Monday, December 31, 2012

GLHFCasting ? Taking Care of Your Home's Heating and Cooling ...

duct cleaning salem or If you need to install an updated heating or cooling system in your house, the most important things to think about are purchasing high quality products and trusted service. There are many types of furnaces that all have different advantages and disadvantages. Depending on your home and location, your home temperature and utility bill can improve dramatically if you buy the right furnace. Air conditioning systems are also very different and it is essential to purchase a system that is the most effective. When you meet with a heating and air conditioning specialist, they will evaluate your situation and help select the system that best meets your needs. These specialists can also handle all varieties of repairs on these systems. Experience a large change in your year-round comfort with professional heating and air conditioning technicians by your side.

Source: http://www.glhfcasting.com/taking-care-of-your-homes-heating-and-cooling-systems/

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Video: How will the "fiscal cliff" affect Wall Street? (cbsnews)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273995722?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Replacement Window Solutions Denver Colorado: New Vinyl ...

Replacement Window Solutions Denver Colorado: New Vinyl Windows Denver

New Vinyl Windows Denver


When you are looking for new vinyl windows in Denver, let Wholesale Home Improvement be your source for windows.? For 20 years we've been offering windows, doors and siding at a discount to all of Denver and Colorado. We offer most major brands but due to our low overhead we pass the savings on to you.? We specialize in both residential and commercial projects. We carry windows for anything from fix and flip to custom built homes and light commercial buildings. Our courteous staff will provide you with all the information you need to make the right decision for you and your budget.? The combination of some of the best products available plus our experienced staff of installation professionals ensures you get the best home improvement for your money. We come right to your door with samples so you can make the best decision possible.? We also offer one year financing and free no obligation quote.? Locally owned and operated we pride ourselves in top notch customer service and the best possible pricing out there.? With over 20 years of building experience, when you need new vinyl windows in Denver give us a call.? We get the job done efficiently while saving you money!?

Source: http://www.replacementwindowsdenverblog.com/2012/12/new-vinyl-windows-denver.html

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Former President Bush moved out of intensive care

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2006 file photo, former President George H.W. Bush delivers the keynote speech before receiving an honorary Doctor of Public Administration degree at Suffolk University in Boston. A spokesman says Bush's condition continues to improve and that he was moved Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, Pool, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2006 file photo, former President George H.W. Bush delivers the keynote speech before receiving an honorary Doctor of Public Administration degree at Suffolk University in Boston. A spokesman says Bush's condition continues to improve and that he was moved Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, out of intensive care and into a regular hospital room. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, Pool, File)

HOUSTON (AP) ? Former President George H.W. Bush's condition continued to improve Saturday, prompting doctors to move him out of intensive care, a spokesman said.

"President Bush's condition has improved, so he has been moved today from the intensive care unit to a regular patient room at The Methodist Hospital to continue his recovery," family spokesman Jim McGrath said Saturday. "The Bushes thank everyone for their prayers and good wishes."

Bush was hospitalized Nov. 23 for treatment of a bronchitis-related cough. He was moved to intensive care at the Houston hospital on Dec. 23 after he developed a fever.

On Friday, McGrath said Bush had improved since arriving in the ICU. He said he was alert and in good spirits and was even doing some singing.

McGrath said Saturday morning that future updates on Bush's condition would be made as warranted.

Bush, the 41st president, is the country's oldest living former president by a few months.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-29-Bush%20Hospitalized/id-bdf03427fb3e43c9ad17f4af07d8cb0f

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Roberto Clemente Death: Baseball Legend Remembered On 40th Anniversary

Posted: December 29, 2012

The 40th anniversary of Roberto Clemente?s death is coming on December 31, and with it are memories of the legacy he for baseball, as well as Nicaragua.

Clemente, born in Puerto Rico, visited Nicaragua?many times when he played on Puerto Rico?s baseball team. He quickly built lasting relationships with the country?s people.

The Huffington Post reports that, when the country experienced an earthquake in 1972, Clemente didn?t hesitate to send supplies and aid to the country, along with his solidarity.

When the last provisions were set to be shipped by private plane. Clemente decided to travel with the crew to deliver them so he could see they were taken to the right recipients.

It is believed that the plane was overloaded beyond its carrying capacity. The jet crashed into the ocean just minutes after take off, killing everyone aboard. Nicaraguans to this day try and honor Clemente?s memory. The government is currently working to build the Roberto Clemente baseball stadium for kids.

The stadium will have a capacity for 1,200 people and will allow more children to play while visitors enjoy a safe environment to watch.?Fidel Moreno, General Secretary of the Mayor?s Office, stated of the project:

?We will be inaugurating this stadium, precisely, in honor of the 40th anniversary of [Roberto Clemente?s] death, but above all, recognizing the great and extraordinary man, the extraordinary humanist, outstanding athlete and the example for Latin American youth that was Roberto Clemente.?

Yahoo! Sports notes that MLB Network is running a video to help people understand and remember what Roberto Clemente meant to the world of baseball.

Clemente?s death has been likened to the ?Day the Music Died? for baseball fans. The Hall of Fame waved its five-year waiting period, allowing Clemente to be inducted the summer following his death. While Nicaragua and the world of baseball remember Clemente on the 40th anniversary of his death, Neil Walker, the Pirates? former second baseman, thanks his friend and close friend for saving his life.

Walker had every intention of flying with Clemente to Nicaragua on December 31, 1972, but Roberto waved him off, saying, ?No, you need to go back and enjoy the evening.? If it weren?t for Clemente, Walker would have died in the tragic plane crash that night.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InquisitrSport/~3/-5qMUS3SLFE/

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Cave dwelling nettle discovered in China

Dec. 28, 2012 ? South West China, Myanmar and Northern Vietnam contain one of the oldest exposed outcrops of limestone in the world. Within this area are thousands of caves and gorges. It is only recently that botanists have sought to explore the caves for plants. This exploration is yielding many new species new to science, that are known only from these habitats.

The current study was published in the open access journal PhytoKeys.

