How Can I Downsize My Ridiculously Large Wallet?

Dear Lifehacker,
My wallet bulges with a ton of junk in it. I'd like to downsize it as much as possible, but I'm not even sure where to start. How can I get this wallet down to a reasonable size?

Sincerely,
Leaning Left

Dear LL,
A bulging wallet is no joke. Thankfully, a quick audit of everything in there and some digitizing makes it easy to ditch that bulky lump and move onto something smaller. Here's how to do it.

Audit Your Wallet

The first thing you need to do is empty out your wallet and give everything you have in there a good once over. Over time, you accumulate a lot of junk?receipts, business cards, sticky notes with random phone numbers, a strange collection of to-dos from 2008?so, pick through everything and throw away everything you absolutely will never need.

Now, you probably still have a few things in front of you. Maybe a couple business cards you need to keep, a few club cards for local stores, credit cards, your ID, insurance forms, membership cards, that free sandwich card you've had for a year, and (hopefully) some cash. A lot of this stuff can be stored on your smartphone. If you're not sure what you really need to keep on hand all the time, financial blog Dumb Little Man recommends sticking to the 1-2-2 rule:

Credit and debit cards are a little easier. If you have more than 2 cards in your wallet you may need to rethink your credit and spending habits. Just carry the two credit or debit cards with the lowest rate on them. You'll be forced to save money if you don't have a plethora of cards to choose from...

I try to follow a 1-2-2 rule: 1 ID, 2 forms of payment cards, and 2 insurance cards (Health and Auto) and that usually does it.

The idea here is to take a look at the contents of your wallet and think about the last time you used a card. Do you really need that dental insurance card in your wallet all the time when you only use it once or twice a year? Probably not, and you can store that elsewhere for the bulk of the year. Obviously your exact needs might change (that sandwich card isn't going anywhere until it's used), but if you slim everything down to just what you need paper copies of, everything else?from club cards to business cards?can be stored on a smartphone. Photo by Charles Kremenak.

Digitize and Combine All Your Extra Cards

We walked you through the process of replacing you wallet with your phone a couple years ago, but things have changed a bit since then and a lot of great options exist depending on what you need.

If you just need to wrangle in all those club cards, Just One Club Card is still the easiest way to do it. Just enter in up to eight club card numbers, and Just One Club Card makes a printable card with all the numbers on it. It's simple, doesn't require a smartphone, and works for any card with a barcode.

If you want to step it up a little and get everything organized into your smartphone, we like a couple of different options. For the security minded, we like LastPass Wallet on iOS (no Android version yet, but Pocket offers a nice secure system for storing the same info). You can securely store info like credit cards, bank accounts, and even your driver's license. You can also add in notes so you're not carrying out a slip of paper with your PIN number on it.

If you're the type of person who gets and stores a ton of business cards in your wallet, then Evernote Hello is worth a look. All you need to do is snap a picture and Hello adds all the important info directly to your Evernote account so you don't need to carry around those 50 business cards you got at the last conference you attended.

For pretty much everything else, we like Lemon (Android/iOS/Windows Phone) because it can handle tons of the stuff you'd store in your wallet. You can take a picture of club cards, credit cards, rewards cards, and even your receipts. When you do, you're offered up a clean, easy to use interface that makes it easy to access what you need right away. If you're an iOS user, you can also add all your info into Passbook. I've used Lemon for a while with my club cards and while it might look a little weird scanning your phone at Safeway, it works just fine.

Keep Your Wallet from Getting Too Big With a Slimmer Alternative

If you want to keep you wallet slimmed down in the future you're going to need to ditch your fat old one. For one, everything's probably falling out now that it's stretched out, but if you want to keep up your new habit you want a wallet that can't hold that much.

You have a ton of options here: you can make something yourself with a strip of elastic, a dollar bill, or a binder clip. Otherwise, a simple money clip, or any slim billfold will work. The less you can pack into it, the better.

Good luck,
Lifehacker

Have a question or suggestion for Ask Lifehacker? Send it to tips+asklh@lifehacker.com.

Title photo remixed from Kellis (Shutterstock).

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Outrage, sadness as Americans barred from adopting Russian children

NBC News

Sonia greets her new parents, Kristina and Rich England.

By Jim Maceda, Correspondent, NBC News

BRYANSK, Russia --?Kristi and Rich England of Marshall, Minn., shook with nerves and joy on their fourth and last trip to an orphanage in Bryansk, in?rural Russia. ?

They were finally taking Sonia, a partially blind and hyperactive 3-year-old, home with them.?The tearful Feb. 12 meeting, punctuated by Sonia?s screams of ?mama? and ?dada,? was all the more emotional because the Englands knew that they were the last lucky couple to leave Russia with an adopted child.?

?So many other families have seen their children and have loved their children and can?t bring them home,? said Kristi England, 34, a family doctor. ?It?s so unfair in so many ways.?

Those already undergoing the costly process of adopting a child from Russia found out Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a law barring any future adoptions, canceling the ones in progress. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.

The process wasn?t easy ? the Englands endured multiple background checks and spent at least $50,000 to ensure that Sonia, now called Sophia, could go home with them.

But the ban signed into law on Dec. 28 barring all U.S. adoptions ? which numbered more than 60,000 over the past two decades ? has marooned hundreds of families in the middle of adopting, and stranded thousands of children in orphanages throughout Russia.??

"We should do all we can so that orphaned children find a family in our country, in Russia," President Vladimir Putin said in defense of the ban.

Fueling the outrage in Russia over the fate of children adopted by Americans, Russian media reported earlier this week that Alexander Abnosov, 18, showed up in the Volga River port town of Cheboksary saying his adoptive family had mistreated him. He had left Russia five years earlier, having been adopted by a family outside Philadelphia, but said he fled after suffering from verbal abuse by his adoptive mother. ?

"She would make any small problem big and always try to find a reason to shout at you," he told Russia?s state-owned Channel 1.

While UNICEF estimates there are about 740,000 children not in parental custody in Russia, only about 18,000 Russians are on the waiting list to adopt.?

But while Putin denies any direct connection, Kremlin-watchers say the ban is really about geopolitics and not about protecting kids.

NBC News

Russian child psychologist Valentina Rakova Valentina (left) stands with Kristina and Richard England and newly adopted Sonia in an orphanage in Bryansk, rural Russia.

They say it was retaliation by Moscow for an American law banning any Russian human rights violators from U.S. soil, enacted after the suspicious death in prison of Sergey Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer working for Heritage Fund, an American private equity firm.?

