Garden: 2012

Monday 31 December 2012

More French troops go to Central African Republic

BANGUI, Central African Republic ?

As rebels advance in Central African Republic, France has deployed an additional 180 troops to protect its interests.

The French reinforcements arrived Sunday from nearby Gabon, bringing the total French military force in the capital, Bangui, to nearly 600, Col. Thierry Burkhard told The Associated Press Sunday. The troops are to protect French residents in the capital, which many fear will be attacked by the rebels.

As fears mounted that the rebels would attack Bangui, a city of 600,000, President Francois Bozize imposed a curfew from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Bozize earlier appealed to France for help against the rebels, but French President Francois Hollande's government said it would only protect French interests and would not prop up the Bangui government.

The African Union is attempting to set up negotiations in Gabon between the Bozize government and the rebels.

The rebel forces have seized at least 10 cities across the sparsely populated north of the country. Residents in the capital now fear the insurgents could attack at any time, despite assurances by rebel leaders that they are willing to engage in dialogue instead of attacking Bangui.

On Saturday the rebels seized the city of Sibut, 185 kilometers (114 miles) from Bangui.

Sibut, a key transportation hub, fell without a shot being fired because the Central African Republic army and forces from neighboring Chad had pulled back to Damara, 75 kilometers (46 miles) from Bangui on Friday, said Minister of Territorial Administration Josie Binoua.

Neighboring African countries have agreed to send more forces to support the Bozize government.

Representatives from the 10-nation Economic Community of Central African States, or ECCAS, agreed at a meeting in Gabon Friday to send forces to CAR, but did not did not specify how many troops would be sent or how quickly the military assistance would arrive.

The ECCAS states, with more than 500 soldiers via their regional peacekeeping force in Central Africa, over the weekend warned the rebels to halt their advances.

"ECCAS forces are on high alert, and the city of Damara is the limit not to cross," said Antonio Di Garcia, the ECCAS representative in Bangui. He urged the government forces and the rebels to hold to their current positions and to begin dialogue.?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??

?? The ongoing instability prompted the United States to evacuate about 40 people, including the U.S. ambassador, from Bangui on an U.S. Air Force plane bound for Kenya, said U.S. officials who insisted on anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the operation.

The United States has special forces troops in the country who are assisting in the hunt for Joseph Kony, the fugitive rebel leader of another rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army. The U.S. special forces remain in the country, the U.S. military's Africa Command said from its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany.

The evacuation of the U.S. diplomats came after criticism of how the U.S. handled diplomatic security before and during the attack on its consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11. The ambassador and three other Americans were killed in that attack.

French diplomats have remained in Bangui despite a violent demonstration outside its embassy last week. Dozens of protesters, angry at France's lack of help against rebel forces, threw rocks at the French Embassy in Bangui and stole a French flag.

This landlocked nation of 4.4 million people has suffered decades of army revolts, coups and rebellions since gaining independence in 1960 and remains one of the poorest countries in the world. The current president himself came to power nearly a decade ago in the wake of a rebellion in this resource-rich yet deeply poor country.

Bozize's government earlier reached out to longtime ally Chad, which pledged to send 2,000 troops to bolster Central African Republic's own forces.

The rebels behind the most recent instability signed a 2007 peace accord allowing them to join the regular army, but insurgent leaders say the deal wasn't fully implemented.

The rebels say they are fighting because of their "thirst for justice, for peace, for security and for economic development of the people of Central African Republic." The rebels also are demanding that the government make payments to ex-combatants.

Despite Central African Republic's wealth of gold, diamonds, timber and uranium, the government remains perpetually cash-strapped.

The United Nations Security Council condemned the violence and reiterated its demand that the armed groups "immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from captured cities and cease any further advance towards the city of Bangui."

---

Associated Press Writer Greg Keller contributed to this piece from Paris.

Source: http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2020019029_apafcentralafricanrepublicrebeladvance.html?syndication=rss

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NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE BASKETBALL RESULTS FROM DECEMBER 29TH, 2012

December 30, 2012 by balladeer

CHAPARRALS RULE THE WORLD ? Readers familiar with Balladeer?s Blog?s college football coverage are well aware of the tendency of NAIA teams to upset teams from NCAA Division 2. That tendency extends to basketball season at times, too. Yesterday the LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY CHAPARRALS (logo above) took it on the road and upset D2?s NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS UNIVERSITY COWBOYS in a 90-88 game that Chaps fans will be talking about for years to come.

CENTURY CLUB ? Among the teams scoring 100 or more points yesterday: The INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST GRENADIERS improved to 11-3 with a 108-75 road thrashing of the POINT PARK PIONEERS. The Grenadiers (love that name) led 59-34 at halftime and glided through the 2nd half to remain unbeaten in conference play. ? ### ? The LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS clipped the wings of the HAMILTON HARRIERS by a score of 100-69?? ###?? The UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS held serve by taking down the TENNESSEE WESLEYAN BULLDOGS? 100-83 ? ### ? In the Chuck Daly Tournament the NORTHWOOD (FL) UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS slammed the VALOR CHRISTIAN COLLEGE WARRIORS by a score of 106-73 ? ### ? The OLD WESTBURY PANTHERS topped the MISERICORDIA COUGARS in a 100-97 catfight?? ###?? ? And the GREENSBURG BOBCATS devoured the WRIGHT STATE LAKERS in a 130-58 laugher.?

OUR DIVISION CAN BEAT UP YOUR DIVISION ? The rivalry between the NAIA and NCAA Division 3 extends to the court as well. Yesterday the WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY PIONEERS defeated D3?s SUL ROSS STATE LOBOS? 78-62 ? ### ? The NAIA?s EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY EAGLES toppled the MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY MARINERS 81-65 in the Land of Magic Classic ? ### ? The TAYLOR TROJANS won a 49-42 defensive epic against D3?s WITTENBERG TIGERS ? ###?? ? And the National Christian College Athletic Association?s PORTLAND BIBLE COLLEGE WILDCATS joined the NAIA?s fun by defeating the D3 PUGET SOUND LOGGERS? 81-74.

INSTANT CLASSICS ? In the Tom Byron Classic the WESTMINSTER (UT) GRIFFINS won a 78-71 game for the ages against the WESTMONT WARRIORS ? ### ? The BETHANY COLLEGE SWEDES edged the SOUTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN EAGLES? 63-62 ? ### ? The DORDT COLLEGE DEFENDERS took down the WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS by a score of 75-73 in the Crooked Lake Classic ? ### ? The DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY BLUE HAWKS played road warriors and defeated the BRANDON UNIVERSITY BOBCATS? 75-72?? ###?? ? And the YESHIVA MACCABEES eked out a 62-61 home victory over the BROOKLYN COLLEGE BULLDOGS.