Kew botanist and nettle expert Alex Monro says, "When my Chinese colleague Wei Yi-Gang from the Guangxi Institute of Botany first mentioned cave-dwelling plants to me, I thought that he was mis-translating a Chinese word into English. When we stepped into our first cave, Yangzi cave, I was spell-bound. It had an eerie moonscape look to it and all I could see were clumps of plants in the nettle family growing in very dark condition."

The plants do not grow in complete darkness but do grow in extremely low light levels, deep within the entrance caverns of the caves (sometimes, in as little as 0.04% full sunlight). The British and Chinese authors have been collecting plants from the Nettle family in this limestone landscape for several years and have just published a paper describing three new species, one from a cave and another two from deep gorges.

The cave-dwelling nettle species in question, was found growing in two caves in the Guangxi province of China. Of the species discovered in gorges, one is known from an unusual and striking rock mineral formation called petaloid travertine. Petaloid travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs that over time forms large petals of rock, in this case clinging to the vertical walls of a gorge.

These plants are members of a genus of Nettles known as Pilea, that is believed to have over 700 species Worldwide, up to one third of which may remain undescribed.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Pensoft Publishers, 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:

  1. Alex Monro, Y.G. Wei, C.J. Chen. Three new species of Pilea (Urticaceae) from?limestone?karst in China. PhytoKeys, 2012; 19 (0): 51 DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.19.3968

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://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/0NpLQoSf1pw/121228133732.htm

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CTMH 2013 Scrapbook Consultant Kit

Every year, from early October right up until Christmas Day, I feel like I am 100% focused on everyone else in my life. And rightfully so, as it is the season of giving, hope, love and peace. But after the baking powder and the glitter and all the ribbons settle, I start thinking a little more about me and what I?d like to accomplish in the following year ? what my goals are, my resolutions, getting organized, etc.?This is a perfect time to think about you, and perhaps it?s time to embark on an adventure that is all your own.

Since 2006, I have found that becoming a Close to My Heart Consultant is one of the best things I have ever done for me and my family. When I joined, I just thought it would be a great way to get a discount on scrapbooking & paper crafting products. Now, I have found it is so much more. I contribute to my family?s income, teach women how to create gorgeous scrapbook pages and cards, and I have met so many amazing people along the way.

I am looking for team players. And like any team, I need players to fill different positions.

What position will you play?

Business Builder?: Work with customers to hold home gatherings, create clubs, collect online orders, have fun at weekend crops and host workshops. Make additional income to contribute to your family. Wake up with a purpose to your day, owning your own business! Get a 22 ? 30% discount on all of your scrapbooking supplies AND earn up to $75 in free product every month.
Club Coordinator:?You have a group of friends that love Close to My Heart as much as you do. Get 4 or more of them together once a month to create one of CTMH?s Workshop on the Go and get at least a 22% discount on your purchases.
Personal Use Consultant (Hobbyist):?You and a couple of your friends really like CTMH?s products. You submit $300 or more in orders per quarter and get ?a 22% discount on all your purchases. Plus, you can be your own party hostess, so you can get free product with every order!
Studio J Consultant:?You have fallen in LOVE digital or online scrapbooking. The ease and timeliness of creating these Studio J layouts works with your lifestyle. Between you and your friends & family, you are creating about 10 layouts per month at a 22% discount.
Junior Consultant:??You like CTMH?s products and can?t resist getting more than $155 for only $49. You might order a few things a year at a 10% discount.

As you can see, there is a place for EVERYONE at Close to My Heart. From Italy to Alaska to Texas to Virginia, I have consultants all over the world. The Let?s Get Fancy team has a place for you, too! Click here to learn more about me and the Let?s Get Fancy Team!

Consultant Information:

  • The cost for the Starter Kit is $49, plus shipping and tax & it includes over $155 in product. You can also upgrade to the Master Kit. This kit is $99 with over $355 in product! Click here?to take a look at a flyer to see exactly what is included in each kit.
  • Following your online registration, you will receive a confirmation email and a password to our Online Office, the Consultant Website. Here you will find our Online Order System, the Training Academy, the Consultant Manual, our Bulletin Board and much more. A week later, you will receive a box containing all your products and business supplies.
  • All consultants are given a FREE Shop Online Site & a FREE?customize-able?Newsletter!
  • You?only have to maintain a minimum of $300 per calendar quarter?to keep your full 22% discount. What I love about CTMH is if you find you are unable to meet the $300 per quarter requirement, you become a Junior Consultant and will earn 10% commission. That means no inventory, no getting kicked out, no renewal fees ?- NO WORRIES!!

Let?s Get Fancy is a team to watch ? we?re dynamic, growing and on the move. We?ve got rookies and vets. Stars and supporters. But we all have our parts to play.

Sign up here?on January 1 to get this new kit of products?and let me show you how much fun you can have playing on the Let?s Get Fancy Team with Close to My Heart! If you have any questions, don?t hesitate to contact me at melissa@laverty.net.

fancyMelissa January Sign-Up Special:

When you join my team in January I will send you an additional product from the Spring/Summer 2013 Idea Book ? the NEW Large Organizer (holds up to 40 stamp sets & is a $23 value) for FREE! ?AND when you reach both levels of our Strong Start Program ($1200 in sales in your first 90 days) not only will you earn $100 in FREE products from CTMH, but you will also receive the 31 Super Organizing Tote ($50 value) as my gift to you!?Note: This is an exclusive fancyMelissa offer and is not a company sponsored promotion!

