Saturday, February 18, 2012

Suicide bomber kills 26 in NW Pakistan, ignites protest (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - A suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest outside a mosque in a Shi'ite neighborhood Friday in Pakistan's northwestern Kurram tribal region, killing at least 26 people, government officials said.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120217/wl_nm/us_pakistan_bombing

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IRS: Beware of 'dirty dozen' tax scams | G7Finance.com - Finance ...

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) ? As the tax season kicks off this year, the IRS is keeping an eye out for scam artists who steal identities, lie about charitable donations and hide income in offshore accounts, among other abuses.

The IRS released its annual list of ?dirty dozen? tax scams on Thursday, outlining the most common ways taxpayers are cheating the system.

?Scam artists will tempt people in-person, on-line and by e-mail with misleading promises about lost refunds and free money,? said IRS commissioner Doug Shulman. ?Don?t be fooled by these scams.?

Here are the 12 scams to be most wary of this year:

1. Identity theft

A growing number of identity thieves are using other taxpayer?s personal information to file fraudulent tax returns and claim undeserved refunds, the IRS warns.

In 2011, the agency stopped more than $1.4 billion in refunds from getting into the wrong hands, and it plans to weed out more identity thieves this year.

If you believe someone stole your personal information for tax purposes, call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490.

2. Phishing

Scammers can steal your personal information from e-mails, phone calls, text messages or social media like your Facebook page. Some fake websites are also set up to dupe potential victims into giving out their information.

If you see anything suspicious or receive a message from someone claiming to be from the IRS, don?t open any attachments or click on links included in the e-mail. Instead, forward the message to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.

3. Sketchy tax preparers

With about 60% of taxpayers expected to use professionals to prepare and submit their taxes this year, be careful about who you entrust with personal information.

There are many preparers out there who will take a portion of a client?s refunds, charge more than they should for services and lure taxpayers to their offices by promising unattainable refunds.

Federal courts have issued hundreds of injunctions ordering tax professionals engaging in these scams to stop preparing returns, and the Department of Justice has issued many complaints against preparers as well.

This year, all paid preparers are required to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) so customers can verify that they are legitimate. Be wary if your preparer doesn?t sign the return or put their PTIN on it, doesn?t give you a copy of your return, promises unusually large refunds, charges a percentage of the refund amount as a fee, adds forms to the return you?ve never filed before, or encourages you to include false information on your return, the IRS says.

4. Hiding income offshore

Taxpayers who have an offshore bank account, brokerage account, credit card or even an offshore insurance plan, are urged to come forward voluntarily in order to limit the possibility of criminal prosecution.

As part of its ongoing crackdown on hidden offshore accounts, the agency announced another initiative this year that gives taxpayers a reduction in penalties ? and no jail time ? if they fess up to any undisclosed overseas accounts. Since starting the crackdown in 2009, about 30,000 individuals have come forward and voluntarily disclosed their offshore accounts.

5. No such thing as ?Free Money?

Flyers and advertisements have been showing up in community churches claiming that taxpayers can file returns with little or no documentation and receive big amounts of money, the IRS said. These ads typically target low-income individuals and the elderly and often promise non-existent Social Security refunds or rebates.

Inevitably these returns get rejected by the IRS. But by the time that happens, the scam artists have already disappeared with the victims? money.

The IRS warned that intentionally filing incorrect returns can result in a $5,000 penalty.

6. Inflating income and expenses

Claiming income you didn?t actually earn or expenses you didn?t pay to boost credits and refunds is another common scheme taxpayers attempt. If the IRS catches you in the act, you could end up repaying the extra money you claimed, along with interest and penalties ? and, in some cases, you could even be subject to prosecution.

7. Filing false forms

Some scam artists are filing fraudulent forms with their returns that contain fabricated information in order to get fatter refunds.

?Don?t fall prey to people who encourage you to claim deductions or credits to which you are not entitled or willingly allow others to use your information to file false returns,? the IRS said. ?If you are a party to such schemes, you could be liable for financial penalties or even face criminal prosecution.?

8. Picking a bone with the IRS

There are even people who charge money in exchange for advice on how to argue with the IRS in order to avoid paying taxes. The agency has a list of legal positions that have been ?thrown out of court? and cannot be used against the IRS, including the argument that filing a tax return is voluntary and that the IRS must prepare a return for anyone who fails to file. So pick your fights carefully this tax season.

