Thousands attend India funeral of Tibetan activist

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Some corals like it hot: Heat stress may help coral reefs survive climate change

Public release date: 30-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Basil Waugh
basil.waugh@ubc.ca
604-822-2048
University of British Columbia

A team of international scientists working in the central Pacific have discovered that coral which has survived heat stress in the past is more likely to survive it in the future.

The study, published today in the journal PLoS ONE, paves the way towards an important road map on the impacts of ocean warming, and will help scientists identify the habitats and locations where coral reefs are more likely to adapt to climate change.

"We're starting to identify the types of reef environments where corals are more likely to persist in the future," says study co-author Simon Donner, an assistant professor in UBC's Department of Geography and organizer of the field expedition. "The new data is critical for predicting the future for coral reefs, and for planning how society will cope in that future."

When water temperatures get too hot, the tiny algae that provides coral with its colour and major food source is expelled. This phenomenon, called coral bleaching, can lead to the death of corals.

With sea temperatures in the tropics forecast to rise by 1-3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, the researchers say coral reefs may be better able to withstand the expected rise in temperature in locations where heat stress is naturally more common. This will benefit the millions of people worldwide who rely on coral reefs for sustenance and livelihoods, they say.

"Until recently, it was widely assumed that coral would bleach and die off worldwide as the oceans warm due to climate change," says lead author Jessica Carilli, a post-doctoral fellow in Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation's (ANSTO) Institute for Environmental Research. "This would have very serious consequences, as loss of live coral already observed in parts of the world directly reduces fish habitats and the shoreline protection reefs provide from storms."

Caralli and Donner conducted the study in May 2010 in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, near the equator. Kiribati's climate is useful for testing theories about past climate experience because its corals are pounded by El Nio-driven heat waves, while corals on the islands farther from the equator are less affected.

The researchers analyzed coral skeletal growth rates and tissue fat stores to compare how corals from different regions responded to two recent coral bleaching events in 2004 and 2009.

Donner has conducted field research in Kiribati since 2005 and will return this year to conduct follow-up research with the local government. He says the findings suggest that Marine Protected Areas conservation areas designed to protect marine life from stressors like fishing may be more effective in areas with naturally variable water temperatures

The research delivers mixed news for Australia's Great Barrier Reef, because the reef stretches over such massive distances; some areas have stable temperatures and some do not. The findings support previous laboratory and observational studies from other regions, suggesting they can be widely applied.

Planning is now underway for potential future studies of coral in areas of the world that have not experienced significant historical changes in water temperatures.

"Even through the warming of our oceans is already occurring, these findings give hope that coral that has previously withstood anomalously warm water events may do so again," says Carilli. "While more research is needed, this appears to be good news for the future of coral reefs in a warming climate."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 30-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Basil Waugh
basil.waugh@ubc.ca
604-822-2048
University of British Columbia

A team of international scientists working in the central Pacific have discovered that coral which has survived heat stress in the past is more likely to survive it in the future.

The study, published today in the journal PLoS ONE, paves the way towards an important road map on the impacts of ocean warming, and will help scientists identify the habitats and locations where coral reefs are more likely to adapt to climate change.

"We're starting to identify the types of reef environments where corals are more likely to persist in the future," says study co-author Simon Donner, an assistant professor in UBC's Department of Geography and organizer of the field expedition. "The new data is critical for predicting the future for coral reefs, and for planning how society will cope in that future."

When water temperatures get too hot, the tiny algae that provides coral with its colour and major food source is expelled. This phenomenon, called coral bleaching, can lead to the death of corals.

With sea temperatures in the tropics forecast to rise by 1-3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, the researchers say coral reefs may be better able to withstand the expected rise in temperature in locations where heat stress is naturally more common. This will benefit the millions of people worldwide who rely on coral reefs for sustenance and livelihoods, they say.

"Until recently, it was widely assumed that coral would bleach and die off worldwide as the oceans warm due to climate change," says lead author Jessica Carilli, a post-doctoral fellow in Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation's (ANSTO) Institute for Environmental Research. "This would have very serious consequences, as loss of live coral already observed in parts of the world directly reduces fish habitats and the shoreline protection reefs provide from storms."

Caralli and Donner conducted the study in May 2010 in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, near the equator. Kiribati's climate is useful for testing theories about past climate experience because its corals are pounded by El Nio-driven heat waves, while corals on the islands farther from the equator are less affected.

The researchers analyzed coral skeletal growth rates and tissue fat stores to compare how corals from different regions responded to two recent coral bleaching events in 2004 and 2009.

Donner has conducted field research in Kiribati since 2005 and will return this year to conduct follow-up research with the local government. He says the findings suggest that Marine Protected Areas conservation areas designed to protect marine life from stressors like fishing may be more effective in areas with naturally variable water temperatures

The research delivers mixed news for Australia's Great Barrier Reef, because the reef stretches over such massive distances; some areas have stable temperatures and some do not. The findings support previous laboratory and observational studies from other regions, suggesting they can be widely applied.

Planning is now underway for potential future studies of coral in areas of the world that have not experienced significant historical changes in water temperatures.

