Escaped Beaver Causing Havoc To The Local Environment

Three Beavers belonging to a wildlife photographer have managed to escape from their enclosure. Whilst the two females have been captured the male is making his mark on the local environment.

Follow this link for a video

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7805445.stm

Here is a full report

A beaver that has been felling trees after escaping from a farm is being hunted by conservationists.

The beaver is one of three that broke out of the farm in Lifton, Devon, in October, owner Derek Gow said. The other two have since been re-captured.

The last six-stone (38kg) animal is believed to be felling trees up to 20 miles (32km) away on the banks of the River Tamar near Gunnislake, Cornwall.

Mr Gow said he was to use "honey traps" to find the missing animal.

Mr Gow keeps 24 of the animals under licence from government agency Natural England as part of a wildlife photography business.

He said the escaped animal was one of three that got out of Upcott Grange Farm.
It is suspected the electric fence around the beaver pen failed after flooding in the area, Mr Gow added.

He said: "We've checked the fence, we can't find any holes at all.

"We can't think of any other way they might have got out."

The other two, both females, were soon recovered after from a nearby lake, but not before they had felled a number of trees on the River Thrushel.

It is believed the male has travelled further in a bid to find a mate.
Mr Gow said: "I know where he is, but he's occupying a territory of probably a kilometre in length."

Mr Gow said he planned to catch the escapee by using a number of "honey traps", boxes that have the scent of a female beaver.

He said: "We've got traps being made up at the moment.
"Using the scent from one of the female beavers, we'll be able to catch the male beaver fairly quickly."

Beavers were hunted to extinction in England and Wales during the 12th Century and disappeared from the rest of the country 400 years later.

They were hunted for their fur and throat glands, which were believed to have medicinal properties.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7805128.stm

Student given a £100bn Overdraft!

Imagine being a poor student watching the pennies whilst you struggle to learn. You go to the cash point to withdraw some cash only to find you are £100bn overdrawn! Who said credit was hard to come by!

This is the full report

A student from Ayrshire has said he was left in shock when his online banking statement showed him to be overdrawn by almost £100bn.

Donald Moffat, 38, from Irvine, claims that on Tuesday morning his Barclays account was showing two separate withdrawals of £50bn.

He said the error had since been acknowledged and fixed.

Mr Moffat claimed the bank had offered him £10 in compensation for the phone calls he had to make.

The full-time student, who is also a part-time care worker, e-mailed a copy of his bank statement to BBC Scotland.

It showed a debit balance on 30 December of just under £100bn.

Mr Moffat said on Tuesday morning his wife had noticed "a major discrepancy of two £50bn debits" being taken out of his account.

"We knew we still had quite a bit left in the account as we checked last night before we went out," he said. "This morning I went out to get a few things, then, when I came back, my account was overdrawn by that amount."

Mr Moffat said he had "been passed from pillar to post" after making the error known to Barclays.

He also said he was looking for the bank to up its offer of compensation for the level of stress he had been put under in trying to resolve the situation.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7804876.stm

Lottery Computer Glitch - You Can't be In It & Can't Win It!

Tonight's lottery was thwarted by a computer glitch that prevented punters from buying tickets.

A computer glitch left thousands of lottery players around the country unable to buy tickets.

A spokesman for Camelot said: "Due to a network issue on Saturday afternoon, some players may have experienced difficulties buying National Lottery tickets in store or via The National Lottery website.

"We would like to apologise to anyone affected - and reassure those people with tickets that the draws will go ahead as usual."

The National Lottery website said: "Our Draw Games are closed. Why not try our exciting Instant Win Games?"

The spokesman added: "We have been selling tickets today. But the problem has been intermittent in retailers up and down the country."

He said the "network communications issue" had resulted in either slower than normal transactions or retailers being unable to perform transactions at all.

It was not immediately known how many people have been affected or how much money has effectively been lost.

A Camelot spokesman said later that ticket machines across the country were up and running again at full speed after 6pm.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20081227/tuk-lottery-thwarted-by-computer-glitch-dba1618.html

Make Sure Your Are Not A Victim Of Credit Report Scams

After the expense of Christmas and the tightening of belts due to the credit crunch it is becoming more important than ever to ensure that your Credit Score and rating are in good shape as this could affect any future borrowing.

More and more companies are offering free credit reports but beware that these are not scams that could lead you into more difficulty

Getting your credit report in shape in 2009 is a sound New Year's resolution. Just make sure you're not reeled into any scams.

With a deepening recession leaving more people in financial distress, fraudulent services promising to scrub credit reports of negative information are rampant. Just this year, the Federal Trade Commission saw a 50 percent spike in complaints about such businesses.
"There are bad actors everywhere. And they're crawling out from under their rocks for the holidays," said Gail Cunningham, spokeswoman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, an association of nonprofit counselors.

Services billing themselves as credit doctors and credit clinics, for instance, can't really improve your report, she said. The truth is, if the negative information is accurate, nobody can get it removed — not even you.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't resolve to spit-shine your credit report in 2009. Credit reports are regularly pulled by potential employers, landlords and lenders. Staying on top of what's in your report will also ensure you get better rates on loans.

So before you get started, a few points to keep in mind.

WATCH FOR SCAMS

If you encounter a service promising to remove negative data from your report, it's probably safe to assume it's a scam. That's because a debt collection can stay on your credit report for up to seven years. A chapter 7 bankruptcy, the most common type which wipes clean unsecured debt such as credit card bills, can be reported for up to 10 years.

In fact, FTC spokesman Steve Baker said he's never seen a legitimate credit repair operation.

"I won't say it can't exist. But I've never seen one," he said.

The details may differ, but Baker said "the basic essence of the scam is the same." It goes something like this:

In exchange for payment, the service promises to pester credit bureaus until negative items on your report are taken off. The premise is that the credit bureau will eventually grow weary and remove the items.

The company might string you along by saying the process will take several months.
"So it can be a long time before people figure out it's not working," Baker said.
By then, you're out several hundred or even thousands of dollars.
Another sign you're being scammed is if you're asked for payment upfront. It's against the law for such companies to demand a fee before services are delivered.

If you believe you were duped by a credit repair company, call the FTC at (877) FTC-HELP.

DO IT YOURSELF

The bottom line is that improving your credit report will take effort and commitment on your part, said David Jones, president of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies, an association of nonprofit counselors.

The first step is checking your credit report regularly for errors or collections you didn't know about.

The three national credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — are legally required to provide you with a free copy of your report once every 12 months. You can request your copy at Annualcreditreport.com, but be careful of sites with similar names.

Annual credit reports are free, but you have to pay if you want your credit score.
Each of the credit bureaus may have different information, so get copies from all three. You might want to stagger your requests because a correction on one report is communicated to the others.

You're also entitled to a free copy if your report results in a company taking negative action against you, such as denying you a loan or job.

Credit bureaus are required to investigate any disputes about collections, usually within 30 days. The business reporting the disputed collection to the agency must also look into the claim.
If a mistake is confirmed, you can request the credit bureau send a corrected report to prospective lenders.

In some cases, your credit report might be riddled with collections because you're struggling under the weight of medical bills or other financial hardships.

Don't throw in the towel. Trying to negotiate lower interest rates or late fees on debt is a good start to taking control of the situation.

Call the lender and ask to speak with a supervisor who has the authority to change the terms of your loan. Negotiating credit card debt can be difficult, but you might find more success with secured debts such as a mortgage or car loan, Jones said.

ENLIST A CREDIT COUNSELOR

If your debt is too daunting to handle on your own, consider visiting a credit counselor. Consultations are usually free. There might be minimal monthly fees of about $20 for certain services, but you can get them waived if you can't afford to pay.

There are hundreds of nonprofit groups that offer financial counseling on topics, including mortgages, credit card debt and budget planning. To find one in your area check the Web sites of either the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. Both associations also require members to meet certain standards and pass certification tests.

"Getting your credit report and understanding its contents are two very different things," said Cunningham of the NFCC.

You don't have to be poor or in debt to get free help from a credit counselor, either. In fact, there are no requirements for getting help, so there are no excuses for dallying on getting your credit report in shape.

"Our real objective is to see people before they dig themselves into debt," Cunningham said.
On the Net:
http://www.nfcc.org
http://www.aiccca.org
http://www.ftc.gov

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h0bmyqNfN2l18vC3wkcp5Y6c1ESQD95972O00

Beat The Credit Crunch With A Custard Pie!

With all the doom and gloom surrounding how we feel with the credit crunch it seems we have found the perfect way to forget our troubles this Christmas.

