paws and reflect...

protection...

2012-01-31T13:39:00.002-04:00

Invasive Species: Groups Propose Spending $9.5 Billion To Protect Lakes, Rivers...

JOHN FLESHER 31/01/12

Follow:

Asian Carp, David Ullrich, Great Lakes Commission, Joel Brammeier, Mark Biel, Tim Eder, U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers, Asian Carp Great Lakes, Asian Carp Lake Michigan, Dave Camp, Invasive Species, Mississippi River, Green News

Asian carp. (AP)

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Groups, representing states and cities in the Great Lakes region, today proposed spending up to $9.5 billion on a massive engineering project to separate the lakes from the Mississippi River watershed, in the Chicago area, describing it as the only sure way to protect both aquatic systems from invasions by destructive species, such as Asian carp.

The organizations issued a report suggesting three alternatives for severing an artificial link between the two drainage basins, constructed more than a century ago.

Scientists say it has already provided a pathway for exotic species, and is the likeliest route through which menacing carp could reach the lakes, where they could destabilize food webs and threaten a valuable fishing industry.

"We simply can't afford to risk that," said Tim Eder, executive director of the Great Lakes Commission, which sponsored the study with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.

"The Great Lakes have suffered immensely because of invasive species.

"We have to put a stop to this."

The report's release is sure to ramp up pressure on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is conducting its own study of how to close off 18 potential pathways between the two systems, including the Chicago waterways.

The corps plans to release its findings in late 2015, a timetable it says is necessary because of the job's complexity and regulatory requirements.

A pending federal lawsuit by five states – Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and Pennsylvania – demands quicker action.

"This study shows hydrological separation is both technically and economically feasible," said Rep. Dave Camp, a Michigan Republican.

A spokeswoman said the corps would not comment until it could review the report.

The project which linked the two drainage basins began in the 1890s, when engineers reversed the flow of the Chicago River to flush sewage away from the city and into a newly built, 28-mile-long canal, that created a connection between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi.

It is now a network of rivers, locks, and canals.

In their report, the two groups call for placing barriers at key points to cut off the flow of water between the two drainage basins by 2029.

One alternative would put barriers in five locations near Lake Michigan.

Another would erect a single barrier in the ship canal before it branches off into connecting waterways.

A third plan would use four barriers.

The report does not express a preference, but says the four-barrier plan would cost less than the others – between $3.26 billion and $4.27 billion.

That plan, the report says, would cause less disruption of waterborne commerce and fewer problems with flood and stormwater control, all of which opponents contend would result from dividing the two systems.

It also comes closest to restoring the natural divide between the watersheds, said David Ullrich, executive director of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.

The report doesn't make a detailed proposal for covering the costs but says the four-barrier plan could be done if the average household in the Great Lakes basin paid about $1 per month through 2059.

The five-barrier and single-barrier plans' price tags could reach about $9.5 billion.

Despite the high cost, the report's sponsors said the project would save money in the long run by shielding both systems from species invasions.

Zebra and quagga mussels and sea lamprey already have exacted a heavy toll on the Great Lakes economy, and the region's leaders fear the Asian carp could make things much worse.

"Yes, it's expensive.

"The cost of doing nothing is greater," Ullrich said.

Asian carp escaped from Southern fish farms and sewage treatment plants decades ago and migrated up the Mississippi and its tributaries, gobbling up plankton essential for other nourishing other fish.

The study, commissioned by the two groups and developed by a private engineering firm, will make the idea of separation easier for people in the region to grasp, said Joel Brammeier, president of the Alliance for the Great Lakes, a Chicago-based environmental group.

"It's a natural, practical, on-the-ground map of how to get it done," Brammeier said.

Mark Biel, chairman of an Illinois business coalition called UnLock Our Jobs that opposes separating the watersheds, said the Great Lakes groups' proposals would take many years to carry out and would devastate cargo shipping and pleasure boating in the Chicago area while doing nothing to prevent species invasions elsewhere.

"Calling this a solution is ludicrous," Biel said.

The report's authors said their plan envisions upgrades to docks and other infrastructure, that, in the long run, would boost water commerce while improving water quality and flood protection.

The barriers themselves would make up just 3 percent of the total cost.

The Army Corps of Engineers contends an electric barrier in the shipping canal is preventing Asian carp and other fish from swimming upstream toward Lake Michigan, although carp DNA has been found beyond the device.

Eder said the barrier is a good temporary measure, but not a permanent solution.

"It's kind of like the old Clint Eastwood adage, 'How lucky do you feel?' " he said.

"We can take chances the electric barrier, and other measures, will work... I don't think we should."

oh, crap...

2012-01-31T05:08:00.000-04:00

never. . .

2012-01-31T05:07:00.001-04:00

vatt faht?

2012-01-31T04:56:00.000-04:00

bookman, old style [my favorite typeface]

2012-01-30T08:25:00.001-04:00

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thought...

2012-01-30T04:13:00.000-04:00

first. . .

2012-01-30T04:11:00.000-04:00

adage...

2012-01-30T04:04:00.000-04:00

5:00...

2012-01-30T04:03:00.000-04:00

camp...

2012-01-30T03:57:00.000-04:00

bambi...

2012-01-30T03:56:00.000-04:00

yuppers!

2012-01-30T03:50:00.002-04:00

Is it time for constitutional reform in Canada?

By Andy Radia
Canada Politics
– 7 hours ago

Norman Spector, who served as Brian Mulroney's chief of staff in the early 1990s, penned a column in Friday's Globe and Mail, suggesting demand for constitutional reform is building.

Spector is right.

In the last election campaign, NDP Leader Jack Layton made some controversial comments about reopening constitutional reform talks.

He later did some back-peddling, and said Quebec can't be left out of the Constitution for decades, but re-opening it is not an immediate priority, for the New Democrats.

Last summer, both Ontario and Quebec vowed to launch constitutional challenges against the Harper government's attempts to reform the senate.

Last week, in the lead-up to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's meeting with First Nations, a Grand Chief from Manitoba said he'd be asking Harper to schedule a conference of first ministers, to explicitly spell out the constitutional rights of indigenous peoples.

Indeed, as Spector suggests, issues, such as native self-government and senate reform, cannot be fully realized unless we re-open the constitution.

It's been 20 years since our last attempt.

The Charlottetown Accord, which would have enshrined senate reform, aboriginal self-government, and a 'distinct' Quebec, into our constitution, was defeated in a national referendum, in 1992.

Two decades later, it seems Canadians still aren't ready to revisit an era of contentious constitutional debate.

Kelly McParland summed up our collective dislike of the topic in a column for the National Post.

"Is there a more uniquely frightening prospect in Canada?" he asked.

"If there's anything this country has no stomach for, it's the merest hint of another plunge into the bottomless depths of frustration that constitute constitutional discussions."

What are we afraid of?

Isn't it time we attempt to resolve the status of Quebec, aboriginal rights, and senate reform, through a formal, constitutional process?

In a 2009 interview, former Prime Minister Joe Clark told me he was pleasantly surprised at the consensus he received while leading the negotiations on the Charlottetown Accord.

"With its multiple imperfections, the Charlottetown process reflected a will to change and to agree—and consequently to compromise, including on big issues," said Clark.

"What was extraordinary in the negotiating room was the genuine willingness of different parties to understand and respect one another and then to find difficult common ground."

Isn't it about time we try again?

go...fish!

2012-01-30T03:47:00.000-04:00

better...

2012-01-30T03:45:00.000-04:00

ai sed NO piks!

2012-01-30T03:44:00.000-04:00

read -

2012-01-30T03:41:00.000-04:00

not eye mac?

2012-01-30T03:39:00.000-04:00

snowy owls...

2012-01-30T03:31:00.002-04:00

Snowy owls soar south from Arctic in rare mass migration...

By Laura Zuckerman
– 28 Jan, 2012

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - Bird enthusiasts are reporting rising numbers of snowy owls from the Arctic winging into the lower 48 states this winter in a mass southern migration a leading owl researcher calls "unbelievable".

Thousands of the snow-white birds, which stand 2 feet tall, with 5-foot wingspans, have been spotted from coast to coast, feeding in farmlands in Idaho, roosting on rooftops in Montana, gliding over golf courses in Missouri, and soaring over shorelines in Massachusetts.

A certain number of the iconic owls fly south from their Arctic breeding grounds each winter, but rarely do so many venture so far away, even amid large-scale, periodic southern migrations, known as irruptions.

