Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Barack Obama?s Low Ceiling (Powerlineblog)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/205493335?client_source=feed&format=rss

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U.K. Corporate Arts Spending Hits 7-Year Low - Philanthropy Today ...

Financial support for cultural groups by British businesses dropped 7 percent, to $212.5-million, last year, the lowest figure since 2004, the BBC reports.

Overall donations for the arts, including gifts from individuals, foundations, and trusts, rose a little more than 4 percent to just under $1.1-billion in the 2010-11 fiscal year, according to culture philanthropy group Arts and Business.

The British government launched a major push last year to boost business philanthropy and support for the arts, terming 2011 the ?year of corporate giving.? Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt termed the overall increase in giving to the arts a success, telling a BBC radio program, ?I think it would have fallen a lot further if we hadn?t put in the effort that we have.?

Museums and heritage attractions took in more money in 2010-11, while visual-arts, theater, and community arts groups saw donations decline.

Source: http://philanthropy.com/blogs/philanthropytoday/u-k-corporate-arts-spending-hits-7-year-low/45047

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Monday, February 27, 2012

A Company That Specializes In E-commerce Web Development ...

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Source: http://internetbasedbusinessarticles.com/124477/a-company-that-specializes-in-e-commerce-web-development-could-be-the-right-selection-for-you/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-company-that-specializes-in-e-commerce-web-development-could-be-the-right-selection-for-you

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Milwaukee Art Museum to exhibit self-taught art (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Art dealers know Anthony Petullo so well he can run through an art show and put red dots on his favorite pieces to quickly claim them.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/arts/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120225/ap_en_ot/us_self_taught_art_milwaukee

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

PBS to air new Clinton documentary (CNN)

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Colon cancer study backs blood stool screening test (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Although colon cancer screening is recommended by many organizations, less clear is which method is best to detect tumors and precancerous lesions. A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that a relatively inexpensive and non-invasive test may be just as effective as a colonoscopy.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/cancer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120222/hl_nm/us_coloncancer_study

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Infertlity In Women | NY Essay

Imagine meeting the man of your dreams, falling in love and getting married to your Knight in Shining Armor. You two begin your life together by establishing careers and moving into your dream house. ? You own nice luxury cars and a beautiful dog. The only thing missing is the children. Imagine trying to conceive a child for over 5 years and being unsuccessful. Not knowing what the problem is or if it will ever happen. Women experiencing this problem are said to be infertile. Of course, the nightmare can turn into a dream if ? they are able to conceive a child by receiving treatment. There are two common causes of infertility: sexually transmitted diseases and ovulation disorder. ? I will identify the causes and effects of infertility. In addition, I will explain the treatment used to overcome infertility.

Infertility is a condition of the reproductive system that impairs the conception of children. This means that after having sex without any form of birth control, a woman

has been unable to conceive a child. According to The Department of Health and Human Services in 2008, USA, it affects approximately 6.1 million individuals throughout the United States. The diagnosis of infertility is usually given to couples who have been trying for at least one year without success. For a woman to conceive, there are many factors that have to be in play: 1) the man should have healthy sperm, 2) healthy eggs should be produced by the woman, 3) unblocked fallopian tubes allow the sperm to reach the egg, 4) the sperm is able to fertilize the egg when they meet and lastly, 5) the ability of the fertilized egg to become implanted in the woman?s uterus. Without these five factors, a woman will not be able to conceive.
One of the most common causes of female infertility is a sexual transmitted diseases (STD). A Sexually Transmitted Disease is an illness or infection transmitted during sexual contact. The most commonly transmitted STDs in the United States are Chlamydia and?

Source: http://nyessay.com/reproductive-health/infertlity-in-women/

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Monday, February 20, 2012

China's unofficial lending falters, savers protest

(AP) ? Ms. Zhang, a schoolteacher in the central city of Anyang, lent $43,000 last year to entrepreneurs who couldn't get loans from state banks. Now as growth cools and Beijing cracks down on informal credit, Zhang and thousands of other small lenders are unpaid and angry.

Underground lending by ordinary Chinese like Zhang flourished over the past decade, providing trillions of yuan (hundreds of billions of dollars) needed by private companies that create China's new jobs and wealth.

Its popularity reflects public desperation for an alternative to China's banks, which pay low deposit rates that fail to keep up with inflation and channel savings to government companies.

But the high cost of underground credit ? interest rates of 70 percent a year or higher ? and a slump in global demand caused a wave of business failures last year, prompting owners in cities such as Wenzhou in the southeast to flee.

The shockwave is now hitting the Chinese savers who put up money for those loans. Protests erupted in Anyang and other areas as lenders demanded officials get back their money.

"We have no other investment options and bank interest rates are too low," said Zhang, who asked not to be identified further. Hopes of getting back the 270,000 yuan ($43,000) she lent are pinned on the courts so long as the government is willing to let a case proceed.

