Where to Put Your Remodeling Dollars in 2013 | American ...

ShareThis

Property owners looking for the most return on their investment when it comes to remodeling should consider exterior replacement projects. According to the 2013 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report, Realtors? rated exterior projects among the most valuable home improvement projects.

According to National Association of Realtors? President Gary Thomas, projects like siding, window and door replacements can recoup more than 70 percent of their cost at resale. .?

Results of the report are summarized on NAR?s consumer website HouseLogic.com, which provides information on dozens of remodeling projects, from kitchens and baths to siding replacements, including the recouped value of the project based on a national average.

According to the Cost vs. Value Report, Realtors? judged a steel entry door replacement as the project expected to return the most money, with an estimated 85.6 percent of costs recouped upon resale. The steel entry door replacement is the least expensive project in the report, costing little more than $1,100 on average. A majority of the top 10 most cost-effective projects nationally in terms of value recouped are exterior replacement projects; all of these are estimated to recoup more than 71 percent of costs.

Three different siding replacement projects landed in the top 10, including fiber cement siding, expected to return 79.3 percent of costs, vinyl siding, expected to return 72.9 percent of costs, and foam backed vinyl, expected to return 71.8 percent of costs. Two additional door replacements were also among the top exterior replacement projects. The midrange and upscale garage door replacement were both expected to return more than 75 percent of costs.

According to the report, two interior remodeling projects in particular can recoup substantial value at resale. A minor kitchen remodel is ranked fifth and is expected to return 75.4 percent of costs. Nationally, the average cost for the project is just under $19,000.

The second interior remodeling project in the top 10 is the attic bedroom, which landed at number eight and tied with the vinyl siding replacement with 72.9 percent of costs recouped. With an average national cost of just under $48,000, the attic project adds a bedroom and bathroom within a home?s existing footprint. The improvement project projected to return the least is the home office remodel, estimated to recoup less than 44 percent.

The 2013 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report compares construction costs with resale values for 35 midrange and upscale remodeling projects comprising additions, remodels and replacements in 81 markets across the country. Data are grouped in nine U.S. regions, following the divisions established by the U.S. Census Bureau. This is the 15th consecutive year that the report, which is produced by Remodeling magazine publisher Hanley Wood, LLC, was completed in cooperation with NAR.

Realtors? provided their insights into local markets and buyer home preferences within those markets. The 2013 national average cost-to-value ratio rose to 60.6 percent, ending a six-year decline. The ratio represents nearly a three-point improvement over 2011-2012. Lower construction costs are the principal factor in the upturn, especially when measured against stabilizing house values. In addition, the cost-to-value ratio improved nationally for every project in this year?s report and is higher than it was two years ago for both remodeling and replacement projects.

Most regions followed the national trends; however the Pacific region, consisting of Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, once again led the nation with an average cost-value ratio of 71.2 percent, due mainly to strong resale values. The next best performing regions were West South Central, South Atlantic, and East South Central. These regions attribute their high ranking to construction costs that were lowest in the country. While still remaining below the national average, most remaining regions showed strong improvement over last year. These are Mountain, New England, East North Central, Middle Atlantic, and West North Central.

To read the full project descriptions and access national and regional project data, visit www.costvsvalue.com.

With AAOA, landlords have resources at their fingertips. Check out our new Landlord Forms Page.

American Apartment Owners Association offers discounts on products and services for landlords related to your rental housing investment, including rental forms, tenant debt collection, tenant background checks, insurance and financing. Find out more at www.joinaaoa.org.

ShareThis

Source: http://www.american-apartment-owners-association.org/blog/2013/01/31/where-to-put-your-remodeling-dollars-in-2013/

colorectal cancer metta kashi neil diamond orange crush harden nor easter

Chicago shooting: A case of 'mistaken identity'?

Hadiya Pendleton, a Chicago teenager, was shot on Tuesday by a bullet police believe was intended for someone else. Gun violence in Chicago appears to be on the rise. In the meantime, legislators discussed gun laws in Washington on Wednesday.

By Mary Wisniewski,?Reuters / January 30, 2013

This undated family photo shows 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton of Chicago. Pendleton was shot and killed Tuesday by a gunman who apparently was not even aiming at her. Pendleton is the latest face on the ever-increasing homicide toll in the president's hometown.

AP Photo/Courtesy of Damon Stewart

Enlarge

A 15-year-old Chicago?girl who performed at President?Barack Obama's inauguration last week was shot to death in a city park in what police think was a case of "mistaken identity" related to a gang turf war.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

"Mistaken identity -- wrong place at the wrong time," Chicago?Police?Superintendent?Garry McCarthy?said at a press conference on Wednesday, a day after the shooting that killed?Hadiya Pendleton?and injured another teen. The press conference was broadcast by CLTV.

McCarthy said police have been interviewing witnesses who were standing near Pendleton in a park on the city's South Side. He said police were making progress in the investigation.

"I don't want this to be a three-week or a three-month investigation," said McCarthy, who was in Washington earlier this week addressing gun control. "I want this closed now ... I want that kid off the street," he said, referring to the killer. Police believe a handgun was used.

Pendleton, a sophomore at Martin Luther King Jr. College Prep, had performed at the inauguration with her school band, according to local media reports. News of her death near Obama's old home in the Kenwood neighborhood came before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee began hearings on gun control on Wednesday.

Gun violence in Chicago?has been in the national spotlight over the past year, with 506 murders in 2012, an increase of 17 percent over the previous year. So far in January, there have been 42 homicides and 157 shootings, according to Chicago?police.

Obama spokesman?Jay Carney?was asked about Pendleton's death Wednesday. He said the prayers of the president and the first lady were with the girl's family.

"The president has more than once, when he talks about gun violence in American, referred not just to the horror of?Newtown?or?Aurora?or?Virginia Tech?or Oak Creek, but to shootings on the corner in Chicago?and other parts of the country," said Carney. "And this is just another example of the problem that we need to deal with."

McCarthy said that an $11,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the capture of Pendleton's killer.

Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, shot in the head in a 2011 mass shooting, made an emotional plea before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday for action to curb U.S. gun violence, but a?National Rifle Association?executive said new gun laws have failed in the past and would fail again.

Giffords opened testimony at the first congressional hearing on gun violence since the Dec. 14 massacre in which a gunman shot dead 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in?Newtown,?Connecticut.

Responding to outrage across the country following that incident, Obama and other Democrats have asked?Congress?to pass the largest package of gun restrictions in decades.

Speaking at the news conference in Chicago, Father Michael Pfleger, a Catholic priest known for his activism against gun violence, compared the Chicago?shootings to?Newtown.

"This is?Sandy Hook. This is?Connecticut. This is?Newtown, right here. We have to be just as outraged," Pfleger said.

(Reporting By Mary Wisniewski; additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro, Roberta Rampton and Renita D. Young; Editing by Greg McCune and Leslie Adler)

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/vrBqy1fyNZw/Chicago-shooting-A-case-of-mistaken-identity

vikings stadium breitbart dead db cooper fafsa branson missouri davy jones dead monkees

ontological waste: eftinasrin: French Day: Faux traveling, a whole ...

I grew up the daughter of an airline family.? At various points in my life my mother, father, grandfather, uncle, older sister, two aunts and two uncles all worked for an airline in one way or the other-ticket counter, manager, pilot, management, flight attendant, reservations, you name it.? In the airline industry, you put up with a lot of stress in exchange for travel benefits.? So, we traveled.? A lot. I grew up with the expectation that every couple of months you take a long weekend or longer to Arizona, or Hawaii, or Disneyland.? Sometimes even on more adventurous vacations out of the country.? After graduating high school I was terrified of the prospect of losing that lifestyle so I went to work for the airlines myself.? But after a couple of years I realized, as previously mentioned, those benefits come at the price of lots of stress.? And, starting out, I made so little money I rarely could afford to go anywhere anyway, even with the benefits.? Skip forward, for this and many other reasons, I decided to finish the degree I had been slowly, spottily working on.? I figured I could get a degree and be able to afford to travel full fare anyway.? Voila, right?