Source: http://fancymelissa.com/2012/12/ctmh-2013-scrapbook-consultant-kit/

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Maine same-sex couples marry in first hours of law

AAA??Dec. 29, 2012?3:09 AM ET
Maine same-sex couples marry in first hours of law
By DAVID SHARP?THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES AND PRINCIPLES?By DAVID SHARP

Michael Snell, left, and Steven Bridges speak to a reporter, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, outside City Hall before obtaining a marriage license under the state's new law in Portland, Maine. Bridges and Snell held a commitment ceremony six years ago but made marriage official under state law with a simple ceremony early Saturday as Maine's new law permitting same-sex marriage took effect at the stroke of midnight. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Michael Snell, left, and Steven Bridges speak to a reporter, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, outside City Hall before obtaining a marriage license under the state's new law in Portland, Maine. Bridges and Snell held a commitment ceremony six years ago but made marriage official under state law with a simple ceremony early Saturday as Maine's new law permitting same-sex marriage took effect at the stroke of midnight. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Steven Bridges, left, receives a wedding ring from Michael Snell, early Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, at City Hall in Portland, Maine. Same-sex couples in Maine are now legally allowed to marry under a new law that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Donna Galluzzo, left, and Lisa Gorney leave the City Clerk's office after obtaining their marriage license, early Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, at City Hall in Portland, Maine. Same-sex couples in Maine are now legally permitted to marry under a new law that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A crowd cheers at 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, as the first same-sex couple to be legally married in Maine departs City Hall in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Steven Bridges, left, and Michael Snell arrive at City Hall in Portland, Maine, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, where they plan to obtain a marriage license. Same-sex couples in Maine will be allowed to marry as a new law goes into effect at 12:01 AM Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) ? Maine's gay marriage law has taken effect, and some couples took advantage of it right away.

The law went into effect Saturday a minute after midnight, and some cities and towns held special hours to issue marriage licenses, with some granted in the wee hours of the day.

Portland, the largest city in the state, opened at midnight to accommodate couples who didn't want to wait to get married.

Other communities including Bangor, Brunswick and Augusta were holding special Saturday hours.

Voters approved gay marriage in November, making Maine and two other states the first to do so by popular vote. The law already is in effect in Washington state; Maryland's takes effect Tuesday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-29-Gay%20Marriage-Maine/id-9473273312f044ef88c042c17536e0f5

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Netanyahu set to win Israel election but rightists gain: polls

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party is set to win a parliamentary election on January 22 although the popularity of a far-right party opposed to Palestinian statehood is growing, polls showed on Friday.

Two out of three surveys showed the right-wing Likud losing voters to political newcomer Naftali Bennett's religious party Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home)and to a fractured center-left bloc.

All still predicted a strong right-wing coalition emerging in the 120-seat parliament, which would assure Netanyahu another term.

The daily Yedioth Ahronoth published a poll with Likud winning 33 seats, four less than a month ago. A poll in the Jerusalem Post showed Likud fell to 34, down from 39 just two weeks ago. A survey by Maariv said Likud held ground at 37.

Without a majority in parliament, Likud would have to join forces with other parties to form a government. Netanyahu could choose Bennett and ultra-Orthodox religious parties or team up with members of the center-left bloc.

The left-leaning Labor party remained in second place in all the polls, winning 17 or 18 seats.

Bennett's party platform rejects a two-state solution with the Palestinians and is staunchly in favor of settlement building in the occupied West Bank - an issue which has stalled peace talks.

All the polls show him on an upward trend, winning between 12 and 14 seats.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/netanyahu-set-win-israel-election-rightists-gain-polls-110652359.html

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Rapid Auto Title Loans Offers Additional Inspection Stations | Merit ...


Pompano Beach, Florida (PRWEB) December 22, 2012

Rapid Auto Loans, a leader in consumer finance allows car owners to borrow against their vehicles value with a simple qualifying process that uses the cars value as credit. Rapid Auto Loans has now added additional authorized inspection stations for increased accessibility for their customers. Based in Florida, the finance company provides consumer finance loans based on the value of the used vehicle instead of the borrowers credit rating. This allows them to offer competitive financing rates while their customers still have full use of their vehicles. With the advent of increased inspection stations, it is now easier than ever for Rapid Auto Loans customers to have their vehicle inspected, the value assessed, and the funds received in a quick and seamless process.

Rapid Auto Loans has long been a trusted name in the consumer finance industry. By providing straight-forward loans to customers who need quick cash without the hassle, Rapid Auto Loans has been able to help thousands of car owners leverage the value of their car for much needed funding. Now with the introduction of additional inspections stations, RAL clients will find it easier than ever to speed along the process of receiving their loan.

For consumers looking for auto title loans with affordable financing details, Rapid Auto Loans offers a simple solution. Employment and residence history combined with an assessment of the vehicles equity is all that is needed for a successful loan approval. For clients that have difficulty finding approval through traditional financing options, Rapid Auto Loans? flexible approval process provides instant access to much needed funding whether for emergencies, medical costs, bills, or any other short-term funding need. All Rapid auto loans are for a 12-month term and simple interest is only paid during the time that the loan is outstanding.

Applying for an auto loan is very simple and only requires a short pre-approval form submittal directly from the companys website. Once the information has been entered, a representative from the company contacts the applicant to update them on the status of their loan. With rates as low as 1.50% per month, Rapid Auto Loans provides auto loans that give the consumer flexibility, ease, and security. Now with the increased authorized inspections stations, customers will benefit from the ease of access and convenience that are reflective of the companys best attributes. For more information, please visit http://www.raloan.com.

# # #

Source: http://meritloans.com/auto-finance-2/rapid-auto-title-loans-offers-additional-inspection-stations

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Four FREE Health and Fitness Kindle Books!!

Check out these four FREE health and fitness Kindle books! Download them to your Kindle, PC or smartphone!

4-Week Body Weight Home Workout?by Arnel Ricafrance

Muscle Meals by Michael Matthews

Lose Weight Without Dieting by David Nordmark

How to Run a Marathon for Beginners by Helen Nazarenko

Thanks, Red Carpet Mamas!

Print Friendly Version of this pagePrint Get a PDF version of this webpagePDF

Source: http://mycouponlady.com/four-free-health-and-fitness-kindle-books/

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4 Course New Year's Eve Dinner $49.95 | Riverhead Food & Drink ...

Video: ?Rescue Me? singer Fontella Bass dies at 72

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50310414/

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Friday, December 28, 2012

Planning Ahead ? Ten Things to Shop for Post Holiday - Chaotic Life ...

