Courting Asia, Obama finds that the world intrudes

WASHINGTON (AP) ? For all the attention wrenched elsewhere in recent days ? on new violence in the Middle East, the "fiscal cliff" back home ? President Barack Obama's speedy trip to Southeast Asia achieved a major goal: It was clearly seen in the region as a validation of Asia's strategic importance as the U.S. refocuses its foreign policy to counter China's clout.

It wasn't easy. Even in a Buddhist monastery in Thailand, Obama could not escape the budget woes waiting for him back home. And his historic visit to Myanmar was all but drowned out by the rocket fire and missile strikes between Israel and Gaza. He went half a world away to promote U.S.-style democracy but couldn't leave his troubles behind.

Even as Obama traipsed in stocking feet through a temple in the heart of Bangkok, a monk wished him luck negotiating the deficit-reduction challenge awaiting him in Washington. And the bloodshed in the Middle East, exploding as he toured Southeast Asia for three days, illustrated the limits of U.S. foreign policy even as he tried to display its influence and reach.

But he came away from his trip to this corner of the world ? a place once defined by a cloistered and shunned nation like Myanmar or by Khmer Rouge "killing fields" or by Chinese power ?with at least the hope that the example of U.S. democracy can effect change and strengthen America's hand.

He made his case clearly during a Bangkok news conference:

"It's worked for us for over 200 years now, and I think it's going to work for Thailand and it's going to work for this entire region," he said. "And the alternative, I think, is a false hope that, over time, I think erodes and collapses under the weight of people whose aspirations are not being met."

Establishing a bigger, more influential presence in the Asia-Pacific region has long been an Obama objective, a goal driven by 21st century geopolitical considerations and by the Hawaiian-born president's own self-identity as the first Pacific president.

Just by making the trip ? and by making it his first after his re-election ? Obama made a point about the importance the U.S. attaches to the region.

He was greeted by large crowds chanting his name in Thailand and in Myanmar, a country less than two years removed from a repressive military dictatorship where such assemblies were long forbidden. The English-language Myanmar Times newspaper heralded the arrival of "O-Burma" on its front page, while Thai newspapers praised his apparent interest in the native brand of Buddhism following his monastery visit.

The reception was more muted in neighboring Cambodia, a staunch ally of China that pointedly displayed a sign at the presidential palace welcoming Chinese premier Wen Jiabao but nothing for Obama. Still, there was a message for Asia in Obama's mere presence. The president was attending an annual summit of Southeast Asian leaders in Phnom Penh, yet another indication of U.S. intentions to pay a bigger role in the region.

The trip marked the first time a U.S. president had visited Myanmar and Cambodia.

For decades, Myanmar, despite its alluring pagodas and verdant countryside, was an international outcast with a repressive military junta accused of gross human rights abuses. But last year it began to shift toward democracy, and Obama went there to welcome the change and encourage more.

His motorcade sped to the lakeside home of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent the better part of 20 years under house arrest. He embraced her and praised her as an "icon of democracy."

Obama's aides hoped that image would dominate back in the United States, but news events and coverage didn't go quite as planned. Hostilities in Israel and Gaza overshadowed the president's trip. He spent every day monitoring developments. Monday night he was on the phone until 2:30 from Phnom Penh, calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once and Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi twice.

By Tuesday morning he had dispatched Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who had been traveling with him in Southeast Asia, to the Mideast to engage directly in Jerusalem and Cairo. And he called Morsi again from Air Force One on the way home.

Efforts to break a stalemate with Congress over a deficit-reduction package also dogged him, even as congressional and White House staffs worked to frame details that Obama and legislative leaders could begin negotiating next week.

After the monk surprised him by wishing him well on the fiscal cliff at the Wat Pho monastery, Obama still could not escape it, facing a question about it during his Thailand press conference. No problem, the Americans said.

"We believe the United States can walk and chew gum at the same time," Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said Tuesday in Phnom Penh. The shift of resources and attention to Asia will occur with or without diversions, he said. "We'll continue to move forward with our pivot even as we manage the inevitable crises and challenges that will come up in other regions."

Indeed, after spending months mired in a biting presidential campaign, Obama appeared to revel in being back on the world stage.

The trip was poignant, too. It marked his last overseas tour alongside Clinton, his former rival turned partner. Clinton has long said she plans to leave the administration ahead of Obama's second term, or shortly after it is under way.

Obama and Clinton flew across Southeast Asia together on Air Force One and walked down the plane's front steps together in Myanmar and Cambodia.

He singled her out at Suu Kyi's home. "I could not be more grateful, not only for your service, Hillary, but also for the powerful message that you and Aung San Suu Kyi send about the importance of women ? and men ? everywhere embracing and promoting democratic values and human rights," Obama said.