Rising defaults threaten to aggravate social tensions as the Communist Party tries to enforce calm ahead of a once-a-decade handover of power to a younger generation of leaders due late this year. The public already is fuming over inflation, corruption, product safety scandals and pollution.

Leaders including Premier Wen Jiabao, the top economic official, have repeatedly promised more credit for small companies. But most loans still go to state enterprises that have close ties with banks and form the power base of officials. Experts say there have been slight improvements but the situation hasn't changed fundamentally.

"It always has been hard for small Chinese companies to borrow money from banks," said Guo Tianyong, director of the Banking Research Center at Beijing's Central University of Finance and Economics. He said the situation has worsened in the past year.

Entrepreneurs were struggling with slumping global demand when Beijing clamped down on a credit boom to cool its overheated economy. State banks cut the small amount of private sector lending they were doing while continuing support to state industry. Private companies failed and the survivors cut payrolls.

Only 19 percent of bank lending last year went to small businesses, while total loans fell 6 percent from 2010 to 7.5 trillion yuan ($1.2 trillion), according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

The underground credit market is estimated by China's central bank and private sector analysts at 2 to 4 trillion yuan ($325 to $650 billion), or as much as 7 percent of total lending. In some areas, informal lending exceeds that of official banks.

The communist government allowed it to grow over the past decade, apparently seeing it as necessary to support entrepreneurs.

Borrowers range from manufacturers and traders to real estate developers who want to evade credit curbs imposed to cool surging housing prices. Middlemen, some of them state companies, put borrowers in touch with lenders for a fee.

Yao Yafei, a manager of a chemical company with 20 employees in the central city of Linfen in Shanxi province, said it has used informal lenders since 2004. He said that in its latest round, the company borrowed 500,000 yuan ($80,000) in July and repaid it two months later with 2 percent monthly interest.

"Underground banking is popular here," Yao said. "They offer really good service and send the money to you just one minute after you ask. They even send the cash to your place if you want.

Beijing launched a crackdown as it tightened economic controls after the 2008 crisis.

Regulators started to worry about underground lending after high returns drew state companies and civil servants into the business, blurring the line between banks and informal lending, according to Guo.

"They could easily borrow from banks and earn a profit by re-lending the money," he said. "If a problem happened, it would become destructive."

In Zhejiang province on the southeast coast, an export center hit by an avalanche of bankruptcies, 11 people have been sentenced to death since 2009 on charges of "illegal fundraising," according to news reports.

Among them was a 31-year-old woman, Wu Ying, who once was praised by state media as one of China's most successful businesswomen.

The penalty prompted an outcry on Internet bulletin boards by people who said it was too severe. All death sentences must be confirmed by China's supreme court, but in an apparent effort to mollify critics, the court took the unusual step of announcing it was reviewing Wu's penalty "with care."

Across the country, borrowers have been arrested after failing to repay loans running to billions of yuan (hundreds of millions of dollars).

Ordinary Chinese savers still have powerful incentives to take part.

Banks pay 3.5 percent on deposits, while inflation stood at 4.5 percent in January and was as high as 7.1 percent in July. Food prices are rising by double digits, adding to the urgency of earning a better return.

Zhang, the schoolteacher in Anyang in the central province of Henan, said she lent money last March to five local companies after friends put her in touch with the owners. She said such arrangements have been routine in Anyang for more than 10 years.

"There were no problems in the past two or three years, so people believed they could make money from it," she said by phone from Anyang.

The borrowers paid 4 percent interest each month but when the six-month loan came due in September, they said they had no money left, she said.

"It was just gone," Zhang said.

Thousands of frustrated lenders in Anyang took to the streets on New Year's Day, demanding the government recover their money, according to Hong Kong news reports.

Police blocked some who tried to board trains to Beijing to complain to the central government and authorities in Anyang are investigating hundreds of people suspected of involvement in investment schemes.

The propaganda department of Anyang's Communist Party branch said investigators have detained 160 people and recovered 1.8 billion yuan ($290 million) out of 4.6 billion yuan ($741 million) sought by lenders.

Chinese experts and state media say small-scale informal lending is legal and the limits of what is prohibited are fuzzy.

Xinhua said in a Dec. 16 report that making a private loan directly to a borrower is legal, though courts will not enforce interest more than four times the rate charged by official banks.

"There were differences between illegal fundraising and private lending, but no distinct boundaries were drawn," said Guo. "It's still not clear where the boundary is."

