8 steps to a successful job relocation

8 hrs.

Jacquelyn Smith , Forbes

The decision to relocate for a job is a big one that demands a lot of time and consideration?but as it turns out, that might be the easy part.

?The move itself could be one of the most stressful changes in life,? says Marjie Terry, VP of business development and client service at Great on the Job. ?Even if you?re super excited about the new position or company, moving is still complicated.?

Ted Stimpson, president and CEO of?MyMove.com, agrees. He says: ?As with any move, relocating for a job can be a complicated and stressful process. But the good news is that you?ve been recognized as a valuable asset to your new company or office, and employers are typically more than willing to help make your transition a smooth one.? Plan ahead for your move, and utilize any relocation packages offered by your employer, he says. ?And if things start to get stressful, remember that the reason for your move is a positive and exciting one.?

So, what exactly makes relocating so complicated? Ryan Kahn, a career coach, the star of MTV?s "Hired!"?and author of "Hired! The Guide for the Recent Grad," says, among other things, the process requires you to find a new place to call home, become acquainted with your new environment, master a new job, and build a new support network?all at the same time. ?A lot of hard work will go into being successful at all of these things, but hopefully you find out that it?s everything you?ve wanted.?

Stimpson says today?s real estate market doesn?t make it any easier. ?Selling a house is one of the biggest complications that relocating homeowners face,? he says. ?Paying two mortgages is daunting?and often not feasible?which leaves many in the challenging position of selling their current home while securing housing in their new city of employment.?

Another challenge faced by two-income families: finding employment for the relocating employee?s spouse or partner, he adds. And if you have children, you?ll probably worry about their transition to the new environment, as well.

?It?s extremely difficult to be 100 percent focused on your new job while dealing with all of the logistics of the move,? Terry says. ?You want to make great impressions on your new colleagues but everything is new and unfamiliar, so it takes working double time in the beginning to make it all work.?

So, if you want to have a successful transition, here?s what you?ll need to do:

Stay organized.?Much of moving-related stress comes from managing all of the logistics, like leaving your current home, and finding a new one, Terry says. ?Try to be very organized. Keep to-do lists for both your departure and arrival locations so that you can stay on top of everything.?

Know what?s available to you.??Many companies offer a variety of relocation services and most are flexible in what they provide, Kahn says. Make sure you take the time to learn what?s available to you?and use it. For example, some companies will pay for things like house-hunting trips, transportation of your cars, assistance in selling or buying your home, help figuring out how to rent out a property, and event organizers to settle you into your new home. They might also be able to help your spouse with job placement or employment leads in your new city, Stimpson adds.

If your employer doesn?t typically offer relocation assistance, ask for it.?If you learn that assistance isn?t typically given, don?t be afraid to negotiate, Stimpson says. Start by researching moving costs (truck rentals, quotes from professional movers, transportation expenses, temporary housing, storage, etc.) so that you can present your employer with a detailed estimate of how much your relocation is expected to cost you. ?Having this supporting information is crucial to the success of your request,? he says. Also ask about preferred providers when it comes to relocation companies and real estate agents. Reimbursement for your relocation may be contingent upon the usage of designated professionals with whom your employer has established relationships.

Take time to get to know your new environment before you move.?If you have the luxury of taking some time to explore your new area before arriving, do so, Terry says. ?Explore the neighborhoods in the area to make sure that you find the best suited one for your lifestyle,? she says.

If you?re not able to visit the new city before you move, take the time talk to people that live there or used to live there, and ?get as much perspective as you can on what you?re walking into,? Kahn says.

You should also read the local news or any local blogs to understand the vibe and learn what?s going in your new town, Terry adds.

Know the cost of living in the new city.?There are significant differences in cost of living among U.S. cities and states, Stimpson says. ?Typically, these differences will be compensated for in your salary, but it?s still important to check.? Do the research and plan accordingly.

Don?t make any long-term commitments.??Renting at first is a great way to settle into a new city without making a?commitment?to a neighborhood you might end up not liking,? Terry says.

Kahn agrees. He says a common mistake many people make when relocating for a job is to buy a home or commit to a long-term lease immediately, and later find that they don?t like the neighborhood, or the job.

Stimpson says to ask about temporary corporate housing. ?Some companies offer apartments or condos for a fixed length of time to allow relocating employees to familiarize themselves with their new surroundings and make an informed housing decision.?

Find out if any of your moving expenses are tax-deductible.? Even if your new employer doesn?t offer any financial assistance for your relocation, you might be eligible for partial reimbursement come tax time, which can definitely ease some of your financial stress, Stimpson says. (See?IRS Tax Topic 455?for details on which expenses qualify.) ?Generally, the moving tax deductions requirements are: the move must be because you started a new job; your new home must be at least 50 miles from your old home and your old job. (This is to prevent folks from simply moving across the street every time they changed jobs in a design to take advantage of the moving tax deduction.); and you must work full time for at least 39 weeks during the last 52 following your move. Self-employed movers need to work at least 78 weeks over the last 2 years to qualify.?

Build a social support network.? ?Use your friends to network to make new friends in the same way that you would try to network for a job,? Kahn says.?Use online services like MeetUp to find others in the area that have similar interests or hobbies. Your new company may also offer clubs and interest groups to meet new people. The faster you can build a support network, the more at home you will feel and the happier you will be with your decision to move, he says.

?Establishing a social network in your new town is going to make you feel more grounded and happy, which will allow you to perform better in your new job,? Terry adds.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/8-steps-successful-job-relocation-1C7532579

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World stocks indecisive as Fed enthusiasm fades

BANGKOK (AP) -- World stock markets were mixed Thursday as markets digested a move by the European Union to create a common banking authority and enthusiasm faded over the U.S. Federal Reserve's new bond-buying program. A weakening yen propelled Japan's benchmark higher.

Stocks in Europe fell in early trading despite European Union finance ministers meeting in Brussels reached an agreement to set up a shared banking supervisor. Under the agreement, the European Central Bank would act as supervisor for banks in the 17 EU countries that use the euro and any other country in the union that wants to opt in.

Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.2 percent to 5,936.12. Germany's DAX fell 0.5 percent 7,579.94. France's CAC-40 lost 0.1 percent to 3,641.54.

Meanwhile, the Fed said Wednesday following a two-day policy meeting that it will keep spending $85 billion a month on bond purchases to drive down long-term borrowing costs and stimulate economic growth. The Fed will spend $45 billion a month on long-term Treasury purchases to replace "Operation Twist," a previous bond-purchase program of an equal size. And it will keep buying $40 billion a month in mortgage bonds.

