Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Palm oil casualty? 14 pygmy elephants fall prey to pesticides in Borneo

Malaysian wildlife officials say 14 dead pygmy elephants were found last month in Borneo, apparently poisoned by chemicals used by farmers on the country's massive palm-oil plantations.

By Jason Motlagh,?Correspondent / February 11, 2013

A Borneo pygmy elephant looks for food along the Kinabatangan river in Malaysia's state of Sabah on the Borneo island in this file photo.

Bazuki Muhammad/REUTERS/File

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A rare breed of elephant appears to be the latest casualty of the palm oil boom that is sweeping Malaysian Borneo, reigniting an already heated debate over the pros and cons of the world?s cheapest cooking oil.?

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Malaysian wildlife officials say 14 dead pygmy elephants were found last month in the wilds of Sabah Province, apparently poisoned by chemicals used by farmers to keep pests from eating the palm fruit grown on plantations that blanket vast swaths of the countryside.

In once instance, a 3-month old baby elephant was photographed nuzzling its mother, who lay on the ground next to three other corpses. For activists, the image is emblematic of nature?s losing battle with man in and around the farms.

Favored in developing countries for its versatility and long shelf life, palm oil is now found in more than half of processed foods in Western supermarkets, from cosmetics to Girl Scout cookies. Surging global demand has generated billions in profits for Indonesia and Malaysia, the world?s first- and second-largest producers, bringing prosperity to once poor corners.

The boom is changing the complexion of Borneo, the resource-rich island they share that is one home to one of the oldest rainforests on earth. But environmental groups say the palm oil boom is driving the expansion of plantations deeper into hyper-diverse tracts of forest, accelerating global warming and forcing rare species like the?pygmy elephant and orangutan into deadly confrontations with humans.

In a statement following the elephant report, Dionysius S.K. Sharma, executive director of World Wildlife Fund-Malaysia, said the ?central forest landscape in Sabah needs to be protected totally from conversions? and called for "frequent and large-scale patrolling" of forests to protect elephants. Yet he conceded this would be a "massive task" given the remoteness of the terrain and large areas involved.?

The scale of the plantations is massive. Take a flight from Kota Kinabalu, the provincial capital, to Lahad Datu, also known as ?Palm City,? and permaculture reigns: Palm plantations sprawl for miles on end, occasionally pocked with the smokestacks of large processing facilities. The largest are owned by agribusiness giants like Sime Darby and Wilmar International, with clients that include top consumer goods companies Unilever and Nestle.

Business booming

Thanks in part to new US laws mandating the removal of oils rich in trans-fats, business has never been better.

In 2011, the export of palm oil and palm-based products netted the Malaysian economy $27 billion, a fivefold increase over the past decade. With such profits at hand, the Malaysian government wants to double the area under cultivation by 2020.

This is welcome news to longtime residents of Lahad Datu, the coastal?town that has been transformed in years from a crime-ridden backwater to an investment-friendly hub. Real estate prices are soaring, investors are pouring in and the streets are safer than ever, replete with fast-food franchises and shiny hotels. ??This place is opening up, finally,? says Arnan Angkut, at a bustling seaside teashop. ?We are doing much better than before because of palm oil.?

But this kind of enthusiasm could spell long-term trouble for communities in the region and beyond.

A joint study published in October by Stanford and Yale universities revealed that land-clearing operations for plantations in Borneo have emitted more than 140 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2010 alone, equal to annual emissions from about 28 million vehicles. Over the past two decades, about 6,200 sq. mi. of primary and logged forested land have been destroyed in Borneo.

Orangutan populations reduced by half

Activists say that palm oil deforestation and hunting have already combined to reduce Bornean orangutan populations to half the total of the 1980s. At this rate, some predict the iconic animal could be extinct within years.

For its part, the pygmy elephant, a rare sub-species of the African elephant, is in even greater peril: WWF-Malaysia estimates there are about 1,200 left in the wild. And Malaysian wildlife authorities have said they expect to find more dead elephants as they comb the jungle.

*Jason Motlagh reported this story on a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/ZfEOPB1FxNU/Palm-oil-casualty-14-pygmy-elephants-fall-prey-to-pesticides-in-Borneo

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Sunday, February 17, 2013

India needs to attract best brains to its academic institutions

India needs to attract best brains to its academic institutions

Recently, the Indian Express Group organised a notable event, THINKEDU Conclave. Many distinguished speakers from varied sectors such as politics, science, business, education, art and so on were invited to take part in the panel discussion. One of the best parts of this conclave where most of the deliberations took place centered around the primary theme of the Conclave title, 'Schooling India for a Better Tomorrow'.

