S. African leader hopes Mandela can leave hospital

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? South Africa's president says the nation continues to pray for Nelson Mandela's health as the 94-year-old beloved leader remains in critical but stable condition.

President Jacob Zuma said Saturday: "We hope very soon he will be out of hospital."

During a press conference with visiting President Barack Obama, Zuma called Mandela the "founding president of our democracy who is much loved by our people and the world."

Mandela was admitted to a Pretoria hospital three weeks ago with a recurring lung infection.

Obama plans to visit privately Saturday with Mandela's relatives, but doesn't intend to see the man he has called a "personal hero."

Mandela became South Africa's first democratically elected president in 1994 after spending 27 years in prison for his fight against racist white rule.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/african-leader-hopes-mandela-leave-hospital-115009733.html

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Home Improvement Tips: Picking the Perfect Floor - Mortgage ...

Looking to remodel your floor plan but can?t seem to make a decision? We understand. Shopping for flooring can be stressful as this is an essential step toward creating your new stylish space, while factoring in comfort, appearance, warmth and function. With so many materials and designs to choose from, pinpointing the pros and cons of each one can be challenging. Asking yourself a few key questions at the start of the process can help reduce your worry, satisfy your choice and increase your long-term complacency with your new floor:

Ask yourself:

• Any pets?
• Will the floor be exposed to moisture regularly?
• How often is the floor likely to need cleaning?
• What?s the size of the family that will regularly use the room, and how much traffic will the floor receive? Remember!?Children definitely make a difference.

KITCHENS

As the ?heart of the home?, durability and ease of cleaning are top criteria.

Linoleum is inexpensive and provides an easy-to-clean surface and comes in countless designs.

Ceramic Tiles are easy to maintain and an excellent choice for heavy traffic areas. They offer superior durability and are available in assorted colors and styles with the option for decorative borders and designs.

Wood Flooring has a natural beauty and elegance. Though there are many different options to choose from, hardwood never goes out of style. Today?s prefinished wood floors withstand heavy traffic and water stains.

BATHROOMS

Tile is absolutely ideal for bathrooms. (ie: ceramic, granite, vinyl, marble ,limestone) Working with ceramic or even vinyl tiles is relatively easy, and many homeowners should be able to successfully do it themselves. This process tends to be relatively inexpensive seeing that you?re covering less space, giving you the chance to splurge on higher quality tile!

Carpet is generally not recommended because we tend to see a lot of moisture in this room.

LIVING ROOMS

Since most families spend a significant amount of time in their living room, this decision tends to come down to personal choice.

Tile offers a nearly unlimited variety of patterns and styles, which makes it possible to give the room a very creative or exotic feel. Nonetheless, tile can feel cold and hard underfoot, so it may not be the best choice if you?re looking for something a bit more cozy.

Hardwood flooring is a great choice because it will increase the resale value of your home. A survey by the National Wood Flooring Association asked real estate agents about the impact of hardwood floors on homebuyers. Of the agents interviewed, 82 percent said that homes with hardwood floors sold faster and often for more money.

Helpful Hint: Bamboo flooring is relatively inexpensive, and it?s an eco-friendly alternative to traditional hardwood floors. So, you?re increasing your home?s value and helping save the environment at the same time!

KEEP IN MIND? Choosing the correct flooring for rooms in your home will help you increase the resale value of your home. By choosing proper flooring, you won?t need to replace the floors as often, thus saving you money over the years.

Source:

http://www.styleathome.com/decorating-and-design/flooring/increase-your-home-s-value-with-hardwood-floors/a/41485

http://homes.yahoo.com/news/picking-the-perfect-floor-223234941.html

Source: http://www.mortgagemaster.com/kseinfeld/2013/06/28/home-improvement-tips-picking-the-perfect-floor/

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LOOPHOLES: How to Avoid Paying for Obamacare Insurance

Merrill Matthews at Forbes explains:

[T]he IRS has no authority to go after someone?s assets or wages in order to collect the penalty. ?It only has the authority to deduct the penalty from a person?s tax refund at year?s end. ?It won?t take long for people to figure out how to fix that problem by trying to ensure they have only enough withheld to meet their tax obligation. ?Those who are uninsured and successful at hitting the tax mark will face no effective penalty.

Here's another loophole (via Matthews)

?But just because millions of Americans refuse to get ObamaCare-qualified coverage doesn?t mean they will be uninsured. ?There are policies available now that would work very well for the ObamaCare avoiders.

Some of these policies are built on a life insurance platform rather than health insurance ? which, incidentally, means they are outside ObamaCare?s long arm of regulatory control.

The customer buys a life insurance policy that pays up to $250,000 upon death, which I believe is the current maximum available for this kind of policy.

Along with life insurance coverage the policy includes what?s called a ?critical illness? component. ?If the policyholder needs, say, surgery, the insurer writes the policyholder a check based on a schedule. ?Let?s say, for example, it?s $10,000.

The policyholder has $10,000 in hand to pay for the medical care ? or, frankly, anything else since the money belongs to the insured ? but the value of his life insurance benefit is reduced by the same amount, to $240,000. ?Thus the critical illness component simply accelerates the benefit payout.

One existing policy pays 100 percent for heart attack, stroke, life-threatening cancer, major organ transplant, kidney failure, Alzheimer?s and paralysis, among other medical conditions.

The policyholder could also be part of a provider network that provides a discounted rate for the care ? one of the most important current benefits of having health insurance.

How much would such a policy cost? ?For one company, a 30-year-old male would pay $1,438 a year, and for a 50-year-old male it?s $3,234.

And remember, this isn?t just health coverage. ?In the event of a tragic accident or illness, whatever is left of the benefit goes to the estate upon death.

If ObamaCare proves to be the train wreck that Democratic Senator Max Baucus fears ? who, incidentally, is largely responsible for its current structure ? then millions of Americans from all income categories may decide to opt out. ?Many will still want something, at least until they get a major medical condition whereupon they can then go back into ObamaCare coverage. ?And they can still keep their life insurance policy along with its critical illness benefits. ?Good times!

Source: http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2013/06/loopholes-how-to-avoid-paying-for.html

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Extreme weekend heat wave could bring temperatures above 120 to Western US

Record hot temperatures beat down on parts of the country. NBC News' Chris Clackum reports.

By Daniel Arkin and M. Alex Johnson, NBC News

A wave of record-setting, life-threatening heat is expected to blaze across the West this weekend, with temperatures in some areas projected to top 120 degrees.

Death Valley, Calif., could even top 130 degrees Saturday through Monday, just below the world record high of 134 recorded there on July 10, 1913, The Weather Channel said.

---

The cause is a high pressure system that will scorch a long arm of the Southwest. Temperatures in Phoenix and Las Vegas are expected to soar into the triple digits, with temperatures hovering between 115 and 120 degrees. In western parts of Arizona, temperatures could reach 125.

Officials in Arizona warned residents to take precautions.

"If you get dizzy or lightheaded, those are some signs of dehydration. If you become confused, that's a real warning sign," Dr. Kevin Reilly of the University of Arizona Department of Emergency Medicine told NBC station KVOA of Tucson.

In Las Vegas, meanwhile, the National Weather Service warned of the potential for a "life-threatening heat event." Temperatures were expected to match those of a July 2005 heat wave when 17 people died in the Las Vegas Valley.

The extreme weather is expected to reach Reno, Nev., reach across Utah and stretch into Wyoming and Idaho, where forecasters are predicting potentially lethal hot spells. Triple-digit temperatures were forecast during Idaho's Special Olympics in Boise.

Matt York / AP

Runners take advantage of lower temperatures at sunrise Thursday in Mesa, Ariz. Excessive heat warnings will continue for much of the Desert Southwest as building high pressure triggers major warming in eastern California, Nevada and Arizona.

Organizers urged coaches to prepare their athletes.

"The basic stuff, wearing breathable, appropriate clothes, staying in the shade as much as possible, staying hydrated is obviously a big thing," Matt Caropino, director of sports and training for Special Olympics Idaho, told NBC station KTVB. "We've put in place some misters that we're going to have at our outdoor venues."

The National Weather Service advised people to keep tabs on signs of potentially lethal heat stroke.