"Even through the warming of our oceans is already occurring, these findings give hope that coral that has previously withstood anomalously warm water events may do so again," says Carilli. "While more research is needed, this appears to be good news for the future of coral reefs in a warming climate."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Deck Builder - Springfield, MO, 65802 - Classified Ads:

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Date Posted: March 29th, 2012
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Source: http://www.thebartertown.net/classified-ads/services/deck-builder-springfield-mo-65802/

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Business Financing Sources ? How Does Private Equity Venture ...

What Are PE funds

Private equity funds are limited partnerships or collective investment schemes, managed by investment professionals, that invest in equity securities ? shares that represent ownership of a firm. PE funds invest in portfolio companies and the acquisition price is based on a multiple of the company?s historical income. Multiple depend on the company?s industry and size. The final aim of private equity funds return is to exit investments for an IRR that is, internal rate of. Exits are IPOs (initial public offerings) of portfolio companies, sales through a M & A (merger or acquisition) or secondary sales -. To another PE firm

How do PE funds differentiated from venture capitalists? Although the terms private equity and venture capital have been used sometimes interchangeably, with the dividing line between them having become less distinct in recent years, there are some features that represent silent differences to these processes.

Corporate Lifecycle Stage Preference

Traditionally, VCs Tend To provide start-up and early-stage capital for emerging businesses and technologies. PE firms fund more mature companies, providing growth capital to consolidate and expand already existing firms (secondary rounds of money, mezzanine investments).

Investment Funds Source

VC funds represent pooled investment institutions and wealthy individuals having capital as sources. PE firms use funds acquired from equity securities, non-publicly traded stocks as well as pooled investment sources used by VCs.

Risk-Taking

Making investments in early-stage enterprises, venture capitalist are exposed to greater risk taking. As many as half of their funded ventures are usually expected to fail, Therefore Vcs are more likely to put their money into a multitude of start-ups, so asking for high returns on investment, to minimize the possible loss of revenue. As PE firms invest in companies that have already proven Themselves, the risk to lose their money is lower, as there is a quicker return on investment than in the case of start-ups.

Management Control

VC and PE firms expect a high degree of control over the management of the companies they invest in, as seeking a seat in the board of directors. Any corporate decision can be made only with their agreement and the positive aspect is that They provide assistance and expertise whenever necessary. However, venture capitalists have proven to be less intrusive in the funded companies? operations than private equity firms.

Both venture capital and private equity firms are excellent alternative business financing sources, as it has become more and more difficult for enterprises to obtain significant bank loans. Having a good business plan prepared, accompanied by a relevant executive summary, and being able to prove excellent execution skills to secure a high return on investment are the key factors for a successful approach to business investors.

Source: http://www.lovefinanceinfo.com/2012/03/business-financing-sources-how-does-private-equity-venture-capital-differ-from/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=business-financing-sources-how-does-private-equity-venture-capital-differ-from

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Chavez back in Venezuela after radiation therapy

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chavez-back-venezuela-radiation-therapy-131347529.html

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American Restaurant Industry Starts to Simmer, Says GE Capital ...

The American restaurant industry is starting to simmer. Consumers are spending more on meals, and foot traffic at establishments is improving, albeit from a diminished base, according to the 22nd edition of the Chain Restaurant Industry Review, released at this week?s Restaurant Leadership Conference by GE Capital, Franchise Finance. As sales trends recover, operators are translating those positive feelings into a greater willingness to invest in their businesses. And with increasingly accessible credit, they?re able to commit to higher capital expenditures.

?The restaurant industry has come through the upheaval of the past several years by listening closely to the consumer and adapting to their changing tastes ? and they?ve done it well,? said Agustin Carcoba, president and CEO of GE Capital, Franchise Finance. ?Depending on their segment, brand and focus, operators have emphasized food quality, service quality, menu options and other factors that will lead to renewed growth this year and in the years ahead. Even better, operators did it all while managing operational costs.?

Consumers spent $406.6 billion at restaurants in 2011. For 21 consecutive months, they spent more at restaurants than grocery stores, and that trend is expected to continue. Last year, quick-service restaurants (QSR) accounted for 48.0 percent of that figure, while full-service restaurants (FSR) counted for 48.1 percent. The QSR category includes limited service, fast casual, take-out locations and snack and non-alcoholic beverage bars, while FSR includes family, casual, high-end casual and fine dining establishments.

Operators? improved expectations can be partially attributed to positive results that were sustained throughout last year. QSR same-store sales grew 3.2% last year ? ahead of the FSR rate of 2.4%. QSR benefitted from eight consecutive periods of growth due to more consistent traffic, while FSR relied more on menu price increases and higher average checks.

?Restaurateurs are no longer in survival mode; now they?re planning for the future,? said Trey Brown, commercial leader of GE Capital, Franchise Finance. ?To capture that growth and maintain a competitive advantage, they?re investing in their businesses by building new stores, remodeling existing ones or investing in new equipment.?

