Cracked Eternity

A magical kingdom is forced into hiding by the development of science and technology.

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

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.

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Reserving the Young Princess' guard. Kthx.

The Keywork

Member for 3 years

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I am contemplating on the human classmate...not sure yet! I will get back to you on that :D

I'd like to reserve the Human classmate. I'll have a profile up by the end of the weekend, hopefully sooner!

Sammael

Member for 0 years

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HEADS UP TO ANYONE DOING A NON-HUMAN MERMAID HUNTER OR MERMAID CHARACTER: I would like two different descriptions for appearances and two different images(One of the human form, one of the non-human form). For Mermaids, the human form would look the same as mermaid, without the tail and fin ears. The mermaid hunter is really up to the creator. Sorry that's not in the application. >_< I'll add it here in a minute.

LazuliMetempsychosis

Member for 1 years

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Could I please reserve the eldest princess's guard?

ElegyNote

Member for 0 years

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Slap a reserve up on that Eldest Princess for me, would ya?

Also, sup Keywork.

"Treachery is its own reward."

Hazezon

Member for 1 years

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I'm afraid it might take me a little over 24 hours to get her finished and in, but I shouldn't take more than possibly two days. If you're reserving the eldest princess, Hazezon, then you and I will need to figure out what age we'll have them. I put down seventeen but was thinking eighteen, whichever you want I suppose.

Depending on whether or not we are allowed to reserve them, that is.

Also, if that is the case, is it possible I could have my character be one of the merpeople who can walk on land easier than most? It would be easier for her as a guard.

ElegyNote

Member for 0 years

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5 Nexus 7 cases to protect your new tablet

Did Santa bring you a shiny new Nexus 7?Android tablet for Christmas? Now that you’re the proud new owner of one of the most popular 7″ tablets currently on the market, you’re probably worried about keeping it scratch and dent free. Here are 5 Nexus 7 cases that will protect your new device. 1. Rickshaw [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/12/27/5-nexus-7-cases-to-protect-your-new-tablet/

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India gang-rape victim in Singapore for treatment

SINGAPORE (AP) ? A young woman who was gang-raped and assaulted on a moving bus in the Indian capital was flown Thursday to a Singapore hospital for treatment of severe internal injuries that could last several weeks, officials said.

The 23-year-old student, who is in critical condition, arrived in Singapore on an air ambulance and was admitted to the Mount Elizabeth hospital, renowned for multi-organ transplant facilities.

The hospital said in a statement that she was admitted to the intensive care unit "in an extremely critical condition." It said "she is being examined and the hospital is working with the Indian High Commission (embassy)."

The Dec. 16 rape of the woman and her brutal beating triggered widespread protests in New Delhi and other parts of the country and calls for the death penalty for the perpetrators of rape. It is punishable by up to life in prison.

All six suspects in the case have been arrested.

The rape has highlighted the extensive harassment that Indian women face daily in cities and towns, ranging from unwanted hands being placed on them to being blamed for causing the sexual violence. Even rape victims rarely come forward to complain because of the social stigma. Many women say they have structured their entire lives around protecting themselves and their children, and restricting their movements to avoid being molested.

In a written statement, the Indian High Commission, or embassy, said it has received "many offers to help" the woman, who is "receiving full medical attention." Her family is also being provided all assistance" by the embassy, it said.

The nearly daily protests in the heart of New Delhi following the rape have been frequently quelled by police using tear gas and water cannons. One policemen died of injuries suffered in the clashes.

Police said she was traveling with a male friend in a bus when they were attacked by six men who took turns to rape her. The men also beat the couple with iron rods, stripped them of their clothes and threw them off the bus on a road. They were found by bystanders before being rushed to New Delhi's Safdarjang Hospital. The bus, which was empty except for the attackers and the couple, drove through the city for hours during the assault, even passing through police checkpoints.

Press Trust of India quoted hospital medical superintendent, B.D. Athani, as saying Wednesday night that the woman suffered severe intestinal and abdominal injuries. She underwent three surgeries and parts of her intestines were removed, he said.

He said the Indian government, "based on the advice of a team of doctors," made arrangements for her to be shifted to Singapore's Mount Elizabeth hospital because it has state of the art multi-organ transplant facilities. Also, the travel time of 5 ? hours from New Delhi was considered less arduous.

"With fortitude and courage, the (woman) survived the aftereffects of the injuries so far well. But the condition continues to be critical," he was quoted as saying. "The treatment (in Singapore) might take longer."

The woman was on ventilator support during the 10 days she was at Safdarjang Hospital.

Press Trust of India said the Indian government will bear all expenses of the woman's treatment. Doctors have described her as "psychologically composed and optimistic about future."

It said her condition worsened late Wednesday after her pulse plummeted briefly, and that periodic bouts of infection were also a source of concern.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/india-gang-rape-victim-singapore-treatment-031304697.html

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Gifts That Keep Giving (if Not Exploding)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Today?s science kits lack the free-play style and sometimes dangerous materials of yore, but many argue that they can still spark a lifelong interest in inquiry.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/science/science-toys-gifts-that-keep-giving-if-not-exploding.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Contents of antique doll museum go under the hammer | Christian ...

A pretty period doll is the perfect addition to any antique cabinet in Lancashire . On 8th December, there were no fewer than 117 to choose from in a unique on-site museum sale, in which more than 500 lots went under the gavel.

The sale took place at the Vina Cooke Museum of Bygone Childhood, which occupies four rooms of a family home at the Old Rectory, Cromwell, Nottinghamshire. Following Vina?s death last year, her husband made the sad decision to downsize to smaller premises, and build a new, smaller museum there. Besides dolls, the 545 lots included teddy bears, toys, games, vintage cots and prams, books, pictures, railwayana, costumes, textiles and other collectors? items. This being a museum, there were plenty of items of furniture to display the exhibits, including glass-fronted antique cabinets, scaled-down Victorian dining chairs and a bamboo antique bookcase. The auctioneer also dropped the gavel on several lots of antique dolls house furniture and dolls houses.

The sale drew intense interest, both locally and from across the globe. While stacking dolls weren?t among the lots, the auction still drew attention from a Russian doll museum, while buyers in Chicago placed bids for authentic period outfits.

