Haqqani says Pak civilians must step up to plate if they wish to see end of military role in politics

Pakistan News.Net Saturday 29th September, 2012

Former Pakistan ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani has said that Pakistani civilians will have to 'step up to the plate' if they wish to see an end to the Pakistani military's role in domestic politics and its influence on the country's security and foreign policies.

"I think that Pakistan's civilians have to step up to the plate. As civilians clarify their own worldview [and] make it obvious as to where they disagree or differ from the traditional paradigm that has been defined by military officers in the past, Pakistan will be able to move away from military dominance," the Daily Times quoted Haqqani, as saying, during an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

"Pakistan has suffered a lot from the military's political role. The military's political role is not only when it takes over the country, but also when it tries to define what is good for the country and what is not. That job should rest with parliament, with the Pakistani media, with open debate, [and] with civil society," he added.

Haqqani also said that the full US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2014 would have a disastrous impact on Pakistan, adding that the US cannot afford to "leave Afghanistan in a state of chaos."

"The United States cannot afford to leave Afghanistan in a state of chaos. If it does, the fallout for Pakistan is going to be disastrous. It is in Pakistan's interest to have a stable Afghanistan. The disagreement [between the United States and Pakistan] that we see sometimes is on the definition of what constitutes a stable Afghanistan," he said.

On the 2013 parliamentary elections in Pakistan, Haqqani said that whatever maybe the outcome, he hopes that democracy continues to flourish in the nation and treads a path towards progress.

"I hope that whatever the outcome of Pakistan's next elections, democracy continues to flourish and Pakistan's politics become more mature and reach a point where, instead of just fighting the battles of yesterday, Pakistan's politicians also start addressing the issues of today and tomorrow," he said. (ANI)

Source: http://www.pakistannews.net/index.php/sid/209617677/scat/8c3d7d78943a99c7

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Christie: GOP Still Shouldn't Back Akin

A nation inured to wanton murder was nevertheless shocked by this one: In November 2010, a group of four young men milling about as a party ended attacked another teen, randomly picking him as the victim of their vicious assault. Bobby Tillman, 18, did nothing to provoke his assailants to knock him to the ground and kick and stomp him to death.The crime occurred outside a suburban Atlanta home after parents called a halt to a teen party that had gotten out of control. This was no beating by members of a rival gang, no attack set off by longstanding grudges or old misunderstandings. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/christie-gop-still-shouldnt-back-akin-102402111--politics.html

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Brattleboro Finance Committee Meeting and Agenda - iBrattleboro

The Brattleboro Finance Committee will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 4:00pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

Brattleboro Town Finance Committee Agenda
October 2, 2012 4:00 PM Hanna Cosman Mtg Rm

1. Call to Order
2. Agenda Review
3. Approve minutes of September 25, 2012
4. Announcements
5. Discussion: Proposed Debt Management guideline

6. New Business
7. Adjourn

Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager's Office
(802) 251-8100

Source: http://www.ibrattleboro.com/article.php/20120930114328230

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Holy Bat Virus! Genome Hints At Origin Of SARS-Like Virus

Enlarge iStockphoto.com

Bats harbor many types of coronaviruses and were probably the original source of the new coronavirus that appeared in the Middle East.

iStockphoto.com

Bats harbor many types of coronaviruses and were probably the original source of the new coronavirus that appeared in the Middle East.

On the surface, the new coronavirus detected in the Middle East this month looks quite similar to SARS. It apparently causes severe respiratory problems, and can be lethal.

But with viruses, the devil is in their details ? the genetic details.

Dutch virologists have just published the whole genome of the new coronavirus ? all 30,118 letters of its code. And, the sequence reveals that the mystery virus is most closely related to coronaviruses that infect bats in Southeast Asia.

In fact, the pathogen is more similar to two bat viruses than it is to the human SARS virus that sent the world into a panic when it infected nearly 8,000 people in 2003.

Virologist Ron Fouchier, who has done controversial work on bird flu viruses, led the sequencing effort of the SARS-like virus. He tells Shots the results suggest that the new coronavirus virus came from bats. "Bats harbor many coronaviruses, so it's logical to assume that bats are the natural reservoir" of the new pathogen, he says.

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"But this doesn't mean the Saudi man contracted the virus from bats," says Fouchier.

When viruses jump from animals to humans, there's usually a second animal that connects the natural carrier with humans. This species is called the amplifier because it increases the number of viral particles that can hop over into people.

With SARS, Fouchier says, it probably started off in bats and then jumped into an exotic animal, such as a civet cat, before it made its way to people.

This type of infection trajectory fits with what epidemiologists have seen, so far, for the new coronavirus.

