DKK 60 million for research center devoted to well-being among children and young people

Public release date: 30-Nov-2012
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Contact: Merete Konnerup
mek@trygfonden.dk
45-21-68-52-18
Aarhus University

Denmark invests billions in initiatives and schemes for children and young people every year. These efforts are intended to provide children and young people with safe conditions in which to grow, develop and prepare for adulthood. But do they work? And are the resources being used effectively? We do not know enough about these issues, and that is precisely why the TrygFonden foundation has taken the initiative to establish a centre to research the field of well-being among children and young people.

"There are a great many children in Denmark who have a difficult childhood, who learn little at school, who fail to complete an education, and who as adults find it very hard to provide for themselves and/or establish a functional family. We in Denmark invest billions in attempts to prevent and deal with issues in these areas every year heavily outspending other countries with which we normally compare ourselves but we still fail to achieve our goals. To put it mildly, the results are indifferent," says Merete Konnerup, Senior Consultant at TrygFonden.

Plenty of will but knowledge is lacking

Professor Michael Rosholm from Aarhus University is to head up the pioneering research centre. Over the coming six years, he will be joining forces with a range of partners to carry out research targeted at different ages, development phases and skills from children of daycare age to young people in higher secondary education and at the start of their working lives. The first research projects are scheduled for launch in 2013.

"There can be no doubt that we need to take a more systematic approach to the initiatives currently being applied in the area of children and young people. In particular, we need to raise the bar with regard to how we evaluate the input. There is no shortage of will to improve schools and institutions, for example, to ensure that they provide better support for the academic and social skills of children and young people, and great efforts are being made all over the country every single day. The problem is that due to a lack of knowledge about what actually works the resources are often spent on inefficient initiatives, while programmes that have a much greater effect are not being made available to relevant players. In other words, we are not learning from either our failures or our successes," says Michael Rosholm. He continues:

"We will be starting out by thoroughly evaluating a limited number of projects, and will then progressively work our way out to broader areas. In this way, we hope that we can contribute to changing the knowledge culture and to developing the area so that we can base future initiatives on more reliable knowledge."

A great many exciting projects are being launched in the field of children and young people, and Merete Konnerup is convinced that there is much to be gained from applying a more systematic approach.

"If we become better at assessing effect in the field of children and young people in Denmark, we can improve child welfare and boost both skills and happiness among children," she says.

Research attracting international attention

The Danish researchers will be joined by a number of international colleagues, including James J. Heckman, Nobel laureate, Professor at the University of Chicago and one of the world's leading experts in measuring the effect of social initiatives. He sees great potential in the Danish research into effect.

"The research centre is a promising initiative that is sure to contribute knowledge and help the Danes to prioritise their efforts better. The initiative will also benefit the rest of the world. Setting up a centre to work seriously with research-based evaluation of many different initiatives is a really good idea," he says.

The enclosed fact sheet presents an overview of the ten projects that the TrygFonden centre for research into well-being among children and young people will be working on.

###

Read more about the TrygFonden centre for research into well-being among children and young people at trygfonden.dk

The ten research projects at Aarhus University into well-being among children and young people

Economic Evaluations and Cross-Study Comparability
Project Manager: Michael Rosholm, Aarhus University

School Readiness in Young Danish Children: Does an Intervention in Nurseries Improve Short and Long-Term Outcomes?
Project Manager: Dorthe Bleses, University of Southern Denmark

The Incredible Years. Developing socioeconomically disadvantaged children at key developmental stages
Project Manager: Marianne Simonsen, Aarhus University

Follow-Up on Early Childhood Intervention: A Double-Randomized Field

Trial of a Two-Stage Investment in Parental Childcare
Project Manager: Simon Calmar Andersen, Aarhus University

School-Wide Positive Behavior Support
Project Manager: Sarah van Mastrigt, Aarhus University

School Absenteeism. Risk factors and Intervention
Project Manager: Mikael Thastum, Aarhus University

Spare Time Jobs for Socially Disadvantaged Youth
Project Manager: Anna Piil Damm, Aarhus University

Dropout and Self-Control Problems in Youth
Project Manager: Helena Skyt Nielsen, Aarhus University

Improving Outcomes for Children in Disadvantaged Families by More Intensive Counseling
Project Manager: Lars Skipper, Aarhus University

Mentoring Disadvantaged Youth
Project Manager: Michael Svarer, Aarhus University

---

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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-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Merete Konnerup
mek@trygfonden.dk
45-21-68-52-18
Aarhus University

Denmark invests billions in initiatives and schemes for children and young people every year. These efforts are intended to provide children and young people with safe conditions in which to grow, develop and prepare for adulthood. But do they work? And are the resources being used effectively? We do not know enough about these issues, and that is precisely why the TrygFonden foundation has taken the initiative to establish a centre to research the field of well-being among children and young people.

"There are a great many children in Denmark who have a difficult childhood, who learn little at school, who fail to complete an education, and who as adults find it very hard to provide for themselves and/or establish a functional family. We in Denmark invest billions in attempts to prevent and deal with issues in these areas every year heavily outspending other countries with which we normally compare ourselves but we still fail to achieve our goals. To put it mildly, the results are indifferent," says Merete Konnerup, Senior Consultant at TrygFonden.

Plenty of will but knowledge is lacking

Professor Michael Rosholm from Aarhus University is to head up the pioneering research centre. Over the coming six years, he will be joining forces with a range of partners to carry out research targeted at different ages, development phases and skills from children of daycare age to young people in higher secondary education and at the start of their working lives. The first research projects are scheduled for launch in 2013.

"There can be no doubt that we need to take a more systematic approach to the initiatives currently being applied in the area of children and young people. In particular, we need to raise the bar with regard to how we evaluate the input. There is no shortage of will to improve schools and institutions, for example, to ensure that they provide better support for the academic and social skills of children and young people, and great efforts are being made all over the country every single day. The problem is that due to a lack of knowledge about what actually works the resources are often spent on inefficient initiatives, while programmes that have a much greater effect are not being made available to relevant players. In other words, we are not learning from either our failures or our successes," says Michael Rosholm. He continues:

"We will be starting out by thoroughly evaluating a limited number of projects, and will then progressively work our way out to broader areas. In this way, we hope that we can contribute to changing the knowledge culture and to developing the area so that we can base future initiatives on more reliable knowledge."

A great many exciting projects are being launched in the field of children and young people, and Merete Konnerup is convinced that there is much to be gained from applying a more systematic approach.

"If we become better at assessing effect in the field of children and young people in Denmark, we can improve child welfare and boost both skills and happiness among children," she says.

