Friday, June 29, 2012

Plane crew thwart hijack attempt in China

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/plane-crew-thwart-hijack-attempt-china-072115042.html

mike d antoni nba trade rumors 2012 ncaa tournament schedule laurent robinson dantoni gillian anderson leah remini

Obama sees the fake reports too, but gets his ruling in a double barreled thumbs up (Washington Bureau)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/234803909?client_source=feed&format=rss

ron paul money bomb bon vivant zynga ipo zynga ipo sam hurd arrested roddy white roddy white

Full Feeds Service Discontinued

Unfortunatly the time has come for this scraper to come down (seemingly it may come as a shock to some that this is not provided by the BBC). I wrote this back in 2005 and have modified it a couple of times since mainly so that I could more easily consume RSS on the move. In short, I no longer use it, I find consuming live news is not actually something an RSS reader does very well and I face a constant battle against sites trying to use these feeds to monetize BBC content and failing to pay any attention to etag or last modified headers (hello palin-pedia.com et al). Please update your RSS subscription as the last remenants of this will be removed soon , the official BBC RSS feed you are looking for is: http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/rss/newsonline_uk_edition/front_page/rss.xml

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628494

ufc 143 weigh ins micron ceo glenn miller who do you think you are superpac steve appleton bishop eddie long

No HIV Risk with Hormonal Injections | dailyRx

Sexually active women may wonder which form of birth control is the best way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Condom use is the most effective way to prevent HIV infection, says the nation?s top health agency.

A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amended its recommendation for women who are at risk for contracting HIV.

They say that there is no clear link between the use of injectable contraception, such as Depo Provera, and HIV infection.

Injectable Hormones are OK for women.

In an annual report, CDC scientists found that 59 percent of people newly diagnosed with HIV had a negative HIV test at some point before their diagnosis.

The team also reports that many people who are diagnosed with HIV, including high-risk women, had never been tested previously, and according to the report, people who are unaware of their HIV diagnosis are probably not taking proper steps, such as using a condom during sex, to prevent transmission of the disease.

Researchers looked at data for 57,476 people from the CDC?s National HIV Surveillance System and found that 44 percent of heterosexual women who tested HIV positive had never been tested before, or more specifically, had never received an HIV-negative test.

Other groups with the highest number of people testing positive who had never been tested before included heterosexual males (56 percent), injection-drug users (54 percent) and blacks (44 percent).

According to the CDC, about 4 million women at risk for an unplanned pregnancy are not using contraception. Meanwhile, 10 thousand new HIV infections occurred among American women in 2010, the latest year for which data is available.

These two statistics highlight the critical importance of contraception use among American women.

The CDC reaffirms its previous recommendations on contraceptive methods among women who are at high risk for HIV infection:

They say that hormonal contraception, including combined hormonal pills, progestin-only pills, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and implants are all safe for women.

Previous studies had demonstrated an increased risk for HIV acquisition among women who use DMPA and other injectables, though researchers are not sure how this link exists.

Also, women who don?t use condoms should be counseled about the risk for sexually transmitted disease.

The researchers also note that there are a variety of contraceptive methods available, and that condom use is the best way to prevent HIV infection.

This study was published on the CDC?s website.

HIV/AIDS

In the United States, an estimated 1.1 million people are infected with HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). HIV is transmitted through sexual contact of bodily fluids (blood, semen) with mucus membranes (oral, vaginal, anal), and the introduction of infected blood products into the bloodstream (commonly sharing intravenous needles, less commonly blood transfusions).

Mothers with HIV transmit the infection to their child in utero about 25% of the time in the absence of treatment. Early infection with HIV may produce flu-like symptoms of fever, nausea and vomiting, headache, and fatigue, then disappear. HIV may take up to ten years to progress to AIDS. The virus destroys CD4+ white blood cells and opens the body up to diseases and infections that the body would normally be able to fight off (pneumocystis pneumonia, cytomegalovirus, fungal infections, toxoplasmosis) and rare cancers (Kaposi's sarcoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, primary lymphoma in the brain).

?

Diagnosis of HIV is made by a simple blood test, and AIDS is diagnosed by a CD4+ count of less than 200/microliter (normal is 500-1500). Treatment of HIV is called highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) and includes hundreds of options to stop the replication of the HIV virus (Zidovudine, Lamivudine, Tenofovir, Efavirenz, Kaletra, Reyataz)

?

metta kashi neil diamond orange crush harden nor easter nor easter

New Business Websites | Skills on Toast | Web design & Online ...

When you start your own business, your task list can be endless. We understand the challenges you face, after all we?ve done it!

With the continued growth of the internet, and increasing number of consumers using online services, your online presence should be near the top of your to-do list. Skills on Toast strive to make your business?s transition to the online world as simple as possible ? freeing up your time so you can?concentrate on building your business, not learning about the internet.

We give you the lowdown on what you need to get your business online and why you should open your virtual doors to online consumers?

Getting Your Business Online ? What You Need

When it comes to getting your business online, there are fundamental elements that you need to consider such as:

  • Logo & Branding
  • Company Website
  • Business domain name & hosting
  • Business email addresses
  • Branded email signatures
  • Branded HTML email templates

Logo & Branding

When thinking about logo ideas, try to choose something that represents the name of your business and what you do.? You can then use this as a basis to build a whole identity for your brand including fonts, colours and imagery.

For example, the Skills on Toast logo uses blue and orange, and these colours are used throughout the website and all our marketing materials, such as business cards and brochures.