Pantomime is the up and coming way to release all those tensions and for companies involved business has never been better as in this report:

The founder and chairman of an entertainment business might appear to be in a vulnerable sector. But his company is the world's largest producer of pantomime, a tradition as British as a knobbly knees contest.

If QDos Entertainment is any guide, the pantomime business is booming. The privately held firm expects group sales to jump 65 percent this year to 51 million pounds, about one-third of that coming from pantomime sales, for which advance bookings are up six percent year-on-year.

"It's a bit like selling turkey," said Thomas, who set up QDos' predecessor in 1986. Academics agree escapist entertainment takes on greater significance for people who are worried about the future.

Irreverently based on children's fairy tales like Cinderella, Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk and Sleeping Beauty, pantomime is theatre rooted in the 16th-century travelling street entertainment from Italy, Commedia dell' Arte.

Perhaps because of its gaudy, bawdy mix of slapstick, cross-dressing and very bad jokes it has not made much of an impression overseas. But theatres from Aberdeen to Bognor, and Llandudno to Woking depend on it for a sizeable chunk of income.

"You could say that panto is keeping some theatres afloat really," said Dennis Willis, an amateur enthusiast, whose wife Jackie runs an online business selling scripts. He also said demand is holding up well.

Pantomime has not drawn great audiences in the United States, although Willis has sold scripts there as well as Canada, Kuala Lumpur, Qatar, Hawaii, China and France.
But in Britain it has played a leading role at Christmas since Victorian times -- for the majority of theatres the annual "panto" is often the highest earner, and subsidises more adventurous pieces.

"We come if we're in England ... but I also go to a lot of pantomimes at my own theatre in Spain," said audience member Marie Legg, who lives in Spain, at "Dick Whittington and the Pi-rats of the Caribbean" at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester.

QDos's Thomas, whose company is staging 21 pantomimes throughout the provinces, believes its escapist characteristics and its appeal across generations and classes make it resilient.
"It's multi-generational," he said. "But you've got to be careful with your pricing. It's relatively cheap."

A ticket to the pantomime typically costs between 10 and 15 pounds, which given sterling's recent slump could seem a steal to any visitor from the euro zone.

SHOUTING BACK

However, even a visitor fluent in English may not be able to make head or tail of pantomime proceedings.

"The plot is very simple," explains Willis on Web site Limelight Scripts.co.uk: "The girl dressed as a boy, who is the son of a man dressed as a woman, will win the other girl (surprisingly dressed as a girl), with the assistance of a person(s) dressed in an animal skin."

Pantomime embraces self-mockery and satire like other comedies such as "Monty Python" or "Mr Bean," but unlike them it demands an audience who like shouting at the cast.

The audience is encouraged to boo the villain, argue with authority (shouting "Oh, no it isn't!"), and warn characters of danger, calling "He's behind you!"

Actor Allan Stewart, who plays Widow Twankey in "Aladdin" at the King's Theatre in Edinburgh, said for actors the thrill was the connection with the audience.

"You have this rapport... You can speak to them. You can bring them into the show," said Stewart, who has been playing similar roles for around 10 years.

The rules of pantomime are clear.

"Good enters from stage right and Evil from stage left," says Limelight. That tradition apparently goes back to medieval times when the entrances to heaven and hell were on these sides. "Tradition also dictates that the villain should be the first to enter, followed by his adversary the good fairy."

Another pantomime fixture is the Dame -- usually played by a solidly built, gruff-voiced male comedian. "A million miles away from the drag act, the Dame is a study in female eccentricity," Limelight adds.

Then there's the Principal Boy: the romantic male lead, to be played by a young woman with shapely legs displayed to their best by fishnet tights. There's a simple reason for this, according experts at Web site its-behind-you.com.

"The Victorian male, living in a society where even the legs of the parlour piano were covered for modesty's sake, craved the vision of a well-turned calf, or shapely ankle."

BETTER THAN SHAKESPEARE?

Academics agree the genre can weather economic downturn.

"People want escapist entertainment when things are a bit rough," said Millie Taylor of the University of Winchester, and author of "British Pantomime Performance." "For British people, pantomime is part of the ritual of Christmas."

Whereas mime in other cultures tends to be aimed at children, pantomime draws in the whole family and straddles the class divide -- undermining the received wisdom in Britain that theatre is the preserve of the middle classes.

Many performances are the result of community effort by amateurs rather than a professional show.

The mix entertains children with the throwing of custard pies and squirting of water, mocking the delusions of adult society, and having grown-ups dressed as animals -- usually one at each end of a cow.

The comedian Charlie Chaplin was once the front end of the horse at the Hippodrome Theatre, Stockport, according to Willis.

For adults, the fun extends to include innuendo and topical allusions. At least one show this season -- at the King's Head pub theatre in north London -- will feature as its villain King Rat, a banker and property developer.

But in the same way as good always triumphs over evil in pantomime, the satire generally stops short of the revolutionary.

"It points the finger at things going on in society, but doesn't seek to change them," said Taylor.

For many people, pantomime is the first experience of theatre, said Jim Davis of the University of Warwick. Provided it's good, they can be won over for life.

"It's definitely better to see a good pantomime than be put off theatre by a bad Shakespeare," he said.
(Additional reporting by Simon Newman; Editing by Sara Ledwith)

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20081219/tuk-uk-britain-panto-fa6b408.html

Could You Spoil Christmas For a Seven Year Old?

The prospect of spending Christmas with Seven Year Olds is a magical time.

Yet for one Supply Teacher taking care of her class Christmas means spoiling christmas for her pupils and their families.

A supply teacher who told pupils Santa Claus did not exist has been sacked.

Year Three children at Blackshaw Lane Primary School in Oldham, Greater Manchester, were left devastated by the news.

One parent said: "My son came home and said that his substitute teacher had told the class that Santa doesn't exist and it's your mum and dad that put out presents for them.
"Apparently, they were all talking about Christmas and being a bit rowdy. She just came straight out with it.

"He was nearly in tears - and so close to Christmas. I thought it was wrong.

"He was distraught about it. He's only seven years old and it's part of the magic of Christmas to him."

A spokeswoman for Oldham Council said headteacher Angela McCormick is preparing a letter of apology to parents.

She said the headteacher has complained to the agency which supplied the teacher and added that the teacher no longer works for the school.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20081211/tuk-teacher-sacked-over-santa-gaffe-dba1618.html

Is Stage Horror A Murder Attempt?

Following a horrific mistake an actor slit his throat for real!

Investigators are now looking into whether this was a genuine mistake or a murder attempt.

This is a report from Sky News

An actor portraying a suicide bid accidentally slashed his own throat on-stage following a prop mix-up.

Daniel Hoevels, 30, collapsed with blood pouring from his neck after using a real blade instead of the blunt stage knife.

He was taken to hospital after the dramatic scene at Vienna's Burgtheater in Austria.
The audience had been in raptures, unaware the actor was facing his own demise for real.
But when he failed to greet their applause for the show's spectacular special effects with a bow they separated fact from fiction.

Police are now investigating whether the mix-up was murderous.
Officers have refused to rule out the possibility that a jealous rival may have switched the blades.

The knife had been bought at a local store and police are asking if props staff forgot to blunt the blade for the performance of Friedrich Schiller's play Mary Stuart, about Mary Queen of Scots.
"The knife even still had the price tag on it," said a police investigator.

The theatre's props manager has been quizzed by police about the weapon, Austrian daily Osterreich reported.

The actor recovered after emergency treatment and even appeared on stage the next night with a bandage around his neck.

"If Hoevels had hit an artery or cut only slightly deeper, he would have died on stage," a doctor said.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20081210/twl-actor-in-neck-slash-stage-horror-3fd0ae9.html

Playboy Loses Christie hefner

it is an end of an era where Playboy is concerned as Christie's father Hugh was the founder of the company.

Who will be her replacement and how will this anouncement affect trading in Playboy?

Here is a report by marketwatch


CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- After 20 years at the helm of the firm founded by her father, Christie Hefner will step down as chairman and chief executive officer of Playboy Enterprises Inc. next month, the adult entertainment company said Monday.

Playboy said that Hefner will stay on as CEO until Jan. 31 and remain on the board until a replacement is found. In the meantime, the company said it has appointed Jerome Kern, a long-time director, to be interim non-executive chairman.

In the announcement, Hefner said that "just as this country is embracing change in the form of new leadership, I have decided that now is the time to make changes in my own life as well" but gave no other specific reasons for her departure.

She leaves as the company remains mired in the loss column, stung by charges and dwindling revenue across almost all of its divisions.

