rodneygrantgrant: February 2012

Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Is it a sign from gods ... or iPhone glitch?

When Hector Siliezar visited the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza with his wife and kids in 2009, he snapped three iPhone photos of El Castillo, a pyramid that once served as a sacred temple to the Mayan god Kukulkan. A thunderstorm was brewing near the temple, and Siliezar was trying to capture lightning crackling dramatically over the ruins.

In the first two images, dark clouds loom above the pyramid, but nothing is amiss. However, in the third photo, a powerful beam of light appears to shoot up from the pyramid toward the heavens, and a thunderbolt flashes in the background.

Siliezar, who recently shared his photographs with occult investigators, told Earthfiles.com that he and his family didn't see the light beam in person; it appeared only on camera. "It was amazing!" he said. He showed the iPhone photo to his fellow tourists. "No one, not even the tour guide, had ever seen anything like it before."

The photo has surfaced on several Mayan doomsday discussion forums. But was the light beam a sign from the gods ? a warning about Dec. 21, 2012, the date that marks the end of the Mayan calendar cycle, and when some people fear the world will end? Or is it simply the result of an iPhone glitch?

More science news from msnbc.com
1. Discovery may resurrect 'Jesus Tomb' debate
  Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: Using a remote-controlled camera on the end of a robotic arm, investigators have found what could be the earliest evidence of Christian iconography in Jerusalem, inside a nearly intact 1st-century tomb.
2. You live in a cave? Look out for bat flu then
3. Weird 'dog-headed pig monster' terrorizes Africa
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According to Jonathon Hill, a research technician and mission planner at the Mars Space Flight Facility at Arizona State University, which operates many of the cameras used during NASA's Mars missions, it is almost definitely the latter. Hill works with images of the Martian surface taken by rovers and satellites, as well as data from Earth-orbiting NASA instruments, and is fully versed in the wide range of potential image artifacts and equipment errors.

He says the "light beam" in the Mayan temple photo is a classic case of such an artifact ? a distortion in an image that arises from the way cameras bounce around incoming light.

It is no mere coincidence, Hill said, that "of the three images, the 'light beam' only occurs in the image with a lightning bolt in the background. The intensity of the lightning flash likely caused the camera's CCD sensor to behave in an unusual way, either causing an entire column of pixels to offset their values or causing an internal reflection (off the) camera lens that was recorded by the sensor." In either case, extra brightness would have been added to the pixels in that column in addition to the light hitting them directly from the scene.

Evidence in favor of this explanation is the fact that the beam, when isolated in Photoshop or other image analysis software, runs perfectly vertical in the image. "That's a little suspicious since it's very unlikely that the gentleman who took this picture would have his handheld iPhone camera positioned exactly parallel to the 'light beam' down to the pixel level," Hill told Life's Little Mysteries.

It's more likely that the "light beam" corresponds to a set of columns of pixels in the camera sensor that are electronically connected to each other, but not to other columns in the sensor, and that this set of connected pixels became oversaturated in the manner described above.

"That being said," Hill said, "it really is an awesome image!"

Follow Natalie Wolchover on Twitter @ nattyover. Follow Life's Little Mysteries on Twitter @ llmysteries, then join us on Facebook.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46560621/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Tuesday, 28 February 2012

93% Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol

All Critics (193) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (179) | Rotten (13)

Brad Bird passe his audition for a career as a live-action director. And "Ghost Protocol" more than makes its bones as an argument for why Tom Cruise should continue in this role as long as his knees, and his nerves, hold up.

Brad Bird passes his audition for a career as a live-action director. And "Ghost Protocol" more than makes its bones as an argument for why Tom Cruise should continue in this role as long as his knees, and his nerves, hold up.

"Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol" is sheer hurtling mechanism-and it's great silly fun.

As usual with the series, the movie combines a plot line a toddler could understand with gadgets that would baffle an engineering Ph.D.

I'm thinking it, so I might as well say it: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is no Fast Five.

...it's pretty much state-of-the-art.

Brad Bird's Mission made me feel like a kid again.

... a good-size barrel of fun.

still does not have the hang of what made the TV show so good.

Cruises on the WOW! factor.

Snagging Oscar-winning animation director Brad Bird to fill the director's chair proves to be an inspired choice--and, upon thought, a bit of a no-brainer.

The screenplay doesn't rely too much on gimmicks to advance the plot. Instead, the plot is also character-driven to an extent. There are interesting dynamics going on in the Mission Impossible team.

Director Brad Bird juices and gooses the whole affair with edge and excitement, new energy, humor and heartbeat, and a terrific feel for big, bold, audaciously daring sequences that beg for the biggest screen available.

Great stunts and not a dull moment,

Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol could very well be the series' best installment.

It has a few very good ideas, and then, the rest of it is totally lackluster.

Watching Tom leap from a hospital window on to a passing truck, I couldn't help but worry: Tom, those knees won't last forever.

Succeeds in dishing up exactly what you would expect: State of the arts stunts, non-stop action, and a series of clearly laid-out heists and chases that go awry in all kinds of creative ways.

Bird manages the escalations from the preposterous through the more preposterous to the most preposterous with skill and wit...

...great cinematic entertainment.

Better than the tower climb is the scene in which Hunt infiltrates the Kremlin with, essentially, a high-tech magic trick; the playfulness of the effect demonstrates the usefulness of Bird's background in the astonish-the-audience culture of animation.

So exciting you have to remind yourself to breathe.

More Critic Reviews

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mission_impossible_ghost_protocol/

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Monday, 27 February 2012

Sony Mobile World Congress press conference liveblog

We're live in Barcelona for Sony's 2012 Mobile World Congress press conference. We're expecting to see more mid-range devices from the manufacturer, as well as more Xperia S, and maybe a few surprises, too.

The fun starts at 6pm CET (1pm EST, 10am PST, 5pm GMT), and we'll have full coverage in our liveblog, so don't go anywhere!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/nCS5yO6uMRY/story01.htm

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THeBiZNeSS: I just became the mayor of Jp Crib on @foursquare! http://t.co/0b2pdfPu

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Use These Great Tips To Improve Finances

It?s always best to plan for the unexpected, sometimes unexpected expenses occur and have to be prepared for. Know your late fees and grace periods for all your accounts. Before signing a lease, make sure you are aware of your options.

You need to have a highly liquid savings account. Preferably, this should be in the form of a high-interest account. Some of these are available at online banks, and they are all covered by the FDIC.