It?s also worth doing some research to check out the competition.? Do some searching on business directory sites, Companies House and Google to see whether any companies exist with similar names, particularly within your own field.? This will help you to make decisions about your brand because if you do find something, you can differentiate yourself through your logo and colour choices.? This research is also important so that you can ensure you don?t infringe on another company?s brand. ? More than anything, try to stand out from the crowd and be the company that people remember!

Company Website

Having an online presence is all about giving a great first impression. For some customers your website is the first point of contact so ensure that your site is on brand, consistent and highlights you as a professional with expertise in your industry.

Business domain name & hosting

Choosing and purchasing a domain name can be a difficult process.? Should you buy a .com? Or perhaps a co.uk?? Should you choose a domain with your business name in it, or one that describes what you do?? Skills on Toast can help you understand the options and avoid some of the common pitfalls businesses run into.

When it comes to hosting, you want to ensure that you get as much ?up-time? (the amount of time the hosting company guarantees your site will be live) as possible and if things do go wrong, you want fast, friendly, jargon-free support.

If your site is maintained by Skills on Toast we will have backups of your site and can get things back up and running for you in minutes. Our job is to understand the internet so you can focus on running your business.

Business email addresses

Business email addresses are an important part of the online experience. Customers like to
know that they are dealing with a professional company and place value on receiving
email from a business email address, as opposed to a free webmail address such as Hotmail or Gmail.

A professional email address gives your business credibility and makes your emails much less likely to be mistaken for spam.? It will also let people know where they can find your website if they want more information.

When taking your business online, make sure you set up email addresses for each
member of staff so your customers know they are getting through to the right person when they contact you.

Branded email signatures

Having branded email signatures reinforces your brand and presents you as the professional organisation that you are. It also allows you to include all your contact details, social media accounts, logo and any additional information you would like the customer to know.

Take for example, one of our email signatures:

Example of a Business Email Signature

It says who the company are, how to reach them and allows recipients to connect further on various social networks ? all without leaving their email.

Branded HTML email templates

Email marketing is a great way to reach out to existing (and potential!) clients but they should always be ?on brand? to reinforce your company identity.

Placing text in an email and sending is a great first step, but what are your competitors doing?

Think about emails that you receive from companies and how they present information. Moonpig and Groupon are great examples of branded email templates, using images and interesting content to grab the attention of the reader?

Examples of branded email templates - Groupon and Moonpig

Take your existing brand, add some style and flair and watch click-throughs soar!

At Skills on Toast, we know and understand how to get you online and how to get you noticed for all the right things.? Combine our knowledge with a number of packages designed to support this process and you have a recipe for success.

All our packages can be tailored to your precise needs and come complete with jargon-free advice from Skills on Toast?s online experts!

Our standard packages are the Basic Package, designed to create an essential online presence to get new businesses started, the Plus Package, offering a personalised online presence for that that need help and advice on branding and the Pro Package, for those who want a complete online presence.

If you have any questions about our online packages, or just want to say hello, please give us a call on 0117 230 3322 ? we?d love to hear from you!

Tags: new business websites, online business presense, SME websites

lsu crimson tide crimson tide dixville notch 2013 ford fusion lsu football lsu football

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Real Estate Weekly ? Blog Archive ? Brooklyn waterfront goes green ...

By Sarah Trefethen

When the new hotel and residential complex scheduled for completion at Brooklyn Bridge Park in 2015 opens its doors, residents and guests will have as their backyard and playground 85 acres of reclaimed waterfront that its builders and designers hail as a model of sustainable, eco-friendly design.

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park, designed by the landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, has been under construction in phases since 2010.

Its forward-thinking and award-winning design was crafted to pay tribute to the history of the waterfront, including the reintroduction of native waterfront plants and the reuse of building materials in the park infrastructure.

The project has also turned a hot, uninviting stretch of asphalt into an oasis of green.

?On a day like today you could not stand on that parking lot for more than five or ten minutes without being overwhelmed by that heat,? Andy Schroder of Skanska USA, the project manager oversaw construction on Pier 1, Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Plaza and Fulton Ferry Park, said during last week?s heat wave. ?Now you could stay all day.?

On less sunny days, rain that falls on the park is collected in large, underground cisterns and then reused to water plants and grass. The cistern at Pier 6 holds approximately 135,000 gallons of water, while Fulton Ferry Park can take 90,000 gallons at a time and the Pier 1 cistern can hold 90,000 gallons.

Not only is this water kept out of the city?s overtaxed sewer system, the park saves the money it would otherwise spend on a water bill to keep the greenery green. The buyback period on the cisterns could be a little as five years, according to Schroder.

?When you think of the park being a continuous thing that?s going to be there for 100 years it makes phenomenal sense,? he said.

Among the aging industrial infrastructure that formerly dominated the park?s stretch of waterfront was a trio of cold storage buildings from the 1800s which, when demolished, yielded 11 million board feet of now-rare Longleaf Yellow Pine. The wood was used to construct benches in the park, and as the wooden cladding from some of the structures.

Re-using the wood was not a cost-saving measure, Schroder said, as the wood could have been sold and less durable wood purchased to construct the benches. But the chosen approach yielded a higher-quality product and avoided the harvesting of additional trees.

?From an ecological standpoint or an environmental standpoint it was a huge benefit,? Schroder said. ?

