joegrecoxy: September 2012

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Setting back innovation in renewable energy?

This past year, the energy industry has faced concerns for the renewable resources and clean energy innovation future. In 2011 and 2012 the industry has grown, with significant implementations in solar. However, the forthcoming presidential elections and the rise in natural gas resources have spurred unease about clean energy policy, innovation, and financing.

At the 5th annual Renewable Energy Finance Forum (REFF-West) in San Francisco, CA this week, Jonathan Powers, Federal Environmental Executive at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, talked about the Federal administration sustainability programs. REFF-West focuses on the major challenges facing the alternative and clean energy landscape in the U.S. Clean energy investors, clean tech leaders, private sector and government executives, and various players attended the conference. For additional REFF information see below.

What has been done in the federal government world?

The administration has set sustainability goals, utilizing existing utility budgets without an impact or passing the cost burden onto taxpayers. Powers reported that progress against President Obama's Executive Order on Federal Sustainability EO13514 and the GreenGov program are on target. In his role, Powers is responsible for promoting environmental and energy sustainability across federal government operations. For more information about these initiatives see below.

The federal government is a major consumer of facility energy. Furthermore, the military is emerging as a substantial clean energy customer. For example, the army manages almost 15 million acres of land in the U.S. with multiple installations. In 2011 the army spent $1.3 billion on facility related energy, presenting enormous opportunities to establish more efficient operations and incorporate energy innovation. To date, the army alone has nearly 200 renewable energy active projects in multiple locations and functions, such as in military bases, in the supply-chain, and in support of field troops. By 2030, the annual military investment in renewables is estimated at $10 billion.

Each of the U.S. Armed Forces branches - the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard - have demonstrated strong commitment to renewable energy and are making strides in developing and implementing such solutions. Security concerns and the reliance on foreign fossil-fuels supply play a key element in the military commitment to clean and secure energy. One of the initiatives is the EITF, a program that aims to secure army installations with clean, reliable and affordable energy, allowing American armed forces to defend us. The EITF serves as the central management office bringing together private sector financing to implement large-scale (10 megawatts and more) renewable energy projects in the U.S. The EITF is helping the army advance and meet its objective of deploying 1 Gigawatts of renewables mix by 2025.

To read more about clean energy and its future click here Understanding the context of renewable energy today

Where are we headed?

Today, 3.3 Gigawatts of renewable energy are installed and operate in the U.S. There is also a notable growth of green jobs and innovation. Solar installations have increased this year. The four major retailers - Walmart, Costco, Kohl's and Macy's - are the largest businesses with commercial solar implementations. Wind solutions are also on the rise. In the forthcoming presidential elections clean energy has gained more visibility. Renewable energy is a thriving industry and should not be part of the political battleground.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Information about the GreenGov program can be found here: www.whitehouse.gov/GreenGov/

2. Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance - Executive Order 13514 (EO13514) was signed on October 5, 2009.

EO 13514 sets federal energy requirements in several areas:

Accountability and Transparency

Strategic Sustainability Performance Planning

Greenhouse Gas Management

Sustainable Buildings and Communities

Water Efficiency

Electronic Products and Services

Fleet and Transportation Management

Pollution Prevention and Waste Reduction

EO13514 expanded upon the energy reduction and environmental performance requirements of EO13423 ((http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/regulations/eo13423.html))

Read more about the Executive Order on Federal Sustainability EO13514:

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/regulations/eo13514.html

3. REFF-West website www.reffwest.com lists several events in the U.S. and abroad. REFF has been uniting senior financiers, investors, innovation leaders, and clean energy executives from across the US each year since 2008.

Covering a range of renewable and clean energy technologies, with a particular focus on developments in the Western US, topics covered at REFF-West included project financing, venture capital, renewable power generation, emerging commercial technologies, financing smaller projects, equity financing and established technologies. The conference also offers networking among representatives from the clean energy, green technologies and financial sectors.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/setting-back-innovation-renewable-energy?cid=Channel_Kaitlyn

national wear red day gunner kiel gunner kiel groundhog soulja boy did the groundhog see his shadow punxsutawney phil

2,000,000 dogs walk for cancer

Rio Rancho dogs will be a small number of the two million dogs, across the country, that will walk for cancer on Sunday, Sept. 30. ?Puppy Up! Against Canine Cancer Walk? is a nation wide campaign to get two million dogs walking simultaneously for cancer.

Luke Robinson, a Boston man, set off on a 2,000 mile walk in March 2008 from Austin, TX to Boston, MA with his two Great Pyrenees dogs, Murphy and Hudson. Sharing the story of his deceased dog, Malcolm, who died of metastatic bone cancer in 2006.

Educating people about dog cancer and his 2,000 mile journey inspired a grassroots movement across the country. Robinson realized his vision of having two million dogs walk for cancer through the annual ?Puppy Up! Walk.?

The 2 Million Dogs Foundation?s mission is to discover the common links between dog and human cancers through comparative oncology research which study the naturally occurring cancers in animals to help understand cancer in humans. Money raised at the event will be used to help cancer research institutions further their work in oncology. ?

To register for The Puppy Up! Walk? visit: www.2milliondogs.org.

Source: http://riorancho.kob.com/news/community-spirit/130771-2000000-dogs-walk-cancer

extreme makeover home edition constitution day constitution day coachella 2012 dolly parton stephen colbert running for president richard threlkeld

SD festival drawing filmmakers to middle America

The historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Aberdeen, S.D., is home to the South Dakota Film Festival, as seen in this Sept. 28, 2012 photograph. Organizers say the festival is growing and might have to spread to other locations in town in the next year or two. While it isn't well known to moviegoers, it's becoming a filmmakers' favorite in the Midwest. (AP Photo/Amber Hunt)

The historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Aberdeen, S.D., is home to the South Dakota Film Festival. Seen here is a restored organ in the lobby Sept. 28, 2012. Organizers say the festival is growing and might have to spread to other locations in town in the next year or two. While it isn't well known to moviegoers, it's becoming a filmmakers' favorite in the Midwest. (AP Photo/Amber Hunt)

ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) ? It's a Friday night on Main Street in the small northern South Dakota town of Aberdeen, and it's supposedly a hopping one with the marquee event of the annual South Dakota Film Festival being held at the historic Capitol Theater.

And yet, the street is nearly empty. The chirping of crickets is only occasionally disturbed by passing cars or pedestrians. Cannes or Sundance, this is not.

Some might consider it an unfortunate side effect of being, well, in the middle of nowhere in South Dakota, in a town hugged by corn fields and the closest "big cities" ? Fargo, Bismarck, Sioux Falls and Pierre ? each being about three hours away.