The level of liquidity available in the restaurant space continues to improve. Merger and acquisition activity ? an indicator of the popularity of the restaurant industry among investors ? increased last year. Total syndicated volume in the restaurant space increased more than 26% to almost $12 billion in 2011. Strategic buyers returned, such as American Blue Ribbon Holdings LLC, Darden Restaurants and Landry?s Inc. Private equity firms were also active; for example, Golden Gate Capital acquired California Pizza Kitchen.

?We expect restaurants to continue to be appealing acquisition targets because of the ongoing increases in food dollars spent away from home, as well as the scalability of this business model,? Brown added.

GE Capital, Franchise Finance is a leading lender for the franchise finance market via direct sales and portfolio acquisition. With more than 30 years of experience and $10 billion in served assets, we serve over 3,000 customers and over 18,000 property locations. We specialize in financing mid-market operators with multiple stores in the restaurant and hospitality industries. Our team of industry experts will work with you to help develop your own growth plan with access to our proprietary industry research and customized tools. More information is available at www.gefranchisefinance.com.

GE Capital offers consumers and businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services. For more information, visit www.gecapital.com or follow company news via Twitter (@GECapital).

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company?s website at www.ge.com.

Source: http://www.restaurantmagazine.com/american-restaurant-industry-starts-to-simmer-says-ge-capital/

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Exelon- Dividend Analysis | WealthTrace's Blog

The stock market continues to rally, which is lowering dividend yields and making it harder to find good value. This has some investors scrambling for yield and buying the stocks of companies that have yields larger than that of treasuries. But investors can make a mistake if they are only looking at the dividend yield and not taking into account how the growth rate of the dividend impacts the overall total return through time.

A good case study in this area is Exelon Corporation (EXC). With a dividend yield of 3.9% and a relatively low payout ratio, some will jump right on it thinking this a good long-term investment. But a closer look at their recent dividend history should give investors pause.

EXC Profile*:

Exelon Corporation, a utility services holding company, engages in the generation of electricity in the United States. It generates electricity from nuclear, fossil, hydro, and renewable energy sources. The company is also involved in wholesale energy marketing business; and purchasing and retailing electricity and natural gas, as well as in the provision of transmission and distribution services.

*Profile taken from Yahoo Finance.

EXC:
Div Yield	1 Yr Div Growth Rate	Annualized 5 Yr Div Growth Rate
3.9%	0%	3.9%
Payout Ratio	Last Year Dividend Was Cut
56%	2002

Exelon Corporation is not in a growth phase. Their earnings per share over the past year fell by 3% and over the past three years have fallen by 2.9% at an annual rate. This helps explain the low dividend growth rates they have been having.

It is not necessarily obvious how investors will fare if they hold onto EXC for the next 10 years. They will receive a relatively high dividend, if it is not cut, but what if there is very little to no growth in dividend payments? It?s important to analyze scenarios for such a company where we look at the dividend yield and growing dividends. I ran the following scenario on our publicly available calculator called Total Returns- Dividends Vs. Price Appreciation. If we buy 1,000 shares today, apply a dividend growth rate of 0% over the next 10 years, reinvest dividends, and assume the price of the stock does not change, we get the following:

Inputs:
Investment	Dividend Yield	Growth of Dividend (Annual)
$39,000	3.9%	0%
Outputs:
Total Return	Annual? Return	FV Dividends	FV Investment
47%	3.9%	$18,177	$39,000

The annual return in this case is 3.9%. I?ve also included the future value of the dividend income stream compared to the future value of the initial investment.

Total Return	Annual? Return	FV Dividends	FV Investment
145%	4.6%	$66,828	$46,000

Remember that we assumed a dividend growth rate of 0%. How would that compare to a lower dividend yielding stock, such as Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), that has a yield of 3.5% but has seen a dividend growth rate closer to 7%? Running the same analysis we find the following:

Inputs:
Investment	Dividend Yield	Growth of Dividend (Annual)
$65,000	3.5%	7%
Outputs:
Total Return	Annual? Return	FV Dividends	FV Investment
58%	4.7%	$37,578	$65,000

Over longer periods of time, companies who have consistently strong dividend growth tend to beat those who might have a higher dividend yield, but very little in the way of growth. That is why I like to focus on companies with a solid history of strong dividend growth when investing for retirement.

Dividend growth stocks can help a retirement plan immensely, especially vs. low-yielding treasury bonds. I plugged in the 4.7% total return figure I found above for a portfolio into our retirement planner in place of the ten treasury bonds that were there before.

I found that if a typical 55 year old couple with $400,000 in assets moves 50% of their funds from treasuries to dividend payers that give them a 4.7% return, over ten years they will have increased the time that their funds last in retirement by over ten years.

Over a shorter period of time, Exelon could be a nice investment that pays a solid dividend. But for the long-run, I believe there are better options out there.

Scenarios such as the ones I?ve run here can help investors understand the power of dividends over time, especially when those dividends are growing.

Source: http://blogs.minyanville.com/dougcarey/2012/03/28/exelon-dividend-analysis/

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Elsevier launches new journal: Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition

Public release date: 27-Mar-2012
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Contact: Lyndsay Scholefield
l.scholefield@elsevier.com
44-186-584-3825
Elsevier

A journal for researchers, professionals and practitioners working in the field of memory and cognition

Oxford -- Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of the official journal of the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. Published quarterly, the first issue of the journal is now available online.

The Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition publishes an engaging mix of the latest theoretically motivated research: empirical studies, review articles, and target papers with invited peer commentary. The goal of the journal is to reach not only researchers working in this field and allied areas but also professionals and practitioners who seek to understand, apply, and benefit from research on memory and cognition.

Dr. Ronald Fisher of Florida International University, Editor-in-Chief of the journal said, "Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition (JARMAC) will feature innovative, creative empirical research targeting the overlap between cognitive theory and real-world application. Reflecting the broad range of cognitive psychology, and its successful history of application to societal problems, JARMAC is receptive to articles that examine any cognitive process (e.g. memory, attention, decision-making, problem-solving, perception, mental representation) and toward application across many applied domains (e.g. education, health, aging, law, security, athletics, transportation, business, military)."

###

The first issue of the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition is now freely available to view online on SciVerse ScienceDirect.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include SciVerse ScienceDirect, SciVerse Scopus, Reaxys, MD Consult and Mosby's Nursing Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Media contact

Lyndsay Scholefield
Elsevier
44-1865-843825
l.scholefield@elsevier.com

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 27-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lyndsay Scholefield
l.scholefield@elsevier.com
44-186-584-3825
Elsevier

A journal for researchers, professionals and practitioners working in the field of memory and cognition

Oxford -- Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and solutions, is pleased to announce the launch of the official journal of the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition. Published quarterly, the first issue of the journal is now available online.

The Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition publishes an engaging mix of the latest theoretically motivated research: empirical studies, review articles, and target papers with invited peer commentary. The goal of the journal is to reach not only researchers working in this field and allied areas but also professionals and practitioners who seek to understand, apply, and benefit from research on memory and cognition.

Dr. Ronald Fisher of Florida International University, Editor-in-Chief of the journal said, "Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition (JARMAC) will feature innovative, creative empirical research targeting the overlap between cognitive theory and real-world application. Reflecting the broad range of cognitive psychology, and its successful history of application to societal problems, JARMAC is receptive to articles that examine any cognitive process (e.g. memory, attention, decision-making, problem-solving, perception, mental representation) and toward application across many applied domains (e.g. education, health, aging, law, security, athletics, transportation, business, military)."

###

The first issue of the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition is now freely available to view online on SciVerse ScienceDirect.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include SciVerse ScienceDirect, SciVerse Scopus, Reaxys, MD Consult and Mosby's Nursing Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Media contact

Lyndsay Scholefield
Elsevier
44-1865-843825
l.scholefield@elsevier.com

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/e-eln_1032712.php

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The argument about Internet Merchant Account

Online businesses are perhaps the ever changing and improving market. But how do online businesses accept payments when transactions and merchandise are online displayed online. Accepting payments in the businesss website may be accomplished with the help of a web merchant account and provider.

To receive online payments with a credit card, the business owner must have an Internet merchant account through an acquiring institution. There are three steps regarding the customer paying for the purchase plus the business owners bank account:

The first step in the first layer is called the payment gateway. The payment gateway supplies the code that should transmit the customers order both to and from the internet merchant account provider. The payment gateway enables this company owner to take the customer billing information as well as necessary validation steps that needs to be followed.

The payment gateway is the means of getting the secured transactions to your merchant provider a great authorization, think of it as a Point of sale terminal for the internet. The payment gateway is supplied and setup because of the internet merchant account provider.

The payment gateway can certainly be linked to a secured shopping cart software package for e-commerce business owners. The shopping cart is often a secured portal that permits the customers to enter in their information, credit card number and then send the transaction to your payment gateway. From here the transaction stays in the merchant account provider after which a confirmation email is distributed to the business proprietor informing them that your customer renders a purchase.

Next the merchant account provider enables you to accept the installments from the customers. A merchant account is surely an account which has a financial institution or bank which allows you to accept credit card payments. There are some banks who still tend not to offer internet merchant account capability. There are a couple of financial institutions and banks arent providing online payments because online transactions is usually prone to credit card fraud.

Online payment these are known as car-not-present transactions or CNP, which is impossible to check the card along with the cardholder. If a transaction proves to fraudulent, the cash will be reclaimed from the business owners banking accounts. This fraudulent event is termed the chargeback. Even in case your a cardholder-not-presents is licensed by the cardholders bank, this wont necessary guarantee payment.

In order to safeguard online customers, there are SSL Certificates which they can use too make a secure channel for you credit card information through the business website to the internet merchant account processing network, get the results and post rid of it to the business website.

The last step is back to the website. Regardless of your internet merchant service provider or payment gateway, the site still would need to integrate with the service providers. There are detailed instructions offered by the carriers networks.

There are some requirements needed when a business would wish to have an internet merchant account. The company leader must have checking account using a bank. If the person, in case, dont have a bank checking account with any bank, you will find acquiring institutions that will set up the account to get used in processing the installments.

Making your company process credit card payments online is one of the fastest growing transactions today. There are wide ranging incentives by letting an internet merchant account provider. It is hassle free, comprehensive and will increase sales and profits that you get in the business.