Media companies have been hit hard in the current recession, and those like Playboy have not been exempted. Skittish advertisers often cut their ad budgets first, while consumers can find a plethora of free adult fare online and have become increasingly reluctant to pay for it.

The stock has also suffered, scraping to an all-time low of $1.03 just weeks ago after trading just shy of $10 at this time last year. On Monday, however, it jumped more than 11% to $1.95 in morning action.

Still, Kern said that during Hefner's time at the company, she oversaw its "transition from a domestic magazine publisher to a global lifestyle and multi-media company," directing its entry into TV, online and mobile offerings.

"Under her leadership, the licensing group grew from insignificance to become the company's most profitable business," Kern said.

For his part, Christie Hefner's father Hugh said he asked his daughter to "step up as president when the company faced serious financial difficulties more than two decades ago," and that as the result of her efforts, "the company today has more consumers and fans than at any time in our history."

William Spain is a MarketWatch staff writer in Chicago.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/christie-hefner-step-down-playboy/story.aspx?guid=%7B40641958-F245-4C6F-8DC7-54A758CF9F03%7D&dist=msr_1

Will Bratz Dolls Become The New Collectors Items?

Will Bratz Dolls Become The New Collectibles?

Bratz dolls are to be taken off the shelves as Mattel have finally won their epic court case


Does this mean this is the last we will see of the Bratz phenomena, or will they now become highly collectable?



Reading the following article however it does seem that some types will still be made whilst others violate copyright - It is these ones that could become valuable!



It seems time to pack up your daughter's Bratz and keep them as an investment for the future?



This is how the court findings were reported in the Assosiated Press



LOS ANGELES (AP) — The rowdy Bratz dolls have been evicted. Barbie has regained control of the dollhouse.


Toy giant Mattel Inc., after a four-year legal dispute with MGA Entertainment Inc., touted its win in the case Wednesday after a federal judge banned MGA from making and selling its pouty-lipped and hugely popular Bratz dolls.


"It's a pretty sweeping victory," Mattel attorney Michael Zeller said. "They have no right to use Bratz for any goods or services at all."


U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson rocked the toy industry with his order that MGA must immediately stop manufacturing Bratz. He allowed MGA to wait until the holiday season ends to remove the toys from store shelves.


The decision was a stunning defeat for MGA, which exploded onto the tween scene in 2001 with the edgy dolls and made hundreds of millions in profits, giving Mattel's more classic doll-diva Barbie a run for her money.


The ruling, issued in federal court in Riverside, followed a jury's finding that Bratz designer Carter Bryant developed the concept for the dolls while working for Mattel.


The same jury later awarded Mattel $10 million for copyright infringement and $90 million for breach of contract after a lengthy trial stemming from Mattel's 2004 lawsuit ended in August.


MGA spokesman Sandra Ravan did not immediately return a call for comment late Wednesday. It was unclear if MGA planned to appeal Larson's ruling.


Mattel has fought to neutralize the Bratz line for years. The dolls — with their huge lips, pug noses, almond-shaped eyes and coquettish figures — were an instant hit with young girls. MGA had taken Bryant's original four dolls and spun out a line of more than 40 characters, complete with accessories and related toys such as Bratz Boyz, Bratz Petz and Baby Bratz.
El Segundo-based Mattel has seen sales of Barbie — once a rite of passage for American girls — slide since the doe-eyed Bratz dolls first came on the scene. Domestic sales of Barbie were down 15 percent in 2007.


Both sides had a lot riding on the judge's decision and had worried about the impact of any ruling during the holiday shopping season.


The judge's injunction named all 40 dolls in the Bratz line, including the four originals — Yasmine, Chloe, Sasha and Jade. Larson also ordered MGA to reimburse its vendors and distributors for the cost of the dolls and all shipping charges for sending them back.


During trial, Mattel attorneys said MGA made nearly $778 million on the Bratz line since it was introduced seven years ago, and company Chief Executive Isaac Larian made $696 million through June — but MGA insisted the profits were much less.


The post-trial dispute that prompted Wednesday's ruling centered on whether the jury found that only the first generation of four Bratz dolls infringed on Mattel's copyright or whether all the dolls in the line are in violation.


The jury verdict form only asked panelists to find whether there was infringement and assign a dollar reward, but did not ask them to specify which dolls among the dozens MGA made violated the law.


Los Angeles-based MGA, which no longer makes the first-generation dolls, argued that the later toys in the Bratz line don't violate the copyright and it could continue to sell them.
MGA attorney Raoul Kennedy argued that Larson had the discretion to determine which dolls violated Mattel's copyright. Mattel's attorneys disagreed, saying the court does not have the authority to interpret the jury's findings after the fact.





http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gyEvVeW94DnbAREYSSM7TZEHTWkAD94RS6J80

Coca Cola With a Difference!

The manufacturers of Coke are finding competition in the sales place hotting up. So much so they are looking into a 'magic ingredient' to thicken up this favourite drink to provide something new for the market place.

Is this wise or should they stay with what they know best?

Here is an article from the Beverage network

The big beverage companies have all created plans and taken action to reinvigorate consumer interest in carbonated soft drinks, but Coca-Cola might be hedging its bets against the continuing decline of the category by creating something new.

The number-one beverage producer appears to be working on a desert-on-the-go product, according to a recent filing at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The filing describes a broad swath of beverages that include rice extracts or derivatives to thicken the beverage and give it a mouth feel similar to cream or custard. The beverage may also include starch, protein, fiber, fat, fruit flavors and flavors commonly associated with ice cream, pie, cake or pudding.

“The variety of portable deserts has not been exhausted,” the application said.

But Coca-Cola avoided firmly pinning down its plans. The application describes differing thicknesses that could be achieved, and what purposes they would serve. The application described one as “a dairy-free, low caloric, low fat beverage,” that echoes meal replacements like Muscle Milk.

That brand has experienced explosive mainstream growth after being introduced to convenience channels earlier this year, and recently gained distribution with the Pepsi Bottling Group.

Chief Coke bottler Coca-Cola Enterprises does not yet distribute a similar product.

A representative from Coca-Cola did not return a request for comment.

Source: BevNET.com Staff
http://www.bevnet.com/news/2008/11-24-2008-coca-cola_rice.asp

Grocery Vouchers are the New Must Have!

Several Sites on the web are now springing up giving us up to date information as to where we can get money off vouchers for our regular weekly shopping.

By shifting our shopping patterns and using these vouchers we can save ourselves loads of money on our essential food shopping.

One website in particular htp://www.thegrocerygame.com/ is a subscription site that turns money saving into a game and does most of the hard work for you.

http://www.couponmom.com/ is another site that is free to use.

In the uk there are many sites you can use just google 'voucher codes' and you will be amazed!

Money-saving tips

-- Use a disciplined approach to shopping. Try to buy only sale items - and that includes fruits and produce too. Stock up on sale items when possible.

-- Consider buying bread, particularly sandwich bread, off the sale rack. Most grocery stores slash prices when bread is near its "sell-by" date. But that "sell-by" date is just that; it doesn't mean the bread can't be eaten shortly after that date.

-- Start noticing prices, and consider starting a price book. Many people don't pay attention to the way supermarket prices fluctuate. That awareness alone will help you detect rock-bottom prices, even if you never plan to clip a coupon. You'll also find out which stores can help you save on items you use most.

-- Brand names matter some of the time. But comparison shop and consider switching brands when it makes financial sense.

-- Use coupons for items you frequently use. Look for them in store circulars, the Sunday newspaper or online. Also, visit supermarket home pages and produce Web sites; many offer coupons as well.

-- Coupon swap. Find a group of friends who also want to save money. (Make it a diverse group so everyone is not wrestling over the Pampers coupons.)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/14/HOFU13RV4N.DTL

Interest Rate Start To Fall But Will This Help?

With bailouts galore going on, The Banking industry in melt down and some countries such as Iceland possibly about to be declared bankrupt, the latest news is that the American interest rate has been cut today. Will this help? Will it be passed onto the borrower? Will we begin to have more money in our pockets?

The interest rate cut has also spread to other countries but is this a sign of panic. Surely we should be looking at safeguarding normal family values rather than high rolling city bankers.

On the other hand it will make things easier for manufacturers which will hopefully mean more job security and less unemployment

Looking at this report from the experts I don't think we will notice any difference!

Here is a report from Bloomberg

Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The cost of borrowing in dollars overnight in London soared for a third day before central banks around the world lowered interest rates in a joint effort to restore confidence to the global financial system.

