Aileen Wuornos last words 'I'll be back like Independence Day'
Showing posts with label Article. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Article. Show all posts
Friday, October 14, 2011
Aileen Wuornos last words 'I'll be back like Independence Day'
Princess Diana's last words 'Oh my God'
Princess Diana's last words 'Oh my God'
French firefighter Damian Dalby, one of the first people to arrive on the crash scene in Paris, testified Wednesday at the inquest into Diana's death that she uttered her last words, "Oh my God," as paparazzi closed in on the scene and snapped photos of the wreckage.
For the first time in the inquest, the jury was told that Diana was trying to speak as she lay injured in the wreckage of the car.
Dalby said that at the back of the car, the right-hand side door was open.
As Dalby rushed over to the door, in her final moments he heard Diana say, "Oh my God."
"It will make the jury more sympathetic to Diana, because a lot of people have been in a near miss, when everything happens quickly and they think they are going to die. Panic sets in and then. 'oh my God,'" royal correspondent Ingrid Seward said.
Dalby says there was already a photographer at the scene, but he did not block Dalby from trying to help Diana as she lay in the back of the limo. Moments later, the paparazzi were swarming the wreckage.
"It just doesn't sound good the way they behaved. One of them opened the door just to take photographs," Seward said.
He said he remembers another photographer shouting "she's alive," and pushing the others away, trying to stop them from taking pictures. But some of them didn't listen.
When French police tried to control the paparazzi, Dalby remembers one of them saying, "We are earning our money out of this, leave us to do our job."
Photographers began pursuing Diana and her friend Dodi Al Fayed that tragic night in August 1997. As they left the Ritz hotel, Diana could be seen trying to shield her face, getting into the car with Dodi with the paparazzi following them all the while.
Just minutes later, Diana and Fayed's journey ended when the limo hit the tunnel's 13th pillar.
Police arrested the photographers at the time of the crash on suspicion that they'd caused it, but a French investigation concluded there wasn't enough evidence to charge them.
"The focus now shifts to paparazzi," Seward said. "I think the paparazzi are going to get more blame than they have so far."
Source: abcnews
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Heroine & horse Tonk to appear on national TV
Heroine & horse Tonk to appear on national TV
"The deer peeled off and joined the horses sprinting down the trail," Bolster said. "So the bear just continued running right past me. I'm not sure the bear even knew the roles had changed, but now it was chasing a horse instead of a deer."
The boy's father was unable to get his horse to turn around to help his son.
"The last thing he saw over his shoulder as his horse ran away was the grizzly chasing his boy," Bolster said.
Bolster was able to get her horse, Tonk, to follow the bear.
"The boy was bent over, feet out of the stirrups, clutching the saddle horn and the horse's neck," she said.
She said she screamed and yelled, but the bear was growling and snarling and focusing on Scout.
"As it tried to circle back toward Scout, I realized I had to get Tonk to square off and face the bear," she said. "We had to get the bear to acknowledge us. We did. We got its attention — and the bear charged. Heroine & horse Tonk to appear on national TV, late show with david letterman,
"So I charged at the bear," she told The Spokesman-Review. "I had no hesitation, honestly. Nothing in my body was going to let that little boy get hurt by that bear."
She and Tonk had to charge at the bear three times before they finally hazed it away.
"The boy had landed in some bear grass and was OK," she said.
Bolster pulled the boy up on Tonk, grabbed Scout's lead and headed down the trail toward the rest of the group.
The boy "was fine, and I got my biggest tip of the season," Bolster said.
Tonk — a cross between a quarter horse and a draft horse — had been leased by Swan Mountain Outfitters for the summer.
Source: greatfallstribune
Thursday, October 6, 2011
The remarkable career of Steve Jobs
The remarkable career of Steve Jobs
1955-1976
Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco, a fitting locale for the California boy who would later put a nearby town on the map.
While attending classes at high school in Cupertino, which later became famous for housing Apple's headquarters, Jobs found a summer gig at Hewlett-Packard, where he worked alongside a fellow employee named Steve Wozniak.Jobs would enrol in Portland's Reed College in 1972, but stay for only one semester, making him one of the most successful school dropouts of all-time.
After his college days, Jobs took up work at video game maker Atari, yet kept steady his partnership with Wozniak at a computer club in Silicon Valley. Steve Jobs' incomparable legacy,
1976-1984
In 1976, along with Wozniak and another man that would quickly be bought out of the company, Jobs founded Apple. The computer maker would flounder for years in the still untapped tech market, but Jobs' imprint on the business was felt immediately.
Two years after its founding, Jobs recruited an outside man - Mike Scott from tech manufacturer National Semiconductor - to serve as CEO, and while his reign left little mark on the company, it allowed Jobs to focus on the tech component of Apple's enterprise. ronald wayne sell apple shares,
In 1983, Jobs lured a man named John Sculley from Pepsi to act as Apple's chief exec, famously proposing, "Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?"
1984
Following Jobs' bringing of John Sculley to his company, Apple officially reached the mainstream with its stunning George Orwell-inspired commercial that aired during the 1984 Super Bowl. The dystopian ad, which famously cost $1.5 million and was directed by Ridley Scott, launched the Macintosh into public consciousness, going on sale two days after the well-received commercial. Sales weren't huge at the time - the computer's inflation-adjusted retail tag of more than $5,000 surely hindered consumer adoption - but the Macintosh, the first in the series of Macs that are still being issued today, proved no one knew how to release a product with more hype and fanfare than Steve Jobs.
