forgiven realtor: January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Eurozone unemployment ends 2011 at record high (AP)

BRUSSELS ? Unemployment in the 17-nation eurozone ended 2011 at 10.4 percent, a new record high for the single currency since its launch at the start of 1999, official figures showed Tuesday.

Eurostat, the EU's statistics office, said the rate in December was unchanged, as November's was revised upwards from a previous estimate of 10.3 percent.

Unemployment has been steadily rising over the past year ? in December 2010, it stood at 9.5 percent ? largely becaues of Europe's debt crisis.

The biggest increases over 2011 were recorded in Greece, Cyprus and Spain. All three, to various degrees, have had to impose tough austerity measures ? such as public sector layoffs and spending cuts ? in an effort to regain investor confidence lost during the crisis.

The agency said just under 16.5 million people were unemployed in the eurozone, up 751,000 on the year before.

The highest unemployment rate remains in Spain, where 22.9 percent of the working population were without work, though Greece is nearing with 19.2 percent rate. The lowest rate in the eurozone is Austria's 4.1 percent.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120131/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_europe_economy

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Florida highway reopens after deadly pileup (Reuters)

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) ? A Florida highway near Gainesville reopened on Monday, more than 30 hours after a horrific pileup that left ten people dead, according to the state Highway Patrol.

The pre-dawn crash on I-75 on Sunday involved a dozen cars and seven trucks that piled up as fog and smoke blanketed the roadway and dramatically limited visibility, Florida Highway Patrol said.

The pileup left ten people dead and at least 18 injured. Some of the vehicles involved caught fire in a blaze that melted the asphalt, while other cars were crumpled or jammed under tractor trailers, it said.

The Interstate reopened at about at 11 a.m. Monday, it said.

Prior to the crash, authorities closed portions of the roadway due to limited visibility, but subsequently reopened it, according to Robert Gordon, a Highway Patrol spokesman.

Authorities were investigating a marsh fire in Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park on Saturday that contributed to the smoky conditions on the highway. They are seeking to determine if it was an accidental blaze or started intentionally, said Ludie Bond of the Florida Forest Service.

At least 10 of the injured victims remained hospitalized on Monday. Six of them had been admitted to Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville in critical condition.

(Reporting by Barbara Liston, Editing By Ellen Wulfhorst and Paul Thomasch)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/us_nm/us_highway_deaths_florida

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Monday, January 30, 2012

Dalai Lama and West "distorting protests" to tarnish China (Reuters)

BEIJING (Reuters) ? The Tibetan government-in-exile has colluded with Western governments to distort a recent string of police shootings in Tibetan areas of China in a bid to discredit the government, an official Chinese newspaper said Monday.

Protests by ethnic Tibetans, who accuse Chinese authorities of stifling their traditions and religious freedoms, have gathered pace in the mountainous frontiers of southwestern Sichuan province that border on Tibet proper since last Monday.

Tibetan advocacy groups say as many as seven Tibetans have been shot dead and more than 60 wounded when protests in the region were quelled by police and security forces, but China's official Xinhua news agency reported that police fired in self-defense on "mobs" that stormed police stations.

An editorial in China's official English-language China Daily said exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, whom Beijing brands a "splittist," was eager to stir up trouble to garner Western support.

"In today's world, a handful of extremists have the ability to cause havoc to a region or even a country," the China Daily said, adding that the Dalai Lama "is financed and supported by some Western governments and media with their own agenda against China."

"As usual, Western government officials and the self-proclaimed Tibetan government-in-exile spared no effort in taking the opportunity to criticize the Chinese central government," the paper said.

The Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 after a failed uprising against Chinese rule. He says he advocates a peaceful resolution of the Tibet dispute and wants authentic autonomy for Tibet, not independence.

Independent verification of what happened in the protests and the shootings is impossible, with government travel restrictions on the region and security checkpoints along roads barring journalists and others from reaching the area.

U.S. Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Maria Otero said in a statement after the first two shootings last week that the United States was "gravely concerned" about the reports of violence.

The editorial underscored the potential international ructions that could follow from continued unrest in Tibetan areas, where protests and riots in 2008 triggered international criticism of Beijing, which was then met by vehement nationalist condemnation by many Han Chinese.

The Dalai Lama's efforts to kidnap the broader interests of Tibetans for selfish political motives are "doomed to failure," the editorial said.

Over the past year, there have been at least 16 incidents of Tibetans setting themselves on fire in response to Beijing's grip over Tibetan affairs.

China has ruled what it calls the Tibet Autonomous Region since Communist troops marched in in 1950. It rejects criticism that it is eroding Tibetan culture and faith, saying its rule has ended serfdom and brought development to a backward region.

The Tibetan government-in-exile has its headquarters in Dharamsala in northern India, and says it speaks for the authentic aspirations of the Tibetan people.

(Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Ken Wills)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120130/wl_nm/us_china_tibet

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[OOC] Blood on the Thames

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

Let me be the first to welcome you all to this Role Play. It is still being constructed currently, but we are still taking in members and people. This RP promises to be fun and exciting as it gives control of the game to the characters and their players. You all will determine how the plot rolls out and how the game progresses. London is yours, if you have the power to take it.