Ha.? Years and years later and I still have the expectation and itch to go somewhere every couple of months.? I get very antsy if I don?t have some change of scenery.? I think that is also why I have moved so much, or constantly rearrange the furniture.? But it doesn?t work out that often, beyond visiting relatives by car-the most 5 hours away.? If we go anywhere that is truly a vacation, it?s every couple of years, and with my parents who we love to travel with, but makes me still feel like a child sometimes.? It requires carefully saving up money and miles. I know some people rarely go anywhere at all, and maybe this sounds snobbish, but it really is an uncontrollable itch.? Needless to say we, or more importantly, I do not scratch the itch as much as I feel I need to, whether the itch is rational or not.

As a parent, I look back on the experiences traveling I had as a child.? How it shaped me.? My travels stirred compassion, awe, inspiration, tolerance and awareness.? I wouldn?t be the person I am today without witnessing poverty in the streets of Hong Kong; the contrast of overcrowded industrial cities vs. the vastness of the desert or other quiet parts of the world; the colors of the Great Barrier Reef, the rich life hidden below the surface of the water, invisible to the rest of the world. The colors of the world.

I want that sense of inspiration and understanding for my children too, even if we can?t physically go far.? Not too long ago I read ?Paris in Love? by Eloisa James and was telling my children about Paris.? They were particularly impressed when I told them about all the yummy food and the typical meals there.? I had them at ?In the summer, sometimes French children eat ice cream for breakfast,? something I had read on the internet but had no idea if it was really true.? The response was ?Let?s go!?? We wished.? To let them down gently I said ?Let?s pretend to go.?? And so French Day was born.

The question was, how do you extract the essence of a far away place and infuse it into your home, a day in your very different life?? It?s hard to actually pretend like you are standing in front of the Eiffel Tower. ? We could attempt to build a model of the Eiffel Tower.? We could check out books at the library and study the country, learn the facts.? But that all feels so schoolish, and that takes the fun out of it.? This is no homeschooling, this is vacation, a kind of staycation.

We were just going to have to be French, I thought.? And what are the French about?? Fashion and food?? Well, I had little chance of luring the boys into the fashion world, but my boys are like men: the way to their hearts is through their stomach.

We would eat.? And through eating, we would experience.? So, I donned my fanciest scarf and skinny pants, a nod to the fashion part, and headed out the door one recent morning to Sweet Life Patisserie.? If the name has French in it, good enough for us.

If the French indulge in moderation, we would too.? We all chose one item, plus one extra, and shared.? A croissant, a cherry chocolate scone, a French cinnamon breakfast muffin, and the very French pain au chocolate.? The boys had hot chocolate and I had a cafe au lait.

Breakfast

We took our time, really savoring each delicious bite, enjoying the rare treat.? We discussed our opinions on which was the best.

Nothing compares to flaky pastries.

We went about our day, going to the library and even checking out some books on France to look at.? We cut these out and used them as a backdrop on our dining room table.

Paper City Paris

I made a four course lunch of a simple salad, beef stewed in red wine with a baguette, French cheese (mimolette-like a hard sharp cheddar -nothing stinky!) pears, a French red wine (it wasn?t very good so I won?t bother posting the name) and custard eclairs we took home from Sweet Life.? The paper city also provided some discussion prompts over our long, lingering lunch.? We ate for two hours.? But mimicking the French, we ate so slowly and moderately that after lunch I was pleasantly full, instead of stuffed.? It was nice.

We spent the afternoon looking at books and talking about France.? We looked at pictures of the art, read about the architecture, learned about it?s geography and it?s people.? We practiced speaking French with a CD from the library.? I told them stories my French teacher in college told me.? But really, for us it was all about the French art of eating.? The breaks between meals was intermission, with eager anticipation of what was next on the menu.

Supper was simple, simple for the French anyway: roast beef and crudite with French onion dip, a sausage and bean cassoulet with the last of the baguette, and more cheese, fruit and wine.? We took our time and I asked the boys what their favorite part of the day was.? Breakfast at Sweet Life was the star, and I admit for my sweet tooth as well.? I asked if they had learned anything about France.? They came up with nothing.? Which is ok, because for me I learned that this staycation was more than a vacation, more than experiencing a different culture, more than it?s food,? more than it?s language.? For me, the unexpected learning experience was that I learned a different way to be with my children.? I learned to give into indulgences with them, and to be fully present with them.? Our daily operating status, like many families I believe, is the kids are off playing or reading or whatever, while I am cleaning, cooking, or whatever I need to do to maintain our home, the chickens, the garden, the schedule.? As they grow older, I spend less bonding time with them.? French Day, our mini vacation, was not just a vacation into a different world, it was a vacation from how we operate on a daily basis.? We sat together at the table, talking for long periods of time.? We spent time looking at books and delving into our subject.? For a whole day.

Even if we were actually on vacation, if we truly were in France, my methodical and systematic mind would be focused on organizing our sightseeing, that days plan and the next.? I would be focused on the different awareness I adopt when traveling, in retrospect a rather cranky one, that focuses on ensuring I don?t lose my children in a foreign place and keeping them from making too much noise in a hotel room.

What I learned was how to be leisurely with my children.? Which is funny, because part of being French is leisure.

I also learned that they like expensive cheese.

Like this:

Be the first to like this.

Source: http://wholeheartfamily.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/french-day-faux-traveling-a-whole-new-staycation/

fox sports frank ocean obama speech amber rose drew peterson Art Modell

Source: http://eftinasrin.blogspot.com/2013/01/french-day-faux-traveling-whole-new.html

andy whitfield kennedy demi moore roy oswalt kevin martin 2012 senior bowl chuck series finale

Source: http://histrionics-stephenie.blogspot.com/2013/01/eftinasrin-french-day-faux-traveling.html

elvis presley elvis presley alex jones the bachelor Google Docs Huell Howser Justin Bieber Smoking Weed

Source: http://ontological-waste.blogspot.com/2013/01/eftinasrin-french-day-faux-traveling.html

rajon rondo brazil usps Dick Van Dyke anne hathaway pro bowl victoria azarenka

CE-Oh no he didn't!: Steve Ballmer calls Dropbox 'a fine little startup'

Microsoft is no stranger to industry flak, but it's always better to give than to receive, right? Steve Ballmer thinks so, and in a recent Bloomberg interview, he took a second away from talking up the new Office 2013 to smite Dropbox, saying that the 100 million users it boasts "sounds like a pretty small number to me." He recovered slightly by adding "I'm not beating on Dropbox," only to follow it with the finishing blow: "They're a fine little startup and that's great." We doubt anyone else would call Dropbox a startup at this point, but Microsoft's chief can't be seen complimenting a SkyDrive rival now, can he? After having to defend the user stats for Redmond's Yammer, he was also quizzed on the undying native Office for iPad rumor, to which he had "nothing to say," apart from "we'll see what we see in the future." If these snippets aren't quite enough, then head to the source link for the full interview. Ballmer may be a little less shouty these days, but it's good to know he's still capable of delivering the odd high-caliber burn.

Filed under: Internet, Microsoft

Comments

Via: The Verge

Source: Bloomberg

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/LcJcBAzTBNM/

Little Nemo gawker earthquake today earthquake today Romney Bosses Day 2012 Arlen Specter

Supersonic Ping-Pong gun fires balls at Mach 1.2

4 hrs.

John Roach , NBC News

Few things capture the attention of physics students like a gun that fires Ping-Pong balls, according to a mechanical engineer who just built one that accelerates the balls to supersonic speeds.?

?You can shoot Ping-Pong balls through pop cans and it is great, it is so captivating, it is so compelling that you can get kids? attention and once you?ve got their attention, you can teach them something,? Mark French, the Purdue University assistant professor who built the gun, told NBC News.

The guns typically work by sealing a slightly-larger-than?Ping-Pong-ball-diameter tube with packaging tape and sucking all the air out to create a vacuum. Once the seal is broken on one end, air rushes into the tube and pushes the ball down the barrel.

?The ball doesn?t fit tightly in the tube, a little bit of air gets past the ball and when it gets to the seal at the other end, that little puff of air gets compressed and blows the seal out of the way so the ball can come out at 600 or 700 feet a second,? French explained.

After getting tons of mileage in class over the past few years ? as well as a divot or two in his classroom wall ??with a gun he built based on a design in scientific journal, he started thinking that he could make the ball come out even faster. And, well, faster is better.

The trick, he figured, was to get the air that pushes the ball out the tube (gun barrel) to move faster. To do this, French borrowed a nozzle design with a pinch in the middle that aerospace engineers use to get air moving at supersonic speeds in their wind tunnels.

