'Hotel Transylvania' checks in with $43M debut

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Adam Sandler's monster mash-up "Hotel Transylvania" has brought the weekend box office back to life after a late-summer slump.

According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated comedy debuted at No. 1 with $43 million, one of the strongest starts ever for a movie opening in September.

"Hotel Transylvania" set a new high for September debuts in terms of actual dollars, beating the previous record of $35.7 million for 2002's "Sweet Home Alabama." But factoring in today's higher admission prices, "Sweet Home Alabama" sold more tickets.

This weekend's box office was further strengthened by a solid No. 2 debut for Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's time-travel thriller "Looper," which took in $21.2 million.

Hollywood's overall grosses rose for the first time in a month compared to the same weekend last year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hotel-transylvania-checks-43m-debut-154646517--finance.html

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A mysterious seed fern, Lepidopteris, discovered from the Upper Permian of China

Public release date: 30-Sep-2012
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Contact: Zhang Yi
zhangyihzlmh@synu.edu.cn
Science in China Press

Recently, a mysterious seed fern, Lepidopteris baodensis sp. nov., dating to more than 251 million years ago (Ma), was discovered at the Baijiagou of Baode, Shanxi, China, from the Upper Permian Sunjiagou Formation. This discovery completely changed the understanding of the stratigraphic distribution of the genus Lepidopteris in China and promoted the taxonomic study of late Paleozoic plants.

Since Schimper erected the genus Lepidopteris in 1869, its epidermal structure of subepidermal swellings (formerly called "blisters") had long been an unsolved mystery. Excitingly, we found subepidermal swellings not only on the lower surfaces of the ultimate rachis and midrib, but also on the lower surfaces of secondary veins. In addition, the unique epidermal structures of subepidermal swellings on the ultimate rachis, midrib and secondary veins were revealed. The epidermis of a subepidermal swelling on an ultimate rachis was composed of ordinary epidermal cells and stomatal apparatuses forming longitudinal rows and numerous groups. The epidermal cells and stomatal apparatuses in each group were set in a concentric pattern. The epidermis of a subepidermal swelling on the midrib was also composed of ordinary epidermal cells and stomatal apparatuses that formed only 3? groups, and were set in a concentric pattern. The epidermis of a subepidermal swelling on a secondary vein was composed of ordinary epidermal cells and stomatal apparatuses, forming a concentric pattern. Because, unlike the lower surface, the upper surface lacked subepidermal swellings, the difference in epidermal structures between the upper and lower surfaces is remarkable. This situation is very rare in plants.

This research was carried out by Dr. Zhang Yi, Associate Professor at the College of Paleontology, Shenyang Normal University, Mr. Zheng Shaolin, Adjunct Professor at the College of Paleontology, Shenyang Normal University, and Dr. Naugolnykh, Professor at the Geological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. This article was published as a cover article on Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Edition) 2012, 57(24) and Chinese Science Bulletin (English Edition) 2012, 57(27).

In 2004, the noted paleontologists and biostratigraphers Rong Jiayu (Academician Professor of NIGPAS) and Fang Zongjie (Professor of NIGPAS) pointed out in the book "Mass Extinction and Recovery" that the Earth experienced a mass extinction and recovery between the Late Permian and the Triassic, traced back to 260 Ma. The climate became extremely hot and arid at the end of the Permian. The mass extinction, which was the largest in Earth's history, destroyed most terrestrial and marine ecosystems. On land, coal-forming floras, represented by Lepidodendron and Cordaites, went extinct. The Euramerican, Cathaysian, Gondwanan and Angaran floras disappeared, and a new flora, represented by Pleuromeia, flourished after the disaster. The recovery of coal-forming floras on a large scale did not begin until the Late Triassic.

Although the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Earth experienced their largest mass extinction in the Late Permian, the seed fern Lepidopteris became an important element of remnant vegetation and persisted through the Triassic. Thus, the study of Lepidopteris plays a very important role in understanding this mass extinction and recovery.

Which adaptations allowed Lepidopteris to survive the harsh environment? The authors believe its persistence was probably related to the subepidermal swellings, which were special tissues unique to Lepidopteris. Based on analysis of the cuticle, the lower surfaces of the ultimate rachis, midrib and secondary veins, which are related to conducting tissues, were covered with subepidermal swellings. These subepidermal swellings were probably small water storage features that absorbed water during high flows in conducting tissues and released it during low flows, like an irrigation system. In this way, Lepidopteris, a seed fern that originally needed much water to live, probably survived the hot and arid environment. Of course, subepidermal swellings are likely to have had other functions as well.

Although Lepidopteris was a typical element of the Late Permian Euramerican flora, the species L. ottonis was considered to be an index fossil for the Upper Triassic in China. As a result, the stratigraphic distribution of this very important genus in the Upper Permian of China was long neglected. The new species L. baodensis not only expands our knowledge of the biology and taxonomy of Lepidopteris and the stratigraphy of the Upper Permian of China, but also provides an opportunity to understand the relationship between Euramerican and Cathaysian floras in a paleoclimatic, paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic context.

The experimental works were accomplished in the newly established laboratory of the College of Paleontology, Shenyang Normal University, Liaoning Province, China. Specimens are housed at the College of Paleontology, Shenyang Normal University. The Baijiagou of Baode, Shanxi, China, the locality where Lepidopteris baodensis was discovered, has become an area of intense research for Chinese and foreign geologists.

###

This study was supported by the Project 111 of China (B06008), the Scientific Research Operating Expenses, Jilin University Base Platform Construction Project, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40972001), and RFBR No. 11-05-92692-Ind_a.

http://csb.scichina.com:8080/Jwk_kxtb_en/EN/volumn/current.shtml

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 30-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Zhang Yi
zhangyihzlmh@synu.edu.cn
Science in China Press

Recently, a mysterious seed fern, Lepidopteris baodensis sp. nov., dating to more than 251 million years ago (Ma), was discovered at the Baijiagou of Baode, Shanxi, China, from the Upper Permian Sunjiagou Formation. This discovery completely changed the understanding of the stratigraphic distribution of the genus Lepidopteris in China and promoted the taxonomic study of late Paleozoic plants.

Since Schimper erected the genus Lepidopteris in 1869, its epidermal structure of subepidermal swellings (formerly called "blisters") had long been an unsolved mystery. Excitingly, we found subepidermal swellings not only on the lower surfaces of the ultimate rachis and midrib, but also on the lower surfaces of secondary veins. In addition, the unique epidermal structures of subepidermal swellings on the ultimate rachis, midrib and secondary veins were revealed. The epidermis of a subepidermal swelling on an ultimate rachis was composed of ordinary epidermal cells and stomatal apparatuses forming longitudinal rows and numerous groups. The epidermal cells and stomatal apparatuses in each group were set in a concentric pattern. The epidermis of a subepidermal swelling on the midrib was also composed of ordinary epidermal cells and stomatal apparatuses that formed only 3? groups, and were set in a concentric pattern. The epidermis of a subepidermal swelling on a secondary vein was composed of ordinary epidermal cells and stomatal apparatuses, forming a concentric pattern. Because, unlike the lower surface, the upper surface lacked subepidermal swellings, the difference in epidermal structures between the upper and lower surfaces is remarkable. This situation is very rare in plants.

This research was carried out by Dr. Zhang Yi, Associate Professor at the College of Paleontology, Shenyang Normal University, Mr. Zheng Shaolin, Adjunct Professor at the College of Paleontology, Shenyang Normal University, and Dr. Naugolnykh, Professor at the Geological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. This article was published as a cover article on Chinese Science Bulletin (Chinese Edition) 2012, 57(24) and Chinese Science Bulletin (English Edition) 2012, 57(27).