In the past few weeks, John Watson and his team at Britain's Health Protection Agency have tracked down about 60 people who recently came in contact with one of the men infected with the virus. "None of these contacts have become seriously ill or shown any sign of being infected with the virus," Watson tells Shots.

Plus, there's nothing special happening where the sick man lived, such as an uptick in cases of respiratory illnesses. This is strong evidence that the virus came from an animal and that it probably can't yet move between people.

But to know for sure, Watson says, scientists need to find more cases of the new virus.

The genome sequence will be a big help on this front. Fouchier and his team just published a diagnostic test for the new virus, which doctors around the world can use to verify suspected cases of the disease.

Fouchier says that the genome may also give clues to drugs that may be effective against the virus.

Companies can also begin to design vaccines for the virus, Fouchier adds. "There are experimental vaccines for SARS, and these could be updated to work on the virus," he says. "All knowledge that we built for SARS is not lost."

So what's he doing next? First, taking a few steps backward. "We still need proof that the virus is the cause of the disease," he says. "We are currently starting animal experiments with macaques and ferrets to show that this virus actually makes animals sick. Many viruses don't."

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/09/28/161944734/holy-bat-virus-genome-hints-at-origin-of-sars-like-virus?ft=1&f=1007

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A guide to foot health and the best shoes ~ Health and Fitness ...

The feet are silent hard workers of the human body. Although they don't help us see our surroundings, figure out what to say, or move stuff around, they still play a vital role. An important part of human life is going from one place to another and that is the primary responsibility of the feet.

The highest state of mobility is achieved only through proper foot health. Feet are healthy when they are free from any problems that might cause impairment to foot structures and its normal functioning. There are many variables that influence the state of foot health. One of the most vital is wearing the best type of shoes.

We all have had to move barefoot at some point in our lives, but it is important that proper foot wear is worn to maintain foot health. An important step to keeping the feet healthy is to wear shoes that are best suited for a particular activity. The feet experience different amounts of stress depending on the level of activity. Keeping the feet well supported and balanced during these activities are the key responsibilities of good footwear.

Shoes are the perfect feet partner for any job, but as it stands, no pair of shoes can be perfect for everything. Fortunately, there is a shoe for every foot and for every activity. Walking, running, cross-training, and shoes for every sport are some of the activities that shoes are specifically designed for. Another general consideration for the best shoes for healthy feet is proper shoe size. Proper shoe size is not only important for comfort and balance but also minimizes the risk of developing conditions like corns and calluses and plantar fasciitis.

The right kind of shoes for an individual are also heavily influenced gait type which are basically foot structures and movement patterns that affects walking. Gait types such as neutral pronation, overpronation, and underpronation are significant factors that determine an individual's best pair of shoes. The perfect pair of shoes plays two important roles, to maintain effective and efficient foot movement and keep the feet healthy for another day at work.

Source: http://health-and-fitness-geek.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-guide-to-foot-health-and-best-shoes.html

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Source: http://flynnsilas939.typepad.com/blog/2012/09/a-guide-to-foot-health-and-the-best-shoes-health-and-fitness.html

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Source: http://beardclark728.typepad.com/blog/2012/09/a-guide-to-foot-health-and-the-best-shoes-health-and-fitness.html

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First drop in 6 weeks in hedge funds commodity longs

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hedge funds and other big speculators have pulled more than $5 billion from U.S. commodity markets, cutting their net long position for the first time in six weeks after sending oil, metals and crop prices to multimonth highs, trade data showed Friday.

The profit-taking in the week to September 25 was the biggest in four months by the so-called "money managers" in commodities, according to data issued by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and calculated by Reuters.

It was the first major snap in managed money net longs that had built up since early July in anticipation of stimulus measures from the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.

In that period, hedge funds and other speculators pumped about $30 billion into U.S. commodities, by Reuters' estimates, creating new bullish milestones in crude oil, gold, copper and soybean prices.

Reuters' calculations of the CFTC's Commitment of Traders data showed the value of the net long position held by money managers in some 22 U.S. commodity markets fell to $112.3 billion in the week to September 25, from $117.8 billion in the week ended September 18.

The figures are calculated by Reuters based on the change in net positions from a week ago, multiplied by the contract's value at the end of the period. Because most investors trade commodities on margin, the change in the value of positions is not directly equivalent to total investment.

In contract terms, the decline during the week to September 25 was 87,955 contracts, or nearly 6 percent lower from the previous week.

OIL LEADS LOSSES, GOLD SHINES

Oil accounted for much of the loss. Reuters' calculations showed a net outflow of $3.4 billion, or 36,885 contracts, in crude oil futures held by money managers on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Speculators were also bearish on natural gas, soybeans, raw sugar, cotton and arabica coffee -- trimming net longs or adding to net shorts in these markets.

