Who wants a career in insurance? ? Bankrate, Inc.

Did you ever wonder whether you'd be happy selling?homeowners insurance for a living? Or?perhaps working behind the scenes?as an underwriter, actuary or claims adjuster for an auto insurance company?

Now you can stop daydreaming and actually test your aptitude for and interest in a wide range of insurance positions on a new website called InsuranceCareers.org, sponsored by the Ohio Insurance Institute, a trade association based in Columbus, Ohio.

InsuranceCareers.org takes you behind the public face of the auto insurance agent?and homeowners insurance broker that most of us know and into the busy behind-the-scenes insurance?world few of us ever see. Many who wander into the back office find rewarding careers as actuaries, underwriters, IT directors, risk managers or marketing communications specialists.

It's immediately tempting to take the site's career survey. Based on your answers to four simple questions, you'll be guided to three insurance careers that most closely match your interests and education level. For example, if you're a "people person" with a high school degree, you'll best match such front-end careers as insurance agent, customer service representative or training and development manager. If you're the analytical type with a bachelor's degree, you'd probably be happier as?an actuary, IT or risk manager.

When you select one of your three best fits, you'll read a brief description of the job, skills required, salary range and potential career path.

What's especially engaging about the site is its use of dozens of two-minute video clips of actual insurance pros young and old?from each of 14 specialties who speak candidly about their backgrounds, how they came to work in insurance and the interesting opportunities therein. Many had never considered insurance before they stumbled?into the industry and, to?their surprise, found fulfilling careers.

Why consider a career in insurance now? InsuranceCareers.org summarizes it succinctly:

"Did you know that more than 60 percent of insurance professionals belong to the baby boomer generation (ages 45 and older)? Every seven seconds, a baby boomer turns 60, which means that more than half of the industry?s professionals will turn over by 2025. The evolving workforce will create thousands of job openings (or opportunities) for the next generation of professionals."

Follow me on Twitter: @omnisaurus.

Subscribe to Bankrate newsletters today!

Source: http://www.bankrate.com/financing/insurance/who-wants-a-career-in-insurance/

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Suicide bomber wounds prominent Pakistani militant

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) ? A suicide bomber on Thursday attacked a prominent Pakistani militant commander in the country's northwest who is believed to have a nonaggression pact with the army, wounding him and killing seven people, officials said.

The bomber attacked Maulvi Nazir in Wana, the main town in the South Waziristan tribal area, as he was arriving at an office he uses to meet with locals and hear their complaints, said the commander's spokesman, Maulana Ameer Nawaz. Nazir was not critically wounded, said Nawaz.

Nazir was one of over a dozen people wounded in the attack, said Pakistani intelligence officials and a local government administrator, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. They initially reported that three people died, but later raised the number to seven after some of the critically injured died of their wounds.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, which has been waging a bloody insurgency against the government for the past several years and has jockeyed with Nazir for power in South Waziristan.

The tribal area was the Pakistani Taliban's main sanctuary until the army launched a large ground offensive in 2009 and pushed many of them out.

Nazir is widely believed to have cut a deal with the army ahead of the offensive that allowed him to stay in South Waziristan as long as he remained on the sidelines. The militant commander has in the past focused his fight against U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, not against the Pakistani state.

Nazir had been running a secret campaign in recent weeks to push the Pakistani Taliban and foreign militants allied with them out of Wana and the surrounding areas, said intelligence officials.

Nawaz, the militant commander's spokesman, said the suicide bomber who attacked Nazir appeared to be a 15- or 16-year-old boy.

"The moment the chief got out of his vehicle, the boy ran toward him and detonated his explosives," Nawaz told The Associated Press by telephone.

Yar Mohammad, a resident of Wana who witnessed the attack, said the blast was huge.

"I'm seeing smoke everywhere," he said.

Nazir's fighters retaliated after the attack by killing two Pakistani Taliban militants in the main market in Wana, said intelligence officials. There were also reports of Nazir's fighters attacking Pakistani Taliban militants in the nearby village of Kari Kot, they said.

_____

Associated Press Rasool Dawar contributed to this report from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/suicide-bomber-wounds-prominent-pakistani-militant-100441092.html

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How to Install ClockworkMod Recovery on the Sony Xperia Pro MK16i

If just root access on your device isn?t enough for you, you may consider installing a custom recovery. While the recovery still uses root access, it lets you flash custom ROMs that are cooked by enthusiast Android developers for your Android device. If you?ve a Sony Xperia Pro MK16i and have rooted it using our guide, you can follow the following steps to get a custom recovery on it. So, let?s get the procedure started:

I. Before You Begin:

1. You must have rooted your device before doing this procedure. You can check out our guide on how to root the Xperia Pro MK16i.

2. The following procedure works on Windows based PCs only. Sorry, Linux and Mac users!

II. Downloading Required Files:

1. RecoverX (Download link?s given in the first post)

III. Installing ClockworkMod Recovery on the Sony Xperia Pro MK16i:

1. Place the RecoverX ZIP archive on your Desktop.

2. Extract files from the archive and place them on your Desktop.

3. Turn ON the USB debugging option on your device from Menu>>Settings>>Developer options>>USB debugging.

4. Connect your device to your PC using the USB cable.

5. Double-click on the RecoverX executable file that you extracted to your Desktop.

6. From the first screen of the tool, select your device.

7. On the second screen, choose the Recovery that you want to install. In this case, it?d be ClockworkMod Recovery.

8. Follow the instructions you see on your screen.

9. And you?re all done!

Great! The ClockworkMod Recovery?s now there on your device, waiting to be used to flash custom ROMs!

IV. Flash a Custom ROM (Optional):

1.?If you are ready to flash custom ROMs on your device, head to the How To Flash a Custom ROM on the Sony Xperia Pro MK16i?to learn how to do that.

If this procedure helped you please thank/donate to the original developers here.

If you need help with this procedure, please ask in the comments below or in the forum.

This is part of our Android How To?s. We have how to?s on rooting, loading ROMs, and tons of other tips and tricks for your specific device or for Android devices in general! For all of our Android How To?s, head?here.