In 2004, the noted paleontologists and biostratigraphers Rong Jiayu (Academician Professor of NIGPAS) and Fang Zongjie (Professor of NIGPAS) pointed out in the book "Mass Extinction and Recovery" that the Earth experienced a mass extinction and recovery between the Late Permian and the Triassic, traced back to 260 Ma. The climate became extremely hot and arid at the end of the Permian. The mass extinction, which was the largest in Earth's history, destroyed most terrestrial and marine ecosystems. On land, coal-forming floras, represented by Lepidodendron and Cordaites, went extinct. The Euramerican, Cathaysian, Gondwanan and Angaran floras disappeared, and a new flora, represented by Pleuromeia, flourished after the disaster. The recovery of coal-forming floras on a large scale did not begin until the Late Triassic.

Although the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of the Earth experienced their largest mass extinction in the Late Permian, the seed fern Lepidopteris became an important element of remnant vegetation and persisted through the Triassic. Thus, the study of Lepidopteris plays a very important role in understanding this mass extinction and recovery.

Which adaptations allowed Lepidopteris to survive the harsh environment? The authors believe its persistence was probably related to the subepidermal swellings, which were special tissues unique to Lepidopteris. Based on analysis of the cuticle, the lower surfaces of the ultimate rachis, midrib and secondary veins, which are related to conducting tissues, were covered with subepidermal swellings. These subepidermal swellings were probably small water storage features that absorbed water during high flows in conducting tissues and released it during low flows, like an irrigation system. In this way, Lepidopteris, a seed fern that originally needed much water to live, probably survived the hot and arid environment. Of course, subepidermal swellings are likely to have had other functions as well.

Although Lepidopteris was a typical element of the Late Permian Euramerican flora, the species L. ottonis was considered to be an index fossil for the Upper Triassic in China. As a result, the stratigraphic distribution of this very important genus in the Upper Permian of China was long neglected. The new species L. baodensis not only expands our knowledge of the biology and taxonomy of Lepidopteris and the stratigraphy of the Upper Permian of China, but also provides an opportunity to understand the relationship between Euramerican and Cathaysian floras in a paleoclimatic, paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic context.

The experimental works were accomplished in the newly established laboratory of the College of Paleontology, Shenyang Normal University, Liaoning Province, China. Specimens are housed at the College of Paleontology, Shenyang Normal University. The Baijiagou of Baode, Shanxi, China, the locality where Lepidopteris baodensis was discovered, has become an area of intense research for Chinese and foreign geologists.

###

This study was supported by the Project 111 of China (B06008), the Scientific Research Operating Expenses, Jilin University Base Platform Construction Project, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40972001), and RFBR No. 11-05-92692-Ind_a.

http://csb.scichina.com:8080/Jwk_kxtb_en/EN/volumn/current.shtml

---

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/sicp-ams092112.php

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Boise State 32, New Mexico 29 (final)

By Brian Murphy
bmurphy@idahostatesman.com

First quarter

BSU ? Michael Frisina 28 field goal, 7:48. Key play: Tailback D.J. Harper busted runs of 7 and 15 yards on back-to-back plays, but he was stuffed for a 5-yard loss on a wildcat play on first-and-goal at the 10. Drive: 13 plays, 51 yards, 5:30. Boise State 3, New Mexico 0

Second quarter

BSU ? Chris Potter 10 pass from Joe Southwick (Frisina kick), 14:28. Key play: Southwick opened the drive with a 50-yard strike to wide receiver Dallas Burroughs. Drive: 3 plays, 77 yards, 1:01. Boise State 10, New Mexico 0

BSU ? Matt Miller 9 pass from Southwick (Connor Peters pass from Miller), 10:14. Key play: Harper gained 34 yards on two carries to start the drive, which followed a New Mexico fumble. Drive: 5 plays, 43 yards, :45. Boise State 18, New Mexico 0

BSU ? Jay Ajayi 1 run (Frisina kick), 2:40. Key play: Ajayi darted through a big hole on the right side and scampered down the sideline for a 71-yard gain. He carried on all three plays. Drive: 3 plays, 81 yards, :55. Boise State 25, New Mexico 0

Halftime

? Running back Jay Ajayi had 118 yards and one touchdown on six carries in the first half.

Third Quarter

NM ? Jhurell Presley 3 run (Justus Adams kick), 11:40. Key play: Burroughs fumbled while returning the opening kickoff of the second half. Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 3:14. Boise State 25, New Mexico 7

NM ? Kasey Carrier 5 run (Adams kick), 3:22. Key play: The Lobos gained 27 and 40 yards on back-to-back option plays to the right ? one a pitch, the other a keeper ? when Boise State didn?t have enough players to cover the pitch man. Drive: 7 plays, 96 yards, 3:22. Boise State 25, New Mexico 14

Fourth Quarter

BSU ? Shane Williams-Rhodes 8 pass from Southwick (Frisina kick), 13:49. Key play: Kirby Moore made an 11-yard catch on third-and-8 and Southwick scrambled and hit Harper for 19 yards on third-and-12. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:33. Boise State 32, New Mexico 14

NM ? Cole Gautsche 7 run (Adams kick), 8:32. Key play: The Lobos gained 29 yards on another option play and picked up fourth-and-1 at the Boise State 11. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:17. Boise State 32, New Mexico 21

NM ? Gautsche 1 run (Gautsche run), 7:42. Key play: Williams-Rhodes fumbled on the fly sweep and linebacker Joe Stoner returned it to the Boise State 1. Drive: 1 play, 1 yard, :04. Boise State 32, New Mexico 29

Pregame notes

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. ??Running back Drew Wright did not travel to New Mexico with the Broncos. Wright was injured in last week's victory against BYU.

Wright had been listed as the No. 2 tailback. Jay Ajayi is listed as the backup to D.J. Harper this week.

??Left guard Joe Kellogg, who did not play against BYU, made the trip and is expected to play.

? The Broncos are wearing white Pro Combat helmets, white jerseys and blue pants.

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NFL Week 7 Jags @ Raiders

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Source: http://www.sportsviews.com/bet/19786/NFL_Week_7__Jags___Raiders

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China says disgraced leader Bo expelled from party

FILE - In this March 9, 2012 file photo, Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai reacts during a plenary session of the National People's Congress held in Beijing, China. China's tumultuous, bizarre year in politics appears headed for a home stretch, with leading members of the ruling Communist Party convening to finalize a list of new leaders and decide the fate of a disgraced colleague. Disgraced Politburo member Bo has been the focal point of much of the tumult, which has featured a murder, corruption, two high-profile trials and a deadly car crash, all of which exposed bare-knuckled infighting among a leadership that prefers secrecy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this March 9, 2012 file photo, Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai reacts during a plenary session of the National People's Congress held in Beijing, China. China's tumultuous, bizarre year in politics appears headed for a home stretch, with leading members of the ruling Communist Party convening to finalize a list of new leaders and decide the fate of a disgraced colleague. Disgraced Politburo member Bo has been the focal point of much of the tumult, which has featured a murder, corruption, two high-profile trials and a deadly car crash, all of which exposed bare-knuckled infighting among a leadership that prefers secrecy. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2012 file video image taken from CCTV, Wang Lijun sits in the Intermediate People's Court during his trial in Chengdu in southwestern China's Sichuan province when the Chinese police chief whose thwarted defection exposed murder of a Briton by his boss Bo Xilai's wife and infighting in high places was sentenced to 15 years in prison. China's tumultuous, bizarre year in politics appears headed for a home stretch, with leading members of the ruling Communist Party convening to finalize a list of new leaders and decide the fate of disgraced colleague Bo. (AP Photo/CCTV via AP video, File) CHINA OUT, TV OUT