Russian media didn't hesitate to bolster the official line. ?

Despite the negative reports, child psychologist Valentina Rakova, who has worked in the Bryansk orphanage for 30 years, says the ban is terrible for children.?

?Here in Russia we have many examples of bad parents -- even worse than these American cases -- where kids are just tossed out,? she said as she coiffed Sonia, who requires special medical attention.

?A child like Sonia, no Russian would accept her,? Rakova said. ?Before the ban, orphans were offered to Russian families but no one took them in.??

Rakova's experience confirms the U.N.'s statistics. As far as she has seen, Americans are far more likely to adopt children who are ill or suffer from a disability.

Becky Preece, a housewife from Nampa, Idaho, is one such American. ?

She was finally able to take home 4-year-old Gabe, who has Down syndrome, in February, after years of filling out paperwork and a court battle. ?

Preece, who like the Englands beat the ban by days but was then delayed by red tape, said she saw a complete disconnect between the horrors of Russia?s adoption ban and the kindness and hospitality of the Russians themselves.?

NBC News

Becky Preece from Nampa, Idaho, adopted 4-year-old Gabe just days before the ban on Americans adopting Russian orphans went into force.

?It?s not a matter of the people,? she said while walking with the little boy in the thick Moscow snow.

?It?s politically charged and it?s something that is hard for us to understand because it?s so different from the experience that we?ve had here.?

Preece said she was excited to get Gabe into school back home, and watch him bond with his new brother who also has Down syndrome.?

?They need the infrastructure, they need the kind of support that we get at home for our children,? she said.?

But for the hundreds of American families who missed the cut and are now unable to bring their adoptive children home, the future could mean months -- even years -- of waiting and praying that the two superpower rivals find common ground before more of society?s most vulnerable pay the price.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jim Maceda is a London-based correspondent who has covered the Soviet Union and Russia since the 1980s.?

Related:

Boy's Christmas wish: Adoption of little brother caught in US-Russia spat

Thousands march in Moscow to protest Russian adoption ban

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UPS pays $40 million to end online pharmacies probe

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Shipping company UPS agreed Friday to pay $40 million to end a federal criminal probe connected to deliveries it made for illicit online pharmacies.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Atlanta-based company would also "take steps" to block illicit online drug dealers from using their delivery service.

The DOJ said the fine amount is the money UPS collected from suspect online pharmacies. UPS won't be charged with any crimes.

"We believe we have an obligation and responsibility to help curb the sale and shipment of drugs sold through illegal Internet pharmacies," UPS spokesman Bill Tanner said. "UPS will pay a $40 million penalty and has agreed to enhance its compliance policies with respect to Internet pharmacy shippers."

Its biggest rival, FedEx Corp., still remains a target in the federal investigation, according to its March 21 quarterly report filed with the Security and Exchange Commission.

"We believe that our employees have acted in good faith at all times," FedEx stated in its regulatory filing. "We do not believe that we have engaged in any illegal activities and will vigorously defend ourselves in any action that may result from the investigation."

FedEx said it received subpoenas from a federal grand jury in San Francisco in 2008 and 2009. The San Francisco U.S. Attorney's office has played a central role in a nationwide crackdown on online pharmacies. Ten people with ties to online pharmacies have been convicted over the last two years.

"It is unclear what federal laws UPS may have violated," FedEx said in statement Friday. "We remain confident that we are in compliance with federal law."

The DOJ said some UPS employees knew the company was making deliveries between 2003 and 2010 for pharmacies that filled orders for dangerous drugs without proper prescriptions from doctors.

"Despite being on notice that this activity was occurring, UPS did not implement procedures to close the shipping accounts of Internet," the DOJ said in a prepared statement.

FedEx said federal investigators have declined to supply it with a list of suspect pharmacies. The company said it "can immediately shut off shipping services to those pharmacies" if given such a list.

A DOJ spokesman declined to comment about the FedEx investigation.

In a prepared statement announcing the UPS settlement, Food and Drug Administration criminal chief John Roth said the "FDA is hopeful that the positive actions taken by UPS in this case will send a message to other shipping firms to put public health and safety above profits."

Earlier this week, a federal judge in San Francisco sentenced Chris Napoli to four years in prison and ordered to forfeit $24 million his illicit pharmacy Safescripts Online earned between 2004 and 2006. Two other men were sentenced to prison along with Napoli. Receipts from UPS and FedEx were used as evidence in the trio's trial last year.

In 2011, Google Inc. agreed to pay $500 million to settle allegations by the Justice Department that it profited from ads for illegal online pharmacies.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ups-pays-40m-end-online-pharmacies-probe-173535406--finance.html

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Monounsaturated fats reduce metabolic syndrome risk

Mar. 29, 2013 ? Canola oil and high-oleic canola oils can lower abdominal fat when used in place of other selected oil blends, according to a team of American and Canadian researchers. The researchers also found that consuming certain vegetable oils may be a simple way of reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome, which affects about one in three U.S. adults and one in five Canadian adults.

"The monounsaturated fats in these vegetable oils appear to reduce abdominal fat, which in turn may decrease metabolic syndrome risk factors," said Penny Kris-Etherton, Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, Penn State.

In the randomized, controlled trial, 121 participants at risk for metabolic syndrome received a daily smoothie containing 40 grams (1.42 ounces) of one of five oils as part of a weight maintenance, heart-healthy, 2000-calorie per day diet. Members of the group had five risk factors characterized by increased belly fat, low "good" hdl cholesterol and above average blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides that increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The researchers repeated this process for the remaining four oils.

The results were presented at the American Heart Association's EPI/NPAM 2013 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.

Results showed that those who consumed canola or high-oleic canola oils on a daily basis for four weeks lowered their belly fat by 1.6 percent compared to those who consumed a flax/safflower oil blend. Abdominal fat was unchanged by the other two oils, which included a corn/safflower oil blend and high-oleic canola oil enriched with an algal source of the omega-3 DHA. Both the flax/safflower and corn/safflower oil blends were low in monounsaturated fat.

According to the American Heart Association, many of the factors that contribute to metabolic syndrome can be addressed by a healthy diet, exercise and weight loss, which can significantly reduce health risks of this condition.

"It is evident that further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms that account for belly fat loss on a diet high in monounsaturated fatty acids," said Kris-Etherton. "Our study indicates that simple dietary changes, such as using vegetable oils high in monounsaturated fatty acids, may reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and therefore heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes."