Full information for Internet Merchant Account you will reveal in my website dealing with Internet Merchant Account.

Source: http://www.howoma.com/the-argument-about-internet-merchant-account/

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Your Finance Health Center???.Financial debt Consolidation ...

Debt consolidation finance is particularly developed to overcome the problem of managing finances. Credit card debt consolidation finance becoming the element of the financial debt management plan helps to eliminate the credit card debt difficulty by consolidating them.

Prior to going to get a financial debt consolidation finance the person really should preferabily talk to the credit advisor. The credit score advisor will evaluate his financial standing and his predicament of debts. Just after a thorough study on your standing he will suggest you irrespective of whether the debt consolidation finance suits you or not. If he offers you a good solution that credit card debt consolidation finances could be the ideal answer for your difficulty. Then the person ought to avail it for coping up with his debts. Normally he need to come across one more way to cope with his debts.

Consulting credit tips does not indicate the individual must absolutely rely on credit score advisor. He himself need to also assess his position and fully grasp his issue. And ask himself no matter if the financial debt consolidation finances will match him.

Financial debt consolidation finance assists the person to help keep the positon of finances more healthy, that is certainly properly managed. Its a kind of health center for finances of a person.

It also tries to guide the individual with regards to every and every aspect of income administration.
Generally the lending company delivering the debt consolidation finances, also offer the counselling on financial debt management. Just by means of a single convient monthly cost, the lender spend out for your lenders on your behalf. Loan company also negotitate using the creditor for potential reduction in amount of debt. This reduction generally lies in:

Finance charges

Late charges

Month-to-month interest cost

Other miscellaneous expense

Because the reduction inside the outgoing of capital will let the person to preserve more income for his wants of the future.

Financial debt consolidation finances can be secured or unsecured. In secured, the person has to keep the collateral using the loan company. Collateral is one from the causes, which makes the credit card debt consolidation financing less costly, as well as enables the person to pay reduced price of fascination as compared to the unsecured debt consolidation finances. Around the other aspect, in unsecured credit card debt consolidation finances the individual just isnt needed to keep any sort of collateral. But, in return of the individual pays substantial rate of interest as compared to the secured loan.

The person should really preserve in his mind that heading for secured credit card debt consolidation finances can preserve his collateraral at risk, if he has any doubt on his repayment ability. Within this case, he should really ideally choose unsecured debt consolidation finances. But this does not imply that in unsecured finances, he is safe. An authorized action can be taken by the loan company in an effort to realise the fee.

At some point, ahead of reaching to particular selection concerning your finances evalute every single aspect of mortgage and your financial standing.

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 26th, 2012 at 4:19 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Tags: business, Recreation, shopping, sports

Source: http://www.december.monthlyblogs.com/2012/03/your-finance-health-center-financial-debt-consolidation-finance/

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Two Home Improvements to Save Money, Conserve Energy and ...

Picture 1 of 6

Saturday, October 8, is National Costume Swap Day. (Courtesy of Green Halloween)

Guest post by Sam Marquit

There are a couple of things that many folks don?t even consider (but really should) when looking to decrease their carbon footprint and save some money.? They are installing ?radiant roof sheathing?and?tankless water heaters. I have installed both of these products in numerous homes throughout the East Hamptons area, passing on considerable savings to the homeowners.

Radiant Roof Sheathing

Utility bills tend to run the highest in the blazing heat of summer and the frigid cold of winter.? Your HVAC systems have to work twice as hard in effort to maintain your home?s temperature in these extreme seasons.? Although some regions of the country only have one or the other, in the East Hamptons we have the ?luxury? of both.? Protecting your home against the changing seasons will definitely save you money in utility costs throughout the year.

Radiant barriers are designed to be installed underneath your roof and reflect the heat of the summer outside of the home, while keeping the heat your furnace is pumping out inside the house during the winter.? With the technology built in to absorb heat, both internally and externally, radiant barrier sheathing can withstand just about any temperature Mother Nature can throw at it.? Regardless of the season, by installing radiant barrier sheathing in your roof, you can ease some of the burden on both your furnace and central air unit.? Not only will this drive down your utility costs, but it will also allow increase the lifespan of your furnace and air conditioning units.

Another great benefit I have seen from installing radiant barrier sheathing is the reduction in your home?s carbon emissions.? By having your furnace and air conditioning units run less, you are reducing the amount of emission each of the systems is putting into the environment.

The last thing I would like to point out about installation of radiant barrier sheathing is how it evens out the climate of your home.? Everyone has had the experience of having one room or area of their home being warmer or cooler than others.? With the use of this sheathing, the temperature throughout the house will even out providing more usable living space in the home.? It will feel like you?ve picked up more square footage, as you will not be deterred from using rooms that used to be too warm or cold to use.

Tankless Water Heaters

Now one of the current ?turn-offs? to installing a tankless water heater in your house is the initial upfront cost.? Yes, a good tankless water heater is not cheap initially, but over the course of the first few years you have it installed, the savings you will realize will more than pay for itself.? Much like other water heaters, these systems are built to last, so once you buy one, it may be the only one you will ever have to buy again.