"Heat stroke symptoms include an increase in body temperature, which leads to deliriousness, unconsciousness and red, dry skin," it said in a report. "Death can occur when body temperatures reach or exceed 106-107 degrees."

Los Angeles was forecast to peak between the upper 80s and the lower 90s Saturday as inland communities like Burbank edge toward the low 100s. Palm Springs, Calif., no stranger to steamy summers, may peak at 120 degrees, NBC station KMIR reported. Sweltering heat also is expected for the state's Central Valley, according to The Weather Channel.

Commercial airlines were also monitoring conditions because excessive heat can throw flights off course. The atmosphere becomes less dense in extremely high heat humidity, meaning there's less lift for airplanes ? calculations that have to be made individually for every type of aircraft.

Triple-digit heat forced several airlines to bring operations to a halt after Phoenix climbed to 122 degrees in June 1990.

Related:

'It's brutal out there': Weekend heat wave to bake western US

Alaska sweating through brutal blast of heat

Oppressive heat hits West as storms soak East

This story was originally published on Fri Jun 28, 2013 8:50 AM EDT

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663306/s/2df2755e/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A60C280C191876780Eextreme0Eweekend0Eheat0Ewave0Ecould0Ebring0Etemperatures0Eabove0E120A0Eto0Ewestern0Eus0Dlite/story01.htm

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Jewell makes emotional pledge to Native Americans

RENO, Nev. (AP) ? In her first address to Indian Country as the 51st U.S. Interior Secretary, Sally Jewell made an emotional pledge Thursday to help right past wrongs against Native Americans and work together with tribes "nation-to-nation" to protect their sovereignty and develop their cultural and natural resources to become more economically self-reliant.

Jewell, who became secretary in April, fought back tears and paused to compose herself near the close of her remarks to about 300 delegates of the National Congress of American Indians in Reno. The casino-ballroom audience gave her a standing ovation.

In her speech, the former Seattle CEO of outdoor retailer Recreational Equipment Inc. told of childhood experiences with Native Americans growing up in and around the Puget Sound area of Washington state. She then recounted the "different view" she had when she first returned as secretary this spring to a favorite kayaking spot at an island near Olympia across from reservation land.

"I thought about my obligations to you," Jewell said. She paused, then added, "I'm going to get emotional here.

"The federal government does not have a proud legacy when it comes to upholding our promises," said Jewell, her voice cracking. "I can't reverse all of that in a four-year period of time, but I can make important progress."

Jewell said she will be an advocate for tribes in the federal government and try to help set them up for success for generations.

She noted President Barack Obama and former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar "opened a new chapter" in relations with Indian Country.

"I will keep that chapter open. I will take it to the next level if I'm allowed to do that with your help," she said.

Jewell touched on a variety of topics during her address, including the importance of exploiting opportunities to develop both traditional and renewable sources of energy on federal tribal lands. She repeated concerns she raised in her first appearance before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee last month about an "embarrassing" backlog of needed repairs at tribal schools.

"We know education is the opportunity that lifts Indian children from the current, into the future," Jewell said. "We've spent $2 billion since 2002 on schools, but they still are in poor conditions, many of them.'

She drew applause when she later advocated "culturally appropriate education that you direct."

"My North Star in supporting you will be promoting tribal self-governance and self-determination, recognizing the inherent right of tribal governments to make your own decisions," she said. "You know better than any of us do what you need in your tribes and in your communities."

Arlen Melendez, chairman of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and ex-member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, said Jewell's upbringing in the Pacific Northwest and her connection to the environment seemed to strike a chord with tribal leaders.

"I think a lot the tribes didn't really know who she was, but listening to her, I think they can be confident she's going to be really good for Indian Country," Melendez said in an interview after the speech.

"I think she sounds very sincere about her relationship with the tribes," he said. "What I'm hearing from other tribal leaders is they are very pleased so far with what she said."

Jefferson Keel, president of the National Congress of American Indians and lieutenant governor of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, said he agreed that Jewell is well-positioned to build on better relations that began in Obama's first term.

"We believe that chapter ? and that door ? is wide open now and will lead to a new level of understanding in this nation-to-nation relationship," Keel said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jewell-makes-emotional-pledge-native-americans-191859719.html

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SKorean president in Beijing for summit with Xi

BEIJING (AP) ? The South Korean president's visit to China's capital Thursday brought together North Korea's archrival and its biggest ally for meetings that will put Pyongyang under greater pressure to rejoin nuclear disarmament talks.

President Park Geun-hye arrived in Beijing for a four-day visit that marks the first formal discussions between her and the new Chinese administration led by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

Park, a self-taught Mandarin speaker, has said she is keen to enlist the Chinese leaders in the drive for new North Korean denuclearization discussions that also would include the U.S., Russia, and Japan.

"I will try to make cooperation between the two countries more substantial and harden Korea-China cooperation for the sake of attaining the goal of North Korea's denuclearization so as to make North Korea come forward for sincere talks," Park was quoted as saying earlier this week by South Korean media.

The China-hosted talks with Pyongyang have been stalled since 2009 over how to verify North Korea is fulfilling its commitments to dismantle its nuclear facilities.

Park was scheduled to meet with Xi later Thursday and with Li on Friday.

Teaming up with China offers some hope for success, with Beijing showing signs of frustration with its neighbor and longstanding communist ally. China was angered by the North's long-range rocket launch late last year and carrying out of a third nuclear test earlier this year, and it has since supported tightening U.N. sanctions, cracked down on North Korean banking activity and urged Pyongyang to return to disarmament talks.

"We hope all sides involved can continue to work toward returning to the six-party talks and make concrete efforts to resolve the relevant issues, achieve denuclearization, preserve peace and stability in the peninsula through dialogue and negotiation within the framework of the six-party talks," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Wednesday.

While China is North Korea's biggest source of diplomatic and economic support, their trade and other interactions dwarf those which China maintains with the South. Ordinary Chinese are also big fans of South Korean pop culture and high-tech wares, and there is a growing sentiment among urban intellectuals that China should not sacrifice international credibility for the sake of coddling Pyongyang.

However, corralling Kim Jong Un's mercurial North Korean regime into new talks will not prove easy.

When the top North Korean negotiator Kim Kye Gwan visited Beijing earlier this month for talks, Chinese analysts said afterward that Pyongyang seemed more interested in improving its damaged ties with China than in swiftly moving toward new six-nation talks.

Park has said that any resumption of talks must be preceded by signs that the North is serious about following through on its disarmament commitments, echoing the position of the U.S. Washington does not want to be drawn into talks that serve only to relieve pressure on Pyongyang, provide it a platform to seek much-needed aid, and buy it more time to further its nuclear weapons program.

While Beijing has remained neutral over recent developments, Chinese scholars say Xi's government will seek an intermediary role to create conditions for a restoration of talks. They warn, however, that Beijing would oppose harsher sanctions or other measures that could spark a backlash from Pyongyang or further destabilize the regime of the young and inexperienced Kim, who took over following his father's death 18 months ago.

"It's very hard to say whether the meeting will produce any new proposals, but, following the third nuclear test, I think China and every other country involved realizes the seriousness of the need to get North Korea back into talks," said Zhang Liangui, a researcher with the ruling Communist Party's main research and training institute in Beijing.

While Pyongyang will be watching Park's Beijing interactions carefully, her visit is a "normal diplomatic activity" and North Korea has "neither the need, nor the right to cast aspersions" about it, Zhang said.

Park's visit should also help smooth over strains in ties between China and South Korea over China's refusal to criticize Pyongyang following the sinking of a South Korean navy ship in early 2010 and shelling of one of its islands by a North Korean artillery unit later that year.

Park's appreciation for Chinese culture should also help foster positive relations. The Beijing stage of her trip, which includes meetings with business groups and a speech to university students, is to be followed by an excursion to the ancient capital of Xi'an, a cultural hub that is also a favorite destination for South Korean investors.

Park is traveling with a record 71-strong business delegation, highlighting the close economic ties that have lifted China above the U.S. as South Korea's top trading partner. Two-way trade hit $215 billion last year, with South Korea's exports of semiconductors, mobile phones, cars and industrial products giving it a trade surplus of more than $50 billion.

