রবিবার, ৩০ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০১২

Volkswagen Canada's Sales are Surging

VW Canada has experienced its most successful August ever.

/EINPresswire.com/ For years, Auto Haus Volkswagen has been proudly serving Canadians from its Winnipeg facility by offering the latest VW vehicles at excellent prices. They're proud to represent an automaker that has consistently shown a commitment to style, performance, safety, and refinement. Canadian drivers have clearly recognized this commitment, as the esteemed automaker has experienced its most successful August ever in Canada.

Volkswagen's sales in August are truly impressive, having sold 5,782 vehicles, which is an increase of 34.4% from August of 2011. What's more, Volkswagen Canada is ahead of last year's total pace, having thus far sold 39,451 new vehicles from its 136 Canadian dealerships, compared to 35,766 at this time last year ??? that's an increase of 10.3%. The trend lines are certainly looking in the right direction for VW Canada, which is to say that many drivers across the country have come to appreciate the refined sensibility and smooth driving dynamics that VW vehicles provide.

Leading the Volkswagen lineup by a wide margin was the Jetta, which saw 2,531 models sold in August and 17,013 year-to-date. The closest other model was the Golf, which sold 1,422 models in August and 9,396 year-to-date. Rounding out the top three is the Passat, which saw sales of 789 in August and 5,350 year-to-date. "We continue to offer outstanding value in all segments," said John White, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group Canada, and the automaker's surging sales bear out this claim.

And great things are on the horizon. For the 2013 model year, Volkswagen's iconic Beetle will be available with the automaker's TDI Clean Diesel engine, showcasing VW's commitment not only to cutting-edge automotive technology, but also to the environment. This powertrain is available on other models, too, including the Jetta, Golf, Passat, and Touareg.

Canadian drivers should go to Auto Haus Volkswagen to see why the automaker is inspiring so many people to come into the fold. They'll be happy to take patrons who visit their Winnipeg auto dealership for a test drive, as well as discuss the latest and upcoming models from Volkswagen. Visitors can be assured of a superb car-shopping experience, as customer satisfaction is the watchword. That's the Auto Haus VW way!

Source: http://emailwire.com/release/100652-Volkswagen-Canadas-Sales-are-Surging.html

obama dog doug hutchison larry brown thomas kinkade pat summit brewers matt cain

Why shouldn?t Christians behave like happy sports fans?

I

t?s interesting that Christians tend to get categorized as either boring or extreme.

I was thinking about that and wondering why it?s okay for fans of the Whitecaps or Canucks to shout and dance after a victory, but for Christians to behave like that in church is considered weird or even fanatical.

Here are a couple of definitions I found of the word fan: an enthusiastic devotee; and an ardent admirer.

We?d think it a bit unusual if the Lions won the Grey Cup for the second year running and were celebrated just with some sincere, controlled applause.

We?d think it pretty strange if Angelina Jolie came to town and people expressed passive, polite interest. No autograph-seekers around; no ogling young men.

So here?s a thought. Canucks players come and go and the team wins and loses. Jolie will have blockbusters and flops and will, like the rest of us, get old.? And Christians say they are followers of Jesus Christ.

They say He saved them from hell and gave them purpose and meaning in life.

Now for a definition of hell: the nether realm of the devil and the demons in which the damned suffer everlasting punishment.

Christians say that this Jesus has changed their lives and given them hope and peace.

Now, if all this were true, wouldn?t you think it pretty strange if their ?fan behaviour? was passive, polite interest?

Or, at the most, reverent and restrained song and an occasional tapping foot?

If it is true that this One named Jesus is the only way to be saved (more definitions, this time for saved: to be delivered from sin; to be rescued or delivered from danger or harm; to be preserved or guarded from destruction) then wouldn?t it be a bit unusual if His fans didn?t enthusiastically tell others?

Wouldn?t you think that when all the fans of His gathered together it might be a bit enthusiastic?

I don?t know, but I?ve been thinking about these things and realized that if I had the option of being boring or passionate in this sense, I?d rather choose passionate every time.

?

?

Brian Robertson is a pastor with the Christian Fellowship Centre and a regular columnist.

?

'; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } google_ad_client = 'pub-9774721429222771'; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_ad_channel ='3389691084'; google_max_num_ads = '4'; google_feedback = 'on'; google_ad_type = 'text'; google_adtest = 'on'; google_image_size = '300x250'; google_skip = '3'; // -->

Source: http://www.pqbnews.com/opinion/171815641.html

space shuttle enterprise ryan leaf ryan leaf luke kuechly brad miller chandler jones peyton hillis

শনিবার, ২৯ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০১২

D-Day for al-Qaida in Somalia? Last bastion attacked

By NBC News wire services

MOGADISHU, Somalia --?Troops launched an amphibious assault before dawn Friday on the al-Qaida militant group al-Shabab's last stronghold in Somalia.

Other African Union forces were traveling overland to link up with the joint Kenyan-Somali force in the port city of Kismayo.

The commander of the U.N-backed African Union troops, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti, said the aim was to "liberate the people of Kismayo to enable them to lead their lives in peace, stability and security."

Col. Cyrus Oguna, the Kenyan military's top spokesman, said the attack met minimal resistance, but al-Shabab denied that the city had fallen and said fighting was taking place.

Oguna told The Associated Press that al-Shabab, which formally merged with al-Qaida in February, had incurred "heavy losses" but that Kenyan forces have not yet had any injuries or deaths.

"We came from the beach side and we're moving towards the main city. Our surveillance aircraft are monitoring every event taking place on the ground," he told Reuters.

"For now, we're not everywhere. We've taken a large part of it without resistance, I don't see anything major happening," he said.

Born in the USA, but now among Somalia's Islamist terrorists

Residents in Kismayo, a city of about 193,000 people, contacted by The Associated Press said that Kenyan troops had taken control of the port, but not the whole city.

"Al-Shabab fighters are on the streets and heading toward the front line in speeding cars. Their radio is still on the air and reporting the war," resident Mohamed Haji told The Associated Press. Haji said that helicopters were hitting targets in the town in southeastern Somalia.

At an international one-day summit Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said the world would "pay a price" if it fails to help Somalia overcome terrorism, piracy and starvation. ITV's Lee Comley reports.?

Another resident, Ismail Suglow, told Reuters that he could hear shelling from the ships and that the rebels were responding with anti-aircraft guns.

"We saw seven ships early in the morning and now their firing looks like lightning and thunder. Al-Shabab have gone towards the beach. The ships poured many AU troops on the beach," he added.

