Browse > Home / News / S?pore?s environmental issues in 2013 [News]
By Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia, 29 Dec 2012.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said the priority and challenge will be in inculcating more socially gracious attitudes among Singaporeans.
Dr Balakrishnan said his ministry is also studying other countries to cope with a potential sea-level rise.
National water agency PUB has been making preparations for rainy days and the monsoon season, such as widening drainage and installing closed-circuit cameras (CCTVs).
The Environment and Water Resources Ministry said there are another 15 projects in the pipeline for PUB in the coming year.
It is a race to get Singapore ?water independent? by ramping up land catchment areas and building more Newater plants.
Singapore?s first water agreement with Malaysia expired in 2010 and the second one is due to expire in 2061.
In addition, the ministry and its statutory boards will take a tougher stand on littering.
From 2013, fines for first-time offenders will increase from S$300 to S$500.
The Home Affairs Ministry will be installing CCTVs in almost every block for for surveillance, and the National Environment Agency (NEA) will ride on this technology to catch high-rise litterbugs.
?We have to put a stop to high-rise littering ? it?s unacceptable. Nearly 90 per cent of us live in high-rise apartments, and I get no end of complaints from people saying people are throwing all kinds of stuff,? said Dr Balakrishnan.
As penalties increase, 2013 will also see stepped up enforcement, including giving citizens the power to take action against those who litter.
?We?re going to start a course next year, which will be very similar to the same course our NEA officers go through, before they?re issued with warrant cards to take action if need be, when a minority of people litter, or act irresponsibly in our environment,? said Dr Balakrishnan.
?From next year onwards, we will have to step up enforcement, in order to send a message to anyone considering dropping something, that the probability of being caught is actually going to be higher, and therefore we hope there will be a greater deterrence. Our reputation of being clean and green was a hard-won reputation, and we cannot afford to lose it.?
NEA also introduced the tray-return scheme at nine hawker centres in 2012. Over the next two years, it will roll out the scheme to all new and existing hawker centres.
In both cases, the ministry said it is about instilling a sense of graciousness in behaving responsibly, and using peer pressure to effect change.
Assoc Prof Paulin Tay-Straughan from the Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore said: ?This is the part where we have to be very careful when we talk about growing active state ownership, getting ordinary Singaporeans to step up and be part of this informal policing.
?It has to be done in a gracious manner. It has to be done in a way that does not publicly humiliate others, because then each time you get humiliated, you alienate that person, or a particular segment of the population will get alienated, and when you alienate people, you will not be able to get their buy-in. So the way to do it is to really learn how to encourage others towards pro-social behaviour in a gracious manner.?
Assoc Prof Tay-Straughan said one way of instilling socially gracious behaviour is to learn from the past.
She said: ?A very good example would be the queuing culture. Not that long ago, we did not queue. Remember the masses ? that when the bus comes, everybody pushes, to try to get up the bus. But then we decided that?s not the right way to manage public behaviour, so we started the notion of the queue culture. And we?ve done that very well, right? You don?t get fined for not standing in line. The reason you end up standing in line is because other people would tell you, ?This is a line, and you should be behind me.?
?We need to encourage Singaporeans to do that. When somebody litters, to say, ?Excuse me, the bin is around the corner.? Or to go one step further to when somebody drops a pack, as you?re walking along, just pick it up and deposit it at the next bin you see.?
On a larger scale, the Environment Ministry said it will do more to deal with the effects of climate change.
In 2011, the ministry raised the minimum levels for land reclamation by at least one metre, as an adequate buffer against a potential rise in sea levels.
This year, the National Climate Change Secretariat released a strategy document, detailing the government?s multi-fold initiatives ? from reducing carbon emissions, to beefing up research capabilities for clean technology solutions.
The ministry said it is also studying countries like the Netherlands, where one-third of the country is below sea-level.
Dr Balakrishnan said: ?It?s a whole challenge of engineering, design, planning and learning new techniques in order to cope with sea-level rise. We also have to cope with greater volatility in weather.?
Dr Balakrishnan said being a small country, Singapore will have to prepare for the worst, and take nothing for granted.
He said: ?We?re so focused on building up our water, our freshwater generation capacity, desalination and recycling, it is also part of the long-term preparation for climate change. That?s a really major challenge which is creeping up on us, but actually, can end up being literally a tsunami that we have to deal with.?
Jay Cutler found himself in an awkward situation Monday morning, as news of Lovie Smith's firing went public while Cutler was on air for his weekly radio show on?WMVP-AM.
Cutler did not seem too surprised by the news -- perhaps he was informed of his former head coach's fate in advance -- but he did give his initial thoughts on the public news.?
"It's a sad day at Halas Hall," he said. "I have a lot of respect for the guy, he's made friends with a lot of the players; he was a player's coach and I've been very lucky in my seven years to have two great coaches."
When asked if he had any personal words for Smith, Cutler expressed an apologetic tone for the Bears' inconsistent offense, surely a factor in Smith's fate.