The beauty of a tankless water heater is they are just that: tankless.? There is no bulky water tank eating up space in your utility room.? These models are generally flat and easily mounted to just about any wall.? How they work is that instead of relying on keeping a huge tank of water hot at all times, when you turn on a water source within the house, the water is actually heated as it moves through the system.? This means you are not wasting energy to keep your water hot 24/7 when you may only need it for an hour or two every day. ?By installing a tankless water heater, you could potentially cut your energy cost to power a standard water heater in half.

The other great feature about a tankless water heater is you will always have hot water on demand whenever you need it.? For larger families, this pays dividends when everyone needs to get ready in the morning and multiple showers are required.? No more waiting for the standard water heater to heat up another batch of water.? With a tankless water heater you can take shower after shower without fear of running out of hot water.

The efficiencies used to design today?s tankless water heaters are also great for your pocket book in that they require far less service and maintenance.? Because there is not a tank involved, there is also far less chance of having a water leak ruin your basement floor.

If either of these options seems like something you would like to have installed in your home reach out to a home contractor in your area for an estimate.? Remember, these options may cost a little more to install upfront, but as my ventures in Hamptons real estate have proven time and again, they are well worth the investment.? You can greatly decrease your monthly energy cost, increase the lifespan of your HVAC system, and reduce your overall carbon footprint on the environment.

Read more about adding value to both home and life on Sam?s blog?Fair Marquit Value.

? 2012 SCGH, LLC.

---

Add your comments

Source: http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/go-green/heating-ventilation-air-conditioning-hvac/two-home-improvements-to-save-money-conserve-energy-and-reduce-your-carbon-footprint/

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Danish churches, film sets for Charles and Camilla

Britain's Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, lines up a free throw while visiting basketball practice at the Fryshuset Youth centre in Stockholm on Thursday March 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Pontus Lundahl) SWEDEN OUT

Britain's Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, lines up a free throw while visiting basketball practice at the Fryshuset Youth centre in Stockholm on Thursday March 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Pontus Lundahl) SWEDEN OUT

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) ? Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrived in Copenhagen on Saturday on the third and final leg of their Scandinavia tour, with plans to visit churches, the film set of a popular Danish TV show and sustainable energy projects.

The couple was greeted by Danish Crown Prince Frederik and his Australian-born wife, Crown Princess Mary, at the airport in a mild and sunny Copenhagen.

After almost a week of visits, starting off in Oslo on Tuesday, where they met with of survivors of last year's Norwegian terror attacks, and continuing on to Stockholm on Thursday, the British royals had cleared their schedule for Saturday evening to dedicate their time to private activities.

As in Sweden, this is their first official trip to Denmark, although the Prince of Wales was there for an unofficial visit in 2009.

According to the Royal Danish Court, the Scandinavia tour is a warm-up to Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, which ends with a celebration in London in early June.

In Denmark, Prince Charles and Camilla will attend a church service, lay a wreath at the national monument, and meet with Danish soldiers who have served in Afghanistan.

The Prince of Wales, who likes architecture, will visit a regeneration project and a carbon-neutral kindergarten and a biomass-fired power station on Tuesday, while Camilla visits the set of the Danish TV-series "The Killing" and meets its creators and main actress.

On Monday, they will dine with Denmark's Queen Margrethe and her husband, The Prince Consort Henrik.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-03-24-EU-Scandinavia-Britain-Royal-Visit/id-7d0df6ec1d334f16a8ffb3779a116820

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US Pharmacy Firm To Create 50 Belfast Jobs

Around 50 jobs are to be created by a US-owned pharmacy healthcare provider, it has been revealed.

CVS Caremark is a Fortune 50 company with about 200,000 employees and it has revealed plans that will see 50 high quality jobs made available in Belfast.

This is the first significant move abroad for the pharmacy company and they plan to set up an IT operations centre in Belfast for the development of software.

Invest NI has offered ?300,000 in support whilst the Department of Employment and Learning has pledged ?200,000.

Northern Ireland's Enterprise Minister welcomed the news and said: "CVS Caremark considered several locations across the globe for its investment but was particularly attracted here by the availability of highly skilled IT professionals, our reliable, high speed and cost-effective telecoms infrastructure, and the very competitive operating cost environment.

"When fully in place these jobs will generate ?1.5m a year in salaries that will feed into the local economy."

This news comes days after Axiom, a legal firm, revealed that they would create 100 high salary jobs in Belfast over the next four years.

(LB)

Source: http://www.4ni.co.uk/news.asp?id=141816

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NASA releases new moon pics requested by students

This image released by NASA on Thursday, March 22, 2012 shows the far side of the moon with Earth in the background. It was among more than 60 images taken by one of NASA's spacecraft in orbit around the moon. The cameras are operated by middle school students as part of a project. (AP Photo/NASA)

This image released by NASA on Thursday, March 22, 2012 shows the far side of the moon with Earth in the background. It was among more than 60 images taken by one of NASA's spacecraft in orbit around the moon. The cameras are operated by middle school students as part of a project. (AP Photo/NASA)

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) ? A NASA spacecraft in orbit around the moon has sent back five dozen new images of the lunar surface including a view of the far side with Earth in the distance.