"What we're seeing now -- it's unbelievable," said Denver Holt, head of the Owl Research Institute in Montana.

"This is the most significant wildlife event in decades," added Holt, who has studied snowy owls in their Arctic tundra ecosystem for two decades.

Holt and other owl experts say the phenomenon is likely linked to lemmings, a rodent that accounts for 90 percent of the diet of snowy owls, during breeding months that stretch from May into September.

The largely nocturnal birds also prey on a host of other animals, from voles to geese.

An especially plentiful supply of lemmings last season likely led to a population boom among owls, resulting in each breeding pair hatching as many as seven offspring.

That compares to a typical clutch size of no more than two, Holt said.

Greater competition this year for food in the Far North, by the booming bird population, may have then driven mostly younger, male owls much farther south than normal.

Research on the animals is scarce, because of the remoteness and extreme conditions of the terrain the owls occupy, including northern Russia and Scandinavia, he said.

The surge in snowy owl sightings has brought birders flocking from Texas, Arizona, and Utah to the Northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest, pouring tourist dollars into local economies, and crowding parks and wildlife areas.

The irruption has triggered widespread public fascination that appears to span ages and interests.

"For the last couple months, every other visitor asks if we've seen a snowy owl today," said Frances Tanaka, a volunteer for the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, northeast of Olympia, Washington.

Accounts of emaciated owls at some sites -- including a food-starved bird that dropped dead in a farmer's field in Wisconsin -- suggest the migration has a darker side.

Holt said an owl that landed at an airport in Hawaii, in November, was shot and killed to avoid collisions with planes.

He said snowy owl populations are believed to be in an overall decline, possibly because a changing climate has lessened the abundance of vegetation, like grasses, lemmings rely on.

This winter's snowy owl outbreak, with multiple sightings as far south as Oklahoma, remains largely a mystery of nature.

"There's a lot of speculation.

"As far as hard evidence, we really don't have much," Holt said.

(Editing by Steve Gorman and David Bailey)

lending...

2012-01-30T01:59:00.001-04:00

Should you give money to family members?

Borrowing money can be a touchy subject and has the potential to destroy relationships.

Consider saying 'no'

Should You Give Money to Family Members?

By Kimberly Palmer
– 24 Jan, 2012

Borrowing money is never simple; when you borrow from friends or family members, it also has the potential to destroy relationships.

[50 Ways to Improve Your Finances in 2012]

Tarah, a working mom in the Midwest, in her early 30s, struggled with whether or not to help her parents buy a new car, while she and her husband were trying to pay off their own debts.

She ended up deciding not to help.

"I don't want to think about dealing with that, while I'm trying to stay focused on getting out of debt," says Tarah, who asked only her first name be used.

She says her decision created family tensions.

As more families come under financial pressure, Tarah's dilemma--to help or not to help--has become increasingly common.

According to Fidelity, 10 percent of generation X-ers provide financial support to their parents or in-laws; the average amount is about $3,500 a year.

Experts offer these strategies for cross-generational lending:

First, decide if you can afford to give help

An Ameriprise Financial survey found many baby boomers didn't realize how much the help they were providing cut into their own retirement savings.

About 30 percent of baby boomers said the money they gave their adult children negatively affected their own retirement savings; most were unaware of the impact.

Consider saying "No"--firmly

Declining a request for help, while painful, is sometimes the best decision a person can make, especially since MANY LOANS NEVER GET PAID BACK!

The top priority needs to be staying solvent oneself, says Ted Beck, president of the National Endowment for Financial Education.

[See Borrowing From the Family Bank.]

If a relative asks for money unexpectedly, you should stall, suggest Jeanne Fleming and Leonard Schwarz, authors of Isn't It Their Turn to Pick Up the Check?

"What you blurt out may not be the best answer," Schwarz says.

Then, be sympathetic but firm.

"You want to be unequivocal.

Don't say, 'This is a bad time', or they'll ask you again, next week," Fleming adds.

Look for nonmonetary alternatives

Tina Kimball, a 30-something administrative assistant in Dayton, Ohio, loaned her parents her car, when an accident left theirs unusable.

If the situation worsened, she says, she would invite them to live with her family.

Kimball says she wishes she could give them money, but with her own family finances under pressure, she's doing the most she can.

Put all loans and gifts in writing

Relatives lending more than $1,000 should draw up a simple document describing the terms of the loan, including the interest rate, and schedule for repayment, recommends Jennifer Streaks, a financial services attorney in Washington, D.C.

In addition to preventing misunderstandings, the paperwork can be important for legal reasons.

This year, amounts over $12,000 are subject to gift taxes, and unless a certain interest rate, set by the Treasury Department, is charged--currently 1.63 percent, or higher--loans could also be considered gifts.

Consider what might be expected in return

Donald Cox, professor of economics at Boston College, says people who give or lend money to relatives are usually motivated by altruism; sometimes something is expected, in return.

For example, if parents give money to their child for a down payment for a house or college tuition, they may expect assistance later.

"Many adult children, providing care for needy, elderly parents, say they are doing this out of a sense of reciprocity," he says.

[How to Handle Awkward Money Situations]

Learn from mistakes

Tales of family borrowing gone awry abound.

Consider these examples from Alpha Consumer readers:

-- Andrew lent his sister $10,000 in 2005, to help her pay off her bills and get out of debt.

He expected her to pay it back, but she only repaid a small portion of it.

He writes, "I rarely talk to her, and when I do, I don't want to pester her about the money.

"She recently purchased a house; she has a family with three step-kids and one child of her own, only a year old."

He isn't sure what to do, and worries about tension around holiday gatherings.

The lesson

Family loans often don't get paid back, which can badly strain relationships.

-- When Jay's mother had a stroke, at age 50, he struggled over whether to lend her money.

He was just 26, but with his job, could afford to give her some money.

He decided not to.

He writes, "I know my mom.

"I know her history with money and jobs.

"I know what would have happened if I enabled her behavior."

He did pay her rent, until she recovered.

She ended up relocating to a less-expensive area and is making ends meet.

The lesson

Know your limits.

Jay says, while his decision was difficult, he knows it was probably the best move.

"Throughout my experience with my mom, she kept saying, 'I'll pay you back.'

"I knew better."

[See 12 Money Mistakes Everyone Makes.]

-- Julie had just turned 17, when her dad quit his job and opened a hardware store.

He asked her to lend him some of the cash she had stored up from part-time jobs--money earmarked for school costs.

She decided to lend him the money.

"My parents had already provided for us, and spent money year after year, on our sporting activities.

"I determined, if I could help, I would be glad to, as a way of saying 'thank you.'

"By lending the money, I would guarantee I wouldn't spend it, and I didn't need it for three years," she says.

She ended up drawing up a contract for the loan, which specified her dad would pay her back, with interest.

She got her money back, right when she needed it.

"Things worked out, in the end, and I am happy I was able to give my dad a gift, to help him out when it was needed."

The lesson

Sometimes giving a loan works out well, for both parties.

Written agreements can help.

Bottom line

Borrowing or lending money to family members can cause problems that go well beyond money.

As for Tarah, she says the best thing she can do for her family is to avoid repeating her parents' financial mistakes.

That way, she says, she can avoid becoming a similar burden to her own children, one day.

More From US News & World Report

buy it?

2012-01-29T23:31:00.001-04:00

The most powerful thing influencing purchases

While most Canadians' purchases are still influenced by traditional media, youth get their advice elsewhere.

'Wide gap'

Media - the most powerful influencer over consumer choices...

By Liam Lahey
Insight
– 27 Jan, 2012

While it may come as little surprise consumers' purchasing decisions are influenced by journalists, what might raise eyebrows is, in our seemingly social-media dominated world, opinions expressed via traditional media reigns supreme in shaping Canadians' shopping habits.

So says the results of a commissioned online study released by the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF).

The report finds traditional media sources, including newspapers (86 per cent), TV (83 per cent), radio (78 per cent) and magazines (73 per cent,) continue to outrank other forms of communication, as Canadians' go-to source for information.

"What really struck us in the public relations space is, traditional media was as strong as the study indicated.

"All of us expected a higher degree of influence placed in terms of social networks," admits Carol Levine, chair of the CCPRF in Montreal.

"Certainly, we need to pay attention as an industry on the trend to increasing influence on the part of social networks in terms of influencing consumer spending and decisions."

"The Impact of Influence" study asked consumers what sources of information they would consider to be the most credible for a particular type of product if they were conducting research in advance of buying a product or service within that category.