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2007 file photo, Bo Xilai, then China's Minister of Commerce, attends a memorial ceremony for his father Bo Yibo, a late communist leader considered one of communist China's founding fathers, in front of the father's photo at a military hospital in Beijing. Disgraced Chinese politician Bo was expelled from the ruling Communist Party on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, and will face corruption and other criminal charges, the latest step in a scandal that has overshadowed a political transition now set to take place in early November. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan)

FILE - In this March 14, 2012 file photo, Bo Xilai, Chongqing party secretary, attends the closing session of the annual National People's Congress in the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing. Disgraced Chinese politician Bo was expelled from the ruling Communist Party on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, and will face corruption and other criminal charges, the latest step in a scandal that has overshadowed a political transition now set to take place in early November. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2007 file photo, then Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai, right, with his wife Gu Kailai attends a memorial ceremony for his father Bo Yibo, a late revolutionary leader considered one of communist China's founding fathers, at a military hospital in Beijing. Disgraced Chinese politician Bo was expelled from the ruling Communist Party on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, and will face corruption and other criminal charges, the latest step in a scandal that has overshadowed a political transition now set to take place in early November. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan, File)

BEIJING (AP) ? China's communist leadership expelled Bo Xilai from the ruling party Friday and sought to bury him with charges ranging from corruption to sexual affairs, aiming to sweep away their most damaging scandal in decades while finally scheduling their long-awaited leadership transition for November.

A statement from the party's Politburo amounted to a surprisingly strong and wide-ranging indictment against Bo, effectively ending the public of life of the flamboyant 63-year-old populist who was one of China's best known politicians and whose ambition was considered a menace to the country's top leaders.

The former Politburo member and regional party chief is to be charged with crimes dating back more than a decade, including abuse of power, bribe taking and improper relations with several women ? banned by the party because they are considered an inducement to corruption. He also is accused of involvement in the cover-up of his wife's murder of a British businessman, which was instrumental in triggering his downfall.

"They want to drive a stake through the heart of his political career, and make it absolutely impossible, not only for him to reappear but for anyone else who has that idea of trying to create that sort of personalized, political, charismatic leadership in some part of China which may challenge the leadership," Rana Mitter, professor of Chinese history and politics at Oxford University.

The Politburo also announced the party congress would take place Nov. 8.

Dates for the congress, held once every five years, were overdue and highly anticipated because it will see President Hu Jintao step down after 10 years as party boss ? and China's ultimate leader ? to be replaced by Vice President Xi Jinping.

The congress had been expected to take place in mid-October, although the preparations were overshadowed by the Bo scandal.

"Bo Xilai's behavior resulted in serious repercussions and enormous damage to the reputation of the party and the nation, producing extremely vile effects domestically and overseas, and causing heavy damage to the cause of the party and the people," the Politburo said in a statement issued following its meeting in Beijing.

Speculation swirled for months over whether the party would harshly punish one of its own for criminal wrongdoing, or merely allow its own disciplinary arm to deal him a slap on the wrist.

The scandal was set off when a trusted Bo aide disclosed that his boss's wife had murdered a British businessman. Bo was sacked as party chief of the city of Chongqing; his wife, Gu Kailai, was given a suspended death sentence after confessing to the murder; and the aide, Chongqing police chief Wang Lijun, received a 15-year prison term for initially covering up the murder and other misdeeds.

The trials of Wang, which wrapped up this week, and Gu, which finished earlier, cleared the way for the party to decide whether to charge Bo with criminal wrongdoing. But his ouster from the leadership early this year opened a window into the divisive jostling for power as president and party leader Hu prepares to retire to make way for younger leaders.

Bo is the first Politburo member to be purged and handed to prosecutors since Hu had Shanghai party secretary Chen Liangyu sentenced for corruption in 2007. In that case, more than a year passed before Chen stood trial, perhaps auguring a long wait before Bo's case goes to court.

High-level purges, however, are almost always more about political power plays than crimes.

Bo was a divisive figure among Chinese leaders. Self-assured and comfortable with the media, he promoted populist policies as party chief of Chongqing and rode high-profile campaigns to bust organized crime gangs and promote communist culture to national popularity. His ambition was seen as a threat not only by Hu but to Hu's soon-to-be-installed successor, Xi Jinping.

Bo's supporters called the Politburo decision a political tactic. "I have doubts on any criminal wrongdoings of Bo Xilai. I need to see the evidence," said Han Deqiang, an economics professor at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a leading voice in what Chinese call the new left. "I think this is a political battle turned into a criminal one."

Bo's detractors, however, were cheered by the news, though they too saw politics at play in the decision.

"This announcement is long overdue. This means there is some progress in the rule of law in China. There is more transparency," said Li Zhuang, a formidable defense lawyer who found himself jailed in Chongqing after he accused police of extracting his client's confession by torture. "Of course it is also political. In China, politics and law often go hand in hand."

The decision by the 25-member Politburo, of which Bo had been a member, said that "investigations show that Bo had seriously violated party discipline ... abused his power, committed grave mistakes and should be held responsible for the Wang Lijun case as well as Gu's murder case."

The mention of Gu's case appeared to be a reference to obstruction of justice. Wang testified that Bo ignored him when he told him of his suspicions, then boxed him in the ears, demoted him, and detained several of his subordinates.

It was the first direct mention of Bo in state media in months. His name was not mentioned for both Gu's and Wang's trials.

The Politburo statement said that he took huge amounts of bribes directly or through his family and "maintained illicit relationships with numerous females." It said Bo's crimes dated from his time as mayor of the eastern port city of Dalian, through his term as commerce minister and as leader of Chongqing.

Bo's removal is seen as strengthening Xi's position, leaving him the undisputed leader of the party's "princelings," as the offspring of high-ranking communist elders are known.

"Now Bo is finished, Xi can take over those supporters from Bo and enlarge his network among the princelings," said China politics analyst Willy Lam of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Yet his ouster will do nothing to win over Bo supporters among party hardliners and admirers of Bo, who was widely popular among working-class Chinese.

"Xi is safer with Bo gone, but the hardliners will withhold their cooperation at the congress as a sign of their disapproval," said China expert Feng Chongyi of the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia.

Friday's Politburo meeting sets a series of events in motion. The 204-member Central Committee, a cross-section of the national party elite, usually convenes about a week before the congress to approve decisions already made by the Politburo. Privately, the committee will also approve the incoming leaders and a policy blueprint for the next five years.

___

Associated Press writers Gillian Wong, Didi Tang and Isolda Morillo contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-09-28-China-Politics/id-86ae8678eda242a7a2654f8ccf88198b

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Reader sweepstakes & book review: Great ... - Recipe Renovator

Can you imagine my total joy at receiving this cookbook, an ENTIRE COOKBOOK OF RECIPES I CAN EAT? No renovating? Yum, yum, yum. So I asked the nice people who publish it if I could give away two copies, and they said yes. It?s Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats: Cut Out the Gluten and Enjoy an Even Healthier Vegan Diet with Recipes for Fabulous, Allergy-Free Fare. Also included in the giveaway is a prize package of essential gluten-free flours that Allyson uses in most of her recipes from my friends at Bob?s Red Mill.