Expert: War on terror at 'critical' point as al-Qaida looks to regroup in Africa

On Thursday, residents said planes had dropped leaflets on Kismayo warning civilians to evacuate within 24 hours, Reuters reported.?More than 10,000 residents fled Kismayo in the last several weeks.

Resident Faduma Abdulle said Friday that she is now leaving too.

She said al-Shabab made an announcement on its radio station Friday to trick residents into moving toward the invading troops.

"They told residents through their radio to loot a Kenyan ship that washed up on the coast, but instead the residents who rushed there were attacked by helicopters," she said. "Some of them have died but I don't know how many. The situation is tense and many are fleeing. It's a dangerous situation."

A U.S. military spokesman, Lt. Cdr. Dave Hecht, said the U.S. Africa Command, known as AFRICOM, is closely monitoring the situation but that "we are not participating in Kenya's military activities in the region."

Militants: Taking city not 'a piece of cake'
Al-Shabab said it would not give up Kismayu easily.

"Going into Kismayo is not a piece of cake. We are still fighting them on the beach where they landed," Sheik Abdiasis Abu Musab, al-Shabab's spokesman for military operations, told Reuters on Friday. "For us, this is just the beginning, our troops are spread everywhere."

Oguna said the assault is part of a four-prong attack involving Kenyan forces currently in villages outside Kismayo.

The amphibious assault landed between 10:30 p.m. Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday local time (3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday ET)?, he said. Some of the troops had night-vision goggles, he said.

Somali Olympic chief killed in Mogadishu suicide blast

African Union troops pushed al-Shabab out of Mogadishu in August 2011, ending four years of control of the capital by the fighters.

The Ugandan and Burundian troops that make up the bulk of the African Union force in Mogadishu have slowly been taking control of towns outside of Mogadishu.

The expanding control by AU troops sent al-Shabab fighters fleeing south toward Kismayo, north to other regions of Somalia and across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen, according to American and African Union officials.

Kenya police: Imminent attack by suicide bombers thwarted

Al-Shabab still holds sway across many small, poor villages of southern Somalia. The loss of Kismayo would be significant.

The militants taxed goods coming into its port. Al-Shabab lost its major source of financing last year when it was pushed out of Bakara market in Mogadishu, where it also charged taxes.

The march toward Kismayo by the Kenyan forces has been nearly a year in the making.

Masked 'goons' kill at least 17 in attacks on churches in Kenya

Kenyan troops entered Somalia last October after a string of kidnappings inside neighboring Kenya, including of Westerners in and around the beach resort town of Lamu, which is also seeing the construction of a new port and could one day be final point of a new oil pipeline from South Sudan.

Kenyan forces were bogged down by rain and poor roads for months but have making slow and steady progress toward Kismayo in recent weeks.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/28/14135846-d-day-for-al-qaida-in-somalia-troops-storm-beaches-at-last-stronghold?lite

octavia spencer meryl streep oscars school shooting ohio billy crystal oscar winners 2012 billy crystal oscars 2012 angelina jolie oscars

Somalia's al Shabaab rebels pull out of Kismayu bastion

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia's al Shabaab rebels retreated from the southern port of Kismayu overnight, abandoning the last major bastion of their five-year revolt to an offensive by African Union and Somali government troops.

The loss of Kismayu a day after it was attacked by Kenyan and Somali soldiers backed by air strikes is a major blow to the al Qaeda-linked rebels, weakening morale and depriving them of revenue from taxing local businesses and shipping.

"We moved out our fighters ... from Kismayu at midnight," al Shabaab spokesman, Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, told Reuters on Saturday, promising to strike back. "The enemies have not yet entered the town. Let them enter Kismayu which will soon turn into a battlefield."

The Kenya Defence Force (KDF) said two regional rebel commanders, Sheikh Hassan Yakub and Sheikh Abdikarim Adow, were killed in air strikes in the city late on Friday and that another five insurgents were killed in combat. Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab's spokesman for military operations, told Reuters the rebels had suffered no losses.

Al Shabaab, which formally merged with al Qaeda in February, has pulled out of a number of urban areas including the capital, Mogadishu, in recent months under pressure from African Union (AU) peacekeeping forces and the Somali government.

The government in Mogadishu said Kismayu was now under its control and called on residents to co-operate with security agencies and AU forces in improving security.

"The Somali Armed Forces with support from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have secured the port town of Kismayu from the grip of the terror group of al Shabaab who controlled the town for nearly three years," it said in a statement.

Kenyan military spokesman Col. Cyrus Oguna declined to comment on the statement by the Somali government, saying Kenyan troops, fighting under the AMISOM banner, were yet to take control of the port facilities.

Locals confirmed the militants had pulled out under the cover of darkness but said Kenyan and Somali soldiers were still camped on the city's outskirts.

Analysts warned against prematurely assuming the rebels had disappeared, saying they must have left a few fighters behind.

"This is not an indication of al Shabaab having abandoned armed struggle and there is no evidence they are keen on surrendering. They will continue to be a great nuisance for a very long time," said Rashid Abdi, a Somalia expert and an editor with Kenya's Nation Media Group.

The insurgents, who once controlled swathes of the lawless Horn of Africa country, have turned to guerrilla tactics, harrying the weak government of newly-elected President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud with suicide bombings and assassinations.

"NOW WE ARE TERRIFIED"

There were reports of looting in some areas of the city.

"Al Shabaab has not perished, so the worry is what next," said local elder Ali Hussein.

One man who was loudly celebrating the departure of al Shabaab fighters from the city was shot dead, residents said.

"These masked men came from behind him and hit him with several bullets right in the head ... Now we are terrified. Everyone in Kismayu is dumb, silent. We are afraid to talk on the phone outdoors," said Halima Nur, a mother of three.

Four more people, including a Muezzin - the person who calls prayers at a mosque - were shot dead in the same manner in the afternoon, residents told Reuters.

Although al Shabaab brought a semblance of law and security in Kismayu, its strict version of Islamic law alienated a huge portion of the population, residents said.

"We hope life will improve if the Somali and AU troops enter the town," said local Farah Hussein.

Residents said the fighters who abandoned Kismayu had moved to jungles that lie between Kismayu and Afmadow to the north, as well as to other towns north of the port city like Jamame and Kabsuma.

The rebel group, which counts foreign al Qaeda-trained fighters among its ranks, is seen as one of the biggest threats to stability in the Horn of Africa. It has received advice from al Qaeda's leadership, counter-terrorism experts say.

