auto insurance 38128 There are more drivers hitting the road each year. As this number goes up, the possibility of accidents also goes up. Automobile insurance can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and a large hassle. How can you decide what insurance you require and how to buy it? Mandated coverage varies by state/province but typically includes the following: Liability: Pays for the expenses you have caused to others in a car collision, including property damage and injury. It also covers your defense and court costs if you are sued. Recommended, more comprehensive levels of insurance are available that cover more events than the lower, state-mandated varieties. Personal Injury Protection: This type of insurance pays for hospital bills and other medical treatment for you or other people in your car, no matter who was responsible for the crash. It is required in some states and optional in others. State law typically sets minimum amounts. Medical Payments: Medical payment coverage can be purchased in states that are not considered no-fault and will pay regardless of who is responsible for an accident. If this policy has been bought, the insured person will receive coverage for reasonable medical or funeral costs. Collision: Damages resulting from a car accident will be covered under this type of insurance. Comprehensive: This type of insurance covers any non-collision damages. This could include fire and wind damage, vandalism, and burglary. Uninsured Motorist: This pays for damages when someone with insurance is in an accident caused by a driver who does not have insurance. Under-Insured Motorist: There are other drivers who have liability insurance that might not be able to cover all the expenses they are supposed to take care of. Under-insured motorist coverage protects you from those drivers. Other types of coverage, like car rental, are also available. What you pay for car insurance varies by company and will depend on several factors, including: * Which policies you choose * The type of the vehicle you drive * Your driving record * Your age, sex and marital status * Where you live Many drivers don?t want to pay for auto insurance, but it is honestly something you don?t want to live without. Review your needs, do your research , and with the help of your insurance agent, choose the option that best suits you.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Obama wants gun violence measures passed in 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Recalling the shooting rampage that killed 20 first graders as the worst day of his presidency, President Barack Obama on Sunday pledged to put his "full weight" behind legislation aimed at preventing gun violence.
Obama voiced skepticism about the National Rifle Association's proposal to put armed guards in schools following the Dec. 14 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The president made his comments in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."
Instead, the president vowed to rally the American people around an agenda to limit gun violence, adding that he still supports increased background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity bullet magazines. He left no doubt it will be one of his top priorities next year.
"It is not enough for us to say, 'This is too hard so we're not going to try,'" Obama said.
"I think there are a vast majority of responsible gun owners out there who recognize that we can't have a situation in which somebody with severe psychological problems is able to get the kind of high capacity weapons that this individual in Newtown obtained and gun down our kids," he added. "And, yes, it's going to be hard."
The president added that he's ready to meet with Republicans and Democrats, anyone with a stake in the issue.
The schoolhouse shootings, coming as families prepared for the holidays, have elevated the issue of gun violence to the forefront of public attention. Six adult staff members were also killed at the elementary school. Shooter Adam Lanza committed suicide, apparently as police closed in. Earlier, he had killed his mother at the home they shared.
The tragedy immediately prompted calls for greater gun controls. But the NRA is strongly resisting those efforts, arguing instead that schools should have armed guards for protection. Some gun enthusiasts have rushed to buy semiautomatic rifles of the type used by Lanza, fearing sales may soon be restricted.
Obama seemed unimpressed by the NRA proposal. "I am skeptical that the only answer is putting more guns in schools," he said. "And I think the vast majority of the American people are skeptical that that somehow is going to solve our problem."
The president said he intends to press the issue with the public.
"The question then becomes whether we are actually shook up enough by what happened here that it does not just become another one of these routine episodes where it gets a lot of attention for a couple of weeks and then it drifts away," Obama said. "It certainly won't feel like that to me. This is something that - you know, that was the worst day of my presidency. And it's not something that I want to see repeated."
Separately, a member of the president's cabinet said Sunday that rural America may be ready to join a national conversation about gun control. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the debate has to start with respect for the Second Amendment right to bear arms and recognition that hunting is a way of life for millions of Americans.
But Vilsack said Newtown has changed the way people see the issue. "I really believe that this is a different circumstance and a different situation," Vilsack said on CNN.
Vilsack said he thinks it's possible for Americans to come together. "It's potentially a unifying conversation," he said. "The problem is that these conversations are always couched in the terms of dividing us. This could be a unifying conversation, and Lord knows we need to be unified."
Besides passing gun violence legislation, Obama also listed deficit reduction and immigration as top priorities for 2013. A big deficit reduction deal with Republicans proved elusive this month, and Obama is now hoping Senate Democratic and Republican leaders salvage a scaled-back plan that avoids tax increases for virtually all Americans.
In addition, he issued a defense of former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who has been mentioned as one of the leading candidates to replace Leon Panetta as defense secretary.
Hagel, who opposed President George W. Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq, has been criticized in conservative circles for not being a strong enough ally of Israel. Also, many liberals and gay activists have banded against him for comments he made in 1998 about an openly gay nominee for an ambassadorship
Obama, who briefly served with Hagel in the Senate, stressed that he had yet to make a decision but called Hagel a "patriot."
Hagel "served this country with valor in Vietnam," the president said. "And (he) is somebody who's currently serving on my intelligence advisory board and doing an outstanding job."
Obama noted that Hagel had apologized for his 14-year-old remark on gays.
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The 8 Best Employees Of 2012
It doesn't take all that much to be a good employee. But to be one of the best? Now that takes character.
The following employees saved lives, rescued sick customers, returned lost money and performed tasks that customers never thought plausible. Hats off to you all.
Check out the best employees of 2012:
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Friday, December 21, 2012
Video: Boehner to push for "fiscal cliff" vote on his Plan B (cbsnews)
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Thursday, December 13, 2012
American Horror Story, Season 2
Evan Peters as Kit Walker and Joseph Cromwell as Dr. Arthur Arden in 'American Horror Story.'
Photo by Michael Becker/FX.
J. Bryan Lowder: Good evening, Justin! Welcome to the chat. I?ll just go ahead and get the obvious joke out of the way: NO WIRE HANGERS!!! Ah, that?s better. Now, I have to say, this was probably the most delightfully sacrilegious episode of AHS yet. We had a baptism after fairly graphic abortion and, just to wrap things up, a live crucifixion. I know AHS already scares you a lot?were you not just holding your breath the entire time on this one?