9. Falsely claiming zero wages

In an attempt to lower the amount of taxes they owe, some taxpayers file phony wage-related information returns instead of the required returns. This is typically done by filing Form 4852 (a substitute W-2 form) or a ?corrected? Form 1099 to fraudulently lower a person?s taxable income to zero.

10. Exaggerating charitable donations

It can be tempting to overvalue the items you give to charity when reporting them on a return ? especially for non-cash donations such as furniture or artwork ? but the IRS is keeping an eye out for suspiciously high-valued donations this year.

The agency is also looking out for taxpayers who abuse charitable deductions by temporarily donating money or items to tax-exempt organizations, just to shield the money from getting taxed.

11. Disguising corporate ownership

It?s time to fess up to that business you own. The IRS is currently working with state authorities to identify corporations and other entities that are hiding ownership of a business.

Often these businesses are hidden because the true owner uses a third party with its own employer identification number, whose businesses or financial services can be used for the underreporting of income, fictitious deductions, money laundering, financial crimes and even terrorist financing.

12. Misuse of trusts

Beware of anyone that tries to convince you to transfer money into a trust in order to reduce your taxable income, deductions for personal expenses and/or estate taxes. The IRS has seen an increase in the number of taxpayers improperly using trusts ? especially private annuity trusts and foreign trusts ? to skip out on tax liabilities.

?While there are legitimate uses of trusts in tax and estate planning, some highly questionable transactions promise reduction of income subject to tax, deductions for personal expenses and reduced estate or gift taxes,? the IRS said. ?Such trusts rarely deliver the tax benefits promised and are used primarily as a means of avoiding income tax liability and hiding assets from creditors, including the IRS.?? To top of page

First Published: February 16, 2012: 2:38 PM ET

Source: http://g7finance.com/personal-finance/irs-beware-of-dirty-dozen-tax-scams/

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Friday, February 17, 2012

Low-carbon technologies 'no quick-fix'

ScienceDaily (Feb. 16, 2012) ? A drastic switch to low carbon-emitting technologies, such as wind and hydroelectric power, may not yield a reduction in global warming until the latter part of this century, new research suggests.

Furthermore, it states that technologies that offer only modest reductions in greenhouse gases, such as the use of natural gas and perhaps carbon capture and storage, cannot substantially reduce climate risk in the next 100 years.

The study, published February 16, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, claims that the rapid deployment of low-greenhouse-gas-emitting technologies (LGEs) will initially increase emissions as they will require a large amount of energy to construct and install.

These cumulative emissions will remain in the atmosphere for extended periods due to the long lifetime of CO2, meaning that global mean surface temperatures will increase to a level greater than if we continued to use conventional coal-fired plants.

Delaying the rollout of the technologies is not an option however; the risks of environmental harm will be much greater in the second half of the century and beyond if we continue to rely on coal-based technologies.

The researchers, from Intellectual Ventures and the Carnegie Institution, Stanford, arrived at their conclusions through a set of simple mathematical models that calculated the effect of switching energy technologies on the concentration of greenhouse gases, radiative forcing ( the balance between absorbed and radiated energy from the sun) and global mean temperature.

Coal-based power plants were used as the basis for comparison because they generate the most greenhouse gases per unit of electricity produced -- replacing plants of this kind will have the greatest benefits on the climate.

These power plants were compared to wind power, nuclear power, hydroelectric power, carbon capture and storage, and natural gas. Solar photovoltaics (harnessing the sun for electricity) and solar thermal (harnessing the sun for heat) were also compared.

"Achieving substantial reductions in temperatures relative to the coal-based system will take the better part of a century, and will depend on rapid and massive deployment of some mix of conservation, wind, solar, and nuclear, and possibly carbon capture and storage," the researchers write.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Institute of Physics (IOP), via AlphaGalileo.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. N P Myhrvold, K Caldeira. Greenhouse gases, climate change and the transition from coal to low-carbon electricity. Environmental Research Letters, 2012; 7 (1): 014019 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/7/1/014019

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216094801.htm

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7 Tips for Building Muscle Mass | Recreation & Sports

Gaining weight does not exactly indicate gain in muscle mass. To build muscles, you want to follow a regular workout regimen and implement these very simple tips.

1.You can build more muscle by getting the most from your weight training. Add more weight and lift at a quicker pace. Try the best you can to keep the movements fluid. Don?t stall between lifts.

2.As aerobic exercises increase your level of glycogen, which slows the process of building muscle mass, it is critical to lessen aerobic exercises.