"Sorry offensively we couldn't do better for you," he said. "I blame a lot of this on the offense and our inability to perform week in and week out. Defensively they've been carrying us for a while."
A couple of names have been thrown out for consideration to replace Smith, but Cutler wouldn't bite on showing any preference to an offensive-minded coach coming in.
"I trust management. They're gonna make best call. You just have to trust them."
Cutler also said yesterday was stressful for the team, listening to the Packers-Vikings game on the team flight home and then watching it on the team bus. Blair Walsh's last-second field goal knocked the Bears out of the final playoff spot, but Cutler said he doesn't blame anyone but himself and the team for having to rely on another team.
"We shouldn't have been in that position. It's tough when things are taken out of your own hands and you rely on other teams," Cutler said. "Win 11, 12 games and you won't have to worry about this.
Cutler said he and the offense could have been better limiting turnovers and performing in the red zone, and that there's little room for err when trying to win games in the NFL. He praised wide receiver Brandon Marshall for a solid year, but noted there was not enough consistency to form any kind of rhythm.
"We had 1 guy that had a great season and other than that it was kind of a rocky road, up and down, never really any consistency," he said, "and in the NFL to be good, great, you have to be consistent week in and week out and we only got it from 1 player.
"You always can build, find the good and try to weed out the bad and fix the problems. I'm sure we'll get some new additions offensively to help us out. We have talent, just have to figure it out."
Tags: brandon marshall, Chicago Bears, Jay Cutler, Phil Emery
When I married my husband,? I set out to be the perfect stepparent. I read all the books, went to the conferences, and worked overtime doing everything right for my stepchildren. But I wasn?t a perfect stepparent. I made a lot of mistakes.?Through 17 years of stepparenting, experience has taught me?that I don?t have to be a perfect stepparent to have stepchildren grow to love me.
This year, instead of making resolutions about being a better stepparent, I decided to ponder a few resolutions on how to move past my imperfections and keep going on days I want to quit as a not-so-perfect stepparent.
So, this year I commit to ?
?1. Let go of the?Stepmom guilt. We all experience it from time to time. We let our mind run away with what we?ve done wrong as a stepparent. Or we compare our stepfamily to our neighbor?s perfectly-blended family and let the criticism begin.?Stepmom guilt comes from the expectation that everything in our home should be perfect. But that?s never going to happen. Instead, why not?let go of unrealistic expectations that keep us bound to guilt when we don?t measure up?
2. Forgive myself when I fail. A defeated stepparent doesn?t parent effectively. When we barrage ourselves with negative self-talk over a poor parenting choice, we continue down a negative path. Forgiving ourselves for less-than-stellar stepparenting moments allows us to begin again with a renewed mind and fresh perspective for our parenting challenges.
3. Seek out support from other stepmoms on hard days. My neighbor is a single parent with two school-aged children. She recognizes her need for help in juggling her responsibilities and seeks out other moms to assist with car pool or after school care when the demands of her work schedule become overwhelming. As stepmoms, it?s helpful to find fellow stepmoms who can offer encouragement or support on hard days. If you haven?t found local stepmoms,?check out the group?on Twitter of? #TwitterStepmoms.
4. Listen to my heart on how to parent my stepchild, instead of others? opinions. It?s easy to run to the phone and ask our best friend what to do when we?re facing a difficult parenting moment, but if we step back and listen to our heart while considering our options, we make better decisions. Considering our stepchild?s personality?as part of the parenting equation allows us to tailor our parenting in a healthier light.
5. Nurture my marriage.?Stepchildren eventually exit the nest. The goal is for the marriage to outlast the stepparenting years.??Good marriages don?t just happen -they require regular nurturing.?I want to continue to?reach beyond an ordinary marriage by being my partner?s biggest fan and most loyal friend.
6. Take time to run, or quilt, or whatever activity works for me to re-group when the stepparenting strain takes over. ?It?s important to re-group and make time for self-care when we?re about to go off the parenting cliff. Balancing stepparenting demands with activities we can look forward and enjoy by ourselves or with others, creates a well-rounded stepparent who can more effectively handle the strains of stepparenting.
As you start a new year, do you have resolutions to consider as a not-so-perfect stepparent? Do you need a mindset do-over that includes room for imperfection and second chances as a stepparent? Perhaps that?s the ticket to success this year on your not-so-perfect stepparenting journey.
Do you have other resolutions to add??Leave me a comment and let me know.
As one of the leading healthcare providers in the Atlanta area, our client focuses on quality care for their patients and superior customer service with a personalized touch.? They have a reputation for discovering technological breakthroughs while providing daily services.? They recently received international recognition for their Citrix virtualization solutions, and are also known for their exceptional treatment of employees, which supports a comfortable learning environment creating a higher potential for success in your technology career.
Our client has a very stable, growing group with currently 400-500 physical Servers and 700-800 virtual. They also just added 3,000 concurrent users. All 2003 and 2008 enterprise data centers are up to date with all the latest versions. They also have a lot of work with global patient records and buying other hospitals and outpatient clinics. ?