The results:

Investing

Newspapers (printed and online) and company websites tied as the top sources of credible information at 19 per cent.

Fashion and beauty products

Magazines (printed or online) are the top ranked source of information (41 per cent), followed by company websites, a distant second at 11 per cent.

Consumer electronics

Company websites are the most credible sources of information for all Canadians (36 per cent) and also for self-identified social media savvy consumers (37 per cent).

Food and beverage

Interestingly, for those who say they write their own blogs, the top choice for information for this category was blogs (23 per cent).

Self-identified social media savvy consumers rely on multiple sources of information including newspapers (18 per cent), magazines (16 per cent), TV (15 per cent), company websites (14 per cent) and blogs (10 per cent).

Automobiles

The company website is the leader in this category, at 31 per cent, followed by magazines (printed and online) at 19 per cent.

Home décor

Magazines (printed and online) are the clear leaders in this category at 43 per cent followed by company websites at 16 per cent.

"If anyone thought they needed to abandon traditional media in favour of only online, they were wrong," Levine adds.

"Eighty-six per cent of people participating in this survey consider the newspaper editorial or a journalist's comment to be a source of influence for them.

"That's pretty significant."

There is also a significant generational gap to be mindful of, when considering these results.

"If you look at the younger population, social networks are the preferred source of influence for them," she says.

"As the population ages we'll increasingly see more importance placed on social media from a marketing discipline.

"It's a matter of time."

When older Canadians are ready to purchase a product or service today, the hierarchy of go-to research sources plays out as follows: Facebook trumps Twitter (21 per cent versus 15 per cent), but blogs trump Facebook (29 per cent versus 21 per cent).

Company websites trump blogs by more than a 2:1 ratio (68 per cent versus 29 per cent).

This equation of influence changes dramatically for younger generations as almost four in 10 Canadians (38 per cent) aged 18-34 consider blogs to be one of their top research sources when purchasing a product or service, compared to less than half that (16 per cent) of Canadians aged 55 or older.

YouTube mirrored the same pattern, the report notes, with 27 per cent of Canadians under the age of 34 reporting it as one of their top research sources, versus only 15 per cent of the boomer generation (adults over the age of 55).

Moreover, 18-34-year-olds were twice as likely as their older counterparts (aged 35-54) to list social media sources such as Facebook as credible news sources (22 per cent versus 12 per cent).

Interestingly, they were also more trusting of company websites as credible news sources than Baby Boomers (23 per cent versus 10 per cent).

"A significant portion of our younger generation sees blogs, YouTube, Facebook, and company websites as credible sources of news.

"This suggests, in their minds, and in contrast to older Canadians, the boundaries of credibility between news, 'circle of trust' conversations and marketing are blurring," Levine says.

"Social media is the biggest form of public exposure one could ever imagine, in marketing.

"What a lot of organizations fail to understand is, social media is more than a marketing vehicle.

"It opens a conversation they can't control."

In addition to generational differences, there is a wide gap between how all Canadians are influenced today, versus how self-identified socially engaged respondents are influenced on what to purchase.

If a blogger posts a positive product review, contradictory to a traditional news reports (newspaper or magazine), average Canadians are more likely to believe traditional media, according to the survey (32 per cent versus 13 per cent).

In contrast, self-identified influencers were almost twice as likely to believe bloggers over media (21 per cent versus 13 per cent).

While one in five Canadians (21 per cent) rely on Facebook to research new product/service information, in advance of a purchase, that figure jumps to 30 per cent among self-identified social media savvy consumers.

Almost one in three Canadians (31 per cent) admit conducting research simply as a means to justify their purchase.

This online survey was conducted in September 2011, by Angus Reid/Vision Critical from a sample of 1,014 Canadian adults on behalf of the CCPRF.

The margin of error is +/- 3.08 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

make it...

2012-01-29T22:40:00.002-04:00

How to become a millionaire

If you start a business, your ownership stake can become more valuable, over time, as the company grows.

Other helpful tips

How to become a millionaire...

Building $1 million in net worth requires the application of unusual skills and/or dogged effort.

By Stephen D. Simpson, CFA
26 Jan, 2012

There's no real practical reason to ask, "who wants to be a millionaire?" because the only people who won't put their hands up are religious types who've taken vows of poverty, and those who are already multi-millionaires.

Unfortunately, there's a big gulf between those who want it and those who do the things to make it happen.

Based on recent statistics on U.S. household income, millionaire-dom is not something that's going to happen for most people, even with the dubious benefits of inflation.

MORE RELATED TO THIS STORY
—5 ways to make that first million
—Apple CEO Tim Cook’s staggering payday
—What the top 1 percent of earners majored in

A household earning the median level of income (approximately 50K) and saving an impressive 20% of that, would need almost 100 years to save $1 million (excluding taxes and investment gains).

It's pretty clear, a would-be millionaire has to "think outside the boundaries of median experience".

Start a Business

There are people who can become millionaires by working for other people; this is not an especially good route to choose.

The trouble with trying to become a millionaire, working for other people is, there are always other people siphoning off the value of whatever you produce.

Say you're a hotshot salesman – although you're going to get your cut, a lot of the value you create is going to get split among a broader pool of workers, managers, and the owner(s) of the business.

Start your own business, and you get to decide how to divide that pie.

Better still, your ownership stake can become more and more valuable, over time, as that business becomes larger and larger.

While a good employee may get raises and promotions as his or her employer grows, they'll never see the same benefits (including the tax-free appreciation in the value of the ownership interest) as the owners.

Use Other People's Money

One of the remarkably consistent features of stories about people who go from relatively no money to major wealth is the role of other people's money in making it happen.

Sometimes, it's start-up capital from a generous relative; maybe it's a small business loan or venture capital.

Borrowed money can be a major force multiplier.

Behind virtually every real estate empire is borrowed money, and the use of leverage in investing (whether through buying stocks on margin, buying options or buying futures) can rapidly magnify a skillful investor's success.

Of course, this cuts both ways – just as borrowed money can create a large business (or portfolio) quickly, just one mistake in an over-leveraged enterprise can bring the whole thing crashing down.

It comes down, then, to risk tolerance.

Those who really want to build large wealth (and do so quickly), through business and/or investment, will have to do so, in part, with other people's money.

Cultivate a Valued Skill

Wages respond to supply and demand just like everything else, so it is very important to cultivate a skill not only in demand, but scarce enough to be valuable.

Architecture and law, for instance, are both specialized skills, but not necessarily rare enough to make their practitioners wealthy, unless they are at the high end of their profession.

Sports is another obvious example, but most people know, in their teens, whether they have the rare physical gifts (and perhaps the even rarer mental discipline and dedication) to open the doors to a professional sports career, it's not a door that can be opened in college, or later.

Medicine and engineering are both open to college-aged people, who have the requisite abilities and the willingness to put in the effort.

The services of these professionals is not only almost always in demand, the supply is small enough that professionals can fairly expect to become millionaires on the basis of their labors.

This is also true for unconventional skills.

Pursuing a career as a writer, actor, or professional gambler is a virtual guarantee of poverty... for most people.

For those who actually have the skills necessary to succeed, it can be their best chance of building real wealth.

Out-Think or Out-Hustle

Lazy and self-made millionaire, don't go together.

Hearkening back to that supply-demand equation, anything relatively easy, convenient and accessible, is going to have ample supply and relatively low payouts.

Since most people don't actually want to work that hard, there are real wealth-creation opportunities out there for those willing to think and/or work just a little harder than average.

One option for building exceptional wealth is to out-think the majority of people out there.

While endeavors like writing, investing, and inventing, all involve a tremendous amount of effort and dedication, there is at least some aspect of out-thinking to them all.

Steve Jobs of Apple , Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines, and Alfred Mann of MannKind, all clearly worked hard to achieve success, but a lot of that success was predicated on seeing things others didn't see, and figuring out how to do them better.

Out-hustling is an undervalued aspect of wealth creation.

Success in business is often about the hustle – the willingness to make one more call, or work an extra hour.

The field of "hustle" is wide, rich and fertile.

You can make good money visiting estate sales and reselling undervalued items, just as you can make good money from a variety of multi-level marketing programs.

The question is whether you want to spend the hours it takes to drive the process forward.

Rental real estate is a good example.

It is actually not all that difficult to find rental properties, buy them, and rent them out.

Do this well, and it's fairly easy to earn an annual return of 8-15%.

