White House urges parties in dock dispute to come to terms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Friday urged dock workers, port owners and shippers to resolve a labor dispute that threatens to deteriorate into a strike that could affect 15 ports on the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

"Federal mediators are assisting with the negotiations, and we continue to monitor the situation closely and urge the parties to continue their work at the negotiating table to get a deal done as quickly as possible," White House spokesman Matt Lehrich said.

Dock workers, port operators and shippers face a deadline on Saturday for resolving the dispute.

The International Longshoremen's Association, the union representing the dock workers, and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, a group of shippers and port operators, are deadlocked over an employment contract that expired at the end of September but has been extended. The union has said that if the contract expires without a resolution, it could call a strike a day later.

The White House had no comment on whether the president would consider invoking federal law to impose a cooling off period. Florida Governor Rick Scott, a Republican, asked President Obama to invoke the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, which allows the president to prevent or interrupt a work stoppage.

The law calls for an 80-day cooling off period and mediation.

(Reporting By Mark Felsenthal and Roberta Rampton; Editing by Vicki Allen)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-urges-parties-dock-dispute-come-terms-151859923.html

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Would You Want to Be Married to You; 6 Questions to Ask Yourself ...

I know the quick and easy response for most people reading this will be a resounding yes. But if we reflected on that question a little bit longer will every part of us really be able to say yes? It is natural to think very highly of ourselves and what we bring to a relationship. However, there is a great benefit in owning up to those not so great habits that show up in our relationship too.

If the roles were reverse in our marriage and we are able to walk in our spouse?s shoes, what are some things we would notice right away? If we were completely honest, I wonder what would work our nerves and what we would enjoy the most. Would we find that we make the relationship a little easier or that we bring most of the drama. If we were our spouse, how would we handle being married to a person like us? ?Consider each of the situations below in order to determine whether or not you are an ideal spouse.

• Do you make your house a home? Is your home a place both of you look forward to coming back to at the conclusion of a long day? Is it peaceful or cold and filled with commotion? Is there a space to relax and unwind or is there complete chaos in every corner?
• Do you look for reasons to complain? Are you a nagger? Are you known for being able to find what?s wrong in a situation and never miss an opportunity to point it out?
• Is there laughter, spontaneity and fun? Do you focus on ways to bring excitement into the marriage or is it the same thing all the time?
• How often do you and your spouse touch? Is it rare? I don?t mean intercourse, I mean physical connection. Is there daily touching, hugging and kissing?
• Are you easy to talk to? Do you listen to your spouse and make them feel comfortable communicating with you? Do you give honest feedback rooted in love?
• Are you full of excuses? Do you use them as the reason you don?t show up better in your marriage?

As I thought about this question, I think I was able to eventually say yes, but I admit I have some areas I need to work on. But overall, I am confident in the effort that I am putting into my relationship. I want my house to be warm and loving and a place we are both excited to return to. Instead of complaining, I will put in the work to improve what isn?t working. I plan to maintain excitement and consistently look for new ways to share with my love. Physical connection will also be more present in my relationship and I will make it easy for my spouse to communicate with me about anything. I desire to be the type of spouse that I expect my husband to be.

BMWK, would you want to be married to you? Why or why not?

About the author

Tiya Cunningham-Sumter is a Certified Life & Relationship Coach and founder of Life Editing. She helps couples and individuals rewrite their life to reflect their dreams. Tiya was featured in Ebony Magazine in the October 2008 and November 2010 issues. She resides in Chicago with her husband and two children.

Source: http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2012/12/would-you-want-to-be-married-to-you-6-questions-to-ask-yourself/

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iPhone 4 4s Hard Case - VW Bus Blue Teal Volkswagon Retro - Phone Cover IP4C by LuckybrewDesigns

Happy Holidays! Please Read Below:

Your order will ship out the week of December 23, and will not make the cut off for Christmas delivery - holiday orders have come and gone. Please feel free to place an order and we will ship out in the order of which they were placed! We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday!

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Case for iPhone4 or 4s - Sprint, Verizon, AT&T or Virgin Mobile Phone

If you have any questions or custom requests, feel free to convo us! =)

MATERIAL: available in Rubber or Plastic.
COLORS: available with black, white or clear sides (top is imprinted with design shown).

BLACK WILL BE SENT UNLESS CLEAR OR WHITE IS INDICATED IN COMMENTS TO SELLER DURING CHECKOUT.

All of our cases:

- are custom made to fit all of the iPhone 4 and 4s models.
- have all openings for buttons, jacks and camera.
- made in house per order.
- are permanently printed and will not fade, crack or peel.

This item may be personalized! Upon purchase, tell us if you would like to change the wording on the license plate of your VW Bus by noting it in the "notes to seller" section!

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.
Case for iPhone4 or 4s - Sprint, Verizon, AT&T or Virgin Mobile Phone

Choose from a variety of different colors and materials:

- Black Plastic
- Black Rubber
- White Plastic
- White Rubber
- Clear Plastic

Upon purchase, please leave your case requests in the "notes" section of your checkout.

If no color or material is sent to us, we we'll go a head and choose for you.

All of our cases:

- are custom made to fit all of the iPhone 4 and 4s models.
- have all openings for buttons, jacks and camera.
- made in house per order.
- are permanently printed and will not fade, crack or peel.

This item may be personalized! Just leave your requests in the "notes to seller" section upon purchase, and we will take care of the rest!

*-*-*- FAQ -*-*-*

Q: Is the image less sharp or clear depending on which material I choose?
A: No, the image is printed on a hard metal and is consistent no matter which material you choose.

Q: How long will it take to receive my order?
A: We try to get every order out promtly. We guarantee your item being shipped within 3 business days (holidays and weekends are not business days) of cleared payment.

Q: Can I request a change or addition to the design?
A: Absolutely! All designing is done in house so we can make any changes right on the spot. Simply put your requests in the "notes" section upon purchase.

Q: Will the iphone 4/4s cases fit my iPhone 3G?
A: No, unfortunately these cases are specifically for the iPhone 4/4s. We currently do not have any iPhone cases for the 3G.

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/107104665/iphone-4-4s-hard-case-vw-bus-blue-teal

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McElroy has concussion, Sanchez to start for Jets

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) ? The New York Jets' wacky quarterback situation took yet another twist.

Greg McElroy has a concussion ? which he didn't reveal until Thursday ? and will be replaced by Mark Sanchez as the New York Jets' starting quarterback in the season finale at Buffalo on Sunday.

Coach Rex Ryan walked into his news conference before practice, took the podium and opened with: "You're not going to believe this."