But Tom Black doesn't see it that way.

"We're not the middle of nowhere. We're the middle of everywhere," said Black, a co-producer of the South Dakota Film Festival, which this weekend is in its sixth year.

Looking at a map, he's just about right. As long as film goers don't mind that cattle outnumber local residents, Aberdeen is pretty close to being smack dab in the middle of the country.

And it's that central location that has grown the small-town festival into a filmmakers' favorite, consistently drawing hundreds of people into the quaint-but-spacious theater each of the event's four days.

It's gotten so big, in fact, that organizers said they might need to spread to other downtown locations in the next year or two.

"It's charming here. It's a great theater," said Mike Scholtz, 42, of Minnesota, whose latest documentary "Wild Bill's Run" has won awards at both the South Dakota and Seattle film festivals. The "arctic crime caper" also has been accepted into the better-known Mountain Film Festival in Canada's Banff, Alberta.

"A lot of festivals are in hotel conference rooms, or just spaces that aren't as nice for film watching. This is a really nice space for it," Scholtz said.

Indeed, the Capitol Theater is the stuff of theatres past. Inside the lobby is an ornate chandelier and restored 1920s organ. The theater itself is adorned with turn-of-the-century embellishments and balcony seating. The screen pulls down over a true stage, one that's used for live performances by the Aberdeen Community Theatre.

It's a space Penny Stolsmark of Pierpont, S.D., has known since childhood ? but Friday marked the first time she and her husband have visited for the film festival.

"We had to come. We've never been to this before, but we always wanted to," Stolsmark said. "We're big moviegoers. I'm thinking if we really like it tonight, we might VIP it next year."

What drew Stolsmark to this year's festival wasn't a new film, but rather one celebrating its 20th anniversary: "Thunderheart" starring Val Kilmer and Native American actor Graham Greene. Greene is arguably best known for his role in another South Dakota-filmed movie, "Dances With Wolves," for which he was nominated for a best supporting actor Academy Award.

The showing, followed by a question-and-answer period with Greene, was to be one of the festival's highlights.

Saturday is to feature a preview of upcoming films made in South Dakota, a six-minute silent flick called "Bus 1107," a horror film called "Werewolf in a Girls Sorority," and what Black describes as this year's big get: "Butter," a film starring Jennifer Garner that won't be widely released until Oct. 5.

And that's just a sampling. About 100 filmmakers entered their works; about half of those were accepted, organizers said. Many of the films have cast or crew from the Upper Great Plains.

"We'll tear about 1,000 tickets over the course of the weekend," Black said.

Scholtz, who made his first film in 1997, said Aberdeen ? population 27,000 ? will continue to lure him because it's a "filmmakers' festival."

"Everyone in the film community in the Midwest is aware of the festival," he said. "Average people won't have heard of it, but they have a really good reputation with filmmakers."

Black said that while the festival is heavy on Great Plains artists, it also draws filmmakers from Florida, Washington state, Washington D.C., and the rest of the country. People don't just love showing their work in South Dakota, he said, they like making it here, too.

Not only does the state offer the picturesque landscape that made "Wolves" star Kevin Costner a lifelong fan, but it's cheap for film workers, Black said. South Dakota doesn't have the income tax, union labor or hefty sales tax of some other states, he said.

"You may think Chicago isn't the middle of nowhere, but it takes a lot longer to get to Chicago for most people," Black said. "We're actually the perfect place."

___

Online:

www.southdakotafilmfest.org

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-09-29-US-SD-Film-Festival/id-e8b4df0952114bac82fb48a76c087e97

gran torino gloria steinem war of the worlds rock and roll hall of fame severe weather wichita brian wilson

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Fox News airs footage of man shooting self in head

A carjacking in Arizona ended when the suspect shot himself in the head today as footage of the incident was broadcast live on Fox News Channel.

A chopper covered the high-speed chase along I-10 outside Phoenix. Initial reports indicated that a victim may have remained in the stolen car.

Chopper video showed the vehicle zooming along Arizona's wide open highway, flashing past cars and trucks, switching lanes as it weaved through traffic, often speeding along the shoulder of the road. The camera from the chopper captured the moment the chase ended with a male stumbling out of a red SUV into a grassy area. He reached into his waistband and pulled a handgun. He then shot himself in the head.

Fox cut away from the shot soon after the man shot himself and went to commercial break.

Following the break anchor Shepard Smith apologized for airing the shooting. He said the feed was on a five second delay, but they failed to cut it off in time.

"We really messed up and we're all very sorry," he said. "That didn't belong on TV... I personally apologize to you that it happened."

"It's insensitive and it's wrong," he said of airing the shooting.

Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook: Please, Will The Regulators Stop Worrying About Monopolies?

One of my favourite economists, Lynne Kiesling, has written on why the regulators and bureaucracies really should worry a great deal less about the possibility of monopolies in the tech space. A basic point is that the whole field is simply changing too quickly. She also links to this well argued piece on the fleeting nature of the monopolies that are being worried about.

No one actually gets a monopoly for long enough to be able to fleece consumers through having that monopoly. This is as true of Facebook as it is of Google, Microsoft or Apple.

I would go further on two points. The first is that given the speed with which these markets move bureaucracy and the law just isn?t the correct method of dealing with the problem even if it does exist. It is almost impossible to imagine any governmental organisation spotting a problem, working out what to do about it and then crafting the solution in a period under two or three years. Do recall that this is about the period of time since the release of the iPad itself. Quite: if the iPad had been noted as a monopolistic product right on the day of first issue we?d be expecting a bureaucracy to be just about ready to do something about it today. Which does suggest that bureaucracy isn?t the way to deal with any problems we might have in this sort of technological space.

The second point is slightly more theoretical. The current government and legal attitude towards monopoly is that if you?ve got great market power then you might indeed be a monopoly and thus you?re subject to special rules. Investigations, constraints on how you can leverage that market power and so on come into play. The argument being that if you?ve this market power you might deploy it to the detriment of the consumer.

There?s a slight problem with this though: economists have gone one stage further in considering monopolies. It?s not a wholly agreed point but there?s a decent level of consensus. Having market power, even having a monopoly, isn?t sufficient to induce firms to act against consumer interests. Having uncontestable market power, an uncontestable monopoly, might well be: but the crucial point is whether they are contestable or not. Possessors of contestable market power or monopoly can be assumed to either not act against consumer interest or to be about to lose said market power or monopoly.

