Wednesday, February 29, 2012

A Brief History of Kenya's Construction Industry ? Property Solutions ...

by Barrack Obaga

Background Information on Kenya

The country known today as Kenya was created by European colonialism in Africa, which lasted from the mid-1800s to the 1960s. Kenya was a British protectorate from 1895 to 1920 and a colony from 1920 to 1963.?The?Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC) was the administrator of Kenya and was given a Royal Charter to exploit Kenya commercially.

The Construction Sector

The construction sector in Kenya is set in an environment that has fuelled the myriad changes it has undergone in such a relatively short history. The factors that are in the sector?s environment have either slowed down or speeded up the pace of sector?s growth in the country. These factors, in a glimpse, include:

  1. Politics of both the?Pre-Colonial Period and?Post-Colonial Period
  2. Sustainable Development (Environment,?Society and?Economy)
  3. Economic and Financial Services including?Credit Availability and Accessibility
  4. People and Culture
  5. Tenure and Legal Framework (Titles,?Mortgages,?Easements,?Secure Legal Rights)
  6. Fiscal Policies (Expansionary and Deflationary)
  7. Land Use and Environmental Control ? (Policies,?Spatial Planning,?Control of Land Use)

All these factors have in one way or the other, affected the course of the construction industry over time in Kenya. These will be addressed in the detailed study of history of construction in Kenya.

?IN THE BEGINING??

In the pre-colonial era, traditional Africa communities in Kenya used large tracts of land covered in forests as buffers. For example, the areas occupied by the Agikuyu and the Maasai were separated by forest land.?In the Rift Valley, settlement was mainly riverine between the Njoro and Molo rivers before moving to Nakuru town. After 1908, Afrikaners trekked into Uasin Gishu plateau and they established their settlement in the Highlands that centred Eldoret town.

European Settlers

Land ownership was largely communal until the arrival of the European settlers; that led to a conflict. This conflict had never been experienced in Kenya before. The conflict was characterized by the conflicting African and European concepts towards land and land ownership. The European concept prevailed.

The Kenya-Uganda Railway Project

In addition, the Kenya-Uganda Railway construction influenced the settlement of the Europeans. Nairobi is said to have formed the second early settlement core of settlement near the Mau escarpment.

By the end the First World War, the entire railway line from the east of Kiu to Kisumu ran through the alienated land meant for European settlement. The fertile and agriculturally viable highlands were mapped out as European areas. The Africans were kept in overpopulated reserves, bordered with large tracts of land. This suppression led to the initiation of the process that led to the nation?s independence in 1963.

It?s worth noting that the White Highlands were critical and dominant elements in the political, economic and cultural development in Kenya.

Nairobi

IBEAC facilitated the construction of a railway connecting the east coast region of?Mombasa to Lake Victoria. The company employed?James Macdonald assisted by?John Wallace Pringle, both officers in the?Royal Engineers, to undertake the survey in 1891-1892. The two reported favorably, noting that Kikuyuland would be suitable for European settlement. However, the IBEAC lacked the funds needed to start the work. The IBEAC started building the?Mackinnon-Sclater road, a 600 miles (970?km) ox cart track from Mombasa to?Busia on the Uganda border, in 1890.?The main part of the Mackinnon-Sclater road was completed by the British government after the demise of the IBEAC.

Nairobi was founded in 1899.?It grew up around a railway line constructed by the British colonial officials from Mombasa on the Indian Ocean coast to Uganda. The present site of Nairobi was selected as a stores depot, shunting yard (place where trains are shifted from one track to another), and camping ground for the thousands of Indian laborers (also British colonials, who came to Kenya seeking work) employed by the British to work on the line.

The Asians

The Asians stayed along the coast of Kenya for a long time before they moved into Uganda and Machakos during the construction of the railway line. They were restricted from engaging in agricultural activities and were, therefore, more likely to be found in significant numbers in the towns and trading centres that were growing with time. This enabled them to fill an ?economic vacuum? between the European farmers and administrators and the African masses. The Africans, as a result, more often than not made contact with the Asians through the Indian duka.

The Urbanisation Process

The railway line and growing European and Asian influence played a pivotal role in the urbanization process, and subsequently in the construction sector. Trading centers developed and they played a very important linkage between the rural areas and the modern urban-based sectors of the space economy. These centres were the most viable commercially despite them being the untidiest and the most unplanned places in Kenya. The growing urban populations of the small towns soon triggered an increase in construction activities in both urban and peri-urban centres

The colonial government paid no attention to controlling and regulating the planning and building of these centres. The uncontrolled development has remained to present day and time. This has subsequently become a characteristic feature of those centres even to date.

In the post-colonial period, these conditions were improved upon due to the continued urbanization process that led to some of these centres being upgraded to urban centres.

The transition from the colonial government to self-government left Kenya with challenges such as:

a)???? Improving the effectiveness of public sector spending on physical infrastructure development and maintenance

b)??? Improving labour absorption, labour relations and job stability

c)???? Reducing impact of HIV/AIDS on the construction industry

d)??? Ensuring international competitiveness

FROM COLONIAL TO POST COLONIAL

At the time of independence, there were difficulties facing the construction industry. These included:

  1. A serious shortage of all kinds and levels of skilled labour; without any easy means of training
  2. Bottlenecks in the supply chain and scarcity of crucial building materials produced in Kenya
  3. Inadequate forward planning in the wholesale and distribution sectors

These were worsened by the fact that inappropriate designs were adopted and a serious failure to adapt technologies employed to the level of resources that was available. This was reflected in the rapid increases in prices of deliverables as well as significant and noticeable fall in the quality of work in the sector.

Corrective policies were notably missing to make right the wrongs done by the players in the sector.

At the time, most firms were predominantly owned and operated by non-citizens, especially the Asians. These were earlier used as contract labour from India, and they stayed in Kenya after their contracts expired. They then began accumulating capital through trade, transport and distribution, with others moving into the construction industry.

Demand for housing for various functions and purposes rose, thanks to European settlers and Asian traders and the colonial administrators.

At the time, the industry followed the British model since it observed hierarchy and it was stratified along the racial lines. Europeans held the positions of engineers and architects. They also had contracting firms. The Asians were next, with mid-level firms.

This was not only limited to professional groups but also in the field of construction materials. The larger, national-level and regional manufacturers were largely Europeans, either foreign or domestic.

The Asians, part from owning medium-sized firms, also owned quarries and the distribution channels. These included the importation, wholesale and retail networks of materials, and were deemed to be the backbone of the industry. The Africans, however, occupied the lowest positions of semi-skilled or unskilled labour e.g. labourers and tradesmen. Very few Africans owned firms.

