Grey's Anatomy - Get Me To The Church?

It's the day before Bailey's wedding and she's starting to get cold feet. Like really cold feet, not just chilly feet because she didn't want this overblown stupid Christmas-themed wedding in the first place. It's weird to see a woman that used to be the epitome of confidence so flustered over a wedding, especially since she's been married before, but Richard chalks up her nerves to the wisdom that comes with age. Still, old-Bailey wouldn't have been steamrolled into a wedding she didn't really want, no matter how good the sex was. But still she asks Arizona, Callie and Meredith to be her bridesmaids, in typical old-Bailey fashion, which sort of made me smile, because I've really missed her awkward social interactions. Anyway, she plans on driving herself to the wedding, but Richard (who also worked out a plan with Ben to get her a pre-wedding distraction surgery) arrives in a limo to take her in style. It's really sweet and shows what a great relationship these two have. And they are on their way, until the hospital calls and says Adele is coughing up blood. When they arrive, some doctor we don't really know is working on Adele, and Richard tries to commandeer the situation, but as the husband he's pushed aside. So since all of the other semi-competent doctors are already at Bailey's wedding, waiting for her to walk down the aisle, she strips off her veil and dress in the middle of the ER and gets down to work. Ben's probably gonna be pissed for being left at the altar, but maybe now he'll actually listen to her instead of pushing her too fast. No matter how pretty he may be, Bailey listened to her gut and made the right decision.

The other big doings is that Neve Campbell is there and totally calls Meredith out for being a shitty sister-in-law. Thank you, Neve Campbell. She says that their family is close-knit and Mere keeps them all away from Zola and doesn't include them in crap, but calls when she needs something. That said, Neve would do anything for her brother Derek, so she agrees to have her nerve cut out of her calf. But it turns out her legs are stumpy, so they need to cut nerves from both legs, and Derek has his normal hissy-fit about the whole thing, but eventually caves and has the surgery. As a reward for going under the knife, or just in an attempt at being in a functional family, Mere decides to tell Neve about the baby, even though she's still thinking that her unstable uterus might not be able to carry the baby to term.

The other person Mere hasn't told about her pregnancy is Cristina, and she senses some awkwardness in their friendship when Derek says the whole reason that Owen is asking for a divorce is because it will allow the crash victims to get more money. The thinking being that Owen has a conflict because he's married to one of the victim's, so they won't have to pay as much settlement. Mere accuses Cristina of keeping secrets, but a gobsmacked Cristina is clueless. So she confronts Owen about the whole thing, since he sped up the divorce papers, and the two get to reconciling, quickly.

Also possibly getting their relationship on track are Arizona and Callie, since Arizona is whining about having to wear flats to the wedding (she needs one of those high-heel legs like Aviva has on Real Housewives of New York City). Callie loses it and says that she's sick of talking about nothing but the damn leg, and sick of not having sex, and Arizona puts her shoes on? and this seems like progress, of sorts.

In the dumbass part of the hospital, April tries to get out of going to Bailey's wedding because she thinks she'll cave and sleep with Jackson. So she tells Jackson to bring a date, because he won't be able to resist her in her strapless dress. Her shoulders are just TOO sexy. Whatever, she's not that irresistible, and she could also wear a sweater, but instead she picks Stephanie to be his date. Then he sets April up with Smash. Both Smash and Stephanie are freaked to be "dating" their residents. Then, because this show has to be stupid, Alex is jealous, as Jackson was supposed to be his date for the night, so Jackson gets Stephanie to bring a friend. This is an insanely ridiculous way to bring Alex and Jo together for some awkwardness, as they are fighting because he let her do part of a surgery and she nearly killed a patient? and then she told Arizona it was Alex's fault for pushing her beyond her abilities. Alex gets pissed that he got in trouble with his boss, and Jo still doesn't get the idea of a teaching hospital, or how to be competent and recover from setbacks, so they have a super awkward trip to the wedding that doesn't end up happening.-- Angel Cohn

Want more? The full recap starts right below!

It's Bailey's Wedding Eve, but instead of looking forward to the next day with giddy anticipation, she's testily barking detailed instructions at April to care for her various patients. April then in turn gives instructions to Leah, which sets Bailey off -- not because Leah is the second most detestable intern in the hospital but because she's an intern, period, and Bailey thinks she'll kill the folks and the worry will stress her out. April is more excited about the wedding and honeymoon than Bailey is and tries to ask about details; when Bailey fixes her with a death glare, April just assures her she's got it. Mere tells us that our adrenal system reacts to stress by making us alert and reactive but the one little issue is that we can't tell the difference between regular nerves and actual impending disaster.

Alex is stuck with Princess again and he's telling a kid about the stomach implant that they are putting later. He and his family are excited and grateful, and Alex introduces Princess and tells the family that they have a great team of doctors. Well, that statement is 50% true.

When Bailey encounters Callie, Callie has the nerve to act excited and hum "Here Comes the Bride." Once Bailey shuts that down, she tersely instructs that when she and Arizona arrive at the venue, they aren't supposed to sit down. Callie is all confused and alarmed since she wants a good seat, but Bailey just gets indignant and starts ranting about how Callie is a surgeon but can't follow simple instructions. Finally, a light clicks on above her head -- this is Classic Awkward Bailey (welcome back!) trying to ask Callie and Arizona to be her bridesmaids. She gets even more annoyed when Callie has the gall to be excited and honored about it.

Jackson is in a meeting with Derek, Meredith and Lizzie to go over the surgery and Derek is being his usual ray of happy sunshine -- for each thing Jackson tells Lizzie, like how she will have some discomfort, Derek counters that it's going to hurt like a bitch for months. The two start bickering like the siblings they are while Mere presses her fingers to her forehead as if that will help her keep her sanity. Lizzie finally says something about cutting off a leg for Derek, he jumps on that and tells her it's just a nerve, and Mere tersely orders them to focus. Jackson thinks Lizzie has actual doubts but she's just trying to wind up her big brother and she cheerfully signs off on all the paperwork. Lizzie can be a little much but I'm starting to think you don't want Mere as a sister-in-law as she barely knows how mold her face into any sort of pleased or thankful expression. Once the forms are signed Lizzie asks if she can go see Zola in daycare -- it sounds like she's been chomping at the bit for it. Mere tells her she's sorry (not sounding very sorry at all) but that they don't let adults come and go because it's harder on the kids. This must be a new policy after all of the years that we have seen Bailey, Mark, Meredith, Derek, Callie and Arizona, oh, coming and going from the daycare whenever they want to say a quick hello to their offspring. Lizzie purses her lips, which Derek notices and immediately promises to bring Zola over later.

