Durham Weight Loss program is quite affordable which provides specialized fitness programs to abate the weights and reduce the total fatness of entire body in a very less time with less money investments. The program does not require a lot of time either. So ?one can easily enroll in this fitness program to achieve the goal of losing ?weights effectively and within a short period. Cheap ? Durham weight loss ? provides fitness program and diet charts which helps to maintain a healthy weight. And ? it also provides weight loss counseling. ?Then why not going for this program rather than taking expensive surgery to be slim?
If you are forced to move due to job change you want to take advantage of the declining market to find a bigger house, or the need to find something smaller, a house is sold in a market support can be very stressful. To reduce stress, make some changes to reflect on your home before you put on the market. The achievement of these updates is for a short period of time in the housing market and a quick sale for you.
Stripping Cabinet
they say that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. A house with an old kitchen with outdated furniture that look as if they were 20-30 years old can sit around for a long time, while a kitchen that can update a home to sell quickly. If not in your budget for furniture (and that makes all this work in a house that will not be in a few months the owner?) Consider replacing the rejuvenation of the cabinet. There are two types of body: Cabinet resurfacing and cabinet makeover. Pickling is cheaper, the reconstruction of Ministers, and is usually a better choice if you are looking for a better view of a strict budget.
Area covered is at the door and drawers, sand existing structures and then to remove a fresh coat of paint or stain to change the appearance. This can be done by the owners on hand, but many people choose to hire a company that offers refinishing the cabinet of experts.
Painted a neutral color
if your house is full of bright colors and bold outdated or wallpaper considers painting before putting your home on the market. Choose a neutral paint and beige interior. Almost anyone can paint with success, just take the time to isolate the frames of wooden doors and baseboards, and be sure to use too much paint on the ground to ensure that the color remains on the walls and no other party. Take your time and realize that it may be necessary to apply several coats to cover very dark shadow. Whatever you do, but no more than the wallpaper of painting. Take time to properly remove and thanks to subsequent owners.
Having the professional carpet cleaning
even dirty carpets can see a marked improvement with a carpet cleaning professional. But do not think you can rent a car at the supermarket or hardware store, the job is done. There is a difference in cleaning power you need to use one of these machines in comparison with the versions of high-powered professionals. Remember to bring the colored areas of carpet cleaning that can give them special attention. If the stain has set, it should be a residue that is large enough to attract the room or the offer of a subsidy from the carpet to find potential buyers.
The Right Price
He also rejected in a market, homes sell quickly, properly price. If you work with a realtor or trying to sell themselves, even a little research before putting your home on the market. Use sites like real estate homes for sale in your area and slightly lower prices, to find them. If the house has a better (and should be reflected when changes were made) and its price is lower, there is no comparison, if potential buyers have a margin of two houses.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Electric Cigarette ? Another Quit Smoking Gadget. March 29, 2012 | Author: FeiteiraKim859 | Posted in Health & Fitness. Ever since the public became aware about the dangers of smoking a few decades ago, many people have found giving ...
For William's 4th birthday we purchased him an aquarium. He has a slight obsession with fish so we figured it would be a great thing for him to have. We kept it simple and went with a 10 gallon tank but opted to get the better filtration and lighting system. When we purchased everything to set the tank up, the customer service people at the pet store were very?knowledgeable?and willing to answer questions and give advice. We always had an aquarium for the girls when they were younger and had great success with it. As a matter of fact, the fish would sometimes get so big that we would have to donate them to the classrooms at the school. We went ahead and started off with all of what we needed to set the tank up and get the water ready to add fish. Back in the day we added fish within 24 hours. Nowadays they recommend 3 weeks! 3 weeks?? Try telling that to a 4 year old! We went yesterday to purchase some fish and boy was William excited. He made up his own song about going to the pet store to buy some fish. Too funny! We decided on a few glofish in cool, neon colors, a couple "Mickey Mouse"platys and a couple fancy tetras. When I asked the person in that area for help in purchasing the fish he immediately had that "look" on his face. This is how the interrogation... um?conversation?went...
Fish guy: Do you have your tank set up? Me: Yes. FG: Are you sure it is done properly? Me: Yes FG: How many fish do you want? Me: 6 FG: What size is your tank? (At this point he is in my face looking at me like he is a prosecutor or something) Me: 10 gallons FG: Hmm, okay. But remember the rules... 1 inch of fish per gallon. Then he stares at me all scary. Me: Uh, okay
If you could have seen his body language and heard his tone you would have been afraid of even breathing the wrong way. Like the husband says, they are like undercover PETA representatives or something! DANG! I mean come on, they are just fish. If I choose to buy 50 of them then I should be allowed to do so.
In the end, our boy is completely happy and enjoying his new pets. He is so curious and asks a lot questions about his fish. We look forward to adding some more fun friends as time goes on. We might have to rethink where to buy them from so we don't feel like we might catch a beat-down from the pet store mafia! :)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The presidential election may be seven months off, but congressional leaders have already begun planning for the winner's inauguration. The first item of concern? Preventing another "purple tunnel of doom."
Inauguration watchers may recall the 2009 mishap when thousands of ticketholders ended up trapped in a tunnel underneath the National Mall and were shut out of Barack Obama's swearing-in.