McElroy, preparing to make his second NFL start in place of the benched Sanchez, was lifting weights Thursday morning and started experiencing headaches, Ryan said. McElroy went to the team's training staff and then revealed he was suffering concussion-like symptoms after being sacked 11 times in the Jets' 27-17 loss to San Diego last Sunday.

McElroy and head trainer John Mellody then went to Ryan to tell the coach the news. Ryan was not certain exactly when McElroy suffered the concussion.

"We come to find out that Greg wasn't exactly truthful with our training staff after the game," said Ryan, who acknowledged he was "stunned" to hear it. "He never disclosed that he had symptoms after the game to our trainers. Right now, he's being evaluated for a concussion."

Ryan said there was no way he would play McElroy against the Bills and the third-stringer will "definitely be out." McElroy had been listed on the injury report Wednesday with a mild abdominal strain, but was a full participant in practice and was expected to play without any issues.

"I admire his courage and everything else, but you have to be truthful and I think that's the lesson learned here with the medical staff," said Ryan, who added he would speak to the entire team about concussions after practice. "The fact he really wanted to play, I understand the competitive side of Greg and all that, but the most important thing is the health of the players.

"Obviously, I feel fortunate that something like this showed up without him going out there and putting himself in harm's way."

Ryan chose to start Sanchez over Tim Tebow because the team has just two practices and a walkthrough to prepare before the game.

"Mark has had success earlier in the season against Buffalo and he's very familiar with them," Ryan said. "That's the reason I'm going with Mark."

Sanchez appeared to be on his way to a solid season when he threw three touchdown passes in the Jets' season-opening 48-28 win over the Bills. It ended up being his best game of a lousy season. Sanchez was benched for the first time in his four-year career after turning the ball over five times at Tennessee on Dec. 17. McElroy leapfrogged Tebow on the depth chart to start against the Chargers.

"I know he believes in himself," Ryan said of Sanchez, "and any competitor would want this opportunity."

After finding out about McElroy's condition, Ryan spoke with both Sanchez and Tebow to tell them of his decision.

"Obviously, Tim's not happy with that, as you'd expect," Ryan said.

The news comes on the heels of some tension between Ryan and Tebow last week, when the popular backup quarterback told the coach he was "disappointed" at not getting the start and wanted to play "regular quarterback." ESPN New York first reported Sunday that Tebow asked out of the wildcat, and a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed that to The Associated Press. The two met again last Friday to clear the air, and Tebow reiterated that he was willing to do anything the team asked him to do.

Tebow insisted Wednesday that he did not refuse to do anything and acknowledged that Ryan might have misinterpreted what he said.

"It was just me asking to get an opportunity to play the position I love, which is quarterback," Tebow said. "It wasn't me asking out of anything."

Ryan said he understands that Tebow is frustrated at the situation and by not starting, but again would not disclose anything that was said between the two in their conversations last week.

Tebow will be the No. 2 quarterback on Sunday at Buffalo, and could play ? but it won't be as the starter.

"Obviously, he'd like a shot at it," Ryan said, "but with the situation the way it is, it's a short window, really, to get the preparation time in and I just think it's best for our football team."

With the way the season has played out, from the quarterback controversies to the injuries suffered by key players, Ryan was asked if this is the strangest year he has ever experienced in the NFL.

"Yeah, I would say that's pretty accurate," Ryan said, laughing. "And, we've had some strange ones."

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mcelroy-concussion-sanchez-start-jets-165809771--nfl.html

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The Best Search Engine Optimization Tips Online | Goozleology ...

It becomes harder and harder to get people to notice and visit your site as the web gets bigger and bigger. Using the tips in this article can help you remain ahead of the curve. You could have the best website in the world, but it doesn?t matter if you only get 10 unique visitors a day. Here are a few great pointers about how to boost the presence of your site.

You can get many more links that lead to your site by making comments on blogs that relate to your business.

If you want to view the rest of this excellent content plus all of our site's content please share our link via one of the sites below.

Source: http://goozleology.com/the-best-search-engine-optimization-tips-online.html

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Building a Highly Targeted List For Your Business - Empower Network

Since the advent of the internet to the public?in the early 90?s, it has grown exponentially

and is now a ?can?t do without? tool for not only businesses, ?but for everyday people who want to go online and find out more information about something they have interest in or a ?how to?.. or information on a new product, service; and the list goes on and on.

In the days of old, people relied on other forms of information to gain knowledge about something (such as the library, books, articles, newspapers, radio, etc, but today, ?it literally takes seconds to get the information you?re looking for by typing in the search keywords into a search engine like Google, Yahoo, or Bing.

Businesses and marketers know the tremendous opportunity the internet plays in today?s global environment and it?s said ? ?if you?re not online, you?ll be in the breadline..?

The Internet is a CRITICAL tool for those who want to reach more customers (highly targeted customers); build credibility; build a brand and a following; automate their sales process, and of course?.

?.the SKY IS THE LIMIT?when it comes to income and growth because the Internet is a world-wide audience and the Internet connects us all.

So how do you build a list of highly targeted customers for your business? How do you gain the confidence from those customers; build your brand, grow your business literally on autopilot?

Keep reading to find out?

List-building is the key to your business because all businesses need customers to connect with and sell their products and services to. ?The methods used are either free methods or paid methods.

Which methods are best?

The answer is both.

Deciding on which methods to use will be up to to you and how you want to run your business. ?Businesses and marketers are successful using both methods and some?just use solely free, others paid, and then there are some who use a combination of both.

If you?re just getting started and you don?t have a huge budget, then start out with the free methods then build your way into the paid methods.

NOTE: Something HUGE to always remember ---- always, always, always, reinvest back into your business to keep generating more leads
 
 I know it's nice to get the money and you want to spend it (there will be a time for this) but it's extremely important in the beginning you reinvest the majority of your profits (if not all of them) back into your business so it can grow.

?Steps To Building Your Highly Targeted List

First things first?you?ll need a targeted market or niche to market to. ?There are many of these to choose from but when choosing; you need make sure it will be profitable for you.

There are many markets such as MLM?s, Network Marketing, Internet Marketing, Health and Beauty, Motivational, etc, all with sub niches.

Lets take Internet Marketing for example; you?ll find sub niches like, list building, lead generation (similar to list building), web site design, etc.

Next..is the market profitable? If you?re going to spend the time it better worth the effort and be profitable for you.

You?ll need a website/blog or squeeze page with an optin form to capture names and emails. ?You can either hire someone to build you a site or squeeze page (you can find people to do this for you on http://www.fiverr.com) ?or you can set up one up yourself (if you?re tech savy) or just get a free blog with Blogger or WordPress.