Open a flexible spending account and use it. Flexible spending accounts can be great for covering medical expenses and daycare expenses. These accounts allow you to put a certain amount of pretax dollars aside to pay for such expenses. Talk to a tax specialist first, because there may be some conditions involved you do not understand.

Nobody wants to end up losing their home. However, if you can improve your finances, seriously consider finding a home that you can afford more easily. You don?t want to be kicked out of your own home once your efforts to repay fail. Sometimes it?s a good idea be preemptive.

If you can, have money deducted from your check that will go directly into savings. Automatic deduction frees you from the responsibility of remembering to save all the time, and the money you save could be a lifesaver in the case of unexpected unemployment, medical expenses, disaster or other crises.

Managing separate checking accounts may make it easier to adhere to your budget. One account could be used to cover fixed expenses; another would be devoted entirely to variable expenses. This will help you to keep track of what you are spending your money on, and it will also guarantee that you have the money available to cover all of your expenses.

Having a FSA (flexible spending account) is helpful for your personal finances. FSAs function as tax shelters, so you will save money on your tax bill.

Carry a small envelope with you wherever you go. Put store receipts and things like business cards in it. This way you can ensure you have all the documents you need for your records. It will be good to have them on hand, so that you can verify all the charges on your credit card statement and contest any that are incorrect.

You can regain control of your personal finances by designing a budget and making a firm commitment to adhere to it. A budget promotes disciplined spending and gives you an idea of where your money is going. You can use the old fashioned approach of pen and paper, or find a financial software package. It will also keep you accountable for your spending.

Not all types of debt are bad. Debt that can be considered beneficial or good most often involve real estate purchases and investments. Most of the time, residential and commercial property will go up in how much it?s worth and the interest from that loan is deductible from your taxes. ?Good debt? may come in the form of paying for college tuition. The typical student loan has a very low interest rate and is not required to be repaid until a student has graduated. These generally offer low interest rates and postponed repayment periods that do not occur until graduation has passed.

To be financially stable, begin a savings account and then deposit money faithfully. Having something to fall back on in an emergency is key to financial stability. Even if you cannot make a big contribution every month, you should still save up as much as possible.

If you learn to manage you finances, you will be able to save up your money for grand purchases. The advice given in this article will help you to make better decisions regarding your money.

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Source: http://articlesfair.com/personal-finance/use-these-great-tips-to-improve-finances/

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Sunday, 26 February 2012

filmcenter: RT @chi_humanities: European Union Film Festival starts next week at @filmcenter - http://t.co/cOTxdjRX - which films look best to you?

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RT @chi_humanities: European Union Film Festival starts next week at @filmcenter - chf.to/wXjxmn - which films look best to you? il y a environ 10 heures via HootSuite

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Source: http://twitter.com/filmcenter/statuses/173177907550756864

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This can be a potent way to observe just what sending TEXT ...

Volume TEXT will be quickly incorporated in order to Outlook 2007 Mobile Aid. Perspective Portable Services enables you to send mass SMS messages by way of an marketing entrance. Whenever you see the info on utilizing Perspective 2007 Portable Services, a number of providers assure which it performs with the mobile company for the cellphone. This is restricting in this your bulks SMS as well as texting can extremely simply merely attain those people inside the cell phone supplying locations and could possess troubles attaining any individual, everywhere. You can use Perspective 2007 mobile assistance by indicates of volume SMS gateways, with out finding to get worried. With all the Brief Messaging Technique as well as TXT communications for you to communicate with your staff, feasible or maybe current consumers and other men and women can be straightforward and speedy.You will be in a position to speedily set up it as well as send bulks SMS communications in your total tackle book or syndication databases with the touch of an button. The certainly remarkable function relating to majority sms systems is that you can plan bulks TXT mail messages to turn into dispatched at a later time along with time, and it does not subject in case your individual individual laptop or computer will be on as well as certainly not. This communicates your mobile phone marketing messages at the appropriate time, and you also do not have to be concerned. This type of tends to make it straightforward in order to plan out there a full 30 days involving sales unique provides or even savings as well as pre-schedule the bulks TEXT communications to assistance you proceed for a subsequent job. The actual TXT portal server communicates all of them in the pre-determined time.

Outlook Cell Aid gives some limiting capabilities that other devices can compensate with regard to in relation to conversing much a lot more proficiently and properly. You can truly subscribe to an account to your enterprise, and they get costs plans that supply the amount of users and bulks TEXT MESSAGE mail messages a person send out.They have pre-paid or even post-paid accounts receivable upon lowest monthly agreements. Bulks SMS messages are a terrific way to preserve touching your guests, and also create faithfulness by way of non-intrusive communication to mention activities. The truth is, truly no cost activities get doubled work by merely reminding registrants of the future occasion. Whenever preparing a meeting, it actually is been found that only 30% of people which responded to mobile phone marketing could truly go to, priced at a person earnings with regard to celebration area an individual do not will need to have, and also item sales that could be missing. Via reminding all of them by a rapid click on on your hard drive desktop, you are in a position to remind absolutely every person quickly and twice work as well as feasible revenue. This type of tends to make it actually worth the value tag on utilizing an TEXT MESSAGE gateway server to discover the phrase out and about quickly. You can make use of the totally free trial offer utilizing a lot of the mass mobile phone marketing providers, when you indicator your organization upwards with an consideration.

You could also go to nearby guide retailers for other revealed sources like well finding magazines and journals. Graphs relating to the body?s anatomy and physiology could possibly also be obtainable as university supplies or merchandises amongst neighborhood merchants. In addition, you could also make use of the world wide net. Many on-line sites serve as a enormous library for every inquiry. You will undoubtedly discover one particular with just some keyboard and mouse clicks.All in all hesi a2 anatomy and physiology, it is vital to never ever limit your self when it will come to studying. Regardless of no matter no matter whether you are a healthcare college student, an educator or merely a individual who desires to discover considerably much a lot more about his atmosphere and other people, human anatomy and physiology will undoubtedly be an thrilling subject to examine on.

So what are you waiting for hesi anatomy and physiology? Grab a textbook or discover some neighborhood ebook shops or on the world wide net world wide net sites for some much a lot more references!Drawing fantasy sketches is a superb way of permitting your thoughts circulation. The fantastic point about fantasy drawing hesi a2 anatomy and physiology is that there are no limitations. You can freely envision a planet of fantasy creatures and the function they carry out in it. In this way, you aid to make the characters in your drawings to come alive.Forming CharactersWhen you set your self to draw fantasy characters, you can assist oneself by mixing traits of a variety of species: for example people and land animals, birds, fish and people. You can even integrate dead objects with residing species into 1 fantasy staying, case in point element human and element alien. In today?s tradition, you can see several this type of beings pop up in futuristic worlds of fantasy. And, there are no restrictions as to the residence of such fantasy beings. This helps make fantasy drawing exclusive and inspirational.