Research attracting international attention

The Danish researchers will be joined by a number of international colleagues, including James J. Heckman, Nobel laureate, Professor at the University of Chicago and one of the world's leading experts in measuring the effect of social initiatives. He sees great potential in the Danish research into effect.

"The research centre is a promising initiative that is sure to contribute knowledge and help the Danes to prioritise their efforts better. The initiative will also benefit the rest of the world. Setting up a centre to work seriously with research-based evaluation of many different initiatives is a really good idea," he says.

The enclosed fact sheet presents an overview of the ten projects that the TrygFonden centre for research into well-being among children and young people will be working on.

###

Read more about the TrygFonden centre for research into well-being among children and young people at trygfonden.dk

The ten research projects at Aarhus University into well-being among children and young people

Economic Evaluations and Cross-Study Comparability
Project Manager: Michael Rosholm, Aarhus University

School Readiness in Young Danish Children: Does an Intervention in Nurseries Improve Short and Long-Term Outcomes?
Project Manager: Dorthe Bleses, University of Southern Denmark

The Incredible Years. Developing socioeconomically disadvantaged children at key developmental stages
Project Manager: Marianne Simonsen, Aarhus University

Follow-Up on Early Childhood Intervention: A Double-Randomized Field

Trial of a Two-Stage Investment in Parental Childcare
Project Manager: Simon Calmar Andersen, Aarhus University

School-Wide Positive Behavior Support
Project Manager: Sarah van Mastrigt, Aarhus University

School Absenteeism. Risk factors and Intervention
Project Manager: Mikael Thastum, Aarhus University

Spare Time Jobs for Socially Disadvantaged Youth
Project Manager: Anna Piil Damm, Aarhus University

Dropout and Self-Control Problems in Youth
Project Manager: Helena Skyt Nielsen, Aarhus University

Improving Outcomes for Children in Disadvantaged Families by More Intensive Counseling
Project Manager: Lars Skipper, Aarhus University

Mentoring Disadvantaged Youth
Project Manager: Michael Svarer, Aarhus University

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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/2012-11/au-d6m113012.php

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Stocks end higher after upbeat economic data

11 hrs.

JeeYeon Park , CNBC

Stocks closed higher for a second session in choppy trading Thursday, with the Dow finishing above the psychologically-important 13,000 level, following comments from several lawmakers on the looming "fiscal cliff" and after an earlier batch of upbeat economic data.

?If you?re a day trader, you absolutely trade it because you love the volatility?that?s how you make money,? said Kenny Polcari, independent trader. ?But if you?re a long-term person, I don?t think you chase it at all. You remain patient and let the prices come to you.?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 36.71 points, or 0.28 percent, to close at 13,021.82, led by UnitedHealth. Intel dragged the blue-chip laggards.

The S&P 500 climbed 6.02 points, or 0.43 percent, to end at 1,415.95. The Nasdaq rose 20.25 points, or 0.68 percent, to finish at 3,012.03. Both averages are now in positive territory for the month. The CBOE Volatility Index, widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, slid near 15.

All key S&P sectors closed higher, led by health care and telecoms.

Following a ray of hope in the last few sessions that a deal could be reached to avoid the "fiscal cliff," Republican and Democratic leaders pointed fingers at each other for not making any substantive offers.

"Based on where we stand today?first, despite the claims that the President supports a balanced approach, the Democrats have yet to get serious about real spending cuts," said Speaker John Boehner in a press conference. "And secondly, no substantive progress have been made in the talks between the White House and the House [of Representatives] over the last two weeks."

"We're still waiting for a serious offer from the Republicans," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, shortly after Boehner's speech. "Now is the time to for Republicans to move past this 'happy talk' about revenues?and put specifics on the table...We're not going to kick the can down the road?we're going to finalize this this year."

Stocks have gyrated in recent weeks as investors reacted to every headline from lawmakers in Washington.?

On Wednesday, Obama said he was hopeful a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" could be reached before Christmas. The president also highlighted some flexibility regarding taxes for high-income Americans.

Among earnings, Tiffany tumbled after the luxury goods retailer missed earnings expectations and slashed its full-year profit forecast, citing difficult economic conditions in addition to tough comparisons to a year ago.

Kroger jumped after the supermarket chain beat earnings forecasts and lifted its profit outlook for the year.

Microsoft announced that it is pricing its new Surface Pro device at $899 for the 64GB version. The device is expected to be released in early 2013.

Research In Motion soared to hit a six-month high after the BlackBerry maker was upgraded to "buy" from "neutral" at Goldman Sachs.

Intel fell to lead the Dow laggards after Goldman Sachs lowered its price target on the firm to $16 from $20.

Macy's , Nordstrom , Kohl's and Target all declined after the retailers missed monthly same-store sales expectations.

On the economic front, pending home sales climbed 5.2 percent in October, surging to its highest level in more than five years, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The economy grew at a 2.7 percent annual rate, faster pace than initially thought in the third quarter, according to the Commerce Department. However, momentum is likely to slow as the nation braces for deep cuts in government spending and tax increases early next year.

And weekly jobless claims declined for a second week, falling 23,000 to a seasonally adjusted 393,000, according to the Labor Department. The Labor Department added there was no pronounced impact of the Hurricane Sandy in last week's data.

The government auctioned $29 billion in 7-year notes at a high yield of 1.045 percent. The bid-to-cover was 2.81.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stocks-end-higher-after-upbeat-indicators-1C7333188

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Stephen King and Steven Spielberg's "Under the Dome" gets series order from CBS

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Under the Dome" has landed under the wing of CBS.

The network has given a 13-episode, straight-to-series order for the project, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name.

The series will premiere in summer 2013.

King will executive-produce, along with Steven Spielberg, whose Amblin Television will produce the series in association with CBS Television Studios. Neal Baer, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider and Brian K. Vaughan are also executive-producing. Niels Arden Oplev ("The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo") will direct the first episode.

The series will revolve around a small New England town that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. The town's inhabitants must deal with surviving the post-apocalyptic conditions while searching for answers to what this barrier is, where it came from and if and when it will go away.

"This is a great novel coming to the television screen with outstanding auspices and in-season production values to create a summer programming event," CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler said. "We're excited to transport audiences 'Under the Dome' and into the extraordinary world that Stephen King has imagined."

Showtime, which is owned by CBS, had previously been developing the project.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stephen-king-steven-spielbergs-under-dome-gets-series-000828332.html

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Source: http://www.robertsfamilyfh.com/2012/11/30/unique-services-honoring-unique-lives/

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Wal-Mart, Sean Combs clothing at Bangladesh factory

10 hrs.