NOTE: building a blog from scratch and getting it ranked takes time, but if you want to eliminate all of that you can get your hands on a highly ranked authority blog site that?s viral, set up, is seo optimized, and already has a sales funnel built for you.

Just click the banner on the right or top of this blog and watch the video.. OR just CLICK HERE?

Now you need an offer to attract your targeted customers. Don?t know what to offer? No problem?get Private Label Rights material here you can edit slightly and customize and offer to your potential customers to get optin information.

But how do you drive the traffic?

That?s next?.

Free Methods For Building a Highly Targeted List

1) Facebook ? With it?s One Billion users you have a HUGE audience to choose from to build your list and grow your business. ?Facebook has many options such as a fan pages; groups; apps, and other ways to connect with people within the site.

Don?t know how to set up your Fan Page? No problem, again you go to Fiverr and get banners made for $5 or even hire someone to build you a fan page. ?When searching Fiverr make sure you look for ratings of the gigs and look at the comments

Try to connect with as many people as possible by using Facebook?s search feature and filters. ?Let?s say your niche is Network Marketing; you can search by location or even using the keyword Network Marketing and results will pop up. ?Send friends requests to those people and try to connect with them and engage in conversation. ?Don?t be spammy but try to connect and make friends.

2) Article Marketing ? this is huge. ?Since content is king on the internet if you are creating high quality articles on sites such as Hubpages.com or Ezinearticles.com (these rank very well in search engines) you can get a ton of traffic targeted to your keywords used in the articles.

Make sure your resource box is very well written with links to your blog or squeeze page to get optins for your Free offer.

This does take time but will prove to be huge in building your list. Once your content is out there, it stays there and over time will consistently drive traffic to your pages/blogs.

Don?t have time to write? No problem you can take of that here..

3) Forums/Social Networking ? this is also a great way to get content out there. ?Forums rank well in search engine results especially those around ?how to? questions. ?

Spend about 20 minutes a day just posting to different forums and in your signature have your blog link or squeeze page link. ?Over time your posts and responses will build up and people will search you out for more information about you and your business.

Then that?s when your other content will show up in the search results such as your blog; Twitter; Facebook; or any other social marketing sites you have. ?Other good sites are Reddit.com Digg.com and Stumbleupon.com just to name a few.

4) Craigslist ? this method is also very powerful but you have to be careful. ?Craigslist has some rules you need to be aware of if you want to succeed.

?.Craigslist is a ?local? site so >> keep that in mind <<. ?The big problem people find with marketing on Craigslist is not getting their ads posted through ghosting or getting flagged.

What you need to remember is post local; don?t overdo it; and use text image ads.
There are actually people who search all the listings looking for spam like ads and flag them. ?So you need to be creative when posting your ads.

Those are some really great free methods to use to get started. ?One I didn?t mention but is very powerful is Video Marketing? Use it ? Youtube is the 3rd largest site in the world. ?If you need help with video marketing; this makes video marketing a breeze..

Paid Methods For Building a Highly Targeted List

1) Facebook ? that?s right..not only is Facebook a great free resource but you can also use their ppc ads to build a targeted list. ?You can tailor your ad specifically for your target market. ?The navigation for setting up your ad is really easy.

2) Google PPC ? this is another way to target but Google has cracked down over the last couple of years with pages they consider to be less than ?quality? content such as the one page squeeze pages; and with the competition (depending on your keywords) you could spend a ton on this in the bidding process for keywords. ?Other sources such as Bing or Yahoo could be cheaper ways to market and get traffic to your landing pages.

3) Solo ads ? this form of paid marketing has exploded and there are many solo ad sellers out there. ?The problem you may find is some are selling so many that their lists are getting pounded with the same offers over and over again so the response rate and conversion rate drops.

The key with solo ads is you need to be able to develop relationships with solo ad sellers to get exclusivity?

?.Now this could pose a challenge but you could do it by contacting sellers of products (people who create products) and negotiate with them to sell you a solo ad to their buyers list. ?You want eyeballs on your offer that are likely to buy.

Think creatively and target different people to approach for solo ads rather than the same ones everybody else uses.

4) 7Search ? this is a tier 2 ppc network where Facebook, Yahoo, and Google would be considered tier 1. ?You set up a landing page, you bid on keywords, and you tweak your campaigns until they?re profitable.

If you?re looking to generate Biz Opp leads, then you may want to check out Ad Hitz.
With Ad Hitz, you can do Site Specific Targeting (recommended) on some biz opp sites
that get serious traffic, such as MyBrowserCash.com that gets 23,1411 unique visitors per day and ClickSense.com that gets 281,360 unique visitors per day.

Building a Highly Targeted List Is Crucial

Those are some really good methods, while not all inclusive, it will give you a place to start. One the most tried and true ways of marketing (but could take some time but with this system eliminates hurdles, frustration, and getting site rankings) is your blog.

Blogging as been around since the dawn of the internet and is the perfect place to create content and post it; connect with your followers, build a list, and own your ad space.

If you don?t know how to blog; how to set one up, get it ranked, no problem?this FREE ebook explains how our Instant Commission Formula and viral blogging system works?

PLUS a complete done for you sales funnel designed to make you money..

To Your Success,

D?out?

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?

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Source: http://www.empowernetwork.com/livingwithnolimits/blog/building-a-highly-targeted-list-for-your-business/

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The 5-2 Diet and Me | London Unattached - London Restaurants ...

The 5-2 Diet ? a Lifestyle Choice?:

When Michael Mosley?s Horizon TV programme about the 5-2 Diet first aired, some months ago now I watched, fascinated. ?Many of the diet and nutrition ideas I?d grown up with, like eating three balanced meals a day and never eating less than 1000 calories a day, seemed to be thrown out of the window. ?And, if Michael Mosley could improve his health overall in addition to losing weight, just by being (very) careful on two days of the week, well why shouldn?t try and see if I could do the same by following the 5-2 diet? ?My mother had uncontrolled diabetes and died from some of the complications that arise from that condition. ?My grandfather had alzeheimers. ?I don?t really have a family history of good health. ?Both of these conditions are claimed to improve by following the 5-2 diet. ?And, my lifestyle doesn?t really help with most diets ? I often eat out two or three nights of the week ? with the result that I?ve put on weight and developed something of a taste for rich food. ?So, I thought, it would be really worth having a go at the 5:2 diet and seeing if it could work for me.