Justin Born: I was, but this is the kind of episode I like. I enjoy all of the religious iconography and reading into the symbolism of that.? Sometimes that stuff can be more terrifying than seeing somebody getting hacked up. But the hanger was a lot! That is sometimes my thing with Ryan Murphy: I got what he was going for but oh so didn't want to see that. Especially when we had to see Lana cleaning up the blood.
Lowder: I know, that was a little much even for me, and I have a decently high tolerance for gore. Of course, we find out in the end that the abortion didn't work (giving us Bloody-Son/Dylan McDermott), and, at least to my taste, it's more twisted to have Lana carry Thredson's son to term. But enough about that. Let's talk about the newly incarcerated Sister Jude. Didn't you think Jessica Lange looked just awesome a little crazed, with her hair down?
Born: I really hope there are some more juicy monologues for Jessica Lange now that Sister Jude is over herself! I can't even imagine as an actor how wonderful that is to have those words and that character. I do like Sister Jude now and found myself rooting for her a lot more than before. Her alliance with Lana is going to get good?I can feel it. But tell me, what did you think of Dylan McDermott?
Lowder: Well, of course I love Dylan McDermott for, let's say, surface reasons. And I am glad he's back on the show, but I wasn't totally buying his whole convict shtick?he had some line like "back in the joint" that sounded just weird to me, but I guess he did play scary psychopath pretty well. Anyone who kills animals is terrifying in my book.
But I'm glad you brought up Sister Jude's new alliance with Lana, because one of the things I noticed about this episode is how many new pairings like that there are. In addition to Jude/Lana, we have Dr. Arden and Kit doing their alien experiment, Santa Claus and the Monsignor (though given the cross, maybe that one is over now) and also the Monsignor and Sister Mary Eunice. Are there any I'm forgetting? I feel like we're really being set-up for a lot of change in the final few episodes...
Born: I think the "aliens" are going to play more prominent in the rest of the episodes, especially with Grace being pregnant. Did you sense a correlation between the religious Christmas Story and Grace being pregnant? She's kinda like the Virgin Mary...well sort of. Ha! Oh! And Pepper TALKED!!! So the aliens could be like ?God,? though I suppose that wouldn't explain the Angel of Death or the Sister Demon.
Lowder: Oh, that's a very interesting theory! I hadn't even thought of the Mary comparison?Pepper did say Grace needed a room in the inn?but I guess we'll have to see if that bears out. What is clear though is that the aliens are very interested in Kit's sperm or something?enough to steal both his wife and asylum lover, as well as to heal Pepper. Speaking of the Angel of Death, I was so glad to see her back with the monsignor, if only for a moment. I'm am still jonesing for the showdown between her and the demon!
Oh, and about that demon, do you have any theories about what her endgame is? Tonight she said she wanted to "save souls all the way to Rome" with the Monsignor, which is possibly maybe a reference to becoming like the antichrist or something like that. Isn't that guy (or gal!) supposed to take over the papacy when he comes? Or am I reading too far into it?
Born: No, I don't think that's reading too far into it. I mean, I felt there were a few things that were not answered last season but in a good way. I think the Demon wants to get to Rome, take over the world, etc., so I don?t think the Monsignor will die. My bet is that Murphy is going to leave the Demon story unresolved. That?s much creepier!
Lowder:?Yeah I would find that ending much creepier too! Just a final glowing glance from Sister Mary Eunice or whomever the demon jumps to next in the final episode. Okay, before we go, let's play the favorite moment game. Did you have one from this episode?
Born: My favorite moment was when Lana was stabbing the pillow with the hanger, followed by her little powwow with Sister Jude. Finally, I feel she's tapped into that dark side to do what needs to be done to survive. Lana is totally going to kill Thredson in the end.
Lowder: Totally, yeah Lana really turned a corner tonight in that regard. I think my favorite moment was when Jude broke that damned record. To me, that signaled a complete pivot for her character into a fighter for the rest of the season. And it was just fierce. Alrighty, I know AHS gives you nightmares, but I will still wish you pleasant dreams and a slumber free of alien abductions! Ciao!
Born: I will return next week to my regular viewings of AHS through my DVR on Sunday mornings, the bright and safe day of the Lord!
Thursday: What other writers and Slate commenters thought about Episode 9.
Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=3e2e9b51663f9a6225290d33a070b5d1
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Saturday, December 8, 2012
Innovation, Prosperity & The Sublime Experience of Service | Boyle ...
Much has been written about success. My book shelf is full authors professing to have the answers to achieving everything from fame to fortune. However, similar to defining wealth, I believe that the definition of success is personal and can change over time. For sake of simplicity, I personally define success as being in a state of peace.
The combination of peace of mind and peace in relationships is powerful. When my mind is peacefully active and I am surrounded by the right people, I thrive. Peace allows innovation and prosperity but also requires real effort. Effort that can be wasted when the mind is not right and I am surrounded by the wrong people.
I have spent the last couple weeks taking personal inventory of my relationships, my bank account, my state of mind and who I spend my time with. It has been a journey of prayer, reflection and has not been without challenging decisions, but it has been exciting. I have had to audit what I do, how I do it and who I want to be with to ensure I am in a state of ongoing peace and prosperity.
I think well with my fingers, writing is cathartic and helps take the intangible and make it real. This blog post is for me, if you find it useful, that?s a big bonus for me. The following are my tenants of success that bring me peace and are proving to bring with it prosperity:
Perpetual Service
A dedication to helping others and serving their needs is a sublime experience of knowing that one is useful and capable of generating harmony and peace in another human being.
Continual Education
Working each day to improve my mindset from scarcity to abundance through mental expansion and self-belief activities. Prepare for abundance by being in an environment to achieve success through instruction and discipline to proven success principles.
Physical Transformation
Changing and powering my body through proper diet, exercise and dress is essential to human development. Lack of physical discipline now will rob me of the ability to enjoy financial rewards in the future. A broken body prevents me from experiencing true abundance.