The planning committee's chairman, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, assured members Wednesday that the problem has been resolved. Lawmakers also unanimously approved a $1.2 million budget for the event on Jan. 21, 2013.
The panel's other Democratic members are Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. The Republican members are House Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Sen. Lamar Alexander.
Syrian state television broadcast footage of President Bashar-al-Assad making a rare public appearance in the Baba Amr neighborhood of Homs, the heart of the uprising and where his crackdown has been most brutal. ITN's John Ray reports.
By msnbc.com staff and news services
Syrian authorities are detaining and torturing children, the United Nations' human rights chief, Navi Pillay said, according to a report.
"They've gone for the children -- for whatever purposes -- in large numbers," the BBC quoted her as saying. "Hundreds detained and tortured... it's just horrendous.
"Children shot in the knees, held together with adults in really inhumane conditions, denied medical treatment for their injuries, either held as hostages or as sources of information."
Ms Pillay, a?lawyer, said she believed that the UN Security Council had enough reliable information to warrant referring Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"I feel that investigation and prosecution is a crucial element to deter and call a stop to these violations," she told the BBC.
Ms Pillay said she believed that the UN Security Council had enough reliable information to warrant referring Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Syria accepts Annan peace plan, but clashes continue
Meanwhile, the United States has urged the Syrian opposition to unite and pledge to respect minority rights in a future Syria should President Bashar Assad be driven from power, and warned armed rebels and government forces against committing human rights abuses.
Disunity among the Syrian opposition to Assad has fed fears that Syria could slide into sectarian and ethnic conflict, much as Iraq did after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.
Skeptical of peace plan This has worried some governments, including the United States which would otherwise be glad to see Assad's downfall, after a year in which Assad has been using the army to crush efforts to end his political dominance in Syria.
Str / AP
Anti-government clashes continue as Western and Arab nations launch a diplomatic offensive to halt the violence.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged the Syrian opposition to lay out a vision of an inclusive Syria in which minority rights are respected.
"They must be able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to including all Syrians and protecting the rights of all Syrians," Clinton told reporters.
"We are going to be pushing them very hard to present such a vision in Istanbul," she said ahead of a gathering of Western and Arab nations in Istanbul on Sunday to discuss a political transition in Syria.
Earlier on Tuesday, the New York Times reported that a meeting of Syrian opposition groups in Istanbul was marred when a veteran dissident and Kurdish delegates walked out, saying their views were not heard.
U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford said on Tuesday in Washington that he had received reports that armed Syrian opposition groups had engaged in human rights abuses. He said he had warned the rebels, as well as Assad, against committing such abuses.
Both Clinton and Ford were skeptical of reports that Syria's government had accepted the peace plan of U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.
"Given Assad's history of over-promising and under-delivering, that commitment must now be matched by immediate actions," Clinton said.
Ford left Syria last month because of the violence but remains the U.S. ambassador. At a hearing on Capitol Hill, he was asked about statements by the U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch that armed opposition groups in Syria had committed abuses including kidnapping, detention and torture of security force members and government supporters.
Murad Sezer / Reuters
Syrian National Council President Burhan Ghalioun is greeted by council members during a news conference after their meeting in Istanbul on Tuesday.
"We had reports like that last year, when some of the fighting in Homs became really serious," Ford said. "We raised it even in Syria when my embassy was still open.
"We discussed it with some of the local revolution council representatives -- who are themselves not members of armed groups, but certainly are in contact with them -- and emphasized that they would be held to a standard on this if they wanted support from western countries."
The United States had also raised the matter with the Syrian National Council, the main opposition umbrella group, Ford said.
He added there was a danger that more hard-liners who ignored human rights would gain influence on both sides in Syria the longer the conflict goes on.
Assad's government, Ford said, had committed "massive human rights violations that may amount to crimes against humanity."
The United Nations says more than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria's year-old uprising against Assad. Syria says rebels have killed some 3,000 security force members and blames the violence on "terrorist" gangs.
Human Rights Watch also has accused Assad's forces of human rights abuses, including using human shields in northern Syria in their efforts to crush the rebellion.
Assad on Tuesday was filmed taking a tour of Baba Amr, the district of Homs recently bombarded by his forces.
Reuters and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
Connecticut guard Tiffany Hayes (3) brings the ball up as Kentucky guard Maegan Conwright (20) follows during the first half of the NCAA women's college basketball tournament East Regional final in Kingston, R.I., Tuesday, March 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
Connecticut guard Tiffany Hayes (3) brings the ball up as Kentucky guard Maegan Conwright (20) follows during the first half of the NCAA women's college basketball tournament East Regional final in Kingston, R.I., Tuesday, March 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
Connecticut guard Tiffany Hayes (3), guard Kelly Faris (34) and center Kiah Stokes (41) celebrate a last-second basket during the first half of the NCAA women's college basketball tournament regional final in Kingston, R.I., Tuesday, March 27, 2012. Connecticut defeated Kentucky 80-65. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Connecticut forward Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, top, fouls Kentucky guard A'dia Mathies (1) during the first half of an NCAA women's college basketball tournament regional final in Kingston, R.I., Tuesday, March 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma yells at the referees during the first half of an NCAA women's college basketball tournament regional final against Kentucky in Kingston, R.I., Tuesday, March 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
The Connecticut women's basketball team poses with the regional championship trophy after defeating Kentucky 80-65in an NCAA women's college basketball tournament regional final in Kingston, R.I., Tuesday, March 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) ? Before the season started, Geno Auriemma figured his Connecticut Huskies wouldn't be good enough to make it to the Final Four.