Key Requirements:
IT virtualization with Citrix
Must be strong in MS technologies
Must have strong skills in XenDesktop, XenApp, and XenServer
Must have strong infrastructure skills
VMware skills are desired if candidates have solid MS with VMware skills
Must have solid, above-administrator level skills in the Windows-server family of operating systems including performance tuning, automation, and Scripting
Proven experience architecting
Multiple years of experience operating in a large enterprise environment (greater than 5 locations and 500+ users)
At least 5 years experience implementing and supporting Active Directory 2000/2003 including services such as DHCP, DFS, DNS, and WINS
At least 5 years experience implementing and supporting file systems in a clustered environment
Must have a strong background in TCP/IP and related network protocols including functional understanding of network hardware
Detailed knowledge of the Windows security model and processes
Significant experience in the design and deployment of Group Policies
Experience implementing Windows File and Print Clusters
Proposes and implements system enhancements that will improve the performance and reliability of the Windows, Citrix, and SQL environments
Comprehensive knowledge of Windows Resource Kit/Sysinternals tools
Must demonstrate excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills
Must be able to troubleshoot network communication issues for Client Server applications
Knowledge of commonly used concepts, practices, and procedures
Must demonstrate strong business acumen and ability to relate to business leaders' issues
Ability to create automated processes using scripts, tools, etc. to streamline production support
Ability to identify system improvements, plan and implementDesired Skills:
Synergis is a woman-owned company that serves a myriad of clients across nearly all industries, from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies.? The outcomes of these relationships are demonstrated in a growing list of more than 300 clients and industry recognitions by Inc. magazine and the Atlanta Business Chronicle. ?
From its foundation in 1997, Synergis has been successfully recruiting and placing IT professionals in all areas of information technology.? Recently named the Best Place to Work in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Synergis has been successfully recruiting and placing IT professionals for over 10 years. For more information about Synergis, please visit the company website.
Synergis is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.
Activation (455), Anti-virus (48), Application servers (217), Billing systems (939), Carrier managed (316), Cloud computing (527), Content/software downloads (268), Customer relationship management (426), Data Integrity (187), Denial-of-service attacks (77), Digital content (1590), Element management systems (116), Encryption (187), Endpoint security (113), Fault management (154), Firewalls (148), Grid networking (122), IMS (1204), IMS Control Layer (48), IMS Service Layer (48), Interactive advertising (365), Intrusion detection & prevention (134), Inventory management (250), IP software (462), IP technologies (1582), IPSec VPN (869), Managed Services (220), Media gateways (405), Mediation systems (295), Messaging (353), Middleware (152), MPLS (1873), MPLS (707), OSS (3732), OSS test & measurement (1170), Performance monitoring (512), Planning tools (123), Policy control (527), Product Management (129), Provisioning (709), QOS (377), Revenue assurance & fraud management (452), Security (2100), Service delivery platforms (SDPs) (425), Service management (393), Service-oriented architectures (376), Services (3293), SSL VPN (931), Telepresence (283), URL filtering (84), User authentication (108), Vendor managed (224), Web gateways (83), Web services (183), XML (57)
Video
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Imagine you're out sight-seeing in Thailand. Whoa! Elephants! Better catch some video with your iPhone. Really hold it out there for a good shot when, haha, he's touching it with his trunk! Aaaand it's gone. Sure, it'd be equal parts hilarious and a bummer if it actually happened, and while that's what this video shows, it's probably (unfortunately) bogus. More »
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Thanks, Aaron. Seems there have been a lot of great posts on the marketing and SEO benefits of Twitter of late and this one does not disappoint. The most important step for users is to move beyond Twitter as a way of talking about what you had for lunch or for sharing a link you want to promote. There's so much more! Also, thanks to Steefen for sharing this on BizSugar.
New Years Eve means party time ? and even if you?re just staying home for a low-key family party, you can still have a great time with these 7 easy and FREE crafts and ideas!? Here are 7 FUN & FREE ways to celebrate New Years Eve and make sure that 2012 goes out with a BANG!
PARTY DECORATIONS:? Make a banner out of leftover tinsel garland glued to cardboard numbers.? Easy and sparkly!? You can also make your own countdown ball/disco ball by stringing white Christmas lights around a ball and hanging it from the ceiling.
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TOILET PAPER ROLL CONFETTI POPPERS: Fill toilet paper rolls with confetti and wrap in tissue paper or construction paper.? Tie the ends with ribbons.? Pull the paper on both ends to release the confetti.
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BALLOON COUNTDOWN: Blow up enough balloons so that you can pop one each hour of the countdown.? Write the hour on each balloon and let the kids take turns!? You could even get creative and put a prize or confetti in each one.
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Party Food: Bake a ?Clock Cake? to help countdown the hours in a yummy way ? and set out lots of finger foods that the kids will like.
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PLAY DRESS UP!? My family started dressing up for New Years Eve years ago ? and not in the strict sense of the word either.? I make my hubby wear that too-tight-vest that I think makes him look like one of the ?Newsies? and I put on some crazy formal gown that I?d never get a chance to wear otherwise? My kiddos come out of their rooms in clothes ranging from ?Date-Casual? to ?Head-To-Toe-Cowboy? to ?Batman?.? Addie, once ?dressed up? as a dinosaur for New Years Eve!