Source: http://theunlockr.com/2012/11/28/how-to-install-clockworkmod-recovery-on-the-sony-xperia-pro-mk16i/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-install-clockworkmod-recovery-on-the-sony-xperia-pro-mk16i

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First Look At The Scanadu SCOUT, A Gadget To Bring Your Vital Sign Data To Your Smartphone

It was a year ago that Scanadu first came on the scene after raising some $2 million for a very interesting idea: Bringing the ability to monitor and track your body's vital signs to a portable and inexpensive device that connects to your smartphone. The idea is that Scanadu will let you own and control your own health data in the same way that you monitor other aspects of your life -- to "check your body as often as you check your email," so to speak.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/e-ciSkOlsjg/

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South Africa's Science and Technology Minister Calls for Open Access Policy

Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom addresses the European and developing countries clinical trials partnership conference. Picture: TREVOR SAMSON

ACCESS barriers to published research "result in critical, relevant knowledge and research outputs in Africa being published in overseas journals ? journals that are not affordable to African academic libraries", Science and Technology Minister Derek Hanekom said at the Berlin 10 Open Access Conference last week.

"This means that Africa is in fact deprived of its own knowledge production, relegating the continent to the status of silent and invisible contributor to research output," he said.

South Africa is trying to position itself as a knowledge economy but it is often difficult and expensive for international researchers to access South African research, and for South Africans to access international research.

An important marker for a research article is citation. the number of times the article is cited in other researchers? work, but Department of Higher Education spokeswoman Vuyelwa Qinga told Business Day earlier this year that "a large amount of South African research published in South African-published journals (is) not always easily available overseas".

"These journals are seldom part of large international electronic databases, meaning that the full-text research is hard to access outside of South Africa."

The Berlin 10 Open Access Conference, hosted by Stellenbosch this year ? the first time it has been held on the African continent ? was unequivocal: the world, and Africa, needs open access.

However, the context is greater than Africa needing to get its research out there and to be seen.

German ambassador dr Horst Freitag said: "Without open access in our publicly funded educational and research system, no nation would flourish in a sustainable way ? not one nation acting alone or even several countries acting together could successfully meet the challenges we face today, such as climate change, famine, infectious diseases, depletion of natural resources?.

"Science and research must be an integral part of international exchange, based on a global network of partners in a ?knowledge-based? global community."

The ministerial review of the science, technology and innovation landscape makes two recommendations about access to international academic journals: South Africa needs to expand its Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) collaboration, and the government needs to subsidise national licensing of e-access to high-impact core commercial journals.

SciELO was developed in Brazil but a South African arm, which includes research from South African scholarly journals, was recently added. "SciELO publishes about 40,000 new articles every year from over 900 open-access journals from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Venezuela," says the Academy of Science of South Africa (Assaf).

Mr Hanekom said his department had instructed Assaf to investigate the academic information needs of South Africa?s academic staff, postgraduate students and researchers within universities and research councils. It was also collaborating with the Department of Higher Education on the National Digital Library, proposed in the 2011 Green Paper for Post School Education and Training.

"The question has moved on from whether or not open access will be introduced, to how it should be introduced," Mr Hanekom says.

Source: http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/science/2012/11/14/need-for-access-to-academic-knowledge-is-an-open-and-shut-case

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New York, New Jersey put $71 bil price tag on Sandy

(Reuters) - New York state and New Jersey need at least $71.3 billion to recover from the devastation wrought by Superstorm Sandy and prevent similar damage from future storms, according to their latest estimates.

The total, which could grow, came as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday the state will need $41.9 billion, including $32.8 billion to repair and restore damaged housing, parks and infrastructure and to cover lost revenue and other expenses. The figure also includes $9.1 billion to mitigate potential damage from future severe weather events, Cuomo said.

Neighboring New Jersey, which saw massive damage to its transit system and coastline, suffered at least $29.4 billion in overall losses, according to a preliminary analysis released by Governor Chris Christie's office Friday. The preliminary cost estimate includes federal aid New Jersey has received so far.

By some measures, Sandy was worse than Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which tore into the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, Cuomo said.

Sandy destroyed 305,000 houses in New York state - a still provisional number that's likely to grow - compared to the 214,700 destroyed in Louisiana by Katrina and Rita.

Sandy also caused nearly 2.2 million power outages at its peak in the state, compared to 800,000 from Katrina and Rita in Louisiana, and impacted 265,300 businesses compared to 18,700, Cuomo said.

While Sandy may have damaged more homes and businesses, Katrina took a far greater toll on human lives, killing more than 1,800 people directly or indirectly. Sandy, by comparison, is believed to have killed at least 121 people.

"Hurricane Katrina got a lot of notoriety for the way government handled -- or mishandled, depending on your point of view -- the situation," Cuomo said at a press conference.

But considering the dense population of the area Sandy impacted and costs to the economy, housing, and businesses, the damage done "was much larger in Hurricane Sandy than in Hurricane Katrina, and that puts this entire conversation, I believe, in focus," Cuomo said.

Sandy made landfall in New Jersey on October 29. It blasted through the Northeastern U.S., devastating homes, forcing evacuations, crippling power systems and shutting down New York City's subway system for days.

TAKING SANDY COSTS TO CONGRESS

The total cost to the region is still not known as estimates of the damage, as well as future repair and prevention costs, continue to come in from states, cities and counties.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday he will ask Congress for $9.8 billion to pay for Sandy costs not covered by insurance or other federal funds.

In a letter to New York's congressional delegation, Bloomberg said public, private and indirect losses to the city from the devastating late-October storm stood at $19 billion.

Of that, private insurance is expected to cover $3.8 billion, with Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements to cover at least an additional $5.4 billion, Bloomberg said in a statement.

The city still will need the additional $9.8 billion to help pay for costs that FEMA does not cover, like hazard mitigation, long-term housing, shoreline restoration and protection efforts, he said.

Whatever the final tally, officials are beginning to pressure Congress for federal assistance.

Cuomo met on Monday with the state's Congressional delegation and county officials. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said in a statement that New York's Congressional delegation will push hard for additional federal funding.

"The federal government has a clear responsibility to commit all of the necessary resources to help us rebuild," she said.

Getting federal funds could be a tough fight, because of pressure on lawmakers to cut spending and raise taxes in order to shrink the federal deficit.

"This will be an effort that lasts not weeks, but many months, and we will not rest until the federal response meets New York's deep and extensive needs," said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer in a statement.

NUMBERS GAME

Cuomo's earlier estimates had pegged the total amount of damages for the region at $50 billion, with about $33 billion of that incurred in New York state.

In New York City, Bloomberg said on Monday that the city had about $4.8 billion of uninsured private losses, $3.8 billion of insured private losses, and $4.5 billion in losses to city agencies.

Reconstructing the city's damaged roads alone could cost nearly $800 million, Bloomberg said. New York City, a financial and tourism center, also lost about $5.7 billion in gross city product, he said.

Included in Cuomo's nearly $9.1 billion of mitigation costs are what he called "common sense" actions, like flood protection for the World Trade center site, roads, subway tunnels and sewage treatment plants, as well as power generators for the region's fuel supply system and backup power for health care facilities.