The London interbank offered rate, or Libor, that banks charge for such loans jumped 144 basis points to 5.38 percent, the British Bankers' Association said today. It's the second day the rate has risen by more than 100 basis points. It was at 2 percent on Oct. 3. The one-week dollar rate climbed 35 basis points to 4.52 percent, the highest level since December. The Libor-OIS spread, a gauge of cash scarcity among banks, widened to a record and Treasury bills rose even after the coordinated rate cuts.

``This smells like panic to me,'' said Marius Daheim, a senior bond strategist in Munich at Bayerische Landesbank, Germany's second-biggest state-owned bank. ``We don't think this is going to do the trick with freeing up liquidity in the money markets. Banks will still hoard liquidity to meet future funding needs and rate cuts aren't going to do anything about that.''

Interbank lending rates have soared as financial institutions store cash to meet anticipated funding needs, defying the efforts of central banks to revive the frozen credit markets. The Federal Reserve said it cut the target rate for overnight loans by a half point to 1.5 percent today. The central banks of the euro region, the U.K., Sweden, Switzerland and China also reduced rates.

Coordinated Action

``The recent intensification of the financial crisis has augmented the downside risks to growth and thus has diminished further the upside risks to price stability,'' the central banks said in a joint statement. ``Some easing of global monetary conditions is therefore warranted.''

The U.K. said earlier that it plans to invest about 50 billion pounds ($87 billion) in an unprecedented step to stave off a collapse of the country's banking system.

The deepening credit crisis forced the U.K. to join the U.S., Ireland, Iceland, Belgium and Spain in rushing out untested bailout measures to save banks. As part of the plan, Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government will buy preference shares, and the Bank of England will make at least 200 billion pounds available for banks to borrow under a so-called special liquidity plan, the Treasury said today in a statement.

Barclays Plc and Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, the U.K.'s second- and third-biggest banks, said they plan to participate in the government rescue.

Dollar Bids

The Frankfurt-based ECB said today it provided banks with $70 billion of one-day loans, up from $50 billion yesterday. Banks bid for $122 billion. The 9.5 percent marginal rate at which 96 percent of the funds were borrowed compares with today's Libor of 5.38 percent and the Federal Reserve's target rate of 1.5 percent.

The Libor-OIS spread, which measures the difference between the three-month dollar rate and the overnight indexed swap rate, increased to 324 basis points today. It was at 167 basis points two weeks ago and 81 basis points a month ago.

The yield on three-month U.S. bills slid 21 basis points to 0.55 percent, signaling investors are still seeking the safest government securities.

Libor, set by 16 banks in a daily survey by the British Bankers' Association at about noon in London, determines rates on $360 trillion of financial products worldwide, from home loans to derivatives. Member banks provide estimates on how much it would cost to borrow in 10 currencies for periods ranging from a day to a year. Euribor, set in a survey of more than 30 institutions by the European Banking Federation, is published about 90 minutes earlier.

Ted Spread

President George W. Bush signed a $700 billion U.S. bailout bill into law last week to help stem the crisis, which has claimed financial companies including Bear Stearns Cos. and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. The legislation enables the government to purchase tainted assets from institutions. European leaders meeting in Paris over the weekend pledged to bail out their own nations' banks, while stopping short of a regional rescue effort.

The difference between what banks and the Treasury pay to borrow money for three months, the so-called TED spread, was at 402 basis points, the most since Bloomberg began compiling the data in 1984.

Writedowns and losses worldwide tied to the U.S. mortgage market have reached $593 billion since the start of last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a2tvhf1HUBuU&refer=home

Rescue at Hand for Wachovia

Yet another bank has found itself in trouble but luckily for Wachovia and it's customers a rescue bid/buyout is on the cards.

With Bradford & Bingly being rescued in the UK it must bring into question just how many banks can survive and how can or should we afford these rescue packages!

Portland Business journal have provided an in depth report;

Citigroup has agreed to buy Wachovia’s banking operations.

New York-based Citigroup will pay $2.1 billion to Wachovia for its retail bank, corporate and investment bank and wealth-management business. Citigropu will base the retail bank in Charlotte and the investment bank in New York.

Citigroup will pay about $1 a share for Wachovia, according to The New York Times.
The sale does not include Wachovia Securities, which has nine offices in Portland and 16 others across Oregon.

Under the agreement, Citigroup (NYSE: C) will absorb up to $42 billion of losses on a $312 billion pool of loans. The FDIC will absorb losses beyond that.

Citigroup has granted the FDIC $12 billion in preferred stock and warrants to compensate the FDIC for bearing this risk.

“This morning’s decision was made under extraordinary circumstances with significant consultation among the regulators and Treasury,” FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair said. “This action was necessary to maintain confidence in the banking industry given current financial market conditions.”

Wachovia’s stock (NYSE: WB), which has traded between $7.80 and $52.25 a share over the last year, closed Friday at $10, down from Thursday’s closing price of $13.70. Wachovia's stock was trading at 94 cents per share Monday morning.

According to the FDIC, Citigroup will acquire the bulk of Wachovia's assets and liabilities, including five depository institutions, and assume Wachovia's senior and subordinated debt. Wachovia (NYSE: WB) will continue to own Wachovia Securities and Evergreen Investments.
The transaction is expected to close before year-end. It has been approved by the directors of both companies and is subject to Wachovia shareholder and regulatory approval.
At this time, there have been no changes to Wachovia’s board. Two Wachovia directors will join Citigroup’s board.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Wachovia held advanced merger discussions with both Citigroup and California-based Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC) late Sunday. The newspaper cited individuals familiar with the discussions.

It was only last fall that Citigroup was seeking to raise billions to offset its substantial losses amid the credit crisis.

Spain’s Banco Santander SA also was said to be interested in Wachovia, but longtime industry observers were dubious that the U.S. government would want to work with a foreign bank to rescue Wachovia.

Late Friday, a Wachovia spokeswoman declined to comment, saying the bank doesn’t discuss merger speculation.

Reports late last week indicated that struggling Wachovia was seeking a suitor. The Charlotte-based bank fumbled badly on its ill-timed purchase of Oakland, Calif.-based Golden West Financial Corp. Much of the bank’s mortgage woes stem from that $25 billion deal completed in 2006. Many analysts said that deal was a huge mistake even before it closed.
“During recent weeks, the financial landscape has changed significantly and presented us with unprecedented challenges,” says Wachovia Chief Executive Robert Steel. “Today’s announcement is the best alternative for the company, enabling a resolution on the Golden West portfolio.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/29/daily1.html

Water Is The Most Essential Commodity For Those Near The Indus River.

We all need water to survive and many countries depend on the rivers that run through them for the essential water supply for people, animals and crops. When the river is blocked near its source this can have devastating effects for those living further down stream.

This has happened in Pakistan due to the fact that India has built a water blockade at Chenab. The Pakistan government has now put together a plan to avoid it's people having to suffer in the future.

This is best described by the The News International

Govt to build MMC to offset Chenab blockade

By By Khalid Mustafa 9/26/2008

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to construct the strategic Mangla-Marala Canal (MMC) project to offset the adverse impact of any future Chenab water blockade by India, a senior official at the Ministry of Water and Power told The News.“The Mangla-Marala Canal will not only ensure the watering of 10 million acres of land in the Punjab which gets damaged because of the Chenab water blockade by India, but also guarantee water in two defence canals in Sialkot which emerge from Head Marala and irrigate the central Punjab.

”“The Engineering Corps of the armed forces and the National Engineering Services of Pakistan, Wapda and the Government of Punjab would put their heads together to first work on the PC-1 of the Mangla-Marala Link Canal project and then execute the project. The MMC will carry water from the Mangla reservoir to Head Marala from where the two defence canals get water and irrigate the central Punjab.”

The federal government, to this effect, has given the task to Wapda to initiate work on this very important project. Under the plan, the water from Jhelum river is to be taken to Chenab whenever the said river would be in short of water to ensure survival of the crops.

The government also decided to integrate the whole water system in Pakistan to avert any such adventure by India in future. It was also decided that water from Indus (Kalabagh) was to be taken to Jhelum (Rasool barrage) and from Jhelum (Mangla) to Chenab (Headmarala) command area so as to ensure water in every corner of the country. In case of water stress in Indus, water from Jhelum or Chenab could also be taken to area which falls under Indus river command.

This vital and strategic decision was taken in a very crucial meeting held on September 16 with Minister of Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf in the chair. That particular meeting was convened on reduction in flows of River Chenab at Marala headworks because of violation of Indus water Treaty by India which reduced Chenab flows to Pakistan for filling up the dead shortage of Baglihar HPP beyond August 31, 2008.