Mallika Srinivasan, Chairman of Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd. (TAFE), spoke on the topic, "Why are not India's Professional Colleges Considered World Class".? Some important comments made by Ms Srinivasan are: "We are a young nation and that is what we are betting on to propel growth.? In 2020, the average age in India will be 29 as compared to 31 for China and 48 for Japan, with currently over 32% of our population between 0-14 and 550 million below 25 years.? These youngsters are seeking higher education now or will be seeking higher education in a decade.? Ability to world-class quality of higher education will alone determine whether the theoretical advantage we claim will become a material reality in a 'flat world'.? That the quality of our professional colleges is not world class is amply evident - we boast of the world's largest network of higher educational institutions and are second in terms of student enrolment but we are faced with the fundamental issue of employability".? Some highlights of the solutions offered are: (1) On Vision and Policy - The Higher Education & Research Bill (2011) and Foreign Educational Institutions Regulation of Entry and Operations Bill 2010), although awaiting Parliament's nod address some aspects of a more holistic solution; economic growth should be linked to higher education in a more appropriate manner.

(2) The need of the hour is to create a transparent system where private institutions are encouraged to invest in and deliver high quality education and let the inclination of the players and the market dynamics decide their profitability.

(3) On Infrastructure and Environment -?A well laid out campus, high quality buildings, classrooms, auditoriums, libraries, computer systems, well equipped research labs and access to cutting edge work done globally, high quality teaching and learning aids - all of this brings together an atmosphere and environment that invigorates the spirit of learning and enquiry.?Hardware and software are equally important.?India is spending around 1.1% of GDP on education as compared to South Korea's 2.4% and the US 3.1% and if funding, besides vision, is a cause, the answer to overcome this definitely lies in private-public partnership.

(4) On Faculty - the quality has to improve a lot.?In every developed economy, the concept of "thought leadership" is found in every sphere of scientific and economic activity that resides in its universities.? India's Einsteins are not in the University - they are in consumer goods and financial services plus other service sectors; for achieving excellence in higher education, for development of intellectual property that alone will in the long term boost economic growth in a sustained manner, the country absolutely need to attract the best brains to our academic institutions because Asia is where it is all happening right now and India provides a great opportunity.

Source: http://www.merinews.com/article/india-needs-to-attract-best-brains-to-its-academic-institutions/15881777.shtml

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Thursday, February 14, 2013

Video: Breaking down the highlights of the State of the Union



>> there is a lot going on today and here are things we thought you should know. nbc's kelly o'donnell reports during the most emotional part of the president's speech last night when he was talking about gun legislation, a woman took up the president's call for action and shouted out a name, possibly that of her family member a victim of gun violence . it's tough to hear, but listen closely as the applause dies down, someone faintly shouts after the president finished speaking.

>> they deserve a simple vote. they deserve a simple vote.

>> kelly o'donnell said the woman was quietly escorted out of the chamber. before taking the podium, he had a special greeting and a fist bump. the 53-year-old republican returned to work after having a stroke last year. those are the things we thought you should

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/50799177/

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Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Wear Indiana University Clothes to Show Your School Pride

If you're a scholar, mother or father, alumni or supporter, having Indiana University apparel is a superb choice to confirm your school spirit. IU bookstore apparel offers you a great selection of clothing options to suit just about everybody's taste.

Indiana University clothing is offered in nearly everything from basic tees to accessories to sportswear. For nearly all apparel options, you will find standard unisex types as well as clothes styled particularly for men or women. For the practical IU supporter, basic t-shirts with the traditional college label are a better pick. They are offered in the school coloring, cream and crimson, or in a number of other choices, including tie-dye. Shirts which have alumni logos and witty slogans are available also. IU sweatshirts for both men and women use the college brand, name and colors, so it is very plain who you're rooting for. Sweatshirts often are hooded or can come in a round-neck option. You additionally have the choice to choose between a zippered or pull-over variety. Several sweatshirts offer an easy, cozy cut while others can be more fitted and stylish. Choices for Indian University clothes in addition also include comfortable sweatpants, a number of which match the sweatshirt types. You can illustrate your school pride utilizing your Indiana apparel and still stay snug and comfy in IU lounge and pjs, too. There are also adorable Indiana University baby clothes for infants and little ones.

Indiana Hoosiers clothing also comes with extra accessories such as caps and hats, shoes, slippers, belts and watches. For women, IU college apparel has quite a few jewelry choices. There are necklaces and bracelets in silver and crimson. IU emblem earrings and silver charms can be accessible also.