Examples of Anatomy If you want to merge appropriate present species into one particular specific fantasy creature, it helps if you are familiarized with the anatomy of your sources. Commence off amassing images of the anatomy of humans and animals. Offer them jointly in a reference file to use when you start off your fantasy drawing. It will surely assistance you get concepts and perspectives.You can commence by utilizing a single concept and sketching it out. For illustration, commence off by drawing an bestial and then carry out with the different variables of its body. You can carry out with several mixtures of species in hesi a2 anatomy and physiology, distort precise body components, modify components and exaggerate their functions. You can mix claws, wings, pores and skin, eyes and other whole body locations into one particular specific new development. But even though you exaggerate these sorts of components, make them appear believable.Producing use of Your ImaginationImage your fantasy bestial or monster as acquiring bigger-than-life paws, teeth or ears. Picture him as an aggressive finding that hunts or dominates other creatures.

Combine up a human and a harmful bestial and then envision what it does. A a lot much a lot more light staying could come across as much a lot more shy or reserved. The hesi a2 anatomy and physiology believed is to permit your thoughts adhere to its individual course and photo how all the components would interact, as if they at present exist.

Present advances in medical technologies have been in a position to improve on orthopedic procedures so that they are safer, much less invasive, and a shorter recuperation period. An orthopedic process is one particular that gives with the joints and muscles of the body. The skeleton strategy is extremely complicated but even the smallest joint can lead to a lot of discomfort and discomfort. Surgeries in the muscle and skeleton systems are performed on a every single day basis by an Rotator Cuff Injuries has several qualified Board-Certified surgeons that are prepared to assistance patients restore the all-all-natural condition of their joints and bones. Orthopedic surgeons specialize in treating athletes for any surgery that they could suffer during their sports activities.Numerous sports injury happen when an athlete tends to make rough contact with yet another player or an object. This new york orthopedic surgeon will usually result in broken bones or can even lead to damage to the ligaments.

Orthopedic surgeons that carry out surgeries on athletes need to have to be well trained and knowledgeable to deal with all sorts of circumstances. A sports injury can happen to any athlete with out warning simply due to the fact it they tend to overwork their bodies. Simply due to the fact their sports teams are counting on all their players, orthopedic surgeons know that t is vital to get the athletes back on the field as soon as feasible. A sports injury can range in severity from new york orthopedic surgeon but no matter how tiny the injury is, any injury is a massive setback for an athlete, specifically for those competing at a skilled level. A minimally invasive knee replacement surgery is performed in order to repair damage in the cartilage which can lead to the patient extreme discomfort and discomfort.

As soon as arthritis begins to influence the knees, the damage can be irreversible through new york orthopedic surgeon. Discomfort medications are usually not enough to alleviate the discomfort that is linked with these knee troubles that is why the only permanent way to relieve discomfort is by indicates of a minimally invasive knee replacement. This will ultimately assistance resurface the damaged and worn surfaces in the knee in order to relieve discomfort. If left untreated, this condition will continue to worsen and turn into irreparable walking could even turn into a difficult and painful job.

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Source: http://www.sterlingsilverchain.org/877

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Saturday, 25 February 2012

Physically disabled protesters clash with riot police in Bolivia over government benefits

Photos by David Mercado / Reuters

Physically disabled people clash with riot police in La Paz, Bolivia on Feb. 23, 2012. Hundreds of physically disabled people arrived in La Paz on Thursday after completing a protest march of 994 miles to demand that Bolivia's government offer support in the form of $434 payment to each physically disabled Bolivian, according to local media.

A physically disabled man tries to block a police vehicle during clashes with riot police in the center of La Paz on Thursday.

A wheelchair-bound woman is helped after being affected by tear gas during clashes with riot police.

Source: http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/23/10490229-physically-disabled-protesters-clash-with-riot-police-in-bolivia-over-government-benefits

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Romney would raise Medicare eligibility age (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Days before a pivotal primary, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Friday he would raise the eligibility age for Medicare as he looks to show he's willing to curtail government benefits in the long run.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120224/ap_on_el_pr/us_romney

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Friday, 24 February 2012

Afghanistan's Koran riots: A crucial 'tipping point'? (The Week)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Week - Protests spread after U.S. soldiers set Muslim holy books on fire, potentially blowing NATO's last shot to win over the Afghan populaceViolent demonstrations over the unintentional burning of Korans by U.S. soldiers continued to spread across Afghanistan on Friday, despite a direct apology by President Obama to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Already this week, protesters have hurled rocks at U.S. military installations, an Afghan serviceman killed two American soldiers, and several Afghan politicians called for the withdrawal of foreign troops. Could the outrage over this incident definitively turn public opinion in Afghanistan against the U.S. and NATO?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politicsopinion/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/theweek/20120224/cm_theweek/224838

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Strauss-Kahn freed after French police questioning (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

AP - The former chief of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has been released from a French police station after two days of questioning over a suspected hotel prostitution ring.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120222/ap_on_re_eu/eu_france_strauss_kahn

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Thursday, 23 February 2012

A unique on-off switch for hormone production

ScienceDaily (Feb. 23, 2012) ? After we sense a threat, our brain center responsible for responding goes into gear, setting off a chain of biochemical reactions leading to the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands.

Dr. Gil Levkowitz and his team in the Molecular Cell Biology Department have now revealed a new kind of ON-OFF switch in the brain for regulating the production of a main biochemical signal from the brain that stimulates cortisol release in the body. This finding, which was recently published in Neuron, may be relevant to research into a number of stress-related neurological disorders.

This signal is corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH). CRH is manufactured and stored in special neurons in the hypothalamus. Within this small brain region the danger is sensed, the information processed and the orders to go into stress-response mode are sent out. As soon as the CRH-containing neurons have depleted their supply of the hormone, they are already receiving the directive to produce more.

The research -- on zebrafish -- was performed in Levkowitz's lab and spearheaded by Dr. Liat Amir-Zilberstein together with Drs. Janna Blechman, Adriana Reuveny and Natalia Borodovsky and Maayan Tahor. The team found that a protein called Otp is involved in several stages of CRH production. As well as directly activating the genes encoding CRH, it also regulates the production of two different receptors on the neurons' surface for receiving and relaying CRH production signals -- in effect, ON and OFF switches.