Strong Relationships
Creating awareness of those who surround me is vital to an environment of innovation and prosperity because I become who I associate with. Finding good mentors and mentoring others creates true abundance exchange through accountability.
Money Consciousness?
The ownership of money and property comes as a result of doing things in a certain way. My current lack or abundance is a result of my choices in the past. My future depends upon vigilance, calculated risk and adherence to the principles of perpetual service, continual education, physical transformation and my strong relationships.
Innovation, Prosperity & The Sublime Experience of Service
Source: http://boylenetwork.com/innovation-prosperity-the-sublime-experience-of-service/
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Egypt protesters breach barriers, march on palace
CAIRO (AP) ? Tens of thousands of Egyptian protesters push past barbed wire fences installed by the army and march on the presidential palace, calling for President Mohammed Morsi to "leave" a day after they say he offered no concessions to opposition demands.
Climbing over tanks of the Republican Guard, protesters streamed toward the palace as night fell Friday, crossing a no-go zone set up around the compound's perimeter.
The area witnessed deadly clashes on Wednesday, when supporters of Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood group drove out crowds camped outside the palace. The clashes left at least six dead and hundreds injured, deepening the schism between the two sides.
Egypt is plunging deeper into crisis as protesters ? mainly liberals? press Morsi to call off a referendum on a draft constitution agreed by his allies.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-protesters-breach-barriers-march-palace-180802790.html
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Friday, December 7, 2012
Techshed / Garcia Tamjidi Architecture Design | ArchDaily
Architects: Garcia Tamjidi Architecture Design
Location: Foster City, California, United States
Builder: Skyline Construction
Photographs: Joe Fletcher
A home improvement marketplace technology company, this open and collaborative work environment was designed with a balance of open office work benches, and spaces for meetings, meditation, play and private phone calls. A gated area with lockers for personal storage encourages bicycle commuting and use of the Bay Trail along the edge of the San Francisco Bay.
Techshed?s brand is expressed with an impactful punch of brand color and in the form of the plywood sheds that house meeting and meditation rooms. An open Caf? with a robust audio visual system doubles as an all hands meeting and presentation space.
Source: http://www.archdaily.com/302977/techshed-garcia-tamjidi-architecture-design/
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Rogers puts all Windows Phone 8 devices on sale, keeps them well under $100
Rogers is currently in a full-court press to get us using Microsoft-branded devices, and it just made that clear through steep, across-the-board sales on everything Windows Phone 8. Nokia's Lumia 920 has dropped from $100 to $50; the yet-to-ship Samsung ATIV S has already dropped from $150 to a more tempting $80 for early adopters. The sweetest of deals may be for the HTC Windows Phone 8X, which has dipped to $30 for a 16GB model and a solitary penny for the 8GB version. For all the cuts, Rogers is careful to warn that they're part of a "limited time offer" and might not last beyond the weekend. We're delving deeper for an official statement on the drops, although the ATIV S cut may be to counter a leaked (and as yet unconfirmed) Bell deal at the same price. Whatever the cause, we'll gladly take steep discounts on cutting-edge hardware.
Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung, HTC, Nokia
Via: MobileSyrup
Source: Rogers
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/07/rogers-puts-all-windows-phone-8-devices-on-sale/
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?30 Rock?: One wedding and a funeral
Image Credit: Ali Goldstein/NBC
Liz Lemon tied the knot last week proving there?s hope for everyone in this strange world. So will she get pregnant with little Rufus T. Barleysheath before the series finale? Only time will tell. Until then, Lemon can bask in the glory of her 80 Under 80 award. While riding her marriage high, Ms. Elizabeth Lemon ? she?s keeping her name ? found out she?d been named one of the women in entertainment who aren?t Betty White. She was thrilled with the honor, particularly when she learned the?ceremony would be broadcast on Lifetime.com/garbagefile.?
But Jenna, who was notably absent from Liz?s wedding, was none too pleased with Liz?s recent nuptials and general success. Jenna was furious that Liz had stolen her thunder. The biggest offense was getting married the day before Jenna?s own surprise wedding to Paul. As you know, Jenna?s been planning a secret wedding to keep up with all the A-listers. (See: Timberbiel, Beyon-Z, and Anne Hathanobody.) But honestly, it?s hard to not steal Jenna?s thunder when, as she puts it, her whole life is thunder. Jenna pretended to make up with Liz and agreed to go to the award luncheon with her. But naturally, Jenna had a secret plan ? which she sang about prior to the first commercial break.
At the award ceremony, we were treated to a slew of guest stars (Pat Battle, Gayle King, Judy Gold, Sue Simmons, and Wendy Williams!) and stereotypes about women (bathroom breaks and bad directions). Bonnie Badamath, played by Andrea Martin, hosted the event that served as the backdrop for Jenna?s revenge. She planned to upstage Liz with a second attempt at her secret wedding. But Liz got wise to her scheme and used her technical lighting skills to literally put Jenna in a bad light. (Sidenote: Jenna as an old lady was almost as entertaining as Lemon on a HD screen.) But in the end, these BFFs made amends and Jenna got her surprise wedding ? weird vows and all. Congratulations are in order for Mrs. and Mr. Jenna Maroney!
Meanwhile, Kenneth was upset because Lemon had fired Hazel, and Hazel had subsequently broken up with him. Tracy tried to cheer him up with a visit from Mrs. Brady herself, Florence Henderson. It was all a part of Tracy?s plan to make Kenneth?s life more like a TV show. This culminated with Tracy ?recasting? Hazel with a young Asian woman. She only had one line, and I?m already liking the new Hazel exponentially more than the old. Let?s hope that recasting sticks.
NEXT: Elaine Stritch returns, and the night?s best lines!
Source: http://feeds.ew.com/~r/ew/popwatch/~3/NzsoNwz4IBY/
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Best Buy moving up dividend payment date to Dec.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Consumer electronics retailer Best Buy is moving up the payment date of its quarterly dividend, a step many companies are taking ahead of potential tax increases in 2013.
If the White House and Republican congressional leaders can't strike a deal on taxes and spending cuts, tax rates on dividend income will rise. That's prompted many companies to review their policies on payouts for shareholders, setting special one-time payments in December or moving up payments originally slated for 2013 to this year.