WORKIN? OVERTIME ? 40 minutes wasn?t enough for some games yesterday. The NEW YORK UNIVERSITY VIOLETS (logo at left) defeated the WIDENER PRIDE 97-88 in the extra session?? ###?? The MASTERS MUSTANGS beat out the CONCORDIA (OR) CAVALIERS? 74-71 in Overtime? ### ? The CLAREMONT-MUDD- SCRIPPS STAGS outlasted the homestanding SOUTHERN MAINE HUSKIES in an 81-75 OT matchup for the ages ? ### ? The SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY HORNETS and the DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY STARS went into Double Overtime with the Hornets winning 86-76?? ###?? ? And the WILLIAMS COLLEGE EPHS kept their momentum rolling by defeating the LUTHER NORSE in Overtime by a score of 78-72.

BLOWOUTS ? The NAIA?s INDIANA TECH WARRIORS redefined the term blowout by eviscerating the OSU- LIMA BARONS by an unbelievable score of 87-23?? The ILLINOIS COLLEGE BLUE BOYS made their own revisions to the term with a 100-45 annihilation of the NORTH PARK VIKINGS?? ###?? The COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND DOLPHINS manhandled the MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE TRAILBLAZERS to the tune of 83-52 ? ### ? The HAMPDEN-SYDNEY TIGERS slashed up the visiting HUNTINGDON HAWKS? 99-54? And the CARDINAL STRITCH WOLVES clawed the PURDUE NORTH CENTRAL PANTHERS? 75-52.

KEELHAULERS KICKING BUTT ? The CALIFORNIA MARITIME ACADEMY KEELHAULERS, also from the NAIA, are burning up the basketball court once again. These California Pacific Conference powerhouses are sitting at 11-3 after Saturday?s 85-80 victory over the VALLEY CITY STATE VIKINGS in the Whittier College Tournament. After today the next game for the Keelhaulers (how can you not love that name) will be January 5th as they welcome the LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY GOLDEN EAGLES.? ? ?? ? ?

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Posted in College Basketball | Tagged basketball, college basketball, College basketball scores December 29th, D3 basketball, NAIA, NAIA basketball, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, National Christian College Athletic Association, NCCAA basketball, Sport, sports | Leave a Comment

Source: http://glitternight.com/2012/12/30/noteworthy-college-basketball-results-from-december-29th-2012/

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So Then, Uh, What Was The Point Of The Last Two Years? (talking-points-memo)

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Barack Obama On 'Meet the Press': President Addresses Guns, Fiscal Cliff

Obama spoke less than 48 hours before the deadline for the U.S. government to find a way to avert the so-called "fiscal cliff," and thusly the ongoing fight in Washington over the crucial issue consumed much of the pre-recorded conversation with David Gregory.

"I remain an optimist," Obama said when asked if he believed a deal could be reached on the fiscal cliff, but he tempered that by stating that "the fact that it's not happening is an indication of how far some factions in the Republican Party have gone" away from popular centrist positions like support for tax cuts for the middle class.

Obama predicted that one of two things will happen in regard to the fiscal cliff. The first possibility, he said, is that "we're going to see an agreement within the next 48 hours" that will keep the country from going over the fiscal cliff, therefore allowing for the continuation the tax breaks, unemployment benefits and other economy-boosting measures that will lapse if a deal is not reached by the end of the year.

The second possibility Obama laid out is that Congress will not be able to come to an agreement that satisfies both sides of the aisle, and the nation will go over the cliff. But even that should not be a source of too much despair, the President said, as if it indeed does not pass in time, then next year "the first bill will be to cut taxes on middle-class families."

Speaking on the topic of gun control, Obama drove home just how much he was personally moved by the shocking display of violence that left 20 schoolchildren and six adults dead earlier this month when 20-year-old Adam Lanza went on a shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

"That was the worst day of my presidency," he told Gregory.

He went on to explain that he supports a range of gun control proposals including an assault weapons ban, bans on oversized clips, and background checks for gun purchasers. But Obama declined to outright denounce the NRA's proposal to put an armed security guard in every American school, though he said he does not believe that such a move would alone be enough to solve the issue of gun violence in the United States.

He added that he believes that if Americans were "shook up enough" by the Newtown massacre, then the will and public support will be there to do big things to address gun violence.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/barack-obama-meet-press-president-addresses-guns-fiscal-cliff-981282

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Afghan violence falls, but insider attacks up in 2012

Insider killings by uniformed Afghans against their foreign allies rose dramatically in 2012, eroding confidence between the two sides at a crucial turning point in the war.

By Denis D. Gray and Rahim Faiez,?Associated Press / December 30, 2012

An Afghan protester, chants slogans on a loudspeaker during a demonstration for human rights in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 10. In a demonstration organized by the Social Association of Afghan Justice Seekers, dozens of Afghans who have lost their family members and relatives in the past three decades of war and violence in Afghanistan, marched in Kabul to mark International Human Rights Day asking for justice for the deaths of their loved ones.

Musadeq Sadeq/AP

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Violence in?Afghanistan?fell in 2012, but more Afghan troops and police who now shoulder most of the combat were killed, according to statistics compiled by The Associated Press.

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At the same time, insider killings by uniformed Afghans against their foreign allies rose dramatically, eroding confidence between the two sides at a crucial turning point in the war and when NATO troops and Afghan counterparts are in more intimate contact.

"The overall situation is improving," said a NATO spokesman, US Air Force Lt. Col. Lester T. Carroll. He singled out Afghan special forces as "surgically removing insurgent leaders from the battle space."

Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, said Afghan forces were now charged with 80 percent of security missions and were less equipped to face the most lethal weapon of the militants ? roadside bombs.

"Our forces are out there in the battlefields and combat areas more than at any other time in the past," he said, citing reasons for the spike in casualties.

US troop deaths, overall NATO fatalities and Afghan civilian deaths all dropped as insurgent attacks fell off in their traditional strongholds in the country's south and east. However, insurgent activity was up in the north and west, where the Taliban and other groups have been less active in the past, and overall levels of violence were higher than before a US troop surge more than two years ago.

US troop deaths declined overall from 404 last year to 295 as of Saturday. The Defense Department says 1,701 US troops have been killed in action in?Afghanistan?since the US invasion in 2001 until Dec. 26. Of those, 338 died from non-hostile causes. Some 18,154 were wounded.

A total of 394 foreign troops, including the Americans, were killed in 2012, down from 543 in 2011. The British, with the second-largest military presence, had 43 killed ? the second-highest toll among countries with forces in?Afghanistan, by AP's count.

The AP keeps daily tallies of casualties and violent incidents across?Afghanistan?based on reports from NATO and Afghan officials. Most cannot be independently verified, and other incidents may never come to light. The statistics sometimes vary from official counts because of time lags, different criteria and other reasons.

Deaths from so-called insider attacks ? Afghan police and troops killing foreign allies ? surged to 61 in 45 attacks last year compared with 2011, when 35 coalition troops were killed in 21 attacks.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/dEVZT6sjaCY/Afghan-violence-falls-but-insider-attacks-up-in-2012

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Sunday 30 December 2012

Emancipation Proclamation 150th Anniversary Marked By Watch Nights This Year

WASHINGTON ? As New Year's Day approached 150 years ago, all eyes were on President Abraham Lincoln in expectation of what he warned 100 days earlier would be coming ? his final proclamation declaring all slaves in states rebelling against the Union to be "forever free."