3.While machines limit your range of motion, lifting dumbbells is better as it allows more range of muscle and also allows you to work out different muscles to increase your body metabolism.

4. Include supplements such as glutamine and creatine, and proteins in the form of red meat, poultry, and fish to your diet. They all encourage muscle growth and thus encourages muscle mass. If you search on the internet you will find supplements for cheap prices.

5. As sodium is mandatory for muscular size increase, add more of it to your diet. It also increases storage of carbohydrate, helps absorb amino acids, and improves the muscle?s insulin response.

6. If you do heavy exercise routines but do not notice any gains in your muscle growth, increase your calorie intake by 50% for 3 days. It helps improve your muscle?s insulin sensitivity and stimulate muscle growth by providing more carbohydrates for glycogen storage. So if you consume 2000 calories a day, raise your caloric consumption to 3000 calories for 3 days.

7. Though you need to work out hard to gain muscle mass, you also have to take time off from working out to give your body time to recover. In fact , if you do not let your muscles recover from your hard workouts, you?ll fail to increase muscular mass.

Increasing muscle mass is more tha just lifting heavy weights at the gym. You might also want to implement some small lifestyle changes to make your bodybuilding efforts much more worthwhile.

Tim Harris has been bodybuilding since his late teens. With over 15 years of in-depth training, he now trains other to reach their health goals. He shows his clients how to save their hard earned money by buying cheap supplements online. He is also very knowledgeable about bodybuilding supplements.

Related Posts:

Source: http://www.freehowtofix.com/2012/02/16/7-tips-for-building-muscle-mass/

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

2/13 Raw interview with MSU head coach Steve Prohm

Story Created: Feb 13, 2012 at 7:47 PM CST

Story Updated: Feb 13, 2012 at 7:47 PM CST

It's going to be a huge week for #16 Murray State.? The Racers will go on the road to play Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday.? Click here to listen to our raw interview with Murray State head coach Steve Prohm before Monday's practice.? Prohm also does his best Dick Vitale impersonation.

Follow WPSD?Sports on Twitter by clicking here.

Follow WPSD?Sports on Facebook by clicking here.

Source: http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/sports/local/213-Raw-interview-with-MSU-head-coach-Steve-Prohm-139257373.html

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HDTV buyers guide - The Information That Can Facilitate Your ...


by Julia William
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HDTV buyers guide More Details about HDTV buyers guide here.

If you are looking to purchase a TV set for your son's birthday you might want to go towards one engineered for gaming. Also, if you plan to be playing video games on your set, it is recommendable that the refresh rate of your TV screen be 120 Hz; this way you can play at your convenience without ghosting inference. The reason is that most video games operate with such rapid motion that low screen-frequencies will not afford a good experience. Remember to check the dimensions of the TV and to measure the spot you are going to be placing it in. Measuring everything and making sure it will fit well can save you a huge amount of time in the future. Taking this measure will spare you unnecessary pain and time of taking the TV back to the seller after you would have discovered that it can't fit.

Besides, you need to determine which of the different types of HDTV models you want to choose from: LCD/LED television or Plasma television. Both of television technologies are just great! However, it is a matter of personal preference. For example if you are looking for a darker image, you are going to want to go with Plasma. Plasma TVs also allow you to see the image clearly at difficult angles, if you are doing the dishes for example. If you are looking to save some energy and in turn money then LCD or LED would be the way to go; many of these TVs have energy saving technology which actually can save you a good amount of money if used. I personally think that LED TVs are of the highest quality particularly those from the brand names such as Samsung and LG and this opinion can be corroborated by the different studies that gave the same conclusion.

One thing you must have in mind when you are set to purchase a TV set, is that nothing stops you from going online or visiting your local TV store to check for the quality and features of the type of HDTV that you desire. Ask for some help from a technology expert as well, and just check out the TVs you are interested in in personal. But remember to come back and look online for better prices because in the end you can save a lot of money!

If you are looking into purchasing a quality LED-LCD (awesome technology) TV then the best place to start would be the LG 55LW5600 HDTV. I mean this baby is a beast just check out a review at the link on the side. Another awesome component to add to your entertainment cent would be the Logitech Revue; this little gadget allows you to link your computer and TV and do all kinds of cool stuff.

Learn more detailed HDTV purchasers manual in flat screen TV reviews. For much more detailed review of the LG LED, check out LG 55LW5600 review.