Aides said the two reminisced aboard the presidential plane flying back from Myanmar to Cambodia.

Clinton herself said traveling with Obama one last time was "bittersweet, nostalgic, all the things you would expect."

___

Follow Jim Kuhnhenn at http://twitter.com/jkuhnhenn

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/courting-asia-obama-finds-world-intrudes-192819133--politics.html

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Daycare linked to being overweight

ScienceDaily (Nov. 16, 2012) ? Young children who attend daycare on a regular basis are 50% more likely to be overweight compared to those who stayed at home with their parents, according to a study by researchers at the University of Montreal and the CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre.

"We found that children whose primary care arrangement between 1.5 and 4 years was in daycare-center or with an extended family member were around 50% more likely to be overweight or obese between the ages of 4-10 years compared to those cared for at home by their parents," said Dr. Marie-Claude Geoffroy, who led the study. "This difference cannot be explained by known risk factors such as socioeconomic status of the parents, breastfeeding, body mass index of the mother, or employment status of the mother."

The researchers studied 1,649 families with children born in 1997-1998 in Qu?bec. The sample was representative of the majority of Qu?bec children. Mothers were interviewed about the care of their children at 1.5 years, 2.5 years, 3.5 years, and 4 years. The children were classified according to the type of care in which they had spent the most total hours, i.e., in a 'daycare centre' (30%), in 'family daycare' (35%), with an 'extended family member' (11%), with a 'nanny' (5%), or with their 'parents' (19%). During the six years that followed, the researchers measured the children's weight and height. Children with excessive weight or obesity were identified using international standards (IOTF).

To date, the mechanisms responsible for the increased proportion of overweight children in some child care situations remains unknown. "Diet and physical activity are avenues to follow," says Dr. Sylvana C?t?, who co-directed the study. "Parents don't have to worry; however, I suggest to parents they ensure their children eat well and get enough physical activity, whether at home or at daycare."

The researchers believe that daycare has the potential to reduce weight problems in children, possibly through the promotion of physical activity and healthy eating. "The enormous potential of the impact of daycare on the nutritional health of children 2-5 years of age was also noted by the Extenso unit of the University of Montreal Nutrition Reference Centre, which has developed a Web portal specifically devoted to children in daycare," said Dr. Jean S?guin, who also co-directed this study.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Universit? de Montr?al, via AlphaGalileo.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Marie-Claude Geoffroy, Chris Power, Evelyne Touchette, Lise Dubois, Michel Boivin, Jean R. S?guin, Richard E. Tremblay, Sylvana M. C?t?. Childcare and Overweight or Obesity over 10 Years of Follow-Up. The Journal of Pediatrics, 2012; DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.09.026

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/6Yg4daLBUf8/121117184620.htm

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Should You Publish A Paper Book or eBook? | Business 2 Community

Considering Self-Publishing: A Panel Conversation, Part 1 of 4

This is a series of blog posts transcribing a Google+ Hangout conversation I had in October 2012 with a panel of experienced book authors, book marketers, writing & publishing coaches and a few people who had some burning questions for our panel!

In this first installment, we?ll introduce the panel and address the first Question we conversed Q1: Should You Publish A Paper Book or eBook?

Further discussion points in upcoming posts include:

Book Authors & Publishing. For this second episode of #SparkleSOS, as with the first, we had a Facebook RSVP Page and Google+ Event Page. I also created a Feedback Form, which I encourage you to fill out to add your thoughts and help shape the next #SparkleSOS Hangout.

Transcribed by: Alex Conde

  • Guest: Christine Cowley, Author, editor, writing coach Life Gems
  • Guest: Michelle Vandepas, Professional book marketer
  • Guest: Richard S Todd, Author Raincloud: A Novel
  • Guest: Daniele Rossi, eBook author, Hangout/podcast producer, illustrator
  • Moderator: Debbie Horovitch, Social media concierge, Social Sparkle & Shine

Here is the video:

Debbie: Welcome to the #SparkleSOS episode #2 where we?re talking to book authors and we?re talking about the questions that face book authors when they?re looking at self publishing.

So, I have here with me tonight, we?re looking at Christine on the far left, Christine Cowley, who is an author and has also written a book that helps people when they?re publishing a book and going through those questions.

Next to Christine we have Michelle Vandepas, and Michelle has told me that she helps book authors and has helped a number of book authors get to the number 1 position on Amazon which I find very impressive. I?ve worked with book authors before but I don?t have anything like that to boast.