1985-1996
Despite its recent success, Apple was not immune to turmoil in its early days, and remarkably the brand's most iconic figure was absent from the company for more than a decade beginning in the mid '80s. After being relieved of his duties as head of the Macintosh division, Steve Jobs left Apple to form his own business, NeXT Computer, in 1985. Even with the high consumer cost of the devices NeXT would put to market, Jobs was able to advance personal computing in his time apart from Apple, including the release of NeXTMail, an interactive email system that was among the first to support clickable graphics and audio within web messages. the next steve jobs,
1996-2001
Late in 1996, Apple announced it would buy NeXT Computer for $429 million, a deal that brought Jobs back to the company he co-founded. The blue jean, black turtleneck-clad Jobs returned to the tech maker's CEO position, a rank in which some colleagues say he glowered from - intimidating co-workers as the company's brooding boss. But Jobs may have been excused for his questionable temperament. At task for the tech titan was returning Apple to profitability, a lofty goal for the brand, whose portfolio was littered with sunken projects and a stock price of just $5.22 per share as 1996 closed. Certainly, the best move of Jobs' early return years was the release of the iPod, the transcendent portable music device that debuted in 2001. As of December, 2010, nearly 300 million iPods had been sold worldwide.
2007
The world’s best-selling cell phones, Though marketing and design guru Jonathan Ive gets much of the credit for Apple's consumer devices, it was nonetheless Steve Jobs captaining the ship when the company released its next-generation gadget, the iPhone. Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in January, 2007, showing the wonders of the touch-screen phone, which was to be released six months later. Surely, the buzz tactics Jobs practiced in 1984 with Apple's Super Bowl commercial helped the CEO build a fever pitch over the iPhone; blogs and Internet message boards brewed with anticipation ahead of its release, and fans lined up around corners for days to be the first to get their hands on the cell phone of the future. The iPhone, now in its fourth generation, has easily become the most coveted smartphone on the market today, and Jobs turned a risky move - entering the mobile marketplace - into a lucrative one: the iPhone is now Apple's largest money maker. The world’s best-selling cell phones,
2010
What's better than an iPhone? How about a bigger version, with no ability to make phone calls, yes, but enough appeal to change the personal computer market forever? Indeed, Apple's iPad tablet was a game changer when it released last year, yet remarkably it could have come sooner. Steve Jobs maintained that the iPad was in development before the iPhone, but shelved temporarily when the CEO realized its features could work just as well on a mobile device. When Jobs did release the iPad, its reasonable price point (as little as $499) made it a smash with consumers, who snapped up 300,000 of the units on its very first day in stores. In just one month, Apple had sold one million iPads, half the time it took to sell the same number of iPhones.
2011
Steve Jobs officially resigned from Apple's top post in August of this year, but his health has been poor since 2004, when he announced he'd been diagnosed with a cancerous tumour in his pancreas. Later that year, Jobs underwent a procedure that appeared to successfully remove the tumour, though he would be dogged by inquiries into his health for years - most notably in 2006, when he was observed looking thin, gaunt and lethargic at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference. reaction to steve jobs death, The Apple boss would appear in good health in the subsequent years, but a 2009 liver transplant seemed to kick start another fall to sickness, and in January, 2011, Jobs was granted a medical leave ahead of his official resignation. Still, in spite of failing health, Jobs was very much a part of Apple's business, and one of his last cutthroat moves helped boost his company and doom a competitor. As Research In Motion prepared to debut its new tablet, a direct challenger to the iPad, Apple stepped in and released its iPad 2 just one month before the PlayBook, driving sales to the iPad's successor and totally undercutting any momentum RIM hoped to achieve. reaction to steve jobs death,
Top 5 Letdowns of iPhone 4S
Top 5 Letdowns of iPhone 4S
The iPhone 4S' stunning 3.5-inch "retina" display is no improvement over the iPhone 4's screen, which debuted way back in June 2010--an eternity (or longer) in the mobile arena. Since then, competing Android phones have gone behemoth in a big way. In fact, four of the top five handsets on PCWorld's Top 10 Cell Phones chart have 4-inch or larger screens. All are Android models. Top 5 Letdowns of iPhone 4S,
So whatever happened to the rumored edge-to-edge or curved glass screen on the next-gen iPhone? Not this year, apparently.
No New Design
The iPhone 4S' (unofficial) motto: Same on the outside, better on the inside. If you were expecting a daring teardrop shape, or something truly cutting-edge such as a pico projector to project images onto a nearby surface, today's unveiling had to be a bummer.
No 4G
The iPhone 4S is a 3G-capable handset, just like its predecessor. But numerous rumors had suggested Apple would launch a 4G-enabled iPhone in the fall.
Alas, this isn't the case, although Apple today did trumpet iPhone 4S' ability to double the theoretical maximum HSDPA data speed to a 4G-like 14.4 Mbps.
That said, the growing number of 4G phones on the market does make the iPhone 4S seem behind the times--at least in terms of data speeds.
No Sprint Exclusive
OK, this was by far the dumbest of the pre-launch rumors, but I'm sure somebody, somewhere believed it: the next-gen iPhone would launch exclusively on Sprint!
Sure, makes tons of sense. Apple's going to snub the two biggest U.S. wireless carriers to sign an exclusive deal with the third-place guy.