The profit-taking did not mean that money managers were done on commodities, said some analysts, who placed high hopes on an even bigger rally down the road in markets such as gold due to inflationary pressure.

Managed money's net long in U.S. gold hit near seven-month highs on bets that major central banks would keep pumping money to stimulate growth.

"Gold is being utilized as a protest by investors against governments which are failing miserably to solve their deficit and debt problems," said Jeffrey Sica, chief investment officer of SICA Wealth Management, which has over $1 billion in assets.

Gold closed lower on Friday, but the precious metal posted its biggest quarterly gain in more than two years.

The 19-commodity Thomson Reuters-Jefferies CRB index, a bellwether for the asset class, also had its best quarter since the first quarter of 2011.

Monthly data issued separately by the CFTC on Friday showed the net length across U.S. commodity markets rose by $8.8 billion in August to $209 billion.

The CFTC figures account for only a portion of the investor capital invested in commodity markets worldwide. Much of the rest are invested in over-the-counter contracts, physical exchange funds or credit notes, or via banks, which are classified differently by the CFTC.

(Editing by Jim Marshall)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-drop-6-weeks-hedge-funds-commodity-longs-230858698--finance.html

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Obama now ahead with Catholics and seniors (Americablog)

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Italy's Monti pleases investors, but politics to come

ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti's declaration that he would be willing to serve a second term if asked may have reassured international investors, but there is no way around the treacherous waters of Italian politics.

It was no accident that Monti, an economist brought in last year to run an emergency government of technocrats, made his announcement in New York; just a short taxi ride from Wall Street, he was comfortably far from the fevered atmosphere in Rome, where manoeuvring for the 2013 election is in full swing.

Business leaders and financial investors fretting about what may follow have long been keen on what the press has dubbed "Monti bis", or Monti-2, a second dose of the apolitical cabinet appointed by President Giorgio Napolitano when Silvio Berlusconi quit at the height of the euro zone debt crisis.

But the main political parties, preparing for an election due no later than April, made it clear that they would not be excluded from the process of selecting the next leader.

Pier Luigi Bersani, head of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), said he would not stand for any attempt to "pre-write the election result and make the vote a waste of time".

Former prime minister Berlusconi's first response was more cautious. "There are elections first," was all the conservative would say on Thursday, immediately after Monti's declaration.

Bersani's cool reaction was hardly surprising given that the PD is leading in most opinion polls and he could become prime minister himself. But his words concealed a more complex reality for a political system badly in need of the kind of credibility enjoyed by Professor Monti, a former European Commissioner.

With a vote due no later than April, the main parties are caught in a stalemate of their own making, unclear about who will lead them into the election, what policies they will promote or even what electoral law will apply on polling day.

An uninterrupted wave of scandal, most recently at the local centre-right government in the region around Rome, has badly tarnished the already battered image of politicians in general, leaving Monti far more popular than any of the party leaders.

The 69-year-old has ruled out standing as a candidate himself and stressed that he would only serve if elections produced no clear winner, leaving Italy vulnerable to the kind of financial market turmoil that brought him to power last year.

He has insisted that Italy will not need help from the International Monetary Fund or the European Union to get through the crisis.

But with Italy's public debt set to top 126 percent of gross domestic product this year, the economy in recession and youth unemployment over 35 percent, the threat is never far off and the political uncertainty is not helping.

PRESIDENT MONTI?

According to a survey by the SWG polling institute published on Friday, the PD would be the biggest party with 26 percent of the vote, ahead of Berlusconi's centre-right People of Freedom (PDL) with 15 percent.

"Broadly speaking, the PDL looks out of it. It doesn't look like winning or even playing a decisive role," said SWG vice president Maurizio Pessato. "The PD looks like at least being able to create a coalition around itself."

The party faces a primary battle in November to choose who will lead it into the election - Bersani or the young mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi. Neither is keen to be upstaged by Monti before their race has even started.

A PD official close to Bersani said that the party would only agree to Monti serving as prime minister if there were something close to a hung parliament, with no clear majority, but he added that other options were possible.

"Becoming prime minister after the elections isn't the only thing that Monti could do. He could also become president," the party official said.

That would allow Monti to avoid front-rank politics but still play the kind of behind-the-scenes role that current head of state Napolitano has played throughout much of the crisis.

But according to the SWG poll, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement of comedian Beppe Grillo would be the second largest force with 19 percent of the vote, while 49 percent of those surveyed were undecided or determined not to vote.

The odds against a PDL victory may help explain a relatively conciliatory attitude it has taken lately, despite a hostile tone toward the austere economic policies implemented by Monti with the blessing of Italy's European partners.

Speaking of Monti's remarks in New York, the PDL's Franco Frattini, a former foreign minister, said: "We have to take account of this important declaration and then it will be up to the voters to decide if a government can be formed with a sufficiently strong majority."