What I liked about the book: Every single recipe is both gluten-free and vegan!? She opens with a primer on gluten-free flours and vegan ingredient substitutions, as well as some ?basics? recipes like almond milk, white chocolate, and gluten-free pasta. I love that every single recipe has a full-color photograph, and Kramer?s friendly, chatty style makes it easy to see why her blog, Manifest Vegan, is so popular. She inspired me to try making pasta for the very first time, which was fun. The layout and look of the book is great, so approachable.

I wasn?t so keen on: I had some trouble with the recipes I tested, which was a little disappointing. I tried the Homemade Pasta recipe in order to make the Walnut Ravioli with Vodka Sauce. I didn?t have superfine brown rice flour (it?s on order) so I?m going to chalk up the trouble I had with the pasta to my flour choice and not the recipe. It did seem like the proportions were off in terms of how much filling to put in each ravioli. She called for 2 teaspoons and I think 1 teaspoon would work better. I assume it was a typo to roll out the dough to 1-1/8? thick? so I rolled it to 1/8? as best I could. Her filling was delicious and I will definitely try making pasta again.

I liked her Tofu Feta recipe, especially after 3 days of marinating, although I?m not sure that freezing the tofu added anything to the texture and added an extra step and more time. I made the Mediterranean Croquettes, which were good but mine seemed a little dry.

The recipe for the White Chocolate Baking Bar didn?t come out as pictured (mine separated), perhaps because I used powdered coconut sugar instead of powdered cane sugar.

I know you?ll find tons of yummy recipes to try in this cookbook, and am excited to be able to share it with two readers. The Bob?s package will ship separately.

The Bob?s Red Mill gluten-free prize package contains:

1 22 oz. bag of sweet white sorghum flour
1 24 oz. bag of whole grain brown rice flour
1 24 oz. bag of potato starch
1 24 oz. bag of tapioca flour
1 8 oz. bag of xanthan gum

Leave a comment answering this question to enter:
Have you ever made pasta from scratch? How did it turn out?

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Here is the book if you want to check it out in more detail?

Tagged as: Allyson Kramer, cookbook, Manifest Vegan, reader giveaway, sweepstakes

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Dozens of emaciated horses seized in Washington state

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Animal control officers in Washington state seized 39 emaciated and sickly horses on Wednesday from inhumane conditions in dark stalls filled with feces on a breeding farm outside of Tacoma, authorities said.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents discovered the malnourished animals, many injured and some standing in more than a foot of waste, while serving drug-related warrants on Tuesday at the 99-acre (40-hectare) property in Graham, Washington, Pierce County Animal Control supervisor Brian Boman told Reuters.

Animal control officers and sheriff's deputies from Pierce and Kitsap counties returned to the ranch a day later to seize the animals and found many were highly skittish because they had been "stall-bound" in three dark barns, Boman said.

"It was like a puppy mill, only with horses," Boman told Reuters. "The conditions are terrible. There's no telling how long it's been since they've seen daylight."

Authorities spent more than nine hours rounding up the horses, which included Arabians, Belgian Draft horses and Clydesdales, to take them to nearby fairgrounds for veterinary examinations. None were race horses.

Some likely would be euthanized, Boman said.

A Pierce County Sheriff's Office news release, describing the roundup as the largest horse seizure the county had ever undertaken, cited the horses' living conditions as deplorable.

"Most of the horses were in barns that had large amounts of urine and feces in the stalls," the release said. "Some of the barns had no lighting or ventilation and the smell of ammonia was very strong."

Because federal and county criminal investigations are ongoing, federal authorities would not immediately release the name of the farm's owner, said Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle.

(Editing By Cynthia Johnston and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dozens-emaciated-horses-seized-washington-state-040522104.html

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Yes. I am reading 50 Shades of Grey. Part 1. | AMNAR

Yesterday, I finally caved in. I decided to read 50 Shades of Grey.

?WHY?? I hear all the sane readers with taste demanding.

Well? because I?m really curious about it. This isn?t just an ?everybody?s reading it? thing, either. It?s become The Feminist Issue In Literature, and I?ve seen a lot of opinions on it. I?ve seen a lot of toing and froing about the book, and I?ve even heard about it being burned because it?s apparently responsible for brainwashing women somehow.

I?d like to have an opinion on the book. This is partly because I?m a woman, partly because I?m a feminist, and partly because I?m a human being. I have to admit, I am massively curious about what could outsell Harry Potter on such an epic scale. If you?d asked me what could do that so easily, I?d have answered ?porn?. But nobody asked.

Now, I don?t usually read porn. Or watch porn. Or take much of interest in porn. I?m sure I?d have more readers if I did. I have put sex scenes in my own books, but for the last while I?ve had anhedonia, which is gives you the sex drive of the average rock. Stonehenge has more interest in it right now.

I don?t know if that gives me more or less insight, but I suppose I could consider it a challenge. Mostly, I think if something is being discussed that much, especially explicitly saying it has an impact on women and their lives (which is often what you read in reference to 50 Shades), then I should probably pay attention.

I?ve also decided I?ll give it a bit of a review when I?m done. It means that when somebody launches into an opinion starting with the line ?I haven?t read it, but?? I?ll be able to reply with slightly more insight than a rock. Because really, you can?t start out with a detailed opinion on something if your opening line is ?I haven?t read it, but??

You?d think that was in the Basic Book of Rules, but uninformed opinion is often the bedrock of humanity?s discussion of everything these days. I think I?d rather sit on the side of the fence with the people who investigated and thought about something a bit before leaping to a conclusion.

Now, before I talk about the book at all, I have to say this. One of the major criticisms from feminists, and women generally, is that 50 Shades paints a portrait of a dysfunctional, abusive relationship without clearly qualifying that such relationships are A Bad Thing for women. Unfortunately, they also add that this is a woman?s fantasy. Now, I?ve read Robin Ince?s Bad Book Club and as a result I know there is a book of women talking about their fantasies that included a woman who fantasised about being raped by a donkey. No, I?m not kidding you. Yes, I will wait while you go and find out more about that.

So let?s start by saying at least this massively popular book is not about a woman who wants to be raped by a donkey. Not that this is necessarily wrong. Fantasies, sexual or otherwise, are exactly that: they?re fantasies. I get the impression that both 50 Shades and Twilight, the book that inspired the series, are essentially fantasies created by the authors who wrote them. Would that I had such popular fantasies. Mine are all sadly non-sexual and largely dragon-based.

This is where I wade into difficult territory because a lot of angry women will shout at me saying I?m approving of rape, abusive relationships and domestic violence. I?ve not got that far along in the book, but apparently the relationship described is a violent one and goes beyond the bounds of what real life BDSM relationships are like. I?ve seen it claimed that this will somehow make domestic violence more acceptable, or that all women who?ve read 50 Shades will conclude that in real life, they want a Christian Grey who treats them the way he treats Anastasia.

I?m afraid I?d need evidence to prove that. I grew up on an odd combination of epic fantasy (Lord of the Rings etc) and horsey books. Based on my reading of fantasy, you?d think I?d have grown up thinking that there are only four women in the whole entire world, that one of them is a hobbit, and two of them are elves. I have no idea what I might have concluded from the horsey books, but it probably might end up worryingly close to the whole donkey thing.

I dislike this idea that women are such a blank canvas that we can?t make conclusions of our own about what we read. Amazingly enough, I can read books that don?t clearly state in capitals that what?s contained within might be Bad For Me, and not think that I must live my life in that way. I have a brain. As I understand it, we base most of our conclusions on what relationships are about from our parents and the people around us when we?re children.