When contacted Pakistan’s Commissioner of Indus Water Syed Jamaat Ali Shah confirmed the development saying that Federal Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in September 16 meeting has asked Wapda to initiate the MMC project to combat the Indian designs.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=137938

'Dive Of Death' Not One Of Blane's Better Moves!

David Blane ended his latest stunt (hanging upside down for 60 hours) by performing the so called 'Dive Of Death', although well planned the stunt left many fans feeling short changed!

Towards the end of the illusion Blane was already taking breaks from hanging upside down but loyal fans were hoping for something spectacular at the end.

Here is the latest report from the New York Daily News:

David Blaine's 'Dive of Death' gets mixed reviews
BY WIL CRUZ and LEO STANDORA DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Magician-daredevil David Blane finished his latest stunt - hanging upside down over Central Park for 60 hours - then took a "Dive of Death" from a 44-foot-high platform on Wednesday night.

Fans were both delighted and disappointed.
The bat thing lost some luster when Blaine started taking breaks every hour to stand on his own two feet.

Then the dive looked more like a bungee jump.

Shortly after 11 p.m., Blaine nodded and smiled to hundreds of fans watching the stunt as they screamed, "Jump! Jump!" and, "Do it!"

So he did, dropping straight down from the platform and touching the stage below lightly with his toes before cables pulled him back up.

He then hung in the air like a sack of potatoes with a goofy grin on his face, occasionally kicking his legs as though he were running.

The stunt, which aired as part of a two-hour ABC television special Wednesday night, ended with Blaine floating off into the night attached to giant balloons.

The finale drew more boos than cheers from the crowd, but his faithful fans nevertheless were satisfied.

Ivy Avveceto 20, a family counselor from the Bronx, said of the show, "It was amazing. He really pulled it off."

But Kenneth Leonor of Newark, a 22-year-old businessman and part-time magician, called the three hours he spent in the park a waste of time.

"I think it was ridiculous," Leonor said. "Everybody was robbed of their time. Everyone thought he was going to jump, but he didn't live up to his expectations."

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/09/24/2008-09-24_david_blaines_dive_of_death_gets_mixed_r.html

Shipping Containers Become The Starter Homes Of The Future!

1st time buyers have been up against it in the past few years what wuith prices spiralling and mortgages becoming harder to obtain. However an answer my now have been found by a new company in Mexico.

PFNC Global Communities has been set up to turn steel shipping containers into affordable compact homes that can give people a start on the housing ladder. etailing at around $8000 they could be the ideal solution to some areas of the country where affordable housing just does not exist;

This is the full report from City News;

They're not that big, they're not that roomy and they're not that expensive. But could they be a cheap way to end the problems of the homeless?

A company in New Mexico has taken an old concept and given it a new twist - use those huge steel storage containers that some people employ to keep their lawn mowers, snow plows, inventory and other equipment in, for something else: a fully furnished albeit very small house.

The idea first came to homebuilder Brian McCarthy when he was touring Juarez, Mexico a few years ago. The city was booming with Fortune 500 companies moving work down south to get cheaper labour. But when he left the industrial area and ended up in a poor neigbourhood, he was stunned to see how the people who worked in those factories were living.

"We saw hundreds of homes that are made out of wood pallets and cardboard and scrap metal and scrap building material," McCarthy remembers. So when he read an article about someone converting a shipping container into a home, the concept for a new business was born.

"They talked about the merits of the construction, how strong they are, how affordable they are, and how plentiful they are," he reveals of his inspiration.
Partnering with a cousin and some college friends, the quartet formed a company called PFNC Global Communities. The letters stand for the Spanish "Por Fin, Nuestra Casa," which translates as "Finally, our own home."

It's a small business with a big goal - give people who have no home a chance at all the amenities in a place that costs only US$8,000. The group has figured out how to make a lot of the one room 'house', working with only 320 square feet of space. The entire place is just 40 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8 ½ feet tall.

But it's enough.

"We started with a kitchen and bathroom because they're the most necessary and most basic ingredients of a home," McCarthy recounts. They used space saving designs figured out by condo makers, trailer manufacturers and even jet plane builders and installed a gallery style kitchen, complete with a stove, sink, fridge, and a dinette. There's also a 48-square foot bathroom with a sink, shower and toilet.

The bedroom features space saving bunk beds for kids and separate sleeping quarters for the parents.

It can be hooked up to plumbing and electricity and provides a safe and secure environment for those who may never have had one.

Toronto's harsh winter climate will require some additional insulation, but that can likely be taken care of.

It may not sound like much. But according to company co-owner Pablo Nava, to the poor folks in Juarez, it's a place to call home. People said, "You know it'd be like a dream to live in one of these," Nava relates. "You know, just the thought of having nice fresh air ventilating through the house, a large bed ... a normal kitchen and a safe home that locks and closes each night was more than appealing."

The small company can make as many as 3,000 of the custom made dwellings a year and hopes to increase that number as they ramp up production.

So could it possibly be a solution to the homeless problem in Toronto? It's hard to say, but if the idea catches on, it could be the first small step back for many on what has been a long journey to nowhere.

"With our design and with our price point, we think we'll at least be able to take the first step of getting more families into more homes" McCarthy concludes. "We fully anticipate that people will move into our homes, build up some equity, sell this home. We see this is a stepping stone to get into a bigger or more comfortable home."

And maybe, for some, putting homelessness in storage.

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_27201.aspx

G Phone Could It Be Better Than The iPhone?

T Mobile are today launching a new product to rival the popular iPhone. The gphone has been developed in conjunction with Google and use the android system. It will have lots of similar functions as the iphone and with some improvements promised.

Improvements will include the ability to copy and paste e-mails, free access to gmail, links to amazon applications and a cheaper price.

this looks like a phone to look out for if you use all the gadgets and it could certainly prove cheaper to run than a Blackberry. it is due to hit the stores on October 17th or 20th so maybe some pre-ordering may be necessary as the hype will now start!

Today is Officially The First Day Of Autumn

Today marks the first day of autumn, we can now officially say we are in the Fall. September 22nd marks the autumn equinox when day and night are virtually the same length.

I find this time really depressing as the days get shorter and colder we know we are in for a long wait before we can relax in the balmy days of summer. It is also a really busy time with the preparations for Harvest Festival, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas all looming on the horizon.

This day is also the day when pagans celebrate Mabon also known as Harvest Home or Feast of the Ingathering, it is a time to celebrate the fruits of the easrth and share them amongst others in order to please the gods and godesses during the winter months.

Cat Murder - Not A Sex In The City Story Line!

The trial is underway of Sex In The City Guest Star Joseph Petcka. Petcka is accused of murdering his girlfriend's cat in a particularly brutal manner. As the case is unfolding the story is so bizarre that it could be mistaken for a Sex in The City Storyline.

The NY Daily news is providing extensive coverage;

'Monster' Joseph Petcka killed my cat, she testifies about ex-Met boyfriend

By BARBARA ROSS and DAVE GOLDINER DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Thursday, September 18th 2008, 8:21 AM

A "Sex and The City" actor's claim that he killed his girlfriend's cat in self-defense suffered a blow Wednesday with revelations that the tabby was declawed.

Joseph Petcka, who is on trial on charges of felony cruelty, claims he was being attacked by the 7-pound pussy named Norman when he pummeled the animal to death.

Norman's heartbroken owner, Lisa Albotelli, told a Manhatton Supreme Court jury a far different story Wednesday, describing Petcka's jealous rage toward the creature.

Weeping on the witness stand, she recounted finding her beloved pet's battered body under a bedside table after a quarrel with Petcka on the night of March 27, 2007. "He was dead," Altobelli said. "I put my hand there. He was cold and stiff."

She picked up the phone and called Petcka, 37, a handsome bit-part actor with a short fuse who once played minor league baseball for the Mets.

"What kind of monster could kill an innocent cat?" she remembered asking him. He just hung up, she said.

Altobelli said she previously had sensed something was amiss between her boyfriend and cat, which she testified had been declawed.

She described an earlier incident that happened after she had been dating Petcka - who once appeared on "Sex and the City" and in Brawny paper towel ads - for several weeks.

She returned to her Tribeca apartment to find the gentle, orange-and-white cat terrified and soaking wet.

"He was hissing [at Petcka]," Altobelli, a Sports illustrated writer testified. "Obviously, that was a huge red flag."