The party which dominated Italian governments over the past decade has been left hanging until Berlusconi decides whether or not he will lead it into the election. But with a heavy defeat in prospect, an apolitical prime minister seems to be increasingly attractive to the party's leaders.

(Additional reporting By Massimiliano Di Giorgio; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italys-monti-pleases-investors-politics-come-174912308.html

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David Corn, Romney-Slayer? (talking-points-memo)

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Khloe Kardashian: My Family Hates Me!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/09/khloe-kardashian-my-family-hates-me/

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Are there any fighters who can beat Jon Jones?

Jon Jones' win on Saturday night was awe-inspiring. He survived a grotesque armbar, and came back to win with fourth-round submission. He seems to keep getting better and better with each fight, this time incorporating jiu-jitsu skills into his win. At the moment, he appears unbeatable.

Are there any fighters in the UFC who can eventually take him on and win? Any fighters who can take time to study Jones, figure out his every move, and then finally solve the Jon Jones puzzle?

Dan Henderson: The one-time PRIDE and Strikeforce champion was supposed to fight Jones before he was injured and UFC 151 was canceled. He has already put in the time and effort to fight Jones, and may already have him figured out. His age is an issue, but Henderson still wants the fight.

Alexander Gustaffson: One of Jones' biggest advantages is his reach. He was able to hold Belfort at bay throughout the fight by simply extending his arm. At 6-foot-5, Gustafsson is an inch taller. He has a fight lined up with former champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua who will show if "The Viking" is ready for the next step.

Chael Sonnen: Based on Sonnen's inability to handle Anderson Silva in their last fight, there is no reason to believe Sonnen could beat Jones. However, the run-up to the fight would be so much fun. Considering the UFC put Jones up against a middleweight who lost a title shot, integrity of the belt doesn't matter as much as entertainment or making money. Sonnen has already shown he can get under Jones' skin in a way no one else has, and that just may give him the edge in a bout.

Anderson Silva: Could he beat Jones? Yes. Will this fight ever, ever happen? No. Silva keeps talking about wanting a fight with welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, and he does have a few challenges waiting for him at middleweight.

Who is missing from this list? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/fighters-beat-jon-jones-142406430--mma.html

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Affordable Car Rentals - Finding The Right Deal Is Not That Tough ...

There are several rental vehicle companies right now. Selecting the best car hire that meets your financial budget may be the difficult part. One automobile rental organization nonetheless offers high quality of cars while using right spending budget. Thrifty Car Accommodations has always been a value-oriented automobile rental organization who caters to cost-cognizant and discretion travelers. Thrifty automobile hire has been available since 1958, became a public company 1987 and acquired by Chrysler in 1989 and later on joined with Dollar Rent a motor vehicle in 1990.

Frugal is one of the largest sized rental corporations on the globe using more than 1,000 areas in 70 countries corporately-owned and franchised retailers. From the U.S. alone they have 426 locations. In Canada 140 regions and 592 worldwide. A well known brand in a vehicle rental entire world that serves cost aware company and leisure vacation goers.

In October of 2009 the company has decided to help to increase its fleet brands such as Ford, Automobile, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia among others as well as Chrysler. Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep were just the primary cars rented just before 2009. With your additions it?s simple to choose between several brands want.

One of the most successful web marketing strategy on this business is the Blue Chip Express Rental Program. It allows members some great benefits of expedited pickup and return. The Blue Chip Express Rental Program costs nothing for anyone who really wants to join, membership is totally free. Once you?re registered to this particular program you gain usage of several rewards program like the Blue Chip Rewards, members get free rental days and rewards credits for members who park at participating thrifty parking at the airport destinations. Together with Blue Chip Rewards people also provide the option of adding airline miles with collaborating airline carriers.

Thrifty also provides the Wild Car program. The program ensures customers reduced rates on large vehicles or mid-sized vehicles. The corporation also provides many business system for all their business needs. Should your company requires that you travel a lot then SmartBusinness is the program. Advantages of this program add a generous mileage allowance, secured leases, free added drivers and limits to vehicle damage responsibility. Next we now have the SmartBiz, this program is designed for smaller businesses a far more streamlined version of the SmartBusiness.

Lots of Thrifty?s major opposition just about solely targets manchester airport market, Thrifty however may be felt significantly on airport and native automobile hire markets. In the U.S., Thrifty has around 80% of its business concentrated within the airport current market and 20% from your market.

And so the the very next time you plan on hiring an automobile together with good deals don?t forget to have a look at Cash conscious all you need to carry out is go to their website sufficient reason for a click of the mouse you are well on the right path to renting a car whether for business or pleasure. They provide a fantastic range of vehicles for all size households, in the sporty kind to the large cruiser that can the grand mother and father at the same time.