There are dealers in Lancashire and Cumbria specialising in vintage toys and dolls, whose prices are free of commission and other unforeseen fees. Antique dealers also have Victorian dining chairs and antique desks for Lancashire collectors to display their heirlooms on.

No comments yet.

Source: http://blog.christiandaviesantiques.co.uk/contents-of-antique-doll-museum-go-under-the-hammer-2849.html

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Source: http://www.welcometocoastcity.org/the-benefits-of-managed-web-hosting.php

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Longform?s Best Crime Stories of 2012

This week, we?ll be sharing our favorite articles of the year on Slate. For our full list?including the top 10 of the year, plus picks in sports, politics, tech and more?check out Longform?s Best of 2012.

The Innocent Man [Part 1 ? Part 2]
Pamela Colloff ? Texas Monthly

The decades-long saga of Michael Morton, who was wrongfully convicted of killing his wife.

?With his hands shackled in his lap, Michael looked out the window of the squad car and watched as the rolling farmland east of Georgetown gradually gave way to the piney woods of East Texas. Two Williamson County sheriff?s deputies sat in the front seat, exchanging small talk as they sped down the two-lane roads that led to Huntsville. Michael had, by then, spent a little more than a month in the county jail waiting to be transferred to state custody. During that time, he had gotten to know several county inmates who were well acquainted with the Texas Department of Corrections. They had given him advice he never forgot: keep your mouth shut and your eyes open, and always fight back. In prison, it didn?t matter if you won or lost. In the long run, getting the hell beaten out of you was better than showing that you were too scared to fight.

?When they reached Huntsville, the deputies deposited him at the Diagnostic Unit, the intake facility where he would spend the next several weeks before being assigned to a prison. Once inside, he was ordered to strip naked. His hair was sheared and his mustache was shaved off, leaving a pale white stripe above his upper lip. He was issued boxer shorts and ordered to get in line to pick up his work boots. As he waited, Michael studied the man in front of him, whose back was crisscrossed with scars?stab wounds, he realized, as he counted thirteen of them in all. Michael was herded along with the other inmates into the communal showers and then to the mess hall, where they gulped down food as a prison guard shouted at them to eat faster. At last, when the lights shut off at ten-thirty, Michael lay down in his bunk, a thin mattress atop an unforgiving metal frame. Sporadically during the night, he could hear inmates calling out to one another, imitating different animal sounds?a rooster crowing, a dog baying?that reverberated through the cell block.

?Even then, as he lay in the dark listening to the cacophony of voices around him, Michael felt that he would be vindicated someday. He just didn?t know how or when that day would come.?

The Truck Stop Killer
Vanessa Veselka ? GQ

As a 15-year-old runaway hitchhiker, a trucker nearly killed the writer. Twenty seven years later, she investigates whether her attacker was truck stop serial killer Robert Ben Rhoades, who often kept his victims chained in the back of his truck for weeks before killing and dumping them.

?That ride turned out to be fine. We drove up to Ohio drinking Diet Coke and listening to Bruce Springsteen. The trucker bought me lunch and didn't even try to have sex with me, which made him a prince in my world. Several days later, though, heading south on I-95 through the Carolinas, I got picked up by another trucker who was not fine. I don't remember much about him except that he was taller and leaner than most truckers and didn't wear jeans or T-shirts. He wore a cotton button-down with the sleeves rolled neatly up over his biceps and had the cleanest cab I ever saw. He must have seemed okay or I wouldn't have gotten in the truck with him. Once out on the road, though, he changed. He stopped responding to my questions. His bearing shifted. He grew taller in his seat, and his face muscles relaxed into something both arrogant and blank. Then he started talking about the dead girl in the Dumpster and asked me if I'd ever heard of the Laughing Death Society. ?We laugh at death,? he told me.

?A few minutes later, he pulled the truck onto the shoulder of the road by some woods, took out a hunting knife, and told me to get into the back of the cab. I began talking, saying the same things over and over. I said I knew he didn't want to do it. I said it was his choice. I said he could do it in a few minutes. I said it was his choice. I said I wouldn't go to the cops if nothing happened to me, but it was his choice?until he looked at me and I went still. There was going to be no more talking. I knew in my body that it was over. Then he said one word: Run. Without looking back, I ran into the woods and hid. I stayed there until I saw the truck pull onto the interstate. It was getting dark. I was still in shock, so I walked back out to the same road and started hitching south. I never went to the police and didn't tell anyone for years.?

The Worst Marriage in Georgetown
Franklin Foer ? New York Times Magazine

The murderous tale of Washington D.C. fabulist Albrecht Muth and his late wife Viola Drath.

?Drath?s murder seized the front page of The Washington Post, which was as awkwardly tangled in the story as the rest of the city?s elite. One of The Post?s columnists attended the couple?s dinners, as did the reporter who covered the case for The Wall Street Journal. Over the years, Muth flooded the in-boxes of his media contacts with messages containing his thoughts on the day?s events and knowing tidbits of insider gossip ? speculations about covert operations gone awry or rumors about fights between top generals ? a habit that didn?t end with his wife?s death. Four days after he supposedly found Drath?s body, Muth forwarded a note that he originally sent to officials in the Pentagon. He intimated that the police considered Drath to be the unfortunate victim of an assassin who was hunting for him. ?I have to take a slain wife out to Arlington,? he wrote, ?mourn her, then find her killer.? ?

Trevell Coleman wasn?t sure whether he?d killed a man. But after 17 years, he needed to find out.

?At times, his life felt like a series of endless internal calculations, all part of an effort to, as he later explained, ?balance myself out.? If he bought a coat, he might scribble on one pocket with a marker before putting it on, just to deprive himself of the chance to wear something completely new. He never had much money, and he was so determined to give away what he did have that a few times he stuffed bills into the coin slots of pay phones, then walked away. Afterward, he?d feel a little better??I did think, Well, okay, now I don?t have to feel like I have too much regret,? he says?but the relief was only temporary.

?Coleman and his wife had separated, but he still stopped by to visit his 7-year-old sons. Some days, he?d be seated with them at the table, sharing a meal, thinking how blessed he was to have such beautiful boys, and suddenly be seized by guilt. Did the man he shot at have any kids? What happened to them? And why should he get to spend time with his kids if there was a chance he?d robbed another child of his father??