A tradition began Dec. 31, 1862, as many black churches held Watch Night services, awaiting word that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation would take effect amid a bloody Civil War. Later, congregations listened as the president's historic words were read aloud.

The proclamation would not end slavery outright and at the time couldn't be enforced by Lincoln in areas under Confederate control. But the president made clear from that day forward that his forces would be fighting to bring the Union back together without the institution of slavery.

Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862, after the Battle of Antietam, announcing that if rebel states did not cease fighting and rejoin the Union by Jan. 1, 1863, all slaves in rebellious states or parts of states would be declared free from that date forward.

This year, the Watch Night tradition will follow the historic document to its home at the National Archives with a special midnight display planned with readings, songs and bell ringing among the nation's founding documents.

The official document bears Lincoln's signature and the United States seal, setting it apart from copies and drafts. It will make a rare public appearance from Sunday to Tuesday ? New Year's Day ? for thousands of visitors to mark its anniversary. On New Year's Eve, the display will remain open past midnight as 2013 arrives.

"We will be calling back to an old tradition," said U.S. Archivist David Ferriero, noting the proclamation's legacy. "When you see thousands of people waiting in line in the dark and cold ... we know that they're not there just for words on paper.

"On this 150th anniversary, we recall those who struggled with slavery in this country, the hope that sustained them and the inspiration the Emancipation Proclamation has given to those who seek justice."

The National Archives allows 100 visitors at a time into its rotunda, where the Emancipation Proclamation will be displayed along with the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. On the busiest days, 8,000 people file through for a glimpse of the founding charters.

Performances and re-enactments are scheduled to continue throughout New Year's Day. The U.S. Postal Service will unveil a new Emancipation Proclamation stamp as well.

This special display is just one of many commemorations planned in Washington and in churches nationwide to mark the anniversary of Lincoln's actions to end slavery and end the Civil War.

President Lincoln's Cottage in Washington, where the 16th president spent much of his time and where he began drafting the proclamation, is displaying a signed copy of the document through February. It also will host its own New Year's Eve celebration.

The Library of Congress will display the first draft handwritten by Lincoln. It will be on display for six weeks beginning Jan. 3 in the library's exhibit, "The Civil War in America," which features many personal letters and diaries from the era.

Also, the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture just opened its newest exhibition, "Changing America," to recount the 1863 emancipation of slaves and the 1963 March on Washington for Civil Rights. It includes a rare signed copy of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that ultimately abolished slavery.

The Watch Night tradition also continues at many sites Monday night.

In Washington, the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, where abolitionist Frederick Douglass was a member, will host a special 150th anniversary service.

History lovers say this is a chance to remember what the Emancipation Proclamation actually signified.

Lincoln wrote in part: "I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward, shall be free."

He went on to say the military would recognize the freedom of slaves, that freed slaves should avoid violence and that freed slaves could enlist in the U.S. armed forces. It did not immediately free a single slave, though, because Lincoln didn't have the power to enforce the declaration in the Confederacy. Still, many slaves had already been freeing themselves, and the document gave them protection, said Reginald Washington, an archivist of African-American history at the National Archives.

"It was a first, important step in paving the way for the abolishment of slavery with the ratification of the 13th Amendment," he said.

It also brought "a fundamental change in the character of the war," Washington said. "With the stroke of Lincoln's pen, a war to preserve the union had overnight become a war of human liberation."

The proclamation became a symbol of hope for nearly 4 million slaves and a confirmation that the war should be fought to secure their freedom, said Washington, who is retiring from the Archives after nearly 40 years. Some historians and scholars have come to view to proclamation as one of the most important documents in U.S. history.

The final proclamation has been rarely shown because it was badly damaged decades ago by long exposure to light. After it was signed at the White House, it was kept at the State Department for many years with other presidential proclamations. In 1936, it was transferred to the National Archives.

Records show it was displayed between 1947 and 1949 in a "Freedom Train" exhibit that traveled the country. Then it was shown briefly in January 1963 to mark the 100th anniversary of its signing.

It wasn't until 1993 that the Emancipation Proclamation has been shown more regularly to the public. In the past decade, it has been shown in 10 other museums and libraries nationwide for no more than three days at a time to limit its exposure to light. A 2011 exhibition at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., that was open around the clock drew lines amounting to eight-hour waits to see the document.

Conservators rotate which of the five pages are shown to limit their light exposure. In Washington, they will display pages two and five, which is Lincoln's signature page. High-quality copies are shown in place of the other original pages.

"It's rarely shown, and that's part of our strategy for preserving it and making it accessible," said Catherine Nicholson, an archives conservator. "Our goal is to keep its current condition so that it can be enjoyed not only by people today, but by future generations."

___

Online:

http://www.archives.gov

___

Follow Brett Zongker on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/29/emancipation-proclamation-150th-anniversary_n_2380910.html

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Saturday 29 December 2012

Video: College student gets restraining order against parents

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Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50318322/

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Television section

For the week of Dec. 10-16

1. Sunday Night Football: San Francisco at New England, NBC, 23.23 million

2. "60 Minutes," CBS, 19.63 million

3. "NCIS," CBS, 17.65 million

4. "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 16.74 million

5. "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 15.12 million

6. Sunday Night NFL Pre-Kick, NBC, 14.62 million

7. "Person of Interest," CBS, 14.08 million

8. "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 13.34 million

9. "The Voice" (Monday), NBC, 12.33 million

10. "Criminal Minds," CBS, 12.01 million

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032450/ns/today-entertainment/

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Is your Sword Giving or Taking your Life? - RMAX International

[unable to retrieve full-text content]My career inadvertently became guided to helping solve this problem of stress upon our health, to prevent others from suffering ill health, disease and poor fitness, and their families from its collateral damage. Although my primary outreach remains health, fitness and nutrition, I remain at my heart a martial artist, and I maintain a martial artist's view on wellness. Studying the impact of stress upon the body, through psychophysiology in Russia and stress physiology in ...

Source: http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/?p=1314

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Time runs short to avert longshoremen's strike

FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2012 file photo, a truck driver watches as a freight container, right, is lowered onto a tractor trailer by a container crane at the Port of Boston in Boston. The crane and a reach stacker, left, are operated by longshoremen at the port. The longshoremen's union may strike if they are unable to reach an agreement on their contract, which expires Dec. 29, 2012. A walkout by dock workers represented by the International Longshoremen?s Association would bring commerce to a near halt at ports from Boston to Houston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? In just a few days, a walkout by thousands of dock workers could bring commerce to a near standstill at every major port from Boston to Houston, potentially delivering a big blow to retailers and manufacturers still struggling to find their footing in a weak economy.