In search of something that might give me an idea of what readers think, I had a look at the Amazon page for 50 Shades. At the moment of writing, there 4588 reviews on the site. 1477 are 1-star reviews, and 1954 are 5-star reviews. A glance at the 5-star reviews produced a lot of joke reviews, including a drinking game based on the repetitive nature of the language. I wouldn?t recommend it, because even at my current place in the book you?d need a new liver.

There are people who genuinely liked it. They were totally hooked, apparently. I?m not sure I can conclude from that they intend to go out and allow themselves to be abused by men. Many of the genuine reviews appear to be quite clear that they understand that this is a fantasy, and not an instruction manual. The word ?escapism? appears a lot.

I?m going to get a fuck-ton of stick (if anybody reads this) for not clearly being angry about domestic violence in all its forms. I am against domestic violence. I honestly think what we?re facing here is not a tide of idiot women fooled by a book into thinking rape is great but society maybe having to face the fact that we 1. have sexual fantasies; 2. those fantasies are weird and seem unhealthy in the cold light of day and 3. are able to distinguish between those fantasies and reality. I suspect a lot of the hoopla is down to the fact that women and what women think about often don?t chime with what critics and opinion-makers wish they were and thought about.

So now I?ve written over 1000 words trying to come up with a position on the book when I?ve only reached chapter four. I?ll have to start reviewing in the next post. Damn.

Source: http://joelyblack.com/2012/09/27/yes-i-am-reading-50-shades-of-grey-part-1/

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Noida Offers Helping Hands To Soar In The High Sky

Noida is one name which can be heard everyday from everyone as we get out of our four-walls. Big industries have made their flocks on the earth of this city; all the big MNCs are celebrating their successful life cycle in the field of business. Noida is one of the most influential industrial regions in India. Getting job in Noida is the matters of destiny, as Noida based companies dont appoint anyone from anywhere. Companies require smart, intelligent, responsible candidate to handle one department of the company. So, it is the obvious matter that the education system of this city will also be as developed as nothing else.

Children need space to think by their own and for this issue schools must be there for them to hold their hand and learn them to stand and walk; because schools are the only place where a kid can get the utmost happy moments of his/her life. Schools provide a kid wide space for breathe when they wish to breathe, schools provide them to make friends with whom they wish to make, only schools provide them with several stuffs of games where kids stay stick and spend the happiest moment of his/her life. They get to meet new groups of kids who will share their innocent, stainless gossips with each-other. Kids get to enjoy their life to the fullest.

Kids are very soft by nature so that they need very soft hands to look after, because in nursery schools only those kids go who have just started blooming through identifying all the elements of life, i.e. who is his/her Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother and other relatives. They start to identify even their particular books, copies, pencils and other stuffs; it is just because a kid starts to utilize their brain before they turn 5. So, if at this time kids dont get the proper direction of life then their can be a suspicion of them to be misled. Thats why; parents are to be much more careful about this decisive moment of their life cycle. Parents are expected to search the best school at that time where they are supposed to leave their children to be literate with proper education and navigation.

Keeping all these significant and fundamental issues of children education Noida has come up with several reputed nursery schools and play schools many years back, because Noida has developed not now, it has been more than 15-16 years it has touched the feet of success in all fields. There are such good numbers of nursery schools and play schools in Noida which have been successful in serving their best care towards child education and made them able to board the high-schools with smart attitude and appreciable primary qualification. If a kid is treated smartly and with best quality education then that kid becomes intelligent and advanced in the field of education instinctively. Noida is quite fulfilled with these important qualities of children education which is the fundamental duty of our nation.

About the Author:
This piece of writing has been written by a school advisor of OnlineSchoolAdmissions.Com - a gateway that caters price free advice to parents and schools for quick and ease online school admission. Parents can locate Nursery schools in Noida or Play schools in Noida from the authentic list of schools and can apply to the schools of their choice online. Parents can search for Schools in Noida as well as per their desire and can fill out school registration forms via online.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Noida-Offers-Helping-Hands-To-Soar-In-The-High-Sky/4181842

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Spain, Greece launch austerity plans to secure aid

Police clash with protestors during the demonstration at the parliament against austerity measures announced by the Spanish government in Madrid, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. Spain's Parliament has taken on the appearance of a heavily guarded fortress with dozens of police blocking access from every possible angle, hours ahead of a protest against the conservative government's handling of the economic crisis. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Police clash with protestors during the demonstration at the parliament against austerity measures announced by the Spanish government in Madrid, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. Spain's Parliament has taken on the appearance of a heavily guarded fortress with dozens of police blocking access from every possible angle, hours ahead of a protest against the conservative government's handling of the economic crisis. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

El primer ministro griego Antonis Samaras (izquierda) y el ministro de Finanzas Yannis Stournaras hablan despu?s de una reuni?n con los l?deres de sus dos socios menores en la coalici?n, el jueves 27 de septiembre de 2012 en la Mansion Maximos de Atenas. (Foto AP/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Finance Ministry, tax office and customs employees march in central Athens outside the finance ministry building to protest new austerity measures, on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012. As the party leaders conferred Thursday, tax and customs employees, who are on strike until Friday against planned pay cuts, held a peaceful protest in the capital. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

Police clash with protestors during a demonstration at the parliament against austerity measures announced by the Spanish government in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012. Spain's Parliament has taken on the appearance of a heavily guarded fortress with dozens of police blocking access from every possible angle, hours ahead of a protest against the conservative government's handling of the economic crisis. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

MADRID (AP) ? Spain and Greece outlined plans Thursday to reduce government spending and raise taxes to convince international lenders and financial markets they are on track to cut their deficits.

The latest round of belt-tightening comes as economies across Europe get weaker and public resentment toward austerity grows stronger.

Spain's plan to slash its deficit in 2013 and 2014 signals to many analysts that it's preparing to request a financial lifeline from other governments and the European Central Bank. To receive this help, countries must first show they are serious about reining in deficits.

"This is a budget in times of crisis but one to help get out of the crisis," deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said.

For similar reasons, Greece's coalition government agreed to cut spending over the next two years by ?11.5 billion ($14.77 billion). Without the cuts, Greece would have been cut off from vital bailout loans that it needs to pay its bills ? and stay in the eurozone. The loans come from the International Monetary Fund, European Union and the ECB.

Financial markets cheered the budget-cutting. In Europe, stocks rose in anticipation of the Spanish measures. France's benchmark stock index finished 0.7 percent higher and Germany's main index rose 0.2 percent. Borrowing costs for Spain and Italy fell, and the Dow Jones industrial average rose 72 points.

But the region remains in trouble. Economic confidence in the 17 countries that use the euro fell to its lowest level in over three years, according to a survey by the European Union's Commission. Meanwhile, unemployment figures in Germany continued to drift higher, in spite of a small seasonal boost in jobs, underlining concerns that Europe's biggest economy is slowing down.

Across Europe, six countries are in recession and economists predict the entire region could be heading for recession by the end of the year.

Throughout the three-year financial crisis, eurozone governments have had to impose harsh cuts and reforms to get control of their debts and ? in the case of Greece, Portugal and Ireland ? qualify for vital aid. The austerity measures have hit citizens with wage cuts and fewer services, and reduced government spending has undermined growth.

In some countries, the austerity measures have sparked violent protests. But governments have pressed on with the cuts and reforms to get the eurozone financial crisis under control ? and to get help from other countries and organizations.

Finance Minister Cristobal Montoro said Thursday Spain's draft budget for 2013 would cut overall spending by ?40 billion ($51 billion).