Business delegates include leaders of South Korean industry, including the chairmen of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Group.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/skorean-president-beijing-summit-xi-045156659.html

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Starting An Online Business From Scratch? Here Are 5 Things You ...

E-junkie's newest eBook, Starting an Online Business from Scratch, provides some insightful, first-hand info on what it takes to be successful as an online entrepreneur.

As a contributor to this work, following is some additional insight I'd like to share. This advice can save you a lot of time, money and possible headaches as you start your entrepreneurial journey.

1. Develop a Business Plan: This is touched on by several of the 11 contributors who opened up their business minds for this eBook. One thing I want to make very clear is that ? in my opinion -- you don't have to write a business plan like you're seeking venture capital dollars; at least not in the beginning. At the start of your online business career, this document is simply a guide to keep you on track. So use it to get the "big picture" down of what you want your freelance business to be about and how you want it to perform. Once you get some steam under you, you can always go back and revise this document with more detail later.

This may be controversial advice for some, but the reason I advise this is that I've seen too many "wannabe" freelancers put off their dream because they put roadblocks in the way like:

"I have to complete my business plan, I don't have a website, I need to _____________ (you fill in the blank) before I start my business."

So fill in the big blocks of your freelance business plan. Then get started!

2. Learn Some SEO: For the uninitiated, SEO is the acronym for search engine optimization. And, it's all about how web surfers (ie, your customers) find stuff online. As an online business owner ? particularly if you don't have money to hire an internet marketing firm ? you're going to have to learn SEO; at least the basics.

If you don't, you'll be marketing in the dark and wondering, "Why can't I make any/many sales?"

3. Integrate Social Media from Jump: Social media is here to stay and search engines are relying on this medium much more to rank sites. So although it's still iffy when it comes to providing sales directly, social media marketing can't be ignored.

And not for nothing, today's online business success depends a lot on developing a "community" around your brand/product/service. Social media is the way to do this. So find out which social media site(s) matches your target market's demographics, and sign up and start interacting on them.

FYI, the six largest social media sites as of this writing are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+ and YouTube (and yeah, this is a social media site).

4. Take Control of Your Website/Blog: If you don't know how to update your blog/website, you'd better learn or you'll be paying through the nose. And, you could even lose control over it.

So take the time to learn the basics (ie, how to post updates). You need to know how to do this so you can introduce special deals and discounts; develop and implement a content marketing strategy; change prices; introduce new products and services; etc.

If you don't and your web designer disappears, or goes on vacation, or doesn't return communication in a timely manner, you're setting yourself up for failure. You never, ever want to be at the mercy of anyone else when it comes to updating your website/blog. You need to know how to do this yourself.

5. Price Your Product/Services to Make a Real Living: One of the biggest mistakes all new entrepreneurs ? online and off -- make is not charging enough. I've owned several on and offline businesses and let me tell you, being the cheapest is NOT the way to go.

Most often you will NOT have more sales by being the cheapest;
You will NOT garner more referrals by being the cheapest; and
You will not be able to grow your business by being the cheapest.
This is such a myth that it can't be overstated.

Yeah, you might gain a few clients or get some referrals. But, they will not be the type of clients/customers you want because a customer who shops based on price alone will abandon you when the next cheapest option comes along. And there will always be a cheaper option ? especially when you're competing with countries who can offer services for so much lower than you can.

So the best you can do is develop your USP (Unique Selling Proposition); ?price your products and/or services competitively (which doesn't mean being the cheapest); and provide killer customer service.

This will ensure that you earn a decent living as an online business owner; a business that can grow steadily into your own little empire.

Author Bio
Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com, an authority site on how to start a successful freelance writing career. Ms. Black says, "Freelance writing is one of the easiest online businesses to start because if you have a computer and an internet connection, you can literally get started today!" Don't know where to start? Take Inkwell Editorial's in-depth freelance writing eCourse, which teaches you how to start earning $30,000 to $50,000 per year working from home as a writer.

Source: http://www.e-junkie.info/2013/06/starting-online-business-from-scratch.html

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Samsung Adds Listings for Hulu Plus to Its WatchOn TV Software

Samsung is making it a little easier to find something to watch on its giant televisions.

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2013/06/samsung-watchon/

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Air Force announces universities to receive research equipment awards

Public release date: 26-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Katie Wisecarver
katie.wisecarver@afosr.af.mil
703-696-9544
Air Force Office of Scientific Research

The 29 awards will total $12.7 million and are being made under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program

The Air Force announced today that 29 university researchers at 26 academic institutions have been selected to receive awards to support the purchase of research instrumentation. The 29 awards will total $12.7 million and are being made under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP).

The DURIP supports the purchase of state of the-art equipment that augments current or develops new university capabilities to perform cutting edge defense research. DURIP meets a critical need by enabling university researchers to purchase scientific equipment costing $50,000 or more to conduct DoD relevant research, as purchasing these instruments under research contracts and grants is difficult.

These awards are the result of a merit competition for DURIP funding jointly conducted by the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. The awards announced today will be made by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Awards made by the Army Research Office and the Office of Naval Research were announced via defense.gov on 3 June 2013.

The program is highly competitive. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research requested proposals from university investigators conducting science and engineering research of importance to DoD. This includes research underpinning advances in surface chemistry and physics, computing and networks, electronics and electro optics, neuroscience, fluid dynamics, robotics and autonomous systems, and biological science and engineering. In response to the requests, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research received 260 proposals requesting $99,852,968 in support for research equipment. Collectively, the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research received more than -- 750 proposals requesting $288 million in support for research equipment.

The DURIP awards granted by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research will range from $124,000 to $890,000 and average approximately $440,000. All awards are subject to the successful completion of negotiations between the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the academic institutions.

###

The list of winning proposers may be obtained by accessing the World Wide Web at https://afpims.dma.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-130624-021.pdf.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 26-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Katie Wisecarver
katie.wisecarver@afosr.af.mil
703-696-9544
Air Force Office of Scientific Research

The 29 awards will total $12.7 million and are being made under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program

The Air Force announced today that 29 university researchers at 26 academic institutions have been selected to receive awards to support the purchase of research instrumentation. The 29 awards will total $12.7 million and are being made under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP).

The DURIP supports the purchase of state of the-art equipment that augments current or develops new university capabilities to perform cutting edge defense research. DURIP meets a critical need by enabling university researchers to purchase scientific equipment costing $50,000 or more to conduct DoD relevant research, as purchasing these instruments under research contracts and grants is difficult.

These awards are the result of a merit competition for DURIP funding jointly conducted by the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. The awards announced today will be made by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Awards made by the Army Research Office and the Office of Naval Research were announced via defense.gov on 3 June 2013.

The program is highly competitive. The Air Force Office of Scientific Research requested proposals from university investigators conducting science and engineering research of importance to DoD. This includes research underpinning advances in surface chemistry and physics, computing and networks, electronics and electro optics, neuroscience, fluid dynamics, robotics and autonomous systems, and biological science and engineering. In response to the requests, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research received 260 proposals requesting $99,852,968 in support for research equipment. Collectively, the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research received more than -- 750 proposals requesting $288 million in support for research equipment.

The DURIP awards granted by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research will range from $124,000 to $890,000 and average approximately $440,000. All awards are subject to the successful completion of negotiations between the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the academic institutions.

###

The list of winning proposers may be obtained by accessing the World Wide Web at https://afpims.dma.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-130624-021.pdf.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/afoo-afa062613.php

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Broader health law exemption for Native Americans

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) ? The Obama administration on Wednesday broadened an exemption for American Indians from the new health care law's requirement that virtually every U.S. resident has health insurance starting next year.

New rules clarify that people who are eligible to receive medical care through the federal Indian Health Service will be exempt from the requirement to have health insurance or face fines from the Internal Revenue Service. The Indian Health Service, a division of U.S. Health and Human Services, oversees a network of clinics that are required through treaty obligations to serve all patients of Indian ancestry, even if they cannot document their federal tribal status.

"Today, we continue to fulfill our responsibility to consult and work with tribal communities," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement.