The team found that both receptors are encoded in a single gene. To get two receptors for the price of one, Otp regulates a gene-editing process known as alternative splicing, in which some of the elements in the sequence encoded in a gene can be "cut and pasted" to make slightly different "sentences." In this case, it generates two variants of a receptor called PAC1: The short version produces the ON receptor; the long version, containing an extra sequence, encodes the OFF receptor. The researchers found that as the threat passed and the supply of CRH was replenished, the ratio between the two types of PAC1 receptor on the neurons' surface gradually changed from more ON to mostly OFF. In collaboration with Drs Laure Bally-Cuif and William Norton of the Institute of Neurobiology Alfred Fessard at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France, the researchers showed that blocking the production of the long receptor variant causes an anxiety-like behavior in zebrafish.

Together with Drs. Alon Chen and Yehezkel Sztainberg of the Neurobiology Department, Levkowitz's team found the same alternatively-spliced switch in mice. This conservation of the mechanism through the evolution of fish and mice implies that a similar means of turning CRH production on and off exists in the human brain.

Faulty switching mechanisms may play a role in a number of stress-related disorders. The action of the PAC1 receptor has recently been implicated in post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as in schizophrenia and depression. Malfunctions in alternative splicing have also been associated with epilepsy, mental retardation, bipolar disorder and autism.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Weizmann Institute of Science.

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

Journal Reference:

Liat Amir-Zilberstein, Janna Blechman, Yehezkel Sztainberg, William?H.J. Norton, Adriana Reuveny, Nataliya Borodovsky, Maayan Tahor, Joshua?L. Bonkowsky, Laure Bally-Cuif, Alon Chen, Gil Levkowitz. Homeodomain Protein Otp and Activity-Dependent Splicing Modulate Neuronal Adaptation to Stress. Neuron, 2012; 73 (2): 279 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2011.11.019

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120223103916.htm

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Tips for Bathroom Remodeling Westchester ? General Home ...

You have undertaken the herculean task of refurbishing the whole house and now contemplating on remodeling your bathroom. Bathroom remodeling Westchester is no child?s play either and if you do not plan , you might end up spending much more than you actually needed to. Do your Budgeting As with any project of remodeling going for a bathroom remodeling westchester also necessitates that you make a budget of the expenses you are ready to incur in order to refurbish the existing bathroom. This way you can also get an idea of what things you can use for replacements, their cost and ways to be creative with less costly things. Choosing Fixtures Remodeling West Plains in a trendy way does not mean the accessories and fixtures have to be pricey ones. Drop in at your nearest hardware store and take a look around for fixtures with some avant-garde designs..

For the Flooring . Choose the Apt Furnishings Furnishings adorn your bathroom and picking out the right set of furnishing is important while going for a bathroom remodeling westchester. The shower curtain forms one of the most essential embellishments which catch the eye of any person first. Choose the curtain color according to the tiles or background hues of your bathroom and hang towels and throw rugs with the same or complementary hues. If your bathroom is a large one, you might wish to go for a wooden, sassy cupboard to stack your things and a wicker basket at one corner for that perfect look. Light it Up Finally, embellishing your bathroom with ceiling lights will add the last touch of magic to your bathroom remodeling White Plains and make it a cozy place where you can just relax in your bathtub.The shower curtain forms one of the most essential embellishments which catch the eye of any person first. Choose the curtain color according to the tiles or background hues of your bathroom and hang towels and throw rugs with the same or complementary hues. If your bathroom is a large one, you might wish to go for a wooden, sassy cupboard to stack your things and a wicker basket at one corner for that perfect look. Light it Up Finally, embellishing your bathroom with ceiling lights will add the last touch of magic to your bathroom remodeling White Plains and make it a cozy place where you can just relax in your bathtub.The shower curtain forms one of the most essential embellishments which catch the eye of any person first. Choose the curtain color according to the tiles or background hues of your bathroom and hang towels and throw rugs with the same or complementary hues. If your bathroom is a large one, you might wish to go for a wooden, sassy cupboard to stack your things and a wicker basket at one corner for that perfect look. Light it Up Finally, embellishing your bathroom with ceiling lights will add the last touch of magic to your bathroom remodeling White Plains and make it a cozy place where you can just relax in your bathtub.

Source: http://wasatyah.net/tips-for-bathroom-remodeling-westchester/

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Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Calling Canadian Cruisers: Silversea Announces New Lower Fares ...

Ft. Lauderdale, FL ? February 21^st, 2012: Ultra-luxury Silversea Cruises has just unveiled exciting new fares on a host
of voyages around the world and available to Canadians coast-to-coast who are seeking a cruise adventure.

Canadians can take advantage of fares from US$1,999 on dozens of sailings from March to November 2012 spanning the globe from Africa, Asia and the Americas to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, including a few expedition voyages. Sweetening the deal are Onboard Spending Credits from US$500 to US$1,000 per suite available on these same voyages (with the exception of expedition cruises). The credits may be applied toward a host of onboard purchases, including shore excursions, spa treatments, specialty restaurants, Internet packages, personal fitness training and more.

Renowned for its luxurious small ships, personalized service and exotic destinations, Silversea is regularly lauded by travel magazines and guidebooks from around the world. Just last month the company was honoured with two major awards: ?Best Cruise Line for Luxury Small Ships? by the travel agent readers of Luxury Travel Advisor in the US, and ?Best Luxury Cruise Company? by the travel agent readers of Travel Weekly in the UK.

?With these new lower fares, we?re offering travellers an irresistible opportunity to experience a luxury cruise vacation this year,? said Steve Tucker, Silversea?s vice president of field sales for North America. ?We?re combining an award-winning cruise experience with exceptional savings and generous Onboard Spending Credits, making this the perfect time to reserve a Silversea cruise.?

Following is a small sampling of the several dozen 2012 voyages now offering new lower fares:

MEDITERRANEAN

Voyage 2230: Silver Wind departs Athens September 24 on a 7-day sailing to Venice with calls in Monemvasia, Corfu, Kotor and Split. Fares start at US$1,999 per person, and include an Onboard Spending Credit of US$500 per suite.

Voyage 5211A: Silver Spirit departs May 5 on a 12-day voyage sailing roundtrip from Monte Carlo with calls in Malta, Crete, Rhodes, Bodrum, Santorini, Sicily, Sorrento and Elba. Fares start at US$3,899 per person, and include an Onboard Spending Credit of US$1,000 per suite.