Other materials reused in the park included granite recovered from work on the Willis Avenue and Roosevelt Avenue Bridges. The stone can be found in the steps on Pier 1 and in the seating area near a newly established tidal marsh ? planted with smooth cord grass and intended as a home to marine and aquatic bird life.

Other ecosystems have been preserved though the decision to use existing piers in the creation of the park, Schroder said. Leaving the piers in place means the wildlife that has made its home there is not disturbed.

?You have birds nesting on the piles and fish that can spawn and get the food they need,? he said. ?There?s a symbiosis between the historical relic sense and an ecological green positive, if you will.?

Work on a picnic area on Pier 5 is underway, and it is scheduled to open this year. Pier 2 and the upland area of Pier 3 should open in 2013, and additional, as-yet unfunded plans exist for developing Pier 3 and the upland area above Pier 5, according to the park website.

Last week the park?s board of directors chose a joint venture between Toll Brothers City Living and Starwood Capital Group as the developer of an approximately 550,000-square-foot complex that will include a 200-room luxury hotel and 159 residential units upland of Pier 1.

The ten-story hotel and residential complex and five-story residential building, designed by Rogers Marvel Architects, will ?feature a stepped fa?ade of stone and metal, sculpted to embrace the unparalleled views of the New York harbor and the park,? according to a press release from Mayor Michael Bloomburg?s office.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

whitney houston funeral judi dench alicia keys bobby brown leaves funeral donnie mcclurkin whitney houston funeral live stream kevin costner whitney houston

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Dallas Roofing Company - Innovative Solutions by Dallas Roofers


by Josey Boy
Send Feedback to Josey Boy
Request Reprint | Print | About Author | Report Problem | Tweet This

Dallas Roofing Company More Details about Dallas Roofing Company here.

Fort Worth and Dallas roofers are there for their clients to give them service and professional advice. They help to put a roof over their clients' heads by providing affordable roofing solutions. Composition roofing is transforming the residential architecture of Dallas. A Dallas roofing company introduced it to satisfy their niche clients and ever since it has been all the rave. The composition roofing material is purely synthetic developed to last from 10 to 20 years. It is quite a good deal with low unit cost and fast installation on different types of truss. A wide variety is offered with different colors, sizes and finishes. Roofing companies Dallas will advice on the best roofing solutions that will fit the intended purpose. For general purpose, the normal grade fiberglass composition finish is used. For projects whereby conservation is important, organic compositions are used. They will completely decompose then finally disposed but have the advantage of being durable since they are heavier and have more asphalt.

Roofing companies Dallas can quickly deploy a composition roof and this contributes to further cost savings. Some of the roofing Dallas compositions are simply nailed on to existing roofs. The compositions find application in any residential home or shed. Their lifespan is about 10 to 20 years because they are not heat resistant. More aesthetic solution is found in the laminate kind of roofing which has nice contours. These are sourced by Dallas roofers from manufacturers who create the laminate finish at an extra cost compared with the randomized fiberglass. The laminates are used for projects in which the visuals are important.

Roofing Fort Worth and roofing Dallas TX have another trick up their sleeve. They use the high impact composite roofing to guard against hail. The special finishing that builds resistance to impact may cost more but brings huge savings to the home policy. Up to thirty percent can be saved in home insurance from the fact that damage from storms will be mitigated. The roof companies integrated impact IV resistance from the inherent properties of fiberglass. To counter the poor thermal properties, the roof can be laid in conjunction with thermoblok. This results in savings of over 30 percent in home energy usage. That is a fantastic curtailing of running costs.

No wonder compositions are catching on in roofing companies Dallas. Having the organic composition with energy savings makes for a very green house which would make any home owner proud. Inorganic composites have a bad reputation because they take up to fifty years to decompose. Most of the compositions are recyclable and are probably already made from recycled materials. There are different styles and colors that can go with the house being roofed.

There are innovative solutions for roofing Dallas and roofing Fort Worth that present a desirable architectural finish. These are laminate compositions that are a higher grade and have gone through further production processes. In particular an additional layer of asphalt finishing is added. Impact resistance can also be catered for in areas where the roofing faces the brunt of hail and strong gales. As a measure to control house temperature, additional thermal protection is added to the roofing.

Ross Tbo is the author of this article on Roofing Dallas tx. Find more information on Roofing Fort Worth here

awesome comments

Contact the Author

Josey Boy

compositionroofsoftexas@yahoo.in
More Details about Dallas Roofing Company here.

 Dallas Roofing Company

Related Articles

Keywords: Dallas Roofing Company, Roof Companies ,Roofing Dallas, Tx Roofing Fort Worth

This article has been viewed 5 time(s).

Does this article infringe on your copyright?

It is a violation of our terms and conditions for writers to submit material which they did not write and claim it as their own. If this article infringes on your copyrights, you MUST either call us at 706-866-2295 or send proof of infringement along with the offending article's title, URL, and writer name to

IdeaMarketers.com
Attn: Marnie Pehrson - Copyright Concern
514 Old Hickory Ln
Ringgold GA 30736 USA
If you email us or use our problem submission form, we CANNOT guarantee we'll receive your notice!

?