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Nationwide radium testing of groundwater shows most susceptible regions: Central US and East Coast

Nationwide radium testing of groundwater shows most susceptible regions: Central US and East Coast [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 15-Feb-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Kara Capelli
kcapelli@usgs.gov
571-420-9408
United States Geological Survey

Groundwater in aquifers on the East Coast and in the Central U.S. has the highest risk of contamination from radium, a naturally occurring radioactive element and known carcinogen.

According to a study conducted by the USGS, radium was detected in concentrations that equaled or exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards in more than one in five wells tested in the Mid-Continent and Ozark Plateau Cambro-Ordovician aquifer systems, underlying parts of Ark., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Mich., Minn., Mo, and Wis.; and the North Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system, underlying parts of Del., Md., N.J., N.Y., N.C., and Va.

Radium is generally present at low levels in all soil, water, and rocks, including groundwater. However, the study found that if the groundwater has low oxygen or low pH, radium is more likely to dissolve and become present in the groundwater. Low oxygen conditions were prevalent in the Mid-Continent and Ozark Plateau Cambro-Ordovician aquifer systems, and low pH conditions were prevalent in the North Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system.

"Radium is a troubling contaminant in groundwater because it cannot be readily detected by taste or smell, nor are the analytical methods for measurement easily applied by non-experts," said USGS director Marcia McNutt. "This new-found correlation between radium contamination and low oxygen or low pH allows very simple tests to determine which groundwater sources are at risk from radium, and why."

Low oxygen or low pH conditions were associated with more frequent detections of radium in other aquifers as well (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/trace/radium/index.html).

"This is the first nationwide study to identify geochemical factors present in many aquifers, such as low dissolved oxygen or low pH, that make groundwater more susceptible to radium contamination," said Jeffrey Fischer, USGS hydrologist and a coauthor of the paper. "These simple geochemistry measurements are good indicators of where radium is likely to exceed a standard and can help managers and the EPA anticipate areas where radium may be elevated."

In most aquifers used for drinking water supply, radium concentrations were below EPA standards, especially in the western U.S.

Exposure to elevated levels of radium over long periods of time can increase the risk of cancer. Radium can enter the body in drinking water. It behaves similarly to calcium and can replace calcium in tissues, particularly bone. Long-term exposure to radium increases the risk of developing diseases such as bone and sinus cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia.

Radium is derived from the common long-lived radioactive elements, uranium and thorium, which decay slowly to produce radioactive elements like radium. Groundwater flowing slowly through pores or cracks in underground rocks and sediments can dissolve radium-bearing minerals as it moves. Three commonly occurring types are radium-228, radium-226, and radium-224.

1,266 wells were sampled by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/) from 1990 to 2005 and analyzed for radium-226 and radium-228 for comparison to the EPA drinking water standard. A subset of 645 water samples were analyzed for the short-lived radium radionuclide, radium-224, which had not previously been measured in many parts of the nation, but is a concern in drinking water. A specific drinking-water standard has not been established for this form of radium. This study examined untreated water from the wells, and the findings represent the quality of water in aquifers before treatment.

Approximately 50% of the nation relies on groundwater as their primary drinking-water supply. NAWQA is the only source of nationally consistent monitoring data and information on chemical contaminants in groundwater. The program also conducts regional and national studies of the susceptibility and vulnerability of the nation's most important aquifers.

###

The study, titled "Occurrence and Geochemistry of Radium in Water from Principal Drinking-Water Aquifers of the United States" by By Zoltan Szabo, Vincent T. dePaul, Jeffrey M. Fischer, Thomas F. Kraemer, and Eric Jacobsen, is published in the journal Applied Geochemistry.

The article and a USGS fact sheet about this study can be found at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/trace/radium/index.html.

USGS provides science for a changing world. Visit USGS.gov, and follow us on Twitter @USGS and our other social media channels (http://usgs.gov/socialmedia).



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Nationwide radium testing of groundwater shows most susceptible regions: Central US and East Coast [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 15-Feb-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Kara Capelli
kcapelli@usgs.gov
571-420-9408
United States Geological Survey

Groundwater in aquifers on the East Coast and in the Central U.S. has the highest risk of contamination from radium, a naturally occurring radioactive element and known carcinogen.

According to a study conducted by the USGS, radium was detected in concentrations that equaled or exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards in more than one in five wells tested in the Mid-Continent and Ozark Plateau Cambro-Ordovician aquifer systems, underlying parts of Ark., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Mich., Minn., Mo, and Wis.; and the North Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system, underlying parts of Del., Md., N.J., N.Y., N.C., and Va.