The problem is, there are a myriad of small annoyances that go with it – hassles in haggling over the purchase price, in getting mortgages, in getting tenants, in dealing with tenants, and so on.

Some people just don't want to be bothered with it, but those who don't mind the annoyances, can reap the rewards.

Bottom Line

Having $1 million or more in net worth is still uncommon enough to be special and significant, and it doesn't often come as a byproduct of luck or chance.

Hard work is a virtual requisite, but so too is a willingness to take on some risk (such as starting a business or using leverage) or cultivate a rare gift (like writing or inventing).

Simple living and sound investing will help anyone build more wealth, a special level of success requires a special person, willing to do more, and risk more, than most other people.

warm comfort foods...

2012-01-29T20:51:00.000-04:00

perfect pasta pals...

2012-01-29T20:50:00.000-04:00

MAJOR RANT!

2012-01-29T20:22:00.003-04:00

****************

...those who think they are 'KEWL' [i so hate that spelling] writers, take note:

every time you make your arguments with IF/THEN... you know who you are [i've seen doctors use it! GRRRRRRRRRR]...

UNLESS you are writing code for BASIC-based software, STOP IT!

[BASIC was a VERY early programming language]

it's so TEDIOUS to read those missives containing the if/then bullshit!

seems it's a popular choice, today, by everyone and his/her dog...

you know how it goes, beginning with: IF blah-blah-blah, ending with: THEN blah-blah-blah!

just because you SAY/WRITE it that way, does NOT validate your point...

the IF/THEN code was used to give your stupid computer INSTRUCTIONS... NOT to make an argument valid IN REAL LIFE... in the way its use PRETENDS to have become!

CHECK your writing, when you catch yourself doing so... QUIT IT... and re-write whatever you're trying to say!

END RANT!

***********************************

twits...

2012-01-29T19:31:00.000-04:00

hold...

2012-01-29T19:30:00.000-04:00

superbowl yawn

2012-01-29T19:27:00.000-04:00

snow...

2012-01-29T19:22:00.000-04:00

think. . .

2012-01-29T19:19:00.000-04:00

upload...

2012-01-29T19:17:00.000-04:00

right.

2012-01-29T19:15:00.002-04:00

sfx...

2012-01-29T19:15:00.001-04:00

martin...

2012-01-29T19:09:00.000-04:00

what question, idjit?

2012-01-29T19:07:00.000-04:00

My Site

floor...

2012-01-29T19:04:00.000-04:00

gac [guilty as charged]

2012-01-29T18:37:00.004-04:00

Shafia family found guilty of first-degree murder

From right: Mohammad Shafia, his wife Tooba, and son Hamed, convicted for the 2009 deaths of four family members; his three daughters and first wife.

Took only hours

All 3 guilty in Shafia murder trial; judge condemns twisted concept of "honor"...

By Allison Jones
– 18 minutes ago

KINGSTON, Ont. - Three members of an Afghanistan-born Montreal family were convicted today, of killing three daughters and a co-wife, in what the judge described as "cold-blooded, shameful murders", spawned from a "completely twisted concept of honor".

A jury took 15 hours to find Mohammad Shafia, 58, his wife Tooba Yahya, 42, and their son Hamed, 21, each guilty of four counts of first-degree murder in a shocking so-called mass honour killing that has captivated and horrified Canadians from coast to coast.

Investigators who pored over the details of the disturbing inner workings of the Shafia family and examined the tiniest pieces of evidence from the crime scene urged people today to remember the victims.

All that sisters Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti, 13, and Rona Amir Mohammad, 52, their father's childless first wife, in a polygamous marriage, wanted was freedom, and it cost them their lives, the court heard.

Their bodies were found 30 June 2009, in a car submerged in a canal in Kingston, Ontario, in a multiple murder the Crown asserted was committed 'to restore family honor' lost when the girls began dating and acting out.

Rona was, simply, disposed of, the Crown said.

The jury's verdict indicates the seven women and five men believe Shafia, Yahya, and Hamed plotted to kill their troublesome family members, dumping their bodies in a canal and staging it — albeit clumsily — to look like an accident.

The judge agreed, and cut right to the heart of the cultural cloud that hung over this case.

"It is difficult to conceive of a more heinous, more despicable, more honourless crime," Ontario Superior Court Judge, Robert Maranger, said.

"The apparent reason behind these cold-blooded, shameful murders was that the four completely innocent victims offended your completely twisted concept of honour...that has absolutely no place in any civilized society."

As the verdicts were being read, Hamed, the only one of the now-convicted murderers not to show any emotion during the trial, put his head in his hands and hunched over in the prisoners' box.

His parents rubbed his back.

Soon Yahya began to cry, but the three were defiant in the face of the verdicts.

"We are not criminal, we are not murderer, we didn't commit the murder, and this is unjust," Shafia said through an interpreter when the judge asked if he had anything to say.

Yahya, who spent a withering six days on the stand testifying in her own defense, was similarly assertive.

"Your honorable justice, this is not just," she said, also through an interpreter.

"I am not a murderer, and I am a mother — a mother!"

Hamed said in English: "Sir, I did not drown my sisters, anywhere."

First-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no chance to apply for parole for 25 years. The family has been behind bars since their arrests on July 22, 2009.

Outside court, Crown attorney Gerard Laarhuis said the verdict is a reflection of Canadian values that he hopes will resonate.

"This jury found that four strong, vivacious and freedom-loving women were murdered by their own family in the most troubling of circumstances," he said.

"This verdict sends a very clear message about our Canadian values, and the core principles, in a free and democratic society that all Canadians enjoy and even visitors to Canada enjoy," Laarhuis said to cheers of approval from onlookers.

Laarhuis was interrupted in his remarks by Moosa Hadi, a central figure in the case who was a fervent supporter of the Shafias.

He sent reporters and the lead investigator emails stating that the prosecution of the family was criminal and because of it he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

"This is a lie, this is absolutely a lie," Hadi shouted over Laarhuis before being pulled away by tactical police officers.

"This is a miscarriage of the justice. Shame on you, Mr. Gerard."

Members of the public listening to Laarhuis' statement, many of whom have attended the trial from the 20 Oct. start, shouted Hadi down and cheered as Laarhuis continued.

Lead investigator, Det. Sgt. Chris Scott, praised Crown lawyers for allowing the four women to finally be heard.

"They gave these victims a voice when they had none and so I appreciate their work," he said outside court.

Shafia's lawyer, Peter Kemp, said after the verdicts he believes the comments his client made on wiretaps calling his dead daughters whores and saying there is no value of life without honor, may have weighed more heavily on the jury's minds than the physical evidence in the case.

"He wasn't convicted for what he did," Kemp said.

"He was convicted for what he said."

Hamed's lawyer, Patrick McCann, said he was disappointed with the verdict, but said his client will appeal, and he believes the other two will as well.

"I still have a hard time understanding how the Crown theory could actually have happened," he said.

The Crown theory was, Shafia, Yahya, and Hamed drowned the four victims, placed their bodies in the car, then pushed it into the canal, using the family's other vehicle.

The defense had said it was an accident, that they had gone for a joyride, with Zainab driving, and accidentally plunged into the canal, with Hamed watching, although he didn't call police.

Trouble in the wealthy Afghan-Canadian family had been brewing for some time, the Crown alleged.

The Crown painted a picture of a household controlled by a domineering Shafia, with Hamed keeping his sisters in line, and doling out discipline when his father was away, on frequent business trips to Dubai.

Some of the younger Shafia children followed the rules and the others didn't.

The ones who couldn't be controlled, the Crown said, are now dead.

Rona was not treated much better than an unruly child, court heard.

All any of them wanted was freedom, the Crown said.

Zainab had run away, but that in itself shamed the family, so she was coaxed back with a promise to marry her boyfriend, Ammar, the Crown said.

The family viewed him as a loser, and was not pleased with the relationship, but if she was married, she would be Ammar's problem, not theirs, and her behavior couldn't affect their honour.

Sahar, too, was dating, though she tried to keep her Christian boyfriend secret from her parents.

Condoms were found in her room, as were pictures of her wearing short skirts and shorts, hugging her boyfriend.

That clothing caused Shafia to curse Sahar as a whore, after her death.

Two months before she was found in the canal, Sahar told her boyfriend's aunt, if her parents found out about her relationship she was "a dead woman".

Geeti was becoming almost impossible to control: skipping school, failing classes, being sent home for wearing revealing clothes and stealing.