Bad to the Bone
Mina Kimes ? Fortune

A medical device company experiments on humans.

?Off-label marketing is so common among drug and device makers that it's often dismissed as the equivalent of driving slightly over the speed limit. During the past decade, pharmaceutical behemoths such as Merck (MRK), Pfizer (PFE), Abbott Labs (ABT), and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have paid billions in fines to settle charges that they engaged in off-label drug promotion. Yet cases continue to happen, in part because the potential profits often exceed the fines.

?But this wasn't the typical off-label marketing case. Nor was it typical of trials for medical devices or drugs. Patients sometimes die during such clinical trials -- but only after being advised of the risks and then granting their consent. In hiding the unapproved status of the cement, prosecutors argued, Synthes denied patients the right to choose whether they wanted to be test subjects.

?For the Justice Department, the Synthes case posed an unprecedented opportunity. It could finally hold individual businessmen accountable for their actions. Mary Crawley, the assistant U.S. attorney who led the prosecution, urged the court to send the executives to jail for their ?venal crime.? The ?callous disregard of patient safety,? she argued, ?warrants the highest sentence the law will allow.? ?

For more of the year?s best writing, check out Longform?s Best of 2012.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=6193f6ec09dfa673e8ef50ad30df255a

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Reid urges quick appointment of Inouye successor

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is asking Hawaii's governor to act before the end of the year to fill the Senate vacancy created by the death of Daniel Inouye of Hawaii.

Reid says he's asked Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie to appoint Inouye's successor "with due haste." Reid says he wants to ensure Hawaii is fully represented "in the pivotal decisions" the Senate will be making.

Inouye died of respiratory complications last week, leaving Democrats down one seat as the Senate prepares for the possibility of voting on a measure that would avoid a "fiscal cliff" of tax hikes and spending cuts.

Hawaii Rep. Colleen Hanabusa is the favorite for the post. Inouye, a fellow Democrat, endorsed Hanabusa in a letter he sent to Abercrombie on the day he died.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reid-urges-quick-appointment-inouye-successor-234900599--politics.html

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PFT: Sanchez and Tebow riding pine on Sunday

AP

All 32 teams play on either Saturday or Sunday, which means that all 32 teams submitted their final injury reports of the week on Friday.

As we do every week, we?ve gone through all of them to pull out the information you need to know before kickoff. So, without any further ado, here?s your Week 16 injury report roundup.

Falcons at Lions

Safety William Moore (hamstring) and wide receiver Roddy White (knee) are both questionable for the Falcons. The Lions aren?t likely to have tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who is doubtful due to an ankle injury. Safety Louis Delmas is absolutely not injury prone, but he is questionable with the knee injury that?s bothered him all season.

Raiders at Panthers

Knee and hamstring issues will keep Raiders defensive tackle Richard Seymour out for another week. Safety Tyvon Branch (neck, ankle) and wide receiver Juron Criner (hip) are questionable. Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (ankle) is also questionable while center Geoff Hangartner is doubtful with a foot injury.

Saints at Cowboys

Fullback Jed Collins (knee, toe) won?t go for the Saints. Running back Chris Ivory (hamstring) and cornerback Patrick Robinson (groin) are questionable. Running back Pierre Thomas, who popped up on the injury report Thursday with a knee injury, is probable. The Cowboys remain without defensive tackle Jay Ratliff (groin) and they have a pair of questionable players in linebacker Ernie Sims (concussion) and wide receiver Kevin Ogletree (illness).

Titans at Packers

Center Kevin Matthews (ankle) won?t play for the Titans. Wide receivers Kendall Wright (rib) and Damian Williams (hamstring) are questionable. The Packers ruled out tight end?Tom Crabtree (hamstring), wide receiver Jordy Nelson (hamstring), running back James Starks (knee), defensive end C.J. Wilson (knee) and safety Charles Woodson (collarbone). Running back Alex Green is questionable because of a concussion.

Vikings at Texans

The Vikings head to Houston in good health with defensive end Brian Robison (shoulder) listed as the only player less than probable. A healthy Texans team will be waiting for them. Cornerback Alan Ball (foot) is out, but linebacker Brooks Reed (groin) is probable to make his return and every other player on the injury report joins him with that likely to play designation.

Patriots at Jaguars

As always, the Patriots? injury report is a statement about the very nature of injury reports as they list 19 players as questionable and no player with another designation. Among them are tight end Rob Gronkowski (forearm), defensive end Chandler Jones (ankle) and wide receiver Wes Welker (ankle). Running backs Rashad Jennings (concussion) and Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) are out once more for Jacksonville, while cornerbacks Aaron Ross (calf) and Dwight Lowery (foot) are questionable.

Colts at Chiefs

The Colts ruled out running back?Delone Carter (ankle), linebacker Kavell Conner (hamstring), center Samson Satele (ankle) and safety Tom Zbikowski (knee). Center A.Q. Shipley, who would replace Satele, is questionable with a knee injury and tackle Winston Justice has the same designation thanks to a biceps injury. Chiefs tight end Tony Moeaki (head) is doubtful and tackle Branden Albert (back) is questionable.

Bills at Dolphins

The Bills are hopeful they?ll get center Eric Wood (knee) back in the lineup this week. He?s listed as questionable, as is Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline (back). Defensive tackle Randy Starks is also questionable after missing practice all week for reasons not related to an injury and unknown to us. Wide receiver Davone Bess (back) and linebacker Koa Misi (ankle) are out for the second straight week.

Chargers at Jets

Defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin (knee) is doubtful for the Chargers while linebacker DeMorrio Williams (ankle) is questionable. Jets tight end Dustin Keller (ankle) is likely to miss another game after being listed as doubtful.?Wide receiver Braylon Edwards (hamstring), wide receiver Mardy Gilyard (illness), defensive tackle Sione Pouha (back), linebacker Ricky Sapp (ankle), wide receiver Chaz Schilens (calf,?knee) and linebacker Bryan Thomas (chest) are all questionable, while quarterback Mark Sanchez?s wounded pride is nowhere to be found on the injury report.