(Additional reporting by Duncan Miriri in Nairobi; Writing by Richard Lough and Duncan Miriri; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/somalias-al-shabaab-pull-last-stronghold-rebels-060649166.html

nick cannon lindsay lohan saturday night live snl lindsay lohan valley fever project x the lorax lorax

UBS wins dismissal of shareholder lawsuit

(Reuters) - UBS AG won the dismissal Friday of a shareholder lawsuit accusing the Swiss-based bank of misrepresenting its exposure to mortgage-backed securities and its compliance with U.S. tax laws.

U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan in Manhattan issued the ruling. The case is dismissed with prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs cannot replead their case at the district court level.

"Although UBS made a series of bad bets with disastrous consequences for the company and its shareholders, those consequences alone are insufficient to establish and support a claim for securities fraud," Sullivan wrote.

Karina Byrne, a UBS spokeswoman, said the bank "is pleased with Judge Sullivan's well-reasoned decision dismissing the complaint with prejudice."

Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit, filed in 2007, spilled out of UBS's subprime mortgage losses during the height of the financial crisis. UBS wrote down $48.6 billion in assets between 2007 and 2009 due to its investments in mortgage-backed securities that went sour, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit accused UBS of violating U.S. securities laws by issuing fraudulent statements related to its mortgage-related and auction rate securities portfolios.

The plaintiffs also claimed UBS misled investors by engaging in a scheme in which its Swiss bankers helped U.S. clients engage in tax evasion. UBS ultimately in 2009 agreed to a $780 million settlement with the U.S. government to settle its criminal probe.

But Sullivan said the plaintiffs had failed to put forward a case that UBS had acted with intent to defraud investors. The judge separately said the investors had failed to allege that any mistatements or omissions related to its private banking business were material.

The lead plaintiff in the case was the City of Pontiac Policemen's and Firemen's Reitrement System. An earlier decision by Sullivan had limited the class to investors who had not bought UBS shares on foreign stock exchanges.

The case is In re UBS AG Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 07-cv-11225

(Reporting By Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick and Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ubs-wins-dismissal-shareholder-lawsuit-185158905--finance.html

tyson chandler stephen hill draft tracker the pirates band of misfits cleveland browns minnesota twins bobby abreu

NASA sees super Typhoon Jelawat Affecting Japan

NASA sees super Typhoon Jelawat Affecting Japan [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 28-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Rob Gutro
robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
443-858-1779
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Super Typhoon Jelawat is a large and powerful storm that has been bringing very rough seas to areas in the western North Pacific. NASA's Terra satellite passed over the monster storm and captured a visible image as it nears the big island of Japan.

NASA's Terra satellite passed over Super Typhoon Jelawat on Sept. 28 at 0238UTC (10:38 p.m. EDT, Sept. 27) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer captured an infrared image as the storm approaches Okinawa, Japan.

Jelawat's center passed by Ishigaki-jima by 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) on Sept. 28 and was approaching Okinawa, the island that houses Kadena Air Base. Ishigaki is a Japanese island, located west of Okinawa and is the second-largest in islands known as Yaeyama Island group.

On Sept. 28 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) Jelawat had maximum sustained winds near 110 knots (126.6 mph/203.7 kmh). That makes Jelawat a category three typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Jelawat was located near 24.6 North latitude and 125.6 East longitude, about 190 nautical miles (218.6 miles/352 km) southwest of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. It is moving to the northeast at 10 knots (11.5 mph/18.5 kmh) and generating very rough seas, with waves as high as 40 feet (12.1 meters).

The center of Jelawat is expected to pass near or over Okinawa. The Facebook page for Kadena Air Base noted that the base is at warning level TCCOR-1 which means "Destructive sustained winds of 50 knots or greater are expected within 12 hours (or within four hours as of 2 p.m. EDT on Sept. 28)."

By Sept. 30, Jelawat is expected to be tracking off-shore from Japan's big island as it continues moving to the northeast in open waters

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


NASA sees super Typhoon Jelawat Affecting Japan [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 28-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Rob Gutro
robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
443-858-1779
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Super Typhoon Jelawat is a large and powerful storm that has been bringing very rough seas to areas in the western North Pacific. NASA's Terra satellite passed over the monster storm and captured a visible image as it nears the big island of Japan.

NASA's Terra satellite passed over Super Typhoon Jelawat on Sept. 28 at 0238UTC (10:38 p.m. EDT, Sept. 27) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer captured an infrared image as the storm approaches Okinawa, Japan.

Jelawat's center passed by Ishigaki-jima by 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) on Sept. 28 and was approaching Okinawa, the island that houses Kadena Air Base. Ishigaki is a Japanese island, located west of Okinawa and is the second-largest in islands known as Yaeyama Island group.

On Sept. 28 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) Jelawat had maximum sustained winds near 110 knots (126.6 mph/203.7 kmh). That makes Jelawat a category three typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Jelawat was located near 24.6 North latitude and 125.6 East longitude, about 190 nautical miles (218.6 miles/352 km) southwest of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. It is moving to the northeast at 10 knots (11.5 mph/18.5 kmh) and generating very rough seas, with waves as high as 40 feet (12.1 meters).

The center of Jelawat is expected to pass near or over Okinawa. The Facebook page for Kadena Air Base noted that the base is at warning level TCCOR-1 which means "Destructive sustained winds of 50 knots or greater are expected within 12 hours (or within four hours as of 2 p.m. EDT on Sept. 28)."

By Sept. 30, Jelawat is expected to be tracking off-shore from Japan's big island as it continues moving to the northeast in open waters

###


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/2012-09/nsfc-nss092812.php

ufc 145 weigh ins record store day 2012 detroit red wings jose canseco zimmerman derek fisher lyrid meteor shower

শুক্রবার, ২৮ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০১২

Walgreen 4Q profit falls 55 pct, tops forecasts

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2012/09/28/20120928walgreen-q-profit-falls-pct-tops-forecasts.html

amanda bynes Revolution TV Show Carly Rae Jepsen bankofamerica nfl schedule revolution rosh hashanah

Dish Network launches nationwide satellite broadband service with ViaSat, Hughes, calls it dishNET

Dish Network's nationwide satellite brodband service could be ready to launch soon

Dish Network's long-gestating tie-up with ViaSat and Hughes has finally arrived under the name dishNET. Sounding like an implement you'd use to clean dirty dinner plates, the nationwide satellite broadband service launches from October 1st, targeting customers in rural areas that are underserved with fixed line gear. $40 a month gets you 5 Mbps down / 1Mbps up with a 10GB data cap, while subscribers can get a $10 discount if they pick up a TV package at the same time. We asked the company if this was related to the service based upon its spectrum purchases that was hinted at back in August, and it confirmed this is just leveraging ViaSat Exede and HughesNet.