Those purchases, and the Fed's revamped commitment to keep interest rates low until unemployment falls to a more normal level, are intended to spur borrowing and spending in an economy still growing only modestly since the financial crisis of 2008.

Futures augured a weak session on Wall Street. Dow Jones futures shed a marginal 2 points to 13,228. S&P 500 futures lost 0.1 percent at 1,426.30.

But Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.7 percent to close at 9,742.73 ? an eight-month high ? as the yen sank against the dollar, a boost for Japan's export-reliant economy. Mazda Motor Corp. jumped 4.4 percent. Sony Corp. surged 6.4 percent. Panasonic Corp. soared 7.9 percent.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed earlier gains to close 0.3 percent lower at 22,445.50. South Korea's Kospi rallied 1.4 percent to 2,002.77. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell slightly to 4,582.80.

Besides a spur in borrowing, the Fed's drive to cut rates also induces investors to shift money out of low-yielding bonds and into stocks, analysts said.

"The long-term yields will remain low, so this is definitely a good thing for the U.S. economy, and it's also a positive sign for the Hong Kong stock market. We can clearly see capital inflows to Hong Kong in the past month," said Dickie Wong, executive director of research at Kingston Securities Ltd. in Hong Kong.

"Investors are looking for other places to put money," Wong said. "If you put your money into a savings account, there's no interest at all. For investors in Hong Kong, there is a hunger for yield."

Though welcome by investors, the Fed's announcement did not completely douse concerns over budget negotiations in Washington, which appear to have hit a roadblock.

Without a budget agreement between President Barack Obama and Republican lawmakers, a combination of steep automatic tax hikes and government spending cuts will go into effect in 2013, threatening to throw the U.S. economy into recession.

Even if an agreement can be reached, the halting pace of negotiations is jeopardizing chances that it could be written into proper legislative form and passed through both House and Senate before the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3.

Benchmark crude for January delivery was down 38 cents to $86.39 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 98 cents to close at $86.77 per barrel on the Nymex on Wednesday.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.3071 from $1.3063 late Wednesday in New York. The dollar rose to 83.45 yen from 83.20 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/world-stocks-indecisive-fed-enthusiasm-094416968.html

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Ciena results miss estimates on lower optical equipment demand

(Reuters) - Network equipment maker Ciena Corp's fourth-quarter results missed analysts' estimates as revenue from the packet optical-transport and packet-optical switching businesses fell.

Network gear makers have been hit over the past few quarters as telecom service providers, their biggest customers, cut spending and delayed purchase of equipment.

Ciena said it expects first-quarter revenue of between $435 million and $460 million. Analysts were expecting revenue of $458.6 million, according to Thomson Reuters, I/B/E/S.

For the fourth quarter, net loss widened to $38.8 million, or 39 cents per share from $22.3 million, or 23 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, the company, which competes with Juniper Networks, Alcatel-Lucent and Infinera, lost 7 cents per share.

Revenue rose 2 percent to $465.5 million.

Analysts were expecting an adjusted loss of 6 cents per share, on revenue of $468.3 million.

Revenue from the packet-optical transport business, which brings in majority of its revenue, fell about 2 percent to $289.4 million. Revenue from its packet-optical switching business halved to $20.5 million.

Shares of the company, which have risen about 11 percent in the last three months, were down 4 percent at $14.95 before the bell.

(Reporting by Chandni Doulatramani in Bangalore; Editing by Supriya Kurane)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cienas-quarterly-loss-widens-121450860--finance.html

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Rock legends to perform at storm benefit

Ben Gabbe / Getty Images

The stage at Madison Square Garden is prepared for the 12-12-12 concert.

By Reuters

Paul McCartney jamming with Dave Grohl and Eddie Vedder duetting with Roger Waters on a Pink Floyd song are just two of the acts in store at a benefit concert on Wednesday for victims of Superstorm Sandy, producers say.?

The "12-12-12" concert at New York's Madison Square Garden features a who's who of rock and pop, including The Rolling Stones, Alicia Keys, Chris Martin, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Kanye West and Bon Jovi.?

Producer John Sykes said the fundraiser would feature "the greatest lineup of legends ever assembled on a stage."

He said Waters, McCartney and Chris Martin of Coldplay "are reaching out to other legends to join them on stage and create once-in-a-lifetime moments."

Sykes said $32 million has already been raised from ticket sales and sponsorships. With the concert's potential to reach 2 billion people through broadcast and digital platforms, organizers are hoping to raise tens of millions more.

To help with the fundraising, celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Kristen Stewart, Jake Gyllenhaal, Chelsea Clinton and Billy Crystal will take part in a telethon during the concert, which starts at 7:30 pm ET and is expected to last between four and five hours.

The "12-12-12" concert will be broadcast live on television, radio, movie theaters, on Facebook and iHeartRadio and streamed on digital billboards in New York's Times Square, London and Paris.

More than 130 people were killed when Sandy pummeled the east coast of the United States in October. Thousands more were left homeless as the storm tore through areas of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, causing billions of dollars in damage.

Sykes said that personal stories of neighborhoods and people severely affected by Sandy will be showcased during the concert. Sykes was involved with "The Concert for New York City" after the September 11, 2001 attacks, which raised more than $30 million for charity.

He said technological advances over the past decade have exponentially changed the reach of fundraising.

"We have both traditional and new media behind us in a way that we've never had before, and that is really going to be the 'x-factor' on how much money we can raise for the victims," Sykes said.

Donations raised from the one-night concert produced by Clear Channel Entertainment and The Weinstein Company, will go to the Robin Hood Relief Fund, which will provide money and materials to groups helping people hardest hit by the storm.

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Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

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Wisconsin Business Owners ? Do you want to increase the value of your business? Beacon Business Group can help.

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Assad's forces fire Scuds in Syria escalation: U.S. official

WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have fired Scud missiles at rebels trying to overthrow Syria's government, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday, a step seen as an escalation in Assad's struggle to retain power.

U.S. officials said they were unaware of any previous instances in which Scuds were used against the rebels since the start of the 20-month-old uprising, which has killed more than 40,000 people.

White House spokesman Jay Carney declined to confirm the reports, saying he was aware of them but could not discuss intelligence matters.

"If true, this would be the latest desperate act from a regime that has shown utter disregard for innocent life," he said. "The idea that the Syrian regime would launch missiles in its borders at its own people is stunning, desperate, a completely disproportionate military escalation."

A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Scuds had been used.

In Brussels, a NATO official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said a number of "Scud-type" short-range ballistic missiles had been launched inside Syria in recent days.

"Allied intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets have detected the launch of a number of unguided, short-range ballistic missiles inside Syria this week," the official said.

"Trajectory and distance travelled indicate they were Scud-type missiles," the NATO official said.

