Austin Real Estate article courtesy of NewsTalk Texas who writes for NewsTalk Texas. You can find the original post at NewsTalk Texas.
Thanks for reading!
Source: http://www.affinityproperties.com/wordpress/2012/07/31/building-on-up-in-san-marcos/
trayvon martin 911 call kiribati vernal equinox mr rogers jamie lee curtis spring equinox audacious
Though his father was particularly opposed to his plans her mother and elder brother Roy encouraged him to pursue his dreams (1979) Read > Travel-and-Leisure camping, self-defense, bear attack, bear spray, bear repellent, outdoor survival 09th February 2011 I think the gifts that I most remember receiving are the ones that are just a little out of the ordinary but still have been very meaningful and purposeful There are auto makers who give these sporting two doorways, 4 doors, or even five doors for hatchback coupes Read > Business Criterion to Consider While Refinancing A Car Loan 28th October 2011 Have you bought your car on a loan and find it difficult to repay it now? Do you feel the pain in repaying huge monthly payments in this downtrodden economy? There are many ways to save your money in the long run and I have tried to explain certain facts I am an expert from hydrotu
Opened on October 1, 1971, Orlando Walt Disney World Resort is the spectacular and most-visited entertainment destination in the world Read > Real Estate First Time Real Estate Buyers Beware ?Tax Credits That Are Really Loans 12th November 2009 The real estate market in much of the United States looks like a boxer after going 10 rounds with Mike Tyson in his prime ? bloodied, bruised and in pain Although they may have their own visions and projections, no one has an inkling of what will really happen later on The lack of a website instantly conveys a negative image about a company, no matter what industry the busine Second Mulberry Purses&Wallets Team: LAC ? Bell (Sun) Latin America and the Caribbean ? Bell this season?s shooting accuracy is very disappointing, but fortunately his defensive skill did not declinelizzard Beach? the iconic waterpark of the resort is the ultimate place for thrill seekers
Read > Fashion Safety Footwear ? Providing Protection For Your Feet 21st June 2011 Many people work in situations where damage to feet can easily happen Read > Web Design Web Page Design Cost ? How Much Thigns Are Worth 03rd March 2011 There?s a number of things that contribute to the budget a web design project has This therapy must be applied thrice a day to all areas which are affected by stretch marks Williams Jersey Buy life insurance to supplement pension and social security income They can use it for various purposes including paying electricity bills,84rfE7 5AEeEz, due debts,EMWTkK ehc24R, mobile phone bills and a lot more There are various bird repellent methods to control birds, the common methods used are: Bird spike, bird netting, ultrasonic bird repeller as well as bird li
Without thinking much, apply for instant fair credit A perfect getaway for those who love nature, this island has astounding beaches encompassing various coastal habitats Retrieved 2009-02-20 Read > Business Managing Difficult Sales people 18th May 2011 Sales Managers who are faced with the common dilemma described below are given the following advice by management training experts This conversion is not dangerous at all but it removes the freshness a little bit from the food Given that bricklaying is quite actual physical perform, you?ll clearly have to be fit sufficient to work correctly while in the work place Read > Pets How YOUR pet dogs and pet cats ingest h2o is very different from how you drink 24th January 2012 This might seem like an ordinary topic, but many people are amazed with the science which our pets have to make use of in order to drink drinking water
Success is dependent on luck or fate or conditions beyond control Once you have considered these factors you should be ready to start your blog L was the length of an idealized simple gravity pendulum (described at top), which has all its mass concentrated in a point at the end of the cord Any person aiming to earn money online as rapidly as Trust me, it really is! Years ago people would generally shy away from running their own business, simply due to the perceived expensive start up costs, the hassle that can go with running a He also reported on America
Therefore, you will see Johnson and Johnson takes proper care of each and every a part of contact usage to reduce your time It is medically proved that properly maintained and clean hospital linens are important psychologically because of its immediate physical aids For most of us it will happen as a result of wear and tear as we age It does not matter which iPhone you becomes available, the current baseband 4:11:08, 1:59 or 6:15 can be cracked Any preview of the Warmth could have to start with their Huge 3 8 Robert Hooke was also responsible for suggesting as early as 1666 that the pendulum could be used to measure the force of gravity
leader in quality used cars: Experience Clayton Auto became Knoxville Manny forces everyone to wipe off their feet before entering the house, then he prohibits everyone from going upstairs, and he monitors everyone One of the many songs that he made was entitled The British ex-patriots who resided in Madeira some 250 years ago commonly referred to it as the Brazen Head, perhaps because it reminded them of the rugged coastline back home in Scotland But environmental concerns have taken center stage in world politics and business development with greater frequency over the past few years She owns a website that talks about stretch mark cream reviews We provide customized koozies, which is considered as best gift to make your event memorable
Related articles? http://www.datinganswers.org/?p=30169 84rfE7 5AEeEz
Source: http://newyork-question-answers.com/2012/07/emwtkk-ehc24r-2lryno-0c5nqo/
morgellons disease arik armstead sag awards red carpet torrey pines nhl all star game 2012 pollyanna samuel adams
by Dave Peer
If we?ve learned anything from the recent General Services Administration (GSA) scandal involving a lavish Las Vegas convention and expensive gifts to employees, it?s that not every kind of incentive program is justifiable.
The GSA reportedly spent more than $438,000 on MP3 players, digital cameras and other costly employee incentives, a practice that violated its own policy of limiting such gifts to $99. The behavior in the GSA case was the result of poor management and oversight of the program.
An outlandish incentive program like that one is the exception. It wasn?t representative of the tens of thousands of appropriate and effective incentive programs organizations use all over the world.
Properly designed and managed, employee incentive programs are extremely effective. In fact, research shows that on-the-job performance can improve by as much as 27% as the result of a well-run incentive program.
Follow these eight steps to create an incentive program that appropriately promotes your performance goals:
1. Establish objectives. Know what your organization is trying to accomplish through incentives. Examples: healthier employee behavior, improved attendance, a safer workplace or employee recognition. Design your program so it is simple, specific and has attainable objectives.
2. Outline a strategy. Know who your program is trying to reach. Decide if individual or team rewards will be more effective.
3. Measure performance. Employees should know exactly what they have to do to earn rewards?and those requirements should be attainable.
4. Establish a budget. Base it on the number of participants, the length of the program and the expected results. The budget can be fixed?with a ceiling for spending?or open-ended, with an estimate of costs. Plan to spend 80% of the budget on awards, 10% on communication and promotion, 5% on administration and 5% on training and research.
5. Select the awards. Not every reward is equally motivating for every employee. The most effective programs offer a wide variety of award options, as different employees are driven and excited by different rewards. Your best buy-in will come from offering an assortment.