Radium is generally present at low levels in all soil, water, and rocks, including groundwater. However, the study found that if the groundwater has low oxygen or low pH, radium is more likely to dissolve and become present in the groundwater. Low oxygen conditions were prevalent in the Mid-Continent and Ozark Plateau Cambro-Ordovician aquifer systems, and low pH conditions were prevalent in the North Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system.

"Radium is a troubling contaminant in groundwater because it cannot be readily detected by taste or smell, nor are the analytical methods for measurement easily applied by non-experts," said USGS director Marcia McNutt. "This new-found correlation between radium contamination and low oxygen or low pH allows very simple tests to determine which groundwater sources are at risk from radium, and why."

Low oxygen or low pH conditions were associated with more frequent detections of radium in other aquifers as well (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/trace/radium/index.html).

"This is the first nationwide study to identify geochemical factors present in many aquifers, such as low dissolved oxygen or low pH, that make groundwater more susceptible to radium contamination," said Jeffrey Fischer, USGS hydrologist and a coauthor of the paper. "These simple geochemistry measurements are good indicators of where radium is likely to exceed a standard and can help managers and the EPA anticipate areas where radium may be elevated."

In most aquifers used for drinking water supply, radium concentrations were below EPA standards, especially in the western U.S.

Exposure to elevated levels of radium over long periods of time can increase the risk of cancer. Radium can enter the body in drinking water. It behaves similarly to calcium and can replace calcium in tissues, particularly bone. Long-term exposure to radium increases the risk of developing diseases such as bone and sinus cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia.

Radium is derived from the common long-lived radioactive elements, uranium and thorium, which decay slowly to produce radioactive elements like radium. Groundwater flowing slowly through pores or cracks in underground rocks and sediments can dissolve radium-bearing minerals as it moves. Three commonly occurring types are radium-228, radium-226, and radium-224.

1,266 wells were sampled by the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) (http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/) from 1990 to 2005 and analyzed for radium-226 and radium-228 for comparison to the EPA drinking water standard. A subset of 645 water samples were analyzed for the short-lived radium radionuclide, radium-224, which had not previously been measured in many parts of the nation, but is a concern in drinking water. A specific drinking-water standard has not been established for this form of radium. This study examined untreated water from the wells, and the findings represent the quality of water in aquifers before treatment.

Approximately 50% of the nation relies on groundwater as their primary drinking-water supply. NAWQA is the only source of nationally consistent monitoring data and information on chemical contaminants in groundwater. The program also conducts regional and national studies of the susceptibility and vulnerability of the nation's most important aquifers.

###

The study, titled "Occurrence and Geochemistry of Radium in Water from Principal Drinking-Water Aquifers of the United States" by By Zoltan Szabo, Vincent T. dePaul, Jeffrey M. Fischer, Thomas F. Kraemer, and Eric Jacobsen, is published in the journal Applied Geochemistry.

The article and a USGS fact sheet about this study can be found at http://water.usgs.gov/nawqa/trace/radium/index.html.

USGS provides science for a changing world. Visit USGS.gov, and follow us on Twitter @USGS and our other social media channels (http://usgs.gov/socialmedia).



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


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


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/usgs-nrt021512.php

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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Soft Play - How A Humidifier Benefits Your Home And Family ...

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In the past year lots of people were stricken by health problems and/or allergic reactions. A great technique to enable you to relieve, or some times avoid these issues is to use an area air humidifier. Humidifier benefits are simply great and of course really worth trying specifically if you have kids in your household.

Employing a space air humidifier allows people to create a healthy and balanced family home atmosphere for those who are afflicted by allergies, asthma, along with nasal problems.

There are two sorts of humidifiers, warm and cool mist. Their health features feature helping with problems that are linked with drier air which includes dried-out skin, swollen nasal passages, sinus headaches, and bronchial asthma.

The use of a tabletop space air humidifier will help you to soothe a person?s sinus and breathing passages whenever she/he has the winter flu or even a sore throat. Portable units may also be used to supply pain relief to people that have asthma, dried-out skin, or dry eyes.

Adults are not the only people to benefit through the use of bedroom humidifiers. The health related areas of place humidifiers also significantly benefit young children.