Continue reading Dish Network launches nationwide satellite broadband service with ViaSat, Hughes, calls it dishNET

Filed under: , , ,

Dish Network launches nationwide satellite broadband service with ViaSat, Hughes, calls it dishNET originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 09:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/4IN9eI37Pco/

lemonade diet steve jobs action figure chris jericho rose bowl johnny weir quadrantid meteor shower osu football

AceReader Pro Deluxe / Pro Deluxe Plus 8.1.0

এই সারসংক্ষেপটি পাওয়া যাবে না। পোস্ট দেখার জন্য এখানে ক্লিক করুন

Michelle Obama to appear on 'Steve Harvey' show

FILE -In this May 12, 2012 file photo, comedian Steve Harvey performs in Newark, N.J. First lady Michelle Obama will appear on Harvey's new daytime talk show. "Steve Harvey" is taped before a live audience at NBC?s downtown studios in Obama's hometown of Chicago. Producers of the show say the first lady will tape the episode on Thursday and it will air on Oct. 3. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

FILE -In this May 12, 2012 file photo, comedian Steve Harvey performs in Newark, N.J. First lady Michelle Obama will appear on Harvey's new daytime talk show. "Steve Harvey" is taped before a live audience at NBC?s downtown studios in Obama's hometown of Chicago. Producers of the show say the first lady will tape the episode on Thursday and it will air on Oct. 3. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)

(AP) ? First lady Michelle Obama will appear on Steve Harvey's new daytime talk show.

The show's producers say she will tape her appearance on Thursday. It's scheduled for broadcast on Oct. 3. "Steve Harvey" is taped before an audience at NBC's studios in Obama's hometown of Chicago.

The 55-year-old veteran comic's show debuted earlier this month.

Harvey said in a statement that he's honored to have Mrs. Obama as a guest.

The first lady's appearance on Harvey's program will be her latest on the daytime talk-show circuit as the presidential election enters its final weeks.

Earlier this week, Mrs. Obama joined her husband, President Barack Obama, for a pre-taped, joint interview on ABC's "The View."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-09-26-Michelle%20Obama-Steve%20Harvey/id-e946dadaa9134e239620fb86dc90d324

sag nominations time magazine person of the year time magazine person of the year la clippers verizon galaxy nexus verizon galaxy nexus lawrence lessig

বৃহস্পতিবার, ২০ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০১২

U.S. Home Sales Jump to Highest Since May 2010 | AOL Real Estate

US home salesBy Christopher S. Rugaber

WASHINGTON -- A jump in sales of previously occupied homes and further gains in home construction suggest that the U.S. housing recovery is gaining momentum.

Sales of previously occupied homes rose 7.8 percent in August from July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.82 million, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday. That's the highest level since May 2010, when sales were aided by a federal homebuying tax credit.

At the same time, builders broke ground on 2.3 percent more homes and apartments in August than July. The Commerce Department said the annual rate of construction rose to a seasonally adjusted 750,000. The increase was driven the best rate of single-family home construction since April 2010.

The two reports come amid other signs of steady progress in the housing market after years of stagnation. New-home sales are up, builder confidence is at its highest level in more than six years and increases in home prices appear to be sustainable.

"The U.S. housing recovery is for real," said Sal Guatieri, an economist at BMO Capital Markets, in a note to clients. "Great affordability, pent-up demand and strong investor interest in rental units are driving the market."

The broader economy is also likely to benefit. When home prices rise, Americans typically feel wealthier and spend more. Consumer spending drives 70 percent of the economic growth.

And the Federal Reserve's plan to spend $40 billion a month on mortgage-backed securities to keep mortgage rates low "can only help," Guatieri added.

Still, home sales and housing starts are rising from depressed levels. Sales of previously occupied homes remain below the more than 5.5 million that economists consider consistent with a healthy market.

The number of first-time homebuyers, who are critical to a housing rebound, slipped to 31 percent from 34 percent. In a typical market, that figure is usually closer to 40 percent. Strict credit standards are making it harder for many first-time buyers to qualify for mortgages.

More Americans appear to be taking advantage of near-record low mortgage rates and prices that are, on average, much lower than they were six years ago.

Sales might be higher if more homes were available, the Realtors' group said. The limited supply is helping to lift prices. There were 2.47 million homes available for sale in August. It would take just over six months to exhaust that supply at the current sales pace. That's the typical pace in a healthy market.

Homes are selling more quickly than a year ago. The median amount of time that a home spent on the market was 70 days in August, the Realtors' group said. A year ago, the median time frame was 92 days.

The median home price dipped in August to $187,400, but that is 9.5 percent higher than August 2011. That's the largest year-over-year price increase since January 2006.


One reason for the price gain is that sales of foreclosed homes and so-called short sales have declined. A short sale is when the seller owes more on the mortgage than the home is worth. Both foreclosure and short sales occur at steep discounts and can drag down overall home prices.

The lower supply of homes has boosted demand for new homes, which has made builders more confident in future sales.

Applications for building permits, a good sign of future construction, dipped in August to an annual rate of 803,000. Still, permits reached a four-year high of 811,000 in July, which was revised higher.

"Since builders are not taking out permits because it is fun to visit their local government office and pay fees, we can conclude that there should be a solid rise in construction in the months to come," said Joel Naroff, chief economist for Naroff Economics Advisors.

Jim O'Sullivan, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, said home construction should add about 0.3 percentage point to overall economic growth this year.

"Housing is clearly in recovery mode," Sullivan said.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

See also:
Buying New Construction Homes, the Pros and Cons [Video]
Why You Need a Good Realtor (Listing Fails)
Faith in Real Estate: Using Divine Intervention to Sell Homes


More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to
calculate mortgage payments.
Find
homes for sale in your area.
Find
foreclosures in your area.
See celebrity real estate.

Follow us on Twitter at @AOLRealEstate or connect with AOL Real Estate on Facebook.

Source: http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/09/19/u-s-home-sales-jump-to-highest-since-may-2010/

green bean casserole sweet potato recipes the sound of music celebration church new york auto show 2012 tulsa easter eggs

New guidelines to help condos get FHA loans | Fort Lauderdale ...

?WASHINGTON ? Sept. 17, 2012 ? Many first-time homebuyers consider condos a good home when starting out, but loans issued by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that come with relatively low downpayments have not been offered in many condo buildings.

FHA approval for a condo is more complicated the FHA approval for a single-family home. To minimize its risk, FHA looks at more than the unit requesting a loan ? it also considers traits of the association itself. Associations can help individual condo sellers get an FHA loan by becoming certified, but fairly stringent rules kept many from applying.