6. Administer the program. Incentive programs don?t run themselves. Look into online systems that allow participants to view the points they?ve earned and redeem them on??line. Can?t do it in-house? Professional incentive companies offer a variety of tools to make program administration easier.
7. Analyze your success. At the end of every incentive program?whether it?s a contest among the sales staff for the most deals or a time period for employees to sign up for health assessments?determine whether it met its objectives and whether participants changed their behavior.
8. Plan the next program. Any one incentive program provides only a short-term gain. Follow-up, ongoing programs are important for sustained success. Start planning the next one right away.
To make your program the best it can be, start by soliciting guidance from someone with experience. Ask colleagues at other organizations for referrals to incentive professionals. Hire only reputable suppliers that can show credentials and a good track record. You can find incentive professionals through associations like the Society for Human Resource Management and the Incentive Marketing Association.
Use common sense. Clearly that was missing when GSA officials spent more than $6,000 on commemorative coins to hand out to attendees of an $823,000 Las Vegas conference for just 300 employees. Realize that the GSA program caused a scandal because it wasn?t properly managed. It wasn?t typical of the incentives industry?or of the way that a program at your organization would play out.
Final note: Don?t rule out an incentive program just because your organization is small. Even a modest incentive program can help your organization reach its performance-improvement goals.
___________________________________________
Dave Peer is president of the Incentive Marketing Association and president of Hinda Incentives in Chicago. Contact him at dpeer@hinda.com.
Attention: Readers, Publishers, Editors, Bloggers, Media, Webmasters and more...
We believe great content should be read and passed around. After all, knowledge IS power. And good business can become great with the right information at their fingertips. If you'd like to share any of the insightful articles on BusinessManagementDaily.com, you may republish or syndicate it without charge.
The only thing we ask is that you keep the article exactly as it was written and formatted. You also need to include an attribution statement and link to the article.
" This information is proudly provided by Business Management Daily.com: http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/31760/lessons-from-gsa-scandal-incentives-require-proper-management "
angelina jolie leg daytona jeff gordon artie lange nascar daytona 2012 kasey kahne angelina jolie right leg
Print Recipe
Crock Pot Roast Beef
1 (4 - 5 pound) beef roast, any kind
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package brown gravy mix, dry
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package Italian salad dressing mix, dry
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package ranch dressing mix, dry
1/2 cup water
Carrots, onions, or potatoes, if desired
In a small bowl, combine the brown gravy mix, Italian dressing mix, and ranch dressing mix. Use the combined mixes as a dry rub on both sides of the beef roast. Place the roast in the crock pot. Pour the water around the roast. Add vegetables as desired. Cook on LOW for 7 - 9 hours.
Combine the three mix packages together.
Place the roast in a shallow pan.
Rub the roast down on both sides with the combined mixes. My roast was not as large as the recipe indicated, so I did not need all the seasoning. You may want to reserve some of the seasoning for another time if your roast is small. Place the roast in the crockpot with the water and any vegetables you choose.This unique blend of seasonings adds a little extra pizzazz to an ordinary beef roast, and nothing is easier to prepare than a crockpot meal!
Source: http://auntnubbyskitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/crockpot-roast-beef.html
juan williams victor martinez alcatraz cruise ship martin luther king jr. zappos john elway
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) ? A man who had recently separated from his wife shot his two children, killing his 7-year-old daughter, before committing suicide, prosecutors said.
A family member called police Saturday night after finding the bodies of 41-year-old Daryl Benway and his daughter, Abigail, in the master bedroom of their two-story Oxford home, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. said.
Benway's 9-year-old son, Owen, was found shot in the head in the kitchen and was taken to UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center in serious condition. Owen has been in pediatric intensive care, a spokesman for Early said Sunday. He said he had no additional information about Owen Benway's condition, and a hospital spokeswoman would not comment.
Benway's wife, Kelleen, returned home after the shootings, unaware of what had happened, and found a swarm of police cruisers and television crews, Early said. She was taken to the children's hospital, where authorities told her the fates of her children and husband.
Neighbors told the Telegram & Gazette that Daryl Benway's brother Shawn lived on the first floor of the home with his wife and mother. Shawn Benway called 911 to report the shootings, Early said.
Early said he couldn't speculate on a motive. He said the Benways separated weeks ago but were still married.
No restraining orders had been filed against Daryl Benway, and he had no criminal record, the DA said. He had a gun license that expired in 1999, Early said.
On Daryl Benway's Facebook page, his profile picture posted in December showed him with his family in front of a Christmas tree. He described the woman next to him as "my Beautiful wife Kelleen." Owen stood in front of him in a white dress shirt and red plaid tie, while brown-haired Abigail wore a black and white dress with a black hair bow.
Daryl Benway listed his place of employment as TJX Cos., which operates discount retailers TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, as well as Ross Stores Inc.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mass-dad-shoots-2-kids-1-fatally-kills-152205402.html
pasadena famu famu martina mcbride terry jones andy reid elf on the shelf
By Paul Newman
|
Ravi Bopara may have called time on his own troubled Test career when he pulled out of the showdown against South Africa for ?personal reasons?, leaving England ready to throw James Taylor into the deep end at Headingley.
The problem No 6 position claimed another victim in the most surprising way when England named a 13-man squad for Thursday?s second Test without the man who had been given this clash of the Test giants to prove he belongs at the highest level.
The exact circumstances behind the withdrawal of Bopara, who was out twice to soft dismissals in the first Test humiliation, remain unclear but it is said he has asked to spend time away from cricket because of problems at home.
Stepping up: James Taylor is in line to make his Test debut for England
While it would be wrong to condemn Bopara ? who has so far been unable to establish himself in Test cricket in five different attempts ? over a private matter, his shock move will not sit well with England unless there are very good? reasons for it.
So late did Bopara inform the selectors of his absence that the original second Test squad had been drawn up with his name on it, and the last-minute switch will have exasperated team director Andy Flower, who has been frustrated by Bopara in the past.
England have struggled to find the right man to bat at No 6 since Paul Collingwood quit in 2011.
Eoin Morgan
Nightmare against Pakistan, top score of 31 in six innings.
Jonny Bairstow
Top score of 18 in three Tests against West Indies.
Ravi Bopara
Exiled himself after two soft dismissals against South Africa.
The Essex man injured himself while bowling ahead of the series against West Indies after he had been expressly told by England to be cautious with the ball, while lingering doubts about his temperament were hardly eased by the manner of his double capitulation at? The Kia Oval.