Best Buy said Wednesday that its quarterly dividend of 17 cents will now be paid on Dec. 31 instead of Jan. 2.
Shares of the Minneapolis company added 12 cents to $12.27 in premarket trading.
Since 2003, investors have paid a maximum 15 percent on dividend income. But that historically low rate will expire in January unless there's a budget deal. As it stands, dividends will be taxed as ordinary income in 2013, the same as wages, so rates will go up depending on which income bracket a taxpayer is in. For the highest earners, the dividend rate would jump to 43.4 percent.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/best-buy-moving-dividend-payment-134038951.html
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Thursday, December 6, 2012
Giveaway: ONE MONTH of Personal Training with Mosaic Health | I ...
6 December 2012 No Comment
Ladies, gentlemen, this is an AMAZING giveaway. Let me tell you a little bit about it. First of all, it?s a full month of personal training in January. What? Wha? Huh? Yes, the perfect month, right? Who doesn?t absolutely need a personal trainer in January? Second, it?s right here in Orange and my new friend, Lucas Enge, makes house calls (not for this giveaway, you have to come to the gym, but to everybody else?house calls!)! All I?ve got to say is?YOU BETTER ENTER FOR THIS ONE!
Here are the details of the giveaway:
- One Free Month of Mosaic Health
- 2 private 45 minute training sessions each week and personalized nutritional counseling
- Redeemable January 2013
- Training sessions take place at Commit to be Fit in Orange (368 S. Tustin Ave)
Lucas & Family
Now it?s time to enter, but before you start clicking away below, please follow me along on Facebook throughout December. I?ll be working out with Lucas and telling you all about it and what I?m learning. All righty now, there are several ways to enter, all sweet and easy!Enter now, the contest ends Sunday night?for every way you enter, you get 1 entry, however you get (2) entries for liking Mosaic Health?s Facebook page and you can get 1 entry per day for tweeting. Do it!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Backwashing and cleaning spa filter | Home Garden Kitchen ...
Whenever you are having spa at your home, you should backwash and clean your spa filter to enjoy your bath in a hygienic way. Let?s have a discussion on the process of backwashing and cleaning filters.
Backwashing
The process of backwashing spa is very simple. It helps to prolong the lifespan of infiltration service and maintain your spa water fresh and sanitary. So it?s essential to backlash filters once in every month. But how to backwash filter in the right way.
Here are a few guidelines:-
- Locating the on and off switch
First of all you need to detect the on and off switch for the pump of the spa filter. Then you have to turn off the position of the filter and search for a round valve on the filter with a handle. The handles can be lifted up and down and can also be pressed down and turned to the position of the backwash i.e. specified on the valve.
After locating the switch, you have to turn on the pump of the filter. The flow of water will go in the reverse direction of filter cleaning. You need to run this for 1 minute. You will find out that initially the water will be a bit cloudy and then will turn clear. As soon as the water becomes clear, you need to turn off the pump of the filter.
Then you have to return to the valve and press down the handle. After that you need to move it to SPA position or else to the back of original position before beginning the process of cleaning the filter.
- Turning on the pump of the filter
Afterward you need to turn on the pump of the filter to successfully complete the procedure of backwashing. Then you need to fill up the water of your spa back to the level as desired by you.
Cleaning
Apart from backwashing, your spa filters should also be cleaned in a proper way. The filter helps to take out the dust as well as the debris from the water of the spa. With the help of the filters, spa water becomes clear and unhealthy bacteria get removed from the water. So the filter should be cleaned on a regular basis for proper functioning. In fact every week the filter should be eliminated. You can clean filters with the help of vinegar at least once in a month.
Let?s have a look at the steps of cleaning:-
Initially you need to turn off the spa pump and turn off the power at circuit breaker.
- Separating lid cover of the filter
Next you need to separate the lid cover of the filter and also slide the filter out of the cylinder. Your filter should be visible when you will sit in the tub. However if you can?t locate the filter, you can have a look at the manual of the manufacturer which provides a diagram of all spa parts.
Then you need to place the filter of the spa in large water container and have to ensure the fact that the whole filter is immersed in water.
- Pouring white vinegar in water
You need to pour at least 3 cups white vinegar in the water.
- Permitting filter to be immersed in solution
Then you have to permit the filter to be immersed in the solution of vinegar for about 60 minutes. It helps the vinegar to get rid of debris coated on the filter.
- Taking filter out of water and solution
After that it is necessary to take out the filter out of water and the solution of vinegar and wash it with garden pipe.
- Placing filter back to normal position
?You also need to place the filter back to the normal position in spa and also break the lid in the right place as it once had.
- Turning back the power at circuit breaker
?And finally you have to turn the power of the spa back to the circuit breaker.
Follow these steps of cleaning and backwashing and maintain your spa in the best possible manner.
?
Author?s Bio:
Daniel Smith is a freelance architect and a home improvement analyst. he has been writing for many online publications since 2007. In his recent articles on spa filters and spa umbrella he shares some useful guidelines. Daniel takes inspirations from Polar Spas Store while drafting his piece of articles.
Source: http://www.sewarenlibrary.com/home-improvements-tips/backwashing-and-cleaning-spa-filter.html
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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
25 top-rated Facebook games from 2012
Games can be both a welcome and an annoying diversion on Facebook, the world's most popular online social network. This year, Facebook crossed a big milestone ? reaching 1 billion active users. Game companies such as "FarmVille" creator Zynga Inc. and Rovio Entertainment Ltd. of "Angry Birds" fame seek to tap into that vast base of users to gain more players for their games.
This week, Facebook Inc. issued a list of the 25 top-rated games that launched on Facebook in 2012. The company says the rankings are based on user ratings and engagement with the games. It's the same methodology that Facebook uses to rank apps in its App Center.
Some of the games are played on Facebook's website, while others are only on Apple Inc.'s iOS or Google Inc.'s Android devices using Facebook's app.