Other authors on the paper include Peter Jones and Shuaihua Pu of the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg; Sheila West, Xiaoran Liu, Jennifer Fleming and Cindy McCrea of Penn State; Ben?it Lamarche and Patrick Couture of Laval University in Quebec; and David Jenkins of the University of Toronto.

The government of Canada, the Canola Council of Canada and Dow Agrosciences funded this research.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Penn State. The original article was written by Sara La Jeunesse.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/heart_disease/~3/Eac2g9OseEk/130329125110.htm

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Southampton beats Chelsea 2-1 in Premier League

Associated Press Sports

updated 2:02 p.m. ET March 30, 2013

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) -Rickie Lambert scored for the 14th time in his first Premier League season as Southampton beat Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday to edge closer to securing its status in the top flight.

The highest scoring Englishman in the league this season struck from a free kick in the 35th minute only two minutes after Chelsea captain John Terry had cancelled out Jay Rodriguez's 23rd-minute opening goal at St. Mary's Stadium.

After also beating Liverpool last round, Southampton rose two spots to 13th, four points above the relegation zone with seven matches left.

The result endangers Chelsea's bid to finish in the top four and qualify for the Champions League. The reigning European champions are only two points ahead of fifth-place Arsenal after their first league loss in five weeks.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Nobody is declaring a state of drought in California, but ...

When snow surveyors headed into the Sierra Nevada on Thursday for the most important measurement of the season, they found only about half the snowpack that is normal for the date.

It could have been a lot worse ? considering that the last three months in California have been the driest of any January-through-March period on record, going back to 1895.

It has been a winter of extremes in the state, beginning with an unusually wet November and December and ending with a string of parched months. "It's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ? the changes we've had," said climatologist Kelly Redmond of the Western Regional Climate Center.

Storage in the state's two largest reservoirs, Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville, is a bit above normal for the date, thanks to the big storms in the Northern Sierra that turned the final three months of last year into the 10th-wettest on record for that region.

But with statewide snowpack at only 52% of the norm for this time of year ? when it is usually at its peak ? state and federal water managers are expecting below-normal runoff this spring and falling reservoir levels.

Although no one is declaring drought, the state last week cut projected water deliveries to Southern California. And farmers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley may get only a fifth of the federal irrigation supplies they have contracts for.

The delivery cutbacks have underscored problems with getting supplies through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the perennial bottleneck in north-to-south water shipments.

Water officials say protections for the imperiled delta smelt severely restricted delta pumping when the early winter storms were pouring water into the system. Had a controversial diversion system proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown's administration been in place, they say the big government water projects could have shipped a lot more water south to the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.

"If we had that delta fix in place, we'd have moved another 800,000 acre-feet plus already," said Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. (One acre-foot is enough to supply two average families for a year.)

Metropolitan is a major backer ? and future funder ? of a proposed $14-billion tunnel system, which would carry supplies from the Sacramento River to existing pumps in the south delta. Proponents hope that changing the diversion point will improve the ecological health of the delta and loosen environmental restrictions on pumping. Opponents, who include delta farmers and commercial salmon fishermen, say the answer to the delta's problems is to take less water from it, not to construct two massive tunnels they fear will increase exports.

Although the State Water Project, which supplies Metropolitan, expects to meet only 35% of contractor requests this year, Kightlinger said Metropolitan has ample reserves stored in the Southland to tide the region over. "We're in solid, solid shape," he said.

It is rare that the giant Westlands Water District and other irrigation districts on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley get full contract deliveries from the federal Central Valley Project. But this year's allocation of 20% is particularly low, eliciting protests that the west side's farm economy is being sacrificed for the delta smelt.

"The decrease in our water allocation once again demonstrates how broken the state's water system has become.... Our priorities are misaligned," Tom Birmingham, Westlands' general manager, said in a statement. He said fields will be left unplanted for lack of water.

But the west side's supply picture is not as bad as a 20% allocation would suggest. According to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Westlands and other districts have about 400,000 acre-feet stored in San Luis Reservoir, the south-of-the-delta holding pool shared by the federal and state water projects. More than half of that amount is left over from last year's deliveries and the rest was purchased from other irrigation districts.

Elsewhere in the Central Valley, farmers with senior rights to large volumes of water on the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers will get 100% of their contract supplies this year.

Metropolitan is also expecting normal deliveries from the Colorado River, even though the Colorado Basin remains stuck in a stubborn drought. A wet year in 2011 boosted levels of the Colorado's two main reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Two years ago Powell was the fullest it had been in a decade, raising hopes that the drought was finally easing.

But since then the Colorado's flow has been well below average. The river system's total storage is only 54% full, compared with 63% last year.

"We are closer than ever to getting shortage" on the Colorado, Kightlinger said.

bettina.boxall@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/zScLuSS1e_U/la-me-water-dry-20130329,0,4305768.story

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MIDEAST STOCKS-Saudi stocks inch higher in early trade

0818GMT- Saudi stocks open slightly higher in early trade on Saturday.

The all-share index rises 0.05 percent to 7178.75 points.

Al Rajhi Bank, the kingdom's largest listed lender, rises 0.38 percent. Saudi

Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), the world's biggest petrochemical company by market

value, is down 0.26 percent.

The banking index is up 0.13 percent and the petrochemicals index drops

0.13 percent.

Crude futures rose on Thursday, the last session of the first quarter, in choppy trading

with stronger Wall Street equities and a weaker dollar supporting dollar-denominated oil prices.

The S&P 500 set a record closing high on Thursday, finishing a fifth consecutive month of

gains to extend a four-year rally.

(Reporting by Reem Shamseddine; Editing by Angus McDowall)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mideast-stocks-saudi-stocks-inch-higher-early-trade-082415400--sector.html

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Afghanistan car bomb injures British troops, underscores transition hurdles (+video)

On the heels of Secretary of State Kerry's surprise visit to Afghanistan, two separate attacks injured at least 15 Afghans. The Taliban claimed responsibility for one.

By Ryan Lenora Brown,?Correspondent / March 26, 2013

An Afghan National Army soldier and US forces arrive to the scene after eight suicide bombers attacked a police headquarters in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Tuesday, killing five police officers and wounding four others, a security official said.

Rahmat Gul/AP

Enlarge

As Secretary of State John Kerry met with President Hamid Karzai and oversaw the symbolic handoff of a major military prison on a surprise visit to Afghanistan this week, a suicide bombing killed five police officers in the eastern city of Jalalabad Tuesday.