Thomas Houlahan, a military analyst at the Center for Security and Science, said the weapons were probably North Korean-made Hwasong-6 missiles, an improved variant of the original Soviet Scuds.

"In terms of the short-range battlefield missiles, they produce a pretty good missile and because of North Korea's constant need for hard currency, they sell them pretty cheap. So they have moved a lot of missiles around and Syria has ended up with a lot of them," Houlahan said.

"MORE ACCURATE"

He said the Hwasong-6 was more accurate than the original Scud, could carry a warhead of about 1,800 pounds (820 kg) and had a range of about 450 miles.

But he said the use of the weapon raised questions as to why the Syrians were not using their air force instead, which was a better alternative.

"If I want to dump 1,800 pounds of explosives on somebody with fairly decent accuracy and I have an air force and they don't, why the hell am I not using a plane?" Houlahan said.

"If you see a country or an army that has much better options not using them, you start to ask yourself why," he added. "Is it the old problem where dictators can't always trust their air forces?"

NATO agreed last week to send Patriot anti-missile systems to alliance member Turkey to reinforce its air defenses and calm its fears of coming under missile attack, possibly with chemical weapons, from neighboring Syria.

The NATO official said the Syrian missiles had landed inside Syria and no missiles had hit Turkish territory. He said the Western alliance had no information about what casualties or damage the missiles had caused.

Asked if there was any evidence of Syrian use of chemical weapons, he said: "We have no information concerning the payload."

U.S. President Barack Obama warned Assad last week not to use chemical weapons against Syrian opposition forces, saying there would be unspecified consequences if he did so.

The United States, Germany and Netherlands have all agreed to send Patriot missiles to protect Turkey, but the missile batteries are not expected to arrive for several more weeks.

The New York Times, which initially reported Syria's use of the missiles, quoted one official as saying more than six had been fired at the rebels. Another official said the missiles had been launched from the Damascus area at targets in northern Syria, the Times said.

U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters they would not dispute the Times report.

News of Syria's use of Scud missiles broke as Western and Arab nations sympathetic to the uprising against Assad gave full political recognition to the opposition at a meeting in Morroco.

(Reporting by David Alexander in Washington and Adrian Croft in Brussels; Editing by Michael Roddy and David Brunnstrom)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/big-powers-meet-syria-rebels-move-closer-assad-010523760.html

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NBC Sports partners with Yahoo for content deal

NEW YORK (AP) ? NBC Sports and Yahoo are taking on the crowded sports media landscape with a partnership that fills in gaps for both companies.

NBC brings video and big-name broadcasters and Yahoo adds college coverage and fantasy games in the agreement announced Sunday. They hope their strengths will complement each other and attract more eyes to both as they vie with ESPN and other outlets for multimedia sports supremacy.

"It's just a natural fit," said Rick Cordella, the vice president and general manager for NBC Sports Digital.

Yahoo Sports and the NBC Sports Group will maintain separate websites and newsrooms, but will work together on news and events coverage online and on the air.

Yahoo has looked to expand its reach in the last couple of years with partnerships with TV networks. The company had done smaller deals with NBC Sports in the past, and in June it combined with another NBCUniversal property ? CNBC ? for financial news. Yahoo also has an agreement with ABC News, but Cordella didn't expect any significant conflicts when the worlds of news and sports collide as they frequently do.

For Yahoo, the deal gives the website a major boost in its ability to offer video, especially live sports. It will link to the NBC Sports Live Extra video player, where fans can watch live streams of the network's NFL game on Sunday night and the NHL game of the week, when the league resolves its labor dispute. Yahoo and NBC also will develop online video programs that will appear on both websites and include notable names from NBC's lineup such as announcer Bob Costas and former NFL coach Tony Dungy.

"There's a lot of yin and yang to it," Cordella said of how the two companies' fortes will mesh together.

For NBC, the agreement greatly expands its college and recruiting coverage for NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports Regional Networks through Yahoo's Rivals.com. Yahoo Sports also has drawn attention for its coverage of a handful of recent college sports scandals.

"We had a hole there," Cordella said. "We didn't necessarily cover colleges as well as Yahoo and some of our other peers."

And the deal can help drive Yahoo Sports' massive audience to NBCSports.com, a relative newcomer to the online sports arena.

The agreement also combines the fantasy news of NBC Sports' Rotoworld with Yahoo's extensive offerings of fantasy sports games.

"We think our users will love the result," said Ken Fuchs, vice president of Yahoo Global Media and head of Yahoo Sports and Games.

The deal for now does not include the Olympics, for which the two websites had competed for eyeballs in the past. Cordella said that as the two sides evaluate the success of this initial agreement, they might later add a partnership for other areas such as the Olympics and radio.

Yahoo stock has been languishing for years, but lately has been rising. Investors are betting its new CEO, Marissa Mayer, can engineer a turnaround. Mayer, a former Google executive hired in July, has vowed to fix up the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company by improving online services and rolling out more products tailored for smartphones and tablet computers. Mayer is the fifth CEO of Yahoo in five years.

The company is one of the Internet's top destinations but it's been losing out to rivals like search leader Google and the social network Facebook Inc. in the competition for advertisers.

The company has made a handful of small deals under Mayer's leadership, mainly to acquire personnel from small tech companies. Yahoo has also been buying back more of its own stock since she took the helm.

NBC is owned by Comcast Corp., the nation's largest provider of cable TV and Internet services.

___

Jay Cohen reported on this story from Chicago.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-09-Yahoo-NBC%20Sports%20Deal/id-96c2de05584e41119aec9330a82abb68

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Holiday gifts for pets following high-tech trend

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? A holiday present for Fido or Fluffy used to be an extra table scrap or a new squeeze toy. But as with gifts for their human counterparts, pet presents are becoming increasingly high-tech.

Like presents for young children who lack the dexterity to enjoy their new playthings, pet gifts are usually for the human who owns the pet. Allie Robino of Austin, Texas, bought a dog treat maker for her 8-year-old rescue mutt Bentley, but it'll be her baking the biscuits ? not Bentley.

She bought PetSmart's Sunbeam Holiday Dog Treat Maker, essentially a waffle-maker with dog-bone molds, for Bentley when she took him to see Santa Claus at a Fort Worth pet store. Even though he and her other dog, Shiner, will be the primary beneficiaries of the purchase, it's mostly a gift for Robino, who admits to having problems making things at home from scratch.

"A lot of these kinds of things end up being more complicated than the company promises, but this was super easy to use and the finished product looked great. Believe me, if it were possible to mess up, I would have messed up. I'm batting zero on Pinterest," she said, referring to the photo-sharing website beloved by amateur chefs and DIY-crafters.