Don't thank scientists for it. Fourth-graders from Emily Dickinson Elementary School in Bozeman, Mont., directed the spacecraft to snap pictures as part of a project headed by Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.

The images were returned earlier this week.

Twin NASA probes entered lunar orbit over the New Year's weekend on a mission to study the gravity field. During non-critical parts of the mission, select students get to choose camera targets.

The Montana students got first dibs for winning a NASA-sponsored contest that renamed the craft Ebb and Flow.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-03-22-US-SCI-NASA-Moonshot/id-3fdc11d99e74460295332e02e881f609

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Noninvasive imaging can detect mutations within a brain tumor

Their approach could allow doctors to know not only that a brain tumor is there, but also that it carries a particular genetic mutation. The researchers' technique uses magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure a chemical, 2-hydroxyglutarate, that is scarce in normal tissues. 2-hydroxyglutarate is produced by some types of brain tumor carrying mutations in an enzyme called isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH).

The results were published this week by the Journal of Molecular Medicine.

The research was a collaboration between the laboratories of Hui Mao, PhD, associate professor of radiology and imaging sciences and Emory University Center for Systems Imaging, and Erwin Van Meir, PhD, professor of neurosurgery and hematology and medical oncology. The first author of the paper is postdoctoral fellow Juliya Kalinina. Emory undergraduate Anne Carroll also contributed to the project.

The Emory team is one of several research groups who have obtained similar results recently.

"This is a significant advance, in that we can have a glimpse into the human brain without actually having to do brain surgery," Van Meir says. "The technique offers the possibility of following up the patient after surgery to see if the treatment is working, by monitoring the decline in levels of the oncometabolite."

"This technique shows great potential for profiling a brain tumor based on its genetic and metabolic finger-prints," Mao says. "It may be possible to repeatedly and non-invasively monitor tumor progression, helping physicians to make decisions about the direction and timing of treatment."

Mutations in the genes IDH1 or IDH2 cause a distortion of cells' metabolic cycles and the accumulation of 2-hydroxyglutarate. The presence of the mutations means patients generally survive longer, but they don't respond as well to standard radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

Mutations in IDH1 or IDH2 are found in roughly 70 percent of low- and intermediate-grade gliomas, but usually not in primary forms of a more aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma. Secondary glioblastomas that come from lower-grade gliomas do have the mutations.

To verify the test as a diagnostic tool, DNA from 65 glioma patients' biopsy samples was analyzed; 39 had mutations in IDH1 or IDH2. Magnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis of the samples could predict the presence of the mutation with 98 percent accuracy.

The technique uses magnetic resonance imaging equipment that is already widely used in hospitals for diagnostic imaging , but modifies the detection method in order to detect 2-hydroxyglutarate. No injections or special equipment would be needed for clinical use, Mao says.

"We wanted to establish the feasibility of detecting 2HG using FDA-approved scanners that are currently available in the clinic, over a time period that is tolerable to the patient ? in about 20 or 30 minutes," he says.

MRS has been used to monitor therapeutic progress for brain cancer patients. In contrast with the new technique, established methods measure chemicals that are present in healthy tissues and cannot distinguish 2HG from the other chemicals in the brain.

Recent research indicates that 2-hydroxyglutarate accumulation leads to the activation of genes that are usually shut off in healthy cells. Several laboratories are looking for ways to reverse the metabolic changes in the IDH1/2-mutated cells as a form of targeted therapy.

Provided by Emory University (news : web)

Source: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-noninvasive-imaging-mutations-brain-tumor.html

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Luxury brands target Nigeria's wealthy elite

Salesman Kabir Wadhwani, displays a bottle of a champagne at a shop in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, March. 21, 2012. The wealthy elite in Nigeria _ upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians _ have a healthy appetite for top shelf brands, but have had to shop in Dubai, London and Paris to find such brands. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm. (AP Photos/Sunday Alamba)

Salesman Kabir Wadhwani, displays a bottle of a champagne at a shop in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, March. 21, 2012. The wealthy elite in Nigeria _ upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians _ have a healthy appetite for top shelf brands, but have had to shop in Dubai, London and Paris to find such brands. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm. (AP Photos/Sunday Alamba)

A handbag and other goods by designer Givenchy are displayed for sale at a shop in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, March. 21, 2012. The wealthy elite in Nigeria _ upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians _ have a healthy appetite for top shelf brands, but have had to shop in Dubai, London and Paris to find such brands. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm. (AP Photos/Sunday Alamba)

Staff uncover a new Porsche Carrera 911 at a showroom for the luxury brand on Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria, Friday March 16, 2012. The wealthy elite in Nigeria _ upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians _ have a healthy appetite for top shelf brands, but have had to shop in Dubai, London and Paris to find such brands. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm. (AP Photos/Sunday Alamba)

Kabir Wadhwani, in a specialist shop in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, March 21, 2012. The wealthy elite in Nigeria _ upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians _ have a healthy appetite for top shelf brands, but have had to shop in Dubai, London and Paris to find such brands. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm. (AP Photos/Sunday Alamba)

Dresses made by designer Tiffany Amber are seen on display for sale at a shop in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday, March. 21, 2012. The wealthy elite in Nigeria _ upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians _ have a healthy appetite for top shelf brands, but have had to shop in Dubai, London and Paris to find such brands. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm. (AP Photos/Sunday Alamba)

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) ? Glittering sapphire necklaces, designer suits against perfumed skin, the taste of freshly popped Champagne and the roar of a speeding Porsche: the five senses in Nigeria, brought to you by luxury brands now trying to tap directly into the country's market.