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Related posts:

1. Car Rentals ? Doing Your Holiday Less Complicated
2. Kedna.com Offers Affordable and Effective Real Estate Marketing Solution in Todays Tough Marketplace
3. Vacation Rentals of North Myrtle Beach Offers New Fall Specials
4. September Special Now for Cape San Blas Vacation Rentals at Bayrock on Bobzio.com, a Free Website for Vacation Rentals by Onwer, Home Swappers & Travelers to Connect
5. Tough Economy Benefits Certain Types of Businesses

Source: http://www.hugohosting.com/affordable-car-rentals-finding-the-right-deal-is-not-that-tough.html

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Nine Bridges to Cross in Business Development for Accounting Firms

Eyes wide open, forging ahead.

by Nick Keseric

Nick Keseric

On our summer family vacation last month, we traveled through the east coast and I can?t recall a time when we crossed over more bridges. Some bridges were old, some were brand new, some low and some very high. And with each crossing, my wife would sink deeper into the passenger seat with eyes closed while our kids pointed out some of the sights only seen at higher elevations thanks to the bridge. Too bad Pam didn?t get a chance to see those sights.

I?m not sure, but my wife might have gephyrophobia, the fear of crossing bridges.

More on business development from Nick Keseric:?If Business Development Is a Circus at Your Firm??? |? My Attitude??? What?s Wrong with My @#$%! Attitude?? |? Curious Minds Want to Know: Are You Helping or Selling?? |? The Six-Step Roadmap for CPA Change Agents? |? 20 Biz Dev Ideas for Your Career and Your Firm? |

In business development, if we have gephyrophobia, we shouldn?t be in business development. In business development we need to cross various bridges in the sales and marketing process each and every day.

In order to increase our revenues, develop new clients, maintain current clients and cultivate referral sources, we may want to look at few of these bridges we will need to cross? without eyes closed or sinking into our chair behind our desk:

1. Bridge of Adoptability : Given the competition in the accounting profession, we need to adapt to the needs of our prospects and clients more so than ever and not only in pricing. Just saying, ?We don?t do that? could be the last thing you say to a longtime client. Seek out ways to cross over to get what they want completed. Creativity. Innovation. And yes, the old, ?think outside the box? to get the job completed.
2. Bridge of Communications:? Both internally to colleagues and externally to prospects, clients and referral sources. Let others know what is going on. Keep them informed? not surprised.
3. Bridge of Information: Be the source of answers and solutions directly or incorporate a colleague who can assist your clients, prospects and or referral sources with their questions.? By bringing in a colleague, you are showing the teamwork approach within your firm. You can say it, but when you demonstrate, it becomes more powerful.
4. Bridge of Technology: While a face to face meeting is hard to beat for business development, being aware of the latest technology used in business development is no longer a luxury? it is a necessity. Pagers. Car phones. Remember them? All had their day but technology evolves.
5. Bridge of Enthusiasm: Perception. It?s all about being welcoming and the willingness to help. We alone control this. Not a marketing or business plan. Our spirit inside of us controls how we project ourselves as well as our firm to others. Being positive sells.
6. Bridge of Trust: In order to convert prospects into clients, there needs to be trust. And while everyone will have their own definition of trust, the end-results are the same. There is something that occurs over a period of time that you conveyed or did something to a prospect that they feel confident (trust) with you and your firm.
7. Bridge of Connections:? This is your network. Each day try to grow your network as you never know when you may need that person and their expertise. Be visible in your business community and your own community. Be seen and be heard.
8. Bridge of Determination: Business development is not easy and is filled with detours of unanswered voicemails, tossed out letters, deleted emails, cancelled meetings and having to pick yourself off of the ground. But your determination will bring you closer one thing? success.
9. Bridge of Follow Up: If you don?t cross this bridge, all of your travels towards a prospect, client or referral source were wasted. The bridge of follow up is your main route to new revenues.

If firms don?t cross over these and other bridges in business development like growing accounting firms do, the prospects, clients or referral sources may indeed think your firm has gephyrophobia and view your firm as: CAUTION ? BRIDGE OUT.

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Nick Keseric is director of practice growth for the Orland Park, Ill., accounting firm MPS and a member and director of marketing development for MPS Capital Advisors LLC, at www.mpscpa.com

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Posted September 26, 2012
Related Topics: Sales

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Source: http://cpatrendlines.com/2012/09/26/nine-bridges-to-cross-in-business-development-for-accounting-firms/

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Ex-Intel exec Rajiv Goel avoids jail in Rajaratnam case

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former Intel Corp executive, whose trial testimony helped convict hedge fund titan Raj Rajaratnam, avoided prison time on Monday for his role in the biggest insider-trading prosecution of a generation.