The results? ?Well, I?ve lost about 12lbs since I started doing this in late August. ?And I?ve managed not to gain weight when I?ve been abroad, despite the focus of my trips being food and drink. ?I might have lost more weight over the 5 months but I?ve had a few breaks when I?ve been travelling or when I?ve had too many events to even manage two days of fasting. ?And, all in, I?m extremely pleased. ?I haven?t had to change my lifestyle ? I can still eat out, I can still drink (except on fast days) and I even get to eat chocolate when I want to!

I don?t find I suffer greatly on the 5-2 diet and I do generally feel better on the day after a fast day. ?Those cravings for sweet things seem to go a bit and I find I don?t want to eat as much. ?I?m planning to modify the diet a little for 2013 and try three days a week of fasting where possible because I?ve found that works well if you are trying to lose weight.

5-2 Diet Turkey Tom Yum Soup

Serves	2
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	20 minutes
Meal type	Soup
Misc	Serve Hot
Region	Thai

Ingredients

• 50g Cooked Turkey Breast
• 1 piece Lemon Grass
• 1 Birdseye Chill ((more if you like spicy food))
• 1oz Fresh Ginger
• 1 handful Fresh Coriander
• 1 Lime ((or fresh/frozen lime leaves))
• 2 teaspoons Palm Sugar
• 500ml Chicken/Turkey Stock (Or water. Don't use too strong a stock.)

Optional

Directions

	Peel and chop the ginger and the bulb of the lemon grass. Remove the Chilli seeds and slice finely. Chop the coriander, keeping a few leaves back to garnish
	Shred the turkey iwith your hands into matchstick sized pieces
	Zest the lime and squeeze the juice
	Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding more lime juice, more chilli or a little more sugar till you have a hot and sour soup that suits your palate
	Serve garnished with fresh coriander leaves

Note

For a more substantial soup, add noodles and vegetables (pak choi, shitake mushrooms, peas, spinach or ?sugar snap)

I?ve really enjoyed creating low calorie 5-2 diet friendly dishes. ?For example, this Tom Yum soup is my attempt at using up some of my turkey left-overs. ?Although most of us put on weight over Christmas, there are things you can do with your left over turkey that don?t involve vast quantities of cream or butter. ?And, it?s a very healthy meat with under 160 calories for 100g (that?s a normal portion). ?And this quick and easy soup will also work with prawns or chicken breast ? and is about 100 calories for a bowl. ? So cooking low calorie food for the 5-2 diet doesn?t have to be hard work. ?If you are still looking for inspiration, do check out the 5-2 diet recipe section of London Unattached. ?I?m updating it regularly with ideas!

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5 / 5 stars?????

Tags: 5-2 diet, 5-2 diet recipe, Asian, diet recipe, low calorie recipe, soup, thai, Tom Yum, Turkey, Turkey leftovers

Source: http://www.london-unattached.com/2012/12/the-5-2-diet-and-me/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-5-2-diet-and-me

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Settlement reached in Toyota acceleration cases

FILE - In this photo taken June 25, 2011, file photo, Toyota keys sit in a fish bowl at the Toyota of Tampa Bay dealership in Tampa, Fla. A plaintiffs' attorney on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012, says Toyota Motor Corp. has reached a settlement in a case involving hundreds of lawsuits over accelerations problems. Steve Berman said Wednesday the settlement, which still needs a federal judge's approval, was worth more than $1 billion and is the largest settlement in U.S. history involving automobile defects. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

FILE - In this photo taken June 25, 2011, file photo, Toyota keys sit in a fish bowl at the Toyota of Tampa Bay dealership in Tampa, Fla. A plaintiffs' attorney on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012, says Toyota Motor Corp. has reached a settlement in a case involving hundreds of lawsuits over accelerations problems. Steve Berman said Wednesday the settlement, which still needs a federal judge's approval, was worth more than $1 billion and is the largest settlement in U.S. history involving automobile defects. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

In this Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012, photo, a Toyota dealership signs glows over a car lot in Tustin Calif. A plaintiffs' attorney on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012, says Toyota Motor Corp. has reached a settlement in a case involving hundreds of lawsuits over accelerations problems. Steve Berman said Wednesday the settlement, which still needs a federal judge's approval, was worth more than $1 billion and is the largest settlement in U.S. history involving automobile defects. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it has reached a settlement worth more than $1 billion in a case involving unintended acceleration problems in its vehicles.

The company said the deal will resolve hundreds of lawsuits from Toyota owners who said the value of their cars and trucks plummeted after a series of recalls stemming from claims that Toyota vehicles accelerated unintentionally.

Steve Berman, a lawyer representing Toyota owners, said the settlement is the largest in U.S. history involving automobile defects.

"We kept fighting and fighting and we secured what we think was a good settlement given the risks of this litigation," Berman told The Associated Press.

The proposed deal was filed Wednesday and must receive the approval of U.S. District Judge James Selna, who was expected to review the settlement Friday.

Toyota said it will take a one-time, $1.1 billion pre-tax charge against earnings to cover the estimated costs of the settlement. Berman said the total value of the deal is between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion.

Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against Toyota since 2009, when the Japanese automaker started receiving numerous complaints that its cars accelerated on their own, causing crashes, injuries and even deaths.

The cases were consolidated in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana and divided into two categories: economic loss and wrongful death. Claims by people who seek compensation for injury and death due to sudden acceleration are not part of the settlement; the first trial involving those suits is scheduled for February.

As part of the economic loss settlement, Toyota will offer cash payments from a pool of about $250 million to eligible customers who sold vehicles or turned in leased vehicles between September 2009 and December 2010.

The company also will launch a $250 million program for 16 million current owners to provide supplemental warranty coverage for certain vehicle components, and it will retrofit about 3.2 million vehicles with a brake override system. An override system is designed to ensure a car will stop when the brakes are applied, even if the accelerator pedal is depressed.

The settlement would also establish additional driver education programs and fund new research into advanced safety technologies.

"In keeping with our core principles, we have structured this agreement in ways that work to put our customers first and demonstrate that they can count on Toyota to stand behind our vehicles," said Christopher Reynolds, Toyota vice president and general counsel.

Current and former Toyota owners are expected to receive more information about the settlement in the coming months. Some information is also available at http://www.ToyotaELsettlement.com , a website created for Toyota owners affected by the settlement.

"We are extraordinarily proud of how we were able to represent the interests of Toyota owners, and believe this settlement is both comprehensive in its scope and fair in compensation," Berman said.

Toyota has recalled more than 14 million vehicles worldwide due to acceleration problems in several models and brake defects with the Prius hybrid. The automaker has blamed driver error, faulty floor mats and stuck accelerator pedals for the problems.