Robino said it was the only time she has bought a gift for a pet that requires electricity, figuring that would put Bentley in a rarefied group of animals with high-tech presents. But there are actually plenty of gadgets in stores for animals, from the predictable (dog barking control, electronic self-cleaning cat litter boxes) to the surprising (exercise equipment, air conditioners for doghouses, pet air purifiers for human houses).

Technology is having an impact in every area of the pet world, including food, toys and care products, said Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Association. He believes health care advances are moving the fastest.

"There are many advances on the pet rehabilitation side of health care that weren't even heard of a few years ago. There are also new advances in medication, treatments, and even testing and diagnostic areas. For example, you can send off your pet's DNA to find out their breed and even give at-home tests to determine if certain diseases are present," he said.

Rehab equipment for pets, such as a dog-size treadmill, are no longer just for veterinarian clinics. Pet owners can buy the DogPacer's Minipacer treadmill ($479), which is made for dogs under 55 pounds. The original DogPacer treadmill will accommodate dogs up to 179 pounds and sells for $499 ? about the same price as human-size gym equipment.

For owners who exercise with their pets, the Sharper Image Pet-O-Meter Pet Pedometer ($19.99) counts steps, calculates distance and tracks the calorie intake of the human partner.

Meanwhile, the proliferation of apps for mobile devices offers clutter-free options for urban pet owners with little living space.

There are apps that track pets' whereabouts, like the GPS-based monthly service Tagg Pet Tracker, which can alert owners if a dog leaves a designated area or monitor a pet's physical activity. For a simpler option, PetHub dog tags and collars make owners' contact information accessible through a scanning app on a mobile device, and animal shelter and GPS tracking services can be added.

Vetere believes the best high-tech pet product is the microchip, which can be implanted in dogs, cats, birds, horses and other animals and will help reunite owners with lost pets.

"They are also widely used by industry professionals to track vaccinations, test results and other records. With GPS microchips now available as well, your missing pet can not only be tracked back to you, but you can now track them down and prove ownership if need be," he said.

Vetere predicts hot high-tech gifts this year will be microchip pet doors, which open using a chip implanted in the animal. He said the most popular products will always be those that make life easier for pet owners ? "like automatic feeders and water delivery systems, automatic litter boxes, grooming tools that comb and also vacuum up the pet hair."

On Vetere's personal wishlist is "an automatic yard cleaner that would pick up after my dog, but I don't see how that would work without a robot," he said.

For pets and owners who do volunteer work ? yes, there's an app for that, too. For example, the $149.99 TouchChat alternative communication app lets people who have difficulty speaking play with a dog using voice commands.

Ricochet, a 4-year-old golden retriever from San Diego, works with people who have Down syndrome, who are autistic or who suffered strokes. Patients touch an iPad, prompting a synthesized voice to deliver a command like sit or turn around or down. If the dog performs the command (and Ricochet always does), the patient can throw her a treat.

"No cues, inflection or interaction is needed from her handler. They can communicate with Ricochet directly, giving them a sense of independence, self-confidence and empowerment," said owner Judy Fridono.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/holiday-gifts-pets-following-high-tech-trend-094555903.html

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Busy Philipps pregnant with second child

Michael Buckner / Getty Images file

Actress Busy Philipps, left, and husband Marc Silverstein, with daughter Birdie in Beverly Hills in June 2011.

By Us Weekly

Busy Philipps is going to have a busy 2013 -- because she's expecting her second child!

The "Cougar Town" actress, 33, announced the news via Twitter?on Monday with an unmistakable photo of a Clearblue pregnancy test stick reading "Pregnant." Quipped the bubbly blonde in the caption: "So this happened ...." A rep for the star also confirms the pregnancy to Us Weekly.

PHOTOS: 'Dawson's Creek' stars then and now

The baby-to-be will join Birdie, Philipps' 4-year-old daughter with screenwriter husband Marc Silverstein, whom she wed in 2007.

PHOTOS: Courteney Cox's adorable daughter Coco

Philipps is also godmother to Matilda Ledger, the 7-year-old daughter of Michelle Williams, her best friend and former "Dawson's Creek" co-star.

The actress spoke to Us Weekly back in 2010 about giving birth for the first time -- sans painkillers!

PHOTOS: Pregnant stars

"I had a baby with no pain medicine, mainly because most people I talked to didn't think I'd be able to do it," Phillips told Us. "So there!"

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Source: http://houseoffengshui.net/crystals-feng-shui-bedroom/

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NJ mayor Booker to decide soon on governor's bid

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Democratic Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, N.J., a prominent figure in his party, said Sunday that he'll decide within two weeks whether to challenge Republican Gov. Chris Christie next year.

Booker, who leads the state's largest city, also told CBS' "Face the Nation" that he's also thinking about running for the U.S. Senate.

He said he has to decide on a gubernatorial bid in the next couple of weeks out of respect for his party and the other Democratic candidates who'd like to take on the outspoken Christie.

"I've got to give my party and be a part of my party's push forward, whether it is with me as a candidate or with supporting other candidates for that office," Booker said.

Speculation about the political future of the 43-year-old Booker has been high for much of his second term as mayor. He had planned to announce his intentions shortly after the presidential election, but those plans were put on hold as he dealt with Superstorm Sandy and its aftermath.

Christie has announced he's for re-election. Recent public opinion polls have ranked Booker as the Democrat who could come closest to beating the GOP incumbent, but they also show strong support for Christie.

As for the Senate, the seat held by 88-year-old Democrat Frank Lautenberg is up in 2014. Lautenberg has not announced plans to step aside.

Booker is known perhaps as much for his large Twitter following of more than a million users and interaction with residents as for his governing. He once shoveled snow during a storm and invited people who were without electricity during Sandy to spend time at his home.

Booker is in the midst of a week of living on food stamps, a challenge that other politicians have taken on in recent years to highlight the difficulty of relying solely on government aid for nutrition.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nj-mayor-booker-decide-soon-governors-bid-172122450--election.html

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What Nate Diaz looked like after his loss to Benson Henderson (PHOTO)

On the left, you can see what Nate Diaz's face looked like before his UFC on Fox 5 main event bout against Benson Henderson. In the poster for the event, Diaz is sporting a perfect pre-fight mean mug. On the right is Diaz after the fight. That's what he looks like after five rounds in the cage with the champion. He's smiling but his face is swollen and beat up. If you're considering trying MMA, take a look at the two faces of Diaz. You have to be ready for your face to make this kind of change.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/nate-diaz-looked-loss-benson-henderson-photo-053527195--mma.html

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Freelance student job - Customer Service Officer | studentgems.com

At RBS, the vision of UK Retail (including the RBS and NatWest branch networks) is to become Britain's most helpful and sustainable bank. Our people are key in helping us achieve this, which is why we place a high priority on recruiting the very best people with the right skills, experience and like us have a passion for customer service.