In the post-independence period, the Africanization/Kenyanization process began, with the following aims:

  1. To encourage African commercial activities under ?settlement schemes?
  2. Non-Africans were to be replaced by Africans in public sector jobs
  3. Kenyanization of commercial and service sectors

This process is widely believed to be more politically instigated than it was economically. The result was that there was uncertainty among the European populace and panic among the Asian mid-level public sector office holders. The results included an acute shortage of contracting firms and lack of a healthy competition between the existing contracting firms.

Asian-owned firms were the best at this time due to their paying attention to managing the businesses. They operated under tight budgets with extremely low overheads with high degrees of flexibilities. Some had to move into the industrial production sector.

Right from independence, the Ministry of Works had the responsibility of administering all projects regarding the central government as well as civil engineering projects. It began, under the Africanization Process stipulated the first 5-year plan which reserving small contracts to African-owned construction firms. Bias clauses were introduced for bigger projects in the form of price tender advantage in a bid to favour the African firms, on the condition that they agreed to revise their prices downwards to the level of the lowest bidder.

Records indicated that by 1967, 200 Africa-owned contracting firms were registered. Some were briefcase companies while other offered labour-only contracts to Ministry of Works projects in gravelling roads. These firms faced disadvantages such as:

  1. Little experience as far as site organization is concerned
  2. Inadequate knowledge of managerial, commercial of administrative matters
  3. Lack of knowledge on matters of tendering for construction contracts
  4. Inadequate plant and equipment
  5. Inadequate/lack of capital
  6. The Asian suppliers were not sympathetic of African entry into the industry and were unwilling to afford the Africans credit

?

The Government formed the National Construction Corporation that sought to enable African contractors enter the industry, a very competitive market. Its philosophy was ?learning by doing? whereby the African contractors were to be assisted and trained during the construction process. They were only supposed to meet the following requirements:

  1. Obtain the work
  2. Obtain the finance required to complete the project

From the above, the functions of NCC were:

  1. To help contractors obtain work
  2. Provide them with adequate finance
  3. Assist them with the actual construction process

In the 1970?s the Asian-owned transport and trading businesses were forced out of business due to legislation. The laws reserved these operations for exclusively African firms, forcing the Asians to move into the construction industry. They had double advantage: their business acumen and capital.

This saw a sharp increase in the number of Asian-owned construction firms with the following advantages:

  1. Top-notch efficiency
  2. Ready access to materials
  3. Access to capital
  4. Additional supply of labour, which was not available for African ones

In the recent past, we have had new legislation and developments including formation of the Nairobi Metropolitan Region which shall be shared in Subsequent Posts.

About Author: Mr. Barrack Obaga

Barrack is a student of the University of Nairobi, Department of Real Estate and Construction Management. He is currently pursuing his Bachelors of Quantity Surveying. We wish to state that this is a good gesture and we are thankful for the time he took to share this Knowledge.

Tags: History

Source: http://ujenzibora.com/nahinga/2012/02/a-brief-history-of-kenyas-construction-industry/

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Georgia to end visas for Russians (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Georgia will abolish visas for Russians as it tries to attract bigger investment, President Mikheil Saakashvili said on Tuesday in a rare gesture of goodwill between the former Soviet republics which fought a war in 2008.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/russia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120228/wl_nm/us_georgia_russia

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Jungle Red Writers: The Season of Envy


LUCY BURDETTE: Last week I came across a fascinating article by Dennis Palumbo, one of our previous guests on Jungle Red, in which he talked about the impact of awards on a Hollywood career. One of his patients (Dennis is both a psychotherapist and a writer) calls this period after the Oscar nominations are announced "the season of envy." And he compares it to the sense of longing and insecurity many of us experienced in high school. I suspect this description might go for writers just as well--we'd always like to reach some peak a little higher than the place we are now. There are tons of awards coming up in the writing world that can contribute to these feelings, like the Lefties, the Edgars, the Agathas, the Macavities, the Anthonys--and I know I'm leaving some out. And we've just learned that Meryl Streep won the Oscar for best actress in THE IRON LADY, and THE ARTIST cleaned up otherwise.

I thought it might be fun to talk about the award we each most covet--never mind whether we have the talent--and what it would be for. I can imagine enjoying a number, but I'll name just two. The first would be an Oscar for best actress in a role like Meryl Streep played in JULIE AND JULIA--a real character part where viewers are astonished at how well I was able to inhabit someone else's skin. (This will never happen as I am completely devoid of acting talent.) And the second would be the Nobel Peace Prize. I'm not sure what exactly I would have done to deserve it, but I can't think of a better goal.

RHYS BOWEN: Boy, you certainly don't start humbly, do you Lucy? Where can I go from there? Actually I want to win an Edgar. I covet that little statue with the bow tie. I have won most other awards in the mystery sphere and I was nominated for the Edgar once (at the same time as Julia) but I suspect I'll never come close again. I actually wrote a poem about it. A couple of verses go:

"I just want to win an Edgar
That little guy with bow tie red-grr
And with an R beneath his head--grr
Quoth the maven, "I'm not sure."

"If you want to make your marker
You must write a book that's darker
Change your name to T Jeff Parker
That's the only way to score."

There was more but that gives you the gist.
Of course I wouldn't mind winning anything at the Oscars, because I'd like an excuse to buy a dress like that.

HALLIE EPHRON: Laughing, Rhys! I wouldn't mind an Edgar...

BUT, since we're talking fantasy here, what I really covet would be a Grammy for singing like Aretha. Or Olympic Gold for high diving.

ROSEMARY HARRIS: At the risk of suggesting that I'm more highly evolved than I am, I don't really think too much about awards. Don't get me wrong, I was pleased to be nominated for the Agatha and the Anthony - and like Rhys, I would love an excuse to buy and wear a killer gown but it doesn't go much further than that. If pressed I would say a Pulitzer for writing a novel that really speaks to women - or failing that, Miss Congeniality. How's that for a range?

LUCY: Oh, I wish I'd thought of the Olympic gold medal--Maybe basketball, or floor exercise, or figure skating...Ro, Miss Congeniality--that will keep me chuckling all day. I say we just go ahead and award that one to you right now!

JAN BROGAN: Well, I'd have to say the award I'd most covet is the Pulitzer for history, but right now I'm sort of a stick in the mud about awards, and you can blame it on NPR. Last week, they did a story on why Woody Allen shuns the Oscars (except in 2002 when he was promoting NYC after 911). He believes strongly that art is so subjective, it's madness to pick one as the best, The works aren't comparable in any way.