Last month, The Associated Press reported that the Affordable Care Act exempted only American Indians and Alaska Natives who can document their membership in one of about 560 tribes recognized by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Yet more than 100 tribes nationwide are recognized only by states and not the federal government.

That meant thousands of people who consider themselves Native Americans would have to buy their own health insurance policies or pay a $695 fine to the Internal Revenue Service unless they could prove they were eligible to claim an exemption under the Affordable Care Act. The health care law mandates that all Americans carry insurance, with just a few exemptions.

Caitrin McCarron, manager of congressional relations at the National Indian Health Board, said tribal advocates are pleased that the administration added an exemption for Native Americans who are eligible for services through an Indian health care provider. But the board is still pushing for Congress to change that section of the federal law.

"We are really pleased that HHS decided to move forward with this exemption," McCarron said. "However, we still believe that this was a stop-gap measure. Because it's not a legislative fix and it's the secretary's exemption waiver, a future secretary could reverse the policy."

While the exemption provides Native Americans who aren't part of a federally recognized tribe with some financial relief, other discrepancies remain. Jay Stiener, an analyst with the National Council of Urban Indian Health in Washington, D.C., said some Native Americans could be on the hook for co-pays, deductibles and other cost-sharing requirements.

Also, he said members of federally recognized tribes are eligible to enroll throughout the year but not others.

The 2010 Census found that nearly one-third of the 6.2 million people who self-identify as American Indian or Alaska Native lack health insurance and that 28 percent live in poverty.

In California alone, about 21,000 people who currently receive free health care through Indian clinics are not recognized as Native American by the federal government and would have to pay the penalty, according to the nonprofit California Rural Indian Health Board.

___

Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-06-26-Health%20Overhaul-Native%20Americans/id-17cf76de86774c1eb9f1eb81e1720150

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A wakeup call heeded as 'Mad Men' season ends

NEW YORK (AP) ? We have now left Don Draper in a state ripe for rehab ? both literally and figuratively.

Airing Sunday night, the season finale of "Mad Men" found its troubled hero reeling from one bender too many.

"I realized it's gotten out of control," he told his wife, Megan, after a night in a drunk tank after punching out a priest who ticked him off in a bar. "I've gotten out of control," he added.

No kidding.

In its penultimate sixth season spanning the turbulent year of 1968, this AMC drama charted Draper's downward spiral, cheating on his wife with a downstairs neighbor and wreaking havoc at the Manhattan ad agency where he used to be golden.

Until now a charismatic master of pretense, Draper by season's end acknowledged what every "Mad Men" viewer already knew: Don's fabled mojo had failed him. But he seemed prepared to take corrective action.

Did he have a lot of choice? In a startling scene, Draper (series star Jon Hamm) was summoned to a meeting for some bad news: He was being sidelined at Sterling Cooper & Partners.

That is, Draper was ordered to "take some time off and regroup," in the pointed words of fellow partner Roger Sterling (John Slattery).

This expulsion came after a powwow days earlier with the bosses of a possible new client, Hershey's Chocolate, where the silver-tongued Draper did what he does best: infusing the product with his own seductive myths.

Don had the Hershey execs spellbound with a heart-tugging recollection of his father rewarding him with a Hershey bar for mowing the lawn.

"Hershey's is the currency of affection," he rhapsodized. "It's the childhood symbol of love."

But then, as if suffering a crisis of conscience, he pulled a one-eighty. Always a master of revisionist history, Draper revised his pitch from fantasy to truth: He was actually an orphan raised in a whorehouse, he revealed, where, trying to capture the experience of a normal kid, he would eat a Hershey bar he got from one of the girls "who made me go through her john's pockets while they screwed."

Don's eyes moistened, his voice sank to a whisper in a scene that should clinch Hamm his long-withheld Emmy.

"Do you want to advertise THAT?" asked a puzzled Hershey exec.

"If I had my way, you would NEVER advertise," Draper answered. "And you shouldn't have someone like me telling that boy" ? every happy, normal boy with a father who loves him ? "what a Hershey bar is. He already knows."

It was a startlingly awkward moment for the agency partners, but a galvanizing moment of truth for Don.

This step toward redemption, if that's what it turns out to be, was likely triggered two episodes ago, when his teenage daughter Sally found him cheating on his wife. Sally was traumatized.

So was Draper at being discovered by her.

"It's the worst thing that ever happened to him," said "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner in a recent interview. "His pain and guilt and shame are indescribable."

It was the wakeup call Don was long overdue for.

"We discovered a lot about Don this year as he realized who he really is," Weiner said. "And we discovered that he doesn't want to be that way."

No wonder.

On the finale, he torpedoed the romance of longtime colleague Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) with her new love, agency partner Ted Chaough (Kevin Rahm). Don facilitated Ted's wish to move to California with his family to separate himself from Peggy, breaking off their affair and thereby saving his marriage.

At the same time, Don put his own marriage in hock by breaking his earlier promise to Megan for them, not Ted, to make the move to California for the agency and make a fresh start of their own.

"The agency decided it," Don lied when telling her the change of plans.

Even with no inkling he had routinely betrayed her with a mutual friend who lived just one floor away, Megan had long felt he was growing more remote. His reneging on the move west with her was the last straw.

"You want to be alone with your liquor and your ex-wife and your screwed-up kids!" she seethed as she walked out the door.

Megan's words were an eerie echo of last season's conclusion, with Draper planted at a posh Manhattan bar and approached by a beautiful woman who asked, "Are you alone?" Viewers never learned what happened then.

What will happen next?

Painful recognition appears to be propelling "Mad Men" toward its final season, while leaving viewers to ponder how ? or if ? Don will patch up his marriage, his career and his relationship with Sally.

Weiner, who resumes the writing process soon, insisted many questions are yet to be settled.

On the other hand, he has had the final moments of the show in mind for years, he said, though he took pains to tamp down viewer expectations.

"There's no big reveal coming," Weiner declared. "What to leave the audience with is what I've been thinking about, and I have an image. But I don't want to oversell it. Honestly, I'm in denial about the show ending. But we'll get to it when we get to it ? and then it will be on the air."

In the meanwhile, viewers are left with this image: Don Draper's newly discombobulated life. But signaling hope for both him and the audience, he seems to understand he can't just charm his way out of it.

___

Online:

http://www.amctv.com

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? Frazier Moore is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. He can be reached at fmoore@ap.org and at http://www.twitter.com/tvfrazier

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wakeup-call-heeded-mad-men-season-ends-080457293.html

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Putin says no to US request to turn over Snowden

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the media following a meeting with the Finland's President Sauli Niinisto at the presidential summer residence Kultaranta in Naantali, Finland, Tuesday June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Lehtikuva, Kimmo Mantyla) FINLAND OUT

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the media following a meeting with the Finland's President Sauli Niinisto at the presidential summer residence Kultaranta in Naantali, Finland, Tuesday June 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Lehtikuva, Kimmo Mantyla) FINLAND OUT

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks at a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Lavrov on Tuesday bluntly rejected U.S. demands to extradite National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, saying that Snowden hasn?t crossed the Russian border as he seeks to evade prosecution. Sergey Lavrov insisted that Russia has nothing to do with Snowden or his travel plans. Lavrov wouldn?t say where Snowden is, but he angrily lashed out at the U.S. for demanding his extradition and warnings of negative consequences if Moscow fails to comply. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

FILE - In this June 21, 2013 file photo, a banner supporting Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, is displayed at Central, Hong Kong's business district. The Hong Kong government says Snowden wanted by the U.S. for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has left for a "third country." The South China Morning Post reported Sunday, June 23, 2013 that Snowden was on a plane for Moscow, but that Russia was not his final destination. Snowden has talked of seeking asylum in Iceland. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks at a news conference in Moscow on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Lavrov on Tuesday bluntly rejected U.S. demands to extradite National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, saying that Snowden hasn?t crossed the Russian border as he seeks to evade prosecution. Sergey Lavrov insisted that Russia has nothing to do with Snowden or his travel plans. Lavrov wouldn?t say where Snowden is, but he angrily lashed out at the U.S. for demanding his extradition and warnings of negative consequences if Moscow fails to comply. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Light shines through a cabin window on seat 17A, the empty seat that an Aeroflot official said was booked in the name of former CIA technician Edward Snowden, during Aeroflot flight SU150 from Moscow to Havana, Cuba, Monday, June 24, 2013. Confusion over the whereabouts of National Security Agency leaker Snowden grew on Monday after SU150 Aeroflot flight filled with journalists trying to track him down flew from Moscow to Cuba with the empty seat booked in his name.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russian President Vladimir Putin bluntly rejected U.S. pleas to turn over National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden on Tuesday, saying he is free to travel wherever he wants and insisting that Russian security agencies haven't contacted him.

