD sufferers can experience depression, tension, and irritability of sufficient intensity to interfere with daily activities and relationships. Disturbed sleep is also a common symptom of the disorder, with up to 70% of patients frequently reporting either poor sleep quality with increased awakenings or excessive sleepiness during the symptomatic phase.

First study in a highly controlled time-isolation environment

Dr. Diane B. Boivin's team at the Centre for Study and Treatment of Circadian Rhythms at the Douglas Institute investigated how rhythms of the hormone melatonin vary across the 24-hour day in a group of women with PMDD and a group of healthy controls. In the study, participants underwent two 24-hour laboratory visits, once during the pre-ovulatory follicular phase and again during the post-ovulatory luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Each visit consisted of intensive physiological monitoring under highly controlled time-isolation conditions. During this time, blood samples were collected to determine circulating plasma melatonin levels.

The main finding was that compared to healthy controls, PMDD women had significantly decreased melatonin secretion levels during the night-time hours. PMDD women also had a further reduction of melatonin levels during their symptomatic luteal phase compared to the asymptomatic follicular phase.

Clinical implications of reduced melatonin in PMDD The prevalence of insomnia and depression are both about twice as high in women than in men, yet the reasons for this are still not fully understood. The current results highlight the importance of considering melatonin and circadian rhythms as factors leading to PMDD, with many clinical implications.

"Clearly understanding the mechanisms and specific pathophysiology of PMDD can help improve treatments, including both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches, for this disorder," said lead author Dr. Ari Shechter.

By targeting the melatonin system specifically, or, more broadly, the circadian system, clinicians may be able to better treat symptoms, including insomnia, in PMDD.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Douglas Mental Health University Institute.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Ari Shechter, Paul Lesp?rance, N. M. K. Ng Ying Kin, Diane B. Boivin. Pilot Investigation of the Circadian Plasma Melatonin Rhythm across the Menstrual Cycle in a Small Group of Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (12): e51929 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051929

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/depression/~3/Qz58R8maDcA/121219174152.htm

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NHL Player Meets, Praises Overseas-deployed Troops

NHL Player Meets, Praises Overseas-deployed Troops

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

STUTTGART, Germany, Dec. 19, 2012 ? Matt Hendricks, a member of the National Hockey League who plays for the Washington Capitals, said he ?met a lot of tremendous men and women? during this year?s USO holiday tour sponsored by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey.

Dempsey, accompanied by his senior enlisted advisor, Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, and their spouses brought along a crop of talent -- including Hendricks -- to entertain overseas-deployed troops.

Hendricks shared his thoughts about being invited to take part in this year?s USO holiday tour.

?I know some people that have come over here -- Kellie [Pickler], Toby Keith ?- some great people,? he said. ?So I was honored to get the invite.?

The Blaine, Minn. native said his father, a former Marine, encouraged him to join the tour.

?I talked to my dad and he just told me, ?Son, other than raising your kids, this will be the best thing you can do in life. Go over there and kind of boost morale of the troops. Show them that you appreciate them and everything that they?re doing for us back home,?? Hendricks said.

?I took what he said to heart,? the hockey player added.

Hendricks was joined by fellow athletes Ross Detwiler and Craig Stammen of the Washington Nationals Major League Baseball team, comedian Iliza Shlesinger, winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing and country music singer Kellie Pickler.

Sloan D. Gibson, the USO president, and Shane Hudella, of ?Defending the Blue Line,? an organization that donates hockey equipment to military families, also traveled on the USO tour.

Hendricks said he has worked with other groups that support the military.

?I haven't had experience with the USO [until now], but I've had experience with a lot of other charities for the military, such as the Wounded Warriors with the Washington Capitals, 'Defending the Blue Line' with Shane Hudella, and then, you meet people along the way, too,? he said.

Hendricks said he enjoys playing at Washington?s Verizon Center in front of the NHL's ?best fans? and noted the Washington Capitals do ?a great job of supporting the troops.?

And despite a grueling schedule as the USO group strived to meet as many troops as possible, Hendricks said he would happily participate in another USO tour.

?It's been great. Not only the time, the effort, the funding that comes from every individual that works with the USO, but how hard they push us ? to see as many troops as we can,? he said.