?

glen davis kobe bryant a christmas story prime rib ny knicks prime rib recipe norad santa tracker

EU's changing faces raise doubts for future

FILE- This is a Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 file photo of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, right, as they shake hands after a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. Often these days, the first order of business at European Union summits is not the continent's dreadful financial crisis. It's getting to know the people around the table. The group of national leaders that will meet this week in Brussels is a different crew from the one that met in October 2009, when the crisis in Europe first erupted with the news that Greece was in deep difficulty. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer, File)

FILE- This is a Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 file photo of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, right, as they shake hands after a news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. Often these days, the first order of business at European Union summits is not the continent's dreadful financial crisis. It's getting to know the people around the table. The group of national leaders that will meet this week in Brussels is a different crew from the one that met in October 2009, when the crisis in Europe first erupted with the news that Greece was in deep difficulty. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer, File)

FILE -- This is a Friday, June 22, 2012 file photo of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, as she talks with Italian Premier Mario Monti during a joint press conference with Spanish Premier Mariano Rajoy and French President Francois Hollande in Rome. Often these days, the first order of business at European Union summits is not the continent's dreadful financial crisis. It's getting to know the people around the table. The group of national leaders that will meet this week in Brussels is a different crew from the one that met in October 2009, when the crisis in Europe first erupted with the news that Greece was in deep difficulty. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)

FILE - This is a Monday, March 1, 2010 file photo of Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel as she shakes hands with Spain's prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero prior to the German-Spanish Consultations in Hanover, northern Germany. Often these days, the first order of business at European Union summits is not the continent's dreadful financial crisis. It's getting to know the people around the table. The group of national leaders that will meet this week in Brussels is a different crew from the one that met in October 2009, when the crisis in Europe first erupted with the news that Greece was in deep difficulty. (AP Photo/Heribert Proepper, File)

FILE -This is a Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012 file photo of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and the Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, left, as they address the media during a joint news conference at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany. Often these days, the first order of business at European Union summits is not the continent's dreadful financial crisis. It's getting to know the people around the table. The group of national leaders that will meet this week in Brussels is a different crew from the one that met in October 2009, when the crisis in Europe first erupted with the news that Greece was in deep difficulty. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

FILE - This is a Feb. 6, 2012 file photo of France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, right, as he bids farewell to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, after a French-German cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Often these days, the first order of business at European Union summits is not the continent's dreadful financial crisis. It's getting to know the people around the table. The group of national leaders that will meet this week in Brussels is a different crew from the one that met in October 2009, when the crisis in Europe first erupted with the news that Greece was in deep difficulty. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

(AP) ? Often these days, the first order of business at European Union summits isn't the continent's dreadful financial crisis.

It's getting to know the people around the table.

The group of leaders that will meet this week in Brussels is a much different crew from the one that met in October 2009, when the crisis in Europe first erupted with the news that Greece was in deep trouble.

Gone is the colorful and sometimes embarrassing Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, replaced by the technocratic Mario Monti. Europe has said "au revoir" to hyperkinetic French President Nicolas Sarkozy and "bonjour" to the altogether more sedate Francois Hollande. The glower of Britain's Gordon Brown has given way the youthful countenance of David Cameron.

At this summit, leaders had been preparing to shake hands with new Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras ? until emergency eye surgery forced him to send regrets.

The revolving door of European leaders raises the question of how Europe can implement bold and swift decisions when it's not even clear who'll be in charge a few months from now.

Carefully cultivated alliances can get swept away in the swirl of parliamentary politics. How, the pundits ask, can Europe come together on a united vision for the future when instability lies at the very heart of the continent's democratic system?

Of the 27 countries in the EU, 14 have switched leaders since the crisis began a little over two and a half years ago. Only one major national leader has remained a constant throughout the crisis: German Chancellor Angela Merkel. And her staying power, at the top of Europe's biggest economy, has bolstered Germany's dominant role in European decision-making.

After all, it's safe to say that few people are waiting for Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to lead the way.

It seems that almost every time the leaders meet, which is often, there's a new face. At the most recent summit, in May, it was Hollande. Late last year, leaders had to acquaint themselves with Italy's Monti, Spain's Mariano Rajoy and Greece's Lucas Papademos, all in the space of a couple of months.

Beyond fanciful notions of presidents and prime ministers needing name tags or surreptitiously peeking at the cheat sheets (with photos) that the EU helpfully prints out for journalists, the rapidly changing cast of characters has caused many to ask: Has it slowed the response to the financial crisis?

Perhaps. Summit diplomacy is to a large extent about building personal relationships.

"The men and women in the highest circles of international politics are people readers rather than paper readers, and therefore place more faith in their own direct personal impressions than in more traditional, written forms of diplomatic communication," Jan Melissen, of the Clingendael international relations institute in the Netherlands, wrote in a study of summit diplomacy.

The bottom line is that it takes time for the leaders to size each other up and to earn each other's trust. Merkel and Sarkozy, for example, had difficulties working together in the early months of the financial crisis. Sarkozy criticized Germany in public for its failure to act. And when Sarkozy led camera crews into a meeting, Merkel reportedly told him, "I won't let you do this to me," and made them leave.

But with the passage of time, and under the pressure of the crisis, they developed such a close partnership that they came to be dubbed "Merkozy."

As leaders of the European currency union's biggest economies, the two regularly met before each EU summit to hash out common positions. They then presented their decisions to other leaders pretty much as a fait accompli. And during the French presidential campaign this year, Merkel declared her support for Sarkozy ? refusing to meet with Hollande.

Now that relationship's gone. Merkel and Hollande sharply disagree about the way forward for Europe ? with the German leader sticking by austerity and the French one championing growth. The divergence at the center of Europe has created fresh worries about the continent's fate.

Observers say it can take time to rebuild carefully nurtured national alliances.