A funny thing happened along the way: His starless team jelled and now UConn is back in the national semifinals for a fifth straight season.
Tiffany Hayes scored 22 points and top-seed Connecticut beat Kentucky 80-65 on Tuesday night in the Kingston regional final.
"We like to go to the Final Four every year," Auriemma said. "I think we're also realistic, some years it's going to be easier than others. Expectations are always there, regardless of the probability. This year was less than other years. Makes it more worthwhile. Last year we went as a team led by Maya Moore. This year there isn't any of that. The University of Connecticut is going to the Final Four and I think that's pretty cool once in a while."
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis added 18 for UConn (33-4), which will play Notre Dame on Sunday in Denver. It will be a rematch of last season's national semifinal game and the fourth time these two teams have met this year. The Irish won the first two meetings and the Huskies took the Big East tournament championship game.
"It's kind of tough playing one team four times in one season, but I think we're up to the challenge," Mosqueda-Lewis said.
Hayes, who was selected most outstanding player of the regional, has been to a Final Four in all four of her seasons. Getting there this time was special to the senior.
"It's even sweeter because this is a team effort, it wasn't one or two people getting us there," she said. "We all had our part in it. Everyone had their way of helping us get there. Glad to be back for the fourth time."
The Huskies matched their own school mark of five straight trips to the national semifinals set from 2000-04. LSU and Stanford have also accomplished the feat.
Unlike their previous four trips to the regional finals, which were quick blowouts, the Huskies had to work hard to pull away from the Wildcats.
UConn led 48-47 early in the second half before turning up its defense. The Huskies used a 21-4 spurt to take command. Hayes, the lone senior on the team, was the catalyst, scoring seven points during the run. She got it started with a lay-in. Then the Huskies started a parade to the free throw line, with whistle after whistle. The Huskies converted 12 free throws during the game-changing run.
While the Huskies were scoring points, their vaunted defense was stymieing the Wildcats. Kentucky torched UConn for 39 points, the most allowed in a first half this season by the Huskies.
The Wildcats found it much tougher to score in the second half. During UConn's burst, Kentucky could only get two field goals over a span of 9 minutes.
Mosqueda-Lewis' 3-pointer with 7:26 left capped UConn's burst and made it 69-52.
Kentucky (28-7) could get no closer than 15 the rest of the way.
Samarie Walker scored 14 to lead the Wildcats.
It's been a strange season for UConn. Despite running through the early part of its schedule, Auriemma knew it was just a matter of time before the team's shortcomings were exposed. Losses to Baylor and Notre Dame on the road were understandable, but it wasn't until the end of February that UConn really came to a crossroads.
The Huskies lost to St. John's at home on senior night snapping a 99-game home winning streak. Nine days later the Huskies fell to Notre Dame. Those two defeats got the Huskies refocused and they've been unstoppable ever since. The Huskies cruised to the Big East tournament championship and rolled through their first three NCAA tournament games.
Now the Huskies are back in the Final Four for the 13th time in the last 18 years.
The Kentucky women were trying to join their men's team in the Final Four. It would have been the eighth time that a school had both programs in the national semifinals. Connecticut has done it three times including last season. The Huskies are still the only school to win both the men's and women's championship in the same season accomplishing the feat in 2004.
It's the second time in three seasons that the Wildcats had reached the regional finals. They lost to Oklahoma two seasons ago.
"It's hard to get to where we got to tonight and they've been here so many times, it's difficult," Kentucky coach Matthew Mitchell said. "We need to stay at it and keep showing up and one day we'll punch through."
Kentucky is headed in the right direction. The Wildcats won their first regular season SEC championship since 1982 and tied the school record for victories in a season.
"We had an incredible season," Walker said. "It's disappointing but we have a really good group coming back and we will be really good again."
Mitchell will have most of his team back for next season. The Wildcats' coach before the year started put the Denver Final Four logo in front of the locker room as motivation for his squad. Now they can look toward next season and making it to New Orleans.
"We'll keep knocking on the door and hopefully one day we'll get to the Final Four," Mitchell said. "Four or five years ago when these kids thought of coming to Kentucky, they weren't thinking about winning an SEC championship. I'm really proud of them, and what they've accomplished."
UConn raced out to a 9-0 lead and looked poised for another to blowout. A quick timeout by Mitchell settled his team down and the Wildcats rallied back to close within 23-21 on two free throws by Bria Goss. A jumper by Stefanie Dolson and 3-pointer by Hayes gave the Huskies a 28-21 advantage with 8:19 left.
Kentucky was unfazed. The Wildcats, who were constantly subbing fresh players in, then went on a 12-2 run over the next three minutes as fouls started piling up on the Huskies. A layup by Goss and two free throws by Keyla Snowden gave the Wildcats a 33-30 advantage with 5:01 left.
The teams exchanged baskets and free throws the rest of the half. The two schools combined to take 27 foul shots in the first half with the Wildcats making all 14 of their attempts.