"We will see new projects," said Mysore Nagaraja, former president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Capital Construction Co.

"In order to justify whatever money they finally end up getting, they have to come up with this list of projects that need to be done so that the future Sandy will not have the impact it had this time," he said.

Nagaraja is currently chairman of Spartan Solutions LLC, an infrastructure consulting firm.

(Reporting by Hilary Russ; Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Maureen Bavdek, Bill Trott and Phil Berlowitz)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/york-jersey-put-71-billion-price-tag-sandy-002134256--sector.html

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Schapiro stepping down at SEC, Walter to step in

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Mary Schapiro, will step down next month after a tumultuous four years spent rehabilitating the agency's battered reputation, handing the reins temporarily to a close ally.

SEC Commissioner Elisse Walter, a career regulator who has sided with Schapiro on most of the critical issues before the agency, was named chairman-designate and could serve until December 2013, buying time for President Barack Obama to win Senate approval for a long-term replacement.

Obama plans to nominate someone soon, a White House official said. Walter is among the candidates likely to be considered, as is Treasury official Mary Miller, who spent nearly three decades at T. Rowe Price and has been outspoken about the need to make money markets safer for investors.

The new SEC chair will need to finish Schapiro's task of resurrecting the agency's reputation, which was badly tarnished by the 2007-2009 financial crisis.

The SEC is considering money market reforms, additional market structure safeguards, and still needs to write a number of major rules dictated by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law, including a final version of the Volcker rule to ban banks from trading for their own accounts.

"Elisse has been viewed as being in tune with Mary Schapiro's agenda," said Barry Barbash, a former director of the SEC's division of investment management, now an asset management lawyer at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Washington. "If the idea is to keep the SEC running the way it's been running with the same policies, Elisse would seem an appropriate choice."

Speculation has swirled for months that Schapiro would leave soon after the November 6 presidential election.

Her departure leaves the commission split 2-2 between Democrats and Republicans, which could make it harder for the commission to come to agreement. Obama could move to appoint a fifth commissioner before naming a new chairman.

When Schapiro took over in 2009, the agency was under heavy fire for regulatory blindspots that critics said helped fuel the crisis. It was also lambasted for failing to catch now-convicted Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff, whose fraud cost investors an estimated $65 billion.

In addition to shoring up the agency's name, Schapiro had to fight numerous other fires - from the 2010 "flash crash" that sent the Dow Jones industrial average tumbling 700 points within minutes to high-profile court losses.

"We've gotten a lot done, I'm really proud of where the agency is today, so it seemed like a good time," Schapiro said in an interview on Monday after announcing her departure.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Other possible replacements for Schapiro include Sallie Krawcheck, a former top executive at Bank of America and Citigroup, and Richard Ketchum, chairman of FINRA, Wall Street's self-funded regulator. SEC enforcement director Robert Khuzami, a Republican, is considered a long shot.

While Walter is also a possibility, she has already been at the SEC for more than four years and served as acting chairman before Schapiro's confirmation.

In many ways, Walter and Schapiro have been joined at the hip in their career experience and orientations. They both spent years as attorneys at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and at the SEC, with stints in top positions at FINRA.

"She is a strong advocate of disclosure, of regulation and of consumer protection," former SEC Commissioner Edward Fleischman said of Walter.

SCHAPIRO's LEGACY

Schapiro's time at the SEC was marked by some controversy and her departure leaves uncertainty around major initiatives. But former SEC officials said Schapiro helped revive a moribund agency.

"I think she saved the SEC, which was close to extinction when she took over," former SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt told Reuters.

Schapiro said in the interview that steering the agency out of that period in its history was one of the highlights of her tenure there.

She streamlined the SEC enforcement process, hired new types of employees and created a new tips database and a whistleblower office. In the past two years, the agency logged a record number of enforcement actions and brought major financial crisis cases, including a record $550 million settlement in 2010 with Goldman Sachs.

It has also implemented reforms to protect markets against major swings caused by errant technology - as was the case with the flash crash.

"The SEC is stronger, and our financial system is safer and better able to serve the American people - thanks in large part to Mary's hard work," Obama said in a statement.

But the agency has also been bogged down with major rules the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial regulation law required it to write, many of which are still in process.

Business groups have challenged much of the SEC's recent rule-making efforts and won major battles, including convincing a federal appeals court to throw out the agency's "proxy access" rule, which would have empowered shareholders to nominate directors to corporate boards.

Schapiro did not say what she planned to do next.

(Additional reporting by Sarah Lynch, Mark Felsenthal and Rachelle Younglai in Washington and Suzanne Barlyn in New York; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Andrew Hay, Tim Ahmann, Dan Grebler and Bernard Orr)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/schapiro-stepping-down-sec-walter-step-002850723--sector.html

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Meet Jim Courmier?2013 President of Minnesota Association of ...

Jim Courmier

We recently spoke with Jim Cormier, the new 2013 President of the Minnesota Association of REALTORS?. Jim has been owner/broker of?Building Sites, Inc. in Coon Rapids since 1981, and is a longtime leader in the industry.

How long have you been a REALTOR??
33 years.

What communities do you serve?
Mostly north suburban areas in Anoka, Ramsey and Washington Counties.

What area of real estate do you specialize in?
Land development and new construction.

What value do you get from the REALTOR? Organization?
Without a doubt, a member benefits from being a REALTOR?. This organization has so much to offer and it helps its members grow and thrive.

As a volunteer, how has being involved with the REALTOR? Organization helped your business?
It is a great way to network with fellow REALTORS?. When you have a network of professionals in the business, it helps to make transactions go more smoothly, resulting in satisfied clients.

Why did you decide to become a REALTOR??
The many opportunities that are available by being in the real estate business. The freedom to have an independent business with a chance to reap the rewards of hard work.

Why did you decide to volunteer with the REALTOR? Organization?
My local association was very active in community involvement and political advocacy. It is the best way to give back to the industry that has given so much to me.

What is the biggest challenge facing real estate agents today?
Keeping up with the fast pace of technology and the buyers and sellers that are shopping online. REALTORS? used to be the primary contact and source for real estate information for a buyer or seller. The business model has changed.

What are your goals/objectives for MNAR in your leadership of 2013?
There are three main areas that MNAR needs to focus on to the benefit of our members.

First, political advocacy is so very important to the real estate industry and private property rights. Every facet of our business is regulated. MNAR helps keep REALTORS? safe from those who do not have the REALTORS?? best interests in mind.

Second, to help educate our members to get the most out of their business.

Last, to continue to provide a climate of professionalism through our Professional Standards Committee.