"Through their personal exchanges at summit meetings, leaders familiarize each other with the domestic political pressures and constraints they face back home," said David Shorr, an expert on summitry at the Stanley Foundation, an Iowa-based organization that promotes multilateralism. "The personal trust piece of this has to be established freshly with each new leader who joins the club."

But Shorr noted that personal chemistry may count for little when nations start pulling apart on the issues.

"You don't need to know President Hollande well to recognize the French elections themselves as a pretty clear weather vane for the shifting political winds," he said.

___

Don Melvin can be reached at http://twitter.com/Don_Melvin

Associated Press

rueben randle mike trout ryan broyles jerel worthy alshon jeffery miami heat bulls

University Area Community Development Corporation named ...

UACDC recognized at the Tampa Bay Business Journal Nonprofit of the Year Awards

?

Tampa, Fla. ? (June 26, 2012) ? The University Area Community Development Corporation, Inc. (UACDC) took top honors for the second year as the winner in the ?Public and Societal Benefit? category at the 2012 Tampa Bay Business Journal Nonprofit of the Year Awards. The event was held June 21 at the A La Carte Event Pavilion where winners were recognized in seven categories among 37 finalists.

?

?This award is about more than just accolades on paper. It means that highly regarded business leaders recognize that UACDC sets a high standard for providing life-changing programs in an effective, accountable and fiscally responsible way,? said Dan Jurman, UACDC executive director and CEO. ?We understand the many challenges today?s nonprofits face and congratulate all the finalists and winners for their hard work in the Tampa Bay community. We also want to thank the dozens of non-profits, for-profit businesses and government agencies that partner with us every day to Make it Happen.?

?

The Tampa Bay Business Journal created these awards to promote transparency and accountability among area nonprofits. The awards honor outstanding organizations that not only provide important services, but also demonstrate financially sound practices.

?

?We?re honored to have received this award for the second year as the UACDC continues to do more with less as we maintain innovative and unparalleled programs that produce proven results,? said Commissioner Victor D. Crist, UACDC Chairman of the Board. ?As we help people become self-sufficient, we?re accomplishing our mission with minimal resources.?

?

The UACDC provides the opportunities and resources to meet the needs of the adults and youth of the blighted University Area Community. By working side-by-side and offering the encouragement and resources to create self-sustainability, community members are able to break free from poverty and create a better tomorrow.

?

ABOUT UACDC:

The UACDC Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public/private partnership whose mission is children and family development, crime prevention, and commerce growth. Its primary focus is the redevelopment and sustainability of the at-risk areas surrounding the Tampa campus of the University of South Florida. The UACDC was named 2011 non-profit of the year by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. It is headquartered in the University Area Community Center Complex, owned by Hillsborough County and operated by the UACDC, which is located at 14013 North 22nd Street in Tampa. For more information about UACDC, please visit www.uacdc.org or call 813-558-5212.

?

jack del rio heaven is for real chapter 11 bankruptcy chapter 11 bankruptcy big ten acc challenge 2011 john wayne gacy amr

Lana Del Ray Channels Jackie O In New 'National Anthem' Still

Photos from Anthony Mandler-directed clip also tease Lana looking like Marilyn Monroe, but leave A$AP Rocky as JFK a mystery.
By Jocelyn Vena


Lana Del Ray
Photo:

Lana Del Ray is doing her best Jackie O in a new still from her "National Anthem" video. She's got the former First Lady's look down to the very last detail, including that pillbox hat.

In one still from the clip, posted on Aceshowbiz, Lana sits in the back of a convertible, in her little suit, her veiled hat and her hair down. She looks back, possibly in the moments after President Kennedy, who will be portrayed by A$AP Rocky in the video, gets shot on that famous November day in 1963. Her eyes are covered with some of the lyrics from the track, "Red white blue in the skies," and more lyrics, "Summer's in the air/ And baby heaven's in your eyes," are scrolled across the bottom of the photo.

In another still from the Anthony Mandler-directed video, Lana stands in a long white gown at some sort of presidential affair. She looks a bit more Marilyn Monroe in this shot, channeling the actress' look when she famously sang "Happy Birthday" to President Kennedy. This time, the lyric "Tell me I'm your National Anthem" is written on the photo.

In an interview with BBC Radio 1, Lana revealed why she wanted play Jacqueline Kennedy and recreate that historical time in her 10-minute video. "Every so often, I top what I've done, and this video is definitely the most beautiful thing I've ever done," she said. "I wrote a treatment for me and A$AP Rocky, because I just thought he'd be really perfect to star in it. ... I love it."

As for her better half in the video, the MC shared some details in a separate interview, noting that it might take a few years for people to really digest what they've committed to celluloid. "We did a video together ... some swag sh--," he said. "I play JFK, she plays Jackie O. Some cool, trippy sh--, some really 2015 sh--. People gonna get it in like three years, and that's the whole purpose of it."

With no word on when the video will drop, fans will have to wait a little longer to see A$AP do his best Kennedy. "National Anthem" is the latest single off Del Ray's 2012 album, Born to Die.

Related Videos Related Artists

may day protests tony nominations 2012 facebook organ donor jessica simpson gives birth carrie underwood blown away chk ryan o neal

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

In London, smartphone app to help catch criminals

Britain's largest police force has unveiled a smartphone application which lets London residents identify suspects at the tap of a touchscreen.

Scotland Yard says it has loaded its "Facewatch" app with nearly 5,000 pictures of suspects wanted either in connection with low-level crime or the summer riots which hit the capital last year.

