Obamacare Deadline Is A Moving Target At This Point (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUyAwDGpRwWzHwLuGyYcMlZpjCC14VtpkFhHk3DPTHhHl3fO8ARbhsu5nl3QnuRzEqY8nHiutjbBrfyfUEnZDh-bhiGvSp7sRrV4uYmf7dwZ4E5eArI-o2fvMXa_lGvtbJRpX9G1WHbE/s1600/n-OBAMA-large570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUyAwDGpRwWzHwLuGyYcMlZpjCC14VtpkFhHk3DPTHhHl3fO8ARbhsu5nl3QnuRzEqY8nHiutjbBrfyfUEnZDh-bhiGvSp7sRrV4uYmf7dwZ4E5eArI-o2fvMXa_lGvtbJRpX9G1WHbE/s320/n-OBAMA-large570.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">WASHINGTON, Dec 24 (Reuters) - The main website for enrollment under President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law has drawn nearly 2 million visits, officials said Tuesday, in a last-minute rush to meet an ever-flexible deadline for people to obtain insurance coverage starting Jan. 1.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Citing high traffic to the HealthCare.gov website and at call centers before Monday's sign-up deadline, the government allowed people an extra day to complete their enrollment in time to be covered by New Year's Day. In a blog post on the website on Tuesday, the administration suggested additional flexibility, without specifying a new deadline.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">It was the administration's latest move of the goalposts as it tries to recover from technical failures and political missteps that dogged the enrollment drive for weeks after it opened on Oct. 1. Trying to make up for lost time, the administration has announced a series of last-minute changes and delays to get as many people as possible covered under the Affordable Care Act, Obama's major domestic policy initiative.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Before Monday's rush, more than 1 million people had signed up for private coverage through HealthCare.gov - which serves 36 states - and 14 state-run marketplaces, according to state and federal estimates.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The figure, though likely to climb by Christmas, is still short of previous estimates that 7 million people could enroll by the end of March, the last date to obtain health insurance coverage in 2014. About one-third or more will need to be young, healthy adults whose payments into the system would help offset the costs of covering older, sicker people.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">"Sometimes despite your best efforts, you might have run into delays caused by heavy traffic to HealthCare.gov, maintenance periods, or other issues with our systems that prevented you from finishing the process on time," Tuesday's blog post on HealthCare.gov said. "If this happened to you, don't worry - we still may be able to help you get covered as soon as January 1."</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">MINIMIZING THE CONFUSION</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The problematic rollout of the health law known as Obamacare, which was passed in 2010 and survived legal challenges, helped send Obama's popularity ratings to record lows and stepped up Republican efforts to gut the law and use it against Democrats in 2014 congressional elections.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The more recent changes, which the administration has said are intended to show flexibility, have introduced a new element of confusion for consumers as well as the health insurance companies who have been pressed by the government to allow new members to pay, and even sign up, past Jan. 1 for retroactive coverage. So far the industry has agreed to extend the first payment deadline to Jan. 10.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">"Health plans will continue to do everything they can to help consumers through the enrollment process and to mitigate potential confusion or disruption caused by all of these last minute changes to the rules and deadlines," said Robert Zirkelbach, spokesman for American's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade and lobbying group.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The Affordable Care Act requires most Americans to be enrolled in coverage by March 31 or face penalties that start at $95. This week's deadline, which had already been moved to Dec. 23 from Dec. 15, applied to coverage starting on Jan. 1.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Last week, the administration said people whose plans were canceled because they did not meet new standards of coverage under the law would qualify for a "hardship" exemption that allows some people to avoid a penalty for not signing up for health insurance.</span><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; display: block; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Several state-run exchanges have also moved their enrollment deadlines. New York and California, two of the largest, added a one-day grace period similar to the federal insurance marketplace. Massachusetts said on Tuesday it would allow sign-ups until Dec. 31 given heavy volume and technical problems that have hampered its exchange. Rhode Island, Oregon and Maryland had already extended their deadlines beyond Christmas. (Additional reporting by Michele Gershberg in New York; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Grant McCool)</span></div>

Obamacare Deadline Is A Moving Target At This Point (BLOG)

WASHINGTON, Dec 24 (Reuters) - The main website for enrollment under President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law has drawn nearly ...

Read more »

First-Class Stamps to Cost 49 Cents as of Jan. 26 (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlvdspOohKyUeEdm3ENBngafTmZ67TeSx8bWLD62kRIu02KTiH0_i9ZFqPxiarqEJO9e7sN0S0fIzqJi9zgpTPa3m3idmRWtUSzB0telyi0sq6Q2s32mYHht5yGoQmp-C8nBle1IotxM/s1600/9371353_448x252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzlvdspOohKyUeEdm3ENBngafTmZ67TeSx8bWLD62kRIu02KTiH0_i9ZFqPxiarqEJO9e7sN0S0fIzqJi9zgpTPa3m3idmRWtUSzB0telyi0sq6Q2s32mYHht5yGoQmp-C8nBle1IotxM/s320/9371353_448x252.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">Regulators on Tuesday approved a temporary price hike of 3 cents for a first-class stamp, bringing the charge to 49 cents a letter in an effort to help the Postal Service recover from severe mail decreases brought on after the 2008 economic downturn.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">Many consumers won't feel the price increase immediately. Forever stamps, good for first-class postage whatever the rate, can be purchased at the lower price until the new rate is effective Jan. 26.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The higher rate will last no more than two years, allowing the Postal Service to recoup $2.8 billion in losses. By a 2-1 vote, the independent Postal Regulatory Commission rejected a request to make the price hike permanent.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The higher cost "will last just long enough to recover the loss," Commission Chairman Ruth Y. Goldway said.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">Bulk mail, periodicals and package service rates rise 6 percent, which is likely to draw significant consternation from the mail industry.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">Its groups have opposed any price increase beyond the current 1.7 percent rate of inflation. They say charities using mass mailings and bookstores competing with online retailer Amazon will be among those who suffer. Greeting card companies also have criticized the plans.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The Postal Service is an independent agency that does not depend on tax money for its operations but is subject to congressional control. Under federal law, it can't raise prices more than the rate of inflation without approval from the commission.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The service says it lost $5 billion in the last fiscal year and has been trying to get Congress to pass legislation to help with its financial woes, including an end to Saturday mail delivery and reduced payments on retiree health benefits.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The figures through Sept. 30 were actually an improvement for the agency from a $15.9 billion loss in 2012.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The post office has struggled for years with declining mail volume as a result of growing Internet use and a 2006 congressional requirement that it make annual $5.6 billion payments to cover expected health care costs for future retirees. It has defaulted on three of those payments.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The regulators Tuesday stopped short of making the price increases permanent, saying the Postal Service had conflated losses it suffered as a result of Internet competition with business lost because of the Great Recession. They ordered the agency to develop a plan to phase out the higher rates once the lost revenue is recouped.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">It's unclear if that would take rates for first-class postage back to 46 cents in 2016 or to a level somewhere in between that takes into account future inflation.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The new price of a postcard stamp, raised by a penny to 34 cents in November, also is effective next month.</div></div>

First-Class Stamps to Cost 49 Cents as of Jan. 26 (BLOG)

Regulators on Tuesday approved a temporary price hike of 3 cents for a first-class stamp, bringing the charge to 49 cents a letter in an eff...