Here's the list:
1. "SongPop" (by FreshPlanet, on Facebook.com, iOS and Android)
2. "Dragon City" (by Social Point, on Facebook.com)
3. "Bike Race" (by Top Free Games, on iOS)
4. "Subway Surfers" (by Kiloo, on iOS and Android)
5. "Angry Birds Friends (by Rovio, on Facebook.com)
6. "FarmVille 2" (by Zynga, on Facebook.com)
7. "Scramble with Friends" (by Zynga, on iOS)
8. "Clash of Clans" (by Supercell, on iOS)
9. "Marvel: Avengers Alliance" (by Playdom, on Facebook.com)
10. "Draw Something" (by Zynga, on iOS and Android)
11. "Hay Day" (by Supercell, on iOS)
12. "Baseball Heroes" (by Syntasia, on Facebook.com)
13. "ChefVille" (by Zynga, on Facebook.com)
14. "CSR Racing" (by NaturalMotion Games, on iOS)
15. "Candy Crush Saga" (by King.com, on Facebook.com and iOS)
16. "Matching With Friends" (by Zynga, on Facebook.com)
17. "Legend Online" (by Oasis Games, on Facebook.com)
18. "Jurassic Park Builder" (by Ludia, on Facebook.com)
19. "Dungeon Rampage" (by Rebel Entertainment, on Facebook.com)
20. "Pockie Ninja II Social" (by NGames Ltd., on Facebook.com)
21. "Jetpack Joyride" (by Halfbrick, on Facebook.com)
22. "Social Empires" (by Social Point, on Facebook.com and iOS)
23. "Bil ve Fethet" (by Peak Games, on Facebook.com)
24. "Ruby Blast Adventures" (by Zynga, on Facebook.com and iOS)
25. "Pyramid Solitaire Saga" (by King.com, on Facebook.com)
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Tips on Mens Health | EzinePR
You?re a experienced health conscious guy who thinks in the importance of making use of mens health supplements to help your health, protect you from disease and allow you to eat well when you?re older.
Men?s health is a very important matter that needs more focus in the media and medical group. Although a lot of advancement has occurred more than the past twenty years there is still much to carry out. We need to distinguish real health problems from cosmetic needs and logic.
The first step is to understand that you?re at risk, doing this you know what to look for. From heart disease and stroke to cancer, some things are inescapable no matter what you try to perform to avoid them.
One of the most valuable resources a guy has nowadays is online men health discussion boards. now if you have a question about your health you don?t need to ask your doctor first.One of the negatives to use men health message boards for information,is that you can?t ever be absolutely sure if the information you?re acquiring is correct.
So the most obvious of ejaculacao precoce tips to apply is to simply eat more fruit and vegetables.
Especially as it all counts. Regardless of whether you eat it refreshing, drink 100% juice, or whichever. Frozen, canned, dried up or fresh. It?s nothing but good and all good for you.
Another guys health diet tip is to change regular head lettuce eating salads with mixed early spring greens or green spinach. While head lettuce provides almost no nutritional value, spinach and mixed greens are usually super foods which might be packed with all the nutritional vitamins you could ever expect for in a tasty salad base.
Regular exercise is one kind of the requirements necessary to address men?s health and fitness issues. The varieties of exercises that will enhance and strengthen the heart muscle groups are highly recommended.
Beef is the ?complete protein? and is good for you, deep-fried food is very tasty, and the brain lives on sugar, so it is not as if those ideas have to be done away with.But the crucial here is balance.Reduce your french fry ingestion in half, and replace them with beans or lead pages.
By taking both a fat and carb blocker you?re fundamentally interfering with two of the three most important macro-nutrients, protein being the third which fundamentally defeats the object associated with eating.
There are so many solutions to help boost and maintain men?s fitness that it is rather easy, with the right determination and fitness program, for men to shed weight and get back into shape.
The most popular organic fat burner however at present receiving great ?rep? about Men?s Health Forum this year is actually the anti-oxidant Acai Burn.
There are a number of male dietary supplements that can be beneficial to prostate gland health, either on their own or even in combination with other nutrients. Saw palmetto, an herb native to the Ocean seaboard, is one of the most popular and thoroughly researched mens health dietary supplements.
Research has shown that men can help maintain prostate gland health by eating Brazil insane, pomegranate juice, scallions, garlic, onions, and, of course, lycopene from garlic.
For more information about ejaculacao precoce como resolver please visit the website.
Source: http://ezinepr.com/web-design-programming/adobe/tips-on-mens-health/
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Incubation Centre Manager Job in Nigeria at Software Incubation ...
A new Software Incubation Centre in Lagos requires the services of a Centre Manager. The Incubation Centre manager will be responsible to ensure the overall orchestration and coordination of activities in & partnerships for the Incubation Centre. This includes setting the priorities for the Incubation Centre, driving alignment between the various stakeholders and ensuring that the Incubation Centre offers a differentiating experience to the startups being incubated.
The ideal candidate will have a mix of business development skills that are required to drive developer, academic, and ecosystem engagement and ?innovation skills required to keep the Incubation Centre relevant within the ecosystem , as well as business management skills required to measure impact and to keep the Incubation Centre financially sustainable.
Responsibilities
- Support the selection process of new incubatees.
- Induct new incubatees, assist and support them throughout their development.
- Create opportunities for incubatees to network with one another.
- Provide regular information to both internal and external stakeholders
- Facilitate strategic planning for incubatees.
- Develop and maintain partnerships with other public and/or private organizations which provide business development assistance for the benefit of clients. Establish a professional advisory network for incubatees. ?Develop a mentoring relationship between network ?and incubatees.
- Ensure the different training programs deliver against target and are improved, supported or retired according to performance
- Stay current and inform companies of special financing and tax incentives available to start-ups.
- Keep accurate files and records of each client company and any related correspondence.
- Keep current on all services of the Incubation ?Center in order to cross-sell its services to clients and the public.
- Promote the Incubation Center, its programs, and employees at every available opportunity, with specific responsibilities for recruitment and promotion.
Other Responsibilities include:?
- Develop strategic goals and objectives for the client service programs;
- Develop innovative models for funding the incubator ?and assist in preparing the annual budget;
- Perform as a liaison between the incubatees, businesses and the Incubator .