That may change and, according to the Community Associations Institute (CAI) Chief Executive Officer Thomas Skiba, it?s ?excellent news for sellers, buyers, condominium communities and the housing market across the country.?

In creating its certification system, FHA listed traits considered desirable. Certification was denied, for example, if an association had too many rental condominiums or too much commercial space.

According to real estate writer Kenneth Harney, the previous certification process also presented considerable risk to associations. During the application process, Harney says, they were asked to ?accept broad legal liability on matters they couldn?t totally be certain about, such as disputes among tenants in the building, litigation filed with courts? and more.

CAI says the FHA made ?temporary adjustments.? While it applauded FHA?s guidelines, it says it will continuing pushing for ?long-term certainty of process, flexibility and support for the future of condominium housing, and to resolve critical policy areas not addressed by today?s announcement.?

Major changes

? FHA looks at the percent of current condo owners who are delinquent on mortgage payments. The cutoff is 15 percent, but the individual standard was 30 days late; it?s now 60 days late.

? New rules require at least 50 percent of units to be inhabited by owner-occupants or under contract, while the other 50 percent may be owned by investors. A single investor can own up to 50 percent of the units; previously, single investors could not own more than 10 percent.

? The amount of commercial space is limited now, as it was before, to 25 percent. However, a new rule gives associations a little wiggle room. In certain circumstances, they can request a variance up to 35 percent for commercial space, providing the development remains ?primarily residential.?

FHA?s new guidelines are outlined in Mortgagee Letter 2012-18 issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

? 2012 Florida Realtors?

Source: http://www.andyweiser.com/2012/09/new-guidelines-to-help-condos-get-fha-loans/

nashville predators king arthur king arthur there will be blood there will be blood nigel barker 420

বুধবার, ১৯ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০১২

NFL 2012

Replacement referees NFL replacement referees discuss a play during a game between the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders.

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images.

Before the season started, we thought the replacement refs would botch a lot of calls. We were right. What we didn't realize is that ignorance would be the least of the scabs' problems. NFL refs serve two functions: They administer the rules, and they keep the game running smoothly. It's in that second category where the replacements' incompetence does the most damage.

Roger Goodell's Div. III call-ups are substitute teachers, filling in while the real on-field authorities are on an unpaid vacation. When a substitute shows up, spitballs inevitably start flying. It doesn't matter if you know the lesson plan and you've memorized the demerit system. If you can't convincingly play the role of the no-guff-taking man in charge, the specific rules are meaningless. And if there's one thing the replacement refs really can't do, it's make anyone believe they know what they're doing.

"Honestly. It's embarrassing. The command and control of this game is gone,"?ESPN's Mike Tirico said?during Monday night's Falcons-Broncos game. The biggest embarrassment came at the end of the first quarter, when the replacements took six minutes to resolve a fumble, eventually awarding possession to Atlanta even though a Denver player came out with the ball. As Mark Schultz of FootballZebras.com?explains, "The second, more egregious breakdown happened when an official didn't orbit the pile watching out for trouble." A fight broke out, and the Falcons' Ray Edwards ended up bumping one of the refs. Edwards was given a 15-yard penalty, but he was not ejected. "The replacement officials looked confused, unsure, and after that incident, it appeared they did not have credibility with either team," Schultz writes.

The incompetents in striped shirts are creating a vicious cycle. Their skittishness both encourages players to break the rules?"The next time an official calls illegal contact after 5 yards will be the first,"?an unnamed player told ESPN.com's Ashley Fox?and makes them hesitate to call out guys? for their rulebreaking. Referees modulate the level of hostility on the field. They control how coaches behave. They make sure the clock runs and the chains move. They represent a thin layer of necessary bureaucracy that keeps the game from tipping over into anarchy, and what authority they possess is conferred upon them by things like tenure and institutional memory and familiarity with the players and coaches. What the scabs lack in that regard, they more than make up for in weakness and doubt and fear. The game gets uglier and slower as a result. The importance of skill diminishes. The outcomes are more whimsical.

Even though they can now get away with murder (or at least illegal contact), the players aren't happy. "The NFL and everybody always talk about the integrity of the game. I think this is kind of along those lines," Ravens quarterback?Joe Flacco said after Baltimore's one-point loss on Sunday. The players don't want games decided on the basis of who can best take advantage of the hapless substitutes. They want rules. They crave structure. And the most paternalistic commissioner in pro sports won't give it to them.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=242fe534ee0441335f83e31d6be0dc81

sparkle sacagawea new hope baptist church associated press foster friess new orleans hornets ghost rider spirit of vengeance

Perfectly Panic Free Say Goodbye To Panic And Anxiety, Self Help

75% Commission On Each Sale! Fantastic Affiliate Support. Help People Overcome Panic And Anxiety Attacks With This Affordable And Step By Step Ebook. One Of The Best In Cb! Visit Our Affiliate Area: Panicdisorderattacks.com/affiliate-program.html

Display Full Page

    Up All Night - Attack of the Panic Attacks Season: 2

    Up All Night - Attack of the Panic Attacks Season: 2

    Up All Night Season: 2 Episode: 1 In the midst of Reagan and Ava's panic attack, Chris and Scott decide to evacuate the premises.
    Ranked 3.60 / 5 | 2 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (00:00)
    Submitted By: hulu
    Tags: Up All Night Christina Applegate Will Arnett Maya Rudolph Ronald Reagan Chris Ava Season 2
    Categories: Comedy Entertainment

    The Hudsucker Proxy (1994): Amy Talks to Moses

    The Hudsucker Proxy (1994): Amy Talks to Moses

    The clip Amy talks to moses from The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) with Bill Cobbs, Jennifer Jason Leigh What are you doing, Miss Archer? Who are you? How did you know who I am? I suspect Old Moses knows just about everything... ...leastways if it concerns Hudsucker. Who are you? What do you do here? I keep the old circle turning. This old clock needs plenty of care. Time is money, Miss Archer. Money drives that old global economy... ...and keeps Big Daddy Earth spinning around. See, without that capital formation- You won't tell anyone about me, will you? I don't tell no one nothing... ...unless they ask. That just ain't Old Moses' way. If you know everything about Hudsucker... ...tell me why the board decided to make Norville Barnes president? That even surprised Old Moses at first. I didn't think the board was that smart. "That smart?" But then I figured it out. They did it because... ...they figured young Norville for an imbecile, like some other people I know. Why on earth would the board want a nitwit to be president? Because they're little piglets. They're trying to inspire panic... ...make that stock cheap so they can snatch it all up for themselves. But Norville's got some tricks up his sleeve. He does. "You know, for kids?" Yeah, he's a smart one, that Norville. But I guess you don't really know him any better than that board does, do you? Maybe I- And only some kind of knuckle-head thinks she knows things about things... When she don't... How'd that go? Well, it's hardly the same. You don't even know your own self.
    Ranked 4.00 / 5 | 72 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (02:00)
    Submitted By: AnyClip
    Tags: The Hudsucker Proxy Amy Talks To Moses Bill Cobbs Jennifer Jason Leigh AnyClip
    Categories: Entertainment