FARID HOSSAIN, JULHAS ALAM , The Associated Press

Amid the ash, broken glass and melted sewing machines at what is left of the Tazreen Fashions Ltd. factory, there are piles of blue, red and off-white children's shorts bearing Wal-Mart's Faded Glory brand. Shorts from hip-hop star Sean Combs' ENYCE label lay on the floor and are stacked in cartons.

An Associated Press reporter searching the factory Wednesday found these and other clothes, including sweaters from the French company Teddy Smith, among the equipment charred in the fire that killed 112 workers Saturday. He also found entries in account books indicating that the factory took orders to produce clothes for Disney, Sears and other Western brands.

Garments and documents left behind in the factory show it was used by a host of major American and European retailers, though at least one of them ? Wal-Mart ? had been aware of safety problems. Wal-Mart blames a supplier for using Tazreen Fashions without its knowledge.

The fire has elevated awareness of something labor groups, retailers and governments have known for years: Bangladesh's fast-growing garment industry ? second only to China's in exports ? is rife with dangerous workplaces. More than 300 workers there have died in fires since 2006.

Police on Wednesday arrested three factory officials suspected of locking in the workers who died in Saturday's fire, the deadliest in the South Asian country's less than 35-year history of exporting clothing.

Local police chief Habibur Rahman said the three will be questioned amid reports that many workers trying to escape the blaze had been locked inside. He said the owner of the factory was not among those arrested.

The three officials were arrested Wednesday at their homes in Savar, the Dhaka suburb where the factory is also located. Rahman did not identify the officials or give their job status.

About 1,400 workers worked at the plant, some 70 percent of them women. Most are from the north, the poorest region of Bangladesh.

Workers who survived the fire say exit doors were locked, and a fire official has said that far fewer people would have died if there had been even one emergency exit. Of the dead, 53 bodies were burned so badly they could not be identified; they were buried anonymously.

The fire started on the ground floor, where a factory worker named Nasima said stacks of yarn and clothes blocked part of the stairway.

Nasima, who uses only one name, and other workers said that when they tried to flee, managers told them to go back to their work stations, but they were ignored.

Dense smoke filled the stairway, making it hard to see, and when the lights went out the workers were left in total darkness. Another worker, Mohammad Rajib, said some people used their cellphones to light their way.

"Everyone was screaming for help," Nasima said. "Total chaos, panic and screaming. Everyone was trying to escape and come out. I was pulling the shirt of a man. I fainted and when I woke up I found myself lying on the road outside the factory.

"I don't know how I survived."

Rajib said the factory conducted a fire drill just three days before the fire broke out, but no one used the fire extinguishers. "Only a selected group of workers are trained to use the extinguishers. Others have no idea how to use them," he said.

The AP reporter who examined the factory Wednesday saw dozens of fire extinguishers with tags indicating they were inspected early this month. Many appeared unused.

Workers expressed support for the factory owner, Delwar Hossain. Rajib said he is "a gentle man" who heeded workers when they protested for more pay and against rough behavior by some managers.

"He took action and fired some of them," he said. "He did not sack any worker. He told us: 'You are my people. If you survive, I will survive.'"

Most the fire's devastation took place on the second and third floors. Sewing and embroidery machines and tables burned to ashes, ceiling fans melted and floor and wall tiles were broken, apparently because of excessive heat. Thick black ash covers everything in the upper floors of the eight-story building.

Much of the clothing on the lower floors was incinerated. Nightgowns, children's shorts, pants, jackets and sweat shirts were strewn about, piled up in some places, boxed in others. Cartons of kids' hooded sweaters, off-white with red and black print, were marked "Disney Pixar."

There were also at least four register books listing buyers including Wal-Mart, Disney, Sears and other companies. Also listed was Li & Fung, a Hong Kong-based buying house that is among the biggest suppliers of garment products from Bangladesh. Li & Fung issued a statement Monday saying it placed orders at the factory for just one company, Kids Headquarters, and that the value of those orders totaled just $111,000.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Interior Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir have said arson is suspected. Police say they have not ruled out sabotage.

Wal-Mart had received an audit deeming the factory "high risk" last year, said it had decided to stop doing business with Tazreen, but that a supplier subcontracted work to the factory anyway. Wal-Mart said it stopped working with that supplier on Monday.

Calls made to The Walt Disney Company and to Sears Holdings were not immediately returned.

Local TV reports said about 3,000 garment workers held protests over the fire Wednesday, blocking roads and throwing stones at some factories and vehicles. It was the third straight day of demonstrations, and as they did previously, factories in the area closed to avoid violence.

Police used batons to disperse the protesters, but no injuries were immediately reported.

According to local television, most factories in the area closed after opening briefly because of the protests ? a common tactic to avoid violence.?

Associated Press writer Farid Hossain in Dhaka, Bangladesh, contributed to this report.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/wal-mart-faded-glory-sean-combs-enyce-found-factory-fire-1C7297922

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Why one of China's richest men is squaring off against Obama in court

Wu Jialiang, CEO of Ralls Corp. is?challenging Obama's refusal on national security grounds to let him build a wind farm in America,?marking the first such high level case in the US from a Chinese firm.

By Peter Ford,?Staff Writer / November 28, 2012

Ralls Corp. CEO Wu Jialiang speaks at a news conference in Beijing, October 18. Mr. Wu, one of China?s richest men, squares off against President Obama in a Washington federal court Wednesday, challenging the US leader's refusal, on national security grounds, to let him build a wind farm in America.

Jason Lee/Reuters

Enlarge

One of China?s richest men squares off against President Obama in a Washington federal court today, challenging the US leader?s refusal, on national security grounds, to let him build a wind farm in the US.

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?We are suing the president because we do not accept his finding that we are a national security threat. It is not true,? says Wu Jialiang, CEO of Ralls Corp., whose deal to buy land for a wind farm in Oregon near a US Navy weapons training facility ran into a presidential veto in September.?

US and Chinese lawyers say it is unlikely Ralls will win its case, but that the high profile challenge is a landmark in Chinese companies? increasingly bold strategy of investing abroad. It could also serve as a test of Chinese allegations that US investment rules are biased against Chinese companies.

Ralls Corp. is affiliated to Sany Group, one of China?s biggest private companies, whose president, Liang Wengen, ranks sixth on Forbes 2012 China Rich List. Ralls co-owner Mr. Wu is Mr. Liang?s deputy.

Ralls bought four plots of land on which it planned to build a wind farm in March 2012. The deal was later blocked by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a government agency empowered to review foreign purchases of US assets to ensure they entail no national security risk.

CFIUS said it had found ?credible evidence? that Chinese ownership of land near a military facility posed a risk. Ralls challenged that finding, prompting Mr. Obama to issue the first presidential order in 22 years backing a CFIUS ruling.