If Bopara, contrastingly excellent in one-day cricket, had already been drinking at the last chance Test saloon then he may now have to wait a long time before he gets another sip, if at all.
He has always given the impression of being a laid-back character but anxiety over proving his worth has never been far from the surface.
England, having seen Eoin Morgan, Jonny Bairstow and now Bopara succumb to the No 6 jinx this year, have turned to a batsman who has long seemed destined for a Test career, even though he has had to wait for his big chance.
Testing times: Ravi Bopara struggled against South Africa
Taylor, at 5ft 5in the shortest man in English cricket, will make his debut in a must-win Test against the formidable South Africa attack as long? as England stick to their tried and tested formula of fielding six batsmen and four specialist bowlers.
The 22-year-old moved from Leicestershire to Nottinghamshire at the start of this season to try to prove his readiness for the big stage but, until Saturday?s century against Sussex, he had enjoyed only modest returns in the County Championship First Division. What Taylor does appear to have is an ability to thrive when it most matters.
He has shown that with an outstanding record in 10? first-class games with the Lions and when he smashed a century of rare innovation and imagination for Nottinghamshire in front of the Sky TV cameras against Hampshire earlier this season.
AJ Strauss (Middlesex, captain), JM Anderson (Lancashire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), TT Bresnan (Yorkshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), AN Cook (Essex) ST Finn (Middlesex), G Onions (Durham), KP Pietersen (Surrey), MJ Prior (Sussex, wicketkeeper), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), JWA Taylor (Nottinghamshire), IJL Trott (Warwickshire).
Taylor will need to be wary of his penchant for the leg side? ? which may leave him vulnerable to lbws against the? quality of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander ? and a perceived susceptibility to the short ball.
Mind you, it does not have to be that short to appear back of a length to jockey?s son Taylor, who will cut a contrasting figure to the 6ft 6in Morkel when they do battle.
His inclusion will increase the chances of Tim Bresnan retaining his place in an unchanged attack, even though they could take only two wickets at The Oval in 189 overs, as England will be reluctant to forsake the Yorkshireman?s ability if they have a debutant at No 6.
But this could yet prove to be the cue for England to change an established formula and repeat their one-day policy of this season in picking five specialist bowlers. That would mean Matt Prior? batting at No 6 and Taylor missing out for now.
Steven Finn and Graham Onions took wickets in Durham?s championship victory over Middlesex and both would relish the chance of? joining Jimmy Anderson,? Stuart Broad, Bresnan and Graeme Swann in an attack that will be under pressure to deliver in Leeds.
Sadly, Bopara will not have the chance to join them in trying to put right the wrongs of The Oval. It may prove a long way back for him now.
?
?
john boehner demi moore hospitalized james farentino somali pirates navy seals navy seal team 6 tim gunn
People who suffer from airborne allergies need to use HEPA filters in their air conditioners and vacuums. These filters have been proven to capture over 99 percent of all airborne allergens. As air circulates through your home, it will travel through these filters and trap the allergens that are causing your symptoms.
The shabby-chic look is making a comeback in home fashions. Its signature overstuffed sofas, chairs, and loveseats can wreak havoc on your allergies. Studies have shown, that this type of furniture is often loaded with a higher-than-average amount of notorious allergens like goat hair, burlap, jute, and even cattle dander. Avoid these decorative pieces at all costs.
If you suffer from allergies, especially allergic rhinitis, consuming too many alcoholic beverages could lead to more pronounced, and frequent symptoms. Even in small amounts, alcohol can lead to congestion in the nasal passages. As a result, anyone with a stuffed-up, runny nose due to allergies may experience more intense edema in the nose.
Be careful of which products you use to treat to treat your allergies. For example, if you use a decongestant and you have high blood pressure, you could suffer from a stroke or heart attack. Speak with your doctor before taking any allergy medications to make sure they are safe for you.
To keep allergies at bay, try adding a bit of horseradish, or hot mustard to your foods. These act as a natural decongestant. They offer a good alternative to allergy medications, that may cause drowsiness, and morning fatigue. Of course, this is not a good idea for children, as spicy substances can cause them a lot of misery!
Determine why you itch. Sometimes it can be difficult to know whether the itchy, raised welts on your skin are hives or just insect bites. If the bumps appear all over your body, they are probably hives. Insect bites, on the other hand, appear in clusters and on the arms on legs. Topical products are ideal for either ailment; oral anti-histamine is recommended to treat allergies, but is not necessary for insect bites.
If you enjoy the outdoors but avoid going out because you suffer from allergies, consider spending time outside after the rain. Rain helps minimize the amount of pollen that is found in the air. So you will find the least amount of pollen after a nice rain storm has passed through.
Keep pollen at bay! Pollen can get into your hair. and on your skin without you knowing it. Try to have a shower, or bath every night. To reduce pollen getting into your home, keep the windows and doors closed whenever possible. Change your air filters regularly during the spring.
Keep coats, jackets and shoes away from everything else. They have been outside, and therefore bring pollen, ragweed and any other number of allergens into your home. Keep them in a hall closet if possible. If you cannot do that, designate one location for those items so your exposure to allergens is limited.
If you battle pollen and spores while indoors, avoid leaving your windows open for longer than an hour or two. At the very least, close them between the hours of 5 and 10 in the morning; this is the time of day in which plants and flowers release their highest concentrations of pollen.
By reading the allergy tips in this article, you will be better prepared to deal with allergies of any type. Allergies often come suddenly and without warning, so it is important to know how to deal with them before they rear their ugly heads and ruin a beautiful day or night.
Author Site: sinus infection helping site, holp this article has added to your knowledge and has enhanced your health buliding.
Source: http://newsredit.com/the-best-way-to-relieve-allergies-fast/
madden cover obama slow jams the news metta world peace ron artest gladys knight private practice deion sanders
China has eased restrictions on foreign investors seeking to put their money into the country's markets, Beijing's latest financial sector reforms as it seeks to boost a slowing economy.
The securities regulator late Friday published new rules allowing qualified institutional investors to hold up to 30 percent of shares in any domestically listed company, up from 20 percent.
The new rules will make it easier for foreign groups to obtain the status of qualified institutional investor, and thus enter the Chinese market, said the China Securities Regulatory Commission.
Foreign investors will now also be able to put their money into China's interbank bond market and high-yield bond market, said the regulator.
The steps should lead to "more long-term foreign investment on China's capital markets," according to a statement from the regulator.
China has introduced a series of reforms to open up its financial markets in recent months in the hope of boosting its economy, which grew 7.6 percent in the second quarter, its slowest pace for more than three years.
Authorities hope to modernise the economy in which a dominant role is still played by state-run banks and huge public companies.