Think of it this way. Assume that one company, just for the sake of argument we?ll call it Apple, had all the patents necessary to stop anyone else making a smartphone of any kind at all. They launch the iPhone and no one is allowed to produce anything even remotely similar: there?s no Android, Windows Phone, Firefox cannot even play with their OS and so on. We would indeed be worried about Apple creaming monopoly profits off the top of that market for the next decade or so that those patents are valid. We might indeed want to curtail what they can do.

Now consider our actual world: yes, there are still patent fights. But they are about minor details of the implementation of how you build and operate a smartphone (well, OK, rectangles with rounded corners aside) not about the very concept of one at all. There are a number of operating systems for smartphones, there is a larger number of manufacturers of them. We do see Apple with great market power (which is why they?re making the vast majority of the profits in the sector) but it is obviously true that Apple?s position is contestable. Given this contestability Apple cannot simply rest on its laurels and bleed the consumers dry. It must continue to develop the iPhone, improve the consumer experience or it will lose that predominant position. If they stumble for a year or two Microsoft and Nokia, or maybe Google and Samsung, or some as yet unknown competitor, will come and eat their lunch.

So we don?t really need to worry about Apple?s market position because the contestability of it, the precariousness of it, means that they cannot act like a monopoly and hope to hold on to that position. And it is not market power, nor even monopoly, that we are actually worried about but the misuse of it.

The same logic applies to Microsoft and browsers. To Facebook and social networking. Amazon and e-books and yes, even to Google and search engine placement. Anyone who tries to abuse a dominant market position is very quickly going to lose that position. Simply because all of these monopolies are contestable. There are enough other firms vying for the space (and it?s never been easier to raise the VC money to attack such spaces if you want to create a new rival) that even those who have achieved market dominance cannot exploit it. And given that it?s the exploitation, not the market dominance, which is the potential problem there isn?t in fact much of a problem.

There are economists who would say that a true monopoly without government action to support it is impossible. I wouldn?t go as far as that hardline position. I think there can indeed be monopolies for other reasons like network effects, to say nothing of patent rules. But I do think that some of the current worries about monopolies in the tech space are overdone. Purely and simply because they?re contestable monopolies and thus not really exploitable in the sense that we worry about when considering the very idea of monopoly.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/09/29/google-microsoft-apple-facebook-please-will-the-regulators-stop-worrying-about-monopolies/?utm_source=allactivity&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=20120929

Aaron Ross Sikh temple lollapalooza Nastia Liukin Gabby Douglas hair Kayla Harrison Mars landing

Jay-Z's Inaugural Barclays Show To Wrap Up 'Happy' Week In Brooklyn

From the ribbon-cutting to 40/40's grand opening, MTV News was there to witness the lead-up to Jay's big night.
By Rob Markman

Jay-Z attends the ceremonial groundbreaking for Barclays Center
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/ WireImage

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1694651/jay-z-barclays-week-brooklyn.jhtml

one republic michael dyer suspended new years ball drop new years rockin eve new york times square jaws first night

Nike 1st quarter net income falls

NEW YORK (AP) ? Nike said Thursday its fiscal first-quarter net income fell 12 percent as the boost from higher sales was offset by increased costs and ad spending. At the same time, the company is facing a slowdown of future orders of its products, particularly in China.

The world's largest athletic shoe and clothing company's results beat expectations but shares fell 3 percent in aftermarket trading as investors worried about a slower pace of futures orders, which are orders from retailers of products that are scheduled for delivery between September 2012 and January 2013.

Futures orders rose 6 percent during the quarter, down from a 16 percent increase in the same quarter last year. The decline was more dramatic in China: There, futures orders fell 5 percent, compared with a 27 percent increase a year ago.

CEO Mark Parker said in a call with analysts that the decline in orders was partially due to the company's efforts to clear excess inventory in the region and retool its offerings there to adapt to the changing tastes of the Chinese consumer.

Nike executives said they are working to come up with fits that are more tailored to the Chinese consumer, a better balance of casual sportswear and more expensive technical performance gear. It is also working with retailers to improve its distribution in China.

"China defies predictions or timetables," Parker said in a call with analysts. "But what is certain is that China offers more opportunity for Nike today than it ever has, and I'm completely committed to extending our leadership position there."

Elsewhere, Nike, like other consumer products makers, is facing high costs for materials and labor, as well as an uncertain economy in Europe. The Beaverton, Ore.-based company has raised prices and cut costs in response.

Net income for the three months ended Aug. 31 fell to $567 million, or $1.23 per share. That compares with net income of $645 million, or $1.36 per share, last year. Analysts expected the company to earn $1.12 per share

Revenue rose 10 percent to $6.67 billion from $6.08 billion last year. Analysts expected $6.43 billion.

A strong spot was North America, Nike's largest market, where revenue jumped 23 percent to $2.7 billion, with strength across all categories.

In Europe, revenue fell 5 percent to $1.17 billion. In China, revenue rose 8 percent to $572 million.

Selling and administrative expenses rose 18 percent as the company spent heavily during what it calls "the summer of sport" on marketing for the Olympics and the European Football Championships.

After finishing the day up 51 cents at $96, shares fell $3.10, or 3.2 percent, to $94 in aftermarket trading.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-09-27-Earns-Nike/id-4c4d8d94a14f41cf82f7cdd0611a51b4

luke kuechly brad miller chandler jones peyton hillis fletcher cox charlotte bobcats new york rangers

Friday, September 28, 2012

Along Virginia?s Route 15, the South?s cultural border displays a political divide (Washington Post)

Share With Friends:

| Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/251879379?client_source=feed&format=rss

perfect game jon jones vs rashad evans results justin bieber rashad evans jon jones chuck colson death meteor showers 2012

Kaiser Permanente Expands its Commitment to Improving the ...

September 27, 2012

Contact: Brendan Doherty, Kaiser Permanente, 510-271-5624

Announces Broader Partnership with Safe Routes to School National Partnership, a multiyear program for engaging students, staff, teachers and families in building healthier communities through more walking and physical activity

OAKLAND, Calif. ? With the childhood obesity epidemic a continued threat to the nation?s health, cuts to physical education programs in schools on the rise, and a growing body of evidence supporting walking and increased activity to improve overall health, Kaiser Permanente and Safe Routes to School National Partnership will expand their existing partnership to bring walking and greater physical activity to school communities across the country.

Kaiser Permanente, the nation?s largest integrated health care system, and the National Partnership share goals around the importance of children, staff and parents improving health with walking and activity. The National Partnership will develop a walking-based program, and make it available to the more than 10,000 elementary and middle schools in the Kaiser Permanente service areas and throughout the country. Key components of the program will include a partnership with the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA?), and focus on a biannual walking competition targeting staff, students and their families. This new program will complement Kaiser Permanente?s existing Every Body Walk! campaign.