Snowden is in the transit zone of a Moscow airport and has not passed through Russian immigration, Putin said, meaning he is not technically in Russia.

After arriving Sunday on a flight from Hong Kong, Snowden registered for a Havana-bound flight from Moscow on Monday en route to Venezuela and then possible asylum in Ecuador, but he didn't board the plane.

Snowden's whereabouts since then have been a mystery, and Putin's comments were the first time Russia has made clear it knows where he is.

Speculation has been rife that Russian security agencies might want to keep Snowden in Russia for a more thorough debriefing, but Putin denied that.

"Our special services never worked with Mr. Snowden and aren't working with him today," Putin said at a news conference during a visit to Finland.

Putin said that because there is no extradition agreement with the U.S., it couldn't meet the U.S. request.

"Mr. Snowden is a free man, and the sooner he chooses his final destination the better it is for us and for him," Putin said. "I hope it will not affect the business-like character of our relations with the U.S. and I hope that our partners will understand that."

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday that though the United States does not have an extradition treaty with Russia, it wants Moscow to comply with common law practices between countries where fugitives are concerned.

Putin's staunch refusal to consider deporting Snowden shows the Russian president's readiness to further challenge Washington at a time when U.S.-Russian relations are already strained over Syria and a Russian ban on adoptions by Americans.

A Kremlin decision to provide even temporary shelter and safe transit to Snowden would embarrass Washington. And despite Putin's denial, security experts believe the Russian special services wouldn't miss the chance to question a man who is believed to hold reams of classified U.S. documents and can shed light on how the U.S. intelligence agencies collect information.

Igor Korotchenko, director of the Center for Global Arms Trade and editor of National Defense Magazine, said Snowden would be of particular interest because little is known about digital espionage.

"The security services would be happy to enter into contact with Mr. Snowden," Korotchenko said.

Russia also relished using Snowden's revelations to try to turn the tables on U.S. criticism of Russia's rights record.

Putin compared Snowden to WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, who has been provided asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, saying that both men were labeled criminals but consider themselves rights activists and champions of freedom of information.

"Ask yourself a question: should people like that be extradited so that they put them in prison or not?" he said. "In any case, I would prefer not to deal with such issues. It's like shearing a piglet: a lot of squealing and little wool."

In an apparent reference to claims that Moscow could have played a role in Snowden's exit from Hong Kong, he said that his arrival was a "complete surprise" and dismissed accusations against Russia as "ravings and sheer nonsense."

"He doesn't need a visa or any other documents, and as a transit passenger he has the right to buy a ticket and fly wherever he wants," Putin said.

Russian news media had reported that Snowden remained in a transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, which is separate from the regular departure zones. He has not been seen by any of the journalists that have been roaming the airport in search of him.

Legally, an arriving air passenger only crosses the border after clearing immigration checks.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected the U.S. push for Snowden's extradition earlier Tuesday, but wouldn't specify his whereabouts, saying only that he hasn't crossed the Russian border.

"We consider the attempts to accuse Russia of violating U.S. laws and even some sort of conspiracy, which on top of all that are accompanied by threats, as absolutely ungrounded and unacceptable," Lavrov said. "There are no legal grounds for such conduct by U.S. officials."

U.S. and Ecuadorean officials had said they believed Snowden was still in Russia.

Kerry called for "calm and reasonableness."

"We would hope that Russia would not side with someone who is 'a fugitive' from justice,' " Kerry said at a news conference in Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. has revoked Snowden's passport.

A representative of WikiLeaks has been traveling with Snowden, and the organization is believed to be assisting him in arranging asylum. Assange, the group's founder, said Monday that Snowden was only passing through Russia and had applied for asylum in Ecuador, Iceland and possibly other countries.

A high-ranking Ecuadorean official told The Associated Press that Russia and Ecuador were discussing where Snowden could go, saying the process could take days. He also said Ecuador's ambassador to Moscow had not seen or spoken to Snowden. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

Ecuador's foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, hailed Snowden on Monday as "a man attempting to bring light and transparency to facts that affect everyone's fundamental liberties."

"We're following all the appropriate legal channels and working with various other countries to make sure that the rule of law is observed," President Barack Obama told reporters.

The Kremlin has previously said Russia would be ready to consider Snowden's request for asylum.

Snowden is a former CIA employee who later was hired as a contractor for the NSA. In that job, he gained access to documents that he gave to newspapers the Guardian and The Washington Post to expose what he contends are privacy violations by an authoritarian government.

Snowden also told the South China Morning Post newspaper in Hong Kong that "the NSA does all kinds of things like hack Chinese cellphone companies to steal all of your SMS data." He is believed to have more than 200 additional sensitive documents in laptops he is carrying.

Some observers said in addition to the sensitive data, Snowden's revelations have provided the Kremlin with propaganda arguments to counter the U.S. criticism of Russia's crackdown on opposition and civil activists under Putin.

"They would use Snowden to demonstrate that the U.S. government doesn't sympathize with the ideals of freedom of information, conceals key information from the public and stands ready to open criminal proceedings against those who oppose it," Konstantin Remchukov, the editor of independent daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta, said on Ekho Moskvy radio.

Putin has accused the U.S. State Department of instigating protests in Moscow against his re-election for a third term in March and has taken an anti-American posture that plays well with his core support base of industrial workers and state employees.

____

Huuhtanen reported from Naantali, Finland. Michael Weissenstein and Gonzalo Solano contributed to this story from Quito, Ecuador.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-25-NSA-Surveillance/id-0d036e9e2e70420db7c138b48c6dabb9

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Texas senator filibusters against abortion bill

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? Wearing pink tennis shoes to prepare for nearly 13 consecutive hours of standing, a Democratic Texas state senator on Tuesday began a one-woman filibuster to block a GOP-led effort that would impose stringent new abortion restrictions across the nation's second-most populous state.

Sen. Wendy Davis, 50, of Fort Worth began the filibuster at 11:18 a.m. CDT Tuesday and passed the halfway mark in her countdown to midnight ? the deadline for the end of the 30-day special session.

Rules stipulate she remain standing, not lean on her desk or take any breaks ? even for meals or to use the bathroom. Colleagues removed her chair so she wouldn't sit down by mistake.

If signed into law, the measures would close almost every abortion clinic in Texas, a state 773 miles wide and 790 miles long with 26 million people. A woman living along the Mexico border or in West Texas would have to drive hundreds of miles to obtain an abortion if the law passes.

In her opening remarks, Davis said she was "rising on the floor today to humbly give voice to thousands of Texans" and called Republican efforts to pass the bill a "raw abuse of power."

Democrats chose Davis to lead the effort because of her background as a woman who had her first child as a teenager and went on to graduate from Harvard Law School.

In the hallway outside the Senate chamber, hundreds of women stood in line, waiting for people in the gallery to give up their seats. Women's rights supporters wore orange t-shirts to show their support for Davis, and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst had to remind those in the gallery that interrupting the proceedings could results in 48 hours in jail.

To stay sharp, Davis slowly circled her desk, pausing occasionally to read from a large binder on her desk. When a male protester stood in the Senate gallery and shouted, "abortion is genocide," Davis continued talking uninterrupted as the man was removed by security.

If the filibuster succeeds, it could also take down other measures. A proposal to fund major transportation projects as well as a bill to have Texas more closely conform with a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision banning mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole for offenders younger than 18 might not get votes. Current state law only allows a life sentence without parole for 17-year-olds convicted of capital murder.

Twice in the first six hours, anti-abortion lawmakers questioned her about the bills, presenting their arguments that the measure will protect women or that abortions were wrong. Davis answered their questions, but did not give up control of the floor as she stood next to her desk.