Now this is particularly powerful because Woody Allen HAS won Oscars. Three times, so its not out of envy he says this. I have been thinking about it ever since - and thinking that if that is true, the Oscars are just another reality show.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Eeesh. It all started when I was a kid, and felt like I was never good enough. (Lucy, jump in here..) So as a result, I think I became very competitive. And I do like awards.
Example of why this happened: my mother, upon hearing that I'd won another Emmy, responded "Oh, honey, do you still care about things like that?"
Anyway, yes, mom, I do. Sorry. I'm a bad shallow person. And I would LOVE an Edgar. (And an Oscar for best screenplay. OOOH. YES!) And I still look at my mystery awards with endless delight and happy memories and much gratitude. Who'd a thought?

But a propos of "the season of envy"--that's not how I feel when I lose. When I lose, I always think--"I have to work harder! I have to be better!"

RO, you ARE Miss Congeniality. SO, hurray, and we are sending you a tiara.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Yeah, I have to confess with Rhys, that I'd like an Edgar. It kind of feels like the one that got away. When Jeff Parker won, for the deservedly fine CALIFORNIA GIRL, Ross leaned over and said, "They just switched names at the last minute because his kid and elderly dad are here with him." So if I'm every invited back to the Banquet, I'm bringing the whole family and a three-legged, blind dog with me. No way I won't win then.

Ahhh...fantasy award? Picking up an Emmy for Best Screenplay (on the stunningly-successful series based on my books, natch.)

Too bad we don't have things to award like the OBE in America. Rhys, are you still a British citizen? Could you become a Dame?

RHYS: I have dual citizenship, so in theory I could become a Dame. You'd have to curtsey to me, of course. If we're going all out, I'd rather be a baroness, like Lady Thatcher. And I want an Olympic medal too--ice skating? And Julia, if you bring your blind dog, I'm coming in a wheel-chair.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Doesn't everyone who writes crime novels want to win an Edgar? Or the British equal in prestige, the Gold Dagger? But while it's thrilling to be nominated for awards, and even to win them, I can think of few things more excruciating than waiting for that final announcement. Then if you've lost, it's half disappointment and half relief that you don't have to walk up on that stage and babble something totally incoherent.

But as much as I appreciate the Edgar (having served on enough committees over the years, I know how much hard work goes into that short list) and the fan awards, and as much as I love the Oscars (and I do) I have to admit to feeling a bit Woody Allen-ish about it all. It's the same reason I think we shouldn't pay too much attention (or maybe even read) reviews of our books. These things are all so subjective! And in the end, no amount of awards or reviews change a single thing about our relationship with the words on the page.

And now that I've had my high-brow vent, Julia, I'll fight you for that Best Screenplay award for the stunningly successful series based on my books:-) But Dame Rhys may win it first.

JULIA: If Rhys ever becomes a Dame, we shall INSIST she wear towering great hats a la Lady Violet in DOWNTON ABBEY. Agreed?

LUCY: Agreed! And if any one of you are up for the Edgar or best screenplay, we'll all come and cheer you on! And speaking of winners, Virginia wins a copy of AN APPETITE FOR MURDER for her spaghetti in the German chocolate cake story. (Send an email to raisleib at gmail.com so we can work out the details.) And Theresa of California won the DVD on Sunday.

Labels: Meryl Streep, oscars, the Edgar, Woody Allen

Source: http://www.jungleredwriters.com/2012/02/season-of-envy.html

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NH unemployment 5.2 percent, unchanged in January (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - The New Hampshire Department of Employment Security says the state's unemployment rate in January was 5.2 percent, the same as December.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120228/ap_on_bi_ge/us_january_unemployment_new_hampshire

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Video: Rick Santorum makes his case

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/46531173#46531173

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Website Hosting:? Is The Better Choice For Web Business

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The actual e-business requires freedom associated with upgrading and also taking care of their particular Site content successfully using a smaller amount quantity of assets. And so they should not make the move via present along with other facilities although internet business proceeds. While using handled hosts suppliers the web internet sites will help satisfy the company ambitions. The actual handled hosting companies view the enterprise specifications along with strategy the actual web hosting service services appropriately. Your maintained internet hosting can also help to manipulate from the internet hosting atmosphere along with obtaining information along with proprietorship. Without having stifling the web company as well as commercial infrastructure, the actual internet hosting may be been able in a very devoted services are the main element concentrate the actual been able web hosting service.

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Source: http://yptuscaloosa.com/?p=40043

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Tips For Health And Fitness! | The How To Manual ... - Diets That Work

Bring to work your own healthy snacks, like fresh fruit, so you won?t be tempted to snack on vending machine fare or sweet treats supplied by co-workers. During breaks, you?ll be able to eat your fruit and enjoy its freshness instead of going for a cigarette or ending up where the most tempting treats are ? the break room! This will increase your overall fitness level.

When you are working towards enhancing your physique, understand that spot training is not going to be effective if you are carrying excessive weight on your body. In order to see any results happen from a spot training routine, you should already be in good physical condition and at a normal weight and body fat percentage.

Purchase a new gym outfit; it will give you a confidence boost and remind you of your fitness targets. No matter if you get something seemingly insignificant, you are likely to get excited about wearing a new garment to your next exercise session.

Volunteer work is a good way to serve the community while getting some much needed exercise. There?s lots of great physical jobs that a volunteer force can do. Volunteering will provide a much-needed service to someone else, but you?ll be exercising as well.

When you have an exercise routine, check regularly to be sure that you aren?t overdoing it. Check your pulse right away in the morning the day after you exercise.

It?s easy to go a little too far when you first begin an exercise program. Taking it slow and easy is critical if you haven?t been active for awhile. To prevent injury, ease your body slowly into the exercise exertion.

When you perform an ab crunch, breathe out when you are right at the focal point of the arc. When done in this way, your abdominal muscles will be used for maximum effect, and the increased energy output will burn more calories. Applying this technique helps your get more out of each repetition.

Don?t be fearful. Biking is a great way to get into shape, too. Your daily commute to your job can be cheap, fun and offer a great workout through biking. Ten miles a day round trip will give you two good workouts in a single day.

Planning your workout with a routine will be easier if you start by purchasing the services of a personal trainer. Good trainers will tailor a diet and exercise program for you dependent on your skill level. Walking into a gym can be intimidating at first, so go easy on yourself and hire a personal trainer to help you get right into a workout routine. Hiring a professional will put you on a path you?ll be motivated to continue on.

Continue to search for other ways of improving your fitness level to achieve the positive benefits of having a fit body. Following the advice in this article is one of the many ways that you can start or continue to make advancement in your fitness levels.