BSDJoker: Member for 2 years

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/pLguIJljqMI/viewtopic.php

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Screen actors get their say in Oscar race (omg!)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After months of talking and weeks of voting, Hollywood's actors finally name their picks for the best performances in the films and TV shows of 2011 at the annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday.

The SAG honors, which are closely watched in the race for Oscars, follow the Golden Globe, Critics' Choice and other awards given by media watchers, as well as acknowledgements from the U.S. Producers Guild and Directors Guild, which represent their respective professional groups in industry matters.

"The Artist," a romantic tale of a fading actor whose career is eclipsed by the woman he loves just as talkies are putting an end to silent pictures, has won top awards from many of those groups including the Directors Guild on Saturday night and will look to do as well with SAG voters on Sunday.

But "Artist" faces stiff competition from civil rights-era drama "The Help," which comes into Sunday night's awards with more nominations, four, more than any other movie, as well as from George Clooney-starring "The Descendants".

The actors in all three of those movies, along with the performers in Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" and the ladies of comedy "Bridesmaids," will compete for the night's top honor, best ensemble cast in a film.

The SAG Awards are a key barometer of which films and actors have a good chance at winning Oscars, the world's top film honors given on February 26 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, because performers make up the largest voting branch of the academy.

In other SAG races, Clooney, playing a father struggling to keep his family together, squares off against Jean Dujardin of "Artist" fame and Brad Pitt for his role as a numbers-crunching baseball executive in "Moneyball." The other two nominees in that category are Demian Bichir in the little seen "A Better Life" and Leonardo DiCaprio for "J. Edgar."

The SAG race for best actress is seen as a tight one among Meryl Streep playing former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady," Viola Davis as a maid in "The Help" and Michelle Williams for her turn as Marilyn Monroe in "My Week with Marilyn."

Rounding out that category are Glenn Close in a gender-bending role as a butler in "Albert Nobbs" and Tilda Swinton as a troubled mother in dark drama, "We Need to Talk about Kevin."

SAG also hands out awards for best supporting roles in movies, and it honors performances in TV dramas, comedies and mini-series. But because of SAG's importance in the Oscar race, the film categories are most closely followed.

The SAG Awards air on U.S. TV on Sunday night from Los Angeles on cable networks TNT and TBS.

(Reporting By Bob Tourtellotte and Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/external/omg_rss/rss_omg_en/news_screen_actors_oscar_race191934410/44346917/*http%3A//omg.yahoo.com/news/screen-actors-oscar-race-191934410.html

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US home invasion killer sentenced to death

FILE - This March 14, 2011 file photo released by the Connecticut Department of Correction shows Joshua Komisarjevsky, convicted Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 on several counts related to the beating of Dr. William Petit Jr., and killing his wife Jennifer Hawke-Petit and their two daughters in a July 2007 home invasion in Cheshire, Conn. Komisarjevsky will be formally sentenced to death Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Connecticut Department of Correction, File)

Dr. William Petit Jr. arrives at Superior Court in New Haven for the formal sentencing of Joshua Komisarjevsky in New Haven, Conn., Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Komisarjevsky is joining co-defendent Steven Hayes on death row for the 2007 killings of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, Hayley and Michaela, in their Cheshire home. Petit is the sole survivor of the crime. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

FILE - This June 2007 file photo provided by Dr. William Petit Jr., shows Dr. Petit, left, with his daughters Michaela, front, Hayley, center rear, and his wife, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, on Cape Cod, Mass. Dr. Petit was severely beaten and his wife and two daughters were killed during a home invasion in Cheshire, Conn., July 23, 2007. Joshua Komisarjevsky was convicted Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 for the crimes, and will be formally sentenced to death Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/William Petit, File)

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (AP) ? A U.S. man was sentenced Friday to die for killing a woman and her two daughters during a night of terror in their suburban home, a crime that halted momentum to abolish the death penalty in the state of Connecticut.

Joshua Komisarjevsky, 31, blamed his accomplice for much of the crime but spoke of the devastating consequences of his decisions. He said he has family and supporters who don't want him to die and said being sentenced to death was a "surreal experience."

"I know my responsibilities, but what I cannot do is carry the responsibilities of the actions of another," Komisarjevsky said. "I did not want those innocent women to die."

Komisarjevsky joins accomplice Steven Hayes and nine other men on Connecticut's death row. The state's last execution in 2005 was the first since 1960, and Komisarjevsky will likely spend years, if not decades, in prison.

The two paroled burglars tormented a family of four in an affluent suburb before killing Jennifer Hawke-Petit and leaving her daughters, 17-year-old Hayley and 11-year-old Michaela, to die in a fire.

The only survivor, Dr. William Petit, was beaten with a baseball bat and tied up but escaped.

Hayes was convicted in 2010 of raping and strangling Hawke-Petit and killing the girls. The girls were tied to their beds and doused in gasoline before the house was set ablaze; they died of smoke inhalation. Komisarjevsky was convicted of the killings and of sexually assaulting Michaela.

Petit called the crime a "personal holocaust" as he testified during the sentencing hearing.

"I lost my family and my home," he said. "They were three special people. Your children are your jewels."

The 2007 attack led to the defeat of a bill to outlaw the death penalty in Connecticut and sparked tougher state laws for repeat offenders and home invasions.