?And that's what it's all about,? Hendricks added. ?We don't want to [get to] the end of the day and say, ?We could have seen these people. We had [wasted] five hours just sitting there doing nothing.?

?I've met a lot of tremendous men and women,? he continued. ?I've got to land on an aircraft carrier, tour an aircraft carrier, fly in a Black Hawk -- a couple of times.?

Hendricks said one of his best experiences on the USO tour was his meeting with a service member stationed at an outpost in southern Afghanistan.

?He had his hockey stick with him for me to sign and he was so happy and excited,? Hendricks recalled. ?I didn't know that getting a signed hockey stick could do that for somebody.?
?

Source: http://www.defense.gov//news/newsarticle.aspx?id=118836

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THE GREAT GATSBY Character Poster Parade Continues; Heralds Daisy?s Debut

Guys! It?s getting hot in here. It?s been a veritable parade this week of character poster debuts for director Baz Luhrmann?s fantastical 3D reimagining of F. Scott Fitzgerald?s roaring 20?s novel THE GREAT GATBSY. And I couldn?t be happier about it! So far we?ve seen Myrtle Wilson (Isla Fisher), Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton, and Jordan Baker (Elizabeth Debicki). Today we see the beautiful?but fragile Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan) make her poster debut.

Daisy Buchanan is Nick Carraway?s second cousin and is married to a brute of a man, Tom Buchanan.?At the novel?s melodramatic core is the unrequited love story between her and her ex-beau, millionaire Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio).

We?ve only got one more poster to go? Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio).

THE GREAT GATSBY opens in 3D and 2D theaters on May 10, 2013.

About the author: Courtney Howard View all posts by Courtney Howard

Born and raised in Northern California, Courtney has had a love of Hollywood ever since seeing her first film in theaters at age 6 (E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL). In 8th grade she was voted most likely to work with the Hollywood elite, and was the only girl in her high school to have a subscription to Entertainment Weekly. Majoring in film at BIOLA University taught her more about the movie making craft and film theory. She also possesses a wealth of useless knowledge of celebrities? careers and personal lives, which she put to good use during tryouts for the VH1 game show THE WORLD SERIES OF POP CULTURE. Courtney now resides in Southern CA with her husband and perfect little dachshund.


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Source: http://veryaware.com/2012/12/the-great-gatsby-character-poster-parade-continues-heralds-daisys-debut/

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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

APNewsBreak: $1 coin backers give to Harkin center

FILE - In this July 22, 2000 file photo, Iowa Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, right, looks over the shoulder of Paul Dunfee, a hot mill operator, while touring PMX Industries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jin Roy Ryu, a South Korean businessman who runs the metals company that supplies the U.S. Mint, gave $500,000 to a university institute honoring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, who is pushing for a dollar coin that could generate tens of millions of dollars in new business for the company, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/The Cedar Rapids Gazette, Miranda Meyer, File)

FILE - In this July 22, 2000 file photo, Iowa Democratic U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, right, looks over the shoulder of Paul Dunfee, a hot mill operator, while touring PMX Industries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Jin Roy Ryu, a South Korean businessman who runs the metals company that supplies the U.S. Mint, gave $500,000 to a university institute honoring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, who is pushing for a dollar coin that could generate tens of millions of dollars in new business for the company, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. (AP Photo/The Cedar Rapids Gazette, Miranda Meyer, File)

(AP) ? A South Korean businessman and his Iowa metals company gave $500,000 to a university institute honoring U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, who is pushing for a dollar coin that could generate tens of millions of dollars in new business for the company, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

The donations to Iowa State University's Harkin Institute of Public Policy, uncovered through an open-records request, fall into a gray area in rules prohibiting companies that lobby from contributing to charitable funds "maintained or controlled" by sitting senators. Iowa Republicans allege that such donations to the powerful Democrat's namesake institute raise a conflict of interest.

Cedar Rapids-based PMX Industries called its $250,000 donation a good-natured gesture to support education. The CEO of the company and its Seoul-based parent, Poongsan Corp., Jin Roy Ryu, also gave $250,000.