A'dia Mathies' two free throws with 2.1 seconds left tied the game at 39 before Kelly Faris caught the ensuing inbounds pass at halfcourt and beat the halftime buzzer for a lay-in to make it 41-39 at the break.
Amy Brighton from Medina, Ohio, who opposes health care reform, rallies in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, as the court continues arguments on the health care law signed by President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Amy Brighton from Medina, Ohio, who opposes health care reform, rallies in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, as the court continues arguments on the health care law signed by President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Supporters of health care reform rally in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, as the court continues arguments on the health care law signed by President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Christine Harley, from Alexandria, Va., left, argues with Janis Haddon from Atlanta, Ga., who opposes health care reform in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, as the court continues arguments on the health care law signed by President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Supporters of health care reform rally in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, as the court continued hearing arguments on the health care law signed by President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Michael Wade, from East Brookfield, Mass., who opposes health care reform, rallies in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, as the court continues arguments on the health care law signed by President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Sharp questioning by the Supreme Court's conservative justices cast serious doubt Tuesday on the survival of the individual insurance requirement at the heart of President Barack Obama's historic health care overhaul.
Arguments at the high court focused on whether the mandate for virtually every American to have insurance "is a step beyond what our cases allow," in the words of Justice Anthony Kennedy.
He and Chief Justice John Roberts emerged as the seemingly pivotal votes in the court's decision, due in June in the midst of a presidential election campaign that has focused in part on the new law. Republican candidates are strongly opposed.
Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito appeared likely to join with Justice Clarence Thomas to vote to strike down the key provision of the overhaul. The four Democratic appointees seemed ready to vote to uphold it.
The congressional requirement to buy health care insurance is the linchpin of the law's aim to get medical insurance to an additional 30 million people, at a reasonable cost to private insurers and state governments. Virtually every American will be affected by the court's decision on the law's constitutionality.
The biggest issue, to which the justices returned repeatedly during two hours of arguments in a packed courtroom, was whether the government can force people to buy insurance. And if so, could other mandates ? to buy broccoli, burial insurance and cell phones, for example ? be far behind?
"Purchase insurance in this case, something else in the next case," Roberts said.
Kennedy at one point said that allowing the government mandate would "change the relationship" between the government and U.S. citizens.
"Do you not have a heavy burden of justification to show authority under the Constitution" for the individual mandate? asked Kennedy, who is often the swing vote on cases that divide the justices along ideological lines.
Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr. sought to assure the court that the insurance mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that Obama signed into law two years ago is a key part of the law's goal of reaching many of the more than 40 million people who don't have health insurance through their employers, don't qualify for government aid and cannot afford to buy coverage on their own.
Paul Clement, a predecessor of Verrilli's who is representing Florida and 25 other states in challenging the law, called the mandate "an unprecedented effort by Congress."
He said the requirement would force people, especially those who are young and healthy, to buy a product they don't want.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she found the debate over health care similar to an earlier age's debate about the Social Security retirement system. How could Congress be able to compel younger workers to contribute to Social Security, but be limited in its ability to address health care? she wondered.
Does it to have to be "a government takeover"? she asked.
Clement acknowledged that a system of national health insurance might well be constitutional.
Earlier, Scalia repeatedly pointed out that the federal government's powers are limited by the Constitution, with the rest left to the states and the people. "The argument there is that the people were left to decide whether to buy health insurance," Scalia said.
Scalia and Roberts noted that the health care overhaul law would make people get insurance for things they may not need, like heart transplants or pregnancy services. "You can't say that everybody is going to participate in substance abuse services," Roberts said.
On the other hand, Ginsburg said, "The people who don't participate in this market are making it more expensive for those who do."
"You could say that about buying a car," Scalia retorted, noting that if enough people don't buy cars the cost could go up.
But, unlike cars, almost everyone eventually will be required to use the health care system, Verrilli said in defense of the law. Without health insurance, he said, "you're going to the market without the ability to pay for what you're going to get."
Demonstrators returned Tuesday to the sidewalk outside the Supreme Court, with more than 100 supporters of the law circling and chanting, "A healthy America is a productive America," ''Protect the law," and, "I love Obamacare."
More than a dozen opponents held a news conference criticizing the bill.
Supporters, two of them wearing statue of liberty costumes, marched to the song "Walking on Sunshine" and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," being played over a loudspeaker. A trumpet player played "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "this little light of mine," and supporters changed the lyrics to ones supporting the health care law.
One demonstrator opposing the law wore a striped prison costume and held a sign, "Obama Care is Putting the US Tax Payer in Debtors Prison."
Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, a former Republican presidential candidate, joined a tea party press conference of opponents of the law. Calling the law "the greatest expansion of federal power in the history of the country," she said, "We are calling on the court today: Declare this law unconstitutional."
___
Associated Press writer Jessica Gresko contributed to this report.
We're not settling down after last weekend's crazy pair of giveaways -- in fact, we're just getting started! When it comes to bragging rights, a solid limited edition product to show off can't be beat, especially when it's a highly coveted Sonos system. New York artist / musician Hisham Bharoocha of Black Dice fame has taken his stenciled styling talents to no more than 150 limited edition Sonos Play:3 systems (some of which can be seen below), and one of them may end up in your hands alongside a ZoneBridge thrown in for good measure. You know the drill -- read the rules, leave a comment below and keep those fingers crossed!