In arguing for a life sentence, his lawyers said he was repeatedly sexually abused as a child by his foster brother and he never got proper psychological help as his problems worsened.

Prosecutors said the rape claims emerged years later when Komisarjevsky faced prison time for 19 nighttime residential burglaries committed a decade ago.

Komisarjevsky admitted in an audiotaped confession played for the jury that he spotted Hawke-Petit and Michaela at a supermarket and followed them to their house. After going home and putting his own daughter to bed, he and Hayes returned to the Petit house in the middle of the night to rob it.

The men, who blamed each other for escalating the crime, were caught fleeing in the family's car.

Komisarjevsky did not testify during his trial but objected unsuccessfully to an effort by his attorneys to play a videotaped interview of his 9-year-old daughter. Speaking outside the presence of the jury, he said he didn't want his daughter to feel compelled to help "one of the most hated people in America."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-27-Home%20Invasion/id-5223b2231e7e469a8fee52c7c2bf71eb

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Romney, Gingrich focus on Hispanic voters in Fla. (AP)

DORAL, Fla. ? Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney urged conservatives to back off aggressive anti-immigration policies as the Republican presidential candidates vied for Hispanic votes Friday, a day marked by heightened tensions entering the final weekend before Florida's primary.

"I'm very concerned about those who are already here illegally and how we deal with those 11 million or so," Romney said. "My heart goes out to that group of people. ... We're not going to go around and round people up in buses and ship them home."

The compassionate approach, like Gingrich's calls for politically practical reform, was aimed at improving the Republican Party's tarnished reputation among Hispanics. Both men delivered speeches Friday to the same group of Hispanic leaders gathered in Miami but avoided ? at least briefly ? criticizing each other in what now looks like a two-man race for the nomination.

Any calls for temperance on immigration didn't apply to personal attacks elsewhere.

The former House speaker released a new television ad in Florida using former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to question Romney's integrity. "If a man's dishonest to get a job, he'll be dishonest on the job," Huckabee says in the ad.

However, Huckabee said he didn't approve of his appearance in the ad and had been quoted out of context. Reiterating his stand against making a primary endorsement, he wrote on his PAC website: "My hope is to defeat Barack Obama and win majorities in both the House and Senate, not to attack any of the presidential candidates who might be our nominee."

Romney flashed a newfound confidence as he campaigned the day after delivering a strong debate performance. "I've had the fun of two debates where I had to stand up and battle, and battling was fun and battling was won," he told cheering supporters gathered at Cape Canaveral.

He later likened Gingrich's complaints to "Goldilocks," the fairy tale character who complained of the temperature of her porridge.

Tensions boiled over between the Gingrich and Romney representatives at a stop in Delray Beach. Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond confronted Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who is among several high-profile Romney surrogates tailing the former House speaker.

Surrounded by reporters and cameras, Hammond goaded Chaffetz for employing a tactic that even 2008 presidential nominee John McCain has called into question. McCain is a Romney backer who on Friday said he would discourage that type of infiltration.

"What you're saying is you're disregarding the advice of one your top endorsers?" Hammond asked Chaffetz.

"Speaker Gingrich has routinely said he would follow the president from place to place. We think it's a good idea," Chaffetz responded, referring to Gingrich's threat, if he wins the GOP nomination, to follow President Barack Obama from city to city to get the last word.

The outburst overshadowed a detailed discussion about immigration, in which the rivals called for democracy in Cuba and across Latin America, touching a theme that caused clashes between the GOP front-runners at Thursday night's debate in Jacksonville.

Immigration is a flashpoint issue in Florida for the GOP candidates, who are trying to strike a balance between sounding compassionate toward immigrants and firm about stemming the tide of illegal workers. The state has roughly 1.5 million Hispanic voters.

Gingrich pushed for a measured approach to revising the nation's immigration laws, "because any bill you write that is comprehensive has too many enemies." The former House speaker says he wants stricter border control, faster deportation proceedings and a guest-worker program for certain immigrants.

If elected, Gingrich said he would bring to bear "the moral force of an American president who is serious about intending to free the people of Cuba and willingness to intimidate those who are the oppressors and say to them, `You will be held accountable.'"

Romney said the United States needs to work harder to promote democracy across Latin America and elsewhere. He compared it to selling soda: "We convince people around the world to buy a brown, caramel-colored water called Coca-Cola and to pay like a half day's wage for it. And they'll buy it. It's unbelievable. We're able to convince people of things that sometimes you scratch your head. ... And yet democracy, we don't sell that so well."

Military dictatorships allied with the United States ruled much of South America in the 1970s, but most nations returned to democracy in the 1980s.

Romney also pledged to appoint a Latin American envoy and to create a task force to focus on drug trafficking and other issues.

Hours after the speech, Romney also won the coveted endorsement of Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuno, who joined Romney at an Orlando campaign stop late in the day. Romney and Gingrich said earlier that Puerto Rico should be granted statehood if local voters approve a looming referendum.

Opinion polls show a close race, with a slight advantage for Romney. Two other contenders, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, were far behind.

Paul has already made clear his intention to skip Florida in favor of smaller states that cost less to campaign in. On Friday, he began a two-day visit to snowy Maine.