What should MNAR be doing to help members position themselves for the future?
Continue to lobby on behalf of REALTORS?, continue with quality education and provide quality professionalism.

What professional accomplishment, honor or achievement has meant the most to you and why?
Two honors ? Minnesota REALTOR? of the Year and the Ed Anderson Political Achievement Award.
It is an honor to be recognized in such a way by my peers.

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be?
Abraham Lincoln

Did you have a different occupation before becoming a REALTOR?? If so, what did you do?
I worked in the iron mines on Michigan?s Iron Range. I moved from a small town to the Twin Cities for a better opportunity.

This Q&A was originally published in the November issue of RESOURCE, the monthly member publication of the Minnesota Association of REALTORS?.

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Source: http://minnrealtors.wordpress.com/2012/11/05/meet-jim-courmier-2013-president-of-minnesota-association-of-realtors/

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Force is strong with dream 'Star Wars' directors

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? It's the question we've all been pondering from the second we heard that three more "Star Wars" movies were planned: Who will direct them?

When George Lucas announced last week he was selling Lucasfilm to Disney for $4.05 billion, he also revealed that the long-rumored Episodes VII, VIII and IX were in the works. Instantly, fans began tossing around names of directors who'd be a good fit for this revered material.

So let's call this a wish list, a wouldn't-it-be-cool list. Because a lot of the people here are tied up with franchises of their own ? who knows if they'd be available to take over the first of these films, due out in 2015? Others are just people whose work I admire and I'd be curious to see how they'd apply their styles within this universe.

Then there's also the theory that Disney executives and Kathleen Kennedy, the current co-chairman of Lucasfilm who will become the division's president, won't want an auteur, someone who would put his or her own aesthetic stamp on the franchise. There goes your dream of seeing Chewbacca and R2-D2 through the eyes of David Lynch.

Whoever is chosen, whether it's a new director for each film or the same person taking over the trilogy, I think I speak for all of us when I say: Please, no Ewoks:

? J.J. Abrams: The most obvious choice, really. His sci-fi bona fides were already beyond reproach, and he solidified them with his reimagining of the "Star Trek" franchise in 2009. His sequel "Star Trek Into Darkness" is due out next year. This just makes sense all around.

? Joss Whedon: Another pretty obvious choice. Like Abrams, he has cultivated a well-deserved and loyal following among sci-fi fans between "Firefly" and "Serenity," but he catapulted himself into a whole 'nother stratosphere with this summer's enormous hit "The Avengers." Thing is, he may be just a tad busy with "The Avengers 2" ? which is also due out in 2015.

? Brad Bird: He directed the most recent and best in film in the "Mission: Impossible" series, last year's "Mission: Impossible ? Ghost Protocol." It gave Bird the opportunity to use his animation expertise from the beloved Pixar films "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille" to make a live-action movie that was lively and thrillingly staged. This would be an excellent fit.

? Jon Favreau: He's a massive "Star wars" fan and is extremely knowledgeable about Lucas and his life. He's also shown he can manipulate the kind of massive machinery it takes to make a blockbuster with the hugely successful "Iron Man" movies. This would also be a no-brainer.

? Christopher Nolan: Dark Knight. 'Nuff said.

? Peter Jackson: Sure, it makes sense. He's gotten his arms around gigantic franchises with rabid fan bases, to universal acclaim and awards, with the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. But the last of his three "Hobbit" movies comes out in 2014. He might already be kinda wiped out at this point.

? David Fincher: A hugely confident, virtuoso filmmaker mostly known for drama, but his remake of the Swedish hit "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" was epic and just heart-poundingly thrilling, and "The Social Network" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" showcased his mastery of special-effects trickery.

? Sam Mendes: This might seem like an odd choice until you see "Skyfall" this weekend. And you really should see "Skyfall" this weekend. But the "American Beauty" director said the whole experience of making a James Bond movie left him "knackered," to quote him, so who knows whether he'd be up for such a massive undertaking so soon.

? Matt Reeves: A longtime friend and collaborator of Abrams, he directed "Cloverfield" which showed he has an eye for visceral sci-fi action. But "Let Me In," his English-language version of the Swedish vampire thriller "Let the Right One In," revealed his ability to create a chilly, tense mood.

? Matthew Vaughn: His "Kick-Ass" was exactly that, a lively, funny tale of wannabe superheroes, while his "X-Men: First Class" was one of the better-reviewed films in the series. Before that, his debut film "Layer Cake" (starring a pre-Bond Daniel Craig) showed an instinctive ability to create tension and mood.

? Mark Romanek: He's just such an amazing visual stylist, I'd love to see what he'd do with this kind of well-established material. He made his name as a music video director, including the super-expensive space-age video for Michael Jackson's "Scream." But the couple of features he's made ? "One Hour Photo" and "Never Let Me Go" ? were so gorgeous and had such a signature look, I'd be curious to see what he could do with a bigger toy box.

? Kathryn Bigelow: She's just a bad-ass, a pioneering female action director. She proved she had a way with big, splashy set pieces two decades ago with "Point Break" and became the first woman to win the best-director Oscar for "The Hurt Locker." I'd love to see this male-centric universe from a female perspective.

? Guillermo del Toro: This is my dream "Star Wars" director. Of course, it will never happen. The ingenious maker of "Pan's Labyrinth" and the "Hellboy" movies has a visual style that's so wonderfully weird and inspired, it would never be allowed in such a structured setting. But it would be wondrous to watch.

? Ben Affleck: Probably not the first name you would have thought of a month ago. But "Argo" proved that Affleck is a major filmmaker, and showed he could step deftly from the intimate drama of "Gone Baby Gone" and "The Town" into much a larger and more complicated project. Plus it would allow him to redeem himself with fanboys following the debacle of "Daredevil."

___

Who would you like to see direct the next three "Star Wars" movies? Tell AP Movie Critic Christy Lemire through Twitter: http://twitter.com/christylemire .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/force-strong-dream-star-wars-directors-102100639.html

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Leading-edge Interference Verbal exchanges Methods of Shield Your favorite Listening to Seeing and hearing proper protection is often a although have a tendency to abandoned matter. Reading basic safety have been one thing you acknowledged, but the solution is which often noise-induced hearing loss will take place effortlessly, as well as the affect collects as time passes. Customers alter within their understanding to make sure you disturbances. Generally speaking ., barking damages a listening should you be through body amount and also to successfully holler to make you and your family observed. However, if interference is really aching a ears, a person?s listen may perhaps sound, depends upon may have problem finding out many different hours and hours when you are done expertise your audio.