As air enters the so-called convergent-divergent or de Laval nozzle, it accelerates as it is compressed, reaching supersonic speeds as the nozzle expands.?

?I thought, okay, I?m going to treat this thing like a little wind tunnel,? he said.?

To do so, he put a convergent-divergent nozzle at the opposite end of the tube from where the ball exists and behind that, a pressure chamber made out of PVC tubing.?

When the chamber is pumped up to about 45 pounds per square inch, it breaks the?seal.

?That pressurized air goes through the nozzle just like it does in a supersonic wind tunnel and accelerates to supersonic speed out the other end and pushes the ball ahead of it,? he said.?

?At least, that?s what we think is going on,? he added. ?We haven?t done any analyses on this ? we are still doing some more tests ? but whatever is going on, it is definitely coming out at Mach 1.23.?

Yes, that?s fast; faster than F-16 flying at top speed at sea level, noted MIT?s Physics xrXiv Blog.?

French and colleagues Craig Zehrung and Jim Stratton describe the gun in a paper posted Jan. 22?on arXiv.org, a server where pre-prints of scientific papers are posted.?

John Roach is a contributing writer for NBC News. To learn more about him, check out his website. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/supersonic-ping-pong-gun-fires-balls-mach-1-2-1C8150690

luke bryan NBA jfk airport faith hill metro north Breezy Point Seaside Heights

Climate change blamed for Australia's extreme weather

The east coast of Australia has been drenched by floods and torrential rains, even as recent bush fires affecting much of the country continued to burn. Four people are known to have died as Australians get a further taste of extreme weather that is predicted to become more common as the planet warms.

The deluge came as a storm that started as tropical cyclone Oswald just north of Australia was dragged south over most of the east coast by a low-pressure system extending all the way to New South Wales, says Richard Wardle of the Bureau of Meteorology in Queensland. As it hit land, Oswald lost its cyclone status but remained a "vigorous" storm, Wardle says.

With no low-pressure zone further east to pull Oswald out to sea, the storm stayed over land, moving slowly south and dumping huge amounts of rain on coastal communities. Bundaberg, a town in Queensland, experienced its worst-ever flood as the storm lingered nearby for nearly 24 hours, leading to the evacuation of 7500 people from their homes. In Brisbane, the floods were almost as bad as those that devastated the city two years ago.

Climate change to blame

In Queensland and New South Wales, the deluge arrived while the bush fires that broke out two weeks were still smouldering. At the time, the Bureau of Meteorology said that the exceptionally hot, dry weather that led to the fires was "consistent" with climate change. Experts are now drawing the same conclusions about the rains.

"The frequency of more intense events is going to increase. Droughts, heatwaves and ? in northern Australia ? rainfall events and tropical cyclones are going to be more intense," says Jon Nott of James Cook University in Townsville, Australia, who researches extreme weather events.

Nott says that more intense rainfall in the tropics and subtropics is one of the things we can expect with global warming. The connection between tropical cyclones and climate change is complicated: fewer cyclones are expected, but the ones that strike will be more severe. They could also become 20 per cent wetter.

Nott points out that Australia might be experiencing a "double whammy" of climate change and natural variability, driving wetter conditions. One natural pattern, the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation, affects circulation in the Pacific, and reverses every 20 or 30 years. It flipped about five years ago for the first time since 1977, bringing warmer waters to Australia's east coast. "During those phases, Queensland sees more flooding, more rainfall, and more landfalling tropical cyclones," Nott says. Climate change will only compound the effects of such patterns, he says.

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

Have your say

Only subscribers may leave comments on this article. Please log in.

Only personal subscribers may leave comments on this article

Subscribe now to comment.

All comments should respect the New Scientist House Rules. If you think a particular comment breaks these rules then please use the "Report" link in that comment to report it to us.

If you are having a technical problem posting a comment, please contact technical support.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/28036ed2/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Carticle0Cdn231150Eclimate0Echange0Eblamed0Efor0Eaustralias0Eextreme0Eweather0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

new ipad solar flare joseph kony 2012 arian foster dennis kucinich apple ipad kony

The Islander Classifieds: Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013 ? Archive ...

ITEMS FOR SALE

ELIPTICAL EXERCISER IMAGE 8.0: Good condition, $100.?Holmes Beach. 941-778-3624.

TENNIS RACKETS: ONE Prince, one Spalding, like new, $30 each, queen bedspread, beach print, $20. 941-737-9173.

TWO GARAGE DOOR openers: Complete, nearly new, $80/each. 941-778-3920.

YELLOW HUMMER KID bike, $60. 941-778-7978.

MARY KAY COSMETICS: Full line at discounted prices. Jenifer, 941-224-1760, 941-739-0792.

ANTIQUE COPPER POTS and bowls, collection $350. Burl-wood Top of Form

Bottom of Form

rocker, oak office chairs, collectibles. View at?The Islander?store, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

FOR SALE: One legal and one letter-size regular 2 drawer files. Various office supplies. Also selling antique wood office chairs, Haitian art, collectible art, some framed. Many local artists. Home decor. 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

AERIAL PHOTOS of Anna Maria Island. View and purchase online: www.jackelka.com

FREEBIE ITEMS FOR SALE

Individuals may place one free ad with up to three items, each priced $100 or less, 15 words or less. FREE, one week, must be submitted online. Email classifieds@islander.org, fax toll-free 1-866-362-9821. (limited time offer)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

GLORIA DEI LUTHERAN Church: All are welcome to come and worship with us! Please call 941-778-1813 or visit us at: www.gloriadeilutheran.com for worship times. 6608 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

SENIORS GOLF: PLAY golf every Wednesday, different top course weekly. Friendly, relaxed, not highly competitive. www.gulfcoastseniors.com. 941-373-9378.

THE HIVE: GIFTS and arts. Locally handmade and imported silver jewelry, Buddha art, artifacts, artistic T-shirts, cards, hot sauces, South African handmade arts, specialty candies, more. 119 B Bridge St., Bradenton Beach. http://thehivegiftsandarts.com/

HAITI $$$ DONATIONS to the Ministry of Presence Inc., www.ministryofpresence.org, urgently needed for local representatives to aid homeless children. Info: The Islander, 941-778-7978.

TERRY HAYES, REALTOR. Premier Sothebys. 941-302-3100. Terry.hayes@sothebysrealty.com. Discoverannamaria.com.

WANTED: YOUR OLD cell phone for recycling. Deliver to The Islander, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

MANATEE SAFETY SIGNS exclusively for boaters. Available at the Islander, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. 941-778-7978.

FISHING GEAR WANTED: The Privateers and The Islander are collecting new or used, repairable fishing poles and reels, nets, tackle, buckets, etc. to give to children. Donate your gear at The Islander newspaper office, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

FREE GUN LOCK courtesy of Project Childsafe, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Holmes Beach Police Department. Pick up at The Islander office, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Don?t be sorry, be safe.

GARAGE SALES

ROSER THRIFT SHOP: Open 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. Donation drop-off ?9 a.m.-11 a.m. Wednesday. 511 Pine Ave. Anna Maria, 941-779-2733.

NEW LOCATION: STEFF?S Stuff Antiques has moved to The Centre Shops on Longboat Key. 5380 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Unit 101. 941-383-1901.

WHITE ELEPHANT AND clothing sale: Special pre-sale 4-6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 (complimentary sundae) and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9. Bake sale, pickles, soup and sandwich bar. Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.

MOVING SALE: 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2. No early birds. 2504 Ave. B, Bradenton Beach.

LOST & FOUND

LOST: FILIGREE GOLD hoop earring. Lost at Publix, Sunday, Dec. 30. If found, please call 941-778-0385.

LOST RAY BAN sunglasses on Jan. 14 at the beach. 860-930-2181.

BMW CAR KEYS: Lost on North Shore Drive, Anna Maria. Call 901-496-4883,?901-486-0108.

LOST: PRESCRIPTION EYEGLASSES Jan. 20, Bridge Street festival. Brown frames in brown cloth sack. Call 765-491-9530, if found.

PETS

PARENTS NEEDED for loving homes to foster puppies and kittens until they are old enough for adoption. All food and medical provided. Julie, 941-720-1411.

WELL-MANNERED RESCUED dogs (and kittens!) are looking for great new homes or fosters. Please, call for information, 941-896-6701.