Santorum, who had been campaigning aggressively here, conceded that he's better off at home, sitting at his kitchen table Saturday doing his taxes instead of campaigning in a state where he can't keep up with the GOP front-runners.

Outside advisers were urging him to pack up completely and not spend another minute in Florida, where he is cruising toward a third straight loss.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_el_pr/us_gop_campaign

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Video: Savannah's Growing Port

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/46146511/

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Gulf Coast Supply + Manufacturing Opens Metal Roofing Facility in Florida

By Joel Scanlon

The new 7,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility presents the Treasure Coast customers with its innovative products and services, benefiting several contractors, architects, and proprietors of the locality.

So far, the company has served the Southeast customers with its quality metal roofing systems. This expansion is one of the major objectives for Gulf Coast Supply to be a pioneer in the metal roofing industry, according to Jonathan Sherrill, the company?s Vice President.

The Stuart facility is located proximal to Florida?s Turnpike and Interstate 95 and provides seamless delivery service to the major areas of Florida. The Stuart plant is a centerpiece that symbolically promotes the Gulf Coast Supply?s metal building offerings to the public.

Sherrill further said that Gulf Coast Supply, besides serving the regions of Florida, has proven to be the ideal metal roofing manufacturer benefiting the architects, homeowners, and contractors across South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and the Caribbean.

Last year, the annual FRSA Roofing and Sheet Metal Expo showcased the innovative products of Gulf Coast Supply with its new company logo that strengthens the company?s branding. Gulf Coast Supply furthermore established another new facility at 14480 NW US Highway 441, Alachua, FL, 32615.

Headquartered at Horseshoe Beach, Gulf Coast Supply?s staff members working at Stuart and Alachua locations are intended in presenting the customers with product knowledge and seamless, dedicated customer service.

Source: http://www.gulfcoastsupply.com/

Posted 25th January 2012

Source: http://www.azobuild.com/news.asp?newsID=14850

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Thunderstorms pound Texas; tornado hits Austin (Reuters)

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) ? A tornado hit Austin, Texas, and thunderstorms pounded San Antonio, Dallas and Houston on Wednesday, bringing the parched Lone Star State drenching rains and destructive winds that knocked out power, flooded streets and kept emergency workers busy rescuing drivers stranded in high water.

The tornado touched down early Wednesday in northeast Austin, tearing across U.S. 290 and into a subdivision, damaging homes along a road called Happy Trail, according to the National Weather Service.

Springlike moisture from the Gulf of Mexico dropped the heaviest rainfall - 6-8 inches - on an area east of Austin and San Antonio and extending south into Houston, it added.

"That's very unusual for this time of year," NWS meteorologist Mark Wiley said. "It was just so much rain in such a short period of time. In so many areas, the ground is still fairly dry, but it was just so fast that it didn't have anywhere to go, especially in the urban areas."

There were no reports of injuries.

By Wednesday afternoon, the storms were pushing into Louisiana and were expected to head into Mississippi and Alabama on Thursday, the NWS said.

In Bastrop, an area east of Austin heavily damaged by Labor Day weekend wildfires, schools canceled classes on Wednesday. In Pflugerville, north of Austin, school buses were delayed Wednesday morning because the school district's bus barn was damaged overnight, the district website said. And the Houston Independent School District canceled after-school activities.

Wind toppled an 18-wheeler in on IH-45 in Madison County, between Dallas and Houston, officials said. More than 30 flights were canceled at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday morning.

In San Antonio, lightning hit an apartment complex on the city's north side as storms blew through, sparking a fire that forced people into the driving rain and destroyed four apartments, officials said.

Between Austin and Houston, in Brenham, high winds twisted trees and tore the roofs off a couple of buildings in the downtown area, said Ricky Boeker, fire chief and emergency management coordinator.

"It sounded like the world was coming apart -- I'm not going to lie," Boeker told Reuters.

The severe weather in Texas follows damaging storms and tornadoes that swept through Arkansas and Alabama earlier in the week.

In Texas, "while most of the region is still in the grips of a severe drought and very much needs the rain, too much rain too quickly can do more harm than good," AccuWeather.com meteorologist Mark Miller said in a Wednesday report. "Still, the rain will go a long way in helping to reduce the severity of the drought in exceptionally dry locations."

Last year was the driest year on record in Texas and the second-hottest, according to the NWS.

CPS Energy, the South Texas electric utility, reported more than 30,000 customers without power as wind snapped electric power lines and knocked out traffic signals during the morning rush hour in San Antonio. In Austin, some 5,000 customers of Austin Energy lost power, the company said. As many as 5,000 homes and businesses in the Dallas area also lost power, according to Oncor Delivery.

As San Antonio resident Johnny Grant surveyed damage to homes in his northwest San Antonio neighborhood on Wednesday, he said of the storm: "It sounded like a freight train to me. It was something terrible."

(Additional reporting by Jim Forsyth, Lauren Keiper, Deborah Quinn Hensel and Marice Richter. Editing by Paul Thomasch)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/weather/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120125/us_nm/us_weather

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Hall Automotive Acquires a new Ford Hyundai Franchise ...