Rajiv Goel is the third former friend and business associate, who testified against Rajaratnam at his 2011 Manhattan federal court trial, to be handed a sentence of probation. Goel is among scores of fund managers, traders, lawyers, executives and consultants caught in a U.S. government crackdown on Wall Street insider trading in the past four years.

In sentencing Goel, 54, to two years probation, U.S. District Judge Barbara Jones said his cooperation with the government "did go beyond" ordinary assistance, which his lawyers and prosecutors described in their pre-sentencing briefs. Jones fined Goel $10,000 and ordered him to forfeit $266,000.

Goel, who has not worked since losing his job as treasury group manager with chipmaker Intel following his October 2009 arrest, pleaded guilty in February 2010 to being part of Rajaratnam's network of insiders feeding him corporate secrets.

The charges of securities fraud and conspiracy carried a maximum prison term of 25 years. Galleon Group hedge fund founder Rajaratnam, who was convicted of 14 charges of securities fraud and conspiracy by a jury, is serving an 11-year prison term.

Rajaratnam's appeal of secretly recorded telephone calls used by the FBI to gather evidence is scheduled to be heard on October 25.

Goel told the sentencing judge that in helping Rajaratnam, "I had a serious lapse of judgment and good sense and I deeply apologize ... I hope that I am given another chance to repair the harm that I have caused."

His lawyer, David Zornow, in requesting a non-custodial sentence, described Rajaratnam as a "master manipulator" and a "clever seducer" of his friends.

At Rajaratnam's trial, Goel told the jury that they met at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the early 1980s. In 2007 and 2008, Goel gave Rajaratnam confidential information about Intel's business.

U.S. prosecutor Reed Brodsky told the judge on Monday that Goel's cooperation and testimony were essential "in a very significant prosecution for the government." Brodsky said Goel's assistance was relevant in six of the 14 charges against Rajaratnam.

Two other former associates of Rajaratnam were also sentenced to two years probation following their trial testimony. They were Anil Kumar, a former McKinsey & Co consultant who also met Rajaratnam at Wharton, and former Galleon money manager Adam Smith.

The case is: USA v Rajiv Goel in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 10-90.

(Reporting by Grant McCool; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-intel-exec-avoids-jail-rajaratnam-case-001020286--sector.html

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OIAF 2012: WINNERS! | Canadian Animation Resources

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JUNKYARD WINS BEST SHORT, ARRUGAS SELECTED BEST FEATURE,? AT OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL

OTTAWA (SEPTEMBER 23, 2012) ? The OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL (OIAF) came to an end Sunday, with closing ceremonies held at the National Arts Centre. Organizers announced the winners of the official competition during the ceremonies.

This year?s event, held September 19th-23rd, was a tremendous success with packed screenings, sold out workshops, high profile networking events such at the Television Animation Conference (TAC) and a strong weekend of professional development.

The OIAF is a major international film event that attracts 1500 industry pass holders from across Canada and around the world with a total attendance of close to 30,000. Although the final numbers are not officially in, there are strong indications that this year?s Festival reached its highest attendance to date.

The 2012 international jury for Short Program, Student and Commissioned Films included: MIKE FALLOWS (USA), J.J. SEDELMAIER (USA) and SARAH MULLER (UK). The international jury for Feature Film Competition and School Showreels included: BARRY PURVES (UK), HISKO HULSING (Netherlands) and IZABELA RIEBEN (Switzerland).

The Festival also featured a special jury made up of local kids to select the Best Short Animation Made for Children and the Best Television Animation Made for Children. This year?s kids jury included: Jordan Quayle, Evelyn Abacra, Lucas Kelly, Jakob Boose, Zoe Monogian, Conall Sloan, Eleanor Simonetta, Jacob Cooper, Chantalyne Leonhardt and Lauralee Leonhardt.

List of Winners
Nelvana GRAND PRIZE for Best Independent Short Animation
Junkyard? directed by Hisko Hulsing, Netherlands

GRAND PRIZE for Best Animated Feature
Arrugas (Wrinkles), directed by Ignacio Ferreras,Spain

Walt Disney GRAND PRIZE for Best StudentAnimation
I Am Tom Moody? directed by Ainslie Henderson, Edinburgh College of Art, UK

GRAND PRIZE for Best Commissioned Animation
Primus ?Lee Van Cleef? ? by Chris Smith,USA

Best Animation School Showreel
Supinfocom (France)

BEST Narrative Short
A Morning Stroll ? byGrant Orchard, STUDIO AKA, USA

BEST Experimental/Abstract Animation
Rivi?re au Tonnerre ? directed by Pierre H?bert,Canada