It?s funny how people change over time.? Ten years ago I would have been the frantic idiot in line at the mall five minutes before closing on Christmas Eve, arms laden with stuff that may or may not have been on anyone?s wish list but at least would allow me to cross someone off my gift list. My dad was usually less frantic, standing in?line behind me.? Fast forward a decade, and I actually pride myself on being able to count in years how long it?s been since I?ve set foot in a mall.? A?downsized?gift-giving list and dedication to shopping local and sustainable whenever possible can take most of the credit.? That said, the day after Christmas is my Black Friday and so far no distance, weather event, illness or hangover has prevented me from this annual ritual.

By the time the holidays roll around I usually have a list of things I need, want, or would like to replace.? I hit the stores with a simple plan ? think outside the box, don?t buy more than I can use, and put it somewhere I?ll remember for the following year. Here is a list of ten things I look for when I hit the stores after Christmas:

1.? Ornaments and lights.? This one is obvious, but there was a time when I just packed up the old, half-lit bulbs and tossed any broken ornaments and figured I?d deal with it the following year.? Now we usually buy one new ornament as a family, typically one that commemorates something that happened that year, and the rest we get 60% ? 75% off.? I also try to stock up on those little stockings, which I use as silverware wrappers and gift card holders, and smaller ornaments that I use on top of packages instead of bows.? Now that he?s old enough, I also?scoured the discount ornaments for something I can use as a base for T to customize next year for the grand- and god-parents and found some cute snowflakes that will be perfect.? And don?t rule out ornaments as gifts for holidays other than?Christmas ? in past years I?ve found Star Wars for my brother who loves the movie series, Nascar for my dad who collects that type of paraphernalia, and multiple cows for myself who can?t get enough of them.

2.? Tableware.? I have a really hard time paying a lot of money for disposable paper so unless we have holiday-appropriate tableware when we need it, we?re out of luck.? After the holidays I stock up on plates, cups, napkins, and serving trays.? Some stores have a collection of holiday wares in ?non-traditional? color schemes like blue, yellow and magenta, and I love when I find some pretty champage glasses or tablecloths I can use for some other party.? A few years ago I replaced my chipped dishes with a set of beautiful white china rimmed in silver that I found?marked down by 80%.? We still use them and have long since gotten our money?s worth.? This year I snapped up some great little cocktail plates that will hold a wine glass and purple tablecloths ? party of the ?non-traditional? holiday color collection ? that I?ll use when the Ravens reach the playoffs. I also found some placemats and a table runner?I?ll use on the coffee and side tables in a beautiful aqua blue.

Look at all that loot!

Look at all that loot!

3.? Linens and sheets.? Flannel sheets are great, especially when you find them on clearance.? I?ve also found rugs, pillows, throws, and dish towels.? Last year I found small fleece blankets which I bought for $2 each for gifts for the pups.? This year I scored a couple of kiddie hooded towels which T will love to get later in the year.

4.? Toys.? T and J both have?birthdays in the two months following Christmas and while we are usually done shopping for the event well before then, sometimes I?ll come across stuff that we pick up for the occasion.? But when the stores start marking down toys, first 60% and then 75% or more, I buy and store them for Toys for Tots the following year.? Last year I got $100 worth of charitable donations for less than $25, and used the trip to the donation box as a chance for T to learn about giving to others. Don?t forget the pets ? sets of toys packaged especially for gift giving are often on sale as well.

5.? Sporting Goods.? I?m not sure why these go on sale with the holiday stuff but every year I take the opportunity to update my camping supplies and check out the bikes, wagons, scooters, and every assortment of golfing equipment and sports ball.? This year I had my eye on a new air mattress (in the same aisle as camping) but talked myself out of it on the premise that I could probably find it cheaper online.

6.? Bakeware and cooking essentials.? I?ve already mentioned tablecloths, placemats and table runners, but there are plenty of other great deals to be had.? I finally replaced my beat up pot holders with some new ones I found in a hodge podge of discounted cookie sheets and cupcake wrappers.? This is?a great time to find holiday-themed kits (think cupcake and chocolate covered pretzel), stuff to decorate cookies, and baking equipment packaged for the holidays like cookie presses and mixing bowls.? This year I bought a few packages of gingerbread and sugar cookie mix, which will keep well into the new year, and a red cookie sheet liner that I snagged for $1.72.? I also took the opportunity to stock up on all the packaging supplies I?ll need for next year?s neighborhood cookie exchange, including some super cute gingerbread house boxes.

7.? Packaging.? Also obvious, but this is another thing I hate spending a lot of money on.? We do a pretty good job of reusing bags and boxes but sometimes it takes a while for them to cycle back.? I?stock up on coordinated paper, bags, boxes and tissue for ?Santa? gifts, and find other bags and paper for the rest.? I love when I find pretty gift?boxes or even decorated cardboard boxes that don?t need to be wrapped.? This year I grabbed a bunch of gift card holders including some that are basic enough they can be used for pretty much any occasion.? I also scored a several giant gift bags, enough small handled bags to use as ?stockings? next year, and several containers to package and dress up the wine bottles we tend to give throughout the year.? But my favorite score was two fabulous red totes I?d had my eye on for months, with which I plan to (finally) organize by trunk.

Holiday38.? Craft supplies.? Places like Michaels and JoAnn Fabrics stock plenty of crafty stuff in time for the holidays, including tons of kid-friendly stuff.? From the holiday surplus I culled paints, markers, stickers, pipe cleaners and pompoms, plus a bunch of kid-friendly craft kits that he?ll grow into by next year.? Bonus score:? Multi-packs of crayons we can grab and go when we eat out ? it?s not like T will care they have stockings on them!

9.? Gifts and stocking stuffers.? I can appreciate the pre-packaged gifts that stores put out during the holidays, stuff like electronic coin banks and hair hockey tables and mitten sets, but not so much the prices.? I don?t buy this stuff to have it ?just in case,? but occasionally I come across something that will be a great match for someone on my gift list.? This year I brought home several book ?safes? with the hollow middle, which J and his cousins will love.? I?ll probably wait another week or so but I usually buy several glove and scarf sets, which I donate to charity during the coat and mitten drive.??A few years ago I purchased a set of?glass candle holders that I gave as a wedding gift later that year, and often find pretty plant bulb sets that make sweet Mother?s Day gifts.? And?this is a great time to find?picture frames, some of which I keep and?some will be used?to?gift next year?s?holiday pics.?Several stores now have dollar sections, great for stocking stuffers pre-holiday; they are even been post when the stuff is 70% off.? I cleaned up at Michaels, finding everything from glow sticks to model car kits to temporary tattoos, everything but the edible treats we?ll pick up closer to Christmas.