Redskins at Eagles

Quarterback Robert Griffin III (knee) is expected to start for the Redskins, who listed tackle Tyler Polumbus (head) and defensive end Stephen Bowen (biceps) as questionable. Running back Stanley Havili (hamstring) is out and running back Chris Polk (toe) is doubtful. The Eagles do expect to have LeSean McCoy back in the starting lineup in his return from a concussion.

Bengals at Steelers

The Bengals listed cornerbacks Adam Jones (hamstring) and Dre Kirkpatrick (head) as questionable. Cornerback Ike Taylor (ankle) will miss another game for the Steelers and it looks like tackle Mike Adams, doubtful with an ankle injury, is going to be out as well.

Rams at Buccaneers

Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan (thigh) is questionable, as is Buccaneers cornerback LeQuan Lewis (knee). Tampa defensive end Aaron Morgan (shoulder) is doubtful, which wraps up a brief injury report ahead of this matchup.

Browns at Broncos

The Browns ruled out wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi (knee), tight end Jordan Cameron (head) and safety Tashaun Gipson (foot). Broncos guard Chris Kuper (head, ankle) is doubtful for the game.

Bears at Cardinals

Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton (clavicle) is doubtful after missing last week?s game. Wide receiver Earl Bennett (concussion) and cornerback Tim Jennings (shoulder) are both questionable. Wide receiver Early Doucet (concussion) and guard Mike Gibson (calf) are out for Arizona. Left tackle Nate Potter is questionable with an ankle injury.

Giants at Ravens

Center David Baas (hip,?shoulder), tight end Travis Beckum (knee), running back Ahmad Bradshaw (knee,?foot), safety Kenny Phillips (knee), safety Tyler Sash (hamstring), guard Chris Snee (hip) and defensive end Justin Tuck (shoulder) are all questionable for the Giants. Reports are more optimistic on Bradshaw than they are on Tuck, who missed practice all week. Cornerback Prince Amukamara (hamstring) is probable after missing last week?s game. Safety Bernard Pollard (chest) is likely to miss his second straight game while guard Marshal Yanda (ankle) and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (ankle) are better bets to return to action after getting questionable tags. Wide receiver Torrey Smith and running back Bernard Pierce are also questionable pending the results of their baseline concussion tests.

49ers at Seahawks

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh says defensive tackle Justin Smith is questionable with an elbow injury, but the injury report says he?s doubtful. Linebacker Clark Haggans (shoulder) is also doubtful. Wide receiver Mario Manningham (shoulder) is questionable. Wide receiver Sidney Rice (knee), cornerback Walter Thurmond (hamstring) and cornerback Marcus Trufant (hamstring) will all be game-time decisions for Seattle.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/21/sanchez-is-expected-to-be-no-2-on-sunday/related/

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Kelly Osbourne Flaunts Sleek Bikini Body, Talks Weight Loss

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/kelly-osbourne-flaunts-sleek-bikini-body-talks-weight-loss/

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Thread: Up a creek...or almost in it rather - Family Woodworking

I hope the guy quit while he was still ahead. Sliding off the road isn't nearly as bad as sliding into a creek.

BTW, that's a creek? Out here in the West, that'd be a full-blown river. A creek is something you can step (or at least walk) across. A river actually carries water.

Source: http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?29186-Up-a-creek-or-almost-in-it-rather

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Don&#39;t Hold Yourself Back: New Ideas For Self Improvement | Mind ...

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Your physical well-being and mental health are connected. Regular exercise and a healthy, nutritionious diet are two things every person should aim for. Keep in mind that a healthy body and mind go well together.

TIP! Discover a few texts that give you encouragement and support. Everyone?s idea of a positive piece of writing is different.

Avoid pushing yourself too far, especially in terms of physical limitations. While exerting your best effort is admirable, recognize when you have reached your limit. Making sure you stay healthy is important when you are trying to reach your goals. It is simply illogical to expect any real gain in self improvement, if you aren?t looking after your body at the same time.

Make sure you treat all people with respect, no matter who they are, how powerful they are or what benefits you can obtain from them. Your demeanor towards them speaks a great deal about you, and nothing about them.

TIP! Know that where you are now is not the same as where you want to be. This can help you get where you plan to be.

If you notice that you are consistently failing to meet your goals and live up to expectations, you should attempt to diagnose the probable causes. Look for stories of other people who have successfully achieved goals similar to your own, then compare your approaches. You may realize you have been unrealistic, not having given yourself the means necessary to achieve your goal, or that perhaps you have set too high a mark.

A leader is not only powerful and commanding but they stay humble. In order to be a good leader, you must be able to put yourself in the shoes of everyone that you lead. A good leader is virtuous and full of integrity, something you need in order to be successful.

TIP! Are you experiencing difficulty meeting romantic partners? Explore your options on the Internet. Amazingly, meeting online is now how 40% of couples begin their relationship.

Learning to take controlled risks could bring you happiness. Do not allow yourself to fear failure more than you desire success. Taking risks may take you out of your comfort zone, but it is not irrational to do so. Being capable of undertaking risks may ultimately be a contributing factor in one?s overall happiness.

Before you started reading this article you may have been too frightened to try and better yourself, but hopefully this has put your mind at ease. Taking charge of your life and changing it for the better can have many positive and long lasting benefits to your well-being.

TIP! When it comes to serious issues, sometimes therapy or professional help might be the best solution. Books are great for solving everyday problems, but they can?t adapt to the complex needs of those who have more serious issues.

While you may think that the subject of personal development is a little intimidating, it?s actually quite straightforward if you have the correct information. When you have high-quality information about the subject, you are much more likely to succeed. With the helpful advice here, you won?t have any trouble making you way through the difficult area of personal development.

Categories: Personal Development | Tags: Personal Development | Permalink

Author: manpro

European Marketing Professional Online- and Networkmarketer Online Afiliate Marketer

Source: http://www.mindandbodymagic.com/dont-hold-yourself-back-new-ideas-for-self-improvement/

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China's airing of 'V for Vendetta' stuns viewers

BEIJING -- Television audiences across China watched an anarchist antihero rebel against a totalitarian government and persuade the people to rule themselves. Soon the Internet was crackling with quotes of "V for Vendetta's" famous line: "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."

The airing of the movie Friday night on China Central Television stunned viewers and raised hopes that China is loosening censorship.