Adobe Prize for BEST High School Animation
TheBean ? by Hae Jin Jung, Gyeonggi Art High School, South Korea

Honourable Mention:
La Soif Du Monde (ThirstyFrog) ? by a Collective: 12 Children, Camera-etc, Belgium

BEST Undergraduate Animation
Reizw?sche ? by Jelena Walf & Viktor Stickel, Germany

BEST Graduate Animation
Ballpit ?directed by Kyle Mowat, Sheridan College, Canada

BEST Promotional Animation
Red Bull ?Music Academy World Tour? ? by Pete Candeland, Passion Pictures, UK

BEST Music Video
The First Time I Ran Away ? by Joel Trussell, USA

BEST Television Animation for Adults
Portlandia: Zero Rats ? by Rob Shaw, USA

BEST Short Animation Made for Children
Beethoven?s Wig, directed by Alex Hawley & Denny Silverthorne, Canada

HonourableMentions:
Au Coeur de L?Hiver ? directed by Isabelle Favez, Switzerland
Why do we Put up with Them? ? directed by David Chai, USA

BEST Television Animation Made for Children
Regular Show: Eggscellent ? by JC Quintel, Cartoon Network

Honourable Mention:
Adventure Time: Jake vs.Me-Mow ? by Pendleton Ward, Cartoon Network, USA

The National Film Board of Canada PUBLIC PRIZE
It?s Such a Beautiful Day -directed by Don Hertzfeldt, USA

Canadian Film Institute Award for BEST Canadian Animation
Nightingales in December, directed byTheodore Ushev, Canada

Honourable Mentions
Ballpit ?directed by Kyle Mowat, Sheridan College, Canada
MacPherson ? directed by Martine Chartrand, National Film Board of Canada, Canada

BEST Canadian Student Animation Award
Gum ? By Noam Sussman, Sheridan College, Canada

Honourable Mentions
Ballpit ? ByKyle Mowat, Sheridan College, Canada
Tengri ? By Alisi Telengut, ConcordiaUniversity, Canada

The Ottawa Media Jury Award for the best short competition film, as deemed by the local Ottawa Media, consisting of:

-PETER SIMPSON (Ottawa Citizen)
-SANDRAABMA (CBC)
-FATEEMA SAYANI (OttawaMagazine)
-DENIS ARMSTRONG (Ottawa Sun)

I Am TomMoody? By Ainslie Henderson, Edinburgh College of Art, UK

Aboutthe OIAF
OIAF 2012 was held September 19-23rd, 2012 in Ottawa.Events at the OIAF included screenings, panels, workshops, parties and the Television Animation Conference. The OIAF is a leading competitive animation film festival, featuring cutting edge programming, catering to industry executives, trend setting artists, students and animation fans. For more information about the OIAF, please visit www.animationfestival.ca.

Tags: animation, events, festivals, films, press release

This entry was posted on Monday, September 24th, 2012 at 1:09 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

Source: http://www.canadiananimationresources.ca/?p=6856

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Joshua Jackson Talks Katie Holmes Phone Call, Reunion with Father

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Melting Greenland Weighs Perils Against Potential

[unable to retrieve full-text content]As warming temperatures are upending traditional Greenlandic life, they are also offering up intriguing new opportunities.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/24/science/earth/melting-greenland-weighs-perils-against-potential.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Jarvisemerald: #DailyGEMS | Eagle Sighting On Campus ? University of Toronto http://t.co/EU7DUe0j via @jarvisemerald #WOW #EagleHasLanded

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Source: http://twitter.com/Jarvisemerald/statuses/250014124984107008

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Smaller car? Bigger insurance claim.

Even with the vast improvements in auto safety over the past few decades, smaller cars still lead to significantly more insurance payouts than their larger counterparts.

By Antony Ingram,?Guest blogger / September 23, 2012

A worker is seen at an assembly line at a main factory of Hyundai Motor in Ulsan, about 410 km (256 miles) southeast of Seoul, in this July 2012 file photo. The Hyundai Accent is among hte vehicles with the highest rate of insurance claims, along with the Kia Rio and the Toyota Yaris

Lee Jae-Won/Reuters/File

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Car safety has improved in leaps and bounds over the last few decades, with several technological advancements helping not only to protect you in an accident, but also prevent them in the first place.

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The website focuses on the auto industry?s future, the evolution of cars beyond fossil fuels, and the green movement's relevance to car shoppers today. For more stories on green cars, click here.

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Even so, statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) shows some stark differences in insurance loss data.

Some trends emerge from the data, one of which shows that personal injury, medical payment and bodily injury payouts are significantly higher for small cars than some other vehicle classes.