BOATS & BOATING

BIMINI BAY SAILING: Small sailboat rentals and instruction. Day. Week. Month. Sunfish, Laser, Windrider 17 and Precision 15. Call Brian at 941-685-1400.

BOAT SLIP FOR sale: 8300 block, Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. $25,000. 941-792-7965.

PONTOON BOAT: 20-foot, 50-hp, hard top, recent upholstery and carpet. Extra lines and preservers, $2,500. 941-778-4793.

WAVES BOAT CLUB membership, paid in full through February, 2015. Great opportunity to enjoy boating without the hassle of ownership and without an initiation fee. www.wavesboatclub.com. Call 321-427-4646.

FOR RENT: DEEP-water boat slip, north end of Anna Maria. 941-794-8877.

PONTOON BOAT RENTAL: See Anna Maria Island by water! Phone, 941-518-3868. boatflorida.weebly.com.

MINN KOTA TRANSOM mount trolling motor, 27-pound thrust, 36-inch shaft, $150. 941-779-1268.

TRAILER: 2004 EZ Loader. Galvanized, 3,100 lb., 20-foot capacity. Roll-on style, two-speed winch, single axle, fiberglass step-on fenders, surge brakes. 215/75R14 tires, good shape. $700. 941-896-9464.

POWER NOLES CUSTOM 11.5-foot fiberglass tunnel hull with bass seats. Very stable! Great for fishing-stand on the side without tipping, go in really shallow waters. Very fun boat for anyone who wants to get on the water!? 2001 25-hp Mercury 2-stroke, plus a trolling motor with battery. Must see! $2,150 obo. Call Toni, 941-928-8735.

HELP WANTED

PART-TIME FRONT desk associate: Must have excellent customer service skills and the ability to work weekends and holidays.?Please stop in to fill out an application at Mainsail Beach Inn, 101 66th St., Holmes Beach or fax resume to: 941-201-3223.?No phone calls please.

PERSONAL ASSISTANT NEEDED for purchasing coordinator and production planner with the necessary clerical duties to ensure timely and efficient paper work processing. Send your resume or interesting letter to: degray07@yahoo.com or call 786-519-3572.

SALES ASSOCIATE:?MOTIVATED, experienced real estate licensee for busy Island office. Please call Jesse or Robin at 941-778-7244.

NEWSPAPER DELIVERY PERSON wanted by the Island?s ?best news.? Must be thoughtful, precise and able to work overnight one night a week for good pay. Email your interest to info@islander.org.

KIDS FOR HIRE

LOCAL ISLAND STUDENT babysitter available. CPR and first aid-certified, early childhood development major. Emily, 941-567-9276.

RED CROSS-CERTIFIED babysitter and dog sitter. Reasonable rates for both. Call 941-527-5051.

BABIES, PETS AND plants: Responsible, trustworthy, reliable, fun 17-year-old college student. Own transportation. 941-447-9658.

NICOLE AND HALLIE?S babysitting, pet sitting and pet walking. Red Cross certified, good with animals. Hallie, 941-773-6317, Nicole, 941-370-7981.

KIDS FOR HIRE ads are FREE for up to three weeks for Island youths under 16 looking for work. Ads must be placed in person at The Islander office, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.

HEALTH CARE

CAREGIVER FOR ELDERLY: Full care, references, 30 years experience. Call between 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. 941-545-7114.

SERVICES

TOASTED COMPUTER SERVICES. Your home and business specialist. On-site service, virus/spyware, cleanup, system setup, upgrades, diagnosis and repair, internet/wireless networking, custom system design. 941-224-1069.

I DON?T CUT corners, I clean corners. Professional, friendly cleaning? service since 1999. 941-779-6638. Leave message.

ISLANDER HANDYMAN SERVICE: 23-year Island resident, references. The Flying Dutchman LLC. We do all repair, interior and exterior, carpentry and more. Peter, 941-447-6747.

CLEANING BY LAURA offers everything on your list from kitchen and bath cleaning to dusting and emptying wastebaskets. 941-539-6891.

U FLY I drive your car anywhere in the USA. Airport runs, anywhere. 941-746-5651, 941-545-6688.

ISLAND LIVING CATERING/personal chef for your wedding, home and special events. 941-345-4727.

KEY CLEANERS & LINEN has expanded our services. We now offer residential cleaning. Family owned for 24 years on Longboat Key. Quality and service, now in your home. 941-383-1222.

HOUSE, PETS, SECURITY: 17 years experience. Mature, reliable, responsible, trustworthy, honest. Available to watch and care for your home/pets 6-8 months beginning sometime January. References. Devorah, 877-811-0304 or email: dvorah.tikvah@yahoo.com.

ALL AROUND PAINTING: Quality work. Free estimates. Licensed, insured. Call native islander Jim Weaver, 813-727-1959.

TRUEBLUE33 COMPUTER Repair Service: Fast and reliable on-site computer repair service with reasonable rates. CompTIA A+ and Network+ certified. Call today! Anthony Mitchell at 941-592-7714.

BOOKKEEPING AND SMALL business consulting services offered. Call Ian, 941-730-1745 or visit me at my shop, The Hive, 199 Bridge St., Bradenton Beach. Author ?Small Business Survival Handbook.?

I CAN FIX IT. Virus cleanup, system upgrade. Hardware, software and network repair. Cell phone repair, support. Replace broken camera, screen, etc. Give islander Socko a call: 941-799-1169.

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS JD?s Window Cleaning looking for storefront jobs in Holmes Beach. I make dirty windows sparkling clean. 941-920-3840.

ISLAND MERMAIDS CLEANING and Co.: 36 years of happy customers. Organizing, laundry, ironing, pet-watch, storm-check, etc. Rentals our specialty. 941-778-3046.

BEACH SERVICE air conditioning, heat, refrigeration. Commercial and residential service, repair and/or replacement. Serving Manatee County and the Island since 1987. For dependable, honest and personalized service, call William Eller, 941-795-7411. CAC184228.

ANYONE CAN TAKE a picture. A professional creates a portrait. I want to be at your wedding! www.jackelka.com. 941-778-2711.

RELAXING MASSAGE IN the convenience of your home or hotel. Massage by Nadia, more than 19 years on Anna Maria Island. Call today for an appointment, 941-518-8301. MA#0017550.MA#0017550.

LAWN & GARDEN

CONNIE?S LANDSCAPING INC. Residential and commercial. Full-service lawn maintenance, landscaping, cleanups, hauling and more! Insured. 941-778-5294.

ISLAND LAWN SPRINKLERS repairs and installations, watering the island for 15 years. Jeff, 941-778-2581.

JR?S LANDSCAPING AND MAINTENANCE Lawns, native plants, mulching, trimming, hauling, cleanups. Island resident 25 years. Call 941-807-1015.

LANDSCAPING

STRAIGHT SHOT LANDSCAPE. Specializing in old Florida seashell driveways and scapes. Free estimates. Call Shark Mark, 941-301-6067.

SHELL DELIVERED AND spread. $45/yard. Hauling all kinds of gravel, mulch, top soil with free estimates. Call Larry at 941-795-7775, ?shell phone? 941-720-0770.

NATURE?S DESIGN LANDSCAPING. Design and installation. Tropical landscape specialist. Residential and commercial. 30 years experience. 941-729-9381, 941-448-6336.

TOP NOTCH LAWN Care: Residential and commercial. For all your landscaping needs. 941-932-6600.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

VAN-GO PAINTING residential/commercial, interior/exterior, pressure cleaning, wallpaper. Island references. Bill, 941-795-5100. www.vangopainting.net.

TILE -TILE -TILE. All variations of ceramic tile supplied and installed. Quality workmanship, prompt, reliable, many Island references. Call Neil, 941-726-3077.

CUSTOM REMODELING EXPERT. All phases of carpentry, repairs and painting. Insured. Meticulous, clean, sober and prompt. Paul Beauregard, 941-730-7479.

GRIFFIN?S HOME IMPROVEMENTS Inc. Handyman, fine woodwork, countertops, cabinets and shutters. Insured and licensed, 941-748-4711.

JERRY?S HOME REPAIR: Carpentry, handyman, light hauling, pressure washing. Jack of all trades. Call 941-778-6170 or 941-447-2198.

SOUTHBAY HOME REPAIRS: If it?s broken, stuck, loose, leaks, needs paint, etc. I?ll fix it. Affordable quality work. 941-720-2906.