Fresh foreign capital could inject much-needed vigour into the country's markets. The benchmark Shanghai index ended Thursday at 2,126.00 points, its lowest close since March 9, 2009, according to Dow Jones Newswires.
New applications for foreign investors have been sped up recently, with the securities regulator approving 37 new qualified investor licences for the first six months of this year compared with 29 for the whole of last year.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-eases-restrictions-foreign-investors-163755597--finance.html
king cake mardi gras fun. hepatitis c symptoms david bradley david foster wallace pinterest
Looks like I need a refill...
For all the years that I used to drink beer en masse with the masses I never once seriously considered brewing my own. I've been on numerous brewery tours, I see and understand the process, and hell, I even really like to bake and cook - there's no reason why I shouldn't really enjoy brewing. I should be one of those people that's all down to experiment with flavors and styles and drink beer with my buds. I should want to spend all my extra cash on homebrewing supplies and ingredients and concoct mysterious brews of delight. However, in all my life I've never been all that motivated. I mean, why try to reinvent the wheel that Foothills, Terrapin, and Dogfish have done so well? I mean, it ain't broke; I can get beer of all kinds and styles at my local beer store, why fix it?
But now that I'm still in this gluten intolerance limbo area, I really want to stop spending all my money on one beer at the beer store. And knowing people that I know, I have weaseled my way into a homebrewing group's somewhat regular brewing schedule. My goal through this manipulative manner of mayhem is to get some apprentice-like education on brewing and begin brewing gluten free beer for myself to enjoy. I want to be the person who can actually BYOB again to parties. I want to be able to go out to enjoy other beverages because I've got all the beer I could want to myself.
Plus, at some point I really want to make a gluten free sour or double IPA for myself. Because, if you do drink gluten free beer, the biggest problem with gluten free beer is the lack of variety (imho). I hardcore, vehemently believe that the best gluten free beer I've ever had is the New Planet Off Grid Pale Ale. We even did some taste-testing between it and the Tread Lightly they make and it's obvious the difference between the two. The Off Grid gives you more body and more flavor-memory of being a real beer while the Tread Lightly is sweet and thin. Tread Lightly ALMOST comes across as being a watered-down beer. And this isn't a ding to New Planet because I'm just happy to have options. But I do drink beer and that's my general thought of it. Plus, that's why brewers brew options...everyone's taste buds are different.
So prepare to read about the chronicle of me brewing a gluten free beer. The first step is getting the ingredients. I've reached out to New Planet and drank a bunch of beers (two important steps when trying to mimic a beer you like) and I'm waiting to hear back. I plan to head to Bull City Homebrew to talk with Kyle (my new brew buddy) about getting the rest of the ingredients, but as I just learned, the ratios are what's important. Not only do you need to know what hops & malts & stuff are in your beer, but the ratios of each too. That way you know how much you'll need of each.
I also learned something peculiar about yeast strains. Not all yeast strains are gluten free either. So, if you have celiac you need to make sure you have gluten free yeast too. Thankfully, I don't think I am a celiac, so I'll settle for what's most convenient. For the remaining ingredients in your beer that you can't get at the Homebrew store, you can always get off Amazon.
Are you a homebrewer? Do you have any other tips for a noob on brewing beer? Leave 'em in the comments!
Source: http://bitchinbrews.com/beer/homebrewing/gonna-brew-me-a-beer/
new dark knight rises trailer khloe and lamar oklahoma city thunder act rajon rondo sunoco titanic ii
Throughout the night, hundreds of cyclists continuously pedaled a 2.85-mile loop to raise money for cancer research.
The 11th annual 24 Hours of Booty charity ride kicked off Friday night in Charlotte, despite rain clouds and thunder, and continued through Saturday. Cancer survivors, cruising in Corvettes and on bicycles, led the pack on the first lap of the ?Booty Loop,? which travels along Queens Road West to Hopedale Avenue to Queens Road to Selwyn Avenue.
Rider Stephen Kibler pedaled for his late son, Camden, who died from leukemia in 2008 at age 5 months. The back of Kibler?s royal blue and white jersey displayed a photo of his son, with a message to riders behind him: ?He had Leukemia. No excuses...Keep Pedaling.?
Kibler said he planned to ride 160 miles ? one for every day Camden was alive. Kibler received ride support from eight other members of ?Team Camden.?
?We are riding to keep his memory alive,? said Patti Moliver, Camden?s cousin.
Myers Park High served as this year?s base camp, also known as Bootyville, for riders and overnight campers. The event accommodates 1,200 cyclists, and another 250 joined to energize the riders on the last day.
Shannon Carney said she rides every year. She battled breast cancer in 2003 and continues to support the charity ride and other survivors.
Carney said she found her key to survival in her friends. Every night before a next-day chemo treatment, Carney gathered with friends for pre-chemo parties of pizza and beer.
?They would fill me up with positive energy,? Carney said. ?My friends got me through it.?
Inspired by survival and hoping to encourage others, Carney established a non-profit, Wind River Cancer Retreat, following her own battle. The retreat, located in Tryon, 90 minutes west of Charlotte, focuses on providing encouragement and strength for those with cancer.
Her advice to those struggling with the illness: ?Take some time out for yourself everyday...just for you.?
Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones, who was diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer in December 2011, shared his story with survivors at the event?s breakfast Saturday morning.
He said during his treatment, he focused on his sister?s advice. ???Harry, you can beat this, but you?ve got to believe you can???. Today, that?s the advice he passes along to patients he encounters.
As of Saturday afternoon, the Charlotte ride collected more than $1.4 million for cancer research, according to the event?s website.
Organizations receiving funds from the ride include Levine Cancer Institute, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Keep Pounding Fund at Carolinas Medical Center, the Brain Tumor Fund for the Carolinas, and the Be The Match Foundation.
Since Spencer Lueders of Charlotte founded the ride in 2002, 24 Hours of Booty has raised about $7 million for research. The once local-only ride, now has host cities from Atlanta to Indianapolis.
Lueders said he felt compelled to start the ride not because he had cancer, but because he was inspired by the story of cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. ?I wanted to do something that would make an impact,? he said.
Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/07/28/3412779/cyclists-gather-for-booty-ride.html
honduras prison fire do not call list sports illustrated westminster dog show 2012 words with friends words with friends phlebotomy
Peru Police via AP
A Peru police photo shows a yellow tent believed by authorities to belong to U.S. climbers Gil Weiss and Ben Horne near Palcaraju Peak in Huaraz, Peru.
By NBC News staff and wire services
Searchers on Saturday found the bodies of two U.S. mountaineers who apparently plunged 1,000 feet to their deaths on their way down from the summit of a glacier-capped Peruvian peak.