Plaintiffs' attorneys have spent the past two years deposing Toyota employees, poring over thousands of documents and reviewing software code, but the company maintains those lawyers have been unable to prove that a design defect ? namely Toyota's electronic throttle control system ? was responsible for vehicles surging unexpectedly.

Both the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and NASA were unable to find any defects in Toyota's source code that could cause problems.

The company has been dogged by fines for not reporting problems in a timely manner.

Earlier this month, NHTSA doled out a record $17.4 million fine to Toyota for failing to quickly report floor mat problems with some of its Lexus models. Toyota paid a total of $48.8 million in fines for three violations in 2010.

Toyota President Akio Toyoda appeared before Congress last year and pledged to strengthen quality control. Recent sales figures show the company appears to have rebounded following its safety issues.

___

Online:

Settlement website: http://www.ToyotaELsettlement.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-26-Toyota%20Lawsuits/id-ebeb76bc2a444e0d9c74420c95093875

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PFT: Big decisions face Giants in offseason

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Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman continues to wait for the ruling on his appeal of a four-game suspension for a violation of the league?s performance-enhancing drug policy.

It?s been over a month since it was first reported that Sherman and teammate Brandon Browner were facing suspensions for testing positive for a banned substance. Browner dropped his appeal and will be eligible to return for the playoffs, but Sherman has continued to fight his positive test.

Even if the decision (expected on Thursday) goes against Sherman and he is suspended by the league, he plans on continuing his fight. Sherman said Wednesday that he will continue to explore other legal options and could ultimately end up suing the league.

?I can?t get back playing regardless. I can just sue the league, and that?s probably what I?m going to do if they suspend me,?? Sherman said.

Adam Schefter of ESPN has reported that Sherman?s appeal was based around a supposed break in procedure in the collection process. The cup used to collect Sherman?s urine sample was apparently broken, requiring a second cup to be placed underneath to prevent leakage. The seal on the second cup was also broken.

Sherman tweeted on Christmas some more thoughts on the basis of his appeal to the league.

?Hoping we play in a just League @nfl. Not a league that allows a tester to mix urine samples. A tester with a history of errors. Has has had to have 6 other tests thrown out and he has only been testing 6months,? he tweeted.

Sherman was also asked Wednesday about his thoughts on how the appeal has played out to this point.

?It?s been pretty standard other than the league telling you they can break rules,? Sherman said. ?They don?t care if you took it or you didn?t take it, if the sample is tainted or it isn?t tainted, they said it doesn?t matter. The collective bargaining, there?s policies, there?s rules in the policies that they said should not apply to them and they wrote them. That?s just how the league does things.?

With the track record of PED suspensions being overturned, it appears likely that Sherman will be suspended on Thursday. While he won?t have a recourse to get the four games back, Sherman appears adamant in continuing this fight in whatever fashion he has to.

If he?s suspended, Seattle could get Sherman back in time for the Super Bowl if they play in the first round of the playoffs. If they manage to backdoor into the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye with San Francisco and Green Bay losses this weekend, Sherman?s season would be over.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/26/giants-have-some-big-decisions-this-offseason/related/

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A big hand for the little lady (Powerlineblog)

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Publishing: The Road Ahead

With the closing of Spin Magazine's print edition alongside the failure of the print edition of Newsweek (not to mention the shuttering of countless newspapers and magazines around the world) you'd be hard-pressed to say that publishing - particularly in the news space - is doing well.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ri-SQun-v4U/

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A Post-Advertising Business Model That is 6X More Valuable - Rita ...

by Rita McGrath??|?? 8:00 AM December 26, 2012

There is a lot to dislike about advertising supported business models. Ads are generally annoying. They are so scattershot that the overwhelming bulk of them fail to motivate anything like a sale. They cause those running web sites to flood them with frantically produced content, causing the quality of the experience to erode. Worst of all, the hunt for better ways to target ads is creating entire categories of companies with a vested interest in tracking everything we do online or on a mobile device, with the goal of aggregating this information and selling it. And that industry is only in its infancy ? I shudder to think of where it's heading. But the biggest problem with ads is that we are all increasingly sophisticated at tuning them out.

Now, imagine if instead of blasting out ads that are for the most part meaningless to those receiving them, an advertiser could instead pay to get access to a real, live, customer who was genuinely interested in and possibly in the market for whatever they were selling. Wouldn't it be worth something to know that those customers are actually keen to find out more about the product? And to be able to design your products and services with those specific customers in mind? Very valuable indeed.

Well, that model exists and some savvy entrepreneurs are beginning to take major advantage of it. It's called the affiliate model and in some ways it's back to the future. In the affiliate model, payments are made for referrals to the affiliate's site. In other words, if I'm in the market for the very best olive pitter on the planet, I might visit the web site of a cooking guru to see what that person would recommend. If they post their recommendation with a link, and I click on the link, the olive pitter producer pays the guru for the referral. Isn't that nice? People not in the olive pitter market don't have to endure ads for them and people who are can build a community around the expertise of the guru.

Some businesses are taking major advantage of this. Kevin Kelley, a founder of Wired Magazine and now its senior maverick, runs a referral site called Cool Tools. The New York Times quoted him as noting that his referral revenue exceeds his advertising revenue six to one. So here's a holiday wish from me. Advertisers: Stop bothering me with irrelevant and irritating ads for things I will never buy. Instead, figure out how to use trusted sources to make offers only to the people who will really want them, and leave the rest of us alone.

Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/12/the_post-advertising_business.html

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Six Little McGhee&#39;s - The Journey on Parenting Multiples | Black and ...

Black Celebrity Marriages

by Ayanna Black ?|? on December 24th, 2012 ?|?

I was glued to the TV with great anticipation waiting for the first episode of the Six Little McGhees.? As a mom of triplets I wanted to see how another African American couple of multiples kept from pulling their hair out and crying along with the kids.

I remember the first time I heard of the McGhee?s. I?d come across a Facebook photo of the family and thought? ?Oh my God!? Is that six babies? What?s in the water that we are drinking!? as I begin to count all of the cute little faces in the picture.? I was fascinated with anyone else that could possibly relate to my joy, fear, disbelief, anxiety and sleep deprivation.? So I waited patiently, knowing that I?d see more of this amazing family.

The first episode began with Rozonno and Mia McGhee introducing us to their family of eight and the four most important people in their existence, The Helpers.? The McGhee?s invite viewers into a look at their impoverished beginnings which established a great bond between the two and journey to now making history as Columbus Ohio?s first family of sextuplets. Their bond was a divine way of preparing Rozonno and Mia for their greatest challenge yet, sextuplets.