Canadian business grants for productivity enhancements and outside consulting are becoming increasingly popular with Ontario SMEs. These types of small business funding grants are especially useful for those in need of capital equipment or market expansion funding. There are several opportunities to receive Grant Funding for Small Business Expansion; however, these Canadian business grants are becoming increasingly time sensitive as the Canadian Federal Government prepares their Upcoming Release of Ontario Business Grants.
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The CME SMART Prosperity Now funds activities that support your global expansion efforts. The program includes a wide array of funded activities including international marketing, environmental efficiencies, capital equipment expenditures, foreign market research, and outside business consulting. Project must be completed within 12 months following the initial start date.? The CME Prosperity Now Program ends March 31, 2013; however, applications should be submitted as soon as possible. Amount: Non-repayable business funding grant up to $75K or 33.33% of eligible expenses.
Eligibility: Participants include Southern Ontario manufacturers with an exporting focus.
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Ontario Government funding grant for technical research and productivity improvements to solve an innovation challenge. IRAP ARP supports software implementation, productivity improvements, outside consulting, production design, and marketing projects. Interested parties should contact their local IRAP Representative for additional details.
Amount: Up to $50K in non-repayable Ontario business grants including 100% of direct labour and 75% of sub-contractor costs (installation and consulting fees). Direct labour must be at least 30% of the overall project budget.
Eligibility: ?Businesses must have at least 2 years of incorporation and 1 person payroll.
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One of the newer grants for small business in Ontario, created to assist companies in the customization or implementation of new technologies or software programs for productivity improvements. Businesses will have access to post-secondary expertise in the digital technology adoption field to improve the implementation process. The eligible activities of IRAP DTAPP include analysis, implementation, and customization of new software and/or the direct labor and consulting components relating to the project. This Canadian government funding program is about to start their 2012 round of spending on April 1. Amount: Non-repayable business funding grants up to $100K or 80% of direct labour and 50% of sub-contractor fees related to the project.
Eligibility: Applicants must be incorporated and have less than 500 employees.
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Next Steps for Ontario Government Funding
Businesses that are interested in any of the Canadian Government Small Business Grants mentioned in today?s article can receive additional information and application resources by contacting Mentor Works. To stay up-to-date with grants for small business in Ontario, sign up for our Canadian Government Funding E-Newsletter or follow us on Twitter and Google+.
So, how much songs can your smartphone or tablet hold? Several thousand, perhaps? That is nothing compared to the massive audio collections that the streaming music services can offer. Best of all, most of them have a mobile app that you can use on your iPhone or Android device. And in exchange of a monthly fee, you will be able to have any song you feel like listening to streamed straight to your handset.
Here we have for you our 5 favorite mobile music services that can be used on an iPhone or an Android smartphone. Some of them you can even check out for free, so do not hesitate to get them and see what streaming audio is all about. Of course, if you think that there is a service that we should have included in our list, just drop us a comment.
5 mobile music services for iPhone and Android
5 mobile music services for iPhone and Android
1. Spotify
Spotify has been around for more than a few years now, but it was only last year when it was finally made available in the U.S. too. In exchange of a $10 per month subscription fee, users can listen to all the music available on Spotify: streamed straight to their iPhone or Android smartphone at 320kbps.
Download: iPhone | Android
2. Pandora
Think of Pandora as an online radio that plays only the music you love. Just pick an artist or song and the service will automatically compile a playlist with similar songs. Pandora can be used for free, but for $4 per month you can have the ads removed and you will have fewer interruptions. Also, the bitrate of the streamed audio gets increased.
Download: iPhone | Android
3. Rdio
Rdio is an audio streaming service with a social twist. You can keep track of what your friends are listening to, but you can also look for other people with great taste for music. Of course, you get access to the Rdio database, which contains over 10 million songs and counting. Using Rdio costs $15 per month.
Download: iPhone | Android
4. Grooveshark
What makes Grooveshark special is that it is available worldwide, not just in a few select countries. Also, if you do not want to or cannot download the dedicated Grooveshark app, just listen to your favorite tunes using the service's web browser interface. The premium Grooveshark Plus subscription costs $9 per month and removes advertisements, while the $9 per month Grooveshark Anywhere subscription provides unlimited access to the mobile Groovesharp app.
Download: iPhone | Android
5. Rhapsody
With a library of over 14 million songs, chances are that whatever you feel like listening to will be available on Rhapsody. You are free to try out the service for 14 days, and if you are happy with it, a monthly subscription will cost you $10. There is a $15 premium monthly subscription, which allows for one Rhapsody account to be used on three devices at the same time.
I joined Toastmasters International back in 2003 and grew a lot as a public speaker. I've joined contests--and won a few of them--, made numerous presentations, conducted seminars, and been sought after as a speech trainer and adviser. So, what is a Toastmaster doing trying to develop himself as a writer?