Read more »

Paleo Recipes

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Nicholas Willis</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Anybody can easily discover a number of weight loss pills on the market many of which are typically not found efficient to every person and show to be simply waste of money and time spent on looking them. However the introduction of Maximum Burn had actually transformed the whole situation of weight loss medicines which had proved to be the most effective supplement available out there to fix obese complications successfully.<br /> <br /> This supplement had actually proved its efficiency in comparison to different other fat burning supplements featuring acai, goji, hoodia etc. which were popular amongst the overweight patients because long. This new item is discovered so much more effective in reducing appetite and dropping weight as as compared to various other supplements. Many of the ingredients utilized in this most up-to-date supplement are stemmed from normal products which provide assistance to in lowering weight effectively without any sort of side effect. This supplement not only suppresses the hunger but also enhance your metabolic process along with invulnerable system aiding you in the all-round upkeep of your health and wellness.<br /> <br /> The maxburn testimonial aids you understand the effect of this fat loss item which is scientifically examined to allow you loss weight in an extremely natural way. It is additionally secure and efficient also for the expecting females and spares from heart troubles in regular conditions.<br /> <br /> The secret behind the efficiency of this fat loss supplement lies in the organic organic remove of Fimbriata which is being utilized as effective hunger suppressant because centuries in India.<br /> <br /> Actually the use of this natural plant as hunger suppressant was done at the time of famine to get rid of cravings and thus its full name is also derived from Starvation. So the normal ingredients of this product make it devoid of any sort of sort of adverse effects as compared to several various other fat loss pills that contain a lot of chemicals which could create various severe side effects like anxiousness, abscess or lightheadedness. Therefore you can easily take this fat loss supplement without fearing of any type of danger to your wellness because of its normal ingredients.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>The indicated writer is very knowledgeable on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSxV8HmR6FA">paleo breakfast recipes</a>. Please take a glance at their site for more details.</div><br /> </div><br />

Paleo Recipes

By Nicholas Willis Anybody can easily discover a number of weight loss pills on the market many of which are typically not found efficient...

Read more »

Use A Weighty Problem? Check Out These Concepts!

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Daniel Man</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Losing weight can be something that numerous men and women tend not to love to share with others due to embarrassment of the way we appear. Nonetheless, this article's recommendations may help boost your self-confidence.<br /> <br /> Have ice cubes rather than fast food. Sucking on ice can avoid an urge to consume because you would just like anything to chew on within your jaws.<br /> <br /> In case you are a cigarette smoker and you want to lose fat, stopping cigs could cause you to put on pounds. Don't stop until the weight is gone. When dieting, do not take part in any extreme changes in lifestyle for example quitting smoking, as you could very easily change cigs with food items. Your eating routine could force you to gain more bodyweight.<br /> <br /> The size is just not your best friend. Weighing yourself a lot might deter you for the reason that effects are not instant. In case you have integrated exercising inside your fat loss plan, muscle you construct is more heavy than fat, that means your excess fat may not transform up to you expect. Assess your improvement from the fit of your outfits, not your excess fat around the level.<br /> <br /> Throughout the day, have a log of everything that you consume. Should you monitor these things, you're very likely to slim down. It's not uncommon for those who report how much they weigh damage attempts to lose more weight.<br /> <br /> Consider upgrading your food times. Essentially, you wish to be completed with supper well before it receives dark. Whenever you consume early on, your metabolism burns up off body fat simpler. Scientific studies suggest that this metabolic rate decreases throughout the night several hours as folks get ready to sleep. It will be simpler to get rid of off the calories from supper if you eat early.<br /> <br /> Before ingesting dinner, have a large cup of water. Frequently, we blunder being thirsty for hunger. Consequently, it is essential to drink water well before every meal.<br /> <br /> When you can, wear comfortable, sporty garments as an alternative to prohibitive garments like matches, heels or limited skirts. It can be quicker to get the physical exercise when your apparel fails to really feel unpleasant. It would be great in case you have relaxed dress time at work that you might make the most of.<br /> <br /> Make substitutions to produce diet plan changes much easier. Take a look at your preferred substantial-calories dishes and see what to do to make sure they are much healthier. You should use extra virgin olive oil as a substitute for butter. As an alternative to bad product, you could utilize extra fat-free of charge yogurt. You don't must do without your favorite food products just adjust those to fit into your dieting programs.<br /> <br /> When on a diet, it is advisable to steer clear of having at buffets. Buffets usually make folks want to ingest all the foods as you can to obtain their money's worth. This may not merely make you ill, but it is going to cause you to gain pounds plus it could also lead you to have numerous heart issues.<br /> <br /> As i have said, weight reduction is really with regards to a good schooling. When you know the best way to effectively shed weight, it won't be as hard as every person affirms. Utilize this advice to lose the excess bodyweight you could have and make up a more healthy existence.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>We would advise you to find out more articles about this on this link: <a href="http://dmaapowder.net/">geranamine</a>. Find the best advice on <a href="http://www.vigapluspills.net">vigaplus</a>.</div><br /> </div><br />

Use A Weighty Problem? Check Out These Concepts!

By Daniel Man Losing weight can be something that numerous men and women tend not to love to share with others due to embarrassment of the...

Read more »

Virginia Man Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Ship Weapons to Lebanon (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nJ3DjMZFxLKWfi8LsxiGLm4IcDGzS_FuplhsvRoVEvozAjjCOQGsfv3Txcb6FJZl8uH4SSs1kExm4F2tcIJSp5n7cre4HDoqslVtv37EoqBJWz_xxbWfNYCmGH29xPnYvZxYkR2H93w/s1600/3090392251_b0c3016b94_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nJ3DjMZFxLKWfi8LsxiGLm4IcDGzS_FuplhsvRoVEvozAjjCOQGsfv3Txcb6FJZl8uH4SSs1kExm4F2tcIJSp5n7cre4HDoqslVtv37EoqBJWz_xxbWfNYCmGH29xPnYvZxYkR2H93w/s320/3090392251_b0c3016b94_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Federal authorities have arrested a Virginia businessman for allegedly trying to ship dozens of weapons and high-tech devices to Lebanon, where terrorist groups such as Hezbollah operate and a civil war in neighboring Syria has sparked further violence.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sam Rafic Ghanem, owner of an international shipping company with offices in the Washington suburbs, was arrested Saturday after an FBI sting.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The intended recipient of the weapons is not clear, but at one point Ghanem claimed he was recently asked to obtain two guns for an unnamed member of the Lebanese government, according to court documents filed in the case.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Over the past few months, Ghanem and a former employee of his company, Washington Movers International, devised a scheme to send weapons to Lebanon by hiding them inside automobile parts shipped by the company, court documents allege.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The former employee, though, was working as an undercover source for the FBI.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Last Saturday, the source picked up Ghanem from his Springfield, Va., home and drove to Washington Movers International’s offices in Maryland, where Ghanem helped stuff 10 handguns, 10 semi-automatic rifles and 18 “optic devices” into doors and other parts of salvaged vehicles, an FBI agent alleged in charging documents.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The car parts were then loaded into a shipping container, but the weapons hidden inside were fake, according to the charging documents. Ghanem was subsequently arrested.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">After he was handcuffed, Ghanem allegedly admitted to FBI agents that his intended shipment violated U.S. law, which prohibits the export of such weapons to Lebanon and other designated countries. International law also bans such shipments.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">During a secretly recorded meeting at Ghanem’s home in October, Ghanem noted to his former employee that he recently “had been asked to obtain two ‘pieces’ [guns] for a Lebanese official,” but he didn’t follow through “because he would have had to put the weapons in his name, and that was too dangerous,” according to the charging documents.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">An FBI spokesman declined to comment. Efforts to reach someone at the Lebanese Embassy in Washington on Tuesday were unsuccessful.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday’s arrest was apparently not the first time the FBI visited Ghanem. FBI agents questioned him two years ago after two guns were found hidden in a car shipped by his company, court documents have him telling the FBI source.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Washington Movers International has offices in District Heights, Md.; Doha, Qatar; and Beirut. Ghanem, 43, started the company “from scratch,” according a profile of Ghanem posted online.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We are now recognized as one of the leading logistics firms in the United States,” the company’s website says, promising, “From the simplest household move to the largest of international business relocations, you will appreciate our extraordinary professionalism, expertise, our friendly and helpful service.”</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As of two years ago, Ghanem was a follower of Druze – a relatively small, ancient religion practiced mostly in Lebanon, Syria and Israel – and he was an active member in the faith’s community. He served on the board of the Washington-area chapter of the American Druze Community. He is married with three children, according to the online profile.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ghanem has been charged with one count of “attempted export of defense articles” in violation of the Arms Export Control Act. If convicted, he faces five years in prison and a fine of $50,000.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He made his initial appearance Monday before a federal judge in Greenbelt, Md. Public records available Tuesday did not indicate whether Ghanem had entered a plea.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A representative at the federal public defender’s office, which is representing Ghanem, declined to comment on the case.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, Georgia; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 15px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> ABCNews</div></div>

Virginia Man Arrested for Allegedly Trying to Ship Weapons to Lebanon (BLOG)

Federal authorities have arrested a Virginia businessman for allegedly trying to ship dozens of weapons and high-tech devices to Lebanon, wh...