On the night Norman was killed, Petcka had been drinking heavily and the couple began quarreling, she said. "You love Norman more than me!" Petcka exclaimed, Altobelli testified.
She went to sleep and recalled hearing Petcka talking to the cat in a singsong voice, "Norman, Norman, Norman."

Altobelli said she abruptly woke up after Petcka kneed her in the side and grabbed her neck. He claimed the cat had bitten him.

She took her purse and ran out of the apartment after warning Petcka to leave or she would call the police, Altobelli said.

The last thing she saw, she said, was Norman looking plaintively at her. "I honestly thought he [the cat] would be right behind me," she said. "I thought he would flee."

An ASPA official is expected to testify Thursday that the cat died from an extensive beating that caused broken ribs and massive internal injuries.
Petcka, who faces two years in prison if convicted, also is expected to take the stand.
bross@nydailynews.com

Chris Angel Is the Master Of Illusion so is Delay Of 'Believe' Another Stunt?

Illusionist Chris Angel has overtaken David Blane for hogging the limelight and producing the most mind blowing illusions. However all is not what it seems with his new show 'Believe' which has been delayed until the 31st October is this just another stunt?

The famous illusionist has been very busy lately with a new series out, a show due to open in Las Vegas and a fantastic illusion that had even the scientists believing that an Artic Ice Shelf had disappeared and the launch of the Mind Freak clothing brand.

The official premiere of Criss Angel's Cirque du Soleil show, "Criss angel Believe," has been delayed once again.Cirque now says the $100-million showcase will debut publicly at the Luxor on Oct. 31.

“I can't imagine a more fitting night all year for Criss than Halloween, the night that marks the 82nd anniversary of the death of his and the show's inspiration, Harry Houdini,” angel’s publicist, Steve Flynn, said."Believe" originally was scheduled to open publicly on Sept. 12.

Publicists for Angel and Cirque say the magician and show’s director, Serge Denoncourt, insist every aspect of the technical show, which includes illusions, acrobatics and pyrotechnics, be perfect before it opens, and more time was needed.

The latest decision to delay the premiere was announced Saturday after more than 400 Cirque employees and artists took in a performance Friday. The creative team met afterward and it was then decided to move the premiere to Oct. 31 and restore the preview period to its original time frame.

Organizers first delayed the premiere in late June because of apparent technical difficulties. The premiere was then rescheduled for Oct. 10.Further “enormous complexities” were cited on Sept. 2 as the schedule for preview performances was pushed back a second time. While the change didn't affect the Oct. 10 premiere, the decision effectively axed the first two weeks of preview performances.

Saturday’s announcement restores the preview period to its original five-week run, with the first performance taking place Sept. 26.“The preview period is an important part of our creative process as it allows the show to develop in front of a live audience,” Cirque du Soleil spokeswoman Anita Nelving said."Believe" will blend Angel’s illusions with the costumes and acrobatics that are part of Cirque du Soleil productions.

Angel will give about 5,200 performances over the next decade. His contract will see him perform five nights a week for the next 10 years, with an additional five-year extension option.“Unlike traditional magic-themed shows, 'Criss Angel Believe' transcends any preconceived notion of what it means to be emotionally engaged by the arts of mysticism and illusion,” Cirque promises in the show’s promotional materials.You can find more info at crissangel.com.

http://celebrityunplugged.blogspot.com/2008/09/premiere-of-criss-angels-believe.html

Not Oranges and Lemons but Oranges and Bananas!

Not Oranges and Lemons but Oranges and Bananas!

According to the nursery rhyme it should be oranges and lemons but according to new scientific research we would be doing our children more good by giving them oranges and bananas!

Scientist working in Islamabad have been trying to research into why there are higher rates of childhood leukemia and cancer in the west rather than the east. The results have proved startling revealing that if we give our children oranges and bananas regularly we could halve the risk of these cancers.

This is the report from Online the International News Network;

Oranges, bananas and turmeric prevent leukemia

ISLAMABAD: Giving infants oranges and bananas regularly may halve their risk of developing childhood leukemia, suggest the results of a new study.

And a diet containing the curry spice turmeric may also be protective - accounting for the differences in childhood leukemia rates between east and west - says a leading scientist.

Children who ate oranges, orange juice or bananas between four to six times a week during their first two years of life had a significantly reduced risk of developing the cancer, revealed the observational study by US researchers.

Previous studies on childhood leukaemias have not examined the effects of the overall diet in this way, focusing more on possible risk foods like cured meats.

"Our study is unique, and we have elucidated a significant protective association with the consumption of oranges, bananas and orange juice," says Marilyn Kwan, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Berkeley.

However, she cautions that without carrying out a randomised controlled trial, it is difficult to predict exactly how protective eating these fruits may be, or to make firm public health recommendations. But she notes that in her study "there was a 50 per cent reduction in risk".
The evidence for oranges and bananas, and turmeric in preventing leukaemia was presented at Children with Leukaemia’s international leukaemia conference in London, UK, on Thursday.

Oranges and bananas may protect against childhood leukemia because they are a rich source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. They could act by reducing oxidative DNA damage, and so stop the initiation of cancerous processes.

Bananas are also rich in potassium. Animal studies have indicated that potassium stabilises DNA and can reduce rates of mutation.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=133473

Is Constitution Day Something To Celebrate?

Today is constitution day where we should celebrate the fact that on this date in 1787, 39 of the original 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document that would eventually be ratified and enshrined as fundamental law. Do these ideals still stand today or have we let our forefathers down?

I'd like to think that we still believe in the same ideals! Freedom is the most precious of commodities.

President Bush has issued a proclamation today concerning Constitution day it goes as follows:

Proclamation by the President -- Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, Constitution Week, 2008

Contact: White House, Office of the Press Secretary, 202-456-2580

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17 /Standard Newswire/ -- The following is a proclamation by President Bush:

Americans are united by the ideals of equal justice, limited government, and the rule of law. On Constitution Day and Citizenship Day and during Constitution Week, we remember the vision and determination of the Framers to build a free society, and we celebrate the historical document they created to achieve that goal.

More than two centuries ago, our Founding Fathers gathered in Philadelphia and produced a charter that would promote justice and preserve the liberty of all our citizens. The Founders established three separate branches of Government with a system of checks and balances among them. Ours is the oldest written constitution in the world, and the American experiment remains the world's best hope for freedom.

The Constitution forged the American creed of liberty and equality and has lifted the lives of countless individuals. Whether they are citizens by birth or by oath, Americans share a great tradition of enjoying liberty protected by a constitutional government of their choosing.
On Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and during Constitution Week, Americans come together and recognize the blessings bestowed upon our great Nation. On this occasion we celebrate the courage of the Constitution's drafters and recommit ourselves to making the United States a more perfect union.

In recognition of the signing of the Constitution and of Americans who strive to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of citizenship, the Congress, by joint resolution of February 29, 1952 (36 U.S.C. 106, as amended), designated September 17 as "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day," and by joint resolution of August 2, 1956 (36 U.S.C. 108, as amended), requested that the President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as "Constitution Week."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 17, 2008, as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and September 17 through September 23, 2008, as Constitution Week. I encourage Federal, State, and local officials, as well as leaders of civic, social, and educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies and programs that celebrate our Constitution and reaffirm our rights and responsibilities as citizens of this great Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Pick A Color Career Advice Test

A new web site has sprung up which says it can help you choose the correct career path based on your color preferences. This website claims it can tell the type of person you are by the choices you make

http://www.careerpath.com/ gives you three choices when you enter it's website all of which give you an all round perspective of careers available.

The choices are;

• Career Tests
• Careers Advice
• Career Resources

My daughter is coming up to 16 and needs to make some career decisions soon so it is definitely one to try.

Dana Hunsinger has tried it out already and this is her report;

I happen to like fuchsia shirts and metallic silver polish for my toenails. My golf paraphernalia is all in the pink family. And my favorite eye shadow is a lavender frost.
Based on my colors of choice, what career do you think would suit me?

"You sound like you should be prettying up people as a hairdresser," said Janice Crowder, an administrative assistant who was eating lunch at Washington Square Mall last week. "Or some manicurist or girly-girl career."

Ha. I laughed. How wrong she was.

But believe it or not, there is a new- fangled career personality test that judges you based on your color preferences.

The Color Career Counselor at www.careerpath.com takes an ultra- simple approach to telling people what career is best suited for them. It asks them to click on colors they most prefer to look at and the colors they least prefer, from magenta to lime green.

This test decided I am one of those "conservative-appearing, plotting types," who enjoys organizing, data systems, bean counting and noncreative activities.

Not exactly.