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COUNTDOWN BAGS:? Make a bag for each hour with a few activities or prizes inside!? More ways to pass the time: We put on music and just let the kids do their thing.? Or challenge your family to a Video-Game Face-Off, Charades, balloon-volleyball, board games, or just watch movies.
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NOISEMAKERS:? You can make this cute noisemaker craft using plastic cups filled with beans, buttons, rice or other smal items.? Let the kids decorate them to pass the time.? When the midnight hour arrives (or, about 10 o?clock for the kiddos) we usually go outside and bang pots and pans and blow horns together shouting ?HAPPY NEW YEAR!? to the neighborhood.? You can also pop bubble wrap that you received in all those holiday packages ? and shoot silly string at each other.
Whatever you do with your family to ring in the New Year, just have fun with it!?
TIP! Windows will look much better if worn blinds are replaced. Over time, blinds become faded and shabby from everyday use.
The thought of home renovation frightens many people. As long as you learn before you start, it shouldn?t be scary anymore. Use the tips from this article to complete that project you have been putting off!
TIP! Have a qualified electrician do work such as installing the electrical outlet for microwaves that are above stoves if you want to get the best results. It gives you easy access to plug the microwave in and not have the cord visible.
Personalize your home improvements if you are going to keep living there, but do not make any improvement too distinct from other neighborhood homes. You don?t want the house to stand out so much that it becomes awkward. It will make it much harder to sell your home if you ever decide to.
TIP! How many times have you looked at a house, and thought about how many bathrooms it has and whether or not it would work? One of the most essential things about a household are how many bathrooms it has. You can increase your home?s value significantly by adding one or two bathrooms.
You should use primer before you put glossy paint on the walls. Doing this improves the paint?s ability to stick to the wall, which will prevent the new coat of paint from peeling off the walls. Priming also helps if you are going for a lighter color than what is already on the wall.
TIP! Check the credentials of any professional you employ for any home improvement projects. Make sure the workers have the experience and qualifications to complete your job with the highest quality work.
Consider installing ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are great projects to have. It is also inexpensive and simple to install. Keep your room cool with out air-conditioning and cool it more efficiently when the air-conditioning is on with a ceiling fan and save yourself some money.
TIP! Involving your entire family is a great way to accomplish a home improvement project. Gardening can be a great family activity.
Mounting a coat rack can be a pretty way to display and store your bracelets and necklaces. Only put costume jewelry here, not your prized heirlooms. Hanging your jewelry up improves the decor of a room and has the added benefit of keeping it from getting tangled. Choose pieces you wear frequently and keep them where you can reach them.
TIP! Use light colors to create a soothing atmosphere: purple, green or blue often work well. Stick to airy fabrics, like linen and cotton, instead of heavy brocades and dark patterns.
Ensure that you?re being listened to by your contractor. You need a contractor who is both trustworthy and willing to address any concerns that might come up during the course of a project. If a contractor does not listen, they may do something that you told them not to do. Make sure that the contractor listens to everything you have to say.
TIP! When you are involved in a home improvement project, be certain to allot a specific spot for the resulting debris and trash. Removing the materials can be costly, so planning ahead is a great way to realize substantial savings and keep the project moving.
You probably once believed that renovating your home was impossible without the assistance of a contractor. Using the information from this article will allow you to tackle the projects without the expense of the contractor.
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Loud snoring is an issue lots of people have, and yes it Marshawn Lynch Jersey might or might not be critical. Quite often this has been just an irritability to loved ones inside of earshot who are trying to sleeping. Loud snoring can even be a sign of apnea and that is a serious problem to the snorer.
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Give up smoking to quit snoring loudly. When you take in cigarettes light up to your lungs, irritants are designed affecting your airway and nose membranes. The finished inflammation causes your neck to narrow and plays a part in your heavy snoring. Try not to smoke prior to going to bed, or even better give it up altogether.
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If you love that container of soft ice cream for dessert but you want to stop your snoring habits, it is time to quit eating frozen treats well before bed furniture. Frozen treats and other dairy food can promote snoring loudly due to the fact which they make far more mucus. Ensure that you steer clear of any dairy food just before bed furniture.
If you suffer from snoring loudly, it is vital that you do not sleep at night on your back. This position narrows the air passages with your tonsils, as a result, decreasing air flow. This lack of oxygen Marshawn Lynch Jersey can be quite a reason behind snoring loudly. Our recommendation is that you rest on either your right or remaining part rather.
By making reference to the information in this post you will find details to help you reduce a snoring issue. If there are indications which a heavy snoring issue is causing tiredness and irritation in the snorer, a sleep examine can be accomplished to ascertain if apnea is concerned, or if your heavy snoring is mild.
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One of the most beloved childhood foods is macaroni and cheese. Most of us can remember mom serving up a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese along with a hotdog or burger.