Her most egregious breach was telling almost every authority figure she encountered she wanted to be sent to foster care, the Crown said.

There was a family code of silence, and Geeti broke that, it was alleged.

If the Shafias thought Zainab and Sahar were hard to control, Geeti would be their worst nightmare.

For Geeti, the writing was on the wall, the Crown said.

Rona was Shafia's first wife, but, unable to conceive, her status in the Shafia household began eroding as soon as a young Tooba Yahya was brought in as a polygamous wife, court heard.

Shafia beat her, and "made life a torture", Rona wrote in a diary.

Yahya called her a servant, held onto Rona's passport, and would tell her "your life is in my hands," she said.

Rona spent her days wandering the streets, crying, sitting in her room, or using payphones to call relatives, she wrote.

Rona, Zainab, Sahar, and Geeti died at the tail end of a family trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario.

They were heading back to Montreal, and had stopped in Kingston for the night, when tragedy struck.

Zainab secretly took the family's Nissan Sentra, bought used just one day before they left on the trip, and went for a spin with the three others, the family said.

They told police that was the last they saw of Zainab.

Hamed would later tell a private investigator of sorts, hired by Shafia, he saw the car full of his relatives leave the motel that night, and he followed them, concerned for their safety.

He followed in the family's Lexus SUV.

They ended up at the locks, where Hamed said he rear-ended them, accidentally, and urged them to turn around.

As he was picking up some pieces of broken headlight, he heard a splash, he said.

The car had plunged into the water.

So, he said, he sounded the horn of the Lexus, once, as a call for help, and took a rope from the trunk and dangled it in the water, dropping some pieces of headlight where they were later found.

Seeing no signs of life, he said he drove straight home, to Montreal, calling police only to report an accident he admitted he staged, to mask damage to the Lexus.

He never mentioned his dead family members.

The Crown said that story was a "complete fabrication".

Really, the girls and Rona never even made it to the motel, they said.

They were driven to the canal and killed there, court heard.

Why else would Hamed and Shafia have checked into the motel for six people, when 'they were a family of 10?', the Crown noted.

In fact, the whole "family vacation" itself was a farce, they said; an integral part of the mass murder plan.

By the time they were heading home, passing through Kingston around 1:30 a.m., the plot was going according to plan, the Crown said.

They had left Niagara Falls so late in the day, it was pitch black when they passed through Kingston, then got off the highway at the exit for the locks, at Kingston Mills.

They had stopped there to use the washroom on the way to Niagara Falls, so if any of the kids or Rona — sleeping soundly in the Nissan — woke up, waiting there wouldn't be suspicious, the Crown said.

Yahya waited in the car with the soon-to-be victims while Shafia and Hamed checked into the motel, leaving their other children there.

When father and son return, Rona and the girls are drowned, in one of the several areas of open water, either to the point of unconsciousness or death, the Crown said.

The cause of death for all four was drowning.

The Crown had no direct proof to cement that theory, but the idea they were dead before the car went in the water hangs on a few pieces of evidence.

Experts testified, markings on the bottom of the Nissan show it got hung up on a ledge when it first was sent over.

That's why the Lexus was used to push it in, and that's why there were pieces of its headlights at the scene, the Crown said, not because Hamed was there and rear-ended them.

There's also the evidence that makes it seem like nobody tried to escape the car during its plunge into the water, or as it submerged in the canal.

The driver's window was fully open, nobody was wearing a seat belt, and their bodies were found more or less floating over seats — Zainab and Geeti in the front, Sahar and Rona in the back.

The car was found in the morning, around 9.

The headlights were off and so was the ignition.

The evidence simply does not fit with an accident scenario, the Crown said.

The police certainly didn't think so, and began to treat the deaths as suspicious almost immediately.

By the time Shafia, Yahya and Hamed were arrested on 22 July 2009, the case against them included intercepted conversations, secretly recorded by police.

Comments, mostly made by Shafia on those wiretaps, provided the foundation for the Crown's "honor killing" theory.

"I say to myself, 'Would they come back to life, a hundred times, for you to do the same again'," Shafia says on one.

"That is how hurt I am.

"Tooba, they betrayed us immensely.

"They violated us immensely.

"There can be no betrayal, no treachery, no violation more than this."

"Even if they hoist me up onto the gallows...nothing is more dear to me than my honor," Shafia says on another.

win8...

2012-01-29T01:26:00.002-04:00

Go to Video

Big changes coming in Windows 8

The next Microsoft operating system will feature a whole new look and feel.

Why you shouldn't rush to upgrade

How Windows 8 Could Change Your Life – Or Not

By Becky Worley

Upgrade Your Life

– 25 Jan, 2012

Microsoft has begun showing off bits and pieces of Windows 8, the next version of the most popular computer operating system.

The question: Is this an operating system you should plan to install on your current PC, or wait until it comes preinstalled on the next computer you buy?

What's Different About Windows 8

The headline with this operating system — it's not just for desktops and laptops, but also for touch devices, namely, the increasingly popular tablets.

If not revolutionary, this certainly represents a major advancement.

Until now, tablets have used a different operating system from their desktop and laptop cousins.

As hardware evolves, Microsoft is working to be ready for the inevitable merging of laptop and tablet technology.

Hybrid Laptops

Microsoft envisions a day when your average desktop computer has a touchscreen, and when your laptop can convert into a tablet.

That day is coming soon.

At this year's International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a Chinese company, Compal, unveiled a prototype laptop with a removable touchscreen — that screen becomes a tablet.

Very cool.

Lenovo also unveiled their Lenovo Yoga hybrid.

The Yoga looks like a traditional laptop, but the hinge that connects the screen to keyboard can rotate 360 degrees, enabling you to tuck the keyboard flat behind the screen and transform the device into a tablet shape.

At 3.2 pounds, I find it a little too bulky to use regularly as a tablet, but the innovation is one of those "Well, duh" ideas — why doesn't every laptop do this?

My guess is, plenty of other manufacturers will soon follow suit — that's Microsoft's bet, as well.

Touchscreen Controls
Windows 8 will let you type with a keyboard, or with an on-screen virtual keyboard.

...ipad does that now!

Like any tablet, menus and apps appear with the swipe of a finger.

To get to the main menu, you swipe from the right edge.

To see other open applications, swipe from the left.

Menus for the application at hand are all found by touching the bottom of the screen.

You may have seen the snap feature in Windows 7, where you can put two windows on the screen and multitask.

This works the same in Windows 8, only better.

In addition to being able to move windows around with your mouse, you can do it with touch.

Joining the App Craze

Microsoft set up its own app store, and is eager for you to buy.

Windows 8 is designed to integrate virtually all the apps we love — games, social sites, and photo-sharing sites — right on the start screen.

You customize what's on this display, and the information — whether its news feeds from your friends or the weather report — updates automatically.

Buy or Wait

Back to the big question: should you buy Windows 8 as soon as it comes out?

The majority of its new features are designed to maximize touch screens many future computers will have.

While Windows 8 will work on your existing PC, I wouldn't go to the expense and hassle of upgrading a current device that doesn't have a touchscreen.

One caveat: new developments alter the decision making process for consumers.

Microsoft hasn't committed to an official launch date, but company insiders hint at an October release.

weird . . .

2012-01-29T01:24:00.004-04:00

What's causing Canada's weird winter?

As Western Canada gets slammed with nasty weather, the East Coast basks in balmy temperatures.

Complex weather pattern

Winter not what you expected?

Blame Arctic oscillation, weather experts say...

By Steve Mertl
Daily Brew
– 27 Jan, 2012

A palm tree covered in snow during a heavy snowfall in Victoria, British Columbia, 17 January 2012.

A city that rarely gets snow.

Get ready to learn a new weather term.

You already know a little something about La Nina and El Nino.

Here's another: Arctic oscillation.

Apparently it's responsible for the nasty winter afflicting Western Canada in recent weeks, while the the East Coast basks in unseasonably balmy weather.

According to the Globe and Mail, Toronto has experienced just 11 below-zero C days, compared with an average 28 days for the period.

Halifax's sub-zero temperature days were cut in half, and even the Prairies are going back to above-average, warm temperatures, after its recent cold snap.

"It's been a bit of a whipsaw from last winter to this one," NASA researcher Bill Patzert told the Globe.

"You can blame the Arctic oscillation for that."

The atmospheric circulation phenomenon affects atmospheric pressure over polar regions on a time scale that ranges from weeks to decades.

The complex weather pattern has helped keep colder Arctic air from pushing south.