He issued the executive order at the climax of his presidential campaign, when he was under fire from Mitt Romney for being soft on China. Ralls then filed a suit against the president for exceeding his authority.

Lawyers do not expect the case to go far.

?The government has a pretty good case that once the president issues an executive order, that is the end of the story,? says David Fagan, an expert on cross-border investment with Covington & Burling, a Washington law firm. ?The statute is pretty clear that the president has the authority to prohibit a transaction to safeguard national security.?

?When you challenge the Titan?

But the lawsuit has symbolic and psychological value, says Hao Junbo, an independent expert on transnational legal cases. ?It will be good publicity in China,? he says. ?When you challenge the Titan, the US, you appear a hero.?

At the same time, Mr. Hao adds, ?the case presents a confident Chinese company insisting it has not done anything wrong. This case?s meaning is psychological.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ydxUnzxgQ6w/Why-one-of-China-s-richest-men-is-squaring-off-against-Obama-in-court

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The 2012 Rome Christmas Parade

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The 2012 Rome Christmas Parade

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MidlifeGamer Community Awards 2012 ? ? Midlife Gamer Midlife ...

Its almost December, and once again we approach the end of another gaming year.

There have been a lot of big games, a lot of disappointing games, and a lot of surprising games that have arrived in our machines of choice in the last 12 months, and here at Midlife Gamer we want?you to decide, as a community, which game truly shone as the gem of 2012.

As such, rather than setting out contenders for specific categories, such as best FPS or best Soundtrack, that we see year in year out across many gaming sites, we have decided to go for a more unique approach.

There will be no categories. There will be no lists of preselected games. There will be no contenders, other than those you yourself put forward. That?s right, you will choose who wins directly.

So, how does it work?

Simply put, we need you to supply us with your own personal choices of your top five games of the year along with a couple of lines as to why. Alongside that, we will allow one selection for our Stinker award, the game that in your opinion was truly not worth the disk it was burned on, or the hard-drive space it filled.

Only fully released titles qualify, and as such any Alpha/Beta code you may have selected will go in the honourable mention list along with those titles that don?t quite break into the top 10.

You can place a vote for a game from any genre or format. So if your favourite game of 2012 was that Farming Simulator you download for your iPhone then vote for it.

The game must have been released in the calender year of 2012.

Once the votes have been cast, we will assemble the staff to count the tally to see the ultimate winner. Each position between first and fifth will be allotted a point score as follows: 10 points for first, five points for second, three points for third, two points for fourth and one point for fifth place.

Once the order?is set, we will be updating the site on a daily basis with a countdown to the Midlife Gamer community Game of the Year.

Voting closes at 23:59 on the 10th December 2012 and is open to all.

So, time to get your thinking caps on, and PM your entries to Simon Stevens through the forum. Happy voting!!

Tags: awards, Community, game of the year, MLG, stinker of the year

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 at 09:02 and is filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Source: http://www.midlifegamer.net/features/2012/11/midlifegamer-community-awards-2012.html

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Highlights - BoE officials speak to parliament committee on economy

LONDON (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mervyn King and other policymakers spoke to the British parliament's treasury committee about the central bank's quarterly economic outlook on Tuesday.

Following are highlights of remarks from King, BoE executive director for markets Paul Fisher and external members of the Monetary Policy Committee Paul Fisher, Ben Broadbent and Martin Weale,.

KING COMPLETELY CONFIDENT WITH CARNEY

"I think anyone who holds down a job like mine wants very much on the day when they leave, to hand the Bank on to someone who they know will carry on the good work, and I am completely confident with Mark Carney as someone with whom the Bank is in very good hands - as indeed is the role of governor which I am sure he will carry out with very great distinction.

"It may be unreasonable to expect anything other than a slow and protracted recovery absent a further fall in the real exchange rate. In such an environment, there are limits to the ability of domestic policy to stimulate private sector demand as the economy adjusts to a new equilibrium. In the event that further easing is required, I believe it appropriate to continue with our policy of purchasing gilts."

KING ON REBALANCING STILL NEEDED IN UK

"The underlying problem is one in which there is still a great deal of adjustment to be made in the financial sector, a great deal of adjustment to be made in the economy as a whole - the need for rebalancing - and in this sort of situation, it is very unlikely that we would expect to see a rapid recovery.

KING ON RAPID GROWTH CHANCES

"We have significantly lowered, in our view, the chances of growth being rapid. Now this is something which I think has been building up in our minds over the past year. It's not a sudden change between August and November. I think it was a result of finally realising that, as we had debated among ourselves, the chances of a very rapid expansion of growth - which you might have expected if this was a normal cyclical downturn and then recovery - we do not think the chances of very rapid growth in 2013 and 2014 are very great.

(Reporting by UK economics team)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boe-officials-speak-parliament-treasury-committee-102807865--business.html

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ConocoPhillips to sell Kazakh oilfield stake to India's ONGC for $5 billion

(Reuters) - ConocoPhillips said it plans to sell its 8.4 percent stake in Kazakhstan's giant Kashagan oil field to India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd for about $5 billion as the Indian company looks to make up for flagging production.

Kashagan, the world's biggest oilfield discovery since 1968, holds an estimated 30 billion barrels of oil-in-place, of which 8-12 billion are potentially recoverable. First production from the field is expected in 2013.

India, the world's fourth-biggest oil importer, buys nearly 80 percent of its oil needs as expanding refining capacity has outpaced local oil output. State-run ONGC's local oil output has been almost stagnant for years.

ConocoPhillips said the carrying value of the assets related to its Kashagan interest was about $5.5 billion as of September 30.

The company said it would take an after-tax impairment of about $400 million in the fourth quarter to reduce the carrying value. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2013.

ONGC, India's third-biggest company by market value, has been investing to maintain output from its old fields and has capital spending plans of around 340 billion Indian rupees ($6.12 billion) both this year and next. The company is under pressure from the government to meet rising demand.

The acquisition is the largest ever for ONGC, and marks the biggest outbound deal from India since mobile phone operator Bharti Airtel bought mobile phone operations in 15 African countries for $9 billion in 2010 from Kuwait-based telecoms group Zain .

ONGC Videsh, the arm of ONGC that invests in overseas assets, said the acquisition would likely add 1 million tonnes (20,000 barrels per day) to its annual production over 25 years with the company's share of output significantly higher in later stages of development. ONGC Videsh's production in the year to March 31, 2012 was 8.7 million tonnes.

Kazakhstan, home to 3 percent of the world's recoverable oil reserves and the largest former Soviet oil producer after Russia, has sought to revise deals struck with foreign energy companies in the lean post-Soviet years.

ConocoPhillips has been conducting a disposal program to reduce its non-core overseas assets to reduce debt and increase its exploration and dividend budgets.