Gil Weiss, 29, and Ben Horne, 32, fell off a ridge after reaching the west summit of 20,584-foot?Palcaraju in the Cordillera Blanca range in mid-July, search coordinator Ted Alexander told The Associated Press.
Their bodies will be recovered Sunday, he said.
Both Weiss, of Queens, N.Y., and Horne, of Annandale, Va., were experienced climbers. Weiss was a repeat visitor to the Cordillera Blanca while this trip was Horne's first.
Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com?
Both belong to the pullharder.org climbers' collective, and Horne wrote about the first, six-day leg of their trip on its blog, saying they had been buffeted by hurricane-force winds when the two reached the top of the 20,216-foot Ranrapalca.
After a rest in Huaraz, the two set out again July 11 for an excursion of seven to 10 days. Their families contacted Alexander after 13 days passed with no word from them.
Weiss's sister, Galit, said the two were not carrying a satellite phone.
Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletter
Horne was a graduate student in economics at the University of California, San Diego. Weiss was founder of a business a Boulder, Colo., business called Beyond Adventure Productions that specialized in organizing and photographing events in remote and spectacular locations.
The Cordillera Blanca climbing season runs from June to September, and the deaths of Weiss and Horne bring to eight the number of mountaineers who have lost their lives in the range so far this year, the AP said.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
More world stories from NBC News:
News on NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
?
aptera aptera national defense authorization act national defense authorization act seven days in utopia seven days in utopia big 10 championship game
To create your another source of income from the stock market you need to know the basic knowledge on the stock market. Always remember that this is not the place for a novice to play. It requires skill, patience and courage to meet a goal.
Well knowledge in the basics on the stock market will skilled you to make some incredible stocks in your portfolio. Stocks investment is a typical element, if not the last word basics, of any to create lucrative investment portfolio. Once you enter the field to make monetary steadiness, you must acquire a in-depth knowledge and information of stocks and how best possible way you can trade in the market. Therefore how depth you research and posses the knowledge it will ripe you in your investment. Laxity and casual attitude is never allowed while playing in the stock market.
Identify your primary objective in investing stock market
If you have made up your mind in investing in stock market, then you first learn how to select the proper stock for investment. The first step is to decide your basic purpose in investing in stock market. An approach like this will help you to mange your investment efficiently as well as limit your possible loss in the future. So before jumping on to the stock market answer yourself the following question for introspection and achieving your goal:
What is your first investment target?
What is the purpose for your current saving?
Do you saved cash for investing?
For buying a new house?
Higher education?
Retirement is approaching?
Is your debts under control?
It is unnecessary to make investment if you have lots of money in debts. You don?t have to entirely debt-free, but you should make serious efforts to cut your debts each month before doing investment.
Do you have enough cash for living expenses (at least 6-12 months), in hand or at bank?
What is your age range ? young or nearing retirement?
The longer period you have to journey the highs and lows of the volatility in the market, the more risk you can believe.
What is the frequency of your investment for achieving the target?
Conservative (less danger, predicted income)
Moderate (medium danger, normal earnings producing)
High (high danger, possibility for great returns)
By understanding your danger threshold level, you can drop any type of investment that does not fit your requirements.
Your goals are usually specific purpose ( renovating your home, buying a car etc.) that you want to do with money earned from investment. While moving through various stages of life, your needs and financial targets will change often. Your investment aims should closely associate with your financial targets. Learning the stock markets fundamentals and identifying each of your investment will decide the amount and liquidity of cash you need to pay as well as the time that are available for your investment to set up and grow to meet your target.
The secret to success in investment efficiently is to follow your overall complete plan according to your personal and financial targets. Where you begin depends on your particular situation.
tim thomas oral roberts les paul fred thompson fred thompson red hook romney tax return
In the past, riding a limousine may seem like an excessive thing to do. This spacey and elegant vehicle was usually a privilege reserved only for the most wealthy and famous. However, with limousine renting services, we all now have access to this finer thing in life. Opting to travel with a limousine has its obvious perks. This vehicle can come is various colors, from the classic black, smooth white, or glam pink. You can rent a limousine in your choice of color for one or several night, enabling you to arrive amidst the awe and admiration of others at the place of event.
A limousine is also more practical, in some sense. As a limousine is quite roomy, it can accommodate more people than just simply cramming into a car or cab. What better way to go to prom or an exquisite night out with your friends? With more pitching in, the rent should not have to be a strain to your finances. Everyone has got that special night, that one in a lifetime event to go too. On these instances where you want your evening to be one which you will remember for a long while, travelling with limousine service Los Angeles is something which will make it more memorable.Source: http://chris-photonature.blogspot.com/2012/07/travelling-in-style-with-limousine.html
minka kelly James Holmes court Rupert Sanders bachelorette penn state ufc Ernie Els
The vast majority of people admit they wish they could find a great way of creating financial security for their families and themselves. The issue is discovering the right situation in order to make it happen. There are a vast number of possibilities, but in many cases they will struggle when they first begin due to structure and support issues. There are benefits to building a home based business and why it needs to be in network marketing. People who are involved in network marketing work a system of building a team of distributors to help push both the product line and the business opportunities. The most well known companies in this industry are Amway and Mary Kay Cosmetics. These companies have used these distributorships to build billion dollar companies by allowing people to own their own distributorship. The owners get rewards as they build their team and profit from a larger effort.
Most individuals are familiar with working from home, but a home based business is one where the individual owns the company and markets his or her own products and services. Unless they have a specialized practice or a large clientele list to draw from, they often fail within the first couple of years. The issue is finding customers and having a support team. The new owners will find that it is a daunting task to start from scratch and build a company without this support. There are similarities between the two different types of organizations. The MLM version includes most aspects of the other because it is based on selling product. The person that works from the house has the same task to accomplish. The difference is usually in what products or services that is being offered. In one sense, they really are the same situation. The efforts on one person are extraordinary because the owner has to find the contacts for sales. Through professional contacts, friends, family, and advertising efforts the contact lists grows. Both types of companies are identical in this need. A home based business owner does not have an advantage that network marketers enjoy. They will work hard to develop customers, but without a product or service that is renewable they have to continually seeking more customers. The income stops when there are no customers buying. The residual income does not exist. With a distributor the residual income comes in two ways. Selling products that are consumable or have a monthly basis. Each month the customers reach out for more product or service. The other part of income is from the team building. Each new team member contributes by selling and growing their own team. A small percentage of revenue is shared up the line. Having many people working to grow a customer base produces much more than a single individual trying to do the same thing. For a company to grow into a strong organization that produces residual income, a team of individuals will be much more efficient. The support, encouragement, and inspiration help the individual keep from being isolated or left to his or her own devices. Without a team, only one person can develop revenue. With a team everyone benefits. There are many benefits in having a home bases business and why it needs to be in network marketing. Get more info in our insider?s guide to home business success.