"V for Vendetta" never appeared in Chinese theaters, but it is unclear whether it was ever banned. An article on the Communist Party's People's Daily website says it was previously prohibited from broadcast, but the spokesman for the agency that approves movies said he was not aware of any ban.

Some commentators and bloggers think the broadcast could be CCTV producers pushing the envelope of censorship, or another sign that the ruling Communist Party's newly installed leader, Xi Jinping, is serious about reform.

"Oh God, CCTV unexpectedly put out 'V for Vendetta.' I had always believed that film was banned in China!" media commentator Shen Chen wrote on the popular Twitter-like Sina Weibo service, where he has over 350,000 followers.

Zhang Ming, a supervisor at a real estate company, asked on Weibo: "For the first time CCTV-6 aired 'V for Vendetta,' what to think, is the reform being deepened?"

The 2005 movie, based on a comic book, is set in an imagined future Britain with a fascist government. The protagonist wears a mask of Guy Fawkes, the 17th-century English rebel who tried to blow up Parliament. The mask has become a revolutionary symbol for young protesters in mostly Western countries, and it also has a cult-like status in China as pirated DVDs are widely available. Some people have used the image of the mask as their profile pictures on Chinese social media sites.

Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia wrote on Twitter, which is not accessible to most Chinese because of government Internet controls: "This great film couldn't be any more appropriate for our current situation. Dictators, prisons, secret police, media control, riots, getting rid of 'heretics' ... fear, evasion, challenging lies, overcoming fear, resistance, overthrowing tyranny ... China's dictators and its citizens also have this relationship."

China's authoritarian government strictly controls print media, television and radio. Censors also monitor social media sites including Weibo. Programs have to be approved by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, but people with knowledge of the industry say CCTV, the only company with a nationwide broadcast license, is entitled to make its own censorship decisions when showing a foreign movie.

"It is already broadcast. It is no big deal," said a woman who answered the phone at movie channel CCTV-6. "We also didn't anticipate such a big reaction."

The woman, who only gave her surname, Yang, said she would pass on questions to her supervisor, which weren't answered.

The spokesman for the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television said he had noticed the online reaction to the broadcast. "I've not heard of any ban on this movie," Wu Baoan said Thursday.

The film is available on video-on-demand platforms in China, where movie content also needs to be approved by authorities.

A political scientist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences who used to work for CCTV said the film might have approval, or it could have been CCTV's own decision to broadcast it.

AP researchers Flora Ji and Henry Hou contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/20/3150116/chinas-airing-of-v-for-vendetta.html

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How to Write Cover Letters--Do&#39;s and Don&#39;ts

A short time ago, we posted a blog with 10 resume tips to follow so you are up-to-date and have the information and the organization of that information that employers are looking for in a job applicant. For instance, we mentioned that ?objectives? are no longer being used, and the phrase, ?references available upon request? is no longer necessary.

Times have changed and to keep up (and stay ahead) of a very competitive marketplace, you have to have the ?it? factor?meaning, you have to be current, you have to be contemporary and your resume and cover letters must not look and sound as though they?re from the 1990?s. So, now that you?ve dusted off your resume and made that all current and ready for an employer?s discerning glare, you are finally ready to hear the latest news about how to write cover letters in this modern world.

In this world of electronic communications, hiring managers typically don?t want a traditional cover letter. Instead, since most jobs are applied for online, many employers ask that you submit a short paragraph (or two) in your email highlighting your skills and why you should be considered for this job. These days, supervisors are getting so many resumes for each position that having to read an additional full-length cover letter is simply painful. When you apply for a job via email, you will attach your resume and write a few sentences about your qualifications and desire for that particular job. The consensus amongst experts is that a cover letter certainly can?t hurt, but try to reserve sending one to only those who specifically ask for one. A well-written, succinct cover letter may help you stand out from the crowd.

The staff and faculty at Colorado Christian University offers some job-seeking advice to give you an upper hand in this very competitive, modern workforce.

What to Avoid When Writing Cover Letters

If a job for which you?re applying requires a cover letters, there are certain things you want to avoid to ensure your cover letter does not end up in the hiring manager?s trash. First, as mentioned above, be succinct. No one has time to read a long, meandering cover letter that goes on and on, paragraph after paragraph. Cut to the chase right away and explain why you?re deserving of an interview. Don?t be boring and don?t be long winded; be provocative and grab your reader?s attention in the first or second sentence. Be passionate about the job you?re applying for and don?t repeat information that?s in your resume like your name, work experience and education.

Don?t go on and on about how wonderful the company is. Prove that you you?ve done your research about the company but don?t suck up by gushing about how successful the company is or how many accolades they?ve received. They know that, already. Don?t beg for a job. There?s a difference between being passionate about the job and pleading for a chance to prove you?re the best man or woman for the job.

Also, don?t sell yourself short and be willing to accept a job that is way beneath your skill level. That will make you appear desperate. If you?re applying for a job writing features for a newspaper, don?t be willing to start out in the mail room or answering phones. Be careful of sarcasm and humor. Even if you know someone who works there don?t write a cover letter as if you were writing to a friend. Be professional and show deference and respect to the supervisor.

What to Include in a Cover Letter

When writing your cover letter, spotlight the important skills and experience that you possess that are mentioned in the job description. By doing this, you will indicate that you not only understand what would be required to do the job, but that you can hit the ground running and have transferrable skills.

• State the top 2-4 reasons why you?re right for the position.
• Research the contact person instead of writing ?To Whom It May Concern? or ?Dear Hiring Manager? as this indicates you didn?t even take the time to look into who is in charge of hiring. If you can?t find that information on the company website, in the job listing or on the LinkedIn or Facebook profile, then call and ask the receptionist to whom you should direct the letter.
• Research the company. ?If their values, product, or even location are not right for you don?t waste your time or theirs.? Use ?your introductory paragraph to show that you?ve taken the time to do some investigating about the company.
• Instead of opening ?with ?I?m responding to your posting..?, ?personalize the letter by mentioning something specific about the company such as their mission statement or company goals.
• Make sure there are no errors in your cover letter, and your cover letter should always be written for that particular job. Don?t use a templated cover letter and fill in the blanks for each different position. The hiring manager will spot a generic cover letter in seconds.
• Finish off by including you are available for interview at the hiring manager?s earliest possible convenience. Include when you can begin work if there?s no set date in the ad. You should also welcome the prospective employer to contact you if they need any further information. They should have your contact details from the top of the letter, and on your resume. Sign off and, if you are printing the letter out rather than emailing it, sign it for an added level of professionalism.
• The cover letter is an indication of you, so if your letter has no clear organization and rambles on ,the reader may believe you lack the discipline and organizational skills that are crucial in modern workplaces. The cover letter, like your resume, is the first impression your prospective employer will have of you. There is no second chance when it comes to cover letters and resumes.
• If a job does not indicate a cover letter is necessary, write a brief email with your resume attached. Never, ever send an email with just your resume attached. It most likely won?t even be read.