?Kaiser Permanente has been a long-standing champion of health and wellness in schools and school communities, and we are thrilled to be partnering with them as we expand our programming to children, staff and parents through schools throughout the country,? says Deb Hubsmith, founder and director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. ?With this commitment we aim to make a big impact on the crisis of physical inactivity by getting more kids walking and engaging in regular physical activity.?

For the past 25 years, Kaiser Permanente has supported health and wellness in schools through several efforts, including its Educational Theatre Program for students and communities, support for school-based health centers, workplace wellness offerings for school teachers and its Community Health Initiatives focusing on Healthy Eating, Active Living. Currently, more than 2 million Kaiser Permanente members spend the majority of their day on a school campus.

?Schools, school districts and the health of the students, teachers, staff and families are of critical importance to Kaiser Permanente,? says Raymond J. Baxter, PhD, senior vice president for Community Benefit, Research and Health Policy at Kaiser Permanente. ?Safe Routes to School National Partnership and Kaiser Permanente share a vision for creating safe, healthy and walkable communities in and around our nation?s schools. By joining forces, we hope that vision can become a reality.?

To raise awareness about the important role that parents, school districts, local governments, police and community partners play in ensuring the safety of children on the trip to and from school, Kaiser Permanente and Safe Routes to School National Partnership are supporting a series of events in conjunction with International Walk-to-School Day on Wednesday, Oct. 3.

About the Safe Routes to School National Partnership
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is a fast growing network of more than 600 organizations, schools and professional groups working to set goals, share best practices, leverage infrastructure and program funding and advance policy change to help agencies that implement Safe Routes to School programs across the nation. The National Partnership?s mission is to advocate for safe walking and bicycling to and from schools and in daily life, to improve the health and well-being of America?s children and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities. For more information, go to: www.saferoutespartnership.org.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America?s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 9 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.

Source: http://xnet.kp.org/newscenter/pressreleases/nat/2012/092712saferoutestoschool.html

world peace lakers colorectal cancer metta kashi neil diamond orange crush harden

The LLC Taxed As S Corporation

The LLC taxed as S corporation ? good idea or bad?

By default, a single-member LLC is a ?disregarded? entity, that is, the entity is ignored by the IRS and the sole member is the taxpayer. Thus, an individual as a sole member running a business would be taxed on his personal return as a schedule C, sole proprietor. Many businesses run this way, which has no tax advantages and high risk of audit, not to mention having to pay self employment tax on earning.

Most professionals would recommend running an operating business (especially with employees) as an S corporation. An S corporation has a lower risk of audit and can save the business owner thousands of dollars in FICA tax.

But, what if you already formed an LLC? No worry, you can convert the LLC for federal income tax purposes to an S corporation. This involves several steps:

1. Get a federal tax ID# from the IRS at IRS.gov (if you already have one, you need a new one ? submit using a slight variation of the company name, with an extra hyphen or syllable).

2. File IRS form 8832 to choose an entity election as a corporation ? send to IRS.

3. File an S corporation election form (IRS form 2553, which you can download from IRS.gov).

4. Amend your operating agreement to allow for the new taxation rules (or, if you don?t have one at all, CREATE an operating agreement).

The LLC tax as S corporation may require the assistance of a tax advisor and/or attorney to complete, depending on how comfortable you are with the forms and documentation.

The next issue is whether the LLC taxed as S corporation must ACT like a corporation for tax purposes even though the state LLC laws may not require it? For example, do you need to issue stock certificates, have annual meetings and resolutions like a corporation. While the state may say ?no?, the IRS auditor may say YES! So, even though you like the informality of an LLC, you still may need to issue certificates and keep annual minutes and document resolutions for all activity your LLC does that is out of the ordinary course of business (such as large purchases or leases, loans in and out, etc).

While still rather new, the LLC taxed as S corporation can be a feasible proposition for someone who formed a single member LLC and should have really created an S corporation.

Need to convert a single member LLC to an S Corporation? Visit www.bronchicklaw.com/legal-forms for the appropriate operating agreement.

William Bronchick, CEO of Legalwiz Publications (http://www.legalwiz.com), is a Nationally-known attorney, author, entrepreneur and speaker. Mr. Bronchick has been practicing law since 1990.

William Bronchick is also the author of the highly acclaimed books, ?Financing Secrets of a Millionaire Real Estate Investor?,?Wealth Protection Secrets of a Millionaire Real Estate Investor?, and his latest work, ?Defensive Real Estate Investing?. He is admitted to practice law before the bars of New York and Colorado.

Source: http://toddsblogs.com/legal/2012/09/27/the-llc-taxed-as-s-corporation/

carrie underwood ryan seacrest kentucky derby beltane capitals john edwards

What place do your pets have in estate planning? | Alpharetta ...

Have you ever stopped to think about what would happen to your pet or pets in the event of your untimely death? For many people, there may be an assumption that somebody will step in to care for the ownerless pet. While this may be true for some, it is no guarantee. Especially for those who are single or elderly, the question of what happens to their pet may not be one they wish to leave to chance.

Including pets in estate planning has gained popularity in recent years. In Georgia, a law passed in 2010 even began recognizing pet trust litigation, leaving owners more planning options than simply giving instructions in their will.

Although a person can specify his or her wishes for a pet in a will, it isn't possible to name the pet as a beneficiary of the estate, since pets are considered property, and property cannot inherit property. In addition, illnesses during an estate owner's lifetime or delays in the administration of their estate after death could prevent a chosen caregiver from actually being selected or could prevent them from receiving the funds they need to care for the pet.

A good strategy to plan to coverage these possibilities is to include language about pets in a financial power of attorney or revocable living trust. The former allows the pets to be provided for in the event of incapacity, and the latter allows one to provide funds, directions for care and burial instructions.

Those who want to ensure their pets will be cared for after they are gone should speak with an experienced estate planning attorney to determine the best way to do so.

Source: MDJonlin.com, "Provide for pets in your estate plan," William G. Lako, September 21, 2012.