Read more »

Mega T Green Tea Leaves Benefits

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By John Smith</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>The huge question is; does Mega T Green Tea improve you lose weight? Is it really hard to lose weight once you make up your mid to it irrespective of the product you choose. Despite the a lot of slimming pills and fat burners that can be purchased, the amount of obese people is raising more than ever.<br /> <br /> This signifies that almost all of the pills are useless as many will make you believe. Mega T green tea reviews indicate that some do work, if used together with a healthy diet and exercise program. People look forward to fast results and that is why they do not complete doses or programs. It has on the other hand, anti-inflammatory agents decrease redness and swelling of the body and antioxidants destroy radical bacteria answerable for damaging the skin.<br /> <br /> Aside from reducing the hunger, it offered fat calories supplying essentials to energy. The burning of the fats assists reduction on weight. The anti-oxidants from the tea are utilized by the body to emulate hermogenesis. Mega-T Green Tea therefore performs well with active systems to burn fat fast.<br /> <br /> Green tea in Mega-T Green Tea Weight loss plan has extra advantages as well from fat loss. Experiments have tested that product nutrition can heal cancer, arthritis, ulcers, and other similar diseases. The antioxidants in the regime also help minimizing of the cholesterol amounts on the body system, thud enabling to preserve the sensitive balance between LDL and HDL cholesterols. This approach aids to minimise chances of stroke and heart attacks among weight watchers.<br /> <br /> The product provides around 750 mg of the green tea extract, which is above one cup of normal brewed tea. Other substances within this capsule are advantageous as well include and not restricted to Chromium. This helps in reducing excess fat by regulating glucose levels purposely for diabetic folks. It also supports the control of carbohydrates and fats in the body system.<br /> <br /> Another ingredient of the product is Garcinia Cambogia. This herb can sustains you in controlling food yearnings and hunger pangs. Garcinia Cambogia, like the normal green tea works to be a natural appetite-suppressant. The dietary regimen provides the most excellent and perfect way to stay clear of proceeding overboard along with your diet plans. Understand the smaller harmful calories taken in to the body system, the lower fat laden calories are kept.<br /> <br /> This diet plan consists of little quantities of caffeine for the required and adequate power to last the whole day. But if that is not enough, do not overdo during the workout programs. The diet regime also consists of Guarana and Siberina Ginseng. These two types of herbs in healthy eating plans are identified as energy-boosters keeping the body work more with less food.<br /> <br /> So should you want power for your workout programs, then Mega-T Green Tea is ideal method to try. It does not carry any side effects and helps the body lose excess fats. On the other and, the regime offers the needed strength for the whole day without getting exhausted. Eating correlated with the product gives your body with the necessary strength to know how to attain a healthier, leaner body.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>For more information about Mega T green tea, make sure you check out John Smiths' blog post - What you need to know about <a href="http://www.greenteabay.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-mega-t-green-tea/">Mega T Green Tea</a> and others <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/green-tea-diet5">Green Tea Diet Plan</a>.</div><br /> </div><br />

Mega T Green Tea Leaves Benefits

By John Smith The huge question is; does Mega T Green Tea improve you lose weight? Is it really hard to lose weight once you make up your ...

Read more »

Mob Wives: 12 Mob Days of Christmas!

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfb_wMgoqwrEa9RDOZ36C_VgJZy-tQ_xv_yjHMcPZrtnljAIrUxUwTPvUPOl4aKWS0pzjaKbHmu1qbWex4Mtsipco0M_hEeNHbT7hvxuADzgtx7AqVX_-yhsseajr-z80T8q0bYlmG9E/s1600/mob+christmas+12+days.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfb_wMgoqwrEa9RDOZ36C_VgJZy-tQ_xv_yjHMcPZrtnljAIrUxUwTPvUPOl4aKWS0pzjaKbHmu1qbWex4Mtsipco0M_hEeNHbT7hvxuADzgtx7AqVX_-yhsseajr-z80T8q0bYlmG9E/s400/mob+christmas+12+days.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One Big Philly Shot Glass, One thousand F*ckin' Crumbs, One Leaping Leopard,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One Lying Lie Detector Test, and One Drunken Monkey</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Click on picture for larger view)</div><br /><br />Carmela had a bright idea and cooked up this little recipe for a Mobbed Up Christmas to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas!<br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal">On the 12 days of Christmas my Mob Wives brought to me: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">12 – F*cking Crumbs </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">11 – Plea deals</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">10- Drunken Monkeys </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">9 –  Botox injections </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">8 –   Mob Candy blings <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4462257661555495097" name="_GoBack"></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">7 – Serious Indictments </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">6 - Stalkers stalking </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">5 – Months of wiretaps </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">4 - Seasons running</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">3- Missing Mob Wives </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">2- Philly wives </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">And a Sit Down on the street of South Philly<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Merry Christmas!</span></div><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Joyous Kwanza with your families and friends! </div><div class="MsoNormal">Eat, Drink and be Merry...for in January we DIET!<br /><br />Picture Credit: Mama Mia<br />Song Parody: Carmela Corleone</div>

Mob Wives: 12 Mob Days of Christmas!

One Big Philly Shot Glass, One thousand F*ckin' Crumbs, One Leaping Leopard, One Lying Lie Detector Test, and One Drunken Monkey (Click ...

Read more »