"This is really about women's health," said Sen, Bob Deuell, who introduced a requirement that all abortions take place in surgical centers, "Sometimes bad things can happen."

Davis questioned then why vasectomies and colonoscopies aren't also required to take place in such clinics.

"Because I've been unable to have a simple question answered to help me understand how this would lead to better care for women, I must question the underlying motive for doing so."

Davis used up large chunks of time reading into the record testimony from women and doctors who would be impacted by the changes, but were denied the opportunity to testify in a Republican-controlled committee because the chairman said the it was becoming repetitive.

During one heart-wrenching story describing a woman's difficult pregnancy, Davis choked up several times and wiped tears, but kept reading.

A petite woman who stays in shape by jogging and cycling, Davis tried to stay comfortable and sharp by shifting her weight from hip to hip and slowly walking around her desk while reading notes from a large binder on her desk.

Republicans watched her closely for any rules slipup that would allow them to break the filibuster and call the bill for a vote.

The bill would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and force many clinics that perform the procedure to upgrade their facilities and be classified as ambulatory surgical centers. Also, doctors would be required to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles ? a tall order in rural communities.

"If this passes, abortion would be virtually banned in the state of Texas, and many women could be forced to resort to dangerous and unsafe measures," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund and daughter of the late former Texas governor Ann Richards.

Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, said the Democrats never should have been allowed to put Republicans "in a box" and complained that many in the Senate GOP were "flying by the seat of their pants."

But the bill's bogging down began with Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who summoned lawmakers back to work immediately after the regular legislative session ended May 27 but didn't add abortion to the special session to-do list until late in the process. The Legislature can only take up issues at the governor's direction.

Then, House Democrats succeeded in stalling nearly all night Sunday, keeping the bill from reaching the Senate until 11 a.m. Monday.

Debate in that chamber ranged from lawmakers waving coat-hangers on the floor and claiming the new rules are so draconian that women are going to be forced to head to drug war-torn Mexico to have abortions.

At one point, the bill's sponsor, Republican Rep. Jodie Laubenberg of Spring, errantly suggested that emergency room rape kits could be used to terminate pregnancies.

___

Senate Bill 5: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=831&Bill=SB5

___

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/cltomlinson

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/texas-senator-filibusters-against-abortion-bill-164526586.html

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Suzanne Perryman: 6 Secrets of Strong Special Needs Dads

I recently wrote about the secrets special needs moms won't tell you, but heard from many special needs fathers that they felt left out. My husband, Zoe's Dad was my inspiration to write about what I know about special needs dads.

We are in the kitchen, my husband and I, cleaning up after dinner and talking about our day. I am telling him a sweet story about Zoe, a challenge she encountered. The story ends with success and as I happily share the outcome, I look to his face for the approval and excitement that I know he will offer, his endless encouragement something I rely on. Instead, I see he is still working through my words, that his face is still, caught in the moment when Zoe was vulnerable and unsure of her abilities, and in that few seconds, his face fills with pain and I see the heartache I know he lives with.

1. Special Needs Dads suffer silently with broken hearts. These dads are productive and they find their daily dose of happy, but that doesn't mean they don't carry heartbreak around. They had a dream that turned out differently too. I watch my husband wipe away single stray tears at unexpected moments. I can feel the grief in his quiet breathing at night, when he is awake when he should be sleeping. I feel the heaviness in his heart when we talk about the future and his fear that he won't be here for this child of ours. When other men hear him speak in detail about our amazing child, often, there is awkward silence, or even apology. Most men we know can't talk about disappointments, differences or delayed development as well as the moms do.

There are stories I have had to tell my husband, after-the-fact stories that detail the way our daughter cried, or when her eyes just filled with tears and her lip started to quiver. Stories about the way a needle hurt during a hospital stay, or how someone's words made her sad, or simply the way another child stared -- or even how an adult unknowingly made something difficult for her. In moments like these, my husband goes silent and tense, he controls his outrage, he holds back his anger. His simple response is deeply meaningful: "I wish I could have been there."

2. Special Needs Dads struggle with being the protector. This is something dads cannot successfully do -- protect their families from harm. There are too many physical forces beyond their control. Special Needs Dads also have fate getting in their face, 24/7. Fate that comes to call in the middle of the night, in the form of a physically sick child. Fate on the phone with a new diagnosis. No matter how many precautions they take, how physically present they are, how hard they work to support their family, even how hard they try, Special Needs Dads will see their child and their family experience pain, over and over and over again.

I am in the kitchen, laying out the medicine tray for after dinner, when my husband starts telling me a story about work, something I am interested in and excited about. Zoe interrupts him mid-sentence. At the end of the day her words slur with fatigue, but she wants to tell her Daddy something, so we stop and wait while she tells her story. In the middle of the night Zoe calls for me, sometimes hours after, and I will feel my husband's hand on my shoulder. I have fallen asleep in our daughter's bed, and he has awakened, and is unable to fall back to sleep. He needs me too, and waits without resentment, while I take care of our daughters first, before coming back to him.
3. Special Needs Dads are strong. Our family life can be lonely and although we steal our moments together, much of our marriage is about what is best for the health of our children first. When we consider stealing away on a weekend vacation, our hearts hurt when we think of leaving our kids behind, and what could happen in our absence or if tragedy struck, to them or us, taking us both away from our kids. Special Needs Dads choose to put their family first, and are strong about doing what needs to be done. This is the strength that fuels their dedication. Maybe not all Special Needs Dads started out this way, but there is little room for selfishness with such strength.

There are times when I overflow with worry, trying to plan and prepare for every challenge our daughter might encounter. I see roadblocks where my husband sees opportunities, and at the end of the day, when I am weary and out of words, my husband opens his arms to my daughter, she crawls into his lap and while he holds her, he talks about his own life, how he always tries his best and why she should too.

4. Special Needs Dads learn how to be life-long leaders. Leaders empower. They spearhead change, advocating and working hard to make a difference. They empower their children, encouraging them to do more and believing they can do anything. These leaders continue to learn -- about their child's disability, about their child's needs, about the world around them. Leaders are responsible; they do what is best for their families, they choose the harder path.

"Daddddddddy," Zoe calls from her bedroom. My husband walks down the hallway, answering her demand. "How was your day?" she asks eagerly. She wants details then, so my husband provides them. She asks silly questions, and he patiently answers each one. "I missed you today, Daddy, and I love you" she vows. He easily, sweetly returns her I love you, something he says to her each day. Bending down, he touches his lips to hers as she reaches up for him.

5. Special Needs Dads are vulnerable. They love actively and affectionately. Often, their touch is the sole communication, a love language they share with their children. Loving this way comes from an open heart, a trusting heart that is left open to hurt and pain.

"I miss Daddy" Zoe tells me. It is bedtime and her dad is out of town, something that seldom happens. "It's not the same, when he is gone," she sighs, laying her head on my chest. She is missing his laughter, the way he gathers her in and holds the gift of her close.

6. Special Needs Dads live life with purpose and perspective. My husband has found his work /life balance, choosing to be present for his family yet still feeling the constant pressure to provide. Daily, he embraces the simple gifts in our life: emotions, our family love, even the food we prepare together. He has learned the value of each gift in life and how important a moment in time can be, how moments shouldn't be wasted or life lived with regret.

I hug her tight and try to soothe her to sleep, knowing there is nothing I can do to fill the space her Daddy holds in her heart.

?

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suzanne-perryman-/secrets-of-strong-special-needs-dads_b_3442759.html

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What exactly is Muga Fencing? | Project First Sale - My Honest Review

by margaret on June 16, 2013

Written by Lovek Koveche

The popularity of sports being a form a recreation has resulted towards the flourish of sports facilities across the world. Sports facilities give you a safe and comfortable area for website visitors to embark on a variety of sports. Before, these kind of facilities catered only to one sort of activity like basketball for basketball courts, tennis for tennis courts and the like. Today, engineering advancement has established the Multi Use Game Area or MUGA which is quickly becoming popular.