Source: http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/greys-anatomy/run-baby-run-1.php

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Croatia's teachers, nurses strike against budget cuts

ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia's teachers and nurses staged a one-day strike on Thursday, the first major protest against austerity measures in the country that will join the European Union next year, while Fitch affirmed Croatia's rating but downgraded its outlook.

Unions said more than 70,000 out of some 100,000 people working in schools, universities and hospitals joined the strike over reduced bonuses and wage cuts announced for 2013.

The year-old center-left government canceled a collective agreement with public sector unions earlier this year in an effort to renegotiate contract terms and said it would cut 2.3 billion kuna ($393 million) from the wage bill next year.

The government is trying to consolidate the public finances and revive the economy that is now in a fourth year of recession.

The budget deficit will be reduced to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product this year from 4.4 percent last year, but for next year the deficit is seen rising to 3.8 percent due to the costs of EU accession, higher loan repayment costs and restructuring of the ailing shipbuilding industry.

Croatia is scheduled to join the EU in July.

Teachers have threatened new strikes towards the end of this school year if the government does not reverse its plans for education cuts.

Croatia's efforts to consolidate public finances have helped it preserve its investment grade, which is just a notch above speculative status.

However, the Fitch rating agency downgraded Croatia's outlook on Thursday to negative from stable, citing a milder fiscal consolidation path than previously announced.

The other two main rating agencies also have a negative outlook for Croatia.

(Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/croatias-teachers-nurses-strike-against-budget-cuts-151224555--business.html

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Ruling in Concorde crash appeal expected Thursday

VERSAILLES, France (AP) ? A French appeals court is set to decide Thursday whether to uphold a manslaughter conviction against Continental Airlines for the July 2000 crash of an Air France Concorde that killed 113 people.

The crash led to the Concorde program, a synonym for luxury but a commercial failure despite its high speed and advanced technology, to be taken out of service in 2003. Air France and British Airways had jointly operated the program.

In the 2000 accident, the jet slammed into a hotel near Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport soon after taking off, killing all 109 people aboard and four others on the ground. Most of the victims were Germans heading to a cruise in the Caribbean.

A French court initially convicted Continental Airlines Inc. and one of its mechanics in 2010 for the crash of the Air France Concorde, and imposed about ?2 million ($2.7 million) in damages and fines on the carrier.

The lower court ruled that the mechanic fitted a faulty metal strip on a Continental DC-10 that fell onto the runway, puncturing the Concorde's tire, sending bits of rubber into the fuel tanks and starting the fire that brought down the plane.

Continental merged with United in 2010 and the new company is called United Continental Holdings Corp.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ruling-concorde-crash-appeal-expected-thursday-075126195.html

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Why Promise Rings are Back in Fashion - Merry Relationships

Imagine if there was a step between being in a relationship and being engaged. Imagine if there was a ring you could give before engagement, confirming you are serious about your partner but also avoiding committing to a marriage or initiating a discussion about dates, a pre-engagement ring.

It would save a lot of the pressure and expectation surrounding engagement rings, while still providing an opportunity for couples to show how much they love each other, despite not being ready to officially tie the knot and set the date.

Promise rings have been around for centuries. With their quaint association with young love and as-yet unfulfilled marriage, the rings symbolise everything that makes falling in love worth it in the first place; the dizzying excitement of knowing that you?re in this together, regardless of how few worldly goods you might have between you right now.

During Shakespeare?s time, promise rings took on the mantle of ?Posey? rings and were often engraved with sayings such as: ?vous et nul autres? (you and no others) and other sweet pledges of monogamy. As a very literal precursor to marriage for those who could ill-afford it at the time, the giving of promise rings was a serious business.

Despite the relative disappearance of the ritual in modern times, the rings are set to return. In a recent study it seems the age group for exchanging promise rings is anywhere from 15-25 and they are normally given after a year of being in a monogamous relationship.

The last few years? financial down-turn has seen a prolonged vintage trend emerge that has caused the resurrection of many traditional practices and aesthetics. The comfort and nostalgia of the past being an irresistible combination in darker times.

And rightly so. There is something lovely in the innocence of the promise ring; lacking the cynicism that inevitably creeps in as we get older. Another great thing about them is that they can come in any form you like.

Although sterling silver with optional semi-precious stone is the most common, the options for personalisation in the form of engravings, designs and materials are numerous.

The rings can be worn by both men and women, and with all the current styles available, they can be a fun way to show how you feel without the looming responsibility of an oncoming wedding to plan.

With couples deciding to marry later than ever, it seems only natural that the promise ring should take on an increasing significance in recent times.

So if you feel the itch to commit but your pockets are a little light right now, why not consider a promise ring? It?s still a sign of commitment and mutual love, without some of the pressure and expectation that comes with exchanging engagement rings.

When they get married some couples will simply replace or modify their promise rings with additional details, engravings or extra gemstones. Alternatively the promise rings could become keepsakes or could be melted down and remolded to make wedding or engagement rings.

Laura King writes on a number of subjects including bespoke jewellery and promise rings.

Source: http://www.merryrelationships.com/promise-rings/

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Wing Will Lead Microsoft Research International

Wing Will Lead Microsoft Research International

Jeannette Wing will step down as head of the Computer Science Department to join Microsoft Research in January. She will be Vice President, Head of Microsoft Research International, with responsibilities for research laboratories in Bangalore, India; Cambridge, UK; and Beijing, China.

A leading figure in computer science research, particularly in formal methods, security and privacy, Wing joined the Carnegie Mellon faculty in 1985 and served in several academic leadership positions before becoming head of CSD in 2004. From 2007-2010, she served as Assistant Director of the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate at the National Science Foundation, where she led the directorate that funds academic computer science research in the United States.

In a statement released by Microsoft, Chief Research Officer Rick Rashid called Wing "a leading light in the computer science research community," citing her contributions at CMU and NSF.

In addition to her research, Wing has championed the concept of computational thinking, which draws on fundamental concepts of computer science to solve problems, design systems and understand human behavior, and advocated that it be incorporated broadly into educational programs. She launched a Center for Computational Thinking at Carnegie Mellon and established funding programs at the NSF to advance computational thinking.

"Jeannette has been an important contributor to computer science at CMU," said Randy Bryant, dean of the School of Computer Science. "Needless to say, we will miss Jeannette's energy and thoughtful leadership, but all of us wish her the best at Microsoft. I thank her for her many contributions to Carnegie Mellon."

Bryant said he will name an interim CSD head and will form a committee to identify Wing's successor. He expects a new department head to be in place this spring.

