Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/236174283?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Saturday, June 30, 2012
SERVICE SALUTE: Parade To Honor Veterans
You can honor those who have served our country this weekend. The ?Salute to Our Veterans and Service Members Parade? takes off at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Veterans from across the state will gather at the Iowa State Capitol for the parade in their honor. The parade will start when four F-16 fighter jets from the 132nd Fighter Wing fly over the capitol. A riderless horse will lead the parade in memory of fallen soldiers.
The parade will head west on Grand Avenue, then north on 2nd Avenue. It will end at Veterans Auditorium. Organizer Col. Bob King says about 100 entries will take part, including veterans groups and businesses like the Budweiser Clydesdales and Wells Fargo stage coach.
Col. King says the Governor?s office worked with the Iowa National Guard and Office of Veterans Affairs to help honor service members with this event. He says, ?Celebrate and honor our veterans of all services, all branches, all conflicts, all periods of peace time, everybody that?s wearing a uniform, whether you?re an Iowan, or a citizen of this country. This is to honor them and to celebrate the service they gave to this country.?
Col. King says they?ll have plenty of water stops along the way to help people stay cool.
Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48014206/ns/local_news-des_moines_ia/
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An easy way to attract money | The Self Improvement Blog ...
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Friday, June 29, 2012
Google I/O 2012 Day 1 Keynote Liveblog!
Here we go, ladies and gentlemen! We're up and ready and raring to go at Moscone West in San Francisco. We've got the Google I/O Day 1 keynote address coming your way, after the break.
This one's going to be a little different, though. Unlike a lot of keynotes, Google's streaming this one live, and you can watch it with us after the break. (Might even be able to see the back of our heads.) That also means we don't have to set our keyboards on fire trying to type every little word, which is nice. That also means we'll have more time free to let you know what's really going on, behind the scenes and between the lines.
So break on through to the other side, and let's kick off this crazy ride. The keynote begins June 27 at the following times:
- 9:30 a.m. Pacific time
- 12:30 p.m. Eastern time
- 5:30 p.m. in London
- And all points east and east.
Got it? Good. Let's go!
 |  |
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Thursday, June 28, 2012
Searching for Hardwood Floor Contractors to Improve Your Home ...
The floor may help define the standard of your own home. It is the very first thing your friends and relatives will probably notice once they step into your house. It ought to appear clean for your eyes and really feel clean for your feet. The sort of material applied on your floor leaves a good or bad impression on your visitors. One of the most appealing types of flooring is hardwood. Look for well-performing hardwood floor contractors if you need to bring classiness in your property.
There are two kinds of hardwood floors: solid and engineered. Solid hardwood floors give off a natural vibe into the house. It could range in dimension and style while some might include other functions just like immunity from humidity. Engineered hardwood, conversely, has 2 or more levels. Additionally it is the most widely used flooring worldwide. Many people mix up engineered hardwood with laminates and vinyl. Both kinds just make your floor appear as if they're genuine wood. Discuss the type of flooring you would like for your home with your hardwood floor contractors.
Floors deteriorates with time. Experts normally make use of special surface finishes to keep the floor from looking dull over time. Building contractors don't just set up flooring systems; they must make sure it seems polished and spot-free. In some cases, the floor may end up uneven after installation. To correct this, hardwood floor sanding is critical.
hardwood flooring sanding is the solution to smoothen the surface and get rid of unevenness. Experts use a sander machine for easy leveling and handheld sandpaper for edges and difficult to reach parts. This process also works well for removing paint stains or torn film on the surface of the floor. Sanding isn't easy and it demands good deal of attention if you need a perfectly smooth surface. Additionally you need to use different kinds of sand paper or devices on distinct areas. Apart from flooring, stair cases made out of hardwood steps also call for sanding and finishing.
When sanding hardwood floors, you initially need to remove or fasten lifted nails or screws. This prevents uneven smoothening and also eliminates damaging the sanding machine. There has to be good air flow inside the room as sawdust may possibly fill up the air. Building contractors need to use safety glasses and respiratory masks to protect themselves from toxic irritants. The floor must be free from dirt, hair, as well as other fine particles to have an easier sanding process.