But the second option the test gave me for a career was right on: creator, impulsive, spontaneous, writer.

As with any personality test, it should not be the only variable determining a career path. Nevertheless, this test seems legit and well-researched, said local human resources expert Karl Ahlrichs.

It is "powered by the Dewey Color System" and is scientifically validated. Favorite colors represent hopes and aspirations, the ideals you pursue with passion. Least favorite colors highlight the issues and experiences you try to avoid.

"Tests like these are good because they at least get people thinking about their careers, their likes and dislikes," said Ahlrichs, a partner with local company ExactHire.
But they should be just a starting point.

"Careers are way more complex than that. People are more complex than that," he says.
In different cultures, different tools are used to determine appropriate careers. In Japan, a person's blood type is important. The French feel handwriting analysis is a valid predictor of career success.

Here? We like to try to delve into people's psyches and personality types. I had several people take the test and got varied results.

Lisa Bauer, who graduated from Ball State University with a math degree, turned out to be a creator -- nonconforming, expressive, romantic and emotional. The test said she should think about a job in art, drama, music, writing. "That is not me at all," she says. But the second choice it gave for her was mathematician. "That sounds more like me," she says.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

Olympic Gold Medalist Margaret Hoelzer Speaks Out About Child Abuse

Margaret Hoelzer won 3 medals for swimming in the Olympic games in Beijing. After a startling revalation she now want to moves forward and help children who have also suffered abuse.

Now becoming somewhat of a celebrity last night Margaret spoke to The Associated Press about her less than idyllic childhood.

Here is the full report

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Margaret Hoelzer squirms in the leather chair, trying to get comfortable. She kicks off the flip-flops and tucks her feet underneath her body. Shifting again, she slings her legs over the side of the chair, revealing the star-spangled toenail polish that still remains from the Beijing Olympics.

She takes a deep breath, ready to reveal her secret - saying she was sexually abused as a child.

Now, the swimmer who won three medals at the Beijing Olympics is ready to share her story and work to make sure what she says happened to her doesn't happen to other kids.

"It's nerve-racking," Hoelzer said in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. "Some days I feel great about it, and I'm completely at peace with it, completely calm and ready to do this. Then, there are other days where I'm like, 'Oh my God, do I really want to do this?"'
Hoelzer was born 25 1/2 years ago in Huntsville, a north Alabama city tucked into a valley of the Tennessee River, not far from the state line. Her paternal grandfather was brought over from Germany after World War II, a member of Wernher von Braun's team that would help send Americans to the moon.

She proudly points out that her grandpa invented the analog computer, and her father became an engineer in the booming town that grew to be known as the "Rocket City." It should have been an idyllic childhood.

It wasn't.

Hoelzer says she was five years old when the abuse by a playmate's father started.
Although the timeline is a bit fuzzy due to her young age, Hoelzer and her mother believe the abuse went on for at least two years, ending when that family moved away.
"I was going to their house on a regular basis," Hoelzer said. "I would spend the night at their house from time to time. ... It was definitely a situation where I was taught to trust that person."

She wasn't even sure what was going on was wrong.

"I didn't connect the dots other than feeling uncomfortable," Hoelzer said. "I think on a subconscious level I knew it. But consciously, I didn't."

Even after the abuse stopped, it took years to realize what happened. Finally, in the fifth grade, Hoelzer was walking in the neighbourhood with her best friend, talking about all the things in life that seem so important to 11-year-old girls. Suddenly, the awful truth poured out.

"She was the one who was like, 'Oh my God, you were molested,"' Hoelzer said. "You need to tell your mom.' She was the one who actually put a name on it for me."
Heeding her friend's advice, young Margaret went to her mother.

"She was putting up a border in her bedroom," Hoelzer said. "Of course, I go in there and volunteer to help. She's probably wondering why in the world does she want to help me do this? Luckily, it was a very thick border. It took forever to do."

All the while, a child told her story to a stunned parent.

"She was very quiet and listened," Hoelzer recalled. "I remember from time to time, she would say things to kind of prod me along. I was very, very lucky because she 100 per cent believed me. She never questioned it. Most importantly, she just let me talk. She didn't freak out."
Hoelzer's mom immediately told her father. That night, the police were called. The family was directed to the National Child Advocacy Center, which lined up counselling for everyone and showed them how to pursue legal action.

The alleged molester was arrested. There was no real physical evidence because Hoelzer wasn't raped. Also, the passage of time and a child's still-developing memory raised doubts about whether a conviction could be reached in the harsh scrutiny of a courtroom. The case was taken to a grand jury, but no formal charges were ever brought.
That made it even harder to take.

"I was very angry for a long time that nothing happened and he got off scot-free," Hoelzer conceded. "In school, if you did something wrong you would get in trouble for it. You would go to detention or have your parents ground you. It was almost this mentality of, 'How can you do something like that and have nothing happen?' No community service. No fine. Nothing.

"Now that I'm older," she added, "I realize that's not how it is. A lack of evidence is just a lack of evidence."

She never had any more contact with that family.

She never had any desire to confront her molester.

"I haven't seen him in almost 20 years," Hoelzer said. "I don't even know if I'd recognize him at this point."

Chris Witty, a Winter Olympic gold medallist in speedskating, can sure relate. She, too, was a victim of childhood abuse, violated by a trusted neighbour from the age of 4 to 11. She, too, hid her secret for years.

Finally, after extensive therapy and a triumphant performance at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, Witty turned to the media to get her story out.

"When I first told the reporter, I had all this anxiety," Witty recalled in a telephone interview with the AP. "You don't know what people are going to say, how they're going to react. What about my friends? Are they going to believe me?"

Once she went public, Witty was overwhelmed by the reaction. She was bombarded with letters and emails, all of them praising her for taking such a bold step. Total strangers came up to reveal their own cases of abuse. Most poignantly, a friend, emboldened by Witty's courage, came forward to reveal being molested.

"As soon as I heard that, I knew it was mission accomplished," said Witty, who now lives in the Netherlands. "I don't think I would have had closure about my abuse issue unless I could tell people about it. Whether they wanted to hear about it or not, I had a need to tell people what happened to me."

Hoelzer is not ready to say she's reached closure, but she's eager to use her plight to help others. She majored in psychology at Auburn, with a minor in criminology. She wanted to learn about the child abuse issue from both sides: victims and perpetrators.
"In my own way, I was self-counselling in college," she said. "Every single paper I wrote in school was about kids who've been molested and sex offenders."

That process goes on. Without telling anyone her motivation, she already has gotten involved with the National Child Advocacy Center, the first of its kind and now one of some 900 branches around the country.

She'll be giving the keynote speech at a big fundraising dinner Friday. Her message will be so much more poignant now that she's come clean about her past.

Chris Newlin, the facility's executive director, points to statistics that show one in four girls and one in seven boys under the age of 18 will be the victims of sexual abuse. He's hopeful that Hoelzer's story will raise awareness even more.

"It's very courageous of her to offer us a face to what a number of children in our country are going through," Newlin said. "There's a lot of value in someone of her prominence coming forward. What it really speaks to is how this affects people across a broad spectrum."
While steadfast in her decision to talk openly, Hoelzer worries about reopening old wounds, especially within her own family.

A tear stream downs her cheek when she mentions the mother who still feels guilty about not recognizing what her daughter was going through, the older sister who still believes she should have been there to protect little Margaret.

Hoelzer is quick to point out that much of her childhood was happy, "normal."
She began swimming year-round when she was eight, and quickly became one of the best in the city, then one of the best in the state, and finally one of the best in the nation.
"I always felt like swimming was the one thing I could control," Hoelzer said. "I can't control other people. I can't control whether or not I beat someone or how they swim. But I could control how good I was."

Auburn gave her a swimming scholarship, and she made her first Olympic team in 2004. By then, though, Hoelzer had reached a troubling point in her life, one she eventually traced back to her childhood trauma.

She was no longer swimming the best times of her life. Not even close. Hoelzer finished fifth at the Athens Games in the 200-meter backstroke, a bitter disappointment. Things didn't get much better over the next two years, either. Finally, after a decent showing at the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships but still short of a personal best, she crumpled under the weight of her emotions.

"This isn't normal. I didn't swim that bad," she thought to herself. "Why am I feeling like I have no value as a person?"

Hoelzer, in counselling for more than a year after telling her parents of being abused, decided it was time to return to therapy.

During the process, Hoelzer dredged up all sorts of uncomfortable feelings and memories. But she also began to gain a better understanding of herself.