Didn't come to pass, of course. The good news, though, is that Sprint is getting the iPhone 4S--along with AT&T and Verizon Wireless, naturally.
No iPhone 5
Despite months of "iPhone 5" scuttlebutt, Apple's magical 5th-gen phone--with its teardrop shape, 4.5-inch curved edge-to-edge display, pico projector, and 5G 100 Mbps service--simply failed to materialize.
Oh, well. Let the new iPhone rumors begin!
What Steve Jobs taught us about failure
What Steve Jobs taught us about failure
His death came after he was forced to step down from his position as chief executive of Apple because of the ongoing health problems. He stayed on as chairman of the company.
By the time he turned the reins of the company over to his second in command, Tim Cook, Jobs had become one of the business world’s greatest comeback kids.
The company he founded, was fired from, and then returned to has gone from also-ran to technology industry leader. Under Jobs’ intensely detail-oriented leadership, Apple created several iconic products, including the iPod, iPhone and iPad, which have changed the face of consumer technology forever.
Apple also is now one of the most valuable companies in America by market capitalization. Jobs was one of the richest men in the world.
He wasn’t always in the enviable position of being both Wall Street and Silicon Valley’s darling.
College dropout Like Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, Jobs never graduated from college.
In fact, he only made it through about six months at Reed College, a highly selective liberal arts school in Oregon, before dropping out because he thought it was too expensive for his middle-class parents.
In a commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005, Jobs recalled sleeping on friends’ floors and walking across town to the Hare Krishna temple for free meals. But he also recalled how dropping out left him with time to take a calligraphy class, which later would inform the typography aesthetic of the first Mac.
“If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do,” he said in the commencement speech.
Fired executive Career coaches and leadership gurus will often say that getting fired can be the best thing that ever happened to you, but that can be hard to believe if you’re the one being shown the door.
That’s especially true when you consider the case of Jobs. He wasn’t just fired. He was dumped by Apple, his baby, the company he had co-founded in his garage with pal Steve Wozniak.
The firing came after a power struggle in which the board of directors sided with John Sculley, a former Pepsi executive had been brought in to run the company.
In the Stanford commencement speech, Jobs recalled the devastating public humiliation of being ousted, and conceded that he even considered running away from Silicon Valley. Only later did he see how the blow helped him.
“I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life,” Jobs said in the Stanford commencement speech.
Instead of running away, during his time away from Apple Jobs bought the animation studio Pixar and started the computer company NeXT.
Pixar revolutionized animated moviemaking with releases such as “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo” and “Cars.” It later was sold to The Walt Disney Co.
Unsuccessful businessman NeXT wasn’t quite as successful as Pixar. Jobs’ dream of a pricey, beautiful computer, dubbed the Cube because of its shape, never found its niche. The company’s software also wasn’t widely adopted.
In an eviscerating 1991 article, Forbes said Jobs “has made fundamentally wrong decisions that could well doom the venture.”
“None of this is to deny Jobs the credit due him for what he did in cofounding Apple. But there are very few miracle workers in the business world, and it is now clear that Steve Jobs is not one of them,” author Julia Pitta wrote in the Forbes piece.
Still, even NeXT ended up being an important stepping stone for Jobs. In 1997, a struggling Apple bought NeXT and incorporated some of the company’s technology into Apple products. The deal also brought Jobs back to the company, and he eventually took over as CEO.
When the prodigal Jobs returned to Apple, many were openly speculating whether Apple was beyond salvation, as the company wallowed in financial losses and seemed to have lost direction.
By now, it’s safe to say Jobs proved them wrong.
Steve Jobs Has Died
In 1984, after losing a power struggle with the board of directors, Jobs left the Apple and creates his own company - NeXT, which develops computer platform for universities and businesses. 1985: Jobs co-founded the animation studio Pixar. In 2006, acquired The Walt Disney Company. Steve Jobs Has Died
Steve Jobs became the largest private shareholder of Disney (7%) and board member of Disney. Under his leadership, the studio produced such films as "Toy Story" and "Monsters, Inc.". After 12 years, Apple bought NeXT, and Jobs is again at the helm of the company, which he founded. He invents the iPhone and iPad - the first phones and tablet computers with a glass multi-touch display. In 2004 it became known that the doctors found a malignant tumor of Jobs in the pancreas. Later, the tumor was successfully removed. In 2009, entrepreneurs and innovators had an operation on a liver transplant. himself preferred not to spread Jobs on his health, although becoming more noticeable leanness, indicating that the depletion of global concern.
On January 17, 2011 Steve Jobs was on leave as health. Several times he interrupted a vacation to personally introduce to the public next new Apple. August 24, 2011 Jobs announced his retirement from the post of head of Apple. In his letter of resignation, he strongly recommended the appointment of his successor, Tim Cook. At her request, Jobs was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors Apple. Steve Jobs passed away October 5, 2011 - a day after the presentation of a new product line from Apple, which was unable to attend personally.
Advice for Renters
Advice for Renters
Determine your needs
Price range
Price is one the most important considerations. Decide how much you can afford or want to spend. Remember to factor in utility costs, parking and your usual monthly bills. Knowing your price range from the outset will focus your search, saving you time.