Contact:

Byron Spice
412-268-9068
bspice@cs.cmu.edu

Source: http://news.cs.cmu.edu/article.php?a=3415

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Adopting Mobile Cloud Accounting Technology into the Financial ...

find a cloud-based accounting and finance system that allows you to work on the go

How technology has affected the financial department in organisations?
Theres no doubt that new cloud technology has had an incredible impact on todays workplaces, particularly those who work in, or are involved with the financial aspects of an organisation. Over the last few decades, new and different technology has been injected into the workplace at an ever increasing rate. One of these is the use of the mobile device.

Smart phones, netbooks, iPads and other such tablets detach us from our desks and give us the freedom to roam with our work. Imagine using a cloud-based accounting and finance system. This would allow you to review budgets or produce financial reports from the garden, a taxi, or even on holiday. Having access to your financial data and information, whenever is suitable for you and wherever you are, cant be a bad thing for business.

Managing the accounting and finance function on the go
Most businesses have adopted mobile technology in some way or another, as its hard to ignore the lure of the high mobility and other strengths that come with cloud computing, particularly for accounting and finance professions. Smart phones started this revolution, and they are now an important device for the hard working professional. But now, the tablet device has enhanced our mobile experience even more. Theres more mobility offered than we get with laptops, and the screen is bigger than you get with smart phones, making it all the more easier to view and analyse your financial budgets, reports, expenditure, etc

Tablets enhance user experience
How many times have you been in a finance or board meeting and someone has requested some information that you can only provide once youre back at your desk? Well, with a tablet or any mobile device its right at your fingertips. It can be discussed straightaway, a decision taken and communicated to the business without you leaving your meeting.

With easy access to email, calendar and contacts built in to most devices, the most simple business functions are now easy to get up and running in a few easy steps. Add on many of the freely available apps and you have a fully functioning business tool.

Where next?
All mobile devices are tools that should ultimately enable, not disable business. So if you find a cloud-based accounting and finance system that allows you to work on the go, and allow other people access to the information they need without needing your help, then the way organisations are run can change for the better.

If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or Google+

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Source: http://www.contentcaboodle.com/computers-and-technology/software/adopting-mobile-cloud-accounting-technology-into-the-financial-workplace.html

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Euro zone to seek Greek aid deal without write-off

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund began their third attempt in as many weeks to release emergency aid for Greece on Monday, with policymakers saying a write-down of Greek debt is off the table for now.

Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras voiced confidence the ministers would finally reach a deal after Greece had fulfilled its part of the deal by enacting tough austerity measures and economic reforms.

"I'm certain we will find a mutually beneficial solution today," he said on arrival for what was set to be another marathon meeting.

Greece, where the euro zone's debt crisis erupted in late 2009, is the currency area's most heavily indebted country, despite a big "haircut" this year on privately-held bonds. Its economy has shrunk by nearly 25 percent in five years.

EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn said it was vital to disburse the next 31 billion euro tranche of aid "to end the uncertainty that is still hanging over Greece". He urged all sides to "go the last centimeter because we are so close to an agreement".

Greece had met international lenders' conditions and "Now it is delivery time for the Eurogroup and the IMF," Rehn said.

Negotiations have been stalled over how Greece's debt, forecast to peak at almost 190 percent of gross domestic product next year, can be cut to a more sustainable 120 percent within 8-10 years.

Without agreement on how to reduce the debt, the IMF has held up payments to Athens because there is no guarantee of when the need for emergency financing will end.

The key question is: Can Greek debt become sustainable without the euro zone writing off some of the loans to Athens?

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said on arrival that the solution must be "credible for Greece". The IMF argues that the debt can only be made sustainable if euro zone governments write off some of their loans to Athens, but Germany and its northern European allies have so far rejected any such idea.

DEBT RELIEF "NOT ON TABLE"

Two European Central Bank policymakers, vice-president Vitor Constancio and executive board member Joerg Asmussen, said debt forgiveness was not on the agenda for now.

"It has been clearly stated. It is not on the table. Everything else is just rumors," Constancio told reporters in Berlin.

Asmussen told Germany's Bild newspaper the package of measures would include a substantial reduction of interest rates on loans to Greece and a debt buy-back by Greece, funded by loans from a euro zone rescue fund.

So far, the options under consideration include reducing interest on already extended bilateral loans to Greece from the current 150 basis points above financing costs.

How much lower is not yet decided -- France and Italy would like to reduce the rate to 30 basis points (bps), while Germany and some other countries insist on a 90 bps margin.

Another option, which could cut Greek debt by almost 17 percent of GDP, is to defer interest payments on loans to Greece from the EFSF, a temporary bailout fund, by 10 years.

The European Central Bank could forego profits on its Greek bond portfolio, bought at a deep discount, cutting the debt pile by a further 4.6 percent by 2020, a document prepared for the ministers' talks last week showed.

Not all euro zone central banks are willing to forego their profits, however, the German Bundesbank among them.

Greece could also buy back its privately-held bonds on the market at a deep discount, with gains from the operation depending on the scope and price.

But the preparatory document from last week said that the 120 percent target could not be reached in 2020, only two years later, unless ministers accept losses on their loans to Athens, provide additional financing or force private creditors into selling Greek debt at a discount.

The latest analysis for the ministers showed the debt could come down to 125 percent of GDP in 2020, one euro zone official with insight into the talks said.

FORGIVING OFFICIAL LOANS?

To cut the debt more boldly, the IMF wants the euro zone to forgive Greece some of the official loans, in what is called Official Sector Involvement (OSI) in EU jargon.

On Monday, the biggest battle is likely to be over just that.

"OSI is at the core of the problems with reaching a deal," one euro zone official with insight into the talks said.

German central bank governor Jens Weidmann has suggested that Greece could "earn" a reduction in debt it owes to euro zone governments in a few years if it diligently implements all the agreed reforms. The European Commission backs that view.

An opinion poll published on Monday showed Greece's anti-bailout SYRIZA party with a four-percent lead over the Conservatives who won election in June, adding to uncertainty over the future of reforms.

German paper Welt am Sonntag said on Sunday that euro zone ministers were considering a write-down of official loans for Greece from 2015, but gave no sources and a euro zone official said such an option was never seriously discussed.

"It will be touch-and-go if we get a deal on Greece on Monday," a senior euro zone official said. "Euro zone countries have made concessions worth a lot of money already, so it is difficult to see how this can move even further."

French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said on Sunday that euro zone ministers made big progress to reach a common position during at a conference call on Saturday in preparation for their talks with the IMF on Monday.

"I will go with a firm determination, with a mandate from the president and prime minister, to reach a conclusion," Moscovici said. "We are very close to a solution.

Moscovici mentioned the reduction of interest on bilateral loans, foregoing ECB profits on Greek bonds and the debt buy-back as the options that would need to be applied for a deal as well as additional financing for Athens to keep it funded until 2016, rather than only until 2014.