If you are trying to shakeology , it is essential to employ the optimum shakeology review. This consists of possessing the most suitable nutrient intake, calories, and fat-burning meals. Additionally it is essential to make use of the accurate workout plans as well in order to reach your lose weight fast targets.

Source: http://therealdietsthatwork.com/tips-for-health-and-fitness

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Monday, February 27, 2012

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Related posts:

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged business, Coaching, Consulting, from, Services by JohnKrol. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://johnkrol.mobi/?p=9450

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Making Your Online Customer Service Work | Opera, Divas and Drama

How To Improve Your Web Businesses Customer Service

Providing a steady online customer service is critical if you?re selling a product on the web, then it?s obvious that you are taking care for your customers. That particular area of interaction and support has to be executed in the right way, and it is not something that can be neglected in any way. Naturally there are tasks that are more or less important with some that are to avoided at all costs. You will be smart to overhaul your customer service if it needs it, or get something effective into place if you currently do not have it. Master Cleanse Secrets Review

Email responses to customer service requests should not seem like computer generated replies. Form letter type emails won?t please your customers or make them feel like you care about their needs. Every customer who sends an email query should receive a personal reply. Customers will remember that you took the trouble to answer their questions personally. This is one of the factors that will make your customer service memorable in a good way. You?ll make a positive impression on your customers that will help your business grow. Illusion Mage Make everything about talking to you or anybody in your business a hassle-free experience. What you should realize by now is the need to make a solid impression at every opportunity with your customers. When visitors want to contact you, then that process should be clearly visible so there is no need to look around for it. You should have a presence on social media sites, and those are additional methods people can get a hold of you. Giving people as many options as possible for this will only help you in the long run. PS3 Lights Fix

If you want to receive the greatest response from your audience, then clearly indicate to them how much of an expert you are in your niche. Take whatever steps you can to reassure your customers that you know what you?re talking about, which means knowing your product, business and market like the back of your hand. Hopefully you realize that you have to train any customer service help you may hire so they will have an understanding about your products and policies. You do know that there will be lots of opportunities for creating negative impressions if you do not follow that advice. We all have been consumers long enough to have a clear understanding of the importance of excellent customer service. That is actually a large part of customer retention, and you have to keep your customers happy. The more you?re able to affirm them about the stability of your business through your customer service, the better results you will get. If you have a business, then take a hard look at your own situation and see what you find.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged business, health, home, Internet Marketing. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://dv-opera.org/2012/making-your-online-customer-service-work/

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A Walk Through The Grisedale Valley - Travel - EzineMark

The Grisedale Valley, much loved by Wordsworth, is well worth exploring especially if you have your dog in tow, they?ll love running over the fells and taking a dip in the tarns as they run along. There are several dog friendly Lake District cottages in the area which would make the ideal base from which to explore this wonderful valley.

Set off from Patterdale village and head deeper into the valley towards what is known as Grisedale Forest despite the very apparent lack of trees. You will pass Ruthwaite Lodge, a climbing hut on your right as you make your way through rocky scenery towards Grisedale Tarn. The imposing craggy face of Dollywagon Pike looms above but wait for your photo opportunity, it is even better further on.

Just off the path before the tarn is Brother?s Parting Stone and much easier to spot from this direction.

A poem is inscribed into the stone though it is weatherworn and largely unintelligible. The stone is said to mark the spot where William Wordsworth and his brother John last saw each other before John drowned at sea.

As you reach Grisedale Tarn cross the stepping stones to the left and walk clockwise around the tarn towards Hause Gap and follow the clear path alongside the wall to the summit of Fairfield. Due to the rocky nature of the summit and various piles of stones, shelters and paths in many directions, a map and compass are essential to get off the summit safely in poor conditions.

There are many shelters on Fairfield for a lunch stop and are perfect to survey the view.? The next leg of the walk heads downwards over Cofa Pike a rocky pinnacle between Fairfield and St Sunday Crag.

From here don?t forget to look back to Dollywagon Pike across the valley for the impressive view of the craggy face.

The descent from St Sunday Crag offers several choices, a straight down descent from Birks to Elm How Plantation, however my preference is to walk down over Birks towards Trough Head and through the interesting rocky tops of Arnison Crags. This route takes you straight down into the garden and carpark of the Patterdale Hotel, which is a perfect place to stop for a well deserved pint or cup of tea in the welcoming bar.

There are several Lake District cottages in the area which are ideally situated to give you a great base from which to explore Grisedale and other surrounding valleys.

Source: http://travel.ezinemark.com/a-walk-through-the-grisedale-valley-7d34431d2f7a.html

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

PFT: Jets GM laments Sanchez's struggles

Jim+Irsay+AFC+Championship+New+York+Jets+v+YEUR3suHmgrlGetty Images

Last month, Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports compared new Raiders owner Mark Davis to Tommy Boy, the charmingly incompetent son of a deceased business owner who proceeded to drive the business into the ground.? Many fans, however, would be more likely to envision Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeting out the lyrics to Fat Guy in a Little Coat (then again, the title contains all of the lyrics).? But in Silver?s latest item, a very long but very well done look at the situation in Indianapolis, Silver makes Irsay look like Einstein for his handling of a franchise that suddenly has run aground.

Regardless of whether anyone agrees or disagrees with all or part of Silver?s assessment, some news is buried in the 1,973-word opus, even if it takes a staff with a specially-designed crystal catching a ray of sunlight at a precise moment in the late afternoon to find it.

Silver says that Irsay has decided to move on from Peyton Manning, and to draft Andrew Luck.

?Luck is The Guy,? an unnamed source told Silver.? ?I don?t care what happens [at the Combine]. I don?t care if Griffin flies.?

That said, Silver leaves the door very slightly open on Manning returning.? Per Silver, it will take ?something dramatic and unexpected? for Manning to play again for the Colts, an outcome that ?almost certainly? won?t happen.

Silver also compares the latter days of Brett Favre?s time in Green Bay to Manning?s looming departure from Indy, but there?s one major difference.? The powers-that-be in Green Bay never took Brett?s bait, refusing to engage him in a battle of wits and/or words (OK, words), even if Packers had to hire former George W. Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer to hold their hands and/or muzzle their mouths.

Irsay has no one with the ability or the nerve to comment on the emperor?s choice of attire, and so Irsay largely has lost the P.R. battle by calling Peyton a ?politician,? by failing to control the impulse to type 140 characters or less on the ultimate test of impulse control, and (possibly) by strategically leaking negative information regarding Manning?s health in the hopes of persuading the locals not to storm the castle when Peyton is cut, or as part of an exercise in wishful thinking that Manning will play neither for the Colts nor anyone else.