It is common for young children to be affected by Six to eight upper respiratory tract infections every year. By improving air quality moisture at your residence, and/or your children?s space, you can?t simply only alleviate his/her signs and symptoms, but may also make it possible to prevent every one together and enhance your kids health.

When selecting a space humidifier for a kid, know that a cool misting unit is recommended. Warmer misting units may run a risk of unintentional burns.

In order to keep your space humidifier in optimum operating settings, there are numerous things you must do to maintain it free from mildew, fungus, and bacteria that may be harmful to well being. By following the manufacturer?s directions for proper care and cleanup you can make certain you keep your area air humidifier safe.

Space humidifiers are generally put into use in the winter season. To avoid the growth of mildew, spores, and dust mites the level of humidity needs to be held less than fifty percent The tank really should be purged, surfaces should be dried, and it needs to be filled again with water that is clean every day.

As opposed to using regular faucet water, which could contain minerals that may promote a germ-friendly film and also scale accumulation, use distilled or demineralised water.

Area humidifiers can be found in numerous merchants and also on the internet. It is wise to try and do research prior to purchasing a model to locate which manufacturer in addition to kind meet your requirements.

Something to remember is that bringing your home?s humidity to the correct levels can?t only benefit you and your health, but may in addition save a little money every year. You will pay significantly less for your heating expenses whenever you actually feel warmer with a decreased temperature. Because of this all things in your household, from your very own plants and flowers to your dogs and cats to your home furnishings to your family members to you, can benefit from its success.

A room humidifier is a wonderful thing to own for your residence for healthy kids. Having your home correctly humidified shouldn?t simply be thought of as a benefit, but also a must-have item.

Tagged with: healthy kids ? Humidifier Benefits ? Kids Health

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Office can be awkward place on Valentine's Day

Kim Carney/msnbc.com

Kiss your Valentine all you want - but wait until after work, experts say.

By Allison Linn

Everyone has a story about an uncomfortable workplace encounter on Valentine?s Day.

Whether it?s the co-worker who was showered with flowers and teddy bears all day long or the one who was noticeably snubbed, the mixture of work and romance often boils down to one word: Awkward.

?Valentine?s Day, as with most holidays, brings on a lot of stress for people, not only inside of work but outside of work,? said Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of ?Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant.?

That?s one reason she?s not much of a fan of big Valentine?s Day bouquets being sent to the office or other romantic gestures during the workday.

?This is the workplace, and Cupid doesn?t belong on the org chart,? she said.

To avoid making your romantic partner the target of office gossip and speculation, Taylor recommends giving him or her that bouquet at the end of the day, rather than sending it to the office.

And if you?re going on a special Valentine?s Day date after work, she suggests meeting in the office parking lot rather than at your office, so you don?t have any risk of uncomfortable public displays of affection in front of the boss.

Others say Valentine's Day gifts at work are OK - in moderation.

Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and owner of the Protocol School of Texas, said a modest bouquet of flowers sent to the office is fine. But an over-the-top gesture such as a huge bouquet or multiple deliveries is out of line for the workday. That?s because it can draw too much attention to your personal life.

In a recent survey of its users, employer ratings site Glassdoor.com found that about one-quarter of respondents said they would want to receive flowers at work from their significant other. The next popular Valentine?s Day item to get at work was chocolate.

Only 1 percent said they wanted to get a singing telegram at work on Valentine?s day.

Gottsman also isn?t a fan of singing telegrams. She adds:??No strippers.?

Valentine?s Day also can be especially awkward if you are dating one of your co-workers. A survey released last week by CareerBuilder.com found that nearly four in 10 workers have dated a co-worker, and one-third of those office romances led to marriage.

If you?re involved with a co-worker, Gottsman said it?s especially important to make sure you separate your workplace duties from your romantic life. That may even mean having a conversation beforehand asking your significant other not to make a big deal of the holiday at work.

?If you want to maintain this mystique - this professional persona - and you don?t want people involved in your life, you have to let your partner know that,? she said.

Have you experienced office awkwardness on Valentine?s Day? Tell us your story in the comments below, or continue the discussion on our Facebook page.

Is it appropriate to send a Valentine's Day gift to the office?

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Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/13/10398061-office-can-be-awkward-place-on-valentines-day?chromedomain=celebrate

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Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 spotted at the FCC

Intrigued by Samsung's new petite smartphone? Well, those not gearing up for quad-cores and high-definition screens can now spy some dizzying label placement details and more from its recent FCC visit. Expect the Galaxy Mini 2 to pack both 850 and 1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE radios, meaning it'll be compatible with both AT&T and (EDGE-only) T-Mobile networks. The radios are accompanied by Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi and NFC functionality. While the filing adds an extra dose of credence to that mooted February release, US fans may have to wait a little longer; an FCC appearance doesn't always equate to a release on American shores.