Voyage 1213: Silver Cloud departs Monte Carlo May 8 on a 12-day sailing to Rouen (Paris) with calls in Cartagena, M?laga, Portim?o, Lisbon, Santander, Bordeaux and Guernsey. Fares start at US$3,499 per person, and include an Onboard Spending Credit of US$1,000 per suite.

ALASKA

Voyage 3215: Silver Shadow departs Vancouver June 7 on a 7-day sailing to Seward with calls in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Sitka. Fares start at US$3,199 per person, and include an Onboard Spending Credit of US$500 per suite.

ASIA

Voyage 3211: Silver Shadow departs Tokyo April 25 on an 11-day sailing to Shanghai with calls in Hiroshima, Busan, Jeju, Dalian and Tianjin (Beijing). Fares start at US$3,899 per person, and include an Onboard Spending Credit of US$1,000 per suite.

CARIBBEAN

Voyage 5209: Silver Spirit departs Fort Lauderdale April 3 on a 9-day sailing to Barbados with calls in Tortola, St. Barts, Grenada, St. Lucia and Kingstown. Fares start at US$2,499 per person, and include an Onboard Spending Credit of US$1,000 per suite.

Voyage 7209: Silver Explorer departs Col?n, Panama April 4 on a 10-day expedition cruise to Barbados with calls in San Blas Island, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Los Roques, Port of Spain and Bequia. Fares start at US$2,999 per person.

NORTHERN EUROPE

Voyage 1214: Silver Cloud departs Rouen (Paris) May 20 on a 10-day sailing to Copenhagen with calls in Oostende, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Travem?nde (L?beck), Warnem?nde (Rostock) and R?nne (Bornholm). Fares start at US$3,199 per person, and include an Onboard Spending Credit of US$1,000 per suite.

Voyage 4222: Silver Whisper departs Stockholm August 23 on a 7-day sailing to Copenhagen with calls in Tallinn, St. Petersburg (3-day/2-night stopover) and Helsinki. Fares start at US$2,999 per person, and include an Onboard Spending Credit of US$500 per suite.

Fares listed above are cruise-only, per-person rates, based on double occupancy for a Vista Suite. New reduced fares that include economy class airfare and transfers are also available from select gateways in the U.S. and Canada. The fares are capacity controlled and subject to availability.

For more information and a complete list of voyages offering the new lower fares, go to http://www.silversea.com/specialoffers/?specialoffer=12803.

About Silversea Cruises
Silversea Cruises is recognized as an innovator in the luxury cruise line industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels: Silver Cloud, Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper and Silver Spirit ? all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. With the inclusion of the expedition ship Silver Explorer, Silversea Cruises? itineraries encompass all seven continents and feature worldwide luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, both polar regions and over 450 fascinating destinations in between.

In the U.S., Silversea has been voted ?World?s Best? by the readers of Cond? Nast Traveler (nine times) and Travel + Leisure (seven times), and rated Number-One luxury cruise line by high-net-worth consumers in the 2008 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI). International awards include ?Best Innovation in Products and Services? from the Italian Innovazione Marketing Oggi Awards (2009); ?World?s Leading Small Ships Cruise Line? from World Travel Awards (2009); ?Five Star Diamond Award? from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (2010); ?Number One? small-ship line in the Readers? Choice survey conducted by Britain?s Cond? Nast Traveller magazine (2010); ?Best Luxury Cruise Line? Excellence Award by Spain?s Cruise News Media Group (2009); ?Best Luxury Cruise Line? by Australia?s Luxury Travel & Style Magazine (2011); and ?Best Luxury Cruise Operator? according to Travel Weekly China (2010).

About Relais & Ch?teaux
Relais & Ch?teaux is an exclusive collection of 500 of the finest hotels and gourmet restaurants in 60 countries. Established in France in 1954, the Association?s mission is to spread its unique art de vivre across the globe by selecting outstanding properties with a truly unique character. It is also a family of hoteliers and Grands Chefs from all over the world who share a passion for and a personal commitment to ensuring their guests are privy to moments of exceptional harmony. For information on Relais & Ch?teaux, please call (800) 735-2478 (U.S./Canada) or 00 800 2000 00 02 (U.K.) or visit www.relaischateaux.com.

# # #

For more information on Silversea Cruises, please contact a travel agent.

For a complimentary brochure, please call toll-free (877) 215-9986 or visit www.silversea.com.

Media Contact:?? Kate Hillyar Siren Communications 416-351-0777 kate@sirencommunications.com

Source: http://www.sirencommunications.com/clientnews/2012/02/21/calling-canadian-cruisers-silversea-announces-new-lower-fares-from-1999-with-spending-credits-up-to-1000/

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Invasive plant protects Australian lizards from invasive toad: Study

Public release date: 22-Feb-2012
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Contact: Kevin Stacey
kstacey@press.uchicago.edu
401-284-3878
University of Chicago Press Journals

An invasive plant may have saved an iconic Australian lizard species from death at the hands of toxic cane toads, according to research published in the March issue of The American Naturalist. It's an interesting case of one invasive species preparing local predators for the arrival of another, says Richard Shine, a biologist at the University of Sydney who led the research.

Cane toads were introduced in Australia in the 1930s to control beetles that destroy sugar cane crops, but the toads quickly became an ecological disaster of their own. They produce toxins called bufadienolides, which have proven deadly to many native Australian species that feed on frogs and toads.

Bluetongue lizards are one of the vulnerable species, and their numbers began to shrink significantly after the toads arrived in northern Australia. But there's reason to believe that bluetongue populations elsewhere Australia will fare better as the toads spread across the continent.

"Our study was stimulated by a puzzling observation that arose during research on the ecological impacts of invasive cane toads in Australia," Shine and his colleagues write. "Some lizard populations were vulnerable to bufotoxins whereas others were notand the populations with high tolerance to bufotoxins included some that had never been exposed to toads."

Why would these populations have evolved a tolerance to the toad toxin when no toads were present?

The answer, according to Shine and his colleagues, is likely an invasive plant species known as mother-of-millions, which happens to produce a toxin that's virtually identical to that of the cane toad. After it was imported from Madagascar as a decorative plant some 70 years ago, mother-of-millions has since run amok in parts of Queensland and New South Whales and become part of the diet for local bluetongues.