Location
It is important that the neighbourhood you choose to live in is well suited to you and your family. Consider the distance from your work place or schools. Do you mind a long commute every day? Is public transportation easily accessible? Is it a high crime area? Is it close to amenities such as grocery stores, doctor offices and the post office?
Type of apartment
Consider the size of your family and the space you require for your furniture and other possessions. Will you be happy in 500 square feet or will you need 1000? Will a one-room bachelor be adequate or do you require a one, two or three bedroom apartment? Typically, the larger the apartment the higher the rent will be.
Features and amenities
Determine what features you need or desire in your future home. Is an en suite or on-site laundry facility important or do you mind going to a Laundromat ? Does the building feature security features such as security patrols, video cameras or a controlled-access public entry? Do you want the convenience of a dishwasher, an on-site gym or pool, a balcony etc.?
Once you have determined your needs, searching for an apartment will be much easier. Click here to search our listings now.
Inspect the apartment
Never rent an apartment sight-unseen. It is essential that you tour the apartment and examine it closely for problems. Areas that warrant inspection include:
The building
What is the state of repair outside and inside? Are common areas kept clean and in good repair? Are the walls in need of paint? If maintenance appears to be lacking it could be a sign of poor building management.
The apartment
Upon entering the apartment take note of general appearance and upkeep. Are the carpets or flooring worn? Are the walls cracked or in need of paint? Is there staining on the roof or walls (an indication of a water leak). Check all light switches and outlets to ensure they are working. Poor general maintenance may also be an indication of poor maintenance in other areas.
Doors and windoes
Are there secure locks, a peephole and deadbolts on all outside doors? Check for drafts around windows, doors, light switches and electric outlets. If you are paying for heating, a drifty apartment could be cold and costly in winter.
The kitchen
Check faucets for water pressure and hot water. Examine the base of the faucet for leaks and look under the sink for signs of water damage. Turn on the stove and oven and check that the refrigerator, dishwasher and any other appliances are in good working order.
The bathroom
Check faucets for water pressure and hot water. Examine the base of the faucet for leaks and look under the sink and around the tub or shower stall for signs of water damage. Press gently on tile. If the tile moves, it could be a sign of water damage in the wall behind the tile. Flush the toilet to ensure it drains properly.
Questions to ask before you sign the lease
If you have found an apartment that fits your needs you should ask the landlord about important details regarding conditions of the lease and building regulations. Remember, the lease is for your protection too. Ensure that any verbal promises are also included in the lease. Get it in writing.
- How long is the lease? (Typically one year, although shorter periods including month to month are available.)
- Can I sublet the apartment if my circumstances change before the lease period is over?
- How much do you require for a deposit?
- Can I have roommates?
- Are any utilities included in the cost of rent? What about parking?
- Is there special building rules regarding quiet times, pets etc.?
- What is the procedure for obtaining repairs to the apartment? Is emergency maintenance available 24 hours a day?
- What maintenance (if any) am I responsible for? What changes can I make to the apartment (paint, wallpaper, carpeting, pictures or shelves that attach to the wall)?
- When is the apartment available?
- When can I move in?
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Highest Paying Jobs
Highest Paying Jobs
We decided to make this list separate from our highest paying careers list. Although most of the information is very similar we didn’t factor in the importance of money made over the life of the career. The list of highest paying jobs dealt more with how much a job would earn per year rather then over an entire career. We didn’t include jobs such as entertainers, athletes ect… Because those numbers fluctuate so drastically and do not really represent an accurate assessment of those chosen career paths.
Highest Paying Jobs Top 20 – Non-Medical
1 – Chief Executives
2 – Actuary
3 – Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
4 – Lawyers
5 – Petroleum Engineers
6 – Physicists
7 – Marketing Managers
8 – Sales Managers
9 – Computer and Information Systems Managers
10 – Financial Managers
11 – Engineering Managers
12 – Natural Sciences Managers
13 – Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
14 – Nuclear Engineers
15 – Astronomers
16 – Law Teachers, Postsecondary
17 – Air Traffic Controllers
18 – Public Relations Managers
19 – Computer Hardware Engineers
20 – Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
Highest Paying Jobs Top 15 – Medical
1- Surgeons
2 – Anesthesiologists
3 – Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
4 – Orthodontists
5 – Obstetricians and Gynecologists
6 – Internists
7 – Physicians and Surgeons, All Other
8 – Family and General Practitioners
9 – Psychiatrists
10 – Pediatricians
11 – Dentist General
12 – Dentist Specialist
13 – Podiatrists
14 – Optometrists
15 – Pharmacists
As with our highest paying careers list most of the highest paying jobs are in the medical community. We kept these lists separate that way we were able to include more jobs that didn’t deal in just medicine. We wanted to make sure that our best paying jobs list gave an accurate and overall look at the different fields that are earning top money in todays job market.
Highest Paying Jobs Specifics
If you are someone searching for a new job this list can be very helpful in formulating new career ideas. You can look at the professions listed to start seeing which fields might be the best paying. None of these professions on the list should be jumped into lightly. Most require a bachelors and a masters degree. If you are interested in which degrees can help you get one of the many top paying jobs out there then you can have a look at Highest Paying Degrees. Some of these jobs, especially in the medical field require even more education and training. If you do feel you have what it takes and are ready to work hard, you just may be rewarded with one of the highest paying jobs!
Source: highest-paying-careers
2011 Minimum Wage
2011 Minimum Wage
States that are increasing their minimum wage
Arizona
$7.35/hr. Effective January 1, 2011, the Arizona minimum wage will increase from $7.25 to $7.35 per hour. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 23-363.