Samsung Galaxy Mini 2 spotted at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/14/samsung-galaxy-mini-2-spotted-at-the-fcc/

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What's the next ?new thing? in non-profit fundraising? ? Donor ...

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to share a cup of coffee with a dear friend of mine who runs a local non-profit organization in Elgin, Illinois. During the course of that conversation, she openly wondered what the ?next new thing? in non-profit fundraising will be. It was a great conversation . . . so, I?ve decided to share and engage all of you in the discussion.

Our conversation started off innocent enough. She was reflecting on the state of the local non-profit community, and I was scribbling notes frantically in hopes of possibly finding a business lead or two or three.? ;-)

I think she hit upon something very interesting when she said, ?I?ve never seen a time when ALL of the different sources of funding were down at the same time and under so much pressure.? For example, when her agency?s United Way funding seemed to start trending downward, she found alternative revenue streams from federal, state, and local government agencies. When foundation and corporate sources would dry up, she was able to rely on individual giving and special events.

In her experience, non-profit fundraising was like a lava lamp with funding streams going up and down and coming back again. The world she described felt sustainable to her because as a strategic thinker she always seemed to be able to identify THE ?next new thing? and position her agency to take advantage of it. However, today?s ?New Normal? feels very different from any other time she?s experienced, and she wondered out loud what the next new thing will be.

As my coffee cup was near empty, she appeared?thunderstruck and then said, ?I just wonder if non-profits need to start looking at selling things like our for-profit friends do, but doing so in a way that it can be wrapped around our non-profit mission.?

Of course, she is speaking to the issue of ?unrelated business income?. However, it might not have to be ?unrelated?.

The example she gave involved operating a thrift store. However, she wondered if the store couldn?t also be linked to her non-profit?s client base with job training and childcare? opportunities infused throughout. This idea would involve donors donating items to the store. It would involve clients working at the shop, thus earning money, learning transferable skills, and becoming more self-reliant in life. It would involve subsidized childcare, which is a huge barrier to many single and working women trying to make ends meet. In the end, all of this would result in a revenue stream for the non-profit, and?just possible?THE ?next new thing?.

I am intrigued by this idea and will spend the next few days blogging about unrelated business income and outside-the-box revenue ideas with which non-profits seem to be experimenting. I find this idea so interesting because many non-profit agencies haven?t had to think about business-related issues such as the marketplace, supply and demand, customers, pricing, etc etc etc.

So, please join me on this strangely curious trip and discussion.

Has your agency started examining the idea of ?selling things? in an attempt to generate new revenue? If so, what have you tried and what was the result? What were some of the interesting disconnects you may have experienced when traveling down this road. Please share examples of other organizations in your community or nationally that have gotten into the unrelated business income game.

If you scroll down, you will see the comment box. You know what to do.? ;-)

Here?s to your health!

Erik Anderson
Founder & President, The Healthy Non-Profit LLC
www.thehealthynonprofit.com
erik@thehealthynonprofit.com
http://twitter.com/#!/eanderson847
http://www.facebook.com/eanderson847
http://www.linkedin.com/in/erikanderson847

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Source: http://donordreams.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/whats-the-next-new-thing-in-non-profit-fundraising/

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Grisly discoveries give families hope for closure (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO ? The childhood friends killed for the first time less than three months after their high school graduation in 1984. Then they seemingly killed with impunity for the next 15 years, with one man making barroom boasts about their ability to make people disappear.

By the time the hunting buddies were finally arrested in 1999, investigators say the notorious "Speed Freak Killers" killed as many as 20 people during a 15-year spree that terrorized California's rural Central Valley. Some of their victims were left at the scene. Most were never seen again, especially their female victims.

Even after their convictions in 2001, Wesley Shermantine and Loren Herzog steadfastly refused to divulge any burial sites.

Now, motivated by a bounty hunter's promise to pay $33,000 for the location of the missing, Shermantine is breaking a long silence. Family members of the missing hope the new details will lead to the discovery of their loved ones' remains and closure after years of torment. Two victims have already been identified and hundreds of human remains have been recovered over the last several days. More are expected to be found.