Related Articles ?
building a home based business, home based business, network marketing, business, online business,
Email this Article to a Friend!
Receive Articles like this one direct to your email box!Subscribe for free today!
there will be blood there will be blood nigel barker 420 secret service fenway park coachella
In this June 8, 2012 photo, a red "everyday" pricing tag is attached to clothes on display at a J.C. Penney store in New York. Six months after J.C. Penney got rid of the hundreds of sales it offers each year in favor of a three-tier pricing approach, the mid-priced department store chain is revamping its pricing strategy again. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
In this June 8, 2012 photo, a red "everyday" pricing tag is attached to clothes on display at a J.C. Penney store in New York. Six months after J.C. Penney got rid of the hundreds of sales it offers each year in favor of a three-tier pricing approach, the mid-priced department store chain is revamping its pricing strategy again. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
In this June 8, 2012 photo, Michele Crosta, a freelance fashion and wardrobe stylist, shops at J.C. Penney in New York. Six months after J.C. Penney got rid of the hundreds of sales it offers each year in favor of a three-tier pricing approach, the mid-priced department store chain is revamping its pricing strategy again. Among other changes, the blue "best price" signs will be eliminated, and "clearance" signs will be reintroduced. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
In this June 8, 2012 photo, a dress display with a green tag item price for the month of June is displayed at a J.C. Penney store in New York. Six months after J.C. Penney got rid of the hundreds of sales it offers each year in favor of a three-tier pricing approach, the mid-priced department store chain is revamping its pricing strategy again. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
In this June 8, 2012 photo, a green promotional pricing tag is part of a display of shirts for sale at a J.C. Penney store in New York. Six months after J.C. Penney got rid of the hundreds of sales it offers each year in favor of a three-tier pricing approach, the mid-priced department store chain is revamping its pricing strategy again. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)
NEW YORK (AP) ? J.C. Penney is changing its pricing ? again.
Just six months after the mid-priced department store chain got rid of the hundreds of sales it offered each year in favor of everyday lower pricing, it is reversing course.
Penney on Feb. 1 began using a three-tier pricing approach that called for consistently lower daily prices, month-long sales and periodic discounts on merchandise throughout the year. But starting Aug. 1, Penney will eliminate one of the monthly sales and bring back the word "clearance." Penney also plans to tweak its advertising to better communicate the pricing plan to customers.
The moves come at a time when shoppers ? and investors ? have voiced confusion over Penney's pricing strategy, which was spearheaded by CEO Ron Johnson when he took the helm in November. In May, Penney's stock plunged nearly 20 percent in its biggest decline in four decades after the retailer posted a larger-than-expected quarterly loss and a 20-percent drop in revenue on poor reception from shoppers for its pricing strategy.
The change also calls into question how patient Main Street and Wall Street will be with Johnson, a long-time retail executive who has been lauded for being the mastermind behind the success of Apple's retail stores and Target's cheap-chic strategy. The pricing plan is presenting a challenge for Johnson because it's turning out to be a tough sale to shoppers who have come to expect deep discounts and investors who are looking for Penney to turnaround its business quickly.
Brian Sozzi, chief equities analyst for research firm NBG Productions, said since Johnson's strategy is long-term, investors likely will give him at least until 2013 to prove himself.
"With a visionary type of strategy like this you have to take a lot of painful medicine upfront," he said, adding that Johnson "is essentially trying to change the consumer mindset."
Johnson, who asked investors to be patient during a meeting with them in May, said he's confident that the pricing strategy will work. Johnson has acknowledged that Penney has a long way to go to convince shoppers that they don't have to wait for sales to get low prices at Penney, and he said this week that Penney's first-quarter sales drop is "the price we're paying to get integrity back."
"We thought simplifying 590 unique sale events into three types of pricing would be easier, but it turns out ... customers and others found the pricing a little confusing," he said. "Now we're going from 590 to 3 to 1: The first price is the right price."
Under the new system, Penney is keeping "Every Day" low prices that are consistently 40 percent lower than regular prices before the company eliminated sales. That level of pricing has account for about 70 percent of sales since the company began the new strategy, Penney said
It also will keep its periodic discounting events, which make up 15 percent of sales, but increase their frequency to every Friday. The company will also change the name of them from "Best Price" to "Clearance." And Penney will get rid of "Month Long" deals, which account for 15 percent of sales.
Johnson said the new approach should make the pricing plan easier for customers to understand.
"We thought: 'Why are we trying to teach customers new language to shop?'" he said. "We're just trying to be straightforward."
To go along with the new pricing, the company will tweak its ads. That will include inserts in newspapers every Friday during the back-to-school season that will highlight specific products like jeans. A TV ad will tout free haircuts that the stores will offer students during the back-to-school season.
The new ads are in stark contrast to the spots that Penney rolled out at first to introduce its new pricing plan. The "fair and square" brand campaign featured TV ads with dogs, kids and bright colors ? but little explanation of Penney's pricing.
In one TV spot, for instance, a dog continuously jumps through a hula hoop that a young girl is holding. The text reads: "No more jumping through hoops. No coupon clipping. No door busting. Just great prices from the start."
"In some ways marketing during the first six months entertained versus educated," Johnson said. Now, "the most important thing is to educate consumers on the price changes and make sure the core customer understands J.C. Penney still has products they love, at exceptional value, every day."
Penney, based in Plano, Texas, is hoping the tweaks to its pricing plan and advertising will help stem growing concern about whether Johnson's plan will help the retailer turn around its business.
The first sign that Penney's pricing strategy wasn't resonating with customers came in May when Macy's CFO Karen Hoguet told analysts that sales were rising at her company's stores that share malls with Penney stores.
A week later, J.C. Penney Co. reported that it lost $163 million, or 75 cents a share, in the three months ended April 28, compared with a profit of $64 million, or 28 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue dropped 20 percent to $3.15 billion for the quarter as customer traffic slipped 10 percent. Meanwhile, revenue at stores open at least a year ? a comparison used to measure a retailer's health ? fell 18.9 percent. That's much steeper than the 11.4 percent drop Wall Street was expecting.
A day after Penney reported the disappointing results, its stock fell 19.7 percent, or $6.57, to close at $26.75. That's the largest percentage drop for the company since at least January 1972, when FactSet's daily stock price records begin.