More than 14,000 longshoremen are threating to go on strike Sunday ? a wide-ranging work stoppage that would immediately close cargo ports on the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico to container ships.

The 15 ports involved in the labor dispute move more than 100 million tons of goods each year, or about 40 percent of the nation's containerized cargo traffic. Losing them to a shutdown, even for a few days, could cost the economy billions of dollars.

"If the port shuts down, nothing moves in or out," said Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation. And when the workers do return, "it's going to take time to clear out that backlog, and we don't know how long that it's going to take."

Shipments of such varied products as flat-screen TVs, sneakers and snow shovels would either sit idle at sea or get rerouted, at great time and expense. U.S. factories also rely on container ships for parts and raw materials, meaning supply lines for all sorts of products could be squeezed.

Joseph Ahlstrom, a professor at the State University of New York's Maritime College and a former cargo ship captain, called container ships the "lifeblood of the country."

"We don't fly in a lot of products. It's just too expensive," Ahlstrom said. "The bulk of the products we import come in inside containers."

The master contract between the International Longshoremen's Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, a group representing shipping lines, terminal operators and port associations, expired in September. The two sides agreed to extend it once already, for 90 days, but they have so far balked at extending it again when it expires at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.

The union said its members would agree to an extension only if the Maritime Alliance dropped a proposal to freeze the royalties workers get for every container they unload. The Alliance has argued that the longshoremen, who it said earn an average $124,138 per year in wages and benefits, are compensated well enough already.

Federal mediators have been trying to push negotiations along, but there has been no word from either side on the progress of the talks since Dec. 24. As recently as Dec. 19, the president of the longshoremen, Harold Daggett, said the talks weren't going well and that a strike was expected.

The work stoppage would not be absolute. Longshoremen would continue to handle military cargo, mail, passenger ships, non-containerized items like automobiles, and perishable commodities, like fresh food.

Yet the economic damage could still be severe.

"The global economy moves by water, and shutting down container ports along the East and Gulf coasts while the national economy remains fragile benefits no one," Deborah Hadden, acting port director at Massport, the public agency that oversees shipping terminals in Boston. It is not a part of the contract dispute.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said "the livelihood of thousands of Florida families lies in the balance."

The White House weighed in, too, urging dockworkers and shipping companies Thursday to reach agreement "as quickly as possible" on a contract extension. Obama spokesman Matt Lehrich said the administration is monitoring the situation closely.

If it happens, the walkout could be the biggest national port disruption since 2002, when unionized dockworkers were locked out of 29 West Coast ports for 10 days because of a contract dispute.

The ports only reopened after President George W. Bush, invoking powers given to him by the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, ordered an 80-day cooling-off period. Some economists estimated that each day of that lockout cost the U.S. economy $1 billion. It took months for the retail supply chain to fully recover.

An East Coast port freeze would have its biggest impact at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where 3,250 longshoremen handled 32.3 million tons of cargo in 2010. The authority is not a party to the contract dispute.

Other major ports affected would include Savannah, Ga., which handled 18 million tons, and Houston and Hampton Roads, Va., which each handled more than 12.5 million tons.

Thousands of other jobs would be directly affected by the shutdown. Truck drivers might not have any cargo to transport, tug boat captains no ships to guide and freight train operators nothing to haul.

Simultaneously, another labor dispute involving dock workers was playing out on the West Coast.

Longshoremen at several Pacific Northwest grain terminals worked Thursday under contract terms they soundly rejected last weekend. The owners implemented the terms after declaring talks at an impasse. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union has yet to announce its next move.

Workplace rules, not salary and benefits, have been the obstacle to a new deal.

The dispute involves terminals in Portland, Ore., Vancouver, Wash., and Seattle, where longshoremen have been working without an agreement since the last contract expired Sept. 30.

___

Associated Press writers Ken Thomas in Washington and Tamara Lush in Tampa, Fla., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-27-Longshoremen-Contract/id-6fd9a081ed7d4fe08769bcb207eef154

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Friday 28 December 2012

Main Companies Provided By The Net Hosting ... - The Floor Geek

The operation of creating a web-site and finding it web-based is usually a tough just one, certainly with the non-technical group. Which certainly just isn?t aided from the wide-spread misunderstanding that domain registration and net web hosting is a particular and also the same detail.

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Put plainly the process is as follows: a domain need to be registered by a domain registration firm and after that that domain identify should be hosted on the net through a world-wide-web web hosting supplier.

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It certainly as simple as that, but is one area that causes a lot of confusion and unnecessary stress to a wide selection of everyone wanting to established up a web site.

Domain Registration
To utilize cyberspace to communicate with many people or to look up knowledge, you have to type an handle into your pc. These addresses really are a title or even a variety and they are considerably more regularly recognized as domain names. Every last domain title should be totally outstanding to ensure the online market place is aware of the proper web pages to provide up to the consumer.

When you desire to generate your own personal web site, that you must devise a name you would like your website being recognized as. This name then requires to become registered which includes a domain registration firm making sure that its completely unique and that you end up being the authorized owner of that domain title.

You furthermore may should choose a domain extension to attribute with your domain title. By this we necessarily mean.com,.co.uk,.org,.internet etcetera. You?ll want to give careful consideration on the domain extension you select to make certain that your complete domain title most reliable signifies that of one?s opportunity or challenge. As an illustration in the event you really are an United kingdom opportunity and are generally only selling for the Uk, it may be most effective to select a.co.british isles domain extension ? particularly for achieving positive United kingdom online search engine rankings.

It will be extremely important that previous to registering a website name that has a domain registrar that you verify that they are a reputable domain registration organisation. A person way of working on this really is to examine which the domain registrar?s web-site is showcased relating to the ICANN (The online world Company for Assigned Names and Quantities) Accredited Registrars list

World wide web web hosting
Once you?ve registered your exclusive domain identify with an accredited domain registrar, you have to get your internet site reside via the internet. To accomplish this, you will need to fork over money for an internet internet hosting bundle from the web hosting firm.

The entire process of putting your website using the internet is completed because of the website hosting specialist you sign up with and can include placing your website over a web server that is then connected towards the the web. The sort of word wide web server your web site is hosted on will depend to the necessities of your respective web page. Quite possibly the most usual web site web hosting policies are Shared Web site Hosting and Committed Server World-wide-web Hosting.

Shared Web site Web hosting
In case you use an easy to understand web site which requires a routine amount of world-wide-web room and bandwidth, then it is most likely that your web hosting corporation strongly recommend you select a shared website hosting arrange.

Using this type of schedule your website should be placed on one of the internet hosting company?s shared world-wide-web servers. Below your website will reside alongside quite a few other equivalent sized online resources just where it is going to discuss all the server?s resources and benefits.