Working in a made some noise establishing may not be rather simple but not very important. Not only does the job need the completely focus of function, moreover, it wants accepting methods to lessen most of the with probable hurt. Building construction working people, carpenters, aggressive personnel, etcetera. usually formulate occupational tinnitus at the start of any occupation. Producing and even taking on profitable reading protections often is hard to do as the majority of they personnel are itinerant. Many people bear noticeable the loss of hearing correct Fifteen to twenty a great deal of being presented persistently to noise due to equipment, day-to-day ventures, tools and supplies along with internet site visitors. Hearing problems consists of a huge impact on quality of life and likewise could be defense situations at the workplace along with turned off. Microsoft Office 2010

Hearing difficulties through financial temperatures and additionally work and this is thoroughly possible to avoid by using a education represent less noisy equipment, discovering efficiency products, utilize of proper hearing and seeing safeguard. Simplest way to steer clear of setting up noise-induced hearing loss rrs always to avoid boisterous sound experience as regularly as it?s possible to. That Work-related Health and safety Managing (Has . 1 percent) offers of the fact that the highest decibel laying open pertaining to unsecured the ear lobes within 8-10 several hours is without a doubt 90 decibels. For virtually any 5-decibel multiply, all of the exposure energy could be slash in two. Top notch ear protection is a vital as soon as employed in noisy settings for the reason that multiplied may seem causes genuine must also be reported the inner . High quality stability aids wipe out almost all sounds to ensure that the ear canals you should never experience any form of cause harm to while getting tasks realized on a rowdy workplace. Microsoft Office 2010 Product Key

Expert tones information suggestions being sure that customers will relate face-to-face, through simple lengths and international calls with the help of two way rc and additionally Wireless bluetooth telephone as well as other connections models. These kind of gizmos like electronic radio stations select not to mention electric the ears muffs send out Three hundred sixty states binaural situational consciousness to be certain potential customers have complete awareness to what?s taking all around these.

Gift an individual finding out in beneficial the ears case cover things. The worth might be worth greater than any consequences about lacking these guys.

Source: http://www.healthuse.com/gift-an-individual-finding-out-in-beneficial-the-ears-case-cover-things-microsoft-office-2010.html

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How I Create: Q&A with Media Producer & Performer Jen Lee ...

I love learning about another person?s creative process. I wonder how they stitched together seemingly disparate ideas, how they constructed a beautiful sentence, how they were able to see and capture the tiniest detail in a photo, how their brush could paint my emotions.

Creativity comes in countless forms. But I think the running thread is vulnerability. It takes courage to let your creativity hang out. Specifically, I think one of the toughest and bravest acts is sharing your story ? and doing it on stage. That?s exactly what Jen Lee does on a regular basis.

Lee is a beloved performer in New York City?s storytelling scene, including The Peabody Award-winning?Moth Radio Hour?and The Best of The Moth, Volume 15.

That?s why I was excited to get her thoughts on cultivating creativity for our monthly series, ?How I Create.?

Lee also is a media producer and a sought-after mentor and guide for workshops and retreats unleashing creative expression. She?s the creator of?Finding Your Voice?and?Telling Your Story, cutting-edge personal breakthrough courses.

And she?s a contributing author of?Women Writing on Family: Tips on Writing, Teaching and Publishing. Find her?online at: jenleeproductions.com.

1. Do you incorporate?creativity-boosting activities into your daily routine? If so, what activities do you do?

Honestly, my biggest creativity-booster is rest. When I?m well-rested, words and ideas flow and things can happen with speed and ease instead of grinding it out. I rest by spending time alone, having really regular and generous sleep habits, and restocking my creativity pond with good stories ? live on stage, in a book or on a big screen.

2. What are your inspirations for your work?

My friends and colleagues, who never cease to be bold and to be brave, whether they are telling true stories on a stage or sharing their research findings, playing a new song for the first time or just reaching out on a hard day.

They make me want to be better ? to be more courageous and more tender and more true in the hopes that my work might be a source of freedom and healing the way their courage, their work and their tender and true selves have been to me.

3. There are many culprits that can crush?creativity, such as distractions, self-doubt and fear of failure. What tends to stand in the way of your?creativity?

Burnout and fatigue are my biggest enemies. Always trying to crank out so much, to be just a little more productive, can leave me feeling really stripped and depleted if I go unchecked. I have a full and rich family life, and I think when we?re juggling our creative work with other roles and responsibilities like caretaking or other jobs, it?s easy to feel that our creative time is scarce and to submit to the temptation to use it all for output instead of balancing it with some input, too.

4. How?do you overcome these obstacles?

I stay in regular communication with my friends, who can hear so quickly even over the phone and many miles when I?m stretching myself too thin and are quick to call me on it. I notice how my body feels when it?s time to pick up my children and I haven?t taken time to rest and compare it with my mood and energy level when I do ? and then I use that difference to motivate and inspire me to step away. To eat good food. To indulge in a few minutes with a good mystery.

And perhaps the biggest shift is an internal peace I?m making with my limits. I?m learning, This is what I can sustain. This is what is realistic to expect in this season of my life.

And that perspective frees me up to really sink deeply into and enjoy the other elements in my life, to let them feed and inspire me and be part of the mix instead of feeling resentful toward them and viewing them as the source of some kind of scarcity.

5. What are some of your favorite resources on?creativity?

I?m not sure I would have made it through the challenges of those first few years doing creative work without Julia Cameron?s writing, which really normalized so much of what I experienced and at the same time offered guidance about how to take good care of myself ? body, soul and mind ? along the way.

Now my favorite resources are really about understanding and expanding my capacity for vulnerability, which is an edge I always seem to be working at. David Whyte?s audio program, What to Remember When Waking: The Disciplines of an Everyday Life, has been like a holy text for me in this regard. I?ve really been letting that wisdom be my companion for the last couple years.

6. What is your favorite way to get your?creative?juices flowing?

The easiest way for me to write is to put on my headphones with the right kind of music for the task, even if I?m alone ? something about headphones cocoons me in my interior world.

If I need to shake words or ideas loose, I go for a walk. I stare out windows. I have those rambling kinds of conversations with friends where in one breath you?re saying you really need to do the laundry but in the next breath something kind of profound falls out.

7. What?s your advice for readers on cultivating?creativity?

Create space for it in your life ? make sure you have a good deal of tasks that require repetitive motion but not a lot of attention in your day (dishwashing, mopping, showering). Sometimes we cram our schedules so tight and spread our attention so thin that there?s no room for inspiration to sneak up behind us and then be heard.