Investors, who initially sent Penney shares soaring 24 percent to about $43 after Johnson announced the pricing plan in late January, since have pushed them down about 37 percent since the beginning of the year. On Thursday, shares rose 21 cents to close at $22.21.
And earlier this month, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered the retailer's credit rating into junk status, saying changes have yet to take hold
J.C. Penney reports second-quarter results Aug. 10.
Associated Presspittsburgh penguins record store day jennie garth space needle nashville predators king arthur king arthur
Recently Google has done Panda/Farmer upgrade, and many online marketers are hurrying to discover appropriate article authors for them to keep their supremacy. This Panda/Farmer upgrade by Google generally benefits sites which have unique excellent pleased with excellent pagerank and penalizes sites with duplicated or PLR (private brand rights) material with low web page positions. Thus web page and weblog entrepreneurs are hurrying to discover excellent article authors to get excellent clean material and also to enhance the excellent of the current material in their sites.
Thus instantly there is huge need for excellent article authors and/or excellent article writing solutions. Company entrepreneurs are trying all choices available to discover the best ones, but they fight get through as most of the excellent authors are reserved for months in enhance. Many article authors have more than doubled or tripled their expenses, and many business proprietors just cannot pay that much of money. Is there any way out?
Entrepreneurs should consider the following choices to discover excellent authors to perform for them:
1. Outsourcing Sites: If plenty of your energy and energy is available, say about one month before you want to obtain the information, you may go to freelancing sites like Elance, oDesk, or Expert. There are many other outsourcing sites as well; however, these are recognized ones. Company employers can sign-up and then put marketing in the sites asking for offers for the specific tasks they would like to seek the services of article authors for. There are ratings of individuals who bid for the tasks. You have to select the right one for you.
Usually the transaction made by the employers are properly secured in escrow records, and thus many article authors discover it practical to perform through these outsourcing sites as the transaction is properly secured. However, ratings of individuals vie for tasks and they often try to undercut each other, thus the conventional price estimated for tasks here are often lower and that causes many excellent authors to stay away from them. Often visitors from low-cost nations quotation prices that are incredible to individuals bidding process from the high-cost nations. Selecting visitors only by the low price may jepardize at the end.
You should be sensible enough to understand the qualifications and backdrop of the visitors from their information. Some outsourcing sites offer free assessments in appropriate areas, and many article authors take these assessments. If you are not sure of the excellent, you may check out the test ratings of the visitors.
2. Buy-Article Sites: Sites like Constant-Content or Associated Material gives you the option of publishing your offer or buy content straight from ratings of article authors who keep their content prepared on the market there. Many authors create many content on popular subjects, set the price, and show the idea of this great article, which research, select, and buy. If you do not discover any article prepared for you, you can publish your venture.
Articles in these sites are said to be of better excellent and discovered to be expensive as well. However, may authors do not choose these sites as the process of the information seems to be too demanding and are denied for little reasons. In addition, these sites keep about one third of the purchase process and that places off many authors.
3. Reference: Do you know somebody who is getting their content published by others? Can they suggest somebody for you?
4. Internet Research: A lot of article authors consistently publish about their solutions in sites like Cl or little business list sites. You can look at the appropriate webpages and get somebody providing the service, living very close to where you live!
5. Advertisements: Knowledgeable authors believe in promotion. Many article authors make it a addiction of investing about 10% of their income in ppc. Thus a while you will discover piece of content authors or article-writing solutions in Google or other search applications. Many article authors put their promotion in high-traffic sites visited by online, e.g., sitepoint or warriorforum, etc. You can discover many authors in these sites who are discovered to be quite efficient and experienced.
Best article writing services as we have a team of professional article writers who have an expertise in their field.
Source: http://articlebro.com/2012/writing-speaking/article-writing-services-how-do-you-find-the-best/
dash diet how to make moonshine joel osteen emmy rossum jay z and beyonce the big chill tony blankley
A NASA report describing an "unprecedented" instance of ice melting in Greenland has sparked a new debate about global warming and has elicited accusations that the space agency has become politicized where climate science is concerned.
97 percent of Greenland's ice sheet melted in July
According to the report, NASA satellite data suggests that at one time or another 97 percent of the ice sheet that covers Greenland had thawed due to the persistence of a warm air mass over that land mass. Ordinarily roughly half of Greenland's ice sheet melts at one time or another during the summer. Scientists are not certain whether the phenomenon will increase the overall loss of ice in Greenland and cause the surface levels of the ocean to rise. The ice appears to be refreezing, however.
Unprecedented except where it is not
The controversy that has arisen as a result of the report is due to the use of the word "unprecedented" in the title of the report. However, down toward the bottom of the NASA report, Lora Koenig, a Goddard glaciologist and a member of the research team analyzing the satellite data suggested that events such as these occur naturally every 150 years. Ice core data seem to confirm this finding.
The question of climate change
The NASA findings have caused some speculation in the media whether the "unprecedented" ice sheet melt is being caused by climate change, or as it is sometimes called, global warming. While NASA itself has not suggested that the ice sheet melt was caused by man caused global warming, which is said to be caused when carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere by power plants and factories trap the heat of the sun, a story in NPR was not so coy. NPR quotes other news outlets such as Wired and the UK Guardian that the phenomenon is evidence of global warming.
Climate change skeptics pounce
Fox News, on the other hand, quotes a number of climate change skeptics who suggest that fears that the Greenland ice sheet is being melted by man-caused global warming over overblown. Patrick J. Michaels, a climatologist, suggests in his blog that NASA is guilty of illiteracy by misusing the term "unprecedented" for something shown to have occurred every 150 years. Anthony Watts, a climate skeptic who runs a blog called Watts Up With That, suggests that the notion that global warming is causing the ice sheet melt in Greenland is similar to claims that droughts in North American are being caused by the same phenomenon.
Temperatures rising in Greenland
Fox News also quotes NASA's chief cryospheric scientist H. Jay Zwally as suggesting that temperatures over Greenland are rising faster than over the rest of the globe, contributing to the ice sheet melt. This in itself is not proof of global warming, however, and may be part of the 150-year natural cycle.
Mark R. Whittington is the author of Children of Apollo and The Last Moonwalker. He has written on space subjects for a variety of periodicals, including The Houston Chronicle, The Washington Post, USA Today, the L.A. Times, and The Weekly Standard.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-greenland-ice-melt-report-sparks-global-warming-213200148.html
chimpanzee the lucky one pittsburgh pirates mariners mets shades of grey pittsburgh penguins
VoIP & Network Quality Manager 4.0 RC is out for a while and based on your RC feedback we would like to give you more details about adding Call Manager or troubleshooting possible issues during setup.
?