Montana
$7.35/hr. Effective January 1, 2011, Montana’s minimum wage will increase from $7.25 to $7.35 per hour. Mont. Code Ann. § 39-3-409.
Ohio
$7.40/hr ($3.70/hr for tipped employees). Effective January 1, 2011, the Ohio minimum wage will increase from $7.25 to $7.40 per hour. Constitution of the State of Ohio, Art. II, § 34a.
Oregon
$8.50/hr. Effective January 1, 2011, there will be an increase to the Oregon minimum wage from $8.40 to $8.50 per hour. Or. Rev. Stat. § 653.025.
Vermont
$8.15/hr ($3.95/hr for tipped employees). Effective January 1, 2011, the Vermont minimum wage will increase from $8.06 to $8.15 per hour. Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 384.
Washington
$8.67/hr ($7.37/hr for minors aged 14 to 15 years old). Effective January 1, 2011, the State of Washington increases its minimum wage for the first time in 2 years from $8.55 to $8.67 per hour. Wash. Rev. Code § 49.46.020.
States proposing to increase their minimum wage
Colorado
The Colorado Department of Labor & Employment announced a proposed increase to the state minimum wage (to $7.36/hr; $4.34/hr for tipped employees) which would take effect January 1, 2011 and create a new Minimum Wage Order. Const. of the State of Colorado, Art. XVIII, § 15; Proposed Colorado Minimum Wage Order No. 27.
States that elected not to change the minimum wage
Florida
$7.25/hr. The Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation announced that the state minimum wage will remain unchanged in 2011. Constitution of the State of Florida, Article X, section 24.
Missouri
$7.25/hr. The Missouri Department of Labor announced that the state’s minimum wage will remain the same in 2011. Missouri Revised Statutes §290.502.
American Samoa & Northern Mariana Islands
On September 30, 2010, President Obama signed a bill, H.R. 3940, which delays the minimum wage increases which were scheduled to take effect in American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The minimum wage in American Samoa varies by industry. The CNMI minimum wage is $5.05 per hour.
Source: wageandhourcounsel
Feist Metals
Feist Metals
For her new album "Metals", the Canadian went searching for silence and a clear horizon, recording in an oceanside barn in California.
Licensed from her 2007 album The Reminder, the track "1234" became a Youtube hit, turning Feist from indie singer to mainstream pop artist almost overnight -- even earning her a guest slot on the Sesame Street children's TV show.
But after three years packed with gigs, television appearances, video shoots and non-stop touring, it was time to stop and "take a deep breath", the soft-spoken singer told AFP in an interview in Paris.
"There's no way you can predict something like that happening," Feist, whose breakthrough album went on to pick up six of Canada's Juno Awards and four Grammy nominations, said of her sudden success.
"It kind of created a bit of a fire. I ended up not really understanding what was happening, so that was part of the reason to take a break."
For the following two years, Feist sought out silence.
"I had had so much volume around me for so many years that I found myself really not wanting to listen to music. I really enjoyed the sounds of the trees, the sound of the street, or the sound of dogs barking."
Until last Autumn, when she hunkered down in her garage, and in the space of three months wrote the 12 tracks on "Metals", her fourth studio album which hits the shelves on October 3.
"These songs really are more of an album than anything I have done before," Feist told AFP. "I had taken long enough away that I lost my habits, and I felt very new again musically."
"Metals" sweeps in an arc from melancholy and anger, to light and hope, with Feist's clear, smooth vocals backed at times by strumming folk guitars and bright drums, at others by heavy punk rock chords.
Bittersweet lyrics speak of the way "a good man, a good woman can't find the good in each other", of a struggle that "held me down tight, took all my fight" -- of a "cycle of devastation and recovery" in the singer's own words.
-- 'Possibility to adapt' --
"All we need is a horizon line" to "get some clarity, follow the signs", she sings on "The Circle Meets the Line" half way through the album, one of several tracks in which nature, cliffs and the open sky are a vivid presence.
Once the songwriting was done, Feist called in fellow Canadian musicians Mocky and Gonzales to work on the arrangements, and then went looking for a place to record.
Based on what the songs were about, "and they had a sort of elemental basis," she says "you squint at a map in your mind and you picture -- where does it make sense to go find these?"
The place, it turned out, was a barn in Big Sur, a natural enclave on the Californian coast beloved of artists from John Steinbeck -- who set several works there -- to Joan Baez.
"It's incredibly unlikely we would find a place that perfect," Feist said. "It's just a giant wooden empty space with light pouring in and two wood stoves at either end to keep it warm."
"You can see the ocean, between two hills, and every night that's exactly where the sun would set. And the whole thing was built kind of, at keeping in mind the elements."
For a title, Feist wanted a concept that could "blanket" the album.
"Metal has been a major building block of every civilisation," she said, whether turned into weapons, tools or jewellery, technology or scaffolding.
"Metal is such a changeable substance. It doesn't exist at the surface of the earth. So it's a crazy amount of effort and ingenuity and imagination to find it and turn it into something else."
"I felt like it had enough movement in it, that it can change depending on what each song wanted from it," she said. "Each song became a little stronger once I'd found the title."
After years spent performing the same hits, Feist said she aimed this time around for a kind of universality in her lyrics, for "songs that I can bring with me when I'm 80."