Users enter their postal code and are served with photos of wanted people taken in their area; they can flip through the photos or send in a name if they know the suspect.

The app is the latest addition to international law enforcement's electronic arsenal of crime-fighting programs, which includes everything from a U.S. Homeland Security reporting tool to an app that reads suspects their rights in Spanish.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

courtney upshaw russell wilson catch me if you can delmon young arrested the raven the raven zerg rush

LTC Insurance for Baby Boomers Slogedal

There may be varied ways to plan your future health care needs, but long term care insurance for baby boomers seems to be the perfect product that will ensure your peace of mind and your family?s.

Nobody is encouraged nowadays to strengthen his nest egg because no amount of saving will change the fact that the cost of care will increase twofold in 2026 and fourfold later in 2030. This is not a presumption but a foresight which was based on the population growth of baby boomers over the age of 65 and the different kinds of health conditions that usually trigger long term care (LTC).

Some of these maladies include Alzheimer?s, stroke, heart diseases, and high blood pressure among others. People with these conditions usually wind up in nursing homes but since 89 percent of the population prefers to stay at home and receive care from a home health aide, there has become a rapid increase in aging-in-place projects among home builders.

Aging-in-place is the act of receiving LTC in LTC Insurance Reviews the confines of your home which is complete with all the essentials of LTC.

Examples of these important things that should be integrated into your home in case that you decide to receive care here are wheelchair ramps, wheelchair lift, security shower grips, electronic monitoring devices, and an Internet connection.

Many elderly folks are vehemently against the idea of being sent to a nursing home because of the ugly reports that are continuously being churned out by publication offices in relation to the treatment that nursing home residents are receiving.

Then there are those individuals that refuse to be looked down upon by others.

According to them, the home for the aged and nursing homes are often thought of as places for weak and dependent people. Baby boomers are so unlike their parents from the silent generation as they are by nature more independent, adventurous, and intelligent.

Long Term Care Insurance for Baby Boomers

Senior baby boomers cannot stand being treated like a paraplegic so even if they need assistance in various activities LTC Insurance Reviews of daily living (ADL) they want to maintain their independence and pride. At least in their own homes they have the assurance that they will be well taken care of by a licensed caregiver or a home health aide.

Majority of long term care insurance buyers have opted for the comprehensive LTCI policy because with this type of insurance you can receive care wherever you wish.

Perhaps the only downside to acquiring a comprehensive policy is the fact that it is more expensive than other types of policies. However, with an insurance agent who specializes in LTC by your side you will realize that all the components of your policy are negotiable.

Comprehensive policies allow people to receive care at home, in an assisted living facility, a nursing home, or wherever he wishes unlike the facility care only which primarily focuses on providing care in a certain type of institutional or community-based LTC facility.

Through long term care insurance for baby boomers planning your future health care will definitely be much easier.

LTC Insurance Reviews

~ by admin on June 25, 2012.

shea mcclellin nfl draft 2012 whitney mercilus 2012 nfl draft picks andrew luck andrew luck trent richardson

Where can I find out about small business networking events in ...


You may want to check with your local chamber of commerce. Also, a nationwide small business networking group is www.bni.com.

nick carter leslie carter aaron carter sister pfizer signing day 2012 football gasland college football recruiting

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE may hit Verizon on July 5th

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE may hit Verizon on July 5th

The bad news: if you've been hoping to grab a Droid Incredible 4G LTE so you can show it off to your friends at your local July 4th extravaganza, you're out of luck. The good news: you might be able to cheer up from your post-holiday depression the very next day. According to internal employee docs captured by Droid-Life, we should expect Verizon's first Sense 4 device to arrive at stores on July 5th for $200 with a two-year contract. As always, pricing and availability are never set in stone; after all, internal employee docs gave us false hope that the Motorola Droid 4 would show up several weeks before it actually launched, but that was likely a result of Verizon pulling the launch at the last minute. Provided Big Red doesn't change its mind (or other snafus throw a wrench into the process), we won't be disappointed this time around.

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE may hit Verizon on July 5th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 11:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDroid-Life  | Email this | Comments


the beach blood diamond 8 bit google maps kids choice awards 2012 micah true kansas vs ohio state winning mega million numbers

Monday, June 25, 2012

Thoughts on Gay Marriage from a Straight Woman | Veracity Stew

Opponents of same-sex marriage are dropping like flies. Maybe it was the President coming out for marriage equality, or maybe it is just an idea whose time has come, but more and more Americans are moving toward approval of the idea of same-sex marriage.

As a ?straight? person, that both heartens and bothers me.

One of the chief advocates of California?s historic Proposition 8 has publicly and officially changed his position on same-sex marriage and now believes that gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry as a matter of ?basic?fairness.? David Blankenhorn, who founded an organization called the?Institute for American Values, and a witness in 2010 on behalf of Protect Marriage, Prop. 8?s sponsoring group, wrote in a New York Times opinion piece:

?For me, the most important (thing) is the equal dignity of homosexual love. I don?t believe that opposite-sex and same-sex relationships are the same, but I do believe, with growing numbers of Americans, that the time for denigrating or stigmatizing same-sex relationships is over. Whatever one?s definition of marriage, legally recognizing gay and lesbian couples and their children is a victory for basic fairness.?