Since its beginnings in 1937, Kraft?s version has been a mainstay in the pre-packaged foods section of the grocery store. Why not, it?s easy and tastes good and kids love it. However, there is another easy and tasty way to go to get some delicious macaroni and cheese prepared for your family.
The earliest known mention of macaroni and cheese was in Italy, which makes sense given that macaroni is pasta after all. In the United States, history reports that one of the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson, brought back the classic recipe from Italy, along with a pasta machine.
Naturally, many folks love the other classic macaroni and cheese that?s baked in the oven. Of course that?s a great dish, but creating it requires heating the oven. Using your slow cooker or crock pot saves energy and time. So you?ll just need a good macaroni and cheese crock pot recipe. Slow cookers have been on the market for quite a while now, but unfortunately not everyone has yet to get on board with the simplicity of preparing all the ingredients, putting them in the pot and leaving the house for the day. Hopefully, this easy recipe will get you going if you haven?t yet started enjoying slow cooking.
The following macaroni and cheese recipe is simple and easy to prepare and turns out great.
Family Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
1 (8 oz.) pkg. macaroni 1 large can evaporated milk 1-1/2 cups milk 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp. salt 3 cups Cheddar cheese Pepper to taste
Cook and drain macaroni. Grate cheese or use packaged shredded. Grease slow cooker with spray. Mix eggs and milk in bowl and put in pot. Reserve some of the cheese to put on top. Sprinkle with paprika. Cook on low for 4 hours.
If you?d like an easy variation or additions to this classic recipe, just add your favorite hot dogs chopped up or perhaps some ham pieces. Kids love this and will gobble it up; adults will too!
Crock pot mac and cheese is a great side dish to serve your family any night of the week, but it?s also the perfect side to take along for a potluck. The slow cookers available for purchase these days often come with a lid lock and even an attached ladle. Youcan?t ask for an easier way to go. Enjoy!
Dec. 27, 2012 ? Congenital hyperinsulinism is a genetic condition where a baby's pancreas secretes too much insulin. It affects approximately one in 50,000 live births and in severe cases requires the surgical removal of all or part of the pancreas.
Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School are the first in the world to utilise new genetic sequencing technology to sequence the entirety of a gene in order to identify mutations that cause hyperinsulinism. Previously, existing technology limited such sequencing to only part of the coding regions of the gene which meant that some mutations were missed.
Using new Illumina genetic sequencing technology, the research team led by Professor Sian Ellard has discovered novel mutations that cause hyperinsulinism. Their findings are published December 27 2012, on-line by The American Journal of Human Genetics.
The outcome will be that some infants born with hyperinsulinism will require fewer investigations, because the new technology means that for many only one genetic test will be required to determine the extent of the condition in each child. It also means that clinicians will have more information at their fingertips to inform them about how much of the pancreas needs to be removed.
Approximately 50 per cent of patients with congenital hyperinsulinism require surgery, and of those half require the entire pancreas to be removed. Removal of the entire pancreas increases the risk of diabetes later in life, but if left undiagnosed and untreated hyperinsulinism can result in irreparable brain damage. Symptoms range from shakiness and tiredness to seizure and coma.
Dr. Sarah Flanagan, Research Fellow in Molecular Genetics at the University of Exeter Medical School said: "The potential provided by this new technology is important and exciting, because it allows us to investigate genetic coding in its entirety. This means that investigators can identify mutations that sit at the heart of any number of conditions where before they might have been missed. This in turn results in better information for clinicians upon which they can base effective treatments and interventions for their patients."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Exeter, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Sarah?E. Flanagan, Weijia Xie, Richard Caswell, Annet Damhuis, Christine Vianey-Saban, Teoman Akcay, Feyza Darendeliler, Firdevs Bas, Ayla Guven, Zeynep Siklar, Gonul Ocal, Merih Berberoglu, Nuala Murphy, Maureen O?Sullivan, Andrew Green, Peter?E. Clayton, Indraneel Banerjee, Peter?T. Clayton, Khalid Hussain, Michael?N. Weedon, Sian Ellard. Next-Generation Sequencing Reveals Deep Intronic Cryptic ABCC8 and HADH Splicing Founder Mutations Causing Hyperinsulinism by Pseudoexon Activation. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.11.017
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
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If you want to take your dog or cat on vacation, there are lots of condos available that accept pets. Many of us love our animals at least as much as our family members. In fact, we may consider Rover or Fluffy to be our family members. Beloved companion animals are great company, more loyal than any human, and lots of fun. Dogs are always up for a walk, never complain about what?s for dinner, and will play catch with an old tennis ball till their slobber dries up. While felines are a bit more persnickety, they are still comforting friends who allow you to hold them on your lap occasionally. If leaving your pet behind when you go on vacation sounds like torture, bring them along. There are hotels and condominiums that will welcome your furry friends.