(Additional reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek, Ethan Bilby, Luke Baker in Brussels, Reinhardt Becker in Berlin, Astrid Wendlandt in Paris; Writing by Jan Strupczewski and Paul Taylor; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/euro-zone-imf-seek-greece-deal-debt-write-055911326--business.html

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Car Finance ? Getting The Most Out Of Your Payday Loans

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In case you are considering getting a pay day loan, be sure that you have a program to have it paid back without delay. The financing organization will provide to ?help you? and extend the loan, if you can?t pay it off without delay. This extension expenses you with a charge, additionally more interest, therefore it does absolutely nothing optimistic for yourself. Nevertheless, it earns the money organization a fantastic revenue.

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Source: http://yumiwa.com/getting-the-most-out-of-your-payday-loans/

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Video: Matthews: Will President Obama dare to be great?

Dudes, don't forget the point of Movember

??What's the benefit of growing a mo, besides the sweet Facebook photo opps? Well, your 'stache will start conversations, and that's the point. When people ask you about your stubble, ask them about their junk. Seriously. Especially your dad. And while you're at it, use your mustache as an excuse to talk to your doctor about

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/49861051#49861051

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Sandy takes a nasty bite out of NYC infrastructure

Justin Lane / EPA

A police officer crosses over police tape at a closed subway station on Tuesday after Sandy drenched New York City.

By James Eng, NBC News

Updated at 9:16 p.m. ET: The unprecedented surge from Sandy?s floodwaters took a bite out of the core of the Big Apple's infrastructure, knocking out power to electrical substations and crippling a subway system used daily?by more than 4 million people.

The storm?s impact should be a wake-up call that the city ? and the rest of the nation ? needs to better prepare for the dangers of the coastal flooding, which is likely to become more frequent in the decades ahead, experts say.

---

For now, the loss of power and a way to get around adds up to a major headache for many New Yorkers, and a hazard to some.

?The work of getting our mass transit grid and our power grid restored ? is going to take more time and a lot of patience,? New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said at a Tuesday morning?press conference. ?Our administration will move heaven and earth to help them.?

New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg says that at least 10 people were killed during Sandy and the storms' "path of destruction will be felt for some time."

New York?s subway system, one of the largest ? and oldest ? mass-transit systems in the world, was shut down Monday in advance of the superstorm.

Bloomberg said Tuesday it could be ?a good four or five days? before subways are back up and running, though Metropolitan Transit Authority Chairman Joseph Lhota cautioned it's?too early to say how long it will take to restore full service.?

Floodwaters swamped at least seven subway tunnels under the East River, and transit officials called the damage unprecedented.

?The New York City subway system is 108 years old, but it has never faced a disaster as devastating as what we experienced last night,? Lhota said in a statement. ?Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on our entire transportation system, in every borough and county of the region. It has brought down trees, ripped out power and inundated tunnels, rail yards and bus depots.?

Nearly 14 feet of water rushed into lower Manhattan, shorting out the ConEd power station and destroying cars and homes. As a result, the city's subway system will remain out of service for several more days as cleanup begins. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.

Bloomberg said the advance shutdown and the MTA?s temporary moving of much of its ?rolling stock? of trains to higher ground may have spared the system from even more serious damage.

But the immediate fix for the flooded system isn?t simply pumping water out of the tunnels.

Unlike rainwater, the corrosive saltwater whipped up by Sandy could damage much of the subways? electrical parts and equipment, says Radley Horton, an associate research scientist with the Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University.

Reuters

A boat rests on tracks at Metro-North's Ossining Station on the Hudson Line on Tuesday in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, in New York.

?Saltwater and electricity don?t mix. Even after that water is removed, it?s going to take some time to replace the electrical equipment, test signals, that sort of thing,? Horton says.

In a statement released Tuesday night, MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota cited "unprecedented challenges" the transportation authority faces as it tries to restore service, including flooding "up to the ceiling in the city's South Ferry subway station and? 43 million gallons of water in each tube of the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel.

Lhota said city buses are back on the road for limited service and will almost be at normal strength by morning.

Other potentially serious infrastructure damage wrought by Sandy, according to Horton:

• Electrical generation ? Some major distribution points were reported out. Con Edison said Tuesday that 780,000 homes and business lost power.?The utility?cut electricity to some areas to save its equipment and a transformer exploded at a plant on 14th Street in Manhattan, blacking out others.?Con Ed officials called the power failures ?the largest storm-related outage in our history.?
• Wastewater treatment plants ? New Yorkers rely on these facilities to treat sewage and wastewater from homes and businesses before releasing it into waterways surrounding the city.?Located at sites around the city, many of these plants were overwhelmed during Hurricane Irene last year.

Many of the city?s major roadways and bridges seem to have escaped catastrophic damage. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that five of the MTA?s seven bridges were fully inspected and reopened at noon on Tuesday. The two Rockaway bridges, Cross Bay Veterans Memorial and Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges bridges, and the Hugh L. Carey and Queens Midtown Tunnel remain closed. Buses were being phased back into service, with a?full schedule expected for Wednesday.?

Andrew Burton / Getty Images

Superstorm Sandy made landfall Monday evening on a destructive and deadly path across the Northeast.

Authorities were?still assessing damage to New York's three major airports, and?thousands of flights were canceled across the Northeast.?"We are focused on reopening as quickly as possible. But we will not compromise safety," Pasquale DiFulco, a spokesman for the Port Authority, told Reuters. "We need to walk the runways and make sure there's no debris."

The damage was so severe that Sandy should serve a wake-up call to cities around the world about the extreme threat posed by coastal flooding, scientists say.

Klaus Jacob, a geophysicist and senior research scientist at Columbia University, told PRI?s The World:

?We had one wake-up call last year under the name of Irene. We got away with less than we will most likely incur from Sandy,? says Jacob. ?The question is how many wake-up calls do we need to get out of our snoozing, sleeping, dreaming morning attitude? We have to get into action. We have to set priorities and spend money. For every one dollar invested in protection you get a return of four dollars of not-incurred losses.?

Horton, who was on a blue-ribbon commission that in 2009 examined the MTA and environmental sustainability, said one of the report?s main recommendations was to focus on flexible approaches in adapting to climate hazards.

?In some ways this is the greatest transit system in the world, but I think we?re in uncharted waters,? Horton told NBC News.

Insurance may soften blow of Sandy's economic hit?

?I hope this storm is a wake-up call not just to our region ?. but also nationally to help get adaptation on the map and help people understand the extent to which sea level rise will increase the frequency of coastal flooding events,? Horton said.

?Even if storms do not become stronger in the future and we get a relatively small amount of sea level rise, the frequency of coastal flooding events may triple by end of this century simply because the average sea level will be higher.?

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo agreed that officials need to think about ways to better protect the nation's most populous city from storms that have been increasing in both intensity and frequency.