"I tried to plant the possibility for it to adapt with me," she said. "I tried to be really responsible for the fact I know I'm going to be singing these songs for the rest of my life."
Source:yahoo
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
+Mosquito Bite Prevention
+Mosquito Bite Prevention
Tips for preventing mosquito bites include:
- Staying indoors – The most common mosquito species prefer to feed at dawn and dusk and will continue feeding two to three hours after dark. Try to avoid going outside as much as possible during these times. Be aware, however, that some species feed during the day and are aggressive biters.
- Wearing light, loose clothing – One way mosquitoes select prey is by homing in on the heat produced by warm-blooded bodies. Dark-colored clothing traps heat, making the wearer the warmest prey for the mosquito. Mosquitoes also have photosensitive eyes that can detect bright colors. And, looser clothing makes it more difficult for the mosquito to penetrate the skin.
- Avoid scented bath products – Although the reasons aren't clear, mosquitoes seem to be attracted to fragrances used in shampoos, colognes, perfumes and lotions. Not every product or scent will attract them, but many do, so it is best to leave them off when spending time outdoors.
- Use repellents – Sprays that mask the skin odors most attractive to mosquitoes make it possible for people to hide in plain sight. A repellent containing DEET or another proven chemical blinds the receptors mosquitoes use to pick up on skin odors, meaning they aren't able to locate their prey. Apply it lightly to exposed skin, avoiding cuts and sores.
Combining these tips along with sensible mosquito control strategies around your home plus a mosquito trap should provide the best overall protection. +Mosquito Bite Prevention,
Source: mosquitoworld
How much do I need to save for retirement
How much do I need to save for retirement
A new poll for NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health finds retirement is proving more difficult than expected for many Americans, in large part because they haven't saved enough. So we set out to ask: How much do you need?
To appreciate the answer, though, here's another question: What's the biggest threat to a good life in your golden years?
"Living too long," says Dallas Salisbury, president of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). He tried to drive this point home with his own parents. They were in their mid-80s, as old as they ever expected to live. But he pulled out his computer to show they had a 50 percent chance of living until age 99.
"And they looked at me and just shook their heads, and said, 'You are the most depressing person we've ever met,' " he recalls.
Well, his parents did live to 94, proving Salisbury's warning not to base retirement savings on your "average" life expectancy. That means, don't fall for claims you can retire on 5 or 10 times your annual income — or investment plans based on growth rates not seen since the 1990s. Here is Salisbury's rule of thumb, and you might want to be sitting down now:
"I use something that I call the Rule of 33," he says. "You need 33 times what you want to spend in your first year of retirement."
Now, you subtract from that what you'll get from Social Security. Still, it's a daunting sum. Another way of figuring it is this: Save 15 percent of your income, every year, starting with your first job.
The later you wait to start, the greater chunk of your income you should set aside. Although on graphs he presents in congressional and media hearings, Salisbury caps that number at 25 percent, "because otherwise you would end up spending the afternoon crying." For individuals, EBRI has its own online retirement calculator.
So what does this mean for a middle-earner, making roughly $47,000? Salisbury pulls out a calculator.
"That individual's going to need savings of about $900,000," he says.
"Well, I think he's right, that's what you should have," says Cindy Hounsell, president of the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement. "But nobody's going to have that."
Hounsell points out that more than half of Americans are at risk of not having enough money for basic expenses when they retire. She offers a kinder, gentler formula for calculating a nest egg. How much do I need to save for retirement,
"I think people need to take their W-2 form, and see what did they spend [in the] last year."
From that, she says you subtract taxes, insurance premiums and other payouts. Then subtract what you'll get from Social Security and any 401(k). Again, taking that hypothetical median income, let's say this number comes out to $15,000.
"And then you think you're going to live 20 years," Hounsell says. "That would only be $300,000."
That sounds a lot better. But Hounsell admits this does not account for inflation, health care, or living longer. She worries people will simply give up if they're too discouraged by the little amount they've actually saved.
"We want them to treasure it, and preserve it, and feel good about it," she says. But part of planning for retirement is also the realization that "you're going to have to cut out a lot of things."
There is good news, mostly for younger workers. More companies are now automatically enrolling them into 401(k) plans. That will have a huge payoff, says Mary Beth Franklin, of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. The challenge, she says, is that younger workers are likely to change jobs a lot, allowing them to cash out their 401(k).
"The temptation is, maybe it's not a lot of money," she says. "Maybe it's $2[000] or $3,000, and you think, 'Hey, I'll pay off a credit card bill.' That is really dangerous."
Resist the temptation, Franklin says, and roll the money into your new plan.
Another common mistake? Collecting Social Security too early.
"Seventy-five percent of retirees grab those benefits at 62," says Franklin, "as soon as they can, some of them not realizing they're taking a 25 percent cut in their benefits for the rest of their life."
Mostly, Franklin and the other retirement experts all advise: Just keep saving, all you can, month in and month out. Sure, it's depressing now. But you'll thank them later. How much do I need to save for retirement,
Increase in Social Security full retirement age
Increase in Social Security full retirement age
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee National Press Secretary Ryan Rudominer told Hotsheet in response to the comment that the Republican "blueprint" is to privatize Social Security and Medicare, citing the budget of Representative Paul Ryan (R - Wis.). (Republicans are quick to note that while Ryan's "blueprint" for the future has advocated such measures, he has not put them forward as the House Republican budget.)