How to Locate Lodging That Accepts Animals
It?s easy to search online for pet-friendly condos. Simply type those exact words into Google along with the location you?re traveling to and watch the pages of options pop up. Next step is to peruse the websites of these hotels and rental spaces that claim to accept kitties and canines. If you find some great possibilities, give them a call. It?s always best to telephone the management in order to inquire if they are indeed accepting animals as guests. Sometimes ads aren?t current, as the management may have changed. It?s important to ask if there are weight limits for your dogs or breed exclusions before traveling to the site, as well.
Fees that May Be Involved
Be aware that there are usually extra costs to hotel guests or condominium visitors who opt to bring their animals. The nightly cost may be slightly higher and there may be a security deposit. Some lodging options will want to see proof that Fido has had his immunizations and may even want verification that your dog or cat is healthy. This can be obtained as a Bill of Health from your pet?s veterinarian.
What to Bring
As you pack your suitcase full of your own clothes and toiletries, don?t forget to pack your pet?s ?must haves? in your luggage, as well. For canines, bring leashes, food dishes, chew toys, dog beds, and tennis balls. If your dog is an avid Frisbee player, bring a few of those, too. Kitties need catnip, their little dishes to eat from, and a litter box. It?s helpful to bring edible treats for your animals so they can remain placated while traveling. If they are typically nervous about new adventures, it wouldn?t hurt to ask your vet for a few tranquilizers for the trip.
Hooray for you! You get to go out of town on a long awaited vacation to condos in a beach town or a cabin in the pines. Don?t forget to clean up after your animals along the way. Bring plenty of plastic bags, clean litter, and scoops so you and your animals will be welcomed back again.
Are you looking for pet friendly orange beach al condos? Contact our staff at http://www.brett-robinson.com and find the right place for you and your pet.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it has reached a settlement worth more than $1 billion in a case involving unintended acceleration problems in its vehicles.
The company said the deal will resolve hundreds of lawsuits from Toyota owners who said the value of their cars and trucks plummeted after a series of recalls stemming from claims that Toyota vehicles accelerated unintentionally.
Steve Berman, a lawyer representing Toyota owners, said the settlement is the largest in U.S. history involving automobile defects.
"We kept fighting and fighting and we secured what we think was a good settlement given the risks of this litigation," Berman told The Associated Press.
The proposed deal was filed Wednesday and must receive the approval of U.S. District Judge James Selna, who was expected to review the settlement Friday.
Toyota said it will take a one-time, $1.1 billion pre-tax charge against earnings to cover the estimated costs of the settlement. Berman said the total value of the deal is between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion.
Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Toyota since 2009, when the Japanese automaker started receiving numerous complaints that its cars accelerated on their own, causing crashes, injuries and even deaths.
The cases were consolidated in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana and divided into two categories: economic loss and wrongful death. Claims by people who seek compensation for injury and death due to sudden acceleration are not part of the settlement; the first trial involving those suits is scheduled for February.
As part of the economic loss settlement, Toyota will offer cash payments from a pool of about $250 million to eligible customers who sold vehicles or turned in leased vehicles between September 2009 and December 2010.
The company also will launch a $250 million program for 16 million current owners to provide supplemental warranty coverage for certain vehicle components, and it will retrofit about 3.2 million vehicles with a brake override system. An override system is designed to ensure a car will stop when the brakes are applied, even if the accelerator pedal is depressed.
The settlement would also establish additional driver education programs and fund new research into advanced safety technologies.
"In keeping with our core principles, we have structured this agreement in ways that work to put our customers first and demonstrate that they can count on Toyota to stand behind our vehicles," said Christopher Reynolds, Toyota vice president and general counsel.
Current and former Toyota owners are expected to receive more information about the settlement in the coming months. Some information is also available at http://www.ToyotaELsettlement.com , a website created for Toyota owners affected by the settlement.
"We are extraordinarily proud of how we were able to represent the interests of Toyota owners, and believe this settlement is both comprehensive in its scope and fair in compensation," Berman said.
Toyota has recalled more than 14 million vehicles worldwide due to acceleration problems in several models and brake defects with the Prius hybrid. The automaker has blamed driver error, faulty floor mats and stuck accelerator pedals for the problems.
Plaintiffs' attorneys have spent the past two years deposing Toyota employees, poring over thousands of documents and reviewing software code, but the company maintains those lawyers have been unable to prove that a design defect ? namely Toyota's electronic throttle control system ? was responsible for vehicles surging unexpectedly.
Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and NASA were unable to find any defects in Toyota's source code that could cause problems.
The company has been dogged by fines for not reporting problems in a timely manner.
Earlier this month, NHTSA doled out a record $17.4 million fine to Toyota for failing to quickly report floor mat problems with some of its Lexus models. Toyota paid a total of $48.8 million in fines for three violations in 2010.
Toyota President Akio Toyoda appeared before Congress last year and pledged to strengthen quality control. Recent sales figures show the company appears to have rebounded following its safety issues.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Just over one in 12 U.S. service members who died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars had plaque buildup in the arteries around their hearts - an early sign of heart disease, according to a new study. None of them had been diagnosed with heart disease before deployment, researchers said. "This is a young, healthy, fit group," said the study's lead author, Dr. Bryant Webber, from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. "These are people who are asymptomatic, they feel fine, they're deployed into combat," he told Reuters Health. ...