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN LLC: Professional tile roof restoration. Call Peter for free estimate. 23-year Island resident, references, insured. 941-447-6747.

SOUTHWEST HOME IMPROVEMENT: Michigan builder, 30 years experience. Affordable, timely, within budget. Call Mike, 1-616-204-8822.

METRO DOOR & SUPPLY, INC.: Home, condo, office. Primary doors and glass inserts, custom prep/cut downs, sliding doors, windows, doors for commercial properties, fiberglass, aluminum, steel, vinyl. Installation available. Free estimates. 941-726-2280 or 941-722-7507.

CUSTOM STONE, BRICK and Block: We do remodeling, home additions, landscaping, paver brick and home improvements, fire places, fire pits, grills. Please, call Dave, 941-792-5206 or 941-465-6125.

CORTEZ CONCRETE AND Masonry: No job too small. Patios, driveways, stucco, etc. Sills repaired. 716-361-0010.

RENTALS

WEEKLY/MONTHLY/ANNUAL rentals: wide variety, changes daily. SunCoast Real Estate, 941-779-0202, or 1-800-732-6434. www.suncoastinc.com.

VACATION RENTALS ONLY: Private pool homes, and condo, 1BR/1BA overlooking golf course. Call 941-794-1515 or www.coastalpropertiesrealty.com.

2BR/2BA HOLMES BEACH waterfront condo: Fully furnished with views, pools, Jacuzzi, tennis, boat dock. Available December-February, 2013. Call 818-620-3543.

1BR/1BA GROUND FLOOR, Gulf to bay condo, heated pool, fishing pier. Over 55. $1,600/month, $1,100/month annual. 813-393-6002.

CUTE VACATION EFFICIENCY: Screened porch, near boat ramp, many other area amenities, cable, WiFi. 941-779-6638.

ANNUAL RENTAL: 3BR/2BA home on canal with pool, $2,200/month. Call Sato Real Estate Inc., 941-778-7200 or email: rentals@satorealestate.com.

VACATION HOME RENTAL: 3BR/2BA, minutes to beach, $900/month, $2,500/month. Realtor, 941-356-1456. Real Estate Mart.

PANORAMIC GULFFRONT: 3BR/2BA, huge deck, every room overlooks Gulf. Available January 2014. North Shore Drive, Anna Maria. 813-920-5595.

VACATION RENTAL: SUDDEN February vacancy. 3BR/2BA private pool home, NW Bradenton, weekly/monthly. VRBO.com/334505. Coastal Properties Realty. Suzanne, broker, call 941-794-1515.

TURNKEY FURNISHED RENTAL: 1BR/1BA 1.3 miles to Island via Cortez Bridge. Elevated duplex, spacious. $1,100/month. Desire annual rental, will consider short term. 941-761-2725.

ANNUAL RENTAL: 2 BR/2BA duplex. One block from beach. Background and credit check. No pets. $1,000/month. First, last and security.?Available now. 813-672-1481.

CONDO FOR RENT: 2BR/2BA, nicely furnished, ground floor. No pets. Close to beach. Seasonal or annual. 330-562-8945.

ANNUAL RENTAL: 2BR/2BA, storage, laundry room, Holmes Beach. Small-pet friendly, close to the beach. $1,000/month. First and last. Call 941-704-4591.

SEASONAL OR WEEKLY cottage-style rentals. 1BR/1BA or 1BR/1BA with loft with pool. Walk to beach, shops or dining! 941-778-3426. Web site: www.spinnakerscottages.com.

REAL ESTATE

DIRECT GULFFRONT: 146 feet on the beach. 3BR/4.5BA, office recreation room, spa, pool, outdoor kitchen and theater, elevator, turnkey furnished. $3,750,000. Suncoast Real Estate, 941-779-0202 or 941-720-0288.

DIRECT GULFFRONT CONDO: Bradenton Beach. Excellent investment rental income. www.flipkey.com/124227. $269,000. By owner, 941-962-8220.

CAPTAIN GREG BURKE: Duncan Real Estate. Need listings, all inventory sold or pending. Call 941-592-8373, email: gregburkesr@hotmail.com.

WE?RE LOW, LISTINGS needed.?Are you curious as to how much your home could be worth? Call us for a free professional consultation. Call Lynn at Edgewater Real Estate, 941-778-8104.

LOT: 135-FOOT frontage, partial view Palma Sola Bay. Last one, desirable area, underground services. 941-792-8826.

2BR/2BA 2005 JACOBSEN home with share. Patio and deck, possible boat slip. Furnished. Active 55-plus community, beach and bay access. Call 267-266-1101.

FOR SALE BY owner. 2BR/2BA 1,600 sf Anna Maria canal home. 15,000-lb. boat lift. Terrific north end location, walk to beach, boat in your back yard. Call Steve at 813-245-0428.

WATERFRONT LOT: ONE acre, direct access to Manatee River, rare find, boating, fishing, Gulf beaches, $319,000. WebPro Realty. Call Robert, 863-6026414. rharper@webpro-realty.com.

HOUSE FOR SALE: 3BR/3BA canalfront, granite counters, new air conditioning, 2,000 sf. $599,000. By appointment only. 941-778-1620.

BRADENTON BEACH: OPEN 1-5 p.m. Sunday. 2BR/2BA plus loft condo, dock, boat slip. Top floor. Direct waterfront, amazing bay, Gulf views. Reduced to $399,000 prior to listing.117 10th St. N. 941-780-1482.

OPEN HOUSE: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2. 3BR/2BA, pool, dock. Gulf-to-bay waterfront condo. 1407 Gulf Drive S. #201, Bradenton Beach. Asking $440,000. By owner, 941-650-3069.

?

Source: http://www.islander.org/2013/01/the-islander-classifieds-wednesday-jan-30-2013/

Patti Page anonymous texas chainsaw massacre nfl playoffs crystal harris taylor swift taylor swift

desire to inspire - desiretoinspire.net - Monday's pets on furniture

If you'd like to send me photos to include in next week's "pets on furniture" post, please ensure your photos follow my basic rules: First, the pet must be on a piece of furniture. And?said piece of furniture must be clearly visible in the photo, so it takes center stage rather than your pet.?Think of it more of a photo of a great piece of furniture that you want to show off...and your pet happens to be sitting on it. And second, the photo must be of?decent quality.?If it's dark or fuzzy then it may not make the cut. Photos, your name, location and a brief description can be sent to desiretoinspirekim@hotmail.com and?PLEASE don't send closeups of your pet!?Thanks!

This is Daisy-Cat-... rocking out with his paw out on our new Danish teak and tweed chair!" ~wool blanket is from holland (sourced by Mac Cool's Re-Use) Pillow by friends at SparkBox Studios
- Stacey

This is Gromit the dog sleeping on a friday morning. As his master has left for work, the place in bed obviously needs to be filled.
- M?rt (Tallinn, Estonia)

Attached is a photo of my coonhound Scarlett relaxing in her favorite spot, the Room and Board loveseat in my office. Look at her big sad eyes; I just can't bring myself to ask her to find another (more practical, not-white) perch. (Notice the branding on her ear. She used to be a hunting dog until she either got lost or was abandoned. We rescued her 6 months ago from a high kill shelter in New Mexico)
- Martha

this is obi -- he's sitting guard as he does each day on his favorite vintage chair -- peering out the window, and always with proper use of the armrest...
- stacie (santa barbara)

attached is a photo of my two english bulldogs - tater tot is the brindle puppy (17months) and little bit is the sleeping 13yr old.?i think the cherry red Naugahyde sofa & custom made oil cloth pillows make for a bright and cheery backdrop to my baby boys. normally i won't submit a photo that had an obvious cord, but they looked so sweet while i was drilling a shelf into the wall that i felt compelled to send. also it is one of the few photos that the dogs are the entire frame.
- jeanie (New York City)

It's a picture of my dog Pixie on the right and my neighbors dog Gigi.
- Ruben

This is our cat Hermione sleeping on our recently acquired Eames Soft Pad Management chair. I think it needs to be re-upholstered. Hermione doesn't seem to care :)
- Helen (Evanston, Il)

I love Monday's pets on furniture and thought my 12yrs old Muru cat wants to join in. I have adopted her from a cat-shelter soon 2yrs ago. She is very much loved and I wish to give her a loving and caring home for the rest of her life. Here she is sitting on my chest of drawers, she sits here daily and glances out through the window or takes a little nap.
- Nina (Helinki, Finland)

Here is my Pagoda atop my Eileen Gray.
- Nemi (Miami, FL)

Our 4 year old Morkie, Panda, "hiding" from ear cleaning day.
- Jenn (Manhattan)

Murphy and 7 month old Arlo in their favourite spots!
- Ruth

Source: http://www.desiretoinspire.net/blog/2013/1/28/mondays-pets-on-furniture.html

being human being human chicago news chicago news golden girls robert e lee golden globe winners

Nine Tenets for Retail in 2013 | denise lee yohn: brand as business ...