Shine and his colleagues collected bluetongues from places with and without mother-of-millions, and injected each of them with a tiny amount of cane toad toxin. They found that toads from places where mother-of-millions is common had less of a reaction than those from places where it was absent. The results suggest that the plant drove strong selection for lizards that could tolerate bufotoxinsa remarkable example of evolution over a relatively short period of some 20 to 40 generations of lizards.

"Now it appears we have a population of eastern bluetongue lizards that are able to defend themselves well against cane toadseven though they've never actually met onewhereas the devastation of the cane toads on the northwestern lizard population continues," Shine said. "Eating this plant has pre-adapted the eastern blueys against cane toad poisons."

The Australian government has spent millions trying to deal with the toads and mitigate their ecological impact, but Shine's work suggests the eastern bluetongues might not need much help.

"We're now able to focus our conservation dollars on those populations that can't care for themselves," he said.

###

Samantha J. Price-Rees, Gregory P. Brown, Richard Shine, "Interacting Impacts of Invasive Plants and Invasive Toads on Native Lizards." The American Naturalist 179: 3 (March 2012).

Since its inception in 1867, The American Naturalist has maintained its position as one of the world's most renowned, peer-reviewed publications in ecology, evolution, and population and integrative biology research. While addressing topics in community and ecosystem dynamics, evolution of sex and mating systems, organismal adaptation, and genetic aspects of evolution, AmNat emphasizes sophisticated methodologies and innovative theoretical syntheses--all in an effort to advance the knowledge of organic evolution and other broad biological principles.

[ | E-mail | Share ]
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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.

Invasive plant protects Australian lizards from invasive toad: Study Public release date: 22-Feb-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kevin Stacey
kstacey@press.uchicago.edu
401-284-3878
University of Chicago Press Journals

An invasive plant may have saved an iconic Australian lizard species from death at the hands of toxic cane toads, according to research published in the March issue of The American Naturalist. It's an interesting case of one invasive species preparing local predators for the arrival of another, says Richard Shine, a biologist at the University of Sydney who led the research.

Cane toads were introduced in Australia in the 1930s to control beetles that destroy sugar cane crops, but the toads quickly became an ecological disaster of their own. They produce toxins called bufadienolides, which have proven deadly to many native Australian species that feed on frogs and toads.

Bluetongue lizards are one of the vulnerable species, and their numbers began to shrink significantly after the toads arrived in northern Australia. But there's reason to believe that bluetongue populations elsewhere Australia will fare better as the toads spread across the continent.

"Our study was stimulated by a puzzling observation that arose during research on the ecological impacts of invasive cane toads in Australia," Shine and his colleagues write. "Some lizard populations were vulnerable to bufotoxins whereas others were notand the populations with high tolerance to bufotoxins included some that had never been exposed to toads."

Why would these populations have evolved a tolerance to the toad toxin when no toads were present?

The answer, according to Shine and his colleagues, is likely an invasive plant species known as mother-of-millions, which happens to produce a toxin that's virtually identical to that of the cane toad. After it was imported from Madagascar as a decorative plant some 70 years ago, mother-of-millions has since run amok in parts of Queensland and New South Whales and become part of the diet for local bluetongues.

Shine and his colleagues collected bluetongues from places with and without mother-of-millions, and injected each of them with a tiny amount of cane toad toxin. They found that toads from places where mother-of-millions is common had less of a reaction than those from places where it was absent. The results suggest that the plant drove strong selection for lizards that could tolerate bufotoxinsa remarkable example of evolution over a relatively short period of some 20 to 40 generations of lizards.

"Now it appears we have a population of eastern bluetongue lizards that are able to defend themselves well against cane toadseven though they've never actually met onewhereas the devastation of the cane toads on the northwestern lizard population continues," Shine said. "Eating this plant has pre-adapted the eastern blueys against cane toad poisons."

The Australian government has spent millions trying to deal with the toads and mitigate their ecological impact, but Shine's work suggests the eastern bluetongues might not need much help.

"We're now able to focus our conservation dollars on those populations that can't care for themselves," he said.

###

Samantha J. Price-Rees, Gregory P. Brown, Richard Shine, "Interacting Impacts of Invasive Plants and Invasive Toads on Native Lizards." The American Naturalist 179: 3 (March 2012).

Since its inception in 1867, The American Naturalist has maintained its position as one of the world's most renowned, peer-reviewed publications in ecology, evolution, and population and integrative biology research. While addressing topics in community and ecosystem dynamics, evolution of sex and mating systems, organismal adaptation, and genetic aspects of evolution, AmNat emphasizes sophisticated methodologies and innovative theoretical syntheses--all in an effort to advance the knowledge of organic evolution and other broad biological principles.

[ | 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/2012-02/uocp-ipp022212.php
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Chicago Auto Insurance Quote Shoppers: Car Insurance Discount ...

This article has been viewed 38 times.

This post plays up the possible discounts which can be are available to chicago car insurance consumers. The article can also be about certain discounts that car coverage consumers must not be asked for.Because insurance laws diverge from state to state, any issues here is specific to the vehicle insurance throughout State of Illinois.

Illegal Rebate Vs Legal Discounts. Insurance producers are absolutely forbidden using rebates with their business practice. Discounts presented by insurance firms are OK.

If and the moment an insurance (agents) representatives, not the insurance policy, gives back any part within their commission into the clients to ?elicit? each of them invest in the agents then getting a rebating has occurred. For examples, when an insurance agent comes with a $25.00 gift card for purchasers who buys car coverage policy from him or her, the is rebating, which is strictly illegal. When the agent supplies a $5 lunch card for anyone getting a car quote, or a nice pen for home quote then this will never be rebate buying might not be required. Any materialistic amount alocated to the buyers in trade out of them choosing a policy is always rebate. An insurance agent and a client (if s/he knows) are breaking the law if they are committing rebating.

This is not classified as a rebate in case the home office of a typical insurance provider is giving back a premium or any part of it, or is giving the client an opportunity or an allowance on their insurance premium. The correct term to spell out this lawful act is discounting. insured Actually discounting is usually a common practice in situations with intense competition.

In larger cities like NY or Chicago, competition between car insurance companies is severe. There are various insurers and lots and lots of agents and insurance agencies who will be competing against one anothers. Customers should never seek or accept offers of ?discounts? beyond what the headquarters of our auto insurace company enables for.