MADALLA, Nigeria (Reuters) - Kneeling over a dusty grave on the outskirts of Nigeria's capital, 16-year old Hope Ehiawaguan says a prayer, lays down flowers and tearfully tells her brother she loves him.
He was one of 44 killed on Christmas Day last year when a member of Islamist sect Boko Haram rammed a car packed with explosives into the gates of St Theresa's Church in Madalla, a satellite town 25 miles from the center of Abuja.
Boko Haram has killed hundreds in its campaign to impose sharia law in northern Nigeria and is the biggest threat to stability in Africa's top oil exporter.
Two other churches were bombed that day and on Christmas Eve 2010 over 40 people were killed in similar attacks.
This Christmas, the police and military are expecting more trouble in the north. They've ordered security to be tightened, people's movement restricted and churches to be guarded.
But such is the commitment to religion in a country with Africa's largest Christian population that millions of people will pack out thousands of churches in the coming days. It is impossible to protect everyone, security experts say.
"I feel safe," Ehiawaguan says with uncertainty, when asked if she will come to church on December 25 this year.
"Not because of security here ... because we have a greater security in heaven," she says, wiping away her tears.
The blast in Madalla killed several people on the street and pulled down the church roof, condemning many of those trapped inside the burning building, including a 7-month old boy.
A plaque listing the names of the members of the church who were killed has been placed above their graves. The twisted metal of the cars destroyed in the blast is still there.
"I only pray to God to give them a heart," Ehiawaguan says, when asked about her brother's killers.
Security experts believe Boko Haram is targeting worshippers to spark a religious conflict in a country of 160 million people split roughly equally between Christians and Muslims.
SECTARIAN THREAT
The sect has also targeted Mosques in the past and assassinated Imams who have questioned its insurgency. In the group's stronghold in the northeast, where most of its attacks occur, Muslims are equally at threat as Christians.
The fear for many is that more Christmas Day attacks could spark the sort of tit-for-tat sectarian violence between the mostly Muslim north and largely Christian south, which has claimed thousands of lives in the past decade.
"We have always insisted that Christians should not retaliate," said Sam Kraakevik Kujiyat, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State, one of the areas worst hit by inter-religious violence in recent years.
"But there is fear ... we know not everyone who says he is a Christian acts like one."
Churches were emptier than usual on Sunday in northern cities of Kano and Kaduna, local residents said.
Despite bolstered security in cities across the north, dual suicide bombers attacked the offices of mobile phone operators India's Airtel and South Africa's MTN in Nigeria's second-largest city Kano on Saturday.
The bombers died but no civilians were killed.
No one took responsibility for the attacks but Boko Haram has targeted phone firms before because they say the companies help the security forces catch their members.
At least 2,800 people have died in fighting in the largely Muslim north since Boko Haram launched an uprising against the government in 2009, watchdog Human Rights Watch says.
Boko Haram has showed since its insurgency intensified more than two years ago that it can find weaknesses in defenses.
"One faction of Boko Haram has made several attempts to provoke violence between Christians and Muslims," said Peter Sharwood Smith, Nigeria head of security firm Drum Cussac.
"Unfortunately, I think it is very possible we may see attacks of this type (Church bombings) again."
Boko Haram is not the only threat in northern Nigeria.
Islamist Group called Ansaru, known to have ties with Boko Haram, has risen in prominence in recent weeks. It claimed an attack on a major police barracks in Abuja last month, where it said hundreds of prisoners were released.
The group said on Saturday that it was behind the kidnapping of a French national last week and it has been labeled a "terrorist group" by Britain.
(Additional reporting by Afolabi Sotunde and Abraham Achirga in Madalla and Isaac Abrak in Kaduna; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Anna Willard)
If promoting your business is something you want to do, then online marketing opportunities are available and effective. It?s an effective method of communicating with your visitors. This can be done using many different methods. Here you will find good tips about Web marketing and how it can work for you.
This can be a rare exception to the rule of not mixing personal life with business. If you think of your enterprise as a profitable hobby, there is significantly less pressure. You should include your spouse in this activity, too.
Make a subscription service to sell the products you have on your site. If they purchase printer ink, allow them to receive a certain percentage off each order if they commit to buying a cartridge every three months.
TIP! Your website tags should accurately project the primary purpose of your site. A big thing that influences the way people see your website is the tagline at the top of the browser window.
Whether you?re writing content for your website or for messages delivered via email, use plenty of headlines. Try to make your headlines catchy so they catch a potential customers attention and draw them to your site to make a sale. It even works to use graphics of your products instead of actual headlines. Graphics add a more animated and less outdated element than a simple headline.
You should figure out whom you are trying to reach, and what content you need to produce to attract them to your site. When you know your target audience, you can have an easier time gearing content specifically to drawing them in.
A product-demonstration video is a stellar idea. This will give your customers a good idea of how your products work. Show all the benefits of the product and other features that may not be advertised. You can post the video on sites such as Facebook or YouTube, as well as on your own website.