Source: http://www.alpharettaprobateattorney.com/2012/09/what-place-do-your-pets-have-in-estate-planning.shtml

joe paterno dead marist south carolina primary results marco scutaro betty white ed reed football schedule

Paris Auto Show opening amid deep gloom

A worker cleans the floor next to a covered Infiniti car in preparation for the upcoming Auto Show in Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. The Paris Auto Show opens to the public Saturday Sept. 29 until Oct. 14, 2012. Europe?s carmakers could be forgiven for worrying that the slogan for this year?s Paris Auto Show, ?The Future, Now?, is a threat of more gloom and hardship to come than a promise of more prosperous times. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Workers dust off a Mercedes Class A in preparation for the upcoming Auto Show in Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. The Paris Auto Show opens to the public Saturday Sept. 29 until Oct. 14, 2012. Europe?s carmakers could be forgiven for worrying that the slogan for this year?s Paris Auto Show, ?The Future, Now?, is a threat of more gloom and hardship to come rather than a promise of more prosperous times. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PARIS (AP) ? Europe's carmakers could be forgiven for worrying that the slogan for this year's Paris Auto Show, "The Future, Now", is a threat of more hardship to come rather than a promise of prosperous times.

Across the region, car sales are in their fifth straight year of decline and lots and factories are filling up with unsold cars. According to analysts at PwC's Autofacts industry forecasting arm, car sales in Europe are expected to drop 5 percent to 12.5 million units this year. Meanwhile, executives estimate factories have the capacity to build 20 percent more cars than they are able to sell.

The most recent data from Europe's carmakers' association ACEA show new passenger car registrations dropped a staggering 8.9 percent in August, for the 11th consecutive monthly decline. They're down 7.1 percent over the first eight months of the year and certain to continue the unabated drop that began in 2008 for another year at least.

This year, mass-market automakers Fiat, Peugeot-Citroen PSA, General Motors' Adam Opel, and Renault have all reported losses. Renault and archrival Peugeot Citroen, along with Italy's Fiat and Ford of the U.S., have been losing market share in Europe to German car makers BMW and Daimler, while mighty Volkswagen has managed to be the only major car maker to grow sales this year in a market that fell 6.6 percent in the eight months to end-August.

Eight out of Europe's top 10 car markets will see "dramatic decreases" in sales this year, according to auto industry consultants Alix Partners in a June report titled "Europe in Reverse Gear."

The consultancy estimates that around 40 of Europe's 100 or so car plants were operating under capacity and well below the break-even level.

Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has warned that unless automakers are allowed to close unproductive factories, one or more automakers will fail in the medium- to long-term. But he argues the issue can't be solved on a national level, and has urged European officials to provide a "concerted road map" for the auto industry to close idled plants.

Earlier this month Marchionne had to bat down rumors he planned to move Fiat away from Italy ? but he said he has had to review investments and slow down new car rollouts to adapt to a contracting European market to avoid squandering capital.

France's Peugeot, Citroen and Renault see the Paris Auto Show ? which has its press preview on Thursday and opens to the public at the weekend ? as a chance to show off their latest models to a hometown audience.

The decline in the country's auto industry has been particularly marked: France produced just 2.2 million cars last year, as compared to 2005's 3.5 million. It employs 800,000 people ? 30 percent fewer people than it did 10 years ago.

One of the manufacturers, PSA Peugeot Citroen, will be hard-pressed to gloss over its financial straits, having recently announced it lost ?819 million in the first half alone, and announced plans to eliminate 8,000 jobs and shut a major factory in France.

"The group is facing a difficult time," PSA Peugeot Citroen's CEO Philippe Varin said when announcing the cuts this summer. "The depth and persistence of the crisis impacting our business in Europe requires the launch of the reorganization of our French production and a reduction in our structural costs."

In response to the gloom in the French auto industry, the government has unveiled a raft of incentives. Taxes are set to be introduced on larger, more polluting cars to pay for rebates that are designed to encourage French consumers to buy electric or hybrid cars ? which French carmakers are strong in.

The country's carmakers will be aiming for the mass market with their launches at the auto show.

Renault will be unveiling the new Clio IV, the latest iteration of Renault's top-selling small car. Renault will be depending on the new model, replacing the last version unveiled seven years ago, to attract many of the average French car shoppers who make up the bulk of the visitors to its stand.

Peugeot, meanwhile, will be showing off a small crossover concept car designed to take on the Clio. Called the 2008, the car is based on its popular 208 small vehicle. The carmaker will also roll out its own concept supercar, dubbed the Onyx.

Other new models among the 100 presentations promised by the auto shows' organizers are the new Jaguar F-type sports car and McLaren's P1 supercar.

But motoring aficionados will have to wait until next Spring to ogle the upcoming new Aston Martin Vanquish, as the British automobile icon will skip the French gathering and save its latest offerings for the Geneva Motor Show.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-26-France-Paris%20Auto%20Show/id-851ae527b75948e489fef0e19cb4caf6

fat tuesday obama sweet home chicago accenture match play george washington carver king cake mardi gras fun.

Video: AA threatens legal action against pilots union

>> as one labor dispute ends, another one involving american airlines is heating up. the company is telling pilots to end suspected flight slowdowns r or they'll take the union to court. american is accusing the pilots of staging sick-ins and writing up unnecessary repairs. the union is denying all of that, by the way. the impact is real. so far this week alone 57% of american flights arrived on time compared to last september, the number at 82% arrival. today the spokesperson said the pilots are inflicting economic damage on the company, frustrating and alienating our customers and drives unnecessary work for other employees. one angry flyer agreed. flight delayed with the prospect of missing one flight a day to st. lucia is not a good start to the honeymoon. we need some lawmakers and other people to get involved in this, and maybe they can clean this up like the ref situation in the nfl, tom.

>> 70,000 fans at giants stadium should do it, i would imagine. it's been more than a week that american flights have been significantly delayed. the airline blaming this on in the jump on sick callouts. something like a broken coffeepot or ripped seat. the pilot's union insists there's no organized effort under way, but the airline says it's go to ask a court to sper convenient and you asked why. look at the numbers this week. out of 7500 scheduled flights so far this week, 43% have already been delayed this week, 18% of those accessibly delayed, 9% canceled and now the airline may ask the court to issue an injunction against any pilot action. here's what they tell nbc news. quote, we do not want to pursue a legal remedy, but we're left with little alternative if the pilot's union does not take action to stop these pilots intentionally harming the operation. the dispute of the pilots has to do with the new working conditions that the airline forced onto pilots after they rejected a new contract offer. american is in bankruptcy. it insists its costs are way out of line compared to competitors. the pilots are clearly unhappy. the pilots also say the real problem is there's too few pilots and by the way american is flying the oldest planes, the oldest fleet in the country. that's true. what are customers to do? some travel experts say you should avoid flying american until this is resolved. p if you fly american you rusk getting stuck somewhere or arrive the late.