It really is easier to try to find contractors on the internet focusing on setting up hardwood floors. Do a search for reliable companies providing high quality solutions on installation and sanding. Makeovers continually come with an expensive price however, you can get your way around it when you try to find reasonably priced deals on the internet. Verify the hardwood floor sanding cost with your list of contractors. Select one that provides economical yet effective services with reputation on quality. Change the look of your home with hardwood flooring systems, and bring in an even more elegant atmosphere in your interior.
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On Health: Levine Cancer Institute adds nationally known doctors
Levine Cancer Institute, created in 2010 by Carolinas HealthCare System, has announced the hiring of six cancer specialists to play key roles in expanding research and treatment offerings to cancer patients across the Southeast.
They are:
Dr. Edward S. Kim from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is a national leader in molecular prognostication for lung cancer and specializes in thoracic oncology and head and neck cancers. He will start July 2 and serve as chair of the Department of Solid Tumor Oncology. He received his medical degree from Northwestern University and completed residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and medical oncology fellowship at M.D. Anderson.
Dr. Edward A. Copelan from the Cleveland Clinic?s Taussig Cancer Institute. He will begin work in September and serve as chair of the Department of Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders. His clinical specialties include bone marrow transplantation, leukemia, multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes. He received his medical degree from Tufts University in Boston and completed residency at Ohio State University Hospital in Columbus, fellowships in hematology and oncology at Ohio State University Hospitals and bone marrow transplantation at the University of California-Los Angeles.
Dr. Belinda Avalos from Ohio State University Hospital?s James Comprehensive Cancer Center. She will begin in September and serve as vice chair of the Department of Hematologic Oncology. She specializes in hematology and bone marrow transplantation and will lead the institute?s efforts to develop collaborative research initiatives and to understand the stem cell biology of blood disorders. She received her medical degree from Ohio State University and completed residency at Ohio State University Hospital, a hematology fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle, and a hematology-oncology fellowship at Ohio State University Hospital and the University of California-Los Angeles.
James Symanowski, formerly director of the Biostatistics Core and of the Clinical Trials Office at the Nevada Cancer Institute. He will begin in September as chair of the Department of Biostatistics. He has spent his career in laboratory, translational clinical, and population sciences areas of cancer research and consults internationally in the field. He received his bachelor?s degree in mathematics from The College of William and Mary, and both his master?s and doctorate degrees in statistics from Iowa State University.
Ram Ganapathi and Marukh Ganapathi, both from the Cleveland Clinic?s Taussig Cancer Center. They will join the institute?s pharmacology lab team in July, helping to increase understanding of the science of oncology drug interactions and effectiveness. Ram Ganapathi got a doctorate at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and served fellowships at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and University of Miami Hospitals and Clinics. Mahrukh Ganapathi got a doctorate at the University of Miami and served a fellowship at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Institute president Dr. Derek Raghavan, who came to Carolinas HealthCare from the Cleveland Clinic, said: ?We are building a world-class team of clinicians and researchers...and look forward to collaborating with them to benefit our teams and our research efforts, and ultimately, the care of our patients.?
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Simple Guide On How To Improve Your House
Posted by jeflpdlmwe on 1 day ago A nice addition to any home is a nicely crafted fence. If your home is lacking a fence, you might decide it is time to build one. Fences look great in just about any home and can help raise the property value of your home. You can also feel a little more secure, as having a fence can help keep random strangers off your property.
If you do not already have one, add a second bathroom to your home. The main reason for this is so your family does not have to fight over one bathroom. Another reason for adding another bathroom is for resale value. Having two bathrooms makes a home more attractive for potential buyers.
Even if you are an expert and home improvement tasks, leave the plumbing to the professionals. With many people wanting to do a majority of home improvements themselves, they get tempted to going into areas that are meant for professionals. Plumbing is one of those areas that should be left to the professionals because they can be far too difficult or even dangerous.
Make sure that any contract you sign when buying a home has your interests at heart. You need to have time to get financing, arrange a home inspection and discuss any problems in the home that may need repair. A contract that is written to protect you, is essential in giving you peace of mind and allowing you to enjoy your new home.