?We have to resist the temptation for people to say, 'This is a once-in-a-100-years event; let?s just fix it and move forward,?? Cuomo was quoted as saying.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/30/14808701-sandy-leaves-nyc-subway-system-infrastructure-licking-its-wounds?lite

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Fitness Spotlight ? Excellent Fitness Exercises for Healthy Body

People who fail in their attempt to get fit rarely do so because they ineffectively applied their diet or workout plan. What gets people stuck in a rut is no substantial desire or information on how to get in shape. You can find your way to an enjoyable workout routine if you make your workout interesting.

Music has an almost magical quality that gets even the most sedentary people moving. How can you play your favorite energetic tunes without wanting to jump up and dance? You really need to incorporate music you enjoy into your exercise program. Turn up the music and get moving. Music is a powerful motivator and will help you keep at your workout routine and get your body in shape.

TIP! Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. -Albert Einstein

Invite some friends to exercise with you. Working out is a great time to catch up on the latest news. Having a friend to talk to will take your mind off the workout. Some interesting discussions can really pass the time. Having friends to work out with is more fun than you can imagine.

Exercise video games are an excellent way to workout. Time will quickly pass as you work out because you will spend the whole time feeling like you are simply playing an entertaining game. When you don?t focus on paying attention to what your body is experiencing because you are playing a game, you will feel more energetic and be able to work out for longer periods of time.

Buy clothing that looks good on you. This is a great motivator when you start working out. There is a wide selection of workout clothing available. You can have fun choosing an outfit that looks good and expresses your personality while you work out. Workout clothing that suits your style is going to be a great motivating factor.

TIP! In seeking happiness for others, you find it for yourself. -Anonymous

Because boredom is common when exercising, switch up your routine each day. You won?t really want to exercise if you dread doing it, so finding new and interesting ways to exercise is a must. Keep your spirits up. If you lose interest in exercise and stop, you are going to lose your momentum. That will make it hard to get started again.

Treating yourself to something special when you hit an exercise milestone is a terrific idea and one that helps keep your enthusiasm high. The reward doesn?t have to be something really big. It can be something small, such as a small desert or a new pair of shoes. No matter what you choose, try to have fun. It is important to keep yourself motivated to meet your weight loss goals.

Who says a fitness regime can?t be exciting and even enjoyable? Having a good attitude and approaching your workouts the right way will increase your enjoyment of your exercise routine. Use these ideas to improve your mindset and start on your path to success.

Excellent Fitness Exercises for Healthy Body

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Forecasters: Sandy 'one for record books'

?

Hurricane Sandy is forecasted to hit the East Coast, but as NBC's Al Roker explains, the storm may also pack a punch for many inland areas.

By NBC News staff

As Hurricane Sandy barrels toward the East Coast, forecasters?warn it?s threatening to be one of the worst storms to hit the Northeast in decades.

The storm?already killed more than 40 people in the Caribbean. Officials all along the Eastern Seaboard have declared states of emergency and meteorologists have warned residents ? both coastal and inland ? to prepare for gale-force winds, chances of flooding, heavy rain, power outages and even snow.

Here?s a look at what some weather forecasters?predict.

Al Roker, chief meteorologist for NBC's TODAY Show

?Sandy is now back up to hurricane strengths with winds now up to 75 miles per hour. As we?ve seen already, it has caused massive destruction in its path. This one looks like it?s going to be one for the record books. It?s threatening to be one of the worst storms to hit the Northeast in decades. States of emergency have already been declared across five states and D.C., and in Norfolk, Va., the Navy is sending their ships out to sea as a precautionary measure.?

Helpful hurricane gadgets and apps

The Weather Channel

Carl Parker, hurricane specialist on?The Weather Channel

"We?re really concerned about the?water level rise. Because of the size of the system has everything to do with that potential for water-level rise. When you think about (Hurricane) Charlie, for example, it was a very powerful storm; it was a very small storm, so it wasn?t blowing water over a very large section of ocean. But this storm is going to be blowing water over a huge area ? hundreds of miles ? and that?s why it?s going to really pile up the water, and why the surge could be devastating?when it finally comes on shore."

?You can see the storm moving further southward more toward south Jersey so in this case again we are piling up the water as early as late tomorrow, coming up here toward the coast of New Jersey, and towards Long Island and then as the storm moves into New Jersey we see that maximum water level rise occurring just north of the area of low pressure, and that could have serious, potentially huge impact in New York City, in particular, because of the surge potential there, so that would maximize the surge around Long Island and then down and across the Jersey Shore.?

Get the latest on the storm from BreakingNews.com

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Don Morelli, meteorologist with WSI, a sister company of The Weather Channel

"They?ve had quite a bit of time to prepare for this, that?s the good side of this, they have been able to trim some branches from over wires and maybe try to minimize the power outages. But still, we are talking about a wind shield with severity of several hundred miles, so we are looking for widespread power outages in?the New England area from southern Maine to central Connecticut and from areas in interior New York to the mid-Atlantic region."

Serious Sandy targets East Coast

"After the fact with all this rain and blustery wind after the main storm center comes in on Monday, Tuesday the root system of these trees are very, very loose so it won?t take much to knock off trees even after the storm makes inland so this isn?t just for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, for the mid-Atlantic region, could even go in to mid-week, and then we are talking you know maybe a week or two of power outages for wide spread areas."

"The criteria for closing an airport is around 58, 60 miles an hour, which is easily going to be reach for much of the major hubs from D.C.? Northward to New York city and even into Logan [in Boston]." "Major delays going to be very, very widespread right through mid-week, so [it?s]not a good week to be traveling? across the Northeastern U.S."

Hurricane Tracker: Follow storm's path

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Bill Karins, NBC Meteorologist?

"The greatest destruction is expected to occur Monday afternoon and evening as Sandy makes landfall near the New Jersey shore.?Serious and life threatening weather conditions are expected from Outer Banks to New England. The landfall window is from Long Island to Ocean City, Md., but the Jersey Shore covers 80 percent of that area so I'm expecting a New Jersey landfall. Areas of Northern Jersey, coastal New York City, Long Island and Connecticut are facing a major coastal flood threat from a possible top 5 all-time recorded storm surges."

"Lastly we are certain to be dealing with destructive weather conditions Monday and?Tuesday but Wednesday will be no walk in the park with the storm stalling near Philadelphia and then slowly drifting into New England during Halloween. This will keep periods of rain and gusty southerly winds (20-40 mph) over the hardest hit areas of New Jersey, New York City, Long Island and coastal Connecticut. All hands on deck power restoration efforts will likely not begin until Thursday."