Just about every internet hosting business varies in the web hosting features they supply with their shared web hosting plans. With a great number of establishments you?re going to receive as ordinary:

oA specified amount of web site area dependent on your picked bundle
oEasy to make use of word wide web web page control panel
oOnline account control facility
oFull 24/7 ftp entry to upload your web documents
oFree domain transfer
oUnlimited domain aliases
oWebmail
oSend and acquire email messages implementing Microsoft Outlook and other e-mail systems

Devoted Server Website Hosting
In case your website has grown to the dimension which can?t be accommodated on the shared server or when you have to have the flexibleness to include applications or other characteristics to the online site, then your website hosting supplier can highly recommend which you order a focused server.

Accompanied by a focused server, you individual the rights to your entire server; as a result giving you complete manage around what exactly is fitted and run in your server. Room and bandwidth usage will no more be described as a complication as there will only be your website (or online websites) applying the servers sources.

Which has a focused server you furthermore mght have satisfaction that your resource site(s) won?t be for the mercy of other web sites as well as their potentially corrupt code ? which could lead to downtime and other difficulties on your webpage.

When selecting a devoted server you?re able to choose to have your server managed or unmanaged via the web web hosting organization. Using a maintained server, chances are you may acquire solutions for instance internet site administration, several software program installation, repair and upgrades. The main plus of getting your committed server maintained is usually that you could have a professional available will need to your server experience any failure ? guaranteeing your site a large uptime percentage. While greatly inexpensive, unmanaged server internet hosting is only honestly advised for people which has an excessive diploma of specialized practical knowledge in server administration and control.

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Web Hosting An Information For Newcomers | The Floor Geek

The entire process of developing a website and obtaining it internet may be a tricky 1, in particular for that non-technical local community. And this unquestionably isn?t helped by normal false impression that domain registration and web site internet hosting is one particular together with the exact issue.

So let us clear things up. Domain registration and online web hosting are two separate processes, equally of which ought to be done if you want to produce a web site and allow it to be dwell on-line.

Set simply just the procedure is as follows: a website has to be registered by a site registration supplier and then that domain title needs to be hosted using the net via a web internet hosting enterprise.

And here is whereby the confusion is available in. Scores of businesses will offer you both domain registration and website internet hosting, while people will only have both world-wide-web internet hosting or domain registration. For these reasons it is easy to decide to sign-up your domain and host your internet site when using the similar specialist or register your domain with one company and host your internet site with one other.

It realistically so simple as that, but is a thing that triggers a good deal of confusion and unneeded worry to a great many most people seeking to set up a website.

Domain Registration
To utilise the net to speak with other folks or to glance up help and advice, you could have to form an deal with into your personal machine. These addresses are really a name or perhaps number and therefore are far more frequently well-known as domains. Each and every domain name needs to be 100 % completely unique so that the net has learned the correct webpage to carry up for your person.

If you decide to choose to formulate your own private blog, you ought to devise a reputation you wish your web site for being recognised as. This identify then must have to generally be registered using a domain registration supplier to make certain that it?s unique which you become the legal operator of that domain name.

Additionally you really should decide a site extension to attribute to the domain identify. By this we suggest.com,.co.united kingdom,.org,.web and so forth. You will need to give very careful thing to consider towards the domain extension you end up picking in order that your extensive domain name finest signifies that within your online business or task. By way of example once you are really an Uk online business and so are only marketing towards British isles, it might be only to settle on a.co.united kingdom domain extension ? notably for obtaining ideal Uk search engine rankings.

It really is crucial that ahead of registering a site identify accompanied by a domain registrar that you simply take a look at that they?re a credible domain registration organization. A single method of executing this is often to look at the domain registrar?s website is featured to the ICANN (The internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Figures) Accredited Registrars listing

Web hosting
Once you have registered your one-of-a-kind domain name with the accredited domain registrar, it?s good to get your website stay on the net. To attempt this, you need to actually buy a web hosting package from an internet hosting supplier.

The whole process of placing your internet site using the web is concluded by the world wide web web hosting service you indicator up with and will involve positioning your internet site on a website server that is certainly then joined into the online. The kind of world-wide-web server your internet site is hosted on will rely on the specifications of one?s webpage. Just about the most very common word wide web hosting plans are Shared Word wide web Internet hosting and Committed Server Online Hosting.

Shared Word wide web Web hosting
For those who have a very very easy internet site which requires a consistent amount of online place and bandwidth, then it?s probably that the hosting provider recommend you decide on a shared web site internet hosting schedule.

With this regimen your site will be placed on among the net internet hosting firm?s shared online servers. Below your website will reside along with many other very similar sized websites whereby it can reveal all of the server?s sources and qualities.

Each individual internet hosting organization differs within the hosting functions they supply with their shared hosting ideas. With a great deal of online businesses you should obtain as traditional:

oA specified volume of world-wide-web space subject to your chosen package
oEasy to apply world-wide-web information site user interface
oOnline account administration center
oFull 24/7 ftp access to add your website information
oFree domain transfer
oUnlimited domain aliases
oWebmail
oSend and obtain e-mail utilizing Microsoft Outlook or any other electronic mail plans

Focused Server World wide web Web hosting
If the websites is continuing to grow into a measurement which is unable to be accommodated on a shared server or those that need the flexibility to add program or another abilities for your internet site, then your world wide web web hosting provider might advocate you buy a devoted server.

Which includes a devoted server, you own the legal rights with the full server; thus offering you entire regulate in excess of exactly what is put in and operate on the server. House and bandwidth utilization will even not any longer be considered a difficulty as there will only be your web site (or web sites) using the servers means.

Having a devoted server you also have peace of mind that the blog(s) won?t be on the mercy of other webpages along with their perhaps corrupt code ? which could produce downtime together with other dilemmas for your site.

When picking a focused server you may opt to own your server managed or unmanaged because of the online internet hosting small business. By having a managed server, it?s possible you?ll get products and services most notably internet page administration, selected software application installation, servicing and upgrades. The foremost moreover of having your dedicated server managed is the fact that you?ve got an authority on hand will ideally your server suffer any failure ? guaranteeing your internet site a very high uptime proportion. Even though substantially more affordable, unmanaged server hosting is simply incredibly advocated for anyone having a substantial diploma of technical information in server administration and administration.

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Source: http://www.thefloorgeek.com/2012/12/web-hosting-an-information-for-newcomers/

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Thursday 27 December 2012

Don't Believe Everything You See on YouTube: Par cutin Edition

I?d like to conduct an experiment someday. I?d like to gather together a group of experts in a particular field and show them a few popular science video clips relevant to their areas of expertise. Would they groan, howl and laugh as much as I did during these three short clips?

The sad fact is, even august purveyors of information can get things hysterically wrong. And I use the word ?hysterically? advisedly ? I mean they seem to be pining for disaster. They?re like the poor Angahuan tourist guide who, gazing upon the serene, extinct edifice of Par?cutin, said wistfully, ?It would be nice if the volcano would erupt again ? just a little bit.?

I feel you, amigo. I?ve said the same thing gazing into Mount St. Helens?s caldera.

Britannica and Discovery seem to have the same yearning. Watch these two clips, and you?ll see. You should watch them because they are of a cinder cone being born, and they are awesome, despite the bit o? wrong.