First of all, your Cisco Call Manager needs to be ready for monitoring calls.
?
You can set it up via CCM web console. To do that, please follow Cisco tutorial here: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucmbe/service/6_0_1/car/caranrpt.html#wp1037699
You also need to enable AXL credentials on CUCUM. That could be done easily using this tutorial: http://www.uplinx.com/cleanuptool/userguide/index.htm#page=Enable_AXL_on_CUCM.htm
?
In case that your AXL credential test failing in VNQM add call manager wizard, you need to be sure that you can use AXL via SOAP from the VNQM web console.
To do that type following into the browser:? https://<ip address>:8443/axl/
?
If AXL API is working, Call Manager should see following output:
Cisco CallManager: AXL Web Service
The AXL Web Service is working and accepting requests. Use HTTP POST to send a request.
?
If this is not your case, please check the VNQM to CCM connectivity (firewals, etc.) and reffer to step two ? how to enable AXL credentials on CUCUM.
?
If your Call Manager is prepared then it?s time for Adding Call Managers to VNQM:
Navigate to VoIP & Quality Settings and click on ?Add New CallManager nodes? link.
?
Add Call Manager wizard appears with the list of nodes to select. Select the corresponding Call Manager node and click ?Next?.
After clicking ?Next?, a new screen appears asking what needs to be monitored for the Call Manager node. The Call Manager node can be added with or without CDR/CMR polling.
?
If you can?t add a node that is supposed to be a call manager then you have probably SNMP service turned off on Call Manager. Take a look on the following screen which shows you how to find if SNMP is turned ON.
Note:? If added with CDR/CMR polling, the wizard gives an option to enter AXL credentials (to poll region specific data) and FTP server credentials (where the CDR/CMR files are stored).
?
Click ?Next? after selecting the monitor type.
?
Note: If without CDR/CMR monitoring is selected, the wizard adds the call manager without providing an option to enter AXL credentials and FTP credentials. It can be added later by editing the call manager node
?
?
?
Click ?Next? button to continue.
Add FTP Server (where CDR files will be placed):
?
After clicking on ?Next? button from the Add FTP server page, the final summary page appears. Users can review the entered data and clicking on ?Add Call Manager? adds the call manager to the VNQM.
?
Now you are eligible to do a search for CDRs via VNQM web console and system will periodically poll for new CDR files.
?
Michal
second degree murders bobby petrino brian dunn vin scully petrino fired george zimmerman charged tony romo
Source: http://bishoprosary.org/?p=371571
colbert super pac colbert super pac sloth birth control pill recall ground hog day florida primary results black history
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney meets with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London, Thursday, July 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney meets with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London, Thursday, July 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, left, meets with British opposition leader Ed Miliband in London, Thursday, July 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
A campaign sticker for Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is seen on a street sign for Romney Street in London, Wednesday, July 25, 2012, as Romney arrives in London to meet with world leaders, hold fundraisers, and attend the opening of the Olympic games. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
LONDON (AP) ? With the Olympic Games as a backdrop, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Thursday plunged into a series of meetings with British leaders, including Prime Minister David Cameron.
The likely GOP nominee sought to send a message that he recognizes the close bonds between the U.S. and its top ally ? and to project an image of leadership.
"I've got a number of conversations with leaders present and past of Great Britain," Romney said Thursday, "and recognize of course the unique relationship that exists between our nations, our commitment to common values, our commitment to peace in the world and a desire to see a stronger and growing economy."
Romney's weeklong overseas trip will also take him to Israel and Poland.
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair hosted Romney at his private office few blocks off Hyde Park. The former Labour Party prime minister now serves as a special envoy to the Middle East, and the Romney campaign said the two men discussed the Middle East peace process, the situation in Syria, Iran and the wider region. They also discussed economic issues facing both countries, and chatted about the upcoming Olympic competitions.
Romney then met with Ed Miliband, the current leader of the Labour Party ? the opposition to Cameron's Conservative Party. Before that session, Miliband invited two reporters from what he called "my side" to ask questions, although Romney declined to take questions from American journalists.
Romney then moved on to a meeting with Foreign Secretary William Hague. The candidate was also slated to meet with Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, Britain's top financial official.
Accompanying Romney to some of his meetings are former Missouri Sen. Jim Talent, an adviser, and Kerry Healey, who served as lieutenant governor when Romney was governor of Massachusetts.
Romney, whose decades in private business gave him ample exposure to international affairs, is a former one-term governor untested on the world's political stage. He hopes to convince voters back home that he is no novice on foreign affairs and that they should elect him as president in a complex, dangerous world.
"The world is a tumultuous and dangerous place," Romney said Thursday. "And certainly in many of the regions around the world we have great interests in having a common effort in seeing greater peace and prosperity."
Romney also will spend part of his time in London raising money and highlighting a key part of his resume ? the successful Salt Lake City Olympics he managed ? with an appearance Friday at the opening ceremonies of the London Games.
Meeting with British officials is typically one of the first priorities of any new president, and establishing those relationships beforehand can help smooth any transition. It's not unusual for American presidential candidates to meet with British leaders during the campaign; Obama did so when he took a trip abroad as the likely Democratic nominee in 2008.
This isn't Romney's first meeting with Cameron; the two also talked during a Romney visit to London in 2011. This year, Cameron traveled to the U.S., where he met Obama and attended a state dinner in Washington but did not meet with Romney.
Romney's meeting with a deputy prime minister is somewhat unusual. It's happening because Britain has a coalition government, and Clegg's Liberal Democrats govern alongside Cameron's Conservative party.
The meetings come a day after the Daily Telegraph newspaper published a story quoting an unidentified Romney campaign adviser saying the Republican believes the U.S. relationship with Britain is special because of shared "Anglo-Saxon heritage" and the White House doesn't appreciate that shared history.
Romney, however, quickly distanced himself from any such view.
"I don't agree with whoever that adviser might be," Romney told NBC News, "but do agree that we have a very common bond between ourselves and Great Britain."
Nonetheless, Vice President Joe Biden and top Obama aides criticized Romney. "The comments reported this morning are a disturbing start to a trip designed to demonstrate Gov. Romney's readiness to represent the United States on the world's stage," Biden said.
Later Thursday, Romney planned to hold a high-dollar fundraiser at the swanky Mandarin Oriental hotel in London's tony Knightsbridge district. One of the hosts of that fundraiser, former Barclays CEO Bob Diamond, withdrew from the event after he resigned in the wake of a rate-rigging scandal wracking British banks.
Associated Pressthe national defense authorization act the national defense authorization act bcs rankings miguel cotto vs antonio margarito rockefeller center art basel 2011 art basel 2011