___

AP researchers Fu Ting, Yu Bing and Zhao Liang contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-02-20-AS-China-Underground-Lending/id-3b1532e876e94367a97be50d83a4c83d

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Sunday, February 19, 2012

Ali smiles as Wonder, others sing Happy Birthday

Former boxer Chuck Wepner arrives at the Keep Memory Alive 16th Annual "Power of Love Gala" honoring Muhammad Ali with his 70th birthday celebration on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Bottari)

Former boxer Chuck Wepner arrives at the Keep Memory Alive 16th Annual "Power of Love Gala" honoring Muhammad Ali with his 70th birthday celebration on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Bottari)

Actor Tony Danza, television personality Larry King and sportscaster Charley Steiner arrive at the Keep Memory Alive 16th Annual "Power of Love Gala" honoring Muhammad Ali with his 70th birthday celebration on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Bottari)

Television personality Larry King arrives at the Keep Memory Alive 16th Annual "Power of Love Gala" honoring Muhammad Ali with his 70th birthday celebration on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Bottari)

Actor Tony Danza arrives at the Keep Memory Alive 16th Annual "Power of Love Gala" honoring Muhammad Ali with his 70th birthday celebration on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Bottari)

Musician Chris Isaak arrives at the Keep Memory Alive 16th Annual "Power of Love Gala" honoring Muhammad Ali with his 70th birthday celebration on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Jeff Bottari)

(AP) ? A casino owner paid more than a million dollars for boxing gloves Muhammad Ali used to defend his title. Samuel L. Jackson dedicated a rendition of "Stand By Me" to the boxer. And President Barack Obama told the icon in a birthday tribute that he inspired the world.

By the end of the night, all Ali needed to do to capture the hearts of 2,000 revelers in Las Vegas Saturday was go onstage and smile.

Ali sat next to Stevie Wonder, who played keyboards and sang his version of "Happy Birthday," while stars including Sean "Diddy" Combs, Kelly Rowland, LL Cool J, Quincy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard and boxing promoter Bob Arum followed along.

Combs pinched Ali's cheeks and whispered in his ear, then closed out the nearly 5-hour gala by professing his deep admiration for the fighter.

Ali's eyes widened. He pointed at Combs, then back at his own head, twirling his index finger as if to tell Combs he's crazy.

"The greatest of all time," Combs said after leading the crowd in shouting "Happy birthday, Ali."

The moment closed out the celebration of Ali's life and fundraiser to generate millions of dollars for brain research, a mission Ali's family says is important to him in part because of his nearly 30-year battle with Parkinson's disease.

"Happy birthday, champ," Obama told Ali through a video message, saying he wished he could have attended a swanky dinner gala in Las Vegas featuring some of the biggest names in sports, film, television and music.

"As a fighter, you were something spectacular," Obama told Ali, who turned 70 last month. "You shocked the world, and you inspired it, too. And even after all the titles and legendary bouts, you're still doing it."

A set of gloves Ali used to defeat Floyd Patterson in 1965 in Las Vegas ? the first heavyweight title fight in Sin City ? sold for $1.1 million. It came with one of the original posters used to promote the fight, which had Muhammad Ali's chosen name as a subscript to Cassius Clay, the name he was born with. When Ali converted to Islam, many people resisted calling him by his new name.

Ali entered the room and sat at a table with his family before bidding began on the gloves.

Lorenzo Fertitta, a casino owner and owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the mixed marital arts league, won the gloves, which organizers had said earlier they hoped would fetch $500,000.

Football great Jim Brown said Ali represents the greatest of America, because at one time people only recognized his athletic ability and didn't like what he had to say. That changed over time, he said.

"America started with slavery and ended up with a black president," Brown said. "Muhammad Ali was a part of that ... a big part."

Ali's wife, Lonnie Ali, told the star-studded crowd that her husband's greatest wish has always been to inspire and help others. She said he feels that his life really began when he retired from the ring.

"Muhammad's gift of inspiration is timeless, and now more relevant than ever," she said after being introduced by music icon Quincy Jones.

Lonnie Ali introduced a video montage of her husband's life, including clips from his work with children.

"People look for miracles, people look for wonders, people expect surprises of all kinds," Ali said in the video. "Yet the greatest wonder, the greatest miracle, the greatest surprise is to be found in one's heart."

Guests arriving on the red carpet included football great Franco Harris, supermodel Cindy Crawford, acting star Jackson, Ali's children and grandchildren and Chuck Wepner, who fought Ali in 1975 for the heavyweight title and lost.

"I would go anywhere in the world for Muhammad Ali's birthday," Wepner said.

One of Ali's daughters, Rasheda Ali, said the gala was a chance for friends, family and A-listers who look up to her father to show their respect for his life and legacy as a humanitarian. In return, she says he'll be honored to see them there.

"He has not left that need to help others," Rasheda Ali said. "That's one of his core values ? his charity and his giving."

The gala ? with tickets starting at $1,500 per plate ? was held at the MGM Grand, the site of most of boxing's major fights the past two decades. Famous faces converged on the 160 tables adjacent to two rings and a stage ? Terrence Howard, David Beckham, Anthony Hopkins, Manny Pacquiao, and Lenny Kravitz, among others. They spoke and performed in tribute to a fighter who went 56-5 in the ring with 37 knockouts and became perhaps the most famous athlete ever because of his personality and willingness to publicly stand up for his beliefs.