As the face of the bank, you'll work as part of a team to ensure our customers are listened to, engaged and supported. You'll have a variety of responsibilities ranging from greeting customers at reception and discussing their needs to carrying out cash transactions. Another important part of your role will be to identify opportunities that will deliver a better service to customers and help with their financial needs.

We need confident, motivated people, who aren't afraid to jump right in and start talking to customers. You'll need to be a team player, friendly, helpful and able to use your initiative. Commercial awareness is also important, as is a willingness to learn. We offer a comprehensive training scheme that will build on your professional knowledge and technical competence, and will help you deliver the best possible service to our customers.
You'll need to bring confidence and energy and keep 100% motivated to help both customers and colleagues

At RBS we treat all our staff as individuals. That's why you can customise your own rewards package to suit your changing lifestyle and find the perfect balance.

Did you know that RBS has won a number of awards as a top employer in the UK in 2012? Best Business Awards 'Best Employer', Business In The Community Top 10 'Ethnic Equality' & 'Gender', Working Families 'Top 10 Employer', [log in for details] Top Employer 'Employee Engagement', The Times Top 50 'Where Women Want to Work', The Times Top 100 'Graduate Employers', and The Sunday Times 100 'Best Companies to Work For'.

To find out where we can take you, please click on the Apply Now button.

Source: http://www.studentgems.com/job/51107

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Sony jumps above HTC in UK sales, both still a long way behind Samsung

Recent Q3 numbers for smartphone sales in the UK sees a change in the standings. Off the back of a major marketing campaign for its "Bond Phone," Sony has jumped ahead of HTC into second place. At this point second place is almost a win for either company, as both are still a long way behind the kind of numbers Samsung is posting in the UK. 

Sony sold 500,000 units in Q3, to 440,000 sold by HTC. There's not a lot in it, but it's sure to be welcome news for Sony. By contrast, Samsung's numbers sit at 3.2 million units for the same period. While not referring to specific numbers, the UK MD of Sony Mobile, Pierre Perron said to Mobile Magazine: 

All sources are confirming the same trend – that we are jumping into second place in the UK Android segment. This is what all our customers are telling us, that Sony Mobile is considered a top player in the UK Android space.

Sony's recent efforts deserve recognition. The hardware is well designed and well made, although the software does still let them down slightly. Nevertheless, with 2013's big show season right around the corner, we'll be interested to see what the future holds for Sony. 

Source: Mobile Magazine

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/udvQvUc1nzg/story01.htm

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The perfect church is beyond the pale of imperfect humanity

United States:?

The portly prophet G.K. Chesterton once observed that he knew the Catholic Church was for him because when he went into an Anglican or a Methodist church his umbrella was still at the back where he left it, but when he went to a Catholic church it had been stolen.

Oscar Wilde made a similar point when he quipped, "The Catholic Church is for saints and sinners, but for respectable people, the Church of England will do."

The whole problem with the Protestant Revolution is that Christians pulled out of the Catholic Church looking for a perfect church, and they've been pulling out of their own churches ever since ? still looking to either find or create a perfect church, and that church is St. Utopia's.

Here's what St. Utopia's looks like: it has a vibrant, good-looking pastor who, like Mary Poppins, is practically perfect in every way. They have a terrific youth ministry; worship is either a sublime liturgy or a terrifically relevant blend of hip-hop, youth culture, and Hollywood. They minister to the poor; they've got a wonderful outreach program. They have mission trips to the developing world. The "welcome team" makes everyone feel at home with gracious grins and soothing smiles.

It's a growing church. The fellowship and the friendship seem so real ?so caring ?so loving. They've gathered lots of people who have shopped around for the perfect church and settled at St. Utopia's. It's just what church should be right?

Maybe. Maybe not. I hate to pop balloons, but in my experience of over fifty years as a Christian, when it comes to churches and church leaders, things are almost always not what they seem. And the more perfect they seem, the greater the illusion.

Americans, in particular, are suckers for the snappy, snazzy world of "successful" churches. We're taken in by the slick shucksters of religion who create that wonderful feel-good church that is very seductive. It's part of our Protestant culture. One of the pastimes of Protestant America is to create new religions. We're always trying to improve the product and come up with one that is the latest, the best, and the most wonderful.

As a result our churches have become ever more artificial, shallow, and distant from the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Source: Patheos

Source: http://www.ucanindia.in/news/-the-perfect-church-is-beyond-the-pale-of-imperfect-humanity/19822/daily

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The Writing Process: Revising Your Creative Writing ? Find Your ...

December-7-12

Dave Hood

?When you write well, revision becomes not a chore, but the essence of the writing act itself.?(Tell It Slant by Brenda Miller)

Revision is part of the writing process. You revise your work after you have selected an idea to write about, completed necessary research, organized your information, decided on what to write about, and then written a first draft.? The purpose of the first draft is not to write something complete?but to get your ideas on paper. Whether you write poetry, fiction, personal essays, you should revise your work.

Revision can transform an ordinary piece of poetry, short fiction, personal essay, or any form of writing into something memorable. Revision allows you to improve on an initial attempt. It gives you the opportunity to write the best possible poem, fiction, personal essay, and so forth.

Revision is often the most creative aspect of writing, providing you take a break after writing the first draft. ?The first draft is just a blueprint. Taking a break and then returning to revise your work gives your mind time to see and hear the writing from a fresh perspective. ?Brenda Miller, author of ?Tell It Slant,? suggests that your first draft is just a ?discovery draft.? You should write anything you desire. A first draft is never your best work.

The goal of revision is not to make your writing perfect, because you can always revise your work. (Many writers believe that writing is never finished.) The goal is to create something that is your best work. If you write sparse prose, you might have to add content. If you overwrite, you?ll have to delete the excess. Both the sparse writer and verbose writer will have to trim, alter, rearrange their content. They will also have to change language, phrases, sentence structure, paragraphs, and sections. The writer?s goal is always to improve on previous iteration.

When revising a piece of writing, don?t think of making it perfect, revise with the purpose of making it your best work.

In this article, I?ll discuss how to revise your creative writing. The following will be covered:

• Why you should revise your work
• Distancing yourself
• Reading your work aloud and making notes
• Revising your work by doing a macro-edit and micro-edit

Why Revise

The first draft is always a ?shitty first draft.? This is what Anne Lamott tells us in the splendid book on the craft of writing called ?Bird By Bird.? No writer gets it best the first time. Revision allows you the opportunity to improve. By revising your work after writing the initial draft, you can improve your writing, such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, mechanics, and usage. Revising your work also gives you the opportunity to improve the structure, plot, characterization, point of view, conflict, climax, resolution, theme and so forth of your story.