Skip to next paragraph Ryan Lenora Brown

Correspondent

Ryan Brown edits the Africa Monitor blog and contributes to the national and international news desks of the Monitor. She is a former Fulbright fellow to South Africa and holds a degree in history from Duke University.?

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On Monday Afghanistan took full control of Bagram prison from the United States, healing one running sore in their testy relationship as US-led forces wind down more than a decade of war.

The Taliban quickly?claimed responsibility for today?s attack, which also injured at least five Afghans at the police headquarters in the provincial capital, according to the Associated Press. ?In a separate incident today a car bomb blast injured at least 10 British troops?on a patrol base in Helmand Province, according to the Guardian.?

The timing of the violence highlights the major security challenges that remain as the United States attempts to wind down a decade of intensive military presence in the country and hand control to the Afghans.

The attacks came just hours after Secretary Kerry and President Karzai held a rosy news conference in Kabul on the state of US-Afghan relations, which have undergone particular strain in recent weeks after?Karzai accused the US?of working with the Taliban to deliberately keep the country weak.

(For more on the costs of the US war effort, read about the $610 million late fee Washington is currently paying on shipping containers it rented to ship home military equipment.)?

But during his trip, Kerry?was glowing in his appraisal of Karzai, declaring that he and the president were ?on the same page? when it came to Afghan security and reconciliation.

"I am confident the president [Karzai] does not believe the US has any interest except to see the Taliban come to the table to make peace and that we are completely cooperative with the government of Afghanistan with respect to the protection of their efforts and their people," Kerry told reporters.

Monday?s meeting was a pivot from the prickly interaction between Karzai and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Mr. Hagel?s own trip to the country earlier this month. During that visit, Hagel and Karzai abruptly called off a joint press conference after tense closed-door negotiations failed to yield progress on key diplomatic questions, including the transfer of a key US-controlled prison to Afghan hands.

The American military formally ceded control of all but a ?small number? of prisoners in that facility, known as Bagram Prison, to the Afghans during Kerry?s visit Monday.

This marks the formal completion of a transfer of 4,000 Bagram prisoners that began a year ago, but hit several snags over perceived security threats. The US military, however, will continue to hold in its custody around 50 high-level foreign prisoners considered ?enduring security threats,? along with hundreds of Afghans arrested since the initial transfer deal was authorized last March,?reports Russia Today.

Despite its limitations, however, the transfer has potent symbolic value for Afghanistan,?writes The New York Times.

Bagram Prison was the most flagrant symbol of Mr. Karzai?s lack of control. Americans detained several thousand Afghans there, and Mr. Karzai had no power to release them. His effort to wrest the prison from the Americans began in earnest more than year ago, and?nearly succeeded?at least twice, most recently two weeks ago, a day before Mr. Hagel?s first visit.

Each time, American military commanders backed out because of worries that the Afghans might release Taliban prisoners, who would return to the battlefield and endanger American soldiers. This time, despite those concerns, the transfer went forward.

?It?s about a shift that?s going on in how the U.S. is looking at what?s important,? said one American official knowledgeable about detention issues. ?We have to look at the larger picture: What?s the U.S. strategic interest here???

Kerry rounded out his visit Tuesday by?meeting with democracy activists and female entrepreneurs?at the American Embassy in Kabul. There, he traded headers with the captain of the Afghan women?s national soccer team and lauded civic leaders preparing for the 2014 elections, according to the Associated Press.?

"You're engaged in a remarkable effort and the whole world is watching," Kerry said.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/OGbc36zzMNA/Afghanistan-car-bomb-injures-British-troops-underscores-transition-hurdles-video

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Vizio brings pricing and release information to spring line of laptops and desktops

For those opting to "replace" instead of "clean" this spring, Vizio's got a bit of news for you -- the outfit's latest line of touch-friendly laptops and desktops now have firm pricing details to pore over. Starting with the portables, the 14-inch Touch Thin + Light (CT14T-B0) will ship soon with an AMD A10 APU and a base price of $1,089.99; the Core i7-equipped CT14T-B1, however, will start at $1,419.99. For those needing a bit more screen to stare at, the 15.6-inch versions of these guys will go for $1,189.99 (AMD A10) / $1,469.99 (Intel Core i7). Sliding over to desktops, the 24-inch Touch All-in-One (CA24T-B0) will ship momentarily for $1,279.99 with an AMD A10 APU, while the Core i7-infused CA24T-B1 will start at $1,439.99 and the 27-inch CA27T-B1 will get going at $1,549.99. As you'd expect, Windows 8 will find itself on home across the entire range, and those looking to buy in immediately can do so at the source links below.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Tablets

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Source: Vizio, Microsoft Store

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Michael Dell spoke with Blackstone during "go-shop"

By Greg Roumeliotis

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Dell Inc founder and CEO Michael Dell met with private equity firms Blackstone Group LP and Francisco Partners during the computer maker's "go-shop" period, a person familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The meetings, which took place on March 7 and 8, will be disclosed in Dell's proxy statement on Friday and indicate Blackstone explored early on the possibility of keeping Michael Dell as CEO in a bid to take over the company, the person said on condition of anonymity because the information was not yet public.

Michael Dell also met this week with Blackstone's senior managing directors Dave Johnson and Chinh Chu, although the outcome of these discussions has yet to become clear, the person added.

Blackstone and Dell declined to comment.

The company set up a special committee to evaluate all options for the world's No. 3 PC maker, a move to placate concerns over potential conflicts of interest facing Michael Dell. The CEO owns 15.7 percent of the company he started in 1984 out of his college dorm room with $1,000.

Following a 45-day go-shop period that expired last week, Dell received two alternative preliminary takeover offers that sought to top a $24.4 billion deal Dell had reached with its founder and buyout firm Silver Lake to go private

One offer was from Blackstone, Francisco and Insight Venture Management and the other was from billionaire Carl Icahn, who has amassed a roughly $1 billion stake in the Round Rock, Texas-based company.

Icahn has proposed paying $15 per share for 58 percent of Dell. Blackstone has indicated it can pay more than $14.25 per share for the whole of the company, all in cash or partly in shares, thereby also leaving Dell as a publicly listed company. Silver Lake's $13.65 per share all-cash offer would see Dell go private.

Dell said on Monday that Blackstone's and Icahn's proposals could reasonably be expected to result in superior offers, and that it would continue negotiations with both parties to secure superior bids that are binding and financed.