What is MUGA? You may have heard the term used before. Multi Use Game Area, also referred to as MUGA is a unique court system that permits a variety of sports to become played in an area. This is thanks to synthetic surfacing. The phrase multi says everything. Unlike the typical courts, MUGAs can host numerous kinds of play from basketball to football. You might ask how this is possible. The number of sports activities that a MUGA can serve depends on its structure and style. Before it?s constructed, there are specific elements that are taken into account. For example base design, kerb perimeter, synthetic surface, and perimeter. These determine the over-all capability of the action area.

To really make the area more conducive to sports and safe for players and spectators alike, MUGA fencing is completed. What is this? This is a kind of fencing which is engineered for various kinds of sports. Plenty of fencing companies specialize in this kind of fencing. Mesh panel is a well-liked choice for a muga fences due to its durability, strength, and appearance. A fence is customized based on the kind of games the area allows. A MUGA fence offer several features like having the capacity to retain the balls within the facility; multiple entrance and exits for much easier access; places that people can without danger observe the games , and anti-rattle fixings. Additional accessories include basketball hoops, cycle shelters, and play areas.

What is the distinction between Sports Fencing and MUGA fencing? Both are actually similar because both types cater to sports. A paladin fencing and MUGA fence try to give you a safe and peaceful atmosphere, simultaneously making activities more fulfilling for both players and viewers. However, a MUGA fence is definitely more diverse because it is meant to handle various types of sports, unlike sports fencing which is created for just one kind of play.

Tagged as: Containment System, General Contractor, Security and Safety

Source: http://projectsalefirst.com/what-exactly-is-muga-fencing/

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iOS 7 gamepad leaked, features blurry Logitech G logo

Apple may consider the iPhone to be a gaming device, but even it's willing to admit that traditional gaming demands a proper gamepad. The folks at Logitech apparently agree, and seem to be preparing to release an iPhone 5-compatible gamepad with its G-prefix branding. An image acquired by Kotaku shows four-button Logitech gamepad build around an iPhone shaped hole. A Lightning connector pokes at of the gap's right side, indicating a hard-wired (or at least device powered) peripheral. According to Kotaku, this will be just one of several third-party gamepads designed for iOS 7's Game Center overhaul, and Apple won't be providing a first-party solution, either. The blurry image ought to be flavored with the standard amount sodium chloride, but we wouldn't scoff at an officially supported gamepad solution.

Filed under: Gaming, Mobile, Apple

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Source: Kotaku

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/16/ios-7-gamepad-leaked-features-blurry-logitech-g-logo/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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NE Ohio fishing report: Weather's impact

CLEVELAND - The weather system that brought severe storms to Ohio on Wednesday is having an effect on fishing, especially on Lake Erie. Most boats have not been able to make it out on the Big Lake for two days because the conditions have just been too rough.? The lake should lay down sometime Friday afternoon and be very fishable by Saturday.?

Let?s take a closer look at fishing conditions around the region:

Lake Erie

Before the storm, the Port Clinton headboat fleet was reporting steady catches. ?Now, the water is stirred up, and muddy where streams enter the lake.? Shore-Nuf??charters at the Port Clinton Drawbridge has not been able to get a boat on the water since the storm.? They hope to turn that around Friday, but may not be able to make that happen until Saturday.? Before the bad weather, they were taking good numbers of fish, with outstanding catches being made in the late afternoon and evening. ?Weight forward spinners or nightcrawler harnesses were producing. The top colors were gold, firetiger, and purple.

The storm system and the resulting high winds has made it tough on Western Basin trollers, too.? Since the western third of the lake is so shallow, the winds have a bigger impact, and the effects last longer.? Before the blow, Western Basin trollers had been ?taking limit numbers of Walleye on Stinger spoons or crawler harnesses.??

In the Central Basin, Craig Lewis at Erie Outfitters in Sheffield says it?s hard to say how the storm system will affect Walleye fishing.? He expects fishable conditions by Friday afternoon.? If? trollers can find the schools, again, there should not be much of a drop off in the bite.? Before the storm, ?fish were almost everywhere in 30 to 50 feet of water from Vermilion to Avon Point.? Stinger spoons or nightcrawler harnesses combined with Dipsy Divers were turning up limit catches. ?Pink and Purple were the preferred colors.

Yellow Perch were also hitting in 25 to 40 feet of water will catch fish from Lorain to Avon Point.

Further east, the folks at Shine?s raise more questions about lake conditions.? If the wind cooperates boats could be trolling in the waters off of Cleveland by Friday afternoon.? Before the weather system moved through good catches of Walleye were being made from The Crib to Bratenahl.??Nightcrawler harnesses or spoons in purple, chartreuse, and watermelon were working

Good catches of Yellow Perch were being made off the Linda Mae, the headboat that fishes out of Wildwood Marina before the storm.? But, the boat hasn?t been able to make it on to the lake since Wednesday morning.? They will try to run trips on Friday and through the weekend.? They tell us fish were taking Emerald Shiners in 30 to 45 feet of water off of Euclid Beach and Euclid Hospital. ??Walleyes were also being caught by Captain Vitas earlier in the week.

Heading out to Fairport Harbor, Don at Harbor Bait expects conditions to improve by Friday afternoon, and be almost perfect on Saturday.? The problem may be that the Walleye are scattered.? Before the bad weather, the Walleye fishing was excellent with limit numbers of large fish being caught in 40 to 42 feet of water. ?Trolling nightcrawler harnesses, Stinger Spoons, and Reef Runners were producing. Purple and pink had been the best colors.

Portage Lakes

The storm stirred up the waters at this popular chain of lakes south of Akron.? However, that should help the Catfish bite.? Good numbers of Channel Cats have been taken since the storms rolled through, especially on Long Lake, Turkeyfoot Lake, and East Reservoir.? ?Chicken livers, cutbait, and nightcrawlers have been working.

Ron Slater at Portage Lakes Bait and Tackle reports the Largemouth Bass are still hitting. Ron says to fish plastics and cranks for Bass near shoreline structure, as well as drop offs. East Reservoir, Turkeyfoot, Long, Mud, and Rex Lakes all offer excellent Bass cover. Catches of a dozen fish or more have been reported by a number of anglers in the past week.

Jerry at Long Lake Bait and Tackle says the Bluegills and Redears remain on the nests in some lakes. His advice is to try Long Lake, North Reservoir, and Turkeyfoot. You will want to fish maggots, waxworms, or red worms for the Bluegills and other Sunfish. ?Jerry tells us good numbers of Yellow Perch are being caught fishing minnows and nightcrawlers in deeper water of Turkeyfoot.

Nimisila Reservoir

Another reader who goes by the online name of Buckzye11 calls Nimisila his home lake. He sent us this report about the impoundment south of Akron:

?Bass were concentrated around weedbeds. Still no bigs for me, but I caught around 20 fiesty ones on swimbaits. The Reds (Redears) moved off the nests sooner then I was expectiing... at least in the areas I know.?

Thanks for the great information Buckzye11. If any of you want to let us know how things are where you?re fishing, feel free to email me at noleff@wews.com . You can also find me on ohiogamefishing.com. My handle there is TopCat, and you can send

me a personal message. You can also follow me on Twitter @gnoleff.

We are also hearing of good catches of Channel Cats from Nimisila. Cutbait and chicken livers will catch the Cats, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics fished near weedbeds. Shad or crayfish imitations have worked best. ?The Channel Catfish bite has really picked up. Good catches are being made on chicken livers and nightcrawlers.

Mosquito Creek

Joe at Mosquito Lake Marina says the water is up by about eight inches, but the lake is fisable. He tells us good catches of bass are being made, especially later in the day and at dusk.? Buzz baits and soft plastics fishing in the weeds and around structure will take fish.? The Walleye bite has slowed, but some fish are taking harnesses or diving plugs trolled deep. ?Big Crappies have been? hitting Twister Tails and minnows fished deep.? ?Big Bluegills have moved into the shallows and are on the nests.? Some Catfish are being taken on chicken livers, cutbait, and live bluegills.

Berlin

Good numbers of Channel Catfish are being made. The folks at Les? Bait tell us the Cats are hitting everything from chicken liver to nightcrawlers to crankbaits. ?White Bass action has been solid. With fish hitting nightcrawler harnesses, small diving plugs, and spinners. The Walleye bite has been fair, with some bigger fish finally showing up. ?But, no patterns have emerged, and anglers have had to work for their fish.? Bass fishing has been sporadic.