***

Transcript:

Online retail has matured

Online retail is the pawn that has become the queen.

According to Forrester Research,

online has grown to 9% of retail sales and is projected to generate $327 billion in sales in 2016

According to Shop.org,

270MM people shopped in 2012 holiday season

129MM shopped on Cyber Monday

?

In the digital world, our brand can be much bigger than our footprint.? Wherever [our customer] is, we?ll be there.

? Thomas Belk, Chairman and CEO, Belk, Inc.

?

Mobile holds even more potential

Social and mobile aren?t emerging technologies. The revolution is already over ? the customer is in control.

According to Whale Shark Media,

there?s been a 51.9% growth in time spent on mobile

?

Forrester Research predicts

the $5.5 billion spent in retail (media, CE, apparel) mobile commerce in 2012 to grow to $24.5 in 2017

?

?

Capability in new areas, particularly mobile, is mission critical.? It can?t be an afterthought. We must invest in it to get ahead of the technology and the growth curve.

? Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Corporation

?

Mobile is no longer just a channel.? It?s not a one-way pipeline of content to consumers ? it is an intrinsic part of consumer behavior.????? ? Susan Jurevics, SVP, Global Retail CRM and Brand Marketing, Sony Corporation of America

?

Showrooming
must be embraced

The question is not how do you defend against [showrooming], but how do you leverage it in your business model.

According to Forrester Research,

37% of smart phone owners plan to showroom more in the future

47% of men aged 18-34 plan to show room more

so, you need to have a price matching strategy

and we will see more UPP (unilateral pricing policies)

Showroomers don?t end at the sale ? they?re active consumers.? 58% visit online communities 1+/day and half write reviews (positive ones.) They?re not your enemy.?? ? Jill Puleri, VP, Global Industry Leader ? Retail, Global Business Services, IBM

?

Organizational silos are hindering progress

?

Channel blur:? Consumers are going to force you to match prices online.? Online and in-store merchandising groups are going to have to talk, compare notes, require coordination.

? Cotter Cunningham, CEO, WhaleShark Media

CEOs are pushing for company-wide digital strategy, but digital departments still often operate independently.

? Vicki Cantrell, Shop.org Executive Director and NRF Senior Vice President of Communities

?

Business beats government

Charity alone won?t save the world; we need business and capitalism.

This [retail] industry is the greatest engine of growth in the U.S. today.? We offer hope, opportunity, and career progression.

? Bill Simon, CEO, Walmart

The world needs a lot of care and compassion and business is singularly positioned to deliver on that.

? Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Whole Foods

?

Business is the most creative force in the world.

If we?re waiting on government, we?re waiting on a process that can?t act with the same speed as business.

? Bill Simon, CEO, Walmart

Retailers shouldn?t just produce for the middle and upper classes; ?the third world is waiting for retail.?

? Kofi Annan, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations

?

Employees and culture should be priority #1

?

Think of labor not as a unit cost, but as truly the heart and soul of business.

? Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Whole Foods

If content is king, culture is checkmate ? you need the right people within the company on the bus.

? Eric Qualman, author of Socialnomics

?

?

The most important brand building tool of all is the ability to inspire our people ? not only about what we?re doing but why, and getting them to exceed expectations in way that?s authentic and real.

? Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Corporation

Excellence is tremendous amount of fun; mediocrity is not.? People really want to work with great people and achieve great things.

? Kip Tindell, Chairman & CEO, The Container Store

?

The ecosystem of stakeholders is powerful

?

Shared Conversation concept:? The conversation is owned by consumers, peers, retailers, and countless influencers, bloggers, stylists, media critics and more.

? Susan Jurevics, SVP, Global Retail CRM and Brand Marketing, Sony Corporation of America

?The market? is more than the consumer ? it includes employees, customers, distributors, etc.? All vote and shape our brand everyday.? This requires new ways of working together against shared value.

? Allison Lewis, Senior Vice President, Marketing, North America Division, The Coca-Cola Company

?

?

When you operate with this stakeholder view, the universe conspires to assist you.

? Kip Tindell, Chairman & CEO, The Container Store

The opportunity is to become more of who are you and realize your full potential.? Many businesses aren?t exploring the full potential of their connections with stakeholders.

? Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Whole Foods

?

?

Innovate or die

?

Relentless innovation will continue:

flash sales ? daily deals ? subscriptions ?

curated commerce / distributed commerce / crowdsourcing commerce

? Sucharita Mulpuru, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Forrester Research

Any business that embraces business as status quo?is literally facing a collision course with time.

? Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Corporation

?

Capitalism

re-imagined:

Reimagine what is possible with business.? There is nothing more powerful than the imagination and creativity of individual team members.

? Walter Robb, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Whole Foods

It has never been more important to push for innovation at every level ? we must do everything to push for self renewal, reinvention, a new level of surprise and delight with our customers.

? Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Corporation

?

?

Brick and mortar is not dead

Retail at its basic level is individual connection.

Your customer engagements will be your ?30-second spots.?

?Tom Feltenstein, CEO/Founder of Tom Feltenstein?s Power Marketing Academy

Physical retail still has a lot of promising stories that will continue to grow and drive industry in the future.

? Sucharita Mulpuru, Vice President and Principal Analyst, Forrester Research

Source: http://deniseleeyohn.com/bites/2013/01/28/nine-tenets-for-retail-in-2013/

google project glass google goggles one tree hill projectglass stock act new york auto show khalid sheikh mohammed

School shift requests due Thursday

Parents who want their child to attend a school outside their home district have until Thursday to submit their request to the Forsyth County school system.

?We have received 114 new requests to date that must be reviewed,? said Jennifer Caracciolo, system spokeswoman.

?Please remember that once you are approved for an out-of-district [request], you don?t have to apply again unless [your children] are moving from elementary to middle or middle to high school.?

Due to crowding, several schools that exceed capacity will not accept out-of-district requests. Those include all of the district?s high schools except for Forsyth Central.

Elementary schools that won?t be taking students who live in another district include Daves Creek, Kelly Mill, Midway, Shiloh Point, Vickery Creek and Whitlow.

Lakeside, Otwell, Piney Grove, Riverwatch and Vickery Creek middle schools also aren?t accepting requests.

This school year, some 2,300 students attend a school outside their home district, Caracciolo said. Nearly half of those, or 1,079 students, are children of school system employees.

Those employees must fill out an application, but don?t need to meet any other requirements for their children to be transferred.

All other students, however, must have a sibling in a special education class or a family moving to the requested district.

High school students can apply if they want to enroll in a program not offered at their local school, such as the STEM Academy at Forsyth Central.

Parents must provide transportation to and from the out-of-district school.

Caracciolo said those making a request must fill out an application and submit it to the admitting school. Both the school?s principal and superintendent or his designee must approve the applications.

The requests were heavy last year, said Caracciolo, as the opening of Kelly Mill Elementary and the accompanying systemwide redistricting shifted some 2,300 students.

Without redistricting or any new schools this year, applications likely will be down.

Source: http://www.forsythnews.com/section/3/article/16553/

golden globes 2012 lana del rey saturday night live focus on the family packers vs giants giants score 2012 golden globe nominations texans

Wounded soldier gets double-arm transplant in Md.

BALTIMORE (AP) ? A soldier who lost all four limbs in a roadside bomb attack in 2009 in Iraq has received a double-arm transplant in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Hospital officials said Monday.

Surgeons who treated the unidentified infantryman plan to discuss the transplant Tuesday at a news conference with the soldier. The soldier is one of seven in the U.S. who have undergone successful double-arm transplants, the hospital said.

The transplant last month is the first for the hospital and involved an innovative treatment to prevent rejection of the new limbs. The treatment used the dead donor's bone marrow cells and so far has prevented rejection and reduced the need for anti-rejection drugs. Those drugs can cause complications, including infection and organ damage, hospital officials said.