Spain has come under pressure to take up the ECB on its offer to buy unlimited amounts of government bonds to help lower borrowing costs for countries struggling to manage their debts. Such large-scale purchases of short-term government bonds would drive up their price and push down their interest rate and take some pressure off of financially stressed governments such as Spain.

Spain is at the center of the eurozone crisis ? its ?1.4 trillion ($1.8 trillion) economy is the fourth-largest among the 17 countries that use the euro. The country is struggling to prop up its shaky banking sector and support its heavily indebted regional governments. It has already introduced several packages of tax hikes, civil servant wage cuts and freezes in a bid to get out of the crisis.

To get help from the ECB, Spain must first ask for assistance from the rest of the eurozone. So far, the government has been reluctant to ask for fear of the conditions the other countries will attach to its aid. Analysts say the Spanish government hopes Thursday's budget measures will be enough to stop the eurozone from imposing further spending and deficit controls if and when Spain asks for help.

Economy Minister Luis de Guindos said the measures "go beyond" the steps European officials have recommended that Spain should take. He added that Spain was consulting with other countries in the bloc but has still not decided whether to ask for a bailout.

The country is battling to fulfill an EU commitment to reduce its deficit in relation to economic output from 8.9 percent last year to 6.3 percent in 2012, 4.5 percent next year and to 2.8 percent by the end of 2014.

Montoro said Spain would meet the 2012 deficit target despite recent reports that it was off-target eight months into the year. "We're on a very viable path," he said.

Among new taxes to be levied, Montoro said all national lottery prizes of more than ?2,500 ($3,210) would be taxed 20 percent. Saenz de Santamari, meanwhile, announced a new body to oversee regional and local governments' adherence to deficit-reduction targets.

Thursday's budget package comes in the wake of anti-austerity protests in Madrid over the past two nights. More protests are planned for Saturday.

The Greek coalition government hopes that Thursday's agreement on austerity cuts will be enough to meet the targets demanded by its international lenders and keep the vital bailout loans coming.

Finance Minister Yiannis Stournaras said the long-delayed agreement placed him in a stronger negotiating position ahead of talks Monday with representatives from the country's bailout creditors, who will have the final word on the cutbacks.

Greece has relied on international bailouts since May 2010. In return, it has imposed a punishing austerity program, repeatedly slashing incomes, hiking taxes and raising retirement ages.

On top of the ?11.5 billion that has to be axed from state spending in 2013-14, Athens must also boost state revenues by an additional ?2 billion over the next two years through tax reform and improved tax collection.

The three-party meeting came a day after more than 50,000 anti-austerity protesters took to the streets of Athens, in a demonstration marred by clashes between anarchists and riot police.

The conservative-led coalition has been debating the new cutbacks for about two months. But a deal was delayed by opposition from the two center-left junior partners ? coupled with disagreements with the austerity inspectors.

Socialist PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos said after Thursday's two-and-a-half hour talks that he would "struggle to the end to ensure that these measures are not across the board and are fair ... and that they are truly the last," as Samaras has pledged.

___

Barry Hatton in Lisbon and Nicholas Paphitis and Elena Becatoros in Athens contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-09-27-Europe-Financial%20Crisis/id-64f057407dbf4914b0dd90abf32f0bbb

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NHL lockout could mean happy returns for ticket ... - Financial Post

There?s not much that could convince me to become a Toronto Maple Leafs fan ? except maybe a 5% return.

A diehard Buffalo Sabres fan, I received notice from my team this month that in the event of a labour dispute in the National Hockey League I could get a refund on my purchased tickets. The players have been locked out since last week.

My beloved Sabres, who are owned by a billionaire, said if I let them hold onto my money they would pay me annual interest of 4%, which would start accruing after the games I purchased were cancelled.

Much to my chagrin, the Leafs are offering an even better rate to their season ticket holders.

?Leafs season ticket holders have an option: They can choose to be refunded monthly, should games be cancelled, and receive 1% interest, or they can leave their money on account where they will earn 5% interest,? said Pat Park, director of media relations with the team.

Across the NHL, it seems fans are being presented with this magical investment opportunity ? to get a return on their funds that any pension fund manager would be happy to accept.

The Vancouver Canucks are offering up to 3%. Likewise for the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens. The Edmonton Oilers might be checking out hockey rinks in Seattle for a new location but for now their fans will be getting a 4% return on their money.

But nothing beats the cash being handed out south of the border where reports have circulated that have both the Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild offering a meaty 10% return for fans if they let their cash ride with the team.

The money on file, with the accumulated interest, is eventually used to pay for future tickets ? assuming they play hockey again.

We hope it?s a short lockout so we don?t spend our time and energy refunding a game here and a game there

So why are the teams offering a rate of return I can?t possibly get on a guaranteed income certificate? For the most part it seems to be goodwill but also the hassle of returning all that money.

?We have had tremendous fan support since the start of our franchise,? said Aaron Sickman, a spokesman for the Minnesota Wild. ?They?ve been coming back to us in droves and we want to encourage our fans to keep their money with us. We hope it?s a short lockout so we don?t spend our time and energy refunding a game here and a game there.?

Marc Ganis, a sports consultant and president of Chicago-based SportsCorp Ltd., laughs when I tell I?m thinking of getting Wild season?s tickets and betting on a prolonged strike. ?That?s pretty impressive,? he says, about the 10% rate, adding the risk is probably minimal because he can?t remember the last time ticket holders lost their money because of a bankrupt franchise.

Mr. Ganis says the administration cost of refunding tickets is one reason why teams will pay interest to keep fans but he said the high rate might be seen as positive indicator the delay may be short. ?By doing this, it?s not a lot of money and it looks good on them,? he says. ?For this type of interest, I?d let the money roll.?

Certified financial planner Ted Rechtshaffen says it probably makes sense to leave your money with the team, if you know you are coming back to hockey when the labour dispute is over. ?The bottom line is do you want your money or do you know you are going to buying the tickets anyway, then it?s gravy,? says Mr. Rechtshaffen.

Of course, all of this is based on the premise that the underlying tickets were a worthwhile investment to begin with. ?If I was advising someone, I?d say 10% interest is great but then you turn that money into $150 hockey tickets which may or may not be the best investment,? he says. ?It?s only 10% on money that is 100% committed to buying hockey tickets.?

Maybe it?s time to just forget about buying hockey tickets. That might be the best investment I ever make.

Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2012/09/25/nhl-lockout-could-mean-happy-returns-for-ticket-holders/

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MEC Employee's Angry Resignation Letter Goes Viral - Careers ...

Lots of workers like to sound off on their way out the door, but it's one thing to accuse your boss of being a lousy manager and quite another to accuse him of being anti-Semitic and of seducing a female colleague and then having sex with her in an office meeting room.

But that's exactly what a senior account manager at MEC Global in London did Tuesday in an email directed to the entire staff of the media agency. The email, simply titled "Leaving" (and shown in a redacted version above), soon found its way onto Twitter and went viral, after rival agencies got a hold of it.

Not since Greg Smith, the former Goldman Sachs employee who resigned in the editorial pages of The New York Times last March, has a worker's "I quit" salvo received quite so much attention.

The worker, who was employed at the firm for 2? years, allegedly accused his boss of "ruining" his career, saying he had been worked so hard that it induced a "mental breakdown." The worker also alleged the manager was prejudiced against the disabled, citing an instance in which the manager referred to London's recently held Para Olympics as the "Spastic Olympics."

Further the employee alleges that the supervisor proclaimed to be proud of not having "a drop of Jewish blood in him," and that he regularly made sexist and other bigoted remarks.