Harkin's spokeswoman said the senator wasn't influenced by the contributions and did nothing improper. But PMX, which supplies the U.S. Mint with metal to make the dollar coin as well as nickels, dimes and quarters, stands to make a huge profit should Harkin succeed in his effort to eventually replace the dollar bill with dollar coins. PMX is part of the Dollar Coin Alliance, a group lobbying for Harkin's legislation.

"You certainly have an appearance problem. It doesn't look good," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "On the other hand, who is going to give money to this? People who love Senator Harkin. And who is going to love Senator Harkin? People whose interests he's championed."

Because Ryu isn't a U.S. citizen, he isn't allowed to donate to Harkin's campaign. Contributing instead to the institute opens a new avenue for the businessman to curry favor with an influential lawmaker, Sloan said.

The institute, created last year to house Harkin's papers and research domestic and foreign policy, was embroiled in controversy even before questions about the donations. Harkin is objecting to an order from ISU President Steven Leath that bars agricultural research without approval from the school's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development. Harkin backers have called that a restriction on academic freedom and discussed moving the institute to Drake University. The two sides are at an impasse.

Concerned about potential conflicts of interest, the Republican-led Board of Regents decided last year that no other academic institutes in Iowa could be named after current politicians.

Nationally, lawmakers have routinely set up charities and honorary institutes. Senate rules bar lobbying firms from donating to a charity controlled by the lawmaker, including situations when relatives serve on the board. Harkin's wife, Ruth, has acted as an institute advisory board member, attending meetings and voting, even though university officials say she was never officially appointed to that role. Harkin's office says neither Harkin violated the ethics rule.

A number of lawmakers have faced scrutiny over donations to similar institutes. Harkin unlikely would face sanctions as long as he wasn't soliciting contributions from companies at the same time they asked him for legislative help, Sloan said.

Harkin, a former presidential candidate who has served nearly four decades in Congress, has long supported dollar coins, which he says create Iowa jobs, last longer than paper bills and are better for the environment. Many other countries have switched, and the General Accountability Office argues it would save taxpayers money.

But the coins have proven unpopular with U.S. consumers. The Obama administration last year halted production of the $1 presidential coin series, started in 2007 to feature different presidents every year, amid low demand. Vice President Joe Biden called the presidential coin ? created under a 2005 law that Harkin co-sponsored ? an example of wasteful government spending and said suspending it would save $50 million.

The U.S. Mint has paid PMX Industries $94 million for dollar coin fabrication and metal since 2008 and $458 million overall since then, spokesman Michael White said. He said the agency hasn't estimated how much PMX would receive under a $1 coin.

Ryu and his wife gave $125,000 to the institute in September 2011, as did PMX. The couple and PMX each gave $125,000 more in October. In between, Harkin announced the introduction of the $1 coin legislation and toured the company to meet with workers.

Spokeswoman Kate Cyrul Frischmann said Harkin's actions "are not related to or affected by anyone's charitable contributions to Iowa State." In Seoul, a Poongsan spokesman said Ryu was traveling and unavailable for comment.

Donors have pledged $3.1 million for the ISU institute. Half of that money has actually been given, and PMX and Ryu's gifts are among the largest. University officials have said they hope to raise $10 million to create an endowment for the institute.

The donors include unions and companies who can be affected by Harkin, chairman of the health, education, labor and pensions committee. Beyond PMX, the herbal and dietary supplement industry, which Harkin has championed, has been particularly generous. General Nutrition Centers, the Pittsburgh-based chain known as GNC, has pledged $200,000, and Torrance, Calif.-based Herbalife International has promised $100,000.

Senate rules say steps should be taken to avoid soliciting companies that have business with a member's office. Harkin's spokeswoman said last year he had not solicited donations but declined comment on whether that's changed. Email messages released by ISU under the public records law indicate that Harkin and his wife are playing active roles in institute fundraising.

"Tom thinks the fundraising will go well with some leads he has," ISU President Leath wrote to Ruth Harkin after meeting with Tom Harkin in Washington last summer.

PMX Industries Vice President Jim Richardson said the president of the university's charitable foundation, not Harkin, asked for the donations. But university officials refused to explain why the company was solicited.

"If anybody made an implication that it was a payback, I would take great umbrage at that," Richardson said.