"I was looking for a sense of peace within myself, and I was looking for a sense of confidence," Hoelzer said. "Since I've been back in counselling, the biggest thing I've learned is that what (sexual abuse) does. It undermines people's value. It undermines their self-confidence. I think that's what swimming was for me for so many years. I was thinking it was something I could control, but it was really a way for me to build confidence."

Removing that burden from her swimming, she blossomed again in the pool. Hoelzer claimed her first world championship, winning the 200 backstroke at Melbourne last year. She set a world record in the 200 back at the Olympic trials and claimed an unlikely spot on the team in the 100 back.

At Beijing, she was beaten in her best event by former college roommate Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, who also reclaimed the world record. Hoelzer was disappointed, naturally, but she also saw the value of silver. And it didn't hurt when she added a bronze in the 100 back and another silver as a member of the medley relay team.

"I wonder if I had won if I would have felt this sense of peace and contentment was just because I won," Hoelzer said. "The fact that I can sit here and say, 'I just won a silver medal and I'm content and at peace with myself,' to me that conveys that it's real."
And time to go public with her secret.

Still, Hoelzer wonders if it's all worth it.

"I still have so many unresolved issues," she said. "My self-confidence is better, it's definitely better. But it's not there all the time. I have good days. I have bad days."

She's never been able to lower her guard long enough to have any sort of meaningful romantic relationship, even as she devours the latest romance novel. She's never been on more than two dates with anyone.

"For me, it's just such a trust issue," she said. "I really have a hard time getting to know people, and letting people get to know me."

Recently, Hoelzer was among the 150 U.S. Olympians who appeared on the season premiere of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." While everyone else revelled in the moment, she looked around nervously, knowing that all those people on stage - not to mention all those people watching at home - would soon know her own painful story.

Only her family and closest friends know what happened. She's never even told any Olympic teammates.

"I think my biggest fear is letting my guard down," she said. "What if no one cares?"

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jybyvQdj4TaJC_B2Sp8Taav12pvA

Mr Sulu Gets Hitched

George Takei - Star Trek's Mr Sulu married his long term partner today in Los Angeles.

Here is a copy of the report from the BBC


Star Trek's Takei marries partner

The couple were joined by Takei's Star Trek co-stars at the wedding
Former Star Trek actor George Takei has married his long-term partner in a Buddhist ceremony in Los Angeles.

Takei, 71, who played Mr Sulu in the sci-fi series, married business manager Brad Altman, 54, in front of a number of his Star Trek co-stars.

They included best man Walter Koenig, who played Chekhov, and matron-of-honour Nichelle Nichols - Uhura.

The wedding - at Japanese American National Museum - came after California lifted a ban on same-sex marriage.

The couple, who have been together for 21 years, wore matching white tuxedos in the ceremony.

Takei, who recently appeared in US TV show Heroes, said in his vows that Altman was "an organised, detailed-obsessed, punctuality-driven control freak".
"I'm easygoing so we're a good fit," he added.

Speaking before the ceremony, Takei said: "We have a relationship that's been stronger and longer-lived than some of our straight friends and yet we were not equal.
"What this does is give us that dignity."

The couple were among the first Californian couples to receive a wedding licence when the state lifted its same-sex marriage ban on 17 June.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7616129.stm

Lehman Bothers File For Bankruptcy - Stocks Fall Sharply

After much speculation it is now officila that Lehamn Brothers have filed for bankruptcy.

The official reasons given are that it has been overwhelemed with debt due to the world wide credit crisis. This could have desaterous effect on the whole of the banking industry.

ABC in Australia have posted the following article;

One of the world's biggest investment banks, Lehman Brothers, overwhelmed by debts linked to the global credit crisis, has announced it is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States.
At the same time, another distressed Wall Street bank, Merrill Lynch, has been sold in a fire sale to Bank of America, as fears spread of a systemic meltdown of the global financial system.

The Australian share market has fallen sharply as a result of the financial turmoil.

The US Federal Reserve has convened emergency meetings with the heads of the world's major investment banks to try to find ways to minimise the fallout.

Ten giant banks have set up a $US70 billion fund to try to stabilise the markets, while the US central bank is taking unprecedented steps to maintain liquidity.

But some experts still fear the collapse of Lehman could spark a run on other banks, potentially causing a catastrophic financial failure.

At about 3pm AEST, the All Ordinaries index had shed 84 points to 4,874.

The ASX 200 had fallen 1.8 per cent to 4,817.

The financial sector was leading the losses, with the National Australia Bank dropping 4.1 per cent.

The Australian dollar was trading at 82.14 US cents.

Earlier, the Australian arm of Lehman Brothers was stripped of the ability to trade on the local stock exchange.

The bankruptcy action comes after talks to find a buyer for the company ended without resolution.

The ASX said Lehman Brothers had been suspended for up to a month, because its third-party clearers Citi Securities and Berndale Securities had terminated their arrangements with the firm.

A Citi spokeswoman would not comment on the decision.

Stock markets across the world braced for carnage after last-ditch efforts to find a buyer for Lehman collapsed.

As emergency talks on Lehman's woes were being held in New York, a London source at British bank Barclays, who requested anonymity, said it walked away from negotiations because of concerns it would have to guarantee the 158-year-old US firm's trading commitments.
Financial institutions around the world who do business with Lehman Brothers stand to lose billions of dollars.

There was an emergency Sunday trading session in New York to allow them to unwind some of their positions with Lehman and minimise those losses.
But the signs are that stock markets will plummet when they open later.
Banks unite

Earlier, the Bank of America, Barclays, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and UBS, said in a joint statement they "initiated a series of actions to help enhance liquidity and mitigate the unprecedented volatility and other challenges affecting global equity and debt markets".

They agreed to create a "collateralised borrowing facility" of $US70 billion, with each bank contributing $US7 billion, to help ease access to credit.

They also said they would work together "to help facilitate an orderly resolution" of the derivatives exposures between Lehman Brothers and its counter-parties.

"These actions reflect the extraordinary market environment," the statement said

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/15/2365006.htm

Rock Band 2 for XBOX - Out Today

After the great success of Rock Band, Rock Band 2 has gone on sale today in America and should be out in Britain soon (certainly in time for Christmas!)

The new game has several more advanced features as you will be able to customise faces and poses as well as camera angles, everything you may have form the original Rock Band can also be imported into the new game with no problem so you can carry on from where you left off.

This is the article from the Boston Herald

Music-minded gamers can jam with the newest version of Rock Band beginning today.
That’s when “Rock Band 2” for the Xbox 360, created by Cambridge’s Harmonix Music Systems Inc., hits store shelves. New hooks include battle-of-the-bands tournaments, an online world tour, auto calibration to eliminate TV lag and a real drum trainer.

The interactive music game allows up to four people to choose from vocals, guitar, bass and drums and create their own characters in a band which they take on a virtual world tour. In small gritty clubs to giant stadiums, they can play the different parts of their favorite songs by following the colored-coded note track and hitting the corresponding frets of the guitar or the right pad on the drum.

Harmonix has sold 3.5 million bundles of the first “Rock Band” since the interactive music game’s launch in November 2007, and fans have downloaded more than 21 million song tracks.
The flagship upgrade of “Rock Band 2” is the battle of the bands feature, according to Kasson Crooker, Harmonix’s lead producer for the game.

“You get to compete against other bands - generic bands from around the world or on your friends list,” Crooker said. “We have daily and weekly battles that you can choose from, and each one is created by us at Harmonix.”

The music video game development company will have five active at a time - such as vocals, guitar or The Who battles - and scores will be uploaded to a server so players can see how they stack up against the competition.

The drum trainer added to “Rock Band 2” lets players practice the instrument with step-by-step lessons on the basic beats and fills in songs.

No worries for original “Rock Band” owners who want to upgrade to the new version. Almost all of the first game’s songs can be exported and used on “Rock Band 2,” as well as all purchased downloadable content. Harmonix also improved the game’s instrument peripherals. A cymbal expansion pack can be added to the drums, for example, which now have quieter velocity-sensitive pads and more sturdy kick pedals.

Harmonix’s new game will have new competition in just more than a month. Rival publisher Activision will release “Guitar Hero: World Tour” on Oct. 27, adding drums and vocals a la “Rock Band” for the first time.

Harmonix was actually the original developer of “Guitar Hero,” working on the first and second versions of the game. And Crooker says his company is honored that Activision has recognized there’s more to music than just one instrument and followed its lead.

“Music is about being in the same room with a bunch of musicians,” he said. “There’s something about the collective energy of feeling that you’re all working together to play a single piece of music.”

dgoodison@bostonherald.com