Additionally, high quality looking Indiana clothing is can be found as polo shirts and jackets. These tend to be a perfect selection for the fan who needs something a bit more formal instead of a t-shirt or sweatshirt. Thesenot surprisingly display the Indiana University graphic which means that you can demonstrate your school spirit, but in a more clever and sophisticated manner. These kind of designs are well worth investing a bit more as they aremost suitable to indicateyour school su at corporate functions and even on the golf course.

Additionally, an Indiana University fanatic has a good number of possibilities in IU sports apparel. A variety ofdistinctive Indiana sports teams are thought of utilizing numerousapparel selections. Available are shirts and sweatshirts for IU football, basketball, hockey and lacrosse as well as several additional sporting activities. Both t-shirts and sweatshirts are available in the school colors with the brand and sports team displayed big and proud. These are excellent for displaying your college pride at sporting events and social gatherings. IU basketball apparel on top of that carries replica jerseys and basketball shorts. These are a wonderful option to dress in for competitions plus for your own athletic endeavors.

Each one of these and even more options can certainly be offered in an Indian University apparel store. You can find a sizable number of products as far as apparel items and accessories. Indiana apparel is available in cozy laid back styles or refined and professional looks. Sports and athletic wearcan be found too. It does not matter which of the severalchoices you decide upon, you will be presenting your full support for your school.


Source: http://turkiyecocukhd.com/article.php?id=22280

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Writing a Business Plan? 4 Common Mistakes to Avoid | The Daily ...

You?ve got a winning business idea. You?re excited, inspired, and poised to take the plunge (congratulations, by the way!). Next step: write a business plan.

Unfortunately, Googling ?writing a business plan? yields an intimidating 99,600,000 results. There?s an abundance of tips on how to craft executive summaries, marketing plans, and projections. While these are all fundamental pieces of a business plan (and you should definitely do them), there?s a little more to it than that. A stellar business plan spreads a little magic, leaving its reader eager to get involved.

To help you whip up your own dash of brilliance, let?s look at (and learn from) some of the common mistakes budding entrepreneurs make when penning their plans.

?

Common Mistake #1: Thinking You Don?t Need to Write One

Before we get practical, let?s take a step back and get clear on the point of writing a business plan.

Well, what is the point?

A lot of entrepreneurs think they only need to develop a formal business plan if they?re seeking investment. This is a costly folly. Writing a business plan gives you a chance to thoroughly evaluate your idea inside and out, uncover its upsides and potential pitfalls, and, most crucially, think up ways to avoid them before they happen. It?s your chance to stare long and hard at your ideas? weaknesses and decide whether or not you can overcome them.

And sometimes, you won?t be able to. I?ve written two business plans that uncovered insurmountable obstacles and made me realize my idea was completely impractical. It was a valuable pressure test that saved me time, energy, and money in the long run.

On the other hand, if you conclude that you can overcome any potential pitfalls, you?ll be rewarded with an unshakable conviction that your idea can (and will) succeed. And believe me, you?ll need it! As an entrepreneur, you?ll be tested in ways you never thought possible.

?

Common Mistake #2: Speaking in Features

All too often, people pitch their business ideas by rattling off a bunch of features. They tell you what their product does and how it works, including how it has more power, more muscle, more buttons, more everything?than the competition.

But they seem to miss a crucial question: Why? Why will people care? Why does it matter that this business exists at all?

This is the juicy stuff. The answer to this question is what drives customer loyalty; it?s what makes people pay more for your product than cheaper, similar offers from competitors. It?s also the backbone of the communities that people believe in and want to be a part of.

For example, Dollar Shave Club exists to stop big brands from robbing us blind (in the form of expensive razors). So, the company will ship you cheap razors each month. Could just you as easily buy them at the store? Of course. But it?s a concept people buy into, and it?s delivered with an infectious attitude that customers are eager to adopt.

And what about Zipcar? This car rental service is on a quest to reduce car ownership. Are the company?s vehicles top-of-the-line Hummers with all the bells and whistles? No?but that?s not what?s important. The company is selling a mission, and ultimately, its customers care a lot more about that than fancy features.

?

Common Mistake #3: Writing Your Business Plan in a Vacuum

It can be hard to project what the future of your business will look like. Plotting out best and worst case scenarios is a worthwhile exercise and a great place to start, but it?s really just the beginning?the real learning happens when you turn to other companies who?ve done it before and borrow their recipes for success.

So with your detective hat on, spend some time looking at analogous businesses that?admit it?you?re a little jealous of. How exactly did they get there? What did they refuse to compromise on? What did they ruthlessly go after? The trick here is to hone in on what made these companies successful?then apply those general concepts to your own idea.