___

AP reporter Youkyung Lee contributed from Seoul.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-12-18-Harkin%20Institute-Donations/id-28e90e4566994120acab39c86e138120

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How renewable energy is rescuing US schools from budget cuts

Educators across the country are finding millions of dollars in savings through cheap and simple forms of renewable energy. Since 2003, one school district has cut more than $7 million in energy costs. That equates to 45 teaching positions.

By Erin L. McCoy,?YES! Magazine / December 18, 2012

Student gather on the first day of school at Wyandotte Elementary School near Lafayette, Ind., in 2011. Wyandotte is one of many US schools that have made cutting energy use a priority. In Richardsville, Ky., one elementary school is more than 'net zero': It sells about $2,000 in electricity each month back to the local utility.

Michael Heinz/The Journal & Courier/AP/File

Enlarge

As the new Richardsville Elementary School rose from its foundations on a rural road north of Bowling Green, Ky., fourth-grader Colton Hendrick was watching closely.

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He would climb to the top of the playground equipment across the street and watch construction crews hauling in bamboo flooring and solar panels.

?He wants to be an architect some day,? recalled Manesha Ford, elementary curriculum coordinator and leader of the school?s energy team. ?He would sit and draw, draw all the different aspects.?

But Richardsville Elementary would not only capture Hendrick?s imagination?it would come to inspire his classmates and school districts around the world. When Richardsville opened its doors in fall 2010, it was the first ?net zero? school in the nation, meaning that the school produces more energy on-site than it uses in a year.

Solar tubes piping sunlight directly into classrooms eliminate much of the school?s demand for electric light, while a combination of geothermal and solar power cut down on the rest of the energy bill. Concrete floors treated with a soy-based stain don?t need buffing. The kitchen, which in most schools contributes to 20 percent of the energy bill, houses a combi-oven that cooks healthier meals and eliminates frying. This means an exhaust fan doesn?t pipe the school?s temperature-controlled air to the outdoors all day long. Meanwhile, ?green screens? in the front hall track the school?s energy usage so kids can see the impact of turning off a light in real time.

These and other innovations make Richardsville better than net zero. It actually earns about $2,000 a month selling excess energy to the Tennessee Valley Authority.

But building a green school isn?t enough, according to architect Philip C. Gayhart, principal in the architecture firm Sherman Carter Barnhart, which built Richardsville and has helped the Warren County School District achieve Energy Star ratings for 17 of its 24 schools.

Three factors are essential to making a green school work: First, you need the participation of the community and the local power company; second, you can?t forget that a school is a dynamic learning environment; and third, you need to speak the language of money.

Since the economic recession began in 2008, school districts have suffered. Local tax bases were shaken as property values plummeted, and states have cut back on funding to districts, which were pushed to cut funds wherever they were able. Addressing energy use made a lot of financial sense.

Few states have been harder hit than Arizona, where the 21.8 percent decrease in per-pupil spending was the highest in the nation.

Sue Pierce, director of facility planning and energy with the Washington Elementary School District in Phoenix, watched as teacher positions were cut, furlough days were scheduled, and $6 million in annual facilities funding disappeared.

?We saw that energy was really an area where we could perhaps save money by simply changing behavior,? Pierce said. ?I approached the superintendent and asked permission to develop a program.?

The district?s new energy policy aimed to cut energy consumption district-wide by 10 percent in the first year and 40 percent over the next five years. As part of the program, Pierce began to distribute monthly reports on energy usage, which included every school in the district.

Some schools took to the program more quickly than others.

?Just by changing behaviors, they were showing 10 and 15 percent reduction the first or second month,? she said. The reports then fueled a competition between schools, and by the end of the first year, energy use had been cut 15 percent district-wide.

Since that time, the district has hosted a pilot program that, for the first time, demonstrated the feasibility of geothermal power in Arizona. Another pilot used smart water sensors to cut outdoor water use, and was so successful that the cost of the sensors was recouped in less than three months. The district even won funding to build two ?green schoolhouses.?

Including grants the district has won, Pierce concludes the district has saved more than $15 million.

And while the district?s commitment to environmental consciousness has never been stronger, Pierce thinks that broaching the issue as a financial concern, rather than an environmental one, was the smartest approach.