Our obsession with doing is eroding our practice of being (whether over a slow, mindful cup of tea, on a bench in a park or just minutes to breathe and rest in the in-between spaces), and in my experience those moments of being are really the gateway ? the invitation ? for both inspiration and flow to find us in a way that too much effort tends to chase away.

8. Anything else you?d like readers to know about?creativity?

Creativity is not a static trait ? it?s not something one is born with or without. I think of it more as a divine spark that travels amid and among us like birds, looking for a shoulder that is sitting still enough to land on. To tap into our creativity is to listen for the quiet guidance and eurekas that are waiting beyond the din.

?

Photo credit: Bella Cirovic

Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. is an Associate Editor at Psych Central and blogs regularly about eating and self-image issues on her own blog, Weightless.

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APA Reference
Tartakovsky, M. (2012). How I Create: Q&A with Media Producer & Performer Jen Lee. Psych Central. Retrieved on November 4, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/11/03/how-i-create-qa-with-media-producer-performer-jen-lee/

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/11/03/how-i-create-qa-with-media-producer-performer-jen-lee/

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U.S. fiscal cliff, Europe's debt woes worry G20

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Finance chiefs of the world's leading economies are ringing alarm bells over the U.S. fiscal cliff and Europe's debt woes at a meeting in Mexico this weekend as they look to push back deficit reduction targets to help boost growth.

Unless a fractious U.S. Congress can reach a deal, about $600 billion in government spending cuts and higher taxes are set to kick in on January 1, threatening to push the American economy back into recession and hit world growth.

But with the U.S. presidential election looming on Tuesday, dealing with the fiscal cliff has been delayed.

"The Americans themselves acknowledge that this is a problem," a G20 official said on condition of anonymity. "The U.S. administration says it doesn't want to fall off the fiscal cliff, but right now it can't tell us how exactly it will address it because that issue is on ice ahead of the election."

Tax cuts, including those enacted under President George W. Bush, are set to expire in January, when automatic spending cuts designed to put pressure on lawmakers to strike a long-term budget deal are also set to kick in.

"What remains a sort of key aspect is that the United States is not respecting the current commitments (to reduce its deficits) and does not have a credible fiscal consolidation plan," one European official said.

Germany has come to the meeting calling on the United States and Japan to shoulder with Europe responsibility for ensuring global economic stability.

"The United States and Japan bear as great a responsibility for (ensuring stability) as we Europeans," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told Reuters ahead of the meeting.

The U.S. Congress will also soon have to raise the nation's debt limit to avoid a default.

Policy makers are scrambling to stem a new global slowdown as the economy is still limping after the 2008/9 financial crisis.

An initial consensus around the need for urgent action to prevent a new depression has given way to deep differences over issues such as spending to boost growth and the right pace of belt-tightening to tackle high debt levels.

The International Monetary Fund last month cut its forecast for global growth to 3.6 percent for 2013, citing "familiar" forces dragging on advanced economies: fiscal consolidation and a weak financial system.

Even Germany, which powered through the first two years of the euro zone debt crisis, has cut its growth forecast to just 1 percent for next year and countries such as Spain and Italy are already back in recession.

Jose Angel Gurria, head of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, said on Saturday the G20 should appeal to the United States to avoid the` fiscal cliff, but added he was optimistic that Congress would strike a deal.

"I still believe it is not going to be applied," Gurria said in an interview before the meeting of G20 finance chiefs, which formally starts on Sunday.

Officials are also concerned about Japan's own version of the fiscal cliff, a crippling funding shortfall just as it risks sliding into recession, and recognize that previous commitments made by developed countries to cut their budget deficits in half by 2013 look unfeasible.

U.S. and European officials are also likely to come under pressure from G20 peers for dragging their feet on implementing the so-called Basel III accords on financial regulations, the world's response to the 2007-09 financial crisis.

Countries who fail to introduce the rules, which are aimed at safeguarding the global banking system from another financial crisis, could face sanctions, a senior Mexican finance official said.

Despite the issue's prominence, a G20 source said Russia wants to keep financial regulation discussions at a more technical level when it takes over the presidency of the group from Mexico after this meeting, which ends on Monday, possibly pushing the issue onto the back burner.

With several heavyweights like U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner - who is expected to stand down soon after the U.S. elections on Tuesday - European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi and top Chinese officials skipping the meeting, few expect any major agreements.

Spain's reluctance to seek financial aid is stoking worries that Europe's debt crisis could further hurt world growth. The government is under pressure to seek a bailout as it struggles to cope with high public debt and the cost of recapitalizing its banks. Euro zone sources say they expect Spain to seek financial aid from the euro zone in November.

A government source told Reuters on Wednesday that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy had not ruled out applying for a rescue, but Rajoy has signaled he will not rush unless market conditions deteriorate significantly.

(Reporting by Alonso Soto, Alexandra Alper, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Lesley Wroughton, Julien Toyer, Jan Strupczewski, Gernot Heller, Louise Egan, Krista Hughes, Dave Graham and Michael O'Boyle; Writing by Simon Gardner; Editing by Doina Chiacu and David Gregorio)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/g20-flags-u-fiscal-cliff-europes-debt-woes-053515874--finance.html

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US death toll from Sandy surpasses 100

The National Guard, FEMA and the Red Cross, among other agencies, set up camp to help the hard-hit working class community of Staten Island. NBC's Andrea Canning reports.

By Miguel Llanos, NBC News

Updated 11:20 p.m. ET: The death toll in the United States from Superstorm Sandy rosed to 109 victims on Friday, as Pennsylvania reported four additional deaths and New York City reported two more fatalities. Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned: "There could be more fatalities."

Two bodies were recovered Friday on Staten Island. The toll in the nation's largest city is now 41 deaths, according to the governor's office. However, the New York Police Department had reported 40 deaths in the city.

Half of the city's deaths were on Staten Island and Bloomberg noted the deaths there of two brothers swept from their mother's arms in the storm surge.?

"It just breaks your heart to think about it," Bloomberg said.

---

Besides New York City, the deaths NBC News has confirmed are:

• New Jersey: 22
• Pennsylvania: 12
• Maryland: 11
• Rest of New York state: 8
• West Virginia: 6
• Connecticut: 4
• Virginia: 2
• North Carolina: 2
• Puerto Rico: 1

The storm also killed at least 69 people in the Caribbean, including 54 in Haiti and 11 in Cuba.?

Tempers flared as people camped out all night, waiting for their turn at the pump in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. NBC's Tom Costello reports.