It has already exceeded its target of asset sales worth $20 billion by the end of 2012, including the sale of its stake in Lukoil , Russia's second-biggest oil producer.

"(The) purchase price of $5 billion is at the high end of our prior expectation of $4 to $5 billion," analysts at Simmons and Co wrote in a note to clients.

"This is a positive for ConocoPhillips as it marks important progress on their asset divestiture program, which is needed to support the capital program and dividend."

ConocoPhillips shares down slightly at $56.39 in early trading.

The company said it notified government authorities in Kazakhstan, and its partners in the North Caspian Sea production-sharing agreement of its intention to sell the stake.

Kazakh Oil and Gas Minister Sauat Mynbayev last month disclosed ConocoPhillips' plans to sell its stake in the field.

The Kashagan field is jointly controlled by state-run KazMunaiGas and six international companies, including Eni Spa ExxonMobil Corp , Royal Dutch Shell Plc , Total SA and Inpex Corp .

(Reporting by Swetha Gopinath in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/conocophillips-plans-sell-kazakh-oilfield-stake-5-billion-140751490--sector.html

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$65 Garmin nuvi 2300LM Automotive GPS Receiver 4.3" lifetime ...

Turn on the Garmin N?vi 2300LM navigator, to get accurate turn-by-turn directions to your destination. The n?Route technology, which comes with myTrends, of this Garmin automotive GPS receiver is able to offers different routes to your favorite destination. Get the JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more application with the basic GPS function of this Garmin GPS rec

eiver. The ecoRoute feature of this Garmin automotive GPS receiver alerts you to routes that are more fuel efficient. Read all the GPS information with clarity, on the widescreen display of this Garmin GPS receiver. The Garmin N?vi 2300LM navigator lets you save up to 1000 waypoints, to provide you with instant access to favorite locations. ... more >>

Source: http://livehotdeals.com/Garmin-nuvi-2300LM-Automotive-GPS-Receiver-4-3-lifetime-maps-Refurbished_108760

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Local Stores Call Small Business Saturday A Success | FOX2now ...

LADUE, MO (KTVI)-Competition for the holiday dollar is fierce as online marketing grows and black Friday promotions push the envelope on Thanksgiving.? Now small businesses looking for their share have combined efforts to capture customers on what is being called Small Business Saturday.

American Express launched the concept nationally and merchants happily joined the effort to provide incentives to shoppers the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

?You look at all the media attention to Black Friday and all the big box stores and sometimes people lose sight as to what small business really means to? us and what it has to offer,?? remarked Rick Williams, owner of Ladue Pharmacy, a multifaceted store where merchandise ranges from prescription drugs to elaborate music boxes.

Across Clayton Rd. from the pharmacy shoppers can find Lilly Pulitzer outfits for their next vacation trip or a silver wine goblet designed to appeal to duck hunters.

The historic district of St. Charles City lures history buffs and shoppers with its restored buildings and quaint, individualized stores.? The city has been promoting holiday shopping for years by offering costumed characters who walk the streets, horse drawn carriages and beautifully decorated buildings as part of what they call ?Christmas Traditions?.? It is often the best time of year for the merchants and restaurant owners.

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay made the rounds of small business shopping districts Saturday first stopping to buy a gift at the Third Degree Glass Factory on Delmar before heading to businesses in the Central West End.

?About 80 percent of the people are employed in small businesses in the city so people who work here are our neighbors and this is their livelihood,? Slay said.? ?It is good to support small businesses and locally made products too? that really rejuvenate our local economy,? he added.

More coverage:?Shops See Boost From Small Business?Saturday

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Source: http://fox2now.com/2012/11/25/local-stores-call-small-business-saturday-a-success/

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There's Now a 3D Printer That Can Replace Human Cartilage

Somehow 3D printing has gotten even more amazing. Scientists over at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine have created a hybrid 3D printer that can create implantable human cartilage. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/iioap_Qztxo/theres-now-a-3d-printer-that-can-replace-human-cartilage

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Google?s Cloud Platform Gets 36 New Compute Engine Instance Types, Lower Storage Prices, Durable Reduced Availability Storage & More

Just one day before the start of Amazon's AWS-focused re: Invent conference in Las Vegas, Google just announced a number of major updates to its set of Cloud Platform products. With this update, Google is introducing 36 new instance types for Compute Engine and a number of other new features across the platform.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/l1VFOeo15IU/

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Leading Chicago Home Improvement Firm Assures High Quality ...

Glencoe, IL (freepressreleases ) November 22, 2012 ? The Chicago residents in need of quality home improvement need not look further- Chicago Renovation Development, the leading Chicago based remodeling company has assured to provide top notch home improvement services. The company is providing extensive range of home remodeling works across Chicago suburbs & neighborhood areas.

Chicago Renovation Development is founded in the year 1999 by Brad Ashman who comes with a profound experience in the construction industry. The firm specializes in Chicago bathroom remodeling, kitchen remodeling & home remodeling works. ?We are your one-stop home remodeling solution in Chicago with our ethical, client-oriented and high quality services. We assure you of a trusted and seasoned service always. It?s our trustworthiness that has earned us a very loyal client base over the years?, stated the spokesperson, adding that they have been engaged in the home improvement works for more than 25 years.

The seasoned Chicago remodeling company is ready to work on any kind of home remodeling works including a makeover or additions in every sphere of home such as kitchen, bathroom, basements, decks, windows, flooring and roofing in addition to the Chicago kitchen remodeling and bath improvement services. Commenting about their workforce, Ashman?s manager said that the company is backed by a fantastic pool of highly seasoned & talented craftsmen who are really passionate and have been involved in remodeling services for a prolonged span.

?We always allow the clients in stating their specifications freely to attain a perfect understanding of the client?s typical considerations regarding the home improvement work he is planning for- we make sure to understand your concerns so that we can come up with your desired services on our part?, the manager added. He further assured that they are always upbeat in their approach and in case of any unforeseen and unexpected remodeling surprises the clients would be asked for the most reasonable rates only.

The leading Chicago home remodeling agency is also engaged in commercial remodeling works and they have been called for historical renovations a number of times as well.

To know further about Chicago Renovation Development, log on to http://www.chicagorenovation.com/.

###

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Source: http://www.freepressreleases.com/leading-chicago-home-improvement-firm-assures-high-quality-remodeling-extensively/299810

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Renting Recent VA Refi - Zillow Mortgage Advice

We have just completed a VA?refi on our current home.? We've lived here for 4 years.? Its feeling kind of small though and we want to purchase a new construction here in town with an FHA loan.
1) Will we be able to do this?
2) will it affect our interest rate on our VA?