To learn more about applying for jobs in the modern workforce, please contact the Career Development at CCU whether you?re just starting the job-finding process, are seeking advancement in your career or just need advice concerning achieving career goals.

Source: http://www.ccu.edu/blogs/cags/2012/12/how-to-write-cover-letters-dos-and-donts/

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Medicare premiums could rise for many retirees

WASHINGTON (AP) ? It's a health care change that President Barack Obama and Republicans both embrace: Expand a current, little-known law so more retirees the government considers well-off are required to pay higher Medicare premiums.

That plan is likely to be part of any budget deal to reduce the overhang of federal debt, raising $20 billion or more over 10 years. It could come as a shock to many seniors who will have to pay the higher premiums even though they consider themselves solidly middle-class, and by no means wealthy.

That's what happened to Tom James. He and his wife recently got an official notice that they will have to start paying more for Medicare next year, about $1,000 for the two of them. James is among the 5 percent of beneficiaries currently facing higher "income-related" premiums. If the budget change goes through, that number will grow to 25 percent.

"I was blindsided," said James, a retired bank examiner who lives near Philadelphia. "The camel has got his nose in the tent now, and the question is how far do they want to go with that?"

The idea is to continue broadening the reach of income-based Medicare premiums introduced under former President George W. Bush and later expanded by Obama's health care law.

How would it work?

It's complicated. Think of it as two bites.

First, the current income-based monthly premiums for Medicare's outpatient and prescription drug coverage would be ratcheted up. Those surcharges now are assessed on a sliding scale, and kick in for individual beneficiaries making more than $85,000, or $170,000 for couples.

Second, the number of beneficiaries who have to pay those higher monthly premiums would gradually expand by a few hundred thousand people each year. That would be done by extending a temporary freeze on the income thresholds at which the higher premiums are assessed.

Without adjusting those thresholds for inflation, 1 in 4 beneficiaries would be on the hook eventually, compared with about 1 in 20 now.

Backers of the idea ? Obama administration officials, prominent Republicans in the House and Senate and nonpartisan experts ? say it's foolish for Medicare to keep subsidizing people who can afford to pay their own way, particularly when the program faces long-range financial problems.

"What we're talking about here is a premium structure that makes sense, by slowly covering less and less," said Robert Bixby, executive director of the nonpartisan Concord Coalition, which advocates reducing the deficit. "Politicians have been afraid to charge full fare because of public reaction. But that time is coming to an end."

Medicare serves about 50 million Americans, including seniors and disabled people. Half have annual incomes below $22,500.

Technically, the program's outpatient and prescription coverage is optional. In practice, it's too good a deal to pass up. By law taxpayers cover 75 percent of the premiums, and beneficiaries pick up the remaining 25 percent.

That's the way it works for most people. Medicaid pays premiums for the poor, while people the government considers well-off shoulder an increasing share of premiums, starting at 35 percent and going all the way up to 80 percent for individuals making more than $214,000 and couples over $428,000.

Polls show that Americans clearly prefer raising premiums on wealthy beneficiaries as opposed to a general increase. However, few people are aware that the government is already collecting higher premiums from some beneficiaries. Very few know the details.

"I think wealth is in the eye of the beholder," said Tricia Neuman, a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "This premium affects people with incomes starting at $85,000, but in the discussion over taxes $85,000 is not generally considered high income."

AARP says hiking the premium would be equivalent to a tax.

"This is a payment to the federal government based on your income, and that is a form of a tax," said David Certner, legislative policy director for the older people's lobby.

Not so, says Bixby. Even the wealthiest beneficiaries still get some subsidy under the plan, just not a 75 percent price break.

AARP also worries that charging seniors more based on income could taint Medicare as a welfare program, undercutting its political support.

James, the Philadelphia-area retiree, said the higher premium feels like a tax to him. "I'm making a payment to a government program," he said.

He said he figures he and his wife were probably pushed over the threshold because of distributions from retirement accounts that people in their 70s are required by law to take.

It's causing him to rethink how he feels about Medicare. James said he takes medication, but is in excellent health overall. So he basically gets just a handful of pills from Medicare, and he figures he can afford that on his own.

"I call it my breakfast of champions," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/medicare-premiums-could-rise-many-retirees-075849995--finance.html

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Study: Curbing car travel could be as effective as cutting calories

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Those considering how to maintain a healthy weight during holiday festivities, or looking ahead to New Year's resolutions, may want to think twice before reaching for traditional staples like cookies or candy ? or the car keys.

A new study by University of Illinois researchers, led by computer science and mathematics professor Sheldon H. Jacobson, suggests that both daily automobile travel and calories consumed are related to body weight, and reducing either one, even by a small amount, correlates with a reduction in body mass index (BMI).

"We're saying that making small changes in travel or diet choices may lead to comparable obesity reduction, which implies that travel-based interventions may be as effective as dietary interventions," said graduate student Banafsheh Behzad, a co-author of the study, published in the journal Preventive Medicine.

Obesity is a multidimensional problem with many social and medical factors, but maintaining body weight essentially is a result of energy consumed and energy expended. Other studies look at the two issues individually, or at a local or individual level, but Jacobson's group wanted to look at both sides of the equation through a national lens. As an outgrowth of previous work examining the relationship between driving and obesity, they decided to use driving as a proxy for physical activity.

"An easy way to be more physically active is to spend less time in an automobile. Any time a person sits behind the wheel of a car, it's one of the most docile activities they can do in a day," Jacobson said. "The automobile is the quickest mode of transportation we have. But a consequence of this need for speed in getting things done may be the obesity epidemic."