More: 25 Resume Tips That Help Make A Great First Impression

The employee says that he decided to quit after 30 months of "loyal service" because, he says, his boss didn't pay him his bonus and gave him a verbal warning about poor job performance. Further, the employee said that his manager put him on probation after he returned from sick leave.

The employee said that having his performance allegedly criticized was particularly galling because the manager had persuaded him to stay on just a few months prior, offering him a substantial pay raise as incentive.

It was the promotion, however, that led to his breakdown, the employee said in the email. "[I]nstead of welcoming me back and looking to make things rights, instead [he] attacked me and made me feel an outsider."

For its part, MEC issued this response from CEO Steve Hatch: "We are sad that one of our employees has chosen to share their personal views in such a public way and has left the company with such bad feeling. We are taking this issue seriously though given the highly personal nature of the email, we cannot comment further."

More: Surefire Ways To Blow A Job Interview

On Wednesday, a day after the email went viral, a blond MEC employee named was revealed as being the infamous interviewee, London's Daily Mail reports.

But the 25-year-old Canadian native denied that she and the manager had sex. "I kissed him," the Mail quotes the woman as saying. Though the kiss may have been inappropriate, she said they had both been to a pub for informal job interview.

"It was a kiss in the foyer whilst waiting for taxis," she said. "We were both single at the time."

The version of the letter shown above obscures the name of the boss and other employees to protect their privacy. A full version of the letter can be found here (via BusinessInsider).

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David Schepp

David Schepp has spent more than a dozen years covering business news for the electronic and print media, including Dow Jones Newswires, BBC News, Gannett Co., and most recently at AOL's DailyFinance. Nearly 10 years ago, he started writing a weekly People@Work column, looking in depth at issues facing workers in today's workplace. Follow David on Twitter. Email David at david.schepp@huffingtonpost.com.

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Source: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/09/26/mec-employee-resigns-saying-boss-antisemite-had-office-sex/

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Web Design ? Boost Up Your Internet Business - Free Online ...

A website could make or break your business. How we design and maintain your website can determine the success of your online business to a large degree. There are so many elements in a very website, which when transformed, can completely affect the visibility of your web site. When you launch your own personal website, you must ensure it ranks on the first page associated with popular search engines. Nicely, let us face it; for many people, if it is not on the 1st page, it does not are present. So, you need to keep a few tricks increase sleeve to improve your website targeted traffic. Pay utmost focus on web design.

You should have the money needed to invest in a new web design. If you do not have sufficient account try working with free web design software?s. Having a little bit of knowledge about HTML is important if you are designing your own website. This also provides you with the control of this article of your site. Tend not to compromise on the buyer privacy while developing a website. Your customers have to be assured that the internet site they are visiting is 100% safe. Check with your web hosting company about the security features it provides.

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If these seem like too much of perform, turn to a professional web design organization. You will be provided with a lot of webpage design options before you can choose the design and layout of your website. But, picking the right designer or company is important. The company needs to have some experience in the field. Starting a site is not a super easy job; especially if it is a large company. In other words, the web design firm you select should be done keeping in mind the sort of website you want.

Nominee list some of the best professional website design firms. You need to shell out a lot of attention to the reputation a certain agency holds. Consumer reports will be available online. You will have client comments and also details about the services provided. On the website of the design firm you will get information on their past work and other related information. This will aid make up your mind about which company to hire to design your internet site.

When you brief the web design requirements to the developer, make sure you have specific things in mind. The product and the market you are targeting should be thought about. The website should entice the target audience. Consumers should find it really easy to navigate your website. The client should not be confused about where or getting your product. They should be able to reach the web page of their choice. Increase past client testimonails from others on your website. And never forget to add any ?contact us? page. That adds trustworthiness to your business and also separates your website coming from hundreds of hoax web sites. Once your website is made, make sure you make the most out of it. Last but not the least; make sure you deliver that which you promise.

For more information about diseno web please visit the website.

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2. Select a Good Web Design Richmond Service On your Local BusinessTop notch web design richmond organization website need to be professional, helpful and additionally well-performing. Your website outlines the on-line world regional community, also, you do firm. A good edge of excellent business website web, it is important to be described as an expert small business, website design help.`
3. Satva Design Studio Australia ? Design, Market, Control your business with us
4. Satva Design Studio Australia ? Design, Market, Deal with your business with us
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Source: http://www.28seo.com/web-design-boost-up-your-internet-business.html

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Global growth fears keep Asia stocks in check

BANGKOK (AP) ? Asian stock markets were held in check Tuesday by a host of concerns about the global economy.

Worries about the state of the world economy worsened Monday when Germany's Ifo index of business confidence fell for a fifth consecutive month, evidence that even Europe's largest and so far strongest economy is suffering headwinds.

Stocks have risen in recent weeks as the U.S. Federal Reserve and monetary authorities in other major economies announced measures to support growth. The European Central Bank unveiled a new plan to restore investor confidence in the government finances of the 17 countries that use the euro.

The most recent indicators, however, suggest the global economy is still slowing down.

"The near term outlook is likely to remain one of caution until some progress in the Eurozone is in evidence. However, growth concerns suggest any improvement in sentiment will be tenuous at best," analysts at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong said in a market commentary.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.3 percent to 9,096.55 after a lower open. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.1 percent to 20,705.97. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.3 percent to 1,998.25. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.2 percent to 4,377.70.

Benchmarks in Singapore, mainland China and New Zealand rose. Taiwan's fell.

Analysts say Europe's debt crisis will remain a key concern. Spain is due to unveil a new series of cost-cutting measures and structural reforms that could pave the way for a demand for financial aid from its fellow eurozone countries. Spanish stock and bond markets have been volatile in recent days as hopes that Madrid will apply for aid alternated with concern that it was delaying the move.

Wall Street closed lower Monday. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.2 percent to 13,558.92. The Standard & Poor's 500 index declined 0.2 percent to 1,459.89. The Nasdaq composite index dropped 0.6 percent to 3,160.78.

In currency markets, the euro rose to $1.2947 from $1.2935 in late trading Monday while the dollar was slightly down at 77.84 yen from 77.86 yen.

Benchmark crude for November delivery was up 35 cents to $92.28 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 96 cents to settle at $91.93 on Monday.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/global-growth-fears-keep-asia-stocks-check-023133203--finance.html

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European lawmakers warn of banking union split

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Creation of a banking union to help resolve the euro zone debt crisis could lead to a split within the wider European Union, lawmakers in the European Parliament warned during a debate that laid bare the extent of tensions in the bloc.

Brussels proposed earlier this month that the European Central Bank (ECB) take charge of supervising all banks in the euro currency zone, as a first step towards creating a banking union under which euro zone countries would eventually jointly back their lenders.

However, the plan has sparked concerns among the 10 EU countries which do not use the euro that they will be indirectly affected by the ECB's new supervisory powers and put at a competitive disadvantage, whether they join the scheme or not.

Legally, the European Parliament will have no say in writing much of the legislation for a banking union. But it has powers to amend other important financial regulations and can exert influence to change or even delay the new regime.

"What's the point of having a single supervisory mechanism (for the euro zone) when you have the UK with its 60 percent of the financial market not involved?" said Werner Langen, a German lawmaker, in the debate on Wednesday.

"Instead of a single supervisory mechanism, we have a division of Europe, a very explosive division."

Langen's views were echoed throughout the debate of the parliament's influential economic and monetary affairs committee, where members from around Europe voiced conflicting views about the shape of a banking union.