- Monitor progress of incubatees;
- Establish linkage for client funding opportunities via venture capital/equity firms and angel networks;
Qualifications & Experience
- Successful candidates will possess a BA/BS or MA/MS in a relevant technology or business discipline. ?Minimum of 5 years of work experience in working with developers and/or start-ups.
- Evidence of strong organizational, interpersonal and communications skills.
- Demonstrated ability to network within the business community.
- Ability to work with diverse groups including businesses, entrepreneurs, major corporations, universities, the public and economic development organizations.
- Ability to operate as a business professional and an effective educator, and show evidence of a willingness to fulfill both roles. ? ? ? ? ?Possess skills required to instruct and assist clients in the areas of business plan development, market analysis, identification of and process to apply for sources of capital for business development and growth, business tax issues, and laws related to employment issues.
Strongly desired:
- Experience in working with start-ups.
- Experience in being part of growing company management team with supervisory experience and being a team player
- Experience in any aspect of small business, or personally owning and/or operating a commercial venture
- Strong marketing experience focused on a technical audience .
- Ability to identify and recruit potential clients for the Incubation Center ; discerning their readiness to start or expand a business.
- Possess skills required to manage landlord/tenant relationships for the Incubation Center including structural and operational procedures.
- Mentoring capabilities by him/herself and through own networks
Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to our feed and get information like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.
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Declining air pollution levels continue to improve life expectancy in U.S.
ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2012) ? A new study led by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has found an association between reductions in fine particulate matter and improved life expectancy in 545 counties in the U.S. from 2000 to 2007. It is the largest study to date to find beneficial effects to public health of continuing to reduce air pollution levels in the U.S.
The study appears in the December 3, 2012 online edition of the journal Epidemiology.
"Despite the fact that the U.S. population as a whole is exposed to much lower levels of air pollution than 30 years ago -- because of great strides made to reduce people's exposure -- it appears that further reductions in air pollution levels would continue to benefit public health," said lead author Andrew Correia, a PhD candidate in the Department of Biostatistics at HSPH.
The study looked at the effects on health of fine particulate matter, small particles of 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter -- referred to as PM2.5. Numerous studies have shown associations between acute and chronic exposure to fine particle air pollution and cardiopulmonary disease and mortality. Studies have also shown that reductions in air pollution are associated with reductions in adverse health effects and improved life expectancy. Air pollution has been declining steadily in the U.S. since 1980, but the rate has slowed in the years since 2000. The HSPH researchers wanted to know whether the relatively smaller decreases in PM2.5 levels since 2000 are still improving life expectancy.
Controlling for socioeconomic status, smoking prevalence, and demographic characteristics, the results showed that a decrease of 10 micrograms per cubic meter (10 ?g/m3 ) in the concentration of PM2.5 during the period 2000 to 2007 was associated with an average increase in life expectancy of 0.35 years in 545 U.S. counties.
The research expanded on a 2009 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine by some of the same authors (Pope, Ezzati, and Dockery) that found that reduced air pollution was associated with increased life expectancy in 211 urban counties. This new study looked at more recent data, more than two-and-a-half times as many counties, and included both rural and urban areas. The findings showed that there's a stronger association between declining air pollution and increased life expectancy in more urban, densely populated areas than in rural areas. The results also suggested that reduced levels of air pollution may be more beneficial to women than to men.
As to why there was a stronger association between reductions in fine particulate matter and improvements in life expectancy in urban areas, the researchers speculated that the composition of the particulates there may be different from that in rural areas.
"Since the 1970s, enactment of increasingly stringent air quality controls has led to improvements in ambient air quality in the United States at costs that the U.S. Environ?mental Protection Agency has estimated as high as $25 billion per year. However, the extent to which more recent regulatory actions have benefited public health remains in question. This study provides strong and compelling evidence that continuing to reduce ambient levels of PM2.5 prolongs life," said senior author Francesca Dominici, professor of biostatistics at HSPH.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Harvard School of Public Health, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
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/top_news/~3/Z4XB9FWy6rA/121203163538.htm
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Saturday, December 1, 2012
Dolly Parton talks dreams, love, plastic surgery
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Although Dolly Parton has cemented her place in country and popular music, pop culture, and as an entrepreneur and philanthropist, she still, on occasion, gets nervous.
Her new book, "Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You" encourages readers to overcome their fears, believe in their passions and keep taking risks.
The "I Will Always Love You" singer/songwriter, 66, who has written more than 3,000 songs and sold more than 100 million records, talked to Reuters about the message of the book, which was published this week.
Q. You say you put off writing this book?
A. "It's just a simple little book. It's not meant to save the world, or it's not a complete book of how to be successful, but I think there is enough stuff in it for people to see kinda how I conduct my business and kinda what my thoughts are. And the good part is that all the money, if it sells good, goes to Imagination Library."
Q. Right - your nonprofit quest to get kids to read?
A. "It's one of the reasons I wanted to write this too, because I usually do concerts every year, for the foundation to make money to afford a lot of books, but I am not on tour now."
Q. Talk about your 2009 commencement address at the University of Tennessee. Were you nervous?
A. "Well, yes, when I am out of my element doing things. I am not that educated and I didn't go that far in school and I thought, 'What am I going to say to these educated people, not just these kids who have just graduated college and are probably brilliant, but all these professionals and all these teachers?' And I thought, 'Oh, I am not smart enough', but I thought, 'Well, at least I am a hometown girl. At least they can see that in America, you can start from humble beginnings, that everybody can make it."
Q. Which is one of the book's messages, overcoming fears?
A. "Any time I am in a situation where I am just not comfortable, I am uneasy, but that doesn't mean I won't go on with it, just like the speech. And that I won't be good at it, but there are just some things I would prefer not to do!"
Q. Success doesn't equal happiness, yet you seem so hopeful and modest?
A. "I am always hopeful as a person, I have been since I was little...I really want things to be good. As I mention in the book, I wake up everyday expecting it to be good, and if it is not, then I try to set about changing it before I go to sleep at night."