"People in the high impact zone from Virginia to Southern New England have one day left to make preparations and plans before Sandy significantly impacts their lives. After the storm hits expect the cleanup and power outage restoration to continue right up through Election Day."

Sandy may deliver an October surprise for presidential campaign

Jose Luis Magana / AP

After strong winds and heavy rain washed out bridges and damaged homes in multiple countries, the hurricane looks toward the northeastern U.S.

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Share your pictures of Hurricane Sandy preparations

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Poll: Germans accept nuke exit despite rising bill

BERLIN (AP) ? A new poll finds that a large majority of Germans back the government's decision to phase out nuclear power and switch to renewable energies within a decade, despite rising electricity bills.

The poll for German news magazine Focus published Sunday found that 72 percent continue to support the country's energy switchover. Only 24 percent were opposed to the policy.

Germany's grid operators announced earlier this month that a surcharge on households' electricity prices financing the expansion of renewable energies will increase by 47 percent starting in January. A typical family of four will then have to pay about ?250 ($325) per year on top of their bill.

Polling agency Forsa surveyed 1,000 people this week. Focus did not provide the poll's margin of error.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-10-21-Germany-Energy/id-e2323311c62243a39dec616fa4b27df3

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Switched On: Sell the hardware, attract the apps

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Microsoft has finally revealed details on the pricing for the all-singing, all-dancing Surface RT. True to Steve Ballmer's word, the Windows RT device is priced competitively with the iPad. It is, in fact, the same price as the entry-level, now not-so "new iPad" and with double the flash memory, an advantage that may change by the time the Surface ships.

The commercial shows off the device's signature hardware features -- the kickstand and touch keyboard cover -- and plays up the "click" they make when they attach to the Surface, which is of course similar to the "click" made when an Apple Smart Cover connects to an iPad. And in a bit of irony for a product that is more focused on tapping than the mouse clicks of the desktop mouse, its campaign slogan is "click in." (It also raises the question as to why people would be constantly attaching the sold-separately touch keyboard when it doubles as a cover, but it is a commercial after all.) While expensive relative to the price of the device, Microsoft's keyboard covers represent an extension of one of Apple's best-conceived iPad accessories (the Smart Cover) and far exceed one of Apple's worst (the original iPad keyboard dock).

Continue reading Switched On: Sell the hardware, attract the apps

Filed under: Tablets, Software, Microsoft

Switched On: Sell the hardware, attract the apps originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 17:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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#6: Abco Tech? 7" TFT Color LCD 2 Video Input Car RearView ...

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• Posted October 20, 2012 at 3:12 am

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#6: Abco Tech? 7" TFT Color LCD 2 Video Input Car RearView Headrest Monitor DVD VCR

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Sandusky victim says he contemplated suicide

This undated image released by ABC shows ABC News' Chris Cuomo, left, with Aaron Fisher, 18, a victim of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky during an interview airing Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 on the news magazine show "20/20," at 10 p.m. EST on ABC. Sandusky wants his child sexual abuse charges tossed out "and/or" a new trial, saying the statute of limitations had run out for many of the 45 counts for which he was convicted in June. Currently in a county jail near State College, he is awaiting transfer to the state prison system to begin serving a 30- to 60-year sentence. Fisher said he was 11 when he met Sandusky and was abused during weekend visits at the Sandusky home. (AP Photo/ABC News)

This undated image released by ABC shows ABC News' Chris Cuomo, left, with Aaron Fisher, 18, a victim of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky during an interview airing Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 on the news magazine show "20/20," at 10 p.m. EST on ABC. Sandusky wants his child sexual abuse charges tossed out "and/or" a new trial, saying the statute of limitations had run out for many of the 45 counts for which he was convicted in June. Currently in a county jail near State College, he is awaiting transfer to the state prison system to begin serving a 30- to 60-year sentence. Fisher said he was 11 when he met Sandusky and was abused during weekend visits at the Sandusky home. (AP Photo/ABC News)

This undated image from video shows ABC News' Chris Cuomo, left, with Aaron Fisher, 18, a victim of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky during an interview airing Friday, Oct. 19, 2012 on the news magazine show "20/20," at 10 p.m. EST on ABC. Sandusky wants his child sexual abuse charges tossed out "and/or" a new trial, saying the statute of limitations had run out for many of the 45 counts for which he was convicted in June. Currently in a county jail near State College, he is awaiting transfer to the state prison system to begin serving a 30- to 60-year sentence. (AP Photo/ABC News)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) ? The young man whose claims of abuse began the criminal investigation that put Jerry Sandusky in prison said he contemplated suicide because authorities took so long to prosecute the former Penn State assistant football coach.

Speaking out publicly by name for the first time, Aaron Fisher said in an interview airing Friday on ABC's "20/20" that the Pennsylvania attorney general's office had told him it needed more victims before Sandusky would be charged.

Fisher first reported the abuse in 2008. Sandusky was arrested last November. Fisher said the delay made him increasingly desperate.

"I thought maybe it would be easier to take myself out of the equation," he told ABC. "Let somebody else deal with it."

Fisher, now 18, testified as Victim 1 at Sandusky's trial. He, his mother and his psychologist have co-written a forthcoming book about his ordeal.

Fisher told jurors that Sandusky approached him through a summer camp for youth sponsored by The Second Mile, a charity for at-risk youth the former coach had founded.

Physical contact began with a hand on his leg in the car, Fisher said, and he began spending nights at the Sandusky home in State College, about 30 miles from his own home in Lock Haven. Kissing and back rubbing during those overnight visits progressed to oral sex. He said he tried to distance himself from Sandusky, to no avail.

Fisher was 15 when and his mother eventually reported the abuse to the school principal, who responded that "Jerry has a heart of gold and that he wouldn't do those type of things," Fisher told ABC, repeating his trial testimony.

"They tell me to go home and think about it," he told ABC.

School officials reported Sandusky to Clinton County Children and Youth Services, which began an investigation.

As Fisher spoke out, Sandusky launched his effort to overturn his conviction, contending there wasn't enough evidence against him and the trial wasn't fair. His lawyers filed a 31-page document Thursday that attacked rulings by the judge, the closing argument by the prosecution and the speed by which he went from arrest to trial.

Sandusky wants the charges tossed out "and/or" a new trial, saying the statute of limitations had run out for many of the 45 counts for which he was convicted in June. Currently in a county jail near State College, he is awaiting transfer to the state prison system to begin serving a 30- to 60-year sentence.

"The defendant submits the court's sentence was excessive and tantamount ... to a life sentence, which the defendant submits is in violation of his rights," his lawyers wrote.

A spokesman for the attorney general's office said the Sandusky filing was under review.

Fisher and seven other young men testified against him in June, describing a range of abuse they said included fondling and oral and anal sex when they were boys.