Though Irsay deserves credit for being decisive regarding the need for a new power structure, he also needs to be faulted for putting together a franchise that in 2011 stared down adversity by shriveling into a tumbleweed.? And he should be called out for failing to follow his own advice to keep things in house regarding the delicate process of untangling the franchise quarterback from the franchise.

Despite the fact that Luck has yet to say or do anything to suggest that he?ll do to Jim Irsay what John Elway once did to Irsay?s father, the manner in which Jim Irsay handles the Manning situation eventually could prompt Luck to have the same opinion regarding Irsay that Silver has regarding Mark Davis.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/25/tannenbaum-explains-how-sanchez-needs-to-be-better/related/

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Yoga Helps Fight Multiple Sclerosis

Published by Sherry | February 25, 2012 | | 2

Research has been on-going the past decade or so studying the benefits of yoga as treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). While yoga is no cure all for MS, it has shown to increase the quality of life for someone with MS significantly. Many studies have found yoga can decrease fatigue, a symptom of MS, tremendously.
A study conducted by Oregon Health and Sciences University in 2003, took 69 MS patients and for six months monitored as some participated in yoga, some in other exercise classes, and some in no exercise at all. At the end of the six months, the results showed significant improvement for fatigue in those who practiced yoga or some form of exercise as opposed to those who did nothing. Of the participants who did yoga, 60 % of them found it to be beneficial. (1)
Yoga targets improving flexibility, stamina, strength, and balance. It has also shown to reduce stress and anxiety. All of which are great benefits to someone living with MS. Yoga is also more than physical activity, but a lifestyle which was designed to train your mind, body, breath, and help you connect with your spirituality. Yoga is not only able to provide the physical strength, but mental strength as well in living and dealing with MS.
Yoga can provide so many life benefits to those with MS. So much so, years ago Eric Small, whom was diagnosed with MS at 22, developed a yoga niche called therapeutic yoga specifically to help those with MS or other illnesses andor diseases. That was over 50 years ago Small was diagnosed, and today in his 70?s credits yoga for his great health and physical abilities.
While exercise in general is needed for managing MS, yoga is good because it helps those whom MS has progressed passed the point to where they are able to participate in other exercises and can be adapted to that individuals ability. Many of the stances andor poses such as the Mountain or Warrior can be done with the help of a wall. The Tree and Eagle can be done with the help of a chair. Blocks and other assistive devices can be used to hold a yoga pose as well. Even those wheelchair bound can practice yoga while having an instructor hold their legs and holding the poses for them.
Giving yoga a try could be just what someone with MS needs. Any person with MS trying yoga should ensure that the yoga instructor is certified in the therapeutic use of yoga. Namaste.

Washington Mary has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Diseases Multiple Sclerosis
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Source: http://www.1directory.net/health-fitness/yoga-helps-fight-multiple-sclerosis-8296.html

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Climatefail Footnote (Powerlineblog)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/204559749?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Dolphin Browser HD 7.3 (for Android)


If you're looking for an excellent alternative to the stock Android browser, Dolphin Browser HD 7.3 (free) is your app. It's not the fastest, but the latest version retains its Editors' Choice?designation for bringing together the most complete collection of thoughtful features in a mobile browser, without compromising on performance. Version 7 massively improves upon last year's version 5 by adding multi-device sync and a slick new RSS reader. Dolphin also carries your basic features like Flash support and Add-ons, while improving its killer feature: customizable gestures.

So if you're fishing for the UI sensibilities of?Firefox 10 (free, 2.5 stars) and the multimedia aptitude of?Opera Mobile 11?(free, 3.5 stars), reel in?Editors' Choice Dolphin Browser HD 7.3.

Dress for the Occasion

For those accustomed to the stock Android browser, Dolphin is a fluid transition. Users can access everything from bookmarks to browsing history by clicking the phone's Menu button. Moreover, Dolphin mimics Firefox: swiping in from the left reveals a Bookmarks drawer; swiping from the right unveils Add-ons and Themes, should you care to dress your browser for holidays?be it Christmas or Halloween.

The latest version freshens up an already crisp interface. Contextual menus are backlit with fluorescent green. The left sidebar gains a "Quick Access" drawer for key functions (such as Settings), a search button, and single-click bookmarking. The right panel loses Settings, but makes room for a visual tabs button. And every time you open a new tab, Dolphin now uses Speed Dial, Opera's visual bookmarking system, to automatically populate it with your favorite websites.

Add-ons make customizations more meaningful, bringing LastPass, Web to PDF, and Amazon Search into your mobile browser. The selection isn't expansive, but there's utility to be gained. While Dolphin matches Firefox step-for-step when it comes to Add-ons, it's a sloth when it comes to syncing. Dolphin Connect lets you sync bookmarks and custom gestures across all your Android tablets and smartphones. Syncing with iOS devices is on its way, Dolphin promises.??

Meaningful Gestures
One of Dolphin's cleverest features is so obvious that it seems like it ought to be standard fare for any mobile browser. Gestures lets you draw symbols to perform commonly used actions. You click the Gesture button, pinned to either the bottom left or right-hand corners of the screen?for left and right-handed users, I'm presuming?to reserve the screen for your Gesture. For example, to refresh a webpage, draw a circle. To open a new tab, an N. In addition to eight preloaded gestures, you can even create your own Gesture: I used a B to open bookmarks.

Sleek Mobile RSS Feed
I thought Dolphin's new Webzine feature would be superfluous, but it's now the first thing I open after launching Dolphin. Webzine aggregates online publications onto one page, in a series of thumbnails. Tap a thumbnail to scroll through the publication's news feed, which displays titles and summaries in boxes. Tap a box to open the original article in a new page. Webzine supports hundreds of titles like The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, and TechCrunch. Webzine's interface is very clean, with ample white space to help you scan articles quickly.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/Bf6frWVTUyc/0,2817,2383132,00.asp

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Santorum, a Catholic often mistaken for evangelical, benefits from confusion and shared goals (Star Tribune)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/204618112?client_source=feed&format=rss

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10 website design tips to boost your online sales (Ezine Ready ...

Today, more and more users are setting up their online stores, using different e Commerce packages. Because, your website is the direct impression of you as well as your business, you must give top precedence to it. Success of any online business is relied heavily on its website design. With a good website design and development, you may convert your visitors into customers of your company. Here are the 10 website design tips to boost your online sales:

1. Objective

The objective of website design must be supported by site objectives. For any e Commerce site, business is the main objective. Therefore, website design must convey the brand message, which a company wants to convey to the target customers. It must bring clarity for what is provided on site with explaining how offering can be used.