Some writers don?t include sufficient detail for a first draft; others include too much detail. Revising your work allows you to add, cut, rearrange, and expand the details of your poem, story, articles, essay.

Revising also enables you to see your writing from a fresh perspective?especially if you take a break from writing A break gives you a chance to add simile, metaphor, fresh language, new details, to tap into your imagination. Writer/instructor Jack Hodgins, author of A Passion for Narrative: A Guide for Writing Fiction, writes that: ?The goal in revising is to achieve a more powerful whole.?

Distancing Yourself from Your Writing

What approach should you take to revising your work? Some writers write and edit as they go. But this approach blocks your imagination. It stifles creativity. It prevents the free flow of ideas from your mind to the page. Instead of writing what you are hearing in your mind, you are writing and then correcting.

Some writers reread as they go. But this approach slows down the flow of ideas from your mind to the page. It also interrupts the creative process and prevents the imagination from inventing.

Some writers craft their first draft with pen and a notebook, and then type the draft out on the computer. They write a first draft without revising or editing or rereading. It is a complete first draft. When they type out the draft on their computer, they reread and revise. I use this approach, and find it useful.

Author Susan Bell, in ? The Artful Edit,? suggests you distance yourself before revising. ?Here are a few recommendations she provides in her book:

• Don?t reread as you write. It slows down the writing process and creative thinking.
• Don?t revise as you write your first draft. It slows down the writing process and creative thinking.
• Write your complete first draft of a poem, chapter, section. And then take a break. The break of time allows you to approach your work from a new perspective. How long should you take? It all depends?at least one night. But many writers take a few days off, even a week, or longer, before starting the revision process.
• After the break, reread your work aloud to hear how it sounds.
• Once you have taken a break and reread your work, begin revising your work.

Many beginner writers believe that after writing their first draft they are finished. Furthermore, they believe the myth that the first draft must be perfect, and so they take forever to finish. Many writers become discouraged and abandon their writing. They find that the act of writing is like walking through the woods in the dark without a flashlight.

Writing is a process. It begins with an idea, followed by research or personal reflection. Next, the writer jots down a few points or makes a more formal plan of what he/she intends to write about. Then the writer crafts the initial draft. Once the draft is complete, the writer takes a break. The break allows the writer time to see his/her work from a fresh perspective. When the writer returns from the sojourn or hiatus, he/she begins revising the draft. The purpose of revision is to improve on the initial attempt, to make it better, to make it the best the writer can, to polish, to convert chaos to order, to make the piece of writing shine.

In ?You Can?t Make this Stuff Up,? writer Lee Gutkind, states the following: ?Writing is Revision. Almost every sentence, every paragraph, every page we write we will revise and rewrite a number of times.?

All great writers revise their work over and over before publishing. Raymond Carver rewrote his short stories many times before publishing. D. H. Lawrence rewrote the novel, Lady Chatterley?s Lover three times before it was published. Ernest Hemingway wrote the ending to Farewell to Arms 39 times.

All writers can learn how to revise their work. The first thing to remember is that the first draft is just an blue print. It is not your finished piece of work. By revising your work, you improve your first attempt. Often you?ll need to complete several revisions before you submit it for publishing.

How to Revise

Many writers revise as they write. They?ll write a sentence or paragraph or section, then reread it, then revise. But this is a slow and tedious process. And it prevents you from getting to the finishing line quickly. Moreover, it interrupts the free flow of ideas from the mind to the page. A better way to revise is to write the entire draft, take a break of a day or longer. Why take a break? It allows you to see your work from a fresh perspective or point of view. It?s like looking taking a photograph of a building from different perspectives. From each viewpoint, you?ll see something different. The goal of writing, like taking photographs, is to capture the best image. When you return to your writing, you?ll read it aloud and make notes of things you don?t like. Then you?ll conduct a macro-edit and micro-edit of the entire draft. Often you?ll need to revise your narrative several times before submitting it for publication.? Your approach to writing and revising should be to get it down, and then work on getting your poem or story or essay or article right?making it the best you can.

Revision is about rereading your entire piece of writing, find errors, omissions, things that requirement improvement or deletion. Revision is about rewriting. You?ll approach the process of revising from a high level, which involves the entire document, poem, story, article. Editors call this a ?macro-edit.? Once you have completed a macro edit of your piece of creative writing, then you?ll complete a line-by-line edit or copy edit. Editors and instructors call this a ?micro-edit.?

What to Revise

After writing your complete draft, take a break for a day or more. The break from writing will enable you to see your work from a new perspective. Once you have taken the break, reread your work aloud, and make notes for improvement as you go. After reading your work aloud to yourself, you?ll complete a macro edit. All types of creative writing requires a macro edit, whether you write a short story, novel, personal essay, or literary journalistic article. Once you?ve finished the macro-edit, you?ll also complete a micro-edit, which is a line-by-line edit or copy edit. Not all of the items on this list will apply to every genre.

Macro-Editing.?What does a macro-edit involve? For a macro-edit of a personal narrative essay or fictional story, you?ll do the following:

• Ensure that the beginning tells the reader what the story is about and ?why they should reader it. And also ensure that the beginning grabs the reader?s attention.
• Ensure that your story has a setting. It is shows the time and place of the story. It can be a backdrop, antagonist, or the mood of a story. Does your story, at the minimum, have take place at a particular time and place?
• Revise to enhance the central character. Does the central character have a motive? Character flaws? Have you develop the character with dialogue, behaviour, appearance?
• Revise to improve the structure. Is there a beginning, middle, and ending? Is there an inciting incident? Problem? Setbacks or obstacles? Climax or turning point? Resolution to the story?
• Revise for dialogue. Does the dialogue reveal character? Move the story forward? Sound like real people talking? Does each character speak differently? Is dialogue included in important events or scenes?
• Revise for style. Do you use a consistent voice? tone? diction? Sentence variety?
• Ensure that the story has a correct and consistent point of view. First person (I)?, Second person (you)? Third person (He/she)?
• Ensure that you have included concrete and specific and significant details and descriptions.
• Ensure that you have used imagery, language that appeals to the reader?s sense of sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch.
• Ensure that you have used figurative language, such as simile, metaphor, personification, symbolism.
• Ensure that you show the reader what happened with dialogue, action, setting, imagery when writing about important events, such as the inciting incident, crisis, climax, resolution.
• Ensue that the story has a theme. What is the implicit meaning of your work?
• Ensure that your story has an ending. And is the ending correct?? Open? Closed?