Among the worst vehicles for personal injury are the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio and Toyota Yaris, while Chevrolet's Aveo scores particularly badly on medical payment loss. Moving up a class, the Nissan Versa also scores poorly, while the Mitsubishi Lancer is "substantially worse" than average in every insurance loss area--collision, property damage, comprehensive, plus the injury categories.

All the data compiled by the HLDI refers to 2009-2011 model year vehicles, and has been adjusted to reduce differences from non-vehicle factors such as operator age, calendar year, density, gender and other factors.

Generally, small, four-door cars rate substantially worse than any other vehicle class for injury claims, while expensive cars like sports cars and large SUVs have higher collision losses--since they cost more to fix.

Some cars do show lower than average insurance losses for their category, however--smart's tiny fortwo minicar is substantially better than average for collision damage claims, but no worse than average for medical payment losses.

The MINI range also scores average or better than average in most areas, while small sports cars like the Mazda MX-5 Miata also do well. Green favorite, Toyota's Prius, scores average in every category.

Speaking with The Detroit News, HLDI's Kim Hazelbaker explains some of the trends.

"Expensive cars cost more to fix, which is why they have such high collision losses... Meanwhile, cars marketed for their powerful engines tend to crash more often... partly explained by the type of drivers they attract and by the style of driving they lend themselves to."

As for small cars, the bare numbers show that you're still more likely to be injured in an accident--though you can mitigate it by picking the right model, it seems.

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best auto bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger,?click here.?To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on the link in the blog description box above.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/mV9XJYCLf8c/Smaller-car-Bigger-insurance-claim

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UN: Agency didn't violate North Korea sanctions

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/un-agency-didnt-violate-north-korea-sanctions-160901698--finance.html

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Why Most New Businesses Fail and How to Create a Business ...

Every new entrepreneur wants to know how to create a successful business model. Entrepreneurs believe they know how to develop the new product or service, but wrapping the business model around this new idea is unclear and troublesome to them. Most often their solution is to simply copy what other businesses are doing. One of the biggest problems is not realizing that they have to create the business model with as much intention and thought as they do the product itself.

Let?s take a slight detour for a minute. The most common reason touted for business failure is a myth. It?s undercapitalization and it?s a convenient scapegoat. The venture capital community has conducted an industry-wide business experiment over decades. These venture capitalists have access to billions of dollars. For their portfolio start-ups, capital is not a problem. Yet, most of their start-ups fail. In fact, over the past 10 years, they have funded 30,000 start-ups. How many companies like Facebook, Google, eBay, and Amazon.com can you name? I would guess not many. That?s because few of their start-ups ever reach this lofty goal.

So, if not capital then what is the cause of new business failures? After working with many entrepreneurs over the years, I?ve concluded that failures are more a combination of the lack of resourcefulness and an incorrect mindset about what a new business really is.

Let me give you an example. In my town, there was an Indian restaurant that started. They rented out a 3,000 square foot space and spent lots of money doing tenant improvements. I rarely ever saw a customer enter the restaurant and within a year, the restaurant closed. Contrast this to another new restaurant, the owner recently graduated from culinary school. He convinced a local gourmet food store chain to let him have space in a store for a small booth. It became very popular, not only did he test out what customers liked, but he brought people into the gourmet stores. Then he opened a very small restaurant (1,000 square foot restaurant), which was quite popular too. It was always packed. Next, he opened several other larger restaurants.

What?s the difference? The first new business expected to open like a large, established business and expected the crowds would flock to them. They acted as though they knew exactly what they were doing and what would work ? the result was wasted capital. And when it didn?t work as expected, they closed. The entrepreneur became depressed. In the second case, the entrepreneur experimented with his idea, taking small steps, constantly improving and determining a winning formula.

Most new businesses fail because they don?t realize that they are really conducting new business experiments. They don?t want to admit that they haven?t figured out the formula for success. They write a business plan which further gives them the illusion of a proven path for creating something successful from nothing. Yet, most entrepreneurs have little direct experience with their business, the customers, or the market.

Let?s go back to the example of the two restaurants. The entrepreneur of the failed restaurant had access to capital, while the second one didn?t. In the case of the successful restaurant, the culinary graduate didn?t have the availability to just open a big restaurant and was resourceful. Just because you have the ability to spend, doesn?t mean you should. Ask yourself, are you just conducting a bigger business experiment than you need to?

The mindset missing from most new entrepreneurs is not realizing their new business is an experimental start-up. Just by thinking about it as a series of business experiments creates a thinking path that about trying new things and expecting different avenues to fail. It?s about creating a series of business experiments to discover the secret to your success. Instead of writing that business plan, write a concept plan and then create a strategy business experiments. The key to crafting a killer business model is using a systematic process for prioritizing, designing, and conducting business experiments.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/strategy/why-most-new-businesses-fail-and-how-to-create-a-business-model-for-success-0281264

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