Woman's Christmas Letters Reach Husband and New Family Two Years After Her Death (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomCz6YLc72trZx9Kk7MFITti0homGrOPgmqfdNuHpIoiIbgBXJIqfGaN_Io1YZShRF2KzJWX3n0mTWVcAzftaS4-2aoJcfvBk8g40Ogf-NqjTZT4BoLP4bh9P0pjewvq7AC73b710jWc/s1600/HT_brenda_schmitz_christmas_wish_3_ml_131223_16x9_992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhomCz6YLc72trZx9Kk7MFITti0homGrOPgmqfdNuHpIoiIbgBXJIqfGaN_Io1YZShRF2KzJWX3n0mTWVcAzftaS4-2aoJcfvBk8g40Ogf-NqjTZT4BoLP4bh9P0pjewvq7AC73b710jWc/s320/HT_brenda_schmitz_christmas_wish_3_ml_131223_16x9_992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">Christmas letters two years after her death from ovarian cancer.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">Brenda Schmitz was 46 when she passed away in September 2011. As a parting gift, she entrusted a letter to a friend, who remains anonymous, to deliver when the time was right. The letter was addressed to a local Des Moines, Iowa, radio station and contained two other letters; one for her husband David and another for the new love of his life.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">A month before she lost her battle to the disease, Schmitz wrote the letter to KSTZ Star 102.5, which runs a Christmas wishes program each year. Listeners send in their Christmas wish letters, and the station elicits the help of sponsors to grant a select few.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;"></div><div class="e_image e_left" id="e_image_21304399" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #333333; float: left; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 15px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;"><div class="e_img_e_left" style="height: 225px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 300px; z-index: 0;"><img alt="PHOTO: Star1025 posted this video titled: Brenda Schmitzs Christmas Wish on Youtube." border="0" height="225" src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/HT_brenda_schmitz_christmas_wish_1_jt_131222_4x3t_384.jpg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="300" /><span class="image_icon" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><br /><div class="embed_credit" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; bottom: 0px; color: #f0f0f0; font-family: proxima-nova, arial; font-size: 9px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 3px; position: absolute; right: 0px; z-index: 1;">Youtube</div></div><div class="embed_caption_e_left" style="background-color: #ededee; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 8px 11px; position: relative; width: 278px;">Star1025 posted this video titled: "Brenda Schmitz's Christmas Wish" on Youtube.</div></div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;"></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;">Brenda's wishes were finally revealed two years later when the station brought her husband, David, into the studio and read the note to him on air last week.</span><br /><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">"When you are in receipt of this letter, I will have already lost my battle to ovarian cancer," the letter from Brenda began. "I told [my friend] once my loving husband David had moved on in his life and had met someone to share his life with again, to mail this letter to all of you at the station."</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">David had recently become engaged again and Brenda's first wish was a request for the station to give his "new lifelong partner," Jane, a pampering session.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">"She deserves it, being a stepmother to all those boys," the letter read. "Make her smile and know her efforts are truly appreciated from me.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">"Thank you," Brenda added. "I love you, whoever you are."</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The second wish Brenda asked for was a "magical trip" for the entire family to a place where they can "enjoy each other's company and companionship as a family and create those memories that will be with them forever."</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The final wish was aimed at the doctors and nurses at Mercy Medical Hospital who took care of her while she was sick. Brenda asked that they be given a "night out full of drinks, food and fun for all they do every day for the cancer patients they encounter."</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">The station paired up with local business to help grant these three wishes, including sending the family of eight, which now incorporates David's two soon-to-be stepchildren, on a four-day vacation to Disney World in Florida.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">Station host Colleen Kelly read the letter with a shaky voice to David, who wiped away his tears throughout.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">"It's not surprising," David said after Kelly finished. "The last year and a half she's shown so many signs that she's [here]."</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">One of the most notable signs appeared the morning of Brenda's death, which happened just 10 days after the first birthday of their youngest, Max.</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">David recalled that mother and son used to sing "Over The Rainbow" together, and that on the morning Brenda died, a double rainbow appeared "bright as can be."</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">"Max has the picture of the rainbow in his room right now," David said. "There's no doubt in my mind who did that."</div><div itemprop="articleBody" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: proxima-nova, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 22px; padding: 0px;">ABCNews</div></div>

Woman's Christmas Letters Reach Husband and New Family Two Years After Her Death (BLOG)

Christmas letters two years after her death from ovarian cancer. Brenda Schmitz was 46 when she passed away in September 2011. As a parting ...

Read more »

Collin Thomas Ferguson Arrested For Burglary After Footprints In Snow Lead Cops To Him (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGMpfrlyxLjYQ7Ep2xEK_DLlgN4uLefOe59MYDsgmXUn5GoklmpUi3BvMZrFHM_PN79C4zJ-XeuiXmGVJNdwmaa8lmgwrmpJ3Z0ghnSoN8N71ESjTp_7Tn3VPDpRAYtSfLjAN_OiVVDc/s1600/n-FOOTPRINTS-IN-SNOW-large570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGMpfrlyxLjYQ7Ep2xEK_DLlgN4uLefOe59MYDsgmXUn5GoklmpUi3BvMZrFHM_PN79C4zJ-XeuiXmGVJNdwmaa8lmgwrmpJ3Z0ghnSoN8N71ESjTp_7Tn3VPDpRAYtSfLjAN_OiVVDc/s320/n-FOOTPRINTS-IN-SNOW-large570.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — Cold-weather clues have helped police in the Texas Panhandle track a burglary suspect through footprints in the snow.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Amarillo police say Collin Thomas Ferguson was being held Monday on four burglary counts and a charge of possession of a controlled substance. Online Potter County jail records don't list an attorney for the Bloomfield, N.M., man, whose bond was set at $6,000.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Police on Sunday morning answered a call about a vehicle burglary. A man leaving for work saw someone in his parked car. Police say the suspect ran, returned after apparently leaving his cellphone in the car and then fled again.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Officers followed footprints in the snow and found Ferguson hiding in another parked vehicle. He faces burglary charges related to three vehicles and a building, plus police recovered marijuana.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Huffington Post.</div></div>

Collin Thomas Ferguson Arrested For Burglary After Footprints In Snow Lead Cops To Him (BLOG)

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — Cold-weather clues have helped police in the Texas Panhandle track a burglary suspect through footprints in the snow....

Read more »

Fitness Health Benefit

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Genie Wallace</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>It is regrettable that many people find themselves overweight and out of shape. Modern lifestyles factors, which include processed foods diets, sedentary office work environments and the various media outlets, have caused a good portion to ignore or forget the effect these have on their health. Working out can help you drop some weight, lower cholesterol levels, improve stamina and build immunity. An exercise machine, like a home treadmill trainer, can make it easy to incorporate regular fitness and exercise activities into your busy routine.<br /> <br /> Benefits of Having a Treadmill<br /> <br /> Treadmills are used to walk, jog and run on. Some people use them to condition their bodies, such as to lose weight. Others use them to train on, most often for races and marathons. Treadmills offer more opportunities for engaging in intensive cardio workouts than other gym fitness units. There are various treadmill workout apps to lose weight, build muscle or simply improve stamina. Treadmills are great fitness machines because they can be used in so many different ways. Athletes use them to train on, casual users use them to stay fit, and overweight people use them to lose weight.<br /> <br /> Standard Treadmill Features<br /> <br /> Speed adjustment is a basic and important feature on treadmills. Incline adjustment capability is another commonly found feature in treadmills, and it allows you to lift the tread belt to different heights. The purpose of these options is intended to help make doing exercises fun and different. You'll have the ability to personalize your workouts so that you're always interested and engaged.<br /> <br /> Modern treadmills have many inbuilt workout programs. These programs include workouts designed for targeted fitness goals such as weight loss and training. Just select the app before you begin and follow the treadmill's instructions. As the workout program advances, you'll note that the speed and incline of the tread belt running change. The pace and the resistance levels will vary, so go with a program that you know you'll be comfortable with.<br /> <br /> Some treadmill programs work to exercise your heart. A heart rate sensor assists in these types of workouts. Most heart rate monitors are either clipped to the body somewhere or held in the hand. More expensive treadmill trainer models utilize a chest-strap heart rate monitor, which many say is more accurate when it comes to monitoring your heart rate and calories burned. A treadmill trainer can have several different monitors, in addition to a heart rate monitor. These monitors help you monitor various fitness levels as you workout.<br /> <br /> Something you might be surprised to know is that treadmills usually have customization settings. Built-in system memory can enable you to retain personalized workout analytics or programs. The capability to remember customized workouts is most helpful when there are multiple users of the treadmill machine. Select treadmills have the ability to store workout history. If you're interested in documenting and referencing previous workout sessions so that you can keep track of fitness progress made, choose one of these.<br /> <br /> iFit Live technology is a advanced treadmill feature that gives you hundreds of virtual courses reproducing those at the live destinations. For example, athletes can train from home for a marathon being held in another city. See how well you compare against others on certain race courses with iFit Compete Live. Any treadmill machine that has Internet connectivity and is compatible with the iFit Live technology can run this multipurpose feature. Advanced treadmills also have full-color LCD touch screens and a music player to keep your rhythm going when you exercise.<br /> <br /> Parts of a Treadmill<br /> <br /> A treadmill trainer consists of a wide conveyor belt controlled by an electric motor or flywheel of varying power. The belt moves over rollers, which accommodate to whatever speed setting you've fixed in the treadmill's electronics. The running deck fits with the treadmill machine belt and rollers to support and move you through. Select treadmills have running decks that can be elevated, providing different inclines to work out on. Mix up your exercises and never be bored with another workout session.<br /> <br /> Almost all running decks are mounted on damping materials to make the treadmill trainer shock-absorbent. Decks are furnished with a cushioned belt to lessen impact on the feet, but usually the level of cushioning can be adjusted. The components just described all work in conjunction in giving you varying workout experiences.<br /> <br /> Yet another good thing to note about a treadmill's design: some have foldable decks and others have non-foldable decks. The foldable variety be more effective for home gyms where space is limited. The running deck can be folded up to meet the treadmill machine arms. Foldable treadmills tend to cost more than non-foldable ones. You'll find that non-foldable treadmills are more commonplace as they are less costly and more long-lasting in construction.<br /> <br /> Assortment of Treadmill Systems<br /> <br /> It's important to look at a treadmill's feature set, but take note to the treadmill's design and intended user type. A treadmill machine engineered only for walking will cost less than a jogger's treadmill; a running treadmill trainer will be the most expensive. More body weight causes more impact and wear on the treadmill trainer; it needs a more robust motor to support heavy users and thus comes at a higher price. Taller users need a treadmill with a longer tread belt that can easily accommodate their long strides. The more often a treadmill machine is used, the more important it is to get a reliable and durable machine. Any workout system you get is an investment into your health. Take some time to do your research and read some <a href="http://www.fitnessexercise.mynetworksolutions.com/">exercise treadmill reviews</a> and see what people are raving about.<br /> <br /> Take Away<br /> <br /> There are various techniques that exercising helps improve your health and your fitness. A fitness treadmill at home can help you attain these benefits. Take some time to think about what your health and fitness needs are. Also, measure the space available at home to place the treadmill and think about the type of users and designed usage. Be sure you take into account the prices of different treadmill trainer models. You can get carried away and pick something that's beyond your price range.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'><a href="http://workoutwarrior.hpage.com/">Treadmill review sites</a> are useful places to get more details. Look into some and see what folks are raving about and what products are best-selling.</div><br /> </div><br />