Monthly income: 7500, current obligations (including current mort/tax/ins) 1890.

TIA

Source: http://www.zillow.com/advice-thread/Renting-Recent-VA-Refi/469345/

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Roma wins 1-0 at Pescara on coach Zeman's return

By DANIELLA MATAR

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 2:39 p.m. ET Nov. 25, 2012

MILAN (AP) -Roma won 1-0 at struggling Pescara in the Italian league on Sunday to mark a happy return for coach Zdenek Zeman to the club he steered to promotion as Serie B winners last season.

Mattia Destro gave Roma the lead in the fifth minute and could have added to his tally but missed several clear chances.

Pescara went close to the equalizer in the closing stages but remains mired in the relegation zone after winning only one of its past eight games.

It was the 100th official game in charge of Roma for Zeman, who is in his second spell at the club.

Elsewhere, Fiorentina's run of five successive victories ended after twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 at Torino.

Roma had lost three of its past four away games but got off to the perfect start when Pescara goalkeeper Mattia Perin could only parry Francesco Totti's fierce 35-meter free kick into the path of Destro for a simple tap-in.

Destro could have doubled his tally on the half hour, but Perin did well to palm away his header from the center of the area following Totti's cross.

Destro had another two great chances in the second half, skying his first effort over the bar before firing straight at Perin from close range with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Elvis Abbruscato could have leveled at the end, but his effort was deflected out by Roma defender Ivan Piris.

In Turin, Fiorentina fought back for a point thanks to a late equalizer from substitute Mounir El Hamdaoui but lost Alberto Aquilani and Luca Toni to injury in the first half.

Toni went off after feeling the after-effects of a nasty clash of heads with Kamil Glik, which resulted in the Torino defender being carried off after appearing to briefly lose consciousness.

Alessio Cerci, who is on loan from Fiorentina, gave Torino the lead in the 40th minute as Danilo D'Ambrosio's cross was allowed to go all the way across the area before being fired in.

Haris Seferovic almost equalized shortly after the hour mark but his effort from a tight angled crashed off the post.

It was back on level terms when Juan Cuadrado was brought down in the area by D'Ambrosio and Gonzalo Rodriguez stepped up to fire home the resulting spot kick.

Torino restored its lead moments later in somewhat comical circumstance as Valter Birsa's cross evaded everyone and ended up in the back of the net.

Fiorentina snatched a point six minutes from time when El Hamdaoui, who had only been on the pitch for less than two minutes, smashed home the equalizer.

Genoa is out of the relegation zone after ending a run of six successive defeats with a 1-0 win at Atalanta.

Andrea Bertolacci scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute to hand Genoa its first win in 10 matches.

Genoa's Emiliano Moretti was sent off for a second yellow card four minutes from time.

Bologna has slipped into the relegation zone after losing 1-0 at Sampdoria.

It played almost the entire match in 10 men after Archimede Morleo was sent off in the fifth minute for bringing down Mauro Icardi as the Sampdoria striker was about to run clear through on goal.

Andrea Poli, who scored his first Serie A goal last weekend, grabbed the only goal of the game in the 61st, playing a one-two with Eder before firing past Bologna goalkeeper Federico Agliardi.

Elsewhere, Siena drew 0-0 at Chievo Verona.

Substitute Chievo striker Mamadou Samassa was sent off five minutes from time after picking up a second yellow card for a dive in the area.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Chelsea is held 0-0 by Man City

??Rafa Benitez endured a hostile reception and gave the restless Chelsea fans nothing to cheer about as his first match in charge ended in a drab 0-0 draw with Manchester City on Sunday.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44461168/ns/sports-soccer/

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3 Keys to Holiday Health, Joy & Meaning? (Kick Sugar Addiction ...

The holidays are officially here with the celebration of Thanksgiving, the official kick-off for the holiday season. Like many, you may have mixed feelings of joyous expectation on the one hand, and dread on the other wishing you could ?enjoy? the holidays this year without stalling your healthy-eating and exercise goals ??or feeling emotionally drained by the demands and expectations of family and the season.

Perhaps you?ve worked hard to build your esteem and confidence, and now the thought of meeting one or more of your relatives at gatherings fills you with self-doubt. Or maybe you set health and fitness goals at the start of the year, mustered up the energy by Spring, and finally got into a comfortable rhythm in the last few months. (If so, you likely feel the difference, limber and love it ??the energy, vitality and sense of wellbeing, not to mention a clean bill of health, perhaps the first time in years!)

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In any case, starting with Thanksgiving Day, you find yourself wanting to get off of the yearly ?here we go again? roller coaster ride.

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There?s good reason to believe you can get off this roller coaster, knowing what we do about our amazing brains! The realization of any goal, however, necessitates that we are fully?present?in mind and body, and one life-harming thing that holiday gatherings have in common is a plethora of food and drink doused with sugar ?? a seemingly harmless substance, now proven a toxic mind-altering drug, as addictive as cocaine and heroine.

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How serious is the problem?

• Like it or not, ?humans are genetically programmed to like sugar,? states Dr. Hyman. The availability of processed sugar makes it possible to eat sugar in quantities unimaginable in any previous period in history.
• ?If you eat sugar, there?s a good chance you?re addicted to it,? notes Dr. Joseph Mercola, M.D. Quite literally, your brain on sugar is your brain in its ?most unhappy of pleasures?! Now that?s a problem.
• Persons under the influence of sugar are predisposed to poor decision-making, and arguably, more vulnerable to other addictions as well. Findings show, a link between sugar cravings and alcoholism, for example.
• Professor and director of pediatrics at the University of California Dr. Robert Lustig writes in?The Atlantic:??? the war on drugs has taken a back seat ? because a different war has cluttered the headlines ? the war on obesity. And a substance even more insidious, I would argue, has supplanted cocaine and heroin. The object of our current affliction is sugar.?

Is it fair to expect you can make choices in the highest interest of your emotional and physical health, or relationships, if you are ingesting regular doses of a substance that alters your physio-emotional state of consciousness??Likely not. Would you expect yourself to drive safely under the influence of alcohol?

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The solution? ?Take steps as soon as possible to kick the addiction or, at minimum, put together a conscious plan to only take sugar in quantities and conditions that ensure minimal negative impact.

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In this post, we?ll look at 3 steps to take in advance of upcoming events to protect your health, and have the energy to bring your own joy and meaning to holiday gatherings; and in the next two posts, more tips on what to do the same day, the following day and between gatherings.

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Here are the three steps:

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1. Get to?know?your brain and the neuroscience of sugar addiction.