10.? Storage.? Craft stores have their holiday baskets on sale most of the month before the holiday, and they are even cheaper after.? I usually hit this section after a good look around the house to see what needs to be organized, revamped, or redone.? This year the craft supplies are getting an overhaul thanks to metal buckets I found for less than $2 each; the bathroom towels will find a new home in baskets on the wall; and we will finally have some sort of system for the various cords, remotes and controllers that have overgrown the media center using the felt totes I discovered on an endcap at Target.

As I hauled in my?goods DH rolled his eyes a bit but I know he?s pretty proud not only of the money we save, but of the fact that we don?t need to scramble around last minute.? I usually make it to retail box store, a craft store and a home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes, which provide a great supply of lights and ornaments.? Places like CVS and Walgreens also have a nice selection of packaging and toys. Many years, in addition to preparing for Christmas future, we stock up for other coming events such as birthdays, Mother?s Day and Father?s Day, weddings, even Easter.? With a little foresight and planning, post-Christmas clearance can be one-stop shopping for a year full of great times.

?

Source: http://chaoticlifehappyhome.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/planning-ahead-ten-things-to-shop-for-post-holiday/

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Winter storms hit eastern U.S., snarl post-holiday travel

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina (Reuters) - The severe winter weather that hit parts of the central and southern United States on Christmas Day moved eastward on Wednesday, causing flight delays and dangerous road conditions for holiday travelers in the Northeast and Ohio Valley.

Some flights headed for New York, Philadelphia and Newark, New Jersey, experienced delays averaging one to four hours due to the inclement weather, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

About 1,300 U.S. flights had been canceled on Wednesday, according to FlightAware.com. Several airlines waived ticket change fees for affected customers.

All four runways at Philadelphia International Airport were open on Wednesday, but that didn't prevent cancellation of physical therapist Mindy Bartscherer's flight to Minneapolis.

She and her son Zachary Bartscherer, 24, a lobbyist from Washington D.C., had planned to visit family but instead waited forlornly in the baggage claim area for a ride back home. They expected to return to the airport early on Thursday to try again.

"We were going to have dinner and see my 2-year-old niece," Mindy Bartscherer said of their thwarted plans for Wednesday night.

The National Weather Service issued blizzard and winter storm warnings in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, as well as much of the Northeast, and cautioned that the wintry weather would create "treacherous" driving conditions.

More than six inches of snow might fall in those regions, while the area from western New York up into central Maine could get from 12 to 18 inches, the NWS said.

As of Wednesday morning, Bloomington, Indiana, already had nearly a foot of snow and Indianapolis had about seven inches, according to AccuWeather.com.

Severe thunderstorms and widespread rain were expected from southeast Virginia to Florida, the NWS said, and the eastern counties in North Carolina and South Carolina were under tornado watches or warnings for much of the day.

The wet and snowy conditions follow a major winter storm system that swept through the southern United States on Tuesday, spawning tornadoes in several states and causing the deaths of at least five people in weather-related road accidents.

Twisters struck in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana, flattening houses and causing injuries, according to the weather service. The storm also dumped record snowfalls in North Texas and Arkansas.

Nearly 200,000 homes and businesses remained without electricity in Arkansas and Alabama on Wednesday.

Damage assessments were conducted in the 11 Alabama counties that reported varying degrees of property destruction from Tuesday's storms.

The city of Mobile appeared to be hardest hit, with damage to as many as 100 structures, including the historic Trinity Episcopal Church, according to the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

Governor Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency in Mississippi, where a dozen counties reported damage and more than 25 people were injured on Tuesday.

The severe holiday weather also contributed to a 21-vehicle pile-up that shut Interstate 40 in downtown Oklahoma City on Tuesday and caused power outages for tens of thousands of residents.

A Texas man died after an accident involving a toppled tree in the road, and icy roads contributed to the deaths of four people in auto crashes in Oklahoma and Arkansas, according to police.

About 1,000 people spent the night on cots at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport after some 400 flights were canceled there on Tuesday due to weather, said Cynthia Vega, media relations manager at the airport.

On Wednesday morning, some 50 more flights were canceled, she said.

"We're hoping to get passengers back on track," Vega said. "It's probably going to be a little hectic at the airport."

(Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Additional reporting by Corrie MacLaggan, Eileen O'Grady, Steve Olafson and Dave Warner; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Gunna Dickson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/storm-brings-tornadoes-white-christmas-parts-south-010903992.html

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Asian stocks up ahead of US 'fiscal cliff' talks

A woman walks by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012. Asian markets have risen amid optimism that Japan?s new leaders will stimulate its sluggish economy. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A woman walks by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012. Asian markets have risen amid optimism that Japan?s new leaders will stimulate its sluggish economy. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

People walk by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012. Asian markets have risen amid optimism that Japan?s new leaders will stimulate its sluggish economy. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

A businessman walks by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012. Asian markets have risen amid optimism that Japan?s new leaders will stimulate its sluggish economy. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

(AP) ? Asian stock markets rose Friday, hours before President Barack Obama and key lawmakers were to meet at the White House to try to hammer out an 11th-hour budget compromise to avert the so-called fiscal cliff.

Lawmakers have until Monday night to reach a deal before hundreds of billions of dollars in automatic tax increases and deep cuts to government spending kick in. Such a drastic reshuffling of money could throw the U.S. into another recession, economists have warned.

However, failure to avoid the fiscal cliff doesn't necessarily mean tax increases and spending cuts would become permanent, since the new Congress could pass legislation canceling them retroactively after it begins its work next year.

Japan's Nikkei 225 index marched higher, hitting its highest level since March 20, 2011. The Tokyo benchmark rose 1 percent to 10,428.36. Export shares posted big gains as the country's currency continued to recoil against the dollar. Mazda Motor Corp. jumped 4.2 percent and Isuzu Motors Ltd. surged 4.3 percent. Nintendo Co. advanced 3.4 percent.