Milton

Fair catches of Walleye are still being made by trollers pulling Shad Raps and Flicker Shads at this Mahoning County Reservoir. The Mahoning River channel between the Lake Milton Causeway and the I-76 Bridge has been one of the productive areas. Fish deep there. Largemouth and Smallmouth are being taken on jigs, plastics, and crankbaits fished around structure, though the action has been slow at times. White Bass are readily taking jigs tipped with nightcrawlers and minnows. Some Channel Cats are being caught on cutbait and nightcrawlers.

Pymatuning

The stump field on the north end was producing before the storm. The folks at Duck and Drake report nightcrawler harnesses trolled or drifted in eight to 12 feet of water had been taking good numbers of Walleye. ?Walleye were caught Thursday, despite muddy conditions, by trollers dragging diving plugs in 20 feet of water on the south end.? We are told they were following the contour of the creek channel.? The Channel Catfish bite has picked up.? Fish are taking chicken livers, and cutbait.

Mogadore

Mogadore Bait and Tackle reports the Bluegills remain on the nests, despite the recent weather. Maggots are the preferred bait. The Largemouth Bass action continues to be good.? Plastics fished on drop offs and near structure are taking a lot of fish. The Channel Cat bite is good. A Channel that went almost 10 pounds was caught last week on cutbait.

West Branch

The storms have not slowed things at this impoundment near Ravenna. Alvin at Ron?s Bait and Tackle says the Walleye are still cooperating.? They are hitting ?jigs tipped with nightcrawlers, as well as nightcrawler harnesses fished near weed beds and drop-offs. ?Plenty of Bass are being taken on

Charles Mill & Pleasant Hill

Muddy conditions haven?t dampened the ?Wiper action at Charles Mill. ?Dusty at Mifflin Lakes Trading Post says good catches of the White Bass/Striped Bass hybrids are being made at this impoundment between Ashland and Mansfield. Chicken livers or Twister Tails fished under a bobber in the Bell Lake area of Charles Mill have been producing. Largemouth Bass are off the beds and actively feeding. Buzzbaits, soft plastics, or large shiners fished under a float will take fish. Fish near weeds or downed trees in the water to improve your chances of catching Bass. Channel Cats are biting, too. Dough/stink baits, nightcrawlers, and chicken livers, and fresh shad will catch fish. Saugeye are being caught in decent numbers in the lake, though high water may make fishing below the dam at Charles Mill difficult for a day or two. Drifting minnows or nightcrawler harnesses has taken fish above the dam. So has trolling Flicker Shad and other diving plugs.

Just to the south, Saugeye are being caught by trollers at Pleasant Hill. Nightcrawler harnesses and diving plugs fished near the beach are working. Good catches of Largemouth and Smallmouth bass are being reported on buzzbaits, jigs, and soft plastics.

Chippewa Lake

Panfish are being caught at this Medina County lake. Bob Nemeth at Chippewa Lake Bait and Tackle says worms or waxworms under a bobber will take them. Good catches of bass are being made. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits have produced lately. Catfish have been taking nightcrawlers and chicken livers. One note: This lake gets a lot of pleasure boating traffic, so your best bet is to fish it early.

Cleveland Metro Parks

Most of the Metro Parks lakes are producing decent Panfish catches. The Rocky River is also providing good catches of Smallmouth

Bass. Fishing crawfish imitations near structure will take fish.

Ohio River

Good numbers of Channel Cats and Flathead Cats are being taken below the New Cumberland Dam in Columbiana County. ?Cut herring, chicken livers, and garlic shrimp are the preferred baits. Sauger were hitting Twister tails, jigging spoons, and live bait fished near the bottom.? ?River conditions are mixed after the recent heavy rains.

Tappan

Katie at Tappan Lake Marina says the lake just ?lit up? in the past week. ?Fishing has been good for Saugeye, Crappies, and Catfish, though rain has kept some boats off the lake. ?Good numbers of Saugeye are being taken by trollers and drifters on nightcrawler harnesses. Try the area around the sunken road bed west of the marina for Saugeye. Channel Catfish have been taking nightrawlers, cutbait, and chicken livers. Crappie are suspended over deep structure and being caught on minnows and jigs. ?A 17-inch long Crappie was caught Tuesday night. Bass fishing has been fair.

Tuscarawas River

Lookout for rising water levels as the rain from the storm moves downstream.? That could affect fishing.? Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike were being caught in the stretch near Bolivar. ?Some Catfish are being taken below the dam at Dover. There are also reports of Smallmouth and Northerns being caught in the Forty Corners area between Canal Fulton and Massillon. Crankbaits and jigs are catching both species. The Tuscarawas above Long Lake through the Firestone Metro Park was producing good catches of Panfish and Yellow Perch, though water conditions have been high and fast.

Cuyahoga River

The Cuyahoga above Cuyahoga Falls is providing good action for Bass and Northern Pike. Spinner baits, spoons, and crankbaits will catch fish.

Crunching Numbers

?One fish, two fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish??

Who isn?t familiar with that classic from Dr. Seuss? When it comes to an important part of fisheries management in Ohio, the good Doctor wasn?t far off.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources does count fish, and they do it by species. The state uses something called electrofishing to get an idea of the number and kinds of fish in a body of water.

Here?s how it works. A specially equipped boat moves through the water sending out a low level electrical current. Fish are actually attracted to it and swim toward it. The current is only strong enough to stun the fish, forcing them to the surface where they are netted, placed in a holding tank, measured and their information recorded, then they are quickly returned to the water. The fish are no worse for the wear, and the state gets a pretty good idea of what?s finning around lakes and streams, as well as how big they are.

?It?s part of our monitoring program to get a consistent measure of how fish are doing in a particular lake,? says Chris Aman, a fisheries biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

I was fortunate to tag along on a recent survey Chris did with two other members of a DOW crew, Cameron McCune and Mitch Issler. They were surveying Sunfish at Nimisila Reservoir in Green in southern Summit County. During the survey fish would be shocked to the surface and data would be gathered on the sunfish population in the lake.

?It?s how we understand what?s going on in our reservoirs,? said Aman. ?It gives us an understanding of the health of the fishery.?

The DOW team followed a map of selected spots to survey around the lake. We would move from location to location, two men at the bow of the boat netting fish as they were shocked to surface. Some places held great numbers of fish, some didn?t. While this survey targeted Sunfish, other species also rolled to the top, though they weren?t netted.

However, every Sunfish that came up was brought into the boat. Each individual?s size and species were recorded. There were Green Sunfish, Bluegills, Redears, Pumkinseeds, Warmmouths, and a variety of hybrids. They ranged

in size from tiny, maybe two inches long, to behemoths, at least for Sunfish, measuring in the 8 to 10 inch range.

So how healthy is the Sunfish population in Nimisila? On the face of it, it looks pretty good, but we won?t know for sure until the data collected is processed. All of the information will be put into a statewide data base and analyzed.

It?s one of the tools the Division of Wildlife uses to determine how to manage a particular body of water. That information can be used for a variety of purposes including setting limits for a lake, or even guiding stocking programs.

I can tell you these crews work long, hard hours to ensure quality fishing in the State of Ohio, and the information they generate is invaluable.

If you want to see some of the pictures of the crew in action, check out the photo section of this article.

We Want To Hear From You

And, we want to remind you that you can submit photos of your fish catches. Check out the fantastic Walleye taken by Chris from Perry. The picture is in the photo section of this article. Go ahead, brag a little.

We might post the photos or broadcast them on Good Morning Cleveland. Send those photos to Noleff@wews.com . We also welcome your fishing reports from you home waters, tips, suggestions, and even recipes that we can share. Or if there?s a body of water you fish, and we?re not covering it, let us know and we?ll keep you informed about the latest conditions there. Plus, feel free to send us your fishing questions. We?ll try to get them answered.

This report will be updated through the week to reflect the most recent fishing conditions.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/Northeast-Ohio-fishing-report-Wicked-Weather-has-an-impact

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