2. Choose an appropriate style

There is lot more on the online stores than merely a shopping cart or ?Purchase Now? buttons. When you make any e Commerce site, you should take care about the mood, conducted by all the elements. Don?t overlook ?Contact? sections or ?About? page. Choose an appropriate style, which corresponds to your products as well as establish it till the end.

3. Uniqueness

As every field of business has millions of websites, a company has to face huge competition before having some orders from customers. If first impression of the site fails in keeping the visitors, the visitors will go to other similar sites. Therefore, the website design have to be unique and must help the business in keeping potential clients glued for content and features given on the site pages.

4. Easy navigation

If the users can?t get the right buttons at right positions, your artistic and impressive website design won?t have any meaning. Make the navigation easier for customers to find exact product they require.

5. Text and graphics

The graphics and text used in website should invite the user to read. It must be attractive and must not irritate his/her eyes. Don?t embarrass the buying or the brand-establishing process, making inappropriate use of large images, Flash, or other gimmicks.

6. Stick to the Basic Concepts

Use the basic concepts, which are applicable to all the e Commerce sites like placing shopping basket at top, making it simple to add something in basket, using basic metaphors like Checkout, View Basket, and About Us with making logo clickable.

7. Describe the Products in Detail

Describe the products in detail to your customers. Details like materiel, fabric, size, volume, weight anything, which could be valuable to them. Adding more details will also defend you against the refundable returns. It is advisable that you use attractive adjectives like psychedelic, vintage, collectible, natural, handmade, and so on. Keep in mind that your clients cannot see the product actually therefore; your description is very important for them.

8. Show Multiple Images

Provide the customers, a multi-dimensional scene of your products through displaying different images of a product. High-quality images are very important so, hire a professional photographer for taking them.

9. Add Product Badges

Badges are essential for making any single product shine. They may point the new product, top selling item, discount, and more. Ensure that you use them to the full-effect.

10. Good Product Display

It?s very important that the clients can navigate between the products easily. To make their life easier, ensure that single product demonstration always provides a quick way for viewing other products.

Source: http://internet.freshpizzatoday.com/2012/02/24/10_website_design_tips_to_boost_your_online_sales_ezine_ready/

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Coming: ETF version of world's biggest mutual fund (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Call it PIMCO Total Return 2.0. The world's largest mutual fund, run by star bond trader Bill Gross, will soon also be available to investors as an exchange-traded fund.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120223/ap_on_bi_co_ne/us_of_mutual_interest_pimco_etf

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Top quality Strategies For Home Improvement Tasks | Article Museum

If you really find this article helpful Give it a PLUS from below and help us to spread it.

Each household operator want to make minimal, or even major, advancements to their house. This informative article contains a lot of helpful suggestions that will help as you do exactly that. You will see immediate gratification while you check individuals significant goods out your ?to do checklist?. Keep reading for more information.

Taking excellent care of your house is as essential as adding cash in your discounts accounts regularly. Very well taken care of homes are worthy of additional money than those which need to have many deferred maintenance. By keeping up with modest fixes, you may keep the home at it?s prime marketplace importance.

Occasionally the tiniest points have the greatest variances when it comes to home improvement. Consider incorporating some window curtains to the home windows of the home to liven them up. Your house will really feel much more comfortable instantaneously. It is also a somewhat inexpensive decoration product, therefore it won?t crack your wallet to get this done either.

In order to avoid nerve-racking unexpected emergency circumstances, make certain everybody in the home is aware exactly where significant settings just like the circuit board or normal water shut-off valve are. Using this method, no matter who is house as soon as the unexpected transpires, you can restrict the hurt done and also restrict panic in younger people in the household.

Invest a backyard. It can be a lavish exterior nursery, or even a basic box window in the kitchen to cultivate your herbs. The option of are living plants as well as the attractiveness they deliver to your home is unequaled. If you don?t have a excellent deal of eco-friendly thumb, grow solid plants and flowers that need tiny interest, and add a timed drip or sprinkler method for simple watering.

Consider saving money for a tiny much longer to buy a lot more strength-effective goods and components for your residence-improvement task. This will save you money after a while on home heating and electric costs which will cover the remodeling you are making straight away. Give some thought to long-term results above simple-term discounts.

When focusing on a property advancement task, be sure to get high quality components. It will save you cash initially if you buy appliances or cabinets who have imperfections but by using these components could decrease the need for your residence. In case you usually buy the greatest for your house, the final results will be astonishing.

After reading the following tips, you can start to comprehend what it requires to become proficient at home improvement. There is lots of data to be had and you need to know the best way to apply it. With this in mind, you are able to refine your own personal tactics and desired goals to make the home of the goals.

For information with respect to paintless dent removal, pay a visit to Necole X Delois?s Site in a jiffy.

Source: http://www.articlemuseum.com/top-quality-strategies-for-home-improvement-tasks.htm

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- Real Estate Agents, Property Listings Websites India

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Source: http://ssalunkhe.typepad.com/blog/2012/02/taloja-navi-mumbai-property-real-estate-flats-house-apartment-residential-and-commercial-land-to-sale-or-rent-in-india.html

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VA Property finance loan Refinance Methods Explained | woman ...

February 22, 2012 / admin

There are refinance auto loan with bad credit options offered to veterans pertaining to refinancing your homes. This is very true after we have low credit ratings ., but it is a fact that bank loan options commonly are not so reasonably limited just due to a poor credit report, and you can ease each of our financial fears by getting home mortgage refinancing with the help of bad credit standing. Due towards the economic hardship, credit records are often tarnished and / or ruined in recent times. However, some undesirable credit home finance loan refinance businesses are willing to defend you.

Loan type mitigating factors ought to be looked at. Else you possibly can take a good solid loan with the help of longer period to spend the former loan which could reduce your premiums to possibly be paid. Thus, you end up getting better consumer credit facility regardless of whether you own identical car. Through all these sources, a person will get loan even when he is absolutely not having a great credit story. 1) You?ll save your-self 100s, or perhaps a lot of money prior to trying to pay back your financial loans, an alternative individuals do not use.