"What we don't want to do here is split the EU down the middle," said Wolf Klinz, a German member of parliament. "What we don't want to see is that the British push themselves into a corner where they have a referendum and they say ... that's enough for us."

BETTER CONTROL

A banking union, which would aim to restore confidence in an industry that has been battered by crisis for nearly five years, has three major steps: the ECB takes over monitoring euro zone banks and others that sign up; a single fund is created to close down and settle the debts of failed banks; and a comprehensive scheme to protect savers' deposits is established.

As well as building the foundation for better control of banks, the union would be important because it should allow the euro zone's rescue fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), to directly inject much-needed capital into banks, such as those in Spain.

"We are under time pressure," said Sven Giegold, a German member of the parliament, who also flagged concerns about a two-tier scheme damaging those countries on the outside. "The banking union ... is linked to access to the ESM."

This pledge, made by euro zone leaders in June, appears to be unraveling, however, after Germany, the Netherlands and Finland drew a distinction between future banking problems and "legacy" difficulties - which could mean that problem banks in Spain and Ireland remain the states' responsibility.

"This proposal is to allow for the direct recapitalization of Spanish banks because Spain doesn't want to put in a normal application (for aid)," said Langen, who is a member of the CDU, the same political party as German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"The whole European system of banking supervision is being turned on its head for the sake of Spain. As this thing has been turned on its head, we need to turn it back again," Langen said.

SUPERVISORY REACH

The debate underscored a central problem of the union - that it could drive a wedge between those countries inside the scheme and those outside, whose banks may suffer as a result.

Swedish Finance Minister Anders Borg has said he would not accept ECB oversight of Nordea , the Nordic region's biggest bank, as long as his country remains outside a banking union. Nordea has its headquarters outside the euro zone in Stockholm, but has major operations in Finland, the sole Nordic country to use the common currency.

While Britain will stay outside the scheme, many international banks in London - ranging from HSBC to Citi - have operations in the euro zone that will be affected by the ECB's new supervisory reach.

London is worried that the ECB, emboldened by its new powers, will demand regulation that could undermine the city's position as Europe's financial capital.

Some believe that the European Banking Authority (EBA), set up to coordinate the supervision of banks in response to the financial crisis and which is run by regulators from across the European Union, could act as a counterbalance.

The European Commission has already suggested a special voting mechanism among EU regulators as a counterweight to the power of those in the euro zone.

"Countries should be lured in, tempted in - it should be made difficult for a country to refuse," said Giegold, who will play a leading role in talks about the plan.

"The system should be so attractive that everyone will want to join," Giegold said, in an appeal which is likely to be ignored in London.

The close ties between some troubled governments and the banks they supervise - and on which they also rely to buy their debt - have dragged both ever-deeper into crisis.

A banking union would break this link by making the policing of banks supranational and establishing central schemes paid into collectively to cover the costs of closing failed lenders and protecting savers' deposits.

(Editing by David Stamp and David Holmes)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/european-lawmakers-warn-banking-union-split-111000118--finance.html

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Players, coaches now testing replacement officials

NEW YORK (AP) ? New England coach Bill Belichick was confused about a decisive field goal he thought was off-target. Detroit's Jim Schwartz couldn't understand a 27-yard penalty walk-off for unnecessary roughness. Philadelphia's Andy Reid felt ignored while trying to decline a penalty.

The furor over the work of replacement officials reached something of a fevered pitch during Week 3 in the NFL, when even deciphering downs and distance became a challenge.

In Sunday night's Ravens-Patriots game, shoving matches followed even insignificant plays. One TV analyst called it the substitute-teacher syndrome: See how much you can get away with before the real thing returns.

"Nature says for us that we're going to go out there and push the limit regardless," Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway said. "If they're calling a game tight, if they're calling a game loose, it's going to be pushed to the limit. You are pushing it to the brink. If things are going to be called easier, and in some situations I feel like they've been less lenient, too, you've just got to play and see how (it's being called)."

If you can figure it out.

Broncos coach John Fox was fined $30,000 Monday and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio $25,000 for verbal abuse of the officials during a Monday night game against Atlanta on Sept. 17.

More fines are likely for Belichick and Redskins offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and perhaps for others.

Fox and Del Rio were hit for their sideline histrionics, particularly when Fox was told he couldn't challenge a call of 12 men on the field ? he was correct that he could challenge, although replays showed the Broncos were guilty.

Before grabbing the arm of an official, Belichick wanted to know why Justin Tucker's field goal was called good in Baltimore's 31-30 victory Sunday night. He couldn't tell from his angle on the sideline, he said.

"So when the game was over, I went out and I was really looking for an explanation from the officials as to whether the play was under review," he said, "and I did try to get the official's attention as he was coming off the field to ask that, but I really wasn't able to do that."

Most confusing was the mark-off for a Lions penalty in overtime at Tennessee. Officials wound up penalizing Detroit from its 44-yard line rather than from the original line of scrimmage, the Titans 44.

Soon after, Rob Bironas kicked a go-ahead field goal.

Schwartz noted that the alternate official who helps the replacements with administrating penalties was on the Detroit sideline.

"We said, 'You're enforcing it from the wrong spot.' He was adamant that they weren't doing so," Schwartz said. "At that point, we just needed to play."

They didn't play well enough to avoid losing 44-41, and Titans coach Mike Munchak wasn't apologizing for how his team won.

"I don't feel any guilt," Munchak said. "For us, really the obvious answer is there's nothing we can do about who's officiating games. It's the same for everybody, so go out and don't get caught up in all that."

The league and the officials' union met Sunday without reaching any agreement on ending the lockout that began in June. The players' union also called on the 32 team owners to end the lockout because it is compromising the integrity of the game.

While most of the coaches are being careful what they say about the replacements, the players and broadcasters are less inhibited.

"Unfortunately, I feel like that it's like changing an intersection from a stop sign to a red light," Browns kicker Phil Dawson said. "You have to have so many car wrecks before they deem that intersection to be dangerous enough ? and we're heading that way. Someone's going to lose a game, if it hasn't already happened, to get both sides to a pressure point to get a deal done. It's sad."

Certainly not holding back on the criticism are some of the NFL's broadcast partners. Analyst Cris Collinsworth was forthright in his evaluation of the officiating problems Sunday night, as were Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden during last Monday night's flag-fest in Atlanta.

"We don't want to talk about the officials, trust us," ESPN's Tirico said. "But it's affecting the game. When we meet with teams and coordinators, frustration boils out into limited on-the-record statements. Off the record, what guys are saying ? it's a nightmare. It is impacting the game.

"It hasn't burned a team to cost them a playoff spot yet. But you should go back and watch the film. There are so many little things that players are getting away with that is absolutely impacting the game to the detriment of the product."

Yet some players aren't completely down on the performances of the replacements.

Patriots receiver Deion Branch noted all the controversy about officiating throughout the league.

"But I think the bigger picture is that we've all got to understand that, hey, they're making those calls on both sides of the ball," Branch said. "Us as players, we need to remove ourselves from what the refs are doing and just go out and play our game."

Rams defensive end Chris Long offered, apparently with no sarcasm, that the game "hasn't changed at all with the replacement officials because officials don't care about defensive linemen, replacement or first-tier officials."

Then he admitted taking the regular officials for granted.

"The NFL could really use them back," Long said.

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Sports Writers Howard Ulman, Rachel Cohen, Tom Withers, R.B. Fallstrom, Joseph White, Noah Trister, Jon Krawczynski and Teresa M. Walker contributed to this story.

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Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/players-coaches-now-testing-replacement-officials-211308109--nfl.html

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