Next to me is Richard Todd who is a novel author. I actually met Richard a number of years ago when he published Raincloud which is a murder mystery that I read myself. I found it very exciting to read. It reads a little bit like a mystery movie.

Thank you everyone for joining me tonight, and if you can please introduce yourself to everyone who?s watching.

And we?ll start with Christie

Christine: So, thank you for that introduction? this is so awesome. I hadn?t heard of this whole Google Hangout until Debbie mentioned it yesterday and having just met her last night, so this is really exciting.

So, I am an author and I have self-published as well. I am an author with a traditional publisher as well as having self-published. I also have a micro publishing business that helps other people get into print. Mainly I write books and I help other people write books and get them out there.

Debbie: Fantastic! Alright, Michelle?

Michelle: Hi! It?s great to be here. I?m Michelle Vandepas, I?ve been online for 102 years (sic) and I help other people sell stuff. My claim to fame is that I help people sell lots of stuff online and I help authors reach #1 on Amazon. Amazon is not the only piece of the pie out there, but it?s one piece of the pie. There are some tips and tricks. I don?t work with people before they?ve published, I work with people after they?ve published. Either self-published or through a more traditional publisher, it doesn?t matter. The goal is the same to sell more books.

Debbie: Hi Richard

Richard: Hi Debbie and hi everyone. Thanks for having me on tonight. As Debbie mentioned, I?m the author of a self-published book of a novel called Raincloud. I?ve also been traditionally published in an anthology called Brainstorms. And also, my short story Clive that was published there was published in a Journal from the University of Calgary.

So, I?ve seen the industry from both sides, but to be honest, self publishing is really been my forte and has brought me a lot of satisfaction in the way that the industry has worked for me. I also mentor other writers when it comes to meeting their self publishing goals and also their writing goals as well.

I?ve done book tours and tours to writing groups to help them along with their endeavors.

Debbie: Awesome. I like that you say that self-publishing has brought you a lot of fulfillment and it makes you feel good, because I think for a lot of people it is not quite as appealing and it seems kind of like that last stop, whereas the event that both Richard and I was at last night with Christine, a lot of what I heard made me feel like self publishing is an empowering option for a lot of people and it doesn?t need to be looked at like a last stop if you?re not able to get an agent or a traditional publisher. Because you maintain a lot more control over everything.

So, I asked a few people over the last week and a half about what they thought and what sort of questions they would have if they had the opportunity to ask coaches and book authors, what would be the main question.

The most popular question that came back was whether people should consider publishing in e-book or in hard/soft copy book. Should it be a real tangible book or an e-book?

Michelle: I can only speak for what works for me and my clients and the authors I?ve worked with. I?ve worked with a lot of authors who work in the non-fiction genre. So, you?ve got to have both.

People buy kindle books all the time. it?s an impulse buy. People are out late at night on their kindle looking for something interesting to read and they?ll download kindle books. A real impulse buy. But if you?re out their speaking or you have an author platform, you?re teaching writing for instance, or you are talking about self-development and going to conferences, you?ve gt to have a physical copy to sell. That?s where you?re going to make more money per book, you?re going to connect with your audience, you?re going to create a long-term relationship, if you have teaching services or if you have writing services, publishing services, editing services, you?re going to connect with them for the long haul. So, my answer is both.

Debbie: Okay, Richard or Christine?

Christine: I totally concur. Being the technology Luddite that I am, I?m still working on an e version of my book. I?m really close, I?ve actually got it ready. I?ve decided that for me I think smashwords is going to work best, so I just have to get on the site, figure out how to do it, and upload it. So, for me I agree with Michelle. You?ve got to have hard copy. There?s nothing like a tangible thing when you go and speak to people, and so very much of what I do is getting in front of people, so if I didn?t have a book in my hands ? to tell them to go and download it isn?t the same. Plus, it depends on the sort of book you?ve got.

I?m even going to do a downloadable version, I?ve decided. The Gift, which is my latest, which is the one that helps you write your own book actually has a workbook component, so they write in it. How better to show them what they can do than to have a tangible book? So, I agree.

Debbie: Richard?

Richard: The only thing I would add to that would be that the big disadvantage for the print book, if there are any at least for self-publishing, would be the cash outlay initially. E-books at least are free, at least at that point, you have pre-production costs, you can upload it and the margins are great. SO, what I?m going to try with my second novel, The Orphans of the Creek, is to release it as an e-book initially and use the proceeds of that to fund a print run. Then I can do a book tour like I did last time, which is very easy to do.