If you are writing a piece of creative nonfiction, you?ll want to also ensure that you have written into a structure. For instance, if you are writing a theme-based personal essay, you?ll want to make sure that you have a variety of sections, which supports central idea.

If you are writing a collage essay, you?ll want to ensure that your ?found objects,? such as? a quotation, anecdote, vignette, poem, and so forth, support the central idea.

If you are writing a braided essay, you?ll want to be sure that your structure adequately reveals a comparison between two ideas or people or things. For more information, read ?The Writer?s Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life? by Priscilla Long.

If you are writing a poem, your macro-edit will consider the following:

• Form?narrative, meditative, surreal, image, prose?.
• Line break?for emphasis, enjambment, rhyme
• Stanza
• Diction or word choice
• Figurative or poetic language such as simile or metaphor or imagery
• Concrete and significant details
• Description
• Grammar and syntax and punctuation
• Right voice and style
• Sound, such as alliteration or assonance or rhyme
• Rhythm and meter
• Point of view-first, second, third person, invented persona
• Theme?meaning of the poem

Micro-editing.?After completing a macro-edit, you?ll complete a micro-edit. Whether you write poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, you must complete a micro-edit. It is a line-by-line edit of the following:

• Grammar. Ensure that you are using correct grammar, such as Correct usage, such as subject verb agreement
• Spelling. Ensure that you are using correct spelling.
• Punctuation. Ensure that you are using correct punctuation-period, comma, dash, exclamation point, question mark, quotations
• Scenes. Ensure that you have shown and told your readers. You must write in scenes for all important events. Do you show your readers what happened? For things that are less important, do you tell your readers?
• Diction/word choice. Ensure that you have chosen the best language. What is the connotation and denotation of each word?
• Sentence variety. Ensure that you have used sentence variety, such as long and short sentence, fragments and climactic sentences, simple, compound, and complex sentences.
• Melody. Ensure that your prose have melody. Have you used alliteration? Assonance? Rhyme? Repetition?
• Rhythm. Ensure that your prose have rhythm? It refers to the patterns of stressed and unstressed syllables. It also refers to the use of repetition? And it refers to the use of parallel structure of your prose?
• Lyricism. Ensure that you your prose are lyrical? Have you used imagery? Metaphor? Simile?
• Usage. Ensure that you have used the active voice, concrete nouns, action verbs. Ensure that you have used ?adjectives and adverbs sparingly.

A few Suggestions about Revision

If you intend to revise and to publish, you must?have a good understanding of grammar, punctuation, spelling, usage, and writing style. If you are not sure about any of these topics, I strongly recommend you read and learn the suggestions, guidelines, and recommendations presented in the following:

• The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
• On Writing Well by William Zinsser
• Woe is I: The Grammarphobe?s Guide to Better English by Patricia T. O?Connor
• The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magical and Mystery of Practical English by Roy Peter Clark
• Sin And Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Constance Hale

Revision is part of writing. All great writers revise to improve their work. The best writers conduct a macro-edit and micro-edit (a line-by-line edit) of their work. Revising your work enables you to correct mistakes and oversights, to add, to delete, to alter, to move, ?to improve and polish a first attempt. Revising your work gives you the chance to create your best work, which improves your odds? of publishing it.

Resources.?For a more detailed explanation on revising a poem, short story, personal essay, and more, read the following:

• The Artful Edit: On the Practise of Editing Yourself by Susan Bell
• The Story Within: New Insights and Inspirations for Writers by Laura Oliver
• Tell It Slant: Creating, Refining, and Publishing Creative Nonfiction by Brenda Miller and Suzanne Paola
• Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York?s Acclaimed Creative Writing School
• Writing Your Way: Creating A Writing Process that Works for You by Don Fry
• The Writer?s Portable Mentor: A Guide to Art, Craft, and the Writing Life by Priscilla Long.

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Tags: Creative Writing, Poetry, Novel, short fiction, Personal Essay, Resources, article, revision, editing, macro-edit, micro-edit, line by line edit, Why Revise, What to Revise, Distancing Yourself, Reading your work aloud

Source: http://davehood59.wordpress.com/2012/12/07/the-writing-process-revising-your-creative-writing/

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Secret Service probed over lost computer files

Please check the URL for proper spelling and capitalization. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Yahoo!, try visiting the Yahoo! homepage or look through a list of Yahoo!'s online services.

Please try Yahoo Help Central if you need more assistance.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/secret-probed-over-lost-computer-files-001635314.html

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Kate Middleton Released From Hospital, In Good Spirits

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/kate-middleton-released-from-hospital-in-good-spirits/

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Foods (and Drink) to Avoid Cataracts - Beyond Gorgeous

We already know that vitamins A, C, and E are good for your eyes. ?Getting them in your diet will help prevent cataracts, among other eye ills. ?The nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin also are helpful. ?So are the B vitamins.

The B vitamins, especially riboflavin and niacin, help prevent cataracts according the sites I studied.? You can get riboflavin from lean beef and lamb, yogurt, milk, mushrooms, almonds, eggs and coffee.? However, nearly every site cautions against caffeine for eye health, so better stick to the other sources.

Niacin comes from tuna, chicken, salmon, turkey, anchovies, kidney beans, peanuts, and sunflower seeds.? Of course, you can also get them from supplements ? if you choose a food-based vitamin from a reputable company.

A study with rats showed that those little critters who drank lots of tea had lower blood sugar than the non-tea-drinking rats? (and how did they get the rats to drink tea, I wonder?).? They also had a reduced level of glucose in the eye lens and about half the number of cataracts.? They haven?t done studies in people yet, but it makes sense to drink lots of tea.? It won?t hurt, at any rate.

And there is an eye-drop that has been shown in several studies to reverse cataracts.? The eyedrop contains the natural solution N-acetylcarnosine.? Why haven?t you heard about these studies?? Because it is a natural substance available over the counter.? Unless you have a doctor who is tuned in to holistic medicine, you won?t hear about it. Drug companies don?t profit from it, so doctors don?t hear about it ? but I won?t get on that soapbox for this post!

Once more, we find that the best thing? you can do is what you know to do already.? Eat a low glycemic diet with lots of fruits and vegetables.? Avoid sugar, grains, and transfats, which means stay away from junk foods and processed foods.? If you take care of your body, it will last as long as? you live.

Eating to live and living for Christ,

Susan Jordan Brown

Source: http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondgorgeous/2012/12/foods-and-drink-to-avoid-cataracts.html

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World Bank: Climate change will hit Middle East and North Africa especially hard

DOHA, Qatar - The Middle East and North Africa will be especially hard hit by climate change in the coming decades, the World Bank said in a report Wednesday, saying the region will see less rainfall, more recording-breaking temperatures and rising sea levels.