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In his work, Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D. notes that sugar addiction is best understood as a biological condition. The ?just say no? approach has been proven not to work. A sugar or food addiction must be treated like an addiction because the behaviors arise specifically out of neurochemical reward centers in the brain that easily overwhelm willpower and choice. In other words, it?s unreasonable (and unfair) to expect to be charge of your choices under conditions when addictive substances are physiologically in control of brain and body processes.

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Dr. Lustig also writes:

?The brain?s pleasure center, called the nucleus accumbens, is essential for our survival as a species? Turn off pleasure, and you turn off the will to live? But long-term stimulation of the pleasure center drives the process of addiction? When you consume any substance of abuse, including sugar, the nucleus accumbens receives a dopamine signal, from which you experience pleasure. And so you consume more. The problem is that with prolonged exposure, the signal attenuates, gets weaker. So you have to consume more to get the same effect ? tolerance.?And if you pull back on the substance, you go into withdrawal. Tolerance and withdrawal constitute addiction.?

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Understanding how sugar destroys health by turning into a toxic fat?and that it is an addictive substance helps you get a better grip of the problem.?It will motivate you and make it easier to say no and envision your life a whole lot better without it.

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2. Understand that sugar escalates anxiety and depression, thus, stress.

Emotional problems of anxiety disorders, depression seem to increase around the holidays. , physical problems obesity, weight loss, sluggishness, fatigue , and diseases of the body such as cancer, heart and diabetes, among others are more common than ever, and so is food and sugar addiction (though rarely diagnosed).

.

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3. Take steps to stabilize the level of sugar in your blood.

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There are several excellent books and programs available. In a groundbreaking and timely book,?The Blood Sugar Solution: The UltraHealthy Program for Losing Weight, Preventing Disease and Feeling Great, Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D. has developed a six-week healthy living program and reveals that the secret to getting fit and trim as well as healing and prevention of diseases such as diabetes, hear, and cancer, among others, is balancing your insulin levels. He describes the seven keys to wellness-nutrition: hormones, inflammation, digestion, detoxification, energy metabolism.

.

In sum, you stand a good chance of removing a lot of stress from your holiday schedule, and infusing your days with more joy and meaning instead, if you take steps in advance to:

• Get to know your brain and the neuroscience of addiction.
• Understand how sugar harms physical, emotional and mental health and wellbeing.
• Get seriously engaged in a program that helps you stabilize your blood sugar (this will stop the cravings and make your job manageable).

Wouldn?t it be wonderful if your focus at holiday gathering were more on creating ?food for the soul,? such as heart-warming moments of sharing gratitude, being present, meaningfully connecting, and less on the food and drinks, thereby, kicking off a holiday season replete with more conscious moments of creating joy and empathic relationships with those who?really mean the world?to you (but perhaps like you, don?t ?know? it inside!)?

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Underline the italicized words?present?and?conscious?in the previous sentence. More on this in the next post.

.

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Relationship consultant, author, licensed marriage and family therapist, Dr. Athena Staik shows clients how to break free of anxiety, addictions, and other emotional blocks, to awaken radiantly healthy lives and relationships. Dr. Staik is currently in private practice in Northern VA, and writing her book, Safe Enough to Love?: Breaking Free of Addictive Love in Couple Relationships. To contact Dr. Staik for information, an appointment or workshop, visit www.drstaik.com, or visit on her Facebook fan page DrAthenaStaik

Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by Athena Staik, Ph.D. (or subscribe to their feed).

????Last reviewed: 24 Nov 2012

APA Reference
Staik, A. (2012). 3 Steps to Holiday Health, Joy & Meaning (1 of 3). Psych Central. Retrieved on November 24, 2012, from http://blogs.psychcentral.com/relationships/2012/11/key-to-more-holiday-joy-meaning-kick-sugar-addiction-avoid-sugar-blues-1-of-3/

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Source: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/relationships/2012/11/key-to-more-holiday-joy-meaning-kick-sugar-addiction-avoid-sugar-blues-1-of-3/

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Mass. natural gas explosion damages 42 buildings

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) ? Preliminary investigations show more than 40 buildings were damaged in a natural gas explosion in Massachusetts that injured 18 people, building inspectors said Saturday.

A strip club was flattened and a day care center was heavily damaged in the massive blast Friday night in Springfield, one of New England's biggest cities.

Investigators were trying Saturday to figure out what caused the blast that could be heard for miles, left a large hole in the ground where the multistory brick building housing Scores Gentleman's Club once stood and scattered debris over several blocks.

Officials already had evacuated part of the entertainment district after responding to a gas leak and odor reported about an hour before the explosion. Gas workers venting a gas leak got indications that the building was about to explode and they ducked for cover behind a utility truck ? along with firefighters and police officers ? just before the blast, said Mark McDonald, president of the New England Gas Workers Association.

Most of the injured were in that group, and the truck that saved their lives was essentially demolished, he said.

"It really is a miracle and it's an example of our public safety officials, each and every day, putting themselves in harm's way, taking what could have been considered a very routine call of an odor of gas, but they took the proper precautions," State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan said. "And thanks to God that they did."

Officials also marveled how the 5:30 p.m. blast occurred when a day care center next door was closed. The center's building was heavily damaged.

Lt. Gov. Tim Murray and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno were attending a tree-lighting ceremony when the explosion occurred. Sarno said some people mistakenly thought the boom was part of the holiday event.

The explosion blew out windows in a three-block radius, leaving at least three buildings irreparably damaged and causing emergency workers to evacuate a six-story apartment building that was buckling, police said. Pieces of broken glass littered streets and sidewalks. It was unclear how many residents had been evacuated. A shelter was set up at a school, but city officials said no one stayed there overnight.

Omar Fermin, manager of the Punta Cana Restaurant two blocks from the explosion site, found the floor-to-ceiling windows blasted out when he came to check on the property Saturday morning.

"It looks like an earthquake hit," said Fermin, a native of the Dominican Republic. "I've never seen anything like it."

He said he was waiting for someone to come and assess the damage. He worried the restaurant would remain closed for weeks while the owner seeks to replace the massive custom-made windows.

Authorities cordoned off the center of the explosion Saturday as building inspectors worked to identify unsafe structures. Anxious residents gathered at the perimeter, waiting for permission to visit their buildings.

Preliminary reports show the blast damaged 42 buildings housing 115 residential units, said Thomas Walsh, spokesman for the mayor.

Three buildings were immediately condemned, and 24 others require additional inspections by structural engineers to determine whether they are safe, Walsh said.

Dogs trapped in abandoned buildings barked loudly Saturday as building inspectors fanned out across the area. One inspector said he wished he could get a ladder and permission to retrieve a dog that was barking in the upper floor of one building sealed off from residents.

Authorities are opening an animal shelter for pets affected by the explosion, Walsh said.