Arctic oscillation is notoriously unpredictable, and can switch from positive, apparently as it is now, to negative... without warning.

"It's the closest we've come to cancelling winter," Environment Canada climatologist David Phillips told the Globe.

"You can count the number of nasty days on your hands, in various places."

Meteorologists earlier were warning Canadians to brace for a harsh winter, based on the understanding this would be another La Nina season.

La Nina's colder-than-normal surface temperatures, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, results in weather patterns that bring more precipitation to parts of Canada and the northern U.S.

El Nino does the opposite.

Last year, Arctic oscillation was more negative than positive, resulting in a relatively colder, snowier winter, said Andre Viau, a University of Ottawa climatologist.

"This year it's been largely positive, pulling the west-east jet stream so taut, it's been almost straight," he said.

The oscillation relaxed a little last week, allowing some cold Arctic air south, but that's not expected to last.

Phillips said this winter is shaping up to be short... and mild.

world leader...

2012-01-29T01:04:00.001-04:00

Rare color photos depict Hitler's world

The recently discovered images show the luxurious private life of the Nazi leader.

Buried in jars after the war

Inside Hitler's Private World...

Never-before-seen pictures show how the Fuhrer spent his time at home.

Hide thumbnails

1 of 6 photos

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27 Jan, 2012

Photos of the Day

dragon...

2012-01-29T00:49:00.000-04:00

matter. . .

2012-01-28T23:19:00.001-04:00

hey, fatty!

2012-01-28T09:46:00.002-04:00

Diet mistakes that make you fat

A plate of crispy vegetables might seem like a healthy choice; 2 tablespoons of dip can ruin it.

The better option

6 Diet Mistakes That Make You... Fat!

By Nancy Rones
–25 Jan 2012

Signs of Diet Sabotage

Sometimes a carrot stick is just a carrot stick.

For many of us, it's a crunchy, bright orange vehicle for decadent dip—Blue Vheese, perhaps, or a nice herbed Ranch.

As you dunk your sixth or seventh spear into that delicious dressing, you might tell yourself, Well, at least I'm eating a hearty serving of veg right now.

True--but you're also consuming quite a lot of salt, fat, and... calories.

Wrecking our otherwise healthy food picks, along with our waistlines, is often beyond our control.

In his book The End of Overeating (Rodale), former FDA commissioner, David Kessler, MD, explains, when you smell, see, or even think about "highly palatable" foods--ones high in fat, sugar, or salt--your brain can trigger the release of dopamine, the reward-seeking neurotransmitter.

In a way, you can blame the dopamine surge for forcing you to eat that glazed donut.

It's possible to stop your pleasure-seeking brain from making menu decisions.

Check out these common acts of food sabotage, plus our easy strategies for steering clear of them.

22 foods packed with trans fat

You dunk veg into fat traps

While it may seem like a good idea to watch Parenthood with a plate of crisp crudités on the coffee table in front of you, that jar of peanut butter sitting right next to it can spell trouble.

Peanut butter provides healthy fat and protein, but it also has 94 calories per tablespoon--so this seemingly healthy snack can tip the scale in the wrong direction.

2 tablespoons of creamy dressing can pack 145 calories and 15 g of fat.

"Eating just one hundred calories more each day can translate to about a ten-pound weight gain over the course of a year," says Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think.

The healthy move

If you're dying to dip, mix fat-free plain Greek yogurt (it has about twice the protein of regular yogurt) with salsa or zingy seasonings such as horseradish or curry powder.

Prepared hummus or black-bean dips coat raw veggies with protein, fiber, and flavor; just check the labels because fat and calories can vary among brands.

Beat boredom by introducing new vegetables into your rotation, such as crunchy jicama, or radishes, that offer a naturally peppery bite.

Get tips on how to eat less

You go for fried sweet potatoes

Besides the beta-carotene (a disease-fighting carotenoid that our bodies convert to vitamin A) that's responsible for their vibrant color, sweet potatoes provide vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and fiber--all for about 100 calories in a medium potato.

When you fry these and other vegetables (hello, broccoli bites and zucchini sticks), the fat and calorie counts skyrocket.

A study in the Journal of Food Science found, certain vegetables, like zucchini, actually lose some of their antioxidant power when fried.

The healthy move

A baked sweet potato is the worry-free choice (mash in 2 tablespoons of a creamy fat-free dressing for extra flavor); eat the skin, too, and you'll get at least 4 g fiber.

If you're not satisfied with a baked spud, buy a bag of oven-ready frozen fries at the supermarket.

Compare labels and choose ones with no trans fat and no more than 0.5 g saturated fat per serving.

See the packaged sweet potato "fries" Prevention likes best.

Veggie-inspired snacks under 150 calories

You drown your food in olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is high in "good" monounsaturated fat--the kind of fat that can help lower LDL cholesterol--but it also has about 477 calories and 54 g of fat per 1/4 cup.

If you don't measure the amount of oil you use to sauté, grill, broil, or roast, you can end up with way more than you need.

The healthy move:

When grilling or broiling, use a pastry brush or nonaerosol pump to lightly glaze food with oil, says Jennifer Nelson, RD, director of clinical dietetics and nutrition at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

If you're making a stir-fry, wipe a paper towel dipped in olive oil around the wok before adding ingredients-- better, use a nonstick skillet.

You can also make your sautés sizzle with wine, soy sauce, chicken broth, or 100% carrot, tomato, or vegetable juice.

Try poaching your fish in low-fat broth or watered-down orange juice; the fillets will soak up some of the liquid, which will make you feel fuller, says Barbara Rolls, PhD, professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University and author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan.

Beware these 11 health food impostors

Your salad is a high-cal landmine

The virtue of a salad starts to wilt when you add more than one calorie-dense topping, such as cheese, nuts, dried fruit, or croutons.

Cheeses can register high in bad saturated fat, and though nuts have monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that may help raise good (HDL) cholesterol, a small serving of walnuts (about 7 pieces) can add up to about 185 calories and 18 g of fat.

Some add-ons are high in sodium.

The healthy move

Nelson offers an easy-to-remember ratio for preparing main-dish salads: "Three-quarters should be fresh fruits and vegetables, and the last quarter a combo of lean protein, like chicken, plus a complex carbohydrate such as wheat berries or quinoa.

"Allow yourself two tablespoons of calorie-dense items."

For major nutrition impact with minimal calorie load, forgo dried fruit in favor of fresh pomegranate seeds; they're potent in polyphenols, and researchers at Case Western Reserve University found pomegranate extract may be effective in reducing the inflammation that can lead to arthritis.

Your coffee is anything but regular

Sipping coffee or tea plain isn't the problem.

In fact, both beverages have been linked to a number of health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease and cancer.

A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry also suggests drinking coffee may reduce your chances of type 2 diabetes.

Major calories and saturated fat come with added ingredients such as sugary syrups, honey, whipped cream, and whole milk (1% and 2% aren't much better).

For about the same 450 calories in a large Iced Mocha Raspberry Latte, at Dunkin' Donuts, you can eat two slices of Pizza Hut's hand-tossed pepperoni pizza.

While honey may seem like a natural, healthier alternative to sugar, the fact is it has 21 calories per teaspoon versus sugar's 16.

The healthy move: For a low-cal, lower-fat drink that feels like a sweet treat, choose coffee beans in tempting flavors such as chocolate almond, hazelnut, or white chocolate, rather than using syrupy mix-ins after brewing, and lighten your coffee with fat-free milk.

Teas, too, come in sweet vanilla, berry, and tropical fruit blends.

Whether you use Splenda, sugar, or honey in your beverages, limit yourself to about a teaspoonful.

Your marinades pack a big fat punch

You're wise to choose skinless grilled chicken, but be careful with condiments.

Barbecue sauce is filled with sugar, which equals calories (about 94 per 1/4 cup).

The healthy move

Ditch the high-sugar sauce, spice up chicken by marinating it with cayenne, red-pepper sauce, or mix hot sauce, with some fat-free yogurt, and smear it on your sandwich for buffalo-inspired flavor.

Another way to punch up the taste and nutrient power of grilled chicken sandwiches and turkey burgers: Try a topping of homemade slaw.

Shredded cabbage makes a convenient base; toss it with flavored vinegar or fat-free mayo, and a little mustard.

At 11 calories per 1/2 cup, raw cabbage offers filling fiber and vitamins such as C and B6, and as a cruciferous veg, it contains cancer-fighting antioxidants.