The researchers used publicly available data on national average BMI, caloric intake and driving habits. To capture the complexity in the relationship among the three variables, they developed a multivariable model showing how calories consumed and miles driven correlate with BMI.

They found that if all adults in the United States drove 1 mile less per day, the model predicted an associated decrease in the national average BMI by 0.21 kg/m2 after six years. (The national average BMI in 2010, the most recent data available, was 27.55.) In comparison, reducing diet by 100 calories per day would be associated with reducing national average BMI by 0.16 kg/m2 after three years.

"One mile is really not much," Behzad said. "If they would just consider even taking the bus, walking the distance to the bus stop could have an impact like eating 100 calories less per day. The main thing is paying attention to caloric intake and moving more, together, can help reduce BMI."

Even a modest decrease in BMI, like that predicted by the model, could represent significant cost savings. If drivers nationwide traveled 1 mile less by car each day, not only would fuel consumption fall, but annual health care costs could drop by billions of dollars as fewer people would be classified as obese or overweight, Jacobson estimates.

"The most important thing for people to learn from this study is that they have a choice," Jacobson said. "One has to be just as careful about when you choose to drive as when you choose to eat. These small changes in our driving and dietary habits can lead to long-term significant changes in obesity issues. Those are the kind of changes we advocate."

###

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: http://www.uiuc.edu

Thanks to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for this article.

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

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125997/Study__Curbing_car_travel_could_be_as_effective_as_cutting_calories

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Principles of Ecological Restoration and Agriculture | Sustainable ...

In today?s guest post, Pablo Canales-Prati and Kajo Stelter from the University of Bonn present a fascinating article on the principles of ecological restoration and agriculture. The team describe a spider web analogy to illustrate the complexity and fragility of an ecosystem. A thoroughly enjoyable and relevant read! (image: Tina Phillips)

Enter Pablo and Kajo.

Relevant scientific literature defines Ecological Restoration in a variety of ways which differ chiefly in the emphasis each one places on objective. Many scientists see the purpose of ecosystem restoration in reintegrating a certain degree of healthiness to a system; in effect, this means halting and then reversing the process of degradation. Other scientists prefer to call this rehabilitation rather than restoration because, for them, restoration is clearly defined as re-establishing the initial state of an ecosystem before humans interfered with it. In regard to Ecological Agriculture there is even greater confusion concerning terms and definitions. By the restrictiveness of their particular practices we could maybe distinguish the different methods and philosophies of Ecological Agriculture. The purpose of this article, however, is not to underline the differences but rather to present a comprehensive overview of the principles which apply as equally to Ecological Restoration as they do to Ecological Agriculture.

An ecosystem is much like a living organism. It has a metabolism which needs to be sustained by energy; be it healthy or unhealthy, it constantly processes what it is fed. It evolves, is always in motion and undergoing change. In most cases it interacts continuously with neighboring ecosystems and sometimes maintains long distance relationships with others. It grows, is sensitive to outside disturbances, and can also be killed. Pondering on the similarity between ecosystem and living organism, one sometimes starts to wonder whether it might not also possess an intelligence of its own, albeit one that is impossible to measure or even detect. Looking at it this way Ecological Restoration might even acquire an ethical dimension of its own.

Four major components of an ecosystem

When we talk about the metabolism of an ecosystem we usually distinguish four major components that enable such a system to maintain itself. Chief amongst these of course is energy. Generally, energy enters the ecosystem in the form of solar radiation which is absorbed by chlorophyll molecules in the vegetation. This injection of energy kick starts a chain reaction of electrons which passes from molecule to molecule within the plant. Not all of this energy will be absorbed, however, some of it being emitted from the plant in the form of heat thus creating new conditions to stimulate further reactions. Indeed one packet of solar energy may do quite some traveling undergoing numerous transformations along the way before finally ending up on our dinner table or in the gas tank of our neighbor?s car. Scientists describe the journey of energy through an ecosystem in terms of a cycle. In a similar manner to energy the other three components of an ecosystem?s metabolism cycle through the system. We classify them as: elements (like nitrogen, sulfur or carbon), water (an element of such fundamental importance that it gets a classification all of its own), and organisms (plants, animals, microbes etc.).

The cycle of energy, the cycle of elements, the water cycle and the succession of organisms, from these four vantage points begin the examination of an ecosystem. Each cycle is composed of a chain of processes, the percolation of water through the soil, for example, or the aggregate wetting of the soil. Other important processes include the manner in which plant roots absorb water, and the evaporation of water vapor from the leaves. Each of these individual processes usually relates to numerous further processes involving each of the four cycles. Once soil layers become moist elements are dissolved and transported, microbial activity is activated and electrons are captured by certain elements because of the sudden change to a reducing environment.

Each ecosystem may display different degrees of integration of its processes and each process involved in the four cycles of the ecosystem is unique while still, processes often influence other processes in the ecosystem. With such a high degree of interactions within and between the four cycles we often refer to their dynamics. The level of the cycles? dynamic is determined by the integration of processes and their respective performance. In other words, if the various processes in an ecosystem are functioning well and dynamically, the four cycles and with it the entire ecosystem may display a high level of fitness, which in turn may reflect a high resilience and/or resistance to disturbances.

Spider web analogy for an ecosystem

This may all sound rather abstract, but we might imagine the multitude of complex interconnections between the four processes of the cycle as looking something like a spider?s web with each little thread representing a certain process. The web is suspended on four sides by the branches of a tree with the respective anchor points representing our four cycles. Now imagine how the web responds to various disturbing conditions, a strong wind, for example, that rushes through it and shakes the tree; or raindrops which, crashing into it from every side, catch on the silken threads and trickle slowly down. The web will shake and shiver, it will twist and turn into various different forms as simultaneously some sides stretch and others shorten. Nevertheless, as long as its anchor points hold it will resume its former shape as soon as the wind dies down. The quality of the threads and the superstructure into which they have been woven make a spider?s web flexible enough to cope with such disturbances. Even if flying leaves carried on the storm snap some of the tiny threads the web does not lose its ability to function. When the sun comes out again it can still catch small insects and over time damages to the web will be repaired by its creator, the spider?we might even go so far as to say that the spider in our little analogy represents time itself.