"He's done it with guts and grace, with his fists, and with his wits," Jackson said. "He's one of the groundbreaking figures of the generation that helped make the world a more open place when it comes to who we can love, where we can go and what we can do. Thank you, champ."

Wonder, who performed earlier in the day at Whitney Houston's funeral, performed "Keep Our Love Alive" and "Superstition." Rasheda Ali said Wonder was the performer her father was most looking forward to seeing.

Wonder wasn't the only performer.

Snoop Dogg sang a medley of his hits, John Legend, Kravitz, Slash, Kelly Rowland and Cee Lo Green all performed. LL Cool J rapped "Mama Said Knock You Out" as DJ Z-Trip span a remixed version of the song that included Ali audio, including his famous "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" quote.

Tennis great Andre Agassi said Ali has shown the world that each person has a duty ? regardless of their occupation ? to live for more than him or herself and help others.

"What he did with his platform was unparalleled and the impact he's had as a result, we still feel to this day, which is why we're all out here tonight," Agassi said. "We're grateful to what he's done. He's been a leader ? we're also challenged and charged with a duty of figuring out a way to do more."

Ali has lived with Parkinson's disease for nearly 30 years, a degenerative brain condition that some doctors say can be brought on by punches to the head.

The gala raised funds for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky., a cultural attraction that celebrates Ali's life and pushes educational goals on a wide range of topics for adults and children.

Larry Ruvo, chairman of the clinic's fundraising arm, Keep Memory Alive, said he's not sure whether the fundraiser will exceed its record of $27 million, but he hopes so.

The gala's auction includes some items that only an A-lister or others with incredibly deep pockets could possibly afford. The top item was Ali's gloves that he used to fight Floyd Patterson in 1965, a bout he won by knockout in the 12th round.

"If it's $100, great, $100,000 would be better," Larry King said in trying to drum up bids.

Magician David Copperfield auctioned off a four-night trip to his set of 11 private islands in the Bahamas for $300,000.

A fundraising concert featuring Kravitz, Green, guitarist Slash and others for the general public was planned in the same room Sunday night.

Boxing promoter Bob Arum said during a pre-gala reception Friday night attended by celebrities including Hopkins and Larry King that Ali will go down as one of the most important Americans in history.

"Without Muhammad Ali, there wouldn't have been an Obama," he said. "There wouldn't have been a mixed-race president."

ABC and ESPN plan to air the gala on Feb. 25.

___

Oskar Garcia can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/oskargarcia.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-02-19-Ali%20Gala-Vegas/id-6d9f8ccd8ff247f3852dcaf06a238b8f

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Saturday, February 18, 2012

Survival Joe | AUDREY-LYNN.INFO | Austria - gyfsufte& ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]It is crucial that in the event that a hurricane strikes your city Reference and Education: Survival and Emergency Joseph Parish Read More... 34) Malorie | 2011-2-12 21:11:19. Survival Kit Made From the 'Dollar Tree" Store.

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6 of 10 on ethics panel drop out of Waters case

FILE - In this July 30, 2011 file photo, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif,. leaves a Democratic caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington. In an extraordinary development, six of the House Ethics Committee's 10 members Friday dropped out of the investigation of longtime Democratic lawmaker Maxine Waters of California, saying they wanted to ensure there was no bias in the case. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg, File)

FILE - In this July 30, 2011 file photo, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif,. leaves a Democratic caucus on Capitol Hill in Washington. In an extraordinary development, six of the House Ethics Committee's 10 members Friday dropped out of the investigation of longtime Democratic lawmaker Maxine Waters of California, saying they wanted to ensure there was no bias in the case. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg, File)

(AP) ? In an extraordinary development, six of the House Ethics Committee's 10 members Friday dropped out of the investigation of longtime Democratic lawmaker Maxine Waters of California, saying they wanted to ensure there was no bias in the case.

The recusal came in one of the committee's most troubled cases, after past allegations of bias by Republican members forced the panel to hire an outside lawyer last July to investigate the committee and its handling of the Waters case.

The committee's Republican chairman, Rep. Jo Bonner of Alabama, said the outside attorney, Billy Martin, requested the recusals. But Bonner said the recusals "are not based on any indication of any wrongdoing or inappropriate partisanship by the members."

Waters, a high-ranking member of the Financial Services Committee, was accused by the panel of trying to use her influence to obtain federal aid for a minority-owned bank where her husband is an investor.

During an investigation that has gone on for more than two years, Waters, one of the longest-serving African-American lawmakers, has consistently denied wrongdoing, saying her efforts were focused on helping a number of minority-owned banks that were in financial trouble.