Fitness Health Benefit

By Genie Wallace It is regrettable that many people find themselves overweight and out of shape. Modern lifestyles factors, which include ...

Read more »

An Irrational Fancy: A Tale of Two Charts

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV4fiVApiY_lQNrt8rfsZSOnqf5FXqfQBL2-6BDIIew67VE576Gwpbjmawwrv1w7Qir8azM0GC8ZoqK2Z01ippPrpy_l6CsD8McqfX_NE-O5ZMquartsEJJm6EQaaAk-4vjWW3WbWSb0/s1600/An+Irrational+Fancy.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuV4fiVApiY_lQNrt8rfsZSOnqf5FXqfQBL2-6BDIIew67VE576Gwpbjmawwrv1w7Qir8azM0GC8ZoqK2Z01ippPrpy_l6CsD8McqfX_NE-O5ZMquartsEJJm6EQaaAk-4vjWW3WbWSb0/s320/An+Irrational+Fancy.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Click to enlarge.</span><br /><br />In blue (left scale), we have the 5-year treasury yield minus the 5-year CD rate. I claim that the current spread is as irrational now as it was in 2007. This can be forgiven perhaps since the typical investor is never told to buy a 5-year treasury directly from the government. Wall Street cannot earn a penny on purchases made outside of their control.<br /><br />In red (right scale), we have the S&P 500 index adjusted for inflation. I claim that the current inflation adjusted index is as irrational now as it was in 2000 and 2007. This can be forgiven perhaps since the typical investor is never told to buy a 5-year treasury directly from the government. Wall Street cannot earn a penny on purchases made outside of their control.<br /><br /><i style="color: red;">It is by no means an irrational fancy that, in a future existence, we shall look upon what we think our present existence, as a dream.</i><span style="color: red;"> </span>- <a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/edgarallan110047.html">Edgar Allan Poe</a><br /><br />This is not investment advice. Just opinions!<br /><br /><b>Source Data:</b><br /><a href="http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=ql9">St. Louis Fed: Custom Chart</a>

An Irrational Fancy: A Tale of Two Charts

Click to enlarge. In blue (left scale), we have the 5-year treasury yield minus the 5-year CD rate. I claim that the current spread is as ir...

Read more »

Sherri Shepherd Shares Weight-Loss Secrets (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1MuNVXlZ0-7k3z6q25AQCVfXrPc98ana8mfJnu032HxWEla2mCPSQs3u6PY3mGpDBtv9RSe7qbNg81H6KTS-oRUmvweod9Xjy-JP9tPM23kJDu_ztyj5ie4TCSE8Lc5krK4r6KSAYp0/s1600/GTY_sherri_shepherd_tk_131223_16x9_992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1MuNVXlZ0-7k3z6q25AQCVfXrPc98ana8mfJnu032HxWEla2mCPSQs3u6PY3mGpDBtv9RSe7qbNg81H6KTS-oRUmvweod9Xjy-JP9tPM23kJDu_ztyj5ie4TCSE8Lc5krK4r6KSAYp0/s320/GTY_sherri_shepherd_tk_131223_16x9_992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Sherri Shepherd has reached another weight-loss milestone.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"So far it's been about 20 pounds I've lost," she told ABC News last week.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"The View" host is on a roll. This comes after she <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20726350,00.html" style="color: #005490; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">told People magazine</a> in August she had already lost more than 40 pounds after years of working out.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">What's her secret?</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"I do Zumba every night. I find a Zumba class, or put in my DVDs," she said of the dance fitness routine she's been doing for more than two years.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Shepherd, 46, also has a strategy to avoid overindulging at restaurants, especially over the holiday season.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"I tell people eat before you go to a restaurant," she said. "A lot of times, you go to a restaurant and you're so hungry. I eat before I go, cause the point is to have great conversation. So, I'm already full and that helps me."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">She added, "And you got to have a plan so keeps some snacks and stuff in your purse … I always carry apples and peanut butter in my purse to give me that boost of energy to get me through the day."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Shepherd spoke to ABC News after she had just overcome one of her biggest fears.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Align Probiotic has created a <a href="https://getgutsyalign.com/" style="color: #005490; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Get Gutsy campaign</a> for people to enter in what they think would take guts to overcome. Shepherd knew immediately what she wanted to do.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"I said I think I want to try horseback riding because I hadn't done it before," the host, actress and author said. "We went to an equestrian center and they taught me how to ride a horse!"</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Not only did Shepherd conquer that fear, but she said she would love to ride again with her son Jeffrey, 8, who has his eyes set on electronics gifts for Christmas.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"Jeffrey just now decided to give me an updated, revised Christmas list," Shepherd said. "He wants a Kindle Fire. I am going to get him an old Kindle. He wants an iPod, I am going to give him one of my old iPods."</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">As for her husband Lamar Sally, who she married in 2011, he's your typical football fan.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">"He's into the Patriots, so I already got him a signed jersey, signed football, all I can really do is get Tom Brady to show up at the house," she joked. "I would be wife of the year."</div><br />YahooNews</div>

Sherri Shepherd Shares Weight-Loss Secrets (BLOG)

Sherri Shepherd has reached another weight-loss milestone. "So far it's been about 20 pounds I've lost," she told ABC News...

Read more »

Is Diet More Important Than Exercising?