Possible Discounts during the past of Car Insurance Companies in Chicago, Illinois (The Legal List of Discounts That you could Inquire about:

1. Discounts for prior insurance. Clients may get about 10% whenever they provide evidence that they had prior insurance without interruption during the as long as. According to the insurance policy, your prior policy should not have lapsed greater than thirty days ago. The longer you would have your insurance, the upper the discount rate. It is important for you to present a proof, an official proof, from prior insurance company. Statements made by your agent or temporary documents are oh no enough. The proof ought to be by means of valid insurance ID card issued because of the prior company, not agency, itself, or possibly a declaration page within your contract.

2. Multi car policy discount. You obtain about 10% for having several vehicles insured below the same contract. Take into account which you cannot insure your right next neighbor, or partner, under your policy. The named insured on the policy should have ?insurable interest? throughout auto we are insuring.

3. Homeowner discount. If you own a home or perhaps a condo chances are you will be eligible for a price reduction. Insurance providers normally ask you for a proof (mortgage payment or home insurance policy) as evidence of ownership of any residence. In case of yourself possessing home beneath your cousin?s name, this might not qualify you for this discount.

4. Discounts for having multiple policies (package policy or multi account discount). Insuring a couple of policy in the same insurance provider can earn you discounts. Example, if you happen to buy a life policy or condo insurance policy with the same company you most likely are entitled for money off against your chicago car insurance policy. Certain insurance providers give deep discount on those home and auto packages.

5. Discount for laidback drivers. This discounts is often applicable in scenarios where quantity of adult drivers exceed volume of vehicles, with additional youthful driver under age 25. Some companies would permit a ?occasional? status for your youthful drivers endorsed by situations, as well as a discount is given.

6. Good student discounts. This discount is accessible with standard and preferred companies for insured students who hold high GPA their school. The discount is mostly about 5% of our liability premium of our vehicle that could be assigned to that specific good student operator.

7. Auto security system discount. This is another limited discount of approximately 5% on your premium of our comprehensive only (not liability or collision premium). Most companies give this discount automatically because most vehicles include a security alarm anyways.

Source: http://digg3.com/chicago-auto-insurance-quote-shoppers-car-insurance-discount-beyond-certain-limits-is-unlawful/

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Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Search continues for secret John Glenn stamp

Fifty years ago today (Feb. 20), John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, relied on ground stations located across the planet to communicate with his control team. But after his Mercury spacecraft, Friendship 7, safely splashed down, it was another type of station that took over tracking his historic mission: U.S. post offices.

For the first and only time in the country's postal history, the United States Post Office Department ? since 1971, the U.S. Postal Service ? surprised the public with the release of a secret stamp celebrating Glenn's successful mission. The 4-cent "Project Mercury" postage stamp was revealed and immediately put on sale in 305 post offices within an hour of Glenn's triumphant return to Earth at 2:43 p.m. EST (1943 GMT) on Feb. 20, 1962.

Half a century later, collectors are still searching for those first-day-of-issue stamps.

"The U.S. Post Office Department signaled the first orbital flight of a United States astronaut today with the issuance of a commemorative stamp, placed on sale throughout the country on the exact hour Astronaut John Glenn's historic flight was officially completed," the department stated. "It is the first time in history that a previously unannounced commemorative stamp was issued simultaneously with the event it memorializes."

As news of the stamp spread over radio and television, the public began lining up at their closest post offices that had stock of the now no longer secret issue. Collectors in particular drove many miles to have their blank envelopes postmarked with the surprise stamp, creating a collectible for that first day's release and the historic space flight it honored.

Without a way to coordinate nationwide, collectors couldn't know however if such "first day covers" existed for all 305 stations. To this day, 50 years later, as many as 20 cities are still missing examples.

Splashdown surprise

The Post Office Department wanted to keep the stamp a secret in case the mission failed. Keeping the production and distribution of more than one million postage stamps a surprise though, required some creative logistics. [ Photos: John Glenn's Space Legacy ]

"Designed and printed under tight security precautions at the Bureau of Engraving and printing, the stamp was distributed well in advance of the flight to more than 300 large postal installations, where it was held intact until the flight was completed," the department stated. "None of the postmasters knew what the closely guarded packages contained until the word was given from Washington [to remove the wrappers and place them on sale]."

Knowledge of the Project Mercury stamp project was kept on a need-to-know basis. Just over 400 people knew the secret, about half of them postal inspectors. The stamp's designer, Charles Chickering, worked from home to create the blue and yellow depiction of Friendship 7 circling the Earth while all along claiming to be on vacation.

The picture engraver also gave the impression he was on leave, but came in at night. Another engraver who did the lettering worked on weekends.

"At the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, a rumor was spread that a new multicolor Giori press was locked away for printing test runs of multicolored money," the USPS later recounted in a 2005 release. "In fact, the new press was being used to print the Project Mercury stamp."

Once the stamps were ready to ship, they were loaded in mailbags with combination locks and marked "Classified Material" and "Do Not Open." They were delivered to the selected postal stations, but addressed to the attention of the postal inspector so curious postmasters wouldn't take an early peek.

Even with all the precautions, the department's secret was almost blown.

According to the American First Day Cover Society's (AFDCS) "First Days" magazine, a newspaper in Florida reported a rumor of a secret stamp in the run up to Glenn's original launch date in December 1961. The Post Office Department was able to successfully dismiss the report and by the time Friendship 7 actually launched, two months later on the mission's 11th scheduled date, the stamp's release came as a true surprise.

Official and unofficial cancellations

The site of the official first-day-of-issue cancellation was Cape Canaveral, Fla., Glenn's launch site, where the Post Office Department established a temporary station.

But given the stamp was a surprise and limited to just 305 post offices, it wasn't long before collectors began trying to assemble nationwide sets. Further limiting the potential for first day covers was the time of day when the stamps were released. [ Infographic: John Glenn, 1st American in Orbit ]

The call from Washington to open the mailbags came at 3:30 p.m. EST. For post offices on the East Coast, such as Boston, New York City, and Baltimore, that meant that customers had only a few hours before the offices closed to obtain first day postmarks. The most time was afforded at the station farthest west, Honolulu, Hawaii, where the stamps were released at 10:30 a.m.

By the following year, one enthusiastic collector, Patricia Grace Siefert, had compiled a guide. The typewritten "An Unauthenticated Classification of the First Day Covers of the Project Mercury Stamp" documented postmarks from 248 of the official cities, as well as others including U.S. Navy ship-board cancels and "unofficial cities."