As the McGhee?s discover they are having sextuplets, their reaction was the same as any family seeing more than one dot on an ultrasound screen? ?what!?!??? ?are you sure??? ?you must be mistaken!? ?Oh my God, how many??, then silence! After that the mental and emotional roller coaster begins. The first thing that comes to mind is what am I going to do with all of these babies? You think, pray then begin preparing for your babies. On June 9, 2010 Rozonno and Mia welcomed Olivia, Madison,?Rozonno Jr., Josiah, Elijah and Issac to the world.

We get a look into everyday life with Rozonno, Mia and the sextuplets. We experience church on Sunday morning, bedtime and getting the family ready for the day in the morning.? I was particularly amused at the scene when you see a baby hop out the bed and take off running?it?s always one!? Then another scene where the babies team up and knock down the gate and everyone scatters. We see the McGhee?s shop on a $1,450.00 budget purchasing items for the month. These items include 50 fish sticks, 90 biscuits, 84 bananas, 72 eggs, 10 loaves of bread, 7 gallons of milks, and boxes upon boxes of diapers.

We get to see the McGhee?s on a doctor?s visit and the mayheim that goes on during a visit. I started to feel their anxiety about the doctor?s visit myself.? This is always a gruling all day adventure. It?s totally different dealing with multiples in public than at home.? At home you can somewhat control your surroundings, in public it?s a totally different ball game.? You have to always be on alert. Always taking a head count and making sure you haven?t lost anybody. Trying to control the noise levels, I don?t know about anyone else?s multiples but mine are extremely loud ALL the time.? Keeping kids off of furniture? And then waiting to hear what the doctor has to say about the development of your children. ?It?s just something you have to mentally prepare for.? But God knows exactly who to bless with multiples. It absolutely requires lots of patience, diligence, dedication, strength and PRAYER!

The episode ends with the McGhee?s giving their family and friends a barbeque to show their appreciation for all of their support.? We get to see Mia and Rozonno work their way through the terrible two?s. The biting, throwing, tantrums, hitting, fighting and challenges faced with running a family business to support the family.? We get a closer look in the second episode, at some of the struggles parents of multiples face?frustration from the kids, finances as well as limited time to yourself. We?ll see how the help is not always so helpful. These are some of the fortunate yet unfortunate realities of families with multiples but in the end the headaches, heartache and sleepless nights will be all worth it.

That love, support, bond and faith in God, Rozonno and Mia established in their early years is ultimately what?s going to carry them through their marriage and the rearing of the sextuplets.? Early in the show after the babies were put to bed, you see Rozonno and Mia hug and high five each other and say ?team work?.? That continued team work is going to be one of the things that?s going to make ?this ride a little easier. One is going to have to rely on the strength of the other and they? both will have to totally depend on God. Things will get quite interesting at times, emotionally, physically and even spiritually, but all in all there will absolutely be more good days than bad which gives you hope and loads to look forward too.

I?ll definitely be tuning in next week to see the McGhee?s journey through this crazy thing called multiple parenting.

Watch Saturday nights on OWN at 9pm/8pm CST.

What would be your reaction to finding out you were having multiples? Do you watch Six Little McGhees? What do you think of the show?

About the author

Ayanna Black is the founder of A. Black Web Design, a web customization firm based in Chicago. Ayanna enjoys blogging about parenting her triplets, marriage and technology. Ayanna and her husband Damion are a featured couple in Ebony Magazine?s ?Partner Project?.

Source: http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2012/12/six-little-mcghees-parenting-multiples/

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How Is Online Banner Significant For Effective Marketing Of ...

Banners that are exhibited on-line perform an essential part in alluring potential consumers in the direction of the website of an organization. The major function of creating and employing these on the web commercials is to improve the on-line presence of an organization in excess of the World wide web. A marketer can existing the goods or providers of an business in an attractive way achievable. This is carried out to generate a favorable sense on the thoughts of the target buyer about an enterprise.

An on-line advertisement aims at a goal customer only through an Web medium. A marketer should completely research the brain of the focus on buyer. It is important to know the choice or choices of the possible buyers of an company. This is critical as a designer can create an on the web marketing in accordance to the likes and dislikes of the customer as this advertising is specific at a buyer. As a result, it is important to design an ad from the standpoint of a shopper or a focus on customer. In this way, a marketer can very easily persuade a focus on visitor to visit the site and end up in buying the merchandise or companies of an firm. The primary reason driving employing and advertising an on-line advertisement is to pique curiosity in the head of a prospective customer of an company. It is also expense-productive in nature and has the possible of creating successful benefits.

There are a range of on the web or offline banner maker tools accessible in the industry. 1 can simply pick any type of template or computer plan that delivers assorted established of characteristics. You can insert graphics, use special shades, use symbols and even delicate styles to mail lucrative messages to a goal customer. In this way, a person can very easily and easily prepare a distinctive on the internet promoting. These kinds of advertisements when attractively designed can allure highest volume of likely visitors in direction of an firm that outcomes in the earnings generation as properly as profit maximization.

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2. Elements of an effective strategic marketing plan online
3. Online Marketing Company, fishbat, Commends Marketing Program at Loyola Marymount University and Urges Business Owners to Follow Suit
4. Email Marketing ? An Effective Marketing Strategy
5. Mixed Martial Arts School Marketing Results Can be Improved by Online Banner Campaigns says Lloyd Irvin

? Business ? Tags: Banner, Business, Effective, Marketing, Online, Significant

Source: http://www.hugohosting.com/how-is-online-banner-significant-for-effective-marketing-of-business.html

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Why 2012 was a great year for gaming - SlashGear

2012 was an interesting year in many respects, but it was a particularly interesting year for gaming. 2012 had its share of ups and down, but looking back on the year as a whole, I?d say that it was ultimately good for gamers, developers, and the industry in general. A lot happened throughout the year, and even though we saw vitriol from gamers climb to pretty frightening heights in some cases, there were some pretty cool things happening that you may not have noticed. Needless to say, if 2012 was any indication, then 2013 should be one of gaming?s biggest years yet.

Before we turn our sights to the future, however, let?s look back at some of what went down in the year that we?re about to leave behind. It?s pretty obvious that we?re at the end of a generation, regardless of if Sony and Microsoft want to admit it. The problem we face at the end of a console cycle is that developers become hesitant to begin a new IP (more on that later). Because of this, we tend to see sequel after sequel, and in the triple-A space at least, 2012 was no different. This isn?t all bad though, as it gave indie developers a chance to shine.