Michael Dell has expressed concerns that Blackstone's offer would dismantle the PC maker he founded in 1984, two people close to Michael Dell familiar with the matter have previously told Reuters.

The founder is worried that the buyout firm's plans would be inconsistent with his strategy to reinvest in the company, the people added.

Blackstone has already made an unsuccessful push to recruit Oracle Corp President Mark Hurd to run Dell if it takes over the company, one source familiar with the situation said last week.

(Reporting by Gregory Roumeliotis; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David Gregorio)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/michael-dell-spoke-blackstone-during-shop-source-155247372--sector.html

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91% The Gatekeepers

All Critics (70) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (64) | Rotten (6)

The film and its talking head participants paint the picture in both broad strokes and fine detail.

Whatever one's political stripe regarding Israel, it's hard to dispute the impressions and perspective of the film's six eyewitnesses.

The level of candor here may not satisfy hard-liners of either stripe, but it can help viewers begin to formulate new questions about the philosophical, strategic and moral challenges of conflict, in particular "wars on terror."

Ultimately the movie feels evasive, and its flashy, digitally animated re-creations of military surveillance footage unpleasantly evoke the Call of Duty video games.

It offers startlingly honest insight into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from some of those who called the shots.

As a political testament, the result is revealing and important.

Moreh gets some startling confessions and insights from each man but also misses the opportunity to truly challenge his subjects on their regard for democracy, basic human rights and their own accountability.

Director Dror Moreh doesn't rest on his scoop

A powerful look inside the Israeli defense establishment

A deadly serious and detailed examination of and meditation upon the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, The Gatekeepers makes no attempt to find a silver lining.

The rule of surveillance is to keep quiet and let others do the talking. The Oscar-nominated documentary The Gatekeepers flips the script, to astonishing effect, giving voice to the retired directors of Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency.

An up-close and personal look at the psychology of war -- their war and, by extension, all war.

A riveting firsthand account of how legitimate security concerns can lead to policies considered extreme and even immoral by the people administering them.

Extraordinary...not only an engrossing first-hand account of Israel's Palestinian policies over time, but one that may have lessons to teach both Israeli leaders and other nations confronting those they identify as terrorists.

Unprecedented and deeply unsettling, it offers little hope for a lasting peace in that war-torn region.

For its candor and impact, deserves to be seen and discussed.

An often remarkable Israeli documentary about Shin Bet, the country's internal security agency.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_gatekeepers_2012/

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NY Construction Law Update: Performing "home improvement" work ...

Most contractors know, or should know, that if they are performing "home improvement" work within Suffolk County then they must have a home improvement contractor's license issued by the Suffolk County Department of Consumer Affairs. ?If you have no license, in addition to being fined and cited for the violations, you waive your right to payment (and your right to file a mechanic's lien). ?However, what few contractors realize is that three towns within Suffolk County have their own home improvement licensing process and requirements.

Assuming the contractor did pay attention during the application process for the Suffolk County home?improvement?contractor's license, he or she was tipped off that three towns in Suffolk have their own rules. ?The application materials make it very clear that the Suffolk County home improvement license does not apply to the Townships of Southampton, East Hampton or Shelter Island. ?This is because those towns have their own home improvement license rules.

Under New York's Municipal Home Rule Law, a County's (such as Suffolk) authority to require a home improvement license is limited to those towns where the town itself does not have its own?licensing?or regulatory scheme. ?This results in a situation where a contractor performing home improvement work may have a Suffolk County home improvement license but not one for Southampton, East Hampton or Shelter Island and, if work is performed in those towns, the contractor is out of luck and risks non-payment.

However, this is not a clear black and white rule. ?Southampton, East Hampton, Shelter Island and Suffolk County do not have identical definitions of home improvement work. ?For example, Shelter Island specifically says that a home?improvement?license is not required for landscaping work while the Suffolk County Code says that a home improvement license is required for landscaping work. ?This means that in addition to knowing that the Town requires its own license, you have to know whether your work qualifies as home improvement in that particular town. ?If you are performing work in Southampton and have a Southampton home improvement license, but the work you are doing is not specifically regulated by Southampton, but is regulated by Suffolk County, then you need a Suffolk County license to perform the work notwithstanding that the work is in Southampton and you have a Southampton home improvement license. ?On the other hand, if the work is regulated by Southampton and the work simply does not require a license, then no license is required even if Suffolk County requires a license for that work.

I know - its complicated, sometimes absurd, and makes no sense. ?But that is the law in New York, especially when dealing with construction and lien rights.

Vincent T. Pallaci is a partner with the New York law firm of Kushnick | Pallaci, PLLC where his practice concentrates on construction law.

Source: http://newyorkconstructionlawupdate.blogspot.com/2013/03/performing-home-improvement-work-in.html

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It Only Hurts When I Laugh: ?Pirates of the Chemotherapy? Earns a ...

The Roxboro Little Theater performed Paul Schutte?s ?Pirates of the Chemotherapy? on March 22-24 at the Kirby Theater

EDITOR?S NOTE: Dawn Reno Langley is a Durham, NC-based author who writes novels, poetry, children?s books, and nonfiction books on many subjects, as well as theater reviews. She is also Dean of General Education and Developmental Studies at Piedmont Community College in Roxboro, where she oversees the theater program at the Kirby Cultural Arts Complex, and a member of the Person County Arts Council. To read all of Dawn Langley?s Triangle Review reviews online at Triangle Arts & Entertainment, click http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/author/dawn-reno-langle/. To read more of her writings, click http://dawnrenolangley.blogspot.com/ and http://poetryandgardening.blogspot.com/.

Anyone who?s had a mammogram can understand why Judith (Tina Powell Kennedy), one of the lead characters in Paul Schutte?s Pirates of the Chemotherapy, puts off having the test until it?s too late. That all-too-common reality was only one of many reality checks brought to the stage in the performance by the Roxboro Little Theater, under the direction of Pam Barth, on March 22-24 at the Kirby Cultural Arts Center in Roxboro, NC.

A metaphor for the ways in which pirates and breast cancer survivors share both their missing ?parts? and their strengths, the dramatic comedy celebrates how both are challenged by life?s adversities and choose to fight, even when the only thing they have left is their will to survive. With six local women in the leads, this simple production launches itself into the hearts of the audience, most of whom can name a relative or friend who has taken on the breast cancer battle. The stories each of the six characters in the play tell resonate with both the female and male members of the audience. Judith?s reluctance to have a mammogram evokes knowing nods from the women, whereas Doris? (Maggie Bonafair) blatant sexuality arouses guffaws from both males and females alike.