Blankenhorn?s change of position comes on the heels of ?a CNN/ORC poll released earlier this month which shows that 54 percent of Americans believe that marriages between gay and lesbian couples should be recognized as valid by law. The results of the survey were released the day after a federal appeals court in San Francisco refused to review the same same-sex marriage ruling Blankenhorn opposed and testified in support of previously. Proposition 8, was ruled unconstitutional by the courts, but a stay is in place until appeals are exhausted.

I?m heartened because it seems in a short time and with each new poll more Americans are ready to support the legality of gay marriage. I?m bothered because no person?s rights ? gay or straight ? should be the subject of anybody else?s approval or disapproval. By its very nature this overall debate, the various votes and the numerous polls give the majority the power and authority to determine what is ?normal.?

On the one hand, I understand the joy that accompanied President Obama?s and the NAACP?s endorsements of same-sex marriage as a civil right. On the other, I?m offended that in the 21st Century we feel we need anyone?s permission to accept a normal relationship as a normal relationship. A big part of me says if we just saw LGBT people as, say, people, we wouldn?t need to have this conversation. People marry other people, or not. It should be their choice. Why should one set of people get to determine that one person is more or less worthy than another?

I?m grateful for movement in the right direction but one of the things that has always bothered me about the same-sex marriage debate is that it perpetuates a sense of ?otherness? that lets us believe that it is okay to discriminate against gay people. A second thing that bothers me is any notion that the fight for marriage equality is an LGBT fight. It is not. Any time anyone with power attempts to exclude a portion of society based on pure prejudice it is an attack on us all and we must all join the fight against them.

There are ways we can recognize that we are different but still entitled to be treated equally. We may be seeing positive signs that we?re headed in that direction but we?re not there yet. Start by not waiting for permission to do the right thing.

Related Posts with Thumbnails

brine turkey brine turkey uc davis super committee walmart black friday ad 2011 nl mvp nl mvp

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Thread: New to me freebies - Family Woodworking

The guy next door wanted to thank me for cutting his grass the past 5 or 6 weeks while his hand healed up after having a bone in his thumb replaced. This morning he came over & presented me with these little beauties he snagged at a garage sale...

Click image for larger version

Name:	Untitled-1.jpg
Views:	54
Size:	64.7 KB
ID:	68281 Click image for larger version

Name:	Untitled-2.jpg
Views:	48
Size:	81.5 KB
ID:	68280

The planer was attached to the stand, but I barely have enough room to pass gas, so it{the stand} will either be disassembled & stored or passed onto someone who can use it. He had no idea what the clamps were used for, but he picked up both the 32"36"? & the 50" for $5.00..after I explained the clamp uses we decided he should keep one for himself{besides, I told him that I knew where he lived if I needed the larger one }...He wouldn't say what he paid for the planer, he just smiled and said he was still "way ahead"...great to have good neighbors, or good to have great neighbors, either/or, I'm blessed to have quite a few on our little street!

I don't know much about this planer except it works fine, it seems. Though I will be making it a permanent home of some sort with in-feed & out-feed tables, currently set-up, it leaves about 2-3 inches of snipe, but hopefully some fine tuning and the possibility of some of you having a tip or two to share will square away most of the bugs I might encounter.

Anyways...sorry for rambling, I'm still giddy over this....hope you all have a great weekend, and be sure to at least wave hi to your neighbors...you just never know...

mars rover apple cup jewelry stores sleep no more cyber monday deals war eagle war eagle

Standards For Deciding upon Primary Criteria In Personal Finance ...

Direct your puncture assets supports in to an comment which will give we entrance to it during your convenience we want, yet you?ll also, consequence the small bit from interest. Money marketplace accounts have great puncture assets funds, as do assets accounts with tall yields. Be aware, though, which the small assets accounts competence need the vast volume of deposited supports prior to the tall volume of seductiveness will be paid.

If we wish to be secure financially, we need to have the long-term plan. You should have apart skeleton which work together until we die. These skeleton should be for the month, year, 5 years, 10 years, twenty years as great as so on. This will give we discernment upon what needs to be finished to succeed.

Try to equivocate regulating credit cards to compensate for gifts. If we have great friends as great as family, they should assimilate if we have been not equates to to buy them anything as great extravagant. Making them something or charity them the operate to have their lives simpler competence be value some-more than anything we can buy.

If we have been perplexing to get absolved of credit label debt, cruise the home equity loan. A home equity loan carries the revoke seductiveness rate, as great as we can operate it to compensate off credit cards as great as alternative debts. This will outcome in the single revoke monthly payment, enabling we to discharge costly credit label debt.

If we wish to be in great monetary shape, we should stop eating out during restaurants. Eating out during the grill will price we as most as 10 times some-more than it would price to have the same dish during home. Being parsimonious with your income now, will assistance we to emanate confidence for later.

If we have been seeking for an easy approach to urge your finances, we should stop shopping code latest cars. Buying the somewhat used automobile each time, will save we income since we will know which models have been good. Cars decrease the great deal, the second they come off the lot, anyway.

When investing money, have certain which we do not rebound around as great much. Find the couple of plain investments as great as hang with them. Moving income around competence appear similar to the intelligent idea, yet the income we will finish up spending in elect as great as send fees will have it, not value your while.

Get the right kinds of insurance, if we wish to sojourn secure, financially. If we own the home, yet do not have the correct sort of insurance, your home will be during risk if the legal box follows. The same is loyal for any of your vehicles or alternative property. Insure yourself as great as we can, in sequence to equivocate monetary ruin, in box of an accident.

One of the most appropriate ways to set the clever monetary substructure for the destiny is to rivet in protected driving. The safer we drive, the reduction accidents which we will get into, which will revoke the costs of correct as great as give we the most appropriate probable word rate for your situation.