>> tom, we'll talk with you as early as tomorrow on this one. thanks, tom. the

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/49199526/

jk rowling new book between two ferns ihop statins chardon sean young juan pablo montoya

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Considering the Right Motor Boats for Sale

Nowadays, you can find motor boats for sale everywhere. You can find them in almost every local store in your area. In addition, you can find them in online stores in the internet if you do not want to go directly to the showroom. In the internet, you can browse any kinds of boats that you want to buy. You can always check the price and other things beforehand based on the types of boat that you want to procure. There are three kinds of boat that you can choose in local and online boat stores. They are new boats, used boats and luxury yacht.

New boats are the ones that are recently produced by the manufacturers. They are equipped with the newest features and technology that are invented recently. The boats are usually recommended by the sellers due to the newest features, which are comfortable and nice. It rarely happens for new boats to be sold in wholesale ways but there is still a possibility that new motor boats for sale will occur. Of course, there are reasons behind this. One of the reasons is to promote the new boats that a certain company produces. It can be used as an effective way to boost the selling points.

Used boats are boats that have been bought by other people beforehand. Some people may get bored with the boats that they own, and then they decide to sell them and buy a new one. You can find them in some local and online boat stores with a wide range of prices. Buying used boats has many advantages. One of them is that it saves a lot of money. Used boats cost much cheaper than the new ones. Besides, used motor boats for sale can often be found in the stores, both local and online stores.

Luxury yachts are boats that are made for rich and ?lite people. Since this kind of boat costs so much money, only hardcore boat enthusiasts with money can afford it. There are some ways to get this kind of boat. One of them is by hiring a broker. A broker can help you deal with financing, deal brokering, inspection arrangement, title clearing and procuring, docking space and yacht services for the luxury yacht you want to purchase. Moreover, there is also a place where you can have the service of a broker that will help you purchasing the luxury yachts you always dream of. This place is called Yachtcouncil. This place will also help you find a place for luxury motor boats for sale. However, it is rare for luxurious motor boats will be sold for sale, but there are some sales for luxury yachts that you can enjoy.

Looking for yacht to buy is a delicate process. There are some aspects that you should consider before purchasing the yachts you want. The first thing to consider is the type of the yacht you need. The one that is recommended is the hull type. However, there are two types of hull type: mono-hull and multihull. You can pick either one with the facilities and the risks that are offered by each of them. Nevertheless, this type of boat is the best type of boat nowadays, so you will find many more benefits than the risks. The second thing to concern about is the material used to produce the yachts you want to buy. The most common material that is used is GRP or Glass Reinforced Plastic. This material is well known for its lightness, durability, and cheapness. These are some characteristics you should really pay attention to when buying luxury yachts or motor boats for sale.

Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/1386625/considering-the-right-motor-boats-for-sale.htm

marines urinating haley barbour olivier martinez peoples choice awards 2012 ford recalls robert kardashian chicago weather forecast

New Groups Make A Conservative Argument On Climate Change

Enlarge Energy and Enterprise Initiative

Former South Carolina Republican Rep. Bob Inglis now runs the Energy and Enterprise Initiative.

Energy and Enterprise Initiative

Former South Carolina Republican Rep. Bob Inglis now runs the Energy and Enterprise Initiative.

One topic you don't hear much about from Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is climate change. Like so much else, it's become politically divisive, with polls showing Republicans far less likely to believe in it or support policies to address it.

But two new groups aim to work from within, using conservative arguments to win over skeptics.

Former South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis has already paid a price for being out of step with his party. In 2010, amid a Tea Party surge, the Republican lost his congressional seat, attacked for ? among other things ? accepting climate science.

These days, Inglis heads the Energy and Enterprise Initiative at George Mason University, making a free market case for tackling global warming.

"We think free enterprise has the answer to energy and climate," Inglis said at a recent meeting of students with the Wharton Energy Club at the University of Pennsylvania. "There's an incredible opportunity in energy, if we just get the economics right."

Inglis proposes eliminating government incentives: no more tax breaks for solar panels or electric cars; no more subsidies for oil companies. Then, he says he would impose a carbon tax on fossil fuels.

We already pay more, he says, just in hidden ways, like detrimental health impacts from coal-fired power plants or higher insurance costs from extreme weather linked to greenhouse gases. This "market distortion," he says, leaves fossil fuel companies unaccountable.

"I get to privatize my profits and socialize my cost," he says, referring to how fossil fuel companies might view the status quo. "That's a pretty good deal as long as you'll let me get away with it."

Much better, he tells the business students, to pay the true cost at the gas pump or on your electric bill.

"Then, I, as a consumer out of enlightened self-interest, would seek out the company that you're going to found, that's going to supply me with the alternative," Inglis says, speaking to about three dozen students who intend to pursue careers in the energy sector.

Inglis knows any tax is often a turn-off. He'd offset his carbon tax with a payroll tax cut, but is open to other ideas for keeping it revenue neutral.

The business students seem receptive, though doubtful that such a thing would fly with the current GOP.

In fact, energy's become a surprisingly hot topic this campaign season. A slew of TV ads, funded by fossil fuel interests, echo Republican positions, pushing for more domestic production of oil and gas. One ad by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity touts coal as "affordable, abundant, and ours."

Romney's energy plan doesn't mention climate change and relies on boosting the supply of oil, gas and coal. When he announced it last month in Hobbs, N.M., he criticized President Obama's energy regulations, saying they make it seem as if the administration doesn't want people to use fossil fuels.

"That instead, they want to get those things so expensive and so rare," Romney said, "that wind and solar become highly cost effective and efficient."

Inglis chuckles at that.

"Well," he says, "they are in fact cheap by comparison, if you compare the full cost."

Inglis is confident he can win Republican converts. Alex Bozmoski, 27, has already sought him out.

"I took a climate science class in 2005," Bozmoski says, "with the explicit purpose of heckling the professor."

Convinced of a hoax, Bozmoski relentlessly pointed out uncertainties in the science. Until, he says, he realized uncertainty is the essence of risk. And in the case of climate change, this risk carries potential costs for everyone. Bozmoski now works with Inglis to persuade others. And they're not alone.

"I think our group gives them cover like, 'OK, let me go and see what this is all about,' " says Michele Combs, who's with the Christian Coalition, and recently launched Young Conservatives for Energy Reform.

Combs became concerned about climate and energy while pregnant, when her doctor told her not to eat fish because it contained mercury. She later learned that came from coal-fired power plants.

"The more research I did on this issue," she says, "I realized this was really a family issue. It affects everybody; everybody wants clean air. And it was really sad that it was such a partisan issue."