Elizabeth City, NC (Vocus) June 4, 2010

Hall Automotive, a division of MileOne Automotive, announces today they have acquired a new Ford Hyundai franchise, which is located at 1310 N. Road Street (more commonly known as Business Route 17) in Elizabeth City. The new Ford Hyundai store will open under the Hall Automotive name. The store was previously known as Courtesy Ford Hyundai. This will be MileOne?s forth Hyundai dealership joining two other locations in Virginia and one in Wilkes-Barre, PA. MileOne has one other Ford dealership in Newport News, Virginia, making this new Elizabeth City location the second.

?Ford and Hyundai will make great additions to our company?s presence in Elizabeth City, we couldn?t be acquiring these franchises at a better time,? Bill Baker ? President COO of Hall Automotive. The Ford Hyundai store will join one of Hall Automotive?s Honda locations also in Elizabeth City. ?These two brands offer a very exciting vehicle line-up. Ford offers the well-hyped new Fiesta, the best-selling Taurus, the award winning F150, as well as the new Fusion Hybrid. Hyundai also has much to offer including the fully redesigned Sonata and Tucson, as well as the brand-new Genesis and upcoming Equus. Plus America?s Best Warranty?

Hall Ford Hyundai will be overseen by General Manager, Nick Vendt. ?I am very excited to be working with two of the most innovative auto brands on the market today. Each brand has a great line-up and a quickly growing customer base. We are looking forward to working with both new and existing customers of these brands.?

Current Ford and Hyundai customers in and around Elizabeth City will be able to take advantage of Hall Ford Hyundai?s 30 plus service bays with state of the art diagnostics equipment and certified technicians. Customers will quickly see the high level of customer service that Hall represents. In addition to sales and service, Hall Ford Hyundai Elizabeth City offers one of the area?s most modern collision center. While waiting for service Hall Ford Hyundai will offer a quiet service waiting area with internet access, comfortable seating, refreshments and a child?s play area. Service shuttle, loaners, and rentals are all available on site.

Ford Hyundai sales, service, and body shop operations have begun and a ?Grand Opening? celebration is being planned for a later date. Customers can go to hallfordelizabethcity.com or hallhyundaielizabethcity.com to schedule service online and browse inventory. Hall Ford Hyundai is located at 1310 N. Road Street (Business Route 17) Elizabeth City, North Carolina 27909.

About MileOne Automotive

MileOne Automotive operates 63 retail automotive franchises representing 27 different brands and 9 collision centers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia with a focus on the Baltimore-Washington, Hampton Roads/Virginia Beach, Nags Head/Elizabeth City and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton major metro areas. MileOne.com allows customers to research new, used and fuel-efficient luxury, import and domestic cars and trucks, send information about vehicles to their mobile device, schedule service appointments, buy parts and accessories, play automotive games, and download automotive wallpaper and mobile ring tones. For more information or to find a quality MileOne dealership near you, please visit http://www.mileone.com.

###

Related Hyundai Sonata Press Releases

Source: http://carkeylocksmiths.org/2012/01/27/hall-automotive-acquires-a-new-ford-hyundai-franchise/

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Knewton Prepares To Take Education by Storm [TCTV]

Here at the World Economic Forum in Davos, among the banking, shipping, steel and transport magnates of the global economy, there are a number of technology entrepreneurs floating around. As they rub shoulders with the likes of Eric Schmidt, Sean Parker, Loic Le Meur and Robert Scoble, it's possible to peel them off from the crowd. I managed to catch Jose Ferreira, CEO and Founder of Knewton a startup which is aiming a silver bullet at the education problem with something that one might even call an audacious platform. Ferreira has raised $54M to achieve this, which is quite a sum. Despite that, he is openly critical of VCs who do not think in such word changing arenas as education.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/rfZ0mHoA_9A/

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Video: GOP candidates attempt to lure Latino vote

>>> i like immigration. immigration has been an extraordinary source of strength in this country. immigrants form more businesses than domestic born americans.

>> i think the idea we're going to deport grandmothers and grandfathers is a sufficient level of inhumanity. first of all, it's never going to happen.

>> the latino vote makes up over 22% in florida . gingrich's campaign pulled down a spanish radio ad after senator marco rubio said this kind of language is more than just unfortunate, it's inaccurate, inflammatory and does not belong in this campaign. erin, thanks for your time. in your piece, the first line captures so much you say targeting specific coalitions wasn't much en vogue until the campaigns came to the sunshine state . now a battle is raging for the latino vote in south florida . it seems both campaigns are making stumbles along the way that could cost them that vote.

>> they certainly are, tamron. this radio ad that newt gingrich 's campaign had to take down that offended marco rubio was a big problem. it took away from some of the language that both campaigns are using to target the voters and the kinds of ideas that they are trying to show they have with the latino community here in florida . they both had interviews with univision, and they both got into some details about their policies toward latin america and latin america voters here. they didn't really hear much because it's been this personal battle between the two. romney's commented about deportation have come up and they tried to talk about that the but it's become a personal battle.

>> we might hear the same kind of attack line from both of these candidates tonight in this latest debate. i'm sure newt gingrich will pick up again on the self-deportation line. none of the real big names are coming out for candidate one way or the other. you have marco rubio willing to criticize newt gingrich , but he's not come out in favor or backed a candidate yet. what's the holdup there?