Playwright Paul Schutte?s delicate balance between characterization and caricature is deftly handled by the play?s director. Pam Barth, an actress herself, has coached her actresses to embody their personas with both understanding and understatement. For example, though Doris? brassiness can tend to be over the top, she tempers it with empathy for twenty-something Peace (Madeline Phillips), who claims to be the reincarnated grandmother of Marilyn Monroe.

Jan Kerr?s character Nancy, the motherly founder of the group, takes no guff from Doris (often telling her ?Shut up, Doris?); but Nancy is a traditional woman whose support for the group goes so far that she covers her own already-growing hair in order to maintain solidarity with the other women. Winnie, played by Karla A. Mitchell, battles her cancer the same way she battled her cocaine addiction: with a tough urban spirit and a wry sense of humor. Though each of the woman has her own battles, they all pull together for Karen (Kim Demetriades) when her husband takes everything she has and leaves.

When Winnie suggests that the women battle their disease in a humorous, strong manner reminiscent of the way handless/eyeless pirates battled their enemies, the relationships between the women strengthen and the comedic aspects of the play take over. Throughout the stories spun by the cohort of women who have come together in a breast cancer support group, dramatist Paul Schutte also underlines the unique ways in which cancer attacks each person whose body it invades, as well as the inimitable differences of the people themselves. This is a story about strength and perseverance in the face of practically devastating odds. It is also the story of the power of women when they bond through laughter and adversity. Many studies have shown that laughter is the best medicine; and by offering this production, the Kirby Cultural Arts Complex also succeeds in delivering a powerful show that has made a difference in donating its proceeds to the Relay for Life for Cancer Research.

The Kirby Cultural Arts Center performance season will end this season?s performance series with Sweet Potato Pie with the Church Sisters, a night of bluegrass performances delivered by ?sweetgrass? female voices at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13th.

PIRATES OF THE CHEMOTHERAPY (Roxboro Little Theater, March 22-24 at the Kirby Theater in Roxboro, NC).

SHOW: http://www.personcounty.net/index.aspx?page=191&recordid=1072.

VENUE: http://www.personcounty.net/index.aspx?page=387.

OTHER LINKS:

Pirates of the Chemotherapy (background): http://www.piratesofthechemotherapy.com/ (official website) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pirates-of-the-Chemotherapy/125933590755873 (Facebook page).

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Tagged as: Kirby Cultural Arts Center, Pam Barth, Paul Schutte, Pirates of the Chemotherapy, Roxboro Little Theater

Source: http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/2013/03/it-only-hurts-when-i-laugh-pirates-of-the-chemotherapy-earns-a-hearty-argh/

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Craft beer bills pass out of the Senate (Offthekuff)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/295153767?client_source=feed&format=rss

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GOP moves to catch up with Democrats on technology

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republicans are moving aggressively to repair their technological shortcomings from the 2012 election, opening a new tech race to counter a glaring weakness against President Barack Obama.

With the blessing of party leaders, a new crop of Republican-backed outside groups is developing tools to improve communication with voters, predict their behavior and track Democratic opponents. After watching Obama win re-election with the aid of an unprecedented technological machine, GOP officials concede an urgent need for major changes in the way they reach voters. They are turning to a younger generation of tech experts expected to play a bigger role in the 2014 midterm elections and beyond.

"I think everybody realized that the party is really far behind at the moment and they're doing everything within their realistic sphere of influence to catch up," said Bret Jacobson, a partner with Red Edge, a Virginia-based digital advocacy firm that represents the Republican Governors Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Heritage Foundation.

Alex Skatell, former digital director for the GOP's gubernatorial and Senate campaign operations, leads a new group that has been quietly testing a system that would allow Republicans to share details about millions of voters ? their personal interests, group affiliations and even where they went to school. Democrats began using related technology years ago, giving Obama a significant advantage last fall in personalizing communication with prospective supporters.

With no primary opponent last year, Obama's re-election team used the extra time to build a large campaign operation melding a grass-roots army of 2.2 million volunteers with groundbreaking technology to target voters. They tapped about 17 million email subscribers to raise nearly $700 million online.

Data-driven analytics enabled the campaign to run daily simulations to handicap battleground states, analyze demographic trends and test alternatives for reaching voters online.

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, in contrast, had only a few months after a lengthy primary fight to try to match Obama's tech advantage. He couldn't make up the difference. Romney's technology operation was overwhelmed by the intense flow of data and temporarily crashed on Election Day.

A 100-page report on how to rebound from the 2012 election, released last week by Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus, includes several technology recommendations.

"The president's campaign significantly changed the makeup of the national electorate and identified, persuaded and turned out low-propensity voters by unleashing a barrage of human and technological resources previously unseen in a presidential contest," the report said. "Marrying grass-roots politics with technology and analytics, they successfully contacted, persuaded and turned out their margin of victory. There are many lessons to be learned from their efforts, particularly with respect to voter contact."

Skatell, 26, is leading one new effort by Republican allies to fill the void. His team of designers, software developers and veteran Republican strategists is now testing what he calls an "almost an eHarmony for matching volunteers with persuadable voters" that would let campaigns across the country share details in real time on voter preferences, harnessing social media like Facebook and Twitter.

Other groups are working to improve the GOP's data and digital performance.

The major Republican ally, American Crossroads, which spent a combined $175 million on the last election with its sister organization, hosted private meetings last month focused on data and technology. Drawing from technology experts in Silicon Valley, the organization helped craft a series of recommendations expected to be rolled out later this year.

"A good action plan that fixes our deficiencies and identifies new opportunities can help us regain our advantage within a cycle or two," said Crossroads spokesman Jonathan Collegio.

A prominent group of Republican aides has also formed America Rising, a company that will have a companion "super" political action committee that can raise unlimited contributions without having to disclose its donors. Its purpose is to counter Democratic opposition research groups, which generated negative coverage of Romney and GOP candidates last year.

America Rising will provide video tracking, opposition research and rapid response for campaign committees, super PACs and individual candidates' campaigns but does not plan to get involved in GOP primaries. It will be led by Matt Rhoades, who served as Romney's campaign manager, and Joe Pounder, the research director for the Republican National Committee. Running its super PAC will be Tim Miller, a former RNC aide and spokesman for former GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman.