Four days after Sandy struck the U.S., New York and the wider region were in full recovery mode Friday:

• NYC Marathon:?Bloomberg said it was being canceled?even though he had earlier defended the decision to hold it Sunday.
• Gasoline shortages:?New York Harbor reopened Friday, providing a critical refueling supply line for the region. But motorists still waited in long lines for gasoline.
• Manhattan traffic:?New York City said it had lifted, as of 5 p.m. ET, the order that vehicles entering Manhattan must have at least three occupants.
• Shelter, food aid: 5,500 people are still in 15 New York City shelters and some could be out of their homes long term.?The city on Thursday gave out 290,000 meals and 500,000 bottles of water at 13 stations. Those deliveries will continue indefinitely. But residents of outlying areas like Staten Island and Coney Island complained aid was little and late. "People are defecating in the hallways," one Coney Island resident without power or water?told NBC 4 New York.
• Damage cost: In New York state alone, the cost could exceed $18 billion, a state official said Friday. Private estimates for the entire region range up to $50 billion in economic losses.
• N.J. beach homes: Thousands of people were still not allowed to return to their Jersey coast properties due to safety concerns. Gov. Chris Christie said Friday he had his first meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers to work on how and where to rebuild along the shore.
• Casinos reopen: Atlantic City, N.J., was given the green light to reopen casinos on Friday.
• Military help:?Nearly 7,400 National Guard members have provided support, giving out 144,000 meals in New York City and Long Island, rescuing more than 2,000 people and 200 pets, and clearing debris, the Department of Defense said. Equipment and supplies are being delivered, including: ships to New York City to give first responders a place to rest; millions of meals from West Virginia to New York; and trucks that will deliver about 200,000 gallons of fuel.

New Yorkers also got a bit of a scare Friday when police ammo and explosives ruined during the storm were detonated in several controlled explosions on Ellis Island.

/

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

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/02/14884300-sandy-death-toll-in-us-rises-to-109-there-could-be-more-bloomberg-warns?lite

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Visualized: Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its final journey, arrives at new home (video)

On Friday, Space Shuttle Atlantis made its final voyage, marking the last time an orbiter in America's shuttle program would be on the move. We were on-hand during the occasion and followed Atlantis as it slowly trekked to its destination, a 90,000 square-foot exhibit building at Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex. To live out the event vicariously, check out the photos below or hit the jump for the video.

Gallery: Space Shuttle Atlantis' Final Journey

Continue reading Visualized: Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its final journey, arrives at new home (video)

Filed under: Science

Visualized: Space Shuttle Atlantis makes its final journey, arrives at new home (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/03/space-shuttle-atlantis-final-move-museum-video/

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Author Courtney Walsh and Guest Designer ... - Little Yellow Bicycle

Friday, November 02, 2012

Author Courtney Walsh and Guest Designer Kelly Goree Team Up for Another Acorn Hollow Project

We are so lucky to have another project from the super talented Kelly Goree that was inspired by her friend and author Courtney Walsh's new book A Sweethaven Homecoming.?

?

Courtney Walsh has written a series of heartwarming novels with themes including friendship and scrapbooking. Today she shares some insights from her Sweethaven books about home and has asked her good friend Kelly Goree to create a layout about the theme with our very own Acorn Hollow collection.?? ?
From Courtney---One of the most important things in my life is that sense of "home." Perhaps that's why it was so important to include the word "Homecoming" in the title of my second novel... because I think there's something universal about that feeling of belonging that you only get when you're home. It's a common theme throughout the novels as Sweethaven is the place my characters can go and truly feel like themselves...

Having moved around a LOT the past few years, Home is more important to me than ever...which is why for this second Sweethaven-inspired prompt, I asked my sweet and hugely talented friend Kelly Goree to create an Acorn Hollow layout that highlights the things she loves most about her home.

I didn't expect that topic to strike such a chord, but for Kelly, it's the home itself that has the most meaning. Having been in her family for four generations, there's something special about those four walls...and what better way to document it than in the pages of her scrapbook?

From Kelly--- My favorite thing about my home is my home itself. It was once my grandmother's and four generations of my family have lived here. The layout is a replica of my house and the doors and windows open to show you some features and give journaling about why this house is special to me.

The detail shot of the front door pretty much shows you exactly what you see when you open my front door which I thought was fun.

Please visit Kelly's blog Behind the Pages for more amazing ideas and inspiration.

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?GIVEAWAY 1 - We thought that the cover of Courtney's second book A Sweethaven Homecoming reminded us of our Acorn Hollow collection, so we are going to giveaway a copy of her book.? Just tell us what home means to you and we will choose a lucky winner from the comments.

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GIVEAWAY 2 - please visit Kelly Goree's BLOG for a chance to win our entire Acorn Hollow collection.? It's her birthday today, so be sure to wish her a happy one!

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Have a wonderful weekend!

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POSTED BY: Liz Qualman

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Source: http://littleyellowbicycle.typepad.com/my-blog/2012/11/author-courtney-walsh-and-guest-designer-kelly-goree-team-up-for-another-acorn-hollow-project.html

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Hurdles lied ahead in efforts to fix flaws in 2011 revaluation ...

Posted on 02 November 2012.

Witt Putney of Pearson?s Appraisal Service explains a wall-sized map of Mecklenburg County showing hundreds of 2011 property valuations the firm is reviewing. (Julie Rose/WFAE)

By JULIE ROSE
WFAE

Property owners hoping to learn if the 2011 tax values assigned to their neighborhoods will be re-done because of errors will have to wait at least a few more weeks. The firm hired by Mecklenburg County to evaluate the property revaluation process will not share details of its findings until a county commission meeting on Nov. 13. And even then, there are significant hurdles in fixing whatever flaws the firm uncovers.

Cornelius resident Bob Deaton and many more like him have no doubt what Pearson?s Appraisal Service will find in reviewing the county?s 2011 revaluation.

?Needs to be a redo ? the revaluation was totally flawed,? says Mr. Deaton.

The firm?s findings are likely to be far more nuanced, though County Commission Chairman Harold Cogdell told The Charlotte Observer some neighborhoods could be re-done. That would be highly unusual, but Pearson?s Appraisal project manager Emmett Curl says it?s possible. But without approval from the General Assembly, any adjustment the county makes to 2011 property values will only affect future tax bills.