At least in Canada, with the Chapters/Indigo chain, it?s simply a matter of getting your book in their system and calling up the stores and saying my book is in your system, can I get a table and chair in your store on Saturday, and you can go in and connect with your audience. If it wasn?t for the cash outlay, beautiful, we?ll do a big print run right now. But, if you?re in a situation where you want to recoup your funds or if you don?t have funds to invest in as much as you like, e-books are a way to start building a little bit of capital before you make that investment.

Christine: That?s a great idea. And while you?re building that capital you?re getting the word out there. You?ve got word of mouth happening for you, people are telling each other about the books, so that?s really a great approach.

Richard: But it?s hard to sign an e-book. That?s the only problem I find.

Christine: Richard, you said something interesting there that is news to me. The last time I checked, Chapters would not accept self-published books. That was fairly recently.

Richard: Do you mean Chapters as a physical book or Kindle as an uploaded e-book.

Christine: Okay, so when you say you call up a Chapters store and you go in and want to set up a table, do you mean because you?ve uploaded to kindle?

Richard: Oh no no no, it was a physical book that was in their system. I published Rain Cloud through iUniverse, which I believe has an exclusive contract with Chapters Indigo, that they?re the only self-published company that they?ll take into their shelves. Before I knew that, I went into the Chapters in Newmarket and gave them my book and said, ?Here?s my book, read it, and if you like it let me come in and do an in-store.? It was as easy as that even if I wasn?t in the system.

Christine: Well that?s really unusual.

Richard: It worked for me!

Debbie: Michelle?

Michelle: Debbie, can I add to that, I don?t know about Canada, but for any US listeners I want to add that iUniverse has gone through a lot of changes in the last couple of years, you probably know that as well. There are pros and cons to print on demand, there?s pros and cons to doing a print run, and one of the few in the US that distributes everywhere is LightningSource as a print on demand, so it?s the same sort of thing if you do print on demand, you have to find one that does distributors or you?ll never get book signings. They have to be in a major distributor. But there are some self-publishing, the stigma is really going away and a lot of major authors who have published a lot are doing the self-publishing route, but print on demand can be tricky as I?m sure you guys know, so I would encourage anyone listening to really research their options and not just go with the first print on demand place.

Richard: Yeah, the stigma, I know what you?re talking about. And it doesn?t help when the president of Lulu.com has been quoted as saying ?We publish the worst poetry in the world?. And it doesn?t help self-published people who do actually have a talent to hold their head up high. Fortunately, we can still. If we build our audience and get good reviews, then I think we?ll be okay.

Michelle: I know major authors who?ve left their publishing houses because they have to do all the marketing work anyway and they?re self publishing. But the question is where to self-publish and that?s a very important question for an author.

Debbie: I just want to point one quick thing out for anyone that is watching the video. Myself, I?m located in Toronto, Canada. I have never published or written a book myself, I hope to do so at some point in the future and I blog a whole lot of words every day. Richard Todd is also in Toronto, Christine is North of Toronto in Collingwood, and Michelle is in Colorado Springs.

I?m so glad all three of you were able to join us. Myself, in my experience between e-books and hardcovers, I have a tendency to think really far into the future. And my experience with books as a consumer ? I?ve been reading books my whole life, I?m really passionate. You can?t really see it to the right, but I?ve got 2 big huge full bookshelves of hard copy books and I love real, tangible books you can carry around that make your wrists sore. There?s something special to that. And what I realized a few years ago when I started having authors coming to me and asking ?Should I publish? I?m just going to publish an e-book. I?m not going to the expense of a hard copy book.? That made me really think what?s going to happen in 200 years.

If you as a book author want to leave a legacy well beyond your time on this planet, really the way to do that is to publish a hard copy book because we don?t know what the technology will be or how the technology will change in just 5 years, or 10 years or 50 years it could be completely different and the world of books that were published 50 years previously, or 100 years previously or 200 years previously will be the books being published right now. My belief is that the cost of publishing continues to rise, that there are fewer and fewer trees that we want to cut down and there are fewer copies of each hardcover book being printed. And so, if you want, it?s a good idea, I think, to at least have a few copies, a few hundred or a few thousand, to create a legacy for yourself and I think that?s something Christine might have some thoughts on, working with authors who create memoirs.

Christine: I do have some thoughts on that. Actually, the cost of producing books has gone down dramatically. I started producing books for people, it would have been about 2007 when I started to do something along the lines of a proper book. Something you could put on the Chapters bookshelves that looks like a traditional published book. The costs were extremely high. Now we have digital printing and we didn?t have that in 2007. It existed, it just wasn?t accessible for the average Joe. So, the costs of printing have gone down, which means all the more reason, even if you follow what Richard did and fund your hard copy with your e-book, don?t dispense with the hard copy.