The company name says it ? that loan is made for borrowers seeking to improve the living situations. This loan will allow you to borrow close to 90% of your residence value on a low rate for you to perform value-adding magnifications to your house, such mainly because structural auto repairs, refurbishments, furnace substitutions, and hence forth. Pointed Out endurable Chief Data Officer Jillian West, ?If you choosed to refinance the car loan from a direct mortgage company, you should check around and try to find the best rate possible.? Internet is normally the one quit shop to select from companies that will help you refinance a loans. As with the help of any loan product transaction, make sure you with care read the conditions and terms of your own loan settlement. But you want to be additional careful while you?re searching as there are a variety of scumbags which will do the most beautiful to fool you and even steal capital from a person. c. Cash for the purpose of equity. Thankfully consequently, because if you find yourself on harmful credit therefore you think you are able to save dollars by refinancing your house, then you want to get of which home involving yours refinanced!. Whenever you wish to refinance your dream house mortgage loan product, you will need to analyze what you deserve to receive by mortgage refinancing that loan product. What you hope to do has to guide your current refinance decisions plus the expected terms with the refinance bank loan too. You might visit ones own websites and find one that has the best bargain among every one of them. Usually as you leave college or university, you contain a grace amount of around a few months that you find career before you should start refund your learn loans.

Source: http://womanproducts.info/2012/02/22/va-property-finance-loan-refinance-methods-explained/

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Home Staging and Design | Articles 4 Net Blog

By Lino Dearth

You need to make the perceived value of a home that has recently been put onto the market higher and the most certain way to accomplish this is through home staging. In the last twenty years, a number of sellers and real estate professionals nation-wide have realized that home staging or home doctoring is a treasure. That is the magic number when it comes to selling at a better price. A property that is listed for too long will look like a ?cold property? to potential buyers and real estate professionals and it will thus be more difficult to sell. Home staging design tips If you want to fix up your own home before you list it, there are a few home staging tricks that will make fixing up your home much easier and will also make buyers think that it is the perfect space for them:

Start by effecting changes that impact on buyers immediately. You need to allow them to imagine living in your home freely and without any distractions.You should get rid of a lot of your personal knick knacks before showing your house. If buyers can clearly see your identity all over the home, they are less likely to be able to see theirs on it.Staging your home and slowly leaving it at the same time can sometimes be emotionally difficult. If you find that this is the case for you, stop the process and then regroup. If you need to take it a bit slower, allow yourself to do so but you should never completely stop. Make sure that you maintain the momentum.

The simplest way to increase the perceived value, you need to put on a fresh lick of paint on the interior and exterior. You do need to be careful about the colors that you choose when painting. Neutral colors are all that you should be considering. These have wide appeal and that is why you should consider these when the home is to be sold. Each of the home?s different aspects needs to go through a thorough inspection ? including the state of the floors. A floor is a good indicator of how well the owner has looked after the home over the years. If your floor appears to be old or ugly and worn, potential buyers will be wary of buying the house straight away ? the flooring is that important. It is really greatly important so make sure to check all surfaces before listing the house. Broken tiles need to be repaired and old carpets need to be replaced.

Lino Dearth is a writer who specializes in home design and remodeling projects around the home. You can check out his latest website at Master Home Stagings where he provides unbiased reviews and buying advice for staging houses, including Home Staging Certificate, Careers In Home Staging, and much more.

Tags: home staging, home staging and design

Source: http://articles4net.com/blog/archives/297325

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

FDA advisors endorse weight-loss drug Qnexa

A panel of medical experts voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to endorse the controversial weight-loss drug Qnexa, clearing the way for the Food and Drug Administration to approve a new prescription obesity medication for the first time since 1999.

The FDA will issue a final ruling later this year, but the agency typically follows the recommendations of its advisory committees.

The 20-2 vote in favor of Qnexa was a surprising reversal from 2010, when the same advisory committee decided that the drug's risks of heart problems and birth defects outweighed its weight-loss benefits.

In a clinical trial involving 4,323 people, Qnexa ? a combination of the anticonvulsant drug topiramate and the appetite suppressant phentermine ? led to an average loss of about 10% of total body weight in the first year of use. Many users also saw improvements in blood pressure.

But the trials also found that that the drug caused a slight increase in heart rate, which can boost the odds of a heart attack or stroke. In addition, researchers detected an increased risk of birth defects ? typically cleft lip ? in women who became pregnant while taking the drug.

Vivus Inc., the drug's manufacturer, addressed those concerns by proposing a tightly controlled system for prescribing Qnexa. To prevent birth defects, patients who take the drug will have to undergo monthly pregnancy testing and healthcare providers will get special training on the medication's risks and benefits. Vivus will also restrict distribution of the drug to registered pharmacies, among other measures.

"We will know who the prescribers are. We will know who has been trained," Dr. Barbara Troupin, Vivus' senior director of global medical affairs, told the advisory committee. "We are confident the Qnexa [risk management program] balances the safeguards while allowing access for appropriate patients."

According to the clinical trial data and previous studies, the risk of having a baby with a cleft lip is two to five times greater in women who took topiramate.

"The simple reality is, if you're pregnant or planning on getting pregnant, it's not the right drug for you," said Joe Nadglowski, chief executive of the Obesity Action Coalition, a patient advocacy group based in Tampa, Fla., that supports approval of Qnexa.

Vivus, based in Mountain View, Calif., proposed a similar program to monitor heart risks in patients. Several panel members strongly encouraged the company to conduct a post-marketing study to help identify the potential cardiovascular risks.

At the panel's daylong meeting Wednesday in Silver Spring, Md., several members of the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee said they worried about Qnexa's side effects but believed the benefits outweighed the risks.

More than 35% of American adults are obese, including about 5% who are morbidly obese, and an additional 33% are overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Those extra pounds are more than just a cosmetic issue; they also increase one's risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, certain types of cancers and possibly dementia.

"The most encouraging thing is that just about every member really heard the message about the need to treat obesity," said Ted Kyle, the advocacy committee chairman of the Obesity Society. "Obesity is not a trivial disease."

Only one prescription diet drug is available in the United States. That drug, orlistat, blocks absorption of fat and is sold under the trade name Xenical. Qnexa appears to work by suppressing appetite and increasing feelings of fullness.

It's not clear why the medication raises heart rate, but such an increase is typically viewed as a marker of cardiovascular risk, said Dr. Michael S. Lauer, director of the division of cardiovascular sciences at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and a member of the advisory panel.

Lauer cast one of the two votes against approval, saying that the FDA should first ask Vivus to complete a study that provided detailed cardiovascular risk data. Otherwise, he said, FDA approval "would be a decision based on hopes, surrogates and suppositions."

"We have seen many cases in medicine where we thought we understood the pathology of disease ? and we turned out to be wrong," Lauer said. "With an epidemic as serious as obesity, we need to do this right."

If approved by the FDA, Qnexa would be targeted for people with a body mass index of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 or above for people who also have weight-related health problems, such as diabetes or sleep apnea. A BMI of 25 to 29 indicates a person is overweight, and 30 or greater is considered obese.