It?s also worth thinking beyond the scope of your industry and seeking inspiration from worlds outside your own. For example, when I was first setting up my business, Never Liked It Anyway, it was clear that the site had more in common with He?s Just Not That in to You than it did eBay. Following this logic, I started looking into entertainment platforms to see what lessons I could adopt. It was incredibly helpful and shed light on a direction for my business that I would never have considered otherwise.

Sometimes when you?re writing a business plan, it can feel like you?re pulling information out of thin air?especially when it comes to the numbers. But learning about the successful strategies of the masters that went before you is a great way to ground your projections and expectations in reality.

?

Common Mistake #4: Only Looking to the Near Future

When you write a business plan, you?ll need to spend some time in the weeds of detail, but you should also take time to stand on a tall balcony overlooking the entire garden.

What I mean is this: Set aside the number crunching for a while, and take time to analyze the bigger picture. What do you want your business to be known for 10 years down the road? What do you want to go down in history for? Think beyond just the immediate impact of that product?after all, Steve Jobs won?t be remembered for inventing the iMac, but for completely revolutionizing computing.

This kind of unbridled ambition is the lifeblood of entrepreneurship. We don?t just want to make cool stuff?we want to change things, and change them for the better. And above all else, a business plan should capture that sentiment on every page.

?

When you sit down to write your business plan, include the standard elements, of course?all the usual suspects like the situation analysis, forecasting, and operations strategy are critical. But be sure to leave some room for the magic. It?s the bit that will get you investors, loyalists, buzz, and most of all?personal conviction.

?

Photo of woman writing business plan courtesy of Shutterstock.
PinExt Writing a Business Plan? 4 Common Mistakes to Avoid

Source: http://www.thedailymuse.com/entrepreneurship/writing-a-business-plan-4-common-mistakes-to-avoid/

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Thursday, February 7, 2013

35 Ancient Pyramids Discovered in Sudan Necropolis

At least 35 small pyramids, along with graves, have been discovered clustered closely together at a site called Sedeinga in Sudan.

Discovered between 2009 and 2012, researchers are surprised at how densely the pyramids are concentrated. In one field season alone, in 2011, the research team discovered 13 pyramids packed into ?roughly 5,381 square feet (500 square meters), or ?slightly larger than an NBA basketball court.

They date back around 2,000 years to a time when a kingdom named Kush flourished in Sudan. Kush shared a border with Egypt and, later on, the Roman Empire. The desire of the kingdom's people to build pyramids was apparently influenced by Egyptian funerary architecture.

At Sedeinga, researchers say, pyramid building continued for centuries. "The density of the pyramids is huge," said researcher Vincent Francigny, a research associate with the American Museum of Natural History in New York, in an interview with LiveScience. "Because it lasted for hundreds of years they built more, more, more pyramids and after centuries they started to fill all the spaces that were still available in the necropolis." [See Photos of the Newly Discovered Pyramids]

The biggest pyramids they discovered are about 22 feet (7 meters) wide at their base with the smallest example, likely constructed for the burial of a child, being only 30 inches (750 millimeters) long. The tops of the pyramids are not attached, as the passage of time and the presence of a camel caravan route resulted in damage to the monuments. Francigny said that the tops would have been decorated with a capstone depicting either a bird or a lotus flower on top of a solar orb.

The building continued until, eventually, they ran out of room to build pyramids. "They reached a point where it was so filled with people and graves that they had to reuse the oldest one," Francigny said.

Francigny is excavation director of the French Archaeological Mission to Sedeinga, the team that made the discoveries. He and team leader Claude Rilly published an article detailing the results of their 2011 field season in the most recent edition of the journal Sudan and Nubia.

The inner circle

Among the discoveries were several pyramids designed with an inner cupola (circular structure) connected to the pyramid corners through cross-braces. Rilly and Francigny noted in their paper that the pyramid design resembles a "French Formal Garden."

Only one pyramid, outside of Sedeinga, is known to have been constructed this way, and it's a mystery why the people of Sedeinga were fond of the design. It "did not add either to the solidity or to the external aspect [appearance] of the monument," Rilly and Francigny write.

A discovery made in 2012 may provide a clue, Francigny said in the interview. "What we found this year is very intriguing," he said. "A grave of a child and it was covered by only a kind of circle, almost complete, of brick." It's possible, he said, that when pyramid building came into fashion at Sedeinga it was combined with a local circle-building tradition called tumulus construction, resulting in pyramids with circles within them.

An offering for grandma?

The graves beside the pyramids had largely been plundered, possibly in antiquity, by the time archaeologists excavated them. Researchers did find skeletal remains and, in some cases, artifacts.??

One of the most interesting new finds was an offering table found by the remains of a pyramid. . It appears to depict the goddess Isis and the jackal-headed god Anubis and includes an inscription, written in Meroitic language, dedicated to a woman named "Aba-la," which may be a nickname for "grandmother," Rilly writes.