The novel treatment to help prevent rejection was pioneered by Dr. W.P. Andrew Lee, plastic surgery chief at Johns Hopkins, when he previously worked at the University of Pittsburgh.

In his previous job, Lee led five single-hand transplant operations on five patients, giving them new hands plus marrow from their donors. In an interview last fall, Lee said that all five recipients had done well and that four were taking only one anti-rejection drug instead of combination treatments most transplant patients receive.

Minimizing anti-rejection drugs is important because they have side effects and raise the risk of cancer over the long term. Those risks have limited the willingness of surgeons and patients to do more hand, arm and even face transplants. Unlike a life-saving heart or liver transplant, limb transplants are aimed at improving quality of life, not extending it.

Quality of life is a key concern for people missing arms and hands ? prosthetics for those limbs are not as advanced as those for feet and legs.

Lee has received funding for his work from AFIRM, the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a cooperative research network of top hospitals and universities around the country that the government formed about five years ago. With government money, he and several other plastic surgeons around the country are preparing to do more face transplants, possibly using the new minimal immune suppression approach.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wounded-soldier-gets-double-arm-transplant-md-153705997.html

the glass castle jennifer hudson trial north korea threat brandon jacobs brandon jacobs brian dawkins emma roberts

Auto Accidents and Personal Injury Law - Chanfrau & Chanfrau ...

Last updated 1 day 4 hours ago

If you are involved in a car accident, it is important to act quickly to preserve your legal rights. This video outlines four things that drivers and passengers can do if they were involved in a collision.

First, drivers should cooperate with their insurance company?s investigation of the event. Second, drivers and passengers should seek medical help and keep track of all records and bills relating to the accident. Watch this video to learn about the final two steps to take.

Depending on the circumstances of the accident, the other driver could have been negligent in his or her driving. If a lawyer can prove this tort, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Consult the skilled Daytona Beach legal team at Chanfrau & Chanfrau by calling our personal injury attorneys at (877) 358-8085. The first consultation is always free, so contact us today.

Source: http://www.accidentattorneydaytonabeach.com/632630/2013/01/26/auto-accidents-and-personal-injury-law.html

jennie garth peter facinelli marques colston golden state warriors free agents nfl 2012 milwaukee bucks bear grylls us news law school rankings

Deadly smoke, lone blocked exit: over 230 die in Brazil club blaze

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) ? Flames raced through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, killing more than 230 people as panicked partygoers gasped for breath in the smoke-filled air, stampeding toward a single exit partially blocked by those already dead. It appeared to be the world's deadliest nightclub fire in more than a decade.

Witnesses said a flare or firework lit by band members started the blaze in Santa Maria, a university city of about 225,000 people, though officials said the cause was still under investigation.

Television images showed smoke pouring out of the Kiss nightclub as shirtless young men who had attended a university party joined firefighters using axes and sledgehammers to pound at windows and walls to free those trapped inside.

Guido Pedroso Melo, commander of the city's fire department, told the O Globo newspaper that firefighters had a hard time getting inside the club because "there was a barrier of bodies blocking the entrance."

Teenagers sprinted from the scene desperately seeking help. Others carried injured and burned friends away in their arms.

"There was so much smoke and fire, it was complete panic, and it took a long time for people to get out, there were so many dead," survivor Luana Santos Silva told the Globo TV network.

The fire spread so fast inside the packed club that firefighters and ambulances could do little to stop it, Silva said.

Another survivor, Michele Pereira, told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that she was near the stage when members of the band lit flares that started the conflagration.

"The band that was onstage began to use flares and, suddenly, they stopped the show and pointed them upward," she said. "At that point, the ceiling caught fire. It was really weak, but in a matter of seconds it spread."

Guitarist Rodrigo Martins told Radio Gaucha that the band, Gurizada Fandangueira, started playing at 2:15 a.m. "and we had played around five songs when I looked up and noticed the roof was burning"

"It might have happened because of the Sputnik, the machine we use to create a luminous effect with sparks. It's harmless, we never had any trouble with it.

"When the fire started, a guard passed us a fire extinguisher, the singer tried to use it but it wasn't working"

He confirmed that accordion player Danilo Jacques, 28, died, while the five other members made it out safely.

Police Maj. Cleberson Braida Bastianello said by telephone that the toll had risen to 233 with the death of a hospitalized victim ? he said earlier that the death toll was likely made worse because the nightclub appeared to have just one exit through which patrons could exit.

Officials counted 232 bodies that had been brought for identification to a gymnasium in Santa Maria, which is located at the southern tip of Brazil, near the borders with Argentina and Uruguay.

Federal Health Minister Alexandre Padhilha told a news conference that most of the 117 people treated in hospitals had been poisoned by gases they breathed during the fire. Only a few suffered serious burns, he said.

Brazil President Dilma Roussef arrived to visit the injured after cutting short her trip to a Latin American-European summit in Chile.

"It is a tragedy for all of us," Roussef said.

Most of the dead apparently were asphyxiated, according to Dr. Paulo Afonso Beltrame, a professor at the medical school of the Federal University of Santa Maria who went to the city's Caridade Hospital to help victims.

Beltrame said he was told the club had been filled far beyond its capacity during a party for students at the university's agronomy department.

Survivors, police and firefighters gave the same account of a band member setting the ceiling's soundproofing ablaze, he said.

"Large amounts of toxic smoke quickly filled the room, and I would say that at least 90 percent of the victims died of asphyxiation," Beltrame told The Associated Press by telephone.

"The toxic smoke made people lose their sense of direction so they were unable to find their way to the exit. At least 50 bodies were found inside a bathroom. Apparently they confused the bathroom door with the exit door."

In the hospital, the doctor "saw desperate friends and relatives walking and running down the corridors looking for information," he said, calling it "one of the saddest scenes I have ever witnessed."

Rodrigo Moura, identified by the newspaper Diario de Santa Maria as a security guard at the club, said it was at its maximum capacity of between 1,000 and 2,000, and partygoers were pushing and shoving to escape.

Santa Maria Mayor Cezar Schirmer declared a 30-day mourning period, and Tarso Genro, the governor of the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, said officials were investigating the cause of the disaster.

The blaze was the deadliest in Brazil since at least 1961, when a fire that swept through a circus killed 503 people in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro.

Sunday's fire also appeared to be the worst at a nightclub since December 2000, when a welding accident reportedly set off a fire at a club in Luoyang, China, killing 309.

In 2004, at least 194 people died in a fire at an overcrowded nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Seven members of a band were sentenced to prison for starting the flames.

Several years later, in December 2009, a blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia, killed 152 people after an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches.

Similar circumstances led to a 2003 nightclub fire that killed 100 people in the United States. Pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling of a Rhode Island music venue.

The band performing in Santa Maria, Gurizada Fandangueira, plays a driving mixture of local Brazilian country music styles. Guitarist Martin told Radio Gaucha the musicians are already seeing hostile messages.

"People on the social networks are saying we have to pay for what happened," he said. "I'm afraid there could be retaliation".

___

Sibaja reported from Brasilia. Associated Press Writer Stan Lehman and Bradley Brooks contributed to this report from Sao Paulo.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/deadly-smoke-lone-blocked-exit-230-die-brazil-201703681.html

easter bunny navy jet crash virginia beach isiah thomas passover easter recipes live free or die hard carlos pena

Over 100 women attend free breast cancer screening ... - KCBD.com

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) -

The Lubbock area Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliate hosted free breast screenings and mammograms from Saturday morning at Cavazos Middle School and experienced a record turnout. Over 100 women turned out to get screened and talk with doctors.

They left wearing t-shirts that read, "I am selfish for my health."

It's a motto that speaks to mothers especially, who often find themselves too busy taking care of their families to focus on their own health and get screened.

Rita Sintas knows that feeling all too well.

"It's important for me because I am a mom. Sometimes it's good to be selfish. You can't take care of anyone else if you don't take care of you," Sintas said. "They gave a demonstration earlier that was right on point. Cancer has no discrimination - age, race, it doesn't matter, so it's just important to come out."

According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2009, the most recent year data is available, 211,731 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer. Of that number, 40,676 died from the disease - about one in every five women.

Dr. Candy Arentz, Medical Director of the UMC Breast Cancer Center, was one of the physicians giving exams. She says it's important to get checked once a year beginning at age 40, or 35 if you have a family history of breast cancer. Arentz said the earlier cancer is detected, the better the chance of saving your life.