TIP! Do you know what other people are saying about your services or products? If the product stinks, no amount of online marketing can save it. Be sure that your product is a distinguishable one that stands out over that of your competitors.
If you do not change your site often, you may want to refresh the content by adding a blog. Search engine spiders are more likely to index websites that have new content that is relevant to the website. A blog makes it easy to keep your site updated with fresh content.
Even if you are not aware of it, you already have what you need to be a successful internet marketing businessperson. Expensive tools of the trade that promise you can get rich quick are not what will prove important. Instead, rely on good, old-fashioned, hard work and imagination. Just work diligently and choose your marketing strategies carefully.
Reaching out to your customers is a way to personalize their experience, and show them you are paying attention. Invite customers to give you feedback once they have had some time to evaluate your product.
TIP! To be successful with Internet marketing, you need to have a nice website. Try different fonts and color schemes before deciding on what works best.
Video marketing can be a very effective advertising technique. Create videos of yourself demonstrating your products and share them on sites such as YouTube. Name your video something clever, and make it unique.
Help your Internet marketing be successful by adding a video with viral potential that is marked with powerful tags. Be sure to include a link that goes back to your website in the video description. This can help improve your daily traffic in an effort to boost sales.
Even if you hit a few bumps in the road when it comes to affiliate marketing, you must persevere. Don?t give up too easily, you may be on the precipice of success. Make sure that all your priorities are set before you are going to launch a website that sells your products. Launching your website will take a lot of hard work and will probably include bumps along the way. The hard work will pay off after awhile.
TIP! Alter the links in your emails if you regularly use this method to communicate with your customers. After time, links that are always in the same position in your emails will be ignored.
Put your keywords into internal links within your site. The longer people stay on your website, the more likely they are to buy something, so make sure interesting, older content is easy to find. Internal linking helps people stay on your page for longer periods of time and can provide you with greater chances of ranking higher during search engine results.
Associate your business with a charity. Pick a charity that is in the interest arena of your customers, and dedicate a portion of sales to it. Not only will your charity provide you with a free advertisement, it will also enhance your public image. You could support multiple charities; this way your customers can pick their favorite.
Think about methods you want to use to advertise your webpage. A good way to advertise your page is to give something away, tell people about it in blogs, or put ads out at businesses. You can attract people to your site in many ways. The most important thing here is that you?re attempting to be creative and unique.
TIP! Find other businesses that would be interested in your products, and offer them promotional discounts of product or service bundles. Linking to several markets will increase the amount of sales you have.
When you are just beginning in Online marketing be realistic about the amount of money you will make. If you realize this is something you are good at you might consider it as a career, but initially try thinking of it as something fun rather than a money making endeavor.
Think about your customers when making your site and promoting it. Would they find it simple? Is it engaging to read? Are orders easy to place? You?re going to invest plenty of time and effort in drawing people to your site; it would be a shame if they turned away at the last minute because they find it confusing or boring.
As was already stated, Affiliate marketing allows you to stay in communication with your target market. Once you understand the basic methods that are available, you can develop a specific marketing plan that is sure to meet your needs. This advice will help you to expand your business to a higher level.
TIP! If it seems like a hassle to offer many different payment options, just remember that every one you set up is going to increase your number of sales. While just having credit card payment might seem like enough, it couldn?t hurt to also give people other forms of payment such as PayPal and their bank accounts.
Some go on to make enough to live on, some a really comfy living and some make a genuine fortune. There are numerous investors who make trading their sole occupation. Others return to their old job, irritated and scared of ever doing anything different and giving up on their fantasies of the life they need to live. Here's a story about a man?? As the more well capable you are on the language then you'll get even more successful. * Although the penny market is low cost compared with other stocks you can still make a respectable profit that will make a real difference for you and also your family so far as earnings to assist in paying for your debts or building toward your retirement. An advantage of the stock trader software is the proven fact that they're programmed to recognise the trends and advise you of which stocks are probably going to be good to make an investment in. * There are new technologies out there now that will seriously improve the probability for successful stockmarket trading.
If you're think about making an investment in a stockmarket trading software then it might be to your benefit to learn all you are able to about the various type and the good points and bad points of every one before purchasing one. If you concentrate on investment as a bet, then you're only certain to lose money. There isn't a reason to throw your cash away recklessly if you're certain what you are doing. The more that you know and the more investment tools you utilise, the chance of you losing cash will reduce. People having an interest in newb stock market dealing frequently take reckless risks .
This year, instead of making resolutions about being a better stepparent, I decided to ponder a few resolutions on how to move past my imperfections and keep going on days I want to quit as a not-so-perfect stepparent.
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Credit: Martha Stewart
and I put on some crazy formal gown that I?d never get a chance to wear otherwise? My kiddos come out of their rooms in clothes ranging from ?Date-Casual? to ?Head-To-Toe-Cowboy? to ?Batman?.? Addie, once ?dressed up? as a dinosaur for New Years Eve!