Q. Would you describe yourself as religious or spiritual?
A. "Just spiritual, I am not religious. Although I grew up in a very religious family, but...I am no fanatic by any stretch of the word, and I am no angel, believe me. I wrote a song called 'The Seeker' many, many years ago, and it says 'I am a seeker, just a poor sinful creature, there is no one weaker than I am.'
"People say, 'What do you regret?' I say, 'I can't say that I regret anything because at the time I was doing it, whatever it was, it seemed to be the thing to be doing at the time.'
"I have a good friend base, I have a good husband. So I have a lot of things and people who help me and guide me. I have never had to go to a psychiatrist, but I would if I thought that I needed to.
Q. But we are in New York, Dolly! No psychiatrist?
A. "Well yes (laughs), I guess not. But I do that in my songs, I write my feelings out and then I have such a strong faith and then I have such good friends. I am very close to several of my sisters, and we just talk about everything and anything....And my best friend Judy, there is nothing I can't tell her, even if it is the awful-est thing in the world."
Q. You recently had to deny gay rumors. Who is your greatest love?
"My husband is my greatest love, I have been with him 48 years...He is my best buddy."
Q. Why do you think people always wonder about him?
A. "They don't think he really exists! When I was doing my show, we were thinking about having a different guy knock on the door every night, as my husband, and then one night he would be a midget, and one night he would be a black man, and one night he would be like a boxer or a wrestler, all these different things that people imagine what my husband looks like."
Q. You say that looking so artificial works for you, as it lets you prove how real you are. Why all the plastic surgery?
A. "Because I need it. Why does anybody get it?"
Q. Why do you think you need it?
A. "Because I am in show business. I am not a natural beauty. And I am on camera all the time. And I just always see, like if I need - Oh take one of my chins off, at least! - Or whatever. I mean, I don't go to extremes with it. I just do little bits and pieces, just to try and keep things touched up, just tweaking."
(Reporting by Christine Kearney, editing by Jill Serjeant and Carol Bishopric)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dolly-parton-talks-dreams-love-plastic-surgery-011442460.html
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Scientists discover water ice on Mercury: Ice and organic material may have been carried to the planet by passing comets
ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2012) ? Mercury, the smallest and innermost planet in our solar system, revolves around the sun in a mere 88 days, making a tight orbit that keeps the planet incredibly toasty. Surface temperatures on Mercury can reach a blistering 800 degrees Fahrenheit -- hot enough to liquefy lead.
Now researchers from NASA, MIT, the University of California at Los Angeles and elsewhere have discovered evidence that the scorching planet may harbor pockets of water ice, along with organic material, in several permanently shadowed craters near Mercury's north pole.
The surprising discovery suggests to scientists that both ice and organic material, such as carbon, may have been deposited on Mercury's surface by impacts from comets or asteroids. Over time, this volatile material could then have migrated to the planet's poles.
"We thought the most exciting finding could be that this really was water ice," says Maria Zuber, the E.A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, and a member of the research team. "But the identification of darker, insulating material that may indicate complex organics makes the story even more thrilling."
Zuber and her colleagues published their results this week in the journal Science.
Mounting evidence for ice
The possibility that water ice might exist on Mercury is not new: In the 1990s, radar observations detected bright regions near Mercury's poles that scientists believed could be signs of either water ice or a rough planetary surface. However, the evidence was inconclusive for either scenario.
To get a clearer picture of Mercury's polar regions, Zuber and her colleagues analyzed observations taken by NASA's MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging) mission, a probe that has been orbiting the planet and mapping its topography since April 2011.
Mapping the planet's surface is a challenging task, as the craft must weather the sun's intense radiation, which can "play havoc with electronics," Zuber says. What's more, the probe moves from pole to pole in an elliptical orbit, making for an extremely tricky mapping mission, both dynamically and thermally. Despite these challenges, MESSENGER's onboard laser altimeter has amassed more than 10 laser pulses that have been used to map topography and measure the near-infrared reflectance of the surface.
Last year, researchers analyzed the probe's topographic observations and created a high-resolution map of Mercury; they then overlaid previous radar observations. They found that the bright regions detected in radar lined up with permanently shadowed craters at the planet's north pole -- regions that never see the sun, and which are potentially ideal places for ice to survive. This finding was one more piece of evidence that Mercury might harbor water ice.
Revealing shadows
In this latest analysis of MESSENGER's observations, scientists believe they have found conclusive evidence for water ice on Mercury, although the data was at first puzzling.
The team found that the probe's reflectance measurements, taken via laser altimetry, matched up well with previously mapped radar-bright regions in Mercury's high northern latitudes. Two craters in particular were bright, both in radar and at laser wavelengths, indicating the possible presence of reflective ice. However, just south of these craters, others appeared dark with laser altimetry, but bright in radar.
The observations "threw us off track for a long time," Zuber says, until another team member, David Paige of UCLA, developed a thermal model of the planet. Using MESSENGER observations of Mercury's topography, reflectance and rotational characteristics, the model simulated the sun's illumination of the planet, enabling precise determination of Mercury's temperature at and below the surface.
Results indicated that the unusually bright deposits corresponded to regions where water ice was stable at the surface; in dark regions, ice was stable within a meter of the surface. The dark insulating material is consistent with complex organics that would already be dark but may have been darkened further by the intense radiation at Mercury's surface.
In addition, MESSENGER's neutron spectrometer detected elemental hydrogen in the vicinity of Mercury's north pole. The combination of the compositional, spectral and geometric observations and the thermal models provided a strong, self-consistent explanation for the unusual radar backscatter observations.
Paul Lucey, a professor of geophysics and planetology at the University of Hawaii, points out that MESSENGER has also revealed a number of regions where surfaces were much darker than in previous radar measurements. Lucey interprets these results as possible evidence of receding ice on Mercury's surface.
"This suggests that in the past, ice was more extensive on Mercury, and retreated to its current state," says Lucey, who was not involved in the research. "Even Mercury experiences global warming."