    The Departed (2006): Asking for Pills

    The Departed (2006): Asking for Pills

    The clip Asking for pills from The Departed (2006) with Leonardo DiCaprio, Vera Farmiga I have to come here. I know you have to come here. But now that you're here... ...what do you want? You want the truth? Valium. If you lied, you would have an easier time getting what you wanted. What's that say about what you do? We should have a few more meetings... ... before we even talk about prescriptions. Look, I'm having panic attacks. Other night, I thought I was having a heart attack. I puked in a barrel on the way over. I haven't slept for fucking weeks. Is that true? Yeah, that's true. I said something fucking true. I want some fucking pills... ...and you're gonna close my file? I didn't say I'd close your file. No, I... I thought I was supposed to tell... ... the truth here, if only fucking here. You are! Yes. A guy comes in here against every instinct of privacy, of self-reliance that he has... ...and what do you do? What do you do? You send him off on the street to score smack? Is that what you do? You're fucking ridiculous. Two pills? Why don't you just give me a bottle of Scotch... ...and a handgun to blow my fucking head off? Are we done with this psychiatry bullshit? You can leave! What did I just put myself through? I'm out of here. And what if that was a legitimate threat? Think about it, fucking hotshot. Fuck.
    Ranked 4.00 / 5 | 78 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (01:32)
    Submitted By: AnyClip
    Tags: The Departed Asking For Pills Leonardo DiCaprio Vera Farmiga AnyClip
    Categories: Entertainment

    Treatment for Panic Disorder - How to Treat Panic Attacks

    Treatment for Panic Disorder - How to Treat Panic Attacks

    http://panicmiracle.virtual35.com - treatment for panic disorder - how to treat panic attacks If You or Someone You Love is Suffering from Panic Attacks or Anxiety, Then This Will Be the Most Important Letter You Will Ever Read... Even If You Have Severe Anxiety or Panic Attacks Even If You Have Chronic Agoraphobia or Social Phobia Without Psychiatric Therapies Without NLP or Hypnosis Without Resorting To Drugs and Side Effects Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible! My name is Chris Bayliss and over the past 14 years, through a long process of trial, error and experimentation, I have developed a sure-fire, 100% guaranteed, clinically researched system that is backed by 75,000+ hours of expertise for eliminating panic attacks and anxiety for good. This is a very rare, highly unique and potently powerful general anxiety healing system, which very few people even know exists. treatment for panic disorder - how to treat panic attacks
    Ranked 2.68 / 5 | 80 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (01:25)
    Submitted By: curusucan
    Tags: Treatment For Panic Disorder How To Treat Panic Attacks Treatments For Panic Disorder Treat Attacks How To Stop Anxiety Attacks Natural Treatment For Anxiety Controlling Panic Attacks Panic Attacks Self Help
    Categories: How To

    Online Help For Panic Attacks: Self Help Secret

    Online Help For Panic Attacks: Self Help Secret

    http://www.endofanxiety.net Looking for the secret to using self help to overcome panic attacks? It can be done, but be sure that it's the right choice for you. This video shows what you need to know before you cure your panic without medication.
    Ranked 4.31 / 5 | 6 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (02:13)
    Submitted By: endanxiety
    Tags: Overcome Panic Attacks Help For Anxiety Attack Treatments Disorder Symptoms
    Categories: How To

    Panic Attack-Terror @ 5000 FT.

    Panic Attack-Terror @ 5000 FT.

    http://www.panic-selfhelp.com -Private pilot shares panic self help techniques on how he overcomes the fear of passing out. http://www.gdata.youtube.com/feeds/base/users/craigstringham/uploads
    19 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (03:59)
    Submitted By: cragar101
    Tags: Panic Attack Panic Attacks Panic Self Help Anxiety Attacks Anxiety Solutions Panic Attack Solutions
    Categories: People & Stories

    Anxiety and Panic Attacks Self Help

    Anxiety and Panic Attacks Self Help

    Learn panic self help tips. Discover how you can conquer anxiety and take control of your life. The site is created with the purpose to help you free yourself from the grip of anxiety. http://www.anxietypanicattackselfhelp.com
    Ranked 2.96 / 5 | 187 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (00:29)
    Submitted By: Bernardo Rush
    Tags: Panic Self Help Symptoms Panic Attacks Panic Attacks Self Help Self Help For Panic Attacks Natural Anxiety Relief Coping With Anxiety Attack Panic Attack Symptoms
    Categories: Other

    Panic Attack Relief

    Panic Attack Relief

    panic attacks cause, anxiety disorder symptom, cure for panic attack,causes for panic attacks,symptoms for panic ,attacks,anxiety attacks,panic anxiety disorder,free anxiety self help
    Ranked 3.18 / 5 | 37 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (01:47)
    Submitted By: peggy12
    Tags: Panic Attacks Cause Anxiety Disorder Symptom Cure For Panic Attack Causes For Panic Attacks Symptoms For Panic Attacks Anxiety Attacks Panic Anxiety Disorder Free Anxiety Self Help
    Categories: Science & Tech

    Free Anxiety Self Help Book

    Free Anxiety Self Help Book

    http://www.getanxietytreatment.com get you free anxiety self help book
    Ranked 2.51 / 5 | 82 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (00:35)
    Submitted By: anxietyguy
    Tags: Anxiety Treatment Anxiety Symptoms Panic Attacks
    Categories: How To

    Providing Help For Panic Attacks

    Providing Help For Panic Attacks

    http://www.my-panic-attacks.com/treatment-for-panic-attacks.html There are a number of options for help for panic attacks. Panic attacks can be managed effectively with a number of treatment options, which can greatly improve the quality of everyday life.
    Ranked 3.25 / 5 | 82 views | 0 comments

    Click here to watch the video (01:18)
    Submitted By: ds715
    Tags: Help For Panic Attacks Attack Self Support Get Rid Of
    Categories: How To


?