Romney and several Republican candidates were monitored closely by camera-toting Democratic aides during the campaign, a gap that Miller said American Rising hopes to fill on behalf of Republicans.

Brad Woodhouse, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, said his party has "a several years' lead on data and analytics infrastructure and we're not standing still."

Of the GOP effort, Woodhouse said, "We don't see them closing the gap anytime soon."

___

Peoples reported from Boston.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gop-moves-catch-democrats-technology-065816379--election.html

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The Best Video Game Consoles (of 1990) | Mental Floss

Image credit:?

YouTube / Computer Chronicles

So it's 1990 and you want to play video games -- but what console do you choose? Or do you stick with a PC or Mac for gaming? In this classic episode of Computer Chronicles, the team explores the latest industry trends -- including the Nintendo World Championships and the NES, the promise of CD-ROM gaming on desktop PCs, the Sega Genesis (including Michael Jackson's Moonwalker which "you can't do on an 8-bit system"), the NEC TurboGrafx-16, plus a visit to video arcade Aladdin's Castle to ask kids why they like playing video games. (The manager of the arcade says, "The child needs a place to vent frustration." He says this as a kid slams buttons on The Main Event.)

Note the demo of Defender of the Crown on CD-ROM (about ten minutes in), and how the commentators mention that the quality of the video is the best available on a PC. That's true for the day -- but, boy, that's rough.

Aside from the gaming content of this episode, there's an awesome news-and-review section at the end. The review of "Banner Mania" is 1990riffic.

You may have noticed by now that I'm doing a week of Computer Chronicles classics -- and stay tuned, because I've got more good ones coming up. If you want more of this excellent show, the series is available for free on Archive.org. Many episodes are on YouTube, and there's a YouTube channel dedicated to the show.

March 27, 2013 - 2:13pm

Source: http://mentalfloss.com/article/49697/best-video-game-consoles-1990

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As interest in kosher food surges, chefs take it gourmet

The market for kosher products is surging ? driven by growing interest among non-Jews ? and with it interest in making kosher cooking more upscale.?

By Christa Case Bryant,?Staff writer / March 25, 2013

Chef Yochanan Lambiase, who in 2004 established the world's first kosher culinary institute, explains what to look for in a fish at a shop in Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market.

Christa Case Bryant / The Christian Science Monitor

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The press of humanity at Jerusalem?s Machane Yehuda market just might cause the uninitiated visitor to do a face-plant in a heap of eggplants.

Skip to next paragraph Christa Case Bryant

Jerusalem bureau chief

Christa Case Bryant is The Christian Science Monitor's Jerusalem bureau chief, providing coverage on Israel and the Palestinian territories as well as regional issues.

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On the eve of Passover, which begins in Israel with tonight?s traditional seder meal, the?shuk?is jammed with everyone from hippie tourists to religious Jews with black hats and tight side curls. Amid the shouts of vendors and the swish of plastic bags, the ultra-Orthodox and ultra-modern jockey for everything from live fish to fresh garlic stalks to rich Israeli cheese and artisan breads. Nearly everything (except the bread) is labeled ?Kosher for Passover.?

?It?s the new and old noodling together. I love the feel of the past and the progression of the future,? says Yochanan Lambiase, a fifth-generation chef who fairly glides through the aisles of Machane Yehuda as he explores the magnificent palette with a small group of journalists. ?That?s very much Israeli society.??

While most of the shoppers here are Jewish, it?s no longer just Jews who are buying food grown and packaged in accordance with Jewish law, especially in North America.

Vegetarians, vegans, Hindus, Seventh-Day Adventists, and even Muslims have been increasingly choosing kosher products, driving a 64 percent growth in the US kosher market from 2003 to 2008, when it was estimated to be worth $12.5 billion. Since then the increase has been more gradual, but kosher foods remain one of the most steadily growing sectors of the expanding ethnic food market in North America, according to a March 2012 Agri-Trade Service report.?

?I feel the kosher food industry has reached a pinnacle, and now we have to move it into the 21st?century,? says chef Lambiase, who established the world?s first kosher culinary institute in the world here in Jerusalem in 2004 and is co-launching a new tour of the Mahane Yehuda market with?guide Cliff Churgin.

Mr. Lambiase sees himself as a pioneer of sorts. He was raised in a secular British home, and his kosher career was sparked by a love of cooking rather than of Jewish law, which forbids the consumption of pork and shellfish; requires that meat and dairy dishes be kept separate; and has strict rules governing the slaughter of animals.

But he quickly became drawn in by the religious aspects. ?Kosher isn?t anything to do with physical health, it has to do with spiritual health,? says Lambiase, who follows the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, a Hasidic branch of Judaism.?Today, he sees other newly observant Jews as playing a role in bringing kosher food to the gastronomic attention of the world.

?I think there?s been a huge revival in Jewish religiosity over the past 10 years and ? Jewish people normally know what good food is and they?re not going to take [their non-Jewish friends] out for gefilte fish.??

He heads back to his culinary institute, journalists in tow. We are more adept with our pens than with chef's knives, but he and fellow kosher chef Zev Beck are patient.

Despite the cilantro flying, tomatoes squirting on chef Beck?s jeans, and a stray garlic bulb rolling under the stainless-steel tables, after a couple of hours the rich aroma of fresh bread,?shakshoukas?(poached eggs in a spicy tomato base), and broiled eggplants garnished with homemade tahina wafts through the school.

If Lambiase and Mr. Beck can teach even journalists to be kosher cooks, their prospects for expanding the global ranks of kosher chefs look promising.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/a4TcdulVOAw/As-interest-in-kosher-food-surges-chefs-take-it-gourmet

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Methane Emissions From Fracking Face Increased Scrutiny With New Baseline Testing

From EarthTechling's Beth Buczynski:

Anti-fracking activists in New York State have conducted one of the first methane baseline assessments on an area that will soon be home to a natural gas compressor station. It?s hoped that by establishing a baseline measurement of ambient methane, residents will be able to prove fracking?s negative effects on air and water.

All drinking water is contaminated, but one thing it shouldn?t be is flammable. Unfortunately that?s often exactly what happens when Big Gas comes to town. Gas companies deny culpability by claiming that high levels of methane were present before they arrived. The baseline test, conducted by GasSafetyUSA in conjunction with Damascus Citizens for Sustainability, hopes to expose fracking?s true impact.