COUNTY SENDS 2nd ROUND OF PROPERTY TAX BILLS Mecklenburg County mailed 97,000 more 2012 property tax bills to business and individual property owners and mortgage companies on Oct. 30. This second billing follows an initial mailing Aug. 29 that included most of the the county?s 355,000 bills for this year. The county says the second mailing ?is a normal procedure? for properties whose value or tax records were being processed at the time of the first billing. That includes properties whose values were appealed in 2011 but the cases had not been heard by the Board of Equalization and Review, and properties changing value in 2012 as a result of new construction or other factors. In addition, almost 12,000 notices of value are being mailed to owners to reflect either a change in their real property or its assessment effective with the 2012 tax year. These notices reflect new construction or improvements, division of real estate parcels or decisions on property classification such as homestead exclusion, agricultural use, etc. The bills include frequently asked questions. If you have other questions, call CharMeck311 by dialing 311 within Mecklenburg, or 704-336-4600 from outside the county, or visit tax.charmeck.org. Property tax bills may be paid without interest through Jan. 7. For those paid late, interest is 2 percent for the first month and 0.75 percent a month until paid.

Barb Scott of Cornelius says that?s not acceptable.

?So now if I don?t get an adjustment in my value until 2013, the county has gotten bonus money from me for two years,? says Scott.

She?s one of more than 50,000 Mecklenburg County property owners who appealed the new tax values assigned in 2011. The sheer number of appeals so overwhelmed the system that Mecklenburg County?s Board of Equalization and Review didn?t hear the last of them until just two weeks ago.

By then, the deadline to appeal 2012 values was long gone and 2012 taxes due. Barb Scott?s appeal was denied, so now she and more than a thousand others are appealing to the state Property Tax Commission.

Over the next three weeks, Pearson?s Appraisal Service will hold a series of town hall meetings throughout Mecklenburg County to share what it learned in reviewing the 2011 revaluation.

The schedule includes a Nov. 14 meeting at Cornelius Town Hall, 7-9pm.

RELATED LINKS

Mecklenburg County Assessor?s Office information on 2011 revaluation review, and meeting schedule The schedule includes a Nov. 14 meeting at Cornelius Town Hall.

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

Listen to Julie Rose?s full WFAE story. Click the play button to start. Can?t see the player or hear the audio? CLICK HERE> (MP3, 1 mins., 59 sec)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Source: http://davidsonnews.net/blog/2012/11/02/hurdles-lied-ahead-in-efforts-to-fix-flaws-in-2011-revaluation/

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Free Webinar: 3 Steps To Building A Successful Customer List ...

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Free Webinar: 3 Steps To Building A Successful Customer List

Come back after the Webinar to rate it! ? Share This Webinar

Do you want to build an online business with a large email list of potential new customers that are really interested in your products or services? Are you wondering how other people manage to get thousands of people signing up to their business mailing list whilst your contact database feel uncomfortably empty?

The most effective way of building up a good stable customer list is through opt in marketing.

If you want to know the secrets of creating a constant stream of new customers, tune in to the Internet Business Kick Start Webinar ??? ??? 3 Steps To Building A Successful Customer List'

It???s totally free, so register now to get instant access to the webinar!

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Source: http://www.webinarlistings.com/calendar/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=19117

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How A Sandy-Related PR Nightmare Cost Startup ... - Business Insider

Uber, a company that makes an app you can use to summon a livery cab, had to deal with an extremely messy situation in New York yesterday.

Now it's having to deal with obnoxious punditry.

Let's hit yesterday first.

Because the subways were out, Uber's black car drivers were in huge demand.

To get the drivers to pick up Uber customers, Uber had to start paying them 2X their normal rate.

At first, Uber passed this rate increase onto its customers through a program it calls "surge pricing."

But then customers and reporters started complaining, saying that Uber was "price gouging" in the middle of a disaster.

So, while continuing to pay drivers 2X their normal rate, Uber started charging customers 1X the normal rate.

This act of generosity (and, let's be honest, PR damage control) cost Uber about $100,000.?

So what did Uber get for its expensive pains??

A nasty column from PandoDaily's Paul Carr is what.?About 12 hours ago he wrote: "As NY floods, ?Robin Hood? Uber robs from the rich and? Nope, that?s about it."?The URL for his column was: "http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/31/assholes-shrug/"

It's unfortunate. ?$100,000?is a lot of money for a still young startup trying to gain its footing.

(A week ago, Carr wrote a column about how Uber CEO?Travis Kalanick has a reckless fascination with disrupting government regulation.?Carr mocked Kalanick's alleged obsession with Ayn Rand. That's all fair and a separate issue. Kalanick should be more respectful of some government regulation. Rand?is terrible.)

Unless Carr is mailing a check, Uber obviously can't afford to keep losing so much money.

So today, Uber announced that it will return to surge pricing, but will not keep any of its normal fees.

In a candid blog post, co-signed by the entire Uber New York team, the company said: "For those needing a ride this week, it?s going to be expensive."

Kudos for the honesty despite certain backlash from critics a thousand miles away.

Here's the whole blog post:

First and foremost, we hope that you and your family and friends are safe. The Uber NYC office is currently closed and some of our team members are without water and power.

With limited public transportation, demand for Uber rides is astronomically high. That means we?re working to get as many drivers out as possible to help New Yorkers get around the city. So, in order to maximize the number of drivers on the system yesterday, we started paying drivers 2x the fare on all trips ? and in the meantime charging riders the standard 1x fare avoiding surge pricing for most of the day after Sandy.?Doubling drivers? fares tripled the number of cars on the road and kept them out there far longer.?However, footing the bill for higher driver costs came at a significant expense to Uber with over $100,000 in additional payments to drivers in a single day ? something we can?t continue indefinitely without breaking the bank.

So while we were mostly able to avoid higher prices the day after Sandy, the reality is that under this week?s extreme conditions, raising the price is the only sustainable way to maximize the number of rides and minimize the number of people stranded ? by providing a meaningful incentive for drivers to come out in undesirable conditions.

Later this morning we will be reverting back to standard Surge Pricing for riders. It is a hard decision, but one we feel strongly about. Without raising the price, there will be less than ? the number of drivers on the system with several times more demand on far fewer drivers. Without Surge Pricing, Uber would become essentially unusable this week. For those needing a ride this week, it?s going to be expensive; there will be a clear pricing notification in the app at the time of request.?During this emergency price increase, Uber will waive all of its own fees with 100% of the fare going directly to the drivers helping New Yorkers move around the city.

You can read more about Surge Pricing on our blog:?http://blog.uber.com/2012/03/14/clear-and-straight-forward-surge-pricing/

Our thoughts and prayers are with all New Yorkers in this time of crisis. We?re going to do everything we can to continue to provide the most reliable, efficient transportation option for NYC. Be safe, and stay Uber.

The Uber NYC Team
Josh, Andrew, Ed, Kyle and Nicole in Manhattan,
Jeremy in Brooklyn,
Betty in Queens
and Cait in The Bronx

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-sandy-related-pr-nightmare-cost-startup-uber-100000-in-a-day-2012-11

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