It reads in translation:

Oh Isis! Oh Osiris!

It is Aba-la.

Make her drink plentiful water;

Make her eat plentiful bread;

Make her be served a good meal.

The offering table with inscription was a final send-off for a woman, possibly a grandmother, given a pyramid burial nearly 2,000 years ago.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/35-ancient-pyramids-discovered-sudan-necropolis-162426532.html

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With conciliatory tone, Cantor seeks to rebrand Republican Party

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eric Cantor, the often combative second-ranking Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, sought on Tuesday to rebrand himself and his party, voicing hope that they can work with President Barack Obama for the sake of all Americans.

While not wavering from his conservative principles and desire to tame the record U.S. debt, Cantor expressed a new eagerness to help the needy in such areas as education, healthcare, immigration and moving up the economic ladder.

"Over the next two years, the House (Republican) majority will pursue an agenda based on a shared vision of creating the conditions for health, happiness and prosperity for more Americans and their families," Cantor said in a speech to the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank.

Some Democrats mocked Cantor's bid to "rebrand" his party, with House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer noting that it was at least Cantor's fourth time to do so.

But Charles Schumer, the Senate's No. 3 Democrat, hailed the House Republican leader's tone and message.

"If House Republicans can adapt their agenda to match Leader Cantor's words, this Congress could surprise people with how productive it can be," Schumer said.

The House Republican leader did not endorse immigration reforms backed by Obama but voiced an openness on the matter.

Cantor said he favored providing "an opportunity for legal residence and citizenship for those who were brought to this country as children and who know no other home."

That appeared to represent a reversal for Cantor, who in 2010 voted against the Dream Act, which would have cleared the way for such young people to remain in the United States.

Cantor gave little ground on any of the other differences between House Republicans and Obama in his speech, which his office billed as a major policy address. But he offered a marked change in tone and a new willingness to get things done on a number of fronts important to voters.

Republicans were hammered in the 2012 election, which saw Obama win a second term and Democrats gain seats in the House and Senate. The Republican Party was labeled by some critics as "The Party of No," one that preferred gridlock to compromise.

A Washington Post-ABC News/Washington poll last month found that 67 percent of Americans say that Republicans are doing "too little" to work with Obama.

The survey gave Republicans in Congress an approval rating of 24 percent, compared to a 37 percent rating for Democrats. Obama's approval recently hit a four-year high of 60 percent.

To be sure, differences remain.

As Cantor spoke, Republicans and Obama exchanged barbs in their latest standoff over deficit reduction, one likely to lead to $85 billion in damaging across-the-board budget cuts in March.

FOCUS ON 'WHAT LIES BEYOND'

Cantor made only passing reference to the bitter fights with Obama over "cliffs, debt ceilings and budgets" in which he has played such a visible role.

It is time, he said, to focus on "what lies beyond" them, including education, jobs, healthcare and innovation.

"It is my hope that I can stand before you in two years and report back that our side, as well as the president's, found within us the ability to set differences aside, to provide relief to so many millions of Americans who simply want their lives to work again," Cantor said.

Cantor, 49, from Virginia is widely seen as a possible successor to Ohio's John Boehner, 63, as House Speaker, the chamber's top job.

While the two insist that they have a close working relationship, at times they have offered competing visions. On Tuesday, however, Boehner said they were on the same page.

Speaking with reporters after a meeting with House Republicans, Boehner said, "As I told the members, Eric's giving a very important speech."

"If we're going to connect with the American people, it's important that they see, not only that we're serious about solving our debt problem, but we're serious about addressing issues like energy, like education, to show really the breadth of the effort that we're involved in," Boehner said.

During the past two years, the White House has tried to make Cantor the face of the unpopular Republican House, and has made it clear that Obama prefers working with Boehner.

In an apparent effort to present a softer personal image, Cantor punctuated his speech with references to a long lineup of people, including his wife and three children, his father, a Baltimore nurse and a police officer from his hometown of Richmond, Virginia.

He spoke of visiting an inner-city school this week and introduced a student from the school and his father to illustrate his interest in finding new solutions in education.

(Editing by Fred Barbash, Eric Walsh and Christopher Wilson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/conciliatory-tone-cantor-seeks-rebrand-republican-party-000438595--business.html

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Online dating reviews ? Useful resources | Douzand Mille

You are reasonably good looking but get very nervous when you come face to face with a beautiful, attractive girl. No matter how much you try, you are unable to overcome your hesitation. Filled with low self-esteem, you only make things worse by fumbling with words. You must be wondering if you will ever be able to find a date. What if I tell you that you can find a hot, sexy date without making any effort? All you have to do is to find the right online dating website and start interacting with the women of your choice. The best sites feature a rich database of beautiful, hot, sexy women.