Looking back in history, the idea that I may make it as a writer actually started early in my years as a Toastmaster. After delivering one of my basic speeches, my evaluator commented that I had the makings of a good storyteller. Of course, the thought of becoming a writer had not occurred to me back then. I was totally focused on developing as a speaker and even thought of becoming a paid speaker by conducting seminars and training others in public speaking. In retrospect, continuing with Toastmasters was the right thing to do for my future as a writer and here's why:
Some of what I've learned in Toastmasters actually apply to writing. The very first thing new Toastmasters learn about public speaking is that your speech must have an opening, a body, and a conclusion. In your first speech, that's all they really tell you. As you progress through your training, you learn techniques on how to create good, attention-getting openings; how to make transitions between points in the body of your speech; and make memorable, motivating, and inspiring conclusions. The same can also apply to writing. In fact, if you think about it, a speech usually starts in written form before it is delivered orally.
Another learning is that you should avoid using jargon. Jargon is a language used by a group or profession. So, doctors have a jargon all their own, as do lawyers. If you're speaking in front of office-mates, you can get away with using your company's jargon. But if you're delivering a speech to a mixed group, use common or simple words. The same advice works for writing.
Staying with words, one of the best advice I've ever received is to try to experiment with using different words from the one you originally thought of using. In one speech, I used the word ?audacious? instead of ?brave? and made the speech that one little bit better. Be careful,, however, of using too many uncommon words else your audience or readers will focus on wondering what the words mean instead of understanding the message or hearing the story.
Speaking styles vary widely. Some people like to speak in an oratorical manner, while others prefer to use a more conversational tone. Both styles have their place. Most writers use the conversational tone but even oratorical writing can be a good read. The Gettysburg Address is an inspiring speech whether you hear it or read it.
So, in terms of writing skills, I'd say Toastmasters gave a lot to me. But skills alone don't make a writer. You have to want-to-be a writer. So, what was it that got me into this thing?
I would have to say that it's the reach. When I'm talking to a roomful of people or an auditorium or function room filled with 200 to 400 people, that's how many people I'm reaching with my words. With writing, it's potentially a lot more, much more if I do it right. Of course, you can reach a lot of people with public speaking too, if you're always on the speaking circuit.
I haven't quite given up on public speaking. Speaking and writing are two different things but they both give me a different kind of lift and they can even complement each other. I've tasted public speaking so I guess, I need to give my writing a chance to grow as well.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's economic momentum slowed in March as factory activity shrank for a fifth straight month, leaving investors fretting about the risks to global growth and anticipating fresh policy support from Beijing.
The HSBC flash purchasing managers index, the earliest indicator of China's industrial activity, fell back to 48.1 from February's four-month high of 49.6. New orders sank to a four-month low, an expected rebound in export orders failed to emerge and new hiring slumped to a two-year low.
"With new export orders sluggish and domestic demand still softening, China's slow down has yet to finish. This calls for further easing to come from Beijing," HSBC chief China economist, Qu Hongbin, said in a statement.
Investors immediately hedged exposures to trades betting on a rebound in global growth. Brent crude oil shed half a percent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng stock index sank 0.1 percent into the red to reverse early gains of 0.7 percent and the Australian dollar skidded to a two-month low.
Broad-based weakness in the five key components that generate the headline index level surprised analysts, particularly those who had anticipated a clear cut rebound in factory activity in March after the Lunar New Year disrupted output in the first two months and distorted the data.
"This data suggests there's something more profound at work, that it's not just a Lunar New Year problem and that it's not just affecting exports, but domestic demand," Tim Condon, chief economist and head of Asian research at ING in Singapore, said.
"We'll be talking about this all day. This will be news on (TV) tonight in the U.S., the weak China PMI," he told Reuters.
An index reading of 50 marks the line between expansion and contraction, according to the methodology of the survey compiled by UK-based data provider, Markit.
Index sponsor HSBC reckons factors unique to the Chinese economy make 48 especially significant, given that an index at that level still implies industrial production growth at a healthy 11-12 percent and overall GDP growth around 8 percent.
Annual growth of 8 percent for the full year would be the slowest in at least a decade for the world's second-biggest economy, but comfortably above the government's 2012 target of 7.5 percent.
BEARISH VIEWS
The flash PMI reading will reinforce the more bearish views on China's economic trajectory.
The HSBC Manufacturing PMI index has not been consistently above 50 since June 2011, though it is far above readings of low-40s delivered at the depth of the global financial crisis in late 2008 and early 2009.
The new orders sub-index fell to 46.2, which weighed on the overall index because it is the single biggest of the five components comprising the PMI.
Manufacturing output, the second-biggest component of the overall index, slipped back below the 50-point dividing line to hit a two-month low.
New export orders signaled a second-straight month of shrinkage, albeit at a slower pace than in February.
Backlogs of work shrank to their lowest level since January 2009, near the depths of the global financial crisis as world trade -- a core driver of Chinese economic growth - ground to a halt and Beijing began implementing a 4 trillion yuan ($635 billion) economic stimulus package.
Of the 11 aspects of business analyzed by the survey, only one had not changed from the previous month; input prices were static and pointed to lingering inflation risks.
That highlights the dilemma for China's policymakers in containing price pressures while giving adequate support to growth.
But Bank of America/Merrill Lynch economists cautioned about reading too much into the HSBC survey because it captures data mainly from small and medium-sized firms, which have relatively large exposure to exports and less access to bank credit than big companies.
"The number could make some sell-side analysts to claim (again) that China is undergoing a hard landing. But we disagree," Ting Lu, Hong Kong-based China economist at the bank wrote in a note to clients. "We confidently maintain our 8.6 percent annual GDP growth forecast."