Shine they did. 2012 was an excellent year for indie gaming. Minecraft came to the Xbox 360, thatgamecompany released Journey, a game that has quickly risen to the top of countless favorite lists, and we seemed to have a new Humble Bundle to go nuts over at least once a month. Indie games were in the news constantly too, with games like Hotline Miami, Lone Survivor, Faster Than Light, and Legend of Grimrock being discussed alongside the likes of Black Ops II and Assassin?s Creed III. That in particular is very encouraging, because if we can create an environment where a game developed by a pair of passionate gamers can get recognition just the same as games that cost millions to produce, everyone wins.

Of course, great indie games have been given the attention they deserve for years now, so this isn?t some new phenomenon for 2012. It did seem like there were a really high number of indie games that managed to strike a chord within the gaming community, though. The year brought us some truly amazing indie releases, and there were almost too many to count. Whether you were playing Mark of the Ninja, Fez, Dust: An Elysian Tale, or Spelunky, the list of notable indie releases for 2012 was long and varied, with many of them giving us very unique experiences we couldn?t wait to rave about.

While we saw a lot of sequels this year, we also saw some developers take their chances with introducing a new IP. Some of these, like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, didn?t work out so well. Others like Dishonored are unquestionably just the beginning of something exciting. Square Enix found a winner in Sleeping Dogs, while Capcom surprised everyone with Dragon?s Dogma. Let?s not forget that 2012 was also the year that Nintendo listened to its fan and released Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story in North America. Now all we need is Pandora?s Tower and we?ll be set, so get on it Reggie.

Even though the end of the generation is unsurprisingly accompanied by a large number of sequels, the batch for 2012 impressed. 343 Industries showed us with Halo 4 that the series isn?t doomed to mediocrity just because Bungie is working on new projects. Ubisoft managed to revitalize interest in the release-heavy Assassin?s Creed series with Assassin?s Creed III, while Gearbox released one of the best games of the year in Borderlands 2. One of the biggest surprises of the year involved Far Cry 3 launching to critical acclaim, something many of us didn?t see coming. Oh, and did Sega just school Nintendo in the art of making a kart racer with Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed? I think it did.

Fans got riled up in 2012 too. Project Rainfall, for instance, was a major player in getting Xenoblade and The Last Story to North American shores, while angry fans for better or worse managed to get BioWare to change the ending to Mass Effect 3. That?s pretty big considering that BioWare stuck to its guns for a long time, saying for months that there weren?t any plans to change the highly controversial ending. Disgruntled players also got Ubisoft to back away from always-on DRM, which is something gamers and publishers went back and forth about all year.

We also have to keep in mind how big Kickstarter was for gaming in 2012. When Double Fine kicked off a campaign for an old-school adventure game and asked for $400,000, no one could have guessed that we?d be calling 2012 ?The Year of the Kickstarter? by the time everything was said and done. The classic RPG Wasteland is getting a sequel after more than 20 years of waiting thanks to Kickstater, and Obsidian can now return to the computer RPG glory days of the past with $4 million in funding for Project Eternity. The biggest gaming-related Kickstarter of the year was unquestionably OUYA, the little Android console that raised a whopping $8.5 million in funding. Sure, some of the Kickstarters funded this year will ultimately fail, but we also have a number of great games to look forward to thanks to Kickstarter. This is made even sweeter by the fact that many of these games would have never seen the light of the day had it not been for Kickstarter?s very existence.

We also saw the big companies that run the show open up their platforms more in 2012. Microsoft changed around some of its policies so Minecraft players on XBLA could get frequent title updates, and it?s even letting free-to-play titles like Happy Wars on Xbox Live these days. Steam expanded its offerings to include non-software titles and rolled out Big Picture Mode so it can have a stronger presence in the living room. It also opened the floodgates for Linux users, as Steam for Linux is now in open beta. Welcome to the party Linux users ? we saved you seats between Team Fortress 2 and Torchlight.

There were some bumps along the way ? as there always are ? but overall, 2012 was another great year for gaming. Developers can really flex their muscles with the hardware we have available, and Nintendo has already kicked off the next generation with the Wii U. 2013 is bound to be just as, if not more, exciting than 2012 was, due in large part to the expectation that either Sony or Microsoft will unveil their new console. Get excited, because I have a feeling that 2013 isn?t going to disappoint on the heels of 2012.

Source: http://www.slashgear.com/why-2012-was-a-great-year-for-gaming-24262120/

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Americans To CNN Host Piers Morgan: Take Your Butt Back To The U.K.!

Americans To CNN Host Piers Morgan: Take Your Butt Back To The U.K.!

Will “CNN” host Piers Morgan be deported? There are over 30,000 people that hope so! Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for the television host to be deported from the United States over his rants on gun control, although he claims to “respect” the Second Amendment. Morgan feels there need to ...

Americans To CNN Host Piers Morgan: Take Your Butt Back To The U.K.! Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/12/americans-to-cnn-host-piers-morgan-take-your-butt-back-to-the-u-k/

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What a call to courage sounds like: Woody Guthrie?s ?Union Maid? (Americablog)

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Calif. woman charged in millionaire murder

By Lisa Fernandez, NBC Bay Area

A 22-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the high profile death of a 66-year-old millionaire who was tied up and then killed at his sprawling villa in Monte Sereno, Calif., last month.

The woman, Ravel Chanel Dixon, was arrested Tuesday for a separate crime ? offering sex, drugs or money to an undercover cop. On Friday, Dixon, of Alameda County, Calif., was charged with ?accessory after the fact? in the Nov. 30 killings of Raveesh Kumra, an investor who owned Western Cellular Management. Kumra is best known for owning Mountain Winery in the 1990s. ?

Police released a statement Friday saying they do not believe the homicide was a random act of violence.

Read the original report at NBC Bay Area

Dixon?s charges carry a gang-enhancement, although prosecutors did not elaborate on what that meant. Her bail was set at $1 million at Friday?s court hearing.

---

Her mother, Sandra Mitchell, said outside court that her daughter, a single parent and college student, is scared. Mitchell called the charges "very troublesome."

John Ambrosio, Dixon's attorney, added:?"We don't know how they came up with these serious charges. It's an out-of-the-blue charge. They just want someone to charge that homicide to."

Dixon did not enter a plea and was told to return to court on Jan. 14.

Kumra's ex-wife, Harinder "Rani" Kumra, was also home and tied up during the attack. She has declined interview requests. The couple had divorced but remained cordial, according to a previous family statement.

Rani Kumra told police she believed perhaps three or four people had entered her family's massive home on Withey Road. She said she and her husband were bound at about 1:30 a.m.

Police have not explained how her husband was killed. Kumra was Mountain View?s first homicide victim in 40 years.