11470

(0 votes, average 0 out of 5)

Social Media Tags
  • National School Backpack Awareness Day spotlights health effects

    Today is National School Backpack Awareness Day, dedicated to make people aware of the serious health effects backpacks can have on people when heavy or worn improperly, according to a news release from Covenant Health.

  • Innovative Business Leaders and Health, Fitness and Education Experts Unite With Youth to Help Protect Productivity ...

    WASHINGTON , Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The GENYOUth Foundation is joining National Dairy Council (NDC), the American College of Sports Medicine, the American School Health Association and the National ...

  • Get BLITZ?: A Fitness Game-changer Designed To Coach You into the Best Shape of Your Life

    SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --?What happens when Sports Club/LA's finest fitness trainers combine intense coaching, personal training and plyometrics with jumping, lifting, pushups, core ...

  • Health and Fitness: Swing to slim down

    Over the last decade or so, the kettlebell has enjoyed a successful reintroduction into the fitness industry. Kettlebell exercises are usually fast-paced, relatively simple, and tend to involve the whole body.

  • Health and fitness calendar

    Fitness events

?

We have?246 guests?online

Unlimited Hosting Space, Transfer, Domains

Source: http://fitness.radiantpurifiers.com/self-help/11470-perfectly-panic-free-say-goodbye-to-panic-and-anxiety-self-help.html

marlon byrd charles colson humber raffi torres michael mcdonald jon jones vs rashad evans earth day 2012

মঙ্গলবার, ১৮ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০১২

Researchers identify new enzyme to fight Alzheimer's disease

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

An enzyme that could represent a powerful new tool for combating Alzheimer's disease has been discovered by researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida. The enzyme ? known as BACE2 ? destroys beta-amyloid, a toxic protein fragment that litters the brains of patients who have the disease. The findings were published online Sept. 17 in the science journal Molecular Neurodegeneration.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common memory disorder. It affects more that 5.5 million people in the United States. Despite the disorder's enormous financial and personal toll, effective treatments have not yet been found.

The Mayo research team, led by Malcolm A. Leissring, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at Mayo Clinic in Florida, made the discovery by testing hundreds of enzymes for the ability to lower beta-amyloid levels. BACE2 was found to lower beta-amyloid more effectively than all other enzymes tested. The discovery is interesting because BACE2 is closely related to another enzyme, known as BACE1, involved in producing beta-amyloid.

"Despite their close similarity, the two enzymes have completely opposite effects on beta-amyloid ? BACE1 giveth, while BACE2 taketh away," Dr. Leissring says.

Beta-amyloid is a fragment of a larger protein, known as APP, and is produced by enzymes that cut APP at two places. BACE1 is the enzyme responsible for making the first cut that generates beta-amyloid. The research showed that BACE2 cuts beta-amyloid into smaller pieces, thereby destroying it, instead. Although other enzymes are known to break down beta-amyloid, BACE2 is particularly efficient at this function, the study found.

Previous work had shown that BACE2 can also lower beta-amyloid levels by a second mechanism: by cutting APP at a different spot from BACE1. BACE2 cuts in the middle of the beta-amyloid portion, which prevents beta-amyloid production.

"The fact that BACE2 can lower beta-amyloid by two distinct mechanisms makes this enzyme an especially attractive candidate for gene therapy to treat Alzheimer's disease," says first author Samer Abdul-Hay, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at Mayo Clinic in Florida.

The discovery suggests that impairments in BACE2 might increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. This is important because certain drugs in clinical use ? for example, antiviral drugs used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ? work by inhibiting enzymes similar to BACE2.

Although BACE2 can lower beta-amyloid by two distinct mechanisms, only the newly discovered mechanism ? beta-amyloid destruction ? is likely relevant to the disease, the researchers note. This is because the second mechanism, which involves BACE2 cutting APP, does not occur in the brain. The researchers have obtained a grant from the National Institutes of Health to study whether blocking beta-amyloid destruction by BACE2 can increase the risk for Alzheimer's disease in a mouse model of the disease.

###

Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/news

Thanks to Mayo Clinic for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 22 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/123556/Researchers_identify_new_enzyme_to_fight_Alzheimer_s_disease

lesnar vs overeem appetizer recipes alistair overeem alistair overeem texas a m insight bowl russell brand files for divorce

IHS iSuppli: PCs no longer command biggest share of DRAM market

IHS iSuppli: PCs no longer command biggest share of DRAM market

Times change, this is an indisputable truth. But nothing reminds us of this fact as well as a landmark statistic. If there was ever any doubt about the shift towards of mobile computing, then let this be it: personal computers no longer account for the majority of demand for DRAM chips. With 49 percent of all new memory still headed for PCs, it's hardly time to book the hearse for desk- and laptops just yet, but the statistic from IHS iSuppli remind us of the increasing market share that mobiles and tablets are taking. In fact, even though total DRAM shipments for PCs continues to rise, it's estimated that the total share will slip another 6 percent, to 42.8, between Q2 this year and the end of 2013. Of course, this is good news if you have a vested interest in both, not so good if you don't.

Filed under: ,

IHS iSuppli: PCs no longer command biggest share of DRAM market originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Sep 2012 04:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Reuters  |  sourceiSuppli  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/82yYX0gZUQQ/

megamillions drawing olbermann mega millions march 30 lucky numbers odds of winning mega millions mary mary sag aftra merger

Video: Post Show Thoughts: Foreign Policy Flash Points

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/49051985#49051985

lana del rey snl enemy of the state golden globe nominees joe philbin miss america pageant 2012 shipwreck jose aldo vs chad mendes

সোমবার, ১৭ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০১২

CellBazaar : RealEstate Land Personal : Land sale in HATIR JHEEL ...

Category RealEstate Land Personal

Tk. Negotiable, per Unit

Location Rampura


Details
Area : 10 katha
Location : Hatir jheel main road
Front road:- 120'
Front face of land:- 123' wide
Suitable for:- corporate office / any commercial purpose

This land is 100% fresh , so only real buyer are requested to call or mail to "mnw84@hotmail.com"

Posted Sep 16, 2012 11:44 PM


Call
01731363119

Source: http://www.cellbazaar.com/web/item-details.aspx?id=11e766f2-6d32-42c0-9d56-2060f3d0d72a

ash wednesday kate walsh cnn debate equatorial guinea marine helicopter crash chicago weather star jones

German opposition leader rallies troops by attacking Merkel

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's former Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier tried to win the hearts of his center-left opposition party on Saturday with an attack on Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition and a vow to win back power in next year's election.