>> marco rubio has said he's going to remain neutral in this race. i will point out that mitt romney does have the support of a number of latino leaders in florida . he's also been campaigning with them. a senator from florida was campaigning with mitt romney yesterday. they're not ready to declare a candidate of choice. you do see a lot of elected leaders starting to go in the direction of mitt romney .

>> i know you're on the road. we thank you for joining us p.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/46151665/

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Keith Urban's voice in good shape after surgery (Reuters)

NASHVILLE (Reuters) ? Country singer Keith Urban says that during the three weeks he was ordered not to speak late last year after vocal surgery, he learned a few valuable lessons about communication including this: sometimes people talk too much.

"I was amazed at how much noise there is on television and in conversations," Urban told Reuters on Wednesday. "It's rubbish. We could strip away so much ... be more succinct ... and still make our point.

"I realized I'm as guilty as anybody. I learned that when you have to write stuff down you get real particular as to how and what you want to say."

The singer underwent surgery in November to remove polyps from a vocal chord, causing his doctor put him on vocal rest for three weeks and bar him from singing until February.

Urban, who has nothched a No. 1 single "Long Hot Summer" with co-writer Richard Marx, said that while he was unable to talk, his other senses improved, especially hearing.

He thought ahead, too, and prepared for how he would communicate with his three-year-old daughter, Sunday Rose. He recorded several of her favorite books onto a tape, and after his surgery, he would take the recorder to her room at night, press play and turn the pages of the book so he could "read."

Sunday Rose would let the tape play for a little while and then she'd hit the stop button. She would look at her dad and say, "I want you to read it," Urban said.

His wife, actress Nicole Kidman, would have to explain to Sunday Rose why daddy couldn't actually read to her.

Urban, whose hits include "You Look Good in My Shirt" "Making Memories of Us" and "Somebody Like You," is fully recovered from his surgery and plans to return to the stage on February 4, when he performs at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. He is also planning a huge benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville on April 10.

(Reporting By Vernell Hackett, Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120126/en_nm/us_keithurban

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Council finds states weakening teacher tenure

WASHINGTON (AP) ? America's public school teachers are seeing their generations-old tenure protections weakened as states seek flexibility to fire teachers who aren't performing. A few states have essentially nullified tenure protections altogether, according to an analysis being released Wednesday by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

The changes are occurring as states replace virtually automatic "satisfactory" teacher evaluations with those linked to teacher performance and base teacher layoffs on performance instead of seniority. Politically powerful teachers' unions are fighting back, arguing the changes lower morale, deny teachers due process, and unfairly target older teachers.

The debate is so intense that in Idaho, for example, state superintendent Tom Luna's truck was spray painted and its tires slashed. An opponent appeared at his mother's house and he was interrupted during a live TV interview by an agitated man. Why? The Idaho legislature last year ended "continuing contracts" ? essentially equivalent to tenure ? for new teachers and said performance, not seniority, would determine layoffs. Other changes include up to $8,000 in annual bonuses given to teachers for good performance, and parent input on evaluations. Opponents gathered enough signatures to put a referendum that would overturn the changes on the November ballot.

Luna says good teachers shouldn't be worried.

"We had a system where it was almost impossible to financially reward great teachers and very difficult to deal with ineffective teachers. If you want an education system that truly puts students first, you have to have both," Luna said.

On Tuesday night, President Barack Obama weighed in on the issue during his State of the Union address. He said schools should be given the resources to keep and reward good teachers along with the flexibility to teach with creativity and to "replace teachers who just aren't helping kids learn."

Tenure protections were created in the early 20th century to protect teachers from arbitrary or discriminatory firings based on factors such as gender, nationality or political beliefs by spelling out rules under which they could be dismissed after a probationary period.

Critics say teachers too often get tenure by just showing up for work ? typically for three years, but sometimes less, and that once they earned it, bad teachers are almost impossible or too expensive to fire. The latest statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics, dating to the 2007-2008 school year, show about 2 percent of teachers dismissed for poor performance, although the numbers vary widely by school district.

The analysis by the National Council on Teacher Quality, a research and policy group that seeks to improve the quality of teaching, documents the shift in laws. In 2009, no state required student performance to be central to whether a teacher is awarded tenure; today, eight states do. The analysis also says four states now want evidence that students are learning before awarding tenure.

Other changes:

? In Florida, tenure protections were essentially made null and void with policy changes such as eliminating tenure-like benefits altogether for new teachers, but also spelling out requirements under which all teachers with multiple poor evaluations face dismissal.

? Rhode Island policies say teachers with two years of ineffective evaluations will be dismissed.

? Colorado and Nevada passed laws saying tenure can be taken away after multiple "ineffective" ratings.

? Eleven states now require districts to consider teacher performance when deciding who to let go.

? About half of all states have policies that require classroom effectiveness be considered in teacher evaluations.

? Florida, Indiana and Michigan adopted policies that require performance to be factored in teacher salaries.

A growing body of research demonstrates the dramatic difference effective teachers can play in student lives, from reducing teenage pregnancies to increasing a student's lifetime earnings. Meanwhile, while controversial, teacher evaluations have evolved in a way that proponents say allows better accounting of students' growth and of factors out of a teacher's control, like attendance.