Liberal group Americans United for Change, meanwhile, said Boehner "hopes to unravel progress made as far back as 70 years by scaling back Social Security" and said the "ant" comment reflects "a blunt acknowledgment of the ant-sized appreciation Republican leaders have for the pain and suffering working Americans are still feeling in the wake of the meltdown on Wall Street."
Boehner spokesman Michael Steel told Hotsheet that Democrats are twisting the "ant" comment and noted that Boehner advocated raising the Social Security retirement age at President Obama's fiscal summit last year, as part of an effort to reduce the deficit.
It's also important to note that some in the liberal base have complained that Democrats themselves are working to scale back Social Security and Medicare via President Obama's bipartisan deficit commission, which is charged with bringing down the deficit to three percent of the economy by 2015. Increase in Social Security full retirement age,
Discussing the type of entitlement reforms the deficit commission could recommend, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said earlier this month: "On the spending side, we could and should consider a higher retirement age, or one pegged to lifespan, more progressive Social Security and Medicare benefits; and a stronger safety net for the Americans who need it most."
Source: cbsnews
Keys to retirement planning
Keys to retirement planning
Another chapter discusses longevity and how long you might expect to live given your current age. For example, a 50-year-old male expects to live another 25.5 years while a 50-year-old female expects to live another 29.6 years. Such a table gives an idea of how long your kitty must last.
The basic investment vehicles, such as bonds, money market funds, treasury securities, stocks, and mutual funds, tax-exempt bonds, etc., are discussed. Asset allocation is briefly mentioned.
Keys To Retirement Planning also discusses IRA's, Keogh, SEP, 401(k) and other tax-deferred ways of investing. The book was written in the early 1990's and there is no discussion of Roth IRA's.
Another chapter discusses Social Security Benefits. Estate planning is also mentioned. Overall, Keys To Retirement Planning is a decent introduction to retirement planning. However, it is probably only a good introduction. You will probably want to consult other sources to learn more about investing, estate planning, and other retirement planning topics.
The book ends with a mention of the various financial planning experts such as money managers, stockbrokers, accountants, lawyers, etc., and how they can help you. Again, Boroson counsels, the key is finding an intelligent, knowledgeable expert who has your own interest at heart, rather than someone who just desires to spend your retirement money on his "investment" opportunity.
Becoming financially savvy by reading and learning about investments and personal financial planning is a good start for planning your retirement effectively. Keys to retirement planning,
Source: bainvestor
Social Security Card Replacement
Social Security Card Replacement
Head to a local Social Security office and fill out a replacement card application. Or download the proper forms via the Social Security Administration website.
Be sure to have identification. If you choose to get a replacement Social Security card in person, have your drivers license, state issued I.D., passport, school I.D., birth certificate or other acceptable form of identification.
Opt to mail in your Social Security replacement application. If you do not need a new copy of your Social Security card immediately, you can mail in the application with certified copies of proper identification.
Avoid losing your Social Security card. To prevent lost, stolen or destroyed Social Security cards, do not carry it around with you. Keep the card in a safe place and only bring it with you when you need to show the card for official business.
Carry a plastic or metal card. If you must carry a copy of your Security Card, or forget your Social Security number easily, carry a metal or plastic version that won't easily be destroyed. These cards are rarely acceptable forms of identification; they are more for your own use.
Read more: ehow
50/50 movie review
50/50 movie review, Though some in the audience may feel uncomfortable with the notion of a cancer comedy in Jonathan Levine's 50/50, when it comes to a potentially terminal diagnosis beyond the power of doctors to heal, sometimes laughter is indeed the best medicine. And as relayed with raw candor and blunt emotion uniquely through the eyes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's suddenly stricken young patient - and based on screenwriter Will Reiser's own personal bout with the disease at the age of twenty-five - 50/50 gets it ruthlessly when not raucously right.
Levitt is Adam in 50/50, a shy, sensitive young man with an entry level job at a radio station and a promising future. Even if he's into denial regarding his infatuation with glamorous trophy girlfriend Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard), who may be hanging around more out of pity than passion. A less than fulfilling aspect of his life compensated by the constant cheerful if not frequently over the top presence of boisterous best friend, Kyle (Seth Rogen).
But Adam's life is suddenly and brutally transformed when back pain leads to a diagnosis of a rare form of spinal cancer. And an online search of the malignancy that socks him with 50/50 survival odds. Along with an ordeal that is much about limited treatment options and grueling side effects, as the borderline surreal awkwardness and inability of those close to him, to rationally deal with his illness or console him.
Much more than a cut above typical disease dramas, 50/50 spins eccentric humor out of savage heartbreak. And targets both the sick and supportive with equal opportunity satirical relish, that taunts but never trivializes the human condition as universal borrowed time. With splendid, humbling moments touching on for instance, a blundering novice cancer specialty shrink (Anna Kendrick) receiving role reversal on the job training from Adam's impatient patient; the flaky gift of a retired racing dog for creature comfort back home; Adam's flustered mom (Anjelica Huston) helplessly offering green tea as the cure she caught on TV; and sampling marijuana macaroons with a stage 3 lymphoma elder (Philip Baker Hall) during shared chemo therapy gab sessions.