Investors have been cheering newly named Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his calls for more public works spending to reinvigorate the economy. He also wants the Bank of Japan to raise its inflation target from 1 to 2 percent to drag the country out of two decades of deflation, or steadily declining prices that have deadened economic activity.

But Francis Lun, managing director of Lyncean Holdings in Hong Kong, said he was skeptical that the new government's roadmap would prove effective in the long run.

"He will increase the deficit, print more money and try to spend out of the recession. If you print or borrow money, you give the economy a sense of false hope," he said. "It's like taking opium. You feel good but eventually you have to come down."

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose less than 0.1 percent to 22,637.91, while South Korea's Kospi added 0.6 percent to 1,999. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.5 percent to 4,671.30.

"The fiscal cliff seems to have lost its negative influence on global markets," said Lun. "Even if it falls into the fiscal cliff, you will only reduce the deficit by about $100 billion. In Chinese terms, it's like trying to douse a fire with a cup of water. They should do what Europe has done and try to impose austerity."

Markets got some lift from optimistic data out of the U.S. on Thursday and a statement from the German finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, who said in an interview that the worst of the debt crisis in the 17 European Union countries that use the euro appears to be over.

In the U.S., the average number of people seeking unemployment benefits over the past month fell to the lowest level since March 2008, a sign that the job market is healing.

Worries over U.S. budget negotiations sent Wall Street slightly lower on Thursday. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 0.1 percent to 13,096.31. The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 0.1 percent to 1,418.10, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 0.1 percent to 2,985.91.

Benchmark oil for February delivery rose 41 cents to $91.28 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 11 cents to finish at $90.87 per barrel.

In currencies, the euro fell slightly to $1.3239 from $1.3240 late Thursday in New York. The dollar gained to 86.45 yen from 86.02 yen.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-28-World%20Markets/id-d89d1968108a4dbdabc2baf2945c634a

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Congress awaits Obama's return for late push on "fiscal cliff"

WASHINGTON/HONOLULU (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday edged closer to the "fiscal cliff" as Congress waited for President Barack Obama to return from vacation in Hawaii and make one final attempt to avoid huge tax hikes and spending cuts in the New Year.

In the absence of Obama, there was no sign of either side in Congress making an effort to strike a deal. The corridors of the Capitol building were empty except for an occasional police officer, and members' office doors stayed locked.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner has not yet set a date for bringing House members back to Washington from their Christmas break, an aide of the Republican leader said. That makes the timing of a vote on any budget deal before December 31 more difficult.

The Boehner aide also said there were no plans for new talks between the top Republican in Congress and Obama, who flies overnight and is due back in the White House on Thursday morning.

The inaction notwithstanding, there was still just enough time to prevent a fiscal crunch that would upset global financial markets and likely push the United States into recession.

Reports of lackluster retail holiday sales added to the urgency for a deal. Shoppers might be spending less this holiday season in fear of looming income tax increases. U.S. stocks fell on Wednesday, dragged lower by shares of retail companies.

A modest, last-minute measure in Congress to avoid deep spending cuts set for January 1 and most of the tax hikes could pass the Democratic-controlled Senate by the New Year, although Republicans would need to agree not use a procedural roadblock known as a filibuster.

But senators probably would not make the effort unless there was a strong signal from Boehner that the House would find a way to go along.

A Senate Democratic aide downplayed chances for votes this week in the Senate, but suggested there could be legislative movement at the weekend.

"We can't do anything until Republicans either give us the 60 votes," which are needed to advance legislation without long procedural delays, or allow a short-cut that lets bills pass on a simple majority vote in the 100-member chamber.

The focus in Congress is shifting from broad deficit reduction to narrower efforts to avert the immediate shock of the December 31 cliff dive.

"This is the (emergency) scenario that we have long believed would rise in probability the closer we go to December 31, which essentially calls for extending all the rates for those individuals making under $200K and households under $250K and does not address the debt ceiling or the deficit," analyst Chris Krueger of Guggenheim Securities wrote in a research note.

Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, who is retiring at year's end, told MSNBC that $250,000 "is too low of a threshold" for raising income taxes.

She said that in conversations she has had with some Senate Democrats, "they are saying maybe more in the $400,000 to $500,000 category."

Obama himself recently offered to raise the threshold to $400,000, before negotiations with Boehner broke off.

CLOCK TICKING

But even if a handful of Senate Republicans support Democrats on a measure to avoid the worst of the fiscal cliff, time is short.

When the Senate returns on Thursday it is due to work on a disaster aid bill to help New York and New Jersey recover from Superstorm Sandy and other measures.

In the Republican-controlled House, any bill that raises taxes on anyone would need a rare bipartisan vote to win approval.

All 191 Democrats might have to team up with at least 26 Republicans to get a majority if the bill included tax hikes on the wealthiest Americans, as Obama is demanding.

Some of those votes could conceivably come from among the 34 Republican members who are either retiring or were defeated in the November elections and no longer have to worry about the political fallout.

An alternative is for Congress to let income taxes go up on everyone as scheduled. Then, during the first week of January, lawmakers would strike a quick deal to reduce them except on people in the highest brackets.

They would also pass a measure putting off the $109 billion in automatic spending cuts that most lawmakers want to avoid.

Once the clock ticks past midnight on December 31, no member of Congress would have to vote for a tax increase on anyone - taxes would have risen automatically - and the only votes would be to decrease tax rates for most Americans back to their 2012 levels.

Americans' optimism that Obama and congressional leaders will reach a budget agreement before January 1 has waned in recent days, according to a Gallup poll.

Fifty percent believe a deal will be reached, a drop of 7 percentage points from the previous week, and 48 percent are doubtful. The poll was taken just after talks ran into trouble last week.

Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz is urging workers in the company's roughly 120 Washington-area coffee shops to write "come together" on customers' cups on Thursday and Friday to send a message to politicians.

"We're paying attention, we're greatly disappointed in what's going on and we deserve better," Schultz told Reuters.