Online dating reviews lead you on the right path

If you have decided to try online dating, good for you! One of the major advantages here is you do not have to spend time and money wooing women at the bar and restaurants. You can get to know your potential date interacting with them on the site. This also gives you the opportunity to get over your initial hesitations and doubts and gain some confidence before you meet your date in person. Your chances of finding a date is greatly enhanced as you will not be putting off women you fancy right at the onset with your nervousness. The first step is to choose an authentic and genuine dating site that features real members. For this, you must read through online dating reviews. Visit sites that offer?Online Dating Website Reviews | Reviewing The Best & Worst Sites to make your job easier. With the help of user reviews, you can compare online dating sitesand find out which one of them suits your specific needs. For a person like you, it is best to choose dating sites that offer features such as live chat and direct SMS option. You can unleash your charm and personality and woo your potential date with lofty words. Certain sites allow you to post intimate pictures of yourself and share it with people you choose to. This will show the woman you fancy all your special attributes and entice her to become your date. The possibilities are many and you are only limited by your imagination. Get ready to have the time of your life. The opportunity is within your reach. All you have to do is read through reviews and choose the site that seems suited to your requirements.

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The best dating sites offer great features

There are thousands of dating sites out there and choosing the right one is an art by itself. Some of the great adult dating sites have experts who help users understand the nuances of dating and relationships. Especially for a person like you who are a novice at this and have no prior experience in online or traditional dating, experts will help you build a powerful profile and show you how you can best interact with potential dates you fancy. You can use the abundance of information and resources from these sites to grow in your relationship. Certain online dating sites have an accurate and unique matching system. Using information provided by you on your personality, beliefs and expectations, the best dating sites match your compatibility with potential dates and provides a short-list to make your job much easier. For example, equipped with information on the Best Dating Sites | Tests & Reviews Of 15 Online Dating Websites , it becomes easier for you to choose the right website and use all the features on offer to enhance your online dating experience. So, be sure to visit sites like dating-reveiws-guide.com for sure-shot, powerful, instant results. As you fill in your personal details, it is necessary to be completely honest as this will help the site match you with a perfect partner.

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Online dating is for everyone including those who are low in confidence. You may be bright and self-assured in all areas of your life but may start stammering once you stand in front of a beautiful woman. Online dating helps highlight your self-confidence and other vital attributes and consolidating the relationship with the woman of your dreams before you actually meet her in person. Get ready to dazzle and show them who you are! Sign up with the best online dating site after careful research. Read through reviews of the top dating sites and be on your way to enjoying a fantastic experience.

Source: http://douzandmille.com/relationships-douzand-mille/online-dating-reviews-useful-resources.html

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Features of southeast European human ancestors influenced by lack of episodic glaciations

Features of southeast European human ancestors influenced by lack of episodic glaciations [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 6-Feb-2013
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Lack of geographical isolation may have led to unique physical features seen in southeastern European human ancestors, says study

A fragment of human lower jaw recovered from a Serbian cave is the oldest human ancestor found in this part of Europe, who probably evolved under different conditions than populations that inhabited more western parts of the continent at the same time, according to research published February 6 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by William Jack Rink of McMaster University, Canada, and the international team under the direction of Duan Mihailovi?, University of Belgrade, Serbia, and Mirjana Roksandic, University of Winnipeg, Canada.

The fossil was found to be at least 397,000 years old and possibly older than 525,000 years old, a time when distinctly Neandertal traits began to appear in Europe. The evolution of these traits was strongly influenced by periodic isolation of groups of individuals, caused by episodic formation of glaciers. Humans in southeastern Europe were never geographically isolated from Asia and Africa by glaciers, and according to the authors, this resulted in different evolutionary forces acting on early human populations in this region.

Roksandic explains that their study confirms the importance of southeast Europe as a 'gate to the continent' and one of the three main areas where humans, plants and animals sought refuge during glaciations in prehistoric times. She adds, "We have very few fossils of hominins in general from this time, a period that was critical for shaping the appearance and evolution of uniquely human morphology and behaviors."