"It is a happy occasion," said Paula Wheeler, mother of 16-year-old Chevelle "Chevy" Wheeler, whose remains were tentatively identified Friday after the girl disappeared in 1985. Chevy's portrait hangs in the living room of the Wheeler's Crossville, Tenn., home. The Wheelers intend to have Chevy's remains cremated and displayed at their home.

Shermantine told Sacramento bounty hunter Leonard Padilla that he plans to use the $33,000 to pay $15,000 in court-ordered restitution to victims' families. The rest will buy headstones for his deceased parents and small luxuries in prison like candy bars and a private television set he can't buy because every penny he receives now is used to pay down the restitution debt. Padilla hopes to claim rewards offered by the state of California for information about missing persons thought to be the victims of Shermantine and Herzog.

Using crude maps Shermantine hand-drew in his Death Row cell, investigators have dug up three sites since Thursday that have yielded human remains.

The site of the biggest find is an abandoned well outside the city of Stockton, near the town of Linden, that produced hundreds of human bones, purses, shoes, jewelry and other evidence over the weekend. That raised Joan Shelley's hopes that her 16-year-old daughter JoAnn Hobson will be found.

"I feel they are going to find her," a tearful Shelley told The Associated Press in a phone interview from her Manteca home. JoAnn disappeared in 1985, and investigators have long suspected Shermantine and Herzog in the girl's abduction and murder. But they never had enough evidence to charge them.

Padilla said Shermantine calls the well "Herzog's boneyard," and pins all the bodies that will be found there on Herzog. That's nothing new. Beyond steadfastly refusing to disclose the location of bodies, the childhood friends have also maintained that the other single handedly did all the killing.

Herzog hanged himself on Jan. 16 outside the Susanville trailer he was paroled to after an appeals court tossed out his confession as illegally coerced. He committed suicide hours after Padilla told him Shermantine was prepared to tell authorities about the missing.

"I could hear him catch his breath when I mentioned the well," Padilla said of his conversation with Herzog on Jan. 16. "He thanked me, and didn't say anything more, but I could hear him catch his breath."

On Thursday, at a site in Calaveras County near property Shermantine's parents once owned, searchers found a skull identified as Cyndi Vanderheiden, who disappeared in 1998. The next day, about a 1/4 mile away, searchers found a blanket containing a partial skull and other remains believed to belong to Wheeler.

Shermantine was convicted of both women's murders in 2001. He was arrested in 1999 after his car was re-possessed and investigators found Vanderheiden's blood in the trunk. Using a new collection technique not available in 1985, they also found Wheeler's DNA in a remote Calaveras County cabin owned by Shermantine. The cabin was near where Wheeler's body was found.

Shermantine was also convicted of robbing and killing two drifters as they sat in a car in a rural area about two miles west of Stockton. Tire tracks left at the scene matched those of a red pickup Shermantine drove at the time.

During his trial, which opened in 2000 and was moved to Santa Clara because of publicity in the Central Valley, prosecutor Thomas Testa told the jury that Shermantine was suspected of killing 20 people. Testa told the jury that Shermantine boasted publicly ? and threateningly __ on several occasions about his ability to make people disappear.

"There are no fingerprints, no eyewitnesses, no smoking gun," Testa said in his opening statement. "Wes told several individuals that he had hunted the ultimate kill: humans."

John Vanderheiden, Cyndi's father, owns a Clement bar the deadly duo frequented. Vanderheiden said Shermantine boasted loudly on several occasions that he was a killer.

Vanderheiden said he chalked it up to drunken nonsense ? until his daughter disappeared.

Shermantine was convicted of four murders and sentenced to death.

Another Santa Clara jury rejected Testa's plea that Herzog also receive the death penalty after he was initially charged with five first-degree murders.

Instead, Herzog was convicted of first-degree murders for his involvement in the deaths of the drifters and Vanderheiden. The jury rejected the same charges for the murder of Henry Howell, who investigators suspect Shermantine killed in September of 1984 on a lonely stretch of highway in Hope Valley, between Lake Tahoe to Stockton. Howell is believed to be the duo's first victim.

Herzog was sentenced to 78 years in prison, but that sentenced was reduced to 14 years after an appeals court tossed out his confession as coerced and prosecutors reluctantly offered him a deal to plead guilty to a voluntary manslaughter charge connected to Vanderheiden's death and three accessory to murder charges connected to the killings of the drifters and Howell. He was paroled in 2010.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120214/ap_on_re_us/us_speed_freak_killers

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