Indeed, the government's official PMI, which surveys mostly big companies, has painted a different picture of China's economy. It was 51.0 in February, its highest since September as new export orders expanded. The next official PMI is due for release on April 1.
Many analysts have revised up their forecasts for 2012 growth and the consensus view is that the first quarter is likely to be the bottom of the current economic downswing.
UNSETTLED GLOBAL MARKETS
Concerns about a slowdown in the Chinese economy unsettled global markets earlier this week after BHP Billiton, the world's largest miner, said it was seeing signs that iron ore demand from China was flattening.
The price of three-month copper futures on the London Metal Exchange fell 0.67 percent after the PMI was released.
Data for the flash PMI was collected between March 12-20 and is typically based on approximately 85-90 percent of total PMI survey responses each month.
A Reuters poll earlier this month revealed a consensus call for required reserve ratios (RRR) at the biggest banks to be cut by 150 basis points in 2012 to support money supply and growth. The first 50 bps cut was not forecast until the second quarter.
The RRR was at a record high of 21.5 percent before the central bank called a halt to a near two-year long policy tightening campaign in November, cutting the rate by 50 bps. It followed it with another 50 bps cut in February.
China's economy is expected to return a fifth successive quarter of slowing growth. Analysts anticipate growth will slide towards 8 percent in the first three months of 2012 compared with a year ago, weakening from 8.9 percent in the final quarter of last year.
China's official growth target has been cut to 7.5 percent this year, a pace the government hopes will give it room to deliver on promised structural reforms without causing an inflationary spike. Analysts broadly expect the growth target to be exceeded and few expect a hard landing.
Yu Bin, a senior economist at the Chinese cabinet's Development Research Centre think-tank said he expected growth to hit 8.5 percent in the first quarter and expand at the same rate for the full year, provided there was no external economic deterioration and that China's property market was stable.
But he said a combination of shrinking short-term demand and falling long-term potential productivity had to be addressed and that Beijing policymakers had to be ready to cope with shocks.
"We should have emergency plans to respond to extreme risks," Yu said.
(Additional reporting by Kevin Yao; Editing by Neil Fullick)
Prenatal exposure to combustion-related pollutants and anxiety, attention problems in young childrenPublic release date: 22-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Stephanie Berger sb2247@columbia.edu 212-305-4372 Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health
Further evidence confirming the negative effects of air pollution on child behavior
NEW YORK ( March 22, 2012) - Mothers' exposure during pregnancy to a class of air pollutants called
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) can lead to behavioral problems in their children. PAH are
released to air during incomplete combustion of fossil fuel such as diesel, gasoline, coal, and other
organic material.
The study is the first report of associations between child attentional and behavioral problems among school?age children and two complementary measures of prenatal PAH exposure: monitored air concentrations of PAH and a PAH-specific biomarker of exposure measured in maternal and umbilical cord blood. The paper, "Prenatal Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Exposure and Child Behavior at age 6-7," published online today in Environmental Health Perspectives, adds to rising concerns about the risks associated with exposures to air pollution during pregnancy.
The study followed the children of 253 non?smoking inner-city women who gave birth between 1999 and 2006. Researchers led by Frederica Perera, DrPH, director of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health, measured two complementary indicators of PAH exposure. One indicator was the PAH concentration in air from personal air sampling which took place during the third trimester of pregnancy. The other was a specific biological marker of exposure-- PAHDNA adducts measured in maternal blood and newborn umbilical cord blood. When inhaled by the mother during pregnancy, PAH can be transferred across the placenta and bind to the DNA of the fetus, forming "adducts" in blood and other tissues and providing a biologic measure of pollutant exposure.
Mothers completed a detailed assessment of their child's behavior (including whether the children experienced symptoms of anxiety, depression, or attention problems. High prenatal PAH exposure, whether characterized by personal air monitoring or maternal and newborn cord adducts, was significantly associated with symptoms of Anxious/Depressed and Attention Problems.
In urban air, traffic emissions are a dominant source of the pollutants measured in the study. Illustrating widespread exposure to these pollutants, 100% of the mothers in the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health NYC cohort had detectable levels of PAH in prenatal personal air samples, although levels varied widely. The authors accounted for other sources of PAH such as environmental tobacco smoke and diet in their analyses. None of the mothers in the study were smokers.
"This study provides evidence that environmental levels of PAH encountered in NYC air can adversely affect child behavior. The results are of concern because attention problems and anxiety and depression have been shown to affect peer relationships and academic performance," said Dr. Perera, the study's lead author.
###
The study was conducted in collaboration with members of the Columbia research team including, Dr. Deliang Tang, Dr. Shuang Wang, Julia Vishnevetsky, Bingzhi Zhang, Diurka Diaz, David Camann, and Dr. Virginia Rauh.
The work was supported by funding provided by NIEHS, the EPA and private foundations.