The school district initially adopted the changes ?as a way to save money, to save jobs for teachers,? she said. ?What started out as a way to save money for the district?and it has?has evolved into a commitment to sustainability.?

While Washington Elementary School District and many others like it were just kicking off their energy programs in 2008, Richardsville Elementary and the rest of the Warren County School District were already five years ahead of the game.

The district had kicked off its district-wide energy campaign in 2003 under the direction of a forward-thinking superintendent, according to district Public Relations Coordinator Joanie Hendricks. The district was growing by about 400 students per year, and construction projects seemed to be always on the agenda.

So Warren County became one of the first districts in Kentucky to hire an energy manager and was able to save $560,499 in the first year by making small changes.

That first year of savings inspired the ambitious plans that came next, Hendrick said. ?When you save half a million dollars in just changing your mindset, it just becomes a simple idea.?

Since 2003, the district has offset more than $7 million in energy costs. That equates to 45 teaching positions. It?s a number that really speaks to people.

?It makes you think twice when you?re going out the door to turn around and turn the light switch off,? Hendrick said, ?when you know that could save somebody?s job.?

By the time Warren County decided to focus on greener schools, the architects at Sherman Carter Barnhart had been incorporating newer and greener materials in their plans for years.

?The perception is?and it?s not all wrong?is that it?s more costly, and we think if it?s done correctly it?s not really more costly,? Gayhart said. ?I think the real ?green? is the dollars you can save the client in the life of the building. That?s the legacy you want.?

In 2005, Alvaton Elementary in Warren County opened using 36 kBtus of energy per square foot annually. That?s less than half the national average for schools, which is 73 kBtus. A few years later, Plano Elementary was using 28 kBtus, and today, Richardsville and two net zero-ready schools in the district use only 18 kBtus per square foot.

Net zero-ready schools have everything a net zero school has, minus the solar panels, which Richardsville was able to afford with the help of federal stimulus grants that have since run dry. Bardstown City Schools Finance Director Pat Hagan said although his district is implementing energy-saving measures, the up-front cost of solar doesn?t make financial sense right now.

Bardstown, situated in north central Kentucky, has two schools with geothermal systems.

?They?re a little more expensive to put in but you get your money back pretty quickly,? Hagan said.

Still, all options are on the table for a new school in the planning stages for Bardstown, which expects to see a bid from Sherman Carter Barnhart.

?When they built [Bardstown] High School in ?59 I don?t think anybody thought about energy at all,? Hagan said. ?Nobody thought about it even from a cost or environmental view. Now, that?s the first two things you ask.?

For the next generation, this outlook may become a way of life. The schools described in this article have all integrated environmental and sustainability components into their curriculums, and students have adopted these issues passionately.

?For the students, it?s the learning opportunity? said Ford, leader of Richardsville?s energy team. ?It?s something that?s going to be a part of their life for a long time, so we?re teaching them and we?re having them become the teachers.?

That energy team leads visitors from schools around the world on tours of Richardsville, and has audited just about every appliance in the building.

?They?ll leave a note that says, ?Mrs. Jones, you have a cell phone charger plugged in, and you?re not using it. That?s going to cost us $5 a week,?? Joanie Hendricks laughed, ?and you know, there?s nothing more powerful than getting a note from a kid.?

? Erin L. McCoy wrote this article for YES! Magazine, a national, nonprofit media organization that fuses powerful ideas and practical actions. Erin worked as a newspaper reporter and photographer in Kentucky for almost two years. She is now a Seattle-based freelance writer specializing in education, environment, cultural issues, and travel, informed by her time teaching English in Malaysia and other travels. Contact her at elmccoy [at] gmail [dot] com or on Twitter @ErinLMcCoy.

? Sign up to receive a weekly selection of practical and inspiring Change Agent articles by?clicking here.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/SF5PJp0gk4g/How-renewable-energy-is-rescuing-US-schools-from-budget-cuts

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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Wedding Planner: torna Enzo Miccio

Siete in procinto di fare ?il grande passo?? Allora non potete perdervi la sesta stagione di?Wedding Planner, partito ieri alle ore 21.10 sempre su Real Time. A condurlo c'? ancora lui: Enzo Miccio, il wedding planner pi? famoso della tv.?