?Now it is dormant. Its activity seems to have come to an end. But we know that some volcanoes have remained inactive for hundreds, even thousands, of years, and then, unexpectedly, erupted again.?

Yeah, you just go on telling yourself that if it makes you feel better, buddy.

This next video comes with a trigger warning for those who become upset at egregious mispronunciation of Spanish words.

?It has not erupted since, but it?s not dead, either. At any moment, Par?cutin could erupt again.?

Translation: ?Doo-doo-DOOM. You?re all gonna diiiiieeeee!!!!!!!!!!! Ah-hahahahaha! It could happen any second! Mwa-ha-ha!?

These two videos combined inspired me to write a geopoem in the style of Buffalo Bill?s by ee cummings.

Paricutin's by Dana Hunter. Thank you, ee cummings.

Paricutin's by Dana Hunter. A screenshot with the proper formatting, which WordPress hates and will not reproduce without more pleading and cajoling than I wish to engage in. Thank you, ee cummings.

Par?cutin?s
defunct
which used to
erupt rubblyrough-black
lava
and shoot onetwothreefourfive bombsjustlikethat
Jesus
it was a feisty one
and what i want to know is
how do you like your brandnew cinder cone
Se?or Pulido

The key term here is ?defunct.? Par?cutin is defunct. It is definitely deceased. It is an ex-active volcano. It?s a monogenetic volcano ? it shot its charge and is now resting in peace. So all of those announcers warning of possible future mayhem in dolorous tones ? they?re wrong. I hope the poem helps them remember this fact.

But I have good news for them ? the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Par?cutin is located in is definitely not defunct. We may not see it in our lifetimes, but a new cinder cone could pop up there at any moment. And it has plenty of volcanoes that go boom. There are several just around Mexico City alone, plus there?s the possibility that a cinder cone could rise up in a Mexico City suburb somewhere, bursting through someone?s living room floor in a fissure of fire, spewing molten rock all over the sofa and teevee, making life quite exciting for the residents and causing the neighborhood to undergo a rather drastic rezoning from residential to volcano. Is that not enough potential mayhem, pop sci program writers? Must you invent entirely fictitious possible future eruptions of Par?cutin in order to frighten viewers into watching?

Sadly, I suspect the answer is yes. We?ll probably never convince them otherwise ? fear sells, and well they know it. This is why I try to keep a large block of salt handy when watching science programming on the teevee ? or, in this case, on YouTube. But those errors, while egregious to those of us who know what a cinder cone actually does, were but minor quibbles compared to the howler in this next video. Seriously, I laughed so hard in the dead of night I thought my neighbor may come up to see what was wrong with me. Watch this, and see if you can spot what had tears of mirth streaming from my eyes.

Have you got it? If so, have you recovered yet? You were probably lulled by the fact it started out so beautifully factual ? I?d been sort of serenely enjoying the animations, nodding my head along to the story, thinking, ?Oh, yes, tremors must be very common along that belt,? and then bam. It?s like the narrator?s fact finder made a wrong turn at Albuquerque. And this happens:

?What had once been a peaceful cornfield was now a major volcano 3188 meters high. Par?cutin is the seventh largest volcano in the world.?

This will come as a nasty shock to volcanoes like Parinacota, which by elevation above sea level, is the 7th tallest according to the Global Volcanism Project. The number quoted is Par?cutin?s elevation above sea level, and the narrator fails even by that measure. 6348m is greater than 3188m by, like, a lot.

Par?cutin is awesome because it was a volcano we got to watch grow up from crack-in-the-ground to strapping young cinder cone, but it?s not even the highest volcanic summit on its own continent ? Pico de Orizaba is. Our poor Par? is dwarfed by literally every stratovolcano in the country. It?s only 424 meters (1391 feet) tall. Like all cinder cones, it?s short, and not terribly explosive. It only reached a VEI of 4 ? respectable, yeah, but ten times smaller than the May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, and it took nine years to achieve a tiny fraction of what St. Helens did in an afternoon. It?s not the seventh largest volcanic anything that I?m able to determine ? although I?d argue it?s in the top ten in coolness. I mean, it suddenly appeared in poor Se?or Pulido?s field and grew into a robust young volcano within a week, watched by people start-to-finish, and caught on film in the 1940s ? if that?s not cool, no volcano is cool, and we might as well just shut up shop right now and start talking about other geological things.

At the risk of making Rosetta Stones all volcanoes all the time, I?ll write up the true story of Par?cutin someday fairly soon ? and I hope that I can prove that a volcano doesn?t have to be among the biggest or most dangerous or liable to awaken at any time in order for its eruption to be one of the coolest geological events in history.

This spectacular nighttime time-exposure of M?xico's Par?cutin volcano in 1948 shows strombolian ejection of incandescent blocks and their trails as they roll down the slopes of the cone. Par?cutin is renowned as the volcano that was born in a cornfield in 1943. It grew to a height of more than 150 m within the first week of its appearance, and remained active until 1952. Photo by Carl Fries, 1948 (U.S. Geological Survey). Image and caption courtesy the Global Volcanism Program. I enter it as Exhibit A for why Par?cutin doesn't have to be potentially active or veryvery big in order to be cool.

I think we?ve also proved that respected names as well as unknown folk can be hilariously wrong about science. If you run across an error in any video clips you?re watching, send me a link ? you never know what adventures error correction may launch us on.

References

Fries, C.F. et al (1993): Movie footage of the activity of Paricutin Volcano, Michoacan, Mexico, 1945-1952. USGS Open-File Report 93-197-A.

Luhr, J.F. and Delgado-Granados, H. (1997): Aerial Examination of Volcanoes Along the Front of the Western Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and a Visit to Par?cutin. International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth?s Interior.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=9875fb4ddf6a6ba3d4053fefd32d957d

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Does Every Consultant Need To Write a Book | Marketing and ...

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Marketing podcast with Guy Kawasaki

I asked the question contained in the title of this post in a community I moderate on Google+ (Consultant Exchange- join us if you are a coach or consultant)

Somewhat predictably answers fell into two camps ? those with a book said yes it was very helpful and meaningful to their business. Those without a book said no they didn?t think it was necessary and that a well written blog might be more important.

In my business having a book (and now three) made a significant difference in terms of creating more speaking, branding and consulting opportunities. Now, a key measure in the equation is that these books are well regarded and sold well enough to stand on their own ? but there?s no question my books have led to a bigger brand for Duct Tape Marketing.

I posed the same question to my friend Guy Kawasaki and his take was a little more reserved ? ?Writing a book to open other opportunities is the wrong reason to write a book. You should write a book because you have something to say or are passionate about promoting a cause or idea.?

Kawasaki has written twelve books, including the just released APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur ? How to Publish a Book. Kawasaki wrote the book to reveal everything he?s learned along the way as an author and entrepreneur with the added lessons gained from publishing his last two books without the aid of the traditional publishing machine.