The Obama administration has helped nudge the changes with its Race to the Top competition, which allowed states to compete for billions of education dollars, and offering states waivers around unpopular proficiency requirements in the No Child Left Behind education law. To participate in either, states have to promise changes such as tying teacher evaluations to performance.

"There's a real shift to saying all kids, especially our most disadvantaged kids, have access to really high quality and effective teachers. And, that's it's not OK for kids to have ... an ineffective teacher year after year," said Sandi Jacobs, vice president of the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Jacobs said tenure should be meaningful, but that in 39 states it's automatic.

"That's the problem with tenure, everybody gets it," she said. "If you're held to a high bar where you've really demonstrated that you are effective in the classroom, then there's nothing wrong with that as long as the due process rights that you do get are reasonable."

But many teachers feel under siege. They argue the evaluation systems are too dependent on standardized tests. While teachers' unions have gotten more on board with strengthening teacher evaluations, they often question the systems' fairness and want them designed with local teachers' input.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said unions understand the tenure process needs change, but that too often, school administrators have used it as an excuse to mismanage. "They want teachers to basically do exactly what they say, give them no resources and then blame them if they don't in a time of tremendous fiscal instability and fiscal pressures," Weingarten said.

In Boise, Idaho, Lane Brown, 56, a biology and horticulture teacher who moved from a private school a few years ago to a public alternative high school to seek new challenges after three decades of teaching, said her school's climate has dramatically changed.

"There's nobody in this building that doesn't understand it could be one of us, not just the newest teacher or the teacher with the fewest number of students. It could be anybody, ... which is scary. Every teacher here is saying, 'I don't know if I'm going to have a job next year,'" Brown said.

In Florida, teachers fear expressing what they feel is best for students, said Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association.

"Teachers see positions not being filled, class sizes increasing, more demands, more testing, and you add all that together with their economic uncertainty about continued employment and it certainly doesn't allow you to go out and plan for long term investments like a home," Ford said.

Kathy Hebda, the deputy chancellor for education quality in Florida, said the contract-related changes were not done in "isolation," but as part of broader changes that improve accountability and provide teachers feedback.

Michelle Rhee, the former schools chancellor in Washington, D.C., acknowledged widespread mistrust among teachers about evaluations, but she said once teachers are brought into discussions, many are won over.

"If we know who the effective teachers are, if we know what kind of an impact effective teachers can have on individual kids and on our society overall, then why wouldn't we take the obvious step of utilizing the information on who are the most effective teachers to make our staffing decisions?" said Rhee, whose education advocacy group StudentsFirst is pushing for changes to layoff policies based on seniority.

Coming up, Missouri legislators appear poised to take up the contentious topic of teacher tenure. In Connecticut, the Connecticut Education Association launched a TV advertising campaign after Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and legislative leaders said education reform ? and possibly tenure ? will be the major focus of this legislative session. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie, both Republicans, are eyeing tenure law changes.

"Tenure laws will be under assault for many years to come," said Marjorie Murphy, a professor of history at Swarthmore College who wrote a book about the teacher labor movement. Murphy said ending tenure protections will "take over any sense of fair play between employer and employee. All of that will be gone."

_____

National Council on Teacher Quality: http://www.nctq.org/

____

Chris Blank in Jefferson City, Mo., and Jessie Bonner in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-01-25-Teacher%20Tenure/id-db3023df347345078788ba3f248a27fa

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Chinese Researchers Lead in Howard Hughes Awards

[unable to retrieve full-text content]China?s government has thrown billions in recent years into building a top-notch research establishment, now comes a hint that that effort is beginning to pay off.

Source: http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=8a82a6da071a97ad05dd0a1687663a5e

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

"Shahs of Sunset" puts young Iranians on U.S. TV map (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) ? California's vibrant Iranian-American community is getting its own reality TV show -- its stars spending, squabbling and showing off in what looks like a cross between the gossipy "Real Housewives" series and splashy "Keeping up with the Kardashians".

"Shahs of Sunset", premiering on cable TV channel Bravo on March 11, follows six "passionate socialites" in their 30s who try to juggle their careers and social lives with family and tradition, Bravo said on Monday.

Four of those taking part in the show work in real estate in Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Hills and other pricey areas of Los Angeles. Most enjoy a lavish lifestyle where expensive cars, huge mansions, gold jewelry and shopping are a must, judging by a short promotional trailer for the new series.

Among the cast is one of the few openly gay men in southern California's Iranian-American community, Bravo said.

The series is thought to be one of the first on U.S. TV to document the lives of young Persians whose parents fled Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, or who settled in California as young children.

An estimated 500,000 Iranian-Americans live in the Los Angeles area -- the largest Persian community outside Tehran -- and some 20 percent of the population of Beverly Hills are of Iranian descent.

"From outings on Rodeo Drive to traditional Persian feasts at home, this series celebrates the unique lifestyle of a group of friends who have worked hard for what they have and are not afraid to flaunt it," Bravo said.

"Shah's of Sunset" is produced by Ryan Seacrest, host of "American Idol" and the producer of the popular "Keeping up with the Kardashians", about Armenian-American socialite sisters Kim, Khloe and Kourtney, and its spinoff series.

(Reporting By Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/tv_nm/us_shahsofsunset

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Monday, January 23, 2012

[OOC] Mythical Hunt

Forum rules
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.

Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!

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

Topic Tags:

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

Zenia: Member for 1 years

This will begin next week.

Zenia: Member for 1 years

Okay let me check the spots left. If needed I will make two more.
EDIT: I'd rather not though.

Last edited by Zenia on Sun Jan 22, 2012 9:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Zenia: Member for 1 years

Okay I have two spots left. One though is the traitor.

Zenia: Member for 1 years

So glad to be back.

You said you would always be there for me...I guess you lied

Nowfaleena: Member for 1 years

Good to have you back Meraradus.

Zenia: Member for 1 years

Okay since two people want to be beings Tonks, and Vampire Mistress.
Are either of you okay with being the traitor?

Zenia: Member for 1 years

Got it sorted. ^-^
Forgot to put this in rules so I will put it here first. As I said this will start next week. Also wait until I make the world post and my charries posts.

Zenia: Member for 1 years

Also these posts are probably gonna be in the 100 to 200 words. Everyone can handle that right? My post may be longer, like my intro posts. Also because I am controlling so far three characters.

Zenia: Member for 1 years

Of course. Hunters are human, you know that correct?

Zenia: Member for 1 years

Post a reply

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Through the Looking Glass - Dedicated Players Wanted

Hello, everyone! I've worked with two friends of mine to create the roleplay Through the Looking Glass, a story that follows the adventures of fairy tale characters in the real world and real world people in a fantasy world. Now, we know that it has similarities to the television show Once Upon a Time, but we want to establish that we're trying to go a very different direction with our story.

In this roleplay, everyone will have two characters: A fairy tale character and their real-world counterpart, who will switch universes at the very beginning of the RP. From there, they can either begin to make their way back, or try to make themselves at home in the real world. All this takes place during a time of political upheaval between the good and evil queens of Atleos, and a corporate legal conflict in modern-day New York.

We are trying to limit the use of 'well-known' characters, such as Disney Princesses and Princes, and choose more unusual and 'minor' characters from existing fairy tales to allow for as much creative room as we want, while still allowing for some fun name-dropping and references to other stories.

Please take a look, and reply below or in the OOC thread here if you have questions!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/T9W5oy_puwU/viewtopic.php

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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Eben Franckewitz: The Next Justin Bieber?!?

When it comes to shaggy hair, supportive parents, a strong voice and a humble attitude, be warned Justin Bieber: you now have competition.

On American Idol's foray into Pittsburgh last night, viewers met Eben Franckewitz, a 15-year old from Milford, Ohio. We were first introduced to him via home video, as the show drove home just how close Eben is to his parents.

He then only needed a few seconds in front of the judges to earn a Golden Ticket for his rendition of "Ain't No Sunshine," with all agreeing the kid was adorable and Randy Jackson telling him: "You definitely have a God-given gift that is pretty amazing and spot-on."

Eben Franckewitz American Idol Audition

Also serving notice in the Steel City? Hallie Day. The 24-yar old waitress means singing business.

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/eben-franckewitz-the-next-justin-bieber/

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Gingrich's Bedroom Is None of Voters' Business (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Somewhere between the New Hampshire and South Carolina debates, Ron Paul learned how to talk, and Newt Gingrich took a stand. It was shocking especially since we watched Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum flounder. Santorum and Romney really didn't get much air time, and that's a good thing. Both seemed more interested in debunking television ad attacks rather than answering the debate questions.

Thursday night's debate was all about Gingrich and Paul with the opening question directed at Gingrich. Unfortunately for CNN, the question was about his ex-wife's statements, and Gingrich was not happy about it. After being asked if he'd like to discuss her statements, he said, "No, but I will." The audience erupted in applause and cheers.

Gingrich then said: "I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office, and I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that. Every person in here knows personal pain. Every person in here has had someone close to them go through painful things. To take an ex-wife and make it two days before the primary a significant question in a presidential campaign is as close to despicable as anything I can imagine."

I can't imagine a better answer to that question. When I first heard that ABC News was airing statements from Gingrich's ex-wife, I was certain they would end Gingrich's campaign. Such statements and character attacks have ended campaigns in the past. We only have to look at the affair allegations that ended Cain's presidential bid. But after Gingrich's answer, I'm certain his campaign is solid. It is refreshing to see a candidate demand the debate stick to presidential issues. I, for one, am more interested in how Gingrich plans to run the country. I could care less about what he does in his bedroom.

When it came to job and how to get Americans back to work, the only candidate that gave a complete answer was Paul. He stated, "I'd like to see the federal government have a sound currency. We have to understand why we have unemployment. We have to let the economy cycle and correct itself. We need to enforce contract laws and bankruptcy laws."

I understood Paul's statement. We do need to fully understand why we have unemployment. We also have to understand that the economy is cyclical. We have periods of growth and periods of decline, but today are modern government and people are terrified of the declines. Economic declines are normal. They are corrections to periods of fanatic growth and must be allowed to run their course. It's basic economics.

All in all, it was Gingrich and Paul on top of Thursday night's debate. They were both well spoken. They answered the questions, and they didn't dive too far into their political agendas. I hope we see more debates like Thursday night.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120121/pl_ac/10860783_gingrichs_bedroom_is_none_of_voters_business

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