If you are thinking about repainting the exterior of your home and the existing paint is in good shape, pressure wash the outside of the home prior to putting on new primer. This will get any dirt and debris off the old paint and give the primer a good surface to bond with.
What you have just learned from the tips above might not be as specific as you need for any one particular project, but you should get a good idea of how you need to prepare for a home improvement project. It?s not just something you should leap into. Use what you?ve learned here to act as your guide. locations
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Fuller Sotheby's International Realty's Boulder Office Has Moved ...
26Jun 2012
Fuller Sotheby?s International Realty is pleased to announce the relocation of their Boulder office to a brand new space at 1050 Walnut Street in downtown Boulder. The 3,500 square foot office is located just steps from the ever-popular Pearl Street Mall, and on the same block as the luxurious St. Julien Hotel. Fuller Sotheby?s International Realty?s new downtown presence is a seamless fit in every way. Home to 12 select residential real estate brokers, people who visit the new space will discover extraordinary service driven by Sotheby?s truly customer-centric standards. When it comes to buying or selling
a home in the Boulder market, there is no match for the marketing and brand recognition that is Sotheby?s International Realty?.
James Simpson, Managing Broker of the Boulder office, commented, ?Sotheby?s International Realty is a brand synonymous with taste and style. We now have a beautiful office in a premier location that is consummate with the brand.?
For more information regarding the new Boulder office location, please visit fullersothebysrealty.com or call 303.443.6161.
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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Netanyahu urges action on Iran after meeting Putin
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Former Md. monastery hits market for $32 million
Zillow
The enormous brick home has three wings.
By Erika Riggs, Zillow
Undisclosed address, Annapolis, Md.
For sale: $32 million
With its secret passages and a reputation for hiding gold, guns and liquor, this house doesn't sound like the kind of place the Catholic Church would turn into a monastery. Yet, in the 1940s, the Church purchased this large estate and transformed its five-part Georgian residence into a friary, complete with a chapel, a dormitory for monks and a cafeteria with a commercial kitchen.
The storied 26,000-square-foot private-home-turned monastery-turned-private-home now is listed for $32 million, making it the most expensive property on the Annapolis real estate market.
Built in the 1920s, the home was rumored to be a spot for rum running during Prohibition, says listing agent David DeSantis of Sotheby's International Realty. The property's secret passages and hiding spots added to its mystique, but didn't deter church leaders from building a Capuchin monastery within its walls. The church remained active there for about 30 years, but after the monastery moved, the home fell into disrepair.
When the current owners, third-generation seafood company CEO Steve Phillips and his wife Maxine, bought the home, it had passed through a number of owners.
"No one really lived in it," said agent DeSantis. "Everyone had grandiose plans but let it go into decay. When the (current) owners bought it, it had holes in the roof (and) raccoons were living in it."
The owners' restoration was a multiyear, multimillion-dollar project. The transformation was dramatic and, perhaps, most evident in the rear of the house, where the dormitory was razed. A terrace, pool pavilion and infinity pool were constructed within the dorm's footprint. The chapel was preserved, and a spa and indoor pool were placed below it. Much of the home's original craftsmanship was preserved and can be seen in its massive teak columns, hand-carved foyer arch and fireplace surrounds.
While it pays homage to history, the home also is loaded with technology. A central "control room" manages temperatures and lighting levels, the humidity level in the spa, the water temperatures of both indoor and outdoor pools, an elaborate entertainment system, and a network of security cameras.
The 10-bedroom, 12.5-bath home, known as The Friary on the Severn, sits on a 23-acre estate with views of -- and dock access to -- the Severn River.
Related: Home prices up for third straight month
Despite its immense size, the home is livable, says DeSantis. The current owners have "incredibly good taste," he said.
"They have a great fondness for Asian culture. For example, the billiard room was hand-carved in teak by artisans in Indonesia. It was assembled there and brought back to Annapolis and reassembled."
Another example of Asian influence on the estate is its tea garden and tea house -- just one more feature, says DeSantis, that makes this pricey home a standout.