###

Citation: Rink WJ, Mercier N, Mihailovic D, Morley MW, Thompson JW, et al. (2013) New Radiometric Ages for the BH-1 Hominin from Balanica (Serbia): Implications for Understanding the Role of the Balkans in Middle Pleistocene Human Evolution. PLoS ONE 8(2): e54608. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054608

Financial Disclosure: Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada to WJR and MR (grant numbers not disclosed). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interest Statement: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

PLEASE LINK TO THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL goes live after the embargo ends): http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054608



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Features of southeast European human ancestors influenced by lack of episodic glaciations [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 6-Feb-2013
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41-562-412-17199
Public Library of Science

Lack of geographical isolation may have led to unique physical features seen in southeastern European human ancestors, says study

A fragment of human lower jaw recovered from a Serbian cave is the oldest human ancestor found in this part of Europe, who probably evolved under different conditions than populations that inhabited more western parts of the continent at the same time, according to research published February 6 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by William Jack Rink of McMaster University, Canada, and the international team under the direction of Duan Mihailovi?, University of Belgrade, Serbia, and Mirjana Roksandic, University of Winnipeg, Canada.

The fossil was found to be at least 397,000 years old and possibly older than 525,000 years old, a time when distinctly Neandertal traits began to appear in Europe. The evolution of these traits was strongly influenced by periodic isolation of groups of individuals, caused by episodic formation of glaciers. Humans in southeastern Europe were never geographically isolated from Asia and Africa by glaciers, and according to the authors, this resulted in different evolutionary forces acting on early human populations in this region.

Roksandic explains that their study confirms the importance of southeast Europe as a 'gate to the continent' and one of the three main areas where humans, plants and animals sought refuge during glaciations in prehistoric times. She adds, "We have very few fossils of hominins in general from this time, a period that was critical for shaping the appearance and evolution of uniquely human morphology and behaviors."

###

Citation: Rink WJ, Mercier N, Mihailovic D, Morley MW, Thompson JW, et al. (2013) New Radiometric Ages for the BH-1 Hominin from Balanica (Serbia): Implications for Understanding the Role of the Balkans in Middle Pleistocene Human Evolution. PLoS ONE 8(2): e54608. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054608

Financial Disclosure: Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada to WJR and MR (grant numbers not disclosed). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interest Statement: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

PLEASE LINK TO THE SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE IN ONLINE VERSIONS OF YOUR REPORT (URL goes live after the embargo ends): http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054608



[ 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/2013-02/plos-fos013113.php

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Report: Brown threatened to shoot Ocean in fight

FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2012 file photo, Chris Brown accepts the award for best R&B album for "F.A.M.E." during the 54th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. A Los Angeles County Sheriff?s Department spokesman said Monday Feb. 4, 2013, that the agency expects to close its investigation into a fight between Brown and Ocean last month due to online comments Ocean recently posted stating he was not interested in pressing charges against Brown. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2012 file photo, Chris Brown accepts the award for best R&B album for "F.A.M.E." during the 54th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. A Los Angeles County Sheriff?s Department spokesman said Monday Feb. 4, 2013, that the agency expects to close its investigation into a fight between Brown and Ocean last month due to online comments Ocean recently posted stating he was not interested in pressing charges against Brown. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? An investigator's report states Frank Ocean told investigators that Chris Brown threatened to shoot him during a fight over a parking space last month.

The report was included in a prosecution motion seeking to have Brown's probation revoked over numerous discrepancies and lax supervision of his community service sentence for the 2009 beating of Rihanna.

The report says Brown punched Ocean after the pair argued over a parking space at a West Hollywood studio on Jan. 27. Ocean told police that at one point, Brown shouted he and his entourage could "bust" Ocean, which prosecutors wrote is a street slang term for shooting someone.

Ocean, who has said his first love was a man, also told investigators that he may have heard someone shout a gay slur during the confrontation.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-05-People-Chris%20Brown/id-ddc601d909ad4d50ae530ec1dd2518a3

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Saturday, February 2, 2013

CrowdSearching ? Use social media to help find lost items

You’ve heard of crowd funding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo which feature products looking for funding. Now there is a site called CrowdSearching.com, which uses the power of Facebook and Twitter to help lost and found items find their way back home to their owners. Whether you?ve lost an item or found someone else?s, simply [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/02/02/crowdsearching-use-social-media-to-help-find-lost-items/

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Stalingrad 70th Anniversary: Russia Commemorates Historic World War II Battle

VOLGOGRAD, Russia (AP) ? An aged T-34 tank clattered into the center of the southern Russian city once known as Stalingrad and soldiers dressed in World War II-era uniforms marched solemnly as Russia marked the 70th anniversary of the end of one of modern warfare's bloodiest battles.

President Vladimir Putin came to the city later Saturday to take part in the commemorations, including a visit to the famous hilltop memorial complex surmounted by a towering 87-meter (280-foot) statue of a sword-wielding woman representing the motherland.

The city 900 kilometers (560 miles) south of Moscow suffered six months of intensive fighting, beginning with massive air strikes, as Nazi forces tried to push deep into the Soviet Union and reach its Caucasus oil fields.