(Additional reporting by Thomas Ferraro and Richard Cowan in Washington and Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles, Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Xavier Briand)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-congress-set-one-last-effort-fiscal-cliff-124656798--business.html

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Sweater knit by Myanmar's Suu Kyi sells for $49K

In this Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 photo, presenters show a hand-knit woolen sweater, made by Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu kyi, during an auction at a fundraising concert to mark the 2nd anniversary of her National League for Democracy Party's education network, at Peoples Square in Yangon, Myanmar. The sweater was sold at an auction in Myanmar for almost $50,000. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

In this Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 photo, presenters show a hand-knit woolen sweater, made by Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu kyi, during an auction at a fundraising concert to mark the 2nd anniversary of her National League for Democracy Party's education network, at Peoples Square in Yangon, Myanmar. The sweater was sold at an auction in Myanmar for almost $50,000. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

In this Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 photo, a hand-knit woolen sweater, made by Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu kyi, is displayed on the stage during an auction at a fundraising concert to mark the 2nd anniversary of her National League for Democracy Party's education network, at Peoples Square in Yangon, Myanmar. The sweater was sold at an auction in Myanmar for about $50,000. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? A hand-knit woolen sweater made by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has sold at an auction in Myanmar for $49,000.

A Myanmar-based radio station won a bidding war for the sweater during an auction Thursday night held by Suu Kyi's opposition party. The bidding started at $6,000.

Suu Kyi knitted the sweater ? a red, green and blue V-neck ? almost 30 years ago when she was living in England and raising her two children, said Ko Ni, a close aide.

"She made it when she was busy working, studying and taking care of her children," Ko Ni told The Associated Press on Friday. "She wants to send the message that people should not stay idle but be diligent."

Suu Kyi, a 67-year-old former political prisoner and winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, has become Myanmar's biggest celebrity as the country transitions from a half-century of military rule. She is generally guarded about the family she left behind in England.

The Oxford graduate was raising two young sons with her late British husband when she returned to Myanmar in 1988 to nurse her dying mother. As daughter of the country's independence hero, Gen. Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947 when she was just 2, Suu Kyi found herself thrust into the forefront of pro-democracy protests against the military regime.

Over the next two decades, she became the world's most famous political prisoner and won the adoration of her people, who call her "Amay Suu" ? or "Mother Suu," partly because she chose to stay with them over her own children. She declined opportunities to leave Myanmar, fearing she would not be allowed to re-enter.

Since her release from house arrest in 2010, Suu Kyi has reunited with her sons and completed a stunning trajectory from housewife to political prisoner to opposition leader in Parliament.

The sweater's proud new owner said it was worth the money.

"It is priceless because the sweater was made my 'Amay' herself," said Daw Nan Mauk Lao Sai, chairwoman of Shwe FM radio station.

"I bought the sweater because I value the warmth and security it will give," she said, adding that she plans to hang it up in the station's office for the whole staff to see. She said the 41,500,000 kyat, or $49,000, spent on the sweater was for a good cause.

The auction was part of a fundraising concert organized by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party to raise money for education of poor children in Myanmar, an impoverished Southeast Asian nation also known as Burma.

___

Associated Press writer Jocelyn Gecker in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-28-Myanmar-Suu%20Kyi's%20Sweater/id-bd57a69a408b409aae5205e96def0d9f

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Matthews raises profile during campaign

NEW YORK (AP) -- To his boss, Chris Matthews has become a statesman. His critics probably have other words.

The veteran MSNBC host raised his profile as much as any member of the television commentariat during the presidential campaign. His 5 p.m. "Hardball" show has seen viewership jump by 24 percent this year from 2011, 17 percent for the rerun two hours later.

Matthews symbolized MSNBC's growing comfort in being a liberal alternative to Fox News Channel. He engaged in an uncomfortable on-air confrontation with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, seemed nearly apoplectic when President Barack Obama flubbed his first debate and had to apologize for appearing grateful that Hurricane Sandy might have helped Obama's re-election effort.

With Keith Olbermann out of sight, Matthews essentially replaced him as the commentator that most annoyed conservative viewers.

"During the run-up to the Iraq War, he just became really, really partisan and became even more so when MSNBC decided to become the anti-Fox," said Geoff Dickens, who used to watch Matthews as a fan and now monitors him regularly as part of his job with the conservative Media Research Center.

Matthews is not afraid to say what he thinks. He's a former newspaper columnist and one-time aide to a 1980s era Democrat, House Speaker Tip O'Neill. He seriously considered running for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania a few years back, where he probably would have been asked repeatedly to explain why he voted for George W. Bush in 2000.

He's a motor-mouth infused with a love of politics that borders on the pathological.

"He's as good as he's ever been," said Phil Griffin, MSNBC president. "He's at a place in his life where he's really comfortable in his own skin. He's a statesman. He has so much knowledge and I think he understands it better. He's always been great, but I really think he's been at the peak of his game."

Iraq turned Matthews against Bush. He said war and peace, and civil rights, are the issues that drive him most and explain his enthusiasm for Obama.

Matthews seemed personally offended by efforts in individual states to tighten voter registration and identification laws. Republicans called it an attempt to curb voter fraud; Matthews said it was to suppress voters friendly to Obama. He said Republicans would use welfare and other issues to subtly appeal to white voters still uncomfortable with a black president.

"The number of African-Americans who have come up to me in the last three to six months has been unbelievable," Matthews said in a recent interview. "They come up, six inches from my face, and say 'thank you.' A lot of the times they say we can't do this like you do it. It's harder for them because it sounds like complaining." He's disappointed that more whites didn't express gratitude, too.

His repeated attention to the issue "irritates some people, because they can't stand being called bigoted. It drives them crazy. And I agree, it would drive me crazy."

The issue drove his confrontation with Prebius, which occurred on "Morning Joe" during the GOP convention. Matthews challenged Prebius about playing the "race card" during the campaign and for references to Obama's birth certificate. It devolved into a schoolyard insult match.

"He should have kept it together in terms of tone," Griffin said. "But in what was said, going back and forth, it was a legitimate point."