According to the Zillow mortgage calculator, a monthly payment on the home would be $115,614, assuming a 20 percent down payment on a 30-year-mortgage.
Zillow
The home blends modern Asian design with the its original Georgian features.
Zillow
The monastery's chapel is still intact.
See more photos of the Annapolis home on Zillow.
Related:
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PSA: PS3 firmware update landing today
Sony's third-generation console is primed for new firmware, set to arrive later today and looks to be a largely audio-based refresh. Version 4.20 improves support for Sony's own PlayStation 3 Wireless Stereo Headset, which had some teething troubles with the last update. You can now turn off the option to hear your own voice ringing through your head, or pick from five different volume levels. There's also a new option to add virtual surround sound to the pair of ear-warmers, as well adjustments to how long the whole system will run before shutting itself down, and the ability to save files in bulk. Hit up the official source for the full update rundown.
PSA: PS3 firmware update landing today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 06:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012
How To Start A Restaurant Business
Research shows that of the cafe and restaurant businesses fail within the first five years of opening, but a successful hospitality business are amongst some of the most profitable businesses in the world! You can often find a bustling neighborhood restaurant that was completely empty; the location is the same, so how could this happen?
A successful restaurant is to meet expectations, while not successful. In short, only one has done their homework! Research and preparation is important when you are starting a new restaurant business. This is the only way to lay the groundwork for success, and business management toolkit can be a useful way to avoid the early pitfalls that a new restaurant to give up business.
Of course, as with any new business must be found a suitable location, investment and the budget prepared and the nature of these provisions need to be determined. Beyond this, however, the restaurant industry offers very specific services. When you start a restaurant business, you need to take into consideration various factors related industries. This is where the restaurant management toolkit can prove invaluable.
The success of any restaurant business relies on its customers, so to start a new restaurant business you need to research a potential market. This will highlight what your client base and what they expect. Once this is determined, you need to develop an effective business plan detailing your vision while incorporating all the aspects required for you to start a restaurant business is destined for success.
The design of the new restaurant should be practical, while reflecting the needs of customers and create an attractive environment. A restaurant management toolkit can help with the smallest details, which can really make a difference to the success of a new restaurant. After the specified design features, a new restaurant business needs to be done efficiently and effectively. This will ensure that the information the client base and your drawn to a new restaurant, to a successful start.
Now you have customers, you need to keep them. Integral part of any successful restaurant business is the restaurant staff. Selected staff should be motivated, hard working, service standards, and reflects the vision of the restaurant business. They are sales and optimize business opportunities. This means that as a restaurant manager, you have a commitment to your customers will be committed to your staff. A restaurant management toolkit can help with information on staff incentives and training that will help you to secure a regular flow of customers.
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Sunday, June 24, 2012
2 months later, massacre haunts Syrian town
TAFTANAZ, Syria (AP) ? The main street of this once-bustling Syrian farm town now stands eerily quiet, its shops charred black from arson, its shoppers replaced by cats roaming the rubble of homes destroyed by tank fire.
At dawn on April 3, Syrian forces shelled the town in the first volley of what residents say was a massive assault after a string of large protests calling for the end of the regime of President Bashar Assad. Soldiers then stormed in, torching homes and businesses and gunning down residents in the streets. By the time they left on the third day, at least 62 people were dead.
Two months later, the destruction remains, but most residents are gone. Locals estimate that about two-thirds of the town's 15,000 people have left. Most don't expect them to return.
"There is nothing for people to come back to, and they worry that if they rebuild, the army will destroy it again," said resident Bassam Ghazzal, who lost more than 20 members of his extended family in the attack. "People don't want to become refugees twice."
The destruction in Taftanaz, seen by an Associated Press reporter, provides an on-the-ground example of the huge price paid by Syrian communities that have chosen to defy one of the Middle East's most brutal autocracies.
Since the start of the anti-Assad uprising in March 2011, the regime has responded to unrest with brute force, dispatching snipers, troops and tanks to quash dissent. Activists say more than 14,000 people have been killed since, many of them civilians.
In general, the violence has not stopped the uprising, emboldening protesters, galvanizing international condemnation and leading many in the opposition to take up arms.