"Nobody wants to get a mammogram, but if it's a picture that's going to save your life that takes about 10 minutes to do, it's worth it," Arentz said. "That way, you have the years at the end of your life to be with your family."

Copyright 2013 KCBD. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.kcbd.com/story/20714227/over-100-women-attend-free-breast-cancer-screening

north korea news north korea news giuliana and bill giuliana and bill bill rancic nflx jennifer hudson

No link found between facial shape and aggression

Jan. 25, 2013 ? There is not significant evidence to support the association between facial shape and aggression in men, according to a study published by the journal PLOS ONE.

The professor Mireia Esparza, from the Anthropology Section of the Department of Animal Biology of the University of Barcelona, is part of the international research group who carried out this study. The research is coordinated by the experts Rolando Gonz?lez Jos?, from the Patagonic National Centre (CENPAT-CONICET, Argentina) and Jorge G?mez Vald?s, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Sample of about 5,000 individuals from 94 worldwide human populations

The study provides new scientific data to reject the hypotheses that associate facial shape with antisocial and criminal behaviours, which attained its maximum splendour during the mid-19th century and lately have been revitalized. To carry out the study, researchers used a sample of 4,960 individuals from 94 worldwide populations. This large sample allowed to get a global estimation of facial shape and to develop an accurate analysis taking into account distinguishing traits. The experts based the research on the study of the fWHR -- facial width-to-height ratio -- as a possible predictor of aggressive behaviours in men populations.

According to the professor Mireia Esparza, "fWHR was used for two main reasons: on one hand, it is a good indicator of face shape and, on the other hand, it was used in those previous studies which established a correlation between higher fWHR scores and aggression. By this way, we were able to compare results without any bias caused by the use of any other indicator." Esparza contributed to this international study by reconstructing the genealogies of the Hallstatt population from biodemographic data to get genealogical information of the skulls studied and estimate the fitness of each individual analysed.

Craniofacial measurements and 2D and 3D cranial landmark coordinates

Research's results support previous studies which do not prove any relation between fWHR and aggression. "This study goes more deeply," remarks Mireia Esparza. "The methodology used is based on craniofacial measurements and 2D and 3D cranial landmark coordinates, so it provides us with more accurate results than other previous studies based on photographs analysis. Moreover, our research used a large sample of about 5,000 individuals from 94 worldwide populations, so we were able to carry out inter and intra-population comparisons."

"Finally -- she continues -- , two specific databases, one sample of male prisoners of the Mexico City Federal Penitentiary and one the skulls from the catholic church of Hallstaff, Austria, enabled a deeper analysis. The Hallstatt database was used to estimate the correlation among life history parameters, such as fitness or reproductive success, and skull shape traits; this sample has been essential to yield that there is not significant correlation between fWHR and male fitness in this population. The Mexican database demonstrated that fWHR is not significantly greater on those males involved in aggressive crimes in comparison with the general population."

Neither more violence, nor more reproductive success

According to the coordinators of the study, the experts Rolando Gonz?lez Jos? and Jorge G?mez Vald?s, "the social and political implications that this kind of non-contrasted adaptive hypotheses could have, may increase racial prejudices, discrimination and intolerance." Besides demonstrating that facial traits are a poor predictor of aggressive behaviours, the study also proves that fWHR is unrelated to sexual dimorphism. In other words, males who present higher fWHR values -- wide faces in comparison with their height -- do not have a greater reproductive success or show more violent behaviours. If males displaying higher fWHR scores achieved better fitness values, it would trigger a process of sexual selection focused on fWHR. "Our study proves that there is not statistical association between fWHR and male fitness, and that facial shape is not a good predictor of behaviour," concludes Esparza.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Universidad de Barcelona.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Jorge G?mez-Vald?s, T?bita H?nemeier, Mirsha Quinto-S?nchez, Carolina Paschetta, Soledad de Azevedo, Marina F. Gonz?lez, Neus Mart?nez-Abad?as, Mireia Esparza, H?ctor M. Pucciarelli, Francisco M. Salzano, Claiton H. D. Bau, Maria C?tira Bortolini, Rolando Gonz?lez-Jos?. Lack of Support for the Association between Facial Shape and Aggression: A Reappraisal Based on a Worldwide Population Genetics Perspective. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8 (1): e52317 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052317

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://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/YXJ4WNxrpjc/130125104102.htm

joseph kony 2012 arian foster dennis kucinich apple ipad kony kony 2012 jim irsay

FHA as GSE?, Rental Investors, Short Sale LeaseBacks (SSLB ...

email signup????????? RSS News Signup????????? Fay Servicing????????? BC?s profile

????

(FHA becomes GSE??) Harvard Researchers Argue for New ?FHA Corporation? ? BY: KRISTA FRANKS BROCK ? A recent report from Harvard University ? Under direction of the advisory board and the CEO, the FHA would be free to enact its own hiring process, manage its own budget, set its own pricing, and adapt to market changes ?without Congress legislating each change or mandating numerous complex or inconsistent rules and regulations,? according to the researchers? plan. The new FHA would continue to serve low-income families and would work to provide an alternative to the common prepayable, 30-year, fixed-rate loan. ? ? The M Report?
????
Rental investors:

(Phoenix loses lustre? diminishing returns?) As prices rise, rental home investors seek new markets ? Julie Schmit, USA TODAY?
and
(a criticism of REO to Rental programs) Real Estate: Out Of Whack ? Peter Tannenbaum ? Seeking Alpha
????

?(interesting) California Broker Explains Short Sale Lease Back Program - BY: ESTHER CHO ? Irish now runs a company called National Short Sales, which offers what is known as a Short Sale Lease-Back (SSLB) program. Through the program, struggling homeowners can remain in their home as a tenant after the property is sold via short sale to a nonprofit. In the case of Irish?s program, former homeowners reside in the home for at least three years as renters, and they must take six financial counseling courses over the three years. ? more ? DS News

????
Analysis: More Americans leave parental nest in boost for housing ? By Lucia Mutikani ? (Reuters)
????
(very interesting) Housing speculation explodes but with institutional investors this time ? OC Housing News ? conclusion: When federal reserve stops pushing down mortgage rates and the banks stop managing inventory this will all end. The single family resident is the least efficient real estate investment that has the lowest rates of return. They don?t have economies of scale like large commercial or multifamily buildings. SFR?s for income and speculation has always been the small investor that wanted a extra income stream.?
????
(look at chart trend) RealtyTrac: 2012 Foreclosures Stall ? But What About 2013? ? By Peter G. Miller ? Ourbroker.com
????
(great charts) Housing Starts And Building Permits Hit Multi-Year Highs ? Bespoke Investment Group ? Seeking Alpha??
????
(read this) Real world consequences of an FHA overhaul - Posted by Kerry Curry ? My husband and I have an FHA-insured mortgage. We are not low-income nor are we credit-challenged. Yet the conventional lending market appears closed to us. ? Housingwire

????
LPS: Foreclosure Inventory Falls, Expect To See A ?Rebound? In (Foreclosure) Starts ? BY: ESTHER CHO? ? DS News?
????
(new robo settler) HSBC to pay $249 million to end foreclosure probes ? By Kerri Ann Panchuk ? Housingwire?
????
(to offset risk) Rental-Home Bond Issuers Need Costlier Structures, Moody?s Says - by Jody Shenn ? Bloomberg
????
(2 must see pie charts) Job Gaining and Job Losing Industries 2007-2012 ? Mike Shedlock ? MISH?S Global Economic Trend Analysis
????

3 articles on Fed missing the housing bubble burst:

Days Before Housing Bust, Fed Doubted Need to Act ? By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM ? NY Times

????
Federal Reserve was blind to crisis in 2007 ? By Annalyn Kurtz @CNNMoney?

????
Transcripts Reveal Federal Reserve Missed Housing Bubble ? By: DSWright ? FIREDOGLAKE?
????

Like this:

Be the first to like this.

Source: http://mortgagenewsclips.com/2013/01/24/fha-as-gse-rental-investors-short-sale-leasebacks-sslb-leaving-parental-nest-institutional-house-buyers-foreclosures-in-2013-housing-starts-rock-real-world-fha-on-foreclosures-hsbc-robo-se/

vikings stadium breitbart dead db cooper fafsa branson missouri davy jones dead monkees