See 100 easy ways to cut 100 calories.

warning!

2012-01-28T09:16:00.002-04:00

Symantec warns users to disable software

The company, known for its security software, warns against using their remote pcAnywhere application.

Severe hacker threat

wake...

2012-01-28T03:18:00.000-04:00

mind .. .. ..

2012-01-28T03:16:00.000-04:00

me too . . .

2012-01-28T03:15:00.000-04:00

hair of the dog...

2012-01-28T03:10:00.002-04:00

maybe. . .

2012-01-28T03:10:00.001-04:00

body...

2012-01-28T03:04:00.000-04:00

data . . .

2012-01-28T03:01:00.000-04:00

unger...

2012-01-28T02:59:00.001-04:00

dip...

2012-01-28T02:57:00.000-04:00

meet. . .

2012-01-28T02:48:00.000-04:00

curve...

2012-01-28T02:46:00.000-04:00

tim's test...

2012-01-28T02:31:00.001-04:00

Apple CEO faces odd $98 billion problem

It's hard to imagine how Apple's massive pool of assets could actually pose a problem for Tim Cook.

It's his biggest test to date

Apple CEO faces first test with cash mountain

Apple CEO, Tim Cook, has a problem, a $98 billion problem...

– 16 hours ago

Apple CEO Tim Cook has a problem, a $98 billion problem.

Just 18 months ago, Apple's $46 billion mountain of cash - while huge by most standards - attracted only muted complaints from investors, who did call for a dividend or share buyback, but were mostly happy with the meteoric rise in the stock price.

MORE RELATED TO THIS STORY
—This is Apple at its absolute worst
—Apple CEO Tim Cook’s staggering payday

With the growing cash balance now a much bigger overhang on the stock, widely considered to be undervalued, investors are clamoring more vocally for Cook to put the money to work.

No one could have foreseen just how quickly that war chest would grow.

Some analysts estimated Apple's cash holdings would increase to $65 billion at the end of 2011.

That it has swelled nearly 50 percent above even those lofty projections is nothing short of awesome.

Apple now has about $104 in cash, per share.

To paraphrase rapper P. Diddy, with more money comes more problems.

Apple's runaway success presents Cook with his first real public test as chief executive officer - figuring out what to do with the money.

Apple's cash balance is now a quarter of its $415 billion market capitalization, and roughly equals California's 2012-2013 state budget.

Even though $64 billion of Apple's cash is overseas - meaning it will have to pay a hefty tax to bring it into the United States - calls for a dividend on Wall Street grew louder after the company said on Tuesday it was in "active discussions" internally on what to do with the money.

Wall Street is strongly in favor of Apple returning the money to shareholders through buybacks or dividends, even if it is only a one-time deal.

The ultra-conservative company, which typically ignores Wall Street, gave no clues about that, during its earnings call on Tuesday.

"They are, clearly, trying to signal they are not ignoring the issue," said Michael Holt, an analyst with Morningstar.

"It doesn't mean a decision is imminent."

Others are convinced a dividend will be paid this year.

"With Apple saying it is 'actively' pursuing its options with regards to its cash balance, we believe the commentary may be setting itself up for a cash dividend in FY12," Ticonderoga Securities analyst, Brian White, said, raising his target on the stock to $666.

Katy Huberty, an analyst with Morgan Stanley, echoed White's view, saying: "Apple appears committed to making a decision on cash return in the near-term and we continue to believe a dividend makes the most sense."

Some big technology companies started paying a dividend to help allay investor concerns about slowing growth, by returning part of their ample cash holdings.

Cisco Systems Inc began paying a dividend last year, while Microsoft Corp started in 2003.

FAR TOO MUCH MONEY

Apple stock gained 25 percent in 2011, adding about $77 billion to its market cap and touched an all-time high of $454.45 on Wednesday.

Some continue to bank on a share-price rise to as high as $700.

The company's core business is throwing off massive amounts of cash every quarter - Apple recorded a $16 billion increase in cash sequentially - in part because of its reluctance to pay a dividend or buy back stock and its limited acquisition history.

The company earned a mere 0.77 percent on its cash and investments in fiscal 2011, mostly due to its preference for safe, but low-yielding U.S. Treasury and agency debt.

This is a tad higher than the 0.75 percent it earned in fiscal 2010, but down from 1.43 percent in fiscal 2009, 3.44 percent in 2008, and 5.27 percent in 2007.

Fiscal prudence has long been part of Apple's mantra and the Cupertino, California-based company runs a tight ship with total revenue rising 66 percent in fiscal 2011, but operating expenses rising only 37 percent.

For now, Apple's Chief Financial Officer, Peter Oppenheimer, has veered away from his usual script, which was to tell Wall Street Apple has always had internal discussions on the best use of its cash, with capital preservation being key.

He characterized these discussion as "active" on Tuesday.

"We recognize the cash is growing for all the right reasons," Oppenheimer said, but added he had nothing to announce.

"In the meantime, we're not letting it burn a hole in our pockets."

Oppenheimer also suggested Apple might invest in its supply chain, or make acquisitions.

Apple has, typically, preferred to acquire small companies, which has had little or no material impact on its results, so far.

Apple's major expense last year was paying the lion's share to acquire - along with Microsoft, and a few other companies - the patent portfolio of bankrupt Canadian telecommunications company, Nortel, for $4.5 billion.

Apple said it spent $4.3 billion in fiscal 2011 to acquire "property, plant and equipment", $3.2 billion in "acquisition of intangible assets", and $244 million in "payments made in connection with business acquisitions", according to its annual regulatory filing.

That is in sharp contrast to rivals such as Google Inc, which is acquiring Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, in cash, and which completed 54 acquisitions during the first nine months of last year alone.

The company's $44.6 billion war chest of cash and investments at the end of December was far lower than Apple's.

Google has also resisted pressure to announce a dividend, or buy back stock.

Apple may do the same in the next few months, said Michael Walkley, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity.

"We believe Apple is likely to announce a dividend during 2012, potentially next quarter, when crossing $100 billion in cash and cash equivalents," Walkley said.

"We view this as very bullish for investors, as we believe a new group of investors seeking dividends would invest in Apple, and drive shares higher."

(Reporting By Poornima Gupta; editing by Andre Grenon)

mutt...

2012-01-27T19:56:00.000-04:00

why do bots need toilets?

2012-01-27T19:44:00.000-04:00

flyby...

2012-01-27T14:13:00.000-04:00

veddy clebber...

2012-01-27T14:10:00.000-04:00

gittin to gnaw ya...

2012-01-27T14:09:00.000-04:00

personal porn provider...

2012-01-26T09:09:00.000-04:00

abbrobable...

2012-01-26T09:05:00.002-04:00

barf...

2012-01-26T09:05:00.001-04:00

free. . .

2012-01-26T08:44:00.000-04:00

furebber!

2012-01-26T08:40:00.000-04:00

gots cones... gibs icecream... now!

2012-01-26T08:36:00.000-04:00

ongoing mexican scam...

2012-01-26T08:25:00.003-04:00

Ontario couple's Mexico attack a 'common' scam...

– 14 hours ago

An expert on Mexican security says the story of an Ontario man, viciously attacked last March, sounds like a familiar scam, targeting tourists in the country.

"These kinds of schemes are very popular, very common in Mexico," Walter McKay, a Mexico-based security consultant, and former Canadian police officer, told CBC News, yesterday.

As CBC News reported Tuesday, Scott Giddy of Fergus, Ont., says he suffered multiple skull fractures after he was attacked down the street from his five-star resort, Hotel Riu Emerald Bay, in Mazatlan.

It's the same resort where a Calgary woman was brutally attacked recently, suffering extensive facial injuries.

Giddy's wife, Sarah, found him covered in blood.

"He had blood pouring out of his left ear, pouring like a tap," she said.

"I just started to scream, 'Someone, call 911!' "

[no such thing in mexico, moron!]

She says a taxi driver nearby told her police wouldn't come, but offered to drive them to hospital himself.

McKay says many Mexican taxi drivers work with private clinics, or even criminal gangs.

"They call them 'piratas', pirate taxis," he says.

"Those are guys who buys Volkswagens, and paint them the same color scheme and words, like regular cab owners."

Sarah says the driver brought her husband to a private clinic, where a staff person handed the driver a wad of cash, then asked for the couple's credit card.

"The 'doctor' there looked to be about 18 years old," she said.