About the Mailman School of Public Health
Founded in 1922 as one of the first three public health academies in the nation, Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health pursues an agenda of research, education, and service to address the critical and complex public health issues affecting New Yorkers, the nation and the world. The Mailman School is the third largest recipient of NIH grants among schools of public health. Its 300 multi?disciplinary faculty members work in more than 100 countries around the world, addressing such issues as
infectious and chronic diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, health policy, climate change & health, and public health preparedness. It is a leader in public health education with over 1,000 graduate students from more than 40 nations pursuing a variety of master's and doctoral degree programs. The Mailman School is also home to numerous worldrenowned
research centers including the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP), the National Center for Disaster Preparedness and the Center for Infection and Immunity. For more information, please visit www.mailman.columbia.edu
About the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
The Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) carries out community?based research in northern Manhattan and the South Bronx to examine the health effects of prenatal and early postnatal exposures to common urban air pollutants, with the aim of preventing environmentally related disease in children. The Center is unique in the field of scientific research because it applies the results of its research to interventions that reduce toxic pesticide use; conducts a community education campaign to increase environmental health awareness among local residents, parents, health professionals and educators; and informs public interest groups, elected officials, and other policymakers who can shape policies to improve the environmental health status of underserved neighborhoods. The Center's overall mission is to improve prevention and clinical treatment, and work with community?based organizations to improve their neighborhood's environmental health. Our lead community partner is WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
[ | 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.
Prenatal exposure to combustion-related pollutants and anxiety, attention problems in young childrenPublic release date: 22-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Stephanie Berger sb2247@columbia.edu 212-305-4372 Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health
Further evidence confirming the negative effects of air pollution on child behavior
NEW YORK ( March 22, 2012) - Mothers' exposure during pregnancy to a class of air pollutants called
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) can lead to behavioral problems in their children. PAH are
released to air during incomplete combustion of fossil fuel such as diesel, gasoline, coal, and other
organic material.
The study is the first report of associations between child attentional and behavioral problems among school?age children and two complementary measures of prenatal PAH exposure: monitored air concentrations of PAH and a PAH-specific biomarker of exposure measured in maternal and umbilical cord blood. The paper, "Prenatal Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Exposure and Child Behavior at age 6-7," published online today in Environmental Health Perspectives, adds to rising concerns about the risks associated with exposures to air pollution during pregnancy.
The study followed the children of 253 non?smoking inner-city women who gave birth between 1999 and 2006. Researchers led by Frederica Perera, DrPH, director of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health, measured two complementary indicators of PAH exposure. One indicator was the PAH concentration in air from personal air sampling which took place during the third trimester of pregnancy. The other was a specific biological marker of exposure-- PAHDNA adducts measured in maternal blood and newborn umbilical cord blood. When inhaled by the mother during pregnancy, PAH can be transferred across the placenta and bind to the DNA of the fetus, forming "adducts" in blood and other tissues and providing a biologic measure of pollutant exposure.
Mothers completed a detailed assessment of their child's behavior (including whether the children experienced symptoms of anxiety, depression, or attention problems. High prenatal PAH exposure, whether characterized by personal air monitoring or maternal and newborn cord adducts, was significantly associated with symptoms of Anxious/Depressed and Attention Problems.
In urban air, traffic emissions are a dominant source of the pollutants measured in the study. Illustrating widespread exposure to these pollutants, 100% of the mothers in the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health NYC cohort had detectable levels of PAH in prenatal personal air samples, although levels varied widely. The authors accounted for other sources of PAH such as environmental tobacco smoke and diet in their analyses. None of the mothers in the study were smokers.
"This study provides evidence that environmental levels of PAH encountered in NYC air can adversely affect child behavior. The results are of concern because attention problems and anxiety and depression have been shown to affect peer relationships and academic performance," said Dr. Perera, the study's lead author.
###
The study was conducted in collaboration with members of the Columbia research team including, Dr. Deliang Tang, Dr. Shuang Wang, Julia Vishnevetsky, Bingzhi Zhang, Diurka Diaz, David Camann, and Dr. Virginia Rauh.
The work was supported by funding provided by NIEHS, the EPA and private foundations.
About the Mailman School of Public Health
Founded in 1922 as one of the first three public health academies in the nation, Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health pursues an agenda of research, education, and service to address the critical and complex public health issues affecting New Yorkers, the nation and the world. The Mailman School is the third largest recipient of NIH grants among schools of public health. Its 300 multi?disciplinary faculty members work in more than 100 countries around the world, addressing such issues as
infectious and chronic diseases, environmental health, maternal and child health, health policy, climate change & health, and public health preparedness. It is a leader in public health education with over 1,000 graduate students from more than 40 nations pursuing a variety of master's and doctoral degree programs. The Mailman School is also home to numerous worldrenowned
research centers including the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP), the National Center for Disaster Preparedness and the Center for Infection and Immunity. For more information, please visit www.mailman.columbia.edu
About the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health
The Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) carries out community?based research in northern Manhattan and the South Bronx to examine the health effects of prenatal and early postnatal exposures to common urban air pollutants, with the aim of preventing environmentally related disease in children. The Center is unique in the field of scientific research because it applies the results of its research to interventions that reduce toxic pesticide use; conducts a community education campaign to increase environmental health awareness among local residents, parents, health professionals and educators; and informs public interest groups, elected officials, and other policymakers who can shape policies to improve the environmental health status of underserved neighborhoods. The Center's overall mission is to improve prevention and clinical treatment, and work with community?based organizations to improve their neighborhood's environmental health. Our lead community partner is WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
[ | 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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