Combs has been organizing educational house parties around the country. Beyond health, they focus on national security and the large number of U.S. troops killed while transporting fuel. One thing she does not mention? The words "global warming."

"You know how when you hear something, and you immediately hear a buzz word, you immediately turn off?" she explains.

Both Combs and Inglis are careful not to sound alarmist. They want to reach those who may not even believe in climate change. Still, Inglis has thought long and hard about what he calls the "populist rejection" of climate science.

"For conservatives," he says, "it's seen as an attack on our lifestyle. You can't live in the suburbs. You gotta give up that big car."

He knows people don't like to be told what to do. But Inglis remembers his dad teaching him to save gas by letting up on the pedal and coasting. He says a party that once valued thrift now touts a philosophy of "burn it up."

"It's not conservative to waste stuff," Inglis says, "and to cause somebody else's kids to go on the sands of the Middle East to fight for that stuff that we're wasting."

At stake, he says, is the most basic of conservative principles: whether we leave our children a place that's pleasant and livable.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/09/26/161824667/new-groups-argue-a-conservative-take-on-climate-change?ft=1&f=1007

tacoma narrows bridge weather nyc open marriage department of justice doj dept of justice weather chicago

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Work by Mass. lab could taint 1,100 inmates' cases

BOSTON (AP) ? Faced with the daunting task of evaluating more than 34,000 drug cases handled by a Massachusetts chemist accused of misconduct, prosecutors and defense attorneys are starting with 1,140 cases of people who are already serving prison sentences based on potentially tainted evidence.

David Meier, a defense attorney and former prosecutor appointed to help sort through the legal quagmire created by the chemist's alleged actions, on Monday turned over a list of 690 people currently serving sentences in state prisons and 450 who are currently serving sentences in county jails. Samples in all of the cases were tested by chemist Annie Dookhan, who state police say failed to follow testing protocols and deliberately mishandled evidence in some cases.

Meier said it is unclear how many of those samples might have been tainted by Dookhan's actions, but said both sides want to deal first with people who are already in prison.

"That is our first priority, people who are presently incarcerated," he said.

Meier said lawyers in those cases will now have to work out resolutions on a case-by-case basis.

"The merits and any alleged issues in any one of those cases is for prosecutors and defense attorneys and judges to determine," he said.

State police have said Dookhan was involved in testing more than 60,000 drug samples involving about 34,000 defendants during her nine years at the Boston lab. Dookhan resigned in March during an internal investigation by the state Department of Public Health, which ran the lab until state police took over on July 1 as part of a budget directive.

Meier, who was appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick last week, met Monday with a group of district attorneys, defense attorneys and public safety officials. After the meeting, Meier said he turned over a list of currently incarcerated defendants whose cases were worked on by Dookhan, either as the primary chemist, who performs an initial test on a drug sample, or as the secondary chemist, who performs a second, confirmatory test.

The list does not include thousands of people who are currently awaiting trial, are on probation or are serving federal sentences in cases in which Dookhan tested drug samples.

Since the lab was closed last month, judges in Suffolk and Norfolk counties have already begun to hear motions filed by defense attorneys seeking bail reductions for drug defendants awaiting trial in cases handled by Dookhan. Prosecutors have agreed to many of those motions, citing possibly tainted evidence.

Dookhan hasn't been charged, but the state attorney general's office is conducting a criminal investigation.

On Monday, a judge in Boston agreed to put the sentences of career criminal David Huffman on hold and set bail for him at $75,000 cash, with GPS monitoring. The 55-year-old Huffman had pleaded guilty in August to trafficking in heroin and cocaine, possession of oxycodone with the intent to distribute and unlawful possession of ammunition and a firearm as an armed career criminal He began serving concurrent seven- to 10-year sentences last month.

Huffman's lawyer, Bernard Grossberg, said the next step will likely be for the defense to ask that Huffman be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea.

"He would not have pleaded guilty to the gun charges if it was not part and parcel of his plea on the drug charges," Grossberg said.

Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley, said prosecutors opposed the motion to put his sentence on the gun charges on hold. He said the gun evidence was tested in a different lab and was unaffected by the drug lab scandal.

"This is an individual who's been involved in just about every type of property and violent crime over the course of 40 years. He is a mid-tier narcotics distributor and was a plague on the community," Wark said.

"We believe the judge should have treated the two cases separately," he said.

Dookhan has not responded to repeated requests for comment. Her father, Rasheed Khan, told The Associated Press that she had been "bullied and abused," but he would not say by whom.

"No one has heard her side of the story," Khan said outside his home in Kissimmee, Fla., on Saturday.

State police have said Dookhan failed to follow testing protocols and deliberately mishandled evidence in some cases.

In a letter sent to defense attorneys earlier this month, Max Stern, the president of the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said he was told during a meeting with state officials that Dookhan was accused of deliberately tampering with evidence, including the weight of drug samples, which can affect the length of sentences given to drug defendants.

___

Associated Press Writer Mike Schneider contributed from Kissimmee, Fla.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mass-lab-could-taint-1-100-inmates-cases-062414913.html

norco rand paul detained nbc news asexual jim carrey san francisco chronicle kourtney kardashian pregnant

Guinea to see $2.4 billion of its debt cancelled

CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) ? More than $2.4 billion of Guinea's foreign debt is being cancelled in a major boost for the deeply impoverished West African nation whose mineral riches were looted over decades of corrupt dictatorship, government officials said Wednesday.

Two-thirds of Guinea's total foreign debt is being eliminated because it has qualified for the IMF and World Bank program for heavily indebted poor countries, according to a government statement.

"This will allow Guinea to free up substantial resources," said Ansoumane Camara, an economist and consultant in Conakry who said the money could be redirected toward improving health and educational programs.

Guinea's finances were left in ruins after nearly a quarter-century of rule by Lansana Conte, who pillaged state coffers to make his family fabulously wealthy before his death in 2008, according to economists.

In 2010, the country held its first democratic election but the political reforms have not translated into immediate improvements for the lives of most Guineans, who remain deeply impoverished. About 75 percent of the country's 10 million people live below the poverty line, according to the United Nations.

Fatou Bonte Bangoura, who sells smoked fish at a port in Guinea's capital, said Wednesday's announcement would mean little for Guineans who are struggling to support their families.

"Our children need to eat, they need to be taken care of, they need to go to school," she lamented. Guinea's debt elimination won't result in individual families receiving money. "It doesn't feed me," she says.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/guinea-see-2-4-billion-debt-cancelled-142629473--finance.html

usps ups bachelor pad bachelor pad FedEx Green Coffee Bean Extract the voice

Zac Gordon: AGT Star?s Stunt Goes Wrong!