MESSENGER will continue to orbit Mercury, and Zuber says future data may reveal information beyond the planet's surface. "There are still some really good questions to answer about the interior," Zuber says. "I'll tell you, we're not done."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Jennifer Chu.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal References:
- David A. Paige, Matthew A. Siegler, John K. Harmon, Gregory A. Neumann, Erwan M. Mazarico, David E. Smith, Maria T. Zuber, Ellen Harju, Mona L. Delitsky, and Sean C. Solomon. Thermal Stability of Volatiles in the North Polar Region of Mercury. Science, 29 November 2012 DOI: 10.1126/science.1231106
- Gregory A. Neumann, John F. Cavanaugh, Xiaoli Sun, Erwan M. Mazarico, David E. Smith, Maria T. Zuber, Dandan Mao, David A. Paige, Sean C. Solomon, Carolyn M. Ernst, and Olivier S. Barnouin. Bright and Dark Polar Deposits on Mercury: Evidence for Surface Volatiles. Science, 29 November 2012 DOI: 10.1126/science.1229764
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/dIp6jTJsncs/121129151336.htm
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Drought threatens to close Mississippi to barges
ST. LOUIS (AP) ? After months of drought, companies that ship grain and other goods down the Mississippi River are being haunted by a potential nightmare: If water levels fall too low, the nation's main inland waterway could become impassable to barges just as the harvest heads to market.
Any closure of the river would upend the transport system that has carried American grain since before steamboats and Mark Twain. So shipping companies are scrambling to find alternative ways to move tons of corn, wheat and other crops to the Gulf Coast for shipment overseas.
"You can't just wait until it shuts down and suddenly say, 'There's a problem,'" said Rick Calhoun, head of marine operations for Chicago-based Cargill Inc. "We're always looking at Plan B."
The mighty Mississippi is approaching the point where it may become too shallow for barges that carry food, fuel and other commodities. If the river is closed for a lengthy period, experts say, economic losses could climb into the billions of dollars.
It isn't just the shipping and grain industries that will feel the pinch. Store prices and utility bills could rise. And deliveries of everything from road-clearing rock salt for winter and fertilizer for the spring planting season could be late and in short supply.
"The longer it lasts, the worse it gets," said Don Sweeney, associate director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. "It's inevitable that it will mean higher prices down the road."
The focus of greatest concern is a 180-mile stretch of the river between the confluences of the Missouri River near St. Louis and the Ohio River at Cairo, Ill. That's where lack of rain has squeezed the channel from its normal width of 1,000 feet or more to a just a few hundred feet.
The river depth is 15 to 20 feet less than normal, now about 13 feet deep in many places. If it dips to around 9 feet, rock pinnacles at two locations make it difficult, if not impossible, for barges to pass. Hydrologists for the National Weather Service predict the Mississippi will reach the 9-foot mark by Dec. 9.
The situation worsened last week when the Army Corps of Engineers began reducing the outflow from an upper Missouri River dam in South Dakota, where a group of experts said Thursday that the worst U.S. drought in decades had intensified sharply over the last week.
The flow is gradually being cut by more than two-thirds by Dec. 11 as part of an effort to ease the effects of the drought in the northern Missouri River basin.
Lawmakers from Mississippi River states are frustrated with the corps' action and even requested a presidential emergency declaration to overturn it. So far, the White House has not responded.
On Thursday, Army Assistant Secretary Jo-Ellen Darcy told Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois and some of his colleagues from Iowa and Minnesota that the corps would consider dialing back the amount of water being held back from the Mississippi.
Darcy also pledged to expedite removal of rock formations south of St. Louis, though that work would take at least two months after a contractor is hired.
To Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat, the stakes couldn't be higher.
"There is going to be a dramatic ripple effect to our economy if the barge traffic grinds to halt, which clearly it will if something is not done to avert this crisis," she said.
Her Missouri colleague in the Senate, Republican Roy Blunt, acknowledged "friction" between upper Missouri River interests that control the flow and those downstream on the lower Missouri and Mississippi rivers. He said the corps "needs to manage that balance."
Over the years, parts of the river have occasionally been closed because of low water, barge accidents, dredging, ice and flooding. But this shutdown, if it happens, would affect a pivotal stretch that is used for two-way traffic ? shipments going south to the Gulf as well as transports from the Illinois and Ohio rivers headed north to Chicago and Minneapolis.
A two-month shutdown ? the length of time that some observers fear given current conditions ? would have an estimated impact of $7 billion, according to the river industry trade group American Waterways Operators.
Consider agricultural products. It costs 30 to 35 cents more per bushel to send grain to the Gulf by rail instead of barge ? a massive figure when calculating the millions of bushels shipped downriver.
"When you think of all we buy at the grocery store that has grain and corn, consumers could really see it hit them in the pocketbooks," said Ann McCulloch of the Waterways Operators group.
The Coast Guard controls navigation on the river and decides when to require restrictions or shut it down.
"It's really played by ear," Coast Guard Lt. Colin Fogarty said. "The Mississippi River is a dynamic environment."
River shippers are bracing for the worst, weighing train and truck alternatives to move a staggering volume of cargo, if necessary.
Seven million tons of farm products are shipped via barge in a typical December-January period, along with 3.8 million tons of coal, 1.7 tons of chemical products, 1.3 tons of petroleum products and 700,000 tons of crude oil, McCulloch said.
Trains already haul a vast volume of material, but switching from river to rail isn't that easy, especially on short notice. Cargill, for example, uses 1,300 of its own barges on inland waterways. Finding that much capacity elsewhere is no simple task.
"We'll look for other sources of transportation to the extent we can. But if you take away this important artery, you can't just snap your fingers and replace it with trains," Calhoun said. "There aren't just trains sitting around. They're already pretty busy with their business on their books."
Tractor-trailers can pick up some of the slack. But some cargo, such as coal, just isn't cost-effective to haul by truck over long distances, said Bob Costello, an economist with the American Trucking Associations.
Businesses operating directly on the river are bound to suffer, too.
George Foster founded JB Marine Service Inc. in St. Louis 36 years ago to make a living fixing and cleaning barges. An extended river closure may force layoffs, he said. And he figures many other companies will be forced to cut jobs, too.
"It's extremely dire," Foster said. "There's no way to sugarcoat it."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/drought-threatens-close-mississippi-barges-200224356.html
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