Methane Baseline Testing is a form of laser spectroscopy used to accurately measure ambient methane emissions. Earlier this year, GasSafetyUSA used the technology to establish baseline methane levels in Minisink, New York, future site of a compressor station that will be operated by Columbia Pipeline Group. The data indicate relatively low and reasonably consistent methane concentrations throughout the surveyed area, but researchers say this will change when the compressor station comes on line.

?Testing places the legal and ?nancial liability for any changes squarely back on the companies who own and operate the proposed compressor,? said Barbara Arrindell, Director of Damascus Citizens for Sustainability.

Accessing this data prior to gas-related activities?and retesting afterward serves as a form of ?insurance? for communities like Minisink, which seek to redress pollution once it occurs. ?Every single one of the 239 home owners and organic farmers within a half-mile of the proposed site will hold the company and the regulatory agencies accountable for this erosion of their air quality along with any adverse health and community impacts that result,? warned Pramilla Malick, spokeswoman for Stop the Minisink Compressor Station, a grass roots organization.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/methane-emissions-fracking-baseline-testing_n_2957239.html

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10 Things to Know for Today

FILE - This undated publicity photo from Disney/Bruckheimer Films, shows actors, Johnny Depp, left, as Tonto, a spirit warrior on a personal quest, who joins forces in a fight for justice with Armie Hammer, as John Reid, a lawman who has become a masked avenger, The Lone Ranger, from the movie, "The Lone Ranger." The film opens nationwide on July 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Disney/Bruckheimer Films, Peter Mountain, File)

FILE - This undated publicity photo from Disney/Bruckheimer Films, shows actors, Johnny Depp, left, as Tonto, a spirit warrior on a personal quest, who joins forces in a fight for justice with Armie Hammer, as John Reid, a lawman who has become a masked avenger, The Lone Ranger, from the movie, "The Lone Ranger." The film opens nationwide on July 3, 2013. (AP Photo/Disney/Bruckheimer Films, Peter Mountain, File)

FILE - In this June 17, 2010 file photo, former South African President Nelson Mandela leaves the chapel after attending the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. The South African presidency says Nelson Mandela was re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection Thursday March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko, Pool, File)

Chicago Bulls guard Nate Robinson, left, celebrates a 3-point shot, as Miami Heat forward Shane Battier watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago on Wednesday, March 27, 2013. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today (times EDT):

1. PRAYERS URGED FOR MANDELA

The anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president has had a recurrence of a lung infection.

2. BANKS IN CYPRUS REOPEN

Cypriot banks are open for the first time since March 16, with customers now able to access their accounts ? with restrictions.

3. THIS POPE IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS

Francis' belief that a pontiff's job is to serve the lowliest will be demonstrated on Holy Thursday when he washes the feet of young inmates.

4. WHY GUN CONTROL IS NO EASY FIX

Gun control supporters are struggling to win over moderate Democrats in their drive to push expanded background checks for firearms purchasers through the Senate next month.

5. GAY MARRIAGE REMAINS A POLARIZING ISSUE

AP's David Crary says that however the Supreme Court rules on same-sex marriage, the issue seems certain to divide states and people for years to come.

6. "BLADE RUNNER" WANTS TO MAKE A LIVING

Lawyers for Pistorius appeal against some of his bail restrictions, saying the Olympian accused of murder might need to return to the track to earn money.

7. A CAUTIONARY TALE FOR THE U.S.

Germany's experience with "guest workers," namely 3 million immigrants from Turkey, offers lessons for America as it debates immigration reform.

8. GOP AIMS TO GET MORE TECH SAVY

Republicans are moving aggressively to repair their technological shortcomings from the 2012 election, opening a new tech race to counter a glaring weakness against Obama.

9. "HI-HO, SILVER! AWAY!"

"The Lone Ranger" co-star Johnny Depp will take part in a live Q&A with fans in Las Vegas next month, an event that will be streamed online.

10. BULLISH END TO NBA STREAK

Chicago beats Miami 101-97, snapping the Heat's 27-game winning streak and leaving them six short of the league record set by the 1971-72 Lakers.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-28-10%20Things%20to%20Know-Today/id-3993d474c92544ffb6e87a5a9e875c3e

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Autocinetrip: Getting Your Car Fixed: Tips And Tricks

Having to get your vehicle repaired can be quite frustrating. It may be hard to find a good auto repair service that you can trust. This article should help you find a reliable automotive service in your car repaired right.

The weight of a big key chain. If your key begins to stick, then you must get rid of all the extra stuff attached to your keys.

Find a mechanic who is already familiar with your vehicle.Ask them about their experience; find out if they have experience with your make and model.

Always try to figure out the problem with your car's problems yourself before trying to get it repaired. You probably already know that certain mechanics will come with lies to charge you more.

Never underestimate the value of keeping an emergency kit handy. This kit should consist of tire changing tools, changing your tire, etc.

Just because the days are colder doesn't mean you shouldn't wash your vehicle. Winter can be the most damage causing time of the year for your car with constant precipitation. Salt and sand lead to rust spots and abrasions.

Find out what the certifications awarded to mechanics.If you can, try to locate an auto technician that is certified by your state and the A.S.E.

Don't forget to factor in convenience is unnecessary when getting someone to repair shop to choose. Some garages or dealerships offer free shuttle service to drive you home and pick you up.

You don't always need a repair-person for your car. Some car repairs are simple and do not need to be taken to the auto shop. If the job is a simple one, try it yourself.

Referrals are your best best when searching for finding an auto mechanic. Ask around for their recommendations. You can gain information about price and value that way. People can tell you know what kind of experience they had and whether the person was honest.

You can replace your oil or top up your windshield fluid compartment. It is a common misnomer that you need a mechanic's services to attend to these routine jobs should be left to the professionals. You should learn how to do the work, and then you can grease up those hands.

Know what the lights stand for on your dashboard and be aware of when they go off. These lights give you know when something is wrong with your car. Ignoring them for extended periods of time will only make the problem go away.

You don't necessarily have to visit your dealership if repairs are needed. There are a great shop 10 minutes from your house or whether you to chose from. Find a mechanic who you are comfortable with and reliable.

Every owner has to get their vehicle fixed once in a while, it's unavoidable. The information that has been provided to you here will come in useful the next time vehicle repairs are required. Working with a respected company can ensure that you get good work done.

Source: http://autocinetrip.blogspot.com/2013/03/getting-your-car-fixed-tips-and-tricks.html

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