Have you seen the guy on AGT who…well… you know. Yeah, that guy. He purposely takes major damage to some vital areas on his body, all for the sake of getting a laugh. This time, no one was laughing. It was only a matter of time before this story hit the web. Zac could only go one direction with his stunts; bigger, better, stronger. It’s just not funny to have someone stand a kick you in the crotch over and over again. You have to do something crazier every time or you are out of a job. This time Zac paid the price and really hurt himself. The idea was for him to jump from a two story building and onto a piece of wood, with one leg on each side. Everything went okay..of course until he flew back and landed on a bucket of cement that was being used as support. Ouch. Watch the video and get more over at TMZ. Want to know what Leonardo DiCaprio is up to these days? Who doesn’t? – I Need My Fix. This just seems creepy. Apparently Carmen Electra is dating Simon Cowell? – Have U Heard. One of the guys from [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RightCelebrity/~3/F9mTwgHy2kY/

florida lotto Beady Eye david bowie Eric Idle rory mcilroy Fatboy Slim Rio de Janeiro

How to Host a Dinner for Strangers [Entertaining]

How to Host a Dinner for Strangers Having a group of strangers over for dinner might sound weird, but it's actually a great way to meet new people and gain different perspectives. Plus, guests bring delicious food to your house for free! From safely inviting people to preparing your space for a group, Shareable's Arianna Davalos offers tips for hosting your own dinner.

First, imagine what you'd like to get out of this experience. What is your motivation for the dinner? What makes a night with strangers so appealing to you? Write down your intentions and what you hope to experience. Include this in your invitation, and you will attract people who want the same thing and are open to letting the experience happen.

Invite strangers

Depending on your comfort level, there are different ways to do this. For the first dinners, I found guests by giving invitations to friends and asking them to invite people they knew. If you go this route, make sure you leave plenty of time for invitation delivery and for people to RSVP. This is probably the safest way to organize a stranger dinner, since your friends will have vouched for each guest that attends. If you want to start a dinner series, you can ask the guests to invite the next round. In this way, the dinner becomes a kind of chain letter.

Another way to invite people is through the internet. Though I wouldn't necessarily post invitations on Craigslist, I do send the invitation to a mailing list or two that I trust, as well as to my own personal contacts. It's easy to find a niche mailing list that speaks to a community you may be comfortable inviting without getting that icky stranger-danger feeling in your stomach. Having said that, posting it on a site like Craigslist might turn up great people, and you may have no problem at all. Follow your gut. Diverse sources of strangers help the dinners stay strange.

Stranger dinners are best planned on a Sunday or a weeknight. On Fridays and Saturdays, people tend to have lots of options that come up last minute. Planning on the right day minimizes being stood up.

Prep your space

Get your space ready for guests. Make it cozy. Make it easy for people to come in, put down their stuff, and relax. Candles, flowers, tablecloth, music?-whatever mood you want to set, ambiance is the key.

Make something yummy

I don't like to tell people what to bring for the potluck. I like to be surprised, and I've never been disappointed with the meal. There is no need to spend all day slaving over a hot stove. Depending on my mood, my budget, and my schedule, I make sure my potluck item is stress free and delicious. Stranger dinners, unlike other dinner parties, are great places to try out new recipes. If it turns out bad, there will be plenty of other things to eat, and you never have to see these people again!

Tip: I do make sure to have some wine or beer on hand. Alcohol, though not necessary, definitely works as a social lubricant and gets people relaxed and talking.

Be a good host

All that's left is to sit back, relax, and let a bunch of people bring you food and entertain you for the evening! Don't forget to be a courteous host. Make sure everyone feels safe, comfortable, and is never without something to drink. Help people do their final preparations for their dish if they need it, help them serve it up, and don't be afraid to use some ice-breakers if things aren't flowing naturally.

When it's time to leave, thank everyone for coming. Make sure they get any dishes or leftovers they brought to take home. Encourage people to exchange contact information, and send a group email to everyone so they can stay in touch.

How to Host a Stranger Dinner | Shareable

Arianna is an artist who uses social forms to explore themes in contemporary sociality. She approaches social occasions as a designer with an interest how design decisions shape collective experience.

Image remixed from Alexsander1 and Colia (Shutterstock).

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/7mWxFtq_3ro/how-to-host-a-dinner-for-strangers

blake lively RG3 Espn Fantasy Football philadelphia eagles Grandparents Day 2012 army wives 60 minutes

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Discus Fish Disease: How to cure Them | My Handy Infos

Pet owners need to comprehend types of discus fish disease in order for them to be able to be aware of the signs or symptoms and also get assistance immediately just before anything gets worse. Remember that discus fish are costly pets you would not desire your investment to simply die. Aside from that, they?re extremely active pets and you may easily get attached to them. As a pet owner, you would want the best care for them.

Prevention is better than cure. Discus fish disease as soon as this hits is extremely tough to treat. There isn?t much study about how human beings can help them, which is why owners need to make certain to provide them the best living conditions saving them from getting virtually any discus fish disease.

One of the typical discus fish diseases is what we call hole in the head. The signs and symptoms involve a little pinhole size development that can be observed on the head near the eyes and the mouth region. It is said to be caused by a protozoan infection and when left unattended immediately it might lead them to die. Cure it using a soluble antibiotic that may be seen in pet shops. Mix it in the water and make sure the water temperature is at 32 degree Celsius. Keep the water aerated before placing the medicine in order for it to be effective. Assume 3 days for it to get solved.

Another kind of discus fish disease could be the gill flu. This is harder to resolve because the disease could ruin the immune system of the fish, which will make it harder to stop the problem considering that the fish won?t respond to treatment right away. The discus fish will have difficult time breathing and then can collapse on the surface of the water disabling them from going swimming and the fish can turn into a dark pale color. Recommendations of using formalin and potassium permanganate coupled with fluke tabs are seen to be the cure. Use it on interval in the span Four weeks and ensure that there are no larvae which will remain in the water to avoid this from occurring once again.

To avoid this from happening, ensure that the fish tank has excellent filtration and that the water is free from germs. Aside from that, provide them with clean foods that are safe and also to give them vitamins. Keep these in mind and you can help prevent discus fish disease.

Discus fish disease pictures can help you recognize the issues. Additional information can be found at http://www.discusfishpro.com.

Source: http://myhandyinfos.com/animals-pets/discus-fish-disease-how-to-cure-them.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=discus-fish-disease-how-to-cure-them

elisabeth hasselbeck fran drescher scarlett o hara pat sajak vanna white michael robinson joe paterno memorial service