Should temperatures rise as expected, the hotter conditions are likely to hit the region's $50 billion (?38.2 billion) tourism industry and further worsen its food security since many countries in the region ? especially Gulf states ? depend heavily on imports to feed their populations. Crop failures will also increase while yields will decrease and household incomes will fall, the report said.

The report was presented at the United Nations climate negotiations in Doha, Qatar, where nearly 200 delegates for the first time are in the Middle East to discuss cutting emissions in an attempt to ensure that global temperatures don't rise more than 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) over what they were in preindustrial times.

Temperatures have already risen about 0.8 degrees C (1.4 degrees F), according to the latest report by the IPCC.

"Climate change is a reality for people in Arab countries," Inger Andersen, World Bank Vice-President for the Middle East and North Africa region, said in a statement.

"It affects everyone ? especially the poor who are least able to adapt ? and as the climate becomes ever more extreme, so will its impacts on people's livelihoods and wellbeing. The time to take actions at both the national and regional level in order to increase climate resilience is now," Andersen said.

Among the most critical problems in the Middle East and North Africa will be worsening water shortages, the World Bank said. The region already has the lowest amount of freshwater in the world. With climate change, droughts in the region are expected to turn more extreme, water runoff is expected to decline 10 per cent by 2050 while demand for water is expected to increase 60 per cent by 2045.

The World Bank said the region ? already suffering from searing summertime temperatures that can reach as high as 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) ? needs to start preparing for an even warmer world.

The report urged countries to ensure their national policies were "climate resilient," starting with "collecting climate data to strengthening basic services." It also called for improved access to services such as education, health and sanitation, along with strengthening of social safety nets to compensate for sudden loss of livelihood and training schemes to "give citizens the skills and resources to navigate climate challenges."

Countries need to improve their infrastructure with an eye on climate change, including improved drainage systems to address worsening floods and measures such as sea walls to address rising sea levels.

"Reducing vulnerability to climate change will require concerted action on multiple levels," said Rachel Kyte, World Bank Vice-President for Sustainable Development. "Political leadership now will be critical in establishing climate change as a national and regional priority."

The report concluded that climate change is already happening in many parts of the Middle East and North Africa.

Over the past 30 years, climate disasters have affected 50 million people in the Arab world, costing about $12 billion (? 9.2 billion) directly.

The report cited the 2006 flooding of the Nile River Basin, which caused 600 deaths, as well as the record five-year drought in the Jordan River Basin that ended in 2008. Of the 19 record temperatures in 2010, almost a quarter were from the Arab world, including Kuwait where temperatures reached 52.6 C (126.7 F) in 2010 and 53.5 C (128.3 F) in 2011.

In 2010, the Arabian Sea experienced its second-strongest cyclone on record, with winds as strong as 230 kilometres per hour (145 miles per hour) that killed 44 people and caused $700 million (?534.6 million) in damages in Oman.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/world-bank-climate-change-hit-middle-east-north-091020160.html

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Who should I follow on Twitter? Mobile edition

It's been a while, but we're ready with some fresh lists of who to follow when it comes to tracing all the tech goings-on within Twitter. First up is the brutally broad smartphone and tablet category, covering everything from Apple to Xiaomi. Our list (which you can also find housed in our @engadget account) encompasses some of our favorite writers and sites, alongside the official mouthpieces for a multitude of manufacturers and carriers. Notice any glaring omissions? Then let us know right away in the comments below -- and remember that you can follow individual Engadget editors here.

Continue reading Who should I follow on Twitter? Mobile edition

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/06/who-should-i-follow-on-twitter-mobile-edition/

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The Benefits Of The DDS-4 Tape Format Engineered By Quantum

Here at Odsi we're more than a competitive online reseller of brand name tape media. We focus on all of the things that are of interest to our customers, not only in saving you money but also in saving you time.

View all articles by Mark Paul Backup technology is a necessity in the world of today. Many people lose important information when a hacker hacks into their databases or when viruses attack the software. Indeed anti-virus softwares and programmes are available to deal with these but when a new virus is on the loose these become ineffective. Often newer viruses tend to be more dangerous and resistant to older anti-virus softwares because those who create these tend to know of how such softwares combat the older ones. So, the newer ones tend to be resistant to these.

When a company stores information on to their database, this is not always safe because when one goes online, the software can be affected by anyone via online and/or offline networks. Once the online network is logged onto the software is open to viruses, hackers and other such disruptions from cyberspace. It is difficult to ensure that no virus enters the computer or to try and get rid of hackers. So, it is important to take precautionary measures in order to minimize the damage caused by such threats and the way to do that is to back up the information on something other than the computer software.

This is where backup technology is a necessity. Such technology helps preserve important information in case threats from cyberspace attack the computer and backup technology devices can also be used if the database is destroyed due to a natural disaster. Backup technology would give companies a separate medium on to which they can store information. Many companies have come up with DDS tapes, USBs, LTO tapes and other such devices that would enable companies to protect vital information on to these. The best part about these devices is that they are long-lasting, effective and affordable!

The Quantum DDS-4 tape is a data backup solution that comes with a massive storage capacity of 72 GB and so, companies that rely heavily on research and development (such as pharmaceuticals) can benefit a lot by investing in these tapes. Not only do the tapes have a large storage capacity, they also come with a long archival life which makes them long-lasting and documents can easily be stored as archives. There is no need to worry about having to keep the old generations of the DDS tapes because the Quantum DDS-4 tape can overwrite and store information available in previous generations of the DDS tape.

Quantum tape drive is required to perform operations on this compact DDS4 cartridge. Massive volume of information can be retrieved and preserved for longer time period. The tape drive comes with a durable write/read head and can stream data without any interruption.

So if anything happens to your on-site data, the tapes will be there to help you bounce back and retrieve important information. In conclusion the tape provides businesses with a separate device on to which information can be stored and protected from viruses, hackers and other such threats. Small-scale business can surely trust Quantum DDS4 media storage solution and grow cost effectively.

DDS-4 tape cartridges are very robust, reliable and cost efficient. High performance SDLT tapes, LTO tapes, DDS tapes, AIT tapes, RDX cartridges and Maxell 200200, DDS3 tapes are available at Odsi.co.uk, at low price. Mark Paul Online Digital Solutions LLC, 39 Southend Road, East Ham London E62AL Tel: 0203 005 9500 Email: sales@odsi.co.uk

Source: http://www.articlesbd.com/articles/288481/1/The-Benefits-Of-The-DDS-4-Tape-Format-Engineered-By-Quantum/Page1.html

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