In the case of the latter, collectors had purchased stamps from one of the 305 post offices identified by the Post Office Department and then drove to other post offices to have them canceled. By July 1963, Seifert had cataloged 90 of these "unofficial" cities.

Seifert warned however, about the chances for fraudulent covers, particularly when it came to envelopes canceled in unofficial cities. "Especially should we be cautious of covers from cities whose location is at such a distance from one of the official cities that it would have been impossible for the stamp to have been canceled there," Seifert wrote.

Continue reading at collectSPACE.com to learn the status of the search for the secret stamps and what John Glenn remembers of the stamp?s release.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46453833/ns/technology_and_science-space/

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Monday, 20 February 2012

Iran Oil Ministry: Exports cut to Britain, France

In this Sept. 27, 2000 file photo, an Iranian oil worker repairs a pipe at an oil refinery in Tehran. Iran has halted oil shipments to Britain and France, the Oil Ministry said Sunday, in an apparent pre-emptive blow against the European Union after the bloc imposed sanctions on Iran's crucial fuel exports. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran has halted oil shipments to Britain and France, the Oil Ministry said Sunday, in an apparent pre-emptive blow against the European Union after the bloc imposed sanctions on Iran's crucial fuel exports.

The EU imposed tough sanctions against Iran last month, which included a freeze of the country's central bank assets and an oil embargo set to begin in July. Iran's Oil Minister Rostam Qassemi had warned earlier this month that Tehran could cut off oil exports to "hostile" European nations. The 27-nation EU accounts for about 18 percent of Iran's oil exports.

The EU sanctions, along with other punitive measures imposed by the U.S., are part of Western efforts to derail Iran's disputed nuclear program, which the West fears is aimed at developing atomic weapons. Iran denies the charges, and says its program is for peaceful purposes.

The spokesman for Iran's Oil Ministry, Ali Reza Nikzad-Rahbar, said on the ministry's website Sunday that "crude oil exports to British and French companies have been halted."

"We have our own customers and have no problem to sell and export our crude oil to new customers," he said.

Britain's Foreign Office declined comment, and there was no immediate response from French officials.

The semiofficial Mehr news agency said exports were suspended to the two countries Sunday. It also said the National Iranian Oil Company has sent letters to some European refineries with an ultimatum to either sign long-term contracts of two to five years or be cut off.

Mehr did not specify which countries were sent the ultimatum, but Spain, Italy and Greece are among Europe's biggest buyers of Iranian oil.

Iran's targeting of Britain and France appeared to be a political decision to punish the two countries for supporting tougher sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program.

Sunday's announcement follows a flurry of contradictory signals by Iran about backlash against the EU for imposing a boycott on Iranian oil.

Last week, state media said Iran was planning to cut off oil exports to six EU nations, including France, but later reports said the nations were only told that Iran has no problem finding replacement customers for the European shipments.

The EU sanctions, imposed last month, were part of Western efforts to target Iran's critical oil sector in attempts to rein in Tehran's nuclear program.

Also on Sunday , the secretary general of Iran's central bank said a decision by SWIFT, an international banking clearinghouse used by nearly every country and major corporation in the world, to shut Iran out from its respected network will not harm the country.

"The country will not face any problems as a result of the SWIFT measures," Mahmoud Ahmadi was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency. He added that Iran has been "pursuing alternative solutions" since Western nations imposed sanctions on Tehran. He did not elaborate.

SWIFT said in a statement on its web site Friday that it will comply with expected instructions from the EU to cut off Iranian banks. SWIFT has previously brushed off international efforts to use its network to target countries or companies, telling enforcers that it does not judge the merits of the transactions passing through the portal.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-02-19-ML-Iran-Oil/id-17a4b99d263a4ba6af331791cdef1a51

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Anti Aging Medicine offers hope for all

As adults, the concept of aging is rarely welcomed with open arms. It is not always easy to look in the mirror and begin to notice the physical signs of aging. Even the terms, "Growing old gracefully," and "the wisdom that comes with age," are often not enough to help us settle in comfortably with this next stage of our lives. Why should we be willing to accept those wrinkles and fine lines or feelings of fatigue, loss of motivation, loss of sex drive and decreased quality of life? There are measures that we can take to help succeed in the race against time. We can make the choice to maintain, "The vigor of our youth," while appreciating "the wisdom that age bestows upon us." with the use of anti aging medicine.

Putting the physical changes of age aside, there is a confidence or wisdom that we begin to realize at some point in our lives and we learn to appreciate these new attributes rather effortlessly.

This is the good side to aging. However, this is also the time when physically our bodies seem to be slowly disappointing us. Suddenly getting up in the morning is a chore, and getting through the day is an effort. Your motivation and creativity just isn't there. Now when we look in the mirror we see the fine lines, loss of skin tone and even the accumulation of fat around the belly, hips or thighs that just didn't seem to be there yesterday. The reasons for these changes are numerous, including declining hormones, poor nutrition, maybe an underlying medical condition, stress and much more. For those who are concerned by these changes and choose to be proactive in their journey, an evaluation by a physician who specializes in Anti- Aging medicine could dramatically change your life. In a matter of weeks you can again enjoy the feeling of being restored and rejuvenated. Anti-aging medicine focuses on the patient as a whole. Lab test results, lifestyle, medical history, as well as personal issues are all considered when putting together a personalized antiaging program. After all the body is not made up of a few separate organs, they are all interconnected and what happens in one part often affects other parts of the body. Thus, a proper evaluation with a physician who specializes in Anti-aging medicine is essential in order to put together a program.

Many adults have a difficult time when they begin to notice their skin starting to wrinkle or sag. This process has been slowly taking place internally and now it has started manifesting externally appearing as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin or weight gain. For some, these signs can begin to appear as early as in their thirties and for others it may not show until their forties or fifties. The sole purpose of Antiaging medicine is to put off the "golden years" by embarking on an aggressive prevention program. Too many adults accept the signs of aging as a natural part of life. For those not willing to accept these changes and take charge of their health; the time to start is now. The best solution is to engage in a complete anti-aging program under the supervision of a physician.

Anti-aging

Anti-aging medicine is essential in the fight against aging. For those of us who choose not to be a victim but the victor in the battle against aging there are options. By taking control of your health you can enjoy the benefits of your wisdom along with the beauty and self-confidence necessary to enjoy your life. The goal is to keep you at your finest with optimal health and vigor. Antiaging medicine takes the suffering out of growing old.

Source: http://health.ezinemark.com/anti-aging-medicine-offers-hope-for-all-7d3390a97d06.html

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