Do not buy the latest automobile unless, we have multiform thousand dollars we would similar to to chuck away. The standard latest automobile client loses in between $5,000 to $10,000, as shortly as the automobile is driven off the sales lot. A great used automobile is the most improved investment. The income saved stays in your bank account.

Think about purchasing party associated equipment online used. Usually we can get the illusory understanding upon something which was hardly used. Even if we buy it new, it customarily is the lot cheaper to get it online instead of during the store. Doing this will save we the lot of money, as great as will take something which someone doesn?t want. Giving it the latest home.

Learn to change your income as great as your spending. Keep lane of how most we consequence as great as outlay upon the every day basis. Go over these total during slightest once the month to have certain we have been vital inside of your means. Put sufficient income in reserve for destiny projects or variable events.

When we have been scheming your own taxation returns, have certain which we record any deductions which we competence be entitled to. If we have been not certain what deductions we competence be authorised for, we should do the small research. Hire the veteran to do them for you, if things have been still not clear.

Now which we see how easy personal financial can be, hopefully we have altered your perspective the little. It is not tough to be in carry out of your income as great as it is really profitable to do so. Take honour in the income which we have warranted as great as operate it wisely.

If we have been acid for some-more report afterwards we really contingency have the demeanour upon this site calgary mortgage for one more associated information.

Related posts

Related Post Healthy Hair Secrets

cotto vs margarito 2 cotto vs margarito cotto vs margarito miguel cotto cotto ncaa bowl games bowls

Seven Czechs killed in bus crash in Croatia

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

pollen count mexico city first day of spring mexico earthquake aziz ansari aziz ansari katherine jenkins

Privacy deal could dent Facebook's revenue

? Thomas Hodel / Reuters / REUTERS

A Facebook logo on a computer screen is seen through a magnifying glass.

By Roland Jones

Facebook has hit a potential stumbling block in its efforts to make money from its more than 900 million active users.

The social network has agreed to pay $20 million to settle a lawsuit in California claiming?it?publicized?that some of its users had ?liked? certain advertisers?but didn't?pay the users, or give them a way to opt out.

The so-called ?Sponsored Story? feature on Facebook is essentially an advertisement that appears on the site and includes a member?s Facebook page and generally consists of another friend?s name, profile picture and a statement that the person ?likes? that advertiser.

The agreement in California could potentially complicate Facebook?s efforts to accelerate advertising revenue, experts say.

Ever since the company went public last month, critics of the website have said it faces challenges when it comes to drawing in revenue because its users are sensitive to Facebook using their personal information to generate money, and because the website?s advertising is not obtrusive enough to grab the attention of users.

?The fact is the advertisements are not irritating users,? said Rob Enderle, an analyst with Enderle Group. ?Advertisers are not getting value because Facebook does not want to upset its users.?

Enderle notes that Facebook?s non-traditional forms of advertising -- using features such as ?Sponsored Stories,? or allowing advertisers to establish product-focused pages -- are not having the same effect as more established forms of advertising, which by their nature are conspicuous and direct.

Indeed, a Reuters/Ipsos poll earlier this month showed four out of five Facebook users said they have never bought a product or service as a result of advertising or comments on the social network site. And in mid-May General Motors very publicly yanked $10 million in Facebook advertising, saying paid advertising on the site isn?t effective.

Changing the ?Sponsored Stories? feature could cost Facebook $103.2 million, economist Fernando Torres? analysis of the revenue each ad brings to the site estimated. And, according to the lawsuit, Facebook?s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said the value of a ?Sponsored Story? advertisement is at least twice and up to three times the value of a standard Facebook ad that doesn?t include a friend endorsement.

But Facebook executives shouldn?t be too despondent, according to Larry Chiagouris, a marketing professor at Pace University's Lubin School of Business. He notes that, in general, academic studies show consumers are willing to reveal more about themselves than privacy advocates would have us believe.

When given a choice, people would rather give up a bit of privacy to get something for free than pay for a service and have their privacy protected, he said.

?Facebook is going to do just fine, because most of its users don?t care much about their privacy,? Chiagouris said. ?Privacy advocates tend to be people on the fringe -- who by the way in some cases have legitimate concerns; it?s just that those concerns are not necessarily shared by the masses.?

A recent examination of the accounts of 1 million Facebook users by Secure.me, a company that offers privacy services to social networks users, showed?nearly 9 out of 10 Americans share information about themselves that can be abused. Slightly fewer Europeans share such sensitive information, the company?s research found.

To continue to entice users to share their personal information on Facebook the website needs to be clear about what its users are giving up, Chiagouris added.

?They still have the largest community of people anywhere on the planet, and that?s worth a great deal,? he said. ?But they need to find a way to provide some sort of tiered service, and not through lots of privacy settings most people don?t make good use of. Facebook is constantly changing them, adding more confusion. They really have harmed themselves in that regard.?They just need to be more transparent and simple about it.?

Another upbeat sign for Facebook is its share price, which has rallied 27 percent since hitting a post-IPO low of $25.87 on June 5.

California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris said Friday that Facebook has become the seventh company to agree to give people advance warning if its mobile applications take personal information from their mobile phones and devices.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Facebook is launching the option of subscription payments of apps, with CNBC's Julia Boorstin.

cinnamon rolls krampus robert de niro winner of x factor cheesecake recipe leona lewis carlos beltran