Prebius later called Matthews "the biggest jerk in the room." Matthews doesn't seem to have any regrets.

"I'd been talking like that for awhile," he said. "He didn't like it. I didn't expect he would. I felt that I had in my presence the guy who represented the party and it was an opportunity I shouldn't let pass. It's one of those moments in the campaign that's going to have endurance."

The one quote Republican critics repeatedly throw back at Matthews is when he reacted to an Obama speech in 2008 by saying "I felt this thrill going up my leg."

Matthews points out that he said something similar in 2004, after Obama addressed the Democratic national convention. Its frequent citation annoys Matthews, who knows it will never leave him, but probably also because he thinks people miss the point. He was speaking more about what Obama represented ? a black man seeking the highest office in a land with a troubled racial history ? than Obama himself.

It hasn't exempted himself from some high-level teasing, like when Obama appeared at the campaign's Al Smith dinner after the president's disastrous first debate.

"I particularly want to apologize to Chris Matthews," Obama said. "Four years ago I gave him a thrill up his leg. This time around, I gave him a stroke."

Matthews said "Hardball" has gotten a sharper focus. The editorial opinion has moved to the front of the show. Saying what he thinks isn't hard; Matthews' flirtation with running for the Senate ended in part because the need to adhere to party orthodoxy wouldn't mix with a man comfortable with voicing a dozen opinions per minute.

"I never want to do what everybody else is doing," he said. "I don't want to be part of the chorus."

Like most in his trade, Matthews seems a little lost with the end of a long campaign. He's done a few speculative 2016 stories, not recognizing the subject is enough to send most people screaming from the room.

Every day is one day closer to another election, though.

"He is sort of the model figure for who we are," Griffin said. "He doesn't stick out loving politics and being passionate about politics. It comes across in everything we do ... And that's Chris."

___

MSNBC is controlled by Comcast Corp.; Fox is a unit of News Corp.

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? David Bauder can be reached at dbauder(at)ap.org and on Twitter (at)dbauder.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/matthews-raises-profile-during-campaign-150206929.html

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New Character "Strengths" page!

Assassin's Pledge: War of Attrition

The Assassins of Te'i Sai have begun to move, and the land is drenched in blood. Do you have what it takes to survive this epic battle of stealth, power and deceit?

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Game Masters:

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This page is for the characters with combative prowess. Please list and detail your character's current stats and skills for all to see so that there is no confusion as to the capabilities and performance limitations to which they are governed. To give the example and to get it out of the way, I am posting Shadow's "strengths" first so that you all can analyze it and provide the same listed strengths as I provide, albeit in accordance with your own character and not mine. This page will be updated as the RP progresses whenever training periods come and go, or when certain battles are over and/or new weaponry or clothing is acquired (and yes, clothing can make a difference). So please do check back regularly and make changes whenever appropriate.

Thank you!

So, here we go!

Shadow

Shadow's body to arm ratio: Shadow is 6' 0" tall, however, his arm span is slightly longer a 6' 1". This means that Shadow has a longer reach than most men who are 6', as their arm length will typically be less than their height which gives him an advantage in combat against men of his size or within a two to three inch margin.

Shadow's weight: Shadow weighs approximately 190 to 200 lbs of raw, lean muscle which is above average for one of his size. The average body weight for a healthy young man at 6' is approximately 170 lbs. That extra thirty pounds makes him deceptively powerful thanks to his lean frame which disguises the true depths of his power.

Shadow's reaction time: Shadow's reaction time is 120 milliseconds +/- 5 milliseconds depending on the number of distractions in his immediate area. The average healthy and active human being's reaction time is about 250-300 milliseconds. I think you can do the rough math on that one. Lol.

Shadow's clothing: Shadow's jacket weighs about two pounds and is black leather. His vambracesare coated with Orichalcum, and weigh twenty pounds each. He wears black gloves as well which have Orichalcum coverings across each finger for protection when he punches hard surfaces. These coverings weigh about a pound each, for a total of five pounds on each hand. Shadow's shirt is lightweight and flexible, as are his pants which are held up by a belt which weighs no more than a pound. Shadow's boots have Orichalcum toes and souls, each one weighing about a total of about ten pounds. His greaves weigh thirty pounds each, and are also coated in Orichalcum. When combining the weight of all of the Orichalcum he wears, coupled with his two Orichalcum daggers which weigh forty pounds each, Shadow is wearing a total of approximately three hundred and twenty pounds of extra weight.

This means that Shadow, at any one time when he's fully dressed and prepared for combat, weighs in excess of four hundred pounds. This makes him comparable to a human tank, being almost immovable thanks to the weight of the Orichalcum covering his body. Add in the fact that all this weight does very little to slow him down because of how long he's worn it and trained in it, and you'll start to see just how strong Shadow really is.

Shadow's speed: Some of the fastest boxers on Earth today can only get in about six to seven punches per second when they really go or it, and even then they're cutting their punches short by not retracting them all the way back to the waist. Shadow can punch from the waist about eight times in a single second, and that is when he pulls his fists all the way back to his waist each time. No short punches here.

On the same note, Shadow can kick at over 90 mph, +/- 5 mph, when he really goes for it. To give some perspective, the fastest competitive martial artists alive today kick about 70 mph with a "flick kick", which is to say that they kick for speed and not for power. The impact of a 90+ mph kick, when coupled with Shadow's strength, can literally decapitate a human being inside their own body by severing the skull from the spinal chord. Though it does not break the skin or muscles in the neck, the fact that the skull is removed from the spine defines it as a decapitation.

Shadow's eyesight: Shadow's eyes are more suited to nighttime, which is why his vision at night is 20/5 and his vision in the day is 20/10. Obviously, this has to do with the fact that his eyes are red and can glow, but I won't divulge the secret to that yet.

That's about it! Whenever you have the time, please provide the same overall stats for your character to show us where they stand and what they can do. Obviously there are some liberties taken with these stats, so don't feel completely limited by "reality". Though this RP is going to be as realistic as possible, this pertains primarily to the laws of physics, and not the limitations of the human body which is why Shadow is so strong. Have at it!

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KumoriRyuu
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