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Howe Russ</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>You have probably heard people in gyms around the world asking the question is diet more important than exercise so today we are going to help you get to the bottom of this popular issue.<br /> <br /> Depending upon who you ask and their own fitness background, it's highly likely that you will get a different answer every time you pose this question to somebody. Ultimately, many of us base our decision purely off our own experiences and opinions. For instance, everybody has a friend who is always trying to latest celebrity diet plan. That friend will probably put huge faith in their eating plan being the most important factor because it's what they know.<br /> <br /> Likewise, however, those with a long background of exercise under their belts will be much more likely to advise you that you need to concentrate more on the fitness aspect of your lifestyle. Many people even go as far as to advise that if you do this effectively, you can pretty much eat whatever you want. So who is correct?<br /> <br /> Neither approach is correct if you are trying to achieve your best possible physique.<br /> <br /> Rather than see the potential benefits of both areas, people tend to place a priority on one over the other. This ends up leading them down a path towards failure, of course. For instance, if you ever hear somebody telling another person that your diet makes up 80 percent of your results and exercise only accounts for the other twenty percent, try to avoid falling into the same mentality.<br /> <br /> At the end of the day you should be applying both factors if you want to see results and maintain them. If you are trying to work out how to lose weight and you only apply the rules of one principle you will tend to fall into one of two categories, both of which can be seen at most gyms and workplaces around the world:<br /> <br /> * The person who consistently follows new eating plans, often picked up from celebrity gossip magazines or New Year weight loss plans. They don't combine this with regular exercise, though, and even though they are able to drop some pounds through a healthier lifestyle they don't actually look any healthier at all. They haven't worked out, so their body is no more toned than it was three months ago.<br /> <br /> * The person who seems to live in the local gym. They are there every time you walk through the door and they are still there when you leave, yet they certainly don't work there! These people are more than happy to do endless hours of cardio or throw the weights around, but the most they look into their eating habits seems to be a protein supplement when they're finished exercising. These folks are usually equipped with fairly well defined muscles in their shoulders, arms and chest but pair it with a pot belly or undefined, flabby abdominal muscles.<br /> <br /> The fact of the matter is that common sense must prevail if you are to get anywhere. If you are interested in dropping unwanted pounds and actually maintaining the results you should be avoiding falling into one of the two popular stereotypes shown above.<br /> <br /> It's almost like trying to decide whether fuel is more important than your car. At the end of the day, neither is very useful on their own. The correct approach is to apply both factors to your lifestyle and realize that neither is more important than the other. They are not in competition for your attention, they are two things which are designed to work together. If you are able to apply the basic principles of a good nutritional plan and a healthy workout program you will see positive change and the results will be sustainable, too. <br /> <br /> In a recent interview, former bodybuilding champion Jay Cutler was asked the question is diet more important than exercise and his answer perfectly summed up the correct approach. Whether you are trying to discover how to lose weight or get bigger, ultimately it's 100 percent diet and it's 100 percent exercise.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>About the author: Find out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oGRMaqPfdk">how to lose weight</a> with the UK's most watched Fitness Instructor Russ Howe PTI for free. Now, <a href="http://russhowepti.com/is-diet-more-important-than-exercise-or-vice-versa">is diet more important than exercise</a>? Check out his fitness blog for more tips every week.</div><br /> </div><br />

Is Diet More Important Than Exercising?

By Howe Russ You have probably heard people in gyms around the world asking the question is diet more important than exercise so today we ...

Read more »

Wulong Tea Weight Loss Booster

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Heather Bryan</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Green tea for fat loss is growing in popularity as people learn about the health benefits of tea. Tea may very well be the solution when you are looking for a drink that will help you lose weight easily. Specific teas, such as green tea, are associated with numerous health advantages. All the teas you find out there for sale all come from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. Each tea will increase the level of fat oxidation and how quickly your body is able to turn food into calories, which explains things such as green tea slimming effects. If you couple green tea as a fat loss booster with exercise, your body is really experiencing the true health advantages. Numerous teas influence the human body in healthy ways, and experts continue to find out more regarding the health benefits of tea as time goes by.<br /> <br /> Green Tea Fat Loss Metabolism Booster<br /> <br /> There are also many health benefits to green tea that you might not know much about. In addition to green tea as a fat loss booster and green tea slimming effects, there are other green tea health benefits such as the capability to regulate the proportion of good and bad cholesterol within the body. Additionally, teas like green tea help with blood pressure, tooth decay, depression, and keeping your skin healthy, making certain your skin is well hydrated. The signs of aging are even believed to be decreased by green tea.<br /> <br /> Black Tea Weight Loss Metabolism Booster<br /> <br /> Other teas on the market with similar benefits are teas like black tea, oolong tea, and wu-long tea. Black tea, while having some of the exact same health advantages as green tea, such as black tea slimming effects and black teas a weight loss booster; also it's known to reduce cardiovascular problems. It is likewise very low in sodium, fat, and calories, making it a terrific alternative beverage that is very good for you. The antioxidants within black tea also have lots of helpful benefits to your health.<br /> <br /> Wu-Long Tea Weight Loss Booster<br /> <br /> There are another two teas which sound very much alike - oolong and wu long tea. The same green tea slimming effects may be found with oolong and wu-long tea, only to different levels. Oolong tea metabolism booster and wu-long tea weight loss booster are generally used because of their health advantages. These teas are differentiated through the way they're processed. Wulong tea is a superb mix of the health benefits and flavor of black tea and green tea.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Heather Bryan is a writer and expert on health. <a href="http://www.infusium-tea.com">Click here to learn about black tea slimming effects.</a></div><br /> </div><br />

Wulong Tea Weight Loss Booster

By Heather Bryan Green tea for fat loss is growing in popularity as people learn about the health benefits of tea. Tea may very well be th...

Read more »

Beyond Blogging: A Guide For Weight Loss Website Management

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Bart Jameson</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Stress and obligations already fill your life. It can seem as if you are simply adding additional stressors to your life with the design of a diet tips and weight loss information website. You can find tune the focus, have a strategy for design and marketing efforts that will allow you to have a successful website with these guidelines. The process will not be as overwhelming.<br /> <br /> A great way to demonstrate the quality of your products and make people want to come to your diet tips and weight loss information website is a testimonial. You can add quotes to your site from people who you satisfied with your website or experts. Make sure to get permission from the person you are quoting or they might get angry and go to a different site.<br /> <br /> Handicapped visitors should be kept in mind when attempting to ensure that a variety of people can easily utilize your diet tips and weight loss information website. Make your website more available by allowing the resizing of text, using valid HTML and CSS, avoid frames and be sure to use alt tags in images. There are a number of web designers trying to make it more convenient for handicapped visitors to use the internet. This will bring in increasing amounts of traffic.<br /> <br /> With your reader's permission, get their e-mail addresses. Set up a double opt-in with them. Circulate a newsletter, once they have opted in. Don't make it too long, just make it short, simple, and funny so they will keep checking your diet tips and weight loss information website.<br /> <br /> Offer some informational booklet to your visitors in return for their contact details or for their participation in a survey. You will find that the cost of the free information is more than compensated by the information you gather from them.<br /> <br /> Your pages should never just 'end. ' Always give your readers an option to explore other areas of your site, or perhaps links to the sources you've used to get your information. You want to keep your users on your site for as long as possible, and even if you send them elsewhere to see your sources, at least they'll know they can come back to your site for a comprehensive collection of resources they can utilize to get the answers they seek.<br /> <br /> Ensure that your diet tips and weight loss information website has all of the information required to convince a prospective client that your website is the one to rely on. It cuts the time spent on decision making and question asking while making it easier for them to see all of the reasons why they should choose you.<br /> <br /> iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones around. Most of my iPone's users of rely heavily on apps to consume their content. It is a smart idea to create an iPhone application for your diet tips and weight loss information website. Having a knife own application display the content of your website could bring you new readers, as well as allow your current ones to receive your sites' content on their iPhone.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Simply go to your favorite search engine and look for <a href='http://www.buyphen375quick.com/'>where to buy phen375</a> if you wish to enhance your understanding related to <a href='http://www.buyphen375quick.com/buy-phen375-where-to-buy-phen375-the-safest-diet-pill'>weight loss</a>.</div><br /> </div><br />

Beyond Blogging: A Guide For Weight Loss Website Management

By Bart Jameson Stress and obligations already fill your life. It can seem as if you are simply adding additional stressors to your life w...