Also unclear is who killed Kumra. Dixon is not being charged with murdering him, and a sketch of a possible suspect in the case was released by Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police shortly after the homicide.

The sketch shows a skinny Latino or white man in his early 20s who stands about six feet and who has black hair.

The release added that department is "aware of the concern and anxiety this crime has caused the community and wishes to provide a limited update of the case."

Kumra's family issued previous statement through email, in which his brother, Bharat Kumra, described his brother as a man who "worked very hard and invested successfully over the years." He stated that his brother's wealth has been "overstated and inaccurate." Kumra had once owned the Mountain Winery in the 1990s and had invested in Tesla Capital.

"While he experienced success during his life, at the time of Ravi's passing he was weathering financial hardship," Bharat Kumra wrote. "He was a generous man and went out of his way to help anyone he met, even when he had little."
?
Kumra had a minor criminal past in Santa Clara County - he was charged with several misdemeanors and one felony in the 1990s, court records indicate. He was arrested in connection with a felony drunk-driving incident in 1995. In 1998, he was charged with assaulting a security guard at the Mountain Winery and making a threatening phone call to the then-executive director of the Villa Montalvo, an arts foundation.

Kumra was born in Kartharpur, India and immigrated to the U.S. in 1970 after earning a degree in chemical engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, according to his obituary. He eventually settled in the Bay Area. His family said he was one of the first Indian-born entrepreneurs in the wireless industry.

NBC Bay Area's Damian Trujillo contributed to this report.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/22/16093325-california-woman-charged-in-connection-with-murder-of-millionaire?lite

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Poverty and fear of gangs drive young immigrants to U.S.

WORCESTER, Mass./PHOENIX, Arizona (Reuters) - Diego Canil Ordonez was just 16 years old when he realized he needed to get out of Guatemala after gang members arrived at the store where he worked to shake down his boss for money.

His boss didn't show up for work the next day, but the gang members did. They demanded cash from Canil Ordonez, who had seen his job at the store as a step up after spending years shining shoes to support his family, starting at age 9.

"They took me out of the store, and they took the money and they beat me up," Canil Ordonez, now 21, recounted in a recent interview at a social service center in Worcester, Massachusetts. "They were following me everywhere."

Fearing for his life, Canil Ordonez joined the ranks of a growing number of children from Central America to risk all on a hazardous journey to the United States, driven in part by widespread gang violence and grinding poverty.

During a harrowing trek across Mexico, his traveling companion, an 18-year-old male, was briefly kidnapped and held for ransom. The journey ended when the pair surrendered to immigration authorities in Texas; Canil Ordonez's friend could no longer walk because of injuries to his feet.

The number of such young migrants taken into custody by U.S. officials has risen dramatically in the past year, and while most are sent home, those who are fleeing abusive parents or gang-dominated communities can be granted refugee status, an October report from the Women's Refugee Commission found. The commission is a part of the International Rescue Committee, a nongovernmental organization founded in 1933 and based in the United States.

Some 13,625 such children were taken into custody and referred to children's services in the 12 months that ended in September, according to updated figures the commission provided to Reuters. That marks a sharp rise from the roughly 6,000 to 8,000 they served in each of the prior five years.

DESPITE PERILS, WOULD DO IT AGAIN

Most of these children come from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, the study found. They are fleeing street gangs such as MS-13, which has been accused of human trafficking, kidnapping, rape and murder, as well as crushing poverty, it said.

Central American children are caught between gang members who threaten to kill those who will not join their ranks and police who assume they already are gang-affiliated, the study found.

Most of the 151 people - 129 boys and 22 girls - interviewed by the researchers of the report, titled "Forced from Home: The Lost Boys and Girls of Central America," said they would make the dangerous trek again rather than remain in their homelands.

"These children exhibited both an urgent need to escape and an incredible will to survive," the report said. "Until conditions for children in these countries change substantially, it is expected that this trend will become the new norm."

The rise in arrivals over the past year comes as the overall number of arrests on the U.S. border with Mexico is at its lowest level since the early 1970s. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection official disagreed with the report's conclusion, saying the surge may not represent a long-term trend.

"This increase, however, is not inconsistent with historic migration trends and patterns, which are cyclical and vary month by month over a year," said the official, who declined to have his name published citing department policy.

KIDNAPPED BY THE CARTELS

The journey poses a host of dangers all its own, according to the report and Reuters interviews with five young men who made the illegal trip as minors. Many migrants travel across Mexico atop freight trains, with the constant risk of falling. They are also easy targets for robberies and kidnappings.

Franklin Chavarria was kidnapped and held for ransom by members of the violent Zetas drug cartel in Mexico when he was 16 years old and making his second attempt to enter the United States.

"The Zetas are dangerous. They want money, and they want to know if you have family in the States who can pay," Chavarria, now 20, said in an interview in Phoenix, Arizona.

"After five days I said to myself, 'What am I doing here? What's happening? What are they thinking?' I decided to get out before something bad happened," he said, adding that he managed to escape and keep going.

U.S. officials launched a public awareness campaign in Latin American media this month aimed at dissuading unaccompanied children from attempting the trip.

Videos, posters, radio spots and movie trailers are to run through March to illustrate the perils from "the perspective of grieving loved ones left behind," Customs and Border Patrol said in a news release.

'MORE AND MORE TRAUMATIZED'

Chavarria, who is originally from Honduras, now lives with a foster family in Arizona and attends high school. Canil Ordonez lives with a foster family in Connecticut and attends community college. Both now have green cards that make them legal permanent residents of the United States.

Their stories are typical. Many of the children granted refugee status are put in the care of Lutheran Social Services and Catholic Charities USA, who find foster families around the nation to care for them, lawyers to help seek citizenship and counselors to address the trauma many have experienced.

"Over the years, I've seen children coming who are more and more troubled, more and more traumatized," said Mary Bartholomew, a senior program manager at Lutheran Social Services in Worcester, who has been working with unaccompanied immigrant children for nearly a decade.

"Many of them have seen siblings murdered, many of them are pursued for gang membership ... many of them feel the pressure to join because some other family member is going to be harmed besides themselves," she said.

Two gang-related fears drive many young people to flee their countries: the risk of becoming a victim of violence or, for some, being forced to commit violent acts to survive.

"Those guys, they make you to do things that you don't want to do," said Selvin Munoz, now 23 and living in Worcester, who fled Honduras at age 16. "You're trying to be someone in life, but you can't, unless you join them selling drugs, killing people. And you don't want to do that. You want to be a better person."

(Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Prudence Crowther)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/poverty-fear-gangs-drive-young-immigrants-u-060612587.html

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