In addition to the five Republicans on the committee, its senior Democrat, Rep. Linda Sanchez of California, also dropped out of the case ? even though she was not a committee member when the allegations of bias surfaced. In fact, all five of the Democrats on the committee in 2010 quit the panel when Congress convened in January last year, saying new members were needed to take a fresh look at the Waters case. However, all five Republicans decided to stay on.

The five Republicans dropping out of the case were Bonner and Reps. Michael McCaul of Texas, K. Michael Conaway of Texas, Charles Dent of Pennsylvania and Gregg Harper of Mississippi. Replacements have already been named to allow the Waters case to continue.

The chairman said Martin advised the committee that, to date:

?He has not discovered any evidence to indicate bias or partiality in the investigation.

?He has not discovered evidence that should cause a mandatory removal of anyone from the case.

?There is no conflict that would require disqualification of any current member or staff of the committee.

The six members, Bonner said, "believe that, out of an abundance of caution and to avoid even an appearance of unfairness, their voluntary recusal will eliminate the possibility of questions being raised as to the partiality or bias of committee members considering this matter." He said the investigation is continuing "in a fair and unbiased matter."

Replacement members are Republican Reps. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, Steven Latourette of Ohio, Mike Simpson of Idaho, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Tim Griffin of Arkansas and Democratic Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland.

In August 2010, the committee charged the 11-term congresswoman with three counts of alleged ethics violations. Waters asked for a proceeding that would amount to an ethics trial, but it never took place after internal committee turmoil erupted over the case.

The investigation revolved around whether Waters helped OneUnited Bank obtain federal bailout funds in late 2008. Her husband, Sidney Williams, served as a member of OneUnited's board of directors from January 2004 until April 2008 and is a shareholder in the bank.

Waters asked the Treasury Department to meet representatives from the National Bankers Association, a trade group representing minority-owned and women-owned banks including OneUnited. The discussion focused on OneUnited, the committee said.

Waters contended that the National Bankers Association requested the meeting and insisted it was held on behalf of the association, not OneUnited. OneUnited eventually received $12 million in bailout money, but federal officials have said Waters was not involved in the decision.

The trial was postponed indefinitely after internal committee memos surfaced that showed the two staff attorneys working on the case were communicating solely with Republican members of the committee. The Democratic chairman at the time, Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, dismissed the lawyers, angering Republicans who said they did nothing wrong.

When the outside counsel was hired last July, the committee said, "Serious allegations have been made about the committee's own conduct in this matter by Representative Waters and others. The committee has not taken these allegations lightly. The entire membership of the Committee on Ethics believes that its work must always comport with the highest standards of integrity."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-02-17-House%20Ethics%20Shakeup/id-9b32a277fa714cf1a856ca6fe9d8a158

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Friday, February 17, 2012

Artist facing foreclosure turns court ruling into art

Artist Danica Phelps stands amid panels of her work titled "The Cost of Love" on Feb. 7, 2012, in New York City. Phelps painted 350,000 red-hued stripes over several panels and interspersed it with the text of the court judgment that eventually led to the loss of her home, which is now in foreclosure.

By Miranda Leitsinger, msnbc.com

When the end of a longtime relationship cost artist Danica Phelps her home, she used her creative energies to chart the troubled period in her life. The result: A work of art that incorporates an eight-page court ruling that she says pushed her down the path toward foreclosure.

Titled "The Cost of Love," the 25-panel piece weaves 350,000 tiny red-hued stripes -- in shades of cherry, burgundy, peach? and pink ? together with nearly 3,000 words from the ruling, including "animosity," "eviction," "mortgage," "girlfriends," "child," "donor" and "insemination."

"This is the whole decision represented in these panels," Phelps, 40, said recently at Brennan & Griffin, the art gallery that represents her and is showing her work in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood through Sunday. "I didn't want my emotion to be represented. What I wanted was to put out this word for word and to allow the viewer to have their own emotional reaction to it."


Phelps, who has used similar striping in previous pieces, said the genesis of her latest creation occurred in 2009, when her relationship with an ex-girlfriend unraveled and she decided to move out of the four-unit apartment building she owned in New York.

After moving in with relatives and unsuccessfully attempting to persuade her ex to move out of the apartment they had shared for three years, Phelps initiated eviction proceedings.?

Once a family
But on June 2, 2010, Housing Court Judge Laurie L. Lau dismissed the case. Because Phelps and her ex-girlfriend had been a ?familial unit? when they moved in together and jointly parented a now 3-year-old-boy named Orion born to Phelps through artificial insemination, Lau wrote, the latter was not subject to eviction under New York City law.

"While their relationship has obviously deteriorated into one of animosity and hostility, the evidence establishes the parties had intended to form a lasting familial unit,? the judge said. ?It has been held that 'lifetime partners whose relationship is long term and characterized by an emotional and financial commitment and interdependence,' ... satisfy the definition of 'family' for purposes of the Rent Stabilization Code."