Read more »

SARS-Like Virus Sickens Man in UAE, Has Killed 71 Worldwide (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Lc8eHx4sBahK8tCN08iaMutzIj7QshzsxP_Y_4F0YvOyTB9dKxZizx28WujPPh8sSufjCebLHdU_PVhZvl1IhPVAGIQnf3HD_60kgC-Bs07k94dg3eTANROtDcuIHcPGJWNYOIewrJs/s1600/GTY_sars_ml_131223_16x9_992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Lc8eHx4sBahK8tCN08iaMutzIj7QshzsxP_Y_4F0YvOyTB9dKxZizx28WujPPh8sSufjCebLHdU_PVhZvl1IhPVAGIQnf3HD_60kgC-Bs07k94dg3eTANROtDcuIHcPGJWNYOIewrJs/s320/GTY_sars_ml_131223_16x9_992.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="first" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; padding: 0px;">A man who went into the hospital for a joint replacement and initially complained of a cough has been diagnosed with the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/topics/lifestyle/health/coronavirus.htm" style="color: #005490; text-decoration: none;" target="external">deadly MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV)</a>, making him the 166 confirmed infection worldwide.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting the newest infection is in a man in the United Arab Emirates.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The MERS-CoV, which stands for Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus, has sickened at least 166 people since September 2012 and killed 71.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The man, 68, was admitted to the hospital Dec. 14 for a joint replacement but also complained to his doctors of a cough, according to the WHO. He was admitted to the ICU two days later after his health rapidly deteriorated.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">The patient had unspecified underlying health conditions, according to the WHO.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">Symptoms of the respiratory virus, which is related to the deadly SARS virus, include fever, diarrhea, pneumonia and shortness of breath. The virus can lead to kidney failure in severe cases.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">No MERS-CoV infections have been reported in the United States. The <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/beware-deadly-virus-cdc-warns/story?id=18686067" style="color: #005490; text-decoration: none;" target="external">U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends</a> that travelers to the Arabian Peninsula monitor their health during the trip and in the weeks after.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">CDC officials recommend that if a recent traveler to the region develops a fever or symptom of respiratory illness, including a cough or shortness of breath, they should see a doctor immediately.</div><div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.453125px; margin-top: 11px; padding: 0px;">YahooNews</div></div>

SARS-Like Virus Sickens Man in UAE, Has Killed 71 Worldwide (BLOG)

A man who went into the hospital for a joint replacement and initially complained of a cough has been diagnosed with the  deadly MERS corona...

Read more »

First Alien Moon May Have Been Spotted, Astronomers Say (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNkobZ7p-wYgaij9FiC0R-NLx2zS7aWAhoL3ocdtUZnx_ONE8oesXHi62N8g3hXVnV2VxOdBucuX-afsXTQ8vAiPLKxZKhTcZOlwUb73kqgIXNErYGXi1F1qXVNzV-becEmARK_IM0fLw/s1600/n-ALIEN-PLANET-MOON-large570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNkobZ7p-wYgaij9FiC0R-NLx2zS7aWAhoL3ocdtUZnx_ONE8oesXHi62N8g3hXVnV2VxOdBucuX-afsXTQ8vAiPLKxZKhTcZOlwUb73kqgIXNErYGXi1F1qXVNzV-becEmARK_IM0fLw/s320/n-ALIEN-PLANET-MOON-large570.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Exoplanets are almost old hat to astronomers, who by now have found more than<a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2013/10/03/why-it-is-impossible-to-pinpoint-the-1000th-exoplanet/" style="border: 0px; color: #0086c6; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">1,000 such worlds</a> beyond the solar system. The next frontier is exomoons—moons orbiting alien planets—which are much smaller, fainter and harder to find. Now astronomers say they may have found an oddball system of a planet and a moon floating free in the galaxy rather than orbiting a star.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">The system showed up in a study using micro lensing, which looks for the bending of starlight due to the gravitational pull of an unseen object between a star and Earth. In this case the massive object might well be a planet and a moon. But the signal is not very clear, the researchers acknowledge, and could instead represent a dim star and a lightweight planet. “An alternate star-plus-planet model fits the data almost as well” as the planet-plus-moon explanation, the scientists reported in a paper that was posted this week on the preprint site <em style="border: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://arxiv.org/abs/1312.3951" style="border: 0px; color: #0086c6; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">arXiv</a></em>. The study has not yet been peer-reviewed.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">"I was excited by this paper," says astronomer Jean Schneider of the Paris Observatory, who was not involved in the research. Exomoons have "become fashionable these days," he adds, and are one of his personal "holy grails." Schneider wrote a paper in 1999 on how to detect exomoons using an alternative method, called transiting. (The transit technique looks for the dimming of a star's light caused when a planet or moon passes in front of the star from Earth's perspective).</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Now that astronomers know planets are common in the galaxy, exomoons, too, are likely to abound, scientists say. Yet they are exceedingly hard to find, due to their diminutive size and lack of brightness. The authors of the new paper, led by David Bennett of the University of Notre Dame, note that micro lensing is promising because it can detect moons beyond the close-in satellites that transit searches are best equipped to find. Regardless of whether the new system turns out to include a moon, "these results indicate the potential of micro lensing to detect exomoons," the authors wrote.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Micro lensing is a type of gravitational lensing, an effect on light predicted by Albert Einstein's <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/topic.cfm?id=relativity" style="border: 0px; color: #0086c6; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">general theory of relativity</a>. According to Einstein’s theory, massive objects warp the spacetime in their vicinity, so that anything, even light, will take a curved path around them. When light from a background star travels past a massive object on its way to our telescopes, it manifests in bright circles of warped light called Einstein rings. If the massive object consists of two bodies, such as a planet and its moon, the circle will appear broken and bulgy in places. Sometimes the ring is too small to resolve the details, but the overall <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/life-unbounded/2012/03/07/gravitational-mesolensing-and-the-hunt-for-exoplanet/" style="border: 0px; color: #0086c6; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">micro lensing effect</a> can be calculated by the way the star’s overall brightness varies in time.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Bennett and his colleagues have identified a two-body system, which they designate MOA-2011-BLG-262, from micro lensing data collected at the Mount John University Observatory in New Zealand and the Mount Canopus Observatory in Tasmania. But the researchers cannot be sure which two bodies caused the brightness fluctuations. The explanation that best fits the data is a giant planet, about four times the mass of Jupiter, orbited by a moon weighing less than Earth. If that interpretation is correct, the planet and its moon would be relatively nearby, between 1,000 and 2,000 light-years from Earth, and would be adrift in the Milky Way rather than part of a system circling one of the galaxy’s stars. Scientists think such free-floating objects might be relatively common, because gravitational interactions between multiple planets in a system can eject one or more of the planets entirely, perhaps with a moon in tow.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Another possibility is that the researchers have detected a more distant system comprising a small star, around one tenth the mass of the sun, and a planet roughly 18 times as massive as Earth. This system would need to be much farther away to explain the micro lensing pattern.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Unfortunately, there is no chance for astronomers to take another peek at the object to confirm their suspicions, because it has moved out of alignment with the background star and now produces no lensing signal. This is "the most frustrating aspect" of the find, Schneider says, and is "common to all detections by micro lensing."</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">On the bright side, he says, the discovery has brought numerous surprises. It has highlighted the potential of micro lensing at a time when most of the field is focusing on the transit method, and it has potentially revealed a free-floating system whereas astronomers have mainly been looking for moons orbiting planets around stars. "It forces us," Schneider says, "to be always open-minded."</div></div>

First Alien Moon May Have Been Spotted, Astronomers Say (BLOG)

Exoplanets are almost old hat to astronomers, who by now have found more than 1,000 such worlds  beyond the solar system. The next frontier ...

Read more »

Inside Secrets On Acai Berry Tablets .