The wealthy elite in Nigeria ? upstart business owners, oil industry executives and corrupt politicians ? have a healthy appetite for top-shelf brands, but have previously had to shop for them in Dubai, London and Paris. Now though, sellers of luxury goods are opening stores in Nigeria where seemingly gratuitous displays of wealth are the norm.

"I feel that with some real infrastructure development and opportunity to create luxury environments for luxury brands to come in, this market has enormous potential to become a key luxury capital of Africa," said Ozwald Boateng, a top British fashion designer born to Ghanaian parents who recently showed a collection at Arise Magazine Fashion Week in Lagos.

"I have some very good clients here but I want to have more," said Boateng, who has a flagship store on London's prestigious Savile Row, where bespoke suits start at around $6,500.

Since independence in 1960, wealth flowed into Nigeria as crude oil pumped out. The OPEC nation's easily refined crude remains a top energy source for the U.S. However, politicians and military rulers squandered billions of dollars through the corruption choking the nation's potential.

Then democracy took hold in 1999, and other industries have since developed in the country of 160 million, including banking and telecommunications. Billionaire Aliko Dangote, whose net worth is $11.2 billion according to Forbes magazine, built his empire on commodities like flour, sugar and cement. Another billionaire, Mike Adenuga, runs an oil company and Globacom Ltd., one of Nigeria's largest mobile phone service providers.

Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos, along with four other of Africa's largest cities, will each have consumer spending of $25 billion or more by 2020, according to a McKinsey & Co. report. That's comparable to spending in India's business hub of Mumbai.

That purchasing power is starting to draw new brands into Nigeria. Those include LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, one of the world's largest luxury brand groups; Amrapali Jewels Pvt. Ltd., which makes jewels for Hollywood and Bollywood stars; and Porsche AG. Those businesses often work with partners already established in Nigeria's difficult businesses environment, where there are no dedicated luxury shopping areas. Luxury companies can run small operations, get little competition and have markups that make the profits high.

LVMH, the French luxury conglomerate, has doubled its marketing efforts in Nigeria to sell its top-shelf wines and liquors. The company also came out with a commemorative Hennessy cognac bottle in honor of Nigeria's 50th independence in 2010 ? a sign of the country's value to the company.

"Nigeria is the largest market in Africa and the Middle East for Moet Hennessy," said the company's Nigeria marketing manager, Tokini Peterside. "For Hennessy cognac, Nigeria ranks among the Top 10 consuming countries in the world."

It's not just cognac that Nigerian top buyers want. Indian jewelers Amrapali sold a $37,000 necklace in Nigeria that set a diamond in 22-karat gold with blue, yellow and red sapphires and hope to sell others at the store they stock in Nigeria.

"We've noticed that people are not afraid to wear bold things," said Sameer Lilani, a London-based representative for Amrapali. "It suits people here and it suits the climate. The delicate things didn't get such a good reaction."

Sports car maker Porsche also recently opened a showroom on Lagos' Victoria Island, home to many company headquarters and homes for the nation's wealthiest citizens. The open-air showroom, visible from traffic on one of the island's busiest roads, prominently displays the new Porsche 911 Carrera S, starting from about $150,000.

"In any project that we do, we look far beyond today," said George Wills, Porsche's managing director for the Middle East and Africa. "Whilst today the numbers may not be significant, what will happen with Porsche in the future as we produce new models, new derivatives, is that these will create bigger opportunities."

Spending that much money on a Porsche that goes from zero to 60 miles per hour in four seconds may not make sense in the reality of Nigeria, where poorly maintained roads have axle-eating potholes. Such spending also draws criticism from social commentators, especially as a recent government report showed more than 100 million people in Nigeria live in poverty, subsisting on less than $2 a day.

Yet the spending continues in a nation where the rich take out full-page newspaper advertisements to celebrate birthdays and bells ring and waiters light up sparklers when a table buys a bottle of Champagne.

Many of those waiting the tables and hustling chewing gum in traffic hold out the belief, based on churches preaching financial prosperity, that they too will some day look out at the world from behind tinted glass.

"There is a sense of opportunity here. People believe 'my turn will come,'" said Folarin Gbadebo-Smith, the director of the Centre for Public Policy Alternatives in Lagos. "Whereas in many other places there's that sense that where you find yourself in society could be permanent, here everybody is rich in waiting."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-03-22-AF-Nigeria-Luxury-Living/id-c8357381bbcd42a29c12eb377a7d1cd0

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