Want access to my FREE public resource library of social media whitepapers, ebooks and courses from experts around the world? Want Social Sparkle & Shine to review your business, media channel, launch event or promotion? Send an email invitation to debbie@theSparkleAgency.com for immediate access

Source: http://www.business2community.com/content-marketing/should-you-publish-a-paper-book-or-ebook-0329659

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Cindy Crawford once distracted Georges St-Pierre during a fight

If Carlos Condit wants to divert Georges St-Pierre's attention during their fight on Saturday night, he just needs to surround the octagon with beautiful women. GSP recently admitted his mind did wander once, and Cindy Crawford is to blame.

One time I was fighting against BJ Penn. I had his back against the fence. I'm not kidding you, for a few seconds I look and I was staring at a beautiful woman in the audience. It was ... uh ... (snaps fingers) Cindy Crawford. I stared at her. I'm thinking, 'My God, she's so beautiful. And she's looking at me.' And just next to her, I see her husband looking at me and I'm like, 'Oh my God. I can't look at her. Her husband's looking at me.' Now I'm thinking, 'Of course, they're looking at me. I'm doing the show right now and I'm in the middle of the fight.' So I'm like, 'Go back to your focus' (laughs).

Crawford, once one of the world's most well-known supermodels, is also a big UFC fan. An older video shows her getting Matt Hughes' signature on her chest, and she's been cageside for multiple UFC events.

There is no word on if she will be at UFC 154 this weekend, so Condit may want to have another plan in place than hoping GSP gets distracted. After all, GSP won both of his bouts against B.J. Penn.

Fantasy advice from the Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Minute:

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/cindy-crawford-once-distracted-georges-st-pierre-during-193710410--mma.html

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Video Game Crafts 'N Gear #3: Canned Food Mario, Zelda Playing ...

Welcome again, GS readers, to Video Game Crafts ?N Gear! This is our regular feature where we explore the world of video game art, toys, clothing, or random items we happen to find. Whether it?s custom-made or official merchandise, we?ll cover anything we think deserves your attention.

Mario appears again in a?unique?sculpture, this time in retro form; the universe of The Legend of Zelda is used to create something very clever indeed and an amazingly talented Japanese artist has created various gaming icons? using coffee foam.

Canned Food Mario

After seeing Mario in?aluminium?can form last week, the?moustachioed?plumber has now been created from food cans. Proudly displayed in the middle of a supermarket, the 8-bit wonder is taking a break from plumbing duties in order to sell canned food, with each can accurately representing a pixel.

Unfortunately there is no name of the artist available, but it?s great to know that somewhere a mysterious Nintendo fan is creatively presenting the world of gaming to customers. It?s a good advertising strategy, too ? I now find myself wanting a can of sausages.

[Source: GoNintendo]

Legend of Zelda Playing Cards

User Nelde has created perhaps one of the greatest Zelda items yet: a complete, custom-made set of embossed playing cards. And what a beauty they are!

The four suits of Hearts, Spades, Clubs and Diamonds are now replaced with Triforces, Heart Pieces, Swords and Rupees. The King, Queen and Jack groups consist of Hyrulians, Gorons, Zoras and Villains. Oh, and you?ll find Ocarina?s Scarecrow on the Joker cards.

Top that with a fantastic Triforce design on the back of the cards and a custom-designed tuck box, and you have ?product that is not only genius in concept but executed professionally, making a truly legitamite-feeling item. That?s right, I said ?product? ? these are in fact for sale on FanGamer!

[Source: FanGamer thanks to Sprite Stitch]

Latte Art

An artist in Japan by the name of?Kazuki Yamamoto likes to draw anime, manga, and video game characters. Pretty standard graphical artist, right? Well, he doesn?t use paper ? instead, latte foam is his canvas.

Before Yamamoto gets stuck into a ?hot, delicious, milky coffee, he will turn it into a piece of art, take a picture and upload it.?Currently in Osaka, ?apparantly Yamamoto attends coffee events (yep, that?s a thing) around the city, and one day wishes to open his own cafe in Tokyo.

For regular updates on his work, I?d highly recommend following the guy on Twitter, or at least checking out his Twitter feed. Here are some gaming highlights from the hundreds he has created:

[Source: George_10 thanks to Kotaku]

To check out last week?s featured Crafts ?N Gear, here?s the link for?Pac-Man Pumpkins, Zelda Key Hanger, ?and Nintendo Can Sculptures. If you?ve seen or made anything cool that you?d like to see featured, leave us a comment or send me a tweet!