Per quei pochi che non l'avessero mai visto, ricordiamo che il programma svela il backstage di quello che dovrebbe essere un matrimonio perfetto.

Enzo Miccio, di puntata in puntata, aiuta le varie coppie di sposi ad affrontare la preparazione nel migliore dei modi: dagli inviti alla scelta della location, dal menu alla luna di miele, senza scordarsi uno degli elementi fondamentali, gli abiti (leggi qui come organizzare online un matrimonio).?

I nuovi episodi di Wedding Planner, che vi terranno compagnia ogni venerd? sera, sono stati girati a Trani, Napoli, Ravello e Campobasso.


Source: http://www.alfemminile.com/matrimonio/sesta-stagione-wedding-planner-con-enzo-miccio-n213464.html

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Hotels promote Mayan prophecy and apocalyptic packages

1 hr.

In the hotel business, there?s nothing like a big event to fire up the promotional marketing machine: Think Christmas, New Year?s Eve or the Super Bowl.

The end of the world and life as we know it? Sure, why not? After all, if you?re on the cusp of the Apocalypse, you might as well party like there?s no tomorrow.

At least that appears to be the case in the waning days of the so-called Long Count in the Mayan calendar, a 5,125-year cycle set to end on Dec. 21. Doomsday, it seems, is the ideal time to celebrate a last-hurrah, pull-out-the-stops and drain-the-bank-account vacation.

The reality, of course, is that reports of the world?s impending death are greatly exaggerated, or at least prone to misinterpretation.

?Despite popular beliefs that the end of the Maya calendar on Dec. 21, 2012, coincides with the end of the world, the Maya people actually view the event as a new beginning, the awakening of a period for self-reflection, rejuvenation and reconnection with nature,? said Laila Medina, spa director of Sandos Hotels & Resorts, which operates several resorts along Mexico?s Riviera Maya.

In other words, life will go on; you?ll still be able to get room service on Dec. 22, and, sorry to say, you?ll still have to pay your January credit card bill. Nevertheless, if you?re seeking a bed for the ?end of the world,? here are some options:

Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa: This all-inclusive resort on the outskirts of Playa del Carmen will celebrate the big day with Mayan ceremonies, ?meet and greet? sessions with indigenous residents from Coba and a special Mayan breakfast on Dec. 22 (presumably subject to change if the unthinkable happens). Rates start at $220 per night.

Rosewood Mayakoba: Just up the road, this recently renovated resort is offering two Mayan-inspired packages: The 5-day Rosewood Rebirth package includes lectures, guided tours of Coba and other historic sites and a New Beginning?s Eve party on the beach for $6,400 per couple. Those with money to burn ? you can?t take it with you, right? ? can opt for the Ultimate New Beginning package, which augments the above with helicopter transfers and other high-end amenities for a mere $79,000 per couple.

The Curtis: Proving that doomsday doesn?t suffer from geographic limitations, Denver?s Curtis hotel offers a Party Like There?s No To-Maya package on the big day. For $12,021, you and two dozen of your friends get the entire 15 floor (26 rooms), a private party and apocalypse-worthy amenities, including freeze-dried foods, gas masks and water-purification tablets. A morning-after brunch is also included for survivors.

Palomar: Travelers who want to explore Mayan culture without going to Mexico may want to head to Philadelphia where the Palomar hotel is offering a special Local Arts package in conjunction with the Penn Museum. The deal includes accommodations, free parking and two VIP tickets to the museum?s Maya 2012: Lords of Time exhibit, which explores the culture?s time-driven universe through sculptures, artifacts and interactive experiences. Rates start at $239 per night.

The Waverton Hotel: End times or new beginning, this Chicago-area hotel offers families a fun way to count down the clock with its very own Mayan-themed indoor waterpark. Its End of the Mayan Calendar package includes lodging and waterpark access for four, plus Mayan-themed foods, games and craft activities. Rooms on Dec. 21 are $99 with a special 50-percent discount if you stay a second night.

Assuming, of course, you?re still around.

Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him at Twitter.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/hotels-promote-mayan-prophecy-apocalyptic-packages-1C7562531

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