Coan, the fire marshal, said his office is investigating the cause of the blast and its possible origin. The state's Department of Public Utilities was also investigating.

Sheila Doiron, a spokeswoman for Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, said the company will continue to monitor for any potential leaks within several blocks of the blast site. So far, she said, the company hadn't yet found any measurable readings.

The utility will keep at least 30 workers at the scene, along with a so-called sniffing car mounted with sophisticated gadgets capable of detecting low levels of gas leaks, Walsh said.

Doiron said the company also didn't find in its records any gas odor calls to the area where the strip club was located.

Authorities also deployed police officers throughout the area to prevent looting, Walsh said.

The victims were taken to two hospitals in the city. Those injured were nine firefighters, two police officers, four Columbia Gas workers, two civilians and another city employee.

Springfield, which is 90 miles west of Boston and has about 150,000 residents, is the largest city in western Massachusetts. It's known as the home of the Basketball Hall of Fame, which is not near the blast site.

The city has been rebuilding from damage caused by a tornado in June 2011.

___

Associated Press writers Rodrique Ngowi, Bridget Murphy and Bob Salsberg in Boston and Jessica Hill in Springfield contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mass-natural-gas-explosion-damaged-42-buildings-201318033.html

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Nutrients from farmed salmon waste can feed new marine industry

ScienceDaily (Nov. 23, 2012) ? Waste from salmon production is currently being discharged into Norwegian coastal waters. Researchers say this is a resource -- worth NOK 6 billion each year -- that should be exploited for new biological production.

In 2009 Norwegian fish farms produced over a million tonnes of salmon and salmon trout; nearly 1.2 million tonnes of high-quality feed went into this production. But a considerable amount of feed administered is released to the surrounding waters as respiratory products, faeces and uneaten feed .

This means that a significant portion of the aquaculture industry's feed is actually wasted on fertilising the ocean with both organic and inorganic nutrients. The value of these nutrients is estimated at NOK 6 billion annually.

Higher economic yield, less pollution

In the project "Integrated open seawater aquaculture, technology for sustainable culture of high productive areas (INTEGRATE)," researchers have studied whether this waste can be put to use as nutrients for cultivating kelp and/or mussels. The project was headed by Associate Professor Kjell Inge Reitan of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and received funding from the Research Council of Norway as part of the initiative to promote sustainable seafood production.

"The thinking is that integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) will provide significant added value on investments in aquaculture," explains Dr Reitan, "while at the same time reducing potentially negative environmental impacts."

Environmental organisations are critical of aquaculture waste as ecologically detrimental.

Kelp can help: many application areas

Researchers carrying out experiments at the research institute SINTEF have documented good growth of kelp cultivated near aquaculture facilities. Mussel cultivation under similar conditions also shows promise.

Kelp can bind large amounts of the inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus discharged by fish farms. One of Norway's most common macroalgae species, Laminaria saccharina - known as sea belt or sugar kelp -- is particularly promising for industrial cultivation for use as a biofuel and feed additive and for extracting its chemicals. Dr Reitan is now collaborating with several companies looking to cultivate kelp for large-scale bioenergy production.

"Development in this area will need to be driven by players in bioenergy and feed production," asserts Dr Reitan. "I don't believe the salmon farming industry will get involved in commercially cultivating kelp in the near future, even though integrated production would give the industry a greener profile and enhance sustainability."

Kelp should grow all year

Based on industrial discharge figures from salmon production in Norway, the researchers estimate the annual potential for IMTA-method kelp at 0.6 to 1.7 million tonnes. The potential for mussels cultivated using IMTA methods is estimated at 7 200 to 21 500 tonnes. Cultivation on this scale would require 82 to 250 square kilometres of marine area. Worldwide, roughly 14 million tonnes of aquatic plants are cultivated annually.

Kelp cultivation needs to be a year-round endeavour in order to be efficient. The researchers at SINTEF have successfully managed year-round artificial cultivation of sugar kelp sporophytes (juvenile plants).

"This makes it possible to exploit the kelp's strong growth potential when conditions are favourable," says SINTEF Research Scientist Silje Forbord.

Quadrupling mussel cultivation

The researchers estimate that using IMTA methods to utilise Norway's salmon production waste nutrients, there is potential to achieve four times the current annual 3 000 to 5 000 tonne harvest of cultivated mussels.

The Research Council's research programme Aquaculture -- An Industry in Growth (HAVBRUK) has launched the research project "Exploitation of nutrients from Salmon aquaculture (EXPLOIT)" to determine how to design and locate kelp and mussel cultivation facilities for optimal utilisation of the aquaculture industry's waste nutrients.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by The Research Council of Norway. The original article was written by Torkil Marsdal Hanssen/Thomas Keilman. Translation: Darren McKellep/Carol B. Eckmann.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/5R1AijrkmLw/121123092744.htm

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Proven Strategies That Will Help You Succeed At E-mail Marketing ...

Most people associate the term ?email promoting? with spam, and thus aren?t very sympathetic to the idea. You should work toward creating email campaigns which the customer not only enjoys looking at, but will also act upon. Read on to find methods you can begin using now.

You can enhance your e-mail marketing by choosing to include social networking sites, such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook. This allows your customers to not only build brand awareness, but also to share your site with others in their social network. When this happens, you can expect a boost in the size of your email list.

Keep your branding consistent at all times. Always use the same company logo and colors in your email. Use a clear and legible font style. People will begin to recognize the emails that you send and look for them. A recognizable brand is an important marketing factor, especially with marketing via email.

TIP! Don?t bombard customers with a message that says ?Buy Now!? Don?t use that approach. You may lose business by doing this because it may appear like you are a spammer.

Make your emails rich in content and place helpful information in them as opposed to just placing sales information. Include articles and information for your subscribers which is not available on your website. Also include offers which are exclusive for your products or services. Don?t forget to send out emails that aren?t directly marketing related. Holidays, birthdays and other special occasions also warrant emails.

You can follow up with past clients by sending a freebie through email. Include a statement as to how they can take advantage of this deal. Encourage them to act swiftly by including a message regarding the available number of free offers.

TIP! Include an ?unsubscribe? link in your emails, and do your very best to process opt-out requests immediately. If you continue sending emails after someone has opted out, they will be very frustrated and potentially complain to the BBB.

Know your audience in order to have a marketing campaign that is successful. Consider what will appeal to them visually. Or, what they will like to read. How can you develop these ideas into things that are also financially beneficial to you? Find your answers in the information above and then get ready to watch your marketing campaign succeed!

Source: http://elektrotehnickifakultet.com/proven-strategies-that-will-help-you-succeed-at-e-mail-marketing.html

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