Article from Gamersyndrome.com

Related posts:

  1. Video Game Crafts ?N Gear #2: Pac-Man Pumpkins, Zelda Key Hanger, Nintendo Can Sculptures
  2. Video Game Crafts ?N Gear #1: Portal Gun, Zelda Necklace, Magnetic Katamari Ball
  3. Zelda 2010 Release Details
  4. Nes-Tastic Zelda Themed Wedding
  5. NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. 2 EMERGES AS THE BEST-SELLING VIDEO GAME OF AUGUST

About the Author

avatar My name is Reece, and I'm an aspiring writer from England. I've been into gaming since I was about 4 years old, playing the Game Boy, PSOne and Sega Mega Drive (Genesis to you Americans!). Having these systems around during my youth lead to the greatest and most-anticipated Christmas ever - the year I got my N64! Open to any system and genre, I remain completely unbiased as a proud owner of a Wii, Xbox 360, PS3 and 3DS. Come on Vita, give me more reasons to buy you too!My favourite games are Resident Evil 2, Zelda: The Wind Waker, Streets of Rage 2, Left 4 Dead, Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and Yoshi's Island. I also write news for Explosion.com. You can catch me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReeceH92

Source: http://gamersyndrome.com/2012/video-games/video-game-crafts-n-gear-3-canned-food-mario-zelda-playing-cards-latte-art/

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Brattleboro Food Co-op workers will join union

Friday November 16, 2012

HOWARD WEISS-TISMAN

Brattleboro Reformer

BRATTLEBORO -- Workers at the Brattleboro Food Co-op have agreed to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 1459. Eligible co-op employees voted 74-45 in favor of joining the union during the vote which was held Wednesday in the co-op?s community room.

"I think it?s time to take a deep breath and figure out what the next step is," said Union Organizing Committee member Hannah Aleshnick after the votes were counted. "We?re excited to get this going and get a contract in place."

About 142 co-op employees were eligible to cast a ballot and 126 votes were cast during the vote, which was overseen by a representative of the National Labor Relations Board.

There were seven disputed ballots which were not counted and would not have changed the outcome of the vote.

The co-op has seven days to appeal the vote, after which the result will be verified.

"We have always maintained that the workers should decide among themselves, in a fair and democratic process, whether or not to join the union," Brattleboro Food Co-op General Manager Alex Gyori said in a press release. "It is our sincere hope that we can move forward in a positive manner and continue to make our new store the best it can possibly be."

The co-op celebrated its new $9 million, 14,500-square-foot building at an open house this past weekend. Aleshnick said there was a tense atmosphere in the co-op over the past few weeks.

Both sides had plenty of opportunities to talk about the union, Aleshnick said, and now the staff will hold meetings and gather information so it can negotiate a contract that serves all of the staff.

"This could have been done differently, but now it is clear what the staff wants," Aleshnick said. "Now we have to find out what is important to the staff and move on from there."

The co-op board said from the start that it wanted all of the workers to weigh in on the unionization issue.

At a Sept. 10 board meeting members of the union organization committee gave the board a petition with signatures from a majority of the workers who supported the union.

The committee asked the board to voluntarily recognize the union, but the board said they wanted to see a vote.

The board turned the issue over to Gyori because the board considered it a staffing issue.

"The Brattleboro Food Co-op Board of Directors is satisfied that the staff has exercised their right to choose," said Board Chairman John Hatton. "Now that the union has been voted in, the board looks forward to a good working relationship between management and the UFCW."

More than 500 co-op members signed a different petition asking the board to recognize the union, but the board and Gyori moved ahead with their plan to hold a vote.

At the co-op?s annual meeting on Nov. 4 Gyori defended the store?s use of Downs Rachlin Martin, which some co-op members have accused of being anti-union. Gyori said the co-op used DRM for all of its legal needs and he said the firm never gave the co-op advice on how to defeat the union. At the meeting board treasurer Tom Nunziata said the co-op had spent $1,880 on labor issues.

Source: http://www.benningtonbanner.com/local/ci_22007181/brattleboro-food-co-op-workers-will-join-union?source=rss

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Miguel Cabrera, Buster Posey win MVP awards

NEW YORK (AP) ? Miguel Cabrera has a Most Valuable Player award to go with his Triple Crown. And Buster Posey has an MVP prize to put alongside his second World Series ring.

The pair of batting champions won baseball's top individual honors Thursday by large margins.

Cabrera, the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years, won the AL MVP by receiving 22 of 28 first-place votes and 362 points from a panel of Baseball Writers' Association of America.

The Detroit third baseman easily beat Los Angeles Angels rookie center fielder Mike Trout, who had six firsts and 281 points.

Cabrera hit .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBIs to become the first Triple Crown winner since Boston's Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. Cabrera also led the league with a .606 slugging percentage for the AL champion Tigers.