A both compassionately crafted and devilishly comical tale playing out in Seattle (by way of Vancouver via the usual outsourced Hollywood), 50/50 illuminates a twentysomething's ironic existence. That is, too old to be a boy mothered in his critical hour of need, yet too young to face death, having never quite lived yet. Including the missed chance that 'I never told a girl I loved her.' And having to deal with the well meaning but frustrating false assurances of others, when Adam just needs someone to level with him that 'I'm dying, dude.'
And perhaps most astonishing of all, is the fortitude which that survivor screenwriter Reiser drew from the outrageous humor of his best friend in real life. And that friend happened to be Seth Rogen.
Summit Entertainment
Rated R
4 stars
Levitt is Adam in 50/50, a shy, sensitive young man with an entry level job at a radio station and a promising future. Even if he's into denial regarding his infatuation with glamorous trophy girlfriend Rachel (Bryce Dallas Howard), who may be hanging around more out of pity than passion. A less than fulfilling aspect of his life compensated by the constant cheerful if not frequently over the top presence of boisterous best friend, Kyle (Seth Rogen).
But Adam's life is suddenly and brutally transformed when back pain leads to a diagnosis of a rare form of spinal cancer. And an online search of the malignancy that socks him with 50/50 survival odds. Along with an ordeal that is much about limited treatment options and grueling side effects, as the borderline surreal awkwardness and inability of those close to him, to rationally deal with his illness or console him.
Much more than a cut above typical disease dramas, 50/50 spins eccentric humor out of savage heartbreak. And targets both the sick and supportive with equal opportunity satirical relish, that taunts but never trivializes the human condition as universal borrowed time. With splendid, humbling moments touching on for instance, a blundering novice cancer specialty shrink (Anna Kendrick) receiving role reversal on the job training from Adam's impatient patient; the flaky gift of a retired racing dog for creature comfort back home; Adam's flustered mom (Anjelica Huston) helplessly offering green tea as the cure she caught on TV; and sampling marijuana macaroons with a stage 3 lymphoma elder (Philip Baker Hall) during shared chemo therapy gab sessions.
A both compassionately crafted and devilishly comical tale playing out in Seattle (by way of Vancouver via the usual outsourced Hollywood), 50/50 illuminates a twentysomething's ironic existence. That is, too old to be a boy mothered in his critical hour of need, yet too young to face death, having never quite lived yet. Including the missed chance that 'I never told a girl I loved her.' And having to deal with the well meaning but frustrating false assurances of others, when Adam just needs someone to level with him that 'I'm dying, dude.'
And perhaps most astonishing of all, is the fortitude which that survivor screenwriter Reiser drew from the outrageous humor of his best friend in real life. And that friend happened to be Seth Rogen.
Summit Entertainment
Rated R
4 stars
Scottish woman wakes up with Italian accent
Scottish woman wakes up with Italian accent
She has since been diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome, an extremely rare medical condition where a person starts speaking in a different accent due to a brain injury, stroke or migraine.
Just 60 people on the planet are affected by the condition when has left Debbie sounding more Botticelli than Braveheart
Mrs McCann said: "I've lived in Glasgow all my life and had a strong Glaswegian accent before the stroke.
"For the first two weeks, I couldn't speak at all and it was very frustrating. When my voice came back, I sounded Chinese. I couldn't believe it.
"Now, people say I sound more like I'm from Italy, yet I've never been to either of those countries."
Mrs McCann was at home with her daughter Julieanne, 24, when her hands started shaking and her speech became slurred.
When Julieanne sat her mum down in a chair, she slumped to one side. She was taken to hospital where a doctor said he thought it might be a minor stroke.
Although tests, including an MRI scan, run by a neurologist came back clear.
Mrs McCann, who was forced to quit her job as a shop assistant, has an appointment with a neurologist in November and hopes they will confirm it was a stroke.
It has left her with weakness on her right side and she is unable to drive.
She was diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome in June after friends said they thought she had the condition after seeing a clip of a sufferer online.
Mrs McCann said: "I'm having speech therapy and every day I wake up hoping my old voice will be back.
"We laughed about it in the beginning but it's become a nightmare for me."
She said it's only now she feels brave enough to go out on her own.
Mrs McCann said: "It's made me very embarrassed to speak to people. I only go shopping where I used to work because everyone knows me there.
"Otherwise I'm constantly having to explain myself.
"I don't like speaking on the phone. When I called the Jobcentre to apply for disability allowance, the lady asked me where I was from.
"I said Glasgow and she said: 'No, where are you from originally?' I had to explain to her I had Foreign Accent Syndrome.
"As time has gone on though, I feel more comfortable."
The condition also affects Mrs McCann's facial movements and she writes with a foreign accent – meaning she often misses out words like 'to' and 'a' from sentences. Scottish woman wakes up with Italian accent,
For example when she wrote to a friend she had been referred to a stroke clinic, she actually wrote: "I been referred to stroke clinic."
Residential children's worker Julieanne said it has been hard watching her mum suffer.
She said: "This time last year, she was completely different person. She was so outgoing and would talk to anyone.
"Now it's me that has to do a lot of the speaking when we go out.
"It's been totally life changing. Her thick Glaswegian accent was part of her identity."
Around 60 people worldwide have been affected Foreign Accent Syndrome since it was first identified in the 1940s when a Norwegian woman was hit by shrapnel and started speaking with a strong German accent. Scottish woman wakes up with Italian accent,
Read more: telegraph
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