Sandusky didn't testify at his trial but has maintained his innocence in interviews and at sentencing.

Sandusky, 68, built a reputation as one of the country's premier defensive coaches while serving under head coach Joe Paterno, including two national championships. That image was shattered last year by his arrest.

The abuse scandal rocked Penn State, bringing down Paterno and the university's president and leading the NCAA, college sports' governing body, to levy unprecedented sanctions against the university's football program.

Two Penn State administrators were charged as a result of the investigation into the Sandusky allegations, accused of lying to the grand jury that investigated Sandusky and not reporting suspected child abuse to the proper authorities. Those two officials, athletic director Tim Curley, who is on administrative leave, and retired vice president Gary Schultz, await trial in January and maintain their innocence.

Former FBI Director Louis Freeh, hired by university trustees to conduct an investigation into the university's handling of abuse complaints against Sandusky, concluded that Paterno, who died in January, along with ousted President Graham Spanier, Curley and Schultz concealed a 2001 allegation against Sandusky to protect Penn State from bad publicity.

The late coach's family, as well as Spanier, Curley and Schultz, dispute Freeh's assertions.

Associated Press

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Tina Fey And Amy Poehler To Co-Host Golden Globes

'Saturday Night Live' alumnae take over for Ricky Gervais at 70th annual awards show.
By Kara Warner

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/ FilmMagic

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1695618/tina-fey-amy-poehler-2012-golden-globes-hosts.jhtml

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Reddit's Internet 2012 bus campaigns for Web freedom

1 day

Kevin Collier , Daily Dot

Entering this enormous bus???draped like an American flag in red, white, and blue???is like going through rooms of a house. First you enter the cramped living room, then a small kitchen, with a sink and fridge on your right and a full bath on your left. The back dining room?s furnished with cushioned seats that wrap around a large, fold-up table.

Most importantly, there?s Wi-Fi and plenty of outlets, because people are using their laptops on that table. This isn?t an ordinary vehicle. It?s the Internet 2012 Bus, driving nearly 2,000 miles across America?s heartland during election season.

In 2008, the same vehicle was used by John McCain for his presidential run, dubbed the ?Straight Talk Express.? Now, it's been given a social media update, with crowdsourced support from the likes of Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, whose name, along with seven other prominent donors, is displayed on the side of the bus. And it?s being?escorted by a?Rally Fighter, a real-life Batmobile that holds the distinction of being the?first car with Creative Commons-licensed designs openly available on the Internet.

They?re coming, perhaps to your hometown, to ensure you realize that the Internet is a political issue worth fighting for.

Behind the wheel, at least symbolically, is Alexis Ohanian, the tall, gregarious, and bright-eyed cofounder of Reddit, along with general manager Erik Martin. Their tremendously popular social news site, which hit 3.4 billion pageviews in August, has become a leader and rallying force in the fight for Internet rights. ??

Back in January, when Congress considered the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)???an anti-piracy bill that would allow sites to be censored if a visitor posted a link to illegal material???Ohanian personally warned members of Congress about the bill, proclaiming it would ?break the Internet.? And Reddit was the first major site to promise to go dark Jan. 19 for what would become a massive, successful ?strike? against SOPA, with thousands of sites following suit.

Noting the site?s reach and importance, President Obama even visited Reddit last month for its version of a digital town hall meeting, becoming the latest in a long line of politicians and celebrities to field questions and address concerns directly from users. With the Internet 2012 Bus, Ohanian and Martin are turning the tables, hitting the campaign trail in real life and bringing Reddit to your doorstep.

The spectre of SOPA looms large over the trip. The eight-day itinerary is packed with talks, panels, and tours of places with varied ties to the Internet and SOPA, which has become shorthand for any kind of bill that would censor or limit the Web.

?There are going to be more threats to the open Internet that are going to look far less obviously sinister than SOPA,? Ohanian told me as the bus geared up for its first stop???largely referring to lobbyists who represent companies that produce intellectual property, like the movie industry, who have influence in Washington and don?thave a greatrecord when it comes to making sure the Internet stays open and free.

?It?s going to be this sort of death by a thousand cuts.?

That, more or less, is the reason why Reddit has hit the road. Unlike the charge against SOPA???a grand stand that included blackouts of major websites and countless calls to representatives in Congress???this campaign aims to inform voters about what?s at stake before it?s too late, and to inspire them not just to fight against a looming threat, but to stand up for Internet rights routinely. ?

?It?s a lot easier to be against something than for something,? Ohanian explained, ?but that?s why we have to do this.??

Internet?rights ignored by Obama, Romney

Before the bus hit the road, TestPAC, a political action committee founded by redditors, tried to spark a movement to get Barack Obama and Mitt Romney to discuss Internet freedom at the first presidential debate at the University of Denver on Oct. 3. It didn?t work.

Small businesses, on the other hand, were mentioned 22 times between the two candidates. ?It?s small business that creates the jobs in America,? Romney said. Obama bragged that he ?lowered taxes for small businesses" 18 times.

That wasn?t lost on Ohanian and Martin, who, just six miles away, at a bar in downtown Denver called Katie Mullen?s, were hosting a debate-watching party for local redditors. The irony, of course, is that you can no longer separate small businesses and startups from the Internet or propose legislation for one without considering the other. That?s a fundamental issue that weighs heavily on the Internet 2012?s tour itinerary.

?Everywhere we?ll stop, we?ll get to have some cool conversations about the Internet, startups, and jobs,? Martin said the next morning, standing outside the bus before it first left Denver.

Indeed, the bus?s two dozen or so destinations are often small businesses, like Modular Robotics, a small factory that creates what?literally is the building blocks for simple robots. Likewise, Martin and Ohanian will pull over several times to host?panels on Internet startup companies and attend talks, most notably Iowa City?s Startup Weekend.

?For a lot of politicians, it?s really hard to grok that a company could start with one or two people, a little bit of money, like literally enough money to put a roof over their heads and food in their bellies, and within a few years could be valued at a billion dollars and be employing hundreds of people and changing the world,? said Ohanian, shown below speaking with activists, a few days later.

?That?s really hard to grok if you don?t understand the Internet startup economy.?If you had laws in place that are impediments to that, all of a sudden you?re stifling so much potential innovation.?

The?Internet and American values

Before going to the first of the trip?s panels, titled ?The Internet + Politics: Why You Should Give A S***,? the bus took a detour to the Foundry Group. A Boulder-based venture capital firm, Foundry invests early and often in the kinds of online startup companies Internet freedom is thought to promote. Ohanian and Martin wanted to meet with Ryan McIntyre, the company?s managing director.

After 11 folks from the bus piled into the Foundry Group?s sterile conference room, Martin asked McIntyre what the Internet had to do with American values.