Irishman makes 'billion-euro home' from old notes to protest economic 'madness'

Phelps then decided to stop paying the mortgage on the apartment building, which is now in the midst of foreclosure. A real estate agent is trying to help her arrange a short sale (an agreement between a lender, a buyer and a seller in which the lender agree to accept less than the total loan) to avoid that.

She calculates her financial loss at $350,000, hence the number of red stripes in her artwork.

John Makely / msnbc.com

Close-up shows detail of one panel of Danica Phelps' work, 'The Cost of Love.'

"I know that this show sounds like it?s about the cost of having been in that relationship, but what the meaning is to me actually is the cost of maintaining Orion's happiness and his future," she said of her son. "If I have to lose the house ... I feel like it's actually a small price to pay."

$26 a letter
To make the panels ? each of which represents one paragraph of the court decision -- Phelps first counted the numbers of the letters in the text ? approximately 13,000 -- and divided 350,000 by that number. That worked out to $26 a letter.

She then took large pieces of paper and drew lines according to the value of each word.

For example, a 13-letter word would be worth $338, and thus would be followed by 338 stripes. She glued words from the judge?s ruling on large pieces of paper and painted the lines around them, using a mix of watercolor and gouache ? a form of watercolor with more pigmentation.

The foreclosure crisis, Beverly Hills-style

She then cut the paper into rows and glued them onto birch plywood. At the bottom of each panel is the "cost" represented and the paragraph it represents from the ruling.

Phelps, who had other artists help her with some of her earlier stripe art, said she wanted to do this one herself, even though it took her five months to finish it.

?I felt like each stripe should be painted by me,? she said with a sigh. ?It's like letting go of the house, every single penny of it. And once I?ve painted it, it's gone."

She said she found the process peaceful and healing, though some viewers don?t get that sense when they view it.

"People have said, 'Oh it's so dark ? all that red is so angry,'? she said. ?I look in here and it's glowing to me. ? I feel like I accomplished what I set out to, which is to turn something that was depressing to me into something very beautiful."

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/17/10409224-shrugging-off-legal-setback-artist-danica-phelps-turns-court-ruling-into-new-work

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Strongest Long Distance Relationships ? reginecelinaaa

It?s Wishful Wednesday today! It?s also Valentines Week and since I?ve been posting about Love this week, I believe that it?s time to finally publish my special post about it. Mkay, so around September 2011, I made this blog post but I never published it yet. I just kept waiting for the right time. I initially made this because a friend of mine started being in an LDR and I wanted to let her know that there?s nothing she should worry about. I present this as a Valentines Week feature. Just because Valentines Day finished does not stop people in love from celebrating Love everyday! :)

Long Distance Relationships are honestly difficult but not entirely impossible.?Each relationship is different from each other but there are also some similarities that each may share. Each partner also possess different point of views on some things which is why I?ve asked four couples three questions:

  1. What are your thoughts and experiences on LDR?s?
  2. What is/was the hardest part of your LDR?
  3. What advice can you give to people who are experiencing or will experience LDR?s?

These are not your ordinary couples. These four couples are my friends that have experienced and/or still experiencing Long Distance Relationships. I actually have a lot of friends that are in an LDR but I chose these four couples because I perceive them to be one of the strongest out there. I look up to their?relationships?as an inspiration and a symbol of hope and true love. They?ve been through a lot and are as strong as you can imagine. These four couples are truly amazing. And here are their answers:

Photo by Job Rejante III

Kuya Michael Manlangit and Ate Sheila Villarosa

*Now Mr. and Mrs. Manlangit!*

Kuya Mike:

  • I wasn?t able to get Kuya Mike?s side as he was busy.

Ate Sheila:

  1. At first I was hesitant to get into LDR because I?m well aware of its numerous disadvantages. Not to mention the ?stigma? in our society associated with LDR. Oftentimes i would come across with people whose opinions towards LDRs are mostly negative. These INFIDELS (that?s what I call them hehe!) would usually give unwanted remarks such as ?LDR??Is that even possible?? ?Who are you kidding?! For sure ur bf is cheating on u right this very moment!? ?c?me on be WITH me &I?ll get rid of Your loneliness. Since your bf is miles away from u? etc etc to say that LDR is not widely accepted, especially in the case of an unmarried couple is such an understatement that is full of ambiguity.?My initial reluctance was somehow justified by our countless and petty quarrels. Not just once have i asked for my ?freedom? such misunderstandings were often led by our inability to personally explain our sides. I won?t deny the fact that it was Michael who kept this relationship intact. To make LDR work, one or preferably both parties should be willing to endure any kind of pain imaginable. Sacrifice and a great deal of TRUST and UNDERSTANDING are highly necessary.
  2. Which part?? Well EVERY PART OF IT. Couples in LDR rely only with different means of communication. In our case chats, texting (he bought me a Smart roaming) overseas calls (regardless of the country?be it in England or even Bangladesh. I would come up with something to contact Michael) etc etc and ironically when you guys are finally together?that is even much harder?.why? Coz it?s like being offered all the sumptuous meals you could ever think of. Only because it?ll be your last as you?ll be executed hours later! So you see every minute that you guys are together is extremely precious that you would wish that it won?t end.
  3. Well now that we?ve literally come along way?. I can proudly say that LDR is INDEED POSSIBLE! It a matter of how steadfast and true is your love for each other. For me ?I love you? means ?I TRUST you?. Who ever said that love or the idea of being in love is ALL about joy and happiness is a lunatic and absurdly delusional! In order to fully understand and experience TRUE LOVE? one should be ready to face any kind of hurdles that he/she might come across. The willingness to accept that TRUE LOVE CAN BE SOMETIMES BE FULL OF SACRIFICES, ANGUISH & IS NOT ALWAYS IN YOUR FAVOR?is the crucial mind set of somebody who is ready to face anything in the name of love. And trust me, all these will bear fruits no materialistic luxury could ever surpass!