Steinmeier, one of three Social Democrat (SPD) leaders jostling to lead the party into the 2013 election, delivered an uncharacteristically rousing speech to 700 SPD officials at a conference, in what sounded like an audition for the top job.

"We're going to fight to win, not for second place," Steinmeier said, dismissing suspicions the SPD would be content as junior coalition partners in another grand coalition with Merkel's conservatives. "We want to lead in a coalition with the Greens, a coalition that will point Germany towards the future."

The SPD will formally pick a candidate in January to run against Merkel in the election due in September 2013. Also in the running is SPD Chairman Sigmar Gabriel and ex-Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck. Both will also speak on Saturday.

Often criticized for a colorless and cerebral style, Steinmeier was full of fight during his hour-long address, drawing enthusiastic applause for bashing Merkel and her squabbling coalition which he said was squandering a solid foundation laid by the last SPD-led government.

"The country is in agony with this coalition," he said.

"Wherever you look they're fight each other. This coalition has been together for three years but they still haven't formed a working government. They're blowing the headstart for Germany we created for them."

BORROWED TIME

The SPD's "Zukunftskongress", or conference on the future, is debating policies the party will take into the campaign.

Having ousted Merkel's CDU in three of Germany's 16 state elections in 2011 and 2012, the SPD has said it wants to raise taxes on the rich if it wins back power in 2013.

He said Merkel's centre-right government seemed content to say Germany's economy was relatively strong while turmoil rolled across the rest of Europe with the euro zone debt crisis.

"They're talking the country into a coma with the same tired line: 'We're in good shape in Germany'," Steinmeier said. "We're glad we're in good shape. But we know we're living on borrowed time and we know that time is slipping away. This government is squandering the head start the last SPD-led government gave it."

Steinmeier was chief of staff in the SPD-Greens government and Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's right-hand man in the SPD-Greens coalition that led Germany until 2005. Its "Agenda 2010" economic reform program is widely credited with setting a solid basis for Germany's performance even though the painful measures hurt the SPD at the polls.

"I know we caused pain and we made mistakes," he said.

Steinmeier was foreign minister under Merkel in the CDU-SPD grand coalition that helped guide Germany through the 2008/09 financial crisis that hit the export-oriented economy hard.

Recent opinion polls show Merkel's conservatives would win about 36 percent of the vote but their Free Democrat (FDP) coalition partners would win only four percent and fail even to clear the 5 percent threshold needed for seats in parliament.

Steinmeier's SPD would win 30 percent and their preferred Greens partners would win 13 percent. But their combined total of 43 percent would likely fall short of about the 47- to 48-percent analysts say is needed to form a parliamentary majority. Many analysts expect a grand coalition as the likely outcome.

"We've already got the majority of society on our side," he said, referring to the SPD-Greens and support for two other leftist parties: the Left (6 percent) and Pirates (6 percent).

Steinmeier, the favorite to be the SPD's chancellor candidate, was long ambivalent about whether to run against Merkel again. SPD insiders said he did not want to risk a second drubbing after the SPD got a post-war record low score of 23 percent in 2009.

But with neither Steinbrueck nor Gabriel able to make any headway with voters and many senior SPD leaders endorsing the white-haired lawyer who has led the SPD opposition in parliament since 2009, Steinmeier now seems to want the candidacy.

Another possible candidate, straight-talking Steinbrueck, was an early front runner in the SPD sweepstakes a year ago thanks in part to his appeal to middle-of-the-road voters. But skepticism in the SPD's left wing against him has remained high.

The third candidate, Gabriel, recently signaled he would take himself out of the race. Gabriel, 52, said he wanted to spend more time with his family after the birth of a baby daughter earlier this year.

(Reporting By Erik Kirschbaum; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/german-opposition-leader-rallies-troops-attacking-merkel-124051998.html

roman holiday belize adele lyrics bruno mars best new artist 2012 grammys foo fighters

রবিবার, ১৬ সেপ্টেম্বর, ২০১২

Curiosity Mars rover tells us that it is feeling pretty good so far

For the past month, the Curiosity Mars Rover has been methodically giving itself a health checkup, which it has been passing almost flawlessly, says NASA.

By Mike Wall,?SPACE.com / September 14, 2012

This image shows the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on NASA's Curiosity rover, with the Martian landscape in the background. The image was taken by Curiosity's Mast Camera on the 32nd Martian day, or sol, of operations on the surface.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Enlarge

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity is on the verge of passing a rigorous month-long health checkup with flying colors, scientists announced today (Sept. 12).

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'; // -->

Since?Curiosity landed?inside Mars' Gale Crater on Aug. 5, researchers have been systematically checking out the rover's systems and its 10 science instruments to make sure they're all in good working condition. Those inspections have gone very well and should be finished by the end of Curiosity's next Martian day, or sol, mission team members said today.

"The success so far of these activities has been outstanding," said Curiosity mission manager Jennifer Trosper, of NASA's?Jet Propulsion Laboratory?in Pasadena, Calif. "Throughout every phase of the checkouts, Curiosity has performed almost flawlessly."

And this commissioning phase of Curiosity's two-year mission has proceeded pretty much exactly on schedule, Trosper added. [11 Amazing Things Curiosity Can Do]

"Our estimate for the checkout activities was 25 sols, and it's taken us 26," Trosper told reporters today, explaining that a 12-sol stretch of driving activities brings Curiosity to its current Sol 37 on Mars. "So, not bad."

Getting ready to drive again

Curiosity has spent the last six sols methodically testing out its 7-foot-long (2.1 meters) robotic arm, which bears several tools on its end, including a rock-boring drill and a camera called the?Mars?Hand Lens Imager, or MAHLI.

One more sol of arm checkouts remains, Trosper said. The team also plans to point Curiosity's Mast Camera (Mastcam) toward the sky today, to watch the Martian moon Phobos cross the face of the sun. Then the $2.5 billion robot will be ready to move its six wheels again for the first time in more than a week.

"After that, starting on Friday evening, the plan is to drive, drive, drive," Trosper said.

Curiosity will stop when it finds a rock scientists deem a suitable target for observations with MAHLI and the rover's Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer instrument (APXS), which also sits on the robotic arm's turret, Trosper said.

APXS measures the abundance of chemical elements in rock and soil by exposing the material to X-rays and alpha particles (helium nuclei, consisting of two protons and two neutrons).

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/WfbNRWh3RBw/Curiosity-Mars-rover-tells-us-that-it-is-feeling-pretty-good-so-far

daniel von bargen the beach blood diamond 8 bit google maps kids choice awards 2012 micah true kansas vs ohio state