Taftanaz tells a different story. It is a place where overwhelming force appears to have not only crushed a burgeoning protest movement but struck a blow against a community that may never recover.
In many ways, Taftanaz, a jumble of simple concrete homes surrounded by golden wheat fields some 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the northern city of Idlib, tells the story of Syria's uprising, writ small.
Residents had long complained of state neglect and corruption that left many living in poverty, Ghazzal said. So when protesters inspired by the successful uprisings against autocrats in Tunisia and Egypt took to the streets in Syria, they followed along, first demonstrating for change in April 2011.
Local security officers quickly ended the protest, but the town organized more, sparking further crackdowns and arrest campaigns by regime authorities, Ghazzal said.
The Syrian army raided the village three times in the next four months, Ghazzal said. During a June raid, Ghazzal's cousin was shot dead at a regime checkpoint while trying to flee, making him the first of the town's "martyrs."
Others followed. Some in the town took up arms, and an October clash between the army and local rebels killed five residents. Other residents buried them and held another protest the same day, Ghazzal said.
Then all was quiet until April 3, when tanks shelled the town from four sides before armored cars brought in dozens of soldiers who dragged civilians from their homes and gunned them down in the streets, witnesses said. The soldiers also looted, destroyed and torched hundreds of homes, bringing some down on their owners' heads.
Videos shot at the time show tanks posted near the town's entrance and huge columns of smoke rising throughout the area. Photos of the dead show bodies torn apart by shrapnel, charred by fire, crushed under rubble or with bullet holes in their chests, foreheads and temples.
Local activist Abdullah Ghazzal, a university student in English, says 62 people were killed during the attack, four of them burned beyond recognition. Two others have never been found.
Residents are unsure what sparked the assault. The town had only a small rebel presence, though fighters from the area had killed soldiers at nearby checkpoints or destroyed regime tanks, said local fighter Sahir Schaib. Rebels also blew up nine regime tanks as they left the town, mostly with homemade bombs planted along the roads.
He suspects the regime sought to stop the town from emerging as a protest center, especially since it is near a military base.
"There were lots of villages around that had just started protesting and they wanted to say, 'This is what we can do to you,'" Schaib said. "They committed the massacre to teach the whole region a lesson."
The Syrian government rarely comments on its military actions and blames the uprising on armed terrorists acting out a foreign conspiracy. It bars most reporters from working in the country, and the AP was able to visit Taftanaz only after entering from a neighboring country.
The price of Taftanaz's defiance is obvious around town. Homes have been reduced to rubble. Most shops along the town's main street are shuttered, their thick metal doors scarred by shrapnel and gunfire. Black soot lines the windows of others. Yet others lie collapsed in piles of bricks and mortar.
"They took what they took and burned what they burned," said Abu Eissa Ghazzal, 75, another member of the extended Ghazzal family. Standing near his torched grocery store on the ground floor of a three-story building, he despaired for the future.
"They didn't leave me a single nail," he said.
His younger brother had built the building after working for two decades in Saudi Arabia and lived with his family in the top two floors, Ghazzal said. Now all had been torched, and his brother and family had fled to a refugee camp in Turkey.
His older brother lived across the alley and refused to leave his home when the army came. When the attack was over, rescue teams found the 81-year-old man's body still in his home, burned to a crisp.
"Now there is nobody left," he said. "Who is going to rebuild all of this, now that all of those with children have left?"
The army has not returned since the April raid. Local activists still organize protests, though many fewer people attend, and rumors of impending military incursions often terrify residents.
Most of the dead rest in a long mass grave on the village's east side, their names scrawled in marker on cinder block headstones. Preceding most names is the honorific "hero martyr." One inscription for the unidentified bodies reads simply "four people."
"Most of them were my friends," said Abdullah Ghazzal, the English student, walking among the graves. He pointed out the grave of his 44-year-old brother, shot dead that day.
"They also burned down his house," he said.
Ben Hubbard spent two weeks inside Syria with a team of AP journalists. Taftanaz was among the hardest-hit areas the team visited, but many other cities and towns also have suffered heavy damage.
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