?[The Web is] a fundamental mirror of core American traits,? he responded, his head covered with a mop of brown hair, giving him the look of an aging pop star.

?We?ve always had a frontier mentality, a pioneer mentality. Obviously we jealously guard our freedom of speech. You can?t argue against the Internet being a massive enabler of that.?

As he spoke, a documentary crew entered with quiet apologies, setting up across from McIntyre.

?See if you can get Erik, around the shoulder,? said one of the documentarians. Later, when McIntyre went long on an answer, that same documentarian interrupted him.

?Can you hold for one second while I switch batteries?? he asked. ?And can you restate that last part?? he grinned, then joked: ?I want this to be as produced as possible.?

McIntyre, though, was unfazed. Ohanian went on to ask about what the Founding Fathers would have thought about the Internet.

?Ben Franklin made one of his businesses as a newspaper,? McIntyre answered. ?He benefited from the printing press. You think of all the handbills passed around during the time of the American revolution; that was a?sneakernet version of the Internet back then. They recognized the power of disseminating information freely and efficiently?...?

?Pseudonymously,? Martin interjected.

?Pseudonymously. To cause a revolution.?

McIntyre paused, looking at the documentary crew before bringing his gaze back to Ohanian and Martin and finishing his point.

?You know, openness and individuality, and the anti-hierarchical aspect of the Internet, have a lot of parallels with what we believe our core cultural values are in America,? he said.

As McIntrye finished his last answer, Martin flashed him a smile and stood to say goodbye. ?We gotta run,? he said.

?Hopefully there?s something useable in that footage,? McIntyre said.

Reddit?co-founder: 'SOPA would have?crushed?startups'

On the bus ride back that night, Ohanian reminded me he?s a self-proclaimed ?startup guy.? He sold Reddit to Conde Nast in 2006 for somewhere?between $10 and $20 million and has since started several smaller Web-related companies. He?s an investor too, not just the founder of Reddit but someone who?s started and a number of other sites since then.

?I?ve got my entrepreneur hat; I?ve got my investor hat,? he said. ?But underneath them I?m just an American citizen,? he said, earnestly.

I mentioned how he often cited Reddit, the site that made him a millionaire, as a prime example of the kind of site that SOPA could have shuttered immediately.

?That was obviously an example that hit home with me,? Ohanian laughed, pausing momentarily and becoming a little more introspective.

?SOPA would have crushed startups,? he continued. ?They would have had to sign on all kinds of legal costs and had lawyers at the ready. More frightening is that so many bright people who would have started the next Facebook or the next Reddit wouldn?t. They?d say, ?Oh that?s not a business I want to get into. I don?t want to invest all that time and energy and hard work into being an entrepreneur. I?m just gonna get a job somewhere else, do some other thing.?

?And that?s the thing that really terrifies me. The things that couldn?t happen if the values of Internet freedom?weren?t nurtured. I just don?t want to see any of those get wasted.?

Kevin Collier?is a staff writer at the Daily Dot. Follow him on Twitter and?email him here.

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Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/reddits-internet-2012-bus-campaigns-web-freedom-1C6449315

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Tips To Effectively Market Your Business Online | Eric Chua : Life ...

The world of Website marketing is growing exponentially. From online newsletters to static websites, it is so simple to use the Internet to market your product. Read this article for some suggestions on how to leverage the multitude of electronic communication channels in your marketing strategy.

Present your products as an efficient and simple solution to a problem your audience can relate to. Simplicity will always win out over complexity. So, cater to the basic human desire for easy over hard by using phrases that show just how easy it is to use your product or service. This is an easy way to boost your business.

Ensure that information that is relevant to your customers is included on your website. A simple digital billboard featuring your hours of operation, address and toll free number is simply not going to garner you much business. Build up your website with useful content, interesting reviews and other things that shows your visitors that you know what you are doing and that you are not just a fly by night presence.

TIP! A lot of folks might not think your advertisments are truthful. The fact is that most folks aren?t buying the stuff they read in advertisements, so don?t turn them off by simply talking big.

Give your customers the chance to sign up to your Ezine. This effective marketing tool is especially potent if you create an interesting Ezine that promotes a strong relationship with subscribers. Add a personal touch by including photos of yourself, your family or your employees. Don?t be afraid to share funny or interesting stories from your personal life with your readers. Arouse their curiosity with an interesting subject line in the Ezine, such as the easiest or fastest way to achieve a specific goal.

Having a secure ordering system is imperative. Services such as Paypal allow you to use a payment system on your site that offers safe monetary transactions. Before customers send their personal payment information to you, have them create a secure, password-protected account.

Always make sure you have a slogan and a logo for your business, even if you?re just running a small, Internet based firm. These tools are going to assist with building brand recognition. A potential customer can remember a slogan for a while. When a customer is ready to buy a product, he might remember your slogan even if he doesn?t remember the name of your business. In the age of the internet, that?s not a big problem.

TIP! Try including a survey or poll to measure how a reader feel about content on your site. Not only will this help you adjust the type of content that you include, it will also make your users feel like you care about their opinions.

Try your hand at mobile marketing. You can give your site visitors the opportunity to get text alerts when a special sale is going on or when a new product is launched. This is a newer method of advertising that will give you assistance in your online marketing campaign.

Make use of the websites that list freebies and giveaways by listing what you are offering on these sites. For instance, if you?re giving away an e-zine, you should submit this to as many specific e-zine directories as you can find. There are several directories for e-books, dictionaries, and other helpful materials.

The key to a successful Internet marketing strategy is to write unique quality content. This is even more important if your business sells the same goods as many other sites, especially if you all use identical product descriptions from the manufacturer. Providing your own unique descriptions of products and using rich, descripyive adjectives will help your site stand out and be recognizable.

TIP! Be sure to incorporate the use of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites in your Internet marketing strategy. Since they provide a quick and simple way to send promotions or updated site information, social media sites are an effective way to stay in touch with potential customers.

Run a contest or special promotion to generate site traffic. You may offer a day or more sale on a $1 e-book. When people see this limited time deal, they will likely buy and stick around your site. Many times these visitors will leave not only with their promotional item, but with a variety of the other products you sell as well.

A good technique to use with your Online marketing is to offer a discount for customers who make a purchase over a specified amount. For instance, you could extend to your customers a ten percent off discount on all purchases of $200 or more. This is a good way to get your customers to buy more of your products.

Internet promotion should not be very complicated but rather strive to make it simple. Try one or more of the tips provided in this article to improve your online presence and market your business to your targeted customer base quickly and efficiently. For customers who live in the electronic age, you can use Internet marketing to increase your bottom line

TIP! Make sure your website covers all the little things, as well as the big. The title of your site should be at the top right corner of every page along with a brief description of the site.

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