Kuya Zubair Zafar and Ate Honey Andrade

7 years and counting starting??July 7, 2004

Kuya Zee:

  1. A long distance relationship can either be the Achilles heel in your relationship or an opportunity for you and your partner to learn more about yourselves and each other. Its something that can either make you or break you. Based on my experience (so far) its been a way for me to appreciate my partner even more and a way for me to learn about my own limitations.
  2. Well, im sure Honey would tell you that the hardest part was during the beginning when the separation and the pain was still fresh. I knew that would happen. So i made sure i?d be strong enough for the both of us. You see, i cant really give you a straight answer to this question. Because a difficult time for one of you will eventually affect both of you. The beginning was hard for both of us? lets put it that way. There were (and still are) times when i really miss her and would like someone to talk to, not just anyone but someone that really gets me the way she does. Honey wasnt just my girlfriend shes also my best friend. So another difficult time for US is when there are things i want to tell her but cant. But most of the time, her damn internet connection always cuts out? needless to say, that can be really annoying!
  3. The best advice i can give you is to come into your LDR strong. What i mean by that is to have a solid relationship before even starting your LDR. In general any relationship that is founded on lies and insecurities will not last very long. So make sure you clear all this up before waking down this long and lonely road. Another important tip is DONT plan anything. The frustration will kill both of you if it doesnt work out, and believe me, in an LDR very few things work out according to plan. So just chill do what you need to do and go with the flow, learn to adapt to situations instead of reacting to them. And finally, FB, twitter, Google+ and Skype?. the internet is a world of its own and a great way to communicate with your partner. It might seem dorky at first but believe me, you?ll really appreciate it down the road.

Ate Honey:

  1. A lot of people don?t believe in it, but a lot of people have survived it as well. I think that as long as both parties are consistent in making an effort to make it work, then you should be fine. Keeping an open line of communication is one of the most important factors, as well as TRUSTING and HAVING FAITH in each other. Just believe that you?ll make it through and pray, pray, pray?.
  2. The hardest part was? the beginning. I would cry my eyes out every night. I cry when I hear a song that reminds me of us, I cry when I pass by a place we used to go to, I cry when I see his stuff lying around my room, I cry whenever I see our pictures together.. I cried all the time!! But I tried my best to stay strong for him because I know it hurts him too when I cry.. Kailangan tulungan kayo eh.. Because wala sya paghuhugutan ng lakas ng loob kapag pati ikaw sobrang depressed na. You?re supposed to be each other?s pillar of strength.?:)?The hardest part nowadays? Its when our internet connection is being retarded. HAHA! Kidding aside.. Its when we have those fights that start out small and then biglang lalaki. Its frustrating because you?re not physically there to make lambing.?:(:(
  3. Besides the ones that I mentioned on the first question? What I can say is, before you get into a long distance relationship, be 101% sure na kaya mo panindigan yun papasukan mo. It?s not going to be easy so be sure that you can promise yourself and your partner that you won?t ever do anything to make him/her worry about you. Never put yourself in vulnerable situations like getting drunk with friends of the opposite sex, or doing something out of impulse when you get into an LQ. ALWAYS think of ways to make the other person feel that they?re always on your mind no matter how far you are from each other. Bawal ang hindi ma-effort sa LDR..?:):)

Hosni Ayo and Evan Velasquez

5 years and counting starting August 19, 2006

Hosni:

??Misunderstanding will always be the cause of fight/argument, hindi maiiwasan yun. Especially if your schedule are conflict, pag uwi mo tulog sya, pag gising mo umalis na siya. Things like that have to be considered. What else, trust is very important anddd as much as possible, you have to update how your day went when you have the time to go online.?