APE is meant to introduce the concept of ?artisinal publishing? as a powerful avenue for anyone wishing to get their message heard in the form of a book much like an artist practicing and promoting their craft might do.

As someone that?s written several books I can tell you that if you have a desire to write a book, but have no desire to publish on your own, the section on writing a book is worth the money. If you do plan to write and publish your own work the guidance on the very specific elements of editing, formatting and submitting digital books is a gold mine.

I do believe that we have come to a point where honing and communicating a specific point of view is an essential practice in the worlds of coaching, consulting and marketing and a book is one format to do so.

More importantly perhaps is that you practice your craft in a way that allows you to gain the experience and insight needed to construct a point of view worth sharing ? do that and you?re on your way to writing that book.

Source: http://www.bostonprintingservices.net/does-every-consultant-need-to-write-a-book/

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Digital reading rises, while books fade

Share of adult Americans reading an e-book jumps from 16 to 23 percent in a year, Pew survey finds, while traditional book reading falls from 72 to 67 percent.

By Associated Press / December 27, 2012

The Nook tablet is seen during a demonstration at the Union Square Barnes & Noble in New York in this 2011 file photo. The share of US adults reading a digital book jumped in 2012 while the share of those reading a traditional book fell, accoridng to a new survey.

Shannon Stapleton/Reuters/File

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The tastes of the reading public are turning digital.

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A Pew Internet Research Center survey released Thursday found that the percentage of Americans aged 16 and older who read an?e-book?grew from 16 percent in 2011 to 23 percent this year. Readers of traditional books dropped from 72 percent to 67 percent. Overall, those reading books of any kind dropped from 78 percent to 75 percent, a shift Pew called statistically insignificant.

Those owning an?e-book?device or tablet jumped from 18 percent to 33 percent, with much of that increase coming from last year's holiday season, when millions received Kindles, Nooks and other e-readers as gifts.

Awareness that libraries offer digital texts grew from 24 percent to 31 percent.

The telephone survey of 2,252 people aged 16 and older was conducted from Oct. 15 to Nov. 10. It has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ihHiRuzycDk/Digital-reading-rises-while-books-fade

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Wednesday 26 December 2012

BlogArena ? Blog Archive ? A Course in Professional Storytelling

Students who spent the semester learning about communication through storytelling have produced a story bank of narratives detailing their lives, their studies and their appreciation for what the UA?s English department promotes.

What does it mean to be a great storyteller for a business owner, a fashion designer, a teacher, a marketing professional or a medical researcher?

In a novel, exploratory course offered in the University of Arizona English department this semester, students working toward those careers found that while storytelling is deeply rooted in the tradition of English literature, it is far more expansive than that.

?Whether we think it or not, we are always building influence,? said Stephanie Balzer, an adjunct instructor in the English department, who taught a class of students studying business, genetics, psychology, accounting, education and a number of other disciplines.

Balzer, communications director for the UA Foundation, developed the curriculum for English 340: Professional Writing, with tremendous support from author Andy Goodman.

Andrea Lotz, a UA Honors College student studying creative writing and psychology, was among the 20 students to take a new storytelling course offered at the UA during the fall semester. Taught by Stephanie Balzer, the UA Foundation communications director, the course engaged students in interactive and engaged learning around improving their skills as storytellers. (Photo credit: Krista Niles)

Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled, participating in a curriculum that emphasized two things: learning the fundamentals of how to tell a compelling story, and participating in a collaborative project that built a bank of their own stories and photographs to begin answering the questions of who studies English today, and why?

Also, Balzer collaborated with Pulitzer-Prize winning photojournalist Krista Niles, who produced portraits to accompany each student?s story.

Elena Hsu, like other students in the class, spent the semester writing and rewriting a personal narrative, one that was matched with images taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Krista Niles. (Photo credit: Krista Niles)

?We examined how stories are one of the most powerful communications tools to deepen or enhance our understanding of any subject,? said Balzer, a trained journalist.

?There?s tremendous responsibility in representing someone else, or even yourself, on behalf of a cause you believe in,? she said. ?My intent was to teach what it?s like to tell your own story, gaining sensitivity to the storytelling process along the way. Many of the students will go on to have careers in which they are speaking on behalf of someone else?whether that?s in medicine, marketing or law.?

Simply, students were engaged in learning the art of persuasion. But the course was more complex than that. Balzer wanted students to understand the importance of communication, no matter their discipline, and how to do it well in both formal and informal settings.

?At times, it seemed I had to forage for this knowledge,? Balzer said. ?I thought it would be a huge gift to give someone an understanding of how and when professional writing can include a compelling narrative?and that might include a story arc like you would experience in a movie, more descriptive language, metaphor, or even character development.?

If you heard the phrase, ?If you don?t tell your story, someone else will,? this resonates broadly.

Corporate advertising alone is a multi-billion dollar industry. And on an individual level, many students said that over the course of taking Balzer?s class they found that they began earning better grades in their writing-intensive courses and also demonstrated improvements in personal statements for jobs and scholarships and in general performance in their public speaking.

Consider even the pervasive nature of digital storytelling through social media formats such as Facebook and Twitter.

Greg Weinstein, who is studying creative writing and communication, writes about cathartic experiences with writing. ?I plan to find a job in marketing or advertising at the moment, but from what college has taught me, it is never good to pigeon hole yourself into one specific thing. I am hoping that if I keep an open mind, good things will come my way.? (Photo credit: Krista Niles)

In fact, beyond the UA, some universities offer comparable digital and professional storytelling programs designed to train students of various disciplines how to best tell stories. Among them are Ohio State University, the University of Colorado Boulder and East Tennessee State University.

In writing about her connection to storytelling, Elizabeth Hudson said it has deeply connected her to the world of words.

?When deciding what I wanted to study, humanities offered me something unique,? Hudson, who is studying English and communication, wrote in her personal narrative.

?It equipped me with the ability to think creatively, critically and especially insightfully. It has allowed me to see the world through the eyes of authors of years past,? she added.

Taylor Ghiuzelian, a pre-law student also studying political science, said while she learned formal writing, proper formatting and how to produce a strong bibliography, she has received no instruction in the art of storytelling or in persuasive writing.

?People in the real world don?t want a bibliography,? Ghiuzelian said. ?I will be using what I learned in this class for the rest of my life.?

But how do you encourage a value in storytelling, or writers in general, when an often held perception is that writing ? especially when more creative in nature ? seems so discipline-specific?

In English 340, they studied the field of English. At the end of the semester, each student participated in a joint presentation about what they learned to members of the campus community. Students shared what they found most valuable, how they would use the skills in careers, and how the English department might benefit from their stories. In essence, the presentation became the story of the class, beginning with a characterization of the conflict they were addressing, Balzer said.

Iliana Madrid, who aspires to work in the fashion industry, said it was through the course that she realized she will have to write very well in order to be successful in her field. (Photo credit: Krista Niles)

?I asked people what they think of English majors, and they tended to say they were writers, journalist, teachers,? Sean Finn said during the presentation.