The natural flexibility of the spider?s web helps to illustrate the dynamics of an ecosystem?s cycles. A highly dynamic web is extremely flexible, and the more flexible it is the more resilient it is towards disturbances. But there is a limit of course to this resilience. If one throws a large enough stone through the web too many threads (that is too many processes) will be snapped and the spider will be unable to repair the damage.

Unfortunately humanity likes to throw very large stones and ever since the dawn of industrialization these stones have been growing larger and larger. Disturbances to the ecosystem are of course inevitable but those initiated by humans increasingly have the potential to threaten the entire system. To revive a damaged ecosystem it is enough to shield it from further disturbances while allowing time do the healing. To restore a severely damaged system, however, a more proactive approach becomes necessary; especially if the aim is to restore the ecosystem to its original state (which is almost always impossible considering the complexity of processes involved in the four cycles). In a large deforested area, for example, special tree species would have to be planted to prevent further disruption by erosion and to rehabilitate a particular cycle of succession. To combat desertification where over-irrigation has deprived the natural aquifer of its water supply it would be necessary to regulate the waterways (maybe by constructing canals and diverting rivers) before vegetation could once again flourish on the barren land and begin to regulate the water cycle on its own.

?Ecological agriculture

Protection and reinforcement of the processes involved in the four cycles also happens to be the chief principle of ecological agriculture. For example when farmers make use of integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid the application of chemical pesticides, they plant flowers which attract exactly the types of insects that like to feed on those organisms harmful to their crops. The method works by fostering the cycle, or rather, the food chain of the organisms involved. When farmers refrain from ploughing their fields before planting (the so called ?zero-tillage? method) the organic matter remaining in the soil from the previous crop is prevented from being exposed to air. This inhibits the multiplication of oxidizing microorganisms, thus slowing the process by which organic matter becomes mineralized. As a consequence of this slowing process organic content gradually accumulates and the soil ends up possessing both a larger stock of nutrients and a greater capacity to retain water. In effect, one single procedure initiates all the necessary chain reactions in the elements, allowing both nutrient and energy cycles to proceed undisturbed.

Recalling our analogy of the spider?s web we can now see how the spider?time itself?is the one true master when it comes to the maintenance of a highly complex system. Time is the key factor in any project of either ecological restoration or ecological agriculture. The greater the degree to which processes are planned then forcefully installed, the higher will be the likelihood of an unsatisfactory outcome. Projects aimed at restoring ecosystems fail either because they have not been granted the requisite time or because the complexity of interlinked processes has been underestimated. Up to now we?ve restricted our image of a spider?s web to two dimensions and this has made it relatively easy to visualize. But to form a truer picture of the complex series of processes involved within the cycles of energy, elements, water and organisms we would really need to imagine a spider?s web in three or even four dimensions.

About the authors

Pablo Canales-Prati and Kajo Stelter bith completed their masters?in Agricultural Sciences and Resource Management at the University of?Bonn. The spider web analogy is a novel concept that the team developed to make ecosystem?restoration?more?intuitive?for the layman reader.

?

Source: http://www.sustainablebusinesstoolkit.com/spider-web-analogy-principles-of-ecological-restoration-and-agriculture/

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Catalan separatists push referendum, Madrid will try to block

BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - The leaders of Catalonia's two biggest political forces signed a pact on Wednesday to overcome their enormous divide on economic and social issues and defy Madrid by holding a referendum on secession from Spain in 2014.

Growing Catalan separatism is a political headache for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who is struggling to keep Spain's finances on track and dodge an international bailout. Vice President Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said on Wednesday the government would try to block the referendum in the courts.

It is still unclear how and when the vote can be legally organized but the deal will have more direct consequences for Spain's push to control regional finances as the two parties have agreed not to implement more spending cuts.

The agreement between the center-right Convergence and Union alliance, or CiU, and the radical Republican Left, or ERC, falls short of a governing coalition but the ERC will support CiU's budget and the two will push together for the referendum.

"We will face a lot of adversaries, powerful ones, without scruples," CiU leader Artur Mas said at the signing. But he said that acting together the CiU and ERC had enough power in the local parliament to push ahead with the vote.

A deep recession and unemployment have stoked separatism in Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain that generates one-fifth of the country's economy and has its own language and distinct culture.

Mas, who has implemented unpopular spending cuts, held early elections November 25 to test support for his new drive for independence for Catalonia. Many Catalans believe that their region will be better off economically if it leaves Spain, saying that too many of their taxes go to help out poorer regions.

In the election Mas's CiU alliance ended up with 50 seats in the local legislature, losing 12 seats, while the traditional separatist party ERC gained 11 seats and has 21.

Together they have an absolute majority in the 135-seat Catalan parliament.

However, it will be an uneasy alliance. The ERC has opposed CiU's policy of deficit cutting, which has hit social services, schools and hospitals in the last two years.

To win over the ERC, CiU has shown willingness to place levies that will hit the wealthiest Catalans and impose a tax on bank deposits. The ERC has signaled it is willing to make concessions in order to get to the referendum.

Analysts said shared passion for the referendum could make the unlikely alliance hold for two years.

"I'm not naive enough to say it will be easy, but I believe the pact will last through the referendum," said Salvador Cardus, professor of sociology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

"There is a strong personal commitment between the two leaders for Catalans to express their opinion about their political future."

Constitutional scholars said that there will be many legal twists and turns over the next two years, but that Catalonia will probably be able to hold some form of public consultation, though it may end up being a non-binding or symbolic vote.

Unlike the self-determination effort in Scotland, which has received the go-ahead from the conservative government of British Prime Minister David Cameron, Catalonia will probably have to test various alternatives, said Ferran Requejo, political science professor at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona.

Mas's government will likely pass a Referendum Law in the Catalan legislature, Requejo said, which is likely to be struck down by the Constitutional Court.

"Eventually this will probably be played out in an international legal context, beginning with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights," he said, referring to the United Nations agreement in force since 1976 that allows for self-determination. "Spain signed that pact."

(Editing by Fiona Ortiz and Julien Toyer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/catalan-separatists-push-referendum-madrid-try-block-165225781.html

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