Evan:

  1. ?LDR is a TEST. It tests how COMMITTED you are to the person. It?s a test of trust and most imporantly PATIENCE. If your partner have these abilities, then guaranteed, he loves you. From my experience, the longest LDR I?ve had with Hosni was around 1 year and 6 months of not seeing each other. If you want it in total, it?s approximately around more than 2 years. It was such a struggle during those times?the time difference, the no cuddling, the internet connection problems! But we struggled through all of those?TOGETHER?.online?:P
  2. The hardest part was when we broke up for a long time (6 months), when I?ve had enough of our nonsense fights. You know that after a couple fights, the LAMBINGAN goes next. We didn?t have that because we couldn?t do that together online! The only thing we did was talk on the mic with matching hugging and kissing pa in front of the webcam and it looks stupid if a 3rd person is watching you. Although it?s a good thing that we never longed for anyone else :)
  3. ?COMMITMENT + PATIENCE = You?ll get through it.

Adel Zind and Ivy Marasigan

5 years and counting starting September 04, 2006

?

Adel:

  1. It sucks, kasi I?ll have to wait for her to go online, plus different timing plus, duty nya sa makati med is like super Imba. We talk like 1 hour a week!! Imagine that! (the time na nagduduty pashya) and mostly 65 percent of that hour is just arguements (thank God I have a long patience).
  2. ?No touch, no hugs and no kiss.
  3. ?I don?t really know, I guess just don?t give up! -_- until you have a chance to get together. kung wala talagang chance then there?s no need to wait.

Ivy:

  1. It?s not easy, It will test your relationship.. trust and everything else.
  2. ?Misunderstanding. You?ll miss each other sooo bad.
  3. If you don?t trust your partner, wag niyo nang subukan mag LDR!! HAHAHAHA Patience, Trust.. lahat!!! masusubok sa LDR!! Prepare for loads of shit! ahhahaha But if you guys really love each other Distance is nothing :)

Happy Hearts Week!?

Love lots,

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Source: http://reginecelinaaa.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/strongest-long-distance-relationships/

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Monday, February 13, 2012

HTC Endeavor wallpapers, Factory reset after OTA [From the Forums]

From The Forums

Monday again and time to get another week of Android news happening. It was a pretty relaxed weekend but if you missed out on anything from then or today thus far, make sure you get yourself caught up. If you've already done so and are looking for more Android goodness, hit up the Android Central forums:

If you're not already a member of the Android Central forums, you can register your account today.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/vEOBobvikSI/story01.htm

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Saturday, February 11, 2012

Moonset Over New Mexico | RegenAxe

It was Thursday morning, when Christian (also-know-as Cheech Montezuma) and I finally bugged out of work and beat feet towards Albuquerque. We had an 11:30 flight, but at Socorro, we were only ninety minutes from the airport, and it was still only 7:30. We had time for an excursion. I should have honored my promise to the Perma-Bear and fetched chili powder?to him, but I?m just that bad. Socorro?s chilies are world renown. On the way out-of-town I spied a roadside chili shack, belching black smoke up its chimney, making fresh herb. By that time though, we were headed north at 75 MPH, a plane to catch, and no more margin left to compromise, but before then, we did catch a few shots.

We got the photo of the setting moon first. We pulled off the road, just out-of-town and caught the moon just before it disappeared behind a distant ridge line. I finished shooting, while Christian continued to photograph. I needed to take a leak, something about drinking coffee all night and then driving for an hour. So, during a break in the traffic, I did it. Not five minutes later, a law officer pulled up. He had stopped to see if we needed assistance. We explained ourselves and he was good with that. I can only wonder how this meeting would have gone down, if he had showed up a few minutes earlier.

Our next stop was ?The Box?. The Box Recreation Area is a rugged area, which is very popular for technical rock climbing and bouldering. The five cliffs on either side of this box canyon provide popular rock climbing for even highly skilled technical climbers. Challenging climbing opportunities include the Waterfall Wall, Corner Block and the colorfully named, Fillet a Papillion Wall.

If we had had the time, we could have continued down this road to the Very Large Array (VLA). It was only thirty minutes away at this point. The VLA is a set of large, sixty foot diameter radio telescopes. It was used as backdrop by Jodie Foster in the movie, ?Contact?. That will have to wait until next time though. Also, yet to be seen are any of the bird sanctuaries along I-25. Crane-Fest, with 10,000 Sandhill Cranes was said to be spectacular this year. There is El Paso too. Maybe next time, I?ll get to see these sights.

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Source: http://regenaxe.com/2012/02/10/moonset-over-new-mexico/

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Longboarder Crossing Sign | Elevate Christian Network :: Sports ...

Old school surfers of any age would be proud to display this Longboarder Crossing sign. Made of sturdy aluminum with high gloss painted design, this sign has a clear coat finish for indoor or outdoor use. Measures 12? x 12? and is approx 17? across when mounted. Hangs easily using pre-drilled hole. Ships brand new in manufacturer?s packaging.

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Source: http://elevatechristiannetwork.com/sports-and-recreation/1705/surfing/longboarder-crossing-sign/

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