"He kept saying, 'I think he has a cut in his ear.' "

Scott was eventually released from the clinic, and taken to hospital, where he narrowly survived.

Sarah says he was harassed for days by a group of men.

"We ended up having to switch hotels, because we were being followed by them.

"They came to us and said, 'If you do not pay us cash, we're cutting off your husband's care'. "

McKay's advice for other tourists is to avoid taking taxis in Mexico, unless they are hired by the resort where they're staying.

The same advice is given on the Canadian Foreign Affairs website, but the Giddys said they didn't check government websites before going.

They say they fear their plight will happen to someone else.

pompous ass still running off at the mouth! GRRRR

2012-01-26T02:30:00.001-04:00

Toronto mayor compares foes to brutal dictator

Rob Ford sparks controversy by likening councilors to a man who killed twice as many people as Joseph Stalin.

Other 'Ford-isms'

Toronto mayor compares city councillors to brutal dictator...

By Andy Radia
Canada Politics
– 24 Jan, 2012

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford

Once again, Toronto mayor Rob Ford has caused a stir over his words.

According to a story in the Toronto Star, Ford was on radio AM640's John Oakley Show, Tuesday, when he compared several city councillors to ruthless Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin.

Oakley was questioning Ford about a group of centrist Toronto city councilors, who had "gone rogue".

"I consider Josh Matlow a left-wing NDPer," he said.

"These people are all two steps left of Joe Stalin.

"I'm not discouraged by that, and I don't expect it.

"They don't care about the taxpayers.

"I know one person who does... and that's me."

When asked his thoughts on being compared to a man who killed twice as many people as Adolf Hitler, Matlow shook his head and told the Star: "Nah.

"I'll leave it."

This isn't the first time Ford has made controversial comments.

Here are some older 'Ford-isms' that, in the past, put the Toronto mayor in hot water:

14 June 2005 - During a council debate over the utility of grant programs for transgendered and transsexual people during a council debate:

"I don't understand.
"No. 1, I don't understand a transgender, I don't understand, is it a guy dressed up like a girl or a girl dressed up like a guy?
"We're funding this for, I don't know, what does it say here?
"We're giving them $3,210?"

June 2006 - During a council debate on public-health grants for community-based AIDS-prevention programs:

"If you're not doing needles, and you are not gay, you wouldn't get AIDS, probably.
"That's the bottom line.
"These are the facts."

05 March 2008 - During a council debate over holiday shopping:

"Those Oriental people work like dogs. …
"They're slowly taking over."

August 2010 - During a televised debate speaking about immigration:

"Right now, we can't even deal with the 2.5 million people in this city...
"I think it is more important to take care of people [we have] now, before we start bringing in more people."
(CP Photo)

top gadget...

2012-01-25T23:50:00.004-04:00

Top gadget outsells personal computers

Sales of this hot portable item represents 17 per cent of the total PC market.

15.4 million sold in 2011's fourth quarter

iPads Outsell Desktop PCs;

Now Equal To 17% Of Total PC Market

By Array
– 24 Jan 2012

Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed an interesting stat on today's earnings call: iPads outsold desktop PCs in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Apple reported 15.4 million iPads sold.

Cook was citing IDC figures for desktop PC sales.

A stunning development.

Two decades ago, Microsoft's mission statement was: "a PC on every desk in every home."

That mission statement no longer makes sense.

Computing has gone totally mobile, and while Windows still ships out most of the portable PCs in the world, the iPad is coming up incredibly fast.

That doesn't even take smartphones into account -- Apple sold 37 million iPhones during the quarter.

Add Android phones into the mix, and Windows probably made up less than 50% of all Internet connected devices sold in the last quarter of 2011.

(Reliable Android stats are hard to come by, as Cook noted on the call.)

Another way of looking at it: the iPad is now equal to 17% of the overall PC market, which Gartner pegged at 92.2 million units in the last quarter of 2012.

In June, it was at 11%.

A year ago, it was 7%.

No wonder Microsoft is making such a big bet on tablets with Windows 8.

The problem is, by the time Windows 8 comes out, the iPad will have been on the market, unopposed, for more than two years.

If current trends continue, it will be equal to about 25% or 30% of the PC market.

Right now, there is NO tablet market.

There IS an iPad market.

Microsoft, and its PC partners, are going to have to spend an awful lot on advertising to change that perception.

More From Business Insider

expired?

2012-01-25T19:56:00.003-04:00

How long you should really keep olive oil?

While some foods keep indefinitely, others like olive oil have a shorter shelf life than you may think.

Refrigerate to extend freshness

Food Expiration Dates 101:

How Long to Keep Spices, Peanut Butter and Other Pantry Items...

By LISA CERICOLA
– 23 Jan 2012

1. Most Dried Ground Spices

Unopened or opened: 2 to 3 years

When it comes to spices, fresh is best; but they should remain flavorful for up to three years.

While spices do not spoil, anything older than three years will most likely be lacking in flavor, aroma, and health benefits.

Store in a cool, dark place away from direct heat or sunlight, closed tightly when not in use.

To test if an herb or spice is still potent, rub or crush a small amount in your hand, taste and smell it.

If the aroma and flavor is weak, it should be discarded.

2. Olive Oil

Unopened: 2 years, in pantry or refrigerator

Opened: 18 to 24 months in the pantry or refrigerator

Store olive oil in a cool, dark place.

Keeping it refrigerated will extend its shelf life, but may cause cloudiness -- this will not effect the quality.

Once back at room temperature it will retain its normal color and texture.

3. Brown Rice

Pantry: 3 to 6 months

Refrigerator: 6 to 12 months

Freezer: 12 to 18 months

Due to its high oil content, pantry storage can cause brown rice to spoil quickly.

Once the package is opened, store brown rice in the freezer in heavy-duty freezer bag.

4. Wild, White, Jasmine, and Basmati Rice

Unopened or opened: keeps indefinitely

Store uncooked rice in a cool, dry place.

Once opened, transfer to airtight container, store in pantry, freezer, or refrigerator.

5. Honey

Unopened or opened: keeps indefinitely

Honey never goes bad.

Be sure to store it in a cool, dry place, like pantry; refrigeration will accelerate crystallization process.

Over time, honey may change color or become cloudy; stored properly, it is still safe to eat.

Check out more food expiration guidelines here

**************

IS...

2012-01-25T19:22:00.001-04:00

on. . .

2012-01-25T19:14:00.000-04:00

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2012-01-25T19:12:00.000-04:00

code...

2012-01-25T19:10:00.000-04:00

hostess. . .

2012-01-25T19:09:00.001-04:00

hostess...

2012-01-25T19:05:00.000-04:00

data...

2012-01-25T19:02:00.000-04:00

she. . .

2012-01-25T19:01:00.000-04:00

names. .. ..

2012-01-25T19:00:00.000-04:00

out. . .

2012-01-25T18:50:00.000-04:00

paws and reflect...

protection...

Invasive Species: Groups Propose Spending $9.5 Billion To Protect Lakes, Rivers...

oh, crap...

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bookman, old style [my favorite typeface]

Free Font: Bookman Old Style

thought...

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5:00...

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yuppers!

Is it time for constitutional reform in Canada?

go...fish!

better...

ai sed NO piks!

read -

not eye mac?

snowy owls...

Snowy owls soar south from Arctic in rare mass migration...

lending...

Borrowing money can be a touchy subject and has the potential to destroy relationships.

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Should You Give Money to Family Members?

buy it?

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make it...

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How to become a millionaire...

Building $1 million in net worth requires the application of unusual skills and/or dogged effort.

warm comfort foods...

perfect pasta pals...

MAJOR RANT!

twits...

hold...

superbowl *yawn*

snow...

think. . .

upload...

right.

sfx...

martin...

what question, idjit?

floor...

gac [guilty as charged]

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win8...

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weird . . .

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Blame Arctic oscillation, weather experts say...

world leader...

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Inside Hitler's Private World...

Never-before-seen pictures show how the Fuhrer spent his time at home.

Photos of the Day

More Slideshows

Interior view of the massive offfice of German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler in the Reichskanzlei (Reichs Chancellery, Berlin, Germany, late 1930s or early 1940s.

(Photo by Hugo Jaeger/Time & Life Pictures)

dragon...

matter. . .

hey, fatty!

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6 Diet Mistakes That Make You... Fat!

warning!

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Symantec tells customers to disable pcAnywhere software...

wake...

mind .. .. ..

me too . . .

hair of the dog...

maybe. . .

body...

superbowl yawn