Some of the more sabermetric-focused fans supported Trout, who hit .326 with 30 homers and 83 RBIs, and he led the majors with 129 runs and 49 steals and topped all players in WAR ? Wins Above Replacement. Trout won AL Rookie of the Year earlier in the week.

"I was a little concerned. I thought the new thing about computer stuff, I thought Trout's going to win because they put his numbers over me," Cabrera said. "I was like relax. ... if he wins, it's going to be fair because he had a great season."

His victory is a win for the traditional statistics.

"At the end of the game, it's going to be the same baseball played back in the day," Cabrera said.

Posey, at a charity event at his mother's school in Leesburg, Va., followed the AL debate and Googled to find out the winner.

"I think it intrigued everybody," he said. "As a fan of the game, it was a fun race to watch."

With three fewer hits or two less homers, Cabrera would have fallen short of the Triple Crown. The last four Triple Crown winners have been voted MVP, including Mickey Mantle in 1956 and Frank Robinson in 1966.

"I think winning the Triple Crown had a lot to do with me winning this honor," he said.

Cabrera became the second straight Detroit player voted MVP, following pitcher Justin Verlander in 2011, and was the first Venezuelan to earn the honor. Countryman Pablo Sandoval took home World Series MVP honors last month.

Before the season, Cabrera switched from first base to third to make way for Prince Fielder, who signed with Detroit as a free agent.

"I focused too much in spring training about defense, defense, defense," Cabrera said. "I forgot a little bit about hitting, about getting in the cage like I normally do."

In spring training, Posey's focus was just to get back on the field. His 2011 season was cut short by a collision with the Marlins' Scott Cousins on May 25 that resulted in a fractured bone in Posey's lower left leg and three torn ankle ligaments.

Posey not only returned, he became the first catcher in 70 years to win the NL batting title and helped San Francisco win its second World Series championship in three seasons.

"I definitely have a deeper appreciation for being able to play baseball," he said. "I've seen that it can be taken away quick."

The first catcher in four decades to win the NL award, Posey got 27 of 32 firsts and 422 points to outdistance 2011 winner Ryan Braun of Milwaukee, who was second with 285 points.

Pittsburgh outfielder Andrew McCutchen (245) was third, followed by St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina (241).

Posey, a boyish-looking 25, was the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year as the Giants won their first World Series since 1954. This year he set career highs with a .336 average, 24 homers and 103 RBIs as San Francisco won again.

Posey took the NL batting title after teammate Melky Cabrera requested a rules change that disqualified him. Cabrera, who hit .346, missed the final 45 games of the regular-season while serving a suspension for a positive testosterone test and would have won the batting crown if the rule hadn't been changed.

Ernie Lombardi had been the previous catcher to capture the NL batting championship, in 1942.

"I think anybody that has caught before understands the grind of catching, not only the physical, the nicks, the wear and tear of squatting for nine innings night in, day out, but just the mental grind of working a pitching staff," Posey said. "It's demanding."

NOTES: In his first season with the Angels, Albert Pujols didn't finish among the top 10 for the first time in his career. While with St. Louis, he won three times, was second four times and also finished third, fourth, fifth and ninth. ... Catchers have won the NL MVP just eight times, with Posey joining Gabby Hartnett (1935), Lombardi (1938), Roy Campanella (1951, 1953, 1955) and Johnny Bench (1970, 1972). Posey became the first Giants player to win since Barry Bonds was voted his record seventh MVP award in 2004. ... Cabrera earned a $500,000 bonus, Adrian Beltre $150,000 for finishing third in the AL and Josh Hamilton $50,000 for fifth place. Braun gets a $75,000 bonus, and McCutchen and Molina $50,000 each. The Yankees' Derek Jeter finished seventh in the AL, one place below the level where his 2014 player option would have increased by $2 million to $10 million.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/miguel-cabrera-buster-posey-win-mvp-awards-235312258--mlb.html

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Guest Editorial: American ingenuity will create jobs and economic growth

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Guest Editorial: American ingenuity will create jobs and economic growth

Before the campaign promises of more jobs and renewed prosperity fade away, elected officials need to understand that those promises must be kept. Our nation needs jobs and new revenue, but the critical question is, ?How? ? Make no mistake; President Barack Obama and Congress have a daunting task ahead. ?First, they must understand that our problems will not be solved by just heaping more taxes on families and small businesses making more than $250,000 a year. ...read

by Tacoma Weekly an hour ago

Source: http://www.feedtacoma.com/entry.php?id=30899

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The Good Steve Jobs Movie Will Only Have Three Scenes

A news shocker for anyone excited about the other Steve Jobs movie—which should be good, because it's written by Oscar-winning dynamo Aaron Sorkin, doesn't star Ashton Kutcher, and isn't called iJobs. The movie will only have three scenes. Three. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/yVUHOsrDuiw/the-good-steve-jobs-movie-will-only-have-three-scenes

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Republican Future Lies With Governors

Republicans will be doing a lot of soul-searching in the wake of Mitt Romney?s decisive defeat in the 2012 presidential election.