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Shaughn Emard</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Acai Berry Tablets are a familiar name in the diet and weight loss industry and their popularity is growing all the time.<br /> <br /> Often we hear advertisers on the television claiming that their product will help you lose more pounds than you ever imagined but the truth is that they all fail miserably when it comes to delivering results.<br /> <br /> Up until now, When it comes to finding "Instant Wonder Cures" , there were none. That was until the introduction of the Acai Berry into our daily diet's. THE FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW This amazing little Berry was discovered not so long ago in the rain forests of South and Central America. Acai Berry first became popular in the United States when they were first added to energy drinks as a stimulant additive.<br /> <br /> How acai berry pills are produced? Acai berry tablets are produced from the acai berry fruit found near the Amazon River. This fruit contains natural fatty acids, antioxidants and numerous vitamins that are of immense benefits to our body.<br /> <br /> Acai Berry tablets contain ten times the amount of antioxidants in them compared to red grapes. They blow your energy levels through the roof. They detoxify the body of all foreign substances as well as lubricating the hair, skin, joints and intestines.<br /> <br /> Benefits of acai berry Acai berry extract contains fatty acids, amino acids and phytosterols that are essential for our health. Due to its fatty acid content, the extract is effective in treating cancer.<br /> <br /> Phytosterols makes it a good agent in fighting urinary tract infections and prostate problems. Its rich amino acid properties help in muscle development and building the immunity of our body. It is also a good source of detoxification.<br /> <br /> In a recent study of the Acai Berry and it's effects on human leukemia cells, there was very strong evidence that the Berry extract can inhibit cancer cell development with leukemia as well as a huge array of potential benefits for all common diseases.<br /> <br /> For those readers that have had difficulty in the past losing weight and keeping it off then Acai Berry tablets are just what you have been waiting for. When it comes to getting slim and staying slim, the results that people from around the world have achieved are nothing short of spectacular.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>If you would like to get a free bottle offer of<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V2erlcBwZo&feature=youtu.be"> acai berry tablets</a> then you need to go to the official website.</div><br /> </div><br />

Inside Secrets On Acai Berry Tablets .

By Shaughn Emard Acai Berry Tablets are a familiar name in the diet and weight loss industry and their popularity is growing all the time....

Read more »

Ideas On How To Get Flat Abs For Women

<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>By Amanda Baird</div><br /><br /> <div class='uawarticle'>Learning how to get flat abs for women helps them eliminate the layer of fat that forms around the stomach. This is the basic of getting a shapely body. It makes all the other exercises worthwhile. In order to achieve this ultimate goal, you need to take a combination of exercises that target certain areas. Diet is another crucial element in this regard.<br /> <br /> One of the oldest and most effective strategies is aerobic. It offers more benefits include easy temperature control and better circulation. For the exercises to be effective, they should be done for approximately thirty minutes in a day. Taking two days off during the week helps you achieve your goals in a healthy manner. This should be done consistently. A professional trainer will help you reach optimum levels of workout and maintain safely.<br /> <br /> Exercising can be fun through such activities as running, dancing, swimming, walking and cycling. These activities help you regulate the rate of heart beat and in the process improve your health. Cardio training should be alternated between intensive and mild. An example is sprinting and walking alternations for around twenty minutes. You should catch your breath and resume the sprint.<br /> <br /> Stomach fats are easy to deal with through polymetric exercises. An example is the squat thrust where one begins at a sit up position and spreads the hands and legs by jumping to the highest possible level. This strains the body when repeated for fifteen to twenty steps in a progressive manner. An X jump is a variation of this move but one begins from a sitting position. Ensure that you push your body to the edges.<br /> <br /> Strength training helps the body to build muscle by burning calories and increasing metabolism. Examples are crunches, leg raises and side bends which exercise the upper and lower abdomens as well as obliques. You should do between fifteen and twenty five steps every day. There are compound exercises that are as effective. They include dead lifts. Heavy weights should be included.<br /> <br /> Proper diet forms a crucial part of a healthy body. You are advised to avoid junk foods like chips and sweets. The best alternatives for these foods are fruits and vegetables. You should opt for lean proteins found in nuts, beans and lean meat. Whole grains help you avoid overeating since you will be fuller for long. Take food in small portions until you feel full. You should take breaks during meals so that you can detect when you are getting full.<br /> <br /> Experts advise that you check on the glycemic index of the foods you take. The lower they are, the healthier for you. The options available in this regard are broccoli, carrots, berries, cabbages, apples, tomatoes and bananas. You should complete your meals two hours before you go to sleep. This is because of a slowed body metabolism that affects digestion. Take sufficient amounts of water each day.<br /> <br /> In order to master <A href="http://www.themabs.com">how to get flat abs for women</A>, it is advisable to lower the intake of sodium. You will look bloated since the body retains large amounts of water. There are healthier options where foods are involved. It is advisable for you to reduce alcohol intake because of the number of calories contained in each glass.<br /> <br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawresource'><br /> <div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br /> About the Author:<br /> </div><br /> <div class='uawlinks'>Discover how to get flat abs for women by reviewing this informative source at <a href="http://www.themabs.com">www.themabs.com</a>. Visit the related homepage now on http://www.themabs.com.</div><br /> </div><br />

Ideas On How To Get Flat Abs For Women

By Amanda Baird Learning how to get flat abs for women helps them eliminate the layer of fat that forms around the stomach. This is the ba...

Read more »

This BMW Has Frickin' Laser Beams For Headlights(BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9i6saBHpkBsyoTcVzBd6l-znjCnKhtShOQJktRGvSpoRr6YXGpPsivMURNWZikSz_s-cVmlmMp2CY_yQVBF8Gkj3h-6MNdUY-J3r2XHua2-rQEnUiNxhftRoQMYBr1Cd7nrgmeiX-Ds/s1600/o-BMW-I8-facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9i6saBHpkBsyoTcVzBd6l-znjCnKhtShOQJktRGvSpoRr6YXGpPsivMURNWZikSz_s-cVmlmMp2CY_yQVBF8Gkj3h-6MNdUY-J3r2XHua2-rQEnUiNxhftRoQMYBr1Cd7nrgmeiX-Ds/s320/o-BMW-I8-facebook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">It’s not a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7bYNAHXxw" style="border: 0px; color: #0088c3; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">shark with a laser beam on its head</a>, but the new <a href="http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/vehicles/2014/bmwi/bmwi_i8redirect.aspx" style="border: 0px; color: #0088c3; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car will offer laser headlights</a> in late 2014.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">The carmaker says the i8 will be the first production application of laser headlamps on a car. The system is quite complex and is only available for high-beam use, according to BMW. Low-beam lights will continue to use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to project light on the road.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">BMW says the laser headlights produce two times the visibility range of conventional high-beam headlights, while using less energy -- energy that can instead be used by the car’s electric motor for additional driving range or power.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">Howstuffworks explains <a href="http://auto.howstuffworks.com/laser-powered-headlight3.htm" style="border: 0px; color: #0088c3; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink">how BMW's laser system manages to illuminate the road</a>without harming the retinas of other drivers and passersby: </div><blockquote style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin: 15px 0px; padding: 15px;">What happens with each light is that three blue lasers positioned at the rear of the assembly fire onto a set of mirrors closer to the front. Those mirrors focus the laser energy into a lens filled with yellow phosphorus. The yellow phosphorus, when excited by the blue laser, emits an intense white light. That white light shines backward, onto a reflector. The reflector then bounces the more diffused white light forward, shining it out of the front of the headlight casing as a beam that is powerful, yet still able to be gazed upon.</blockquote><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">The Huffington Post reached out to BMW to find out how much the optional laser headlights will cost on the i8, as well as to find out if and when other models may receive this technology, but did not receive an immediate response.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;">According to the carmaker's website, the<a href="http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/content/vehicles/2014/bmwi/bmwi_i8redirect.aspx" style="border: 0px; color: #0088c3; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_hplink"> i8 will go from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds</a>, while burning fuel at a rate of up to 94 mpg. The sports coupe will also be able to travel up to 22 miles on electric power alone and will have a base price of $135,700.</div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><i>Huffington Post.</i></div></div>

This BMW Has Frickin' Laser Beams For Headlights(BLOG)

It’s not a  shark with a laser beam on its head , but the new  BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car will offer laser headlights  in late 2014. T...

Read more »