At least 1.2 million people are estimated to have died before the fighting ended on Feb. 2, 1943. The Red Army's defeat of the Nazis after house-to-house battling was a decisive turn in World War II.

One of the houses became a particularly resonant symbol of the battle. The four-story apartment building became known as the Pavlov House after the sergeant whose platoon inflicted heavy damage on Nazi troops and tanks while under heavy attack for two months, even as civilians continued to occupy it.

A woman born in the house a couple of months before the siege, Zinaida Andreeva, told the Interfax news agency Saturday that "for me, Feb. 2 is like a birthday. It's a special day, in which tears and happiness are side by side."

The city was renamed Volgograd in 1961, as part of the Khrushchev era's drive to erase the personality cult of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. But the name Stalingrad is indelibly connected with the battle that is one of Russia's most-lauded military achievements.

The connection is so strong that the city council this week passed a resolution under which it would use the name Stalingrad in official communiques on the day commemorating the battle's end, as well as five other days marking World War II events.

The legacy of Stalin remains a delicate issue nearly 60 years after his death. Although widely reviled for his decades of brutality and repression, many laud him as leading the people to victory against Nazi Germany amid immense suffering.

In a controversial move, Stalin's image adorns five buses that are to run in Volograd until Russia observes Victory Day on May 9, and similar buses were to run Saturday in St. Petersburg and Chita.

The leader of the liberal Yabloko party's faction in the St. Petersburg city council, Georgy Poltavchenko, denounced the Stalin buses.

"The victory in the Great Patriotic War" as Russians call WWII " including the victory in the battle on the Volga, was not achieved thanks to the 'military genius' of Stalin ... but thanks to the heroic resistance of our people," he was quoted by Interfax as saying.

____

Jim Heintz in Moscow contributed to this report.

Related on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/02/stalingrad-70th-anniversary-russia-_n_2605027.html

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Friday, February 1, 2013

Fusion-io cuts 2013 forecast as Apple, Facebook delay orders

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

Source: http://www.twytter.net/blog/fusion-io-cuts-2013-forecast-as-apple-facebook-delay-orders/

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Friends Club

Friends Club

A club for those who seek people to fall back, to make friends and find support.

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Friends Club?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Friends Club"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

User avatar
Slendyman
Member for 2 years



New member female, can I reserve plz? Bunny!

Last edited by Alise120 on Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Alise120
Member for 4 years


New member female? Favorite animal is horse. :3

ETA: So sorry, I hadn't seen your post Alise!

"She offered herself to the big, bad wolf and didn't scream when he took the first bite."

User avatar
bandgeek
Member for 1 years


Done didly done! Bandgeek there are other roles if you are interested :) Be sure to call them quickly though!

User avatar
Slendyman
Member for 2 years


No thank you, I can't play straight males and... mature females and I don't get along. *shrug* Hope this goes well for y'all, definitely looks interesting.

But, just so you know, I was the first one to reserve and actually read the roles. XD

User avatar
bandgeek
Member for 1 years


I read the rules but my computer is glitchy so I couldnt get my post through like I want haha lol

User avatar
Alise120
Member for 4 years


Oh I see! I guess the edit changed the time you posted then. Well then I will have to give the role to Bandgeek then Alise, is there any other role you may be interested in? I'm so sorry about that.

User avatar
Slendyman
Member for 2 years


May I please reserve the vice president? I don't think I have a favorite animal, hopefully the fact that I brought it up will be enough to prove I read the rules. If so I'll either have a character up later today or tomorrow.

User avatar
Captain Obvious
Member for 1 years


Alise the role is still yours, Band has decided to give it to you. :) So it is all yours.

User avatar
Slendyman
Member for 2 years


Turtles are the cutest thing ever! :P With that said, can I reserve the new guy?

User avatar
Infiniti
Member for 1 years


Could I reserve the Treasurer? Also, dogs.

User avatar
Tsukiakari
Member for 1 years


Slendyman wrote:Alise the role is still yours, Band has decided to give it to you. :) So it is all yours.


I'll get working on my character ASAP!
User avatar
Alise120
Member for 4 years


Everyone is reserved :)
Looking forward to seeing every ones characters.

User avatar
Slendyman
Member for 2 years


Thank you! I'll try to create the character as soon as I can :)

User avatar
Infiniti
Member for 1 years


Is the Secretary role still open? If so, could I reserve it? And gotta be the sloth... they are disturbingly hilarious.

User avatar
Hingyou
Member for 1 years


Sure is! Reserved! Also everyone make sure they take a look at the description of the roles so you get an idea of how they should kinda be like. :)
Edit: Also how do you guys like my character? Anything I could fix?

User avatar
Slendyman
Member for 2 years



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