Many have already pointed the finger at the party base?s knee-jerk opposition to immigration reform for needlessly alienating Hispanics. Others blame the rickety mechanics of the Romney campaign, which could end up having turned out fewer voters than John McCain did four years ago. And another faction blames Romney for not being conservative enough, speaking in broad generalities about the economy rather than offering specific free-market policy prescriptions and government reforms.

All of these criticisms hold merit, to varying degrees, and will be hashed out in the months ahead. But as Republicans grasp for answers, they might be surprised that the solution is staring them right in the face. The party boasts an accomplished array of governors whose achievements present a clear-cut path for a future GOP governing agenda. If its congressional wing has been characterized by adherence to tea party dogma, its governors have shown a pragmatic streak, a zeal for fiscal discipline and pursuit of government reforms.

Looking for a governor who worked with Democrats to overhaul New Jersey?s bloated pension system and now is receiving fulsome praise across the aisle for his leadership in the wake of Hurricane Sandy? New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie?s your guy.

Searching for an executive whose education reforms have revitalized the schools in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, giving a much-needed boost to students who had been left behind?? Look to Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Turned off by the Republican Party?s rightward turn on social issues? Outgoing Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels agrees. He called for a ?social truce? within the party long before two Senate candidates, including home-state nominee Richard Mourdock, self-immolated with out-of-touch comments about rape and abortion. Daniels is no one?s idea of a milquetoast moderate.

Even Texas Gov. Rick Perry famously bragged at the Republican presidential debate this year that children of illegal immigrants were able to receive in-state tuition at Texas universities ? a position that brought him endless grief with the national conservative grassroots, but did little damage to him back home.

On the demographic front, too, Republican governors are a world apart from their congressional brethren, and reflect the changing face of America even better than their Democratic counterparts. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts is the Democrats? only governor from a minority group, and he could be leaving office to join a second-term Obama Cabinet. Republicans boast four: Jindal, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez,?and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

In 2013, there will be five women serving as governors, and four of them are Republicans (Martinez, Haley, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin). Only New Hampshire Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan is a Democrat.

The ascendant GOP governors provide a useful corrective to the many frenzied voices wondering in the wake of the 2012 bloodbath?whether the Republican Party can survive without wholesale changes. The reality is that there?s a gaping chasm between the party?s congressional wing, suffused with traditionalism and resistant to change, and the more entrepreneurial executive wing, where many governors have been speaking the language of modernization and reform. ?

Indeed, many GOP governors, through their actions back home, have already laid out a blueprint of sorts for a future Republican governing agenda. Many have argued that entitlement reforms are necessary, not just to squeeze millions of dollars out of budget deficits, but to preserve long-term investments in transportation, education, and public services. Several have focused on education policies like school choice and teacher accountability to give disadvantaged children a better opportunity to compete in the workforce after graduating.

Immigration divides the party?s gubernatorial ranks, but there is a sizable contingent (think Virginia?s Gov. Bob McDonnell) who support liberalized immigration laws, particularly those increasing visas for skilled immigrants and reducing the obstacles that prevent foreign-born entrepreneurs from entering the country to work.

But too often, congressional Republicans speak the language of austerity rather than of growth or reform when it comes to the budget. ?There?s been little legislative activity on education reform, with many House Republicans suspicious of an active governmental role, even for programs like the Obama administration?s Race to the Top that are designed to enforce accountability and raise educational standards. And the voices critical of immigration reform are loudest on Capitol Hill, amply represented in the GOP ranks.

When moderate Democrats formed the Democratic Leadership Council in the mid-1980s to counterbalance the influence of the party?s liberal congressional wing, their ranks were populated with governors, including future president Gov. Bill Clinton of Arkansas. Republicans looked to then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the wake of the 2000 election, facing the prospect of being shut out of the White House for a dozen years.?It?s no coincidence: Governors get things done and have a pragmatic streak absent from the strident debates on Capitol Hill.

Now that Republicans find themselves in the presidential wilderness for another four years, they could learn some useful lessons from governors like Christie, Daniels, Jindal, and McDonnell, among others. There?s a good chance one of them could be eyeing a bigger prize come 2016. If not, their governing ideas will certainly be on center stage.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/republican-future-lies-governors-060012180--politics.html

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