The vote sent Vivus shares soaring to more than $21 in after-hours trading, double the official closing price of $10.55.

shari.roan@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/E8KkIvdBTOs/la-he-qnexa-fda-20120223,0,7015694.story

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Dollar rises to 7-month high against Japanese yen (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - The dollar rose to a seven-month high against the Japanese yen, a week after the Bank of Japan announced a surprise increase of its economic stimulus program.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120222/ap_on_bi_ge/us_dollar

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Making the Right Choice With DIY Home Improvement There Are ...

Posted by: Nate

February 23rd, 2012 >> Uncategorized

One interesting aspect about learning what there is on no credit check loan is that you must decide for your self what is most applicable to what you are doing. That is just the way some things go, it seems, and one can easily get led into a false sense of information security. What can sometimes be on the fringe, in terms of information with value, is precisely what you do not want to ignore or miss. Missing critical information can lead to complications, and then you are still trying to figure out what is going on. So just try to avoid looking at this in a vacuum because really, when you think about it, nothing exists like that in nature or the world.

Even when you have the ability to do your home improvement jobs, it might be better to hire them out, if you don?t have enough time. As long as you know what is involved, either choice will work just fine. As long as you have the skills to complete the job, and have plenty of time, you can save money by doing it yourself. By reading the suggestions in this article, you will learn helpful tips for improving your home, by working yourself.

There are tremendous advantages you will experience when you apply what you know about no credit check loan. We all know how much people like to complain about things, and that is one thing that really hardly ever gets anything done.

We do not really know why most people do not advance themselves, but that seems to be the common thing to do, or not do. The phenomenon of inertia is something that plays out in the lives of so many millions of people, and it has to be dealt with in your life.

Everybody with a need to know this information can do something with it, just make sure you are one who does. Do continue on with this because the best is yet to come. Safety is an important factor that should never be overlooked, when doing home repairs of any kind. Sometimes people who aren?t experienced at working with tools, construction materials and other types of equipment don?t take the necessary precautions. Make sure you use eye protection when dealing with any tools or materials that could pose a risk to your eyes. A lot of things, from plaster to wood chips, can get into your eyes from the many tasks you will be doing. Power tools make a lot of noise, so protecting your ears is important. Unless you want to have permanent hearing loss, then you should protect your ears when you are going to be next to high decibel sounds for extended periods. A particle mask can save you from having breathing problems, stemming from the toxic substances, such as dust, mold and insulation which you breathe in.

When you get ready for a home remodel project, you might be able to reduce costs on materials and tools. It?s never a good idea to compromise on quality, just to find something that costs less. Recycle places or ?Re-Stores? offer new materials for about 50% off, compared to the items sold in home improvement and hardware stores. If you are able to discover the items you need at these places, you should be able to lower costs quite a bit, while still using good quality stuff. When it comes to tools, either locally or on the Internet, you can generally find used ones that are still in good shape.

You might want to consider hanging new wallpaper rather than repainting the interior of your home. There are so many designs and varieties of wallpaper available, that you should at least consider the possibility, even though wallpaper is not liked by everyone. You need to be careful when you install wallpaper, but it is not a difficult job. You need to thoroughly clean the walls and get rid of moisture and grease, before you are ready to get started. Then you apply the adhesive and let it dry before actually putting up the wallpaper. All unsightly bubbles need to be avoided, so it must be applied as smoothly as possible. Wallpaper can give any room a new look, and it?s one of the easiest and cheapest home improvement projects that can be done. In conclusion, the most successful DIY home improvement projects are ones that are well thought out in advance. Even if you are thinking you will do all the work on your own, don?t hold back on asking for advice if you can use it. You should also consult a variety of informational materials pertaining to any type of job you?ve never done before. Quite often, DIY home improvement are the most budget-friendly and realistic maneuvers to making your home more charming and comfy.

The feedback about this is typically along the lines of surprise reactions when people read about small loans for bad credit, here. You can pick one of the supporting sub-topics and still find even more about this.

As we always say, it is usually the little things that can turn out to be the most important. Going beyond what has been talked about here, you may want to pick something that appeals to you or is relevant. The hierarchies that are inherent in this will prove to be most enlightening.

Whether you choose to commit to more timely research is of course you decision, and we find many people do exactly that.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at 3:16 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://electlindell.org/?p=3050

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The Sports Supplement Bible!

Finally finished my latest project.

This comprehensive book covers over 60 supplement ingredients used to create many well known sports supplements. I use my 20+ years in the supplement industry (see author bio page for more info) to break through the hype, mystery and bro-science surrounding these ingredients and get to the nuts and bolts of what works and what doesn?t; using objective scientific data and ?real world? feedback, in a way that is easy to understand for those new to supplements, or those who have been buying them for years.

It?s also an excellent reference guide for medical professionals and clinicians who want access to objective information on nutritional supplements commonly used ? and not so commonly used ? by athletes to improve performance, strength, or alter body composition.

This info is what most supplement companies wished you didn?t have access to, because a truly informed and educated consumer is not what they want!

Using this book to choose your next supplement purchase allows you to discern the ?good? supplement ingredients from the ?bad,? and understand why some ingredients are added to supplements in such minute amounts that doing so is known in the industry as ?label decoration? and other tricks of the trade.

I have a level of experience and knowledge of the industry that few, if any possess, and even fewer willing to write about it honestly. I?m an industry insider who pulls no punches; I have learned from consulting to major supplement companies, designing supplements, and writing extensively many years? for the many international and well-known health and fitness magazines.?? This information is what I give to? the reader of The Sports Supplement Bible.

Remember, there?s many people on the ?net pushing books or vids or what ever claiming to know the ?inside info? on supplements who have never stepped foot into a supplement manufacturing facility, much less have been hired to design supplements! Their info generally comes from third party sources and gets packaged and sold to you.

This book will pay for itself 100 times over with what you will learn in it, and the smart decisions you will make from it.

Get the real scoop on the best foundational supplements you should have in your arsenal, and what you should add if you?re ready to take your training to the next level and most important perhaps, what is total junk!

This book comes in all popular e reader formats as well as hard copy/print version, so you can choose your preferred method of reading.

Hard Copy/Print => HERE

Kindle Reader => HERE

Nook Reader => HERE

BTW folks, you don?t need a Kindle or a Nook reader to read these books. Apps to read them on any comp, Droid, etc, etc can be found on Amazon or Barnes & Noble web sites.

Source: http://www.brinkzone.com/supplement-science/the-sports-supplement-bible/

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