But Finn, a student in the UA Eller College of Management, also found that some held negative perceptions about English minors, namely that they were underpaid and tended to be pretentious.

?People are getting their thoughts from the media,? Finn said. ?We needed something to combat the already negative perceptions about English majors.?

But the students in the class, whether they were English majors or not, learned skills necessary to improve public knowledge and understanding about any given issue.

For Atlantis Russ, it?s medical research and service.

Russ, a doctoral student majoring in genetics with a minor in cancer biology, said she has already become a better communicator in her academic world and service work.

?When it comes to writing or speaking for influence, everything important is personal,? said Russ, who starts medical school at the UA next year.

?After taking this class, I have discovered that I can make the cancer research I conduct more accessible to the public by framing the technical information within a human experience,? she said. ?Because the science itself can be difficult for people to connect with immediately, stories of those who have suffered from cancer can be a door into the laboratory for some folks.?

Russ said this is also true outside of the laboratory, whether it be in speaking with relatives or while serving as a volunteer at fundraising events supporting cancer research. She feels indebted to this work and for authentic connection partially because members of her family have been diagnosed with a rare genetic cancer syndrome, and some have died as a result.

?I have a unique inspiration for being involved in cancer research,? Russ said. ?Though I did not inherit the mutation, I feel a responsibility to work toward a solution for those that did. By opening up my personal story to a crowd, I offer a connection between the science and something easily relatable and emotive.?

Balzer emphasized all along that while storytelling seems to be best suited for creative writing, that is not the case.

?I thought a lot about how we use our stories and harness our stories for a variety of causes,? Balzer said. ?Ultimately, you have to align your stories to your values. It?s important to be able to authentically relate to people.?

Balzer does not plan to offer the course in the spring semester, but because of the strength of the course she may offer it in the future.

?I was blown away by the students and was really excited for the English department,? she said. ?I had no idea the stories would be as rich and as diverse as they were, academically, culturally and in terms of their career paths. It was a happy accident.?

- By La Monica Everett-Haynes

*Source: The University of Arizona

Source: http://www.shamskm.com/blogs/?p=13869

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Grounded Kingfisher lacks funding plan -India minister

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Grounded Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines has failed to present regulators with a clear funding plan under a proposal to get it flying again, the country's aviation minister said on Wednesday.

The airline, owned by liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya and suspended in October over unpaid debts and salaries, submitted a plan on Monday to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to resume a limited service.

According to local media reports, Kingfisher's parent company, UB Group, offered to inject 6.5 billion rupees ($118.3 million) into the carrier - a key condition for getting it airborne again.

But Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told reporters on Wednesday that UB "did not say they are going to give anything" to Kingfisher, which has estimated debts of $2.5 billion.

He did not specify if the proposal, to resume operations with five planes, had been rejected. But he noted that the airline owed money to banks, staff, airports, and tax authorities.

All those stakeholders needed to be convinced the relaunch plan was viable before the DGCA allowed the airline to fly again, Singh said.

Kingfisher, which has been trying unsuccessfully to raise fresh cash for more than a year, is hoping to tap Etihad Airways as an investor.

The Gulf carrier, which is seeking to widen operations in India and other Asian markets, is in the final stages of talks to buy part of either Kingfisher or Indian rival Jet Airways , an Indian government official said last week.

Last month, Diageo Plc bought a majority stake in United Spirits , also a UB Group company, for $2.1 billion. UB did not specify if part of that money would be injected into Kingfisher.

Kingfisher shares erased intraday gains of as much as 3.8 percent on Wednesday to end flat on the day.

($1 = 54.9650 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Anurag Kotoky; Editing by Rafael Nam, John Stonestreet)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/grounded-kingfisher-lacks-funding-plan-india-minister-114152919--sector.html

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Syrian rebels fully capture town near Turkey

This Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012 image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Syrians helping a wounded man after a government airstrike hit the Hama Suburb of Halfaya, Syria. A government airstrike Sunday on a bakery in a rebel-held town in central Syria killed tens of people, which left scattered bodies and debris up and down a street, and more than a dozen wounded were trapped in tangled heap of dirt and rubble, activists said. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

This Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012 image taken from video obtained from the Shaam News Network, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Free Syrian Army fighters running towards the scene after a government airstrike hit Hama Suburb of Halfaya, Syria. A government airstrike Sunday on a bakery in a rebel-held town in central Syria killed tens of people, which left scattered bodies and debris up and down a street, and more than a dozen wounded were trapped in tangled heap of dirt and rubble, activists said. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network via AP video)

Free Syrian Army fighters walk amid the ruins of a village situated a short distance from an area where fighting between rebels and government forces continues, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Virginie Nguyen Hoang)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian rebels fully captured a northern town near the Turkish border on Tuesday after weeks of siege and heavy fighting, activists said.

The takeover of Harem, a town of 20,000 in northern Idlib province, was the latest in a string of recent rebel successes that include the capture of wide areas along the border with Turkey. Most of those areas have been in northern Aleppo province, where anti-government forces have captured at least three large military bases.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebels captured Harem in the early hours of Tuesday. Mohammed Kanaan, an Idlib-based activist, said the last post to be taken was the historic citadel, which overlooked the town. The army had turned the citadel into a military post.

"Harem is fully liberated now," Kanaan he said via Skype. He added that as the rebels pounded army posts and checkpoints in Harem, the troops withdrew to the citadel that later fell in the hands of rebels.

Rami-Abdul-Rahman, who heads to Observatory, said nearly 30 soldiers and pro-government gunmen surrendered late Monday. He added that rebels set free all gunmen at the age of 16 or less and referred others to local tribunals.

"Harem was very important because it is one of the towns that was loyal to the regime," Abdul-Rahman said by telephone about the town that is nearly a mile from the Turkish border.

In his traditional Christmas address, Pope Benedict XVI decried the slaughter of the "defenseless" in Syria, where anti-regime activists estimate more than 40,000 have died in fighting since the uprising began in March 2011.

The pope encouraged Arab spring nations, where long-serving dictators were forced to step down.

In Aleppo province, which neighbors Idlib, local activist Mohammed Saeed said rebels attacked a military base in the town of Mannagh near the border with Turkey. He said it is one of four air bases in the province.

Regime forces have been using helicopters to carry supplies to besieged areas and to attack rebel positions.

The regime has had increasing difficulty sending supplies by land to Aleppo province after rebels captured in October the strategic town Maaret al-Numan. The town is on the highway that links Damascus with Aleppo, Syria's largest city and commercial center and a major battleground in the civil war since July.

"Airplanes and helicopters are the only way to send supplies since the Free Syrian Army controls the land," Saeed said. He added that rebels are also laying a siege to Aleppo's international airport known as Nairab and threatening to shoot down military or civilians planes using it.

In the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, opposition gunmen ambushed the head of military intelligence in the area and seriously wounded him. He later died of his wounds, the Observatory said.